An Update Of Sorts

Some of you may know that I lost my health insurance on Saturday.  I was on long term disability for my Tourette's Syndrome and PTSD.  My long term ran out on October 15th.  When it did, so did my insurance.  

I received a call from MetLife this morning.  They got a fax from my surgeon last week.  Based upon the information in the fax, they have decided to keep me on a disabled status for another 29 years!  Until I turn 65.  With my spinal issues, and the corresponding nerve damage, I have been diagnosed with radiculopathy.  Both my surgeon and my long term disability provider have decided that, in my current condition, I am unable to perform any job, in any capacity, that would pay me 60% of my last job, for the rest of my working adult life.

That being the case, the health insurance for my family has been reinstated effective immediately.

Speaking of my nerves, pain has increased substantially to all extremities.  It hurts to sit, walk or even lay on my side.  Pain shoots through my fingers as I type.

I think you know what I'm getting at.

I LOVE THIS WEBSITE.  It is my baby.  I am literally prolonging my recovery by continuing to write.  For the moment, I cannot continue to do this any longer.

It is killing me that I have so much that I want to talk about, but I don't have the time or energy to type out.  At the moment, I have two Google Chrome pages up on my laptop, each with over 30 tabs open.  As days go by, tabs get added, and my computer runs slower than the day before.

I don't know how long this silence will last.  Days....maybe weeks....but I need to take care of myself.  I have to spend this time flat on my back, watching television or reading a book.

If any of you would like to keep in contact, you can reach me the following ways:

Twitter:  @TheTwitchOnline

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/thetwitchonline

Thanks for reading.  I'll write again when I can.

I love you all.

Adam

Uncomfortable Newspaper Article Of The Day (Photo)

 I heard the paper is coming out with a new feature next week called "Know Your Bigot".

(Source)

Protest Sign Of The Day - Republicans Want To Create Jobs (For Your Fetuses)

This sign is from a Walk For Choice protest held in Gainesville, Florida, back in February.  Though it's eight months old, I thought it's message was especially poignant.

Last month, President Obama released The American Jobs Act, a bill that House Majority Leader Eric Cantor publicly called "dead" before it even reached Congress.  Last Thursday, the political party that has been shouting from the rooftops that job creation is their number one priority, spent the entire day debating a new bill.  Was it an alternative to President Obama's job's bill?  Was it an economic stimulus plan?

No.  It was an abortion bill.

The House of Representatives debated and passed the Protect Life Act.  Many critics call it the "Let Women Die Act".  The act essentially does two things.

One, it mandates that no tax payer funds go to fund abortions.  Essentially, they're making a law to back up an existing law.  It would be like Congress holding a special session to write up legislation making murder illegal.  It's already illegal.  Taxpayer money hasn't funded abortions since the early nineties.  They may as well have called this portion of the bill the "Act of Redundancy Act".

The bill also makes it illegal for women to buy health insurance plans for themselves that cover abortions under the Affordable Care Act, also known as the Obama Administration's Health Care Reform Act.

The most controversial and disturbing part of the legislation is in the freedoms it grants to health care providers.  Current law requires hospitals give patients in life threatening situations the care they need, regardless of financial situation or their moral stance.  The Protect Life Act would give an emergency room in, say a Catholic hospital, the right to refuse to perform an abortion on a patient, even if it meant that she would die as a result.

It's likely that the bill will not make it through the Democratic controlled Senate.  If, somehow it does, there is a strong chance that President Obama will veto this monstrosity if it ever reaches his desk.

As I was writing this article, something hit me.  Every single Republican presidential candidate says that their priority is "job creation".  In fact, there was a period of about three months where, regardless of what question you asked Michele Bachmann, she refused to answer it.  During every interview she said that 1.) She was running for the presidency of the United States, and 2.) she was "there to talk about job creation".  It was as if she was a prisoner of war, and she was giving her name, rank and serial number.



Interesting fact: Since announcing her run for the White House, Bachmann has missed 46% of the votes in Congress.  She hasn't cast a single vote, in fact, since the first of August.  Yet, on October 6th, she introduced a piece of legislation called The Heartbeat Informed Consent Act.  It requires abortion providers to show the fetus on an ultrasound to the mother, and play it's heartbeat before the abortion is performed.  Under the law, if the health care provider refuses to show the images or play the audio, they would be subject to a $100,000 fine.

According to Republicans, this is "job creation", folks.  And you wonder why there are thousands of people camped out in New York City.  What bullshit.

Dan Wheldon, 2011 Indy 500 Winner, Dead In Las Vegas Indy 300 Crash (Video)

Dan Wheldon, the winner of this year's Indianapolis 500, died earlier this afternoon in a gruesome 15 car pileup at the Las Vegas Indy 300.  On lap 13, as ABC was broadcasting from inside his vehicle, his car became airborne, flew approximately 200 yards, and landed in a catch fence outside of turn two.

Three other drivers were injured in the pileup.  Wheldon was airlifted to University Medical Center, but the injuries he sustained proved fatal.  The other drivers were not notified of his death until after the race.  Following the race, the drivers took part in a five lap salute in his honor.

It is the first Indy Car fatality since Paul Dana's death in 2006.

While the video below does not show any blood or dismemberment, it is a violent, violent, crash.  Viewer discretion is advised.



Dan is survived by his wife Susie, and his sons Sebastian and Oliver, who was born in March of this year.  Our hearts and thoughts go out to his family and friends.

Having A Hard Time Getting Motivated Today

I have been M.I.A. for the last two days.  Jessi is off from work on Friday and Saturdays.  With recent events, we spent most of the weekend sorting things out and trying to spend as much time together as a family as we could.

Last week, I tripped over Lennon in the living room, and fell into the couch.  I don't know if I twisted or bent my back, but it certainly feels like things are worse.  I have some residual nerve damage through my arms and hands.   It feels like I have I have knives opening up the outside muscles of my forearms.  It's extremely painful.

At the moment, I'm hopped up on Soma and Dilaudid.  Soma usually gives me nightmares if I take it before bedtime.  I have never tried the medication while awake.  It does a decent job at easing the pain, and an amazing job at making me care shit less about anything.

It may take a few hours or a day or two to get back into the swing of things.

As If There Isn't Enough Crazy In The Republican Race, Ron Paul Has Fake Eyebrows? (Photo)

Since the Republican presidential candidates themselves offered nothing of substance at Tuesday night's debate, journalists have been left to ask the hard hitting questions facing America's leaders themselves.  Like, "What the fuck is going on with Ron Paul's eyebrow?"

If you look closely, it appears that his right eyebrow is falling off, and there is a smaller, less noticeable eyebrow underneath.  (I believe that's called moulting.  He's shedding his skin.)  It is unknown whether the image is the result of a cosmetic prosthesis, or a bizarre optical illusion.  In any event, with the lack of attention Paul's campaign has been getting in recent weeks, this latest development has been raising eyebrows.

When reached for comment, Paul's campaign spokesman Jesse Benton claimed that even the hinting of such cosmetic attempts "stupid" and "insulting".  He did say that "Dr. Paul's allergies acted up a touch".  I have no idea what that means in context to a question about fake eyebrows.  

Some suggest that Mr. Paul may be artificially enhancing his brow line to compete with the striking, bushy brows of rivals Rick Perry and Mitt Romney.  I personally find it hard to believe that someone would intentionally attempt to make themselves resemble your crazy estranged uncle.

On a personal note, I hole Ron Paul in the highest regard, and welcome our future alien overlords.  (I'm kidding of course.  On both counts.)

Protest Sign Of The Day

Easily, the most elaborate protest sign I have ever seen.  It's so big, it had to be mounted on a crutch.

Update On Walmart's Failed Negligent Homicide Of My Family

I wrote an article on Sunday on how due to Walmart's negligence, my family could have easily died in a horrific fiery accident.  Our Scion is so damaged, that the local Toyota dealership refuses to release it to us without the repairs being made.  Otherwise, if we were to drive it, and get in an accident, the dealership would be liable.

The Walmart location that initially replaced our tire, and caused the damage to our car, filed a claim with their insurance company.  The claim would also take care of the rental car that we were renting from the dealership.  Between the repairs and the rental, Walmart should have been responsible for approximately $1,000.

Well, we received a phone call this morning from Walmart's agent.  They said that since Toyota is unable to prove that the damage to our car was made by their error.  In their opinion, it could have just as easily been done at the time of the tire's blowout.

So....we owe a grand on a car that is days away from being repossessed.  Not to mention the fact that our tags expire on Saturday.  That's another $180.00.

Come on!!!  What else you got?!?  (not like we have the money or patience to deal with any of that shit)

Octopi Wall Street (Photo)

(Source)

Church Sign Of The Day

Isn't forgiveness great?

(Source)

Remembering Matthew

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Matthew Shepard today.  Thirteen years ago, on the night of October 6th, at approximately this exact time in fact, Matthew was offered a ride home from the Fireside Bar in Laramie, Wyoming.  Shortly thereafter, the two young men that were driving him home, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, tied Matthew to a fence and mercilessly beat him.  They took the twenty dollars and the credit card he had from his pocket, and left him to die.

Matthew was found more than 18 hours later by a passing cyclist and admitted into the hospital after spending the previous night in near freezing temperatures.  He was in a coma at the time he arrived at the hospital.  He never regained consciousness.  At 12:53AM on the morning of October 12th, he was pronounced dead.

While family and friends mourned his passing, Fred Phelps, and the members of Westboro Baptist Church protested Matthew's funeral.

The murder of Matthew Shepard became a catalyst for hate crimes legislation across the nation.  His mother, Judy, quickly became one of the country's most vocal spokespersons for LGBT rights.

It wasn't until 11 years after Matthew's death that hate crimes legislation was adopted on a federal level on the basis of sexual orientation.  The Matthew Shepard Act was signed into law by President Obama on October 28, 2009.

Matthew would be turning 35 on the first of December had he still been alive.  So much has happened in the way of gay rights, just in the last few years, that it makes you wonder what Matthew may have been doing today.  He could have been a father.  He could have been married.  He could have lived a life that seemed impossible for a young gay man in 1998 Wyoming.

Such a heartbreaking loss.

This Is NOT Elizabeth Warren... (Video)

But it might as well be.  If she said what was really on her mind, I'm sure her campaign videos would look much like this:

I want a revenge voucher.

Protest Sign Of The Day

Fox News' Chris Wallace Calls Out Rick Santorum On His DADT Arguments (Video)

After Sunday morning, I want to know, how in the hell is Chris Wallace still on Fox's payroll?

Wallace asked Santorum, a Republican candidate for President, and perhaps the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell's most outspoken critic, for some clarification on his position.  Democrats have compared him to those in the 1940s that have rallied against the inclusion of African-Americans in the armed forces.  Santorum insists that the repeal of the statute is experimenting with social policy.

In the clip below, Wallace asks the former Pennsylvania Senator if he would agree with the following words:

"The army is not a sociological laboratory.  The experimenting with army policy, especially in a time of war, would pose a danger to efficiency, discipline and morale and would result in ultimate defeat."

Watch the impending fail...



Rick Santorum is using the same line or reasoning concerning gays and lesbians in the military that many people used when it came to blacks in the armed forces nearly 70 years ago.  At that time, critics argued for segregated barracks, showers and restrooms.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.  Bravo to Chris Wallace for going against the status quo at Fox News and calling out Santorum on his bigoted, naive and backwards mindset.

The more sound bites I hear from Rick Santorum, the more I start to believe SNL.  He "seems confused and flabbergasted by modern day life.  It seems like if there were a time and place in history that best fit your values, it would be Salem, Mass, in 1692".

"Why stick your neck out and run for President, little guy?"

Jehovah's Witness Mice (Cartoon)