Thứ Năm, 29 tháng 10, 2009

Rube Goldberg Health Care


Critiquing the House Democrats' 1,990-page overhaul of the health care industry, Minority Leader John Boehner had several concise remarks.

"Nineteen hundred and ninety pages. Now tell me how we're going to be able to fix our health care system with nineteen hundred and ninety pages of bureaucracy. This is what the American people have been saying for the last few months. Enough is enough. Republicans continue to have better solutions. If you go to healthcare.gop.gov, you can see the solutions we've been promoting."

Legendary cartoonist Rube Goldberg because famous by illustrating preposterously complicated "inventions".

"The Latest Simple Flyswatter"

Carbolic acid (A drops on string (B causing it to break and release elastic of bean shooter (C which projects ball (D) into bunch of garlic (E) causing it to fall into syrup can (F) and splash syrup violently against side wall. Fly (G) buzzes with glee and goes for syrup, his favorite dish. Butler-dog (H) mistakes hum of fly's wings for door buzzer and runs to meet visitor, pulling rope (I) which turns stop-go signal (J) and causes baseball bat (K) to sock fly who falls to floor unconscious. As fly drops to floor pet trout (L) jumps for him, misses, and lands in net (M). Weight of fish forces shoe (N) down on fallen fly and puts him out of the running for all time.

Goldberg's book Inventions captures hundreds of classic, humorous illustrations as well as his political cartoons.

It may come as no surprise that Goldberg was a staunch foe of authoritarian governments and central planning. His depiction of one of FDR's ill-fated, depression-prolonging programs is an apt illustration for today's House Bill.

After seventy-plus years of failures -- economic disasters that endanger the full faith and credit of the U.S. currency -- you'd think that Democrats would start getting the point.

But maybe, just maybe, they're trying to destroy our society. I can't think of any other reason Democrats would attempt to pile on trillions more in debt when the federal budget is collapsing.

We must defeat these enemies of the Civil Society on Tuesday, in 2010, and in 2012. Before it's too late.


Hat tip: Jeffrey A. Tucker. Linked by: Don Surber. Thanks!

Today's Word Jumbler



Democrat Fist Bump


Image: Personal Litmus, hat tip: Bob McCarty.

Holy Freaking Crap: The Porsche 928 -- Reborn


AutoExpress describes the rebirth of the legendary front-engined V8 GT.

Get ready for a blast from Porsche’s past! The German firm is developing a luxurious, front-engined grand tourer – a spiritual successor to the 928 built between 1977 and 1995. The ‘new 928’ will be a fifth model line, and is designed to sit above the sportier 911 in the range.

With the compact Boxster and Cayman, the 911, the Cayenne SUV and four-door Panamera, Porsche would appear to have most bases covered. But it’s notable for its absence in the front-engined GT segment. The newcomer will allow the brand to take on rivals such as the Ferrari 599 GTB, Bentley Continental GT and Aston Martin DB9. And our exclusive pictures show exactly why the curvy, Panamera-based coupé is set to stun the competition.

Essentially it’s a two-door, short-wheelbase version of the Panamera, which will help to spread the £1.1billion development costs of that model. Its front-engined layout has a number of inherent benefits, too...

...As you’d expect from Porsche, though, driver appeal remains a top priority. The engine line-up will mirror that of the Panamera, so a 4.8-litre V8, with or without a turbocharger, producing 500bhp or 400bhp, will be available. The naturally aspirated variant is set to come with four or rear-wheel drive, while the range-topping turbo model will be 4WD only.

...An Audi S4-sourced 369bhp 3.0-litre supercharged V6, coupled to a 38kW electric motor, will give the hybrid 928 fuel economy that breaks the 30mpg barrier. That will make it the most frugal petrol-powered Porsche ever, while still providing hair-raising performance...

Yowza!


Hat tip: AutoSpies.


Free Cell Phones For Everyone! (Citizenship Not Required)


I never cease to be amazed by the generosity of government with our money. Had you not heard, the feds are now handing out free cellphones to those who say they can't afford them.

América Móvil (NYSE:AMX) is the government's chosen partner for the SafeLink Wireless program. Best of all, there's no citizenship requirement.

To qualify, you need nothing more than a letter from your employer which states that your wages come under the qualifying threshold ($55K for a family of 8).

Sounds fraud-proof to me!

Now, an enterprising pro journalist might look at campaign donations from América Móvil and compare them to those who sponsored the legislation. But we don't seem to have pro journalists in this country any more, so I wouldn't get your hopes up.


Hat tip: Tim Burns for Congress.

TIP: ACORN Staffers Turning Over Evidence to Feds


An anonymous tip from New Orleans reads:

News Flash not yet published... acorn personnel are flocking to the fbi turning over evidence.

Unconfirmed. Developing...


Larwyn's Linx: Divide and Conquer: the Democrat Party Strategy

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Nation

Storm Clouds Over America: Hanson
Next Tuesday's Lessons for 2010: AT (Wright)
The Single-Payer Bunch (Vid): Verum Serum

The Public Option Trap: Spectator
5 for Fighting: Cold Fury
The Silver-Tongued Devil: Obama Tells Stupak: BlogProf

American Tears: Tonight, I Weep: Rants
Real Members of Congress: InstaPundit
Racism: Time To End the Double Standard: Brownfeld

Divide and Conquer: the Democrat Party Strategy: AT
Did The NRCC Bungle NY-23?: Riehl
Palin Files Financial Disclosures: Conserv4Palin

Rep. LaTourette Mocks Cry-Baby Dems On House Floor: GWP

Economy

Economic Freedom Fighters Must Unite: RCM (Kudlow)
Obama and the Old Hat People: WSJ
Porkulus Comes Home to Roost: BVBL

Housing sales drop “unexpectedly”: Morrissey
Flu-shot Shortage Highlights Govt. Incompetence: Morris
Chasing New Yorkers Away: MoneyRunner

Media

LameStream Media: Why Did You Bypass These Juicy ACORN Nuggets?: BigGov (Giles)
That Fiercely Independent 'Journalism': Taranto
Krauthammer: Obama attacks on Bush “disgusting”: Morrissey

A truce in the White House-Fox wars?: Sister Toldjah
Virginian Pilot: Thank you for endorsing Creigh Deeds: MoneyRunner
‘One Voice Against Socialism’ Inspires Movement: BigGov

Guilty verdict in Christian-Newsom murders: Malkin
Fear of Fox: Autocrats and the Uppity Media: AT
Multiple Layers of Painstaking Fact-Checking Oversight: Ace

Would he urinate on an image of Obama?: Anchoress
New CNN Slogans, Cheap: PJM

World

Where in the World Is Supreme Leader Khamenei?: Ledeen
Manipulating the Media, the Israelis and the West: GM's Place (Grobman)
Afghanistan: To Be or Not to Be: Grand Rants

UN Rapporteur whines about drone strikes - I taunt him: Ace
Canada Joins Global Juggernaut to Toughen Iran Sanctions: Timmerman
Lord of War: AT (Zigfeld)

Sci-Tech

Seven questions that keep Physicists up at night: NewSci
Is Twitter playing favorites with Dems?: Times

Cornucopia

No More Celebrity Sex Tapes Please. We've Just Eaten: AmDig
Listen Stan: Denny
The Warrior Song: AmDig