12/29/09

Well I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a good holiday so far. 2010 is right around the corner, and an election year. Some of us are apart by thousands of miles, but thanks to the internet the gap is less obvious. I'm relieved to know I avoided any C's, and that is good news for my academic career I guess. Yesterday, I sat down for coffee with a good friend of mine, and we talked about academic psychopaths. I'm happy to not get C's, but B's let me have them. I don't know any 4.0 students that climb to the top of their profession without exceptional writing, presentation, and research skills.

Notes on Networking, as I was talking to a recruiter from a large accounting/consulting firm in Chicago. As he told me you can't blatantly use people, you have to be subtle, build up trust. I would give some people I know an F in networking.

On TV these days, how cartoons have changed so much since I was a kid. Now there's a cartoon called, Ni-Hao,Kai-lan, it teaches children Chinese and multiculturalism.

I did decide to read a book this break, I'll read Profiles in Courage by John F.Kennedy.

So apparently as you might not know due to copyrights teardrops by Massive Attack can't be used in Europe, so they have a substitute:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIDd43lGHpc

I've listened to Celtic Women a few times for some reason O' Come All Ye Faithful is my favorite Christmas song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eLDvM7eSq0

A song for all occasions, memory by Elaine Paige

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s96NZoeDs68

You might have seen the Zurich Help-point commercials well I have to admit it is a good marketing campaign. Zurich won the award for marketer of the year by the DMA.

Uk Version--http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-bd2f1mGFk&feature=related
A one version -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fHHf7oUJqM&feature=related

Healthcare reform on its way

"For me, a few hours ago, this campaign came to an end. For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die. "

- Ted Kennedy, 1980.

In a rare Christmas eve vote, the United States senate passed historic legislation that will bring about near universal health-care coverage for the first time in the nation's history. The 60-39 vote along party lines allowed Democrats to claim one of their largest legislative victories in decades. It is by far not a perfect bill, but they did the best they could. As with any piece of landmark legislation, over time it will be amended and changed. Every industrialized country in the world has universal health-care in some form. It was re-assuring to see that the Democratic party did not back down from the fight.

My arguments for reform
1. Finding a job is hard
2. Children go uninsured
3. Existing conditions are not covered

The detractors say that providing universal health care is providing free health-care to the lazy. Yet, how many people do you know are actively looking for jobs and can't find one. No job, no health care coverage. Health care coverage costs thousand of dollars per family. Health-care insurance is also not obligated to cover you, even if you have paid for your insurance for decades. For instance if you were diagnosed with a serious disease your insurance company may cancel your coverage to save themselves money. It is a sad reality, but in our society we value money more than people.

All children are insured under the health care bill, why should we punish children because they come from a disadvantage-social economic background.

Unrelated to health care

I'm also tired hearing people whine about insignificant things, I watch some people behave as if they were still in high school.