...those insurers now eyeing a hurricane should have thought about their finanicial position BEFORE they sold the policies, not AFTER. It doesn't take more than a bucket full of actuaries to run the numbers and tell someone how much a policy should cost, and what the likelihood is of having to pay claims.

The problem is, the insurance companies are not in the business of actually insuring anything. They're in the business of collecting premiums, investing the money, and paying their stockholders. When it comes time to pay up after a fire, earthquake, hurricane, or other occurrence, they'll come up with every reason in the book NOT to pay, or to significantly underpay.

Wall Street has come to see insurers as an investment vehicle, not as a safety net for the people who pay the bills. I keep wondering when we'll wise up and create a sort of "Credit Union" version of an insurance company--a nonprofit that is solely in the business of insuring against loss. Not a for-profit company that is always and forever more interested in its own bottom line than in insuring its policyholders.

Sorry, it's part of life. I'm not buying the sleep disorder thing. I'm married to a severe insomniac with allergies and sleep apnea who wakes up when the neighbor's cat walks across the yard two houses away. He gets to work on time. He makes up sleep on his days off.

I'd agree with the other posters here, it's not about sleep. It's the "not wanting to do what I'm told" disorder. And unless you have the skills, dedication, and clients to pull off freelance work, you gotta show up on time. End of story. They're not "uptight." They're running a business. You either participate and do your part, or you're out.

Impressions are everything. Showing up late all the time is like running around the office with greasy hair, BO, and your fly open. No, it doesn't affect your ability to do your work. But it sure looks like hell and makes a lousy impression. And people might not remember your stellar work, but they WILL remember the smell.

Show up on time, every day, or start your own business. That's your only two options. Sorry.

Excellent article. That's all.

And Opus has been a fixture in my life since high school. I'll never forget all the little Bloom County animals sitting in the meadow, sniffing the wind, saying "Can't you smell it? It's in the air. Politics."

And then on to Bill the Cat's excellent run for president.

Thanks for all of it, Berke, and happy trails. We're with you. You've done some excellent work.

I still look at my kids' mac and think of the Banana PC Junior.

I wish you well, and to have peace in this next phase of your life. Thanks.

While I haven't gone out to buy a rifle, I've had some great discussions with a hunter friend. Good hunters are interested in conservation, habitat preservation, and yes, in a habitat with predators. Most love the outdoors, and agree with the biologists issuing tags for hunting in a humane, sustainable manner.

This particular hunter friend is now voting democratic, because the republicans seem so anti-habitat preservation. He's no longer interested in the NRA and gave up his membership, because he does NOT agree that people need to own assault rifles.

I have no desire to go out and shoot animals, other than with a camera. However, those of us who love animals do need to understand that Palin notwithstanding, not all hunters are against us. Many are interested in wildlife health, habitat health, and stable wildlife populations.

Ms. Palin:

--What is your position on birth control as a matter of public policy?

--Should insurance companies be required to cover it? Why or why not?

--Should it be offered at reduced cost at public health clinics? Why or why not?

--Should it be legal? Why or why not?

And three of the seven members are girls (fifth graders). Most are there because their dads are engineers (and the dads want an excuse to play with a Lego robot), but whatever it takes! I'm happy they're participating.

Our local Girl Scout council has a program to encourage troops to participate in Lego Robotics, and will provide all materials to troops that sign up (about $300 or so per troop).

There are programs out there to encourage girls. I certainly never had anyone encouraging me to believe that I could do robot programming (if it had even existed when I was a fifth grader). It would have been seen as something for boys.

Sorry Cary, you blew this one.

LW, no. Do not get involved. I agree with the other posters... the wisdom to know the difference and all that.

Your job, at this point in your adulthood, is to love your parents with all their flaws. Forgive them for whatever hell they caused in your childhood. Then Move On. That's all.

You cannot win by taking any kind of side in this. You can only lose. Let it go.

I'm reminded of a scene from a favorite book (To Serve Them All My Days by R.F. Delderfield), where the protagonist, a schoolmaster at a boys' boarding school, has a kid at school in your situation. Parents divorcing, and each one sending the boy the blow-by-blow in letters. The schoolmaster's advice was to write back to them with all sorts of newsy chat about school... who won which competition, how he was doing in history class, who his best friend was, what he ate for dinner, and not respond at all to the divorce proceedings. It worked, in fiction anyway. And in real life, I think it might have some effectiveness.

Think Ghandi. Think the principles of nonviolence. Think about Not Engaging. Think about standing next to the tug-of-war, and choosing to not pick up the rope. This is not your rope.