i suppose yahoo! and microsoft will still be friends after this...

Saw this while searching 'Bing' on Yahoo! Search today....after the Yahoo! / Microsoft deal was announced. Someone might want to look into this quickly...

You could go to Bing. Or you could stay here and get straight to your answers.

how yelp is going to improve the quality of healthcare and put bad doctors out of business

Once a year I put my body under the metaphorical and literal microscope and visit every doctor my insurance company allows (i.e., gen. pract., dentist, eye, etc.). I do this because in the grand scheme of things, it's just a good idea and staying on top of any potential small problems is better than having to overhaul the entire system.

Well, I have moved since 2008's Doctorfest and was recently faced with finding a new set of explorers to check my vitals. Historically, I have found the doctor search like a blindfolded person throwing darts at a bulls-eye...not always on target. In the last 3 years - at the time of my last search - online "rating" communities weren't robust enough to provide much help (remember, Zagat's was big, but limited to restaurants...and the BBB has always sucked). Nowadays, there are a few popular - and even more niche - social communities that serve to help consumers figure out what's best for all sorts of sellers and services.

I decided to let Yelp guide my search this year, and I'm happy to say that all 4 doctors I chose based on positive reviews (and my PPO) were successful ones...although time will ultimately determine this, of course. (note: beware of extreme reviews of 1 or 5...the 2,3,4 stars are the normal people)

I have informed other businesses in the past that Yelp was my referral mechanism and they have politely asked that I review their stores accordingly. I usually only happily comply when I have a uniquely positive experience and leave the complaints for others (for right or for wrong).

I was shocked however when 2 of the 4 Dr.'s I visited asked unsolicited if Yelp led me to them (at this point they knew I was a new patient). My new dentist even noted that many people on Yelp say they come back because of his dog which roams the office (I won't mention names or question sanitation standards).

Thinking about this more while getting my mouth cut apart and nostrils scoped, I resolved that bad doctors should be very scared! It's a nuisance to keep switching doctors, particularly when you have limits to how many you can visit per given time period...and it's even more annoying to have to: find out whose in your network, fill out all new paperwork, have your history faxed over to a new doctor, etc. It's like saying to the old one, "sorry doc, but you're fired." Awkward!

With my latest Yelp experience, it seems easier to get your doctor right the first time, and it presents a lower "barrier to exit" when you decide to switch (since you know this could thankfully be the last time you need to change). Well, if that's the case, all those crotchety, non-compliant, and no-it-all doctors who think they have their clients (i mean, patients) trapped and confused better be ready to quickly change their wicked ways.

People are passionate about their healthcare and information is traveling faster than ever. 30 second out of the doctor's office and a patient's experience may be posted for the world's review. This is quite powerful and it puts a tremendous amount of control in the hands of patients. So next time you book an appointment with your doctor(s), if the normal 1 or 2-month wait has shrunk to 1 or 2 days, hop online...perhaps you weren't getting a good quality of healthcare all along...

my [near] month as a "vegetarian"

While technically not fully over, and while not technically a vegetarian in the truest form of the sense, I have given up meats (red and white) and eggs, and am avoiding most sea foods - excluding those for sure not farm-raised (i.e., sushi) - for a month.

I am doing this for 1 main reason and 1 subordinate, though I seem to get my message wrong every time I explain to anyone. So here it is: Main reason: Discover non-meat alternatives to my traditionally meat-rich diet. Subordinate reason: get food directly from the [ground] source, rather than raise an animal that eats this ground source - then eat it. This, in theory, saves arable land since it is a more "direct" route from the ground to mouth. I'm not going to try to quantify the "savings" of land area, as any number I'd give would be wrong.

That explained, my experience thus far...

I won't lie, since I didn't cut out cheeses and breads, my diet has included oodles of starches and grilled-cheeses (happy tear). But man cannot survive on Kraft Singles alone.

Giving up meat has been a big undertaking, particularly in certain environments. It so turns out that German brewpubs (surprise!), roadtrip spots, and any lunch menu are commonly rife with animal options and shy with vege alternatives. (note: Subway is your only option between cities while on the road). So veges beware, stay in cities and bring a huge salad and small snacks to work.

I say 'stay in cities' because life outside of the (sub)urban can be harsh. Without Indian, Middle Eastern, Japanese, Southeast Asian, Italian (some pizza, pasta), or pretty much any other 'ethnic' cuisine options, you may be living BYOPB&J. In my hometown in CT and in many places in the Midwest and other regions of the US (mostly those 'on the road'), a house salad or Subway is your only option for 10's of miles...keep your hands off Caesar Salad...it's got anchovies (ick!).

However, where cultures clash - in a good way, there is PLENTY to go around. My top recommendations for meat alternatives are Middle Eastern and Indian restaurants. The vegetarian options tend to have very rich and complex flavors from generations and even centuries of evolution (particularly Indian cuisines...afterall some entire states in India are vegetarian). I find that M.E. and Indian restaurants do not share the same trendy decor as other restaurant types, so if you crave some resemblance to a hip + meaty establishment, Pizza Cafes and Raman or Soba / Noodle joints are great destinations.

While this is probably a terribly obvious and sophomoric set of conclusions and recommendations, I am a boy from a small, white town. So cut me some slack.

A couple local (SF) recommendations from this month --

Pizza: Beretta, Delfina

Japanese: Genki Ramen

Middle Eastern: Ali Baba's Cave

1st post and context

Hey anyone. I'm creating a blog about the things I care about and people may find some common thread with. I imagine most like at least 1 of the following things I enjoy: food, drink, travel, opinions.

Given that this is a first post, it's pretty silly that I'm pretending to write to anyone, because my only follower is myself. Anyway, I'll write and please feel free to respond or call bullshit...as long as it's constructive / thoughtful.

While the Blog name comes from a weekly 'restaurant tour' of SF I'm hoping to build with friends, even if that doesn't take off I'm sticking with the name. (note: '30' refers to meal price)

I'll try to post 1-2 times daily, and hopefully something meaningful comes out of it for you. I'll likely include links to other insightful folks, too, because I don't have most of the answers.

And now...a toast.