All-State Insurance Company lives by Better to Ask Forgiveness than Permission Policy

Insurance companies in Florida love to stick it to us. It does not matter if it is car insurance, health, home, flood, windstorm. Regardless, the rates continuously go up 10, 15, 20, and now thanks to All-State up 28%! Our salaries may go up 3% each year. However, each time my policies renew they are up and up and up. When I ask them to justify why my car costs more to insure now than it did when it was newer, the agent doesn't have an answer. "Many factors determine the premium..." My car is older now, it is worth less, I am older more responsible, another year without a traffic violation - so why would it go up 12% in 6 months? No answer...

All-State Insurance Company is taking this to a whole new level. Not only didn't they renew 95,000 policies but, it is raising those remaining premiums by 28%! Problem is that any increase over 15% must be OK'd by the State. All-State didn't. It went ahead and decided to bypass the approval process and take the 30-day grace period to ask for permission after it has already committed the new policy pricing. Apparently, they believe it is better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission. Hopefully, Florida's Chief Financial Officer, Tom Gallagher's request to block the increase IS approved. He has asked the Insurance Regulators to block the unapproved rate hike.

Actions like this is what leaves me with little faith in the insurance companies. They enjoyed many years of very fat living. The last major hurricane coming through here was Andrew in 1992. They have had 12 years to fatten up their wallets. Then last year was a bad hurricane year. Several came through here causing lots of damage. Now they want to use that excuse to raise the premiums.

Their business is money. As a policy holder, you give them x amount of dollars to protect your property. If you pay them $3,000 a year for 10 years and never make a claim then, in essence, you've given away $30,000 of your money plus the interest. Well, Floridians did that. We paid our premiums and never made a claim. So I understand that the insurance industry took a hit during last year's hurricane Season. But what happened to all that money from the last 10 years? The reason we pay premiums is so that when the time comes there is money there for us to use. Did the board of directors, CEO, CFO, take it all? Is it all being used to pay for their Expense Accounts? The TV commercials starring that black dude? Policy Holders pay you to protect their property. That is why you went into this business. To take our money and hope we never make a claim. You had at least 10 good years. But last year, we had a few hurricanes. So you stumbled. Well continue as you were, at the same rate, and the next 10 hurricane free years will regenerate your coffers. There is no need to increase your rates by 28%. If you were allowed to raise your rates by 28% but then we have 10 hurricane free seasons, would you return that money to us? I doubt it. You'll just take the money and get fatter and fatter.

Love comes in the shape of a peanut

I love my Tivo. And it loves me too. It has to love me. First, I get home from work and it has all of the tv shows I like recorded for me. I pick up the peanut shaped remote control and press the all empowering TIVO button. I scroll down to Tivo Suggestions to find it has recorded several shows for me. Who's Line is it Anyway, The Daily Show, South Park, Robot Chicken, Seinfeld, etc.

Second. The peanut shaped remote. It fits so snugly and perfectly in my hand. Your thumb automatically falls to the big yellow pause button. This remote puts you in control. No longer am I at the mercy of the TV Networks. I no longer have to wait for a commercial to use the bathroom. I can go whenever I have to go. Also, I get to watch TV when I want to watch it. Seinfeld is on at 6:30pm when I am at the gym. But here I am watching the Michigan Bottle Deposit Scam at 12:50am.

Third. You realize how much you love your TIVO when you are in the car and wish to TIVO the radio. You miss something and you want to rewind to hear it again. Or the cell rings and you want to pause. Or at a ballgame, you miss the big play and want to watch it again. You come to the conclusion that life should be TIVO'd.

You can record, pause, rewind, then forward live TV. All because of the power given to you by this peanut shaped remote. It's a TIVOlution!

My Namesake

My screename is Kpeste99. If read it properly, you are basically saying, "Damn it stinks" in Spanish. Today I can tell you I definitely lived up to my namesake. I was at the gym. I did some weights for an hour. Then I went to do some left lifts to work the abs a bit. As I hung from the machine, I caught a whiff of something. I thought that it couldn't be me. The gym was packed so it could have been anyone really.

I then walked upstairs to run on the treadmill. I sat on the floor to stretch a bit and WOAH, what the hell? It was me!! "Damn," I thought to myself. If I can smell myself then I must truly smell. A treadmill eventually freed up between to girls. As I made my way over there I was beginning to feel bad for those two girls. I began running and sweating and sweating and sweating. And with every drop of sweat I could smell myself more and more and more.

Twenty minutes of running and 2 miles later, I was done. And boy that was one long car ride home. I looked over at my Glades Car Scents and it was empty. I jiggled it hoping to get just a little more mileage out of it but nothing. I resorted to cranking the A/C even though I was soaked with sweat. I was wet, and the A/C blowing on me could make me more susceptible to catching a cold. I didn't care. I rushed straight home and immediately took a shower. Now I smell like sugar and spice and everything nice.

Quick Update

I just wanted to update everyone who has been reading about my love life on this Blog and rooting for me. I have some bad news of sorts. Looks like I am back to square one. No hard feelings though. I can't complain. I met a Spectacular girl and had lots of fun in the meantime. Too bad it's not going to work out. Yes, I am a little bummed but Obladi Oblada.

Rage

Today I am filled with rage. Maybe it's because my parents are slobs. Yes unfortunately I still live at home. I don't know why no one in this house can ever put anything away. Everything is in the way. You can't go to the bathroom without having to move all of mom's makeup, and creams, and crap, and tissues. She has a vanity. She should use it. Dad's briefcase, suitcase, bag, his other bag, and his other bag have been sitting around the coffee table for a week now. In the hallway is a desk he bought about 10 years ago. The desk and hutch are still in their boxes, unbuilt.

Maybe it's because I am trapped here with no place to go. Rent in this city is super high. Any apartment will cost you 750 bucks a month. Which I know I can afford but then I won't have money for anything else. I am on the verge of just saying screw it and biting the bullet and having to make due with the 500 bucks a month I will have left over after I pay my rent.

Maybe it's because I am 31 years old and I don't have a wife, nor a fiancee, nor a girlfriend. It's father's day and it seems every male around me is a father. I have hopes of meeting that person one day that will make my headspin and my tummy tingle, but seems that when I do I am either not ready or she is not ready. It's all very frustrating and I am on the verge of, I don't know what I am on the verge of.

If not for the gym, I'd be even more pissed today. The gym seems to be the only thing right now that is keeping me grounded. The dating scene is not going as planned. Work is not going as planned. Heck, my life isn't going as planned. I am a smart, funny, honest, hard worker. I am loyal, loving, and affectionate. And I also don't think I am a bad looking guy. So why do I have such a hard time meeting someone?

Here's to mud in your eye

I went to Oleta Park today to ride bike. I pay my fee and drive up to that first row of parking spaces. As I pass the bike wash stand I notice how muddy everyone is. I think to myself that this is going to be one fun bike ride. Then I remembered I had just paid 40 bucks to get my bike cleaned, polished, greased, and lubed. "Wonderful I thought, there goes my nice clean bike."

I pull into an empty parking space and it begins to rain. Well, it wasn't really rain. It was more of like a twinkle. I had paid the entrance fee so I figured I might as well make the best of the situation. I put on my shoes, gloves, helmet, and slung my CamelBak on and rode towards the trail's entrance.

It's only about a 100 yards of paved asphalt to get to the entrance. I look down and already my bike is dirty. And as I look down the path I see big puddles of some nasty water.

Splash! Through the first puddle. Splash! Through the second. Oh well there goes the clean polished bike, it's all fun now! I ride to the end of the main path to the first novice trail. As I ride through I learn something. Tree roots are a pain in the ass when dry. When they are wet there are a pain in the ass AND slippery. I was getting zero grip as I rode over them.

I finished the first trail and immediately let some air out of my front tire. This would give me more grip since more of the tire would make contact with the ground. My theory was right. I rode over the roots in the second novice trail without incident. My confidence was slowly growing.

I continued riding, hitting all of the novice trails along the way. I splashed my way through water puddles, negotiating the roots, over rocks, bounced down a hill, and made my way through the maze of trees. When I finished I realized that I had not stopped! I normally stop at least once to catch my breath. I had ridden through all the novice trails without stopping. My confidence was up another notch.

I rode back to the parking lot. But I wasn't ready to leave. I felt amazing. I decided to hit some of the Intermediate trails. I am not ready for Strangler Fig or El Diablo and the wet rooty hill and ensuing drop of Gator Bank seemed too scary.

I rode back to the main path, making my way towards Dragon's Gate. The beginning of this trail has always been a challenge to me. It's a blind uphill climb. Yes, blind. The entrance is blocked by a sea grape tree. The hill is covered in roots and rocks and trees. It is nothing like the impossible first hill of Oyster Ridge but it's enough of a challenge for me.

I ride through the opening and quickly survey the hill. I needed to find an open line, a path of least resistance to make the climb. And just like that, I saw it. I saw the line. I hit the granny gear turn towards it. Up I went, maneuvering around the roots. I made it! And just that quickly, you have to shift your weight because what goes up does come down. I dropped past that last root and down the hill. Swoosh! And Splash! Another mud puddle. I had done it! My confidence was now soaring!

The next trail is Dragon's Trail. This is not too hard a trail. The only tough part is a climb and a 10 to 15 foot drop. Because it was muddy and wet I had to keep plenty of weight on that back tire. I sat back in the saddle and up and around I went. Then down! Woosh! Wow, super exhilarating!

Then I see the sign for the Kitchen Sink trail. I remember that one spot that always snags me. It's a three foot drop, an immediate hairpin turn, then you have to climb the same 3 foot hill and practically step up the hill. I was feeling so confident that I honestly believed that today I was going to tackle this obstacle.

I get to the drop. Woosh, make the turn, and climb. Pump the pedals, pump the quadriceps, go go go. I pick the front tire over the root. The back tire is next. Ugh. Nope. Negative. The root caught me. The front tire had made it over but the back tire didn't cooperate. As quickly as I could I unclipped and put my foot down. I pushed that back tire over the root, hopped back on the bike and kept riding. Confidence level was now down a notch.

I need a boost now. Should I go to Twin Peaks? Too long I thought. Robinson's Ridge it is then. I didn't make that climb up the gravel hill. It is way too narrow a path. Only a foot wide at some points and a long way down. I made it to the top and, oh there's a girl.

She was contemplating continuing up the Robinson's Ridge hill or continuing to Area 51. I described the hill to her. She said FORGET IT! I told her it was worth it. The high bank turn at the bottom and the hills were so much fun to ride. Nope she said. Oh well, I tried. Up I went and down I went.

That was a mistake. The rain had washed away any grip that this hill has. I slid down the hill. I didn't have the impulse to make the banked turn, then in turn didn't have the speed to enjoy the small series of hills. I made my way around and back. Area 51 was next.

This is a super short trail. It is basically a super steep drop, followed by a steep hill, then immediately followed by an even steeper drop. The trick bike guys use this trail to catch air and do their tricks. I don't do tricks. I just roll down and over.

I finished. It was over. I was pooped. I rode back to my car. Looking at the mud covering both me and my bike. I felt incredible. I only got stuck that one time. I rode the novice trails without stopping AND I also rode a handful of the intermediate ones too. I can't wait until next week now.

I Can Only Fathom

She had to work late tonight so I did not get to see Spectacular. I can only fathom that when I do see her that her cute smile will be that much cuter. That her pretty brown eyes will be that much prettier. That the hugs will be that much better. That the kisses will be that much more, well... Let's leave it at that.

There is so much I want to discover about Spectacular that I don't even know where to begin. Yes, I know we've been on three dates now but it seems she's been the one asking all the questions. I told Esteban about her today. He asked me some questions about her that I honestly didn't have an answer for!

I hope the weather is nice enough this week to go to the beach after work. We can lie on a blanket, perhaps bring a bottle of wine, and be able to enjoy one another's company.

Not Guilty

Michael Jackson has been acquitted. Jury found him Not Guilty on all ten counts.

Crazy...

Missing her hugs and kisses

I didn't see Spectacular Sunday this weekend. I have to admit that I miss her hugs and kisses. It feels so good when we hug. And the kisses - the kisses are, well, spectacular.

NASCAR for Dummies

I was just reading Jayski's and saw this NASCAR for Dummies book by Mark Martin. I am not dummy but I am sure I could learn from this book. Wink wink, nudge nudge.