Daily Archives: October 5, 2004

Oh, Canada! our dream come true drug supplier

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Watching the vice presidential debates. I was mostly doing other things, until I heard Edwards say something like

‘This administration voted against buying drugs from Canada. The current administration sided WITH the drug companies. We will bring drugs in from Canada. We are for the american people.’

This started me yelling.

‘YOU’RE STUPID! YOU ARE SO STUPID! HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?’

this drugs are cheaper in canada dealy drives me crazy. Are these guys so short-sighted? Let’s think about this…

Drugs in Canada are cheaper. The same exact drugs! Isnt’ that great! We can just get the same exact drugs from the same exact companies, and just FOOL them into giving them to us cheaper. Because we will get them from Canada. And the drug companies can’t do a thing about it! How great is that! We’ll save SCADS of money.

Maybe this is just an indication that politicians are not very good businessmen. But I think the drug companies of the world, who operate in a free market, would find a way to cover their costs.

Why does canada have cheaper rates? THey’ve taken pains to keep then that way. Canada has a different idea of government prerogatives in medicine.

Is America willing to put caps on the prices of drugs the way that Canada does? Is America, meaning american lawmakers and policy creators, willing to do the hard work of coming up with a workable, sustainable plan for medicine that reflects our american values?

It looks like America isn’t willing to do either. We want the wal-mart approach. Don’t ask what it took to buy sneakers for $6.86, just buy then for all your kids and congratulate yourself on a good deal.

Taking drugs from Canada has major implications. It skews up a trade balance, and puts the drug companies in a new and potentially unprofitable position. Pharmacuetical and biotech companies are some of the few sectors that are still doing okay. Do we need to F* with that, all oblivious of the consequences? aren’t we a little concerned about the health of industry and job generation in america?

Not only that, but all this great research and new treatments for all kinds of things are paid for by the red white and blue. Ask any drug salesguy. Are drugs expensive here? Sure, Some of them are. Are we living longer and being stronger than before? Yes, Decades longer. Do we want to cut off this system that has resulted in amazing advances?

Going shopping in Canada for drugs is a sorry excuse for not taking care of business at home. It’s big deal; the need for medicine is not going to go away. We need to face it and come up with a good plan.

Really, who’s the loser?

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So, I’m trying to be part of a team here at work.

Actually, I’m resenting the fact that I am NOT part of a team. This should not be so hard.

Ever remember those group projects that were required in school? That’s where you had to form a group to do a project or a presentation, and it was some fat percentage of your grade.

What always happened with me is that I cared about my grade. I wanted the project done well and I wanted to get an A. SO we would all get together and talk about what needed done and who would do it.

There was the person that called the meetings. There was the person who just agreed with whatever everyone else said. There was usually one or maybe two people who didn’t do a darn thing.

Now. That hold true through life. This really had nothing to do with whatever subject we were learning. It was all about ‘Who’s the loser?’

I used to think that the people who didn’t do anything were the losers. But you know, I didn’t pay enough attention.

Who’s really the loser? The one who doesn’t have to do any work? Or the one who does all the work for other people?

What harm does a low grade do anyway?

If we are playing that game, the one where it doesn’t matter who shows up as long as the work gets done, then why must I be the one to show up?

I am the loser.

See previous post

So…I basically have to have some kind of faith that the loser is NOT the one that does the work. In a purely temporal world, how could it be otherwise?

The sucker is the one who gets stuck with the hard stuff.

Except I do not believe that this is a purely temporal world. I believe in higher things, like higher standards. Pride of accomplishment, a job well done, knowing that I did my best.

Boy, do I ever believe in knowing I did my best. I cannot sleep at night if I even think there is a chance I didn’t do my best.

That means i see beyond the moment, beyond the short term. I have a larger context within which I place the choices I make.

So. What is the context that the not-doers place their choices? Do they feel there is another consequence beyond getting out of doing stuff?

Let me tell you, there may not be. If this work environment does not dish out a consequence, then there isn’t.

So how does teamwork happen?
In my case, it doesn’t.

In my opinion, consequences are important. But not everyone sees it that way. Some people seem to want to avoid consequences and protect one another from them.

See this post.

This sort of thing rolls around in my head, and I wonder if I really am clinging to outmoded rules of the universe.

Maybe I need to have a talk with ol’ Nick.

You can’t fight the way things are. You can only work with it. Maybe you can work with it to improve it, but working with it is the only way.