Category: Uncategorized

There are ads these days which say that an investment is “guaranteed.”  What is hilarious is the footnote:  “Subject to claims paying ability.”  In other words, you are guaranteed to get your money back if they can pay you but if they don’t have the ability well you get nada.

Here’s another great one.  Party X puts forth a bill entitled “Safety in Meat Products Act.”  Now the bill puts a tax on meat producers and uses it to fund research on snail darters.  So Party Y votes “no.”  Party X then tells us Party Y is against safe meat!!  How dumb do they think we are?

Those who wish to see President Obama re-elected should be very worried because of what may unfold as a result of the health care reform passed last month.  There seems to be general agreement that the addition of 30 million new insureds to the “rolls” will put great pressure on the health care system.  This could well cause “rationing” where non-emergency care is deferred until space and physicians are available.  This impact will unfold (if it does) in 2011 and more clearly in 2012 – the election year.  If this “squeeze” comes about then those running against the President both in the Democratic party and the Republican will point to these delays as “not what we were promised” when health care passed.  If this occurs where the patient is told the earliest date upon which the procedure can be performed as opposed to allowing the patient to schedule the event when convenient to the patient (the norm today) there will be a “hue and cry” that people are being “denied care” as a result of health care reform.  The other problem with the reform is that the “penalty” for not buying insurance is a small tax penalty.  This means the younger, healthy people who are needed in the insurance pool if premiums are going be stable or fall will not get insurance.  This means premiums are lilely to rise.

Think about it:  In 2012 the data will be in.  If waiting months for treatment becomes the norm and insurance premiums have gone up, well….the average independent voter will not support the incumbents.

Some things I learned/saw from watching WVU beat Kentucky at Syracuse:

1.  Hard work does pay off

2.  The coach matters

3.  In a team sport, the second tier players often make the difference

4.  Seeing Kentucky players yelling angrily at each other told me the Cats were in trouble

5.  In B ball, teams catch fire and have runs.  In this game WVU had the squirt gun to put out the Kentucky fire – that is what it takes to win

 

 

The Democrats are going to pass the current version of health care through some shall we say non-traditional procedural methods.  That means there will be court challanges.  The “mess” will end up in front of the US Supreme Court where health care will be “gutted” or “saved” by a 5-4 vote.  Remember Bush vs. Gore?  What a mess.  All this uncertainty for political reasons alone.  Makes one want to vote against any incumbent no matter what the party affiliation.  Unbelivable really.

The actor Peter Graves just died.  In the 1960’s he starred in “Mission Impossible.”  Remember that?  Private contractors doing secret work for the government.  If they were caught or killed, the “secretary would disavow” any knowledge of their activites.  That was apparently cool considering the great ratings.  Now, flash forward.  We have Blackwater.  Boo, hiss, evil.

The whims of the populace are seldom anchored in any sense of reality, are they?

The leader of Group A told his aides he thought they ought to build a road.  So they assembled the group and handed out talking points for the upcoming rally.  The talking points included (a) the fact that building the road would create jobs, (b) people could ride quickly rather than walk, (c) if a person was ill or injured an ambulance could use the road and (d) people could establish businesses along the road.

The leader of Group B heard about the planned road, talked to his aides, assembled his group and handed out their talking points.  These included (a) people could get injured building the road because of all the blasting and heavy equipment, (b) accidents will happen on the road and people will die or be seriously injuried, (c) building the road will destroy natural habitat for animals and (d) dust and noise will accompany the construction.

At the rally Group A people held signs and chanted “We need jobs”, “Help the Ill and Injured” and “Pro Business Pro Road.”  Group B had signs too and chanted “Road Building Kills”, “Don’t Let Our Children Die – Stop the Road” and “Save the Environment – No Road.”

Two visitors on a nearby hill were watching all this.  “Can they afford to build the road?”  “No.” “Is there a need for the road?”  “Not really.  The traffic would be minimal.”  “Why are they doing this?” “It’s what political parties do.”

 

How can all the nations of the world come together at the Olympics and create a wonderful, friendly and cooperative event when the governments of the world can’t seem to agree on anything productive?  I guess the interests of your country are more serious than a gold medal but I still feel that somehow we are not communicating globally.

How could health care reform become such a train wreck?  When I saw Speaker Pelosi calling incremental change something about an “insy weensy spider” I saw part of the answer.  Then she said the existing bill was really bipartisan even if no Republicans voted for it because it had “Republican elements” either in it or omitted from it.  Now that is pure spin.  I have come to the conclusion that Congress is a large part of the problem.  We desperately need leadership not showmanship. 

Here in West Virginia there is an ad to “reform PEIA” sponsored by teachers and unions.  At the end it says something like “an worst of all employees being hired now have no health care benefits at retirement.”  I find that offensive.  My employer is not providing me with health care when I retire and I bet that is true of most of the folks out there.   

Tracey Porter (key pick against Colts and against Minnesota) should be the MVP.  Great game.  The loss of a 100% Dwight Freeney hurt the Colts.  Amazing thing about the game was how few penalties there were and how few sacks.  Any game which is still competitive to the end is a great game no matter who wins and who loses. 

 

 

 

 

 

Good grief.  The night after the Pitt game, ESPN covered Kansas, Georgetown and WVU.  All they talked about with WVU was the deplorable behavior of West Virginia “fans.”  Talk about bad publicity!

Easy remedy for this.  Put video cameras on the fans (no invasion of privacy there – the TV cameras are always scanning and showing the crowd) and then announce that anyone caught on tape throwing something from the stands will be (a) expelled if they are a student and (b) arrested if they are not.  Morgantown city council may need to pass an ordinance to get (b) in place.

Too harsh?  I don’t think so.

P.S.  The University may want to do the same thing at football games.  We gave up season tickets years ago because it was just too depressing to sit around WVU “fans” who are basically obnoxious drunks.

Political gridlock and partisanship run amuck may be slowly dissolving.  What is happening is more and more Americans are registering independent.  The percentage of Democrats and Republicans is eroding.  This should result in more and more politicians realizing that hard line party positions will not longer work if they want to be re-elected.  About time if you ask me.