Oreo again

Continuing Friday cat blogging here is another picture of Oreo . Like most cats Oreo spends a lot of time resting which he likes to do in an elevated location. This is one of his favorite spots.

Dakota Badlands

In September 1991 while driving on I90 in South Dakota I took a brief detour through the Badlands National Park along the Badlands Loop Road . This was a while ago and the main thing I remember is that it was hot. Not too surprising as the air conditioner in my car was broken and I was too cheap to get it fixed.

I believe the photo was taken from an overlook along the loop road. It was taken with my old Kodak 110 camera. Not a very good camera but it was at its best in bright sun.

Colonoscopy

When I got a physical a couple of months ago my doctor recommended getting a colonoscopy . This is a standard recommendation for patients over 50. I had previously been wary but what with a relative recently dying of colon cancer and my medical insurance under Cobra running out it seemed like a good thing to do.

I had the exam on Tuesday. The prep on Monday involved not eating, taking a couple of pills, preparing about 2 liters of a solution and then drinking it a few hours later (spaced as a glass every 10 minutes or so). Then on Tuesday morning I had the exam. I was given anesthesia which put me completely out. When I woke up it seemed to wear off quickly although you aren't supposed to drive for 12 hours.

The exam detected a polyp which was removed. The doctor said it looked benign but would be tested (which takes a couple of weeks).

All in all a bit less obnoxious than I expected.

The road not taken

Returning home from Denver on Sunday July 26 I originally intended to follow I80 through Pennsylvania and then swing north on I287 to the Tappen Zee bridge. However as I neared the intersection with I81 I encountered signs warning of a major delay ahead on I80. Since I had already sat through one construction delay and had bad memories of delays on I80 crossing into New Jersey on Sunday night I decided on the spur of the moment to take an alternative route. This involves taking I81 north to Scranton, crossing into New York on I84, cutting south on 17 and eventually taking the Bear Mountain Bridge across the Hudson. I have taken this alternative before (according to mapquest it is .16 miles shorter but 1 minute longer in driving time) but generally take I80 as it is more familiar. On Sunday traffic on the alternative was heavy in places but without major delays.

I later learned by diverting I had not only avoided the delay on I80 but the aftermath of this horrific head on wrong way accident on the Taconic which I would have driven directly past if I had followed by original plan.

I was surprised to learn today that the wrong way driver was drunk and stoned. Perhaps I shouldn't have been as an awful lot of wrong way drivers are drunk. Still you just don't expect a woman driving in the middle of the day with 5 children in the car to be so impaired.

Health insurance

Health insurance companies have never been overly popular but they are currently being abused even more than usual as liberals try to rally support for their reform plans by scapegoating them. Here is Kevin Drum:

Health insurance is a weird industry. Healthcare itself is provided by doctors, nurses, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, hospices, and device makers. Insurance companies do none of this. They don't do research, they don't perform surgeries, they don't change bedpans, and they don't make diagnoses. They're just middlemen. All they do is pay the bills after marking them up 30%. They don't do anything at all to make healthcare better or more efficient.

However the claim that insurance companies just mark the bills up 30% is false. They first negotiate the best price they can get from the doctor or other provider. This is generally better than an individual could get. For example a couple of years ago I had hernia repair surgery. The surgeon's list price was $12916.00 but the insurance company price was $363.38 which is a 97% discount. I don't mind paying a 30% markup to get a 97% discount. Of course this is an extreme example but insurance companies routinely get prices which are unavailable to individuals. In fact this is a big part of the reason it is risky to be uninsured, if you need medical care you will be gouged.

This sort of dubious argument from the left does not increase my confidence in their health reform plans. Perhaps it is fortunate that they may not pass.

Meteor Crater

In 1994 while driving on I40 in Arizona I stopped on the spur of the moment to see Meteor Crater (which is few miles south of exit 233). I thought it was interesting although admission was a little pricey (it is privately owned).

The photo was taken in August 1994 and shows me with the crater in the background.

Pension initiation

I am entitled to a pension from my former employer. I could start it at any time but it is greatly to my advantage to wait until I am 55. This means starting it in November. On Monday I called to start the process. I will be sent some forms detailing my options. It is my understanding that taking it in the form of a single life annuity is clearly best but I will double check before committing myself. I can't procrastinate too long however as there are some time constraints and apparently missing them is bad as retroactive payments aren't made.