The (Occasional) Veterans Report ~ Special Edition
Veterans and the Affordable Care Act
Attention Veterans! This is 'the skinny' on how 'The Affordable Care Act' impacts you if you are enrolled in the VA health care (or TRICARE) System:
Preserving VA Health Care
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will not impact VA health care. Veterans eligible for VA health care will remain eligible under health reform; nothing in the proposed legislation will affect veterans' access to the care that they currently are receiving. The legislation makes clear that the Department of Veterans Affairs will retain full authority over the VA health care system.
Preserving TRICARE and TRICARE for Life Benefits
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will not affect TRICARE or TRICARE for Life. There is no provision in the proposed legislation that would lead to increases in co-pays, changes in eligibility requirements, or in any way modify how TRICARE is administered. The Department of Defense would maintain sole authority to operate TRICARE.
Meeting the shared responsibility requirement
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act clarifies that those covered by VA health care, TRICARE, or TRICARE for Life meet the individual responsibility requirement, and therefore exempts veterans and service members and their dependents from any penalty.
Expanded Options for Affordable and Improved Care
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act includes provisions to ensure that veterans are provided additional choices for high-quality and affordable care. The legislation would allow veterans receiving VA health care to also enroll in an insurance plan through the bill's health insurance Exchanges.
If you are not enrolled in either the VA or TRICARE systems the link below details other information of interest and options to veterans and their families...
Ole C. Salomonsen: Celestial Lights (Vimeo)
Celestial Lights is my second video project. It is another stop motion based video about the northern lights. The video is shot in the northern parts of Norway, Finland and Sweden during autumn 2011, winter and spring 2012.
Paul Krugman: The Real Winners (New York Times)
So the Supreme Court - defying many expectations - upheld the Affordable Care Act, a k a Obamacare. There will, no doubt, be many headlines declaring this a big victory for President Obama, which it is. But the real winners are ordinary Americans - people like you.
Paul Krugman: Double Scotch Time (New York Times)
Yes, I'm on vacation. And I've tried not to think about Scotus, even though I was campaigning for universal health care long before it was fashionable. But I did have a feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach this morning, all the same. And then the ruling came down; fortunately, I was reading Scotusblog, not watching CNN - and I was so hyper that I needed medication. Health reform may yet be killed. But not today. And never mind the horserace politics: ordinary Americans have just won big.
The Barbie Liberation Organization (YouTube)
The Barbie Liberation Organisation was an organization that caused a significant cultural jamming intervention in 1993. Having purchased many Barbie dolls and GI Joe action figures, the group switched the voice boxes from a pair of dolls (one from either group) and then placed them onto store shelves. Customers who purchased the toys were surprised to find gung-ho, combat ready Barbie dolls or effeminate GI Joes that were more interested in shopping than shooting.
Califa Lands $325,000 in Funding for Ebook Ownership Project; Deal Close With Smashwords (Digital Shift)
Under the deal with Smashwords, a four-year-old rapidly rising self-publishing platform which recently reported annual revenues of $12 million, Califa will be able to purchase about 10,000 of the company's top titles for about $3 a title. Califa will house the files on an Adobe Content Server that it purchased for $10,000 (with an annual maintenance fee of $1,500) and which the Quipu Group is configuring.
David Bruce has 42 Kindle books on Amazon.com with 250 anecdotes in each book. Each book is $1, so for $42 you can buy 10,500 anecdotes. Search for "Funniest People," "Coolest People, "Most Interesting People," "Kindest People," "Religious Anecdotes," "Maximum Cool," and "Resist Psychic Death."
Lucille "Lucy" Esmeralda McGillicuddy Ricardo is a fictional character from the American television series I Love Lucy, played by Lucille Ball. She is known for her red hair and for always getting into trouble. Her full name is given in the episodes "The Marriage License," "Fred and Ethel Fight," and "The Passports."
When she was 22, Lucy was set up on a blind date by her friend Marion Strong. Her blind date turned out to be a Cuban conga drummer, Ricky Ricardo. The two fell in love and eventually got married at the Byram River Beagle Club in Connecticut.
Source
Enrique Alberto Fernando Ricardo y de Acha, III, a.k.a. Ricky Ricardo is a main character in the television show I Love Lucy, played by Desi Arnaz. He is the husband of Lucy Ricardo (played by Lucille Ball) and the father of their son Little Ricky (played by Michael & Joseph Mayer, Keith Thibodeaux) He is a band leader and his trademark song is "Babalu." As he was born in Cuba, he often speaks Spanish, usually when he gets excited or angry. He is known for his accented English and his rapid-fire Spanish.
Source
Alan J was first, and correct, with:
Ricky Ricardo
BttbBob said:
Why, Ricky Ricardo, of course...
(Lucy! You got some 'splainin' to do!)
mj wrote:
Was it just so he could get a green card?
Lucy married Ricky Ricardo (Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz who begat Desilu Entertainment).
And on a personal note:
As of noon today I'm a retired person.
ekimtod responded:
She married Desi Arnaz
Charlie replied:
Ricky Ricardo
John.S.A. answered:
Enrique Alberto Fernando Ricardo y de Acha, III, a.k.a. Ricky Ricardo.
Sally said:
I don't even have to look this one up! Lucille Esmeralda McGillicuddy married Ricky Ricardo!
Lucille Esmeralda McGillicuddy, with husband Ricky. Neighbors, Fred and Ethel Mertz standing beside them.
PS: The hot has returned...
Even my joy in the Obamacare victory is being tampered by it's haters who are vowing to overturn the bill. Guess this is how Romney is creating jobs - for all the media and lawyers that is...
Jim from CA, retired to ID wrote:
Ricky Ricardo from I Love Lucy
Adam answered:
Ricky Ricardo. Babalooooooooo!
Craig R responded:
desi arnaz
Marsha in TN ("I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library" - Jorges Luis Borges) replied:
Ricky Ricardo, of course.
Dale of Diamond Springs answered:
Lucille Esmeralda McGillicuddy married Ricky Ricardo. "I Love Lucy" is still one of the funniest shows of all time!!
Lucy quotes on her product Vitameatavegemin before and after dipping into the product:
LUCY : Hello Friends, I'm your Vitameatavegemin girl. Are you tired, run down, listless? Do you poop out at party's? Are you unpopular? The answer to all your problems is in this little bottle, Vitameatavegemin. Vitameatavegemin contains vitamins, meat, vegetables and minerals. Yes, with Vitameatavegemin you can spoon your way to health. All you do it take a spoonful after every meal. It's so tasty too. It's just like candy. So Vitameatavegemin why don't you join the thousands of happy peppy people and get a great big bottle of Vitameatavegemin tomorrow. That's Vita-Meata-Vegemin
LUCY : Well, I'm your Vitivigvegivat Girl. Are you tired, run down, listless? Do you pop out at party's? Are you unpoopular? Well, are you? The answer to all your problems is in this little 'ol bottle, Vitameatavegemin. That's it. Vitameatavegemin contains vitamins, meat, megetables and vinerals. So why don't you join that thousands of happy peppy people and get a great big bottle of Vitaveatyvemeanyminimoe. I'll tell you what you have to do. You have to take a whole tablespoon full after every meal. It's so tasty too. It's just like candy. So everybody get a bottle of this stuff.
Still funny after 55-63 years later.
Marian's on vacation.
Dave in Tucson said:
Lucille E. McGillicuddy married Desi Arnaz. Didn't they have a TV show or something?
Barbara A. replied:
Lucille McGillicuddy was married Ricky Ricardo on the "I Love Lucy" show.
Sometimes she used her maiden name in her many attempts to deceive Ricky.
Didn't know her middle name, though, until you told us.
Just got reminded from one of our Year-In-Europe buddies on Facebook that it
was just about 40 years ago that we were there. How strange is that?
LOL - 40 years ago I didn't drink beer - at all.
Now that seems really strange. ; )
Sergio in Akron answered:
Ricardo Alberto Fernando Ricardo y Acha OR Enrique Alberto Ricardo y de Acha, III, depending on which episode you believe. Most people know him as Ricky Ricardo.
(Desi's real name was Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha, III.)
MAM wrote:
PS Birthday card from my grandchildren, Sarah and Ian.
My grandchildren call me 'Nee' - hence the MAMNEE!
CBS begins the night with a RERUN'CSI: The 3rd One', followed by a RERUN'Blue Bloods', then '48 Hours'.
NBC opens the night with a FRESH'2012 US Olympic Trials', followed by a FRESH'The Firm'.
Of course, 'SNL' is a RERUN, hosted by Emma Stone, music by Coldplay.
ABC starts the night with a RERUN'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition', followed by another RERUN'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition', then a RERUN'Castle'.
The CW offers the FRESH infomercial '2012 Summer Auto Guide', followed by an old '2½ Men', then another old '2½ Men'.
Faux fills the night with LIVE'MLB Baseball', then pads the left coast with local crap.
MY has an old 'The Closer', followed by another old 'The Closer'.
AMC offers the movie 'The Matrix', followed by the movie 'The Matrix Reloaded'.
BBC -
[6:00AM] RAMSAY'S KITCHEN NIGHTMARES - SEASON 2-Ep 6 - Clubway 41
[7:00AM] RAMSAY'S KITCHEN NIGHTMARES - SEASON 1U-Ep 1 - The Secret Garden
[8:00AM] RAMSAY'S KITCHEN NIGHTMARES - SEASON 4-Ep 4 - The Fish and Anchor
[9:00AM] RAMSAY'S KITCHEN NIGHTMARES - SEASON 2U-Ep 7 - Jack's Waterfront
[10:00AM] RAMSAY'S KITCHEN NIGHTMARES REVISITED - SEASON 2U-Episode 1
[11:00AM] RAMSAY'S KITCHEN NIGHTMARES - SEASON 2-Ep 3 - Momma Cherri's
[12:00PM] THE BRIT LIST: 20 SEXIEST
[1:00PM] THE BRIT LIST: 20 COOLEST
[2:00PM] THE BRIT LIST: 20 BADDES
[3:00PM] TOP GEAR - SEASON 10-Episode 2
[4:00PM] TOP GEAR - SEASON 10-Episode 5
[5:00PM] TOP GEAR - SEASON 2-Episode 3
[6:00PM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - SEASON 3-Ep 7 The Enemy
[7:00PM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - SEASON 3-Ep 8 The Price
[8:00PM] STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - SEASON 3-Ep 9 The Vengeance Factor
[9:00PM] MERLIN - SEASON 2-Ep 6 - Beauty and the Beast (Part 2) NEW
[10:00PM] MERLIN - SEASON 2-Ep 7 - The Witchfinder NEW
[11:00PM] THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW - SEASON 11-Ep 11 - Will.I.Am, Greg Davies, Miriam Margolyes, Adam Lambert NEW
[12:00AM] TWENTY TWELVE - SEASON 1-Episode 4 NEW
[12:40AM] TWENTY TWELVE - SEASON 1-Episode 5 NEW
[1:20AM] ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS (2012)-Ep 1 - Identity
[2:00AM] MERLIN - SEASON 2-Ep 6 - Beauty and the Beast (Part 2)
[3:00AM] MERLIN - SEASON 2-Ep 7 - The Witchfinder
[4:00AM] THE X-FILES - SEASON 2-Ep 14 Die Hand Die Verletzt
[5:00AM] THE X-FILES - SEASON 2-Ep 15 Fresh Bones (ALL TIMES EDT)
Bravo has 'Real Housewives Of OC', another 'Real Housewives Of OC', still another 'Real Housewives Of OC', followed by the movie 'Blue Crush 2'.
Comedy Central has the movie 'Broken Lizard's Super Troopers', followed by the movie 'Joe Dirt'.
FX has the movie 'Wanted', followed by the movie 'Hancock', 'Anger Management', and another 'Anger Management'.
History has 'American Pickers', 'Pawn Stars', another 'Pawn Stars', still another 'Pawn Stars', yet another 'Pawn Stars', still another 'Pawn Stars', and yes, yet another 'Pawn Stars'.
IFC -
[6:00AM] Where God Left His Shoes
[8:15AM] Whitest Kids U'Know
[8:30AM] Comedy Bang! Bang!-Michael Cera Wears a Blue Denim Shirt & Red Pants
[9:00AM] Bunk
[9:30AM] The Three Stooges-The Ghost Talks
[9:55AM] The Three Stooges-G.I. Wanna Home
[10:20AM] The Three Stooges-Goofs and Saddles
[10:45AM] The Three Stooges-Half-Shot Shooters
[11:10AM] The Three Stooges-Half-Wits Holiday
[11:35AM] The Three Stooges-Healthy, Wealthy and Dumb
[12:00PM] Magic
[2:30PM] Puppet Master
[4:30PM] Whitest Kids U'Know
[5:00PM] Comedy Bang! Bang!-Michael Cera Wears a Blue Denim Shirt & Red Pants
[5:30PM] Bunk
[6:00PM] Sexy Beast
[8:00PM] Sin City
[10:30PM] Rambo
[12:15AM] Cop Land
[2:30AM] Rambo
[4:15AM] Black Christmas (ALL TIMES EDT)
Sundance -
[6:00A] Amreeka
[7:40A] The Wilde Ones
[8:00A] MY SO-CALLED LIFE - Why Jordan Can't Read (Episode 7, Season 1)
[9:00A] MY SO-CALLED LIFE - Strangers in the House (Episode 8, Season 1)
[10:00A] MY SO-CALLED LIFE - Halloween (Episode 9, Season 1)
[11:00A] Freezing
[2:30P] Lipsett Diaries
[2:45P] Amreeka
[4:30P] Freezing
[6:00P] Love Lust & Little Black Dress
[7:00P] FREAKS AND GEEKS - Kim Kelly Is My Friend (Episode 4, Season 1)
[8:00P] Big Fan
[9:30P] On The Line
[10:00P] The Quiet American
[11:45P] Manon On The Asphalt
[12:00A] Sex Is Comedy
[1:35A] A Film With Me in It
[3:05A] The Quiet American
[4:50A] This Way Up
[5:00A] Love Lust & Little Black Dress (ALL TIMES EDT)
SyFy has the movie 'Snow Beast', followed by the movie 'Bigfoot'.
Cast member Denis Leary poses at the premiere of "The Amazing Spider-Man" at the Regency Village theatre in Los Angeles, California June 28, 2012. The movie opens in the U.S. on July 3.
Photo by Mario Anzuoni
WikiLeaks chief Julian Assange has defied a British police summons and won't be leaving the Ecuadorean Embassy in London until he hears about his asylum bid, a member of his defense fund said Friday.
British police had demanded that the silver-haired computer expert report to a London police station Friday, the first step in what would have been his extradition to Sweden over sex crime allegations.
But Susan Benn, a member of his defense fund, said he would rebuff the U.K. authorities.
British police can't arrest Assange until he leaves the embassy, and Ecuadorean officials are still weighing Assange's asylum request. Even if they grant it, it isn't clear he'll be able to leave for Ecuador without being detained once he steps out the door. He could conceivably camp out at the embassy indefinitely, although that would presumably constrain his freedom.
Cast member Sally Field poses at the premiere of "The Amazing Spider-Man" at the Regency Village theatre in Los Angeles, California June 28, 2012. The movie opens in the U.S. on July 3.
Photo by Mario Anzuoni
Charlie Sheen may have lost a man and a half, but the bad boy actor has rebounded from last year's television debacle with a record-setting audience for his new TV comedy.
More than 5.4 million U.S. viewers watched the debut episode of "Anger Management" on FX on Thursday night according to audience ratings data, making it was the most-watched, scripted comedy series debut in primetime cable TV history.
The comedy, in which Sheen plays a womanizing anger therapist with problems of his own, is Sheen's first TV series since he was fired in 2011 from his womanizing bachelor role in the top-rated CBS comedy "Two and A Half Men".
Also on FX, comedian Russell Brand's new late-night stand-up show, "Brand X", got off to what the network called "a good start" on Thursday with 1.1 million viewers.
The Ewings are forever battling each other, and viewers clearly love them.
TNT network says "Dallas" has been renewed for a 15-episode second season. The network announced Friday it will air in 2013.
Following the lives of J.R., Bobby and Sue Ellen Ewing, as well as the rest of the fractious clan, "Dallas" was revived earlier this month after decades off the air. It is averaging 6.9 million viewers in this, its first season.
"Dallas" brings back original cast members Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray, who are joined by Southfork newcomers including Josh Henderson, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster and Julie Gonzalo.
Actor Peter Fonda and his wife Margaret DeVogelaere pose at the premiere of "The Amazing Spider-Man" at the Regency Village theatre in Los Angeles, California June 28, 2012. The movie opens in the U.S. on July 3.
Photo by Mario Anzuoni
A prop vehicle that was used in the original "Star Trek" TV series in the late 1960s and acquired by an Ohio collector has sold at auction for just over $70,000 after a last-minute bidding war.
The Repository in Canton reports an Akron-area collector had been storing the partially restored 24-foot-long Galileo shuttlecraft for several years before putting it up for auction online.
Auctioneer Brooks Ames says the selling price soared during the final 90 seconds of the auction on Thursday as three late bidders fought to claim the structure used as the shuttlecraft of the U.S.S. Enterprise.
Ames says he believes the buyer plans to restore the fake shuttlecraft and possibly display it in a museum.
Eight-time Grammy-winning singer Lauryn Hill pleaded guilty Friday to not paying federal taxes on more than $1.5 million earned over three years.
Appearing in U.S. District Court in Newark, Hill admitted failing to file tax returns from 2005 to 2007. She faces a maximum one-year sentence on each of the three counts. She was charged three weeks ago.
U.S. Magistrate Michael Shipp initially scheduled sentencing for early October but agreed to delay it until late November to give Hill time to make repayment.
After the charges were brought, Hill posted a long statement on her Tumblr page that decried pop culture's "climate of hostility, false entitlement, manipulation, racial prejudice, sexism and ageism." She explained that she hasn't paid taxes since she withdrew from society to guarantee the safety and well-being of herself and her family.
Hill hinted Friday that she might expand on those comments at her sentencing. When Shipp asked her if anyone had directly or indirectly influenced her decision to plead guilty, she replied, "Indirectly, I've been advised my ability to speak out directly is for another time, at sentencing."
An actor from Russia's Tuva region dressed in costume performs traditional music during the opening ceremony of the third International Music Festival of Asian-Pacific Region in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, June 29, 2012. Artists and actors from 19 countries from Asia-Pacific will take part in more than 60 concerts and exhibitions during the week-long festival in the centre of Siberia.
Photo by Ilya Naymushin
The Supreme Court has turned down media companies' plea to lift a prohibition on owning both a newspaper and a television station in the same market.
The justices on Friday denied the companies' appeal without comment. The media outlets say the restrictions no longer make sense in the Internet era.
The appeal also sought to get rid of other ownership limits including how many local television stations one company can control.
The companies say the rules make it harder for broadcasters and newspapers to do business and respond to competitors on the Internet, satellite and cable - entities which don't face the same restrictions.
The Supreme Court decided Friday not to consider reinstating the government's $550,000 fine on CBS for Janet Jackson's infamous breast-baring "wardrobe malfunction" at the 2004 Super Bowl.
The high court refused to hear an appeal from the Federal Communications Commission over the penalty.
The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals twice had thrown out the fine. The second time came after the Supreme Court upheld the FCC's policy threatening fines against even one-time uses of curse words on live television.
The appeals court said FCC's policy of excusing fleeting instances of indecent words and images appeared to change without notice in March 2004, a month after Jackson's halftime act. The judges said that made the agency's action against CBS "arbitrary and capricious."
But now, the FCC clearly has abandoned its exception for fleeting expletives, Chief Justice John Roberts said.
David Billings, from Abingdon, Maryland, wears a full-back tattoo featuring all nine members of his favorite band, Slipknot, as a woman admires the art at the Hampton Roads Tattoo Festival in Virginia March 2, 2012. Billings says he has had over 150 hours of tattoo work done over a 12 year period, now covering over half his body. He says tattoos are now as mainstream as Coca Cola. Picture taken March 2, 2012.
Photo by Larry Downing
An Irish jury unanimously found a former aide to U2 bassist Adam Clayton guilty of embezzlement Friday after she spent more than €2.8 million ($3.6 million) of the musician's savings on 22 thoroughbred horses, pricey plane tickets and other indulgences for herself and her family.
Carol Hawkins, 48, sat impassively as each of the 181 guilty verdicts was read out in Dublin Criminal Court. She made no comment. Her lawyers, who called no witnesses during the three-week trial, said she was still protesting her innocence.
Judge Patrick McCartan granted Hawkins bail pending her sentencing July 6. Addressing the jurors, he said: "The evidence in this case was overwhelming. Nobody could seriously disagree with the verdict you have given."
Clayton said he first met Hawkins in 1992 when she and her husband were managing a Caribbean island hotel. He recruited her, he said, "to do the shopping, cooking and run my house while I was away." He paid her a €48,000 ($61,000) annual salary.
Hawkins worked for him for nearly 17 years, initially as a maid and cook, until he discovered her spending spree in 2008.
Singer Mary J. Blige says the Burger King commercial that caused major backlash for her was a "mistake."
The clip was released in April and featured Blige singing about the fast-food chain's new chicken snack wraps. It immediately went viral, and some in the black community said it was stereotypical. Burger King pulled it after one day and said it was unfinished.
In an interview with radio station Hot 97 this week, Blige said Burger King "made me look ridiculous." She said she thought she "would be shot in an iconic way."
She said she initially did the commercial because she thought it would be a "great branding opportunity."
Jamie Penaloza, a member of Sotheby's auction house staff poses for a photograph looking at The Shah of Persia's Elephant Automation Clock, circa 1780, with a guide price of '1-2 million (1.5-3 million US$), London, June 29, 2012. The piece will be part of 'Treasures,Princely Taste', an auction of rare and important furniture and decorative arts of noble provenance to be held at Sotheby's London on July 4.
Photo by Paul Hackett
U.S. air force investigators have arrived in Sweden to confirm the identity of a deserter who lived secretly in the Nordic state for almost 30 years, the man's lawyer said on Friday.
David Hemler stepped forward two weeks ago and revealed his identity to a local newspaper. He said he had deserted from a U.S. air force base in Germany in 1984 aged 21 and hitchhiked to Sweden where he lived under an assumed identity.
The 49-year-old, twice married with three children in Sweden, said he came forward because he wanted to see his parents in the United States and wanted his children to see their grandparents.
Hemler said he deserted after getting involved with a pacifist church and becoming disillusioned with the policies of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan.
He told Sweden's TV4 that he had visited Sweden twice before deserting and sympathized with the politics of then Prime Minister Olof Palme, who was opposed to falling under the influence of the United States or former Soviet Union.
Have the teeth of two famed 19th-century composers been stolen from their graves? Austrian prosecutors are trying to find out.
Thomas Vecsey of the Vienna state prosecutor's office says authorities are considering filing charges against a man suspected of breaking into the graves of Austrian waltz king Johann Strauss Jr. and German Romantic composer Johannes Brahms and taking their teeth. Both are buried in Vienna.
Vecsey said Friday that suspicions first arose in 2008 but investigators determined that any crime fell under Austria's statute of limitations. New evidence other graves might have been disturbed has led to the probe's reopening.
The Austria Press Agency said prosecutors consider a Slovak man a person of interest. Prosecutors did not name the suspect nor suggest any potential motivation for the alleged thefts.
Camera operators are silhouetted as they film a news conference by U.S. singer Jason Mraz, at the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore June 29, 2012.
Photo by Tim Chong
You have reached the Home page of BartCop Entertainment.
Make yourself home, take your shoes off...
Go ahead, scratch it if it itches.
The idea is to have fun.
Do you have something to say?
Anything that increased your blood pressure, or, even better, amused or entertained?
Do you have a great album no one's heard?
How about a favorite TV show, movie, book, play, cartoon, or legal amusement?
A popular artist that just plain pisses you off?
A box set the whole world should own?
Vile, filthy rumors about Republican hypocrites?
Just plain vile, filthy rumors?
wrote:
took the day off.
