Cash for Clunkers

So, I'd like to get $4500 to trade in one of my old cars on a new model, but there's a problem:

The trade-in has to get less than 18 MPG. In my lifetime as a driver, I've never bought a vehicle that got less than 20 MPG. And wouldn't.

Nice to know that common sense is worth nothing.... :o(

Still mystified today

Quoting myself....

I just don't get why people don't seem to get some things that are blindingly obvious to me. For example, it seems blindingly obvious to me that there are some things that profit incentives are just not suitable for supplying.

If making a profit is the only suitable incentive, where services are not profitable, they will not be provided. The classic example is rural electrical services. While it is wildly profitable to provide electrical services (or rail services or phone services) where populations are dense making provisioning relatively inexpensive, it is unprofitable to provide the same service where populations are not dense which makes provisioning relatively expensive. The only solution is to provide incentives and mandates from governmental entities which spread the higher cost of provisioning for rural areas to the lower cost urban areas. Historically, this is what happened with railroads, then electricity, then telephones. The public mandated these actions because it was recognized that it would benefit the entire country for everyone to have these basic services.

So why isn't it just as obvious to anybody with brain cells that since the profitable way to provide health insurance is to only provide it to those who aren't sick, a private health insurance company out to make a profit will make every effort to exclude anyone who is actually sick or might get sick, in other words, anybody who might actually NEED it.

IF you accept that everybody should have health insurance because they might need it and SINCE it can be mathematically proven that insuring the entire population is the least cost per person way to provide insurance THEN it follows that the profit incentive cannot accomplish the goal. Therefore, government intervention of a time-honored type (equalize profit opportunity for provisioning low profit or actual loss making service areas using tax dollars or other government policy, remember, we did the exact same thing for railroads, electricity and telephone services) is required.

But when you design your program, keep in mind the goal is to PROVIDE INSURANCE FOR EVERYONE, not guarantee profits for the insurance industry, 'cause you can bet the insurance industry will be in there pitching for anything that lets them make a bigger profit. The voter's best choice is for the program that comes closest to providing universal coverage as that will spread the cost widest and result in the lowest cost per capita. So why do voters keep buying the nonsense that private health insurance is better? Logically and empirically that's just false.

Ask yourself this question. Why have so many large entities such as municipalities, school districts, large corporations and even states chosen to self-insure various risks? Because all insurance is just a bookie's bet that your insurance premiums will exceed your insurance claims and THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS. If you are big enough, better to be the house yourself and save the difference.

May 8, 2008

Thank you, stillidealistic at Talking Points Memo

Wake Up Liberal Christians!
June 6, 2009, 3:12PM

Being a Christian around here can, at times, be a pretty humbling experience. For the most part I feel like most of you regulars accept me as being a little different than the majority of Christians you know. I have good relationships with many here who are atheists or agnostics. Religion (or lack thereof) doesn't get in the way of our friendship or political discussions. I appreciate very much those who have taken the time to get to know me, and who accept me for the flawed, but "anxious to learn and improve" person that I am.

I'm not terribly preachy, never in anyone's face about their lack of belief, and have been known to make an off-color joke now and then. When I hear the words, "If only more Christians were like you..." I feel like I'm living a life that Christ would approve of. He doesn't expect me to be perfect. He certainly doesn't want me to feel like I am better than anyone else. And He absolutely doesn't want me to claim to be a follower of His, then turn around and live a greedy, self-centered, hypocritical life that would make anyone think, "Jeez, if that's what Christians are like, forget it."

There are others who suspend any attempt to be "politically correct" and are either outright hostile towards Christians, or are extremely condescending/rude. I find it interesting coming from people who are supposed to be more tolerant than the "righties" they detest. Rarely is this behavior directed at me, personally, but it does happen from time to time. Mostly I don't take it personally. Every once in awhile I get my feelings hurt, but, that's my problem...thickens the skin a little...builds character. Anyway, my point is, hypocrisy abounds on both parts of the equation. I often wonder as I'm evaluating myself, and my thoughts and behavior, do those who lump all Christians together ever think about what THEY are doing and saying? Are they aware that by shoving us all together into the same box, they are engaging in discriminatory behavior?

Not all Christians are the same. There was some discussion here recently (my apologies to whoever's post it was...I didn't bookmark it and can't find it) about liberal Christians. I think many didn't even think there WAS such a thing. The Christian movement has been hijacked by the vocal right-wing extremists to the point that when you say "Christian" many, if not most, think of Hannity and Rush and Sarah and their ilk, and don't even realize that they are only part of the story.

Whose fault is that? I would say it was the fault of liberal Christians. We have not stood up and demanded to be counted. We have not stood up and said "Enough already!" We have allowed our religion to be co-opted by the fringe. We have not held our religious "leader's" feet to the fire by DEMANDING that they practice the teachings of Jesus. We have stood by pretty much silently, thus giving tacit approval to their misrepresenting the truth lying, their hypocrisy in attempting to block universal health care while claiming to be their brother's keepers, their rabid insistence that abortion is murder, yet apparently having no problem with those who murder abortion providers or bomb their facilities, or condone torture or kill thousands of innocents, in addition to our own children, in a war that we did not HAVE to wage...

When did the Ten Commandments become the Ten Suggestions, or worse yet, multiple choice...pick which ones you want to follow?

In a recent comment I said that if I were searching for a religion to follow now, I don't know that Christianity would get a second look from me. The face of Christianity today is one of hate. Of dishonesty. Of greed. Of hypocrisy. Of exclusion. This is NOT the religion that I signed onto. I despise that we have let this happen.

As far as I'm concerned, you know a Christian by his/her actions.

But, there is a divide in the Christian Church concerning the matter of being saved. Some say once saved, always saved, others say you can lose your salvation by the way you live your life. We are never going to know for sure until we meet our maker face to face.

Perhaps those who believe once saved, always saved, think that just because they have asked Jesus into their hearts, they can now do whatever they want...they have their ticket to Heaven, so whatever they do now, they are covered.

But I contend that you can, indeed, lose your salvation through your actions, and these right-wing whackos that go around spreading lies, tearing people down, murdering abortion providers, denying people the most basic of human rights (i.e. health care) and generally behave in a manner that I am SURE makes our Lord cringe had better start doing some serious soul searching. And if they are smart, they'll err in favor of believing they CAN lose their salvation, because it may help them to think twice before acting the way they act. We are told by our Lord that we are to do NOTHING that will cause another to stumble in their faith. If we, as a group, behave in ways that bring disdain on our Lord, are we not causing them to stumble? Do we not have an OBLIGATION to behave in a way that brings glory, not ridicule to our Lord?
I love my Lord with all my heart, and the poor behavior of my fellow Christians is NEVER going to change that. But those of us who believe that the vocal minority of whacko Christians are ruining Christianity, have an obligation to change what is happening. So "WAKE UP LIBERAL CHRISTIANS!" To do any less is to agree with what they are doing. And then we have to be willing to accept responsibility for what they have done.

Question for the day.

How many years has it been since there was a left wing terrorist killing in the US?

Digby at Hullabaloo

Good question. Anybody have an answer?

The Charlotte, South Carolina Dragon Boat Festival, 2008.

The chances of this celebration of multiple cultures happening in these girls' (or parent's or grandparent's) home country is vanishingly remote, but it happens here, every year and everybody has a great time. (There's a lovely website, lovingly updated.) That is why everybody wants to come here and not stay there. No damage is done to our culture by celebrating others, and more fun is had by all....

Ever been to a Cinco De Mayo celebration in the US? That's why closing the borders or limiting immigration is stupid. Not misguided, not poor policy, just plain stupid. It doesn't do what you want it to do, because the problem you identify isn't a problem, it's a virtue.

Tell me how this much fun is a bad thing. Just try.

GameQuest 2009

GameQuest 2009. An interesting venue, the Vancouver WA, USA Hilton convention center had a boatload of space and about 900 attendees. It's mostly board games and board games that include miniatures. My buddies and I got in a couple of games with the Anniversary Edition of Axis and Allies, but I put on a Wings of War scrum from 1:00 to 5:00 PM on Saturday and got 9 players including a husband and wife that brought their own planes.... There seems to have been a bit of grudge involved, but husband (flying Goring's white plane) drew the explosion card for his first damage card, then drew it again after a couple exchanges with a fresh plane. Not a good night to be the husband, I think. The tweener flew the last plane shot out of the sky, but a couple of the older guys flew off the field intact.




The wife gets caught by herself in a Series III Nieuport but husband's Goring get's blowed up and she wiggles for while but eventually succumbed to the firepower from the combined Richthofen's (Series I Albatross DIII and Series II Roland CII).

Father and son flew till shot down then went to play some other game, leaving seven players still in. Husband gave up on Goring and came back for a third try in one of my planes.... We started with two Goring's at either end of the table.

The rivers and roads are from WizardCraft out of Coeur d'Alene, ID US sold ready to play. The craters are from Stonehouse Miniatures out of Portland, resin castings that I painted and decorated. They are all basically intended for 15mm minis, but it makes a more interesting table than featureless felt.... ;o)

Trapped.....

So, the big pre-WWI naval campaign had it's first battle last night. All of South America plus some European Allies taking on the US over the barely averted crisis in Mexico at Vera Cruz in 1914. The Allied fleets were called to rendezvous at Caracas, Venezuela, so the Spanish and Germans (under my command) went there. The Germans went to tweak American noses and as the Spanish/Portuguese fleet went to relocate, American contacts were reported to the north. My threat estimate was a maximum of seven American dreadnaughts (to my three) so we sallied with light recon elements to locate the Americans and break east to the allied Brazilian and Argentinean fleets.

The Portugese made first contact, engaging an American cruiser line but finding a line of battleships behind it. Then another line of battleships appear to the west, spotted by the Spanish cruisers...... Eleven battleships, not seven, plus several large armored cruisers....


We make smoke and turn east. The Western American battleline sinks my cruisers one by one as the run for the destroyer screen, the Eastern American Battle line doubles back to break through the smoke screen and engage my dreadnaughts just clearing the harbor....


But when the Americans stick their nose through the smoke screen it gets bit off. First a torpedo run by the modern destroyers forces the Americans to break their line and a lucky torpedo hit damages Louisiana. As Kentucky clears the smoke, the Spanish dreadnaughts and the Caracas fort smash and sink it. The destroyers dashing between the American battleships are obliterated by heavy gunfire.

Louisiana and Missouri break West and the antique Spanish destroyers with their short range torpedoes break through their smoke screen for a perfect run on them. Both ships soak up multiple torpedoes and two of the Spanish destroyers escape unscathed....

Kentucky is sinking and Louisiana and Missouri were last seen limping northwest. Without the modern destroyers, the smoke screen to the north disappated and the heavies engaged. Wisconsin was battered out of the line, Maine was hammered by a combined salvo and the Spaniards appeared unfased to the Americans. After that unpleasantness, the Yankee battlelines combined and ducked behind their own smokescreens, but the only photos I have are out of focus. We left the table their on acount of 2:00 AM, so I'll take the tripod next time and get starting photos when action recommences.