The curse of technology?

Recently I was showered with technical problems at home as I was changing my personal computer, had a major internet breakdown (router) and then couldn’t get my printer to work with my computer. A whole host of interconnected issues that I wasn’t quite prepared for. 

So, I asked myself the question, has computer technology become too complex for regular people like us and what can we do about it? It’s true that technology evolves incredibly quickly. New devices, software, and updates are constantly being released, making it impossible to keep up.

This is exacerbated by our interconnected systems, between devices and software, that are creating complex ecosystems that become increasingly difficult to troubleshoot. To make matters worse, the tech world uses a lot of jargon and technical terms that are confusing for most folks and much software and hardware aren’t designed with user-friendliness in mind, leading to frustration and confusion. 

At the end of the day, a lot of time is wasted, wrong purchases are often made and useless monies spent. Yet, it seems that in spite of its flaws and frustration, technology is well worth all of this.! It's also important to recognize that technology is constantly evolving, and if we can’t eliminate complexity entirely, it’d be nice if we could make it more accessible and manageable for everyone.

Faith vs fear of death

Since I’m not religious anymore, I often wonder why religious people who believe in a wonderful after-life are still afraid of dying when their faith tells them that upon passing, everything will be much easier, better and as an extra bonus, will last forever. 

Example in point, are faithfuls in Rome looking distraught as Pope Francis is nearing the end of his earthly life. Everyone instead should be excited to see him ready to depart for a wonderful new and exciting destination, hence the glaring contradiction. My observation highlights this tension between spiritual belief and emotional experience.

I have done some research and there are still some reasons why religious people might fear death, even with a strong belief in some form of afterlife, still hampered by an overwhelming amount of doubt that negatively cancels out their certainty. Of course, even with a strong faith, an afterlife remains largely uncertain. 

Beliefs sure help but they can't eliminate the doubts, anxiety and fear of that black hole that death represents. At death, we know what we’re losing, but religious faith is never strong enough to turn things around. In fact, in most cases faith plays second fiddle to our instinctual survival drive and our emotional bonds to loved ones, family, and friends even if there's a belief in a future reunion. 

For all these many doubters, even with a belief in the afterlife can’t compete with the value and importance of one’s current life. Did I even mention a negative divine judgment after death? No, because I take it as transactional blackmail and a contradiction of what a good god should be. 

In conclusion, while religious beliefs can provide a tiny bit of comfort and hope for those who grieve the departed, they fail to eliminate the fundamental human fear of the unknown and the loss of the familiar.

T-Mobile, like in “Test My patience!"

Since June 2021, we have been using a cell phone company 5G tower router as our internet source. It’s been working great, provides us with fast internet speed and would be perfect if the tower didn’t die every two years. The first box made by Nokia was toast in February of 2023 and just last weekend its replacement also kicked the bucket. So after three consecutive router shut down I insisted on getting my device replaced.

My nearby T-mobile store had it in stock, so at 12:30 pm, I drove there and was apparently second in line, but failed to see a third customer floating around, and after waiting for 30 minutes, what seemed to be the store manager came around with his tablet and asked me the reason for my visit. Then I had to wait a total of 2 hours before being taken care of. I guess the focus of brick and mortar stores for these phone companies is to sell products, not customer care. 

The guy assigned to us had no clue what he was doing and his lack of knowledge and concern for his customers’ time suggested that T-Mobile doesn’t pay its people well enough to get good ones. Two days later, as I called support for setting up my phone app, I finally spoke to a competent technician, which shows the blatant lack of training received by store personnel. Routers must more easily break down that phone, hence the limited staffing needed at physical stores. My alternative would be Comcast, but I hate the outfit, so in spite of these problems I am sticking with T-Mobile. 

If it eats up some of my time, it must be good for training my patience! June 25, 2021

How to root out lying from society (Part 3)

It’s a lot easier to remove snow from my driveway than to eliminate lying from society. This endeavor is both complex and challenging, as that flaw is deeply ingrained in human behavior and social structures. There's no single solution, but we should instead consider a multi-pronged approach. 

Here's what most experts, including the excellent snow remover I think I am, would recommend. There must be an accepted culture of honesty, starting with teaching our children the importance of honesty and the consequences of lying. These days, all of us must be encouraged to think critically and to spot the difference between truth and falsehood. 

Everyone should be alerted about the dangers of misinformation and be shown how to evaluate sources. At the same time, everyone should be encouraged to speak up against lies and misinformation. Media platforms should have clear policies against dubious news, should be systematically fact-checked and ethical journalism should be promoted for accuracy and fairness. 

Showing example is key, and leaders in all sectors (parents, educators, government, business and media) must demonstrate integrity, transparency and honesty. It takes a whole community to showcase the value of truthfulness by creating an environment where honesty is valued and rewarded, and lying condemned.

At the same time, our institutions and systems must be strengthened by investigating and holding individuals and institutions accountable for dishonesty. Those who report wrongdoing should also be fully protected, and laws against perjury, fraud, and other forms of dishonesty should be strictly enforced. 

Obviously, there are many more important root causes to be addressed like education, social inequality, mental health, political climate, information overload and of course, good-old human nature! Ultimately, rooting out lying will require a collective effort from individuals, institutions, and society as a whole. 

It's a continuous process that requires vigilance, commitment, and a shared belief and appreciation in the importance of truth.

The destructive power of lying (Part 2)

Lying isn’t as trivial as some people would like you to believe. When it’s widespread or systemic, it will have damaging effects on society. Trump has used it widely since 2015 and here are some key ways this practice erodes the fabric of our society. 

Trust is the bedrock of any functioning community and when lying becomes dominant, it undermines our ability to rely on each other, on institutions, and on the information we get. This makes cooperation, collaboration, and even simple daily interactions very difficult. 

If we can't trust what we're being told, communication becomes distorted and ineffective, leading to misunderstandings, conflict, and an inability to solve problems collectively. Widespread lying also creates divisions and distrust between different groups within society. It can fuel prejudice, animosity, and even violence. 

Now, as it’s the case with Trump and his reformed Republican Party, when MAGA engages in lying and misinformation, it destabilizes the political process. It makes it difficult for citizens to make informed decisions and that’s what leads to political polarization and gridlock. 

Same consequences for the economy as when businesses and individuals can't rely on the truth, uncertainty rises, discouraging investment and leading to economic decline. Worse yet, lying erodes public confidence in institutions like the media, the government, and even the justice system, leading to social unrest and a breakdown of the rule of law. 

Living in a society where lying is rampant ends up having negative psychological effects on individuals, bringing cynicism, anxiety, and a sense of powerlessness. As we have seen under Trump in the past, and are witnessing again today, one of the most insidious effects of widespread lying is that it can normalize dishonesty. 

 When people see that lying is common and often goes unpunished, they’ll be more likely to engage in it themselves. Finally, a society where lying is prevalent is a society that is less cohesive, less trusting, and less functional. It's a society where individuals and communities are less able to cooperate, solve problems, and thrive. 

Tomorrow, we’ll see how we can root out the plague that is lying.

The (dubious) art of lying

If Trump has achieved something remarkable since he’s been president, it’s elevating lying to an acceptable and popular art form, that is now legal and widely accepted in all 50 states of America. 

Still would you accept any one of the following individual lying to you in the conduct of their day to day activity?

• Accountant 
• Air traffic controller 
• Airline pilot 
• Bartender 
• Car mechanic 
• Chef 
• Children 
• Doctor 
• Nurse 
• Priest, pastor, rabbi 
• Spouse 
• Surgeon 
• Teacher 
• Etc., etc… 

The answer would be a resounding “NO!”, so why in the world do we elect, tolerate and keep the leader of the greatest nation in the world in place, when he’s terrorizing every one who comes to his contact and too boot, is also a bona fide liar? 

Tomorrow, we’ll explore the devastating effects lying has on society...

What to do after a skiing incident

Every time I’ve had a serious accident or incident, I’ve never tried to “bury” it right away into my personal, repressed-memories vault, but instead I’ve always made a point of returning to very the spot it occurred as soon as humanly possible to “retrace” my steps, and while the impact and the reality of the incident was still very fresh on my mind. 

Part of it is superstition and the other part is just a form of sublimating or exorcising the incident. For instance, in the case of a ski accident, I will return to the spot where it happened and while I’m there focus intensely on the event while skiing my best. I believe this is a form of exposure therapy, a technique used in psychology to overcome fears and anxieties. 

Here's why I believe my method works and here’s the logic behind it: By returning to the spot where the accident occurred while the memory is still fresh, I’m directly confronting the fear and trauma associated with the event. Over time, this prevents my memory from becoming distorted or exaggerated by my imagination. 

It's like ripping off a band-aid quickly rather than slowly peeling it. It’s also my way of reclaiming control, as accidents often leave us feeling powerless. By returning to the site, I’m taking back control. I’m saying, "I won’t be defined by this event." I find this way of facing fear incredibly empowering. As I tried to say above, this process can feel like a form of sublimation or exorcism. 

I’m processing the negative energy associated with the accident and releasing it. It's a way of mentally and emotionally "cleansing" the experience. Sure, there are those who think that avoiding the site of the accident is a more logical way to cope, but it can actually reinforce fear and potentially lead to a phobia. 

While I don’t deny there might be a touch of superstition involved with my way of dealing with this kind of trauma, my approach is grounded in what I believe is solid common-sense and sound psychological principles. It's my way of processing trauma, reclaiming control, and preventing long-term fear or avoidance. 

If ever a serious incident affects you, just try it!

In skiing, seeing is… surviving!

If you are an Alpine skier, you know how crucial visibility can be. Okay, we all know that seeing clearly is paramount when we’re skiing, and if you don’t know it or aren’t so sure, here's why. It begins with one’s ability to assess the terrain, as skiing requires constant evaluation of what comes ahead. 

One must identify bumps, dips, obstacles of all kinds besides the moving targets that skiers are, and a reading of snow conditions at the time. Poor visibility hinders this, making it harder to adapt speed, technique and maintain control. It’s also true that picking the right line down the slope relies heavily on visual cues. 

A limited visibility makes it difficult to select the best path and can lead to inefficient or even dangerous skiing. Some conditions are worse than others, like skiing over the timberline in wide open snowfields under flat light or in fog makes it difficult to see all the elements we already discussed, not to mention other skiers, obstacles (like trees, stumps, cliffs or rocks), and changes in terrain. 

As skier collisions have become a widespread hazard, it’s good to be able to read the mind of the skiers below you that all have a full right of way, which often turns into a game of Russian-roulette and impossible to execute perfectly. 

The only ways are taking a chance, which is a dumb idea, or slowing down as well as moving away and freeing enough space between one’s and the other skiers. Never ski a terrain or a ski run that you have never skied on when visibility is poor and never forget the gold standard of low visibility conditions, which is drastically lower your speed.

Do I have to mention that skiing in low visibility can be nerve-wracking, extremely exhausting, and both a confidence and joy-killer. So with this in mind, don’t underestimate appropriate gear like high-quality goggles with the right set of lenses adapted for low-light conditions (yellow or rose-tinted lenses can enhance contrast). 

Now that you see what I mean by seeing well when skiing, see you on the slopes!

Europe misunderstands Trump

Ever since Trump people have been tearing apart the North Atlantic alliance, I’ve been watching the French reactions to it and, too often, my countrymen give far too much credit to Donald Trump himself, believing he’s a businessman with ultimate commercial goals and strategies, when in fact he’s solely interested in himself and is behaving without thinking much, just like a big, raging bull inside a china shop. 

He is a selfish, narcissistic man and a poor business person who has gotten rich by manipulating bankruptcy law and, by doing so, on the back of his creditor. 

He has some firm “principles” like never recognizing that he’s lost, that he’s wrong and that he isn’t number one. Besides that posturing he isn’t very smart. 

He’s in fact a terrible negotiator as through the comments of Pete Hegseth, his new Secretary of Defense, he’s giving away all of his room of maneuver to deliver Ukraine to Putin. 

His main skill is to spread fear around him, just like the worst terrorists do. The European leaders need to understand this and find a strategy to attack Trump on his worst and more vulnerable sides. 

Yes, Trump is a bull inside a china shop!

Switzerland and the Alpine ski championships

During the last FIS World Alpine Championships, at Saalbach, Austrial, the country of Switzerland won medals in all five men’s events and eight of 11 events overall to lead the medal table in an event marked by first-time champions and medal winners. 

American women did quite well too, nearly making it a medal in all five events for the first time, as four different athletes won medals across the women's events. This wasn’t the case of my French countrymen and women who failed to win one single medal. As the country with the most ski resorts after the US, 

France’s poor performance only comes even with the 2009 world championships in Val d’Isère, and both events are a far cry from Portillo’s and the 16 medals garnered by France in 1966! 

Already, team directors and coaches must be conducting a post-mortem of the event, trying to analyze ski technique, recruiting schemes and training regimen from all places and directions. Besides just plain bad luck, which always stands as a glaring possibility, I would submit in stark contrast with that dismal performance, the winning Swiss team as a good benchmark. 

Most particularly, I’m thinking of the cultural difference between the two alpine countries. I would surmise that the Swiss have got to be more inclusive and tolerant than the French as they must make room for German, French and sometimes Italian speaking athletes in their team, along with their specific idiosyncrasies if not distinct cultures attached to the linguistic differences. 

In addition, I would think that as a country, Swiss may have more common sens, are perhaps less influenced by “cool” things and much more humble than the French population altogether, and this shows in their team cohesion and performance. 

Do you agree with that view?

Solutions to Fear and Terror (Part 2)

In the face of the cruelty and terrorism that Trump is currently deploying to create what amounts to a “coup d’état,” most of us need to see the situation for what it is, to assess our own risks and at the same time connect with family, friends, and community members to find emotional support, to feel a sense of solidarity, and to see a light at the end of the dystopian tunnel we are being dragged into.

Beyond that, individual responses to fear and terrorism will also be shaped by personality, cultural context, and personal experiences. Given that those who terrorize others often use fear to create a climate of threat and division, it is essential to resist these attempts and maintain a healthy and balanced perspective. 

The strongest among us who are able to transform our fear into an aggressive response will need to become more involved and engage in organizations, political activism, or be creative enough to find ways, however small or covert, to find a way to erode the terror we are immersed in. 

Any response, however small in size or intensity, is better than moping and is the only hope of slowing down and hopefully stopping the bull in the china shop that is Trump. The choice before us is therefore absolutely ours and completely clear: finding positive and healthy ways to break out of the negative trap and to counter this form of terrorism or move things forward!

How to Respond to Fear and Terror (Part 1)

As Trump creates chaos, uncertainty, and fear across the planet, his actions and those of his cronies are seen as opportune and appropriate by his loyal base, while a growing number of us find them totally unbalanced and destabilizing. Whether we did not vote for this individual, or those who did vote for him were “just trying,” and are beginning to realize that the man is completely unstable, raises many questions. 

So what happens when Trump triggers fear and terror, he affects more than half of Americans who did not vote for him. In doing so, he creates feelings of anger and resentment toward himself and his administration, which are perceived as responsible for the chaos and disruption it is generating. This includes an erosion of trust in institutions, increased suspicion of his supporters, especially the most vocal and aggressive ones.

This is real terrorism that is forcing many of us into withdrawal and isolation. Trump’s fear-mongering and anti-immigration campaign is largely about security measures, such as surveillance, ubiquitous checks, and increased security at public events. 

Tomorrow, we’ll see how the majority of Americans who reject this tsunami of chaos and terror can survive and positively impact their future in the midst of this onslaught. Stay tuned…

Why am I on this earth?

This seems to be humanity’s existential question par excellence. I, for one, never had much time or inclination to wonder about the meaning of life, but we’re all different, aren’t we? 

If we look to many philosophical and religious angles, the reason we’re on Earth is to experience life, grow as an individual, connect with others, contribute to society, and ultimately find meaning and purpose through our actions, all of that while potentially pleasing some cosmic or spiritual power depending on our set of beliefs. 

In summary, we’re here to live a life that is meaningful to us and those around. When I observe my day-to-day life for over seven decades, I’d say that my purpose in life is to fix things, or to put it in other words, to find solutions to problems or to jump over obstacles. 

This obviously is a far less lofty accomplishment than the ones philosophers and religious leaders are admonishing us to follow. This said, I find plenty of satisfaction and fulfillment in solving problems, finding solutions or repairing deteriorating things or relationships, that this activity has become central to my life. 

Yes, I’ve established myself as a lowly repairman for whatever isn’t running right!

Embracing Trump’s insanity as a challenge

You’ll often hear me saying, “I get stronger by going through challenges!” Is this a form of masochism or is there true redemption to that practice? I do think so. 

For instance, when given a choice between riding an elevator and taking the stairs, my wife and I always settle for the former, except of course if there are 10 floors to climb or if we’re loaded like mules. 

So, as Friedrich Nietzsche first stated in 1888, we do believe that what doesn’t kill us will make us much stronger. This said the second election of Trump was awful and while we’ve blamed Biden selfishness for it, Trump and his sycophants are now a reality. 

We could feel sorry for ourselves, move to British Columbia or France, or decidedly put our best foot forward to resist that unsavory reality. 

We'll do the latter, we’ll resist with all our might this insanity we’re served on a daily basis with an overflowing reserve of passion, courage, and imagination!

Happy anonymity!

A few nights ago, I finished reading “We all shine on, John, Yoko & me” by Elliot Mintz, a great account of an improbable long-term relationship and the high cost of being a celebrity. 

In his book, Mintz offers us a personal and revealing look at the last ten years of John Lennon’s life and his partnership with Yoko Ono. 

The author, a former Los Angeles radio and TV host, tells us how their unlikely friendship began and how it lasted over the years, with the ups and downs of a non-conformist relationship. 

Mintz takes readers inside John and Yoko’s home, New York’s fabled Dakota building, where Mintz became the Lennons' closest and most trusted confidant. Again, Mintz was with John and Yoko through thick and thin. 

He was also by Yoko’s side during the aftermath of John’s assassination, not just as a witness, but as a key figure in John and Yoko’s extraordinary lives. 

The book is a must-read for Beatles and Lennon fans like me, and also tells us how bad one’s status as a celebrity can be, day in, day out, making me feel happy to enjoy a good life in total privacy, instead of being a prisoner of fame and all of its trappings...

A Trumpian dream?

During his 2024 campaign, Donald Trump promised to lower grocery prices. He emphasized this frequently, saying that he’d bring down the cost of groceries like eggs, bacon, and apples, which had increased a lot under Biden. 

However, despite his promises, grocery prices have continued to rise and eggs are still creeping up with no end in sight! This is probably what prompted my dream last night when I saw Trump addressing a large group of hens inside a chicken coop and asking them to triple their daily egg production in order to bring enough supply of their protein-rich products, so it could drop down their stratospheric cost. 

As his head was, as usual, leaning over his lectern in his soft loving side, in front of already good productive hens, I was expecting him to be nice and to charm all of the birds assembled in front of him into laying many more eggs. 

 

Instead he said: “If you can’t triple your daily production I’ll have no choice but asking Vance (his VP) and Kennedy (his Health guy) to come and twist all your necks, and by doing so, teach you a memorable lesson in capitalistic productivity!” 

As I woke up, it was no longer a dream, but a scary nightmare with the same old terror-inducing, threatening tactics!

An expensive birthday present!

Recently, I gained access to the bill I generated following my 14 hour stay at the ICU of a major cardio-vascular unit in Salt Lake City, around New Year’s eve and my birthday. 

While my copay was just $360, the total bill amounted to $28,037 that was negotiated down to $8,704 by my insurance. 

This means that if I had no insurance, I would be liable for the full, non-negotiated amount just under $30,000, which seems to sound like highway robbery compared to an actual “street price” just 31% of that. 

So, I’m asking myself, “what gives?” and if everyone gets paid for the work they did, the hospital room and the drug or tests they performed on me, where would the remaining 70% go if I wasn’t insured? 

Just profit for the hospital, that would then sell the bill to a collection agency should the patient be unable to pay it? 

At any rate, the optics are bad as that huge amount doesn’t look any good on the paper my bill was printed on…

Old folks’ strategies to keep learning (Part 3)

Despite all the challenges we talked about previously, there are still many ways to encourage and facilitate lifelong learning. It all begins with having or creating a supportive environment, in which a culture that values lifelong learning and provides resources as well as opportunities for older adults, is openly promoted. 

Leveraging technology is another key tool in making learning more accessible and engaging for older adults. I have found this as I began to learn Spanish with new technology that makes it so easy and so motivating to do compared to what was available in my twenties! It’s also critical to tailor what we learn so it aligns with what we love and like as older adults to increase motivation.

Older folks like me should also encourage a growth mindset and never miss an opportunity to say that it's never too late to learn something new. Understanding these factors will help develop strategies to keep older adults engaged in learning, thereby enhancing their quality of life and cognitive health. 

Sure, many of us among the older people we’ve become are likely to be reluctant to make the jump and learn new things, due to a combination of factors including their declining memory, their fear of appearing stupid, the false belief that they know it all, anxiety about learning something that seem far too complicated, and sometimes even saying they’re "too old" and have passed the age to learn effectively, even though this is often not the case. 

So, let’s help each other, chase these false ideas and get started by finding a small, but manageable learning goal!

Old folks’ reluctance to learn (part 2)

Yesterday I was discussing how old age often molds us into changing individuals. 

Here are some serious reasons why this happens: Often, the decline in cognitive performance is caused by a loss of brain’s neuroplasticity, that means its ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections, making it harder for older adults to learn new skills or information as quickly as they did when they were younger. 

Adults also may find it more challenging to manage their cognitive load, which is the total amount of mental effort being used in the working memory. This also makes learning new, complex information more difficult and frustrating. Then there are the various routines and habits we all develop as we age. Learning something new frequently requires stepping out of these comfort zones, which can be destabilizing and intimidating. 

We’re also more risk-averse and less willing to take on the uncertainty and potential failure that comes with learning new things. 

This brings me to what’s left of the older adults’ motivation as they may perceive new information or skills as less relevant to their current lives in relation to their remaining lifespan. 

Unless they can be shown immediate practical benefits, they won’t be as motivated to invest the time and effort required to learn. Instead, younger people generally have higher levels of intrinsic motivation to explore and learn in order to grow and reach specific objectives. 

It’s also true that as we age, there’s clearly less social pressure or encouragement for older adults to learn new things compared to younger ones. 

There’s also less information and resources available for that, including physical limitations, financial constraints, or lack of availability. No one loves to fail either, and older adults may doubt their ability to succeed, which can deter them from even trying. This applies to fear of judgment too, as no one wants to be judged or seen as incompetent, especially in a world that adores youth and fast learning abilities. 

To close that list, I must mention two critical elements that are health and time. Age-related health issues, such as hearing loss, vision problems, or chronic pain, make it more difficult to learn. Same thing with issues like depression or anxiety, that can be more prevalent in older adults, and will negatively impact both motivation and ability to learn. 

Finally, when it comes to time, older adults may have a different perspective, focusing more on the present and less on long-term goals. This can lead to prioritizing immediate enjoyment or relaxation over investing time in learning new skills. 

Tomorrow we’ll see if we can remedy all these problems, so please, stay tuned

Old folks’ reluctance to learn

From my recent observations, it seems to me pretty obvious that, as we age, we’re more reluctant to learn. 

Currently, I’m up against setting up a new GoPro camera to replace the 12 year old one I had, and transferring nine years of work and data from an old Windows 10 computer to a newer Windows 11 version, and I find that work pretty tedious and very hard. 

On the other hand, last July, I began learning Spanish and still persevere and love it, so things aren’t that black and white!

Sure, in a decade there have been lots of changes affecting myself and my environment, like cognitive changes, setting deeper in comfortable routines, not seeing a need for learning, changing priorities and a bunch of little details that have begun shaping my universe in many different ways that are not always as exciting as I would like. 

Tomorrow, we’ll try to explore these…

Is Trump acting like a terrorist ?

Ever since he entered the US political scene, Donald Trump has used a cocktail of lies and fear-mongering to get attention from people, but more so, to scare them, particularly illegal residents or black and brown people, and as he did, he always pushed the envelope of civility into unacceptable, sometime illegal, behavior in trying, by the same token, to normalize them.

When we look at a basic definition of what a terrorist behavior is, we find that a terrorist is “a person who uses unlawful violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims”. 

It begun with his attacks on Obama’s US citizenship, culminated with fueling the January 6 coup attempt and goes on today with mentally torturing our Federal Employees. 

What is unique about Trump’s behavior is his resort to constant unsettling and unexpected declarations aimed at frightening the masses and creating an on-going atmosphere of fear and anguish that is spoiling the quality of life of more than half of the US population. 

I’m not even talking about capturing foreign lands or engineering some ethnic cleansing in Palestine. 

Based on all this, do you think Trump actions and those of his acolytes like Musk, are not a manifestation of widespread terrorism?

The high cost of American healthcare (part 2)

Yesterday, as I stumbled upon that study by the OECD “Our world in data – 2023” and featured it later in my blog, I was shocked at the disparities between healthcare costs and life expectancy per country. 

I was especially stunned at the high cost of healthcare in the US that stands out, for no good reason, with a lesser outcome, and appears to be a murky issue with multiple contributing factors. High administrative costs seem to excessively burden the US healthcare system, with its jungle of insurance companies, providers, and government agencies. 

This complexity leads to high administrative costs, including billing, claims processing, and paperwork. Further the US healthcare lacks cost transparency as prices are often opaque and vary significantly across providers and regions, making it difficult for patients and payers to understand and compare costs. Also, doctors often order unnecessary tests and procedures to protect themselves from malpractice lawsuits, driving up costs.

Then, there are the elevated doctors and surgeons salaries that are generally higher than in many other developed countries. This is due to factors such as high medical school debt, malpractice concerns, and the competitive nature of the healthcare market. The same is also true for nurses, technicians, and other healthcare professionals that also receive higher remunerations. 

Excessive pharmaceutical costs further burden the overall cost, as the US has some of the highest prescription drug prices in the world. Lack of price controls and the nefarious influence of pharmaceutical companies on politicians contribute to that situation. Unlike many other countries, the US government lacks the will to negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies as they target and bribe members of congress. 

At his point the insurance middleman impacts the costs even further, with significant administrative costs associated in processing claims, managing networks, and marketing their products. Being for-profit businesses, insurance companies aim to generate more profits for their shareholders. This along with limited competition, lead to higher premiums for consumers. 

It's important to note that these are just some of the factors contributing to the high cost of healthcare in the US. The issue is complex and multifaceted, and there is no single solution, but that’s where Musk should start working to make a big dent in the US debt!

The outrageous cost of American healthcare

Is there a correlation between what a country spends per capita on healthcare and its population’s life expectancy? Quite evidently the answer should be “Yes,” as the more a country spends per capita on healthcare, its citizens’ life-span should increase. 

Of course, there are always exceptions, and in this case the United States shows the just opposite. Talk about another example of “American Exceptionalism!” True, the United States stands out as a notable outlier with high healthcare spending per capita ($10,827) but it does not translate to a high life expectancy (79.3 years) compared to other developed countries. 

• South Korea (spending $4,300), Japan and Switzerland ($7,250) lead the world with an average life expectancy over the 84 years mark. 
• Then Israel ($3,000), Italy ($3,200), Spain, France ($5,000), Canada and Norway ($6,200) follow in the over 82 to 84 years category. 
• Chili ($2,450), United Kingdom ($4,450) and Germany ($6,000) fill the 80 to 82 years slot. 
• Finally, in the 78 to 82 slot we find China (pretty cheap at $1,000), Poland at $2,650 just four times cheaper than the USA ($10,827) that cost 50% more than the next most expensive Switzerland that manages to stretch its citizens’ average life expectancy by 5 good extra years. 

Something is wrong with this picture, and in a next blog, I’ll attempt to explain why. To be continued…

 

What’s being “woke”?

These days, we hear the term “woke” all the time used with a variety of intents and, in many instances, it ends up being quite confusing. I remember how taken aback and shocked I was two years ago, when a new neighbor, dual American-Israeli citizen I encountered asked me if I was “woke”. 

Since that time this word has been used and abused, particularly in political circles. 

The “woke” terminology goes back to an early American Blues artist named Lead Belly. According to some, he coined the term "stay woke" in his music. Black people use it to mean "stay aware"...don't forget that you can be a victim of discrimination at any moment. Back in the 1920s, that meant blacks could be lynched at any moment. Today, they can be murdered by cops or people won't hire them because they have dreadlocks. In my view, this is not unreasonable. 

Then the white progressive Americans discovered and adopted that word during the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and used it to mean "stay aware of systemic injustice and fight against it". In some instances, some got criticized because the use of the word was viewed as a cool way to express anti-racism, but by and large its use there was in line with the word’s original meaning. 

This said, the most common use today is the bastardized, co-opted version that right-wing conservatives use as a way to demean it. While they cannot define its true meaning, they feel that "woke" sounds pejorative, so they use it to dismiss anything that vaguely sounds like basic human right or decency. It's offensive and intellectually lazy, and it's been turned into a political dog-whistle for right wing extremists.

I hope I made that word a bit clearer.

Turning power transformer boxes into art!

These green metal boxes we often seen on the streets, are power transformers, specifically called "pad-mounted transformers", as they sit on a concrete pad and are typically used in areas with underground power lines; they take high voltage electricity and step it down to a usable voltage for homes and businesses, like in the rest of the world. 

In recent year, to beautify these rather drab, industrial-looking boxes, Park City has launched its “EmPOWERment” project meant to spruce up utility boxes throughout the city. Now in its third phase, the program invites artists to submit their works focusing on the natural environment, arts, culture, community and history of Park City. 

The program is run jointly with Rocky Mountain Power, including one of its representative and the Public Art Advisory Board members to select the artists. All utility box artists receive $400 for their designs. The art pieces are produced into “wraps” to cover the utility boxes and framed in the city office building. 

One of our favorite that we see everyday on our walk is the one featuring an iconic Park City moose!

What is Diversity, Equity, Inclusion?

Recently, Trump blamed DEI for the terrible air-crafts crash in Washington, DC. Just so everyone knows, I wanted to explore what “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion” (DEI) really is. 

Basically, it consists of some organizational frameworks which seek to promote the fair treatment and full participation of all people, particularly groups who have historically been underrepresented or subject to discrimination on the basis of identity or disability.

To be more specific, it means adopting a more authentic behavior by fostering an environment where people from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives feel valued and have equal opportunities to thrive. 

Trump dislike this type of policy and it doesn’t please its white male electorate, as DEI efforts highlight inequalities and challenge assumptions about fairness, merit and the status quo. When someone identifies strongly with their group — whether as a white person, a man or a member of another dominant identity — they may see DEI initiatives as attacks on their assumptions. 

On the other hand, Examples of rejecting DEI include unfairly treating a person differently because of their race, religion or sexual orientation, and excluding people who use wheelchairs by not providing access. I hope this explanation sheds a fair light on the subject...

Messaging my members of congress

This one was sent on January 31, 2025: 

“Dear Senator Curtis, 

Please don’t confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel as they appear to be too mercurial, lunatic and dangerous individuals.

If Trump is displeased with your vote, you can always blame ‘Diversity, Equity, Inclusion’ (DEI) for it and make sure to say that your common sense inspired you to think that way!” 

…what a concept!

Communicating my politic views

I'm not a MAGA Republican, didn’t vote for such candidates and still, I live in Utah, a red state. 

I’m often wondering how I can interact effectively with my Senators (Mike Lee and John Curtis) and my Representative (Mike Kennedy) to protest and hopefully affect Trump policies.

Still, I know my rights, I’ll voice my concerns and advocate for policies that align with my values. Here is the path I intend to follow. 

I’ll continue to write to them in my own way that is both creative and provocative so it gets noticed, would refuse to receive a generic answer filled with platitude and instead ask the legislative correspondent to pass the message to his boss. 

If my message is short, smart and compelling, I believe that it will end up getting some attention and maybe one day, it might even get to the congressman it was intended to reach, and this will beat a canned answer from a lowly assistant!