pirana

Hallelujah! Seriously, thank goodness for the good teachers; it would probably be a very different world if they were all like the ones that can inspire kids and get them to see beyond their own current existence. I had a really good one for 5th Grade, a couple more in Jr. High (English and Art), and most unfortunately, only 1 in all of High School. Don't know if they were burned out on it or just not that good, but my High School teachers left a lot to be desired. " . . . 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 you think that environmental regulation was the reason for the auto manufacturer's demise, then you're right it's not a good parallel. Personally, I think that it was their poor financial decisions, and an overpaid union. The entire point of group insurance is that it's for a group - that includes higher risk and lower risk clientele. Once insurance companies start offering "group" policies to select people, it's not group insurance, it's discrimination. And discrimination was certainly the point - there was NO medical reason to deny the infant - only one underwriter's personal bias. As a group insurance provider, you mitigate that by appealing and marketing to healthy people - not by denying specific children based on your assumption that fat babies are sick and/or dying. Insurance companies offer group coverage to pretty much any group that requests a quote; the criteria for being a group almost always being a common employer or professional organization. The rate offerred is based on the group's claims history and health history, and is determined by an underwriter. (Not sure what you meant by "select"). Even with guarantee issue there is still the need for underwriting in order to determine the rate offerred, though that may change if standard rate bands are mandated. (Thank God we'll still have actuarials around). The kid was denied for a medical reason, only because the parents went shopping for a cheaper policy. The kid was not denied for being fat, as an addition to the existing employer policy. Added to an existing employer policy as a newborn, there would have been no health history review - it's an automatic add everywhere as far as I know. The denial was based on a companies underwriting guidelines, not on the underwriter's personal bias. Even in the partial truths divulged in the article, that much was evident. Insurance companies mitigate risk in a lot of ways, and one of them is by denying high risk individuals applying to get into a pool that is health history underwritten. If a person wants their child covered no questions asked, then they need to add them as a newborn to an existing policy. If they decide to shop around, try to beat the price, game the system, or other such things; then they need to make sure to keep the guaranteed coverage in place while they do so. " . . . 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

sorry to pick on yours, mark, but this sentence in a school thread really does speak to my sense of humorous irony Such a critic. Throw in a couple more thats and a sprinkling of commas and it'll be good to go. The are/our mixup does however call for a Funk & Wagnalls review. " . . . 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

And what else floats? A duck! Ergo, Billvon is a fat baby! BUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRN! " . . . 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

Ok, you caught us, we were trying to use this kid as the poster child for HC reform when in reality he is a heroin addict, an old habit he picked up while serving in Nam. And then there's all the STD's he picks up from all the hookers he bangs. This infant is really a louse who wants the gov nipple stuck in his mouth, not mommies. Why all the hyperbole, . . . from both sides. They had coverage (or at least an option for coverage), didn't like the price, went shopping around, got turned down based on obesity, and then used some connections to force a favorable decision. This baby is not a poster child for any position other than a person should not allow a lapse in coverage while shopping around. " . . . 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

And what else floats? " . . . 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's a great business decision to apply to applicants that are adults really makes little sense for babies though.... Why is that?? Why should a Business be forced to sell a Product that they will most likely loose money on?? That makes no sense. The business offers a product. They do not discriminate. If you are above the 95th percentile in Height/Weight that product is not available. You are welcome to shop around for another product or pay for your own (or in this case, Your children) medical expenses. . Perhaps airlines could adopt a similar business practice. No fat bastards on board. That would put too many pilots out of work. " . . . 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

Yes it would. And there are clinics and Public Options available just about everywhere that will do exactly that. I would prefer to see an option available where this child could get Insurance but I do not fault the Business (Insurance Company) for being consistent in their policies. Watch out; being a voice of reason gets you branded as wanting the baby to die (in some circles). And yes, I'm on the lookout for Life Threatening Infants. I've heard they follow behind the Gangs of Grannies. " . . . 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

You may not have intended it, but that's actually an excellent argument in favor of having public health care: because, as a matter of public and social policy, in the most prosperous nation in the world, a necessity such as health coverage should not be subject to the dynamics of profit-driven underwriting judgments. Then why are grocery stores allowed to make a profit? It does not get much more necessary than food. Should the food industry all be required to be nonprofit? Playing devil's advocate a bit, because I'm good with a safety net type plan for all that can not feed theirselves. You give them powdered milk, humongous blocks of cheese, yellow cans with FOOD in big black block letters, etc. But not filets and artichoke hearts. " . . . 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

ooh .... OOH.... I wanna play and socialists would divide them up to feed the others and communists would put them in charge of eating and Libertarians would harvest their fat from their bodies for profit (and continue to feed them to replenish that supply) Sounds like a cross between The Matrix and Soylent Green. Maybe some day in the future our society WILL be powered by EXIT (Excess Infant Tissue). " . . . 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

They appear to have had coverage, or at least to have had it for the asking and paying. But they decided to pass on it and shop around. Not a very good plan on the parents part for financing their health care. If the story included all the pertinent info, we might know for sure and in exact detail what transpired; but the article was mostly a position piece. " . . . 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 you frequently consider suicide (or even infrequently, or even if you just think of it in terms of my-life-is-barely-worth-living), it would be good to seek professional help - in person. Don't be complacent or underestimate the issue - the nasty episode that causes you to go over the edge might be one you don't see coming from your perspective. Have lost an uncle, 3 cousins, and a friend from college to suicide. 2 of the 5 were on meds and in the process of adjusting them but were also complacent about the need to pursue it with urgency. The others were never medicated and maybe should have been. Do not underestimate the power of chemical imbalance or overestimate your ability to deal with it alone. Bottom line - taking care of yourself rarely involves doing nothing. Take care, . . . seriously. " . . . 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 do a Dept of Commerce search for the organizations in their state with the most employees, biggest revenues, corporate headquarters, etc. EDIT: Oh yes, and check on what boards they serve on or have served on in the past. " . . . 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

Yowza! I've been out of the loop for a few days on news; and when I saw this was floored. All I can say is WTF? Thought a person actually had to accomplish something to win this. " . . . 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 strongly suspect there is more to the story. (Think of how credible and complete mainstream news handles skydiving). Newborns do not require a health history to be added in the states with which I am familiar. If they went shopping due to rates, and ended up with no coverage, then they were either misled or not paying attention to what they were doing. Elimination of health history underwriting will solve this type of problem, and should be a cornerstone of reform. Until that happens though, it is foolish for anyone to expect a company to take that step until regulation makes it mandatory for all carriers. I suspect the lesson here is to not cancel or allow coverage to lapse unless something else is in place. On the other hand, a person could allow coverage to lapse while shopping around, then when they get denied use their contacts in the media to whine about their victimhood. " . . . 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

And this is the fundamental difference in our view points. You believe that the black man will never amount to anything because the system is set up to keep him down. I believe that if he belts his pants up over his ass, studies hard in school, and stays off drugs, he can become president of the United States. Institution versus personal responsibility. Who sounds racist here? You make the call. Some degree of institutionalized racism seems to be in existence everywhere I've been. For people that perceive it as being a dominant force in their environment, it can create a belief that there is no way out. For their behavior to change, that fundamental belief must change first. Seek to understand. Assume good intentions (they are trying to survive based on what they believe to be true). Gain trust, lead by example, and show that there is another way to live. The earlier post about what is normal is spot on. I've used that before. The problem is that some of those things might be normal in their environment. Again, any program must begin by examining fundamental beliefs. As far as the parents go; that is tough. Kids are at least mallable; even the hard cases will open up to possibilities given exposure, coaching, and some options. Parents as a whole are far more resistant; beliefs being much closer to what I call locked in. Any program that can crack the cycle gets my vote. A person's life is the perfect manifestation of what they believe to be true. " . . . 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

It was a dark and stormy night, . . . And there I was . . . Her breasts strained against the wet fabric . . . Once upon a time . . . Just then . . . I'm warming up to write the story of my life. " . . . 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

Yeah, AstroTurf sucks, at least the old varieties. Like playing on cement covered by a thin layer of super cheap indoor-outdoor carpeting. That's all you'll get from me because that post is way too long. How about shortening them up a bit? " . . . 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

(Telephone ringing) PERSON ANSWERING: Hello? CALLER: Yeah, I'd like to order a pepperoni pizza. PERSON ANSWERING: You must have the wrong number, I spell my name . . . Danger. OK OK, totally irrelevamt post - but it fired some synapse that executed a Firesign Theatre memory. " . . . 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

From the thread title I thought it was a discussion about sponsors handing out specially branded condoms. Think of the naming possibilities; The Reserve, The Swoop & Dock, etc. " . . . 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

Bonfire. " . . . 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

Depends how you define "intelligence", doesn't it? If you define it to be that which is measured with an IQ test, then it IS the only measure. If you want to add something else, then you need to define it so others can measure it too. Well said. A lot of people speak very negatively about formalized testing; but it's the formal part of it (being normed and all) that does make it a valid measurement. I know of no other. I think what gets people's undies in a bundle about it is that they jump to judgements about what it means about them or others. All it means is that a person can assimilate and process information at a higher than average rate of speed; and maybe a little bonus for stored knowledge. It does not mean a person is good or bad, or that they are worthy or unworthy, etc. It's just a number that measures an ability to process information quickly. BTW - 136 puts a person in (at a minimum) the 98th percentile. Not average, not even the high end of average. Average is 100, and the range of average is usually defined as something like 85 to 115; maybe 80 to 120. The curve gets pretty steep below 80 and above 120. " . . . 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

Why Speakers 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

Holy Crap! You must be one skinny person. I'm 6'2" 200#, and I have no gut or other extra weight. I get called skinny but I'm not, just lean. I defintely can float with the best and track like mad; but need a little extra weight to stay down with the biggest at our DZ. My spine is not terribly flexible and the weights are more than anything a compensation for that. The new suit (pretty well fitted - thank you Skimmer) has helped a lot. " . . . 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 guess that's the difference with having staff and just having fun jumpers with ratings. A person that plunks down $1700 is entitled to the services being paid for. If the DZ takes that kind of chunk of cash they need to commit to having the resources to fulfill their end of the deal. Not sure how this all went down, but if the OP's story is true, then they are getting the short end of the stick. While it is a nice gesture, a person that puts down $1700 in advance should not be required to buy beer and brown nose instructors to get those jumps. " . . . 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