The price of drugs we use

Everybody needs medicine to survive or to maintain their health. And older people need more than younger ones and sick people more than healthy ones. But here in the U.S. the outrageous amount of money that we shell out in order to purchase drugs is really out of control. That is why our health care budget is so high because of the cost of drugs used and the main part is that we are actually subsidizing cheap drugs to other countries. We pay the high price for the research and marketing of these drugs and then we complain about it that they are expensive. A recent report came out that said that people are skipping doctor visits and avoiding purchase of costly drugs that they have to take on a regular basis. Is this situation pathetic or not but even when politicians try to address it, they get shot down by the pharmaceutical lobby. Since I get no donation or ad from anybody, I am free to express my opinion and having said that I am also just like anybody trying to pay for medicine by insurance, but even with that the cost of drugs keeps piling up. And the fun part is that the American public keeps on suffering but still is unable to fight back because they have become used to these high prices. I am not here to disparage the good work done by the pharmaceutical companies in tackling diseases but why can't they spread the cost of drugs equally around the world.

Today is May Day-2

And if conditions can be improved than there will be higher cost of everything that the western and rich countries consume. Even if the labor costs remain low, the cost to update the infrastructure and machinery and living conditions will cost money and that will increase the cost of goods to manufacture and hence increase in prices of goods imported. Are we going to pay for the higher price in lieu of improved conditions and how would we know that the conditions have been improved to acceptable levels. You know that if and when this new improvements are implemented, there would be more pressure on the suppliers to produce goods at the lowest minimum in order to get orders from western countries which are always looking for the lowest cost per unit. And these improved conditions should be implementing across the planet if we are going to raise the living conditions of the laborers. There should not be any disparity between conditions in one country or the other since if there is one, the companies can go to the one with the lowest cost notwithstanding the fact that they maybe the worse abusers of laborers. And the role of the consumers is very critical since they are the ultimate buyers of these goods. And until the consumers step up and demand improved conditions from companies there can be no improvement of the conditions these hapless laborers work and live in.

Today is May Day

So today is the May day which is being celebrated throughout the world as Labor day (The U.S. has one in September) and rallies and processions are being taken out by the laborers (aren't we all ) to highlight their sacrifices and show solidarity with them and also the struggles which are still going on for the achievement of their rights. As a reminder of how far the laborers and their leaders have to go, you don’t have to go further than the recent tragedy in Bangladesh where a factory collapsed and more than 400 people (and counting) have died and scores injured. Despite all the efforts and advancement made in the labor movement in the west (and still going on), there is utter disregard to the labor situation in other parts of the world. This is the only day the laborers have to highlight their plight and then they go back again to work under pathetic conditions the rest of the year. First of all the misplaced idea that the western countries labor movement can shift wholesale all the gains that they have achieved in the west to labor abusive countries should be dispelled with. We cannot and should not do that since the circumstances are different in different countries and to influence the owners of the factories to adhere to the western standards will make more unemployment than it is now. But they should work closely with their suppliers to make sure that the conditions can be improved.

On the lighter side-Movies-War of the Dead (2011)

Surprisingly effective zombie horror movie set in during World War II where the American and Finnish forces are hunting for a secret bunker where they are allegedly working on reviving the dead. Good acting and special effects for a limited budget. I liked it out of the many garbage disguised as zombies out there. Recommended