North Carolina’s treasurer slams state’s
hospital systems for Covid exploitation, abuse
Posted By: DVC, 9/19/2022 12:07:23 PM
North Carolina’s seven large hospital systems reaped billions in cash and financial investments after receiving taxpayer-funded Covid relief money, state Treasurer Dale R. Folwell noted. At the same time, “one in five families is in medical debt collection” due to monopolistic practices, he charged. In a Sept. 8 press release, Folwell’s office stated that the hospitals “recorded $5.2 billion in net profits in 2021, when six hospital systems made higher net profits than in the years before the pandemic.” That included: • Duke Health scored a 41% net profit margin of $1.8 billion in 2021. [snip] • Atrium Health took the most taxpayer relief dollars, collecting $589 million in Covid relief
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North Carolina’s seven large hospital systems reaped billions in cash and financial investments after receiving taxpayer-funded Covid relief money, state Treasurer Dale R. Folwell noted. At the same time, “one in five families is in medical debt collection” due to monopolistic practices, he charged.
In a Sept. 8 press release, Folwell’s office stated that the hospitals “recorded $5.2 billion in net profits in 2021, when six hospital systems made higher net profits than in the years before the pandemic.”
That included:
• Duke Health scored a 41% net profit margin of $1.8 billion in 2021. [snip]
• Atrium Health took the most taxpayer relief dollars, collecting $589 million in Covid relief
Are US Firearm Deaths Overstated?
8 replies
Some view any unwillingness to increase gun safety regulation for the sake of "the children" — the sine qua non of virtue-signaling — as "evil." But can a complex, multi-faceted issue like national gun policy be accurately analyzed along a single dimension to the benefit of all citizens?
No responsible gun-owner debates the lethality of firearms or the need to exercise caution when using any dangerous device, from kitchen disposals to chainsaws. Nor is it likely any would oppose manufacturers' efforts to make firearms as safe as possible. What is contested are regulations that restrict responsible use of firearms under the guise of safety
Ukraine war: Can India feed the world?
2 replies
Last week, Indian PM Narendra Modi told US President Joe Biden that India was ready to ship food to the rest of the world following supply shocks and rising prices due to the war in Ukraine.
Mr Modi said India had "enough food" for its 1.4 billion people, and it was "ready to supply food stocks to the world from tomorrow" if the World Trade Organization (WTO) allowed.
Commodity prices were already at a 10-year high before the war in Ukraine because of global harvest issues. They have leapt after the war and are already at their highest since 1990, according to the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (UNFAO) food-price index.
BERLIN: "A rush like this in the summertime, it's unheard of -- everybody wants coal," says Frithjof Engelke, a supplier of the briquettes which have become a hot commodity in the German capital.
A looming shortage of Russian gas in the wake of the Ukraine war has reignited enthusiasm for this method of heating private homes despite its sooty residue and heavy carbon footprint.
Engelke, 46, head of the century-old Berlin business Hans Engelke Energie, says it's brought a bonanza for his family business: "My holidays will have to wait."
He and his team are frenziedly taking orders, organising deliveries by truck -- now booked out until October
In search for alternatives to heating with gas, Germans are increasingly turning to wood. Wood-burning stoves are subsidized by the government, but experts warn of serious health repercussions. The lumber mill quiets only once Christian Rösgen has turned off his phone. The owner of this mill in a small town close to Bonn in western Germany removes his headset and begins telling stories of Germans stockpiling wood out of fear of the energy crisis looming due to the war in Ukraine. One customer just swapped out his brand-new gas heater for a pellet stove in order to be self-sufficient; Rösgen's supplier, the pellet plant, has run out of stock.
Report: No named Atlantic hurricanes through
nearly all of July and August, first time
since 1941 28 replies
nearly all of July and August, first time
since 1941 28 replies
The months of July and August of this year have been among the quietest in terms of hurricane activity since World War II, a Colorado meteorologist said this week, with August shaping up to have the lowest hurricane activity since the late 1990s.
Philip Klotzbach, a forecaster at Colorado State University specializing in Atlantic basin hurricanes, wrote on Twitter on Tuesday that "for the first time since 1941, the Atlantic has had no named storm (e.g., tropical storm or [hurricane]) activity from July 3rd-August 30th."
Klotzbach further pointed out that August of this year could finish as the only August since 1997 to have no named hurricanes.
A Nobel Prize-winning German developmental biologist called the transgender movement’s claims “unscientific” and “nonsense,” and their plans to let teenagers determine their own gender “madness.”
In an interview published last week by the German feminist magazine EMMA, Dr. Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard cited hard scientific facts to counter the trendy notion that there are multiple genders.
“All mammals have two sexes, and man is a mammal,” she explained. “There’s the one sex that produces the eggs, has two X chromosomes. That’s called female. And there’s the other one that makes the sperm, has an X and a Y chromosome. That’s called male.”
On the heels of the “drain the swamp” populism of the Trump presidency, America once again has an executive branch that gleefully builds bureaucratic excess, with supersizing the IRS among the “victories” of the Biden administration. That bureaucratic-versus-populist tension isn’t just a product of the modern administrative state, though that has certainly exacerbated it. More than 100 years ago, in response to similar overreach and excess, Grover Cleveland brought chopping-block populism into the Oval Office.
In many ways, Cleveland was the ideal American leader. Headstrong, morally courageous, and brutally honest, he served as a bulwark against government overreach and political corruption. But because he wasn’t in office during a war
Hollywood star Drew Barrymore has been accused of “racism” for posting a video of herself dancing in the rain on social media.
The short video shows Barrymore filming herself laughing, dancing, and encouraging others to enjoy the pouring rain.
However, leftists pounced on the video and argued that it’s “racist” because she’s “frolicking in the rain.”
The accusation comes from a “woke” activist with the handle @amushroomblackly who posted a video response, that quickly went viral, and accused Barrymore of cultural insensitivity.
“Whenever you can, go out into the rain,” Barrymore says in her video.
Years late and billions over budget, NASA’s new moon rocket makes its debut next week in a high-stakes test flight before astronauts get on top.
The 322-foot (98-meter) rocket will attempt to send an empty crew capsule into a far-flung lunar orbit, 50 years after NASA's famed Apollo moonshots.
If all goes well, astronauts could strap in as soon as 2024 for a lap around the moon, with NASA aiming to land two people on the lunar surface by the end of 2025.
Liftoff is set for Monday morning from NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
The six-week test flight is risky and could be cut short if something fails, NASA officials warn.
I have been running into people lately. Last week, I had a chance breakfast encounter with “independent” Missouri Senate candidate John Wood, a meeting that I believe led to his withdrawal on Tuesday from the race.
On Wednesday of this week, I had a chance encounter with a fellow from the public defender’s office in Mayville, New York, the county seat of Chautauqua County. I was behind the fellow in the checkout line at the Tops supermarket in Mayville, a town of about 1,500 good souls as quaint and peaceful as Andy’s Mayberry.
The fellow and the checkout clerk were discussing the most notorious resident of the county jail
The Noose Tightens on Putin
17 replies
Back in the days when George H.W. Bush resided in the White House, he told me rather cryptically that I would be getting an invitation to the White House. A few days later I had luncheon with his director of the CIA, Robert (Bob) Gates, one of the brightest lights that I have ever known in government. Bob wasted no time getting down to business. He told me of his concern that the Russians, who were friendly with us in those days, were not going to have enough time to implement their economic reforms. He also spoke of the Russians’ ardor to be recognized as part of the West.
Most Active Articles (last 48 hours)
Why Is Biden Playing With His Tongue At
The Ceremony For The Late Queen Elizabeth
II (Photo & Video) 36 replies
The Ceremony For The Late Queen Elizabeth
II (Photo & Video) 36 replies
At the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, hundreds of world leaders, royals, and dignitaries of every shape crowded Westminster Abbey, the seating chart is imbued with meaning. Still, the position of U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden was a huge surprise as they were stationed 14 rows back.
They were behind the president of Poland and ahead of the Czech Republic prime minister. The president of Switzerland sat one seat over, next to the U.S. First Lady.
The reason why is ridiculous, he was late for the funeral!
Twilio CEO Jeff Lawson announced in a message to all employees that 11% of its workforce would be laid off, stating that they made the layoffs through an “Anti-Racist” and “Anti-Oppression” lens. The San Francisco-based corporate communications company CEO said in the message to employees that the layoffs are “wise and necessary.”(Snip)“As you all know, we are committed to becoming an Anti-Racist/Anti-Oppression company,” Lawson wrote. “Layoffs like this can have a more pronounced impact on marginalized communities, so we were particularly focused on ensuring our layoffs–while a business necessity today–were carried out through an Anti-Racist/Anti-Oppression lens.”
My husband, who was a Marine during the Vietnam War, was always talking about the IQ levels of fellow soldiers, and he would express surprise at the low level of intelligence of some draftees.
We would then get into arguments on the validity of IQ testing, which I questioned did not take into consideration an individual’s environment. But considering the past decade as the utter complete dumbing down of our populace, maybe I should reconsider my dismissal of testing. What exactly does a person’s IQ mean?
U.S. doctors should regularly screen all adults under 65 for anxiety, an influential health guidelines group proposed Tuesday.
It's the first time the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recommended anxiety screening in primary care for adults without symptoms. The proposal is open for public comment until Oct. 17, but the group usually affirms its draft guidance. The recommendations are based on a review that began before the Covid-19 pandemic, evaluating studies showing potential benefits and risks from screening. Given reports of a surge in mental health problems linked with pandemic isolation and stress, the guidance is "very timely," said Lori Pbert, a task force member and co-author.
WASHINGTON— House Democrats are voting this week on changes to a 19th century law for certifying presidential elections, their strongest legislative response yet to the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection and former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election defeat.
The vote to overhaul the Electoral Count Act, expected Wednesday, comes as a bipartisan group of senators is moving forward with a similar bill. Lawmakers in both parties have said they want to change the arcane law before it is challenged again.
Trump and his allies tried to exploit the law’s vague language in the weeks after the election as they strategized how they could keep Joe Biden out of office,
British royals expert Hilary Fordwich stunned CNN anchor Don Lemon into silence with her argument that African slave owners owe "reparations" rather than the British Empire, in a viral clip from CNN’s coverage of the death of the queen. Conservatives on Twitter found the clip hilarious, as it depicted Lemon getting swift pushback for trying to promote the narrative that the British crown owes reparations for slavery.
Observers noted Lemon meekly switching topics without protest after Fordwich’s unexpected response
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is “undeniably, unequivocally” preparing to seek the Democratic presidential nomination in 2024 if President Biden decides not to run for a second term and is poised to take on Vice President Kamala Harris, according to a report on Monday.
Newsom, who recently challenged Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to a debate over his sending 50 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, plans to make an announcement after the midterm elections once the president relays his intentions, The Wrap reported.
President Joe Biden said Sunday on CBS’s “60 Minutes” that he was not concerned about his son Hunter Biden’s behavior in any way.
Anchor Scott Pelley said, “His son, Hunter, has been a lightning rod for suspicion. Hunter Biden’s former addiction to crack cocaine led to a life he describes as nonstop depravity. He has also acknowledged a federal investigation into his taxes. Congress investigated Hunter Biden’s job with a Ukrainian company at the time that his father ran Ukrainian policy in the Obama administration. A Republican investigation, however, uncovered no wrongdoing by then-Vice President Biden.”
It’s been pretty obvious for months now that California Gov. Gavin Newsom has his eye on the White House, and though a new report doesn’t quote straight from the horse’s mouth regarding his intentions, it does shed more light on his mindset regarding 2024. According two well-connected California Democratic insiders, Newsom absolutely plans to throw his hat into the ring in the event President Joe Biden decides not to run again:
California Governor Gavin Newsom is “undeniably, unequivocally” planning to run for president in 2024 if President Biden chooses not to seek a second term, two individuals with knowledge
New Republic: The Left Has an Invisible
Abortion Army That Will Ruin Republicans
in the Midterms 21 replies
Abortion Army That Will Ruin Republicans
in the Midterms 21 replies
From The New Republic’s headline, you’d think chills would be sent down the spines of Republicans as their worries have heightened since August regarding their 2022 midterm chances. There’s a secret abortion army that’s coming to wreck the GOP. The Democrats are heavily betting that Americans will care more about abortion than the high inflation that’s torching home budgets and the economic recession that’s engulfed the nation, which the Biden administration points to as an indication that they’re leading the greatest economic revival in history.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ plane he used to send 50 migrants to affluent Martha’s Vineyard is on the move again–heading for President Biden’s Rehoboth home in Delaware. DeSantis last week sparked a spectacular escalation in the ongoing immigration war between the Republican GOP’s in charge of the border states and Democrat officials in so-called ‘sanctuary cities’. It now appears that he is sending the Ultimate Air Shuttle to Georgetown, which will touch down at around 1.30pm. The plane had started its journey from Longview, in Texas, before heading to San Antonio, and then Crestview, in Florida. An hour after landing on the coast of Delaware, the plane
President Biden may be the world’s most powerful man, but it didn’t ensure him a front-row seat at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in London on Monday.
The president and first lady Jill Biden were seated 14 rows back during the service at Westminster Abbey that drew 2,000 guests — including some 500 of the world’s presidents, kings, princes and prime ministers.
Perhaps taken into consideration was that the couple was among the few dignitaries who were granted permission to travel in their own presidential limousine, nicknamed “The Beast,” for security reasons.
Comments:
Giving a prescription of HCQ and/or ivermectin and an antibiotic at first indication of illness and sending them home would cure most patients, but puts very little money in the hospital's coffers.
So patients were sent home with no treatment until they were on death's door, and required highly profitable ICU care with the nefarious assistance of death-bringer Dr. Fraud and his horde of evil Dr. Minions. Lots of profit for all, death to the patients, all too frequently.