Douchebaggery from Debbie Schussel

Via the fine foks at Sadly, No comes this bit of steaming horseshit from Debbie Schlussel

So, the identity of the shooter at the American Civic Association has been learned: Jiverly Voong, 42, had just lost his job at IBM.

But there's an interesting piece of info that's come out in the reporting and it may point to immigration fraud at the center.

One point of immigration law that isn't enforced nearly enough is that those seeking citizenship must take the citizenship test in English. There are few exceptions, like if the applicant mentally incompetent. But there's a reason the citizenship test prep book below is in English . . . AND Spanish. Too many people who don't speak English game the system and get citizenship.

But it looks like most of those who were at the American Civic Association at the time of the rampage didn't speak English. And yet, most were there to take the citizenship test.

Yeah, the real story isnt that someone went nuts and killed a bunch of people it is that some folks that want to become citizens might not  fluently speak English and so were taking a fucking English class. She even admits as much at the end of her story but does it like this ...

Yes, some of the people were there in an English class, but how many who couldn't speak English were among those taking the citizenship test?

Probably more than you'd think.

In other words, based on NOTHING.

Sorry to GlobalCitizen for the title but there isnt another word to describe this evil bitch except for one that you know I NEVER use.

Michelle Obama in London

How to scare the shit out of your Secret Service detail...

Still think we don't need single payer health care?

Via Balloon Juice (rapidly becoming my favorite blog) comes this bit of headshakingly disturbing stuff.
Insurers shun those taking certain meds - Costs of Care - MiamiHerald.com

Trying to buy health insurance on your own and have gallstones? You'll automatically be denied coverage. Rheumatoid arthritis? Automatic denial. Severe acne? Probably denied. Do you take metformin, a popular drug for diabetes? Denied. Use the anti-clotting drug Plavix or Seroquel, prescribed for anti-psychotic or sleep problems? Forget about it.

This confidential information on some insurers' practices is available on the Web -- if you know where to look.

What's more, you can discover that if you lie to an insurer about your medical history and drug use, you will be rejected because data-mining companies sell information to insurers about your health, including detailed usage of prescription drugs.

If anyone can read this article and still say with a straight face that private insurance companies should have a seat at the healthcare negotiating table they are in deep denial.

I especially think that folks should read the attached "Vista Guide for Medical Underwriting" ... I am not linking directly to it but i think it is must reading. My personal favorites among the automatic denial drugs are the ones for treating diabetes. My mom is type II diabetic. According to the American Diabetes Associate, approximately 24 million americans are diabetic.

There is another interesting quote in the article "They don't want to buy a claim,". If nothing else, this article should serve as a reminder that insurance companies are in it to make money. There is nothing wrong with that if the product is a car, or a house, or an airplane. There is something obscene about making a profit based on a bet you have made that your clients will be less ill than average.

Single Payer Healthcare (NOT INSURANCE) is the only model that works consistently. If you want to only cover "the basics" with that plan then fine, but be ready to explain why the line is drawn where it is in the case of every procedure. I have no problem with the idea that purely cosmetic (in the ordinary meaning of that term) surgery not be covered but the idea that if I take nitroglycerin it is automatically disqualifying appalls me.

If it doesn't appall you I really want to hear why not. And just saying "socialism,socialism" isnt an argument. I want someone to explain why this is the best system that we can come up with and why single payer is not as good.

Comedy Gold on the GOP "Budget"

FARK.com: (4291765) House GOP unveils its budget of fiscally responsible unicorns and market-driven rainbows

And don't forget that their "real" alternative budget is going to be released on April 1. No, I am not kidding.

Sometimes this shit just writes itself.

Ruben Navarette takes on Obama - Like I give a fuck

Commentary: Obama is flunking economics - CNN.com

According to the pundits, Obama is supposed to pick up the slack and seal the deals that Geithner can't seem to close. However, anyone who tuned into this week's press conference has to wonder whether the president hasn't lost his touch. The popular narrative from conservatives -- that Obama stumbles when he is off the teleprompter -- is becoming more believable.

When asked by a reporter about whether his budget would blow up the deficit and stick future generations with the bill, Obama got defensive and turned his answer into a slam against Republicans and then obfuscated his way through the rest of the question.

When CNN's Ed Henry asked the president why it took him so long to publicly condemn the more than $150 million in AIG bonuses, as opposed to New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo who turned the issue into a national outrage, Obama appeared to take a swipe at Cuomo, a fellow Democrat, by saying: "I like to know what I'm talking about before I speak."

Hard to picture someone that has picked up more conservative talking points more quickly than Ruben Navarrette.

History of Business Intelligence

As keen readers of this blog my cats know, I am a business intelligence analyst for a direct mail company. This came in my inbox today from the nice folks at Microsoftand I thought it was interesting so I am passing it along.

Baffling Behaviour

Balloon Juice » Blog Archive » A Quick Explanation for the GOP Seppuku Today

So when GOP operatives are running around telling the Politico “We need to hold something up and say, ‘Here are our charts. Here are our graphs. It’s real,” the reason they ‘need’ to just throw out something, anything, is because they know they got bitch-slapped. And rather than just lay low and wait a week and come out with an actual budget, they couldn’t, because they are operating at a level of emotional maturity equal to a 12 year old.

And that is why they went out and made fools of themselves today, even when they don’t even agree internally on the budget they claim to be putting together.

I have to admit that this pathetic little dog and pony show had me completely baffled until I read the above piece. The GOP is made up of a bunch of middle school kids. Explains the last 8 years too.