Yes, of course, we still get insured, and if all y'all (not just LA, but the other states, too) followed suit, the insurers would have no choice but to adapt to the consumer protection regulations, or go out of business.

FWIW, the insurance business as a whole is more strictly regulated than any other type of business. EVER. I'm not saying abuses don't occur, but more often than not, the insurance companies are held accountable in some way.

The Very Large and Well Known Insurance Co. DH works for pays out 98 cents on every dollar of premium it takes in (according to last year's figures). Its profits come from carefully investing (no high risk per regulation) and buying bonds. When insurance companies take in much more premiums than they pay out in claims, they are forced to lower their rates by state insurance commissions.

You are totally holding out on us about the cheerleader pictures!

Ha! I don't usually full on dress like a cheerleader. Sometimes I just use pompoms. Here's a kind of older picture:

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Yay, lisah!! What does the skirt you have look like?

Damn! I don't like the containment. I like to hear about Teh Schmoop! Well, your schmoop. Bitch Schmoop.

Okay, here's a bit o'schmoop that happened Sat. night. We were at dinner with a bunch of friends (Kathy Astrom among them!) and we were talking about getting ourselves nominated for What Not to Wear or Queer Eye for the Straight Girl. A friend said that we all cleaned up too well to qualify. I said that it took work and looked at the BF and said, "Tell them what I looked like at 10 this morning." Without missing a beat, he looked at me and said, "Great." It melted me.

What does the skirt you have look like?

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Without missing a beat, he looked at me and said, "Great."

awwwwwwwww.

Ooohhh....that's a great skirt! A simple black shirt would work with it if you've got one.

I said that it took work and looked at the BF and said, "Tell them what I looked like at 10 this morning." Without missing a beat, he looked at me and said, "Great." It melted me.

Awwww.

A simple black shirt would work with it if you've got one.

You'd think, and I have a ton of them, but the weights of the materials and colors of black aren't matching up to my liking. (I think I'm focusing my anxiety about the show friday on this one smallish detail.)

Love the skirt. matching the embroidery looks hard. I'd wear it with a red shell or something similarly bright but simple.

I'd wear it with a red shell or something similarly bright but simple.

My dream is a red, satin-y plunging v-neck wrap kind of a shirt. If only I had a designer/dressmaker on call...

If only. 'Cuz that would look smashing.