Steve Gleason and Pearl Jam

For "Obamacare" haters

Windows Wednesday

The Cabildo in New Orleans

How the World Sees USA

Courtesy of Khalil Bendib an OtherWords’ cartoonist.

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	LinkedIn Network Updates, Sep 25 - Oct 2 Updates from Your Extended Network Connect with them to see what they're up to Ralphie A Burcke http://lnkd.in/bGJPYxg Song From Drago. Coat of arms of Serbia (since 2011) (Photo credit: Wikipedia) My brother Wolf sent me some lyrics in Serbian. Here they be: Tiho tekla mutna Rajna  odavde do roterdama  al, otom bolje cutati  napiti se i odlutati neznam sta mi sudba sprema... Connect with Ralphie A · Comment Martin Abrahams http://lnkd.in/b9Wh3Qi Why everyone should be able to travel in space Space exploration may be costly, but entrepreneur and former astronaut Anousheh Ansari thinks new technologies will help more of us explore the final frontier. Connect with Martin · Comment Joanne Cochrane http://lnkd.in/bgSc4Rk Obama admin. knew about WWII veterans’ request and rejected it The White House and the Department of the Interior rejected a request from Rep. Steven Palazzo’s office to have World War II veterans visit the World War II memorial in... Connect with Joanne · Comment Dashon Hines http://lnkd.in/bTPzeKK Nas - Nastradamus (Full Album) (1999) Definitely not one of Nas's best works, but I always enoyed the creativity in it, sort of like his earlier CD "I Am..." which was also released in 1999, in fact it was meant to be with "I Am..." as a double Disc album called "I Am....The... Connect with Dashon · Comment View All Updates
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Obamacare: Myths vs Truths

Verbatum from YahooFinance.com

Starting today individuals can sign up for health care insurance by way of the exchanges created under the Affordable Care Act. So far seventeen states and the District of Columbia have set up their own exchanges, also known as insurance marketplaces; the rest will use either the federal health insurance exchange or run a joint state-federal exchange to provide coverage.

It's been a bumpy ride so far, given the complexity of the effort and the politics surrounding it. Many Republican Congressional members are hell-bent on defunding Obamacare even though it's law and the Supreme Court reaffirmed its constitutionality. They won't agree to continue funding the government unless Obamacare is defunded or delayed by a year. And Democrats -- in Congress and the White House -- are firmly committed to just the opposite: implementing Obamacare.
That leaves us where we are today: a government that is partially shut down and lots of confusion about coverage under the ACA.

Lori Robertson, managing director of Factcheck.org, spoke with The Daily Ticker's Aaron Task, about some of the major misrepresentations surrounding Obamacare.

We'll try to help set the record straight so read on:


Myth #1: Health Care Premiums are Rising.

Robertson says whether health care premiums are rising or falling for individuals depends on their particular situation. "Whether your new plan on the exchanges...is going to be more or less what you're paying now really depends on you," says Robertson. "If you have a health condition you may see a decrease. If you don't, you may see an increase."
Related: Obamacare Could Mean Lower Rates in These Three States
You health insurance premium will also depend where you buy your insurance--including the state and locality--your age and your income. (At certain income levels, participants in so-called "silver" plans--the second cheapest--can qualify for government subsidies, which would reduce costs.


Myth #2: Obamacare is Killing Jobs.

Robertson says there's little evidence that Obamacare is a job killer. "The CBO has estimated it will have a small impact on jobs and ...mainly from workers choosing to work less," says Robertson. She explains that some people may reduce their working hours because they no longer need a second or third job to pay insurance premiums, while others may choose to retire early knowing they can't be denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions.

Myth #3: You Can't Choose Your Own Doctor Under Obamacare.
Not true, says Robertson. "There's nothing in the law that's going to pick your doctor for you," says Robertson. But she notes that "some exchanges may have a small provider network," so if you choose such a plan you may have to choose a new doctor.


Myth #4: The Increase in Health Care Spending is Slowing Because of Obamacare.

Another misconception, says Robertson: "Experts have said that the overwhelming reason" for the slower rise in health care costs is "the down economy." She cites a Kaiser Family Foundation report that found that 77% of this deceleration is due to the economy.


Myth #5: Congress is Exempt from Obamacare.

Not true, says Robertson. "Congress is not exempt from the law...The law says that Congress and its staffers have to get their coverage through the exchanges that are being set up." But, Robertson says, the federal government can help pay for the premiums of that coverage, just as it does now under the Federal Employee Health Benefits program for Congress and staffers.

CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES

Windows Wednesday

The stairs along the riverfront are reflected in the windows of the tug J.K. McLean a "Z-class" tugboat.

The workers on the boat were lucky to be able to attend the 2013 New Orleans Oyster Festival along the Mississippi earlier this year.

Scuzzbuckets of the Week

I am really at a loss as to how the GOP thinks. They continuously try to kill the Affordable Care Act (AKA Obamacare). I heard somewhere that they have fought the plan - which is now the law - over 45 different times. And the cost of their temper tantrums is unimaginable.

Their latest move is to slash Food Stamp funding in order to effort to effort to "pare the cost and size of government by reducing federal spending." As if there aren't any other alternatives to cut federal spending.

The map below shows Food Stamp averages by state for 2012. Not all Food Stamp recipients are living on the government dole, as some like to think of them. The average Food Stamp monthly benefit in 2012 is $133 per month. Yeah, that's sure dragging down government spending

Food stamp monthly averages 2012 participation in SNAP, as a percent of total state population

Here - by state - are the names of those people who voted to cut $39 million dollars over the next decade for Food Stamps.


Alabama

Robert Aderholt

Spencer Bachus

Mo Brooks

Martha Roby
Mike Rogers

Arizona

Trent Franks

Paul A. Gosar

Matt Salmon

David Schweikert

Arkansas

Tom Cotton

Rick Crawford

Tim Griffin

Steve Womack

Robert Woodall

California

Ken Calvert

John Campbell

Paul Cook

Jeff Denham

Duncan D. Hunter

Darrell Issa

Doug LaMalfa

Kevin McCarthy

Tom McClintock

Buck McKeon

Devin Nunes

Dana Rohrabacher

Ed Roycei

Colorado

Mike Coffman

Cory Gardner

Doug Lamborn

Scott Tipton

Florida

Gus Bilirakis

Vern Buchanan

Ander Crenshaw

Ron DeSantis

Mario Diaz-Balart

John Mica

Jeff Miller

Richard Nugent

Bill Posey

Trey Radel

Tom Rooney

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Dennis Ross

Steve Southerland

Daniel Webster

Ted Yoho

C.W. Bill Young

Georgie

Paul Broun

Doug Collins

Phil Gingrey

Tom Graves

Jack Kingston

Tom Price (R-Ga.)

Austin Scott

Lynn A. Westmoreland

Idaho

Raul R. Labrador

Mike Simpson

Illinois

Rodney Davis

Randy Hultgren

Adam Kinzinger

Peter J. Roskam

Aaron Schock

John Shimkus

Indiana

Susan W. Brooks

Larry Bucshon

Luke Messer

Todd Rokita

Marlin Stutzman

Jackie Walorski

Todd Young

Iowa

Steve King

Tom Latham

Kansas

Tim Huelskamp

Lynn Jenkins

Mike Pompeo

Kevin Yoder

Kentucky

Andy Barr

Brett S. Guthrie

Thomas Massie

Harold Rogers

Ed Whitfield

Louisiana

Rodney Alexander

Charles Boustany

William Cassidy

John Fleming

Steve Scalise

Maryland

Andy Harris

Michigan

Justin Amash

Dan Benishek

Kerry Bentivolio

Dave Camp

Bill Huizenga

Candice Miller

Mike Rogers

Fred Upton

Tim Walberg

Minnesota

Michele Bachmann

John Kline

Erik Paulsen

Mississippi

Gregg Harper (R-Miss.)

Alan Nunnelee

Steven Palazzo

Missouri

Sam Graves

Vicky Hartzler

Billy Long

Blaine Luetkemeyer

Jason Smith

Ann Wagner

Montana

Steve Daines

Nebraska

Lee Terry

Adrian Smith

Nevada

Mark Amodei

Joe Heck

New Jersey

Rodney Frelinghuysen

Scott Garrett

Leonard Lance

Jon Runyan

New Mexico

Steve Pearce

New York

Chris Collins

Tom Reed

North Carolina

Howard Coble

Renee Ellmers

Virginia Foxx

George Holding

Richard Hudson

Patrick T. McHenry

Mark Meadows (R-N.C.)

Robert Pittenger

North Dakota

Kevin Cramer

Ohio

John Boehner

Steve Chabot

Bob Gibbs

Bill Johnson

Jim Jordan

David Joyce

Robert E. Latta

Jim Renacci

Steve Stivers

Pat Tiberi

Michael Turner

Brad Wenstrup

Oklahoma

Jim Bridenstine

Tom Cole

James Lankford

Frank Lucas

Markwayne Mullin

Oregon

Greg Walden (R-Ore.)

Pennsylvania

Lou Barletta

Charles W. Dent

Jim Gerlach

Mike Kelly

Tom Marino

Tim Murphy

Scott Perry

Joseph R. Pitts

Keith Rothfus

Bill Shuster

Glenn W. Thompson

South Carolina

Jeff Duncan

Trey Gowdy

Mick Mulvaney

Tom Rice

Mark Sanford

Joe Wilson (R-S.C.)

South Dakota

Kristi Noem

Tennessee

Diane Black

Marsha Blackburn

Scott DesJarlais

John J. Duncan, Jr.

Stephen Fincher

Chuck Fleischmann

Phil Roe

Texas

Joe Barton

Kevin Brady

Michael C. Burgess

John Carter

Michael K. Conaway

John Culberson

Blake Farenthold

Bill Flores

Louie Gohmert

Kay Granger

Ralph M. Hall

Jeb Hensarling

Sam Johnson

Kenny Marchant

Michael T. McCaul

Randy Neugebauer

Pete Olson

Ted Poe

Pete Sessions

Lamar Smith

Steve Stockman

Mac Thornberry

Randy Weber

Roger Williams

Utah

Rob Bishop

Jason Chaffetz

Chris Stewart

Virginia

Eric Cantor

Randy J. Forbes

Bob Goodlatte

Morgan Griffith

Robert Hurt

Scott Rigell

Robert J. Wittman

Washington

Doc Hastings

Cathy McMorris Rodgers

David G. Reichert

West Virginia

David McKinley

Wisconsin

Sean P. Duffy

Thomas Petri

Reid Ribble

Paul Ryan

James F. Sensenbrenner

Wyoming

Cynthia M. Lummis

Windows Wednesday

The clouds reflected in this picture appear to me to be two dogs kissing.

LinkedIn Network Updates, 9/18/2013

	LinkedIn Network Updates, Sep 11 - Sep 18 Updates from Your Extended Network Connect with them to see what they're up to Ralphie A Burcke http://lnkd.in/bbrmTum Russian scientist photographs the soul leaving the body at death. From Esoteric online: The timing of astral disembodiment in which the spirit leaves the body has been captured by Russian scientist Konstantin Korotkov, who photographed a person at the moment of his death with a bioelectrographic camera. The image... Connect with Ralphie A · Comment johnjoseph dalusung http://lnkd.in/bTXSTRs Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyers Melrose Law Firm's top Los Angeles personal injury attorneys are well respected by insurance companies who they negotiate with to claim the maximum... Connect with johnjoseph · Comment lucy lin www.nikeyard.pw it is a site offer sport shoes, apparel, cap, jersey, sunglass, bag , watch, belt and perfume Nike Jordan shoes, Air Max shoes, Puma shoes, Adidas shoes, Lacoste... We are supply many kinds of wholesale cheap shoes,air shoes,cheap shox shoes,air max shoes,sneakers shoes,cheap clothes,cheap sports jerseys,welcome to www.nikeyard.net shopping order,thanks! Connect with lucy · Comment Linnea Angulo BELIEVE IT OR NOT...the evidence is approaching insurmountable! Syrian Frame Job Story Goes Viral: Special Report - HD Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh acknowledges building evidence that the chemical weapons attack in Syria was staged to frame President Bashar al-Assad.... Connect with Linnea · Comment View All Updates
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