Sociopaths of the Day — Walmart

Sociopaths of the Day — Walmart

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A Walmart store in Canton, OH is running a food drive for its own workers. No doubt it is good they recognize that their workers are hurting, but they are working for Walmart and not making enough money to eat! How is it possible that you are working and not able to live without charity or government support? And considering how much the Walton family is worth, they could give all of their associates the makings of a decent holiday meal and never notice the money spent.
Comparing the Health Care Systems of 11 Industrial Countries

Comparing the Health Care Systems of 11 Industrial Countries

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I was going to post this in the Single Payer thread and in the Open Thread for today, but this turned out to be its own post.  This year's Commonwealth Fund International Profiles of Health Systems (PDF) is out. This is particularly useful in detailing how governments cover the health care of their citizens (as in, "single payer" looks different depending upon where you are -- instructive) and in summarizing overall outcomes of these systems. We get middling quality care and pay more than anyone else for it -- 17.7% of our GDP (and this is without covering everybody) vs The Netherlands (the next highest) at 11.9%. We're in the bottom third of countries able to get same day appointments and in being able to get after hours care. We're the highest in the number of avoidable medical system deaths and in the bottom third of overall satisfaction with the medical care system.  So much for the greatest medical care in the world.
Monday Open Thread [11.18.13]

Monday Open Thread [11.18.13]

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Delaware politicos may know Alexander Synder Mackler, who worked on Attorney General Biden's reelection campaign in 2010. Alex's father, Dr. Scott Mackler, was a pretty amazing person.
Dr. Scott A. Mackler, an accomplished physician and scientist at the University of Pennsylvania, died on Wednesday. His remarkable perseverance and passion allowed him to continue working during his 15-year battle with ALS and also garnered him national acclaim. He was 55.
Come inside for the 60 Minutes story regarding Dr. Mackler's work. Alex and the entire Mackler family, we are so sorry for your loss. Your father was and is truly an inspiration.
Red Clay School District Bucks The Class Size Law

Red Clay School District Bucks The Class Size Law

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So this happened:
Parents and educators have fought for years to keep class sizes small. But as school populations grow, those efforts run into physical and financial barriers. Sometimes schools run out of space and face difficult decisions. In most cases, there are two solutions: Build more classroom space and hire more teachers (which usually means raising taxes or moving money from other priorities) or approve a waiver allowing more students in classes than the law says is ideal. In the past few years, most Delaware districts have asked their school boards to approve waivers – and boards have always agreed. That changed last week when the Red Clay School Board rejected its district’s request, deadlocking in a 3-3 vote.
Color me surprised.  And while I completely understand the difficulties districts face following this law, it is a law.  An unfunded, feel good law, but a law nonetheless. That said... I like what the RCCD board did. 
Another Year and We Are Still Not Close to Fixing Wilmington’s Violence Problems

Another Year and We Are Still Not Close to Fixing Wilmington’s Violence Problems

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This Sunday featured one more Special Report from the NJ on the current state of violence in Wilmington: A Legacy of Crime Threatens Wilmington's Progress; Wilmington Mayor Wants to Overhaul Police Force to Reverse City's Crime Trend; and Florida City's Police Force Gets Out From Behind Desks is the reporting package on offer. There's alot to think about here and I'm not sure that I can do one more piece on using the policing assets we have better. But I have a few random thoughts:
Totally not related

Totally not related

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This:
Freak November Tornadoes Wreak Havoc. A fast-moving storm system triggered multiple tornadoes in Illinois and Indiana on Sunday, killing at least two people, injuring about 40 and flattening large parts of the city of Washington, Illinois as it crashed across the Midwest, officials said.
And this:
Seventeen out of twenty-two Republican members of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, or 77 percent, are climate deniers.