News items
Ted Cruz was talking Obamacare in New Hampshire at a campaign stop. He said "I’ll tell you, you know who one of those millions of Americans is who’s
lost their healthcare because of Obamacare? That would be me," he told
an audience in Manchester, N.H., according to Politico. "I don’t have
healthcare right now."
But according to Michael Hiltzik of the Los Angeles Times, Senator Cruz has no one to blame but himself. Hitzik's article claims that Senator Cruz was aware of the fact that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas was ending all of its PPO plans as of 12/31/2015 back in July of last year. So the reason that the Cruz family is now without healthcare is because five months wasn't enough for the Senator and his wife to find a new policy.
Reporter's note: Maybe if Senator Cruz had just elected to purchase COBRA insurance when his wife took an unpaid leave of absence from her job at Goldman Sachs, he wouldn't have this problem. And he wouldn't need to tell lies about it.
* * *
Sarah Palin blamed President Obama for her son Track's arrest on domestic violence charges. She made this specious allegation in the speech she gave announcing she was endorsing Donald Trump. Trump claims he encouraged her to make this connection.
Reporter's note: Even if the VA hasn't done a great job in providing access to treatment for veterans of the second Gulf War and Afghanistan, this is coming from a woman who is a multi-millionaire. Maybe she should have whipped out the checkbook if she was that concerned with Track's need for treatment.
* * *
Charlotte Rampling is one of the nominees for this year's Academy Awards. She is nominated in the Best Actress in a Lead Role category for her outstanding performance in 45 Years. In an interview in French on the European Network 1, she called the current #OscarsStillSoWhite uproar "racist to whites." The backlash was strong and immediate. A number of Tweets came from people who had seen her name trending and worried that she had died, so they clicked to see what was going on. More than one said that this was worse than her dying.
Reporter's note: It's her first nomination for an Oscar and I'm guessing she feels that this uproar is suggestive that she may not be truly deserving of the award. Or at least that's a charitable interpretation of her remarks. The truth is that the real problem isn't the utter lack of nominations going to people of color, but the systemic racism in terms of opportunity in getting work in the film industry for minorities in terms of roles that lead to award recognition.
Or maybe she's just pissed she missed out on playing Coretta Scott King at some point.
* * *
The United States Marines Corp is looking for a few good...mountain bikes. Well, not really, they're looking to keep the riders of those bikes from trespassing on federal property. The West Sycamore Canyon bike trail in Scripps Ranch (San Diego area) runs up to Naval Station Miramar property. There are signs posted that the area is off-limits. Now 45 mountain bikers have had their bikes confiscated by the Marines. The riders were also cited and forced to endure what one biker called "a walk of shame" back to their cars. The Marine Corps says the bicycles will be returned once the riders take care of the citations.
Reporter's Note: Signs need to be heeded. If it says don't enter, just because others have done it before and gotten away with it doesn't mean you'll be as lucky.
* * *
According to an audit by the Nevada Taxicab Authority, passengers using taxis in the Las Vegas area are being overcharged by some $47 million annually. A big chunk of the overcharge is due to a $3 fee assessed anytime a passenger in a taxi pays via credit card. Auditors were also critical of a fuel surcharge that is calculated using much higher estimated costs for gasoline than what drivers are paying at the pumps.
Reporter's note: Now that Uber and Lyft are operating in Las Vegas, this problem may begin to correct itself. Las Vegas taxi drivers have made lots of money driving visitors to and from the airport and on short jaunts. If I go to Las Vegas, I wind up renting a car. It's cheaper than dealing with taxis.
* * *
In late breaking news, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that it will implement changes in the rules that will double the number of female and minority members of the organization by 2020.
Reporter's note: The important thing here is they are also changing the rules about who can vote. New members will enter the Academy with a ten year term as a voting member. They can earn another ten year voting term if they remain active in the industry. Three such ten year terms, or status as an Oscar winner or nominee is the only way to become a lifetime voting member. They intend to apply these rules retroactively to current AMPAS members. This won't fix Hollywood's diversity woes, but it is a welcome step in the right direction.
But according to Michael Hiltzik of the Los Angeles Times, Senator Cruz has no one to blame but himself. Hitzik's article claims that Senator Cruz was aware of the fact that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas was ending all of its PPO plans as of 12/31/2015 back in July of last year. So the reason that the Cruz family is now without healthcare is because five months wasn't enough for the Senator and his wife to find a new policy.
Reporter's note: Maybe if Senator Cruz had just elected to purchase COBRA insurance when his wife took an unpaid leave of absence from her job at Goldman Sachs, he wouldn't have this problem. And he wouldn't need to tell lies about it.
* * *
Sarah Palin blamed President Obama for her son Track's arrest on domestic violence charges. She made this specious allegation in the speech she gave announcing she was endorsing Donald Trump. Trump claims he encouraged her to make this connection.
Reporter's note: Even if the VA hasn't done a great job in providing access to treatment for veterans of the second Gulf War and Afghanistan, this is coming from a woman who is a multi-millionaire. Maybe she should have whipped out the checkbook if she was that concerned with Track's need for treatment.
* * *
Charlotte Rampling is one of the nominees for this year's Academy Awards. She is nominated in the Best Actress in a Lead Role category for her outstanding performance in 45 Years. In an interview in French on the European Network 1, she called the current #OscarsStillSoWhite uproar "racist to whites." The backlash was strong and immediate. A number of Tweets came from people who had seen her name trending and worried that she had died, so they clicked to see what was going on. More than one said that this was worse than her dying.
Reporter's note: It's her first nomination for an Oscar and I'm guessing she feels that this uproar is suggestive that she may not be truly deserving of the award. Or at least that's a charitable interpretation of her remarks. The truth is that the real problem isn't the utter lack of nominations going to people of color, but the systemic racism in terms of opportunity in getting work in the film industry for minorities in terms of roles that lead to award recognition.
Or maybe she's just pissed she missed out on playing Coretta Scott King at some point.
* * *
The United States Marines Corp is looking for a few good...mountain bikes. Well, not really, they're looking to keep the riders of those bikes from trespassing on federal property. The West Sycamore Canyon bike trail in Scripps Ranch (San Diego area) runs up to Naval Station Miramar property. There are signs posted that the area is off-limits. Now 45 mountain bikers have had their bikes confiscated by the Marines. The riders were also cited and forced to endure what one biker called "a walk of shame" back to their cars. The Marine Corps says the bicycles will be returned once the riders take care of the citations.
Reporter's Note: Signs need to be heeded. If it says don't enter, just because others have done it before and gotten away with it doesn't mean you'll be as lucky.
* * *
According to an audit by the Nevada Taxicab Authority, passengers using taxis in the Las Vegas area are being overcharged by some $47 million annually. A big chunk of the overcharge is due to a $3 fee assessed anytime a passenger in a taxi pays via credit card. Auditors were also critical of a fuel surcharge that is calculated using much higher estimated costs for gasoline than what drivers are paying at the pumps.
Reporter's note: Now that Uber and Lyft are operating in Las Vegas, this problem may begin to correct itself. Las Vegas taxi drivers have made lots of money driving visitors to and from the airport and on short jaunts. If I go to Las Vegas, I wind up renting a car. It's cheaper than dealing with taxis.
* * *
In late breaking news, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that it will implement changes in the rules that will double the number of female and minority members of the organization by 2020.
Reporter's note: The important thing here is they are also changing the rules about who can vote. New members will enter the Academy with a ten year term as a voting member. They can earn another ten year voting term if they remain active in the industry. Three such ten year terms, or status as an Oscar winner or nominee is the only way to become a lifetime voting member. They intend to apply these rules retroactively to current AMPAS members. This won't fix Hollywood's diversity woes, but it is a welcome step in the right direction.
posted by me at 3:53 PM
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