Saturday, June 05, 2004

Dead. 

Ronald Reagan is dead. Don't expect me to shed a tear. I'm feel sorry for the family who has lost a father and a husband. That's as far as my feelings of sympathy go. The legacy of the old man's evil will never be washed clean from the fabric of American history. He despised the sick and the poor. He abused the middle class. He did everything he could to hand the reigns of power to the rich. October Surprise, Star Wars, Iran-Contra, Central American death squads, Justice Scalia...that is Reagan's legacy.

If there is a hell I hope he is there.

Permalink posted by clonecone : 3:54 PM
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Friday, June 04, 2004

Endorsements 

The Iowa primary is this Tuesday. There are very few contested races. I'm endorsing the following candidates in the contested races.

Iowa 5th Congressional District: Gene Blanshan

Johnson County sheriff: Lonny Pulkrabek

That is all.

Permalink posted by clonecone : 11:24 PM
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Best News I've Heard in Weeks... 

Yahoo! News - Rock Band Creed Breaks Up After 3 Albums
The spiritually inclined band Creed, whose anthemic hits "Higher" and "With Arms Wide Open" helped them become one of the top-selling rock acts of the past decade, has called it quits.

Three former Creed members immediately announced they were forming a new band — minus singer Scott Stapp (news) — but were quick to say it was not "just Creed with a different singer."
...
Stapp's first solo recording will be on a soundtrack of music inspired by the film "The Passion of the Christ."
He rocks for God.

What are 30 year old virgins going to listen to now? What will sexually repressed DJs play at Campus Crusade for Christ parties?

The only thing worse than Creed fans is Creed.

Permalink posted by clonecone : 9:27 PM
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Wednesday, June 02, 2004

Bad Day for BushCo 

It was a bad day to own stock in BushCo. First of all, the Vice Chairman has been implicated in awarding contracts to his former employer:
Shortly before the Pentagon awarded a division of oil services contractor Halliburton Co. a sole-source contract to help restore Iraqi oil fields last year, an Army Corps of Engineers official wrote an e-mail saying the award had been "coordinated" with the office of Vice President Cheney, Halliburton's former chief executive.

The March 5, 2003, e-mail, disclosed over the weekend by Time magazine, noted that Douglas Feith, a senior Pentagon official, had signed off on the deal "contingent on informing WH [the White House] tomorrow."

"We anticipate no issues since action has been coordinated w VP's office," it continued.

Three days later, Halliburton subsidiary KBR was granted the contract, which was worth as much as $7 billion, according to information on the Army Corps of Engineers Web site.
The CEO of BushCo, Mr. GW Bush is seeking a lawyer to represent him in the Plame case.
President Bush has sought a lawyer to represent him in the criminal probe into who was responsible for a leak that was seen as retaliation against a critic of the Iraq war, CBS Evening News reported on Wednesday.
Why is Georgie worried? Is it possible that the treasonous leak came from his office?

Analyst have rated BushCo stock as a Strong Sell. I recommend you buy short on BushCo and long on Kerry.

Permalink posted by clonecone : 7:40 PM
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Tuesday, June 01, 2004

Prescription Drug Scam... 

I'm not allowed to tell you why, but I am an expert on the new prescription drug discount cards. There is a lot of incorrect information floating around out there. I found this Questions and Answers story today that is full of errors.
Who is eligible?

Anyone enrolled in Medicare is eligible for one of the new Medicare-approved discount prescription-drug cards.
Not true. To be eligible you must be enrolled in Medicare part A and/or B AND you cannot be receiving any prescription drug coverage from your state Medicaid program.
What do the cards do?

Medicare officials say the cards will offer savings ranging from 16 percent to 30 percent, on average, off the retail price of brand-name drugs. Larger discounts are available by ordering drugs through a card sponsor's mail-order pharmacy or by buying generic drugs.
Mail-order isn't always cheaper. It depends on the specific drugs and the card you select.
Are there special benefits for low-income Americans?

Yes. If your monthly income for 2004 does not exceed $1,047 if you are single or $1,404 if you are married, you might qualify for a $600 credit on your discount card to subsidize the purchase of prescription drugs.
It's actually $1,406 if you are married. You also cannot qualify for the credit if you are receiving any prescription drug coverage from other non-medigap insurance policies.
Are there fees involved?

Yes. Card sponsors can charge up to $30 for an enrollment fee. Low-income Medicare beneficiaries who get the $600 credit must pay a co-payment -- 5 percent or 10 percent, depending on income -- each time they make a drug purchase using the subsidy.
That's 5% or 10% until the $600 credit is gone. The $600 credit is tricky. Imagine for a moment that you qualify for the $600 credit. You are taking Lipitor for your high cholesterol. The discounted price of the drug is $100 for a 30 day supply. The pharmacy will charge you $5 for the drugs and charge the remaining $95 to the $600 credit. Once that credit is used up, you will go back to paying $100. A person taking only a few drugs can use their $600 credit in one trip to the pharmacy.
Can I switch cards whenever I want?

No. Medicare regulations stipulate that seniors who choose a card must use that card the rest of the year. Seniors may choose a different card during an open enrollment period from mid-November through mid-December, but they can't begin using the new card until 2005.
What it fails to mention is that the card companies can change their drug prices every seven days with no warning to or recourse for the beneficiary.

The program is flawed. The majority of people will receive little or no benefit from the program.

I'm happy to help anyone who needs help sorting through the mess of the program. Contact me if you or someone you know is lost or confused.

Permalink posted by clonecone : 7:34 PM
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Monday, May 31, 2004

Blogs for Bush Rebutted 

I will be doing some writing for Blogs for Bush Rebutted over the next few months. Come on over and enjoy our delicious fact-checking goodness.

Permalink posted by clonecone : 10:21 PM
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Did you miss me? 

I'm back from Chicago. I had a great time celebrating my friend's upcoming nuptials. I also got to see Vladimir Guerrero, who is possibly one of the most talented baseball players to hit the bigs in a generation. I also saw Mike Ditka at his downtown restaurant.

I'm tired and cranky so I'm avoiding the news as much as possible. Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend.

Update: The picture summerizes my feelings about the Cubs, Cubs fans, Wrigley Field, Wrigleyville, and Harry Carey.


Permalink posted by clonecone : 4:05 PM
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