Comments for Citizen Journalist Review http://citizenjournalistreview.wordpress.com commentaries on life and politics Fri, 22 May 2009 00:27:05 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Are drug store chains & insurance companies ripping you off? by ludditeandroid http://citizenjournalistreview.wordpress.com/2009/05/17/are-drug-store-chains-insurance-companies-ripping-you-off/#comment-20 ludditeandroid Fri, 22 May 2009 00:27:05 +0000 http://citizenjournalistreview.wordpress.com/?p=698#comment-20 It isn't just drug stores like CVS buying PBMs. It's also insurance companies forcing patients to use mail-order companies they own and reap huge profits from (how is that not price-fixing or medicare/medicaid fraud?) and PBMs that will "generously" allow an independent pharmacy to have a contract with them . . . for AWP minus 40% (which means average wholesale price minus 40%). Most independents have to pay more than AWP (who is going to give one little shop in the middle of nowhere bulk pricing?) then they want you to sell it for 40% LESS than AWP. For example, we lose at least $4 almost every time we fill birth control, and that's a relatively cheap drug. But what are we supposed to do? Not fill birth control prescriptions? In an underserved, low-income community miles and miles away from the next nearest pharmacy? We have to lose the money, because we actually have a conscience. It isn’t just drug stores like CVS buying PBMs. It’s also insurance companies forcing patients to use mail-order companies they own and reap huge profits from (how is that not price-fixing or medicare/medicaid fraud?) and PBMs that will “generously” allow an independent pharmacy to have a contract with them . . . for AWP minus 40% (which means average wholesale price minus 40%). Most independents have to pay more than AWP (who is going to give one little shop in the middle of nowhere bulk pricing?) then they want you to sell it for 40% LESS than AWP. For example, we lose at least $4 almost every time we fill birth control, and that’s a relatively cheap drug. But what are we supposed to do? Not fill birth control prescriptions? In an underserved, low-income community miles and miles away from the next nearest pharmacy? We have to lose the money, because we actually have a conscience.

]]> Comment on The Lessons of the Great Depression. by citizenjournalistreview http://citizenjournalistreview.wordpress.com/2009/03/18/the-lessons-of-the-great-depression/#comment-19 citizenjournalistreview Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:08:34 +0000 http://citizenjournalistreview.wordpress.com/?p=539#comment-19 I find myself doing lots of things that I learned from my mother's lessons. I always buy groceries that I don't need that will save in the pantry 'just in case'. I write the expiration date in large letters on each can with a black laundry pen to make it easier to read. I also keep them all rotated. After I have bought food for a couple of months, I make sure the ratation is in order so none of it spoils. I keep some in a freezor too, but I always keep even some meats that are canned. I find myself doing lots of things that I learned from my mother’s lessons. I always buy groceries that I don’t need that will save in the pantry ‘just in case’. I write the expiration date in large letters on each can with a black laundry pen to make it easier to read. I also keep them all rotated. After I have bought food for a couple of months, I make sure the ratation is in order so none of it spoils. I keep some in a freezor too, but I always keep even some meats that are canned.

]]> Comment on The Lessons of the Great Depression. by pobept http://citizenjournalistreview.wordpress.com/2009/03/18/the-lessons-of-the-great-depression/#comment-18 pobept Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:10:25 +0000 http://citizenjournalistreview.wordpress.com/?p=539#comment-18 A one of the post Depression / WWII generation, I watched and learned the value of conservation, waste not want not! To this day I can't help myself, I save paper sacks, coffee cans, jars that can be used to can home grown fruit and vegetables. I plant and tend a small garden, raise enough chickens to provide meat and eggs. I have never had a credit card, I pay cash for everything. If I don't have the cash to purchase an item, then I can wait until I do have cash for that item. My daughter and family are learning these lessons of not living beyond your means the hard way, as are many Americans. A one of the post Depression / WWII generation, I watched and learned the value of conservation, waste not want not! To this day I can’t help myself, I save paper sacks, coffee cans, jars that can be used to can home grown fruit and vegetables. I plant and tend a small garden, raise enough chickens to provide meat and eggs.
I have never had a credit card, I pay cash for everything. If I don’t have the cash to purchase an item, then I can wait until I do have cash for that item.

My daughter and family are learning these lessons of not living beyond your means the hard way, as are many Americans.

]]> Comment on Could you live on $850,000 per year? by citizenjournalistreview http://citizenjournalistreview.wordpress.com/2009/03/02/could-you-live-on-850000-per-year/#comment-16 citizenjournalistreview Mon, 02 Mar 2009 17:41:07 +0000 http://citizenjournalistreview.wordpress.com/?p=480#comment-16 The difference in this 'street fight' though is that it is over our country and who wins is very important to all of us. The difference in this ’street fight’ though is that it is over our country and who wins is very important to all of us.

]]> Comment on Could you live on $850,000 per year? by Tom Awtry http://citizenjournalistreview.wordpress.com/2009/03/02/could-you-live-on-850000-per-year/#comment-15 Tom Awtry Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:20:29 +0000 http://citizenjournalistreview.wordpress.com/?p=480#comment-15 I feel our economic situation will worsen, before getting better, but right now there’s a “Street Fight” going on, where the winner must be decided first before solutions can be found and implemented. http://ourcountryspresident.wordpress.com/2009/03/02/what-street-you%E2%80%99re-from-is-becoming-more-important/ I feel our economic situation will worsen, before getting better, but right now there’s a “Street Fight” going on, where the winner must be decided first before solutions can be found and implemented.

http://ourcountryspresident.wordpress.com/2009/03/02/what-street-you%E2%80%99re-from-is-becoming-more-important/

]]> Comment on How are the starving in rural Alaska going to survive? by annstrongheart http://citizenjournalistreview.wordpress.com/2009/02/09/how-are-the-starving-in-rural-alaska-going-to-survive/#comment-14 annstrongheart Sat, 14 Feb 2009 19:54:35 +0000 http://citizenjournalistreview.wordpress.com/?p=386#comment-14 Wow, Citizen, Quyana Cakneq (Yupik for Thank you very much!) for helping to get the word out!! If anyone would like to help the YK Delta please visit... http://anonymousbloggers.wordpress.com/how-to-help/ for more information. Quyana, Ann Strongheart Nunam Iqua Food Drive c/o Ann Strongheart P.O. Box 7 Nunam Iqua, AK 99666 nunamiquayouth@yahoo.com Wow, Citizen, Quyana Cakneq (Yupik for Thank you very much!) for helping to get the word out!!

If anyone would like to help the YK Delta please visit…

http://anonymousbloggers.wordpress.com/how-to-help/

for more information.

Quyana,

Ann Strongheart

Nunam Iqua Food Drive
c/o Ann Strongheart
P.O. Box 7
Nunam Iqua, AK 99666
nunamiquayouth@yahoo.com

]]> Comment on Is Caroline Kennedy qualified to become the next NY Senator? by citizenjournalistreview http://citizenjournalistreview.wordpress.com/2008/12/16/is-caroline-kennedy-qualified-to-become-the-next-ny-senator/#comment-13 citizenjournalistreview Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:50:05 +0000 http://citizenjournalistreview.wordpress.com/?p=195#comment-13 “Seems to me the same question was being asked a little over a month ago about the woman from Alaska!” Response: True. Now Palin really was creating her own problems though with her total lack of ability to know when to shut up but you are making my point for me. When she starts taking her responses seriously everyone else may begin taking her seriously. She was embarassing because of her inability to control her mouth just as a few men have been embarassments because of theirs. “Your comments on qualifications for Senators are interesting considering two recent ones are about to be sworn in as our President and Vice-President!” Response: Well, the cream always comes to the top and it doesn’t get any better than Joe Biden. Obama will be an outstanding president too when you consider that he is following the worst disaster in American Presidential history. Republican George W. Bush was our absolute worst followed by Republican Richard Nixon. The Democrats aren’t blameless, but they certainly have recently done better than that. I don’t agree with either, but some are worse than others. Guess that says we need some new political parties with some new ideas on how to select a candidate with integrity and ability to serve the American public rather than personal interests and the interests of the Republican party. That would be true regardless of the party but the Republicans have a particularly poor track record. “All of the media and prominent politicians speaking to Ms Kennedy’s “qualifications” seems to be just a part of the vetting process as they all seem to “think highly of her”. Response: Well then, I’m sure we’ll hear the same “volume and level” of ‘vetting’ regarding the other 12 that are said to be interested. That’s just not happening. We only know the names of one or two of the others. I also wonder when it became the duty of the press to do vetting. I thought that was a party responsibility and the governor or the State of New York. I’ve read the Constitution and no where does it say that the press is responsible for vetting. No, I stick with the original assumption that her qualifications are being challenged because she is a woman and a smart one too. “Seems to me the same question was being asked a little over a month ago about the woman from Alaska!”

Response: True. Now Palin really was creating her own problems though with her total lack of ability to know when to shut up but you are making my point for me. When she starts taking her responses seriously everyone else may begin taking her seriously. She was embarassing because of her inability to control her mouth just as a few men have been embarassments because of theirs.

“Your comments on qualifications for Senators are interesting considering two recent ones are about to be sworn in as our President and Vice-President!”

Response: Well, the cream always comes to the top and it doesn’t get any better than Joe Biden. Obama will be an outstanding president too when you consider that he is following the worst disaster in American Presidential history. Republican George W. Bush was our absolute worst followed by Republican Richard Nixon. The Democrats aren’t blameless, but they certainly have recently done better than that. I don’t agree with either, but some are worse than others. Guess that says we need some new political parties with some new ideas on how to select a candidate with integrity and ability to serve the American public rather than personal interests and the interests of the Republican party. That would be true regardless of the party but the Republicans have a particularly poor track record.

“All of the media and prominent politicians speaking to Ms Kennedy’s “qualifications” seems to be just a part of the vetting process as they all seem to “think highly of her”.

Response: Well then, I’m sure we’ll hear the same “volume and level” of ‘vetting’ regarding the other 12 that are said to be interested. That’s just not happening. We only know the names of one or two of the others. I also wonder when it became the duty of the press to do vetting. I thought that was a party responsibility and the governor or the State of New York. I’ve read the Constitution and no where does it say that the press is responsible for vetting. No, I stick with the original assumption that her qualifications are being challenged because she is a woman and a smart one too.

]]> Comment on Is Caroline Kennedy qualified to become the next NY Senator? by paperlessworld http://citizenjournalistreview.wordpress.com/2008/12/16/is-caroline-kennedy-qualified-to-become-the-next-ny-senator/#comment-11 paperlessworld Wed, 17 Dec 2008 04:35:30 +0000 http://citizenjournalistreview.wordpress.com/?p=195#comment-11 “What had she done in politics?” a New York Queens politician had asked. The same question was asked when Bobby Kennedy ran for the United States Senate in New York. Did they ask the question when the current senator ran for office? We only the elected the old and the experienced? The real question is “what exactly was leadership?” She was a "descendant” of the well-known. A bit of jealousy from the unknown? And she actually seemed about ideas. The art of compromise. Likeable. Wow! A leader who was actually likeable. And she had name recognition that most candidates could not match. “What had she done in politics?” a New York Queens politician had asked. The same question was asked when Bobby Kennedy ran for the United States Senate in New York. Did they ask the question when the current senator ran for office? We only the elected the old and the experienced? The real question is “what exactly was leadership?” She was a “descendant” of the well-known. A bit of jealousy from the unknown? And she actually seemed about ideas. The art of compromise. Likeable. Wow! A leader who was actually likeable. And she had name recognition that most candidates could not match.

]]>