Author: Eric Robertson

Labels: current press, misc.

Labels: current press, physical therapy, sports

The New York Times Magazine had a piece right up my alley. Darwin’s God.

I like to read and participate in debates that include both spirituality and science. I really like evolution. This is a really good read, but make some coffee, its a little long!

Bonus Points for anyone who can leave a comment that can answer these two questions about the late evolutionist, Stephen Jay Gould:

1. What was his favorite sport?
2. What is the name of his Theory of Evolution? (Important as we now consider that theory and not Darwin’s to be how things really work.)

Labels: evolution, misc.

Today’s New York Times had this article about Eliot Spitzer:

Health Care Lobby Is Served Bagels and a Scolding From the Governor – New York Times

The low-down for non-readers: The governor called out 2 leaders of very powerful health care lobbies in New York, unexpectedly, during a conference at which he was speaking. The leaders who were in attendance, were “stunned” as the governor served up a slide with their logos entitled, “Guardians of the Status Quo.”

These two companies are largely credited with running ads responsible for driving down Pataki’s approval ratings before he left office when he attempted reform of the medical system. Now, here they are running even more personally attacking ads to suggest Spitzer is no good. “I don’t understand why Gov. Spitzer is attacking me and my hospital,” proclaims one of the ads. Perhaps the nurses in these ads could take up that question with one of the doctors who work there, or better yet, one of the CEOs of these non-profit facilities making over $20 million a year!

These unions/lobbies exist to preserve large amounts of spending in the health sector and have no interest in reform of the system. The NYT article has some pretty staggering stats about how much cash these lobbies have hold of.

Kudos, Eliot Spitzer, for a bold move. You’re growing on me.

Labels: current press, health policy

This article in the New York Times suggests most Americans are willing to pay some more taxes for the promise of free healthcare, as much as $500 more.

Let’s think about this…

• premiums for most health policies are well over $500 a month.
• The cost of Healthcare will not be dropping any time soon.
• Of course Americans are in favor of guaranteed anything!
• Will $500 more in taxes actually pay for anything…an MRI costs $800!

This survey is simply stating the obvious. Especially taking into account my previous post on science illiteracy, how can Americans truly know what they want if they can understand the media reports about it? This doesn’t look good as we roll upon a new election cycle in which healthcare reform “ranked far more important than immigration, cutting taxes or promoting traditional values.”

Labels: current press, health policy

Labels: evolution

This article in Health Affairs, estimates that national spending on health care will grow in the next 10 years to a level for which it will account for 20 cents of every $1 spent.

If you make $60,000, then you will spend $12,000 on healthcare.

I spent less than $100 on health care in 2006.

I lived.

Perhaps my knowledge of Physical Therapy has something to do with this.

Perhaps PT’s need to market their services better and everyone will save $$.

P.S. Currently, we spend $1 for every $6 on health care….

Labels: current press, health policy, physical therapy

In my Shared Items list you will find a blog entry, “Chiropractors Named in Jim Black Case.” This article outlines the details of the case.

Here is the deal: Three chiros payed $$ to a legislator in NC for the passage of 3 initiatives. One of the three passed, to allow lower co-pays for chiropractic services. It is now law.

The legislator is in big trouble, but the chiros are off the hook. They cooperated.

To me, they are just as dirty. Perhaps the bad press will hurt them, but perhaps not.

Drives me Crazy!

ILLICIT CASH
Court documents on Tuesday detailed illegal payments fromthree chiropractors to Jim Black:
Fletcher KeithCharlotte: Gave $8,000
Steve WillenGreensboro: Gave $11,000
Tom Brown,Charlotte: Gave $10,000

(Tom Brown served on the NC Board of Chiropractic Examiners until yesterday)

Labels: current press, health policy

Here is an interesting situation. The Japanese whaling ship, Nisshin Maru, located just off the coast of Antartcica has a fire on board. The ship is disabled and carrying a lot of fuel. They fire is continuing to burn, and could ultimately purge its fuel oil out into the pristine arctic sea, the breeding ground for whales and over 100,000 penguins. The ever-knowledgeable Wikipedia site can tell you about the area where the ship is disabled.

Not by chance, the Greenpeace vessel, Esperanza was nearby. In fact, they had been searching for the Nisshin Maru in an attempt to harass it. Now, they can help it. I’m sure they will be happy to tow it all the way to an angry mob of Greenpeacers ready to do some spearing of their own!

This, just 3 days after Japan threatened to pull out of an anti-whaling treaty and resume full-scale, commercial whaling for profit. In making the situation more complicated, Japan has issued a refusal of help from the Greenpeace vessel, because they are “terrorists.” The images above show both Greenpeace’s fanatical and dangerous tactics to block the catch of a whale, and an oddly placed English sign, “Greenpeace misleads you.”

The actual threat of imminent oil leakage is debatable and as of this post, some reports have suggested the ship is contained and being towed by support vessels. These reports came from Japan.

Here is what I know:

• Don’t trust people who resort to fanatical tactics.
• Don’t like people who kill whales.
• Those penguins have no idea what’s happening.

Labels: current press, environment, misc.