WRITING: Sorry, it’s rationed (An Index Card Novel)

Saturday, June 20, 2009

The store had a color poster. A young blond Aryan-Looking woman in an apron raises her hand to take a pledge. “Food Fights for Freedom”. “Produce and Conserve” “Share and Play Square”. The older couple had survived the First World War with their victory garden. Now, with rationing, and their modest savings, it was hard to make end met. They were too old and too frail to put in a garden that they’d need to survive. Their Church provided some. Their family some. But eventually it was just too hard. They weren’t listed as casualties of war, but they were. The poverty of war. If all the young men weren’t off dying in some far flung part of the world, they’d have been to home and tending to the communities’ needs. The local guard. Contributing to churches, fraternities, and civil society in general. But, they were off dying. Just like the old couple, casualties of war.

+++++

The recently retired fat old white guy brought his equally old wife into the hospital’s emergency room. Heart failure was an easy diagnosis. Then the “fun” began. No more evil insurance companies to do battle with. No more hospital bills at all. Couldn’t pay if you wanted to. Couldn’t buy drugs anywhere at any price. Everything was “free”. Doctor Phil came into the old girl’s room. She wasn’t that old 60 something. But the “guidelines” were very clear. Palliative care. Hospice care. Informed of their “final options”. Those drugs were cheap! The “doctor” explained that they had nothing to offer them. The old gent was pretty funny. To the doc’s standard “just be a minute”, he’d replied “take two, we have lots”. The doc confided that there were drugs, operations, and therapies available “off-shore”. If she could survive the trip. If they could afford the trip. If they could keep it secret. (The Healthy Homeland Bureaucracy didn’t take kindly to their regulations being evaded.) In the end, there wasn’t much anyone could do. The old lady was a casualty of the war. Whatever the current war was that prevented society from treating its young and old humanely. Everyone was dying. Just like the old couple, casualties of war.

+++++

The hospital had a color poster. A multicultural group had their collective hands raised to take a pledge. “Health is a village responsibility” “One for all; all for the common good” “Play fair; do your part”

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INTERESTING: A health care plan alternative

Friday, June 19, 2009

http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/06/a_real_free_market_health_care_1.html

A Real Free Market Health Care Solution
By Frank S. Rosenbloom, M.D.

*** begin quote ***

Solution:

   * 1. Don’t pass any of the Democrat health care plans. Savings of at least $3 trillion over the next five years.

   * 2. Immediately do away with Medicare, Medicaid, and The Center for Medicare and Medicaid services. No other major industrialized nation has a separate system for the elderly, disabled and the poor. Scrap the Joint Commission on Hospital Accreditation. Savings of nearly $1 trillion in federal tax dollars yearly, $1 trillion in savings for states and billions in savings by dissolving the tyrannical Joint Commission.

   * 3. People should be responsible for purchasing their own health care, not the government or the employer, making health insurance completely portable. Scrap Hillary Clinton’s HIPAA act at a savings of billions yearly. Let’s make it HIPAA-posthumous.

   * 4. A Health Insurance Company must offer a good basic low-cost health care plan with expanded health savings accounts. Taxpayer cost zero dollars.

   * 5. No health exclusions for three years. Taxpayer cost zero dollars.

   * 6. Health plans should promote healthy practices and preventive health. Taxpayer cost zero.

   * 7. For the poor, government should subsidize the premiums, not be involved in paying providers. Taxpayer costs by my estimate around $600 billion per year.

   * 8. Retired people of lower means should be helped as above but should not have a separate insurance plan run by the government. Sorry, Medicare is dead. Promises were broken, but we are mature people and we need to get over it. Let’s not let it happen again! Taxpayer cost around $300 billion per year.

   * 9. End tax penalties for individuals purchasing individual health insurance. Taxpayer cost zero dollars as these penalties are merely punitive, designed to make people dependent.

   * 10. The health insurance companies in each state should have the option of creating a risk pool from some of their premium funds. Taxpayer cost zero dollars.

   * 11. Laws should be changed to allow for private health co-ops to be formed as an option for those so inclined. Taxpayer cost zero dollars.

   * 12. Patients should be free to change insurance plans at least twice yearly and since their insurance would not be controlled by their employer or the government no permission is needed from them. Taxpayer cost zero dollars.

   * 13. There should be no legal right for insurance plans to dismiss competent and qualified contracted physicians for “no cause”, when that no cause is really due to the physician acting as a patient advocate.

   * 14. Tort reform with penalties for frivolous lawsuits and the loser paying some of the costs.

Well, there you have it. The savings for taxpayers over three years: Nearly $5 trillion. Not requiring bills hundreds of pages long: Priceless! A few short regulations and we have a viable health care system for the future covering over 99% of the population, devoid of the treachery of Medicare and without dependence on the federal government. It’s very simple, very sensible, and so easy even a government official can understand it. It’s even short enough for Congress members to read fully, though some may require several days. Oh, yes, Mr. Obama, I want our $600 billion back.

*** end quote ***

Wow! What great ideas. Zero chance to kill Medicare. But, great ideas.

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FUN: Luddite sends me a joke

Friday, June 19, 2009

From:
Date: June 19, 2009 9:03:13 AM EDT
To:
Subject: Letter from the Boss

LETTER FROM THE BOSS:

As the CEO of this organization, I have resigned myself to the fact that Barrack Obama is our President and that our taxes and government fees will increase in a BIG way. To compensate for these increases, our prices would have to increase by about 10%.

But since we cannot increase our prices right now due to the dismal state of the economy, we will have to lay off 60 of our employees instead. This has really been bothering me; since I believe we are family here, and I didn’t know how to choose who would have to go.

So, this is what I did. I walked through our parking lots and found 60 ‘Obama’ bumper stickers on our employees’ cars and have decided these folks will be the ones to let go. I can’t think of a more fair way to approach this problem.

They voted for change; I gave it to them.

I will see the rest of you at the annual company picnic.

Signed,
The Boss

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ROFL

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TECHNOLOGY: Booting from removable media

Friday, June 19, 2009

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/blogs/bizfeed/166570/new_macbook_pro_can_boot_from_an_sd_card_duh_so_can_pcs.html

BizFeed
Smart tech advice for your small business
Robert Strohmeyer, PC World | Friday, June 12, 2009 7:17 AM PDT
New MacBook Pro Can Boot From an SD Card. (Duh. So Can PCs.)

*** begin quote ***

In the wake of this week’s WWDC keynote, in which Apple announced that new MacBook Pro laptops will finally include an SD slot, the tech press is all aflutter about what they seem to think is a new possibility: booting from SD. Sorry to break it to you all, but this isn’t a new idea, and many PCs have been doing it for years.

*** end quote ***

I STILL don’t understand.

We could NOT have malware that embedded into the boot records if we used removable media for the boot process.

One of the great weapons that the bad guys have against us is that “reinfection” vector.

Microsoft has done us a great disservice if the whole architecture of the “personal computer”.

That’s why I’m moving to Linux.

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POLITICS: Use Sotomayor as a proxy for Affirmative Action

Thursday, June 18, 2009

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=100835

Miss Affirmative Action, 2009
Posted: June 12, 2009
Pat Buchanan

*** begin quote ***

Republican senators should use this Sotomayor nomination to put affirmative action in the dock for what it is – race-based bigotry against white males so that persons of color can receive the rewards of society that they could not win in free and fair competition.

Lay out the Sotomayor record – SAT scores, LSAT scores, bar exam score, law review articles and her opinions – so that we can see up close what those who eviscerated Robert Bork regard as academic and judicial excellence.

No need for name-calling.

*** end quote ***

Sorry, but in a lifetime job, we need the best.

Objectively, best. Not Subjectively.

We need to consign “Affirmative Action” to a time past when racism, even reverse racism, is unacceptable.

Something about “content of character; not the color their skin.”

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MONEY: What is the correct interest rate?

Thursday, June 18, 2009

http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/fdic-sets-bank-interest-rate-caps.html

Your Take: FDIC Sets Bank Interest Rate Caps by Jim Wang

*** begin quote ***

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation SealNear the end of May, the FDIC Board of Directors approved a rule that capped the interest rate “less than well capitalized institutions.”

*** end quote ***

And, what part of fascism don’t you understand?

The gooferment is trying to run the banks.

What a joke.

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GOVEROTRAGEOUS: Old rule; unintended consequences

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124473141538306335.html

JUNE 11, 2009, 4:38 P.M. ET
IRS Weighs Rules for Taxing Private Use of Work Cellphones
By MARTIN VAUGHAN

*** begin quote ***

WASHINGTON — The IRS is weighing a proposal to deem one-quarter of employees’ use of work cellphones as personal use and therefore subject to tax as a fringe benefit.

*** end quote ***

Cellphone used to be a big exec perk. Congresscritters figured “punish the rich”. Except one of my favorite technology architectural principle came into operation — change happens; time silently alters the playing field — and now the law of unintended consequences operates. Cell phones are cheap and plentiful. Record keeping is expensive, error-prone, and useless. Perk is now a general pain. And, the biz doesn’t give them out for any other reason that to have a 24 hour work force without paying 24 hour wages.

Taxes are theft. Close the IRS. Shrink the gooferment. And, kill corporations! They are nothing more than secret tax collectors anyway.

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Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Newsroom June 12

This is pretty funny. Especially the “government sucks” slip.

Five minutes well spent!

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WRITING: A Revolution starts with one man (An Index Card Novel)

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

He was just an old Jew in post World War One Germany. His only child, his son, was caught by the Brown Shirts and beaten to death. After that his wife lost the will to live, she was raped and killed by some drunken Nazi soldiers on leave. If they’d done that to an Aryan woman, they’d have been shot. Instead they got “genetic counseling”, and punishment for “wasting their seeds” on the Fatherland. He had received notice to prepare to be resettled. He knew in his heart what that meant. The Torah didn’t approve of murder, but that’s what he had in his heart.

He slid the old credenza away from the wall and took out his “tools” from World War I. The Gas Mask, the Mauser, the ammo. In the soon to be darkened railroad apartment, he put dark blankets crumpled on the floor to confuse things. Some gasoline was spread around. Kerosene lamps were in abundance. At the end of the apartment, in the kitchen, he put a sand bag rest. Extinguished the lights. He got down on the floor and waited. It wouldn’t be long.

In the Schutzstaffel, he was an up and comer. He’d already deported 600 Jews. Killed 400 resisting deportation. He had several crack squads. As Obersturmführer, he had his duty. Pickings were getting slim. To boost his numbers, he had his squads sweeping Jews up off the street whenever the opportunity presented itself. He always hated the apartment raids. Fighting on the other man’s ground. But it often couldn’t be helped. He went along on the raids to inspire his men. This apartment was a little different. The occupant didn’t go quietly. There were casualties. He’d lost 6 of his best men. He went to inspect. One Jew dead; six of his best. Didn’t seem like a fair trade. As he walked thru, he smelt gas. Was there a leak? By the door, one of the slackers lit a cigarette.

Woosh!

The Obersturmführer died screaming. Along with 13 of his crack squad.

19 for 1!

*****

He was just an old Catholic Pro-life gun owner in Amerika. His only child, his son, was killed in some -stan or another. After that his wife lost the will to live, she was raped and killed by some illegal immigrant who the government had given amnesty. He had received notice to prepare to be ‘inspected”. He had like a good citizen “papered” his guns. The Obama BATF was coming to collect them. He had a paper trail when he bought his gold coins; the FBI was coming to collect them. He’d made some obscure paperwork mistake on his 1040, despite using an accountant, the IRS was coming to seize their rightful wealth. He knew in his heart what that meant. The Bible didn’t approve of murder, but that’s what he had in his heart.

He slid the old credenza away from the wall and took out his “tools” from the Y2K scare. The Gas Mask, the AR15 with a special seer plate, the ammo. In the soon to be darkened railroad house, he put dark blankets crumpled on the floor to confuse things. In the basement, the natural gas to the hot water heater was disconnected. Kerosene lamps were in abundance down there. On the main level, he had phosphorus ready to disrupt night vision googles. At the end of the apartment, in the kitchen, he put a sand bag rest. Extinguished the lights. He got down on the floor and waited. It wouldn’t be long. He thought of Pastor Martin Niemîller.

In the Obama Homeland Security, he was an up and comer. He’d already arrested 300 Pro-Lifers, 150 Gun Owners, 100 Gold bugs, and 75 Born Again Christians. Killed another 400 resisting “inspection”, or arrest. He had several crack squads. As an Assistant Regional Director, he had his duty. Pickings were getting slim. To boost his numbers, he had his squads sweeping people up off the street whenever the opportunity presented itself. As long as they were not Muslims or people of color, he could always find a reason to justify the arrest. He always hated the apartment raids. Fighting on the other man’s ground. But it often couldn’t be helped. He went along on the raids to inspire his men. This apartment was a little different. The occupant didn’t go quietly. There were casualties. He’d lost 16 of his best men. He went to inspect. One fat old white man dead; many of his best too. Didn’t seem like a fair trade. Here the man had an interesting tactic. He shot a few inches off the ground. No one had bullet proof boots. All of his casualties were knocked down by ankle wounds. Then they were prone and their bullet proof armor was useless. They were shot laying down. Even their night vision googles were made useless by the blinding light. The dead resister obviously had a plan. He’d have to adjust their tactics. As he walked thru, he smelt gas. Was there a leak? By the door, one of the slackers lit a cigarette.

Woosh!

The Captain died screaming. Along with another 23 of his crack squad.

40 for 1!

*****

At Homeland Security Headquarters, they were running out of people willing to serve arrest and seizure warrants.

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TECHNOLOGY: Opera 10 changing the paradigm

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

http://unite.opera.com/  

Opera Unite: a Web server on the Web browser

With Opera 10, we are introducing a new technology called Opera Unite, radically extending what you are able to do online. Opera Unite harnesses the power of today’s fast connections and hardware, allowing all of us to help define the future landscape of the Web, one computer at a time. Read about how Opera Unite is going to change the way we interact on the Web on labs.opera.com.

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Interesting. Run a web server from your machine. It’s going to turn all notions of security upside down.

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