CBO Report on Premiums

Ezra Klein reads a new CBO report, so we don't have to.

But the increase is moderated by two other policy changes. First, the new rules governing the insurance market are expected to make the market more efficient, lowering prices by 7 to 10 percent. Second, the individual mandate, alongside the subsidies and the increased ease of purchasing insurance, is expected to bring in healthier folks, which should save another 7 to 10 percent. Add it all together and we're looking at a 10 to 12 percent increase in premiums for insurance that's about 30 percent better than what people are getting now. It's a steal. And all this is before we get to subsidies.

Decisions

Sullivan on Obama's choices in Afghanistan

You want empire? Then say so and get on with it - with far more forces, and massive cuts in domestic spending to rebuild thankless Muslim population centers thousands of miles from home for decades into the future.
You do not want empire? Then leave.
Those are the presidential level choices.

I'm not going to pretend to know what Obama needs to do in those countries. That said, the United States is broke. If this shit is still a nation building experiment and not anti-terrorism, if the United States can get out without risking the safety of our own country, I'd like to get out.

Please, remember Mr. President, that Al-Queda is almost dead. Remember that we have not been able to install a stable responsible government in either country in the 8 and 6 years that we have been there. And remember that 16% of Americans are unemployed or underemployed, your Universal health care bill leaves 10 Million uninsured, deficits are rising, and our troops are tired.

Pardon me?

Well, I guess Mike Huckabee's Political Career is over...

It's unfortunate. He was far more sane than Palin, and they share a constituency. This probably puts her that much closer to the Republican Nomination, meaning that we will have a circus instead of an election in 2012.

Common Sense for Canada

Palin's handlers tried to help her by ushering Walsh out of the Borders, but Palin could not be deterred. When Palin left the signing, Walsh caught up with her in the parking lot, where Palin suggested that Canada should get rid of its public health care system. "Keep the faith" Palin said, "because common sense conservatism can be plugged in there in Canada too. In fact, Canada needs to reform its health care system and let the private sector take over some of what the government has absorbed."

From Huff Po

Wrote this a while ago...

...but I haven't posted in three days and don't have much else

Solomon to Harrison

The Beatles said that there’s nothing you
can do that can’t be done
But really they stole that from Solomon
Just because they said that the sun was coming
Doesn’t mean that it had never come

like? dislike? No one in my workshop group got it, but they are also pretty dumb.
My professor liked it.

Freaks and Geeks.

I borrowed Freaks and Geeks from Chris yesterday and finished the entire 18 episode series around 4:30 today. It was on in 99-00, set in 1980 Detroit Suburb, and supposed to be about "High School for the rest of us."
Freaks and Geeks failed. It was a great show with some awesome characters and good writing. However, it didn’t accurately display high school, at least as I knew it, because it couldn’t. At times, it got very close. However, it was doomed to start. High School is a case where art cannot capture life.
The problem with talking about high school, especially through art, is that art cannot talk about monotony and continuity and routine. Art is wonderful at telling stories and portraying events. High School, however, is not defined by the events, the things done once. High School doesn’t suck because of the Saturday nights when you do things. It sucks because of the nights when you sit at home doing nothing. It’s not the one time you got beat up that sucks. It’s the next time you think you saw anyone that witnessed it – or worse, the guy who beat you up. High School doesn’t suck because of the time a girl brushed you off. It sucks because for the next four years, every time you see that girl you will be carrying that rejection around with you.
We so often see depictions of the classic scenes of high school – prom, Friday night football, parties, failing a test. None of that captures high school. Of course I struggled to find a date to prom. It was tough to ask a girl out. But it was also hard for me to walk up to a girl and talk to her on a Tuesday between fourth and fifth period. I went to a lot of football and basketball games, but I was on the wrestling team, and that was what mattered. No one gave a shit about the wrestling team, but they still knew I was on it and that we sucked and I still got crap for that. And so the awfulness that was being on a crappy wrestling team cannot be summed up by one match, by one practice, by one boring ride home where no one could celebrate. Wrestling was summed up by spending two hours a day for 3 months a year losing, and everyone knowing that I was losing, no one caring that much about it, but me feeling really bad.
Failing a test sucks, but it isn’t the worst thing. The worst thing is getting 6 B- ‘s when you know you can get A’s. The worst thing is that you aren’t allowed to feel bad about B’s because you know that somewhere there is a kid that is getting C’s and D’s that would kill to get your 83, but you go home and your parents are wondering why you didn’t get a 95, and they tell you that you are grounded and so you can’t talk to your friends and so you, once again, are home on Saturday Night not doing anything. Then, the fact that six other people said they didn’t really do anything on Saturday Night doesn’t help you feel better, because somewhere someone is telling a story about something really fun that they did, and you know that you could have been doing something fun.
The problem with boring life is that it makes for an even more boring story. TV is not about people, it is about characters. And all characters have to do something. All characters have to get a girl, even if she was born with a penis and no one else likes her. Even if he is a burnout who ends up playing dungeons and dragons. The Geeks still do stuff. I didn’t. I did nothing in High School. I never could have played D&D – I was way too self conscious. And so you stay home. You don’t think your friends are cool so you don’t really hang out with them and you stay home and watch tv shows about people who do things, and think about the girl that you want to walk from fourth to fifth period with, and all the homework you didn’t do, and you start to feel bad about yourself. And then on Sunday you go to church and people tell you how much they love you and you tell people how much you love them, except you really don’t so you feel bad, but Jesus loves you, so maybe it’s all better. If only you could talk to that girl.

Great argument against cloning...

Boycott Pepsico?

Jacob, a guy who lived on my hall last year, wants you to boycott Pepsico due to their "failure to remain neutral in the culture war," aka, their support for gay equality.

I have a few thoughts:

1. If people want to boycott Pepsi because they dispute the companies values, they have every right to do so as Pepsi does to support certain causes.

2. I don't drink Pepsi because I think their product sucks.

3. This is sponsored by the American Family Association. Gay people want the right to get married. Isn't this in accordance with forming stronger families? Isn't that a good thing? When did people committing to love another person become bad?
I understand that this organization's purpose has nothing to do with promoting "family," but rather to promoting an orthodox Christian view of family. But please, change your name. Orthodox Christians don't have a monopoly on family. Truth in advertising, please. Aren't Christians supposed to be proud of what they represent? Proud to be Christians?

4. I don't think that this is really an issue that people or even corporations can remain "neutral" on. My understanding of this "culture war" is that it is largely about a people group's recognition as a legitimate and equal segment of society that wants nothing more than legitimacy and equality. They do not want to take away any religious group's autonomy over their doctrine.
However, because the conversation about gay rights is largely based around the recognition of homosexuality as a completely legitimate and natural life style, ignoring gays is fighting against them. Respect for human dignity is not an issue that people can be on the fence about. A person or corporation must be seen as either for gay equality or against it. Failure to participate in the conversation diminishes gay rights.

5. The website uses Pepsico's support for "Family Guy" and "Brothers and Sisters" as a sign that Pepsico wants everyone to be gay and hates Christians. Forreal? Pepsico is a corporation. They want to make money. They advertise. People consume their product. This isn't a PAC or advocacy group. The tv shows are the same way. Their purpose is to air interesting and amusing content that will attract viewers. If you think that they should not advertise these shows due to a "promotion (recognition of the existence of) homosexuality, than you are not asking Pepsico to be "neutral in the culture war." You want them to be actively fighting the legitimization of homosexuality. Once again, this AFA group has the right to use their economic power to push Pepsi into doing this, but don't ask Pepsi to be neutral. Ask them to fight on your side. Once again, ignoring the issue is fighting it.

6. The website shows a video of a Gay Rights rally sponsored by Pepsico and talks about how offensive it is. It's offensive because there are gay people touching each other and someone drops an F-Bomb. Whatever. The most important part of the video, to me, is when a woman talks about how much she "loves her people." WHY DO PEOPLE NOT LIKE THIS??????? WHEN DID LOVE BECOME AN OBJECTIONABLE ACT? THESE PEOPLE AREN'T TRYING TO DO BAD TO ANYONE. THEY JUST WANT THEIR LOVE TO BE RECOGNIZED AS LEGITIMATE.


That is all.

lolz

So we were having a deep intellectual conversation about religion and the veracity of claims made in the bible and what not. Then some girl came out and tried to join this conversation. She is under the influence of something strong. I'm not sure what is happening. I should probably go to sleep.

Irony

Actual add from one of the companies that became Exxon.
http://www.grist.org/article/2009-11-18-oil-enough-energy-to-melt-glaciers

LATFH

Wins again

Lady Cartman Walkenga

Biology

I really hate it and am not looking forward to my test tomorrow. Still, though, this video is too bad ass to not post.

Quoted for Truth

"Mostly, you'll hear about how a trial in open court opens up the possibility we might lose the case, as if the only justice worth having is the kind they dole out in Iran."
-Jason Linkins

Writing

This is from the short story I wrote for my Creative Writing class. If anyone wants to read the whole thing, I'd love feedback.

We ate and chatted. Rita was new in town. Working as a waitress and had accompanied a co-worker to the party the night before.
Rita looked at me kind of funny. “Everything alright?” I asked.
Rita shoved eggs into her mouth. “I’m stealing your car.”
I was stunned for about 17 different reasons. “What? No.” I was whispering. “No! Wait? Why am I talking to you? I’m leaving. I should be making a scene!”
“I wouldn’t do that.” She cut off a small bite of pancake and dipped it in her syrup.
“What? Why not?”
“Because,” she said, eating the pancake. “I have a gun. It’s pointed at you under the table.”
“WHAT?”
“I have a gun. Come on, I really need your car keys. I’m running late.”
“No. What are you talking about? What are you late for?”
“I’m meeting a friend down in Charleston tonight. She has a new boy friend that she wants me to meet.”
“Wait. What?”

double you. tee. eff

The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington said Wednesday that it will be unable to continue the social service programs it runs for the District if the city doesn't change a proposed same-sex marriage law, a threat that could affect tens of thousands of people the church helps with adoption, homelessness and health care.

From WaPo's faith blog

http://www.passiveaggressivenotes.com/2009/11/05/waiting-for-the-rapture-andor-a-thank-you-note/