Daniel makes stuff, and, in his spare time, writes about things like movies, kid culture, and geek stuff.
This Moment in American History

Abraham Verghese, reflecting on the stirring passage of health care reform in the United States:

I have been trying to explain to my youngest why this is such an exciting moment: front line soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq take personal risks, put their lives on the line. But so few politicians put their careers on the line, even though they make decisions that have an impact on soldiers. President Obama (and to some degree every Democrat who supports this bill) is putting his political career on the line. The idea that you might do what you think is right and pay a penalty has been so foreign to politics that it surprises us when we see it. I think my son is surprised to hear all this. He assumes at 12 years of age that people, especially people we elect, go to Washington to do the right thing.

Mar 22, 2010 :: Tagged under: , , , :: #

"Access, Access, Access"

Everybody in America, please take note: You need to read Nick Kristof’s latest column.

How can we still be debating health care reform when an American woman is 11 times as likely to die in childbirth as an Irish woman? When an American child is 2.5 times as likely to die by age 5 as a Swedish kid? Health care is about access as much as technology, and that’s what the Obama reform focuses on.

Mar 18, 2010 :: Tagged under: , , :: #

'Is it Baby Fat or Obesity?'

Michelle Obama is not alone in asking the question – but admittedly it’s a deceptively difficult one to answer.

Feb 09, 2010 :: Tagged under: , , , :: #

Hospitalized Children Without Insurance Are More Likely to Die

A new research study out of Johns Hopkins Children’s Hospital, which analyzed data from more than 23 million children’s hospitalizations in 37 states from 1988 to 2005, shows that children who are uninsured face a 60% greater risk of dying, compared to insured children.

The results are all the more striking because children’s deaths are so rare that they could be examined only by a very large study, said Dr. Peter J. Pronovost, a professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins and an author of the new study.

“The striking thing is that children don’t often die,” Dr. Pronovost said. “This study provides further evidence that the need to insure everyone is a moral issue, not just an economic one.”

Just chilling results.

Nov 03, 2009 :: Tagged under: , , :: #

46 Million Reasons for Health Care Reform

From a widely-respected group of leaders in America’s faith community, Sojourners magazine shares what they see as “The moral imperatives for change.” Probably the most articulate, intelligent contributions of discourse I’ve seen yet in the debate over health care reform.

Oct 18, 2009 :: Tagged under: , , :: #