DENTAL INSURANCE!

So, 6 months ago, I called my insurance company, Anthem BlueCross Blue Shield to have them remove my dental coverage on my health insurance. I decided to go elsewhere as it seemed that no dentist in the area took the plan I had or the ones that did weren’t accepting new patients. The customer service representative told me that they could certainly find a dentist in my area and that there was no need to cancel my plan. I said ok, where? She was able to find me Smiles on Broadway here in Milwaukee, only 1.72 miles away from my Apartment. I made an appointment, filled out the paperwork and 3 weeks later was sitting in the waiting room waiting to see the dentist when a thought popped into my head. “Go check with the desk and make sure the insurance is good here, just in case.” So, I went to the desk and asked the woman at the counter if in fact, Smiles on Broadway took my plan (Dental 2). She said, “No, we stopped taking that about a year ago” and “You should drop Anthem as they provide very poor coverage and instead go with Delta Dental.” She informed me that as soon as I had Delta Dental, I could come back no problems. Fast Forward to May 2013. I call again to cancel my Anthem dental coverage and after being on hold for close to 30 minutes, finally got someone to cancel it and tell me they would attempt to get a portion of my payment refunded since I didn’t once use their coverage. It would take up to 14 business days to get confirmation. After I got off the phone with Anthem, I called Delta and purchased their fancy, more expensive plan that assured me coverage July 1st 2013 and was grandfathered into a no waiting for procedures since I already had carried dental insurance for one year. Today, I decided to make an appointment for July with my new insurance. First I decided to call Anthem BlueCross Blue Shield to find out why I still hadn’t heard a peep regarding my cancellation of my dental portion of my health insurance. So, I called costumer service and spoke to a guy who must’ve been deaf because he asked me to repeat myself every time I spoke and couldn’t remember more than 2 numbers at once. I told him my situation and he told me that he couldn’t do anything since I hadn’t paid my May bill. I told him, I hadn’t paid my May bill because I was waiting for the dental fee to get removed and have a letter confirming y cancellation of my dental coverage. He said that the only way he could do anything was if I paid for May and June immediately and get re-instated. This payment also had DENTAL coverage on it. They had no record of me requesting cancellation and couldn’t proceed on my request until I paid $300.00. I lost it. Then, he told me I couldn’t request cancellation of my dental coverage until I was re-instated. I called and already cancelled when I WAS AN ACTIVE INSURED CUSTOMER DIPSHIT! I decided to just pay and wait until July to attempt cancellation for the 3rd time. I still want to go see the dentist, something I haven’t gotten to do, even though I’ve been paying for dental insurance for 1 year. So, I called back Smiles on Broadway since they already had my paperwork and knew my situation regarding the insurance fiasco. I called to make an appointment for July 3rd at 2 pm. The receptionist told me I first had to pay my balance of $310.00 from my last visit. WHAT?! I didn’t have anything done? I just sat in the waiting room for 10 minutes and then went home after learning my insurance wasn’t’ accepted. She said that I had x-rays and an exam, yadda, yadda, yadda. NO, I DIDN’T! I told her what happened and I could sense she didn’t believe me. Then I said, I refuse to pay anything because I never had any service done. I didn’t even walk past the waiting room. She said she believed me and “would take care of it.” I’ve heard that before. The receptionist asked if I’d still like the appointment and I said yes, as long as I am off the books for the $310.00. She said of course, but I had to come in and fill out paperwork. I told her they already had my paperwork from last time and she responded with, “We discard paperwork from clients that don’t see the Dentist.” THEN HOW DID I HAVE A BALANCE FOR WORK DONE IF YOU DON”T HAVE MY PAPERWORK? Now, I have 2 dental plans that I have spent $600, haven’t seen the Dentist in a year and carry a $310.00 balance at a Dentist office.

Great Song.

oh I'll bet I know what you like
at least think I know what you might
I'm not the most cocksure guy
but I get more bold with every smile

so please, show me your teeth, I'll show mine
I sure hope our P's and Q's don't mind
cause I've been alone quite some time
and I've got to scratch this itch of mine
and I think I know what you know
I'm not that smooth but I'm not blind

the hours pass us by as gin slips slowly
past our tingling spines, cheeks warm and glowing
I'm a social mess but not yet slurring
the words that come to rest upon my luring tongue

oh I'll bet I know what you like
at least think I know what you might
I'm not the most cocksure guy
but I still survive the good cock fight
try as I may, try I might
I'll ever scratch this itch of mine
we've all got our vices, this one's mine
so I might not smoke but I get high

underneath this fleshy robe lies a beast with no control
I fed it once look how it's grown
oh my god, bring me peace from this wolf covered in fleece
I can't shake loose from its teeth
oh my god, set me free
for I have no ability to cut my leash and walk away

with every passing night my conscience lessens
and seems to pacify these guilt filled sessions
now I'm a social pest but not yet willing
to put my wiles to rest till I'm done filling these holes

I'll bet I know what you like
at least think I know what you might
and I'm not the most cocksure man (?)
I take what I get and get what I can

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWRfv3boX3U

a sentimental heart.

Certain feelings are better left away from adjectives and verbs.

Last night provided me a glimpse of what could and what might be.

I felt this way but once before and it was the first time I met you.

Inside Milwaukee Post

Susan Kerns, a Film Professor I had in the early 2000's wrote a fun piece on the milwaukee film festival. A dream I had made it in; here is the link.

http://www.insidemilwaukee.com/Dine/2787

The Terminator Is Back!

And he's making marijuana decriminalized in the entire state of California.

here is a comment left by someone that pretty much says what I believe and does it very eloquently.

"Prohibition is a sickening horror and the ocean of censorship, hypocrisy incompetence, corruption and human wreckage it has left in its wake is almost endless.

Prohibition has decimated generations and criminalized millions for a behavior which is entwined in human existence, and for what other purpose than to uphold the defunct and corrupt thinking of a minority of misguided, self-righteous Neo-Puritans and degenerate demagogues who wish nothing but unadulterated destruction on the rest of us.

Based on the unalterable proviso that drug use is essentially an unstoppable and ongoing human behavior which has been with us since the dawn of time, any serious reading on the subject of past attempts at any form of drug prohibition would point most normal thinking people in the direction of sensible regulation.

By its very nature, prohibition cannot fail but create a vast increase in criminal activity, and rather than preventing society from descending into anarchy, it actually fosters an anarchic business model - the international Drug Trade. Any decisions concerning quality, quantity, distribution and availability are then left in the hands of unregulated, anonymous and ruthless drug dealers, who are interested only in the huge profits involved. Thus, the allure of this reliably and lucrative industry, with it's enormous income potential that consistently outweighs the risks associated with the illegal operations that such a trade entails, will remain with us until we are collectively forced to admit the obvious.

There is therefore an irrefutable connection between drug prohibition and the crime, corruption, disease and death it causes. Anybody 'halfway bright', and who's not psychologically challenged, should be capable of understanding that it is not simply the demand for drugs that creates the mayhem, it is our refusal to allow legal businesses to meet that demand. If you are not capable of understanding this connection then maybe you're using something far stronger than the rest of us. So put away your pipe, lock yourself away in a small room with some tinned soup and water, and try to crawl back into reality A.S.A.P.

Because Drug cartels will always have an endless supply of ready cash for wages, bribery and equipment, no amount of tax money, police powers, weaponry, wishful thinking or pseudo-science will make our streets safe again. Only an end to prohibition can do that! How much longer are you willing to foolishly risk your own survival by continuing to ignore the obvious, historically confirmed solution?

If you support the Kool-Aid mass suicide cult of prohibition, and erroneously believe that you can win a war without logic and practical solutions, then prepare yourself for even more death, tortured corpses, corruption, terrorism, sickness, imprisonment, economic tribulation, unemployment and the complete loss of the rule of law."

Insanity

This oil spill seems to be the only thing on my mind lately; actually losing sleep over the images I see and the articles I read. The thought of 500,000 gallons of oil and other gases pouring into a precious ecosystem, a day, makes me ill. Containment hasn't worked, Top kill hasn't worked and now, an option that IS on the table, is the detonation of a nuclear weapon to try and seal off the leak. Russia has done it 5, FIVE times and has worked relatively well (at sealing the leak). What hasn't gone so well are the side effects of detonating a nuclear warhead in the oceans. It kills life, life that we depend on to keep ours. It poisons the water that we drink and the air that we breathe. With the dead zones (areas where there is no oxygen for life) spreading across the gulf, some as big as New Jersey, something has to be done and fast. Already 90% of the fish in oceans of the world have been fished and the recent spill threatens extinction of Blue Fin tuna not to mention complete death of coral reefs if a nuclear warhead is detonated.

This spill MUST be a WAKE up call, a FUCKING environmental fire alarm to the humans that WE are killing ourselves, FAST! The temperatures are getting warmer, oil is flowing in the water and almost no fish are left in our water. It is estimated that between 70% and 80% of the oxygen in the atmosphere is produced by marine plants. Now we are thinking about NUKING the ocean floor?

Put the pieces together.

It is time to realize what is important.

We are part of this earth and all that keeps us alive IS what we get from the earth so we should STOP poisoning it.

A meteorite took out the dinosaurs and WE are going to take ourselves out...

This is really scary because, unlike a fairy tale, things don't always end with a happy ending.

National Prayer Day

As I go to read the paper, there on the front page of the Fox Cities Post-Crescent, is the headline "Turning to Prayer" Can it help? My answer? Yes and no.

Let me digress.

Yes, Prayer helps if you are religious, even slightly, the "power of prayer" will give you some comfort and peace of mind. As in the way of getting results, NO, prayer doesn't do anything. In my humble opinion, prayer is but wishing for better things to come and knowing deep down that you are being superstitious.

"But Brendan, I really believe in the "power of prayer." "Praying really works!"

okay, PROVE IT! until then answer me these questions and ponder my statements below.

Why doesn't BP and the Federal Government save themselves billions of dollars by stopping efforts to contain the oil spill and pray that it stops. Pray that all the fragile wildlife and ecosystems survive the tragedy?

Why is it that when people pray for ill ones to heal they die, die faster than if treated by science?

Why don't more poor devout Christians win the lottery?

Why does it cost money to have some guy on satellite TV pray for me?

Why isn't the economy better? It seems people are always praying for more money, better jobs more industry.

Why do people keep praying, instead of doing?

The answer to all of these questions is easy when critical though about.

Prayer isn't going to do shit. If you want to get a job or to have success in your life you are going to have to work for it. Get an education or have a skill that will get you paid. Maybe you are talented or lucky, some people do have good fortune but most have to work hard, not Pray for it.

If you are sick, there is medicine and science on your side. You can pray too if that makes you feel better, but without treatment prayer won't heal you.

Everything that is prayed about can most likely be solved by taking action.

If there is a GOD he in no way, shape or form gives a shit about capitalism and our economy, domestic or global. I imagine GOD dislikes religion as well; anything man made for that matter. All of the things developed by man have done nothing but separate culture over time by colors. GOD doesn't care if you want more money, especially if slave labor and raping of the planet are the means to our "growing" economy.

Let's look at our situation critically and think about how naive and selfish prayer really is, even if it is for other people in dire situations. Why should GOD listen and help you? Why are you so privileged?

GOD gave us this place to live and it has afforded us with everything we need to survive and prosper. If used correctly we (all people under the sun, not just Christians) can get closer to GOD. By creation of religion we've been playing the who's right who's wrong game and trying to obliterate nations and spread what is believed to be the truth. In order to do this, wars must happen and weapons are needed. Weapons and churches cost money. Money is made by owning what has true value. Resources that were placed here for all not just those who can afford them. The environment then is squeezed of natural resources to make money to make weapons to make war to take more resources to spread the freedom and truth and when all is said and done nothing of value (oil, freshwater, fish, clean air, forests) will exist and we will all die.

So instead of praying for more money and a better life. Why don't you start creating a better life by living more responsibly. Start doing so at a local level. Stop buying cheap things from China. Grow some of your own food. Don't drive so much. Don't consume plastics or things not compostable. Support the local Mom and Pops and not the big box stores. Compost don't throw away. Recycle, reduce reuse. Instead of going to church go on a mission trip or volunteer in a 3rd world country. Turn off cable news and listen to NPR & BBC. Donate to save coral reefs and rainforests. Don't build obnoxious homes. Eat less sushi and red meat.

I don't think I know it all but I do know that we are destroying the good that was given to us and for whatever reason have lost the focus on what is important to keep the human race around. We are all organic matter and mankind is losing touch with that. Synthetic fertilizers, GMO foods should wake us up and realize that we are losing the very things that have given us this voice. The voice for the planet. Let's not screw it up by relying on prayer.

let's start taking action.