@cehoward.bsky.social
The insurance companies are only the tip of the iceberg. insurers, suppliers, administrators, and medical device companies all profit from complexity and inflated prices rather than efficiency or outcomes, creating a fragmented system where every layer attempts to maximize profits.
October 31, 2025 at 8:56 PM
The insurance companies are only the tip of the iceberg. insurers, suppliers, administrators, and medical device companies all profit from complexity and inflated prices rather than efficiency or outcomes, creating a fragmented system where every layer attempts to maximize profits.
I was only commenting on what is within existing norms. Not on what is right/just.
October 4, 2025 at 9:58 PM
I was only commenting on what is within existing norms. Not on what is right/just.
Under long held US policing standards, it IS justifiable. Try throwing a water bottle at a cop and see what happens. If the arrested get charged with more than assault with physical contact (18 U.S.C. § 111) and/or Civil disorder (18 U.S.C. § 231), then we have the crisis. Like sandwichgate.
October 4, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Under long held US policing standards, it IS justifiable. Try throwing a water bottle at a cop and see what happens. If the arrested get charged with more than assault with physical contact (18 U.S.C. § 111) and/or Civil disorder (18 U.S.C. § 231), then we have the crisis. Like sandwichgate.
Dude. It's literally about 50-75 people in the street in front of the Portland ICE building right now. The rest of the city is normal.
October 4, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Dude. It's literally about 50-75 people in the street in front of the Portland ICE building right now. The rest of the city is normal.
Mostly throwing objects at the federal officers. It's disproportional but a valid reason to arrest under US law.
October 4, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Mostly throwing objects at the federal officers. It's disproportional but a valid reason to arrest under US law.
But if the press continues to fan the flames, it could get much more exciting tonight.
October 4, 2025 at 9:21 PM
But if the press continues to fan the flames, it could get much more exciting tonight.
Chicago. Yes. Portland? The protest is so small it's silly that its making national press -- like 50 people at the moment and anyone who threatens violence or crosses the painted blue line (facility border) is instantly arrested.
October 4, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Chicago. Yes. Portland? The protest is so small it's silly that its making national press -- like 50 people at the moment and anyone who threatens violence or crosses the painted blue line (facility border) is instantly arrested.
The more interesting question is when will the ocean stop absorbing carbon dioxide? Thats 20%-30% of all carbon emissions today and declining. 2060?
August 2, 2025 at 3:52 PM
The more interesting question is when will the ocean stop absorbing carbon dioxide? Thats 20%-30% of all carbon emissions today and declining. 2060?
Don't travel to Italy or Turkey or Greece or Egypt or Morocco or Thailand or Cypress. Cats everywhere.
July 16, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Don't travel to Italy or Turkey or Greece or Egypt or Morocco or Thailand or Cypress. Cats everywhere.
It’s a different story for people who are naturalized. Pretty much everyone who went through that process technically lied on their application due to the way the questions are worded. e.g. Did you list EVERY group or association you ever belonged to or were associated with?
July 12, 2025 at 9:45 PM
It’s a different story for people who are naturalized. Pretty much everyone who went through that process technically lied on their application due to the way the questions are worded. e.g. Did you list EVERY group or association you ever belonged to or were associated with?
ditto for the shockingly easy administrative takeover of Vichy France. The SS had to tell the French police to slow down on handing over the local Jews.
July 10, 2025 at 10:05 PM
ditto for the shockingly easy administrative takeover of Vichy France. The SS had to tell the French police to slow down on handing over the local Jews.
American people were supposed to prevent democracy from being undermined.
July 9, 2025 at 9:42 PM
American people were supposed to prevent democracy from being undermined.
“The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt.”
— John Philpot Curran, July 10 1790
— John Philpot Curran, July 10 1790
July 9, 2025 at 9:42 PM
“The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt.”
— John Philpot Curran, July 10 1790
— John Philpot Curran, July 10 1790
“A Republic, if you can keep it.” — Benjamin Franklin. Liberty is not self sustaining and it is the job of the people to defend the republic.
July 9, 2025 at 9:40 PM
“A Republic, if you can keep it.” — Benjamin Franklin. Liberty is not self sustaining and it is the job of the people to defend the republic.
but if it was 1945 and the bomb had already been developed and I had to make the call with 20/20 hindsight. I would use them, knowing that I had saved millions of lives at the cost of murdering 200,000 civilians.
July 7, 2025 at 4:38 AM
but if it was 1945 and the bomb had already been developed and I had to make the call with 20/20 hindsight. I would use them, knowing that I had saved millions of lives at the cost of murdering 200,000 civilians.
I’d upgrade that to “highly likely” (80-90%). Once we had the bomb politically, we had to use it somewhere quickly. With full hindsight, sabotaging the Chicago pile could have delayed nuclear bomb/power development for at least a couple of decades.
July 7, 2025 at 4:32 AM
I’d upgrade that to “highly likely” (80-90%). Once we had the bomb politically, we had to use it somewhere quickly. With full hindsight, sabotaging the Chicago pile could have delayed nuclear bomb/power development for at least a couple of decades.
correction: the bombs weren’t armed but were armable by the air crew. No cipher lock required.
July 7, 2025 at 4:18 AM
correction: the bombs weren’t armed but were armable by the air crew. No cipher lock required.
The US strategic air command was literally performing simulated nuclear bomb drops over Russian cities and was flying armed nuclear bombs 24/7 on the fringes of Russian airspace during the late 40s and early 50s. The early Cold War was wild.
July 7, 2025 at 4:16 AM
The US strategic air command was literally performing simulated nuclear bomb drops over Russian cities and was flying armed nuclear bombs 24/7 on the fringes of Russian airspace during the late 40s and early 50s. The early Cold War was wild.
I highly recommend reading Richard Rhodes atomic bomb and dark sun books. Once you do, you’ll realize the Doctor Strangelove love was more of a documentary than a satire.
July 7, 2025 at 4:08 AM
I highly recommend reading Richard Rhodes atomic bomb and dark sun books. Once you do, you’ll realize the Doctor Strangelove love was more of a documentary than a satire.
after the war, military leaders were itchy to drop bombs in every conflict. It took the lessons of Hiroshima and Russia obtaining the bomb in 1949 to dial that willingness way back.
July 7, 2025 at 4:06 AM
after the war, military leaders were itchy to drop bombs in every conflict. It took the lessons of Hiroshima and Russia obtaining the bomb in 1949 to dial that willingness way back.
We’re now in the trolley problem. Is it ethical to kill 200,000 people in exchange for saving a few million? Historically, if we did not use the bombs on Japan, we likely would’ve used
much bigger ones on Russia before developing MAD.
much bigger ones on Russia before developing MAD.
July 7, 2025 at 4:00 AM
We’re now in the trolley problem. Is it ethical to kill 200,000 people in exchange for saving a few million? Historically, if we did not use the bombs on Japan, we likely would’ve used
much bigger ones on Russia before developing MAD.
much bigger ones on Russia before developing MAD.
Practically yes, the nastiness of nuclear radiation was not fully appreciated until it was documented at scale.
July 7, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Practically yes, the nastiness of nuclear radiation was not fully appreciated until it was documented at scale.
it took the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs to create the nuclear taboo, which led to the mutually assured destruction policy, which has prevented world wars ever since. However, it’s damn scary how many times the finger was hovering over the button on both sides of the Cold War.
July 7, 2025 at 2:37 AM
it took the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs to create the nuclear taboo, which led to the mutually assured destruction policy, which has prevented world wars ever since. However, it’s damn scary how many times the finger was hovering over the button on both sides of the Cold War.
compared to fire bombing, a nuclear strike was merciful. Hiroshima was re-populated within two years. It also was politically impossible not to use the bomb after developing it.
July 7, 2025 at 2:32 AM
compared to fire bombing, a nuclear strike was merciful. Hiroshima was re-populated within two years. It also was politically impossible not to use the bomb after developing it.