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Print Story ATTN FREEWORLD INFIDELS: COMMUNISM IS BAD
Wizards and Hobbits
By gzt (Tue Nov 16, 2010 at 01:56:02 PM EST) gzt, tune out, insurance, weightlifting, snatch, communism, travel (all tags)
In case anybody has forgotten. Here's a convenient FAQ about how horrible communism was: http://econfaculty.gmu.edu/bcaplan/museum/comfaq.htm

Mind you, the Soviet Union of the 70s and 80s was a different beast, a bit less murderous. Anyway, here's an example:
On April 7, 1935, Stalin issued a decree authorizing the death penalty for children as young as 12 years old. While far more of Stalin's subjects died in slave labor camps and man-made famines than from execution, even here the numbers are startling. There were approximately one million executions during the Great Terror of 1936-1939, and probably over five million for his entire reign.
The only good thing that can be said about Stalin is that he defeated the Nazis.

Traveling next Wednesday. Ugh, flying that day. Will have to go extra early. Neither airport has the Dick Measuring Device yet, but they plan to install them soon. Not particularly looking forward to it, or the alternative of "The TSA touched my junk liberally".

That one gym is having another informal Olympic weightlifting competition in December. I might do it. Won't prep too hard for it, since I have other goals I want to accomplish that don't quite dovetail with it (okay, squatting 500 still fits in with it, since I have to get a stronger squat to do well at weightlifting, and I'm just not going to make it to some of my other goals before January). It's cheap and it's like 4 stops away on the train, so, why not? I'll just throw in some snatches and a few jerks just to make sure things are going well beforehand. Will hope to open around 90-110. Not spectacular, but pretty okay in the grand scheme of things.

People want cheaper health insurance, but they also want more coverage. These goals are mutually contradictory. Note this article: http://www.mainstreet.com/article/family/family-health/more-young-adults-insured-premiums-rise?puc=outbrain&cm_ven=outbrain&obref=obnetwork People staying on your insurance longer means your premiums will be higher (even if your kids are not on your insurance plan).

Coming up: a one hour meeting that does not have anything to do with my work. I may have to take the pill hidden in my hollow tooth. If so, somebody be sure to tell the wifing unit something nice I could conceivably have thought of. And where the treasure is. Tomorrow it's 3 hours, but at least it's a conference call, so I can dial in and tune out.

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- http://econfaculty.gmu.edu/bcaplan/museum/comfaq.htm
- http://www.mainstreet.com/article/family/family-health/more-young-adults-insured-premiums-rise?puc=outbrain&amp;cm_ven=outbrain&amp;obref=obnetwork
- gzt's Diary
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ATTN FREEWORLD INFIDELS: COMMUNISM IS BAD | 10 comments (10 topical, 0 hidden)
The next time I fly by georgeha (2.00 / 0) #1 Tue Nov 16, 2010 at 02:11:04 PM EST
I'll be sure to peruse a Maxim or something, to deal with possible shrinkage.


Personally by barooo (4.00 / 1) #4 Tue Nov 16, 2010 at 04:35:12 PM EST
I think this is the one justified use of a Utilikilt, outside of feverish Lazarus Long meets John Galt and runs a train on Dagny Taggart fantasies in the minds of certain libertarian types... 

Commando, of course.  And ideally one would make sure to work up a good stinky sweat.  Down there.

man, i need a beefy taco now.
-gzt
[ Parent ]
I've been contemplating by garlic (2.00 / 0) #2 Tue Nov 16, 2010 at 03:57:41 PM EST
the rules about aluminum foil taped to my body, or worn as a diaper.

Perhaps wearing only an aluminum foil diaper through security...


I think that would only end... by gzt (2.00 / 0) #3 Tue Nov 16, 2010 at 04:02:31 PM EST
...with a cavity search. The TSA has no sense of humor.

[ Parent ]
probably by garlic (2.00 / 0) #5 Tue Nov 16, 2010 at 05:48:26 PM EST
but I wouldn't be doing it for the lol's (only). technician pointed out elsewhere that tinfoil + microwaves + my junk may be a dumb combination.


[ Parent ]
Bah by Phage (4.00 / 1) #6 Thu Nov 18, 2010 at 10:30:37 AM EST
Zhukov and the Winter stopped the Nazis.

I pretty much agree. by gzt (2.00 / 0) #7 Thu Nov 18, 2010 at 11:05:13 AM EST
And one could argue that Stalin's policies, in many ways (like the Great Purge), worked against the Army's effectiveness. But there is a sort of patriotic sentiment one hears of from some Russians about that. Stalin won the war. The end. The Allies were content to deal with him on that basis, too.

[ Parent ]
Churchill was unpleasant by Phage (2.00 / 0) #8 Thu Nov 18, 2010 at 12:06:48 PM EST
Stalin was a gibbering maniac.

[ Parent ]
I can't figure out by riceowlguy (2.00 / 0) #9 Wed Dec 01, 2010 at 08:18:58 AM EST
if the "we want everything to be covered with minimal or no copayments, but we don't want higher premiums or taxes" sentiment is specific to health care, or if it is just human nature.  It does seem to apply more strongly to health care than to any other marketplace.

people don't understand insurance by gzt (2.00 / 0) #10 Wed Dec 01, 2010 at 09:36:19 AM EST
and health insurance is particularly difficult because, really, the model has changed greatly from what it was in the 30's when we were starting out and it was pretty straightforward. with cars, it's pretty easy, though people still don't have a great grasp of it: we have 1000 people and maybe two of us will get into a costly accident each year, but we don't know which two, so we all pay a bit into a pool that goes out to the people who get into an accident. if we have more accidents or bigger accidents, we will have to pay more into the pool. people sometimes don't get that.

and health insurance used to be like that because that was the level of medical technology, for the most part.

and nowadays, we have silly things. like, pretty much everybody now should get a flu shot. should that be covered by insurance? that goes against the point of insurance: if everybody gets one for free, you're just paying for it in your premium, probably plus a dollar or two. but then there's the point that giving everybody a flu shot will save money in the long run, and if they aren't given incentives to do it (ie, it's free!), they might not...

and then we get to the point that insurers aren't just providing insurance, they're negotiating discounts with providers or negotiating payment options. they're also coordinating care and all that jazz. the biggest accounts for health insurers aren't buying insurance, they're ASO accounts (administrative services only).

etc etc. I could go on all day. People don't understand insurance in general, and they don't understand health insurance because it's so weird and convoluted. KEEP YOUR GOVERNMENT HANDS OFF MY MEDICAID.

[ Parent ]
ATTN FREEWORLD INFIDELS: COMMUNISM IS BAD | 10 comments (10 topical, 0 hidden)

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