Speaking of wrinkles and facial expressions....

Calling it Trump's could end the Afghanistan presence, or the Trump administration. These might be mutually corrosive enterprises.

I have never seen a human being mince with the ferocity of that one TV weatherman from Joplin, Missouri in September of 1989.

The future of the presidency.

Choose one or the other.

Choose one or the other.

Burge's judgment is affirmed...

...But the contrasting sentiments deserve your consideration.

Miller notes an irony.

A good quote from Pinker.

Crid, you find the most interesting things on the Twatterverse and bring them straight to us. I'm almost, but not quite, ready to call you Uncle Cridmo.

Mangled genitals, baby!

News hosts shocked into near-silence as Trump protester is shot in GROIN with rubber bullet as police open up with tear gas canisters on crowds after Phoenix rally

When it rains, it pours, literally.

https://twitter.com/Zuki_Zucchini/status/900203771711586305

mpetrie98, this is why I spent last night watching porn rather than deal with these morons(most of whom came in from out of state, [same for Trump supporters]) , local morning talk radio should be fun though

Kennedys being Kennedys:

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/columnists/howie_carr/2017/08/carr_kennedys_behaving_badly_you_dont_know_who_youre_messing_with

Not only Star Trek and Star Wars predicted the future:

https://twitter.com/NorrinR08660561/status/900219813661954049

And of course vegans forced the firefighters to apologize.

http://dailycaller.com/2017/08/23/british-firefighters-eat-pigs-they-once-saved/

The airlines will save billions. Billions, I tell you!

Ex-CIA operative tries crowdfishing for stupid people.

UXB

I'm going semi-public with this as a form of protection, but kind of on the down-low here.

I just feel creeped out. Intuition is often bullshit but it can also be a sign of pattern recognition that adds up to something.

It seems there's something weird and troubling going on at Ka*ser HMO. I asked for a drug that is not on their formulary because the one that is has been shown to increase the risk of cancer. They refused to cover it. I was allowed to give an "oral presentation" of the science supporting my position on the drug they give and a healthier more symptom-relieving option.

The panel listened to me present copious evidence, asked me not one question afterward (like were the studies randomized controlled trials, number of subjects), didn't have specialist there who deals with the particular area, and simply called a doctor afterward and asked him what the plan's first standard of care is. They refused to tell me who this doctor was or who was on this tribunal.

Being me, I figured out who the doctor was, talked to him, presented the science, and he presented to his department head. They waived the cost of 200 mg of the 300 I need and said 200 is the standard of care and there isn't evidence supporting its safety. There's plenty of evidence and is is the standard of care, and I sent an eight-page memo to the department head this weekend. The 300 mg alleviates my symptoms and frankly, gave me my life back. I've been needlessly exhausted and foggy for a number of years.

I ask that you not guess what the drug is because I'm writing a piece on this.

My other goal is to go to the CA Medical Board to force the provider to disclose to patients that the drug they've been prescribing has been shown to increase cancer risk and to cover the drug that is healthier. Additionally, they've been conflating two conditions that are not the same endocrinologically. I want them to stop doing that and change their standards of care.

In order to make this protest, I need my case file. I requested it August 2. They said they had to mail me a letter and a form for me to get the case file. It is now August 24. I only have the letter because one of their social media guys emailed it to me (he probably got in trouble for that -- so I'm guessing). I still do not have the form to request my case file. Meanwhile, August 14, somebody sent me a book from Cambridge, in the UK. I got it on August 15.

I have been calling their grievance people with whom I've spoken on the phone a number of times. Libby, Elinora, JJ. None of them will call me back. They seem to be stalling on getting me the form I need to pursue this -- not just for me (because I got the drug I need -- most of it -- and at a covered price rather than for the over $100 it would otherwise cost). I want all women to know this and to have access to the medicine that does not increase cancer risk and alleviates their symptoms.

I also wrote to their media person at Kaiser and sent copious questions. I got back what is basically a form letter.

Tonight, after filing another complaint, I started to get scared.

To put it in comic terms -- just to calm myself a little -- my spidey sense is way tingling. Something is up here. I'm scared. A big HMO doesn't just refuse to call you back when you have a grievance. Nobody there will talk to me.

I don't think life is like TV and armed intruders will sneak into my house, but something just doesn't feel right.

I realized that the best way to protect myself right now -- apart from telling Gregg and maybe asking a lawyer friend about this -- is to go semi-public with it.

Again, I'm writing a piece on this that I want to make a national and international impact, so I'm not going to say more now. But you all who come here regularly are my family to some extent, so this feels like a good place for it.

I'm so sorry I've been so tired for so long. I wish I knew then what I know now, and I think others will be helped with what I publish.

Is California right?

The land where the slap stickers on everything saying this product is known to the state of California to cause cancer?

Find a way to use that in your favor