Earth Day 4/22/2021

Earth Day 4/22/2021

I always liked this poem by Walt Whitman -
 Appropriate for Earth Day

Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown, or to any man or number of men, go freely with powerful uneducated persons, and with the young, and with the mothers or families, re-examine all you have been told in school or church or in any book, and dismiss whatever insults your own soul; and your very flesh shall be a great poem.... ~ Walt Whitman ~ (from the Preface to Leaves of Grass, 1855)

  Enjoy 

Earth Day Video and plant a tree! qg

4/22/17

Here are some cool songs related to Earth Day -http://ultimateclassicrock.com/earth-day-songs/

4/22/06

Six years ago I planted a Washington Hawthorn Sampling I ordered from the Arbor Day Foundation. It looked something (smaller) like this when I pulled it out of a regular size mailing envelop:

4/23/12

Last year (June 2011) I took a picture and I'm proud to show it has grown wonderfully!!

4/22/20 - 9 Years later 

Happy Birthday Dano!

April 2nd is World Autism Day - SHINE

With the Global Covid 19 virus I can't help but wonder about all the routine movements, processes and help that is now so fragmented for people on the spectrum. Perhaps, others can now learn what it is like to have your "normal" life in such a disarray. Autism people have known this kind of stress their whole lives.

While sitting at home with the rest of the world I found this movie that was really good about an English lad who has autism. Check it out!

https://agoodmovietowatch.com/brilliant-young-mind-2014/

And of course, I really like the Good Doctor. However, the 2021 season has lost its gusto. Too many social issues and political correctness is ruining the show about ASD.

April 23 - Update

I was sent (Thank you Matthew) this link
https://www.wizcase.com/blog/internet-safety-guide-for-people-with-autism-spectrum-disorders/
that provides valuable information about internet safety for people with ASD.

Click link below for all my posts on Autism over the years. http://qualityg.blogspot.com/search/label/ASD%20-%20Autism%20Spectrum%20Disorders

or on the ASD Label (Left Sidebar) for more of my posts on Autism.

I was throwing away some old papers today when I came across this poem, I wrote 25 years ago...

SHINE!

At 11:45 we start to get antsy while he smiles like an old gray fox
At noon we go to our lockers and get our Sponge Bob lunch box
He then checks our shoelaces and pulls up our socks.

Then it’s back to class and get called in to line
We shuffle to the back because he said that’s where we shine
He walks with us quietly and whispers all will be fine.

As we walk quietly in line headed to the lunchroom we go
We then search for a place at a table where a friend might show
While the man who is with us sits across the room laying low.

Often times we don’t eat and we just play with our food
Then the lunch lady turns and signal to the man that we are being crude
He then stands where we can see; and gives us the “Look” we best eat before he gets in a mood.

After we eat we go to recess, sometimes it’s in, but we hope it’s out
It all depends if the flags are green hanging about
Yellow means stay inside then we groan and pout.
Today we go outside and play on the playground equipment
We hope a friend will stop and play even if for a minute
But most of the time we play alone and it seems to be infinite.

At 12:35 the whistle blows loud and sometimes we cover our ears
You see the decibel and noise level brings out some fears
But we know we are safe because our guardian is always near.

Another lunch has come and another has gone by
Sometimes we get into trouble and sometimes we cry
But mostly we wonder about friends and ask him WHY?

After we line up we will try not to talk and to stay in line
Then our teacher meets us and says you all look fine
And the man who walks behind smiles and says we SHINE!

Too Many 3 -Pointers in Basketball - No Way

 The NBA is at a breaking point with three-point shooting (msn.com)

Every few years - the NBA is wanting to change the rules because of the 3-pony shot.

Are NBA teams now shooting too many 3-pointers? - SBNation.com

Somebody is always complaining it is ruining the game and shooters are too good (Seth Curry).

The NBA is obsessed with 3s, so let's finally fix the thing (espn.com)

I was watching one of my favorite sport shows today call PTI - "Pardon The Interruption." The two hosts were debating if the rule should be changed and both had valid points.

Pardon The Interruption | Videos | Watch ESPN

However, why don't coaches come up with a defense (i.e., Box-n-1, or In your face man to man) to shut down the shooters and deny the pass to the other players.

Most NBA players do not like to play defense for and extended period of time which is an important part of the "real" game of basketball. The NBA is Hollywood Basketball. It's about entertainment and not the true game.

How many teams have that many high percentage 3-point shooters that if the other team played tight man to man the shot would be nullified for most of the time. A Box-n-1 of Steph Curry with rotating fresh defenders would deny him open looks.

Where are the genius coaches that can design a defense to restrict the shooters. Most are in college and High School where players listen and earn the right to play through hard work and relentless defense.

Don't cater to the elite Hollywood players and coaches. The game is fine, call the fouls that are fouls and referee the game according to the rules. The NBA does neither and has not for years.

March Madness - YES!!

You got nobody to blame but yourself - Part II

 Cuomo - 

Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s top aide privately apologized to Democratic lawmakers for withholding the state’s nursing home death toll from COVID-19 — telling them “we froze” out of fear that the true numbers would “be used against us” by federal prosecutors.

Cuomo aide Melissa DeRosa admits they hid nursing home data from feds (nypost.com)

Whitmer - 

There are others... including Cuomo's protégé who followed his lead in dealing with Covid in Michigan.

May 2020, Michigan’s Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced a new executive order directing nursing homes on how to care for COVID-19 patients. The orders looks eerily similar to New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s advisory requiring elderly people with positive COVID-19 diagnosis be readmitted to nursing facilities.

Editorial: Whitmer order endangers nursing homes; end it now (detroitnews.com)

Whitmer nixes bill to direct COVID-19 patients away from nursing homes (detroitnews.com)

Michigan AG Won't Investigate Whitmer over Nursing Home Deaths (breitbart.com)

 

Why am I angered over this issue?

qualityg says ...: Covid Memorial at Senior Community - Why so many??

6 1/2 Hours of Frustration - Thanks GE

 Years ago when I was growing up the Phone Company used to be known for terrible customer service when trying to get a problem resolved. Over the years the cable and computer companies have taken over that top spot for customer frustration.

Since last week I have spent over 6 1/2 hours speaking to six different service reps a parts person, and two consumer affair people. 

I was dropped once and each time I sat in a que for at least a half hour and twice I waited over two hours for a call back.

Two reps were rude and and would not let me speak. Two different reps said they ordered a $25.00 part (Under warranty - appliance is only 3 months old). Later, I found out they did not from a consumer relations rep.

The worst part is they all the reps refuse to give me a tracking number so I can follow Fed Ex. How ridiculous is that! I still don't have the part.

I did see my Service Request on their web site but today it mysteriously vanished so I had to call back to Consumer Relations. The wait was so long I plugged in my number and waited 1/1/2 hours for a call back. Supposedly the part is now ordered ( No Tracking number) and I am supposed to get a call from a new repair company/person.

They said I need a service call but they have no one available for over 2 weeks. They said a 3rd party appliance person would contact me. They gave me a number to call and when I did the person told me he would not accept the service call from GE because he did not sell me the appliance. So I had to call GE back and tell them their system is at fault and spent another hour trying to get through while on HOLD! The last Rep I talked to was very kind and helpful ( Documented the problem in notes where others did not) and seemed to understand my frustration. Unfortunately, she said she ordered the part but later found out she did not according to the Consumer Relations Rep.

GE used to be one of the best run companies in the world. Over the past 20 years it has gone to disarray and poor craftmanship and service.

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2019-general-electric-rise-and-downfall/

The stock price ranges form 5 to 12 dollars. Shame on me for buying their product. They had the only model and size that matched our needs.