The Place Where Nothing is Real

Glass Onion the movie is, of course, a reference to the song “Glass Onion” on the Beatles’ so-called White Album. The movie is a lot of fun, with Daniel Craig reprising his role from Knives Out. A parallel between Craig’s character, consulting detective Benoit Blanc, and Sherlock Holmes, is revealed in a cameo appearance by another British actor.

The premise of the movie borrows from Agatha Christie’s famous story “Ten Little Indians,” which was retitled “And There Were None” in the United States. The reference to “Indians” was itself changed from something else, as explained in the Wikipedia entry for the story.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/And_Then_There_Were_None

The movie also borrows from the video game Myst, which is coming up on its 30th anniversary. The comparison is made explicit in a 3D tour of Glass Onion Island.

The island doesn’t exist, but the special effects making it seem like a real place are utterly convincing.

Taking the virtual island tour doesn’t require a Netflix account.
https://www.netflix.com/tudum/glass-onion-knives-out-island

Well Blow Me – Down!

Way back during the Dubya years, I mentioned a perceived sadistic streak in some of the Famous studio cartoons.

Popeye’s Alien Abduction

"Popeye, the Ace of Space" (1953)
“Popeye, the Ace of Space” (1953)

In “Popeye, the Ace of Space” Olive isn’t present to be sexually assaulted by Bluto, which is the premise for most of the cartoons. Another example of the boys going at it without Olive being caught in the middle is “Friend or Phony” from 1952.

It makes sense that Bluto is dying as a result of Popeye’s addiction to his performance-enhancing drug of choice. But you have to likewise wonder how Popeye has survived Bluto’s ultra violence.

Here’s the cartoon, with the ever-naive Popeye being a sucker for Bluto’s never-ending scheming.

Unclear Medicare

What is a wellness visit under Medicare Part B? Isn’t it an annual physical? No, it isn’t. That much is certain, but beyond that who knows? This video is supposed to explain the distinction.

Well, that clears nothing up. Notice how a wellness visit is annual, but a physical is routine? Uh, aren’t physicals supposed to be annual? There’s a weak explanation of what a routine physical isn’t, but not what it is.

Last year, coverage for my “welcome to Medicare” visit was denied, because the doctor’s office used the billing code for a routine physical. Knowing for certain that the initial preventive physical exam is covered by Medicare, I went through some hassles but eventually got it straightened out and the billing statement was cancelled.

This year I was once again billed by the medical practice. There were a number of things that Medicare paid for, but there was a line item that matched the amount the medical practice stated I owed. BCBS Medex paid only $8, which seemed like an odd amount. I called BCBS and all I got from the rep was, “yes, we paid $8.” Hmm. Okay, so I paid the bill for the amount I owed, because I assumed my visit was a physical. Doing that had the unfortunate effect of hiding the itemized bill from view on the Epic Systems Patient Gateway. What’s the point in doing that? Next time I’ll print it out before paying anything.

Then I watched the video shown above and called BCBS back, hoping to get more information. After the (different) rep reviewed the bill she said, “That was an annual wellness visit. I see this mistake all the time. You shouldn’t owe anything.” She put me on hold and called my doctor’s office directly. When she got back on the line I was told the bill would be re-submitted to Medicare, and assuming it goes through I should receive a refund.

There’s more information at this link and, frankly, it’s no more helpful than the video. Unless I’m missing something that’s less than obvious, it still doesn’t provide a definition for a “routine physical” under Medicare Part B.

https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNProducts/preventive-services/medicare-welflness-visits.html

The video is right about one thing — there’s confusion surrounding these definitions and their associated billing codes. So what, exactly, is a routine physical?

Spector’s Christmas Spectacle

On this Christmas Day I have posted something about Phil Spector, and something about Joe Sinnott. Now for the kicker.

A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector was released on the day that JFK was assassinated, November 22, 1963 (two days before my family appeared in Parade magazine).

Fifty years ago, Apple Records re-released the album, retitled as Phil Spector’s Christmas Album. Spector posed for the cover photos wearing “Back To MONO” buttons, as seen in the enlarged scan I made for the previous post.

The following year, 1973, John Lennon was photographed wearing a Back To MONO button. It’s probably safe to assume that he got it from Spector.

https://sfae.com/Artists/Tom-Zimberoff/John-Lennon-Back-to-Mono-Pin-Los-Angeles-1973

The origin of the button is uncertain. An account I read in an audio magazine many years ago credited the creation of the buttons to a well-known name in Hi-Fi at the time, whose name I don’t remember. He attended a music industry event and allegedly handed out the buttons, that were circulated from there. Even today, true mono mixing has an advantage over stereo that’s been “folded down” into mono. I’ll try to explain that later.

So what does this have to do with Joe Sinnott? Take a look at the back cover of the Apple album.

What does “Santa” have there? It’s a comic book!

Fantastic Four #127, October 1972 cover date, with art by John Buscema and Joe Sinnott.
https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Fantastic_Four_Vol_1_127

Well, there you have it. Joe’s work hiding in plain sight, with one of the most notorious names in the history of popular music.

Ten years later, forty years ago in 1982, a CBS Records subsidiary, Pavilion, released Spector’s Christmas album in stereo. It wasn’t actually mixed in stereo, however. It’s a twin-track master, like the first two (according to George Martin three) UK stereo Beatles albums are. The sound is nonetheless, like those early Beatles albums, jaw-dropping revealing of studio ambiance and wonderful to hear.