October 12, 2013

About the South Dakota ranchers who lost cattle in last week's blizzard -

just because something has always been done a certain way, is that an excuse to continue?

If a dairyman in New York failed to provide proper shelter for his animals, he'd end up in jail. So why are cattle in the West not provided with any shelter when blizzards occur with some frequency?



I have no problem whatsoever with some kind of government aid/loans to assist ranchers in constructing shelters.

October 10, 2013

"White House faces an insurrection over metaphors"

he president will not pay ransom for ... " Carney began.

"You see it as a ransom, but it's a metaphor that doesn't serve our purposes ... " NPR correspondent Ari Shapiro shouted back with broad support from other confused reporters.

"You guys are just too literal then, right? Carney said.

"We just want to accurately report," Shapiro began before Carney interjected. "We're trying to be accurate in our description of what's going on."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/10/10/white-house-faces-an-insurrection-over-metaphors/

October 10, 2013

Why are the Koch Brothers backing away from the Tea Party?

With more money than God, how would the association hurt them? It's not as if they can be voted out of office. Are they setting up a pre-emptive defense for a RICO investigation?

October 10, 2013

Um, I seem to have misunderstood part of the ACA - can someone straighten me out?

I took a look at my employer's crappy health plan for 2014 ( Sign-ups taking place now)

Here's the thing: The brochure flat out states that there is a limit on coverage and doctor's visits ($200 a year, which can add up quickly!)

I thought that the ACA made such limits illegal.

I should add - I'm not worried about getting health insurance, I've always been covered by my husband's plan because my plan is so crappy. I'm just wondering what's gong on with this company.

October 10, 2013

I think employers will be sending out info on their health insurance plans soon

so employees can sign up for next year.

How many people do you think will be complaining because they can't use the Health Exchanges?

October 10, 2013

In case you thought those photos of meth addicts are fakes -

Our county sheriff is asking for an additional $40,000 for jail inmate medical expenses from the legislature -

He budgeted for 2 or 3 tooth extractions a month, but now is seeing 100 a month! This in a jail built for 159 inmates.

October 9, 2013

Last spring I think it was, my employer made some major changes to its operating programs -

things like tracking orders for our products , internal inventories, production schedules, purchase orders etc. It was a disaster. At one point the local plant had about 3 months production sitting on site because there was no way to get it entered into inventory so it could be sold and shipped.

This was a major corporation employing a major software supplier.

Just a little context to the problems anyone is having with the various Obamacare sites.

October 9, 2013

Voter suppression - we need to get the word out -

It's fairly easy to register here in New York. I've had my driver's license for years, and I have one daughter who has a state issued ID (in lieu of a driver's license). I haven't heard anyone complaining about getting a license, so I assume it's still a fairly straight forward process. Voting here and registering to vote are also relatively easy.

That's the problem.

Some New Yorkers I know assumed that it isn't unreasonable to ask for ID at the ballot box; everyone they know has ID and you have to supply ID every time you write a check. (FWIW - I don't think these people realize that lots of people don't have a checking account!) They had no idea of all the hoops some people have to jump through in other states in order to vote.

October 9, 2013

Has the shutdown and looming default made the average American aware of the

Koch brothers and their buddies?

October 7, 2013

I am sorry to admit this, but I'm almost hoping the Republicans take us over the cliff -

I am so sick and tired of them destroying the promise of the New Deal with the death of a thousand cuts, so tired of a new tantrum every six months.

Going over the cliff would be a total disaster, just like the Civil War and World War II. But I can understand how those who stood with the Union were relieved to be free of the burden of compromising with slave holders, and how people in England were relieved when the "phony war" ended.