MsKreed

The State mandate for lifeguard supervision that I shared earlier has nothing to do with local police enforcement....whether more foot patrols or fewer officers on the EPD force, or any other policy that a City Official would have control over. If the City of Elmira were to re-open a public pool without lifeguards (in violation of the requirements outlined in the "Swimming Pool Safety Plan" filed with the State), then the State Department of Health (Bureau of Community Environmental Health and Food Protection), not the local "police" are the officials who oversee and enforce matters of NYS Public Safety regulations.

Exactly! Even if operators designate "accompanied by an adult" rules, the facility has to have lifeguards on duty. Aside from good common sense, and mitigating potential liability for personal injury, lifeguards are required by the mandatory "Swimming Pool Safety Plan" filed with the NYS Department of Health. See HERE

Im not sure about Brand...but I do know that was the case with Thorne Street pool in the Village of Horseheads. The goal was to provide a safe supervised place for kids spending summer days running around with neighbor kids, instead of local creeks and ponds. Hence the expectation of having trained lifeguards on duty like every other municipal pool that I have ever known of.... Brand, Thorne Street, West Elmira, Harris Hill, Dennison Park....every town in the Midwest that I ever lived in or visited. 🌞

Unfortunately, many parents do not provide sufficient supervision for their children. And when their own inattentiveness results in tragedy....some of those negligent parents file large lawsuits against the entities that own and operate the pool. Even in cases where the parents were there "keeping an eye on their child". https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/courts/2021/02/10/jacksonville-parents-sue-daytona-wave-pool-over-drowning-death-son/6703616002/ https://www.wmbfnews.com/2020/06/10/parents-year-old-drowning-victim-sue-myrtle-beach-hotel/ https://www.khou.com/article/news/katy-family-files-lawsuit-after-boy-drowns-in-neighborhood-pool/285-b9162494-46d6-4133-9260-3806059e3923

While I understand this point, specifically in relation to municipal pools.....I have to disagree with the premise that just because seasonal public recreation is only utilized by a limited population, it is necessarily a waste of taxpayer dollars. When it’s something like Youth Hockey, where the fees start at $300-400 plus the cost of equipment? Yes, I agree that’s a waste of taxpayer dollars. In that case we are talking about a “limited population” that is a niche group of middle-class families who pretty much have the means to participate in whatever recreation they choose. Wanting to stay cool isn’t confined to a niche group like hockey. It’s a pretty universal recreation. That’s why there are 10 million residential/privately owned pools in the US.....compared to 300,000 municipal pools. And with a public summer aquatic recreation (whether a pool, splash park or lake with public swimming, etc) the “limited population” utilizing them is often a demographic that has limited options to cool off at an affordable cost. Urban and low income residents are less likely to have “private” options than suburban or rural homeowners (more and more of whom have a backyard pool) and those living in middle-class condo/apartment complexes with a pool. So, while green, educational use of the space is great, and perhaps some commercial use (café, ice cream stand, etc)......I think a water feature should also be part of the plan. Some sort of splash park, with and play areas and multiple splashpads (that actually work) is far less construction cost, staffing, operational costs and considerations, and safety/liability concerns than a pool. And, although it may not be used by a huge segment of the City’s population.....I think it would be good for the community.

When I moved to the area as a young adult, I forced myself to start calling it "soda", as no one I knew seemed to say "pop". As a kid I lived in Northern KY, then moved to Iowa. It was "pop" or occasionally "soda pop". Just "soda" would have confused it with an "ice cream soda" that was a popular treat served at many restaurants.

You're spot on. While some are arguing that we need to find the funds and resources to rebuild, that pipe dream doesn't address the operation needs if it were rebuilt. And the struggle to recruit lifeguards is not an isolated problem or unique to those local pools ....it's a nationwide problem. It being reported in every national news outlet that: Lifeguard shortage may force half of public pools in U.S. to close or limit hours

Oh FFS.....I just looked up Yoto..... You're right. Hardly worth reporting, and it's sad that Billboard is thirsty enough for clicks that they made such an intentionally misleading headline. I thought it was an actual "Queen's Greatest Hits" album type release. Not knowing what "Yoto" was, I assumed from the story that anything with Queen, it was some normal platform/market that I just hadn't heard of.

I guess some might call that a little racy, but certainly not as explicit as a lot more stuff out there. So, it’s not clear if what “lyrical content” was the reason to leave it out. The article reads like the disclaimer about “adult themes” is for the songs that are on the album release....so is it sex and drugs OK, but ‘fat’ reference is too offensive??? It wouldn’t surprise me. I know I often hear radio playing a version of Dire Straits’ Money for Nothing that says “That little maggot, he’s a millionaire”.....and seldom hear “Lola” played at all. And I fully expect at some point in the near future, the question “All the same old cliches, ‘Is it woman, is it man?’ " will be cut from Bob Segar’s Turn The Page. LOL

For sure!! But in a purely “commercial” sense.....he’s pretty spot on. People would absolutely show up to see a sequel where the characters evolved years later into a plot twist that showed the couple in a different light. A lot the fans who watched the first movie (whether as football fans or just Sandra Bullock lovers), as well as those who didn’t watch but a whole new audience who tend to buy into and advocate the “white guilt angle.” And I bet she'd get another Oscar if she can pull off turning her role from a loving charitable "mom" into a selfish villain. LOL

I think another factor that's being overlooked is that more of the older Baby Boomers and back retired without debt. Especially mortgage debt, which often represents up to 30% or more of a household income. For that generation.....first homes were typically purchased when a couple was in their 20s or 30s with a 15-20 year mortgage. Even if they used their equity to upgrade to larger homes 10 or 15 years later, it was paid off well before retirement loomed. But now 30 years is the standard mortgage length and 40 years are offered in many places.....while 30 year mortgages were almost unheard of until the 1980s when interest rates skyrocketed. That was also followed by an explosion in home equity loans. Since solid real estate is a safe collateral banks offer way lower interest if you sign your equity over to them and keep extending your "housing costs" in 10-15 year increments. I've known people in their late 40s and 50s buying new homes with a 30 year mortgage that represents around 30% of their household income. Not kids just starting out...working couples earning dual incomes at "late career" tenured salaries. That point in career and experience is usually expected to be the highest income time of our lives. How do they (and the lenders) expect to keep paying that size mortgage up to age 75-80 (on top of inflation)?? To sign up for a plan to maintain that level of income up until that age....well (no shit) you're not likely going to "retire and simply enjoy the golden years” with that looming over your wallet. By the time their parents were reaching that 40-50, they were done with mortgages and could add all of that income to their savings. So it was OK to plan to retire with a monthly income much lower than they were bringing home while working, and still live comfortably.

I do recall reading about something to that effect. I don't know if the book was the same or not, but the movie did make his 'character' come off as borderline Down's Syndrome. I could understand his dismay. But expressing an opinion that you're a bit insulted by an author's portrayal of you is way different than a lawsuit against the family claiming they've stolen millions from you. I don't know who this Jason Whitlock is, but he has an interesting take on the issue.

Has anyone been following the "Blind Side" drama that's unfolding? Conservatorship under scrutiny amid public dispute between Michael Oher, Tuohy family I'm sure a lot more will come out from both sides. Even not a big football fan, I enjoyed the movie. But even if Oher's allegations are 100% true: the family exploited him and he got nothing from the book or movie, etc., I just can't wrap my head the people making Ridiculous calls for Sandra Bullock to return her The Blind Side Oscar

I sort of thought that was the case...that the Ag Society and Fair Board are essentially tenants that rent the fairgrounds from County like any other organization does throughout the year. Which begs the question....does the County have some Board of its own that is tasked with developing ideas and bringing in events? (Particularly regarding the proposed Community Center /Farm Market project). Or does the County pretty just wait for interested groups to submit an application to use the grounds and process the paperwork? It seems like a diverse group of people from the around community and local organizations (that can actively engage in generating interest and events) would be far more valuable than a “passive” ownership and management by the County (where the Building & Grounds Department simply processes applications as they are submitted and collects the requisite fees). Like the “team” Margeson has said the Arena will have. And honestly, I think the type of venue a new Building offers (along with the Fairgrounds as a whole – indoor usage, grandstands, all that space) would be far more practical, more utilized, and draw more visitors (local and out of area) than the Arena ever will.

I’m curious, aside from organizing the Fair through the Fair Board, does the Ag Society oversee/manage the Fairgrounds as a property/venue? I think we really need a year round Community Center that can host Flea Markets and Produce Markets like Lewisburg or the Windmill, as well as entertainment and community events. And I guess I’d hope to see a County Fairgrounds Board of some sort at the helm. With varied backgrounds and strengths, drawing from whole community beyond single organization (although the Ag Society is certainly an important group to have as part of the whole).

Hi, I think you meant to address that to me. And I most certainly did allude to my involvement in Foster Care. But apparently you overlooked the entire context in your haste to clutch your pearls over the word "obtuse".

Seriously?? I don't have to be a botanist to know the root systems of those trees stretch underground to a comparable breadth as the canopies. The tree roots are a good 20-30% of the foundation. Removing them would require jack-hammering which would destroy the entire foundation that's holding up the structure. So, I think the numerous groups and organizations who have raised funds (and dedicated time to finding a way to save it) had good reason to conclude that the task of repairing is not feasible If that looks to you like something that can be repaired with some scraping and painting, then I truly am embarrassed for you.

I disagree. When I made an analogy of welcoming foster kids (Maui victims), your smug jab telling "me" that I should consider foster care was indeed annoyingly insensitive....since your self-righteous ego showed zero sensitivity to what my personal history with the Foster Care system may be. And it sure seemed deliberate.

Have you looked into the condition of the facility, or are you just relying on what the sentiments of people who grew up swimming in that pool? I'll assume you didn't notice the link I provided twice in the topic to very good video about this pool from a local young man was shared on this site. Pay attention ----> HERE's the link AGAIN. That underlined text is called a "link" and if you click it, you can take 20 minutes of your time to see for yourself what people here are saying about the condition being far beyond something that can be rehabilitated perhaps understand why we are embarrassed for you when you suggest "volunteers to scrape and paint" as a solution. And, in case a 20 minute video is way too effort for you exert to learn about an issue that you seem so fervidly passionate about....perhaps you missed my earlier drone photo that shows the full grown trees growing in the pool floor (foundation of the structure):

That's rich. Perhaps you should consider refraining from making obtuse assumptions about how many foster children my family and I may or may not have hosted over the decades....or how many children we've adopted. And the fact that some of my family members are currently fostering at-risk children (that they chose to welcome into their home), in no way obligates them to extend their compassion and kindness to an inestimable number of lodgers who show up uninvited. Just like willingly helping Muai victims is not the same as being Involuntarily burdened by illegal migrants. Maui disaster: Approximately 13,000 residents involuntarily displaced during an unprecedented one-time event. Illegal Immigration: Over 100,000 intentional crossings every month as an ongoing occurrence. The current migration crisis might be less if, instead of broadening the definition of of "asylum seekers" to include things like just "not liking" their homeland.... we followed Amnesty International's definition (you can find the link HERE) Also...the international definition of a refugee used by both the UN Refugee Convention and Refugee Act of 1980 do not include anything about fleeing because of "lack of jobs" or "high crime rates":

Sort of like equating six random home intruders taking up residence in your home without permission....to being willing to arrange through proper channels to have one foster child stay in your home.

As I noted already..... If anyone advocating here to "save" the Pool has bothered to watch it, it seems like they're choosing to avoid the images of disrepair and don't want to talk about the real condition of the structure or the decades of effort and struggles outlined in the video, that led up to this point. The downtown parking garage is "not in great condition generally"....Brand Park Memorial Pool is what she said: There are several mature trees growing through the crumbled concrete floor of the pool....that is the building's foundation: No sane person who has looked at its condition (even with an untrained eye) would suggest that it can be "rehabilitated".....as if a couple of tons of sakrete, epoxy sealant and a coat of paint over the graffitti will do the trick. so yes....there is a question of money. It's not even a case of simply calling it a restoration by rebuilding "from the ground up"....but literally from some point several feet below ground where the root systems reach. And then paying astronomical premiums for what insurance companies refer to as an "attractive nuisance"....not just a little residential sized attractive nuisance, but a large, publicly accessible one. Exponential increases in liability/insurance costs are a major factor in the trend of more and more municipalities across the country abandoning the once common practice of operating public pools. We live in a litigious society where a minor injuries can result in huge legal settlements - let alone drowning hazards.

No. I do not. However, I'm doubtful that if I entered one of those countries (even legally as a tourist with a passport) that I'd be exempt from abiding by any of their laws that I'm unaware of. For instance, that there are "lengthy prison sentences public display of same sex relationships" or that "photography of government, military buildings and airports may lead to arrest" in Nigeria (link HERE). But by your "logic" (and vast travel experience to hundreds of countries) you're advising Chris that he can expect the Nigerian government to allow someone to freely violate these laws, since it's unreasonable to expect foreigners to know their arbitrary laws??? That notion is patently absurd. 🤣😂

I have no doubt that happens all too often....but more likely would just cancel the whole order rather than worry about whether my pre tip was sufficient to prevent it. FFS if 25% isn't enough for Door Douche....there's no way to kno wyou'll be safe.

Yeah...For me, the trends of tipping beforehand or for traditionally “non-tipped” services is more likely to lose my business than encourage higher (or any) tips. And I have always been a huge proponent of generously tipping when it’s appropriate for the service. I spent decades working at tipped jobs where by employers paid me half minimum wage myself. Waitstaff/bartenders, hotel housekeeping or bellhops, cab drivers, hair/nail salons.....even full service gas attendants (especially in bad weather or when they go out of the way to be helpful, wash a windshield, etc). I know it does two things.....1) offsets the low wages they get because Uncle Sam allows employer to short them. And will make them claim something as taxable income – which must be an amount the government assumes they received. And 2) It encourages better service. However....the expectation of tips in a job that makes a fair hourly wage and likely isn’t anticipated (required) to report cash tips is a huge greed grab. And tipping beforehand?? When you have no idea whether you will even get adequate service? There are very few situations that will encourage good service....like Chris said, to start the bartender out knowing their service will be appreciated. Otherwise, they will either feel they don’t need to earn what they already have. Or, as the article points out.... I do not ever want to feel extorted or bullied into over-tipping for an unknown quality of service to avoid having some entitled snot from "punishing" me for not meeting their inflated expectations. And pre-tipping a "high default tip amount" of even over 20% won't ensure the recipient will appreciate it. Like this Door Douche driver dropping F-bombs because he didn't think a 25% tip was ENOUGH