substitute

I can't find the original picture of the truck full of INEDIBLE PORK PLASMA. Anyone got it? For all I know it may be on my own website named poorly.

Where is a good local body shop? I have enough money to pay for something that isn't broken or cheesy, but not enough to go to the Insurance Disaster places with the big fish tank and the statuesque receptionist.

best,

The guy with the dented front end

I feel politically defeated. I'm on the left end of the Democratic party, more of a social democrat type. My adult life began just as we started to lose ground, and my country has gone inexorably to the right since.

When I was younger, I voted and volunteered and protested, and wrote. Now that I am older and more established, I vote and volunteer and protest and write, and contribute. It doesn't seem like enough.

At this point I consider my country's government illegitimate and lawless. The opposition, my party my whole life, is both weak and collaborating. There are very few individual legislators who represent anything like my point of view. I wonder what cause my contributions to the party will support, other than the personal careers of some prominent traitors.

Worst of all, the actual opposition seems totally fragmented. There are various small organizations who all want money and support from me and appear to have my values, but they're tiny and ignored. The radical left has been navel-gazing since 1969 and the more moderate types I resonate with have no voice.

My question for the group mind is: What can I as an individual do that makes the most impact on this situation? I'm horrible at politics and I do so poorly in political organizations that the whole prospect of getting more involved is both frightening and depressing. It's like church; as soon as you think you agree with your compatriots someone will bring up a divisive issue and the whole thing falls apart.

Is there a single-issue or focused group that deserves my entire financial and personal support, that's making a big difference? A candidate or politician perhaps not in my locale who deserves that kind of focus? A cause where I can work without being disillusioned in 30 seconds? I invite suggestion and comment.

I am tired of feeling defeated and marginalized. I'd like to take some ground.

Editorial Note: flamewars in the comments will be deleted. so don't even.

Attention former AOLers and the lazyweb:

I'm trying to find Guide ET / Etet / etrose from the old days. My last contacts with her were about 1996, which is about when the addresses I have drop off Usenet etc.

If you're her, or if you've seen her, let me know!

ignatz

Does anyone know of a substance abuse treatment program affordable for someone without medical insurance or very much cash? Specifically, one for someone who needs to get off benzodiazepines (Ativan, Xanax, etc.) and needs a medically supervised program to do so. I'm pretty ignorant about the options in this case but you're the Internet and you know more than I do.

No, this isn't for me. And I'm not going to gossip about who it's for, either, so shush. :)

Ideally the location would be Southern California but relocation within the U.S. for treatment is also a possibility.