(This comment is in regards to the first episode of Stargate Universe, in the event that you're curious.)

That's what most people said about XP when Vista was on the horizon.

... Slider phones! ZOMG, a hardware keyboard on a PHONE?!

Haven't we known this since 802.11 came out? Pringles can, anyone?

Actually, they overcharge because of the formula that the insurance companies use to determine the "contract price." If the price is higher - that they bill the insurance - the amount they receive in reimbursement will be closer to what they deserve.

Since I work in pharmacy and have also worked for a few pharmacy benefit managers, I will provide an example of how they bill:
U&C (Usual and customary): $100
Ingredient cost: $50
Gross amount due: $50

Based on the numbers submitted, the insurance will now reimburse the provider $58. Had the provider billed for less, they would receive (a lot) less in reimbursement. There are upper limits to all drugs/procedures/devices/etc, but larger issues come into play, like what "network" the provider is in (it's not just "in" or "out" of network for the provider - they get reimbursed LESS the smaller the company is). Walgreens, for example, recently just refused to continue taking pharmacy insurance provided by Express Scripts because Express scripts refused to pay Walgreens the amount that was DEMANDED. Walgreens ALREADY gets paid at LEAST 10% more than any other pharmacy. (Express Scripts provides (at least) 20% of the nations pharmacy benefits.)

The point being, the insurance companies have it backwards, but larger companies should not be able to abuse their power to leverage higher reimbursement rates. If something costs $100, then it costs $100 no matter where you go - the reimbursement should remain the same. (Yes, I know you can buy in bulk when you're a larger company, but that tends to squash small to mid-size businesses.)

If you think that hearing aids are expensive, consider the cost of cochlear implants. Cochlear implants cost tens of thousands of dollars, the surgery costs nearly $100k, and the external device (like a hearing aid, but a little larger) costs over $10k. That's just for one ear and the hearing quality is like 1/10th of a person with cochlear hair! Plus they only last for about 20 years (including the internal device) depending on the model and some other circumstances. $8k for a hearing aid is a steal.

No. It does not. Also, you can still install the Tricorder app by finding the APK on the web, checking 'Unknown Sources' (Settings->Applications), then issuing: 'adb install tricorder.apk' while your phone is connected to a PC that has the ADB drivers installed. Otherwise you can download the APK to your phone and use Astro Filemanager to install it.

You must be new here.

Does this discovery have any affect on HIV research?

Actually, now days with modern HIV medications when the virus is caught within a few years of infection and the patient takes medications continuously, the life-span of an HIV-infected individual is no different than an HIV- individual.

... hire someone to mow it for you. :)

What does the researcher's research say about effeminate males? Or males that are even slightly more in touch with their emotions (which does not equate to being homosexual as I'm sure many will immediately ponder)? Stereotyping... geeze. It's the 21st century! :)

Correction: SSN area prefixes aren't generated based on an applicant's place of birth. The area prefix is determined by the ZIP CODE that the applicant provides on his/her application to the SS office. The zip code provided does not even need to be the applicant's residence.

Or people who need a job so they can live in a vicious unforgiving economy.

In the United States it was determined by the supreme court that requiring someone to identify him/herself is unconstitutional*. That ruling is part of the reason Arizona is having difficulty implementing a requirement for anyone to be subject to identification or jailed. This technology defeats that right. Of course this is just for the United States, but none-the-less. * Article posted previously to Slashdot.