I want to keep my HSA

I completely support President Obama's efforts to fix healthcare. We need to overhaul our system so people aren't left bankrupt or without coverage.

However, one thing that does disturb me about the plan being floated through congress is that it may lead to my HSA being discontinued, which is a nice cheap plan that let's me set aside money in an HSA (like a 401k for medical services). If I get hurt, I could be on the hook for up to $6,000 a year, but I only pay $10 a month for coverage for 2. My employer gives me $1,000 a year into my HSA, and I choose to put in another $2500 a year. I've had the plan for almost a year and am very pleased.

Cash for clunkers too successful

The cash for clunkers program is so successful that the government may have exhausted its money within hours. The program could be put on hold within days.

I have always thought this is a horrible program, since the emissions and costs from driving a "clunker" are probably less than what is required to produce a new, efficient vehicle (those Li-Ion batteries in the hybrids are not grown on trees).

India reaches out to Pakistan

Most American press focuses on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as one of the largest ongoing semi-conflicts. We tend to forget that there are somewhat active hostilities between two nuclear nations: India and Pakistan. Here is an interesting article on how Indian Prime Minister Singh is attempting to reach out to the Pakistani government.

We should all keep in mind that India is the world's largest democracy in a region that is endemic with totalitarian and/or military regimes. Peace on that subcontinent would be a good thing, and lead to increased world security.

Housing Search Redux

Several months ago, my wife and I decided to buy a house, thinking the market was just right. Between an $8k government subsidy, a large supply of houses, and very low interest rates, it was a fucking trifecta of reasons to own a house.

In the end, we are renting a bigger condo.

The reasons are many, but let this part of my tale give you an idea. The townhouse in Sully Station, VA that we put an offer on sold for over $400,000 in 2005. The person who owned it lost it in June 2008. Since then it was vacant, owned by IndyMac, who went bankrupt. The house was not even on the market until early this year, around March.

It was originally listed at $289,000 and appeared to be in great condition. We offered 280 and lost it. It came back on the market a week later, and dropped to 276. We again offered 280 and got it with 4% towards closing costs.

What followed was several months of working with our realtor, their realtor (Greendot, who I recommend avoiding any deal with), and their asset manager. To make a long story short, a water leak was discovered pre-inspection, and someone, and it is not clear who, fucked up so badly that the house became a haven for mold, mildew, and probably other pathogens.

We walked away, got our deposit back, and the house was dropped in list price to around $225k. So, much to my surprise today, the house closed for 282k, with NO SELLER SUBSIDY.

They say a sucker is born every minute. I think in the real estate industry, it happens more often than that.

Backing down

We're turning off our anti-Cuban propoganda. How long til the US made wall comes down and I can vacation in Havana?

Michael Vick Reinstated in NFL

Michael Vick is back in the NFL, two years after going to jail for running a dog fighting ring.

But he can't play in games until October.  Why?  If you are going to let a guy back after 2 years in jail, him losing $100M, why not just let him back in?  I really don't see the point of waiting longer.

He will be able to play in preseason games if anyone signs him.  Peter King thinks it will be the Pats.  I'm not so sure.

Gates's arrest follows disturbing trend in policing

The arrest of Professor Gates's was wrong on many levels, without even getting into racial matters. Many who are both black and white agree, and here is an excellent summary.

I am very disturbed at the increasing zeal in which LEO's conduct their business. Whether it is Fairfax County police killing someone for being an unarmed bookie because they had itchy trigger fingers, or the dozens of instances in which family dogs are killed, I am pissed at seeing these assholes act like they are marching into battle in Baghdad.

The police are around to protect us, to serve as an intake to the courts. They are not here to wage war against some unseen criminal element. In the case of Professor Gates, the police assumed he was guilty, because there had been reports of a break in.

What really doomed him was when he questioned their authority, even after allegedly giving them his ID. Is it now a crime to yell at a police officer? Heaven forbid, you hurt their image of godliness. I for one do not have much respect for their authority, because I question why another human should have authority to tell me what to do based on their employer. And they can even tell me what to do when they are off the clock!

Why do we continue to promote this reckless behavior? We as a society need to put limits on police power, and professor Gates was doing just that, by standing up for himself.

Roundup on the Gates Case

Here is a very good opinion roundup from both black and white commentators on how race may have played into the arrest of Professor Gates: http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/22/the-gates-case-and-racial-profiling/

My own thoughts on this case is that Professor Gates probably got a bit too combative, and that the cops were probably bored enough to arrest him.  As far as I'm concerned, yelling at a cop should not get you arrested if you were not committing any other crime.  And even if these cops acted appropriately, which is possible, we all know that there are many police officers who are all too happy to arrest anyone for even the smallest offense.  

Hopefully this case serves as a warning to LEO's everywhere, to always hold the high ground and not to arrest everyone in sight.

How Palm Did It

Palm has some pretty big balls.  In order to re-enable iTunes synching, they just went ahead and copied Apple's USB vendor ID.  This is going to be tough for Apple to workaround.

Better yet, Palm has filed a complain against Apple for violating USB standards, something that Palm is arguably doing now.  

http://www.precentral.net/how-palm-re-enabled-itunes-sync

Palm strikes back

Palm has just re-enabled iTunes synching with the Pre, basically giving Apple the finger.

I love it.

The new update also adds NFL Mobile, which will let me watch the Lions lose from wherever I am.

CCW Amendment Fails

Today an amendment to a defense bill that would have granted universal reciprocity for carrying concealed weapons was defeated. I am for the liberalization of concealed carry laws, as I believe that the 2nd amendment gives us the right to bear (and carry) arms.

However, this amendment would not have addressed one important issue: the lack of uniform state laws. Vermont allows anyone to carry with no permit. Virginia allows open carry with no permit, but a permit is required for concealed carry. Michigan requires you to inform any cop you interact with that you are carrying, or else. Ohio allows businesses to ban carrying if they post a sign; other states do not. These laws make it very confusing for anyone to travel between states, and what we need is a federal law that governs this issue. It could establish uniform standards for training and also established where people can and cannot carry.

Quote of the day

"I think that Glenn Beck is a guy who looked out across the vast expanse of America and saw a nation filled with paranoid dipshits waiting to have their irrational fears confirmed and exploited by an expert modern charlatan, a role he's been all too happy to fill."

 

-Gawker

http://gawker.com/5320095/the-glenn-beck-conundrum

 

I completely agree.  Glenn Beck is just in it to make a buck, and he found a great way: build an audience of idiots.

NHTSA thinks all phones should be banned

I always thought banning handheld phone use in cars was stupid, since its not the hands the lead to the problems, its the brain. Looks like the government agreed, but lacked the balls to make this recommendation public until they were forced.

Not that I agree with it, I just think it's stupid to ban handhelds. The way I see it, if you injure someone while talking on the phone, it constitutes negligence, a tort. This alone is enough reason to not use it while driving.

The Moon Landing, 40 years later

40 years ago, the first humans set foot on the moon. It was the fulfillment of a challenge first brought on us by President Kennedy. For a short time, the world stood still, with everyone's eyes glued to the television, watching Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong take don their spacesuits and walk on the lunar surface. And then the famous words were spoken:

"That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind."

We have not been back to the moon since, and while many say that we ought to go back, NASA's budget is better spent with unmanned probes and in studying the climate of earth. But moon landings are a bit fun.

Five Hour Energy not all its cracked up to be?

Interesting article on the ubiquitous energy drink available at just about any gas station in the country. Bottom line: it may or may not work better than coffee, and the safety is not clear.