The Final Jeopardy answer last night was "echidna" and I got it right by knowing it's one of only two mammals that lay eggs (and Platypus was not a Greek goddess). So thanks, billytea, for the echidna knowledge I've gathered over the years.

Team Echidna! Though the Greek Echidna was strictly a monster rather than a god.

Not to mention that, even at minors salaries, they can afford to pay for their US care (assuming its not offset by the club, making it more affordable) out of pocket as needed.

That's definitely not the case. I saw what my friend Stéphane was making back then, that team's pay for its non-stars was roughly in the same ballpark as my salary at that time. They'd have wanted insurance or the team to pay so they could eat the month of the doctor's visit.

Yeah, I think as long as they're saying "you have to vote!" But not "you have to vote for Person X!" It's ok?

I am feeling like crap but it's been too hard to sleep, the past couple nights, with the cold I have. So going to bed early isn't sounding great, but neither is "being awake". :(

Stuff here. Yay. Holy crap, so much stuff. Boo.

Day-old coffee, reheated twice: dinner of champions. Wait, not champions, workaholics.

meara, that seems like it's a job for ambien.

Grace was a special form of bratty pill today, probably because she is having a hard time breathing. I emailed her pulmonologist's nurse and then called the doc. Apparently there is a big pediatric pulmonology conference because everyone in the department is out except for a Fellow. I ended up calling her pediatrician and we went there instead.

I then felt bad, like he (the pediatrician) is second string. oops.

Ahaha! Belated parental visit drama!

So I have a flush, basement toilet. So old and all the seals leak and plumbers are all "good luck with replacing it." So I have the water shut off to it and periodically flush it with a bucketload keep the line water-closed, and watch it for backups (first indicator.)

Tonight, glanced at it, saw tp, went, well, fuck. Then I looked closer.someone used it to pee but didn't notice the flush didn't work. Best culprit, my father, the one day he got up before me with my mom and she was showering and like he'd remember the thousand times I said that toilet was a no go. And so wouldn't notice a flush didn't happen (dude dropped my toilet seat every single time, I was afraid he would break the hinges. Almost slamming, could hear it anywhere in the house. Even cats were all wtf..He has broken hinges in their house.)

Ah, my parents. Reader, I bucket flushed and bleached the flush.

There's been talk about a lot of churches (even some lefty ones) really skirting the lines this election, but as others have said, I don't think it's technically illegal if they don't specifically tell you whom to vote for.

Kalshane, because of gut issues, I gave up coffee (and eventually tea) for almost 10 years. My problem wasn't with the caffeine as much as the acidity of it. Kicking it was tough, but it was doable. The first few days were the worst.

Yeah, I needlessly bit a co-workers' head off today because he made a smart-ass comment when I said I couldn't have chocolate at lunch. I need to apologize to him tomorrow. (We all make smart-ass comments to each other all the time, so he wasn't out-of-line by doing so. I was just overly sensitive.) The sedation yesterday probably didn't help either, as my wife informed me tonight that I'm always super cranky the day after sedation, which was news to me.

My gut's more or less better so I can drink it again, but I still only have one cup a day. A second if I am the walking dead.

That's encouraging. Hopefully I can eventually get everything healed up to the point I can "cheat" every so often.

That's definitely not the case. I saw what my friend Stéphane was making back then, that team's pay for its non-stars was roughly in the same ballpark as my salary at that time. They'd have wanted insurance or the team to pay so they could eat the month of the doctor's visit.

It does depend on the the league the player is in, and the age/rank/talent of the player, but while the baseline salary for the American Hockey League is $42,000, the average salary for a player is $90,000. Under the current bargaining agreements, ECHL and AHL players are covered with insurance for their on-ice performance and are eligible for off-ice health insurance, year-round, not just when they're playing.

I'm not saying players stick around the US to make it rain doctor's visits and surgeries, but they are covered by insurance regardless of their citizenship or access to the Canadian single-payer system.

New Orleans: It's like 80 degrees outside and the Convention Center is fucking freezing. OF COURSE.

I was there last week, it was ARCTIC. However, I have learned my lesson from conferences and always dress in layers.