Dr. Sour Puss

There are a number of successful health-care systems, at least as measured by pretty good care much cheaper than here, and they are quite different from each other. There are, however, no examples of successful health care based on the principles of the free market, for one simple reason: in health care, the free market just doesn’t work. And people who say that the market is the answer are flying in the face of both theory and overwhelming evidence. Paul Krugman, New York Times Op-Ed, July 25, 2009

Last year I wrote about what an amazing time I had riding the Cascade Bicycle Club's Seattle to Portland Ride and how I just knew I'd be doing it every year for the rest of my life. This year, things went a little differently. It started well enough. Clear skies, 80 degrees. Greg finally got a new bike. Things seemed all set. It's no surprise I'm not as fit as I was this time last year, but I had a few long training rides and I was ready. Filmore left early to ride with the Major Taylor Project but got a flat almost immediately after the race began. After replacing his inner tube, as he went to pump it up, his tire stem snapped off in his pump and he had to wait 30 minutes for someone to stop and help him out. I lost Greg and Matt in a pack of cyclists somewhere around Auburn. About 10 miles later when I still hadn't caught up to them, I thought to myself: "Those assholes, they can find their own damn ride home." I met up with Fil in at the lunch stop in ...

Holy shit. Just wow. *Borrowed without permission just to underscore Tom Tomorrow's point.