going_for_baroque

Could you "marry" (for federal purposes) a family member? Could federal employee provide health benefits to a very sick family member? Does the repeal of DOMA make such a benefit possible?

Last April, my lab A1C was 8.5. Since then, I've done a lot better with diet and exercise. I've dropped two inches around my waist. I've done the Bayer A1C home test several times. A month ago, the Bayer results were 6.9 so I got an official test that came back at 7.5. This week, Bayer showed 6.1, so I went to the lab for an "official" test. It came back at 7.5. Why the large discrepancy?

I'm asking because I need an A1C of 6.9 for employment reasons.

Driving this afternoon, we came behind a car who was about three car lengths behind the car in front of him, which was waiting for the light to change. We don't know why he chose to stop so far behind, but it looked like he wanted to stop in the shade of the overpass. If we had hit him, would he be liable for contributing to the accident? Sure, you're not supposed to drive so fast you can't stop, but he was both in the shade and three car lengths behind where he could have stopped. No, we didn't hit him, but I thought it was wrong of him to jeopardize traffic like he did. ... Comments??

A month ago, my A1C was 8.5. I've been eating slightly better, but been doing more physical stuff and began with metformin. Not quite three weeks later, I used a home A1C test kit and it read 7.5. I need to lower my lab A1C to 6.8 for a job. Anyone had experience with this? Add'l: I'm 66, BMI 26, good blood pressure. I'm hoping to drop another 0.7 A1C in two weeks. Does this seem possible?? I'm looking for advice here before I go see my doctor again to schedule another lab A1C. ... Thanks!

For a long-term marriage, does one spouse have to continue to support the other one indefinitely? Is there any decline? Is the requirement to support the ex-spouse at a level commensurate with the previous annual salary or if someone gets a decent job, will the ex get a huge chunk of the income?

Saw Aermotor windpump. They are supposed to be able to pump water from hundreds of feet, right? Do they push water down into a well, then you use the water that comes up? Or can a mechanical pump actually suck water a vertical few hundred feet? Of course they work- they've been used for hundreds of years. It's just that I thought there was a limit of 50 feet or so that you could suck water vertically. Thanks!

Problem began a few days ago- turn the key, heard a click and the radio went lower, but no cranking. Then a couple of days of no problems. Thought the clicking was from the starter solenoid. Got a new solenoid, no change. Ran a jumper cable from the hot wire on the starter to the positive terminal of the battery and Voila! The motor started. (Had the key to "on" of course) .... I don't think it's the starter because it cranks and starts when I hotwire it. I don't think it's the solenoid because the new one does the same as the old one.

Anyone had similar troubles? How'd you make it work??

Bias Alert!

Tonight's news said a certain group of animal rights folks want to change the name of San Francisco's "Tenderloin" to something that's soy-based, "Tempeh." The news reader bit his tongue, comparing the cut of meat (tenderloin) with the soy product (tempeh).

Here's the site: http://www.peta.org/mediacenter/news-releases/Tend...

I'm not sure whose PC panties got in a bunch, but how can you get your animal-loving teeth into something as grabastic as this half-baked, "needs more time in the oven" attempt at making carnivores into mind-numbed automatons? As if by not having a historic part of San Franciso named after a cut of meat, you'll come to appreciate the soundness of absurdly inane anally-inserted point of view?

Change the nomenclature, eliminate the concept of carnivore choices. Soy is fine, but choosing soy is not the same as twisting the testicles off the language through this kind of thought-police castration.

What say you?

I used to leave my mail session open for a month at a time. Now I'm lucky if it stays open an hour before I get the "login again" prompt. Why is this happening? I've switched from Mozilla to IE, but that was only a temporary help. Can't yahoo see how long it's been since I logged in?

This is a rhetorical question, laden with subjective perspective.

Anyone else object to the vilification of English seen here? "NE1 c my m8?" Oh, there *might* have been a place for cutesy creative shortcuts if you're typing with one finger on a cell phone, but if you're on a computer with a keyboard, isn't standard English adequate?

I was married 36 years. Do I have to pay alimony indefinitely? There seems to be a cut-off of some kind when I hit 65. How does the court decide how much I pay and how long this lasts? Is there some sort of online calculator that I can use?

I'm asking because I'll hit that 65 in a few months and would like to plan my finances based on my half of my retirement that I get to keep. Even if there is some post-65 obligation, is there a chance I could reduce this?

I'm looking at a home that is for sale at about 1/4th the last sale price. If I buy this home, will the county (San Joaquin) set the tax at what I paid for it or what it used to be? This is important since my monthly costs have to include some money for the property tax.

I heard there's a paint that has R-28 insulation value. Not a lot, but a lot for just paint. Anyone used this? Any observations?

This is her:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5Kd3OSrnRo&feature...

I'd like to know where else I can see her. She's funny, really clever.

My ex has milked me for three years. In a few more, she'll be 62 and I'd like to get some of her SSA retirement. Is this possible? If so, what should I do? We both live in California.

Schmuck, Putz, Yutz. Is there an element of volition versus accident in one or the other?

I'd like to put up some photos and text, but to make them unavailable to the whole world, just to my family and friends. Does anyone know of a site where I can do this? I have a blogspot blog, but I don't know how to make posts there "invisible" to the world, except for those few to whom I provide a password so they can see my posts.

A few years ago, I read about an electronic device that could cancel the noise from your exhaust. A microphone would pick up the sound from under your car and generate a sound wave that cancelled the sound.

Anyone know about this? Does this work? Is it available?

I didn't notice when I got my passport, but they changed my middle initial from "J" to "I." I need this for my overseas employment. Will the State Department/Passport Agency fix this for me? How long will it take?

I'm retired, and looking to stay awhile. I don't plan to work, just enjoy Aussie stuff. Anything I need to consider? Do I need a real visa, or can I just stay for three months on my US passport?