From SlashDot, in response to a claim that American health insurance is cheaper than Canadian:

[Canadian] Health care budget, 2005: $19bn Population of Canada: 33,390,000 (approx.) $19bn / 33,390,000 = approximately $569 / year, or $47/month. Average health insurance premium in the USA: $308/month. Still think that it's cheaper?

Numbers aren't checked, but even if they're rather off, the math is still clearly on the side of Canadian-style socialized medicine...

Life after people

I just saw a commercial for a TV movie from the History Channel called Life After People. The basic idea: humanity suddenly no longer exists and what happens next. Ought to be interesting, I hope to record it. I've actually wondered in the past what happens at the End Of Time. One thought: let's say either a meteor hits the earth in a global-life-ending catastrophe, or say a rapture or something similar. Either way, everyone dies/leaves earth/etc. What about kids - they don't get to grow up to be adults. Babies and toddlers never learn to walk or talk. If it's a rapture-like event, what about those cars no unpopulated (or partially populated - what if the driver goes and not you)? What if enough people leave or die, how do those left gather together, or does humanity fall apart? If it's a epidemic, what if it happens slowly, say over a year or two? Some people may think they're prepared in case it's sudden, but if it's delayed it would have a different effect on society and people.

After having too many salty chips from Chipotle recently, I said this (and had my wife in TEARS laughing at me): "I can't drink anymore, 'cause the crackers are too salty!" You had to be there.

iPhone headphones not working? potential fix here

If, like me, you suddenly discover that your iPhone isn't playing music through your headphones, even though you can hear when you disconnect it, you might try this: 1. Reboot your iPhone by pressing down on the top (power) button for 5 seconds, sliding the "Shutdown" button, then after it's off pressing down again to turn on. 2. Unplug and replug your headphones a few times. Seems that there's an occasion "mixup" internall y that sees that something's plugged in but doesn't believe it's headphones. Yeah... anyways. Worked for me. Was rather annoying.