thatguybil

“Long before the pandemic, gold-standard randomized controlled trials had repeatedly shown that masks offered little or no meaningful protection against the spread of respiratory viruses. When COVID-19 arrived, fresh trials were launched in hopes of settling the question. Instead, they largely confirmed the earlier findings: Masks produced, at best, marginal reductions in SARS-CoV-2 transmission, if any. Two major Cochrane reviews (in 2020 and in 2023), the gold standard for rigorous medical evidence synthesis, reached the same conclusion. Neither found convincing evidence that surgical masks meaningfully slowed the spread of respiratory viruses in real-world settings.”

This is the ultimate midwit healthcare take. No, 32 countries have not “figured out” universal healthcare. The UK has “free” healthcare, and roughly 1 in 3 cancer patients in England still fail to start treatment within 62 days of urgent referral. Canada has “free” healthcare, and the median wait for neurosurgical treatment is around a year. Australia has “free” healthcare, and over half the country still buys private insurance despite paying for a public universal system with their taxes. Switzerland has universal coverage, because residents are required to buy private insurance. There is no government system where benevolent bureaucrats tuck you in at night with a warm blanket and an MRI appointment. The actual lesson from other wealthy countries is not “they figured it out.” America’s system has huge problems. Our prices are insane, insurance markets are distorted, and hospital systems are cartelized. Our regulations make care more expensive than it needs to be. Yet we still guarantee access to even the 8% who don’t have coverage. We give easy routes to qualify for medicaid for those with disabilities. Pretending the rest of the world solved healthcare because they slapped the word “universal” on a rationing scheme is not analysis. It is bumper sticker policy for people who think access means having a card in your wallet while you wait a year to see the doctor you need.

The number of college students I have taught who don't know how to insert a footnote in Word and Google Docs is astounding. It's gotta be between 50% to 75% of them.

Another way to express the reposted chart is that the fertility rate peaked in 2007, which was 19 years ago. We still underestimate the extent of the damage the 2007 to 2009 financial crisis (aka the "Great Recession") inflicted on society.

Groceries for 2 people. Will last us maybe 5 days. I don’t know how people do it. This country is becoming unbearably expensive. 2k monthly groceries Not counting if you want to go to a restaurant once a week, add another 1k.

This is the ultimate midwit healthcare take. No, 32 countries have not “figured out” universal healthcare. The UK has “free” healthcare, and roughly 1 in 3 cancer patients in England still fail to start treatment within 62 days of urgent referral. Canada has “free” healthcare, and the median wait for neurosurgical treatment is around a year. Australia has “free” healthcare, and over half the country still buys private insurance despite paying for a public universal system with their taxes. Switzerland has universal coverage, because residents are required to buy private insurance. There is no government system where benevolent bureaucrats tuck you in at night with a warm blanket and an MRI appointment. The actual lesson from other wealthy countries is not “they figured it out.” America’s system has huge problems. Our prices are insane, insurance markets are distorted, and hospital systems are cartelized. Our regulations make care more expensive than it needs to be. Yet we still guarantee access to even the 8% who don’t have coverage. We give easy routes to qualify for medicaid for those with disabilities. Pretending the rest of the world solved healthcare because they slapped the word “universal” on a rationing scheme is not analysis. It is bumper sticker policy for people who think access means having a card in your wallet while you wait a year to see the doctor you need.