In 2011 the U.S. spent an estimated $2.7 trillion on healthcare, accounting for just under 20% of our total GDP. This figure–and projections of future growth in healthcare spending–is being described in terms of a mounting national crisis. (Healthcare spending is a “national threat”, according to the CBO.) Healthcare spending is growing far faster than […]
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On Life, Expectations, and America
Imagine that, in life, one paints oneself (or one’s life, rather) upon a canvas. One paints legs of adolescense. A torso of family and career. Arms of offspring, accomplishments. A head formed at leisure in retirement, crowned with the jewels of grand-children, repose, of wisdom, the respect accorded to the elderly. And then? On into […]
et två tre fyra
Ordnign och reda, which I’ll translate as “order and synonym-for-order”, is an important concept in Sweden. And, indeed, I find the country remarkably orderly. For example: I went and saw The Tallest Man on Earth perform in Stockholm last Friday. The show was at 7:00 pm–and to my continued astonishment, the opening act walked on […]
Customs customs
I flew to Stockholm by way of Mexico City and Frankfurt. (Frankfurt, at least, makes sense.) Arriving in Mexico City, I completed two Customs forms. After deplaning, I presented these to a dour official with limited English, and discovered that, despite my best efforts, I hadn’t filled them out quite correctly. Two mistakes. These were […]
The Tallest Man on Earth (Part 2)
Still slight and unprepossessing, The Tallest Man on Earth stands just a little taller than he once did. Three full length albums (the third, There’s No Leaving Now, releases June 11th) and two EPs since his 2006 debut, The Tallest Man on Earth has built a small but hugely deserved following (he’s counts over 16,000,000 […]