DowningRules

I don't mind if my health insurance provider is making money. Gives the provider incentive to keep me as a customer. I have no misgivings that this is what I am ultimately: a customer. Under Obamacare, I am a potential vote.

My horror story...buckle your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy flight: Quick background: I had good and self-selected insurance prior to Obamacare. Despite what the president said, even though I liked my insurance, I couldn't keep it as my insurer eliminated my plan and offered a new and similar plan but for about twice the rate of the previous plan. I was frustrated and upset and made a mistake: I let California appoint me my healthcare provider. Came down with what appeared to be a rash on my arms and neck. I booked an initial appointment with my general practitioner. Soonest I could be seen was one month. I didn't want to wait because it was getting uncomfortable so I paid out of pocket to see my own dermatologist. She tried all sorts of things but determined, ultimately that it was an allergy. She gave me a very good deal on an allergy test as she had sympathy for my Obamacare situation. She'd seen it before. Allergy test revealed some allergies, but there were more, shown by outbreaks on my face. She told me she had done all she could and that I should see an allergist, She referred me to a good and notable allergist. I made an appointment. I was stoked to get in after only a week's wait. Went to allergist and I gave the receptionist my Obamacare insurance card. They told me there was no referral on record. I informed that my dermatologist referred me. They called my dermatologist's office to have them fax over a referral. I waited for this to be cleared up, excited to proceed with the appointment. Nope. My dermatologist is not in the obamacare system. They need an authorized referral. A doctor in the Obamacare system. Paperwork, etc. I said, "Screw it. I'll pay out of pocket." Receptionist said uh-uh. Since they know I have Obama insurance, and that info was now in their system, it could be construed as insurance fraud. Huh!!?! I was denied seeing the allergist even though I had an appointment and would've paid cash.The allergy doctor was probably 15 feet away from me and waiting to see me. They told me to see my obamacare assigned general practitioner to get a referral for an allergist. Ok. Went to the doctor, finally. (About a month later). I waited an hour to be seen. Since it was my first appointment, they had to ask a bunch of questions. A nurse, or office worker...I don't know what she was because she couldn't speak English tried to get info out of me. Since we literally couldn't speak each other's language, some kid about 16 years old came in wearing shorts and flip flops and started translating for the lady. I have no idea if what he told her was accurate and vice versa. It was all Vietnamese. I almost walked out but luckily I was called in for the examination (waited another half hour). Doctor GP said it looked like I had an allergy. THank you. But, before he could refer me to an allergist he had to refer me to a dermatologist and that would take some time for approval. I left the office empty handed though he did order me a prescription for prednisone. Amazing that he didn't tell me how to take it or anything. It's not the kind of drug you want to throw around, but whatever. I had to call almost daily to see if I was approved for a dermatologist. Finally, after about two weeks, I was approved. The bummer is, you can't ask for an appointment until you get approval. So I called to make an appointment with the dermatologist. Another two weeks of waiting. Still had a bit of the rash. Went to the dermatologist. Doctor was too busy to see me but the physician's assistant spoke English so that was a bonus. She said I needed to see an allergist. I knew this over a month ago. Probably two months by now. Obama would have to approve the visit to an allergist. Ok. A week went by and I called. Not approved yet. Call later. I called a couple day's later. I was approved and they were about to call me. Uh huh. I went to allergist. He said it looked like I had an allergy. But I would have to be tested to see what I was allergic to. This would take some time because these tests would have to be approved by Obama. Uh huh. Called a couple weeks later. Yes. I could be tested. Yay! Went to get tested. Not allergic to foods. Now, I am awaiting approval for environmental testing. Meanwhile, I got a letter from the Franchise Tax Board. I underpaid my state taxes. Obama/Jerry Jive Ass Brown want more money to cover the cost of my insurance. So, I owe more money and after months of waiting for doctor appointments and all sorts of approvals, my health issues have not been resolved. The irony is that I've probably paid about $500 out of pocket to figure out my problems. Should I ask Obama for reimbursement? If I get something terrible like cancer or say, a heart condition, I am screwed. Diagnosis and treatment will come way too late. This is why Trump is getting so much support. And I write that without even being a Trump supporter.

His hitting is on one of its bi-weekly hot streaks. His creative fielding is consistent. He is ideal for the 2016 Angels roster.

Respectfully, Cron is the problem. The team settles for players like this and considers it 'okay' to wait and see what he will do. I'd give a pass to this season due to the injuries and pujols' inability to play defense on a daily basis. But cron has been around for a while now and he's shown the team that he's the best Cron he can be. I'm somewhat hopeful that Eppler has made some moves in rapid succession, although his hand was forced due to injuries. Of course, I'm not picking on Cron only. We've got Giovotella, who I like, but how good is he projecting to be? We've had a number of hangers-on in recent memory who the Angels give a pass to for reasons which seem to range from they're one tool experts or a player has shown possibilities year after year Obviously this all points back to the shambles of a farm system which will take years to rebuild. However, part of putting the farm system back together is demanding a higher expectation at the major league level which the Angels haven't necessarily shown an urgency for.

He's got hands? Does he hide them in the same place he keeps his brains?

Somebody remind me why Cron is still on this team? Streaky, hands of stone...somebody somewhere thinks he's going to put it all together I suppose and be the answer to the $250 million man at 1st base? He's emblematic of he non-injury problems with this team. Too much patience for someone that might never really happen. Over value-ing what the team has while not placing enough value on some of the pieces that used to be in the farm. I would def use this shite season (yes, it's still kinda early, but I'm going to go ahead and say the Angels aren't appearing in the World Series this season) to start getting something -- ANYTHING! -- for the Cron's, and similar scraps in AAA. Jeebus.

Eppler is HItler!

But Bieber hits like a girl.

So, using this deduction process, would Jerry "Jive Ass" Brown then outlaw abortion in California? It's a moral and social issue, after all. I was under the impression that legislating morality and political pandering were no-no's for Jive Ass. This is a ground breaking and precedent setting statement.

I don't understand why people with minimum wage jobs have an expectation that they should be able to raise families or live in expensive cities with minimum wage jobs. This is a fairly new concept and became inevitable when we turned a blind eye to the import of the mostly uneducated or those who arrived without a trade. Now, we are raising the minimum wage to, in effect, subsidize jobs which will at some point be priced to extinction and taken over by robots and scanners.

The NCAA game will crush all. Never underestimate the modern American appetite to use a nationally televised game by which to eat and drink to. Hence the success of NFL the last two decades. As the American waistline expands, so does the NFL.

Because Bartleby the Scribner was already taken. His team can't get rid of him.

This is awesome news. We want him healthy and we want his bat in the Rangers lineup. It's very helpful for Angel pitchers. I'd rather the Angels play against a player who isn't passionate, doesn't care if he wins or loses, will swing and miss more than not, etc. Keep up the good work, Hammy!

He's an interesting and conflicted figure. Imagine how much more celebrated he would be the next two seasons if he were likable.

   Not to be confused with Don Johnson who was on Miami Vice.

Racist.

RE: Shoemaker: "Mike Scioscia hoping, along with Charles Nagy the pitching coach, he is not as strong in some sense ... (enter long pause here) ... to be up in the zone (brief pause) where you can get hurt." Long pause. Terry Smith: "Here's the next pitch."

Union reps of all stripes get very antsy when owners don't spend more money for the sake of spending more money.

Chris Isaak had a really good song called "Dancin'." It was used in an episode of MIami Vice...Payback, I believe, starring Frank Zappa. It was such a good song, I thought it was either Roxy Music or Bryan Ferry, at first. But, alas, it was Stockton's own Chris Isaak. CHeck out the episode/thank me later. Cameo by boxer Roberto Duran who blows his brains out in the teaser.

"Darren, whose to say out there that there's not one thing called 'productive outs?'" I have missed this man.

Khrulz? Hmmm...German derivation? I'd like to be the first on the board to compare him to Hitler and/or call him a fascist. Khrulz: That trade is like something Hitler would do. You're a fascist racist for that trade idea. And don't even think about posting any racist sick line-ups.

I think the plan is to re-build now in order to be in position to be able to rebuild again in 2017...or later? Buy high, sell low.

My optimism for the forthcoming season must not be at it's highest when Vladdy making a meadowlark lemon-like appearance at spring training is my one hope.

24th trip to LA as the Fundraiser-In-Chief. Probably his greatest accomplishment. If only he put as much effort figuring out why I can't keep the health insurance I liked, as he had promised.

Going on a chill bike ride with the lads as is our tradition on the boardwalk. Return to friend's house on bikes with, as we call it, "candies, cokes and things." We might order a pizza and break for a Balboa bar if the game's in the crapper...and it often is. There'll probably be only one of us really watching the game. The rest of us will be on our phones/tablets. With the last two minutes of the game (which will take 25 minutes), I will enthusiastically countdown the clock to pre-season baseball happenings! The end of football season is one of the best days of the year, even in this uneventful Angels off-season.