Disqus - Latest Comments for djplong

Re: Writer impressed with health care in Spain - NashuaTelegraph.com

djplong — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:22:13 -0000

I had a very similar experience in Canada when a sudden flare-up of a condition required me to visit an ER in Montreal. I just ran across the bill for EVERYTHING that was provided - doctors, medicines, x-rays, tests, etc.. About $500 after the exchange rate. Here, those services cost several times that much.

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Breaking up with a credit card, fees

djplong — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:14:07 -0000

They make money by charging the merchants a fee on every transaction.

Re: Gun license should  require safety course

djplong — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:01:08 -0000

No. It's not. It quite clearly states "A well-regulated militia...." In the meaning of the time, "militia" was basically everyone who could respond to a call from the Town Square. The term "well regulated" meant "well trained" - meaning you knew how to shoot, clean, load and care for your firearm. In other words, someone who couldn't hit the broad side of a barn or keep his firearm in working order was NOT "necessary to the security of a free State"

Re: Abuses are inevitable with assisted suicide

SongbirdinNH — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:10:54 -0000

djplong correctly observed that with ANYTHING that is allowed there is always the risk of abuse. If such abuse is significant (is it?), then you regulate against the abuse and enforce it. You DON'T curtail the right because there might possibly be abuse!

Re: Abuses are inevitable with assisted suicide

djplong — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:23:27 -0000

It is inevitable that, with laws allowing prescription drugs to be dispensed by doctors, there will be abuses. Does that mean we should outright ban prescription drugs?

Re: Use technology to fight  driving while texting

djplong — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:10:50 -0000

I can poke a hole in that in seconds.

Sitting here in my office, my cell phone switches between two towers rather quickly and frequently. I wouldn't have known this except for the fact that I downloaded and installed Google Maps for my cell phone. It triangulated my position based on cell towers because it couldn't get a good lock on GPS satellites for a while. In the meantime it kept bouncing me back and forth about 2500 feet as it guessed which cell I was closest to. I can just see some program calculating that I was going 90mph back and forth between those two locations.

In addition, several times I've had a passenger read a text message to me and occasionally respond (usually it's my daughter). Why should she go through the trouble of haivng to give up her cell number?

Here's a thought. Since we're paying them already, why don't we have our police officers keep an eye out for the signs of distracted driving (lane drift, etc) and pull over those who are suspect?

Re: Gribble's Facebook profile says he loved "anything sharp" including swords

httubbin — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:29:11 -0000

What I do know are the facts that he murdered a woman and attempted to do the same to a 10 year old child! I do no care what the "UNTIL" was. At the point he became uncontrollable he should have been committed or placed in an environment where he could be controlled. That is the responsibility of the parent. Sounds like he was much like his brother, so when his until comes will it be ok for him also? This is a huge problem in our country he was fine until. Guess what people he was not fine he was just better at hiding it UNTIL he got caught.

"Are you aware of what has been going on from a few years ago? Do you know that Chris used to be a model kid - *until* "

I D.G.A.F. his parents could have done more! He was a minor when the problem started and by his facebook picture still lives at home

"please explain how it's possible that Chris' brother has never been in trouble?"

*Clearly* Nothing is clear as you can see the explanation is simple his brother has never been caught or is in control UNTIL. Just as Chris was a model kid UNTIL

Let me ask you one quick question. I wake up to find this kid in my doorway at 4AM with a knife in his hand and I put two hollow points in his chest. Is that my fault?

Re: Gribble's Facebook profile says he loved "anything sharp" including swords

djplong — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:55:42 -0000

You know nothing of the parents. If they're so bad, please explain how it's possible that Chris' brother has never been in trouble? Are you aware of what has been going on from a few years ago? Do you know that Chris used to be a model kid - *until* - and I don't know what the 'until' was but his behavior changed over a year ago.. I have no idea what process led Chris down that path. My younger daughter saw a lot more than I did - I only saw the kid for a few hours every week. But I *do* know he had a falling out with his father - rather severe. Chris now deserves everything he has coming to him. But even the best of parents sometimes can't stop this kind of thing from happening. *Clearly* not the same kid I knew.

Re: Nashua-Lowell link is best hope for rail

bjanz — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:37:54 -0000

I am not familiar with that situation, but - given your statement - may I hypothesize about it?

(Remember, IANAL.)

PanAm had a contract with Amtrak, and Amtrak is a government-owned entity.

Hence, this was not a "taking" based on a possible use of tracks and a prospective benefit to some as-yet-unknown number of commuters. It was a "taking" based on PanAm's failure to live up to the terms of an EXISTING contract with a government entity that had been acting "in the public interest".

It's possible that the judge allowed the taking because the preexisting contract and Amtrak's "public interest" outweighed PanAm's ownership of that part of the line.

At present, neither situation exists on the PanAm rail bed in question. Hence, any "public interest" taking would have to be proven in court, and the proof would have to overcome the provisions of Article 12a.

Speculative at best, I would think.

Re: Nashua-Lowell link is best hope for rail

djplong — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:22:15 -0000

The state can take the one line from PanAm (Nashua to Concord) just the way Vermont took a line from them many years ago. They refused to maintain their right-of-way after a mudslide forcing cancellation of Amtrak trains so it was purchased from them via eminent domain.

Re: Health care is a moral imperative

djplong — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:31:25 -0000

No, I have that right regardless. LESS than half the budget (remember, the budget is now at $2T) is spent ostensibly enforcing and protecting that right. Oh there are costs in defending most rights - I certainly wouldn't argue that. And I'll also agree that it's a little more complicated when it comes to our legal system. However, if I get sick, who's obligation does it then become to treat or cure me? And does it matter how or why I got sick? This is why reducing these arguments to 'slogans' almost never works. It's far too complicated an issue for that.

Re: Health care is a moral imperative

mjhealey — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:52:20 -0000

Might I just add that more than half the federal budget is spent insuring your right to live peaceably.

Re: Health care is a moral imperative

SongbirdinNH — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:39:09 -0000

The idea that rights don't cost anything is untenable. We have the right to have our government provide defense from our enemies -- that COSTS!!! Those accused of crime have a right to a defense -- that COSTS! The right of peaceable assembly often requires a law enforcement presence to protect the assemblers -- that COSTS! Trial by jury is a right -- that COSTS! Elections are a right -- that COSTS! Do I need to go on . . .

The two general objectives that immediately follow the term "provide for" in Section 8 are "the common Defence and general Welfare." One is to be taken just as seriously as the other. The fact that these two objectives are in the heading, rather than as enumerated specifics, clearly indicates they are generalities intended to be fleshed out in accordance with the changing times, needs and cultural expectations.

Re: Health care is a moral imperative

djplong — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 20:04:58 -0000

Well, at least I see where you're coming from. Minor nit - it's "Section 8", there is no "Article 8" as there are only 7 Articles. But when I read that section, the "provide" is followed by the list of things that the government will provide - the coining of money, post roads, declaring war, providing an Army and Navy, etc. It doesn't say *anything* about health care. it's certainly not a "right", by any stretch of the imagination. "Rights", in the true sense of the word, don't cost anyone ANYthing. My right to live peacably doesn't involve any transactions. Health care, however, DOES. At least frame the argument better. Saying that health care should be a funded privilege of every American citizen would at least be more honest.

Re: Health care is a moral imperative

SongbirdinNH — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 19:08:08 -0000

Excuse me, djplong, but Article 8 specifically authorizes Congress to 'PROVIDE FOR" the general welfare. The Framers could have repeated the word "promote" from the Preamble if they chose to. No, they chose to use the complementary terms "promote" and "provide for" as if to use two complementary lenses to bring the picture into sharp and undeniable focus.

Re: Health care is a moral imperative

djplong — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 18:40:15 -0000

You said it yourself. It says PROMOTE the general welfare, not PROVIDE the general welfare.

Re: British health care unfairly maligned

hudsonite — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 20:18:40 -0000

There is no need for an amendment because everything proposed is constitutional.

Re: British health care unfairly maligned

djplong — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:15:47 -0000

Perhaps GK is on to something. Perhaps, once and for all, we should put it to a major vote. Perhaps, if we're going to end up paying for health care, we could put it in an Ammendment and make it a *privilege* of being a United States Citizen. After all, when I got sick in Canada, I had to pay for care (albeit at drastically reduced prices compared to here). It wasn't a "right" in the classic sense. I wasn't Canadian so I didn't qualify for 'free' care.

Or take another point of view. With all the other countries providing health care, are we at a competitive disadvantage when it comes to attracting an educated workforce compared to other countries? Do we need health care coverage in order to compete?

Re: Defenders locked out of Holman

djplong — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 07:51:53 -0000

More than likely, they'll go to Quebec.

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: It was only a matter of time for Defenders

djplong — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 07:44:36 -0000

Is it just my imagination, or did the decline in attendance in Nashua coincide with the departure of MonkeyBoy?

Re: Defenders locked out of Holman

southnh — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 09:36:22 -0000

Please djplong, The rain had nothing to do with it. The rain could of been overcome with a superior product.

Re: Defenders locked out of Holman

BIG_G — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:17:39 -0000

There was much more I am sure why they could not make their bill payments. I am sure the management was well paid though all of it .
Oh well kids baseball is much better anyways. even If they charge the same ticket price too.

Re: Defenders locked out of Holman

djplong — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 07:30:37 -0000

Combine mismanagement with it raining almost the entire month of June and you just can't make ends meet.

Re: Defenders defenseless to ballpark shutdown

kph1 — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:42:12 -0000

Is that all you know... do you not know what he did wrong for the Red Sox?? Where's trot nixon..not playing, only person we have left from him is Jason Veritek ..Papi came from Theo .. nice try though.. So if Dan was so great why is he not still with the Red Sox if he did them right?!?

Re: Defenders defenseless to ballpark shutdown

djplong — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 19:59:24 -0000

Right. Duquette ruined the Red Sox by acquiring Johnny Damon, Pedro Martinez, Manny Ramirez, Tim Wakefield, Derek Lowe, Trot Nixon, David Ortiz and (in perhaps the greatest trade theft since Lou Brock) Jason Varitek. You might remember them as the core of the team that won the 2004 World Series.

Disqus - Latest Comments for djplong

Re: Writer impressed with health care in Spain - NashuaTelegraph.com

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Breaking up with a credit card, fees

Re: Gun license should require safety course

Re: Abuses are inevitable with assisted suicide

Re: Abuses are inevitable with assisted suicide

Re: Use technology to fight driving while texting

Re: Gribble's Facebook profile says he loved "anything sharp" including swords

Re: Gribble's Facebook profile says he loved "anything sharp" including swords

Re: Nashua-Lowell link is best hope for rail

Re: Nashua-Lowell link is best hope for rail

Re: Health care is a moral imperative

Re: Health care is a moral imperative

Re: Health care is a moral imperative

Re: Health care is a moral imperative

Re: Health care is a moral imperative

Re: Health care is a moral imperative

Re: British health care unfairly maligned

Re: British health care unfairly maligned

Re: Defenders locked out of Holman

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: It was only a matter of time for Defenders

Re: Defenders locked out of Holman

Re: Defenders locked out of Holman

Re: Defenders locked out of Holman

Re: Defenders defenseless to ballpark shutdown

Re: Defenders defenseless to ballpark shutdown

Re: Gun license should  require safety course

Re: Abuses are inevitable with assisted suicide

Re: Abuses are inevitable with assisted suicide

Re: Use technology to fight  driving while texting