Please forgive me for being a little bit distracted this week due to my dad’s deteriorating condition.

But, at the same time, there are a lot of things to take note of.

An editorial in yesterday’s Star-Advertiser rightly called for disclosure of the settlement of litigation against drug companies over excess Medicaid payments.

However, Hawaii Circuit Judge Gary Chang ruled that the “potential for successful alternative dispute resolution” of cases that are still active on the mainland would be “severely jeopardized” by disclosing terms of final settlements. Back in 2006, Hawaii, in concert with other states, had sued 44 pharmaceutical companies for allegedly inflating prices, resulting in drug overpayment for tens of thousands of isle Medicaid patients.

Last Wednesday, the state settled with the suit’s last civil defendant, drug giant Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. Doubtful as Chang’s secrecy order was from the start, surely now is the time to lift it: Drug makers should be made to account publicly for their shameful attempts to bilk consumers and taxpayers via the exorbitant Medicaid costs.

It might have been useful to let readers know the history of opinions by the Office of Information Practices which have consistently held that such court settlements involving public agencies must be open to the public.

The decisions go back to 1989 (Opinion 89-10), and continue through Opinion 92-21, Opinion 02-01, and Opinion 10-01, issued earlier this year.

A friend highly recommended this fun and imaginative response to the Supreme Court’s “Corporations are people” decision that allows companies to dump money into elections. It starts slow, so stay with it! You’ll like it!

Another old friend highly recommends Robert Reich’s new book, Aftershock: The New Economy and America’s Future.

Reich talks about the book in a short Youtube video.

If you’ve got a Kindle, or Kindle-reader software for your phone, iPad, or computer, you can buy Reich’s book today for only $9.99. Or, of course, you can pick up a hard copy online or at a bookstore.

Reich also appeared yesterday on the PBS News Hour (you can choose to watch the video, listen to the audio, or read a transcript).

And have you seen the News Hour’s free App for iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch? A bargain at the price.