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US Health Care Reform

Have you noticed all the advertisements attempting to stop heath care reform in this country?

Mainly the ads seem to be targeted at preventing the reconciliation of the Senate and House plans to include a public option.

If you look into who’s funding these advertisements you probably won’t be surprised that it’s the health care industry looking after their interests (which aren’t your interests unless you’re a major stock holder in one or more of the insurance companies or health care companies in this country).

Patients First is a project of Americans for Prosperity, an organization run by Art Pope (aka “The Knight of the Right”).  Heavily funded by corporate American — heavily funded by the health care industry.

There’s simply nothing grass roots about them — and they do not represent the interests of the average American.  They represent special interests, the extreme right, and the health care industry itself.

Obviously the American health care industry is spending money because they don’t want their lucrative business model changed.

Personally I question any organization’s motives when they attempt to hide where their funding comes from.

Dig deeper, you might not like what you find — and don’t just listen to the rhetoric, learn what’s at stake.

SourceWatch.org

Patriotism

Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism — how passionately I hate them!

· Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein

Free

I found this web page on GNU.org by the Free Software Foundation to be hilarious… it just reeks of doublespeak and I’m sure George Orwell would agree.

Now see, I thought the “free” in “free software” meant “free” — and it didn’t really need any qualifications.  Software that was free from encumbrances and cost… but now the Free Software Foundation is telling us that “free” might cost…

Maybe they’re looking for ways to pay their salaries?

I don’t know.

Maybe that other kind of software that wasn’t “free” might turn out to be less expensive in the long run.

Selling Free Software

War

I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.

· Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein

Defective by Design

The Free Software Foundation has started a new campaign — Defective By Design.

I personally do not agree that software quality depends on open source; but certainly open source does allow for a complete review of a piece of software — but it in no way assures that it has been tested or is secure (in fact, being open may make it’s weaknesses easier to leverage).

Defective By Design seems to single out DRM (Digital Rights Management) yet I would think that with a name like Defective by Design they might want to address more issues that render software, hardware, and services ineffective than just DRM.

Read for yourself, an informed consumer is the best guard against questionable business practices.

DefectiveByDesign.org

Windows 7 Sins

Personally I think this is a little over the top — the choice of an operating system doesn’t necessarily lock an individual into all the technologies that might be offered with it (for instance, you can run Open Office on Windows 7 — you do not have to run Microsoft Office 2010); but that said, this is a valid position and while it might be overstated it is something each and every person should consider.

Windows7Sins.org

Curiosity

The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.

· Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein

A season of peace on Earth…

and good will toward men.

Hardly.

It would truly be the most wonderful time of the year if there were peace; even if the peace were momentary, but especially if it were lasting.

Christmas in the US is a commercial holiday, filled with greed and consumerism.

The religious zealots who co-opted a pagan holiday have a longer history of violence than peace — so when they try and tell you what the true meaning of Christmas is… ask yourself how many people who don’t share their views must die so that they can have their reich.

The emporer has no cloths.

In the US we don’t only have freedom to choose our religion; we have the freedom to choose to be free of religion and all the oppression that history shows it brings with it.  Make your choice known.

For background on Chrismas, you can view Wikipedia

Peace

Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding.

· Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein

Comprehension?

The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is comprehensible.

· Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein