HEALTH COST INCREASES...shhhhh...dont talk about that hardly, not truthfully ..shhhhhh

Larry Mantle on KPCC on 1/5/10 discussed opinions and reactions to health care as it is being congressionally 
voted and promoted.  My comments could not get in on time but...here they are anyhow !



“ Why is the actual Increase -  yearly - in health costs, stated as supposedly "necessary  and unavoidable:..
un huh...but that is not continually discussed, investigated, explored, exposed to do direct actions to keep
COSTS DOWN instead of just agreeing to keep spending more and more again,   in just another way to
the benefit of those who provide medical services [mostly writing prescriptions by # of services provided]
 ... and then  passing andtransferring all costs that still keep on RISING continually every single year to
the average American.

note that Kaiser- which is a non-profit  - has yet again for 2010  the premium has increased by 10%
...and they claimno profits ....yet have that increase every single year ? cumulatively it becomes double
 or more in a short span of time. And this is not discussed. Why is this so ?

Why does the AMA, and all the medical doctors & health staff who  not get reductions in their high fees
and salaries-their benefits mostly that  provides only another increase in costs...and this is with or w/o
the usual general public  yearly CPI  inflation ?

Why is the discussion about whether it is govt [= all of us who earn anything at all paying it ] or private plans
[some pay more, others dont, and it is 'privatized' as most businesses are too ]...why is the discussion stuck in
one place ...? rather than  explore and admit why the costs are so extremely elevated...           and why most
people dont get much healthier from Medical treatment..  We stay the same or improve, from ::::

1- improved and cheaper hygiene, and appliances and chemicals that keep our waters, foods, safe   [sometimes] 

2 -better work conditions & safety concerns

3-  technology and machines taking over body movements work

4- and no longer do many chores that could injure or cause body harm, poorer health
  
5- we have  job losses, especially the manual work [mfg] ones, vs office 'sitting'  in the so-called "service" sector
      
6-  dangerous manual labor has been diminishing in USA and has been outsourced 'over there'
   
7- and medical treatment  outsourcing when our medical prices are prohibitive and other places like
India, Indonesia, etc do it as well, cheaper  but with similar results ?

8- and other factors that can be pulled up and looked at, reviewed, improved, negotiated, shifted too....   huh ?

why is all the talk continually about one aspect only - as if that was the Only and most Important part of why and what we need to VOTE on, to change How we do which
medicine ...and how / why we pay for it and why we pay so much for ....oh, whatever?


That is the real problem as I look at it. Most news and commentators and then the
public too just repeat the 1 2-sided issue, as if that is all the problem entailed...


while some of us then just dismiss the repetitious arguments about a closed minded
Dem-Rep 2-party ltd stuck country...that does not allow any alternate voices or questions either. but yet, I still chose to live in this USA and then use it's medical system as rarely
as is possible.



please DISCUSS THE ACTUAL $$$ COSTS AND WHY THEY ARE AS HIGH AS THEY ARE, even if the reparations and improvements that could reduce the cost, to individuals,
groups, even companies are then ultimately ignored with "we can't do thaaaaaat !"


it is not the right questions being repeated, thus limiting any good answers.


(c) MARYJANIE 2010

KPFK's doesnt tell us about having a New Manager,why the delay ?

KPFK has just kept silent for long about it's new GM, why?

12 July, 2008
this is also posted on
http://pacificana.org/2008/07/12/kpfk-has-just-kept-silent-long-about-its-new-gm-why


KPFK IS NOT NEWS, even when a New GM is hired? News not provided Tell Your Truth All Ways - please !

The KPFK website has just put onmention of a new general manager.

Even Google does not supply any press or announcements of the new manager. Here on this website, it was apparently copied from Sonali's website which said the mere minimum, and it has been said the the New GM complimented her program, and not others, so maybe that is why ? who knows ? And sure barebones information, even when Sean is googled, little is learned, other than he dealt with another costly legal case at another rade station.
the simple implication is that it must be his fault, but who knows what ??????

If there is a news release, it is not yet apparent in the LA local media that I can find....even on www.la.indymedia.org = which has lot of people complaining and explaining a bit of what they do know of KPFK's happenings & goings on....and on...and on.

That a get-real bio and description [and maybe even a pix ?] of this guy who now holds a lot of wattage power is missing and maybe the listeners would like and aural intro on air more than 1x even... to maybe only know who is the new controller over our radio station.... but how to find out ? only if they listen 24/7 to not miss an on-air blurb...

is that what is required to be an informed paid-up sponsor? Or is there something more put out that I have missed ? Is there somewhere else that gives us-who-care about the dysfunction opaque station - to get just the basic information, nothing that is 'secret !', just who is doing what and why at Our Station . Why is it sooo hard?

A blog has been set up that has had no further posts after the set up in May 2008... thus showing disinterest or lack of communications in the KPFK involved blogosphere ? it is :

http://KPFKcommentators.blogspot.com

The purpose this was set up was for were all those who are so desperate for actual factual information about what is happening at and with KPFK - to be able to join together and communicate further. Indymedia seems to be the only LA site so far as I've been able to find, by much researching and searching...which is how I found out about this site.

This website too is not known amongst most KPFK volunteers - who were asked in person what they knew. It appears to be limited to posts of the top echelon of Pacifica or elections officials or an occasional personal journal of happenings in a station or other.....not bad...but not open to posts from other sources...or is it ? That I have still not been able to find out who posts or what it takes and how this is set up...after many hours of actually reading some of the materials written in only the last 2 months.

Who insures that the KPFK audience is informed ? With more than an occasional blurb, because if it is so I have obviously NOT heard it, being eclectic and not able to listen consistently and constantly to the station.

While many valuable programs on air are good, many others are repetitious, very biased and vehement and appear even infomercial/commercial in their repeated 'sponsoring' or announcing events, artists, speakers, et al. Hard to listen to. At least NPR says "we are sponsored by...." and admit it. KPFK denies what it does. While topics and programmers are very varied, the quality or their own personal pushing their views makes some of the programs difficult to listen to for hours on end. You know. It happens a lot of places.

The KPFK website is not informative. [Look under LBS and CAB and how old any info, so very limited, is currently on it, even the calendar is limited and not up to date ].And then the webmaster was given a KPFK-sponsored event and/or a program to play ukelele ? huh? Can this be a merited move with all those others in competition to be KPFK affiliated or on-air ? It sure sounds like a break-in- of-staff-to-get-goodies not available to others. Is it ?

Writing here means ... telling about the secretive opaque paranoidal fearful atmosphere at KPFK. When anyone writes e-mail comments or leaves a voice mail to KPFK for staff or programmer, they are NOT responded to at all, and left wondering again, "where is the responsibility? " and "where is my money going to?"

So if Google cannot produce a news announcement of the new GM, and the KPFK website is not forthcoming, where is anyone suppose to dig out [of which dirt ?] the information?

July 16, 2008 12:50 PM

Pacifica article reposted here, relates to KPFK too.

this is a re=post from http://pacificana.org/aggregator regarding KPFK as part of Pacifica and the distrust exhibited and experienced therein too. Parts have been exerpted to protect privacy of individuals named in original article, and parts that appear to not relate to KPFK as much as other aspects of this posting. mj

Assessing Pacifica’s Deficit of Trust

Maverick Media - 13 July, 2008 - [this was written and posted on that blog site first, then reposted as above]

During an early March 2006 meeting with Pacifica Radio’s attorney in the lawsuit ....[about] KPFA ....... As it turned out, money was less the issue than her future in Pacifica .......... In between I searched for someone willing to step in as manager of KPFA on an interim basis. Most potentially qualified candidates turned down the opportunity. The people I thought could handle it felt the station was virtually unmanageable, and those few who wanted the job didn’t seem quite right.

..........It was a controversial decision for some (..............and [person named] was both praised and criticized. If nothing else it was a change, an inside management promotion rather than an outside “star.....and did calm the mood at the station for a while.

In a report for the March National Board meeting, my first attempt to describe my assessment and plans, I pointed out that any decision made by the Executive Director could potentially be nullified by the board. Therefore, I asked for more and clearer delegation of authority. I mentioned the problem of civility, especially criticisms that crossed the line to “insulting characterizations, paranoia, and a deep well of distrust that tends to poison the atmosphere.” I criticized myself for raising expectations “about what could be accomplished without adequate knowledge of the organizational constraints,” and for, at times, becoming “too forceful with my own opinions.” For some it was the first time they’d ever seen a Pacifica manager admit to making a mistake. I discussed fairness, inclusion, and management instability, the problems facing fund drives, and the need to balance autonomy and cooperation in programming.

I also praised the accomplishments of the Affiliates Program and the Archives, but warned that the importance of Internet technology services had been underestimated for too long. .................

The underlying issue, I argued, “is that Pacifica’s identity as a network is a bit unclear. Like the other words I’ve mentioned, this one too is not adequately defined, in part because there is some concern that being a network could be disempowering to local stations. During my cross country trip, people occasionally questioned whether being part of a network is even important, suggesting that stations might do fine without any national staff or presence. Even if I wasn't the ED of this organization, I would find that proposition an unacceptable abdication.

“Pacifica is not only a national network, with the potential to reach literally millions of people; it is a unique national resource that must not be under-utilized. That said, reaffirming the terms of our social contract is vital, including assurances that persuasion rather than force will be the standard practice. On the other hand, Pacificans – boards, staff, volunteers – need to agree on high priorities, and I would argue that projecting a progressive counter-narrative nationwide – through public affairs, news, and culture – ought to be on the list.”

While trying to avoid fights I laid out my assessment as frankly as possible. It wasn’t especially visionary; I was saving that for later, when I had a firmer idea of what reflected both the possible and the ideal. For the moment, my bottom line was that the time had come for Pacifica “to retake its place as a leading voice and moving force in community-based media. “

As I prepared for another trip – according to the bylaws, it was time to meet in Los Angeles – my mood was relatively optimistic. It wouldn’t be easy but maybe I could accomplish something after all.....

................ Going into the election [in Vermont ] , many people, even left-leaning stalwarts, predicted that the progressive “era” was over. .......If proportional voting could work in Burlington, I thought, maybe in time it will also net more constructive results for Planet Pacifica. It isn’t a magic bullet. But if more members of this virtual community can get past their resentments and anger, maybe, just maybe a deficit of trust can be replaced by a modest surplus of hope."

any comments on this educated opinion and relevant revealing of what is not just local to Los Angeles ?