Connections

Before the crash in 2008-2009, I remember coming across certain stories of how the US economy was doing - how different states were faring in "America's Lost Decade" - and it seemed like I often saw Utah highlighted on the charts and graphs and maps and stuff - and I couldn't help but wonder what's up widdat?  What's so great about what they're doing in Utah; or how they're doin' it?

Then, today, I stumble across this piece of "loonie leftie" news at Democracy Now, and I can finally stop wondering.

My revelation came at about the 30:00 mark when they were talking more about massive federal spending ($1.3 - 1.5 Billion) on none other than Willard's Wonderland, aka: 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

(hat tip = Crooks and Liars)



What is it about investing our tax dollars in the economic infrastructure that we just can't figure out?  And what is it about the lyin' sacks of shit "on the right" that we refuse to recognize?

New Music

New for me anyway.  Melody Gardot.  (hat tip = facebook friend, Keith Hoyt)

Gun 'Em Down

Yay, Florida - the place where everybody's a lot safer because of a very liberal interpretation of the 2nd Amendment that manifests itself in great ideas like Stand Your Ground and (soon to be expanded) Open Carry.

From news-press.com:

“I went to bend over to help the guy on the ground, the victim, and out of the garage I heard something: ‘I’ll kill everybody or shoot everybody,’ Snyder said. "And he cocked his gun and thank God for the Collier County sheriff’s (deputy), she probably saved my life and everybody else’s life that was in the area,” Snyder said.

Nick Rainey was selling frozen steaks and lobster tails door-to-door.  As he was leaving Ken Roop's property, Roop returns home, there's a "confrontation" in the driveway, and Roop shoots Rainey - wounding him in the shoulder.  Rainey goes down.  Roop then walks over to where Rainey is lying on the ground and caps the guy in the back of the head.

Because Roop "felt threatened".

So lemme see, if I'm just kinda cruisin' around in Florida, and I see some schmuck wearing a Glock 9 on his hip, do I have the right to gun him down just because I'm thinking he could turn violent at any moment since he's obviously over-compensating for having a small dick, or that his daddy fucked his sister, or whatever's feeding his sense of inadequacy today?  Can I just say the magic words - "I felt threatened" - and get away with it?

When did we decide that Liberty Valance was actually the hero and therefor a good role model for our behavior?

Today's Pix

Reconfirmed

Low-Effort Thought Promotes Political Conservatism

1. Scott Eidelman eidelman@uark.edu
2. Christian S. Crandall
3. Jeffrey A. Goodman
4. John C. Blanchar

Abstract

The authors test the hypothesis that low-effort thought promotes political conservatism. In Study 1, alcohol intoxication was measured among bar patrons; as blood alcohol level increased, so did political conservatism (controlling for sex, education, and political identification). In Study 2, participants under cognitive load reported more conservative attitudes than their no-load counterparts. In Study 3, time pressure increased participants’ endorsement of conservative terms. In Study 4, participants considering political terms in a cursory manner endorsed conservative terms more than those asked to cogitate; an indicator of effortful thought (recognition memory) partially mediated the relationship between processing effort and conservatism. Together these data suggest that political conservatism may be a process consequence of low-effort thought; when effortful, deliberate thought is disengaged, endorsement of conservative ideology increases.

I lifted the whole abstract from Personality and Sociology Bulletin, dated March 16 this year (full text is behind the Pay Wall).  This thing looks pretty much like a "me too" study that confirms at least a coupla previous studies that arrived at the same basic conclusions - that an awful lot of people we call "conservatives" aren't thinking for themselves.

I'll take one more step and say it means they're just kinda going along; it's fashionable to bitch about government and taxes and spending and Welfare cheats and and and.  Most of us don't have the luxury of time to stop and think things thru.  We're under the gun to perform at jobs where we keep working a little harder and keep getting treated a little shittier.  But we're told we're lazy and we aren't working hard enough.

We see The Dow peek up over 13,000, and we hear a fair bit about how well the really Big Companies are doing, but if we stop to take account of where we are in our own lives, the contrast seems pretty stark.  Company Pensions practically don't exist, and 401k's or 403b's or whatever got scrubbed clean in 2007/2008.  Banks screwed the pooch so badly that tens of trillions of dollars in Net Worth for "average" families simply disappeared.  But what are we told now?  We're told we haven't saved enough.

We try to get the kids ready for launch, but the price of schooling is thru the roof.  And I'm not just talking about the ridiculous costs of college here.  "Free Public Education" my ass.

We look for jobs that we can do, only to find that most of the jobs are all about National Security or Defense Industries.  And what we're told is that we haven't kept up with our own retraining and continuing education.  Which just means that we haven't spent the last 8 years in the military, having our opinions and attitudes drilled into us.

So anyway - there's a lot of general fucked-up-edness right now, and there's a lot reasons for that general fucked-up-edness, and believe it or not there's a lot we can do about it.  But none of it fits on a fucking bumper sticker.

If "liberal" is opposite "conservative", and if "conservative" means you're reactionary and reflexive and you don't think for yourself, then OK - call me liberal.  But ya gotta remember the rules - if you're calling yourself a "conservative", then you don't really don't know what the fuck you're talking about.

A Quick Tho't

Almost got into it a bit with some Goddies (on facebook; where else?) over a CS Lewis quote about how he (Lewis) couldn't very well not believe in god since god gave him the capacity for belief in the first place - or some such malarkey.  Anyway, as it almost always does, one of the places the thread got to was the question of "where do think you'll spend eternity?" - and - "don't you care what happens after you die?" - and - "it's better to believe because what if it's true?"  blah blah blah.

Here's the thing:  these bible-thumpers are really really hung up on the part of eternity that comes after they're dead, but nobody - and I mean NO-fucking-BODY - ever mentions anything about wondering where they spent the part of eternity that came before they were born.

Affordable Care Act

From healthcare.gov, with a hat tip to Balloon Juice:

If you have a new health insurance plan or insurance policy beginning on or after September 23, 2010, the following preventive services must be covered without your having to pay a copayment or co-insurance or meet your deductible. This applies only when these services are delivered by a network provider.

BTW: Can somebody please explain to me how the fuck the GOP has managed to make this whole thing about "sluts wanting free birth control pills"?  And then, I'll need you to explain to me how the Press Poodles can't figure out how to say something to these assholes like, "You're being an asshole".


Covered Preventive Services for Adults:
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm one-time screening for men of specified ages who have ever smoked
Alcohol Misuse screening and counseling
Aspirin use for men and women of certain ages
Blood Pressure screening for all adults
Cholesterol screening for adults of certain ages or at higher risk
Colorectal Cancer screening for adults over 50
Depression screening for adults
Type 2 Diabetes screening for adults with high blood pressure
Diet counseling for adults at higher risk for chronic disease
HIV screening for all adults at higher risk
Immunization vaccines for adults--doses, recommended ages, and recommended populations vary:
  Hepatitis A
  Hepatitis B
  Herpes Zoster
  Human Papillomavirus
  Influenza (Flu Shot)
  Measles, Mumps, Rubella
  Meningococcal
  Pneumococcal
  Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis
  Varicella
Learn more about immunizations and see the latest vaccine schedules.
Obesity screening and counseling for all adults
Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) prevention counseling for adults at higher risk
Tobacco Use screening for all adults and cessation interventions for tobacco users
Syphilis screening for all adults at higher risk

Covered Preventive Services for Women

(Including Pregnant Women):
Note: Services marked with an asterisk ( * ) must be covered with no cost-sharing in plan years starting on or after August 1, 2012. See Affordable Care Act Rules on Expanding Access to Preventive Services for Women.
Anemia screening on a routine basis for pregnant women
Bacteriuria urinary tract or other infection screening for pregnant women
BRCA counseling about genetic testing for women at higher risk
Breast Cancer Mammography screenings every 1 to 2 years for women over 40
Breast Cancer Chemoprevention counseling for women at higher risk
Breastfeeding comprehensive support and counseling from trained providers, as well as access to breastfeeding supplies, for pregnant and nursing women*
Cervical Cancer screening for sexually active women
Chlamydia Infection screening for younger women and other women at higher risk
Contraception: Food and Drug Administration-approved contraceptive methods, sterilization procedures, and patient education and counseling, not including abortifacient drugs*
Domestic and interpersonal violence screening and counseling for all women*
Folic Acid supplements for women who may become pregnant
Gestational diabetes screening for women 24 to 28 weeks pregnant and those at high risk of developing gestational diabetes*
Gonorrhea screening for all women at higher risk
Hepatitis B screening for pregnant women at their first prenatal visit
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) screening and counseling for sexually active women*
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) DNA Test: high risk HPV DNA testing every three years for women with normal cytology results who are 30 or older*
Osteoporosis screening for women over age 60 depending on risk factors
Rh Incompatibility screening for all pregnant women and follow-up testing for women at higher risk
Tobacco Use screening and interventions for all women, and expanded counseling for pregnant tobacco users
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) counseling for sexually active women*
Syphilis screening for all pregnant women or other women at increased risk
Well-woman visits to obtain recommended preventive services for women under 65*

Note: Services marked with an asterisk ( * ) must be covered with no cost-sharing in plan years starting on or after August 1, 2012. See Affordable Care Act Rules on Expanding Access to Preventive Services for Women.

Covered Preventive Services for Children:
Alcohol and Drug Use assessments for adolescents
Autism screening for children at 18 and 24 months
Behavioral assessments for children of all ages
  Ages: 0 to 11 months, 1 to 4 years, 5 to 10 years, 11 to 14 years, 15 to 17 years.
Blood Pressure screening for children
  Ages: 0 to 11 months, 1 to 4 years, 5 to 10 years, 11 to 14 years, 15 to 17 years.
Cervical Dysplasia screening for sexually active females
Congenital Hypothyroidism screening for newborns
Depression screening for adolescents
Developmental screening for children under age 3, and surveillance throughout childhood
Dyslipidemia screening for children at higher risk of lipid disorders
  Ages: 1 to 4 years, 5 to 10 years, 11 to 14 years, 15 to 17 years.
Fluoride Chemoprevention supplements for children without fluoride in their water source
Gonorrhea preventive medication for the eyes of all newborns
Hearing screening for all newborns
Height, Weight and Body Mass Index measurements for children
  Ages: 0 to 11 months, 1 to 4 years, 5 to 10 years, 11 to 14 years, 15 to 17 years.
Hematocrit or Hemoglobin screening for children
Hemoglobinopathies or sickle cell screening for newborns
HIV screening for adolescents at higher risk
Immunization vaccines for children from birth to age 18 —doses, recommended ages, and recommended populations vary:
  Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis
  Haemophilus influenzae type b
  Hepatitis A
  Hepatitis B
  Human Papillomavirus
  Inactivated Poliovirus
  Influenza (Flu Shot)
  Measles, Mumps, Rubella
  Meningococcal
  Pneumococcal
  Rotavirus
  Varicella
Learn more about immunizations and see the latest vaccine schedules.
Iron supplements for children ages 6 to 12 months at risk for anemia
Lead screening for children at risk of exposure
Medical History for all children throughout development
  Ages: 0 to 11 months, 1 to 4 years, 5 to 10 years, 11 to 14 years, 15 to 17 years.
Obesity screening and counseling
Oral Health risk assessment for young children
  Ages: 0 to 11 months, 1 to 4 years, 5 to 10 years.
Phenylketonuria (PKU) screening for this genetic disorder in newborns
Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) prevention counseling and screening for adolescents at higher risk
Tuberculin testing for children at higher risk of tuberculosis
  Ages: 0 to 11 months, 1 to 4 years, 5 to 10 years, 11 to 14 years, 15 to 17 years.
Vision screening for all children

Politics And Capitalism

"Conservatives" love to carp about "lefties" bringing politics to the marketplace until of course some bonehead like Dan Cathy at Chick-Fil-A steps on his own dick.  But even then, it's still not supposed to be about the stupid politics of being stupidly anti-gay; it's supposed to be about the "freedom" of a very powerful business empire to fuck over anybody it chooses to fuck over.

(God love The Onion)

"The Queer-Hatin' Cordon Bleu is our company's way of showing our firm commitment to strong, Christian family values," said Chick-fil-A spokesman Robert Gary, before adding that the vehemently anti-gay rights sandwich comes served in a combo with waffle fries and a medium soda for just $6.95. "From the very first morsel of this savory meal to the very last bite, customers can envision gays burning in hell with their sodomizing cohorts, and know that our sandwich is on their side.”

If I needed another reason to avoid fast food, this is it.

Today's Pix

Don't be fooled - there's something very wrong with the GOP right now.

May 1, 1947 - 23-year-old Evelyn McHale jumped from the observation deck of the Empire State Bldg.

Brood Parasitism

The Brownheaded Cow Bird is one of those species that uses the nests of other birds to lay its eggs, leaving it to other bird parents to raise its young.  It evolved this strategy because it was so busy following the bison herds on the Great Plains of North America, that it could never make it back to a nest of its own to lay eggs, so it took whatever opportunity that presented itself.

The Cow Bird is an open country bird, so it's Interesting that it's become a problem here in Virginia until you stop and consider the rather extreme deforestation that's gone on for the last 150 years.  Anyway, it's a threat to the songbird species on the east coast now, and I'm bringing this up only because there's a lot of these "little evidentiary things" that really start to add up to a big fuckin' problem after a while.  Kinda important to pay attention to 'em.

So actually, I dunno what to think about having found this egg on the top rail of the pool fence behind the house today - are Cow Birds kinda dumb?  Do they stop wherever they happen to be and lay an egg when they just can't go any farther?  Or...what?

Two From Mr Orwell

“Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind. ”

--and--

“The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.”

--George Orwell

No Hell Below Us; Above Us Only Sky

Heaven is almost always a vision of what we value most - and don't possess.

Tell me what you think heaven is and I'll tell you what's lacking in your life right now.

Vaccination Against Idiocy

Top 25 Creationist Fallacies - also, a useful primer for doing combat with the Common Wingnut.

Urinalysis

This one makes the rounds every so often.

I was thinking that if one of you "conservative" geniuses ever once tho't of challenging the Pee Test in the courts on 4th and 5th Amendment grounds (eg), maybe you'd feel a bit less inclined to shit on poor people all the fuckin' time.  Cuz that's really it, right?  You need to be absolutely sure that you never have to admit that the guys you're always voting for are bending you over the table and fucking you with your pants on; you can't stand thinking that everything they've told you over the last 30 years is total bunk; and how they're using you to do their dirty work on everybody else.

So it just can't be that you're allowing yourselves to get fucked over.  It's really all about how you need that shit to roll on down the hill, so you can feel a little better about the whole filthy mess - that you helped create - that you help perpetuate every time you buy into this cynical manipulation.

Would this be a bad time to start talking to you about accepting responsibility for your part in turning this country into the giant FUBAR that you're always pissin' and moanin' about?

Today's Quote

"I concur with you strictly in your opinion of the comparative merits of atheism and demonism, and really see nothing but the latter in the being worshipped by many who think themselves Christians."

-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Richard Price, Jan. 8, 1789

(Richard Price had written to TJ on Oct. 26. about the harm done by religion and wrote "Would not Society be better without Such religions? Is Atheism less pernicious than Demonism?")