Real Deal

Ah, like I was, from the doctor that saved my eyesight? A city (Bartlesville, Oklahoma) had the doctors that gave me the laser treatments that peeled my retinas. They perform Lasik for $1,000. Oklahoma City's Dean McGee Eye Institute (who saved my eyesight) performed the surgeries needed (vitrectomy, basically). My doctor (who you probably think ripped me off) is affiliated with one that performs Lasik for around $2,000. Do you wear Nike apparel, by any chance? Or...do you shop at Wal-Mart for your shoes? Just curious.

Lasik doesn't cost $600. There are Lasik treatments that still cost $2,000. Not sure where you came up with that. There's a Lasik center where I go in Oklahoma City, and it's $1,900 there. Lasik dropped in price, barely, because of new techniques to correct vision, and because it's considered cosmetic surgery by most all insurance policies. Nothing (Medicaid, Medicare, or any insurance policy) covers boob implants. It's cosmetic and not a necessity, and the same goes for Lasik. Should it cover those? Nope. I don't see your point.

You missed my point. The premiums everyone pays, monthly, go to the insurance company (obviously). The way they distribute that money? Anywhere between 10-30% of it goes directly to the company. Guess where the rest goes? Paying for everyone's medical care, everyone who is covered by that particular insurance company. So, right now, if people aren't using up ALL of the money they are paying in premiums, the money is paying for everyone else covered by that company. In other words, everyone is paying for everyone already. So answer me this: why not STILL pay for others, but receive free medical treatment, instead of having to pay 20-30% of it out of pocket, and worry about $250-500 deductibles? The general complaint is that a lot of you don't feel like you should be paying for others' medical bills...but hey, you are already doing that.

Didn't see this. Many have had a better debut. I wouldn't consider Devean George much of a contributor in our dynasty. He ran to the corner and hit open jumpers, played pathetic defense, didn't slash to the rim, didn't pass the ball, didn't do anything but hit those jumpers. During the dynasty, he shot and made 335 shots total, 38% shooting. He scored 918 of the dynasty's 16,555 points (5-6 percent of the points), averaged 3 PPG in the first two seasons of the dynasty. I sort of forgot he was on our team, to be honest.

Medicaid and Medicare are too different things. Medicaid pays for everything, Medicare doesn't. Medicaid covers my eye surgeries in full. Most people (older people, by the way) get with Medicare because private insurance companies don't cover a damn thing. The idea is to bounce to Medicare because of things like pre-existing conditions...and this bill changes all of that, as you know. Since you don't have insurance taking money out of your checks, we'll use the average (according to a couple of websites)...the average health care plan for a family is $13,000 a year. My question to you is this: do you think most people spend $13,000 a year for medical purposes? Even better, do you think 50% of the people that work and spend that much money each year actually rack up $1,000 a month in medical bills? If not, just tell me where you think that money goes. Just curious. Who's getting that money?

Hey ECN, do you pay for your private insurance? I mean, out of your check? Probably sounds like a stupid question, but I'm just curious. If you do, it would be nice to tell us how much comes out of your check every month (or bi-weekly), but you don't have to.

Stephen Jackson is a very nice guy. It's not like he'd attack anyone if ticked off, like a fan or anything...

He actually posted his rap right after I told him to. The rules were simple: one posts his/her rap, the other then follows. According to seeding, you were first. I can't bend the rules, no matter what. If so, I would've had to change what happened below: http://www.otrbasketball.com/forums/topic/9778-rd1-nets15vc-vs-fish7718

I knew you meant Dallas and Los Angeles.

Yeah, that three...I had no idea that was coming from Thornton. Never would've guessed he'd drop it in there. But you're right, that game was right there for Washington to steal until that OT. There were a couple of defensive lapses, but the Wizards just couldn't score the ball. Three or four points in overtime isn't going to get the job done against any team in the league.

I wouldn't say that. They blew the third quarter open (the Knicks did) and JR Smith was complete and utter garbage for Denver...no offense, no defense. Way too many missed threes for Denver, way too much chucking for Smith, and no defense by anyone (including Afflalo) really put this game in the bag for New York. Can't say I'm surprised.

Sure it is, but you're acting like our economy is just fine, yet it hasn't been for nine years.

There isn't a fear of socialism, it's just people not wanting Obama to do anything good, because it makes their party look worse. I could care less who is in office right now, as long as they are doing something productive. This is productive. Political parties have ruined our country. People that are die-hard Democrats or Republicans force themselves to pull for nearly everything their party wants, and that's idiotic. I wish Obama would do something about all of the illegals in our country. I don't mind immigration, as long as they are legal. I support health care. I also approved of the war, until it went sour and we were there for other reasons not specified. I don't let other people think for me, and that's what political parties do...they think for all of their followers. There are people I know who have absolutely NO IDEA what this health care bill means...and they admit it. They say that change is not necessary...but they turn around and complain about how they can't pay for their meds, or how pre-existing conditions aren't accepted by their private insurance companies. It's because they can't come to a conclusion on their own.

Ah, yeah, Kobe is definitely worried about Stephen Curry. He's biting his nails right now, in fact...gonna be on his mind for the next 3-5 years. He's also worried about all of that trash-talking JR Smith has done, and Shane Battier from last year, and Ron Artest from last season, Matt Barnes this year, Andrei Kirilenko, Rajon Rondo in his face last season, Stephen Jackson when he was defending him earlier this season, and DeShawn Stevenson and the few words he was slinging at Bryant in that last meeting against Dallas. It's all feeding on his brain as we speak. You just know it is. And it's ruining his life. Oh no.

Ah, yeah, we definitely look like a superpower right now, trillions of dollars in debt and countries looking down on us. Been that way for the last eight or nine years. Maybe we should bomb someone again, start a war and make more money off that...or something.

Sorry, I don't get it. Utah still wouldn't beat either of them in the WCF's.

Didn't see the trash-talking there. What's refreshing, though, was that Ellis and Curry couldn't come through in the end, just as Kobe pointed out. If this were LeBron James or Dwyane Wade, it would be more meaningful. Anyone other than those two, not so much.

Haha, that was a sick dunk by STAT. Golden State allowed about 240 points again. Pretty fun to watch, but probably miserable for their fans, of course.

Why would they bench Turkoglu (the clear-cut, hands-down leader of this franchise)?

Dudes were boxing Garnett out so easily. He is done as a superstar power forward, outrebounded by five other teammates, eight other players total, and his defense is just shot. Boston will be toast in the second round.

Stupid call to go for the win, unless Durant was taking that shot. When you're at home, and you have your fans backing you, it's best to take it into overtime.

Dallas doesn't need to worry too much about these losses, if other teams don't need to. They are 14-3 since the Butler/Haywood trade. I'd hardly consider a 1-2 record in their last three games a problem if a 2-2 record isn't for another. Slap a 13-game win streak behind that 1-2 record, and suddenly, you have something to smile about if you're a Mavericks fan: being the second best team in the West.

Why is Jack coming off the bench? And damn WEEMS! ...because he is a starter on any championship team! Come on, though. Darko does still have the potential to contribute in those 30 minutes, but he's going to have to accept the lesser role on ANY team he plays for, because if you're going to be a professional athlete, you have to also accept that you may not be up to par with the rest of your competition. If he can gradually step into a starting role through a full NBA season, without being dealt and/or tossed to the side, then that's fine...but his attitude is just garbage right now.

Out with Michael Redd, in with John Salmons!

A win is a win. It was a slow win, nonetheless...one I figured the Magic would pick up by dominating, but whatever works.