April 25, 2008
FOUR FOR FRIDAY
Q1 - Your Job: What's the best thing about your job? If you do not have a job, what's the best thing about not working?
Q2 - Health Insurance: Whirlpool Corporation's refrigerator plant in Indiana has suspended nearly 40 production workers suspected by the company of continuing to smoke despite claiming on health insurance forms they were nonsmokers. Additionally, the company charges smokers an extra fee for health insurance. Do you think companies should be allowed to deduct higher amounts of money from employees paychecks for health insurance if the employee smokes cigarettes?
Q3 - Borders: In its quest to secure the 2,000-mile-long U.S.-Mexico border, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has embarked on a construction project to build a 15- to 18-foot high wall along large swaths of the territory. But a lot of south Texans are mad about the plan. The proposed path of the fence cuts directly through some residents' backyards and even a local golf course. Do you think the United States should be erecting such a wall?
Q4 - Deterrence: A wall-mounted gadget designed to drive away loiterers with a shrill, piercing noise audible only to teens and young adults is infuriating civil liberties groups and tormenting young people. Nearly 1,000 units of the device, called the "Mosquito," have been sold in the United States and Canada, which according to its manufacturer, is a completely harmless solution to the problem of unwanted gatherings of youths and teenagers in shopping malls, around shops and anywhere else they are causing problems. Background: it seems that there is a very real medical phenomenon known as "presbycusis" or age-related hearing loss which, according to The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, "begins after the age of 20..." It first affects the highest frequencies (18 to 20 kHz ) notably in those who have turned 20 years of age or older, which means, there's real science to this Mosquito gizmo. How would you feel about the Mosquito's use in areas you or children frequent?
Posted by Mikal at April 25, 2008 9:38 AM
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1. I like the people I work with, and I like that what I do is constantly changing so I never get bored.
2. Yes. As I understand it, insurance companies charge more if you're a smoker, so the company ought to be able to pass that down to the employee.
3. No.
4. Whatever happened to a good old fashioned "Get the hell outta here!"? We're really becoming non-confrontational, aren't we. Hmmmm, I don't want to tell them to leave, so I'll just design a device that annoys the hell out of them. Hopefully teenagers don't realize that the sound annoying them is meant to do exactly that. Otherwise I can see a lot of places using this Mosquito device getting egged or something like that. Stupid kids!
Q1 - Your Job: Mmm... the fact that it's relatively easy I guess, and isn't something that I dread coming to work over. Oohh, wait, the fact that I never have to deal directly with any clients. Yes!
Q2 - Health Insurance: Smoking has always been a tough one for me. On the one hand, I figure as long as it's legal there should be no penalty for doing it. On the other, with so much evidence that it's bad for you and can cause serious health issues, I defend an insurance company's right to charge more based on higher risk.
Short answer: Uhhh... sure.
Q3 - Borders: I'll keep it short. No. There are better ways to handle it I think. I figure we should just give the entire U.S. over to Mexico. They'll have no place to sneak into after that!
Q4 - Deterrence: Short answer: outlaw it. Ranting answer: Although I know several people in their mid-twenties on up who can't hear it, I also know several people in their mid-thirties (like me) that can easily hear the 17 KHz tone that the Mosquito puts out. And frankly, it's annoying. But to the point...
I don't like it. Although it's effective in driving away loitering teens, it's also very annoying to those it is not targeted at. I read a story about a teen whose landlord uses it to keep kids from loitering about the apartment. Problem is, this kid lives there and it's been driving him bonkers.
I've got enough problems with my neighbors' barking dogs and blasting car stereos. Hearing a constant whining tone would be enough to make me go postal. Also, don't these things violate sound ordinances? That freakin' tone gives me a headache after awhile. It can't be good for anybody's health, whether they can hear it or not.
1 - I love the challenge of having to stay innovative and forward thinking. My line of work has constantly changing trends that requires me to continually rethink my strategies.
2 - Yes. If you are a smoker then you should accept the consequences that the habits bring.
3 - We should be tearing down walls (literally and emotionally). Isolationist thinking has never proven to be an effective strategy.
4 - As long as they are used on private property, I can see no reason why the owner should be allowed to use this method.
q1: lot's of things. the people. the atmosphere. the challenge to make things run better. the data.
q2: yes they should
q3: ?
q4: i've heard about ring tones that are special for teens so their teachers can't hear them.
1 - I pretty much have to mirror what Clark said: The people I work with make it very enjoyable to come to work. Also, there is always something to do, or something that needs improvement; making each day different from the previous and exciting.
2 - Yes
3 - "Welcome to the United States of America: The land of the Free, the land of opportunity, and land of tall walls trying to keep people out." ("It's like wiping before you poop, it just don't make sense." - Larry the Cable Guy)
4 - My child is not allowed to go out in public, and I am not welcome at my "frequent" places anymore.
1. The best thing about not having a "traditional" job is that I can sleep in when I want to; plan my day how I like; flexible schedule; time to do other things that interest me, one in particular that I hope to profit from in the future. A short or no commute, which saves on gas, no performance evaluations, and no annoying boss. The downside - no steady paycheck, no health insurance, no sick pay.
2. Hmm...Well, if the cost for insurance is higher for a smoker, than I guess it's okay to charge someone more. Then again, I don't think an employer should be monitoring whether or not their employees choose to smoke. It's none of their business.
3. Wait a minute, I seem to recall a time some when another wall was built. Hmm...what was it called? Oh yeah - THE BERLIN WALL. Hell no!
4. This is rediculous and wrong. I wouldn't want any of my family members to be subjected to a possibly damaging device.
1. My job right now is to raise my kids, the best part is seeing them learn, explore, and just be kids.
2. Sure, smoker causes higher health insurance pay outs, so may as well make them foot the bill and not those of us that don't smoke.
3. No, I think it's ridiculous, they'll just go through drain pipes under the stupid walls.
4. Most of the annoying teenagers that are targeted are most likely half deaf because of the mp3 player shoved in their ears and turned up so high, I can hear it half a block away.
Q1 - Your Job: The absolute best part of my job is that I can do 90% of it in my pajamas.
Q2 - Health Insurance: Yes, definitely.
Q3 - Borders: No, It's just too scary. History repeats it self at one point or another. I don't appreciate some wall being erected now just to be used against us in the future.
Q4 - Deterrence: This is just a gross idea. Let teens be teens. I vote that we provide teens safe places to hang out.
Q1 - Your Job: The white sand, warm sun, and delicious food we eat every night ... that is the job in my dreams.
Q2 - Health Insurance: I personally don't want to pay the higher premiums for some else who smokes. They do cost more to ensure do to likely long term health problems. If people are interested in paying part of someone else's premiums, then have them contact me directly ... I have a vision and dental plan that needs to be subsidized.
Q3 - Borders: Well people, I lived in South Texas most of my life, and I have roots near Kingsville Texas, home of the King Ranch. Let me tell you ... IT WON'T WORK!!! And if it did for some unforeseen reason, we just erected a wall on a neighboring country, in peace time conditions, because our economy demanded a lower cost worker than our unions could provide. People ... LET THE MARKET DO ITS JOB! Punish the company's using un-Visa'ed workers. Better yet, open a Work Visa program for legal migrant workers so the program can be measured, monitored,and controlled; and also punish companies that still choose to use migrant workers with no Visa. What you'll also find is that Migrant workers with Visa's will push away those with-out, just to get the jobs they came to America to fulfill. LET THE MARKET DO IT'S JOB ... don't take the perceived easy way out with a very costly wall!
I have so much more to say here ....
Q4 - Deterrence: Producing a device that singles-out a group of people and punishes them seems unconstitutional. Would we be even near accepting such a device if it punished the elderly for hanging out at coffee shops, or JUST MAYBE someone of color from visiting a white only restaurant ... likely not!
Q1: I'm a freelance writer, and the best thing about my job is writing, especially those rare moments when I get so immersed in it, I'm not even thinking of it. I feel as though I'm merely an instrument through which the words flow.
Q2: I think it's wrong to single out one group. If you're going to charge people who are in high-risk groups more for health insurance, then do it for everyone. Give each person a physical and then set the premium based on how healthy the person is. This way, people could pay more or less based on genetics, diet, exercise, smoking, drinking, age, sex, and so on. Of course, this will probably never happen, which illustrates why it is so unfair for companies to single out certain groups.
Q3: I think such a wall will be very inneffective and costly to maintain. I think we need to help Mexico improve its economy, so Mexicans won't feel compelled to leave their homeland to find jobs in the U.S.
Q4: Can they develop one that only Mexicans can hear? (Just kidding.) I think this is a terrible idea. They probably have no data on the long-term effects of such a device; yet, people are willing to deploy it?
I just read everyone else's comments, and I can't believe so many people think it's okay for insurance companies to charge higher premiums to smokers. I'm sure none of you is overweight, you all exercise regularly, and nobody who voted "yes" has any unhealthy habits. If you eat candy and don't brush and floss regularly, you should pay higher premiums for dental insurance, too.
1. The people I work with.
2. Absolutely, there's a proven link between smoking and increased health costs, plus the fact that smoking is indisputably a choice thing. You can't choose your genes, so screening on those types of health concerns gets sticky, but I see no reason that a very healthy person shouldn't be able to get a physical to prove their health and get a reduced premium.
3. This is a rediculous waste of money... why doesn't the government give us back another chunk of stimulus money instead.
4. Can this noise be heard over the earbuds pounding lower frequencies directly into the ear canal? Seriously, if the thing can be drowned out, I can see a group of kids just plugging in to the iPod and not moving an inch.
To Joe's comment, being overweight could/would increase your insurance premiums, due to a higher likelihood of illness(e.g. diabetes). In general, bad dental hygiene doesn't lead to much more than bad breath and a broken smile. I used to be overweight and I chose to get healthy; both of my parents were chain smokers, one almost died because of it, and they have both quit the habit. So yes, smoking adds an enormous health risk, and I don't want to pay for some one else problem, so smoker's need to pay a higher premium for their bad habit.
Q1 - Your Job: Day Job( Merchandising Specialist): the people I work with and the atmosphere is very open not like a normal typical work environment. Everyone works hard and yet has a shinning personality. Well at least in my department.
Night Job: (Actor) I’m an actor…what’s not cool about that.
Q2 - Health Insurance: Well if they do that they should also charge energy drinkers the same fee….which in that case I would be screwed. So no they shouldn’t….OK yes they should but I don’t like being penalized for my weaknesses!!
Q3 - Borders: HAHA…So instead of focusing on making it easier for people to legally immigrate we are making a wall with our tax money. Why is it that, all of a sudden, I feel like I have people out there making the rest of the world think I look like a moron as an American citizen. The Berlin wall worked out pretty good too, I guess…it’s a good thing we have educated people in the government.
Q4 - Deterrence: Where can I buy one? Anytime my teenagers want to bring over a person of the opposite sex I could just crank that thing up to maximum overdrive.
Check out this little clip on Yahoo about health and what can take years off your hearts life. Luckily they didn't list my energy drinks. ;>)
http://www.yahoo.com/s/871637
Q1 - I like what I do - no stress in my job and it can be fun. The biggest challenge is working the hours necessary sometimes without sacrificing my children.
Q2 - Yes, smoking causes a million problems. But no, smokers shouldn't have higher premiums. Insurance companies are so screwed up with what they cover and don't cover anymore, it makes no sense. A major one in the NE will cover a man's penile implants (as it's for a "dysfunction") but not birth control for a woman, even when for a medical issue. Tell me how that makes sense when a woman is high risk and the medical bills for routine prenatal care for her would be sky high for said insurance company.
Q3 - What a joke! They will still routinely be circumvented, making us and our immigration laws more a joke than they already are.
Q4 - I have no problem with it. Our local CVS and Wawas (convenience chain) have problems with teenagers hanging out in the parking lots until all hours of the night, not moving for cars or even moving in front of them, thinking it's funny. It's not a joke - in situations like that something should be done.
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