I can only go with what I was told, the Radiologist community is quite small and my friend is someone who I know through the gaming community. He certainly could be spreading misinformation on the loss of their contract, however I do know the VA has a massive backlog of images that needs to be read, and reducing the number of Radiologists who are reading those images makes zero sense.
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I may have been involved, in a teeny tiny way, with your research. I had couple of spots on my skin. They offered me a $50.00 Amazon Card for a picture of each one. They said it was part of an AI program where they tied the appearance of the thing on the skin to the results of the labs… Got $100.00, spent it on one of my grand babies.
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I understand what you are saying, but a quick two points in response.
First, I have outstanding medical insurance through my company and I don’t have lung cancer “screening” as a normal covered expense. I don’t know anyone who does. and the idea of getting scheduled radiation to my lungs just for the hell of it is neither personally appealing and probably not recommended. I’m sure if my doctor asked for it as a “preventive measure” it would be denied by my insurance. I don’t believe that falls under normal medical standard of care.
Kind of reminds me of those “calcium score” tests that many doctors are peddling which are also not covered by insurance. I took one at my old family doctor’s insistence (I have since switched), paid for it out of my own pocket, and she said I had a “high score” and I should take it to my cardiologist (top guy at Duke) who laughed out loud when I handed it to him and wanted to know how much I got “taken” for.
Second, my wife was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of breast cancer and she was stage 3B when they caught it. The doctors and hospitals made WELL into 7 figures from us and our insurance during her years of treatments and surgeries.
Her team leader oncologist told me privately that she had less than a 20% chance and then said it was very FORTUNATE that she had skipped her yearly mammogram because if she’d had one 6 months before as scheduled she would have been cleared because her type of cancer would have been at an undetectable stage and she probably would have used that as an excuse to ignore the lump she found.
By the way this was 10+ years ago and she was discharged as cured by her cancer center 2 years ago. Cancer is a lotto game and as her doctor told me 20% is NOT zero. Someone has to win and it almost never works out the way folks think it will. In our case I knew she’d beat it from the beginning.
All this to say that your buddy losing his contract, in the big scheme of things, is not moving the needle at all…. And bringing it up as some sort of a doom example to prove the premise of this thread makes you sound “alarmist” and I’ve read a lot of your posts and really believe you know better.
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Sometime, try it with some “Kentucky Branch Water.”
Amazon.com : Old Limestone Twin Pack With Mixing Instructions : Grocery & Gourmet Food
“Old Limestone is pumped out of a limestone aquifer 130 feet underground and filtered using reverse osmosis, so the mineral content remains intact. Keeney reports calcium and magnesium bond with the carbohydrates in alcohol, so when Old Limestone is mixed with bourbon it gives a smoother mouth feel. In a recent blind taste test, 16 out of 16 people were able to pick out both the branch water alone as well as bourbon and branch made with Old Limestone.”
I knew that limestone removed iron from the water, but was unaware of what the other prevalent minerals provided.
I prefer my bourbon with an ice cube, as you do. So, I’ve started making 'cubes from the “Branch Water.” 
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I’m giving that a try. Thanks!
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Whoah,.. so if I’m using RO, like proper RO (yes I have a 6 stage RO system) to make ice cubes for my scotch, it will be somehow better than the cubes my fridge puts out? (Simple sediment filter)
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I will take this recommendation under advisement, thank you.
I often revert back to water mixing with barrrel proofs over 128 to release the flavor.
What’s your “go to” bourbon?
I’m a big fan of anything from under the Buffalo Trace umbrella, with Blanton’s, & Colonel E.H. Taylor being special treats. Looking forward to Trying Wellers sometime soon. But for 94 pf everyday enjoyment I find Elijah Craig to be hard to beat when price is a consideration.
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Possibly.
I am not a chemist, just a bourbon drinker. The market literature seems to acknowledge the fact that limestone naturally removes iron content. I was unaware of the Calcium/Magnesium “benefits.”
While working a contract for a few years in Kentucky, I was introduced to this…process/product.
I scoffed…until I tried it. My “teachers” at the Bourbon bar use more of the water than I and no ice. I just like “cool” drinks and let my ice cubes “time delay” release the water over the course of the drink.
One of my West Coast siblings now uses it in the 3-drop method with his Single Malts. I had to ship him bottles of the stuff until Amazon started carrying it. 
If I am out with friends, I enjoy the bourbon as provided. When at home, I can get some new flavors with a smoother feel with the “Branch Water.”.
Give it a try. I have been pleasantly surprised.
Worst case scenario, without the water; you are still drinking a mighty fine bourbon!
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@Will_B : On another note, the RO system will certainly give you healthier water.
I have one myself and enjoyed my bourbon with it. For my taste buds, the “Branch Water” simply helps the bourbon taste better to me.
So, I would not/have not given up my RO system, but would/have bought a couple bottles of “BW” to try.
Either way, enjoy!
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@Ron43xMOS: Oh, you are opening the proverbial “can of worms” here!
I could easily spend the rest of the evening discussing & drinking bourbon!
I totally agree with you that the Buffalo Trace family is exceptional. Great bourbon at all price levels from Buffalo Trace through Blantons, EHT and Eagle Rare to Van Winkle.
Similarly, with the Heaven Hills brands. Henry McKenna 10 Year is a raving steal. Larceny Barrel
Proof A124, B524 & C924 are excellent Wheat bourbons at (usually) a great price.
But, on top of all that, it is hard to beat Elijah Craig Single Barrell Proof, A124, B521 B525, C923 or C924. “Whiskey of the Year” and cheap, until the buzz gets out to the market on the batch. (Dang! I should open a bottle now…)
Sentimental “Go To” is Angel’s Envy. I was there when they opened the distilliary and had a chance to meet the Hendersons. Sold the brand for an incredible sum and have now opened, “True Story” Bourbon.
Current “Go To” is Peerless Double Oak. The current batch just hits my tastebuds right. Price started reasonable, but as velocity picked up, so did the price.
Future “Go To?” I don’t know, there are a lot of bourbons left to try!! Just picked up, TX Straight Bourbon, $49. A Wheated bourbon out of Ft. Worth. Buzz is it is extremely close in flavor with Van Winkle. I have never had Pappy, but I can give an appraisal of TX Straight when I open the bottle.
Some good buzz on bourbons from unlikely locations, J. Henry in Wisconsin, Carl T. Huber in Indiana, Smokeye Hill in Arizona/California.
If you really want to go down a “rabbit hole”, look for Bourbon commentator, Fred Minnick and his Club Marzipan. Tastes a different bourbon every couple weeks. There are/were some hilarious YT videos of him getting hammered because he liked that particular bourbon…too much!
Enjoy!
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Oof!
Y’all put way too much thought into simply getting wasted!
Bourbon tastes like boiled vomit.
Vodka, is rubbing alcohol
Tequila is a cactus smashed into a puddle of vomit by a cow 
covered boot-heal
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Now THIS has actually morphed into a worthwhile thread!!!
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See what drinking liquified peat has done to your palette? 
Let us not devolve into a pissing match, that’s for the IPA drinkers!
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That’s Ok, some folks were blessed by God with a palate which can only take cotton candy and PB&J sandwiches.
Here, have a jelly bean and let the grownups talk
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Just threw up in my mouth a little
Edit: Actually, that jam may not be bad, but the jelly beans get all the nopes
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I’m a BIG fan of Jelly Beans and all my nieces have been getting them from me since they were babies. Now my granddaughters do! They are my favorite candy.
So I tired those with great expectations!
That recipe for the jam sounds good though
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I like jelly beans also, but I have standards and I can’t imagine those would be anywhere near the “bar”
Not unlike putting candy in Zima. Somethings just shouldn’t be, and that includes Zima itself.
Anywho
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How typical is this of the problems that are endemic to our government. I don’t care if some of them ARE good at their jobs. They are intentionally gaming the system and are criminals. As public “servants” they must be held to a higher standard. There are plenty of people who would love the (legitimate) government perks these positions are already afforded. They must be made to pay the money back, and then they must go.
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100% Agreed.
I’m astonished at the number, you would have thought that at some point an honest person would have caught on, said and done something about it.
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