Two causes all Americans can get behind are initiatives to improve our health care system and create jobs in a struggling economy. In an effort to accomplish both at once, today President Obama announced that $600 million in stimulus money will go towards improving community health centers across the country:
[S]tarting today, we're making $88 million in funding available for centers to adopt new health information technology systems to manage their administrative and financial matters and transfer old paper files to electronic medical records. (Applause.) These investments won't just increase efficiency and lower costs, they'll improve the quality of care as well –- preventing countless medical errors, and allowing providers to spend less time with paperwork and more time with patients.
That's the purpose of the final initiative I'm announcing today as well -– a demonstration project to evaluate the benefits of the "medical home" model of care that many of our health centers aspire to. The idea here is very simple: that in order for care to be effective, it needs to be coordinated. It's a model where the center that serves as your medical home might help you keep track of your prescriptions, or get the referrals you need, or work with you to develop a plan of care that ensures your providers are working together to keep you healthy.
So taken together, these three initiatives –- funding for construction, technology, and a medical home demonstration –- they won't just save money over the long term and create more jobs, they're also going to give more people the peace of mind of knowing that health care will be there for them and their families when they need it.
And ultimately, that's what health insurance reform is really about. That's what the members of Congress here today will be voting on in the coming weeks. (Applause.)
Now, let me just end by saying a little bit about this broader effort. I know it's been a long road. (Laughter.) I know it's been a tough fight. But I also know the reason we've taken up this cause is the very same reason why so many members from both parties are here today –- because no matter what our politics are, we know that when it comes to health care, the people we serve deserve better.
President Barack Obama shakes hands with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius after signing a memorandum expanding government funded health clinics across the country, Dec. 9, 2009. (Official White House photo by Chuck Kennedy)
These are all under 3" tall.
Eskimo Moon Bun - I'd been planning to make large versions of this, but the time got away from me. I love how he's falling over. *facedesk*
Penguin Moon Bun
Snow Moon Bun - This photo makes it impossible to see the sewn on pearly beads.
Yeti Moon Bun - I want to make a million of these.
Polar Bear Cub - Ran out of ideas and I only had a limited amount of time. haha. i suck.
If you're interested in buying any of these, they can be purchased online here.
Holiday cards are going out today and tomorrow. Holiday gifts are a little behind schedule, but the rush on my shop has started to slow, so I should be able to get them out soon-ish.
Each year millions of visitors stream through the rotunda of the National Archives in Washington, DC, to view the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence. These foundational documents of our democracy are on public display because of the importance of openness in government.
Openness promotes accountability by enabling journalists, researchers, government officials, and the public to scrutinize, question, and ultimately improve how government works. But, as with many aspects of Democracy, openness must evolve. The Progress Report on Open Government to the American People describes how the Administration is doing just that.
Recently, for example, the Obama Administration began to publish online the names of everyone who visits the White House offices; provide online access to White House staff financial reports and salaries; disclose and limit lobbyist contacts; publish the membership of Federal advisory committees in downloadable form; and create unprecedented ways to track how the government spends taxpayer dollars. Advancing that trend, yesterday the White House released an historic Directive requiring all agencies to adopt aggressive open government policies that will further promote the principles of transparency, participation and collaboration. (For those who can’t wait till the end, click here to see what others have said about the Administration’s Open Government policy and why it matters.)
This new degree of openness is enabled in part by 21st century technology, which makes it possible for government to open its doors and databases more than ever before. From online listening tours and chats to web-based brainstorming by government officials with the American public, the White House and federal agencies are opening up the way they work to improve accountability in government and deepen our democracy.
But creating an open government – one that is committed to transparency and civic engagement – does more than promote accountability. Working in the open fosters collaboration between government, private industry, and the public to improve the lives of Americans in their communities.
To mark the publication of the Directive and the Report, every Cabinet Department is launching a new open government project.
For example, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is unveiling “Virtual USA,” a collaboration among DHS, eight states, and the emergency response community that uses new technology to share emergency response information seamlessly among Federal, state, local, and tribal first responders. The Virtual USA system links these partners’ disparate tools and technologies to share the location and status of power and water lines, flood detectors, helicopter-capable landing sites, emergency vehicle and ambulance locations, weather and traffic conditions, evacuation routes, and school and government building floor plans, and does so without requiring any participating entity to change either the system it now uses or the way it does business.
During a recent Virginia Nuclear Power Plant exercise, the ability of decision-makers to gather, analyze, and disseminate information via the Virtual USA information-sharing system reduced by 70 percent the time it took to make a decision about evacuation. In addition, Virtual USA provides mechanisms for Americans in their own communities to contribute information to complement that of police, fire, and other government workers, essentially crowdsourcing a more detailed picture of disaster and recovery capabilities.
The Department of Agriculture is using open government innovations to address the obesity epidemic, one the Administration's top priorities. This week the Department made available for download on Data.gov nutrition data for standard portion sizes of more than 1,000 most common food items. In addition, it is launching a national competition that challenges entrepreneurs, software developers, and students to leverage the newly released data to create educational games to help children make healthy eating decisions. By making reliable government data available to the American people and inviting their collaboration in developing new products and tools for the public good, the Department of Agriculture is taking the values of openness and translating them into practical ways to address a national priority.
Open government initiatives are also helping fledgling businesses convert government information into entrepreneurial opportunities that can create jobs and strengthen economic growth. Government agencies are home to treasure troves of data and information, but much of it is buried in websites or exists in formats too cumbersome to be of practical use. Now a group of six departments and agencies has worked together to offer easy access to information on publicly-funded technologies that are available for license, opportunities for Federal funding and partnerships, and potential private-sector partnerships. By making information from multiple agencies available in RSS and XML feeds on Data.gov, the government empowers innovators to find the information they need and receive real-time updates instead of having to probe government websites repeatedly.
At the same time, the United States Patent and Trademark Office has committed to make all published patents available for download so they can be easily searched by entrepreneurs and innovators.
These are just a few of the innovative approaches being announced this week to continue the process of lifting the veil from the workings and resources of the Federal Government. By turning its philosophical commitment to openness into real policies and practices, the Obama Administration is empowering all Americans to address the many pressing challenges of our time.
P.S. We’re not the only ones who think this is big. An array of experts on government transparency and accountability are praising the Obama Administration’s unprecedented Open Government Directive. The following is just a sample of their reactions:
U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy, Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee: “I commend President Obama for issuing an historic directive on government transparency, participation and collaboration that will make our government more accessible and accountable to the American people. I am particularly pleased that, for the first time, the public will have immediate access to government data that for too long had been shielded from view by excessive secrecy and outdated technologies.” [Press Release, 12/8/09]
U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman, Chairman, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee: “The President’s Open Government Directive is heartily welcomed by those of us who have worked to make government more transparent and accountable to the American people. Back in 2002, I authored and Congress passed the E-Government Act, which helped spur Federal agencies to make documents and services more accessible to the general public. The Federal government has come a long way since 2002 and today, it takes a giant step closer to taking full advantage of available information technologies to maximize not just the transparency, participation, and collaboration of people with their government but also to maximize management efficiency.” [Press Release, 12/8/09]
In alphabetical order by last name:
Steven Aftergood, Federation of American Scientists: "It's an ambitious attempt to open up the government and to change the way that agencies do business.” [USA Today, 12/8/09]
Gary D. Bass, Executive Director, OMB Watch: "The results appear to be well worth the wait. The president demanded the directive be built around three main principles -- transparency, participation, and collaboration. The new directive, issued today, delivers on all three principles with specific requirements and deadlines for all agencies." [Washington Post, 12/8/09]
Carolyn J. Lukensmeyer, President and Founder, AmericaSpeaks: “I applaud the Obama Administration for taking bold steps today to open the government and make it more transparent and accountable. Clearly the President and his team have listened to and taken seriously Americans all across the country who want a stronger voice and a seat at the table in American democracy.”
Patrice McDermott, Director, OpenTheGovernment.org: “The Open Government Directive, when fully implemented, will take the Federal government many steps toward real openness. Far from representing the end of the process, today’s announcement is the beginning of an on-going effort to build transparency and accountability into the way government operates.” [Press Release, 12/8/09]
Ellen Miller, Executive Director and Co-Founder, Sunlight Foundation: “The Open Government Directive issued today demonstrates the seriousness of administration's commitment to data transparency and citizen engagement. It is evidence that the administration recognizes that transparency is government's responsibility. At the same time, it shows the administration is matching aspirational goals with concrete policies and accountability measures." [Washington Post, 12/8/09]
Peter M. Shane, Author of Madison’s Nightmare: “What is arguably most impressive about the Directive, as highlighted in a public briefing by CIO Vivek Kundra and [sic] CTO Aneesh Chopra, is its specificity and focus on execution.” [Huffington Post, 12/8/09]
Jim Tozzi, Advisory Board, Center for Regulatory Effectiveness: “The Open Government initiative is a real piece of work – an excellent document.” [Communication to opengov@ostp.gov, 12/9/2009]
Anne Weismann, Chief Counsel, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW): “This directive represents the kind of bold and far reaching initiative President Obama promised on his first full day in office. By establishing a new paradigm of public access to government information, the administration has paved the way for a truly transparent and accountable government.” [CREW Press Release, 12/8/09]
John Wonderlich, Policy Director, Sunlight Foundation: "[W]e are very excited. They're really taking on a lot of initiatives and doing so in an aggressive fashion. We couldn't have written it better ourselves. It's very ambitious." [CNET.com, 12/8/09]
Norm Eisen is Special Counsel to the President for Ethics and Government Reform
Beth Noveck is United States Deputy Chief Technology Officer and Director of the White House Open Government Initiative
free Christmas crochet patterns. :o)
Please check out our December ami-along post for lots more, and the knit post for knitted Christmas patterns.
http://www.enfys.me.uk/freechristmastree.h
http://www.favecrafts.com/Crochet-Amigur
( LOTS of wonderful patterns.... clicky here )
If there are any problems with the comic or website, or if you have any questions, comments, or complaints you would like to address directly to Randy, please email him at choochoobear@gmail.com.
( TARDIS Scarf )
Thanks for looking and hope you enjoy.
Up next is a Dalek one. :DDD
- Feelin'?:
cheerful
Ingredients:
5 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 dash ground nutmeg
1 cup half and half cream (or milk)
4 oz. cream cheese
1 sm. onion - minced
3 cloves garlic - minced
(2) 10 oz. pkgs. frozen chopped spinach - thawed
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
In a 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 3 Tbls. butter; stir in flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg; slowly whisk in cream; stir in cream cheese. Increase heat to medium; whisk mixture constantly until thick and smooth; remove from heat and set aside.
In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook onions and garlic in remaining 2 Tbls. butter until transparent; stir spinach and water into pan. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover; simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes.
Stir spinach mixture into creamy mixture; return to medium heat; heat, stirring often, until warmed throughout. Remove from heat; fold in Parmesan.
Note: I used milk instead of cream, dried minced onions instead of raw onion, dehydrated garlic instead of fresh garlic, and fresh spinach instead of frozen. I boiled the spinach until it was dark green before adding it to the pan. I also skipped the parmesan because we don't have it and I don't like it.
Doesn't anyone know of any good bear and/or monkey patterns? I wanna make some amigurumis for my friends as Christmas gifts.
- Coordinates:United States, Pennsylvania, Warminster
- Feelin'?:
indifferent - Beats:Nothing
Americans want to know how a transformed health care system will affect prospects for employment and job creation. On an issue this consequential, it's important to separate fact from fiction. Analysis of the economic impact of health insurance reform by the President's Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) finds that health insurance reform as proposed in the Senate, and already passed in the House, contains many beneficial effects for labor markets. These findings have been supported by numerous independent analysts including the Business Roundtable and the Congressional Budget Office.
Key benefits to the labor market include the following:
By slowing the growth rate of health care costs in the public and private sector, health insurance reform will improve take-home wage growth, improve standards of living, and encourage private sector job growth. More efficient labor markets will spur entrepreneurship, productivity, and growth at small firms, a key source of job creation. Expanding coverage to the millions of Americans who currently lack health insurance will improve health status and reduce disability, increasing labor supply. And finally, reform makes direct investments in the health care infrastructure that will create new jobs in research, information technology, medicine, and public health.Lowering the cost of healthcare will lower the unemployment rate in the short-to-medium run. Bringing down the cost of healthcare will be good for jobs. Academic studies found that slowing health costs helped boost job growth in the 1990s and that the rapid rise of health costs in the 2000s hurt jobs, especially in manufacturing. Putting in place serious reforms to improve quality and slow cost growth will, in the short-to-medium run, lower the burden on businesses and enable them to hire more workers.
The CEA estimated that if the annual growth rate of health spending slows by 1.5 percentage points per year, then the unemployment rate could fall by 0.24 percentage point and jobs could rise by 500,000. Analysis by business groups such as Business Roundtable and other independent analysts shows that reform would slow the growth rate of costs, freeing up funds for job creation. The delivery system reforms and revenue provisions (such as the excise tax on high cost plans in the Senate bill) in current legislation provide incentives and create new measures to contain health care spending, allowing employers to hire more workers rather than spending money on rising health insurance premiums. A newly released CBO report finds that premiums will fall by as much as 3 percent in the large group market and 2 percent in the small group market after reform, showing that employers will reap the cost savings necessary to hire more workers and invest in new property, plant, and equipment.Health reform will spur entrepreneurship, productivity, and growth at small firms, helping fuel a key engine of job creation. Health reform will lower costs for small businesses through tax credits and pooled purchasing on a competitive exchange – reducing their competitive disadvantage vis-à-vis larger firms, thus helping to fuel a key engine of job creation in the economy.
Firms with fewer than 20 employees accounted for approximately 18 percent of private sector jobs in the year with the most recent data, and nearly 25 percent of net employment growth from 1992 to 2005. In the current health care market, small firms must compete for workers alongside large firms that may able to afford better benefits due to their size. Under reform, the health insurance exchange will expand options for coverage, making small businesses a more attractive place for people to work, and encouraging people to start up businesses of their own.Health market reforms will improve the functioning of labor markets by reducing job lock. By ending limitations on coverage based on pre-existing conditions and expanding portable coverage options, health reform will help reduce "job lock," freeing up workers to be more flexible – increasing the flexibility and productivity of the economy, and increasing labor supply.
Reform legislation invests directly in making the health care system more efficient, creating jobs in research, information technology, medicine, and public health:
Reform and the health provisions of the stimulus bill invest billions in modernizing the health care infrastructure, creating high-tech jobs for skilled workers to modernize medical records and work to interconnect health information technology throughout the health care system. The reform bills in Congress create new jobs for doctors, nurses, and other health care providers by investing billions of dollars directly in the health care workforce, especially in the areas that have the greatest need for more health care providers. Reform legislation will create science and technology jobs by encouraging the development of new drugs and new treatments. The bills in Congress create new pathways for the approval of pharmaceuticals and medications such as biosimilar drugs, which will create jobs for the scientists, laboratory workers, and doctors who develop these drugs and conduct the tests needed to ensure their safety and secure their approval. Health Insurance Reform will create jobs for skilled researchers who analyze wellness and public health. Reform legislation devotes millions of dollars in funds toward research in wellness, epidemiology, and public health, investments that will create job opportunities for skilled workers in fields that improve the nation’s health.Christina Romer is Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers
As many of you know, earlier this year President Obama launched the SAVE Award — a program that offered every Federal employee the chance to submit ideas about how government can save money and perform better. Over the course of three weeks, Federal employees submitted more than 38,000 ideas. Staff at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) assessed the submissions and narrowed them down to the final four ideas.
Voting began on Monday and will only remain open until 11:59pm tomorrow. Already, we’ve received over 65,000 votes – so don’t miss out on your opportunity to help choose the winner. The person whose idea is voted the best will get to meet the President, present the winning idea directly to him, and have that idea included in the FY2011 Budget.
You can vote on the ideas by rating each idea on a scale of 1 through 5, with 5 being the highest rating you can give. (You may vote on each idea only once. If you re-vote for an award, your previous vote will be overwritten.)
If you haven’t seen it yet, you can watch the President annouce the four finalists.
Peter Orszag is the director of the Office of Management and Budget
Half an hour from now, I'll head out for my procedure. I'll post when I return.
future. My advice? Don’t rush it. Get all you can out of this unique and educational time in the neutral zone.”
- Rob Brezsny’s Astrology Newsletter, December 9, 2009
I just wondered if anyone in the Amigurumi community (sorry, I haven't posted anything in probably three years, I've just been lurking lately) could offer some constructive criticism or have any suggestions? Thanks!
Oh, and he's about 10 inches long and 6 inches high. And if you're interested in knitting one for yourself, you'll have to wait until the book comes out ^^;
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 09, 2009 is:
ukase • \yoo-KAYSS\ • noun
1 : a proclamation by a Russian emperor or government having the force of law 2 a : a proclamation having the force of law* b : order, command
Example sentence:
"The professor's first instruction to the [playwriting] class was a ukase: Never begin a play with a telephone ringing." (Bruce McCabe, The Boston Globe, June 23, 2000)
Did you know?
English speakers adopted "ukase" more or less simultaneously from French ("ukase") and Russian ("ukaz") in the early 18th century. The word can be traced further back to the Russian verb "ukazat'," meaning "to show" or "to order," and its ultimate source is an ancient root that led to similar words in Latin, Sanskrit, and Old Church Slavic. A Russian ukase was a command from the highest levels of government that could not be disobeyed. But by the early 19th century, English speakers were also using "ukase" generally for any command that seemed to come from a higher authority, particularly one that was final or arbitrary.
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
Senators are making great progress and we're pleased that they're working together to find common ground toward options that increase choice and competition.
Dan Pfeiffer is White House Communications Director
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whitehouseblog : President Obama: Three New Initiatives to Help Community Health Centers [+0] - moons_creations : Luv-able & Hug-able at gallery hanahou in nyc [+2]
- whitehouseblog : Why an Open Government Matters [+0]
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weloveamigurumi :: theknittycat : MORE Free Crochet Christmas Patterns! [+1] - someposifeed : [SP] Not a Personal Project [+7]
- crafty_tardis :: windofthestars : TARDIS Scarf [+6]
- cookerybookery : Creamed Garlic Spinach [+0]
- weloveamigurumi :: femensqueterror : Monkeys and Bears [+9]
- chambana :: heatherstar : CDs [+1]
- whitehouseblog : The Bottom Line on Health Reform and Jobs [+0]
- whitehouseblog : Voting Ends Tomorrow for SAVE Award! [+0]
- archmage : Countdown [+13]
- latterday : “CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In his book *The Way of Transition,* William Bridges defines the…” [+0]
- weloveamigurumi :: cosmonautnicki : Twilight Amigurumi [+4]
- dilbertdaily : Comic for December 9, 2009 [+0]
- webster_wotd : ukase [+0]
- xkcd_rss : The Sun [+90]
- whitehouseblog : Progress in the Senate on Health Reform [+0]
- archmage : (no subject, yo!) [+1]
- status : (no subject, yo!) [+0]