Outage...and Outrage

Big news today was that Google, the Heart of the Internet, was down for more than an hour. Gmail addicts like this author, and users of other Google services including search were left to get some sleep (in the U.S.). Given the load on Google, the site is quite remarkable in its up-time.

With the economy's distress, people's distress compounded by the high and rising cost of health care is getting everyone worked up. Suddenly major health care firms are offering some "freebies" in an attempt to thwart legislation on the issue. Pfizer announced that it would provide 70 of its most widely prescribed drugs, including Lipitor and Viagra, free to people who have lost their jobs and health insurance. The company said it would give away the medicines for up to a year to Americans who lost jobs since Jan. 1 and had been taking the Pfizer drug for three months or more. The move could earn Pfizer some good will; it has long been a target of critics of drug industry prices and sales practices. The program might also help keep those patients loyal to Pfizer brands.