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Navigating the world with a nagging Siri

Sometimes this digital world gets really crazy.

I have always wondered what would happen if I said something particularly vile to Siri, the automated personal assistant on my iPhone. Nevertheless, I try to be a polite and not-so-profane person, even to Siri. I don’t believe the time I spent on a ship in the Navy was particularly helpful toward such an aspiration. But I honestly try to control my profanity although sometimes it just busts on out there.

Yesterday was a hot summer day in Southeast Texas. I am without air conditioning in my truck, supposedly because I need a new compressor. I had an appointment this morning at the VA Hospital in Houston with my podiatrist and it was scheduled sort of early in the morning. So I rented a car to drive to Houston and to overnight at a hotel in order to beat the early traffic in the morning.

Well, that all worked well this morning but yesterday was a different matter.

The rental agency didn’t have the kind of car I had requested. I had asked for a compact, but they didn’t have one clean. So I ended up getting a 2016 Jeep Trailhawk for the same price. Sometimes you get whatever you get at a car rental agency and sometimes you get even better. I liked the 4 x 4 Trailhawk, although its dominant color was red, but at least I could see where I had parked it in a large parking lot.

Siri, Do you know the way to San Jose?
Siri, Do you know the way to San Jose?

I left Beaumont Tuesday on I-10 just after 3 p.m. All was going well. I stopped off at Winnie for gas and some iced tea. I noticed the skies in the west were growing increasingly dark. It was probably five or six miles after Winnie when I ran into rain, and I’m talking heavy rain.

The heavy rain probably didn’t stop until I was almost halfway to Houston. Then not long afterwards, I heard on the radio that a left lane was blocked on I-10 in East Houston  because of water on the road. Well, I saw water on the road but none that was worth closing the highway. Then, what else? Traffic. Bumper-to-bumper traffic was all the way to only a few miles from my destination.

My destination was a hotel on South Main near the NRG Stadium and the Astrodome. But I was still unsure just how I should proceed there on the city streets. Well, that is when I clicked onto Siri for help with directions.

I don’t like nor recommend talking on the phone when you are driving, but as long as Siri understands what you are saying, she is pretty good at directions. I mean, there are problems. But yesterday Siri heard me loud and clear. Not far from my destination, I encountered a blocked lane with someone pulling in front of me. Talking to no one — especially Siri — while trying to negotiate traffic I uttered: “Bullshit!”

All of a sudden Siri retorted: “I hope you don’t kiss your mother with that mouth!”

Well, I could have become indignant what with my mother having died more than 30 years ago. But instead, I laughed out loud. I suppose Siri is not fond of my profanity. But I could not help cracking up. It was just too f***ing funny!

The trip back home today was much better. No rain, no traffic.

Best of all, there was no scolding from Siri. Maybe I should really have really gotten married all those many years ago.

 

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Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism: Chaos from Korea (North)

Say “Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism” three times, speaking fast. Can’t do it? I doubt many care.

But this seems to be the cult of personality pushed nowadays by North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. The ever-entertaining Korean Central News Agency of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or KNCA, expounds upon a June 24 “National Seminar on Kim Jung Un’s Ideas and Lines.” The seminar at the Pyongyang People’s Palace of Culture sought “to deeply grasp and thoroughly implement the ideas and lines set forth by supreme leader Kim Jong Un in his report to the Seventh Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea,” the KNCA says.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is escorted by NK Army leaders, from left, Larry, Moe and Curly. (North) Korea Central News Agency photo.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is escorted by NK Army leaders, from left, Larry, Moe and Curly. (North) Korea Central News Agency photo.

Okay.

 “Choe Thae Bok, vice-chairman of the C.C., the WPK, and other speakers said that the revolutionary lines set forth in the report including the clarification that the general line of building socialism and the self-development-first principle serve as the strategic line to be consistently maintained in building a socialist power and realizing the cause of modeling the whole society on Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism are an encyclopedic and political great programme which gives perfect answers to the theoretical and practical issues in the revolution and construction,” the KNCA reports in an amazing one sentence description.

What does it mean? Well, the crack(ed) writers at the KNCA further explained by reporting:

“They (the speakers) noted that the programme for modeling the whole society on Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism clarifies the correct orientation and ways of firmly preparing those in charge of accomplishing the cause of the popular masses for independence, the socialist cause, and the driving force, enhancing their role, transforming all fabrics of social life as required by Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism and triumphantly advancing the revolution and construction.”

Clear as mud? Here is more:

 “They (the same they) pointed out that the WPK and the Korean people will straightly advance along the immutable orbit of independence, Songun (military first) and socialism and discharge their pioneer role in the struggle to realize global independence as the defenders of independence and justice under the leadership of Marshal Kim Jong Un no matter how the situation may change and relations with neighboring countries may alter.”

Ah yes, that great struggle to realize global independence as the defenders of independence and justice under the leadership of Marshal Kim Jong Un. Sounds a little like Superman. I wouldn’t want to imagine Kim in the blue, skin-tight costume. And by the way, how many titles do Kim Jong Un have? A totalitarian for all occasions.

I truly wonder who this mouthpiece for the Pyongyang leadership — again Kim Jong Un — believes that it is addressing? If this is the crap being fed to the masses, then this nation is in worse shape than it seems.

I’m sure a President Trump would understand though. Perhaps The Donald and his Secretary of State Dennis Rodman will make the historic first visit to this closed society.

 

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Tigers, foxes exchange nuptials. Those devils.

Summer just began but in Southeast Texas it hasn’t been too different from many past days this spring. The rains, which have produced flooding both in the Sabine River basin and in the Houston area, have proceeded with a pretty good clip here in Beaumont, on the upper Texas coast. But over the last few days we have had typical summer weather.

So what is typical summer weather here in Cajun Texas? Well, it means waking up to 75-degree (F) mornings and watching the temperature and humidity climb for the remainder of daylight. Typical, likewise, brings around a 20-to-30 percent chance that showers or thunderstorms will pop up from the day’s heating.

Yesterday, we had an early evening thunderstorm. Today, so far, we had a good coating of rain. Then, when the rain let up, we had what some refer to as a “sun shower.”

Just as the name infers the sun shines while the rain continues to fall. Sun showers happen when wind from a rain storm pushes raindrops into an area with little or no clouds and during which the sun still shines.

This type of weather seems to happen quite a bit on the Gulf Coast, particularly in the northern, more humid places. Or maybe that is where I have noticed such instances more.

I have long known that sun showers produced some folk wisdom as to why such an event happens. Growing up, my Mom and Dad, who were both born in East Texas during World War I, would say “The Devil is beating his wife,” whenever it rained and the sun was shining. This was, according to legend, because Satan was mad that God created a beautiful day. I suppose that is a more “spousal abuse” explanation of “Ol’ Scratch’ kicking his dog. Of course, either type of abuse has a high level of intolerance these days. And it’s about time. But some of the explanations for sun showers in other parts of the world are sometimes just plain wacky, from a westerner’s point of view. Not to say abusive on some level or the other.

Check out a few of these sayings that you may find on Wikipedia regarding sun showers:

Poland: “A witch is making butter.”

Argentina: It is said an old woman is getting married. (Huh?)

Finland: Foxes are taking a bath.

Korea: A male tiger marries a fox. (And they live … No I don’t think so.)

 

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“You say it’s your birthday … ” Well I suppose it is, Sir Paul.

Paul McCartney, or “Sir Paul” as he is known across the pond, was born 74 years ago today. McCartney, with his left-handed bass, his wide-ranging voice and his writing prowess, will forever be linked with the Beatles. It was a group that changed the world in some ways.

Birthday Boy: Sir Paul McCartney. Creative Commons photo
Birthday Boy: Sir Paul McCartney. Creative Commons photo

But McCartney since splitting with the Beatles in 1970 has done quite well for himself, introducing succeeding generations with the “Liverpool sound.”

McCartney wrote or co-wrote, and sung too many songs that I am at a loss to pick any number of favorites. That’s a task made even more difficult when surveying the Beatles body of work because, even though Paul may have been the primary vocalist, I always saw the band as a true group.

Wings was likewise a true group, although there was no discounting the star that rose on those stages they played was McCartney. Still, Wings also turned out many albums and songs I liked.

Both Wings LPs’ “Band On The Run” and “Venus and Mars” were fabulous. But those albums were from the 1970s, and by 1978 there was a “Wings Greatest.” That was even though, a previous work, the triple-set, “Wings Over America,” carried versions of past songs including a few from the Beatles.
There is not much else for me to say, other asking anyone reading to put on a favorite song performed by Sir Paul, either with the Beatles, Wings, or with whomever else. Oh, and here’s to having many more birthdays, old chap!

A couple of my favorites:

“Hey Jude”

“We Can Work It Out”

“Mrs. Vanderbilt”

“Venus and Mars Rock Show”

“Maybe I’m Amazed”

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The VA: Administrative medical malpractice?

It is a day off. Like so many days off I have had over the past year or two, I have to spend it somehow with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Last year it seemed as if I was going to a specialist at the Houston VA every off day I could take. This time, I am trying to fight what I call a grand instance of administrative medical malpractice.

I know medical malpractice is a serious charge. I also know the VA really gets its panties in a bunch when malpractice is alleged. Rightfully so for the VA go in to conniption fits over any kind misdeed. It seems so many problems have beset the nationally socialized medicine outfit that is supposed to help military veterans.

As I have written for many years, a great number of problems experienced by the VA are institutional. The funding from Congress is sporadic and with each presidential administration the Department often floats to hither and yon, often times in directions that just seem impossible to fathom. Likewise, when some big media expose on wrongdoing at the VA surfaces, the Department often trips over its own feet in what is essentially over-correcting screw-ups of its own doing.

All of this may have led to my case which involves what I call administrative medical malpractice. As is the case more times than not, in any situation, money is the root of the evil.

Since leaving my full-time job almost 11 years ago, the VA has been my only medical provider. Although, my pay has gone up over the years, I am still a part-time worker. My earnings per year aren’t particularly stellar despite my gross pay — not the amount you get after this deduct or the other — being about $2,000 over the threshold for a single person to avoid prescription co-pays. Over the years, with various medical problems my medical co-pays now run about $100 a month or more. But because my gross salary exceeded some magical amount, the VA told me out of the blue that I must now pay past co-payments on prescription drugs. Such news was a shock. This is because the VA basically said for the past four years or so that I need not take the so-called “means test” to determine one’s eligibility for VA health care. I asked several people at the VA if I should take a means test and they said, in essence, “Don’t worry about it.”

I was quite surprised when I got a bill a few months ago for nearly $3,000 in back co-payments. The bills I had seen during the recent years showed charges being written off. You would think written off would mean “you don’t have to pay it.”

More than $1,000 was eventually written off after I sent a waiver request. But I was told I still must pay about $1,200 plus the $100 a month for new charges. Although I have had a few thousand dollars in savings that I planned to use to purchase a cheap piece of land and a used, cheap, camping trailer, I make barely enough to do more than sit around the place where I reside, getting older. I have followed the VA’s prescribed methods to settle the charges, though waivers, request for charges to be written off, and finally I offered what I thought was a decent settlement.

I never heard from the VA until receiving another letter and bill saying that because I make too much in gross salary, I will now have to pay back co-payments for medical visits as well as those for future ones. In most cases over the last several years I have been seen  by physicians assistants instead of doctors or even specialists. Sometimes I would be seen by a nurse rather than a doctor and still be charged as if I was seeing a doctor. Finally, I decided last month to dispute my bill.

The “Notice of Dispute” was sent in to the Michael E. DeBakey Medical Center in Houston. I told them what had gone on over the years and that I now disputed the bills in total because I was never given any idea that I would have to pay those past bills. Had I known that, I would have sent in waiver applications each month as I once proposed to a billing person at the Houston VA. But they said I wouldn’t have to do that.

I received a letter from the Houston VA the other day signed by the interim director of the facility, a Christopher R. Sandies, MBA, FACHE.

The letter acknowledged my letter of a month ago, which was actually the dispute notice. The letter told me the reason why I must pay a co-payment for prescriptions — but didn’t address the co-payments for medical visits. Nor was their any mention of my previous settlement offer. Then the missive listed a couple of the options I had: either pay or waive the balance, such measures which I had already tried ad nauseam. I was told I could talk to the facility billing manager who I’ve tried to contact for more than a month and still cannot reach.

In the meantime, I owe more than $2,600 which I suppose may be collected soon from my salary if I don’t do something quick. I am planning to file for disability soon and will likely have to reduce my working time to between 16 and 20 hours a week. I may need to stop working at all because of my disabilities. At least I will likely need not worry about paying for my VA care then.

I consider it ironic that some people are happy to get work just to acquire health benefits for their family. It seems I will have to leave work soon in order to obtain health care benefits.

(Oh, I also once filed a complaint about my problems with my local congressman Republican U.S. Rep. Randy Weber of Texas. My situation seemed to deteriorate as time marched on and I never heard anything from his office.  Thanks for nothing congressman!)