pirana

Middle aged for a solar system! Mid 50's isn't old, . . . if you are a tree. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

As long as we continue to have elections with more than one candidate for the job, the use of the word dictate and all of it's derivatives is a bit hyperbolic; and an indicator that the user is a highly biased shit-stirring lackey for one party or the other. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

That would make this my 1st profiling experience since the police gave me the business back in the 70's for my long hair; which is still the only time I was ever handcuffed (against my desires). " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

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Criminy, just realized I posted this to Bonfire, not Speaker's Corner. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Ski Play poker Lumberjack Continue digitizing the album collection Harass the cats Gopher basketball (ranked #15 now) Read & write Get rready for spring " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Very bland compared to the original; especially with the lack of politically incorrect humor. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Good humor; got it from a friend and couldn't resist passing on. The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent terrorist threats, and have therefore raised their security level from "Miffed" to "Peeved". Soon though, security levels may be raised yet again to "Irritated" or even "A Bit Cross". The English have not been "A Bit Cross" since the blitz in 1940, when tea supplies nearly ran out. Terrorists have been re-categorized from "Tiresome" to "A Bloody Nuisance". The last time the British issued “A Bloody Nuisance" warning level was in 1588, when threatened by the Spanish Armada. The Scots have raised their threat level from "Pissed Off" to "Let's Get The Bastards". They don't have any other levels. This is the reason they have been used on the front line of the British army for the last 300 years. The French government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from "Run" to "Hide". The only two higher levels in France are "Collaborate" and "Surrender". The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France's white flag factory, effectively paralyzing the country's military capability. Italy has increased the alert level from "Shout Loudly & Excitedly" to "Elaborate Military Posturing". Two more levels remain: "Ineffective Combat Operations" and "Change Sides". The Germans have increased their alert state from "Disdainful Arrogance" to "Dress In Uniform & Sing Marching Songs". They also have two higher levels: "Invade A Neighbor" and "Lose". Belgians on the other hand are all on holiday as usual; the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels. The Spanish are all excited to see their new submarines ready to deploy. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new Spanish navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy. Americans meanwhile, and as usual, are carrying out pre-emptive strikes on all of their allies "just in case". Canada doesn't have any alert levels. New Zealand has raised its security levels - from "baaa" to "BAAAA". Due to continuing defense cutbacks, New Zealand has only one more level of escalation, which is "Hope Australia Rescues Us". Australia, meanwhile, has raised its security level from "No Worries, Mate" to "She'll Be Alright, Mate". Three more escalation levels remain: "Crikey!", "We May Need To Cancel The Barbie This Weekend" and "The Barbie Is Cancelled". So far, no situation has ever warranted use of the final escalation level. Happy Thanksgiving. If you do not celebrate Thanksgiving, then just Happy. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Just have a quick form to sign at the door, collect a couple euros, recite some state-your-name pledge, and bingo - now we are members. Works for fireworks in Wisconsin. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

I agree with you, at least to some extent. Many times when you look at these things they have set up the measurement criteria based on preconcieved ideas of what is good. I saw one that ranked health and one of the criteria was whether or not health care was nationalized. They also fail to disclose, or put it in Bible-print footnotes that nobody reads, that there are very few measures that are conducted in exactly the same manner in all places. I prefer comparing things that are harder to tweak, or at least more difficult to lie about - say for instance GDP per capita, or purchasing power using average wages and a standard list of consumer goods. If a pollster picks and chooses their measurement criteria carefully, they can make most anybody look good or bad. Scrutinize very carefully the numbers from any organization with an agenda that includes social engineering. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

I watched just long enough to see that it was goofy; about 30 seconds. As soon as it hit the part where it claimed the possibility of the sequence of numbers that came up was some astronomical odds - GOODBYE. The odds of any set of numbers coming up in sequence is exactly the same. It could have been just as likely to have been all 1's. And then all the numerologists would have had a fucking orgasm. The good news for humanity - most prople (I hope) recognize this as just plain goofy silly BS. The bad news - some sizeable minority buys it. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

I like the comparison to the parent-teacher conference. I hate those. Finally got a teacher this year for my younger daughter who gets that we actually do pay attention to homework and the stuff that comes home, work with our kids on school stuff, and are aware of her strengths and weaknesses. She allows us to look at the paperwork, nod a few times, exchange pleasantries, and be on our way. No 20 minute session reviewing the obvious and pretending we are excited to be there. How refreshing. I do hate that they are horrible at scheduling, with our conference almost always starting after the time it was supposed to be over; but then, we get to be the now-your-back-schedule family. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

For some reason that joke seems backwards. Did you simply turn around a believer joke? " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

If so, they will be disappointed when they find me. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

A bicycle helmet? Lucky bastard. Very possible. An impact to the head with no protection, leading to death (if it was an impact to the head that caused death), could quite possibly been turned into a non-deadly impact to the head by having a helmet. Depends on the details. Was the deadly contact directly with the 83 mph auto bumper, or from striking the pavement after the initial contact. As an aside; I got hit, while riding a bicycle, by a motorcycle traveling at a minimum 90 mph. Landed on my feet, 2 sprained ankles. If my body rotation had been different and I had landed on my head, might have killed me. With a helmet, probably not. Yeah, that's a lot of maybes and ifs, but my point is depending on the exact details, it's possible. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

I think they are. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Just 2 deaths needed - The Queen and Charles. Had to go look out of curiosity, and someone, or group, has bothered to identify the 4,982 people in line for the throne, and listed the 1st 1,791 of them by name. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

I think she does become Queen, but I think a Queen's husband does not become King? " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

That explains it - not that it is right - but yes, you got screwed because you changed plans. This is a loophole already eliminated years ago in states that have their shit together; states where continuous coverage means all plans, with no more than some minimal gap (usually around 60 days) count as continuous coverage in satisfying a pre-ex review period. Basically, as long as you maintain continuous coverage you are not subject to review. If national regulation on common sense items like this would have been implemented when they were 1st recognized we probably wouldn't be dealing with such a reactionary over-the-top program now. Shame on the legislators, insurance companies, and lawyers for bringing us to the brink. On your comments on Medicare - who do you think administers Medicare plans for the government? " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

7800' flag? Maybe square footage, so about 100' X 78'? " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

How can you be so sure (unless you know the details of the accident, and exactly how he was struck and by what)? A friend of mine had an accident at that speed and his life was saved by his helmet. Not supporting the suit mind you as I'm a hardliner on DUI's and feel very strongly that multiple offenders need to be completely removed from driving. In my perfect world, after that many you do whatever it takes to keep them off the road. He should have gotten 10 years for the 3rd DUI. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

Thanks for the correction, an honest error in adding the 0. As posted, the estimate is a single trillion, and comes from CBO, which typically is pretty good at non-biased estimates. But that estimate was before exceptions started getting handed out. The thing is that guarantee issue doesn't work unless it is coupled with mandated participation. Anti-selection will absolutely doom the program without both. Guarantee issue is a noble and worthy goal, but it comes with the price tag of a mandate to participate, which means the cost side needs to be addressed first. IMO, it is extremely irresponsible for the administration to have bullied this incredibly expensive thing thru while we are still digging out from the last crisis. One piano on our back at a time please. Best scenario now is that it gets cut off in the funding process until after we get out from under the current mess. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

In case you have not been noticing over the last 10 years.. they have ALL been going up. They are doing it because THEY CAN. Without a viable public option it will only get worse. People will see that at some point when they go to use their medical benefits and they find out just what those REALLLLY are. The hospitals may provide the service.. but good luck on your insurance company paying for it. If its a big bill and you can find a lawyer that will take the case... cool BUT if its just going to cost you more in legal fees to try to get the insurance company to actually pay.. well cut your losses and just pay for it yourself. Bull shit Without removing the state mandates, doing tort reform and open up states boarders to encourage competition the price will going up. Gov caused this And now it is going up faster because of more govenment control More parts of the puzzle that were not even addressed; I suspect because the administration does not want to take on the docs or the lawyers. But yes, they are going to run up a hell of a bill - I'm quite confident it will be considerably more than the trillion dollars in 10 years currently forecasted, since all of the jostling and positioning going on right now is going to make the tab even bigger. But why do you think a public option will exert downward price pressure? I'm truly curious, because unless it is subsidized by taxes, no way will a public option be cheaper than a plan on the open market. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

We'd have a better exchange if you picked one topic and/or story at a time. In your post you mention having coverage for years and years and then being pissed that all you got was pills. A bit later in the same post you complained, or actually just declared, that anyone denying claims for pre-X should be broken. Not sure who your coverage is with, but if you have had a plan for years and years; certainly for 40 years; your pre-x has been met. That is to say, the period for review is limited. In most cases it is no more than 24 months, usually more like 12 to 15. For self-insured employers, they may still be able to make it whatever they want - for now. So you have a story where you had a plan for 40 years and then got denied as pre-x? That would be wrong. Even so, I'd stop short of breaking (whatever that means) the claims processor; but that's just me. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

That helps some; but since I don't know Krugman's political leaning (I know the name, but not the personality) -- I'm still not certain which party I've been accused of attacking or cohorting with. My points stand regardless of Krugman's opinion, party affiliation, or use of the term death panel to piss off his detractors and/or his opposition's supporter. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley