@Lookout
environmentally and emotionally. Age old advice we continually need to relearn. Enjoyed the multiple health article links you provided Sunday.Dr Fung is a good example of a the type of practitioner national healthcare systems can create. The system focuses on healthcare outcomes not kickbacks from high priced products and procedures. His information is available free on Youtube, not behind a paywall of a product focused website.

First frost of fall this season, 26 this am. Now I can harvest the last apple tree, which needs cool weather to sweeten. One more rotation of irrigation and am done for the year. Have a good week.

Eat well and be active.

Tomorrow is the equinox and Autumn begins. Summer crops are nearly done (sweet potatoes to dig next month), and fall crops are in and growing. Last winter was so mild even our lettuce over wintered (using row covers).

So sorry about all the fire out your way. It was our turn last fall. We had three large fires around us and smoke filled the valley. This year we've had abundant rain. Got 3" off of Irma last week.

One thing is for certain about our future weather...expect uncertainty. We will ride the ever growing pendulum swings of weather for the remainder of our lives.

We continue to be Riders on the Storm (7 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lS-af9Q-zvQ

"Riders On The Storm" was the last song recorded by the members of The Doors, according to Ray, as well as Jim´s last recorded song to be released (recorded December 1970 - January 1971 - released in June ´71). According to Robby, it was inspired by the song "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky: A Cowboy Legend." The song is played in the E Dorian mode, and incorporates real sound effects of thunder and rain, along with Ray´s Fender Rhodes electric piano playing, which emulates the sound of rain. The song was recorded at the Doors Workshop in December 1970 with the assistance of Bruce Botnick, their longtime engineer, who was co-producing the recording sessions. Jim recorded his main vocals and then whispered the lyrics over them to create the echo effect. The single was released in 1971, shortly before Jim´s death, entering the Hot 100 on 3 July 1971, the day that Jim died. The Doors' former producer, Paul Rothchild left prior to the sessions as he did not like the album, or the song, calling it "cocktail music". Their engineer Bruce Botnick was selected to produce the album instead. The band's drummer John Densmore wrote a 1990 book called Riders on the Storm, detailing the story of his life and his time with the group. Ray Manzarek and guitarist Roy Rogers covered this song as an instrumental duet on their 2008 album "Ballads Before the Rain". In November 2009, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame under the category Rock.

Hope you all have a good day.

@dkmich
I have always enjoyed driving around the state. Nature does amaze.

Agree with your sentiment. There are a lot of people in our country who will benefit from single payer. The primary reason to support the policy.

Nature is so beautiful and then there are humans.

Blue Cross warns GOP repeal bill 'undermines' pre-existing condition rules BC/BS in MI is still a non-profit. I can't say enough good things about them. I have Medicare Plus Blue subsidized in retirement by my employer. My mom bought a supplemental policy from them when she was 86. It cost $120/mo. Unfortunately, everyone isn't as lucky with their health care. It is why I support single payer.

@detroitmechworks
to monitor adherence to treatment protocols and implement just-in-time employee management. This seems to be the direction rather than improving clinical outcomes. The use tends to force good practitioners out or break their spirit.

Frustrating when as individuals we are caught between the gears of the system. When one is sick, it is hard to push against the system to create a path of self-treatment.

They tried the drugs that are established to be acceptable under the current legal framework...

when they didn't work, they suggested that I seek alternative stuff... that they couldn't exactly speak about because of DEA rules...

We've gotten to the point where medicine practitioners are actively forced to follow dogmas rather than what they know works. All because somebody wants to make more money.

Rather disgusting, but very American.

@enhydra lutris
leaders to start to understand how insidious the cost of our healthcare model is to the bottom line. Thought they would figure it out in the 90's when premiums were rising 20%. Most infrastructure costs, training and pensions have been shifted to governments and individuals. Yet for decades mid-size and big business have spent political dollars to keep our healthcare model in place.

Good explanation of how the ACA is not structured to keep cost contained and works in the opposite direction over the long term.

there is a bit of "what the market will bear" pressure to put a soft cap on the upward impetus. With ACA, however, the law is, as predicted, a driver. The alleged "cost control" measure is either intentionally or ignorantly the driver. Gross margin is capped. As a result, the only way to increase earnings is to increase costs.

Simplified example: Margin is capped at 10%, general and admin expenses are 2 bucks. With costs of 1,000, margin is limited to 100, so revenues are limited to 1,100 and net profit before tax is 1,098. To increase profits, making shareholders happy and increasing executive bonuses, the company must increase costs. Bump the costs up to 2,000 and margin rises to 200, permitting revenues of 2,200 and profits of 198.

@eyo
to all citizens of the world. Its political class is not answerable to its citizens regarding their needs or desires. US actions are not bound by any treaty or agreement. The US must always have 3 nations identified as the Axis of evil. US does not cooperate, only dominates using its corporations, financial institutions and military.

None of the US's positions have changed, Trump is simply an awkward speaker. He blurts out his thoughts with no softening of their tone.

Anyone else notice? He looked kinda grumpy by the time Trump started ragging on Syria,

then when the lies words about Assad start, he says nuh-uh! See my middle finger?

subtle stink eye

Eff you Trump! Liar.

I liked it when the socialists laughed too. What an asshole the U.S. President still is, a giant big one. Assad is evil too, both retirement material if you ask me.
---
I guess some here might like this article: How Bernie Sanders is cultivating California for 2020
Thirty paragraphs of blah blah blah, the end;

DeMoro, in an interview, reflected on Sanders’ Medicare-for-all news conference last week, where a long list of would-be 2020 rivals squeezed into the frame to relay their support. Among them were Harris, and Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Jeff Merkley of Oregon.

As they spoke about the need for the bill, a top priority of DeMoro’s nurses, she imagined onlookers surveying the lineup of senators and asking themselves one question: “Who is going to be Bernie’s vice president?”

good luck

@Wink
tend to spend more time with patient. Might need a different practitioner for more interaction time.

but doctors don't even have the time to prescribe a pill. I see my doctor twice a year for 2-4 mins. each time. "How ya doin', good to see ya, any new aches or pains? your heart sounds good... see ya in six months!" wham, bam...
And for that "visit" I get charged $200. Now, I know there's payroll and overhead, so I have no problem with the $200. I just wish my Medicare would pay half. And, for $200 one would think the doctor could spend more than 4 minutes. Like, maybe, spend another two, 3 mins. to educate my butt on this or that that might improve my health. But, nope. "see ya in six months... "