Miraclo Miles

2009: Day 240 The first issue of Scientific American is published today back in 1845. Hail to the King! Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg) - without whose creations modern comic books would be a very different place - was born today back in 1917. Nancy Kulp -- known primarily as Miss Jane of The Beverly Hillbillies - was born this day in 1921. Hutch! Actor/musician David Soul hits 66 today. (I had no idea he'd become a British citzen in 2004.) Director, producer and political activist Robert Greenwald (1946) is 64 today. Puerto Rican character actor Luis Guzmán (1956) celebrates his 53rd birthday today. Fillmaker David Fincher ( Seven , Fight Club ) turns 47 today. Stiffler's Mom - Jennifer Coolidge - turns 46 today. The same day, the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom occurs, and Martin Luter King Jr. delivers his "I Have a Dream" speech. In 1964 the Philadelphia race riot of '64 began in a Northern section of the city today, continuing for three ...

Yes, Another Healthcare Post This is a link to one by Roger Ebert . I'm simultaneously angry and depressed by the lies and seeming stupidity that remain rampant in this country. The information is there, and reason leads one to the correct conclusions, but apparently reason remains out of fashion. Seeing more people speak up, making sense, it gives me a little hope. We really cannot afford - for our sake and that of those to come after us - to let the thieving, conniving bastards win by steering a mass of people who've been raised on lies and fear.

Insurance Companies & the Healthcare Debate An excellent piece by a 20-year veteran of corporate public relations - until his conscience overwhelmed him - on how they magnify and use people's fears to drive those people into rejecting moves that would help them. (full text in the expanded post, in case the link above doesn't work.) Commentary: How insurance firms drive debate By Wendell Potter Special to CNN Editor's note: Wendell Potter has served since May 2009 as senior fellow on health care at the Center for Media and Democracy, a nonprofit organization that says it seeks to expose "corporate spin and government propaganda." After a 20-year career as a corporate public relations executive, Potter left his job last year as head of communications for one of the nation's largest health insurers, CIGNA Corporation. Ex-insurance company spokesman Wendell Potter says the industry seeks to drive the health care debate. Ex-insurance company spokesman Wendell...

Heroclix Update I've posted the first substantial news in months over on my Heroclix blog .

Another Good Question Here is an article trying to bring matters into better focus for those who have been tricked, scared and largely lied to about the state of health care in the United States. It does so by asking the simple question: "If U.S. health care's so good, why do other people live longer?" (I've also reprinted it in the full post below, never completely trusting a link.) One note I'll add is that it's important to both keep from wrapping the flag in any of this - this move is notorious for stopping the mind from functioning - and to separate the excellent medical personnel and technology from a corrupt, parasitic, profiteering health insurance mafia that has insinuated itself into our lives starting with the Nixon administration, as revealed in transcripts of White House tapes from the early 1970s. Here's an excerpt: Ehrlichman: “Edgar Kaiser is running his Permanente deal for profit. And the reason that he can … the reason he can do it … I ...

Dead to Walk the Small Screen? Ah! While there's an inestimable gulf between this sort of announcement and anything concrete, I was pleased to see the announcement below concerning a comics series I follow being optioned for tv. 'The Walking Dead' TV Series Oscar-Nominated Writer/Director Published: 08/12/2009 12:31am AMC has won a bidding war and has acquired the rights to Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead comics for a potential series. Frank Darabont, nominated for three Oscars for writing and directing (The Green Mile, Shawshank Redemption), will write, direct, and executive produce the series. Gale Anne Hurd of Valhalla Pictures and David Alpert of Circle of Confusion will also exec produce. The series would join such high quality fare as Mad Men and Breaking Bad on AMC. The Walking Dead has been steadily increasing in popularity, and recently made the #1 position in ICv2’s Top Genre Properties list for Q2 (see “ICv2’s Top 10 Genre Properties—Q2” ). There’s plenty o...

Light Touch A very cool demonstration.

Public Service II Healthcare reform remains a major, major topic for me as I look at the brutal practices in this nation and cannot believe anyone is to stupid as to believe that a system with "healthcare" parasites -- insurance companies that do nothing but get between caregivers and those needing care, not only taking prodigious salaries for their people but also have to generate quarterly profits for shareholders, is in any way in the best interests of the vast majority of us. Yet, apparently millions are gullible enough to follow the lead of their favorite millionaire pundits and embrace the current system (what one friend aptly referred to as a "health insurance mafia") with patriotic fervor. I'm somewhat annoyed by stupidity in general, but when it drags me and mine down in the process it makes me angry. You know what a reasonably established national healthcare system that treats its citizens as, well, human beings, and not a mix of consumers and burden...

Public Service Today's another of those days where I really appreciate Daily KOS being out there. Possibly favorite of the day in terms of a ZING! moment is this embarrassingly clumsy bailout when an attempt to get a Democratic senator to lie about the Cash for clunkers program, instead has his attempt at a score derailed, and gets the signal to cut and run to what apparently passes for "breaking news" on Fox. Also, be sure to scroll down and check out the various updates on the faux grassroots patriots, the Screamers, including a link to this timely information ad: