0531 Costs snarling health overhaul

Q:Please post a blog entry on your thoughts about the issue: How does your country pay for health care?

This article was written by Kay Lazar at May 28, 2009. It described that the health overhaul has increased the cost of healthcare. In this article, there were many statistics to compare the healthcare situation in 2008 with before. For example, the data showed that the health overhaul made Massachusetts have lowest percentage of uninsured residents, and it sounds a good thing. According the survey, compared to past years, the rate that residents visit doctors or dentists has increased. It means people had more will to see a doctor when they needed the healthcare, and the state also means the residents in Massachusetts probably got healthier than before.

This health overhaul not only had bright side but also created some problems. First, compared with 2007, 16.5%, the rate,17.9%, of residents having medical bill problem in 2008 went up because the cost of healthcare increased faster than the inflation, and the recession struck us in 2008. In addition, it is more tough for low-income people to get a proper healthcare than high-income people. Finally, people use the healthcare in an improper way. For example, some people used the ERs which cost expensively when they were not in an urgent situation. Those problems could mainly result in a high cost of healthcare.

In my country, Taiwan, we have a national insurance system. The insurance fees people pay are according to the incomes people have. In my case, when I worked, I had to pay the insurance bill monthly, and the bill subtracted from my wage. My monthly wage was around 1300 dollars, and I had to pay 18 dollars for my insurance bill. I think that the insurance bill was not be my financial problem because it cost me less 2% of my wage, and my company had responsibility to pay 70% of my insurance bill. Even though I spent a little money on my health insurance, I still got the proper healthcare, so I love my country. By the way, Paul Krugman, who won the Nobel Prize in Economics, said Taiwanese national insurance system is healthy, even if the expense is a little more than revenue. He also recommended that Taiwanese government should raise the proportion of healthcare.

0530 I watched a movie "YES MAN"

Today, I got a DVD "Yes Man". One of the actors is Jim Carrey, and he is one of my favorite actors. This movie describes that one man Carl, who divorces with his exwife, has a boring and expressing life. He always uses excuses to say "No" to friends' or other people's invitations. His life becomes more terrible than before he divorces. One day, he meets one of his friends, and his friend invites him to an inspiring speech. In the speech, the speaker tells him to stop saying "no" and start to say "yes". After the lecture, he tries to say yes to every question, and his life becomes different. He meets his new girlfriend, knows a lot of people, and gets a promotion. However, every time he says yes is following covenant which he makes with the speaker. He does not really want to do it, and his girlfriend discovers the whole story. His girlfriend thinks that he does not really want to be together with her, just because of the covenant, but Carl does really love her. Finally, he finds the speaker, and the speaker tells him that the covenant does not want Carl to say yes to everything. It just wants him to say yes to those things he desires to do but has no courage to do.

In my life, I am the kind of people who do not like to try to do something we want to do or try. For example, I hope I could be an intern in banks or corporations. Once I got a chance, but I was afraid of doing it because I used a lot of excuses to tell myself that I did not prepare well yet. I knew that I just cannot say yes. After watching this movie, I really hope I can have more courage to say yes and give me more chances to do what I want to do. Just like Carl, just do it.

0527 My family members came

Today, some of my family members, my uncle, aunt, and father ,came to Boston to participate my cousin's commencement because he just graduated from Umass Boston this spring. Before they came to Boston, they went to Dallas, New Jersey, and New York to travel.

My father went to Dallas to visit his business friends. His friend also came from Taiwan decades ago, but he has lived in Dallas and has a job in the US. My father's visit was not only for travel but also for business. His friend want to buy new mechines which has special functions they want ,so my father went to his friend's company to discuss the details of the mechines.

After finishing their Dallas trip, they flied to New Jersey to meet my cousin, who just got a consulting job in New Jersey. My cousin took them to many attractions near New Jersey, such as Princeton University, New York city, and Liberty Statue. They went to many places where I have never been, so I wish I could go with them.

Finally, they and my cousin came to Boston this Wednesday. They drove my cousin's car from New Jersey to Boston and took five and half hours. If I were them, I would be impatient because I do not like take a long trip. When they arrived Boston, I became a tourist guide. I led them to Harvard University, MIT, Quincy Market, and my school- Boston University. My tourist guide was full of happiness and educability because I not only showed them the attractions but also told them the history about those attractions.

0525 Something bother me a lot

Last week, I thought it was my wonderful week. I just started my master courses, and I learned about the knowledge I really like. I also went to Lexington to take part into a festival. In the festival, I knew my first American friend after my friend introduced him to me. My new roommate, Taiwanese, just arrived Boston. We have same age and stay in same school,BU. When everything was perfect in my life, something trouble accompanied with perfect life.

Yesterday, my new roommate, who just moved in 3 days, told me and another roommate that he will move to another studio near BU at June 1st. When I and another roommate heard it, we all were shocked. We lived an apartment, and we hope our new roommate can live more than half years or longer because we do not want to move. Now, If our new roommate could not find a new people to take his room before September, I and my another roommate will have to move to other place, or we have to share the room's rent because our contract is for all apartment not for every single room.

Even though I hate to find new room, now I have to do it. If I just leave this trouble in my life, it will bother me in all summer term. That is not the time to complain who was wrong or who should be responsible for it. It is the time to solve this problem.

To sum up, I NEED A ROOM. I hope the rent is from 600 to 700 and including heat and hot water. The location can be near BU or Coolidge Corner. If you have friends who need roommates, please tell me. I am neat, easygoing, and easy to talk.

0524 The oil price listening

After I listened the podcast of the NYTimes about oil price, I realized the oil price has touched the 60 dollars per barrel. In this podcast, they talked about why oil price went to highest level in past six month, even if the economy is still bad.

Jad Mouawad pointed out the main reason of high oil price is that people are too optimistic. People thought the economic crisis will be over quickly, and then the demand of oil will go high and resulted in high oil price. He also mentioned the price will as high as today because the Memorial Day is coming soon, and people will probably drive the cars to travel in the weekends, so the oil demand makes the price stay high in few weeks.

Another reason of soaring oil price is that Nigeria, the African mainly oil supply country, has some violence. Those violence gave the negative effect on the oil supply.

Based on this lecture on podcast, demand and supply are two most crucial elements to affect oil price. Rising demand or slumping supply result oil price going up. In other words, sliding demand or excess supply make oil price down.

0523 concert business

Today, I read the article Bruce gave me. In this article, it shows that people still spent money watching shows or live concerts, even if the terrible economic situation made them decrease their expenses.

Even though people decrease their expenses of entertainment, they still want to need amusement to make them feel happy in current depressed period. Therefore, they cut down the expense of entertainment they can do in the future. For example, having a travel in Miami, going to bar in the weekend, or going to amusement parks. Instead of these, they spend money watching a show or live music in the concerts because they probably won't have those chance to see shows if they miss these shows. This is why people save the money on entertainment, but the revenues of concerts do not slide extremely.

This article also reminds me I read a similar in the newspaper before. It said that in the economic crisis, many corporations were impacted by their sliding revenues. However, in some companies, their incomes increased.It means economic situations change consumers' behaviors, and then consumers' behaviors result in different types companies having different financial statements.

0519 My name is CHUNGJEN CHOU

This assignment is my first assignment of my master courses. In this assignment, I should introduce myself and present what are the goals I want to get in this class, business communication. First of all, my name is CHUNGJEN CHOU, and I came from Taiwan. Before I came US to study master degree, I had been an elementary schoolteacher for 3 years. When I worked in the schools, I found that the job was lack of challenges. In those years of teaching, I just did the routine stuff, and I also felt bored. Therefore, I decided to change my career. I deeply thought what kind of job I wanted, and I also talked with my parents, friends, and career consultant. Finally, I knew I wanted to be a businessman, and then I started to prepare all the tests and applied for schools. When I finished those applications and tests, one year had passed by. After studying English program6 months, I begin taking my master classes. In addition, I have a bunch of hobbies, such as photography, reading, writing, doing exercise, riding bicycle, watching movies, traveling, and cooking. I remembered I planned to ride bicycle around Taiwan two years ago. Before I started this challenge, my parents were against I did it because it was too dangerous. However, I still did it, even if I faced a lot of difficult challenges, such as the harsh weather. I met a typhoon in the 2nd days, and I rode bicycle in rain in coming days. At the last few days, I rode under the hot and big sun and I were almost melted. Finally, I finished the challenge and got a certificate which proved I rode bicycle around Taiwan. The total distance was 1000Km or 540 miles. Finally, the goals I wanted to achieve in the class are simple. I wanted to learn the business communication skills and use those skills in my career. I hope I could know how to write business documents, how to communicate with businessmen, and how to read, summarize, and comment the business articles after finishing the class.