Friday, May 22, 2009
Blue DOUBLE Cross - you call that a plan?
That didn’t take long. Less than two weeks have passed since much of the medical-industrial complex made a big show of working with President Obama on health care reform — and the double-crossing is already well under way. Krugman's May 21 OpEd points out just how two-faced big insurance is. They will fight reform. PERIOD.
The insurance company plan turns out to be "protect the status quo."
Their "plan" is to let costs go on rising! Their plan is corporate bureaucrats and HMOs getting between you and your doctor to protect their profits - accountants deciding your doctor doesn't know what should be prescribed. If we address two things, 1) people who lose or can't get insurance, and 2) the totally out-of-control cost spiral, while we sensibly challenge insurance companies by creating a new public health insurance option to let the free market work its magic, everybody will be able to afford good health care.
Their plan is to keep cherry-picking the healthy and the wealthy and dumping you if you commit the sin of getting sick or injured - that's the insurance companies self-interested idea of cost control. You can't blame them, really, they're just trying to keep the CEOs and lobbyists well-paid, and it's been working for 30 years or more, and they've got many of our elected officials bought and paid for already.
There's no incentive for big insurance companies to control health care costs - they haven't been competing. The first hint they might have to do so got them to the table. They're scared stiff at the prospect of a public option, because they surveyed people and the truth is folks love the idea. I'm not talking about single-payer, mind you - the President isn't trying to turn us into England despite what you hear about socialized medicine. This first step that insurance companies oppose is giving Americans a real choice.
But
the big insurance CEOs only paid lip-service to the President for fear of bad PR. Now they're doing an about face. Krugman skewers them, including the fact that they've had TV ads in the works since well before their meeting in D.C.
Health care isn't the problem, the high cost of getting coverage is the problem. Insurance companies and their champions on Capitol Hill oppose real reform; reform threatens their profits.
The insurance company plan turns out to be "protect the status quo."
Their "plan" is to let costs go on rising! Their plan is corporate bureaucrats and HMOs getting between you and your doctor to protect their profits - accountants deciding your doctor doesn't know what should be prescribed. If we address two things, 1) people who lose or can't get insurance, and 2) the totally out-of-control cost spiral, while we sensibly challenge insurance companies by creating a new public health insurance option to let the free market work its magic, everybody will be able to afford good health care.Their plan is to keep cherry-picking the healthy and the wealthy and dumping you if you commit the sin of getting sick or injured - that's the insurance companies self-interested idea of cost control. You can't blame them, really, they're just trying to keep the CEOs and lobbyists well-paid, and it's been working for 30 years or more, and they've got many of our elected officials bought and paid for already.
There's no incentive for big insurance companies to control health care costs - they haven't been competing. The first hint they might have to do so got them to the table. They're scared stiff at the prospect of a public option, because they surveyed people and the truth is folks love the idea. I'm not talking about single-payer, mind you - the President isn't trying to turn us into England despite what you hear about socialized medicine. This first step that insurance companies oppose is giving Americans a real choice.
But
the big insurance CEOs only paid lip-service to the President for fear of bad PR. Now they're doing an about face. Krugman skewers them, including the fact that they've had TV ads in the works since well before their meeting in D.C.Health care isn't the problem, the high cost of getting coverage is the problem. Insurance companies and their champions on Capitol Hill oppose real reform; reform threatens their profits.
Bay To Breakers Rauchy Party Solution: Concerts
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In my last Bay to Breakers post we looked at an amazing race of top talent from around the World. Some of you thought "Well, who's interested in that part of The Bay to Breakers; it's all about the parties in the streets and the booze." Well, I've not forgot that perspective. Here it is.
Overall, the event was a success and the people in my video said so. Moreover the new regulations didn't pose the huge roadblock to a day of fun that the Citizens for The Preservation of The Bay to Breakers feared would happen. Still, something was missing: concerts.
The problem with the 2009 Bay to Breakers was "Footstock", the annual giant gathering place and party held in San Francisco's Polo Grounds, was closed at 2 PM. That's too early and the halting of the event midway through the Bay to Breakers caused a bottleneck that pushed people out into Golden Gate Park and led to massive parties in the streets and people sneaking past barriers to relieve themselves in the nearby pools. It was a hot day; having a big name concert to go to at Footstock would have caused people to want to get their and not hangout and clog the park's streets and roads.
No example captured the magnitude of this problem better than the "Spring Break" float started by a group of guys called "The Godfathers" (someone believed the float was started by Citizens for The Preservation of The Bay to Breakers head Ed Sharpless, but I could find no evidence to back that claim), and according to John Cote in the San Francisco Chronicle, the float makers planned to move the float into the course midway through it, rather than having it at the stating area as the race organizers wanted. The tiki-style creation had a DJ spinning pulsating tunes and women in bikinis dancing on it, and booze.
UPDATE: Ed Sharpless responded to my email by stating the float was did not start in the middle of the route, which is contrary to the information I was given. But the responses of those in the video would objected to the float's impact on traffic were unplanned and real and underscore the need for extended Footstock hours.
Midway through the floats march through San Francisco, police came and confiscated the alcohol they had on board, but that didn't curb a thing and only pissed off the crowd. The float continued through Golden Gate Park, where its operators took refuge under a bridge and the crowd following it started a massive rave-like event which looked every bit like the dirty-dancing nightclub-turned-day it was. Ok, it was fun to watch, but because it took up the entire street, cars and in particular emergency ambulances carrying heat-stroke victims (it was that hot) could not easily pass through. It took almost five minutes just to clear a space for them to pass through. That's valuable time. Plus, the street head was still filled with people.
Toward Big Concerts and Big Planning
That would not have happened if Footstock remained open and a band like "Coldplay" were the headliner, with a local group serving as the warmup entertainment. That's the way we used to do it. People were convinced they had to get through Golden Gate Park to be there; instead, in search of fun and with nowhere else to go, they made the park their own rave party. The Bay to Breakers should be the scene for big concerts and formed by big planning.
What's happening to our society? A "hook-em-and-book-em" mentality has swept America and found its way into the Bay to Breakers. Time to put on the breaks! We have to go back to actually planning large-scale events around the idea of getting people to do something rather than preventing them from doing something. We have this desire, it seems, to want to control each other; why? It causes an irrational level of frustration that's contaminating our society, leading to policy brutality, assaults on students by teachers, and a backlash of social unrest that causes a cycle of government versus the people to develop.
Nuts.
The Bay to Breakers is a celebration of people having fun. The planner and the community should work together to make it so. My solution is to have a $5 charge at Footstock for those who don't have a Bay to Breakers number, a pass, or a pass that they could purchase online or at the "runners expo" held the days before the race. Then back that with a big name, big deal-of-a-concert that starts at 2:30 PM, just as the crowds are streaming in from a long walk. The money could be used for cleanup and the concert.
That would restore a lost luster to one of the events that makes San Francisco a place people want to be.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Bay to Breakers - A Race To Remember
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My Bay to Breakers Sunday started unlike any in the past 19 or more years and it was even better than the "KGO coolness" of the last seven years. From 2002 to 2007, I'd get up at 4:30 in the morning to meet my friend Beth at the KGO Radio "Morning Stretch" held in the lobby of One Market Street before the start of the run. The basic advantage of being with KGO Radio was the free coffee and orange juice in the morning, plus we were at the start of the line, right where I could get hit by flying tortillas and giant beach balls. Sadly, in 2008 KGO Radio pulled its sponsorship of the event but we still managed a front-line position.
This year was just plain different. My constant trips between California and Georgia where my Mom lives made planning for the B2B difficult this time around. I'm not complaining, it's just the fact of family life right through here. But just by asking I managed to score a press pass to the event, and Mom being understanding (and in good health), I flew back to the Bay Area Thursday and got in by the skin of my teeth; the press conference was the next morning.
That luncheon and media-op was a fun look at the other side of the Bay to Breakers, but just when I thought I'd seen it all, Sunday gave me an experience impossible to forget and captured on video here.
Unlike past B2B mornings, I got up at 5:50 AM, worked on a blog post, talked to a friend, and worked on a tech issue, all the while mindful of the passing of time; I needed to arrive before 7:30 AM. I decided to take BART to the Embarcadero Station then walk over to Howard Street and the race starting line area. Just as I was making my way to downtown Oakland BART station, I got a call from Eva, one of the B2B media relations staffers that they were waiting on me and the press truck was getting ready to leave!
Yikes! It was 7:13 already?!
I called and said I was headed toward BART and to "Hold the truck. I'll be there." That was a request I must have repeated three times. And all the time, I later learned Eva was certain I would miss the truck. I got on BART at 7:24 AM. I was running late.
A Really Crowded BART Train Car
The train car I was on was too crowded for words; we were literally "smushed together" as a friend would say, and it seemed any inch of space was occupied by an arm or a leg. It was clear BART didn't put enough trains on the Sunday morning schedule to comfortably take all of the patrons heading over to downtown San Francisco. Still, just as I was on my way and confident I was going to arrive without a hitch, there was one.
We arrived at Embarcadero BART and as we did I called Eva, who said I had three minutes to get to the press truck or they were gone (Which reminded me of Balok's famous "THREE MINUTES" warning to Captain Kirk and the crew of The Enterprise in the Star Trek episode "The Corbomite Maneuver .") So I high-tailed it, but forgot one thing: I had to add money to my BART ticket, which would have eaten the "three minutes" I had.
I went to a BART Policeman for help, but the very relaxed officer told me to talk to the station agents, so I ran over to the agent booth, and one man dressed in what looked like a Kangol cap said "Why do you say you have a press pass?" I could not believe it especially because it was around my neck; I frantically explained my situation and begged for his help. The internal clock in my head turned into an alarm; I said "I've got to go; I talked to the cop." And I bolted.
I jetted up the stairs and onto Market Street, cell phone in hand, calling Eva that I was "running to ya." I arrived at Howard and saw the red truck with Eva on it, and yelled into my phone "Look for the bald black guy" and waved frantically. She spotted me and told the police to let me in; they did. I ran over and jumped onto the truck, feeling like I could just collapse.
But the race was about to start.
My focus turned to the "ING" branded start line, and so did my camcorder, and with the intent to follow-up on a story line I was interested in: the 2008 Bay to Breakers Champion Lineth Chephurui from Kenya, versus the challenger Deena Kastor from the USA. Yes, it wasn't the "battle of the sexes" storyline the race organizers were advocating (even to the point of having the elite women runners start 4 minutes and 40 seconds ahead of the male runners just to "even out" the race at the end) and that's because I have a personal hatred for such contests. With the rate of divorce so high and all of these forces pushing men and women apart, why a "battle of the sexes?"
I just hate the concept in any form. Sorry.
Besides, the race organizers managed to lure the 2004 Olympic Bronze Medalist and American Kastor to participate, and let's face it, African runners, and particularly Kenyans have taken over the Bay to Breakers. Kastor was billed as the best chance for someone representing the "Stars and Stripes" to win the race in a long time. The women held the most compelling story.
A Group of Speedsters
The women were so fast they actually caught up to the truck which must have been going around 15 MPH at the time. Someone said "Speed up! You're too close" (you can hear this in the video) and suddenly we lurched forward with such force, I thought I was headed off the truck! At that point, the women were right at the rear of the first press truck, so they must have been running at around 20 MPH just to catch us. Whatever; they were moving!
Here, Kastor and Chephurui were the leaders of a dense pack of runners including Teyba Erkesso of Ethiopia and the party remained intact for much of the first two miles of the run.
Katie Takes Over
For the first two miles I was just talking into the camcorder explaining the action, then pure instinct said I should brave standing up in the truck bed and talk to this woman who seemed to know a lot of the course and wasnt shy to share her knoweldge. So I just pointed the cam at her and asked questions.
The "her" is Katie Harrar, who's a veteran runner and now Manager of Event Sales and Logistics for the Bay to Breakers, and possesses a voice for commentating. Aided by the spotters in the truck cab, and her great eyesite, Katie was able to spot where the runners were at a distance, which was useful when we got so far away from the runners it was hard for the untrained eye (mine) to determine who was who without my camcorder.
Kastor Falls Back; Chephurui Takes "The Hill"
The Hayes Street Hill is the hardest part of the Bay to Breakers course. It's known around the World as "The Hill" and can test even the best runners, and that was true on Sunday. Harrar informed me that it has an "11 degree incline" but I must add it has the added pain of being situated in such a way that the morning sun beats right down on it and its victims. One of them was Kaptor.
Deena started out well ahead but by the top of the Hill there was only Chephurui, who would win the $5,000 prize for reaching the "summit" (as if Hayes Street were a mountain to climb.) But the problem with reaching the top of Hayes Street is even those who've ran the Bay to Breakers before think it's all over from that point; they've got five more miles to go, as Harrar reminded me. The way to take the next five miles if you're a normal runner is to coast as it is mostly downhill, unless you're an elite runner in a race, where you look for any opening to increase your speed. Chephurui relaxed and for the moment she did, Kastor raced past her, veered from right to left on Fell Street as they approached Golden Gate Park and for the next mile appeared to be the new women's champion of The Bay to Breakers.
Then it got hotter.
I've ran the B2B on hot days before, and Iv'e done it with 15 pounds on my back (as Beth reminded me) but I was happy to be in the press truck Sunday. It' wasn't just warm it was humid and in Golden Gate Park the unusually warm weather took its toll. the younger legs of the Kenyan Chephurui and the Ethiopian Erkesso (21 and 26 years old respectively) caught the American, Kastor (36), passed her, then dusted her.
It was down to those two.
For a time, it looked like the idea of giving this gifted group of women the 4 minute, 40 second headstart would result in a female overall winner. But after seeing one police motorcycle pacing the women and behind us for most of the race, suddenly another one was only 50 yards behind the women's escort, and closing fast. It was the men's escort which meant the male runner were gaining: fast. There was one man running quite literally like the wind: Sammy Kitwara.
Now, I've seen a lot of things, or would like to think so, but I've never seen anyone run as fast as Sammy did after the six mile mark. He would set a course record of 33 minutes and 31 seconds for the race, which means at 7.46 miles he was averaging a mile every 4.46 minutes, or about 13.45 miles-per-hour, average. (Double check that if you want.) But it seemed he was going at about 20 miles per hour over that last stretch.
Why?
The "Breakers" of the Pacific Ocean and that nice cool breeze. Kitwara admitted as much later: "Yeah. Yeah. When I came down the hill it was cool; I just went."
His blazing speed caused our truck to accelerate to around 40 miles per hour just to get to the sideline area so we could get out of the truck and over to the finish line. Getting from the truck to the finish line was a blood-rush of a trek I'd like to see Ray Ratto try sometime. We arrived just in time to see Kitwara glide in the winner, followed by Tilahun Regassa a full minute later at 34:15 and John Yuda of Tanzania at 34:23. Then the women, Erkesso, Chepkurui, and Kastor came in at 38:29, 38;35, and 39:05 respectively.
Erkesso, the very shy Ethiopian woman with the lovely braided hairstyle was the surprise winner but she only beat Chepkurui by just 6/100ths of a second; they were that close. That means Chepkurui placed first and second in consecutive years running the Bay to Breakers and should be the favorite for 2010. Why? She says she's coming back, whereas Erkesso said to me "Maybe. I don't know."
Kastor indicated she may return and given this was her first "go" at the course, I'm sure she wants another crack at it.
But the overall winner was Kitwara and he says he's definitely coming back. Why not? He won something like $25,000 in prize money overall, taking the Hayes Street Summit Awards for the men (Chepkurui was the women's winner), winning the "Battle of The Breakers", then taking the men's prize as well. While runners like San Mateo's Peter Gilmore complained of the heat, Kitwara said "It wasn't hot." Well, not for him, but for us mere mortals the weather was the only thing hotter than his amazing performance.
Back To The Future
For me the Bay to Breakers didn't end with the race - I wanted to see how the revelers were responding to the new policies I discussed in an earlier post - so after brunch at the Beach Chalet I went to "Footstock" with friends and through the park with my camcorder and their antics (That's another blog post to come). Later in the day, I went back to BART, told another station agent what happened that morning with the "Kangol Guy" and he reset my ticket and let me through. Nice. That made up for that one miscue in an otherwise incredible, unforgettable experience.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Michael Jackson Postpones London Concert; Skin Cancer?
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YouTube, Metacafe, Blip.tv and Sclipo
In a surprising turn of events, Michael Jackson, the self-described "King of Pop" has postponed his much-anticipated London concert series. While the official reason is not known, The Telegraph of London is reporting that Jackson is secretly fighting skin cancer.
(UPDATE): The Telegraph is now reporting - as of 5:25 PM PST - that Jackson's doctor's deny he has skin cancer.
The first concert of the "This Is It" tour that was set for July 8th is being moved back five nights to July 13th. The other concerts that were to be held this year, are now set for 2010 according to Billboard:
10th July will be moved to 1st March 2010
12th July will be moved to 3rd March 2010
14th July will be moved to 6th March 2010
Those who have purchased tickets and can't make the show will be refunded in full.
While some news outlets have reported no official cause of the concert delays, and others claim skin cancer which they say Jackson denies is the reason, The Sun explained in full on May 16th that Jackson is fighting skin cancer, but at the time he expected to go ahead with his concert schedule as it stood then. According to a source for The Sun, Jackson said he would fit the treatment around the concerts, but it seems Jackson may have changed his mind.
Today, May 20th, Jackson walked out of Bedford Medical in Virginia, which is known for its treatment of skin cancer declaring "I have nothing to hide."
The Concerts Are Jackson's Comeback
Jackson, commonly the focus of reports of bizarre behavior, is still a very popular singer for his library of hits that span four decades. I first saw him in August of 1972 at the Chicago Amphitheater when he was the child star of the Jackson Five. I feel like I've grown up with the man and love his music, even as I watched him alter his face to something south of Diana Ross, drop out of a number of well-publicized marriages, and allow his inner child to take over a bit too much. I hope he beats this cancer. I really do.
Michael Vick, PETA Wants Your Brain Scanned, What About The Rooneys?
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Michael Vick, you've spent two years in the slammer for running a business that revolved around dog-fighting and harming our furry friends. Now, you're confined to your home and reportedly a $10-per-hour construction job. Think you're going to be forgiven? Ha! Michael, you're going into a harsh United States of America, with far less religious people than there used to be. Think I'm kidding; just check out the Pew study that reports more people than ever don't declare a religion.
That's a bad thing because it means they don't subscribe to the concept of forgiveness, Michael. I don't care what anyone tells you, a person who has no religious background or interest is a person to be feared because they don't have a moral compass to guide them. (And if they tell you otherwise, run, don't walk, to the nearest exit!) So forget winning 20 percent of America over, they're long gone. That group has to have someone to hate to make themselves feel alive, and they're going to pick you as their target.
Oh, and PETA wants your brain scanned to see if you're a psycho. I'm serious.
PETA? You know them. PETA stands for "People for The Ethical Treatment of Animals," and their cause is certainly just and it's a great organization to be sure. But PETA has failed in its history to really get vocally involved in curbing dog racing, and remained silent when it was revealed that The Rooney Family, which owns the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers were owners of a dog racing business.
What? You didn't know that? Yep. They owned, ah, excuse me still own, the Palm Beach Kennel Club. And while PETA has expressed its displeasure with dog racing, it never mentioned the Rooney's activity or asked Steelers President Dan Rooney (and Ambassador to Ireland) to take a brain scan.
What? Folks tell you dog racing's less violent than dog fighting, so that's ok? I'd like to meet those people; yeah, right. According to PETA - yep, PETA - dog racing culture selectively breeds such that dogs who don't make "the cut" are killed. Just like the kind of activity you were punished for, right Michael?
Yet where was PETA when the NFL worked with the Rooneys to restructure their ownership agreement with investor partners and all of this dog racing business was revealed? Silent. Quiet.
And what did NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell say? Well according to ESPN and the Associated Press he said:
"The initiative frankly was that they had changed their business operations, and the gambling operations had gone more into gambling," Goodell said. "It was of greater concern to us than the original horse racing and dog racing. That initiated some discussions, and it really just had to get resolved for the club."
So let me get this straight: gambling was more deemed more problematical than dog racing? Now, I love the Commissioner - he's a treasure and a smart political operative - but maybe he should have said "gambling, dog racing, and horse racing are all activities we're concerned with and want the Rooneys to get out of as soon as possible," don't you think?
Me? What do I think? I'm outraged! I really am.
Where's PETA? Where were the calls for a brain scan of the Rooneys? And why the hell isn't anyone on their tail about this?
Michael, people will offer all kinds of reasons: they're rich; you're not. They're white; you're black. They're connected; you're not. Whatever the reasons it's not right. And while it's not just that they go unpunished for their activities and you get raked over the coals, you also can't point a finger at them. That would be wrong and you're not the right messenger. Keep your head high and pray to God for all the strength you're going to need to navigate through the sea of clowns and jokers you're about to deal with.
PETA wants your brain scanned. Do it. Get it over with, then visit Oprah. Then maybe, just maybe, someone will put the ball in the Rooney's court.
Just pray baby.
Get The Zennie62 Widget Made By Steve Kloft!
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Right out of the blue, I get this email from my friend Steve Kloft, who's an established Internet marketing guru, announcing he's created a widget containing links to my SFGate.com postings, my main blog Zennie62.com, my Twitter tweets, and my YouTube videos!
Steve, thanks a million! That makes up for the 600 mb Bay to Breakers videos I'm still uploading, the nutso cyberstalkers , and all the crap I've had to deal with that comes with just expressing my opinion! But as I've said before, there are good people out there, fortunately I know them and they have away of just appearing when you need a boost: Steve's an example.
Here's the widget:
You can get your own copy at this link:
http://www.widgetbox.com/widget/zennie-abraham
And thanks again, Steve! That was a bolt out of the blue!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Michael Vick, PETA Wants Your Brain Scanned, What About The Rooneys?
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Michael Vick, you've spent two years in the slammer for running a business that revolved around dog-fighting and harming our furry friends. Now, you're confined to your home and reportedly a $10-per-hour construction job. Think you're going to be forgiven? Ha! Michael, you're going into a harsh United States of America, with far less religious people than there used to be. Think I'm kidding; just check out the Pew study that reports more people than ever don't declare a religion.
That's a bad thing because it means they don't subscribe to the concept of forgiveness, Michael. I don't care what anyone tells you, a person who has no religious background or interest is a person to be feared because they don't have a moral compass to guide them. (And if they tell you otherwise, run, don't walk, to the nearest exit!) So forget winning 20 percent of America over, they're long gone. That group has to have someone to hate to make themselves feel alive, and they're going to pick you as their target.
Oh, and PETA wants your brain scanned to see if you're a psycho. I'm serious.
PETA? You know them. PETA stands for "People for The Ethical Treatment of Animals," and their cause is certainly just and it's a great organization to be sure. But PETA has failed in its history to really get vocally involved in curbing dog racing, and remained silent when it was revealed that The Rooney Family, which owns the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers were owners of a dog racing business.
What? You didn't know that? Yep. They owned, ah, excuse me still own, the Palm Beach Kennel Club. And while PETA has expressed its displeasure with dog racing, it never mentioned the Rooney's activity or asked Steelers President Dan Rooney (and Ambassador to Ireland) to take a brain scan.
What? Folks tell you dog racing's less violent than dog fighting, so that's ok? I'd like to meet those people; yeah, right. According to PETA - yep, PETA - dog racing culture selectively breeds such that dogs who don't make "the cut" are killed. Just like the kind of activity you were punished for, right Michael?
Yet where was PETA when the NFL worked with the Rooneys to restructure their ownership agreement with investor partners and all of this dog racing business was revealed? Silent. Quiet.
And what did NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell say? Well according to ESPN and the Associated Press he said:
"The initiative frankly was that they had changed their business operations, and the gambling operations had gone more into gambling," Goodell said. "It was of greater concern to us than the original horse racing and dog racing. That initiated some discussions, and it really just had to get resolved for the club."
So let me get this straight: gambling was more deemed more problematical than dog racing? Now, I love the Commissioner - he's a treasure and a smart political operative - but maybe he should have said "gambling, dog racing, and horse racing are all activities we're concerned with and want the Rooneys to get out of as soon as possible," don't you think?
Me? What do I think? I'm outraged! I really am.
Where's PETA? Where were the calls for a brain scan of the Rooneys? And why the hell isn't anyone on their tail about this?
Michael, people will offer all kinds of reasons: they're rich; you're not. They're white; you're black. They're connected; you're not. Whatever the reasons it's not right. And while it's not just that they go unpunished for their activities and you get raked over the coals, you also can't point a finger at them. That would be wrong and you're not the right messenger. Keep your head high and pray to God for all the strength you're going to need to navigate through the sea of clowns and jokers you're about to deal with.
PETA wants your brain scanned. Do it. Get it over with, then visit Oprah. Then maybe, just maybe, someone will put the ball in the Rooney's court.
Just pray baby.
"Never is a man so tall..." A young man wondered if his haircut felt like the President's
[cross-posted by the author]
I believe most political decisions are made on the basis of an emotional affiliation to one or the other major political party, even if we're all very good at rationalizing about this or that issue to justify it "logically." I believe, too, that there are all too many elected to serve in Washington who lose their way and become more interested in lining their pockets than in working on behalf of the voters.
There's nothing here about federal intervention in state's rights; there's no judicial activism on display; there's nothing about unfair executive compensation, overpriced health insurance, CIA briefings, weapons of mass destruction, or environmental protection in the picture. There's just a young man, curious if his haircut feels like the President's, perhaps the most powerful man on the planet - and the President of the United States bending down to indulge the curiousity of somebody else's son.
In my gut, this is evidence of the confidence and priorities of a great leader who respects everybody he meets. Today, the world is dealing with a very different sort of President in the United States than they have ever had before. This is a man who not only values children, and families, but who has the willingness and courage to show the world his unscripted compassion.
Monday, May 18, 2009
The on-going confusion over "single-payer" health care
Single-payer isn't a synonym for "universal health insurance coverage." The two are separate issues - although many who support one support the other, as well.
Single-payer is only about who administers the payment. It could be the government, it might not be. In either case single-payer doesn't solve the question of "universal" coverage. The President has expressed his belief that while single-payer is an ideal, it is not a practical short-term goal due to the well-established (some would say entrenched) model already in force.
Universal health insurance coverage is one way to insure coverage for those who can't/don't get it through their employer - the unemployed, the self-employed, those who have been denied coverage for any number of reasons, etc.
A "public option" isn't either of those; a public option would mean setting up the government as one possible insurance plan provider among many, each responsible for their own paperwork. It is touted as a possible path to a single-payer system, but given the pragmatic attitude of the President dealing with wealthy companies buying influence in the Congress, it's not even that - and single payer is not going to happen anytime soon despite its obvious cost savings.
By the way: none of these is socialized medicine, either.
As long as what's being discussed is an option, as long as private plans remain available, the public option concept is simply about trying to get everybody covered. Are you with me? "Public option" isn't a synonym for either single-payer or universal health insurance.
Why, you may well ask, do the special interests oppose such changes, particularly that public option, and muddy the waters in the media while lobbying in Congress? Because insurance industry surveys show that a public option wouldn't attract merely the 50 million uninsured Americans, but actually more than double that number. Insurance companies don't want to compete with a plan system that operates efficiently on such low overhead - it threatens their profits, and the salaries and bonuses of the CEOs who, in some cases, earn tens of millions of dollars per year under the current system.
“…what we’ve seen is that the private healthcare insurers do not know how to deliver an efficient way.”
World Bank Chief Economist, Joseph Stiglitz
Saturday, May 16, 2009
98th ING Bay to Breakers Has Interesting Race Battle
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The 98th running of what is now called the ING Bay to Breakers (I have to admit I was used to "The San Francisco Examiner Bay To Breakers" because the name "San Francisco" was in it) kicks off tomorrow (Sunday, May 17th) and for the first time, I'm not running it; I'm covering it. It's a weird feeling but a totally new experience. As media you get to attend a very cool press conference, as I did on Friday at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco. You also get to talk to the main celebrity runners and the race organizers and sponsors. You also get a lot of great food and drink. But back to the race itself.
I've ran 19th of these events - yes, 19 straight times with my best time 1:04.30 - so I feel qualified to talk about how crazy the day is. In fact, the day's gotten so out of hand in the recent past, that earlier this year ING's race organizers tried to put a break on some activities by floating the policy of a ban on beer, floats, and nudity. That decision set in motion a large online protest movement, which after a period of heated exchanges with the race organizers, agreed to a new set of policies.
(But before I show them, I've got to say I think there should be a ban on people who have no business shedding their closthes, going nude! Hey, if we're serious about physical fitness, let's start with the Bay to Breakers: if you're a hardbody you can go naked, otherwise don't even think about it!)
The Major New Policies:
1 - If you've got a can of beer or a bottle of wine on the race course, or your really toasted, or both, you may get tossed into the whoskow. Fascinating! Let's see the SFPD enforce that one this year! There's not enough police to corral the thousands of drinkers blowing off team from losing their jobs and some of them may be former cops too. Still, it's policy.
2 - Floats must be registered and at the start line at a designated place.
3 - Start line has a "corral" system so if you're a slow runner, you go in one area; fast runners another.
So folks, you can take your clothes off, and considering how hot it is, there's gonna be a lot of that. But please if you're not in great shape, keep your clothes on and bring a fan with a block of ice!
The Serious B2B Race
A serious race battle starts just before the craziness that is the Bay to Breakers, and in attendance at the press conference Friday were returning men’s winner John Korir (Kenya). Bay Area and Northern California runners are James Nielsen (Palo Alto), Peter Gilmore (San Mateo), Brad Poore (Davis) and Midori Sperandeo (Folsom).
But this year the race features 2004 Olympic Gold Metalist, Deena Kastor in the position, as the race PR specialists wrote "to bring the race title back into the hands of an American since 1993." Kastor takes on the defending women's champion Lineth Chepkurui of Kenya.I talked with both runners at the press event.
While Deena's an Olympic Champion, she lacks the course experience Chepkurui has and frankly, the Bay to Breakers course (called Bay to Breakers because it goes from Downtown San Francisco near the San Francisco "Bay", to the west side of the City and The Great Highway next to the Pacific Ocean, or the "breakers") is not only challenging, featuring the Hayes Street Hill, which is a one-mile incline, to the occasional human walking into the race course and the bands playing along the way. How Deena deals with all of that will be the key to her performance. She told me she mapped out the course and went along it earlier in the week, but there's something about race day and all that human energy that one can't simulate.
Kenya v. America (Again)
I also talked to 21-year old Lineth Chepkurui, who's hails from Kenya and is just plain ready. She's quiet, really kind of shy, but possesses a great smile and energy. I asked her why Kenya specifically and Africa in general has such a great record of winning Bay to Breakers races, "We have a lot of athletes who train", she explains, and went on to explain that running is for all practical purposes a way of life there.
For the men, the competition is "intra-Africa" with the Kenyans versus the Ethopians where 2008 Bay to Breakers champion John Korir and 2005 and 2006 winner Gilbert Okari - both from Kenya - are the favorites to win but will be challenged by Sammy Kitwara.
I'm looking forward to my video trip and watching the race from the press truck. I've ran the Bay to Breakers fast, slow, walked it, and seen bands and rolling bars, but I've never seen it from the media perspective. I'm excited.
Bay to Breakers on Twitter
If you want to follow the Bay to Breakers on Twitter, you can do so at:
http://twitter.com/INGB2Breakers. It's also on television: ABC TV, Channel 7 at 7:45 AM.
The Elite Runners (list courtesy of Edelman PR):
FEMALE
Bib # Name
1 Lineth Chepkurui (Lih-neth Chep-kuh-ruh-ee)
Kenya
21 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: 1st 2008
2009: 1st Cherry Blossom 10 Mile; 1st Crescent City Classic 10K; 1st Kenyan Army
Championships; 4th World Cross Country Championships; 1st Bloomsday 12K
2008: 1st Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, 1st Bloomsday, 6th World’s Best 10K; 4th National
Championships Cross Country
Road Personal Bests: 10K 32:07; 10 mile, 53:21; Half Marathon 70:09
Highlights: Defending ING Bay to Breakers 12K Champion; fastest 10 mile run in the world for
2009
3 Deena Kastor
United States (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.)
36 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: None
2009: 1st Bupa Great Edinburgh; 1st Shamrock Shuffle 8K
2008: Olympic Trials Champion, Marathon; 1st National Championship 15K; 3rd NYC 10K
Road Personal Bests: 5K 14:54 (former World Record); 10K 31:44; 15K 47:15 (American
Record); Half Marathon 1:07:34 (American Record); Marathon 2:19:36 (American
Record)
Track Personal Bests: 5,000m 14:51.62; 10,000m 30:50.32 (former American Record)
Highlights: 2004 Olympic Bronze Medal (Marathon); 2002 World Cross Country Silver Medal;
2003 World Cross Country Silver Medal; winner of Chicago and London Marathons; holds eight
American Records, one World Record, winner of 20 National Titles
4 Edna Kiplagat (Kip-lah-gaht)
Kenya
29 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: 1st 2007
2008: Maternity leave
2007: 1st Bloomsday 12K; 1st BAA Half Marathon; 1st Virginia Beach Half Marathon; 1st
Bolder Boulder 10K; 1st Bellin Run 10K
Road Personal Bests: 5K 15:37; 10K 32:02; Half Marathon 1:09:32
Track Personal Bests: 5,000m 15:57.3; 10,000m 33:27.0
Highlights: First woman to win the ING Battle to the Breakers bonus; 1998 World Junior Bronze
Medal (3,000m); 1996 World Junior Silver Medal (3,000m); married to Gilbert Koech
5 Jane Kibii (Kih-BEE)
Kenya
24 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: 3rd 2008
2009: 1st Carlsbad Half Marathon; 5th Crescent City Classic 10K; 5th Carlsbad 5,000m; 9th
Bloomsday
2008: 1st Woody Wilson 5K, 1st Davis Twilight 5K, 2nd Carlsbad Half Marathon, 3rd
Newport Beach Half Marathon
Road Personal Bests: 10K 32:23; Half Marathon 1:12:26
Track Personal Bests: 5,000m 16:15.67
Highlights: Strong finish at 2008 ING Bay to Breakers 12K to grab 3rd; lives and trains in Davis,
Calif.
6 Mariya Konovalova (Mah-ree-yah Koh-noh-vah-loh-vah)
Russia
34 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: None
2009: 1st Moscow Indoor 3,000m; 4th Indoor National Championships (3,000m); 2nd
Galan Indoor 5,000m
2008: 5th Beijing Olympics 10,000m; 4th BUPA Half Marathon; 2nd & 3rd National
Championships (10,000m & 5,000m)
Road Personal Bests: 1:10:58 Half Marathon
Track Personal Bests: 5,000m 14:38.09; 10,000m 30:35.84
Highlights: 5th Beijing Olympics 10,000m; fastest 10,000m personal best in the field; 2006
European Cross Country Silver Medal
8 Liliya Shobukhova (Lil-leeh-yah Show-boo-koh-vah)
Russia
31 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: None
2009: 3rd London Marathon; 6th Bloomsday
2008: 6th Beijing Olympics 5,000m; 1st National Championship 5,000m; 1st New Balance
Games Mile; 1st ING Philadelphia Distance Run
Road Personal Best: 1:10:21 Half Marathon
Track Personal Bests: 8:27.86 indoor 3,000m (former World Record); 14:23.75 5,000m
(European Record)
Highlights: 6th Beijing Olympics 5,000m; 2006 World Indoor Silver Medalist (3,000m) and World
Outdoor Silver Medal (5,000m); fastest 5,000m time in the field; one World Record, two
European Records
9 Kiyoko Shimahara (Key-yoh-koh Shim-ah-har-ah)
Japan
32 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: None
2009: 1st Osaka Half Marathon; 6th Tokyo Marathon
2008: 1st Honolulu Marathon; 3rd Chicago Marathon
Track Personal Bests: 5,000m 15:54; 10,000m 32:54
Road Personal Bests: Half Marathon 70:16; Marathon 2:26:14
Highlights: 6th place at the 2007 World Championships (Marathon); won the 2008 Honolulu
Marathon
10 Meskerem Legesse (Mehs-kehr-em Leh-geh-see)
Ethiopia
22 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: None
2009: 3rd Carlsbad Half Marathon; 7th Cooper River Bridge 10K
2008: 5th NYC Fifth Ave Mile; 3rd Healthy Kidney 10K; 13th San Jose 5K
Road Personal Bests: 5K 15:45; 10K 33:59; Half Marathon 1:15:51
Highlights: 2004 Olympian; World Junior Record holder indoor 800m (2:01.03); three-time
National Champion
11 Tania Fischer
United States (Santa Monica, Calif.)
43 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: 2008, 2007 1st Masters
2008: 4th United States National Cross Country Masters Championships; 4th Jim Bush
5,000m
2007: 5th Santa Monica 5K; 10th Pacific Association Championships
Track Personal Bests: 5,000m 15:44; 3,000m 9:03
Highlights: Coaches track and teaches art at Santa Monica High School in Santa Monica, Calif.;
two-time Swiss National 5,000m Champion
12 Michelle Simonaitis (Sih-moh-nih-tis)
United States (Draper, Utah)
43 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: 21st 2005
2009: 3rd Master National 15K Championships
Road Personal Bests: 10K 35:06; 15K 55:20; Marathon 2:40
Highlights: World Championship Marathon Team member 2001
13 Midori Sperandeo (Mih-doh-ree Sper-ahn-deh-oh)
United States (Folsom, Calif.)
43 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: None
2009: 2nd Valentine’s Day 4 Mile
2008: 1st Run to Feed the Hungry 5K; 1st Cowtown Half Marathon; 8th California
International Marathon
Road Personal Bests: 10K 34:52; Half Marathon 1:18; Marathon 2:41
Highlights: Olympic Trials Marathon qualifier 2000, 2004, 2008; 1st in 2008 Southern California
5K Road Race Championships
14 Teyba Naser (Teh-bah Nah-ser)
Ethiopia
19 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: None
2009: 2nd Cooper River Bridge 10K; 3rd Cherry Blossom 10 Mile; 4th Azalea Trail Run; 8th
Crescent City Classic 10K
Road Personal Bests: 5K 15:35; 10K 32:38 Half Marathon 1:13:38
Highlights: Improved 14 places in Cherry Blossom race from 2008; very consistent in 2009
15 Teyba Erkesso (Teh-bah Ehr-keh-soh)
Ethiopia
26 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: None
2009: 1st Houston Marathon; 2nd Bloomsday; 9th Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon
Road Personal Bests: 10K 31:33; 10 mile 51:44; Half Marathon 1:09:37; Marathon
2:24:18
Highlights: World Cross Country Bronze Medal 2004 (4K); Houston Marathon course record
holder
16 Katie McGregor
United States (St. Louis Park, Minn.)
31 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: None
2009: 2nd National Championship 15K; 2nd Brutus Hamilton (Berkeley) 10,000m; 4th
Carlsbad 5,000m
2008: 2nd National Championship 8K, 10 mile, and 15K
Road Personal Bests: 10K 32:17; Half Marathon 1:12:01; Marathon 2:31:14
Track Personal Bests: 5,000m 15:22.60; 10,000 31:21.20
Highlights: 2007 National Champion 25K; 2005 National Champion 10,000m; 2005 and 2006
National Champion 10K (road); member of nine U.S. National Teams.
17 Emily Bates
United States (Salt Lake City, Utah)
32 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: Has run on elite centipede teams
2009: 1st Moab Half Marathon
2008: Pacific Association short road race series champion
Road Personal Bests: 10K 37:03; Half Marathon 1:22:06
Highlights: Invited to participate in the Greatest Race on Earth marathon series in Nairobi,
Kenya, in 2007.
18 Jodi Suter
United States (Spokane, Wash.)
37 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: None
2009: 1st Spokane area finisher in Bloomsday 12K
Highlights: Won a spot in ING Bay to Breakers 12K field by finishing first among Spokane, Wash.,
residents in 2009 Bloomsday 12K
MALE
Bib # Name
21 John Korir (Kohr-reer) – Defending ING Bay to Breakers 12K Champion
Kenya
33 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: 1st 2008; 1st 2007
2009: 10th World’s Best 10K
2008: 3rd Bloomsday, 5th Bolder Boulder 10K; 7th Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, 10th World’s
Best 10K
2007: 1st ING Bay to Breakers 12K, 1st Bloomsday, 1st Steamboat 4 Mile, 3rd Puerto Rico
10K
Road Personal Bests: 10K 27:47; Half Marathon 60:47
Highlights: 23 road racing wins since 2000, 2003, 2005; Road Runner of the Year from Running
Times
23 John Yuda (Yooh-duh)
Tanzania
29 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: 3rd 2008; 5th, 2007
2009: 1st Bloomsday
2008: 6th Bloomsday; 4th Bolder Boulder 10K; 5th Cherry Blossom 10 Mile
Road Personal Bests: 10K 28:37; Half Marathon 1:00:39
Track Personal Bests: 5,000m 13:03.62; 10,000m 27:06.17
Highlights: Fastest 5,000m, 10,000m, in the field; two-time World Half Marathon Bronze
Medalist (2001, 2002); 2002 World Cross Country Silver Medal
24 Sammy Kitwara (Kit-wah-rah)
Kenya
22 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: None
2009: 1st World’s Best 10K; 1st Fortis Half Marathon; 2nd Kenyan Police Championships
2008: 1st L’Hu Half Marathon; 1st Rabat Half Marathon; 1st Dam to Dam 10 Mile; 1st
Utrect 10K; 1st Paris 20K
Road Personal Bests: 10K 27:26; 10 mile 45:17; Half Marathon 59:45
Highlights: Beat the great Haile Gebrselassie at Fortis Half Marathon, 2009 Fastest 15K in world
and 2nd fastest 10K in the world; brilliant 2008 season concluding with a number two world
ranking at 10 miles (45:17)
26 Feyisa Lelisa (Feh-yee-sah Leh-lee-sah)
Ethiopia
19 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: None
2009: 2nd Cherry Blossom 10 Mile; 2nd Crescent City Classic 10K; 12th World Cross
Country Championships
2008: 1st Lugano 5,000m; 1st Rovereto 10K; 3rd World Half Marathon Championships; 1st
Agadir Half Marathon
Road Personal Bests: 10K 27:38; 10 mile 45:58; Half Marathon 1:02:26
Track Personal Bests: 5,000m 13:34.80; 10,000m 27:46.97
Highlights: Strong showing in first two races in United States (both 2nd place); great cross
country strength
MALE:
27 Gilbert Okari (Oh-kar-eh)
Kenya
30 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: 1st 2006; 1st 2005
2009: 4th Bloomsday; 7th Fortis Half Marathon; 18th World’s Best 10K
2008: 1st San Jose Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon; 2nd BAA Half Marathon; 12th Bloomsday
12K
Road Personal Bests: 5K 13:38; 10K 27:28
Highlights: Undefeated in 2006; back to serious racing after battling an injury in 2007
28 Tilahun Regassa (Til-ah-hoon Reh-gah-sah)
Ethiopia
19 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: None
2009: 1st Ukrop 10K; 1st Cooper River Bridge 10K; 8th World’s Best 10K
2008: 2nd Metropole 5,000m; 2nd Tanger 5,000m; 1st Lille Half Marathon; 4th New Delhi
Half Marathon
Road Personal Bests: 10K 28:21; Half Marathon 59:36
Track Personal Bests: 5,000m 13:12.40; 10,000m 27:23.60
Highlights: Brilliant blend of speed and strength; fastest Half Marathon in field
29 Josh Moen
United States (Readlyn, Iowa)
27 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: None
2009: 1st Edison 5K, 14th National Championship 15K
2008: 3rd National Championship 10K; 8th National Championship 8K; 14th Peachtree 10K
Road: 15K 44:34; 1:04:37 Half Marathon
Track Personal Bests: 5,000m 13:34, 10,000m 28:31
Highlights: Member of three U.S. National Teams; five-time College National Champion
(Wartburg)
30 Gilbert Koech (Koh-ech)
Kenya
28 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: None
2008: 4th Dresden Marathon
Road Personal Best: 10K 27:32; Half Marathon 1:02:05; Marathon 2:19:09
Highlights: Married to Edna Kiplagat; back to racing after taking most of 2008 off
31 Linus Maiyo (Mih-yoh)
Kenya
26 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: 6th 2007
2009: 4th Azalea 10K; 6th Cooper River Bridge 10K; 12th World’s Best 10K
2008: 5th World’s Best 10K; 6th Azalea 10K; 6th Cooper River Bridge 10K; 9th Healthy
Kidney 10K
Road Personal Bests: 10K 27:36; Half Marathon 1:02:40; Marathon 2:12:53
Highlights: Veteran of ING Bay to Breakers 12K course; runs in part so he can eat more
chocolate
32 Justin Young
United States (Boulder, CO)
29 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: None
2009: 8th National Championship (Half Marathon); 23rd Tokyo Marathon
2008: 1st AFC Half Marathon; 6th Himeji Castle 10 Mile (Japan); 13th Rotterdam Marathon
Road Personal Bests: 10K 29:01; Half Marathon 1:03:35; Marathon 2:13:54
Highlights: Invited by Japanese officials to compete at both Himeji Castle 10 Mile and Toyko
Marathon - rare for an American
33 James Nielsen
United States (Palo Alto, Calif.)
29 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: 13th 2006; 14th 2004; 11th 2003; competed four times
as a child
2009: 3rd Napa Valley Marathon
2007: 1st Eugene Marathon; 50th Olympic Trials Marathon
Road Personal Bests: Marathon 2:21:01
Track Personal Bests: 5,000m 14:13; 10,000m 29:52.97
Highlights: Eugene Marathon Champion; two-time NCAA Div III Champion at 5,000m; Kona
Ironman Finisher; earned PhD in Electrical Engineering from Stanford
34 Mike Sayenko (Say-ehn-koh)
United States (Bellevue, Wash.)
24 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: None
2009: 12th National Championship (3,000m); 12th National Half Marathon
Championships; 2nd Stanford Invite 10,000m
2008: 5th National Marathon Championships; 8th National Mountain Running
Championships
Road Personal Bests: Half Marathon 63:52; Marathon 2:18:36
Track Personal Bests: 5,000m 13:49.78; 10,000m 28:25.85
Highlights: Has shown great improvement in last two years and is a great hill runner
37 Brad Poore
United States (Davis, Calif.)
30 years old
ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: None
2008: 7th Austin Marathon; 2008 Olympic Trials Qualifier
2007: Injured (malaria)
Road Personal Bests: 5K 14:39; Half Marathon 1:07:06; Marathon 2:21:51;
Highlights: 3rd Humbolt Half Marathon 2006; dual citizenship with Great Britain – represented
Great Britain at Austin Marathon
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