At American Medical News, a website of the American Medical Association, Emily Berry does some pretty good low-flying snark as she reports on the latest marketing ploys of "health plans":

Health plans are on a marketing mission. They "want you to know" how to "thrive" by turning to them for "guidance when you need it most" because "it's time to feel better," and their business is "helping people live healthier lives."

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[Hello. I'm new here. Been reading the legacy. Something I've posted elsewhere still in an emacs buffer -- so, I'll just jump in.]

I, a progressive voter since 1963, am incensed with Dean, Pelosi, Reid, et al., and find them to be contemptible a55h0l35.

Nancy Pelosi's most notable achievement was to take impeachment off the table. Two years later, and Bush has been allowed to continue virtually unobstructed. The Bushit clock will have run out soon, and we can start marking Democratic Friedman units (at least, 180 coalition and 10 thousand Iraqi deaths per F-unit). Read more…

THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY is now training firefighters to inspect your home and your behavior when you are visited by them, even for emergency purposes! According to FOX "News," aside from blueprints, chemicals, flight manuals, and bomb-making books, one of the things they are going to be on the lookout for is "hostility to Americans."

So! Word to the wise. Make sure you are only nasty to fireman without green cards. Maybe you can suss this out with some small talk at the hydrant. But even if not, if one day your kitchen explodes and your roof is on fire and you happen to be talking, yelling, or otherwise communicating with the brave men who are lugging their hoses into your driveway, it's probably best to sprinkle a few pleasant words about the country and the government in there while you're at it. You know, like right after you scream "my cousin is trapped in the attic!" just drop in a "God bless America!' or something. Just slide it right in there. "HELP! We want to keep on living in the USA! Help us!" Something casual. Something that clears you right away. Because the last thing your cousin needs is for the firemen to get caught up rooting through your junk drawer on their way upstairs. Read more…

The camera doesn't lie, does it? Take a look at that face. That's Bush as he tossed another 20,000 unarmored citizens into the Iraqi meatgrinder. Look into his soul. Read his body language. That's what Howard Fineman did:

Bush's way forward may be sensible. But his face showed fear—and that's no way to rally a war-weary nation. I have never seen him, in public or private, look less convincing, less sure of himself, less cocky. With his knitted brow and stricken features, he looked, well, scared. George Bush had the look of a man who knew he had made a royal hash of things.

In the words of the famous chorus, where the Spanish is simple enough even for El Decider: Read more…

Threatened with an election loss, George Felix Allen (R-Headlock) has his staffers wrestle a constituent to the ground.

Nice. Read more…