There you are, wondering once again why you even bother to turn on your computer at all, and whaddayaknow, here comes the Essefficist, just in time to answer all your nagging questions and make you feel all warm and fuzzy. Huh? Whatever. Fat chance of that. But anyways, um, we received the following question the other day from a lovely young lady who's wondering how she can go one step further to help out her ne'erdowell boyfriend:

My boyfriend needs health insurance, and the rates are ridiculous. Can he and I become domestic partners and hitch a ride on my employer? No one seems to know what a 'domestic partnership' really is, if it's available to heterosexual couples, housemates or mothers and daughters and, other than the just aforementioned, how it's different from marriage. Finally, how much legal liability for his activities (and debts) would I assume if we did incorporate ourselves?

Thanks a bundle,

Expecting the Best (and I suppose, the Worst)

Oh Expecting, you poor, poor thing. What sort of blackguard have you gone and taken up with? We hope you aren't expecting too too much from that scoundrel. But anyways, on the off chance that this boyfriend of yours isn't such a lout, we've gone to the trouble of doing a few Google searches and placing a phone call or two to see if we couldn't help you out a little bit.

Dear Essefficist,