[Bragi]

We get a lot of international news here, I think you'd be surprised just how well most belgian (mmm, make that 'some' and 'european') citizens know your system (it's a bit of a joke for us, sorry about that).
In the end, people are the same all over the world, that's why it's important to have some sort of 'guidance' (I hate the whole concept of 'rules/law' myself, but I do understand that some people can't go without them). I always find it strange whenever I see dirt poor US citizens on TV protesting cause they want 'their freedom of choice',... what choice, they don't have the money to choose?
How easy is it for a US citizen who doesn't have private health insurance to go have a consultation with your countries best professors (not doctors, the professors that train the doctors)?
Over here, it's just as easy as any other doctor: just make an appointment at the university hospital or private practice (no extra costs).

[ivanv]

if only ai could solve all health problems...

[infurl]

if only ai could solve all health problems...

If only there was a friendly alien who could solve all our problems...
If only there was a god who could solve all our problems...
If only there was a [father figure] who could solve all our problems...

Human beings seem to have an innate yearning for some sort of authority figure to take care of us. I expect it's some kind of instinct that has evolved, given how pervasive it seems to be, and having hope even when there is none has got to be some kind of aid to survival. There's even a pseudo religion come into existence around artificial intelligence called "The Singularity Institute" though I'm sure they'd be indignant to be labelled as such. They are hoping that if they're good little beings if/when artificial intelligence comes into existence it will be pleased by their worship and give them special favours.

Skynet just can't get here soon enough!

However this website, one of my favorites, offers many entertaining alternatives to extermination by logic:

http://www.exitmundi.nl/exitmundi.htm

[ivanv]

@infurl
as long as the utility helps us to be "better", i don't mind considering it to be my guider. now, what better mean to us? to other beings? or to chaos (called horoscope or something?)
as long as we are agree with the same guidance, all is right, but what if someone or somewhat likes to be mean calling it being good? as the metter of a fact, what girls have to say at this to convince me that they share guys aspect of view? what if they living backwards from the future to the past? consider birth and feeding from that point?
yeah, yeah, i'm insane, but i'm just curious.

[Art]

Now THAT's funny!!

I know so many people who cry doomsday at the drop of a hat. They need to be nudged to this site!!

A past acquaintance of mine was terribly worried about particulate matter in those jet plane trails causing
harm to her lungs and making it difficult to breath.

I reminded her how very silly that notion was considering that she still smokes at least a pack a day!!
 

[Bragi]

Well,this turned out to be a typically 'me' type of event. I'd been prepping all week for the hospital appointment today. Turns out, it's next week.

[Freddy]

Bizzare as last night I had an appointment so my Dad drove me to the surgery.  We arrived and it was shut and no one was there.  So that was handy.

[Bragi]

surgery?

[Freddy]

As in the doctor's place of work, not that I am having surgery.

[DaveMorton]

Here in the colonies, we call that the 'Doctor's office'.

My friend, Mary, told me of a similar incident on Monday, where she went to a 2:00PM appointment, and had to wait for nearly an hour for a staff meeting (that was supposed to start at 1PM) to conclude. Ok, that's all well and good, but there were several people there who said that they had had 1:00PM appointments. ... Huh? Why would they (the Dr's office) schedule appointments at the same time as a regularly scheduled staff meeting?

[Freddy]

Ah I see, must be a British thing, here we say the Doctor's Surgery... or Willow Tree Surgery and so on...  They don't do surgery so I don't know why they are called that, the word must have an old meaning which I don't know about.

Seems a bit odd to me Dave too.

My appointment was actually 8.30AM but they told me PM...

[Bragi]

My appointment was actually 8.30AM but they told me PM...

Oeps.
I had memorized the date incorrectly somehow. I was all ready to go, only had to pick up the cellphone. When I saw that, I figured, quick check to see if there is anything else planned today or tomorrow. That's when I saw it was next week 

[DaveMorton]

Heh heh... I can watch that little guy vent all day.  ----->

[infurl]

It's called a doctor's surgery here too, especially when I was younger. Nowadays though, doctor's seem to prefer to team up to work in large groups. The place where we take our ailments is like a medical mall with reception and a big waiting area in the middle, and lots of doctor's surgeries where the shops would go. We just call the whole thing a medical centre.