Interesting Article in the Syracuse Post-Standard this morning.  Physicians banding together to fight Excellus.
Link: http://www.syracuse.com/...

Some Central New York doctors are turning to the Teamsters Union to help them fight what they see as increasingly heavy-handed tactics by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, the area's dominant health insurer.

About 250 doctors have joined Teamsters Local 1149 in Baldwinsville. The local doctors are believed to be the first private practitioners in the nation to join the 1.4 million-member union, according to Steve Richmond, president of Local 1149.

"They are frustrated with insurance companies trying to dictate patient care," Richmond said

IMHO both sides are beginning to reap what they've sown. The AMA was so anxious to get into bed with the insurance companies to fight the Clinton's "socialized medicine" in the early 90's....

A woman I work with got word from her husband today that his ship is being sent to Venezuala for 60 days because the Chinese are "starting to throw their weight around down there."  He didn't give her any other information or specifics - I don't think he knows anything else at this point.  I did a google search for recent info & came up empty.  I did find a diary by Georgia10 from Dec. 26th -  http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/12/26/115228/07
which had a reply from Spiderleaf where a reference was made to the relationship between these 2 countries - "And finally, China is actively interested in securing oil from Venezuala and Chavez was in China in October for meetings to discuss how to do so."  This makes it sound like a friendly alliance.  Are we going just to protect our own interests or is trouble brewing?