President Obama argued during a prime-time news conference Wednesday that the American economy cannot be rebuilt without overhauling the nation's health care system. He'll visit the Cleveland Clinic for an event Thursday as part of the health care hard sell he has undertaken this week. (AP)
The Cleveland Clinic and Healthcare Reform
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The Cleveland Clinic gets a presidential visit today as President Obama goes on the road to promote his healthcare agenda. He says the hospital is a model of excellence. Vanessa Fuhrmans of The Wall Street Journal reports that the facility consistently spends less than comparable hospitals, without sacrificing quality.
Higher Ed. as the Petrified Forest?
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Professor Robert Zemsky, chair of The Learning Alliance at the University of Pennsylvania, says he sometimes feels like he is shouting into a petrified forest when he outlines his ideas to reform higher education. One idea is to reduce the standard baccalaureate degree program to three years instead of four, which Zemsky says would force schools to restructure their programs. His upcoming book is, “Making Reform Work: The Case For Transforming American Higher Education”.
Radio Science Orchestra
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This week, quantum physicists, philosophers, arctic explorers, rappers and comedians have gathered in Oxford for the TED Global Ideas conference, with the theme “The Substance Of Things Not Seen”. While most attendees will be trying to put their ideas into words, the Radio Science Orchestra will tackle the theme using “space-controlled musical instruments,” instruments you play without touching them. The BBC’s James Fletcher reports.
What Matters Most in Health Care?
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Asthma medication versus acne medication; MRIs versus birth control; surgery versus rehab. These are some of the decisions policy makers need to consider when deciding what’s covered and what’s not in healthcare. But are Americans willing to make those hard choices? The non-partisan Center for Healthcare Decisions conducted a series of phone surveys and group discussions and asked people: What matters most in healthcare? Our guest is the group’s executive director, Marge Ginsburg.
Healthy Food Music For Kids
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Putumayo Kids is the world record music label for children that has sold millions of CDs. Their newest CD, “Picnic Playground”, features songs about food from France, Cuba, Germany, and the United States — among others. We speak to Dan Storper, the label’s founder, and Jose Conde, who appears on the CD with his band, Ola Fresca.
Music from the Show
- Death Cab for Cutie, “Transatlanticism”
- The Sea and Cake, “I Missed the Glance”
- Air, “Cherry Blossom Girl”
- Pascal Parisot, “Mes Parents Sont Bio”
- Rhythme Child, “Bowl of Cherries”
- Jose Conde y Ola Fresca, “Bolitas de Arroz con Pollo”
- Donikkl, “Milch”
- Asheba, “Ice Cream”
- Kheswa, “Beautiful Day”
I must disagree with Dr. Zemsky about the wisdom of cutting higher education to three years as fiscal “reform.” Modern education is already less rigorous than even when I was in college, and my own experience suggests that students are generally less prepared when they come to school. Market and production models do not transfer to knowledge. Dr. Zemsky seems to have confused education with the economics of credentials. Business and industry cries for better prepared workers. They will increasingly find them abroad if the American educational system cannot produced an educated and not merely credentialled workforce.
Posted by Richard Saunders, on July 23rd, 2009 at 2:15 pmWhat are they going to do with the alligator?
Posted by Kim, on July 24th, 2009 at 7:38 am