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Internet Connection For The Homeless

No Internet Connection Photo
Seattle Internet for the homeless

Seattle council member Kshama Sawant is pushing the need for Internet access for the homeless. She wants to allocate $100,000 of Seattle funds to make this mission successful. The debate on the issue is simple. Some believe that the homeless have bigger needs than the Internet, while others believe Internet access will allow them to look for jobs. I have to say I stand with Kshama Sawant on this issue.

I’m for the Internet as it’s an extra tool that could lead to more opportunities (like jobs, housing, and making money). Unfortunately, I think the terms must be tweaked to make this work. First, $100,000 budget for some Internet access is extreme. Internet is $50 per month by Comcast and I’m sure the city of Seattle could arrange a non-profit deal with them to get an even better rate. In fact, they probably could wire it in with their current city Internet connections at an extremely low cost. It really shouldn’t cost more than the $15,000 per year project. With more access, the shelters could attract volunteers to work with the homeless one one-on-one and get their resume updated, email setup, typing skills, and general Internet usage help. There really is a lot of opportunity on the Internet. It’s the difference of sending 10 resumes a week or 100 resumes a week. In addition, there needs to be some blocking setup on the computers so they are not misused. That setup doesn’t cost anything extra.

In short, let’s move forward on the issue with a better plan for implementation and a much lower budget.

The comprehensive budget proposal, set for a full council vote on Monday at 2 p.m., earmarks close to $1 million for services aiding the homeless. It also designates funds for outreach to homeless youth, initiatives to combat homelessness, a year-round shelter tailored for homeless women, and $100,000 for encampments like this one. A segment of this $100,000 is proposed to finance WiFi accessibility.

Kshama Sawant, previously a software engineer, and notably the first Socialist to secure a council seat in contemporary times, asserts that Internet service is indispensable, not just a luxury. This sentiment was echoed by the United Nations in 2011 when they recognized Internet access as a fundamental human right.

Geek Wire, a technology news site in Seattle, decided to hit the streets and see how the homeless feel about the proposal and if it is valuable to them personally.

Update: While the program was a good idea, Seattle dropped the ball and used all the money for “more important” things. As we have seen over the years, Seattle doesn’t have the best track record of money management. The good news is that in 2016, the Seattle Public Library took action. Hayden Bass, the library’s outreach coordinator, and several other librarians would visit a tent settlement in Seattle at least monthly. They provided books, library card sign-up forms, and Wi-Fi hotspots. Specifically, the library allocated 50 hotspots exclusively for the city’s homeless encampments, a project partially supported by a $305,000 contribution from Google.

For years, libraries, and notably the Central Library in downtown Seattle, have served as daytime sanctuaries for the homeless.

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Joseph Tacopina Biography

Joseph Tacopina

On the Emerald City Journal, we provide some of most thorough information that is related to many of the celebrities and CEO’s in Seattle. Below you’ll find our most recent addition to the Journal which we have entitled the Joe Tacopina Biography and career history. It’s the full story about Mr. Tacopina and his life story.

Attorney Joseph Tacopina was born 4/14/66. He is a criminal defense attorney based in New York. In 1994 he founded his law firm the Law Offices of Joseph Tacopina, P.C. and he is also the chairman of the Bologna Football Club. By the time Joe Tacopina was 42 years old he had already had 80 cases under his belt. The media started to call him the “hottest young criminal defense lawyer” in New York. Mr. Tacopina was a prosecuting attorney as well before becoming a famous defense attorney. Before his fame, however, he earned a law degree from the University of Bridgeport. Also, a graduate of Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY. He is a high profile celebrity and one of the most successful defense attorneys (if not the most successful) in the country. His cases have been known to be some of the most difficult and most profiled in the legal field.

Joe’s history of legal experience and high profile cases, puts him in the cross hairs of the media. You can often find him appearing on TV being a legal expert/analyst on shows such as Fox News, NBC, CNBC, CNN, and Court TV to name just a few. Joe is not afraid to speak his mind and discuss openly about case law and verdicts (as long as he is able legally). You can sometimes even find him debating and/or discussing legal points of view on “Imus in the Morning” with Don Imus. He is not afraid to speak his mind even if that means being loud about it.

According to his official website “Mr. Tacopina is a member of the Federal Bar Council, the New York Counsel of Defense Lawyers, and the Judicial Committee for the Association of the Bar of the City of New York.” Both of these associations solidifies his expertise in this area. New York has a lot of competition in the legal field and having these associations really demonstrates his dedication to this field.

Joesph Tacopina is a Managing Member at TAG Partners LLC. The firm was in talks to purchase 100% of the soccer club Bologna but unfortunately the deal was delayed and later dropped. The TAG firm and Bolangna deal was expected to be in the $28.6 million dollar range approximately. In Oct 2014, however, Tacopina & Joey Saputo were successful in the acquisition of the soccer club.

The Bologna Soccer Club:
As we mentioned above, the initial struggles to acquire the Bologna Soccer Club was not easy. He battled the allegation that he may flee the area to manage the team and that his assets should be frozen as well. Mr. Tacopina denied all the allegations and continues to practice law in the New York area. Tacopina and Joey Saputo (A Canadian investor) took over the team in late Oct 2014 and the fans were excited over the news. Over the last few years, the Bologna Soccer Team was failing to preform well and having the new leadership in place offer lots of hope for the future years. It was unfortunate the team was doing so badly because the history of the team is actually quite successful. It has won the Italian league championship 7 times and considered to be the 6th most successful team in the league. Despite all the allegations and finger pointing directed at Mr. Tacopina, he has shown his leadership to take the team over the make it once again very successful. Not to mentioned loved again by the many fans to love the team and sport.

Mr. Tacopina was a director at SG Building and later company from January 2008 until November 4, 2011. SG Building provided code engineer shipping containers.

Other career highlights include:

  • He was a key figure at Talent Representation. It’s a talent representation, marketing, and advising firm. (2009)
  • Vice Chairman of A.S. Roma S.P.A since 10/2011 and served as director since 2011.
  • Tacopina is a member of the board at Advantage Home Telehealth Inc.
  • Director of Barnaba S.r.l
  • Member of the Federal Bar Council, New York Counsel of Defense Lawyers, and Judicial Committee for the Association of the Bar of the City of New York.
  • Serves on the Legislative Committee for the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
  • Mr. Tacopina volunteers his time as an Adjunct Professor at Fordham Law School and lectures nationwide.

Popular Criminal Cases By Joseph Tacopina:
– Viewed as being one of the most shocking verdicts in history by the media, New York Police Officers Franklin Meta and Kenneth Moreno were found to be Not Guilty of Rape (Acquitted by Jury) in May 2011. A women claimed she was raped while intoxicated.

– Represented State Senator Hiram Monserrate (D-Queens) was cleared of felony assault. The allegation was that he slashed his girlfriend Karla Giraldo with a piece of broken glass.

– Bryan Thomas who is a linebacker with the Jets was charged in Randolph Town Court. Joseph Tacopina represented the professional football player. The allegation was that he committed aggravated assault upon his wife at their home.

– Represented Melanie McGuire in her murder trial. The allegation was that McGuire murdered and dismembered her husband. His body was found in 3 suitcases in the Chesapeake Bay.

– Mr. Tacopina was part of the team who represented Michael Jackson during his child molestation case.

– Represented famed actor Lillo Brancato who was charged with felony murder. Mr. Brancato was acquitted by Joe Tacopina.

– In another high profile case Mr. Tacopina successfully represented van der Sloot in regards to the allegation of the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. The lawsuit was brought to the court by the parents of Natalee Holloway. With the representation of Tacopina the case was dismissed.

– Represented a popular land assessor by the name of John Nicolo who was charged with bribery and money laundering by the Eastman Kodak Company.

– A very high profile and infamous case known as the body snatchers. Tacopina represented on the case where two men were accused of cutting open fresh corpses and selling the body parts. Prosecutors stated the ring netted approximated $4.7 million dollars over 4 years with allegedly 1,077 corpses.

Personal Life:
Mr. Joe Tacopina met his wife back in Law School. He later decided to move to her hometown of Westport New York. This small town only has a population of 1,312 which was recorded in 2010.

Appearances:
Mr. Tacopina does in person and TV appearances. We’ve looked for any future appearances for Seattle, Washington but was unable to find any at this time. If a Seattle event comes to the area, the Emerald City Newspaper will be the first to report that for you.

Upcoming Seattle City Events

Upcoming events in Seattle

Seattle, Washington is a fascinating destination no matter when you visit. Locals and tourists alike can enjoy a wide range of entertainment, cultural activities, places to shop and lots more. What’s great about Seattle is that there’s always something new going on. Whether you enjoy theater, museums, outdoor events or zoos and aquariums you can always find a fascinating performance, exhibit or other attraction.

Seattle Center WinterFest
The Seattle Center WinterFest takes place from November 29 through December 31 and features a variety of activities and performances. There are musical performances, ice sculpting, Winter Train & Village and the Winterfest Ice Rink, where visitors can rent ice skates or just watch. The Dickens Carolers help spread the holiday spirit by singing traditional and contemporary favorites. The Seattle Center is a 74-acre park and entertainment center located in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood. It’s best known feature is the 650 foot tall Space Needle. (http://www.seattlecenter.com/winterfest/#Rink)

Peru: Kingdoms of the Sun and the Moon at the Seattle Arts Museum
An exhibit exploring the history of Peru will be on display at the Seattle Arts Museum until January 5, 2014. The exhibit, entitled Peru: Kingdoms of the Sun and the Moon contains more than 300 items that range from the pre-Columbian times to the 20th Century. On a related note, the museum is showing Werner Herzog’s classic 1972 film Aguirre, the Wrath of God on November 22 as part of a Peru on film series. The Seattle Arts Museum is located on 1300 First Avenue in downtown Seattle. It’s open Wednesday through Sunday. (http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/)

Sherlock Holmes at the Seattle Repertory Theatre
The Seattle Repertory Theatre is featuring a performance of the popular Sherlock Holmes tale The Hound of the Baskervilles. This play casts Seattle actors David Pichette and R. Hamilton Wright in a new adaptation of the well known mystery novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle that has been made into several movies. This production of The Hound of the Baskervilles runs from November 15 through December 15 at the Bagley Wright Theatre. The Seattle Repertory Theatre-Bagley Wright Theatre is located at 155 Mercer Street at Seattle Center. (http://www.examiner.com/article/narver-deduces-the-appeal-of-sherlock-holmes)

State Parks Wanting More Money To Survive

Washington State Parks

I believe having our state parks in good shape and available for the public is a great thing. I’m sure they have provided many family memories over the years and continue to do so. If you don’t know the Governor appointed a task force which makes suggestions for the betterment of the State Parks. In their recent report, the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Parks and Outdoor Recreation is recommending a sales tax on bottled water and an excise tax on motor homes and travel trailers. They estimate this could bring in $100 million dollars in the next two years. Here is the problem, however, in 2010 a tax on bottled water was passed only to see it repealed the same year by the same voters. I honestly believe people want to see the state parks flourish. They are valuable to families. I also honestly believe that if we truly need more money for the parks, the votes/people will pay for it. As one of those voters/people, we just don’t want to throw more money at something because someone says we need to do it. YOU need to provide proof. You need to open the books to the parks with very clearly labeled items of where the money is going. Just saying “salaries” is not enough, you need to break it down even more of who is getting how much of the money. If it’s being used properly and fairly, you’ll have an open paycheck to ask for what you need. However, if you’re paying top state park officials 200K per year or vendors millions of dollars for surveys – then you don’t deserve a penny.

It’s not that the people are not willing to support their parks – it’s that they don’t want to be ripped off. We all have seen how tax money is being wasted in our city and just want to make sure it’s being used correctly. It’s the same exact issue with the roads and construction. Stop wasting money on task forces ect and just open the books to the public. If there is waste it can be corrected honestly and after corrections are made, the people will give you the money needed to support the state parks fully. There is no reason you need to tax bottled water or RV’s – just be honest and open to get the money and the full support of the community. It’s really not that hard.

Recycle Your Food Or Get Fined

Seattle Recycle Your Food Or Get Fined

I’ve said it a hundreds times before on the Emerald City Journal, the Seattle Council and our government for that matter sits around all day thinking of new ways to tax us “legally”. Here is another one they just came up with. First, before I get into my rant let me say I am for recycling and I think we should be. We all have to do our part for a better Earth and community. With that being said, the time has come where you’ll be fined if you don’t participate. If caught you’ll be fined a whole $1 up to $50 for businesses and apartment complexes. Sure it’s not that steep and not going to make anyone bankrupt – it’s the thought that counts. It’s the thought of actually pushing it forward and another item they thought about just to stick it to us a little more. First off, food going to the dump or recycling plant – it really doesn’t matter. It’s going to decompose either way. It’s going to help decompose the garbage or it’s going to decompose is a separate section for food/recycling. Overall, it doesn’t matter.

What bothers me mostly is several issues. First, it’s another item they thought about to just stick it to the people. Why not make a few dollars out of this issue? Easy money and it keeps the power of the City over the people by laying down the law. Second, I don’t know about you but I’m charged to recycle my items. I’m charged for the bin on a monthly basis. At the same time the garbage company makes money on recycling my items inside the bin. Third, I can’t help but to think that this is a trick to make sure everyone is paying for the bin and “participating”. So if the garbage man doesn’t see a recycle bin by your door you can assume he’ll be going through your garage and reporting you. The garage company wants you to have a bin so now they will be snitches for the City of Seattle to make sure you have one and are doing your fair share. Lastly, recycling is a big business and our officials play the “do it for the environment” card to play with your emotions. The reality is that the more you recycle and participate the more they make. On a side note, I was at the dump a few weeks ago and they were selling the recycled compost for a hefty fee. It’s all about the revenue dollar and tax money. At the end of the day, 99% of the time it always comes back to these two factors.

The new law passed 9-0 by the City Council and will start new year.

Dr. Robi Ludwig

drrobiludwigbook

Dr. Robi S Ludwig is a nationally renowned modern psychoanalytically trained psychotherapist, award winning author and a reporter. Being a well-known psychotherapist, she deals with both adults’ and couples’ issues. She is inspiring directing people to find their personal life goals and to grow emotionally. She treats for wide range of issues including relationship problems, addiction issues, transitional problems, as well as mood, depression, thought and character disorders. You’ll commonly see her on TV shows such as CNN, Entertainment Tonight, and The Bill Cunningham Show just to name a few. She has been appearing on the broadcasting mass media since 1997 and has contributed a lot in communicating current psychological insights on broad range of topics. Her advice and tips are highly valued in the media and by the public who trust her and her education.

The goal is to help provide you with the insights and tools you need to move beyond old, limiting beliefs and behaviors. Through a combination of therapeutic techniques, she can help you identify limiting beliefs and outmoded coping mechanisms that may be standing in your way. Her advice has help many understand their problems more clearly which in the end helps them overcome their issue/s. Many clients report rapid progress due to the effective approaches she employs.

She is currently a relationship contributor for Investigation Discovery Network’s Scorned, which presents reenactment and analysis of marital homicide stories. Dr. Robi has also hosted her own show including two seasons of TLC’s reality show, “One Week to Save Your Marriage” as well as GSN’s reality game show, “Without Prejudice?”

DR. Ludwig is making lot of guest appearances on popular TV shows. As noted above, Dr. Ludwig is a regular on CNN, Headline News and The Fox News Channel where she talks about psychological, lifestyle, and sociocultural issues as well as the criminal mind. She also appears on national shows such as: ET, TODAY, 20/20, ABC World News, The View, Fox and Friends, The Steve Harvey Show, Wendy Williams, The Bill Cunningham Show, Neil Cavuto, Hannity and Lou Dobbs helping audiences and guests alike to understand the complexities of the human mind.

Her book, ’Till Death Do Us Part: Love, Marriage and the Mind of the Killer Spouse, written with journalist Matt Birkbeck was published with Atria books. It came out March in 2006. Every day six people in the United States are murdered by spouses or intimate partners. That is truly a shocking number. The stories of killer spouses tend to captivate us, as they beg the question of how so many seemingly normal and happy people manage to go over the edge. Indeed, every relationship presents “extreme moments” where scary feelings surface, yet what happens when those feelings turn to action? That was the core concern of Ludwig’s book.

Till Death Do Us Part presents the psychological profiles of notorious killer spouses — from Scott Peterson and Clara Harris to Rabbi Fred Neulander and Betty Broderick. Ludwig reveals ten killer personality categories. These ten personality types are defined in detail and illustrated with examples from high-profile cases along with in-depth analyses of the motivations behind the murders. The ten types range from the Betrayal/Abandonment Killer (who loses control and kills from a broken heart) to the Control Killer (who micromanages every aspect of the spouse’s life) and the Black Widow/Profit Killer (who kills for money).

Her book is a masterpiece in psychology category. It has received so many top class reviews and ratings. I thought it’s noteworthy to bring some of them here.

“…Through Robi’s valuable insight, she has helped us all to understand the violent actions and dark logic behind these murders, particularly since these cases appear to involve seemingly normal people.”
Larry King
CNN’s Larry King Live.

“Dr. Ludwig casts light on the formerly taboo subjects of marital strife and homicide. She enlightens us all!”
Nancy Grace
Court TV’s Closing Arguments & Headline News

“…Till Death Do Us Part is an invaluable resource. It offers an expert’s analysis of the psychological factors that oftentimes coalesce and are expressed violently.”
Robert K. Tanenbaum
Former homicide bureau chief for the Manhattan DA’s office and New York Times bestselling author of Fury

Authors Ludwig and Birkbeck examine the concept of peaceful versus violent resolution and why certain spouses believe murder is the best and only response in their great piece of work. In the book they sit down and evaluate the situations so you can better understand the couple. You get an inside look of what they may have been thinking and what some of their highly rooted issues may have been.

Apart from the TV programs, Robi is now doing regular “Ask Dr. Robi” Segments every Wednesday morning for Magic Variety Radio on Magic 100.1 in New Jersey. On the show, their audience can ask them about their social and mental problems directly to Dr. Robi Ludwig. Most of the topics covered by her included sexual aspects, depressions, couple problems, teenage mind, parenting issues, divorces and so on.

In the late 1990’s she worked as a psychology reporter for WETM-TV, the NBC affiliate in Elmira, New York. She wrote, produced and hosted Real Talk, a weekly live call-in show covering psychological and self-help topics. Everyday people would call in and she would help them live on the show. It covered a variety of topics and emotions from serious problems to questions which turned out pretty funny. The show was an immediate hit and talked about all the time in the media.

Her practical experience as a psychotherapist began in 1988 when she worked as a counselor for patients with severe psychiatric disorders. In both clinical settings and in her private practice, she has treated all forms of mental illness, substance abuse, grieving, sexual identity issues, job stress, anxiety emotional and sexual abuse problems as well as the more common social and parenting issues.

Dr. Ludwig’s academic credentials include a doctorate in psychology (Psy.D) from California Southern University; she holds a post-masters certificate in advanced clinical work from Hunter College, a master’s degree in social work from the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Cedar Crest College.

In addition to the mass media programs held by her, she voluntarily helps those who need counseling via social media networks. In her profile, there are lot of people asking different types of psychological issues. Everyone who expects some mental and spiritual relief are welcome to her profiles. She has asked her fans to be forward and to participate in those little activities that she recommends on her social sites. She believes that those activities (I may say fun activities) would lessen the heavy weight that people keep in their heads.

DR. Robi Ludwig is not just a professional counselor or a psychologist. But she is a famous star who has helped people to resolve their mental dilemmas. Her solutions to mental problems are simple, practicable, and obviously very effective.

She currently resides in New York. She has two children and her husband in her family.

There are several good videos of featuring her on her YouTube Channel. Here is one where she covers her highlight reel like her appearances on Fox News, The Bill Cunningham Show, and CNN.

If you want to contact this award winning psychologist, here are the contact information of DR. Ludwig.
Dr. Robi Ludwig (email: drrobi@drrobiludwig.com)
212-472-2027

There currently are no tours in the Seattle, Washington area at this time for this celebrity, however, if one comes up in the area the Emerald City Journal will be the first to report on it. This isn’t her first article with us, she wrote an exclusive article for the Emerald City Journal newspaper about a month ago entitled Killer Lovers. Dr. Ludwig provides us insight into lovers and why they sometimes feel the need to kill each over as lovers.

Dr Robi Ludwig Photo

Reducing Your Energy Bills At Home

Reducing Energy Bills At Home

Reducing your energy bills is a big issue for many these days. This is especially true because Seattle Utilities and Puget Sound Energy just keeps raising their rates on us. What are we going to do except continue to play their game and pay the increases each month and year. As a city, there isn’t much we can do about this. They have a monopoly on the energy so we are stuck. Below you’ll find some of the most recommended tips you can use to help reduce your energy bills.

First, it’s highly recommend to unplug devices if they are not being used. The Department of Energy as stated that 85% of our energy costs are from devices/appliances which are not being used. In short, if it’s plugged into the wall there still is a cost associated with that. Now obviously you don’t want to be unplugging your refrigerator but how about that toaster you never use or that lamp across the room? If you’re not using it or rarely use it, keep it unplugged and you’ll save money on your energy bills.

Second, if an appliance breaks or you’re looking to update your kitchen make sure you’re using Energy Star appliances. These appliances use 10-50% less energy and water compared to their counterparts. You’ll most likely have to pay a little more to get your hands on them but in the long run your monthly bill will be less. We are actually seeing more and more Energy Star appliances on the market and less of the old so just take your time and investigate that purchase. Educating yourself and looking a little bit longer can save your money and energy.

Third, get a good thermostat. You want one that is programmable so you can adjust it to during the day. You can make it more comfortable only when you need it. Some may want it turned down dramatically during the day then up a little more at night for example. The point is that you can control it easier to reduce your heating and cooling energy costs.

Fourth, consider talking to a energy solutions company like Smart Energy Today Inc. They offer a lot of products and solutions they can dramatically help reduce your energy bills. Plus, it helps with our environment. They also have dinner events you can attend (which are free) and they will just educate you about becoming more energy independent. Don’t even need to bring your money to the event. Did I mention it’s free? It’s a win/win.

Fifth, with all this great weather we are having try to use more fans instead of the AC. Fans are way less compared to AC energy costs.

Sixth, an easy fix everyone can do is make sure you home is air sealed. Just go through your home and make sure you don’t have an leaks where air can get in. Check around the edges of your doors and sliders. If there are holes or gaps, you’ll want to get that fixed or at a minimum put insulation in there so all your heat isn’t being wasted.

Seventh, the final tip we can give you is try to conserve water. Water heating is actually the third largest when it comes to your energy bill. Some tips you can implement are taking faster showers and just being alert when using water (dishes, clothing, cars, ect). Another great tip is to reduce your hot water temperature. It will save you a lot and you probably won’t even notice the change throughout the house.

There you have it readers. Take the first steps and start to reduce your energy footprint.

Randy Jokela Back On The Job Writing Pot Tickets

Seattle Police Force Photo

Just a quick follow-up on the article about Randy Jokela who is the top pot ticket writer on the Seattle police force. The police force didn’t see the value in having him sit on the sidelines while he was being investigated by the Office of Professional Accountability so they put him back to work.

If you don’t remember Randy Jokela actually wrote 80 percent of the marijuana tickets at the beginning of the year (63 of 80 tickets). Turns out Mr. Jokela is bicycle officer in downtown Seattle.

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Seattle Utility Rates Increasing

Seattle Utility Rates Increasing

It’s that time of year. The time of year the Seattle council and utility companies claim poverty or increased inflation to demand rate increases. Now it’s a done deal because the Seattle Council just approved the increase on your utility rates. Isn’t that just great? It of course will start small and increase from there. They obviously like to do this so the public doesn’t throw a tantrum and will just accept the rate increase. The small rate increases seems to be the popular method these days. Look at the stamp and how it slowly increased 2 cents at a time. Now it’s way to expensive to send a letter! Since 2004 the average family of 4 has seen an increase of 96%. Over the next 6 years you should expect to see an increase of 4.6% each year. The increase is about $90 on top of your current bill. On a side note, you should know that from 2008 to now 2014 we’ve experienced a 7% increase.

In short, expect to spend more money and get less service. I’m not sure where the notion that everything needs to increase each year comes from. Everyone claims inflation….Does rent really need to go up each year? Do utilities really need to increase each year? It’s not like you’re making more money each year or putting more in the bank right? It’s an excuse unfortunately that people can say to justify their increase. It’s about more money in there pockets and that’s it.

We have to get out of this mindset that everything can increase in price just because it’s a new year. We can’t support it as a society and this is exactly why we have bubbles in our markets. When the people don’t make more and everything just increases in price (just because it’s that time of year) we are all doomed to fail.

The Major Issue With Healthcare

Affordable Healthcare Issues

As you know there are a lot of issues with Obamacare (affordable healthcare act). The biggest issue being the monthly fees and deductibles. I truly believe most people want to be healthy and have the luxury of a good healthcare program, however, the fees are just un-realistic. With a deducible starting at 5,000++, most couldn’t afford it anyway should something serious happen to them. One positive I like about Obamacare is that there are options available (healthcare exchanges). Again, they are all un-realistic like I said, however, so what’s the point. The thought of it is a good thing I believe.

I’ve said it a few times on the Emerald City Journal and that is related to the root of the issue with healthcare. The costs/fees hospitals are charging. Going to the ER for a broken arm and getting a 6,000 dollar bill in the mail is extremely unfair. It cost them about $100 dollars for that visit (including the x-ray). It’s the issue that everyone feels their time is worth a million dollars and they can charge 1000% interest on items. This includes medication as well. American is way over priced compared to Canada or Mexico medicine. The Government is to blame as well for not correcting this issue. They could simply say they are not going to pay them more than 2x cost and that would correct the issue. It would bring everything down when it comes to cost. The Government continues to turn a blind eye to that solution because they love the taxes and revenue it creates. It generates a massive amount of revenue for the hospitals and also the insurance companies. Sad but 100% true. Instead of Obamacare we should have just reviewed the fees and regulated them to a reasonable level. The people would have them been able to get an affordable healthcare program and also feel confident with going to a physician or ER trip without going into bankruptcy after each visit.

There was recently a story of a NJ man named Baer Hanusz-Rajkowski. He went to a local NJ ER hospital to get his cut finger checked. The man hit is finger with the claw side of the hammer and after a couple days of it not healing he went in to see if stiches would be needed. It turns out no stiches were needed nor was an x-ray. Overall, Hanusz-Rajkowsk got hit with an $8,200 bill for the emergency room visit. The Bayonne Medical Center also charged him $180 for a tetanus shot, $242 for sterile supplies, and $8 for some antibacterial ointment. With everything the bill came to nearly $9,000 dollars. This happen just last August and was featured on many news channels across the nation. When Bayonne Medical Center was questioned over the incident by the news ect they blamed the insurance company. This is exactly what I’m talking about. They feel they can just charge whatever they want because the “insurance company” will cover it. It’s the industry standard these days. People should be able to visit a doctor and make a ER visitor (cuts, broken arms, check-ups) out of pocket. No insurance should be needed for these minor issues. However, our system is setup to encourage these high mark ups which cost the hospital little to nothing to take care of or even look at. It’s all about money hungry hospitals, insurance companies, and our government wanting their “fair” share of the profits.

What we need to correct the healthcare problems is transparency and rules. We also need to kick out the leaders who are supporting this scandal behavior. Just as Obama promised in everything that he would do for us – Transparency. We need a public database or source where all the costs are displayed and their markup. This would eliminate all the overcharges and keep people honest. It would also keep the cost regulated to a fair level so the hospitals (medical industry) can make their fair share. However, looking a finger (who probably was a volunteer or intern) and wrapping it up with some ointment for $9,000 is simply unforgiving.

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