Not sure which will endure longer, the uproar over our June cover that showed, as one reader put it, "a perineal photo of a woman without proper draping" (translation: a non-prurient photo of a surgical procedure where the woman is dressed more modestly than many females on any American beach), or the handwringing over whether RNs should push propofol.

Derrieres and Diprivan. Who knew?

If at first you don't succeed, find out if the loser gets anything.

We used the posed photo of the patient's undraped buttocks for the right reasons. It illustrated the best story we had in the magazine. As for the reaction this seems to have triggered, how is it possible that people who catheterize patients every day, who participate in breast augmentations, colonoscopies, hemorrhoid removals, vasectomies, and all kinds of GYN and obstetric procedures could possibly be offended?

But, boy, as evidenced by the many how-dare-you e-mails and faxes we received, we offended our readers - not so much as nurses and doctors and anesthesia providers, but as women.

"Could the picture of a practically naked woman's behind be any more insensitive and disrespectful to women?" asks a nurse.

"I'm sure the entire readership would appreciate an apology," writes an anesthesiologist.

"In medicine, we may often become desensitized to what we may see in the course of doing our jobs," says an administrator, "but I would like to think that we never compromise patient dignity."

Let me be the first to apologize for the photo on page 46 of this issue. And be sure to cover your eyes when you get to pages 83 and 84.

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Things that matter most should not come at the mercy of things that matter least.

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"Purple is not a good color for humans."

Of the many comments we received for and against nurses administering propofol, that one cuts through all the posturing, politics and passion.

The RNs in the Yes We Can camp are the precious (and vocal) few who are trained and certified to administer conscious sedation in GI suites. If we nurses can do it, they argue, why can't everyone else? Asking that question is like tossing a lighted match on a gallon of gasoline.

Our coverage next month of the propofol debate will singe your eyebrows. We won't put an end to the hand-wringing, but we will take you inside the charred battle lines. And, who knows, we might even show a little more skin.