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Metal Ions in Ceramic on Metal Total Hip Arthroplasty (COM)
Recruitment status was Not yet recruiting
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The investigators aim to measure the blood levels of certain metals in a group of patients all of whom have had a ceramic on metal total hip replacement. This new bearing surface (joint) is relatively new and the investigators are currently following up the largest cohort in the world. Clinical results are currently excellent at 2 years in all patients, however the investigators are mindful of the lessons learned from the high failure rate of several designs of metal on metal hip replacements as well as several in vitro reports and one in vivo case report of elevated metal levels in this particular implant. The investigators feel it is important to measure the metal ion levels in our group to ascertain and compare these with reference standards. Once performed the investigators can relate ion levels to function and x ray changes and provide useful longterm data to the patients and the wider medical community as to whether this bearing surface is safe in the long term or whether it's use should be abandoned. This is useful as there are numerous groups implanting this device in the UK and in addition it has just been awarded FDA approval in the USA - its use is likely to flourish.
Avascular Necrosis
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Observational Model: Cohort
Time Perspective: Prospective
|Official Title:
|Measurement of Metal Ion Levels and Chromosome Abnormalities in Ceramic on Metal Total Hip Arthroplasty in Vivo
- Cobalt chromium levels [ Time Frame: 2 years post THR ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]Serum cobalt chromium levels post THR
- Chromosomal abnormality [ Time Frame: 2 years post THR ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]Deviation of karyotype from normal 2 years post THR
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|October 2011
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|December 2012
|Estimated Primary Completion Date:
|October 2012 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Ceramic on metal THA
Those who have received a ceramic on metal total hip replacement
Detailed Description:
The investigators are currently following up a cohort of patients all of whom have had a metal on ceramic total hip arthroplasty.
This new bearing couple has been approved for use in the UK for some time and has recently achieved USA FDA approval.
The attraction of this bearing couple is a low rate of wear with reduced complications associated with ceramic on ceramic bearing such as bearing fracture.
Of recent media attention has been the unacceptably high failure of the DePuy ASR metal on metal hip resurfacing. This metal on metal bearing couple has been associated with increased ion levels and chromosome abnormalities in vivo.
In vitro studies and small in vivo studies have revealed much lower wear, particle numbers and ion levels in ceramic on metal studies than in metal on metal bearing surfaces; however there is no large scale evidence that this is the case.
The investigators currently are following up the largest worldwide series of ceramic on metal bearings and clinical results are excellent. It is important however to obtain hard data on metal ion levels in this population firstly to ensure the long term function and health of this cohort but also to provide a barometer for other surgeons who will be using a prosthesis that as yet has little in the way of long term follow up and data on ion levels in a large cohort.
If the ion levels are unacceptably high then the investigators will need to follow these patients closely and offer revision surgery if there are clinical concerns.
For similar reasons it is important to monitor for chromosomal abnormalities.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older
|Genders Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
|Sampling Method:
|Probability Sample
Those who have received a ceramic on metal total hip arthroplasty
Inclusion Criteria:
- Over 18 years of age
- Complete history and physical examination
- Previously performed ceramic on metal total hip replacement
- An understanding of the purpose of the study and signed consent form
Exclusion Criteria:
- Hip arthroplasty other than ceramic on metal bearing
- Mentally infirm / incapacitated
- Incomplete history or physical examination
- Unwillingness to participate in the study
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01437124
|Contact: Fintan A Carroll, MBBS,FRCS
|Contact: Hussain A Kazi, MBChB,FRCS
|United Kingdom
|Wirral University Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
|Enrolling by invitation
|Wirral, Merseyside, United Kingdom, CH49 5PE
|Study Director:
|Fintan A Carroll, MBBS, FRCS
|Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon
|Principal Investigator:
|Hussain A Kazi, MBChB,FRCS
|Specialist Registrar, Trauma & Orthopaedics
No publications provided
|Responsible Party:
|Hussain Kazi, Specialist Registrar, Trauma and Orthopaedics, Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Trust
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01437124 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|September 16, 2011
|Last Updated:
|September 19, 2011
|Health Authority:
|United Kingdom: Research Ethics Committee
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Hip Dislocation, Congenital
Arthritis, Rheumatoid
Autoimmune Diseases
Congenital Abnormalities
Connective Tissue Diseases
Immune System Diseases
Joint Diseases
Musculoskeletal Abnormalities
Musculoskeletal Diseases
Rheumatic Diseases
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on October 09, 2015


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Twenty Three Mile Island employees participated in a Bowl For Kids" sake event on March 7 to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lancaster County. The event was held at Clearview Lanes in Mount Joy.
LONDONDERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. (March 19, 2009) - Twenty Three Mile Island employees participated in a Bowl For Kids" sake event on March 7 to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lancaster County. The event was held at Clearview Lanes in Mount Joy.
As part of the fundraising effort, each bowler was required to raise $60 for Big Brothers Big Sisters. TMI employees exceeded that amount and together raised around $2000. Exelon Nuclear, the owner of Three Mile Island, made a $2500 corporate donation for a total contribution of $4500.
"Three Mile Island has been very active in our Bowl For Kids' Sake event over the past three years and we are grateful for that," said Cheri Crounse, Event Coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lancaster County. "This demonstrates their involvement and commitment to the local community."
"This is another example of the active participation in the community by our employees at Three Mile Island," said Bill Noll, Site Vice President, Three Mile Island. "Many of our people live in Lancaster County and we are happy to support Big Brothers Big Sisters."
Big Brothers Big Sisters has one more Bowl For Kids' Sake event scheduled: March 21 at Dutch Lanes in Brownstown. People interested in participating can register on line at www.bbbslancaster.org.
Exelon Corporation is one of the nation's largest electric utilities. The company has one of the industry's largest portfolios of electricity generation capacity, with a nationwide reach and strong positions in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. Exelon distributes electricity to approximately 5.4 million customers in northern Illinois and southeastern Pennsylvania and natural gas to approximately 485,000 customers in the Philadelphia area. Exelon is headquartered in Chicago and trades on the NYSE under the ticker EXC.

subset: commoncrawl


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Guest Column | June 6, 2013
Cloud Is A Movement, Not A Maturity Model: Five Things MSPs Must Get Right
By Mike Cullen, Senior Vice President of Sales, N-able by SolarWind
For today's MSPs, cloud is no longer a choice or even an evolution. It's a movement whose time is now, and every managed service provider (MSP) has got to be a part of it or risk losing their customers. Whether you've already made the plunge or not, here are five key things that MSPs need to get right if they want to grow and thrive in the new cloud economy:
- You Can't Pick and Choose: In a perfect world, every MSP wants to deliver hybrid cloud in his or her own data center. But in reality, the public cloud is where the leverage is for pricing, and your customers recognize that. That's why MSPs can't pick and choose between public, private or hybrid options. They have to deliver what's best for their customers. It's also tempting as an MSP to pigeonhole a customer into what best fits your business, but you'll lose credibility if you take that approach. Give your customers what they need. The bottom line is cover all the bases and make sure you're not leaving an "in" for any competitor to swoop in and take over.
Please log in or register below to read the full article.
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Ottawa , ON K2K 3K2
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877-655-4689 ext 304
Derik Belair


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- Northern New York Newspapers
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Talk of building a connector road in the Stateway Plaza parking lot took a detour last week.
During a City Hall meeting Wednesday, plaza owners Ben Wygodny and Martin Wenger, both of Montreal, told city officials they would like to see changes made to the plans for the road that would go through the strip malls parking lot.
City Engineer Kurt W. Hauk said Thursday that the owners suggested building the road closer to an existing church in the plaza and farther north than was shown in plans drawn up by his staff. The plaza owners want to keep more parking space intact, he said.
The city Engineering Office will consider the suggestion, and the city plans to meet with the owners again next month, Mr. Hauk said.
Well see how this plays out, he said.
Last spring, the city approached the owners with the proposal to build a connector road to spur development of a big-box retailer at nearby City Center Plaza, site of several restaurants and two hotels off Arsenal Street.
The project has been discussed for years and came up again when Alexandria Bay developer Patrick M. Donegan, who owns City Center Plaza, told the city the lack of the road was the only issue preventing him from luring a national retailer.
At the Wednesday meeting, Mr. Wygodny and Mr. Wenger were joined by Jeffrey A. Foster, a real estate manager who works for Longley Jones Property Management Corp. and oversees the plaza. The city was represented by City Manager Sharon A. Addison, Elliott B. Nelson, confidential assistant to the city manager, and Mr. Hauk.
The city Engineering Office has projected it would cost about $1.75 million to build the road. But that price could increase if plans are reconfigured, Mr. Hauk said.
The city had proposed a 1,400-foot-long, three-lane connector that would curve around the parking lot and link to Commerce and Gaffney drives at the other end. Plans also could include demolishing a small, unoccupied structure at the back of the property near the church.
The city would have to negotiate a price to acquire some land in the parking lot for it to proceed.
If it fails to negotiate a price, the city could obtain the needed land through eminent domain.
Thousands of readers like you have made Northern New York Newspapers the number one ranked website* for local news and sports coverage in the north country.
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Starr is running for state labor commissioner, a nonpartisan race that suddenly appears partisan. His foe, Democratic incumbent Brad Avakian, is in political trouble, and Starr thinks he had a strong chance of knocking him out in the May primary.
That's when races for that office have traditionally been held—and that's when Starr and Avakian assumed this year's vote would take place.
On March 6, the state filing deadline, Starr joined candidates, lobbyists and elected officials in the Capitol to watch as his name joined other candidates' on a giant tote board.
But 10 days later, as WW first reported, a Starr staffer checked with the state Elections Division to make sure that office had received Starr's Voters' Pamphlet statement for the May primary. It had—and had also received Avakian's.
But an elections official told Starr's staffer the labor race would be in November, rather than May.
Without warning, Secretary of State Kate Brown had upended the race by shifting it to the fall, when heavier voter turnout will favor her fellow Democrat, Avakian.
Brown has since been on the defensive, insisting her move was not partisan. She tells WW her staff was following a 2009 law that she says resets the timing of the labor commissioner race. She admits her office did a poor job of telling the candidates—waiting until May ballots were being printed.
"Our staff tracked and followed the [2009] statute but did not apply a political filter," Brown says.
WW's review of the legislative record shows lawmakers never discussed moving the race from the May primary—as Brown acknowledges would normally be the case—to November. Nothing in the law or in the legislative debate suggested the secretary of state should cancel the May primary vote for labor commissioner.
A newly released legal opinion underscores the fact that Brown's office badly misread the law in Avakian's favor.
When he learned of the change, Starr sought the opinion from Legislative Counsel, a nonpartisan office that drafts legislation and advises lawmakers.
The response from that office was unambiguous—in Starr's favor.
"We believe that the current law applicable to the nomination or election of nonpartisan candidates requires the office of Commissioner to be placed on the ballot for the nominating election to be held on the date of the primary election in May 2012," wrote Deputy Legislative Counsel Gina Zejdlik on March 21.
Unfortunately for Starr, Legislative Counsel's opinion carries no legal weight.
Starr sued Brown in Marion County Circuit Court, where state lawyers said there was insufficient time for a full trial.
Because time was short, Starr's only available legal remedy was to seek a temporary injunction. But Circuit Judge Steven Price ruled Starr had failed to show he was likely to win at trial or that he'd suffer irreparable harm in a November election.
That ruling did nothing to quell Starr and his Republican colleagues' anger. "I am incredibly frustrated," says Starr. "I have a hard time believing politics is not involved."
Brown and her elections director, Steve Trout, acknowledge the Orestar filing system allowed both candidates to file for the May primary, although that system now shows them running in November.
The labor commissioner race is usually settled in May: Any candidate who gets 50 percent plus one vote wins outright. The race moves to November only if no candidate wins a majority in the primary.
So what would have happened if more than two candidates had filed for labor commissioner, opening the possibility that the race would not be settled in November?
Brown says she would have ordered the race to be held in May after all—an answer that runs counter to the argument she made in court that she had to move the election to November.
"I think she's just making things up as she goes along," Starr says.
Dan Meek, a public interest lawyer and no fan of Starr's, says the secretary of state is trying to have it both ways.
"Any primary election for the office in 2012 must be 'illegal,' according to her position," Meek says. "The fact that only two candidates filed, instead of three or more, does not change the law, although her office contends otherwise."
Starr says the primary, which has lower voter turnout, offers him his best chance to unseat Avakian, who is still politically bruised from a blowout loss to now-U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici in the race to replace former U.S. Rep. David Wu last fall.
The past two presidential election years show a massive difference in voter turnout between May and November. In May 2008, the primary turnout was 58 percent. In the general, it was 86 percent. The 2004 gap was even wider.
"My whole campaign has been geared toward running in May," Starr says.
Brown's insistence that she wasn't playing politics suggests an alternative explanation: Her Elections Division is inept.
Brown says she learned about the controversy over the labor commissioner race March 19. She says elections director Trout knew a week earlier but was so busy dealing with 300 candidate filings in other races he didn't tell anyone.
Voters will hear more about the controversy later: Brown is running for re-election and in the fall will face a well-financed GOP challenger, Knute Buehler, a Bend surgeon.
"There is no question why they are angry," Brown says of Starr and other critics. "In hindsight we could have done a better job in notifying the public. We followed the law. But I think we should have gone above and beyond that."


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With Texas Governor Rick Perry expected to make an "announcement" on Saturday at a conservative conference in South Carolina, scrutiny of his record is more important than ever — particularly a look at his record with regard to China. In spite of posturing as an independent Christian conservative, Perry has consistently contributed to what is called the Chinafication of America.
In a video produced by Vince Wade, Wade points out that Perry "preaches less government, less taxes, and other conservative cliches," but his record says otherwise.
Click here to read the entire article.


text: [ Conspiracy Suspects Enter Pleas [AUDIO] By Daniel Sandoval July 17, 2011 A number of defendants in the alleged methamphetamine distribution ring that was broken open May 13th by federal, state and local law enforcement entered not guilty pleas in District Court in Casper Thursday. Read More|Comment Category: Casper News, Crime, Wyoming News Tags: Adrian Munoz, conspiracy, District Court, Judge Catherine Wilking, Kale Hurley, Laurie Cascio, meth, not guilty pleas, Sotero Negrete, Todd Champagne, William Mair Send to a friend! Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pin it! Reddit This! Share on Tumblr!


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28 U.S. Code § 1745 - Copies of foreign patent documents
Copies of the specifications and drawings of foreign letters patent, or applications for foreign letters patent, and copies of excerpts of the official journals and other official publications of foreign patent offices belonging to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, certified in the manner provided by section 1744 of this title are prima facie evidence of their contents and of the dates indicated on their face.
Source(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 948, § 1746; renumbered § 1745, May 24, 1949, ch. 139, § 92(e),63 Stat. 103; Pub. L. 88–619, § 7(a),Oct. 3, 1964, 78 Stat. 996; amended Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4732(b)(16)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–585.)
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 674 (R.S. § 893).
Changes were made in phraseology.
Prior Provisions
A prior section 1745, act June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 948, related to printed copies of patent specifications and drawings, prior to repeal by act May 24, 1949, ch. 139, § 92(d),63 Stat. 103.
1999—Pub. L. 106–113substituted "United States Patent and Trademark Office" for "United States Patent Office".
1964—Pub. L. 88–619, among other changes, inserted "or applications for foreign letters patent, and copies of excerpts of the official journals and other official publications of foreign patent offices belonging to the United States Patent Office" in text, and substituted "documents" for "specifications and drawings" in section catchline.
1949—Act May 24, 1949, renumbered section 1746 of this title as this section.
Effective Date of 1999 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 106–113effective 4 months after Nov. 29, 1999, see section 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4731] of Pub. L. 106–113, set out as a note under section 1 of Title 35, Patents.
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.


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Local elected leaders are catching the nullification fever and are joining with state lawmakers to force the federal beast back into its constitutional cage. One of these sovereignty-minded local leaders is Highland, Utah, city councilman Tim Irwin (right).
Irwin, a first-time councilman, has introduced two resolutions in support of two sovereignty-restoring laws signed over the last two years by Utah Governor Gary Herbert.
"The point is to give support to the governor to bring back sovereignty to Utah," Irwin said. "I'm getting active and concerned with the overreach of the federal government, and I'm doing my part in Highland to protect our freedoms for our grandkids."
One of the state laws supported by the measures offered by Irwin is the Transfer of Public Lands Act (TPLA).
On March 23, 2012, Governor Herbert signed the TPLA into law. In the act (HB 148), the state of Utah claims that the federal government has reneged on promises made to Utah at the time of its entry into the Union. Specifically, Utah claims that the federal government has retained over 25 million acres (almost half of the state's total area) of land within the sovereign borders of Utah, despite commitments to return that land to the control of the state government in a timely manner. That agreement was made in 1896.
"Private land ownership has been the cornerstone for freedom in this country and economic opportunity," Herbert said at the signing ceremony. "Federal control of our land has put us at a distinct disadvantage compared to other states."
Not surprisingly, the Obama administration disagrees. An article in the Salt Lake Tribune from April 2012 quotes Interior Secretary Ken Salazar saying the signing of the law is "nothing more than a political stunt" and "political rhetoric you see in an election year."
Despite Salazar's assessment, Herbert and the state legislature carry on in the quest to reclaim their state's sovereignty and plan to enforce the terms of the TPLA requiring Congress to restore title to the land in question to the Beehive State by December 31, 2014.
Click here to read the entire article.
Photo: Tim Irwin


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5 Foods Worth Waiting in Line For
"I won't wait hours in line for fad foods," says the BA Foodist, Andrew Knowlton. Yes, he's looking at you, cronuts, cronut concretes, and cronut pizza. ("I made that one up, but hey, it can't be long!") But classic, last-meal-worthy comfort foods, executed in their most expert, dare we say perfect, forms? We'll wait for that. For smoky, almost melty brisket; for oysters so clean, cold, and salty-sweet you could call them "crisp"; for the bread we expect to eat in heaven (given we don't eat so many pillowy doughnuts that we're sent to that other place). These are the five things our staffers actually would wait hours to purchase, stare at for a bit, and take a couple whiffs before putting in our mouths and closing our eyes, feeling lucky to be alive.


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Internet Resource List
from the NAMI Child & Adolescent Action Center
Federal Agencies
Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS)
Children, Adolescents and Family Resources
Web address: www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/cmhs
The CDC has data and statistics on suicide and increasingly has information available on mental illnesses.
Web address: www.cdc.gov
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
CMS administers the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program) programs.
Web address: www.cms.hhs.gov
Department of Education (DOE) – Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS)
OSERS web site includes a wide array of information for families, school districts and states in three main areas: special education, vocational rehabilitation and research.
Web address: www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/index.html
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has created a national campaign to link the nation's 10 million uninsured children – from birth to 18 years – to free and low-cost health insurance.
Web address: www.insurekidsnow.gov
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
The mission of NIMH is to diminish the burden of mental illness through research.
Web address: www.nimh.nih.gov
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
OJJDP's mission is to provide national leadership, coordination, and resources to prevent and respond to the needs of individuals in the juvenile justice system. OJJDP supports states and local communities in their efforts to develop and implement effective and coordinated prevention and intervention programs. The agency also works to improve the juvenile justice system.
Web address: www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org
Office of the U.S. Surgeon General
In 1999, Surgeon General David Satcher displayed true leadership in issuing A Comprehensive Report on mental health – chapter 3 covers children and adolescents.
Web address: www.surgeongeneral.gov/index.html
President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health
The Commission was created to examine the current gaps in mental illness treatment services and to make recommendations to the President on ways in which the federal government can help states increase access to care and improve quality in their public programs.
Web address: www.mentalhealthcommission.gov
Children's Mental Health and Advocacy Organizations
About Our Children
A scientifically-based, parent-friendly website of the NYU Child Study Center that includes a wide range of information on child mental health disorders and associated parenting issues. It has over 200 faculty reviewed articles, resources for children and parents, and a publications section that includes newsletters and manuals developed by the faculty of the Child Study Center.
Web address: www.aboutourkids.org
Autism Society of America
Information and resources on autism.
Web address: www.autism-society.org
Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law works on a broad array of children's mental health issues.
Web address: www.bazelon.org
The Balanced Mind Foundation
The Balanced Mind Foundation (formerly the Child & Adolescent Bipolar Foundation) provides resources for parents raising a child, teen or young adult with, or at risk for, a mood disorder.
Web address: www.thebalancedmind.org
Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity-Disorder (CHADD)
CHADD is a national organization representing individuals with AD/HD in providing education, advocacy and support to individuals and families. The organization is composed of dedicated volunteers from around the country who play an integral part in the organization by providing resources and encouragement to families, educators and professionals.
Web address: www.chadd.org
Children's Defense Fund (CDF)
CDF's mission is to provide a strong, effective voice for all the children of America who cannot vote, lobby, or speak for themselves. CDF addresses the needs of poor and minority children and those with disabilities. CDF's mission is also to educate the nation about the needs of children and encourages preventive investment before they get sick or into trouble, drop out of school, or suffer family breakdown.
Web address: www.childrensdefense.org
Child Welfare League of America (CWLA)
CWLA is the nation's oldest membership-based child welfare organization committed to engaging people everywhere in promoting the well-being of children, youth, and their families, and protecting every child from harm.
Web address: www.cwla.org/default.htm
Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders (CCBD)
The Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders (CCBD) is the official division of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) committed to promoting and facilitating the education and general welfare of children and youth with emotional or behavioral disorders.
Web address: www.ccbd.net/index.cfm
Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health
The Federation of Families is dedicated to providing education, resources and information to children with mental health needs and their families.
Web address: www.ffcmh.org
NAMI is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults living with mental illness and their families. Founded in 1979, NAMI has become the nation's voice on mental illness, a national organization including NAMI organizations in every state and in over 1100 local
Web address: www.nami.org
National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice (NCMHJJ)
NCMHJJ promotes awareness of the mental health needs of youth in the juvenile justice system and assists the field in developing improved policies and programs based on the best available research and practice. Their web site includes many excellent resources on addressing the mental health needs of youth involved in the juvenile justice system.
Web address: www.ncmhjj.com
National Child Traumatic Stress Network Center
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network Center works toward raising the standard of care and improve access of services to traumatized children, their families and communities throughout the United States. They provide valuable resources for parents, caregivers, educators and professionals on child traumatic stress.
Web address: www.nctsn.org
National Disability Rights Network (NDRN)
NDRN is a national organization of protection and advocacy and client assistance programs for children and adults with disabilities. These programs provide legally based advocacy services for people with disabilities, including mental illnesses, in the
Web address: www.napas.org
National Health Law Program (NHelp)
The National Health Law Program has a number of excellent publications, resources and information on Medicaid and other important health-related topics.
Web address: www.healthlaw.org
National Mental Health Association (NMHA)
NMHA is an advocacy, education and support organization working to address the needs of people with mental health related needs and mental illnesess.
Web address: www.nmha.org
New Freedom Initiative: State Coalitions to Promote Community-Based Care (Olmstead)
Support for states and territories in their efforts to respond to the goals outlined in thePresident's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health Report. The initiative provides financial assistance, technical assistance and training to promote community-based care.
Web address: www.olmsteadcommunity.org
OCD Resource Center
Information and resources available on obsessive compulsive disorder.
Web address: www.ocdresource.com
Parent to Parent - USA
A national non-profit organization committed to assuring access and quality in Parent to Parent support across the country. Parent to Parent programs provide emotional and informational support to families of children who have special needs most notable by matching parents seeking support with an experiences, trained "Supporting Parent."
Web address: www.p2pusa.org
The Trevor Project
An organization dedicated to ending the disproportionately high rates of suicide among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth.
Web address: www.thetrevorproject.org
Youth Law Center
The Youth Law Center employs staff attorneys that investigate reports of abuse of children in adult jails, juvenile detention facilities, state institutions, and child welfare systems, and uses training, technical assistance and negotiation to bring about needed change. If abusive conditions or practices continue, the Center uses litigation as a last resort to protect children and ensure humane treatment.
Web address: www.ylc.org
Organizations Focused on Special Education and School-Based MH
Centers for School Mental Health -- Technical Assistance Centers
In 1995, two national training and technical assistance centers focused on mental health in schools were established with partial support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Center for Mental Health Services. One center is at UCLA and the other is at the University of Maryland at Baltimore. The web sites include information and resources on school-based mental health programs.
Web address: www.smhp.psych.ucla.edu (UCLA)
Web address:www.csmha.umaryland.edu (U of MD at Baltimore)
IDEA Partnership
The IDEA Partnership is dedicated to improving outcomes for students and youth with disabilities by joining state agencies and stakeholders through shared work and learning. The web site includes many helpful resources for schools, families and advocates.
Web address: www.ideapartnership.org
Intervention Central
This website offers free tools and resources to help school staff and parents to promote positive classroom behaviors and foster effective learning for all children and youth.
Web address: www.interventioncentral.org
National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY)
NICHCY is an information and referral center that provides information on disabilities and disability-related issues (including mental illnesses) for families, educators, and other professionals, with a special focus on children and youth -- birth to age 22.
Web address: www.nichcy.org
Web address: www.pbis.org
This side offers school mental health resources not only for clinicians, but also for educators, administrators, parents/caregivers, families, and students. The resources included in the site emphasize practical information and skills based on current research, including prominent evidence based practices, as well as lessons learned from local, state, and national initiatives.
Web address: www.schoolmentalhealth.org
School Psychiatry Program and the Mood & Anxiety Disorders Institute (MADI)
The School Psychiatry Program and the Mood & Anxiety Disorders Institute (MADI)
Web address: www.schoolpsychiatry.org
Technical Assistance Alliance for Parent Centers
The Technical Assistance Alliance for Parent Centers is an innovative project that supports a unified technical assistance system for the purpose of developing, assisting and coordinating Parent Training and Information Projects and Community Parent Resource Centers under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Web address: www.taalliance.org
Wrightslaw: Special Education Law
The Wrightslaw web site is designed for families, advocates, educators, and attorneys looking for accurate, up-to-date information about special education law and advocacy for children with disabilities, including those with mental illnesses.
Web address: www.wrightslaw.com
Professional Organizations
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP)
Web address: www.aacap.org
American Academy of Pediatrics
Web address: www.aap.org
American Psychiatric Association (APA)
Web address: www.psych.org
American Psychological Association (APA)
Web address: www.apa.org
American School Counselors Association (ASCA)
Web address: www.schoolcounselor.org
American School Health Association (ASHA)
Web address: www.ashaweb.org
National Association of Social Workers
Web address: www.naswdc.org
National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD)
Web address: www.nasmhpd.org
National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
Web address: www.nasponline.org
Academic Centers Focused on Children's Mental Health
Center for the Advancement of Children's Mental Health
Peter Jensen, M.D. directs this center dedicated to a variety of issues related to children and adolescents with mental illnesses. Dr. Jensen's center is located at Columbia University.
Web address: www.kidsmentalhealth.org
Center for the Promotion of Mental Health in Juvenile Justice
The Center for the Promotion of Mental Health in Juvenile Justice is dedicated to providing expert guidance to juvenile justice settings regarding best practices for mental health assessment and referral. This center is located at Columbia University.
Web address: www.promotementalhealth.org
Florida Mental Health Institute at the University of South Florida -- The Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health
The goal of the RTC is to improve services for children and adolescents with serious emotional disabilities (SED) and their families by strengthening the knowledge base for effective services and systems of care.
Web address: www.rtckids.fmhi.usf.edu
Georgetown University Child Development Center -- National Technical Assistance Center for Children's Mental Health
Since 1984, the technical assistance center has been dedicated to working in partnership with families and many other leaders across this country to reform services for children and adolescents who have, or are at risk for, mental health problems and their families.
Web address: www.georgetown.edu/research/gucdc/cassp.html
New York University Child Study Center
Web address: www.aboutourkids.org
Portland Research and Training Center, Portland State University – The Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health
The Center promotes effective community-based, culturally competent, family-centered services for families and their children who are, or may be affected by mental, emotional or behavioral disorders. The web site includes publications and an excellent newsletter – Focal Point.
Web address: www.rtc.pdx.edu
The mission of the Center is to understand child development, social, behavioral, and emotional adjustment, and psychiatric disorders and to help children and families in need of care.
Web address: info.med.yale.edu
Organizations Focused on Suicide Prevent ion
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)
Web address: www.afsp.org
Web address: www.teenscreen.org
JED Foundation
The work of the JED Foundation is focused on college students.
Web address: www.jedfoundation.org
National Strategy for Suicide Prevention
Web address: www.mentalhealth.org/suicideprevention
SOS – Signs of Suicide Program
Web address: www.mentalhealthscreening.org/highschool
Suicide Prevention Action Network (SPAN)
Web address: www.spanusa.org
Web address: www.sprc.org
Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program
Web address: www.yellowribbon.org
Youth Suicide Prevention School-Based Guide
Web address: theguide.fmhi.usf.edu
Websites for Children & Teens
StrengthofUs.org is NAMI's online resource center and social networking website for young adults living with mental health conditions. It exists to empower young adults to live out their dreams and goals through peer support and resource sharing.
Web address: www.StrengthofUs.org
KidsHealth has separate areas for children, teens and parents. Each of these sections includes its own design, age-appropriate content, and tone. There are many in-depth features, articles, animations, games, and resources developed by experts in the health of children and teens. For information for teen mental health, click on "teens" and then click on "Your Mind" to access a broad array of resources for teens.
Web address: www.kidshealth.org
Mindzone – Cope. Care. Deal.
Mindzone is a mental health web site for teens that includes plenty of extremely helpful information. The funding for Mindzone comes from the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands with support from the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the
Web address: www.copecaredeal.org
The Trevor Project
An organization dedicated to ending the disproportionately high rates of suicide among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth.
Web address: www.thetrevorproject.org
August 2009
Please Note: If there is a resource that you would like added to this list, please contact Dana Markey, Program Coordinator, at


text:
COLORADO -- When people write complaints against Comcast, I can sympathize with the original author, but at the same time, I've posted how well things go whenever we have had Comcast issues. Well today is my turn, to write a complaint.
On April 6, 2010, we had a technician come out to our home, again. We have had the ON-DEMAND service since 2007. We have had Comcast since 2000 when it was first called Adelphia, and service has been fine, until we ordered the ON-DEMAND service which included the box. We have had nothing but trouble with the box in our family room since 2007. They have always come out to our home, replaced the box, and things would work a while, before the trouble and many error messages begin. I started to think maybe it was our TV, so we went and bought a new TV for the family room in August of 2009.
The technician came out, said the box was bad and replaced it, again. We are very used to that. He was late, and they gave us a $20.00 credit along with another 3 months of free HBO due to all the issues this one box causes us. They have also tested the outside wiring, and it's all good. All the other digital boxes in the house work fine, so far anyway. I probably just jinxed us, by saying that.
Here is my complaint. I just went to pay my bill, and it was much higher than normal. I use the automated service to pay by phone. I then take the option for a customer representative. She goes over my bill, and says, "Oh, I see the extra charge," which is $29.99. I ask, "What was that for?" She says, "Oh for the service call on April 6, 2010."
I ask why, after 3 years, and many many service calls are we being charged. She says they only charge for the service call, if the problem is on your end, and not with their equipment. I say, "It was your equipment, again. The digital box was bad. How is that our fault??" She says, "Well for an added amount of $1.45 a month, you can get their service protection plan." I said, "No thank you, I do not want that."
The problems we have with Comcast are not on our end, it is due to their equipment. She was very nice and said she would credit us the $29.99, it would take up to 72 hours. I said thank you, and when I get the credit, I will pay my bill. I think it was a sneaky charge that was added. I always check over my bills because of things like this. I understand it was an error on their part to charge me, I just wonder how many other people do not actually read their bills, just pay what the amount for the month is due.
WASHINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA -- Before Comcast came into Washington PA, we had another cable provider which we never had any problems. Well when Comcast rolled into town they promised all these great services and great cable. Well that lasted for a very short time. The cable on a few channels started to go out or tile (small blocks across the picture and also effects the sound), which we called and the service representative would have me go through a series of troubleshooting procedures to try to handle the problem myself from home. Sometimes it would work, but for only a short time and the problem would return.
And if we did get a visit from a service tech. we would ask them if they knew why they were here and they said they had no idea and we would have to go through the explanation all over again. I do understand that I would have to explain the issue to the service personnel. However to show up and have no idea of what the problem is, if they had to bring certain items to do the repair well they would not have them, not a good business practice.
Well anyhow this has gone on for over a year now, and the issue has not been addressed correctly. They have replaced all the cable in the house, the connection at the pole, the box at the pole. They have also replaced the cable to the house with cable triple the size of the previous 2 cable lines.
Oh I'm sorry they had replaced the line to the house last year, but this year they determined that the cable was not large enough because of the distance to my house from the pole - oh the cable from the pole to the house in underground. I explained to the individual who sets up the service calls to please try and remedy the problems because I am tired of paying for a service that I have not received.
This evening I was on the phone with Comcast to set up yet another service call for Saturday morning. I told the Comcast representative that the service tech should not be here very long because everything in the house and cable from the pole to the house has been verified by the other service tech to be in perfect working condition, therefore it should be a quick fix. What I did tell the Comcast representative was that the only thing I believe could be wrong is the cable coming down the road to our pole, because that is the only thing that has not been replaced.
The answer the representative gave to my wife was, "Well we have had no complaints from any other customers on your street." Really! I am seriously thinking about dumping Comcast and going with another provider. I've never experienced such poor service from any other items that myself or my family has purchased or used. But my complaint is not all negative. When the service personnel show up to fix or try to fix the problem they are there when they say and they do seem knowledgeable and courteous, however good manners does not fix the problem. Once again, I want what I pay for...
LIVERMORE, CALIFORNIA -- This is a WARNING rather than a review. If you are financially dependent on your computer working in order to carry out business transactions that require your immediate attention like I am DO NOT USE Comcast. CAUTION DO NOT ATTEMPT STOCK TRADES!!!
If you are dependent on your phone service for Medical Emergency Response, a security system or simply having a working phone DO NOT USE Comcast. If you like your TV BEWARE it can stop at anytime either by system failure or by vindictive employee tampering (Proven and confirmed by management) which was just one of the reasons our TV went off! These experiences occurred weekly in a home already equipped with and using all of Comcast's premium services.
In order to incorporate an office into the extra room Comcast was called. This required getting a phone line added that would be separate and attached to a Medical Emergency Alert System required by the user. For the purpose of conducting serious business negotiations and trades a separate computer internet service was installed. For TV a new connection. This was beneficial to Comcast financially and they were more than happy to accommodate with the assurance these products would work reliably.
The first week all the computers stopped functioning and all the phones went dead. Having no phone service was a serious matter in this household as is the case in many homes and was expressed to management. I explained that someone needed to come out immediately or I would have to make preparations to have someone here in case of an emergency. Comcast Management said and PROMISED they would send someone out that evening. Guess what... No one came. Comcast Lied. Comcast employee confirmed this the next and "apologized".
When I complained to a Comcast employee retaliation in form of losing my TV service immediately after I hung up. Now we had no phone, no Internet and no TV. I don't like cell phones so I had to go to the neighbors to use their phone. It soon discovered and it was confirmed the representative had utilized his power to disconnect our service. I had his identity which I recommend you always get when spending valuable time with these people.
Although the Manager was very apologetic, promised to discipline this man and do everything to get all our services working this has not occurred. I found out today no disciplinary action was ever taken to correct or end this behavior. I have no complaints with the technicians who have been very friendly and tried to help. One free lancer confided that Comcast "treats their workers badly" I could see for myself how pressured and inadequately trained these techs are.
When the owner of the home asked for reimbursement they refused. Today I spoke again with a Manager who agrees they really "lost it on this one" adding that in "some" areas the system doesn't work well. I countered by telling him this property is in the big city of Santa Rosa. Further North in Healdsburg where this might be possible and where my home is located Earthlink works just great. Their excuses don't make sense.
It has been over a month and service has not gotten better. Although they do send Techs out the problems remain. The phones have gone dead a minimum of once a week, the Internet service fails on a daily basis and the TV reception comes and goes.
Today was the last straw. I lost a very important business transaction this morning for the third time. They have had so many opportunities to get it right and I even joked we were going to charge rent because the techs practically live here. I am told by a Comcast employee that this is not the way my computer should be working it is their system and they need to fix it. He assured me they would get it right.
Well there efforts are lost on my loss of Money, Time and Peace of Mind. Remember the medical emergency alert system was dependent on the phone line working and Comcast was well aware of this priority assuring us the phone would work before they were commissioned to come out. To add insult to injury this company literally lied when they promised to fix the phone and we were lucky there wasn't a tragedy. Then one of their vindictive employees tampered with our equipment in an effort to create even more discomfort and frustration.
My friend is stuck with this mess. I get to go back the my Heavenly home in the wine country where my Dish TV service is working and always has. My phone has never gone out and I use Earthlink a company that has never failed me and continues to earn my respect. For a mere $17.00 a month I get high speed internet service that far exceeds anything in speed I ever had using Comcast's most "elite" service.
Until now I never felt good about using a company that employs foreign workers however Comcast has changed my opinion completely. I believe the "Best man deserves the job" and my experience with Earthlink has by far exceeded my expectation. These employees handicapped with a language barrier and constantly abused due to prejudice perform remarkably and have earned my respect and admiration.
They work harder, are so polite, take abuse as par for the course and overcompensate with an astounding desire to please. Their manners are impeccable and show remarkable tolerance even in the most challenging circumstance. With Comcast I am hung up on, transferred in circles, rudely assaulted and my equipment is disconnected as punishment for complaining.
If this is the service I get for supporting an American corporation I can do without. Without guilt or shame I gladly take my money and my praise to the people who earn it... I truly appreciate the efforts of the technicians for their efforts and honesty. As to the company itself who believes appropriate compensation is a robotic apology and despite the evidence to the contrary assure me they are the best available I say actions speak louder than words.
Today after demanding to be connected to Dennis a manager who promised to "do everything he could for us" he had the nerve to say "It looks like you got a lot of service for very little money." I responded asking him "What service"? Reminding him the service I received is a lot more expensive even if it worked than Earthlink and I have not lost any business deals with Earthlink. Little money? To be clear we have not received any credit from Comcast and pay the premium rate, no discount. The funniest part of all this was while the owner of the home was on the phone with management the phone went out twice! Hard to argue with that and still no credit!
What is undeniably apparent with Comcast is that neither the employees or the company care one bit for the customer, their business, their service or their comfort and satisfaction. To Comcast the customer is like a herd of cattle and slaughter is par for the course. Today we were told we would be credited for "today". Wow! "Thanks for choosing Comcast" Well I didn't and I DON't!
My first round with Comcast was in 2007. One of their contractors was installing new fiber through my front yard. Ended up piercing my water line & cracking my driveway. Cost to fix? More than $6,000. You would not believe what I had to do to get reimbursed. Despite the photos of the actual dig line marks in my grass lining up with crack in driveway, waterline, and cable box (in addition to my water bill going from $20/mo to more than $200 immediately after the dig), you'd think that it wouldn't take almost 4 months to get it replaced.
Additionally, a tech disabled my virus while trying to 'work' on my connectivity, allowing malware/virus on my desktop to the point it took in excess of FOUR hours from powering on to simply load Windows. Of course, Comcast would not reimburse me for that. Round 2. My company required non-wifi, non-DSL internet for telecommuting. At the time, Comcast was running a special in March 2009. Internet was $24.99 with basic cable for $10 more a month for a year with free installation. Pretty good deal that (stupidly) made me try again.
Four different installation techs. 3 were complete idiots. The first one tracked mud through my home - staining my carpet. Another insisted my cabling was feeding in 'through my attic'. Now I'm not a cable installation tech, but I know the cable is fed through the side of my home. The third one was just stupid. The forth one finally got it done - said there were no problems and the previous 3 people did not know what they were doing. Additionally, he 'swapped out' my own personal modem (meaning he took mine) for a new one. That was a hurdle. But it was installed and smooth riding now, right? (Laughing, not a chance.)
First, I was charged for FOUR separate installation fees. Secondly, I was not given the promotional offer advertised. Seems simple enough to call and get it corrected, right? (Not a chance). EVERY month, I mean EVERY month, I had to deal with incorrect bills from late charges, to incorrect fees. I got tired of dealing with the regular service, started just beginning by asking for a supervisor. (Four weeks later, that return call hadn't happened). Service shut of several times when I paid the amount I was told to over the phone but credits were not applied.
Then I learned that Comcast has a team for "reputation management" for Twitter. I tweeted "Comcast sucks" and got someone give me an email address to 'fix' my problem. The problem was not fixed (on a monthly basis), but at least I did not have to sit online for god knows how long, and I had everything in writing. (Thank heaven for that). I emailed the one person I had interacted with ongoing that I had advised them I was canceling Internet service, I had gotten another provider and was fed up with the crappy internet access. But I was charged for the following 3 months, despite regular repeated email insistence to cancel service.
In early March, I'm having my future In-Laws over for brunch. First time I'm meeting them. Big deal. Knock at my door. A Comcast tech is there to collect $149 immediately or they are shutting off service. I tell him he's incorrect and show him the last email exchange advising me that credits had been applied (but weren't). I was absolutely MORTIFIED by this experience and it utterly ruined my brunch.
Promises made yet again, but all talk. TWELVE bills. Not one correct. Not one. I'm still being charged an 'inactive modem fee' in addition to a 'modem fee' - I have told them they are happy to have this one back but they need to require the one they took. I was assured more than a month ago that the situation would be 'resolved' once and for all, but 4 weeks later, still not a peep. I've also advised them to cancel my TV - as it was constantly 'shifting channels' requiring me to reprogram the TV channels (a 3+ hour process with my particular TV). I checked yesterday - more than 3 weeks ago, I notified them to cancel service, but they have yet to cut my service.
I have been interacting with supposedly one of the senior customer service people at corporate. It is completely inconceivable how a company can be so consistently inept? I would rather go without TV at all before dealing with Comcast again. I've fortunately got everything documented for more than 8 months of the lackluster service I've received. I will be working with a local Consumer Reporter later this month to do a story on how atrocious Comcast is. I look forward to sharing my experience with as many people as possible. I am going to digital antenna at this point.
I have had Comcast phone, internet and cable service problems since they took over from Time Warner. I finally cancelled my phone and internet because at any given time some or all of the services did not work. I have complained to customer service constantly and they have yet to resolve any of those issues.
They lie just about all the time when confronted with the complaints and often try to put the blame on other department personnel. Customer service blames the techs and the techs blame customer service and the problem or issue is never resolved. They are well adept at keeping the customer in limbo and all the while you are paying for services you never receive without any adjustment to your monthly bill.
In the few years with with Comcast I have been double billed for $244.00 and had to fight with them for three months to resolve it. Charged me for an NSF EFT because they entered my bank account info incorrectly, then did not want to refund it even when I provided a letter from my bank stating that the charge was never applied to my bank account. I have been lied to at least a few times or more within all levels of the company including management.
Lost wages taking off work to meet them for appointments, in which on two occasions they never showed up and have yet to offer a credit as per their commercial claims. They have sent technicians to my house at least 7-9 times for a cable card problem. On one occasion the tech sat on my couch and watched basketball on ESPN till I finally told him I had to leave. They have come poorly equipped with multiple cards that aren't programmed properly, or, are for their cable boxes and not TVs. They've stayed for hours at a time, bickered with personnel who are operating the console and some techs have had little or no experience with cable cards at all.
They intended to bill me for a service call when in fact they caused the problem by removing a code from the system and didn't know how to correct it. I had no premium channels since Dec.2009 and only able to receive about 20 or so of the lower tier channels. Three techs came to my house, one in Jan. and two within one week in Feb for the same problem. I finally asked the last tech to remove the card from my account and requested to have my services downgraded to expanded basic. He said he would pass the information to someone and hopefully get them to prorate my account due to the lack of service.
Shortly after he left, I received a call from a lady representative assuring me that she could get my problem resolved if I would give her a chance by re-scheduling a tech to come with more cable cards. She said she felt sure they could get one to work. I declined to which she then offered me an HD box and asked when she could schedule someone to install it. I reluctantly said yes and asked for an evening appointment reminding her that I had already missed enough work because of this situation.
She apologized and assured me that my bill would be credited for the inconvenience and loss of service. The appointment time came and went without anyone showing up. I called the next day to find out what happened and was informed that I never had an appointment after all. I then called to get my bill prorated and after about 30-45 min. of back and forth discussion finally thought we had come to an acceptable amount and I paid the agreed amount immediately after our call ended.
Today, 10 days later, I checked my account only to find that they added all the charges back on my bill and listed them as previous balance due. Looks like they have lied again... I don't know why I believed them in the first place. Now I will cancel my services completely and refuse to pay them another penny. Bottom line... If you are not being treated fairly drop them, they will realize the importance of their customers when the company loses them all.
VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON -- When I bought my new HD TV, I upgraded to the Premium HD Cable TV service from Comcast last year after having regular TV service with them for the previous 2 years. I soon discovered that there were still some "manufacturing defects" in their new HD Cable TV set top box. At times my TV would change channels inadvertently, or would "freeze frame" the picture, or lose the sound entirely. Thinking this was a problem with my cable box, I went to Comcast and exchanged my defective box for another one. But, to my surprise, the same problems started within a month of getting the new HDTV Cable box.
A call to Comcast tech service cleared this up. But, the problem would come back in a few days to a week. This got to be very frustrating. After a few complaints to the customer service department I was finally told they were aware of defects in the HD Cable box and that Comcast and the manufacturer were working on them. In the meantime the tech support recommended that I leave the Comcast set top box ON at all times (even when the TV is off)... this will keep the box from getting "de-tuned". I resolved that I would just have to put up with this until the fixes were made.
But, after 3-weeks of keeping my cable box on 24/7, the TV suddenly showed a scrambled signal on all channels. I called Comcast who sent a tech out to find the problem. The tech determined that the problem was in the TV, not in the cable box. Comcast charged me $25 for the service call, since it wasn't cable related. So, I called a TV repair service and they discovered that the cause was a burnt out circuit board on my TV... the power circuit board (PCB.) Fortunately for me, this was a warranted repair.
Over the next 5 months, I watched my TV keeping the Comcast cable box on 24/7. Then, suddenly, again my TV showed a scrambled signal just as before. This time I called the TV repair first. They determined that I had the same PCB problem as before... only this time I was over the warranty date. I had to pay for the new PCB, but the labor was still covered under my warranty. The repairman asked me if I had any input power to my TV other than the power cord. I told him that Comcast has me keep the Cable set top box on all the time regardless of TV on or off.
He said that a lot of customers have experienced problems including circuit board problems from keeping their cable box on. So, I discovered it was the Comcast cable box, with its "manufacturing defects", that was the cause of my TV problems. I called Comcast with this information to get redress for my out of pocket expenses, including a refund of the $25 service charge they hit me with.
Comcast denied any knowledge that their equipment caused any problems with customer TV sets. I wrote a letter of complaint to Comcast, but did not receive an answer. I have now canceled my Cable TV service and switched to a satellite service. If you have had any similar problems please leave a comment here and do as I did and quit Comcast and write a letter to the FTC.
PORTLAND, OREGON -- Every few months I have had problems with my cable TV service. From set top boxes that don't work to channels that just disappear. Every time I call for service, I get to talk to someone in a foreign country. Not only I can't understand what they say, they don't know anything about my problems. Instead of sending a technician to fix my problem, to save money, they ask you to talk to a computer voice and then if you are persistence, to someone on the phone. It takes hours to reach a person and then they ask you to do things on your TV and cable box that only a technical person would know and their solutions don't work.
It has taken me 10 days and 4 different people to talk to and none have been able to help. They just resist to send a person to fix the problem. Finally they agreed to send a technician 4 days from now. That is two weeks that I will not be able to use the service that I am paying for. They are very good in getting your money. They have all kinds of real people on the phone to get your money. But when it comes to delivering service, they are the worst. I have missed most of my favorite shows and sport events. I am trying to take them to court to get my money back. I will go back to Dish Network now in a heart beat. DO NOT USE COMCAST.
FROSTPROOF, FLORIDA -- I had Dish network for over 2 years and seen what I thought was a good deal from Comcast Cable. I called Comcast several times and spoke with a representative about the cost involved with the service I was seeking. When I felt we had a firm understanding amongst myself and the representative with the service and fees associated with switching to Comcast I proceeded to order Comcast cable services.
After ordering the service I was told they wouldn't be able to have a person come out and set up the services for 2 weeks. I should have known at this point that nothing good was going to come from this change of service. Someone came out and finally hooked up the service. Then I received a bill for the first months service. When I ordered Comcast the representative told me I only had to pay for the second DVR. The first one was free. Then she told me I would only have to pay 9.95 per room for installation on 2 rooms.
Well to my surprise I was charged 9.95 for one room installation then had to pay 20.00 for having cable turned on, 29.95 for the internet being activated, and 35.00 for the phone activation. And I had to pay for the DVR I was told I wouldn't have to (to boot). When I called Comcast to ask why I was being charged for all that when the representative clearly told me I wouldn't and the other charges were never mentioned and they told me sorry for the representative giving you the wrong information but you have to pay what is billed and found an excuse for every problem encountered.
Now I'm locked in with this company for 12 months at which time I will change providers and never do business with or recommend Comcast Cable to anyone. All I can say is if it seems to good to be true then it probably isn't true. Make sure of all the hidden fees before changing services.
KINGSTON, TENNESSEE -- I have recently been on the phone with your Comcast Center in Knoxville, Tn., and on several other occasions I can't even remember how many times. I could go on to write hate mail as to the kind of service I am given with most I speak to, but it wouldn't do any more good than not.
My problem with your representatives is not as bad as the quality of service my television gets. It is an everyday occurrence that something is wrong with the reception. There is not one particular channel high or low, time of day, or condition of weather that affects it. My picture will turn into pixels and lose sound. This can occur constantly, one time right after the other, or it will come and go or completely black out. It also does this sometimes on all three boxes I have, or it may only do it on one, depending on the circumstances.
The cable was connected in March of this year and we have had nothing but trouble since. They supposedly have most, if not all, of my calls noted on my records. The many attempts made to resolve this issue have done nothing. They recently came and completely rewired this home in July, putting in all new cable lines. I am still having problems with interference of my cable reception, and frankly I am all but fed up with it and the Customer Service Center.
I will be the first to admit that after all of the waiting time and then talking to someone that has no idea of what I'm saying, I can turn into a real "witch". But you should hear some of the excuses I hear and some of the things they say are wrong. It truly amazes me that they can honestly sit there and believe themselves what they are telling you. They have also been trained very well to hang up on you if you get aggravated. This is even if you don't say bad words to them. It's like they just get tired of hearing your story, so they just hang up knowing you'll never get "them" back on the phone.
In the past two weeks, I have asked to speak to a supervisor, and was told that one would call me back within 24 hours. Well, I'm still waiting. As for the trouble-shooting people that come to your home, when they call, they ask if your service is still acting up. If it hasn't or isn't at the time, they say they can't know what to look for. I can understand this, but I don't understand why the lines in my area can't be checked for that "hair-line" split in one of your lines.
I guess my biggest qualm with all of this is: Why should I be the one paying you all of the big bucks for service, get poor reception, and then have to wait at home for someone every time I call in, only to be told, if there is nothing wrong at the time, there's nothing they can do. My time is as valuable to me as yours is to you. I don't mind having to wait for a repairman, but I certainly don't want it to be an every other week thing. It's been three times in the last month. I'm sick of it.
I do realize my bill is not in the best standing, never has, but it always gets paid, and you make sure we pay dearly for it being late. BUT... you do get your money. The lady I spoke with today, the second time after the first one hung up, told me my cable was on "soft shut-down" and that was the reason for the interference. I know what a "soft shut-down" is. My television is not out of service as of this moment, nor the computer service. You may have it listed for this, but as of right this moment, it is still in working order. Is this lady right about interference on my television because it is "scheduled" for soft shut-down?
This makes no sense to me. Another one of your representatives had me to disconnect my cable and run it straight to the television set, even though all 3 T.V.'s were doing the same thing at the same time, she told me all three of my boxes had gone bad at once. After this explanation, I just asked her if she was "BLONDE". DUH! My boxes seem to be just fine, it's the reception I am getting interference with. Another night we were having an "end of the summer" slumber party. We stay up all night, play on the computer and watch movies. But not that night.
Right in the middle of our movie, the whole service shuts down. No T.V., no internet and 6 kids here with nothing to do! I called again. This time it was for scheduled maintenance. I was informed there was nothing that could be done. It would be off for 2 hours. I asked why customers are not informed about this scheduled maintenance, and they just told me they didn't have to inform us of it. If we had known this was scheduled to happen, we would have planned a little differently. But since we weren't even given the chance, it ruined a really nice time for the kids. Did you compensate me for this inconvenience? I don't think so.
Furthermore, you never compensate me for my outages, my trouble, my time or anything else. But just let my bill get behind and you compensate yourselves for that! Plus every time I am inconvenienced by your service, I am still paying for it anyway. How fair is this? Your company makes a killing from your customers. You are forever giving specials to new customers, but what about your faithful customers? What do you do for them? My answer, just the runaround I've been getting for the last 5 months, and still bad reception, rude customer service representatives and no compensation for my trouble.
You may have the market cornered on cable, but hopefully one day there will be someone bigger and badder to take you down and give you some competition. I'm all for another cable company to come in and take your customers. I'd be one of the first to go. In turn, I would ask my family to do so also, because if it wasn't for me referring them to you, you wouldn't have them. Your "refer-a-friend" program screwed me on this also.
Even after speaking to a representative about referring someone, they still wouldn't allow me to collect on my free month for referring them. Your reason, even with the email I kept from your representative, was, you didn't recognize it in my area. What a rip-off. This was the one question I did ask the representative about and she wrote back saying as long as I was a Comcast customer, I qualified.
Sorry, I just had to stop writing. Why? My channels are going in and out again. I had to call your service center in Knoxville, again. Now I have to wait on someone tomorrow, AGAIN! Give me a break! I can't even get a letter written to you without my reception messing up.
Do you intend to compensate me for my time, my inconvenience and my loss? It would be fair to say I've lost at least a month's worth of cable in the last 5 months. Plus the two people I've referred to you at a month free for each. Looks like I'm out about three (3) months "WORTH" of cable. So, tell me what's fair about this situation? Why should I not be mad? I am mad at the whole thing. But is there anything I can do about this? NO! Except send this letter to everyone or anyone that will listen. I love my cable & internet serviceWHEN IT WORKS CORRECTLY! But that is so very little that most of the time is spent HATING IT!
If anyone has a solution, I wish you would let me in on it. I want to keep my services, I even want to upgrade to the phone system you are offering. BUT... not if things continue the way they are going. I know for a fact that I am not the only dissatisfied customer you have. But for some reason, we seem to keep getting pushed to the back of the line, and it stinks! I appreciate anyone brave enough to figure this out, and help me with the problems I have experienced.
P.S. Now THEIR site is telling me my letter has too many characters in it and to shorten it? Why is this allotment of only 1500 characters not listed on here BEFORE I wrote the letter?Is this just a FLAW? AN OVERSIGHT? JUST PLAIN STUPIDITY IF YOU ASK ME!
SCOTTDALE, GEORGIA -- I am writing this letter to you now, while I am once again fuming at the total ineptness of your company. Please allow me to elaborate. I have as of this evening, been without phone service for 4 days on either of 2 lines coming into my house. Phones that have been going on and off for the last year and a half, at least. No one can explain the situation to me but I do want to enlighten you as to the last action that was taken before this outage. I called to report that once again, my computer service was out. They sent a supposed cable tech out to fix the problem.
While he was here, he came in and asked me if we had Comcast as our phone provider. I do not handle the paying of bills because I am blind. So, I told him I wasn't sure, that my husband was not there to ask but that I did not think so. He said OK and then left. Well, the computer cable was working just fine. But then I discovered, when my cell phone rang, and my friend told me he could not reach me on either of my phone lines, that this tech who was supposed to be fixing my computer cable problem, also, for some unknown reason that has yet to be explained to me, ripped out all the wires in the phone box and left me high and dry with no phone service.
As soon as I realized his action and what it had caused, I immediately called your so called help desk and was told, after speaking to person after person after person that it would be the next day or the day after that before they could "send someone out". I asked why they could not send the same guy that tore out my phone box right back over here and then they informed me that he was a cable man and not trained to work on phones. Well, that was pretty obvious to me already.
My whole point is, they should have had someone come out, even if it meant after hours and overtime, to fix what amounts to your own people's destroying my property then refusing to come back until they were able to squeeze me in according to their convenience. Once again, I was treated as if I did not matter in the least. But my money sure does matter, it seems.
Now, here we are once again, I have no phone service for the 5th day now and at this point, I am canceling not only my phone service with you but my cable and internet as well. I would have kept at least the TV because that I am not fond of DirecTV, but quite honestly, my husband and I talked about it last night after I spent at least 3 hours on the phone yesterday, trying to get someone out here to help me get some phone service. Much of that time was spent being shuffled from person to person and of course, ultimately nothing got resolved. I do apologize for the length of this letter but I feel you need to see just what your so called 24/7 customer support is all about.
Wednesday, August 8th: Both phones once again out of service with open lines. This has been happening every day for the last month or so but they usually come back on after an hour or so. Not so this time. I began calling and was told they could not come out until Monday at the earliest. I told them that that was totally unreasonable and unacceptable, since this is an ongoing problem.
After a good couple of hours calling back and back again trying to speak to someone who actually seemed to have some intelligence and concern, they agreed with me and told me they would get someone out on the next day, which would be Thursday. While I was not exactly thrilled with this, I had no choice but to accept it. I was told they would be here between the hours of 2 and 5. When they never showed up, I called at around 6:00 and was told that the tech reported that he had called and we were not there, so he took it upon himself to cancel our appointment.
In the first place, I most certainly was home and in the second place, even if I had not been, I had my cell phone with me at all times and he would have reached me on that one, since it is the contact number I gave them since my other phones were obviously not functioning. This man blatantly lied to his dispatcher. But that is not the first time I have experienced dishonesty amongst your employees, as I will explain later. So, once again, they re-scheduled for the next day, Friday for the hours of 2 to 5.
Now mind you, I have expressed to your people that I am a blind diabetic and am also a kidney failure patient. I must have access to phone service. My husband had to go out of town this weekend and had to take our cell phone with him in case he were to break down somewhere on the road. Therefore, it was imperative that my phone get fixed and immediately! I was assured over and over that the tech would be there this time, no problems, even if he had to work overtime.
3:00 came and went, no tech. I called, was assured he was still coming and then someone from Comcast called me to see if I was home and said they would be there soon. 5:00 The exact scenario as above took place. 5:45 I called and was told the tech had just left his last appointment at 5:30 and was on the way to my house. He was supposedly in Decatur, which is exactly where I live so I assumed he would be here shortly. I was wrong.
7:00 came and went and I don't mind telling you, I was furious by now. Now, no one seemed to know anything about the tech or where he was or why he had not shown up. One so called supervisor told me he had probably gone home. I asked was there no way to get in touch with him and while he did admit to having access to his phone number, said he would not call him because that's not the way they do things.
The fact that I was absolutely livid to the point of being in tears and demanding that something be done before I was left here with no phones for an entire weekend seemed to fall on deaf ears from not only this person but from every single person I dealt within your company.
And yes, I did finally use a word that I should not have used an normally would not use when speaking with intelligent, normal human beings. But by that time, I was beyond angry. I lost it. This idiot then told me to watch my mouth and "try" to act professionally". I was speechless! At that point, I told him to turn it all off. The phone, the computer service and the T.V. cable I will never, in my lifetime, give Comcast another dime.
I and my husband have been good customers of yours for many, many years and have had problems for about ¾ of those years but we stuck with it partly because we kept hoping it would get better and partly because we didn't want the hassle of changing over companies. But I will tell you what he and I both agree on. We are through paying Comcast bills, including the ones laying on his desk now.
By the time you deduct all the minutes we have had to use on our cell phone that we normally would not have had to use, the hours and days that our phones, internet access and T.V. cable has been off and on, off and on, we should be owed a rather large credit by now. But, I have no expectations of receiving any such thing, so we are just calling it quits and calling it even now. Don't bother to send us bills. We will not pay them. You could offer us a lifetime of free service in all 3 departments and I would run screaming in panic.
The icing on the cake to this latest fiasco is that last night, a very nice young lady called to check to see if the tech had ever showed up. I told her no and that I was extremely upset and worried about being with no phones now and she told me to wait and she would call me right back. She did and said she had reached the tech and he was on his way.
Well, I wasn't going to hold my breath and when he did show up, I was shocked. My shock soon turned to disbelief then resignation as once again, Comcast proved itself to be totally inept and incompetent. They had sent a distress call person to me for trouble on my internet. Good God almighty people, if was the freaking phones! You still don't get that???? Not only that, but you could send out a distress call for the internet being down but not for a blind diabetic woman's phones being out??? I think your priorities are a bit askew.
I will close this somewhat lengthy letter by letting you know just how dishonest your people are. On many occasions I have asked a so called supervisor to please contact dispatch to see where the driver is who is supposed to be out here fixing one of my many multitudes of non functioning Comcast services. They always tell me they have no way to reach them. Well, I spoke to one yesterday who was actually honest about it and said that yes indeed, most supervisors can get in contact with dispatch, if they want to. I figured as much and I cannot abide liars. So, I guess what all of this is leading up to is this...
I want all of your products/services/boxes/wires/people and anything else you can think of, out of my house and off of my property. I have canceled all services already but I just wanted someone in corporate to know how we who pay the bills and keep the company going are feeling. And if you think I am the only one that feels this way, you are sadly mistaken.
I furthermore intend to edit this letter down and get it posted to every consumer complaint web site I can find on the web and mail it to everyone in my address book and encourage them to do the same. I have already told everyone I know of the shoddy, shameful non-service I have received from you people and I know of at least 3 of them who chose Bell South over you because of what I told them. That did give me some degree of satisfaction, I must tell you.
I suggest you start getting your act together. People are tired of being abused and taken for granted and taken advantage of by companies like yours and putting up with it because they think they have no choice. Well, I do and I have made it.
You will note that I have copied the BBB and the FCC in on this letter. I am also going to send a copy of it to every consumer reporter I can find on both television and radio and if I can find some on the web, they will hear from me as well. I have just finished this letter and to no surprise to me, my internet is down... still... Oh well, only have to put up with what you refer to as your "service" for a couple of more days then my dealings with you are thankfully over.


text:
CRAFTSBURY-The second half of Thursday's Craftsbury-Cabot doubleheader featured a rematch that had the potential for some fireworks.
The first time the Chargers and Huskies met there were heated words, hard fouls and an overall sense that these two teams did not like each other.
But in the end the result was the same, as Craftsbury picked up their second straight win over Cabot, this time winning 56-38.
"It was a really sloppy game all around," said Craftsbury coach Derek Cipriano. "I have got to give credit to Cabot. They came out and played extremely hard and played tough defense on us."
For the full story, see the Express on 1-20-14.


text:
White House Offers $14 Million for Advanced Vehicle Materials
March 28, 2012
The White House on March 22 announced a $14.2 million DOE effort to accelerate the development and deployment of stronger and lighter materials for advanced vehicles. The initiative will help reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil and limit carbon pollution.
The funding will support the development of high-strength, lightweight carbon-fiber composites and advanced steels and alloys that will help vehicle manufacturers improve the fuel economy of cars and trucks while maintaining and improving safety and performance. Replacing cast iron and traditional steel components with lightweight materials allows manufacturers to include additional safety devices, integrated electronic systems, and emissions control equipment on vehicles without increasing their weight. Using lighter materials also reduces a vehicle's fuel consumption. For example, reducing a vehicle's weight by 10% can improve the fuel economy by 6%-8%.
DOE intends to fund projects across three major areas of materials research and development, including developing modeling tools to deliver higher performing carbon-fiber composites, doing the same for advanced steels, and researching new lightweight, high-strength alloys for energy-efficient vehicle and truck engines. The department will accept applications from industry, national laboratories, and university led-teams to address these challenges and enable technologies that will drive innovation in vehicle design. Applications are due May 7, 2012. See the DOE press release.


text:
A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine. Practitioners treat diseases of the joints, muscles, bones, and tendons. Rheumatologists diagnose and treat arthritis, back pain, muscle strains, common athletic injuries, etc. They may work closely with other specialists such as orthopaedic surgeons and physical therapists.View More
1-4 of 4
701 E Roosevelt Blvd Ste 600
Monroe, NC 28112
1212 Spruce St Ste 311
Belmont, NC 28012
332 Lillington Ave
Charlotte, NC 28204
744 Arden Ln Ste 225
Rock Hill, SC 29732


text: To listen to this sermon, please click on the icon to the right. This file is an MP3, and an MP3 player such as Winamp is required to listen. The size of this file is 7.40 MB, and as such there will be a delay of approximately 5 min. per MB for a 56K connection while the file is downloaded.


text:
Courtesy of MLB Trade Rumors.
With the MLB season nearing its conclusion, it's time to look ahead to the hot stove. There's a lot to keep track of in the first full offseason under the sport's new collective bargaining agreement, so MLBTR has compiled a timeline of offseason events...
Immediately after World Series - Eligible players hit free agency
Three days after World Series - Option decisions due
Five days after World Series - Qualifying offers due
Six days after World Series - Free agents can sign contracts with teams other than their former clubs
12 days after World Series - Players must accept or reject qualifying offers
November 7th - 9th - GM Meetings
November 20th - Deadline for setting 40-man roster in advance of Rule 5 Draft
November 30th - Deadline for teams to tender contracts to arbitration eligible players
December 3rd - 6th - Winter Meetings
December 6th - Rule 5 Draft takes place at Winter Meetings
January - Teams, players exchange arbitration figures
February - Arbitration hearings take place
Read more at http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/10/o ... pdTHIpD.99
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/10/o ... endar.html


text:
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller
After an ancient truce existing between humankind and the invisible realm of the fantastic is broken, hell on Earth is ready to erupt. A ruthless leader, who treads the world above and the one below, defies his bloodline and awakens an unstoppable army of creatures. Now, it's up to the planet's toughest, roughest superhero to battle the merciless dictator and his marauders. He may be red. He may be horned. He may be misunderstood. But when you need the job done right, it's time to call in Hellboy. Along with his expanding team in the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense-pyrokinetic girlfriend Liz, aquatic empath Abe and protoplasmic mystic Johann-the BPRD will travel between the surface strata and the unseen magical one, where creatures of fantasy become corporeal. And Hellboy, a creature of two worlds who's accepted by neither, must choose between the life he knows and an unknown destiny that beckons him.
Cast: Doug Jones, Ron Perlman, Luke Goss, David Hyde Pierce, Selma Blair
Produced by: Lloyd Levin, Lawrence Gordon, Mike Richardson
Directed by: Guillermo del Toro
Written by: Guillermo del Toro, Mike Mignola
Running time: 1hr 50min
Opens: Jul 11, 2008 Nationwide
|Theaters for Today
Pick a day
on this day.


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PLEASANT GROVE - Alexander Reifschneider, 87 of Pleasant Grove, passed away on June 30, 2008.
He was born Oct. 11, 1920 in Las Animas, Colo., to Andrew and Kathryn Hammel Reifschneider, immigrants from Longenfelt, Russia. He was the12th of 13 children.
He served in the U.S. Air Force during WWII and, while stationed in Salt Lake City, he met Juanita "Jean" Amador. They were married on Feb. 9, 1942.
After his discharge, Al and Jean eventually settled in Dragerton, enjoying raising their son and caring for Jean's parents. When they moved to the Orem area, Al and Jean soon followed, leaving many good friends and memories in the Carbon County area.
Al worked 22 years in the Columbia coal mine and then Geneva Steel for eight years, where he retired.
They bought a home in Pleasant Grove.
He enjoyed his home, family, many good neighbors and working on his many talents and hobbies with his son, LeRoy.
Al is survived by his son, LeRoy, who currently resides at Heritage Care Center, American Fork; his sisters, Penny (Don) Barrett and Gloria Peterson, both of Salinas, Calif.; brother-in-law, Leo Amador, Orem; sisters-in-law, Isabel (Edward) Trujillo, Magna; and Mille Gren, Orem. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife and nine siblings.
Funeral services were Monday, July 7, at Olpin Family Mortuary, Pleasant Grove. Interment was in the Orem City Cemetery, with military honors conducted by American Legion Post 72.
Special thanks to the Heritage Care Center staff, particularly, Dennis, Barbara and Frankie and many others. Also, A+ Hospice, Jolene and Paula for their tender loving care of Al.