They sentenced me to twenty years of boredom for trying to change the system from within

[thorne_scratch]

Sneaking in a quick link post because the links are timely. You may have heard something about health care recently!

Comments

[iapetusneume]

I actually never used the Australian Health System when I was there, because thank god I never got more than a bad cold that could be killed with soup and orange juice. See, while Australia is totally awesomesauce to it's citizens on terms of health care, foreigners have to pay full price unless they've gone through all the red tape to get government health care (which is not easy). And that is totally fair because Australians pay for their health care through their taxes.

I do also admit that a lot of my understanding of the Australian Health System comes from Patrick and his parents. I really hope that more foreigners can write about how their government health care really isn't that scary, like Patrick did. I'd love to write out a better post on it, but I should do a bit more research first.

One of my friends who's Canadian said that her dad had a surgery and was in a hospital for three weeks. Everything was paid for by health care except for the TV, which her family paid for because he'd be bored out of his mind otherwise. (I think she said they only paid $150 for it or something.) My jaw totally hit the floor when she said that.

Well, from all that I've seen on your LJ (and a few times when Patrick mentions it when I walk to him), you actually know what's what in your religion, which is more than a lot of people could say. So even if you are "lazy," you know the dogma and the secret handshakes and all that jazz. And even if you do it mostly for your amusement, you pay attention to the head of your religion and what's going on. I think it's all good. :)

He must shave with a straight edge, with that sort of barber.

Also, I feel that I must share this with you. Health care talk is important, but it's time for something else light-hearted:

[thorne_scratch]

No worries. Just the fact you got to see how another country operates through your friends there is at least another perspective on the issue. I like pumping Flidget about the health care system in the UK. (Hers sounds pretty cool, though we both agreed that the upside of the US health care system is that we have the cough syrup that can get you higher than a kite, plus sundry other drugs with fun side-effects. Still, Canada seems to be at the top of the list in terms of Places You Should Be If You Intend To Get Hit By A Car Or Something.)

Twelve straight years of private Catholic education has left at least the basic dogma entrenched in my brain, though I admit, my lingering loyalty to Catholicism is mostly because we're a religion that's into a lot of shiny bling and rituals. I am fond of the pope in the abstract-not so much the actual dude, who has done or condoned some things I consider to be pretty bad. And he condemns things I do not, so… it is pretty much a relationship where I inflict my own fanon. Does the pope count as a fandom?

MARU! :D "I Am Maru" is pretty much my favorite blog ever. I can waste hours watching that cat do nothing more than parade around with a bag on his head. He is one of my life's joys. There was even fic about him in this year's Yuletide.

[iapetusneume]

Well, that and I had a lot of political conversations with total strangers. I was an American and this was a novelty, so they wanted the "inside scoop" on what people thought. Most common question I got asked (after "where are you from?") was "What do Americans think of Obama?"

But I digress.

Yeah, the papacy's history is a bit of a mixed bag (to which I hear Dante beyond the grave go, "no duh). And I think you can totally make the Pope a fandom. There's shiny bling, rituals, the popemobile, crazy hats...

My brother found that video a few days ago, and he was like: "...omg, Becky, you must see this." And wow, he even has a fic? This is one cool cat!

[thorne_scratch]

Really? Cool. What did you tell them? (When I was in Italy, I got asked, "What do you think of Bush? Did you vote for him?" like, ten times. Though the most common thing the Czechs asked while they were here tended to be "can I take a picture of that, or will the security guards get angry?" or "what does [American slang, often vulgar] mean?" Good times for all.)

The hats are a major draw. I often think about establishing a hat-based religion.

Seriously, it is the best blog ever. After you browse around it a little, you'll have the full benefit of the story.