[Whisperzzzzzzz]

Norovirus. Out both ends. This sucks.

[Lady Bliss]

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 28 May 2024 - 09:42 AM, said:

Norovirus. Out both ends. This sucks.

That blows.

[Cause]

South African election tomorrow. The corrupt ruling ANC is finally expected to fall below the 50% majority level weakening their power. This was always seen as a good thing that would force them to make concessions and perhaps end cronyism deployments in the civil service.

However over the years as they have ejected rebellious ANC party members whose corruption was too obvious to pretend didn’t exist or who wanted to rise higher above their turn to access more lucrative corruption these members have created splinter parties whose percentage of the vote is expected to be significant. The only room for these parties was also to be more radical than the ANC. So the economic freedom fighters for example want to expropriate all land in the country and dole it out as they see fit to tradional leaders etc while the Umkhonte we size party is lead by the ANC and countires formers president who was so corrupt the ANC forced him to step down when he fired the finance minister who said no to his corrupt deal for 8 trillion Rands worth of nuclear power plants by Russia. The countries entire GDP is 1 trillion a year. His party wants to nationalize the land, the banks, insurance companies and provide a government job or subsidiary worth 5000 Rand to every unemployed person in the country. South Africa has unemployment of 40%.

The ANC meanwhile in a last bid effort to attract votes has promised to implement a national health care plan called the NHI. SA has always has two tiered healthcare. You can access free emergency life saving treatment at government hospitals for free but there is also the option to pay for private medical insurance and receive treatment at higher cost at private hospitals. The government plan is to slowly over five years make private care illegal. Each year they will announce more and more procedures which can only be accessed through the government scheme and once those treatments are announced private insurance can no longer offer it. The government will price control all procedures; and determine where doctors must work. I’m not an expert in the plan but given the governments 30 year track record they will canabilize private health care to ultimately no benefit to the government system which will become a new source for lucrative corruption but they will end up destroying private healthcare and I imagine every doctor who can will
Immigrate rather than potentially be forced to move cities and take a dramatic cut in pay. It’s being challenged in court already but the short sighted thinking is frightening in itself.

I have not lived in SA for almost 5 years and I left to search for a better future. I always thought SA could turn itself around if it fought for it. Now I’m more pessimistic than ever. The government even after 30 years concerns itself only with staying in power and its servants concern themselves only with enriching themselves.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Cause, on 28 May 2024 - 05:13 PM, said:

South African election tomorrow. The corrupt ruling ANC is finally expected to fall below the 50% majority level weakening their power. This was always seen as a good thing that would force them to make concessions and perhaps end cronyism deployments in the civil service.

However over the years as they have ejected rebellious ANC party members whose corruption was too obvious to pretend didn't exist or who wanted to rise higher above their turn to access more lucrative corruption these members have created splinter parties whose percentage of the vote is expected to be significant. The only room for these parties was also to be more radical than the ANC. So the economic freedom fighters for example want to expropriate all land in the country and dole it out as they see fit to tradional leaders etc while the Umkhonte we size party is lead by the ANC and countires formers president who was so corrupt the ANC forced him to step down when he fired the finance minister who said no to his corrupt deal for 8 trillion Rands worth of nuclear power plants by Russia. The countries entire GDP is 1 trillion a year. His party wants to nationalize the land, the banks, insurance companies and provide a government job or subsidiary worth 5000 Rand to every unemployed person in the country. South Africa has unemployment of 40%.

The ANC meanwhile in a last bid effort to attract votes has promised to implement a national health care plan called the NHI. SA has always has two tiered healthcare. You can access free emergency life saving treatment at government hospitals for free but there is also the option to pay for private medical insurance and receive treatment at higher cost at private hospitals. The government plan is to slowly over five years make private care illegal. Each year they will announce more and more procedures which can only be accessed through the government scheme and once those treatments are announced private insurance can no longer offer it. The government will price control all procedures; and determine where doctors must work. I'm not an expert in the plan but given the governments 30 year track record they will canabilize private health care to ultimately no benefit to the government system which will become a new source for lucrative corruption but they will end up destroying private healthcare and I imagine every doctor who can will
Immigrate rather than potentially be forced to move cities and take a dramatic cut in pay. It's being challenged in court already but the short sighted thinking is frightening in itself.

I have not lived in SA for almost 5 years and I left to search for a better future. I always thought SA could turn itself around if it fought for it. Now I'm more pessimistic than ever. The government even after 30 years concerns itself only with staying in power and its servants concern themselves only with enriching themselves.

They could try to prevent doctors from emigrating....

In theory I favor nationalized (or better, globalized) healthcare and planned economies---hopefully the combination of ubiquitous surveillance with widely distributed AI will make it more and more practical---but it requires a(n at least somewhat) virtuous government.

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 28 May 2024 - 08:18 PM

[Tsundoku]

Azath Vitr (D, on 28 May 2024 - 08:17 PM, said:

...-but it requires a(n at least somewhat) virtuous government.

Yeah, good luck with that.

[Cause]

Azath Vitr (D, on 28 May 2024 - 08:17 PM, said:

They could try to prevent doctors from emigrating....

In theory I favor nationalized (or better, globalized) healthcare and planned economies---hopefully the combination of ubiquitous surveillance with widely distributed AI will make it more and more practical---but it requires a(n at least somewhat) virtuous government.

They could. SA already pays the government of Cuba large sums to import what amounts to indentured doctors for a few years of servitude at a time.

Still I’d say it’s a Mathematical certainty that 6 million tax payers can’t pay for free healthcare for 60 million people. Nor can a government that can’t keep the lights on be in charge of such a system.

[Maark Abbott]

Reached critical burnout at work. Rest isn't restful, I can barely focus and I'm overall just exhausted.

Thankfully, annual leave starts tomorrow.

[Slow Ben]

My old man’s having surgery today. Supposed to be routine, but I’d appreciate any positive vibes sent out into the universe.

[worry]

Hope it goes perfect. Let us know!

[Cause]

I may have significantly underestimated the costs of living in Boston. I budgeted for an extra 600 dollars a month for rent but seems that it should have been an extra 1000. More for the kind of apartment building I was hoping for.

I saw a half-decent place today but its 3rd floor with no elevator (not an issue but I have experience with my mother/grandmother that sometimes if your sick, broken a leg etc you cant climb stairs). It was very spacious, everything was included in the rent and even a parking space. The appliances are old though, the bath tub needs to be reglazed and the laundry is in the basement. 3000 dollars a month. For everything I liked there was something I didn't.

[amphibian]

Living out in Somerville might have to be a thing.

[Slow Ben]

worry, on 03 June 2024 - 08:18 PM, said:

Hope it goes perfect. Let us know!

He’s all good. One less kidney, but he’s home and bored on the couch.

Appreciate it.

[HoosierDaddy]

Slow Ben, on 05 June 2024 - 03:42 PM, said:

worry, on 03 June 2024 - 08:18 PM, said:

Hope it goes perfect. Let us know!

He's all good. One less kidney, but he's home and bored on the couch.

Appreciate it.

Good to hear!

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

amphibian, on 05 June 2024 - 02:51 PM, said:

Living out in Somerville might have to be a thing.

Live in the lab.

Become the experiment!

Don't let your jorb be replaced by AI... replace yourself with AI!


[Edit: like the Ship Cyborg of Theseus!]

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 05 June 2024 - 05:23 PM

[Abyss]

Azath Vitr (D, on 05 June 2024 - 04:36 PM, said:

amphibian, on 05 June 2024 - 02:51 PM, said:

Living out in Somerville might have to be a thing.

Live in the lab.

Become the experiment!

Don't let your jorb be replaced by AI... replace yourself with AI!


[Edit: like the Ship Cyborg of Theseus!]

You first.
Let us know how it goes.

[amphibian]

Slow Ben, on 05 June 2024 - 03:42 PM, said:

worry, on 03 June 2024 - 08:18 PM, said:

Hope it goes perfect. Let us know!

He’s all good. One less kidney, but he’s home and bored on the couch.

Appreciate it.

Oh good. I missed this last time around, sorry about that.

Being bored on the couch is a relief.

[Maark Abbott]

I wish I didn't feel so constantly paranoid out of my wits about next door. It's empty and has been since March, and it's been on the market about 4-5 weeks now. But last night, after we'd gone to bed, someone's come and taken their black bin out.

Probably an estate agent, but the house is empty and seeing that makes me think 'dealers are back' and the stress starts seeping in again. I need to get away from here for the sake of my sanity. Time to push to go to market and then find somewhere else to move to.

[Lady Bliss]

Maark Abbott, on 14 June 2024 - 06:39 AM, said:

I wish I didn't feel so constantly paranoid out of my wits about next door. It's empty and has been since March, and it's been on the market about 4-5 weeks now. But last night, after we'd gone to bed, someone's come and taken their black bin out.

Probably an estate agent, but the house is empty and seeing that makes me think 'dealers are back' and the stress starts seeping in again. I need to get away from here for the sake of my sanity. Time to push to go to market and then find somewhere else to move to.

I think you are right and it was just an agent making sure that everything is kept clean but you don’t need the stress of living there anymore either. I think getting out of there is the best decision. You don’t need the additional stress.

[Maark Abbott]

Lady Bliss, on 14 June 2024 - 07:06 AM, said:

Maark Abbott, on 14 June 2024 - 06:39 AM, said:

I wish I didn't feel so constantly paranoid out of my wits about next door. It's empty and has been since March, and it's been on the market about 4-5 weeks now. But last night, after we'd gone to bed, someone's come and taken their black bin out.

Probably an estate agent, but the house is empty and seeing that makes me think 'dealers are back' and the stress starts seeping in again. I need to get away from here for the sake of my sanity. Time to push to go to market and then find somewhere else to move to.

I think you are right and it was just an agent making sure that everything is kept clean but you don't need the stress of living there anymore either. I think getting out of there is the best decision. You don't need the additional stress.

That's just it. The bin has gone back in since I typed that last post - but I didn't hear their gate at all and the last people to be this stealthy about it (it usually clangs when opened) were the dealers so my brain is now firing ten to the dozen again.

At least this house was always intended to be a first step on the ladder and not more than that...

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Maark Abbott, on 14 June 2024 - 06:39 AM, said:

I wish I didn't feel so constantly paranoid out of my wits about next door. It's empty and has been since March, and it's been on the market about 4-5 weeks now. But last night, after we'd gone to bed, someone's come and taken their black bin out.

Probably an estate agent, but the house is empty and seeing that makes me think 'dealers are back' and the stress starts seeping in again. I need to get away from here for the sake of my sanity. Time to push to go to market and then find somewhere else to move to.

It's the ghosts of dealers... and/or ghost dealers, about to open a portal to hell, to let all the ghosts of dealers, drug demons, and hell drugs through. The bin was an omen.

[Druggin' Edge: Binguard]

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 14 June 2024 - 10:45 AM