Another Bleak Day -- Football and Insurance Woes

I keep thinking I'll feel better, but I just seem to feel blah.

First of all, I watched my football team get beat. It wasn't pretty. We put up a fight, but through many turnovers, some bad calls on Shula's part (4 & 15!? and call a timeout?!?), and just some weak playing, Auburn took us down to the mat. This on our own turf, and the fifth time in a row that we've met, at that. Ugh.

Really, Alabama is just now starting to recover from the wicked sanctions put on them in 2001. They lost 21 scholarships over 3 years! I didn't really understand the implications of the sanctions and where they had originated from. Evidently, University of Tennessee's head coach, Fulmer, is a snitch because he's the one that orchestrated the whole thing. I found an interesting article that explains the lowdown on what happened. With a loss in the recruiting class of 2002 and 2003, Shula still has a team that is low in talent compared to other SEC teams. He's probably going to be sent packing soon; definitely if things don't improve next season.

Also, it has to go back further than that, with the abandonment by Franchione -- what a weasel!! Follow that up with a scandal by Mike Price, and the rush of putting Shula in there...It just made for an unstable team. This carries on through the years, like a sickness.

I just really, really wanted them to win. I'm a fan who will root for Auburn when they're not playing Bama (which my cousin, who's a die-hard Alabama fan chides me and our grandfather for!), but I just want to see them win against Auburn for once!

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Well, let me take this back to Friday...I haven't really wanted to blog about it because it upset me so much. I finally got in touch with the other lady's insurance company (see Sept post here, and Friday's post here). I first talked to a guy named Bill over there who tells me the person I need to speak with is Mike, and he should be back from lunch any minute. I ask him to leave a message for me. Now, mind you, this is after I've spent the better part of the morning trying to track the right people down to get some answers as to why the liability has not been claimed for the damage to my truck. After getting off the phone with Bill (who tells me Mike should be in ANY minute), I sit around and wait for about 45 minutes.

About this time my mother calls to get an update to the situation. She advises me that I should call back to find out what's the holdup. So I call back and a woman answers the phone. She seems to be fairly harsh to begin with, but perhaps it's because my stance is already somewhat hostile and you can hear it in my voice. So I ask for Mike, and she says, "Well, I can either transfer you to his answering machine and you can leave a message, or you can call back." I say, "I'll hold, please," to which she barks, "You're not going to hold on my line -- this is MY line." I'm pissed now, b/c this woman is just being a bitch, so I say, "I don't care what you do to make it happen, but I want to speak to someone who is going to take responsibility for answering my questions. I've been put off by you people long enough, and it's time someone takes the time to speak with me." I guess she didn't like that, b/c she slams the phone on the desk, but I can still hear her bitching about me in the background. Oooh, I'm getting all upset now just thinking about it.

I finally get transferred to Mike, who is supposed to be the agent with whom I need to speak. We get down to the situation, and I tell him that I want to know what the problem was with liability, since it had been indicated previously that they would take responsibility. I said I wanted to know why when this woman backed into my truck, why her insurance company, whom he represented -- why after 2 months they have not come to the conclusion of whether or not they are going to take responsibility. He goes through the spiel of how the case got transferred from person to person, until he finally got it on the 26th. He apologized for not sending me a letter to indicate that he was now handling the case. He tried to be smooth when he kept saying, "...and I do apologize for that." He was patronizing me!! He was emphasizing his apology for not sending me a letter about the holdup on the case, when he knew the main issue was the fact they were probably not going to claim liability (because he had already indicated as much).

I went on -- meanwhile, he keeps interjecting with all kinds of lame excuses -- trying to pull some sort of 'I'm a man and you're just a woman, so I'll humor you for the time being' crap-- so I went on about how not only was I shocked that they had supposedly not come to the decision yet, but I was also appalled that they seem to have changed their tune.

**Basically, I had been told by one of their agents that they would take liability when she came to inspect the damages on my truck. I asked her at the time what I needed to do, and she said that as soon as I received an email from her company, I could take the paperwork to any shop I chose to have the repairs done. I even specifically asked her, "What if there is a discrepancy between the price you quote and the repair shop's estimate?," to which she replied, "It will be handled between us and them." I even asked again before she left that all I would need would be the email confirmation, and she said yes again. So I get an email a few days later that states (and this is a cut-'n'-paste job, so no b.s.):

"Dear Client,
This is a copy of the estimate written by our appraiser at _____. A copy of this estimate has been sent to your shop choice if you indicated one when we scheduled your vehicle inspection. If a shop was not chosen, please take this copy to your shop choice and tell them this is an insurance matter. The insurance company will typically pay off our estimate and any additional damage is handled as a "supplement" This is typically paid directly to the repair facility. ..."

It says right there!!! Naturally, this is why I took my truck in. I thought I had confirmation, provided verbally and through this letter. Wouldn't any reasonable person?!**

So, here I am, confronting him about why they've evidently changed their story. He denied that she would ever say anything like that. At least he was diplomatic in his approach here by not accusing me of lying, but he definitely made it clear that he didn't believe that she would ever say anything like this. ARGH!! She did say that all I needed was the email confirmation, I swear! And I have the email to prove it!

I also conveyed to him that I couldn't understand how they could NOT take responsibility, as the police report claimed the other driver (his client!) was at fault. He laughed -- actually laughed -- and said, "Well, that means nothing to me." And this is a quote!!! I was floored. I was like, "what?!?" So he goes on to 'explain' to me that the cop had no way to prove that it was the other lady's fault, and that the cop had only arrived AFTER the accident, so how in the world could he have known whose fault it was?! Can I just reiterate again here how I was completely flabbergasted? So, we kept arguing like this for awhile. Me saying that it was his client's fault, and that I had proof -- the proof of the accident report that the cop had filed VERIFYING that it was her fault AND the fact that SHE WAS TICKETED for improper backing!! His reply to me saying something about the ticket is, "Well, tickets get thrown out all the time." He goes on to tell me that unless I provide an 'independent witness,' this is basically just a she-says one thing, and I say another situation. So I keep saying, but no, I have something to back up what I'm saying, whereas this woman doesn't. He didn't care -- the way he made it sound, he said he MIGHT authorize half of the payment. Finally, the conversation of us going back and forth was getting nowhere.

Now, by this point, my voice is quavering, and I am crying as I speak to him. But that saying kept going through my head, "Speak your mind, even if your voice falters," so I did just that. I sounded like I was getting emotional, which I was, but I couldn't contain it. So I just tried to keep my mind calm on the words I was speaking, even though my body was betraying me. I made it clear to him that I needed an answer as soon as possible so I could decide on a course of action. I informed him that I would be flying out for Japan on the 26th for deployment, and because of that, I needed to know soon.

After I got off the phone, I cried. You know, it's not the money. I mean, it is, but it isn't. Yeah, I don't make that much, so over $350 for the repairs is no chump change for me. What I'm saying is that if I don't get reimbursed, it's not going to kill me. It's just that the whole situation seems so upside-down. I don't know...it just feels so wrong. And I guess that's what's got me so upset. I wouldn't exactly say it's the 'justice' of it...maybe that's part of it...b/c I know life's not fair. And I know that people will screw you over if you give them the chance. I guess it's just the way these people have been...from the lady that hit me and her psycho boyfriend, all the way to this guy. The whole situation just sucks.

Well, I called my mother and cried some more to her. She made an interesting point about the cop. She reminded me that how often do police officers see an accident as it occurs? Not many. When they get to the scene of an accident, they take into account the evidence and they make a determination based on that. So his decision that it was her fault was not just the fact that I told him it was her fault (b/c she was sitting there saying the same thing about me). So how can this insurance guy just say that's not valid at all? Mom thinks I need to report these people to the insurance commission.

After all this, I went to speak with the cop who had filed the paperwork on Friday. I wanted to know if the ticket had been thrown out or could it get thrown out. He didn't say too much, b/c I don't think he wants to take sides, but he said that 1) even if the ticket does get thrown out, the at-fault party still stands valid, and 2) I should have my insurance company handle this situation and quit dealing with them myself. Only problem with that is I'm a liability-only customer, and I don't know how this will affect their service to me. I'm going to definitely call them Monday to see what they can do for me, b/c they are aware of the situation already. And I think on top of that, I'm going to take this woman to small claims court to recoup the damages, b/c I had to fork out the cash to get my truck back. It's just frustrating, b/c here I am leaving in less than a week for Japan, and now I have to worry about setting all this up. Is there some sort of limitations on when you can take someone to small claims? I don't know these things, but I guess I've gotta find out. On top of that, Butch (the wannabe-gangster) threatened me at the scene of the accident. I'm not super scared of the guy, but who knows what he might do if I take his girlfriend to court.

Whew! That feels better. I just kind of slammed it out...

I'm not working right now b/c I'm on standdown to get ready for deployment, so I haven't seen any of my coworkers lately. Also, my friends are either out of the country or out of the state right now, so I really don't have anyone to talk with about all this. I guess it helps to dump it out somewhere!

That's why I've been blogging so much lately. I don't have a life right now! haha It's kind of nice to relax for a bit before I have to go to Japan. At least this will be my last deployment before I'm out of the Navy!

I want to say that I should not be getting so worked up about this situation. I heard once that you can 'should' all over yourself, though, so let me rephrase that. I wish I could take it in stride. This is definitely a learning lesson in many aspects. I know in the big scheme of things, it will all get worked out. I'll be a little more wise from it, too.

Breast Cancer Awareness

Officially, last month was 'Breast Cancer Awareness Month.' However, now that it's in the headlines this month with the study I mentioned in my last post, I think this is an excellent opportunity for me to remind you to visit the Breast Cancer Site. Just by visiting their site and clicking on the links, you are helping to provide free mammograms for underpriveleged women. This is not a scam -- here is a link to the Urban Legend Reference Pages which confirms the site's validity. The ULRP is a great source for looking up questionable stories that you may receive via those notorious 'forwards' in your inbox.

For more information on breast cancer-- how to detect it early, symptoms, myths about breast cancer, and answers to any questions you may have --check out the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

By the way, there is a whole family of those websites where your clicks are for charity. If you just visit the Breast Cancer Site and look at the tabs on the top of the page, you can click on each one from there. Also, be sure to visit Campbell's site here:
Campbell's Soup Click for Cans - provides food for the hungry.

Is There Really a Link Between Red Meat Consumption and Breast Cancer?

That's hard to say. The buzz is being generated right now from the recent publication of a Harvard Medical School study suggesting high red meat consumption can nearly double a woman's risk of getting breast cancer. At least, that's how The Washington Post and a few other media outlets, in print, online, and on television, are presenting the data. The study was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine on Monday.

The particular type of breast cancer that was linked to red meat consumption is called hormone-receptive. It should be noted that the study was only conducted on premenopausal women, and it was done by analyzing the answers that women provided for a questionnaire on the frequency that they ate particular foods.

Now, I'm not going to go into some in-depth analysis on what the results mean as the real experts have already hashed it out. I would just like to provide some links for you to follow in order to decide for yourself. I think what most of the skeptics are saying is that there is no real conclusive evidence to a link between red meat consumption and breast cancer. Objectively looking at the subject, I think most people took the reported results and ran with them. It seems there could be some sort of link, but there needs to be more research before a definitive association can be claimed. I personally feel that there are risks associated with eating red meat in excess, without supplementing your diet with alternatives. I also feel that there are risks with eating much of the meat that is processed here in the US because of the hormones that have been injected into the cows before they are slaughtered. That's why I always try to purchase hormone-free meat.

One very good analysis I found was written by a journalist for foxnews.com. I can't say that I much like the source, but his message is solid, and well-researched. It's worth a read here.

Another analysis is done by the much respected STATS at George Mason University. They also make a good arguement as to why this subject needs more research before these results can be found conclusive.

Now, on the same token, keep in mind that there is a definitive link between excessive red meat and processed meat consumption to colorectal cancer. So it would probably not be a good idea to eat red meat everyday. However, the risks for colon cancer and the danger to your overall health are smaller than those created by obeisity and lack of exercise. So, priority-wise, if you are obese, it would be more beneficial to bring your weight under control before you worry about your meat consumption.

OJ: Narcissistic, Arrogant, Sociopathic, I can go on here...

Here we go again. You've probably heard a little about the book that was written by OJ Simpson that has recently been published entitled, "If I Did It." Once again, he is purported to speculate on the details of the murder and how it may have played out if he had commited the crime. It is being touted as a basic confession by the man himself. This is not the first time he's made comments along the lines of some sort of admission. I recall the stir he caused in 1998 when he commented to an Esquire reporter, "Let's say I commited this crime. Even if I did do this, it would have been because I loved her very much, right?" However, it is startling that he has become even more brash in his thinly-veiled admissions. The making of this book is an egregious act coming from OJ, as well as the publisher, that defies belief. He is so arrogant because he has already been acquitted in a criminal court, and he realizes that no matter what he does, he cannot be prosecuted for that crime again.

Not only has he put out this book, but on November 27th and the 29th, he is going to be on Fox television expose entitled, "OJ Simpson: If I Did It, Here's How It Happened." Oh yeah, and the publishers of the book fall under the holdings of News Corporation. Murdoch & Co. strikes again!

Everyone knows he did it. He has been convicted in a civil trial which unequivically proclaimed his guilt. In addition, I would argue that despite his acquittal in criminal court, he has not been exhonerated of the charges. If anyone has any doubt left as to the guilt of this man, then they are not taking the facts into account. I believe that this new book will clear up any misconceptions, as OJ virtually confesses to the murders. I understand and fully support freedom of speech. On the same token, I believe there are responsibilities that come along with what you say. OJ is a prime example: he wants to flirt with an all-out confession, then he needs to pay. He needs to be taken back to court, and any proceeds from the book need to go to his children. He should also be seen as an unfit parent. They do it to other parents for much less. Any other way he can be penalized should be applied as well. If there are any charges, such as perjury, or anything that would stick that can be brought against him should be applied. He needs to be nailed to the wall. He's a sorry SOB.

Oh, and one last thing, since it was a war-cry during the trial. The gloves DID fit. First, he had on latex gloves when he tried on the gloves in the courtroom in order to keep from 'contaminating the evidence.' This act was orchestrated by Johnny Cochrane. In addition, the gloves were leather, which had dried wet from the blood and had shrunk. Not only that, an investigator with the same sized hands slipped the gloves on without issue (Simpson made a big theatrical presentation of struggling to get his hands in the gloves.) OJ had also been pictured the previous year with those gloves on. Later in the trial, he tried on a brand new pair of Isotoners -- same size extra large -- and they slid on...like a pair of gloves.

Congratulations!

Well, I've just got to say that Meegan called and told me she got accepted into the University of Washington! I'm so happy for her. At least something good is going on around me! Everyone knew it was coming, and I'm glad that they finally notified her. Awesome!

Frustration

You ever had that mid-chest, sinking feeling before? It spreads upwards into your jaws? Of course, everyone has at some point. I felt it again today. I hate that feeling. It has a helplessness to it, that taste in the back of your throat...I feel like a got stabbed in the back.

I finally was able to schedule a time to take my truck in for repairs. I thought everything was good to go because the insurance company that represented the other driver had verbally claimed responsibility. They had sent out a claims adjuster who took a look at my truck, & who said she would send the information to me by e-mail. She explained that all I would have to do would be to print this out, take it to any car repair shop that I wanted, and that the paperwork would take care of the bill. I even asked her, what if there was a discrepancy between their quote and how much the shop said it would take, and she said that they would work it out with the shop. Well, I finally was able to take my truck in to have it repaired. When they called to tell me it was ready, I went down there excited to have my transportation back. The guy starts looking at the paperwork, though, and he says that it states I am to pay the charges. I was flabbergasted. He called the insurance company to verify, and they indicated that liability is still pending. Bullshit! Any reputable company would have 1) resolved this by now, and 2) claimed responsibility based on the overwhelming evidence that it was their customer's fault! I got on the phone and demanded answers from the insurance company. I couldn't get any straight answers, so I asked to speak to a supervisor. My request was met with, "That's not going to help you any." WTF?!

I was so upset. I was crying because I had gotten myself so worked up. I called mother, & she helped calm me down. Mothers are good at that. But I only slept for 4 hours last night, which is far too little for me. I laid there awake, mulling things over, getting mad all over again for about an hour. Finally I realized that was doing no good, so I got up and read a book. I kept re-reading paragraphs because I'd find my mind wandering back to the situation, imagining what I would say once I got those people on the phone again. It's so frustrating.

The whole situation is fishy. I don't know...they may yet claim responsibility, but it doesn't seem likely with their current reluctance. I never knew insurance comanies could be this way. I'd always had such great service from Progressive (awesome company), and even Geico seemed reliable when I was with them.

I feel physically stressed by this situation. I just can't believe that they're doing this. Needless to say, it may come down to me paying for the damages caused by someone else. It sucks. I'm waiting on a phone call from the insurance company to see what's going to happen -- maybe get some solid answers. I'm going to try and do other things in the meantime to keep my mind off of it.

More Fun Stuff

The last time I left off on my adventures was back in September. On the 23rd of that month, LeAnne & I signed up for and completed a 50 mile bike ride through Whidbey Island, called the Tour de Whidbey. It was great that it wasn't a race, and there were break stations where people were set up with water, fruit, and a smile nearly every 15 miles. I had never ridden that far before on a bicycle, so it was definitely a challenge. We were nearly the only goobers out there with mountain bikes with slicks, but we managed to make it by that afternoon. I didn't really have any problems until the last 3 or 4 miles, when I just wanted it to be over. For the most part, though, we had a great time. The weather held up for us, too.

The next weekend I got together with LeAnne again, and we took off for Whistler in British Columbia to do some downhill mountain biking. We left as soon as I got off of work on Friday, and pulled into Whistler around 10 p.m. We decided to have a makeshift campsite in the back of her Suburu, which afforded plenty of room and best of all was free. Early the next morning, we got up and hit the slopes, sans snow. With an all-day ticket, you can take the gondolas up the mountain and ride down all day long. We both crashed a couple of times, but we got back up and kept going. The bruises stayed with us for weeks; I had a deep gash in my shin from hitting a hill too fast and flipping off of my bike. Next time I'll be wearing shin guards. Once again, we were the least equipped fools up there, but I've got to say we probably had the most fun. Everyone up there had these sick downhill bikes with mad travel, and here we came up with our regular mtn bikes. The guy I took my bike to for repairs after going to Whistler said my back shock pin looked as if it was going to fall out because it had seen so much wear up there! That made me proud. I rode hard and enjoyed every minute. Here's a picture of some of the trails from the gondola. Check out the crazy jump in the background, too:
We were beat by the end of the day, so we decided to get a room to relax, rather than try to camp out again. The next morning, we headed back towards Vancouver along the Sea-to-Sky Highway, which is renowned for its beautiful vistas and lookout points. I was amazed, because it was completely dark when we had driven up on Friday night. We stopped at a few places, one being Shannon Falls, which is BC's 3rd tallest waterfall. The flow was pretty sparse, but there was enough water to wash my hair:

We pulled into Vancouver around 2 p.m., and headed for an all-you-can-eat sushi joint. Unfortunately, we had just missed the all-you-can-eat part, so we ordered some general dishes, which still ended up being pretty cheap. After this, we headed over to Granville Island, a small area connected to Vancouver with an indoor market, arts, crafts, pottery studios, art schools, and the like.
After we had made the rounds through the market, we came outside to hear a Peruvian flutist who was perfoming. It was pretty funny because LeAnne had purchased the same guy's CD the last time she had heard him, a few years before. It had been relegated to her 'bad' CD pile, and of course, I poked fun at her for having it. As we watched, an Oriental lady began dancing around on the square, doing all kinds of eye-closed moved, swaying this way and that. It was a mixture of ballet and spinning. She was really getting into it, so we wondered if she was part of the act. Come to find out, she was just there watching the performance with her husband, and I guess she just got moved.

Opt-Out of Prescreen Offers

Over the past 3 weeks, I have received 4 separate offers for the same credit card saying I've been pre-approved. This is ridiculous. I have subsequently sent in a request for a permanent opt-out for offers like this. You can find the website here, which is provided free of charge under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

You're Toxic

I've been reading about the dangers of polycarbonate/Lexan bottles recently. The problem lies with HDPE bottles that leach out the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) into your liquids. Some studies have indicated that brand new bottles leach out the substance, and as the bottle degrades over time, the chemical begins leaching out at a faster rate, especially when detergent is used to clean them or if they are heated as with a hot liquid. Bisphenol A has been linked to cell mutations in humans which are of the type that lead to birth defects, miscarriages, and several types of cancer. I had no idea there could be any health hazards associated with drinking out of these bottles, and I have used them without thinking for years. The scientists that conducted the research and who linked this type of plastic to BPA did not specifically test Nalgene bottles, and it should be noted that the maker of Nalgene bottles maintains that there is no inherent danger in using their polycarbonate bottles. However, considering these bottles are made from the same plastic that was tested, I would find it hard to believe that these bottles would be found to not leach the chemical. Regardless, I am limiting my use of Nalgene and other HDPE bottles to just the ones I have recently bought. When a few months have passed, I will throw these out, too. I was told that a good measure as to when to throw out one of these bottles is when you see the writing begin to wear off the outside. No word on where that indicator comes from, so I am assuming this comes from this being a general indicator that the bottle is getting old. If you are looking to avoid these bottles, too, look for #7 on the bottom or somewhere where it says polycarbonate.

So what are the options for drinking bottles? There are aluminum bottles, glass, stainless steel, and other types of plastics. The Sierra Club recommends using HDPE #4 plastic bottles instead, which are not linked to the leaching of bisphenol A. The old-style Nalgene bottles that are cloudy or milky looking are made from this type of plastic. They also say LDPE #2 and #5 PP are safe for reuse. On a side note, it is also not recommended to reuse regular plastic bottles, like those you purchase for everyday use such as Evian due to the problems with them harboring bacteria, despite attempts to clean them. As far as aluminum bottles go, I'm not sure. I'm still trying to find research on this subject, but with no luck. Aluminum has been linked to all sorts of problems in humans including Alzheimers. I realize that most aluminum bottles are lined with epoxies, but personally I will probably avoid these as well. That leaves glass and stainless steel. Glass is not practical for outside of the home for obvious reasons. I have found a couple of stainless steel bottles that you can purchase online here:

Colored Stainless Bottles
Klean Kanteen
Nissan Stainless