I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence
And so the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're goin' through

Sunday, July 18, 2010

So, So Sunday

So, it looks like the cap is holding. And people are celebrating that it's all over? Really? Um, you know it took like a month and a half for the oil to reach the beaches. Guess how long the oil will still continue to hit the beaches, you know, best case scenario? And there's plenty of oil still out there, including subsurface blooms. Also, the ecological damage will take years to be known. And just how long do you think it will be before anybody trusts oysters, shrimp, and fish from the gulf (okay, how long do you think they'll be testing it)?

So, more extended heat waves and I haven't seen Fox News commentators say, "Hey, I guess we were wrong about that global warming hoax thingie." Although, let one good blizzard hit and they're all about the how the weather disproves the climate. Just a hint, global warming can mean very intense winters (just shorter in duration). After all, winters in the last ice age would be considered mild (average temps in the upper 20s). It really was the cool summers that allowed the glaciers to advance (average temps in the low 40s).

So, it turns out Mark Williams really isn't in charge of anything in the various Tea Party organizations anymore. You know, having made his resignations last week. But for one of the organizations he used to help direct, Our Country Deserves Better PAC, he's now listed as a "spokesperson." Um, you all might want to rethink that position. Seriously, doing the written version of a black-face act in response to having the NAACP calling out your organization for racist elements, probably not the best PR response possible.

So, we now see exactly where all those new ideas for better governance that the GOP called for has gotten them. And gee, it's cut taxes, eliminate regulation, and reduce social security. As Yogi once put it, "It's like deja vu all over again." Say, and notice just how much those Bush era tax cuts cost us. A whopping $700 billion. Hmm, what's that to the deficit? Oh yeah, it's all those nasty people who defaulted on their loans bought by Fannie and Freddie. Hell, just this year, just for the estate tax (aka "death tax" - your politically correct GOP term), and just for four people who died this year (in the print version they had a chart), there's over 3 billion in taxes. But let's make sure those people unemployed don't get benefits because we can't pay for them. And did I mention the GOP is also wanting to both roll back any new regulation and continue to roll back long standing regulations?

So, to reduce costs on health insurance insurers are reducing the number of people you can go see and reviving the full "managed care" ideology (see Kaiser Permanente plans as examples of what's in store). So glad we got rid of that pesky public option and continued to let the private insurance companies dictate the business process and future plan growth. So, after all that hullabaloo about the government taking away your options (which was never the case), instead we'll let the private insurance market and market forces do it to you. Great.

4 comments:

Dr. Phil (Physics) said...

AP has a story that there is a seep of oil and methane in the area -- it may be a leak. Cannot call things at first glance.

Dr. Phil

Steve Buchheit said...

Dr. Phil, yep, heard that this morning. Although they're not sure what was leaking and why. IF it turns out to be a methane vent, cue the "ZOMG, we're all gonna die from the huge methane release" crowd (seriously, one of the legacies I hate form the Bush Administration is the 1% Doctrine).

Anonymous said...

Was the story updated? I heard otherwise during the late afternoon - Talk of the Nation perhaps?

Anonymous Cassie

Steve Buchheit said...

Cassie, it's been updated and updated. At this point they're saying the seep looks like it was a natural one and not related to the well.