News of the Day, NPR 2/9/05

Listened to Morning Edition, as usual.

The good news is, prices are down on Light Sweet Crude (oil, for those of us not up on the lingo), and hey GM is launching new, smarter airbags, but for now only for the rich. Gotta save those people so they buy more lux cars, right? The new airbags debut today at the Chicago Auto Show.

Lots on Israel/Palestine today. Will the peace hold? Will the plan work? G-d I hope so. Those people have had enough of ugliness and death. Everyone is very worried about what the next terrorist attack will do to the process, but all in all people are really hopeful, and that is a good sign.

Then there was a report on the Real ID Act -- pros and cons were debated. Sounds like this ID thing (driver's licenses, that is) is best left to individual states. Also, seems like the gov't is trying to palm off INS activities to states without providing any money for the operations the Act requires. I am guessing there will be more about this issue. I am quite interested to see if the Act passes.

Great report on diabetics and health care. Turns out that if people with diabetes get kicked off their group plan, or the group plan changes, that often they cannot get coverage anywhere else. They end up going deep into debt to pay for care, or they end up getting taken in by insurance scams. Terrible. Not sure I understood from this report what was being done to remedy this problem, or what the people pointing out the problem want the public to do about it. Should we write to our congressperson? Start a protest? What?

Also, NPR explored some new research on gum disease and its links to heart disease. A recent study indicates there is a link, but more research needs to be done to determine exactly what the link is. In other words, does the gum disease cause heart problems, or to heart problems cause the gum disease? These studies will be done soon. Very interesting. Just to be safe, floss, will you?

Last, I heard an interesting report on the NAACP and their troubles with a "politically motivated" audit by the IRS. This audit hinges on the nonprofit status of the NAACP, and their "endorsement" of Kerry over Bush. Supposedly the IRS was directed to look into a speech by the president of NAACP about the fact that Bush failed to come speak to the NAACP by two unidentified congressmen. The president never actually came out and said don't vote for X, Y or Z, so the NAACP has refused to cooperate with the IRS. You go, NAACP!

Oh, almost forgot about the report on Christo. Is what this guy does ART? Or what? Some think it is art, some don't. Shocking. All this fuss is because a huge installation is open in Central Park in NYC. Whatever Christo is, even if he is not a "real artist" -- he is a hell of a PR man. He always gets tons of exposure for whatever he does. I'd love a look at that guy's PR plans.