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Monday, December 28th, 2009
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nicosian
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R had the day off so we braved the cold to go see Sherlock. I quite liked it. And as a bonus, it was a straightforward shot film, none of that trendy hurk inducing camera work that's all the rage now. Because I like my movies without barfing. Take note, oh filmmakers.
The two leads were quite funny together. Anyway, yeah, liked.
The morning started ( well noon when I dragged my lazy arse from bed, i'm a night owl) when Rentboy showed up with a suitcase we'd loaned him for moving and he asked me to repair a duvet. So I sent him to walk the dog.
We went to Ogrady's for lunch, my turkey sandwich was ok, except it was billed as "hot" which for some reason came out as "not hot". Cold gravy. Yech.
Went to Cora's Saturday because I was craving eggs benny. Nom. So far this weekend twice we've walked from our place to Eaton Center and most of the way back.
After the movie tonight we ducked into a Wendy's for a quick bite ( we didn't snack during the movie) and I had the unlucky view of watching a very skeletal man ( seriously he looked like death in a hoodie) mash his burger in his face, chew and then spit out his food. Mayo and lettuce all over his face as he repeated this, and then halfway opted to actually eat burger. Bulimic? Dunno, but totally appetite killing for me and a couple other patrons who saw him.
Bought a hardshell ipod case except it makes such lousy contact with the touchscreen that it's virtually unusable so we'll return that.
I'm just hoping for a good 2010. This year's been hit and miss, and stress and good times at the end, but I'd settle now for some stability and progress forth on things.
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Comments: Add Your Own.
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Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009
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nicosian
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Good question.
Let me start with some basics:
Canada, like all the other industrialized nations, has a universal/single payer health care system. Systems vary by country and means of administration, but I know Canada's well and so I can speak with some reasonable authority here. Let me dispel some myths and get some groundwork so that someone might better understand...
Thanks to some scare mongering, I hear lots of repeated myths about Canadian health care.
1. We are "assigned" a doctor by the government and this can take years to get that letter.
NO. I can pick from ANY gp taking patients. I got lucky in Vancouver, and loved the first one I saw. In Alberta, I had to switch twice. In Toronto, I haven't looked yet because i'm busy but the walk in clinic doc was decent, and in Halifax, I tried a few, and found one to my liking shortly before we moved. But never was I told that I couldn't doctorshop to my heart's content. We are NOT assigned or restricted from GP access directly.
2. We can't pick specialists of our choosing.
Well. Yes and no. It would seem that in the US, based on what I've heard/seen/read, EVERYTHING short of a sniffle gets bumped up to specialists. Here, you'll see a GP for most things unless it looks like surgery's on the books or chronic illness, but even then as an asthmatic, I preferred my GP to the respirologist, so I never went the specialist route after one visit with one who was something of a disaster. Ditto an allergist. I was being treated just fine by my GP.
But if you do need a specialist, you'll have a range of picks if you're in a large metro area. You might even have a choice in a smaller city. You might find that you're taking the closest one, if you're in an underserviced area.
( note: Canada is MASSIVE. We have lots of splat sized towns that don't have the latest and greatest because it wouldn't make sense financially or logistically to have a 5mil state of the art cardiology surgical unit with mobile MRI unit for a town of 300. But it's also been pointed out most people are but a short flight from a major medical center, or a 2 day drive if you've not busted an artery or such.)
3. We have a massive wait list.
Yes, and no. Each province has their own provincial plan for health care, overseen by the federal government. But through BC, NS, and ONT, and AB, the treatment I've received is at a basic level very consistent, caring, and good. Overall, no complaints. Anyway. Each province has its own priorities above the basic service, and some services are covered in one province and not in another, above the basic, which is extensive, really. People in NS tend towards an elderly demographic so they won't have the same concerns as BC with a younger active demographic. Wait lists for procedures then vary depending on the nature of the procedure.
Orthopedics is somewhat backlogged as is minor cardiac surgery, if I recall right.
we're not given a number "you're 800 000 on the list" where there's a big line ala burgerking, of 800 000 in front of you. You're waitlisted for that specialty, not as a whole.
Just the same if your issue becomes, or is imminently life threatening or limb threatening, you get bumped up the list, if yours looks like it could use more urgent attention, you'll be moved ahead.( this has happened to me.)
Downside is sometimes, you bump in front of someone else. It happens. It's medicine. By it's nature it's triage, not first come first served.
4. We don't treat our elderly.
NO. We don't even send them off on ice floes when we've felt they outlived their usefulness. Nope.
5. We send patients to the US because our facilities are SO lacking that we can't deal with em, and we envy the superior US facility.
NO. Sometimes patients have been sent to US facilities because there IS some equipment or skill where it's simply one surgeon at one hospital doing what he does and none else. Ontario sends 2000 or so to the US, (buffalo, right across the border.) at our own expense. Sometimes because that hospital is closer. another 10k go down of their own volition. Now, with the population of the GTA being somewhere around 2.5 mil? 2k, 12k is a proverbial drop in the bucket.
This also doesn't consider the fact that americans come here for cheaper meds, and I've heard some vague stories of american women coming here to give birth because if they're uninsured, its cheaper than doing so in the US. So the traffic I think, goes both ways.
6.People die, suffer on our system.
Yes, sometimes the system doesn't work. But people die. People die in the US in waiting rooms, or as recently, when someone went into premature labor, the EMT's who happened to be on lunch at the same cafe did nothing but offer to call another rig.( in both instances, the people died.)
7. We pay for someone else's bad health/decisions/morality.
MAYBE. Maybe we do. But we're also not really in the business of getting all up in people's business either. And you can be perfectly healthy, saintly, moral, whatever, and still get mown down by a drunk driver, or have some catastrophic illness befall you.
But most of us pay in to the system. We ALL have equal access. We tend not not think of it as "so and so is getting MORE services than I". Though if you wanted to, I guess you could get extra colonoscopies to balance out your neighbor's use of the ER but that's petty and nonsensical.
8.I don't want any ol government beaurecrat telling ME what to do.
Hey. Neither do i. And guess what, in Canada, they don't interfere between the decisions my doctor and I make. They don't tell me what procedure I can have, or where, by whom. The government doesn't act like an HMO or insurer where claims must all go through a central authority.
The government does encourage healthy behaviors and responsible use of the system, but that's pretty much as far as it's ever been involved. My doctor ordered a medical workup for investigation of an issue, even though I didn't specifically meet the criteria, she felt it was warranted and lo, it's done. ( same with cancer screening. the general policy says X, but your doctor calls the shots, not some beancounter in an office.)
9. We're oppressively taxed.
No, not really. I know people in the US who are taxed much less than us, and a few who are hit much harder. Our household's tax burden is a moderate 24% or so. The Ontario government commits 3700 a year, per person out of that tax revenue to our health care expenditures. 10% of our GDP or so, compared to nearly twice that in the us, and 18% GDP.
That includes unemployment insurance, a year long mat leave, all access no cut offs/restrictions health care that goes cradle to grave. Heck of a deal. We could and maybe should spend more.
Some rightwing think tanks will state the numbers higher but most other studies don't concur.
10. The insurance companies! think of the insurance companies!
Well, we have private insurers here, that will sell you or your business a policy for all those extras that the basic plan doesn't cover. I've lived very well without it, it's nice to have and most jobs offer it as a benefit. ( well some.) policies are fairly easy to obtain, and relatively inexpensive.
It's been said that the health care system here has allowed people the freedom to live, and work. I can't see how the US system functions. I know a florida area podiatrist who has 6 people managing billing, for insurers that pay out after 6m, but medicare pays him around 9 days after billing.
I don't see how strapping massive premiums to people, and employers, makes any kind of financial sense ( we do work in canada, because we have rent and food.) People argue that if it's provided in the US, what next? well, when that carton of milk runs at 100 bucks and you have to submit to background investigations for previous milk purchases or use or you may be denied a purchase, and milk is as vital as air or medical care, then yeah, we'll look at socializing food. But so far no one denies you food on largely arbitrary criteria, and there's nourishment at virtually all the prices you wish, and free if you're in need.
7/10 people who declare medical bankruptcy had insurance, BTW.
People are being cut off, denied, mid treatment, and hit with userfees, copays, rising premiums.
The other benefit to our system is that you don't need to resort to being on disability for medical care. I know a few people who simply can't work because jobs won't put them on the coverage plan, or they can't earn enough to buy their own policy.
This has to cost an immense amount, having people locked to disability or dead end jobs. It stifles the very thing I think americans valued at one time, that Go get em spirit.
I'm watching friends in the US battle with insurers, cut offs, and expiring plans, or plans that refuse to cover reasonable claims, rising premiums for less and less service. No lie, I worry. I'm angry that people think health care is something people are not buying because they prefer hohos and big screen TVs.
I think a lot of these myths are things people tell themselves so they can sleep at night. That there's charity care and agencies and even go beg for a reduction in your bill. Just what you need after a medical crisis, right?
And what of all the people who are uninsured and go to the ER because you cant be turned away? That markup on supplies, drugs and services goes to cover them. The US is already paying but in the MOST INEFFICIENT WAY POSSIBLE.
If you're a fiscal conservative, on this alone I don't see how people could think this was a great system of use of resources.
So if someone's wondering why I'm vocal, and how we roll in Canada, there you go. I think single payer/universal is about the only option. It works everywhere else. Only some of the US seems to believe that it won't work there. I don't expect the change to be easy, but I don't see how a country can function when so many are in this mess and struggling.
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Comments: Read 4 or Add Your Own.
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Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009
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nicosian
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I was heading to the U of T bookstore to pick up the textbook for my dutch class in january, and in what's been a day of utter spacebrained-ness, I took the sherbourne bus to Queen, then queen to university, instead of sherbourne to college, then over to unversity ave.
All told it was around a 30 min detour but AUGH.
I've then poured milk in a mug not the steaming pitcher for a latte, and probably a few other small moments of numptyhead which means either I need sleep, or aliens stole my brain.
Got the textbook. I'll be doing the classes, R will use it at home as it's self study. Granted I have a grammar workbook and another cheaper dutch course. The grammar book I'm working on, and I'll probably go through the other book at some point, just to really hone those language skills.
I'm so much better at reading it, so writing and speaking need work, hence the U of T continuing ed classes.
I also want to find a stone setting and soldering class too. Tackle some major math and chem review in the new year and get on a solid foundation for september to finish a degree.
Aside from the space brain thing. Ye heavens. I might just go have a short nap.
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Comments: Read 4 or Add Your Own.
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Monday, December 21st, 2009
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January: oh shit it's colder than the depths of a frozen over hell, and I'm still in Halifax.
February: Oh SHIT it's still cold and i'm still in Halifax but hey, hello europe!
March: goodbye Europe, hello pnuemonia, and oh, hey, it got even COLDER in halifax.
April: Still in Halifax but not for much longer, hello finals, hello term I missed most of due to pnuemonia and the aforementioned holyfuckingjeebusonapogostick it's COLD here.
May: Hello working double shifts while boss rails on that CFA's are lazy!
June: Last month in this godforsaken dump of a city!
July: ONTARIO OR BUST, oh what a lovely city, hello super 8 motel, hello civilization.
August: Dragoncon approaches, panic ensues.
Sept: Lost luggage, missed flights, sleep dep, dragoncon.
October: Hello baby mackenzie, congrats parents, hello ikea and and Halloween at the Gay Village.
November: Hello niagara falls, dutch lessons, and more dental surgery!
December: On the road again and home, and ready to have 2009 kindly see itself out.
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Well, called to tell Oma I didn't have her necklace. She's "oh! Its ok I found it."
Le sigh. don't call me then.....At least now the harpy aunties won't have to hear about it. ( seriously, those two need a swift kick in the junk, you have NO IDEA)
Slept like hell, but today, it's finish some new shiny things, do some language study, and start in on major math review.( at my own pace with self instruction should be so much easier now.)
I've set a goal that by this time next year I'd like to be able to read the first harry potter book in dutch. (just the one, they go for around 80 bucks ack!)
ok, walk dog, get caffienated and fooded, and get on with work. I also really seriously need to draft up a studio upgrade wishlist too.
Sometime this week: sort out my shelf of jump ring supplies, it's a complete mess.
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Sunday, December 20th, 2009
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So remember waaaay back in Feb when I was at the Rijksmuseum and they gave me grief over my small MEC sling pack and then grief when I didn't check it FAST enough?
Well the ROM got me too.
And while I'm fine checking it, at least the ROM let me fetch my inhaler and such from it, what I really find irksome is that women with MUCH LARGER PURSES were allowed to carry theirs in.
So I think for future museum hopping I can either pitch a fit or buy, hahaha, a massive fucking purse. Because apparently it's OK! to carry something you could pack for an expedition in so long as it's an easily accessed purse, not a sling bag on one's back.
Why this is, I don't know. If I want to smuggle shit in, or out, one should carry a purse. And have it gawping open. And no one will utter so much as a word.
Bleh. If I have to check my bag, so do you.
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Comments: Read 3 or Add Your Own.
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nicosian
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So we live in Sprawling Towers. And that's fine. Granted, some of the population may be infact a wee bit touched. Or smacked in the head as is the case with crazy schizophrenic guy ( who I haven't really seen lately.)
But the old dude one floor below, will randomly on a weekend, storm up here to demand we stop making noise!
He called and had one of Toronto's fine law enforcement people come to investigate this time. Apparently he's called the police before, too.
Catch: for the last 4 hours the entire apt, and even the floor, has been fairly silent.
There is someone with a mad hammering fixation, ( or a snot ton of paintings to hang) but naught a sound from us. We were napping.
I get that the police have to make a cursory investigation and clobber on our door ( which would be about the noisiest thing in the last while) but this old fuckwit is SERIOUSLY gnawing my last nerve.
The last time he got in our faces and we rightly denied noisemaking, he got all pissy and aggro.
Dude, if you don't fuck right off and leave us alone, and find some other outlet for your crazy, I will be disinclined to be patient, nice or understanding.
Don't make me start counting down the months to end of lease here. We are relocating, but not for crazypants reasons, when this one's up.
Yergh.
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Comments: Read 2 or Add Your Own.
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Saturday, December 19th, 2009
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nicosian
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got up mad early and went off to the ROM with r and houseboy. r got us a year long membership that includes guest privileges. Good thing since the place is so massive that we couldn't tackle it all in one day.
They had a huge dead sea scrolls exhibit which was impressive.
Just before we'd left, I got a call from Oma, however. She's missing a necklace and asked if I'd seen it.
I don't think I have it, she gave me a silver bracelet but I have obviously no need of necklaces....:D Catch is, she'll gripe to Val. Val to Marlies and soon, it'll be that I stole from Oma. This is how it runs in my family, you could put money on it.
So either i find something I don't have, or she figures out what she did with her own stuff. I'm almost certain I don't have it because I don't like wearing store bought chains.
Nope. Don't have it. Likely I messed up her filing system and it's not where she wanted it. (she has a very particular manner on these things.)
I'll call tomorrow and let her know, but no, I do not have it. Hello shitstorm.
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Comments: Read 6 or Add Your Own.
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Thursday, December 17th, 2009
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I'm not sure how -5c can be so resoundingly bonechilling cold but it is. Ye gads.
It wasn't so bad during the day when the sun was out. Once it was gone, it was freeze yer arse off time.
Met up with doc jess for a leisurely lunch and coffee where we touched on many a vaguely intellectual topic and much fun was had.
Then dash home, and see R's new girlfriend, er...MAC, of which I now have to compete for affection with. Then off to dinner.
We're off to the ROM on saturday to see the dead sea scrolls exhibit and other forms of art. And get a yearly membership.
Tomorrow I am staying home to get caught up on a buttload of work, cleaning and other things, and oh, staying out of the cold. Oh, and the skeptics in the pub thing. Welcome to a non stop life.
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Comments: Read 7 or Add Your Own.
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Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
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Not in a bad way but we both got home, ate dinner, and zonked out.
But it was a busy day. Over to QSW to get some clasps, and then downtown, to look at some extra bedding for winter. None found to our liking. Also stopped by Kiehls for a freebie lip balm, some shave cream for R and a new gloss for me.
Walked from eaton center to college park, took the train one stop to wellesley ( got shoved on by some cocky jackass who got uber aggro mashing his way on. Dude. Fuck you.)Bus to home from wellesley after we'd walked around downtown a bit for food and browsing of book stores.
Still the Jackass to Good ratio is 1:500. Where it was 1 in 2 in hellifax. So there's that.
Thursday I'm going to start to work on the novel again, (got the itch for finishing it, big time) and back at the dutch and chem review stuff. (and some math, because it has to be done. no worry there.)
Right now it's just eat, then crawl back to bed. I'm clobbered today.
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Doc jess arrives to visit her brother, and so somewhere we'll meet up I hope.
Today I think I might drag my ass over to queen St west to get a clasp I need, and some other stuff.
Then maybe off to sears downtown with R, because we need another blanket or something for winter in this apt. He's using a sleeping bag as a blanket and that's just not really working.
Dog is yipping in her sleep on the floor behind me.
And friday is another skeptics in the pub deal, we are going to the ROM on the weekend, and Houseboy who should now get a new name with his own home, has found a 5 buck burger thing at a pub near here.
We plan on getting a membership to the ROM or AGO or both soon. And sometime this winter I'll have to get to the ontario science center. Oh, and there's CN tower, the distillery district, and....so much to do. Yay.
Should finally get my studio upgrade wishlist assembled and get that started in the new year.
I guess I'm awake now. Yergh. walk dog, then head out around 1 to get stuff done. yep.
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