links for 2009-06-09

• Dirigo Health Program to Get New Funding Mechanism – 6/8/09 3:10 PM EST | http://tinyurl.com/n3s8s8
  <blockquote>
  <p style="text-align: justify;">The Maine Senate has given final approval to a measure intended to put Maine's Dirigo Health Insurance program on a healthier financial footing.&nbsp; The House approved the bill Friday, and Gov. John Baldacci, the bill's sponsor, is expected to sign it.</p>
  <p style="text-align: justify;">The bill provides an alternative to the Dirigo Health Program's current funding mechanism, a so-called "savings offset" fee assessed on insurers, which is based on how much health care savings the program generates.&nbsp; Because the amount of savings is difficult to accurately nail down, the system has led to court battles.</p>
  <p style="text-align: justify;">Instead of relying on savings estimates, the new system will assess a fixed 2.14 percent fee on paid claims.&nbsp; The Maine House passed the measure Friday by a vote of 83 to 53, and the Senate followed suit today by a vote to 20 to 15.</p>
  </blockquote>
  (tags: dirigo health medical insurance maine healthcare june 2009)
• Combining processing.js & jQuery in a recursive tree example | http://lab.deytec.net/processingjs/
  <blockquote>
  <pre>
  void branch(float h) {

  h *= (float) $('#val_size_1').val();

  // All recursive functions must have an exit condition!!!!
  // Here, ours is when the length of the branch is 2 pixels or less
  if (h > 5) {
  pushMatrix(); // Save the current state of transformation (i.e. where are we now)
  rotate(theta); // Rotate by theta
  line(0,0,0,-h); // Draw the branch
  translate(0,-h); // Move to the end of the branch
  //ellipse(0, 0, 40, 40);
  branch(h); // Ok, now call myself to draw two new branches!!
  popMatrix(); // Whenever we get back here, we "pop" in order to restore the previous matrix state

  // Repeat the same thing, only branch off to the "left" this time!
  pushMatrix();
  rotate(-theta);
  line(0,0,0,-h);
  translate(0,-h);
  branch(h);
  popMatrix();
  }
  }
  </pre>
  </blockquote>

  (tags: via group processing recursive tree jquery cool howto code javascript)
• @sketchPatch Is the sketchPatch language Processing? | http://tinyurl.com/m7ps88 | http://mshook.appspot.com/z/d4m.htm?/mshook/9+june+2009+a
  <blockquote>
  <pre>
  // just type here
  // and click "submit" when done

  void setup(){
  size(301,301);
  }

  void draw() {
  background(290, mouseX, 50);
  noStroke();

  fill(mouseX, 139, mouseY);
  rect(45, 45, 45, 45);
  fill(20, mouseY, mouseX);
  rect(50, 50, 35, 35);

  fill(mouseX, 139, mouseY);
  rect(100, 100, 100, 100);
  fill(mouseX, 20, mouseY);
  rect(50, 50, 35, 35);

  fill(mouseX, mouseY, 139);
  rect(200, 200, 200, 200);
  fill(20, mouseY, mouseX);
  rect(50, 50, 35, 35);

  fill(mouseX, mouseY, mouseY);
  rect(100, 100, 100, 100);
  fill(20, mouseY, mouseX);
  rect(50, 50, 35, 35);

  }
  </pre>
  </blockquote>

  (tags: processing graphics language flash question twitter code example 9 june 2009 a)