Roquefort Raider
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Dec 5, 2019 21:11:01 GMT -5
Meanwhile, in an event totally devoid of interest to the universe, I have ended my National Geographic subscription. It started back in 1988, and thanks to inheriting my granddad’s collection, we had an almost complete run all the way back to the 60s until a few years ago.
NG used to be a great magazine; it would tell of strange places, fascinating people, astonishing scientific advances... and by and large, it still does now and then. But as far as I’m concerned, it turned from objective reporting to frequent advocacy a good long while ago, and that aspect got to my nerves more and more.
Perhaps like superhero comics, it could be that the NG magazine has outlived its niche. Having to compete with many other sources of information about the world, it feels to me as if it’s now targeting a small but faithful clientele, adapting to its views, the same way superhero comics seem to target old comic-book fans who just want more multiple covers on new #1s. The result is however that reading NG today now feels like being trapped in an echo chamber. A virtuous echo chamber.
The only magazine I still subscribe to is Foreign Affairs, in which the diversity of writers (academics and politicians from both sides of the aisles) means that without getting an actually objective view, I will get multiple ones.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2019 23:23:41 GMT -5
Meanwhile, in an event totally devoid of interest to the universe, I have ended my National Geographic subscription. It started back in 1988, and thanks to inheriting my granddad’s collection, we had an almost complete run all the way back to the 60s until a few years ago. NG used to be a great magazine; it would tell of strange places, fascinating people, astonishing scientific advances... and by and large, it still does now and then. But as far as I’m concerned, it turned from objective reporting to frequent advocacy a good long while ago, and that aspect got to my nerves more and more. Perhaps like superhero comics, it could be that the NG magazine has outlived its niche. Having to compete with many other sources of information about the world, it feels to me as if it’s now targeting a small but faithful clientele, adapting to its views, the same way superhero comics seem to target old comic-book fans who just want more multiple covers on new #1s. The result is however that reading NG today now feels like being trapped in an echo chamber. A virtuous echo chamber. The only magazine I still subscribe to is Foreign Affairs, in which the diversity of writers (academics and politicians from both sides of the aisles) means that without getting an actually objective view, I will get multiple ones. I ended my subscription in 2015, when the magazine was purchased by Murdoch/Fox empire. .
I haven't looked at an issue since, but was intrigued when Disney took over ownership of the magazine in mid 2019. Surprised it hasn't resulted in some changes to the magazine, but maybe the Disney influence just hasn't come in yet?
but glad I didn't bother renewing (at least not yet), based on your comments above.
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Post by berkley on Dec 6, 2019 0:16:15 GMT -5
Meanwhile, in an event totally devoid of interest to the universe, I have ended my National Geographic subscription. It started back in 1988, and thanks to inheriting my granddad’s collection, we had an almost complete run all the way back to the 60s until a few years ago. NG used to be a great magazine; it would tell of strange places, fascinating people, astonishing scientific advances... and by and large, it still does now and then. But as far as I’m concerned, it turned from objective reporting to frequent advocacy a good long while ago, and that aspect got to my nerves more and more. Perhaps like superhero comics, it could be that the NG magazine has outlived its niche. Having to compete with many other sources of information about the world, it feels to me as if it’s now targeting a small but faithful clientele, adapting to its views, the same way superhero comics seem to target old comic-book fans who just want more multiple covers on new #1s. The result is however that reading NG today now feels like being trapped in an echo chamber. A virtuous echo chamber. The only magazine I still subscribe to is Foreign Affairs, in which the diversity of writers (academics and politicians from both sides of the aisles) means that without getting an actually objective view, I will get multiple ones. I ended my subscription in 2015, when the magazine was purchased by Murdoch/Fox empire. .
I haven't looked at an issue since, but was intrigued when Disney took over ownership of the magazine in mid 2019. Surprised it hasn't resulted in some changes to the magazine, but maybe the Disney influence just hasn't come in yet?
but glad I didn't bother renewing (at least not yet), based on your comments above.
Or perhaps there is less difference between the Disney and the Murdoch/Fox worldviews than we like to think?
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Post by hondobrode on Dec 6, 2019 13:29:01 GMT -5
Enrolling Medicare recipients in new Medicare Advantage plans the second to the last day of Annual Enrollment. Phones are going nuts ! Working tonight and tomorrow until 10 pm to get as many as we can.
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Crimebuster
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Post by Crimebuster on Dec 6, 2019 16:05:16 GMT -5
Am I crazy, or do we have someone here who lives in New Zealand?
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Post by The Captain on Dec 6, 2019 16:13:09 GMT -5
Am I crazy, or do we have someone here who lives in New Zealand? I'm pretty sure Paste Pot Paul lives there. As for your being crazy, I'm not a qualified healthcare professional and as such, I will not weigh in on that matter
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Post by hondobrode on Dec 6, 2019 21:57:12 GMT -5
Yeah pretty sure that's where he's at
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Post by hondobrode on Dec 9, 2019 10:17:58 GMT -5
So, back to the boards again. Have mostly been gone for the last 2 months due to Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period which just ended Saturday night. Have been working 14-15 hours / day lately. Slept hard Sunday from 2 am - 1 pm, up for 4 hours catching up with my son Nick (named after Nick Fury) and my mom, then back to bed from 5 pm until 6 this morning and normal conditions at work again until Open Enrollment starting next month where recipients can switch their plans if they want.
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Roquefort Raider
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Dec 9, 2019 10:34:35 GMT -5
So, back to the boards again. Have mostly been gone for the last 2 months due to Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period which just ended Saturday night. Have been working 14-15 hours / day lately. Slept hard Sunday from 2 am - 1 pm, up for 4 hours catching up with my son Nick (named after Nick Fury) and my mom, then back to bed from 5 pm until 6 this morning and normal conditions at work again until Open Enrollment starting next month where recipients can switch their plans if they want. Holy frijoles!!! When do you expect your schedule to resume a more normal pace? Will it be like that every year?
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Post by hondobrode on Dec 9, 2019 10:39:56 GMT -5
It's like that every year; Medicare recipients can enroll without any underwriting. The only thing that would prevent them from getting a Medicare Advantage plan would be if they have been diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) or renal dialysis, otherwise it's a cattle call for seniors. I actually worked an hour later than I should have helping a disabled young lady in Hawaii and a NJ senior with a prescription drug plan. I love being able to help these people; sometimes I can really change their lives. I saved one family $ 102K / year with a drug that was costing the mother $ 10K / mo. They were 60 days away from being foreclosed upon and the new plan I got them saved their home !
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Roquefort Raider
CCF Mod Squad
Modus omnibus in rebus
Posts: 16,435
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Dec 9, 2019 11:16:44 GMT -5
It's like that every year; Medicare recipients can enroll without any underwriting. The only thing that would prevent them from getting a Medicare Advantage plan would be if they have been diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) or renal dialysis, otherwise it's a cattle call for seniors. I actually worked an hour later than I should have helping a disabled young lady in Hawaii and a NJ senior with a prescription drug plan. I love being able to help these people; sometimes I can really change their lives. I saved one family $ 102K / year with a drug that was costing the mother $ 10K / mo. They were 60 days away from being foreclosed upon and the new plan I got them saved their home ! Good for you! It's great to be willing to help people by going the extra mile.
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Post by Prince Hal on Dec 9, 2019 12:04:20 GMT -5
It's like that every year; Medicare recipients can enroll without any underwriting. The only thing that would prevent them from getting a Medicare Advantage plan would be if they have been diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) or renal dialysis, otherwise it's a cattle call for seniors. I actually worked an hour later than I should have helping a disabled young lady in Hawaii and a NJ senior with a prescription drug plan. I love being able to help these people; sometimes I can really change their lives. I saved one family $ 102K / year with a drug that was costing the mother $ 10K / mo. They were 60 days away from being foreclosed upon and the new plan I got them saved their home ! On behalf of everyone who faces medical crisis, thank you!
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Post by hondobrode on Dec 9, 2019 14:10:20 GMT -5
You are very welcome !
I hate it when I talk to someone that falls through the cracks and I can't help them.
I even signed up a homeless guy using the motel address he was staying at. It helped him a lot of course !
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2019 10:30:13 GMT -5
My trip to Hawaii cut short due to my Girlfriend got a call from her boss asking her to come home and I'm kind of mad about it and disappointed too. It's a long story and I just don't like sharing it.
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Post by impulse on Dec 11, 2019 10:57:10 GMT -5
My trip to Hawaii cut short due to my Girlfriend got a call from her boss asking her to come home and I'm kind of mad about it and disappointed too. It's a long story and I just don't like sharing it. With the caveat that I don't know your girlfriend's job or business, I am stunned at the sheer audacity of a boss to call en employee back from vacation unless said employee is nothing short of an absolutely irreplaceable, one-of-a-kind brain surgeon or something. Sorry to hear your vacation is cut short.
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