Today we lean that eight states allow insurance companies to use domestic violence as a reason for denying payments on insurance coverage.  (Who works at these companies thinking up this shit and how do they live with themselves afterwords?)

I thought it would be fun, funny, informative and an overall good exercise to create a place where we all can pretend that we work for an insurance company thinking up things to list as possible preexisting conditions for our employer to use to deny a claim.  (If nothing else, we could help those poor souls who slave away at their desks thinking of new ways to screw their customers and kick people when they are sick, injured and generally in a bad way.  They must be so overworked and tired.)

This of course is not intended to make fun of tragedy but rather, to use humor to highlight the pathetic conditions we deal with living in the most advanced, civilized and educated society on the planet while being discriminated against under the preexisting condition of just being an American.

Personal attacks are sometimes OK on TPM.  Yes, or No.  Why?

Cuss words are valid expressions of valuable emotions on this blog?  Yes, or No.

My internal fire to write about daily political events since the election has apparently left me with little to say.  I don't know why this is.  Certainly there are many compelling events and topics occurring on a daily basis that I care about that I can choose from.   Perhaps, Thera, oleeb, coonsey, DD, warped, tt, Marque, debie, bunnie, meguil, Donal, Bwak, LisaB, dijamo, coonsey, Wattree, SJ, and the others I follow have been saying it for me.  Perhaps it's middle aged angst, empty nest, and huge changes in my life leaving me less motivated to write than before.

Sure, I get some cheap pugelistic thrills throwing jabs and hooks at trolls.  After all, a fighter must regularly spare to maintain skills though these workouts aren't resulting in the desire to step into the ring.  Perhaps it's time to retire.  Perhaps it's time to focus on an area that so far seems unaddressed very often on this blog such as environment, wildlife and ecology.

Before I make a personal decision I wish to put forward the following.  This came up in a recent post and Thera suggested that I offer this question as a unique thread.

Looking back at all of our elected Presidents since 1968, until Obama, I am struck by a particular common thread in the personality traits of those men.  All, except maybe President Carter, strike me as men who are driven by deep seated insecurities growing out of a lack of personal conviction about who they are as individuals.  These men all seem to require a great deal of affirmation from those in thier circles in order for them to feel OK about themselves.  My X, a psychologist, I believe would distinguish this as an external rather than internal locus of control, or, on Maslow's heirarchy of needs these men have not achieved the status of fully acualized adults.

Nixon seemed to be a man running from demons and consumed by jealusy and paranoia.  I never developed a feeling about Ford.  Carter seemed comfortable and fully contained within himself.  Reagan felt to me as though he was addressing anger most of the time.  Bush Sr. seemed driven by territory and jealousy.  Clinton, wow...I'm not sure but, I always felt he was kind of a train-wreck with a good heart that needed to often test boundries like a child.  Bush Jr. seemed like he was seeking external proof that he is a good man so he could in turn believe in himself. 

Obama, seems complete and comforable with his self-image.  He seems to know who he is and what he is about.  Aside from his politics and policies, Obama is very different from the kind of personality we typically elect as President.  The self-confidence he displays feels like it is truly a reflection of how he feels about himself.

Given this rather loosely defined thesis, what is it about Americans that we so consistently elect leaders with such easily recognizable and dramatic personality flaws? 

Today I ended my subscription to HBO in disgust over their actions to remove clips from YouTube of the inaugural concert claiming copyright ownership rights.  HBO, do you want to be viewed as a member of our country's community or not?

I will not resubscribe, purchase DVDs, or spend my money on anything owned, sponsored or sold by HBO unless they agree to freely share this historic moment with the world.

It's been seven years since anybody has tried to blow up the World Trade Center, and I always tried to do the right thing.


Yeah, well...Charles Manson thought he was doing the right thing too.

See ya W.  Cry me a fuckin river and don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out.

Melissa Etheridge posted an editorial on The Huffington Post that I think is worth reading in reference to the LGBT and Rick Warren dust up.

What will the Obama administration do about repairing the damage done to the DOJ?  How will they return it's credibility as a non-politicized governmental function?

............one year ago today. Since then, 4,800 points on the Dow have evaporated 1/3 of our capital.
The World Is Making Their Vote For Obama Clear. I look see a worldwide rally in capital markets if we elect Obama. If McCain is elected markets will crash.
The obvious is becoming - obvious.
Obama= Worldwide Confidence

Talk about "cut and run". McCain sure authorized the orders for his troops to use the tactics and he sure left them out on their own on the Ayers/terrorist battle. Just like Bush had Bin Laden in his sights and let him get away, McCain had Obama right in front of him where he could see the whites in Obama's eyes. Rather than support his troops and press the attack forward, McCain retreated and sacrificed his troops for his own safety.

"Thank you."

BAM!!!  right on the button

fight over - Knock-out

It appears that the McCain campaign may have retribution, and violent criminal acts by it nuttiest supporters as they way to change the topic in the news.
McCain is getting close but, his running mate is unmistaeknly traveling that path.
It's getting dicey and going to get worse unless they modify their behavior.  I recall a particularly bad riot in DC, 1971 I think, and have experienced first hand where these things can go - cops beating people with night sticks, dogs, tear-gas, molotov-cocktails, etc.  Here in Omaha, it could easily have gotten out of control during Palin's visit just two blocks from where I live.
People are frustrated, worried about their lives and easily whipped up.
I'm very concerned where McCain intends to take this and for those who may wind up hurt.  
What the FUCK do they think they are doing?

night all

WHAT A FUCKING INSULT TO WOMEN!!!!  I'M FUCKING INSULTED!!!  (I'm a man; a father who never lets his teenage daughter get away with behaving like that to get attention and what she wants.  Great role model Sara Six-Pack.)
Why didn't she just hike her skirt up a couple of more inches along with her winking at the camera?  She displayed all the worst female stereotypes with regard to affecting male attraction.  She was behaving like she just got pulled over by a cop and was trying to use the suggestion of sex to get out of a ticket.
"Can I call you Joe?"  Joe Biden is U.S. Senator who has served this country for 36 years; you uneducated small minded snotty prom queen!!!
She acted like she drank a gallon of coffee before the debate, sprinkled on a double dose of pixie dust; looked in the mirror and said to herself, "I'm so adorable that everybody will love ME!"

The McCain campaign could have Palin breast-feed her baby during the debate.  
I would be surprised if there is a rule against it.  That----would definitely change the headlines for tomorrow!!!!