There's a lot more waiting involved with US healthcare than with "socialized" medicine. Assuming you can even make an appointment and have filled out extensive insurance paperwork, there is the guaranteed 30 minutes sitting in a cubicle as various nurses and orderlies check your basic information and vital signs before you get your two minutes with a doctor. In New Zealand and England you usually go straight to the doctor's office and have closer to 10-15 minutes with the doctor. I don't think I've ever even seen a doctor's personal office in the United States.

At least the US healthcare system provides employment for a vast army of billing and accounts payable clerks. Patient paperwork in socialized medicine is simply name, age, address, and medical history. This leaves more employment for people who actually provide healthcare.

The noise has been unusually loud and frequent - thanks to the runway resurfacing. I personally think jet aircraft are cool and love to hear their roar, but there are several classrooms where the interruption is real. It's nice to know that this is just a temporary uptick in the northern departure volume though. Nerves are frayed enough on this campus as it is with the budget crisis, people need to know there will be some relief come May.

Most of these comments are so angry and nasty. Hello! Americans are hugely divided on personal issues - that's why the country emphasizes freedom. The real issue is a person's work experience - whether or not they contract out their child-rearing. Sarah Palin's experience seems a little light, so we have the beauty queen/fisherwoman and soldier/politician ticket to consider. If you're looking for intellect, it would seem a little lacking. Picking such a surprise VP was the Republican's way to get the small minded people all whipped up in a frenzy of "People Magazine" commentary, while the party strategists go on and set the economic and foreign policy agenda that they wish. I doubt Sarah Palin will be crafting intelligent policy in these areas. I do find it thoroughly amusing that Republicans now think it's "normal" for 17 year olds to be having sex - welcome to the real world! Sort of begs the question about their long-standing abstinence policy.

It's not just about the numbers - which certainly look more favorable with high gas prices - it's about the kind of city we want to have. Get people out of their cars to mingle on a modern, urban rail system and watch the humanity of the valley flourish. Granted, it won't all be wonderful, but there will be an authentic metropolitan flavor for sure.