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- A tumblr site dedicated to the people and places that make up Oregon and Southwest Washington.
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mikejb's comments:
on More, more, more!
Wow! Who is that cute chick in the blue t-shirt on your 3-24-11 home page? What a smile!
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Health Care Changes
Indeed, if you're is taken (unconscious) to an ER, they are required by law to at least make you stable, and you're not free to choose anything (since you're unconcious). But, then you do get a (big) bill, for services you couldn't choose, let alone shop around for.
Yes, that isn't a free market.
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Health Care Changes
"...restricting coverage of non-evidence based medicine". Isn't it already that way?
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Health Care Changes
I agree. Insurance companies add a lot of overhead to health care costs.
You probably know that just processing insurance claims paperwork costs more than $300 billion / year (yes, that's Billion with a 'B').
Have you seen the tv commercials that say you can make a career as an insurance claims processor? I talked to a doctor who said he had to spend 2 hrs/day dealing with insurance claims paperwork.
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Health Care Changes
Whatever happened to "the good consumer"? How come we don't "shop around" for good health care prices? Why isn't there a "free market" in medicine?
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Health Care Changes
james477:
You are completely right. The problem is The Golden Rule: "He who has the gold makes the rules."
The wealthy corporations are making money off health care and food service the way it is. Else why would they fight so hard to prevent changes? So they elect conservative (ie maintain the status quo) legislators to prevent change.
So, Obama can't make big changes, quickly. He has to placate the Conservatives while chipping away around the edges of "the mess we is in".
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Health Care Changes
I think "unreporting" stuff contributes a lot to lack of health care and bad medicine. I've found that I must be careful what I tell the doctor, because the insurance company will eventually see the doctor's notes. And they will somehow use that information against me.
It's like you hear on the tv police shows: "anything you say, can and will be used against you..."
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Health Care Changes
DouginNEpdx:
If you've been syptom-free for 9 years, you might be able to apply to another insurance company and get cheaper insurance, because you're required to confess to pre-existing conditions within only the last 5 years.
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Health Care Changes
One of the problems I see with healthcare is that, since somebody else pays the bill (insurance company), no one questions the health treatment. Patients and doctors don't know how much a proceedure or a perscription costs. So they just do it.
Patients don't ask, "Since I'm paying for this test, how will it help me?" Sometimes tests are done as "defensive medicine", or "we just always do that", whether or not it will help (or hurt!) the patient.
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Foot Traffic
When I'm waiting for a lull in the traffic, I step back, away from the curb, and make it look like I'm NOT wanting to cross, so that drivers won't take me as a stop sign.
And when a car does stop to let me cross, I wave them on. I don't like walking in front of cars; I'd rather just wait for an empty street.
posted 2 years, 6 months ago
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on Foot Traffic
Emily:
There have been various tv news stories of police stings where a "bait" person stands on the sidewalk. When a car doesn't stop, a police officer cites the driver. It wasn't clear to me that the "bait person" signalled that she wanted to cross.
The news stories said that the new law stated that a car must stop even for someone just standing on the sidewalk. It didn't sound right and was confusing.
posted 2 years, 6 months ago
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on Foot Traffic
The law says a pedestrian always has the right-of-way. But I almost always yield my right-of-way to cars.
It reminds me of a story told to me by a sailor:
He explained that a sailboat on starboard tack always has the right-of-way. "So, when the little sailboat was on a collision course with a barge, the sailor called out to the tugboat captain, 'STARBOARD TACK'. Not wanting to turn the barge, the captain called back, 'TEN THOUSAND TONS' ".
posted 2 years, 6 months ago
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on Philosophy of Taxes & Spending
thx1138:
Are you sure that it wasn't your boss that cheated you on your first paycheck?
Some corporations have withheld pay in the name of taxes, but then forgot to forward the money to the government.
And sometimes they charge employees for "things".
posted 2 years, 7 months ago
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on Philosophy of Taxes & Spending
fizixgeek:
"half of this country pays no income tax".
But remember that half the people of this country have no money that anyone could take.
Remember also the "deep pockets theory". You go after the people who have money.
posted 2 years, 7 months ago
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on Philosophy of Taxes & Spending
I am beginning to think that one of the purposes of government should be to redistribute the wealth, like Robin Hood ("Rob from the rich and give to the poor").
The reason is that if just a few people have all the money, the economy stagnates. Look at Mexico. The Mexican ambassador to the US said that, in Mexico, "a few people have a monopoly on the money supply". The result is high unemployment. Why would you risk your money on investing-- there is no reward: you already have all the money there is.
So, maybe a progressive tax system will stimulate the economy by returning the ultra-rich back to the hungry middle class.
posted 2 years, 7 months ago
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on Philosophy of Taxes & Spending
I've been wondering who TEA party (extreme right wing of the Republican party?) members are. Are they idealists who truly believe taxes are wrong, or do they just not want to pay any taxes?
posted 2 years, 7 months ago
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on Philosophy of Taxes & Spending
Isn't the top rate around 36% right now?
Was there a time when the top rate was like 90%?
posted 2 years, 7 months ago
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on Philosophy of Taxes & Spending
My frustration with taxes is that last year taxes seemed to be enough to make the services happen. But then next year we'll be told that they're not enough. What happened? Inflation?
posted 2 years, 7 months ago
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on Philosophy of Taxes & Spending
jacob:
Corporations do vote (indirectly)-- the shareholders vote.
posted 2 years, 7 months ago
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on Bullying in School
Tom:
Concerning conservatives-- I've gotten the impression over the years that the basic philosophy of Conservatism is: reduce regulation/ allow free market/ natural selection/ strong flourish,weak perish/ bully them into submission.
Do you think this is an accurate picture (or have I just been bullied into submission)?
posted 2 years, 7 months ago
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