Originally Posted By SpokkerJones Hans, many people, including myself, are in that very position. If something major happened to me that required a hospital stay and surgery, that's it, medical debt, bankruptcy, future put into jeopardy due to bad credit. As an aside I'm going skydiving tomorrow. Kidding.
Originally Posted By DAR So if we get to the point where we're paying for each others health care, then does this mean it's my business to know what you're doing in your personal life? Say if you're a drug addict, alcoholic, sex fiend, daredevil. Do I have that right to interfer in your personal business?
Originally Posted By ecdc >>So if we get to the point where we're paying for each others health care, then does this mean it's my business to know what you're doing in your personal life? Say if you're a drug addict, alcoholic, sex fiend, daredevil. Do I have that right to interfer in your personal business?<< You're paying for it already, through your premiums (or your work is) and through your taxes. But a public plan allows for more preventative healthcare and public education, so ideally, over time, these things improve. The problem is in our culture, Americans have the attention span of a gnat. They can think about how something will affect them today and for the next few days, maybe weeks. Then they don't care. Telling them that a public plan will improve our healthcare as a nation over the next 50 years doesn't do much for them. But our system is so broken and Americans are so unhealthy because of the way they eat, that it might take that long to really fix this.
Originally Posted By Mr X You're naive if you think things like obesity and unhealthy lifestyles will ever be "fixed" though EC. It's more of a "fall of the Roman Empire" thing, if you ask me. Interestingly, Japan is growing obese too (never thought I'd say that arriving here 10 years ago...but it's getting there fast and furious as we speak...and one pound hamburgers are on sale on every street corner these days and selling like hotcakes).
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>one pound hamburgers are on sale on every street corner these days and selling like hotcakes<< mmmm... hotcakes....
Originally Posted By Mr X Not hotcakes...hamburgers! Now hotcakes, I'd be happy to buy! I wish they sold like hamburgers!
Originally Posted By ecdc >>You're naive if you think things like obesity and unhealthy lifestyles will ever be "fixed" though EC.<< One man's naivete is another man's optimism, X I'm reading "In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan, and I really do think we can reverse the trend. In fact, he cites some interesting studies that suggest we can reverse the trend rather quickly, including one that followed Australian aborigines for seven weeks after they went back into the bush. In those seven weeks, they lost signs if type 2 diabetes and lost an average of 17 pounds. I'd highly recommend this book. His basic thesis is two-fold: 1) That over the last 60 years, food that was perfectly fine for our ancestors for 10,000 years, has been replaced with edible food-like substances that we now call "food," and 2) That we have shifted from focusing on food to focusing on nutrients, and it's been to our severe detriment. The notion takes a while to understand and get used to. We're so accustomed to going to the grocery store and shopping for "food" that the idea that what we're eating really isn't food is hard to wrap your brain around. But he's absolutely right. A lot of his theses are now summarized in a new documentary called "Food, Inc." I can't wait to see it.
Originally Posted By mele I've been wanting to read his books, ec, but I'm a little afraid. I've been eating a lot healthier this year but, still, I kind of want to stick my head in the sand and hide from the info. Maybe once I give up my (diet) frozen pizza habit, I'll be more receptive. ;-)
Originally Posted By ecdc >>I've been wanting to read his books, ec, but I'm a little afraid.<< That's how I've been. I've kinda heard whispers about how messed up our food industry is, but I finally buckled down and read. Now I'm eating and shopping very differently. It already feels great. The corn phenomenon is the thing that shocked me the most. I had no idea that corn was subsidized and was in EVERYTHING. Crazy.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan Have you seen the documentary "King Corn"? It was amazing how much corn we eat without really knowing it.
Originally Posted By tiggertoo I've seen it. The way that corn cycles through us and our food supply is crazy. Even vegetables are grown by the cunning use of corn. ;-)
Originally Posted By mele Cunning. LOL Corn is the devil! It's also quite lovely grilled, on the cob, and topped with some butter. ;-)
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>By denying you any choice at all. <<< Lol. I live in a socialised medicine structure and have plenty of choice (ok, there is a problem with dentists in some parts of the country). And if I don't like the choice, I can use cash to go somewhere else or speed up some treatments (e.g. cosmetic surgery, and more agressive treatments towards non life threatening issues have waiting lists or are fee only, but heck, even my wife's IUD is free and one of many choices). With glasses, there are free options, or you can apply a credit towards the costs of the Armani's you like (covers the cost of the lenses, about $20 towards the frames and the labour). No choice.....lol.....the right wing propaganda makes me laugh.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo It is in some rare cases, but if you want it electively, it is about $400.
Originally Posted By Mr X Wow...that is cheap. It's around $1,800 in Japan (I'm waiting for it to drop to around $1,000 before I go for it).
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Yep, also I loved my free braces as a kid. My mom was really mean. When I was about 13/14, my mom said now that I was getting older I should have a wonderful present, one worth $1000's. I was so excited, I couldn't believe it. When she told me it was braces - I burst into tears. Lol. But I am glad I had them.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Ya, with an upbringing like that, maybe you can see why I am sometimes off the wall ;-)
