text:
Can the cost of an outside consultant be capitalized if it is for getting the current system up to speed for a new software module installation?
Can the cost of an outside consultant be capitalized if it is for getting the current system up to speed for a new software module installation?
And when the cost of speed is benefiting a future economic periods, that it is a cost and not expense.
If that cost of material value then should be capitalized and depleted over a definite period of time, i.e. until a further system speed will incur.
This a distinction between the term expense and the term cost. From such definitions, we can stem something either to expend or to capitalize.
It may not be capitalized since the outside consultant has been hired to fix up the impairment loss of the existing asset. The effect of the increase in the speed of the software may be existing only for one year.
Technology is fast advancing and even in the next year software will have to be sped up or replaced. So this particular item will have to be expensed rather than capitalizing.
Here the situation is that a new module of software is going to be installed, of course capital. ( if applicable)
And existing system is going to be upgraded to facilitate the installation of new software, since the new software can not function properly with this upgrade (speed-up).
As this activity is not a routine activity, rather it is incurred specially to facilitate the installation of new module, therefore it should be Capitalized together with the cost of new module.
Now Seeing it in an other situation, where the module is in-house built then this cost should be evaluated in context with " Research and Development " phases of any software development project.
And, in situation Number 3, If the module already existed in system, but was not installed till now then, this cost can be taken as up-gradation of existing system and can be Capitalized if materiel and can generate remarkable future economic benefits.
Costs attributable to the installation and implementation of new software should be capitalized if 1) Their future economic benefit is more than 1 year; 2) If the benefit provided is easily identifiable; 3) if it is a required upgrade and an essential part of the new software; 4) if it is material.
Certain costs are capitalized with software and the cost of implementation is one of them. The consultant's tasks are to prepare the old system to interface with the new system. Your company is electing to fund this task separately from the installation, otherwise I'm sure the software company has expert personnel that would do this task and therefore you would incur the cost buried in your SOW from the software company. You would pay for it either way, the only difference is you picked the expert.
I hope this helps.


text:
New campus of 'Spring Buds Educational Institute' inaugurated
Srinagar: An annual day-cum-inauguration of new campus of Spring Buds Educational Institute was held in central Kashmir's Budgam district.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Budgam, Dr Sehrish Asgar was the chief guest on the occasion.
She inaugurated the new campus of Spring Buds Educational Institute and applauded the work done by the educational trust.
The other dignities who graced the occasion were Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Budgam, Joint Director School Education, Abid Hussainm Chief Area Manager Northern Railway, DYSP headquarter Budgam, Team of SSSA organization, parents and the senior citizens of the district.
The chief guest later distributed awards among the meritorious candidates of the school and the participants of the function who turned the occasion wonderful and colorful.
Dr Sehrish and SSP Budgam encouraged the students to take part in co-curricular activities and other programs and prepare themselves for the top level examination as the future of the nation lies in the hands of the young generation.
The chairman of the school M S Qureshi later presented the vote of thanks to all the esteemed guests, parents and students who gave their precious time to make the event a success.
Principal Shahnawaz Shafi on this occasion thanked the staff members and the students for their strenuous and dedicated efforts due to which the event became so lively.
Moreover, the faculty members were felicitated with awards by the chairman and the principal of the institute.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
2019 Run For Love – looking for the top ten most beautiful tourist couple activities
August 7th, 2019 is the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, and also the Valentine's Day of China – Double-Seventh Festival. The activity of the China Love Theme Scenic Alliance "2019 Run For Love – Finding the Top Ten Most Beautiful Traveling Couples" has been launched on August 7th, encouraging everyone to bravely express their love and use the "three-line love letter" form. Let more people feel the beauty and romance of the beginning.
The establishment of China Love Theme Scenic Alliance is based on the premise of adapting to the needs of tourism transformation under the new normal economy. Through love element as the carrier, with local characteristics and cultural connotation of the exchanges and cooperation platform, designed to unite and absorb domestic distinct theme for love scenic area, shape love brand projects.The members of the alliance included Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan Scenic Spot, Hainan Sanya Tianyahaijiao Scenic Spot, Chongqing Black Valley Shilin Scenic Spot, and Guangdong Guanyinshan National Forest Park, Hunan Yueyanglou Junshan Island Scenic Spot, Anhui Huangshan Jade Valley (Lover Valley) Scenic Spot, Gansu Tunchang Guanegou Scenic Area, Shanxi Pushui Temple Scenic Area, Chongqing Siping Mountain Scenic Area, Ningxia Shapotou Scenic Area, and Jixian County Guanshan Grassland Scenic Area, a total of more than 10 domestic famous scenic spots.
Since its establishment in 2017, the Alliance has set its sights on the traditional festival of Double-Seventh Festival and launched the theme activities such as "Run for Love" to encourage everyone to express their love. This year, the Alliance has continued this theme activity on Double-Seventh Festival again. On the 7th, the grand opening of the Guanyinshan National Forest Park in Guangdong has been officially launched. The exclusive H5 interactive channel has also been officially launched. From August 7th to October 7th, as long as H5 uploads his own "three-line love letter" and has the opportunity to win the grand prize and spread the love in more forms.
In addition, after the event is launched, the top ten scenic spots has focused on "running for love" as the main background, and set off the romantic feelings of the love theme. How do you participate in the fresh and romantic activities created by so many well-known love scenes? In fact, the way to participate in this event can be said to be simple and fun:
Step 1: Write down the "Three Love Letters" of you and TA on the event page to mark the tourist attractions you most want to visit.
Step 2: Share the activity link to the circle of friends or Weibo, and invite friends to like your message.
Step 3: The top 66 who will eventually praise the most people will have a chance to get a surprise gift.
The prizes that everyone cares about were also exposed: the most romantic true love award, the most praised will receive 9999 cash prize; the most sweet companion award 2, the prize was Huawei mobile phone; the 30 winners who won the most fashionable travel award can get surprise benefits of 11 scenic spots in the year; the 33 most lovely fresh prize gifts were beautiful commemorative packages.
As the theme activity of the China Love Theme Alliance in 2019, "2019 Run For Love – looking for the top ten most beautiful tourist couples" has satisfied the people's longing for a better life, and also fits the concept of the country to create a global tourism, and established a local tourism brand,enabling more excellent and distinctive scenic spots to enter the public's field of vision, providing new tourism choices for the masses, stimulating the development of the tourism industry, opening up new tourism opportunities, and realizing scenic spots, places and tourism. The masses and other parties have a win-win situation. Who will spend the 2019 top ten most beautiful couples? let us wait and see!
Media Contact
Company Name: Mbsc.sd
Contact Person: John Su
Email: Send Email
Country: United States
Website: https://www.yshanpay.com


text:
Michael Recce is Chief Data Scientist with Neuberger Berman and is leading the firm's effort into incorporating data signals into the investment process. When working on predictive algorithms for the advertising industry, he realised that these applications would work just as well in finance. After all, if you know which products customers are interested in then you know which companies are winning, he says.
Michael Recce Podcast overview:
0:30 What is a data scientist?
2:00 Has your study of neuroscience given you new insights into how computers think?
3:00 Predicting what ads people are interested in shows you which companies are winning; that is not priced into stocks.
4:20 Data-science driven investing will be bigger than the quant revolution was
5:00 Bootstrapping problems in data science; you don't know what you don't know
5:30 Most of the data that people want to sell is not useful
7:30 Asking questions around time series are not the right questions
10:00 We start with a fundamental model and the fact that it is quantitative means we are using computers.
13:20 What are some of the datasets that you are most excited about today?
15:00 Signal decay, how do you deal with it?
17:00 Data-driven investing is very different from the way most people think about investing
18:30 I pay 1/20th of what a hedge fund pays for the data
20:00 Are we solving the right problems in investing?
21:00 The different time domains of data.
25:00 How to deal with bias in data.
29:00 To what degree is creativity a part of data science?
33:00 Can you build the values that an organisation might have into the algorithms?
34:00 Partnership with the UN on sustainability data
36:00 Is this just added complexity for boards?
40:00 I just finished the first course in teacher portfolio manager how to code.
45:00 My bet is on fundamental manager that learn to code.


text:
Cauliflower & tomato curry
Nutrition and extra info
- Freezable
- Vegetarian
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal307
- fat15g
- saturates7g
- carbs30g
- sugars27g
- fibre8g
- protein9g
- salt0.2g
- 2 onions, 1 quartered, the other thinly sliced
Onions are endlessly versatile and an essential ingredient in countless recipes. Native to Asia…
- 5cm piece ginger, peeled and sliced
Mainly grown in Jamaica, Africa, India, China and Australia, ginger is the root of the plant. It…
- 2 green chillies, 1 halved and deseeded, the other sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ tsp turmeric
Turmeric is a fragrant, bright golden-yellow root that is most commonly seen and used dried and…
- 2 tsp black or yellow mustard seeds
- 10 curry leaves
- 100ml tamarind purée
- 400ml passata
- 250ml vegetable stock
- 3 tbsp desiccated coconut
- 1 cauliflower, about 500g/1lb 2oz
A brassica, like cabbage and broccoli, cauliflower is a mass of tiny, tightly packed flower…
- small handful coriander leaves, to serve
- cooked rice, to serve
Rice is a grain, the seed of a type of grass, which is the most widely grown and the most…
- lime pickle and mango chutney, to serve
For the spice mix
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
Coriander seedkor-ee-and-er seed
The small, creamy brown seeds of the coriander plant give dishes a warm, aromatic and slightly…
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
Fennel seedsfeh-nell seeds
A dried seed that comes from the fennel herb, fennel seeds look like cumin seeds, only greener,…
- 1 long dried red chilli (we used Kashmiri)
To make the spice mix, toast the coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds, with the dried chilli for 30 secs, or until you smell them. Grind in a spice grinder until very powdery. Remove and set aside.
In a blender or food processor, purée the quartered onion, ginger, halved green chilli and garlic to make a paste. In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Add the sliced onion, paste and season well, then sauté for 12 mins until golden. Add the spice mix, turmeric, curry leaves and mustard seeds and sauté for about 2 mins. Add the tamarind, passata, stock and coconut, and bring to the boil.
Cut the cauliflower into medium florets and add to the curry. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 25 mins until the cauliflower is tender. Serve with rice, coriander leaves, the remaining sliced green chilli and lime pickle and mango chutney, if you like.


text:
Here are the top business, market, and economic stories you should be watching today in the UK, Europe, and abroad:
Consumer confidence hits six-year low
UK consumer confidence hit a six-year low in August, according to a new survey by GfK.
A survey of consumers found overall confidence of -14 in August, the lowest reading since 2013. The GfK survey of 2,000 people takes into account views on the economy, personal finance, and savings.
"Until Brexit leaves the front pages – whenever that will be – consumers can be forgiven for feeling nervous not just about the wider economy but also about their financial situation," said Joe Staton, client strategy director at GfK.
"That's an important distinction because a significant development in August is the sudden drop in views on personal finances 'over the next 12 months' after the encouraging jump in this measure last month.
"For a long time, the downward momentum in the Overall Index Score has been associated with our views on economy. But reduced confidence is now affecting how we see our personal finances."
Shoe Zone profit warning
Shares in Shoe Zone (SHOE.L) have crashed 35% after the discount shoe retailer put out a profit warning and announced its CEO is unexpectedly quitting.
Nick Davis, who has been with the company since 2003, has left to "pursue other business interests" and will depart with immediate effect.
Anthony Smith, Shoe Zone's executive chairman, will now become chief executive on a permanent basis. He said he would focus on online and out of town larger stores due to the "challenging environment" on the high street.
The company also said the challenging nature of the high street will hit profits. A revaluation of its freehold properties means the company will take a £3.1m hit, as the 17 buildings Shoe Zone owns fall in value from £8.4m to £5.3m.
Premier Foods names new CEO
Premier Foods (PFD.L) has overhauled its executive team, appointing a new CEO and executive chairman, while saying goodbye to its CFO.
Alex Whitehouse has been promoted from UK Managing Director to CEO. Former Reckitt Benckiser chief financial officer Colin Day has also been appointed non-executive chairman. Chief financial officer Alastair Murray is leaving the business and Duncan Leggett has been promoted to acting CFO in the meantime.
Colin Day said: "I am very much looking forward to joining Premier Foods at this key juncture as we look to deliver value for Premier Foods' shareholders.
"It is the intention to further strengthen the Board with the appointment of an additional two independent non-executive directors as soon as possible."
Saudi Aramco snubs London
Impending Brexit for Britain has apparently hurt the chances of London raking in potentially $1bn (£821m) in fees from state-owned oil titan Saudi Aramco, which is looking to list on a foreign stock exchange.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Aramco is allegedly looking to list in Tokyo, Japan instead of the initial front-runner cities for its IPO — New York, London, or Hong Kong. Mass protests in Hong Kong was also cited in the report as a reason for Aramco shunning it for a listing.
Both Aramco and Japan's relevant authorities have not commented on the WSJ report.
Hedge fund Winton's tough year
The hedge fund boss who made the biggest ever single donation to a UK university at the start of this year suffered a tough 2018, newly published accounts show.
Winton Group, the hedge fund group run by billionaire David Harding, saw a drop in all key metrics last year. Assets under management, revenue, and profits all fell sharply and the hedge fund axed nearly 20% of its staff.
"2018 proved to be a year of change for Winton," Harding wrote in the accounts. He said a "sharp reversal of equity markets in February" provoked the firm to reassess its investment strategy "take more risk in non-trend following quantitative strategies." The course change proved to be costly and complex, and prompted some clients to pull funds.
House prices flatline
House price growth ground to a halt in August across the UK amid signs of a "slowdown" in activity in the property market, according to the latest figures from Nationwide.
Average prices were unchanged between July and August when analysts factored out seasonal variation in the latest house price index from the building society.
The average home in Britain sold for just over £216,000 ($263,000) in August, no higher than a month earlier but up 0.6% on a year earlier.
It marks the ninth month in a row of muted price growth below 1% or even declines on an annual basis.
European markets rally
Renewed optimism about the US-China trade war spurred European stocks on Friday morning.
"The trade-war seesaw has certainly moved back in favour of riskier assets for now, with Trump and China supposedly holding a call yesterday, at least according to Trump earlier in the day," Jim Reid, a senior macro strategist at Deutsche Bank, said in a morning email to clients.
"Meanwhile, risk assets were already getting a boost from the news that China doesn't intend to immediately retaliate on tariffs, following comments out of the Ministry of Commerce just as European markets were opening."
Britain's FTSE 100 (^FTSE) was up 0.3%, France's CAC 40 (^FCHI) was up 0.5%, Germany's DAX (^GDAXI) was up by 0.6%, and the Euronext 100 (^N100) was up by 0.5%.
Overnight in Asia, Japan's Nikkei (^N225) closed up by 1.1%, the Hong Kong Hang Seng Index (^HSI) was flat, and China's Shanghai Composite (000001.SS) closed down by 0.1%.
What to expect in the US
US stocks future are pointing to higher open later today. S&P500 futures (ES=F) were up by 0.2%, Dow Jones futures (YM=F) were up by 0.2%, and Nasdaq futures (NQ=F) were up by 0.2%.
Companies reporting later today include:
Campbell's Soup (CPB)


text:
The article by Williams titled The Emperor s New Clothes and the article by Flax titled Women Do Theory complement each other in a number of aspects. Both women are essentially saying that society today still views people as categories instead of a homogenous society. People are male or female, black or white, and rich or poor, instead of just human beings. Williams s views on power relationships are broader than Flax s, but still share a similar pretext. Williams sees power relationships as occurring in a variety of situations, whereas Flax discusses only the gender differences.
Williams sees power relationships as existing between teachers and students, parents and children, authority figures and citizens, and finally between the haves and have-nots. Williams initially discusses how the teachers at her son s school misused their position of power when they taught the children that color doesn t matter. She says, the very reason that the teachers had felt it necessary to impart this lesson in the first place was that it did matter, and in predictably cruel ways She is upset that the teachers waited for a situation to arise, in which racial tension was apparent, before they confronted the issue.
She also feels as if racial divisions are stepped around by saying it makes no difference and rarely tackled head on. She concludes The dismisiveness, however unintentional, leaves those in my son s position pulled between the clarity of their own experience and the often alienating terms in which they must seek social acceptance. Her point here is clearly that people in power positions can t tell individuals that certain things don t matter when these individuals have seen for themselves that it does.
We Will Write a Custom Essay Specifically
For You For Only $13.90/page!
order now
A perfect example is that of the little boy who goes to school and learns that hitting is wrong, and goes home every night and watches his dad hit his mom. How can a child decipher the importance between what he lives with day in and day out and what he is taught elsewhere? Williams continues to discuss how authority figures in general need to accept that conventional beliefs are still strong parts in many people s ideologies. She states, we tend to enshrine the notion with a kind of utopianism whose naivete will ensure its elusiveness.
In the material world ranging from playgrounds to politics, our ideals need more thoughtful, albeit more complicated, guardianship. Williams knows that confronting racial issues is always difficult and painful but she realizes that examining the issue directly is the only way to solve anything. Her other example of power relationships is exemplified when she discusses the exnomination of the white race. This is perhaps her quintessential point in this article.
How can everyone feel the same when white people aren t categorized and being of race is what you are if you aren t white. She points out that Exnomination permits whites to entertain the notion that race lives over there on the other side of the tracks, in black bodies and inner-city neighborhoods etc. and that the creation of a sense of community is a lifelong negotiation of endless subtlety. This article has really opened up my eyes about the current racial situation today. Williams made me realize that the problem and the solution are in everybody s hands.
Parents, teachers, and authority figures need to give credence to the ills of the past and propose solutions for the future before dissension occurs. By bringing to light every aspect of the issue openly and honestly you are removing the stigma and the taboo that race issues should be hushed. Flax s article is more cut and dried than the Williams article. Flax s only concern in her article is the lack of equality between the sexes and the methods that must be employed to eradicate this inequality. Flax, like Williams, believes that historical conventions deeply affect today s manner of thinking.
Flax states Plato argued that women could be philosopher kings since these should be chosen on merit and no inherent proof existed that women were any less intellectually capable than men. Other political theorists have argued that women cannot think abstractly and has a less developed moral sense. Flax uses this information to conclude Thus, part of the problem feminist theorists face is taking the general grammer and concepts of traditional theory and applying them to women and the issues that affect us.
Also like Williams Flax believes that the family is one of the central mediating structures between all other structures of oppression. Flax believes our hope for an egalitarian society lies in the next generation. She also feels that individual s internal lives (where biological and mental lives meet) must be organized and that sexuality and gender identification are important aspects in this process. Her main point in this article is that although we will never be able to eradicate differences between the genders, power should be based on achievement and not sex.
Flax s article has helped me to realize that politics is much more than who gets what, why, when, where, and how. She has made me realize that people s opinions and lifestyle are actually melting pots of their own experiences, what they ve been taught, and varying historical beliefs. The only way the power holders in politics will ever be able to correct societies flaws are to look at them in the above way. Correction needs to begin on every level, with every race, religion, gender, and age group, if they ever expect it to work.


text:
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Heads I win, Tails you Lose!
Dan, many years ago, my personal net worth passed the point where my personal needs and desires were met. The point where the amount of money at my disposal covered every use I could conceive of for my own and family benefit. In short, last week, I might have had 198 times the amount of wealth a person could bring to bear in his own life. This week, I now have 201 times that amount of wealth. Are you asking if it is possible to somehow feel different? Now, since I put a lot of my wealth to work in my business ventures, creating jobs, if going from 198 to 201 means I will create more jobs, then yes, I am happier today than last week. But as far as any personal benefit, I passed that point long ago.
Rather obviously didn't catch what Perot was saying, as he asked two or three times again something like, "Yes, but how does it feel to be a billionaire?", and got basically the same answer. Finally, Perot graceful shut down that line of inquiry.
Now, whether or not Perot was honestly answering the question or simply trying to gild his image in immaterial. For all intents and purposes, what he said is probably true. One probably can reach a point where one has so much wealth that it is near impossible to really improve the luxury one can experience, other than bragging rights and greed instincts.
As the Tea Party threatens to block raising the nation debt ceiling, Perot's words came back to me. The Tea Idiots are offering a choice: No more taxes on the wealthiest and reduce programs to help the needy or they will damage the general economy, which will also hurt the needy. To use my late Uncle Sal's favorite coin tossing joke, "Heads I win, Tails you lose."
No matter what choice is selected in the Tea Party plan, it is the bulk of the population that will suffer. The 20% who hold the bulk of the nation's net worth and financial wealth may have to suffer a life style adjustment, while the remaining 80% may have to come face to face with considerable suffering. Joe Schmuckatelli, the wall street broker may have to forfeit one of his homes, while many middle and lower class folks may lose their only home. People currently making over $250,000 may have to forfeit an occasional gourmet restaurant meal, while thousands will have difficulty getting basic nutrition. Sally Joe may have to cut back on her health spa visits and botox treatments, while tens of thousands more will have to skip any doctor visits and prescription medications completely.
That's the wonderful part of our oligarchy. "Heads I win, Tails you lose". And the great unwashed actually believes there's a choice being offered!
42 comments:
The real marvel to me, Al, is the way that this has apparently completely eluded that bottom 80%. In any sensible "democracy" this obscenity would have long ago produced a raving socialist government (best case) or a bloody revolution with Trumps and Kochs dangling from every streetlight. Instead, they're leading political candidates and power brokers.ReplyDelete
I am starting to genuinely despair for my country. I mean, we've virtually re-created the conditions of 1929; a bloated plutocracy and irresponsible financial elite that utterly shits the economic bed, impoverishing millions. Eighty years ago this resulted in the emergence of a semi-populist New Deal movement that forced the banksters and the wealthy to give up a portion of their lucre in return for social peace. What is happening today?
The Teatards are threatening to hold their breath until the debt ceiling turns blue if the banksters and the wealthy aren't handed MORE of the nation's lucre.
The 80% think that they are fat, dumb and happy, when they are really just dumb. Someone recently said (I'm old, so I can't remember where) that the general population suffers from a "I've got mine, everyone else is on their own to get theirs". I am coming to the conclusion that it's an ingrained cultural thing.
It's kind of like the statement attributed to the German Pastor Niemoller:
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out
While the 80% is being slowly raped, plundered and pillaged, it's being done slowly enough to allow all too many of us not to realize it.
The Crash of 1929 and the suffering of the early thirties happened quickly and was widespread. Even those relatively unaffected could look around and think "I might be next." Getting folks to think of/vote in the interests of/fight for other people is always hard, it helps if there's an element of self-interest.ReplyDelete
We don't have that right now. Decades of "anyone can become a millionaire" thinking combined with poisonous political discourse, societal corruption and the gradual effects of the economic collapse (which is surely what is happening) have convinced too many that either a) it can't happen to them or b) there's nothing that can be done so why bother.
Give us a few more years of slow decline, with the icy hand of poverty and fear reaching into more of the lives of us 80%-ers, and things will be different. Problem is, because of the things cited above, I fear we're not going to get another FDR but rather a Mussolini.
And then we'll REALLY be SF.
Well stated, all of you!ReplyDelete
I think that's a result of the American "mindset" (from a commie Canuck north of the border). You have a terrific "I can do anything" mindset that's pushed you to the top and kept you there for decades. The downside is it also carries a very strong "everyone for him/herself" attachment. That makes it difficult for much of the populace to accept ideas/laws that benefit everyone at a small cost to them.ReplyDelete
Welcome to the fray! As your late, marvelous Canadian historian, Pierre Burton put it so clearly, and I have repeated here often in the past, the US was born by an act of violence and our founding document states that government exists to ensure the inalienable right to "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness". The underlying theme is that the individual is superior to the collective well being. Burton contrasts that with Canada's peaceful birth by a rational act of Parliament (The British North America Act of 1867), which clearly states that government exists to provide "Peace, Order and Good Government". The underlying concept in your country is that the collective well being trumps the individual.
If my rights are "inalienable" and unfettered, why should I care about someone else? Since government exists to ensure these rights, is it not understandable that those who are already enjoying them would resent being "burdened" with some responsibility to help the government provide these inalienable rights to those who are not enjoying them? Nowhere in our founding documents is there an explanation of how the "inalienable rights" are to be delivered, just that government exists to ensure them. It will take a major shock, such as the Great Depression, to convince the general population that they have a responsibility to individuals, and not because of any great shift in values, but because the numbers in dire need are so great that they suddenly have a self interested voice that can be heard.
Well, and Al, let's not forget - FDR (and for my money I agree with you, EGrise) wasn't a softhearted or -headed old liberal wet. He was a vicious aristocrat from the noblesse oblige tradition...but one that saw pretty damn clearly.ReplyDelete
The majority of the oligarchs then - as the majority now, the majority in Louis XIV's court and the majority in St. Petersburg in 1917 - couldn't see further than the tip of their pampered noses. It took a brutal realist like FDR to understand that what the Depression had opened wasn't just your basic social class muttering (like the "panics" of the 19th Century had) but the possibility of a genuinely broad-based social revolution. And it took a vicious political bastard like FDR to ram the New Deal through and force the plutocrats to suck on it.
IMO he did a hell of a lot to prevent the nation from becoming either a communist or a fascist dictatorship. But the oligarchs hate every scrap of the legislation that came out of the depression. My ex-wife's family was part of them, and, trust me, they really believe that they deserve every penny they "earn" from their trust funds.
This country has always been more oligarchic that most of us want to admit. Hell, prior to the Nineteenth Amendment half the country couldn't vote, and if you keep walking it back to the early 19th Century between black laws, poll taxes, and property requirements I think that something like less than 10% of the people living in the then-U.S. were eligible to vote in the first Presidential election under the present Constitution.
But we're going to a place we haven't been since the early 20th Century, and I have no idea whether the result will be as ugly as the so-called "Gilded Age" was for about...ummm...80% of the nation.
I cannot claim to know exactly what motivated FDR, but you are correct in that he was a realist and knew that in the long run, the collective well being needed to be served to some degree to keep the masses from rioting. However, true blue bloods think about the future, not just their immediate selfish orgasmic pleasure. While I would guess that human nature is somewhat selfish, the US has elevated it to a new level by incorporating unbridled self interest into our very founding documents, albeit ever so subtly so. Well, the failure to franchise great portions of the population wasn't so subtle.
Thus, only a clear and present threat to the oligarchs, like the Great Depression, can result in a brief respite from throwing many of the masses onto the dung heap.
Your comment as to the "great unwashed" reminded me of something I read some time ago. WJ Cash's 1929 article on "The Mind of the South":
". . . He is still at heart a mountain lout, lolling among his hounds or puttering about a moonshine-still while his women hoe the corn. He has no genuine conviction of wrong. His grievances exist only in the absolute. There is not one among them for which he is really willing to fight. And that is the prime reason why all Southern strikes fail.
Moreover, the mind of the Southerner is an intensely individualistic mind. There again, it strikes back to the Old South, to the soil. The South is the historic champion of States' Rights. It holds Locke's "indefeasibility of private rights" as axiomatic. Its economic philosophy is that of Adam Smith, recognizing no limitations on the pursuit of self-interest by the individual, and counting unbridled private enterprise as not only the natural order but also the source of all public good. Laissez-faire is its watchword.
The Southerner is without inkling of the fact that, admirably adapted as such a philosophy was to the simple, agricultural society of the Jeffersonian era, it is inadequate for dealing with the industrial problems of today. He has never heard of the doctrine of the social function of industry and would not understand it if he had. He cannot see that industrialism inevitably consolidates power into the hands of a steadily decreasing few, and enables them, if unchecked, to grab the lion's share of the product of other men's labor; he cannot see that the worker in a machine age is not an individual at all but an atom among atoms—that he is no longer, and cannot possibly be, a free agent. Under the Southern view, even a cotton-mill is an individual. If a peon cares to work for the wage it chooses to pay, very well; if he doesn't, let him exercise a freeman's privilege and quit. But for him to combine with his fellows and seek to tie up the operation of the mill until his wages are raised—that, as the South sees it, is exactly as if a lone farm-hand, displeased with his pay, took post with a shotgun to bar his employer from tilling his fields. . ."
Seems that this goes double for an economy based on financial scams committed under the cover of infotainment/24/7 T&A distractions/diversions, rather than an economy based on actual industrial output as in 1929 . . . we're all "Southerners" now, ya'll . . . ;-)>ReplyDelete
A couple of observations:ReplyDelete
1. The problem of the public debt and deficits and the problem of wealth/income/financial disparity are two separate problems that don't, IMO, share a common solution.
2. Not everyone here at the bar has disclosed their income and wealth, but those (including myself) who have are all in the aforementioned 80%. Are any of us in this "great unwashed" group up to doing anything more than complaining on the internet, much less rioting in the streets and stringing bankers up on light posts? We might want to examine our own reasons for not not doing more than the rest of the "great unwashed" before passing judgement on their intelligence and motivations.
As to your point number 1, my post concerned the fact that in the two options offered by Teabaggers, the 80% has the most to lose, not the 20%. I don't care if they are addressing deficits or the like. It is very clear that they reject any general social responsibility in favor of individual interest.
As to #2, my post was addressing our legitimate system, not the issue of riots. However, when I see senior citizen after senior citizen shouting, "I don't want the government taking over my Medicare", I think there is legitimate reason to judge "the great unwashed." Stupid is as stupid does. Similarly, when the Tea Party denizens threaten to bring down the economy (refuse to raise the debt ceiling) if social programs are not gutted, I also have concerns about the level of intelligence of major segments of our society who have no idea that they will ultimately suffer the result.
As to whether it can be changed? To be frank, I have such low regard for the general population's intelligence that I think only a severe event, such as the Great Depression, will lead to any seriously sound approaches. Until then, ideology and demagoguery will continue to be the rule.
Andy: Public debt and deficits ARE connected to wealth and income disparity by taxes and expenditures.ReplyDelete
The right loves to use the metaphor of the "family living within its means" while the reality is that a government is a family with the ability to give itself a raise in the form of increased taxes and decreased expenditures.
The right loves to use the entitlement programs as whipping boys, while whistling past the military procurement graveyard.
The right loves to fulminate about deficits and debt while ignoring that we're taxing ourselves at 1950s levels and significantly less than all the other industrial democracies outside Japan.
And the reason I'm not out there gunning for the Trumps and the Kochs is because I don't want to spend the rest of my life in prison.
It's fear, cowardice pure and simple, and given that I have more political information and motivation than the rest of the great unwashed it says something truly scathing about me. But at least I understand the depth of my own failure. There's a whole bunch of my fellow citizens whose comprehension is about on the level of the heifer heading down the chute towards the dark doorway that reeks of blood. While they are not as culpable in terms of the cowardice, they are far more culpable in terms of ignorance.
FDChief: Given my own view that FDR (the wily old trout) saved American capitalism from a communist revolution (or worse), I always have to laugh when I see conservatives call FDR a communist (or worse).ReplyDelete
Sure, some of it is cowardice (as the Chief outlines above - I'm not going to be the first one to get shot trying to kick start a revolution that many may not even want). And some of it *is* stupidity (Exhibit A: the Tea Party).ReplyDelete
But from a greater perspective, it's the problem of the interregnum. Gramsci's quote: "The crisis consists precisely in the fact that the old is dying and the new cannot be born; in this interregnum a great variety of morbid symptoms appear."
The old order is dying, if not already dead, and the general paralysis, the feelings of frustration and powerlessness, those are dead giveaways that we're in an interregnum. The looting of the nation, our inability to stop it, the increasingly blatant corruption, our feckless military actions, are all morbid symptoms.
I don't blame people for not acting. I won't call them "sheeple" for not wanting to engage a system so thoroughly gamed against them and instead choosing to spend their time with family, friends, and their life's work.
We will act *eventually*, but only once things have become so bad that the alternatives are worse.
EGrise is a smart person.ReplyDelete
In the late 20's and early 30's the established power structure had the horrible example of the Russian revolution to look at.
Today, we have the internet. It gives unprecedented ability for people to self organize. Right now we are at the peak of media centralization but it isn't enough.
A new political order is coming where the elite will have much less say.
However, it can't happen until the left abandons the Democratic Party.
I would argue the 80% are going to take a hit regardless. The rich in this country always had, and will always have, options not available to the rest of us. Entitlements, which primarily benefit the middle class, are unsustainable. Their collapse, absent reform, is a mathematical certainty. Although I agree the Tea Party does not offer any viable solutions to this problem, neither does anyone else currently. I think their threat with regard to the debt ceiling is mostly hollow and after an appropriate amount of posturing, it will get raised.
Also, you're right that public ignorance is a serious problem, but it's not a problem limited to tea partiers or seniors who may think Medicare isn't financed by the government. There's polling going back two decades that shows, for example, that most people think foreign aid is a huge part of the federal budget (an average of 27% of the federal budget in a recent poll (it's actually less than 1%)) and that cutting foreign aid would provide significant savings. Similarly, large majorities strongly oppose any significant changes to entitlements especially in order to reduce deficits. People on the left continue to believe that increasing taxes on those making more than $250k will solve everything. IOW, everyone's got their own pretty pink unicorn they're trying to sell.
Nothing can be done as long as significant majorities of people continue to believe in solutions that are mathematically impossible or that tinkering with the present system will "fix" our problems. The Tea Party is only one small part of that - it's not like the GoP and Democrats are offering rational solutions either.
Sure, inequality and deficits are "related" but not causative. For example, if income was more evenly distributed in the US then federal income tax receipts would actually decline making the deficit problem worse. Point being, taxes/spending and inequality are different problems that ultimately require different solutions.
The right loves to use the entitlement programs as whipping boys, while whistling past the military procurement graveyard.
Well, entitlements (particularly health care) spending IS the long term problem. That's something on which practically everyone who's looked at this agrees, to include Paul Krugman and the CBO. Even if you zero out defense spending, it won't be enough. Unlike entitlements, defense spending hasn't grown all that much compared to the historical baseline what whatever criteria you want to use. Just to be clear, this isn't an argument against cutting defense spending - I've said many times I think we could do with substantially less - but it's not going to come close to solving our fiscal problems.
BTW, I'm not including links in my comments anymore (ie. to what Krugman and the CBO say) simply because that causes the comment to go down the memory hole or get trapped in the spam filter.
We're at the peak of media centralization? Media is more diverse than it's ever been.
The underlying concept in your country is that the collective well being trumps the individual.
The Preamble states:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
By its very existence, the Constitution is a strong arguement against each individual for himself.
However, like say, the Bible, its text is open to individual interpretation and which parts are stressed ( like the 2nd Amendment ) and which parts are ignored ( like the piece against unreasonable searches and seizures ).
And, as I have written many times around this bunch, the Pop Americanus is one of the most propangadized and misled nations of the world.
The Oligarchy has in these times that which it could not dream of having in the 20s and 30s, a very effective and widespread PR tool, the Press and Broadcast media.
It is possible that I do have a bias, having grown up where I did, but I do believe a solid majority of Americans do know that we MUST give up some of our holdings to provide for the greater good. And that can be a selfish motive, too, with the realization that the individual can survive only in a functioning and, mostly, fair society.
What would you do if you somehow found yourself the owner of a fortune, say a million? Would that be enough to turn a soul? A billion?
Something I've never thought to ask you, but after I watched 60 Minutes' story on Mt. Athos, it popped up. Ever been there?
I have to laugh, I spent Easter Sunday at my in-laws. They skyped their son and daughter-in-law at one point during the afternoon. In a short conversation, instead of catching up on nieces and nephews, etc. my sister-in-law launched into a rant about Obama being socialist and turning the country into a communist nation, etc., etc. yadda yadda. I tuned out after the word communist.ReplyDelete
What bugs me is that both she and my brother-in-law are "college educated" yet they can't see through the rhetoric. When did people stop thinking on their own? When did it become vogue to act stupid?
The other thing that bothers me is how the uber-wealthy can't see that when they've raped and pillaged and there's nothing left but scorched earth, there'll be nobody to take from any more. Even the JP Morgans, the Carnegy's the Rockefellers knew this. The Kochs and the Murdochs are lopping the head off the golden goose.
Andy: You rope in Krugman, but you haven't mentioned what the man said, to wit:ReplyDelete
"Entitlements" are not all one thing.
Social Security is easy. It is not currently insolvent and can be made permanently solvent (well, permanently until and unless the entire U.S. economy takes a fundamental shift, more of which in a bit) by jiggering the FICA take and the benefit outlay. I won't rehash the whole thing, but he does, and his arguments look sound to me.
The "unsustainable" part is in the health benefits programs, Medicare and Medicaid, and when you look at the numbers most of the hit is coming not in the programs themselves, which are cost-comparable to most private insurance schemes and better than many, but in the baseline rise in healthcare costs. This rise is hammering a lot of other aspects of the U.S. and can't be "fixed" by anything on offer presently. There are ways to control costs, but they would require the U.S. public to make choices that most other industrialized nations already have (read: centralized government-run care) as well as forced curtailment of a lot of spendy end-of-life care. I don't see that happening.
But, sadly, the real elephant in the room is the increasing hollowing of the U.S. economy. A hell of a lot of living-wage jobs are going, and what is replacing them, if they are replaced, will be a lot more like McJobs that won't pay nearly the same. Lots more people living just above poverty, lots less confidence, lots less spending. Lots less taxes, lots more need for social services at the same time that those same services are increasingly frayed.
And as pretty much everyone here points out...the elites are increasingly insulated. They have less and less reason, or interest, to try and do anything about that.
Oh, well. Hopefully whatever "Cascadia Republic" that emerges from the wreck of the former United States will be a good place for my grandkids to live in...
Sure, Social Security is easy when you look at it as a separate entity, but it's not so easy when considered as part of the entire federal budget. In the same way a credit card balance of a couple of thousand dollars isn't a big deal by itself, but if you add $200k on an underwater house, $50k in school loans, $25k for a car then that balance isn't so easy to deal with.
Yeah, health care costs are the driver and the US government is the biggest insurer so cost increases are a pretty big deal for the national bottom line. Who has a solution to that problem? There are many solutions but they are all currently politically impossible until cold, hard reality can no longer be ignored. Actually, we really have one choice - ration care - the ideological disagreement is and will be over how to do that and who ends up being the sucker that gets screwed.
As for the economy, I'm kind bipolar on that topic. Sometimes I think we're in a transition similar to the move from an agricultural to industrial economy - other times I think we're moving towards Augustan Rome.
Disney, News Corporation, Time Warner and Viacom are the first, second, third and fourth largest media conglomerates in the world. Go look at what they do and where they reach. Next, look at what the media ownership picture looked like 20 years ago then come back and tell me that media concentration hasn't happened, big-time!
Why do we call it heath "insurance"? Insurance involves pooling funds from many insured entities (known as exposures) to pay for the losses that some may incur. Insurance for every other aspect of the economy is a system where those in the insured pool share the cost of everyone in the insurance pool's claims experience. It is a rare case where that happens in the US "health insurance" industry. For decades, most health insurance plans' premiums have been paid primarily by people or entities outside the pool of insured persons. It's called "employer provided health insurance", and the majority of the costs are paid by the employer's customers, who are overwhelmingly not in the risk pool being "insured". The employer's customers have no say over the risks being insured against, nor the cost of the risk servicing. Thus, General Motors, for example, passed on the cost of 150,000 employees health insurance to some 4 to 5 million vehicle purchasers, no less parts purchasers, each year during it's "Glory Years". That is not risk "sharing", but risk "shifting".ReplyDelete
If the risk pool is paying only a minor share of the full cost of the pool's actual claims experience, why would the risk pool care if costs rise? If the entities actually paying the claims experience do not see how much they are paying to cover the claims experience of others, why should they care how much costs rise? At least until health care costs have gone through the roof, and it becomes increasingly difficult to shift those costs outside the risk pool. Consider all the ill will towards Detroit over how much of a car's price is based on health insurance for auto workers.
We are not running up a huge medical bill in the US primarily due to all kinds of extra care and extraordinary life prolonging treatment. We are running up that bill because each and every transaction costs more than the identical transaction anywhere else in the world. Why does it cost more? In a large part, because for way too many years, burden shifting allowed the price to rise unchecked. Part of the higher price Americans pay is due to the $2.5 billion spent each year in direct to consumer advertising of prescription medicines, a practice prohibited in all other industrialized nations, or the $1.23 billion in annual hospital advertizing. We pay $12.60 per capita annually for pharmaceutical and hospital advertising, geared to both increase and influence demand for medical services.
And, if we are alleged spending so much more on prolonging life, why is our life expectancy lower than many nations spending significantly less per capita on health care? Similarly, we have the highest infant mortality rate in the industrialized world. We think we have a great health care system, but do we?
I think it was Paul Krugman who recently took issue with those who say the cure is to get government out of the health care arena and promote "consumer choice" as the ultimate market tool to contain health care costs. He railed at calling us "consumers" rather than "patients". I find the whole idea of "consumer choice" ludicrous. "OK, doctor, I'd like the fuel efficient, compact, low cost coronary bypass. Cloth versus leather seats, please."
The government is not the cause of the massive per capita health care burden. The same government that is going broke paying for the Medicare prescription benefit, spends 40% less for VA prescription benefits. Why? Because GWB wanted Medicare "market driven". The market place is the problem, and that market place has been a scheme of smoke and mirrors for years. Until the cost "crisis" of today became apparent to a major segment of the population, no one worried about medical costs, because no one was burdened enough to care. The imaginary "free lunch" is suddenly being billed, and we can't deal with it.
Well, the 20% can.
Actually, we really have one choice - ration care - the ideological disagreement is and will be over how to do that and who ends up being the sucker that gets screwed.
If we accept the current irrational model for health care pricing and delivery, yes. In fact, it is already rationed. My daughter has an auto-immune disease. When her husband lost his previous job, her "pre-existing condition" leaves her ineligible for insurance, thus rationing her care to what they can afford out of pocket. Not eligible for public assistance if he is employed. No limit on availability of required treatment, as slots are unused. They just don't have the cash to afford the proper frequency of treatment. That's the kind of rationing our current "market driven" system has had in place for decades.
The root problem is that the government is being called upon to finance (not provide) medical care in a market that has seen no general cost control, because the name of the game is to shift the burden for medical payments to someone other than the risk pool receiving the care.
Tweaking the current "insurance" system is going to solve nothing, as, unfortunately, far too much infrastructure has been established based on the exorbitant pricing that is in place. We cannot change things without a dramatic hit to vested interests, and none of those interests are the patients.
We spend 25 to 100+% more per capita than other industrialized nations, all of which have some form of universal, comprehensive health care. 15% of our population is TOTALLY uninsured - meaning they are not covered by Medicare, Medicaid or any other program. Anyone who claims that our "system" can be simply adjusted to rein in health care costs is a fool. Anyone who thinks "government" is the problem is a bigger fool. We have been rationing health care for decades, using market prices to do so. My daughter can attest to that.
Andy - P.S.ReplyDelete
As with most people, you blindly presume that it is the patient that must be "the sucker who gets screwed". Why is it that we consider the medical services industry's pockets inviolable? They are the ones driving per capita costs, not the "capitas". Think about that. If I can get a full annual physical, blood tests, to include PSA, from private physicians and lab here for 150 Euro (about $225), how do you explain the $400+ my insurance paid, along with the $75 I paid in the US five years ago? Perhaps my Greek physician's Oxford education is worth less than my US physician's state university education?
The sucker has been and always will be the patient in the US, because he's part of the 80% and the job of the 80% is to be exploited and still think he's in the land of opportunity.
This is a fucking laugh. Blaming Laissez-faire on our current problems is stupidity at its finest. We don't have Capitalism in this nation. We have Corporatism, aka Soft Fascism. Our goddamn monetary policy is part of the problem.ReplyDelete
From Mises.org:
"With the debate over the federal government's budget as the hot topic of the day, the proponents of big spending have gone into overdrive with their mantra that Herbert Hoover was a small-government liquidationist. As often as this myth is repeated, it's important to show that it is wrong: Herbert Hoover was a big-government man who did not trust the free market."
Cutting the budget is the ONLY way we're going to get our goddamn country back before we go over the cliff. Yes, it means cutting the bloated Defense budget and stopping our fucking aggressive overseas wars. But hey, why fucking take the word of a 'Teatard' like me? China is set to dump its US securities that it holds and the complete monetization of our debt will begin. We're already facing inflation that is ramping up. Any fucking jackass that claims we have deflation hasn't bothered looking at the goddamn packaging for food in stores, nor the prices. The more expensive food and fuel become, the more expensive EVERYTHING becomes.
From ZeroHedge:
"All those who were hoping global stock markets would surge tomorrow based on a ridiculous rumor that China would revalue the CNY by 10% will have to wait. Instead, China has decided to serve the world another surprise. Following last week's announcement by PBoC Governor Zhou (Where's Waldo) Xiaochuan that the country's excessive stockpile of USD reserves has to be urgently diversified, today we get a sense of just how big the upcoming Chinese defection from the "buy US debt" Nash equilibrium will be. Not surprisingly, China appears to be getting ready to cut its USD reserves by roughly the amount of dollars that was recently printed by the Fed, or $2 trilion or so. And to think that this comes just as news that the Japanese pension fund will soon be dumping who knows what. So, once again, how about that "end of QE" again?"
People like me at the bottom, who have been screaming about this, are about to get fucking plowed under and you fucking people WANT to continue? What fucking PLANET do you live on? Our goddamn problems, like the liquid wealth of the nation being concentrated in the hands of 1% of the population is BECAUSE of the government. STOP FUCKING BEING PART OF THE PROBLEM!
I note that you propose only budget cutting. In the 90's, our conservative prime minister opted for raising taxes but could never quite get the budget under control. It wasn't until we got a liberal prime minister (after the the conservatives "flamed out" in a big way) that budget austerity (but no tax cuts) happened.
Politics is a funny world where words and deeds don't align very well.
BRL- Thanks for the canned Teabagger rant, which in no way addresses the subject being discussed.ReplyDelete
If you think I am surprised by any threat of China's to undermine our economy, I would mention that one noght over dinner, a Chinese friend, who at the time was a strategic economist for whatever Chase called itself in 1963 (were you born yet?), stated very clearly that we need not fret war with China. As he put it, with the very cheap labor pool at China's disposal, someday they will forget Dogma, face reality, and then take us over buy flooding our markets with cheap goods made my low wage replacements for US labor and conquer us economically.
However, there is one flaw in your mantra and predictions of doom. Right now, China is very dependent on US trade, and will be until Europe gets back on its feet. Just before GWB left office, the Chinese trade minister told the EU that we (EU) are the trade partner upon whom they are making their long range plans. When asked how that could be, as the US was a bigger consumer, the Chinese trade minister said that it made no sense making plans based upon countries such as the US that have no serious monetary plans, no serious economic plans, no serious energy plans and no serious industrial plans. All that saves the US from Chinese plundering right now is that when we (The US) brought down the world economy, we dragged a lot of the EU with us.
A few points. Sorry for the bullet-list, but I'm a bit short on time:
1. I think I've said many times before that I think we need to get employers out of the health insurance business. No disagreement with you there.
2. There are other differences between "health insurance" and other insurance besides risk pools. For one, non-health insurance is typically designed to cover rare but catastrophic events. Not so with health insurance which is more aptly called health "coverage." Paying for every checkup or kid's sniffle has little to do with risk pools.
3. Ok, from your figures about $3.73 billion is spent on advertising in the health care sector. The health care sector spends about $2.5 Trillion annually in aggregate. Do the math, advertising isn't even a rounding error.
4. I think we have a very good healthcare system - the problem is that's it's way too expensive and is therefore a poor value for what we spend. In short I don't think we necessarily need better healthcare, we need cheaper healthcare that doesn't compromise on current outcomes or negatively impact public health generally.
5. Consumer choice isn't about deciding whether or not to get a discount coronary bypass - that is a strawman. Consumer choice (IMO) is the ability to choose types of coverage. For example, maybe someone only wants to pay for catastrophic care and is willing to pay for routine visits out of pocket; another person wants full coverage for everything with a low deductible/copay; someone else wants comprehensive coverage but with larger deductibles/copays, etc. Right now that choice doesn't exist because people are tied to their employers or are forced into a state-regulated cartels that are too expensive. Plus, the companies in those cartels aren't allowed to offer such choices even if they wanted to. Most of this is the result of a balkanized state-based regulatory system. That kind of choice is also incompatible with the fee-for-service system we are currently saddled with.
6. Relatedly, there is no market in health care, nor is there a market in health insurance. The conditions required for a functioning market in both those areas do not exist. Bush was confusing "market" and "privatization" which is not remotely the same thing. Unfortunately, a lot of so-called "free market" types make that mistake all the time in all kinds of areas.
7. You say, "Anyone who claims that our "system" can be simply adjusted to rein in health care costs is a fool." You're preaching to the choir there.
8. You say, "Anyone who thinks "government" is the problem is a bigger fool." That all depends on what you mean by "government is the problem." Government must be part of any solution, but as it currently stands our government (and state and local governments) ARE a problem. The fee-for-service system that's used by almost all health insurance whether public or private was created by Medicare. ( Here's a short history on that: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124090475 ) Medicare reimbursement rates act as a price floor for the entire system - after all, providers claim they lose money on Medicare patients so they charge higher prices on private insurance. That's a problem that government created when it made the Medicare system and government has been unable to mitigate the negative effects of that original decision. Pointing that out should not, BTW, be interpreted as suggesting that government doesn't have a legitimate role in health care - obviously it does - but right now government policies are a huge problem and therefore government IS a problem that requires substantial reform.
9. You said: "As with most people, you blindly presume that it is the patient that must be "the sucker who gets screwed". I'm not sure where you got that idea and I'm pretty confident I've never written or suggested anything of the sort. My point was that there are no free ponies in solving the health care crisis - someone is going to take a hit. Rationing will happen one way or another which, IMO, is a good thing because no society can promise unlimited services. Ideally, rationing won't significantly affect patient outcomes if the system puts in the proper incentives. There will be pain though, and I think the pain should be spread around, but I personally think a lot of it should fall on providers. It should put a lot of people out of work - people who do jobs that are not necessary in a rational system. Here I'm thinking of the medical billing/coding profession and other "compliance" jobs that only exist because of how screwed up our system is (While we're at it we should simplify the tax code and put a bunch of corporate tax lawyers, accountants and Inuit out of business). And yes, patients will share the pain too either in terms increased taxes or increased fees/premiums depending on what system finally emerges. No free ponies.
Another way I look at it is that the people who are going to get screwed the most are the three generations following the baby boomers. The boomers are now old enough that they will be grandfathered in on any solution and so the young-uns will have the privilege of not only paying for all the debt the boomers racked up over the last 3 decades (thanks to their penchant for low taxes along with a high level of government services), but also all the benefits they've been promised. In addition to the accumulated debt and the grandfathered boomer retirement benefits (because that SS/Medicare "trust fund" will be replenished with new taxes which the boomers won't be paying), the follow-on generations are also likely to pay more for lower benefits for themselves. Oh, and somewhere in there we'll have to save money for our own retirement costs, plus our kid's education (another area of the economy where costs to consumers are growing at 2-3X the rate of inflation – at historic inflation rates, tuition for my oldest kid will be twice what it is today in constant dollar terms – boy am I looking forward to that bill!). If you wonder why my wife and I, who will both earn military retirement benefits, are saving 25% of our annual income plus college tuition money for three kids (all of which, BTW, isn't the easiest thing in the world to do, even with our decent income and ridiculously low federal income taxes), it is because of that future probable reality. We don't have much confidence that those promises can be kept and we can't assume that costs for all these things won't continue to inflate. And to be honest, I don't think it would be fair to leave military benefits untouched while cutting or realigning everyone else's benefits.
10. Finally, your point about pay disparity between your Greek doctor and one back here in the US is a good one. I agree that we overpay people in our medical profession. Of course, it's easy for me to say that since I'm not in that profession. Doctors here in the US (and their lobbying organizations) frequently lament how insufficient Medicare reimbursement is and how expensive it is to get a medical degree. The biggest single cost in health care is labor - I don't see how it's possible to reduce the cost of health care without people in the medical profession taking a de facto salary hit. And they are naturally going to fight that. And all those medical billing people and administrators who won't be needed in a rational system will be fighting hard to keep their jobs. Add in the fact that in our fee-for service system doctors can generate their own demand and part of the solution will have come from the ass of providers.
Ok, looks like part 1 to my comment got hit by the spam filter....ReplyDelete
I think the media concentration you describe is irrelevant. I don't get much of my information/news from any of those. Their power is only going to further weaken over time - there is no "centralization" in the internet age. Just ask the people in Libya (who I follow on twitter), Egypt, Syria, etc.
"Ok, looks like part 1 to my comment got hit by the spam filter...."ReplyDelete
Nothing in the spam folder, Andy.
Thanks Publius, it's there now. The Pub might be haunted or something.ReplyDelete
The fee-for-service system that's used by almost all health insurance whether public or private was created by Medicare.
That is not the case, nor is it what the article states. Having been a patient for 23 years before Medicare, my family business' medical insurance paid the fee for service charges of our attending doctors. But it is clear in that article, as admitted by one physician, that doctors charged Medicare more - because they could.
"We found what the general fee for a service was and charged that or maybe added 10 percent, because of course I'm better than average," says Lucian Leape, who was a practicing surgeon at the time. "So it was an incentive for doctors to charge what they thought was reasonable for them, and then of course to increase it every year by, say, 5 or 10 percent."
I would note that you are simply suggesting a different insurance scheme, not a system that affords universal comprehensive health care without the cost running double that of other comparable countries. You are just saying we should have the choice to "opt out". If I choose not to have routine care, I can lower my insurance premiums. How will that lower the rampant cost increases?
My annual physical - by private physicians - costs half what you pay mainly because I do have choice. For 5 Euros for using the National Health Center and 32 Euros for the private lab doing the PSA (currently not available at our island public health center), I don't have wait for the bi-weekly arrival of the Public Health Service cardiologist and do it at the National Health Care Medical Center two blocks from the private cardiologist with whom I can make a convenient appointment. Since I had a bypass 15 years ago, the cardiologist does my whole annual, rather than seeing a GP (fee for service) and then an even more expensive cardiologist (bigger fee for service) as in the US. Oh, yes, the blood work at the private lab here is under the supervision of a physician, who sits with you to go over the results.
We Yanks have been addressing health care by nibbling around the edges of a tragically flawed system, trying to come up with ways to adjust it. How can we claim to have a "good" system when our outcomes at the total population level (life expectancy and infant mortality, for example) are at the bottom in the industrialized world, even with our per capita outlays? Part of this is the cost barriers to access. We can blame it on poor lifestyle choices of the poor, but our outcome trendline in comparison to the rest of the industrial nations has been downward, which per capita spending has been upward. And, we had poor people all this time. One difference, I am convinced, is that the poor have been losing access to routine care, resulting in worsening general public health.
Now, I must confess, I suffer from having lived where health care is good, universally accessible, regardless of personal wealth, and a hell of a smaller proportional cost burden on the people, in terms of government outlays or private expense. However, Americans do not want to consider a "foreign solution" or "socialist". We will stick by our dumb ass approach until it collapses.
Allowing everyone to buy as much or as little health "insurance" creates a variety of risk pools, exactly what is a major contributor to the irrationality of America's medical care costs. That's "market" thinking, not the design for a comprehensive health care delivery system. At least not from a socially responsible standpoint.
Is the current system irrational? Absolutely. Health care services are not structured based on any model of societal need, but on a "follow the money" model, with all kinds of different "money" being charged all kinds of different prices, based on what the market will bear. Read some web sites by medical advertising consultants when you get a chance, or read up on "boutique/concierge" medical practice. ONLY in America, and these designer practices shed 60% of their former patients when converting, with the patients being put on their own to find a new GP. But the doctors doing this proudly report living better lives with very little loss in personal income, if any at all.
It ain't going to improve.
"I don't see how it's possible to reduce the cost of health care without people in the medical profession taking a de facto salary hit."ReplyDelete
True. But one thing that might help would be reining in cost inflation in academe. The private-school liberal arts education (and a fairly decent one, at that) that cost my family about 40-60K when I received it thirty-five years ago now costs almost a quarter of a million.
That's fucking ridiculous. Professors aren't that much smarter, and I can guarantee that my old geology department doesn't have a dozen scanning electron microscopes for the clay mineralogy class instead of the one old beater we had in 1978.
If doctors didn't have such an enormous debt burden after residency they might be more inclined to accept salaries in the LOW six figures...
Yes, before Medicare doctors charged fees and provided services, but that was an informal system where fees were based on what individual doctors could charge. The system created by Medicare is not like that at all.
Secondly, I was simply suggesting methods of having health-care "choice" that are not trying to find a discount heart transplant. Such choices, for me, would be "nice to have" in a system but they are not cost control and I never meant to imply that they would control costs. For me, cost control is paramount as long as it is consistent with good public health.
Third, my suggestion wasn't one to allow people "to buy as much or as little health insurance" as they like, but simply to give people some choices since everyone's circumstances are not the same. After all, in Greece you pay a lot more in terms of out-of-pocket costs than people do in other countries. Giving people some choice on top of a standard level of service is completely consistent with good public health.
Finally, boutique medical services are available everywhere, not just in America. Cuba is particularly popular for that - google up "medical tourism."
- AnonymousApril 29, 2011 at 10:28 PM
"If my rights are "inalienable" and unfettered, why should I care about someone else? Since government exists to ensure these rights, is it not understandable that those who are already enjoying them would resent "being "burdened" with some responsibility to help the government provide these inalienable rights to those who are not enjoying them? Nowhere in our founding documents is there an explanation of how the "inalienable rights" are to be delivered, just that government exists to ensure them." WRONG, gov"t exists to ensure they"re not INFRINGED upon.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousApril 29, 2011 at 10:32 PM
"Nowhere in our founding documents is there an explanation of how the "inalienable rights" are to be delivered," DisturbingReplyDelete
- AnonymousApril 29, 2011 at 11:12 PM
I learned that the stupid "teatards" don"t want to raise the "debt ceiling". If that"s stupid, why stop @ the "debt ceiling"? why not just increase it by a factor of 10, 100, 1000 etc & turn those stones into bread? Cause that"s how prosperity is created, right?ReplyDelete
- AnonymousApril 29, 2011 at 11:23 PM
Oxford edumacated docs for us all, no stupid mit western 1"s, & let the Germans pay for it.ReplyDelete
Whether we like it or not, we have two choices, independent of deficit spending, reduction or the like. We can raise the debt ceiling or default. Neither party has an exclusive on the factors causing this, and refusing to raise the debt ceiling will cause more problems than it will cure. In fact, refusing to raise it is a symbolic, ideological (or more precisely "idiotic) stance. The recessionary results of refusing to accept that the debt for which the ceiling needs to be raised is alreay in existence, would make balancing the budget impossible for many years simply due to the massive reduction in revenue following the defaults.


text:
It's no wonder that mosquitoes are one of the top nuisance pests in the US. The time has come to take control … Mosquito Control!
Sigma's Mosquito & Tick Control Program (MTCP) protects you, your family and your pets from the deadliest living organism on the planet. One of the best ways to control mosquitoes is to eliminate ways for them to cool down; to eliminate the areas where they can safely harbor. Our MTCP plan creates a barrier, a hot zone, so mosquitoes can't cool down and thus eventually die.
A highly-trained Sigma Pest Control technician will create a barrier around your home that will keep mosquitoes away. We work with you to develop and implement the most effective mosquito removal and prevention methods for your needs.
Points of service:
- Strategy: a combination of treatments to break the mosquito's life cycle, preventing larvae from becoming breeding, biting, and potentially disease-carrying adults.
- Repeat Treatments: monthly or one-time treatments during mosquito season safe for family and pets.
- Protection: protection from mosquito-borne diseases, such as Zika and West Nile virus.
- Guarantee: If you are ever not satisfied, we will return and treat at no extra charge to you!
Package deals:
Choose Your Plan
- Quarterly Pest Control
- Sigma Termite Control
- Mosquito & Tick Control
- Initial Payment
per month
- $799
per month
- $799
per month
- $199
per month
- $199
On its own, Sigma's Mosquito & Tick Control Program (MTCP) will get the job done against mosquitoes and ticks, but what about additional pests
Our Platinum and Gold pest control service packages safely and effectively treats ants, spiders, roaches, rodents, mosquitoes, and other common household pests, PLUS TERMITE CONTROL!
Our Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze pest control service packages are pet-friendly, eco-friendly, and proven to work. We are happy to work with you to tailor the service to fit your needs.
Our Platinum Package is your Complete Pest Control Solution. You get year-round protection for your family & home. Safely and effectively treats ants, spiders, roaches, rodents, mosquitoes, and other common household pests, PLUS TERMITE CONTROL!
For only $89 per month, you get Quarterly Pest Control, Sigma Termite Solutions, and Mosquito & Tick Control. This is a year-round service and an initial payment of $799 is required.
Say goodbye to pests and TERMITES with our popular Gold Package.
For only $49 per month, you get Quarterly Pest Control and Sigma Termite Solutions. This is a year-round service and an initial payment of $799 is required.
Mosquitoes, ticks, ants, bees, rodents … they don't stand a chance. Not when you buy the Sigma Silver package!
$75 per month gets you the Quarterly Pest Control and Mosquito & Tick Control solutions. This is a year-round service and an initial payment of $199 is required.
Start protecting your home and family today with our Bronze package!
$33 per month gets you the Quarterly Pest Control service. This is a year-round service and an initial payment of $199 is required.
Certified and experienced staff
Our certified and experienced staff offers effective pest treatments that respect the customer's needs as well as the environment. All associates of Sigma Pest Control are trained and certified in Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
After the initial inspection, we recommend only the services necessary to remove pests and restore your peace of mind. Each program is provided with a written guarantee and carried out in adherence to the highest industry standards and regulations.
Mosquito Control Tips:
Here are some simple "Do It Yourself" tips that will keep your yard from mosquito infestation:
- Remove anything that can hold water such as
buckets, containers, pots, cans, etc.
- Get rid of tires that may be holding water
- Change pet water dishes frequently
- Keep lawns short
- Insert holes in the bottom of outdoor recycling
- Regularly clean your gutters
- Keep any wheelbarrows turned over and clean out
water in birdbaths often
- Stalk ornamental pools with fish or aerate them
- Make sure to routinely clean and chlorinate
swimming pools and wipe water off pool covers
Contact Sigma Pest Control
Pests are active year-round, that means you need protection year-round. Household pests like termites, cockroaches, and rodents can be much more than an annoyance – they can become a threat to your property and even your health. Our custom treatments adapt with the season to address seasonal pest activity in your area, giving you protection all year long. Call 540-94-SIGMA for a free consultation, or use our contact form. Max is standing by.


text:
£23.24 (Inc. VAT)
£19.37 (Ex. VAT)
Long Needle Nose Plier with Smooth Jaws 120 mm
This is a fantastic tool for gripping and bending light materials in little spaces!
This plier is made from stainless steel with comfortable PVC Grips to help control your grip when working with delicate materials.
The smooth jaws are great for gripping components without causing any damage to your work piece.
What is this tool used for?


text:
No products in the cart.
Showing all 2 results
Jesel Small Block Chevy Belt Drive KBD-31000
Jesel Small Block Chevy Raised Cam Belt Drive KBD-31500
Username or email address *
Password *
Remember me
Log in
Lost your password?
Email address *
A password will be sent to your email address.
Your personal data will be used to support your experience throughout this website, to manage access to your account, and for other purposes described in our privacy policy.


text:
Seymour Johnson AFBCommunity
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is in Goldsboro, North Carolina, on Highway 70, 50 miles east of Raleigh. Take Highway 70 bypass to the Berkeley Boulevard exit and follow Berkeley straight to the Berkeley gate. The visitor center is on the right, just prior to the Berkeley gate.
For those arriving by air, the nearest airport is in Kinston, 28 miles east of the base. Raleigh-Durham International Airport is about 70 miles west of the base. Commercial transportation from both terminals is available.
Southern Pines Inn
1235 Wright Brothers Ave.
Hours: 24/7
Hotel policies
- Non-smoking facility (smoking is permitted in designated areas only)
- Check-in time is after 2 p.m.
- Check-out time is no later than 11 a.m.
- Oversized vehicles (U-Hauls, trailers, RVs, etc.) are not permitted in the parking lots. The front desk will assist guests with authorized parking areas.
- Pet-friendly rooms are available upon request.
- Priority-1 reservation policy: Reservations are taken
- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for all guests on official duty to Seymour Johnson. Please show verification of orders upon check-in.
- Space-A reservation policy: Reservations are open 24/7. Reservations are based on first-come, first-served depending on Priority-1 lodging occupancy.
Services and Amenities
(guest accommodations only):
- Free local calls
- 24-hour fax service
- 24-hour copy service
- 24-hour wake-up and messaging service
- 24-hour sundry sales
- Free coffee and hot chocolate
- Meeting room
- Free self-serve laundry facilities
- Baggage storage
- Elevators (limited to certain buildings)
- Handicap room availability
- High-speed internet access/Wi-Fi access
- Free in-room toiletries provided (limited)
- Cribs, highchairs, pack-n-plays and roll-aways (limited to availability and room types)
- Playgrounds
- Pet-friendly availability
The Southern Pines Inn lodging facility has five buildings with 161 rooms total. Our accommodations include TLF suites, single rooms, shared rooms and DV suites. All reservations are based on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are a Priority-1 guest, please make reservations as soon as possible. All Space-A reservations are based upon facility policies and lodging occupancy. Our lodging front desk staff is here 24/7 for guest services. Please give us a call for any information. For reservations or lodging information, please call 919-722-0385.
Military Personnel Section
1600 Wright Brothers Ave.
Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Federal holidays and Down Days closed
Newly assigned members arriving to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base during normal duty-hours are required to report to the Military Personnel Section. Airmen arriving after normal duty-hours should go to the lodging office, where they can contact their sponsor and arrange for temporary quarters.
Visitor Control Center
1050 Wright Brothers Ave.
Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sunday, Federal Holidays, Down Days closed
Military members and their families may operate vehicles in this state using their home state's operator's license and plates, or they can register their vehicles here and get a North Carolina license and plates. Individuals that wish to bring on guests that have a valid military ID and sponsorship privileges do not require a visitors pass between the hours of 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. These guest must be escorted at all times, and must depart the installation by 10 p.m. hours.
Safety Office
1980 Jabara Ave.
Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Base motorcyclists must attend a motorcycle safety class. Individual units are responsible for providing local driving conditions, traffic hazards and driving laws.
1010 Vermont Garrison Road
Monday though Sunday 24 hours
All privately owned firearms kept on base must be registered with security forces. Members living in base housing can store their firearms in their family quarters. Members living in the dorms must store their firearms in the security forces armory. Although it is not mandatory, those residing off base are encouraged to register their firearms.


text:
Bazar By TOLOnews.com
BAZAR: Trade Ties With Canada Discussed
Afghan officials and businessmen held a successful trade meeting with Canadian counterparts recently in a bid to boost trade ties between the two countries.
Officials who attended the meeting said the Canadians showed interest in investing in the country.
In this episode host Zarmina Mohammadi discusses the topic with Hashim Rasouly an economic affairs analyst.
Mohammadi also discusses the weak Afghani against foreign currencies with Qazi Mir Afghan Safi money exchanger unions head.
In addition she discusses the ban of dealing Pakistani rupees in Helmand province with Rahmuddin Haji Agha Chairman of the Board of Afghanistan entrepreneurs.


text:
By Mark Naison
With a Brooklyn Accent via Alternet
March 23, 2012 – This is a strange time to be involved in education. Either those shaping education policy on the state and federal level — many of whom have never been teachers — are incapable of imagining the consequences of their policies in actual classrooms, or they are cynically trying to destroy public education in the United States.
No better example of this is the now widely practiced policy of rating teachers based on student test scores, and using variations in those scores, through the "value added" formula, as the basis for determining teachers professional standing. All throughout the nation teachers are being told that if they don't raise student test scores, they could lose their tenure, lose their jobs, and in some places be publicly humiliated as an "incompetent teachers." If they work in a high poverty school, their school could be closed and their entire teaching staff fired.
For the whole article, see: http://withabrooklynaccent.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/when-teachers-become-overseers_20.html
From: CCDSLinks E-Letter Archives at: http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs082/1103584185760/archive/1103630604546.html
'Human Herbs' – a new remix and new video by Cold Hands & Quarter Moon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au-vyMtfDAs
Posted here by Glenn Rikowski
The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk
MySpace Profile: http://www.myspace.com/glennrikowski
Cold Hands & Quarter Moon: http://www.myspace.com/coldhandsmusic
Volumizer: http://glennrikowski.blogspot.com
Glenn Rikowski on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/glenn.rikowski
Glenn Rikowski's MySpace Blog: http://www.myspace.com/glennrikowski/blog


text:
M-Audio Keystation Mini 32 MK3
Special Offers Added
Special offers when purchasing M-Audio Keystation Mini 32 MK3
Lightweight and mobile, Keystation Mini 32 MK3 is perfect for traveling musicians who want to take command of music software during live performances or for producers who want to add an easy-to-use MIDI controller with a small footprint to their studio. For a simple portable setup, Keystation Mini 32 is USB-powered, class-compliant and supports USB-MIDI connectivity. Plus, Keystation Mini 32 MK3 supports iOS connectivity with the Apple Lightning to USB Camera Adapter (sold separately), enabling you to perform and compose with audio apps on your iPad and other iOS devices.
- 32 low-profile, velocity-sensitive mini keys
- Selectable velocity curves match any playing style
- Pitch bend and modulation buttons add expression
- Octave up and down buttons for extended keyboard range
- Volume knob delivers smooth control
- Sustain button enhances performance
- Edit Mode button provides access to advanced functions
- USB power and data offer single-cable convivence
- Includes Pro Tools | First M-Audio Edition performance/recording software/DAW
- Includes AIR Music Tech Xpand!2 multitimbral all-in-one workstation
- Pro Tools | First M-Audio Edition
- AIR Music Technology Xpand!2
Considering purchasing the M-Audio Keystation Mini 32 MK3? Have questions? Ask people who've recently bought one.
Nobody has answered this question yet.
Answer this question
Nobody has answered this question yet.
Answer this question
Do you own the M-Audio Keystation Mini 32 MK3? Why not write a review based on your experience with it.
For the price this is a fab midi keyboard to get started with, I Use it With FL Studio, so yes it works with that. I was going to give 4 stars as there could be more features, but as this is a really good price you wouldn't really expect more features so 5 Stars it is :)
Simply click on the submit video link and either paste the url of the webpage or upload your video. Published video's will receive bonus loyality points!
× Loyalty Points
You will earn 98 loyalty points with this product worth £0.25, when logged in.
× Share Product
× Embed Product
Paste the code below into your webpage or blog to embed this product in your page.
× Finance Available!
You can apply for finance to purchase this item. A minimum 10% deposit is required and you can opt for either 12, 24 or 36 monthly payments thereafter 16.9% APR.
× Delivery and Stock Information
Free next working day delivery on all orders placed before 3:30pm Monday to Friday.
Orders placed at the weekend or after 3.30pm on Friday will be delivered on the following Tuesday.
Free next day delivery applies only to the UK mainland. Other locations will be charged as follows:
- Highlands and Islands 2-3 Days* + £25
- Southern Ireland 2-3 Days* +£25
Europe 3-5 Days* from £25 Click here for Zone chart
Approx Times Based on 31kg Weight*
Zone 1 - £25 (3 Days)
Zone 2 - £30 (4 Days)
Zone 3 - £35 (5 Days)
Zone 4 - £40 (6 Days)
Zone 5 - £45 (9 Days)
Zone 6 - £65 (8 Days)
Zone 7 - £95 (7 Days)
(* subject to stock availability)
(Please note that non-mainland deliveries may take up to 5 days to be delivered and up to 14 days in Europe.)
Deliveries will be made subject to the terms and conditions of the courier company. djkit.com will not be held responsible for late deliveries.
In the event that the items ordered are unavailable for next day delivery, you will be contacted by djkit.com to arrange a suitable delivery date.
"In stock" means that the product displayed is either in stock with ourselves or our suppliers and is available for delivery. Stock levels are subject to change without prior notice.
× Live Help
Testing live help popup. Real live help information would go here.
× Christmas Delivery Schedule
We will be delivering next working day to all UK mainland addresses right up til' 24th December
- You will need to order by 4pm on Tuesday 23rd.
- Deliveries on the 24th are not guaranteed, our couriers DPD will be offering a normal delivery service on the 24th but we do recommend you order as early as possible.
× Big Sale
To get your Big Sale special price on this product, simply enter your details below and we will send you a link with a unique Big Sale offer price so you can purchase online.