The Daily R-r-r-ibbit

Former Legislator Makes Statement on Un-Released Eisenhower Brief

This is a pretty awesome disclosure. I've seen enough evidence for the existence of extraterrestrial beings for myself, but it's always nice to hear other people's experiences and accounts. Hats off to Henry McElroy, Jr. for adding his voice:

SEIU - Domestic violence is a "pre-existing condition"?

Insurance companies have used the excuse of "pre-existing conditions" to deny coverage to countless Americans. From cancer patients to the elderly suffering from arthritis, these organizations have padded their profit margins by limiting coverage to patients deemed "high risk" because of their medical condition.

But, in DC and eight other states, including Idaho, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Wyoming, insurance companies have gone too far, claiming that "domestic violence victim" is also a pre-existing condition.

via www.seiu.org

At the end of the article at the SEIU site, there is an opportunity to take action on this issue. As a mental health professional I have worked with both women and men who have experienced violence in their relationships. I find it totally outrageous that domestic violence would be considered a pre-existing condition that would keep a person from getting insurance coverage.

Help end this abusive insurance industry practice. Take action here.

Editorial - Good Sense in Tennessee - NYTimes.com

Safety-minded localities in gun-friendly Tennessee have delivered a blunt and very welcome lesson in gun control to the National Rifle Association. While Tennessee’s ever-obeisant Legislature has enacted a law permitting handguns in all state and local parks, about 70 cities and counties have voted to opt out of this latest lock-and-load obsession from the N.R.A.

via www.nytimes.com

Wow! We, the people, took a beating in the Tennessee legislature last term with several outrageous bills that, in effect, serve to lock people out of participatory democracy. It's good to know there are ways for citizens to get the last punch.

A guide to the coming green geopolitical crises - By David J. Rothkopf | Foreign Policy

Greening the world will certainly eliminate some of the most serious risks we face, but it will also create new ones. A move to electric cars, for example, could set off a competition for lithium -- another limited, geographically concentrated resource. The sheer amount of water needed to create some kinds of alternative energy could suck certain regions dry, upping the odds of resource-based conflict. And as the world builds scores more emissions-free nuclear power plants, the risk that terrorists get their hands on dangerous atomic materials -- or that states launch nuclear-weapons programs -- goes up.

via www.foreignpolicy.com

An interesting survey of specific issues related to security and resource-based conflict. Rothkopf's conclusion:

"The bottom line: A shift away from dirty old fuels is the only path toward reducing several of the greatest security threats the planet faces, but we must step carefully and avoid letting our optimism run away with us. By acknowledging that a greener world will hardly be devoid of geopolitical challenges and preparing accordingly, we may find a path to defusing our threats today, while largely avoiding the inadvertent drawbacks of desperately needed innovation."