liberal N proud
liberal N proud's JournalStates embracing Obamacare are doing a better job of covering the uninsured, surveys show
WAPO:
New surveys out Wednesday morning provide a glimpse into just how many Americans have gained insurance since the Obamacare health insurance marketplaces opened in October.
First, Gallup reports that states which fully embraced the law by setting up their own exchanges and expanding their Medicaid programs saw their uninsured rate drop this year three times faster than the states that didn’t.
Gallup just last week reported that the uninsured rate had dropped from 17.1 percent to 15.6 percent between the fourth quarter of 2013 and the first quarter of 2014 — the lowest rate since 2008. It's not all that surprising that states which have embraced the law have seen a larger decline in the uninsured rate. They have more resources for outreach and greater enthusiasm for getting people enrolled.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/04/16/states-embracing-obamacare-are-doing-a-better-job-of-covering-the-uninsured-surveys-show/?wpisrc=nl%5Feve
Rotting Whale Harpoons Gawkers in Small Oregon Town - hope they learned from the past
The stench of a rotting gray whale carcass hasn't kept the 40-foot beast from becoming the star attraction on an Oregon beach after washing ashore Tuesday
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A marine biologist will take samples to try to determine how the whale died before city officials work out how to remove the creature from one of the city’s busiest beaches, the station reported. It will likely be buried.
"It doesn't look skinny, it's been dead a long time," said Keith Chandler with the Marine Mammal Stranding Network told KGW.com. "So it will be tough to tell what killed it."
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/rotting-whale-harpoons-gawkers-small-oregon-town-n81651
Sure hope they learned how not to dispose of a whale from 1970 (again in Oregon)
Matt Taibbi: Why Corporate Criminals Don’t Pay
http://www.commondreams.org/video/2014/04/15Rolling Stone’s Matt Taibbi discusses the inequality in the American justice system, where only the least powerful go to jail.
America’s Infrastructure Problems — Why We Should Invest
This post is focus on a 2 part story about America's Infrastructure. Part 1 can be found here: http://www.mbtmag.com/blogs/2014/04/just-how-bad-are-america%E2%80%99s-infrastructure-problems
The infrastructure problems are increasing business costs and it will only get worse. Whether it is missing a delivery promise because of a freeway jam, losing water pressure in a food plant, loss of electricity during a blackout, or being fined by a government agency, infrastructure problems will continue to increase business costs and make business less competitive. They will also increase consumer costs through user fees and service bills.
Our current strategy seems to be to use our limited resources to react when the bridge falls, the water main explodes, or the sewer overflow dumps raw sewage into the city’s river — and then depend on our emergency forces to get us out of the jam with around-the-clock TV coverage. But, dealing with these kinds of problems during an emergency is the most expensive solution and most often there is no budget and the local government has to rely on deficit spending.
Besides reducing reactive spending, another very good reason to consider a comprehensive plan to deal with the infrastructure problems is that it would create a lot of jobs in both construction and manufacturing.
What Does the Government Propose?
After several budget proposals by the Obama administration that never got traction, the American Jobs Act was submitted in Sept 2011. After two years of political wrangling by both parties, the bill was finally passed by Congress in March 2013 at a total cost of $450 billion. Unfortunately this wasn’t really an infrastructure, transportation, or jobs bill. The need for infrastructure spending was trumped by politics and only $60 billion (or 13 percent) of the bill went to infrastructure problems. The other $390 billion was appropriated for unemployment benefits (13 percent), payroll tax reductions (54 percent), and aid to state and local government (19 percent).
The majority of the $60 billion for infrastructure was dedicated to loans and grants and for the development of an infrastructure bank. Only $27 billion of the appropriation was dedicated to transportation infrastructure. And, if you take out the monies for high speed rail, Amtrak, and airport improvement, the budget is further reduced to $19 billion.
http://www.mbtmag.com/blogs/2014/04/america%E2%80%99s-infrastructure-problems-part-2-%E2%80%94-why-we-should-invest?et_cid=3882646&et_rid=652347563&type=image
Message from Microsoft: Windows XP support ended April 8, 2014. We’re here to help.
Now that support and security updates for Windows XP are no longer available, it’s important that you take steps to protect the personal information on your home PC. Explore your options and find out what you can do today.
Received this message form Microsoft today regarding XP operating systems. Why did I get it? I have no idea, I don't have XP, I have a PC with Vista that I should have upgraded when I could still get Windows 7, but OH well.
But "We’re here to help" 
You kill support and then say you are there to help?
Arthur Smith Dies at 93; Wrote ‘Dueling Banjos’
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/09/arts/music/arthur-smith-dies-at-93-wrote-dueling-banjos.html?emc=edit_th_20140409&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=45299538&_r=0
Unions In Missouri Rally Against Right-To-Work Bill
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon's condemnation of so-called right-to-work legislation as unnecessary and misguided drew applause from about a thousand Missouri union members who gathered Wednesday at the state Capitol.
The measure to prohibit labor contracts from requiring that all employees pay union fees, regardless of whether workers are union members, is a top priority of House Republican leaders this year.
But some union members attending the annual rally sponsored by the Missouri State Building and Construction Trades Council said it would weaken a union's ability to collectively bargain and secure protections for workers.
"This is not an issue we need. It will do nothing but harm the middle class and is about lowering wages," said Glenn Lindsey, a Fulton-based Local 36 sheet metal worker for 32 years and third generation union member.
The measure's backers, including House Speaker Tim Jones, R-Eureka, argue the measure would allow Missouri to successfully compete for new jobs. Jones has said the 24 states that currently have right-to-work policies generally have the greatest economic prosperity.
Those arguments were dismissed by Nixon, who reiterated his opposition to the bill at Wednesday's rally. The governor's objections have caused Republican supporters to consider sending the issue to voters this year for approval instead of legislation he might veto to his desk. But Nixon said that approach wouldn't keep him on the sidelines.
http://www.mbtmag.com/news/2014/03/unions-missouri-rally-against-right-work-bill?et_cid=3848764&et_rid=652347563&type=headline
One headline explains our entire media: CNN
The 3 Most Ridiculous Missing Plane Theories CNN Has Considered This Week
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/ridiculous-malaysia-plane-theories-cnn-has-considered-2014-3#ixzz2wtFS1XJc
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