Let me first say that I am not an advocate of universal health care. I understand the many benefits that it could have on our nation, but very little of that would be seen by me. When it comes to things like that, I choose to be selfish.
To me health care has always been something that my parents handled, not because I needed it, but because they are nurses and know the system. Both parents, at one time or another, have been able to recommend the best physician, get me a relatively quick appointment, or both. It wasn't until my shoulder surgery that I really learned about my own health insurance and how to deal with doctors, hospitals, and insurance. I know many people have probably done this already, but I wish i would have known how to deal with it at the time. It would have saved me a bunch of time on the back end.
Most PPOs (I refuse to use an HMO, because when I have an ailment I want to go straight to a specialist, not waste an appointment on a general practitioner) have three main parts: a deductible, a max out of pocket, and a percentage payment. the first and last I was quite aware of, but the second took me by surprise. Max out of pocket is the maximum amount you will have to pay in any given year. My insurance pays 80% with a $300 in network deductible and $1500 max out of pocket. First thing first, your deductible does not count towards your max out of pocket, which sucks.
Now when you go to a doctor (for the sake of brevity, doctor is meant to mean any charging health care facility), they are going to send you a bill straight away. DO NOT PAY THIS. The way this works is that the doctor gives a bill to you and your insurance for the percentage pay that each of you have agreed to pay by your plan. If your doctor charges $3,000 (once your deductible is paid), they will ask you to pay $600. Fair enough you think, but you would be wrong. Your doctor will send the remaining bill to your insurance ($2,400), and your insurance will tell the doctor that they will pay $1,000, and they will send their portion, $800, to the doctor. Your insurance will then credit your max out of pocket $200. If you paid the $600 bill you got from your doctor, you will have not only overpaid, but not gotten credit for that amount by your insurance company. This last part is especially bad when your insurance company is currently assessing a surgery billed to them at $38,000.
My advice is to wait until you get the magical statement in the mail from your insurance company or the doctor with the heading, "Your insurance company has already paid their portion of this bill". Then check your insurance statement to make sure their figures add up.
Now, the big hassle, of course, is why does your insurance not just pay the whole thing, and then send you a monthly bill like a credit card? If the max you can charge in one year is $1,800, would the insurance company not be better off to send you a monthly itemized bill, then charge a reasonable APR on and charges that are not closed by the end of the year? My intuition is that many people default on high medical bills, so your insurance company would rather have you default with the hospital than pay out money on your behalf and have you default with them.
In closing, I will let you know how easy it is to try and get a $400 refund from an orthopaedic surgeon.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
Always Learning
A short list of the things I have learned in the past year:
I learned that I am not that original (I stole this post idea from the most brilliant person I know)
I learned that the higher paying career path may not pay off in the end
I learned that will and desire are not enough, especially when they are selfish
I learned that true satisfaction has no physical component
I learned it's infinitely harder to pursue than to be pursued
Like I said, short list. I am sure I have learned more, let's hope it makes me a better person next year.
I learned that I am not that original (I stole this post idea from the most brilliant person I know)
I learned that the higher paying career path may not pay off in the end
I learned that being loved is nowhere near being in love
I learned that true love is both mental and emotional, not simply the latterI learned that will and desire are not enough, especially when they are selfish
I learned that true satisfaction has no physical component
I learned it's infinitely harder to pursue than to be pursued
Like I said, short list. I am sure I have learned more, let's hope it makes me a better person next year.
Bill and Ted VS. Marty McFly
While watching The Big Bang Theory last week (eat a dick, it's funny), Sheldon and Leonard end up discussing time travel, due mostly to the fat that there is a replica time machine in the apartment. They are discussing the prospect of using the time machine to visit a relatively (no pun intended) significant time in the history of physics. Sheldon points out that while it would be entirely possible to transport himself in time, the machine did not move in space. So rather than move to historical Austria (if i recall correctly, but probably not), he would go to the same time period but in Pasadena. This infuriated me as this is supposedly a show about genius physics doctors who, while nerdy, would understand the shortcomings of their own science fiction obsessions.
The key to this argument, as it primarily lies in film (as time travel is not yet possible), is Bill and Ted versus Marty McFly. There are many other cinematic examples of time travel, but none capture my point so well. In Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, Bill and Ted come to possess a time machine which will transport them to any time and place they wish by simply dialing the phone. Time travel critics will tell you that a time machine would not be able to move you through space (as previously stated) and so the movie represents a false interpretation of time travel.
Example two is Back to the Future, in which Marty is hindered not only by the space-time continuum, but by the historic significance of personal events. Let us go beyond the fact that Marty's entire family, from his great great grandfather, Shamus, to his children (Marty Jr.) all live in the same crappy California valley town, and talk about his travel. Marty travels in what is considered, at least by Sheldon and other enthusiasts, as pure time travel. He moves from point X,Y,Z,t1 to point X,Y,Z,t2. Doc Brown would call this "fourth dimensional travel", and purest would call this correct.
Here is your problem, you microscopic, ignorant, retards: the earth does not sit still. While Hill Valley may seem like the same location by earthly coordinates (lat/long, UTM, even State Plane), it is not even close to the same place on a universal scale. You have a rotating earth, an orbiting earth, a moving solar system, and a moving galaxy. The truth is that an exact movement through time would put you out in the vacuum of space in the smallest of time scales, not to mention 30 years.
I argue, then, that all time machines portrayed can move in both space and time, so if they can put you in the same place (locally speaking), then they could put you anywhere in space at any time. This is what Bill and Ted's phone booth did, and is the most accurate portrayal of a time machine, unless they make a movie about time travellers who end up frozen in the depths of space.
This being said, a true physicist would tell you that there is not space and time, there is only space-time, because as one approaches the speed of light, relativity causes time and space to both be melded forms of one another. This is the world i want to one day live in.
The key to this argument, as it primarily lies in film (as time travel is not yet possible), is Bill and Ted versus Marty McFly. There are many other cinematic examples of time travel, but none capture my point so well. In Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, Bill and Ted come to possess a time machine which will transport them to any time and place they wish by simply dialing the phone. Time travel critics will tell you that a time machine would not be able to move you through space (as previously stated) and so the movie represents a false interpretation of time travel.
Example two is Back to the Future, in which Marty is hindered not only by the space-time continuum, but by the historic significance of personal events. Let us go beyond the fact that Marty's entire family, from his great great grandfather, Shamus, to his children (Marty Jr.) all live in the same crappy California valley town, and talk about his travel. Marty travels in what is considered, at least by Sheldon and other enthusiasts, as pure time travel. He moves from point X,Y,Z,t1 to point X,Y,Z,t2. Doc Brown would call this "fourth dimensional travel", and purest would call this correct.
Here is your problem, you microscopic, ignorant, retards: the earth does not sit still. While Hill Valley may seem like the same location by earthly coordinates (lat/long, UTM, even State Plane), it is not even close to the same place on a universal scale. You have a rotating earth, an orbiting earth, a moving solar system, and a moving galaxy. The truth is that an exact movement through time would put you out in the vacuum of space in the smallest of time scales, not to mention 30 years.
I argue, then, that all time machines portrayed can move in both space and time, so if they can put you in the same place (locally speaking), then they could put you anywhere in space at any time. This is what Bill and Ted's phone booth did, and is the most accurate portrayal of a time machine, unless they make a movie about time travellers who end up frozen in the depths of space.
This being said, a true physicist would tell you that there is not space and time, there is only space-time, because as one approaches the speed of light, relativity causes time and space to both be melded forms of one another. This is the world i want to one day live in.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Mindfully Simple Mathematics
Last Saturday, as a few friends/neighbors of mine were walking passed a gas station and noticed that gas was under $2 a gallon, one neighbor said that because gas prices were going down, it was a better idea to NOT fill your tank all the way. Very simple logic would tell you that she was correct. If gas prices are going down, buying gas tomorrow is cheaper than buying it today, so why fill up all the way? Unfortunately, gas is not the only economic factor, and it surprises me how little value people put on their time.
Quickly estimate the amount of time it takes you to get gas. I put it at around 10-15 minutes, though it may be longer or shorter depending on your proximity to a fueling station. Now let us assume that instead of purchasing a full tank of gas (15 gallons for most sedans, if you drive a truck, read something else) every two weeks, you are purchasing a half-tank every week. That is an extra ten minutes every two weeks. At best you might see gas prices drop 10 cents per week, leaving you with a bi-weekly savings of 75 cents.
Now calculate the value of your time. This is much simpler than most people imagine. Instead of doing what you are doing, pretend you are at work. How much money would you be making? If your answer is greater than $7.50 per hour, then you are simply on the losing side of this math problem. Don't be simple minded, learn math, it's FUNdamental.
Quickly estimate the amount of time it takes you to get gas. I put it at around 10-15 minutes, though it may be longer or shorter depending on your proximity to a fueling station. Now let us assume that instead of purchasing a full tank of gas (15 gallons for most sedans, if you drive a truck, read something else) every two weeks, you are purchasing a half-tank every week. That is an extra ten minutes every two weeks. At best you might see gas prices drop 10 cents per week, leaving you with a bi-weekly savings of 75 cents.
Now calculate the value of your time. This is much simpler than most people imagine. Instead of doing what you are doing, pretend you are at work. How much money would you be making? If your answer is greater than $7.50 per hour, then you are simply on the losing side of this math problem. Don't be simple minded, learn math, it's FUNdamental.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Scalars in the Shadows
I was making my way home last week after a long 10-hour shift at work. As I walked towards my front door from the sketchy place on the street where I park my car I heard a strange shrieking sound from the bushes. I stared blankly at the bushes for about eight seconds before noticing a very lanky and shadowy figure looking up at me, and apparently in fits of laughter. I backed away cautiously, but the figure soon collected himself for a long enough time to notice my stare. "You scared the shit out of me," I semi-yelled at the figure.
As he stepped out of the bushes, I could again see his giant grin, "I did not mean to startle you, but when I saw you, of all people, walking down my humble street, I could not contain my laughter".
"What about me, personally, do you find so funny?" I asked rather harshly.
"It is your blatant disregard to all that I stand for that I find very humorous".
"Should I know you?" I asked, more agitated that the first time.
"You better than most, they call me Distance," he replied in a stately fashion.
"Distance? Like the measurement?" I was in a state of confusion I rarely see at this point.
"The very same. You see, I have known about you for some time, and I, normally, have a lot of respect for a person like yourself. You understand your mathematics, and seem to have a general respect for that which I stand".
"Normally?" I, at this point, had probably asked more questions that in the previous decade.
"Yes, I have been having a laugh at your expense for the past couple weeks, you seem to have forgotten yourself. You seem to be living under the impression that you can succeed in spite of me, and, well, to put it bluntly, I plan to make an example of you and your girl."
I finally understand who and what he is. Two weeks ago, the Squeeze and I decided to try and make things work from opposite sides of the country, as Distance would tell you, 2,102 miles to be exact. We both understand the difficulty of our endeavor, and it really adds insult when I am confronted by friend, family, or in this case, a term of measurement, telling me that I cannot make it work. I now had to prove to Distance that he was not insurmountable. I began by digging through the mess of my bedroom and grabbing my old middle-school telescope and heading to the roof. A telescope that could show me stars from the deep regions of space could surely show Distance that my Squeeze was always within my reach. As I stood on my roof that afternoon, with the sun at my back, I heard the same high cackle coming from below. As I attempted to ignore him, I realized the reason for his laughter. The mountains to the East were dropping below the horizon before I was halfway to my Squeeze. Let down set into my brain, perhaps Distance was right, perhaps I had finally found the weakness in my endeavor. I walked back into my house, dejected, and opened up my closet to put away the telescope. As I opened the closet I saw something in the corner that renewed my hope.
Quickly I ran outside, a grin on my face three times the size with which Distance had first approached me.
"Why are you so happy, your endeavors are futile, I cannot be overcome".
"I'd like you to come meet someone, are you up to it?" I replied to the smug scalar.
"I bet it isn't your Squeeze," he taunted.
I ignored his last response and led him through the mess of my apartment to the lone closet. "I believe the two of you are already acquainted, Distance, this is Time," Time waved feebly from under a winter coat. Distance looked at his old companion with a look of shock. Obviously speechless, I decided to interject.
"Your friend used to be a lot bigger and stronger, in fact, he used to look a lot like you," I explained, "But you see, like you, Time is finite. He once came to me and challenged me as you are, showing me how long it would be until I, again, was with my Squeeze. But every second that passes, he grows smaller, and weaker, because every second is that much closer to the next time I get to see my Squeeze."
"But time has no effect on me," Distance defended.
"Of course it does not, you are lucky to be an independent variable, but you fall under a different set of rules. If I do this," I took a step to the East, "You become smaller. Perhaps not noticeably so, but you and I both know it to be true. So, as you may not slowly shrink nothing, like your friend Time, you too know that the day will soon come when you will shrink to nothing. In fact, you may want to stay in consolation of you shrinking friend, Time, as I have a feeling you will both disappear together."
With this I took great satisfaction in shutting the door to my closet, sealing both of my former enemies inside, waiting for the day when they would both be gone for good.
As he stepped out of the bushes, I could again see his giant grin, "I did not mean to startle you, but when I saw you, of all people, walking down my humble street, I could not contain my laughter".
"What about me, personally, do you find so funny?" I asked rather harshly.
"It is your blatant disregard to all that I stand for that I find very humorous".
"Should I know you?" I asked, more agitated that the first time.
"You better than most, they call me Distance," he replied in a stately fashion.
"Distance? Like the measurement?" I was in a state of confusion I rarely see at this point.
"The very same. You see, I have known about you for some time, and I, normally, have a lot of respect for a person like yourself. You understand your mathematics, and seem to have a general respect for that which I stand".
"Normally?" I, at this point, had probably asked more questions that in the previous decade.
"Yes, I have been having a laugh at your expense for the past couple weeks, you seem to have forgotten yourself. You seem to be living under the impression that you can succeed in spite of me, and, well, to put it bluntly, I plan to make an example of you and your girl."
I finally understand who and what he is. Two weeks ago, the Squeeze and I decided to try and make things work from opposite sides of the country, as Distance would tell you, 2,102 miles to be exact. We both understand the difficulty of our endeavor, and it really adds insult when I am confronted by friend, family, or in this case, a term of measurement, telling me that I cannot make it work. I now had to prove to Distance that he was not insurmountable. I began by digging through the mess of my bedroom and grabbing my old middle-school telescope and heading to the roof. A telescope that could show me stars from the deep regions of space could surely show Distance that my Squeeze was always within my reach. As I stood on my roof that afternoon, with the sun at my back, I heard the same high cackle coming from below. As I attempted to ignore him, I realized the reason for his laughter. The mountains to the East were dropping below the horizon before I was halfway to my Squeeze. Let down set into my brain, perhaps Distance was right, perhaps I had finally found the weakness in my endeavor. I walked back into my house, dejected, and opened up my closet to put away the telescope. As I opened the closet I saw something in the corner that renewed my hope.
Quickly I ran outside, a grin on my face three times the size with which Distance had first approached me.
"Why are you so happy, your endeavors are futile, I cannot be overcome".
"I'd like you to come meet someone, are you up to it?" I replied to the smug scalar.
"I bet it isn't your Squeeze," he taunted.
I ignored his last response and led him through the mess of my apartment to the lone closet. "I believe the two of you are already acquainted, Distance, this is Time," Time waved feebly from under a winter coat. Distance looked at his old companion with a look of shock. Obviously speechless, I decided to interject.
"Your friend used to be a lot bigger and stronger, in fact, he used to look a lot like you," I explained, "But you see, like you, Time is finite. He once came to me and challenged me as you are, showing me how long it would be until I, again, was with my Squeeze. But every second that passes, he grows smaller, and weaker, because every second is that much closer to the next time I get to see my Squeeze."
"But time has no effect on me," Distance defended.
"Of course it does not, you are lucky to be an independent variable, but you fall under a different set of rules. If I do this," I took a step to the East, "You become smaller. Perhaps not noticeably so, but you and I both know it to be true. So, as you may not slowly shrink nothing, like your friend Time, you too know that the day will soon come when you will shrink to nothing. In fact, you may want to stay in consolation of you shrinking friend, Time, as I have a feeling you will both disappear together."
With this I took great satisfaction in shutting the door to my closet, sealing both of my former enemies inside, waiting for the day when they would both be gone for good.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Sorry Kids, Christmas has been Cancelled
I want to take this opportunity to personally apologize to my two children, Ethan and Patricia, you will not be receiving Christmas gifts this year. First, Ethan, your mom went to Target last week to pick up an X-Box 360 for you, she even managed to find a couple games your would like, but for the life of me I cannot keep up with the names. Patricia, perhaps we can get you a Hannah Montana Malibu Beach house some other time. I know you are disappointed in your mother and I, and I do not blame you, but please allow me to explain what has happened to your gifts.
I was forced to get up very early this morning and drive to the inner city, where your gifts were redistributed to children whose parents are unemployed and perhaps strung out on drugs. Ethan, your X-Box was given to a boy name Steven, whom I am afraid will never appreciate it as much as you, as he was born addicted to heroine and only has half of a brain. Patricia, a young girl named Maria will be playing with your Hannah Montana Dollhouse, and I received word that she has already started making small batches of meth in the tiny kitchen.
You see, under our new socialist government system, everyone is equal. So even though mommy and daddy work 50 hours a week to provide for our family, we must give away that money to the families that do not work. Now it may not seem fair that they get toys and you do not, but that is how they have decided to spend the money we were made to give them. Your mother and I decided it would be better to give you a nice house in a drug-free neighborhood, rather than an X-Box or Doll House, and again I apologize.
The other bad news I am afraid is that in a 10-15 years, when the two of you are ready to graduate college, you will be left with about $130,000 in student loan debt, each. If Maria and Steven can stay clean, they will be going to college for free, and therefore have a higher net take home after college than either of you, even if they only amount to working the drive-thru at McDonald's.
I was forced to get up very early this morning and drive to the inner city, where your gifts were redistributed to children whose parents are unemployed and perhaps strung out on drugs. Ethan, your X-Box was given to a boy name Steven, whom I am afraid will never appreciate it as much as you, as he was born addicted to heroine and only has half of a brain. Patricia, a young girl named Maria will be playing with your Hannah Montana Dollhouse, and I received word that she has already started making small batches of meth in the tiny kitchen.
You see, under our new socialist government system, everyone is equal. So even though mommy and daddy work 50 hours a week to provide for our family, we must give away that money to the families that do not work. Now it may not seem fair that they get toys and you do not, but that is how they have decided to spend the money we were made to give them. Your mother and I decided it would be better to give you a nice house in a drug-free neighborhood, rather than an X-Box or Doll House, and again I apologize.
The other bad news I am afraid is that in a 10-15 years, when the two of you are ready to graduate college, you will be left with about $130,000 in student loan debt, each. If Maria and Steven can stay clean, they will be going to college for free, and therefore have a higher net take home after college than either of you, even if they only amount to working the drive-thru at McDonald's.
Monday, October 27, 2008
I Beg Your Pardon, Mr. Stevens?
Some people may have not seen this yet, but the longest acting US Senator, Ted Stevens, was found guilty of seven counts of federal corruption. Stevens' crimes came about from him taking bribes and gifts from a certain energy consulting firm, of which I have a little personal knowledge. The executives of this firm have already admitted to giving over $250,000 in gifts and services to Senator (soon to be ex-Senator) Stevens.
The great tie-in here is that a certain Alaskan Vice-Presidential candidate was a director of Stevens' 527 group, an independent political group capable of legally raising unlimited funds from corporate donors. Whether Stevens simply had his name on this group, or whether he used it to raise funds or to take bribes is unknown, and not my purpose here. What I want to suggest is a bit of a betting line. First, what are the odds that the seven felonious counts against Senator Stevens net him zero jail time? What are the odds that a Republican victory in the Presidential race earns the good Senator a Presidential Pardons? I'd put the former at about 4:1 and the latter at about 3:2
That is just a bit unjust considering the bribes Stevens took were of the sole purpose of passing legislation that would make it easier for the unnamed energy firm to win billion dollar oil contracts, but as we all know, energy and justice rarely meet on a level ground.
The great tie-in here is that a certain Alaskan Vice-Presidential candidate was a director of Stevens' 527 group, an independent political group capable of legally raising unlimited funds from corporate donors. Whether Stevens simply had his name on this group, or whether he used it to raise funds or to take bribes is unknown, and not my purpose here. What I want to suggest is a bit of a betting line. First, what are the odds that the seven felonious counts against Senator Stevens net him zero jail time? What are the odds that a Republican victory in the Presidential race earns the good Senator a Presidential Pardons? I'd put the former at about 4:1 and the latter at about 3:2
That is just a bit unjust considering the bribes Stevens took were of the sole purpose of passing legislation that would make it easier for the unnamed energy firm to win billion dollar oil contracts, but as we all know, energy and justice rarely meet on a level ground.
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