Healthcare: we do live in interesting times!

Passage of healthcare reform, whether you're for or against this particular bill, is an amazing landmark event that I frankly feared would never happen in my lifetime. I have my reservations about the bill, but something had to be done, and any sort of action is better than prolonged inaction. Congratulations to the courage and conviction of both President Obama and the Democratic party!

"At every crossway on the road that leads to the future, each progressive spirit is opposed by a thousand men appointed to guard the past." -Maeterlinck

UPDATE (December 13, 2010): A federal judge in Virginia has ruled the insurance mandate (one of my reservations) to be unconstitutional. If upheld, this will probably wipe out the insurance reforms, further calling into question this particular exercise. I still applaud the effort, but now think it was probably the wrong idea at the wrong time. The top priorities should have been economic recovery and jobs (and the home mortgage mess).

LED Headlamp/Flashlight

The best LED flashlight/headlamp I've found for boating at night is the Photon Freedom Fusion. Click the link and scroll down for full information. Notably:

• Red as primary or secondary color
  
• Full range dimmer
• AA (not AAA) batteries
• Safety beacon modes
• Water resistant
• Rugged
• Headlamp or flashlight
• Constant brightness

UPDATE: I've now learned that red color doesn't really preserve night vision -- what matters is (low) light intensity, not color (see Night Vision, The Red Myth), but the Photon Freedom Fusion (White) is still a good choice, because it's fully dimmable.

Your Own Logo Gear in Your Own Storefront

It's cool to have logo gear (hats, shirts, etc) for a boat you cruise or race on, and it's even cooler when the crew gear matches.

You can of course order custom logo gear from a wide variety of suppliers, but that usually means the hassle and expense of ordering in quantity.

A good way to avoid such hassles is to use a supplier that makes it possible for you to have your own "storefront". Some will even host your storefront for free, with no order minimums. Once you've designed your logo (for which there is typically a reasonable setup charge), your crew can order what they want without having to design or coordinate orders.

Storefront suppliers:

• CafePress
• Company Clothes
• Printfection.com
• Spreadshirt
• Zazzle