Cash For Perfectly Good Cars
This is turning into a real political rant-fest around here. Now you get to read all about my feelings on the Cash for Clunkers program.
I think it's horrible killing all those perfectly good cars. There was nothing wrong with most of them. The people who could afford to go out and buy a new car, even with the rebate, weren't driving piece of shit cars. And how much better did the gas mileage have to be? 3 or4 gallons or something? How are the dealers supposed to know what gas mileage your car gets? You could have a car you hate that gets 40 miles a gallon. Are you going to tell the salesman that?
You betcha.
What they should have done, if they had bothered to ask my opinion, was take all these 'Clunkers' and give them away to poor people. If you made less than $40,000 or $30,000 you would get a coupon you could take in to the used car lot and get a free car.
Everybody's happy.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
The Sky Is Falling
Every time I see those people screaming and carrying on at town hall meetings it reminds me of the children's story about the little chicken running around yelling that the sky is falling, the sky is falling. They're so worked up I don't know whether to feel sorry for them or be amused by them.
I understand that they are doing this because they truly believe what they're saying. At least I like to give them the benefit of the doubt. I'm sure there are some who would be just as loud and obnoxious if the debate was over crunchy peanut butter or creamy, or should Obama wear boxers or briefs. And Oh, My, God, what kind of idiot would show up at one of these things armed? "Because I can" is not a good reason.
The problem is, from my point of view at least, feel free to disagree, they're worried about the sky falling. Ask anyone who's been in the military, or anyone who's old enough to really remember Kennedy and Martin Luther King, the government is already up to it's appendix in health care. Some of it's working out okay, some could use a little tweaking, but it's not like there isn't already a precedent.
And all this talk about "socializing" health care bugs the heck out of me. First off, what's wrong with wanting to work together, the strong looking out for the weak, the wealthy sharing some of that wealth instead of hoarding it all for themselves and their children? But aside from that, the idea of the government paying for a service isn't so unusual. If it was, we wouldn't have public education, transportation, or parks. You don't hear too many people complaining about the government paying for that stuff, but mention the government helping someone afford basic health care and people act like you suggested serving poached babies at the women's club luncheon.
And then all this talk about death panels. Good Lord. I just want to ask these people what would they do, no matter how old they are, if they went to the doctor and found out they had a fatal illness. Let's say you have an aggressive cancer, and the doctor says you have 6 months to live. You might be able to stretch it to a couple of years or who knows, actually beat the odds, if you're willing to spend the next 6 months having more tests and operations than you ever thought possible, undergoing painful chemotherapy and radiation, loosing your hair and control of your bowls. On the other hand, you could accept the diagnosis and spend the next 6 months doing all those things you put off. Learning to knit, buying that Harley you always wanted, taking your kids for one last big family vacation.
Which would you chose? How would you chose? Wouldn't it be nice to be able to talk about it with your doctor? I don't think some people even know they have a choice. The doctor tells you what treatments are available, and you chose one. The doctor's not going to volunteer a 'no treatment' option. Sure, he might mention how long you would live if he did nothing, but the last thing a doctor wants to do is nothing. Doctors are just so focused on healing, getting better no matter what it takes, they don't consider any other possible course of action. Mentioning the 'no treatment' option would be just so you could see how much longer the different options would give you, not to give you the option of actually refusing treatment.
My father-in-law died of lung cancer. He had chemo and radiation, but I think toward the end he regretted going through with it. It left him weak and sick, unable to enjoy the time he had left. Maybe if he'd been able to go to one of those 'death panels' he might have made a different choice. Our last memories of him might be of a strong, happy man, not a bald, shrunken ghost of the man he used to be.
Every time I see those people screaming and carrying on at town hall meetings it reminds me of the children's story about the little chicken running around yelling that the sky is falling, the sky is falling. They're so worked up I don't know whether to feel sorry for them or be amused by them.
I understand that they are doing this because they truly believe what they're saying. At least I like to give them the benefit of the doubt. I'm sure there are some who would be just as loud and obnoxious if the debate was over crunchy peanut butter or creamy, or should Obama wear boxers or briefs. And Oh, My, God, what kind of idiot would show up at one of these things armed? "Because I can" is not a good reason.
The problem is, from my point of view at least, feel free to disagree, they're worried about the sky falling. Ask anyone who's been in the military, or anyone who's old enough to really remember Kennedy and Martin Luther King, the government is already up to it's appendix in health care. Some of it's working out okay, some could use a little tweaking, but it's not like there isn't already a precedent.
And all this talk about "socializing" health care bugs the heck out of me. First off, what's wrong with wanting to work together, the strong looking out for the weak, the wealthy sharing some of that wealth instead of hoarding it all for themselves and their children? But aside from that, the idea of the government paying for a service isn't so unusual. If it was, we wouldn't have public education, transportation, or parks. You don't hear too many people complaining about the government paying for that stuff, but mention the government helping someone afford basic health care and people act like you suggested serving poached babies at the women's club luncheon.
And then all this talk about death panels. Good Lord. I just want to ask these people what would they do, no matter how old they are, if they went to the doctor and found out they had a fatal illness. Let's say you have an aggressive cancer, and the doctor says you have 6 months to live. You might be able to stretch it to a couple of years or who knows, actually beat the odds, if you're willing to spend the next 6 months having more tests and operations than you ever thought possible, undergoing painful chemotherapy and radiation, loosing your hair and control of your bowls. On the other hand, you could accept the diagnosis and spend the next 6 months doing all those things you put off. Learning to knit, buying that Harley you always wanted, taking your kids for one last big family vacation.
Which would you chose? How would you chose? Wouldn't it be nice to be able to talk about it with your doctor? I don't think some people even know they have a choice. The doctor tells you what treatments are available, and you chose one. The doctor's not going to volunteer a 'no treatment' option. Sure, he might mention how long you would live if he did nothing, but the last thing a doctor wants to do is nothing. Doctors are just so focused on healing, getting better no matter what it takes, they don't consider any other possible course of action. Mentioning the 'no treatment' option would be just so you could see how much longer the different options would give you, not to give you the option of actually refusing treatment.
My father-in-law died of lung cancer. He had chemo and radiation, but I think toward the end he regretted going through with it. It left him weak and sick, unable to enjoy the time he had left. Maybe if he'd been able to go to one of those 'death panels' he might have made a different choice. Our last memories of him might be of a strong, happy man, not a bald, shrunken ghost of the man he used to be.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
I Know Who's To Blame
Everybody agrees the economy's in the shitter. Everybody has their own idea who's fault it is. The bankers, the lawyers, the insurance companies. They're all wrong.
It was the damn hippies.
Yes, the hippies. From the 70's. You know who you are. Or were. You let us all down. You spoke big, but it was all words. What happened to caring for the earth? Living in harmony with your fellow man? We could all be happy, sitting in our yurts, eating our free-range goat cheese and organic spinach quiche, but no. You had to cave in to The Man. Now you are The Man. Don't you remember how cool it felt when you thought you could change the world? Maybe now's your chance.
You can keep your yurts and goat cheese anything though. Ugh.
Everybody agrees the economy's in the shitter. Everybody has their own idea who's fault it is. The bankers, the lawyers, the insurance companies. They're all wrong.
It was the damn hippies.
Yes, the hippies. From the 70's. You know who you are. Or were. You let us all down. You spoke big, but it was all words. What happened to caring for the earth? Living in harmony with your fellow man? We could all be happy, sitting in our yurts, eating our free-range goat cheese and organic spinach quiche, but no. You had to cave in to The Man. Now you are The Man. Don't you remember how cool it felt when you thought you could change the world? Maybe now's your chance.
You can keep your yurts and goat cheese anything though. Ugh.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
I Heart T-Mobil
We're starting something new at work this week. We used to handle calls from all kinds of phone companies. T-Mobil and Verizon were the main ones. T-Mobil was cool and laid back. Verizon was picky as shit. T-Mobil was just happy that we give out right numbers and speak English. Verizon wanted us to say all kinds of stuff that nobody cares about. When was the last time you had a great day because somebody told you to? Do you care what street the police station is on? Or where the dispatch office for a taxi company is? Like you're ever going to drive there. They deliver, so to speak.
Now we've switched over to just T-Mobil, and basically the only things they want us to say is 'Hello' and 'Thank you' and then hang up. I thought it would be so great not to have to flap my jaws quite as much, but you'd be surprised how hard it is not to say all that stuff once you get used to it. Of course, it's only been one day. I focused on cutting out just one thing, not saying the streets, and didn't worry too much about the rest of the changes.
We're starting something new at work this week. We used to handle calls from all kinds of phone companies. T-Mobil and Verizon were the main ones. T-Mobil was cool and laid back. Verizon was picky as shit. T-Mobil was just happy that we give out right numbers and speak English. Verizon wanted us to say all kinds of stuff that nobody cares about. When was the last time you had a great day because somebody told you to? Do you care what street the police station is on? Or where the dispatch office for a taxi company is? Like you're ever going to drive there. They deliver, so to speak.
Now we've switched over to just T-Mobil, and basically the only things they want us to say is 'Hello' and 'Thank you' and then hang up. I thought it would be so great not to have to flap my jaws quite as much, but you'd be surprised how hard it is not to say all that stuff once you get used to it. Of course, it's only been one day. I focused on cutting out just one thing, not saying the streets, and didn't worry too much about the rest of the changes.
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