News that makes us laugh, cry, or both

[Lich-Loved]

Are you somehow immune to this, being both insured and rich?

Don't be so swift to judge. I am a cancer survivor, having been born with a malignant tumor on my kidney that was large enough to visually distend my abdomen enough to be noticed by physical inspection in the delivery room. The cost of my three operations was huge at the time and I was given a very low chance of survival. I am a living reason why cancer survival rates matter, why prompt, high-quality treatment matters and I am not the only one. I tell you what, show some solidarity with the proletariat you so admire when you or someone you love is diagnosed with cancer and wait 18+ weeks before seeing a specialist like they do in England.

And while I make a reasonable living, I am far from rich. My income is generated by my customers, which value my services because I am very good at what I do. It helps that I fucking work 60 to 90 hours a week without a vacation and that I have continually held a job since I was 13, which instilled in me the value of hard work and more importantly taught me that low-paying jobs that involve shovels and a strong back are no way to make a living. It isn't luck or anything else of the sort that affords me anything that I have, it is due to my diligent work and willingness to take risks.

The United States has a lower life expectancy than France, Sweden, or even the United Kingdom.

Perhaps, but you are leaping to conclusions if you say this is because of health care systems. We also have a much higher murder rate per capita, more traffic deaths per capita, and poorer diet/nutrition overall (which spike diabetes, heart disease and hypertension, all of which are cheaply preventable under our current system if people would only change their eating habits, exercise more and take advantage of the generic drugs for these conditions) Read as: socialized medicine is not required to reduce these deaths as it doesn't fix the underlying behavioral issues and very few barriers if any exist under our current system for treatment of these killer diseases. In short, don't bring that weak-ass argument up unless you can show that the survival rate elsewhere is indeed higher and that survival rate is due to the quality and availability of the socialized care.

Because unless you're being fed these stats from someone else who's being deliberately disingenuous it is obvious that you're being deceitful yourself.

The page I referenced obtains its data from The American Cancer Society, the National Bureau of Economic Research and published studies in the medical journals Lancet Oncology, Clinical Oncology, and Annals of Oncology, which describe European studies on the state of Europe's onocological health care (read the article's footnotes for the citations). I happen to stay up on cancer research since it affects me and others in my extended family, just reading whatever I can find online from time to time. It just so happens I found this article last week and it seemed an appropriate and much-needed rebuttal. I am not being deceitful, just publishing some information of which not everyone may be aware.

[mean_liar]

And then there's the fact that public insurance is how the US should be doing it, not public health care.

The distinction between these is lost on me.

Public health care means that the doctors are ultimately government employees.

Public insurance means that insurance to pay for private-care doctors is provided by the government.

[mean_liar]

Also, anecdotal evidence: wife's grandmother's boyfriend in Canada has Stage 3 colon cancer, just diagnosed. Waiting for treatment. In the meantime, he's terrified to eat because the tumor prevents him from shitting.

The aristocrats!

[Lich-Loved]

And then there's the fact that public insurance is how the US should be doing it, not public health care.

The distinction between these is lost on me.

Public health care means that the doctors are ultimately government employees.

Public insurance means that insurance to pay for private-care doctors is provided by the government.

Sorry, of course. I have lately had mindblanks on some pretty basic things. Maybe it is 'cause I am working 19 hour days...

Thanks.

[Lich-Loved]

Also, anecdotal evidence: wife's grandmother's boyfriend in Canada has Stage 3 colon cancer, just diagnosed. Waiting for treatment. In the meantime, he's terrified to eat because the tumor prevents him from shitting.

I am sorry to hear that. My wife's grandmother (age 82) was recently diagnosed with colon cancer after reporting blood in her stool to her regular doctor. She has already had an operation where they took about 18" (!?) of bowel. She is now "fine" (about 2 months after the surgery), but we all know how that goes. She seems in good health and has good energy, though it is clear the operation and perhaps the disease took its toll.

As an aside, her grandmother's treatment wait was about 4 weeks from the time she met with her primary care physician to the surgery; the colonoscopy wait was about a week of that. She is on medicare with supplemental/AARP insurance and she paid very little out of pocket for her entire stay and recovery. I hope your wait is the same or less and everything works out well as it seems to have in our case.

[Username17]

You got like 10 meters of bowel, so half a meter here or there isn't the end of the world usually. Different portions have different functions, absorbing different nutrients and such. So losing different parts of the intestines may require different kinds of nutritional supplementation.

The last bit serves mostly to reabsorb water and to regulate bowel movements in time. Its loss won't have much effect on your nutritional existence, but it will make your feces way more gross.

-Username17

[Crissa]

I might point out that public insurance is how they do it in Germany, and public care is how they do it in France. UK and Canada do both in various ways.

In the US we have neither.

The new bill, HELPS, is designed to have a public option - public insurance.

The whole thing about some bureaucrat denying you care? That already happens in the US. Alot. In fact, probably moreso than other nations. And people have no legal recourse against those middle managers because... They're employees of some company.

-Crissa

[cthulhu]

The United States has a lower life expectancy than France, Sweden, or even the United Kingdom.

In short, don't bring that weak-ass argument up unless you can show that the survival rate elsewhere is indeed higher and that survival rate is due to the quality and availability of the socialized care.

Sure, but the stupid ass thing you are doing is picking one element and saying 'look, socialised medicine is bad for cancer' but that doesn't address anything unless you seriously think the only problem health systems deal with is cancer.

Otherwise to prove that you need to use more factors. Like DALYies.

Of course when you do that you'll find there is no difference at all between the UK and the US and you're just getting overcharged.

Have fun.

[Crissa]

I already pointed out that cancer rates are higher in Europe.

But LL conveniently skipped that.

-Crissa

[Draco_Argentum]

Europe of course being the land of Chernobyl fallout. Since they still won';t take blood donations from people who were there at the time thats gotta be some nasty shit.

[Count Arioch the 28th]

I'm honestly scared shitless about the Obama health plan. I'm not crazy that if you don't pay more money you have to pay a fine. Yeah I know that the government will subsidize poor people, but I don't trust the current government, it has proven that it doesn't give two shits about people like me.

Granted, I already have (shitty and useless) insurance. But I know a lot of people that can't afford even one more penny for stuff like this.

[PhoneLobster]

The only reason to be scared of the Obama health plan is if it fails to deliver a functional public option. (probably by virtue of some "bipartisan compromise" where the democrats agree to shoot their own plan in the nuts for no reason)

Because then it will be an exercise in doing nothing/wasting money that will burn political capital and simply delay the inevitable public health plan that must one day be enacted in America.

[Absentminded_Wizard]

This one's pretty laughable.

Russian Energy giant Gazprom has inadvertently walked into a racism row with the announcement of its joint venture in Nigeria - Nigaz.

[Crissa]

So far, Count, that doesn't exist. Also, effectively a fine is the same as paying for a plan.

-Crissa

[Lago PARANOIA]

Can I just say how happy I am that Michael Bolton or any of his other PNAC fuckers aren't in charge of shit right now?

'cause... dizzam.

[ckafrica]

Russian Energy giant Gazprom has inadvertently walked into a racism row with the announcement of its joint venture in Nigeria - Nigaz.

People making an issue of that. Things that sound offensive to us from other languages is not something to actually be offended by (assuming it doesn't have the same connotation in the original language).

I mean am I supposed to explain to the parents of my student, Phuc Mi Bich, why their daughter's name is inappropriate for my classroom?

[Count Arioch the 28th]

So far, Count, that doesn't exist. Also, effectively a fine is the same as paying for a plan.

-Crissa

Yeah, the p word is what I have issue with. I know too many people that literally don't have one penny more to spend on anything else. If the government makes them buy a plan, then they'll have to cut rent, food, or utilities.

[zeruslord]

So, Honduras. Everybody wants them to take back the president who was trying to remove constituational protections against dictatorship illegally and was removed from the country by the army under court orders. Seriously. This is also supposedly a military coup, even though the Congress decided to remove him from office. Basically, the problem is that the military kicked him out a few hours before the Honduran Congress voted on his removal. Just to reiterate: The world wants a president who was trying to set up a dictatorship with an unconstitutional referendum and was removed by constitutional processes back in charge. What the fuck, world?

[Username17]

No. The president was putting up a referendum before the people for voting that would allow him to stand for election to a second term. The military didn't like him and used that as an excuse to oust him from power. After soldiers rolled into the capital and pointed guns at everyone, congress passed a resolution in support of their new masters. It may as well have been called the "Please don't shoot me bill."

The supreme court of the country is on the coup's side, but that doesn't make the junta in the right. Nor does it make anything they've done legal. It just means the court system is so broken in Honduras that the courts aren't even pretending to be neutral about anything.

-Username17

[Crissa]

Actually, it's even more convoluted than that.

1. President suggests referendum to clean up the old constitution, which has lots of old coup-based language like 'no one is president for more than once,' and other things which put alot of power into those with cash over those with votes. The referendum nor the constitutional congress it addressed had any language about term limits or removing them written yet.
2. Army refuses 'illegal order' to pass out the elections forms (they've been printed up, and that's nominally the army's biggest job).
3. President fires head of Army for not following orders, and directs local mayors and civilians to take up holding the election.
4. Head of Army and Congress sue President for removing him without due cause.
5. Congress passes law saying referendums within 180 days of an election are illegal. (hence, this one, most of them, really).
6. Supreme Court declares the firing void, and reinstates the head of the Army.
7. Army breaks into Presidential palace, and dumps the President in Costa Rica. In his pajamas.
8. Army blocks all TV except the opposition party. They arrest those in the other national tv channel's hq.
9. We hear about it.
10. They install the next guy in the list as President.
11. Protests pop up. No one outside of Honduras approves of the coup. Hundreds of Hondurans with internet access 'support the protecting of democracy' by protesting reports that it's a coup.
12. Army blocks internet access and turns off cell phones.
13. President flew home yesterday, in Venezuelan airplane, with reporters from various networks, and speaking through the Venezuelan TV. Rest of South American leaders decide not to be on his airplane, and follow in their own.
14. Runway was blocked by troops, airplanes refused landing, military aircraft swarmed over the city after the plane flew away. Washington Post Thirty more people injured, conflicting reports on deaths today.

Oh, I also didn't point out that the military basically copped up to taking illegal action to support the opposing party.

-Crissa

[Absentminded_Wizard]

Russian Energy giant Gazprom has inadvertently walked into a racism row with the announcement of its joint venture in Nigeria - Nigaz.

People making an issue of that. Things that sound offensive to us from other languages is not something to actually be offended by (assuming it doesn't have the same connotation in the original language).

I mean am I supposed to explain to the parents of my student, Phuc Mi Bich, why their daughter's name is inappropriate for my classroom?

Well, technically the controversy is over how it looks, not how it sounds. The official pronunciation has a long i (as in Nigeria). And apparently, Nigerians have taken offense.

Now, I don't think this is the huge deal the complainers have made it out to be, but it does show Russia's amateurism at this international economic power thing. After a few decades, American companies are getting downright paranoid about anything that might sound offensive to another culture and tend to do their research to avoid these kinds of things.

Crissa: And the sad thing is that the internet is full of people condemning the ousted president (and Obama for supporting him; after all, he's taking the same position as Hugo Chavez [gasp]). Because conservatives only believe in the rule of law when their person wins under the rules as written.

[Koumei]

American companies are getting downright paranoid about anything that might sound offensive to another culture and tend to do their research to avoid these kinds of things.

But only American companies. After all, in Australia a company produced a detergent that can remove urine stains (useful for those with a small child or a pet cat), and called it "Piss Off", another Australian company made a brand of matches: Dick Smith was the company, they decided to parody Red Heads... they called them Dick Heads, and then there are those random car companies making the Pinto (translation: small penis), MR2 (em er du: it is shit) and the Pajero (translation: wanker).

So I'm pretty sure it's only the Land of Lawsuits where anyone pays attention to offensive company/product names.

[PhoneLobster]

America isn't that litigious, it's just a stupid myth. Piss Off would certainly, er, piss off the "moral majority" minority and the rest of their culture lets those idiots rule most of the roost (except for porn).

But I agree Australia has offensive brand names. Your examples are however petty and weak.

I give our American friends Australia's tastiest Coon Cheese

Yeah sure. We aren't the Apartheid South Africa of the South Atlantic. Noooooo...

[Neeeek]

America isn't that litigious, it's just a stupid myth.

It's not entirely a myth. Mostly because suing in the US is a lot more valuable if you win than in other countries, which usually have damage caps.

There was one case where an airline was willing to concede liability in a tort case if the plaintiffs would agree to have the trial under French law. That is to say, they were willing to grant themselves an automatic loss to avoid facing the level of damages that US courts might mete out.

[Koumei]

I thought America had caps for those - and very low ones so that sometimes people were injured and the cap prevented them from being paid enough compensation to actually cover hospitalisation?

And I forgot all about Coon Cheese - then again, that term being a racial slur was before my time, and not an Australian thing, so if someone called someone else a coon around me, I'd probably be like Forest Gump and assume they're talking about raccoons.