Augie
The Fart Meister
Posts: 491
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Post by Augie on Aug 15, 2006 22:10:13 GMT
Hi folks,
In this post, I want to discuss pensions.
My mother used to work at the IBR facility here in SI, NY. On a few different occasions, Gov.Pataki threatened to close down the entire facility. He phased out my mother's entire department (lab aides).
My mother was forced into an early retirement by Gov. Pataki. She did NOT want to retire. She had to take a SUBSTANTIAL cut in her pension. She wanted to get in her 20 years, but she couldn't. She was worried about losing her health insurance for the rest of her life.
Gov. Pataki is a "hypocrate" in this sense. He loves to give speeches about "job-killing taxes". I must have heard him utter that phrase ("job-killing taxes") literally hundreds of times. But he is the one who "killed" my mother's job (and the jobs of hundreds of other IBR employees).
When my mother talks about Gov. Pataki, you hear a lot of words that aren't in the dictionary.
Augie
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Augie
The Fart Meister
Posts: 491
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Post by Augie on Aug 15, 2006 22:32:41 GMT
Hi folks,
As far as pensions are concerned, my father also got f**ked by politicians.
My father is a retired NYC firefighter. He was injured in the line of duty. In 1972, excessive smoke inhalation caused a serious conduction blockage to his heart. He never smoked in his life, so it had to be work-related. They put him on light duty for 4 years. He was forced to retire in 1976. He didn't want to retire. He was forced into it. He was a liability to the city.
My father's base pension is $11,000 a year. There have been a few COLAs over the years, but it isn't much.
There is a thing called "variable supplement" (VS). My father was SUPPOSED to get this. But he didn't because both the NYC government and the NYS government are "playing games". It's in the 1968 contract, which is the last year that major revisions were made to the NYC firefighters' contract prior to my father retiring in 1976. AFTER the contract drawn up (and signed?), someone changed the wording without permission from the firemen. The change meant that ONLY retirees who got out on regular retirement (non-disability) would get the VS. Before the change, retirees who got out on disability would get the VS, but not after the change. This change was not authorized by the firemen. Retired NYC firemen consider this to be an "illegal amendment".
To make matters worse, the money is there and available. But the politicians in NYC's government have been using it for other things for all these years (which, technically, is illegal and is a violation of federal law).
It took my father and other retired NYC firmen about 20 years to get enough guys together to file a lawsuit. It is VERY expensive to file these types of lawsuits. They had to do a class-action. This lawsuit has been tied up in legal wrangling and "political nonsense" for about 10 years now. Some judges refuse to even consider the case. There is a SERIOUS conflict of interests here.
According to our calculations, my father is owed over $200,000 in VS pension money. My father has been waiting 30 years for his pension money. He's getting tired of waiting. This money is rightfully his. It's in the 1968 contract.
Augie
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Augie
The Fart Meister
Posts: 491
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Post by Augie on Aug 15, 2006 22:37:39 GMT
Hi folks, After the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks, NYC firemen were being called "heroes". Is this how NYC and NYS treat "heroes"? First, they pay my father a base pension of $11,000 a year. Then, they f**ked him right out of his VS pension money (which is rightfully his). This is how they treat "heroes" !!! Augie
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Augie
The Fart Meister
Posts: 491
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Post by Augie on Aug 15, 2006 22:53:39 GMT
Hi folks,
Right now, the Bush administration is in violation of the US Constitution on 6 different counts.
Someone forgot to tell Pres. Bush and Christian Conservatives that America is supposed to be a democracy - not a theocracy.
I no longer recognize the US federal government as a legittimate government.
I stopped recognizing the NYC government as a legittimate government about 20 years ago (back in the 1980s) - because that is how long the NYC governemnt has been in violation of the US Constitution.
Of the 3 governments that have jurisdiction over me (US federal government, NY state government, and NY City governemnt), the ONLY one I currently recognize as a legittimate government is the NY state government. And if Gov. Pataki doesn't cut this f**king shit out (cutting Medicaid, etc.), I am also going to stop recognizing the NYS government as a legittimate government.
Augie
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Augie
The Fart Meister
Posts: 491
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Post by Augie on Aug 31, 2006 18:48:19 GMT
Hi folks,
It has come to my attention that Gov. Pataki recently did another incredibly stupid thing. He vetoed a bill that would have ended cruel and unusual punishment for seriously mentally ill prisoners. For example, many of these prisoners are still kept in solitary confinement.
The SI Advance said that Gov. Pataki was "blasted - and rightfully so".
NY is one of the few states left in America that still permits this type of treatment for seriously mentally ill prisoners.
This is yet another example of how Gov. Pataki feels about ill/disabled people.
Augie
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Augie
The Fart Meister
Posts: 491
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Post by Augie on Aug 31, 2006 19:00:14 GMT
Hi folks,
I remember an old quote form Lee Iacoca. He had just become a "big shot" at Chrysler, and he was criticizing GM.
No one dared to question his authority. If someone was stupid enough to question Lee's authority, about 2 seconds later, that person was no longer a Chrysler employee.
Lee said, "When I saw a snake, I killed it. At GM, when they see a snake, they form a committee, they discuss it, and they build a zoo around it."
The same quote can be applied to government. Instead of fixing the problems in this country, our politicians build a zoo around them. By the way, Liberal Democrats are just as guilty of doing this as Christian Conservatives.
There is an old quote: "Republicans believe in big government. Democrats believe in even bigger government."
Another quote comes to mind. Ronald Reagan once said, "Government isn't the solution to the problem. Government IS the problem."
Augie
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Augie
The Fart Meister
Posts: 491
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Post by Augie on Sept 1, 2006 17:54:06 GMT
Hi folks,
As I stated earlier in this thread, I have spent literally hundreds of hours of my time writing letters to politicians. Most of the time, they don't even bother responding. They STILL haven't passed NHCL yet!!!
There is an old saying: "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."
I have learned the hard way (from the school of hard knocks) that you can't be civil with these people (politicians). You have to get like a f**king goddam animal with them. You have to curse and scream at them. They just don't f**king listen!!!
I have made a decision. From now on, whenever I deal with certain politicians, I am no longer going to phrase things in the form of a request. I am so "done" with that. I am going to compile a list of demands and send it to that politician. I am going to give that politician a finite amount of time (probably 30-90 days) to comply with all of my demands. If that politician does not comply with each and every one of my demands in the alloted time, I am going to do something that is going to cause me to get arrested. I am going to keep repeating this process over and over and over and over again. I don't care if I get arrested 1,000 times. I really don't.
If people can't understand why I feel this way, then there is something seriously wrong with them. I have lost 16 years of my life - because of my illness and the retarded policies of the US government. 16 years of my life are just GONE!!! I am now 38 years old, and I'm seriously ill. I was just 22 when I was stricken with my illness. I'm gonna be 40 years old in 14 months. I have grey hair - for Christ's sake!!! I can't go on like this any longer. I don't want to be sitting here someday when I am 80 years old, looking back at my life, and saying to myself, "Where did my life go?"
Getting arrested is the only chance I've got at having a future. If I don't start getting arrested soon, then I am not going to have a future. It's time for me to start getting arrested.
I don't know what else to do. I'm out of options. I have to start getting arrested.
Augie
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Augie
The Fart Meister
Posts: 491
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Post by Augie on Sept 1, 2006 17:58:33 GMT
Hi folks,
I am familiar with only about 5-10% of the laws in this country. But, just based on that alone, about 500-1,000 laws need to be changed. If you extrapolate on that, then this means that about 10,000 laws need to be changed in this country.
You can't get 10,000 laws changed by writing to politicians. You need regime change for that.
Augie
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Augie
The Fart Meister
Posts: 491
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Post by Augie on Sept 1, 2006 18:11:43 GMT
Hi folks, I want people to know that I am not seeking glory or attention. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am an introvert. I want nothing more out of life than just to be left alone. Neil Peart once said something like: "You can't sit around waiting for yourself to spontaneously combust. You must set yourself on fire." He's right. Maybe I will be like Andrei Sakharov (the Nobel prize winning Soviet physicist-turned-activist). Maybe I will be like Lech Walesa (the Polish solidarity leader). Maybe I will be like Galileo (the Italian astronomer). He was ridiculed and ex-communicated for his beliefs and discoveries. Maybe I will be like that Chinese guy who stood in front of the tank after the Tiananmen Square massacre in China. When I was a graduate student at the University of Michigan in 1989, one of my Aerospace Engineering professors had a poster depicting that scene hanging on the wall in his office. Augie
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Augie
The Fart Meister
Posts: 491
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Post by Augie on Sept 15, 2006 16:28:45 GMT
Hi folks,
A few weeks ago, I just finished blasting Gov. Pataki in this thread. Now, I ran into another problem. As part of his new "Medicaid reforms" (his new Medicaid policies) in NYS, I now need "pre-authorization" for my prescriptions. This means that it will take several days (or weeks) just to get a prescription filled.
I experienced it for the first time this past week. On Friday of last week (7 days ago), I began the process (my "grueling saga") of trying to get a new batch of Actonel pills, which I take for my osteoporosis.
Last Friday, I called my doctor for a new Actonel prescription. He filled it out. It was ready Monday. My father picked it up on Tuesday. Yesterday (Thursday), my mother took it to the pharmacist to be filled. It was her first chance to get there. We didn't think there would be any problems. She returned to the pharmacist yesterday, and it wasn't ready. NYS Medicaid rejected my prescription. As part of Gov. Pataki's new Medicaid policies, I need "pre-authorization" from the state. We contacted my doctor and told him to contact Medicaid. He had to fill out more paperwork (in addition to my prescription) to get it approved.
I don't understand what the problem is here. Actonel is an osteoporosis medication. It's not a narcotic. People can't get high on Actonel. As far as I know, it can't be used for any other (sinister?) purpose.
It has now been 7 days (in my "saga"). My mother has already made 2 trips to the pharmacist. And my prescription STILL isn't ready yet. My parents are elderly, and they don't need this f**king shit - in plain English. When (if) it is finally ready, that is going to be my mother's third trip to the pharmacist.
This is absolutely ridiculous!!!
I better not have any problems getting antibiotics in the future (to treat my LD).
I have Gov. Pataki to thank for this. This is how he treats ill/disabled people. He had a blocked intestine recently. The f**king bastard couldn't drop dead. I say a prayer every night that his children get stricken with cancer.
Augie
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Augie
The Fart Meister
Posts: 491
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Post by Augie on Oct 10, 2006 15:43:10 GMT
Hi folks,
I FINALLY got my Actonel prescription filled. It took 18 days!!!
My doctor had to contact Medicaid 3 times. He had to give me samples to hold me over until I could get my prescription filled.
The NY state government kept insisting that I take Fosomax (which I am allergic to). I assume it has a generic, and it is a lot cheaper. Actonel costs $19 a pill. I assume Actonel's patent hasn't expired yet. There is no generic.
My parents had to make 5 trips to the pharmacist. There were the first 2 trips I mentioned in my previous post. Several days later, my mother was in that area. So, she stopped there. That was their third visit. Once my doctor got pre-authorization from Medicaid, he had to fill out another prescription with the authorization code on it. My parents had to pick it up and bring it to the pharmacist. That was their fourth trip there. When it was ready, they had to pick it up at the pharmacist. That was their fifth trip there.
I am disabled. My parents are elderly, and they are not in the greatest of health (especially my father). They don't need this f**king shit!!!
Gov. Pataki has made such a mess out of the healthcare situation in NY state.
Augie
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Augie
The Fart Meister
Posts: 491
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Post by Augie on Oct 10, 2006 15:49:16 GMT
Hi folks,
I have a message for Gov. Pataki :
If you should decide to run for president in 2008, I will put you in every newspaper in America. I will make sure that every person in America knows what you did to ill, disabled, and elderly people in NY state.
Don't even THINK about running for president. I will DESTROY you (in the media). Do you understand me?
Augie
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Augie
The Fart Meister
Posts: 491
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Post by Augie on Oct 11, 2006 16:35:28 GMT
Hi folks,
I am disabled, so I vote by mail by absentee ballot. I am on the permanent list. I received my ballot yesterday.
Here is a breakdown of who I'll be voting for:
Governor:
I don't like Faso. He's a Christian Conservative. He reminds me too much of Pres. Bush.
I don't like Spitzer either. He's a f**king scumbag. It has nothing to do with politics. It's personal.
I'm either leaving this line blank, or I'm voting for an obscure party - like the "Green Party", for example.
US Senator:
I'm probably (reluctantly) voting for Hillary Clinton - even though I think she's a f**king retard. She hasn't done a goddam thing in almost 15 years of being in a "power position".
Augie
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Augie
The Fart Meister
Posts: 491
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Post by Augie on Oct 11, 2006 16:50:57 GMT
Hi folks,
Representative in Congress:
I'm voting for Stephen Harrison - even though I know very, VERY little about him. Technically, I'm not voting "for" Mr. Harrison. I'm voting "against" Vito Fossella. I'm voting for whoever the person is who's running against Vito. That person just happens to be Harrison.
Vito has to go. He is no longer representing or advocating for the people of Staten Island - especially ill/disabled people.
46 million Americans have no health insurance, and Vito just absolutely refuses to do anything about it. He is opposed to NHCL. There are people in this country with college degrees who are on welfare (myself included) because they need health insurance.
I would like to get off welfare someday. But I CANNOT do that as long as Vito is my representative in Congress.
I have a message for the people of Staten Island:
Please vote this f**king bastard (Vito Fossella) out of office. If you elect Mr. Harrison, you will be giving me a chance to get off welfare. All I'm asking for is a chance. If you re-elect Vito, you will be taking that chance away from me. You will be forcing me (against my will) to be on welfare for at least a few more years. Please consider this. Thank you.
Augie
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Augie
The Fart Meister
Posts: 491
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Post by Augie on Oct 11, 2006 16:59:17 GMT
Hi folks,
State Senator:
I'm probably voting for Titone - even though I know VERY little about him.
I know very little about Lanza too. I do know that Lanza is good friends with Vito. Anyone who is a friend of Vito is definitely NO friend of mine.
I'm not voting "for" Titone. I'm voting "against" Lanza. I'm voting for whoever the person is who is running against a friend of Vito. That person just happens to be Titone.
If my memory serves me correctly, I think Lanza is also an alumnus of Msgr. Farrell HS (like Vito and myself).
Augie
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