Wait a minute, there's a sun?

Talking to the global warming/climate change alarmists, you'd think the only reason the earth is as warm as it is, is because humans polluted it so much that now it's becoming too warm. However, apparently there are some variables that they may have missed in their calculations, like the sun for example. The amount of energy released by the sun varies too, like with sunspots. Recently we've been going through a very low minimum of sunspot activity, coincidentally corresponding with a general cooling of the planet. I guess that may be why the catchphrase has changed from global warming to global climate change.

Found? A Chupacabra

Well, if it is really a new creature and not just a mangy coyote, someone claims to have found one that was poisoned. He says he's going to mount it as a conversation piece.

Edit: An article with pictures.

A hero in more ways than on the football field

This kid who apparently is pretty good on the football field, also possibly saved the lives of a busfull of kids. I think he deserves all the recognition he can get.

Beware the taxman!

I have nothing to hide from the taxman but that doesn't mean I go posting a lot of information about myself online either. However, based on this article, it appears that the IRS has been getting more creative about tracking down tax deadbeats by using social networking sites. Even if someone doesn't have a Facebook or MySpace page, they often still post in other places all over the internet and can be found with a little bit of creative Google searching.

And the Yeti shows up too!

Someone thinks they have videotape of the Yeti running around in Poland.

Why is it that the picture is always blurry and taken from a long ways away?

Oh look! The Loch Ness Monster!

I don't use Google Earth but this is the second time I think someone has found an interesting thing that I've blogged about here. Someone thinks they may have spotted the Loch Ness Monster there. I don't know if it's true or not but it's an interesting picture nonetheless.

The real problems with the healthcare industry

Now here's an article that makes sense about the healthcare problems facing our country. It is written by a self-identified Democrat who has spent some significant time studying the problems with the industry. However it's a long article so I don't know who will have time to read it.

Some high points are:

• It doesnt make sense that people expect the insurance company (or government) to pay for routine care.
• Insurance makes the most sense for unexpected, big emergencies.
• There isn't a lot of real competition in the healthcare industry except for elective care items like LASIK eye surgery and cosmetic procedures.
• The lack of competition is largely driven by the fact that most services are not paid by the consumer of the service, the patient.
  
• At the end he suggests using a government option but only for emergencies over a very high threshold like $50,000 and using health-savings accounts for all other services.
• It would take a transition period to get to this point but it would be better in the end.

I've been thinking some of these very thoughts for a long time but never saw it written down so eloquently before.