It was 41 degrees, cloudy, and calm when I took Colin out at 7:45.
Wednesday January 10, 2018
48 Comments and discussion on "Wednesday January 10, 2018"
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It was 41 degrees, cloudy, and calm when I took Colin out at 7:45.
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52F and misty drizzle here in Houston.
Hopefully Bob is feeling better today, and every day going forward. I know it must be extremely frustrating to have the plan change day by day. That is part and parcel of the process I’m afraid. It really is managed by morons (as it’s managed by a group, and the iq of a group is less than the IQ of the lowest member) but hopefully the actual care providing process is executed by high skill and knowledge people.
As a lay person, I’m a bit confused about why Bob still has the traec tube. Are they afraid of his airway collapsing? Seems like he’d be a lot more comfortable and easier to manage with it removed.
On the plus, he’s made great progress in the last week!
nick
Very foggy and 50f in Memphis this morning.
We had a number of SPAM mail injections yesterday using stolen / lost credentials. The emails were injected via Outlook Web Access (OWA). One bizarre occurrence was a user was suspicious of the phishing SPAM and replied to the (internal) user asking if this was a legitimate email. The spammer intercepted the question (via OWA) and replied “Yes, it’s real”. Never seen interactive activity like that, usualy it’s only script driven injection. We are trying to get management to authorize MultiFactor Authentication on OWA but that requires a MS license upgrade $$$ so there is resistance.
Best wishes to our host and OFD, we all miss their presence.
Funny you should mention MFA. My boss asked me about it yesterday. I’m all for it, but am concerned about the cost. I’m also concerned that security is not a top priority for the folks making the decisions.
Reminds me of the old saw –
User: If your security were better, it wouldn’t matter that my password is ‘Password’.
I have users that want to use passwords such as that.
We have had many cases of stolen / lost credential being used to SPAM us (and others) via our OWA. We have trialed MFA for the IT team but our current license makes it required on all O365 access, a pain that in office users will never put up with. The more expensive license (F5 I beleive) gives the option of requiring MFA only on OWA (and external SharePoint) access. This we could live with but first have to convince the bean counters that it’s worth the $$$. Given that a recent incident involved one of thier own they may be more attentive now.
Passwords … we are reviewing our password policy and have seen that NIST have completely changed their recomendations. No more 8 char minimum, and complexity (numbers, mixed case, special characters), now they say use a long pass phrase and only change it when it’s been hacked / lost / stolen. We are revising our guidance from something like “Hotel123#” to something more like “AnyonefortenisIasked?”. We have found some completely stupid passwords on our internal audits.
I read the fires are out in Kalifornia. Should I lol or not?
I’m wondering how 13 people get killed in mudslides. They’ve been talking about the possibility since the fires. Were the deaths in the mandatory evac area?
Lots of stuff caught my eye in the last couple of days, without OFD to backstop me on current news, I’ve forgotten about most of it.
It does look like assassination is back on the menu though as now 2 of the 3 creators of a service that lets leakers, whistleblowers, and journalists communicate securely have committed suicide. If I was the third guy, I’d be making some VERY public statements about my mental health. I also wouldn’t be getting on any small airplanes and I’d be getting my brakes and steering checked. Might even consider renting and not driving my own car….
n
I suspect RBT, sadly, will be in for a major shock when the bills are all settled and done. Especially if many out of network providers were involved. Maybe enough to put him close to bankruptcy. Not a pretty thought. One which I hope that I am very much incorrect.
It’s called “balance billing”…
http://www.ncsl.org/blog/2017/07/12/states-tackling-balance-billing-issue.aspx
Some states(e.g. Florida) forbid it, North Carolina, not so much…
https://www.billsbills.com/blog/were-you-hit-surprise-medical-bill-you-may-not-have-pay-it
WRT passwords, nist changed their reco because in real life, if you ask corp users to change passwords regularly they will make them as simple as possible. I believe I was up to Password43 by the time I left MediumCorp….
I have one banking site that won’t allow special characters, or any part of your name or username in the password. I have a unique user/pass that I have to look up every time I use it, or I can let FFox save that combo (as opposed to all other sites that concern my money) so I let FF auto fill the whole shebang.
n
The USA just hit 10 million barrels of crude oil produced per day. Freaking amazing. The USA has been continuously reinventing itself for over 100 years now. We have been a great blessing to the world unless you listen to the idiot climatologists.
https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=PET&s=WCRFPUS2&f=W
The same for natural gas production. We are producing 30 trillion cubic ft/year of natural gas now. And I am still hearing that 70% of the natural gas only (no crude) wells are closed in due to no buyers.
https://www.eia.gov/dnav/ng/hist/n9050us2a.htm
BTW, talk about idiot climatologists, “Washington Governor Claims ‘Just 59 Days’ To Save Children From Global Warming”
http://dailycaller.com/2018/01/09/washington-governor-claims-just-59-days-to-save-children-from-global-warming/
And, “Stephen Hawking: Earth will become unbearably boiling hot thanks to climate change”
https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/902350/Stephen-Hawking-climate-change-Donald-Trump-Global-warming-weather-venus
Hat tip to:
http://drudgereport.com/
Just got two phone calls complaining about me calling them. Given that my phone was in my hand at the time, I find that more than a little doubtful. One was a woman’s husband calling because somebody from my number had called and made certain threats.
This is getting out of hand. I don’t call phone numbers back when they do things like that simply because I know it is probably spoofed. Anyone calling & making threats and NOT spoofing the number is an idiot.
So the thing is – why can’t the telephone companies stop it? A lot of spam is prevented simply by not accepting mail from unknown mail servers. I have a smart host just to validate our corporate email. Why don’t phones work the same way? If I have a Verizon phone number (and I do), it should be rejected out of hand if it’s attached to a call from and AT&T network or a VOIP phone in India.
What’s wrong with that paragraph above? What technical hurdles are there to prevent phone companies from doing just that? I can state flat out that I don’t WANT calls from a spoofed (or even blocked) number. Don’t want it, don’t need it, and think they should all be blocked.
I’m a little steamed right now. That woman’s husband is steamed. I don’t blame him.
AP reported that the deaths occurred in mandatory evacuation zones, where only approximately 10-15% evacuated.
“the fires are out in Kalifornia”
Having lived in the land of fruits & nuts I know the cycle. Drought then fire then flood then mudslides then repeat. Throw in an occasional earthquake for variety.
. And I am still hearing that 70% of the natural gas only (no crude) wells are closed in due to no buyers
My gas wells have not produced a dime in royalty for a while. Still lots of gas in the ground but too cheap to produce at a profit. At least the oil wells still give me enough for a nice dinner each month. They used to be able to make my house payment.
That’ right. Not like the fires where you can smell the smoke and see the flames in time to evacuate. You don’t smell and see the mud in time. You first sense, feel it as you are swept away.
I has to walk my dog differently the last two days. Usually, down in the coastal wetlands, but far too muddy there. Consequently, in a city park where it is level and grassy.
Currently: 60°F, Partly Sunny, 30.07 inHg, Calm
Geo coordinates upon request.
Wrt spoofing, the short answer is…they didn’t think about it, and now can’t be bothered.
They make money off it, so why stop?
Ever try to not have a mailbox at your home? For a long time I got nothing at all by mail that was important to me. Could I stop getting mail? NO.
Pretty sure the big phone companies make money of the scammers somehow, or they’d be first in line to stop it.
n
Having lived in the land of fruits & nuts I know the cycle. Drought then fire then flood then mudslides then repeat. Throw in an occasional earthquake for variety.
Don’t forget radiation from Fukushima.
It’s called “balance billing”…
And very much improperly named. I would call it more like billing fraud. You go to an ER for an emergency, ER is in network (maybe only the janitors), everyone else that you dealt with in the ER is out of network and stiffs you for a huge bill. Nothing you can do about it. They got you by the balls.
Generally the amount billed is about three times what insurance would have allowed. Insurance company says tough. Even if you have reached your maximum out of pocket for out-of-network coverage insurance will only pay 100% of what the insurance company thinks is reasonable. Got a bill for $15,000.00? Insurance says we only would have paid $4,000.00 if it was in network. If you have reached your out-of-network maximum insurance will pay the $4000.00. But you are still on the hook for the additional $11,000.00 out of your own pocket. The maximum out of pocket amounts are a joke.
Insurance companies have destroyed the medical profession. Between the aggravation, low payment, slow payments, dissension between the doctors and the insurance companies about what should be allowed and how it is paid, no wonder doctors refuse to be in any network. It is especially easy for doctors that work in hospitals as they have a captive audience with no choice in the matter. The doctors have the patients by the balls and know they can bill what they want.
The way it is now, a person with good insurance, could go to the hospital that is covered by the insurance and come out totally bankrupt.
I have had to deal with this on my wife’s kidney stone removal. Hospital in network? Check. Doctor in network? Check. Anesthesia in network? Nope. Huge bill for which insurance says tough, we don’t pay, provider says pay it or else.
I hope that RBT’s situation with regard to billing is not that dire. But I fear for the worse. With as much time as he has been in the hospital (hopefully in network), I suspect that many of the surgeons, assistants, anesthesia and any other manner of providers used are probably not in network. Thus insurance will pay little of the amount leaving a huge balance. I would not be surprised to see RBT’s financial obligation to all these providers exceed $200K. One major medical incidence, even with insurance, can put most people into complete financial ruin.
Or simply declare bankruptcy. RBT doesn’t have many assets they could get to (depending on the state and it’s particular laws), and doesn’t need credit.
Let them get nothing if they won’t work it out.
n
Declaring bankruptcy would hurt his present business, which probably has several credit lines to his suppliers, all of which would disappear.
Maybe, maybe not. Depends on how the business is organized.
Who knows, maybe the obammy care will nuzzle him in its bosom.
n
I have had to deal with this on my wife’s kidney stone removal. Hospital in network? Check. Doctor in network? Check. Anesthesia in network? Nope. Huge bill for which insurance says tough, we don’t pay, provider says pay it or else.
What is “or else” ?
You might offer to pay the anesthesia bill at $100 / year.
What technical hurdles are there to prevent phone companies from doing just that? I can state flat out that I don’t WANT calls from a spoofed (or even blocked) number. Don’t want it, don’t need it, and think they should all be blocked.
The caller ID system was designed to allow the number to be changed by the caller. Two legitimate reasons off the top of my head. First, it allows outgoing calls to have the switchboard number on them rather than the line number. Second, it allows services that call on behalf of others to have the callback number on the display – for example, a service that is paid to call to remind you of an appointment can put the number of whomever you have your appointment with.
That said, they ought to close that loophole and have the caller pay to have the other ID applied.
Declaring bankruptcy would hurt his present business, which probably has several credit lines to his suppliers, all of which would disappear.
I would not assume that Bob can work again after all of this. Getting a triple bypass and replacement heart valve is very traumatic to the system. He may have to retire early and take SS disability. IIRC, Bob is 64 and can go on SS whenever he wants to.
Memphis area will warm into the 60s tomorrow. Then drop almost 40f in 12 hours as a winter “blast” moves in Friday morning with temps in the low 20s with a “frozen mix”. Looks like I will be working from home Friday. Memphis drivers can’t drive on dry roads much less snow & ice.
The caller ID system was designed to allow the number to be changed by the caller. Two legitimate reasons off the top of my head. First, it allows outgoing calls to have the switchboard number on them rather than the line number. Second, it allows services that call on behalf of others to have the callback number on the display – for example, a service that is paid to call to remind you of an appointment can put the number of whomever you have your appointment with.
Yes, but… My understanding is that phones are now packet switched over a (very) public IP network. The calls are packets containing data AND identifying information. Regardless of what caller ID says, the originating network MUST be able to identify and validate the source. (Otherwise, who pays the phone bill?).
My contention is that the sender MUST be identifiable for the phone call to connect. What I want is to KNOW who the other end is (regardless of what they say) and simply reject the call, unseen, if they are not who they say they are. (Call centers that call on behalf of Sears or Microsoft should so indicate. Saying they ARE Sears or Microsoft is fraud, IMO.)
And any phone system that spoofs / fronts for bogus phone numbers should not only be ignored but should see the MOAB briefly before death.
And any phone system that spoofs / fronts for bogus phone numbers should not only be ignored but should see the MOAB briefly before death.
MOAB = Mother Of All Bombs ?
I agree.
IIRC, Bob is 64 and can go on SS whenever he wants to.
Is SS Disability more/equal to waiting until ~66 to get “full” SS?
MOAB – yes. Hence the “briefly before death”.
As I grow older I find that the things that used to get to me (like noisy kids) no longer bother me much. But stupid things, where people do stupid/bad things to other people for gain, no matter the cost, approach capital crime status for me.
At least put them in stocks for a week in the town square. Let us get SOME use out of their ‘fresher hides.
IIRC, Bob is 64 and can go on SS whenever he wants to.
Is SS Disability more/equal to waiting until ~66 to get “full” SS?
I have no idea about the economics of SS disability vs going on SS early. We have tried to get our daughter on SS disability and cannot until she gets a fulltime job for ten ??? years or the wife or yours truly pass on to our great reward. After one of us passes on, our SS disability benefits accrue to our daughter since she has only worked for a couple of years and been sick in the decade since then.
“Backdoor Account Removed from Western Digital NAS Hard Drives”
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/backdoor-account-removed-from-western-digital-nas-hard-drives/
Can I nominate 2018 as the “Year of Computer Security Violations” ? We are only to Jan 10 and the world is already falling to pieces.
“Microsoft reveals how Spectre updates can slow your PC down”
https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/9/16868290/microsoft-meltdown-spectre-firmware-updates-pc-slowdown
“It’s bad news for older Windows 7 and Windows 8 machines”
My office PC just got updated and rebooted for the second time this week. I guess that my Intel I7-2600K cpu is dropping out of the fast lane.
My gas wells have not produced a dime in royalty for a while. Still lots of gas in the ground but too cheap to produce at a profit. At least the oil wells still give me enough for a nice dinner each month. They used to be able to make my house payment.
I read an analysis around six ??? months ago that said that the USA has 200 years of unproven natural reserves right now. But, the article went on to say that we probably have 1,000 years of natural gas in the ground. Directional drilling and fracking are amazing at reservoir production. And the shale reservoirs (Eagle Ford) are huge !
We are moving the USA over to natural gas as fast as we can. CNG, LNG, and plain old pipeline gas are all good for the future.
I am also wondering if New York State is going to let Kinder-Morgan put their new 42 inch natural gas pipeline into the state ? Apparently, New York State is having natural gas shortages with the extreme cold and the “unneeded” nuclear power plant shutdowns in the recent years (Maine Yankee, Vermont Yankee, etc).
My office PC just got updated and rebooted for the second time this week. I guess that my Intel I7-2600K cpu is dropping out of the fast lane.
The 2.4 GHz MacBook Pro I use for Windows 7 is already marginal. Apple wishes the machines would just go away so the “Boot Camp” drivers haven’t been updated since 2009.
Unfortunately, the UEFI is so brain dead that I can’t swap out for Linux like I did with my “No Windows, None Of The Time” E6400 Dell.
Ten years. Not a bad run for the machine.
That’s unfortunate about RBTs facility – the delays and changes in all of this have to be a stress on Barbara.
The rain seems to have passed here in the high desert. The gully washers on top of the arc were loud. The two indoor-from-birth cats were mildly curious, but the ex-stray jumped onto my lap, ears back, and *stayed* there for hours. Bad memories I surmise…
Today was cool with dramatic clouds, fun to watch for Californians used to blah day after day of sunshine…
MOAB?
I’ve been there, it’s in Utah.
What is “or else” ?
I was told that the bill would be sent to collections or that I would have a lawsuit filed against me.
You might offer to pay the anesthesia bill at $100 / year.
I then informed the lady that as long as I was making an effort to pay the bill they could not sent me to collections or pursue legal action. She was silent so she knew. I suspect her threat was an idle threat used on the unknowing.
I offered $50.00 a month and they accepted that amount. Of course I will pay more as I don’t want that bill hanging over me for the next year.
We have tried to get our daughter on SS disability and cannot until she gets a fulltime job for ten ??? years
I find that odd. I have known people that were only 20 years old that are on SS disability due to a back injury. Probably worked less than a year. I truly believe their injury was faked as I have seen that same individual manhandling the installation of a new outboard motor, running their 4-wheeler, and playing softball. I have also heard where minor children of adults are receiving SS payments for whatever reasons. I fail to see why someone with a true disability does not qualify even they have never worked.
My office PC just got updated and rebooted for the second time this week
My wife’s computer just got updated, an AMD device. System would boot to a failure screen. Tried the options to do a restore before the update was installed. Did not work, same failure screen. Was able to do the reset where all files are left intact and that seemed to work. Had to reinstall all the applications as none of those survived. That took many hours. Some software had serial numbers that would refused to reactivate because it had already been activated. Took calls and emails to vendors to get that resolved. Still a couple of things missing.
Who knows, maybe the obammy care will nuzzle him in its bosom.
Uh, nope. Wife is on the same program. Maximum out of pocket is supposed to be $8200 for the year. Thus far we have exceeded $18K on her medical issues. The problem is with non-network providers. They just bill what they want with impunity and force the client to pay. A procedure they charge the client $900.00 would only be able to collect about $300 from insurance if in network. Client is stuck for the rest.
Seems the doctors have found a way to avoid insurance companies. Contract with a facility that is part of a network but don’t become part of the network themselves. Building and support staff are part of a network, everything else is a free for all. The providers just bill what they want, know the amount will not get adjusted, and stick it to the patient. A racket of thieves.
Having just been through this I suspect that RBT will not be much difference. He will be paying for a long, long time to satisfy the vultures. The amount will be a significant financial drain.
Hopefully he had health insurance under the business name and covered under the business and not obuttwadcare. All that he would have to do is declare the business bankrupt and close the doors. The providers could not go after RBT, only the business, which at that point has no assets.
About the only way to keep from having a major medical issue from destroying one’s finances is to be on Medicare with a supplemental policy. What I don’t know is that if a facility takes Medicare do all the providers contracted with the facility also have to use Medicare? Would supplemental insurance cover the insured if Medicare was not accepted?
I have Medicare with a supplemental (Plan G, the best) and pay almost nothing. My maximum out of pocket each year is only $450.00 at which point everything that Medicare does not pay the supplemental policy pays. I have had zero medical payments this year for myself after the deductible.
The entire damned system is a mess brought on by the greedy insurance companies and doctors. Made worse by the uncaring, unknowing and generally incompetent insurance companies.
Lot bore a child with his daughter named Moab; a shame OFD isn’t here to correct me.
We have tried to get our daughter on SS disability and cannot until she gets a fulltime job for ten ??? years
I find that odd. I have known people that were only 20 years old that are on SS disability due to a back injury. Probably worked less than a year. I truly believe their injury was faked as I have seen that same individual manhandling the installation of a new outboard motor, running their 4-wheeler, and playing softball. I have also heard where minor children of adults are receiving SS payments for whatever reasons. I fail to see why someone with a true disability does not qualify even they have never worked.
If we had foreseen this, we could have have never married and listed our daughter’s father as unknown. Then she would qualify for SS disability. She does qualify for Medicaid but we are waiting on that.
The wife has been told conflicting items by the SS people for SS disability. The first is that one of us must die in order to get her on SS disability. The second is that one of us must be on SS in order to get her on SS disability. One wonders if there is a third, fourth, and/or fifth avenue to get her on SS disability. The wife has been also told that Chronic Lyme sufferers have not been able to get on SS disability without a lawyer.
The entire damned system is a mess brought on by the greedy insurance companies and doctors. Made worse by the uncaring, unknowing and generally incompetent insurance companies.
Actually, I blame the FSA (free sh** army) for our medical insurance and payments mess. They walk into an ER, dying, and walk out after a half million in treatments and do not pay a penny. And, I blame Ronald Reagan and the 1986 Congress who created the “Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act”:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Medical_Treatment_and_Active_Labor_Act
we could have have never married and listed our daughter’s father as unknown
There is the catch I do believe. The people that I have known on SS disability were only living with one parent. Around they may never have been married. Get pregnant your senior year, don’t marry, mother has no job but lives with and is supported by the father, but according to law the mother is poverty ridden. Birth is thus free, lots of free (rather no-cost to the mother) stuff to the mother such as formula and supplies, some extra money for the mother as she cannot work to take care of the child. Gets lots of money back in a tax refund for taxes she never paid. A big scam and they know all the tricks.
I blame the FSA (free sh** army) for our medical insurance and payments mess. They walk into an ER, dying, and walk out after a half million in treatments and do not pay a penny
I have also seen that happen. Bragging about how cheap that cancer treatment was and cannot understand why everyone complains. They also run to the ER over the sniffles or a splinter. No doctor will take them thus only leaving the ER route. Demand the best treatment and priority seating in the ER with their splinter taking priority over the fellow with the protruding bone in his leg.
I really hate subsidizing those SOB’s. A lot of suffering, have the ER kick them out a few times, refuse treatment or just provide a bandaid or some cough drops, might slow some of it down. Death would also be a viable option in my opinion.
The wife took Lady to the vet today to get her paw hair trimmed. When it gets too long, she develops sores between her toes. Anyway, she has dropped another 2 lbs since last September. She was chunky 4 years ago at 38 lbs. Now she is 26 lbs. I have been feeding her soft food but she is rejecting that now. The only thing that she will reliably eat is Vienna sausages. Sigh. Turning 15 has been rough on her. And she is losing teeth.
I know about Moab in Utah, but Moab != MOAB. Of course, letting them see Moab briefly before they die would work, but would not be anywhere near as satisfying. 🙂
And, I blame Ronald Reagan and the 1986 Congress who created the “Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act”:
I generally like Reagan for most of the things he did. He is my favorite, counting only those that served during my lifetime. But the things he did wrong were doozies. I blame Tip O(ver)’Neal for most of that. Reagan had to cut deals to get things done. That was one deal I don’t care for.
Our health care system is a mess. Collusion between the 3 players (.gov, .ins, and health care providers) seems to get worse every year. A reset would be in order.
Spouse does not understand why I cringe every time she takes one of the kinder to Urgent care for a belly ache. I’m wondering which visit is going to cost us a bundle.
Taking them to see Philadelphia, by contrast, would give them a vision of the hell that awaits them after death.
I generally like Reagan for most of the things he did. He is my favorite, counting only those that served during my lifetime. But the things he did wrong were doozies. I blame Tip O(ver)’Neal for most of that. Reagan had to cut deals to get things done. That was one deal I don’t care for.
Our health care system is a mess. Collusion between the 3 players (.gov, .ins, and health care providers) seems to get worse every year. A reset would be in order.
George Washington is my favorite President of the USA. He had the intellectual strength to turn down the Kingship. Of course had he not, that would have made Robert E. Lee our third King which would have not been all bad. Ronald Reagan is my second most favorite President because he told us it was ok to love our country again after that idiot Jimmy Carter said that we were weak and stupid.
The only solutions to the healthcare payments problem that I can think of is to get rid of the “Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act” or put all citizens on Medicare. I am not creative enough anymore to figure anything else out. The FSA army is out there and they are killing us.
I like Dr. Bob’s solution. No insurance, you have to go to the “free” clinic where you can’t sue anybody and you get what you pay for. No insurance card, no entry to the ER.
I like Dr. Bob’s solution. No insurance, you have to go to the “free” clinic where you can’t sue anybody and you get what you pay for. No insurance card, no entry to the ER.
We need to start with, if you are not a citizen or do not have health insurance, no ER for you. ERs are a luxury, not a right.