I KNEW YOU THEN

I knew you then I know you now,
I know you then, I knew you now,
I know it’s true,
Don’t ask me how,
The seams of time sometimes allow,
A peek, a wink, a nod, a bow,
As Einstein said through bushy brow,
Time stops it all from happening now,
This is to say he did avow,
In some way all is happening now,
And so with certainty I vow,
I know and knew you then and now.

The Repeal of The Affordable Care Act…

…theory does not practicality make.

Why can’t people extend logic just a smidge? An iota? A scintilla? If you have the creative capacity to dream up scenarios to defend your shitty, weak hypotheses, what is the harm in thinking an additional minute or two to ensure your idea isn’t completely off-base or entirely wrong? Wouldn’t it make it easier to sell? Wouldn’t it make it believable? Because, when you don’t take that extra five minutes or so, you’re left with being challenged by some nitwit, healthcare consultant in the South who doesn’t care much for people and certainly isn’t agreeable when she identifies significant gaps which she, in her distorted sense of ethics, deems immoral.

Alas, no. Logic is not a consideration in Conservative decision making. Neither is decency. Nor humanity. If it was, these assholes wouldn’t be hijacking government via “special sessions” (imma lookin atchu, NC General Assembly) and the Senate wouldn’t be voting to repeal the Affordable Care Act when they should otherwise be in bed, fucking their rent-boys.

A few things to note:

The costliest demographic to providers and insurers in healthcare is the chronically ill, age regardless.
The general public will never escape the burden of funding care for those who cannot pay the bill.

In a society that relies on employer subsidized healthcare as the model, eliminating the consumer’s protection with respect to preexisting conditions is reckless, irresponsible and immoral. There is absolutely no guarantee any person can maintain constant employment. Costs for non-subsidized health insurance are unrealistic for middle and lower class citizens without opting for a deductible that is unreasonable.

With Ryan’s plan, the state and federal governments are still involved. The insurance providers are still involved. They’re still subsidizing the cost. Your tax dollars are still paying for this albeit less efficiently because you have diluted the market, as a whole. Your insurance premiums will still be offsetting the cost for the providers.

“For sick patients who cannot continue coverage, Ryan’s plan calls for a return to state-run high-risk pools. These pools allow sick people to buy insurance separately, while states, insurers and the federal government help subsidize the cost. The president-elect’s website says he supports risk pools.

Risk pools have a long and controversial past. Before the ACA was passed, 35 states ran risk pools for people with preexisting conditions ranging from cancer and diabetes to more minor afflictions such as arthritis or eczema. Premiums for risk pool coverage were as much as 250 percent more than a healthy person would pay for individual insurance, and some states, overwhelmed with sick patients, had wait lists for coverage or imposed other restrictions, said Fish-Parcham.”

Additionally, as we see in other business models, when there is shrinkage or loss, the cost of business is passed along to the consumer. Do you honestly believe providers (practices or hospitals) are not going to inflate their charges to the consumer to make up for the bad debt of others? Do you think you’re not going to be stuck assuming that burden? YOU WILL BE.

And so forth. Further reading here.

Here are some interesting facts about the number 37…

…in honor of it being my 37th birthday. 🙂

“It is a prime number, the fifth lucky prime, the first irregular prime, the third unique prime and the third cuban prime of the form.”

Now, I know what a prime number is but I have no idea what the rest of that stuff is. I’m especially curious about the “cuban prime” and find myself wondering if it’s Numero Uno de Cuba, Fidel Castro?

Probably not.

“It’s the normal human body temperature in degrees Celsius.”

Very useful information, indeed.

“New General Catalog (NGC 37) is a lenticular galaxy located in the Phoenix constellation. It is approximately 42 kiloparsecs (137,000 light-years) in diameter and about 12.9 billion years old.

Here’s a picture of it:

Here’s a closeup of something really far away

37 is also:

“The number of plays William Shakespeare is thought to have written (counting Henry IV as three parts).”

“The [former] international dialing code of the German Democratic Republic (aka East Germany)”

“Kevin Smith’s Clerks’ Dante Hicks’ girlfriend Veronica’s number of former boyfriends with whom she performed fellatio.”

(Thanks, Wikipedia)

…the more radical the bumpersticker

…the bigger the hoopty.

I am not sure if this is a regional phenomenon or if it’s a widespread epidemic. There seems to be a distinct relationship between bumperstickers and cars. Primarily the bumperstickers screaming a pro-life agenda or screaming about how science is evil. On my way to the pharmacy for a refill, I had the esteemed privilege of following a raging pro-lifer who also wants to end fetal testing. Of course, it was on a piece of shit, Sanford and Son mobile that was held together by duct tape and driven by a knuckle-dragging, frizzy haired inbred with a tremendous underbite.

Yes. This is exactly the type of person who deserves a say on all things scientific, amirite?

What kind of Good Christian would wish a debilitating disease like Tay-Sachs on anyone (parent or child)? Are these people so fucking clueless that science is now, officially, the root of all evil and that humans should needlessly suffer because some mystical book says so?

Now, I realize that I’m a Mid-Atlantic, Liberal Elitest who grew up on the periphery of a big, big city among those who can fucking read and marry someone with a different surname, but surely geography isn’t the driving factor in one’s intelligence. Or is it?

To those who eschew science in the name of the LAWD, here’s a bit of advice: don’t want the tests? Don’t have them. Carry on and pray for our condemned, technology embracing souls. Don’t foist your bullshit, neaderthalic beliefs on those of us who do.

And…for fuck’s sake…buy a goddamned car that is road worthy. Not only are your beliefs scary but so is sharing the road with you.