Election '08: Last weekend's McCain-Obama protodebate made it clear why Obama won't keep his promise to debate McCain "anywhere, anytime." McCain, with a robust resume and details at his fingertips, won big.
Some Canadian doctors are using lotteries to cut their waiting lists (National Post, August 6, 2008). The patients who draw the short straw will have to find another family doctor — which one Canadian out of eight lacks. This phenomenon illustrates some interesting aspects of the Canadian health care system.
When market prices don’t ration demand, another mechanism is required. Everybody can’t get everything. At zero official prices, consumers will demand a very large quantity of health care services. Since the taxpayer is not ready to pay for it, supply must be rationed. If groceries were made free by a “Canada Food Act” and provincial “foodcare” monopolies, the same would happen in grocery stores as now happens in hospitals, clinics and doctors’ offices: shortages.
Man fined for carrying gobstopper
Snooker balls
The court heard how the gobstopper was as big as a snooker ball
A man caught carrying a large gobstopper in a sock has been fined £400 after it was found to be an offensive weapon.
Jamie Harvey, 20, said he needed it for protection after he was attacked.
At Edinburgh Sheriff Court he admitted carrying the snooker ball-sized gobstopper and sock at a city leisure centre on 19 December last year.
Defence agent Matthew Nicholson said the sweet was "a substantial piece of confectionary" which could be eaten.
The court heard how unemployed Harvey, from the Maybury area of Edinburgh, kept the gobstopper under his car seat.
He was caught at Drumbrae Leisure Centre by police who were searching for cannabis.
Sheriff Kenneth McIver told him that, even though it was not in the same category as a knife or axe, it was capable of inflicting a nasty injury.
"You will be aware of the ongoing national debate on offensive weapons including knives," he told Harvey.
"But all too often this court has to consider other improvised weapons like this."
He was warmly received by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who called him "a leader that God has blessed us with at this time."Glad to hear Pelosi thinks Obama is a Godsend.
Pelosi: At-risk Dems back drilling
By MARTIN KADY II & PATRICK O'CONNOR | 8/5/08 4:49 AM EST
California Democrat Nancy Pelosi may be trying to save the planet — but the rank and file in her party increasingly are just trying to save their political hides when it comes to gas prices as Republicans apply more and more rhetorical muscle.
But what looks like intraparty tension on the surface is part of an intentional strategy in which Pelosi takes the heat on energy policy, while behind the scenes she’s encouraging vulnerable Democrats to express their independence if it helps them politically, according to Democratic aides on and off Capitol Hill.
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“The reality is we will have a new president in three months, and what Bush and the Republicans are trying to do amounts to a land grab for the oil companies,” said one senior House Democratic aide involved with party strategy. “I don’t think we have to give in at all pre-election — we have many more options postelection.”
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Democratic House aides say the energy agenda has been carefully gamed out in strategy sessions, and Pelosi always intended to take heat on gas prices while tacitly encouraging more vulnerable Democrats to publicly disagree with her and show their independence.
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