Ok, what do you call it when the government tells businesses what they must charge, how they must run their business, and how they are to handle their costs and risks? This isn't capitalism, thats for sure.

What we need is a 2nd study, using 400 students, separated into four groups:
1. Using Google ONLY by looking at the 3rd page of results (the first two pages are now taken up with Gemini AI and targeted advertising).
2. Using ChatGPT Only.
3. Using inventory computers in a large metropolitan library
4. Using old fashioned card catalogs and books.

I wonder if we chose a significantly esoteric subject, with a 100 question exam given after a week, if any useful clustering could be detected.

They turned me into a newt.

....I got better....

Hey grampa, take your meds and a nap. None of your "advice" has been valid for years, if not a decade. Most companies refuse resumes handed in person, they will tell you to apply on their site/job posting. The reason is they will filter it to see if it has a high enough score with their keyword list, and the other reason is for your sweet sweet private information. A lot of laws are being written that companies need your permission/have a business relationship with you for this behavior, and applying for a job checks that box.

Again I see. The US slides further into becoming a communist nation. "Walmart must eat the tariffs", now lenders must accept crypto. This really will be a wild 4 years.

I also know that I would personally prefer someone in government making the call in regards to whether I get treatment or not rather than a for profit company which has every reason to refuse me coverage.

I've never run into my insurance refusing my care/tests/procedures my Dr's have said I needed....

I'd definitely NOT want the govt deciding what I can and cannot have done.....I mean, I don't want the same type entities that run the local SS office or DMV, or anything having a deciding hand in my medical needs....

So is that a non-urgent treatment, or urgent? Because there's different wait lists for different categories, just like in the USA. Also if a GP in most countries says you need a scan then you get one, in the USA a HMO might just say that you don't get a scan. While charging everyone for the HMO's time

I've never had my insurance say I could not get an exam or test my Dr said I needed....

How is there "no real viable way we could afford that in the US" when other countries can afford it? Very clearly it's affordable given the number of countries currently using such systems.

Don't many of these socialized medicine countries also have tax rates for most people WELL north of 50%?

That's gonna be a key sticking point in the US, no one here will tolerate their taxes going up that much for the Feds....and don't forget that would be in addition to state and local taxes.

I'm quite happy with my insurance coverage and medical coverage I have....I recently had surgery, and it was done in a timely manner, and even my ER return for a PE that was a post surgical problem..was caught and treated. It didn't cost me that much outta pocket....and I was happy to have had the treatment and life saving care.

Granted, anecdotal story by one....but still, I've not experienced the nightmares others seem to be pushing as the common US narrative .....

" could seep upward into the Alsace aquifer," implies that the aquifer is *above* the depth of the mine. So the question becomes, what is this magical mine where gravity works backwards?

Obesity is probably going to become rare in the next 10 years, now we have really effective medication for it. The biggest step change will be when the patents expire and generic versions become available for a small fraction of the price they want today.

The many potential side effects scare me off of the GLP-1 meds.....I mean, spontaneous irreversible blindness comes to mind.

I'd rather be fat that risk that.

Will several hundred dollar wrist watches be bought for everyone? My wife has a galaxy watch and it only took four years for the battery to wear out and hold less than a day of charge Not only is the battery replacement part $150 on its own, but there is no one within hours of me that can replace it. --

You might look into the Apple Watch series....my; first one I think version 2 worked for quite a long time...my currentl Apple Watch Ultra 2 is now about 2+ years old, going strong with multi-days on a charge....and it is easy to get a battery swap if you need at an Apple Store whether you have one near you or ship it to them.

I've been MORE than happy with their electronic watch offerings....and customer service.

Single payer healthcare.

The problem is....there's no real viable way we could afford that in the US.

i mean currently we cannot afford the single payer systems we DO currently have : Medicare, Medicaid and the VA system.....

How would you propose to fund such a system as you propose? We'd have to have basic tax rates on everyone well over 50% I'd estimate...likely higher and I don't think that would fly well here in the US.

What are your suggestions?

Hell, every new car on the market has TPMS now

What is TPMS? New term for me...

As it is, for decades I heard about nothing else but the cheap fuel in the US compared to the rest of the world... and that's gone REALLY quiet for the last few years

I wonder why it went quiet......gas prices are still quite low over here....especially compared to the rest of the world .

Where on the planet is not near groundwater?