I'm sorry people who you have liked in the past have turned out to be jerks today, Tep. That's always a slap in the face. But, yeah, not your responsibility.

I'm amazed that people really feel they have that much power over their health.

and it's not worth my peace of mind.

They are not. We all know the countless reasons that they are wrongheaded. They aren't going to change. Believe and know that the majority aren't that way, or at least surround yourself with the people worthy of your time and attention. I hope you have the option of not spending time with these two.

I think ER work can exacerbate these selfish tendencies in the people who work in them. My SiL has worked in several ERs in her career and she was shocked by how many of the people they saw each day were not "sick." They were addicts looking for drugs or drunk drivers or people who'd done stupid stuff like drunk-racing ATVs. Luckily, she was able to separate the day-to-day experience from the larger health care picture, but she said that it got hard after the 10th day in a row of being screamed at, attacked and/or vomited on by drunk people.

She said it was disillusioning to go into the work to save lives and spend most of your time wrangling people who had caused their own problems. Her husband, by the way, is a recovering addict, so she has a lot of belief in rehab etc, but the people she said clogged their waiting rooms were often not addicts--just idiots.

I think ER work can exacerbate these selfish tendencies in the people who work in them. My SiL has worked in several ERs in her career and she was shocked by how many of the people they saw each day were not "sick." They were addicts looking for drugs

Yeah, I do understand that. But he doesn't want to separate that -- which is its own problem (drug-seekers) -- from people who don't have health insurance and can't afford to just go to the doctor when sick who then have no other choice but to use the ER as their only healthcare provider.

If preventive care were affordable (or free) for everyone, it would greatly reduce the numbers of people who use the ER as their only healthcare provider.

And I realize I'm preaching to the choir; I just can't stop thinking about it.

Charge higher premiums on people who "make bad choices"? How many alcoholic drinks per week can someone have before their premiun goes up because they're creating a higher risk for cirrhosis? What if they have a genetic/familial tendency to alcoholism? Then can they drink any alcohol, or does their premium go up if they take one drink, ever?

The Boy brought up the point that such nonsense would be a MASSIVE violation of privacy.

What about people who play sports? They have much higher risk of -- depending on the sport -- torn ACLs, traumatic brain injury, broken bones -- should they pay higher premiums? Or are certain sports exempt?

What about women? They're more likely to have complications of pregnancy (versus men), so clearly the possession of a uterus -- even if you NEVER GODDAMN USE IT -- should mean you pay a higher premium?

And fuck all those children who get cancer or severe asthma -- you KNOW how kids just get into all sorts of shit and bring their potentially fatal diseases on themselves.

My doctor "friend" is a gay man. I hope he's paying a higher premium because he's in the largest at-risk group to get infected with HIV.

What the fucking fuck, you know? I'm so goddamned angry.

Yeah, the guy's a dick. I think it's sad that ER work can add fuel to dickishness.

Ass 'em in the ear, Tep.

Speaking of assing people in the ear...

The case of a giant Mylar balloon, which ascended into the sky late last week amid fears a 6-year-old boy was aboard, has been determined to be a "hoax" and a "publicity stunt," Larimer County, Colorado, Sheriff Jim Alderden said Sunday.

The family of the Fort Collins boy, Falcon Heene, engineered the incident in order to better market themselves for a reality television show, Alderden told reporters at a news conference.

[link]

Americans have been brainwashed, Tep. This is the only explanation I can come up with.

Americans have been brainwashed, Tep. This is the only explanation I can come up with.

My best friend's fiance (the other overweight person who got a pointed look when Doctor was suggesting higher premiums for our "poor choices") is a fierce liberal, and the only thing he asked Doctor and Other Shitbag Friend was, "If a free-market healthcare system is so ideal and is the only way to have a good healthcare system, why have NO OTHER INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS DONE IT?"

I hugged him, said, "I love you and I'm thrilled you're marrying my best friend," promised to discuss Anathem with him later, and then The Boy and I left before I started getting physically violent with the other 2 shitbags.