Bag of Randomness

  • USAA, my automobile insurance company, called me yesterday and informed me that the lady  I rear-ended (from a distance of about three feet and only left marks from my license plate on her bumper) was claiming she has some medical concerns.  However, the rep told me that the symptoms she stated don’t relate to that sort of accident from the distance involved.
  • I was asked to take some additional pictures of my car, and once again, I was really impressed with the USAA application on my phone.  After easily navigating to my claim there was an option to include pictures either by upload or to “take a picture and attach.”  Quite impressive.
  • When I had several moles removed by Coppell Dermatology they told me with insurance it would cost $290; however, I just received a claim from my insurance stating that it should have only cost me $77.  Not wanting to make a phone call and leave a voicemail and play phone tag, I thought I’d just stop by their office with the claim and explain the situation.  When having a friendly conversation with the receptionist the nurse rudely butted in and told me that “they don’t do billing here” and I need to call another office.  I stated I’d prefer the face-to-face interaction and you couldn’t see the claim over the phone, and that I had to go a little out of my way to get there.  Her response, “Well, you should have called ahead.”  So I drove home and called the number they gave me where I had to leave a voicemail and play some phone tag.  I wonder if the receptionist called ahead because instead of the billing department, the office manager called and was exceptionally polite and friendly.
  • The best part of my day was being reminded that I had a Support page on this little website.  One of my readers was nice enough to send me two books off my Amazon.com Wishlist with a nice little note for thanking me for what I do.
  • I wonder what is more demoralizing for a pitcher, giving up a grand slam or walking home a runner?
  • It’s been a really fun ride following the Rangers this post season, but man, with all the rain delays and extra innings, just watching and riding the emotional roller coaster is exhausting.
  • Anyone see all that beer thrown into the Rangers’ dugout after Cruz hit that homer in the 10th?
  • Being a bullpen catcher would be a nice gig, but I hear it doesn’t pay all that well.
  • This Sunday the Cowboys will wear their dark jerseys (the bad-luck blues) for the first time since Dec 2009 when they beat the Redskins 17-0, which I think was also their last shutout against an opponent.  They won’t be wearing those dark jerseys the rest of the year, but will wear those throwback jerseys again on Turkey Day.
  • Darth Maul only had three lines in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.  And oddly enough, the character will reappear in the cartoon series The Clone Wars despite being cut in half in the movie.
  • I was speaking to a cousin in California telling her about the hysteria when In-N-Out Burger opened in the area, and she told me that’s nothing compared to the hysteria in California when the first Sonic opened in the area.  Man, that’s hard for me to believe that anyone would be that excited about Sonic.
  • Oprah’s magazine has it’s first nude shot, but it’s about real beauty and all the intimates are covered up.
  • Remember that whole budget debate and that Super Committee that was to be formed?  It turns out they aren’t talking much, but here’s the latest if you are interested.
  • I’m beginning to think that Groupon was only a fad.
  • All 50 states and the District of Columbia received more federal funding for highway programs than they contributed from fuel taxes and user fees from 2005 to 2009.  Article
  • A nice picture of Sarah Jessica Parker and her husband Matthew Broderick.
  • Other pictures of Sarah Jessica here.
Posted in Personal | 3 Comments

Not From The Onion: Family lost in corn maze calls 911

A family from Everett lost in a maze carved out of a cornfield at Connors Farms in Danvers last night called 911 before being rescued.

“I don’t see anyone and I’m really scared, it’s really dark and we got a 3-week old baby with us,” a woman told the 911 operator.

Danvers Police Spokesman Robert Bettencourt emailed a voice recording of the 911 call to the media this afternoon.

“The victim does not want to be identified in any way on this incident and we are respectfully requesting that you honor their request,” Bettencourt wrote.

Connors Farms did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

The family, who said they paid about $15 to enter the tourist attraction, called 911 around 7 p.m. last night, about an hour after the maze closed.

“I just can’t believe they didn’t send anyone to come and check on anybody, the people that run this,” the 42-year-old husband said. “They close at six. We’re the only ones in here.”

The 911 operator told the man not to “let your wife freak out”

The operator then asked the man if he heard police dogs barking and told him repeatedly to yell “Hello K-9” to get the dogs’ attention.

Boston.com

Posted in Goofy | 1 Comment