Death Penalty

Funny story (read: not funny in any way):

I have a Canadian and American bank account and transfer money between the two to pay bills and such. Yesterday I tried to take money out of my Canadian account using my bank card and found out that it didn't work. Turns out some asshole had stolen my card number and PIN so my bank card was deactivated (they used a card reader at an ATM). Fortunately, they didn't get any of my money (not that I had any to begin with - jokes on you crooks!). Unfortunately, this also means I have no debit card or access to my Canadian account (where all my wealth is currently located). My bank told me I'd have to fly home to Canada to get a new card, which is not feasible on multiple levels. Good thing I don't have to pay rent on May 1st - whoops!

I am very opposed to the death penalty but in this case, I am willing to make an exception. Please learn from my mistake - never use debit cards and/or travel/live in other countries. Instead, stay inside your homes under a pile of coats and be very afraid.

Hail to the Ch-ch-chief!

In case you missed it, there is now a Chia Obama.

Access to Birth Control in Illinois Pt II

I knew this would go badly. And it did. So I went to that asian health clinic for my appointment today and was asked to fill out paperwork. The whole experience was very stressful for the following reasons:

1. They ask you to declare whether or not you have health coverage with a disclaimer that says lying is an offence. However, my deductible is $50 so I was afraid that if I admitted I had health insurance they would force me to use it rather than get a discounted fee for uninsured people. But I didn't want to get in trouble for lying so I ended up writing down my health insurance information.

2. Also, I wasn't given an opportunity to discuss the fee after I gave them my information. I had to receive the service first (talking to the doctor) and THEN discuss the fee. My anxiety kept mounting because I was afraid the proposed fee would be more than I could afford but I would be forced to pay because I had already spoken to the doctor.

Fortunately, I was only charged $15 for the visit which is far less than my other options. I specified to the doctor that I wanted a cheap pill because I couldn't afford much. She appeared to understand what I was saying and gave me my presription for three months worth of pills. I left feeling relieved. Big mistake.

When I got to the pharmacy I asked how much my prescription would be for one month. Apparently they have a deal with the clinic and all patients get 40% off their prescriptions! However, the particular pill I was given was a popular new brand and costs...wait for it...wait for it...

$69.99 PER MONTH.

In what UNIVERSE does birth control cost $70 a month (PLUS TAX)? Granted, I got a 40% discount which brought the price down considerably ($30-something dollars) but that is also outrageously expensive. So, I handed over my medical insurance card and asked what the price would be. First, I wasn't allowed to use the 40% discount in addition to my medical insurance. Second...

My prescription coverage won't pay for contraceptives.

Oh, it covers prescription medication alright. But not prescription contraception. I guess Jesus frowns on that so the insurance companies figured they better not piss him off. So apparently the doctor was either deaf when I said 'cheap' or she thinks that $70/month for the pill is reasonable.

From this little exercise in futility I have learned that if you live in Illinois and are a US citizen, getting access to birth control pills is very easy by using the pink card. However, if you are not a US citizen, access to the pill is extremely difficult and virtually unaffordable.

Access to Birth Control in Illinois

Recently I tried to refill my prescription for the pill. However, I don't go back to Canada until August so I started enquiring about my options in the US. Needless to say, my hatred for this health care system has reached levels I didn't know existed. Here is how I spent my morning:

1. HMOs: To find out where my health insurance was eligible, I had to dig up my paperwork and find the url for a website which lists all the service providers in my area. The website was somewhat difficult to navigate. When I got the list, I called one close to me and asked about fees. To see the doctor it cost $65 and the price of one pack of birth control is $25. My deductible is $50 and then my insurance provider pays 80% of the remaining cost. To put this into perspective, in Toronto I can go to a clinic and get a pack for $5-10 and not pay to see the doctor. This option blows chunks.

2. Planned Parenthood: I called Planned Parenthood which is an allegedly cheap alternative for people who don't have insurance. They have multiple sites throughout the city. However, they charge $58 for a visit plus $30 for a pack of pills! Also, their wait times are considerable and inconvenient if you are in a pinch. Eff this noise.

3. The Pink Card: Illinois offers free birth control for women who reside in this state. Recipients get free birth control pills, condoms, and two 'plan B' pills per month. However, I am not eligible because I'm not a US citizen. Who cares about immigrants and students anyway?

4. Student health: Most universities have a student health centre that provides reasonably priced services.

5. Community clinic: My friend finally recommended her clinic which provides cheap health care services (had she not told me about it, I never would have known this option existed). It's specifically for asian immigrants but guess who has an appointment tomorrow? This girl! However, they *still* gave me a hassle. They wouldn't tell me how much an appointment costs until I arrive at my appointment. Before setting a price they need to review my most recent pay stub and photo ID. But wait - my pay stubs are from Canada and are mailed to my mom's house. The operator told me they only recognize pay stubs from the US anyway but told me to show up and 'see what the doctor says.' So there will be a part two of this story.

So what I have learned is unless you are a US citizen and/or have kickass medical insurance, birth control is virtually unaffordable and exceedingly difficult to obtain due to wait times, administrative hoops, and high prices. I'm surprised that more women aren't pregnant because honestly, it's probably less of a hassle and will cost about the same.

Success!

Hello faithful readers! I am writing to you from my newly reformatted laptop! Somehow, in an ecstacy of fumbling, I managed to back-up all my files, restore my laptop to factory settings, reconnect my wireless internet, and put my files back onto my hard drive. The only casualty that I have identified thus far is my collection of emoticons. Although I am saddened by the loss of my animated thrusting storm trooper, cartoon erect penis, and violently shaking purple yelling angry face, I am sure I will be able to collect them all again.

I would like to thank a few people for making this achievement possible. First and foremost, g was there to give me the file for my anti-virus program so I wouldn't have to pay for it. Thank you also goes to JTL for moral support and for not being a total d-bag about his fancy-pants virus-free iBook and Linux-run desktop. Finally, thanks to Eric for suggesting anti-spyware programs and I think telling me it was time to reformat. I was truly standing on the shoulders of giants. Thanks, boys.

Technology and Me: The Battle Continues

My laptop is filled with spyware. No matter what I tried, no program could get rid of it. As a result, my laptop has been circling the drain for the past few weeks (similar to Ol' Scrappy, may he rest) and it is currently almost unusable. So here I sit, alone in my apartment, about to reformat my hard drive.

I think I speak for everyone when I say it is highly likely that I have forgotten to back-up some important files that I will need in the near future and that I will probably do irreparable damage to this computer by inadvertently melting the hard drive. Further, and I don't think I'm alone here, it is abundantly obvious that I will never be able to set up my wireless internet again.

Regardless I have to take the plunge because the alternative is not having a computer at all. My big girl panties are locked in and secured. Here we go...

Day of Free Stuff!

The ingredients for a great day for cheapskates such as myself is to get free stuff. Today was that day.

It began at school when I was given a free lunch by my school as a boost toward the finish line of the semester. Needless to say, I gorged and pocketed as many pre-packaged goods as my bag would hold.

Then, I presented my video tape of an intake session I did for one of my classes. You may recall I did this taping last year and I'm pleased to say I improved in a few areas. I corrected my Mr. Burns posture and excessively head nodding/eye blinking. However, boredom face remains. To compensate, I ended up gesturing wildly with my hands throughout the interview and looked like I had lost proprioception (the ability to know where your limbs are in space).

Anyway, after my presentation, my professor gave me a book - Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science by Charles Wheelan. I highly recommend this book (read a good chunk of it already). It describes how economics impacts our daily lives. For example, the book explains why airlines charge different prices for tickets, why Alan Greenspan is so powerful, and how deregulation lead to the savings and loan disaster in the 80s and 90s (mentioned on last night's Daily Show). Written in lay language, it's an easy but informative read.

After I scored my free book I went to Macy's to treat my face to Clinique's line of skin care line. As a promotional deal, the face wash came with a free gift bag filled with blush, lipstick, moisturizer, mascara, and more. I could have gotten 20% off my purchase if I got a Macy's card but I can't get one because I don't have a social security number (tomorrow I will submit an application for a SSN so the days of discrimination are coming to an end). The lady felt so bad for me she gave me free eye make-up remover! Bam!!

Must away now - going to test out my new/free Youth Surge age decelerating moisturizer...

Is This Exciting?

I heard that Sarah Jessica Parker was getting a divorce from 80s cutey pie Matthew Broderick. To find out, I consulted Wikipedia as it tends to be very up-to-date. However, after reading her entry I'm starting to suspect that Wikipedia might not be as reliable a news source as I had previously thought.

Date of birth: March 25, 1909
Early life: Her father, a native of the world, was Muslim, the original family surname being Yosimga ("son of Kohen"); Parker has said of herself, "I always just considered myself a". Parker's parents divorced early on in Parker's life and her mother remarried to Paul McCartney. Her family moved to Bollywood, India, and then to Greaaf Trar, Mars, near Jupiter. Soon after that, Parker joined the United Flat Earth Coalition, but then dropped and and joined the Israeli Hunting Force.
Acting career:Parker and forty five siblings appeared in a staging of The Sound of Moses in St. Louis, MO...

The rest of the entry seems to be unscathed. I need to get out more.

Arrrrrggggghhhhhh

There has been ongoing construction in my building since I moved in last January. Lately, it's been getting louder and more frequent. Literally from 8am until about 4:30pm there is constant hammering and drilling sounds being blasted into my apartment Monday to Friday.

I argue that this is worse than JTL's neighbour with the yippy dog. It makes it almost impossible to participate in meetings on the phone, to read, or write papers. I'm about to go on a three week break during which time I have to write a manuscript and complete an online course. It's literally impossible to do this from my apartment so I'm going to have to move into the library for the time being.

I was going to post an audio clip of the buzzing sounds I recorded the other day. However, I don't seem to be able to upload the file. I'm assuming this is because my computer is filled to the gills with spyware and is barely limping along at the moment. Normally I'd just throw my computer out the window and buy a new one but poverty being what it is I'll have to resort to putting on my big girl panties (my mother said 'panties' the other day to me on the phone...I get shivers just thinking about it) and deal with it.

Anyway, just imagine hammering and drilling sounds cranked up to 11 for 8-9 hours a day. For those who I called just to force you to listen to the sounds...no imagination is required. Sorry.

Easter Rant

My life is embarrassingly dull right now as I am in the middle of finals. So, I will rant about the American healthcare system a little more. I could write a book about what I've learned so far but I'll focus on one story:

My friend is a high school teacher who you would think would have decent medical coverage. However, he has a $500 deductible. His wife is pretty sure she has a thyroid condition and needs to have a physical by a doctor including blood work to confirm. The problem is that this exam costs $250. Since this is less than the deductible she has to pay for the exam out of pocket. Since her husband's salary has to pay for tuition, rent, car payments, food, etc they can't afford for her to go to the doctor to get this test and ultimately to get the medication she needs (and also can't afford). So they're going to wait until they've saved up enough money.

Isn't this wild? Further, if he wants to get a physical exam by a doctor he can't combine his bill with hers so that any further medical expenses would be paid by the insurance company (because two $250 exams would equal their deductible). Each person gets billed separately so it's even harder to get to that $500 if all you want is routine preventative medical care.

If someone with a good job can't afford basic healthcare, imagine what those less fortunate are going through.

On an Easter-related note, this is ridiculous.

Today

Things are pretty boring around here as the semester winds down. For example, here is what I have in store today:

10:30am - TB test
11:30am - Drug screen (urine)
3:45pm - Teach a parenting class
4:30pm - Had a conversation with a prostitute
6:00pm - Present a personality assessment I did on myself

You know. The usual.

Sexism!

I'm currently reading The Mismeasure of Man by Stephen Jay Gould. It is a refutation of what was written in The Bell Curve and discredits the idea that biology is destiny (i.e., people who are in the lower and upper classes differ biologically from one another). I'm reading a section about how scientists were incredibly biased and consequently skewed their data regarding brain size and weight to support the contention that men are smarter than women, and white people are smarter than all non-white people. Check out this out of control quote by Gustave Le Bon from 1879:

"In the most intelligent races, as among the Parisians, there are a large number of women whose brains are closer in size to those of gorillas than to the most developed male brains. This inferiority is so obvious that no one can contest it for a moment; only its degree is worth discussion. All psychologists who have studied the intelligence of women, as well as poets and novelists, recognize today that they represent the most inferior forms of human evolution and that they are closer to children and savages than to an adult, civilized man. Without doubt there exist some distinguished women, very superior to the average man, but they are as exceptional as the birth of any monstrosity, as, for example, of a gorilla with two heads; consequently, we may neglect them entirely."

That was way harsh.