I went through two acute, major episodes of life- threatening illness caused by a congenital condition. I'm VERY familiar with the healthcare industry and insurance companies. It doesn't get anymore real than that.

I'm probably only alive today because I could get insurance, and therefore treatment, at Johns Hopkins, where they used a surgical technique developed in that awful socialist country, Sweden. It's only because of HIPAA and rules regarding group health plans that I was able to keep insurance that wasn't able to exclude pre-existing conditions. <b> We're not talking about anything FREE here, we're talking about expensive insurance that's better than NO insurance.</b>

HIPAA arguably came about because of the Clinton administration's push to at least get some kind of healthcare reform past, and to their credit, the Republicans participated in the compromise.

Lately, I see nothing but obstructionist tactics from the Republicans. I see a group of people who want to gain back their majority status and feel that ANY success Obama has in the area will threaten that from happening.

BTW, I'll say it again-- I'm registered as an Independent, and I mostly certainly HAVE voted for Republican candidates in the past. I'm sure some will say the moderates I voted for RINOs, but I think about that the same way I think about the practice of wearing a jersey of a sports team to work-- it's strictly lightweight entertainment having NOTHING to do with the business of Life.


-Kerry O.

When we were married, the pastor said the line 'What God has joined together let no man put asunder". I was stating that for someone not believing in God, that sentence would not be appropriate.

If its important to you,,just leave out the line 'what god has joined together' so as not to be a hypocrite. I think there are a few different vows which can be taken and people can even write their own.

what if you don't believe in god, should you still get married?

I was dating this girl a while back and after a few weeks or so, she said she wanted to be friends because she wasn't ready for a close relationship yet, or something other to that effect..

I said, ok, I can do friends or whatever, having just come out of a serious relationship... I thought slow is good and perhaps we'll get to know each other if we're only "friends" for a while.

So, we talk for a while and it's been a few weeks since all this has happened. Last night she calls around 11pm and wants to come over and hang out. I put on a movie and we're sitting on the couch "hanging out". About one hour goes by, and the next thing I know without any words ever being spoken, we are in the bedroom having wild and crazy sex..

She tells me when we are done, that she doesn't want the relationship, just friends with benefits.

There was a time, this would have been sweet music to my ears. As I've gotten a little older, I"m just not sure that's what's it's really supposed to be about. I don't know... Is that what it's really all about, getting laid with minimal feeling involved?

well that makes sense, being that the 100 is considered average intelligence. It surprises me to see it in real numbers though, because I really dont know many in real life whose score is below 120.

What I'm talking about doesn't call for bombing by aircraft either.
Not unless the target is identified by an American on the ground with his own eyes. No more of this second hand crap.

I'm talking about conventional, feet on the ground, man to man, face to face, grunt warfare.
300,00o grunts and all the artillery they need!

Yes, but much smarter,,lol

About 5 yrs ago I was dating this woman with a 15 yr old daughter.
One day she was talking about some parents who were arguing with their child. Trying to make the child do right.
She made the comment about how her and her daughter never argued. They were best friends she said.
Well, knowing this woman, I realized that in fact they never did argue.
Of course the reasons were evident to me.
She let the 15 yr old do what ever she wanted.
Boys were allowed to sleep over. (in the same room)
She had no curfew.
She and her friends could drink and even smoke Pot in the house.
The 15 yr old and her mother never argued. Why would they? There was never any parenting going on!

I dumped her!

Then China would become the greatest place on earth!!!