money sense, then

"Health insurers are on board with many congressional proposals for health-care reform. But they are vociferously opposed to the creation of a publicly financed insurer, arguing that they couldn't possibly compete against a low-cost public plan that has no need to earn profits."

Wow. See article at Businessweek. Even if it didn't already make moral sense, it makes economic sense.

profit

Arguments over health care can be very complex but dang, this article brings up one very simple point that really should get more airtime.

another favorite

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i really like this ad by yasmin ahmad

laughter

I just noticed that a couple of the guys who have "adopted" me as a younger sister in the faith like to crack jokes especially when they suspect I'm upset. The funny thing is, it works even when the jokes are lame!! I almost always feel better immediately. Of course, I may be imagining that they suspect that I'm upset--maybe they're just bumbling and insensitive--but regardless, I'm always glad that they do what they do.

PS - I say "adopted" because it's more a tacit understanding of sorts. (Or perhaps, the result of a too-lively imagination on my part.) The friendships are difficult to characterize. Like all friendships, respect is part of the story. But more importantly, I'm pretty sure they would be protective if there was ever a need for them to be protective. For someone who doesn't have real-live older brothers, that's nice to know . :)

I like this series of responses to the recent high-profile case of racial profiling.

inside the M'sian Anti-Corruption Commission

grace for today

I feel like I'm writing my way into a morass.

in this day and age

I think it's time for me to start ignoring the news again. I'm only posting one article here, mostly because it's so ridiculous that it almost makes me laugh. A fellow procrastinator just wrote to me over email: "yeah, if it wasn't for extraordinary rendition, secret detention centers, preventive arrests and police tasering 12 year olds, the 1st world would be much superior...."

Forget democracy, I want benign dictatorship.

This picture is captioned "Serenity 2."

There is nothing worse than feeling helpless in a democracy.

thanks, sivin

You've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with the ABC's of YOU. At the end, choose 26 people to be tagged. You have to tag me so really you just need 25 more people. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you. (To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your ABC's of Me, tag 26 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)

A - Age: 30, going on 31

B - Bed size: Single, moving to a full-size

C - Chore you hate: All of them

D - Dog's name: no dog

E - Essential start your day: internet

F- Favorite color: blue, i guess

G - Gold or Silver: whatever has the least cost to the environment, so i guess my answer is "neither"

H - Height: 5'3

I - Instruments you play(ed): Piano, and i sucked

J - Job title: postdoc, woohoo!

K - Kid(s): None (and hopefully, never)

L - Living arrangements: no roommates, YES!!!!

M - Mom's name: julie

N - Nicknames: z, wei

O - Overnight hospital: yes, when i was about seven, i had a really bad fever and the treatment for it consisted of multiple injections over a couple of days. at least that's how i remember it!

P - Pet Peeves: annoying drivers on the road; ppl who don't respect my time or me in general.

Q - Quote from a movie: Uhm . . . . "stupid is as stupid does"?

R - Right or left handed: Right.

S - Siblings: two.

T - Time you wake up: alarm goes off at 7:45am, i get out of bed at about 8am.

V - Vegetable you dislike: cucumbers.

W - Ways you run late: i hate being late.

X - X-rays you've had: hand (broke a finger), and teeth . . . .

Y - Yummy food you make: i don't much like cooking . . . . my latest attempt was to make pineapple tarts. it wasn't bad but it wasn't fantastic.

Z - Zoo favorite: orangutans!!!!

Tagged: whoever's reading this, haha!

science and faith

The new director of the NIH is a Christian who believes in evolution. I'm putting this up here as a personal reminder to read up more on Christianity and science in the future. Fascinating!

On another note, the latest in M'sian politics is shocking and tragic.

too much procrastination!

slow learner

It has taken me awhile, but it's finally dawning on me that God isn't asking me to use gifts he hasn't given me. He's asking me to use gifts that he has given me, even if these are in areas that produce anxiety or fear in me. I'm trying to train myself to rejoice when I find that I'm fearful or anxious because it probably means that I'm going to be learning something new. Pavlov z.

G8 buzz

Can't seem to embed the video of Obama so check it out here on youtube.

the last word on Palin, hopefully

Here's a sharp piece from a Republican. We need competence everywhere, and not just among those "who win." It really rankles me to see/hear Palin speak "for" Christians.

this needs to go viral!!

An Australian town has voted to ban bottled water!!!!!! Courageous, SENSIBLE, and one of the better news that has emerged this week. This is an example of how democracy can be used to challenge capitalism's less-desirable impulses.

Update

Right after I saved the post, an ad by google for "Fiji Water" appeared on my screen. How ironic.

World's Oldest Bible

The Codex Sinaiticus is now online . . . .

goodies from the farmer's market

Clockwise from top: Adriatic fig (green), apricot, pluot (small, round and purple), fig, white nectarine, pink lady apple.

from my office

pharmakon

Some complain that I'm hard to get to know and on days like today, I think that's a good thing. If I verbalized my thought processes most of the time, I'd drive away most of my friends.

Lethargy

Waking up--and staying awake--is becoming more and more difficult these days. But I do love my life and my work even if they're both in chaos still. I'm 30 and I still don't know where I'm going to settle down!! Strangely enough, this week, I found that thought very exciting. I'm excited about moving to HK in January! I'm sure I'll be learning a lot there!!

Friend M and I are going to take our bikes down to Santa M_nica tomorrow evening and we'll ride to V_nice Beach (about 20 mins) for dinner and hopefully we'll be able to see the July 4th fireworks set off in Marina D_l Rey. The organizer's website says that the fireworks are visible from V_nice Beach so hopefully that's true!!! I love fireworks . . . .

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