Author: LLPOH

As many would know, Australia has a single payer medical system, augmented by private insurance. What that means is that if you carry private insurance, you do not have to wait months, even years, for “elective” surgeries, like knee surgeries, etc., but rather can get taken care of immediately with your choice of doctor and hospital. Most single payer countries (Hello, Canucks!) have long waiting lists, as, well, single payer is so damn expensive you just have to wait, because, you know, no money for you! The private insurance costs around $2000 per person, and is somewhat subsidised by the government to encourage people take insurance so as to try to keep single payer costs down.

Continue reading “LLPOH: Single Payer goes Gomer Pyle: Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!”

I am currently in Spain, and hope to have time for a proper post of what I see happening. It portends ill for the world. But for now, this is but a short observation, and I ask for readers to add photos, etc. to illustrate the point.

In Spain, there are some men who definitely have style. And man, style that I would love to be able to emulate.

But this is about beards in particular. I have seen two types. One type is the one that is used as a fashion accessory. You know the type – the type that young men use, trimmed, moulded, and generally homosexual as hell – not that there is anything wrong with that. (Yeah, right. Homosexuality is now a fashion statement, too.)

Continue reading “Llpoh: I am a Man”

I am currently stateside. It has been a few years, and I had to take care of some business. My wife and I have revisited some of our favorite spots, and caught up with some family. We have driven through some of God’s finest works. There is no more beautiful landscape anywhere on earth than the west coast, Route 66, southern Colorado, the Badlands, etc.

That said, I say this most sincerely, and with great sorrow. Those of you who can, get out now.

What I have seen leads me to depression, and there is no road back for the US, in my opinion.

Continue reading “Llpoh: Get Out While You Can”

Following are random thoughts and observations on the middle class, and its wages.

Much has been said about falling real wages for the middle class. Wages are often tied to productivity. Productivity increases over the last 10 years have been horrible, averaging 1.6% a year. This increase in productivity will limit the flow through of real wages, even without global the pressures that exist. Further, I believe the productivity increases that are happening are not associated with improved middle class output, but rather are associated entirely with tech initiatives.

Continue reading “Random Thoughts and Observations on the Middle Class”

Recently, I have been seeing US articles that holds the Australian healthcare system up as an example that the US should follow. Now, don’t get me wrong, Australia’s system is in many ways superior, but not for the reasons you might assume.

The area Australia’s system is superior is in overall cost of care. Australian medical care costs a fraction of that of the US. I am not expert enough to comment as to exactly why, but one reason seems to be that pharmaceutical companies are kept under better control. Also, there seems to be actual competition. Competition, you say? But it has universal healthcare, how can that be??!!

Continue reading “Llpoh: Australia Medical System is no Blueprint”

I thought it might be interesting to have a thread discussing jobs/work we have held/done during our lifetimes. I have held more jobs/ done more types of work than I can now remember. Here are the ones I can, along with a few comments on some of them:

Continue reading “LLPOH: What Work I Have Done”

I have been asked to update progress on the homestead. I emphasize it is not a doomstead, as it is not self-sufficient in food nor energy. It is a lifestyle property. It affords peace, tranquility, comfort, privacy, and the opportunity to be as independent, or not, as we see fit with respect to food, water, etc. I understand what we have done is not possible for many. But I encourage all to consider such a move, if and as they are able.

The property is fifty acres, located a couple hours outside a major Australian city, and about 30 miles from a fairly large rural town. Some basic amenities are around 20 minutes away. The land was bare upon purchase. We are on a hillside. There are views across a valley and up toward neighboring hills. Our nearest neighbor is around a half mile or so away.

Continue reading “Llpoh: Homestead Update”

1. I came home the other day and my wife my me at the front door. She had dressed our 150 pound boerboel in a tee shirt. On the front it said “Security”. Funniest thing I have seen in years. Not so sure a random stranger would have found it so hilarious. But then, that is the point, isn’t it.

2. Australia is in the middle of an election campaign. The country has neutered itself. No longer do governments govern – the election cycle is just an endless stream of sound bites and promises of more free shit. Rinse and repeat ad naseum.

3. A friend of mine was bitching about how his grown daughter is being mis-treated at her health care job. She is being made to work weekends (gasp! It is “ruining her social life”). She gets double and triple time for weekend work. I asked him how many hours she works and it only averages 40 per week. I told him she needs to grow up, and he needs to quit buying in. He was stunned at that response. Go figure.

4. A neighbor came by with a picture of a nice trout he caught – probably a good five pounds. I said “Nice fish! Know what we call a fish that big where I fish?” “No, what?” he said. “Bait” said I. It is true. Mean, but true.

Continue reading “LLPOH’s Randomest Thoughts Ever”

1. The entire Kenyan power grid was brought down by one monkey. Imagine what a handful of Islamic terrorists could do. And given Kenya is the cream of the African crop, why would any developed nation welcome folks from Africa, given they can add zero economic value (actually will be a large negative) in general? It is suicidal.

2. Australia is in a precarious economic position, and the majority of the people are totally clueless. Debt and welfare are, of course, the roots of the problem. The balance of payments are hugely against this small-population country, but the people are blissfully ignorant of the implications of that. The feeling of entitlement runs deep.

3. I see the gay community world-wide is using this tragedy to promote their agenda. What a surprise.

4. How is it that the people of Europe, the US, Australia, etc., are not rioting in the streets demanding an immediate cessation to Muslim immigration? Here is the deal – Islam is not a religion of peace. In their holy books Muslims are exhorted to kill infidels and take over the world. Of course the vast majority of Muslims know this is bullshit. Same way the vast majority of Christians know evolution was real. But many Christians think that evolution did not happen, and take the Bible literally. If only a minute percentage of Muslims take their holy books literally, then there is never going to be peace with Islam. Never. Their culture and beliefs when taken literally simply do not meld with those of developed nations and people.

Continue reading “LLPOH: More Random Thoughts”

1) Can you imagine how the left and the media would lose its collective minds if a Repub leaning actor painted their face black and imitated Obama, or donned a purple fat pant suit and wig and imitated Clinton, in front of a large crowd a la Streep imitating Trump?

2) Trump cannot make America Great Again.

Reason #1: 52% of all school children are now non-white. Think about what that means for the culture, work ethic, educational aspirations and capacity for education, etc., of the country moving forward. You may have to look up the demographics of the 52% to figure out what is coming down the track at a rapid rate.

Reason #2: Trump does not have the $200 trillion to pay off the debt plus unfunded liabilities, nor does he have the $4 trillion a year vig on the $200 trillion nut. The options are default or inflate, and both will entail disaster for the people.

Reason #3: Huge nation building projects are no longer possible given 70% or whatever of all government expenditures are now non-discretionary.

3) I believe SSS is incorrect. Hillary will not be indicted in my opinion and will skate. The fix is in.

4) The Brits should run, not walk, away from the EU as fast as possible. I have spent a lot of time in the UK, going back decades. It is unrecognisable now. What has happened is a disgrace.

Continue reading “LLPOH’s 10 Random Thoughts”

We have now just about completed building our “homestead” in Australia. It has been a long process, some of it done from far away, and a lot of it undertaken on site. We are transitioning from the building stage to the improvement and development of the property stage.

Our property is about a half hour outside a regional country town. We are not isolated, but we are around a half mile from our nearest neighbors. We feel we are generally accepted by the locals, who are very welcoming, if somewhat perplexed by us. The folks around here are conservative and independent by nature. A number of them are retired, and a number had small businesses, so we have common ground. We gather regularly for drinks, meals, and dinner out.

Our homestead is quite substantial for the area. It is a source of some head scratching for the locals. We built the home to meet our desires, which far exceed our needs, and it is in no way similar to the farmhouses that are prevalent. Many of the locals do not understand why we have a theater room or or pool or why we landscaped substantially around the home – after all, it is, or should be, a farm, and anything not associated with farming is, well, wasteful. They vastly prefer function to form. We wanted both.

Continue reading “LLPOH: Update on the Homestead”

Now that a person no longer is what he/she is, but is who she/he wants to be, I believe it is important that we here at TBP compile a comprehensive list of options, so that no one misses out on being exactly what they want to be!

So I have started to compile a list, so that I can make my informed decision about what I am going to be going forward.

Here is my list so far:

– Neegrow
– Neegrow with big weiner
– Gay Neegrow
– Bisexual Neegrow
– Trans-gender gay Neegrow
– Trans-gender straight Neegrow
– Mooslim Trans-gender Straight Slightly Gay Neegrow
– Republican neegrow (rarest of all human configurations)
– Employed Neegrow (second rarest configuration)
– Criminal Neegrow (most common configuration)
– Married Neegrow (extinct)

– Injun
– Drunken Injun
– Ain’t no gay/trans-gender/bi Injuns, so we will skip to the next category here

– Chink
– Gay, Bi, Trans-gender, Cross-dressing Chink or any combination thereof with tiny weiner and bad eyesight and high IQ

– Messican
– Gay, Bi, illegal, trans-gender, cross-dressing Messican with 93 cousins and 14 brothers and sisters
– English speaking Messican with dry-back

– Whitey
– Hillbilly inbred redneck whitey with no teeth and doesn’t understand the choices
– Low-income whitey too fat to fit through a barn door but still able to complain that they are struggling to pay for food
– Middle-income whitey that wants to be whatever it is that the media tells them to be
– Rich whitey that wants to be anywhere but near anyone in any of the other categories

– Jew
– Rich Jew controlling world financial and media empire, simultaneously persecuting Ayrabs and buying Congress

Etc. Etc. Etc.

As for me, so far I have narrowed it down to 90% Drunken Injun with a 5% pinch of Hillbilly Inbred Redneck (so I can make my own moonshine) sprinkled with a couple percent of Jew (I like the rich bit, and would love the chance to buy Congress a time or two), and maybe just a tad of Messican because I sure love tamales, a bit of high IQ Chink, and the tiniest pinch (say .00001%) of Neegrow I can get away with and still get the big weiner, while avoiding the IQ, living in the Blocks of Squalor, and the going to jail part. (I am also wondering if it is OK to claim I am part Brad Pitt, because, well, of the women?)

So, what combos have I missed, and who do y’all want to be, now that anything goes?

BTW – if this offends anyone, please be assured that 100% of this is 50% sarcasm/satire. Because, well, it is WRONG to offend anyone, especially cross-dressing, trans-gender gay black folks that used to be white male heterosexuals. They have feelings and rights, you know!

Thinking about Muck’s story re his battle with the health profession led me to write this little thread.

1) Dealing with the Phone Company

I received a call from my kid saying “Hey dad, my phone is not working. I cannot send texts or access the internet (might as well be dead these days if you are a young person and cannot send texts or access the internet, it seems). Can you help me out?” It became my problem of course because the account is in my name.

“OK”, says I, knowing how un-fun this was going to be.

So, I called the phone company. “Please enter the number of the phone that you are inquiring about” says autobot. Dit dit dit, I do as instructed. Dial 1 for billing, etc etc., followed by the hash key. Dit dit.

Then comes the obligatory: “We are experiencing longer than normal delays at this time. Your call will be answered by the first available technician”. Whoa! Now there was a surprise. So I kick back and wait. It actually “only” took about ten minutes before the call was picked up – by one of those non-descript types of voices you get when you are getting an overseas call center. Great, thinks I. This is not going to go well, methinks.

After the general introductory banter, I am asked what phone number am I inquiring about. Damn, that gets my blood rushing a bit. “Umm”, says I – “you just had me type that in. What is the point in having me type it in and then asking for it again?”. Of course, overseas call-taking-person had no clue as to what I was talking about, or why I was making that point.

After the next couple minutes of clear-the-identity hurdles, I explain the problem – no text, no internet, but can make/receive calls.

“OK” says overseas-call-person, “I need you to turn your phone on and…”.

“Sorry, overseas-call-person”, says I. “I do not have the phone, it is with my kid, who is far away, and I cannot access the phone. What else can we do?”

Well, now it starts to get interesting. My response did not compute. The person again asks me to get out the phone, and so I repeat the situation – “I do not have the phone nor can I access it. What can we do”. Silence on the other end of the phone while overseas-call-person’s one brain cell whirs into action.

Again this lady says “I need you to turn on the phone…”.

At which point I ask: “Where are you located?”

“Manila”, says she.

“What a surprise! Do you speak English?”, I ask.

“Of course I do!” she replies.

“Oh, says I. Well that leaves only one alternative then as to why you are not understanding me. You must be a moron. Are you a moron?” says I.

Silence for a few seconds, then “What?” she says.

Continue reading “LLPOH: Two Tales of Dealing With Morons”

About 30 years ago, I took a series of jobs in Australia, turning around failing manufacturing businesses. We were there for a very few years, and during this time became eligible for Australian citizenship, which we took up. In return for saving one such failing business, I received shares in it, which I still hold today. Over the years I have remained an employee of that small private company, as has my wife, and visit regularly to see that it survives and thrives.

With respect to Australia, we love the people of the rural areas, and the land, passionately. We have never met finer people. City folk are much the same as they are anywhere, but Australian country folk are as fine as they come, as they are in the US. We love the “wide, brown land” of Australia.

“I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror
The wide brown land for me!”

So, it is obvious by now where this is going, and where I and my family are going. We are building our doomstead in Australia. I have kept this quiet for some time, as I value anonymity and privacy.

Australia does not have a Bill of Rights, and in some ways is far different than the US. Gun rights are substantially restricted, but virtually all guns are available, especially to those that live on the land. Freedom of speech is not specifically protected, but is so generally. Violent crime is far less than in the US. Murder is very rare, and almost all perpetrators are caught forthwith.

Continue reading “LLPOH: Getting Out Of Dodge”