Yes, I know, everyone says this, your doctor tells you this multiple times, but it is true. My wife and I have been off meat now for almost 5 months and we have noticed a difference in our blood pressure as well as overall health. We only eat fish and vegetables. I saw a study that linked eating meat with Alzheimer's, which her father has, and truly, we don't need to eat the cow, chicken or hog.
Today I was listening to CNN, I know, why bother, right? They were talking that at the fast food restaurants, there are all kinds of nutritional labels on the menus, but were people taking notice and changing their eating habits? No, they really didn't care, which means, to me, that something more dramatic will need to happen to change their habits.
But what? Well, how about a tax on the items that make us the most unhealthy? Sure, go ahead and eat some cow, but we all know that meat leads to excess fat which leads to excess midsection which leads to long term healthcare consequences. Tax the food that makes healthcare rise. If you consume it, you should pay for it. Sort of along the lines of the flat tax idea.
Controversial, heck yes it is, but it may be the only way you can change the bad habits of people. If the Quarter Pounder with cheese costs 7 bucks alone for the sandwich, with 3 bucks going to the healthcare fund, I think you are onto something, will it cure the healthcare woes, no, but it will contribute to the fund of non-insured and may force people to look at lower cost healthier options.
Jack
Friday, July 19, 2013
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Wanting is not the same as needing
I have been to some amazing places over the last few months. I am blessed to have a great family, great wife, and great life. We just returned from New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts a few weeks ago, and then my wife decides to tell me, hey, we are going to the Keys for a few days then we will go somewhere again soon in September.
The whole reason to want to go somewhere was so that we could accommodate going to see a friend's son who was on vacation with her girlfriend's family. I had to drop the news yesterday, it was that I was tired and I had other items to take care of over the weekend. I made the mistake of not having a backup option for them, so I scrambled around and found one, but by then they had contacted my wife and told her, " its ok, we did not need to go either."
Hmmmmph, so they only wanted to go, did not need to go. I understand why people want to go do things, we all have a materialistic side, an ego of desires, but sometimes, oftentimes, that ego needs to be checked and held back. Yes, vacation to the Keys would have been nice, but was not a need to me. What I needed to do was take care of our affairs and that was more important than another vacation. Apparently our friends needed to do something else with their days as well.
In this case, I went with my gut to tell me what was right and what I needed to do. I had to get in check with what allows me to sleep at night and work within my confines. If you cannot live within yourself, you will have many long nights. I know, I have been there, but with great friends, family, you have a way to ground yourself!
Jack
The whole reason to want to go somewhere was so that we could accommodate going to see a friend's son who was on vacation with her girlfriend's family. I had to drop the news yesterday, it was that I was tired and I had other items to take care of over the weekend. I made the mistake of not having a backup option for them, so I scrambled around and found one, but by then they had contacted my wife and told her, " its ok, we did not need to go either."
Hmmmmph, so they only wanted to go, did not need to go. I understand why people want to go do things, we all have a materialistic side, an ego of desires, but sometimes, oftentimes, that ego needs to be checked and held back. Yes, vacation to the Keys would have been nice, but was not a need to me. What I needed to do was take care of our affairs and that was more important than another vacation. Apparently our friends needed to do something else with their days as well.
In this case, I went with my gut to tell me what was right and what I needed to do. I had to get in check with what allows me to sleep at night and work within my confines. If you cannot live within yourself, you will have many long nights. I know, I have been there, but with great friends, family, you have a way to ground yourself!
Jack
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
How can you NOT have a smartphone?
I was reading an article earlier that stated that Realtors, my wife is one of this group, are being judged by prospects based on their ability to use technology. Really, people judging other people? Say its not so! There are some people who do not use a Smartphone.
Add a signature at the bottom of every device you use to communicate. Your iphone, android, outlook or other email system should all have a signature line to alert people that is YOU who is communicating with them. It bugs me to no end to receive communication from others and have no signature line at the bottom. Am I not important enough to warrant a signature line?
Texting is here to stay, hate it, love it, get OVER it. Texting is the in between area for those who want to call, or send an email. Sometimes 140 characters says more than a 5 minute conversation or 400 word email. The same can be said for electronic documents or e-forms. If you have documentation people need to sign, there is no need to get together, you can send them the forms, they sign them online and move on. Time is important to people these days, we need to use it wisely.
Jack
Add a signature at the bottom of every device you use to communicate. Your iphone, android, outlook or other email system should all have a signature line to alert people that is YOU who is communicating with them. It bugs me to no end to receive communication from others and have no signature line at the bottom. Am I not important enough to warrant a signature line?
Texting is here to stay, hate it, love it, get OVER it. Texting is the in between area for those who want to call, or send an email. Sometimes 140 characters says more than a 5 minute conversation or 400 word email. The same can be said for electronic documents or e-forms. If you have documentation people need to sign, there is no need to get together, you can send them the forms, they sign them online and move on. Time is important to people these days, we need to use it wisely.
Jack
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Healthcare is a major problem
I don't get health care. I don't understand how expensive it has become, how hospitals have become corporations of care. I see hospitals becoming the next banking crisis. I see people enter hospitals for an issue and leave 7 days later with a $200,000 bill. Who can afford the cost of a new house? Liens, lawsuits, it is never ending spiral.
I recently had to get new coverage for myself and my wife. We purchased a nice simple $5,000 deductible plan per person, $10,000 ded for the family. We were at a modest price then all of a sudden, 1 year later, we found our plan being jacked up 15%, because the healthcare said we were 1 year older and due to "their" increase in expenses. What what?
In looking for plans, I stumbled upon the HSA program, health savings account, where you put money into an account, it grows tax free and you can take it out tax free once you hit 65, sort of a savings account for healthcare. I can get a catastrophic plan for the hospital coverage, then a savings account to pay for our own doc visits or specialists, and we can start taking better care of ourselves.
So the burden, as it should have been all along, is back on us, the individual. I can see how we as a society thought that healthcare, if we buy it, should take care of us. We have it, so we are covered and can eat as much sugar and fat as we can intake. I think more people should be denied healthcare coverage, if you are denied, you have to work smarter with your own body and know what you can and cannot do. Healthcare is for sure going to be a major mess for many years to come.
Jack
I recently had to get new coverage for myself and my wife. We purchased a nice simple $5,000 deductible plan per person, $10,000 ded for the family. We were at a modest price then all of a sudden, 1 year later, we found our plan being jacked up 15%, because the healthcare said we were 1 year older and due to "their" increase in expenses. What what?
In looking for plans, I stumbled upon the HSA program, health savings account, where you put money into an account, it grows tax free and you can take it out tax free once you hit 65, sort of a savings account for healthcare. I can get a catastrophic plan for the hospital coverage, then a savings account to pay for our own doc visits or specialists, and we can start taking better care of ourselves.
So the burden, as it should have been all along, is back on us, the individual. I can see how we as a society thought that healthcare, if we buy it, should take care of us. We have it, so we are covered and can eat as much sugar and fat as we can intake. I think more people should be denied healthcare coverage, if you are denied, you have to work smarter with your own body and know what you can and cannot do. Healthcare is for sure going to be a major mess for many years to come.
Jack
Monday, July 15, 2013
Another deficit?
Jacksonville, FL is a great city, we, the residents and citizens have a lot going for us, great temperatures this summer, nice periods of rain. The summer has been ideal so far. As we get closer to October 1, which is the deadline for the City to reach a compromise on a budget, we see that the Mayor wants to eliminate police and fire and libraries, again.
Cutting services is, to me, like cutting off your fingers, you know you need them, but you cannot afford them. Why can't we afford them? Our costs for our pensions keeps rising and rising and rising. The mayor did find a way to cut some money from the pension issue, but it is not enough to balance the budget each year, which is what he should have accomplished. How can you claim to solve a problem, if every year you run a deficit?
So we go through the summer, waiting, hoping, remembering last year and how the budget came down to the bitter end. We don't know what backroom deals will take place, we only know that one way or another, a new budget for our great city will get signed and implemented. Hopefully with the same police, fire and library personnel. We shall see.
Jack
Cutting services is, to me, like cutting off your fingers, you know you need them, but you cannot afford them. Why can't we afford them? Our costs for our pensions keeps rising and rising and rising. The mayor did find a way to cut some money from the pension issue, but it is not enough to balance the budget each year, which is what he should have accomplished. How can you claim to solve a problem, if every year you run a deficit?
So we go through the summer, waiting, hoping, remembering last year and how the budget came down to the bitter end. We don't know what backroom deals will take place, we only know that one way or another, a new budget for our great city will get signed and implemented. Hopefully with the same police, fire and library personnel. We shall see.
Jack
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Fertilizer?
No I am not talking about the stuff that comes out of a politician's mouth in Washington DC, although I did see a rant this week that reminded me that some of the people in DC enjoy their TV time a wee bit too much. I am talking about the stuff we throw on our grass.
I was listening to a local radio program, it is on Saturday mornings and they were discussing what to do, when the heat cranks up for your lawn. We all know that the mid 90s will return, sometime, but they said we really need to look at our lawns, daily. Why? Because with the rain, the heat and the organisms, there are changes every day in our lawns.
The mentioned a chinch bug control called Arena, see more here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znEUMzXLIjw , which works well and controls the Chinch bug, which can decimate a St. Augustine lawn in a short amount of time. I'd never heard of it, I was amazed of what it can do. Very little cost for controlling these nuisances and control for 2-3 months. Let me know how it works for you.
Jack
I was listening to a local radio program, it is on Saturday mornings and they were discussing what to do, when the heat cranks up for your lawn. We all know that the mid 90s will return, sometime, but they said we really need to look at our lawns, daily. Why? Because with the rain, the heat and the organisms, there are changes every day in our lawns.
The mentioned a chinch bug control called Arena, see more here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znEUMzXLIjw , which works well and controls the Chinch bug, which can decimate a St. Augustine lawn in a short amount of time. I'd never heard of it, I was amazed of what it can do. Very little cost for controlling these nuisances and control for 2-3 months. Let me know how it works for you.
Jack
Friday, July 12, 2013
Leaders Lead and followers follow along...
I was sitting at lunch today and we normally have a table of 10-15 "guys" and we pontificate about nothing, most days, but today was a good day to discuss something! We discussed an event that someone had been having and how it started out 40 years ago, as a grass roots event with bare boned expenses. Sitting around a campfire and everyone brought their own chairs, food, etc.
Now that event has grown to the magnitude of a social club involved where the bring in chairs, tables, nice while tablecloths and of course added expense. For pete's sake they charge 5 bucks for a potato. Really?
So the guy in charge of the event said, that is enough, we are going back to grass roots, bare back style next year. One end of the spectrum to another. But what about the social club? Well, they will have to adjust and work on making money elsewhere, as they should. No club should ever look to profit from what was once a friendly gathering. But maybe it was easier for some leaders to go with the flow and allow it to happen. Nice to see leaders lead and followers follow.
Jack
Now that event has grown to the magnitude of a social club involved where the bring in chairs, tables, nice while tablecloths and of course added expense. For pete's sake they charge 5 bucks for a potato. Really?
So the guy in charge of the event said, that is enough, we are going back to grass roots, bare back style next year. One end of the spectrum to another. But what about the social club? Well, they will have to adjust and work on making money elsewhere, as they should. No club should ever look to profit from what was once a friendly gathering. But maybe it was easier for some leaders to go with the flow and allow it to happen. Nice to see leaders lead and followers follow.
Jack
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