links for 2009-01-27

Ezra writes: "China just decided to spend $123 billion by 2011 to build a universal health care system for its $1.3 billion people. So they'll likely have universal health care before we will. This American exceptionalism thing is getting out of hand." The saving's rate he later notes isn't exactly comparable with the U.S. number, but he has a point here: "so China is trying to make it safe for its citizens to spend, which means making future expenses more predictable, which means offering health care coverage." The real question is whether this announcement will mean health care for all Chinese; that would be a big job and maybe more expensive than $123B.

Evan takes to the blogs.

Event listing for Ethan Zuckerman. Feed available, and video available later.

(Also, this massive image is great.)

On mapping trans-state infrastructure relationships, and how we're not doing enough of it yet. Later today, Zuckerman speaks at Berkman on this.