Month: September 2008

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or… What Would Ferris Bueller Do?

Did the apocalypse take you by surprise?  Not to worry!  Once you’re done with the obligatory crying, rending of hair, and gnashing of teeth, I’ve got a handy-dandy itinerary. You may want to print this one out and keep it on you for the rest of the day.

Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.                                     – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Strap in.  Its going to be a busy day.

  1. Get up and drink as much coffee as you can tolerate.  If you didn’t do everything on the list from yesterday, try to take care of some of that stuff now.  Put on your costume (you did buy the costume yesterday, right?) and let’s get started.

    Pimp Hat
    Pimp Hat
  2. Call everyone you know – party at your house!

    Party House
    Party House
  3. Rent a Lamborgini or Ferarri.  Don’t spring for the extra insurance scam.  No matter what happens today, you’re not returning it in one piece.

    Lamborghini
    Lamborghini
  4. Drive in the carpool lane.  Top down, no seatbelt.  Why not have a drink?

    Beer Hat
    Beer Hat
  5. Try something totally new.  Color your hair, get a tattoo, a piercing.  Remember: There is no such thing as politically incorrect any more.  How about a baby seal burger?

    Baby Seal Burger
    Baby Seal Burger
  6. Try something dangerous.  Bungie jump, skydive, or swim with the sharks.  Better yet, find a way to do all three at once – time’s a wastin’!

    Skydiving and Bungie Jumping with Sharks
    Skydiving and Bungie Jumping with Sharks
  7. Overpay and overtip EVERYWHERE you go.  Have fun passing out money like its going out of style!

    Money
    Money
  8. Attend party at your house.  This is where the caterers, fireworks, and champagne come in handy.

    Party House
    Party House
  9. Hookers for everyone!

    Happy Spitzer
    Happy Spitzer
  10. Last meal:  Whatever you want to eat and drink, but you might as well try fugu too.

    Fugu - Blowfish
    Fugu - Blowfish

I like to think that Ferris Bueller would have approved of this plan.

If, by some truly freak occurrence, the Earth doesn’t get swallowed up by a black hole and we’re not stuck in a time loop, check back in tomorrow morning for a list of things ways to deal with the consequences of living like there’s no tomorrow.

By Posted on Posted in Not Workers Compensation, Technobabble No Comments Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

or…  The Apocalypse Can Be Fun!

Almost Midnight
Almost Midnight

Yesterday I mentioned how the CERN project is going to fire up its Large Hadron Collider on Wednesday September 10, 2008.  Several lawsuits have been filed (most in the US even though the project is located in Switzerland and France) to stop the machine from being turned on.  Here are some of the allegations:

  • It will create “strangelets” that will convert all other matter in the universe into “strangelets.”
  • It will create a black hole that will swallow up the Earth.

And, my PERSONAL favorite:

  • It will create a hole in space where where time becomes stuck in an infinite loop.

However infinitesimal, you have to admit the possibility that one of the above will happen.  Here’s a list of things you can do today to prepare for the world (maybe) ending tomorrow:

  1. Save your breath and don’t work out today.
  2. Eat fatty greasy salty food.  Garlic, onions, beans – go nuts!
  3. Take up smoking, drinking, and a drug of your choice.
  4. Tell your boss what you really think about them. ((Steve, buddy, you gotta work on your golf game.))
  5. Leave work early today and don’t show up ever again!  (Or, kill two birds with one stone and do this at the same time as #4).
  6. Shred your will and cancel all insurance policies.
  7. Credit is your friend.  Apply for every line of credit you can.  Call your credit card company and see if you can raise your credit limits.
  8. Things to buy: an air horn, fireworks, a megaphone, a costume (favorite super hero, movie star, pirate, etc), a lot of champagne, and a beer hat.
  9. Book a caterer for tomorrow.  Sure, its last minute, but money is no object, right?
  10. Call your mom – she worries.

Be prepared to stay up late tonight and get up early tomorrow.  You’re not going to want to waste any daylight.  The next blog post will be at 5am. Set your alarm and check back here bright and early for your itinerary.

Get ready to party like its 1999.

By Posted on Posted in Not Workers Compensation, Technobabble No Comments Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , ,
End of the World
End of the World

Hey, we’ve had a good run.  The world has to end some day and I guess September 10, 2008 is as good as any.

Long story short, the European Organization for Nuclear Research aka CERN is going to fire up its brand spanking new 4 billion dollar 27 kilometers long “Large Hadron Collider”. ((CERN from Centre Européenne pour la Recherche Nucléaire.  Its a French thing.))  Although the internet was created by DARPA, CERN created the world wide web.  There have been a flurry of high profile lawsuits to stop this machine from being turned on – because these people believe it will cause the end of the world.

The device is supposed to smash two protons together to see what pops out.  They believe it will create new little bits of matter and anti-matter and give them a glimpse into what the big bang looked like. The good folks at CERN sponsored a rap video to explain how it all works:

Check in tomorrow at 6am for some suggestions on how to spend your last day.

[50th blog post!  Yay!]

By Posted on Posted in 1997 PDRS, 2005 PDRS, Author, Business, Calculators, Combined Values Chart, Downloads, Free, Links, Multiple Disabilities Table, PDRater, Workers Compensation Resources No Comments Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I am constantly trying to think of ways in which to improve this website and to make it a better resource for California Workers’ Compensation professionals.  If you’ve got an idea as to how I can improve this site, drop me a line and let me know.

  1. Links to online Medical Provider Network lists of physicians for a lot of different carriers
    • Click on “Medical Provider Network Links”
  2. The ability to search for occupational codes by the occupational title or to search for an occupational title by occupational code
    • Click on “Rating Calculator” and then “Occupation”
  3. Links to free searchable versions of the California Labor Code and California Code of Regulations
    • Click on “Workers’ Compensation Resource Links”
  4. Links to the State of California search pages for medical doctors, chiropractors, osteopaths, podiatrists, accupuncturists, optomotrists, psychologists, and dentists
    • Click on “Physician Search Links”
  5. Downloads for numerous Permanent Disability Rating Schedules – 1988, 1997, 2005, and the draft for 2009
  6. Combined Values Chart / Multiple Disabilities Table calculators
    • Click on “Rating Calculator” and then “CVC” or “MDT”
  7. A list of Commonly Used Terms in California Workers’ Compensation law

What’s that?  I only promised the top five PDRater.com features?  Don’t tell me you haven’t heard of the first rule of business:  Under promise and over deliver.

Happy Friday!

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Road Warrior
Road Warrior

As a workers’ compensation defense attorney I travel throughout Northern California for hearings and depositions.  To date I’ve been as far North as Ukiah and as far South as Fresno for cases.  I’ve compiled a list of the various things I’ve found come in handy when I’m on the road.

Always in the car:

  • Cup holder
    • Quarters
    • Hand sanitizer
    • Moist towelettes
    • Water bottle
    • Rubber bands
  • Glove compartment
    • 1/2 cup almonds in a sandwich bag
    • Tire gauge
    • Flashlight
  • Driver’s seat
    • Umbrella (underneath)
  • Front passenger seat
    • Roll of paper towels (underneath)
  • Trunk
    • Jumper cables
    • Two blankets
    • Rope
    • Second pair of shoes (comfortable shoes for driving, dress shoes for appearance)
    • Extra tie, extra socks

Am I missing anything?

Update: I added flashlight to the glove compartment.

Update: I added umbrella under the driver’s seat.