A Forum for Grinches and Ho-Ho-Hoes

[Replaced_Texan]

Article discussing how these guys are not the reason for the "medical malpractice crisis."

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by Spanky
The problem is the Arabs have never been able to act in concert thereby making them pretty much powerless. In addition, Egypt - against its peoples desires - has reached an accomadation with israel. A united Arab state would have all the wealth and military technology of the Gulf states (and possibly Algeria, Iraq and Libya), Egypts large military force with its professional officer corp, all the Palestianians of Jordan that can't wait to fight, the sympathizers in the West Bank and Gaza, the strategic advantage of completely surrounding Israel and the ability to coordinate all those assets under a unified military command. If that wasn't enough, they could cut off any allies of Isreal from 80 percent of the known world Oil Reserves. A united democratic Arab state is pretty much Israel's worst nightmare.

I think that is essentially what you had in 1967 and the Arabs left with their tail between their legs. The wildcard today, however, is nukes, because that changes the equation dramatically. Hence, don't be surprised if we or Israel take out the Iranian reactor in the near future.

[greatwhitenorthchick]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
80% of Saudi TV audiences believe the US did 9/11 to itself

My brother in law told me when I saw him last that many of his staff thinks this (he is an executive in an Egyptian telecom company). But he said it's all abstract - they have no problem dealing with Americans in a business context and and frequently in social context. My sister told me that some of her driver's beliefs are completely wacky, and yet he's a nice guy - she trusts him to babysit her son and to drive her around Cairo. I agree it's scary that people think this way, but I think for the vast majority who hold these thoughts, it's not out of a burning hatred or anything that would amount to more than words, so maybe we get a little too worked up when we hear these statistics.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
Article discussing how these guys are not the reason for the "medical malpractice crisis."

I've seen that same argument time after time.

But, one thing still puzzles me:

If it's true, why, then, have so many insurers simply dropped all medmal coverage? They still do GL, they still do personal, and, if the article was correct, the bad investments and whatnot would make all lines unprofitable. Yet, it's only been medmal coverage that's been discontinued.

Businesses usually behave rationally. If the medmal business were actually profitable, they wouldn't walk away from it. So, this factor, at least, sort of militates against the Times' reason.

[Spanky]

In the Bay Area in California malpratice insurance rates for Obstratricians is $350K a year. It is definitely tied to litigation. When something goes wrong with a kid everyone blames the obstratrician. On average an obstratrician gets sued once every fifteen months.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
Everyone is afraid of this. The question is what to do. The effort to start democracy in the ME is perhaps somewhat desparate- but the alternative is to wait for the fundamentalists to get so strongly entrenched that some massive war becomes inevitable. I fear my grandchildren will see some version of WWIII with (Islam v. The rest) as the sides.
Don't you- or is there some other solution you see.?

And to the "We are making it worse" crowd- before Iraq Osama was one of the most popular names for baby boys in Islamic countries, 80% of Saudi TV audiences believe the US did 9/11 to itself, etc. "Worse" needs to be seen in context.

Democracy and fundamentalist Islam are not necessarily alternatives.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
Democracy and fundamentalist Islam are not necessarily alternatives.

I was echoing your fears- your fears- your post. What did you mean Ty?

[Hank Chinaski]

http://www.recordonline.com/archive/...2/hinchey2.htm

So why isn't this nonsense on the MSM? This is a NY congressman- either he's insane and that's news, or he's onto something- and that would surely be news. NYT reports of this NY congressman?

"I didn't allege I had any facts. I said this is what I believe and take it for what it's worth," said Hinchey, now in his seventh term. He pointed to the fake documents in the CBS case as well as a scandal involving a leak from the Bush administration that revealed the name of an undercover CIA agent to the media.
"My theory is they came from the same place, which is the Bush administration and Karl Rove," he said.
The White House did not return a call for comment by deadline last evening.
Hinchey said he has no plans to stop making allegations against Rove and the Bush administration.
"What we are seeing is very new and very dangerous," Hinchey said. "No administration has attempted to manipulate the facts and information and to manipulate the news media to distort the facts ... as what we are seeing in this administration."

these two quotes taken together are fun!

I didn't allege I had any facts.
No administration has attempted to manipulate the facts and information and to manipulate the news media to distort the facts ... as what we are seeing in this administration.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
This is a NY congressman- either he's insane and that's news . . .

Your first error.

[Shape Shifter]

"This notion that the United States is getting ready to attack Iran is simply ridiculous. Having said that, all options are on the table," Bush said.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe....ap/index.html

Because our stated reasons for going to war in Iraq were ridiculous, I assume we are going to war against Iran soon. I read somewhere that Ritter says it will be in June. Any other thoughts?

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by Spanky
In the Bay Area in California malpratice insurance rates for Obstratricians is $350K a year. It is definitely tied to litigation. When something goes wrong with a kid everyone blames the obstratrician. On average an obstratrician gets sued once every fifteen months.

Do you have a cite? Because the only one I can find is from the San Francisco Medical Society in 2003 that says that because of MICRA, California obstetricians pay about $45,000 a year. I haven't practiced in the Bay Area in California in about three years, so maybe things have changed drastically. When I practiced there, the malpractice insurance companies loved to set reserves for claims that weren't going anywhere and matters that never became claims, and then they'd charge ridiculous surcharges based on non-existent claims history.

See also, http://www.sfms.org/m_brief.htm though I can't find a publication date on this article, though it looks like it was before Proposition 12 passed here in Texas.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Shape Shifter
Any other thoughts?

Bet for August board coverage? War by 7/31/05. Adder already has US troops invade Syria and Iran by 2/20/06.

[Shape Shifter]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
Bet for August board coverage? War by 7/31/05. Adder already has US troops invade Syria and Iran by 2/20/06.

How are we defining war? We're (meaning us, Israel, or both) obviously going to hit their nuke facilities. I'd be willing to bet we already have CIA and Special Forces guys there now. I think we need to define war something that attempts imminent regime change.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Shape Shifter
How are we defining war? We're (meaning us, Israel, or both) obviously going to hit their nuke facilities. I'd be willing to bet we already have CIA and Special Forces guys there now. I think we need to define war something that attempts imminent regime change.

I think it’s very important to make charges like that ... I think it’s very important to combat this kind of activity in every way that you can, and I’m willing, as most people are not, to step forward in situations like this and take risks.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Shape Shifter
I think we need to define war {as} something that attempts imminent regime change.

Like an election?