Marshall Lytle, Comets bassist

1933-2013, RIP

The wit and wisdom of Huckleberry "Grab the Smelling Salts" Graham

I know, Dear Reader, you already know that to compare South Carolina senators' collective intelligence to that of a fence post is insulting to fence posts, but this response to Obama's national security/terrorism speech is sublime:

“At the end of the day,” said Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, “this is the most tone-deaf president I ever could imagine, making such a speech at a time when our homeland is trying to be attacked literally every day.” 

Clearly, the "homeland," should stop dressing that way; she's only asking for it.

Blue Monday, Gregg & Duane Allman edition

Ideological monsters

I'm not sure what impresses me more, the sheer heartlessness or the political calculation of these people.

Starting next month, the administration and its allies will conduct a nationwide campaign encouraging Americans to take advantage of new high-quality affordable insurance options. But those options will be unavailable to some of the neediest people in states like Texas, Florida, Kansas, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Georgia, which are refusing to expand Medicaid.

More than half of all people without health insurance live in states that are not planning to expand Medicaid.

People in those states who have incomes from the poverty level up to four times that amount ($11,490 to $45,960 a year for an individual) can get federal tax credits to subsidize the purchase of private health insurance. But many people below the poverty line will be unable to get tax credits, Medicaid or other help with health insurance.

Sandy Praeger, the insurance commissioner of Kansas, said she would help consumers understand their options. She said, however, that many of “the poorest of the poor” would fall into a gap in which no assistance is available.

The Kansas Medicaid program provides no coverage for able-bodied childless adults. And adults with dependent children are generally ineligible if their income exceeds 32 percent of the poverty level, Ms. Praeger said.

In most cases, she said, adults with incomes from 32 percent to 100 percent of the poverty level ($6,250 to $19,530 for a family of three) “will have no assistance.” They will see advertisements promoting new insurance options, but in most cases will not learn that they are ineligible until they apply.

Administration officials said they worried that frustrated consumers might blame President Obama rather than Republicans like Gov. Rick Perry of Texas and Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, who have resisted the expansion of Medicaid.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 25 million people will gain insurance under the new health care law. Researchers at the Urban Institute estimate that 5.7 million uninsured adults with incomes below the poverty level could also gain coverage except that they live in states that are not expanding Medicaid.

In approving the health care law in 2010, Congressional Democrats intended to expand Medicaid eligibility in every state.

But the Supreme Court ruled last year that the expansion was an option for states, not a requirement. At least 25 states — mainly those with Republican governors or Republican-controlled legislatures — have balked at expanding the program, in part because of concerns about long-term costs. 

Long-term costs, my ass.  They will do anything they can to deprive their constituents affordable health care.

The big sleep

"I don't blame anyone for thanking the Lord"

Beautiful.

Ray Manzarek, 1939-2013

RIP

Blue Monday, Billy Bragg edition

"We're really puzzled"

If only someone would invent a name for this new and different device.

Blue Monday, Little Walter edition

Unfinished biopic of Little Walter

A day in Neil's life

Outrageous

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
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Blue Monday, Ike Turner/Jackie Brenston editiion

Let's not wallow in the blues this morning.

Hispters in Williamsburg

Correction of the day:

An earlier version also referred incorrectly to the thoroughfare that contains the thrift shop Vice Versa. It is Bedford Avenue, not Bedford Street, or Bedfoprd Avenue, as stated in an earlier correction. 

Well, he's consistent

Dan Shaughnessy once again proves his prognosticative powers.

Celtics look like they are finished  

Maybe the the old Green warriors can scare the Knicks with a big win at the Garden Friday night. But it doesn’t feel that way.  

Celtics still look like they’re done 

After their 90-76 loss to the Knicks on Friday, it looks like this series is not coming back to Boston next week.

Knicks are choking against Celtics 

Suddenly, the Knicks have become the 2004 Yankees, in danger of becoming the first NBA team ever to blow a 3-0 series lead.

The good thing about this is that it reminded me to revisit the Dan Shaughnessy Watch blog.  The classic.