wyobilzfan

Word. I just finished reading this article elsewhere and was going to post it here. Thought the article was right on, and throwing more money at Buffalo will only make the problems worse. Shoot, if they are going to throw away $1B... build a new domed stadium to keep the Bills in Buffalo. That would be a better use of the money than spending it on programs that will be run by corrupt politicians. Heaven forbid they do anything creative like LOWERING THE TAX BURDEN and cutting spending on entitlements. Part of the reason that 29% of the people living in the city of Buffalo are below the poverty level is because of the high % who are living on government assistance. The suggestion of bringing in the FBI to investigate a la Cleveland is a great idea. Wish I could say I was surprised that 30 years after leaving WNY, the EXACT SAME conversations are going on that led me to leave in the first place but I'm not a bit surprised.

LOL! Really? Now that would be a shocking thing to the People's Republic of Wyoming (/sarcasm). We propose a LOT of bills in our state legislature just to rattle the fed's chains. No intention of passing them, but we do get a sort of perverse pleasure out of taunting them.

Again, we see this through a similar lens. Since this is a different forum... it's time for me to resurrect my strong belief that HEALTH CARE REFORM will turn out to cause the biggest divide in this nation since the Civil War. I believe the time has come for a Constitutional Convention. This country is ripe for it on so many levels, but this issue of the federal govt trying to control everything from health care mandates to eroding the Second Amendment has got to stop and be re-evaluated. In the US "Outback" of Wyoming, there was a recent bill (unfortunately failed because it was poorly written) in the last legislature that would allow the State of Wyoming to OFFICIALLY declare that residents did not have to recognize federal agents as legitimate "authority" figures (paraphrasing but that IS what they were proposing). We were also one of the first states (I believe FLA got theirs in first while we were changing governors) to file a lawsuit against the Heath Care Reform Act as unconstitutional. The word Transparency comes to mind. Seriously, what issue faces 100% of the population the way health care does? Most will stay ignorant on the issue, but ESPECIALLY after THIS Supreme Court basically ruled that corporations (lobbyist groups) can be considered "individuals" and be treated the same with regard to political donations... what do you think they are capable of doing to health care reform? That one is still making me shake my head. Those who do not bother to be informed on the issue should just STFU when it comes decision time. This is something that ALL Americans better get a grip on, including the reality that health care is not a RIGHT, is already being rationed (ever hear of precertification by insurance co's), and there will HAVE to be more rationing because people cannot and most cases WILL NOT be sensible about over-utlizing the system unless they HAVE TO PAY for what they want out of their own pockets. The first thing that needs to happen is to allow ERs to refuse to treat people who use the ER as a source of primary care. WORD! And to those who remain ignorant, they should STFU when we ALL get our dose of reality. Health care is going to bankrupt this country faster than any other single issue, and I'm continuously stunned by the ignorance of the general public on the most basic issues that need to be corrected in our health care system as it "dysfunctions" today. Applaud. We also have to get past the notion that everyone is "entitled" to unlimited amounts of subsidized health care. Why should this be a news flash now to the "99%"that the 1% will ALWAYS be able to afford more advanced and expensive treatments. Gotta love those who believe in capitalism but can't handle it when it means they can't get what others can afford to get. I say "get real". If you can't afford to pay for some outrageously expensive medical treatment, then you don't get it. You might have to settle for "Plan B" which is less expensive, or obtainable via a rationed system. For those that don't know me, my bias is what it is because my spouse was an ER doc for >20 years, and I've was a nurse and psychotherapist for 35 years. We both were "in the trenches" and know from the inside how rotten and corrupted the health care system is today. Americans are the most stupid%

He WAS lunch.

Nice to know there are others here who were alive at the same time as Danny Kaye and Ed Sullivan. You know how we old bitches don't like change...

You should see what happened to the last guy that told me that

A fair question, but today I must ask if the same thing were true of Happy Valley, PA at the moment? Wyoming (generally) DEFINITELY has a problem with the entire LGBT lifestyle and there are two camps; those like me who are more libertarian and accepting of anyone's right to life the way they wish, and those who are oppressive haters that think their way is the only way. We had/have our homophobes exposed in all their glory in the horror that was Matthew Shepard's last moments of life years ago. It is a shame and stigma we carry everywhere we go as Wyomingites. For the benefit of those who don't know me as well as some of you, I have spoken at several conferences over the years on the subject. The narrow-mindedness of how a person's lifestyle choices or the color of their skin is still far more prevalent here than I like. Some of the veterans to this board are going to experience the same confusion about how to "label" me, like some of you did back in the other political forum. I'm not an "anything"... left, right, whatever. I tend to be libertarian on social issues that pertain to lifestyle choice, and a strong fiscal conservative. But basically, I welcome the challenge to respond to the questions about gay rights/acceptance of said lifestyle in Wyoming. Been down this road many times, and my view is still the same.

Oh, all right. I'm just enjoying the pleasure of this experience because it's a level playing field for me here. If the little shoe fits...

Ooooooooooo.... I likey and am very interested in what you are doing. This is the only way that cost reduction can actually occur; along with forcing medical establishments to publish their prices like every other competitive industry and make it simpler for people to make a choice based upon factual data and not all the crap being spewed now with the horrible software designs you are talking about... seen some of them and they just make me shake my head.

LOL! You're such a pretty little squirrel. Wahhhhhhhhh. Boo hoo. You lost your play pen and you brought your toys over here to try and make fun of me. My feelings are so hurt I might not be able to make it through the day. Bwhahahahahahahaha! Good thing here is that I get to dish it right back atcha, baybee.

Thanks for the reply, Larry. We have gone around and around about the meaning of statistical outliers on this very topic in the past. Let me be clear about one thing, I do not think Wyoming has exclusivity on a "work ethic" or that the residents here are any "better" than anywhere else. Trust me, because I do live here and have a clear understanding of the linear thinking and the blatant (and they can be) attempts at running off of not only individuals, but companies and anyone who has "ideas" that "THEY" don't approve. VERY 'redneck' in many ways. One of the things I find most frustrating about living here is the lack of cultural diversity, and the narrow-mindedness that goes along with the general way of thinking in this region. BTW, we have by our standards massive influxes of people all the time here. It's called a "boom and bust" economy for a reason. We've gone through what much of the Marcellus Shale folks and the Bakkan folks in ND are going through now with all the coal bed methane drilling and hydro-fracking. Been there, lived it, and we wrote the book on how that contentious relationship between the environmentalists and the oil and gas industry works. We probably handle "massive" influx of workers about as well or as poorly as any other place, you are right about that, for sure. I can tell you that massive influxes and exits are a way of life here. Jobs come, people come. Jobs go (or those who can't handle them), people go. It is what it is here. There are powerful people who intend to try and preserve our "Code of the West" way of life here. However, I never stated it doesn't have its drawbacks, and I certainly do not think anyone in Wyoming is a "better" or "worse" group of people that live anywhere else. I live here because it works for us. We don't want to live around masses of humanity for all the reasons you described. I don't want to live like a sardine in a can with all the infrastructure, noise, traffic, and general distance from what I consider a more natural way of life. I guess it's still a good thing that we don't have to have passports to go from state to state. Yet. LOL.

You betcha. Gotta do whatcha gotta do! Hey Badger, Great to see you here. I cannot stop watching Wisconsin now. LOL! I don't watch basketball because I am a hockey fan, but the Badgers hockey team totally hooked me last year. (I can't help but feel for the alums of Penn State either. Yeesh.)

Yea, and unfortunately for those who couldn't care less about our 'ways', it's all good. We like it that way. Let us carry our guns, leave us alone, and as long as people stay the hell out of our business, we would be more than happy to steer clear of all the sucking sounds coming from Washington DC. LOL... I can spew more useless crap about Wyoming than you will ever want to know. It's the most hilarious state I've ever lived in... out of WNY, NM, OR, MT, and wyo for almost the last 20 years. The gun and the t-shirt come when you come out here and show me that you can shoot a rattlesnake from 30 yards in the head with a pistol. Those are the harder shots. Most of the rattlesnakes I've killed are in the yard and an easy shot if I can spot them before they spot me. Fact is, they are wimpy and much prefer to run than strike. If it weren't for our dogs, I wouldn't bother killing them, but now I've developed a collection of rattles, so that's kept me shooting them. These prairie rattlers are tame compared to the big nasty's in the southeast (eastern diamondbacks).

Now Larry, Most of this makes sense except you strip out the part where you consistently and conveniently leave out that since the state is over half owned by federal land, we have NO CHOICE but to count on the payroll. There are many of us who would like to see the federal govt get the hell out of the BLM, ESPECIALLY WOLF MANAGEMENT, intrusion into forcing us to buy health care insurance when the POTUS PROMISED that states could pool together to lower their costs (but no one wants us because our type of jobs have high injury rates among other things), so we are in fact UNDERSERVED. Anyone who has taken a course in Stats 101 knows you can't use that lame argument when you are talking about a population of state that has more antelope than people. We are statistical outliers, and you are smart enough to know what that means in terms of your argument that %wise we take the most federal money. That's because our population base is so low, fcol!!! So you can't have it both ways. You can't blame us for federal money being FORCED upon us (and I do mean forced). At last count, I think we had over $12B in our "rainy day fund" and we don't WANT a huge influx of population here. This may come as a shock to you, but our state govt is funding a PRIVATE study to see how we might implement our own health care plan and drop out of Medicare and Medicaid COMPLETELY. So if you read my post, then you can see that we are in agreement that there are different objectives that states have... all we want is our right to control our own tax money and if the damn government would just move out of our way, we would be very happy to turn the money back that is given to run the BLM, and all the federal entities here. We don't want a starbucks on every corner, and we don't want all the crap that comes with densely populated states. And guess what else the majority of us don't want? We don't want the govt to tell us how to deliver health care in a state whose needs are completely unrelated to more heavily populated areas. And sorry, but the "way of life" here does have more of an impact upon who stays and who goes. You don't live here, so trust me when I tell you there is a very different "work ethic" and mentality here than in other places. And I never romanticize this in any way because this place is considered a hell hole to a lot of people who have different needs and desires in terms of lifestyle. We understand that we are different, why can't you?

Snore. Take it to PM to me on the other board. I'm not here to discuss my rage modes or whatever you believe to be the persona of the day. Or heaven forbid, whatever your infraction history is on that board. Here I am Bills fan having some jollies. If you read my post history (spare yourself), you'll find plenty of self-deprecating comments. It's part of my schtick. Like others here, you've made a few leaps of "conspiracy theory" based upon things people may have said to you that may or may not be true. Either way, I'm just an average Joan here trying to get through the day like anybody else.

Hahaha... good for you. Are you gay? Because I do have a kitty, even though you'd never get the chance to see it unless I'm taking a piss outside and you happen to walk up on me in the woods. No, I wish I could claim those powers for myself (shutting down the political forum), but I in fact was NOT the person who instigated it being shut down. That process was started by someone else. I voted for it being shut down, and my reasons were because the site belongs to the Buffalo Bills, and the forum was out of control. Who was to blame is irrelevant because the issue has been brewing and in discussion periodically for months. You have no need to know who, and how this all transpired because that business belongs somewhere other than here. I sure as hell don't feel I have to explain myself to you or anyone else for that matter. If you're want to be a pu**y, and want to have me banned from here for that reason, than go for it. It's your board, I don't give a rip, I'll just go elsewhere for my jollies. Other than that, I'm all in for having some fun!

It's all water under the bridge on this board, and that's what I like. A clean slate and a chance to spew and spar with some new people. Why not? Yea, I probably am romanticizing Fitz. I will always have a special place in my heart for him because of his kids (and he is genuinely a nice person), so I make no apology for that... he is not the only one whose discussions have devolved there. dennisdread by being part of the problem was not part of the solution, but if you think he got special treatment, you are sadly mistaken. You underestimate the power of the mods over each other on that board. Turdoma likes to paint me as the queen bee, but such is not the case, sorry to say! I wish I were!!! That's his reality, not the real world reality of that situation. I don't give a rat's petunia what anybody has to say about me here, or personally via PM at BBMB for that matter. Pyssed Doff must think I care way too much about what other people think. I live in the real world and not on a message board, despite my strange 40,000+ posts and undying love for all things Buffalo Bills. So, yea I'm a rah-rah type. Crucify me. Whatever. I'll just get a kick out of it and maybe amuse myself as I live my real life. I look at those of you who are just trying to stir shIIT as a form of graffiti. Nothing more, nothing less. Those of you who want to contribute to the discussion, bring it on and I will be forever grateful for what I learn from all of you. Regarding the demise of the politcal forum at BBMB, that's stuff as a retired professional that I think really best be left alone here. There is something called appropriate boundaries that I like to live by... so pardon me if I amuse myself here outside of this thread. I always find it interesting when people jump from board to board, like the person you are denigrating isn't going to read it. Even if that is the intent by the 'wyocommentary', it's pretty funny, actually. I'm honored that people spend so much time trying to bust my chops! Heck, I must be giving some of you some real jollies! Nothing wrong with that!!! As far as my presence or absence here, nothing will be different because I don't change personas or play a board hopping drama queen. I'm here to talk politics, or whatever anyone wants to say. This is new blood here. How can that be a bad thing? Bring it. But be aware that because of my lifestyle, and time limitations and things I do have to get done at BBMB when I have computer time, I might or might not respond to you. It's not because I'm running away. I have a real life that goes off line for long periods of time, esp. on "other" boards, and because I do have my work to do over at BBMB. Love me or hate me, baybee... the choice is yours. But I'm intend to stand right up and be the little pain the ass I've always been, whether it is here or anywhere. I like that in a creepy kind of way. Oooo... this could be fun!

Why bother hiring someone like you when it's much easier to just commit medicare and medicaid fraud and not have to bother with those pesky little details of yours that you have to offer? LOL... trust me, the AMA hates people like you. Don't tell them how to work more efficiently and cost effectively! Do you really think most at this point give a flying cowpie about all the number crunching? Much easier to hire someone who knows how to bilk the govt coding system. This "so-called" medicare and medicaid fraud system detection? Another waste of taxpayer dollars. There are so many ways to make more money by fraud than motivate greedy people into actually improving their business model. For them it works just fine. Between the HCPs and the lawyers, there's way too much money to be made than to actually care about silly things like health outcomes!

Thanks for the honest question. But first indulge me with a little cynical humor (you'll come to find it's in a lot of my babble)... NO ONE, and I mean NO ONE is considered a TRUE Wyomingite (I like your version better) unless there is DNA evidence that your placenta was left here at birth. The rest of us riff-raff from places like WNY are given the cold shoulder (anyone from east of the Mississippi is, to be fair) even more than "westerners" from other states. If you tell someone here you are from WNY, they think it's just west of Manhattan. You really have to be a thick skinned person to live here for a LONG time before you MIGHT be "accepted". That aside, if you do make it through the first couple of years, if you are (like me) a gun-toting (concealed weapons are legal here now opinionated, willing to work hard among the rattlesnakes (figuratively and literally) type of person, AND you understand the "Code of the West" (legally adopted as our state motto now I believe)... you have a chance to grow old and make it to the point where you are chronically diseased/disabled. We have lived here for almost 20 years, and were fortunate that the people around here needed our expertise more than we needed them. Advantage: wyobilzfan. It allowed us the opportunity to become "squatters" (anyone owning less than 1000 acres). Some WNYers actually fit in quite well here, having grown up in the shadow of Hell that is NYC and having that "chip on our shoulder". It also helped that my husband was born under a cactus out in Eastern Oregon in far more desolate country than wyoland. All of this is written so you understand the context of the question you asked... There's a term that is still used here called "cowboy up". The best example of that I can give you is the great ranching friend of ours who dropped over dead at 80 after stacking his pickup with salt licks for his cows in the middle of January. You need to see a picture of this guy. He broke his back and pelvis after getting bucked off a horse when he was in his 40's. That put him down for a couple of months. So they hired some ranching workers to run the ranch until he got out of his cast. He was literally curved like a "C" from his back never healing straight for the rest of his life. At the end of his life, he could still outwork most people half his age. He was up before dawn every single day of his life and died exactly how he wanted to... he fell over dead in front of his barn. This remains a place where "outsiders" are still scrutinized for "suitability", and it takes time for that to happen. There is still a VERY strong majority in this state who vow that lazy people don't belong here. And the definition of "lazy" means that if you don't have a job and accept govt benefits (VA disabled different story) and cannot support yourself and/or your family, you don't belong here. And if you are born here and somehow grow up with that mentality, you will leave because the state discourages anyone from taking long term govt support for just about ANYTHING. You don't see signs here for "we accept food stamps" at very many places, if any outside maybe the "larger" cities of Casper and Cheyenne (both about 100,000 pop). For those who do live here, when it's tough times... neighbors help neighbors. Plenty of rich people live here because they are either "land rich" or they came here to escape the insufferable taxes and regulations in other states, or "celebrity ranchers". Most of Wyomingites would be more than happy to offer up Jackson HOLE (or J-HOLE as the residents call it) to Idaho or some other stupid state that likes to cater to the uber-cosmo celebrity artsy fartsy types. J-HOLE is over exposed to the world, and we'd prefer some other state to take it, and Idaho seems the best fit. While they only spend their money on their multi-million dollar mansion ranches in J-HOLE, the rest of the state relies a LOT on donations for public service. In the county where I live, the amount of money that is available for scholarships, senior services, people with medical emergencies who cannot pay for care... it's amazing. We actually have a free clinic in our little local town where you can get health care if you can't afford it. It is staffed by volunteer HCPs. Where there are cracks in services like some of the most remote areas, neighbors take care of each other. The community is more of an extended family if you will (only if you aren't the "black sheep" of course). Bottom line: If you are a younger person in this state and are not willing to work your ass off in the oil & gas fields, or ranching for Daddy, or have some kind of professional job, you will end up moving to another state. You will find that outside of the transients who come and go here, the basic mentality is you better suck it up and work until you drop, or if you are "retired", you better still be contributing something to make your community better. If you can't work because you are REALLY unable to do so, people take care of their own. They don't expect, nor often will accept a handout. But bring over a pot of stew or show up to help do something to help our neighbor, that gets you some brownie points around here. And if you are considered "welfare trash"... you will often hear loud comments in the checkout line at Walmart (still hated here by the natives). People here are not afraid to make rude comments about the contents of your grocery cart if they know (as most do) if you are a "welfare puke" and are buying crap. That's probably the best context I can give you about how people here handle disability. By the way, we don't "export" many native or long term residents to other states so they can collect benefits. LOL! There aren't enough of us (just over 500K in the whole state) to make a dent in any big state's coffers. Those people are simply returning to their native state that is much more forthcoming with freebies, or they find another state to suck off of, but they generally don't last here very long because our system of taking care of one another has a clause; you have to prove your worth in order to make it here. This place is really only a good place to live if you have this basic context in mind. It's sure not for everybody, and to be honest, most here hope it stays that way. People from other places love to refer to how "backward" we are... you have no idea how much amusement that provides.

Oh really? So Wyoming's AAA S&P credit rating is due to all the federal govt money we get? LOL! I completely agree that states with large populations have many more challenges. It's they WHY in WHYoming that we intend to keep our population at a sustainable level. Fortunately, the lack of unions, affordable housing, and a harsh climate make our state not likely to grow into the next Florida. But we are all quite happy to have you all come here to hunt, fish, and check out the scenery when the weather is good. Come, visit, spend your money and go back to your fiscal sinkholes. We like it that way! By the way, to the bolded... you really believe that our state prospers because of all the federal money we are given? LOL! If the federal govt didn't possess over half of the state's land, we would be more than happy to escort every federal worker to the border with a free ticket to Rochester. We have a low population because not very many people are left in this country who really want to WORK for a living. No free ride and tons of freebies here= less people. Most people who come last less than two years because they don't want to work or live in a place that won't support them if they don't. Good to see you, Larry!

QFT. People outside the health care industry have very little knowledge about how the system "works". This might be one of the best posts I've read on the subject in a succinct manner. Let me ask you all this: When you go to buy a new car, don't you have some idea how much it's going to cost before you buy it? Don't you "shop around"? No incentive to do so in the case of health care with all the "low deductible" cadillac plans. I wish I had a dollar for every person with <$1000 deductible who didn't give a fart how much anything costs once they meet their deductible. Why don't health care facilities ADVERTISE their prices like other business in America do to compete for business? Probably because they have such a captive audience of imbeciles who "trust their HCP" to know and do what is in THEIR best interest. There are no real incentives for reducing costs, they are merely shifted more and more to the govt. Just wait and see how many large employers and small businesses start dropping health care coverage when the law goes into full effect. Walmart, largest employer in the country just announced cutbacks and dropping some part time employees (of which they try to make everyone so they don't have to provide benefits). Just look at the rate increases going on this year alone. The math doesn't add up because the demographics don't add up, and you have an industry that is rife with massive amounts of fraud, a legal system that makes HCPs order 50% more procedures or tests than necessary due to "defensive medicine" (afraid of getting sued). Anytime you put such a huge amount of money in the hands of govt bureaucrats, you end up with a mess. HCPs don't want to compete as business professionals. In fact, many are terrible money managers and that is why more are turning to being hospital/HCS employees. I don't think the average American is interested or motivated enough to take responsibility for their own health care. So they leave it in the hands of the govt, their "trusted" HCPs, and don't even get me started about how specialist doctors are compensated like Wall St. fat cats compared to PCPs. Until people stop being ignorant of how they are getting totally ripped off, nothing will change. Not even this "health care reform" bill is going to do anything but drive up the cost of medicine even more. Bottom line, I don't care if people eat like pigs, sit on their butts all day and smoke and drink like fiends. It's their business. People should be free to live as they please, and if they don't want to pay for health insurance, fine... then don't. However, when you start having chest pain, don't expect a handout from the the govt by going through the ER and costing the rest of us a fortune. Biggest mistake is forcing ERs to accept patients who cannot afford to pay or have insurance. People should be free to live the way they want, and die the way they live. We have the most screwed up sense of entitlement about life than any place on the planet. If a model of health care is forced upon us by the govt, then it should be rationed. I do not agree that health care is a basic human right.

Well, well... it wouldn't quite be fair to not join the party! Not a mod here, so I can join the jollies and let freedom ring! Must say I'm really getting a kick out of some of the revisionist and frankly pretty funny stuff being written here. FTR, some of you are pretty off base on some of your theories. I wish Fitz would have the balls to join the club here as well. I'd be surprised if he did. Some of you might be shocked by how adept he can be at playing both sides. He's duped some of you here pretty well. Fortunately, I've been on to his game for years, and love him all the more for it. He's a pretty clever fellow. I look forward to shoving my opinionated tripe when the local bear in the neighborhood keeps trying to get into the trash at 2 AM. For the veterans here, I'm mostly just an opinionated B word who posts mostly on health care reform topics, but I've been known to stray into other areas as well if the mood strikes me. This ornery bunch of veterans seems well equipped to keep the good ship afloat. Sorry some of you had your pretty little feelings hurt when we closed the political forum. Blame me and dennisdread to your heart's content, but your conspiracy theories are more than a little off base. Don't let that stop you though. I'm loving this! You give me way too much credit for the sword that came down. But thank you, and as you know I love the attention and it makes me feel so important!

We are now over 700 votes up on the PUKERS!!!! VOTE HERE, VOTE NOW, VOTE OFTEN!!! Any of you all nighters on the board... keep voting while the PUKERS are sleeping... GO BILLS!!!

We just had a massive campaign going this evening on bb.com and went from 300 down to now 600 UP on the PUKERS. Call in the radio stations in the morning. EVERYONE KEEP VOTING... we can win this thing!!! GO BILLS!