11 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
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The LuLac Edition #2110, July 2nd, 2012
"Health Care...Not Scare Care" logo. HEALTH CARE SCARE TACTICS
In the next few months you are going to be hearing a lot of health care scare tactics that will be designed to turn normal thinking people against this bill. Here are the biggies:
CHARGE: Illegal aliens. If health care is expanded, illegal aliens will get free health care and the rest of us will have to pay for it.
FACT: People who speak with an accent and are not citizens will surely apply. This segment of the population will also be subsidized but they will pay something. Employers will not have to put them on health care so you have the dual effect of them getting more hours and a better chance to contribute to their adopted or visiting country by paying taxes. Illegal aliens will want to avoid any type of system run by “the government” for fear of being deported. Name me a criminal who will walk into an insurance exchange and try to get something for free when they are on the run.
CHARGE: Welfare people will get on the subsidy and get better care.
FACT: Welfare people have an Access Card right now that gives them health care. In some cases it’s free. Would you rather have these people contribute something by either paying something rather than nothing? Also, in terms of better care, people on welfare have to wait in line for procedures just like the rest of us. I have a friend who is on public assistance. Has been for about a year. She waited 4 months to have a specialist see her for a problem. It took me the exact same time to see my specialist who did my hip. The fact of the matter is that good health care providers with stellar reputations require a long waiting period for an appointment. It doesn’t matter if you are on an access card or a BCNEPA policy. That is not the fault of the insurance companies, the Affordable Care Act or anyone else. The good news in all of this is that after my friend’s appointment, she had her procedure within 2 weeks. After my appointment, I had my procedure within 2 and ½ weeks. Medical professionals are just that, professionals. If you’re sick, you get the care. Whatever your means of insurance. Why would we not want everyone covered?
CHARGE: With 30 million people added to the rolls, the waiting lines will be intolerable. People will have to wait forever and no one will get good care.
FACT: People are waiting for appointments now. And all 30 million people aren’t going to get sick at the same time with the same disease on the same day with the same needs. If 30 million people see a KFC commercial at 4pm during an NFL game, all 30 million people aren’t going to swarm KFC the Tuesday after at the same time ordering the same meal. People need to combat these ridiculous arguments with common sense.
CHARGE: The Supreme Court says this is a tax. My taxes will go up.
FACT: If you are a responsible person that is not covered or you don’t have a job, you wisely choose to buy insurance. If you are fortunate to have a job where you are insured in a group, you either pay part of your salary to be on that plan or the company pays the whole freight. (When I worked at BCNEPA, less than 5% of the companies paid the whole freight for their employees. That number might be smaller now). All of that said, here's the message for you: YOUR TAXES WON’T GO UP. YOU WILL HAVE NO TAXES. The only people who will have to pay a tax are those people who refuse to sign up. Then they get a penalty. This tax/penalty is called a FREELOADER FEE. It only encompasses 2% of the American population. To say that taxes will go up because of this is a lie. Fortunately most people are responsible. Others are not. One of the best quotes I heard about government came from Congressman Kanjorski who said, “Rules and regulations are enacted for not for the 98% of the people who do the right thing but for the 2% of the people who refuse to do the right thing.” Or in this case, anything.
CHARGE: Since this bill was signed, my health care costs and premiums went up. It’s Obama’s fault and this stupid law.
FACT: The law is not even in effect yet. The insurance companies raised rates in anticipation of the scare tactics and to make sure they had enough money to operate. Most are trying to adapt to the 80/20 provision which caps insurance companies operating expenses at 20%. That means that the other 80% will be dedicated to health care claims, not surpluses, golf memberships, $800,000 salaries and $25,000 stipends to lawyers, casino owners and state senators who show up for a dozen meetings a year. Name me a non profit board member who gets $25,000 for showing up and having lunch. If your premiums went up the last two years, don’t blame the President, blame the people whose card you carry in your wallet. Plus, some insurance holders will be getting a rebate this summer because their insurance companies have to comply with the 80/20 rule.
CHARGE: The government can’t handle this. They’ll screw it up.
FACT: Maybe but they can’t do any worse than the way private insurance companies are operating it now. The goal here is to partner with insurers. The goal here is to keep them honest and keep them in business. Medicare came about in 1965 and is essentially a singer payer system. The government partnered with insurance companies who offered supplemental policies. Insurers are making money because responsible seniors buy into the fact that a supplement is needed. The pool is large and the system works. And let’s talk about efficiency. In March of this year, I decided to get new eye glasses. I was told that I was not covered even though I was on a Vision plan since 2010. After numerous phone calls, I got it straightened out. Or so I thought. After a few months, I finally found the frames I wanted. When the insurance company was contacted, I was denied because I am not active in a Vision plan. The same vision plan that I have been on since 2010. How much worse can a government run health care plan be when the claims departments of all insurers hold on to their money like vampires at the last blood bank on earth? Clue to the insurance companies, make sure the people handling your claims get their GED or their diploma from a college other than the University of Phoenix. Monday morning I’ll be talking to some dim wit who will tell me I’m not covered even though I have been on the same freaking plan since……yeah, 2010. Sorry for being so repetitious but I’m practicing for my phone call to the Davis Vision Claims Department later today. I'll keep you posted on how far I get.
CHARGE: Not one member of Congress read the bill.
FACT: Chris Carney did!
FINAL ARGUMENT: I’m stupid and proud of it.
FACT: At about 8:17am on Friday morning, some guy called Webster & Nancy complaining about how this Supreme Court decision was going to cost him and other people in taxes. He blathered about how things could only get worse than this and that it was up to people to get away from government doing everything for them. He bemoaned the fact that people wanted a handout and these days do nothing for themselves without a government program. When Nancy asked him what insurance he had, he replied, “Medicare”. Typical LuLac attitude, “I got mine, you don’t have yours, so screw you!”
So there you have a run down of the lies and bullshit you’re going to hear from the haters of the President, the people who are so insular that all they care about is themselves and people who are so partisan they are willing to destroy our country by being inflexible and quite frankly, mean bastards. So when you have your relatives coming over for the Fourth of July in a few days, keep these facts handy. You’ll need them to stop the lies.
As the Professor would say, “CLASS DISMISSED”.
The LuLac Edition #2111, July 3rd, 2012
Vice President Joe Biden. WELCOME MR. VICE PRESIDENT
LuLac land is something else. We get the Vice President of the United States coming in for a visit on the day before the Fourth of July. Yes it is political and yes there will be security. But only people in this area would bitch about being temporarily put out and used politically. It’s the fourth of July, it’s a Presidential election, enjoy the night. Jeez!
17th District candidate Matt Cartwright hanging at the Glider Diner in Scranton. CARTWRIGHT ON COURT RULING
17th Congressional District candidate Matt Cartwright weighed in on the Supreme Court decision last week upholding the Affordable Care Act. Here’s what he said: "I applaud the United States Supreme Court for ruling to leave the Affordable Care Act (ACA) intact. Their decision will ensure that all Americans have access to affordable health care. In Pennsylvania alone, ACA has provided health care coverage to 91,000 young people under the age of 26 under their parents’ plan. Further, President Obama’s health care legislation has also helped cut costs on medications as 235,820 seniors saved $645 on their prescription drugs in 2011. But the fight is not over. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt explicitly included in his 2nd Bill of Rights in 1944, “The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health.” As a Member of Congress, I will work to make sure that his vision becomes a reality." Hear hear, Attorney, hear, hear.
GAS PAINS IN WILKES BARRE
It seems like Mayor Tom Leighton and his staff are under the gun again. This time because the Times Leader found a discrepancy in the fuel taken by the Mayor and certain members of his administration from the gas that is used primarily for DPA vehicles. The Mayor says that there was a mix up because even though he was saving the city money using his own vehicle, he wasn’t keeping track of what days he and others used the gas. Okay, first off, I drive through the downtown every morning to get to work. The transformation of it is wonderful. And it looks clean. (The city seems to have gotten the message to the slobs who live and visit the city that they should pick up after themselves). That said, there always seems to be “something” to explain by this administration. And they don’t do the explaining until a Times Leader or Citizen’s Voice reporter comes across it! Then the explanations start. A few points:1. The Mayor makes $76,000 a year. Does he actually need to get mileage in addition to that salary?
2. Maybe its because I make significantly less than the Mayor, I can tell you the days and time I get gas for my vehicle. And how many times I filled up and how many times I just threw in 10 bucks to get to the end of the month so the AE balance doesn’t get too high.
Once more, the pattern with this administration continues. When they are found out, they explain. But the question needs to be asked, what if they were never found out? Would we ever know? Plus, how can we expect receipts from LAG Towing when the City doesn't even keep them?
LOOK OUT WORLD
There will be a brand new news organization starting tomorrow. The people who are activists in the area are banding together and putting out an on line publication. Plus their video guy is going to the intrepid Tony Antonello. Check this out: it’s called the Wilkes Barre Independent Gazette. You own the media, you own the message: the time has come for that message to be true and honest. Our first delivery is Monday night sometime between 8-10pm. We welcome you to join us at our new offices for a paper signing and get-together with some of our local activists. We go live with our awesome new site once the papers arrive: www.wbindependentgazette.com Look for live video's throughout the month from our roving and investigative reporter, the none other, Tony Antonello. You can also listen to us on Sanity Check with Tea Party Mike and Libertarian Lou, Saturday morning's 94.3FM The Talker, home of the David Madeira Show, Glen Beck, Mark Levin, Sean Hannity, and others.
The late Hanover Area School teacher Marion Zurinski and the book mark she gave me so many years ago. MARION ZURINSKI
A retired area educator passed away this weekend and I had the pleasure of briefly working with her in the late 80s and early 90s. Marion Zurinski taught at Hanover Area High School and taught English, Spanish, and Latin. I’m told she was also a basketball coach but that was before I knew her. She always had an encouraging word for her students and loved teaching and telling you about Shakespeare. She regularly took trips to Shakespeare’s birthplace with the students. One day I was reading a book with a very ratty book mark. She reached into her sweater vest pocket and gave me a black faux leather book mark from her travels to England. She said, "I bet you use candy bar wrappers for bookmarks". Which I did! That was nearly 20 years ago and I still have that bookmark. It has traveled to many a city and country. Sometimes I misplace it and panic sets in because it is something I never want to lose. Much like the inspiration and love of literature that she imparted to thousands of high school students in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Our thoughts go out to her friends and family.
The LuLac Edition #2115, July 5th, 2012
City Hall in Wilkes Barre. It may implode if a Republican ever gets elected. CHANGE IN WILKES BARRE?
With the recent revelations about the gas pumps in Wilkes Barre, one has to think about just what could ever blown an incumbent Democrat out of the Mayor’s chair (since the strong Mayor form of government began in 1975, there has been a 37 year hold on the top job in Wilkes Barre by a Democrat) or propel just one Republican to a seat on City Council. It seems like the harder the political storm a Democrat suffers, the easier the path to re-election. Here are a few reasons:1. There is no real Republican party in the city. They have no money and very little organization. The County party pretty much ignores the city even though the 6th District has the hardest bunch of workers there ever was. But with no concerted registration drive, there can be no progress.
2. The Libertarian party has been trying to make an inroad but all they seem to be doing is trying to reduplicate the efforts of the GOP. These two entities need to merge to become one force.
3. The city has changed demographically and so too politically. The vestiges of the Democratic machine set up by the likes of Dr. Tom O’Donnell and the Wilkes Barre City Democratic organization are still in power because no one has challenged them successfully with money and organization. If you look at the election returns though, any Democrat can win a Council seat with less than a thousand votes and a Mayor can win with just a few thousand. A Republican can get 400 pure votes in a Council race. These are people fed up with the status quo or friends of the upstart. But they can’t beat the more than 700 votes allocated to the Democratic candidate who has been endorsed by “the party”.
4. “The party” stays in power because younger voters fed up don’t register in City Elections. They get turned on by the Presidential contest but need to be kidnapped in order to vote in a municipal election. People who have lived in the city and tried to vote the party out found that it was less trouble to just pick up and move out of the city.
5. Then there are the transients. They fall into three categories. The people moving to Wilkes Barre just passing through, trying to sell the family homestead, staying in a job they’ve been transferred to or just marking time until they move on. The college students who use the city services, try to navigate through King’s or Wilkes in a drunken haze and then use their education to get out. The last group are the drug dealers and hoods from Philadelphia or New York who are just alluding police hoping they can have a big score until they are either thrown in jail, killed or find another welfare mom to shack up with in another town. The problem for the future of the city of Wilkes Barre is the last three groups I mentioned don’t vote. They never will. So the people who do vote elect a Magistrate who is not an Attorney, put in a double dipping former police chief on City Council, and ensconce “Straubie’s daughter” as City Controller over a Certified Public Accountant. Will any of this change? You tell me but I really don’t think so.
SCRANTON’S PROBLEMS
Last week Mayor Chris Doherty scaled back wages of every City Hall employee to the minimum. These people should be thanking God for Teddy Kennedy because he was the one who advocated for the increase. If it were up to the GOP in Washington, the wage would still be under 6 bucks. Surely the unions will take this to arbitration and once more Scranton will have to fish or cut bait. The city has been in trouble for decades and has kicked the can down the road. Unlike previous Mayors, at least Doherty has the guts to say the city needs a tax increase. It also has to come to terms with the public sector unions. They have to give an inch or two. If not, nothing will change. Scranton and their distressed city situation reminds me of a reporter, any reporter doing a story about an impending snow storm. The story starts and ends the same way. You could replay a reporter from 1993 saying essentially the same things about Scranton’s books and wouldn’t have to change a thing.
McCONNEL/BOEHNER ON TV
I was stunned this past weekend when I saw the two leaders of the national legislative branch, Congress stumble when pressed by the media on the Health Care Bill. Boehner sounded like a broken record when CBS’s “Face the Nation’s” Nora O’Donnell kept asking him why he would repeal the entire bill. Boehner never answered clearly why he was against preventative vaccinations for children, preventative procedures like colonoscopies for adults and a waiver on pre existing conditions. No, no, no was all he had to offer. McConnell couldn’t get out of his own way when asked to explain what the GOP alternative was. You have to have a plan and these guys just don’t. Even when many members of the GOP and Southern Democrats were against Civil Rights in the 60s but those opponents at least could come with a semblance of a reason that could have been debated. It shocks me that the party that touts how much they love the Constitution and liberty can’t explain or understand either.AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
State Senator John Blake. WHY BLAKE VOTED NO
22nd District State Senator John Blake voted no on the Pennsylvania State budget that was recently passed. Here’s some of his comments on why this budget was not a good one for the little folks in Pennsylvania. On Friday, the Senate passed the $27.65 billion 2012-13 state budget on a largely party-line 32-17 vote. I voted no on the state budget because of unnecessary cuts to human services and child care services – cuts that inflict hardship on persons with disabilities and working class families – and due to the budgetary indifference to the fiscal challenges of our cities and public schools. There were some things in this budget that were good – but not good enough. While significantly better than the one proposed by the governor in February, this budget does little to protect and respect our most vulnerable citizens. It cuts 10 percent – or $84 million -- from the Human Services Development Fund -- a key funding source for counties and local human service providers. This cut adversely affects not only the quality of service counties and their partner non-profits can provide to our seniors and persons with disabilities but it will put educated, skilled, caring and compassionate human service workers out of work. This is also a state budget that kicks nearly 70,000 people – including nearly 2,800 recipients in Lackawanna, Luzerne and Monroe Counties – to the curb by eliminating temporary General Assistance payments to citizens in deep poverty. This program has for years been an essential safety net for persons with disabilities or victims of domestic violence who have been in need of a temporary stipend from the Commonwealth in order to bridge the divide between a serious crisis and a life of daily dignity and security. In this budget, the state’s General Assistance program was eliminated outright with little notice and with almost no effort by the state to prepare program beneficiaries -- or the service providers in the communities where they reside -- for the personal and social consequences of the complete and abrupt elimination of the program. Of course the oil industry got massive tax breaks from the Corbett administration which has been in the tank for them even before the election.
MEDIA MATTERS
ANDY GRIFFITH
Andy Griffith died the other day at the age of 86. He was an iconic figure on TV but was an incredible stage actor. “The Andy Griffith Show” was one of the first shows that used another show to introduce it to a new audience. In an episode of “The Danny Thomas Show”, Danny and his family are driving through a little town called Mayberry and get a traffic ticket. Comedy and history ensued.SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
Every week Shadoe Steele hosts “Saturday Night Live At the Oldies”. Tune in because this week from Prague Czechoslovakia Jan Hammer, of the Mahavishnu Orchestra and composer of the "Miami Vice" theme! The show airs from 7pm to midnight with ABC News on the top of the hour on WILK AM and FM.
ECTV
Music and the Arts will be featured on ECTV Live during the week of July 9th. Hosts Judge Tom Munley and David DeCosmo will welcome Maureen McGuigan to the program to discuss a free Guitar Workshop and Concert being offered at the Scranton Cultural Center on Friday, July 13th. The program will also offer information about "Art in the Park starting on July 10 and the new ARTS Engage Program and the Sat. might music concert being offered in Lackawanna County this year. ECTV Live is presented on Comcast Ch19 weekdays at Noon and Midnight with selected rebroadcasts at 6pm.SUNDAY MAGAZINE
This Week on Sunday Magazine: Brian Hughes speaks with nutrition expert Dr. Chris Mohr, who claims fatty foods are as addictive as cocaine, and how you can break the addiction. An encore of Brian’s interview with Lucia Peregrim, who discusses her “Sounds For Scoliosis” fundraiser. And an encore of the Northeast Pa. Rainbow Alliance “It Gets Better” campaign, which raises awareness about bullying & suicides among LGBT youth. Sunday Magazine, Sunday morning at 5am on Great Country 93.7, 5:30am on 97BHT, 6am on 97.9X, 6:30am on Magic 93, and 7am on True Oldies 590, WARM.
Our "1967" logo. 1967
The first UK colour television broadcasts begin on BBC2. The first one is from the tennis championship at Wimbledon. A full colour service begins on BBC2 on December 2…. 967 Newark riots: After the arrest of an African-American cab driver for allegedly illegally driving around a police car and gunning it down the road, race riots break out in Newark, New Jersey, lasting six days……....The All Star game was played on July 11, 1967 at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California. The game resulted in a 2-1 victory for the NL.[1] At 15 innings, it was the longest All-Star Game by innings ever. It held this distinction by itself until 2008, when that year's game was also decided in 15 innings……in the Commonwealth, Congressman John Dent of the 21st Congressional District admits he might mount a primary challenge against incumbent Democrat Joe Clark in the 1968 primary……..in Luzerne County, Dr. George Young was re-elected Chairman of the Board of the newly minted Luzerne County Community College and 45 years ago this week the number 1 song in America and LuLac land was "Windy" by the Association.
The LuLac Edition #2116, July 6th, 2012
“Maybe I’m Amazed” logo. MAYBE I’M AMAZED
MAYBE I’M AMAZED………that people who went to the fireworks at Kirby Park on Wednesday night loutishly pulled onto the grounds on the River Common. County officials are peeved and they should be. The grounds are their responsibility. You would think that the city of Wilkes Barre would have had someone stationed there to deter the parkers who cruised right in from Union Street. Wilkes Barre meter maids are happy to ticket just about anyone including commuter college students but didn’t touch these people. The County has a myriad of places to park but as usual people took the path of least resistance. And with the huge number of slobs who live in this area, I bet there was a lot of garbage to clean up on Thursday morning.MAYBE I’M AMAZED…….that people in Northeastern Pennsylvania never heard of the word “saw”. Every person I saw (get it) on TV this week as an eyewitness said, “I seen them pulling the body” or “I seen him just last night”. The word saw used in the context, “I saw them pulling the body” or “I saw him just last night is a verb. The tool, “saw” (the tool that cuts wood) is a noun which is a thing. I’m not the king of grammar but could at least one TV reporter find someone who can speak English. And they bitch about the illegals! Jesus.
MAYBE I’M AMAZED……at the sheer hatred so many people in our area have for the Vice President. He was a home town boy who made good but the vitriol I heard on talk radio was obscene with one dunderhead on WILK questioning Biden’s behavior after his wife and kids died in a 1973 auto accident. But we are the Valley with the heart, right?
MAYBE I’M AMAZED……that Wilkes Barre Mayor Tom Leighton can be interviewed by a reporter and play with a knife he cuts fruit with. If Tom McGroarty did that, someone would put him before a psych evaluation. I like the Mayor personally, but is he just trying to antagonize people for sport? Show them your sunny side sir.
MAYBE I’M AMAZED………that there are serious people in the media who are comparing Nathan’s Hot Dog eating champ Joey Chestnut’s 6 titles at Coney Island to Michael Jordan’s 6 NBA titles. I love a Nathan’s dog most likely more than the next guy but c’mon.
MAYBE I’M AMAZED………that the sport of dueling is legal in Paraguay as long as both parties involved are blood donors.
MAYBE I’M AMAZED……that the Washington Nationals have 3 players starting on the All Star Team. And equally amazing, my Indians are in second in their division and my Pirates are leading their division by more than a game!!!
MAYBE I’M AMAZED…..that road maps are becoming a thing of the past with the popularity of GPS systems. It all started with MapQuest and has now all but eliminated the need for a map. They were a real bitch to fold too. Only show offs used to fold them the correct way.
MAYBE I’M AMAZED……that after a world class smack down for a Senate seat in Connecticut Linda McMahon is going to try again. This time she is going after Democrat Richard Blumenthal. The seat was held by that world class wiener/whiner and supporter of John McCain in 2008 Senator Joe Lieberman. Yeah he was a great Democrat! Best of luck to the lady. It would be sweet justice to see her take over for the waffle king of New England. See, I bet you’re amazed I don’t like all Democrats!
The LuLac Edition #2118, July 8th, 2012
Jobs under scrutiny. JOBS A FACTOR
One thing about a Presidential election in the dog days of summer is that there is no lack of speculation on the race. Every nuance is watched and commented upon. A prime example was the jobs report that came out on Friday. More than 80,000 new jobs were created but that has been looked at as a failure because it is not keeping pace with what economists were forecasting. Okay, I get that but contrast that with the fact that in President Obama’s first month in office, 800,000 jobs were lost. Plus in the latter months of the Bush administration, no new jobs were created. So that really puts some things in perspective. Is the economic recovery as robust as it should be? No. But consider this. How much better would this economy have been if this President went bigger with the stimulus? How much better would this economy have been if the “job creators” actually invested in the economy instead of using the health care bill as an excuse for not knowing what the future held? See, that argument falls short because business people live to make a profit. It’s what they do. And that’s a good thing. It gets people to work. But would these intrepid investors be so scared of adding jobs just because of a health care bill that doesn’t take effect until 2014? See, if they were so serious about helping America and by extension the economy, they would have already done it. But Democratic administrations pass regulations. Regulations like fair credit card reform and making sure that business owners treat their workers fairly. Mitt Romney says he is going to get America back to work. But so far there are no specifics except that he is going to let the 1% keep their Bush era tax cuts and will help create jobs like he did with Bane. What type of jobs is open to conjecture. One of the big Romney success stories of Bane was Staples. One of the big Obama success stories was the auto industry. Compare the salary of a Staples employee with that of an auto industry worker whose job was saved because there was a bailout. (The money by the way was paid back). Every election has a defining moment when an intelligent voter hears or sees something that pushes them in one way or another. For voters this year that moment will come. In 2008, I was a Hillary backer and was lukewarm about handing over the Presidency to an individual that was in the U.S. Senate as long as it took him to find the keys to the men’s room. Despite the ludicrous pick of Sarah Palin, I was thinking about McCain. But in a debate, both men were asked about the housing crisis and how it impacted the average American. Obama spoke of the average guy who was trying to hold onto his home by a thread and said that someone like that should be looked after. McCain talked about someone he knew that had five rental properties and how the housing crisis would affect them and their future opportunities to acquire more. One candidate looked to the needs of a struggling individual trying to hold on to what they have, the other worried about the person who had more than others and how they might be impeded from getting more. In this election, there will be a defining moment like that for voters. The efficacy any job number will be trumped by the most basic question a voter will have to answer about any Presidential candidate: can he relate to my problems and what I am struggling to hold on to?
8 Temmuz 2012 Pazar
The LuLac Edition #2117, July 7th, 2012
The Supreme Court seal. THE OTHER SUPREME COURT DECISION
We were so taken with the Supreme Court decision on Health Care, we forgot to mention the other one the Court ruled on. The Military Medal Controversy: The Court ruled that people who say they received military medals but did not are protected by free speech. By a 6-3 vote, justices decided that making it illegal to say something just because it is false violates the constitutional right to free speech. Some forms of lying are illegal, they said, but only ones that cause some harm to individuals or society, like perjury, impersonating a police officer, or lying to perpetrate a crime. But the justices in the minority argued that even if lying about your own military service doesn’t directly harm anyone else, the lie still harms society by cheapening the achievements of those who legitimately received the Medal of Honor. For that reason, they argued, Congress should have a right to ban that sort of speech. I have to agree with the minority on this one. There is something very sacred about military service. And while free speech should be protected at all costs, there are exceptions. And this is one of the most important exceptions there is. Can you imagine a family that has lost a loved one in combat having to endure some lout or clown passing himself off as a military hero? It is bad enough that some people in the military embellish their service but at least they served. They might not have been in Vietnam but if they were in the Pacific they were at least somewhere doing something. This decision is wrong because it says that free speech of a wannabe trumps a true hero putting their life on the line in combat. It is salt in the wounds of a grieving family. This decision stems from when Congress passed the Stolen Valor Act. That law made it illegal to falsely claim to have won a military medal or decoration, with even stricter penalties for those who claim to have received the Congressional Medal of Honor. Now that the law is struck down, let me offer some advice with a cautionary tale. Years ago, a female friend of mine who was crazy then and is even more so now claimed she was dating a New York Mafioso. She regaled us with stories of how “dangerous” and “tough” he was. One evening, one of her old boyfriends was released from the Lackawanna County prison and of course the first place he went was her Swoyersville home. He started banging on the door and scaring the hell out of everyone residing there. She didn’t call the police because she still cared for him, (I told you she was nuts) but was legitimately afraid for herself and three kids. The jailbird was scared off by a 68 year old neighbor wielding a shotgun. And Mr. Mafia? He was hiding in a closet. Turns out the closest thing he was to a mafia member was that he waited tables at a restaurant near Sparks Steakhouse where John Gotti had Paul Castellani offed. My point is this, if you have to tell someone you’re a hero, you’re usually not. Military men who have seen war never brag about the horrors of it. Only jerk offs who have no idea how bad it is tell you how brave they were. It’s unfortunate they now are protected from free speech. But the saving grace is this: you can usually see them coming. And if you press them on details, they’ll back off. Like cowards and bull shitters usually do. I’m sorry the majority of the Court couldn’t see that. The six who voted yes were Chief Justice Roberts, Kennedy (who wrote the opinion), Ginsburg, Sotomayor, Kagan and Briar. The three who voted no were Scalia, Alito and Thomas.RE SENTENCING TEEN KILLERS
The Times Leader had a story about another ruling which said teen who were given a life sentence now are entitled to a life sentence. The story goes on to recount how a convicted killer will get a new sentence because he was 15 at the time he shot two campers who befriended him and another scumbag. Murdered for their kindness were Diane Algar and Jose Molina. Public Defender Al Flora says said scumbag has to be granted a new hearing. Good. Grant him the hearing. I say commute the sentence and let him go. Have him get as far as the courthouse steps and then shoot him dead. One bullet. He got his hearing. The Supreme Court is happy. The survivors of Molina and Algar are happy and said scumbag won’t be feeding off of the public money for the rest of his sorry ass life. He showed no mercy at the age of 15, what makes any Court, even the highest in the land, think he’s going to show it again.
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Masshealth plans could differ from the plans offered elsewhere vary. Many larger companies do not offer Masshealth plans. Those plans do not offer the Masshealth strive to deliver a superior product.
What to Consider When Choosing a Plan Masshealth
Most Masshealth plans do not include dental services.If you feel that you need dental coverage, it will be an additional charge to factor in your health insurance budget. Vision benefits are covered by many Masshealth programs. For example, the Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO health degree program provides 80% of the total population from an eye examination every two years.
Collection of women's health issues have to be something in the choice of health insurance is crucial. Masshealth programs often treat gynecological examination in the same manner asVision tests by defining them through a series of tests within a specified period. Masshealth Many programs have very specific rules and higher prices for maternity care.
Age is an important factor when deciding on a Masshealth program. Like health insurance for children does differ from adults in various Masshealth plans? Often Masshealth plans restrictions and price differences are related to age. This may be significant reporting in the context of a health fairProgram for an older person.
All these aspects should be considered when selecting a Masshealth program. The more coverage offered by a mass health insurance program for various medical issues will increase the total price of the plan. At the time of the initial coverage of the Masshealth additional health insurance plan for problems that are not potentially covered, such as dental, or minimally covered, such as vision requires. Selection of a suitable plan Masshealthrequires balancing the benefits of a plan against the cost of insurance, including deductibles.
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Getting Small Business Health Insurance
Small Business Health Insurance
As a small business owner you can not underestimate the value of your employees. And you and your employees share an undeniable advantage to health. By preventing a health insurance for your small business can neutralize, or eliminate the damage done by health problems.
You can afford to
What you can not afford it, but people plagued by health problems. Not with your insurance profits could have a greater impact than init. Most insurance companies offer customizable business solutions, has cut the size and scope of individual companies and minimize the cost of premiums.
Improved health in the workplace
Employees tend to pursue, and you hang on, jobs with benefits. And even if it costs a pretty penny, which many health insurance as a perk is. Having health insurance also shows that you value your employees as an entrepreneur for more than just their skills. Itboosts morale, can significantly reduce the risks of workers liabilities. In addition, employees who do not end with the assurance appreciate the advantages of this system and the provision of IT jobs.
Where do I start?
Many big name insurance companies have simplified the process of getting insurance. You have instant access to companies such as Allstate, The Hartford, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Assurant, etc. There are also services like InsureMe eHealthInsurance and thatallow you to fill out an application, and brings together the leading companies for you. It really is not all start for you, you need to get a quote. If you receive offers, the details of the insurance plans will then tell you. However, you should know the options available to you before hand.
Managed Care Plan-A managed care plan is a plan, a network of physicians and health care providers use. This is usually the best plan to keep the costfor you and your employees. But can face significant costs if workers out-of-network services to search.
Cafeteria plan Cafeteria plans allow your employees to create their own benefits package. The packages have a number of choices. For example, a dental care can be from the selection. These plans are becoming more common, and are better designed to suit individual needs. Another benefit, cafeteria plans with U.S. dollars before taxes, their lower paid billingTaxes.
Health Savings Account Plan - An HSA is a bank account that helps employees pay for insurance. You can contribute to the account or not, at its discretion. This plan is not required to have) the employee to a high deductible health plan (HDHP.
Finding the right small business health insurance is there to reach, and cost management. It's also about the right company to manage your medical care. Speaking explain with various agents to suit your needsand see what they come up with. And go to the company that makes administration easy for you and your employees.
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Mandated Electronic Claims Filing – Some Insurance Carriers Mandate Electronic Claims Filing
You've talked about it forever, but it looks like it might finally arrived. Insurance companies are beginning to electronic submissions of claims mandate. We got our first indication of the need for medical claims incurred in 2007 will be transmitted electronically.
Many insurance companies have tried to encourage providers to submit insurance claims electronically year. They have advantages such as faster payments, fewer regulations and offered for licensingother benefits for providers. They had also been visiting the manufacturer reps agent offices to why they electronically in a non-entitlement and offer suggestions for methods to obtain suitable office electronically by sending their claims.
Now we are really seeing that companies say they will no longer accept claims on paper CMS 1500 or HCFA 1500 forms. Fidelis Care of New York is one of the plans which they claim is no longer any claims to the paper to accept2007th They declare they are over 80% of electronic claims and they will no longer accept paper claims in 2007. If you are in a participating provider Fidelis Care, and try to submit your claims on paper, they will deliver you back with a letter. They will advise you to contact your provider rep, and they will help you a method to submit your claims electronically.
Fidelis Care is one of the first insurance companies, I have seen that there really is no paper backClaims. Excellus BCBS prosecuted, how many claims each provider makes on the paper and if the number over a certain amount per month, they send a service provider, to include representatives from the provider as to why they do not speak of rights in electronic form, but not return of claims - yet. New York, Medicare states that providers are all well for claims submitted electronically, but they leave plenty of exceptions, that an office can get around it.
I believe that manyCompanies start to follow suit with Fidelis Care of New York. It is a huge money saver for the insurance for claims received electronically. More and more companies begin to claim back to the providers when presented the old-fashioned way, on red and white forms!
Copyrite 2007 - Michele Redmond
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Chiropractic Office Billing Performance Index 2006 - Top 10 Best-Paying Insurance Companies
A monthly billing precision index lists ten best paying insurance companies for chiropractic CPT codes in the past few months. Participation in the index is a number of criteria from bare minimum of applications submitted and payment information, including the all important performance measure that should be the percentage of receivables driven by 120 days.
Despite a low percentage of receivables over 120 days is critical to be included in the settlement index, the frequency ofparticipation in the index is a more robust performance measure as it also serves to measure billing performance consistency over longer time period.
For the annual performance review, index participation frequency table shows both the range of monthly index and its stability over time. Since Billing Precision started posting its index only in June 2006, the highest possible frequency earned by an insurance company in 2006 is 7.
Seven times:
United Healthcare: billing Index of 5 to 12
Medicare New Jersey: billing index 11 to 17
Cigna: billing index 12 to 18
Five times:
Horizon: The payroll index 3 to 18
Aetna: billing index 5 to 20
Medicare Wisconsin: billing index from 18 to 42
Four times:
Blue Cross Blue Shield Illinois: billing index 5 to 15
Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey: billing index 16 to 22
Three times:
Blue Cross Blue Shield WisconsinBilling Index 3 to 7
Blue Cross Blue Shield Florida: The payroll index from 5 to 55
Oxford: billing index 6 to 15
Twice
Blue Cross Blue Shield Texas: billing index from 2 to 33
Florida Medicare: billing index 6 to 17
Medicare Virginia: Settlement Index 10 to 15
EOS Health: billing index 12 to 20
Once:
Medicare West Virginia, the payroll index 1
Triad: billing index 3.5
Benesight: billing index 5
CareFirst NCA: billingIndex 7
Liberty Mutual: billing index 12
Medicare Alabama: Settlement Index 12
Blue Cross Blue Shield Alabama: billing index 24
Florida 1: billing index 24
Chiropractic office managers use the rule-based index to benchmark their billing performance and guide its improvement over time. Note that a simple comparison of the performance counter metrics of a national scale, if these contributors with good performance or not. The rule-based approach to benchmarking provides a ranking of theSorting through all of the contributors to the same performance metrics. Rule-based benchmarking also allows for the identification of elite payers to lead the best in comparison to every payer in the country, as indicated by the index-driven in descending order. Finally, since the settlement index is, for all the participants so choose determines the number of a particular client has in the monthly index to its performance stability.
In contrast to the monthly BPI,Lists the ten best companies, the cost of insurance for chiropractic CPT codes selected in the last month, according to several criteria, including minimum annual volume of claims processed BPI simply counts the number of client participation in the monthly BPI last year. Despite a low percentage of receivables over 120 days is critical for the index are included in the settlement, is the frequency of participation in the index is a robust performance metric as it also serves toSettlement performance measure consistency over a longer period.
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7 Temmuz 2012 Cumartesi
Is The Swiss Army Knife The Most Versatile Knife Ever Made
The Swiss Army Knife is a hand tool with a multitude of functions. This knife sports an array of various tools as well as a blade. They are known for having screwdrivers, can openers, scissors and more each stored away inside their own compartment within the cope of the knife. They are exposed straight through a pivot point action. The cope is regularly red in color with a white cross (the emblem of Switzerland). The model used by the actual Swiss Army has an aluminum-plated handle.
This knife is synonymous with the pocketknife. It is often illustrated with a sort of tool, such as a software tool, that is a house of special-purpose tools.
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There are various types and styles of Swiss Army knives each with its own tool compound for a specific tasks. The Swiss Army's knife has a corrugated metal face with a red emblem and adorns a blade, a reamer, a bottle-opener/screwdriver/wire stripper, and a can-opener/screwdriver.
The simplest model sold includes a single blade. The most beloved models typically include a compound of the tools included in the official army model, a second blade, tweezers, toothpick, corkscrew, Phillips screwdriver, nail file and scissors. Others include a saw, hook, magnifying glass, and ballpoint pen, fish scaler that doubles as a ruler, pliers/wire cutters and a key chain. The more up-to-date features include Usb flash storage, digital clock, digital altimeter, Led light, laser pointer and Mp3 player. Whew!
A brass spacer on the official Army model allows the knife with the screwdriver and the reamer to be extended at the same time, to be used to assemble the Swiss Army charge rifles (the Sig 550 and the Sig 510).
A thorough full-size Sak is roughly 3.5in long and .75in wide; smaller models are typically about 2.25in long and .5in wide. Thickness varies depending on the whole of tools included. A flat version with somewhat fewer tools (but still retaining a knife) the size and shape of a prestige card known as a Swiss Card, can be stored in a typical wallet. Although red Saks are most common, black, blue, white, phosphorescent yellow, camouflage patterns, and other colors are available. The plastic cladding is regularly opaque but may be transparent; metal- and wood-clad models are available.
Founded in 1884, since 1891 the firm has delivered knives to the Swiss Army. The illustrious emblem, a cross in a shield, has been used by Victorinox since 1909. That year, the mother of founder Karl Elsener died the name of the firm changed to "Victoria" in her honor. In 1921, with the introduction of "inox" (the French term for Stainless Steel) into their products, the brand and name of the firm became the present Victorinox.
In 2005 Victorinox acquired Wenger, the other official provider of the Swiss Army knife. Victorinox intends to keep both brands intact.
Swiss Army knives are widely used face the army. They are beneficial multifunctional instruments for daily life and are available in a wide range of sizes and functional combinations. Even Nasa Astronauts have a Victorinox knife as thorough equipment. Victorinox knives have also been taken to Mt. Everest and the Arctic. The flagship model of Victorinox, the Swiss Champ, is in the New York Museum of modern Art's Permanent develop Collection.
health assurance - Children Deserve doctor Copay Plans
One of the types of Texas health guarnatee plans that is popular to most is the doctor co-pay plan. Because this plan offers the best rates for frequent visits, it is perfect for those with young children in their family. Having a doctor co-pay plan for your child is an perfect idea for some reasons, and here we'll take a look at some of the benefits you can sense if you select a doctor co-pay plan. We'll also take a brief look at how you can take advantage of these plans for the best results.
A doctor co-pay plan remains one of the best versions of Texas health guarnatee for some reasons. The first think it is so effective is that when you have a doctor co-pay plan, visits to the doctors are reduced in cost. If you have a young child, you are likely going to sense more visits to the doctor than any other duration in that child's life. Rescue money on every trip to the doctor (which will very probably be a frequent thing) is a great way to ensure that your child will receive the care he or she needs at a lower cost to you.
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There are many types of doctor co-pay plans that can offer supplementary benefits, such as outside x-rays and laboratory work. Most Texas health guarnatee doctor co-pay plans have a yearly base deductible, and coverage starts at one hundred percent, eighty percent, or fifty percent. There is approximately all the time an out-of-pocket cost maximum cap for a given year, meaning that if you have to make a estimate of visits to the doctor, you will not have to pay for them after a safe bet estimate of money spent.
Doctor co-pay plans are a great type of policy, and for most habit visits (such as an yearly check-up) you will only have to pay a small copayment. These plans will also be the closest to primary group coverage, manufacture them great for policies for children only. The only things you will want to keep in mind are the maximums on yearly visits, as some plans will restrict the estimate of visits their course will cover. These plans do offer a monthly prime that is lower, although if your child suffers from frequent illness or injury they may not end up Rescue you money. Seeing the best course for you and your child is the first priority.
health assurance - Children Deserve doctor Copay PlansElectronic curative Billing and Timely payment - Fiction or Reality?
Oligopsony (the store health when few buyers can greatly work on price and other store factors) gives the assurance associates (buyers) astronomical negotiating power and prevents physicians (sellers) from addressing unfair cost practices. To solve this problem, all fifty states have instituted a law penalizing health insurers for late payments. In the past ten years, state courts have imposed at least million in fines against assurance associates for failure to comply with prompt-pay laws, according to the Ama. The settlements in the middle of seven largest assurance associates and state curative societies amounted to more than .53 billion, with only 4 million for direct payments to physicians (see Dave Hansen, "The failed promise of prompt pay," Amnews, Nov. 5, 2007).
An oligopsony, according to Wikipedia, is a store form in which the whole of buyers is small while the whole of sellers could be large. It's a mirror opposite to an oligopoly, where there are many buyers but just a few sellers:
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World economy: Three firms (Cargill, Archer Daniels Midland, and Callebaut) buy the vast majority of world cocoa bean production, mostly from small farmers in Third World countries.American economy: tobacco growers face an oligopsony of cigarette makers, where three associates (Altria, Brown & Williamson, and Lorillard Tobacco Company) buy roughly 90% of all tobacco grown in the Us. American healthcare insurance: a singular assurance firm commanded at least 30% of the store in 299 of 313 metropolitan statistical areas. One insurer had 70% or more of the store in 74 areas, while in 15 areas one firm had at least 90% (Ama's 2007 update to "Competition in health Insurance: A full, Study of U.S. Markets").
In each of these cases, the buyers (payers) have a major advantage over the sellers (providers). They can play off one victualer against another, thus lowering their costs. They can also dictate exact specifications to providers.
Today, forty-nine states require claims to be paid in 45 days or less. Ama's Dr. Wilson's proposal to the House Small firm Committee's health panel in August 2007, listed multiple ideas for improved accountability, including:
A strong federal standard. require cost within 30 days for clean paper claims and 14 days for clean electronic claims. Stiffer fines than those in state laws to deter bad behavior. Collate interest on cost superior and increase the interest in step the claim's delinquency. Include litigation costs when they win a claims dispute with an insurer. Time limits for notification. Federal law should set a statutorily defined time limit for insurers to familiarize physicians that supplementary data is needed to process a claim. The consideration should specify all problems with the claim and give an opportunity to contribute the data needed. Insurers also should be required to pay any portion of a claim that is complete and uncontested.
But it takes years to pass new laws. Worse, the proposed standards ignore modern technology and lag behind other industries. For instance, the proposed 14-day healthcare assurance cost thorough of clean claims is a far cry behind a Wall road thorough to decree gigantic volumes of trades within 24 hours, and a telecommunications thorough to complete gigantic fee exchanges for phone calls in the middle of multiple carriers and customers within minutes of each conversation.
In addition to great accountability, full, measurement and routine operation comparison must come to be integral to the cost process. Two physician and chiropractic billing and convention supervision companies, Athenahealth and Billing Precision, track and post payer operation statistics, along with cost speed and percent of accounts receivable beyond 120 days:
In summary, legal accountability, full, measurement, and routine operation comparison must come to be integral to the curative billing and cost process.
Electronic curative Billing and Timely payment - Fiction or Reality?Blue Cross Blue Shield Rx Plan - Web Pages That You Can Rely On
With all the advancements in rehabilitation these days there are more and more medications and medication types to pick from for various ailments. It can be confusing if you do not understand the medication you are being prescribed. That is why the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida Rx plan can be so beneficial. On the website for the prescribe plan, there is abundant data on many of the most ordinarily prescribed medications.
There are numerous websites on the internet that will supply one with medical information, particularly on prescribe medications, but at times it can be hard to decipher the good from the bad. When it comes to something as prominent as your medication, it is imperative that you secure data from a trustworthy source. That is why the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida Prescription's web pages can be so helpful. They have links to sites such as "Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs" and the "U.S. Food and Drug supervision (Fda)" websites. These two resources can be very primary in seeing out details about the medications you are prescribed. They can help you with recommendations for treatments, effectiveness, how a drug works, safety, and prices.
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The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida Rx website also has data on all the dissimilar types of health insurance with prescribe coverage included in the plan design. There are plans that need the use of positive pharmacies and ones that allow for you to use any pharmacy of your choice. Also, some need co-pays for positive drugs or drug types.
Obtaining insurance should be based on one's personal needs. Without some expert help, it can be difficult to go through all the dissimilar options alone and come up with a solution that will benefit you. Using an insurance agent can help with this. Your insurance agent will perform a needs estimation and use that data when helping you opt a plan. In addition, new plans are made available at various times a year. It is prominent to keep up to date on these changes, especially with new reforms in the health care industry, to make sure that the plan you have is still the best for your singular situation. When you sign up for a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida Rx plan, it helps to have a superior insurance agent who can guide you through the various types of plans.
Blue Cross Blue Shield Rx Plan - Web Pages That You Can Rely OnAnthem health Plans
Are you currently searching for Kentucky health plans? What's important to you when you think of healing coverage? Is it the sick person side and you may worry you will not be able to cover the bills if you are admitted to the hospital? Is it the sick person services you are finding for and the coverage for since you seem to be visiting the Urgent Care doctors which are costly when you have to go be seen?
Do you have to pay for your own health insurance? Are you finding for something similar that your boss used to provide? If you are, you may want to look at Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield for their private health insurance plans. They have affordable rates and discrete plans that will fit all needs. What is important is that you understand your benefits and with the representative's help you will know exactly what type of care you will be able to receive. It will be outlined for you what type of providers whether they are part of an Hmo or Ppo that you will be able to see. It will expound if there will be a cost share for you or an further allowance because you saw a clear group of providers.
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When trying to find Kentucky health plans it is helpful to understand what your deductible is and what it means. Basically, this means that you have to pay a clear estimate of money before your benefits kick in. You will learn the term "premium" instead of "payment" much like our car insurance, we pay premiums, and before you leave you should have an idea of what the private health insurance plan will cost you monthly. There is data on the website that you can present to see the discrete terms or lingo and their meaning that is used in the healthcare insurance world. It is nice to be able to understand what is being said in your course if you have questions.
There will also be definitions of the dissimilar plans if you need to make a change down the road because your circumstances are dissimilar and the coverage needs to be tweaked. Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield is a household name and acceptable in all 50 states. Today we just happen to be speaking about Kentucky health plans.
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The LuLac Edition #2112, July 3rd, 2012
Vice President Joe Biden with Senator Bob Casey at the airport. Times Shamrock photo. BIDEN WITHOUT INCIDENT
Vice President Joe Biden came to Scranton on Fourth of July eve and most likely disappointed partisan Republicans and enemies of the Obama administration. Biden talked about his Scranton roots, the values he learned from his parents and grandparents as well how he imparted them to his own children. Accompanied by his son Beau and sister Valerie, Biden gave a good family values speech any politician could be proud of. The naysayers were out predicting he would say something foolish or stumble rhetorically. He didn’t. Biden spoke of how it’s now how you react when you get knocked down, but how you get up. Something his GOP opponents would know nothing about. Prior to the visit, Biden stopped in on former Pennsylvania First Lady Ellen Casey. His speech was short, apolitical and dare I say downright appropriate for the occasion.The final score: Biden 1, The Haters 0.
The LuLac Edition #2113, July 4th, 2012
Fireworks from Tuesday night's Mohegan Sun big show taken by Mrs. LuLac. 
Our "Write On Wednesday holiday" logo. WRITE ON WEDNESDAY
FOURTH OF JULY EDITION
Today marks the anniversary of the 236th birthday of America. This nation was formed by a bunch of men, supported by women with bodacious guts. My man, Governor Ed Rendell referenced it in his latest boom, “A Nation of Wusses”. He wrote: "America was born as the idea of great patriots who were the original risk takers. Think of it, a collection of shop keepers and farmers believing that on their quest to be free they could defeat the British army and navy-the greatest fighting force in the world. And they knew the risk they were undertaking. As Ben Franklin said, “We must all hang together or surely we will all hang separately. Would Americans in 2012 undertake a similar risk for such a lofty goal? I hope so, but I’m not sure. I’m sure you can think of a few leaders, local and national, private or public who would say, “Why rock the boat?” We seem to be unwilling to take on anything risky or complicated. We just can’t lose the spirit that made us great. The battle for the soul, the heart and the direction of America is one we must win". Ed Rendell.
Then of course, there is the ultimate document that no news columnist, no current writer, politician or dare I say even bloggers can top.
IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776 The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world. He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good. He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them. He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only. He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people. He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within. He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands. He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers. He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries. He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance. He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures. He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power. He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation: For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us: For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States: For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world: For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent: For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury: For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences: For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments: For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever. He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us. He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people. He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation. He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands. He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions. In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends. We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor. —John Hancock New Hampshire:Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton
Massachusetts:John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island:Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery
Connecticut: Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott
New York:William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris
New Jersey: Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark
Pennsylvania:Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross
Delaware:Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean
Maryland: Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia: George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton
North Carolina:William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn
South Carolina:Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton
Georgia:Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton
The LuLac Edition #2114, July 5th, 2012
Kate Upton and her red, white and blue ice pop. (Photo: GQ). ON WITH SUMMER!
When I was a kid, we had this neighbor who shall remain unnamed who, the day after the Fourth of July would exhale deeply and opine, “Well, summer is almost over!”. I was terrified. How could summer be half over? Then the reality began to set in and I started doing a dumb thing as a kid, I started counting the days until Labor Day. Summer is not half over, it is still here. Enjoy the hot weather, the steamy days of summer, the cold drinks, the food you regret eating as soon as you down one too many potato pancakes or ice pops. Enjoy the rest of this great time of year. Summer is just warming up. Throw away your calendar and if you can, hide your watch. Enjoy it while it lasts! Happy post 4th of July rest of summer!