You know, speaking of death panels, it also drives me INSANE that people genuinely believe that the U.S. government would willingly kill off senior citizens or the terminally ill or people with Down's Syndrome. I mean, really? REALLY?

I may need ice cream to soothe my rage.

meara, isn't your employer a pharamceutical company?

Heh. Better yet...it's from the parent company of my company (mine is not a pharma)...the parent company is an INSURANCE COMPANY!

Which, BTW, gives me shitty insurance.

I am going to develop a PUA-like system to snag a sap into paying my expenses and running my errands in exchange for gracious smiles and pats on the head.

There's argument to be made that rage can be a kind of addiction for some, which would explain the Becks and Coulters. I find that I can just chip once in a while with the good stuff, you know, for the fun of it.

And , although I get where your friends are comming from Stunthusband -- fear is like rage. Unless directed into action , it isn't helpful. I have loved ones that get both ragey and fearfilled. I can't talk them out of it, but I can suggest action ( including in this case - research)

I totally agree. The action I'm taking to avoid blowing up (almost literally; sometimes my blood pressure gets so high I'm sure I'll pop like a balloon - both the Reasons have witnessed me in this condition) is to educate educate educate them.

I may "win" by helping them off the fear-ledge. I hope so. For their sakes, not just my own. I'm afraid of a rash of suicides amongst newly-hopeless men I've known and loved for 20+ years.

In somewhat different news, WTF, Rhode Island?

I totally just emailed my member of Congress, even though I know she's totally on my side of every issue. Hilariously, one of the areas you can check off for more information is "Hellenic issues." I live in a traditionally Greek neighborhood.

I'm just wondering how the town hall meeting that Obama is doing in New Hampshire today will go (or went). I mean, it's one thing for assclowns to damn near riot in a meeting run by a member of Congress, but you know that Obama has many, many Secret Service people with him, and they ain't gonna tolerate any violence in Obama's general vicinity.

I desperately want to see healthcare rioters get smacked down and arrested.

If Henry Louis Gates could get arrested for "disturbing the peace" in his own house, then surely the healthcare rioters qualify for a good old-fashioned smackdown by the long arm of the law.

one of the areas you can check off for more information is "Hellenic issues."

I am NOT GETTING ENOUGH BAKLAVA, DAMN IT!!!! There ought to be a law!

Actually, reading those statistics closely, it appears that most of RI is in the 420 area code....