PlaceboStudman's Comments (3454)

“PlaceboStudman: People need to start judging people for who we ARE, not who their preconceived notions expect us to be.

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You're asking the impossible. It's a fact of human nature that we all judge people, places and things based on what we've known from the past. It's one of the traits that defines intelligence - and not just human intelligence, either.

Here's a basic truth: If you ask/demand the impossible from others, you're going to be continually disappointed, annoyed, or frustrated because the world isn't living up to your expectations.

On the other hand, if you expect people to react in predictable ways and they do - then you can come up with any number of creative strategies to modify their judgements when it is important to you, without getting all bent out of shape.

See the post by thinkingwomanmillstone above for a good example of someone doing this.”

“"How can I not despise people who intentionally put their health on the line for the sake of entertainment, while others have real legitimate diseases and disabilities they have no control over?"

Its called living a rich full life. Otherwise we should all just stay home and hunker down. Sounds like you have quite a chip on your shoulder.”

“yo, placebo, where does your congressman stand on the reform issue?”

“You lose credibility and an audience when you resort to such ridiculous hyperbole.

People do not see doctors for every bump, bruise, scrape and pimple. We don't consider it fun, entertaining, gratifying and it's not because we're lazy, lethargic or any other imaginary adjective you have conjured up and assigned to people who have insurance so they aren't driven to financial ruin. Most people avoid doctors even when insured because it is not at all a pleasant or entertaining way to spend one's time in a doctor's office. We go when we're sick and injured and it's usually unpleasant. Not sure why you would so clearly despise people for this.

The "recreational" procedures like botox, collagen, etc. you are constantly bandying about are paid out of pocket, not by insurers, are not seen as rights by anyone, and don't really belong in a dicussion about improving basic health care access and cost controls for Americans who, unlike in other sane and humane countries, frequently go bankrupt and lose everything they have from they or a family member becoming sick or injured. Your rants about the exaggerated negative qualities of all Americans who have insurance or see a doctor, seem hateful, out of place and self absorbed.”

“How do you substantiate your statements.”

“I think the trick is to lead by example. What else can you do? Over time, it makes a difference. In my lifetime, I have seen vegetarianism go from marginalized freakishness to mainstream in little more than 20 years. There is a massive food industrial complex pushing back against us, but that shouldn't deter anyone. Do what you can, and a few will follow.”

“We all die. We all have to face it albeit at differing times. We all deal with it differently. One of my favorite Tshirts is Eat Right, Exercise, Die Anyway. Just a reminder to myself that all the health food, all the exercise, all the plastic surgery in the world cannot stave off the inevitable.”

“I never have had anything at all, to lose or to keep, everything is borrowed from the elements, none of it is "mine", that is just a lie that many people believe. My body is not mine, my life is not mine, my next breath is not mine, what IS mine? The ability to be aware and to respond. Freedom is recognizing that all of this is a passing show, not "real" not "mine" and not at all built to last. But of course you can still claim ownership and so create loss and suffering, that is a valid choice, it is all up to you, but that still dosn't change the reality that there is nothing to lose.”

““Nobody gets out of here alive”

Jim Morrison”

“You are missing the forest for the trees. You are asking for the state to grant the right to same sex marriage. I believe the state should have no influence regarding consensual marriage regardless of sexual orientation.

All that marriage should require is a vow between two consenting adults.

It's a travesty that my wife and I had to obtain a license to be a legally married couple.

Essentially those of alternate sexual orientation are groveling at the feet of our "statesmen" to be granted rights with which they were born. These statesmen have suckered you into to believing that they are doing you a favor.

This is analogous to you being emphatically grateful for one's generosity after he steals your car and then returns it to you a year later unscathed.

You are being pandered my friend.

I say hands off my marriage and everyone else's!!!”

“There is a lot of R and D going on much of it.......drum roll.......on vaccines to prevent?/cure?/slow down ALS.

Oops.”

“Good morning HuffPo commenter with a really interesting screen name. It's not callous. I think it's only in the last few years that people really caught on that sick = broke. But in today's world which monstrous expense do you prepare for first? College for the kids? Jim and Peg were fortunate to have had their kids early, so that when Jim took ill they were out of college. Aging parents? That can take its toll. A sick child of your own? Autism got us but good. Unemployment? Been there, Three times. Bye bye nest egg.

Getting sick shouldn't make death a preferable relief. No widow or widower should have to hear, "Well, at least he died before they spent everything."

Thanks for commenting.”

“Mr. Placebo, Have you ever had cancer? do you have a medical degree?”

“We should be funding more R&D through the NIH. If so much money weren't being wasted on insurers' profits, they could also fund some R&D by assessing a small fee as part of every hospital bill (as they fund legal research, indigent representation and other things through court costs paid by users of the court system).”

“Placebostudman: You have a very bright brain & I may not be
able to debate this issue with you intelligently.......BUT, I have
the PO envisioned as the bare bones skeleton (kinda like a
coat rack) onto which everything else hangs (electronic records;
waste-chasing; covering millions more; etc). It will be an astoundingly sea change from our current system (if you can even call this oligopy a system) and allow for all sorts of much-
needed change to occur. To me, using your analogy, the PO
IS THE CREDIT CARD which, if you don't have one (which is
accepted), you can't even go to a restaurant! With the incredible
amount of huge problems the US faces, everything simply cannot be tackled and resolved all at once. The PO will
provide the paradigm or structure needed in order to tackle
other health care issues.”

“Placebostudman(interesting user name, BTW): I appreciate
your non-defensive response - good for you! My feedback to
you was given in the hopes that it might broaden your view.
As to your "other facet" concerns, they're all legitimate BUT we've
simply got to get a basic PO in place & in play before we can
reasonably tackle the "other facets"!”

“you're fighting a loosing battle if you think that is possible. Human nature will never change.”

“I sympathize with your situation--what is happening to you isn't right. If half the money doled out to insurance execs were spent on research, they might have developed treatments with fewer bad side effects and maybe even treatments that produce better results.

This is a problem that has invaded our entire economy--siphoning off profits as giveaways to the top execs while research and development, not to mention the innovation that can come from direct involvement in the manufacturing process, are totally neglected. Lots of money for a few execs, crap for everyone else.”