Wendy has been here. She fluffed and buffed the TomCat, swept and mopped the floors, made a run to the corner store for some instant coffee (my coffee maker died! 
), and joined forces with me in cooking a several day supply of Pork Verde, a dish with sufficient fire to make me an air quality hazard. 
Tomorrow I go to the arthritis doctor, so please expect no more than a Personal Update.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 2:50 (average 4:37). To do it, click here, How did you do?
Short Takes:
From The New Yorker: The retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson told reporters on Saturday that he is “extremely confident” that Donald Trump will choose him to be his Vice-Presidential running mate.
“I’m not a betting man, but I would bet a million dollars it’s going to be me,” he told reporters at his residence, in West Palm Beach. “There are times in life when you’re just positive about something, and this is one of those times.”
Carson did not indicate how he had determined that he would be Trump’s pick. “Let’s just call it a strong feeling I have,” he said. “I don’t want to say anything now that might jinx it.”
As he awaits the all-important call from Trump, Carson said that he and the billionaire would be a “dream team” for the Republican Party in 2016.
Dang, Andy!! Uncle Token would be like a broken watch, but he’s never even right twice a day!!
From NY Times: For several years, the Obama administration has urged state insurance regulators to use tools provided by the Affordable Care Act to hold down health care premiums.
Now federal officials will have a chance to practice what they preach as they confront big increases proposed in several states where they are responsible for reviewing rates.
Federal officials defer to the insurance commissioners in 46 states deemed to have “effective rate review” programs. But in Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming, the federal government is in charge of reviewing rates.
And those reviews create an exquisite political challenge, spotlighting a pocketbook issue that affects millions of voters.
In Texas, Blue Cross and Blue Shield is requesting rate increases of nearly 60 percent for 2017. In Oklahoma, Blue Cross and Blue Shield has proposed increases that average 49 percent. And in Missouri, Humana has filed for a 34 percent increase. All three carriers say they have lost money on many policies sold to individuals and families under the Affordable Care Act.
Such large requests are not typical and will test the rate review process, described by the Obama administration as one of the most important consumer protections in the Affordable Care Act.
Unless these increases are stopped, very large increase requests will become the norm. This shows the need for Medicare for all, or at least a public option,.
From Alternet: At best, it’s an Oscar-level performance in tone-deafness.
Republican National Convention staffers are scrambling to remove signs labeling a bank of elevators as “white elevators,” the Wall Street Journal’s Byron Tau reports. Tau is in Cleveland, along with many reporters, gearing up for the Convention. The signs, meanwhile, are being frantically replaced.
“I’m told it’s being replaced for obvious reasons,” Tau tweeted.
According to the New York Daily News, the signs were spotted in Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena.
No matter how hard Republicans try to cover-up the appearance of racism, they cannot hide the very real racism in their statements, positions, and policies.
Cartoon:
11 Responses to “Open Thread – 7/17/2016”
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4:15 In spite of the phone ringing. Wow.
Good luck with the arthritis.
New Yorker – Not only is he not even right twice a day – but he needs a time machine. Good grief.
NYTimes – The insurance companies know EXACTLY what they are doing, of course. It's important to nip this in the bud (or, as some people mistakenly say, but in this case it's appropriate, "in the butt.")
NYDN – Begging the question why they would even need a sign that says "white"? Is there anyone else there? (Gag)
Cartoon – How honest of them. To use correct labels. For a change.
NYer: Ben who??? LOL, Andy!
NYT: Wow!! We're paying enough in premiums as it is now, (Texas). Medicare is our option now.
NYDN/AN: WTH?? Seriously?? wow!!
Glad Wendy was there to help you. Your Pork Verde sounds delicious. Best to you on your doctor visit tomorrow. Enjoy the rest of your evening, take good care, and Thanks, Tom.
Puzzle — 2:44 I am born in the year of the dragon and my name means cascading or flowing water so this one has my name all over it! Anybody thirsty? I'll share!
The New Yorker — Carson, don't give up your day job, whatever it is. Your ability to prophesy the future really sucks!
NY Times — Do I recall correctly — some companies have pulled out of Obamacare in certain markets? Could that happen in these four states? It seems that these increases would only serve to show that Obamacare is expensive which of course Republicans would love. Medicare for all — AMEN!!!
Alternet — I can see these elevator colours possibly related to different sections of the venue. However, if that were the case, there would be green elevators, yellow elevators, red elevators etc. That would be very noticeable and the intent obvious. No this is one more racist ploy for Drumpf, the Darwinian reject.
Cartoon — Yup, it's in the bag, so to speak. InsaniTEA!
Glad you're all primped and pretty! Whatever you do, don't chow down on that chili any time before the arthritis doctor appointment. He may be force to cancel your appointment! The thunder has been rolling for the past two hours. I suspect we'll have rain tonight.
Good Luck with the rheumatologist ~ and save me some of your chile verde! Bueno!
Forgot this!
Where did the rest go? Damn!
My comments just disappeared!
Trying again.
The New Yorker: Carson is delusional enough to believe this. Andy keeps getting to close to fact.
NY Times: The outcome of this will depend on who the federal officials are that make the decision. If it is or current Congress, the companies will get their rate increases.
Alternet: I was in the Quicken Loan Arena two years ago, there were no signes labled White Elevator then.
Cartoon: They are excellent at all of these.
Hope your visit to the arthritis specialist goes without any hitches, TomCat. Hope your new coffee machine is delivered when you get home. Instant has improved a lot over the years, but nothing beats a cup of home brewed.
NYT: Nothing will wake Carson from his semi-comatose state. "Dream team" indeed LOL
NYT: What a coincidence. The Republican states which have their own rate reviewing process AND oppose the ACA the most also happen to be the states with the highest rate increases. And they blame it on having to sell too many ACA policies. Riiiiight. Again this has nothing to do with healthcare but everything with politics. And with a 34-60% rate increase you can be sure that the people who have to cough-up these rates to keep the insurance companies rolling in the amount of money they're accustomed to are going to buy into this.
Alternet: Just wondering if there are "black elevators" too. Delegates are going to get plenty of exercise now they can't use their "own"elevators and have to take the stairs. Good call by Byron Tau, by the way.
Cartoon: You've got a dated batch of tea bags there, TomCat. For the Republican Convention they were rebranded. The bags look exactly the same and have the same content, but there's a Drumpf logo on them now.
Thanks all!! Hugs!! Totally pooped!!
Toon: So that is them, standing on their platform?
New Yorker: Andy had me going a bit there.
Alternet: I expect that the elevator issue was, indeed, part of the way moving through the venue is laid uot; as in "F or baggage claim follow the blueline."
NY T: The insurance companies are fully aware of what they do, and this ploy is like their latest attempt to run a flag up a pole and see who salutes it! It really must be stopped.
New Subject: Today is th 18th of July, and besides being famus for being my oldest son's birthday?, it is the first day of the RNC Party for Donny! ABC news spoke about Rumpy having a "Secret weapon," and showed his wife blathering away: 1- do I give a rotten rat's ass about whatshe has to say? 2- She's his "Secret weapon?" Now, we are talking about a professional campaign!