One thing I’ve realized since getting involved (in a very small-league way) in local politics is that there are just tons and tons of minor, but influential-in-their-own-way, positions that basically get filled by anyone with enough incentive to find them and get involved. It’s also a great way to get to meet local…

I found the malpractice case information. Gastroenterologists, plastic surgeons, orthopedic surgeons, general surgeons, thoracic-cardiovascular surgeons, and neurosurgeons are all ahead of OB/GYNs for malpractice claims. Where is the rest of the information you mentioned? I’m curious to look at it.

Tort reform is BS and helps no one, and it certainly hasn’t improved the availability of physicians in underserved areas. Working as an OB/Gyn is unpopular because it’s hard to schedule, it’s difficult to have a family life, and because the pay is disproportionately low compared to the hours required.

Oh, for God’s sakes, this again. OB/Gyns get sued more often than other types of doctors (except ER docs) because they are in a high-stakes specialty. They are compensated proportionately. And let’s not forget that most doctors DO NOT PAY FOR THEIR OWN MALPRACTICE INSURANCE. Their practices, hospitals, and…

I look at this guy’s house, and his hairline, and I’m so certain that a ton of money and work went into both of them, and yet they are both so bad.

I grew up near an Amish community in northern Indiana. The standard for the kids there is that schooling ends after 8th grade. They community relies on factory jobs (in Elkhart, IN - the RV manufacturing capital of the world! yay!), which is the only reason that they thrive. They of course limit contact with the…

And when they try to pass laws raising the marriage age to 18 lawmakers refuse because what about the poor unwed mothers or high school sweethearts who join the military. Like it would hurt any of them to wait until they are actually adults to get married.

And are allowed to be raped and have to forgive their rapists if the rapists publicly repent. And, yeah, they are property — they are chattel in an almost-Medieval cult.

Well, to be honest, the Amish are notorious for handwaving the rampant sexual abuse and incest that runs through most of their communities, so these attitudes about their daughters being basically fungible were learned as children.

Yeah, I’m not clear on why the DA didn’t go for child trafficking.

Then again, they appear to be Amish, in a town with a large Amish population. Hard to argue to the jury that selling girls is wrong when the dominant religion in the area views women as property. Religion ruins everything.

Amish thing. The wife is property, the daughter is property, the man can treat em like cattle and they have to smile. Hooray religion.

These people are the product of being raised in what is functionally a religious cult.

It’s almost like religion treats women as chattel.

I lived in the Eastern Province of the Magic Kingdom for several years while working for the Saudi government. I am a white Western woman. I had to cover my arms and legs with the cloak garment called an abaya whenever I was off the residential compound but non-Saudi woman are not required to cover their hair or…

planning to expand the country’s economy... into tourism

Yes. They can do whatever they want with the other properties (Miss Marple could stand a high-quality reboot, IMO) but there is no reason to be remaking any Poirot titles, including Orient Express. David Suchet just finished adapting the final Poirot story a few years ago, and it’s not like anyone’s going to top his…

This. If you paid for something, it should be given to you. The perceived value to an outside party doesn’t matter.

And tons of men buy $300 jerseys without blinking an eye. A dress that is made to order and probably has a ton of lace, sequins, pearls, etc. sewn on it is going to cost more than a t-shirt. Surprise!

Well done, Beth. I live in a celiac household and you have demystified and filtered through a lot of BS. Especially liked your kind sentiment, “That’s not how science works. Or friendship, for that matter.”

Should humans stop drinking milk, or eating cheese? How about cooking or curing meat? Those dietary changes came about as recently as gluten, only once social and technological advances allowed it. Most only came about in the last 10-30,000 years. Gluten entered human diets about 10,000 years ago. Cows milk 7,500…