What's in your clipboard?

[dalebert]

Here's a fun little thread. You can come back and post again later. Just hit "reply" and click cntrl-V. What's in your copy & paste right this second? No changing! Great way to get a glimpse into people's souls, like going through their garbage. No cheating! You have to put whatever is there right now. I'll go first.

[dalebert]

I do have some concern about my speed of drawing. I'm faster than when I started but I still don't feel really fast. So another thought I had was that I would offer a few locals a chance to pose for me ahead of time. For a limited number of people who are willing to volunteer, I'll do your image for free. All I ask for is a promise that you will order a t-shirt and wear it to Porcfest to help promote my table.

[TackleTheWorld]

control v
huh, nothing happened.

[Kat Kanning]

chance_11  at yahoo.com

[porcupine kate]

Moving Your Stuff
Moving your stuff becomes a lot easier if you get rid of a lot of your stuff.  Look at all of your possessions and figure out what you can get rid of.  Then look to get rid of some more.
Sell the good stuff.   www.ebay.com    www.craigslist.org
Have a yard sale.  Not only will you get rid of stuff but you will come up with extra cash.  Give the stuff you don't sell away.  If you can't give it to people you know - there are many charities that will take it.  If you can't give it away throw it out.

Packing your stuff
Pack everything so it can survive being dropped.  This means in boxes or containers.  Boxes should have tops and be taped shut.  Watch the weight of the boxes.  Pack heavy things in the smallest possible box.  Every box should be light enough for anyone to carry.  More light boxes are easier to move and it is less likely that the contents will get damaged.
Use clothes, towels, linens, pillows, and other soft things as padding for more delicate items. 
Organize,clean and dust everything before you pack it.  It will save space during packing, and a lot of time unpacking.  It will also give you another opportunity to get rid of things before you move.  If you just throw stuff in boxes it will come out of the box in worse shape than when it went in.

Finding boxes
Ask your friends if they have sources for free boxes.
Copier paper boxes are a great size if you can get them.
Wine boxes and smaller boxes are good for books.
Grocery stores are a good source.  You will have to get an employee to set them aside. If you call the store they will often set them aside for you.  Don't try to go in the dumpster as most of them are locked these days.
If you have to pay for boxes get document boxes from Staples instead of buying "moving" boxes.
Small plastic totes are great for small heavy stuff with a lot of parts.
Large tubs are great for moving clothes on hangers and large linens like comforters and pillow tops for beds.
Often times you can get packing materials from the people you are getting the boxes from.  If need be newspapers work well.  They will leave ink on stuff so you will want to wash your dishes when you unpack them.

When you pack the boxes you are going to want to know what is in each box. 
You can mark each box with a number and keep a list of the contents by box number. 
I like to mark the boxes to what room they go in the new place.  You can use a number or color system for each room. Example: boxes marked in blue go in the kitchen.  Then label the room when you arrive so people now where to put the boxes.
Do not write the contents of the box on the box.  You don't want anyone interested in the contents while you are traveling to your new home.

Packing things that come apart.
When you break down a piece of furniture keep all the small parts with the piece of furniture.  They should be in a container that is labeled according to what piece of furniture it is for.  Example: Nuts and bolts to a table get packaged in a ziplock bag labeled "dining room table" and taped to the underside of the table top.  There is nothing worse than not being able to find all the specialized parts to something.

All cables should be packed with the items they are for and be labeled accordingly.

All the tools needed for everything to be reassembled should be packed together and be one of the very first things off the truck.

First things off the truck
Your cleaning supplies including cleaners, mops, brooms, and the vacuum should also be the first things off the truck.  Have several days worth of clothes packed seprately from the rest of your clothes so you have something to wear the first couple of days after the move.

Have toliet paper, towels, soap, sponges, and other stuff for the bathroom readily available.

Have paper plates, cups and plastic knives and forks to get through until the kitchen is unpacked.  Also have enough on hand for the move-in party.

Make sure you can find your bedding.  Even if you don't have the bed assembled, you can at least sleep on clean sheets with a pillow on the matress.

Moving trucks
If you are going to hire a moving company keep these tips in mind:

Obtain the brochure "Ready to Move?" and the booklet "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move" from the mover.   
Ask for recommendations from neighbors, friends, and relatives regarding the mover.   
Check with the Better Business Bureau regarding the mover.   
Find out what the mover's responsibilities are for damages that may occur to your belongings.   
Ask if the mover has a dispute settlement program.   
Obtain estimates from at least three movers, and compare costs of all services to be provided by the mover.
Check to determine whether the interstate mover is registered with FMCSA, and has a USDOT number.   
Find out how and when pickup and delivery of your household goods will occur.   
Ask the mover how they can be contacted before the move, during the move, and after the move.   
Adequately insure your belongings.   

Moving Day
Be present to answer questions and give directions to the movers. Stay until they finish.   
Accompany the movers as they inventory your household goods, and resolve any questions regarding the condition of materials being moved.   
Carefully read the information on the estimate, order for service, bill of lading, inventory, and all other completed documents before you sign them.
Keep the bill of lading until your goods are delivered, the charges are paid, and any claims are settled.   
Before the moving van leaves, take one final look throughout the house to make certain nothing has been left behind.
Give the driver directions to your new house.   
Inform the driver and the moving company of where you can be reached during the move.

Delivery Day
Be present to answer any questions and give directions.   
Pay the driver, according to the terms of your agreement, before your goods are unloaded.   
Supervise unloading and unpacking of your goods.   
Note on the inventory list all boxes or other items that are damaged before you sign any document.

Renting a Moving Truck
DO NOT USE U-HAUL.  We have a large number of horror stories, and the latest was a main reason we wanted to write this article to warn others.  A simple Google search will find plenty of other's stories, but we'll be listing our own here.  We recommend Penske, Ryder, Budget, and others, and if any of those other companies want a lot of rental business, they should let us know by offering a discount to our participants.

Book your rental as far in advance as possible.  I suggest reserving it when you know the date you will move even if you don't know exactly where you are moving to.  It is easy to cancel a reservation.  It is very hard to get a rental last minute on the weekend you need it.  Get a confirmation number for the rental and double check the reservation a couple of days before you pick it up.

You can reserve a dolly for appliances and blankets to pad stuff with when you make your truck reservation.  The cost is very reasonable.

Before you sign off on the rental contract make sure you go over the truck and check for damage, dings and anything wrong with the truck.  Check to make sure all the lights are working.  This is very important if you are towing a car.  If you don't note the damages to the truck when you get it you may get fined for them when you drop the truck off.

Things to keep in mind when you pack the truck
Sweep out the truck before you load anything in it.  They are usually quite dirty. 
Evenly distribute the weight along the entire truck.  You don't want all the heavy stuff only in the front of or only in the back of the truck.  If you distribute it evenly it is much safer and easier to use the brakes while driving it.
If some thing might tip over and get damaged in the truck it will.  Everything shifts in the truck while you are driving.  Use lots of padding to prevent scratches and strap anything you don't want to move down.  Most trucks have rails in the inside for this purpose.

Move in day
The Welcome Wagon would like to help you when you arrive. 

If you want to talk to someone you can call any of the regional contacts or Margot Keyes who is the Welcome Wagon coordinator.
603-736-8877

If you would like help moving in please check the calendars and post your event.
One is on New Hampshire Underground
forum.newhampshireunderground.com/index.php?action=calendar

The other is New Hampshire Liberty Calendar
www.nhlibertycalendar.org

If you contact the Welcome Wagon they will put your move on the Liberty calendar.  After the move they remove your information form the calendar. 
You can post your moving party on the Underground calendar yourself. They will remove your address and contact information at your request including any of the forum postings after your move.

How to Throw a Porcupine Moving Party
A) Advertise far and wide.  The more places, and the farther in advance, you advertise your move, the more people will hear about it either by reading your ads or via word-of-mouth.  Good ways to advertise are on the FSP discussion forum, NHFree.com, the NHPorcupines-discuss yahoo group, and via direct email to people who know you.  Follow up with reminders closer to the date.  Provide a cell phone number so people can confirm at the last minute that there hasn't been a change of schedule.

B) Offer food and beer. These appear to be non-negotiable prerequisites for attracting a large group of movers.

C) If you're moving within state, or from a close-by state, come to a Porcupine meeting (they take place weekly in locations around the state), stand up and let everyone know you need help.  Don't be scared!  Despite the anomalous number of openly carried handguns, we're basically a peaceful bunch.

D) Be libertarian / pro-small government / classically conservative / Constitutionalist / anarchocapitalist.  I would have thought this one would go without saying, but I recently saw a hyperlink on a non-FSP website telling people that if they're moving to New Hampshire, just contact the Porcupines and we'll be happy to help you move in.  Wha????

E) Schedule your move for a Saturday or Sunday.  This makes a huge difference, as most of us *do* have jobs. If possible, don't schedule your move to conflict with an event that many Porcupines are sure to be attending.

F) If possible accrue social capital.  This is the hardest requirement, and takes long-range planning/effort, and is a bit difficult to concretely define, but there's no denying it plays a role.  Let's face it: many of us need a darned good reason to haul ourselves out of bed early on our day off from work, to go out in the pouring rain/blazing sun/blowing snow (I've experienced all three during moving parties) to do manual labor on behalf of someone we probably don't know all that well, if at all.  How does one accrue social capital?  Well, if you don't have time to read one of the numerous available books on small-town (or in this case, small-state) life in America, or to watch reruns of "Little House on the Prairie", here are some tips:
1. Let people get to know you.  Attend parties, BBQ's, Porcupine meetings, PorcFest.  Even if you're the quiet type, if you just show up on a regular basis, then when it comes time for those in your social network to make that critical decision (do I, or do I not, get out of bed to go move furniture?), people are more likely to think "Aw, he's one of us, guess I oughta".  Or if you haven't yet arrived in New Hampshire, actively participate on the discussion forums and Yahoo lists.  It's amazing how much you can feel like you *know* someone you've never actually *met*.
2. Be a nice person.  Unconditional love is for babies, sweetheart.  People will want to help those they like; they will be less inclined to help those they dislike.
3. Be politically active, in whatever way you define that to be.  That *is* the reason we're here after all (by "we", I mean participants and supporters of the Free State Project).
4. Help other people move.  This is known as "the Golden Rule" (or, if you want to show off, the "Ethic of Reciprocity")

I personally failed to follow many of these tips when it came time to move *my* furniture, and my moving party turnout was... smallish.  Since I hope to buy a house next year, I'd better start stocking up now on beer, to be dispensed on a weekend, not to conflict with PorcFest. And oh yeah, get started on that whole "nice person" dealio.
                              - Sandy Pierre

Have toilet paper, paper towels, soap and a first aid kit unpacked before the move in starts.
People will get dirty and will want to wash and refresh during breaks and once everything is moved.
Have the tools ready to reassemble anything that you disassembled.
This should include power drills, screwdrivers, mallets, wrenchs etc.  These should be ready before the truck is unloaded.

Make sure cables, wires, electrical cords and such are availible to set up your electronics.  Odds are there could be someone there who knows how to set this stuff up correctly.  You may want to set up free-standing lamps in places that don't have ceiling fixtures, and unpack a clock to keep track of the time - especially important if you have deadlines for returning rentals and volunteers who are on a time schedule.
 
Have household cleaning products such as a vacuum cleaner, broom, mops, and other cleaning supplies ready.  Some places are quite dirty from the last residents.  You may have volunteers offer to help clean up so you can unpack. 

If you have a group of people moving you in you will need to direct people to where your possesions are to go. Mark the boxes in some way so you know what room to put the boxes in.  The biggest help to everyone unloading the truck is someone telling them where to put your stuff.  Your helpers have no idea where to put stuff so you need to tell them.

If at all possible get the floor plan, measurments and photos of your new home in New Hampshire.  As you pack and plan your move you can figure out where to set up your furniture and what you are going to do with your stuff.  This will save you a lot of time rearranging everything after the truck is empty.  If you can make a diagram of where your furniture goes it will save you time and energy.  Also you won't have to think about where to put the big items. If you have a plan you can just read from it and things will go very smoothly the day of the move.

Cardboard from large boxes, or moving blankets can be used to protect floors and walls or pad any furniture being moved around tight corners.  Tall hand trucks with rails on the back for moving up stairs really helps make things easier, avoid injuries, and prevent damage to the furniture, stairs, and walls.

Please pay  it forward.  If you get help, you should plan on helping others.  If 20 people show up to help, yes, you should help 20 others move in... We have some participants who have long 'paid off' any help they got, but they continue to show up and help others.  Be one of those, if you can.

Moving again and storage emptying.  See Pay it forward.  You will get often get help, but we're not a moving service.  Be considerate.

[FTL_Ian]

You should consider removing the @ to protect him from spam bots, Kat.

Here's mine from posting the show prep of last night:

Life membership revoked in LP / No longer a libertarian.
http://disinter.wordpress.com/2008/04/27/leaked-shane-corey-admits-smear-campaign-against-mary-ruwart/
http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/020742.html
http://thirdpartywatch.com/2008/04/27/open-letter-from-angela-keaton-regarding-a-proposed-lnc-resolution/

[J’raxis 270145]

http://www.nhliberty.org/forum/index.php?topic=190.0 (^V)

http://forum.freestateproject.org/index.php?action=unread (Middle click)

/ Bloody inconsistent X11 clipboards...

[ReverendRyan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3vpoB1PTww

Glen Jacobs is the reason I have crooked teeth.

[KBCraig]

Albert Fuchs: How health insurance is harming primary medical care

By ALBERT FUCHS

19 hours, 31 minutes ago

IMAGINE ONE morning you're craving something sweet, so you stop by the corner doughnut shop. Turns out the wait is half an hour, the clerk is rude and, when you finally get it, the doughnut is stale. Would you buy doughnuts there again? Of course not.

Yet, every day, millions of Americans put up with just that kind of service in their physicians' offices. And they keep going back.

Anyone who has visited a primary care doctor lately knows the drill: You show up on time, only to wait 45 minutes or even an hour. In the examination room, the physician (who offers no apology) seems distracted, harried and eager to get to the next patient. Then you're referred to a specialist -- who doesn't have an opening for a month.

Every politician and his aunt Martha has a scheme to overhaul American health care. But not one of them will solve this problem: Most doctors are awful at serving their patients. The typical hair salon pays more attention to customer service than the typical doctor.

Why? Even the best medical schools give short shrift to practice management. So a doctor can emerge as a skilled diagnostician without a clue how to run a business that serves consumers. In fact, many physicians find it distasteful to think of medicine as a business at all. They feel that it's their mission to serve as many patients as possible rather than to provide the best care possible. Most significant, today's doctors are preoccupied with the bureaucracy of insurance companies, so much so that they've lost the simple logic of the doughnut shop model.

To be sure, physicians are not entirely to blame. With insurance companies dictating how much doctors can charge for services as diverse as a routine checkup or an appendectomy, a doctor has only one route to more income: increase volume.

I know. When I began my own private practice in internal medicine, my volume grew quickly, and so did my work hours. I didn't complain because I took that as a sign of success. But before long I found myself toiling nights and weekends just to keep up with the volume. First I sacrificed my free time to my practice, then my sleep and finally the quality of my practice itself.

From an economist's point of view, my problem was simple. I was making good doughnuts and selling them below market price. I was earning a good living, but I couldn't sustain that level of production. So I took action. I dropped an insurance plan -- the one that gave me the least compensation. Almost immediately, I had fewer patients but more time and energy for those I maintained. When my patient ranks swelled and I got too busy again, I dropped another plan. This continued until I reached the right balance of time and patients.

For more than a year, I haven't received a single dollar from any insurance company. I work for my patients. A few hundred doctors across the country are working the same way, some in blue-collar towns. Routine care should be affordable to the middle class, and as more doctors and more patients form relationships that exclude insurance companies, prices will drop. Insurance doesn't make routine care affordable; it makes it more expensive by adding a middleman. I know that some patients can afford nothing, so two afternoons a month I volunteer at a clinic that cares for indigent patients, which I could not have done with the huge patient volume I was seeing a few years ago.

When doctors break free from the shackles of insurance companies, they can practice medicine the way they always hoped they could. And they can get back to the customer service model in which the paramount incentive is providing the best care. Only then can doctors reclaim the simple dignity of any businessman: These are my doughnuts; only I and my customers can determine their worth. (At the end of each week, I will donate some to the needy, but I will not let a third party set the price.)

And when patients are the customers, doctors will listen when they ask for services not on the insurance company menu. If an urgent need arises after hours, patients want to be able to call their own doctor. Patients want to be able to e-mail their doctor with non-urgent questions and to fax them interesting articles. They want to be educated, not just medicated. They want to know they can get in to see their doctor the same day if needed, and that their doctor will be the one taking care of them if they are hospitalized. If doctors had fewer patients, meeting all of these needs would be easy.

How many customers would have to request rainbow sprinkles before the doughnut shop owner kept them in stock?

[Russell Kanning]

nothing

[Russell Kanning]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/links/080429

[Puke]

9102009591871503327525

Wheeeeee!

[Russell Kanning]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardinal_(Catholicism)

[Kat Kanning]

Games and fun

[NJLiberty]

The Christians and the Byzantine Empire got separated into two groups. They were called the Roman Catholics, who followed the Pope, and the other half followed many leaders, called Patriarchs, and were called Eastern Orthodox.