NYC Trip

Just got back from a quick trip from NYC last night. I was there to testify for the government against one of our company's customers in a Medicare fraud trial. So, they flew me in to NYC Monday afternoon for the Tuesday court appearance. I landed in NYC at about 8pm. Checked in my hotel at about 9pm. And then immediately I was picked to meet with the District Attorneys (DA) for a late Monday night meeting before the Tuesday morning trial. I was so tired and exhausted when I finally got some sleep about 1am. The next day, I was told to be reported in the DA office by 11am, which is not too bad. However, I thought I'll be called in the court room soon but instead I kept waiting for a very long period of time. Other than me testifying that day, I saw a few doctors there along with some elderly people. They were the victims of this case. I don’t think I can go into the details but I feel so sorry for these old people. They were there with me the whole day. Since I don’t know when I'll be called, I can’t just take off and get some lunch in the cafeteria. Instead I just try hanging there (even though I wasn’t too hungry) and hoping I can get out of there soon. Nope. Wrong. I was the last one on the list to testify that day. Oh well. But, these old folks were forced to stay in this small office, with no place to go. I guess they must be hungry. And the DA said to them "Don’t worry; we'll get you some food and something to drink". Oh, big spender Uncle Sam said we're getting fed, that can’t be so bad. Ha! Wrong again. The "food" the DA was referring was actually bags of chips. "Something to drink" was just bottle of water. I felt bad because I can see these old people are hungry and all they had to eat was bags of chips. Some of them are so old they had to push in and out by wheelchairs. Finally the doctors said something, "Maybe what they need more is a bathroom break” This is when I really started to feel sorry for them. Okay, so can’t go on Tuesday, not too big of a deal. Other than I wasted of a whole day waiting in the small DA's office with no food or water, everything is cool. The next day, I finally get to testify. The whole thing didn’t take more than 30 minutes. I started to wonder if this is worth it. First of all, the DAs do not really need me to be appearing in court to verify these invoices are indeed ours. They don’t need me tell them which products are approved by Medicare since we got the approval letters for all of them. But, they flew me in, put me in the hotel, and paid all the cab fairs. I wonder how much they spent on me along, and it also puzzles me on how the money we paid for our taxes are at work. Finally got back home around 11pm Wednesday night. I am totally exhausted, both physically and mentally. It was not a very pleasant trip; it certainly was not a vacation. If I ever got to do this all over again, they better send 2 FBI guys here and make me.

Just another day at our local biker bar!

Sunday afternoon bikers gathering. Free buffet when ordering a bucket of beer.

Thanks a lot, Wilma!

Oh boy, am I glad the hurricane season is almost over. Right before Wilma makes landfall, I had a very bad feeling about it. I was going back and forth about should I put the shutters up or not. Boy am I glad I did! Even with the shutters up I can still feel the hurricane force winds pushing against my windows thru the shutters. And, need I say more "FPL SUCKS"! I was lucky because I was only out of power for a week, but what a long depressing week that was without power. Makes you wonder how you used to take the very simple little things for granted. Now, even before the power is fully restored in our county, FPL had the nerve to ask the state for a 10% or so rate hike! Come on! At least fulfill your promise to fully restore all electricity back first before you ask us for more money. My god, how would I feel if I found out I need to pay even more money to this god dam FPL before I even get my power back? And to make things worse, the state actually gave FPL more money it had asked for it. So, instead of 10 or 12 percent, the state went, "okay, lets see, how do we get you more money out of this....oh yeah, lets it, lets give you 18% instead of the puny 10% you ask for" OH geeze, thanks for nothing. I know who I am NOT going to vote for come around the next election. Well, I am done venting....