Category Archives: WHY Wednesday

WHY is there even a question of bail or jail?

First, Dominique Strauss-Kahn from France, then, Egypt’s Mahmoud Abdel-Salam Omar. These aren’t men, they are monsters.

These two sexual attacks top global headlines. My local news has had more violent assaults to cover this week than any week in recent history. It seems like there’s no shortage of assholes.

These monsters decide they must have someone, and she’s there for the taking? Why do they think that they are above the law? Who the hell do these jackasses think they are? What makes them think they are entitled to a woman, any woman they want, whenever they want? If they are so needy for sex, find someone you can pay for it. Why do they feel the need to assault someone to get it? These animals decided to use their body as a weapon and because of that, I believe they should be castrated.

I apologize. I digress.

For the cases where there is a named attacker, why there is even a question of bail or jail absolutely amazes me.

It makes me ill that the judge is letting Strauss-Kahn wait out his trial in a multi-million dollar mansion. S-K made his bed, and instead he gets to lie on one in a $14 million USD mansion instead of in jail, like his fellow criminals.

The judge presiding over S-K’s case had a chance to make an example that would echo around the city, and possibly the world, yet failed miserably.

I’ve heard from reputable sources in law enforcement that there is a food chain in jail and those who are sent in on a charge of sexual assault, are at the bottom, just above child molesters. Had S-K spent significant time there, he could have gotten (some of) his due.

I have to believe that the judge was afraid that S-K would be prey for criminals higher in the food chain. Even so, why should S-K be excused from jail? What entitles him to bail? His (former, and disgraced) title? His wealth? PUH-LEASE.

Now, yet another judge will have the opportunity to make an example out of another (alleged) sex offender. Will he collect bail, or send a criminal to jail? The question if Omar will be given the same opportunity as S-K waits to be answered.

Why is this fair to the crime survivors? Shouldn’t the survivor of S-K’s attack be able to get some relief knowing that the animal who attacked her is behind bars? The only bar he might be behind is a cocktail bar in that mansion. By chance, and no fault of her own, she was violently attacked and violated by a wealthy douchebag who thinks he is above the law, and on top of that, gets out of jail on bail. She doesn’t even get to bask in the satisfaction knowing that her attacker is getting his due while biding his time in jail.

I believe that all monsters should be treated the same, regardless of their (former) stature, their income and how much interest the media may or may not have. They all belong in Rikers. But for now, we’ll have to wait and see what the judge who will preside over Omar’s case decides where he will spend his time during his court dates.

We can only hope that judge number two makes the right decision and keeps criminals — alleged or not, wealthy or not, shamed (former) international superstars or not — where they belong, in jail, without bail.

WHY Wednesday.


WHY must you send me ten bills?

For a $250 emergency room visit, WHY must I get eight bills?

First, let me just say I am happy to have the luxury of health insurance. I know there are many people who are without it right now and I know I am fortunate to have it.

Couldn’t the billing process be streamlined a bit?

I have already received a bill for $161.20 from the actual hospital , $44.20 from the doctor IN the hospital and $3.57 for a variety of blood work. According to my health insurance website I’m still waiting for a variety of bills for people who helped treat me. Clearly I’ve just touched the surface. I only received these three bills so far. Looks like I can expect another four, and those are just the ones who have submitted the claim. The woman at my health insurance told me I can probably expect close to ten bills in the end. FOR ONE VISIT?

Couldn’t the hospital compile all the bills so I can just make one payment, in one shot? Some of the bills I am waiting for are $2.57 and $3.87. Seriously? It can’t be consolidated into one bill?  This is 2011. The system is this inefficient?

For all I know I am paying $4 to the guy who wheeled me around for tests and $6 for a technician to read results. These people are needed for the process, but don’t they work for the hospital that already sent me a bill?! Is there no way to streamline bills so the hospital can distribute payment to the appropriate parties? At this rate, I’m waiting to see if I owe any money to the woman who checked me in at the front desk or the man who gave me the CDs of my results.

On top of getting multiple bills for a 8 hour stay, there must be a lot of people who don’t pay their ER bills. Three days, THREE, after I got the bill from the hospital, I got another, identical to the first. I didn’t have time to pay it in three days, so they send another bill? Another day or two passed and then I got a call from the hospital billing department asking for payment over the phone. Really? I know I have about 30 days to pay it, but could you at least give me ten days before you send the billing department after me? What’s next – collections at two weeks?

When I lived in London, I had COBRA from my parents and thankfully I never had to visit a hospital or doctor in all the time I was away and traveling. If I was feeling sick, I went to the chemist. I’d tell him or her what was wrong, they’d direct me to an aisle, and I’d get meds…some of which would be considered prescription in the States. There, most everything was available over the counter. Paid for the meds and possibly pick up a few more things (it was like going to CVS or Rite Aid in the States) and I was on my way.

Obviously, when your doctor tells you to go to the emergency room – and he says ‘do not pass go, do not collect $200,’ you go. There was no way around it. But couldn’t the hospital just collect the $200 or $300, or whatever the costs after insurance will ultimately be, and distribute it to everyone that gets a cut?! WHY is this billing system such a waste of time, effort and paper? WHY?

WHY Wednesday.


WHY? Wednesday

Why oh WHY did I live where I did!?

I’d like to think my friends and I had standards. Clearly, looking back on these stories I posted the past few days…we didn’t.

There will be more apartment stories…but be thankful you never lived in a hellhole with me. And if you did, well, we’ve got great stories!


WHY? Inedible Eats

When you eat a meal, why is it always during the last few bites you find a hair? Or uncooked meat?

Or is it just me? Without fail, I’ll be eating a sandwich, and find a hair…that’s not mine. A trip to McDonald’s and I ordered a four piece nuggets…and the fourth nugget was raw. That was the last time I ate McD’s…and that was over two years ago. BANNED.

I should explain. I also famously ban places. I was at a local bar for dinner. four plates come out, three plates are fine. The fourth plate, has a screw in the sandwich. Sure, it probably fell from the heating lamp while waiting to be served but that’s careless. BANNED.

Brought to you by WHY? Wednesday.

Editors note: I was informed by a loyal reader that I did, in fact, have McDonald’s in a moment of shame, and starvation…in January 2011. All five of my readers, please accept my apologies. Don’t hate me.


WHY? Strong Sense, er Scents

Some people lay it on thick. Their perfume or cologne is more of a stench then a scent.

I sensed a scent today on my commute, not even knowing which person around me was the offender. 

I know I’ve got a strong sense of smell because the perfumed inserts in magazines sometimes make me nauseous. I even had to change hand sanitizers because the smell got to me.

But on my commute? WHY?


WHY Does Mother Nature Do This?

Here it is. Another installment of WHY Wednesday.

Dear MN,

We’ve FINALLY had absolutely gorgeous weather the past few days here in the northeast and now there’s an 80% chance of rain tomorrow?! Now, I like a good thunderstorm with lots of lightening as much as the next guy. But why the tease?!

All week I’ve been able to open the screen door along with all the windows when I got home from work to flood my home with the fresh spring air. Last night I even turned on the AC before bed.

What I’d love to do is bring out my sundresses and flip flops…hell, I’m even okay with a spring jacket. But a cold downpour? Just as we’re pulling out our spring wardrobes? Come on. Mother Nature, haven’t we had enough of this gross, horribly long winter?

Put it on your to do list and PLEASE bring on the sun! April showers bring May flowers…and with it should come the sun. Vitamin D lovers will thank you. And while you’re at it, enough with the floods in the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys, and the Southeast. Collectively, we’ve had enough.

Yours,
So over winter weather


WHY?

It’s so great that so many companies are going green. But tell me, why do they have to let me know with SO. MUCH. WASTED. PAPER.

I have gotten so many letters in the mail telling me they are going green. No next steps, no action on my part, but a letter – in an envelope, telling me they were going green.

A deli here in NYC went green last year, by making consumers ask for napkins and utensils rather than automatically giving it out. But to do this, they put flyers in the bags for weeks! Flyers telling consumers that they would be going green. Not only was this printed on fairly big sheets of paper, but it was glossy! Hardly recyclable paper.  And they get so much repeat business day after day. Wouldn’t a big sign in the deli have sufficed?

WHY?


WHY, it’s THAT girl

Without fail, every time it rains, I am THAT girl.

I have left home with no umbrella, I have left work with no umbrella, I have bought so many umbrellas off the street, I have lost count. I’ve also lost most of them too.

When it rains, I am seemingly always dressed inappropriately. For example, today, I left the house in a puffy coat, thinking it would just be raining. I didn’t account for the wild wind, and since I was holding a pocketbook and umbrella, I didn’t have enough hands available to zip it. Or put up my hair. With the wind whipping my hair in every direction, I had to deal with an unruly umbrella, that I finally gave up on.

As I’m in line to board knowing full well I had a ticket in my pocket, why is it that last second before having to hand over the ticket, I cannot find it? Really?

Or what about today, getting dressed up for two client meetings on a rainy day, only to find out one would be cancelled and the other turned into a conference call. I could have been wearing a pair of cords, a sweater and rainboots.

Other examples of this THAT girl experience. If I am wearing pants and heels, I’d leave the heels in office and throw on Converse, dragging the long pants (that are purposely long FOR heels) through the wet city streets.

Sometimes, I won’t even change into sneaks, and then we have the problem of walking through the rain in (probably) uncomfortable, and inappropriate footwear.

Or, if I leave the house in a heavy winter coat, it’s no doubt pouring, or if I left in a light jacket, it’s freezing rain. Either way, totally inappropriate. I do have an old raincoat, and have been meaning to buy a new one. Why do I only think about buying it when I NEED it?

What about making plans on a rainy day, only to show up at the wrong place…and having to hoof it crosstown…in the rain. I can’t make this stuff up.

Brought to you by WHY? Wednesday.


WHY leave?

This week’s WHY Wednesday questions why some travelers leave their comfort zone, only to eat foods that they are familiar with and know.

This was in the NYT and is crazy! The best part of traveling is eating like the locals…I don’t travel to faraway lands so I can eat cheese fries.

I have so many fond food memories from my travels but some of my favorites are getting freshly sliced cheese from a Swiss cheesemonger, spicy sausage on a roll with the local sauce in Bosnia and some unidentified tapas plate in Spain that the bartender sent over.

Personally, I’m not traveling just so I can eat something that I would eat after a night out at the bars when I was 22.

Eating while traveling is about finding a local market, tasting things on the menu you can’t get at home and being offered foods that you wouldn’t otherwise try. I ate fruits I never heard of in Costa Rica, I ordered fondue in Brussels only to find out that was actually mozzarella sticks and drank locally sourced milk at a market in Denmark!

Yes, sometimes there can be a negative experience. Like the time the boyfriend ordered the daily special in a small town in Tuscany and wound up getting a plate of fresh meat. So fresh, and chewy, in fact that he, a meat lover, had to follow each bite with a glass of water and a sip of wine. The place was small, and the staff attentive. Not wanting to insult, he finished most of the plate. I went with the pasta special of the day. Even now, years later, I remember how good my gnocchi and wine tasted. But he tried his, didn’t like it and didn’t insult anyone either and now we have a great story.

If something is on the table that you’ve never seen or tried, at the very least, take a bite! You’ll find yourself eating foods you wouldn’t have otherwise found!

Now the exception to this french fry story is ordering pommes frites in Belgium…you’ll need to get them topped with a few squirts of mayo, just like the locals!

Do you have any fond food memories? Feel free to post in the comments section.


WHY, Color Me Clueless

Here’s the second installment of WHY Wednesday.

At work, I sit in an open plan with about 100 people. I happen to sit very close to a color printer, which I NEVER EVER use. When it jams or needs a new color cartridge, WHY do people that need help assume I know how to fix it, or where the cartridges are even housed? Just because I sit nearby? Truthfully, I have no idea how to fix it and besides, printer problems confuse me.

If I happen to know there’s a jammed printer around, I just won’t print. (Come on, you know you do it too.) And Sherlock, there are about 10 cabinets close to the printer so I’d deduce that the color cartridges might just be living in one of them. Happy hunting.

Brought to you by WHY? Wednesday.