From the Desk of HamsterPrez
Hamsterdam, USA
My Fellow Hamsters;
This is likely to be my last series of posts. I have finally discovered the problem to the problems, and there appears to be no solution. It's in the title. Everyone's talking, but no one is listening. Poll after poll after poll has told our elected officials what we, their employers, want and yet they fail at every turn to pay any heed. So caught up in their own sanctimonious and petty drivel are they that we no longer matter. They have completely ceased being representatives of ours and have morphed into professional politicians whose only focus is re-election.
They don't give a crap about us...that would take too much effort. Having been reduced to just another lonely voice screaming into the empty darkness had driven me to just shut the hell up. My voice among all the others offers nothing to those who refuse to listen.
And I'm just too angry about all the stupidity I see and hear. There are such easy answers to all of the problems we have, and yet those who have the ability and position to enact those solutions refuse to do so until and unless they get something in return. Louisianna gets $100 million dollars so their senator will not block a procedural vote. Abortion gets written into the alleged health care reform bill so that some politicrat from Nebraska will get in line with the party, despite the fact that what he is asking for is contradictory to the party's platform.
Dont' even get me started on Lieberman. He's been called the Senator from Aetna, but he's actually just the Senator from Lieberman. His actions have absolutely nothing to do with his constituents, the country, the sick and the dying. He's not holding things up to get something for his state or for the insurance cartel. He's doing what he's doing because he can and gives him an egomaniacal boost in self importance.
President Obama? He's so intent on the ideal of how government should work that he has completely failed to notice the reality of it all. It's great to want the system to work as you've been taught that it should, but at some point (long past now) you have to say "screw it" and just do what you know is right. And just. And that doesn't kill people. You are not only the leader of the free world, Sir, you are the leader of your party. Except they are leading you. Long ago you should have taken over the debate, gotten the country behind you, threatened these dolts with their political lives, and gotten your party to do what you said you were going to do. On this, Sir, you have failed miserably, and it's killing a lot of people.
The rest of the civilized world, and probably some parts of the not-so-civilized world, are looking at America now and wondering what the hell? We look stupid, inept, incapable and we are losing our position rapidly as the place that everyone turns to for answers and assistance. We are becoming a laughing-stock and all the pretty speeches won't make that go away. Our very credibility is at stake, and we're losing our grip.
I said earlier (and before in other posts) that the solutions to the major problems facing this country are simple and in my next post I will outline them. It won't do any good, of course. If the people who actually have a podium from which to speak can't get any traction, then how the hell will I? But, it will make me feel better.
HP
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
From the Hamster Nation HQ in Hamsterdam, here is this year's recipient of the Hamster Paradigm Excellence in Writing Award, Mr. Rod G. of Seal Beach, CA. Rod, or as we affectionately 
call him Big Rod, won this award months ago, but it has taken the Hamster Nation Budget Office this long to approve the funding for the Keith Olbermann bobble head doll, pictured with its proud new owner.
call him Big Rod, won this award months ago, but it has taken the Hamster Nation Budget Office this long to approve the funding for the Keith Olbermann bobble head doll, pictured with its proud new owner.Many thanks to Big Rod for his contributions and thought-numbing conversations around the HQ.
HamsterPrez
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
PSA: Porn Makes You Gay
This past weekend saw an event called the Values Voter Summit and it featured most if not all of the potential Republican presidential hopefuls. During this conference, there was a "break out session" which featured Mike Schwartz who is the Chief of Staff to Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) and he had this to say:
"All pornography is homosexual pornography because all pornography turns your sexual drive inwards. Now think about that. And if you, if you tell an 11-year old boy about that, do you think he going to want to go out and get a copy of Playboy? I'm pretty sure he'll lose interest. That's the last thing he wants."
This is absurd on so many levels. Let's start with the question, "Where does an 11-year boy 'go out to' to get a Playboy magazine?" Chances are, he pulled it out from between the matress and box springs of his Dad's bed. Are you the Christian father who wants to try to reconcile that argument with your 11-year old son? "Dad, if reading Playboy makes me gay, are you, too?"
Playboy, along with all adult fare, is not exactly easily obtainable by the pre-teen set except from within the home, or a heathen friend's home. So, then Bobby goes over to Tommy's house to look at Tommy's dad's Playboys and asks Tommy's dad the same question. You think Tommy's Dad might make a call to Bobby's Dad? Probably.
All pornography is homosexual pornography because it turns your sex drive inwards? That would make it monosexuality, wouldn't it? If Playboy makes you want to have sex with yourself, then how does that make you homosexual?
What about lesbians? One could presume that Playboy would, in fact, cause a lesbian-leaning 11-year old girl to strap on a tool belt and start fixing the dishwasher. Applying Mr. Schwartz' logic-deprived theory to this argument, Playgirl would turn little girls into lesbians. Which means that all pornography makes girls homosexual. It's a wonder there are any straight women at all.
Here's some more of what Mr. Schwartz had to say:
"It's been a few years, not that many, since I was closely associated with pre-adolescent boys, boys who are like 10 to 12 years of age." Really? "Closely associated"means what, exactly? I'm going to take a slightly higher road here and assume that you were a Sunday school teacher to that age group and not the scary guy on the corner. He goes on to say, "But it is my observation that boys at that age have less tolerance for homosexuality than just about any other class of people. That's beacause they don't want to be that way. They don't want to fall into it. And that's a good instinct."
Boys at that age are mimicing what they've been told. They have no clear understanding of the question. So, publically and to the adults in the room, they will answer accordingly. Reality is that all children are naturally curious about sex of all types, and are more likely to experiment with different kinds when told it's a bad thing. It's part of human nature. Don't tell me I can't or shouldn't do something and if it's so bad, what about Uncle Larry? Or Father Mike?
No one and nothing has the power to "make someone gay", Mr. Schwartz. Trust me, I wish it did. There are thousands of guys I wish I could convert, even for an hour, to our side. But the truth you so blindly ignore is that this world is comprised of many different types of people who, according to your own faith, are all children of God. And there really is no choice of one's sexuality beyond accepting or rejecting it.
So tell me, if it's okay with God, why isn't it okay with you? I wonder if God appreciates your efforts to usurp his authority.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
The President's Speech: Official Hamster Response
My Fellow Hamsters,
After listening to the President's speech tonight, and whiling away the hours between it's end and the beginning of this post listening to the talking heads and politicians on MSNBC and (gasp!) Fox, it is time for me to compose the Official Response of the Hamster Nation. I know that you have been spending the evening since the speech at your computer waiting for this analysis, and I apologize if I have kept you up past your bedtime. I just needed to do a little research first. So, nuke a cup of coffee, turn the lights down low, and let's just get it done.
Tonight, he was President Muhammad Ali. He was poetic and threw enough left jabs and right uppercuts to make even The Greatest proud. He knew the song we wanted to hear, and he sang it beautifully. He denounced the fringe and the party that supports and inflames them. He reminded the Democrats that they were still the other party, and the one in power, and that this was to be done now. He basically called all the kids in the sandbox together and told them to play nice or else.
Tonight, the Republican Party showed it's true colors. I was appalled at the disrespect shown to the President of the United States. Eric Cantor thought texting more important an activity than listening to the President detailing THE issue on the table. The whole, albeit small, group sat stoically in their seats, rising only to applaud tort reform, looking all grim and smug. Just say no, fellas, and stay on the wrong side of history. He told you tonight, get on board or get out of the way.
And Congressman Wilson from South Carolina, you have no right to remain in office. Your behavior by yelling that the President of the United States was a liar is cause enough for you to resign your seat immediately. In this writer's opinion, you have proven yourself a detriment to this country and to your constituents. There is no excuse for your behavior especially given the fact that you have been lying all along by supporting the Death Panel garbage. Resignation is far easier, quicker, and less costly than impeachment.
And he told the Democrats they are their own worst enemy and to get on the same page. Screw the Republicans and let's get this done. It's what we elected them to do, and there is no reason not to. Get it on the table before they know what hit them. And it had better have every element that I want in it. As Jean Luc Picard would say, "Make it so." (That was for you, Honey).
And he told us in completely transparent terms what we can expect and demystified the plan. He finally told us, told Congress what we've wanted him to say: it's a moral imperative. That what we do to ourselves by feeding off of each other is destroying this country. I just recently decided to stop being a Realtor because what I saw in that process made me sick. Humanity has been reduced to me-ism and economic greed-ism. The health and well-being of our citizens is not a profit motive...or shouldn't be.
He threw the insurance industry enough rope to either pull themselves in or hang themselves. He practically begged them to come to the table and bring something tangible to the debate. Pharma did. The American Hospital Association did. They've already pledged more that $300 billion dollars towards reforms in cutting prices, improving delivery, and cutting costs. The American Medical Association is on board and working on tort reform, cost cutting, and improved medical care. He told them tonight, there are 30 million customers out there for you to come and get, figure out a way to get them in a way that we can all live with. You'll actually make more money if you have more customers even if some of them are paying less.
Could we also get a freeze on premium increases? Just saying. A hundred and seventeen percent is a lot. Really rather not pay you that until I see if you're actually going to step up here and do the right thing. This is actually your mess. You should be cleaning it up. You believe that you are immune because you feel we have no choice. Like the oil companies and gas price manipulation. You all feel like you don't need us as much as we need you.
You're right, of course, but that doesn't make you right for doing it. Don't you get it? We're fucking broke! The overwhelming majority of the people in this country...that would be us, the hamsters...are existing paycheck to paycheck and just don't have anymore to give. You won, already. Stop piling on. UNCLE!
He's not going to get mandated insurance coverage because it isn't possible. Where the argument goes astray in saying that the bill will not extend these benefits to illegal aliens, it doesn't have to. They have free health care, along with anyone else who is indigent, just by going to the emergency room. You cannot ask people to purchase insurance that they didn't need before and still give it away to people who, arguably, shouldn't be entitled to it. If they do not change their ways, we will all have free health care. I don't think that's what they want, really.
Big business does not want the government interfering in its affairs. A really good way to get the government off your back is to do as it asks, which is help us help you help the American people. Because this issue cannot be about who's right anymore. It has to be about what's right. And what's right in this case is; If it's good for the geese, it's good for the hamsters. Ladies and Gentlemen of the House and Senate, I'd like your insurance, please. Why am I, your boss, not entitled to the same quality insurance as you, my employee?
I'm just saying. Thanks for tuning in, and your comments are welcome. Please feel free to share with anyone. Good luck, and for crissakes stay well.
Hamster Prez
After listening to the President's speech tonight, and whiling away the hours between it's end and the beginning of this post listening to the talking heads and politicians on MSNBC and (gasp!) Fox, it is time for me to compose the Official Response of the Hamster Nation. I know that you have been spending the evening since the speech at your computer waiting for this analysis, and I apologize if I have kept you up past your bedtime. I just needed to do a little research first. So, nuke a cup of coffee, turn the lights down low, and let's just get it done.
Tonight, he was President Muhammad Ali. He was poetic and threw enough left jabs and right uppercuts to make even The Greatest proud. He knew the song we wanted to hear, and he sang it beautifully. He denounced the fringe and the party that supports and inflames them. He reminded the Democrats that they were still the other party, and the one in power, and that this was to be done now. He basically called all the kids in the sandbox together and told them to play nice or else.
Tonight, the Republican Party showed it's true colors. I was appalled at the disrespect shown to the President of the United States. Eric Cantor thought texting more important an activity than listening to the President detailing THE issue on the table. The whole, albeit small, group sat stoically in their seats, rising only to applaud tort reform, looking all grim and smug. Just say no, fellas, and stay on the wrong side of history. He told you tonight, get on board or get out of the way.
And Congressman Wilson from South Carolina, you have no right to remain in office. Your behavior by yelling that the President of the United States was a liar is cause enough for you to resign your seat immediately. In this writer's opinion, you have proven yourself a detriment to this country and to your constituents. There is no excuse for your behavior especially given the fact that you have been lying all along by supporting the Death Panel garbage. Resignation is far easier, quicker, and less costly than impeachment.
And he told the Democrats they are their own worst enemy and to get on the same page. Screw the Republicans and let's get this done. It's what we elected them to do, and there is no reason not to. Get it on the table before they know what hit them. And it had better have every element that I want in it. As Jean Luc Picard would say, "Make it so." (That was for you, Honey).
And he told us in completely transparent terms what we can expect and demystified the plan. He finally told us, told Congress what we've wanted him to say: it's a moral imperative. That what we do to ourselves by feeding off of each other is destroying this country. I just recently decided to stop being a Realtor because what I saw in that process made me sick. Humanity has been reduced to me-ism and economic greed-ism. The health and well-being of our citizens is not a profit motive...or shouldn't be.
He threw the insurance industry enough rope to either pull themselves in or hang themselves. He practically begged them to come to the table and bring something tangible to the debate. Pharma did. The American Hospital Association did. They've already pledged more that $300 billion dollars towards reforms in cutting prices, improving delivery, and cutting costs. The American Medical Association is on board and working on tort reform, cost cutting, and improved medical care. He told them tonight, there are 30 million customers out there for you to come and get, figure out a way to get them in a way that we can all live with. You'll actually make more money if you have more customers even if some of them are paying less.
Could we also get a freeze on premium increases? Just saying. A hundred and seventeen percent is a lot. Really rather not pay you that until I see if you're actually going to step up here and do the right thing. This is actually your mess. You should be cleaning it up. You believe that you are immune because you feel we have no choice. Like the oil companies and gas price manipulation. You all feel like you don't need us as much as we need you.
You're right, of course, but that doesn't make you right for doing it. Don't you get it? We're fucking broke! The overwhelming majority of the people in this country...that would be us, the hamsters...are existing paycheck to paycheck and just don't have anymore to give. You won, already. Stop piling on. UNCLE!
He's not going to get mandated insurance coverage because it isn't possible. Where the argument goes astray in saying that the bill will not extend these benefits to illegal aliens, it doesn't have to. They have free health care, along with anyone else who is indigent, just by going to the emergency room. You cannot ask people to purchase insurance that they didn't need before and still give it away to people who, arguably, shouldn't be entitled to it. If they do not change their ways, we will all have free health care. I don't think that's what they want, really.
Big business does not want the government interfering in its affairs. A really good way to get the government off your back is to do as it asks, which is help us help you help the American people. Because this issue cannot be about who's right anymore. It has to be about what's right. And what's right in this case is; If it's good for the geese, it's good for the hamsters. Ladies and Gentlemen of the House and Senate, I'd like your insurance, please. Why am I, your boss, not entitled to the same quality insurance as you, my employee?
I'm just saying. Thanks for tuning in, and your comments are welcome. Please feel free to share with anyone. Good luck, and for crissakes stay well.
Hamster Prez
Thursday, August 20, 2009
The 117% Solution
Hey HamsterNation!
I apologize for the erratic timing of the posts, but HP has been busy culling the airways for all the latest garbage and crapola from the world of politics. Hell of it is, I didn't even need to leave the house. The health care debacle has come to the Off White House of the Hamster Party. I call it the 117% Solution, which is, oddly enough, where the title to this little screed came from. Oh, but the irony is just beginning.
See, no matter what the Republican't Party does, no matter how many wingnuts scream, shout epithets, demand their country back, carry guns to Presidential appearances, or invoke Hitler's name, no matter how many tens of millions of dollars the industry throws at it's purchased officials, no matter how many more lies are trotted forth as truth, the real truth is that health care reform is going to happen. The real truth is that the industry knows it. The real truth is that the only thing they want killed is the government option and single-payer. The only thing that frightens them is competition.
But the ABSOLUTE TRUTH is that they already know that not only is it not dead, but it will be part of the reform package that will be signed by President Obama sometime in December of this year. The Public Option is going to happen. They also know that they have 3 years before it kicks in and to make as much money as possible. And in the next 3 years, they are going to rape everyone of us who has health insurance.
It's the 117% Solution. My husband (yes, we are both husbands) works for a municipal government in Southern California. So, by extension, he has roughly the same benefits as all government employees in California. (Even broke, we're the seventh or so largest economy in the world and have more government employees than any other state). They had a pretty good union once, when unions were relevant, and as a result I am able to have the same insurance as he does. He has the monthly payments deducted from his paycheck every two weeks, and we never really miss the money. And we enjoy knowing that, should anything happen, like it did to me a couple of years ago, that we would be covered. Yes, the premiums went up a little last year, but that seemed reasonable enough at the time.
Now, when this insurance was offered, there was no choice as to provider, only to paying to have it or not. You could choose different plans offered by the provider, and whether you wanted to have an HMO or a prohibitively expensive PPO, and all of the usual choices. The only choice missing was for the provider.
This week, Scott was informed by someone in the human resources department that our premiums are going up 117% in January. One hundred and seventeen fucking percent. Scott's annual cost of living increase, if he gets it, will be 114% less than that. I haven't' had a raise in 2 years, and I'm not anticipating one, or at least much of one. Certainly not anything approaching 117%. We got a combined $900 dollars back last year, and most of that was business losses by me trying to stay in the real estate business. Scott actually had to pay. And the Insurance industry reported record profits.
This is happening to a government agency, so can you imagine what they're going to do to you? The only tactic they have left is to completely bankrupt the system before the government can get it's act together and actually start the program thereby being too late to save it. We'll end up giving them our tax money to stay in business, just like the banks and Wall Street, so that the entire behemoth doesn't implode.
Because the ABSOLUTE TRUTH is that they are in the rarefied air of "too big to fail." Like the greedy shits at the banks, investment houses, auto manufacturers, and yes, the insurance industry. Hell, they've already had us bail out one of them, and they were the largest! Think about the combined worth and impact of just the top 10 health care insurers. Add to that the 200+ smaller insurance companies then throw in the ancillary businesses that comprise our total health care system, and you can see where this scenario leads.
Even if it ends up being a delaying-the-inevitable demise of the insurance industry, it will cost us hundreds of billions of dollars. The irony of that is the Repbulican't Party is a wholly owned subsidiary of the health care industry. The party that said no to the stimulus package, no to the Cash for Clunkers (which, by the way, is causing GM (r) to up production and re-hire a couple thousand workers, but hey, just because it worked doesn't mean it's a good idea), and have been blocking this reform package arguing, when they're actually trying to seem sincere, that it will cost too much, will end up costing us a helluva lot more.
Our collective nuts are firmly held in their greasy sweating hands. Even for me, that's not a comfortable thought. And along the way they have managed to let loose the morons and their contagious virus of right wingnut-ery, putting into motion the empowerment and recruitment of the lunatic fringe. You know, the ones with all the guns, ammo, and fertilizer. The Confederate Soldiers of 1865 today. Still thinking the war is going on. Eager to bring our their militias. Morons with guns, a cause, and an ill-conceived sense of right and wrong. Great.
The ABSOLUTE TRUTH is that the government can never compete with capitalism. We all know, because they want us to know, that they're behind all this rabble-rousing. They not only know whose palms to grease, both belonging to politicians and the TV "news" people, they have more resources and only one rule: Win.
The "news" people think that they are uncovering this vast conspiracy of "beltway insiders creating AstroTurf protests", when, in reality, they are being spoon-fed the conspiracy. If they didn't want you to know, they wouldn't put their names on it. They make it pretty easy to find, don't they? Rachel Maddow, whom I adore, points out just how easy it is whenever she shows us another one. "All you have to do is find the button that says 'about' and it will tell you who's involved." If they didn't want you to know, trust me, you wouldn't.
In of the best rants I've heard since Dennis Miller smoked too much dope and started backing George II, Keith Olbermann (whose bobble-head doll is the Hamster Paradigm Writing Award trophy... that's how much I love him) castigates and villifies all of the Republican't and Scaredycrat congresspeople who seem to be in the pocket of health care. It was a thing a beauty, and you can see it right here on this blog...just scroll down. It's that easy. It was at once passionate and pointless. Kind of like The Cell: A thing of visual creation mastery ensconced in a preposterous movie. Put on some Pink Floyd and skip to the dream sequences.
I watch you guys every night, and it pains me to tell you that this thing, even as big as you think it is, is bigger than you even know. In anticipation of the passing of the bill, and it's potential effects on the greed masters, there will be huge increases in premiums, less access, fewer approved procedures, less reimbursements, higher co-pays and deductibles, and more unprinted preventable deaths. They will blame the government (all of it, not just the Dems), and convince enough who can't think for themselves that they're right, and I think the rest of us might want to have a good plan B.
The possibility and plausibility of this argument is supported by our very recent past. Business moves at the speed of instant. Government like the O'Hare Starbuck's (R) at 7 am. Causing a collapse is easier and more efficient that creating a recovery. Even the threat of a collapse will cause widespread panic. And it has certainly been proven this past month that it doesn't even have to be the truth.
It's easier and more efficient to kill your enemy than to try to be his friend.
Until next time, for crissakes stay well!
HamsterPrez
I apologize for the erratic timing of the posts, but HP has been busy culling the airways for all the latest garbage and crapola from the world of politics. Hell of it is, I didn't even need to leave the house. The health care debacle has come to the Off White House of the Hamster Party. I call it the 117% Solution, which is, oddly enough, where the title to this little screed came from. Oh, but the irony is just beginning.
See, no matter what the Republican't Party does, no matter how many wingnuts scream, shout epithets, demand their country back, carry guns to Presidential appearances, or invoke Hitler's name, no matter how many tens of millions of dollars the industry throws at it's purchased officials, no matter how many more lies are trotted forth as truth, the real truth is that health care reform is going to happen. The real truth is that the industry knows it. The real truth is that the only thing they want killed is the government option and single-payer. The only thing that frightens them is competition.
But the ABSOLUTE TRUTH is that they already know that not only is it not dead, but it will be part of the reform package that will be signed by President Obama sometime in December of this year. The Public Option is going to happen. They also know that they have 3 years before it kicks in and to make as much money as possible. And in the next 3 years, they are going to rape everyone of us who has health insurance.
It's the 117% Solution. My husband (yes, we are both husbands) works for a municipal government in Southern California. So, by extension, he has roughly the same benefits as all government employees in California. (Even broke, we're the seventh or so largest economy in the world and have more government employees than any other state). They had a pretty good union once, when unions were relevant, and as a result I am able to have the same insurance as he does. He has the monthly payments deducted from his paycheck every two weeks, and we never really miss the money. And we enjoy knowing that, should anything happen, like it did to me a couple of years ago, that we would be covered. Yes, the premiums went up a little last year, but that seemed reasonable enough at the time.
Now, when this insurance was offered, there was no choice as to provider, only to paying to have it or not. You could choose different plans offered by the provider, and whether you wanted to have an HMO or a prohibitively expensive PPO, and all of the usual choices. The only choice missing was for the provider.
This week, Scott was informed by someone in the human resources department that our premiums are going up 117% in January. One hundred and seventeen fucking percent. Scott's annual cost of living increase, if he gets it, will be 114% less than that. I haven't' had a raise in 2 years, and I'm not anticipating one, or at least much of one. Certainly not anything approaching 117%. We got a combined $900 dollars back last year, and most of that was business losses by me trying to stay in the real estate business. Scott actually had to pay. And the Insurance industry reported record profits.
This is happening to a government agency, so can you imagine what they're going to do to you? The only tactic they have left is to completely bankrupt the system before the government can get it's act together and actually start the program thereby being too late to save it. We'll end up giving them our tax money to stay in business, just like the banks and Wall Street, so that the entire behemoth doesn't implode.
Because the ABSOLUTE TRUTH is that they are in the rarefied air of "too big to fail." Like the greedy shits at the banks, investment houses, auto manufacturers, and yes, the insurance industry. Hell, they've already had us bail out one of them, and they were the largest! Think about the combined worth and impact of just the top 10 health care insurers. Add to that the 200+ smaller insurance companies then throw in the ancillary businesses that comprise our total health care system, and you can see where this scenario leads.
Even if it ends up being a delaying-the-inevitable demise of the insurance industry, it will cost us hundreds of billions of dollars. The irony of that is the Repbulican't Party is a wholly owned subsidiary of the health care industry. The party that said no to the stimulus package, no to the Cash for Clunkers (which, by the way, is causing GM (r) to up production and re-hire a couple thousand workers, but hey, just because it worked doesn't mean it's a good idea), and have been blocking this reform package arguing, when they're actually trying to seem sincere, that it will cost too much, will end up costing us a helluva lot more.
Our collective nuts are firmly held in their greasy sweating hands. Even for me, that's not a comfortable thought. And along the way they have managed to let loose the morons and their contagious virus of right wingnut-ery, putting into motion the empowerment and recruitment of the lunatic fringe. You know, the ones with all the guns, ammo, and fertilizer. The Confederate Soldiers of 1865 today. Still thinking the war is going on. Eager to bring our their militias. Morons with guns, a cause, and an ill-conceived sense of right and wrong. Great.
The ABSOLUTE TRUTH is that the government can never compete with capitalism. We all know, because they want us to know, that they're behind all this rabble-rousing. They not only know whose palms to grease, both belonging to politicians and the TV "news" people, they have more resources and only one rule: Win.
The "news" people think that they are uncovering this vast conspiracy of "beltway insiders creating AstroTurf protests", when, in reality, they are being spoon-fed the conspiracy. If they didn't want you to know, they wouldn't put their names on it. They make it pretty easy to find, don't they? Rachel Maddow, whom I adore, points out just how easy it is whenever she shows us another one. "All you have to do is find the button that says 'about' and it will tell you who's involved." If they didn't want you to know, trust me, you wouldn't.
In of the best rants I've heard since Dennis Miller smoked too much dope and started backing George II, Keith Olbermann (whose bobble-head doll is the Hamster Paradigm Writing Award trophy... that's how much I love him) castigates and villifies all of the Republican't and Scaredycrat congresspeople who seem to be in the pocket of health care. It was a thing a beauty, and you can see it right here on this blog...just scroll down. It's that easy. It was at once passionate and pointless. Kind of like The Cell: A thing of visual creation mastery ensconced in a preposterous movie. Put on some Pink Floyd and skip to the dream sequences.
I watch you guys every night, and it pains me to tell you that this thing, even as big as you think it is, is bigger than you even know. In anticipation of the passing of the bill, and it's potential effects on the greed masters, there will be huge increases in premiums, less access, fewer approved procedures, less reimbursements, higher co-pays and deductibles, and more unprinted preventable deaths. They will blame the government (all of it, not just the Dems), and convince enough who can't think for themselves that they're right, and I think the rest of us might want to have a good plan B.
The possibility and plausibility of this argument is supported by our very recent past. Business moves at the speed of instant. Government like the O'Hare Starbuck's (R) at 7 am. Causing a collapse is easier and more efficient that creating a recovery. Even the threat of a collapse will cause widespread panic. And it has certainly been proven this past month that it doesn't even have to be the truth.
It's easier and more efficient to kill your enemy than to try to be his friend.
Until next time, for crissakes stay well!
HamsterPrez
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Self-Imposed Segregation
Ok, one more post. In the next blog, you're going to be introduced to the idea of Self-Imposed Segregation, or SIS. I just wanted to clarify something before I got any responses. This is not a new idea, and it is prevalent already in our society. In fact, in almost every American city, there are pockets of SIS everywhere. Little Saigon, Little Italy, Chinatown, Koreatown, the Barrio, the South/North/East/West side. And this is true all over the world. Within the larger population are areas of SIS.
The concept of sharing a common space with people of like temperament, beliefs, ideals, and cultural heritage goes back to man's earliest stages. We are tribal by nature, and no amount of technology can replace that. Although I would argue that it is certainly putting up a good fight. The problem comes when one tribe thinks that it is better than a neighboring tribe and all hell breaks loose.
It is, after all, a logistical impossibility. You cannot cordon off certain areas and make them available to a certain group of people. How much is space is enough? What about growth within the community? Where does it go if there's no more room? As they are now, the lines become blurred and eventually cultures and differing perceptions collide. This phenomenon has played out countless times throughout history from neighborhood spats to world wars.
Mankind has never been able to collectively figure out that issues are never settled when the solution is not about what's right, but rather about who's right. I guarantee that there is a pretty simple answer to every convoluted issue the human race is facing.
And I have the answer.
Time to grow the fuck up and become the adults in the room. It's time to get the fuck over ourselves and realize that since we are here, we have the right to be here. No one is on this planet by mistake. We really had no other choice. So here we all are, acting like two year olds while being spoon-fed buckets of shit everyday. We have to stop should-ing on each other and just mind our own damn business.
The human race is a freakin mess and the stupidest thing about it is that it doesn't have to be this way. It could be the way I'm ranting on about. We can change it. Hell, we could do it virtually overnight if everyone would just get onboard. That's the most frustrating part for me. We don't have to live the way we do, but we won't change it. We'll keep putting the kids on drugs while telling them not to do drugs. We'll keep helping ourselves to the mood enhancers/penis en lagers/migraine pills/plastic surgeries/gym memberships/big houses/foreign cars/ or whatever other addictions you have to mask how miserable you are being a human being. We may have the thumbs, but that doesn't make us smarter. It just makes us more obnoxious.
Enough for tonight. It's nearly 4 am and my hands are done. Please feel free to add you $1.25 ideas and comments.
Calling the MotherShip,
HamsterPrez
The concept of sharing a common space with people of like temperament, beliefs, ideals, and cultural heritage goes back to man's earliest stages. We are tribal by nature, and no amount of technology can replace that. Although I would argue that it is certainly putting up a good fight. The problem comes when one tribe thinks that it is better than a neighboring tribe and all hell breaks loose.
It is, after all, a logistical impossibility. You cannot cordon off certain areas and make them available to a certain group of people. How much is space is enough? What about growth within the community? Where does it go if there's no more room? As they are now, the lines become blurred and eventually cultures and differing perceptions collide. This phenomenon has played out countless times throughout history from neighborhood spats to world wars.
Mankind has never been able to collectively figure out that issues are never settled when the solution is not about what's right, but rather about who's right. I guarantee that there is a pretty simple answer to every convoluted issue the human race is facing.
And I have the answer.
Time to grow the fuck up and become the adults in the room. It's time to get the fuck over ourselves and realize that since we are here, we have the right to be here. No one is on this planet by mistake. We really had no other choice. So here we all are, acting like two year olds while being spoon-fed buckets of shit everyday. We have to stop should-ing on each other and just mind our own damn business.
The human race is a freakin mess and the stupidest thing about it is that it doesn't have to be this way. It could be the way I'm ranting on about. We can change it. Hell, we could do it virtually overnight if everyone would just get onboard. That's the most frustrating part for me. We don't have to live the way we do, but we won't change it. We'll keep putting the kids on drugs while telling them not to do drugs. We'll keep helping ourselves to the mood enhancers/penis en lagers/migraine pills/plastic surgeries/gym memberships/big houses/foreign cars/ or whatever other addictions you have to mask how miserable you are being a human being. We may have the thumbs, but that doesn't make us smarter. It just makes us more obnoxious.
Enough for tonight. It's nearly 4 am and my hands are done. Please feel free to add you $1.25 ideas and comments.
Calling the MotherShip,
HamsterPrez
Changing Things Up a Bit...
Look, this is no longer about who's right, it's about what's right. It cannot be about anything else.
It can't be about left or right. It can't be about liberal or conservative. It can't be about Democrat or Republican. It can't be about cutting education and not government bloat. It can't be politics versus health care versus the environment versus [insert your favorite crisis here]. It can't be about God or Allah or Sam the Butcher. It can't be about black or white or brown or whatever. It can't be about greed. It can't be about sloth. It can't be about gluttony. It can't be about suing someone else for your own stupidity. It can't be about legislating morality, because your morality is likely different from mine. It can't be about cynicism , racism, fascism, socialism, cronyism, ageism, criticism, sarcasm, or any other ism or asm. It can't be about discrimination, recrimination, retribution, exclusion, expulsion, or execution.
What it is about is fixing what's broken. It's about becoming healthier to reduce health care costs. It's about spreading the burden of health care around. The poor have health care...it comes from those of us paying our premiums and our taxes. You cannot be refused treatment in this country by any hospital for any reason. But it still has to be paid for. We just want to legitimize it, see what we're actually paying for it, find away to make someone else pay for it, and eventually realize that we are all paying for it no matter what. It's up to the health care industry to change its corporate mindset and realize that profit is not something we object to. Exorbitant profit is. Bonuses for ripping us of is. Telling us that we can't have a medication or a procedure or a test is.
We need to let businesses succeed or fail on their own. No more taxpayer money to save a corporation. There are other corporations to take their place or take them over. Not another dime to Wall Street, the auto industry, or anyone else. If I don't get a hand out, why the hell should they? If you aren't smart enough or good enough or if, gosh darn it, people just don't like you, time to fold up the tents and move on. Thanks Senator Franken for not suing me for paraphrasing one of your SNL characters. Sorry, GE, there is no little r in a circle emblem available for this blog, so please don't sue me either.
We need a financial system that is not faith-based because I for one have no more faith in it. We need something tangible and of a fixed value to base our currency on. And don't look at me for the answer, I have no idea what that might be. But we must get away from this phony economy, and that's globally, not just here. The entire thing is a house of cards, is all made up, and exists only because we say it does. Kinda like God.
But I digress. I warned you about that in the very first post.
It has to be about curtailing government spending at every level, not in cutting services and education. Along with a real monetary standard must come the end of deficit spending and made up debts. Like the rest of us, the government must operate within its budget. Whatever happened to negotiation? Used to be, if Bob had something that you wanted and he said he'd sell it to you for $10, which is what it was worth to him, but to you it only seemed worth $5, you gave him $7.50 and shook hands. We could just chuck the whole damn mess and go back to barter. A chicken for a hernia operation sounds ok to me.
The entire cultural mindset has to change. I don't know the names of a single neighbor where we live. We're more or at least as interested in what the latest celebrity gossip is as we are in what's really important. It can't be about our differences anymore, it has to be about our similarities. We are all on this planet and as such we all have a right to be here. We have a right to agree or disagree with how others live their lives, but we have no right to force them to change or even try to. Every person on this planet ultimately wants the same things: A safe place to live, some variation of a family, reasonably tasty food, at least basic creature comforts, and sex. All without the interference of others but with those of a like mind. In other words, it you don't like where you are, be somewhere else. Intolerance disappears when you like everyone around you.
Now, before you go all MLK on me, I'm suggesting self imposed and regulated segregation. Look, it makes sense. To avoid serious conflict, lives among those you choose, who choose you, and don't try to make others like you.
You can't have a war if nobody fights.
Ok, so I'm having a bit of a Rodney King moment, and it's far too Utopian to ever work. I'm saying it's what we need, but people are too stupid to realize it. I'm beginning to think that perhaps we've crossed and confused the DNA a few too many times. I'm buying a banjo next week, just in case.
Of course, we've come too far to ever go back. I'm afraid we are stuck in this headlong descent into Irish Setter territory. They are, of course, the stupidest creatures of their ilk. They are the equivalent of a pet rock emotionally and a Looney-Tunes (R) Tasmanian devil on crack simultaneously. As stupid as they are beautiful. Tragic. Of course, by then we won't really give a shit as long as there's something dead to chew on.
This may have been my last post. I'm pretty fed up with the whole fucking mess. I believe that I may have tilted at my last windmill.
Maybe.
HamsterPrez
It can't be about left or right. It can't be about liberal or conservative. It can't be about Democrat or Republican. It can't be about cutting education and not government bloat. It can't be politics versus health care versus the environment versus [insert your favorite crisis here]. It can't be about God or Allah or Sam the Butcher. It can't be about black or white or brown or whatever. It can't be about greed. It can't be about sloth. It can't be about gluttony. It can't be about suing someone else for your own stupidity. It can't be about legislating morality, because your morality is likely different from mine. It can't be about cynicism , racism, fascism, socialism, cronyism, ageism, criticism, sarcasm, or any other ism or asm. It can't be about discrimination, recrimination, retribution, exclusion, expulsion, or execution.
What it is about is fixing what's broken. It's about becoming healthier to reduce health care costs. It's about spreading the burden of health care around. The poor have health care...it comes from those of us paying our premiums and our taxes. You cannot be refused treatment in this country by any hospital for any reason. But it still has to be paid for. We just want to legitimize it, see what we're actually paying for it, find away to make someone else pay for it, and eventually realize that we are all paying for it no matter what. It's up to the health care industry to change its corporate mindset and realize that profit is not something we object to. Exorbitant profit is. Bonuses for ripping us of is. Telling us that we can't have a medication or a procedure or a test is.
We need to let businesses succeed or fail on their own. No more taxpayer money to save a corporation. There are other corporations to take their place or take them over. Not another dime to Wall Street, the auto industry, or anyone else. If I don't get a hand out, why the hell should they? If you aren't smart enough or good enough or if, gosh darn it, people just don't like you, time to fold up the tents and move on. Thanks Senator Franken for not suing me for paraphrasing one of your SNL characters. Sorry, GE, there is no little r in a circle emblem available for this blog, so please don't sue me either.
We need a financial system that is not faith-based because I for one have no more faith in it. We need something tangible and of a fixed value to base our currency on. And don't look at me for the answer, I have no idea what that might be. But we must get away from this phony economy, and that's globally, not just here. The entire thing is a house of cards, is all made up, and exists only because we say it does. Kinda like God.
But I digress. I warned you about that in the very first post.
It has to be about curtailing government spending at every level, not in cutting services and education. Along with a real monetary standard must come the end of deficit spending and made up debts. Like the rest of us, the government must operate within its budget. Whatever happened to negotiation? Used to be, if Bob had something that you wanted and he said he'd sell it to you for $10, which is what it was worth to him, but to you it only seemed worth $5, you gave him $7.50 and shook hands. We could just chuck the whole damn mess and go back to barter. A chicken for a hernia operation sounds ok to me.
The entire cultural mindset has to change. I don't know the names of a single neighbor where we live. We're more or at least as interested in what the latest celebrity gossip is as we are in what's really important. It can't be about our differences anymore, it has to be about our similarities. We are all on this planet and as such we all have a right to be here. We have a right to agree or disagree with how others live their lives, but we have no right to force them to change or even try to. Every person on this planet ultimately wants the same things: A safe place to live, some variation of a family, reasonably tasty food, at least basic creature comforts, and sex. All without the interference of others but with those of a like mind. In other words, it you don't like where you are, be somewhere else. Intolerance disappears when you like everyone around you.
Now, before you go all MLK on me, I'm suggesting self imposed and regulated segregation. Look, it makes sense. To avoid serious conflict, lives among those you choose, who choose you, and don't try to make others like you.
You can't have a war if nobody fights.
Ok, so I'm having a bit of a Rodney King moment, and it's far too Utopian to ever work. I'm saying it's what we need, but people are too stupid to realize it. I'm beginning to think that perhaps we've crossed and confused the DNA a few too many times. I'm buying a banjo next week, just in case.
Of course, we've come too far to ever go back. I'm afraid we are stuck in this headlong descent into Irish Setter territory. They are, of course, the stupidest creatures of their ilk. They are the equivalent of a pet rock emotionally and a Looney-Tunes (R) Tasmanian devil on crack simultaneously. As stupid as they are beautiful. Tragic. Of course, by then we won't really give a shit as long as there's something dead to chew on.
This may have been my last post. I'm pretty fed up with the whole fucking mess. I believe that I may have tilted at my last windmill.
Maybe.
HamsterPrez
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