Truth.

"US Health Insurers Enter Earnings Season With Changed Climate"

Yeah, thats it. Thank god that the health insurance companies are making money. That is the tagline of a Wall Street Journal article. Thanks to Martha Coakley punting Ted Kennedy's senate seat into the hands of the republicans, Joe Lieberman's ol' lady will be getting that bonus, and health care reform will be getting the shaft.

Ted Kennedy's Senate seat is a consecrated institution, something held dear to the hearts of progressives all across our lands, now it belongs to some lock step, empty suit douche bag with impeccable republican credentials who plans to spit on Uncle Ted's grave.

Martha Coakley really Al Gored this one. She could have kept things on track to America's recovery, but instead, she fumbled the ball on the 5 yard line. Now Mr. Scott Brown is going to take Kennedy's hallowed seat and use it as a toilet for the neocon fascist agenda. She let down Massachusetts and let down America. Ted Kennedy would make sure she was wearing her seatbelt when he drove her home after a party.

Here We Go!

in 17 hours it will be the first anniversary of the most life changing experience I have had. I still feel guilty about it, and I have not recovered from the event. I have not recovered financially, or professionally.

On January 5th, 2009 I was at the wheel when the F/V Independence ran aground in the inside passage of British Columbia. I was very lucky that morning, the vessel was only capable of around 7 knots, and that particular body of water is very deep all the way to the shore. The damage was relatively superficial, and everyone thought I was going to keep my job. They were wrong. The company cut me loose after promising to keep me employed, and the Coast Guard suspended my license for 4 months.

I am writing this in hopes that it helps me get over the event, and that it helps me move on. People keep telling me that no one got hurt, the hull did not rupture, no oil got spilled, and the only people that were scared were myself and the captain. I still feel bad about it, and I would like to be back where I was financially and professionally.

It did make me appreciate a lot of things. I have an awesome wife who stood by my side through the whole kerfluffle, and I have great friends who helped me as well. Yeah, I am not making big money, and yeah, the job I had since then was utterly terrible, but I am alive, well, and I have learned something. Any trace of hubris has vanished, and I think I am a better person.