HELATHCARE: Get the bureaucrats out of “healthcare” and enable consumer choice by the States

Tuesday, December 17, 2024

https://www.lewrockwell.com/2024/12/james-anthony/make-healthcare-efficient-again/

Make Healthcare Efficient Again

  • The single biggest wasteful spending inside and outside governments is on healthcare. To make healthcare efficient and innovative, customers need usable healthcare-product descriptions.

By James Anthony
December 11, 2024

*** begin quote ***

Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency plan is to cancel major regulations, reduce headcounts, and defund inadequately-authorized expenditures and waste, but not to shrink entitlement programs.

This plan would require legislators to stop using the executive power to allocate budgets, presidents and bureaucrats to stop using legislative power to pass rules, and judges to start opining quickly and broadly against presidents and bureaucrats.

Congressmen, presidents and bureaucrats, and judges have other plans.

*** and ***

Also, the rules would need to make healthcare product descriptions sufficiently simple and clear that customers could use these descriptions to make their best choices when they shop:

  • A fee for office work could be like a lawyer’s rate for office work. A fee for surgery could be like a lawyer’s rate for courtroom work.
  • Test instructions could be transmissible to testing producers. Also, testing producers could list their pricing.
  • Therapy recommendations could be readable by customers. The recommendation on a drug, for instance, could provide all the information that would be needed to shop for the drug if it was available over-the-counter.
  • Procedures could have full packages of features built in, like auto models have. Foreseeable complications could be priced separately, and a worst-case total not exceeded.
  • Quality could be quantified. Procedure sellers could use their past rates of complications to calculate their customers’ average cost for complications.
  • Customers could then compare procedure sellers’ total price plus complications, like customers compare product sellers’ total price plus shipping.

*** end quote ***

I especially like my fiancé’s pharmacy experience overseas.  She walks into the Phamacia and says I want X.  The pharmacist says here it is or “I don’t have it but I do have Y”.  And for pocket change, she has all she needs.  Of course, she knew what she needed.  But she could have consulted a hotel doctor, or got a list from the Embassy. 

But on a transaction basis, it was quick, easy, and cheap.  Of course, “illegal drugs” would be clean, exact, and cheaper than the street deals.

All the money in “prohibition” could be put to “rehabilitation” for those that want it.  Like Portugal.

Argh!

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GOVEROTRAGEOUS: Shutdown the Drug Enforcement Administration; end the “(pseudo) War on (some) Drugs”

Monday, December 16, 2024

https://www.lewrockwell.com/2024/12/laurence-m-vance/one-agency-that-trump-shouldnt-nominate-anyone-to-lead/

One Agency That Trump Shouldn’t Nominate Anyone To Lead
By Laurence M. Vance
December 11, 2024

*** begin quote ***

President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be the administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has withdrawn. This is one agency that Trump shouldn’t nominate anyone to lead.

*** and ***

It is not the business of the government to concern itself with the personal eating, drinking, or smoking habits of Americans; with the nature and quantity of any substance Americans inhale or otherwise take into their body; with restricting or monitoring any harmful or mood-altering substances that any American wants to consume; or with regulating the consumption, medical, or recreational habits of Americans.

Since the DEA is the main federal agency responsible for the drug war, it needs neither an administrator nor agents. The agency should be shuttered, completely and permanently.

*** end quote ***

Clearly there is no Federal authorization in the Constitution for this continued intrusion into the Rights of ordinary Americans and usurpation of individual States’ Rights.

Argh!

The “(pseudo) War on (some) Drugs” has been a total disaster in so many dimensions.

It’s a good thing to stop.  Period!

(And confirm the point that Libertarians have been making for a long long time.)

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HEALTH: Dogs become immune to radiation, heavy metals and pollution; what can we learn from this disaster?

Sunday, December 15, 2024

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14174993/dogs-chernobyl-nuclear-disaster-mutated-new-superpower.html

Dogs living near Chernobyl nuclear disaster have mutated to develop new superpower
By ELLYN LAPOINTE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
Published: 16:18 EST, 9 December 2024 | Updated: 06:01 EST, 10 December 2024

*** begin quote ***

Dogs living near the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster have mutated to develop a new superpower – they are immune to radiation, heavy metals and pollution.

Scientists collected blood samples from 116 stray dogs living in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ), finding two different populations that were both genetically distinct from other dogs in the surrounding area.

This suggests they have adapted to withstand long-term exposure to this toxic environment and would explain why they have continued to thrive in the wasteland.

*** end quote ***

Hopefully something great can come from this disaster.  Imagine if we learnt how to survive and thrive in hostile environments.  Might be needed for space travel where such exposures are likely.  The “exclusion zone” maybe habitable to humans, but who’d want to live there.  Like Sweden, the Amish, and the California Seventh Day Adventists, we don’t often have such obvious control groups.  We have so much to learn that we can’t afford to be stupid and unobservant.

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TECHNOLOGY: Use Amazon locker delivery for … … surprise gifts

Saturday, December 14, 2024

https://www.makeuseof.com/use-amazon-lockers-maximum-privacy/?user=cmVpbmtlZmpAZ21haWwuY29t&lctg=7e6c3cd411d6a815afa18582d54bd455914c43c5f69df1448b8ec20ee4959f71

Why I Use Amazon Lockers for Maximum Privacy (and So Should You)
By Vinayak Guhanarayan
Published 1 day ago

<< EDITOR ADDED DATE 2024-12-10>>

*** begin quote ***

  • The Basics of Amazon Lockers
  • Make Sure Only You Open Your Packages
  • Keep Your Home Address Private
  • Prevent Package Theft
  • Convenience When You’re Away
  • They’re Perfect for Surprise Gifts

One of the perks of shopping on Amazon is that anything you order is delivered right to your doorstep. And while this is an undeniable benefit for many, there are times when doorstep delivery isn’t practical or even feasible. It’s times like these that Amazon Lockers come in handy.

*** and ***

They’re Perfect for Surprise Gifts

When purchasing surprise gifts for my family and friends, I use Amazon’s Archive Order feature for privacy. I also opt for these deliveries to end up at an Amazon Locker. This way, I don’t have to worry about the recipient accidentally opening the package.

This is especially helpful during the holiday season, when most people are likely to order several gifts.

*** end quote ***

I recently had two surprise gifts ruined by delivery at the door.

I really had not considered this option.  (Yeah, I’m old, dumb, and don’t think things through to their logical conclusion.  My bad!)

The use cases the author outlines are prefect for anyone like me who doesn’t want surprise ruined or package theft.

YMMV but I like this idea.

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TECHNOLOGY: What’s the boundary between “backdoor for government surveillance” and crime prevention?

Friday, December 13, 2024

https://techcrunch.com/2024/12/08/apple-sued-over-abandoning-csam-detection-for-icloud/

Apple sued over abandoning CSAM detection for iCloud
Anthony Ha
10:26 AM PST · December 8, 2024

*** begin quote ***

Apple is being sued over its decision not to implement a system that would have scanned iCloud photos for child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

The lawsuit argues that by not doing more to prevent the spread of this material, it’s forcing victims to relive their trauma, according to The New York Times. The suit describes Apple as announcing “a widely touted improved design aimed at protecting children,” then failing to “implement those designs or take any measures to detect and limit” this material.

Apple first announced the system in 2021, explaining that it would use digital signatures from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and other groups to detect known CSAM content in users’ iCloud libraries. However, it appeared to abandon those plans after security and privacy advocates suggested they could create a backdoor for government surveillance.

*** end quote ***

In this case, I think the risk of “backdoor for government surveillance” is less valuable than the prevention of Child Abuse.  IMHO.

I’d be pushing the tech companies hard in the war against children’s exploitation.

Maybe even their devices (i.e., iPhone, Android phones, tablets) should use digital signatures from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

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TECHNOLOGY: Free media content from Walmart’s Vizio

Thursday, December 12, 2024

https://cordcuttersnews.com/walmarts-vizio-watchfree-has-a-ton-of-action-holiday-movies-in-december/

As the weather cools, VIZIO brings the heat with a lineup of thrilling action films this December! Whether you’re in the mood for heart-pounding chases, explosive showdowns, or sharp-witted humor, WatchFree+ has something for everyone. Stream these cinematic favorites for free on your VIZIO TV or the VIZIO mobile app—no subscription required, just a free VIZIO account. Cozy up and enjoy these action-packed blockbusters at no cost.

# – # – # – # – #

I’m always up for free content.  You too?

https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus

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RANT: Anyone want to argue that the non-profit NCAA is nothing more than the NFL “farm teams”?

Thursday, December 12, 2024

FROM 1440 https://join1440.com/

*** begin quote ***

College Football Playoffs

The field for the inaugural 12-team college football playoff was revealed yesterday, with Big Ten champion Oregon capturing the top seed. The Ducks are followed by No. 2 Georgia, No. 3 Boise State, and No. 4 Arizona State, with each of the top four receiving a first-round bye.

Under the new system, the opening round will have the higher-seeded teams host games on campus: No. 5 Texas will host No. 12 Clemson; No. 6 Penn State will welcome No. 11 SMU; No. 7 Notre Dame faces No. 10 Indiana; and No. 8 Ohio State will take on No. 9 Tennessee. The biggest debate of selection day was SMU, which lost the ACC championship on a last-second field goal, nudging out Alabama.

A significant amount of money is at stake. Roughly $115M will be distributed across the conferences based on which teams advance (see details).

The first round will be held Friday, Dec. 20, and Saturday, Dec. 21. See the full schedule of bowl games here; see a playoff bracket here.

*** end quote ***

Sorry but all this chatter about “non-profit”, “amateur athletes”, and “student athletes” is just a “Barbara Streisand” smoke screen for Gooferment Skrules to rake in big bucks from “We, The Sheeple”.

Time to divest “education” from “entertainment”.

Argh!  Now that “amateur athletes” can make big bucks from “Name, Image, and Likeness”, lets cut the <synonym for excrement> and stop fooling everyone.

This is nothing more than gambling by Gooferment institutions using Taxpayer money and defrauding those same Taxpayers at the same time.

If you use my Tax dollars, then you can’t use them for anything but “education”!  Privatize these “State Actors” away from the font of Taxpayer money.

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GOVEROTRAGEOUS: FEMA and Federal flood insurance is a sad joke played upon “We, The Sheeple”

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

FROM TWITTER AKA X

*** begin quote ***

Matt Van Swol
@matt_vanswol
FEMA seems to be very confused about why #WNC residents receiving the “maximum” payout are still upset.

Let me explain:

a) You’re living in your retirement home in Chimney Rock at age 68 with your wife, you both saved up forever for this home.

b) Helene comes in and carries that home down into the lake below, your whole life savings along with it.

c) You barely escape with your life and a few weeks later submit a “housing assistance” form on FEMA’s website.

d) FEMA shows up and takes a look at where your home used to be and says, “Yep, that sucks, you qualify!”

e) You feel lucky, many of your neighbors didn’t qualify so you wait on FEMA to get back to you.

f) A few days later you receive a payout into your bank account of $42,500.

g) You turn to your wife and say… wait a minute, we still have $120,000 left on our mortgage, but we don’t have a house!

h) You call FEMA and say, “Hey, I’m grateful for the $42,500, but I don’t have a home and I still owe 6 figures on the one that doesn’t exist. What do I do now?”

i) FEMA says, totally get it, we can put you up in a hotel for 31 days.

j) You say, I don’t need a hotel, I need a plan to rebuild my home and get my life back together!

k) FEMA says, “Oh right, about that… you can’t actually build on the land your house once existed on because it’s in a flood plain now.”

l) You sit there in silence. Finally you respond, “So my home is in a lake, I only have $42,500 to my name, I owe $120,000 on my mortgage, and the land I currently own, I can’t even build on?”

m) FEMA goes, “That’s correct, here’s a 31 day hotel voucher.

That’s why people are pissed.

*** end quote ***

# – # – # – # – #

Speechless!

Argh!

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POLITICAL: Time to repeaal the 17th Amendment

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2024/12/trump_should_bring_a_constitutional_gun_to_the_senate_swamp_knife_fight.html

Trump Should Bring a Constitutional Gun to the Senate / Swamp Knife Fight
By Vince Coyner

<< EDITOR ADDED DATE 2024-12-04>>

*** begin quote ***

But of course, the leftists eviscerated the Founders’ original intentions about the Senate with the 17th Amendment. As a result, the Senate has become simply a more entrenched version of the House. Therefore, if a cabal of geriatric swamp-loving RINOs wants to try to shanghai the president’s mandate because the close balance of party power in the chamber allows them to do so, to paraphrase Sean Connery in The Untouchables, Trump should bring a constitutional gun to their knife fight and keep them from doing so.

*** end quote ***

Once upon a time, in a place far away, the Dead Old White Guys tried to ensure that “these United States” would have a strong voice in the Federal Gooferment.  Unfortunately, a befuddled “We, The Sheeple” agreed to strip the “these United States” this power.

Talk about getting money out of politics, Senate “campaigns” funded by rich donors create a “dark money” swamp of conflicted interests.  Maybe today’s “Senators” should be like race car drivers and wear the logos of those that “own” them.

Repealing the 17th Amendment would go a long way towards restoring Federalism that the Dead Old White Guys want to restrain tyranny.

Hard to do?  Not so much now as “We, The Sheeple” seem to be fed up with the current system.

“Would you tell me please, Mr. Howard, why should I trade one tyrant three thousand miles away for three thousand tyrants one mile away? An elected legislature can trample a man’s rights as easily as a king can.” Mel Gibson as the character Benjamin Martin in the movie The Patriot http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187393/quotes

Well, at least, you can have the petty tyrants close enough to “influence” them or tar ’n’ feather them.  Bringing the selection of Senators back to the local legislature makes more sense than having something that duplicates the House of Representatives.

And, now that we have Zoom meetings, why not keep all the Senators and Representatives “locked up” in the home States?  No need for them to go an conspire with these other drones and parasites.

Argh!

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DISCOURAGING: “A bloke’s been murdered in the street.” — Piers Morgan

Tuesday, December 10, 2024

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14176379/Piers-Morgan-gleeful-reporter-Taylor-Lorenz-joy-death-UnitedHealthcare-CEO-Brian-Thompson.html

Piers Morgan goes nuclear on gleeful ex-WaPo reporter Taylor Lorenz for saying she felt ‘joy’ after death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
By EMMA RICHTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
Published: 01:41 EST, 10 December 2024 | Updated: 07:58 EST, 10 December 2024

*** begin quote ***

Piers Morgan was left in shock after gleeful former Washington Post reporter Taylor Lorenz said she felt ‘joy’ following the death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

On Monday night, Lorez joined Morgan on Piers Morgan Uncensored, as the broadcaster questioned her about her controversial social media posts following Thompson being gunned down in Manhattan on Wednesday.

*** and ***

‘Should they all be killed, these healthcare executives? Would that make you even more joyful?,’ he asked.

Lorenz laughed and then said: ‘Uh, no,’ as Morgan asked her ‘Well, why not?’

‘Why are you laughing? You seem to find the whole thing hilarious. A bloke’s been murdered in the street. I don’t find it funny at all.’

*** end quote ***

As a little L libertarian, I don’t often agree with Piers Morgan but from time to time, he is right on target.  

How can you laugh at the murder of anyone?

There are humans who are so broken that it’s hard to feel compassion (i.e., murderer, rapists, genocidal maniacs, the insane).  But we should feel sadness every time an irreplaceable life has been lost.

While some deaths are wither unavoidable or unforeseen, deliberately killing anyone is a very serious matter.  That’s why we have jury trials. 

But as a pro-life little L libertarian, I’m anti-death penalty for anyone. Gooferment can’t be trusted with the power to end someone’s life.  Maybe if a convict is too dangerous to put in prison, then maybe it’s morally justifiable.

Left liberals seem to be the only ones who thing that insurance company executives are so evil as to be joyfully murdered. 

Argh!

Piers is right on this one.  Again, he and I are on the same page.

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