Monthly Archives: January 2011

Health: A Caring Business?

Posted on January 30, 2011 by Jim Wheeler

In a guest column for the Joplin Globe (1/30/2011) Anson Burlingame discusses the financial ramifications of the end-of-life issue as it bears on MediCare and taxpayers.  In my opinion he does a good job in summing up the problem but … Continue reading →

Posted in Health, Medicine, Obamacare | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

The Quiet Price of Advice

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Jim Wheeler

One common thread running through my prior post and the comments thereto, the one on using the Passport Card to better control our borders, is the issue of “privacy”.  Discussing such concerns invariably raises the question of motivation for such … Continue reading →

Posted in Accountability, Armed Forces, Privacy | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Immigration Problem? Card It!

Posted on January 23, 2011 by Jim Wheeler

The lead editorial in this weekend’s USA Today newspaper comments on a tacit admission of failure by the federal government.  After some 4 years of effort the Department of Homeland Security has quietly cancelled the SBInet, a $1 Billion project … Continue reading →

Posted in Illegal Immigration, Technology | Tagged , , , , , | 26 Comments

An Economic Conversation

Posted on January 21, 2011 by Jim Wheeler

Having been inspired by my recent trip into the past in the time machine left to me by my distant ancestor, Dr. Wells, I recently resolved to test its functions for traveling into the Floyd’s house was a modest, well, … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Federal Government, Fiscal Policy, Government size, Government waste, Humor, Medicare | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Tilting At Wordmills

Posted on January 16, 2011 by Jim Wheeler

Two fine articles in Sunday’s (1/16/11) Joplin Globe about Mark Twain and his Huckleberry Finn controversy over the “n” word now have the windmills of my mind in a whirl. Words. What power they have, and what danger they hold.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Humor, Journalism | Tagged , , , , | 14 Comments

A New Year’s Story

Posted on January 9, 2011 by Jim Wheeler

About a week ago on New Year’s eve, Mollie in her nightgown and I in my robe had just settled down to celebrate with a glass of wine about ten.  We wished Canada a happy New Year and promptly settled … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Federal Government, Leadership, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

A Cultural Journey

Posted on January 8, 2011 by Jim Wheeler

The persistence of the USS Enterprise scandal as a public topic is evidence that there is something profound in it, something that goes beyond the job assignment at its heart.  In my opinion that something is the changing nature of … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics / Morality, Leadership, Nuclear weapons, Submarines, U.S. Navy, War | 23 Comments

Paean to the Fourth Estate

Posted on January 5, 2011 by Jim Wheeler

Few should disagree that the 112th Congress is now embarking on what may be gridlock so severe that the nation may be seriously damaged.  The economy is still shaky and on the knife-edge of either recovery or a double-dip recession, … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Federal Government, Journalism, Political partisanship | Tagged , , | 32 Comments

Military Culture and Behavior

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Jim Wheeler

The scandal over Captain Owen Honors of the USS Enterprise causes me to reflect on how things have changed in the US Navy since I was a young Midshipman.  I entered the US Naval Academy in 1955, graduating in 1959, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Armed Forces, Culture, Ethics / Morality, Submarines, U.S. Armed Forces, U.S. Navy, USNA | 11 Comments

“Still Skeptical . . . ” – 2010 in review

Posted on January 2, 2011 by Jim Wheeler

The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health: The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Wow. Crunchy numbers A helper monkey made this abstract painting, inspired by … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | 1 Comment