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Title: New Year's Eve Thread
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Published: Dec 31, 2007
Author: none
Post Date: 2007-12-31 14:14:52 by robin
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Views: 1055
Comments: 105
Poster Comment: And a digital Doomsday Clock 
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 26.
#1. To: robin, TwentyTwelve, christine, Zipporah, Wudidiz, Peppa, Indie Tx, Pinguinite, all (#0)
This is going to be a momentous year. It is also going to be a chaotic year with tumult and rumours running rife. However, I have a growing sense that we will come through in the end. It will still take a couple more years to sort out but I think this will be the year upon which the future pivots.
Although we post a lot of negative worst case scenarios on 4um, I am mindful of the importance of keeping a positive attitude. Like my paternal grandmother, who was born in Oregon Territory in 1888, and lived 99 years, every year lived in the present. She had an excellent memory but enjoyed this year's peach crop looking ahead to the annual deer hunt (she went deer hunting with her siblings into her 80s). Like most of her generation, she kept herself occupied with something productive everyday, attended church every week and never dwelt on past misfortunes.
That is the spirit which built this nation. It wasn't done by glum naysayers wallowing in self pitty. The attitude can be summed up thusly: "Deal with it!" My own paternal grandfather, who lived to within ten days of his 100th birthday, retired from farming at 85 - the same year he quit smoking. In his 90's he would walk 5 miles each day down to the Boat Dock to work on his boat, and snooze in the sun, and was active and aware till his final day. They were a staunch spirit those who built our West. We can't let them down now. UP THE UNIVERSE!
They also took care of each other O_I, barn-raisings, taking in their neighbor's orphaned children, etc. (of course medical care was very basic and not very costly - no expensive lab tests, hospital bills or meds; everyone lost a sibling to something and there were lots of widowers and widows).
Much of which demonstrates no need for a government to do those things since people can, and do, do them without coercion and force. As for the affects of medical "science", implied in your comment, the reality is that public health measures had a much greater impact upon childhood mortality and longevity. Children are the most susceptible as their immune systems are not yet fully developed. As well when you have 11 kids in a family, as my father's, your odds of losing a family member to accident or disease is much higher. (Out of 11 kids in my dad's family 10 lived long lives and most died in their 70's or later. He had one brother who died from Pneumonia at age 13.) It would be an interesting study to see the percentage of people who die from prescription medications versus mortality from disease in the 1880's. The link between clean water and sewage treatment to decreased infant, and adult, mortality from disease is a proven matter and the numbers are a matter of public record. The Great Cholera, and Typhus, Epidemic of England in the early 1800's was linked directly to drinking water contaminated with human waste i.e., wells were dug, sometimes only feet, from cesspits. When the drinking water supply was cleaned up, and sewer system built, the epidemic disappeared. Prescription medicines are not the panacea claimed by their advertising and PR people. When one actually looks at the background data other factors begin stepping out of the mix. Certainly anti-biotics have had a good effect, but there is no need for most of them to be only by prescription - in most countries other than the U.S. they are not. It is the Medical Monopoly in this country which has rigged the laws to profit from people's needs and wants. As well improvements in diet, greater knowledge of what constitutes a healthful diet, acts as a preventative for disease. So, while the AMA would like to take all the credit, and try to, they were a lesser factor than simple public health measures and improved diet.
I don't think physicians on average earn that much as compared to the cost of their education and training and long hours and liability. Consider how much secretaries were earning in dotcom days just for being employees in techie industry. Consider how much stock brokers were earning during the stock market investment heady days with a BA as their "qualification". Consider how much money mortgage loan associates were earning up until this summer - some of whom did not even have college degrees. Would you prefer that physicians earn salaries similar to that of Postal workers? MD's are the smartest professionals in society - some might say "arguably so" in light of Med Schools being forced to implement affirmative action to a certain degree with regards to the candidates they accept these days - but nonetheless generally speaking MD's are way up there in intellectual ability so why shouldn't they be earning good salaries? And I disagree with you about physicians profiting from pharmaceuticals. They prescribe generics whenever they can. Furthermore, medical research is too costly for government alone to support unless you want your taxes to be increased to astronomical levels - private industry off-sets the costs of some medical research but those companies are declared as being involved when findings are published in medical journals. I think of all professions, medicine is still one of the truly honorable ones left, but that's my personal opinion. Others might choose law,education, clergy, banking, engineering, I guess...
I'd choose veterinarians - especially large animal vets.
Yes, vets are honorable professionals - I respect vets as well as medical doctors. Getting into vet school is almost as competitive as getting into med school. Vet training in some ways is more challenging because vets need to be proficient in learning about the physiology and diseases that are associated with a number of different animals not just one mammal.
There are no replies to Comment # 26. End Trace Mode for Comment # 26.
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#5. To: Original_Intent (#1)
#7. To: robin (#5)
Like my paternal grandmother, who was born in Oregon Territory in 1888, and lived 99 years, every year lived in the present. She had an excellent memory but enjoyed this year's peach crop looking ahead to the annual deer hunt (she went deer hunting with her siblings into her 80s). Like most of her generation, she kept herself occupied with something productive everyday, attended church every week and never dwelt on past misfortunes.
#14. To: Original_Intent (#7)
#16. To: robin (#14)
They also took care of each other O_I, barn-raisings, taking in their neighbor's orphaned children, etc. (of course medical care was very basic and not very costly - no expensive lab tests, hospital bills or meds; everyone lost a sibling to something and there were lots of widowers and widows).
#24. To: Original_Intent (#16)
(Edited)
It is the Medical Monopoly in this country which has rigged the laws to profit from people's needs and wants.
#25. To: scrapper2 (#24)
Others might choose law,education, clergy, banking, engineering, I guess...
#26. To: lodwick (#25)
I'd choose veterinarians - especially large animal vets.
Replies to Comment # 26.