TV News, San Diego Radio, Politics and News, Sewing--The Sewing Herald Tribune....we need contributors, Travel.... Agree or Disagree....Please feel free to comment.....all comments appreciated and thank you for your time..... and food,dogs and cats...... let's sit down at this cafe, have a cup of coffee and talk about politics.
Apr 13, 2023
Apr 7, 2023
Royal Rumble 3--Two Beautiful Ladies and My New Favorite Show
Apr 4, 2023
National Cemetery Administration News--Burying Mother Against Her Wishes and Calling it Dignity
National Cemetery Administration News--The Tale of Mother's Ashes
The Veterans Administration has not been helpful.
Infact, they have been confusing and it appears that they are going out of their way to absolve themselves of any responsibility--even though they did it.
Admire their idea to bury veterans so that someone who is in a precarious situation may have a final placement with dignity after serving their country--this is so lovely.
My mother does not fall into this category and the policies they they keep repeating to me with all the emotions of a robot just do not apply.
They say they care but after several weeks of dealing with them and trying to understand their conflicting statements one could come to the conclusion that the only ones they really care about are themselves.
My mother is the veteran, served her country proudly in the WAVES and had an advanced health care directive in place and named me in her trust as Next Of Kin and the one designated to handle her affairs.
She wsa so proud of the fact that she had everything in order--her cremation at Neptune and owning her plot at Greenwood in San Diego next to her parents and her brothers.
Scott does not listen...
We both had moved from SD after living there forever. Visiting San Diego, Scott offered to pick up the ashes for me from Neptune. Agreeing to this idea since it saved me from making a big trip.
Mother passed at the heigth of COVID and funerals and burials were shut down. We had often discussed her burial at Greenwood next to his father and her parents.
We agreed to meet in San Diego in November but I had to cancel due to expense and circumstances. Greenwood was raising their price to 3000 dollars from 2 thousand in the span of 6 months. Car rental and gas were at an all-time high.
What was a day drive for Scott was turning into a 5,000 dollar trip for me that I just could not afford at the time.
Apologizing for not being able to make the trip and canceling one could sense a note of anger in the conversation.
Time was never a concern and one should have asked for the ashes to be mailed in retrospect.
In anger and revenge Scott placed mother's ashes at Prescott National Cemetery without my knowledge.
Calling Scott again to apologize for canceling he would not answer my call or text.
I'll let him cool off for a while.
Scott made flase statements to the National Cemetery Administration:
Full well knowing there was an advanced health care directive, full well knowing I am the Next of Kin and with a history of 16 phone calls within the past year, Scott claimed to the VA I did not exist and he had no idea in the world how to get in touch with me.
This was 4 months after we had last spoken and he had sent me the Human Remains form to send to Greenwood.
So now the National Cemetery Administration has all of this information. They should be interested in helping me correct this situation. They should care. They should be partially responsible for the fact that they buried mother on false pretenses against her wishes.
The facts are there. The way to correct this mistake is difficult and expensive.....and very hard for me to figure out--I am not a lawyer.
Let them act interested and treat this very wonderful Veteran with dignity.
Apr 2, 2023
Phase 3/4 Dances (Week 23) | Round Dance | Leo Urquhart
Mar 29, 2023
The Pet Loss Page
Would you like to share your story about pet loss.
Recently losing 3 pets my heart is broken.
A class on pet loss was helpful.
Talking is energy and hearing the story of thers with the same experience can be important when we are trying to make sense of this loss.
How do you memorialize your beloved?
What did you find helpful at this time of change in your routine.
chloe.louise.langendorf.louis@gmail.com
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| Chloe Louise Langendorf Louis |
In Loving Memory of CamOp Kat
In Loving Memory
Viewers knew her best as "CamOp Kat." Kat started at explore.org as a passionate volunteer, and eventually she became our Head of Camera Operations. She brought us many beautiful views from around the world, and was at the helm for pivotal moments from our favorite live cams.
Kat was our colleague and our friend, and she will be greatly missed. Please enjoy this video tribute that includes some of our favorite moments from her time with us.
Never Stop Learning,
The explore.org Team
Mar 26, 2023
Mar 23, 2023
National Cemetery Administration News--CYA at The NCA
Trying so hard to tell the story of my mother's ashes.
My cousin had the ashes after picking them up for me with my consent--It saved me a trip.
But later when I wanted to wait to place the ashes he put her at Prescott National Cemetery behind my back.
Mother and I were outraged--she does not want to suffer the heat or the cold of Arizona after living in San Diego forever.
Here is the Grape Street Dog Park in Balboa Park in San Diego featuring Ronnie:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/A4sByWfo73gAGZBh7
She already owned her plot at Greenwood in San Diego by her parents and her brothers--one being my cousin's father.
OMG--what a mix-up.
They keep givng me policy.
According to policy one has to ID themselves as the one designated to take care of the remains.
Obviusly, he had to create a false narrative.
He insisted I did not exist or had no interest in the ashes but he forgot to say we had 16 phone calls between us talking about her placement.
One is required to ID the NOK per the scheduling office and give their phone number.
He failed to mention I had the trust with the advanced health care directive.
I am mentioned as the daughter on the remains permit and the death cert.
Four months later when the talks started he claimed he had no way to get a hold of me or knew where I was....so he said.
He stated there was an individual at the scheduling office or cemetery who agreed with his idea completely of placeing the ashes without my knowledge claiming he would give me the name and phone number. I could call this number for my own info.
That was a few weeks ago before he quit speaking with me again.
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| Bird Park, Balboa Park in San Diego |
Back to policy....
We do not get involved in family issues.
Seriously, that is a good umbrella term for them to stick with in order to absolve themselves from any resonsibility.
There are so many questions and issues with this incident but how does one complain?
Right now, in this post I would like to complain about not being able to report the burial scheduling office. I want to invistigate in detail what happened.
On the issue of policy, is this really a family issue or is it a screw up on their part?
They are so careful in their wording--Mr. Phillips recently said he was going to put a note in the file about me being the daughter.
What does that mean. They have all of the info now including the legal documents.
I have explained to Mr. Phillips I want to go into what happened at the scheduling office but he keeps giving me the 800 number.
I have called that number about 10 times and there is not a way to get to a supervisor.
They will not get back to me.
It seems like they do not want me to go up this road.
Now, I am just writing here in frustration and hoping someone at the National Cemetery Administration will be interested.
What information is there to be found at the burial scheduling office. Do they not want to answer questions...or maybe they do not want to take the information.
This thing has resulted in extreme confusion, expense and heartache....not to mention sleeplessness and migrain headaches.
I feel like I have lost my mother.
I wish my cousin had not made statements to me that he was better able to take care of my mother than I was. At the end of the day shaming someone is an ugly move...no two ways about it.
Anyone who reads this--thank you for reading.
Mother, do not,worry, I will come and get you and we will go to SD soon.
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| Ronald |
Some other posts on this subject:
https://theronnierepublic.blogspot.com/2023/03/buried-by-national-cemetery.html
https://theronnierepublic.blogspot.com/2023/03/national-cemetery-administration.html
https://theronnierepublic.blogspot.com/2023/03/va-burials-flaws-in-system-where-is.html
Mar 20, 2023
NCA--CYA National Cemetery Administration--He said I was Irrelevant
My e-mails, my remarks, my conversation, my phone messages--he said they were irrelevant to the case.
This is what I am talking about...the 300 hundred dollars spent trying to obtain the court order was definitely not irrelevant to me.
The entire day, the money, the emotional stress--these are important to me and I am trying to create the narrative.
They do not want to hear it.
The things you said were really irrelevant to the case.
I do not think they care and I do not call this dignity for my mother.
Again, he did not want to admit she already owned her plot at Greenwood in San Diego.
I do not think that is irrelevant because I am trying to establish a time line and the false narrative created by my cousin.
You see, one time he said he had to consider my cousin's words. I am asking him to consider my words.
I do not think they care about my mother. They only care about CYA or absolving themselves from any repsponsibility.
They are only interested in the court order.
So I went to get the court order locally based on the information given to me by the cemetery director.
He said in our phone call he was sure it would be very easy to get, I could just go locally, yes, I said that to the judge.
The judge said...a lot of people say a lot of things but I do not have jurisdiction!
Yes, it was embarrassing.
My statements are irrelevant! Not to me!
I think they should be helping me in some way since they created it.
I feel like it is cruel.
I have to write it--one cannot hold it inside.
In one breath he said he simply could not help with an affadavit because he has so many disinternments he would be doing nothing else except handing out affadavits all day.
In the same conversation he said he knew nothing about the order for a disinterment because he really did not have that many and he was not a lawyer.
I bet he does know that the order has to originate in AZ.
If he does or does not have many or not many disinternments.
So many folks in the VA system say sompletely different things. One fellow said to call the police.
Seriously, do I have to mention the police were not interested.
So I think...it would be nice if they cared rather than say my remarks were irrelevant to the case.
Yes, I get the court order thing, I am working on it but it is extremely difficult, but I think my story is well, interesting, and I would like to tell everyone.
It is important to me, my mother and the 300 dollars.
That is not irrelevant to me.
The picture the VA paints of themselves is really so absurd and ugly.
They are a giant government entity--I am just one person with my mother's ashes in the offing. They should at least act like they have some empathy for all of the distress they are causing by their actions.
Some other posts on this subject:
https://theronnierepublic.blogspot.com/2023/03/buried-by-national-cemetery.html
https://theronnierepublic.blogspot.com/2023/03/national-cemetery-administration.html
https://theronnierepublic.blogspot.com/2023/03/va-burials-flaws-in-system-where-is.html
Mar 19, 2023
Buried by The National Cemetery Administration Under False Pretenses and Calling it Dignity
False Pretenses:
Behavior intended to deceive others.
I would like to contact the firm.
How does one contact the firm--The National Cemetery Administration--and complain. I would like to make a complaint about my mother being buried in Prescott, AZ, under false pretenses.
My cousin falsely stated that he was the person designated to be in charge of my mother's remains.
When he called the burial scheduling office did he mention I was the person in her trust designated to take care of these issues.
Did he mention to the scheduling office she already owned her plot at Greenwood in San Diego next to her parents and his father.
Did he mention that we had discussed Greenwood and their prices.
Did he mention we had discussed getting a headstone from the VA and how one goes about it.
Was it mentioned in the conversation that we had spoken only 4 months earlier and he refused to answer my last phone call.
Can anyone see why this daughter is outraged. How would I ever visit my mother is Prescott, Arizona?
So far, in my conversations with the VA, the only thing they can say is that they did not do it. Proclaiming dignity does not erase their act.
Will they ever take responsibility for their actions based on false pretenses.
Will they acknowledge that this is a frustrating and agravating and expensive event for the consumer.
Thank you for reading.
» National Cemetery Administration » Facts » Consumer Affairs Guidance
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| CYA at the NCA--Let's look into what happened. |
National Cemetery Administration
Consumer Affairs Guidance
VA cemetery staff sometime receive complaints about policies or practices in the private sector that Veterans and their families find offensive or misleading. In many cases, staff cannot intervene, but there are organizations that may be able to help. Consumers may want to contact the references listed here. The important thing is to select the most constructive approach to resolving your particular concerns.
Contact the Firm
Call or write the firm directly. Find out what is actually being offered. Let the firm know why you object to their practices or policies. Many times a cemetery or funeral home is owned by a larger business. If so, it may be worthwhile to write the parent company to express a complaint.
Mar 18, 2023
National Cemetery Administration--Burials With Dignity--Seriously
People, when you write it you share it.
It is a helpful thing for frustration.
How does the NCA verify information? How did they verify the facts given to them by my cousin?
The National Cemetery Administration is the government arm of burials for veterans. It is run by the VA--the Veterans Administration.
I think most of the time they do a very good job--but there are glitches in the system.
My cousin had my mother's ashes. I foolishly agreed to let him pick them up for me--it did save a trip.
Full of revenge and angry with me for being indecisive my cousin placed her ashes behind my back at Prescott National Cemetery.
38 CFR § 38.600 Personal Representative
A “Personal representative” means a family member or other individual who has identified himself or herself to the National Cemetery Administration as the person responsible for making decisions concerning the interment of the remains of or memorialization of a deceased individual.” Hence, “Personal representative” (PR) is an umbrella term, which encompass the Next of Kin (NOK). Note: 38 CFR 38.600(a) Personal representative definition allows NCA to accept anyone who identifies as the person responsible for making decisions concerning the interment of remains of or memorialization of a deceased individual.
Annoyed with Greenwood, I wanted to wait. I wanted to wait until I could afford it and I was starting to consider Miramar at a friend's suggestion.
Scott was never the person responsible for making decisions about my mother--this is in the trust and with the advanced health care directive in the trust.
He started his talks with the burial scheduling office in March claiming he had not heard from me in years and he had no idea where I was. This is what he said to me in a recent phone call before he quit talking to me again.
Did he mention we had spoken in November when I said I could not afford the trip to San Diego?
Did he mention to the scheduling office she already owned her plot at Greenwood.
Did he mention I had been chatting with Greenwood about the price..one can see my text on a different post.
To the individual at NCA:
Please do not throw out everything I suggest because it looks like you are only interested in absolving yourself from any responsibility and it is terribly uncaring. Like the time you did not want to admit I was the daughter.....and not dignified.
They really like to talk about dignity.
In this instance your policy is very flawed and creates a huge mess and definitely is not dignified for the NOK of the person who has passed. Scott falsely identified himself as NOK when he knew I was completely available....we have this on date and time with text and e-mails to Greenwood....and phone calls with date and time.
It seems like they are being so careful with their words.
Could it be they do not want to make a statement clarifying that Scott made false statements.
The other hurtful part:
Scott loves rolling in his own glory--he is good and I am bad. Hard core trumper at heart he loves mentioning the wild policies of Gerry Brown and since I love Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris and other dems it seems like this gives him leeway to disregard everything I say.
He acted as if my mother did not like me and therefore he had the right to make these decisions just because he was so grand.
I know I took good care of my mother in her final years...and did Scott ever live with mother?
Why did the guy at the NCA mention to me he put a note in the files that I was the daughter. Was that after he finally said who I was, or what?
He keeps talking about his counsel...I do not have counsel.
"I did the right thing for Aunt Frances, go ahead and sue me."
Seriously, Scott, wouldn't it have been easier to just give me a call.
One wonders if the burial office noted that I was the NOK on the DD214 they had to access in order to dtermine eligibility for her burial.
But why did you lie Scott, why. I've got a history of 16 phone calls between us from the first of the year until November....why did you tell them you had no way to get a hold of me 4 months later.
My mother wanted to be at Greenwood in San Diego by her mother and father and brothers, Scott's dad...I was never worried about time.
Greenwood raised their prices 1000 dollars in 6 months--just to dig the hole in the ground.
Trust me on this one, people, if it ws the other way around and mother was trying to put me in the ground she would definitely be looking for the least expensive option.
The doggy girl was getting so old to make the trip.
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| Scott said he did not know how to get in touch with me but here he is sending me the Remains Permit to send to Greenwood where my mother owned her plot next to his father. |
Mar 16, 2023
VA Burials--Flaws in the System--Where is the Dignity
Update:
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| A history of my phone calls showing communication with my cousin, Scott. He told the VA he did not know how to get in touch with me. |