patrick.net

Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue...

Bap33 says

My NEW rules: If you want to practice medicine in America you can attend school for free with high enough grades. While you attend school you will work for room and board at the nearest free clinic. After you graduate you will work in a military based medical service, for serviceman wages, for 2 years. After that you will be free to work where and how you wish, but you will give 50 hours per year of free service at the nearest free clinic. There you have it folks. Cut the free cash titty off from the medi-pros and force some market costs upon them. Poor people or any people can swing into thefree clinic at any time for any need. Those who would rather pay can negotiate for services with the doc of their choice. Cash and carry.

So who pays for hospitals, nurses, technitions, computers, machines (lots and lots of expensive machines that hospitals and drs use), medications, etc.? You know, like the entire rest of the cost of healthcare other than doctor pay. Any suggestions?s

Shrek - I am curious as to why you insist upon hijacking every thread with the same tiresome theme.

Have you considered therapy in addition to having your medications readjusted? It might do you a world of good.

Bap33 says

that some dope-smoking bookworm dreamed up

It's difficult to focus on the text when you're stoned.

The tests that split people into either educational or vocational studies would be a skewed as are all other standardized tests. It's crazy to think that everyone fits into the box.

There are many people who can't read - when they finally learn how, they might fit into a different category.

Bap33 says

also, 2 years of military service after age 18 should be mandatory for all Americans. Not everyone would be in a combat role, but all should be made to serve.

I respectfully disagree that forcing people to "serve" their country by making them walk in a straight line, peel potatoes and perform many other equally exciting tasks would be the best use of everyone's time. Oh, let's not forget that we will pay them less than they would earn if they remained in the private sector, which in turn would mean less taxes for the country they're trying to serve.

APOCALYPSEFUCK says

Especially if they had 30 minute infomercials of them making out.

What would the product be?

Announcer's voiceover: Are you worried about the upcoming Apocalypse - with no friends or family worthy of making it through?

Palin says, "I am..." as she steps out of a limo, leaving her family behind. It drives into an inferno & you hear screams..

Bachmann says, "I am..." as she climbs off a tractor from the family farm she denies ever having benefitted from any of the hundreds of thousands of dollars received in farm aid (even though she claimed farm income on her taxes). The tractor, filled with her husband, 5 children and 21 foster children, drives across the field and drops into a hole.

Announcer: Why worry about making it through alone - when you can make it OUT?

Palin grabs Bachmann, throws off her glasses and pulls her down out of frame. The announcer steps into the frame and explains that with the coming apocalypse, friends will be important. Exiles "Kiss You All Over" plays while the two women are shown making out. Sounds of the crew vomiting can be heard over the words to the song...

wormwood says

Raise taxes on the small business guy he is just going to cut employees and save as much as he can.

This is the biggest lie of the conservative movement. Cutting taxes does not spur hiring and raising taxes does not cause layoffs. It is a complete fallacy.

wormwood says

Troy you want the US to copy the European socialist system? Have you been reading the news lately.

There are two tiers of eurosocialists, the high-tax high-service systems -- Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, France -- and the low-tax high-service systems -- Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, the UK.

One of these systems is sustainable, one is not. I really don't understand why I have to explain this in such detail, the evidence of the superiority of the high-tax systems is simply obvious.

http://www.merge-left.org/2011/03/24/high-taxes-and-high-entrepreneurship-capitalism-in-socialist-norway/

This is not to say eg. Denmark's high-taxes on small business is optimal, I think they are taxing labor too much in this case.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/05/business/worldbusiness/05iht-labor.4.8603880.html

wormwood says

Unless of course your aim is to take ALL the corporate profits of all the American corporations in 2011 and maybe just maybe you can pay the interest on 100 trillion.

your understanding of economics is something one could find written in the free prize of a CrackerJack box.

Most of that massive unfunded liability of social service is simply Medicare blowing up. We have the fix to that, it is single-payer healthcare, putting everyone in a eurosocialist system that limits profit-seeking of the service providers via monopsony.

This, too, is obvious. We already pay twice as much per capita as Sweden of PUBLIC money on health care, and get much less than half of the care for that money.

It is simply impossible for our economy to support the projected medicare deficit.

Things are going to have to change. We can either sit with our thumbs up our asses (the Republican approach) and have the system fail, or we can change it to what actually works demonstrably well (or at least much better) in the real world -- the Eurosocialist model of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, France, Germany, etc etc.

wormwood says

Raise taxes on the small business guy he is just going to cut employees and save as much as he can. Unemployment, no spending, shrinks GDP and interest rates will go up because banks will want more money because they are scared too.

Pure dogmatic fact-free drivel. Taxes WERE raised -- here in the US -- in 1993, and none of that happened. You are spewing nothing but bullshit, which is all the conservative viewpoint can apparently offer any more.

Sadly, no. They won't lift that restraining order.

clambo says

Raising taxes is ridiculous, whether or not it is smart or fair today, they won’t because this will scare financial markets.

I disagree the market would rejoice over the sheer sanity of it. Even selfish billionaire types would acknowledge, "I'm very unhappy about this personally, but it is the best thing for our country. Well, at least for the middle class, as if I care about them."

Troy says

Actually, the Dems only had enough votes to break the filibuster when Franken was seated in June 2009, until Kennedy croaked during the August recess, then when Kennedy’s replacement was seated, until Sen Brown was seated with the new Congress in 2010. Just a couple of months in 2009 really, and the Senate can move very slowly when the opposition wants to be obstructive.

“The PPACA passed the Senate on December 24, 2009, by a filibuster-proof vote of 60–39″

No reality-twisting needed. Your “700 days of controlling both houses” understanding is the reality-challenged view.

And so you just made my point. During those 700 or so days they had at least two options that didn't involve bribing their peers:

1. Negotiate in good faith rather than try to ram crap down the other parties throats forcing them to use their only and last option - filibuster.

2. During the periods the were filibuster proof they could have also passed a budget - but they weren't working on that. Kind of reminds me of the state govt in CA.

Then there was the lame duck session and quite some time after that. Still no budget. It's ridiculous to pin it all on the republicans.

Your reply is correct though and what I wrote might have been read as "an easy breezy 700 days" which it wouldn't have been, obviously.

I think this is what will happen:

1. Conservative house passes a budget that raises the debt ceiling with strings requiring cuts. Heck, they may even send over a few different versions (a) (b) and (c).

2. After that the ball is the the Senate and Presidents court. It really doesn't matter if they like the bill(s) or not, they have to pass and sign one.

If they don't they risk making a type 2 error - death penalty for an innocent person rather than a type 1 error - setting a guilty person free.

Type 2 error also being the all hell breaking loose default scenario and will in my opinion at that time be 100% the fault of the liberals. They would have had a choice in (from their perspective) two errors to make. Type 1 being passing a budget they don't like.

For pushing a hundred dopes into homes they can't afford and ruining them heres what you get: $666,000

For videotaping 1 whore you get: jail.

We live in bizarro world. The other world is the 'normal' correct one (but how to get there??!)

wormwood says

Didn’t you learn from your elite education

Just out of curiosity, when did it become bad to be smart? Or have a good education?

When did the country decide we'd rather have "folksy" running things? And why?

maybe he was trying to sell the house, " just check out those granite counter tops"

Having a balanced budget, cutting deficit is something this nation needs. We can't keep on spending our way into prosperity, tried that and did not work.

Only reason we are starting to recover as a nation is because people are actually getting out of debt and starting to move the economy. Debt does not produce economy, only poverty.

wormwood says

Tatupu, I will paraphrase the late great William Buckley:
“I’d rather be ruled by the first 100 people in the Boston phone book than the entire faculty at Harvard.”
I share his sentiments.

Have you been to the DMV lately?

tatupu70 says

wormwood says

Didn’t you learn from your elite education

Just out of curiosity, when did it become bad to be smart? Or have a good education?
When did the country decide we’d rather have “folksy” running things? And why?

Not to be a pain, but it was liberal/leftists that came up with stupid crap that infested public-education and public-perception and resulted in a dumbed-down America. The list is about a mile long, so just admit I'm right and save us both the trouble. lol (like that will happen)

TechGromit says

What I think most American’s fail to realize even if the government eliminated the Department of Defense, the Department of Transportation, Department of Justice, Department of treasury, and all of the other departments, it still wouldn’t “balance” the budget. There are two things that take up more than 66% of the budget and it’s Social Security and Medicare. The Federal income only covers 60% of what we spend, if we are to have any hope at all to balance the budget, the bulk of the cuts must come from Social Security and/or Medicare. In the end these entitlement programs must be drastically scaled back, if not completely eliminated, they are unsustainable.

That's not really true. Social Security is about neutral now and has been in the plus all along. So, it's not the cause of the deficit.

It's all about defense and Medicare. Install a public health care system modeled after the best of Europe and Japan and then scale back defense by 50%? 75%? and you'll get somewhere.

The problem is that there are a lot of jobs in defense. Cutting them will be very painful.

Bap33 says

tatupu70 says

wormwood says

Didn’t you learn from your elite education

Just out of curiosity, when did it become bad to be smart? Or have a good education?
When did the country decide we’d rather have “folksy” running things? And why?

Not to be a pain, but it was liberal/leftists that came up with stupid crap that infested public-education and public-perception and resulted in a dumbed-down America. The list is about a mile long, so just admit I’m right and save us both the trouble. lol (like that will happen)

I'm not talking about political leaning at all. Just wouldn't you rather have someone intelligent and well learned running things?

tatupu70 says

That’s not really true. Social Security is about neutral now and has been in the plus all along. So, it’s not the cause of the deficit.

huh??? The Social Security "surplus" was all invested in government bonds to support our unsubstantial spending. You could say the Social Security pot is full, and the federal budget pot is empty, but make no mistake, they are the same pots.

I see from the pie chart, I over stated the liability of Social Security and Medicare, but the fact remains, the Fed take in only 60% of what it spends. We need to cut 40% of the over spending. All of the other government programs combined only equal 21% of spending. Social Security, Medicare, Department of Defense and interest on the deficit from past years take up the rest. Even the elimination of the DoD still leaves you 20% short.

TechGromit says

huh??? The Social Security “surplus” was all invested in government bonds to support our unsubstantial spending. You could say the Social Security pot is full, and the federal budget pot is empty, but make no mistake, they are the same pots.

Sure. But place blame where it belongs.

TechGromit says

All of the other government programs combined only equal 21% of spending.

Not sure where you are looking--some estimates put defense spending at 50% of the budget. It gets hidden throughout the budget, but it's defense.

TechGromit you can't tell me that 1000/month social security spending is running this nation broke when tax loopholes for special interest take a lot more revenue out of the system.

If people actually paid the taxes they are supposed to, without cheating we wouldn't have the problem. When you can make billions, write it off overseas and pay 0 taxes, or do other accounting gimmicks such as carry losses, or get creative with put/call options to pay 0 taxes it really hurts everyone. There is a lot more to it, rich aren't the only once lying on taxes, plenty of cash businesses do too.

But thats the loopholes that need to be eliminated, not the social security.

He was videotaping prosty-toots in his own home? What's the big deal? His ethics & morals are already compromised, what with the profession he's in...

His judgement, not so good.

tatupu70 says

Bap33 says

tatupu70 says

wormwood says

Didn’t you learn from your elite education

Just out of curiosity, when did it become bad to be smart? Or have a good education?
When did the country decide we’d rather have “folksy” running things? And why?

Not to be a pain, but it was liberal/leftists that came up with stupid crap that infested public-education and public-perception and resulted in a dumbed-down America. The list is about a mile long, so just admit I’m right and save us both the trouble. lol (like that will happen)

I’m not talking about political leaning at all. Just wouldn’t you rather have someone intelligent and well learned running things?

I would rather have character.
Intellect and educated are not the same.

Bap33 says

Intellect and educated are not the same.

Agreed. That's why I said intelligent and educated.

How do you define "character" How do you determine if someone has it?

tatupu70 says

How do you define “character” How do you determine if someone has it?

Please say that they have an icon that's an animal! Please, please, please!

state says

did someone just unironically quote ayn rand

They did, I saw it! But don't worry, most people who claim to like Rand don't know the REAL Ayn Rand and what she intended for humanity. They may as well be saying "Santa Claus." They're blissfully unaware of her self-hatred, her rabid vendetta against communism, her advocation of violence to achieve political aims, her lack of belief in emotions like love, compassion, empathy, or mercy, and most of all her CREEPY CREEPY EYES THAT GIVE YOU NIGHTMARES.

tatupu70 says

Just out of curiosity, when did it become bad to be smart? Or have a good education?

When did the country decide we’d rather have “folksy” running things? And why?

This is a really really good question.

I think one part of the answer has to do with the puppet masters, and what they think works.

The other part of the answer has to do with why it works. And that is in part about the insecurities of the uneducated and unintelligent.

How are you supposed to get a large part of the voting public to back wrong decisions or decisions that are geared toward the elite and against the middle class ? That is, how do you get them to vote against what is intelligent? Answer: make them feel that being uneducated and unintelligent (like they are) is somehow superior. If you feel it in your gut, this trumps logic and reasoning.

In the end, it's really some kind of mind control, if you think about it.

Bap33 says

liberal/leftists that came up with stupid crap that infested public-education and public-perception and resulted in a dumbed-down America. The list is about a mile long, so just admit I’m right and save us both the trouble. lol (like that will happen)

Translation: It fault of liberals.

All moral and cultural decay, and poverty itself is the result of liberal policies. If it weren't for liberals, only educated people who have the emotional and financial wherewithal to reproduce would do so.

Doesn't one have to be truly stupid to believe this shit. Turn on your radio. Some asshole will confirm it for you.

tatupu70 says

TechGromit says

huh??? The Social Security “surplus” was all invested in government bonds to support our unsubstantial spending. You could say the Social Security pot is full, and the federal budget pot is empty, but make no mistake, they are the same pots.

Sure. But place blame where it belongs.
TechGromit says

All of the other government programs combined only equal 21% of spending.

Not sure where you are looking–some estimates put defense spending at 50% of the budget. It gets hidden throughout the budget, but it’s defense.

And since is Social Security is/was PAYGO, any surplus is bonus cash.

I'd say, contrary to the original assertion, that SS is not only successful, but wildly successful. If it didn't run with an unnecessary surplus there wouldn't be anything to steal.

And that's why they stole it---a backdoor way to kill the program. The rest is just spinning.

cara.kelber flagged this data by Patrick as incorrect:

As of date = 2011-06-14

Apartment number

2 bedrooms

1 bathrooms

Type is Multi

Monthly home owner association fee (HOA) is $0

Square feet is

Estimated rent is $705

Asking price is $27500

cara.kelber, please say what part of that data is incorrect.

Patrick, please say why you think that the data is correct.

elliemae says

tatupu70 says

How do you define “character” How do you determine if someone has it?

Please say that they have an icon that’s an animal! Please, please, please!
Eschew Obfuscation

did I spell it wrong?

tatupu70 says

Bap33 says

Intellect and educated are not the same.

Agreed. That’s why I said intelligent and educated.
How do you define “character” How do you determine if someone has it?

I define it as what they do when nobody is watching. Do they return the money that the IRS mistakenly deposited in their bank account or do they run out and spend it. Good vs. Bad character. The context of the post assumed good character.

you are correct. it's all about what action one takes when nobody will know either way.

blows up the entire pro dope vote, dont it?

Bap33 says

blows up the entire pro dope vote, dont it?

No, not at all.

The story mentions that, if the guy was sentenced with any jail time, the system could keep him in jail for life if they felt that he was at risk to reoffend.

And that, if he violates his sexual offender probation, he goes straight to jail.

It's unfortunate that the courts are putting others at risk just to protest a law the judge believes to be unfair. One can only hope that when this twisted man, who got a babysitter drunk and then had sex with her while she was passed out, violates his probation without harming another innocent woman.

If he does, the judge should go to jail too.

CL says

any surplus is bonus cash.

Should be dividend earned back to the account holder.