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A thought about Health Care

Everybody talks about how to pay for health care.  Nobody seems to be saying much about reducing the cost of health care. 

Why do doctors charge so much.  Two reasons and they are related.  Lawsuits where plaintiffs are awarded millions of dollars in so called damages.  These lawsuits result in higher malpractice premiums.  In order to protect themselves against lawsuits, doctors order extra diagnostic tests which may not really be necessary.  Now the premium for the patients medical insurance goes up because of the cost of the extra testing.

Finally, it’s back to the excessive awards from jurors who have no earthly idea the difference between a hemostat and a thermostat.  They listen to the tear jerking arguments of the plaintiff’s lawyers, and feel sorry for the patient and believe nobody is being hurt because “the doctor is covered by insurance”

An interesting suggestion that I heard of just today, is to create a separate court system specializing in medical malpractice.  Just as courts specialize in Juvenile offenses, divorces, bankruptcies, and others, these medical courts could be in a position to make more educated and less emotional decisions protecting both the doctors, as well as those patients who have been legitimately harmed.

This is not a be all, end all soulution.  There are other issues that need to be addressed, but  medical malpractice courts could go a long way to reducing the costs of health care with little cost to the government (meaning you and me).

 

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Last Updated ( Saturday, 31 October 2009 19:06 )

 

Best Man Speeches

Best Man Speech

You are in a position of honor. Your close friend is assuming the position and he needs your help. He has asked you to be his "best man", to stand by his side and support him through his last act as a free man. You relish your thoughts of all the fun aspects of your job; you get to help coordinate a stag party, ok, so maybe that's the extent of the fun parts. Still you want to help your old buddy make as cool and smooth transition to the other side as possible; you want to be the best best man you can be. You're going to have to make a speech, a verbal representation of good times past, current times observed in a promising light, and words of ominous wisdom pertaining to the future of the newly linked couple.

Let's break this speech thing down into some workable components. You need to first embrace the fact that as the deliverer of a speech, you need to project not only your voice, but others projectiles like enthusiasm, positivism, confidence, and an entertaining sense of composure. I know it sounds like a lot. Don't worry; we have a plan to bring you through to the successful side of this speech writing/delivery.

The most important component of your speech is not the words you choose to deliver, it is how you present them to your audience. Think about it, you know that the last thing that they want to endure is a long winded, non-personally relevant, over-mushy, big bag of wind. They want entertainment. They want lighthearted laughter. They want it to be over relatively soon so that the celebration can continue. So there is your first lesson. In a nutshell: Be confident; speak up; smile a lot; don't belabor your points. These aspects of delivery will make even a poorly written speech flow easier thereby enhancing the undercurrent of the whole ceremony.

You are going to need to at least write a flowchart to have in front of your eyes to keep you on task. Don't make the mistake of thinking you'll be able to fake your way through it. Most people are not fluent public speakers. This has nothing to do with you; it's just that public speaking, sometimes especially in front of friends and acquaintances who you would think you'd be at ease in front of, makes people nervous. Without some notes for reference, speechmakers commonly will draw a blank at the crucial moment of deliverance. Although the friendly crowd won't judge you for a poor performance, in retrospect you will wish that you had shined when the focus was on you. You will want to flow like a pro, making all wonder how you pulled off such an orchestrated masterpiece.

As for the content, that is where you are the expert already. Remember that you got this job because of your knowledge. You know the groom. You probably know him better than his new wife (mostly), especially if you have been friends for an extended period of time. Use your knowledge to bring out the lighter side of life. Keep topics non-offensive and lighthearted for the most part. It is expected and would be a letdown to the crowd if you did not do at least a little grilling. Poke some borderline, yet still clean, fun at the groom and whoever else may be present as a target of your room-captivating speech. Spontaneity is a beautiful thing as well. If you draw a blank, just take a breath and tell a little story that nobody but you and the groom would know. The audience will appreciate being made to feel like insiders, and you will be remembered as the best man who knew how to lay it down like a breeze through the trees. Salute!

Author Bio
Frankie writes for Eclipse Leisure

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Last Updated ( Sunday, 03 May 2009 08:24 )

 

Was it a bow?

On his recent trip President Obama is seen in what appears to be a bow to the King of Saudi Arabia.  There is much controversary over this action.  If it was, indeed, a bow, was it simply a display of respect to a head of state?  If so, why didn't he bow to the Queen of England, or other heads of state.

Another theory presented by the White House Staff, is that because he is taller than the King, he had to bend down to shake hands.  This author has a young grandson who is much shorter that himself.  If his arms are long enough for the 5'9'' man to shake with the 4' child without bending, then what is the President's excuse?

It is the opinion of Richmond Speaks, that this is simply another show of disrespect for America by demonstrating subservance to a foreign entity.

If only we can survive the next 4 years.  As someone once said, "...we had to endure 4 years of Carter before we got to Reagan."

 

Last Updated ( Saturday, 11 April 2009 12:46 )

 

Richmond Tea Party

A revival of a 1773 event leading up to the American Revolution is taking place this week in Richmond as well as in cities around the country.  In Colonial days the King of England placed a tax on tea, and the Colonist objected because they believed that it violated their constitutional right to be taxed onlyu by their own elected representatives.

The difference between 1773 and 2009 is the fact that Americans are objecting to taxes enacted by their legally elected representatives. Will this modern demonstration be nothing more than a tea party, or will it be a real eye opener to our elected officials.  One can only hope that it's the latter.

The Richmond Tea Party will be held at Kanawa Plaza on Wednesday, April 15 (tax day) at 6:00 PM and will feature speechs and entertainment by local and national celebrities.

Richmond Speaks encourages every Richmonder to participate in this event ONLY if you object to the direction our leaders are taking our country.  If you believe that the Obama Administration is on the right track, you should speak out and express your support.

Last Updated ( Monday, 13 April 2009 16:35 )

 

Career Changes for Baby Boomers: Ability, Not Age, Matters

Career Changes for Baby Boomers: Ability, Not Age, Matters

Baby boomers. They're the generation born between 1946 and 1964. They came of age in the early 70s and early 80s. They're the generation that made changes and waves, worked harder and longer, put off marriage and children, did things differently than previous generations.

Whether because of financial necessity or because they have something to offer, baby boomers are staying in the workforce longer. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and projections indicate that by 2010 there should be 18.5 million boomers ages 45 to 49 in the labor force, as compared to 14.7 in 1995, and 16.8 million versus 10.6 million in the 50- to 54-years-old range.

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