The profiteers have struck Squeezebox Touch $750

Nwavesailer- Sorry if I was unclear. Medicare Part D (which is optional) only covers a very small part of the my Dad's medication expense; after about a month he goes into the "donut hole" and none of it is covered until he pays thousands out of pocket and then once he's out of the hole, it's covered (but again for only a percentage). It cost him thousands of dollars a year for this one medication alone.

Thanks for the clarification, Swampwalker!

Edorr said: There is a big difference between taking advantage of people in need of indispensable basic commodities in times of crisis, and selling a piece of electronics at market prices.

spot on!

i love free markets and strongly believe in them. i don't think they work 100% of the time. healthcare is a great example. until we figure this out (like most of the free industrialized world has), we're gonna go broke as a country (while the healthcare industry continues to makes a killing).

when people have no choice in buying something (like getting medical attention when sick), the "free markets" provide a license to gouge and/or kill. you can be fore or against this.....but don't kid yourself as to what's really going on.

healthcare is in fact the single biggest root cause of our "budgetary/spending problems in the US". 5-10% annual increases in costs can not be sustained long term by any country regardless of wealth. this fact has been clubbing us in the head for decades but we still try to avoid it. go ahead and debate the solution(s). the problem itself is obvious and irrefutable.

Wow how did we get from Squeezeboxes to health care? Quite a leap in a not very fun direction. Said as I sit here in good health listening to my Squeezebox. A Duet mind you not a Touch.

Doug, I have a home in Danville just down up the street from Chevron San Ramon. The price of fuel varies dramatically within the state of California. People living in the urban areas close to the Richmond refineries pay more than rural areas. The variables you mention are not what affect State wide pricing the oil companies do.

As I said it's what the particular market will bare.