I’m from the government – Page 68

A sneak peek at Aerospace Projects Review issue V2N5. Aerospaceplane (“ASP”) was an early 1960’s USAF program to develop a practical “orbital airplane,” with multiple bidders turning in a wide range of competing designs based on some wildly differing propulsion systems. Unlike the 30-year later, but largely identical, X-30 NASP competition, in this case the various bidders were not constrained by the government dictating all aspects of the design.

While ASP was certainly well beyond the technological capabilities of the early ’60’s, it cannot be reliably declared that it could not have been made to work if development had been continued. As with far too many aerospace programs, large sums of money were spent, considerable knowledge and talent were gathered… and then it was all pissed away, only to be repeatedly resurrected years later, and then again pissed away. All the money spent on the myriad of “orbital airplane” programs over the years (ASP, Dyna Soar, NASP, X-33, X-34, X-43, etc) could have easily led to an actual vehicle, if only a rational development program had been initiated… and stuck with.

Bah. Anyway, V2N5 of APR will have an article describing a “snapshot” in time of the ASP program, including the above designs.

I read this, and wondered, “where have I seen that before?”

“A walking helmet is a good helmet”
“Traffic safety isn’t just for cyclists. The pedestrians of Denmark actually have a higher risk of head injury. The Danish Road Safety Council recommends walking helmets for pedestrians and other good folk in high risk groups.”

It took me a minute or two, but I fianlly remembered: I saw it in the online graphic novel “Escape From Terra,” put out by Big Head Press.

It’s not, IMO, quite up to the standards of their “Probability Broach,” but it’s still entertaining. It’s a tale of a tax collector from Earth who sets off to the asteroid belt to bring the libertarian, freedom-loving asteroid miners into the loving embrace of Mother Earth (meaning: complete domination and complete taxation). And it looks like rather than being forward thinking, it might wind up being a bit behind the times.

Cash for Clunkers has claimed another victim. Click pic to get the article.

Mater could not be reached for comment. It is reported that he is hiding in an undisclosed location.

One of the interesting things about this particular brainstorm is just how… governmental it is. While the merits of paying people large sums to swap a less fuel efficient car for a more fuel efficient car can be debated… the requirement that the old car, once delivered to the dealer, must be destroyed seems irrational. Can we not sell these cars to, say, Mexico? Or Cuba? Even our old beaters are likely to be far more fuel efficient than their antiques.

<> But, no. The engines must be drained of oil and then filled with sodium silicate, then run at full blast until the engine is trashed. As some of the videos show, there is a risk of fire doing this. And the clouds of smoke sure don’t look real “green.”
Does this make *any* sense?

Here’re some YouTube vids. These cars aren’t that old. And they’re being destroyed.
Here. And here. And here. And here. And here. And here.

From the “unintended consequences” file comes this story from TCPalm:

Under Florida law, each image is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. The charge — typically possession of sexual performance by a child — is intended to snare pedophiles and other sexual predators. But teens who are sexting are caught in a loophole that could have life-changing repercussions.

And here’s the kicker: Both the sender and receiver are equally culpable under the law.

While it seems that this has not yet been used as a weapon, the law is apparently written so that if Person A sends kiddie porn to Person B… then Person B will *also* go to jail, regardless of whether Person B actually sought out the illegal materials.

Times like this I’m glad I’ve got me one of them “dumb” featureless cell phones.

A few news stories that cast the British government in a bad light:

US shock jock Savage targeted ‘to balance least wanted list’

Former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has suffered a major setback in her legal battle with American ‘shock jock’ Michael Savage after her officials were accused of banning him from the country on racial grounds.

Emails written by Home Office officials privately acknowledged the ban on Mr Savage would provide ‘balance’ to a list dominated by Muslims – and linked the decision to Gordon Brown and Foreign Secretary David Miliband.

Translation: the British government was afraid of angering radical Islamists. So they knuckled under to radical Islamists. Without the Islamists even firing a shot or saying a word. Which means that the Islamists seem to run the show.

But it gets even better:

Secret Labour tax on having a patio: Millions of homes assessed for charge which hammers middle classes

Shocking new details of a stealth tax of up to £600 for householders with views of any kind, patios, conservatories and even a nearby bus stop are revealed for the first time today.

Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show millions of homes have already been secretly assessed by Labour in preparation for council tax hikes expected to target the middle class after the Election.

Homes have been given ‘value significant codes’ which will make virtually every desirable feature taxable.

Although not every home has been assessed, so far nearly 100,000 householders face being penalised simply for having a scenic view from their windows.

Translation: ho-lee shee-it.

I’ve been asked why I have so many “dumbassery out of Britain” postings on my blog. It’s not because I’m anti-British… it’s because I’m anti-dumbass. And American dumbasses have a tendency to look to European socialism as a way to solve America’s perceived ills. Whenever the British government imposes yet another bit of extreme dumbassery on the British people, I cringe… not for the British people, but because I know that someone in a position of power here in the US will look at that and go, “Hey, that’s a good idea. Let’s do that here, too.”

This last news article provides some damned good examples of why “property taxes” need to be put in the same category as “income taxes…” in other words, thrown out, done away with, made extinct. The moment you give government the power to tax you in perpetuity for owning a plot of land, you have turned from citizens into subjects, from landowners into renters. And government will constantly find new ways to screw you.

While I don’t support violent revolution here in the US… I would be hard pressed to argue against Brits who decided that The Day had come.

The laughably titled “America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009,” H.R. 3200, can be downloaded as a 1.75 meg PDF file HERE.

<>It’s a lean 1017 pages long. That’s right, a thousand fargin’ pages. If by some odd chance you don’t want to read the whole thing, someone has started going through it and taking notes:

Pg 22 of the HC Bill MANDATES the Govt will audit books of ALL
EMPLOYERS that self insure!!

Pg 30 Sec 123 of HC bill – THERE WILL BE A GOVT COMMITTEE that decides
what treatments/benes u get

Pg 29 lines 4-16 in the HC bill – YOUR HEALTHCARE IS RATIONED!!!

Pg 42 of HC Bill – The Health Choices Commissioner will choose UR HC
Benefits 4 you. U have no choice!

PG 50 Section 152 in HC bill – HC will be provided 2 ALL non US
citizens, illegal or otherwise

Pg 58HC Bill – Govt will have real-time access 2 individs finances & a
National ID Healthcard will b issued!

Pg 59 HC Bill lines 21-24 Govt will have direct access 2 ur banks
accts 4 elect. funds transfer

PG 65 Sec 164 is a payoff subsidized plan 4 retirees and their
families in Unions & community orgs (ACORN).

Pg 72 Lines 8-14 Govt is creating an HC Exchange 2 bring priv HC plans
under Govt control.

PG 84 Sec 203 HC bill – Govt mandates ALL benefit pkgs 4 priv. HC
plans in the Exchange

PG 85 Line 7 HC Bill – Specs for of Benefit Levels for Plans = The
Govt will ration ur Healthcare!

PG 91 Lines 4-7 HC Bill – Govt mandates linguistic approp svcs.
Example – Translation 4 illegal aliens

Pg 95 HC Bill Lines 8-18 The Govt will use groups i.e., ACORN &
Americorps 2 sign up indiv. for Govt HC plan

PG 85 Line 7 HC Bill – Specs of Ben Levels 4 Plans. #AARP members – U
Health care WILL b rationed

-PG 102 Lines 12-18 HC Bill – Medicaid Eligible Indiv. will b
automat.enrolled in Medicaid. No choice

pg 124 lines 24-25 HC No company can sue GOVT on price fixing. No
“judicial review” against Govt Monop

pg 127 Lines 1-16 HC Bill – Doctors/ #AMA – The Govt will tell YOU
what u can make.

Pg 145 Line 15-17 An Employer MUST auto enroll employees into pub opt
plan. NO CHOICE

Pg 126 Lines 22-25 Employers MUST pay 4 HC 4 part time employees AND
their families.

Pg 149 Lines 16-24 ANY Emplyr w payroll 400k & above who does not
prov. pub opt. pays 8% tax on all payroll

pg 150 Lines 9-13 Biz w payroll btw 251k & 400k who doesnt prov. pub.
opt pays 2-6% tax on all payroll

Pg 167 Lines 18-23 ANY individual who doesnt have acceptable HC
accrdng 2 Govt will be taxed 2.5% of inc

Pg 170 Lines 1-3 HC Bill Any NONRESIDENT Alien is exempt from indiv.
taxes. (Americans will pay)

Pg 195 HC Bill -officers & employees of HC Admin (GOVT) will have
access 2 ALL Americans finan/pers recs

PG 203 Line 14-15 HC – “The tax imposed under this section shall not
be treated as tax” Yes, it says that

Pg 239 Line 14-24 HC Bill Govt will reduce physician svcs 4 Medicaid.
Seniors, low income, poor affected

Pg 241 Line 6-8 HC Bill – Doctors, doesnt matter what specialty u
have, you’ll all be paid the same

PG 253 Line 10-18 Govt sets value of Dr’s time, prof judg, etc.
Literally value of humans.

PG 265 Sec 1131Govt mandates & controls productivity for private HC
industries

PG 268 Sec 1141 Fed Govt regulates rental & purchase of power driven
wheelchairs

PG 272 SEC. 1145. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN CANCER HOSPITALS – Cancer
patients – welcome to rationing!

Page 280 Sec 1151 The Govt will penalize hospitals 4 what Govt deems
preventable readmissions.

Pg 298 Lines 9-11 Drs, treat a patient during initial admiss that
results in a readmiss-Govt will penalize u.

Pg 317 L 13-20 OMG!! PROHIBITION on ownership/investment. Govt tells
Drs. what/how much they can own.

Pg 317-318 lines 21-25,1-3 PROHIBITION on expansion- Govt is mandating
hospitals cannot expand

pg 321 2-13 Hospitals have oppt to apply for exception BUT community
input required. Can u say ACORN?!!

Pg335 L 16-25 Pg 336-339 – Govt mandates estab. of outcome based
measures. HC the way they want. Rationing

Pg 341 Lines 3-9 Govt has authority 2 disqual Medicare Adv Plans,
HMOs, etc. Forcing peeps in2 Govt plan

Pg 354 Sec 1177 – Govt will RESTRICT enrollment of Special needs ppl!
WTF. My sis has down syndrome!!

Pg 379 Sec 1191 Govt creates more bureaucracy – Telehealth Advisory
Cmtte. Can u say HC by phone?

PG 425 Lines 4-12 Govt mandates Advance Care Planning Consult. Think
Senior Citizens end of life

Pg 425 Lines 17-19 Govt will instruct & consult regarding living
wills, durable powers of atty. Mandatory!

PG 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3 Govt provides apprvd list of end of
life resources, guiding u in death

PG 427 Lines 15-24 Govt mandates program 4 orders 4 end of life. The
Govt has a say in how ur life ends

Pg 429 Lines 1-9 An “adv. care planning consult” will b used
frequently as patients health deteriorates

PG 429 Lines 10-12 “adv. care consultation” may incl an ORDER 4 end of
life plans. AN ORDER from GOV

Pg 429 Lines 13-25 – The govt will specify which Doctors can write an
end of life order.

PG 430 Lines 11-15 The Govt will decide what level of treatment u will
have at end of life

Pg 469 – Community Based Home Medical Services=Non profit orgs. Hello,
ACORN Medical Svcs here!!?

Page 472 Lines 14-17 PAYMENT TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORG. 1 monthly payment
2 a community-based org. Like ACORN?

PG 489 Sec 1308 The Govt will cover Marriage & Family therapy. Which
means they will insert Govt in2 ur marriage

Pg 494-498 Govt will cover Mental Health Svcs including defining,
creating, rationing those svcs

Our friends in the UK have done it again:

Facebook police raided my family barbecue

<>Riot police stormed a 30th birthday party for just 15 people and shut it down, thinking it was a rave because it was advertised on Facebook.

<>Four police cars, a riot van and a helicopter were involved in the swoop on Andrew Poole’s gathering for his family and friends.

Eight officers wearing camouflage trousers and body armour jumped out and demanded that the ‘rave’ to be shut down.

Mr Poole said: ‘We were nowhere near anyone. We weren’t even playing any music. What effectively the police did was come in and stop 15 people eating burgers.’

Now that is a spectacular use of the taxpayer ~~dollar~~ ~~Euro~~ ~~pound~~ whatever.