Sorry, Mike - I thought you were aware of the continuing and apparently endless fight going on with regard to ethics regulations - and lack thereof - at the Roundhouse. Or even the regular indictments of state personnel.

With regard to my saying it was "okay" for people to do unethical things because they weren't the only ones - you misunderstood. What I was trying to say was that, when you're in a highly motivated, corporate spirit group, all doing something that's frankly evil - you may not stop to give enough thought to just what it is that you're all doing. And when you do, there's that mortgage, college funds for the children, and their orthodontia to help you look away again.

It's not right to think this way - but it's all too human. I'm encouraging a certain amount of understanding, of empathy here, not exoneration.

So I'll "change my tune" when someone I love dies due to lack of health care? Mikey old boy - I myself fully expect to die for lack of health care. I'm in those delicate years where I'm too young for Medicare but too old for an individual private insurance policy. Age has got to be it - I've got no pre-existings, in excellent or better health, and no dangerous hobbies. Lucky for me, I guess...

... is inexcuseable? I tend to agree. It's time we saw an end to the military-industrial complex as well, tobacco companies, mining companies, fast food restaurants, snack food manufacturers, and all professional sports (who encourage everybody not on the field to just sit in front of the TV or in the stands, consuming unhealthy food and drink plus vicarious action to excess.)

Personally, I hope Wendell Potter continues his crusade to expose his erstwhile industry and work towards his own personal redemption. I'm not going to condemn him while he's doing it.

The liberal circular firing squad - we hate one another's motes more than our opposition's beams.

Is this the new America?

... that "saving the woman" means cutting off the boobs...

If the socio-economic status (SES) is thought to be the factor, WHY NOT ANALYZE the birth data by SES, and secondarily by birth date?

Presumeably, the researchers have all the data they need; after the first-cut analysis and resulting speculation as to causes, they need to actually do the analysis that would suggest whether these causes (SES, age & marital status of parents, etc) actually are significant.

Half-baked research. Watch out for salmonella.

And don't get me started on what's classified as "unfavorable outcomes" ...

Although Guinness did pioneering work in statistics, with its "Guinness Draught" containing the little dealie, it went a beer too far. Flat and foul-tasting, at best. If you like dark brews, stick with the Stout.

MHO, of course.

C'mon! "Bandaids and aspirin"?!?

If the wingnuts want these items, they need to buy them for themselves.

Retail. Anything else would be un-American (by their lights...)

====================

By the way, thanks, Canadian Geezer for providing the perspective from a close neighbor and friend. Here in the US, it's like the proverbial frog on the Glenn Beck show - being slowly boiled alive with no sight of an escape path. (In contrast, Al Gore's frog is eventually rescued - the difference between right wingers and liberals, I guess.)

Plus, being dumb as a bag'o'hammers has become, somehow, the American Way in recent years. We really don't WANT to see how anyone else does anything. We're Murk'ns! (sigh)

" ... how do we get a referendum on the ballot ..."

We don't. The Constitution doesn't allow for national referenda, like several states do. Good luck getting a Constitutional Amendment through to change that!

I personally have misgivings about the referendum process, given how it's worked out for California.

And, to top it off - Congress has employer-provided, privately-supplied health care like "everybody else" (oops). They may get a bigger selection of plans and not have to pay as much of the premiums as most of us, but they're not on some special gold-plated deal, like the elderly and veterans are, or the residents of the civilized countries.

Who are we kidding? For the last few decades, the US military is never blamed for anything, at least by Americans.

The military is not "blamed" when things go poorly or disastrously wrong in Iraq or Afghanistan. The military is not "blamed" when it bombs wedding party after wedding party. The military is not "blamed" when it's discovered torturing suspects, even to death.

Blaming the US military for anything is tantamount to treason in These United States™ (a registered trademark of the Republican Party) these days.

If our elected government (Congress and the President) order the military to withdraw from Iraq or from Afghanistan or from anywhere else, and this is somehow designated "defeat" - the military will not be "blamed."

... on Simpsons vs the Family Guy. If you were turned off by Dumb Homer monopolizing all the plots, why would you prefer Peter?

And what's with all the misogyny? The ultraviolence that just goes on WAY too long? American Dad is just the same; only difference is that the stupid dad character wears a suit.

Oh - getting back on topic: cabin temperature - at least if it's too cold, you can huddle beneath a blanket or coat. Makes it easier to sleep, too.