Posts by Mark Lewis22

Everyone handles temperature swings differently. I know a few people in my neighborhood who walk around in t-shirts year-round, while I’m perpetually freezing. My doctor mentioned something about poor circulation and suggested I do something about it, but honestly, it’s not a big deal to me. I just bundle up and crank the heat in my car, my apartment, and at the office, and life goes on. 😁

I am honestly so tired of people acting like healthcare is just "free." Out here in the States, you either pay for it yourself or your employer picks up the tab. In my case, my company covers it, and as I’ve mentioned before, the amount they contribute is actually pretty decent. So, let's be clear: I don't have "free" healthcare; my employer pays more than $0.33 every single month to cover me. And if I end up needing surgery down the line? I'm still on the hook for those costs. Honestly, I should just ask my boss to report my salary as minimum wage and let me pocket the difference in social security taxes. I could just stash the cash under my mattress for whenever I eventually need an operation. 😎

jadetinker85 said:It’s not actually free here either. People pay into health insurance their entire lives, so they shouldn't be surprised when they're told an operation isn't fully covered and they have to cough up more cash.

Exactly. I don't exactly walk around with "free" healthcare. If someone brings home a monthly net salary of $1.25, their employer is shelling out about $300 for health insurance—that's roughly 15% of the gross pay. Doesn't feel much like a free ride to me.

Ashley Moore8 said:It’s that whole "us" mentality—this idea that you absolutely have to give something to a doctor, a teacher, or a priest. 🙄
If people actually stopped offering bribes, and on the flip side, if someone who took one lost their license, got a slightly longer prison sentence, and had all their ill-gotten gains seized, we’d probably see some order established pretty quickly...

The problem is, people are naive. They think if they slide some cash to a certain professor, they'll get VIP treatment at the hospital. Yeah, right. 🙄
Usually, they just get "handled" by whatever resident happens to be on call 😛
instead.

Exactly. It's baked into our culture. Whenever I bring this up while living abroad, people act shocked—as if this is just how things work everywhere. Let me say it again: IT IS NOT. My director's daughter was recently born over in Germany, and he actually asked his sister if she should bring the doctor a little gift, like a bottle of whiskey, as a thank you. Luckily, his sister is a Canadian woman, so she set him straight immediately. She explained that in Germany, that kind of thing isn't even considered; the only thing you bring is flowers. Otherwise, both the parent and the doctor end up in hot water because it's illegal. We're also pathetic in the sense that you could be dying, but you won't get surgery for three months because you're stuck on some endless waiting list. It's ridiculous. 😠

Noah Vaughn3 said:She mentioned it, sure, but she didn't explicitly say that's how you're supposed to act, so...

Unbelievable. If she mentions that some people have "never heard of humility," she’s clearly implying they ought to be more humble. Honestly, what's the point of having an Ivy League degree if you can't read between the lines?👎

Justin Gray89 said:I've been scrolling through all the posts and noticed there's a huge debate about doctors taking bribes...
I'm curious—what kind of salary do you think it would actually take to satisfy specialists like the guy over at Mayo Clinic so they aren't "forced" to take kickbacks? 😕

That depends on who you're talking about. There are plenty of honest people out there, but let's be real: some folks would still look for a bribe even if they had a massive $10 paycheck. It’s just how our culture works; you can't fix it. 😈

feralorca2 said:That sounds a little morbid to me...

Wait, since when is a patient supposed to be humble toward their doctor? 😲
,why on earth would they need to be? 😕

It’s fine if a patient is polite and respectful, but humble????

I'm curious too. Let's hear the explanation!

Melissa Cruz2 said:And let’s not forget that the patients are usually the ones handing over the envelopes. It's always, "Here’s $500 to make sure you look after my kid a little better than the next one."
Doctors take whatever they can get, but honestly, people are just greedy.

I agree, though a decent doctor should just say, "Keep your money, I'm going to take great care of your child regardless." Instead, they just slide that cash straight into their pocket.
The reason people hand out envelopes is because sometimes it's the only way to actually get the care they’re legally entitled to. I saw this firsthand when a doctor told a family member of mine exactly how much it would cost to skip a year-long waiting list.

Scott Allen10 said:So where on earth are you getting a $500 salary from?
None of the people listed above make less than $1,500 a month. That number only goes up from here, not down.

+ blue envelopes, obviously. We can't forget those. 🙂

SilentDriver said:It’s a great idea, just maybe a little too late for me.

It's never too late. 😉

People working at companies like that don't even realize how lucky they actually are, though I guess for some, it’s just another Tuesday.
I knew a girl who went to a race with her company completely uninterested—she was basically like, "Why am I even here? They're just driving in circles." But after she got back, she was a total convert. Not to mention, seeing her face after she spent some time walking through the paddock and hitting up the Ferrari VIP lounge... you wouldn't believe it. 🙂

Honestly, Maya, why bother chasing Schumacher’s autograph? You’re better off just grabbing a selfie with him. 😍
Look, I love Kimi, but let’s be real—his signature isn't exactly going to change my life. Now, if you were talking about snagging his racing gloves or some piece of gear? That's a different story. 😁

By the way, your best bet for actually meeting him is to land a job at one of those massive corporations that sponsors Ferrari (like Marlboro, for instance). Those companies love taking their employees and partners to races—usually straight to the VIP lounges—where the drivers hang out.
Anyway, good luck! 👋

I've been drinking this since last year. Best soda out there! 👍

Over seven hours on weekdays, maybe eight or nine on the weekends.
Honestly, I don't even miss the extra sleep as much as I miss just lying there doing absolutely nothing after I wake up.😢

Only in America 😠