Deep Thoughts

Socialism: Property And Healthcare Belong To Us

You thought it wouldn’t?

Written on Friday, July 11th, 2008 by lorien1973 :: Be the first to Comment

The socialist government of Spain is winning friends all over the EU. Half a million British expatriots are set to lose their healthcare under a new law. The government says the expats, many over 50 years old, are a burden on the system.

A spokesman for the regional health ministry said: ‘It is costing us an extra €1bn [£790m] annually to look after a million new residents as well as long-stay tourists, and our services are at saturation point.’

There’s more, though.

Back in 2002 the provincial government offered free healthcare to all expatriates of all EU nationalities in order to encourage foreign investment in the area’s then flourishing property market but today the market is enduring a significant downturn. In the past year alone, property has fallen by 40% on the Costa Blanca.

Why would property along the coast drop more than 40% in a single year. There has to be a reason for it, doesn’t it? When you read the previous story, you’d assume it was because of a housing slump. But if you are like me, you remember this story from earlier in the year.

Enforcing a much-neglected 1988 law, the Socialist government is getting tough about what constitutes coastal public domain — the strip of land stretching back from the water’s edge — and telling thousands of house and apartment owners their properties do not really belong to them.

“Out of the blue we’ve been told the house we have owned for more than 30 years is no longer ours,” said retired British electronics engineer Clifford Carter, 59, who lives with his Spanish wife in La Casbah, a beach side complex in eastern Spain.

“The house was built legally, but now they say we can only live here until we die but can’t sell the house or leave it to our children,” said Carter.

…

Along the Spanish coast, a protest group formed in January says it already represents 20,000 people. It notes that up to half a million others — apartment and villa owners and restaurant and hotel proprietors — could be affected. Most are Spaniards, but many are foreigners.

“This is the single biggest assault on private property we have seen in the recent history of Spain,” said Jose Ortega, a spokesman for the group and lawyer for many of those affected.

At least we know the reason that the prices dropped 40% in a year. The socialist government is destroying houses along the coast to “clean it up” and not allowing properties to be sold, thus holding down property taxes the provinces could raise. And then complaining that people are a burden on the system. Socialism is a wonderfully vicious circle.

Those British ex-pats should take heart. In a few years, even your home country wants you dead.

A newly released study shows that doctors and heart specialists who care for the elderly were all found to be influenced by the patients’ age when making their recommendations; it seems the age cut-off for comparison was 65.

The study found that too often resources are limited and doctors have to make difficult decisions.

On the plus side, at least they aren’t writing you lettings asking if they can kill you. Yet.

Bad Trends for Small Government Believers

Creeping Socialism.

Written on Saturday, June 28th, 2008 by lorien1973 :: 1 Comment so far

Gallup has come out with its annual poll, asking Americans whether or not Goverment is doing too much or not enough. This year the numbers are neutral:

A separate question finds Americans more likely to believe government is doing too many things that should be left to individuals and businesses (50%) as opposed to saying government should do more to solve the country’s problems (43%).

50% said the government should do less and leave things to businesses and individuals. 43% disagreed. On a more generic question, the results are far more positive:

When given a choice about how government should address the numerous economic difficulties facing today’s consumer, Americans overwhelmingly — by 84% to 13% — prefer that the government focus on improving overall economic conditions and the jobs situation in the United States as opposed to taking steps to distribute wealth more evenly among Americans.

It’s heartening to see that 84% of people agree that wealth redistribution is a bad thing. Reagan still lives on, apparently.

But this year poll would scare you, if you remember the one in 2006.

Queried about their views on the role of government, 54 percent of the 1,013 adults polled said they thought it was trying to do too many things that should be left to individuals and businesses. Only 37 percent said they thought the government should do more to solve the country’s problems.

54% said that government did too much. That’s down to 50% this year. And the side that believes government should do more is up to 43% from 37%. That’s a 10 point swing in 2 years, which is huge.

During the 2004 elections, based upon exit polling, 46% thought the government should do more, 49% thought it should do less (or the same).

The problem is, is that neither party is advocating free market solutions to problems. Both are wanting government to fix them. Republicans seem to have embraced big government solutions to problems as have the democrats. Bush did this with the prescription drug program, with no child left behind and by pushing his faith based initiative. All were pushing Washington solutions to your daily problems. If the Republican party is going to agree that Washington is the solution, what is the point of having the Republican party at all?

On the plus side, I’m a big fan of giving people what they ask for - and letting them realize that wanting is usually better than having. Maybe when they get bigger government after 2008, they’ll realize that they like having the choice of whether to live or die.

Last month her lung cancer, in remission for about two years, was back. After her oncologist prescribed a cancer drug that could slow the cancer growth and extend her life, Wagner was notified that the Oregon Health Plan wouldn’t cover it.

It would cover comfort and care, including, if she chose, doctor-assisted suicide.

Republican Path to Victory in 2008

The only way.

Written on Sunday, June 8th, 2008 by lorien1973 :: 1 Comment so far

Instapundit links to this post at HotAir which mentions that Earmark requests have increased since the Democrats took over the House and Senate in 2006, despite promises to the contrary.

Instapundit makes the point that if the Republicans stood against pork spending, they’d probably still have their majority. I’m not sure I totally agree with this; but Republicans need to face that they need something to hang onto come November to avoid a complete wipe-out in the general election.

I’d suggest that Republicans start filibustering every bill that comes through the Senate until all the pork is removed. And make the case to the people very simply. “Yes we agree that this legistlation is important. So why are Democrat lawmakers filling it with so much pork spending, instead of passing the law straight up? We will continue the filibuster until all the pork is removed.”

Of course, this would require restraint on the behalf of Republicans who have shown no such restraint since 1996. Unfortunate; because it’s a winning issue and all it requires is doing what the Republicans are supposed to do - keep government spending at a minimum.

Orangatun Uses a Spear

I, for one, welcome our new simian overlords.

Written on Sunday, April 27th, 2008 by lorien1973 :: 1 Comment so far

For the first time ever, an Orangatun was photographed a spear to catch fish. Tool use is not new for Orangatuns, they have already reached the intelligence level of most guys with a remote control:

an adult male orang-utan broke off a dead branch and used it to scratch his rear for half a minute.

So I’m not too worried, yet. Even less worrisome, is that this orangatun seemed to have just been copying the idea from local fisherman:

This individual had seen locals fishing with spears on the Gohong River.

Although the method required too much skill for him to master, he was later able to improvise by using the pole to catch fish already trapped in the locals’ fishing lines.

So, the orangatun did not come up with the idea on his own. This is simply a case of “monkey see, monkey do”.  Ace is justifiably alarmed at the concept though.

We know where this train is headed.

So, is it time to nuke ‘em from orbit, just to be sure? Not yet. But maybe it is time to re-aim a few nukes their way. Just to be safe. You know. For now, I’m just going to blame Global Warming(tm).

This, on the heels of scientists revealing that the Tyrannosaurus Rex was just a big chicken; my whole concept of the planet has been shattered.

Boba Fett and the Case For Parental Involvement

Star Wars teaches so many life lessons.

Written on Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008 by lorien1973 :: Be the first to Comment

In Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, we are introduced to a character called Boba Fett, who is an galactically renowned Bounty Hunter. The only one, in fact called out by Darth Vader (”No disintegrations”) and is the one who tracks Han Solo to Cloud City. He is eventually killed (or maybe not, it’s never really explained) in Return of the Jedi while Han Solo is attempting to escape Jabba the Hutt.

While his part in the original movies is limited; his back story is greatly expanded upon in the second set of movies, starting with Attack of the Clones.  Here, we learn that his father, Jango Fett is the original source of the Clone Troopers (and thus the Storm Troopers) and that Boba Fett is a clone of him as well, but allowed to age normally. He lives with Jango on the Water Planet, being trained and educated by his father.

Jango is eventually killed (by Mace Windu, if memory serves) and Boba Fett takes up the family business of being a Bounty Hunter. Where, apparently, he performs marvelously in this enterprise for at least 20 years, the presumed time span between Episode 3 and Episode 4.

But what of Boba’s brothers? The Clone/Storm Troopers? Now is where you can get some interesting comparisons between different educational systems and the need of a father figure. Especially in regards to Lucas’ beliefs.

Boba was home schooled, educated by his father, taught independence, a trade and became one of the most well known bounty hunter in a brief period of time.

His clone brothers were schooled in a government run mass education camp, stripped of their independence, taught that the could only be one thing and they had no choice, and they became cannon fodder. Eagerly dying at the whim of their masters.

Boba became a crack marksman and scout - tracking down anyone who had a bounty and killing (nearly) anyone who came into his path. His brothers couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn - they were perhaps the worst marksmen ever to populate that galaxy. Awful shots.

Boba was also an excellent pilot. The Troopers had specialists who were pilots, specialists who rode on things in the woods, specialists who worked in cold environments, etc. Apparently, their mass governmental training facilities weren’t set up well enough to train them in more than one skill - and the one it did trained them for, they weren’t very good at.

Finally, Boba Fett and his father, because of their training seemed to be immune to the Force powers (at least the mind control ones); while Storm Troopers were consistently fooled by the most simple tricks, which always hampered them in their missions - and usually cost them their lives.

So, what’s the lessons here? Clearly Lucas believes that home schooling and parental involvement in that schooling is far superior to mass education camps (public schools). And I think Boba would agree.

Example of a Strawman Argument

Plus, bonus misunderstanding of who earns money.

Written on Wednesday, April 16th, 2008 by lorien1973 :: Be the first to Comment

I always love easy examples of a strawman argument. Today’s comes to us from this blog, which I stumbled across today.

So how much easier could the answer be in solving the AMT crisis (or any crisis really)? Just cut the damn AMT out of the Internal Revenue Code and . . . bingo! . . . Americans will start making more money and the federal budget will be balanced.

No one argues that decreasing taxes will  balance the budget alone. Supply side economics argues that when you lower taxes, you increase the amount of money people keep, which in turn, is used to help the economy grow. Which leads to, in the end, higher revenue for the government. Furthermore, when one argues for supply side economics, they usually do so while arguing for spending cuts at the same time. It’s a mixture of both that lead to a balanced budget. One cannot work without the other.

But, more importantly, this blogger seems to think that cutting taxes means Americans will start making more money. Does the author believe that it’s Washington’s money and that if you give someone a $500 tax break, they earn $500 more per year, and thus making more money? That’s an astonishing belief system. A little sad, but telling.

 So why isn’t the GOP demanding the repeal of the AMT on the ground that the damned tax-and-spend Democrat[ ] Party is once again in the way of progress?

Actually, some senators have been pushing for a repeal of the AMT. Both Republicans and Democrats. Maybe the real question should be is, why aren’t Democrats (who currently control congress) pushing for a repeal of the AMT? They chair the House Ways and Means Committee and the Finance Committee. Furthermore, in 2006, the states that had the most victims of the AMT were (PDF link): New Jersey, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maryland, Massachussetts, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Rhode Island, North Dakota and New York.

So the other question would be - if the AMT is so devastating, why are only 2 of the 20 Senators in the most affected states pushing for it’s repeal and co-signed onto most recent legistlation to kill it? I’m going to hazard to guess that most of these 10 states (NE primarily) have 2 Democrat Senators. Why aren’t they looking out for their constituency? They are being burdened with an unfair tax that exempts most Americans, right?

Obama Compares Hillary to Annie Oakley

Epic Fail.

Written on Sunday, April 13th, 2008 by lorien1973 :: Be the first to Comment

After yesterday, I thought we’d be done with this. But Obama decided that he needs to compound his error by claiming that Hillary is Annie Oakley. While it’s an obvious attempt to attack her ridiculous claim that she is somehow a fan of hunting and guns, Obama has given Hillary yet another chance to fake her non-elitist credentials.

 ”She’s running around talking about how this is an insult to sportsmen, how she values the Second Amendment, she’s talking like she’s Annie Oakley! Hillary Clinton’s out there like she’s on the duck blind every Sunday, she’s packin’ a six shooter! C’mon! She knows better. That’s some politics being played by Hillary Clinton. I want to see that picture of her out there in the duck blinds.”

By thanking him for comparing her to Oakley. It’ll help shed her own “elitist” air while making him appear more so. How? By listing off some of Oakley’s acheivements through life. All she has to do is go to Wikipedia:

Because of poverty, she did not attend school. Paid off her own mortgage through hunting and selling the kills to locals. She also supported her siblings. (She was probably bitter though - since Obama’s government was not there to do all of this for her, so Obama has that going for him!) She promoted service of women in the military, championed women’s rights and she gave much of her fortune to charity once she died.

So, Hillary. Run with this one, too. Obama is looking ridiculous this whole weekend and this whole episode will help you win PA. Run with the Oakley comparison. Keep this thing going. Republicans are loving it. Both of you look ridiculous. But you are ever so slightly less so.

Halp Us Brak, We R Stuck in Small Town

Halp Us

Written on Friday, April 11th, 2008 by lorien1973 :: 8 Comments so far

Obama put his foot in it again today, saying that:

And it’s not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.

So, in celebration of his discovery of my bitterness and anger, here is a photo from my small town today; complete with the general sentiment of those who live here:

So my small town agrees (as does the media). Just a bunch of gun toting, bible reading, unemployed hicks waiting for our Jesus to come along and save us from our world of pain and suffering.

It doesn’t bug me that Obama thinks this about small town folks (is anyone -really- surprised that he thinks this?), but that he doesn’t even have the audicity (of hope) to tell small town folks to their faces that he wants to spread his message. Hey, Obama, if you are gonna bring hope to these downtrodden people, I suggest you begin them on their 12 step journey; help them see that they are xenophobic protectionist gun toting bible thumpers who stroke their rifle because jesus tells them too. Help them see the error of their ways. But do it to their face, not to a bunch of billionaires in San Francisco.

Hallelujah!

(More coverage at Instapundit and Ace)

Olivia Mojica Sends Me a Love Letter

I feel special!

Written on Thursday, April 3rd, 2008 by lorien1973 :: 3 Comments so far

So who knows how long ago, I find Olivia Mojica’s sex tape (nice keyword there, eh? let’s bold it so everyone knows how important it is - that’s better) online where she’s banging nasties with her boyfriend, so of course, I embed the thing on my site. Liveleak took the video down a few days later so you all couldn’t watch it unless you were fast. Didn’t miss much; just your average chick getting nailed. You know how it is. Pretty boring, really. But her being “famous” always makes the mundane more interesting, I had to post it.

I hadn’t even thought about the post since, oh about 10 minutes after I embedded it. But lo and hehold, today I get a notice from my host that I’m infringing copyrights because of the remnant screen cap of the embed. Who knew that screen captures were copyright protected? It could have been any random chick with black hair. Oh well.

But I got a love letter anyways that I’ll keep for posterity. It has a phone number on it, so if I never need a date, I know who to call! All the DMCA shows is that, yes, she did have her sex tape put online (in case anyone was in doubt of that fact) and that she knew the tape was being made.

Here’s my general opinion of sex tapes. If you don’t want them to appear online, don’t make one. If you don’t want people online see your hoo-hoo’s and ha-ha don’t make one. It’s all really very simple.

What’s even more unusual about this whole incident is that making a video of yourself banging nasties and it being put online - illegal. Standing in public and having some pervert take a picture without your knowledge of your ha-ha and posting it online - legal. What a world.

Red Light Cameras: Problems and Solutions

Simple problem. Simple solution.

Written on Thursday, March 13th, 2008 by lorien1973 :: 4 Comments so far

I am not generally a fan of red light cameras. I think it is simply a scam to get more money into the hands of the city; when no apparent harm has been done. Voluntary compliance simply isn’t what it used to be. Anyways, some cameras in TN were mistimed so that tickets were sent out to people who did not, in fact, run red lights. First off, I’d question the sanity of anyone who gets a ticket in the mail and blindly pays it without question - is there any appeals process here or what? 176 people received tickets and paid them without question. Till one person complained. The other 176 were just blindly paying a fine that they did not merit. Ugh.

Seems to be if red light cameras are going to continue, there is a simple solution to the problem, right? If the picture it takes is computerized (and I’m sure it is), then simply have the program that takes the picture query the actual light for it’s status (red/yellow/green) and have that encoded onto the photo itself so there is some sort of reconciliation. Or, better yet, have the camera system not be timed, but rather hooked into the light itself so it turns on when the light is actually red, not when it’s supposed to be red according to some software program.

Seems simple enough.

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