Running Around

Today was a day when I reflected that yes, this is why our health care system is screwed up.  First, I had an appointment at the Ahuja men's center to see an urologist.  Now, I don't need one, but ever since I turned 45 they -- the UH team, my MD, etc. -- has been on me to see an array of specialists for my health.  The endocrinologist I can see; maybe the podiatrist.  The rest... not really.  Like today.  Mind you, I saw the MD and four different people -- the lady who checks you in, the one who walks you to the MD's office, the nurse who pre-interviews you, and the lady who schedules your appointment.  I think one person, or at most two, could handle this.  The MD visit was fine -- I realize as a diabetic there are issues to consider but I think I am handling them -- and then it was home to track down prescriptions (we are changing an insulin routine) so we need new prescriptions, a signoff from the pharmacist, and of course, a pre-authorization from the MD.  Mind you, he already authorized it... I really don't see why that process is a thing, as I have yet to see any reason for it, either in terms of cost or health.  Oi.

‘Roots are so deep’: The GOP is straining to get past its Obamacare morass - POLITICO
Mind you, this is another reason why our health care is so expensive; we basically rob Peter to pay Paul, and in the words of George Bernard Shaw, the system that robs Peter to pay Paul will always have the support of Paul.  To be sure, we should have gotten rid of it when we had the chance, but thanx to people like John McCain and Rob Portman....oi again.

Study sheds light on generational divide among US priests
Interesting.  Two things... first, the older generation is the one who presided over the sex abuse scandals, moral relativism, and the general abandonment of the pews, so... why the hell should we trust them with anything?  I would make my usual comment about hosing out the video booths at those places but those guys would enjoy it too much.  Second, if we have more priests who are actually Catholic and actually practice -- and preach -- the Faith... how is this bad?

Finally finished the current read, Okrent's (didn't he give the name to sabermetrics?) The Guarded Gate, which discusses the rise and fall of anti-immigration sentiment/eugenics in the US.  Interesting though I would have liked to have learned more about the fall; in his telling, it just...fell off due to WWII, links to Nazism, etc., which is... well, I suspect there was a bit more to it than that.