Working for Salaries, Doctors go Left
Inevitably, confronted with corruption and it's impingement on guaranteed salaries, doctors with standardized wages are going to support, like most workers, unlimited torts. Capping Torts is like giving industry a free pass to kill some of us after they figure out the "most" they can lose. Corruption will contribute to a downward spiral on actual doctor's (as opposed to their "managers'") wages. Hence, they will demand that the check of "unknown" tort judgements are the only thing to keep these mega-corporations in line. Once they have a specific amount they have to worry about, they can work around it, at all of our expense.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
The New York Times suggests Making Medical School Free
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/29/opinion/29bach.html
I would add that we should subsidize ALL education so that it is free for the populace at large, and simply educate students based on their abilities.
I would add that we should subsidize ALL education so that it is free for the populace at large, and simply educate students based on their abilities.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Pay bankers their Customers' average total income.
Instead of paying bankers by how much they make for the bank, I think a better system would be that they get paid based on an actuarial table related to savings vs income. In other words, I'm guessing that an average salary per customer can be determined via some sort of accounting calculus. Principal bankers would get paid multiples of the average wage: say, no more then 20x the standard wage of the average customer. So, for example, the Bank of America would have an average wage per customer of say...40,000 bucks, so, most of the bankers would get that much, and the CEO might get 800,000 bucks a year. Basically, all salaries would be tied to customer average salaries, and even bonuses could not exceed 2x the base salary of the employee.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Why I don't believe we will invade Syria, in a nutshell
The reason is far more disheartening then "republican politics" or whatnot. The problem is that Syria is in the heart of the Middle East, and it serves western interests far more effectively to allow a strict dictatorship there than for it to be plunged into civil conflict, like Libya.
The problem is that Syria, like Libya, is filled with discordant factions that are being kept down by dictatorship: Extremist Sunnis, Extremist Shias, Outspoken communists who up until 15 years ago were being paid for by the USSR. Syria was also a Soviet client state, but now is relatively neutral. American involvement would most likely contribute, or succeed, in deposing Assad, but the Baathists are not going to just roll over and die in Syria, as we can clearly see from the present blood bath/detentions that are occurring. Thus, rather then a stable, if thoroughly undemocratic state, a US intervention would simply create more chaos with no resolution in sight, in an area of the world already filled with lawless regions. Syria would become another disaster zone like Iraq quickly.
Recently, Syrian citizens have actually been half-jokingly suggesting that ISRAEL should intervene. I think, in a real way, this sums up the ACTUAL situation on the ground in the Middle East, as opposed to the American view typified by Ladies in Black, that Israel is somehow a devilish Nazi-like state. In fact, the COMMON MAN in the Middle East knows that Israel has a better standard of living, more trustworthy representatives in government, and many of the amenities of the West that none of them have. Rather then "hating the Jews," many Arabs and Persians ENVY them, and that is something the Ladies in Black just don't get. They confuse envy with hate, and "side" with those that are envious!
Despite these glimmerings of real change in the Middle East, the chances of either Israel or America actually entering Syria are nil, as Syria ALREADY represents a hostile power WITH the capability to if not destroy Israel, at least to seriously harm it. Israel has refrained from attacking the nations around it for the main reason that any wars against these powers outside of Israel's borders would be either prosecuted with mass murder, mass deportations (to where?) or both. Israel, while it may be ABLE to do such a thing, is guided by religious and political principles that don't allow it. So, instead, they have built a massive defensive system, and part of that system involves maintaining control of the Golan Heights and at least certain areas of the West Bank and Gaza. But, because these are basically No Man's Lands between warring enemies, those that live there (the Palestinians) get very short shrift from ALL parties involved. Palestinians cannot (at least not until this new wave of chaos) enter Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon or Syria. Like the Israeli checkpoints, Palestinians are abused by the other powers as well.
In conclusion, it is not up to Israel, the US or anyone else, to CONTRIBUTE to the chaos surrounding the VERY poor choices these governments made concerning their own peoples. It is not Israel's, or the US's fault, that 100,000's of folks are dissatisfied with their oppressive governments. It would serve no purpose to rush into Syria with an Israeli/US army, as it would not only bring even more chaos to Syria, but could inspire Iran to military adventurism. We must wait and watch, and grit out teeth, unless, we, as a people, are willing to put ALL of our society's resources to the mettle. If 75 MILLION of us decide that we NEED to save the human race, starting with Syria, then ok, but if anyone is expecting a few 10's of thousands of troops to solve this problem, they are delusional.
The problem is that Syria, like Libya, is filled with discordant factions that are being kept down by dictatorship: Extremist Sunnis, Extremist Shias, Outspoken communists who up until 15 years ago were being paid for by the USSR. Syria was also a Soviet client state, but now is relatively neutral. American involvement would most likely contribute, or succeed, in deposing Assad, but the Baathists are not going to just roll over and die in Syria, as we can clearly see from the present blood bath/detentions that are occurring. Thus, rather then a stable, if thoroughly undemocratic state, a US intervention would simply create more chaos with no resolution in sight, in an area of the world already filled with lawless regions. Syria would become another disaster zone like Iraq quickly.
Recently, Syrian citizens have actually been half-jokingly suggesting that ISRAEL should intervene. I think, in a real way, this sums up the ACTUAL situation on the ground in the Middle East, as opposed to the American view typified by Ladies in Black, that Israel is somehow a devilish Nazi-like state. In fact, the COMMON MAN in the Middle East knows that Israel has a better standard of living, more trustworthy representatives in government, and many of the amenities of the West that none of them have. Rather then "hating the Jews," many Arabs and Persians ENVY them, and that is something the Ladies in Black just don't get. They confuse envy with hate, and "side" with those that are envious!
Despite these glimmerings of real change in the Middle East, the chances of either Israel or America actually entering Syria are nil, as Syria ALREADY represents a hostile power WITH the capability to if not destroy Israel, at least to seriously harm it. Israel has refrained from attacking the nations around it for the main reason that any wars against these powers outside of Israel's borders would be either prosecuted with mass murder, mass deportations (to where?) or both. Israel, while it may be ABLE to do such a thing, is guided by religious and political principles that don't allow it. So, instead, they have built a massive defensive system, and part of that system involves maintaining control of the Golan Heights and at least certain areas of the West Bank and Gaza. But, because these are basically No Man's Lands between warring enemies, those that live there (the Palestinians) get very short shrift from ALL parties involved. Palestinians cannot (at least not until this new wave of chaos) enter Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon or Syria. Like the Israeli checkpoints, Palestinians are abused by the other powers as well.
In conclusion, it is not up to Israel, the US or anyone else, to CONTRIBUTE to the chaos surrounding the VERY poor choices these governments made concerning their own peoples. It is not Israel's, or the US's fault, that 100,000's of folks are dissatisfied with their oppressive governments. It would serve no purpose to rush into Syria with an Israeli/US army, as it would not only bring even more chaos to Syria, but could inspire Iran to military adventurism. We must wait and watch, and grit out teeth, unless, we, as a people, are willing to put ALL of our society's resources to the mettle. If 75 MILLION of us decide that we NEED to save the human race, starting with Syria, then ok, but if anyone is expecting a few 10's of thousands of troops to solve this problem, they are delusional.
Monday, May 9, 2011
New water source!
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090605091856.htm
A fully autonomous (as in, it needs no electricity to work) water absorption and and distribution system! This could mean the end of rainwater collection laws!
A fully autonomous (as in, it needs no electricity to work) water absorption and and distribution system! This could mean the end of rainwater collection laws!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Interesting Blog with a lot of psyche experiments
http://www.cantorsappsychologyblog.blogspot.com/
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