Diebold re-brands to counter criticism

Taken straight from LRC:

October 09, 2007

Diebold re-brands to counter criticism

Posted by Ryan W. McMaken at October 9, 2007 10:55 PM

Remember Diebold? They make those voting machines that are susceptible to fraud and malfunction. Diebold has never managed to show that their machines are secure against attempts to affect election outcomes.

It's true that old-fashioned paper ballots aren't secure either, but it's a lot easier to secretly remove 1,000 votes from a Diebold machine than it is to hide 1,000 physical paper ballots.

Since Diebold has never been able to successfully address these problems, it decided to simply rename itself, so now Diebold = Premier Election Solutions (PES).

And in case you're wondering who is paying for all of this, Diebold's spokesman explained it all when he mentioned that "the public dollar that ultimately pays for this" is your dollar.

(Un)Fair Labor / Chinese Organ Harvesting

If there is a reason to not purchase Chinese made products, it has nothing to do with being patriotic, nothing to do with the quality of what you buy, but everything to do with the most basic of things, HUMAN RIGHTS.

Santa's Workshop - A look inside Chinese Labor - Full documentary on Google Video

Chinese Slave Labor Raid Video


Chinese Slave Labor Prison


China Selling Prisoners' Organs - BBC News


China Organ Harvesting from Political Prisoners

WalMart Hell

I recently watched a movie called "WalMart: The High Cost of Low Price" and started a book called "The WalMart Effect".

Have you ever pulled into a WalMart parking lot and felt like you were entering a 3rd world country. Instead of landmines there are shopping carts waiting to take you out. Instead of Rebels attacking the Govt you have punks breaking into cars.

Ever notice the parking lot cameras around some WalMarts? Those aren't there to protect customers, in fact most aren't even monitored. They are there as part of the "Union Package". A security package installed to monitor and record Union activities in order to assist corporate WalMart from allowing Unions to enter their stores. They have gone so far as to maintain a private jet for their union busting lawyers to make immediate emergency flights to anywhere in the country.

WalMart is able to maintain Low prices through indirect government subsidies. That's right, you, me, and every other state and federal taxpayer subsidizes WalMart. How you might ask? By unfair hiring practices and consistent low wages in combination with little to no medical assistance packages to employees, they force their employs on to state and federal medical assistance.

Time after time, community after community, enters the blight after WalMart moves in. It isn't hard to see. WalMart replaces the private business that were in place with a single business offering cheap imports made using inhumane work practices (See China Sweatshops). The relitivly well paying jobs of the communitie shift to low paying WalMart jobs and the community enters decline. Don't believe it, start looking around the areas WalMart exists in, especially any small community that is less capable of absorbing the shock.

I will never purchase another item from WalMart.

Ana Free

Sorry, just think this is some great stuff :)

Reasons for War

So I was trooling around on the web looking for a PDF called "How to Win In Anbar". I found it, but haven't figured out how I can post it here as viewable within the blog... Keep working on that, but I digress. I found this comment and had to laugh:

"See, whatever reason that American troops were sent to Iraq in the first place isn't important (something about Americans invited into Iraq as peacekeepers, or something), they're there now, fighting for freedom. It isn't America's fault that Iraqis are incapable of democracy. They only understand violence. Americans are referees, really. They are trying their hardest to help those ungrateful people who don't love their children the way westerners do. All they need is more body armor and troops to help the democratic process. Iraqis are like children, who need the guiding hand of a benevolent and selfless parent, who isn't afraid to use the belt when that child misbehaves...

Sorry, I was channeling the Democrats there for a second. Ever since the election, the war's rationale has undergone a cognitive sidestep: It's all the Iraqis fault."

It seems that the reasons keep changing, and the mission is never actually defined in any measurable or achievable way regardless of who has control. Frustrating.

Comments

Just to point out to anyone that might not have noticed: at the bottom of every page is a link for comments. Please feel free to leave some, agree, disagree, or whatever....

Anti-Americans Are Everywhere

OK, so this is a blatant cut and paste repost of a Thomas Woods piece on lewrockwell.com. I couldn't help but put this up again, it is a great then and now comparison of Iraq to Bosnia...

State Senator Robert Clegg calls Ron Paul "anti-American" for opposing the foreign policy of a small group of people in Washington. (The rest of America doesn't count -- the 35 people who make the policy are America, so no questioning them.)

Here are what some Republicans were saying about U.S. military operations in Bosnia in 1995. I'm inclined to think they escaped Mr. Clegg's censure.

"You can support the troops but not the president."
-- Rep. Tom Delay (R-TX)

"Well, I just think it's a bad idea. What's going to happen is they're going to be over there for 10, 15, maybe 20 years."
-- Joe Scarborough (R-FL)

"Explain to the mothers and fathers of American servicemen that may come home in body bags why their son or daughter have to give up their life?"
-- Sean Hannity, Fox News, 4/6/99

"[The] President...is once again releasing American military might on a foreign country with an ill-defined objective and no exit strategy. He has yet to tell the Congress how much this operation will cost. And he has not informed our nation's armed forces about how long they will be away from home. These strikes do not make for a sound foreign policy."
-- Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA)

"American foreign policy is now one huge big mystery. Simply put, the administration is trying to lead the world with a feel-good foreign policy."
-- Rep. Tom Delay (R-TX)

"If we are going to commit American troops, we must be certain they have a clear mission, an achievable goal and an exit strategy."
-- Karen Hughes, speaking on behalf of George W. Bush

"I had doubts about the bombing campaign from the beginning.... I didn't think we had done enough in the diplomatic area."
-- Senator Trent Lott (R-MS)

"I cannot support a failed foreign policy. History teaches us that it is often easier to make war than peace. This administration is just learning that lesson right now. The President began this mission with very vague objectives and lots of unanswered questions. A month later, these questions are still unanswered. There are no clarified rules of engagement. There is no timetable. There is no legitimate definition of victory. There is no contingency plan for mission creep. There is no clear funding program. There is no agenda to bolster our over-extended military. There is no explanation defining what vital national interests are at stake. There was no strategic plan for war when the President started this thing, and there still is no plan today."
-- Rep. Tom Delay (R-TX)

"Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is."
-- Governor George W. Bush (R-TX)

Source.

Nalgene (Poly Carbonate/Lexan) Bottle and Bisphenol-A (BPA)

Just wanted to pass this along to those interested.

There are some issues coming up with Poly-Carbonate drinking bottles. The most common are probably the hard Nalgene bottles, the are usually marked as a Number 7 Recyclable or as PC. I have a shelf full of these bottles I have used for years, so I was really resistant to anything that said I should stop drinking out of them....

Turns out there is a chemical used in the manufacture of Poly-Carbonate called Bisphenol-A (BPA). It tends to leach out of the material into the water (or any other liquid) contained in the bottle. The leaching tends to get worse as the bottle gets older, rather than less, and also gets worse if it has gone through the dishwasher (due to the high heat).

So what's the problem with BPA? As research goes on it is being linked to Prostate Cancer, breast Cancer, Birth Defects, mimics estrogen in the body along with a slew of other things. I have dumped my bottles and switched over to Sigg and Klean Kanteen (metal) bottles. Here are just a couple links with more information:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/Story?id=3450831&page=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisphenol_A

http://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/Monomers/BPA-Risk-Bottles13apr05.htm

http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200311/lol5.asp

America to the Rescue

I have to admit it, I love the Daily Show. I am not sure there has ever been a stronger argument for a non-interventionist foreign policy than is made here. Simply tied together in a very real and historically correct way. Though it is aimed as a defense for Obama's lack of experience, it is actually a full on push for Ron Paul. "Oh billions and billions of dollars, is there any problem you can't solve?"

Post Katrina Theft of Weapons

Ok, so i have had this video as part of the blog main page for a few days now. Time to change it out with a new one. If you haven't already watched, it clearly shows the violation of US Citizens 2nd amendment rights by the police of New Orleans following Katrina. Poice beat and abuse citizens for the now crime of owning a firearm. To date, few of the taken firearms have been returned, despite a federal order to do so.

15 die eating puffer fish in Thailand

I'm glad I went for the Fugu in Japan instead of the "Salmon" in Thailand! Cute little guy isn't he?

BANGKOK, Thailand - Unscrupulous vendors in Thailand have been selling meat of the deadly puffer fish disguised as salmon, causing the deaths of more than 15 people over the past three years, a doctor said Thursday.

Although banned since 2002, puffer fish continues to be sold in large quantities at local markets and restaurants, said Narin Hiransuthikul of Bangkok's Chulalonkorn University Hospital.

"Some sellers dye the meat of puffer fish and make it look like salmon which is very dangerous," Narin said.

Narin said over the past three years more than 15 people have died and about 115 were hospitalized from eating the fish.

The ovaries, liver and intestines of the puffer fish contain tetrodotoxin, a poison so potent that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it can "produce rapid and violent death."

The fish is called fugu in Japan, where it is consumed by thrill-seeking Japanese gourmets for whom the risk of poisoning adds piquancy.

Every year, there are reports of people dying or falling sick in Asia from eating puffer fish. Eating the fish can cause paralysis, vomiting, heart failure and death.

Home

Just a short and quick update. I am finally back home in San Francisco :). I have some old posts to still put up once I get settled in...

Some lewrockwell.com articles

Our Criminal Government and Its Central Bank

Posted by Lew Rockwell at 12:36 PM

Governments inflate--what's called counterfeiting in the private sector--as an underhanded way to increase their spending, and as a reward to the big banks and other special interests, and the heck with the consequences.

The government's CPI has always understated actual price increases--the most visible effect of inflation--but now the Fed's buzzards are coming home to roost.

Inflation has a redistributionary effect from the people at large, especially the poor and the retired, to the government, the banks, and government contractors, who get the newly created money first, and can spend it before it diminishes in value.

Then the rest of us pick up the tab in the form, for example, of much higher food prices.

This is a criminal process no different than outright theft, except that it is disguised, and also brings on recessions and depressions. Oh, and we are supposed to admire the Official Crooks as versus the private variety.

As Murray Rothbard said, the state is only "a band of thieves writ large."

Mattel Toy Recall

Posted by Lew Rockwell at 11:48 AM

Writes Bryan Stewart: "The recent Mattel toy recall provides an excellent contrast in private sector vs govt sector, and their attitudes towards consumers.

"As many as 18.5 million Mattel toys are potentially affected. The logistics involved must be mind boggling, to try and track down all affected toys. Yet, the process is remarkably easy and efficient. Not knowing if my 2 1/2 year olds' toy truck was affected, I decided to find out. Mattel has organized their entire website for this, seemingly overnight. Plug in a little code from the bottom of your toy, and the site takes you through the steps to find out if it should be recalled. It is wonderfully organized, each type of toy having its own weblink. Turns out that my son's toy is affected. I provided my information, and a return receipt is on its way to me. The whole process took me about five minutes, and was hassle-free. We see the CEO on the website reassuring customers, and trying to salvage their business. The (voluntary) recall is being conducted with the safety and satisfaction of the customer as the highest priority. Can anyone seriously imagine the govt trying to process 18.5 million requests out-of-the-blue virtually overnight? Chaos would reign.

"Of course this story was the lead on the nightly news, too. I caught ABC's version with Charles Gibson last night and what a disgusting display it was, further proof that our entire culture has become governo-centric (if that is even a word). What to do if you think a toy you own could be affected? According to ABC, go to the govt's website for a list. Why not go to Mattel's directly? They did not raise this point. My experience was wonderful. And my favorite was the little line that 'the govt allows companies to monitor lead content themselves' (!) as if the govt owns the property and is merely leasing the rights to Mattel. It is easy to see how, to the politically naive, statism creeps in unnoticed with the full help of the MSM.

"The whole charade continued this morning on the news, and the focus turned of course to China. The threatening language of federal bureaucrats was just too much. Finding it unbearable to watch, I switched it off, but the take home message was essentially that the Chinese cannot be trusted, and the ultimate costs of cheap goods from China may be your child's lives. More not-so-subtle, empty-headed flag-waving. God help us all."

Guam

What is there to say about Guam? Well the first thing people generally ask me is "Where is Guam?" I am here and I am not exactly sure! Go look it up.

Guam is an interesting place of sorts. A smallish island, lush with vegetation, but mixed with a strong blend of poverty and wealth. The difference between the tourist area of the beach, filled with Louie Vitton, Coach, gold, jewelry, and resorts against the rest of the island is striking. Even there, strewn between the bastions of excess are strip clubs and massage parlors complete with there resplendent neon signs. It is a testament to the state of the islands economy. Gucchi for those that have it and a seedy massage parlor for those that don't. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of other small businesses, but these two in such stark contrast tell a story all on their own.

I have had the opportunity to travel a fair bit the situation here is the same I have seen in other places. Yep, this is my social commentary moment. Here you have a long time domestic population that was colonized and subjugated. First by the Spaniards a few hundred years ago, and then ceded to the US in the late 1800's. It is a place that has been used with little concern for what happened to the area or native population. In WW2 nearly all American citizens (translated whites) were evacuated prior to the Japanese invasion. Everyone else was left to fend for themselves and when the Japanese invaded they were treated as an occupied enemy.

Today it would be generous to say people are left to fend for themselves. if that were the case I believe they would be much better off. Rather, it is an island that scraps by on tourism and handouts with unrealistic expectations placed on it. The real money goes to those that already have it and the scraps go to those barely getting by. What's the solution? Got me, but I think full autonomy would be a good start. I know, that is just crazy talk. What would people do with out the US Govt in their life? How would anyone survive?

Airport Hell

Right, so going to Guam I learned several things:

1) Just because you have a reservation and you’re told everything is GTG, don’t count on it. I showed up at the airport only to find that my ticket had not actually been purchased. Sorry Karl, this one is one you, we will reimburse you later…

2) Narita Airport, the major international airport in Japan, just outside of Tokyo, the King of Electronics, the “We install monster sized PV solar panels to save the earth” airport does not have any internal wireless network aside from the Executive suites where you are issued a name and password. As if I really want to be a part of that uber-elite wireless network anyway. Screw them and their “you will never know the joys of what’s behind these doors” selves. Just give me some peasant class wireless to go with my peasant class economy ticket. I’ll plug the damn thing into the network if I have to, just give me a place to do it. Oh yeah, they also don’t give you anywhere comfortable to sit down and wait when your flight is delayed 5 hours past the scheduled departure time.

3) Did I mention the screaming herd of kids sitting right behind me, right now? Anyone have a stun-gun? Where is security to drag these brigands to the bowels of the airport? Oh yeah, probably hassling some 65 year old grandmother with a brick of cheese in her luggage.

4) I want an iphone. However, it probably would not work here either.

5) Why are Japanese Cell phones so much better than ours. Don’t get me wrong, they are just as much evel about it as we are, all the phones are locked down to specific companies, but they are much more capable. For instance, with the phone I was using I was able to use the phones camera to scan Kongi (the Japanese / Chinese character) and it would translate them into English, or vice versa. Show me a phone in the states that can even come close to doing that! They almost all have built in currency exchange calculators and financial management assistance, and some go so far as to have a built in TV and / or radio tuners, all the while being only slightly larger if not the same size as what we have. US Cellular is holding out on us. (OK, this one has nothing to do with going to Guam)

Fugu Gump

Fugu… all the same thing. I went to Tokyo with the sole purpose of having a taste of this far east delicacy. Difficult to find, expensive, and potentially deadly all make this a bite to remember. It takes years for a sushi chef to become qualified and licensed to serve Fugu. A license is issued and national standards are set to qualify. A slightly wrong slice can prove deadly for whoever eats it. The exam is so difficult to pass, on 1-3 percent of those who take it pass.

My experience with Fugu: Unfortunately for me I read the Wiki article about it before I tried it. I read in great detail the manor in which the poison works and how it kills. See, it is a type of sodium blocker, as it takes effect it paralyzes the victim, losing all muscle control, yet not affecting the brain in any way. Eventually it shuts down the respiratory system and you suffocate to death, all the while totally aware of what is happening. There is no cure, if caught in time the only treatment is to place you on life support until the toxins are naturally cleared from the body. It also goes on to tell you that the some of the most toxic parts of the fish are its skin and its liver. Oh yeah, cooking does not reduce the toxicity of the poison.

I ordered the full course of Fugu, if I was going to do it, I was going all the way. 1^st course, Boiled skin of Fugu Salad. Wait a minute, I though this was something I wasn’t supposed to eat???? After the first bite my lips and tongue were slightly numb and I decided both the taste, texture, and thought of eating boiled skin fish was not very good. Did I mention I couldn’t feel my lips or tongue? Well, if they are willing to serve it to me, I am willing to eat it so down the salad of skin went.

One dish down… what next? Fugu Sashimi. Raw slices of the thickest, meatiest areas of the fish served raw over rice with a very nice soya sauce. Rating….. excellent. I really liked this and could have had several more servings.

NEXT! Grilled Fugu with vegetables. Another excellent dish. It was a bit more of a challenge than I anticipated though. Unlike the sashimi that had no bones, these pieces most certainly did. I think of myself as adequate with chopsticks, but I had never tried deboning a fish with them before this night. It didn’t go so well, and feeling sorry for me the waitress brought fork and knife which I eventually broke down and used (only when I had to). Hey, wait a minute, this piece looks different, waitress what is this? Oh, um liver of Fugu?? I didn’t think I was supposed to eat this either. Oh well, if they are going to serve it… and wow, so far the liver is my favorite part!

Are my arms starting to go numb???? Hard to tell, I should probably slow down on the beer just in case.

On to the next… Boiled Fugu Stew with vegetables.

This was very cool. All of the tables (all 4 of them) had induction cook tops built into them. The stew is made in a paper lined basket, right there at the table and served as each piece is ready.

Hold on, is that more liver, ohhhh two more pieces?!?!? Umm, ok. May I have a cup of green tea please? I think they were pulling livers out of other fish to give me so much, these pieces were huge compared to the size of one fish! Again, the liver was the tastiest. How could this be bad for me????

Boiled Fugu Stew rating…. Not bad. I think at this point I was starting to suffer from a little Fugu burn-out. One slice she was particularly proud of, “This is the face of the Fugu.” “The face?” pointing to my face. “Yes, the face.” Yummy, I ate the face of a fish. Again, back to the knife and fork to pick out every bit of Fugu Face goodness.

Here ends the feast of Fugu, the last two courses were a rice and egg dish, made in the same water the Fugu was boiled in, and an ice cream with tea for desert. As I was leaving the manager handed me a card with the restaurant's name and in large print across the top FUGU. I think the card was meant to be stapled to my head in the unfortunate case I stop breathing. Do it again…. Absolutely, but next time I am taking someone with me. I suspect the course I ordered was portioned for at least 2 if not three people to share.

Harry Potter

Ok, ok. I finally broke down and started reading the Harry Potter series. I hate to admit it but they are actually pretty good. I finished the 3rd book today and am going to start the movies tonight. I actually find myself wishing I had the rest of the books here to read. Yes, a little embarrassing. Even the Japanese are Harry Potter Fans.

Tokyo and Kyoto

Let me just say that starting a trip around Japan with a climb of Mt Fuji is not a good idea. Definitely something to save until the end of whatever you are doing. We didn't feel terrible afterwards but definitly fatigued and a little sore. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that some people walked their dogs up the Mountain and a few others ran the entire way up and back down. Yeah, crazy.

So off we go to Tokyo the next day. There is a military hotel located close to Roppongi where we spent most of our time. It makes staying in Tokyo affordable. On our way to Roppongi from the hotel (walking) we turned a corner and I met my first Lamborghini dealership! Hmmm, I wonder if this is a nice part of town?

Our first real stop was at Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills. This thing is 54 stories and the top floors are open to the public (for a small price). The top floors contain a 360 degree observation deck, an aquarium, and an art museum. The entire complex also contain residential facilities, an enormous shopping area, a meeting place, and very much more. What started as a brief stop to check it out turned into a long, many hour stay at the tower. Neither of us had any idea how much there was to see when we went in.

From the Observation Deck we were able to see the expanse of Tokyo at night. Even from the 53rd floor, you can not see the boundaries of the city, it seems to go on and on. We took a lot of pictures, but being at night they didn't really show the cities expanse well. Were were able to get a few pictures of the aquarium, but for the most part pictures were banned and security was sweeping down like hawks on those that tried. It quickly became obvious big brother was watching. The aquarium itself was a work of art. Each tank was set to compliment the tank next to it. I wish I could have snagged a few good pictures, but it wasn't worth it.

Down in the courtyard was this giant spider sort of thing, a piece of modern art I suppose. Pretty cool, it definitly stood out as a central item there.

Amy - Here and Gone - Mt Fuji

So Amy came out for a week, though it seems more like it was just for a day. Time moves fast, especially when you have a lot planned! In 6 days we climed Mt. Fuji (Fuji-San), spent 2 days in Tokyo, rode the Shinkansen (Bullet Train) to Kyoto, spent a couple days there, then back to Yokosuka via Tokyo on the Shinkansen.

Mt. Fuji was tough. Much tougher than either of us expected and much more difficult than advertised. I know I am not in the status of superhero for physical fitness, but damn. Was it worth it? Hmmmm, undecided. I'd say yes, but only because I did it with Ames. We took a lot of pictures and I don't think a single one of them does an accurate job of showing how steep or hard that climb was. There are are stations along the way where you can sop for a break, a drink, and a bite to eat. The climb starts from the 5th station, about 1/2 way up the mountain. In the old days people started from the first station located at sea-level; now stations 1-4 are nothing more than road markers.

We started the climb around 5:30am. They say about 30% of the people that make the climb each year are foreigners, but on the day we went it seemed more like 60%. The weather was questionable, cloudy and a little rain so we dressed out in rain suits... That lasted about 10 minutes before it became apparent we would get wetter sweating in the rain suit than by the rain that was falling. It starts out deceptively easy, paved and semi-paved trail, not much incline and very wide. It does not take long though before things change. The trail gets a little rougher and a little steeper, turns to something like lava rock covered switchbacks, and then changes into something of a rock climb. The trial changes several times and I don't think one is any easier than the other. The lava-rock path is all loose footing and tiring. The rock climb areas are mostly solid, but well, it is climbing.

The 5th station starts below the tree line. When we left it was overcast and misty, but as the climb went on we passed above the tree line and eventually above the cloud line. The middle 1/3 of the climb was clear and beautiful. There were clouds rolling down the mountain side from above and fog rolling up the mountain from below. Ice and snow were still visible on the mountain side, but had melted away from the trail a few weeks ago.

Each station offers a stamp to place on your walking stick. It is called a stamp, but with the exception of one they are brands. This is a pretty cool souvenir, I may try to convince Amy to place them over the fireplace like swords (I doubt she will go for it).

After about 7 hours, we reached the top. Unknown to me, the top is loaded with small places to rest and eat. We had two bowls of Ramon, at a cost of 1600 yen, or about 16 dollars. It was the best Ramon and best spent 16 bucks, ever. Yeah, the mark-up is a little steep, but what are you going to do? That's what free market / supply and demand is all about. If you don't want $8 Ramon, don't climb Mt. Fuji.

This is a picture of us at the gate just below the summit.

Rainy Days

Japan and the rainy summer season. Very little sunshine and lots of drizzly rain. There is a typhoon on the way, I hear Okinawa is already getting hit and shutting down. By the time it makes it here this weekend it should be little more than a tropical storm, but still, lots of rain. Because of the rain, I haven't been out much with the camera, pictures are short here for the posts. I did take a few the other day.

Along the sidewalks through the main traffic areas, there are these strange yellow things, track like, but not. Here is a picture I took of it:

After asking around a bit, I finally found out what this was all about. Turns out, these are placed for the blind. It makes it easier to follow through busy areas using a a cane. When you come up to an intersection the pattern changes:

So here you can see where the paths cross and it leads over to a bus stop. Not sure why, but I thought this was an incredibly good (but expensive) idea. I am surprised there hasn't been a push for this back home.

On another note, here is a shot of a medium size Moped and bike parking area near the local shopping tower. It was fairly empty the day I took this.
Finally, one last picture because it always makes me laugh when things do not translate exactly the way the should. This was a sign on a pedestrian bridge crossing one of the roadways:










Please do not be a violator of the society of manners :).

More Thoughts on Universal Health Care

More Thoughts on Universal Health Care This is a response I wrote more fully explaining my thoughts on the Universal Health Care issue. It was a direct reply, so take that into consideration as you read.... Interested in hearing others thoughts.

______________________________________________________

Regarding Universal Health care and the Current system:

I am by no means saying that the current system is great or that the paperwork is simple, I just argue that it would become much worse under full government direction. I believe that it is as bad as it is now directly because of government regulation and intervention. There was a time when people did not have to turn to the Government for help, they turned to their communities and neighbors. Before the LBJ administration it was common to find community groups like the Elks / Moose lodges, churches, and other independent groups that assisted those who need aid. That ended when the Government stepped in. I do not like the idea of the same people who run FEMA (and bungled New Orleans after Katrina along with most everything they do), I do not want that group to be the same people deciding what is and what is not important in my life.

Speaking of mismanaged agencies, let's use the Social Security Administration for an example. What should be a relatively straightforward job of operating a socialized retirement plan has been horribly mismanaged for decades. It is not a difficult task to forecast population growth and decline, track age groups and predict what funding is required for each generation to maintain the SSA solvent, but only a fool would believe that the SSA will exist when you and I reach retirement. The funds became an enormous and broken piggy bank for the rest of government to reach it's hands into for pet projects. There are little or no restrictions on how the SSA funds are actually used. The funds are not protected. Should I expect anything different in a federally managed health program that is far more complicated than the SSA?

I do have government (military) health care. I have no choice in my provider or the level of care I receive, but I do have care. Saying that, when I was in college I was too old to ride on my parents policies. I also refused to take anything from them so as a low/no income college kid I searched around and found a policy I could afford. In many ways, I had better coverage with that than I do now. Free market pressure makes that possible. I also know people that live in countries with socialized medicine, and it is not as advertised by people like Michael Moore. For example in the UK your priority of care is in large part based on your age and what the Govt. deems to be required, urgent care or something that can wait (until it becomes urgent). If you are 60 and need a heart transplant, well sorry you already lived for 60 years. You might have better luck of you were 30… Additionally, if you look at the tax rates of socialized countries, they typically pay a minimum of 40% and up to 55% in some places.

From a separate stand point, Health Care mandated or run by the federal government is illegal on Constitutional grounds. The Federal Government shall have no powers not expressly given to it, all other powers are reserved for the State. There is no provision in the Constitution for Health Care. The Interstate Commerce clause of the Constitution is generally stretched beyond its bounds to justify whatever the Fed wants, but it is not the correct way to do business. I am sure that some justification can be devised under this clause, but it would be far beyond the original intent. If a Universal Health Care plan were enacted, there would also need to be a Constitutional Convention to ratify an amendment authorizing it to happen. Don't get me wrong, I am not against doing some things, I just believe it should be done correctly (although I am against this one). The Constitution was written to strictly limit the Federal Government and it provided a process for change. If we want the authority of the Federal Government to change, we should follow the process and not simply enact Federal laws that fall outside of Constitutional bounds.

America and the private sector is the source for the majority major medical innovation and pharmaceutical breakthroughs. The world turns to us as the provider for the future. Free market takes us there, the socialized systems do not provide incentive or proper direction to make the gains that we make everyday. Dig around, see where the major producers of new treatments and products are. I'll bet you find most of them are here. That would not be the case if we nationalize.

Lastly, we are a country based on individual freedom and free markets. Any socialized plan, be it health, retirement, welfare, and all the rest, fly in the face of what this country was meant to be. Do I believe a safety net should exist for those that, beyond all circumstance, simply can not provide for themselves. Yes, but that is an extremely narrow and limited group. I also believe that you get what you subsidize, and if you subsidize a poverty economy through social programs, you get more people that live in poverty conditions. Let's face it, Universal Health Care is a great euphemism for Socialized Medicine. Didn't the folks in DC claim that we spent 40 or so years fighting the cold war over Socialism / Communism? If we rename it, that will make it ok, so "Socialism" has become "Universal".

Do I think that American Health care requires reform. Absolutely, but I believe it requires less regulation and better direction, not a national take over. Refocus on the individual rather then group and employer sponsored plans. Reduce the regulatory burden and free resources for actual employment. Reduce the tax burden and allow people to keep the money they earn, so that they can afford coverage on their own.

The Anti-Universal Health Care Club

Keep the Govt out of our Heath Care. Universal Health Care is an unmanageably difficult proposition. Anyone that has ever wasted their day by standing in line at the DMV should agree. If the Govt says it is going to simply something, I refer you to a quick read through the ever so simple Tax Guidelines published by the IRS. Now apply this same process to your medical coverage and care. Government regulation has been a large source of the mess the system is already in. May I refer you to the wonderful job FEMA has done with anything?

Mike Cannon, of the CATO institute, has chartered the Anti-Universal Health Care Club. Check out the page (it is short) and drop Mr. Cannon a line to let him know your thoughts....

1 Week Down

So, it has been a week since I arrived here in Yokosuka. So far, I like it. I was warned that there are places foreigners are not welcome, but so far I have only found 1. Even at that, they are extremely polite about it, and I can't say I blame them (the locals). If I had to live right next to a base with thousands of people that didn't understand my customs and ways, I think I would want a private retreat to escape to now and again. Saying that, as a whole everyone here seems to be as friendly as possible, willing to help in any way they can, and with a little effort on my part they are willing to make great effort. Language can be something of a barrier here. A few people are fluent in English, almost to the point of little or no accent, but most speak very little, or heavily accented. I am starting to learn how to listen to the accent so it makes things a little easier to understand.

I bought a book on Kongi, the symbolic written language, and a book on Japanese gestures and body language. I have no expectation of learning to read or write, but the forms of the characters start to make sense if you understand the basis. The gestures here are different, and some might even be considered insulting to us, as I am sure some of our normal gestures might be insulting to them. The difference is that western culture, TV, Movies are pervasive here and most know western body language.

Habu Saki-- There is a type of Saki, called Habu Saki. It is in a large jar (think 1 gallon pickle jar) and inside the jar is a very large, very dead, Habu Snake that ferments along with the Saki. Sort of like Tequilla w/ the worm, only on steroids. I haven't tried this stuff yet, and I am not sure that I want to, but then what is a trip to Japan without a drink of dead snake saki? I'll try to get a picture of one of the jars.

Day 1 in Japan

So I left Home (CA) this past Sunday for my first trip to Japan. Part work, part vacation, part to find out if I want to come here after I am finished with my tour at Berkeley. From the start things were a little crazy.

I arrive at the airport incredibly early, about 3 hours before my flight boarded, and was amazed to see the line for the United International flights had at least 300 people. It took me just over an hour to get my bags checked, and by the time I did the line had nearly doubled in length. Come on, they sold the tickets, it isn't like it was a surprise to United when all these people were showing up. There had to be 10 stations that were unmanned.

So after getting through security I had about an hour before boarding, what better than some airport food for breakfast, my last authentic mex-american breakfast and at fast food airport chain :)

After the 10 hour flight (3 movies, a few songs and half of the 1st Harry Potter book) I land at the Narita International Airport in Tokyo. There is a bus that runs from NRT to Yokosuka. Today was going to turn into my day of just makes it. There was a problem with the baggage handler, it broke down half way through and took much longer than expected to get the luggage. I caught the bus with literally 3 minutes to spare. Turns out that this time of year tends to be overcast, humid, and rainy. Here are a few pics from the bus ride. The bus takes about 2 hours with light traffic.


So I finally make it to the base, figure out where the housing office is. Manage to check in, put my bags down and wash my face. I call my boss, he arrived the day before, to see if he wanted to get dinner. To my suprise, there was a dinner planned (in 10 minutes) with the outgoing guys we were relieving and our Japanese counterparts! Ok, into the shower to rinse the airplane funk off and out to dinner in Yokuska with a group of people I had never met....

We went to this small restaurant where you cook your own food. Each table has its own small gas grill. You are brought plates of frozen meat, fish, and vegetables and cook it yourself at the table. It is all you can eat with free refills on beer and Saki! The only catch is that they put you on a timer ,you have about an hour and a half before you pay for extra time. The cost, a mere 2900 yen (exchange is about $1.00 = 120yen). Everytime my glass came close to empty someone would refill it, then came the Saki toasts,, and toasted I became. Next up...What else but Karaoke! This wasn't anything like I expected. The karaoke joint ran private lounges you rented for an hour or so at a
time. About a 1000 yen/hour/person, but again all drinks are covered with the rate. All you can drink once again! Yikes! After the Karaoke it was time to call it a night.

You would think after being up for 18 hours or so I would be tired. You would be right. Jet lag is a strange thing though. I said to myself, drink enough beer and Saki, no problems sleeping, right? Well, ummm no. In bed around 12, wide awake (and slightly hung over) at 2:30. Stupid jet lag.