August 20, 2009
NEH: Chronicling America
Just in case newspapers go the way of the dodo bird, or are subjected to a losing death panel debate (ha, ha), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is digitizing them (at least ones published between 1880 and 1922) and this summer posted its 1 millionth page.
The Chronicling America program, a partnership of NEH and the Library of Congress (LOC) is a free searchable database that provides everyone with the intertubes access to “historically significant” U.S. newspapers (many of which, sadly, were euthanized long ago). The names of some of the papers tell a certain story about the times (after Reconstruction to just before the Great Depression), and the national landscape (more farms). A LOC flickr photostream offers some of the images from the project.
State partners (universities and such) win funding and decide which papers to chronicle. So far, content from 11 states and the District of Columbia is represented. The goal is to chronicle 20 million pages, officials say, and recently opened another round of grants to make it happen. (Proposals are due Nov. 3, 2009.)
Pretty ambitious, but I have no doubt it will get done, as long as Congress continues to support the small endowment.
And it’s likely to do so, given that one of its own now runs the place: Former Iowa Congressman Jim Leach was sworn in as the ninth NEH chairman a few days ago.
August 18, 2009
Health Care Cooperatives: Information Links
How health care cooperatives would work as part of health care reform is largely unknown, but basic information about them is starting to surface (and resurface) as the idea enters (or reenters) the debate.
While I doubt health care reform can pass with these cooperatives substituting for a public health insurance option, here are a few sources to educate yourself on the concept. (I’ll add more as I find them.)
August 2009
- National Cooperative Business Association
- Business Week: “Health-Care Cooperatives: Fig Leaf or Fix”
- New York Times: “Alternate Plan as Health Option Muddies Debate”
- Government Accountability Office articles: Go to http://www.gao.gov and put “health care cooperatives” in search box.
- About.com: “What are Nonprofit Health Insurance Cooperatives?”
- New York Daily News: “Health-care option: The ‘Cooperative’ approach”
June 2009
- Health Care Policy and Marketplace Review: “Health Care Cooperatives–An Old New Idea–So What’s a Blue Cross Plan?” (hat tip, Andrew Sullivan)
- The New Republic The Treatment: “Un-Cooperative: The Trouble with Conrad’s Compromise”
August 17, 2009
The Absurdities of the Health Care System
Via Andrew Sullivan, a reader relays one man’s health care odyssey, making a strong case for Medicare for All.
August 14, 2009
The Intrepid Damon Weaver
For anyone who thinks journalism is dead, for those who’ve written off public education, for the cynical and the depressed, I bring you … Damon Weaver, intrepid White House correspondent, and inspiration to us all.
At 10 years old, he’s the youngest reporter among the White House Press Corps, and possibly the most wily, having recently scored a 10-minute interview with the President of the United States. (What’s his name again?)
Damon attends Canal Point Elementary School, in Palm Beach County, Fla., where he also works as a reporter for KEC TV, Canal Point’s award-winning news show produced by the school’s fifth and sixth graders. (My sister, Lisa, is an intrepid educator and reading coach at West Gate Elementary, also in Palm Beach County, who I thank for sending me the YouTube video link below.)
You may remember Damon’s hard-hitting interview with then Sen. Joe Biden during the 2008 campaign, when Damon declared the now vice president his “home boy,” despite Damon having to hold the microphone so high, for so … long.
See the full interview below and check out Damon’s many other broadcasts at KEC TV’s YouTube Channel. And remember, behind every great youth journalist, are teachers, parents, community leaders, funders, and yes, even some politicians, helping youngsters like Damon get the quality public education that every child deserves.
[video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP-695ATg-c]Science Friday: The Science of Art
What’s better than a video marrying science and art? Below, or watch it here.
Support Science Friday.