Thoughts for the Day, December 16, 2024: Onion to the injury bug
The Lions
Yesterday’s game between the Lions and Bills was a dream come true for football fans (except for Lions’ fans). Two gunslinger quarterbacks put on a show. Over 1,000 yards in total offense. Ninety-three passes thrown without an interception. It was an entertaining game.
Unfortunately, the Lions were hit hard with the injury bug as four key players went down with potential season ending injuries. Per the Detroit News, the Lions’ worst fears have come true about injuries to defensive tackle Alim McNeill, cornerback Carlton Davis III and running back David Montgomery. Lions coach Dan Campbell on Monday confirmed McNeill and Montgomery suffered knee injuries that will require season-ending surgery, and Davis will be out indefinitely with a broken jaw. Assuming all three defensive players (including cornerback Khalil Dorsey, who suffered a severe knee injury on Sunday) go on injured reserve, that'll make it a whopping 14 defensive players placed on IR.
Fortunately, the offense is still intact and roaring. The loss of Montgomery will be tough, but Jahmyr Gibbs is more than capable of making up for the loss of Montgomery. The Lions will need to outscore teams and win games by scoring 35 points or more per game. This will work in most instances, but as we saw yesterday, an elite quarterback like Josh Allen is more than capable of shredding the Lions’ decimated defense. Every possession will matter. A stop on either side of the ball might be the difference in the game.
Hold on and enjoy the ride. It is going to be entertaining and nerve-wracking.
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Tariffs on Canda? I don't think so
From the Detroit News, the premier of Canada's largest province said Wednesday he will cut off energy to the United States if President-elect Donald Trump imposes sweeping tariffs on all Canadian products.
Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico unless they stem the flow of migrants and drugs.
“We will go to the full extent depending on how far this goes. We will go to the extent of cutting off their energy,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford after meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other provincial premiers.
“We will use every tool in our tool box to fight back. We can’t sit back and roll over. We just won’t as a country. And isn’t this a shame, our closest friends and allies,” Ford said.
About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports as well.
There is no way that Trump is going to impose tariffs on Canada.
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I am not holding my breath
Per Bridge Michigan, Michigan is one step closer to opening up the governor's office and Legislature to public records requests after a state House panel on Wednesday advanced legislation.
While the proposal could help shine new light on the inner workings of Michigan government, it would not do so until 2027 — when current Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and several current lawmakers will no longer be serving…
As written, the legislation would take effect beginning Jan. 1 “of the first odd-numbered year that begins at least six months after the date it is enacted into law.” Because of how late in the year the House is taking up the legislation, that kicks a possible enactment date to Jan. 1, 2027.
The legislation passed the Senate in June and has been awaiting action in the House, where outgoing Democratic Speaker Joe Tate of Detroit has not yet publicly committed to holding a floor vote in the final weeks of the lame-duck session.
Even if they do pass it, you can bet your bottom dollar the effective date will be delayed until January 2027, after the Governor Whitmer's term and the next legislative term are over.
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It’s a patchwork built over decades, and it is not working for the patients.
Excerpts from a guest opinion piece in The New York Times by Andrew Witty, CEO of United Health Group, the parent company of United Healthcare.
We know the health system does not work as well as it should, and we understand people’s frustrations with it. No one would design a system like the one we have. And no one did. It’s a patchwork built over decades. Our mission is to help make it work better. We are willing to partner with anyone, as we always have — health care providers, employers, patients, pharmaceutical companies, governments and others — to find ways to deliver high-quality care and lower costs.
Clearly, we are not there yet. We understand and share the desire to build a health care system that works better for everyone. That is the purpose of our organization.
Health care is both intensely personal and very complicated, and the reasons behind coverage decisions are not well understood. We share some of the responsibility for that. Together with employers, governments and others who pay for care, we need to improve how we explain what insurance covers and how decisions are made. Behind each decision lies a comprehensive and continually updated body of clinical evidence focused on achieving the best health outcomes and ensuring patient safety.
While the health system is not perfect, every corner of it is filled with people who try to do their best for those they serve.
Per a CNN report in September, The US spends more on health care than any other high-income country, but a new report suggests that “Americans are sicker, die younger and struggle to afford essential health care.”
Compared with nine other high-income nations, the United States ranked last overall this year, with a lower life expectancy and higher rates of death and disease despite spending the most on health care, according to the report, released by the independent research group The Commonwealth Fund. The three top-performing countries in the report were Australia, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
Here is a quote from the Introduction of the report. “Especially concerning is the U.S. record on health outcomes, particularly in relation to how much the U.S. spends on health care. The ability to keep people healthy is a critical indicator of a nation’s capacity to achieve equitable growth. In fulfilling this fundamental obligation, the U.S. continues to fail.”
“This report reveals that our health system is continuing to lag far behind other nations when it comes to meeting our citizens’ basic health care needs. The US spends more on health care than any other country, and Americans are sicker, die younger and struggle to afford essential health care. We spend the most and get the least for our investment,” Dr. Joseph Betancourt, president of The Commonwealth Fund, said in a news briefing.
“As a primary care doctor, I see the human toll of these shortcomings in our system on a daily basis. I have patients who need medications they can’t afford. I spend time going back and forth with insurance companies who have denied care I know my patients need, and I see older patients who arrive sicker than they should because they’ve spent the majority of their lives uninsured,” Betancourt added.
“This report underscores the many lessons we could learn from others on how to strengthen our health care delivery and outcomes,” he said. “It provides a blueprint for health leaders and policymakers on how the US can achieve more equitable, affordable care for all Americans.”
The healthcare industry in America has lost its focus. The focus should be on the health of the patient and what is best for the patient. It should be about improving outcomes based on the health of the patient. If that requires government subsidy, so be it. If it requires a form of universal healthcare, so be it. We need to do whatever it takes.
The healthcare industry is made up of very smart people who know what needs to be done. I have no doubt the leaders of the healthcare industry can develop a system that focuses on patient outcomes and cost effectiveness. Someone needs to make it happen. If that means, the president or congress issuing a mandate, so be it.
In the 60's we put a man on the moon less than 10 years after Kennedy challenged the country to do so. During World War II we converted an automobile factory to a B-24 bomber factory in less than two years that produced one plane per hour. In one generation, we went from having no computers in our homes, to everyone walking around with a computer in their hands. When there is a will, there is a way.
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Unintended consequences
The world of college sports is changing in real-time. The transfer portal is a game changer. It also has some unintended consequences.
Per ESPN, Louisiana Tech will replace Marshall as the opponent for Army in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, it was announced Saturday.
The Thundering Herd, who won the Sun Belt Conference title, were set to face AAC champion Army on Dec. 28 in Shreveport, Louisiana. Marshall coach Charles Huff left for the same post at Southern Miss a day after the Sun Belt title game after being unable to reach an agreement with the school on a new contract. The Herd quickly hired NC State defensive coordinator Tony Gibson as Huff's replacement. The Black Knights lost to Navy 31-13 later in the day.
As of Saturday morning, Marshall has 36 players in the transfer portal, including 29 scholarship players and 17 players on the team's two-deep setup for the Sun Belt title game. All three Thundering Herd quarterbacks who played this season are in the portal, including starter Braylon Braxton, the Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year.
Defensive end Mike Green, the Sun Belt Player of the Year, declared for the NFL draft Friday. A number of Marshall staff members also have left, some joining Huff at Southern Miss.
This will be happening more and more in the future, especially for those schools who do not make the playoffs.
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Quote of the Day: “Look, they got them up. I’d like to bring them down. It’s hard to bring things down once they’re up. You know, it’s very hard.” Donald Trump talking about inflation in his Time Magazine interview.
“Trump isn’t wrong about it being “hard.” Curbing inflation, slowing the rate of price increases, is difficult enough. But Trump is talking about deflation, actual price drops. Those usually happen only during an economic downturn like a recession or a depression. Trust me, we don’t want either.
So, it looks like all those people who voted for him, despite all the reasons not to, will be abandoned on aisle 6, in the hoodwink section. Because not only will Trump be unable to bring prices down from the day he “takes the oath of office,” most economists say his proposed policies, like imposing tariffs and deporting undocumented workers, would actually drive prices up — way up.” From Dan Rather’s blog.
Orchid of the Day: Detroit Tigers’ pitching coach Chris Fetter has been named Baseball America’s 2024 MLB Coach of the Year after an immensely successful season for his pitching staff.
Onion of the Day: The injury bug for taking over the Lions’ defense.
Questions of the Day: Did Josh Allen lock up the NFL MVP Award with his performance against the Lions yesterday?
Video of the Day: Bob Seger The Little Drummer Boy 1989
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