“Last year, 75 percent of the $2.6 trillion the U.S. spent on health care was for treating chronic diseases that, to a large degree, can be prevented or reversed through lifestyle change,” says Dean Ornish of UCSF. Who (besides patients) has an incentive to make changes that would remove that money from the system?



If we all started demanding a model of health care that would help us change our lifestyles, it would take some time before the economics of that demand resulted in a change to the system, but it would come. As long as money and elections drive this conversation, we’re going to keep getting the same thing. And in that case, we probably deserve it.



http://whatbillthinks.com/do-we-deserve-the-health-care-were-getting/ http://amplify.com/u/a162bk

Recently, Bloomberg Business week featured an article, "The End of Mail." Postmaster General, Patrick Donahoe, took exception. Not a surprise. What else could he do?



I did find a couple of his quotes quite interesting, but not convincing.



"...advertising mail [aka junk mail] is what helps make the Postal Service core to a trillion-dollar mailing industry that employs more than 8 million people and drives our nation's commerce."



"With the right legislation, the Postal Service can return to profitability and continue to deliver value, convenience, and innovation to American businesses and residences for generations to come." http://amplify.com/u/a1618s

Will we pocket the extra $$ from lower gas prices or simply drive more? http://amplify.com/u/a15ydj

American Express has partnered with 4Square, just in case social media isn't a fad.



On one level it's interesting, but is the AMEX crowd using 4Square? Apparently, there was enough data showing there was, but I'm skeptical.



http://www.fastcompany.com/1762726/with-amex-partnership-foursquare-may-prove-social-media-roi?partner=homepage_newsletter http://amplify.com/u/a15uks