Blogcritics Comments on A Chill Wind from the North

Comment by Dave Nalle on A Chill Wind from the North

Sun, 9 Mar 2008 21:08:36 EDT

It was all greek to me, Ruvy. Dave

Comment by Ruvy in Jerusalem on A Chill Wind from the North

Sun, 9 Mar 2008 17:23:01 EDT

Dave, I hope you enjoyed your Hebrew lesson. MAOZ, how much were you planning to charge these guys?

Comment by MAOZ on A Chill Wind from the North

Sun, 9 Mar 2008 12:56:40 EDT

[Dang! Meant re #107! (*#@&^^#@!$"@!)

Comment by MAOZ on A Chill Wind from the North

Sun, 9 Mar 2008 12:54:19 EDT

Re #108, you mean like Arafat y"sh, or Hitler y"sh, or Alaa Abu Dhein [or however the heck you transliterate his name] y"sh? Just as a point of further information, the convention is that when abbreviating a single word, one "apostrophe" is used, at the end of the abbreviation. E.g., Rav [Rabbi] Kahane = R' Kahane; or ReHov Yafo [Jaffa Street] = ReH' Yafo. When an expression consisting of more than one word is being abbreviated, 2 "apostrophes" are used, before the last letter of the abbreviation. E.g., Artzot HaBrit [The United States] = Arha"b; or Tzava Hahagana LeIsrael [Israel Defense Force] = Tzaha"l.

Comment by Dave Nalle on A Chill Wind from the North

Sun, 9 Mar 2008 04:46:28 EDT

I'm willing to accept the theory that there is hell or there are a variety of hells for those who believe in them and earn their way into them. It just seems poetically just. Dave

Comment by Ruvy in Jerusalem on A Chill Wind from the North

Sat, 8 Mar 2008 17:02:50 EST

Dave, I thought atheists didn't believe in hell.... Nevertheless, the closest that we come to that idea in Hebrew is y'm�kh shmo, meaning "may his name be erased", and used with such wonderful folks as Hitler, Stalin and Arafat. It sounds kinda limp - until you actually hear it in the Hebrew, with the full contempt of the speaker larded into the phrase. I'm not aware of any characters that abbreviate this, but if he sees this comment, MAOZ, who comments occasionally, is liable to know....

Comment by Dr Dreadful on A Chill Wind from the North

Sat, 8 Mar 2008 16:46:03 EST

Did you not feel liek commenting on what I said about illegals affecting the system dreadful? Sure, I'll comment. I was having problems with my wireless connection earlier so I figured I'd better post my comment as it stood before I lost it completely. As you know, you and I don't see eye to eye on this issue (or most others!). But as I said, you raised some good points so they're worth looking at. It would be foolish to suggest that immigration doesn't have any effect on healthcare services. That said, I can't find much substantiation for your claim that hospitals are closing in some border states because of the burden of providing care for illegal immigrants who can't/won't pay for it. I did come across this report which looks at closures in California between 1995 and 2000. But unless I missed something, there isn't a single mention of illegal immigrants as a factor. You yourself say that any reasonable and compassionate person would have the desire to help those in need. I'm very uncomfortable with the idea that hospitals should turn away any patients in need of care - the Hippocratic Oath being a prime ethical reason why they shouldn't.

Comment by Dave Nalle on A Chill Wind from the North

Sat, 8 Mar 2008 16:35:12 EST

AC. Sleep deprivation can also lead to weight gain, etc. Dave

Comment by Dave Nalle on A Chill Wind from the North

Sat, 8 Mar 2008 16:34:14 EST

Ruvy, what characters would I use for 'may his terroristic ass rot in hell'? Dave

Comment by Arch Conservative on A Chill Wind from the North

Sat, 8 Mar 2008 15:54:39 EST

Dreadful I think that if you factor in the fact that most Americans are gluttons who don't understand what portions they should actually be eating it doesn't cost all that much more to eat healthy with proper planning and portion sizes. Then there's the whole exercise component and the last time I checked, walking, practically the greatest exercise there is, is still free. Another lifestyle choice that represents a major drain on our health and healthcare system is the fact that far far too many americans are either sleep deprived and/or have very poor sleeping habits. This keads to many accidnets which in turn leads to the need for healthcare. Did you not feel liek commenting on what I said about illegals affecting the system dreadful?

Comment by Ruvy in Jerusalem on A Chill Wind from the North

Sat, 8 Mar 2008 15:37:48 EST

Well,Bennett, let's make those character strings thoroughly clear for you. The italicized term is Hebrew. zikhron� l'brakh� - may his memory be for a blessing, abbreviated z"l, said of a dead person. hashém y'nakém dam� - may G-d avenge his blood, abbreviated hy"d, said of someone who was murdered.

Comment by Bennett on A Chill Wind from the North

Sat, 8 Mar 2008 15:16:23 EST

Heh, Ruvy chill out. I thought those character strings were what "The artist formerly known as prince" used to spell his name. But seriously, no insult intended. Since you never explained what or why you were using them, I figured that they were foreign character sets not showing up on my 'puter.

Comment by Dr Dreadful on A Chill Wind from the North

Sat, 8 Mar 2008 14:59:06 EST

Arch, not that you don't have good points here, but The Obnoxious American did bring up the question of lifestyle choice in comment #56, with subsequent responses by myself and others. Where he and I differ is whether the WHO stats are skewed because of America's relative prosperity. It's the poor who tend to get sickest. Any good doctor will tell you that a large part of healthcare is prevention, and under the present system those in lower income brackets are the least able to afford insurance and/or regular doctor visits. It's also an unfortunate economic reality that the cheapest foods are generally the ones most full of crap. I used to live paycheck to paycheck myself (actually it was more like 'paycheck to another three weeks before next paycheck'!) and I can tell you from personal experience that to stretch your money you have to either bulk-buy cheap, nutritionally poor foods or grow your own (not easy if you live in a tenement block or an apartment complex). That said... I just believe that if we are going to have a serious discussion about our healthcare system we must be prepared to discuss everything that affects our health and the costs and delivery of our healathcare and the two issues I brought up are definitely major aspects. Quoted for truth.

Comment by Ruvy in Jerusalem on A Chill Wind from the North

Sat, 8 Mar 2008 12:59:17 EST

Bennett aka Bennett z"l hy"d or just z"l hy"d to my friends Bennett, Have you been killed recently? Do you seek for G-d to redeem your blood for you murder? Are you a mere memory (blessed or otherwise) to your loved ones? That is what your comments indicate. If you want to make fun of someone else's religious customs, fine. But be careful not to make yourself into an idiot in the process.....

Comment by alessandro on A Chill Wind from the North

Sat, 8 Mar 2008 12:20:35 EST

#91 - Hunt me down. Ask one of the editors to act as a middleman and we'll exchange emails. Ok, now I jump off this sucker for real.

Comment by Arch Conservative on A Chill Wind from the North

Sat, 8 Mar 2008 08:23:44 EST

There are two things that for the most part never get mentioned by anyone on any side of the issue when it comes to discussing the American healthcare system. The first is how our individual choices affect our individual health. there are of course certain afflictions and conditions which so many suffer from through no fault of their own. This is truly unfortunate and I think all reasonable compassionate people have some degree of sympathy and desire to help those in situations like this. There are also those who make the most unhealthy choices possible for themselves on a daily basis and then experience poorer health which in turn results in greated healthcare costs. The American obesity epidemic isn't a genetic epidemic. It's a lifestyle epidemic that costs our healthcare system billions of dollars that could be saved every year if more Americans would just make the personal committment to eat healthier and exercise more regularly. We're not talking rocket science and contrary to a lot of the propaganda that get's thrown around you don't have to be financially well off to educate yourself on and adopt healthy eating and exercise habits. The second thing that almost never gets discussed is the billions of dollars a year that illegals cost the system. Some might say why blame the poor poor when we can just villify those evil insurance and pharmaceuticals companies for everything. The problem is that if a citizen were to go to the ER they would get stuck with a huge bill for services rendered. If an illegal goes to the er, the hospital must provide treatment and after services are rendered there is absolutely no way to hold the illegal who received them financially accountable so the cost of those services gets past on to legal citizens when they receive care. What's even worse is when illegal women have anchor babies in American hospitals and the babies are eligible for welfare. It's gotten so bad in border states like Arizona and California that hospitals have had to shut shut down. By raising these two points I am not suggesting that thereis no need to exmaine our insurance companies, billing practices, drug costs, red tape beuracracy etc etc..... Far from it. I just believe that if we are going to have a serious discussion about our healthcare system we must be prepared to discuss everything that affects our health and the costys and delivery of our healathcare and the two issues I brought up are definitely major aspects.

Comment by STM on A Chill Wind from the North

Sat, 8 Mar 2008 02:21:25 EST

DD: "and Mr Upside Down ;-)" Lol. But how many times have I got to tell you guys? It's you who are upside down. North and south are artificial constructs (from the northern hemisphere, of course) and no one really knows what's up or down. Maps from this heathen region of the world also tend to show Europe and the US as much bigger than they actually are. My Correctional Map of the World has Australia and NZ at the top, and to me that seems more logical when you consider they are highly-evolved and advanced societies when compared to anywhere else and both countries have a Union Jack in the corner of their flags which just about seals it for me.

Comment by troll on A Chill Wind from the North

Fri, 7 Mar 2008 21:16:21 EST

(Dave - what happened to the radio work - ? I thought you guys were doing a good job)

Comment by Dave Nalle on A Chill Wind from the North

Fri, 7 Mar 2008 20:12:10 EST

Bliffle/Bennett, two peas in a pod that you are, if you have actually read anything I've written, you'd realize that my views are absolutely incompatible with writing for National Review, American Spectator or most of the other right-wing rags. I might be able to write for Reason, but I'm probably not enough of an ideologue. Believe it or not as you choose, but I just see problems and do my best to address them. Plus I have a bit of Mencken's desire to 'comfort the afflcted and afflict the comfortable'. Dave

Comment by Dave Nalle on A Chill Wind from the North

Fri, 7 Mar 2008 20:04:05 EST

Some of Dave's points might be relevant, but he's forgotten to tell any of the horror stories we hear time and time again around the world in relation to America's ailing and failing health system. Well, that's not the subject of this article. I agree that those problems need to be addressed, but what I wanted to point out here, without going to the lengths necessary to address the entirety of healthcare reform, is that a single-payer single-tiered system like they have in Canada is not necessarily the wonderful cureall which so many on the left seem to assume it would be. I'm writing up my alternative proposal to deal with the problem and will post it at some point. Dave

Comment by Bennett on A Chill Wind from the North

Fri, 7 Mar 2008 19:35:17 EST

ah bliffle, I would never think that. Wait a minute, now I do think that! And it beats the hell out of MY theory that Dave, while in Washington working as a "staffer", was suborned to the dark side of the force. He then discovered that writing articles like this one was "much more fun" than doing anything that would serve his own country's interests. Either way... Bennett aka Bennett z"l hy"d or just z"l hy"d to my friends

Comment by Jordan Richardson on A Chill Wind from the North

Fri, 7 Mar 2008 17:44:48 EST

I'm still curious as to if I can get a link to your research, alessandro.

Comment by alessandro on A Chill Wind from the North

Fri, 7 Mar 2008 17:05:23 EST

#73 - Jacques. Hugh is a jerk. ;<) But for those of you interested in what is going on here that's a good case to read about. I know many of you are pretty literate and educated to take a look. He basically took on the government and expressed the frustration many Quebecers and Canadians feel. #74 - STM, I never said I wasn't glad nor do I suggest it should be picked apart. I agree with you and Ruvy and Jordan in parts. I'm well aware of the horror stories ON BOTH sides. I do have friends and family in the States but they don't seem frightened by it either. And yes, that is more or less what we are waiting for. However, some public egalitarian zealots want to prevent this - which is not right. And boy do I have personal horror stories by the way for you all. I'm just advocating change. Large parts of the system need to change. That's all. #71 - Is on the right track. NO ONE advocates the dismantling of the health care system. What they want are options - people like Andy. Absolutely nothing wrong with this. Look, doctors are leading the way on Canada's medical private revolution. That says a lot. My buddy is a pediatrician and we've certainly had some wonderful discussions with his nutcase doctor friends. To the man, they are perfectly fine with what is transpiring. It's long over due. A few of us have been through both the public and private system so what's the difference between the two? Well, we often joke it's the classical music, quality doctors, coffee and danishes, timely service, no stress, calm and polite staff and free magazines.

Comment by bliffle on A Chill Wind from the North

Fri, 7 Mar 2008 12:17:57 EST

"#20 — March 5, 2008 @ 15:14PM — Bennett BTW Dave, You are a talented writer and I just don't understand why you choose to spend your time writing such blatant distortions. Does someone pay you by the word to craft such irresponsible hit pieces? Or is there some thrill you get from making up this shit any trying to pass it off as fact? " Bennett, are you suggesting that Dave is insincere? Do you accuse him of having ulterior motives? That perhaps he's preparing himself for a post-apocalyptic career as a rightwing gadfly columnist pestering the coming Democratic-left triumvirate? That he's just honing his perceptions to always find the sinister left in any policy failure and the virtuous right in any success? You should be ashamed of yourself, "Bennett" (if, indeed, Bennett is your name, which I sincerely doubt given your apparent bent for hyperbole). Surely our beloved and respected Dave is incapable of such deceitfulness. He wouldn't cynically use the BC platform to practice partisan skills and build up an extensive CV of political articles to impress a future employer such as National Review, would he? Only a cynic like you, "Bennett", would accuse a fine man like Dave Nalle of writing provocative articles to accumulate irate responses as ammo for demanding Big Pay from rightwing publications by showing how expert he is at hitting leftwing sensitivities on the money. Go wash your mouth out.

Comment by Jet in Columbus on A Chill Wind from the North

Fri, 7 Mar 2008 02:37:29 EST

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