Friend of the wife got signed up. She has a good income, not eligible for any discount subsidy so she just called up BlueCross and bam she is ready to go. They will give her a certificate of insurance to use if she needs to, I don't know, maybe you send it in with your tax return.
BlueCross told her that anyone can sign up through an insurance provider rather than the government sites, but if you are eligible for subsidy you have to use the certificate to get it through some exercise, again I don't know how but it can be done.
People, especially if you are not going to get a subsidy (somewhere around a 50k or 60k income level) you can just do it on your own now. For the friend, she had a pre-existing condition from surgery 10 years ago that has kept her from having insurance ever since. This is a good deal, she is thrilled.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Bird killers, it sure as hell ain't windmills.
1. Domestic and feral cats: 200 million
2. Power lines, collisions and electrocutions: 25 million
3. Collisions with houses or buildings: 25 million
4. Vehicle collisions: 14 million
5. Game bird hunting: 5 million
6. Agricultural pesticides 2.7 million
7. Agricultural mowing: 2.2 million young birds, equivalent to one million adult birds
8. Commercial forestry: 1.4 million nests, equivalent to 900,000 adult birds
9. Communications towers: 220,000
The myth promoted by Koch's and their fellow opponents of wind turbines is just that, myth. There are a few turbines that have whacked a number of birds, but most never hit one. I spend a few hours with the operating manager of a wind farm in western Kansas, he has 90 turbines. He said he has never found a bird under one of his yet. Last year 2 eagles were reported found near towers (somewhere?) in Kansas, 1 had a bullet hole through it, so.....
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
11 mostly red states amazing surprise
Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Virginia.
Registered voters in these states view on global warming and the EPA:
92% of democrats trust the EPA to regulate green house gases.
58% of republicans trust the EPA to regulate green house gasses.
65% of all voters say climate change is a serious problem.
74% of all voters say the EPA should make more laws on pollution.
12% of these states reps. believe the public wants stronger laws on pollution.
These numbers are a shocker. The public is far more progressive than I imagined, and the politicians couldn't be more isolated. Clearly politicians are hearing from and fund raising among a narrow group. We knew that. But I don't think any of us knew it was this lop sided, shit, these guys are 50+ points off on what they think people want, if we can convince more to speak up, write, call, visit these guys local offices, maybe we can raise it to 15%. Ha, it's a goal, one thing I learned, without a goal, not much happens.
The poll also probed the environment as a campaign issue, running against the EPA and science will not pay off in most of these areas in 2014, so we need to make it an issue.
The publics determination as shown here, to act on global warming, ties nicely into explaining the rapid movement to divest. See the 2nd blog below.
Registered voters in these states view on global warming and the EPA:
92% of democrats trust the EPA to regulate green house gases.
58% of republicans trust the EPA to regulate green house gasses.
65% of all voters say climate change is a serious problem.
74% of all voters say the EPA should make more laws on pollution.
12% of these states reps. believe the public wants stronger laws on pollution.
These numbers are a shocker. The public is far more progressive than I imagined, and the politicians couldn't be more isolated. Clearly politicians are hearing from and fund raising among a narrow group. We knew that. But I don't think any of us knew it was this lop sided, shit, these guys are 50+ points off on what they think people want, if we can convince more to speak up, write, call, visit these guys local offices, maybe we can raise it to 15%. Ha, it's a goal, one thing I learned, without a goal, not much happens.
The poll also probed the environment as a campaign issue, running against the EPA and science will not pay off in most of these areas in 2014, so we need to make it an issue.
The publics determination as shown here, to act on global warming, ties nicely into explaining the rapid movement to divest. See the 2nd blog below.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Vegan recipes I really like
Tom, Outta the Cornfield ask, so here are some I make often.
Red Beans and Rice. A southern dish, variations are as many as meat loaf, I just leave out the sausage.
Saute (chopped) medium onion, bell peppers, 2 or 3 stalks celery, 1 or 5 garlics, add equal amounts of red beans and cooked brown rice, a can of chopped tomato, thyme, oregano, paprika, bay leaf, pepper(s) of your choice (black, cayenne, chipotle, jalapeno) salt. Simmer slow for 15 to 45 min. or how ever long you can wait.
Spaghetti sauce. Take any sauce recipe, leave out the meat, add white beans and add lots more basil than they call for. I have had this in Italy. I then use whole grain pasta. You may have to experiment, some of the whole grain pasta's are not so great, I like Barilla, as good as white flour pasta.
Indian Potatoes with Cauliflower
Stir every few minutes while you make this.
Saute 1 minute 1T oil, 1t cumin, 1t garlic, 1t ginger.
Add and saute 7 min. (chopped) 2 or 3 potato, 1/2t paprika, 1/2t garam masala, 1/2t tumeric.
Add 1/2 (chopped) medium cauliflower and 1t fresh cilantro, lower heat to a simmer 10 min., cover.
You may need to add a tiny amount of water in the last few minutes.
What is Garam masala? If you cannot buy this, make do with as many of these as you can get your hands on. Mix these in descending order, say a spoon of the first item and a little bit less of each as you go. Cumin, Coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cayenne, nutmeg. Shake it up and you now have the secret to many Indian dishes. There are a hundred recipes for this spice, so use what ever of these you have you will get part way at least.
Pilaf, Lentil, Millet, Barley or Rice. Variations on rice pilaf, same thing, this can also be made with combinations of these grains but cooking time means you use different pans then combine near the end.
Basically it's a small amount of vegis cooked with the grain.
1 carrot diced small, 1 celery stalk diced. Sometimes a few shavings of onion, or a few peas. A little salt and pepper at the end.
Put the vegis in with the grain and simmer till grain is done. Brown lentil takes 25 to 30 min., red takes 5 or 10 min., green in between. Millet about 20 min. (2.5 times water to grain on millet). Barley takes over an hour so add vegi's at about 50 minutes. At serving time I sometimes add a little vegi oil and/or nuts, even raisins work.
Bonus salad. You can cool a bit of this then add any of these: few fresh diced onion, diced pepper, cucumber, tomato, oil and vinegar, even drained-washed beans, sha-zam a high protein salad.
Americans don't eat lentil or millet very often. They are both high in protein easy to digest and fast to prepare. Almost all millet is grown in Colorado, most is organic, low priced, buy it at a store that sells bulk. Millet is nutty or even popcorn like flavor. It's also tiny and round, drop it and it goes everywhere like ball bearings.
OK, in a few days I'm going to give you some more, including some soups worth fighting over, yea, grab a wooden spoon and go in swinging.
Red Beans and Rice. A southern dish, variations are as many as meat loaf, I just leave out the sausage.
Saute (chopped) medium onion, bell peppers, 2 or 3 stalks celery, 1 or 5 garlics, add equal amounts of red beans and cooked brown rice, a can of chopped tomato, thyme, oregano, paprika, bay leaf, pepper(s) of your choice (black, cayenne, chipotle, jalapeno) salt. Simmer slow for 15 to 45 min. or how ever long you can wait.
Spaghetti sauce. Take any sauce recipe, leave out the meat, add white beans and add lots more basil than they call for. I have had this in Italy. I then use whole grain pasta. You may have to experiment, some of the whole grain pasta's are not so great, I like Barilla, as good as white flour pasta.
Indian Potatoes with Cauliflower
Stir every few minutes while you make this.
Saute 1 minute 1T oil, 1t cumin, 1t garlic, 1t ginger.
Add and saute 7 min. (chopped) 2 or 3 potato, 1/2t paprika, 1/2t garam masala, 1/2t tumeric.
Add 1/2 (chopped) medium cauliflower and 1t fresh cilantro, lower heat to a simmer 10 min., cover.
You may need to add a tiny amount of water in the last few minutes.
What is Garam masala? If you cannot buy this, make do with as many of these as you can get your hands on. Mix these in descending order, say a spoon of the first item and a little bit less of each as you go. Cumin, Coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cayenne, nutmeg. Shake it up and you now have the secret to many Indian dishes. There are a hundred recipes for this spice, so use what ever of these you have you will get part way at least.
Pilaf, Lentil, Millet, Barley or Rice. Variations on rice pilaf, same thing, this can also be made with combinations of these grains but cooking time means you use different pans then combine near the end.
Basically it's a small amount of vegis cooked with the grain.
1 carrot diced small, 1 celery stalk diced. Sometimes a few shavings of onion, or a few peas. A little salt and pepper at the end.
Put the vegis in with the grain and simmer till grain is done. Brown lentil takes 25 to 30 min., red takes 5 or 10 min., green in between. Millet about 20 min. (2.5 times water to grain on millet). Barley takes over an hour so add vegi's at about 50 minutes. At serving time I sometimes add a little vegi oil and/or nuts, even raisins work.
Bonus salad. You can cool a bit of this then add any of these: few fresh diced onion, diced pepper, cucumber, tomato, oil and vinegar, even drained-washed beans, sha-zam a high protein salad.
Americans don't eat lentil or millet very often. They are both high in protein easy to digest and fast to prepare. Almost all millet is grown in Colorado, most is organic, low priced, buy it at a store that sells bulk. Millet is nutty or even popcorn like flavor. It's also tiny and round, drop it and it goes everywhere like ball bearings.
OK, in a few days I'm going to give you some more, including some soups worth fighting over, yea, grab a wooden spoon and go in swinging.
Divestment starting to scare dirty energy boys
Divestment - divestiture, noun. The action or process of selling off business interests or investments. From medieval Latin divestit.
During apartheid divestiture of South African stocks was a very slow moving process. Today the call to divest from fossil fuel is moving like lightening. Endowment mangers, pension funds, some church managed funds, universities, social minded investment clubs, many are dumping oil, gas, coal at lightening speed. In the last few months 30 universities in the UK divested, in the US a few city pension funds, Churches and also about 30 universities. All within a few months. The ball is rolling, as these groups switch investments to eco-friendly and civic neutral companies.
This move will not hurt BP or king coal now, but later it has to. Other investors will buy those stocks and corporate bonds for the good profit they turn. The damage comes with loss of prestige and influence, when few universities or municipality or church funds will touch you, then the new drilling permit or pipeline garners less support and banks will want less exposure with a disgraced industry. Recently a number of fossil fuel execs have noted this is some of the worse news encountered for a long time, one said when a poll of Harvard student body turns up over 80% for divestiture, we are in trouble. It turns out they can influence much of the government, but no longer so much of the investors, and public opinion is clamoring for a transition to clean energy, now.
During apartheid divestiture of South African stocks was a very slow moving process. Today the call to divest from fossil fuel is moving like lightening. Endowment mangers, pension funds, some church managed funds, universities, social minded investment clubs, many are dumping oil, gas, coal at lightening speed. In the last few months 30 universities in the UK divested, in the US a few city pension funds, Churches and also about 30 universities. All within a few months. The ball is rolling, as these groups switch investments to eco-friendly and civic neutral companies.
This move will not hurt BP or king coal now, but later it has to. Other investors will buy those stocks and corporate bonds for the good profit they turn. The damage comes with loss of prestige and influence, when few universities or municipality or church funds will touch you, then the new drilling permit or pipeline garners less support and banks will want less exposure with a disgraced industry. Recently a number of fossil fuel execs have noted this is some of the worse news encountered for a long time, one said when a poll of Harvard student body turns up over 80% for divestiture, we are in trouble. It turns out they can influence much of the government, but no longer so much of the investors, and public opinion is clamoring for a transition to clean energy, now.
Our vets are just lazy, hey, get a bleep'n job.
Friday SNAP goes into another free fall thanks to the GOP. 900,000 vets will be hit with a reduction or a cut off of food stamps. In Texas 100,000 will see partial or total cut, Florida also 100k.
To hear the tea baggers, racist, the radical rich and the republican political machine they own tell it, people on food stamps are just free loaders. Helping them is the reason we have so many unemployed. It's not the economy when were talking about welfare, its the lazy ass fat ass dumb ass white trash and all those with dirty skin colors, they could have jobs, high paying jobs if they just made up their mind.
So I have to ask. These GI's, the ones every politician must bend over backward to say "thanks for your service", fail that once on camera and you will not get elected, how did these heroes and defenders and gods come back and turn into trash the GOP hate? We owe our freedom and our pandering to them one day, the next day it's fuck you couch boy, stop pouting about your trauma and stop looking to the nation for food and shelter. Good luck, use your marching and rifle cleaning skills to get a job, but don't show up asking for help, or stand on a street corner, or show your battle scars, the machine doesn't need you now you no longer consume defense industry products.
We have a history of stiffing our warriors. The revolutionary soldiers waited about 20 years for their promised reward, free land to settle in and west of the Appalachia. Today it's the same, old soldiers are in the way unless they have a unique story or make a good photo opp.
In case your moved to action, SNAP is needed by most all on the program, these cuts need to be reversed for all. Not just the vets. We cannot let anyone carve out a special situation for the vets or any other group. This is what the GOP wants to do, peacemeal replacement in the shutdown, the sequester and so on. In this way they can divide the nation the way the red necks and radical rich want.
To hear the tea baggers, racist, the radical rich and the republican political machine they own tell it, people on food stamps are just free loaders. Helping them is the reason we have so many unemployed. It's not the economy when were talking about welfare, its the lazy ass fat ass dumb ass white trash and all those with dirty skin colors, they could have jobs, high paying jobs if they just made up their mind.
So I have to ask. These GI's, the ones every politician must bend over backward to say "thanks for your service", fail that once on camera and you will not get elected, how did these heroes and defenders and gods come back and turn into trash the GOP hate? We owe our freedom and our pandering to them one day, the next day it's fuck you couch boy, stop pouting about your trauma and stop looking to the nation for food and shelter. Good luck, use your marching and rifle cleaning skills to get a job, but don't show up asking for help, or stand on a street corner, or show your battle scars, the machine doesn't need you now you no longer consume defense industry products.
We have a history of stiffing our warriors. The revolutionary soldiers waited about 20 years for their promised reward, free land to settle in and west of the Appalachia. Today it's the same, old soldiers are in the way unless they have a unique story or make a good photo opp.
In case your moved to action, SNAP is needed by most all on the program, these cuts need to be reversed for all. Not just the vets. We cannot let anyone carve out a special situation for the vets or any other group. This is what the GOP wants to do, peacemeal replacement in the shutdown, the sequester and so on. In this way they can divide the nation the way the red necks and radical rich want.
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