Universal Coverage

I've been hearing a lot about Universal Health Care Coverage on the news/radio recently. With the ongoing US elections, it seems that all of the candidates can't make promises fast enough about giving away money that they do not have. In this age of making sure that everyone is taken care of from cradle to grave, I realized that there is a major Universal Coverage that people just aren't talking about: Gas.

See, in most people's life, they are paying a lot more for gas than health care. Most of the poor can not afford gas, especially with the ever rising prices. And who do I think could do a better job at fixing this? Some big corporation that is only looking out for its own profit (and the profit of those rich enough to buy stock in the company)? Or the government, who is everyone's best friend! Who doesn't love talking to the IRS? They are only there to help! Who among us doesn't believe that the FBI and CIA are more than justified in tapping our phone lines? They only ever have our best interest at heart. Which is why we all believe that they would apply that same IRS level of understanding to our medical needs, and that FBI/CIA level of privacy to our most personal data. And since we all seem to believe this, why not apply this to gas and make this country great by looking after all of its citizens, in this most important aspect of life!

Imagine if you will, a world without gas companies! You could just pull up to the government run gas pumps at the time of your scheduled gas fill up appointment and get your free gas. Isn't that the way it should be? Why should we be burdened under the current system? Isn't gas just a tax on the poor? Do you think rich people even notice gas prices? That is the way it should be for everyone!

After Universal Healthcare and Gas Care are conquered, then we can move on to bigger issues! Like Universal Food Care! How many people are starving in the streets? All people should be feed. Equally. Since, isn't that what Universal Care means? All people getting the same level of service? It should be illegal to buy more Food Care or Gas Care, just like we want for Health Care. Why should those who are rich get more food, gas, or health? What have they done to deserve their money anyway?

Wow, I just had a revelation! Universal Money Care! That would solve all of our social problems! Everyone gets the same amount of money from cradle to grave. No more injustices! Everyone will be treated the same, no matter what. I think with this new Universal Plan, we can final have the society that we really want and deserve!

The Edward

True American

I realized something the other day whilst watching a Canadian TV Program called Corner Gas. The episode was about curling, something about which I knew nothing. After watching this episode I realized that I am a True American!

Ever since then, as I drive around, I notice that this statement is truer and truer. I see Mexican restaurants everywhere. More Japanese restaurants within walking distance than I can throw a stick at. I went to San Francisco last week, but had to think more carefully about my initial plans because there was a second New Year's - Chinese New Year's - going on. The BBC has a big influence on out TV. All of these things that I see point to one thing - American.

That is what I love about America - it is a mixture of many cultures and many ideas. It is so cool that I can experience so much just in my neighborhood. After seeing that episode on curling, I thought, man alive, that looks like a lot of fun. I think that is what make America strong, its foundation on excepting other cultures. I hear many people talk against foreign influence, but isn't that what America is, a mixing of many other cultures? I also hear some people say that the rest of the world hates us, but why, since their culture is part of our own as well? Maybe not the strongest part, but it is in there somewhere.

Maybe that is it - people see not the things that we as American embrace, things that we have in common with their own beliefs, but rather the beliefs of people that they do not like. We have beliefs that some people like and beliefs that some people hate. We are not a homogenous culture, and that is what I like - being about to pick and choose what I want from those cultures. I do not have to like and incorporate everything from every other culture into my own life for me to accept it. I am fine with others doing as they please, which I think makes me and others like me True Americans - the principals of the founding of this country, multiculturalism.

The Edward

Let's have turkey!

Every day for a thousand days, the farmer feeds a turkey. At the start of all of this, the turkey is unsure of his environment. As the farmer starts feeding him, he sees the pattern: this farmer guys has his best interest at heart! He provides a shelter for him. He gives him food. Takes care of him when he is sick. Every day, the turkey's confidence in this belief grows - corroborating evidence, he says! Until day one thousand and one, Thanksgiving.

The above example was lifted from a book a friend recommended to me that I am currently reading: The Black Swan. It is also an example that I have used most of my life in a different form to show why I do not believe in inductive reasoning. Low probability events with high impact are ignored by humans - we are not really wired for it, and yet those types of events are what make our world what it is. We live in denial.

People make predictions based on the past, thinking that each new piece of corroborating evidence makes their predictions more valid, and yet that is provably false. If A then B. Not B. Therefore Not A. "All swans are white" and all swans you ever see are white, seeing more white swans does nothing to prove that all swans are white. The correct version of this sentence, based on the stated logic is:

If Swan, then White.
Not White.
Therefore not Swan.

So, any non-white object that you see would be proof that there are no black swans, even though black swans do exist. A red car therefore proves all swans are white. This is the Black Swan theory. Induction and corroboration fail in the real world. It is events on the edge, events that can not be predicted based on the past that wreck the models we have. Just like day one thousand and one for the turkey - he will have no way of knowing he future or the real reason for events in his life up to that day. But someone with a different vantage point might... like The Farmer.

The Edward

The Cow

The cow grazed slowly amongst the dead grass... and the living!

The Edward

Dino Cities

I just finished watching the History Channel Special called "Life After People". Finally a show on TV that exposes The Truth, The Truth that I have been pushing for years - how the dinosaurs really vanished!

The show was about what would happen to Our World if we all just vanished at once. It showed snapshots of what the world would look like after different time periods, up to 10,000 years. The interesting part was the unspoken aspects: what would aliens find if they landed on our planet to show that we existed? Or better still, what would the race that came after our time here be able to find out about us. After 10,000 years, nothing.

Even say 100,000 is nothing compared to the time that life has been on Earth. If we vanished, 100,000 from now, if there was a thinking species on this planet, they would have no clue that we ever were here. None. So, extrapolating backwards, we can see that if an advanced civilization lived here 100,000 years ago, we wouldn't know that we were living on their ruins. No clue.

Dinosaurs existed on this planet for hundreds of millions of years. What are the chances that during all of that time, not a single species developed intelligence to our current level? Our advances are only a few thousand years, so there could have been hundreds of other intelligence civilizations living on this planet before us! Shocking to think about, and yet so true.

So, the Dinosaurs had huge advanced societies, probably much further along than we are. They probably lived in harmony with nature, because only man ruins this world. Shed a tear for their passing - the things we could have learned from these advanced, friendly creatures...

Though, there was one thing that they forgot to mention on the show - satellites. Planetary erosion wouldn't affect them, so we should see dino-made satellites floating around Our World. And since we do not, that is proof of how the dinos vanished - their satellites (or the satellites of a previous species) crashed into this world and destroyed them. Much more likely than an astroid wiping them out. And that is what wiped out the dinosaur race - satellites.

The Edward

Goodbye Old Friend, I Hardly Knew You

I have this relationship that I do not talk about much. I think most of you have a relationship with this Person as well, and you probably don't talk about it. Heck, I doubt you even think about it. You just assume that everyone has the same relationship as you do. Well, I'm here to tell you that you are wrong. Everyone has his/her own unique relationship with this Person. Who is this Person? Reality.

Reality and me... we go back a long way, same probably with most of you. Our relationship has never been that strong, but we used to at least be on speaking terms. I do not know what I did - was it something that I said? All I know is that we no longer seem to be talking. Sure, I see Reality hanging out with other folk, but she just doesn't seem to come a calling on me any more.

At first I was heartbroken. Wasn't I good enough for Reality? Why did she always keep me at a distance? Was she pushing me away? Or maybe we really just never had that much in common so we felt uncomfortable around each other. I know it was always embarrassing when I was around others and they would try to introduce me to Reality - obviously our distance made people thing that I was unaware of Reality's existence. Sniffle.

Well, now that Reality seems to have left me, it is time for me to say goodbye to an old friend. Reality was never a close friend, but I always hoped that one day... we had some fun in the past, but our day in the sun is over. Goodbye.

Now that I have moved beyond that, there is a big gap in my life. Though that gap, when smaller, had been filled in the past, I'm guessing these other friends might fill the rest of it. Sure, there is Madness, but I have always kept her at bay. Maybe someday I will give her a chance, but for now, we just fool around sometimes.

Sure there are many other I could mention, but I must admit, there is kind of a dark horse in the running. I hope to have caught her eye. I've seen her around; we've even talked a few times. I was smitten with her the first time we met when I was a child. I know a lot of people say that they know her, but I really haven't seen her around most anyone I've met. She is kind of elusive, but to be honest, I have pursued her almost all of my life. Maybe she and I can be together finally, now that Reality is out of the picture. I hope that by transcending my need for Reality, Enlightenment will finally be mine.

The Edward

Let Me See That

I just read a story about a man in New York who was forced by doctors to let them probe his ass. He struggled, because he didn't want the doctors to do this, so they drugged him so that the ass probing could be done. The site where I read about this allowed for comments, and most all of the comments were that the doctors did the right thing. If the doctor believes he needs to do something to you for your benefit, who are you to stand in his way? He's a doctor! And who are you?

What is a doctor? Why, from my point of view, he is a human just like you. He is a person who spent a few years in a large building learning about the human body, then partying all night long. Doctors are popular on campus and go to all of the cool parties. You know those frat boys you see doing stupid stuff on tv/video, how many do you think are doctors-to-be? Trust me, I went to school with some doctors, and after you see one puking his/her guts out, they can never really get back on that pedestal again.

So, this fellow human, an equal to you, with the same likes, dislikes, urges, etc, has a keen insight and therefore authority over your body? I know people feel this way or else there wouldn't be any male gynecologists. See, a male gyno would be a dude who wants to look at pussy all day, and women let him. Why? Because this dude isn't a dude to them, that person is a sexless doctor. A doctor, who only has their best interest at heart. Never once having a sexual thought while being three fingers in. And for him, he can look, probe, touch, whatever he wants, because surely it is the name of health/science and not because of any innate desire on his part. Doctors can overcome millions of years of evolution after just a few years of schooling. Superhuman, they are!

Surely I can do that too! I can look at your, or your wife's, or your girlfriend's pussy and only have that person's best interest at heart. I'm sure I can do it with the same level of detachment as one of them doctor folk. Sure, you say, he has seen so much that he has lost interest - it is all clinical for The Doctor. I'll tell you what - I've probably seen hundreds a day online, so I'm sure I have some experience and have seen more than most doctors, so if he can be detached enough for you to show him everything you hold private and dear, so can I!

I can do whatever would make you feel more comfortable - I can charge you money for you to show me your pussy. I could put down some paper on a table if that helps. We can even schedule an appointment. Then you can show me the things that you show your doctor... nice and slow like. Man alive, this doctor gig sounds better than a strip club! "Tell The Edward what's troubling you," while I probe around - purely in the name of science. See I'm a Scientist, which is one level above a doctor even.

The Edward