RANT: Hospitals catching the “indentification” disease

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick is becoming a police state.

Today we have new “rules”!

Argh!

First is that everyone has to “sign in”. Now that’s not too bad for the casual visitor; regulars have to wait in line. Argh! Shades of the TSA at the airport.

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REWRITTEN

BUT, in concept it’s a bad policy. 10AM ensures that you’ll miss any of the doctors on their morning rounds. (I usually am their between 7 and 8 to catch them as they roll thru.) 9PM ensures that you’ll miss any of the stuff that goes on at night. (I recently sat with Frau until 3AM after they started a transfusion and gave her a sleeping pill.) Sorry but “one size” doesn’t recognize that my spouse has a complicated medical problem and the hospital is just not trustworthy enough to operate without supervision. Everyone tries hard, but it’s complicated and confusing with lots of different “hands”. American medicine doesn’t have a holistic approach where one person is the “quarterback”. The patient and their “advocates” have to be on top of everything.

BUT, more than anything, it’s about the “we’re going to tell you what to do”! Maybe they can get away with it. I’ll know tomorrow when I tell them that they are not meeting my and my patient’s needs. None of the “leadership” was available at 11PM when my wife was transferred out of MICU and a nurse informed me of the visiting hours. It’s demeaning and just one more loss of liberty. AND, it’s immoral, ineffective, and inefficient.

  • Immoral in that you are unilaterally enforcing rules that have not been agreed to in a voluntary fashion.
      
  • Ineffective because you have uneven enforcement and undocumented exceptions.
  • Inefficient in that it’s over reaching the need (i.e., secure the hospital from strangers by keeping out most “civilians”).

And, it’s not like you have a lot of choice. Saint Peters University Hospital has the same “identification requirement”. The Gooferment has limited the number of hospitals and they can’t be run like a McDonalds. So you have no choice. Like the Credit Card companies, politicians and bureaucrats make their problem yours. (Why don’t we have pictures on credit cards?)

So, why not “triage” visitors by the patient’s medical condition, patient’s mental condition, who the visitor is (e.g., spouse), and why would a sensible policy be. Why not have a more automated system? Why not badge relatives for chronic patients differently? Why not open visiting for caregivers? Why the police state?

Sorry, but it’s just wrong. No one wants food delivery people floating around the hospital at strange hours. And, in some cases, that policy might be appropriate. I’m not looking for a confrontation or a fight, but it may come to that. I bet they have exceptions already. Are parents of new borns restricted? Pediatrics? CCU and MIC may have a more liberal policy? Now if my wife was in for a bunion removal, I’d probably be a little less cranked up. But maybe not.

Are they running a hospital or a jail?

And, once they take Gooferment money and operate under Gooferment diktats, they become an agent of the Gooferment. Hence, everyone has their Constitutional rights. So what gives them the right to keep certain folks out? They can’t claim it’s private property.

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MONEY: Throwing your hard earned after tax money away

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

http://shelflifeadvice.com/content/do-food-product-dates-make-consumers-safer-or-just-poorer

Do Food Product Dates Make Consumers Safer or Just Poorer?

*** begin quote ***

According to research by former University of Arizona anthropologist Timothy Jones, Americans throw away more than 40 percent—some 29 million tons—of all the food the country produces, creating both an environmental and an economic problem. There is waste all along the food chain, but by far the most occurs in homes, restaurants, schools, and other eating places. According to Jones’ study, the average American household wastes 14% of its food purchases.

ShelfLifeAdvice.com estimates that if 61% of Americans (the percentage that thought milk was spoiled when it reached the date on the bottle or carton) needlessly discard a quarter gallon of milk each month, they could be wasting over $700 million a year. Combining this figure with all the other foods in the survey, ShelfLifeAdvice.com estimates that billions might be wasted every year by American households discarding good food.

*** end quote ***

So it’s obviously “marketing” to get you to buy more.

And where are the Gooferment “protections” that we hear so much about?

I’m sure they are “protecting” the campaign contributions.

Guess we need more regulation?

Reform the “SELL BY” to be “SELL BUY date; SAFE UNTIL date”!

Caveat emptor.

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MONEY: Insurance companies screw dead vets!

Monday, August 2, 2010

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-28/fallen-soldiers-families-denied-cash-payout-as-life-insurers-boost-profit.html

Fallen Soldiers’ Families Denied Cash as Insurers Profit
By David Evans – Jul 28, 2010 10:00 AM EST

*** begin quote ***

Lohman, a public health nurse who helps special-needs children, says she had always believed that her son’s life insurance funds were in a bank insured by the FDIC. That money — like $28 billion in 1 million death-benefit accounts managed by insurers — wasn’t actually sitting in a bank.

It was being held in Prudential’s general corporate account, earning investment income for the insurer. Prudential paid survivors like Lohman 1 percent interest in 2008 on their Alliance Accounts, while it earned a 4.8 percent return on its corporate funds, according to regulatory filings.

“I’m shocked,” says Lohman, breaking into tears as she learns how the Alliance Account works. “It’s a betrayal. It saddens me as an American that a company would stoop so low as to make a profit on the death of a soldier. Is there anything lower than that?”

*** end quote ***

This is outrageous.

While it may be important to protect the grieving families from blowing their money all at once, screwing them is unacceptable.

Where’s the VA, DOD, the politicians and bureaucrats?

Where’s the VFW and American Legion?

If I was KING, (and I’m not; nor do I want to be), I’d require that the insurance company open 100k$ FDIC insured accounts for the beneficiaries.

Fraud is force. Theft is theft. Stealing form widows and orphans is really low.

A plague on all their houses. The karmic wheel should roll their way. May their “lawn” be full of crabs.

What’s the one about wildebeests and elderberry?

Argh!

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RANT: Let them eat cake

Monday, August 2, 2010

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/62674.html

The Clinton Crime Family’s Conspicuous Consumption
Posted by Lew Rockwell on July 31, 2010 10:30 AM

*** begin quote ***

Before we attend to the poor political judgment of such an extravagant affair during times of economic distress, let us wonder aloud where a poor boy who became governor of Arkansas and president of the United States got such a fortune that he can blow $3,000,000 on a wedding.

The American people did not take up a collection to reward him for his service to them. Where did the money come from? Who was he really serving during his eight years in office?

*** end quote ***

I think this emphasizes the difference between the political class and the working class.

Princess Diana won the hearts of the world by championing the land mine and other issues. She could have laid back in her antiseptic world and talked. But we saw her in hot ‘n’ dirty places, doing the heavy lifting of “using her celebrity”. You could almost hear her saying “You want my pic; here take it with these suffering people.” You could almost see her sweating as she visited with sick children. She dragged the world’s obsession with her into focus on the wretchedness of the victims. She may have been royalty, but she was “working class”.

Compare it to the “royal wedding” of the Clintons!

Sorry, but it doesn’t even come close. Where is the Clinton mystique used for the benefit of the people? Ever seen Chelsea anywhere?

So, sorry, it like Marie Antoinette.

And, like the French aristocracy, they too may someday visit with the Doc G!

They are certainly not enhancing their popularity with the working class.

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FUN: More stats from SSH poker machine

Monday, August 2, 2010

On 7/29 I beat the old lady 10,750 to 9,930 points.

On the spinner, I scores 2 threes, 3 fours, 2 fives, 1 fifteen, 2 twenty fives, and 2 fifties.

Have to add that to my probability data sheet. Trying to develop a probability table.

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On a side note, went to Keansburg, the poor man’s seaside heights, played a poker machine that paid on any pair. Beat her as well, but didn’t keep score, or track the machine. Probably won’t be there for another decade. Now that the Old Heidelberg has closed. Guess the old gent, who always worked the grill, died. He was old when we first went there. Must have owned it. SIgh, change is never for the good.

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ADMINISTRIVIA: TESTING

Monday, August 2, 2010

ECTO, my desktop Client for blogging, is unable to post to the free, and unequaled, wordpressdotcom!

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TECHNOLOGY: Amex takes the risk, but User is left with the problem

Monday, August 2, 2010

http://news.cnet.com/2100-1017-245428.html

September 7, 2000 11:45 AM PDT
AmEx unveils “disposable” credit card numbers
By Stefanie Olsen Staff Writer, CNET News

*** begin quote ***

American Express today announced a new suite of online security and privacy products, the first of which is a “disposable” credit card number for its members.

As previously reported by CNET News.com, cardholders using the disposable credit card option will be able to log on to a secure Web site and receive a one-time-use credit card number to make purchases over the Internet.

The free service will be offered to small businesses and consumer cardholders within the next 30 days.

*** end quote ***

MISSED IT BY THAT MUCH!

Response (Shweta Shiv) 08/01/2010 02:46 PM

Dear Ferdinand J Reinke,

I’d like to inform you that American Express does not offer such a service at this time.

However, I assure you that we remain committed to protecting the privacy and security of all of our Cardmembers, both online and offline. We believe that our current security measures, including our sophisticated monitoring systems to detect unusual or fraudulent card activity, provide strong, ongoing protections for our Cardmembers. In addition, you are further safeguarded by our Online Fraud Protection Guarantee, which ensures that Cardmembers are not held liable for any fraudulent charges on their account.

With the Online Fraud Protection Guarantee, you will not be held responsible for any unauthorized online charges, and if someone uses your Card without your consent, you will not pay any part of the fraudulent online charges—not even the first $50.

We are committed to protecting the privacy and security of all of our Cardmembers, and we will continue to develop innovative ways to protect our customers.

Thank you for choosing American Express.

We truly value your association with you.

Sincerely,
Shweta Shiv
Email Servicing Team
American Express Interactive Services

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Sorry, but that’s what I could use!

Lost the use of one credit card from a recurrent charge that could not be killed, which I am STILL fighting about. I want ONE TIME USE credit card numbers. I don’t care that the issuers will indemnify the risk, they don’t have the clean up hassle.

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INTERESTING: The miracle of a biological

Monday, August 2, 2010

FROM A FRIEND’S FACEBOOK PAGE

*** begin quote ***

Rule number one at the beach: don’t feed he seagulls but sometimes rules are made to be broke for example : when the sea gull swoops down when u are not looking and grabs your hoagie out of your hand. If this happens do not throw said hoagie onto the sand bc a lot oc seagulls will converge around u lol gotta love the beach :)

*** end quote ***

As a fat old white guy injineer, I was always fascinated feeding seagulls off the Ocean Pier in AC. To create a “biological”, that can detect, track and catch a thrown piece of food high in the air, often on the rise, in competition with other biologicals, at almost random time – direction – speed – rotation, is amazing. There must be a “God”, or at least a “First Ingineer”. Thanks for the prompt to recall that.

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TINFOILHAT: Getting rich off the dead and maimed

Sunday, August 1, 2010

http://dumpdc.wordpress.com/2010/07/31/wikileaks/

Wikileaks
Who’s Hiding What and Why
by Fred Reed

*** begin quote ***

If you don’t think that contracts—money—have a great deal to do with wars, reflect that all those hundreds of billions of dollars end up in pockets, and those pockets do not belong to soldiers. Makers of body armor, boots, ammunition, helicopters, on and on, are rolling in gravy. All this half-watched loot flows in cataracts at the price of at most sixty dead American kids a month (and lots of brain-damaged droolers, but what the hey). A bargain. Afghans don’t count.

*** end quote ***

Who’s getting rich off the AfPak war?

Is this another case of privatizing the profits and socializing the losses?

Time to change policy. And if, like baseball, we can’t change the policy, change the head coach!

In this case, ALL incumbents should be shown the door. While the new politicians may be worse than the current, we should just keep the revolving door spinning. Could we do any worse?

How about we pick folks from the unemployment office? At least, then they will have a job. And, when they select their staff, they have to take folks from that unemployment office. It may increase costs a little, but it may cut down on the graft and theft.

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POLITICAL: An unholy attempt to fix the Constitution in a back room! Cui bono? (Updated!)

Sunday, August 1, 2010

MY ORIGINAL JULY POSTING

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2010/07/mass_may_join_e.html

Mass. may join effort to bypass Electoral College
By Martin Finucane, Globe Staff

*** begin quote ***

Supporters are waging a state-by-state campaign to try to get such bills enacted. Once states possessing a majority of the electoral votes (or 270 of 538) have enacted the laws, the candidate winning the most votes nationally would be assured a majority of the Electoral College votes, no matter how the other states vote and how their electoral votes are distributed.

*** end quote ***

The political elite are seeking to rewrite the Constitution via backroom deals and open conspiracy to disenfranchise the “small states”.

When will we learn NOT to mess with the wisdom of the Dead Old White Guys. They were possible the smartest men ever assembled in one lucky place at the right time in history. We can go thru the Amendments passed, and one unpassed, as a litany to pure collective stupidity.

The Political Effete and the Party Powerbrokers would love nothing better than to have to win the popular vote in California, Chicago, New York, and host of other corrupt places to be assured of a national win. Ballot box stuffing and recounts on a National basis would become the norm. Argh!

The Electoral College was put in to protect the small states. The Constitution would have never been adopted without that design. I don’t know if they intended it, but it does firewall ballot box stuffing. Go ahead and stuff all you want in Massachusetts, you’ll only get 12 Electoral votes. Now if this change was adopted, that stuffing could determine the national election. Ever read any stories where there were more votes than registered voters (Say “hi” to Al Franken) or a large “graveyard vote” (Sam Rayburn and LBJ) or “voting machine breakdowns” in the non-machine party’s precincts? How about “keep counting until you get the answer you want then stop”?No, that could never happen in America!

And who is to tabulate and certify that grand total that all the conspiratorial states will use to determine their votes?

Argh! How stupid can we be!

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UPDATE 01 August 2010

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2010/08/01/massachusetts_for_palin

Massachusetts for Palin?
By Jeff Jacoby
Globe Columnist / August 1, 2010

*** begin quote ***

IT IS Election Night, 2012. The polls have closed. State by state, the votes are being counted, and gradually it becomes clear, to the bottomless horror of some voters and the unbridled delight of others, that Sarah Palin, the Republican presidential nominee, has bested President Barack Obama in the popular vote nationwide.

In Massachusetts, where Obama crushed Palin in a 79 percent landslide — the most lopsidedly anti-Palin vote of any state — “bottomless horror’’ doesn’t begin to describe the political reaction. For in 2010, Massachusetts joined the National Popular Vote compact, making a commitment to cast all of its electoral votes for the presidential candidate receiving the most votes nationally, regardless of the results in Massachusetts. The compact took effect in December 2011, when California became the 15th state to join, thereby uniting enough states to control a majority of the Electoral College. Now Massachusetts, the bluest of the blue states, must award its presidential electors to a candidate Massachusetts voters overwhelmingly opposed.

*** end quote ***

ROFL!

Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution passed by the Republicans, to prevent a repeat of FDR’s four terms, term limited Ike. And, has dramatically altered the political landscape by making the President a “lame duck” in his second term.

That’s the best example of political stupidity.

The above Palin scenario would be absolutely hysterical.

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