patrick.net

Zlxr says

Anything over $40,000 is really good wages to people in the 3rd world countries. It’s pretty hard for many to understand that it’s peanuts over here in CA.

they dont come here, we go there...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_tourism

A forecast by Deloitte Consulting published in August 2008 projected that medical tourism originating in the US could jump by a factor of ten over the next decade. An estimated 750,000 Americans went abroad for health care in 2007, and the report estimated that a million and a half would seek health care outside the US in 2008. The growth in medical tourism has the potential to cost US health care providers billions of dollars in lost revenue.[9]

A large draw to medical travel is convenience and speed. Countries that operate public health-care systems are often so taxed that it can take considerable time to get non-urgent medical care. Using Canada as an example, an estimated 782,936 Canadians spent time on medical waiting lists in 2005, waiting an average of 9.4 weeks.[10] Canada has set waiting-time benchmarks, e. g. 26 weeks for a hip replacement and 16 weeks for cataract surgery, for non-urgent medical procedures.[11]

Additionally, patients are finding that insurance either does not cover orthopedic surgery (such as knee/hip replacement) or imposes unreasonable restrictions on the choice of the facility, surgeon, or prosthetics to be used. Medical tourism for knee/hip replacements has emerged as one of the more widely accepted procedures because of the lower cost and minimal difficulties associated with the traveling to/from the surgery. Colombia provides a knee replacement for about $5,000 USD, including all associated fees, such as FDA-approved prosthetics and hospital stay-over expenses. However, many clinics quote prices that are not all inclusive and include only the surgeon fees associated with the procedure.[12]

According to an article by the University of Delaware publication, UDaily:

“ The cost of surgery in India, Thailand or South Africa can be one-tenth of what it is in the United States or Western Europe, and sometimes even less. A heart-valve replacement that would cost $200,000 or more in the US, for example, goes for $10,000 in India--and that includes round-trip airfare and a brief vacation package. Similarly, a metal-free dental bridge worth $5,500 in the US costs $500 in India, a knee replacement in Thailand with six days of physical therapy costs about one-fifth of what it would in the States, and Lasik eye surgery worth $3,700 in the US is available in many other countries for only $730. Cosmetic surgery savings are even greater: A full facelift that would cost $20,000 in the US runs about $1,250 in South Africa.[12]

Sure, medical tourism abounds. But I've personally witnessed several infections that caused debilitating and embarrassing results due to people going to other countries for less expensive treatment. If our medical care was less expensive, people wouldn't have to go through this. Only one of the people had elective plastic surgery (lipo), the other three had "elective" surgeries such as knee replacements.

One of them nearly lost their leg and ended up filing bankruptcy anyway.

Troy says

You LOL Jerry Brown but he’s pretty libertarian actually. My kind of liberal: a pragmatist and an empiricist.

I can hear strains of "Desperado" by Linda Ronstadt in the background. Where are those leisure suits and bell bottom pants when you need them? Nothing like a trip back to the future. Go Jerry Go!

thomas.wong1986 says

All this hype (hot bed of innovation) started back post 2000 as VC (salespeople for capital) started to fan the flames so investors would pour more of their savings into Tech/SV. Frankly it hasnt worked well for them lately. Where was this hype back in the 80s and 90s… there was none! Many simply ignored us and we done well because of low expectations. With this hype comes high expectations
in a region known for high failure rate.
The hype we see today will eventually fual another round of fraud just to meet the inflated expectations of a few people to save their VC wealth. It will not be pretty.

This is true. VC are salespeople that create spin. The strategy is this: if a stock price climbs because other investors believe, that is good enough.

It is also true with CA real estate.

Can someone please explain to me the significance of spelling California with a "K"? Is the implication that California is racist (KKK) and hence doomed?

NJ says

Can someone please explain to me the significance of spelling California with a “K”? Is the implication that California is racist (KKK) and hence doomed?

Depending upon the tenor of the thread, California is either a communist regime or an extension of Mexico at the expense of WASPs.

It's difficult for people to spell "Mexifornia" with a "k".

Damn, I'm klever! tee hee hee

NJ says

Can someone please explain to me the significance of spelling California with a “K”?

Калифорния

Yep, times are hard here in "The Valley". The things people will do to maintain their lifestyle and "appearances".

On page 3B of this morning's SJ Mercury News:

"A former bank manager has been charged with embezzling from elderly customers, possibly cheating them out of more than $900,000. John Tran faces charged including theft from an elder, grand theft and forgery, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office."

"Tran was manager of the Wells Fargo Bank branch on Lincoln Avenue in San Jose from March 2009 to February 2009...."

"Prosecutors allege Tran also forged signatures, including of customers who had recently died, and drained their accounts."

"Tran was arrested Wednesday. Anyone with information about the suspected crimes may call detective Leonard Lim of the San Jose Police Department's financial crimes division at 408-277.4521".

And you thought your deposits were "safe" because of FDIC insurance.

I lived in Georgia for 40 years and it’s dysfunctions are numerous.

The question is, WHY?

A girl? A job? Family? A favorite eatery?

BEIJING (AP) -- China plans to bid for contracts to build U.S. high-speed train lines and is stepping up exports of rail technology to Europe and Latin America, a government official said Saturday.

China has built 4,000 miles (6,500 kilometers) of high-speed rail for its own train system and President Barack Obama issued a pledge in November with his Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao, to cooperate in developing the technology.

"We are organizing relevant companies to participate in bidding for U.S. high-speed railways," Wang Zhiguo, a deputy railways minister, told a news conference.

Wang gave no details of where China's railway builders might seek contracts, but systems are planned in California, Florida and Illinois. He said state-owned Chinese companies already are building high-speed lines in Turkey and Venezuela.

^ we went to the moon in the 60s but can't build a f---ing train anymore?

Republicans FTL, though the Dems haven't covered themselves in glory on this topic, either.

^ That's right. When it comes to high speed electro magnetic leviation train, Germany(ICE) and France(TGV) has developed the technology. South Korea, Japan and China adapted the technology from them, then modified it to their own way. US didn't spend a dime for that, thus US can't f---king build it.

But why china?

Someone who's behind this story is GE. China has a plan to build 40 or so nuclear reactors in near future, and GE want that project. France, South Korea, Japan, Russia and USA is possible candidate for the project, and as the weakest contender, USA can't stand a chance on that over those countries without cutting a chunky deal or two with chinese government.

Ok, that's about it for now.

You guys go back to the topic and discuss ahead.

seaside says

Someone who’s behind this story is GE. China has a plan to build 40 or so nuclear reactors in near future, and GE want that project. France, South Korea, Japan, Russia and USA is possible candidate for the project, and as the weakest contender, USA can’t stand a chance on that over those countries without cutting a chunky deal or two with chinese government.

I think Westinghouse (owned by Japanese) already has many Chinese contracts for Nuclear plants.