From the answers she got, it is a wonder they didn't table and tell him to come back when he had more information. It sounds like nobody knows, and the plan is to build an inventory to replace computers that break or disappear. It doesn't sound like anybody knows how many they own now or how many of them don't work. I hope there is a plan to collect the old ones as new ones are requested and recycle them properly.

Our present system is capable of the best health care in the world. People come from all over the world for treatment not available anywhere else. Most of them have money. People with money and/or good insurance get excellent health care . What makes the numbers look so bad is the level of health care available, or not, to poor people. Our present system is very much driven by capitalism. The folks with the money get the finest care in the world, the rest of us don't.. Our doctors are the highest paid in the world. That is a fact, and that is why people like our president, the late senator Kennedy, Hillary Clinton, and others, have fought so hard through the years to get the system reformed so poor people also get excellent health care.

The BOE can send out press releases direct to certain reporters, about negotiations, but the NFT can't talk to their membership ? The lawyer, William Cannon, is apparently also the BOE's chief negotiator. The action he has filed is a prohibited practice claim with the state labor board, not a lawsuit. It is a wonder the NFT doesn't file one against the BOE for the press release he put out. They have the better case, in my opinion, and better evidence. I will be amazed if the labor board even hears this complaint. They can put off scheduling a hearing until after the contract is settled and the issue is moot.

Where are you getting the information about clove cigarettes ? The link didn't work. The FDA website doesn't show any new ban on clove cigarettes. There are references to a ban on flavored cigarettes of all kinds, except menthol, on google, and stories, but nowhere is there anything that looks like a new law or regulation. One of the stories makes it sound like FDA is now responsible for "regulating" cigarettes, but cannot ban them. ? The price they get for any kind of cigarettes should scare off most people.

No argument, Docotors should do well, over a million a year may be a bit much, but they need to stop complaining and they need to stop overbilling. The good ones are worth every penny, but, unfortunately, there are some very greedy doctors who do a lot of "defensive" procedures because they make a lot of money on them, then tell us they need them to protect against possible malpractice claims. If you have ever been involved in a claim against a doctor, good luck finding another who will give you an appointment. How do you propose "opening" the insurance market ? There is already competition and the insurance companies are doing very well, making it a practice to only insure very healthy people.

You don't see an ethics problem with an attorney who files a frivolous lawsuit like this, knowing it will accomplish nothing but earn a fee ? It is a clear violation of section 3.1 of the code of professional conduct. No wonder so many people are afraid to make decisions of any kind for fear of frivolous lawsuits. There are penalties for lawyers who file these kinds of suits, but they are seldom imposed. You are right about us being used, every other City department has to get approval from the City's corporation counsel before hiring outside counsel and filing a lawsuit. Bloomberg has the right idea, the mayor needs more control over the BOE.

Where do you look to find an attorney willing to be used like this.? Filing this lawsuit is beyond stupid and it will probably get dismissed before any evidence is taken. I'm betting the attorney is getting paid by the hour, plus all expenses. No court in CT will side with the BOE that the NFT negotiating team holding a meeting with the teachers violates anything. Inviting the press might violate some agreement, but until there is a contract, is any agreement enforeceable ? Proving who invited the press will be difficult, if not impossible.

Doctors do very well, generally, with surgeons averaging over $500,000 a year, and some twice that. Many hold a financial interest in some of the testing that we talk about as being done to protect against possible lawsuits. They also own most of the doctor's liablity insurance companies which pay only a very small percentage of claims. The number of claims is steadily decreasing over the last few years. Expensive procedures on TG's broken arm example don't do much for the broken arm, but occassionally reveal other serious undiscovered problems and lead to early treatment. Too many doctos now overbill medicare and private insurance and that will only get worse until a system is in place to keep them honest.
They make it sound like lawsuits are killing their business, when in fact, that is not happening, and only a tiny number of malpractice suits ever result in big judgements.

It was not my intent to condemn or besmirch anyone. The story is an urban myth, with no basis in fact. You and your source were both taken in by it and repeated it as if it were true. I apologise for hurting your feelings, but I stick to my point that the story is just a story as the statistics are not available to the public. It would be interesting to know if there is any place that leads the nation in medical malpractice claims. I suspect the malpractice insurance companies have the ability to determine that, but they do not share with the public.

Hartford Photographer Jessica Hill took the picture. Nobody should be surprized that someone is shooting pictures over your shoulder. Her stock just went way up. It is an excellent picture.
From her website, this quote; "I am the Photo Editor at the Journal Inquirer, a 40k afternoon daily newspaper in Connecticut and I have been a regular stringer for the AP in Hartford for the past six years."
Sessions of the legislature are "public meetings" and fair game for self-employed "stringers" for AP or MAD magazine. It was a mistake to presume news photgraphers would be strictly focused on the speaker