Podcast 25: Very Important Shit.

[John Hanley]

What Is Football Doing To Us As A People? : NPR

I heard a confused fluff piece by an aged, professional opinionist aired on a station with an ever-shrinking listener base (a listener base that's literally dying off).

If NPR & a handful of dems on the House Energy & Commerce Commitee* are the front line combatants in the War on the NFL, I think the NFL (& NBC, Fox, CBS, & ESPN) are going to be fine (the NFL continues to break annual-revenue records).

[Mark Rippetoe]

I wonder what Hillary will say about concussions in the NFL when she's asked about it in her next press conference.

[Pluripotent]

You complained about insurance companies having a bailout in the ACA, as did the article. You failed to mention, as did the article, the fact that profit is limited too. Leaving out important facts is exactly propaganda - misleading and biased information.

I can also add that ACA dramatically changed the business of "insurance" by saying everyone pays the same rates for the same coverage. Young and healthy people pay the same as the older and very sick. That seems to be part of the motivation for both the bailout and profit cap - no one knew how the lack of individual underwriting might work out.

Doctors/hospitals and banks don't have profit caps though. I personally prefer that no one has limited incentives, I just don't like when anyone complains about the financial advantages of others from the glass house of their Mercedes.

You seem very upset. And I'm looking around the parking lot for my mercedes, but can't seem to find it anywhere.

The ACA was deliberately misrepresented (Grubber?), and the fact that most people thought it was going to "stick it" to the insurance industry was part of that. The point is, it did nothing of the kind. Whether or not they have a profit cap is irrelevant. They got a huge payout to agree to ACA, and if (when) it fails, they will get another payout. Your point does not negate this.

[DoctorWho]

Boy. Your American networks suck. No wrestling, weightlifting, shooting?

Last I checked they showed all that stuff here up north. Wait, that was in 2008. In 2012 I was living in Singapore, but they too showed a lot of wrestling. And Taekwondo too.

I'm pretty sure someone somewhere is streaming every single Olympic event. Don't let your silly ass network executives decide what you can see.

It's not just the networks, but sports radio and major newspapers too. But between the flowrestling internet site, college matches on the big ten network, and espn for the NCAA tournament, there are few major U.S. wrestling events that are available. Even elementary, middle school, and high school tournaments are "broadcasted" (including every one of 50 simultaneous matches of a recent tournament).

[johnnys]

You seem very upset. And I'm looking around the parking lot for my mercedes, but can't seem to find it anywhere.

The ACA was deliberately misrepresented (Grubber?), and the fact that most people thought it was going to "stick it" to the insurance industry was part of that. The point is, it did nothing of the kind. Whether or not they have a profit cap is irrelevant. They got a huge payout to agree to ACA, and if (when) it fails, they will get another payout. Your point does not negate this.

Not upset, thanks. Is there some version of a law that tells you what prices you have to charge your customers and what customers you have to take that you would find fair without compensation?

Maybe another link will help. Think Insurers Are Cashing in on the ACA? Think Again. | @BCBSNC . The bias on this one is a little more obvious, but there are probably public filed financials to back it up.

[Pluripotent]

Not upset, thanks. Is there some version of a law that tells you what prices you have to charge your customers and what customers you have to take that you would find fair without compensation?

Maybe another link will help. Think Insurers Are Cashing in on the ACA? Think Again. | @BCBSNC . The bias on this one is a little more obvious, but there are probably public filed financials to back it up.

Everybody knew the exchanges would collapse. That's why the insurance companies didn't agree to sign on until they got upfront money AND a guaranteed bailout. That's why they had to lie about it to get it passed. For them to now argue that they aren't making as much as promised is pretty rich. They knew they wouldn't. What's more, they knew about the high likelihood of an industry wide death spiral from the beginning. They are all just hoping to be the last man standing when it all goes to shit.

And if you're going to tell me that I can't say anything about it because I make my money as a physician, well, I don't think that precludes me. What's more, while I'll admit the average salary is better than average, there's a lot that lay people don't consider. And if you have a problem with doctors making money for treating you, well then, the NP will see you now.

[crabcakelover]

Is the taciturn man sitting to your right in the podcast an ultramarathoner?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Is the taciturn man sitting to your right in the podcast an ultramarathoner?

A damned good one.