Things That Annoy You

[Sardondi]

My girlfriend watches that foolishness and I really don't get it. She counters with "you have all those books about serial killers..." which is true, to me, reading a 300 page book is quite different than these drawn out trials that are treated like you say as "murder entertainment" with vultures like Nancy Grace and company getting wealthy off the misfortune of others. And 90% of those serial killer books I accumulated between the ages of 10-25. I've largely grown out of that.

I spent half a lifetime being a prosecutor in both state and federal court. Nancy Grace should be one of my people. But I think she's a Nazi and one-woman lynch-mob. I hate her kind of rush-to-judgment, tell-only-one-side, put-a-finger-on-the-scales, just-win-baby prosecutor. She's mean-spirited and cruel, and I think she's responsible for at least one suicide of an innocent person, and perhaps more. I'd be willing to believe her standing-up-for-women schtick a little more if she stayed in the courtroom representing them instead of barking at the P.T. Barnum tent where she makes $5 Million a year, and from which she has amassed a net worth of $18 Million.

[stevesh]

Hell, most of our teachers haven't been teachers for at least two generations of schoolkids.

My nephew's girlfriend (fourth grade teacher) showed the problem below to ten of the teachers in her building. One was able to solve it.

There is an amusement park with 70 attractions.   Of these 70 attractions, 34 of them are rides.  The remaining attractions consist of shows and midway games.  There are twice as many midway games as shows. How many midway games are there and how many shows are there? 

[Eddie Coyle]

I spent half a lifetime being a prosecutor in both state and federal court. Nancy Grace should be one of my people. But I think she's a Nazi and one-woman lynch-mob. I hate her kind of rush-to-judgment, tell-only-one-side, put-a-finger-on-the-scales, just-win-baby prosecutor. She's mean-spirited and cruel, and I think she's responsible for at least one suicide of an innocent person, and perhaps more. I'd be willing to believe her standing-up-for-women schtick a little more if she stayed in the courtroom representing them instead of barking at the P.T. Barnum tent where she makes $5 Million a year, and from which she has amassed a net worth of $18 Million.

She and her pack of reactionary,rapacious wolves are prosecutor,judge,jury,executioner and gravedigger. I cringe at the thought of the likes of her influencing anyone. Scruples don't exist. Pound for pound, shows like Nancy Grace must have the most defamatory content in any form of media. Truth and justice are MIA. And her guests...ugh, it's a pile of shit with the same old flies.

[Eddie Coyle]

My nephew's girlfriend (fourth grade teacher) showed the problem below to ten of the teachers in her building. One was able to solve it.

There is an amusement park with 70 attractions.   Of these 70 attractions, 34 of them are rides.  The remaining attractions consist of shows and midway games.  There are twice as many midway games as shows. How many midway games are there and how many shows are there?

That question is culturally insensitive and therefore removed from the test and all who got it wrong are hired...with promotions/bonuses grandfathered in.

[onan]

I spent half a lifetime being a prosecutor in both state and federal court. Nancy Grace should be one of my people. But I think she's a Nazi and one-woman lynch-mob. I hate her kind of rush-to-judgment, tell-only-one-side, put-a-finger-on-the-scales, just-win-baby prosecutor. She's mean-spirited and cruel, and I think she's responsible for at least one suicide of an innocent person, and perhaps more. I'd be willing to believe her standing-up-for-women schtick a little more if she stayed in the courtroom representing them instead of barking at the P.T. Barnum tent where she makes $5 Million a year, and from which she has amassed a net worth of $18 Million.

Sardondi for pres.

[Sardondi]

Just when you think you know somebody...

[Yorkshire pud]

My nephew's girlfriend (fourth grade teacher) showed the problem below to ten of the teachers in her building. One was able to solve it.

There is an amusement park with 70 attractions.   Of these 70 attractions, 34 of them are rides.  The remaining attractions consist of shows and midway games.  There are twice as many midway games as shows. How many midway games are there and how many shows are there?

Please sir me sir!!!! I know!!!!!


Is it three oranges, a pear and two cases of Bud?


I don't know how US schools work or how the teachers are appointed/scrutinised etc: In the UK the perennial complaint from teachers is that each government comes in and in many cases changes how they expect teachers to teach. Of course the government dresses it up with "this is what parents want", when they really couldn't care less. The teachers make the changes and in many cases have too bring in the new approved (not necessarily improved) means of teaching, undoing what has gone before and the kids are the losers.


We have an overarching regulatory body called OFSTED (Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills) that can go in at any time (but usually it's arranged with the school) and inspect what the school and it's staff are doing. The teaching standards, the overall skills shown by the teaching staff, the administration of the school etc..in short everything. The rate schools and staff from outstanding down to taking into special measures. (The last one is really really bad).. But in many ways, you use the tools you have. If you have a motivated staff, with kids from parents who actually give a shit* about their offspring and themselves have probably done well in education and employment, you'll get a more satisfactory end product.


2 cents supplied.  




* True story: Mother asks GP to have a word with her 14 year old daughter to "not mess about with all that books stuff, as we both know it's a waste of time don't we Doctor?"
The daughter was filling her head with all that biology and chemistry crap because at 10 years old she decided she was going too go too med school and try to train to be a doctor...I'm not making this up.
THAT annoys me..parents fucking their kids heads and aspirations up.  

[BobGrau]

* True story: Mother asks GP to have a word with her 14 year old daughter to "not mess about with all that books stuff, as we both know it's a waste of time don't we Doctor?"
The daughter was filling her head with all that biology and chemistry crap because at 10 years old she decided she was going too go too med school and try to train to be a doctor...I'm not making this up.
THAT annoys me..parents fucking their kids heads and aspirations up.  

But... if she learns chemistry she can make all sorts of new make-up products! Surely that's what's important here.

[Sardondi]

...They've proven to have about as much validity as claims of threats made by the KKK against college students.

Heh. The latest panicked claim that "the KKK is on campus!" is looking like it's going to turn out to be a woman in a blanket. http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/03/05/oberlin_college_kkk_sighting_police_suggest_that_eyewitness_may_have_mistaken.html

Almost every publicized claim of nooses left on minority students' doors, mailed racist threats or reports of KKK activity on college campuses in the past 10-20 years has turned out to be a hoax, a bogus claim or an honest mistake. I put it down to the climate of anxiety and fear knowingly created by various campus political-action groups in cynical exercises of self-interest.

[Juan]

Those damned electronic signs they hang over the Interstates that flash things like "1972 El Camino, Mass #EDC1122", then the next screen "Silver Alert *247".  They're put there for people to look at, but if you look at them, you can get a ticket for distracted driving.  And WTF is a Silver Alert?  And why should I care?

[PB the Deplorable]

But... if she learns chemistry she can make all sorts of new make-up products! Surely that's what's important here.

Her self esteem is what is important.  Doubly so as she is a 'woman'.

[HorrorRetro]

Those damned electronic signs they hang over the Interstates that flash things like "1972 El Camino, Mass #EDC1122", then the next screen "Silver Alert *247".  They're put there for people to look at, but if you look at them, you can get a ticket for distracted driving.  And WTF is a Silver Alert?  And why should I care?

Silver alerts are the new ones for missing elderly people.   

[Yorkshire pud]

But... if she learns chemistry she can make all sorts of new make-up products! Surely that's what's important here.

Hmm, yes indeed; but her mother didn't care for her daughter wanting to progress in any sort of higher education. So a cosmetic chemist was quite a bit down in the list of possible career moves. The mother (although I can't be certain) was keen biology may have been in the frame, but only so far as her daughters reproductive system is concerned. I don't know the final outcome. I only hope the girl grew out from her mother's stifling influence and did manage to get into med school.

[b_dubb]

I can't get insurance suddenly. I paid for my own health insurance for years. I move to Ohio and suddenly it becomes impossible? Now I live in terror that I might hurt myself, require medical attention, and bankrupt myself. Fuck this

[The General]

I can't get insurance suddenly. I paid for my own health insurance for years. I move to Ohio and suddenly it becomes impossible? Now I live in terror that I might hurt myself, require medical attention, and bankrupt myself. Fuck this

We should be able to buy across state lines.
Did you try getting a higher deductible or something?
You should at least be able to get a catastrophic plan just in the event of a worse case scenario.

[Juan]

With a couple of pre-existing conditions, I can't seem to find insurance, either.  We'll have to await the full implementation of Obamacare in order to get to pay $20,000 a year for insurance or pay a more affordable fine and have no insurance.

[stevesh]

Those doofus Swiss Guard uniforms. I want my elite, pope-protecting military force in tactical black duds.

[Yorkshire pud]

With a couple of pre-existing conditions, I can't seem to find insurance, either.  We'll have to await the full implementation of Obamacare in order to get to pay $20,000 a year for insurance or pay a more affordable fine and have no insurance.

That's the problem with making health a commercial entity based on financial risk. Our NHS isn't by any means perfect, far from it: but we're not refused medical care on the basis of whether we can afford it or not at the point of use, or if any pre existing conditions preclude care on the restrictions of affordability. A condition may be complicated by further illness etc, and that might determine a particular medical path, but that would be taken on medical grounds, not cost.

[Juan]

That's the problem with making health a commercial entity based on financial risk. Our NHS isn't by any means perfect, far from it: but we're not refused medical care on the basis of whether we can afford it or not at the point of use, or if any pre existing conditions preclude care on the restrictions of affordability. A condition may be complicated by further illness etc, and that might determine a particular medical path, but that would be taken on medical grounds, not cost.

You've made a common mistake of confusing health insurance with medical treatment.  It's understandable because the politicians, at least over here, combine the two into "healthcare" and confuse things.

I'm not without medical treatment.  I can go to my doctor and pay cash.  I can go the the emergency room at a hospital and they'll work out a payment plan.  Some medications are so cheap, they're now free at my pharmacy.  The medical treatment delivery system is not broken.  I'd advance my views on how to pay for the treatment, but that would probably get into politics and we're dangerously close to that now.

[onan]

I'm not without medical treatment.  I can go to my doctor and pay cash.  I can go the the emergency room at a hospital and they'll work out a payment plan.  Some medications are so cheap, they're now free at my pharmacy.  The medical treatment delivery system is not broken. 

First you make an excellent point Insurance and treatment are not the same thing. They are however conjoined.
Not all hospitals will work out a payment plan. Many hospitals will do no more than stabilize then discharge. Go to the hospital of your choice and see if they will work out arrangements on a liver transplant, or a CABG. A broken bone... probably so, a marrow transplant, hardly a chance.

[Marc.Knight]

With a couple of pre-existing conditions, I can't seem to find insurance, either.  We'll have to await the full implementation of Obamacare in order to get to pay $20,000 a year for insurance or pay a more affordable fine and have no insurance.

In the end "Obamacare" is just another tax regime to increase the general revenue stream for the Federal Government.  Providing accessable health insurance / care is an afterthought.  If this is a "help the poor" program then why will the IRS fine "the poor" thousands of dollars annually if they don't or cannot pay reduced premiums? 

[yes, this is slightly political, but GROW UP]

[onan]

In the end "Obamacare" is just another tax regime to increase the general revenue stream for the Federal Government.  Providing accessable health insurance / care is an afterthought.  If this is a "help the poor" program then why will the IRS fine "the poor" thousands of dollars annually if they don't or cannot pay reduced premiums? 

[yes, this is slightly political, but GROW UP]

Another excellent point and one of the major reasons I lost any consideration of Obama as a liberal.

[Marc.Knight]

Another excellent point and one of the major reasons I lost any consideration of Obama as a liberal.

They took the quick and dirty path in full cooperation with insurance companies to deliver reform.  However, this so-called reform will mean that many companies will take advantage of every loophole possible to avoid continuing or paying extra for employee coverage.  This means: reduced working hours; pay "under the table"; reduced staff (higher unemployment); and permanent elimination of business-provided insurance programs in favor of low-end government option.  In summation: higher unemployment, fewer people covered by business-provided insurance, and increased hardship due to punitive fines aimed at those least likely able to pay.  Whatever little extra money they had will now go to the IRS and not to their local physician.

The shit will hit the fan beginning in '14 when the IRS starts fining individuals and garnishing bank accounts / paychecks for those not buying insurance.  The last tally was an extra 16,000 IRS agents recently hired to collect fines from the poor, defined as a "tax" by the US Supreme Court.  That, in itself, is a no-confidence vote in the health aspects of the program and an explicit money-grab.

[onan]

They took the quick and dirty path in full cooperation with insurance companies to deliver reform.  However, this so-called reform will mean that many companies will take advantage of every loophole possible to avoid continuing or paying extra for employee coverage.  This means: reduced working hours; pay "under the table"; reduced staff (higher unemployment); and permanent elimination of business-provided insurance programs in favor of low-end government option.  In summation: higher unemployment, fewer people covered by business-provided insurance, and increased hardship due to punitive fines aimed at those least likely able to pay.  Whatever little extra money they had will now go to the IRS and not to their local physician.

The shit will hit the fan beginning in '14 when the IRS starts fining individuals and garnishing bank accounts / paychecks for those not buying insurance.  The last tally was an extra 16,000 IRS agents recently hired to collect fines from the poor, defined as a "tax" by the US Supreme Court.  That, in itself, is a no-confidence vote in the health aspects of the program and an explicit money-grab.

To take Obama's side for a second... and it isn't a place I wish to share anymore, there was little recourse. the subject of healthcare reform hasn't had a rational breath in over a decade if it ever did. There is way too much profit going to big moneyed interests to ever have any serious debate. To add, Romney wouldn't have helped the issue had he been elected.
I don't think most people have looked down the long road regarding healthcare in this country. It has been limping along for a few decades, but it is broken. I am hopeful things won't get worse but I am not optimistic.

[Eddie Coyle]

 
       Boston's "meteorologists" predicting 1-3, possibly 2-4 inches of show today. "It's a mostly rain event"

      As I shovel 10 inches of snow(with 4-5 more coming by 3pm)...no rain, either. 

[McPhallus]

      As I shovel 10 inches of snow(with 4-5 more coming by 3pm)...no rain, either. 

Few things are more dehumanizing, more life-sucking, than shoveling tightly-packed snow.  That and digging a hole while watching the dirt fall down the sides.

[McPhallus]

Go to the hospital of your choice and see if they will work out arrangements on a liver transplant, or a CABG. A broken bone... probably so, a marrow transplant, hardly a chance.

If you need a transplant, be prepared to present documentation you can pay (via insurance, public aid, or private money) before you go under the knife.  Even those having diseases potentially leading to a transplant (liver or kidney disease, for example) often get turned down for private insurance.  I think they're getting better at predicting the various factors that will lead to major medical expenses, which doesn't bode well for those trying to get insurance.

[Eddie Coyle]

Few things are more dehumanizing, more life-sucking, than shoveling tightly-packed snow.  That and digging a hole while watching the dirt fall down the sides.

Absolutely agree 100000%. My fuckin' generally dormant sciatica is not dormant now. My back and legs are gonzo right now.
         I just have remember not to scratch particular itches because of this coating of mineral ice I've applied.

[Evil Twin Of Zen]

health care? screw it cuz i got my bases covered after finalizing my funeral plans. ideally i would like a viking send off, but had to settle for just the BBQ.   
i could have gone for a free cook out, but i didn't care about becoming a medical science prop first. i've told my kids that if we know i'm going to go.... feed me lots of LSD, paint me blue and turn me loose naked in the woods.

[RealCool Daddio]

...feed me lots of LSD, paint me blue and turn me loose naked in the woods.

I call that "Friday".