November, 2013 archive
“Junk Insurance,” Reprise 0
Bruce Maiman looks at the “Obamacare cancellation hype” and explains that those policies that are no longer allowabale: They are like that car from Smiling Joe: Nicely washed and waxed, with sawdust in the transmission and oatmeal in the radiator, but oh so loooooow a sticker price.
A nugget:
In truth, CBS News blew it, and many of us fell for it. Did no one even bother asking in what world a $54-a-month policy buys any kind of coverage in any form of insurance? Barrette’s policy, which can be examined online, doesn’t even cover the cost of a hospital admittance fee should she fall ill. When made aware of this by, of all people, Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren, Barrette admitted she really had no idea.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Childish politeness.
Upon further investigation, officers determined that the man had actually been shot by his child, age unknown, who attempted to enter his father’s truck by scaling up the driver’s side. The child accidentally grabbed hold of an unsecured and loaded shotgun, which discharged and struck his father in the back.
Little-known linguistic trivia: “Gun nut” is an anagram for “damn fool.”
Election Day 0
VOTE
Can’t hurt, might help.
The Secesh 0
Chris Honore summarizes the takeover of the Republican Party by the Secesh–the ultimate outcome of Richard Nixon’s odious southern strategy–and asks a question:
My answer is, “You’re damned right they will, because Obama.”
Follow the link for his answer.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Dick Polman comments on the price of politeness exacted in the Los Angeles TSA shootings.
A nugget:
It was a relief to learn that the kid had chosen to exercise his free expression with the Smith & Wesson assault rifle, because that’s a product of all-American know-how, a real honey – a true Freedom tool, according to popular websites like budsgunshop.com . . . .”
Granted, there’s always a chance that you or I or someone we know and love might wind up as a Freedom lover’s collateral damage – hey, there’s always an inherent risk when you walk in an airport terminal, or when you munch popcorn at the movies, or when your kids play in kindergarten – but as a culture we’ve made our choice
Read the rest.
“Junk Insurance” 0
Wendell Potter explains the scam:
(snip)
Limited-benefit plans like that one, blessedly, will not be available next year, and that’s because of the Affordable Care Act. Neither will plans with sky-high deductibles. Another way insurers have shifted costs to patients in order to enhance profits: luring or forcing them into plans with such high deductibles they join the ranks of the underinsured the moment they enroll. When people in these plans get seriously sick or injured, they are on the hook for thousands of dollars in medical bills they’ll have to pay out of their own pockets.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Politeness casts a bigfootprint.
According to Sheriff Scott Walton, the three men were hunting Bigfoot late Saturday night, when one of them was spooked by what he thought might be the legendary beast and fired his weapon, hitting his friend in the back.
“When you start off with an explanation like that, do you believe anything after that?” Sheriff Walton said.
We live in a society of stupid.
The Crazification Factor 3
There’s that 27% number again.
More Proof That the Fashion Industry Hates Women 0
Yes, indeedy-do, that’s about the size of it.
Afterthought:
Some years ago, I had a short email exchange with a student from France. Somehow the conversation turned to fashion for a while, so I sent her a link to a chart similar to this one comparing European and American sizes for women’s clothes.
She could not make sense of the American sizes, because the system is, frankly, stupid.
Gamy 0
Frankly, I’ve always found “cornhole” to be an unfortunate name for a party game.
Now comes the American Cornhole Association.
Scam Alert 0
Telephone scam du jour:
If victims refuse to send money, callers will threaten them with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license.
B(l)ank Checks 0
Der Spiegel warns not to let the hype surrounding the occasional arrest of bankster to mislead you. The grift goes on.
Regulatory agencies and politicians have not set effective controls on banks and bankers, and although their reputation may be tarnished, their power remains unbroken.
More at the link.