They started selling Vernors here in Minnesota, but only in cans. IMHO, the can ruins the flavor - making it no better than any other ginger ale. :-(

I’m from Mich. too. Used to make runs to the Fanta distributor in Detroit to restock the pop machine.

They just stopped selling film (and cameras that use it). Apparently, the story did not end there:

Let’s take a quick survey of the Attorneys General and transporting health coverage across state lines:

ATTORNEY GENERAL SWANSON FILES TWO LAWSUITS AGAINST COMPANIES FOR SCAMMING CITIZENS INTO BELIEVING THEY WERE PURCHASING HEALTH COVERAGE AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE

Swanson, Board Sue Chiropractic Clinic For Predatory Lending Involving Health Care Credit Cards
Attorney General Issues Alert Cautioning Public About Pitfalls of Health Care Credit Cards

ATTORNEY GENERAL SWANSON SUES NATIONAL ARBITRATION COMPANY FOR DECEPTIVE PRACTICES
Minnesota Company Is Listed In Millions of Fine Print Consumer Contracts Nationwide

A.G. ANNOUNCES SETTLEMENTS TOTALING OVER $2.2 BILLION WITH PFIZER; ONE IS THE LARGEST HEALTH CARE FRAUD SETTLEMENT IN HISTORY
ILLINOIS JOINS 49 STATES, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN LANDMARK $2.3 BILLION AGREEMENT WITH PFIZER

A.G. ANNOUNCES FELONY MEDICAID FRAUD CONVICTION AGAINST FORMER MONTGOMERY BUSINESS OWNER

That depends on the sector you are in. Once Bush abandoned anti-trust law, mega-mergers were destroying jobs by the tens of thousands. Off-shoring eliminated many more.

The Bush economy was always a house of cards, built on a number of irresponsible and unsustainable conditions. It’s collapse, and the end of that false sense of prosperity the right-wing likes to cling to, was always inevitable.

Having read the previous articles, which have lots of good information and opinions I had not heard before, I have to say that I am NOT in favor of allowing health insurance across state lines. Regulating across state lines would be a nightmare of bureaucracy, and raise indirect costs.

I am all for fair and honest competition, but I am also for state sovereignty in situations like this. Each state regulates health care according to it’s own priorities, sensibilities, and experience. If a health insurance company wants to do business in my state, then let them come in and set up shop. As long as the business they do in my state is bound by our regulations, and subject to our state taxes, and they can be sued in our state courts, then welcome. If I have to go to another state to face an arbitration panel, that is a big problem. If they are bound by the lesser standards of another state, that is a problem. If going across state lines brings them under weaker federal regulation, that is a problem. If they can come in and “game” our system, that is a problem.

It seems to me that crossing state lines is more about evading state laws and regulations than about fair competition. It does not represent more than a superficial fix to the deeper problems we currently face in our system of health care.

Here in Minnesota, we are having a somewhat different reaction… ;-)

Did that finally go through? Last I heard, the Chinese government had blocked the deal. Environmental concerns was believed to be the main reason, confusion over patents was also mentioned.

And no, the world really did not like Bush backing out of the Kyoto Accord. If you check the list, you will see that “most countries” are indeed concerned about global warming. In fact, we are the only country opposed to doing anything.

Just what is it you think Obama promised, Mary?

Sunlight Before Signing: Too often bills are rushed through Congress and to the president before the public has the opportunity to review them. President Obama will not sign any non-emergency bill without giving the American public an opportunity to review and comment on the White House website for five days.

This is actually pretty bold, considering that the President only has 10 days to sign a Bill or return it to Congress.

Granted, his web people suck on the execution end, but the mechanism is there somewhere - I’ve run into it a few times myself.

He did not make any promises about posting bills still in Congress, that is already done by the GPO. It helps a lot to have the specific bill number. The Congressional Record can also tell you what is being said on the floor of each chamber. I have not done much searching for committee minutes, so I’m not sure where the best source is for what happens in committee. Maybe you can ask during your next call.

Liz. You mentioned a survey in “Business Week”, but I did not find any reference to it on their web site. Could you please give us some reference links?

“Alllrighty then.” - I can just hear Jim Carrey now… LOL!

You left out the part about GWB started handing out exemptions to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. I am sure that Iran and North Korea both found encouragement in that little head-scratcher.

One thing we had working for us then that we do not have now is a trade surplus. That disappeared under Reagan. Every year we send hundreds of billions of dollars in wealth out of the country. This is a form of economic bloodletting that weakens the country.

Oops… Spell-checkers cannot help me now.

Look closer, it’s not the real North Pole!   Honest!

Look closer, it’s not the real North Poll!   Honest!

LOL! Now THAT’s a hoot!