In this weekly update, you might find me trending a bit towards pop culture. There's just so much to talk about.
The title of the entry sandwiches a very serious issue in between two entertaining, yet ultimately meaningless television programs for a reason.
That's because the health care discussion (if you can call it that) that has taken place in the United States the past year has been largely void of substance. Instead, the current administration with their accomplices in congress have pushed through an incredibly damaging government-sponsored health care system that is going to blow up faster than a short-fused firecracker on the fourth of July.
So let's take a look at what the week had for in store for us. Of course, I always welcome civil discussion and comments.
First, a light-hearted update on the world's best-selling iPhone flatulence application, iFart Mobile.
This past week found iFart venturing into new territory. We released a FREE version of the app, titled iFart Lite. While it doesn't have all the functions of the classic, this free version will give people a taste of why iFart has been so successful.
Now, speaking of hot air. Let's discuss health care.
I'm not going to go deep into politics in this post, but I will say this without hesitation.
Government-run health care will be a disaster.
It will cost more than they are saying it will cost.
It will cause an increase in taxes across the board.
It will not end up helping those who truly need the help.
The quality of health care will go down.
It will strip Americans of liberties granted by the Constitution.
Bottom line is this.
Government screwed up social security. It is a failed system.
In spite of increased funding, public education is less effective than ever. With social engineering replacing the high bar on academics, we have lower SAT scores, higher dropout rates and more kids on the streets.
And in spite of increased spending, welfare programs are found to not work. Rather than seek to inspire people to rise above their circumstances and excel, our government keeps people in bondage through public aid.
The private sector is better equipped to help people provide for retirement. The private sector does a much better job of educating people. And the private sector knows how to care for people far better than the bureaucratic mess in Washington ever could.
So, if you think health care is going to be what they are telling you, let me know how that works out. I'll just say it now.
I told you so.
Ok, on with some more light-hearted good stuff!
American Idol.
This is the first season I have ever watched and I think it is a riot. A painful riot, but a riot nonetheless.
They start the season by parading out vocalists of all talent levels. But they enjoy making a unique spectacle of those who really can't sing at all. It's pure exploitation and it is a guilty pleasure to watch. Usually because these people believe they actually CAN sing.
And so they set the stage for what could be a train wreck. And a train wreck it is...
For the most part, those in the top twelve can't carry a tune much better than the guy or gal that does the solo at my church. They just aren't "idol" material. Tim Urban, Paige Miles, Katie Steven and the list goes on.
In fact out of the twelve finalists, I can only think of two that would even begin to make a decent star.
And then there are the judges.
Ellen Degeneres? Judging vocalists? Are you serious?
And Kara? Does the woman ever stop talking?
When I started watching I thought I would despise Simon Cowell. The fact is I find myself agreeing with him more often than not!
I don't call in to vote for anyone, but for those who do there is a great alternative to voting for your favorite. For several years now there has been a movement afoot to help the WORST contestants advance in the competition. The site, Vote for the Worst encourages people to call in and vote for the contestant they believe is least deserving to win. The idea is that the singer is so bad that it makes the show more entertaining to keep them around.
Currently, Tim Urban is their selection. If they manage to keep him around one more week he will actually be on the Idol Live tour that takes place with the top ten contestants.
If you haven't watched this season, it's very bad. And bad makes for great entertainment.
And speaking of great entertainment, Lost is BACK! I believe the writers are finally answering questions that we've had for many seasons. I really like where they are going and I hope they end the series with a bang.
I'm not going to go into theories and such, but seeing Richard's story (Ricardo) on last night's episode may have been the highlight of the season thus far.
If you haven't watched Lost, just go buy the entire DVD series at Amazon and enjoy what is undoubtedly the best original drama series to ever grace network television. Visit the Amazon LOST store here
So there you have it.
A little political opinion mixed in with flatulence and pop culture television. Come to think of it, it's really all the same thing. :-)
Comments? Play nice, please!
The way the producers of American Idol manage the expectations of the viewer reminds me of your adsense book chapter: "Dress for Success"
The only book you need to change your life. I did!
Jonathan Conoley
Interesting post Joel, for me, you've highlighted just how evident our emerging global unification has become in recent years. Being a Brit we've lived with a national social healthcare system for many years, it's called the NHS and like all institutions it has its good and bad sides. Good for funding leading edge projects, bad for making us swallow the bitter tax pill. We also suffer our fair share of ear covering Simon Cowell TV productions - need I say more!
Are we in a world where the life experience has truly transcended physical borders? One thing's for sure - flatulence knows no border!
Joel,
I agree with you 100% about Obamacare. If people only knew what was hidden inside this bill they would be outraged. How about 16,500 NEW IRS agents to enforce it. If you do not buy health care insurance then you will be fined by the IRS. Don't pay the fine.....no problem....throw you in jail. How about the elimination of private loans for college? Yep.....you can now only get a loan for college from the federal government. I wonder how many private sector jobs will be lost because of that. Not to mention the total control the government will now have over everything that is taught in college.
And if it is so good why did the Congress just exempt their staffers from taking part in the health care scheme? Who knows what else lies deep in the crevices of this massive, economy killing bill. As Nancy Pelosi said, "We have to pass the bill to find out what's in the bill." HUH?
Yes something needs to be done about the cost of health care and health care insurance. Previously existing conditions need to be covered. Insurance Companies should not be permitted to drop you if you get seriously ill. We've all heard horror stories about the treatment some people get from their insurance companies.
But his legislation is not the answer.
"Lost": I gave up on it long ago because it raised to many questions with not enough answers. May be I should watch this last season.
"American Idol": Yea it really is lousy this year. The talent, with maybe one exception, is not very good compared to other seasons. But I have to give them props because I can't hold a note. Not even in the shower.
JD
Well said Joel...
ALL OF US WILL END UP PAYING MORE IN TAXES.
Like we need to allow the government to become any bigger than it already is!
Wake up people!
When our constitution was written, the PEOPLE had the say so. Today, the GOVERNMENT has the say so.
Its funny how in one of my businesses I'm being fined by a government agency (I won't mention who) for something that happened over TWO years ago because this in particular government agency is going broke.
It's funny how, when things go south in our economy, the ENTREPRENUERS pockets get picked to keep things flowing and keep the people employed by the government in their HIGH SALARIED jobs.
FIRE EM ALL!!
Maybe then we wouldn't have all of these financial problems we have today.
Let everybody start back over at TEN DOLLARS PER HOUR.
Nick
Our health system here in Australia sorta/ maybe works, but it's propped up by private heath insurance as well. We get charges 1.5% on our income so yes there is a tax increase. Spot on there. For a typical family, we have to pay around $250 a month to get high quality private healthcare (on top of the tax). Health is expensive. Death is cheaper.
Thanks for opining, Joel.
I didn't get into Idol much this year. I do love Pants on the Ground, and now it is back in my head again. Thanks a lot.
Someone observed that if we held our political elections American Idol style, we would have great participation. The results would probably turn out differently too.
It makes me cringe to think our elected representatives are so corrupt. I say let's impeach them all and start over with people who are not former banker's, stock brokerage or commodity brokerage workers, not former militants, not tax evaders, and put all the retired Congressmen and Senators on Obamacare and Social Security and seize their retirement plans. Then let each state decide on their salary and the number of employees each offical may have on their staff. Then let the states pay their representatives.
Give us back our government and our rights.
I realy appreciate Gavin's input. Fot those of us that call ourselves Americans I just don't really know how to react at this point. I am very angry that all this passed when we are so against it!
I am very angry!! But I have to pray on this. How do we take back our country from the politicians that have acted in there own interest over the last years.
I think I will pray the most on the lack of knowledge/understanding/concern the average American has on what has just happened.
I guess we can look to the American Idol for that!
I am moving to Northern Colorado (Longmont) in a few months and am so happy to have found someone nearby (not sure where you reside) who shares many of my viewpoints. The current Healthcare bill...we can only pray that something stops it before it further bankrupts our country. American Idol...only watch it when theres nothing else on. Now Lost...thats something I can talk for hours about. Last night's episode was great on many levels. Seeing Richard's background (although I had already figured out he had been a slave on that ship) was very satisfying and seeing more of Jacob and the Dark Man's interactions was very revealing. So...will Hugo be the one to take Jacob's place?
I am moving to Northern Colorado (Longmont) in a few months and am so happy to have found someone nearby (not sure where you reside) who shares many of my viewpoints. The current Healthcare bill...we can only pray that something stops it before it further bankrupts our country. American Idol...only watch it when theres nothing else on. Now Lost...thats something I can talk for hours about. Last night's episode was great on many levels. Seeing Richard's background (although I had already figured out he had been a slave on that ship) was very satisfying and seeing more of Jacob and the Dark Man's interactions was very revealing. So...will Hugo be the one to take Jacob's place?
As a physician, and an independent and moderate, the discussion sounds a lot like it did when they passed the Medicare Act in the early 1960's - "the communists are coming! Armageddon! The sky is a-fallin!"
The Republicans were against Medicare and said it would ruin the country and the quality of medicine would suffer (oh, and now they are the "defenders" of Medicare). I can tell you that any doctor (who isn't a nut-bag; just because you have MD after your name doesn't mean you can't be crazy) will tell you they would rather deal with the "government run, socialist program" known as Medicare - patients are not pre-authorized, they are not dropped for pre-existing conditions, and they don't keep renegging on their contracts.
Private carriers on the other hand require so much red-tape and hassle factor that we have to hire extra staff to sit on the phone and deal with their crap. They routinely reject claims just so you have to file them over again. Who do you think was spending $1M a day trying to defeat this legislation? "Consumers for better care"? Those are all fronts for the insurance lobby.
The cuts in Medicare that everyone is freaking out about are cutting Medicare Advantage programs. These are private companies that get a subsidy from the government (did you even know your tax dollars were subsidizing private insurance companies?), give crappy care to patients and they pay doctors 50 cents on the dollar. Patients hate them and doctors hate them. But they have finagled their way into Medicare so that they could be untouchable.
Every one is happy with their insurance until they lose their job and then they have nothing. "Who cares about those bums?" you say. "They can go to the emergency room!" Well, bub, guess who pays for the county hospital? You do - in the form of higher local taxes. Oh, that's right, you don't want to pay more taxes. So, to keep the hospital running they have to close schools, not pave roads, lay off cops, etc.
There;s nothing like a black president to suddenly make people civic-minded and quote (incorrectly) the Constitution. When one party gets elected, they get to pass what they want. And they only need a simple majority - 51 votes.
And it is a representative govt, not a democracy. Would you want the country run based on polls? Most people in those polls are flat-earth creationists who believe in angels but think the moon landing was a hoax. It would be scary to let Joe Q Public have a direct voice in DC.
So if you don't like what the politicians (that you probably didn't vote for anyway) passed then you vote them out. Then when we go from the party that legislates "socialism" to the party that legislates "morality", we'll get tired of that and things will swing back the other way in time. And so on and so on - hey, it's the American way!
Take a chill pill, people. Put your gun back on the rack and your chew back in the pouch and turn off Rush. And get informed - read stuff. Don't believe everything you hear on the radio or on TV. And, by the way, I just checked: the sky is still there.
p.s. - "Lost" rocks!
Joel,
I agree with you wholeheartedly that the just passed government run health-care legislation is and will be a disaster. I fear for our beloved country. Now that our personal freedom and liberties have been usurped on 3/21/10, more can be on the way. Free Markets and Private Enterprise along with our Constitution is what help make our country the most prosperous and charitable country in the world. America was born to rid ourselves of the tyranny brought on by England. Now we're about to bring it onto ourselves. Free will and the ability to choose our own destinies should be held sacred by every one of us. Without it, our hopes and dreams will perish or die a slow death. Without it, we will be just like every other country; we will no longer be the beacon of freedom and liberty to all who fervently want to live and experience it in their lifetimes.
Thank you for standing tall and letting others know the danger zone we're in today in our nation's history. If others like ourselves band together, we can keep the flame of Lady Liberty alive.
@Peter,
I don't know about the Republicans, but this anti-liberal hates medicare, and obamacare as well.
The sky IS a fallin' Medicare was only one of the supports kicked out from under it.
ALL insurance should be optional and mutual. Tort reform should be realized such that all frivolous lawsuits are banished. The cost of medical care should be regulated by the free market. Doctors should be allowed to practice freely, instead of being intimidated and incapacitated by pharmaceutical companies, unbelievable insurance rates, and overbearing half-medical-half-political entities such as the IDSA.
Troy
p.s., I don't like Rush, I don't chew, and I don't fling stereotypes around haphazardly.
p.p.s., You are correct, this is not a democracy, and the thundering herd should not directly influence policy, because it is comprised of morons. I say let the weight of the vote be commensurate with the amount of taxes paid. It's time to let the ones who pay the piper call the music. I also say let the congressmen and other elected officials abide by the same rules they make for the rest of us. Why are they not subject to social(ized) (in)security, obamacare, etc,?
The Canadians are coming! The Canadians are coming! We're wallowing in the aftermath of tyranny brought on by England. Our (Canadian) health care system is far from perfect,but we sure don't leave people dying in the streets. If I sound like a raving communist, then you can delete this post, but I agree with the good doctor above, who suggests that before declaring that a new alternative to a broken system is a disaster, learn more about the behind the scenes - or more importantly the future ramifications of reform. Too much conjecture,based on fear, not enough fact.
As for LOST - I heard that the two timelines will never come together in the plot and if that happens and I never learn the answers to some of my "LOST" questions - well, I'll join an IPhone flatulence club and really protest!
Joel,
It is beyond refreshing to witness a leading individual, who has worked so hard to brand his name in business, standing up for human freedom without the slightest hesitation or fear of repercussion. You have won our trust, plus something much more valuable: our advocacy.
The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. Keep showing us the way, Joel.
I do not understand why the good Dr Peter above finds it necessary to spew such contempt for those who voice a different opinion from his.
His comments like "Most people in those polls are flat-earth creationists who believe in angels but think the moon landing was a hoax. It would be scary to let Joe Q Public have a direct voice in DC." and "Put your gun back on the rack and your chew back in the pouch and turn off Rush."
None of the other people who have posted here engaged in denigrating stereotypical personal attacks.
I, for one, find that incredibly interesting.
Hi all,
Just a comment about our healthcare system from an Aussie. We have a scheme in this country called Medicare run by our federal government. It covers all doctor visits for every Australian resident, most are bulk-billed (no cost) and it costs every tax payer earning over $16,000 per year 1.5% of their taxable income (earn $20,000 pay $300 towards Medicare, earn under $16,000 pay nothing) You can visit any general practice doctor who bulk-bills for free, as much as you like, 20 times a day if you want. Doctors complain that the government doesn't pay them enough for this service, but tough, it's Federal law. Specialists are also covered by Medicare but 99.99% of them can overcharge and the patient has to foot the gap between the Medicare rebate and the doctor's charge. Up to 20% of all out-of-pocket medical costs, including pharmaceuticals such as pain killers, can be claimed as a tax rebate on our tax returns. Helps a bit. We also have a pharamceutical scheme which cover most medicines, the federal government subsidises the cost of most medicines, we pay around $35.00 per script, up to $1500 per year then the cost reduce to $5 per script.
Our state governments presently run our public hospitals, unfortunately they don't run them very well as funding seems to be cut every year.
All public hospitals are free but they have waiting lists of up to 3years for elective surgery. My daughter has to have her broken finger fixed and was given a hospital appointment 10 days after seeing her GP, not too bad. I waited 2 months to get a date for my hysterectomy. Some people wait a lot longer. If it really serious such as being diagnosed with cancer there is no waiting, you are treated immediately, no cost. All emergency cases such as car accidents are treated immediately, no cost, even those needing surgery to correct ongoing problems from the accident.
Now our federal government wants to take over the running of public hospitals. God help us. They can't even run a home insulation rebate scheme without killing people - literally!!
Our present system is not perfect but it is better than what could be. But once the federal government gets their hands on our hospitals the whole thing will be destroyed.
I don't understand the details of the present discussion in the US about providing insurance cover for their citizens. We don't have anywhere near the population you have over there. Our scheme probably wouldn't work for the US. And I think quite a few Aussies are now getting worried about our health schemes with the prospect of our federal government taking over our hospitals. The only thing I would say is if you get sick in Australia at least you can get treatment no matter what your income and circumstances. Isn't that what every person should be able to expect from their government? And as a society are we not judged on how we treat the least able members of our society, those who cannot stand up for themselves?
Thanks.
Bravo, Peter (the MD)! I agree with you completely.
Hello, Joel,
For health care comments, first, let me get on my swamp boots. As a Canadian, I can say a few things about a health care system in general.
First of all, there may be a problem down the line with waiting lists.
Secondly, there should be more resources devoted to training and educating medical professionals, or you may have a shortage of service providers.
Thirdly, disease prevention should be a focus, in order to prevent higher costs. People shouldn't be living a lifestyle which causes them to continually use the health care system, i.e. massive smoking, without taking action to avoid preventable diseases. People have to take responsbility for the things that make them sick through their lifestyle choices. Also, big tobacco should also step up, or cough up (pardon the pun - bad, I know),and take responsibility for satisfying the death wishes of smokers. If you don't have a strong prevention approach, the health care system may end up only treating people when they are already sick and dying. Then the system provides service for the sick and dying, but not before, and this would be costly.
Fourth, every person (an adult) is essentially a producer of their own health, and are responsible for their own health, except perhaps for environmental factors beyond the immediate control of the individual.
Fifth, decide who pays ( i.e. through taxes, fees, penalties?)for the negative health externalities that may contribute to disease of individuals or groups.
As for Ellen, I have never heard her sing. Is this one of her claims to fame? It just makes sense to have quality singers judge other singers.
As for Lost, I'm lost for comment, because I never watch it.
Have a nice day!!
Stephen
Dear Stephen,
I a also Canadian, and I'm not sure that all of your statements are correct.
1st of all, waiting lists, are not simply due to Government sponsored health-care, they're also affected by a shortage of Doctors. (note many of our doctors move to the US to make more money which is a huge problem. A very large country with a very small population (Like Australia) also plays a role.
If you look at other developed nations, (most civilized countries provide healthcare to all...) you will find that the waiting lists are not nearly as long as in Canada. And guess what, most of the time, it won't kill you to wait.
If you get into a car accident, you get treated. It will not cost you your house, your retirement savings and leave you destitute. You simply get the treatment you need.
Finally!
Back off smokers. They're already paying for their excess healthcare through cigarette taxes, There have been studies that suggest that smokers and obese people actually don't cost more than healthy people to treat for a lifetime because they die more quickly. Oh yeah, smoking and obesity exist in the US where they have to pay for healthcare... so there goes that argument.
We can't keep blaming them for everything.
I don't own a car because I'm trying to save the environment for other people's children, (I have none of my own) so maybe car drivers should pay for care if they get in an accident? If you live in a major city that has public transit, driving a car is a choice (a choice that is destroying the planet), so maybe my tax dollars shouldn't pay for those that get hurt because of it?
Now of course I don't really believe this. I'd like the world to be a better place for all people. Not just those I deem worthy...
I understand that the US healthcare bill is a complicated debate that I don't care to fully understand but I do know this. It is not ok for anyone to not be able to receive medical treatment because they are poor. It's just not ok.