Posts by Anthony Kim18

Gonna give this a shot too

DELETED.

Anthony Kim18, quit playing. You know how to upload photos. Next time, maybe learn how to use the resize tool, huh?

Charles Ramirez59

Which thread is this even about?

So, I recently went into total isolation while studying.
I didn't leave the house for three whole days.
Didn't say a single word to anyone either—unless you count all the internal monologues and mental debates I was having with myself.

When I finally swung by the local CVS, I headed over to the deli section. The cashier goes, "How can I help you?" and I literally started stuttering!!!
My brain just totally short-circuited.
And it had only been a few days!

cosmicridge5 said:It’s honestly hilarious to call her behavior inconsistent or "suspicious." Like, come on—her head is pure chaos. What else would you expect?!

She spent eight years totally isolated, only to step out and land right in the middle of a global spotlight... I mean, hello? People...

Maybe we were all just sold an actress!
The media didn't even check her DNA!

Anuska said:I honestly don't get how she can talk about that time so casually. I think I would've lost my mind during those 8 years of constant fear, uncertainty, and abuse. She never knew how that psycho was going to react. Just a 10-year-old girl, hungry, stuck in the dark with a creep. Regardless of all the talk about mental health and reporters, you have to hand it to her for staying so sane. If I went through all that, I’d be screaming, scratching at walls, and hiding under tables.

You really think she isn't?
Come on, the Natasha we saw on TV definitely isn't the real Natasha.
This version is some kind of intellectual, speaking all calm and convincing like she’s a professional PR agent.
The real Natasha? I'm pretty sure she's broken.

I remember summers at the lake house. The last time I was there, I was only 10.
Then I didn't go back until I was 18!
Before that, everything about that place felt blurry in my head. Weird stuff happening, almost like a fairy tale. It was hard to tell what was actually real and what was just my imagination.
When I finally went back after the war, the difference was massive! Obviously, it wasn't the same anymore. For the first few days, I was just sitting there in shock, processing my old memories versus the new reality.

And her situation isn't even comparable to mine. She didn't see the world for 8 years. No peers, no parents, no friends, no family... nothing.
Think about it—sexuality, puberty. Back then she was just a little kid, and now she's a grown woman.

Seriously, that's a level of trauma we can't even wrap our heads around.
That interview? Total fake Natasha, for sure!

zordi said:it feels like they're just bullying this girl... just leave her alone!😲 😠

Personally, I won't even care about the headlines in three years. Once all this hype dies down, who's actually going to care about Natasha Kampusch? Who's gonna be looking at her then? Not me, for sure..................

If it weren't for the news and the reporters, you wouldn't give a damn about her in three years either.
Because you wouldn't have even heard her name if the media hadn't made it!

Pikolina said:They’re just using her to make a buck. How does she even know about some group of mistreated women in Mexico when she barely even watched the news? I think they're exploiting her because she's such easy bait for sponsors. And now she's stuck in a new jail.

She's in a halfway house now.
Honestly, it's probably for the best.

I mean, wouldn't it be crazy if someone spent 8 years in total darkness, only to have a spotlight blasted right in their eyes the second they step out?

Rebecca Taylor6 said:The girl is totally traumatized and just burying everything inside. That calm vibe is nothing but a temporary mask. I honestly think she needs to have a massive breakdown and just let it all out to finally process that trauma... there's no way she's actually this level-headed. She's well-read, articulate, and sharp...

And who even knows what kind of angle they took with this interview?
Oh, she's "well-read"? Please! What's she read besides a few headlines here and there?
Intelligence comes from what you put in your body—that's why she's so bright!

It's a two-way street; the media needs her just as much as she needs them.
Who's going to foot the bill for her college tuition?
And who's paying for her therapy?

Hmm. Seems a little too good to be true, doesn't it?
It’s almost like watching a movie where she’s just playing herself.

Check out these poll results: have you ever tried marijuana?
I have and I'm still at it 64 45.71%
Never, but I might someday 12 8.57%
Tried it, but I'm done 36 25.71%
Never and never will 28 20.00%
Total votes: 140

Noah Vaughn3 Benjamin Murphy2 said:Of course it’s all just a setup. You people who go out of your way to plant fake evidence just to trap doctors... honestly, they should just shut the whole thing down! Every last bit of it! :P We really are a hopeless bunch, aren't we? Forget joining the global stage, we're stuck right here. It's all cursed!

P.S.—way to go, Benjamin Murphy2!

Oh my God! Talk about pure stupidity and malice all in one place!
So you wouldn't lock up some guy shaking people down for bribes, right? But what about those folks who only pay—or don't—because their own lives, or the lives of their families, are on the line? Isn't that a different story? 😢
Why just lock up the racketeers when you could go after the ones footing their bills? You know, the ones paying them off just to save their own skin and assets? Wouldn't that be more effective?

What's up? 😢

What happened to Smith was just a classic police sting. It’s totally legal, right? Honestly, it's the only way you can actually catch someone for corruption.
If he hadn't taken that bribe, there wouldn't even be an indictment or a conviction to worry about. Wouldn't he just be innocent then?
Wait, so he didn't just take a bribe? He was actually shaking people down for stuff he’d already been busted for?

Shouldn't they just shut down that doctor too? You know, the one who told her to report Smith?

Benjamin Murphy2 said:I never claimed there wasn't corruption in healthcare, but saying it's 20% is just insulting.

But I can already see this turning into one of those debates where people grab one sentence out of context just to tear you down.

Noah Vaughn3 didn't say her mom takes $167 from every single patient—given her profession, I doubt she even gets a free Jack Daniel's from every fiftieth person.

Besides, if someone gives you a bottle of booze after you've finished treating them, how is that a bribe? You did your job, honestly and professionally, without expecting a thing, and then the person simply shows their gratitude. It actually touched me once when an old gentleman brought me a handmade wall lamp and a candle holder after I helped save his wife. Is that a bribe? Is that corruption? Or is it just being human and wanting to thank someone when you feel the need? I’ve never asked for anything or expected anything. But if someone has already spent their time, money, or resources on me, it feels even worse to turn it away.

Look, I get it. I kind of understand why gifts are seen as a traditional way of doing things. Like, back in the day, farmers would bring ham to the judge just to make sure he was fair. They'd bring ham to the doctor to ensure they got treated right. They'd bring stuff to school on the first day so the teacher would actually teach the kid.
Just like back then, you have to realize that the core motive behind people giving gifts isn't really about rewarding someone—it's about fear. It's the anxiety over whether that official is going to actually do the job they're paid to do. That fear of "shaky hands"—the fear that things might go wrong—is the fundamental driver behind any kind of "gift." That’s why people give, even when a doctor doesn't ask. You can tell because the frequency and value of these gifts go up as the person's power increases. Doctors hold life and death in their hands quite often, and a shaky hand, whether intentional or not, can be a final verdict.
And I get why (since you grew up in that environment) you view receiving gifts as something totally normal. You see it as coming from the heart, not from fear.
But every employee needs to have their salary—regardless of what it is, and regardless of whether they're happy with it (and let's face it, nobody is ever truly satisfied with their paycheck, right?)—as their only compensation. Maybe with small exceptions like handmade items or tiny gestures, like a cup of coffee.
Why? Because otherwise, you start questioning if you'll work harder if you see a bigger gesture of gratitude. And if that's the case, it means you aren't treating every patient equally, even though they are all equal—they're all Social Security Administration beneficiaries.
Even if that's not the case, you're still inviting the suspicion.
And it’s fine if someone later says, "Hey, those are great clogs, keep up the good work," but that's no different than Walton buying a computer for a journalist who, in Walton's opinion, is doing a great job.
Great clogs don't make a doctor a good doctor, and great clogs don't make a journalist a good journalist.
If someone really wants to improve medical work and patient care, there are plenty of ways to donate medical equipment that your doctor doesn't even need to know about.
Of course, we're only talking about the extreme examples of "small" gifts here.
When it comes to actual cash, especially if a doctor asks for it, that's a clear-cut issue.

Those percentages aren't my claim; they're just an assumption, which is basically just guesswork, much like your denial of them is also just guesswork.
Ljubičić said (and just to be clear, I'm not a fan) that there isn't more or less corruption among doctors than in any other sector of public service.

Mark Barrett2 said:God, you're being so blunt... and wow, thanks for stating the obvious.

Thanks for the kind words.
Got anything else?

Zachary Thompson9 said:Noah Vaughn3, some people actually finished med school... there's zero point trying to defend Smith. I bet even your mom would agree with me on this one.

It’s pretty wild seeing people swear they’re all about integrity while simultaneously defending criminals and their shady moves.
Makes you wonder about their moral compass, doesn't it? Wouldn't it make more sense for them to be the first ones calling foul on that kind of "unfair competition"?
On top of that, they go after the victims of those crimes.
Then, in the same breath, they try to play the victim and grab sympathy from those very same people—both the victims and the perpetrators.
Like, what's even the goal here?
Total nonsense!

Noah Vaughn3 said:I don't want to argue... but nobody ever talks about the good things a doctor does (it's the same for any profession), specifically regarding Smith... I mean, honestly, how many lives did that guy actually save?

Of course nobody looks at that, right? It's way easier to just trash someone...

First off, Smith isn't some saint, and we shouldn't look at him that way. He’s a professional who gets paid. And he gets paid a lot. Everything he does comes with a paycheck. If he ever worked for free, feel free to set me straight.
It's a mistake to view doctors as these empathetic saints sacrificing themselves for others. It's a job, just like any other. It requires serious skill and responsibility, which is exactly why it pays way better than most other careers.
The doctors working with Doctors Without Borders—those are the heroes. They work for free, without compensation. Those people act out of pure humanity, not because they're chasing a massive salary.

Second, what "good deeds"? He was hired to do his job well. That isn't a "good deed," it's just doing the job he was hired for.
For all those "good deeds" you're talking about—which are really just successfully completed professional tasks—he gets paid handsomely.

Third, even if we follow your logic and pretend Smith treating people was pure charity rather than performing duties he was paid for by the patients he "saved," the fact that he was extorting bribes tells you everything you need to know about his character. He was bidding on things that should be sacred to a doctor: human lives.

Because it's not about charity anymore, and it's not about being a professional doing their job conscientiously. We're talking about a criminal who abused his power and expertise for illegal, immoral financial gain.
What kind of "saint" extorts people using their own lives against them?!
Money or death!
What are you even talking about?

And fourth, would you say the same thing about Brauer? Should we ignore all the bad stuff and only talk about the good things she did?
I'm pretty sure Hitler was a professional house painter, too. But you don't hear historians mentioning that part, do you? Unfair?

I was reading the news today—not saying it’s gospel, obviously—but apparently doctors and staff have gone totally extreme and are refusing all gifts lately. (As if they even need them, right?).
They’re turning down even the "small" stuff, like bottles of top-shelf liquor.
Just today at the Mayo Clinic, they reportedly turned away over 50 of those little gestures.
And let's talk about those spirits; we're looking at a value of at least $50 per bottle. Multiply that by 50 and you're sitting on $167.
How many doctors were even there?
Maybe ten at most today. That breaks down to $250 per person.
Honestly, that's a massive windfall if you ask me.
If they weren't getting a paycheck or any kickbacks, they could live pretty damn well just off those tips alone (and I mean "well" compared to most people, including folks who don't have their level of education, workload, or responsibility).

Noah Vaughn3 said:my mom gets kickbacks! 😬
eggs, sausages, chickens, some lamb here and there, flowers, coffee, gift boxes, even a whole bunch of those pricey orchids... 😁
some lady told me that until $167 it's not a bribe.. is that actually true?

Man, we sure are proud of Mom 😢

like up to $17 it isn't a bribe.

Just imagine $167 from every single patient, and you see about 30 of them that day.
That little change you're joking about is like 15 $0.00 a day.
Multiply that by 25 and you're looking at over 300,000 a month.
Maybe that doesn't sound like much to you or your mom, but for her patients? It's insane.
Some of them (and I bet they aren't any less smart or educated) won't make that much in their entire lives!

agnessa said:I'm telling you again... Not everyone is corrupt, and for me, "generally" speaking, it’s definitely not more than 20%... (maybe!). If you pour 20% wine into a glass and fill the rest with water, would you really say you're drinking pure wine?!
PS. I'm not a doctor and have nothing to do with the medical field (except for my dear husband who is a doctor, though not here in the US), but I really can't stand these unserious posts.

Your post is what's unserious, and that comparison? Totally silly!
I never said that if twenty or more doctors are corrupt, it means absolutely everyone is (like your 20% wine analogy implies).
I just meant they are clearly corrupt—meaning there's actually plenty of wine in that glass.

Lawrence Wells said:Man, my buddy told me the exact same thing after he finished med school! We all have to mentally brace ourselves for the day the news starts dragging us through the mud. It’s a shame, but you’ve got those corrupt types who only went into medicine to bleed poor people dry during these tough times... 🙄

1. I've gone through a ton of articles on this latest case. Honestly, not a single person—not even one sentence—attacks the whole profession or other doctors, aside from Smith and the suspicion that some members of that specialist's immediate team might be involved in the criminal activity.
I really don't get why you feel targeted.
Plus, it's being reported that a lot of doctors actually felt relieved by the news.

2. If you're still reading this as an attack on your profession or yourself personally, then who do you actually hold responsible? Your colleagues or the patients who were harmed?
Is it your colleagues, or the journalists who (in my opinion) are reporting fairly and professionally?
Are the culprits those specific individuals (who, if you ask me, are plenty) or just a "fired up" public that's fed up with poverty, crime, and seeing their hard-earned money squeezed out of them?

I think the answer is right there in your last sentence.
So, are you defending yourself (I get the feeling you are) in your own name, on behalf of the medical profession, or for Dr. Smith?

3. You seem to think you doctors are the main targets for the country's economic, social, and legal issues. To make you feel better, judges, lawyers, cops, soldiers, professors, and government workers all feel the same way... they all think they're the bottom of the barrel and the permanent target for public outcry.
And honestly, everyone's at fault here.
Because of a few bad apples within the system, all of you as a profession are open to criticism.
Instead of distancing yourselves from certain colleagues and joining the public in condemning these criminal acts and criminals, you're acting like you're under siege and need to fight back.
I just don't get it.

rapidheron said:If you've got evidence that solid, why aren't you heading straight to the FBI? What are you waiting for? Just venting on a forum isn't exactly getting things done.

I didn't actually see it happen myself.