tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919830837927228571.post5376244980958014192..comments2024-03-25T07:17:42.807-04:00Comments on Doing Hard Time in Shaker Heights: The Theater of the Absurd Thrives in New York State GovernmentThe Cool Cookiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162345087029159056noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919830837927228571.post-10167957256992572492016-01-02T17:08:28.563-05:002016-01-02T17:08:28.563-05:00Thank you for this. It makes sense, insofar as it...Thank you for this. It makes sense, insofar as it is information. I received an absurdly rude letter from a state employee essentially telling that us that my mother had surrendered her right to her birth family because she was adopted. I responded that she didn't surrender anything because she was TWO years old. No two year old is responsible or reasonable enough to understand the concept of surrendering their banky let alone their legal ties to the their birth parents. And this is where the officials running New York fail living adoptees while protecting the dead. <br /><br />Anyhow, I have joined two organizations pushing to get these laws and mindsets changed. And one of them is suing New York for failing to keep pace with making public records available online.<br /><br />I hope good things come your way, as you seem bery aware at how stupid these laws and procedures are.The Cool Cookiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04162345087029159056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919830837927228571.post-47484223093117446432015-12-11T08:19:39.239-05:002015-12-11T08:19:39.239-05:00New York's medical confidentiality rules are m...New York's medical confidentiality rules are much stricter than the HIPAA regulations. Death Certificates are specifically exempted from freedom of information laws, except in certain instances defined by law. One of the exemptions is a request by an immediate family member. See 10 NYCRR, 35.4(b)(2).<br /><br />http://w3.health.state.ny.us/dbspace/NYCRR10.nsf/56cf2e25d626f9f785256538006c3ed7/8525652c00680c3e8525653000648cf1?OpenDocument<br /><br />If I have read the story correctly, Roz is the daughter of the deceased and therefore has a statutory right to a certified copy of the death certificate. She should contact the New York authorities personally. If she fills out the request and pays the money, she should get her copy of the death certificate, if one exists. If she doesn't get it, she has the grounds for an admittedly pain-in-the-ass petition to the county court.<br /><br />Good luck.<br /><br />George W. Tushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13050905945846094987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919830837927228571.post-32006482184922364202015-12-04T16:50:27.416-05:002015-12-04T16:50:27.416-05:00Of course, I was speaking metaphorically. But yes...Of course, I was speaking metaphorically. But yes, you must be careful these days. Oh, for the days when we used bottles of wine and booze.The Cool Cookiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04162345087029159056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919830837927228571.post-12194214929217835192015-12-04T16:49:20.159-05:002015-12-04T16:49:20.159-05:00Thank you dear. But I am luckier to have her. Be...Thank you dear. But I am luckier to have her. Because I am married to her wonderful son!The Cool Cookiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04162345087029159056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919830837927228571.post-90148723184389015682015-12-04T16:48:38.603-05:002015-12-04T16:48:38.603-05:00I would. But the last one we had in the house cau...I would. But the last one we had in the house caused all sorts of havoc. The Cool Cookiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04162345087029159056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919830837927228571.post-75332128779553901422015-12-04T07:40:57.985-05:002015-12-04T07:40:57.985-05:00have you considered a Ouija board? It might be mo...have you considered a Ouija board? It might be more helpful and less expensive. Blobbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11821768145570876450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919830837927228571.post-88659684675596559842015-12-03T17:10:24.534-05:002015-12-03T17:10:24.534-05:00I completely agree. Roz is very lucky to have you!...I completely agree. Roz is very lucky to have you! Jacqueline K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11308205767845857765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919830837927228571.post-64052162415082963222015-12-03T16:25:43.163-05:002015-12-03T16:25:43.163-05:00You are Champ of Champs for pursuing this on behal...You are Champ of Champs for pursuing this on behalf of Roz, and your other half knows this, I am sure. Hang in there. (And rather than a gift basket for the individual who helped out, make a nice donation to charity in her name, and be sure her work address is included for notification - no material goods, but a warm gesture of appreciation). StageLeftyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06076037171714058864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919830837927228571.post-16575606969071282362015-12-03T08:59:27.602-05:002015-12-03T08:59:27.602-05:00Don't send a gift basket. It could cause jealo...Don't send a gift basket. It could cause jealousy in another Health Dept. employee, setting off a San Bernadino chain of events. Joking! Too soon? Now that you have a name, would there be anything on Ancestry.com that could help? Jacqueline K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11308205767845857765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919830837927228571.post-28331691966376177872015-12-03T08:22:32.141-05:002015-12-03T08:22:32.141-05:00In government, the rule is frequently that when it...In government, the rule is frequently that when it's something like a gift basket, the individual can accept it, but it must be shared with the office. We're careful when providing holiday gifts to make sure it's something shareable (a hamper, rather than one good bottle of wine, for example). but what might really make the clerk's day is a letter of thanks and praise aimed at his/her supervisor - these days, that kind of thing can make or break an annual evaluation. Unless he or she actually went beyond the regs, in which case, alas, it's better to say nothing.<br /><br />And I'm sure you've thought of it, but it is possible that any local historical society might help?Muscatohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04657061324487851341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919830837927228571.post-3712939700175744582015-12-03T06:33:41.154-05:002015-12-03T06:33:41.154-05:00"The town clerk in another municipality bent ..."The town clerk in another municipality bent over backwards to help us over the phone. I owe her a gift basket." <br /><br />It's been my experience that it's best to check with the office's gift-giving policy first. I was told you can only give gifts to the entire staff of certain organizations, not singling out one member of the staff in case it looks like bribery.<br /><br />Ridiculous, but true.The Mistresshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07109289531733623207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919830837927228571.post-82887222419184332382015-12-02T22:32:48.336-05:002015-12-02T22:32:48.336-05:00oy.oy.normadesmondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17325110017442011627noreply@blogger.com