Health Care Bill

"Let them discover the kind of doctors that their system will now produce. Let them discover, in their operating rooms and hospital wards, that it is not safe to place their lives in the hands of a man whose life they have throttled. It is not safe, if he is the sort of man who resents it—and still less safe, if he... is the sort who doesn't."
~Dr. Hendricks, Altas Shrugged

Going Postal on Health Care?

Why is it that so many people think the government should intervene with health care? Think about it - the same people & system of management that brings us the US Post Office (and DMV, and countless other painful entities to deal with) is supposed to manage that which is responsible for maintaining our health and saving our lives!

I just returned from the Post Office - I had 8 packages and envelopes to send, all packed properly and ready to go. It took me over 45 minutes... one clerk started rudely ("Do you have your customs forms?" "No" "Then you need to step back." - step back? am I now a threat?) - then after said cumbersome forms, the same man was nicer, but a short way into my transaction said that he had to leave for lunch. I was allowed to keep my place in line, and the next man was very pleasant but not overly competent (hunt and peck typing, consistent mistakes and misprints of postage, etc) - so in the end, long lines, rudeness and incompetency - the things we have all come to expect from the government agencies - and I think the Post Offices is one of the better bureaucracies that I've dealt with!

Then I went to the bank. I was greeted pleasantly, the line was almost non-existent (depsite being lunchtime), the service was fast, and I was out the door with a piece of candy and cup of water in hand.

Now, I realize that there are good government employees and bad private sector folks - but all of my experiences have shown that those are the exceptions. Many people I have spoken to seem to have had similar experiences. So why are we pushing for the same system that creates long lines, incompetent service and mind numbing paperwork to be imposed upon our health care system?

I just don't get it...

Comparative Religion

From HolyTaco.com comes this fabulous "comparative religion" flowchart. Solve the question once and for all! Whatdya know... I should be an atheist. Convenient.

The Reason for the Season..

The Onion continues its reign of awesomeness with a quick poke at Creationism. A favorite excerpt...

Members of the earth's earliest known civilization, the Sumerians, looked on in shock and confusion some 6,000 years ago as God, the Lord Almighty, created Heaven and Earth.

According to recently excavated clay tablets inscribed with cuneiform script, thousands of Sumerians—the first humans to establish systems of writing, agriculture, and government—were working on their sophisticated irrigation systems when the Father of All Creation reached down from the ether and blew the divine spirit of life into their thriving civilization.

"I do not understand," reads an ancient line of pictographs depicting the sun, the moon, water, and a Sumerian who appears to be scratching his head. (read rest of article here)

Round Up and Resolutions

Happy New Year everyone!

Rational Jenn just posted the "Best of 2009" Objectivist Round-Up. I'm sure this will be one of the best collections of knowledge, thinking and inspiration ever collected! Check it out.

Alex at the Ayn Rand Institute wrote this great article on the value of New Years resolutions. Enjoy!

Here's wishing everyone a very happy and productive 2010!