From: jmpierce@whale.st.usm.edu (Jimmy Malcolm Pierce)
Subject: Re: Steamed Phoenix
Organization: University of Southern Mississippi
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 05:53:19 GMT

[ Phoenix's tab is paid in full ... DJ ]

>In the early evening, a bright glow descends into the snow covered meadow,
>visible through the French doors of the place as it touches down nearby.
>There is a massive hiss of steam as it contacts the snow. Then more steam
>as a short glowing figure moves through the drifted snow, melting a path
>between it's landing point and the door to Callahans Place. The glow
>subsides a bit, and the doors open, to an inrushing cloud of steam. They
>close, and the steam rapidly dissipates, revealing Phoenix. "Aarrrggghhh!
>I'm really steamed, and -not- because I landed in a darned snow bank!"
>
>Her cola is nearing a boil now. She sips some more. "I went through the
>Adult and Family Services orientation this morning and boy is it a piece of
>sh*t.  I was going to be job mandatory until I told the worker about the
>PTSD and the depression.  He made me medical exempt but I need to get a
>statement of disability from my doctor.  Hopefully Dr. Shepard will do it
>for me. Just until I get into OHSU and can have them do it and I get some
>solid information about Jordan.  Also, found out from this same AFS worker
>that while CSD can request that I be exempt from job search, AFS will not
>accept it. As for why?  Well, he just said that it was not sufficient
>reason.  I cited the stress and that Jordan may have some disability and he
>said that it was not sufficient. It's kinda funny, one government agency
>can require participation in a variety of activities so that I can regain
>custody of my child but another government agency will not accept that as
>sufficient reason for job search exemption."

      Yup. Government agencies do tend to do stupid things. One of the
other lab monitors, who has since graduated, was once told by the VA
that they had no argument that he served in VietNam, but since he couldn't
produce a Birth Certificate, he couldn't prove he had ever been born !
Not 'you can't prove who you are,' they accepted who he is, but not
that he had been born ! The court house where he lived had been damaged
in a fire, he had to look up someone who remembered him growing up,
who his parent's were, etc. and then he could get a new birth certificate !

>She's glowing brightly, and people have had to step back a bit from the
>heat. A cocktail napkin on a nearby table burst into flames, and was
>extinguished by Mike with an expert shot from his seltzer bottle. The cola
>Phoenix is drinking is now boiling merrily in the beaker. She takes another
>drink. "I guess that I am supposed to be a miracle worker here and clone
>myself so that I can be in several places at once! If I cannot get the
>medical disability from my doctor then I will have to look for work and
>accept ANY job that is offered at min wage or better and 20+ hours a week,
>make sure that Jordan is cared for and makes all appointments, go to
>therapy myself, go to the parenting classes, do visitation, spend time with
>Devon, etc. I'm not a goddess (yet).  This is very frustrating for me. 
>Somehow, I am supposed to find the time to also take care of myself.  I
>just don't know. Yes, I'm down today.

  Yes, they don't care for reality, just their weird version of it...

>She finishes off her boiling Coke Classic. The glass beaker hasn't melted,
>yet, but it's glowing a pale red. "So here's my toast. To Lawyers and
>Bureaucrats. We have too damned many of both!"

   <<<Crash !>>> Jim 

>------------------------
>This post prepared and sent for Phoenix by Thyra, based on a recent e-mail
>letter from Phoenix, who is still having access trouble.

   Corollary: "Never underestimate the stupidity of a government agency,
               they will plumb new depths of incompetence." Jim.

-- 
         Jim Pierce Bach. of Sci. in Applied Computer Science USM 
             jmpierce@whale.st.usm.edu  Disclaimer: Standard.
                   Video. Cher: Love and Understanding.
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: mtemplar@redunser.demon.co.uk (Alan Ralph)