The News Thread

[Arjuna]

http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=5e5e949c-989a-47f7-86da-53801510af24

Man attacked and decapitated on Greyhound bus..

[Olethros]

Holy ####!!! That is truly ####ed up.

[RayFoxSith]

Buses are always bad news. This only solidifies that I will never ride Greyhound.

Ever.

[raum215]

http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=5e5e949c-989a-47f7-86da-53801510af24

Man attacked and decapitated on Greyhound bus..

you know what is odd about this post?

http://www.canada.com

[Thunder-Slash]

You just convinced me to not ever board a bus ever again.

[System_Error]

Mother ####ing whoa.

[Sayckeone]

http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=5e5e949c-989a-47f7-86da-53801510af24

Man attacked and decapitated on Greyhound bus..

you know what is odd about this post?

http://www.canada.com
Agreed, I expect this sort of savagery from Americans, not Canadians.

[Tenbatsu]

I would argue that human savagery transcends national boundaries.

On that note, I will never ride on a Gray Hound bus again.

[System_Error]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080804/ap_on_re_mi_ea/odd_israel_home_alone

Some parents....

[Yazarc]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1041266/Scorpion-kebab--Its-fast-food-Beijing-style---But-Olympic-visitors-stomach-it.html


:shock:

[Raidou11]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1041266/Scorpion-kebab--Its-fast-food-Beijing-style---But-Olympic-visitors-stomach-it.html


:shock:

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/08/03/article-1041266-0228BE8B00000578-491_468x351.jpg

I think I just lost my appetite. :shock:

[tonberry]

I don't think I can bring myself to eat bugs... -_-;; although I might try some other stuff (like bird's nest soup).

[Saishu]

I could eat a scorpion. Just get rid of those nasty sharp parts first. But no birds' nests, those things are held together with bird ####.

[Kaibigan]

Silk Worms? No problem.

[Chronis]

Guys, horse and puppy is where it's at!

[Olethros]

Duck blood soup is suprisingly edible.

[tonberry]

Duck blood soup is suprisingly edible.

I've eaten cow blood soup before. It was okay...

[raum215]

Duck blood soup is suprisingly edible.

I've eaten cow blood soup before. It was okay...

Human blood soup tastes better when you're wearing a clown suit.

[Arjuna]

Definitely some damn good news. P2 Innocent Sin is @ 98%, damn you Gemini, I HAET you for probably releasing it the same month as ToV.

http://tsumi.wordpress.com/2008/08/05/its-mama-weegee-for-you/

Edit: Well he says 3-4 weeks to until we hear about actual beta testing, good, great! Maybe will release a little after it.

[Chronis]

Aww sweet! I'm gonna play me some Persona 2 IP... in English!

[Raidou11]

I don't think I can bring myself to eat bugs... -_-;; although I might try some other stuff (like bird's nest soup).

Nice joke..

Oh sweet, that clump of metal is edible?

:lol:

[Raidou11]

Duck blood soup is suprisingly edible.

Have you tried eatting the scorpion kebabs yet?

[tonberry]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=StAKJ1ITaFw

I am extremely sadden by what is happening in Georgia. I hope the war will end soon.

[Raidou11]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=StAKJ1ITaFw

I am extremely sadden by what is happening in Georgia. I hope the war will end soon.

I don't understand why people like to battle so much. Wouldn't it be much better to hold a cease-fire and enjoy peace? I hope the war ends soon.

[Esoteric]

Aw man, found out today that my old high school friend Benn Fraker didn't place a medal at the C1 events in Beijing today. 6th is pretty good though!

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/olympics/2008/results/CSM210.html

[Chronis]

When i first heard about Georgia and Russia, I thought that like.... A-Town was beefing with the Russians. I alwasy forger there's another Georgia.

[Voodoo]

When i first heard about Georgia and Russia, I thought that like.... A-Town was beefing with the Russians. I alwasy forger there's another Georgia.

Don't feel bad I was the same way.

[DamnedToBeFree]

Same here. :oops:

[DamnedToBeFree]

Not sure where to post this, so I'll just post it here.

Brit Tabloid Fingers "Ultra Violent" MadWorld

http://wii.ign.com/articles/898/898099p1.html

[Dead to Rights]

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Spanish-basketball-team-poses-for-offensive-pict?urn=oly,100152

[Dead to Rights]

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Spanish-basketball-team-poses-for-offensive-pict?urn=oly,100152

[Kakizaki]

So Rococo!

[Dead to Rights]

^lol

Why are you so rococo, Kakizaki?

[Kakizaki]

^It comes naturally with age.

[Dead to Rights]

Stop fronting Kakizaki! See page one of the bday thread now!

[Kakizaki]

I have secrets.



I miss the shifty eye emoticon.

[Dead to Rights]

No, no you don't. Now give it up or else I'll use your picture as my avatar for the rest of the year. How can you deny me?

[Kakizaki]

What pic is that? :P

[Dead to Rights]

Why are you being difficult?

[Kakizaki]

lol. Maybe I am like Mouchette and that isn't me. :P

[Kakizaki]

I look like Guy Smiley in that pic. My chin looks huge.

[Dead to Rights]

Give it up, Kakizaki.

[Gillian Seed]

he's so dreamy... :oops: :lol: :twisted: :!: :boner:

[Voodoo]

he's so dreamy... :oops: :lol: :twisted: :!: :boner:
QFT....... :oops:

[DamageCity]

Are those fingerless gloves?

[Esoteric]

Is that cup blue?

[Sayckeone]

LOL That's awesome.

GO SPAIN!

[Tenbatsu]

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080813/METRO/808130360/&imw=Y

Go Detroit!

I think I might buy one just for the hell of it.

[Dead to Rights]

LOL That's awesome.

GO SPAIN!

What's even more hilarious is that Spain faced China yesterday and were pretty much booed throughout the entire match, yet Spain still managed to pull off a win lol.

[Sayckeone]

lol Hell yeah! Even more awesome! Like spit in the face! :mrgreen:

[Sei]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/14/washington/14census.html?hp

Edit: fixed url.

[Sayckeone]

^Article not found.

[Flußkönig]

LOL That's awesome.

GO SPAIN!

That was pretty awesome. I am seriously sick of all the politically correct/ super sensitive bull####. Hopefully Spain can save us!

[Chronis]

LOL That's awesome.

GO SPAIN!

That was pretty awesome. I am seriously sick of all the politically correct/ super sensitive bull####. Hopefully Spain can save us!

QFT

[DamnedToBeFree]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1043972/Toddler-starved-death-religious-cult-wouldnt-say-amen.html

[Futomimi]

I don't like giving ad revenue/traffic to the Daily Fail.

alternate link:
http://www.religionnewsblog.com/21425/1-mind-ministries-cult-kills-baby

[DamnedToBeFree]

I don't like giving ad revenue/traffic to the Daily Fail.

My bad. I found the link on another forum.

:oops:

[Futomimi]

No prob.

[Yazarc]

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2008/08/18/6493571-cp.html

[Chronis]

I bet you that was Sei. :P

[Sei]

:oops: it seemed like a good idea at the time...

[Yazarc]

:oops: it seemed like a good idea at the time...

LOL

[Thunder-Slash]

Don't know if this has been posted in here but:

http://videogames.yahoo.com/feature/16-year-old-quits-school-to-play-video-game/1238119

[Yazarc]

^I could understand if he had quit school to play something worthwhile, but Guitar Hero?
:roll:

[Futomimi]

That headline is misleading... he left public school, but is now home-schooled. He's still getting a diploma, so he's not really a "drop out."

Still retarded, but yeah.

[Chronis]

Real men go pro in Dead or Alive. :)

[Kaibigan]

Real men go pro in Dead or Alive. :)

Which one? DOA4 is bull####. If you knew how to counter throw, you could knock half of their health with a single move. ridiculous.

[Chronis]

I haven't played DOA4. DOA2U and DOA3 are seriously awesome though

[Saishu]

Which one? DOA4 is bull####. If you knew how to counter throw, you could knock half of their health with a single move. ridiculous.
Sounds pretty sweet.

[Thunder-Slash]

Real men go pro in Dead or Alive. :)

EXTREME RIGHT?

[Chronis]

Naw, real men suck at that game. :( I can't even win on the easiest difficulty.

[Gillian Seed]

Ryan Payton left Kojima Productions...

Hope he lands a good job back in the states!

[Esoteric]

With his resume, you know he will.

Why did he leave? Not enough Metal Gear?

[Kaibigan]

With his resume, you know he will.

Why did he leave? Not enough Metal Gear?

to get a job closer to his family.

[Yazarc]

With his resume, you know he will.

Why did he leave? Not enough Metal Gear?

to get a job closer to his family.

I moved from Northern Michigan to Southwestern Wyoming and I still sometimes feel like I'm too close to my looney family.....

[Sayckeone]

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26437081/?GT=43001

[Olethros]

^ That's pretty damned cool. I've only seen a few Retinoblastomas, and only microscopically. Didn't know it could be spotted in a photo! :shock:

[Dead to Rights]

Three week old news post but I still found it LOL worthy. (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/olympics/2559578/Beijing-Olympics-Second-Spanish-team-photographed-making-%27slit-eyed%27-gesture.html)

[Sayckeone]

^lol Yeah, I saw that. Now we know where I get it from. I guess it's in the blood. Spain is the ####.

[RayFoxSith]

LOL, awesome.

[Sei]

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/08/31/business/31view.php

[Sayckeone]

^Interesting. My solution for this? Hunt down all Republicans and slaughter them.

[Thunder-Slash]

http://news.yahoo.com/story//ap/20080908/ap_on_re_us/baby_death_microwave

I don't think that it was a very good decision to heat up your kid.

[Sei]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26641652/

[Thunder-Slash]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26641652/

Oh wow...

[Sei]

^ Check google's homepage. WHERE'S YOUR GOD NOW!.

[allie_razakel]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24329817-401,00.html

This freaked me out.

[Sei]

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/large-hadron-collider,news-2566.html

[allie_razakel]

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/large-hadron-collider,news-2566.html

http://www.hasthelhcdestroyedtheearth.com/

[Sei]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/09/16/ST2008091601215.html?sid=ST2008091601215&s_pos=list

[Sei]

http://technology.newscientist.com/channel/tech/mg19926696.100-rise-of-the-ratbrained-robots.html

[Sei]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7624143.stm

[Sei]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/18/AR2008091802265.html?hpid=topnews

[Sei]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/b/a/2008/09/25/nov05election-free_sarah_day_1.DTL

[Olethros]

This has officially become the "Sei's news dump of the day" thread.

[Sei]

Heh, who knows, maybe somebody reads it!

[Olethros]

I have; I just thought it was funny.

[Sei]

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/sunday/la-oe-rutten27-2008sep27,0,2349151.column

[Sei]

http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Update_Stem_Cells_Research_Could_Become_Safer _25159.html

[Thunder-Slash]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/10/03/australia.zoo.carnage.ap/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

Kid in Australia breaks into a zoo and feeds the animals to another animal.

I BLAME HARVEST MOON!

[Sei]

:( What a piece of garbage. I hope he gets his.

[Thunder-Slash]

:( What a piece of garbage. I hope he gets his.

Yeah.. there is not way for them to punish him though.

[Sei]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/05/opinion/05rich.html
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=2f608f0e-0cd2-451c-bf24-1c40aae3b7b1

[Sei]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14805.html 150 k on September alone on Caribou Barbie!

[Olethros]

This has officially become the "Sei's news dump of the day" thread.

Apparently, this still stands eh?

[Sei]

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/24/mccain-campaign-volunteer-admits-alleged-attack-hoax/

[James Fiend]

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/24/mccain-campaign-volunteer-admits-alleged-attack-hoax/
Even though I'm currently supporting Obama, you just have to feel bad about stuff like this. McCain can not catch a break.

[Thunder-Slash]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7678379.stm

Them thieves stole the whole beach!

[Sei]

See Other People Read And Post Here Olliewollie!

[Olethros]

Yay. I may start putting some stuff in here again, after all.

[Sei]

http://www9.atwiki.jp/mainichiwaiwai/pages/27.html

[Olethros]

^ I had heard rumors like that before, but.... :surprise:

[SlaughterX]

Hmm, surprised no one here has said anything about Jennifer Hudson's family being murdered... maybe I'm just used to hearing about it every day because I'm from Chicago...

[Sei]

http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Breakthrough_in_Medicine_Bone_Marrow_Transpla nt_May_Cure_HIV_28835.html

[Olethros]

^ I'm mighty skeptical. We haven't even figured out how to totally avoid graft-vs.-host without running the risk of complications. It's certainly an interesting point in terms of pathogenesis.

[Sei]

Well SOMETHING cured him!. I think it's mighty awesome. Maybe impractical in terms of finding compatible donors, but at least its a starting point. Even if dude should get sick again, it seems quite a promising treatment, especially compared with the alternative (drugs forever that may stop working at any time).

Also a really good start for genetic therapy. Probably better in the long run than transplants.

[Olethros]

^ After I reread my initial post, I realized that it didn't come across quite right. I agree that any potential progress is great news and reason for excitement. I guess it's just my automatic scientist reaction... disbelieve until it can be reproduced succesfully and predictably.

[Pixel]

I guess it's just my automatic scientist reaction... disbelieve until it can be reproduced succesfully and predictably.
I can't wait to hear how universities will drag in people with CCR5 mutations to donate bone marrow for clinical trials.

[Olethros]

^ Exactly. One of the many, many reasons why all optimism in cases like this needs to be cautious at best.

[Sei]

I guess it's just my automatic scientist reaction... disbelieve until it can be reproduced succesfully and predictably.
I can't wait to hear how universities will drag in people with CCR5 mutations to donate bone marrow for clinical trials.

15 dollars + costs? :)

[Olethros]

LoL. That probably would do it, too. :frown:

[Sei]

A dollar is a dollar in these tough times!.

Unfortunately they don't give us money for donating blood in Ca or I'd be right on that. :D

[Olethros]

Good point. Since the trials are important and necessary, I suppose whatever brings in the volunteers is ok with me. :)

[Camanche]

Justin Timberlake is Beyonce's back-up dancer on SNL skit, wearing leotard and heels.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2I121W5AlA

Lindsay Lohan gets flour thrown all over her by PETA activist for wearing fur. *points and laughs*
http://www.inquisitr.com/8455/lindsay-lohan-fur-hag-peta-flour-attack/

Man, I woke up early and sick as #### today and this is what's on the news.

Everything's coming up Cam. :)

Though I think they should have tossed a bucket of blood on her instead. Flour's too meek.

[Yazarc]

^So are you in favor of the bucket of blood because you're a PETA supporter, or because you just think Lindsay Lohan is an idiot?

[Camanche]

Lohan is an idiot. And I'm against fur for fashion, but I'm not really a PETA supporter either. Usually they do more stupid then good.

[Yazarc]

http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1226722211104830.xml&coll=1&thispage=1

Holy Crap....Sucks to be this guy.

[Sei]

^ That's really sad :(

[Sei]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/health/research/20stemcell.html?bl&ex=1227243600&en=21630a148c19f857&ei=5087%0A

[Sei]

First news of the year. Video shocked me, probably NSFW
http://www.mercurynews.com/sports/ci_11394430

[Yazarc]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/4314592/Doctors-to-operate-on-baby-with-conjoined-twin-protruding-from-buttocks.html

[DamageCity]

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/archive/news/2009/02/17/20090217p2a00m0na013000c.html

*gulp*

[Olethros]

^ Lol @ Dc.

[DamageCity]

http://www.wwmt.com/articles/husband_1359901___article.html/bus_wife.html


I just saw this story on Japanese news, not sure why they would be reporting on it but the news has made it out here.

[Yazarc]

http://www.wwmt.com/articles/husband_1359901___article.html/bus_wife.html


I just saw this story on Japanese news, not sure why they would be reporting on it but the news has made it out here.

I don't know if I would want bus drivers to carry weapons. I had some in my childhood that were scary enough without them. One day, we had one snap and pull of the road, hold up his bible and started screaming at us. It was a rather interesting experience to say the least.

[Yazarc]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090311/ap_on_bi_ge/debt_collectors_deceased

[Olethros]

http://www.nypost.com/seven/03102009/gossip/pagesix/the_dangers_of_not_drinking_158799.htm

[DamageCity]

The Curse of Col. Sanders over?

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20090311p2a00m0na006000c.html

http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200903120081.html

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090312a4.html


big news.

[Futomimi]

I've been wanting fried chicken for two weeks. #### you, DC.

[Sei]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/17/us/politics/17obama.html?hp

Does this man not understand how capitalism works? Does he not realize that these execs won their bonuses by their excellent performance and that they should be commended and rewarded for it? Also what does this mean for contractual law? Does he truly think that just because the government is paying incredibly large amounts of money to keep failed businesses afloat it has a say on what they should pay their executives? Big government again taking freedom away from Americans.

SOCIALISM will ruin the once great country to the south. Shame on Obama! I can't wait for the next election when sensible people who understand how the market heals all ills once again run things. If not, then the terrorists already won.

[Olethros]

First off, I know you're not being serious.

That being said, a lot of what you wrote does have truth to it. Contracts are contracts, regardless of how they were earned. The government should not have interfered in the first place. The markets will self correct, and if they don't then that will prove the detractors right. If they do, then they will have performed as they were designed to do. All in all, bigger more involved government does not automatically equate to better.

Also, Obama is not the savior. There. I said it.

That is all.

[Sei]

I believe it! The world has seldom known a period of prosperity such as it did when unrestrained capitalism was allowed to flourish unimpeded by any of the terrible rules that saddle it and distort it today. The wonderful days of laises faire are remembered with love and respect by most writings I've encountered. Or maybe the industrial revolution is a bad example, I am not too clear on that. At any rate I may not necessarily be joking and I favoured the same no interference approach!

[Olethros]

^ Oh. OK, then my bad. Carry on you card carrying capitalist you!

[Decept]

Well no help should have been given because failing companies should fail. Therefore, there would be no bonuses to give to executives that failed. This in turn would have made room for other companies to take their place... not sure if it would worked in an ideal way, but I still don't agree that bonuses should still be awarded to executives that failed to keep their company afloat on their own. So I guess I agree in way...

[Sei]

I think the fundamental problem is that the economy seems to be built on a "Casino that always pays" model, where the longer you play the more you are expected to win. Things are never supposed or expected to go down, just up up up. This creates unsustainable bubbles that lead to systemic collapses (or "readjustments") every so often. Paying the companies just perpetuates this and further distorts things. The market must be allowed to work its magic or it won't. This is something the socialists like Obama don't quite understand! Why should someone get someone elses money, especially when the someone else is a better human being that actually earned it?

Makes no sense!

[Futomimi]

Ummm.... bringing some levity back to the thread...

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Woman-Severely-Injured-in-Sex-ToyPower-Tool-Encounter.html

Power saws: not the best choice for sexytime.

[Yazarc]

Ummm.... bringing some levity back to the thread...

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Woman-Severely-Injured-in-Sex-ToyPower-Tool-Encounter.html

Power saws: not the best choice for sexytime.

I read this one last week. A Coworker emailed it to me. I have to agree. Saber saws seems like they may be a little hard on the lips...mommy parts...whatever you call them.

[Sei]

Sounds like a fun way to go!

[Hamel]

Sounds like a fun way to go!

Women are scary

[Olethros]

^ Hamel, you are by far and away the most quote worthy poster here! I love it. I see your username and immediately think "potential sig material ahoy"! :D

[Hamel]

^ Hamel, you are by far and away the most quote worthy poster here! I love it. I see your username and immediately think "potential sig material ahoy"! :D

I am afraid to ask but is that good or bad?

[Olethros]

^ Definitely a good thing. It means you're not boring.

[Futomimi]

His posts aren't a waist of time when I have college to study for. ;)

[Olethros]

^ ecsectly! (...or whatever nonsensical spelling that was!)

[Flußkönig]

First off, I know you're not being serious.

That being said, a lot of what you wrote does have truth to it. Contracts are contracts, regardless of how they were earned. The government should not have interfered in the first place. The markets will self correct, and if they don't then that will prove the detractors right. If they do, then they will have performed as they were designed to do. All in all, bigger more involved government does not automatically equate to better.

Also, Obama is not the savior. There. I said it.

That is all.
I agree for the most part. This was a situation that should have been handled differently when the stimulus plan was initially passed into law. The Congress knew that this kind of problem was bound to come up. Hell, the Congressmen involved shot down a proposed clause that would severely limit the amount that could be paid for these types of bonuses using stimulus money. Instead the final agreement only limited the paying of contractual bonuses with stimulus money for contracts entered into after a certain date (sometime in Feb?).

AIG was merely working within the boundaries that Congress established in the stimulus plan. The politicians involved realize that they ####ed up and now they are scrambling to cover their own assess. The politicians can try all they want, but I seriously doubt that anything the government does about this will hold up in court.

There is no denying that the contracts were valid when they were entered into. It pisses me off that stimulus money could be used to pay these assholes, but Congress made an exception and I think we should be bound by it, otherwise we might be creating an extremely bad precedent.

Not to mention that Congress shouldn't be allowed to go down a list of names, decide that they don't like those people for whatever reason and then pass laws against them. Actually I think that type of Congressional action is specifically prohibited by the Constitution. Lol, more personal freedoms down the drain I guess.

[Olethros]

^ That's the fleshed out, better explained version of what I was going for. :)

[Futomimi]

I seem to only find weird news that I want to share when you guys are getting back into serious political conversation. :P

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0318091dog1.html]

Meet Michelle Owen. Concerned that an ex-boyfriend had used her laptop to search for child pornography, the Indiana woman asked police to search the computer for illegal images, but had her plan backfire when cops discovered two videos of her engaged in illicit acts with a dog.


EPIC FAIL!

[Decept]

^bahahahaha... people are great

[Hamel]

She failed on so many levels

[Flußkönig]

Wow. I don't even want to know what she was doing with that beagle... or do I?

[Kakizaki]

I seem to only find weird news that I want to share when you guys are getting back into serious political conversation. :P

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0318091dog1.html]

Meet Michelle Owen. Concerned that an ex-boyfriend had used her laptop to search for child pornography, the Indiana woman asked police to search the computer for illegal images, but had her plan backfire when cops discovered two videos of her engaged in illicit acts with a dog.
EPIC FAIL!

That is so hot.

[SickleCellAnemia]

I seem to only find weird news that I want to share when you guys are getting back into serious political conversation. :P

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0318091dog1.html]

Meet Michelle Owen. Concerned that an ex-boyfriend had used her laptop to search for child pornography, the Indiana woman asked police to search the computer for illegal images, but had her plan backfire when cops discovered two videos of her engaged in illicit acts with a dog.
EPIC FAIL!

That is so hot.

Awesome.

[Futomimi]

I seem to only find weird news that I want to share when you guys are getting back into serious political conversation. :P

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0318091dog1.html]

Meet Michelle Owen. Concerned that an ex-boyfriend had used her laptop to search for child pornography, the Indiana woman asked police to search the computer for illegal images, but had her plan backfire when cops discovered two videos of her engaged in illicit acts with a dog.
EPIC FAIL!

That is so hot.

Time to buy maddy a big jar of peanut butter?

[Dead to Rights]

what does this even mean!!

[Flußkönig]

I seem to only find weird news that I want to share when you guys are getting back into serious political conversation. :P

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0318091dog1.html]

Meet Michelle Owen. Concerned that an ex-boyfriend had used her laptop to search for child pornography, the Indiana woman asked police to search the computer for illegal images, but had her plan backfire when cops discovered two videos of her engaged in illicit acts with a dog.
EPIC FAIL!

That is so hot.

Time to buy maddy a big jar of peanut butter?
Lol Mimi, I remember a friend telling me that "story" when I was in high school.

[Kakizaki]

I only own cats. :(

[Hamel]

I only own cats. :(

A cat is fine too

[Futomimi]

^ .... ouch....
(eta: this was meant to be pointing at Kaki)

lol DTR

Lol Mimi, I remember a friend telling me that "story" when I was in high school.

Yeah, I heard the story about a few girls who went to my HS. I'm mostly positive that they weren't true, except maybe in the case one girl who tried to feed firecrackers to her pet bird. She was a bit messed up.

[maddy]

WHY DO YOU GUYS TALK ABOUT ME LIKE THIS WHEN I'M NOT AROUND?

come on!!

[SickleCellAnemia]

Ya guys U R ALL SO IMMATURE TALKIN BOUT MADDY LIKE DAT

*finger snaps*

[ViolenceJack]

I think I saw a youtube vid of maddy using the netty pot..

[maddy]

i have an extensive collection of netty pots .. that is a straight up lie, they freak me out.

[Dead to Rights]

WHY DO YOU GUYS TALK ABOUT ME LIKE THIS WHEN I'M NOT AROUND?

come on!!

I apologize maddy but when you don't come around the forum often I get upset and lash out. Tell Bukakizaki to stop keeping you away from the forum, it's hurting my feelings for real.

[Futomimi]

WHY DO YOU GUYS TALK ABOUT ME LIKE THIS WHEN I'M NOT AROUND?

come on!!

I apologize maddy but when you don't come around the forum often I get upset and lash out. Tell Bukakizaki to stop keeping you away from the forum, it's hurting my feelings for real.

Pay no attention to DTR, maddy. He is the jealous type.

[Yazarc]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/21/dining/21sugar.html?no_interstitial?em

[DamnedToBeFree]

http://www.gazette.net/stories/03232009/prinnew111659_32494.shtml

[henbayward]

When the bastards are found, the same should be done to them. I can't help but think that ANY fate, no matter how horrible, is too good or quick for people that do this.

[Olethros]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/03/31/sibling.stabbings/index.html

[Futomimi]

http://tv.yahoo.com/dr-phil/show/28048/news/urn:newsml:tv.ap.org:20090403:serial_shoplifters__ ER:43805

^ proof that anyone involved with Dr. Phil is a dumbass.

[Camanche]

LOL News

http://celebedge.ca/Bang/ContentPostingBang3column?newsitemid=BSBS59187&feedname=BANG&show=False&number=0&showbyline=False&subtitle=&detect=&abc=abc&date=False

[Yazarc]

^Hell Hath No Fury.......

[maddy]

ummm, no ####ing way - this is weird! (http://www.weirdasianews.com/2009/04/06/child-born-penis-middle/)

warning: includes nudity (KIND OF?) and it's well .. ok, i'll just tell you, it's a baby porn with a penis growing out of its back, ok? anyway, it's not graphic or anything, just strange.

[SickleCellAnemia]

^Good that they removed it, I doubt it would have properly functioned anyway.

[Futomimi]

it's a baby porn

Nice Freudian slip there!

[maddy]

glad you liked that ;) i'm gonna go ahead and leave it

[Oni-Kagura]

Three men killed! It's an Easter Miracle! (http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2009/04/13/2009-04-13_phillips_hometown_sees_a_true_easter_miracle.ht ml)

Not exactly an odd story, and it's great that the captain was rescued and all, but seriously...I would never associate the words "Easter miracle" with Navy snipers being forced to shoot three pirates in the head. :confused:

[Ike.]

I don't know why they're writing off excellent aim as a "miracle."

[Olethros]

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,25333973-5012895,00.html

I wish I could see the tissue for this.

(Also, this has reinvigorated my drive to keep the tree pun thread alive!)

[Hamel]

That's weird
luckly he is okay now

[DamageCity]

Big news in Japan

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090424a1.html

[Olethros]

http://www.physorg.com/news161412971.html

HA! Take that safety Nazis! Science has once again defeated you! :)

[Elizabeth]

Ugh... This is just gross: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090513/ap_on_fe_st/odd_rotten_office_food

[Yazarc]

No, that's funny.

[Futomimi]

why would you not throw the food away??

[Yazarc]

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/07/dorothy_richardson_75_accused.html

[Steel Greyfalke]

You kill it you Eat it, MMMMM, Venison

[Yazarc]

You kill it you Eat it, MMMMM, Venison

Absolutely! And since it was a baby, it would be like venison veal. YUM!!!

[Steel Greyfalke]

Get em while its fresh, but Seriously w/ a shovel if she had enough strength to beat a baby deer w/a shovel probably would have beat with her fists. XD

[Fatney]

http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_2502959,00.html

There's so much #### in this world.

[Yazarc]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090718/ap_on_fe_st/us_odd_wienermobile_wreck

[Hamel]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/deadlineusa/2009/aug/07/cat-download-child-pornography

Worst cat ever

[Yazarc]

That's a BAD BAD KITTY!

[DamageCity]

Big news from Japan.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20090809p2a00m0na001000c.html

It's all over the news, everyone is talking about it. Even when I went clubbing on Saturday night people were talking about it.

[Fatney]

Big news from Japan.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20090809p2a00m0na001000c.html

It's all over the news, everyone is talking about it. Even when I went clubbing on Saturday night people were talking about it.

Wow, so Japan has incidents like those in Phoenix Wright.

[Olethros]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/08/12/deleting.cookies.privacy/index.html

[Camanche]

^This kind of thing makes me nervous.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/bigbrother/article-1206617/Like-complete-unknown-Bob-Dylan-frogmarched-collect-ID-rookie-policewoman-fails-recognise-scruffy-music-legend.html

Poor Bob.

[Yazarc]

My favorite news story ever:

http://www.cbsatlanta.com/news/20684677/detail.html

[Steel Greyfalke]

That's Hilariously Heart Warming & painful:)

[Crow T. Robot]

My favorite news story ever:

http://www.cbsatlanta.com/news/20684677/detail.html
She probably deserved it.

[Yazarc]

^I know. I put this on my Facebook page saying something to that effect and I'm getting quite the response. The best line from the story?

"See, I told you I would shut her up"

[Olethros]

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/robin-roberts-explores-healthcare-mayo-clinic/story?id=8486679

[Crow T. Robot]

That link doesn't work

:<

[Olethros]

Hmmm. It works for me. I'm not sure what might be wrong then. :confused:

[Manly Biceps]

It's sad how blatantly people are just misreporting this health care issue. 90% of the country wants better health care. Everyone I talk to goes through the same problem of their doctor just ordering them to take frivolous tests, forcing them to come back in and PLUNK DOWN ANOTHER CO-PAY JUST TO HEAR THE RESULTS OF THE TEST, and doctors refusing to give people care because they need to turn over more patients in an hour.

I get to ask my doctor one thing when I go in, and I have to wait 10-15 minutes to get my 2 minutes of time. A nurse comes in and checks my vitals, the doctor gives me the most cursory answer he can come up with, and I'm $20 lighter in the wallet. Effing brilliant.

Meanwhile, I have friends with actual, serious, life-threatening problems. Every time they have to go in for a procedure that fights off these conditions, and leaves them weakened, they get a call from the insurance agency telling them that they're not going to pay for the treatment. Then he gets to get into a fun yelling match with the person on the other end of the phone, which I'm totally sure is just what the doctor ordered.

Dammit people, just help this happen, and we're going to be on the road to having a health care system that actually effing works. Right now, everyone's whining about thinking they're going to be taxed so people that don't work can have health care. Think of that as part of the pill you have to take so you can get ACTUAL WORKING HEALTH INSURANCE. Because right now, you're just about as covered as the homeless guy on the street.

*The above opinion is solely my own, and is not to be taken in any way as a representation or reflection of Atlus U.S.A.'s opinion.

[Olethros]

^ OMG! Atlus USA is clearly in Obama's pocket! :o:surprise: :p

The only thing I'll say here is that, if Mayo can achieve this type of care within the current system, then it must be possible for anyone to. Perhaps it's not the entire system that's broken but more individual people and institutions that are misguided. I'm not sure handing control over to the government is really the best answer.

Of course, these opinions are my own and do not represent the official stance of any institution that I may or may not be affiliated with. ;)

[Manly Biceps]

^ OMG! Atlus USA is clearly in Obama's pocket! :o:surprise: :p

The only thing I'll say here is that, if Mayo can achieve this type of care within the current system, then it must be possible for anyone to. Perhaps it's not the entire system that's broken but more individual people and institutions that are misguided. I'm not sure handing control over to the government is really the best answer.

But you don't have to. It's the public "option". The thing it will do is force doctors to get themselves to a higher level performance. One where they actually treat their patients. Improving their standards will decrease their malpractice insurance costs (because honestly, a good portion of these misdiagnoses are due to trying to milk patients, etc.) and the standard of quality increases across the board. There are far too few Mayo clinics for us to just assume people are going to get their act together somehow.

There are some things that are so large, and that actually need so much supervision that a government's influence is a benefit. (See: Roads.) I think this would be one of those places that would. And if not, hey, it's not like it's going to cost us any more than a misguided war, right?

Of course, these opinions are my own and do not represent the official stance of any institution that I may or may not be affiliated with. ;)

ASTROTURFER! :)

[PainKilleR-[CE]]

The only thing I'll say here is that, if Mayo can achieve this type of care within the current system, then it must be possible for anyone to. Perhaps it's not the entire system that's broken but more individual people and institutions that are misguided. I'm not sure handing control over to the government is really the best answer.

Of course Mayo is by far an exception in the US Health Care system, despite being one of the first in the system, and the model upon which much of the world's health care is based. Most of its founding principles (and the reasons for its success) are routinely ignored in for-profit medical establishments (probably because they're for-profit).

I don't think the government's a very competent institution to handle the medical system in this country, but I do think almost anything is better than the mess the insurance industry has made in this country. Perhaps I would believe differently if I lived in an area in which I had access to better care at a reasonable price, as I did when I lived in southern California.

When I pay $500/month for health insurance for my family of 3 and still have co-pays and premiums and prescription costs, and no assurance that a serious illness will not result in my family being devastated financially, I think there's something wrong with the system.

[Olethros]

You're both very well informed. :)

I'll have to admit to bias, first and foremost. Other than in my early youth, I've never had to deal with being on the outside looking in. Perhaps it's not as easy to assess all sides of the equation from the perspective I've got.

I do not deny that there is certainly a problem that needs to be addressed. I think everyone can agree on that. I still have trouble reconciling allowing for government involvement. Almost everything they get their hands into gets regulated and run and overseen by people who have no idea about what it is they are actually controlling. The insurance companies are bad, but I just can't see the government being better at it.

Also, sure it would be optional to begin with but in the nanny state we already live in, do you honestly believe it will remain so? Once you start down a road, it's a lot harder to turn around.

Anyway, if this discussion persists until I return after the holiday weekend then I'll try to be more definitive in my stance. I realize I'm being vague at the moment, but it's mostly due to time constraints.

[Flußkönig]

And if not, hey, it's not like it's going to cost us any more than a misguided war, right?

Yeah, awesome attitude. Lets make a joke about adding who knows how many trillions to the national deficit in order to get the public option up and running. Not even to mention what it will end up costing in the long run. Or do you follow Obama's magic money theory?

I guess it doesn't matter though since a bill with a public option won't get passed anyway.

[Neveryll]

It's sad how blatantly people are just misreporting this health care issue. 90% of the country wants better health care. Everyone I talk to goes through the same problem of their doctor just ordering them to take frivolous tests, forcing them to come back in and PLUNK DOWN ANOTHER CO-PAY JUST TO HEAR THE RESULTS OF THE TEST, and doctors refusing to give people care because they need to turn over more patients in an hour.

I get to ask my doctor one thing when I go in, and I have to wait 10-15 minutes to get my 2 minutes of time. A nurse comes in and checks my vitals, the doctor gives me the most cursory answer he can come up with, and I'm $20 lighter in the wallet. Effing brilliant.

Meanwhile, I have friends with actual, serious, life-threatening problems. Every time they have to go in for a procedure that fights off these conditions, and leaves them weakened, they get a call from the insurance agency telling them that they're not going to pay for the treatment. Then he gets to get into a fun yelling match with the person on the other end of the phone, which I'm totally sure is just what the doctor ordered.

Dammit people, just help this happen, and we're going to be on the road to having a health care system that actually effing works. Right now, everyone's whining about thinking they're going to be taxed so people that don't work can have health care. Think of that as part of the pill you have to take so you can get ACTUAL WORKING HEALTH INSURANCE. Because right now, you're just about as covered as the homeless guy on the street.

*The above opinion is solely my own, and is not to be taken in any way as a representation or reflection of Atlus U.S.A.'s opinion.

Did you ever think some of that might be the way doctors are trained as far as your visits go? I had one doctor we used to go to where you'd go in and it would be.. "Ahh. Uh huh. Ok. Yah its an infection take these antibiotics." And he'd spend 5 -10 minutes talking to you and then ignore what you said and basically do what he wanted. Which is why we found a new doctor. She rocks! She seems interested in her patients, listens and asks questions. And then she even asks later how we're doing and all. Part of what it sounds like is you have a doctor who is only interested in pushing you through the office.

My advice is find a new doctor.

As for the healthcare isssue.... I'm still trying to figure out how we got to this point. I remember when Bush was still in charge and it was all about gas prices... then we had the bank issues... then it was the investment firms.. then houses fell through the basement and people started failing their mortgages... companies started to tighten their belts... the auto industry started to lose it... other companies dipped and the whole market crashed. We shoveled money to the banks, we shoveled money to the failing companies, we shoveled money to the investment firms. By then Obama had taken over and we were in bail out mode. So while the country is losing its pants what does he and the Democratic party do? They start to spend money like its nothing else. Anything big or small let's include it all. So while all this looks all nice that money just pops right up for anything he wants the reality of this is unemployment is still at a 26 year high, people are still losing their homes, and they are looking at extending people whose unemployment benefits ran out for several more months. So how will spending more money on all these things actually help the country. You've seen how fast banks repaid their loans. They don't want the government involved in their day to day operations. So why would I want them that involved in mine? People are still losing houses and jobs and yet we still figure we can spend our way out of this mess.

I'm sorry as long as the country is reeling from this economic blow I feel doing this at this time is not only not prudent but a sign of lunacy. I for one am sick of the government using mine and my kids "credit card" to fund their ridiculous notions. Help some companies out. Fine. Help some people out. Fine. Revamp healthcare, our power grid, and spruce up the rest of the country. Maybe in a few years.

[Crow T. Robot]

Hmmm. It works for me. I'm not sure what might be wrong then. :confused:
OK it's working :}

I'm going to the Mayonnaise Clinic.
|:

I don't like going to hospitals in general; I had a lump near my throat and it made it hard to breath so I decided to go to the doc's. I wait there for like 3 hours then I get called in to a room, wait another hour and the doc finally comes in feels my throat and says it's a cyst. He tells me I have to get it surgically removed, 2 days later it goes away and I get slapped with a $500 bill. Three years ago about a week before graduation I had these weird dizzy spells, turns out it's 'vertigo' or something like that and for some reason they gave me a heart test thingy and an MRI along with blood work. All this costed me like $2000 and I'm still trying to pay it off, and they're threatening to sue me. It's ridiculous.

[Manly Biceps]

Crow: I had a similar situation. I was going to take a trip to Japan, when I dislocated my shoulder playing basketball. I didn't want to take the ambulance to the hospital because I'd heard how f***ed the prices for that crap were.

So I begged anyone there to pop my shoulder back in. Nobody would. I called my friend to get me a lift, but by the time he got there, I couldn't really straighten up because of some pain involved with the arm, as I'd been hunched over for some time.

I end up calling the ambulance. Of all the dumb luck, as soon as the paramedics arrive, my shoulder pops back into place right there. I still get taken to the ER. No siren, no lights, no drugs. $700 to go 2 miles.

I get to the "ER". I sit there for two freaking hours. Eventually someone comes around and X-rays my arm to take a look at my shoulder. Only the idiot takes an X-Ray of MY FOREARM. 45 more minutes pass, and they finally get an X-Ray of my shoulder that indicates what we've all figured out by this point, yes, my arm is in its socket. My treatment? Nothing.

I ask the guy at the desk if he can give me an estimate of how much this is going to cost, because I need to budget things accordingly. He says I'm looking at $250.

What he meant was $250 + $400. Which brings my whole little ordeal to $1350 total for no treatment!

GO HEALTH CARE SYSTEM! That cost me a trip to Japan. Literally. I had planned a vacation, and I had to cancel it. It would have been more because the radiology staff at that hospital wasn't from the hospital. Hoag billed me for X-Ray film used, but for the technician's time, I was billed by a 3rd party, because apparently, they work at Hoag on consignment or something. I told them that they could go f*** themselves because their incompetent lab tech DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THE SHOULDER WAS, so I got billed for film for 2 X-rays, when any moron off the street would have been able to do the job with one.

They tried sending me to collections, but I made a big enough dispute over it that after 3 years, even the collections agency didn't want to bother with it anymore. I won, and it stayed off my credit history.

BEST HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN THE WOOOOOOOORLLLLD!

Neveryll:

Here's the situation, as I, the little guy, see it.

1) I can only change my doctor at one point in time during the year. Sometimes, at other companies I've been at, our HR person has blanked on that, or has been on vacation during that time period, so I've missed out on booting my doctor to the curb several times through no fault of mine.

The other problem with the current system is that if you know someone who is actually good, chances are they've stopped accepting patients, because their system is impacted, leaving you only the crap doctors to choose from.

2) Yes, the economy is screwed. It was screwed before anyone came into office. I predicted that whoever won this election was going to be a one-term President because next election everyone's going to play the, "You didn't fix everything" card.

Even if the economy recovered today, it would be 2-3 years before, I the little guy, saw anything come back. The corporations are just going to shoot housing, gas, and everything back up again, and my salary's not going to catch up. The rich will "recover" first, and then drop some crumbs on down to us.

What universal health care is an attempt to do, as I see it, is to shore up the workforce to make sure whatever recovery that comes is an ACTUAL recovery, by giving the little guy a solid position to build off of. You make sure the workforce is cared for by ensuring they can actually get to work and put in solid hours. You don't have situations where a single injury or a chronic condition bankrupts a family because their sole breadwinner's down.

Investing in the workforce itself is a great way to build a strong foundation for an actual bounceback, not one based on credit, stupid market valuations, and screwy accounting practices. The workforce now has reliable transportation, and they'll hopefully get care for their health. The jobs will hopefully follow. Instead of "trickle-down" economics, which was shown quite resoundingly not to work, they're trying to trickle-up economics, which I tend to think is going to have a better chance of success.

Yeah, it's going to cost money, and yeah, it's going to put us in debt. But it's doing so with a mindset of getting us out of debt. We don't see a return when investing in a war. The TARP funds, on the other hand are starting to get some money back. They aren't looking like great investments or anything, but a little is better than nothing. Investing now in green technology lessens the economic impact of the fluctuating oil markets and reduces the money we'll have to be spending on energy later.

Will it work? I don't have any idea. We all know what we were doing was absolutely not working, and now we all can see the numerous ways that corporations and the rich were gaming the system to the point where it collapsed. So why not try a new approach? Maybe it won't work. It's kind of a huge problem, so it's unlikely that we'll find a perfect solution. However, sitting around talking about it and waiting will only allow the people who caused these problems to trend back to their old ways. They want to stall for time. Because time quells all rage. (Quick! Have any of you thought of Enron and Worldcom recently? This is why history repeats itself. You need to hold on to rage longer.)

[Kakizaki]

^I could tell you one heck of a story that is quite similar to yours MB, but I was held against my will and was nearly forced to undergo a CT scan. I have no health insurance either.

I'm am kind of busy now, but here is a condensed version:

Couple my wasteland pictures with a week of exhaustion / lack of sleep / lack of food / running and lifting / spray painting 2 hours a day for several days after work / drinking for a friends birthday = getting lost and separated from friends, picked up by the police, taken to the hospital, being assessed by the doctor as a wacko because of my outfit and not believing my costume story party,not understanding why I was panicking due to no money / no health insurance, lied to by the staff about leaving the hospital, wanting to hold me for a 72 hour observance, wanting to scan me for a 'brain infection?', questioning my girlfriend if I had a history of schizophrenia, etc......it goes on and on.

I basically was held in the hospital for 8 hours (they let me out after another doctor game in and told me I was simply exhausted and probably shouldn't have drank that night). So far the bill is at about $3,000 dollars not including the physician's fees. I go to grad school full time, work about 8-10 hours a week, and have no health insurance. I have no idea what I am going to do.

[Crow T. Robot]

^Yeah exactly, I was denied medicare cuz I 'make to much' but I can't afford insurance. Especially considering my hours got cut like there's no tomorrow.

And yeah MB it's ridonkulous how expensive ambulance rides are.

[Manly Biceps]

I have no idea what I am going to do.

Get a lawyer. Have sufficient people prove you were at a costume party, which they could have easily checked, by, I dunno...CALLING SOMEONE, and voila, the "need" for your CT scan goes out the window. You'll have to devote some time to the lawsuit, but when you're all said and done, you get a free CT Scan, and that's worth something, right? :)

In all seriousness, I'd sooner sue than pay that bill.

Crow T. Robot, yeah, that's awesome with the "too rich" to pay Medicare. There's a tax code here that lets you deduct rent in CA. Unfortunately, the maximum you can make to deduct it is like, $30K, which does a "fantastic" job of accounting for cost of living across the state. I'm paying $850/month for rent right now. The means that it'd be possible for people to be paying over 1/3 of their yearly pre-tax income in rent, and yet somehow still be making "too much" to get the credit.

[Kakizaki]

Unfortunately, I don't have the time or money to dedicate to a lawyer. I am willing to take responsibility for some of what happened. I just feel that three grand plus is a bit excessive, and my diagnosis was completely ridiculous. I think they would be better off collecting a little less as opposed to virtually bankrupting someone in college and getting nothing. I am also not pleased to find out workers in the ER were telling people outside of the hospital about this incident. If it weren't for the fact that one of these people were connected to a coworker of my g/f, I would strongly consider complaining.

I had a pretty large streak of bad luck over the last few weeks of August. I also happened to be audited by the State of Iowa because one of my former employers happened to fill out and submit some paperwork incorrectly - stating that I lived or made sales (I was once an insurance agent) in the state of Iowa. Neither is true - you need to be licensed in a state to make sales in that state, at least for property/casualty insurance. Wouldn't have been that difficult for the Iowa Department of Revenue to look that handy little fact up. Not to mention I have resided in Minnesota my entire life.

[Flußkönig]

^I could tell you one heck of a story that is quite similar to yours MB, but I was held against my will and was nearly forced to undergo a CT scan. I have no health insurance either.

I'm am kind of busy now, but here is a condensed version:

Couple my wasteland pictures with a week of exhaustion / lack of sleep / lack of food / running and lifting / spray painting 2 hours a day for several days after work / drinking for a friends birthday = getting lost and separated from friends, picked up by the police, taken to the hospital, being assessed by the doctor as a wacko because of my outfit and not believing my costume story party,not understanding why I was panicking due to no money / no health insurance, lied to by the staff about leaving the hospital, wanting to hold me for a 72 hour observance, wanting to scan me for a 'brain infection?', questioning my girlfriend if I had a history of schizophrenia, etc......it goes on and on.

I basically was held in the hospital for 8 hours (they let me out after another doctor game in and told me I was simply exhausted and probably shouldn't have drank that night). So far the bill is at about $3,000 dollars not including the physician's fees. I go to grad school full time, work about 8-10 hours a week, and have no health insurance. I have no idea what I am going to do.
The hospital staff was totally out of line, but they were probably just covering their bases to preclude you from bringing a malpractice suit if anything was wrong and they missed (or misdiagnosed) it.

We definitely need some degree of tort reform if we want to make the medical system affordable for everyone.

[Kakizaki]

The hospital staff was totally out of line, but they were probably just covering their bases to preclude you from bringing a malpractice suit if anything was wrong and they missed (or misdiagnosed) it.Even though I am frustrated, I do understand that, and like I mentioned before, I do need to take some responsibility for the incident. I'm just a little shell shocked from the three grand I have to come up with for essentially getting lost.

[Flußkönig]

^Yeah, I haven't had any health insurance for the past three years, and while I haven't had a huge bill or gone through the kind of crap you had to my medical expenses have been a continuing source of stress.

I think what you said about coming to some sort of settlement with the hospital is your best bet, especially if you aren't interested in hiring a lawyer.

[Olethros]

Every good intentioned program will eventually get abused and be more cumbersome and draining on society than it started out with. It's human nature. This will be no different.

Wellfare? No abuses there! Wick? Child Protective Services? Foster Care? Absolutely PERFECT systems, all the way around! Unemployment? Awesome! Social Security? Medicaid/Medicare? Flawless execution!

This will not be the magic bullet people seem to believe it's going to be. There is no magic bullet, there is no perfect answer, and there is no guarantee that this will even be better than the current system in the short term let alone in a decade or two. Anger and quick action rarely solve things effectively.

I simply can't write out every aspect of this situation that I see fault with, so instead I'll go the route that seems to be popular at the moment: personal anecdotal evidence.

I am fully recognized as the best at my very small little niche of health care at an institution widely considered one of the best in the world. (Yeah, yeah, I know claims...internet...grain of salt...believe what you will. Some people know the truth, the rest I don't really care about at least opinion wise). My services do not come cheaply. I'm not rich by anyone's estimation of what that is, but considering the time, effort, and skills involved I don't feel the least bit guilty about living comfortably. This won't affect this at all; what it will affect is the amount of time I'll be able to dedicate to research. Why on earth would it be a GOOD idea to make me spend more time and effort on administrative duties, pouring over endless and mindless regulations, and trying to keep enough funds coming through to even justify our existence than to be trying to inovate or improve things? That's where the TRUE cost of this is going to come from people. Forget being on the cutting edge or leading in break throughs, that will be the first thing to get cut. Do you think all these countries with socialized health care that are being held up as examples are always blazing the trails of new ideas and technology? Please!

Sure I'm using generalizations, but I'm not going to go into specifics. That would NOT be in my best interest.

This has taken too much of my time already (I've had to write it piece meal in between taking care of much more important details) so I'll only say one more thing that occured to me. There are people that are good and bad at what they do in every profession. Your going to hear people's horror stories far more readily than you will hear about good experiences. Content people move on, angry people shout to the hilltops. That does not equate to a reality where there are more incompetent health care providers than there are good ones. Please try to remember that.

[Zachalmighty]

I don't even know why we are arguing over socialism at all!

[Manly Biceps]

We definitely need some degree of tort reform if we want to make the medical system affordable for everyone.

Yeah, there just industries everywhere that have manifested themselves to become huge drains on society. I know a lot of doctors who would like to offer their services for cheaper, but seeing a lot of people for less money only eventually exposes you to the one big malpractice suit.

And while all big government programs are prone to failure, all greed-based marketplace programs are prone to larger and quicker failures. Social Security's going to run out of money by 2050 or so. How many savings & loan scandals have we had during its run? Financial institution scandals? Insider trading scandals?

I also agree with Olethros on the point that angry people will make noise, and content people stay quiet. But the difference in this scenario is that I'll directly ask people about their doctors, and who they recommend. Nobody I've talked to is willing to recommend their doctor. They all think they kind of suck.

I admit that the research angle isn't one that I'd looked at previously, but is following these regulations going to be something that assistants wouldn't be able to help with? This sounds like something you'd get untrained nurses to help with.

[Olethros]

I find the topic far too interesting to avoid today, forwhatever good or ill that will achieve. :D

Yes, proper support staff is always key and nothing I do would be possible without their dedication and hard work. It's all a hierarchy, though. While to some I'm considered a leader or a boss to others I AM the support staff. (In case I gave the wrong impression, I'm not a doctor although I often do play one in real life. I have a long spattering of initials after my name but not one of them is M or D). Government is always ripe with beuarocracy and red tape. I can't imagine that won't affect every level of the hierarchical structure.

I beleive it's very likely that anecdotal evidence in support of poor health care experiences is geograpically dependent. I have no evidence on hand to prove this, but I've heard many good stories and experiences from people happy withheir health care providers in the areas that I've lived and worked through out my life.

[SickleCellAnemia]

The VMAs. Taylor Swift. Kanye West. GO!!!
http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/09/13/kanye-west-storms-the-vmas-stage-during-taylor-swifts-speech/

[Crow T. Robot]

haha I JUST saw this and was like 'See? This is exactly why I don't like the guy' he is so arrogant it's ridiculous. I honestly don't think his music is all that great either.

[Manly Biceps]

Man, that Kanye just goes around interrupting everyone...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxKIcrDsJAs

[Crow T. Robot]

Intruder killed by student (http://gizmodo.com/5359797/student-kills-intruder-with-samurai-sword-after-playstation-laptops-stolen)

Damn...

[Yazarc]

^You kind of ask for it when you go into someones house at 1AM. People react unpredictably when threatened.

[Hamel]

It was in self defence so I hope he won't get jail time for it

[Crow T. Robot]

He'll probably get manslaughter.

[Steel Greyfalke]

I would of done the same thing Except with the handle

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/09/15/samurai.sword.killing/index.html

[Zachalmighty]

I would of done the same thing Except with the handle

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/09/15/samurai.sword.killing/index.html

Already reported three posts ago.

[Steel Greyfalke]

well thanks , bro I don't visit the news thread often

[Olethros]

Maybe you should. You could learn something non-robot related.

[Steel Greyfalke]

Maybe you should. You could learn something non-robot related.

Touche, bro Touche I admire your boldness towards me, Well this probably should, for the sake & of Knowledge.
umm I'm gonna give it another shot cause this article has me worried at this point.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/09/17/united.states.missile.shield/index.html

[Manly Biceps]

I don't see why you'd be all that worried. The missile tests the government had done involved slapping a radio beacon onto the first missile, and the missiles then SOMETIMES hit the missile that was telling the other missiles to lock onto it.

Plus, we'd all be much safer if we just built a giant UN Mech and had it blast missiles whenever it was necessary.

[Kakizaki]

^Why did you say that last bit? Do you know what you probably just unleashed?

[Manly Biceps]

Do I know what I unleashed? Other than Awesome Giant Mech ACTION!?

You know if the UN built a giant mech, you would be all over it.

[Steel Greyfalke]

I don't see why you'd be all that worried. The missile tests the government had done involved slapping a radio beacon onto the first missile, and the missiles then SOMETIMES hit the missile that was telling the other missiles to lock onto it.

Plus, we'd all be much safer if we just built a giant UN Mech and had it blast missiles whenever it was necessary.

Sorry I look things beyond the frame of the big picture........um I can unleash Cake from an oven..

[Onion of Mystery]

Do I know what I unleashed? Other than Awesome Giant Mech ACTION!?

You know if the UN built a giant mech, you would be all over it.

Yeah, but the UN could only build a giant autonomous mech, not a piloted vehicle. Why, you ask? Because the instant they tried to put a pilot in it, it would be UN-manned!

Waka waka waka!
http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/puppet/images/5/51/Fozzie_Bear.jpg