Saturday, November 26, 2016
What the CIA couldn't do old age did
Socialists are in mourning today. Former Cuban dictator Fidel Castro dead at the ripe old age of 90. In this fast-paced and ever-changing world we're definitely talking a retro channel in History here, pre-Internet dictator, blast from the past cigar-chomping revolutionary. I had to laugh at an Onion parody once where they had "Candid Camera" host Allen Funt calling up John F. Kennedy saying the Cuban Missile Crisis was all a hoax and the photo of JFK all relieved. Castro outlasted the power of what 10 U.S. presidents? Political tortoise crawling through the ages, a perennial figure in the pages of the past all yellowed and tattered. I know Michael Moore has said the Cuban healthcare system is the best in the world. I guess you don't get a bill in the mail for colonic polyp lab analysis, dunno. All those Hollywood celebs who hate Trump here's a great place to shuffle on over;)
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History Review: Batista was our Cuban dictator-
ReplyDelete"To quell the growing discontent amongst the populace—which was subsequently displayed through frequent student riots and demonstrations—Batista established tighter censorship of the media, while also utilizing his Bureau for the Repression of Communist Activities to carry out wide-scale violence, torture and public executions; ultimately killing anywhere from hundreds to 20,000 people. For several years until 1959, the Batista government received financial, military, and logistical support from the United States."
Castro was not our Cuban dictator-
"After Batista's overthrow in 1959, Castro assumed military and political power as Cuba's Prime Minister. The United States opposed Castro's government, and unsuccessfully attempted to remove him by assassination, economic blockade, and counter-revolution, including the Bay of Pigs Invasion of 1961. Countering these threats, Castro formed an alliance with the Soviet Union."
--and that's the way it was. Cuban healthcare: they kept a
90 year old cigar chainsmoker alive until 90.
JFK was so angry about the Bay of Pigs, that among other things "The cost of getting caught trying to smuggle a Cuban cigar through U.S. customs makes the cigars less desirable you can be fined up to $55,000." Which made for
ReplyDeletereally expensive cigars for 50+ years.
Pope Francis said it's sad news. I guess he had to say something.
ReplyDeleteI wonder where he went.
ReplyDeleteWhere who went?
ReplyDeleteFidel Castro. Someone said to me the other day "I wonder if he's in Hell." One of those theological questions.
ReplyDeleteThere is no continuity in foreign policy. One president wants to open up relations with Cuba the next president wants to shut it down. Gets confusing if you're a tourist or just want a Cuban cigar or some Cuban rum.
ReplyDeleteYou don't need Cuban rum. Pick up a bottle of Mount Gay and call it good.
DeleteI've had Mount Gay. Very good.
ReplyDeleteI dont drink. I also don't think we should shut it down with Cuba.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, I don't agree with virtually anything Trump has done thus far. And I'm very scared.
..with good reason, Saty. IMO, the nightmare is about to begin-end of public education, muzzling science, privatization of social security, medicare, education
Deleteand possibly police and military, even more wealth being sucked out of the suffering middle class, the
rest of the world laughing at us. So, Saty stock up on
Mount Gay and lock the doors.
I think when Obama reopened things with Cuba he and most people thought Hillary would become president and continue the new policy. He made the assumption we live in a logical universem
Delete"Muzzling science" - what does that mean they all go into retirement and stop being scientists? Stephen Hawking can't work anymore? CERN and the LHC close down?
DeleteHe and his co-conspirators, er I mean cabinet, hold HIS truths to be self evident . So yeah, my guess is replace the 99
Delete% of climate scientists with the 2 who think there is no global warming..fire physicians who give vaccines, switch autos over to coal. It will be huuuuge, it will be great. Meanwhile the Tweet in Chief skips his morning intel breifings to criticize
SNL. I hope they hid the nuclear codes, Z-Man. Small wonder even Hillary got 2 million more votes.
Trump is an anti-vaxxer? #2 In that long interview with the Ole Gray Lady editors Trump said he believes there is some connectivity between human activity and climate change. BTW what's wrong with having an open debate about the climate anyway? Me personally I'm not overly in love with polar bears. They kill seals remember? You're making Trump into some kind of arch-conservative when what he really is is a political shape-shifter and how do you protest against such a creature when you don't even know what you're protesting? I think the CERN crew is safe.
Delete"even more wealth being sucked out of the suffering middle class."
ReplyDeleteThat would have been the case regardless and has been the case. That's what happens when you have Citibank and others drawing up the cabinet picks.
Chris, we can't blame the Ayn Rand objectivists. We quote from The Objective Standard, April this year:
Delete"The truth is that Trump’s disdain for ideas makes him a poster boy for the attitude conservatives have advocated for decades.
In light of the foregoing, it is ironic that Wehner warns, “If Mr. Trump wins the nomination, the G.O.P. will become the party of anti-reason.” The GOP has long been the party of anti-reason. Trump is simply cashing in on decades worth of conservative disdain for reason, ideas, ideology.
Ayn Rand long ago identified the essence of the problem with conservatism. To the degree that conservatives reject the system of ideas or ideology that supports a free society, they “stand for and are nothing; they have no goal, no direction, no political principles, no social ideals, no intellectual values, no leadership to offer anyone.”
What, then, do anti-ideological conservatives have to offer? We need not speculate. The answer is right before our eyes: a candidate such as Donald Trump."
Why are you off on an Ayn Rand tangent? What I am saying is that in case you hadn't noticed, our political process and it's candidates are almost exclusively bought and paid for by wall Street and yes that includes Obama and Hillary too contrary to popular belief. The demo have not been a working class party for quite some time.
ReplyDeleteIt's the myth Chris. Because the Dems are against NAFTA (so is Trump btw) they supposed to feel the pain of your 6AM lunchpail. Let's not forget the different and sundry donors to the Clinton Foundation.
DeleteYou have a problem with Rand?
DeleteNo. I just don't see why you invoked her herein.
DeleteBecause she is the source of the objectivism philosophy and because she did not like Reagan; she
Deleteparticularly hated religion in politics. The key for me is Reagan: ever since, GOP or Dem, the game has been lower taxes on the wealthy and wait for trickle down. Along the line, unions were broken,
working people lost jobs or their wages stagnated.
The sole politician with ideas to reverse the downward spiral was Bernie Sanders. IMO, the Dems
hamstrung him, thinking he would be labeled socialist; (surely aided and abetted by Wall Street) a political death sentence in this country. With GBII and Captain Tweet, Rand's nightmare continues. My most optimistic view is that ...we
live in interesting times.
Hardcore purists are intolerant of even minor variations from their pov. Rand was such.
DeleteI think the suggestion and belief that Bernie was a reversal ignores historical facts as well as basic economics. If you like being at the sole mercy of the state and clamoring for your cut then there's not much I can say about that other than the road to serfdom is paved with good intentions.
ReplyDeleteBeing at the mercy of the state is akin to being at the mercy of big banking: serfdom, neofeudalism-same
Deleteendgame. When big banking runs the state, the process
is more rapid.
Problem with life is we're always at the mercy of someone. You can't just live your life.
DeleteIn most instances however you have choice in which you are at the mercy of. Whether it is the doctrines of your faith, public transportation vs. driving in traffic, where you live, where you work, etc...
DeleteThere is no choice in government. Sure you can up and leave but even the expatriation fees are exorbitant so there is that. Then of course there is the "why should I have to leave when they're the ones who suck" argument.
Agreed: with the private sector, one can simply boycott. Does no good, but makes one feel like a powerful individual. Even better, one can invest in
Deletenon profits and co-ops...no fricken profits and their sole interest in performance for customer.
With government, one can vote. Which seems pretty frustrating considering. Hang in there: my county
released me from all further jury duty upon reaching
75. One trial surrounded by bottom feeding lawyers
and credulous jurors was more than enough for me.
The news is so distressing that I literally cannot read it. I have anxiety for my baseline; this just intensifies it by a hundredfold.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you need one of those magic safety pins.
DeleteBite me.
DeleteCastro- the Onion reports he was honored by the Cuban Army
ReplyDeletewith a 21 gun firing squad.
Jet Blue made its first flight to Cuba the other day. Trump is first and foremost a businessman. If there's a casino or golf course in it for him he'll come around.
ReplyDeleteBig Pharma is a fraud .
ReplyDeleteThe prices for drugs are ridiculous. My lamotrigine went from $400 a month to $12 the minute the patent ran out.
ReplyDeleteGetting back to my favorite topic - colonoscopies - the paperwork is starting to come in. I have a newfound appreciation for the value of the procedure (two small polyps removed) BUT the doctor makes out of course, the anaesthesiologist big-time and now the lab crew (I have the bill). IMO a touch overrecommended but they like to see you coming back. We want you healthy just like your mechanic wants you to drive a safe car.
ReplyDeleteIn my view health care sucked before Obamacare, health care sucks with Obamacare. Repeal it, replace it tweak it or keep it it doesn't mean a hill of beans to me. You're still paying through the ass (pun intended?).
ReplyDeleteWe Americans spend 17% of GDP on healthcare. Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, France and Canada spend 9-11% and have better outcome statistics. You see, we have privatized healthcare, despite Obamacare and it could be the 6-8%
ReplyDeletedifferential between our system and the single payer is
profit. Now healthcare, while critical, does not produce
anything other than provide service, and we wonder if it
is another free market method of wealth extraction as opposed to wealth creation. We also must note that drug prices in the other listed countries are much lower: were
they to charge US prices it would be illegal. So, Z-Man,
your view of healthcare sucking is well considered. ..and
as for your colonoscopy, you got a two for one deal- physically and economically reamed.
We ancients on Medicare have Part A & Part B, which of course we all paid into when we worked and is reasonably inexpensive. But one needs the supplemental of which part of mine is covered by pensions. And one then needs drug coverage. Mine is
DeleteHumana and I was a bit shocked when I got this year's
payment schedule...it went DOWN. Is that even legal?
It's like with the death business. Don't get me wrong, funeral directors and morticians provide a basic and needed public service, basic dignity. Ya can't just bury your beloved grandpa in the backyard with your dog Rex and yet funeral costs are rising. Why? You cut a check at the funeral home and it costs as much as some cars.
ReplyDeleteIt can be cheaper out in the wild west-
Delete"Most bodies are buried in established cemeteries, but burial on private property may be possible in Idaho. Before conducting a home burial or establishing a family cemetery, check with the county or town clerk for any local zoning laws you must follow." The Mrs. suggested using my corpse to mulch to flower gardend. -meh-
It'a kind of quaint imo but also has a touch of Night Gallery. Are we talking basic pine box?
DeleteThe whole healthcare thing is part of what has me anxious. I was anticipating being able to retire and go on Medicare, now who knows what the eligible age is going to be. I have been paying into it and SS for over thirty years now and I feel like I have the right to benefit equally. Paul Ryan doesn't care what I think.
ReplyDeleteColonoscopies. Scott's was covered at 100%. I think it was classed under preventatives. He even got a check back for the amount of his copay. Kudos to BCBS. He had 5 polyps removed so he's on the three year plan now. His father died of colon cancer at 58 so whatever it takes to keep him healthy.
There are lots of family cemeteries around here, you see them in odd corners of a field and so forth. We are big fans of cremation. My father's ashes were buried at sea which was a very nice way to go and my mother is going to go in the same (albeit informal and nonmilitary) way. I can't see using up ground just for burial when there are better options. I want my ashes put in the Ganges, but that's another story.
My pov on colonoscopies is if you're at average risk for crc once or maybe twice is enough. A person could get five of 'em and die at 78 anyway. I think it helps the doctor get his Lexus though.
ReplyDeleteI bet the doctor doesn't really see much of that cost. It probably all goes to the facility.
ReplyDeletePerhaps. My thing is more philosophical. Do colonoscopies help you to live into your 90's or even 100's? My friend and I were talking. It's like doctors try to keep you alive forever.
ReplyDelete