Insured for Health Care: Rural and Urban

Daily Yonder/Census Bureau This map shows the percentage of people under 65 without health insurance in every rural and exurban county in the country. Green counties have uninsured rates below the national average. Brown and red counties have rates above the national average.

A slightly higher percentage of rural Americans has health insurance than do urbanites, according to a new study conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. But there are large disparities in health care coverage state-to-state.

In rural counties as of 2006, 82.6% of people under the age of 65 (when Medicare coverage begins) had some kind of health insurance coverage. In urban counties, 82% of those under 65 years of age had health care coverage.

Exurbia had the highest rate of insured residents. In exurban counties, 83.4% of those under 65 had health insurance, according to the Daily Yonder’s calculations. (A map of rural, urban and exurban counties can be found here.) 

The map above shows how all the nation’s rural and exurban counties compare to the national average. In the United States, 17.8 percent of those under 65 don’t have any health insurance. The green counties on the map are doing better than the national average. They have uninsured rates below 17.3 percent.

Keith Urban, Vince Gill and … Surprise Guests

I hate surprises. So I'm not sure what to think of this partial list of performers for the "All for the Hall" show. I mean, sure, seeing Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Jason Aldean, Little Big Town and Lady Antebellum in one concert would be fantastic as is. But then there are hints about more artists, with statements like "additional surprise guests" and how it's going to be "a one-of-a-kind evening of music and camaraderie." It's probably worth it to go, even if you don't know who those surprises will be at downtown Nashville's Sommet Center on Oct. 13. Proceeds will benefit the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and Keith Urban told CMT Insider why that was so important: "I think everybody needs to know the importance of where we've come from in order to know where we're going. That's my take on it. We can't move forward until we know where we've come from and it's imperative that it maintains that lineage." And he added that the artists and vendors have forgone their profits so that the Hall gets all the money.

Garth Brooks The Dance Free Audio clip

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Brenda Lee’s Hall of Fame Exhibit Is Dynamite

Fifty years ago, Brenda Lee emerged as the biggest star in Nashville -- and she was only 14 years old. She possessed a full, round, sassy, dynamic voice that captured the attention of the world. That's not an overstatement because Lee, a.k.a. Little Miss Dynamite, is one of the first Nashville entertainers to capitalize on the international market. At the peak of her "Sweet Nothin's" success, she landed a five-week engagement in Paris. Some reporters there believed she was really a 32-year-old midget! She scored a massive 1971 hit in Japan by singing the lyrics phonetically and that tune -- "One Rainy Night in Tokyo (Omoide No Bara)" -- has since become a standard there. These are just a few things I learned from the exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum dedicated to her illustrious career.

It's not hard to fathom how the teen phenomenon sold more than 100 million albums worldwide when you listen to the music. Her pop hits in the late 1950s can rip out your heart -- "I Want to Be Wanted," "Emotions," "You Can Depend on Me" and even "I'm Sorry," which she recorded in 10 minutes at the end of a studio session. Even though her label didn't think she was old enough to convey its message, "I'm Sorry" went on to sell 50 million copies. Around this time, she also captured the holiday spirit in "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," now an undisputed classic.

The Hall of Fame also screened two episodes of Jubilee U.S.A., the most famous country music TV show of the late 1950s, with Lee as a special guest. She seemed like a kid you would like. One of the episodes was the "Junior Jubilee" with a bunch of other cutesy girls squeaking out songs. Ugh. They had nothing on Brenda Lee.

Reba McEntire Advises Pregnant Fan to Rest

Bed rest just got a whole lot more interesting for one country fan in Albany, Ore. Her name is Kylie, and when she was forced to sit out the latest Reba McEntire concert because of some pregnancy-related problems, she got a nice little surprise from McEntire. It was a very personal video message in which McEntire tells Kylie to take care of herself and that she can bring the baby to the show next time she's in town. Best, though, is when McEntire tells Kylie that she also had to be on bed rest when she was pregnant with her son, saying "It's 100 times worth it. I had to do the same thing with Shelby and I would have hung by my toenails to have that baby." Then she signs off with, "I love you with all my heart. Take care. Rest!"

Homemade Lures For your Fly Fishing

If you decide to go fly fishing, one of the most important decisions that you will make is choosing the right rod and free fishing lures. After all, if you don’t have a great rod, you are going to have trouble catching the fish that you want. There are a variety of things that you should be considering when you need a new rod, so here are a few great tips that can help you pick out the homemade lures for your needs.

The first thing that you should think about when trying to choose the rod is the flexibility of the rod. This is very important when it comes to fly fishing using types of fishing rods. Some rods are slow while some are fast, and it is a good idea to understand how this all works when you are going to purchase a new rod. Usually amateurs who are just getting started will want to go with rods that are medium action. Then they can go on to a more sophisticated rod in the future, once they get adjusted to the rod that they have. You will need to consider the weight of the fish that you are fishing for. Then you will want to choose the rod that will be able to handle the larger fish. Most common fish are easy to catch with light to medium rods, but if you are going for some of the larger game fish, you may need to go with a heavier rod that will deal with the weight.

Most people will want to keep the cost in mind when they are choosing their fly fishing rods and use homemade lures. While you definitely want to make sure you get a high quality rod, consider your budget. You probably don’t want to spend a huge amount of money on the rod. Figure out what you can spend, and then work to get the highest quality rod for the money you are able to spend.
Speaking of quality, it is so important that you go with a quality rod. While you don’t always have to have the best rod with the most features, you will want a rod that is made of high quality materials and that will perform efficiently for you. If you do a lot of fishing, then spending a bit more for a high quality rod is a great idea.

These are just a few things that you should keep in mind when you
are purchasing a good fly fishing rod. With these top tips, you’ll be able to make a wise choice when choosing the types of fishing rods you need. Then you will be able to go out and enjoy fishing, and you’ll always be sure to get a great catch with your nice, new rod.

Original Post: Fishing Guide

Homemade Lures For your Fly Fishing

Shania Twain’s Travels May Inspire New Music

In the video that Shania Twain posted on her website on Friday (Aug. 28), she's shown skydiving in Florida, skiing in Switzerland, galavanting around Egypt and Spain and God knows where else. The video travelogue and accompanying letter give fans an update on her very big "bump in the road" (not in the oven, by the way). And she explains her relationship with her dear friend Frederic Thiebaud. Surely this time off to recover from her divorce, travel the world and hang with a tall, dark and handsome guy will inspire some great songwriting, right? Even the little black and white titles on her video sound like the words of someone who has a way with words. Like when she says of her skydiving anxiety, "I needed to do something to take my breath away to remind me how to breathe." And the caveat that "it's all very candid footage so be ready to see a lot of me without makeup, no touch ups, some bad hair and looking pretty goofy" make Twain sound like she's definitely in her happy place. And I can't wait to hear the music she found there.

Democrat’s Rural/Urban Split Stymies Health Care

"Congress' efforts to overhaul the nation's health care system are plagued by an age-old urban-rural, east and west coast vs. the heartland schism in the Democratic Party," write McClatchy Newspapers reporters David Lightman and William Douglas.

Are Foreign Consumers Still Hungry For US Foods?

When the value of the dollar declined, foreign consumers scooped up US grains, meats, and other farm products, pushing prices higher in late 2007 and early 2008. Exports pushed to record highs, and were attributed as part of the sizzling agricultural economy. Even pork was quite profitable because export demand composed a significant percentage of its value. But that was then and this is now, and many farmers wonder if exports will resume center stage.

USDA’s Outlook for Agricultural Trade in the fiscal year beginning in October is nearly a mirror image to the 2009 fiscal year which is nearly concluded. The Fiscal 2010 projection is a $97 billion total, compared to $97.5 billion for the current fiscal year, and down from the $115 billion year of 2008, which was double the export value in a recently as 2005.

While total values are similar, there are some shifts among commodities, which is a function of various world crop conditions and how fast the consumer demand is drawing down global stocks. Another significant factor is the global economy, and since the Mexican economy shrank 6% and the Canadian economy shrank 2.5%, it is no surprise that US exports declined since our two major trading partners were not buying as much. USDA says China, which is the only economy that is growing, will be joined by India and Korea in leading the global recovery. Forecasters say oil and housing have risen from their bottom, US and Canadian GDP will grow 2% in 2010, but the dollar will appreciate against the Canadian dollar and the Brazilian real and depreciate against the Yen, the Peso, the Pound and the Euro. Those dynamics have great influence over which countries will be buyers of US products or sellers to US consumers.

In agriculture, grain and feed exports are forecast at $25.5 billion, down $900 million from 2009, because of lower values for grain. However, larger wheat crops in several areas of the world will limit global demand. Corn exports will be higher by 12% because of larger US stocks that soften prices, but there is also reduced wheat feeding and less competition from Ukraine and Russian corn.

Oilseed exports are forecast at $20.1 billion, down $800 million from 2009 due to lower values for US soybeans and higher export values for South American soybean products. However, there will be some limits to the South American exports of soybean oil because of greater biodiesel production. Soybeans exports in 2009 have been bolstered in the later part of the year by continued purchases from China.

Livestock producers will enjoy a small increase in foreign business with a $900 million increase to $19.7 billion. Pork exports will reach $4 billion on larger volume and beef exports are expected to reach $2.6 billion both on higher values and higher volume.

On the other side of the ledger are food products produced by foreign nations and imported into the US, and the poor US economy depressed the value and volume of imported foods in 2009. The total to date is $3 billion or 5% less than it was in 2008, pushing agricultural imports down to $76 billion for the current year. For 2010, agricultural imports are expected to increase 7.8% to $82 billion, the result of increased values and increased volumes of sugar, bananas, cocoa, coffee, and tropical oils. Going down are imports of livestock, which is largely inbound cattle and hogs from Canada. Those numbers are declining because of weaker pork demand and the impact of the Country of Origin Labeling requirement.

Traditionally, US farmers have sold more products abroad than US consumers have bought from foreign sources of food. In 2008, when the value of the dollar enhanced exports and impeded imports, the balance of trade was a positive $36 billion. It had recently been as tight as $4.6 billion in 2006. For 2009, the balance of trade will be slightly over $21 billion, but decline to $15 billion in 2010.

Summary:
The poor global economy, improved crop production in other parts of the world, and the shifting relationships between the dollar and other international currencies have all combined to keep US agricultural exports in 2010 about level with 2009. Both are well below the record set in 2008 when foreign consumers could not get enough of US grain and meat products. The result is a tightening of the balance of trade, which remains positive for agriculture.