Kittens can be so adorable. Interactive and playful. A 17 second clip to kick off your day.
October 13, 2009
A Year of Magical Thinking. The Weekly Standard.
The health care reform the Democrats are intent upon passing before the year’s end because of some sort of emergency is really based upon their need to pass something to enable them to proclaim a bill passage to their supporters. A manufactured crisis with a manufactured deadline. Never mind the staggering cost expected to rise with time.
All on America’s tax paying wallets. WS.
The idea that expanding coverage will save the country money has always been a fantasy. True, the Congressional Budget Office found that, under certain assumptions that the authors of the legislation in effect required the CBO to make, the House and Senate health bills might not blow up the deficit over the next decade. But that won’t happen in the real world. For one thing, doctors’ reimbursements just aren’t going to be cut 20 percent.
The situation with respect to the long-term deficit is even worse. The Lewin Group, the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, and the government’s own Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have all said that Obamacare won’t control costs in the long term. When the experts at Peterson and Lewin looked at the template for legislation now under debate in the Senate, they found that it “does not bend the total health care cost curve downward as a percentage of the economy.”
Consider what’s happened in Massachusetts since its 2006 health care reform went into effect. More people in the Bay State have health insurance–and costs keep on rising. RAND recently found that health care spending is growing 8 percent faster in Massachusetts than the state’s GDP. To deal with this situation, the state government has had to trim coverage and raise taxes. Even the New York Times editorial board has admitted that Massachusetts hasn’t figured out “how to slow the relentless rise in medical costs and private insurance premiums.”
ObamaCare’s Cost Could Top $6 Trillion. The Cato Institute.
When we correct for both gimmicks, counting both on- and off-budget costs over the first 10 years of implementation, the total cost of ObamaCare reaches — I’m so sorry about this — $6.25 trillion. That’s not a precise estimate. It’s just far closer to the truth than President Obama and congressional Democrats want the debate to be.
Beutler and other supporters of ObamaCare can react to this news in two ways. They can continue to deny the enormous cost of the legislation they support. Or they can question how President Obama’s health plan came to be so blessedly expensive, and how (and by whom) they were duped into thinking it wasn’t.
Common sense in Washington, D.C. seems to be glaringly absent. If others seem to easily distill the flaws inherent in the health care bills as noted now, why do politicians insist upon ignoring the evidence, and instead misleadingly portray themselves as knowing otherwise?
“Trust me.”
Image courtesy of Johnx1 of the Independents for News in Pictures November 16 – 22 http://www.freakingnews.com/News-in-Pictures-November-16-22-Pictures–2677.asp.
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Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Attitude, Democrat, GOP, Government, Health, Judgment, Politics, Republican
Iran stokes tensions with huge nuclear expansion. Times Online. UK
President Ahmadinejad announced last night that his Cabinet had ordered the building of ten new plants aimed at producing up to 300 tonnes of nuclear fuel a year, with construction to begin on five within two months.
Robert Gibbs, President Obama’s press spokesman, said that if confirmed the plan would be “yet another serious violation of Iran’s clear obligations under multiple UN security council resolutions, and another example of Iran choosing to isolate itself . . . Time is running out for Iran to address the international community’s growing concerns.”
Ahmadinejad responded to Obama.
“Mahmoud Ahamadinejad. ‘A’ Bomber: Ahamadinejad on the Obama Tricycle.”
Image courtesy of http://paleo.wordpress.com/category/uncategorized/.
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Need spiritual guidance. Now it is as close as the telephone booth on the street.
The Hotline to God.
See image at Eat Liver of “Prayer Booth. Hotline to God. We support all major brands.”
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Should this come as any surprise?
From the man who has yet to pick a church to attend in Washington, D.C. The rare appearance does not qualify.
Obama Makes History: Thanksgiving Proclamation First Ever to Omit Direct Mention of God. Life Site News.
All other presidential Thanksgiving proclamations directly refer to “God,” “Providence,” or another appellation for the divine being.
Why the difficulty in directly mentioning “God” for a president?
Fear of political scrutiny in selecting a church is a coward’s way of thwarting criticism. Faith is an expression of unbridled belief in divinity. A true believer cares not about a critic’s opinion.
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Common sense is obviously lacking in Washington, D.C., for now bureaucrats in their never satiating goal of saddling business with ever increasing taxes to fund their various pet projects, have come up with a novel way of “helping” the consumer. H.R. 3296 Health Care Reform Bill in your pocket. Again.
As if the average item in a vending machine needs further characterization to define the usually calorie-laden nature. The machines are also commonly known as snack machines. The contents thus are typically snacks. Small fare for the moment, not a meal. Contents typically high in sugar or fat. No doubt, part of the catchy appeal. Common sense dictates the items are designed to provide a transitory indulgence.
But the government wants to help you. By forcing the vending machine companies to re-outfit the devices so that you can be presented with nutritional facts on each item BEFORE purchase. Forget about them already having the government-mandated labeling already on the package. Forget about your common sense already capable of discerning the nutritional and gustatory gratification from each item with out need thereof. Although machines with nature’s fresh fruit, milk, water, and the like promote healthier items, the posted nutritional contents will be required of those items as well.
One thing is certain. If it costs the companies to redesign the machines, America can bet those costs will passed on to the consumer, you. The cost of the item will likewise rise. Someone has to pay for the machines. Someone has to pay for everyone’s health care too. Even if you already pay for your own.
“Vending machine.”
Image courtesy of http://www.niu.edu/OneCard/huskie_bucks/vendors/VendingMachines_Snacks.shtml.
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Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Comprehension, Culture, Government, Health, Judgment, Lifestyle, Politics
Pet pig puts wind up family as farting prompts gas leak fears. News.com.au.
A PORTLY pig with flatulence triggered a minor emergency near Bendigo this week when smells wafting from the 120kg porker sparked fears of a potentially dangerous gas leak.
Two Country Fire Authority tankers and 15 firefighters turned out in darkness to search the source of the leak at a property at Axedale, east of Bendigo. But the likely culprit was soon sniffed out, the pet sow startled from slumber in the dead of night.
She is believed to be a friendly and docile animal, a much loved children’s pet, possibly in need of a change of diet.
Flatulence sufficient to rouse emergency crews from their slumber. Bet they were excited.
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Holiday Shopping Season Revs Up With Black Friday Sales. Fox. Maybe this will jump start the economy?
Black Friday. The day after Thanksgiving. The official start to the Christmas shopping season. The mad dash to the stores to buy the deals of the century.
Your local vendors wish to apprise their customers of the following public service announcement.
In good spirit, of course.
See image at Eat Liver of “Free ride in a police car. If you shoplift at this store. Courtesy of your local police department. Notice! Closed circuit television. Recorded. 24-Hour surveillance.”
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Imagine seeing one of those cowboys in a bareback bronc riding rodeo competition with a pair of these on.
And not the rodeo clown either. Feet Boots.
Image courtesy of http://www.allweirdpics.com/pictures/Feet_Boots.htm
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The New Zealand Book Council. “Where books come to life.”
Cool.
November 18, 2009
FUNNY QUOTES OF THE DAY This Day in History
Applause! Applause!
Tricorn hats are the rage
Click Horsey for William Tell Overture
Stress Reduction Kit. Bang Head Here.
