Every time I check out this thread it's taken another turn - and a bad turn at that.
Whatever happened to the topic at hand?
I thought we were here to discuss Health Care Reform.
If this wasn't in the Community, I'd have to insist that Phyl start cracking her whip!!! 
\
Jan ~
The new health care 'reform' law is a very serious issue that will definitely have an impact on AN patients so I've addressed it from that perspective, albeit with my slant that finds it to be financially unsustainable, unconstitutional and an expansion of government power over private citizens that most Americans will soon find to be onerous and hardly the 'deal' they thought they were getting with the passage of this law. Any U.S. law that states a citizen
must purchase health care insurance that meets 'government standards' or face a $695. fine (this goes into effect in 2014) is a law that should give those who cherish their freedom, something to think about.
That having been said (nearly interminably, on my part, for which I apologize) I think Phyl and others are seeking to 'lighten things up' with some banter that is 180° from the deadly serious tone that necessarily permeates most posts relating to this sea-change in American's relationship to their government. I'm good with that because, as I stated in an earlier post, I'm not interested in debating the merits and/or drawbacks of the new law in the public forum but I've tried to state the realities and why I believe they're going to have a negative impact on us all, in some way, be it with a reduced level of health care
i.e. long wait times for appointments and less time doctors can spend with you, being refused specific procedures or medications you once received, higher taxes and the inevitable long-range impact of ballooning federal deficits that will eventually cause hyper-inflation and a diminished standard of living for those of us who have contributed to society for most of our lives and never expected to have our government become the arbiter of our medical care. Some of us think this is wrong. Un-American, if you will. 'American exceptionalism' is based on the fact that this nation was born of a people who rejected a corrupt monarchy and struck out on their own. America's history does not include kings, emperors or dictators decreeing what is law and how Americans will be forced to obey the decree. Over 50% of the American public was against this new law and the Washington politicians that pushed it had to bribe, coerce and beg members of their own party to vote for it. In some cases, Representatives that did so ignored the will of their constituents. That is not a representative democracy. Many Americans realize this and, details of the new law aside, are irate. Add to that, the politicians attempted demonization of people who publicly protested against the bill as the same politicians try to play the victim by claiming they've been 'threatened' by those against the new health care 'reform' law and you have a very corrosive political atmosphere. No one likes it and I can understand why some posters would rather change the subject, as it were. Because this is an 'open' forum, that can happen. I doubt Phyl will scold anyone for changing the subject from one that is decidedly serious and intense to one that is, shall we say 'lighter'. Frankly, I don't mind too much. However, I assume those who still wish to add a comment that pertains to the thread title will, if they chose. I keep hoping to end my active participation in the thread but new posts seem to make that problematic for me. However, I fear that readers will grow weary of my pontificating so I'll try to restrain my instincts and let the thread play out in whatever way that it will. If that means a lot of lighthearted posts about food and foreign travel, so be it. Still, I trust that the thread has enlightened a few folks and not caused any real friction, because, as serious as this issue is, no one visits the ANA forums to be upset and all of us want to support other AN patients - not argue with them. In that light, I thank those who've posted - civilly, I'm happy to note - and I hope that all future posts on this thread will maintain that commendable level of decorum as we move forward to whatever the future holds for us in this Brave New World of 'universal' health care in America.
Jim
