Topic: Kaiser

Scott Adams details his struggle with focal dystonia, a neurological condition that caused spasms in his drawing hand. He explains how switching to a computer and stylus tricked his brain into not recognizing the activity as "drawing," eventually allowing him to remediate the problem and increase his productivity.

Senator Mazie Hirono tells CNN's Jake Tapper that she views Brett Kavanaugh's credibility as questionable based on his judicial philosophy and past rulings. When confronted with the fact that Ford's named witnesses do not corroborate her story, Hirono pivots to Kavanaugh's stance on reproductive rights. The hosts note that Hirono avoids addressing the lack of evidence for the specific assault allegation.

John C. Dvorak recounts his early career working as an inspector at a Kaiser Aluminum can factory. He describes the technical process of spraying epoxy coatings inside cans to prevent phosphoric acid in sodas like Dr Pepper from dissolving the aluminum, and admits to occasionally letting uncoated "silver" cans through the line as a prank.

ABC and CBS News are criticized for using COVID-era terminology, such as "asymptomatic spread" and "mutations," to describe recent bird flu cases in dairy workers. Health officials report that the primary symptom in humans is conjunctivitis (pink eye), yet media outlets continue to frame the situation as a precursor to the next pandemic. Critics argue the reporting is intentionally alarmist to maintain public concern.

Kaiser Permanente, the largest private employer in Oakland, issued a memo directing employees to stay inside their offices for lunch due to rising crime in the downtown area. The health provider recommended that meetings be moved online or to locations outside of the city center. Local merchants expressed concern that these directives would further damage the local economy by discouraging foot traffic.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis criticized the CDC for citing "flimsy studies" and promised a reckoning for COVID-era policies. A Kaiser Family Foundation poll indicates that over a quarter of Americans still distrust the agency. New CDC Director Mandy Cohen defended the agency on CNN, attributing the trust deficit to "changing science" rather than institutional errors.

The hosts argue that the current "uptick" in COVID-19 reporting is a form of psychological warfare. They point to a Walter Reed National Military Medical Center commercial as an example of using authority figures in uniform to normalize masking and prepare the public for localized mandates.

Whistleblower Brittany Kaiser discusses her time at Cambridge Analytica and the 2016 Trump campaign's use of "dark money" and psychographic targeting. She claims the campaign specifically targeted "neurotic" individuals with fear-based messaging. The hosts question Kaiser's framing of "manipulative communications," noting that all marketing is inherently manipulative.

John C. Dvorak recounts his time at UC Berkeley, where he worked summer jobs at a Kaiser aluminum can factory and Trailmobile to pay for school. He describes the "ingot" punching process for early extruded aluminum cans and offers advice to students on navigating the workforce. The hosts contrast the low cost of education in the 1960s with the current student loan crisis.

As the federal government stops purchasing COVID-19 vaccines in bulk, Pfizer and Moderna plan to raise prices to a range of $110 to $130 per dose on the open market. This represents a significant increase from the $26 per dose previously paid by the government. Jennifer Cates of the Kaiser Family Foundation notes that while insured individuals may not pay out-of-pocket, the costs will likely lead to higher insurance premiums.

Kaiser Health News reported on the impact of vaccine misinformation, noting a decline in routine childhood immunizations for diseases like measles and mumps. In Oklahoma City, health officials have shifted resources to monitor social media sentiment and combat "lies" about vaccine safety. The report links the difficulty of the public health response to a 20% cut in funding over the last decade.

A Kaiser Family Foundation analysis revealed that 58% of COVID-19 deaths in August 2022 occurred among individuals who had received at least one vaccine dose. Dr. Selene Gaunder appeared on CBS News to explain that as a higher percentage of the population gets vaccinated, breakthroughs and deaths within that group are statistically expected. She emphasized that boosted individuals remain significantly less likely to die than the unvaccinated.

Barack Obama delivered a speech at Stanford University focusing on the dangers of online disinformation and its impact on democracy. Following this theme, NPR reported on a Kaiser Family Foundation estimate claiming over 230,000 COVID-19 deaths could have been prevented by vaccination. The report features a story about a woman named Stephanie who died after refusing the vaccine due to belief in conspiracy theories.

A detailed NPR report examines the growing alliance between the anti-vaccine movement and the political far-right. The piece features Eric Trump, activist Del Bigtree, and strategist Roger Stone, suggesting that vaccine skepticism is being used as a wedge issue for the 2022 elections. NPR cites data from the Kaiser Family Foundation claiming a high correlation between Republican affiliation and belief in "misinformation," which the hosts criticize as partisan propaganda.

The hosts acknowledge high-tier donors and grant new titles of knighthood to long-time producers. Notes from donors highlight resistance to vaccine mandates among federal employees and healthcare workers at Kaiser Permanente, as well as a small settlement from a Google Plus class-action lawsuit.

CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen presents a segment analyzing a decline in COVID-19 vaccine television advertisements. The hosts interpret this as a blatant sales pitch to Big Pharma, encouraging companies to buy more airtime on CNN. The segment highlights data from iSpot and the Kaiser Family Foundation suggesting that future ad campaigns should specifically target Republicans to be effective.

A discussion of "hospitalists" reveals they are physicians who manage a patient's care in place of a general practitioner during hospital stays. An anecdote describes how hospital social workers often act as "salesmen" whose primary goal is to move patients off the hospital's billing cycle and into private care homes. Navigating these systems often requires legal intervention or a deep understanding of insurance benefit packages.

The hosts thank the "trolls" in the live chat room and discuss the growth of the Podcasting 2.0 ecosystem. Adam Curry mentions his upcoming appearance on The Kaiser Report with Max Keiser to discuss Bitcoin and podcasting. They encourage listeners to use new podcast apps and join the No Agenda social network on the Fediverse.

The Netflix documentary The Great Hack features whistleblower Brittany Kaiser discussing Cambridge Analytica's role in the 2016 election. Kaiser describes how the firm used psychological data to target "neurotic" individuals with fear-based messaging. The discussion questions the actual effectiveness of these tactics compared to standard political marketing and "dark money" operations.

Austin's new homeless strategy officer, Pampilo Harris, resigned after only one day on the job. Meanwhile, John C. Dvorak describes the rapid expansion of homeless encampments in Oakland and San Francisco, noting that parks and sidewalks are being overtaken by tents.