Obama Wants to Digitalize My Health Records? I Say Umm I’m Not So Sure Yet

By Andy Alt / Political Dimensions

January 18, 2009

Susan was quoted in the article Obama Wants to Digitalize My Health Records? I Say Go For It! by Merely Me (Fri January 16, 2009) and she asked me to make some of my words about it. I’ve therefore created some based solely on the alphabet, and my monotonous words follow this boring preface.

Having a record of what groceries I buy or if I smoke is quite a bit different than my medical history. I smoke in public, and when I buy groceries in public there are usually people nearby (who I never force to sign confidentiality forms when they see me pulling an item from the shelf), and strange, unknown cashiers ring up my purchases.

Commentary One: Climate Change and Affordable Public Transportation

Commentary One: Climate Change and Affordable Public Transportation
By Matthew
Aug 9, 2008

[The following commentary was written in response to Climate Change and Affordable Public Transportation]

I like the majority of your entry, but do have a few quibbles.The main reason cars are demonised is because they are, by and large, insane. They have terrible fuel efficiency and are often used when walking is a very real option. I gnash my teeth when I watch people in my street jump in their car, drive past me to the shops and back again. Sure, it took them about 1/4 of the time it takes me, but the shop is two streets away, not car distance at all. If those people were made to drag a ton of metal to the shops and back for a week they might consider their actions as being insanely wasteful.

Climate Change and Affordable Public Transportation

Climate Change and Affordable Public Transportation
By Andy Alt / Political Dimensions

Aug 7, 2008 – Jon Denison’s plans to improve walking and biking throughout Northfield are obviously a step toward progress, but ignoring the issue of public transportation and people who are only able to walk short distances or not at all shows a lack of foresight on his part. How well will sidewalks, crosswalks, and bike paths serve him when he’s 75, 80, 90, 100 years old, or if he contracts a disease that steals his ability to walk as well as he does now, or if an unforeseen hospitalization temporarily limits his mobility?

Those who are curious as to why I would be suggesting expanding affordable public transportation when we are in an energy and climate crisis, I invite them to answer some questions which I’m unable to answer myself.

Some people walk for exercise, others to help save the planet. Helping to save the planet is similar to helping to cure a disease. The disease isn’t cured yet, and the planet isn’t saved yet. Walking, biking, and other methods of conserving energy are great, common sense approaches, not only to dealing with climate change,