Australia just started offering paid parental leave this year, up to 18 weeks at the minimum wage.

Nodding and pointing about all the health insurance stuff. I truly believe that lack of universal healthcare is the biggest barrier to entrepreneurship in this country.

I agree completely. Seriously, I had decent health coverage when I was in the US, and the amount of crap I had to deal with just on the administrative side was ridiculous. (My personal peeve: how the hell can you be covered for seeing only some medical practitioners?)

My old university did not have maternity leave. At one point, they would not allow you to take sick leave (even if you'd had a c-section!). So, basically, people just worked around it. Supervisors would look the other way when people put in for sick leave, as long as they exhausted their vacation. That's some BS, lemme tell ya. I told the General Counsel that they better clear that shit up before I had a kid, or there would be problems! And by problems, I mean a lawsuit.

A while ago I read an article in which the author started off by discussing some British books they'd read. They remembered reading about people who started businesses that operated on a shoestring, or went freelance, etc., and having a nagging feeling that something didn't fit. Then the realization hit - these people weren't agonizing over leaving jobs because they didn't have to worry about losing health care coverage. The article went on to point out how many people might either start small businesses or go freelance if they didn't have to worry about what would happen if they didn't have employer-provided health insurance.

ChiKat, the black and red corset is gorgeous, and it suits K.'s outfit and figure admirably -- she HAD to try it on. Is it all right if she wears it?

Absolutely! Have a great time!!

I'm leaving in a few! Largest Masonic temple in world is site: 7 floors of music, art, performance, burlesque, dancing and debauchery!

I may be a leetle debauched, but the people-watching will be AMAZING. And some good band playing! theatrebizarre.com

Thank you, ChiKat, Jilli and smonster for helping me!

I, umm, may have just snapped at someone's here's friend on Facebook for delusional, misleading statements about socialized medicine. Maybe.

But, dude. WRONG ON THE INTERNET. And clearly lacking the reading comprehension to read the article he'd linked.

Also, and as well, too, to rant further away from BC's personal space, I've experienced wait times like that down here, with killer coverage, and not in the literal sense of the word killer.

And Canada has a bloody military. No, seriously. It does. Please try to tell the families of the thousands of Canadians in Afghanistan RIGHT NOW that the US keeps Canada safe from harm and pays for all its military needs. Tell that to the war vet who lives up the street from my Aunt Olive. Tell that to my Grandfather, who signed up in WWII (and got stuck stationed in country, due to being in his late 30s and having 5 kids under the age of 10, but anyhow).

Can I deprogram him? Please?

Erin, I am so excited for you!! I hope it's a blast. Glad I could help out a bit.

Was it one of my friends? Just so I know if I need to look. Limited Internet time.

Go for it, Plei. I've seen some of that stuff and it enrages me, too. Some of those folks need a major clue-sticking.

No, not one of yours.

I just feel kind of guilty, because he's probably a nice enough guy, but I haven't had enough coffee to deal with that this morning.