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November 22 Salem HarbourI found a two-bedroom apartment and will be moving Jan 12 or Jan 13, 2006. The deal includes heat, water, gas and basic cable along with free access to the additional ammenities like an outdoor pool, tennis courts, small golf course, and fitness center plus it is right along the Delaware river with a marina (so I may be able to paddle around a bit in the summer). Overall, it should actually cost less to live there even with a longer commute to work (ugh!). It is a bit closer to Philadelphia (and some Salsa spots), but just outside the county line so I don't have to pay the extra 4-5% wage tax and my car insurance should not go up as it would have if I lived in Philly. So, I have about six weeks left in the house and am glad that I now have a firm moving date to look forward to. November 08 Hmmm... house hunting time againThe wanderer is moving AGAIN... Barb and I have decided that we should not live together, so we are not renewing our lease. I am HOPING to find a townhouse or small house to rent instead of an apartment, but there is not much available out here in Plymouth Meeting. Yes, I will stay in suburbia - close to work - for multiple reasons... 1. I do NOT want to commute from downtown. 2. There is an additional 4.5% income tax if you live in Philadelphia County. 3. Car insurance is much higher in Philly and mine is already ridiculous. 4. I still don't know the city that well, so it would take a LOT of research to figure out all the neighbourhoods. At least out here I know that I do not really want to live in Norristown - otherwise this area is fine. Soooo, house-hunting I go! November 05 Latin Costume Party at the Atrium NJSee some photos by clicking on "Jennifer's Pictures" link to the left. Click on link below to see a perforance by Grupo Fuego. Thanks DJ La Clave (the dancing nun!) for the great tunes :)
Grupo Fuego
See my YouTube videos (click on "more from this user") for short clips of a few other performances including the belly dancer! November 02 Guidant Run AmokA singer/songwriter has released a song with ECRI mentioned in it. ECRI filed a lawsuit against a manufacturer for not allowing the publishing of pricing data on a medical device (implanted defibrillators) made by Guidant. It is a terrible rap, but still funny that ECRI is acrually in a SONG. Here's the link if you want to listen...
And the lyrics...
Guidant Litigation Rap #1 (Guidant run amok...) This will be my story of Guidant run amok Patients get their pacemakers, Guidant makes big bucks Defibrillators are implanted for Brady and V-Tach Their cost of up to forty thou keeps Guidant in the black In 2005 their sales exceeded 3 billions And litigation expenses were many millions So Guidant sued Aspen in August of Oh Four For interfering with their contracts... making money was a chore! “Our prices are trade secrets!” screamed Guidant in the court “Aspen violated us” they said, “Which is a sueable tort!” They’re able to keep their prices artificially high By telling all the “leeches” “We’ll sue you to the sky!” Guidant’s prices are known to them and the Department of Justice If you ask “Is this a good price?’ they’ll say “Just Trust Us!” (Guidant run amok...) Airline tickets, software, computers, even radiators But eBay doesn’t have the prices of defibrillators If you ask about their prices they’ll give you a song and dance But if you want to save some money you’ll have to go to France Their Contak Renewal 4 costs sixteen thousand euros Or 20 thousand dollars through foreign exchange bureaus The Contak Renewal 3 is available in the USA It costs 20 or 35 thou is all Guidant will say (Guidant run amok...) The lawsuits have just begun about openness of prices ECRI of Pennsylvania sued Guidant for its vices The Price Guide included Guidant defibrillators and such Their argument for openness “Free speech for us” Comparison shopping is American as apple pie So what did Guidant do? They sued ECRI Why did Guidant sue them? To change the venue They hope the Minnesota court will be like deja-vu Guidant’s litigation does really sound horrific However this problem now belongs to Boston Scientific (Guidant run amok...) So, vendors are going to squeeze you to keep their prices cloaked And keeping prices secret makes HIPAA look like a joke So where does this leave the hospital who’s not rolling in the dough? If you hear “our prices are secret” JUST SAY “NO!” November 01 Canadian Idiot SongMaybe I am slow on the uptake, which is usually the case with pop culture stuff, BUT I just discovered the Canadian Idiot song by Weird Al. I thought the YouTube homemade video version (see link to left) is pretty funny. Here are the lovely lyrics...
Canadian Idiotby Al YankovicDon't wanna be a Canadian Idiot |
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