Scientists and researchers have created a cool autonomous robot that is modeled after an octopus called the octobot. The reason that the team modeled the robot after an octopus is because the octopus has a soft body that allows the cephalopod to squeeze into the tiniest of spaces to escape predators or catch its prey. Octobot is about the size … Continue reading
If you live and work in a larger city where you have to hope and pray that you can find a parking spot and then pay to park your car, you know the frustration that comes with being a car owner. Ford wants to make parking and getting to work or play easier for everyone and to facilitate that parking, … Continue reading
Established food delivery service Deliveroo and recently launched UberEats might be competitors in the UK, but their drivers have found a common enemy in the businesses they work for. UberEats couriers have planned a protest outside Uber’s London HQ…
A smartphone is a smartphone, and so too, is a projector just that, although the world of convergence technology has seen the likes of Samsung make a move to integrate a projector into a smartphone a few years back. That did not prove to be a hit among the masses, but it still was quite a decent idea that never really took off since the final device did not exactly excel in its work. Enter a peripheral that might just make you love your smartphone all the more — the £19.99 Smartphone Projector 2.0 which will arrive in Black & Gold and Copper shades.
It does not matter if you are looking forward to your weekly YouTube shows or even shorts, such as the weekly dose of Honest Trailers, you can always enjoy having a blown up view with the smartphone alone — aided by the Smartphone Projector 2.0, of course. With the Smartphone Projector 2.0, you will be able to transform everyday YouTube videos into grand cinematic events, where it will also perform its task of projecting films from your smartphone onto the wall. This is made possible thanks to a high-quality glass lens with an impressive 8x magnification, and it itself is made from rugged cardboard printed to look like a retro projector. Since it arrives fully assembled, there is no need for any kind of construction. Pretty cool, yes?
[ Smartphone Projector 2.0 lets you watch movies on-the-move in style copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]
Unfortunately, there’s no quick fix when it comes to reducing arthritis pain, but recent research suggests that following a healthy, plant-based diet and adding in certain foods could help. “The goal of your diet should be to eat foods that have been shown to reduce inflammation, which can help manage symptoms like joint pain, swelling, and tenderness,” says registered dietitian nutritionist Kim Larson, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics.
It’s also important to stay at a healthy weight in order to reduce stress on joints, says Larson, and every pound counts. Research has shown that for each pound of body weight lost, there’s a 4-pound reduction in knee joint stress, so even modest weight loss can significantly lighten the load on your joints. Want to know exactly which foods should fill your plate? Read on to discover the six rules you should follow to help ease arthritis pain.
Several studies have demonstrated that omega-3 fish oils can reduce symptoms of arthritis. Omega-3 fatty acids decrease inflammation by suppressing the production of enzymes that erode cartilage. But the body doesn’t produce omega-3s, so you need to be diligent about making sure your diet contains them. Try eating fish at least twice a week—more if possible. Omega-3-rich fish include salmon (wild, fresh or canned), herring, mackerel (not king), sardines, anchovies, tuna, and rainbow trout. And if you don’t like fish, take a fish-oil supplement, rather than relying on the omega-3s in flaxseed and walnuts, says Larsen. “The omega-3s in flaxseed and walnuts are not the inflammation-lowering omega-3 fatty acids found in fish,” she explains.
Not only will a diet high in fruit and vegetables keep your weight in check—it will also provide you with lots of carotenoids and flavonoids, powerful antioxidants that reduce inflammation. The best-known carotenoid is beta carotene (found in foods like spinach, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, kale and butternut squash), but another carotenoid, beta-cryptoxanthin, may also reduce the risk of developing inflammation-related disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis. Great foods for beta cryptoxanthin include corn, winter squash, apricots, pumpkin, persimmons, papaya, tangerines, red peppers, and oranges. Rich sources of flavonoids are blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, cranberries and cherries. Aim for up to 10 servings of fruit and vegetables a day, suggests Larson.
Fatty meats, such as red and processed meat, are high in saturated fat, which may increase inflammation and cause arthritis pain to flare, says Larson. In a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, researchers tracked the correlation between meat consumption and symptoms of degenerative arthritis and soft tissue disorders (problems with the tissue and structures surrounding joints) among the 96,000 participants of the Adventist Health Study. The 22.6 percent of participants who exhibited symptoms of arthritis and soft tissue disorders were much more likely to consume meat regularly (more than once per week) compared to the participants who did not. Researchers concluded that greater meat consumption is associated with an increased prevalence of degenerative arthritis and soft tissue problems in men and women.
It’s difficult to resist sweet treats like desserts, donuts, chocolate bars, and soda, but “sugar and other high-carbohydrate foods are associated with diabetes and have pro-inflammatory properties,” says Robert Koval, M.D., a rheumatologist at Texas Orthopedics in Austin who specializes in treating autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that processed sugars trigger the release of cytokines, which are proteins that stimulate the movement of cells towards sites of inflammation, infection, and trauma. These are normally increased in times of infection or stress and are a natural response, says Dr. Koval. However, increased levels of certain cytokines stimulated by diet (or something else such as a bad infection) can lead to abnormally high signaling, triggering a cascade of inflammation. So avoiding sugar, and simple carbohydrates that convert to sugar in the body, could translate into less joint pain.
“Red wine, common in Mediterranean diets, has been shown to lower inflammation and cardiovascular risk when used in moderation,” says Dr. Koval. A study published in 2014 in Nucleic Acids Research found resveratrol, a compound in red wine, stops the formation of inflammatory factors involved with cancer, cardiovascular and chronic inflammatory diseases. However, excessive drinking appears to increase the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, according to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers. The bottom line? Drink red wine in moderation, which means no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. And check with your doctor to make sure alcohol doesn’t interact with your arthritis medication.
“Turmeric and ginger have been associated with anti-inflammatory properties in various small studies, and several controlled trials are underway,” says Dr. Koval. The herbs, used for centuries for both cooking and medicinal purposes, are available in capsule form, or you can make a tea by brewing a piece of each herb in boiling water for 15 to 30 minutes. Remove the herbs and add honey or stevia to sweeten before drinking. One caveat? High doses of turmeric can act as a blood thinner, so avoid if you take prescription blood thinners, are about to have surgery, are pregnant or have gallbladder disease.
Remember, there’s no magic bullet when it comes to food and arthritis pain—but there is hope. “Caution should be made about drawing direct cause-and-effect relationships between diet and certain forms of arthritis and/or flares,” says Dr. Koval. “However, many of these suggested dietary changes at least provide the groundwork for a healthy lifestyle that may provide benefits well beyond arthritis concerns.”
Also from Grandparents.com:
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President Barack Obama tried on a pair of virtual reality goggles, and people on the internet had a field day.
Chief White House photographer Pete Souza’s image of Obama looking slightly awkward while wearing the headset sparked an epic Photoshop battle on Reddit.
Some Redditors transformed Obama into a superhero, while others reimagined what it was that he was actually watching.
For the record, it was the Obama-narrated 360-degree National Geographic video called “Through The Ages,” which was shot earlier this year in Yosemite National Park.
Here are some of the best posts so far:
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Were you inspired during the recent Rio Olympics?
If you are like others that were inspired, why not keep the momentum going and start your own fitness challenge?
The good news is that no matter what age you are, it is never too late to up your game when it comes to fitness. That is right, even if you are over 50, do not be complacent. As you age, your metabolism slows, making it more important than ever to make sure you are keeping active.
Here are my five tips for achieving your own fitness goal.
1. The Warm Up
No pain, no gain is certainly the case when it comes to working out a new plan, but be warned, it may leave you in a world of hurt if you are not properly prepared.
Perseverance, dedication, heartache and more will be experienced if you are serious about your quest for losing weight and achieving a level of fitness you may have never reached before.
Preparing your pantry is like a warm-up routine, you must do it before you try for success.
Be sure to work out your meals ahead of time, including making sure to have all the ingredients you need. Aim to write down exactly what you will be needing at least three days of meals ahead. Be sure to commit to a workable starting position. You do not want to be starting a new program three days ahead of a weekend getaway!
2. Get a Coach
All Olympians have a coach and it’s usually someone they have carefully selected whom they trust. The same applies to you keeping on track with your weight loss goals. The right mentor can help with accountability in getting yourself in the right frame of mind to achieve your goal and it doesn’t always mean having to spend a lot of money. Be sure to find someone who understands your frustrations and has knowledge on weight loss and fitness specifically tailored for over the 50’s when you choose your coach.
3. The Starting Blocks
Getting all the basics organized means more than simply starting with measurements such as waist and hips and how much you weigh on the scales. I recommend my clients to write down simple facts such as sleep patterns, energy levels, ability to climb a flight of stairs (think breathless or not), any aches or pains and/or frequency of headaches.
Losing weight and improving fitness comes with a host of other benefits that you may not realize. For me, never in my wildest dreams did I think it would be possible to join my family on fun runs at the age of 45. Now I love these runs and my sons are loving the new, fit me.
4. The Training Regime
Now that you have laid the foundations for achieving success, start by focusing on your bad habits and what may trip you up in your weight loss success. By being wary of any hindrances in your success allows you to combat them ahead of time.
Your good efforts can go astray when being put to the test if you have too many obstacles in your path.
5. Winning Gold
Once you start seeing the results, whether it be weight loss on the scales or being able to go on a hike without huffing and puffing, your hard work will start to pay off.
The hard work starts now so don’t declare weight loss victory until you know you are well and truly off the starting blocks and training regime in place. Once you have these steps in place you are on the road to victory.
Julie Dargan is a Nurse, Naturopath BHSc and has worked in the wellness industry for over 30 years. Julie’s FREE 5 Day Kickstart Program is excellent to get you on the right track to help you lose weight and find hormonal harmony in the menopause. If you would like to know more about Julie’s coaching program CLICK HERE.
Julie has also released an exciting eBook that explores why diets do not work and how to get you in the correct mind frame to lose weight. Julie also has a Facebook page for women over 50 and looking for solutions to halt weight gain in the menopause.
Earlier on Huff/Post50:
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Are you a mature job-seeker who has been out there for a while? Are you losing energy and confidence in your options and opportunities? Have your hopes been dashed over and over again? If these feelings describe what you are going through, take heart. Your time may be just around the corner…
Many job-seekers don’t realize there is a seasonal aspect to the job hunt. The good news is that early fall is one of the two best times of year to look for work. Just like the school year begins anew, organizations gear up after the summer slowdown. Companies need employees and contract workers to carry out their upcoming projects and initiatives. They make plans, allocate funds and begin to interview more actively.
Therefore now is the time to invigorate your search, sharpen your focus and push forward on your goals. No matter how difficult the process has been and how negative your feelings are, the changing of the seasons is your cue to re-energize your efforts.
The following are three key ways you can regain your focus, boost your morale and recharge your momentum:
1) Network like there’s no tomorrow
If you want to find work, move away from the computer! Despite all of the job boards and company websites, fewer than 15 percent of positions are obtained by submitting your resume to online postings. In truth, if you take too much of your time answering ads, you are guaranteeing yourself two results: (1) maximum competition levels and (2) loads of frustration. The reason? If the job looks good to you, it probably looks good to thousands of other people, too. So, by spending your days in front of the computer, you are setting yourself up for failure.
Instead, plan to commit the majority of your time to building your contact list and interacting with others. For best practices on how to do this, check out my recent Huff/Post 50 series on targeted networking. Targeted networking (i.e. focusing your efforts on connecting with influencers and decision-makers in your line of work) is key to your success in three ways. First, it gets you in front of people who are in a position to hire you or influence those who do. Secondly, done correctly, it goes a long way to minimize any negative stereotypes about your age. And thirdly, it serves to build your network of favorable contacts within the organizations where you want to work. In fact, targeted networking is the only win/win/win process in the job search!
2) Sharpen Your Skills
A surefire way to increase your confidence and make you far more marketable is to build upon your skill set. There are numerous low-fee and free websites that offer skills training to strengthen your resume and give you that all-important competitive edge. Here are a few to get you started.
Another way to get out there is to take classes or workshops in your area of specialty. You will not only be reinforcing your skill set, you will have the added benefit of networking with your classmates and the instructor. Ask to meet briefly with him or her and begin the conversation with an open-ended question along the lines of, “I’m targeting a position in the field of XYZ. Do you have any advice or suggestions for me?” You are likely to get some useful information and, many times, even contact names that could prove direct connections to jobs you want.
3) Organize your search
Few employers are seeking unreliable, disorganized employees. Therefore you will need to take extra care to be on top of your game. Make certain to return messages, follow up on commitments, and keep information to and from your targeted companies in order.
You can do this the old fashioned way. Purchase a three-ring binder, print out all of your correspondence, and label it according to individual companies. You can also create a spreadsheet where you track and monitor your connections and commitments. Or you can manage your multiple commitments through free online sites like JibberJobber.com. These will help you organize the various aspects of your search and keep them in one convenient location.
In addition to the various organizational tools, you will want to write out a daily and weekly list of goals. The job search is notorious for requiring vast amounts of effort — yet oftentimes producing a negligible return on your investment of time and energy. By the very act of writing out your to-do list and then checking items off, you are creating a tangible way to track your progress. This simple act can help you feel motivated and reinforce your commitment to moving forward.
Most of all, try not to let the past discourage you. Like many other mature job-seekers, you have likely experienced your share of frustrations. But early fall is apt to change your outlook by making real opportunities available to you if take the time to prepare and focus. So make the effort to grow your network, build upon your skill set, re-organize your search and revitalize your energies.
Do all you can to present yourself as a confident, can-do candidate with the skills, experience and commitment to do the job. With an upbeat attitude and thorough preparation, you are ready to take full advantage of the hiring opportunities September presents. And, with a little luck and the right timing, you may be well on your way to landing that job you have wanted all along!
Mary Eileen Williams is a Nationally Board Certified Career Counselor with a Master’s Degree in Career Development and twenty years’ experience assisting midlife jobseekers to achieve satisfying careers. Her book, Land the Job You Love: 10 Surefire Strategies for Jobseekers Over 50, is a step-by-step guide that shows you how you can turn your age into an advantage and brand yourself for success. Updated in 2014, it’s packed with even more critical information aimed at providing mature applicants with the tools they need to gain the edge over the competition and successfully navigate the modern job market. Visit her website at Feisty Side of Fifty.com and celebrate your sassy side!
Earlier on Huff/Post50:
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Affordable healthcare isn’t a myth. In fact, if you look beyond U.S. borders you’ll find healthcare systems in other countries that are equally as good — if not better — than what you get at home. And you won’t have to remortgage your house to stay healthy.
Many of the hospitals in Mexico are owned and run by U.S. hospital chains.
As more and more people are realizing better and faster healthcare is available at a fraction of the cost, a growing number of them are opting to take advantage of what’s called medical tourism.
It’s not uncommon for these medical tourists to save tens of thousands of dollars — or even more — on medical treatments without sacrificing on quality.
And who doesn’t enjoy relaxing and seeing an interesting new part of the world while saving enough money on healthcare to cover the cost of an exciting vacation and still come out ahead financially?
Instead of staying in a small hospital room, you can spend your recovery time in a luxurious Four Seasons Hotel, receive high-quality medical treatment, and still save a small fortune.
Perhaps dental or vision care isn’t included in your health plan at home… Maybe you want an elective procedure, like vision surgery or a facelift, that isn’t covered…
From Asia to Latin America, read on to find out more about five of the best options available to you as a medical tourist.
Costa Rica has a high ranking healthcare system thanks to large government funding to its health sector.
Costa Rica
Medical tourism has become big business in Costa Rica. People around the world are realizing the benefits of the country’s high-quality, low-cost medical services.
The World Health Organization ranks Costa Rica’s healthcare system slightly above that of the U.S. This achievement is the result of a large government investment in the health sector. The influx of foreigners in Costa Rica has also been a big incentive for private hospitals to open and expand their operations.
Tens of thousands of Americans, including many retirees, live in Costa Rica, and more than 700,000 Americans make annual visits. With hundreds of board-certified physicians, surgeons, and dentists practicing in or near the capital city of San José, health travel has gained a strong foothold in this nation of more than 4.7 million people. Around 15 percent of international tourists come specifically to take advantage of its medical services, mostly cosmetic surgery and dental care. And the nation is among the top five visited by Americans for medical treatment.
To give you an idea of the savings that can be made by seeking medical procedures in Costa Rica, below is a comparison of procedures and their cost in the U.S. and Costa Rica according to the Medical Tourism Association.
Coronary artery bypass: Costa Rica $31,500, U.S. $88,000
Heart valve replacement: Costa Rica $29,000, U.S. $85,000
Hip replacement: Costa Rica $14,500, U.S. $33,000
Knee replacement: Costa Rica $9,500, U.S. $34,000
Facelift (full): Costa Rica $4,500, U.S. $12,500
Gastric bypass: Costa Rica $11,200, U.S. $18,000
New clinics and hospitals are opening in Colombia to help support the country’s medical tourism trade.
Colombia
If the high quality of Colombia’s healthcare system was news to you, you’re not alone. But word of the country’s excellent, affordable healthcare is getting out. Between 2012 and 2013, medical tourism in Colombia increased by over 60%. In 2013, 50,000 medical tourists pumped an estimated $216 million into the Colombian healthcare system.
For decades, North Americans have come to Cali and Medellín for cosmetic surgery — a tummy tuck here, a facelift there, and a few implants to round things out.
But today, people come to Colombia for all sorts of complex medical treatments. Eight of Medellín’s hospitals ranked among the top 43 in all of Latin America last year. That’s according to the prestigious financial publication América Economía, which assembles an annual list of the region’s top medical facilities.
In most cases, Americans are able to save 40 percent on healthcare in Colombia, and in many cases, even more.
“I speak from experience when I say I’m impressed by the healthcare in Medellín,” says Nancy Kiernan, International Living’s Colombia correspondent.
“My husband and I have lived here for over four years, and we are very satisfied with the city’s health and dental-care systems. From something as simple as getting a blood test or your teeth cleaned, to surgery and root canals, healthcare professionals in Medellín provide excellent service,” says Nancy.
Thanks to all this excellent care, medical tourism is booming in Medellín.
Each year, more and more foreigners come here for that very reason. It’s not hard to see why. MedicalTourism.com does price estimates on various medical procedures. In 2015 the cost of a hip replacement in the U.S. averaged just over $40,000. In Colombia, the same procedure averages only a little over $8,000.
Medellín is committed to making access to care easier for international patients. The San Vicente Fundación Hospital recently built a second site only two miles from the Río Negro International Airport. Being only a stone’s-throw away from the arrival terminal means that patients have only a five-minute drive to the hospital for their care.
Dentists here provide fantastic care at a fraction of the U.S. cost. A crown in the U.S. will cost you between $1,000 and $3,500. “My English-speaking dentist here will do the same procedure, using state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, for $250 to $480,” says Nancy. “Even if you just want to brighten your smile, a one-hour session that includes an ultrasonic cleaning, tooth polishing, and two cycles of whitening gel costs only $150. In the U.S., you’d easily be looking at four times that amount for the same service.”
The Colombian government has taken notice and made promoting medical tourism a top priority. New clinics and hospitals are popping up everywhere. Medical tourism travel agencies are working hand-in-hand with medical institutions to provide complete packages that include travel arrangements and medical care.
Mexico
In Mexico, most doctors and dentists receive at least part of their training in the U.S. (And many U.S. doctors have trained in Mexico, notably in Guadalajara.) Many of them continue to go to the U.S. or Europe for on-going training. Every mid-size to large city in Mexico has at least one good hospital.
Many individual hospitals are excellent. In fact, Mexico’s combination of well-trained doctors, modern hospitals, low prices, and proximity to the U.S. has made it a popular medical-tourism destination for U.S. residents. Many Mexican towns along the U.S./Mexico border have thriving dental and medical practices, thanks to their many U.S. patients. And some cities further into Mexico, notably Puerto Vallarta and Mérida, have become medical-tourism centers because they offer several excellent hospitals and dental practices in one city.
Several private U.S. hospital chains own and run hospitals in Mexico. Most notably, International Hospital Corporation of Dallas has four hospitals that it operates in Mexico under the CIMA name.
Texas-based Christus Health Systems operates seven hospitals in Mexico under the Christus Muguerza name. In addition, several top-notch, Mexican-owned hospital chains (notably Star Médica and the Los Ángeles chain) are popular.
To give you an idea of prices, in San Miguel de Allende a tummy tuck will cost you $6,000 compared to $8,800 in the U.S. A facelift will cost $8,300 in San Miguel…in the U.S. it will cost you $12,500. A dental implant will cost you over $3,000 in the U.S. and the same procedure in Mexico costs just $1,750.
Malaysia receives a huge percentage of the world’s medical tourism.
Malaysia
Malaysia has gained fame as a medical-tourism destination because its healthcare is among the world’s best — and cheapest. Malaysia has both public and private healthcare with medical expertise equal to or better than that in most Western countries.
In Malaysia, medical staff are friendly, professional, and genuinely happy to see you. The majority of the doctors and dentists are trained in the U.S. and the U.K. It’s really a country where medical tourism has been taken to the next level.
More affordable air travel, mounting healthcare costs in developed countries, long waiting lists, and an ageing world population have all contributed to a global explosion of medical tourism in the past decade — and Malaysia is leagues ahead in terms of its world market share.
It’s a secret that the rest of Asia has known for a long time. In fact, 80 percent of all medical tourists coming into Malaysia are from its neighboring countries, including Thailand and Singapore — medical tourism enclaves themselves.
So why are medical tourists flocking to Malaysia? Both Penang and Kuala Lumpur are serviced by airlines from around the world; have a plethora of reasonably-priced hotel rooms; an excellent public transportation system (second to none in the region); and when you arrive in Malaysia most nationalities are given a three-month visa upon arrival. All of which help to make your stay — in a hotel, hospital or short term let — easy.
Given Malaysia’s reputation for graceful and attentive service, it is not hard to see why Penang and Kuala Lumpur have quickly become the medical tourism hubs of Asia.
More than 80 percent of all medical tourists in the world traveled to Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore in 2012, with Penang and Kuala Lumpur (in Malaysia) leading the pack.
The cost of hotel rooms and treatment are both far more expensive in Singapore than on the Malaysia island of Penang, making it the most popular place for medical tourism in Southeast Asia.
Malaysian Tourism, which began promoting medical tourism in Malaysia in 2002, is delighted with the progress, but would now like to see more Western tourists booking in for what Asian tourists have been benefitting from for many years.
Some of the most popular treatments available include cosmetic surgery, dental work, and dermatology.
To give you an idea of the cost of just one procedure, a full-face lift in the U.S., including a chin lift (sometimes done separately or not at all), can be as much as $35,000. In Malaysia it’s half the price. When you think that you can add on a week of rest and recuperation somewhere, like on the exotic island of Langkawi, in a 5-star hotel, and still save $10,000 on what it would have cost you in the U.S., it’s no wonder that Malaysia’s medical tourism industry is on the rise.
Dentist studios are state-of-the art. A checkup costs $9. A filling and a cleaning costs about $32.50. In the U.S. this treatment costs on average $180. To replace a cap on a tooth costs on average $300, while at home this would cost closer to $1,200.
Western accreditation is also a vital component for confidence in undergoing foreign medical treatments, and hospitals in Penang and Kuala Lumpur were among Southeast Asia’s first recipients of the United States’ prestigious Joint Commission International (JCI) certification, which is seen as the gold standard for healthcare service providers around the world. Now Malaysia has eight JCI-accredited hospitals for medical tourists to book with. Some hospitals in Penang also have entire wings specializing in tourists, and have translators for 22 different languages, including Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish and Russian, as well as a teams of English-speaking staff.
Many of Thailand’s doctors are trained overseas, in the U.S. and Europe.
Thailand
Along with being a low-cost and tropical retirement haven, Thailand has long been an international destination for medical tourism. Why? Because healthcare is low cost and excellent quality. In fact, the “Land of Smiles” is ranked among the world’s 50 best healthcare systems by the World Health Organization.
In Bangkok and Chiang Mai’s private hospitals, you can expect a quality equal to standards in the U.S. There are also some very good private facilities in Hua Hin, Udon Thani, Phuket, Pattaya, and Koh Samui where most primary and secondary medical care problems can be dealt with.
Many doctors undertake specialist training abroad (usually in the U.S. and Europe), and are at least as well qualified as physicians in the West — often more so. Large private hospitals are also staffed with translators to assist foreigners in communicating with those medical professionals who don’t speak English (many of them do speak English, however).
Costs vary from hospital to hospital and region to region, but many locations have Western-standard private hospitals. Thai hospitals offer very competitive prices for healthcare services. Indeed, costs for medical services in Thailand can be 50 percent to 80 percent less than similar procedures in the U.S.
After 1997 and the Asian financial crisis, local health professionals found themselves with gleaming new hospitals and an abundance of empty beds that they couldn’t fill. And so the country started going all out to become a global center for almost all types of cosmetic procedures. Costs are far cheaper than in the West, and many centers offer packages that also include recuperation in a holiday resort.
Obviously, if you are interested in this aspect of medical tourism, it goes without saying that you should be very careful about where you choose to have surgery. Ask lots of questions and request verifiable testimonials. In Thailand, for example, a lot of smaller clinics have jumped on the bandwagon, and the reputations of some are much higher than others.
This article comes to us courtesy of InternationalLiving.com, the world’s leading authority on how to live, work, invest, travel, and retire better overseas.
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When Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) announced his latest lawsuit against the federal government, this time over health care coverage for transgender Americans, he sounded as if he had no choice.
“This is the thirteenth lawsuit I have been forced to bring against the Obama Administration’s continued threats on constitutional rights of Texans,” Paxton said in a Tuesday statement. The new legal action was filed two days after a federal judge, in a separate case, sided with the state and temporarily barred the federal government from instructing schools on how to implement transgender-inclusive policies.
One thing Paxton didn’t mention is that the state did have a choice in where the the new case was filed. Texas chose the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor, the same judge who had just ruled in the state’s favor in the other transgender case.
O’Connor sits in the Northern District of Texas, which covers 100 counties and some of the state’s most populous cities ― including Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington. It has eight district judges and four senior district judges overall to handle the thousands of cases filed there annually. But O’Connor is the only district judge available in the small Wichita Falls division.
And the Wichita Falls division ― located near the Oklahoma border, some 300 inconvenient miles from Paxton’s office in Austin ― is now the forum for two high-stakes multi-state disputes. Each seeks a nationwide declaration that federal agencies have no legal authority to issue rules and guidance aimed at protecting transgender individuals.
Paxton “has found a way to find a court he likes,” said Kenneth Upton, senior counsel at the Dallas office of Lambda Legal, an LGBT rights organization that filed a brief in support of the Obama administration in the schools case.
There’s nothing outright wrong with “forum shopping,” the practice of picking the court that would likely be the most sympathetic to your claims. Good legal strategy involves selecting where to sue when more than one court has the authority to hear your case. Lawyers routinely think about how the judges have ruled before, who makes up the jury pool and which appeals court would review a decision.
“A lawyer who did not sue in the place that’s most favorable to his or her client, it would be malpractice,” said Daniel Klerman, a law professor at the University of Southern California who has written about forum shopping. “Nothing shocking or untoward about it,” he added.
Still, the justice system recognizes that the idea of choosing your own judge carries a certain whiff of unfairness. There are rules and limitations around forum shopping, and exceeding them can land a litigator in trouble ― like the lawyer who forum-shopped “unreasonably and vexatiously” and got slapped with $35,000 in sanctions by an appeals court in June. Klerman has chronicled allegations that judges in another part of Texas sought to attract forum-shoppers by distorting their own rules and practices.
Now Texas appears to be mastering a new level of forum shopping ― where a large state with a healthy litigation budget identifies federal policies it disagrees with, invites other states to join in the action and then chooses a thinly staffed court with a sympathetic judge. Not unlike when Paxton spearheaded a successful 26-state challenge to President Barack Obama’s executive actions on immigration.
“He’s saying, ‘Here, I’m having a party. You’re invited,’” Upton observed.
The lawsuit filed Tuesday claims that a new federal rule interpreting the Affordable Care Act to prohibit discrimination against transgender individuals impinges on the medical judgment and religious tenets of certain health care providers.
“Tragically, the Regulation would force them to violate those religious beliefs and perform harmful medical transition procedures or else suffer massive financial liability,” reads the Texas complaint, which was filed on behalf of four other states and three medical groups. The latter organizations all have ties to religious groups but, curiously, none to Texas.
A spokesman for Paxton’s office, Marc Rylander, downplayed the forum shopping charges, pointing instead to a court rule in the Northern District of Texas that lets “a judge handle multiple cases that revolve around a common issue.” Rylander noted that the two transgender cases present “significant overlap.”
The U.S. Department of Justice declined to comment for this story.
Regardless of where the transgender cases were filed in Texas, Rylander added, they will likely follow a similar route.
“In any event, we fully expect both of these cases to be decided by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and potentially the U.S. Supreme Court,” Rylander said.
This, too, may be part of the strategic calculus in persuading other states in more liberal parts of the country to join a Texas-led case. The 5th Circuit ― which handles cases that originate in Texas, Louisiana or Mississippi ― is by far one of the most conservative federal courts in the country. Yet it repeatedly handles major constitutional controversies ― on abortion rights, affirmative action and immigration.
This past November, a 2-to-1 ruling from the 5th Circuit sided with Texas and refused to lift a district judge’s order blocking the nationwide rollout of Obama’s plan to defer deportation for millions of undocumented immigrants. The Supreme Court, evenly divided between conservative and liberal justices, left that ruling in place ― setting no precedent and making the 5th Circuit the de facto decision-maker for the entire country.
He’s saying, ‘Here, I’m having a party. You’re invited.’
Lambda Legal attorney Kenneth Upton, on Paxton’s strategy
The immigration case also began in a small courthouse, this time near the Mexican border, some 350 miles from the Texas attorney general’s office. At the time, there was only one active federal judge serving there, U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen. Like O’Connor, whose record suggested a lack of sympathy with LGBT concerns, ThinkProgress’ Ian Millhiser pointed out last year that Hanen had a history indicating he might rule against undocumented immigrants.
Alliance for Justice, an advocacy group that tracks judicial vacancies, has identified another quirk in these Texas-led cases: The state has the most federal judicial vacancies of any state, and they have all been designated judicial emergencies, meaning the courts are understaffed and overworked. (The Senate has not confirmed any Obama nominee to sit in the entire Northern District of Texas.)
“The bottom line is that the Texas Attorney General’s office has figured out it doesn’t need the Supreme Court to thwart laws nationwide it doesn’t agree with, just lower court judges that are willing to grab that power for themselves,” wrote Isidro Mariscal of Alliance for Justice in a blog post.
All of this puts Paxton in a very sweet spot in his legal crusade against the federal government.
“He’s in a candy shop right now, like a little kid,” said Upton.
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