Living Rarefied

Health Care Reform…

Ethan — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:16:06 +0000

This reform is frustrating and upsetting to me. Also the amount of people so excited about this makes me think the media succeeded in highlighting the right parts of the bill without talking about the ramifications downstream. They took a great opportunity to make some real change but went with a partisan approach that will dig the hole deeper for the underlying issues. I don’t think this bill is a tenth of what its cracked up to be.

The insurance companies aren’t as out of control as they are being painted. The costs from hospitals and clinics are out of control as well.

While some changes in the bill are favorable. Preventing insurance companies from dropping coverage if you are ill, and children being able to be on parents plans until 26. (although the age 26 extension has huge side-effects)

A worthless experience to a clinic will still cost hundreds of dollars to the insurance companies.

I cant believe that they will now require you as a citizen to have buy coverage. Penalties if you don’t. Great timing on this one as unemployment rates are at highs.

Lifetime caps being banned = Good… that is until premiums continue to rise for companies with employees reaching and exceeding those caps. I believe a better solution is to team this one up with working on cutting costs in hospitals and providers, that could help to reduce the amount of people hitting these limits. Not all, but it would help.

Transparency in insurance company overhead is good.. I think it will wake up to the fact that the products are too expensive and there is less overhead than people think. The public needs to see this.

customer service is on a bad run in our family…

Ethan — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 03:23:40 +0000

1 week after receiving an incorrect order from Blinds.com the issue is still unresolved. I did my leg work up front. Sending all sorts of pictures of the incorrect blind and the order tag and build tags. Here we are 6 emails later an I am being asked about something that is on the label… By the same customer service representative.

A smart move would be for them to have just admitted fault, sent me a return label and maybe re-ordered the blind for me. Or at least a simple apology for the error. I have received nothing from blinds.com except for more questions and more questions.

If they’d look at my account they may realize that I have outfitted my entire house with blinds ordered through their website.

Blinds.com, you need to do something to redeem yourselves. And quickly…

Skol Vikes, and the worthless Keith Brooking…

Ethan — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:06:28 +0000

Coming from a team that has done the same to others in the past few weeks, I can’t believe that somebody like Keith Brooking could be such a cry-baby. How many years have you been in the league? 11 years? Screaming at a coach? In the dome?

So what we scored another touchdown. Crazy things happen in this league. Turnovers can show up a plenty, as Romo showed us all. The Vikings were just trying to stamp their plane tickets to New Orleans to play the Saints.

Running up the score ends when you parents stop dropping you off at the game..

my email to Podiatric Clinic at Park Nicollet, St. Louis Park

Ethan — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:59:34 +0000

What a waste…My wife had an appt. with Dr. San..rs at 2:30pm today, which she wasnt visited until 3:30pm. She spent 7 minutes with her, and gave no opinion or help or guidance. I would assume that if she spends 7 minutes with each patient there would be no way she could be 1 hour behind schedule. We’ve wasted a $35 copay, our insurance company will have wasted their money on this appointment. What a sham this is. In addition to the tardiness, my wife left the appointment with more pain in her foot than she arrived due to the “testing” Dr. San..rs did on her foot.

my recommendation, do not see Dr. San..rs at the Park Nicollet St Louis Park Clinic.

Comedy at the MOA

Ethan — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:30:04 +0000

Reiner and I went to a show at the House of Comedy at the Mall of America last night. Tuesday’s Hit or Miss.. was very very good and was only $7 a ticket. Great value.

Instant Replay in Baseball… Needed…

Ethan — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:32:22 +0000

Watching the Twins / Yankees game #2 Friday night I witnessed something that happens to Minnesota sports more often than normally possible. A fair ball was called foul, this ball would have put Joe Mauer on 2nd base. It bounded out of play for what would have been a ground rule double. A few singles later in the inning would have put the Twins on the board. Instead they left runners stranded after those singles.

The problem with this is the umpire was about 20 feet from the spot it landed, perfect view and he blew the call. This one should have been a prime example for instant replay because the ball bounded out of play so it was a dead ball and they could have put Mauer on 2nd. Clear cut…

Others are thinking the same thing, Nicholas Deleon at CrunchGear posted about this.. Prompting me to air my grievances as a long time Twins fan.
http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/10/12/its-time-for-the-mlb-to-adopt-instant-replay/

Checking your mobile phone…

Ethan — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:03:27 +0000

One of the funniest things I have noticed lately is the faces people make when trying to check their mobile phones.

In a public place like church, or a meeting or somewhere that may not be appropriate to check your Facebook status or Twitter updates.

Its the chin down, arms very close to their hips and head cocked a little to the side action that I am talking about.

They are not discreet by trying to be discreet.

PHOTO Tribute to Fozzie Otterlei

Ethan — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:56:53 +0000

Foz man lived a good life, 17 years. July/August 1992 - Sept 14 2009

Fozzie and Robo, October 1st 2005

Captain Foz

Christmas 2008

Layar now available on the Android OS

Ethan — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:20:42 +0000

This is an application I have been anxious about for the last few months. Its an augmented reality browser. You can point the phone in different directions and it will help you navigate to a coffee shop, or nearest drug store or whatever you search for.

Now I just cant wait until more Layar apps come around!

http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2009/08/18/layar-augmented-reality-browser-now-a-reality-on-android-coming-soon-to-iphone/

Brett Favre coming to the Vikings!

Ethan — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:09:59 +0000

The Star Tribune in Minneapolis is reporting that Brett Favre is on a plane from Mississippi headed to Minnesota to sign a contract with the Minnesota Vikings. What a perfect time for him to come, we have 2 less than marginal QBs in Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson.

Welcome Brett Favre! Thanks for making millions of Packer fans have a rough day!

http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/53568572.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aU1yDEmP:QMDCinchO7DU