An online mention!

Somebody out there listens to me. How interesting!

In a debate on health care on a blog of Neal Boortz, a right-wing talk show host, someone posted my comments on recision to show that insurance companies already are rationing.  I was only sad that it fell on deaf ears.  Does this guy really call himself the Mighty Whitey?  I hate to give him a link, but I’m too much in love with myself not to.  The comment is here.

Palliative

This word comes from yesterday’s New York Times in an article by the journalist Anemona Hartocollis about palliative care.  Palliative, according to the O.A.D., means releaving pain without addressing the underlying symptoms. Palliative care, often known by its uglier, blunter name end-of-life care has become one of the foci of the recent health care debate.  An early provision for it started unfounded rumors, spread among others by former politican Sarah Palin, of “death panels.”  In actuallity, it is merely the process of living out one’s life comfortably and free from pain.

The word finds an interesting origin from the latin verd palliare, which means “to cloak.”  Literally, one is cloaking the illness by relieving the pain.

Astroturf (political)

I’m falling down on the job this week and this doesn’t bode well for when school starts back up again.

Today’s word comes from the New York Times in this op-ed piece by author Ryan Sager.  Astroturf, in political speak, he says is a movement that is entirely manufactured by an unseen entity and made to resemble a grass roots movement with massive public support. It is a beautiful phrase and the heart of Sager’s piece is whether or not this word can be applied to the movement against health care.  For the record, Sager takes the side that the Republicans are guilty of good organization, but not astroturf.