#pet health tracker

[firmpet]

In a world where cat health problems can be as complex as our feline friends themselves, staying ahead of potential issues is crucial. Enter the cat health monitoring app – a technological ally designed to keep your pet’s well-being in check. As cat owners across the United Kingdom navigate the maze of feline health, the emergence of a cat glucose levels tracker app proves to be a game-changer.

[aitechbusiness]

Pet Technology: Innovations Revolutionizing Pet Care in the Digital Age

The pet business is flourishing. The American Pet Products Association reports that in 2023, pet owners in the US alone spent an astounding $103.6 billion on their feathered, scaled, or furry friends. The increased desire of pet owners to give their cherished animals the finest care possible is reflected in this spending boom.

Pet technology is a rapidly developing field that is altering the way we care for our pets, and it is driving this trend. Pet tech is changing pet care into a more convenient, proactive, and data-driven enterprise. Examples of this include automated feeders that guarantee proper portion management and wearable health monitors that measure activity levels and sleep habits.

We'll dive into the fascinating world of pet technology in this blog article, looking at how it's influencing many facets of pet care and what the future holds for this cutting-edge industry.

Elevate Your Pet's Care with Innovative Technology! 

Smart Solutions for Everyday Needs: How Pet Tech is Transforming Pet Care

Gone are the days of worrying about running out of kibble before you get home from work or wondering what your furry friend is up to while you're away. Pet tech offers a variety of smart solutions that cater to our everyday pet care needs, making life easier for both pet owners and their companions.

Automated Feeding and Portion Control

Automatic feeders are a game-changer for busy pet owners. These handy devices dispense pre-programmed portions of food at specific times throughout the day, eliminating the need for manual feeding and ensuring your pet receives consistent meals. This is particularly beneficial for pets who require strict portion control to maintain a healthy weight or manage medical conditions like diabetes.

Here's a closer look at the benefits of automatic feeders:

Convenience: Set it and forget it! Automatic feeders take the guesswork out of mealtimes, ensuring your pet is fed on time even when you're not around.

Portion Control: Prevent overfeeding, a common cause of obesity in pets, by dispensing precise amounts of food. This can be especially helpful for pets prone to weight gain.

Scheduled Feeding: Maintain a consistent feeding routine, which can be beneficial for a pet's digestive health and overall well-being.

Multiple Meal Dispensing: Some feeders allow for dispensing multiple meals throughout the day, which can be ideal for pets who require smaller, more frequent feedings.

Case Study: The Happy Pup with a Weight Problem

Max, a Labrador Retriever, was struggling with his weight. His owner, Sarah, noticed Max was constantly begging for food and seemed lethargic. The vet recommended portion control as a key part of Max's weight management plan. However, Sarah's busy work schedule made it difficult to stick to a consistent feeding routine.

The solution? An automatic feeder! Sarah programmed the feeder to dispense two smaller meals a day and noticed a significant improvement in Max's weight and energy levels.

Keeping an Eye on Your Furry Friend: Remote Monitoring and Pet Cameras.

Feeling anxious about leaving your pet home alone? Pet cameras offer peace of mind and a way to stay connected with your furry friend even when you're away. These Wi-Fi enabled cameras allow you to:

Monitor your pet remotely: Check in on your pet throughout the day using your smartphone, tablet, or computer.

Two-way audio: Talk to your pet and hear them respond, offering comfort and reducing separation anxiety.

Night vision: Keep an eye on your pet even in low light conditions.

Motion detection: Receive alerts if your pet triggers the motion sensor, allowing you to check for any unusual activity.

Pet cameras are not just for monitoring behavior; they can also be used for training purposes. For example, you can use the two-way audio feature to correct unwanted behaviors like barking or chewing remotely.

Elevate Your Pet's Care with Innovative Technology! 

Fitness Trackers for Fido (and Fluffy): Wearable Tech for Pets

Just like their human counterparts, pets can benefit from wearing wearable health trackers. These tiny devices, often attached to collars or harnesses, collect data on a pet's activity levels, sleep patterns, and even vital signs like heart rate and respiratory rate.

Here's how wearable tech can revolutionize pet care:

Track Activity Levels: Monitor your pet's daily activity levels and identify any changes that might signal a health issue, such as lethargy or decreased mobility.

Monitor Sleep Patterns: Track your pet's sleep quality and identify any disruptions that could indicate underlying health problems or stress.

Early Detection of Health Issues: Changes in activity levels, sleep patterns, and vital signs can be early indicators of health problems. Wearable trackers can help you identify these changes early on, allowing for prompt veterinary intervention.

Table: Examples of Features on Pet Wearable Trackers By providing valuable data and insights into your pet's health and well-being, wearable tech empowers you to make informed decisions about their care and ensure they live a long, healthy life.

Beyond Convenience: Pet Tech for Advanced Care and Well-being

Pet technology isn't just about convenience; it's also revolutionizing the way we approach pet healthcare. Innovative solutions are emerging that offer advanced care options and promote a pet's overall well-being.

Telemedicine for Pets: Remote Vet Consultations

Imagine having access to veterinary care for your pet without ever leaving your home. Telemedicine for pets is making this a reality. Through video chat consultations, pet owners can connect with licensed veterinarians for a variety of non-emergency situations, such as:

Discussing minor behavioral issues

Refills on medications

Follow-up consultations after a vet visit

Addressing minor skin or coat concerns

Benefits of Telemedicine for Pets:

Convenience: Schedule appointments at your convenience, eliminating the stress of travel for both you and your pet.

Cost-effective: Telemedicine consultations can be more affordable than traditional in-clinic visits.

Accessibility: Provides access to veterinary care for pet owners in remote locations or those with mobility limitations.

Elevate Your Pet's Care with Innovative Technology! 

AI-Powered Pet Care: Personalized Insights and Early Intervention

Artificial intelligence (AI) is making its way into the world of pet tech, offering exciting possibilities for personalized pet care. AI algorithms can analyze data collected from wearable trackers and pet cameras, providing valuable insights into a pet's health and behavior.

Here's how AI can revolutionize pet care:

Personalized Health Monitoring: AI can analyze data from wearables to identify patterns and trends specific to your pet, allowing for a more personalized approach to healthcare.

Early Detection of Health Issues: AI can detect subtle changes in vital signs or activity levels that might be missed by the human eye, enabling early intervention for potential health problems.

Predictive Analytics: Advanced AI applications might even be able to predict future health issues based on a pet's data, allowing for preventative measures.

Smart Homes for Happy Pets: Integrating Pet Tech into Your Smart Home System

The concept of a smart home isn't just for humans anymore. Pet tech can be seamlessly integrated into your smart home system, creating a more comfortable and convenient environment for your furry friend.

Imagine these possibilities:

Automatic pet doors: Grant your pet access to designated areas of your home or the outdoors when you're not around.

Temperature-controlled pet beds: Ensure your pet's comfort with a bed that automatically adjusts the temperature.

Self-cleaning litter boxes: Eliminate the chore of scooping the litter box with a self-cleaning model that operates on a timer or through sensor activation.

By integrating pet tech into your smart home system, you can create a more enriching and stress-free environment for your pet, contributing to their overall well-being.

The Future of Pet Technology: What's on the Horizon?

The future of pet technology is brimming with exciting possibilities that promise to further revolutionize the way we care for our animal companions. Here's a glimpse into what the future might hold:

Virtual Reality for Pet Entertainment: Imagine a world where your pet can explore virtual landscapes, chase virtual butterflies, or engage in interactive games – all from the comfort of your living room. VR experiences designed specifically for pets are on the horizon, offering mental stimulation and entertainment to combat boredom and destructive behaviors.

Robotic Pet Companions: For pet owners who struggle with loneliness or live in environments where traditional pets aren't allowed, robotic companions could offer a solution. These advanced robots could provide companionship, entertainment, and even basic care for pets.

Advanced Health Monitoring Systems: Expect even more sophisticated wearable health trackers and implantable technologies that monitor a wider range of vital signs and body functions in real-time. This data could provide invaluable insights into a pet's health and well-being, allowing for preventative measures and personalized treatment plans.

Pet-to-Human Communication Devices: While mind-reading technology might still be in the realm of science fiction, advancements in AI and biofeedback could lead to the development of devices that translate a pet's emotions and needs into understandable signals for their human companions.

These are just a few examples of the exciting possibilities that pet technology holds for the future. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect even more innovative solutions that will not only enhance our pets' lives but also deepen the bond between humans and animals.

Conclusion

Pet technology is here to stay and has an indisputable influence on pet care; it is no longer a futuristic concept. Pet technology is revolutionizing the way we look after our furry (or feathery, or scaled) family members. It does this by handling anything from making sure our dogs are fed and amused while we are away to giving useful data for proactive treatment. We may anticipate much more fascinating technological advancements in the future that will improve our beloved dogs' happiness and well-being. 

Elevate Your Pet's Care with Innovative Technology!

[eco-tail-pets]

A Pet GPS Tracker is an essential tool for ensuring your pet's safety and giving you peace of mind. With real-time tracking, enhanced safety features, and geofencing, it’s a must-have for any pet owner. EcoTail Pets offers eco-friendly, high-quality trackers that align with our mission to promote a holistic approach to pet care while protecting the environment.

[techtoio]

The Latest in Wearable Tech: What’s New in 2024?

Introduction

Wearable technology has come a long way from the early days of fitness trackers and basic smartwatches. In 2024, the landscape of wearable tech is more exciting and advanced than ever before. From health monitoring to augmented reality (AR) glasses, wearables are becoming an integral part of our daily lives. Let’s dive into the latest innovations and trends in wearable tech that are making waves this year. Read to continue

[mental-space-x]

Gratitude Diary

It’s been a better week than it had any reason to be, to be honest. I’ve been very busy, covering an extra couple of days on the post as well as doing my regular week on the airport. However I have included an extra day of running this week. I’m trying to turn my focus more towards running than cycling, pushing myself to run a bit more since it does seem to have a positive impact on my mental…

[hsmagazine254]

Paws And Pixels: Pet Tech Innovations For Enhanced Well-Being - H&S Pets Galore

Exploring Gadgets & Apps That Make Your Furry Friend’s Life Purrfect In today’s digital age, technology isn’t just for humans—it’s for our beloved pets too. From smart collars to interactive toys, a plethora of gadgets and apps are revolutionizing how we care for our furry companions. These innovations not only enhance their well-being but also provide us with peace of mind and deeper insights…

[notonlycoloringbooks]

Dog Vaccination Record Book: Protect Your Pup's Health with Our Easy-to-Use Vet Visit Log & Health Tracker (120 Pages, 6x9 Inches)

Keep your furry friend healthy and happy with our comprehensive Dog Vaccination Record Book! This handy 120-page logbook is designed to make it easy for you to track your dog's vet visits, vaccinations, medications, and overall health.

Peace of Mind for Responsible Dog Owners:

As a responsible dog owner, you know how important it is to stay on top of your pet's vaccinations and overall health. Our Dog Vaccination Record Book makes it simple and convenient to do just that. With dedicated sections for:

Owner Information: Keep your contact details readily available in case of emergencies.

Pet Information: Track your dog's breed, age, weight, and microchip number.

Clinic & Veterinarian Information: Store all your vet's contact details in one place.

Vet Visit Log: Easily record the date, age, type of visit (routine or emergency), reason for visit, shots administered, medications prescribed, other treatments received, and any additional notes.

Never Miss a Vaccination Again:

Our Dog Vaccination Record Book includes a helpful vaccination schedule chart to help you stay on top of your dog's essential immunizations. Plus, the spacious "Vet Visit Log" pages allow you to record all the details of each vet visit, ensuring you have a clear and concise record of your dog's health history.

Additional Features:

120 pages: Plenty of space to track your dog's vet visits throughout their life.

6x9 inches: Compact and portable size that fits easily in your purse or backpack.

High-quality paper: Thick and durable to withstand frequent use.

Professional design: Sleek and stylish cover that looks great on your bookshelf.

Invest in Your Dog's Health Today!

Our Dog Vaccination Record Book is an essential tool for every responsible dog owner. Order yours today and keep your furry friend happy and healthy for years to come!

[bestpetcarepractices]

The Ultimate Health and Activity Monitor for Dogs

Looking for a reliable and innovative way to track your pet's location and activity level? Look no further than FitBark GPS! This cutting-edge device is the perfect solution for pet owners who want to keep tabs on their furry friends.

The FitBark GPS is a small, lightweight device that easily attaches to your pet's collar. It uses GPS and cellular technology to provide real-time location tracking, so you can always know where your pet is. And with its long battery life of up to 20 days on a single charge, you can trust that your pet will stay safe and secure for longer periods of time.

But that's not all - the FitBark GPS also tracks your pet's activity level, allowing you to monitor their fitness and health. The device comes with a user-friendly app that is compatible with both iOS and Android devices. The app allows you to set up safe zones for your pet, so you can receive alerts when they leave or enter a designated area. It also provides detailed activity reports, so you can see how much exercise your pet is getting each day.

The FitBark GPS is waterproof, so you don't have to worry about it getting damaged if your pet goes for a swim. This makes it the perfect device for pet owners who love taking their pets on outdoor adventures.

Overall, the FitBark GPS is a must-have device for any pet owner who wants to keep their pet safe and healthy. Its innovative features, long battery life, and waterproof design make it a top choice for both short and long-term use. Don't wait - try the FitBark GPS today and start tracking your pet's location and activity level with ease!

FitBark Dog Activity Monitor, Red

https://www.facebook.com/113862825001910/posts/107727338957451 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaADllNwT0Y

[bitchesgetriches]

{ MASTERPOST } Everything You Need to Know about Saving Money and Being Frugal

We’re all in this together. Don’t give up.

On food and groceries:

How to Shop for Groceries like a Boss

Why Name Brand Products Are Beneath You: The Honor and Glory of Buying Generic

If You Don’t Eat Leftovers I Don’t Even Want to Know You

You Are above Bottled Water, You Elegant Land Mermaid

You Should Learn To Cook. Here’s Why.

On entertainment and socializing:

The Frugal Introvert’s Guide to the Weekend

7 Totally Reasonable Ways To Save Money on Cheap Entertainment 

Take Pride in Being a Cheap Date

The Library Is a Magical Place and You Should Fucking Go There

Your Library Lets You Stream Audiobooks and eBooks FOR FREEEEEEE!

What’s the Effect of Social Media on Your Finances?

You Won’t Regret Your Frugal 20s

On health:

How to Pay Hospital Bills When You’re Flat Broke

Run With Me if You Want to Save: How Exercising Will Save You Money

Our Master List of 100% Free Mental Health Self-Care Tactics

Why You Probably Don’t Need That Gym Membership

How to Get DIRT CHEAP Pet Medication, Without a Prescription 

On other big expenses:

Businesses Will Happily Give You HUGE Discounts if You Ask This Magic Question

Understand the Hidden Costs of Travel and Avoid Them Like the Plague

Other People’s Weddings Don’t Have to Make You Broke

You Deserve Cheap, Fake Jewelry… Just Like Coco Chanel

3 Times I Was Damn Grateful for My Emergency Fund (and Side Income) 

When (and How) to Try Refinancing or Consolidating Student Loans

The Real Story of How I Paid Off My Mortgage Early in 4 Years 

Season 2, Episode 2: “I’m Not Ready to Buy a House—But How Do I *Get Ready* to Get Ready?”

The Most Impactful Financial Decision I’ve Ever Made… and Why I Don’t Recommend It

On buying secondhand and trading:

Almost Everything Can Be Purchased Secondhand

I Am a Craigslist Samurai and so Can You: How to Sell Used Stuff Online

The Delicate Art of the Friend Trade

On giving gifts and charitable donations:

How Can I Tame My Family’s Crazy Gift-Giving Expectations?

In Defense of Shameless Regifting

Make Sure Your Donations Have the Biggest Impact by Ruthlessly Judging Charities

The Anti-Consumerist Gift Guide: I Have No Gift to Bring, Pa Rum Pa Pum Pum

How to Spot a Charitable Scam

Ask the Bitches: How Do I Say “No” When a Loved One Asks for Money… Again? 

On resisting temptation:

How to Insulate Yourself From Advertisements

Making Decisions Under Stress: The Siren Song of Chocolate Cake

The Magically Frugal Power of Patience

6 Proven Tactics for Avoiding Emotional Impulse Spending

On minimalism and buying less:

Don’t Spend Money on Shit You Don’t Like, Fool

Everything I Know About Minimalism I Learned from the Zombie Apocalypse

Slay Your Financial Vampires

The Subscription Box Craze and the Mindlessness of Wasteful Spending

On saving money:

How To Start Small by Saving Small

Not Every Savings Account Is Created Equal

The Unexpected Benefits (and Downsides) of Money Challenges

Budgets Don’t Work for Everyone—Try the Spending Tracker System Instead

From HYSAs to CDs, Here’s How to Level Up Your Financial Savings

Season 2, Episode 10: “Which Is Smarter: Getting a Loan? or Saving up to Pay Cash?”

The Magic of Unclaimed Property: How I Made $1,900 in 10 Minutes by Being a Disorganized Mess

We will periodically update this list with newer articles. And by “periodically” I mean “when we remember that it’s something we forgot to do for four months.”

Bitches Get Riches: setting realistic expectations since 2017!

Start saving right heckin’ now!

If you want to start small with your savings, consider signing up for an Acorns account! They round up your every purchase to the nearest dollar and save and invest the change for you. We like them so much we’ve generously allowed them to sponsor us with this affiliate link:

Start investing today with Acorns

[bots-and-cons]

I loved the werewolf headcanons you did for that other anon! if you could, i'd love to have headcanons for the same but for tfp optimus, ratchet, and bulkhead :D (ps, am i the only person who only watched the wolf scenes of twilight because i thought they were cool but never had the attention span to watch the whole movies 😅)

A/N: The first part with the cons can be found here. This was pretty fun to write tbh. I put a lot of those fanfic werewolf things into this, since I thought it was pretty funny last time. I didn’t do Bulkhead because I didn’t feel like it. Also no you’re not the only one who does that, I have a friend who watches the movies purely for the werewolves

~Optimus Prime~

•Optimus had no idea that werewolves even existed before you told him you were one

•When you first transformed in front of him, he was mostly just curious, he gave you a little pet, very carefully

•You quite enjoy getting some scratches behind your ears and Optimus thinks you’re very adorable

•Being the former archivist he is, he of course wants to do some research to know more about werewolves

•He ends up getting his information from some questionable sources aka some fanfiction and “mythology” sites, but a lot of the information seems contradictory, or just different depending on the source

•So when he comes to you with some questions, you have to correct him a lot

•He asks about the whole “alpha, beta, omega” thing, and he’s got it very, very wrong

•You tell him that, alphas are pack leaders, betas are the second in command and omegas are lone wolves without a pack, but it has absolutely nothing to with the fictional sex thing that fanfiction is about

•Optimus was pretty skeptical about that to begin with, but he wanted to make sure so he asked you

•You really love running in the woods, and you sometimes go with Optimus on scouting missions or patrol

•Your sense of smell is as good in your human form as it is in your wolf form, so you’re a great tracker

•The cybertronians smell a bit odd to you normally and when Optimus comes back from missions, his scent can sometimes be really bothersome to your sensitive nose

•You love sleeping on Optimus’ chest in your wolf form, it’s just nice to be close to him and the scritches and pets aren’t bad either

~Ratchet~

•When you finally revealed your werewolf side to him, his reaction was pretty bland to be honest

•In his head he was pretty much going “What in the name of Primus?!” because how can humans keep getting more complicated?

•You’d think there’d be some sort of limit on how weird things can get but apparently that’s not the case

•You keep revealing new sides of yourself to him, and he discovers more about you every day, but usually the things aren’t as big as you being a werewolf but still

•He doesn’t have a ton of questions, mostly just if there’s anything he needs to know in connection to your health or safety

•His first concern is if your transformation and if it hurts

•He does learn from Miko that werewolves are supposed to only turn on full moons and be aggressive during that time

•He of course sees that this is not correct, when you transform in the middle of the day

•Also the aggressive thing doesn’t seem to apply either, which Ratchet is just glad about, because he would rather not quarantine you every full moon

•The werewolf thing doesn’t bother him, he’s just worried about the fact that your internal body temperature is so high

•Of course it’s natural for you but he still thinks it’s odd, but he just accepts it as another one of your nonhuman features

•In your wolf form you’re a very big, fast and also fluffy, and you’re protective of your family, which is the autobots and the kids

•You’re always looking after the trouble trio of Miko, Raf and Jack and you’re very good at it

•You can always smell the cons a mile away, so you know to keep the kids away from them

[firmpet]

In the ever-evolving landscape of pet care technology, keeping a close eye on our furry companions’ health has never been easier. While cat health problems have seen their fair share of advancements with dedicated monitoring apps, the spotlight is now turning towards our canine friends. Enter the era of Dog CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitoring) Apps – the next frontier in proactive pet healthcare.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Private equity finally delivered Sarah Palin's death panels

Tonight (Apr 26), I’ll be in Burbank, signing Red Team Blues at Dark Delicacies at 6PM.

Remember “death panels”? Sarah Palin promised us that universal healthcare was a prelude to a Stalinist nightmare in which unaccountable bureaucrats decided who lived or died based on a cost-benefit analysis of what it would cost to keep you alive versus how much your life was worth.

If you’d like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here’s a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/26/death-panels/#what-the-heck-is-going-on-with-CMS

Palin was right that any kind of healthcare rationing runs the risk of this kind of calculus, where we weight spending $10,000 to extend a young, healthy person’s life by 40 years against $1,000 to extend an elderly, disabled person’s life by a mere two years.

It’s a ghastly, nightmarish prospect — as anyone who uses the private healthcare system knows very well. More than 27m Americans have no health insurance, and millions more have been tricked into buying scam “cost-sharing” systems run by evangelical grifters:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/02/health/christian-health-care-insurance.html

But for the millions of Americans with insurance, death panels are an everyday occurrence, or at least a lurking concern. Anyone who pays attention knows that insurers have entire departments designed to mass-reject legitimate claims and stall patients who demand that the insurer lives up to its claim:

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/khn-podcast-an-arm-and-a-leg-how-to-shop-for-health-insurance-november-24-2021/

The private healthcare sector is designed to deny care. Its first duty is to its shareholders, not its patients, and every dollar spent on care is a dollar not available for dividends. The ideal insurance customer pays their premiums without complaint, and then pays cash for all their care on top of it.

All that was true even before private equity started buying up and merging whole swathes of the US healthcare system (or “healthcare” “system”). The PE playbook — slash wages, sell off physical plant, slash wages, reduce quality and raise prices — works in part because of its scale. These aren’t the usual economies of scale. Rather the PE strategy is to buy and merge all the similar businesses in a region, so customers, suppliers and workers have nowhere else to turn.

That’s bad enough when it’s aimed at funeral homes, pet groomers or any of the other sectors that have been bigfooted by PE:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/12/16/schumpeterian-terrorism/#deliberately-broken

But it’s especially grave when applied to hospitals:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/05/21/profitable-butchers/#looted

Or emergency room physicians:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/03/14/unhealthy-finances/#steins-law

And if you think that’s a capitalist hellscape nightmare, just imagine how PE deals with dying, elderly people. Yes, PE has transformed the hospice industry, and it’s even worse than you imagine.

Yesterday, the Center for Economic and Policy Research published “Preying on the Dying: Private Equity Gets Rich in Hospice Care,” written by some of the nation’s most valiant PE slayers: Eileen Appelbaum, Rosemary Batt and Emma Curchin:

https://cepr.net/report/preying-on-the-dying-private-equity-gets-rich-in-hospice-care/

Medicare pays private hospices $203-$1,462 per day to take care of dying old people — seniors that a doctor has certified to have less than six months left. That comes to $22.4b/year in public transfers to private hospices. If hospices that $1,462 day-rate, they have lots of duties, like providing eight hours’ worth of home care. But if the hospice is content to take the $203/day rate, they are not required to do anything. Literally. It’s just free money for whatever the operator feels like doing for a dying elderly person, including doing nothing at all.

As Appelbaum told Maureen Tkacik for her excellent writeup in The American Prospect: “Why anybody commits fraud is a mystery to me, because you can make so much money playing within the guidelines the way the payment scheme operates.”

https://prospect.org/health/2023-04-26-born-to-die-hospice-care/

In California, it’s very, very easy to set up a hospice. Pay $3,000, fill in some paperwork (or don’t — no one checks it, ever), and you’re ready to start caring for beloved parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers, aunts and uncles as they depart this world. You do get a site inspection, but don’t worry — you aren’t required to bring your site up to code until after you’re licensed, and again, they never check — not even if there are multiple complaints. After all, no one at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has the job of tracking complaints.

This is absolute catnip for private equity — free government money, no obligations, no enforcement, and the people you harm are literally dying and can’t complain. What’s not to like? No wonder PE companies have spent billions “rolling up” hospices across the country. There are 591 hospices in Van Nuys, CA alone — but at least 30 of them share a single medical director:

https://auditor.ca.gov/reports/2021-123/index.html#pg34A

Medicare caps per-patient dispersals at $32,000, which presents an interesting commercial question for remorseless, paperclip-maximizing, grandparent-devouring private equity ghouls: do you take in sick patients (who cost more, but die sooner) or healthy patients (cost less, potentially live longer)?

In Van Nuys, the strategy is to bring in healthy patients and do nothing. 51% of Van Nuys hospice patients are “live discharged” — that is, they don’t die. This figure — triple the national average — is “a reliable sign of fraud.”

There are so many hospice scams and most of them are so stupid that it takes a monumental failure of oversight not to catch and prevent them. Here’s a goodun: hospices bribe doctors to “admit” patients to a hospice without their knowledge. The hospice bills for the patient, but otherwise has no contact with them. This can go on for a long time, until the patient tries to visit the doctor and discovers that their Medicare has been canceled (you lose your Medicare once you go into hospice).

Another scam: offer patients the loosest narcotics policy in town, promising all the opioids they want. Then, once their benefits expire, let them die of an overdose (don’t worry, people who die in hospice don’t get autopsies):

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/12/05/how-hospice-became-a-for-profit-hustle

You can hire con artists to serve as your sales-force, and have them talk vulnerable, elderly people into enrolling in hospice care by convincing them they have nothing to live for and should just die already and not burden their loved ones any longer.

Hospitals and hospices also collude: hospitals can revive dying patients, ignoring their Do Not Resuscitate orders, so they can be transfered to a hospice and die there, saving the hospital from adding another dead patient to their stats.CMS’s solution is perverse: they’re working with Humana to expand Medicare Advantage (a scam that convinces patients to give up Medicare and enrol in a private insurance program, whose private-sector death panel rejects 13% of claims that Medicare would have paid for). The program will pay private companies $32,000 for every patient who agrees to cease care and die. As our friends on the right like to say, “incentives matter.”

Appelbaum and co have a better idea:

Do more enforcement: increase inspections and audits.

Block mergers and rollups of hospices that make them too big to fail and too big to jail.

Close existing loopholes.

They should know. Appelbaum and her co-authors write the best, most incisive analysis of private equity around. For more of their work, check out their proposal for ending pension-plan ripoffs by Wall Street firms:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/05/05/mego/#A09948

Catch me on tour with Red Team Blues in Burbank, Mountain View, Berkeley, San Francisco, Portland, Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, DC, Gaithersburg, Oxford, Hay, Manchester, Nottingham, London, and Berlin!

[Image ID: An industrial meat grinder, fed by a conveyor belt. A dead, elderly man is traveling up the conveyor, headed for the grinder's intake. The grinder is labelled 'HOSPICE' in drippy Hallowe'en lettering. It sits in a spreading pool of blood.]

Image: Seydelmann (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GW300_1.jpghttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GW300_1.jpg

CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

[nuhaikuu]

Evening Reflection

Today I organized all the apps on my phone to try and simplify things. It’s mostly done, but I will continue to work on it as I use them.

I’m really enjoying the Tumblr app. I might try to better organize the hashtags I use and see if I can make them into pages for the desktop version of the blog.

Tonight I made baked salmon, potatoes, and vegetables for dinner.

I’ve been exploring the Finch app (it's a habit and goal tracker app with a virtual pet that you take care of as you complete self care activities and mental health exercises). I thought I would take a screenshot of my birb and her home because her outfit and decorations might change in the future, and I want to remember these because they’re so cute.

I’m feeling especially grateful today because when I was going through and organizing the apps on my phone today, I found an old note from 2017 when I was anticipating moving into my very first place of my own. I was imagining all the things I would be able to do that I hadn’t been able to do while living around others.

Here it is:

It makes me a little sad that I need a reminder now to appreciate those little ordinary things that I take for granted (but definitely should not!)

[lilyliveredlittlerichboy]

does anyone have recommendations for mood tracking/basic journalling apps? the one i used to use (daylio) is now pushing betterhelp (recently involved in a lawsuit regarding selling customer data, notoriously underpaying their therapists while expecting them to be available 24/7) and weight loss (scientifically proven to be impossible long term, scientifically proven to fuck up your body way more than any amount of fat)

both of which are not things i want to be confronted with in my daily mood tracking, in particular the weight loss stuff is genuinely triggering.

so i need another mood tracker. I'm after something simple but somewhat customisable. i don't really want any frills or gamifying features (eg finch) i dont want to keep some pet alive i just want to straight forward track my mood and write a few sentences at most a few times a day. ideally with minimal ads or pushing of random "health" bullshit.

does such a thing exist? if so pls do tell

[mental-space-x]

Gratitude Diary

It’s been a good week, we had a couple of days of nice weather but the weekend is wet, windy, and miserable but the house next door has been vacant and I have finally felt relaxed and safe at home again. It reinforces the belief for me that I am further along in my healing process than I think I am, it’s simply abusive people really trigger me and bring me back down to a depressed and anxious…

[sexyzuka]

A Fateful Encounter

Part Two - The Pursuit

Pairing: Kiba Inuzuka x Reader

Word Count: 3.7k+

Content: fem!reader, werewolf!reader, PTSD, mental health, gore, blood, angst, mentions of death, pet names

Summary: After unintentionally pilfering the medication you need to save your friend, your only goal now is to flee Konoha undetected. But it looks like you’ve angered the wrong ninja in the process. With Konoha’s number one tracker chasing after you, how exactly are you going to escape? It looks like you’ve really messed up this time, but you have no other options but to press on in hopes that you can outmaneuver your unwelcome audience. With Kōtarō’s life hanging in the balance, there’s no choice but to succeed. You won’t let yourself fail, especially not in front of a human of all things.

Writer’s Notes: Hey everyone! I’m back with the continuation of my fanfiction. I’ve included a lot of disturbing and vivid imagery in this chapter that some people might find distressing. I referenced some of my own struggles with PTSD when piecing together our heroine's plight. If that’s something that may be triggering for you, I recommend using your discretion when reading this fic. As always, please take care curating your online experience. Writing in this way helps me sort through my emotions and experiences, but I know that this kind of gruesome vibe isn’t for everyone. Thank you for stopping by, and please enjoy my innermost musings!

You can find Chapter One here!

Your pace quickens as you weave in and out of the crowd of people who are now walking the streets of Konoha. You don't like to wander into the village when it's daytime, but necessity trumps any sort of trepidation and restraint you'd normally exhibit, especially considering the situation.

So much has changed over the years, but the general layout of the village remains similar to how it'd been since the reconstruction around a decade or so ago. Large, flashy neon signs decorate the façades of the buildings that used to be humble and unassuming family-owned businesses. This new age of technology has given the village a more synthetic and futuristic vibe, it's almost unrecognizable to how it used to be when you first happened upon that modest little pet store.

As you skillfully maneuver your way through the throngs of absentminded villagers idling on their electronic devices, you're hit with a wave of adrenaline. Every step you take is carefully executed, brisk enough to get you to your destination expeditiously, but not overly flashy, lest your faltering guise of humanity be exposed. Interacting with humans is a delicate game of shōgi, one wrong move could jeopardize your entire strategy. A false step here could strip the golden sheen off of your body, melting your flimsy veneer with a callous indifference until there's nothing left but a heap of regret.

There's no way you're going to concede defeat now that you've come this far, though. There's no way you can let yourself just give up. If you're just a pawn, then so be it. Even the lowliest of shōgi pieces turn into gold generals once they infiltrate the enemy's territory, and you're already more than halfway to your destination.

"This medication isn't going to deliver itself," you say to yourself as you slowly exhale and grit your teeth. A quick pat on your cheeks calms your overstimulated nerves. With a renewed sense of vigor you continue on your way with a sprightly stride.

A few more minutes pass, and thanks to your subdued dashing you've made it to the familiar crates that line the wall that protects Konoha from outsiders. As you take your final steps to the containers you stop to take refuge in some shadows and take one final look around the vicinity with a furtive glance.

You don't often shift with this many people around, but since you took longer than you'd expected, you don't really have a choice in the matter. Most of the people are lingering around the nearby shops, and those who aren't are glued to their handheld devices.

"Now's as good of a time as any, I guess," you shrug to yourself. After scanning the nearby area one final time you jump up in the protective cover of the shadows and begin to morph into your true form.

You can feel your limbs shortening and your teeth repositioning, coupled with a searing pain that you almost find comforting because of its mundane familiarity. As the nails on your hands begin to sharpen you hear a loud voice calling out in the distance.

"Hey!" the gruff voice thunders, alongside the sound of uneven footsteps.

The sudden sound startles you, causing you to crash to the ground instead of land elegantly like you usually do. The aches that accompany your transformation hinder your recovery from this egregious blunder, so all you're able to do at the present time is look down the street while an oversized figure sprints towards you.

"Just what do you think you're-" the voice cuts off when the physique of your acquaintance from earlier today comes into view.

This was it. This was how it was all going to end, you think to yourself. There was no coming back from letting a human see your transformation sequence. This is just like when- no, no use thinking about that right now. There are more pressing matters.

As you look up pathetically from the ground you greet the man's confused expression with a melancholy frown, a silent acceptance of your fate.

"Woah, how did you do a beast transformation without hand seals?" you hear his voice ring out. "I would be seriously impressed right now if I wasn't pissed at you for ditching me back there."

Did he just say hand seals? So that must mean he didn't see everything. Which means... you still have the chance to weasel your way out of this situation.

The voice continued to chastise you while you collected your wits, "You do know that leaving a store without paying is stealing, right? And that stealing is a crime? Listen, I don't like arresting women as beautiful as you, but I'm going to need you to come down to the station with-"

This was it, this was your only chance. As the man turned his body slightly, reaching over to grab his handcuffs, you mustered up enough strength to jump up off the ground. As soon as your paws touched the dry earth you darted towards the wooden crates. You knew that this would likely threaten the only reliable entrance you had to Konoha, but there were no other options right now.

"Alright, princess, it's time to come with me-" the man exhaled exasperatedly, "COME ON, NOT AGAIN!" The anger in the man's voice was palpable, but you didn't let that deter your escape.

By the time the man had noticed your hurried departure you were already squeezing your body through the small gap under the wall. As your body wiggled to the other side you heard a loud crashing sound coupled with an irritated groan. You felt a hand try to grasp your tail, the calloused fingertips gripping onto a few long strands before pulling back with an enormous amount of force. An unfortunate but minor casualty, hopefully those few strands of fur would be the only loss today.

You wriggle your body through the makeshift tunnel, front paws clawing at the dusty ground in a hurried frenzy. After you've succeeded in pulling yourself out of the burrow, you immediately begin sprinting as fast as your tired body will take you. Muffled sounds of aggravation fade into the distance, replaced by the racing thoughts that intensify with every step you take.

I really hope I'm not too late, you think to yourself. Flashbacks from earlier today flood your mind, making your vision hazy. These haunting hallucinations aren't doing you any favors, but the closer you get to Kōtarō, the more intrusive these recollections become. You can feel your paws quivering, making your stride unsteady, but you force yourself to carry on.

So much blood. So red. The deepest and most oppressive red you'd ever seen.

The trees and bushes around you began to morph into a grotesque caricature, melting and mutating into a sea of aberrant crimson shapes. The scenery begins to make no sense, the contours of the landscape wrap in unnatural ways all across your field of vision. Your body feels as if it's moving through a vat of congealed molasses, each step becomes an onerous, almost insurmountable task.

The delirium overtaking your psyche slackens your pace to that of a staggered crawl. You lurch forward while bracing yourself on a nearby tree, you trip on some sort of unseen object, nearly capsizing in the process. The world around you begins twisting and spinning, and you stumble to the ground as you're overcome by an intense bout of vertigo.

"Hey, wait up!" The words sound so muffled, so far away and yet...

"I know you're over here, princess." The familiar yet austere timbre cuts through the crimson vortex swirling around you. "Don't think you can escape from Konoha's number one tracker."

The loud thud of someone landing right next to you startles you, but also serves as an anchor for your psyche. The scarlet-tinted penitentiary you found yourself trapped in begins to dissipate as you slowly look up to see the frustrated man shaking his head at you in disbelief.

"Listen here," he chastised in a harsh tone, "I don't want to do this any more than you do. But you can't just shoplift right in front of a police officer and expect me to look the other way. Kōtarō wouldn't let me hear the end of it if he saw what happened today."

Kōtarō.

Hearing that name dispels the trance that's been holding you captive. You shake your head a little as you steadily raise yourself from the ground, your frenzied panting slowing to a more normalized pace. You look up at the man admonishing you with an appreciative glance.

"Hey, are you even listening to me?" The man's voice is growing more agitated by the second, but there's no time to waste.

"I'm s-sorry," you stutter as you stand up on your hind legs, preparing yourself for one final transformation, "I'll explain everything later, I promise. I just have something I need to do first."

"Don't think I'll let you get away a third time. I won't-" the man's sentence cuts off as his jaw drops, a wave of bewilderment crashing over him.

And why wouldn't he be awestruck? You were equally as mystified the first time you witnessed the woeful yet magnificent transformation sequence.

Unlike a ninjutsu, there were no flashy hand signs or theatrics to accompany this transmogrification. The thick fur that once covered your entire body recessed, and the pale flesh underneath shone as it reflected the harsh wavelengths beating down on you from above. The juxtaposition of the man's sun-kissed skin with your pallid, moon-embraced skin was quite the stark difference to behold.

The sweltering but familiar pain associated with your transformation was positively excruciating today. Maybe it was because of the merciless onslaught of warmth of the mid-afternoon sun. Maybe it was because this was the fourth time in a day you'd shifted. Or perhaps it was because of your nervous system overload, spurred on by the extreme stress of the situation you found yourself in. Whatever the reason, it sure wasn't helping to have a witness to the heinous sin you were committing. Your entire entity was an affront to humanity. A paradoxical creation that should by all means, not exist in reality.

Before the burning in your bones could abate fully, you hurriedly reached into the bag strapped onto your back, rummaging for the wares you had swiped from the pet store. There was no time to take your satchel off and give it a thorough search. With intuition as a guide, you felt around in the bag, moving the supplies you needed most to the top of the pile. The unmistakable feel of the plastic pill bottle and the distinct rattling noise it made when you shook it afforded you a small comfort. Your preparations were now complete.

You were fairly close to your destination by now. You could smell the virulent odors that portended a gruesome truth, a harbinger of death that you were, unfortunately, very well acquainted with. Coexistence with humans always led to this outcome, without fail.

As you drew closer to Kōtarō's scent you noticed a glimmering sparkle next to some nearby bushes. Upon further inspection you recognize the familiar tattered pouch, its strained fibers taut from the weight of the shimmering coins inside. With one swift motion you reach down to grab the bag and then toss it towards the dumbfounded man who has been standing silently in place throughout the duration of your spectacle, without a doubt too astonished to make a move.

"That's what you wanted, right?" you ask, looking back over your shoulder for confirmation. "Well as you can see, or rather smell, I've got more important things to deal with right now. Just take the whole goddamn bag and leave me be, leave us be."

The man was too stunned to even catch the bag you so deftly threw in his direction. Instead it lay on the ground, coins spilling out onto the dirt in a haphazard fashion.

"Wait, miss. Please," the man broke his silence, rasping out his words in an uneven tone, "Let me help."

"Help?" you scoff while turning your body away fully. "That's rich coming from a man who tried to arrest me twice in one day. I don't need your help. We don't need you. So just take your savior complex and shove it up your-"

"Listen, miss," the man pleads as he walks towards you, "I might not be an observational genius like Shikamaru, but I do know a crime scene when I see one. And this," he mutters as he scans the surrounding area with a scrutinizing gaze, "is about as textbook as they get."

You could sense his persistence by the inflections in and tone of his voice. Every second spent arguing with him was a waste of precious time.

"Fine," you reluctantly concede. "You can follow me, but absolutely no touching anything. If I sense even a shred of ill intent, I won't hesitate to shred you into pieces." You flash your devilishly long nails in his general direction while you continue on your way.

An audible gulp followed by a succinct "Yes, ma'am," were the only things to leave the man's lips as he follows you through the thorny thickets.

You spryly weave through the underbrush, the only remaining obstacle standing between you and Kōtarō, with the man following closely behind you. As you emerge through the final bushes you're greeted with a smell that triggers the phantoms of your sordid past to claw their way to the surface once more.

They don't materialize fully though because you feel a brawny hand rest on your shoulder. "Hey," a voice calls out to you. The reverberating baritone keeping the spectres at bay.

"I know I agreed to not touch, but you look like you've seen a ghost, miss."

A quick shudder passes through your entire body, chasing the shadows of the past away, and the world regains its colorful luster once more. For the first time in years, perhaps even decades, you were grateful that there was a human by your side.

"I'll forgive you. This time," you meekly chirp out while taking the final steps towards your friend, hiding your flushed face from the man. "But don't press your luck. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a friend to save."

You squat down next to the mangled body of your beloved kin. The young pup that you'd instructed to keep pressure on the wound was still in the same position as before. This time, you think to yourself, I'm going to save him.

You reach into your satchel and pull out the pill bottle along with the gauze and medical tape. Sure, there were other equivalents to the bandages and adhesives that humans used, but there was just something about these strange, oblong pills that you couldn't replicate no matter how many medicinal plants you gathered.

"You did an amazing job, Hana. Now let me take over," your voice has a softness to it that lightens the mood, reassuring the bright-eyed whelp at your side while also setting your own nerves at ease.

As the pup moves over you take their position, putting a steady amount of pressure over the wound on your friend's leg with one hand. You rip open the package of gauze by using your sharpened nails, hastily pulling out a clump of bandages with the same swift motion. You then lift up your hand covering Kōtarō's wound so that you can place a copious amount of gauze in the area.

Now comes the tricky part.

You have to unfurl the medical tape with one hand while keeping pressure on Kōtarō's leg with the other. The unforgiving stickiness of the tape proves to be quite a formidable opponent for you today. As you struggle with the accursed adhesive, your impertinent spectator shares a proposition that would have enraged you if this tape wasn't already the focal point of your ire.

"You need some help there, princess?" You easily detect the conspicuous undertones of self-assured smugness in the timbre of his voice.

Me? Get help from a human? And why the heck does he keep calling me "princess"? You were disgusted with yourself, but you knew that if there was any situation where you should swallow your pride, this was it.

"Fine, I'll allow it," you spit out in exasperation.

"What was that? I couldn't quite catch what you said," a cheeky grin was forming on the man's face now as he held a hand up to his ear.

Absolutely. Infuriating. This is why you swore off talking with humans. If the situation wasn't so dire you would have slapped that cocky smile right off his gorgeous face. Where does he get off talking to you like that? Wait, gorgeous? How long has it been now since you've found a human genuinely attractive? Nevermind, you have more important things to do.

"You can help," the words meekly escaped your lips. Gone were the twangs of indignation, replaced instead with a humble submissiveness. You knew when to acquiesce. There was no way you'd be able to fix up your friend if you stubbornly held onto your pride.

"Come again? I can help? I guess I technically can," at this point he was practically jeering at you. "Now what do we say when we ask someone for something?"

The incessant taunting was driving you crazy. Your thin veneer of bravado crumbles under the weight of his gibes. You find yourself powerless against the barrage of quips, frustration growing at yourself due to your inability to shoot back an equally sassy retort. 

"Can you..." the words were almost trapped in your throat, stifled by the fragile remnants of your bruised ego, "please help?"

"Alright, alright. I've had my fun," the man replied, his expression changing from jovial to serious as he continued on, "I'll handle cutting the medical tape, so you can just focus on keeping up the pressure on the wound."

You nod your head tacitly as you hand over the roll of tape to the man, your full focus now on Kōtarō. Before you know it, the sticky strands are partitioned off and are ready to secure the tightly packed gauze covering Kōtarō's laceration. After a cursory check to make sure the segments would fully wrap around his leg, you thoroughly patted down the tape in order to affix it.

Good, you thought to yourself, only one thing left to do.

You gingerly reach into your satchel and grab the bottle of pills, the glorious ambrosia of the gods that cured many an ailment. You didn't know what exactly was in those curious capsules, but you did know that they were a most reputable remedy that saved your clan members' lives numerous times over the years.

You shake out a few tablets into your hand.

"So those are the pills that cost more than a steak dinner for two?"

You'd almost forgotten that you had an audience today, and a boisterous one at that. As you lift your companion's head up and gently place the medication into his mouth, you look to your left to see this veritable enigma of a man flash you the most audacious smirk you'd ever seen. 

"I guess that means I owe you dinner," you were surprised by how brazen and unabashed your words flowed out, "I always pay back my debts."

"It's a date then," a brilliant smile emanating out towards you, a gleaming radiance that comforts your weary nerves, "but, I do think you owe me some sort of explanation first."

And there it is. You let out a heavy sigh as you tenderly comb through the knotted hairs on Kōtarō's head with your fingernails, his body resting comfortably in your lap.

"Sure, let me just get him home first. He's had a very long day." You raise your eyes to meet the steely gaze of the stranger whose name you still don't know.

"Of course, but before you go, my princess," the man implored as he reached out to grab your hand, "can you at least answer one question for me?"

My princess? There he goes again, calling you princess. And what nerve to insinuate that you belong to him. You would normally be furious at the implication that you belonged to someone else, let alone a human, but there was just something about his complete disregard for decorum that ignited your carnal desires. Maybe it was because he reminded you of your old alpha, but no wait what are you thinking? There's no way a human could ever be your superior. That was inconceivable.

"Yes?" you answer in a perplexed tone, lost at sea in the endless ocean of your own thoughts, "What is it you want to know, mister...uh.."

"Kiba," he interjects abruptly, "My name's Kiba Inuzuka."

"Kiba Inuzuka," you repeat to yourself, commiting the name to memory. "So what is it you want to know, mister Inuzuka?"

"You can just call me by my first name, y'know. I don't mind," he responded while covering part of his flushed face with his hand, trying hard to obscure the fact that he was turning beet red. "So what's your name? Unless you don't mind me referring to you as my prin-"

"Izumi," you blurted out before he could finish his sentence. "Call me Izumi."

"Izumi, huh?" he looked off into the distance while still concealing part of his face with his hand. "What a pretty name. It's a pleasure to meet you, miss Izumi."

"Charmed, I'm sure," you say matter-of-factly. "Well, I'd love to stay and chat longer, but I have some pups I need to escort back home. I promise I'll be back as soon as they're safely settled in and squared away. Wolf's honor." 

As you beckon Hana and carefully lift Kōtarō's feeble body off the ground you give Kiba a subtle nod, an implied promise of reunion, before setting off.

"I'll be waiting for you with bated breath, my princess Izumi," Kiba whispered to himself while watching the silhouette of your delicate figure slowly fade into the distance.

You'd be positively livid if you weren't so preoccupied. How dare he call you his princess again?

----- TO BE CONTINUED -----

PART THREE