July 1, 2012

But the ACA ain't really a tax, is it?

I mean, really? Really?

A tax is an amount of monies that a government entity collected from an individual or business by a government entity for the purpose of a government program.

But should I win the lottery tomorrow, and therefore be able to buy Blue Cross/Blue Shield, those monies go to Blue Cross or Blue Shield. I mean, that is how the company selling the product would want the check made out: Blue Cross or Blue Shield (Although perhaps one of these companies now goes by the name "Anthem," currently)

Should my premiums continue to be paid until that point in 2014 when the mandates become fully enforceable, will my personal check representing the these premium dollars of mine have to be made out "Payable to the US Treasury"?
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Yes, on some level we all know that the monies we will be forced to use to purchase the mandated health care insurance are not really a tax, are they? A tax, by very definition, goes off to a government entity - not to a multi-billion dollar a year enterprise that denies the person purchasing the product the actual substance they are trying to get - that is health care.

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June 29, 2012

My Two Cents - If Obama wants the ACA to help him win in November -

He needs to use his bully pulpit to explain what it is about.

And to make his message simple and understandable.

One of the primary rules in understanding a great deal about winning in politics is that those who have the simpler message can win (at least on that issue) with that message.

Right now, the Republicans have the simple message: "It's a tax and you'll probably face a penalty."

What is Obama's counter to that? As far as I can tell, Obama has an over 2,000 page document that many people are not familiar with, and that probably includes the people in Congress who voted for the ACA.

For instance, we in the public keep hearing that there will be help in paying insurance premiums for any households whose income falls at less than 400% of the poverty level.

But where does the help come from? I see this one point made again and again here at DU and also on some rather wonkish policy sites - but where specifically does a family go for that help? Have the Powers that be even decided where we go?

June 24, 2012

Derivatives at Morgan Stanley get moved to banking subsidiary

From Morgan Stanley's protfolio.

Some reasons for this being done: ability to have the government pay them off? And to make their firm look more successful?


http://firedoglake.com/2012/06/24/us-government-backstops-most-derivatives/

Joining the other too-big-to-fail banks, Morgan Stanley (MS) has been moving its derivatives portfolio from its holding company to its banking subsidiary. We saw this last November, when Bank of America moved a huge chunk of derivatives from its Merrill Lynch subsidiary onto the balance sheet of its bank subsidiary. This OCC report on derivatives suggests that the total amount currently supported by the FDIC is approximately$1.11 trillion.

Reuters reports:

The [MorganStanley] bank increased its notional derivatives positions at its bank unit to $2.57 trillion at the end of March from $1.72 trillion at the end of December, OCC data show. The portfolio has increased from $1.21 trillion at the end of March 2011.

June 22, 2012

The tgcmd.exe spyware won't go away -

I was using a security task manager to help me figure out why my computer endlessly spins and whirls, like the HD is being copied endlessly.

I found out that my system has a support folder for an obsolete program I use, that contains the tgcmd.exe spyware. then i was told the best way to get rid of the spyware was to eliminate the whole support folder, by going to COntrol Panel and using the Un-install/Remove feature.

Well, when I do that, at first things in that folder are eliminated, and quickly, but then the program starts endless spinning and whirring about. The arrow on the indicator bar showing how much time is left doesn't move any, either.

Finally I go to get out, and am told that the program "DLL" I was attempting to run as an Ap was not responding.

What does all this mean. Did the tgcmd.exe thing-ee decide to release itself as an Ap while my Remove function attempted to remove it?

I want to get rid of this tgcmd.exe program, but now am at a loss.

As always, any information and help is appreciated.

June 20, 2012

The Mystery Clouds are back over both poles - awesome photo

Apparently these clouds are in existence only in relation to the sun and its position over the Artic and Antartica horizon. They are at quite a height in the stratosphere, as well

They could be created by the reflective matter coming from man-made pollution, volcanic debris, and what not.

Full discussion here:

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2012/06/mysterious-electric-blue-clouds-appear-again-over-the-poles/

June 19, 2012

What is this file for: Adobelm_cleanup.0001 ???

Under properties, I am told it is an unknown file.

I was going to "stop" it from running, but a system message came up saying if the system proceeded with shutting the file down, it could hurt my machine.

Yet the file was created last Thursday - not a day when i bought new hardware or software.

Checking under The Task maanger, it seems to be running quite a bit.

What does it do, and is it the reason my machine is running slow (Did a virus check yesterday - no viruses detected.)

Any help appreciated.

June 12, 2012

You make a few good points - but readers of

newspaper, "The Press Democrat" here in Northern Calif are being told not to worry if they need medical marijuana to help them in facing a challenge to their health.

Help will be provided - the Administration is seeing to it that anyone with a valid prescription for Med Marijuana can have it. They will simply have to sign up and have it be sent to them from a Pharmacy in Great Britain.

How nuts is that? The state is facing a huge reduction of services, and the Administration refuses to let us continue with a program that was helping sick people, expanding employment opportunities, making rentals out of empty store fronts, expanding local newspapers. Additionally, the medical marijuana cultivation and clinic services were bringing 125 millions of dollars into the state's revenues through taxation.

I am a terrible cynic, becoming more cynical each day. The evidence I see all around me has me coming to believe that most of those in power are deliberately designing our society so that the middle incomed class becomes extinct, and those of us too old for insurance die before we reach the age of Social Security and MediCare, and many other things.

June 9, 2012

Finally a bank gets indictments against its officers for fraudulent mortgages

However it is a very small bank, Abacus Bank, of New York City.

And the dog that refuses to bark are the regulatory agencies, as this case is being pursued not by federal regulators, but by the DA of New York City.

Full description of the goings on, all the implications of this legal activity, AND a wonderful and important interview with William Black:

http://my.firedoglake.com/cindykouril/2012/06/09/the-first-bank-has-been-criminally-indicted-for-mortgage-fraud/

June 6, 2012

One other point - I can't say how it is

In Wisconsin, but in every single area I have voted in here in California, the citizens who serve as election judges tend to be over the hill seniors, of a Republican bent. These are the men and women who are inside the polling places on election day.

In Sausalito, Calif. back in early 2000's, one elderly man who was an election judge sauntered around the polling place, shouting at the top of his lungs that the initiative on the ballot to recall the local DA was a stupid initiative. Repeated this again and again. And I'll repeat it: this was inside the polling place.

This is clearly illegal according to election laws - there is to be NO Campaigning inside the polling place. Yet the County, when informed of this man's behavior, said, "Well, that's just X's personality. We sure can't get rid of him. We don't have enough people who offer to serve as election judges inside the polling places." So he is probably still there.

i have a friend who registered as a "R" - just to see how differently she would be treated from her husband, who remained registered as a Democrat. Sure enough, when she enters the polling place, she is given the royal treatment - escorted to a selection of booths, offered a pencil with warmth and affection. She is addressed by her name the whole time.

Her husband saunters in a few minutes later, and is ignored. If he needs a pencil, he can count on it being tossed toward him - too bad if it hits the floor and he has to bend over to pick it up.

If the Dems want to start winning, they need to start seeing to it that the warm bodies inside these places are younger and more "D" than "R"

Remember, in the end, an election is not at all about who votes - it is about who counts the votes!