General Discussion

MineralMan

(151,206 posts)

88. That's pretty much what I've done all my life.

Wed Mar 19, 2014, 04:59 PM

Mar 2014

I really never stopped being a student. I just found a way to get paid for learning stuff. It's been great, although now that I'm past retirement age and still working, the retrospective view isn't quite as rosy.

Still, I can still do what I've been doing, and plan to keep right on.

My favorite thing: I've always been interested in geology and minerals. So, at one point, I started a fairly serious mineral collection. As it turned out, I decided to go into business selling minerals to collectors. I specialized in rare mineral species, and ended up putting myself through a graduate level equivalent education in mineralogy so I could talk sensibly to my mineralogist customers. That was huge fun. I closed that business down a few years ago, though, but it was one of my favorite ventures. While I was in business, I even opened a small mineral museum in the California town I lived in and pretty much had a constantly changing display, using my specimen stock. All the local schools came to it on field trips and I got to do guided tours. I even had a bank of stereo microscopes and an automated video microscopy system set up and running a video tour of microminerals. Eventually, I created a self-guided tour that used Walkman cassette players, so individuals could get the guided tour without me having to leave my other work.

It's been a great life! And on it goes...

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

111 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Why Pharmaceutical Formularies Exist. [View all] MineralMan Mar 2014 OP

Argument for socialized pharmaceutical industry PowerToThePeople Mar 2014 #1

It certainly is one of the arguments for that. MineralMan Mar 2014 #3

Do we really want Congressional hearings on drug research? theboss Mar 2014 #7

I think we would benefit from a government owned corporation that manufactures drugs. hedgehog Mar 2014 #66

I've been thinking the same thing. Or at least invents the drugs and patents them. pnwmom Mar 2014 #74

It's my impression that much of the research that results in new drugs is actually funded hedgehog Mar 2014 #77

It IS. And you've been reading my mind again! Why should we fund the initial stages of the research pnwmom Mar 2014 #79

And the rest of the world gets the drug cheaper than Americans even though Auntie Bush Mar 2014 #96

Right. It's a crazy system. n/t pnwmom Mar 2014 #97

Well written mcar Mar 2014 #2

Thanks. I'm afraid it might be too long for many people MineralMan Mar 2014 #4

Or, something that completely fails to address ... 1StrongBlackMan Mar 2014 #46

That's always the case, though. MineralMan Mar 2014 #50

True ... 1StrongBlackMan Mar 2014 #93

k&r ty for writing this especially questionseverything Mar 2014 #101

I was going to write something like this theboss Mar 2014 #5

Personally, I want a single-payer system, or MineralMan Mar 2014 #8

I think that is generally where the solution is theboss Mar 2014 #10

All this nonsense... MineralMan Mar 2014 #13

Didn't mean to offend theboss Mar 2014 #20

No offense taken. MineralMan Mar 2014 #41

Does her care improve her quality of life, or just the length of it? hedgehog Mar 2014 #60

Great summary and analysis naturallyselected Mar 2014 #6

Thanks for your reply! MineralMan Mar 2014 #9

Very informative post - thanks! nt Sarah Ibarruri Mar 2014 #11

Thanks for taking the time to read it. MineralMan Mar 2014 #14

just make this clear.... Sheepshank Mar 2014 #12

Well, I think a lot of people are not familiar with MineralMan Mar 2014 #17

your reasonable explanation is appreciated Sheepshank Mar 2014 #52

My pleasure. MineralMan Mar 2014 #54

... redqueen Mar 2014 #23

tldr NCTraveler Mar 2014 #15

I know. I knew it was too long when I wrote it, MineralMan Mar 2014 #18

Large amount of good information in a short post. NCTraveler Mar 2014 #26

It should not be up to insurance companies to decide which med I need. Gravitycollapse Mar 2014 #16

So, they should be forced to pay for anything the doctor wants to give you? theboss Mar 2014 #21

One of my meds costs 1200 a month. Gravitycollapse Mar 2014 #98

In an ideal world, you'd be right. But, it's not MineralMan Mar 2014 #22

Do you trust the doctor at the insurance company more than your own? Gravitycollapse Mar 2014 #99

I used to think that, until I saw what some minor modifications to a drug might cost. Hoyt Mar 2014 #64

Like I said, if the insurance companies have a problem paying.... Gravitycollapse Mar 2014 #100

Ok, you can buy the "we cover any and everything" plan, I'll stick with Kaiser. Hoyt Mar 2014 #103

Cool? Not everyone is as healthy as you, I suppose. Don't worry though... Gravitycollapse Mar 2014 #104

Hah, your premium will be a lot more than mine. I'll take my generics, Hoyt Mar 2014 #105

It's funny because you actually already help pay for my premiums and deductible. Gravitycollapse Mar 2014 #106

Generics, limits on self-refferals, formularies, etc., are not limiting care. Hoyt Mar 2014 #107

Not all medications have generic equivalents. Gravitycollapse Mar 2014 #109

If there is no generic or equivalent, you are good. Hoyt Mar 2014 #110

No one is in favor of "taking away your medications" theboss Mar 2014 #111

It surprises me that all Drugs require the approval of the FDA to come to market. dilby Mar 2014 #19

The other side of that is: What happens to research and development if the profit motive is gone? theboss Mar 2014 #25

That's a real issue. MineralMan Mar 2014 #29

Well, a lot of research is federally funded theboss Mar 2014 #31

Most federally funded research, though MineralMan Mar 2014 #37

Actually ... 1StrongBlackMan Mar 2014 #69

Thanks. I'll look into that in more depth. MineralMan Mar 2014 #71

This is a starting point ... 1StrongBlackMan Mar 2014 #94

I have no problem with a company turning profit. dilby Mar 2014 #32

That's not the FDA's job, and they can't actually do that. MineralMan Mar 2014 #27

Thankyou, MM. Was a good read. n/t Whisp Mar 2014 #24

Thanks. I hope it was informative. MineralMan Mar 2014 #28

Highly Recommended! HuckleB Mar 2014 #30

Now I'm blushing... MineralMan Mar 2014 #35

thanks! Voice for Peace Mar 2014 #33

Thank you for the kind words, and thanks to MineralMan Mar 2014 #34

For the curious, muriel volestrangler explained the UK model well here steve2470 Mar 2014 #36

Thank you. I'll head over and read it. MineralMan Mar 2014 #38

. ProSense Mar 2014 #39

Wish I could rec this more than once. MADem Mar 2014 #40

Thanks for the rec. MineralMan Mar 2014 #42

not according to the NIH magical thyme Mar 2014 #43

That's a hospital formulary. MineralMan Mar 2014 #45

your title says 'pharmaceutical formulary' magical thyme Mar 2014 #49

I think I made that pretty clear in the post. MineralMan Mar 2014 #51

it doesn't clarify that insurance company formularies and hospital formularies are not the same magical thyme Mar 2014 #56

It doesn't do a lot of things. It's not a book. MineralMan Mar 2014 #59

a single word change would clarify a *fundamental* point of confusion magical thyme Mar 2014 #61

If you read the first line of the first paragraph, MineralMan Mar 2014 #63

you wrote that they "use formularies." Using is not the same thing as creating. magical thyme Mar 2014 #65

Every insurance company and healthcare system creates its own formulary. MineralMan Mar 2014 #78

my goal was stated in my initial post. magical thyme Mar 2014 #82

I'm sorry you were confused. MineralMan Mar 2014 #84

LOL. Pretty much the best response ever. phleshdef Mar 2014 #85

Thanks. MineralMan Mar 2014 #86

Look, you'll need to use the word F**K a lot more ... JoePhilly Mar 2014 #44

I f**king generally f**king eschew using that f**king word. MineralMan Mar 2014 #47

that, and mention how your drunken bar brawl language geek tragedy Mar 2014 #48

F**Kin A right. JoePhilly Mar 2014 #53

Very informative. bravenak Mar 2014 #55

Thanks for reading it. MineralMan Mar 2014 #57

maybe MOST people want "the latest whiz-bang medication" hfojvt Mar 2014 #58

When I worked in hospital contracting, our theory was "We want to be #2" theboss Mar 2014 #62

And that's your option. MineralMan Mar 2014 #68

I listen recently and found the reason drugs in the US is much Thinkingabout Mar 2014 #67

Good point. MineralMan Mar 2014 #70

Actually, insurers who administer Part D Medicare drug coverage do negotiate drug prices. Hoyt Mar 2014 #72

Very informative bpositive Mar 2014 #73

I appreciate your comment! MineralMan Mar 2014 #75

Great post, Mineral Man. Thanks for putting the recent discussions into much needed context. n/t pnwmom Mar 2014 #76

It simply occurred to me that most people aren't aware MineralMan Mar 2014 #80

It's especially surprising when otherwise smart and informed people aren't aware. pnwmom Mar 2014 #81

There's too much stuff to know. That's the problem. MineralMan Mar 2014 #83

I had a similar job for a time. pnwmom Mar 2014 #87

That's pretty much what I've done all my life. MineralMan Mar 2014 #88

How fun! pnwmom Mar 2014 #89

Los Osos, CA MineralMan Mar 2014 #95

K&R Dr Hobbitstein Mar 2014 #90

Good OP - TBF Mar 2014 #91

Good OP and thread treestar Mar 2014 #92

A great read, MM. longship Mar 2014 #102

Thanks to everyone who read this post. MineralMan Mar 2014 #108