We are fine. We never lost power, and Root*Center*Son is here for a couple days to celebrate with us. He came a day early because his power is out. The crews have been working hard, but he's the only customer out in his sector, so he's not high priority. Never mind that there's a tree laying on a wire, just up the road from. his house. Heh. Eldest is also still without power, but has a generator. So we get to sit around opening gifts and eating all the food I made in advance just incase. Easy peasy! 🥰
I was reading a top of the fold story in the local newspaper that all the Fresno hospitals are at or over 100% of capacity, ER waiting times are very long, and paramedics are having to evaluate patients for whom ambulances have been called, to see if their needs are severe enough to require ER treatment. Covid and other respiratory viruses are the main culprit. This evening I looked online for more information and instead found a story that in our neighboring county the general hospital (the only one except for a children's hospital that mostly serves our county) is going to declare bankruptcy and probably close in early January because the hospital group they had been working with to take them over refused to comply with the terms of the approval granted by the state Attorney General. So I looked up the terms, and found this one:
"6. Provide emergency reproductive healthcare services, notice and information to the public about nonemergency reproductive healthcare not provided, as well as information about alternative licensed providers and transport."
Of course it could be that some other condition required by the Attorney General was unacceptable to them, but the hospital chain is Catholic. I remember when I worked for the local hospital of that chain it seemed obvious that the wallet biopsy was priority number one, so maybe there just wasn't enough potential profit in that county to interest them-- it is predominantly rural. The Attorney General also required that they continue to serve the poor for a few years, as the county hospital always had. In my opinion the old county hospitals were in many ways the best, but there are very few of them left. ---Alan
It is my sense that "privatization" in addition to being fueled by the desire to suck at the public purse, was a response to public accountability prompted by FOIA and other egalitarian requirements. While much attention has been paid to the resistance to racial and ethnic equity, public servants who used to enjoy autonomy just do not like being told what to do. And the Catholic hierarchy doubly so. The EuroAmerican social system inherited male supremacy from British common law and resists being changed.
It appears that county hospitals in California are different from Cook County Hospital. Cook County Hospital is owned and operated by county government and can't go bankrupt. A search also shows that hospitals in the City of Chicago are at roughly 75% capacity, with a very small proportion due to Covid-19.
There are indications that Ukraine has developed something similar to the Iranian Shaheed drones Russia has been using against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure. An evident attack on a military facility in Crimea far beyond range of Ukraine's howitzers, preceded by what sounded like a flying motorbike engine. Confirmation pending. ---Alan
Hierarchists do not care about supporters or inferiors as long as they are on top. We tend to assume that people are affected by their effect on others because it suggests we can affect their behavior.
Georgia [Special] Grand Jury Appears Nearly Finished [Click] They could be required to investigate further, or the matter could go to a regular grad jury, which can issue indictments. Georgia has its own RICO law, which differs from the federal one. All quite complicated. —Alan
I might suggest, based on our Georgia experience, that the laws governing the behavior of candidates are quite stringent, possible as a consequence of wanting to discourage candidates from fringe constituencies. It is not unusual for candidates to be disqualified for "reporting" errors. Fani Willis will want to be scrupulously correct. :)
We are fine. We never lost power, and Root*Center*Son is here for a couple days to celebrate with us. He came a day early because his power is out. The crews have been working hard, but he's the only customer out in his sector, so he's not high priority. Never mind that there's a tree laying on a wire, just up the road from. his house. Heh. Eldest is also still without power, but has a generator. So we get to sit around opening gifts and eating all the food I made in advance just incase. Easy peasy! 🥰
ReplyDeleteI was reading a top of the fold story in the local newspaper that all the Fresno hospitals are at or over 100% of capacity, ER waiting times are very long, and paramedics are having to evaluate patients for whom ambulances have been called, to see if their needs are severe enough to require ER treatment. Covid and other respiratory viruses are the main culprit. This evening I looked online for more information and instead found a story that in our neighboring county the general hospital (the only one except for a children's hospital that mostly serves our county) is going to declare bankruptcy and probably close in early January because the hospital group they had been working with to take them over refused to comply with the terms of the approval granted by the state Attorney General. So I looked up the terms, and found this one:
ReplyDelete"6. Provide emergency reproductive healthcare services, notice and information to the public about nonemergency reproductive healthcare not provided, as well as information about alternative licensed providers and transport."
Of course it could be that some other condition required by the Attorney General was unacceptable to them, but the hospital chain is Catholic. I remember when I worked for the local hospital of that chain it seemed obvious that the wallet biopsy was priority number one, so maybe there just wasn't enough potential profit in that county to interest them-- it is predominantly rural. The Attorney General also required that they continue to serve the poor for a few years, as the county hospital always had. In my opinion the old county hospitals were in many ways the best, but there are very few of them left.
---Alan
Here are two newspaper stories, in order:
DeleteCalif. AG conditionally approves sale of MCH [Click]
Madera Community Hospital to file for bankruptcy [Click]
—Alan
It is my sense that "privatization" in addition to being fueled by the desire to suck at the public purse, was a response to public accountability prompted by FOIA and other egalitarian requirements. While much attention has been paid to the resistance to racial and ethnic equity, public servants who used to enjoy autonomy just do not like being told what to do. And the Catholic hierarchy doubly so. The EuroAmerican social system inherited male supremacy from British common law and resists being changed.
DeleteIt appears that county hospitals in California are different from Cook County Hospital. Cook County Hospital is owned and operated by county government and can't go bankrupt. A search also shows that hospitals in the City of Chicago are at roughly 75% capacity, with a very small proportion due to Covid-19.
DeleteThere are indications that Ukraine has developed something similar to the Iranian Shaheed drones Russia has been using against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure. An evident attack on a military facility in Crimea far beyond range of Ukraine's howitzers, preceded by what sounded like a flying motorbike engine. Confirmation pending.
ReplyDelete---Alan
How Many Republicans Died Because the GOP Turned Against Vaccines? [Click] “Party leaders are unquestionably complicit in the premature deaths of their own supporters.”
ReplyDelete—Alan
Hierarchists do not care about supporters or inferiors as long as they are on top. We tend to assume that people are affected by their effect on others because it suggests we can affect their behavior.
DeleteI have also wondered how many Republican rank and file died of Covid because the leadership and their minions at Fox News derided mask wearing.
Delete37F and foggy here at the moment (7:30 AM). Hope everybody else here is all right.
ReplyDelete---Alan
It's been sunny here. Currently 15 degrees.
DeleteIt's up to 11F here. Sunny but still windy.
DeleteGeorgia [Special] Grand Jury Appears Nearly Finished [Click] They could be required to investigate further, or the matter could go to a regular grad jury, which can issue indictments. Georgia has its own RICO law, which differs from the federal one. All quite complicated.
ReplyDelete—Alan
I might suggest, based on our Georgia experience, that the laws governing the behavior of candidates are quite stringent, possible as a consequence of wanting to discourage candidates from fringe constituencies. It is not unusual for candidates to be disqualified for "reporting" errors.
DeleteFani Willis will want to be scrupulously correct. :)
We have 9 whole degrees here.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to post a special new thread in about 4 minutes. 😊
ReplyDelete