Decision making (geek, back to the command line, digital archaelogy)

It's time to buy a new computer, and i have spent much time mulling this decision. Some notes from earlier this morning below. I think i have finally decided to go with the simple choice (a new mac) instead of the principled choice (a Frameworks machine for linux). I would like to be the principled, open source, open hardware person but i have Things To Do and mucking about with digital change isn't it.

Maybe after "retirement," whatever that means.

I have discovered i can return my iPad for a $110 rebate, which is about the same as  two hardware security keys for second factor authentication. So, first step is complete that exchange. The next step is to complete that return to get the credit to use when buying the new mac (my current mac seems to have quit talking to its camera, so Apple will just take it for recycling.)

This took waaayyy longer than it needed to.

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Other things bugging me (justice, news, fina)

Stupid insurance  battle between UNC Health and UnitedHealthcare. I wish i had a choice as to which i could ditch. Probably not a good use of time for me to be poking around, but i am tired of reading posts in the community about how greedy UNC Health is being. UHC seems to have plenty of contract negotiation battles on their hands, some of which sound familiar.

• University of Vermont contract ended 1 March 2024 https://www.portermedical.org/news/unitedhealthcare-commercial-contract-non-renewal/-- announced in Oct 2023 after a year of negotiations -- but then resolved with increases to the non-profit hospital system https://www.pressrepublican.com/news/unitedhealthcare-uvm-health-network-reach-new-contract/article_9ecc4a74-d272-11ee-a4ed-ffebc4b51f25.html
• Colombia & Greenville market - Prisma Health and UHC failed to reach an agreement to renew the UHC contract in 2024 https://www.wistv.com/2024/01/05/unitedhealthcare-patients-paying-out-of-pocket-services-prisma-no-agreement-reached/
• North Georgia didn't seem to think UHC was negotiating in good faith in March 2023 https://accesswdun.com/article/2023/3/1173671/nghs-unitedhealthcare-struggle-to-reach-agreement-as-contract-expiration-approaches1 *Last minute agreement with Phoenix Children's Hospital in June 2023 https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/phoenix-childrens-hospital-unitedhealthcare-negotiations-deadline-looms-families-wait-suspense

Google News search * unitedhealthcare contract negotiations past contract expiration date - 61 results * aetna contract negotiations past contract expiration date - 48 results * "blue cross" contract negotiations past contract expiration date  - 41 results