Third Spaces in Coffee Shops

I'd like to see a coffee shop like my local Starbucks or Coffee Bean or independents like Unlimited or Next build a second story or adjacent building and rent out small rooms by the day or half-day.

The nature of my work involves phone conversations.

The rooms would need an internet connection and a door. Simple. I don't need conference rooms, fax, or mail. Just a place to call my own for the day and make phone calls.

I'd drink the coffee and probably grab lunch there too.

If someone offers this service already I'm ready.

Healthcare reform....an easy way to start.

All this recent talk about healthcare reform got me thinking...imagine that. I continually hear the arguments for and against a national healthcare offering. Those in opposition talk about the Government telling our Doctors what to do and that healthcare will be rationed. Those in favor speak to the idea that healthcare should be affordable and available to every citizen. I've worked in the VA system in the past (3 years as a Physical Therapist) and have been a user of private insurance and private healthcare. Perhaps this gives me a balanced viewpoint?

I am uncomfortable with the idea that our Government is trying to reform the entire healthcare system over the next couple of weeks and months. I feel they should start with something simple to change....something that we could all easily understand....and then show us the benefit quickly.

Here's what I propose:

The Government acquires the major lab services companies like LabCorp & Quest Diagnostics.

These are the companies our Doctors send us to and use to draw blood and conduct lab tests. They do not make decisions about our health. If you've ever been to one of these labs to have a test done you'll know from experience that they already feel like the DMV. Their services are transactional albeit important. The shareholders of these companies get their exit strategy and the Government uses a small piece of our tax dollars to run these companies. The Government does not put a cap on the number of lab tests per citizen.

Benefits to citizens:

• Doctors still make the decisions.
• Doctors can order as many tests as they feel necessary since pre-authorization from a third party insurance company won't be required.
• With the ability to order more tests Doctors will have more information and we can take a more proactive stance against disease.
  
• Volume discounts with lab supply vendors
• Lab testing location flexibility. You can go to any Government lab convenient for you.
  
• One large centralized database with tests results for all citizens.
• Insurance companies aren't paying for as many tests or for as much overhead to pre-authorize said tests and therefore our private insurance rates fall.
  

Starting off with something of this nature may help us see the benefits...and potential pitfalls...of a national healthcare plan for all Americans.

Will Lance support Contador?

Boy...that's the big question isn't it? Alberto Contador is now 1:37 ahead of Lance as of today.

I think their coach, Johan Bruyneel, is far too strategic to have a leader of the team identified at this point. Here's what I would do: Let Armstrong and Contador and Kloden alternate attacks in the Alps on Tuesday and Wednesday so that their competitors have to respond to three times as many attacks.......thus wearing them out over the next two days before the individual time trial on Thursday. I'd make sure to have Lance and Alberto and Kloden all end the day on Wednesday in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd with Lance and Alberto about tied for first place. Then on Thursday I'd "let the best man win" from the Astana team in the individual time trial on Thursday. (This removes any team politics from the situation and sets the two riders up to race against the clock rather than one another.) He that wins the time trial on Thursday will be supported and protected until they take on the BIGGEST mountain of the tour on Saturday......Mont Ventoux. None of their competitors will have any juice or motivation to attack on that monster climb.

So.....in my opinion we don't yet know who will win.....I'd watch very closely tomorrow and Wednesday to see if team Astana can keep alternating attacks to wear out their competitors which are, by name: Evans, Sastre, Van de Velde, Wiggins, and Schleck at this point.