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Firefox folks can just right click on an offending image and select "block images from 2dadventure...". 

The file you downloaded should be either a .exe or a .msi file.  If you have a 32-bit processor you need the exe file and if you have the 64-bit processor you need the MSI file.   Double clicking on the file you have downloaded should start an intsall program that installs 7zip on you system.   

After 7zip is installed then you can use it from the MS file manager.  You can activate 7zip by right-clicking on almost any kind of compressed file.  The RAR game file you have downloaded is such a compressed file.   Many games, applications, and other types of downloads consist of multiple files.   To make these easier to download these files are first reduced in size or compressed and then combined into a single file. 

It sounds like you have managed to open the 7Zip file manager which is showing you the files contained in your RAR file.  To play the game you will need to uncompress the RAR  or in other words extract the original files and store them in a game folder.  Create a new folder where ever you install games on your computer and extract/uncompress the files tio this directory.

Then to play your game you just need to double click on it's executable file, which ought to be one of the ones you extracted.

Hope this helps. 
 

http://www.7-zip.org/

Ive been working in Monclova Mexico last week and also next week.   This is the first chance to get online since leaving the US.   Just wanted everyone to know I am having fun and will be back after next week.   I have to go now Tecate is calling;) 

Plugins
AGS supports user-written plugins in order to provide functionality to your game that AGS itself does not support.
The plugin developer's guide is available from the Resources section of the AGS website.

Plugins come as DLL files with the names AGS*.DLL, for example agscircle.dll might be a plugin providing a DrawCircle script function.

How to use a plugin

So, you've downloaded a plugin for AGS. What do you do with it? Well, firstly read any readme file that the plugin author has included. But to get any plugin to work you must do the following:

1. Place a copy of the plugin files in the AGSEDIT directory (not your game folder).

2. Start the AGS Editor up, and load your game. Go to the Plugins node in the main tree. Open it up, and you should see all available plugins listed. To use one in your game, right-click it and choose "Use plugin". The plugin developer should provide instructions on what to do next. Save your game to make sure that AGS remembers that you want to use the plugin.

Well, you guys may want to check-out an old Radio Show called "X-Minus One".  It aired in the mid 1950s and Simak authored a handful of the stories.   He was in good company of other famous authors such as Robert Heinlein, Issac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Fredrick Pohl, Robert Silverberg, L. Sprague DeCamp and others whose stories also appeared on this show.   L. Sprague DeCamp is one of my favorite authors and he has a great sense of humor.  I can highly recommend his "Jorian" series and think it would make an excellent candidate for an adventure game.  Anyway enjoy the links below. Cheers!

X-Minus One Radio Show 1955-56

Episode Guide: http://www.otrsite.com/logs/logx1001.htm

Clifford D. Simak:
http://www.archive.org/download/XMinus1_A/xminusone_550818_Courtesy.mp3
http://www.archive.org/download/XMinus1_A/xminusone_560403_How-To.mp3
http://www.archive.org/download/XMinus1_A/xminusone_560605_ProjectMastodon.mp3
http://www.archive.org/download/XMinus1B/xminusone_570822_DropDead.mp3
http://www.archive.org/download/XMinus1C/xminusone_571031_Lulu.mp3

L. Sprague DeCamp:
http://www.archive.org/download/XMinus1_A/xminusone_560307_AGunForDinosaur.mp3


Jorian Series:
  1. The Goblin Tower (1968)
  2. The Clocks of Iraz (1971)
  3. The Unbeheaded King (1983)
  4. The Reluctant King (omnibus) (1985)
  5. The Honorable Barbarian (1989)

[Backup]

How about a universal import/export facility that would allow one to export an entire game or portions thereof to a zip archive consisting of an xml-ish collection of files.   This collection of files could possibly contain something like an XML manifest listing all game elements in the export and the file in which they are contained.  Sprites could be in PNG files, sounds/music in mp3/ogg/midi/wav formats, game and room data in separate XML files, room areas in PNG files, etc.   So what would this mean?

Backup
If the entire game was exported you could keep the export as a backup of the game and it's resources.  It could be imported into an empty game or unzipped to recover items from the backup.

Foreign Runtime Support
If someone wanted to make a runtime for another platform they would be able to do so from the exported files.  Everything would be there.  I think if this were available Clavaron's project would have been a bit easier. 

Export/Import Game Elements
Currently we can  import/export characters, GUI's and individual sprites.   To import/export other game elements it would be necessary to request CJ to add a new feature that implemented import/export of the specific item(s).  Using this method it would be possible to import/export any arbitrary collection of items desired.   Character, GUI and other standard import/exports would be handled the same way.  For example to do a character export the same mechanism would  be activated with the only difference that the default selections would already be made for the user which he could override.   

It seems like a lot of work but it is offset by not ever having to add import/export functions for specific items in the future.  It would also open the possibility of runtime support for other platforms.   Such a system would also be able to replace the current import/export and game template functions.

You could use an object.  Just set the baseline at a point on the floor of the background image that is directly under the object the character is to walk under.
[edit]
I guess this would work  for walk-behind areas

Seems like Objects or Characters is what you want?

You could try to install AGS to a directory to which you have write access.  Don't know if this will help but is perhaps something to try.   One other thing you may try is to launch AGS from a DOS window.   You would have to CD to the directory containing the AGSEditor.exe file and then type AGSEditor.exe.  If you're lucky whatever errors you are getting will show up in the dos window.

I think you have a great idea and I understand your passion and motivation which are to be admired. 

Just wondering if your idea could be expanded to include other language options?   The reason I ask is that perhaps there would be a broader interest and perhaps you would be able to attract more volunteers.   We could possibly devise a devilishly easy way of producing language packs so if there are some folks one who would help if only it were in German or Spanish could have their wish.  They could contribute to the main parts of the game and then form their own language teams.   

Just wondering...

Xenogia, what are you looking for exactly?  I believe most police stations now days pretty much look like any other office; you know desks, computers, file cabinets, etc.    The jails are usually separate facilities, usually in different buildings and/or locations.

You could use a custom function to talk with that particular NPC.  The function would increment a conversation counter each time it is executed.   The conversation counter would then be queried to determine which topic should be started.   The counter is implemented using a static variable which means that it is declared outside the bounds of any function.  The values of static variables are persisted through out the game.  Dynamic variables, those defined within the bounds of a function are only defined while the function is executing and it's values are not save from one execution of the function to the next.

Here is a code example illustrating the technique.  It's not complete or error free but should give you a good idea of how to do this.  Hope you find ithis helpful.

Code: ags

*** Room Script Example ***

// Define a conversation counter for this particular NPC
// and initialize it to zero
int SomeNpcConversationCounter = 0;

// Create a custom function used to talk with this particular NPC
function TalkToSomeNpc(Dialog *topic) {
   // If this is the first time talking to the NPC named "SomeNpc" 
   //  then use dTopic1 or whatever name you prefer.
   if (SomeNpcConversationCounter<=0) {
      StartDialog(dTopic1);
   }
   // If this is the second time talking to the NPC named "SomeNpc" 
   //  then use dTopic2 or whatever name you prefer
   else if (SomeNpcConversationCounter==1) {
      StartDialog(dTopic2);
   }
   // If you have talked with the NPC 3 or more times then use 
   // the topic passed in as the parameter. 
   else {
      StartDialog(topic);
   }
   // Add one to the conversation counter
   SomeNpcConversationCounter++;
}

// This is a function created using the Interaction editor (i.e. using the 
// llighting bolt icon in the lower right hand pane of the editor).  It is executed
// in response to some player action such as a mouse click on an NPC or other
// game entity.
function room_SomeInteraction() {

   // Talk to the NPC named SomeNpc.
   // The first two times the dTopic1 and dTopic2
   // will be started.  On subsequent times dTopic3
   // will be started.
   TalkToSomeNpc(dTopic3);
}

PS: Catlover I have 6 cats, all rescued, all all ornry as hell! 

You will need to manipulate ListBox.Top item when the slider changes it's value.   In the example below the slider represents a a percentage value.   If the number of items in the list change then the slider value and listbox top item need to be re-synchronized.  Resynch is also required if the listbox is scrolled using the the ScrollUp/Dn functions as well.  The technique is illustrated in the code sample below which is by no means complete or error free.

Code: ags

// Assumes a GUI with a slider control gSlider 
// and a listbox control gListBox.

// Scale the the slider to 0-100% and set it's initial value
// according to the list box value.

function game_start() {

   // Scale slider to percent
   gSlider.Min = 0;
   gSlider.Max = 100;

   // Calculate the listbox's top item's position in percent
   if (gListBox.ItemCount<gListBox.RowCount)  {
      gSlider.Value = 0;
   }
   else {
      gSlider.Value = (gListBox.TopItem *100) /  (gListBox.ItemCount-gListBox.RowCount);
   }
}


function ScrollSlider_OnChange(GUIControl *control) {

   // Convert slider % value to list box top item position
   if (gListBox.ItemCount<gListBox.RowCount)  {
      gListBox.TopItem  = 0;
   }
   else {
      gListBox.TopItem  = (gSlider.Value*(gListBox.ItemCount-gListBox.RowCount))/100;
   }
}

-Pick up random objects in your house then narrate something about how you thought you might need it later.
-Start conversations with people, then abruptly stop, and try to start again from the beginning.
-Lock yourself out of the bathroom or something just to figure out a fun way to get it back open.

Hehehe .... sounds like married life to me

As follow-up to this discussion I found this video lecture about the capabilities of HTML 5.  It answers some of the questions that came up in this thread.  So for anyone interested please feel free to enjoy:

http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/theater/video.php?v=neuberg-html5

Hmmm, have you considered the time sensitive nature of "Offer your services" posts?  It seems to me that such offers are only good until the posters find something to occupy their time.   For example if I was between projects and feeling bored I may offer to help someone else by posting to OYS.  However, I would be annoyed if people kept responding to my ad months and years after it was posted.   As a practical matter, I would think that any offers not listed on the last or last two pages are no longer valid.

I think the same could be said for the RAT thread although that thread's posters may not be annoyed at getting offers to help.   I believe the mods currently clean out those thread periodically.  It would be nice if they worked more like classified ads so that they would automatically expire after some period of time, and so that the original poster could remove the ad.

It would be nice if the games page had an open source category and/or have the ability to search for games that have source code available.  Perhaps there would be games with full source and games with partial source available?

InCreator welcome to the US is a few weeks .

The reason they ask you about money is that they want to be sure you are able to support yourself during your stay.  So you have to have enough resources so that you don't become a burden on the US tax payers.   Your answer to the last question plays into the next,  which is likely to be "Where do you plan to stay and/or do while you are here?".   

I assume that it's necessary to visit the US consulate to get a visa.  They will likely want to see financial documentation of your resources at that time.  You can ask them what documentation you will need on entry, how much money on hand, and what other requirements there will be.     

When you go through customs you tell them that you will be staying with your relatives in Jacksonville for most of the time.  Tell them about your driving plans; even have prospective direct route (i.e. Interstate Highways, the ones with red-blue shield) picked out in case they ask.    Tell them you intend to stay at $50-$100 per night motels eat most of your meals at McDonalds.  Have a letter with you from your relatives inviting you to visit them and offering to support you, (financially) while you're here.   I would think $200 cash each, an ATM card and one or more credit cards would be sufficient.   You need to start thinking in terms of miles instead of km.  It's about 650 miles from DC to Jacksonville.  That will require a couple tanks of gas (25 gallons @ $3.??/gallon) .   One person could make the drive easily in two days.  You can say that you want to take your time and see the country so it may take you 3-5 days to make the trip.


There are a couple things you may want to know about our highway system.   The first thing to know is that there are basically three kinds of highways Interstate , US Route, and State Route which you will likely be travelling on. 

Interstate highways are the newest and most modern system.  They are identified by a numbered red and blue shield.  Odd numbered highways run north-south, even numbered highways run east west.   Main highways have two digit numbers and bypass, loops, extensions near are cities have 3 digit numbers.    They are divided (traffic in opposite directions is separated by a barrier of some sort) and have restricted access (it's necessary to use entrance and exit ramps, no turn-abouts or other types of intersections).  Interstate highways have mile markers which are little numbered signs perhaps 5"x3".   They start at zero at the state border and increase as you go.  I can't remember if zero starts at north or south / east or west.   Exits are usually numbered with the mile where they are located.  In large cities where there are multiple exits along the same mile they are sometimes numbered sequentially?

US highways are the older system that replaced by the Interstate system.   They are identified by a numbered white shield.   They can be multiple lane divided highways, they can be multiple or two lane roads with intersections, traffic lights, etc, divided by a double yellow line painted on the road.   Please note they are often combinations of the above.  You may be travelling on a nice highway and suddenly wonder why is there a traffic light here?   

State highways are generally smaller highways often 2 lanes and often divided only by a double yellow line.   On both state and US highways you will sometimes see yellow signs.  These are warnings about the road and usually mean that the upcoming section of road is more dangerous or more difficult.   They can take the form of a speed restriction or sometimes just a crooked line which is meant to indicate the shape of the road.

Oh and when you cross the border from one state to another, normally the only indication is a sign saying something like "welcome to the State of  _______".  I you use a state border as a landmark and you have some other expectation you may miss it.. 


The most direct route is of course just to take Interstate 95 south which will ytake you directly to Jacksonville Google Map.   

I'm not sure what you are looking for as far a sight seeing is concerned.  I lived in Roanoke VA for 8 years and I can describe some things I am familiar with.

If you have an interest in nature and would like to visit inland from the cost a bit you may want to know about the Blue Ridge Parkway.   It's very beautiful and I believe it's possible to find Bed & Breakfast type accommodations.  I wouldn't recommend travelling this road for hundreds of miles because it winds across the tops of the Appalachian Mountains.   The good news is that it follows many main/interstate roads so it is easy to take a 25-50 mile drive and get near a city and get on an interstate or US highway.   The bad news is that you will have to venture inland to explore it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Ridge_Parkway

There is a lot of US history in the state of Virginia.  So if US history is your bag you can find a lot of stuff in Richmond which is right oin your direct route.   The  Appomattox Court House is a couple hour drive from Richmond and is the place where our Civil War ended when the gGenerals signed the surredner papers.   Roanoke is only a couple more hours west.  So if you have interest in the Blue Ridge Parkway you would probably want to spend a night in Richmond and drive to Roanoke the next day, stopping along the way to  see Appomattox and have lunch. Spend the night in Roanoke and pickup the parkway the next day.  However, I suspect this diversion may require more time than you wish to spend.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appomattox_Court_House_National_Historical_Park

Based on the length of your stay I am guessing that you will prefer a more direct route.  If you have an interest in any of the above I'd be glad to share any more I may have.   Likely you will want to spend a day or two in DC exploring the museums and monuments.  The Lincoln memorial is pretty cool and it's a pleasant walk to the WWII, Vietname, Korean, memorials and Washington Monument.  Of course the Air and Space Museum and Smithsonian are a must as well as the Museum of Modern Art.  In the evening I can highly recommend Old Town Alexandria for dinner and drinks, especially drinks.  There is a delightful Irish Pub there with good beer, pretty girls, and live Irish folk music.  There are also lots of unique gift shops etc.  If you plan on drinking try to find accommodations near by;  they have gotten fanatical over here about DUI in the past 20 years or so. 

After you finish with the monuments and museums in DC you will likely want to I95 south to Richmond Virginia.  As I said earlier there are lots of things to see there also and this would likely make a good place for you to stop for the night.   I personally wouldn't be comfortable or recommend any accommodation that cost much less than $40 per night.  If you find a $20 a night motel or one that rents by the hour you can be pretty sure their clientele consist of hookers, drug addicts, and      worse.    If you are looking for a hostel type  of accommodation the closest thing we have are called "Bed and Breakfast".   These are usually nice and homey and often not too expensive.  It would be a nice way to meet the local people.

The next day you would go on 95 south again.  You will pass through a town called Rocky Mt. in the state of North Carolinia.  I don't know much about it, just a land mark.  Some parts of this region were famous for making Moonshine (home made whiskey) .  If you happen to get friendly with some local people you could ask it any is available; a very original souvenir IMHO.  Be careful though, because it is legal to make a certain amount for personal use but is illegal to sell because taxes are not collected.  You wouldn't be arrested for buying but the seller is technically at risk.

Now you could keep going south until you got tired of driving and just find a Motel 6 or Holiday Inn along the interstate but that wouldn't be much fun.  If you are looking for a little side trip then you could get on Interstate 40 and go to Wilmington South Carolina.  A little further east is a lovely little town on the ocean called Wrightsville Beach.  This time of year everything ought to be inexpensive, accommodations, food, etc.   Even though it's off season if I were you I would make reservations and get firm quotation for accommodations because it's possible someone may hear yiour accent and try to overcharge you.

The next day you could drive on highway US17 to Myrtle Beach South Carolinia.  I have done this before and it's a very nice drive.  Just make sure you do it in the day time; it's not to difficul;t to lose your way on a US Highway at night.  Myrtle Beach is much larger and there are a lot of touristy things to do and a lot of places to eat.  It's off season so everything should be inexpensive.

Wrightsville_Beach
Myrtle Beach

After Myrtle Beach it's a little difficult to get back on I95.  you could keep going south on US17 to Charelston.  This will take you through Francis Macon National Forest which is a national park.  You can probably find a campsite there and put up a tent for the night if that is your interest.  Btw, it's not allowed to camp on most of the beaches.    When you get to Charleston you can take I26 back to I95 or you could keep travelling on US17.   Don't be fooled by the perceived greater distance taking I26; it may be more miles but is likely less time..  Either way you end up in Savanah which is just a short distance from Jacksonville.


About your accent and origin; Americans are pathetic at geography; most of us wouldn't be able to find North America on  a map if it wasn't labelled as such.  Just say you are from Estonia a small  European country just north of Poland and Germany and just east of Finland and Norway.  You can say something like "You probably haven't heard of it because we were part of the Soviet Union until we broke away and got our freedom in 1989".  I know you are not a gung ho capitalist like me so if the conversation turns that way, instead of making up stuff that you don't believe, you talk about freedom and how good that is.  I think you do prefer Estonia being free from Soviet rule right?  Anyway I think most americans respond positively to the notion of freedom.   I think they also understand the complexities and difficulties of governance so you could explain about the corruption and other negative things going on now and how in some ways things were better before.  I would save the "Damm Commies" line as a last resort.   I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. 

Be aware, however, that our own current politics are very hotly debated and the people have extremely strong opinions at this point in time about what our own government is doing.   If that comes up in conversation I would recommend that you say something like "It's difficult to for people in one country to really understand what's going on (politically in another).  Any opinions I may have are based on the incomplete or incorrect information reported in our media.  ... How much do you know about Estonia from your news media? ".


I apologise if any of this is obvious or if you are already knowledgeable.  When I travel international it's often difficult to pick up on some of the small deatils like  the highway system, political sensabiloities, etc.  The local folks take many of the details for granted an so don't think to tell; and of course there are things you would never think to ask because you are also taking things for granted. 

I hope you have a successful and interesting vacation and I hope you like our country.  Please let us know how everything turns out.

Safe and Happy Travels
Rick

Then how come Medicare, Medicaid and Veterans' care are the most efficient healthcare providers in the US, much more so than the private insurance companies?

First of all these [programs are nothing like obamacare.  They function the same as private insurance in that they are not involved in the delivery of services and only make payments on behalf of their beneficiaries.  I have never heard that before but this Washington Post Article sheds some light on the topic.  It discusses the difficulty in determining what counts as administrative costs and says: 

"...But most seem to think that Medicare's administrative costs are significantly undersold in the public debate. An apples-to-apples comparison would not leave you with the 2 percent of total Medicare spending often bandied about in debate. That doesn't count, for instance, Medicare's premium collection, which is done through the tax code, and thus through the IRS. Nor does it count most of Medicare's billing, which is outsourced -- and this might surprise people -- to private insurers like Blue Cross Blue Shield and listed under vendor services rather than program administration. A more straightforward estimate, according to experts I've spoken to, would be in the range of 5 to 6 percent."

The article asks whether profits should be included in administrative costs or not but doesn't attempt to answer the questions I will opine.  Corporation sell stock certificates to raise money to fund their operation.  Profits are returned to share holders in the form of dividends and/or increased valuation of the stock shares.  Profit is the cost of using other peoples' money.   IMHO if this cost is used in evaluating private insurance than it should also be factored in to government insurance plans as well.  Just because gov agencies get their money from tax payers doesn't mean that there is not cost attached to it's use especially if you are trying to measure who is doing the best job..

If you read further in the article you find that there is a 2:1 variation in private insurers administrative costs depending on group size and other factors.  It would seem that planns with group size of 1000 or more are comparable to what the article guesses are Medicare's actual administrative costs.

This is widely reported and documented. You can start with the Wikipedia articles ...

I followed the link and read through  a couple of the articles.  First of all according to the linked article the US does not spend 3 times as much as other countries as asserted earlier in this thread but rather only 40% more than France by GDP and 20% more than Norway by per capita expenditures.

The table showing life expectancy and infant mortality is published by the Commonwealth Fund "a United States private foundation whose stated purpose is to promote a high performing health care system that achieves better access, improved quality, and greater efficiency".   It is currently run by, according to wiki, Karen Davis who worked for Jimmy Carter in the Department of Health and Human Services.   I suspect that "high performing health care system that achieves better access, improved quality, and greater efficiency" is code for single payer government run health care system. I can't say how true  my suspicions are but it is certain that the organisation is promoting a particular point of view. 

In particular there seemed to belittle or  no accounting for other factors affecting life expectancy and infant mortality. The US probably has the most diverse population in the world.  People come from all  parts of the world and bring with them cultural beliefs/habits and genetic pre-disposition for different diseases.  The US also seems to have a disproportionate amount of violent crime as compared to many other countries and it's citizens are infamous for over consuming everything from cigarettes to carbohydrates.   Clearly there are other factors and is confirmed by data in the table under discussion. The Japanese live longer than anybody and spend less per person on medical care; how inconsiderate of them to live so long with out even trying .

Hope she's OK. Incidentally, was your aunt's tests and treatments paid for by private insurance, or did she receive government-funded healthcare through Medicare? If she's 77, I'm betting the latter.

She has private insurance for which she pays premiums.   The insurance company receives some payment from the government for assuming Medicare's obligations.   It is my understanding that her insurance current plan is illegal under obamacare.   

All nations ration healthcare in some way or another. In the US, this is mainly by price and access: if you can't afford insurance, or you exceed your lifetime maximum, or you have a pre-existing condition that means you can't get insurance, you'll receive a low standard of care.

This not the case.  My wife does language interpretation for medical professionals.  She deals with people in this circumstance  on a daily basis and often complains that they receive better care than our family and friends.

The UK takes another approach, which is statistically more efficient (fewer people die from        insufficient care), but certainly has its own drawbacks.

Such decisions are inevitably based on political expediency.   Can you not see the immorality of a system where a group group of human beings decide who shall live and who shall die so as to derive the maximum benefit for their benefactors?   In the US system (up til now) the people at least retain their freedom to choose.

When I heard for the first time that in the U.S. of all countries, poor people can't afford basic treatment because there's no "universal health care", a term I also hadn't heard before, I was sure I was the victim of a very bad joke. Seriously. I couldn't believe it.

Khris, you are mis-informed.  Poor people who can't afford health care are covered by a government program called Medicad.  They receive the same services as anybody else, sometimes even better. My wife deals with such people on a daily basis.    Further it is against the law for hospitals and doctors to deny medical treatment regardless of their ability to pay.

I don't know any details about the current bill, but to me, opposing it seems absurd in the highest degree.

I think this it's the normal case that people who don't know what's in the bill support it and the people who do know what's in it don't support it.   Maybe if you knew and understood what it says you wouldn't support it either?

McDonalds would like a word with you.
So would Microsoft.

McDonalds: I often eat at McDonalds.  If I am ever displeased with the product or price I can easily take my patronage elsewhere.   The same cannot be said for universal health care.

MicroSoft:  I have taken my patronage else where.  I now use Linux for everything except AGS which I run from Linux in a virtual XP window (details here)

The American concept is that with hard-work anyone can prosper, even the poor. For better or worse we are a country founded on the principal of "Surival of the FIttest." Unfortunately, at the sacrifice of self-humanity. The American dream is to have made "something" from nothing but your own applied effort.

you are mis-informed.  The US was founded on the principle of personal liberty and freedom from oppressive government and that such freedoms are acquired by virtue of being a human being and not bestowed on anyone by a king or politburo as is the case in all or almost all other countries.

I agree with you that businesses are in business to make money (mostly) and that typically the best way to be a sucessful business is to offer a core product that is superior than your competition. If that we're the case, however, we'd all be flying JetBlue, using Mac's, browsing with Opera and eating at McRamsays.

JetBlue is a discount no-frills airline that fly a limited number of routes, Apple products look nice but have always been under-powered and over-priced, Opera is a fat black woman with a TV show, and I have no idea what a McRamsays is.  Why do you think everyone would make the same lousy choices? 

I don't believe that the government needs the added layer of running a healthcare system (I believe that a hybrid of government and private as a public option would probably be most effective) but I think it's the most logical option. ...

I agree to some extent. I wouldn't use the term hybird though.  I think a Medicaid type of system could be extended so that is not an all or nothing deal.  Currently if you earn over a certain amount you don't qualify period.  It could just as easily been setup so that people who have income below a certain amount would have a 100% goverment subsidized health insurance.  Then as an individual's income increases above a certain amount the subsidy decreases and the individual pays the remaining part of the premium.  Of course the problem with this is that it doesn't give any political advantage to the democrat party.

Something else to note is that if there was a public option, you wouldn't be dealing with a government agent you would be dealing with a doctor, at a hospital. One you have your drivers license you can drive wherever you want (for four years) without stepping foot in a DMV/BMV.

You would be dealing with a doctor, at a hospital who are under the thumb of a government bureaucrat.   

People who hate/dislike the government/various government agencies/various government policies/"the other guys." Like the Tea Party, for instance, who in their grand retardation think that it's a good idea to abolish taxes... and then we'll all just continue to exist happily in our modern world!

Hmmm, I never heard of any Tea Party folks advocate the abolition of all taxes.   They seem to be in favor of a limited federal government,  a fiscally responsible federal government,  and one that interferes as little as possible in the free market.  More like the first kind of conservative you talk about.

People that believe that other people believing in a particular idea must believe in all idea's which they arbitrarily link to that particular idea and also that the people immediately associated with that person must also believe in all of the idea that that person has. Meanwhile, they either have no ideals themselves or are misinformed on the reality of particular schools of thought. These people dissent and oppose these other ideals for mostly no reason, without basis or the ability to offer constructive thought to aid in the process of developing a compromise or a solution.

I thought you were describing the far left liberals in the US,  hehe - go figure

I should interject that I'm a big believer in competition and the private marketplace to hone efficiency and reward innovation. But the "invisible hand" doesn't magically make everything right, individual companies respond to the incentives of their industry. And the US healthcare sector is set up in such a way (involving complex relationships between healthcare providers, insurance companies, employers and, lastly and probably leastly, the people who actually need the healthcare) that many of the most important priorities don't come through as clear signals to those businesses. ...

I agree, Snarky makes some very good points.   It was once said that a free market economy is essential for freedom but not sufficient to guarantee it.   I think it would be fair to say that with regard to health insurance the free market is essential but not sufficient to produce the desired result.    As Snarky suggests government's role ought to be responsible regulation of the industry so that private insurers and their customers (i.e. the people) are incentivized to produce the desired result.

Since most people don't choose their own health insurance, but get a package offered them through work, insurance companies have little incentive not to screw their customers. On the flip side, since patients don't pay most of the cost of treatment (and hence have little incentive to limit it), and doctors get paid per procedure (and hence have a strong incentive to maximize it), there's massive over-treatment and over-prescription with little regard for cost-effectiveness.

Absolutely agree.   There are a number of things that can be done.   First of all health insurance premiums should be made tax deductible by individuals and not corporations.   If a company provides a health care benefit they should pay the money to their employees and their employees should pay the insurance premiums.  They could still negotiate a group rate for their employees however their employees would be able to spend the money as they see fit.  They would be free to shop for a better or cheaper plan.  They could choose a plan with a high deductible and lower premium.   There would surely be many many options and innovations.

A health savings plan type of thing gives incentive to patients to self-limit their access to the system.  The way it typically works is that a portion of the premiums the insurance company receives  is placed in a savings account setup for the individual and the other portion is used to purchase a high deductible insurance plan.  The individual uses the money in the savings account to pay for doctor visits and prescriptions.   If money is left in the account at the end of the year the individual keeps it tax free.  If all the money is spent then the individual has met his deductible and the insurance benefits kick in.   This was passed into law by the republicans under Bush but has now been eliminated obama and the democrats.

Government intervention and regulation can make the marketplace more efficient as a whole, by reducing externalities and forcing each party to bear the costs of its own actions (similar to forcing polluters to pay for the cost of their destruction).

Again agreed.  I would characterize it sa little differently as eliminating the possible of gaining  completive advantage in the market place through undesired practices.  If all insurance companies were required to insure a proportionate number of individuals with pre-existing conditions then one company would not be disadvantaged over another by accepting such individuals.  The result would be a slightly higher cost to everyone.

Now I can't afford new glasses ($300 WTF?!)

Try Eyeglass world or Wallmart.   

nor can I afford even the cheapest quote that I've received for healthcare ($490/mo.)

Obama and the democrats passed their health car reform bill so now you have coverage right?

On a serious note you should consider getting catastrophic coverage (i.e. high deductible).