An open letter to the Aetna CEO

Don’t get me started on Insurance Companies and Health Care; this man knows from where he speaks. ~~dru~~

musingsofanoldfart

Dear Mark T. Bertolini, Chairman and CEO, Aetna,

As a former actuary, benefits consultant, benefits manager, and a business and personal client of Aetna, I recognize fully the complexity of healthcare delivery and insurance in the US. I understand the meaning of claims loss ratios and the need for Aetna to earn a profit for its shareholders.

With this context, I ask that you please reconsider pulling Aetna out of the Healthcare exchanges in North Carolina and other states. I became an Aetna customer again when Aetna purchased the business of Coventry and integrated the two companies into the Aetna network. On the whole, our service has been good and we appreciate your negotiated discounts with Carolinas Medical Center and its doctor network. Many insureds do not realize the value of these discounts that must be paid by uninsureds.

The Affordable Care Act is still in its early childhood, but…

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Ragstone Goats Cheese Tortellini-Roasted Chestnuts-Baked Parmesan Foam-Truffle

I don’t follow many just “foodie” blogs but this post/recipe is the reason that, as of today, I’m going to follow this one. Thank you Joe Black for an amazing recipe….I’ll be giving it to “HE” to try out.
(Notice I think it is too complicated for me that opens a jar of Classico for Italian) A “Foodie” voyeur. ~~dru~~

With Autumn in the air I felt the need to check out Borough Market and see what’s about. The first thing to catch my eye was these shiny chestnuts. Instantly my mind started ticking and a dish started to appear in my minds eye.

For the pasta I only used egg yolk, as i wanted this dish to be rich and luxurious. My ratio was 200g of pasta flour and 6 large egg yolks (I saved my egg whites, I’m sure I will find away to use them later).

I decided to make Ragstone goats cheese tortellini with roasted chestnuts, truffle cream, parmesan crisps and a baked parmesan foam finished with a healthy shaving of black autumn truffle.

Before I roasted the chestnuts I made a small cross incision in each shell. Then roasted at 200℃ for 30 minutes. When I took the chestnuts out of the oven I noticed…

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Black women victims of violence bring their cases to the OAS; in a decade, murder of white women decreased 9% but increased 54% among black women

October is also Domestic Violence Awareness Month, so take an interest in the victims of these horrific crimes and do something to help. Just contribute some clothes and/or supplies to a domestic violence prevention charity or call the cops when you hear screaming. Report those children’s multiple bruises…get involved! Offer a hand! ~~dru~~

Black Brazil Today

Note from BW of Brazil: Here at BW of Brazil we try to present a balanced portrayal of what it is to be black in Brazil, specifically a black woman. And in attempting to provide this balance presentation, the material posted here should present triumphs and victories, as well as disappointments, disturbing realities and just day to day news that, on the surface, may not appear to be directly connected to race, but once it’s realized how events, occurrences and statistics affect different groups in different ways, ultimately, the race factor still comes in. Violence against women is clearly one of those occurrences. Of course someone who prefers to negate the reality of the influence of race in the lives of people of color will simply believe that we need not analyze violence against women under the lens of race; after all, ALL violence against women should…

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HERSHEY’S WON’T CLEARLY LABEL THEIR PRODUCTS CONTAINING GMOs

I SAY BOYCOTT THEIR PRODUCTS THIS HALLOWEEN, THAT’LL GET TO ‘EM

(It’ll get me too cuz I just loves me my KitKats)

I participate in the “Just Label It” movement that is working to get all food producers to label any food that contains GMOs.  Therefore, not only am I signing petitions and sending emails directly to the Hershey’s Company; I’m not buying their candy for All Hallows Eve and THAT is a personal sacrifice!)

Recently I received the following email that requested I sign a petition regarding Hershey Chocolate and I’m passing that petition on to you.

Dear Druscilla,

Hershey’s just became the first major food company to refuse to use clear GMO labels.

While many food giants, like Mars, Campbell’s and Dannon, have listened to consumers and pledged to use clear on package GMO labels, Hershey’s is the first food giant to publicly disavow transparency and instead use QR codes. Don’t be fooled by Big Food’s fancy marketing – “SmartLabel” QR codes are anything but smart.

The Anti-Label Lobby put forward the sham QR code solution to help food companies continue to hide GMOs in their products after consumers defeated the DARK Act. When companies label GMOs with QR codes, consumers have to use smartphones to access important information about their food.

So if you share my opinion of GMO labeling please sign the petition by clicking below.

~~dru~~