Linkee-poo, all I know is what I read in the papers

Sorry, struggling with a shitforbrains CMS tool this morning, so a little light.

Amanda Hackwith on what Viable Paradise is. For me, I'm still upset that I had to attend running on sleep deprivation from the day job. I remember the week mostly as a haze-infused bumbling with a few moments of bright clarity. I am a slow reader and a slow writer, I understood that going into it that I would be at a disadvantage. I wish I could remember more of it clearly (I really should have bought a voice recorder and just sat and listened to everybody instead of trying to take notes). But, yes, VP is more than the week you spend on the island. And I am the richer for it. (Grokked from someone, sorry, lost the link)

Remember when stories of being kidnapped for organ harvesting were urban legends? Ah, the good ol' days. "(Cops) are pursuing a group of wealthy surgeons and their network of agents who lured impoverished and illiterate Pakistanis from the countryside and imprisoned them for weeks with the intention of removing one of their kidneys in order to sell these for huge profits."

"For years, medical interns have been limited to working no more than 16 hours without a break to minimize the chances they would make mistakes while fatigued… The group that sets the rules for medical residents proposed scrapping the 16-hour limit for interns, doctors in their first year of on-the-job training after finishing medical school. The new rule would let these new doctors work for as many as 28 hours at a stretch." Going in the wrong direction, fellas. How about we fucking dump the concept that doctors (and medical personnel) need to work 12+ hour stretches all together. Jesus, long-distance truckers are required to take more breaks, and they're not holding a fucking knife to your organs or about to give you the wrong prescription or diagnosis.

"San Francisco Bay Area companies say Sutter Health (the dominate healthcare provider) is strong-arming them into a contract that would help the hospital system secure its power over prices and potentially raise the cost of medical care for their employees in the future… Dozens of companies have received a letter… asking them to waive their rights to sue Sutter. If they don't… the companies' employees who get care through Sutter's network of hospitals, doctors and medical services will no longer have access to discounted in-network prices." Tell me again how we don't need single-payor and how wonderful this employer-supplied "free-market" healthcare solution is so wonderful, 'cause I keep forgetting. Fortunately in NE Ohio we have the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals (and MetroHealth) who have to compete against each other. But don't for one second believe that, given the opportunity, either one would gleefully bury their opponent and set prices however they want.

Directly imaging a black hole. I, um, have some questions here…