Friday links
Friday, December 20th, 2013- Soooo, what are the chances the Obama administration (or any other) will enact all these proposed restrictions on the NSA?
- Not likely, ya think? And could this be the reason why?
- Obamacare (again). It’s as if they figured out everything that would make insurance and health care better, then did the exact opposite. Localizing coverage even further instead of enabling insurance companies to sell across state lines was one of those things. That’s gotten some mention, thanks to the cancer patients it’s going to kill. But in all the other hand-wringing, I don’t think most pundits have yet figured out some of the more far-reaching impacts of this huge step backwards. This one’s ominous, as well. (H/T H 4 2.)
- But the O-care follies get stranger yet. Be glad you don’t live in a U.S. territory. Their troubles make the most egregious state catastrophes look … well, like glitches. (You remember October’s “glitches,” yes?)
- Per jed in comments: The 35 naughtiest dogs on the planet. (Very funny, but Distractify.com really ought to note a little more clearly that all those come from the fabulous site Dogshaming.com, which has given me a year of laughs since friend A. sent me their URL.)
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December 20th, 2013
I heard about the proposed restrictions on NSA while hanging out her in Mordor on the Potomac. The laughter from certain professionals was deafening. The restrictions themselves include the loopholes to ignore them. If it can all be waived with a proper warrant, and the secret courts provide those upon request, ten the status quo is still the same. Smoke and mirrors.
December 20th, 2013
Matt, you’re in Mordor? Keep your head down!
Seems you’re right about those “reforms”: http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/12/19/nsa-surveillance-reforms-snowden-amnesty-column/4134175/
December 20th, 2013
Obamacare. How much more chaotic can it get before it (please!) collapses completely?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/12/19/the-obama-administration-just-delayed-the-individual-mandate-for-people-whose-plans-have-been-canceled/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2013/12/20/utter-chaos-white-house-exempts-millions-from-obamacares-insurance-mandate-unaffordable-exchanges/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/charles-krauthammer-story-of-the-year/2013/12/19/1d862c98-68f9-11e3-ae56-22de072140a2_story.html
December 20th, 2013
As Krauthammer said, “In fact, Obamacare is a full-scale federal takeover.”
Right. It was /never/ about health care or concern for anyone. It was always another nail in the coffin toward socialism by way of the corporate world. And the corporate world (in this case insurance companies) are beginning to see how they’re getting screwed — just as the media is starting to understand how they too are screwed. Too bad the tech world wasn’t smart enough to recognize their own gullibility before NSA took over.
Socialism has always been the goal. We are lucky(?!) that Obama and his entourage are so inept and obvious; it is the only thing that will wake us up.
Americans have never been able to see the consequences for the hype that gets in the way; as a people, we were too honest and expected others to follow suit. We can’t recognize false promises when we hear them.
December 20th, 2013
[It was /never/ about health care or concern for anyone. It was always another nail in the coffin toward socialism by way of the corporate world.]
AKA fascism…
As to motivations, I believe most proponents actually were motivated by a desire to help others, and most on the receiving end were motivated by a desire to be helped. That is the problem with it. Help is one of those individual goods that becomes evil when the state does it; but that makes it very hard to fight.
As to NSA reforms, no doubt many if not all will be enacted, but it of course is all window-dressing. Laws are for the peons, not the rulers or their minions. The minions, of course, also believe they are doing good. The road to our Hell is paved with their good intentions.
BTW, I once did some computer work with an outfit that did Landsat data processing. Even the lowly tech guys there were speculating on the futures market based on the data they assembled from the Soviet wheat harvest – confirming Snowden’s statement about economic spying.
[NSA is spying on – and blackmailing – top government officials and military officers, including Supreme Court Justices,]
Did you ever wonder why Justice Roberts switched to supporting FDR’s New Deal programs *after* FDR had failed miserably with his court-packing plan? Did Roberts get caught in a “honey pot”? You don’t need high tech to subvert a court.
December 20th, 2013
I guess it’s not a new thing that people are subject to blackmail by our government. J. Edgar Hoover, as I understand it, kept files on congressmen as well as on Martin Luther King. This is much better than today’s circumstance for at least two reasons: (1) The FBI is SUPPOSED to be looking at things in this country and (2) Hoover, as I understand it, actually opposed the mass internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII.
I was told, many years ago by someone who would have known, that MLK had announced he was going to get Hoover fired. Congress wanted to do it, particularly after Hoover’s stroke, but didn’t feel like they could because it would look like MLK had accomplished it. I was also told that MLK had a much anticipated meeting with Hoover in Hoover’s office; afterwards, MLK came out and essentially said “Mr. Hoover and I had a nice talk.”
One has to wonder about our current Chief Justice as well, considering his support for the Obamacare “tax.” A conspiracy theorist might say that Robert’s job is to support the continued assault on the constitution only when there aren’t enough other judges to do so. Or, did someone otherwise “get” to him? I have no clue.
December 20th, 2013
Yeah, I knew those were lifted, couldn’t remember the site they came from. But then, there’s little new on the intertubes, is there? I had passed on a few things from someplace in the cheezburger network, and got the response that it was all rehash from Reddit. Well, I don’t go to Reddit (or 4chan), so sites such as Fark and the Cheezburger sites are just my filter on the rest of the web. Thus, I know what Duck Dynasty is, without having ever seen the show. I’m not sure needed to know, but I do anyway.
Since we “have to pass it so we can see what’s in it”, I’m sure there are plenty more surprises, such as the real-estate tax, which will continue to come to light.
I was surprised, and disgusted, by Roberts’ flip-flop. Why? Beats me. I doubt we’ll ever know for sure.
And of course the Congress would never do the 2 things they could’ve done to really reform health insurance. As mentioned, doing what really actually could be considered a legitimate (if you’re going to have a government) thing under the Commerce Clause, and prohibit in-state restrictions on sales of insurance. The other would be to either eliminate the tax advantage for companies providing insurance, or allow the same premium “expense” deduction for individuals — IOW, get rid of the locked-in aspect of employer-provided insurance. But no, they’d never do something to actually open up the market.
December 20th, 2013
On the dogs, funny stuff. I am curious on the “only left shoe” one… I wonder if the wearer does not have some sort of medical issue with the left foot. Dogs can smell out tumors and all kinds of ailments we cannot.
December 21st, 2013
I just wanted to post a warning to everyone: Do NOT buy seeds on Amazon!!!!!!
I was buying something and needed just a few dollars more to get the free shipping, so being the gardening geek that I am, I decided to browse their seed selection. Lots of cool looking stuff! I ordered some black strawbery seeds, and some hardy kiwi seeds. The strawberry seeds got here fine.
The kiwi was seized by Customs.
I had looked on the listing for the seller’s location, and when I couldn’t find anything, I had assumed they were probably in the US. Not only were they not in the US, but they also had not done the paperwork and quarantines needed to send plant materials to the US. I recieved a very creepy looking letter explaining that they were letting me off with a warning because they’re pretty sure it was an accident on my part. However, the letter also warned that they will be keeping an eye on me in case I try it again.
I know we joke around here about how being a Claire Wolfe fan means we’re all on a list, but it’s very different getting a letter telling you you’re on a list!!!
After getting my nerves back in order, I found another source of kiwi seeds. Ironically, it was GRIN, the government seed bank. Hey, if I’m on a list, i might as well get some seeds out of it! Maybe it might even solidify my “innocent gardening geek” reputation :p
December 21st, 2013
Hey, Ellendra, wow. So the feds howl at you, for some foreign company’s failure to do paperwork? I suppose that makes you an illegal importer. Reminds of all the people buying vaping (e-cig) stuff direct from China. Sometimes, it gets siezed. Haven’t heard of anyone getting a nasty letter though. Yeah, US vendors get stuck on that sometimes too. Well, don’t order any of those unwashed poppy seeds, for sure.
My fun question for the day is whether I’ll end up spending as much on ancillary stuff for HAM radio as I spent on the radio itself. Pretty sure the answer will be pretty close to yes.
I found Kiwi seeds in Eugene, OR. Interesting — they have seeds for Baobab trees. Not sure there’s anywhere in the US you could grow those outdoors.
December 22nd, 2013
Ellendra, I wouldn’t worry about it. Threats and bullying are SOP for the government. Look at the whole episode as a confirmation of your position with respect to government. They are not “your employees” as some foolish people maintain, since employees would not treat their bosses like that. Instead, they aim to be your masters. Always good to know where you really stand…
[The FBI is SUPPOSED to be looking at things in this country...]
I don’t know about that. If you look at things constitutionally, FBI shouldn’t even exist. And I don’t like people looking over my shoulder, even if (in their eyes) their intentions are benign.
December 26th, 2013
People living in the US Trust Territories may be better off in the long run.
Federal fumbling has killed any means of federal intervention there. If there is no health insurance, providers there will have to go back to cash and carry + charity.