This article by the CEO of Whole Foods hits on almost every important point that would help solve a major portion of the healthcare problem in this country. It would certainly get the free market back into operation, which would automatically lower the cost of healthcare significantly.
But, one thing he did not mention is the necessity for a gradual phaseout of Medicare and Medicaid, socialist programs which are not only actuarily unsound but also are off-loading costs into the rest of the healthcare system. Healthcare reform in this country will not work properly or be complete until we also deal with these huge socialist programs. They tilt the scales too much otherwise.
One other subject that he highlighted - and I appreciate his analysis of this point - is the erroneous notion that we have a presumptive and intrinsic right to healthcare - "to universal and equal access to doctors, medicines, and hospitals. " He cogently points out that even in countries like Great Britain and Canada, such a right does not exist. He says: "A careful reading of both The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution will not reveal any intrinsic right to health care, food or shelter, because there isn’t any. This “right” has never existed in America."
Finally, he brings the healthcare issue back to each of us by reminding the reader that we are responsible for our own health first. We have an obligation to take care of our bodies and not abuse them with junk food, and lack of exercise; and with obesity.
Mr. Mackey has done us a service in publishing his eight points and the example that Whole Foods sets for their own employees.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
The United States and the Roman Empire - Larry Reed
As precient as it might appear, this article is even more impressive when you consider that it was written in 1990, almost twenty years ago. It is even more up to date today, except that the debt figures are about ten times worse.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Republican Party first, last, and always?
In response to a FB thread comment: “I have no room on my list for third party candidates. I am only accepting those who are members and supporters of the Republican Party. Reagan was a member of the Republican Party, not the Conservative Party.”
My friend, you are entitled to feel that way, but if the Republican party does not cleanse itself of RINOs (like Reagan urged, btw), then the Conservative wing may well secede and join with many Conservative Independents and Democrats to form a new Party. I’ll be right there with them.
Frankly, I am a constitutional conservative first and a Republican second (or third). Our loyalty must be to the principles, not to a party anyway. The Republican Party has shown itself incapable of principled conservative constitutional leadership over the years since Reagan. Having seen huge wins at state and national levels, and nevertheless seen our ideals denied or frittered away or stabbed in the back, I am no longer going to trust party first.
The recent debacle in upstate New York demonstrates just how corrupt and unprincipled the Northeastern Republican party has become. The candidate put forth by the Republican Party was more liberal than the Democratic candidate. These things ought not so to be. Thank God that Hoffman stood up and announced that he would run as a Conservative Party member. (NY has a Conservative Party, unlike many states.) Had the "Republican" candidate not stabbed the Republican Party - her endorsing party by the way - in the back by turning around and endorsing the Democrat, then maybe we would have Hoffman - a genuine conservative constitutionalist - in Congress right now. We would have a dependable principled voter in Hoffman. What would we have had with the RINO?
The Democrat win was not the fault of the Hoffman people "splitting the vote" - it was a sin to be laid plainly at the door of the hapless Republican local and state committees, who themselves need to be jettisoned because they are so far steeped in anti-Republican principles that they could even think about putting forth such a rancid candidate.
I am unwilling to continue to support a Party that is either too inarticulate to defend conservatism with force and conviction against the stupidity of the Liberals, or is shot through and through with the same career politician types as the Democrats who don’t know or don’t care about the constitution or our liberty.
And you can take the “big tent” and put it where the sun does not shine. If the Republican Party becomes an “also ran” for Abortion and sodomy, then what reason does it have to exist?
There are more important and fundamental things than Party and Power. There is the simple notion of being able to go to bed each night with a good conscience and reliance on God. That ought to be enough for anyone of good intentions.
My friend, you are entitled to feel that way, but if the Republican party does not cleanse itself of RINOs (like Reagan urged, btw), then the Conservative wing may well secede and join with many Conservative Independents and Democrats to form a new Party. I’ll be right there with them.
Frankly, I am a constitutional conservative first and a Republican second (or third). Our loyalty must be to the principles, not to a party anyway. The Republican Party has shown itself incapable of principled conservative constitutional leadership over the years since Reagan. Having seen huge wins at state and national levels, and nevertheless seen our ideals denied or frittered away or stabbed in the back, I am no longer going to trust party first.
The recent debacle in upstate New York demonstrates just how corrupt and unprincipled the Northeastern Republican party has become. The candidate put forth by the Republican Party was more liberal than the Democratic candidate. These things ought not so to be. Thank God that Hoffman stood up and announced that he would run as a Conservative Party member. (NY has a Conservative Party, unlike many states.) Had the "Republican" candidate not stabbed the Republican Party - her endorsing party by the way - in the back by turning around and endorsing the Democrat, then maybe we would have Hoffman - a genuine conservative constitutionalist - in Congress right now. We would have a dependable principled voter in Hoffman. What would we have had with the RINO?
The Democrat win was not the fault of the Hoffman people "splitting the vote" - it was a sin to be laid plainly at the door of the hapless Republican local and state committees, who themselves need to be jettisoned because they are so far steeped in anti-Republican principles that they could even think about putting forth such a rancid candidate.
I am unwilling to continue to support a Party that is either too inarticulate to defend conservatism with force and conviction against the stupidity of the Liberals, or is shot through and through with the same career politician types as the Democrats who don’t know or don’t care about the constitution or our liberty.
And you can take the “big tent” and put it where the sun does not shine. If the Republican Party becomes an “also ran” for Abortion and sodomy, then what reason does it have to exist?
There are more important and fundamental things than Party and Power. There is the simple notion of being able to go to bed each night with a good conscience and reliance on God. That ought to be enough for anyone of good intentions.
How to Capture Wild Hogs
This is the message my friend Larry Reed delivered to a group of Conservatives - Republicans mostly - in South Florida last week.
It describes the destruction of the Roman Republic by making clients of the people of Rome by giving them grain for free. Somebody had to pay for it, and the percentage of public "welfare" recipients grew and grew until the entire Roman state was consumed, along with the public morals, work ethic, military readiness and wealth. Larry pointed out that Roman history is marked by two great epochs: the Republic and the Empire. Each lasted roughly 500 years.
We are witnessing the destruction of the Republic of the United States before our very eyes. We have had a little more than 200 years of the Republic; yet with the speed of the electronic age we may see the total loss of our Republic, along with our liberties and wealth before the end of this Obamanation administration. I think that if the Roman model plays out again, the empire phase will be a One World Government as described in Daniel.
Daniel 7:7 "After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns." And ...
Dan 7:19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;
Dan 7:23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
I am not suggesting that Obama is the anti-Christ. Actually, I don't think he fits the scriptural qualifications, but the coming world government is going to be brutal and especially hard on the Saints of the Most High.
The Hog Capture is just about complete.
It describes the destruction of the Roman Republic by making clients of the people of Rome by giving them grain for free. Somebody had to pay for it, and the percentage of public "welfare" recipients grew and grew until the entire Roman state was consumed, along with the public morals, work ethic, military readiness and wealth. Larry pointed out that Roman history is marked by two great epochs: the Republic and the Empire. Each lasted roughly 500 years.
We are witnessing the destruction of the Republic of the United States before our very eyes. We have had a little more than 200 years of the Republic; yet with the speed of the electronic age we may see the total loss of our Republic, along with our liberties and wealth before the end of this Obamanation administration. I think that if the Roman model plays out again, the empire phase will be a One World Government as described in Daniel.
Daniel 7:7 "After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns." And ...
Dan 7:19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;
Dan 7:23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
I am not suggesting that Obama is the anti-Christ. Actually, I don't think he fits the scriptural qualifications, but the coming world government is going to be brutal and especially hard on the Saints of the Most High.
The Hog Capture is just about complete.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
All the President's Climategate deniers - Michelle Malkin
More grist for the mill.
How long will the stonewall continue?
How long will the stonewall continue?
More Comments on fixing health care
A dialog on healthcare reform with someone who wants a universal system so they will be "covered."
Yeah, we need healthcare reform all right: get the government out of our pockets and out of our lives. I don't have insurance, and I have medical issues - but there is absolutely no way I would authorize the government to come to your house and take your money to pay for my medical care. And you should not support the immorality of authorizing government thugs to come to my house and beat the crap out of me until I give up money to pay for yours. Both of us are losers when government transfers money from one citizen to another and then dictates every aspect of our lives. That is where this is going.
The strait jacket of Socialized healthcare is a one-way street - a dead end, not only for our healthcare industry, but for our entire system of Liberty under Law, and free enterprise.
I did my homework and I can plainly see where this is going. I am utterly oppposed to it. It is not about heathcare; it is a power grab.
But to your point:
"Everybody needs to be covered so that they access to treatment" - that is a pipe dream! Who is going to pay for it? where are the additional doctors going to come from? how can the system we have now be able to take on millions of additional people who want a hammock instead of being responsible for themselves? There is no such thing as universal access without rationing, higher and higher costs, lower and lower service, and eventual bankrupcy of the system, and oh, by the way, loss of Liberty.
Aesop's fables tells of a hog rooting acorns at the base of the tree which produced the acorns. When confronted with the fact that he was killing the tree by digging up the roots of the tree, he replied: "I don't care as long as I have acorns."
No one has any claim on me or what I earn to fulfill some "need" they have. Sorry, Karl Marx might approve, but a much higher authority decreed that charity is voluntary not mandatory. And I opt out. No I am not wealthy. In fact I do have affordable catastrophic insurance for some "biggies" - but if the bill runs to the hundreds of thousands, I am out of money. Despite that fact, I still don't think I have a presumptive claim on you to pay for my exorbitant medical bills either.
This becomes emotional because of the high cost of medical care. Why is it so high? It is driven by government. Socialist Medicare and Medicaid have already done a number on us, bribing the elderly (and many younger folk) with the idea that they have a "right" to unlimited medical care - far beyond any contributions they might have made.
This is so sad. Millions of people look first and in some cases, only to the government (nanny state) to "fix" their need for medical care. It is sad because we once had a genuine free enterprise medical system, but we have mostly given it away in the name of subsidized medical care - we are more than fifty percent there now, and many folks don't even realize it, but feel that what we have now is free enterprise.
Somehow, in those "bad old days" when I was a young married man and had my first child, the bill was about $450, all in; hospital stay and all. 1967. Inflation aside, you can't have a baby today for less than, I would guess $10,000. What has changed?
Everyone got in on dipping into the vast river of federal subsidy dollars, and the lawyers' guild got in on the liability lawsuit game (assisted by lots of low-ethics people who wanted to get independently wealthy through frivolous lawsuits), and the insurance companies (yes, they are guilty too) got in on the "let's be regulated" game (it is safer that way, you know!) - and private companies were encouraged by the government to offer (tax deductable to the companies) medical plans to their employees as a perk (thus training them that other people were going to pay for their medical care), and governments at all levels got in on the insurance game for their employees - best in the West!!! No reductions in those plans, no matter whether the government is going bust or not! (n.b. see California)
So here we are with structural rigidities – and unrealistic expectations - built into our system and in many people’s minds, with the main fault being the stimulus starting at the Fed level. Now they want to take over the whole system to “fix” it. But they are the main culprits!
The solution is to dismantle the socialist state, not expend it.
While eating the nuts under the tree, you ought to look up and wonder what is happening to that once-flourishing tree. It is beginning to look kind of sickly. The nuts will run out very suddenly. What will you do then?
Yeah, we need healthcare reform all right: get the government out of our pockets and out of our lives. I don't have insurance, and I have medical issues - but there is absolutely no way I would authorize the government to come to your house and take your money to pay for my medical care. And you should not support the immorality of authorizing government thugs to come to my house and beat the crap out of me until I give up money to pay for yours. Both of us are losers when government transfers money from one citizen to another and then dictates every aspect of our lives. That is where this is going.
The strait jacket of Socialized healthcare is a one-way street - a dead end, not only for our healthcare industry, but for our entire system of Liberty under Law, and free enterprise.
I did my homework and I can plainly see where this is going. I am utterly oppposed to it. It is not about heathcare; it is a power grab.
But to your point:
"Everybody needs to be covered so that they access to treatment" - that is a pipe dream! Who is going to pay for it? where are the additional doctors going to come from? how can the system we have now be able to take on millions of additional people who want a hammock instead of being responsible for themselves? There is no such thing as universal access without rationing, higher and higher costs, lower and lower service, and eventual bankrupcy of the system, and oh, by the way, loss of Liberty.
Aesop's fables tells of a hog rooting acorns at the base of the tree which produced the acorns. When confronted with the fact that he was killing the tree by digging up the roots of the tree, he replied: "I don't care as long as I have acorns."
No one has any claim on me or what I earn to fulfill some "need" they have. Sorry, Karl Marx might approve, but a much higher authority decreed that charity is voluntary not mandatory. And I opt out. No I am not wealthy. In fact I do have affordable catastrophic insurance for some "biggies" - but if the bill runs to the hundreds of thousands, I am out of money. Despite that fact, I still don't think I have a presumptive claim on you to pay for my exorbitant medical bills either.
This becomes emotional because of the high cost of medical care. Why is it so high? It is driven by government. Socialist Medicare and Medicaid have already done a number on us, bribing the elderly (and many younger folk) with the idea that they have a "right" to unlimited medical care - far beyond any contributions they might have made.
This is so sad. Millions of people look first and in some cases, only to the government (nanny state) to "fix" their need for medical care. It is sad because we once had a genuine free enterprise medical system, but we have mostly given it away in the name of subsidized medical care - we are more than fifty percent there now, and many folks don't even realize it, but feel that what we have now is free enterprise.
Somehow, in those "bad old days" when I was a young married man and had my first child, the bill was about $450, all in; hospital stay and all. 1967. Inflation aside, you can't have a baby today for less than, I would guess $10,000. What has changed?
Everyone got in on dipping into the vast river of federal subsidy dollars, and the lawyers' guild got in on the liability lawsuit game (assisted by lots of low-ethics people who wanted to get independently wealthy through frivolous lawsuits), and the insurance companies (yes, they are guilty too) got in on the "let's be regulated" game (it is safer that way, you know!) - and private companies were encouraged by the government to offer (tax deductable to the companies) medical plans to their employees as a perk (thus training them that other people were going to pay for their medical care), and governments at all levels got in on the insurance game for their employees - best in the West!!! No reductions in those plans, no matter whether the government is going bust or not! (n.b. see California)
So here we are with structural rigidities – and unrealistic expectations - built into our system and in many people’s minds, with the main fault being the stimulus starting at the Fed level. Now they want to take over the whole system to “fix” it. But they are the main culprits!
The solution is to dismantle the socialist state, not expend it.
While eating the nuts under the tree, you ought to look up and wonder what is happening to that once-flourishing tree. It is beginning to look kind of sickly. The nuts will run out very suddenly. What will you do then?
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Free Internet Tool Paints Picture of Stealthy Attacks
http://www.darkreading.com/vulnerability_management/security/intrusion-prevention/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=221901483&cid=nl_DR_DAILY_2009-12-01_h
I gotta say, one of the most baffling aspects of the various kinds of vicious attacks against our computers is the hidden nature of what is going on behind the scenes. For many years, it has been obvious that when your computer has been, or is being hacked, data is flowing in and out of your internet IP connection, but it seems impossible to catch the suckers in the act. Only after you suffer damage and know for sure that your are the subject of their tender ministrations will you take action to wipe them out - if you can.
This tool answers that need.
It allows a view of the various amounts and kinds of IP traffic in and out of your computer and by clever viewing of the logs of activity, it can give you insight into what is happening, and who - at least the attacker's IP address/domain - is the offending party.
I read the pdf file that comes with the article, and I must admit that I still am over my head as to most of the aspects of what and how it does its magic. So using this tool, which is a major advance in diagnostic software for IP traffic tracking, will still require some user training and education into the working of the IP system itself to be of much use. IE: you have to learn something.
But the payoff seems to be enormous. You can find out if anyone is hacking your system - even if it is some very subtle worm that only sends info once in a while, or receives info from multiple sources. A clever analysis of the types of transmissions to and from your computer can reveal a stealth culprit - even of the "storm worm" variety.
Unless a virus or worm disables the logging features or attacks this software itself, then the bad guys won't be able to remain hidden because they are forced to use the IP system to do their dirty work after they have gotten into your system. If they disable the software, that is kind of a "duh!" clue that someone with evil intent has been busy in your computer.
You may have a problem keeping them out, but using this tool, you ought to be able to catch them at work. Knowing they are there and active is 90% of the battle.
Kudos to the developers! Kudos also to them for making it available, even in its prototype form, to the public for free! Thanks also to the darkreading.com site that keeps an eye out for such developments and clues us in.
This tool is going to be one that I will be following from now on. It is something that could be automated and sold as a simple package for novices to gain some insight into what is happening to their computers, even if they lack the sophistication to get subtle with their queries.
Maybe for a while, we can get a handle on the noxious vermin that have made life miserable and expensive for many innocent users of the internet.
I gotta say, one of the most baffling aspects of the various kinds of vicious attacks against our computers is the hidden nature of what is going on behind the scenes. For many years, it has been obvious that when your computer has been, or is being hacked, data is flowing in and out of your internet IP connection, but it seems impossible to catch the suckers in the act. Only after you suffer damage and know for sure that your are the subject of their tender ministrations will you take action to wipe them out - if you can.
This tool answers that need.
It allows a view of the various amounts and kinds of IP traffic in and out of your computer and by clever viewing of the logs of activity, it can give you insight into what is happening, and who - at least the attacker's IP address/domain - is the offending party.
I read the pdf file that comes with the article, and I must admit that I still am over my head as to most of the aspects of what and how it does its magic. So using this tool, which is a major advance in diagnostic software for IP traffic tracking, will still require some user training and education into the working of the IP system itself to be of much use. IE: you have to learn something.
But the payoff seems to be enormous. You can find out if anyone is hacking your system - even if it is some very subtle worm that only sends info once in a while, or receives info from multiple sources. A clever analysis of the types of transmissions to and from your computer can reveal a stealth culprit - even of the "storm worm" variety.
Unless a virus or worm disables the logging features or attacks this software itself, then the bad guys won't be able to remain hidden because they are forced to use the IP system to do their dirty work after they have gotten into your system. If they disable the software, that is kind of a "duh!" clue that someone with evil intent has been busy in your computer.
You may have a problem keeping them out, but using this tool, you ought to be able to catch them at work. Knowing they are there and active is 90% of the battle.
Kudos to the developers! Kudos also to them for making it available, even in its prototype form, to the public for free! Thanks also to the darkreading.com site that keeps an eye out for such developments and clues us in.
This tool is going to be one that I will be following from now on. It is something that could be automated and sold as a simple package for novices to gain some insight into what is happening to their computers, even if they lack the sophistication to get subtle with their queries.
Maybe for a while, we can get a handle on the noxious vermin that have made life miserable and expensive for many innocent users of the internet.
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