SpiderFarmer

Those of you who read me or know me, know that I’m so far left as to almost be a socialist…but this “health care” bill has to be defeated…as much as I hate to suggest siding with the loonies and the birthers and the teabaggers.

This bill will cost most consumers another 27% of their income in MANDATED fees to the insurance company.  On top of your income tax, that means that almost 60% of your income will be sucked away.  Considering that it doesn’t do anything to actually provide health care, it doesn’t stop deductibles, it doesn’t stop premium increases…this is just a pure giveaway to the insurance companies.  It must be stopped.

Wall Street is celebrating “Health Care Reform.” According to an industry insider report yesterday by MarketWatch (Gibson and Britt) health care stocks rallied as the bill moved through the Senate, particularly since there is no public option in the bill to compete or compare with insurance company rate-making.

“Health care investors find themselves having confronted their greatest fear, and, while there will be legislation, it will be significantly watered down …” said Mike O’Rourke, chief market strategist at BTIG LLC. As a result, shares of Aetna gained 4.7%, while Cigna rose 3.9%. United Health and Wellpoint “rallied to 52-week highs.”

Once the bill becomes law, insurance companies will gain at least 26 million new customers and as much as $50 billion in new annual revenue from private-pay and from government subsidies as people will be required by law to purchase private insurance. While certain expenses are capped in the bill, it appears that premium costs are not.

The Senate’s move prompted Gregory Nersessian of Credit Suisse to raise his price targets [predicting greater strength of stock performance] on seven insurers: Aetna, Cigna, Amerigroup Corp., Humana Inc., Molina Healthcare Inc., UnitedHealth Group Inc. and Wellcare Health Plans Inc.

” … the [bill] is a positive first step” Nersessian said in a note to clients. “The heavy lifting will come when Congress is forced to slow the rate of medical cost growth through more aggressive payment restrictions and utilization controls down the road,” he said – meaning that this particular industry insider is predicting limitations on benefits.

Marketwatch also wrote that none of the new standards on how much the industry must spend on medical expenses will “impose great hardship on any insurers.”

Earlier I posted a formula for a quickie hand sanitizer, but a couple of folks have mentioned that they’re not too hip on the smell, or they would prefer a “spicier” or “fruity” note rather than a minty note.  So, here’s a couple more formulas to keep you safe and sanitized during the cold and flu season.

*Directions: Mix all of the ingredients together. Shake and use.

This type of formula dates back to the 15th century. Reportedly, thieves covered themselves in something similar so they could steal from plague victims and dead bodies without catching the disease. Independent lab tests of this oil blend shows a %90 kill rate on micrococcus luteus within 12 minute diffusion and a %99.3 reduction after 20 minutes. Pseudomonas aeruginosa – a major agent of nosocomial infection, showed %99.96 kill rate after 12 minutes of diffusion.

With this formula, you’ll need to shake the bottle each and every time you use it because essential oils and water don’t naturally mix. Cinnamon Essential Oil can be irritating to skin. If any irritation occurs, double the water (use 6 Tablespoons) to decrease irritation. If irritation continues, you can try switching  out the Cinnamon Leaf EO with Tea Tree Essential Oil, or try using a carrier oil instead of a water blend.

I generally make this formula using a light oil carrier, such as sunflower or evening primrose, instead of water/alcohol.  It blends better, but is a much heavier recipe and cannot be easily used in a spray bottle.

*Directions: Mix all of the ingredients together. Shake and use. Since Alcohol is a natural emulsifier, this recipe will turn white and not require shaking each and every time before use. Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil can be irritating to skin. If any irritation occurs, double the liquid (use 6 Tablespoons) to decrease irritation. If irritation continues, switch out the Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil with Tea Tree Essential Oil. This blend is based on the research in the Journal of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery (2009) available online at www.sciencedirect.com

*Directions: Mix all of the ingredients together. Shake and use. Can also be used on places like doorknobs, telephones and other common germ vector locations.

*Directions: Combine the lecithin and the essential oils together in a small container. Slowly pour the essential oil mixture into the aloe vera while stick blending the mixture. This will naturally help emulsify the mixture (think salad dressing). Lecithin is typically found in health food stores and is a natural emulsifier. This blend will be thick like lotion. Spray bottles won’t work with this formula.

Here are some great research links:  Fungus Killed by Essential Oils, Antimicrobial Essential Oils {PDF}, Antibacterial Soaps, Tea Tree oil antimicrobial, Tea Tree Oil & Fungus, Tea Tree Oil.

I’m about to start baking a doghouse cake (carrot cake with cream cheese icing…which should make decorating all kinds of fun), and make chocolate dog and bone for Igor’s birthday. And like any impossible task, I have to try and get the whole thing done before he gets out of school. I’m apparently quite insane.

We’ve talked about tasers on Mefi before. We’ve all heard about the tasing of mouthy grandmothers, recalcitrant students, and diabetics. But as a method of controlling a 10 year old’s temper tantrum?

Stanford University [PDF] released a report saying that tasers should only be used in situations where the suspect is dangerous, and should not be used on children. However, there seems to be a trend where the taser is being used as
a threat and a disciplinary tool, rather than as a tool to protect officers.

Been going to the gym every day right after I drop Boy at school.  This is week two I think…or maybe week 3.  I think 2.  I started after my birthday.  So far I haven’t missed a day.  I’m doing treadmill, and bike and then a full circuit of the weight machines.  I hope to be in bikini shape by next summer.  Yay.