If you want to pass it on, don't f-lock the post, 'kay?

Because then I will be forced to simply Google it myself and post the news stories as I find them.
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=326650&src=
http://chicagoist.com/2009/10/02/oak_brook_man_hates_libraries_child.php
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local-beat/Oak-Brook-Librarians-Turn-To-Teamsters-63086972.html

It should be noted that the Village of Oakbrook, IL funds its village services without property taxes. From the latest village newsletter (dated Summer 2009): 
At the present time our Village is being faced with an unprecedented dilemma. Costs are rising for our Police Department, Fire Department, Public Works and Library, but the sales tax that once supported all these services is
no longer what it was. As retail sales and other taxes have dropped off, the Village Board must take extraordinary means to keep the Village of Oak Brook free of a local levy.

Our primary objective is to maintain these Village services without instituting a local levy. I continue to find that many of our residents are still unaware that they pay no local property taxes for fire, police, public works or our library. Even the Oak Brook Sports Core – which includes the Bath and Tennis Club – needs some support from sales taxes. I am happy to report that the Board has privatized the poolside grill and that some nice changes have already taken place there. Unfortunately, the weather has not been too cooperative thus far, but the Village will no longer sustain a loss on the grill as we did last year when the grill lost $11,000 for the season. Now the Village will receive a percentage of sales so we stand to make, rather than lose, a little revenue.

Our new Village Board has made a commitment that the Oak Brook Library will retain its’ regular hours of operation with no curtailment of the hours that our residents and patrons have come to enjoy at our Library. I want to dispel the rumor that the Library hours were going to be cut because this is not going to happen. Of necessity, the Board is making a closer scrutiny of costs and services everywhere. Some areas will need adjustment, but the Library hours are definitely not one of them.

The Old Bait and Switch

You may recall me complaining about the idiots that my opthalmologist has on her staff.

Saturday I found mumbled voice mail messages on both my cell and home phone telling me to call back, both found, of course, too late in the day for me to call back. The office is closed Mondays, so I didn't get Mouthbreathing Mumbler again until Tuesday afternoon, at which time she informs me that the frames I chose can't take plastic lenses and that it'll only be another $12 for polycarbonate lenses since they overcharged me on the first go-around. I told her no. Emphatically. Either the office should know this when they show you the frames and tell you up front or the lab should tell the office this within 24 hours of receiving the order that the lenses won't fit the frames. Notifying me that there's a problem ten days after my appointment, assuming one believes "This is mumblemuttereyecarbonite," is notification, is not acceptable.

Mumbles said she would ask the doctor. Mumbles called my HOME number a day later - this after confirming with me that my cell number was the best way to get in touch with me. I found the message when I came in this afternoon, after having had yet Another Dental Adventure.*  The phone conversation which followed was not pleasant. I refused to pay extra. I said I would be over next Wednesday to deal with this and hung up. I then emailed the doctor and told her she could either eat the $12 or put new lenses in my old frames - which is what I wanted them to do in the first place -  and refund to me and my insurance carrier the difference. Oh, and lose me as a patient, because there are plenty of VSP providers in the neighborhood.

I am going to go send George for a ride in the washing machine, have an Advil because now I have a frigging headache, and finish packing for GWW.

*Permanent crown has been placed, perio cleaning was done. I have to go back again in November.

EDIT: BTW, I'm wearing a pair of 1.0 drugstore reading glasses as I type this, 1.0 being the weakest you can get them in and working just dandy.

It pays to be able to write polite-nasty letters. I just received an email from my opthalmologist with - and in the correct order, no less =  profuse apologies for my trouble, agreement to provide me with the new frames and lenses at no additional charge, and an explanation as to what happened.  Mumbles didn't understand that the very light lens tint I get is covered by my plan as an occupational necessity, hence the overcharge. The lab evidently did attempt to make the lenses up in the material ordered, but evidently the combination of features required by my prescription is just rare enough that they didn't discover it was unworkable until they tried to cut the lenses to fit the frames.