Operation AXIOM

We here at The Secret Base have almost as much disdain for the contemporary American celebration of "St. Paddy's Day" as we do for the modern Valentine's Day. What has the drinking of green-tinted non-Irish beer, the dying green of urban waterways, & the wearing of cheap, crass "Kiss Me I'm Irish" clothing to do with Saint Patrick & the Christianization of Hibernia? Think my opposition to this festival of anti-irish mockery makes me a killjoy? Call me back when we have a socially acceptable national holiday dedicated to depicting black Americans' African ancestors as drunkards & wee mystical sprites.

Liberty & Union: Obamboozled
Twice this morning I rang my health insurance company over the abrupt cancellation of my coverage (the second such cancellation in six months, since this is the replacement for the plan that was cancelled in the fall due to Obamacare). Twice Blue Cross Blue Shield Michigan's (B.C.B.S.M.) information technology (I.T.) systems were down. The first customer service representative stated he'd ring me back as soon as those systems were restored; he did so, but the call was dropped almost as soon as I answered it, due to the vagaries of cellular 'phone technology. The second representative told me that she'd been instructed to ask customers to ring back sometime after noon. She couldn't comment specifically on my policy's cancellation, due to the ongoing I.T. shenanigans, but told me that a number of policies had been mistakenly cancelled.

I never had any issues with my old, catastrophic-only coverage. My new, mistakenly cancelled (?) plan costs thirty-eight per cent (38%) more than my old plan. If you voted for President Obama &/or any Democrat in the Congress, either the House of Representative or the Senate, who voted in favor of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act—"Obamacare"—I thank you for the thirty-eight per cent increase in my insurance bill; for the hours I spend in the fall arranging for new coverage; & for the time I spent this morning, & will spend this afternoon, on the line with B.C.B.S.M. Thank you for making me spend on insurance I don't want money I'd rather put toward Project RADIANT (the repayment of my pecuniary debts).

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day
Aloe Blacc, "I Need a Dollar" via iTunes, (Free) Single of the Week (T.L.A.M.)

Commentary:

"Bad times a-coming
And I done reaped what I done sown…"