Wednesday, May 14, 2014

The Sheridan VA Medical Center Messes Up Again!

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Attention: Secretary Eric K. Shinseki
810 Vermont Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20420

Dear Secretary Eric K. Shinseki,

The enclosed letter is a copy of the letter I sent to Director Debra Hirschman of the Sheridan VA Healthcare System in Sheridan, WY.

What they are doing to me and others is unconscionable, but it is a little fiefdom with it's own rules and agenda. And the bean counters who are out of touch with us real veterans.

Thank You for you time and any considerations regarding my letter. The entire VA is not bad, just bits and pieces, but they matter a lot.

Sincerely,

William D. Harasym

USAF Veteran and Disabled

____________________________________________________________

Enclosed Letter originally to Debra Hirschman, Director at Sheridan VA Healthcare System:

Director Hirschman

VAMC

1898 Fort Rd.

Sheridan, WY 82801

Dear Director Hirschman,

The Sheridan VA Medical Center of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs really messed with me today, and I'm not going to take this sitting down.

I had 2 appointments today, one after the other. The 1st appointment I scheduled, and it was in their computer system. The 2nd one was scheduled by their appointment czar, (A month ago.) who I'm guessing has a computer too, and would have seen a conflict if one was there, but she didn't.

My 1st appointment was over at MHC, and I went to book my next appointment at MHC, but there was a line of a few vets also doing that. (Usually there isn't.) The guy at the window was taking forever, as I looked at my watch and saw it was almost time for my 2nd appointment. After 5-7 minutes I finally got my turn and did it as fast as possible, like <2 minutes, and asked the lady at the desk to call over to primary-care to tell them I was on my way.

I rushed over there, breaking the speed limit on campus to get there, and doing it on a forearm crutch and 2 really screwed-up & horribly bad knees, one that has needed surgery for over 5 years now (No ACL, torn meniscus and much more---it's bone on bone right now.), but the VA says I'm too fat, so suffer sucker! I get there at the front desk to check in, and there is another line of over 1/2 dozen folks, so I had to wait another 15-20 minutes there (They only had one person on duty when they usually have 2.) and I finally checked in. She said the previous appointment people called and let her and triage know I was on my way. She apologized for the delay and said have a seat, and they'll call you back soon, to see the doc. I sat there another 7-8 minutes, and one of the nurses came out and said the doc is already seeing the 2 o'clock appointment, and that he can't see you today, so come back Friday, on May 23. 2014. I was pissed, and still am. What kind of fucking circus are you running there?

It was the VA's archaic system that caused the delays, yet the VA decided I was their scapegoat and the one to fuck over today! It's bullshit, and I will be informing the IG of this and a plethora of other evil acts by the VA. I've always had the VA's back, but it seems they don't have mine. On some issues, you live in a black and white world, on others, it becomes a gray area, but this shape-shifts to accommodate whatever the rule du jour is, and who's interpreting it.

I'm a Ukrainian Bear---Gentle when stroked, Fierce when provoked!

My mom died just a few months ago, and I'm not a happy camper, and that's what I discussed with my psychiatrist today, my current state of depression (Oh, I'm bi-polar too, so depression is not a good thing for someone who is bi-polar, just speaking from experience.) and then what does the VA do?- They decide their world had to be black and white today, and fuck the vet because he is a little late, as it's never the VA's fault! How many times over the last 30+ years I've been using the VA have my doctors been late, or even no shows for appointments? Scores of times, but did we send them home? I think not. This was bullshit and I want an apology, and the opportunity to schedule an appointment at my convenience, not some nurse's or doc's.

While I'm venting, let's talk about my knees—-they are screwed-up, and pretty soon I'll need a wheelchair of some sort just to get around, due to the VA's obstinate behavior. When a person is in pain, and can't walk, there isn't many exercises they can do except water aerobics and water physical therapy. But the VA in Sheridan is run by idiots, and you're only allowed a few visits, then they tell you to go to the YMCA. Why, when the VA has the facilities, and space for veterans to use the pool every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1pm. Why do I have to give a private religious party (YMCA) my personal and financial information all because we have idiot bean counters running the VA? That is a sin! Never mind the separation of church and state.

That brings me to my knees---I tore my left ACL 5 ½ years ago, and then everything else fell apart. Now both knees are screwed up and the VA does shit. If my knees were replaced like I was told 22 years ago would happen in a few years, then I could walk, and do exercise. But you folks do thing ass-backwards, and are inconsistent. Last year a friend's husband hurt his shoulder, and within 3 months he was getting surgery. He too was suppose to go to Cheyenne VA (Like I'm suppose to do with my 23 year old car that I don't even drive out of town for fear of it dying or breaking down.) for surgery, but his wife cried saying it was too far for the family (They have 3 new vehicles and their only child just got her nursing degree here in Sheridan.) and inconvenient. So they let them do the surgery here with a local orthopedic surgeon. I've been begging this for years and they just laugh at me.

Thanks for you time. Enclose is the appointment card I got today, along with the other waste of paperwork I also received. Recycle it, and use your IT system the way it's suppose to, not half-assed like it is now! Everyday is Veteran's Day at the VA! Yeah Right!

Sincerely,

William D. Harasym

cc: VA Office of Inspector General - Richard J. Griffin- Acting Inspector General

The Secretary Of Veterans Affairs - Eric K. Shinseki

VISN Network Director - Mr. Ralph T. Gigliotti

Congressperson Cynthia Lummis

Senator John Barrasso

Senator Mike Enzi

The N.Y. Times Newspaper

The Sheridan VA Medical Center Fucks Up Again!

The Sheridan VA Medical Center of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - U.S. Department of... messed with me today, and I'm not going to take this sitting down. I had 2 appointments today, one after the other. The 1st appointment I scheduled, and it was in their computer system. The 2nd one was scheduled by their appointment czar, (A month ago.) who I'm guessing has a computer too, and would have seen a conflict if one was there, but she didn't. My 1st appointment was over, and I went to book my next appointment, but there was a line of a few vets also doing that. (Usually there isn't.) The guy at the window was taking forever, as I looked at my watch and saw it was time for my 2nd appointment. After 10+ minutes I finally got my turn and did it as fast as possible, like 2 minutes, and asked the lady at the desk to call over to primary-care to tell them I was on my way. I rushed over there, breaking the speed limit on campus to get there, and doing it on a forearm crutch and 2 really screwed-up, & bad knees, one that has needed surgery for over 5 years now (No ACL, torn meniscus and much more---it's bone on bone now.), but the VA says I'm too fat, so suffer sucker!. I get there at the front desk to check in, and there is another line of over 1/2 dozen folks, so I had to wait another 15-20 minutes there (They only had one person on duty when they usually have 2.) and I finally checked in. She said the previous appointment people called and let her and triage know I was on my way. She said have a seat, and they'll call you back soon, to see the doc. I sat there another 7-8 minutes, and one of the nurses came out and said the doc is already seeing the 2 o'clock appointment, and that he can't see you today, so come back Friday. I was pissed, and still am. What kind of fucking circus are you running there?

I'm a Ukrainian Bear---Gentle when stroked, Fierce when provoked!

Monday, May 5, 2014

Legion of Doom and his bogus game play & CBS enabling a player who also is disrespectful to veterans who are DISABLED! http://10403014048.baseball.cbssports.com/

Dear CBS Sports People,

Look, I've written you all before @CBS, but you appear to be ignorant of what sportsmanlike play and positive role-model qualities really are, but I'll complain one more time, and then publish it on my blog and on the Huffington Post after that.

I've been in this league, one I happen joined because a fellow fantasy player asked, although I am not really familiar with who he really is, but I joined anyhow. I do that, as people over the years have joined my leagues when I ask them.

I've played in leagues for many, many years, both at CBSSportsline, Yahoo, ESPN, FOX, etc., and have never, ever run into this type of player, one who is really mentally ill, or has no idea of how to play fairly. Yet you appear to be enablers of this guys ADHD or whatever his mental illnesses really are.

We just finished week 5, and this guy has had over 300+ transactions, with many adds and then dropping the same player, thereby making everyone else unable to get them as free agents and have to wait the waiver period. It is really bad on the weekends as adding then dropping doesn't allow any player to add that player the following week, they then have to wait an extra week. If this is legal strategy, and allowed by you all, then I don't want to be part of this clown show you call fantasy baseball. I have never ha this issue arise in any league I've ever been in, EVER! At Yahoo, as commissioner you can limit the number of transactions a week, (Which I usually limit to 10 per week in my leagues.) which is a great idea that CBS seems to not understand. Even in their non-custom leagues, they have a limit per week.

So, in 5 weeks of Baseball, we have 300+ transactions, which turns out to 60+ a week. If this isn't overboard, what is? Who is driving the clown car at CBS Sportsmanlike Decision Making Team? This clown says he's been doing it for the last 6 years in this league and no one has ever complained, but then I join and complain.

The coup de grâce was when this clown, also Known as the "Legion of Doom" disrespected my service in the US Air Force, and the fact that I am a veteran who is disabled. I don't care whether you like war or not, or the government, you never disrespect a military veteran who is disabled, EVER! Yet the CBS folks let it slide and said we should be nice to each other, blah, blah, blah. It was a coward move on their part, afraid to stand up for America's Disabled Veterans. How many disabled veterans do you think you would lose if this story got out? A LOT!

Here is just one conversation:

William H. - Me too, Ha, Ha, Ha! But, like your OCD issues with adding and dropping multiple players, and many being the same one's you just got minutes or hours earlier almost everyday, and CBS Sports says it's OK (For Now), well so is objecting to your OCD issue with you constantly trading players, some of which you just added or traded for hours or days earlier. Ha, Ha, Ha! I object your honor! Well the jury has spoken and the trade denied---Yes sir-ree!!! Good Night and Good Luck Everyone!

- Apr 09, 2014 8:06 PM ET

Matt M. - disabled vet huh. must be mentally.

- Apr 09, 2014 8:16 PM ET

Matt M. - seeing that you want to run and tattle to cbs apparently

- Apr 09, 2014 8:18 PM ET

Jim G. - glad to see everyone is enjoying themselves. Let the good times roll!

- Apr 09, 2014 8:39 PM ET

William H. - Yes, I am a veteran who is disabled, and you, well...we all you know what you are. What branch of the service did you serve in again? I thought so. Where is all the laughing now Matty? People coming out of the woodwork is their right in this league, as is you making a fool out of yourself everytime you open your mouth. I'm so glad you are nice to us vets who are disabled, and you use it in an ad hominem attack. I'm impressed, as I didn't think anyone could go that low, but I was wrong. Why are you so sensitive when people call you out for your extreme add/drop behavior, but you have no problem of calling out folks who object to any and all of your trades. Do you see a contradiction there Matty? Your Game play is OK in your eyes, yet others game play is not? Tattle is a child's word Matty, so, are you a child? It is also my right as a manager here to report unsportsmanlike behavior, and then CBS deals with it as they see fit. They are still letting you play, but we never know for how long. In the hundreds and hundreds of leagues I've been in over the past decade plus, I can count on one hand the number of times I actually contact CBS, Yahoo, ESPN, FOX, etc, about fellow managers behaviors or gameplay, and violations of the T.O.S.! And this was one of them, because you are extremely erratic in your managing. And Jim, FYI I always enjoy myself playing fantasy sports, but I also have the right to speak up when I see something that is unsportsmanlike-like. Finally, I challenge Matty to go up to any disabled vet in his neighborhood, or while in the supermarket, or wherever he hangs out, and disrespect them to their face, and please video-tape the encounter, as we'd all like to see what happens to you! Good Night and Good Luck!

- Apr 09, 2014 9:06 PM ET

Matt M. - being a vet is your choice. you all want special treatment. no one is special in my eyes except my son. no one in 6 years has reported things til now. what's that say about you? not going to say for fear of reporting. I will say what I want to who I want. no fear brother. reporting is for, well....you know...

- Apr 09, 2014 9:10 PM ET

William H. - Well, thanks for sharing Matty. You again validated that you truly are a piece of work, and the sad part for our society is that you are actually breeding. By your writings, I figured you were a 13 year old, but now I know you're a 13 y.o. baby-daddy, who is disrespectful to veterans. You're a sad lil' man, and it appears your "Friends" tolerate your insanity. Good Night and good luck, and I expect Matty to rebuttal this, as he's the kind of guy who always has to get the last word. Ciao!

- Apr 09, 2014 9:37 PM ET

Matt M. - by the way there Lt. Dan. you talk about my issues I get the sense you are narcissistic, histrionic, and have an extremely high sense of self worth " my right as a manager....". dude, its fantasy sports. I'm sure you feel that way cause you couldn't cut it in real sports. I do like getting the last word in but now I have to go to sleep so I can go to work and reform criminals to keep you safe.

- Apr 09, 2014 9:41 PM ET

Jim G. - William, why do you feel it necessary to write to cbssports? Do you feel you are being cheated? Matt has always been a wild man when it comes to trades and the free agent wire. Even before I knew him, I never had a problem with it. Part of the game as far as I'm concerned. Others have voiced their concernin the past, but no one has ever written to cbs about it. Let's keep cbs out of it, if any of us feel that owners are colluding or making unfair trades, by all means voice your opinion.and the league will vote on it.

- Apr 09, 2014 10:11 PM ET

Jim G. - William, don't think I am taking Matts side, I am taking my side. As far as the name calling and stuff like that, it's none of my business how men conduct themselves.

Apr 09, 2014 10:38 PM ET

Now the ball is in your park, so what are you going to do? Do you have the guts to do the right thing, or is your spine made of Jello?

Here's the league I am in, or the one that is pertinent to this discussion:

The team is "Legion of Doom" and the guys name is Matt MacKay!

http://10403014048.baseball.cbssports.com/

GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK!

Sunday, April 20, 2014

William Harasym fundraising for Ukraine Unchained!

Howdy You all,
My campaign: "William Harasym fundraising for Ukraine Unchained" is underway and in order to reach my goal I need your contribution.
How your donation will help: Remember
1930's Germany? The Ukraine needs our help now as Russia and Putin try
and destroy her! We can't sit silent and do nothing, as that's what real
humans don't do.
Making a donation is super easy! Simply visit my campaign page and click donate. Any amount makes a difference!

Sincerely,
William H. Ukrainian American

Friday, April 18, 2014

"Keystone XL announcement met with predictable oily response!"

Keystone XL announcement met with The Predictable Oily Response!

By: David Turnbull, April 18, 2014

The State Department announced a delay in their Keystone XL review
process today, as they wade through 2.5 million public comments, as well
as work to get a handle on the fact that thanks to a Nebraska Supreme
Court ruling, there is currently no legal route through Nebraska.

This announcement is a good thing, from a climate perspective. Every
day that the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline remains unbuilt is a day
that it is not pumping hundreds of thousands of barrels of the dirtiest
oil on the planet through our heartland to be shipped abroad. That’s a
good thing, to be sure.

But what would be even better is if this project was rejected once
and for all. Such a decision would show our future won’t be dictated by
Big Oil’s bullying, and would reflect a true understanding that we must
move quickly in a new direction if we are to avert a true climate
catastrophe.

You can read our full response here… But it’s also easily summed up by this graphic:

Of course, some members of Congress were quick to respond as well…and
their responses may as well have been scripted by the oil industry
itself.

Senator Mary Landrieu, possibly Big Oil’s favorite Democrat, was
quick out of the gate, vowing to take ”decisive action” to circumvent
the legal process and push approval of the pipeline as Chair of the
Senate’s Energy Committee. Of course, this should come as no surprise
given the $1.1 million in campaign contributions she has received from the oil industry.

Not to be outdone, the leaders of the Republican caucuses in the
House and Senate both quickly put out statements as well…Senator
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell cited inflated oil industry jobs claims
while Speaker of the House Rep. John Boehner repeated the industry’s
oft-refuted claim that the pipeline would help with the Ukraine crisis. Rep. Boehner’s Big Oil campaign receipts? Over $1 million. Sen. McConnell’s? Over $1.2 million from the oil industry alone.

In the Senate, statements from other usual suspects swimming in Big
Oil cash joined Senators McConnell and Landrieu’s pro-Keystone XL
statements:

Senator John Thune (R-SD) : $650,000 in Big Oil cash
Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND): Over $100,000 from Big Oil IN ONE ELECTION CYCLE. In North Dakota, no less.
Senator John Hoeven (R-ND): $285,000 in oil money, also in sparsely populated North Dakota.
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK): $750,000 in Big Oil cash

And finally, TransCanada’s biggest cheerleader, Nebraska Representative Lee
Terry continued his defense of Big Oil at the expense of his constituents. It seems he’s chosen to listen to the $560,000 in Dirty Energy Money over the voices Nebraskans across the state calling for rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline.

All told, members of Congress defending the Keystone XL pipeline today account for over $4 million in Big Oil campaign contributions. It’s no wonder they continue to parrot the industry’s talking points.

Today’s announcement by the Obama administration to delay the review
process was spurred by the fact that the route through Nebraska remains
in question. That reality makes next week’s Reject and Protect
encampment in Washington, DC all the more timely. Throughout the coming
week, Native Americans from along the proposed pipeline route will be
riding side-by-side with ranchers, farmers, and landowners from the
Heartland to call, once again, for the complete and final rejection of
the Keystone XL pipeline.

The question remains: Will Secretary Kerry and President Obama choose
to bow to the demands of the oil industry as too many members of
Congress have done? Or will they listen to the actual constituents they
are meant to represent who are demanding loud and clear that their lands
and climate be protected from this dirty tar sands disaster?

Originally posted at Oil Change International: http://priceofoil.org/2014/04/18/keystone-xl-announcement-met-oily-response/

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Again, the victim gets blamed- Are You people idiots?

School Officials Bully Student into Deleting Recording of Bullying, Threaten him with Felony Wiretapping!

A high school sophomore in Pennsylvania who had been bullied all year by classmates with no help from his teacher decided to audio record the bullying on his iPad as evidence.

But instead of disciplining the bullies, school officials called police on him, threatening to have him arrested for felony wiretapping.

By the time the cops arrived at South Fayette High School in McDonald, school administrators had already forced the 15-year-old boy to delete the audio clip.

So police charged him with disorderly conduct instead, a charge he was convicted of last month.

Meanwhile, the bullies and the teacher who allowed the bullying – not to mention the administrators who intimidated him into deleting the audio – have yet to be disciplined.

Here's hoping karma catches up to all of them, including Judge Maureen McGraw-Desmet, who convicted the child because, she said, he went to the "extreme" of recording the bullying rather than "let the school handle it."

But the boy's mother, Shea Love, had transcribed the recording the night before he took it to the principal, indicating the school's way of handling it was simply to ignore it.

According to Ben Swann:

The student and his mother, Shea Love, testified before the magistrate that the boy has been repeatedly shoved and tripped at school, and that a fellow student had even attempted to burn him with a cigarette lighter. The defendant is, according to school records, a well-behaved student with no history of disciplinary action. He was, however, previously diagnosed with a comprehension delay disorder, which is a slower processing speed for information than is normal, ADHD, and an anxiety disorder. He says the bullying treatment is especially harsh and academically disruptive during his special education math class, in which students with behavioral problems are also placed. Last month, after doing research on several anti-bullying websites, he used his school approved personal iPad to make a seven-minute audio recording of his classroom experience. He played the recording at home for his mother. Outraged, Love, a former Air Force Morse code operator, transcribed the audio before calling school administrators.

According to Love, as the teacher is heard attempting to help her son with a math problem, a student says, "You should pull his pants down!" Another student replies, "No, man. Imagine how bad that (c**t) smells! No one wants to smell that (t**t)." As the recording continues, the teacher instructs the classroom that they may only talk if it pertains to math. Shortly thereafter, a loud noise is heard on the recording, which her son explained was a book being slammed down next to him after a student pretended to hit him in the head with it. When the teacher yells, the student exclaims, "What? I was just trying to scare him!" A group of boys are heard laughing.

Love says that upon fielding her complaint, Principal Scott Milburn called South Fayette Township police Lieutenant Robert Kurta to the school to interrogate her son in the presence of Associate Principal Aaron Skrbin and Dean of Students Joseph Silhanek. The defendant testified before Judge McGraw-Desmet that he was forced to play the audio for the group and then delete it. Love says by the time she arrived at the school, her son was surrounded by school officials and the police officer and was visibly distraught. She says

Principal Milburn advised her that her son was "facing felony wiretapping charges" because he made a recording in a place with an expectation of privacy, and that Officer Kurta agreed. Milburn defended the teacher's response to the classroom disturbance.

The following is Judge McGraw-Desmet's full, almost incoherent, statement:

"Normally, if there is — I certainly have a big problem with any kind of bullying at school. But normally, you know, I would expect a parent would let the school know about it, because it's not tolerated. I know that, and that you guys [school administrators] would handle that, you know. To go to this extreme, you know, it was the only alternative or something like that, but you weren't made aware of that and that was kind of what I was curious about. Because it's not tolerated, but you need to go through — let the school handle it. And I know from experience with South Fayette School that, you know, it always is. And if there is a problem and it continues, then it is usually brought in front of me."

You wonder who would elect such a judge?

The judge herself admitted to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review in 2009 she won because her mother sat on the bench for decades before retiring.

McGraw-Desmet conceded that name recognition helped her win 37 percent of the 2,536 votes cast in the Democratic primary last month and 30 percent of the 1,337 votes in the Republican primary. . . . "Undoubtedly, my mother's good reputation as district judge went a long way toward helping me win."

So it's obvious the judge is part of the establishment in this sparsely populated region of the state, which is why she would never take a stand for justice if it means embarrassing her peers.

For all it's worth, here is a site where you leave a review for the judge. The number to the courthouse is (412) 221-3353. And the address is: 295 Millers Run Road, Bridgeville, PA 15017 phone: 412-221-3353 & fax: 412-221-0908

Principal Scott Milburn, who ordered the deletion of the audio and should be criminally charged with tampering with evidence, can be reached at (412) 221-4542 extension 265. Or email him at smilburn@southfayette.org.

Contact the South Fayette Township Police Department, who charged the kid with disorderly conduct, at (412) 279-6911.

Send stories, tips and videos to Carlos Miller.