Heads and tales: 2008 and bust
By Wade Kwon
Vote earlier and oftener: Our pal Taylor Bright has the story on a not-new idea: moving up state Democratic primaries from June (which makes no difference) to one of the first in the nation. Party leaders say they want to add diversity to the states — lily white Iowa and New Hampshire — voting early on candidates. Just think, for $1 million, Alabama could help choose the next Democratic loser in 2008 …
• Alabama may get an early primary [Huntsville Times]
Diagnosis: gouging: The California Nurses Association put out a study showing which hospitals have the highest markups. Brookwood Medical Center in Homewood was at No. 9, with an astonishing 804 percent cost-to-charge ratio (charging eight times the actual cost). The average among the 4,222 hospitals studied: 244 percent. However, that’s the hospital that saved my life in 1989, for a mere $20,000 (thank God for health insurance), but I shouldn’t have been charged the $7 for the single Tylenol that I threw up immediately — so we’ll call it even. I’m worth every penny, or grand.
• Study: Brookwood hospital cost mark-up one of nation’s highest [Birmingham News]
Adding it down: Economically poor students are expected to also be academically poor students. However, a Standard and Poor’s study shows that in Alabama, we’re equal opportunity underachievers. When poverty is factored out, state fourth and eighth graders still perform below expectations in math. S&P has a great educational data site, SchoolMatters, with a detailed snapshot of Alabama worth a look. As noted statistical scholar Barbie said, “Math is hard!”
• Study: Alabama’s poor performance not due to poverty alone [Associated Press]
Also:
- Summit shoppers ignore Jesus’ return for bargain hunting
- Trussville kitchen remodeling project awaits funding from dad’s second job
- Try to snatch the irony from my hand, young grasshopper
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