http://joekraynak.com/blog Wordsmith Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:20:38 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Today, Psych Central (one of the oldest and most popular mental health and psychology resources online) announced its selection of Top 10 Bipolar Blogs of 2008. Included in the list is a bipolar blog I co-host with Candida Fink, MD called Bipolar Beat. Candida and I also co-authored Bipolar Disorder ... http://joekraynak.com/blog/awards/bipolar-beat-blog-named-to-top-10-list.html I just read an interesting article on the current $700 billion bailout package recently approved by the Senate and on its way to the House. The article, entitled, "Economists Raise Concerns About Bailout Plan," by John R. Lott Jr., indicates that "Interviews with a dozen prominent academic economists, Obama supporters ... http://joekraynak.com/blog/economy/just-say-whoa-to-the-bailout-plan.html As a U.S. citizen, you owe over $36,000. I don't care how old you are, how much money you make, or how deeply in debt you are, your share of the national debt comes to approximately $36,666. How'd I figure that? Well, last I checked, according to the U.S. National Debt ... http://joekraynak.com/blog/economy/you-owe-36000.html Russia takes over companies that are earning money. The United States takes over companies that are losing money. I think the U.S. government ought to take over the U.S. oil companies to offset the cost of its most recent financial industry bailouts. Maybe they should take over Microsoft, General Electric, and Coca ... http://joekraynak.com/blog/economy/difference-between-russia-and-the-united-states.html I haven't read the book, but I watched Thomas L. Friedman on Meet the Press last Sunday. Based solely on what I heard during the interview, I can't believe that this book is a number 1 bestseller. Why? Because I remember hearing this same sort of thing back in 2000. In fact, ... http://joekraynak.com/blog/politics/hot-flat-and-crowded-why-we-need-a-green-revolution-and-how-it-can-renew-america.html In his novel Cat's Cradle, Kurt Vonnegut explores humanity's catlike curiosity - a curiosity that's said to have killed the cat. Scientists develop a crystal called ice-nine that causes water to turn to ice at room temperature and warmer - risking the possibility that all the water on the planet ... http://joekraynak.com/blog/science/scientists-destroying-the-world.html For at least the past 20 years, I've heard more griping over our "failing schools" and supposedly broken education system than I can stand. I hear it from both political parties, read about in the editorial columns, and watch the pundits blast our schools and teachers on every TV station ... http://joekraynak.com/blog/education/schools-and-teachers-americas-scapegoat.html People who've grown up in Crawfordsville, Indiana like to refer to this small town in Central Indiana as "The Athens of the Midwest." Perhaps it is, and from what's been going on lately, this might just be the place where the battle lines are drawn between physicians and the health ... http://joekraynak.com/blog/health/doctors-vs-health-insurance-athens-vs-anthem.html Ever since I had a severe reaction to a combination of pink champagne and Alleve (don't ask), I've had a growing problem with all sorts of allergy symptoms (not to foods, but to airborne allergens) - hives,  runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing; post-nasal drip, cough, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Usually, I ... http://joekraynak.com/blog/allergies/my-new-best-friend-cortisone-for-allergies.html My doctor has a privacy policy. My health insurance company has a privacy policy. When I see my doctor, however, he bills my insurance company for the services he provided and any tests he ordered. The insurance company has never actually paid a claim, because my medical bills never even ... http://joekraynak.com/blog/consumer-protection/what-good-is-a-privacy-policy.html