Carvaka

I'd known of these ancient Indian atheists from Jennifer Michael Hecht's Doubt: A History. I don't remember reading this much about them before. They seem to have been near clones of Epicureanism, or modern humanism. 300 years ealier (600 BC), no atomism, also no silly autistically happy gods like Epicurus had, more explicit feminism than I've seen in surviving Epicurean writings (though Epicureans are said to have welcomed women).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carvaka
http://www.humanistictexts.org/carvaka.htm
http://www.swaveda.com/elibrary.php?id=17&action=show&type=book

UPDATE: Indian atomism. I don't know if it's linked to the Carvaka but it's mildly interesting anyway.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomism#Indian_atomism

Health care stats comment page

Page for comments on http://mindstalk.net/socialhealth/

Evil Socialized Medicine

My summaries of some country data.

Male/female life expectancy, and infant mortality
http://lists.extropy.org/pipermail/extropy-chat/2006-June/027824.html

Healthy life expectancy, and years from age 60
http://lists.extropy.org/pipermail/extropy-chat/2006-June/027825.html

Spending
http://lists.extropy.org/pipermail/extropy-chat/2006-June/027828.html

Tangentially:
ER room overload (aka in a real disaster we'll be fscked.)
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/06/15/emergency_rooms_confront_a_crisis_of_patient_arrivals/