That must be kind of nice.

So you are using the sun to tell the time?

The time to eat is when I am hungry, usually the same times each day.
The time to do whatever I want is any other time.
It is very nice to do whatever I want whenever I want. (Like a king?)

 

King of your own time!

I'm only king of my castle, not my time....

 

Here, in Greece, the health care system is generally free in public hospitals. Routine examinations are practically free for any employed person and his children. Emergency cases are treated immediately as far as I know. Scheduled examinations may be set several days or weeks in the future, due to lacks to the system.

However, if you want to choose a specific doctor for an operation, because of his reputation, you might have to tip him extra, a lot more extra. Government is trying to battle this trait of the system for some years now.

Bureaucracy is also a pain, as you have to declare by legal forms all your examinations and medicine in order to be refunded for them, which can be very time consuming.

Recently the doctors have gone on strike in response to government's new measures and laws and a general strike is on effect the last month or so. Appointments have been postponed many months back.

 

What really surprises me is that so many people consider their medical care a commodity, but their beer is not.

Get real.

John

 

Is that a plea for public beer distribution stands or the other way around? I didn't quite get that.

 

I assume you have free choice of beer. Why shouldn't you have free choice of doctors? For which is the choice more important?

John

 

I assume you have free choice of beer. Why shouldn't you have free choice of doctors? For which is the choice more important?

Have you ever seen a beer company that says it will sell its beer only to existing customers?
When doctors get too busy then they can refuse to see new patients. New patients can find "new" doctors who are straight out of medical school or visit a local clinic or the emergency department of a local hospital. The medical beaurocracy has a phone number to call where they recommend local doctors.

 

I don't think that choosing one doctor over another should be even thought about. All governmental workers should be equally efficient. But unfortunately man is all but consistent.

It could be enough for them all to have a minimum level of proficiency, but in the matter of health, no patient is going to settle for good if he can afford better.

And there the laws of the market kick in...

 

Have you ever seen a beer company that says it will sell its beer only to existing customers?
When doctors get too busy then they can refuse to see new patients. New patients can find "new" doctors who are straight out of medical school or visit a local clinic or the emergency department of a local hospital. The medical beaurocracy has a phone number to call where they recommend local doctors.

And here you were just bragging about how great Canadian healthcare was. That is what you wanted, what you voted for, and what you have. As the adage goes, be careful what you ask for, you may get it. Many Canadians come to the US when they are really sick. They know what their lives are worth.

John

 

Have you ever seen a beer company that says it will sell its beer only to existing customers?
When doctors get too busy then they can refuse to see new patients. New patients can find "new" doctors who are straight out of medical school or visit a local clinic or the emergency department of a local hospital. The medical beaurocracy has a phone number to call where they recommend local doctors.

I personally commend the above practice. It gives senior doctors a breather and new doctors a chance to work. Let alone the increase in the availability of doctors.

 

I don't think that choosing one doctor over another should be even thought about. All governmental workers should be equally efficient. But unfortunately man is all but consistent.

It could be enough for them all to have a minimum level of proficiency, but in the matter of health, no patient is going to settle for good if he can afford better.

And there the laws of the market kick in...

Here is what a great leader of the Western world said:

Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.

I don't particularly care about other countries having socialistic, bankrupt, and dysfunctional governments. If that is what the people want, fine.

I do care about exporting such misery to my country. Oh, least someone misunderstand, I support open, legal immigration to the US. I have helped and sponsored many people to come here.

John

 

People straight off the boat might have trouble finding a doctor in Canada. Usually they are not citizens so are not covered by government medical care (but refugees are covered the moment they arrive here and get free hotel accomodation and restaurant meals for years) so doctors are hesitant about treating them without guaranteed payment. A doctor from their own country can be recommended.

Young citizens who have never seen a doctor before might have trouble finding one. Usually their family or friends can recommend their own doctor.

 

Immigration... I say we kick all the illegal aliens out, and build a giant wall. I don't care if they want to be here, I care that they don't do it the legal way. If they become citizens then I have no problems with them.

 

Better build deep, Those tunnels will go even deeper.

Big money involved here.

 

A real government in Mexico would solve that problem.

Speaking of snow, we had lots of ice and about 2" snow last night. I had to scrape my dish to get online.

 

By request, here is Google Earth of the Elbo Room in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. If you need to ask what is its significance, you aren't on Social Security. Future requests from the Phantom will require a credit card and two forms of identification.

John

 

Thankfully snow here should be gone now as spring is approaching! Flowers are blooming!

 

In Minnesota, that can only mean one thing. Winter is only 3 months away.

John

 

In Indiana, we know its spring when the snow turns to mud.

 

It is Spring in my part of Canada. The trees have buds and there are green things popping up in my gardens. My solar garden lights glow longer each night.
The squirrels and birds are "doing it".
But it snowed yesterday and today it is still melting.

I went to the park the other day and flew my electric RC airplanes for the first time this Year. But none of my friends were there.