That ignorant? The popularity of the World Cup DWARFS anything in the US. Audience for a SB- 180 million or so. Audience for the World Cup- said to be approximately 1.3 BILLION. Despite what you and a bunch of talk show gasbags think the US isn't the center of the universe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SJjioLQIYs


You know, I forgot that ironically my fav Next Gen character Riker, was a trombone player...

By BOTH sides of the hcr debate! I have a rare chronic incurable blood disorder that is related to leukemia. I need to have special treatment by the Mayo clinic and to be on an "experimental" (ie non FDA approved) drug, interferon for my disease. Its expensive about $2,000 a month. My disease is a platelet disorder where my bone marrow makes too many and they don't work right. Therefore I am at risk for stroke, heart attack, bleeding AND clots. Its a silent disease in many ways.
Well, I was diagnosed young at 35 (average age of patients is 55-60). So its very likely I may run into one of those lifetime payment caps down the road.
I also am very lucky I can still work. I had a hard enough time fighting with my current insurance company to get my coverage where it is (they fought paying my first visit to Mayo roughly about $15,000 worth of payment). Fortunately I had proof of insurance from a before, although the gap of 90 days almost made it null and void so I was able to FORCE them to pay for it. Ever since then I've had periodic bouts of fighting with them about my interferon because they wanted to see if I really need it (thank you Mayo Clinic for having my back with these bastards!!).
Right wingers don't want reform and they think that those of us who are chronically ill are freeloaders who CHOSE to make ourselves sick somehow (I've read this). Fine. Whatever idiots.
But it seems those here seem to think that unless HCR is EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT we should not accept it. Thats insensitive to people like me at the very least. THE STATUS QUO IS UNACCEPTABLE!!
Is this bill what I would like? No of course not but its a start. But the people who think that many of us WON'T benefit from losing the lifetime spending cap and the pre-exisiting condition nonsense are fools. Something has to be done.And I'm tired of being pushed to the side and told to STFU, by ANYBODY in this debate that means more to me personally than 80% of the population.

He might be a Cowboy fan ( ) and hate Rush ( ) but I enjoy his posts. They are funny and sometimes really insightful.
I know he thinks that people around here don't notice him much but I do..and he's one of my favorites here...

It would be called "Confessions of a Shoe Snogger"....

It's been suspended until JULY 9th ( tied 10-10 in the 11th inning when it started raining). This is the most bizarre aspect of bball IMHO ... To finish a game months later..

Very funny.I'm sure the millions of people who died in1912 from influnenza laughed to the grave. I have a good sense of humor but as an immunologist who knows way to much about influenza I don't appreciate idiotic humor from those who are insensitive to people dying. I guess Mexicans dying is
Hilarious! Just like all those silly Asians who died of bird flu what a laugh riot.god Americans ate so arrogant sometimes..if it's not here let's make a sitcom!

Just like those evil wolves in Yellowstone park . You are condoning creulty to cats to prevent a PERCEIVED cruelty to birds if you don't see the utter hypocrisy of this...yes you ARE a cat hater and you have little but irrational beliefs to back you up as I dislike unthinking zealots this will be my last response to you

Don't appreciate the musical talent that is Geddy Lee.

We are all okay. Me BB and her two kids. Currently she is in the process of making a police report. Ugh. The jeep is damaged the radiator is leaking and so it's undeivable. We are waiting for a pickup. And the deer didn't die right away. Which upset me.what a way to start the weekend.Neither BB nor I have ever hit a deer before.

Her death has deeply saddened me. I knew her at first from the pets group. She had a wonderful group of doggies and was very friendly and cheerful.
Then she got sick. And I followed her brave posts about her experiences with her illness.
Not long after that, I got sick..to the point where I went to Mayo clinic to find out what was going on with my illness. For those of you who don't know, I have whats called a "chronic blood malignancy". Its not truely cancer but it is related to leukemia..first cousin to it and its possible that the disease I have (where my bone marrow makes too many platelets) could progress to leukemia.
I much feared this last spring. But I thought about Longhorn and what she was going through and how bravely she faced it...and often exchanged notes about our experiences with our illnesses.
Her strength and fortitude really helped me through a frightening time in my life. I clearly remember her posting about being cancer free and at the end of chemo. I really thought she was just going to get stronger and stronger. Obviously the cancer must have returned. I never once thought she would lose her battle.
I wish I could have known her better...and my best wishes go out to her family during this time of grief. She obviously touched a lot of people. I did not know how much her cheery support meant to me until I read of her passing.
RIP Kendra. You will be missed. You made a difference in my life. I will keep fighting my disease, even though its *mostly* under control and not life threatening at this point.
Thank you for listening.

and didn't see/hear the game ( I was crawling past the Delaware Memorial Bridge at 1pm) so I guess I didn't miss much (my "mourning period" was actually much needed sleep).
I think they have a chance cause they are on the road and for some reason this year they play better on the road....

With Obama getting the nod, I think its something we need to discuss.
Me, I lived in pretty liberal area which is very ethnically diverse, and pretty much with the exception of one asshole anti-semitic HS teacher have been pretty lucky in regard.
But this thread in the Lounge, got me to thinking that I am VERY lucky and that my experience is much different that many.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discu...
(posted with permission of the OP)
So I would be interested to hear people's different experiences with something that sadly seems to still be pretty prevalent...

Spent a lot of time working with all my health issues today:
Issue one: the "pre-existing condition" crap. I got a second letter warning me of having this status. After calling my health advocate they said to talk to CIGNA because they probably had the info but hadn't gone through it. I called them and they found it and have now "reprocessed" them. I wonder now what that means but I think it won't be to bad (hopefully).

Issue two: Paying for my interferon. I did get confirmation that they will cover it and I have a new script ready..instead of the $1266 I paid I now have a copayment of $25!!wOOt!

Issue three: I talked to the people at Mayo today..They think that now that I've been on the interferon for a few weeks my body is adjusting so I shouldn't have too many side effects even if I increase the dosages..Which may be absolutely true because I have had almost no problems this week post injection. Now we aren't pleased that although my platelets went down (from 1620 to 1240) they didn't go lower..so we are gonna increase dosages.

*side note* Can I tell you how nice it is to be able to call/e-mail the people at Mayo for continuing advice on how to deal with my meds/issues...with VERY quick and informative responses.

Issue four: I submitted a claim for reinbursement of the $1266 I paid last month for the interferon so hopefully I will get that back one of these days.
All in all, I think there is light at the end of this long dark tunnel I have been traveling through for a long time...

And I don't want him to go. And I wanted all you people who were mocking him, to understand what a big huge loss for DU this will be if indeed he does leave.
Stay Russell!! You are awesome!!