Being For Rather Than Against.

Being for a cause is a stronger position than being against one.

Our country's administration fights violence with violence. We proport to be against tyranny, claiming to be concerned with bringing freedom to other peoples by bombing their citizens. All this does is spread the hate and promote more violence; violence begets violence.


I think the world would be a much more peaceful and happy place if we were to promote peace rather than fight tyranny. If we worried about our own affairs and were not historically and consistently at conflict with other countries we would not be "in a giant hole," financially speaking.


We could take better care of our own citizens and be a power of example. If other countries saw us transformed, taking care of our disadvantaged, promoting peace through policies that were not designed to force others to comply with our values, furthering our own interests while being reasonably available to help others, then perhaps others would follow suit.


If we were truly a peaceful people we would be happier, wealthier and healthier. It may sound like pie in the sky but I think that if we were for peace, rather than against supposed tyranny, I believe others might see what we had and want that for themselves.

(Source: Otto Ladensack)

Get Money Out of Politics

From my husband's site...

I have been saying what Dylan Ratigan is saying all along. Congress people spend more time raising "campaign" funds than they do pretending to work for us. The excuse is that they can't compete with other campaigns without the funding but this is nonsense. If they enacted an amendment that banned special interest, PAC and lobbyist "contributions" and allotted an equal amount of subsidized money to each candidate then the playing field would be level and fair, and our law makers' only motivation would be to please the majority of the population.





PLEASE pass this along to everyone you know. We cannot turn the tide toward our own best interests unless enough people care.


Sign the petition:

http://www.getmoneyout.com/?recruiter_id=149469

It's quick and vital to our country's wellbeing.

Duke Hospital's Billing Practices are Shameful and Deceitful!

A Piece Anyone in the Raleigh-Durham Should Read

Today we needed to find a new doctor for my daughter. Having dealt with Duke's Hospital practices before, I called ahead to inquire about the cost and coverage of her upcoming appointment.

She needed to go to a doctor's office to determine whether she needed physical therapy. We were recommended to a clinic Duke runs offsite from the main hospital by a physician at Durham Pediatrics. People like us go to these appointments, which are just the same as visiting any doctor's office, pay our co-pay, and think we are done with the matter. Not so!

We found that a visit to their offsite clinics, like the one's inside the hospital, are billed like an outpatient hospital procedure. Furthermore, nobody tells you this up front. We've had the experience where you go there, pay the co-pay and think you're done--only to be billed for hundreds of dollars later on. This practice is rotten. they offer services that are the same as any doctor's office and then surprise you with a bill, later, for non-existent hospital care.

In my husband's case he was once recommended for an MRI by a Dr. Jellesoff (another Duke clinic doctor). We paid for the MRI with our insurance plus the copay and later (years later) found out we still owed $400+ dollars to another doctor that looked at the image for a minute and said his adrenal glands had no visible tumors--we were never told this uncovered fee would be forthcoming, the diagnosis not "visible" was tentative at best, and his personal physician, a great guy, later informed him that an MRI is practically useless for what it was indicated for.

Is Duke Hospital in financial trouble or are they just that greedy and underhanded? If all you need is a doctor's office visit I would stay away from that place and their associated facilities.

Thanks,
Patricia Ladensack

Durham Schools May Soon Adopt a Discriminatory Policy

Durham County is Pondering Discriminatory Policies

I received this message today. It seems like the discrimination seen in Wake county, where they undermined the ruling of Brown v. Board of Education, has spread to a lesser degree to Durham county. They are considering doing away with the lottery system that gives everyone a fair chance of getting into DSA and locking out charter school children. I think this intentional backwardness is a disgrace.

Below, a CPSC parent has explained some recent news regarding magnet schools in Durham Public Schools. This may be of special interest to any parents who may want to consider having their child apply for Durham School of the Arts (DSA) for middle school (as many CPSC students do.) There is a possibility that if the odds of getting into DSA would be extremely limited if there are preferences given to feeder elementary schools (RN Harris, Club Blvd and Sandy Ridge.) The dates listed below are open to the public and are for public comment only (there will be no discussion.)

Greetings All,

The Durham School Board will vote on December 15^th on new proposal for magnet schools and student assignments. These changes are county wide. DPS is offering the public three opportunities to provide feedback:

• 6:30 p.m. Thursday, December 1 @ Riverside High (auditorium)
• 6:30 p.m. Monday, December 5 @ Jordan High (auditorium);
• 6:30 p.m. Thursday, December 8 @ Southern High (cafeteria)

According to the DPS website the format of these sessions are as follows:

• Moderator will offer short presentation to include rationale for proposal along with guiding principles and assignment limitations.
• Spanish interpreters will be available at the December 8 meeting.
• Speakers must sign up to speak.
• Speakers will be called in order in which they signed up.
• Maximum time is three minutes per speaker.
• Time cannot be yielded/donated to another speaker.
• There will be no dialog. Board members are there to listen.
• Sign-ups will begin at 6:00 (and close at 7:30).
• Speakers may only sign up for themselves.

Since there are only three minutes allotted to each speaker, I would recommend that families take the opportunity to gather as much information as possible prior to the meeting in order to digest, reflect and formulate the most effective responses during the session.

Today, Monday, November 28, 2011 at 7:00pm in the Weaver Auditorium, Durham School of the Arts PTSA has scheduled a second urgent meeting to discuss the magnet proposal. This meeting is open to the public.

One key point from the first DSA meeting. This plan will drastically change student assignment to magnet schools. It will create feeder pattern (links) from elementary to middle to high school that will essentially not allow an open lottery system with equal access to all families all over Durham County.

Some questions have been submitted via the internet and DPS has responded. You can find the answers on this link http://www.dpsnc.net/about-dps/departments/student-assignment/magnet-student-assignment-proposal/responses-to-board-questions

If you believe this is a wrong-minded idea please go to the Durham Public Schools feedback page and register your opposition. Our children need us to be heard if we want to keep a level playing field for them.

Canada Geese

Canada Geese

These beautiful birds were video taped by my husband at Dinsmore Golf Course in Staatsburg (near Hyde Park) which is in upstate New York.





Shot by Otto Ladensack
Provided by Patricia Ladensack

Maybe they need to screen teachers psychologically...

Punished for being born with challenges most people never have to face?!

Kyron Sloan, Special Needs 6th Grader, Says School Made Him Mow Lawn As Punishment (VIDEO)

Everyone involved in this matter should be fired. School should be a safe environment. More than one person--probably many, were aware of this and did nothing. Why do people with bully mentalities seek out jobs working with children--actually I just answered my own question.

Shameful!

Otto Ladensack

Durham, NC 27703

919-349-77xx

This is the email I sent to these school officials. If you are disgusted by bullying please write too. It only takes a few minutes. I wrote:

The Superintendent: don_grotting@ddouglas.k12.or.us

Director of Student Services: barbara_kienle@ddouglas.k12.or.us

Director of Administrative Services: patt_komar@ddouglas.k12.or.us

Water Shut-Off Despite Payment, City Indifferent and Didn't Return That Day!!

REGARDING THE WRONGFUL TERMINATION OF OUR WATER SERVICE ON OCTOBER 5^TH AND FAILURE TO REACTIVATE IT THAT DAY AS PROMISED.

Here is an email correspondence I had with the deputy city manager today regarding the wrongful termination of our water service yesterday. He tries to downplay the city’s incompetence while side-stepping the issue of our ludicrous bills ($708+ for 563 gallons/day). Notice the absolute lack of compassion or interest for what’s been/being done to our family. Unfortunately this is typical here and none of the city council members seem interested in the matter.

Thanks for nothing to: Mayor Bill Bell, Farad Ali, Eugene Brown, Diane Catotti, Howard Clement, Cora Cole McFadden, Mike Woodard and Tom Bonfield.
________________________________________________________________




________________________________________________________________

Mr. Ladensack:

In your email of last Wednesday, you assert a chain of events in which the City discontinued your water despite your having paid your current bill and despite having made payment arrangements for your prior outstanding balance.

The City’s records indicate that at the time of the disconnection, you did not have a payment plan on file. To avoid disconnection, you would have either had a payment plan on file, or you would have had to pay the entire outstanding balance of your account.

Do you wish to dispute the City’s version of events?

Theodore L. Voorhees

Deputy City Manager

City of Durham

101 City Hall Plaza

Durham, NC 27701

919-560-4222

City of Medicine

E-mail correspondence to and from this sender may be subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law and can be disclosed to third parties.
________________________________________________________________

From: OTTOJR68@aol.com [mailto:OTTOJR68@aol.com]
Sent: Monday, October 10, 2011 02:09 PM
To: Voorhees, Ted
Cc: trish8698@aol.com
Subject: Re: Water Bill

Theodore L. Voorhees

My wife had spoke to someone other than Rosa when she was not available. She had an agreement in place which has since been altered and solidified by talking to Rosa. We also paid $300 a few days earlier as per that original agreement. I also dispute the bill we are paying from last year. There is no way we used 563 gallons a day for a 2-month cycle. My previous meter and/or fittings were bad. Also we were given no warning the water would be shut off. If that is your normal practice it is inconsiderate--a simple phone call could have cleared up the matter. Also, when I called the billing department around noon I was told our water would be back on by 8PM and nobody came at all after waiting all day, Wednesday.

A little consideration--not to mention accuracy, would be nice.

________________________________________________________________

Mr. Ladensack:

Thank you for the clarification.

It is customary to send a reminder letter about past due accounts that precedes disconnection. Did you not receive the reminder letter?


Was the 300 dollars in addition to the 300 paid on Monday, or are we talking about the same 300 dollars paid on October 3rd?

Theodore L. Voorhees
Deputy City Manager
City of Durham

Sent from my Blackberry device

________________________________________________________________

From: OTTOJR68@aol.com [mailto:OTTOJR68@aol.com]
Sent: Monday, October 10, 2011 02:39 PM
To: Voorhees, Ted
Subject: Re: Water Bill


Mr. Voorhees,

The $300 was paid on the 3rd and cleared the bank the on the 4th. There was an agreement in place to pay another $200 this week until Rosa Williams worked out a more agreeable arrangement with my wife, last week. And we did not receive any shut-off notice this time nor last year when we were out of town (and had been told to hold payment while Al Nelson was looking into the usage problem).

Otto Ladensack

________________________________________________________________

Thanks for the clarification.

Theodore L. Voorhees
Deputy City Manager
City of Durham
_________________________________________________________________________________

In a message dated 10/11/2011 1:41:24 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, Theodore.Voorhees@durhamnc.gov writes:

Mr. Ladensack:

I really was trying to understand the specific circumstances around your water service disconnection.

Theodore L. Voorhees

Deputy City Manager - Operations

_________________________________________________________________________________

FINAL SAY:

Maybe you could help me understand how your department could in good conscience say I owe you 708.14 for supposedly using 563 gallons a day based on a meter that gave very different and erratic readings from my current one.

Otto Ladensack

A Piece From Indy Weekly.Com

Re: “Durham County candidates”

Current City Council Not Helping

Non-Credible Water Bills

I have been saddled with water bills that are not credible. The current city council has yet to intervene on my behalf. I am hoping that if my new meter continues to demonstrate my previous one was erroneous that the council may eventually compel the water department to refund some of our overcharges. Here is a small article on the matter:

I have been at my address for 6 years and our water bills must be inaccurate. There are 2 adults and 2 young girls here. We don't water the lawns and use bottled water for cooking and drinking. Despite this our water bills are excessive. 3 times in the past 6 years we got bills that claimed we used 4500 cubic feet of water. The last time was a few months ago and the bill was for over $700.00! During better months we are billed $200-300.00. It's almost like paying a second housing rent some months.
My neighbors report to me that their bills are usually a little over $100.00. I had Al Nelson from the Durham water conservation department look into it. He had our meter changed, then had it upgraded to an electronic meter to track usage better. He could find no leaks and no real explanation but says something isn't right. He says our usage is showing 6 times what is average for a family of our size--it's not like we are running a bottled water business out of our kitchen. He said billing should have got him involved a long time ago but he's stumped.

I was further upset after doing the math. They are claiming we used 4500+ cubic feet, that's 33,000 gallons in 61 days. That's 563 gallons every day! That would mean we were using 23+ gallons of water every hour, every day, for 2 months.

This is ridiculous.The bureaucracy here is a barrier to justice and fair treatment. No NC state senators or representatives have acknowledged my complaints. The billing department acts like we're just whining about our bill, the County Commissioners ignored my phone call and subsequent email, and the city manager Tom Bonfield referred me back to the water department. I feel sure that either our fitting have been incorrect or our meter has been malfunctioning. Either way we don't use hundreds of gallons of water daily, Durham doesn't care, and we've been overcharged by thousands over the past six years. This issue is widespread according to the news (including Atlanta, Charlotte and Philadelphia) and it is wrong that there is no oversight agency that can check for inaccuracies--if something is awry with a bill you typically have no recourse.

If anyone else in Durham is experiencing inflated usage claims please post a comment or email us at otto.ladensack.us@member.mensa.org .

Thanks, Otto

(The original page above, with working links, is at: http://ottoladensack.blogspot.com/2011/02/…)

Here are video links that further explain my situation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmFhYF4SRek
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5avlIF3bt94
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXRTUvn_txk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY_tcfZnA7E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH6vjCAkoVs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u56qq_C_hUw

The 3rd, 5th and 6th clip are most telling but all are concise. Thank you for considering my situation.

Posted by Otto.Ladensack on October 8, 2011 at 10:10 PM

Something is Wrong with National Heritage Academy Charter Schools

Not all charter schools in Durham are worth pursuing.

NHA schools have a national reputation that stinks. They are money-focused, cramming 30 kids into a classroom and spending a whole quarter each year on EOGs. They typically have bullying issues and complaints to their corporate office about individual schools go unheard. Research these schools intently and the information out there will bear this out. Please do not put your children in one of these places--they have long wait lists and often do not care about individuals.

Otto and Patricia Ladensack

PS - Linda Conlisk you are a terrible "parent-liasion" unless the term is meant to denote the person who deflects parents with valid concerns; thanks for doing nothing when my child was being bullied. You should be ashamed of yourself. All you did in your role was allow sadness and abuse to be continued and from what we've heard from parents around the country this is business-as-usual for you. As a parent-liaison you are incompetent. If anyone is interested in telling Linda Conlisk why it is important to stop bullying when that's your job, she can be reached at: lconlisk@heritageacademies.com or through this number: 877-223-6402​.

If you don't like your public schools consider home-schooling before utilizing a National Heritage Academies' School. We had resolved to do so if needed and learned that one-on-one schooling is not terribly time consuming and does not involve trusting self-involved strangers to do the right thing.

Thanks,
Otto and Patricia Ladensack
otto.ladensack.us@member.mensa.org
919-349-7720

Controlled But Not Represented

I tried to vote in today's election but am not able to. Apparently county residents cannot vote for city council members--including the mayor. This seems wrong because if there is an issue with the water department or some other city function, like the one I am currently having, the people I am supposed to be able to rely on do not answer to me at all. I believe that if I was a city resident the council would still be indifferent toward my inaccurate bills but at least I could use my 1 vote toward ousting the incumbents whereas us county residents do not need to matter at all. Everyone affected by city services should have representation--even if that representation is poor.

If you live outside the city limits your elected officials don't need you or your approval--how's that for a smack in the face!

(Picture credit: maycolonb.wordpress.com)

Something Fun

 Here are some vultures my hubby found near our yard.

(Sources: Photos: Otto Ladensack 2010; vulture link: http://readreidread.wordpress.com/2011/03/10/vultures-of-st-victor/)

Duke Hospital: Lazy About Billing, Quick to Mar Credit. Also "Clinics" are a Shameless Rip-off!

I've recently become aware of some black marks on my credit record that should never have been made. One is a delinquency of $400-plus for an MRI. It was fully covered except for the part where a doctor interprets it. Ridiculous! I had no clue I owed anything and was never billed! Another time my insurance coverage fell short by $30 on one procedure. Again, I never heard from Duke at all.

Also, I've learned to avoid their "clinics." These are for normal doctor's office visits but are located inside the hospital. The insurance company agrees it's just like any other doctor's visit, but Duke bills it as an outpatient procedure and tries to collect a few extra hundred dollars for the simplest of exams. Their methods make no sense. They send bills directly to collections, and if they fail to find you, it quickly goes on your credit history for seven years!

They have tarnished my credit history, made it so anything I do that involves credits costs much more than it should, and for what?! They have all of my contact information. Is it a staffing issue? Would they rather write it off than go after relatively small amounts of money at their patients' expense?! I avoid that place like the plague. Durham Regional doesn't play such games and they are also much nicer there. I just hope their takeover by Duke doesn't lead to their degeneration into such illogical behavior, as well.

Patricia Ladensack
Durham

Water Problem: 5 Brief, Concise Installments at Photobucket

http://s1126.photobucket.com/albums/l620/OttoLadensack/Durham%20Water%20Department/

It's shameful what Durham's Water and Town Council are permitting.

They are: Mayor Bill Bell; Farad Ali; Eugene Brown; Diane Catotti; Howard Clement; Cora Cole McFadden; & Mike Woodard.

They can be reached collectively at:

council@durhamnc.gov

Inflated Water Bills in Durham, North Carolina

We have been at our address for 6+ years and our water bills have been inaccurate. There are 2 adults and 2 young girls here. We don't water the lawns or maintain a garden and we use bottled water for cooking and drinking. Despite this our water bills are excessive. 3 times in the past 6 years we received bills that claimed we used over 4500 cubic feet of water. The last time was a few months ago and the bill was for over $700.00! During better months we are billed $250.00-$300.00. It's almost like paying a second housing rent some months.

My neighbors report that their bills are usually a little over $100.00. My husband had Al Nelson from the Durham water conservation department look into it. He had our meter changed, then had it upgraded to an electronic meter to track usage better. He could find no leaks and no real explanation but says something isn't right. He said our usage was showing 6 times what is average for a family of our size--it's not like we are running a bottled water business out of our kitchen. He said billing should have got him involved a long time ago and he's stumped by the numbers.

I was further upset after doing the math. They are claiming we used 4500+ cubic feet, that's 33,000 gallons in 61 days. That's 550+ gallons every day! That would mean we were using 20+ gallons of water every hour, every day, for 2 months.

This is ridiculous.The bureaucracy here is a barrier to justice and fair treatment. No NC state senators or representatives have acknowledged my complaints. The billing department acts like we're just whining about our bill, the County Commissioners ignored our phone calls and subsequent emails, and the city manager Tom Bonfield referred me back to the water department. I feel sure that either our fittings have been incorrect or our meter has been malfunctioning. Either way we don't use hundreds of gallons of water daily, Durham doesn't care, and we've been overcharged by thousands over the past six years. This issue is widespread according to the news (including Atlanta, Charlotte and Philadelphia) and it is wrong that there is no oversight agency that can check for inaccuracies--if something is awry with a bill you typically have no recourse. When the city council (such as in Durham, NC) won't intervene there is no recourse--our state lawmakers owe it to us to create an oversight agency or to provide some other way of dealing with false bills!

If anyone else in Durham is experiencing inflated usage claims please post a comment or email us at trish8698@aol.com

Thanks, Patricia Ladensack

Duke Doctors Bunker Mentality: Institutions Before Patients

Today's Vocabulary Enhancing term: bunker mentality


--A state of mind especially among members of a group that is characterized by chauvinistic defensiveness and self-righteous intolerance of criticism.


Example:


The bunker mentality many doctors in Durham have toward Duke University is frustrating because theirs is a poor hospital. They've botched transplants with fatal avoidable errors, used hydraulic-fluid contaminated surgical tools on patients (despite doctors noting their slipperyness), caused me to take our daughter elsewhere after a room that would be available "soon" still wasn't there six hours later--after my own colectomy was performed without informed consent, questionable billing practices, and despite a generally rude staff that acts like one should feel honored to be in one of their facilities. (Note: this example was authored by Otto Ladensack)


This is a recent term, coined in 1976. I would not usually use a two word term on this page but found this one too commonly observed and interesting to pass up.


Have a nice day, Patricia and Otto Ladensack

Letter Regarding RTCA in Durham, NC - a National Heritage Academies School

My children were a tiny minority at RTCA but they did not see ethnicity and I hoped school policy would uphold this. The staff did, outwardly, however my daughters were made to feel unwelcome over time. My youngest even heard some peers slur white children.

My oldest usually had straight A‘s from kindergarten, onward. In fourth grade a mistake gave her a B, first quarter. I brought this to their attention and was assured the mistake would be righted. The grade was never corrected, my daughter was left out of a pizza party for year-long “A” students, the grade wasn’t fixed and later we were told it was too late.

My youngest suffered worse. A boy was allowed to bully her in third grade--calling her names daily, throwing things at her, and making ugly faces. Her teacher did nothing and she was left to fend for herself! I was in the office, constantly. Finally I asked the child to leave her alone and was consequently banned from the school! His mother took to volunteering in class, scowling at my girl, regularly. When she told the staff this adult was intimidating her my child was told not to look at her! Not until the mother yelled at her did help come, gaining her a new homeroom and finally a protective environment. Unfortunately NHA does not care about children unless legal liability enters the picture. (Linda Conlisk, thanks for refusing to help our daughter when she was being bullied daily--your zero tolerance policy is a lie.)

I would’ve home-schooled but we were fortunate to get her into Central Park School this year. They are caring, nurturing, and encouraging. I wish I had the foresight to do the same sooner.

Durham, NC: Something is Wrong at the Water Department

Something is amiss and the only ones who can help--the city council, aren't interested.