ArtieShaw

You should see what it does to your blood.

Ah. COVID.

When the vaccine came out it was allocated in stages. Healthcare providers and the elderly were prioritized. As they should be. When it was finally available to the general public, the state released a website that helped you find the nearest pharmacy with doses. And it was guaranteed to be free.

I found one local pharmacy in a nearby village and we got our dose. They didn't ask for a copay, but did write down our insurance info. Two weeks later, we got a bill from United Health because we unknowingly used an out of network pharmacy for our 'free' shots.

Minor thing, but it's just an example of our garbage. I've never had a good experience with healthcare in the US. OK - scratch that. The time I needed stitches for a bad cut, the receptionist who was billing me whispered that "If you're any kind of 'medical professional,' you can remove them yourself and avoid another visit." Shit - I own stuff for sewing. That was good, although slightly painful advice.

Canada was wild, though. I visited a walk-in clinic for an abscess on my leg. No bill. I also visited the ER with chest pain. In both cases I felt like a criminal for leaving without giving them my credit card info.

I think they just have to do that weird thing where they put a fist next to their shoulder and frown.

ETA: Is that a frown, or is that just Blue Steel?

That's so charming! It's my absolute favorite thing today.

Where I grew up there was an urban legend about radioactive deer. It was pre-internet, the deer were legitimately weird, and they lived in the woods adjacent to one of the US's earliest nuclear research facilities. Everyone had seen them. The facility was active and well guarded. It seemed... plausible. Very plausible.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/argonne/4077627323 https://www.chicagomag.com/chicago-magazine/july-2016/argonne-national-laboratory/

Yeah - I remember reading about how these signs were laughably easy to "hack" a few years ago.

I thought about it for minute when the city installed one down the street. Then I imagined the weird shame I'd feel when my neighbors inevitably caught me, so never tried it out. Actually, in retrospect, they'd probably have helped.

Ouch. "This place is a shit show," the judge said. (Not really, just fixed it for him).

To be fair, I read an article earlier today that said it's nearly impossible to find a copy of the original. It was a low budget co-production and the distribution rights are murky. It claimed that if you're lucky you can get a second hand DVD copy. Otherwise? Pirates?

Hopefully, this next sequel will prompt the re-release.

I suspect that dead saves more money. Biopsies are expensive and United Health does not like to pay for them.

Ah yes. The Oliver/Poochie character.

ETA: Or Scrappie Fucking Doo

Season six.

COSMO????

"2 Nazis in a car" is exactly my horrified emotion in the moment.

And it's true that I didn't word that correctly, but it happened 20 years ago so the words are not an exact quote. However, they do convey the gist of the conversation. And I really really wanted to make it clear that I'm not the original Nazi in the car.

I was getting a ride home from work with a colleague, which was nice of her because I usually took the bus. We had been friendly for some time, and I never understood why other people at work were creeped out by her. Sure, she could be cold and a bit intimidating in a stereotypical "immigrant from former eastern bloc country" sort of way.

I would compare her to a pretty, young, athletic and blonde Frau Verbissene. And she was not afraid to be comedically cutting. For example, one day I was mindlessly trying (and failing) to unscrew something and she walked up behind me and dryly said, "I am not native to North America, but in Europe we turn it to the left to loosen bolts." It's a little bit mean, but also funny.

But to the main point, it was that car ride when I found out she was a Nazi. OK - Maybe not an actual Nazi, but a big fan. She explained that in her country, <I'm paraphrasing this next bit, so her words> they had asked the Jews to leave, had tried to incentivize the Jews to leave, but the Jews would not leave. When the Germans came to her country, they fixed that problem.

"Oh. Shit. I'm carpooling with a Nazi."