This is a serious question I’m putting out to my readers.  Read this post from Zombie and let me know in the comments which group would you choose.  And yes, I’m making this an “either/or” proposition.  Picking the group you would be “least embarrassed” to be photographed with does not mean you have to accept either groups ideology.  So, if you had to be in either Searchlight or L.A. and attend the rally, where would you go?

Bonus question–do you believe the press covers these these two groups in an equal, ”fair and balanced” way?

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Well anyway, according to this scientist, climate change can’t be appropriately addressed until we get rid of the stupid people and demoncracy.  Man, I couldn’t make up stuff like this if I tried!

Humans are too stupid to prevent climate change from radically impacting on our lives over the coming decades. This is the stark conclusion of James Lovelock, the globally respected environmental thinker and independent scientist who developed the Gaia theory.

It follows a tumultuous few months in which public opinion on efforts to tackle climate change has been undermined by events such as the climate scientists’ emails leaked from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and the failure of the Copenhagen climate summit.

“I don’t think we’re yet evolved to the point where we’re clever enough to handle a complex a situation as climate change,” said Lovelock in his first in-depth interview since the theft of the UEA emails last November. “The inertia of humans is so huge that you can’t really do anything meaningful.”

One of the main obstructions to meaningful action is “modern democracy”, he added. “Even the best democracies agree that when a major war approaches, democracy must be put on hold for the time being. I have a feeling that climate change may be an issue as severe as a war. It may be necessary to put democracy on hold for a while.”

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South Carolina is in the news! 

Now, South Carolina leads the USA in mobile homes per capita.  And that’s just fine and dandy.  But, if this story is any indication, why I gotta believe the old SC is the leader in stripper pole equipped mobile homes as well…

All kidding aside, what was she thinking?

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Heh, just kidding.   Just a little Tea Party humor for you there.  But come November, there is going to be an accounting.  We’re gonna “fire” us some folks who forgot just whose interests they is supposed to be representin’.   We’re gonna box their ears.  At the ballot box.

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Althouse is on a roll.

“Starting this year, insurance companies will be banned forever from denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions.”

President Obama, March 19, 2010

Just days after President Obama signed the new health care law, insurance companies are already arguing that, at least for now, they do not have to provide one of the benefits that the president calls a centerpiece of the law: coverage for certain children with pre-existing conditions.

William G. Schiffbauer, a lawyer whose clients include employers and insurance companies, said: “The fine print differs from the larger political message. If a company sells insurance, it will have to cover pre-existing conditions for children covered by the policy. But it does not have to sell to somebody with a pre-existing condition. And the insurer could increase premiums to cover the additional cost.”

NY Times March 29, 2010

You’ve heard about the controversies within the bill, the process about the bill, one or the other. But I don’t know if you have heard that it is legislation for the future, not just about health care for America, but about a healthier America, where preventive care is not something that you have to pay a deductible for or out of pocket. Prevention, prevention, prevention—it’s about diet, not diabetes. It’s going to be very, very exciting.

But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy.

Nancy Pelosi, March 9, 2010

So, now that the Dems and the Press have gotten around to reading this craptastic health care legislation they’ve foisted on the people they are outraged, outraged I say, at, you guessed it, the insurance companies!

“The concept that insurance companies would even seek to deny children coverage exemplifies why we fought for this reform,” said Representative Henry A. Waxman, Democrat of California and chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, Democrat of West Virginia and chairman of the Senate commerce committee, said: “The ink has not yet dried on the health care reform bill, and already some deplorable health insurance companies are trying to duck away from covering children with pre-existing conditions. This is outrageous.”

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“I can make a firm pledge under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase. Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes.” (Video here)

–Barack Obama, September 2008.

The individual mandate, which amends the Internal Revenue Code, is not actually a mandate at all. It is a tax. It gives people a choice: they can buy health insurance or they can pay a tax roughly equal to the cost of health insurance, which is used to subsidize the government’s health care program and families who wish to purchase health insurance. (NY Times blog)

–Jack Baldwin, Constitutional Law Professor

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Commenter Fortuneate reports walking through the crowd at a Tea Party in D.C. and feeling the angry vibe.

This week, the Party moved to Harry Reid’s hometown of Searchlight, Nevada.

CNN reports “dozens” in attendance.

These are exciting times in my homeland.  Makes me feel like writing a song…

There’s something happening here

What it is ain’t exactly clear

Real people speaking their minds

Got the libs worried about their behinds

And I think it’s time we stop the Dems

What a bunch of clowns 

Come November they’re goin’ down…

(with apologies to Stephen Stills)

Hat Tip: Gateway Pundit

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…also known as the majority of Americans.

Read it and weep.

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Dork, dweeb, nerd, or geek? 

Via The Great White Snark.

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Offered for your consideration:

Death threats against political leaders.

Death threats against family members of political leaders.

Death threats against political leaders on national television.

Blatant racism.

Incitement of violence.

Incitement of violence in the Washington Post.

Using violence for political gain.

“Two nukes wasn’t enough”

And then there is the Tea Party.

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I don’t think that this should come as a surprise to anyone.  When corporations are faced with increased costs, they tend to raise prices or reduce expenses.  Or both.  So, I’m guessing that not only will current employees and retirees be losing prescription drug benefits, AT&T won’t be doing much new hiring in the short term either.

Is this the change we were hoping for?

AT&T Inc. will take a $1 billion non-cash accounting charge in the first quarter because of the health care overhaul and may cut benefits it offers to current and retired workers.

The charge is the largest disclosed so far. Earlier this week, AK Steel Corp., Caterpillar Inc., Deere & Co. and Valero Energy announced similar accounting charges, saying the health care law that President Barack Obama signed Tuesday will raise their expenses. On Friday, 3M Co. said it will also take a charge of $85 million to $90 million.

AT&T also said Friday that it is looking into changing the health care benefits it offers because of the new law. Analysts say retirees could lose the prescription drug coverage provided by their former employers as a result of the overhaul.

AT&T rival Verizon Communications Inc. was among 10 companies that sent a letter to congressional leaders in December warning that their costs would increase with the health care changes. Verizon spokesman Peter Thonis said the company had no comment.

Also on Friday, Reps. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., and Bart Stupak, D-Mich., said they are asking the CEOs of Caterpillar, Verizon, Deere and others to testify at an April 21 House subcommittee hearing on claims that the health care law could hurt their ability to provide health insurance to workers.

Yo, Waxman and Stupak!  Here’s a clue for ya–maybe you should have had those hearings BEFORE passing this destructive law.

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Me, I don’t find the word (or the body part) dirty or otherwise offensive.

Back home in the USA the television networks have forbidden use of the word “vagina”.  This ad substituted “down there” for vagina, and was still turned down by two networks.  Give it a watch, I thought it was funny to see the Kotex folks mocking the industry advertising euphemisms for “feminine hygiene products”.

More info on the controversy here, and I loved this quote:

That provoked Amanda Hess, author of The Sexist blog, to observe: “Now, the commercial contains no direct references to female genitalia – you know, the place where the fucking tampon goes.”

Not sure if this banning is sexism or not.  I remember some of those Viagra ads which were chock full of double entendres about sustaining a woody.  But I think it’s probably more about prudish attitudes.  After all, if we start talking about vagina’s on TV,  the whole moral foundation of great nation is at risk.  Or something.

By the way, if anything, Korean ads for “sanitary products” are even more subdued.

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And so it begins.  It doesn’t get much more cynical than this.  Unless it is this.

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This week our yoja is Lee Na Young.

She’s a popular actress here in Korea.

Still looking good at 31 (relatively old by Korean standards).

She finished 3rd in a “hottest celebrity” ranking at a blog called Galbijim.  (In an odd coincindence, Galbijim’s #1 and #2 were previously featured in the Yoja of the Week series.)

And you might enjoy watching her perform is this cute commercial. 

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…Arguing that a few raisins managed to make it through the Congressional intestinal tract doesn’t make us any happier about having to eat it.” 

Wish I’d said that.

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So, last night I watched the final episode of season 4 from the Showtime series Dexter.

Wow.  Now to be honest, Dexter’s wife was getting on my nerves all season long.  Always whining about something and threatening to leave Dexter over any minor disappointment.  I mean, sure Dexter has his issues, but c’mon, her ex was a drug addict and he routinely beat and raped her.  So maybe Dex doesn’t always express his feelings (’cause he’s a sociopath) but he’s good to the wife and the kids, and provides a nice home and security for the family.

Er, well, scratch that security part.  I didn’t really like the bitch, but still…

I don’t want to go any further and spoil if for anyone who hasn’t seen this episode yet, but what a great show.  John Lithgow gave a career performance in my view.

Now, like everyone else, I am anxiously awaiting the debut of season 5.  I gotta tell you though, I’m not sure what the writers are going to do to tie up the loose ends from season 4.  Dex’s sister has got to be on to him now, especially after learning about the family heritage.

I guess we’ll just have to wait and see…

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It boggles the mind.  Truly.

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…of Spring!  What’s up with that Al?

Anyway, as they are wont to do this time of year, the storm brought humongous snowflakes…I’d reckon them to be the size of silver dollars, if any of you out still remember silver dollars…

They snowflakes looked like this from the back balcony:

In other news, I took my nephew Justin (an exchange student at Yonsei University) to see Nanta.  You know, expose him to real authentic Korean culture and all.  Always an enjoyable show…

That would be Justin…

The stage is set….

The audience murmurs in anticipation….

…and photography is not allowed during the show….sorry about that.

So, yesterday caught a little break in the weather and took a stroll along the Han riverside…

Much of Saturday’s yellow dust had dissipated…

…and the bicyclists took full advantage…

…as I walked along the Seven Bridges Road.   Er, well kinda sorta.

Youngdonggyo (one of many Hangang crossings).  Gyo=Bridge.  Gang=River.  The Gyo, we’ll build it now, it may take a lot of time….

I do believe this is the International signage meaning “Oh Shit!”  Or judging from the eyes, don’t take drugs and work in high places.  Or something like that…

After spending an hour and a half on my river hike, I decided to save these steps leading to a little park for another day….

So instead I hopped the #110 bus back to Itaewon and a late lunch at 3 Alley Pub.  And I was reminded why I rarely go there anymore.  Food is fine, but.  See I order a Miller Lite and a menu.  They both arrive.  The waitress ask if I’m paying now.  I say, well I’m gonna order me up some lunchee.  She asks for a credit card.  I say forget it and give her a cash for the beer.  She brings my change.  I order my lunch (wings and goulash).  She asks me to pay in advance, so I do.  She brings the change.  I order another beer and so on…

I guess Albert has a reason for this policy, but I hate it and so I’m pretty sure I’ve spent my last money in his establishment…

And thus ends another chapter in the life and times of LTG.

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Elections have consequences and I fear these will be reverberating for generations to come.  I don’t have much to add to what has already been said (heh, do I ever?), but some things do stand out to me from my vantage point far away.

First, it will be the young and healthy who carry the biggest burden.  Perhaps that is as it should be.  But I do find it amusing that the biggest winners appear to be the demonized insurance providers.  I mean, let’s force the millions of people who don’t have insurance to buy insurance–that will teach those profit mongers!

And the Democrats told the overwhelming majority of Americans who opposed Obamacare to go to hell.  I expect that will have consequences come November.  As the Washington Examiner puts it:

Never before in American history has a measure of such importance been imposed on the country by the majority party over the unanimous opposition of the minority. Democrats have continually sought to create a halo effect for Obamacare by associating it with Social Security and Medicare. But the reality is that both of those landmark programs were approved with strong bipartisan support in both the Senate and House. The Senate vote on Social Security in 1935 was 77-6, with 64 Democrats being joined by 14 Republicans. In the House, the 373 votes for Social Security included 77 Republicans. When Medicare passed in 1965, the 68-21 Senate vote included 13 Republicans, while 65 Republicans were among the 313 affirmative House votes. Such bipartisan consensus was what the Founders sought with the Constitution. But Democrats made a mockery of bipartisanship by shoving Obamacare down the throats of Republican lawmakers and snubbing the popular majority that opposed it. The Democrats have undercut the credibility of the law they created.

I think you should also see what The Atlantic’s Megan McArdle has to say along these lines.

Is there a bigger fool than Congressman Stupak?  Of course, no one believes he was stupid enough to sell out his “pro-life” principles  for an empty Executive Order.  Was he?  Because of course, the law (as contained in the Senate bill and unchanged by today’s reconciliation vote) trumps an XO.  No, I think the Dems think the American people are that stupid.  I’m betting they were wrong about that.

And for those looking for a silver lining, you might find comfort in this post at PowerLine.

Me, I just feel sad for my country today.  And glad to be living far enough away that I can ignore it for the most part.  Sure, like everyone else, I will pay more for my insurance and have my taxes go up.  But for those living in the states and relying on American health care providers, well, higher costs are the least of your worries.

God Bless America.  She’s gonna need it.

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You know, I guess I should get on board as well.  If the President is to be believed (shut up!) my health insurance premium will be reduced under Obamacare.  How is this possible?  Well, apparently, most of the uninsured who will be mandated to purchase heath insurance (a mandate opposed by candidate Obama, and supported by President Obama) are young healthy people.  Adding them to the insurance pool will lower the premium costs for everyone.

Cool.  As a baby boomer, I’m all about being subsidized by the younger generation.  Especially since young people are apparently Obama’s biggest fans.

And oh by the way.  You and your kids will be paying for this boondoggle long after I’ve joined Grandpa Munster in the great hereafter.

Thanks again!

Hat Tip: JammieWearingFool

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