Comments on: Unwinding

By: matt

matt — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:22:44 +0000

Greg
You are probably right, I thought as much as
I was writing the above. A republican was being
interviewed on our public broadcaster here.
The interviewer had smirk on his face and looking
a little dumb founded (clearly he thought the republican
was deranged) as he suggested that the American
economy could not afford a socialist type health care system.
The interviewer said we (Aus) have a socialistic health care system
and we are the only OECD country not to be in a recession.
Lowest debt to GDP ratio, unemployment at around 5.6% etc etc.
This did not register with the interviewee, these facts
are outside the US, obviously of little relevance to his rhetoric.
Still cant get over Voigt ‘lampooning’ republican rhetoric – very ‘clever’ man.

By: greg Breneman

greg Breneman — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 05:26:07 +0000

Matt I believe we could put together a useful health care system by putting together the best of all the systems out there but this administration and congress appear not to be interested in finding any facts or selling a well thought out proposal to the public. I think they prefer controversy instead to appease their own special interests which means we have little chance of getting anything useful.

By: matt

matt — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 02:10:17 +0000

Greg
Our health care costs/medicare levy is 1.5% pa of our taxable income. Regardless of how much you earn.
If you have private health insurance there is a rebate.
If you are over the age of 65 or a child all medical
expenses are free.
Your health care costs are double what they are here.
Surely the government could go on a ‘fact finding mission’
to Taiwan, Austria, England, Germany, Australia and perhaps
create a health care system that is an amalgum of these examples.
This is what Taiwan did some time ago, and consequently they have probably have one of the best systems in the world.
More cycling ‘propaganda’ check out the cycling infratructure planning system that Groningen has created for itself.
60% of all transport trips are by bike, it is hard to believe
but I witnessed it myself.
http://www.globalideasbank.org/site/bank/idea.php?ideaId=378
When I was there last year I witnessed no carbon fibre, lycra or the bane of purists everywhere the dreaded derailleur.
Double D, no apology necessary, if I had a condition where I was
at risk of blindness, amputation and impotence I would be
a bit cranky too.
Best wishes to your Stanley, good luck with the daily prick
test, I am sure you will do just fine.

By: Stan Moore

Stan Moore — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:33:48 +0000

reference link to my new essay:
http://usa.mediamonitors.net/content/view/full/68097
which explores why Ft. Hood killings are not simply brushed off as “collatoral damage” from the Iraq/Afghanistan wars.
Stan Moore

By: Greg Breneman

Greg Breneman — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:19:03 +0000

Anyway Guy would say none of the above matters anyways.

By: greg Breneman

greg Breneman — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:15:14 +0000

Oh matt I almost forgot. Our U.S. congress has no intention of joining the health plan they are cooking up for the masses. There plan for themselves is far superior.

By: Greg Breneman

Greg Breneman — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:07:34 +0000

Matt as to your footage of John Voigt. We do have some special interests here who have reason to be concerned about health care.
1 People over 65 who are covered already by medicare probably see no personal benefit of being tossed into the same pool with everyone else especially since most health dollars are spent on the old and they would thus be the first targets for “cost containment”. My next door neighbors who are in their 80s with one of them in poor health would stand to gain nothing from Obumers plan. They would simply lose.
2 There are people in this country who have excellent private employer insurance and this also includes most Government workers. Needless to say these folks might also be unenthusiastic about joining.
3 The number of uninsured is estimated at 46 million out of 310 million people and since the number of doctors and medical people is unlikely to increase you can guess that wait times for service must increase especially since people think it would be “free care” so why not go more often.
4 The drug companies really stay in business because they hire bright people in chemistry and other assorted professions who command good money for their work. They are not running a charity operation and the people who create these drugs and other medical gear never will be either.
Last but not least I think this so called debate over health care at this point in time with our other very serious troubles makes a terrific distraction that the government makes use of to keep everyone from focusing on the fact that we collectively have been and are being ripped off for trillions of dollars by the washington/wall street lowlifes and other important issues get very little attention. Our news media is pretty worthless.

By: matt

matt — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:30:45 +0000

no arguments here…
you would be happy to know I crashed this morn,
my whole right side is grazed – first time!
the seat pin broke and seat fell off,
I had to ride home 30km out of the saddle.
Logic based on correlation? As with all things its not my data, check out John Pucher at Rutgers Uni – cycling legend
http://www.policy.rutgers.edu/faculty/pucher/BikeSummit2007COMP_Mar25.pdf
Very interesting stuff young Stanley, but dont take my word for it.
‘denial of what reality?’ educate me – highlight my obvious flaws.
I can only give you an opinion, that is all, what more can I give?
With all things here, anyone that questions you or disagrees with
you slightly you think they are a ‘few palings short of a fence’
or there ‘is a kangaroo lose in the top paddock’.
What is the point of any blog other than to thrash things about.
Anyways, saw some footage of John Voigt at a republican rally decrying the health care reforms. The guy is a comic genuis or a stooge for the health care industry. The ideological baggage of your history has done a real number on your national psyche.
From over here, the US reads like a another planet.

By: Frank Mezek

Frank Mezek — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:03:14 +0000

Our Stan:
Please look up the word “temperamental” and read the definition fully and carefully.
Frank

By: Guy McPherson

Guy McPherson — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:05:15 +0000

“Men argue; nature acts.” (Voltaire)