Blogger Loses Unemployment Check Because of Ads

Techdirt is reporting that one unfortunate, unemployed New York lawyer recently had her unemployment benefits greatly reduced because of the incredible $1/day she was earning via ads on her blog. "The whole thing sounds like a bureaucratic nightmare, with NY State asking her to get a form from her new 'employer' who didn't exist. Then NY Department of Labor started giving her all sorts of contradicting information, and eventually an 'investigation' into her 'business' — during which time her unemployment benefits were stopped entirely. She's now pulled the Google AdSense from her blog (total earned over the life of the blog $238.75)."

Comments

Re:Horay government

[Ephemeriis]

"What do ya mean you can't give me a colon exam?"
"You're only 25 - come back when you're 40."
"But my dad died of colon cancer when he was only 24, and my brother got it when he was only in his thirties."
"Too bad. The government has to cut costs."

Later I develop colon cancer at age 26. (This is based on an actual story from the UK where the "NICE" organization routinely denies preventative medicine, and a citizen developed cancer at a young age which could have been prevented.)

BTW -

- when I asked my HMO for a colon exam age 30, the doctor said it's not necessary but gave it to me anyway - only cost me $20. Who says HMOs are not customer friendly?

That's all well and good... But it doesn't really mean anything.

I'm sorry the anecdotal cancer victim didn't get his colonoscopy when he needed it. And I'm glad you did get one when you asked for it.

But here in the US we've got plenty of people of all ages who can't get any kind of medical treatment - regardless of whether they just want it or if they genuinely need it.

If you've got a million people who die because the waiting list is too long or because the manual says no colonoscopy until 40... And I've got a million people who die because they can't get treatment at all... I don't see where you're any worse off than I am.

A lot of the opponents of the current attempt to "reform" healthcare in the US like to point out these horrible tragedies from other countries with government-run medicine... But I'm just not impressed. We've got plenty of tragedies here on our own soil.

Re:Horay government

[SETIGuy]

These are great straw men you keep demolishing. Are any of them related to reality in any way?