MsKreed

For those who are responding to this quote.....I took it to mean she believed the City should have acted on repairing the Clock Tower 10-15 years ago (before the cost escalated), not the former church.

Thanks for the further information! The original New Bite wasn't clear and I assumed it was still a church. Either way, one would assume the Code Department posted the “imminent danger" notice with guidance to the owners not to "just let it fall down". It's up to the owner whether to rehabilitate/restore or demolish it....but they do need address the dangerous conditions that the Code Department has cited, and should be held fully liable if anyone is injured due to their neglect.

What do the FB devotees think the City of Elmira should do? It’s a privately owned church. It’s already tax exempt, and diverting taxpayer funds to a religious institution would be inappropriate. Its condition and lack of upkeep clearly indicate that the congregants and private community didn’t feel its historical value was worth investing in over the years. Perhaps all the people who suddenly have deep regard for this historical landmark needed to organize some fundraisers before it got to this point? It's reminiscent of The Little Red Hen. "We've never cared enough to worry about preserving it ourselves, but now we're clutching our pearls that no one else did either".

I sort of knew that from watching the Nick Cage movie National Treasure. But didn't recall that including the whole history. But just saw a show that explained the whole story that the HMS Resolute had been lost at sea. When it was discovered and retrieved by Americans, the President had it restored and returned to Great Britain as a gesture of good will. And then the desk was built and gifted when the ship was retired. Sadly, world leaders just don't have that kind of class anymore.

There are many (in fact, most) public properties where people are prohibited from free and unrestricted 24/7 use and access. We all know that City Hall and State or US Capitols are “public property”.....but we can be arrested for trespassing if we’re there outside of permissible hours. And that also applies to outdoor public spaces, as I mentioned in the Topic about the SCOTUS ruling that municipalities are legally allowed to ban homeless encampments.......

Also....Can we stop with the dog whistle bullsh*t claims that whenever someone says “Ka-MAH-La” instead of “Komma-La” it’s deliberate and a somehow a racist attack? The VP doesn’t have a trademark on that spelling, and millions of women around the world have pronounced it “Ka-MAH-La” for centuries. It’s understandable for people to reflexively use whichever pronunciation they are familiar with. Just like it’s understandable if a Texan visiting NYC sees Houston Street and pronounces it “Hew-ston” like the city they know instead of “How-stun”.

I agree the DNC have disenfranchised their own voters. Installing a nominee now....after they refused to let primary voters have anyone besides Biden as a choice, even though most registered Democrats wanted choices. It’s a different approach than they did in 2016, but the same premise that Dem voters can’t be trusted to nominate the candidate that the “Party” (or whomever Biden referred to as “the elites”) wants. It sure smells a lot like Animal Farm. For their part, the Republican Party did let their voters choose between several candidates, and their electorate keeps making the same bad choice they did before.

In related news.....Hochul announced plans to convert Bayview Correctional in Manhattan into "affordable housing for low-income residents and supportive housing for formerly incarcerated individuals". So eventually the released inmates could all be back in the same facilities....as residents. Source

Absolutely! Managers must be aware and sensitive to ‘micro-aggressions’ that are allegedly rooted in cis-gendered, white dominance. And make accommodations to counter any (real or perceived) ‘privilege’ imbalances. If someone with a special diversity designation is unable or unwilling to meet time or performance expectations, some of their duties need to be reallocated to other employees. So, even if their pay grade, title and job description are supposedly the same, some can be required to perform more work than others. Another (yes, extreme and fortunately not common) bizarre practice is essentially an exemption from long-existing sexual harassment violations. Instead of “don’t ask, don’t tell”.....the new paradigm is that asking questions is still unacceptable, but a non-binary employee is free to discuss uncomfortably explicit details of their identity. Historically, everyone was prohibited from making suggestive, intimate and/or graphic comments of a sexual nature. Full Stop (as it should be). We all know stuff that will get a straight white guy fired whether it's directed at anyone or not.....like telling a coworker "Boy howdy, I sure enjoy [insert fetish here]". But a non-binary person making the same comment? That's probably fine. Now there’s a double standard (that’s completely undefined and untenable). Those in a privileged class (whatever that may be) still face harsh consequences for such behavior. However, a DEI designated employee can’t be discouraged or prevented from ‘sharing their truth’....and coworkers, supervisors and subordinates need to STFU and appreciate the opportunity to demonstrate their tolerance.

Phone service through internet providers are “Voice over IP” (VoIP) that use the same endpoint equipment as “landlines” but are not the same. VoIP requires both internet access and electric power, while landlines work without any outside power source. Because of this, Homeland Security recommends that all Emergency Operations and Service providers at every level use true ‘landlines’ with corded handsets. We kept a “real” landline (not VoIP) for years for this reason. Unfortunately, service is ridiculously expensive. Local, regional and long distance are all separate services.....and a “non-use” surcharge is imposed every month that a minimum usage isn’t reached. So that was one expense that I decided to give up after my husband passed. The only calls we ever received on it were his parents, foreign scammers and political campaigns/polls. I still have a corded handset tucked away....and technically, landline providers are required by law to connect 911 calls even when a line isn’t in service. However, old landline infrastructure isn’t maintained and many providers like Verizon are transitioning to fiber-optic lines (FiOS) that need a power supply. So, the ability to make an emergency call is diminishing. That’s a shame....especially given the recent Crowdstrike outage that revealed how reliant on consolidated tech many vital services have become.

Day-umm..... Trump's PAC had this already produced and teed up to put out an hour after he withdrew.... https://x.com/i/status/1815096338335625505

I don’t what industry or job sector you work in, or what position you hold. Speaking from my own experience, I know that the impact of DEI policies on some functions, job titles and aspects of a business and/or public agency are less noticeable than others. As a supervising manager at a state agency, I can tell you we received considerably more “trainings” than our direct reports did. We received “guidance” that did indeed shape decisions on hiring, promotions, distribution of job duties, performance expectations and disciplinary actions. Those DEI rules carried as much (or more) weight as ADA compliance. It also dictated vendor and contractor considerations. Basically, straight up “quotas” for awarding bids on a DEI basis, that result in scarcity of qualified contractors and higher costs. Another overall impact that almost any industry faces is staffing cost/resources. At the upper management level.....DEI comprises entire departments/divisions. Just like facilities/operations, IT Security, production, or marketing divisions. For most large companies....DEI requires assistant VPs and administrators having meetings and forming committees to develop strategies, measure “success”; an entourage of support staff to disseminate training materials and track metrics; and dedicated “DEI Managers” job titles to oversee local sites and manage reporting requirements. That added payroll affects the bottom line. If it’s a government agency, that cost tax dollars. For a retail business, it unnecessarily drives up consumer costs.

Meanwhile.... Marianne Williamson Is Making A Play For Joe Biden’s DNC Delegates

Quite a difference from 10 years ago....

Our first impression of the carefully selected and curated "landscaping" at the entrance to Watkins Glen State Park was similar. It seemed 'shabby' and unkept'....particularly when some varieties aren't in bloom. Since it's not the manicured image that urban/suburban society has promoted for decades, we've sort of forgotten what native plants look like.

As far as definitions.... “affirming” and “affirmation” are the same as “validating” and “validation”. They’re pretty much synonymous. At some point, it became universally understood that excessive or constant need for validation is widely discussed in the DSM-5 as a clear symptom of several mental health disorders. As far as I can tell, that’s why social movements decided to use the word “affirm” to describe their demand for constant “validation” in all interactions. It’s like when governments impose a “fee” or “surcharge” and pretend that’s not the same as a “tax”.

If a Muslim, Jewish or Hindu restaurant owner offered catering, I wouldn't expect them to serve pork/beef at my event.

My first thought was that NYS strongly promotes 'native gardens'. Part of the multi-million dollar renovations to Watkins Glen State Park a few years ago was native plants at the entrance and sidewalk. The state's nicer newer rest areas also proudly feature native plant life. The concept of this woman's yard is well-recognized as superior to grass. Read More Here

This made me laugh, mostly because I could hear Columbo's voice so clearly in my head as I read it...

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I'm not sure how long TSC had a DEI program before this reversal, but I wonder......... When they had a DEI policy, would it have been a violation to assume the gender of the chicks that were sold as egg layers?

That's an increasing trend. And you're right, it has to be a big blow to brick & mortar pharmacies.