Occasional Brief Observations

Or not quite...

2012-02-09T22:56:00.000-05:00

The August 10th, 2011 blog entry, 'Great quotes', highlighted a quote by Marine Gen. John R. Allen, the top commander in Afghanistan, who claimed that “All across Afghanistan, the insurgents are losing. They’re losing territory, they’re losing leadership, they’re losing weapons and supplies, they’re losing public support. More and more, the insurgents are losing resolve and the will to fight.”

Hmm, as suspected, this turns out to be a slight (?) exaggeration. An Army Lieutenant Colonel recently penned an article - Truth, lies and Afghanistan: How military leaders have let us down - which notes the "discrepancy between official statements and the truth on the ground" and takes senior military leaders to task... Some brief quotes:

"... What I saw bore no resemblance to rosy official statements by U.S. military leaders about conditions on the ground... I witnessed the absence of success on virtually every level... I heard many stories of how insurgents controlled virtually every piece of land beyond eyeshot of a U.S. or International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) base..." A must read.

Random...

2012-02-08T23:03:00.003-05:00

Word cloud of the front page, from Tagxedo

Brief update II (Afghan fauna)

2012-02-05T19:35:00.001-05:00

Source: NatGeo

The July 24th, 2011 bog entry, 'Brief update (Afghan fauna)', linked to an Al Jazeera article reporting that the Wildlife Conservation Society had found "...a surprisingly healthy population of snow leopards... in northeastern Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor..."

Here are a couple of National Geographic articles with additional information and photos:

First Pictures: Snow Leopards Rebounding in Afghanistan
Afghanistan Bright Spot: Wildlife Surviving in War Zones

Random charts - U.S. and MENA

2012-02-05T18:01:00.000-05:00

Source: U.S. Trade and Investment in the Middle East and North Africa: Overview and Issues for Congress (41-pg CRS PDF)

Random charts - mobile action codes

2012-02-05T11:50:00.000-05:00

Source: Mobile Action Codes In Magazine Advertising 2011

From Advertisers Drive Growth in Mags’ Use of Mobile Action Codes: "... Magazines’ use of mobile action codes, including all 2D barcodes, QR codes, Microsoft Tags, and watermarks, exploded in 2011, rising 439% from Q1 to Q4, according to [download page] a January 2012 study from Nellymoser. The total number of action codes in the top 100 US magazines by circulation jumped 64% quarter-over-quarter in Q4, rising from 1155 to 1189. November’s 681 action codes was the most of any month in 2011, up from 278 in July and 88 in January..."

Random charts - Income and taxes

2012-02-04T12:16:00.040-05:00

A number of charts re taxes:

Source: The Struggling Middle Class

Source: Table H-2. Share of Aggregate Income Received by Each Fifth and Top 5 Percent of Households

Source

Source: Summary of Latest Federal Individual Income Tax Data

Source: Misconceptions and Realities About Who Pays Taxes

And some articles:
Who Pays the Taxes in the USA ?
Class warfare: Who pays their fair share of taxes?
9 Things The Rich Don't Want You To Know About Taxes
By the Numbers: What the 47 Percent Who Pay No Income Tax Look Like
Millionaires Don't Pay Taxes? 1,470 of America's Richest Didn't, According to IRS

Aah, the sound and fury resulting from arguments and disagreements about taxes! Terms like "fair" and "unfair" are bandied around.... It's a very complex subject and you can 'slice and dice' the numbers many different ways. Be a little vague about exactly what you are quoting or comparing (when it comes to contrasting the rates and/or amounts paid by folks at different levels in the economy), and you can selectively "prove' almost any proposition... Is it magnitude or rates that you are citing, and when you talk about taxes are you referring to federal incomes taxes, all federal taxes (i.e. including payroll taxes, etc.), or the total tax burden (e.g. including state taxes)?

You also can throw in a little sleight of hand - talk about a certain level and then when it comes to making tax law changes you can "extend" your solution. Thus Warren Buffet in his famous editorial sets the stage by referencing the "super rich", penning 873 words about himself, the "top 400" and his "mega-rich" friends, then proposing increased taxes for those who have total incomes of less than 14% of what he pays in total federal taxes. Similarly, following all the talk of "millionaires" the tax rate increases proposed by the President kicked in at the individual level of $125,000 and the family level of $250,000!

The President and politicians of all stripes bemoan the state of the nation's tax laws that allow the various examples of "unfairness" that they like to point out. Every one of them act as if the tax code miraculously appeared out of the blue and that they had no role in its provenance, when in reality it is their creation. They shed tears about rich people and companies abusing the existing tax code at the same time that they propose the layering on of new changes encourage or discourage outcomes that the favor.

So President Obama in his latest State of the Union can decry "... loopholes and shelters in the tax code..." while simultaneously proposing to tweak the tax code a) to remove breaks for companies moving jobs and profits overseas, b) to redirect them to companies that insource jobs, c) to add a tax cut for manufacturers, which doubles if the company is in a high-tech sector, d) to include financing help for companies relocating to hard hit communities, e) to support retraining programs, f) to extend the tuition tax credit, g) to expand tax relief to small businesses that are raising wages and creating good jobs, h) to pass clean-energy tax credits, and so on...

As suggested on TaxVox "... We seem to have forgotten that the fundamental purpose of our tax system is to raise revenue to fund government. The current system is riddled with tax provisions that favor one activity over another or provide targeted tax benefits to a limited number of taxpayers. Whether permanent or temporary, these provisions create complexity, impose enormous compliance costs, breed perceptions of unfairness, create opportunities to manipulate rules to avoid tax, and lead to an inefficient use of our economic resources. The tax code has become less stable, increasingly unpredictable, and more and more difficult for taxpayers to understand..."

However, I'm not holding my breath...

Random charts - federal compensation

2012-02-03T05:04:00.000-05:00

Source: Comparing the Compensation of Federal and Private-Sector Employees

Politicians (and others) have long argued whether federal employees are paid better, as well as, or worse than similar public sector employees. This CBO study looks at the questions, and concludes:

CBO combined its analyses of wages and benefits to assess differences between the federal government and
the private sector in total compensation for workers with certain similar observable characteristics:

Among people with a high school diploma or less education, total compensation costs were 36 percent higher, on average, for federal employees than for similar private-sector employees.

Among people whose education ended in a bachelor’s degree, the cost of total compensation averaged 15 percent more for federal workers than for similar workers in the private sector.

Among people with a professional degree or doctorate, by contrast, total compensation costs were 18 percent lower, on average, for federal employees than for private-sector employees with similar attributes.

Random chart - Area C

2012-02-02T22:46:00.006-05:00

Source: Restricting Space in the OPT: Area C Map (PDF)

Some facts:

Over 60 percent of the West Bank is considered Area C, where Israel retains control over planning and zoning among other issues.
An estimated 150,000 Palestinians live in Area C, including 27,500 Bedouin and other herders.
More than 20% of communities in Area C have extremely limited access to health services.
Water consumption dips to 20 litres/capita/day (l/c/d) in communities without water infrastructure, one-fifth of the World Health Organisation’s recommendation.
Communities depending on tankered water pay up to 400% more for every liter than those connected to the water network.
70% of Area C is off-limits to Palestinian construction; 29% is heavily restricted.
Less than 1% of Area C has been planned for Palestinian development by the Israeli Civil Administration.
560 Palestinian-owned structures were demolished, including 200 residential structures and 46 rainwater cisterns and pools , by the Israeli authorities in Area C in 2011.
1,006 people, including 565 children, lost their homes in 2011, over twice as many as in 2010.
Over 3,000 demolition orders are outstanding, including 18 targeting schools.
The planned expansion area of the around 135 Israeli settlements in Area C is 9 times larger than their built-up area. (B’Tselem).
Approximately 300,000 settlers currently live in Area C.

Quick update - "peace' walls

2012-01-31T20:54:00.009-05:00

Picture credit: Belfast peace walls - in pictures

The May 6th, 2008 blog entry 'Peace Walls' noted that "... ten years after the signing of the Good Friday agreement that brought peace to the area, these walls remain. Some want them taken down, but many do not. In fact new “peace walls” (as they are called here) continue to be erected…", while the July 28th, 2008 entry 'More about walls' took President Obama to task for foolishly claiming "... Not only have walls come down in Berlin, but they have come down in Belfast, where Protestant and Catholic found a way to live together..."

A recent article, 'Belfast, divided in the name of peace', notes this phenomenon and provides an update:

"... Alexandra Park in north Belfast is a gently sloping expanse of green that looks, at first glance, like any other small, well-tended public park in any other British city. It has winding paths, tall trees, a pond and, down towards its lower end, a pleasantly leafy area that could easily be turned into a nature walk for local children. To reach it, though, you have to pass though a newly created gate in a 3m-high, reinforced corrugated steel fence that bisects the park.

On a overcast afternoon last November, the park is all but deserted save for myself, Antonio Olmos, the Observer photographer, and a solitary figure with a large dog we glimpse though the open gate. Then, as if on cue, a council van arrives and two workers jump out. It is 3pm and they are here to close the gate in the fence. As they do so, Alexandra Park once again becomes two separate parks: one Catholic, the other Protestant...

According to a report published by the Belfast Interface Project, there are now 99 interfaces – or peace walls – in Belfast. Some walls date from the early years of the Troubles, when sectarian tit-for-tat killings and violence were a regular occurrence on the strife-torn streets of Belfast. An estimated one-third, though, have gone up since the IRA and Protestant paramilitary ceasefire in 1994. Many existing walls have been made longer and higher in recent years..."

Random charts - healthcare design

2012-01-31T20:43:00.008-05:00

Source: Healthcare Industry And Design Trends

Eh?

2012-01-29T14:12:00.006-05:00

According to the Washington Post, France agrees to two decades of support in Afghanistan, despite attack on its troops. Reading the article the only date referenced with respect to France's involvement comes in the sentence "... French troops will continue to train their Afghan counterparts well beyond 2014..." We also learn that "... Britain’s partnership agreement, which will last through 2022..." and "... Italy’s agreement, which also focuses on the country’s economy and security forces, was described as “long-term past 2014” in a statement from Karzai’s office.."

OK, so the British agreement actually does appear to go out another decade, and I supposed you could called it two decades if you count backwards to 2011... However, France agreeing to "two decades" of support doesn't seem quite supported by the body of the article (as opposed to its headline).

Random charts - Europe & U.S.

2012-01-29T11:22:00.005-05:00

Source: L'impact de la crise sur l'emploi

Source: Businomics

Random chart - Twitter SOTU?

2012-01-28T09:08:00.000-05:00

Source: "My Message is Simple": Obama's SOTU Written at 8th Grade Level for Third Straight Year.

"For the third consecutive State of the Union Address, Barack Obama spoke in clear, plain terms. And for the third straight Address, the President's speech was written at an eighth-grade level. In Obama's own words: "My message is simple." But was it too simplistic?

A Smart Politics study of the 70 orally delivered State of the Union Addresses since 1934 finds the text of Obama's 2012 speech to have tallied the third lowest score on the Flesch-Kincaid readability test, at an 8.4 grade level..."

Four years!

2012-01-27T19:37:00.006-05:00

Four years ago this blogger started this blog and posted a January 27th, 2008 entry related to the death of Benazir Bhutto... Not much more to say than what was said at the 3rd anniversary.

Random charts - alternative medicine

2012-01-26T18:49:00.009-05:00

Source: 2010 Complementary and Alternative Medicine Survey of Hospitals

"... The purpose of thissurvey was to garner in-depth information about the types of CAM programs and services being offered by hospitals, including their program costs, revenue, staffing, reimbursement and other business strategies related to their efforts in integrating complementary and alternative medicine therapies into the hospital setting..."

Random chart - US tax rates

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

Source: Romney’s Tax Returns and Effective Tax Rates of the Rich

From 2009 (latest available from the IRS), "... The table also shows the average, or effective, tax rate that taxpayers in each income group pay. For the entire universe of American taxpayers, the average tax rate is 11 percent of our AGI. The highest average tax rate paid by anyone earning under $100,000 is 8 percent. That shows the power of the sundry tax credits available to the "middle-class..."

No joy!

2012-01-22T18:45:00.001-05:00

Source: Lessons from Medicare's Demonstration Projects on Disease Management, Care Coordination, and Value-Based Payment

Over several years Medicare has tried two broad categories of demonstration projects to improve care and to see if it is possible to reduce health care expenses. The two categories are 'disease management and care coordination' projects to attempt to improve the care of beneficiaries with chronic illnesses, and 'value-based payment' projects that attempt to incentivize health care providers to improve the quality and efficiency of care, as opposed to fee for service type payments...

The report linked to above provides the results of these demonstration projects (as analyzed by the CBO)... The main conclusions:

"... most programs have not reduced Medicare spending...", and,

"Demonstrations aimed at reducing spending and increasing quality of care face significant challenges in overcoming the incentives inherent in Medicare’s fee-for-service payment system... The results of those Medicare demonstrations suggest that substantial changes to payment and delivery systems will probably be necessary for programs involving disease management and care coordination or value-based payment to significantly reduce spending and either maintain or improve the quality of care provided to patients."

Random picture

2012-01-22T18:30:00.000-05:00

Source: 'Get Back on Board, Signora Merkel!'

Diagnosis: Muddled thinking

2012-01-21T22:05:00.000-05:00

An earlier post, 'Help on the way?', had noted that Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota was among the worthy Senators who "... pop up in the news every time a drug shortage occurs and hits the newspapers..." Well, it's either for publicity, to be seen doing something about a national problem, or because she cares about this subject and has developed some sort of expertise regarding this thorny problem...

Her earlier efforts in this regard - S296, the 'Preserving Access to Life-Saving Medications Act' - seemed to this blogger to not be a very useful... For example, the 'advance notification' of planned down times doesn't really address any of the root causes of drug shortages; rather than partnering with manufacturers to develop a multi-faceted approach to addressing the multiple causes of drug shortages, she seems to prefer an adversarial and punitive approach (warning drug companies that they have to do X or face civil monetary penalties, etc. ); etc.

OK, so her efforts perhaps are not because of the former (i.e just leveraging the problem for free publicity), it could just be an early effort/attempt to begin addressing the problem.

However, reading Klobuchar Warns Drug Makers Over Tactics That Limit Supplies, it appears that she is now conflating two issues that have no relation to one another i.e. "pay to delay" and drug shortages. The former is a practice that Klobuchar, correctly, is against. This blogger is in agreement. However, while "pay to delay" has an adverse financial impact on consumers by delaying price decreases to legend drugs (by delaying the increased competition by generics), it has practically nothing to do with drug shortages. Data on the causes of drug shortages (e.g. from the FDA) do not assign any meaningful number of shortages to issues related to "pay for delay."

Throw this in, and now this blogger is inclined to believe she hasn't taken the time to delve into this issue, that she is not really serious about, and perhaps the free publicity is the draw...

Previous blog entries on drug shortages:
Polarization? - Dec 2nd, 2011
Help on the way? - Jul 31st, 2011
Random charts - Apr 6th, 2011
The why's of drug shortages - Mar 3oth, 2011

Final note: The article also includes this: "... Pay-for-delay tactics can aggravate overall drug shortages, said Stephen Schondelmeyer, an expert in pharmaceutical economics at the University of Minnesota. If generic drugmakers know they can reap multimillion-dollar settlements for trying to replicate top brand-name drugs, they'll feel no urgency to invest in needed but low-profit medications, he said..." I'm not sure who this "expert" is, but if this is an exact quote (see bolded), then it makes no sense whatsoever!

Great quotes

2012-01-21T21:10:00.001-05:00

WHEREAS, Israel has been granted her lands under and through the oldest recorded deed as reported in the Old Testament, a tome of scripture held sacred and reverenced by Jew and Christian, alike, as the acts and words of God; and,

WHEREAS, as the Grantor of said lands, God stated to the Jewish people in the Old Testament; in Leviticus, Chapter 20, Verse 24: “Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey”; and,

WHEREAS, God has never rescinded his grant of said lands; and,

WHEREAS, along with the grant of said lands to the Jewish people, God provided for the non-Jewish residents of the land in commanding that governance must be in one law for all without drawing distinction between Jewish and non-Jewish citizens, as contained in Leviticus 24:22, and,

WHEREAS, the Nation of Israel declared its independent control and governance of said lands on May 14, 1948, with the goal of re-establishing their God-given lands as a homeland for the Jewish people; and,

WHEREAS, the United States of America, having been the first country to recognize Israel as an independent nation and as Israel’s principal Mideast ally, has enjoyed a close and mutually beneficial relationship with Israel and her people; and,

WHEREAS, indeed, Israel is the United States of America’s greatest friend in the Mideast; and,

WHEREAS, the roots of Israel and the roots of the United States of America are so intertwined that it is difficult to separate one from the other under the word and protection of almighty God; and,

WHEREAS, there are those in the Middle East who have sought to destroy Israel from its inception as a nation; and,

WHEREAS, those same enemies of Israel also seek to destroy the United States of America; and,

WHEREAS, the United States of America and the nation of Israel have enjoyed cordial and mutually beneficial relations since 1948, a friendship that should continues to strengthen with each passing year.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Republican Nation Committee that the committee by this resolution commends the nation of Israel for its relations with the United States of America.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the members of this body support Israel in their natural and God-given right of self-governance and self-defense upon their own lands, recognizing that Israel is neither an attacking force nor an occupier of the lands of others; and that peace can be afforded the region only through a united Israel governed under one law for all people.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Senate Leadership and each of the legislatures of the states within the United States of America with the request and recommendation of this body that a similar resolution to that stated herein be proposed within their respective bodies.

- Republican National Committee, via GOP Officially Endorses One-State Solution

Eh?

2012-01-21T16:08:00.001-05:00

"... Already fending off questions about his vast personal wealth, Romney is facing additional scrutiny this week thanks to reports that he has as much as $8 million invested in funds listed in the Cayman Islands. Though Romney does still pay U.S. taxes on his income from these funds, the Cayman address offers some benefits over domestically registration, such as higher management fees and greater foreign interest -- benefits that cost the U.S. federal government billions of dollars per year.."

- FP Passport, see And then there were four. Hmm, so we are to believe that Romney invests his money in funds in the Cayman Islands because they charge higher fees? Something not quite right here...

Random chart - extreme temperatures

2012-01-15T12:05:00.001-05:00

Source: Extreme temperatures of 2011: 7 national all-time heat records; 1 cold record

Random picture

2012-01-14T20:32:00.000-05:00

Source: Officials: 3 killed, scores missing after cruise ship runs aground off Italy

Random charts - healthcare spend

2012-01-14T20:16:00.001-05:00

Source: Accounting for the cost of U.S. health care: Pre-reform trends and the impact of the recession

Excellent, detailed, McKinsey report that "... sheds light on the underlying dynamics and trends shaping the health care industry in this period of rapid change and uncertainty..." A must read...

Random charts - demogrqaphic trends

2012-01-14T12:05:00.013-05:00

Source: Dusk, Dawn, and High Noon: Demographic Trends Forecast Next Phases for China, India, and the United States.

A look at "... the demographic futures and related economic prospects facing China, India, and the United States over the next several decades..." With the caveat that "... demographics are not destiny...", this study examines the demographics changes/trends through 2050, and from them derives some possibilities:

"... Alone among the world’s large affluent nations, the United States will see modest increases in its working-age population through 2050; meanwhile, the working-age populations of Europe and Japan are projected to fall steeply through 2050. These demographic and economic trends alone may mean the United States will be the predominant global power for at least the next half-century. If anything, the United States could become even more dominant in the alliances it leads..."

"... Right now, as of 2012, China is entering an era in which its rapidly aging population could constrain its economic growth. India, in contrast, will enjoy a substantial demographic advantage until around 2030, when the ratio of working-age Indians to dependents will likely be at its highest..."

Read the RAND article for much more...

Random chart - public opinion

2012-01-11T22:39:00.003-05:00

Source: Poll: Most Back Military Action To Stop Iranian Nukes

Random charts - deforestation

2012-01-08T21:44:00.006-05:00

Source: CBO: Deforestation and Greenhouse Gases

Random charts - electric grid

2012-01-02T22:30:00.001-05:00

Source: “Impacts of Severe Space Weather on the Electric Grid,” JASON report.

Their findings? "... We agree that the U.S. electric grid remains vulnerable but are not convinced that Kappenman’s worst-case scenario [26] is plausible, i.e. that a severe solar storm will probably destroy up to 300 EHV trans-formers, leaving as many as 130 million people without power for years while replacement transformers are manufactured and installed."

Their recommendations? "... Mitigation should be undertaken as soon as possible to reduce the vulnerability of the U.S. grid. The cost appears modest compared to just the economic impact of a single storm, e.g.$8B in August 2003... A rigorous and fully transparent risk analysis should be done of the U.S. grid. It should begin with analyzing Kappenman’s worst-case scenario while protecting his proprietary methods and proceed to a full-up simulation along the lines envisioned by [1]. National policy should not be based on methods not fully available to the government..."

Mental health break

2012-01-02T00:04:00.000-05:00

From 'The ascent of Alex Honnold' (video)

From 'Ueli Steck speed solo Eiger record' (video)

Random chart - U.S. unemployment

2012-01-01T20:17:00.003-05:00

Source: Calculated Risk

Random chart - U.S. budget deficits

2012-01-01T13:42:00.001-05:00

Source: How the Deficit Got This Big

Great quotes

2012-01-01T12:49:00.007-05:00

"... President Obama — himself holds heinous views on a slew of critical issues and himself has done heinous things with the power he has been vested. He has slaughtered civilians — Muslim children by the dozens — not once or twice, but continuously in numerous nations with drones, cluster bombs and other forms of attack. He has sought to overturn a global ban on cluster bombs. He has institutionalized the power of Presidents — in secret and with no checks — to target American citizens for assassination-by-CIA, far from any battlefield. He has waged an unprecedented war against whistleblowers, the protection of which was once a liberal shibboleth. He rendered permanently irrelevant the War Powers Resolution, a crown jewel in the list of post-Vietnam liberal accomplishments, and thus enshrined the power of Presidents to wage war even in the face of a Congressional vote against it. His obsession with secrecy is so extreme that it has become darkly laughable in its manifestations, and he even worked to amend the Freedom of Information Act (another crown jewel of liberal legislative successes) when compliance became inconvenient.

He has entrenched for a generation the once-reviled, once-radical Bush/Cheney Terrorism powers of indefinite detention, military commissions, and the state secret privilege as a weapon to immunize political leaders from the rule of law. He has shielded Bush era criminals from every last form of accountability. He has vigorously prosecuted the cruel and supremely racist War on Drugs, including those parts he vowed during the campaign to relinquish — a war which devastates minority communities and encages and converts into felons huge numbers of minority youth for no good reason. He has empowered thieving bankers through the Wall Street bailout, Fed secrecy, efforts to shield mortgage defrauders from prosecution, and the appointment of an endless roster of former Goldman, Sachs executives and lobbyists. He’s brought the nation to a full-on Cold War and a covert hot war with Iran, on the brink of far greater hostilities. He has made the U.S. as subservient as ever to the destructive agenda of the right-wing Israeli government. His support for some of the Arab world’s most repressive regimes is as strong as ever..."

- Glenn Greenwald, Progressives and the Ron Paul fallacies

Regulatory failure.. (or perhaps not)

2011-12-31T22:15:00.003-05:00

"... Well, it’s really an incredible case study in regulation because something called OFHEO was set up in 1992 by Congress, and the sole job of OFHEO was to watch over Fannie and Freddie, someone to watch over them. And they were there to evaluate the soundness and the accounting and all of that. Two companies were all they had to regulate. OFHEO has over 200 employees now. They have a budget now that’s $65 million a year, and all they have to do is look at two companies. I mean, you know, I look at more than two companies.

And they sat there, made reports to the Congress, you can get them on the Internet, every year. And, in fact, they reported to Sarbanes and Oxley every year. And they went–wrote 100 page reports, and they said, ‘We’ve looked at these people and their standards are fine and their directors are fine and everything was fine.’ And then all of a sudden you had two of the greatest accounting misstatements in history. You had all kinds of management malfeasance, and it all came out.

And, of course, the classic thing was that after it all came out, OFHEO wrote a 350–340 page report examining what went wrong, and they blamed the management, they blamed the directors, they blamed the audit committee. They didn’t have a word in there about themselves, and they’re the ones that 200 people were going to work every day with just two companies to think about. It just shows the problems of regulation..."

- Warren Buffet interview, see That Awesome Warren Buffett CNBC Interview

When asked if this was an argument against regulation, he responded:

"... it's an argument that managing complex financial institutions where the management wants to deceive you can be very, very difficult. Or even when the management doesn't know what's going on, and--just take Bear Stearns. Bear Stearns had--I read it, anyway--750,000 derivative contracts. Now, you know, I could clone Albert Einstein, you know, and--many, many times and have him work 12-hour days for me and he would not be able to keep track of what's going on in an institution like that. It's--the ones that are too big to fail may be too big to manage, in some cases. And they're particularly difficult to manage if they're promising Wall Street and their investors that they're going to do things that can't be done..."

Note: some have pointed out that OFHEO was actually doing was it was designed to do...

Random chart - Congressional wealth

2011-12-31T21:38:00.001-05:00

Source: Financial wealth distribution as a percentage of Congress and Senate

Random charts - "Buffet tax"

2011-12-31T12:38:00.005-05:00

Source: Millionaires Support Warren Buffett’s Tax on the Rich

Source: Stormy Political Climate Biggest Concern to Millionaire Investors

Random chart - SUV market share

2011-12-30T12:41:00.003-05:00

Source: Sport Utility Vehicles: An Endangered Species?

Flubbed prediction

2011-12-29T17:28:00.004-05:00

The February 18, 2008 blog entry, 'Independence! Wave the ~~Kosovo~~ Albanian flag...' wondered what the reaction might be if/when the Kosovars decided that they wanted to merge with Albania... Well, fortunately this hasn't happened, and 'Albania's Berisha: Union With Kosovo Not An Option' would seem to indicate that it is unlikely...

Random chart - top earners

2011-12-29T14:26:00.006-05:00

Source: Jobs and Income Growth of Top Earners and the Causes of Changing Income Inequality: Evidence from U.S. Tax Return Data

"... In this paper, we have presented for the first time complete information on the occupations of very high‐income people, and on how the incomes of top earners in different occupations have grown over time.."

Great quote

2011-12-29T13:38:00.002-05:00

"While edge weapons such as swords remain a prohibited item, it will not cause catastrophic damage on an aircraft"

- TSA spokesman Luis Cassanova, after airport screeners allowed a 14 inch sword in a cane to pass through the security checkpoint...

QR/Tag roundup - V

2011-12-29T02:03:00.000-05:00

Source: 9/11 QR code

Here are more QR code and Microsoft Tag news updates, uses, etc:

Additional on-line QR generators (beyond the mega-list here) include the following: 123qr.com, Générateur de Qrcode emandarine, QR breeder, QRHacker, Applied-Info Systems, MobileFish, QR Code Maker, Unitag, Social QR Code,

Examples of QR code usage: in Abilene, to manage personal medical information, by Coca Cola, in retail, personal ads to find companionship, the NYC DOT (QR code curbside haiku), in scavenger hunts, a crossword puzzle that doubles as a QR code, to download apps such as Angry Birds and Instagram, the weirdest places, to promote the City of Bristol, to sell the 2012 Toyota Corolla, and to promote safe sex.

Examples of Tag usage: by a bank, and to combine technology and art

A tutorial: How to design a custom QR Code using Photoshop

Articles why QR codes are a bust, e.g. Why QR codes aren't catching on, and why you should use them, e.g. 'QR Code, Microsoft Tag and Other Action Code Use Shows Strong Q3 Growth in Top 100 Magazines'

11 must see QR Code Marketing and Implementation Campaign Videos

Microsoft Tag has also embraced QR codes, and,

The Better Business Bureau of Kansas is now offering QR code usage tips...

Previous QR and Tag entries:
BB QR readers (33 links)
QR codes "in the wild" (17 links)
QR-and Tag-related entries (25 links)

Random picture

2011-12-28T21:30:00.001-05:00

Source: The 'New Knut.' Danish Polar Bear Cub Siku Conquers the Internet

Misc update (Georgia)

2011-12-28T20:57:00.001-05:00

Relations between Russia, Georgia, NATO, and the U.S. exist in a sort of cold war, with occasional rhetorical eruptions on both sides and with the internal politics of the various parties roiled by the circumstances resulting from the war of 2008... Some headlines:

American re-arming of Georgia will spark new aggression – S. Ossetia. Dec 21st, 2011 - "... The South Ossetian Foreign Ministry has stated that a US Senate draft resolution on the resumption of arms supplies to Georgia can be seen as pushing Tbilisi to aggression against its former republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The ministry voiced its regret over the fact that American senators drew no conclusions from “the tragic events of August 2008 and have once again settled down to a course of encouraging [Georgian President] Saakashvili to a new aggression to please their political ambitions,”cites Interfax.

Will the US resume weapons sales to Georgia? Dec 19th, 2011 - "... The US Congress has mandated that the US begin to sell weapons again to Georgia, re-establishing full military ties for the first time since the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia. This will likely throw a wrench into the delicate "reset" between Washington and Moscow. Deep inside the massive military authorisation bill passed on December 15, Section 1242 calls on the Secretaries of Defence and State to develop a plan within 90 days "for the normalisation of United States defence cooperation with the Republic of Georgia, including the sale of defensive arms". It encourages NATO member and candidate countries "to restore and enhance their sales of defensive articles and services to the Republic of Georgia as part of a broader NATO effort to deepen its defense relationship and cooperation with the Republic of Georgia"..."

Russian army officer jailed for spying for Georgia. Dec 7th, 2011 - "... A former Russian Army major was given a 12-year prison term on Wednesday for spying for Georgia, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported from the courtroom..."

Experts do not rule out Russia's military intervention in situation in South Ossetia. Nov 29th, 2011 - "... Mass protests in Tskhinvali may cause Russia's military intervention to settle the situation, according to Ivan Sukhov, a columnist for "The Time of News", and Alan Parastaev, an employee for the project of Radio Liberty "Echo of the Caucasus". Today, the Supreme Court of South Ossetia has considered the complaint lodged by the presidential candidate Anatoly Bibilov that on the voting day the electorate was pressed on, and recognized the presidential election in South Ossetia invalid. On the decision of the Court, all the results of the second round of the election, where Alla Djioeva was Bibilov's opponent, have been annulled. Also today, the parliament of South Ossetia has appointed the repeated presidential election on March 25, 2012..."

Kremlin Official Accuses U.S. Of "Murdering" Russian Soldiers In South Ossetia. Nov 30th, 2011 - "... A senior Russian official has blamed the U.S. and NATO for the "murder" of Russian peacekeepers during the 2008 war in South Ossetia. The official, Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council Vladimir Nazarov, made the comments at a conference in Moscow on Wednesday.."

The Russian-Georgian war as a turning point. Nov 24th, 2011 - "... President Dmitry Medvedev made a remarkable statement during a speech to military officers in southern Russia early this week. Regarding the August 2008 war between Russian and Georgia, he said, “For some of our partners, including NATO, it was a signal that they must think about geopolitical stability before making a decision to expand the alliance.”..."

Medvedev Gets Caught Telling The Truth. Nov 22nd, 2011 - "... In a rare instance of truth telling, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev appeared to reveal on Monday the real reason Moscow went to war with Georgia in August 2008. Speaking to officers of the Southern Military District in Vladikavkaz, Medvedev seemed to suggest that the goal was preventing Georgia from joining NATO..."

Ivanishvili: We Started the War with South Ossetia. Nov 2nd, 2011 - "... Georgia's billionaire/politician Bidzina Ivanishvili has given his first press conference in which he expanded on his views on defense and foreign policy, which have been the matter of some speculation since he entered the political arena. He reiterated, but in stronger terms, his previous assessment that it was Georgia, not Russia, who started the war over South Ossetia..."

“Frozen conflicts” hinder NATO's enlargement to South Caucasus. Sept 29th, 2011 - "... Most likely, Putin will continue to pursue the policy Russia has pursued with respect to the South Caucasus in recent years. It would probably be the most pragmatic policy line, as Moscow at this stage is not interested in violating the status quo in the neighboring states. Putin, in my opinion, will try to keep the allied relations with Armenia and the friendliest relations with Azerbaijan as much as possible..."

One small step towards recognizing Abkhazia and South Ossetia? Aug 31st, 2011 - "... The recent presidential elections in Abkhazia have reignited the debate concerning the legitimacy of any internal political developments in the two newly independent states, Abkhazia and South Ossetia..."

Vice President Wins Georgian Rebel Region's Presidential Election. Aug 27th, 2011 - "... The vice president of the breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia has won the presidential election there. Central Election Commission Chairman Batal Tabagua told reporters that preliminary figures showed Aleksandr Ankvab taking 55 percent of the vote. Tbilisi called the polls illegitimate and NATO said it would refuse to recognize them..."

Russia files criminal lawsuit against Georgia over August 2008 war. Aug 9th, 2011 - "... Russia has sent the copies of all materials collected during the investigation into the August 2008 Georgian war on South Ossetia to the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC), Vladimir Markin, the official spokesman for the Russian Investigative Committee, told reporters on Monday. He emphasized that the Georgian side had repeatedly refused to cooperate with Russian investigative bodies in establishing the truth..."

Medvedev reignites war of words over blame for Georgia conflict. Aug 8th, 2011 - "... Three years after the short, bitter war that left hundreds dead and redrew the map of the Caucasus, Russia and Georgia have been trading insults and accusations over what happened in the run-up to the conflict..."

Georgia: Putin Tweaks Tbilisi on Ossetian Annexation. Aug 8th, 2011 - "... Three years after their war, Russia and Georgia are still fighting over the separatist territory of South Ossetia. Russia’s political supremo, Vladimir Putin, ignited the latest skirmish with a suggestion that South Ossetia may opt to join the Russian Federation. ..."

Russia, Georgia remain in distrustful deadlock on anniversary of 2008 war. Aug 5th, 2011 - "... The war that erupted between Russia and its little post-Soviet neighbor Georgia three years ago this weekend was unexpected, extremely violent, and brief, much like the sudden summer storms that descend upon the Caucasus Mountains at this time of year..."

'Resolution on Occupation' Passed in U.S. Senate. Jul 30th, 2011 - "The U.S. Senate unanimously passed on July 29 a resolution supporting Georgia’s territorial integrity and recognizing Abkhazia and South Ossetia as regions “occupied by the Russian Federation”.

Some previous blog entries on Georgia:
Misc update (Georgia) - May 15th, 2011
Misc update (Georgia) - Mar 26th, 2011
A little war II - Apr 22nd, 2010
A little war I - Mar 17th, 2010
An inconvenient truth - Nov 26th, 2008
Georgia update... - Nov 22nd, 2008
Georgia - Sept 7th, 2008
Immediate Response?!? - Aug 25th, 2008
Georgia (updated) - Aug 15th, 2008
Two-edged sword (South Ossetia) - Aug 11th, 2008

In the wild - XVII

2011-12-27T14:40:00.012-05:00

The TSA wants your feedback, and is using a QR code to solicit it! However, their site is not particularly mobile-enabled or mobile friendly:

Next up, a QR code on a ATM receipt... "The Fifth Third Mobile App is here! Scan the QR code and get it now." Well, not exactly. It takes you to the mobile banking site... eventually. Mobile friendly, yes, but two clicks too much...

Previous QR and Tag entries:
BB QR readers
QR codes "in the wild" (17 links)
QR-and Tag-related entries (22 links)

Random picture

2011-12-26T20:20:00.002-05:00

See the full picture and more at: 50 best photos from The Natural World (at The Big Picture)

Mental health break

2011-12-25T22:39:00.000-05:00

Random charts - Afghanistan

2011-12-24T14:25:00.003-05:00

Source: Afghanistan Smart Book: TRADOC Cultural Center (U.S. Army) 224-pg PDF

Random charts - Iraq war costs

2011-12-21T20:52:00.001-05:00

Source: The Iraq War Ledger: A Look at the War’s Human, Financial, and Strategic Costs

Random chart - world growth rates

2011-12-19T20:56:00.001-05:00

Source: The Long-Term Economic Outlook for the United States and its International Implications

Random charts - DOD FY12 budget request

2011-12-15T21:04:00.001-05:00

Source: Defense: FY2012 Budget Request, Authorization and Appropriations

Random charts - nuclear security spend

2011-12-09T20:14:00.001-05:00

Source: Nuclear Security Spending: Assessing Costs, Examining Priorities

Extension!

2011-12-07T22:33:00.019-05:00

Approximately a year or so ago my venerable (dating back to January 2005!) Sharp Zaurus SL-C3000 was beginning to show its age... and spontaneously re-booting on a random basis. As a result after some 16 years of (almost) paper-free, PDA-enabled existence I converted to using the Levenger Shirtpocket Briefcase and 3x5 cards!

With no pocketable replacement with a keyboard on the horizon, found a place still selling the discontinued Zaurus (Pulster) and bought a Zaurus SL-c3200 (yes, I had tried multiple possible replacements, including the UMID M1, Viliv N5, Dell Streak, and others... without finding something better)

Sad to say, the market seems to have mostly abandoned the pocketable, clamshell form factor 'close to full fledged' computer. Until something new comes along I guess I'll have to "settle" for the SL-C3200 in conjunction with a BB Torch 2 for applications requiring connectivity...

Random charts - public opinion (health care)

2011-12-05T05:12:00.002-05:00

Source: Kaiser Public Opinion on Health Care Issues, Nov 2011

Latest MLR update

2011-12-04T19:16:00.010-05:00

Implementing Health Reform: Fine-Tuning The Medical Loss Ratio Rules from the HealthAffairs blog and 'HHS Unveils Insurance Rule: Brokers Do Not Count As 'Health Costs' from Kaiser Health News bring us the latest updates on the government's position on the MLR, the Medical Loss Ratio.

From HealthAffairs, a reminder of how the MLR figures in healthcare reform: "The MLR rule has been one of the most controversial provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The MLR provision of the Affordable Care Act (section 2718 of the Public Health Services Act) requires health insurers in the individual and small group market to spend 80 percent of their premiums, after subtracting taxes and regulatory fees (85 percent for large groups), on payment for medical services or on activities that improve health care quality. Insurers must report their medical loss ratios annually and insurers that fall short of the target must rebate to their enrollees an amount equal to the product of the difference between their actual medical ratio and the statutory target multiplied by their premium revenues"

Insurance agents and brokers had argued in favor of their commissions being excluded from 'administrative costs', but HHS rejected their argument. The latest changes also related to rebates and how they would be paid, tweaked what could be included in quality improvement expenses, and tweaked allowances for a couple of specific plans... Also, rebates to consumers will not be taxable income.

Some previous blog entries referencing the MLR:

The MLR saga continues - May 13th, 2011
Misc update (MLR) - Mar 26th, 2011
Misc update - V - Feb 13th, 2011
Misc updates - MLR - Oct 25th, 2010
MLR Redux - Aug 24th, 2010
MLR update - Jun 27th, 2010
Health care re-form VIII (More nonsense) - August 28th, 2009

Mental health break

2011-12-03T23:56:00.005-05:00

Random chart - U.S. unemployment

2011-12-03T12:54:00.002-05:00

Source: Calculated Risk

Polarization?

2011-12-02T21:59:00.228-05:00

A problem that seems to be growing and to be continually getting worse is the issue of shortages and the unavailability of critically needed pharmaceuticals. This is an issue that has been around for quite some time, for example see this overview that I penned back in 2002. However, over the past few years the frequency and length of the shortages, the critical nature of the drugs involved, and their negative impact have been growing and have approached alarming levels.

One result is that the visibility of the issue has greatly increased - stories and articles about drug shortages (both in general and related to specific drugs) have migrated from mainly being covered by the 'trade' press to appearing in national and local news outlets (newspapers, radio, television, etc.). Their frequency has also increased, and shortage-related stories now appear as a weekly, if not daily, staple of the news. Additionally, coverage has spread from 'hard news' outlets to a myriad of other outlets - general magazines (e.g. Wired), blogs, etc.

Perusing the various articles and reviewing the hundreds and thousands of readers' comments, it is interesting to note that most reactions seem to fall into two polar camps. One group blames the government, red tape, and over-regulation for the problem, while the other blames 'greed' (mostly pharmaceutical company greed, but also healthcare provider greed) and sees government intervention as the answer. See below for a very few examples:

So, is it possible that drug shortages are now some sort of Rorschach test, in which one's reaction to the issue can be considered "projective" i.e. the issue allows one to project his or her real biases into the issue via his/her interpretation of the causes and the steps that need to be taken to resolve the issue?

A common characteristic of most of the coverage and the readers' comments is that they boil down what is a very complex issue to simple (and usually simplistic) answers: One answer, the problem is caused by the greed of the pharmaceutical companies, who are actually deliberately causing the shortages. Presumably the thought here is that the shortages will lead to increased prices, and thus higher profits. A minor variation on this theme is that the manufacturers cause the problems by under-investing in their facilities. Again, the cause is greed, the deliberate under-investment being to fatten margins. However, drug pricing is not elastic, and when a manufacturing line shuts down the pharma company loses money as it has no sales income while it still has the cost of the plant. Additionally, its contracts often contain "failure to supply" clauses, obligating the pharma company to reimburse providers if they incur additional costs sourcing alternate, higher-priced product (assuming an alternative exists). Thus causing manufacturing problems (either deliberately or inadvertently) hardly seems to be a viable strategy. The opposite answer, the problem is caused by the government via unnecessary burdens including onerous legislation, red tape, price controls, and other government inspections, controls and regulations... If only the government got off the pharma companies' backs, all would be well. This too is overly simplistic, the inspections, controls, and regulations are there to protect the public, and we have seen what happens when these do not work (e.g. the recent heparin problems). Those decrying them are often the first to call for someone's head when a failure does occur and products get through that hurt consumers!

Another characteristic of the proponents of each answer is a willingness to believe the worst about the motives of those who they hold as responsible. Thus "greedy" pharma companies put money and profits ahead of the health of the population, indeed ahead of their very lives; faceless bureaucrats live to stifle businesses that seek to better the national good... Rapacious providers put their margins and profits ahead of the needs of their patients; while pencil-pushers use mindless regulations and red tape to stifle innovation and the operations of those striving to produce life-saving drugs...

The size and scope of the problem is such that it is difficult to see a solution. However, everyone agrees that "something needs to be done" this usually by someone else. At a recent FDA public meeting to discuss drug shortages, presenter after presenter came up to provide stories of shortages and how they adversely affect one group or another - Oncologists testified how shortages of life-saving chemotherapy drugs put the lives of their patients at risk; pharmacists testified how shortages of drugs have affected their patients, including the cancellation of necessary surgeries due to shortages of anesthesia drugs; patients with esoteric diseases testified how shortages of simple electrolytes and parenteral nutrition drugs threaten their survival; pediatricians told stories of kids at risk because needed therapeutic drugs were unavailable; and researchers testified how research studies and protocols for future drug breakthroughs are put at risk due to difficulties in the procurement of some of the drugs involved. Each had multiple, excellent reasons why their patients needed the drugs, all were unanimous that the situation was unconscionable and that action was needed, but few (if any) had concrete suggestions for solutions to the problem! The FDA representatives present were at pains to spell out all that they do and to take credit that the situation would have been worse had they not succeeded in averting a number of shortages, but even they had few answers! Add "something needs to be done" to what seems like a huge and insoluble problem and many automatically turn their thoughts to legislation and a governmental role in the solution!

With such a huge and escalating issue, naturally politicians are increasingly involved, be that in response to the concerns of their constituents or because this is an area of interest/concern for them. However, often they too cast this as a one-dimensional issue and put themselves on one side or the other (as described above). Thus we get generalized denunciations of 'excessive regulation' on one side, and suggestions that additional requirements and mandates be placed on drug manufacturers on the other. These start off with a fairly uncontroversial (if most likely ineffective) requirement that pharma manufacturers provide advance notice (when possible) of availability problems. However, not content with this, the talk turns to instituting a system of significant fines and penalties to enforce these notification provisions ("civil fines for noncompliance that could reach $1.8 million under the House version" see here), and then imposing additional requirements....

President Obama issued an Executive Order "directing the FDA and Department of Justice to take action to help further reduce and prevent drug shortages, protect consumers, and prevent price gouging." A mostly symbolic act, this generated multiple headlines which act to reinforce both sides' preconceptions that this is an issue amenable to a political solution. Also, by using language such as "... reminding them of their legal responsibility...", and "... illegally hoarding medications or raising prices to gouge consumers...", the order appeared to reinforce those believing in the "greed" version of the issue (especially when magnified by news headlines picking up on this language.) This also may have had the effect of confusing people to believe that a symptom of the shortages (the grey market) is actually one of the causes of the shortage...

So, finally, a quick recap of what the 'drug shortage ink blot test' reveals about the public's reaction to and discourse on this problem:

An apparently unquenchable thirst for simple, one dimensional answers.
A willingness to ascribe the worst motives to others.
A "something needs to be done" reflex that, allied with a feeling that the problem is so much bigger than one can handle, can inexorably lead to a 'government action is the only viable option, and legislation - generally coercive - is the main answer' response.
With all of the above reinforced by shoddy reporting, and the best efforts of the political classes (on a bicameral and bipartisan basis) to implement band-aids and/or ill-considered solutions!

This paradigm mirrors numerous other problems/areas in which there is very little in the "middle" and in which most seem to choose to exist on the extremes... In general the extent of this polarization seems to be expanding, at least at present. Why this should be is beyond the scope of this blog entry; however the increased polarization is clearly illustrated by the 'drug shortage ink blot test.'

Previous blog entries on drug shortages:
Help on the way? - July 31st, 2011
Random charts - April 6th, 2011

The why's of drug shortages - March 30th, 2011 (update of a 3/03/2002 oped)

Linkography:
Rx Drug Shortages Hit All-Time High
Drug Shortages Increasingly Take Toll on Care
Drug Shortages Are Mostly Generic Injectables
The Number Of Drug Recalls Is Rising How Fast?
Drug Shortages: Endangering Human Lives and Pets, Too
DeGette on drug shortages: ‘It’s a problem that’s crept up on us.'
Drug Hoarders, Manufacturing Cuts Exacerbate Shortage of Key Medications
Navigating Drug Shortages in American Healthcare: A Premier healthcare alliance analysis

Vital Drugs in Short Supply
Obama Tackles Rx Drug Shortages
Obama Tries to Speed Response to Shortages in Vital Medicines
Obama Calls on FDA to Reduce Drug Shortages, Stop ‘Gouging’ by Resellers
Fact Sheet: Obama Administration Takes Action to Reduce Prescription Drug Shortages in the U.S.

FDA: Letter to industry
FDA: A Review of FDA's Approach to Medical Product Shortages

Drug Shortages
The Bush-Obama Rx Shortages
Shortage of cancer drugs tied to simple economics, experts say
The Shortage of Essential Chemotherapy Drugs in the United States

FDA charts on drug shortages:

The answer:
Since the current drug shortages have multiple causes and do not result from a unique set of circumstances, the answer of necessity needs to be multifaceted, addressing and mitigating as many of the potential causes as is possible. This would include the following and much more:

The identification and remediation of many market-distorting rules and regulations (example: cost reimbursement methodologies that may distort/influence prescribing patterns); closer cooperation, even integration, between the FDA and pharma manufacturers; increased flexibility on both sides (e.g. pharma ramping up production where possible to mitigate shortages; the FDA expediting reviews and approvals, looking at extending expiration dating where feasible, perhaps non-recall actions (e.g. 'dear Doctor' letters) in response to some non-product issues with labeling and/or 'paperwork', expedited product specification changes, etc.); improved transparency on all sides; increased collaboration in developing responses to raw material availability issues or to natural disasters effecting production; and many more.

Random picture

2011-12-02T05:48:00.002-05:00

Source: Video: Jetman Flies in Formation With Actual Jets Yves Rossy, "a Swiss pilot, inventor and aviation enthusiast. He is the first person to achieve sustained human flight using a jet-powered fixed wing strapped to his back. This jet pack has led to his being nicknamed Jet Man, Rocket Man and Fusion Man." (Wikipedia)

In the wild - XVI

2011-11-27T18:30:00.000-05:00

The previous 'In the wild' blog entry (XV) had examples of QR implementations that were problematic for one reason or another... Here are some recently observed ones that seem to work better:

At an Illinois store selling flowers and Christmas items, use the QR code to sign up for their newsletter:

In Indianapolis, you could pay by entering your parking space number and paying at a central meter, or you could use a QR code to pay online:

Ate pizza at a restaurant over Thanksgiving, they had a QR code you could use to sign up for news, updates, special offers, etc.

Attended a presentation by a "thought leader." Following the talk one could either fill out a paper survey to rate the presentation, or scan a QR code to be taken to a mobile-friendly site to enter your feedback... A good, and useful, implementation:

I observed earlier that airports would seem to be natural venues in which to use QR codes given the volumes of people, some of whom have much time on their hands. And so, a QR/Tag scavenger hunt set up in the various terminals of DFW:

Previous QR and Tag entries:
BB QR readers
QR codes "in the wild" (16 links)
QR-and Tag-related entries (22 links)

Random chart

2011-11-26T22:18:00.001-05:00

Source: The Lord’s Resistance Army: The U.S. Response (23-pg CRS PDF)

DrawTop quick look

2011-11-23T17:41:00.000-05:00

So what is this? DrawTop, the whiteboard "app" that is compatible everywhere... From their web site: "The back of the laptop has been, historically, bare and useless. Quickly turn this space into a portable whiteboard with custom cut DrawTop vinyl adhesives. Get rid of backs of envelopes, lunch table napkins, and clumsy whiteboard apps -- design and collaborate in any meeting where you carry your laptop. "

So, here it is on my Asus Eee Pad Transformer... Not a bad little idea!

iPhone 4S first look

2011-11-23T12:20:00.040-05:00

The specifications:
Height: 4.5 inches (115.2 mm)
Width: 2.31 inches (58.6 mm)
Depth: 0.37 inch (9.3 mm)
Weight: 4.9 ounces (140 grams)
Cellular: UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz), GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
WiFi: 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi (802.11n 2.4GHz only)
Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology
Assisted GPS and GLONASS
Screen: 3.5-inch (diagonal); 960-by-640-pixel resolution at 326 ppi; 800:1 contrast ratio (typical)
Camera: Autofocus 8-megapixel camera, LED flash
Video: HD (1080p) up to 30 frames per second with audio
Front camera with VGA-quality photos and video at up to 30 frames per second
Battery: Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion
Talk time: Up to 8 hours on 3G, up to 14 hours on 2G (GSM)
Standby time: Up to 200 hours
Internet use: Up to 6 hours on 3G, up to 9 hours on Wi-Fi
Video playback: Up to 10 hours, Audio playback: Up to 40 hours
Sensors: Three-axis gyro, Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor

With a Torch 2 and a Dell streak:

Reviews:
iPhone 4S review
iPhone 4S review (Engadget)
iPhone 4S review (Ubergizmo)
iPhone 4S (MobileTechReview)
Apple iPhone 4S review (BGR)
Apple iPhone 4S review (Pocketables)
Apple iPhone 4S: Thoroughly Reviewed (AnandTech)
Everything You Need to Know About Apple’s New iPhone 4S

Random chart

2011-11-23T11:12:00.002-05:00

Source: The Economist

Random chart

2011-11-18T23:29:00.001-05:00

Source: Congress’ approval problem in one chart Hugo Chavez??

Random picture

2011-10-31T04:09:00.001-04:00

Source: The Big Picture: The Natural World "... Endangered Mexican red-kneed tarantulas sat in plastic bags at the Zurich airport after being confiscated from a traveler's luggage ..."

In the wild - XV

2011-10-30T16:20:00.001-04:00

Some QR implementations, found "in the wild.' The first, unfortunately, only available for those with Android or Apple smartphones....

The second an automotive print ad... Unfortunately the site requires Flash, so (again) unavailable on some smartphones...

The third on an insert in the daily newspaper. Scanning the QR code takes you to a web site that explains... duh... how to scan a QR code. Hmm, presumably you already know this, otherwise how did you get to the page via the QR code???

The next example is from an airport, which seems to this blogger to be an ideal place to sprinkle QR codes (to target people with time on their hands between connections)... A decent enough implementation, except for asking if you can use the phone for location services...

Finally, a QR code that takes you to a brief animation... Kind of cool, but not particularly useful in any way...

Previous QR and Tag entries:
BB QR readers
QR codes "in the wild" (15 links)
QR-and Tag-related entries (22 links)

Mental health break

2011-10-30T12:58:00.002-04:00

Click to expand

No updates

2011-10-03T22:59:00.002-04:00

There will be no updates 10/2 to 10/25...

Random chart

2011-10-02T18:50:00.001-04:00

Source: Calculated Risk

Lately...

2011-10-02T18:20:00.003-04:00

Umm, yes, there have been a number of QR reader entries lately...

Random charts

2011-10-01T12:09:00.000-04:00

Source: Americans Give GOP Edge in Handling Nation's Problems

Random picture

2011-09-29T19:15:00.000-04:00

Source/credit: (Iran) War Art - Sacred Defense Week Follow the link for several more...

Random picture

2011-09-26T18:46:00.004-04:00

Source: The Big Picture - A glimpse of North Korea Lunch aboard the inaugural trip of a North Korean cruise ship trying to encourage Chinese (and other) tourism... (Budweiser and dried fish)

Additional BB QR readers - XXIV

2011-09-25T19:30:00.003-04:00

Another QR code reader is TinyBarCode by Handrapid. Per AppWorld: "Barcode scanner/writer for BlackBerry® *Friendly user interface *Support OS6 and OS7 *Easy to use *Send generator with Email *Support "Code 128/39", "DataMatrix", "EAN-13", "EAN-8","ITF ","PDF417","UPC-A","UPC-E","QR Code""

As always the first stop post installation is at the QR Code Quality Standards Test v1.02 The application decodes the QR codes directly (and not after taking a picture). Nice and speedy it decoded the various flavors of QR codes handily. However not all QR code types were integrated with the corresponding BB applications... While phone, email, url QR codes were; WiFi, geo, vevent, mecard, vcard QR codes were not.

The application can generate (png) QR codes, that you can then email:

One issue was that having successfully scanned a QR code, any immediately subsequent attempt to scan another QR code invariably failed (see resulting screen shot below), requiring that one exit and re-enter the application for it to function...

The bottom line? A very respectable, but second tier, showing (given that there are other free readers available that do a better job at integrating a wider range of QR code types, and have a 'History' function)

Note: TinyBarCode also reads some flavors of 1-D bar codes. However, since the only actions available after it reads the barcode are "Copy" or "Search with Google.com" I'm not very sure of the value-add there. Results for the "Search with Google.com" were mixed:

Random picture

2011-09-24T17:43:00.000-04:00

Click to enlarge

Source: Tales for Little Rebels: A Collection of Radical Children's Literature

Great quotes

2011-09-20T21:09:00.001-04:00

"Well, it's just we believe that to be the case."

- U.S. Ambassador Cameron Munter. Munter, in an interview on Pakistan Radio, had claimed that there was evidence linking the Haqqani network to the Pakistan government. When pressed for details and/or evidence, this was the gem he came up with... See 'US says evidence ties militant group to Pakistan'

Additional BB QR readers - XXIII

2011-09-17T21:33:00.032-04:00

Another BB QR code reader is QR CodeFX by appsFX... (for use with OS 6 and higher). Per the web site: "As QR Codes become more popular, and useful, make sure you use this easy to user QR Code Reader from appsFX. QR CodeFX™ for BlackBerry® will read a standard QR Code and take the appropriate action on you behalf. QR CodeFX will automatically do the following when the QR Code requires it: • Launch a Browser • Make a Phone Call • Launch an Email Editor • Launch a Text Message Editor • Launch a Map with Coordinates"

(Note: this app decodes the QR code and does not take a picture that is subsequently decoded).

A quick trip to the QR Code Quality Standards Test v1.02 website shows that mostly does what it claims. It was successful with url, phone, email, and geo QR codes, decoding the QR code and launching the appropriate application. The speed to decode was pretty impressive.

However, it reported a SMS QR code that only had a phone number as "Unknown QR Code Format", and though it read a SMS number with an associated message, it failed to launch the appropriate application (see below):

However, there was no success with other QR code types, including SMS, WiFi, vEvent, vCard, and meCard QR codes... (Note: the application did not claim the ability to decode these QR codes)

The application is currently free, though it does warn that this might not be the case in the future (and they have built in registration features). A half hour of usage generated some pretty detailed (including my email address) application and device logs (the latter clocking in at over 40 screen pages of information), and this was with the standard install and not having turned on 'Debug'...

The bottom line? A quick QR code reader, albeit only for a defined subgroup of QR codes. Given this, plus the fact that there are free readers available that do a wider range of QR code types, are better integrated, can generate QR codes, and have a 'History' function, the developer would be well advised to make several improvements before converting this to a pay application... Also a little 'queasy' about the logs, and wonder how much, if any, of that information is sent to the developer.

Random charts

2011-09-14T22:26:00.004-04:00

Source: Associations Between Supply and Pharmacy Service Intensity, System Membership, and Hospital Performance.

Mental health break

2011-09-13T23:43:00.005-04:00

In the wild - XIV

2011-09-13T04:46:00.001-04:00

A few recently observed examples of QR codes "in the wild" - on a Heinz ketchup bottle, a print BMW QR code, a QR code on a Time Warner cable bill, and advertising an upcoming charity occasion... The first three resolved to mobile sites, the fourth did not!

Previous QR and Tag entries:
BB QR readers
QR codes "in the wild" (14 links)
QR-and Tag-related entries (22 links)

Easier to find?

2011-09-11T08:30:00.002-04:00

The following is a list of links reviewing various BB QR Code readers. It's the same list that you get here in this bit.ly bundle, however it occurred to me that the application names were not easily visible in the bundle, so one might end up clicking through a number of links if searching for a particular application... Thus, in the interest of making things easier, here's a list that provides the application name:

On my BB 9800 Torch I used to keep Barcode Assistant (the best all round scanner & generator), i-nigma (which sometimes could read QR codes that could not be decoded by the other readers), Biz Barcode and Mception Scanner, mobiletag (for 1D bar codes and price benchmarking), and, finally, MicroSoft Tag reader.

Having now switched to the OS 7 BB 9810 (a.k.a Torch 2), not all of these are available, see the screen shots below for those that show they are available for the Torch 2 in the BB App World. Current "keepers" include Barcode Assistant, ScanLife, QR Scan (for its speed), AT&T Code Scanner (which came pre-installed on my ATT phone), and MicroSoft Tag (note: OS 7 is not listed as supported (as of today), however it downloads and works just fine).

Previous QR and Tag entries:
BB QR readers
QR codes "in the wild" (12 links)
QR-and Tag-related entries (22 links)

Additional BB QR readers - XXII

2011-09-11T07:45:00.002-04:00

Another QR scanner for the BB is the compactly-named QR Scan by B Gibbons. $0.99 On firing it up you get to a simple main screen with one option - 'Scan QR Code'. This application directly reads the QR code and does not take a photo... As always, I head over to the QR Code Quality Standards Test v1.02, screenshots of the results below:

The application certainly lives up to its billing as a "Simple QR Scanner." The Pros? It read every QR code I threw at it, even the pretty 'dense' vcard QR code. And what is more, it was the fastest to read of every application I have tried (almost 30 so far). The Cons? On reading the QR code your choices are limited to 'Open in Browser', 'Send in Email', 'Save to Memopad', and 'Copy to Clipboard' regardless of what type of QR code you have read, thus is not the most useful or easiest for mecard, vcard, sms, vevent, geo, etc. QR codes. It also does not keep track of codes read in any sort of history. Finally, the integration is not quite up to the level of the best such as Barcode Assistant.

The bottom line? It has some limitations, but given the read success rate and speed to decode, it's definitely a keeper!

Final note: Tested on a BB 9810 Torch II i.e. BB OS 7

Previous QR and Tag entries:
BB QR readers
QR codes "in the wild" (12 links)
QR-and Tag-related entries (22 links)

Great quotes

2011-09-11T06:26:00.000-04:00

"... Afghanistan and other troubled lands today cry out for the sort of enlightened foreign administration once provided by self-confident Englishmen in jodhpurs and pith helmets...

... Once Afghanistan has been dealt with, America should turn its attention to Iraq. It will probably not be possible to remove Saddam quickly without a U.S. invasion and occupation--though it will hardly require half a million men, since Saddam's army is much diminished since the Gulf War, and we will probably have plenty of help from Iraqis, once they trust that we intend to finish the job this time. Once we have deposed Saddam, we can impose an American-led, international regency in Baghdad, to go along with the one in Kabul. With American seriousness and credibility thus restored, we will enjoy fruitful cooperation from the region's many opportunists, who will show a newfound eagerness to be helpful in our larger task of rolling up the international terror network that threatens us... "

- Max Boot, October 15th, 2011

Additional BB QR readers - XXIa

2011-09-10T19:30:00.017-04:00

Additional BB QR readers - XXI noted the appearance of the Arion and Carpet One QR scanners... these appear to be clones of the Mception Scanner, reviewed here. The screen shots below show the same look and feel, differentiated only in the 'About':

The bottom line: As with the Mception scanner, "It only functions as a QR code reader, but does that fairly impressively! Recommended."

Previous QR and Tag entries:
BB QR readers
QR codes "in the wild" (12 links)
QR-and Tag-related entries (22 links)

Random charts

2011-09-10T08:15:00.001-04:00

Source: United in Remembrance, Divided over Policies ; Ten Years after 9/11

Random chart

2011-09-08T19:51:00.000-04:00

Source: You just shared a link. How long will people pay attention?

Great quotes

2011-09-08T18:30:00.003-04:00

Picture source: An Introduction to dwarf tossing

"... In 1989, the Legislature passed a law banning dwarf tossing after bars popularized a promotion that involved throwing dwarfs against a Velcro wall. Rules created to implement that law prohibit “any exploitative contest, promotion or other form of recreational activity which results in the endangerment of the health, safety or welfare of a dwarf on any premises licensed under the beverage law,” but specify the law shouldn’t be interpreted to “prohibit dwarfs from engaging in non-exploitative sporting or recreational events of the type engaged in by persons who are not dwarfs.”..."

From Scott: Repeal more than 1,000 state rules

Random picture

2011-09-07T19:00:00.001-04:00

Click picture to enlarge

Source: India - Pakistan borderlights at night "... A striking feature is the line of lights, with a distinctly orange hue, snaking across the center of the image. It appears to be more continuous and brighter than most highways in the view. This is the fenced and floodlit border zone between India and Pakistan. The fence is designed to discourage smuggling and arms trafficking. A similar fenced zone separates India’s eastern border from Bangladesh (not visible).

This image was taken with a 16 mm lens, which provides the wide field of view, as the International Space Station (ISS) was tracking towards the southeast across India. The ISS crew took the image as part of a continuous series of frames, each with a one-second exposure time to maximize light collection. Unfortunately, this also causes blurring of some ground features.."

Random charts

2011-09-07T18:42:00.007-04:00

Source: Counterterrorism Intelligence: Law Enforcement Perspectives

"Press a computer button"

2011-09-06T20:15:00.001-04:00

The article 'Covert lie detection technology to be trialled in Britain' informs us that "A COVERT lie detection system using thermal imaging cameras and powerful software to spot tell-tale signs of deception is to be trialled at an undisclosed airport in Britain, The (London) Sunday Times reported. The system could be used during customs interviews and at passport control to check whether people entering the country are giving a true account of themselves. A key element will be that people under scrutiny will not know they are being monitored for truthfulness. The airport where it will be tested is not known but if it works it could be installed in others around Britain. Hassan Ugail, a Professor of visual computing at the University of Bradford and who designed the system, said, “In an interview you can be talking to a person, then you basically just press a computer button and say: was this person lying or not?"

At first glance the technology sounds similar in some respects to this report from 2002 (incidentally patented by Honeywell, so the good professor should double check before he goes to the bank...)

It sounds rather expensive, did both PCASS and FAST not pan out (sarcasm alert)?

A success rate of 60-70%? O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'

Note that even a much higher success rate would have to deal with the 'base rate fallacy' when it comes to identifying terrorists, which presumably is the aim of this effort!

The search for the miraculous silver bullet continues!

Other technology hype blog entries:
Technology hype

BB 9810 Torch 2 first look

2011-09-05T17:02:00.000-04:00

OK, so decided to move from my BB 9800 Torch (see: BB 9800 Torch follow-up; BB 9800 Torch second look; and BB 9800 Torch first look) to the 9810... Ineligible for an upgrade, so I popped by the ATT Store and bought a white BB 9810 at full price.

The full specifications:

High-resolution 640 x 480 (VGA) color display
3.2" (measured diagonally) Transmissive TFT LCD, over 16 million colors
Light-sensing, proximity-detecting screen
User-selectable font size
8 GB onboard memory
768 MB RAM
Expandable memory with support for microSD memory cards up to 32 GB
5 MP camera, HD video recording, Flash, 4X digital zoom, Continuous auto focus, Image stabilization
802.11 b/g/n enabled
Built-in GPS functionality
1270 mAh removable/rechargeable lithium-ion battery
Talk time: Up to 6.5 hours (GSM®), up to 5.9 hours (UMTS®)2
Standby time: Up to 12.8 days (GSM), up to 12.3 days (UMTS)
Music playback time: Up to 54 hours, Video playback time: Up to 7 hours
Video formats: .mp4, .m4a, .3gp, .m4v, .avi, .asf, .wmv
Audio formats: .mp4, .m4a, .3gp, .m4v, .avi, .asf, .wma, .mp3, .flac, .ogg, .aac, .amr, .wav, .mid
Picture formats: .bmp, .jpg, .gif, .png, .tif, .wbmp
Trackpad,Touch screen with on-screen keyboard: portrait SureType®, QWERTY and multi-tap, landscape QWERTY

Popped in the SIM chip and microSD card; installed JABPLite/JABPFile and imported all my transactions; downloaded UberSocial, CaptureIt, Viigo (Bold 2 build version 5.0 since the Torch is not listed... seems to work just fine), and a couple of other applications; downloaded QR readers Barcode Assistant and QR Code Scanner Pro (Note: the AT&T Code Scanner software came pre-installed); activated all my e-mail accounts; and I was good to go...

BB 9810 reviews:
4G BlackBerry Torch 9810 - MobileTechReview
BlackBerry Torch 9810 review - Engadget
BlackBerry Torch 9810 Review - Crackberry

Torch 9810 Forums - Crackberry

Random charts

2011-09-04T18:04:00.006-04:00

Source: Transforming Wartime Contracting: Controlling costs, reducing risks

Only in Japan

2011-09-04T16:41:00.001-04:00

Picture credit: Japanese weather loach

From the September 3-9, 2011 edition of The Economist, a story on how Yoshihiko Noda, won his party's nod to become Japan's new Prime Minister:

"On August 30th it paid off. Mr Noda became prime minister, replacing Naoto Kan, who was forced out after 14 tumultuous months. The 54-year-old black belt in judo is the sixth new leader in five years; he risks being laughed off even before he starts. What is more, so little known in Japan is Mr Noda that a week earlier supporters were telling him to quit the race to replace Mr Kan as president of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), especially once his more photogenic ally, Seiji Maehara, a former foreign minister, broke a promise not to run against him.

Yet using skills honed at Funabashi station, Mr Noda pulled off what supporters call a miracle. His speech to parliamentarians of the ruling party before they voted for a leader was unusual for a Japanese politician. He spoke plainly, exuding honesty and consistency. And he made people laugh, comparing his puffy appearance to that of a loach, a fish that loves mud.

In a second-round vote, victory was assured when one of the candidates he defeated in the first round took off his jacket. That signalled to the politician’s followers that they should cast their run-off vote for Mr Noda, rather than the puppet candidate of Ichiro Ozawa, the party’s indicted (and suspended) kingpin. Mr Noda romped home, 215 votes to 177. But supporters say his speech also contained a coded message aimed at healing a paralysing rift in the party between those for and against Mr Ozawa. The loach reference was taken from one of the favourite poems of Azuma Koshiishi, a 75-year-old elder in the DPJ who is close to Mr Ozawa, with rare influence over him. It was a deftly cast fly. Soon after Mr Noda was named prime minister, he persuaded Mr Koshiishi to become secretary-general of the party. That put the onus on Mr Ozawa to bury the hatchet."

(....contd).

Only in Japan....

Random pictures

2011-09-04T07:55:00.000-04:00

Source: We Shall Never Forget 9/11 Kids Coloring Book - Graphic Coloring Novel. And from the same publishing house, a coloring book on the Tea Party:

The New Yorker: A 9/11 Coloring Book

Fitbit - first look

2011-09-03T17:17:00.002-04:00

So I bought a Fitbit - a small "wireless activity tracker" that you can use to track your steps, sleep, etc. It's small (H 2.125 in x W 0.75 in x D 0.5625 in, or 55 x 19.5 x 14mm) and light (0.4 oz or 11.34 gm) and clips to your belt or trousers. Containing a small 3D accelerometer, it "measures your motion patterns to tell you your calories burned, steps taken, distance traveled, and sleep quality." With a battery that should last a minimum of 3 days, the Fitbat can maintain seven days of data. However, whenever you pass within a few feet of the base station it wirelessly syncs its data. This is uploaded to the web application that you need to register with...

Out of the box you get the Fitbit, the base station which doubles as a charger, a belt clip, and a sleep wrist band. Download the drivers from http://www.fitbit.com/start, then plug in the base station, and pop on the Fitbit for its initial charge. You will be prompted to sign in at the web site, where you register the device via a "pairing number" (press the button on the Fitbit and the screen displays the number, enter it and then provide height, weight, and gender information. Once the Fitbit is charged, place it on your belt and you're good to go...

Below are screen shots of another active user (not this blogger), showing a number of the statistics available:

OK, so as you can see from the above, some of your data may be visible to others! You do have full control and can set up the "visibility" to the level you are comfortable with, but the default values do encourage sharing, see below:

Not all people seem to realize potential issues with "visibility". In addition to the information collected by the Fitbit you can manually log your food intake, exercise activities, and a whole host of other things, and it is possible to perhaps reveal more than you really want to, see Sexual Activity Tracked By Fitbit Shows Up In Google Search.

More to come later....

Fitbit reviews:
Amazon user reviews
Fitbit Pedometer Wellness Monitor
User reviews at gdgt

The Fitbit blog

QR/Tag roundup - IV

2011-09-03T13:18:00.045-04:00

Here are more QR code and Microsoft Tag news updates, uses, etc:

The debate as to the usefulness of QR codes and how best to use them goes on... A number of articles:
QR codes and Microsoft Tags are being used by many organizations for a variety of purposes, including:
- Business briefs: Got a complaint? File it with QR
- 10 Creative uses of QR codes
Designer QR codes continue to show how the humble black and white QR code can be jazzed up. Examples: QR code calligraphique; QR codes designés : les images de l'expo de Vannes; and Designed QR codes: the next level
And finally, an interesting use of QR codes: No Projector? Use QR Code & SlideShare to Share a Presentation on Smartphones

Previous QR and Tag entries:
BB QR readers (28 links)
QR codes "in the wild" (13 links)
QR-and Tag-related entries (24 links)

Random chart

2011-09-02T23:33:00.000-04:00

Source: Federal, State, and Local Expenditures as a Share of GDP at WWII Levels

Random pictures

2011-08-31T22:45:00.000-04:00

Random picture

2011-08-31T17:21:00.003-04:00

Source: Western graffiti with Putin

Random charts

2011-08-31T17:04:00.006-04:00

Source: Moody's: Hospital Revenues In Critical Condition; Downgrades May Follow

Top-line revenue growth is falling at many not-for-profit hospitals, presenting hospital management teams with their most immediate challenge and supporting our negative outlook for the sector. Hospital downgrades will likely increase in the short term unless expense reductions and productivity gains compensate for stagnant or weak revenue growth. With hospitals facing reimbursement pressure from all payers – Medicare, Medicaid and commercial health insurers – and declining volumes given a persistently sluggish economy, numerous hospitals are reviewing every aspect of their operations to make fundamental changes to their business model. These efforts will stave off rating downgrades at better managed hospitals, but will likely prove insufficient at others to stave off credit deterioration over the longer-term.

Random charts

2011-08-30T22:58:00.000-04:00

Source: Aspirin, Angioplastly, and Proton Beam Therapy: the Economics of Smarter Health Care Spending Paper by two economists.

Abstract: The growing share of the U.S. economy devoted to health care spending is cause for concern both because of the share that is publicly financed and because of the inefficiency with which those resources are used. Fueled in part by demographic transitions, unchecked increases in entitlement spending will necessitate some combination of tax increases, the elimination of other public spending, or public debt levels that far exceed those currently observed in Greece. Despite these spending levels, highly cost-effective treatments like aspirin and flu shots are underused, while angioplasty is used in both lifesaving and inappropriate cases and exorbitantly unproven procedures such as proton beam therapy are generously reimbursed by public programs. Driven by expenditures on such expensive care, public insurance spending is rising unsustainably at the same time that a fifth of the population goes uninsured. In an efficient system, more spending on health care would not be a cause for concern. Achieving this means improving the incentives and infrastructure for providers to deliver – and patients to consume – high-value care, as well as wrestling with the difficult question of whom to cover versus what to cover in public insurance programs. But the wide prevalence of inefficiencies also offers hope, for there is scope for fundamental reforms to improve the productivity of health care spending and the fiscal health of the U.S.