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Poem by Rita Vizitei. We miss you every day mom...

Болею. Вспомнилась душа

Давно,давно живем розно

И нужен час тревожный, грозный

Чтоб к ней притти, едва дыша

 

А по-другому не бывает,

Ни времени, ни места ей

И где оне никто не знает

И не заботится о ней

 

А по-другому все прекрасно

Обходится и без нее

Не тратя времени напрасно

Вершится наше бытие

 

И знают руки, что им делать

Язык когда что говорить

И дело следует за делом

И это наываем жизнь

 

И все-же здесь закон нарушен

О сохраненьи вещества

Когда из нас из'яты души

То мы уже не существа

 

Мы нечто полое, иное

И верно надо заболеть

Иль может просто умереть

Чтобы успеть понять

Что мы такое

Must Israel sacrifice its citizens to prove to the world it is right?

History repeats itself. And it looks like it is about to do so again. So far, Israel has held its ground on the Hamas blockade. But the world is demanding that it drop the blockade and once Obama caves (which it looks like he will), it may have little choice but to lift the blockade. Anyone who can add  2 + 2 knows that within months the rockers delivered by Iran to Hamas will be falling on Israeli cities.

Which one of the currently protesting countries will come to Israel's defense? Who will be willing to punish the Hamas whose ONLY demand is the complete destruction of Israel? I think we know the answer. Once again, UN will be busy talking while jews will be dying. How many will it take? Hundreds ? Thousands? 6 million?

in 1962, America blockaded a small island next to its territory to prevent its existential enemy from placing missiles within reach of its cities. Today, Gaza strip is Israel's Cuba. We must agree that they have the same right to defend itself as America did then. The world must stop demanding Jewish blood to prove it's side. Enough.

The Effect of Intellect

As the rosy glow of campaign and "yes we can" chants recede into political memory, Obama finds himself grappling with the same problems, demands, and limitations that were faced by other Presidents. It turns out that pursuing the purely ideological approach simply doesn't cut it. Each problem is unique and each has to be thought through carefully. Here, we can be pleasantly surprised by his shift to reliance on his intellect rather than dogma. With a glaring exception of Health Reform (which turned into a perfect example of bi-partisan, ideologically driven crap), he has shown willingness to think through the issues and change his prior ideologically based views. Consider the following: Nuclear energy, Oil drilling, Israel policy, Iran Policy, and other minor issues. He has shown himself willing to open his mind, think through the issue and come to a proper, balanced approach. In each of these cases he has  strayed from the liberal dogma and took the heat from the far left. Still, there are issues where he continues to suffer from the ideological bias (Russia, Europe, Immigration, etc.), but what is heartening to see is that when the he finally confronts the issue head on himself, he defers to  his intellect. Some of this can be attributed to Hillary Clinton who has largely been a pleasant surprise on the foreign policy issues, but most of the credit goes to Obama.

This presents a real challenge to Republicans. For if they don't do the same, by the time elections roll around they may be seen as dogmatic and obstructionist and Obama as open minded and pragmatic. It would be a shame if that enables the real hard core ideologues such as Pelosi and Boxer to remain in power.  

 

The common sense manifesto

I am tired of all of the vitriol from left and right. So I figure I can come up with the platform most reasonable people can agree on:

- We agree that Guns should be kept legal, but not automatic assault weapons

- We disagree with the abortion, but we don't think the government should regulate it

- We are all for color blind equality, for EVERYONE

- We are all for separation of church and state, but see no harm in a prayer before class

- We don't like profiling, but we think people from Pakistan should be checked more carefully

- We are all for health coverage reform, if it actually changes something for the better

- We welcome immigrants from all over the world, as long as they come here legally

- We want government to help people, but we know that it can't help everyone

- We feel for the people who suffer, but we don't think someone else must always be responsible

- We want to help the world, but we know that the best we can do is look after our own interests

- We don't mind paying taxes for the services we receive, but we don't want it to be our biggest expense

- We agree that everyone is entitled to their opinion, but let's teach our children only facts

- We are all for clean environment, but not at any cost

- We don't like capital punishment, but it is the ONLY fitting measure toward some among us

- We don't care about your sexual preference, but don't want it thrust into our face

We can agree on this, can't we?

-

Healthscare - Medicine that is worse than the disease

You have to admit, even if you were dead set against the "health insurance" bill just passed, that you got some sense of revenge against years of abuse by the health insurance industry. For all those times we have spent endless time and energy trying to get coverage for procedures that were supposed to be covered. For mindless regulations which seem to be designed to prevent you getting care rather than getting preventive care.  For all those unexplained 20% hikes in cost of coverage. Let them eat crow now. Let them toil under the benevolent and regulating eye of the Government.

Alas, it seem that the Trojan horse of outrage and populist emotions have been used to introduce something much worse: Government as health care provider. It's not there yet, but if you play checkers, you don't have to look too far ahead to see that over time, the only provider of scale that has a chance to be left standing, is the Government. Does any reasonable, thinking citizen over the age of 30 believe that can be good or efficient? Not only that, the inflation raising maggots of trial lawyers and out of control drug companies are allowed to continue to feast off this rotting mess.  

Once again, the ignorant of the voters are fed the same lies about "the rest of the civilized world". If any of them actually traveled there (or at least bothered to check the facts) they would know this to be a lie. England and Spain have nationalized health care. It is pretty bad. Thousands of people die every year waiting for their turn for a critically needed operation. Netherlands and Germany uses regulated private insurers and providers. They have done very well. In general, anywhere where the tax ha been used to deliver health care it has failed. Where it has been delivered through private industry, it has worked. But obviously it is too complicated to explain. So we get fed the same lies. And people just mindlessly repeat them.

More importantly, what is at stake here is the definition of America and what make it DIFFERENT from the other so called "civilized countries". When immigrants (such as myself) came to this country they USED to come for the opportunity not nationalized health care. It was understood that if you worked hard and made something of yourself, you could also pay for the doctor' visit or needed insurance premium. And if you didn't, you may not. It seem harsh, but it is what allowed this country to achieve greatness. Now, I do think that certain safety net must be maintained for the children and the elderly. Wasn't that what Medicare and Medicaid were supposed to do? I dare say that future immigrant may well come for the free health care. Will thee be the folk who will power this country into the future?

I fear we are taking a big step into joining the rest of the "civilized" world in becoming a tourist attraction for those who want to explore our past greatness and achievements. Meanwhile the new greatness and achievements will be actually done by someone else. Somewhere in Asia. Someone who will value hard work and achievement over government's safety net.

 

Climate change, lies, and emails...

The latest blow up over the published emails from the english "climate change" institution has been called a climate-gate and has fanned that fight over this issue to new heights of demagoguery.

I am not sure what the big deal os about. Is it such a news that most of the scientists are driven as much by grants and petty squabbles as by impartial search for the truth? Please...Anyone who has spent any time around any institution of higher learning would know better.

Has it not become obvious that this has become another black and white issue like abortion, religion, gun control etc. ? And when you reach that stage no rational discourse can take place. Too much money and too many egos at stake.

Once again, the rational quiet majority if left scratching their collective heads. Can't we all just get along?

It seems to me that this is an issue that has more to with hubris and illusions of grandeur on behalf os us humans than anything else.

Let's be very clear (as our president likes to repeat whilst obfuscating the facts), we are spewing garbage in the air at an alarming rate. Whatever it causes, it can not be a good thing for us. We didn't evolve to breathe THAT mix.

At the same time, the earth is always either cooling or warming and for billions of years it has had little to do with us. And will continue to do so after we are long gone. We are not "killing" the planet. The planet will go on killing and birthing new species much faster than we could ever dream of. The Earth is ok. It's us we should worry about.

So let's stop worrying about the planet and start worrying about us. That means we don't worry about number of polar bears (who are doing just fine by the way) but we do worry about lung choking pollution. We stop measuring the ice caps and start putting more nuclear plants on line. We stop giving grants to bums who associate prostitution levels in bangladesh with climate change and start giving grants to people who improve batteries performance.

Just common sense. But forget about THAT.....

Obama's Blunder

So we are going to take 9/11 terrorist and bring them to "justice" under the most screwed up judicial system in the developed world? You can see the next set of moves as plain as day:

- Islamic terrorists get best jewish lawyers in New York

- They show up wearing nice western clothes

- They claim innocence and their lawyers claim evidence against them as inadmissible because it was obtained using some harsh tactics

- They plead guilty to destruction of property

- They serve 10 years and 2 yeas later are returned to middle east as part of a hijacking deal behind the scenes

Hello? Have we lost the will to live? have we collectively lost any sign of a backbone?

I hope not. I hope that this will trigger the people who have been uncertain about Obama to see the man for what he is: Dangerous Demagogue and Dilettante. Up to now his decisions, while misguided, have been consistent with what he sold to his supporters (even if they didn't always understand what he was selling). This one breaks that pattern. It is an incredible blunder, obvious for being such from the start. And the Friday delivery of this idea by one Eric Holder (who has built a career on pardoning terrorists) while Obama is in Japan, makes it cowardly and smelly.

Ukranian pop group's social commentary

 

Check out this video clip of ukranian pop group taking on the culture of diets, plastic surgery, and cult of youth. Even if you don get the words, you will get the meaning.

http://www.ahzapad.org/ptrusy.html

From the department of "Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8118721.stm Russia's energy giant Gazprom has signed a $2.5bn (£1.53bn) deal with Nigeria's state operated NNPC, to invest in a new joint venture.The new firm, to be called Nigaz, is set to build refineries, pipelines and gas power stations in Nigeria.

My 10 step Health Care Solution

1 - Outlaw malpractice awards in excess of actual damages - its life, shit happens
2 - Outlaw insurance coverage of medical procedures  - they only add costs and headaches
3 - First $1000 of each persons medical costs per year are his responsibility - carry your own weight
4 - Goverment reimburses you for 90% of costs over $1000 per year - shop for better deal
5 - No coverage for illegal immigrants - what part of "illegal" is so hard to understand ?
6 - Foreign tourists and students are covered - They bring money
7 - If a designated medical board determines that you are likely within 6 months of dying, no expensive procedures for you - its time we learn that everyone dies eventually and how to do it gracefully
8 - Sorry, no cosmetic or any sort of "feel good" surgery is covered
9  - Increase income tax on anyone above the "higher limit" of their height - 1% for every 5 pounds
10 - Apply surcharge tax on any prepared food with content higher than certain fat/salt/sugar content

If we do this, our health care costs will be 50% less than today within 2 years, people will be healthier, and goverment will not be in healthcare business.