WHAT IF TRUMP IS RIGHT AND THERE IS NO COLLUSION:
This is not from a Trump sympathizer, and it does raise an interesting issue, one which the Congressional Committee investigating this also believed to be true. Did Russia meddle. yes—a lot. Were some inappropriate conversations held? Hell yes. Was it collusion and/or illegal, maybe not! In fact, expect Robert Mueller to dig deep into innuendo and questionable fact finding to find or manufacture illegal acts. Of course he will. Every special prosecutor must. Too bad.The time and money could be better spent on fixing America’s problems. Of course the Democrats (demagogues) love it, and the mainstream media will make a mountain out of every molehill. Too bad some of these commentators can’t be prosecuted for their misbehaviors. Ditto leakers. Catch them and hammer them hard if/when we do…even then, the “Deep State” goes really deep.
THE HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY DUE FOR A SHAKE UP
News that amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase were teaming up in a health care company for their employees rocked the corporate health care and benefit industries. These three huge companies, with their technology knowhow and financial power could remake how things work and serve as a model or a nucleus for similar ventures. If ever an industry needed a shake up, it is health care. Right now large entities all have developed “portals” for communicating with their “members.” Do any of these allow cross portal communication or file sharing? Of course not. Will this entity be able to save money buying drugs. Absolutely.
DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN
When I was at Huffy Bikes (in the 1980’s), we had 2000 employees working near two Northeastern Ohio small towns, with only a couple of hospitals. We created our own “Preferred Provider Network” in which we used economic incentives (rapid payment of bills—slow payment is a big problem for small medical providers) for bundling of expenses into per diem pricing for stays in the hospital. No more $10 aspirins, or "ala carte" pricing for all the small things needed in a hospital stay. We had the full support of our Union (the United Steelworkers) because they understood it would mean more, and better care for less out of pocket costs, regardless of who paid them—company, “insurance," or the employee. For a few years we arrested the run up in medical costs, until circumstances and the industry "changed the ball game” so we couldn’t do it as effectively any more. With three behemoths behind this venture—it just might work—and change everything.
WHEN DOES TECHNOLOGY TAKE THE NEXT STEP?
My iPhone, with a few attachments and some modest changes,(and new Apps), can provide my doctor with most of what she needs to “see me” for a problem. And she can “see me” via FaceTime (or equivalent). Meanwhile technology does all those preliminary things her nurse does: pulse, respiration, blood pressure, height, weight, confirming current medications, answering standard questions about allergies to drugs or treatment (latex gloves, for example), symptoms and so forth. The technology is not far away that allows scanners can scan certain body parts (eyes, internal organs) to learn a lot. Ditto doing standard lab tests. What’s holding it back? Regulations, paranoia, insurance risk (lawsuits), and the inability for medical groups to compete and cooperate simultaneously. It’s time. Now. But not via the government. It can’t run anything efficiently and effectively—including itself. Coalitions of interested, motivated and involved private sector companies CAN do it.
I HAVE TO STAND UP NOW, AND KEEP MY WEIGHT UNDER CONTROL
OK…That’s what I said. in 96 studies involving 1000 people, it was discovered that standing actually burns 0.15 calories more per minute than sitting. Six hours/day of standing vs. sitting would thus burn 54 more calories in a day, and over the course of a year, that could translate to a loss of 22 lbs. Really?! Wow. I have to get up and not just sit here writing this, when I could be losing weight. One detail: I’d need a different setup for my computer. That’s OK, because I get all creaky if I sit and type at it for too long. Back to you later, gotta stand up a while!
"RUB SOME DIRT ON IT…” WAS WHAT WE WERE TOLD IN MY YOUTH, WHEN WE GOT HURT PLAYING BASEBALL
Scientists have since theorized that the heat from the friction of rubbing might actually have helped. However, it was not very sanitary. Now it turns out there might have been some other benefits we could never have imagined. This is too good to ignore. A new antibiotic, lurking down there in the dirt?
http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-new-antibiotic-soil-20180213-story.html
ARE CUSTOM MADE TO ORDER RUNNING SHOES IN YOUR FUTURE?
Show maker Brooks and computer company HP, with its “FitStation” system are testing that premise in a dozen locations. Maybe?
Check it out: http://fortune.com/2018/01/22/brooks-running-shoes-hp/
PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN GLASS HOUSES, NEED TO WATCH OUT
Apple’s new headquarters has created vexing problem. Plate glass walls and doors are so transparent that people are injuring themselves running into them. Apple will certainly find a high tech solution, like downlighting them, or applying fake fingerprints to make them more visible. And for goodness sake, "don’t throw stones."
MILITARY STRUGGLES TO FIND RECRUITS WHO ARE “FIT” FOR SERVICE
A think-tank study (no idea which one) found that three quarters of Americans age 17-24 are ineligible for military service because they are either too fat, have criminal records, or didn’t graduate form high school. If true, that’s a sobering fact, and a sad commentary on our times. This happens while the largest hurdle employers face in hiring new help is finding people who can pass the drug test!
GUN CONTROL WILL ONLY INHIBIT THESE AWFUL SCHOOL SHOOTINGS, AND PUBLIC MASSACRES A LITTLE BIT.
There is no easy way to regulate the “nut cases,” people whose mental condition has distorted the persons sense of right and wrong. Screening theme out is difficult too, because sometimes, if they are on their meds, they seem quite normal and harmless. Other times they become murder machines. With 15 million AR type rapid fire rifles in the USA already, there is no practical way to confiscate them. There are ways to make buying more of them harder—much harder—but Second Amendment advocates, led by the NRA fear that an unarmed citizenry is in danger of being ruled and abused by figures in authority—with all the requisite weaponry. Justice Scalia wrote. “...that the Second Amendment does NOT confer the right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever.”
A DIFFERENT TIME AND A DIFFERENT NEED FOR RULES AND LAWS
The Founders lived in and envisioned a very different time, in which armed revolutions were much more common. Thus the 2nd Amendment. Also, rifles only account for 2% of gun homicides, compared to 65% for handguns. Similarly, police commit a tiny minority (under 1%) of all shootings, whether black or whites were shot. Many more shootings are “blacks shooting blacks.” Just as the majority of terrorist attacks involve Muslims, the majority of shootings involve people who should not be able to buy guns at all, and certainly not so feely—but on the black market—money talks, and guns are available. Stop the leaks. Tighten all current rules on screening, selling and licensing guns. Prohibit anyone with any trace of mental health issues from being able to legally get a gun, which won’t stop determined mass murders much, but every little bit helps. Crack down on gun shows/sales, hard. There’s way too much leeway for trading in illegal weapons, and only the most stringent controls will impact that—and then only “some.” If looking for a single collusion, this is an unsolvable problem. Like immigration, it will take an interwoven series of steps to rein in gun deaths. (And arming teachers is not one of them.)
SURPRISES I FOUND THIS MONTH—RETAILING’S SPREADING CONVERGENCE
I walked into a new Dollar General store in Marco Island, FL, and found a very compact, but surprisingly effective small grocery store—with good prices and decent assortment—and not of cheap private label or closeouts. This is a grocery market dominated by Publix, served secondarily by Winn-Dixie, CVS, and Walgreens. The nearest Walmart is 8 miles away. As the American grocery market is invaded by Euro-grocers (Aldi, and Lidl), and dominated by major players like Kroger and Walmart, with strong regional grocers (Giant-Eagle and Meijer in OH, Publix and Winn-Dixie in FL), competition is heating up. Usually that is good news for consumers. Will it be this time?
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HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT AUTOMATIC UPDATES TO YOUR SOFTWARE, WHERE YOU NEVER GET A CHANCE TO DECLINE THEM?
Amazon, Google (Alphabet), Apple, and even Tesla are increasingly taking the position that they know what’s best, and it’s usually their newest idea, and not yours. I’ve always hated “auto-renewal “ of subscriptions, because it flies under the radar of my consciousness. I figure out it happened when the charge hits my statement—maybe—or maybe much, much later. It’s an easy way for providers to sneak in a price increase too. Not all updates work seamlessly, and many of them are not friendly with the prior features you may have become accustomed to using. Beware…”Big Brother is watching, had he knows what’s best for you (or maybe for him?)."
IS THE TIME FOR A THIRD MAJOR PARTY COMING SOON?
This was the topic raised to me about two years ago, by terrific lady, Michelle Boasten, who passed away far too young this past year. Her premise was that most Americans are actually Centrists, and are not happy with either the extreme left or right wings of the two major parties. I discouraged her idea because of the way our elections and electoral processes work. The two mainstream parties are entrenched even though both of them have more factions, branches and ideologies than a political science major on LSD. Now I wonder. She was ahead of her time in her profession—as a nurse, she rose from the ranks to do great things. Perhaps her unworkable idea is not so far fetched.
So what do you think? Is a third major party, I’ll call it the "Centrist Party," read to rise in America and take over the middle where the current parties are unable/unwilling to compromise, to find middle of the road solutions and move forward to do what’s best for the country?
REIN IN THE OPIOD EPIDEMIC—A SMALL STEP...FROM A CORRESPONDENT I USED TO WORK WITH:
"I know of one problem that Dr.s are causing. My wife recently had surgery and the Dr. told us she could expect some pain for probably no more than a couple of days. She gave her a prescription for pain meds. The prescription was for 60 tablets. My wife ended up using less than a half dozen and then went to OTC pain reliever."
"I had a similar experience a few years ago when I had knee surgery. Not only does it inflate medical costs, it leaves a lot of excess drugs out there to fall into the wrong hands. Our local Sherriff’s dept allows us to drop unused drugs off for disposal so it was not a problem for us. But, how many people hang on to the extras—or even sell them to someone—it’s too temping for people of less sense of responsibility. My point is those prescriptions need to be limited to maybe 10 or 15 instead of 60. To prescribe so many more than needed is just stupid.
NOTE: My experience in FL with my wife’s injuries a few years back was the opposite. I spent hours waiting for refills of opiods, because I could only get her a one week supply—once per week. Still, it was a sensible and practical way to control the excessive drugs floating around out them
FROM THE WSJ, The 10 Point by Gerard Baker, March 21, 2018
Breaking China?
The Trump administration is set to unveil a package of proposed punitive measuresThursday aimed at China, including at least $30 billion in import tariffs. The White House is seeking to clamp down on what it says are improper Chinese trade practices by making it significantly more difficult for the country’s companies to acquire advanced U.S. technology or invest in American companies. However, the tariffs won’t be imposed immediately, giving U.S. industry an opportunity to comment on which products should be subject to the duties. Final details of the plan, including the amount of imports to be hit by tariffs, remain in flux.
The Trump administration is set to unveil a package of proposed punitive measuresThursday aimed at China, including at least $30 billion in import tariffs. The White House is seeking to clamp down on what it says are improper Chinese trade practices by making it significantly more difficult for the country’s companies to acquire advanced U.S. technology or invest in American companies. However, the tariffs won’t be imposed immediately, giving U.S. industry an opportunity to comment on which products should be subject to the duties. Final details of the plan, including the amount of imports to be hit by tariffs, remain in flux.
The effort stems from a months-long investigation by the administration into Chinese intellectual-property practices that found the damage to U.S. companies from forced technology transfer is $30 billion annually. Chinese officials have said they are improving their protection of intellectual property and liberalizing their economy. They also complain that the U.S. hasn’t given them a specific list of demands that they need to meet to head off tariffs.
THAT’S IT FOLKS…THE FUTURE IS COMING AT YOU FASTER THAN EVER. LEARN, OR GET LEFT BEHIND.
BEST,
JOHN
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ROCKETSHIPS & PARACHUTES—What’s that? It’s coming soon; you’ll see!
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