NPR and All the News

Last week I heard two NPR news spots that made me think they were not giving us the full story.

One was about airline baggage.  It was the comparison of Southwest Airlines, which takes your baggage without asking for more money, vs the airlines that are charging extra for checked luggage.  Missing from the discussion was:

• The fact that such airlines are using this to make their tickets appear cheaper
• That they get to lay off some baggage handlers, or perhaps reduce hours for some.
• The limits in overhead storage means that people will be encouraged to carry their cloths on board, but be discouraged from carrying too much.
• By discouraging people from packing larger bags they can reduce the gross weight of the aircraft and if they save a pound of fuel a flight and have 500 flights a day, in 365 days that is 182,500 pounds, or 27,239 gallons of jet fuel, or about $55,000 at the current cost of gasoline.  No big deal you say.  Well, I am betting they are saving more than a pound of fuel a flight.  More like 10 or 20 pounds per flight.  It all adds up.  Remember, no meals any more—less weight at takeoff.
• On the other hand, Southwest is still taking care of you.  Reminds me of that advertisement for Western Airlines—"The only way to fly."

The reporter missed a lot of that.

The previous day they talked about the Administration working on Health Care and especially hospital costs.  What they didn't talk about is "rationing."  We ration health care today.  I had a friend who collapsed while working on his car.   Turned out to be a brain tumor, but before anyone knew that his father-in-law, who had the money, had him medically evacuated by air to New York City and top notch care.  If it had been me, I would have been in the local hospital with someone less experienced and insightful looking after my case.  (Actually, at the time I was in the Air Force in Europe and would have gotten pretty good care, but if I had been in mufti, it would not have been so good.)

What we might expect to see is an adjustment to the laws governing suing your doctor (I can hear the howls in the Halls of Congress already), and a cutting back on tests.  Maybe dropping tests that are only useful in 1 or 2 percent of the cases.  The fact is, you can only stuff so much into a five pound bag and there is only so much reform out there.  Later there will be the switch to "the right to die" and then to "the duty to die."  I expect to have gone from more natural causes before we get to that point, so this is just a warning to you younger folks.

Why couldn't NPR have been up front about this information?  Are the reporters not asking the questions?

Maybe it is all because I don't pledge.  But, then I have to save my pennies so I can pay the new rates for The Boston Globe, as this person has noted.

Regards  —  Cliff