Blogs are too long.
Emails are too infrequent.
I need to know what's going on in every minute of everyone's life.
Everyone needs to know what's going on in every minute of my life.
Here comes Twitter.
As if idk and brb and bff and lol weren't short enough...
We've lost the fine art of communication. The sitting down and taking time to talk about this, that and the other.
I had that opportunity for a couple of hours the other day to do just that with some dear friends. My wife and I met them when we first moved to Redding. We house-sat for them, they baby-sat our kids, we've spent a number of Thanksgiving's at their home and my wife helps her out with their bookkeeping. Even though they are 20 years older than us and a different generation, those two hours went by so slow they seemed to be over in a minute. And it was pleasurable. Even though I had to leave to make another appointment and run errands, it was relaxing to sit and talk...about nothing and everything.
Don't twitter away your life on-line. ;-)
Eric
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Wearin' The MUG Around Town
Nothing like wearing one of these to Costco!
It's a Utilikilt! I own the Mocker as shown above, in Olive. Looking to get one in Khaki!
Had lots of people look, look away, look back then act like they weren't looking. One dude came up to me and said, "I just gotta ask....did you used to play bagpipes nearly CV High School?"
"Nope."
"Oh...I saw the kilt and thought you did!"
Saw a friend there who just shook his head and said, "Make sure you still stand to pee...and get some pants!"
I had a couple of women smile at me. Some men looked then looked away quickly...nervous like.
You should get one...it's really freeing...if you know what I mean!
Eric
It's a Utilikilt! I own the Mocker as shown above, in Olive. Looking to get one in Khaki!
Had lots of people look, look away, look back then act like they weren't looking. One dude came up to me and said, "I just gotta ask....did you used to play bagpipes nearly CV High School?"
"Nope."
"Oh...I saw the kilt and thought you did!"
Saw a friend there who just shook his head and said, "Make sure you still stand to pee...and get some pants!"
I had a couple of women smile at me. Some men looked then looked away quickly...nervous like.
You should get one...it's really freeing...if you know what I mean!
Eric
Monday, February 25, 2008
In Another Land
Larry Norman has passed.
This is from his website...
When I was a teenage and just getting into Christian music, Larry was the guy. Most other stuff was sweet and hard to swallow and, unless you really had the hots for Amy Grant, Larry was where you went for rock-and-roll with, as a friend of mine once called them, "interesting lyrics". He was too worldly for the church and too church for the world. He was "knocked down, kicked around"...he'd "been rebuked for the things I've said and the songs I've written and the life I've led"..."but here I am, talkin' 'bout Jesus just the same."
He had long, long blond hair, he could hit impossibly high notes, he pulled no punches in his music, he was considered the Father then the Father of CCM. He didn't necessarily like that title, CCM and wanted people to understand what his music was about...life and Jesus.
A freak accident left him physically weak but mentally still there. He released and re-released his albums via Solid Rock records at Larry Norman.com. I used to have his albums on cassette and have spent a lot of time and money re-acquiring them on CD. Even though some of them were written in the 60's and 70's, they still resonate to me today.
Larry...
You will be missed here on earth. But I look forward to the day we can talk on the golden streets about life, music and Jesus...
Eric
This is from his website...
LARRY NORMAN
4/8/47 - 2/24/08
Hello everybody.
Our friend and my wonderful brother Larry passed away at 2:45 Sunday morning. Kristin and I were with him, holding his hands and sitting in bed with him when his heart finally slowed to a stop. We spent this past week laughing, singing, and praying with him, and all the while he had us taking notes on new song ideas and instructions on how to continue his ministry and art.
Several of his friends got to come and visit with him in the last couple of weeks and were a great source of help and friendship to Larry. Ray Sievers, Derek Robertson, Mike Makinster, Tim and Christine Gilman, Matt and Becky Simmons, Kerry Hopkins, Allen Fleming and a few more. Thank you guys. Larry appreciated your visits very much. And he greatly appreciated the thoughts, wishes, support and prayers that came from all of you Solid Rock friends on a daily basis. Thank you for being part of his small circle of friends over the years. Yesterday afternoon he knew he was going to go home to God very soon and he dictated the following message to you while his friend Allen Fleming typed these words into Larry's computer:
________________________________
I feel like a prize in a box of cracker jacks with God's hand reaching down to pick me up. I have been under medical care for months. My wounds are getting bigger. I have trouble breathing. I am ready to fly home.
My brother Charles is right, I won't be here much longer. I can't do anything about it. My heart is too weak. I want to say goodbye to everyone. In the past you have generously supported me with prayer and finance and we will probably still need financial help.
My plan is to be buried in a simple pine box with some flowers inside. But still it will be costly because of funeral arrangement, transportation to the gravesite, entombment, coordination, legal papers etc. However money is not really what I need, I want to say I love you.
I'd like to push back the darkness with my bravest effort. There will be a funeral posted here on the website, in case some of you want to attend. We are not sure of the date when I will die. Goodbye, farewell, we will meet again.
Goodbye, farewell, we'll meet again
Somewhere beyond the sky.
I pray that you will stay with God
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye.
Larry
________________________________________
Thank you to all of you who were so nice to my brother over the years. Kristin and I will post funeral information in the next day or two. Right now we're not able to function very well, but the whole family is here... our mother Margaret, our sisters Nancy and Kristy, Mike Norman and his new wife Tiffany, and Silver.
We miss him beyond words. Thank you for everything.
Peace to you all in Christ,
Charles Norman
When I was a teenage and just getting into Christian music, Larry was the guy. Most other stuff was sweet and hard to swallow and, unless you really had the hots for Amy Grant, Larry was where you went for rock-and-roll with, as a friend of mine once called them, "interesting lyrics". He was too worldly for the church and too church for the world. He was "knocked down, kicked around"...he'd "been rebuked for the things I've said and the songs I've written and the life I've led"..."but here I am, talkin' 'bout Jesus just the same."
He had long, long blond hair, he could hit impossibly high notes, he pulled no punches in his music, he was considered the Father then the Father of CCM. He didn't necessarily like that title, CCM and wanted people to understand what his music was about...life and Jesus.
A freak accident left him physically weak but mentally still there. He released and re-released his albums via Solid Rock records at Larry Norman.com. I used to have his albums on cassette and have spent a lot of time and money re-acquiring them on CD. Even though some of them were written in the 60's and 70's, they still resonate to me today.
Larry...
You will be missed here on earth. But I look forward to the day we can talk on the golden streets about life, music and Jesus...
Eric
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Prayer
This post was titled "Prayer".
And this was my response...
Eric
And this was my response...
If Kucinich and his pals had there way, we'd be speaking German...or Japanese...or Russian...or Arabic.
While I agree that some of our liberty's have been put on hold, can he offer another way of accomplishing what the Patriot Act has? Can he offer another option to Gitmo? Does he feel safer without armed military personnel protecting him? What has his side offered other than "pull out" (Don't go there Rob!) and come home?
Look...it's not a perfect system. Kucinich and his ilk see George Bush and this current administration as pure evil. Funny....I thought those guys in other countries who consider us evil and need to be wiped off the face of the earth were evil? I would say that those who side with those who want us dead, and do so in the name of tolerance, should be labeled the "enemy within" and not Bush, Cheney, et al.
Has this war gone on too long? Yup. No doubt about that there. Should it have been over 2-3 years ago? Absolutely. Restraining the military from it's job description (kill people and break things in the defense of this country) gives us a quagmire similar to what we had in Vietnam. Read Schwartzkopf's book. Fascinating appraisal of what the US military is, does and should do. Read Gingrich's book on American history. There are those who still long for the old country even though their closest connection to that country has been dead for nearly 100 years.
War is hell people. It ain't pretty. It's not a time to worry about culture and civil rights. It's a time to take the fight to the antagonist. It's time to wipe the floor with the bozo who hurt our mothers and daughters, our sons and brothers. It's time to kick ass and take names. There is precedence all the way back to the bible...
"Saul? What is this bleating of sheep I hear?"
Precedence was set in WWI, WWII and even Vietnam. The carpet bombing campaign put a serious dent in the will to fight amongst the North Vietnamese. When it was stopped by those who couldn't stomach war, the North had time to re-arm and re-arm they did. When the carpet bombing resumed, moral was destroyed. Unfortunately, the bombing was suspended indefinitely and the North re-armed, re-attacked and won.
So I say to Kucinich and his ilk, yes, pray for those who are killed in war. Pray for our leaders to have wisdom. Pray for our soldiers lives. Pray that America will lead the way in peace and freeedom and democracy. And pray that those who stand in the way and do harm to others will earn in themselves due justice for their actions.
Eric
Monday, February 18, 2008
Stereotypical 42-year-old Male...
I'm 42. Soon to be 43. And I'm out of shape. Yep. Happens to the best of us.
Actually, I was in pretty good shape about a year go. Weight was down to about 190-195, decent stamina. A little belly. Then I quit Kung Fu. So for the last year, I've been pretty sedentary. Weight's gone up to about 205, stamina is gone, belly is rounder.
And the problems began in November.
Rewind to about middle of 2005. I fell out of my trash can. We have a large green waste barrel with wheels. I would routinely climb inside to stomp down the leaves and such. Like I said, I was a martial artist and had pretty good balance. Always have. But I stepped on the wrong edge and the barrel shot out from under me and I dropped 4 feet onto my right shoulder. A quick massage; a chiropractic adjustment and I'm good to go.
Then I quit Kung Fu.
And got lazy.
And then the pain in my right shoulder started. Adjustments would last about 2 hours. A massage and an adjustment would last about 3 hours. Chiropractor said my muscles were out of shape. "Not that you're out of shape" he quickly added to which I responded, "Yes....yes I am!"
Then one morning this past November I woke up and my whole right arm was numb. Fingers were tingling like they were "asleep". But they never woke up. A week later, still had the problem. Chiropractic adjustments and massage wasn't working. Off to see the doctor. X-rays show I have arthritis in my spine; C5, C6, C7. And degenerative disk disease at C6. (This is in addition to the degenerative disk disease I have a L4, L5!)
Apparently the exercise I used to get at Kung Fu kept those muscles strong enough to compensate for the arthritis and bad disk. Once they started to atrophy they couldn't hold it together. Then they spasmed when the disk slipped and impinged the nerves.
It took 8 weeks of physical therapy to get the knot out and relax the muscles around the nerve bundle. During that 8 weeks I was exercising and stretching the muscles...working them out. I still have the occasional twinge, especially if I sleep on my side for too long. What's a guy to do??
Well, I thought I'd join a gym and work out. I hate gyms. So I thought I'd buy a home workout routine. Almost pushed the buy button on this but my wife said, "Hey! I've already got it!" I watched the DVD and figured "I can do this!"
So. I'm 42 and finished my first workout in over a year. My legs are rubbery as are my arms. I was sweating and panting for almost a half an hour after I finished the meager 30 minute workout. And that was just circuit training. Cardio is tomorrow...
I think I'm going to hurt a bit by Friday!
Eric
Actually, I was in pretty good shape about a year go. Weight was down to about 190-195, decent stamina. A little belly. Then I quit Kung Fu. So for the last year, I've been pretty sedentary. Weight's gone up to about 205, stamina is gone, belly is rounder.
And the problems began in November.
Rewind to about middle of 2005. I fell out of my trash can. We have a large green waste barrel with wheels. I would routinely climb inside to stomp down the leaves and such. Like I said, I was a martial artist and had pretty good balance. Always have. But I stepped on the wrong edge and the barrel shot out from under me and I dropped 4 feet onto my right shoulder. A quick massage; a chiropractic adjustment and I'm good to go.
Then I quit Kung Fu.
And got lazy.
And then the pain in my right shoulder started. Adjustments would last about 2 hours. A massage and an adjustment would last about 3 hours. Chiropractor said my muscles were out of shape. "Not that you're out of shape" he quickly added to which I responded, "Yes....yes I am!"
Then one morning this past November I woke up and my whole right arm was numb. Fingers were tingling like they were "asleep". But they never woke up. A week later, still had the problem. Chiropractic adjustments and massage wasn't working. Off to see the doctor. X-rays show I have arthritis in my spine; C5, C6, C7. And degenerative disk disease at C6. (This is in addition to the degenerative disk disease I have a L4, L5!)
Apparently the exercise I used to get at Kung Fu kept those muscles strong enough to compensate for the arthritis and bad disk. Once they started to atrophy they couldn't hold it together. Then they spasmed when the disk slipped and impinged the nerves.
It took 8 weeks of physical therapy to get the knot out and relax the muscles around the nerve bundle. During that 8 weeks I was exercising and stretching the muscles...working them out. I still have the occasional twinge, especially if I sleep on my side for too long. What's a guy to do??
Well, I thought I'd join a gym and work out. I hate gyms. So I thought I'd buy a home workout routine. Almost pushed the buy button on this but my wife said, "Hey! I've already got it!" I watched the DVD and figured "I can do this!"
So. I'm 42 and finished my first workout in over a year. My legs are rubbery as are my arms. I was sweating and panting for almost a half an hour after I finished the meager 30 minute workout. And that was just circuit training. Cardio is tomorrow...
I think I'm going to hurt a bit by Friday!
Eric
Friday, February 01, 2008
Argh! Frustrated!
Some days I wonder if I want to be in aviation anymore.
Not two hours after my turbulent air encounter "debriefing" (which left a lot to be desired...
"Everyone's okay now right? Good...let's move on.") the boss man calls to pressure a pilot to take a trip that he can't take due to weather.
We do "long range" trips on occasion. This one was supposed to leave Redding, fly to Ontario, OR (1/2 flight northwest of Boise), pick up a critical* patient and fly him to Pittsburgh, PA. Yep. All the way across the country.
The weather at Ontario (ONO) is just at minimums but doesn't allow for a departure. The weather at the fuel stop, Sioux Falls, SD (FSD) is good but Pittsburgh (AGC) is forecasting freezing rain. The Long Range coordinator, who took the flight without asking if it could be done, got pretty upset when the pilot said he was delayed for weather. To the point she called the boss man who proceeded to tell the pilot, "This flight has to go. What's the problem?"
After 2 attempts to explain it to the boss man and after multiple offers for alternate solutions to the problem (reposition that night to Boise so they could get an early start, bring the patient to Boise to get an early start, have the patient at ONO when they arrive) all fell on deaf ears. To the point where Ms. Long Range Coordinator (Ms. LRC from now on) said she wouldn't even ask.
Finally...after the pilot explained basic FAR 135 regulations to the man who is supposed to know them inside and out, the boss man agrees that they can wait.
Next morning, fog traps the plane in Sacramento. Now the flight is delayed again but only by a couple of hours. #2 boss man calls and wants to know why we aren't taking 2 pilots? "Because, I can't do it as the flight won't be back in time for me to go to training, one pilot is out sick and the other just came off duty. No more pilots to go with!" Then we get the "he came in at 9, right?" (Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more!) "It's not the duty time (14 hours in a 24 hour period) it's the flight time (no more than 8 hours in a 14 hour duty day) that's the issue boss man #2."
Now.
The point of all this is the promise made at hiring that management wouldn't second guess out-station pilots decision making process. And yet, boss man did just that 3 times. #2 boss man did it once. 3 pilots standing around shaking their collective heads asking "WTF Over!?" If we pilots, who have an average of 20 years flying, are so pathetic in flight planning and checking the weather (things we've done since Day 1 in our flying careers), then maybe we should be fired. If you can't trust us to do our jobs as professionals, then maybe we need to be replaced.
I am still new to EMS but I'm not new to flying, flight planning, weather, etc. Bottom line, if a pilot at my base says the flight can't go due to weather, the flight can't go. I'll not second guess. If I don't know what the weather is, I'll check it myself or ask the pilot. 10 times out of 10 when this has happened, the weather was the deciding factor. End of story.
When the almighty dollar drives a company and the pilot gets pressure from the boss man to take a flight, you start to wonder? "Did the brochure look better than the resort???"
Eric
*Critical. This patient wasn't critical. He was a spouse of a company employee. Ms. LRC knows better than to tell the pilot about how "critical" a patient is in an attempt to get him to do a flight. The nurse who took the call said the patient wasn't "critical". He only had a saline drip...nothing else. Critical my arse!
Not two hours after my turbulent air encounter "debriefing" (which left a lot to be desired...
"Everyone's okay now right? Good...let's move on.") the boss man calls to pressure a pilot to take a trip that he can't take due to weather.
We do "long range" trips on occasion. This one was supposed to leave Redding, fly to Ontario, OR (1/2 flight northwest of Boise), pick up a critical* patient and fly him to Pittsburgh, PA. Yep. All the way across the country.
The weather at Ontario (ONO) is just at minimums but doesn't allow for a departure. The weather at the fuel stop, Sioux Falls, SD (FSD) is good but Pittsburgh (AGC) is forecasting freezing rain. The Long Range coordinator, who took the flight without asking if it could be done, got pretty upset when the pilot said he was delayed for weather. To the point she called the boss man who proceeded to tell the pilot, "This flight has to go. What's the problem?"
After 2 attempts to explain it to the boss man and after multiple offers for alternate solutions to the problem (reposition that night to Boise so they could get an early start, bring the patient to Boise to get an early start, have the patient at ONO when they arrive) all fell on deaf ears. To the point where Ms. Long Range Coordinator (Ms. LRC from now on) said she wouldn't even ask.
Finally...after the pilot explained basic FAR 135 regulations to the man who is supposed to know them inside and out, the boss man agrees that they can wait.
Next morning, fog traps the plane in Sacramento. Now the flight is delayed again but only by a couple of hours. #2 boss man calls and wants to know why we aren't taking 2 pilots? "Because, I can't do it as the flight won't be back in time for me to go to training, one pilot is out sick and the other just came off duty. No more pilots to go with!" Then we get the "he came in at 9, right?" (Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more!) "It's not the duty time (14 hours in a 24 hour period) it's the flight time (no more than 8 hours in a 14 hour duty day) that's the issue boss man #2."
Now.
The point of all this is the promise made at hiring that management wouldn't second guess out-station pilots decision making process. And yet, boss man did just that 3 times. #2 boss man did it once. 3 pilots standing around shaking their collective heads asking "WTF Over!?" If we pilots, who have an average of 20 years flying, are so pathetic in flight planning and checking the weather (things we've done since Day 1 in our flying careers), then maybe we should be fired. If you can't trust us to do our jobs as professionals, then maybe we need to be replaced.
I am still new to EMS but I'm not new to flying, flight planning, weather, etc. Bottom line, if a pilot at my base says the flight can't go due to weather, the flight can't go. I'll not second guess. If I don't know what the weather is, I'll check it myself or ask the pilot. 10 times out of 10 when this has happened, the weather was the deciding factor. End of story.
When the almighty dollar drives a company and the pilot gets pressure from the boss man to take a flight, you start to wonder? "Did the brochure look better than the resort???"
Eric
*Critical. This patient wasn't critical. He was a spouse of a company employee. Ms. LRC knows better than to tell the pilot about how "critical" a patient is in an attempt to get him to do a flight. The nurse who took the call said the patient wasn't "critical". He only had a saline drip...nothing else. Critical my arse!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Sunday wasn't a good day. All is explained here.
Needless to say...I can't pray. The words just stick. As a matter of fact, during the whole incident, I wasn't even able to say, "Dear God..GET ME OUTTA HERE!" All I got out was, "Dear Go..."
Honestly, the old adage about aviation being "hours and hours of sheer boredom interrupted by moments of sheer terror" was played out in a matter of 1 and half minutes over Red Bluff, California last Sunday night.
But now I find it hard to pray. Intellectually I know it was God + all my training and I am grateful that I get to see my wife and kids, but trying to pray is...hard.
I'm not sure what "syndrome" this may be or if I'm still somewhat shocky but it concerns me.
The crew on the plane love me to death now and have expressed, repeatedly, that I'm their new best friend because I got them home alive. I understand that but emotionally I can't respond.
Numb.
Nevermind...
Eric
Needless to say...I can't pray. The words just stick. As a matter of fact, during the whole incident, I wasn't even able to say, "Dear God..GET ME OUTTA HERE!" All I got out was, "Dear Go..."
Honestly, the old adage about aviation being "hours and hours of sheer boredom interrupted by moments of sheer terror" was played out in a matter of 1 and half minutes over Red Bluff, California last Sunday night.
But now I find it hard to pray. Intellectually I know it was God + all my training and I am grateful that I get to see my wife and kids, but trying to pray is...hard.
I'm not sure what "syndrome" this may be or if I'm still somewhat shocky but it concerns me.
The crew on the plane love me to death now and have expressed, repeatedly, that I'm their new best friend because I got them home alive. I understand that but emotionally I can't respond.
Numb.
Nevermind...
Eric
Monday, January 28, 2008
Last Night, Around 1950 PST
Weather in California has been in the news lately, mainly L.A. and SFO. Lots of icing, snow, turbulence...not uncommon this time of year.
We got a call for a RDD to MCC flight and weather was above VFR at both locations. Reports of light icing and occasional moderate chop at all altitudes, airmets for light rime in clouds and precip...normal. Radar showed lots of light and medium greens with dark greens and yellow/orange in the mountains, to be expected. Winds aloft, SW at about 30...again, not uncommon.
This is in a KA200...
Flight south went smooth. Actually...smoooooth at altitude (150)! Waited on the ground for a couple of hours, crew brought back Chipotle burritos for dinner! Around 1900 PST I double checked the weather and radar showed light to medium greens moving northeast and out of the area, clear behind it along my route of flight. Occluded front was east of my route and the Low was northeast of RDD. Cold front was still showing between Arcata and Red Bluff and hadn't moved much all day.
Oakland Center gives me direct DIBLE for the ILS RWY 34 with a circle to RWY 16 at RDD due to strong SE winds gusting to 20+. Ceilings are 1600 BKN, vis is 10+...good for the circle. Get a descent down to 4000'. Around 4500 we hit a huge jolt and shot up. VSI hit 3000 fpm and we were tossed around quite a bit. Auto pilot comes off and I'm hand flying.
For the next 1 to 1.5 minutes we had one more huge jolt (nurse said he thought the plane was going to come apart) and my flight bag rose up to greet me at eye level then slammed into the co-pilot seat. I could hear stuff slamming around in back. Center, every helpful, kept asking me if I wanted a turn or a vector. All I could say was, "MODERATE....SEVERE...UP 3000, DOWN 3000!"
Center acknowledged and shut up. Unlike the moron who so kindly said, over the air, "You know you're saying that on the air??"
My reply?
"I KNOW!"
(asshole)
Next thing I know I'm going down 3000 fpm through 3000 MSL. Terrain below is 300 - 600 AGL. I was at 220, flight idle, props max, trying like hard to get the airplane slowed down and/or climbing because the little math teacher in my head is saying, "Less than one minute to a crash landing."
I immediately told him to STFU as I wasn't dying tonight!
Another updraft, 3000 fpm (at least they were consistent) and I pop out at 5800 MSL into semi-clear air.
The ILS was only one dot off and the GS was nailed.
I asked RDD tower to turn up the lights and he said, "There ya go. Is that going to be too bright?"
I said, "That's the most beautiful thing I've seen today!"
He laughed and cleared me to land on RWY 34..."Winds calm."
My EFIS went teats up and spun so I shot the approach off the right side instruments (all those guys who looked at me funny when I told them to back up the approach in #2 radio and right side....well...)
We landed at RDD, my medic immediately puked. My nurse couldn't get out of the plane fast enough. I called maint and had them do a walk-around with me. We checked the EFIS, worked fine. Airplane was okay...built like a brick.
That's the worst I've ever been in and I flew freight in 402's for 4 years, then taught freight/402's for a year and a half, flew low-level for the USFS and did flight instruction.
My legs were like rubber for an hour afterwards. My medic was still crying this morning when she left for home and my nurse, also the Base Manager, went home last night and hasn't answered his phone.
So today I'm putting together my statement for the DO, gathering weather info (Thanks to those who responded to my thread/call for help!), and filing an internal report. Thursday is a conference call about the incident with Safety and the other pilots.
Needless to say, I'm still a bit shook. Really could have used a stiff drink last night but took a couple of muscle relaxer/sleep aids instead.
Anybody know the name of that truck driving school? Truckmasters I think it was....
Eric
We got a call for a RDD to MCC flight and weather was above VFR at both locations. Reports of light icing and occasional moderate chop at all altitudes, airmets for light rime in clouds and precip...normal. Radar showed lots of light and medium greens with dark greens and yellow/orange in the mountains, to be expected. Winds aloft, SW at about 30...again, not uncommon.
This is in a KA200...
Flight south went smooth. Actually...smoooooth at altitude (150)! Waited on the ground for a couple of hours, crew brought back Chipotle burritos for dinner! Around 1900 PST I double checked the weather and radar showed light to medium greens moving northeast and out of the area, clear behind it along my route of flight. Occluded front was east of my route and the Low was northeast of RDD. Cold front was still showing between Arcata and Red Bluff and hadn't moved much all day.
Oakland Center gives me direct DIBLE for the ILS RWY 34 with a circle to RWY 16 at RDD due to strong SE winds gusting to 20+. Ceilings are 1600 BKN, vis is 10+...good for the circle. Get a descent down to 4000'. Around 4500 we hit a huge jolt and shot up. VSI hit 3000 fpm and we were tossed around quite a bit. Auto pilot comes off and I'm hand flying.
For the next 1 to 1.5 minutes we had one more huge jolt (nurse said he thought the plane was going to come apart) and my flight bag rose up to greet me at eye level then slammed into the co-pilot seat. I could hear stuff slamming around in back. Center, every helpful, kept asking me if I wanted a turn or a vector. All I could say was, "MODERATE....SEVERE...UP 3000, DOWN 3000!"
Center acknowledged and shut up. Unlike the moron who so kindly said, over the air, "You know you're saying that on the air??"
My reply?
"I KNOW!"
(asshole)
Next thing I know I'm going down 3000 fpm through 3000 MSL. Terrain below is 300 - 600 AGL. I was at 220, flight idle, props max, trying like hard to get the airplane slowed down and/or climbing because the little math teacher in my head is saying, "Less than one minute to a crash landing."
I immediately told him to STFU as I wasn't dying tonight!
Another updraft, 3000 fpm (at least they were consistent) and I pop out at 5800 MSL into semi-clear air.
The ILS was only one dot off and the GS was nailed.
I asked RDD tower to turn up the lights and he said, "There ya go. Is that going to be too bright?"
I said, "That's the most beautiful thing I've seen today!"
He laughed and cleared me to land on RWY 34..."Winds calm."
My EFIS went teats up and spun so I shot the approach off the right side instruments (all those guys who looked at me funny when I told them to back up the approach in #2 radio and right side....well...)
We landed at RDD, my medic immediately puked. My nurse couldn't get out of the plane fast enough. I called maint and had them do a walk-around with me. We checked the EFIS, worked fine. Airplane was okay...built like a brick.
That's the worst I've ever been in and I flew freight in 402's for 4 years, then taught freight/402's for a year and a half, flew low-level for the USFS and did flight instruction.
My legs were like rubber for an hour afterwards. My medic was still crying this morning when she left for home and my nurse, also the Base Manager, went home last night and hasn't answered his phone.
So today I'm putting together my statement for the DO, gathering weather info (Thanks to those who responded to my thread/call for help!), and filing an internal report. Thursday is a conference call about the incident with Safety and the other pilots.
Needless to say, I'm still a bit shook. Really could have used a stiff drink last night but took a couple of muscle relaxer/sleep aids instead.
Anybody know the name of that truck driving school? Truckmasters I think it was....
Eric
Friday, January 11, 2008
Slippery Slope
For the most part, I think the ACLU is full of libtard nut-jobs who ain't happy until nobody's happy. But, I think I might have to agree, somewhat, with them on this one...
In its written objection to the law, the ACLU claims REAL ID amounts to the "first-ever national identity card system," which "would irreparably damage the fabric of American life."
I understand the concerns of the Federal government; the hijackers had multiple driver's licenses registered to them. But I think this is a States Rights issue. Complicated to be sure and I don't think there's going to be an easy answer.
I also think there are going to be two camps should this go through further polarizing our country. One camp will scream their rights are being violated. Those will include the fringe kooks who see conspiracy behind every news story as well as those who see the ever-encroaching US gov't taking one more step closer to their Constitutional rights to privacy.
EDIT: I was taken to task at another board for the above sentence. My point was that people interpret "provide protection" both internally and externally as a justification for limiting/giving up certain rights.
The other camp will nod their head and say, "Yep, we can't do it so we should let the gov't handle it...too much for the States, this is a national security issue." This camp will include those who think the gov't owes them safety. Those people need to read the Declaration and the Constitution a little more closely.
9/11 changed the US more than Dec. 7th (Pearl Harbor attack for those of you who went through the Public School system!) After Dec. 7th, we united to stand against an aggressor. We rallied around our President regardless of our political affiliations and sacrificed for the greater good. We gave up some freedoms but most were returned to us. After 9/11, we sought out who to blame, hid in our homes, and closed our eyes to how, as a society and a country, we allowed our defenses down in the name of not hurting anyone's feelings. We gave up some of our freedoms reluctantly and have yet to get many of them back. We have a gov't we can't always trust anymore because many politicians and voters have decided that Washington knows best how to take care of us because many of us have let Washington take care of us instead of striving to take care of us and our own.
It's a mess we have no one to blame for but ourselves. The solution will not be pretty and will piss many people off. Unfortunately, not all medicine is chocolate coated to help the taste...
Eric
In its written objection to the law, the ACLU claims REAL ID amounts to the "first-ever national identity card system," which "would irreparably damage the fabric of American life."
I understand the concerns of the Federal government; the hijackers had multiple driver's licenses registered to them. But I think this is a States Rights issue. Complicated to be sure and I don't think there's going to be an easy answer.
I also think there are going to be two camps should this go through further polarizing our country. One camp will scream their rights are being violated. Those will include the fringe kooks who see conspiracy behind every news story as well as those who see the ever-encroaching US gov't taking one more step closer to their Constitutional rights to privacy.
EDIT: I was taken to task at another board for the above sentence. My point was that people interpret "provide protection" both internally and externally as a justification for limiting/giving up certain rights.
The other camp will nod their head and say, "Yep, we can't do it so we should let the gov't handle it...too much for the States, this is a national security issue." This camp will include those who think the gov't owes them safety. Those people need to read the Declaration and the Constitution a little more closely.
9/11 changed the US more than Dec. 7th (Pearl Harbor attack for those of you who went through the Public School system!) After Dec. 7th, we united to stand against an aggressor. We rallied around our President regardless of our political affiliations and sacrificed for the greater good. We gave up some freedoms but most were returned to us. After 9/11, we sought out who to blame, hid in our homes, and closed our eyes to how, as a society and a country, we allowed our defenses down in the name of not hurting anyone's feelings. We gave up some of our freedoms reluctantly and have yet to get many of them back. We have a gov't we can't always trust anymore because many politicians and voters have decided that Washington knows best how to take care of us because many of us have let Washington take care of us instead of striving to take care of us and our own.
It's a mess we have no one to blame for but ourselves. The solution will not be pretty and will piss many people off. Unfortunately, not all medicine is chocolate coated to help the taste...
Eric
Monday, January 07, 2008
Broken Wrists and Corporate Idiocy
Back in June, my son broke his wrist. He fell from his scooter when it hit a piece of pea gravel on our driveway. Small fracture, easily set. He is covered under my wife's insurance policy. Her company pays for the entire premium but has a very high deductible...$5100. When we got the bill it was $3225...no break down of charges, just $3225. My wife called and asked if she could make payments or talk to someone about a break down of charges and was basically told "no, we don't do payments."
Enter the husband.
I call the hospital, Shasta Regional Medical Center here in Redding. I ask for an itemized bill before I make any payments. That's fair. No problem. "It's in the mail Mr. Lancaster."
I get the bill and see things like:
Sodium Bicarb, Pediatric - $138.00
Cold Pack - $70.00
2 Gal. Plastic Bucket - $86.00
Lidocaine, 1%, 30ml - $115.00
Splint - $338
Administer Single Vaccination - $52.00
Other charges include nearly $1000 for X-rays of his wrist. (The orthopeadist who saw him later charged me $50 a pop for the very same x-rays!)
Being the kind of person who now does research in to things before he buys and working for an air ambulance outfit, I go to www.boundtree.com and find out what this stuff costs...really.
Surprise, surprise, surprise!
Sodium Bicarb - $4.66
Cold Pack - $17
Splint - $32
Lidocaine - $17.95
And so on.
I call back to the hospital and ask to meet with someone or speak with someone to dispute some of these charges. "We don't do that. You must mail your disputation to us."
No problem. Print out a nice letter complete with graphs and charts and a request to discuss such asinine charges and wait...
And wait...
And wait...
Finally, get a phone call. "Sorry. State of California says we have to charge that amount. Oh, and by the way, we found a couple more charges we forgot to charge you for so your bill just went up to $3714!"
Huh?
They offer to re-bill the insurance company to which I reply, go ahead, won't do any good. We are responsible for these charges and would like to negotiate a payment that is equitable to both parties.
They re-bill the insurance company anyways.
On top of all of this, I am offering to make some kind of monetary payment to keep the collection agency they sicced on me who kept calling every Monday at 8 a.m. and sending me letters every month off my back. Nope. Don't send any money, it will just mess up our system.
Greeaaat...now it looks like I'm a delinquent!
Finally get someone to call off the collection agency dogs. She says she'll kick it up the food chain and not to worry, I should hear back in a couple of weeks.
Two months go by.
Thanksgiving.
Christmas.
Sister's Birthday.
New Years.
Dad's Birthday.
I open the mail today...1/7/08 to find another nasty-gram from the hospital via the collection agency. For $3495.
Huh?
What the...
Soooo...I get on the phone and rant.
I rant hard.
I rant loud.
I use words you shouldn't use in polite company.
I escalate the call.
I get told it's the insurance companies problem, they haven't notified the hospital. You should call Blue Cross and see what's going on.
Okay.
The nice computer at Blue Cross says they've received 3 statements from SRMC, two were denied (no duh...we didn't meet the deductible.) one was sent back "approved, patient is responsible for the $3225."
Gee...didn't I say that way back in June?!
I file an appeal via Blue Cross against the hospital then call back to the hospital to let them know what's coming down the pike and again, ask for someone who can help me resolve this issue.
Finally...I get someone who has the authority to do something on the phone. I give him the Reader's Digest version and he says, "No problem. Let me cut the bill in half and you pay by the 31st."
Great...that's all I wanted. Someone to make a decision. Someone to work with me on this bill. Someone who wouldn't give me the corporate run-around. Someone who responds well to threats of lawsuits and a phone call to "60 Minutes"!!
Seriously. How hard would it have been to simply say, "Sure, you want to pay but aren't going to be raped by outrageous charges that both you and I know are what's wrong with the health care system in America today. You and I can meet at such-and-such a day at such-and-such a time to discuss this issue."
Oh, I see. It doesn't work that way.
So now the gals that answer the phone at Patient Services at Shasta Regional Medical Center think I'm some kind of raging lunatic who doesn't want to pay his bills. Far from it. I started out calm, explaining in plain English, what do I need to do to get this resolved plus stating that I was standing my ground about not paying the full $70 for a cold pack (they're $4.99+tax at Walgreen's!). I ended up ranting like a lunatic!
Right in the middle of today's rant, I quickly thought, "What's my BP now!?" It was 110/70 this morning at the doctor's office. I'm sure it was much higher 30 minutes ago!
Eric
Enter the husband.
I call the hospital, Shasta Regional Medical Center here in Redding. I ask for an itemized bill before I make any payments. That's fair. No problem. "It's in the mail Mr. Lancaster."
I get the bill and see things like:
Sodium Bicarb, Pediatric - $138.00
Cold Pack - $70.00
2 Gal. Plastic Bucket - $86.00
Lidocaine, 1%, 30ml - $115.00
Splint - $338
Administer Single Vaccination - $52.00
Other charges include nearly $1000 for X-rays of his wrist. (The orthopeadist who saw him later charged me $50 a pop for the very same x-rays!)
Being the kind of person who now does research in to things before he buys and working for an air ambulance outfit, I go to www.boundtree.com and find out what this stuff costs...really.
Surprise, surprise, surprise!
Sodium Bicarb - $4.66
Cold Pack - $17
Splint - $32
Lidocaine - $17.95
And so on.
I call back to the hospital and ask to meet with someone or speak with someone to dispute some of these charges. "We don't do that. You must mail your disputation to us."
No problem. Print out a nice letter complete with graphs and charts and a request to discuss such asinine charges and wait...
And wait...
And wait...
Finally, get a phone call. "Sorry. State of California says we have to charge that amount. Oh, and by the way, we found a couple more charges we forgot to charge you for so your bill just went up to $3714!"
Huh?
They offer to re-bill the insurance company to which I reply, go ahead, won't do any good. We are responsible for these charges and would like to negotiate a payment that is equitable to both parties.
They re-bill the insurance company anyways.
On top of all of this, I am offering to make some kind of monetary payment to keep the collection agency they sicced on me who kept calling every Monday at 8 a.m. and sending me letters every month off my back. Nope. Don't send any money, it will just mess up our system.
Greeaaat...now it looks like I'm a delinquent!
Finally get someone to call off the collection agency dogs. She says she'll kick it up the food chain and not to worry, I should hear back in a couple of weeks.
Two months go by.
Thanksgiving.
Christmas.
Sister's Birthday.
New Years.
Dad's Birthday.
I open the mail today...1/7/08 to find another nasty-gram from the hospital via the collection agency. For $3495.
Huh?
What the...
Soooo...I get on the phone and rant.
I rant hard.
I rant loud.
I use words you shouldn't use in polite company.
I escalate the call.
I get told it's the insurance companies problem, they haven't notified the hospital. You should call Blue Cross and see what's going on.
Okay.
The nice computer at Blue Cross says they've received 3 statements from SRMC, two were denied (no duh...we didn't meet the deductible.) one was sent back "approved, patient is responsible for the $3225."
Gee...didn't I say that way back in June?!
I file an appeal via Blue Cross against the hospital then call back to the hospital to let them know what's coming down the pike and again, ask for someone who can help me resolve this issue.
Finally...I get someone who has the authority to do something on the phone. I give him the Reader's Digest version and he says, "No problem. Let me cut the bill in half and you pay by the 31st."
Great...that's all I wanted. Someone to make a decision. Someone to work with me on this bill. Someone who wouldn't give me the corporate run-around. Someone who responds well to threats of lawsuits and a phone call to "60 Minutes"!!
Seriously. How hard would it have been to simply say, "Sure, you want to pay but aren't going to be raped by outrageous charges that both you and I know are what's wrong with the health care system in America today. You and I can meet at such-and-such a day at such-and-such a time to discuss this issue."
Oh, I see. It doesn't work that way.
So now the gals that answer the phone at Patient Services at Shasta Regional Medical Center think I'm some kind of raging lunatic who doesn't want to pay his bills. Far from it. I started out calm, explaining in plain English, what do I need to do to get this resolved plus stating that I was standing my ground about not paying the full $70 for a cold pack (they're $4.99+tax at Walgreen's!). I ended up ranting like a lunatic!
Right in the middle of today's rant, I quickly thought, "What's my BP now!?" It was 110/70 this morning at the doctor's office. I'm sure it was much higher 30 minutes ago!
Eric
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