the infrastructure in the us is falling apart. the roman's had great infrastructure that they neglected and we know what happened to them.
why are we spending billions on unemployment checks when that money could be used fixing infrastructure; aka creating jobs.
redblack
Member Profile
oh, boy! another thread started to irk liberals!
okay. i'll have a go.
the infrastructure wouldn't be falling apart if the electorate would stop defeating local tax measures. then the government could fund infrastructure projects and employ construction firms. then construction workers would have money to buy goods and services. then the service industry could employ people. then unemployment would be lower, reducing UI shortfalls.
next question.
you keep posting libertarian complaints, hooper, and i'll keep shooting them down. since the anti-taxation small government water boys tanked the economy, i have plenty of time for the forums.
redblack: Don't forget to stop for a second and admire Hooper's syllogisms.
redblack
Member Profile
...then rich people wouldn't have to get their hands dirty digging their own damned private sewer lines, because government is too hamstrung to improve the public infrastructure.
syllogisms, cjb? you give those screeds too much credit. they're more like platitudes.
There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.
-- John Rogers
Quick Pickled Beets
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 1 hr 15 min
Level: Easy
Serves:2 (1-quart) jars
Ingredients
• Roasted Beets, recipe follows
• 1 large red onion, frenched
• 1 cup tarragon wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
Directions:
Remove the skin from the Roasted Beets and slice thinly. Arrange in 1-quart jars alternating layers with the onion. In a small pot boil the rest of the ingredients and pour over the beets. Tightly lid the jars and place in the refrigerator for 3 to 7 days before serving.
Roasted Beets:
• 6 medium beets, cleaned with 1-inch stem remaining
• 2 large shallots, peeled
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a large bowl toss all of the ingredients. Place into a foil pouch and roast in the oven for 40 minutes.
sounds delish, Chrisma....
Delicious and easy to make, Jan. Put 'em on a sandwich, or in a green salad, or just eat 'em right off the fork. Yum!
miws
Member Profile
Those pickled beets do sound delicious!
I wonder if Tim Eyman likes pickled beets?
Mike
hooper1961..
like it's an either or choice...
soemone has to suffer..
it's them or us...
i vote for the oil companies...
they are already soaking us and raking in record profits
and our gas prices are going up again.. but this time they are predicted to top out at $5.
all we have to do to fund infrastructure is end gas company subsidies:)
chrisma...
i love a great beet recipe...
might try this one today :)))
miws
Member Profile
I dunno, JoB.
Remember, corporations are human, so we don't want to do anything to hurt their feelings, or otherwise offend them.
So, although I agree with you in theory, we need to be the bigger person, and mustn't treat the big corps in a cruel and inhumane manner.
Mike
government needs to spend its limited resources on investment items not consumption.
the voters are frustrated with government because it has lost its way and moved away from investment towards consumption that is the wrong way.
in my book, a lot of the voters want things to continue, to be fixed, but they sure as hell don't want to pay for it. It ain't free...something's gotta give, and that something should be coming from the companies that are raking it in...and they are, make no mistake about that. But let's just dump on the poorest of the poor in your book. Did you know that there's a tea sale going on in the junction?
Now...back to them beets...can you use golden beets for that recipe?
maplesyrup
Member Profile
What happened to this? http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/13/AR2008121301819.html?sid=ST2008121301896&s_pos=
And this?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/07/us/politics/07obama.html
Government needs to fund "investment items." Ok, so the Stimulus didn't fund "investment items" like infrastructure and medical/scientific research? I hear that many government officials on the right are against even funding basic medical research, like the NIH for gosh sakes, so that doesn't count.
What else...let's see...high speed rail, or rail lines in general. Apparently that's not counting either since rail is not good enough to be "real investments" even though it's infrastructure.
Wait, do you mean more roads? Or fix those bridges that are falling down? I'll support bridge fixing but some of that was included in the stimulus plan which has been much maligned.
And libraries are not investments either. Basically many "investments" that help masses of the general public have been shot down for the most part. Health care is also an investment that has been watered down.
Give some examples of "investment items" please.
Golden Beets will work just fine. Carrots too for that matter, just be sure to scrub them first, since their skin won't peel off easily like the beets.
Actually, Golden Beets with rounds of Carrot would have a nice autumn color scheme, I bet. I'll have to try that variation.
Thanks, Jan!
al you have identified good investment items; but health care is a consumption not an investment.
maybe a focused effort to send a human to mars is in order, the spin off benefits from the moon landing program was enormous
dobro
Member Profile
I know who I'd recommend to be the first one to be in the Mars rocket.
very funny dobro
now why in he!! would we spend all that money to get to mars, when we can't take care of ourselves here. Do you ever listen to yourself? Yes, it's out there...but there are far more important things to spend money on than a man going to mars...but you just go right on thinking that...and you complain about other things? wow....
JanS - it's called investment research that would create significant enhancement to technology, the moon landing program resulted in a significant advancement. i would rather see the government investing in research and infrastructure versus consumption items.
hooper1961..
healthcare keeps the human resource that has driven technology improvement in the United States viable.
it's infrastructure maintenance ... for humans
Wow:))))
healthcare is an infrastructure investment.
eating beets pleases me,
maybe a white blanket arrives,
yay for purple snow!
And yes, health is the most important infrastructure investment.
Job ad for some.
These should help sweeten anyone's disposition.
Basic Wheat-Free/Dairy-Free Cookie Recipe
adapted from Cynthia Lair's recipe in Feeding the Whole Family
- 1 cup Barley Flour (or preferred Gluten-Free flour -Brown or White rice flours work well)
- 1 1/2 cups Rolled Oats (or use Gluten-Free oats - Bob's Red Mill)
- salt (1/4 to 1/2 tsp; I don't measure)
- 1/3 cup Earth Balance margarine
- 1 tsp vanilla
- *1/3 cup Agave Nectar + 2 Tbls water OR 1/2 cup Maple Syrup/Honey/Fruit Sweetener
*(each of these will impart a different texture and flavor. The Agave-water combo is a good cookie texture, although honey makes for a pleasantly chewy cookie. Bear in mind that fruit sweetners made with tropical fruits are going to impart a slight tropical flavor to your cookies; maple syrup will impart a maple flavor).
Goodies to Add:
- *1/4 to 1/3 cup of each of chocolate chips, sunspire sundrops, shredded coconut, nuts, dried fruit (dates, cranberries, raisins, cherries)
*(i wouldn't add more than 2 of any of these together or they may not stay in the dough)
Instructions
- Mix the flour, oats and salt in a bowl.
- Melt the margarine over low heat until liquid then stir in sweetener and vanilla and mix thoroughly.
- Add liquids to dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- *Add and goodies and mix.
*Once you add the chips, nuts, etc is when it gets a little troublesome. This dough isn't very dough-y (although the Agave & water version is better) and tends to not like to hold the chunks of chocolate chips (try the Enjoy Life brand dairy-nut-soy free tiny chocolate chips from PCC - cheap and good) or whatever. Usually I just mix it reasonably uniform and then using a spoon and my hands form each cookie into a round, trying to incorporate the ingredients that don't want to stay. It's not hard, but it is a little more work than spooning them right out. The don't tend to flatten much in the baking either which is something to keep in mind. You can crowd them on the baking sheet and they'll be ok. Make them thinner for crisper cookies and thicker for chewier.
- Bake 350 for 12-15 minutes. I always check the bottoms because they'll burn there before they brown on top usually. If you have an Air Bake cookie sheet use it. They work better and will let you get the cookies a little browner on top without the risk to the bottom. Cool about 10 minutes or more and enjoy.
more goodies...thanks, Chrisma..
Ken...thank you for that, too..good article !
hooper...BS!
EmmyJane
Member Profile
Is this post a result of watching the special on failing infrastructure last night on channel 275 (I think that's what channel. Bio, A&E, or maybe it was the history channel?)
emmyjane - yes i saw the special and it brought the issue to the forefront. why are we spending billions on unemployment checks for people to theoretically look for work. spend the money building/fixing infrastructure instead that is better for all.
health care is not an investment at all. it is a consumption item and those that do not pay for insurance should not be bailed out by the taxpayers.
i have no issues with basics that are cost effective; but expensive procedures if you don't pay life sucks. this is especially the case at the end game of life. the reality it sucks but does it make sense for government (taxpayers) to pay $100,000's to keep a 90 year old alive for 3 more months?
Well only if you heard it from a high school principal. Sorry, that was mean.
I'd love some roasted beets!
Actually, I'd support in terms of federal spending the use of tax dollars for investment in our infrastructure versus those tax cuts which really are more about consumption than investment in infrastructure.
curiouslyinquisitive
Member Profile
Hooper: I don't believe anyone, group, or government, has the right to determine or deprive an individual of how long they live or when they die except for that individual.
JanS: Frankly I am dissapointed in that you did not give more details about " Did you know that there's a tea sale going on in the junction?" Was this at a shop or a side walk sale?
curiouslyinquisitive - i completely agree with you the government has no right to determine or deprive an individual of how long they live or when they die except for that individual; with a caveat if it is their money or insurance. taxpayers should not have to pay for the individuals choice.
A necessitous human is NOT a free human.
---
No one is asking for taxpayer provided liposuction or boob jobs or even semi-private rooms, just the basics of health-care so our fellow citizens can be free of the fear of losing coverage. It would also relieve the hidden tax on ourselves and our small businesses when we pay to provide our own coverage in a piecemeal system that works primarily to enrich a bunch of INSURANCE company executives.
--
Do you REALLY think it is cheaper to pay a corporation to hold on to your money until you need health care? Their ONLY concern is figuring out ways to reduce your dependence on their services, all while paying more and more. Most insurance providers are fairly reluctant to pay for preventative care also, since their actuaries have told them they wouldn't reap the long-term benefits.
IT'S A SCAM!!! Don't you get it!?
--
It costs MUCH less to run Medicare than it does to provide health-care through an insurance company middle-man.
--
The uninsured use emergency rooms for their primary care, which is extraordinarily expensive, and THAT cost is passed on to the insured.
Emergency rooms are part of our infrastructure, if they are flooded with the poor finding out their symptoms are late-stage cancer, then they can't function efficiently in the manner they were intended. Another tax on the system.
----
----
AND, foremost, aren't we Americans the most important part of our Nation's infrastructure?
miws
Member Profile
Okay. Fine, hooper.
Let's do it your way.
On one condition; You are appointed Bad News Czar.
You meet face to face with the parents of the young child with the severe illness, look them in the eye, and tell them they're child is going to die because they can't afford the treatment.
You meet face to face with the small child(ren), look them in the eye, and tell them that Mommy/Daddy is going to die, because they don't have enough money to treat Mommy's/Daddy's illness.
(Why do I let myself get so worked up over hooper's postings? Pickled Beets me!)
Mike
the credit card is maxed out
hooper1961
why is it when you say the credit card is maxed out you are only talking about social programs
what about corporate welfare...
now there is a chunk of change
and people who can actually afford to lose their benefits...
Today the Seattle Times reported job growth for American companies..
anywhere but here..
in the USA.
Hooper, if you're talking about some great public works projects, I'm behind that all the way. Investing in repairing our roads, runways, air traffic control systems, national parks, dams (removal in some cases), and investment in green technology, and we could create enough jobs that unemployment would drop and extensions would become less necessary. Projects along the lines of the old WPA or CCC - I'm all for that.
elikapeka i would much rather spend our limited tax dollars on public works projects than on consumption items.
job - both social welfare for able bodied and minded and corporate welfare should be done away with that would provide funding for public works projects.
So, do you agree that in support of infrastructure, we should have rescinded the tax cuts hoop?
yes no extension of the tax cuts or unemployment benefits should have been given granted. instead the money should have used on infrastructure that would create jobs and provide for future wealth for the country; such as replacing a worn out bridge that ensures commerce does not disrupted if the existing bridge fails.
I think an alternative would be that for those receiving unemployment or BFET (Food benefits or food stamps) that they would contribute in some way (if physically and mentally able) for a minimum of 10 hours per week towards an activity that supports infrastructure or community in addition to the job search. I do agree that taking care of infrastructure is important.
tanyar23 agreed
so..Hooper...I'm almost 64. I am about 30 seconds away from end stage renal failure, which, without extraordinary treatment, will kill me. I will perhaps do dialysis, and am waiting to hear from my transplant coordinator. I can't afford insurance (private) that might possibly pay for this. What would your solution be? Are you telling me that you'd actually tell me too effing bad, no insurance,no treatment, no life? Or are you willing to make exceptions? I'm asking, not as a what if...I am actually almost at end stage..not due to anything I've done...just the luck of the draw. So...what is your answer. I work, I am self-employed, and I have a preexisting condition (cancer, 6 year survivor) that precludes me from getting private insurance at an even astronomical cost. So..what is your answer?
Curiouslyi...it's a sale at Tuscan Tearoom, actually..Tea of the Month Club...should appeal to anyone who likes a Tea Party ;-)
Jan, obviously "for profit" health insurance is a mess. We need to have health insurance be for the people and not the stockholders.
I personally love Remedy Tea on Capitol Hill.
I'm with you there, Tanya...and I'm an insurance provider/acceptor...and even I say there needs to be a better way. And those for profit insurances pay my rent...go figure...
Well Hooper, I must give you credit for sticking around and actually responding to folks on this thread. I haven't been around WSB very long, but it has been my impression that you tend to drop these position statements at the start of a forum thread and then disappear, or maybe lurk silently, but rarely circle back to, you know, actually discuss the topic. It has seemed decidely trollish.
I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say that you are actually engaging in discussion much in this thread either, other than maybe comments 28 and 40, which seem to elaborate your views a bit, rather than sticking to the "Agree/Disagree" model, that most of your responses follow. It's something, and I'd be interested to hear more. Particularly, your answer to Jan S.
A few of the other posters here offer links to articles or available data to support their positions or rebuttals. Your positions and rebuttals (in my limited experience), however, are all self-contained. You offer no references, no research, no data. You simply state your opinion as if it is fact. An example from comment 12:
the voters are frustrated with government because it has lost its way and moved away from investment towards consumption that is the wrong way.
That may be your opinion, Hooper, but can you really speak for "the voters"? Can you offer any supporting evidence of this vast consensus among "the voters" on where government has gone wrong and how it needs to correct course? In a country where many elections are decided by a 1% or less margin, such a consensus is patently nonsense, and it comes across as weasely when you invoke it.
If you're on some trolling mission, Hooper, perhaps even collecting some copper for you efforts, then troll on. Obviously, there are still plenty of bites here. Although, I hope you're not in it for the lulz, as they seem pretty weak.
If you want to actually talk about some stuff, then stick around, and don't be so stingy with your thoughts and words. You might not change any minds, but you might make a few friends, have some interesting conversations, and build some community.
Hope you enjoyed the recipes. Good night.
redblack
Member Profile
once again, hooper:
infrastructure will not be improved until voters stop defeating the means of paying for infrastructure improvement.
most of these projects occur at the state and local level. interstate highways and such receive matching block grants from the federal government.
as far as the "credit card" being "maxed out," and how to pay for those block grants and "pork," the top marginal tax rate needs to go back up to 90%. (that's where i am starting the negotiations. weak-kneed politicians say that 39.5% is adequate. b.s.)
jans - the health care reform act (I personally feel the act failed to adequately deal with cost and is not equitable) makes it illegal to screen out for pre-existing conditions; thus either you pay for the insurance or the piper. i run a small business and pay for health insurance; it is a big expense item that if everyone paid their risk based share would be much less.
chrisma - do you know the price of copper; it is like $4.35 a lb now.
redblack - i agree the current tax system is not adequate; but a 90% take is extreme. but those making mint over say a million (double if married) a year ought to pay more.
the transportation infrastructure should be paid for via a much higher gas tax (as a side that hopefully will help foster alternative energy)
hooper... that's not my question...my question is about now...that doesn't take effect for quite some time...I know because I'm living it NOW. But you can't/won't answer, will you...just throw out opinions. My kidneys are not going to wait until 2014 for the new health insurance plan to take effect.What about now? Will you be the decider?
i am not stopping you from getting care, but why should the taxpayer pay for it. health care is not a guaranteed right in the us constitution.
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