I admit that I like to read The Anomalist - it is interesting compilation of links and mini descriptions of websites dealing with ufos, ghosts, odd-wildlife, and other stuff. But do UFOs and ghosts actually exist? If you Google "best ufo evidence" you'll get 150,000 links (or something) but does that really mean anything. If you Google "John Galt" you get over a 1,000,000 links, though John Galt is both a fictional character and real people with that name.
Links, of course, don't prove anything. It will never by possible to definitely prove there are no UFOs or ghosts. It may be possible to prove that UFOs exist and that they are aliens from a different planet. I don't rule out that ghosts exist, though I've never seen one and I hope I never do.
Things that I consider to have no value as evidence: pyramids, etchings in stones from ancient peoples, and probably everything before the modern era. What we do have photos and incidents that people experience or things recorded on radar. We have the Roswells and triangular ships and flying cylinders.
What to make of all this? I don't really know. One of the biggest things weighting against UFOs seems to me to be that they are so random AND the lack of physical evidence. Do you really believe the government could cover that much successfull at covering stuff up? I don't. Of course you can be a conspiracy buff and think that 1) the US never landed on the moon and 2) the government is covering up contacts with extraterrestials.
Hmmm. Lost my train of thought.... must be rays beamed into my house causing me confusion.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Who Lied to Pelosi?
I'll just forward you the this link about how Republicans trashed Pelosi when she claimed the CIA had lied to her. The blog post misses the point that Pelosi claimed they lied to her about waterboarding, but they were certainly lying about something. The details of the program we don't know yet, but as it was under the order of Dick Cheney, don't count me as surprised if it involves torture.
Obama has been trying to cut a "balanced" line were he doesn't divulge the details of the torture. What things have pointed to is that the highest levels of the Bush administration were endorsing torture. A truth commission without legal penalties would still be useful. Obama isn't cutting this far enough to the left.
What is interesting is that Cheney has been keep his head lower these days. I'm not sure why, but he is an old man and may be he is just getting some rest.
Anyway, I'm not going to hold my breath for much GOP outcry about this, though I do expect some. The door has finally cracked open and some light is breaking into dark place the GOP was living.
I'll watch how far the lefties blogs push this. Who's head will the call for?
Obama has been trying to cut a "balanced" line were he doesn't divulge the details of the torture. What things have pointed to is that the highest levels of the Bush administration were endorsing torture. A truth commission without legal penalties would still be useful. Obama isn't cutting this far enough to the left.
What is interesting is that Cheney has been keep his head lower these days. I'm not sure why, but he is an old man and may be he is just getting some rest.
Anyway, I'm not going to hold my breath for much GOP outcry about this, though I do expect some. The door has finally cracked open and some light is breaking into dark place the GOP was living.
I'll watch how far the lefties blogs push this. Who's head will the call for?
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Bad Habits
I've gotten in to a bad habit of starting posts and not finishing them. That is a no-no if you are trying to keep a blog up.
Tid-bits:
Let me give one last thank you to Sarah Palin for contributing to the last nine months. "Sarah the Barracuda" she was and is. Sarah was not ready for to be President of the US in a clutch, a looney decision by John McCain, but a spectacle to be sure. I'll try to let her rest in piece without much more derogatory commentary from me, unless she dares to step back into the national spotlight. For instance, on a book or speaking tour (he he he).
The economy is in a terrific mess. I don't think there is any quick way out. If we're going to do stimulus spending, lets do stimulus spending by building infrastructure and have the government perhaps buy things made in America. In other words, if we're handing out money to people, get something in return if at all possible.
A co-worker was telling me about a writer that explained the more bureaucracy you have, the less individual responsibility you have. This is an important point in understanding government that I want to get into.
But now I have to go run 4 miles. So - I'm posting this as is - so I don't lose it.
Tid-bits:
Let me give one last thank you to Sarah Palin for contributing to the last nine months. "Sarah the Barracuda" she was and is. Sarah was not ready for to be President of the US in a clutch, a looney decision by John McCain, but a spectacle to be sure. I'll try to let her rest in piece without much more derogatory commentary from me, unless she dares to step back into the national spotlight. For instance, on a book or speaking tour (he he he).
The economy is in a terrific mess. I don't think there is any quick way out. If we're going to do stimulus spending, lets do stimulus spending by building infrastructure and have the government perhaps buy things made in America. In other words, if we're handing out money to people, get something in return if at all possible.
A co-worker was telling me about a writer that explained the more bureaucracy you have, the less individual responsibility you have. This is an important point in understanding government that I want to get into.
But now I have to go run 4 miles. So - I'm posting this as is - so I don't lose it.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Looney tunes (Sarah Palin quits)
Calling Daffy Duck:
Sarah Palin doesn't want to play any more, so she's taking her ball and going home. Sarah apparently just can't take the heat and so she's gonna stay out of the kitchen. She doesn't want do the stuff other lame duck governors do - so rather than just not do them as governor - she's just going to quit being governor.
To quote Captain Renault, "I'm shocked" to find that Palin isn't going to finish her commitment to the people of Alaska. You could just knock me over with a feather.
On a serious front:
I'm going to begin exploring how I can protect myself in the coming US debt disaster.
I'm throwing out my previous faint hope that Obama might really try to better than Bush, but his plans are just a different form of deficit spending.
Economic trouble continues:
If you missed the unemployment numbers ... you must have your head in the ground. They weren't good, but nature of the world economy and certain the GOP policies have done much to make recovery harder.
Rather than generating a trillion or two of additional deficit spending on government insurance, we should be spending money to make medical school affordable: lets churn out educated people to do the work, set up a fund to replace medical malpractice, etc. We take MDs and medical professionals for granted and they'll just pull out at some point.
More importantly the Democrats in particular and the GOP with somewhat less guilt have done too much to fund social programs ... the problem is, of course, that no one can accept the truth: there isn't enough money to eliminate all suffering and at least some of those suffering choose to keep on doing the things that put them there.
Sarah Palin doesn't want to play any more, so she's taking her ball and going home. Sarah apparently just can't take the heat and so she's gonna stay out of the kitchen. She doesn't want do the stuff other lame duck governors do - so rather than just not do them as governor - she's just going to quit being governor.
To quote Captain Renault, "I'm shocked" to find that Palin isn't going to finish her commitment to the people of Alaska. You could just knock me over with a feather.
On a serious front:
I'm going to begin exploring how I can protect myself in the coming US debt disaster.
I'm throwing out my previous faint hope that Obama might really try to better than Bush, but his plans are just a different form of deficit spending.
Economic trouble continues:
If you missed the unemployment numbers ... you must have your head in the ground. They weren't good, but nature of the world economy and certain the GOP policies have done much to make recovery harder.
Rather than generating a trillion or two of additional deficit spending on government insurance, we should be spending money to make medical school affordable: lets churn out educated people to do the work, set up a fund to replace medical malpractice, etc. We take MDs and medical professionals for granted and they'll just pull out at some point.
More importantly the Democrats in particular and the GOP with somewhat less guilt have done too much to fund social programs ... the problem is, of course, that no one can accept the truth: there isn't enough money to eliminate all suffering and at least some of those suffering choose to keep on doing the things that put them there.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Happy July 1 - Political Comments
The SCOTUS got it right on the Sotomayer/Firemen case. Sorry liberals, Sotomayer's nonsense about being a better judge than a white male doesn't pass snuff either. Still, I don't see knocking her out of the job because of just those things.
Al Franken wins in MN: Rarely is a man so obnoxious unduly deprived of something you'd of rather not see him have due to an even bigger jerk. Oh well. There you go.
Obama's gigantic expenditures on healthcare won't be a cure all for health care, but it will be one more nail in our collective coffin. On an interesting side note, Obama's policies included partial government funding for getting insurance through COBRA. Now my previous employees get to pay less for insurance and I cover the government portion until such time as it decides to pay me back the difference. (My faith is low, but it will probably work out, and I do see some value in the plan).
(Non-political) The US lost a heart breaker to Brazil in South Africa. Wow - who new we could play so well - but who was completely surprised by the second half choke (even if we were playing Brazil). Donovan proved to be a man despite being kind of skinny and all. We already know Howard was a man. Plenty of other good play from the US, though we're still 3 or 4 quality players short of being able to compete consistently.
Later dudes.
Al Franken wins in MN: Rarely is a man so obnoxious unduly deprived of something you'd of rather not see him have due to an even bigger jerk. Oh well. There you go.
Obama's gigantic expenditures on healthcare won't be a cure all for health care, but it will be one more nail in our collective coffin. On an interesting side note, Obama's policies included partial government funding for getting insurance through COBRA. Now my previous employees get to pay less for insurance and I cover the government portion until such time as it decides to pay me back the difference. (My faith is low, but it will probably work out, and I do see some value in the plan).
(Non-political) The US lost a heart breaker to Brazil in South Africa. Wow - who new we could play so well - but who was completely surprised by the second half choke (even if we were playing Brazil). Donovan proved to be a man despite being kind of skinny and all. We already know Howard was a man. Plenty of other good play from the US, though we're still 3 or 4 quality players short of being able to compete consistently.
Later dudes.
Burning bridges faster than you can say...
I am obviously nearing some proverbial breaking point, having got in the face of 4 clients in the span of about 4 days. This kind of trend will have me out of business faster than you can say I'm a stupid idiot. It is bound to back fire in the last case - just perpetrated about 15 minutes ago - where I told a client that he couldn't talk to me a certain way .... and that I would be happy to provide him his code library and instructions of how to use it (not instructions on where to put it).
About six hours earlier I engaged in a few holds barred verbal battle with a client about a $250k project - because I wasn't going to cut enough out to suit him and I was willing to not get the before caving to unlikely demands about someone that doesn't know my business.
Before that I partly chewed out a customer for essentially whining to me about having to work the weekend - after he caused me to have to work while on my vacation in the UK.
Normally I would have let all of these things go. This can't be a good sign (unless additional assertiveness is a good thing).
Hope you guys are more in control that me these days.
About six hours earlier I engaged in a few holds barred verbal battle with a client about a $250k project - because I wasn't going to cut enough out to suit him and I was willing to not get the before caving to unlikely demands about someone that doesn't know my business.
Before that I partly chewed out a customer for essentially whining to me about having to work the weekend - after he caused me to have to work while on my vacation in the UK.
Normally I would have let all of these things go. This can't be a good sign (unless additional assertiveness is a good thing).
Hope you guys are more in control that me these days.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Ups and Downs
Congratulations by my Son
He passed his black belt training last night (Friday 6/26) and is now a first Dan. He did well in the testing.
Governor Scandals
Scandal hit all sides of the aisle in North and South Carolina:
In NC, our past Governor's associated may have pulled some strings to create a high paying state education job for the Governor's wife. There were other things going on as well with respect to foreign travel. Messy.
In SC, I hope the Governor carried on an affair and eventually ran off leaving the state without leadership for some days. This strikes me as worse than Clinton, who lied about an affair, but didn't abandon his governmental responibilities and the GOP impeached. They guy should resign (like Clinton should have) and spare his state. Both guys seem to have equal sense of honor.
Celebrity Deaths
Michael Jackson died under expectedly sad circumstances. I wasn't much of a fan of anything post-Motown. His life seemed somewhat tragic, but his life was his responsibility, so it is tough to offer up much on it.
Farrah Fawcett died of cancer after a good fight.
Ed McMahon died at 86 after having had the opportunity to do lots of fun stuff. Lucky guy.
Iran's Leaders Now Seek Execution for Dissenters
Iran's leaders suck. If "kill'em all and led God sort'em out" doesn't come to mind with the latest round of crap from Iran's clerics, it should. These guys make Dick Cheney appear as a sympathetic leader. Of course, let's face it, your society issued in a theocracy that gives it leaders ultimate power to decide who is a lawbreaker and then condones upon those leaders the ability to determine who should be executed for breaking their laws. You're living in something worse than a dictatorship - which may have many of the same attributes, but doesn't claim that your execution is the will of God.
It is going to take a lot of deaths and dying in Iran before government gets better.
He passed his black belt training last night (Friday 6/26) and is now a first Dan. He did well in the testing.
Governor Scandals
Scandal hit all sides of the aisle in North and South Carolina:
In NC, our past Governor's associated may have pulled some strings to create a high paying state education job for the Governor's wife. There were other things going on as well with respect to foreign travel. Messy.
In SC, I hope the Governor carried on an affair and eventually ran off leaving the state without leadership for some days. This strikes me as worse than Clinton, who lied about an affair, but didn't abandon his governmental responibilities and the GOP impeached. They guy should resign (like Clinton should have) and spare his state. Both guys seem to have equal sense of honor.
Celebrity Deaths
Michael Jackson died under expectedly sad circumstances. I wasn't much of a fan of anything post-Motown. His life seemed somewhat tragic, but his life was his responsibility, so it is tough to offer up much on it.
Farrah Fawcett died of cancer after a good fight.
Ed McMahon died at 86 after having had the opportunity to do lots of fun stuff. Lucky guy.
Iran's Leaders Now Seek Execution for Dissenters
Iran's leaders suck. If "kill'em all and led God sort'em out" doesn't come to mind with the latest round of crap from Iran's clerics, it should. These guys make Dick Cheney appear as a sympathetic leader. Of course, let's face it, your society issued in a theocracy that gives it leaders ultimate power to decide who is a lawbreaker and then condones upon those leaders the ability to determine who should be executed for breaking their laws. You're living in something worse than a dictatorship - which may have many of the same attributes, but doesn't claim that your execution is the will of God.
It is going to take a lot of deaths and dying in Iran before government gets better.
Don't Write Long Posts
I worked and worked on a long post about Obama's health plan mess --- but never could get it done, hence, no posts.
Back to atomized thoughts.
Back to atomized thoughts.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Return to the Good Old USA
Home Scene
We finally returned at last from 10 days of power touring.
Things went pretty well, but Treasure of the Sierra Madre came to mind as everyone got more and more tense.
The Good:
World Scene
Iran is still having fits with internal dissent. Evidence of vote rigging continues to accumulate. Deaths, water cannons, home invasions: nothing like a hard crack down to demonstrate that a theocracy serves the will of the people.
China wants Google to only return Chinese sites if the request is made from within China: nothing like the fear of knowledge to show your state is about controlling the people, not serving the people.
Loserville
We finally returned at last from 10 days of power touring.
Things went pretty well, but Treasure of the Sierra Madre came to mind as everyone got more and more tense.
The Good:
The UK really is more expensive that Disney World, so I can feel better about Disney if we ever return.- Atlas Shrugged is still going great guns half way through the book.
- Things at work were in pretty good shape when I returned.I think the trip will be a good memory and exposure for the kids.
- Next year, we can go to the beach again.
- The UK really is more expensive that Disney World, so I regret the cost of the trip.
- I have some bad sinus infection or cold that is still going on right now.
World Scene
Iran is still having fits with internal dissent. Evidence of vote rigging continues to accumulate. Deaths, water cannons, home invasions: nothing like a hard crack down to demonstrate that a theocracy serves the will of the people.
China wants Google to only return Chinese sites if the request is made from within China: nothing like the fear of knowledge to show your state is about controlling the people, not serving the people.
Loserville
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Bloggless trip
Been traveling in the UK with the family. We're not getting along that well and it violates the 5-day trip rule we should follow. Various bad things have happened, though we have seen some interesting stuff and had decent weather most of the time.
Meanwhile, Iran is having some quality times: possibly relecting one of the world's biggest assholes. Fortunately, we're given hope for a saner Iran with enough people making a scene that may be the next set of elections will see some real change. Of course, that is "real change" given the only people that can run have to be approved by the real holders of power, the Muslim clerics. E.g. separation of church of state have no meaning in Iran. Complain as I might about the Right, we live in a democracy.
Hope all is well.
I'll return next week.
Super G
Meanwhile, Iran is having some quality times: possibly relecting one of the world's biggest assholes. Fortunately, we're given hope for a saner Iran with enough people making a scene that may be the next set of elections will see some real change. Of course, that is "real change" given the only people that can run have to be approved by the real holders of power, the Muslim clerics. E.g. separation of church of state have no meaning in Iran. Complain as I might about the Right, we live in a democracy.
Hope all is well.
I'll return next week.
Super G
Sunday, June 14, 2009
The Right Killed Again - Getting Ready for More
Are you ready for the Civil War?
Last week the Right wing paranoid talking machine sent a gunman into the Holocaust museum.
We'll see a decent chance someone will manage to take out Obama at some point.
Read this (what should be chilling) column by Frank Rich. The Right didn't express outrage at the murder of an MD because they welcome the violence turned against those that "brought it upon themselves" for going against their wishes. Now, of course, Obama isn't really a citizen and is the first "Muslim" President.
Iran possibly re-elected Ahmadinejad, but the extreme nature of the voting results makes it seem likely significant voter fraud was involved. If not, then we know that Iran is after the bomb and we can expect it to pursue a more destructive policy line in the future. Sad.
Last week the Right wing paranoid talking machine sent a gunman into the Holocaust museum.
We'll see a decent chance someone will manage to take out Obama at some point.
Read this (what should be chilling) column by Frank Rich. The Right didn't express outrage at the murder of an MD because they welcome the violence turned against those that "brought it upon themselves" for going against their wishes. Now, of course, Obama isn't really a citizen and is the first "Muslim" President.
Iran possibly re-elected Ahmadinejad, but the extreme nature of the voting results makes it seem likely significant voter fraud was involved. If not, then we know that Iran is after the bomb and we can expect it to pursue a more destructive policy line in the future. Sad.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Travel reviews
Completed a very expensive day in London - but most days here are probably like that.
We saw Wicked at the Apollo - Victoria theater. The show was great. Fortunately I didn't know any of the plot, so it was all of a surprise.
Kids behaved pretty well. I had to carry my 9 year old on my shoulders a bit tonigh --- she's way too big on that. No rain yet and a moderate amount of sun.
Hope to offer more, but wishing the best to all right now.
Super G
We saw Wicked at the Apollo - Victoria theater. The show was great. Fortunately I didn't know any of the plot, so it was all of a surprise.
Kids behaved pretty well. I had to carry my 9 year old on my shoulders a bit tonigh --- she's way too big on that. No rain yet and a moderate amount of sun.
Hope to offer more, but wishing the best to all right now.
Super G
Friday, June 12, 2009
London Callling
Won't post a rant right now - though one is due of course.
I am in London with the whole family. It took many hours of travel and about 8 hours in weather delays on Thursday before we got on a 10:10 PM flight from Newark to Heathrow. We arrived without issue after that and spent about 4 hours walking around the sights close to our hotel.
It took about 5 hours to get onto a plane on the runway about 15 miles from my house. Only the end up tramped in the heat for an hour.
Anyway. We survived and we're here - and no swine flu.
I read about 150 pages of Atlas Shrugged - a pretty start for me. At least it is no Moby Dick and reads really quickly.
- Super G
I am in London with the whole family. It took many hours of travel and about 8 hours in weather delays on Thursday before we got on a 10:10 PM flight from Newark to Heathrow. We arrived without issue after that and spent about 4 hours walking around the sights close to our hotel.
It took about 5 hours to get onto a plane on the runway about 15 miles from my house. Only the end up tramped in the heat for an hour.
Anyway. We survived and we're here - and no swine flu.
I read about 150 pages of Atlas Shrugged - a pretty start for me. At least it is no Moby Dick and reads really quickly.
- Super G
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Big old pile of Sh*t
For a long time GM and Chrysler were advertisers on Rush Limbaugh's radio program. Now he is advocating you not buy GM cars in order to keep Obama's plans from succeeding. How many people have to be put out of work because the leaders Rush supported allowed the financial system to spin out of control? How many billions did we pour into the banking system to keep banks from failing - not because they deserved it but because they were "too big to fail."
Now apparently Rush and some other rightie talk show hosts are echoing a call to boycott GM products.
Where were they when Bush ran up the debt in order to give out tax breaks and fund an optional war in Iraq? Forget the fact that Bush's policies were already throwing us into deficits before the war. It was just bad policy.
They are right there: the Right. The giant ditto head machine. Openly saying they hope Obama fails and willing to take down as many American industries as it takes - and leave as many Americans unemployed as it takes.
While I never knew anyone like this, I think there were lefties that wanted things to go less than perfectly in Iraq because it was Bush's war. I find that kind of attitude disgusting. The human cost to our soldiers and the people in Iraq is not the kind of thing any decent person should trifle with just to wish ill upon a President they don't like.
However, when people become unemployed, some of them committ suicide, some of them turn to crime, some get ill and can't afford health care they need, some of them end up homeless, and some lose everything. What kind of sick group of people would wish that human cost upon the American people just because they don't like the President.
Argue the merits of policy all you want. Prove you're more of a defict hawk than I am. But if you listen to the piles of excrement that are encouraging you to boycott GM so Obama fails, you need to spend some time taking a hard look at yourself. You might find yourself staring at another sick pile of crap.
Now apparently Rush and some other rightie talk show hosts are echoing a call to boycott GM products.
Where were they when Bush ran up the debt in order to give out tax breaks and fund an optional war in Iraq? Forget the fact that Bush's policies were already throwing us into deficits before the war. It was just bad policy.
They are right there: the Right. The giant ditto head machine. Openly saying they hope Obama fails and willing to take down as many American industries as it takes - and leave as many Americans unemployed as it takes.
While I never knew anyone like this, I think there were lefties that wanted things to go less than perfectly in Iraq because it was Bush's war. I find that kind of attitude disgusting. The human cost to our soldiers and the people in Iraq is not the kind of thing any decent person should trifle with just to wish ill upon a President they don't like.
However, when people become unemployed, some of them committ suicide, some of them turn to crime, some get ill and can't afford health care they need, some of them end up homeless, and some lose everything. What kind of sick group of people would wish that human cost upon the American people just because they don't like the President.
Argue the merits of policy all you want. Prove you're more of a defict hawk than I am. But if you listen to the piles of excrement that are encouraging you to boycott GM so Obama fails, you need to spend some time taking a hard look at yourself. You might find yourself staring at another sick pile of crap.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Slippery Bank Crap You Should Think About
Banks, it turns out, are dying to pay back that government money if keeping interferes with executive compensation (read that massive payouts to the top insiders). But this little post isn't about that insidious greed, it is about another quick trick the credit card companies are pulling.
I recently went on a business trip and had my business card turned down. Turns out the credit card company had cancelled all of their business cards and I had been notified by mail (only I did actually get notified for another 5 days). The story was that they did not have enough capital to cover that particular credit card line and they had cancelled all cards in that line.
OK .... suppose you buy the line that my card cap of like $25k is enough to put a major bank at risk ... so you agree that their dire straights means they can't offer credit ... would you expect to see them offer me a new credit line and card within days of cancelling the old one?
What they are really doing is trying to re-establish more profitable terms with existing customers by (without warning) cancelling one deal in order to offer another.
Needless to say, we won't be getting another credit card set from that bank.
If you haven't already been hit - and I know multiple individuals who had credit cards cut their limits signficantly - keep an eye out for this new sleezy business operation. Shop for different credit card companies and read the fine print.
After all, they need to pay back that government pronto, because Daddy CEO needs another $25M bonus.
I recently went on a business trip and had my business card turned down. Turns out the credit card company had cancelled all of their business cards and I had been notified by mail (only I did actually get notified for another 5 days). The story was that they did not have enough capital to cover that particular credit card line and they had cancelled all cards in that line.
OK .... suppose you buy the line that my card cap of like $25k is enough to put a major bank at risk ... so you agree that their dire straights means they can't offer credit ... would you expect to see them offer me a new credit line and card within days of cancelling the old one?
What they are really doing is trying to re-establish more profitable terms with existing customers by (without warning) cancelling one deal in order to offer another.
Needless to say, we won't be getting another credit card set from that bank.
If you haven't already been hit - and I know multiple individuals who had credit cards cut their limits signficantly - keep an eye out for this new sleezy business operation. Shop for different credit card companies and read the fine print.
After all, they need to pay back that government pronto, because Daddy CEO needs another $25M bonus.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Socialism, Single-Payers, and Big Business
(I'm about to start reading Atlas Shrugged, so I have not yet had that influence yet)
One thing I have come to understand better in the last few years is that not everyone can run a business. I've also learned that few people are good managers and the education system does poorly at preparing and differentiating the less capable.
Just as the Right warns, we are headed towards a deeper level of socialism and it will move the bar over towards few supporting more. A one-payer insurance system will penalize me and my employees. A true one payer system would possibly put me out of business or at least drastically curtail my future likelihood – but the previous statement is only about the impact of a single payer system. Preventative medicine sometimes saves a lot of money and suffering (like vaccines), but other preventative medicine doesn't necessarily save money (for instance smokers die off earlier and they aren't necessarily more expensive than non-smokers). One thing that must be true is that a single-payer, government controlled medical care system will ration access to medical treatments. You'll benefit if you aren't getting care under the current system and you'll lose some of your medical choices if you currently can afford better coverage.
I have spoken to a few MDs recently who are unexcited about a single payer system. One of them had developed cancer and will have to be treated for the rest of this life with a moderately expensive chemotherapy. While eligible for Medicare, he told the government to forget it, because he couldn't use it to get care from the people he wanted. In short, Medicare isn't some grand solution, it causes offices to operate on tight margins or augment through standard insurance to offset the costs.
If the Left wants to create a single-payer system and force everyone to participate, I suggest that they do it while leaving open private hospital systems and insurance. This must operate on a for profit - private insurance - system.
The Left has, however, got it right on executive compensation. No leader is worth $100 million dollars in a year. If he has helped them make $1G, then someone else could have too. The top levels of business is an inside game. One guys on the boards are often CEOs and it works in a circle. As a single employee or single investor, you are not getting the same deals as the Venture Capitalists who are in and out well before a company is public. This isn't about transparency, it is about who has the money and opportunity to make real money. You are a rube if you think $20
million dollar plus bonuses are good for business, good for America, and good for you.
Back to Altas Shrugged and John Galt. It seems an appropriate read right now with Obama's rescue. If only Ayn Rand had perhaps seen a corrupt system run into the ground chasing paper profits – but producing nothing – John Galt may have had a somewhat different speech.
What would be good is to make the path easier for small business (company with less than 500 or 1000 employees).
I can tell you that executive compensation from a small business doesn't have very much to do with the executive compensation at AIG … which is good really. But turning a small business into a huge business given the advantages that big business has – is like becoming governor on a 3rd party ticket: it can be done, but the system is against you.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Tough Times for Other People
This morning on the television there was a woman who was in the midst of bad times. Her husband had just died the previous year, she was working two jobs, she had just moved to the area, and was called from work by her son. When she arrived home a fire in the townhouses had spread to her roof and the firemen had poured fire into the place. In it was the bed she had just gotten the previous day, but never slept in.
Surely she must feel like the world is not her friend.
A plane broke apart over the Atlantic in a massive thunderstom leaving no survivors.
Unemployment jumped to over 10% in NC earlier, but seems to be stabilizing.
I recently talked to the parent of a girl that had failed to make the soccer team she really wanted to be on last year, but was trying again this year. I don't know if she made it.
Here is a post on the Another Monkey blog with links to several articles about the rape of children.
Take a little bit of time today or tomorrow to be thankful for the things you have and remember those who have been damaged by things beyond their control.
Surely she must feel like the world is not her friend.
A plane broke apart over the Atlantic in a massive thunderstom leaving no survivors.
Unemployment jumped to over 10% in NC earlier, but seems to be stabilizing.
I recently talked to the parent of a girl that had failed to make the soccer team she really wanted to be on last year, but was trying again this year. I don't know if she made it.
Here is a post on the Another Monkey blog with links to several articles about the rape of children.
Take a little bit of time today or tomorrow to be thankful for the things you have and remember those who have been damaged by things beyond their control.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Late Night Revelry
Well - not exactly a party. I've been getting some extra work in trying to complete some stuff before my family's trip to England and Scotland.
I'm getting excited, but I've still got 2 or 3 big things to complete by COB (close of business) on Friday. The pressure never really seems to let up, but employed remains better than unemployed.
Big news of the day was the wait for Obama's big speech in Egypt. We'll see. So far, Obama's out reach to the Muslim world has been useful and good. There is a bit more to give before domestic outcry will bring him back. Though, a theocracy can never be a democracy, by definition, so some countries can only go so far.
I will get - though it may take some time - to taking the Obama administration to task on the budget and spending. Not tonight though.
Here's hoping for an easier tomorrow (and weekend) - I've worked all but 1 of the last 19 days at least 6 hours. Ugggg.
I'm getting excited, but I've still got 2 or 3 big things to complete by COB (close of business) on Friday. The pressure never really seems to let up, but employed remains better than unemployed.
Big news of the day was the wait for Obama's big speech in Egypt. We'll see. So far, Obama's out reach to the Muslim world has been useful and good. There is a bit more to give before domestic outcry will bring him back. Though, a theocracy can never be a democracy, by definition, so some countries can only go so far.
I will get - though it may take some time - to taking the Obama administration to task on the budget and spending. Not tonight though.
Here's hoping for an easier tomorrow (and weekend) - I've worked all but 1 of the last 19 days at least 6 hours. Ugggg.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Hitting the Road
I'm drove from NC to DC and back to NC (4 hours + 4.5 hours) and went to a meeting in the span of 24 hours. E.g. I left at 5PM on day and got back at 4:20 PM the next day.
The meeting went well. A meeting with government officials.
I am happy to be back.
If anyone wanders back to this blog - I welcome you - and thank you for taking the time.
I'll probably be mostly political / opinion based these days. My son was just saying there wasn't much going on, but, of course, there are tons of things going on. Just not things he is interested in.
I'm looking forward to ranting a bit about the deficit, torture, shameless behavior, defects of the right and left, etc. Mostly you got the point is you saw "rant".
As I approach 50, I see myself as crankier.
It has been a year+ since I had the blog active AND I let supergworld.com go as well. Lots of things have happened: crazy work, firings, hirings, children's successes, difficult family situations, etc.
I'll try to relate a few of those things as well.
I'm off to bed now, it is 10:00 PM and I have to get up at 5:30. All of that driving has my eyes weary.
Best, Super G
The meeting went well. A meeting with government officials.
I am happy to be back.
If anyone wanders back to this blog - I welcome you - and thank you for taking the time.
I'll probably be mostly political / opinion based these days. My son was just saying there wasn't much going on, but, of course, there are tons of things going on. Just not things he is interested in.
I'm looking forward to ranting a bit about the deficit, torture, shameless behavior, defects of the right and left, etc. Mostly you got the point is you saw "rant".
As I approach 50, I see myself as crankier.
It has been a year+ since I had the blog active AND I let supergworld.com go as well. Lots of things have happened: crazy work, firings, hirings, children's successes, difficult family situations, etc.
I'll try to relate a few of those things as well.
I'm off to bed now, it is 10:00 PM and I have to get up at 5:30. All of that driving has my eyes weary.
Best, Super G
Monday, June 1, 2009
The Right Kills Again
Read enough Right-Wing blogs and you'll see that they every so often bring up the idea that there will be a civil war. That the Right is so persecuted they'll take up arms or Texas will secede from the union. And ever so often, someone on the Right listens to the talking heads and murders someone or blows up a building with children in it. So, whether you believe it or not, the Right is already prosecuting a violent war against the Left - and those that disagree with them.
Sadly, the Right then idolizes these murderers and rationalizes their behavior.
On Sunday, George Tiller was murdered in an act of domestic terrorism. This is one of the many shots in the civil war the Right has taken. It won't be the last.
I highly suggest that you read The Orcinus blog, an excellent dialogue on hate speak and the violence that it spawns.
Do not be fooled by the bloviating of the religious Right on this topic. They advocate murder and, with the likes of Bill O'Reilly, they are partners in crime. They are not righteous, but bullies going from threatening words to physical intimidation and they violence.
Rather than respect they law, the Right reserves for itself the ability to abandon the law to include torture, bombings, and the gunning down of someone never found guilty under the law.
Shall we gun down Dick Cheney for torture and starting a war that resulted in the deaths of 10,000s or perhaps 100,000s? Better we find a truth committee or we put him behind bars. Better we choose the law and civilization above the chaos the Right seeks to impose on us with a civil war --- if we don't bow to their demands (usually accompanied by a long whine).
Laughably, the Right claims the Left wants to bring down society .... when it is the Right that threatens civil war and carries out terrorist acts against Americans.
Sadly, the Right then idolizes these murderers and rationalizes their behavior.
On Sunday, George Tiller was murdered in an act of domestic terrorism. This is one of the many shots in the civil war the Right has taken. It won't be the last.
I highly suggest that you read The Orcinus blog, an excellent dialogue on hate speak and the violence that it spawns.
Do not be fooled by the bloviating of the religious Right on this topic. They advocate murder and, with the likes of Bill O'Reilly, they are partners in crime. They are not righteous, but bullies going from threatening words to physical intimidation and they violence.
Rather than respect they law, the Right reserves for itself the ability to abandon the law to include torture, bombings, and the gunning down of someone never found guilty under the law.
Shall we gun down Dick Cheney for torture and starting a war that resulted in the deaths of 10,000s or perhaps 100,000s? Better we find a truth committee or we put him behind bars. Better we choose the law and civilization above the chaos the Right seeks to impose on us with a civil war --- if we don't bow to their demands (usually accompanied by a long whine).
Laughably, the Right claims the Left wants to bring down society .... when it is the Right that threatens civil war and carries out terrorist acts against Americans.
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