tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12018457653724865602024-03-09T14:43:43.358-08:00ATR Adventures Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.comBlogger391125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-54236078199004783882024-02-26T09:44:00.000-08:002024-03-03T10:48:27.445-08:00Meandering thoughts this February (updated link)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWTe0PlI1u5u2PXQdH1CQUm5TNS0El0lyBJtjlAd_LsBW1ddCEohTZYy_kBWOHWxqPSp4AnSU4jwoFpSye44SPPLOF5XCDUAuLrI4hMFyWyDlWi8ck7_QHzXtCLrWFpYLTs_72lKyQYMC75z2tjmJDo8aZox0noe50qhN8z3SE-rau6kbulHYK1Dd6Q6Y/s4032/IMG_1553.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWTe0PlI1u5u2PXQdH1CQUm5TNS0El0lyBJtjlAd_LsBW1ddCEohTZYy_kBWOHWxqPSp4AnSU4jwoFpSye44SPPLOF5XCDUAuLrI4hMFyWyDlWi8ck7_QHzXtCLrWFpYLTs_72lKyQYMC75z2tjmJDo8aZox0noe50qhN8z3SE-rau6kbulHYK1Dd6Q6Y/s320/IMG_1553.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Time seems to be flying by. The weather said nothing about rain, but it’s teaming right now and cold. I’ve been trying to exercise more and feel about 102 (years not pounds) on a good day. I was in the Bahamas the week before President’s week on a great Italian cruise line. (That’s one of the perks of being retired - you can take advantage of vacations when kids are in school.) I’m not much of a cruise guy, but my wife loves it. The food was great, but it comes with a price and it isn’t (only) money. But, enough about that. That is all trivial in reality. I still keep hoping that people can do something to bridge the growing divide and find common ground in anything. There is so much hatred and divisiveness everywhere now. I had hoped that it would die down once Trump was out of office. I really don’t want to see him back in again and not because his policies are wrong, but because of what he does to people. It’s a vicious cycle of hate. The people that hate him are as bad, or worse, than the people who love him. There’s very little difference. Their common ground is their mutual hate of one another. But, there’s no way that Biden should remain an office. He should be removed immediately. Not that I’m enamored or unconcerned that Ms. Word Salad 😵💫 would be in charge - its a very frightening thought. But hey, she’s the vice president - let’s see what she can do. It would be impossible to be worse than Joe Biden. In fact, it would have to be intentional. </p><p>The hatred that was born out of the Trump presidency, and of those elected worldwide leaders that emulate him, have made the world a powder keg. That hatred has burned and spurred a worldwide progressive left movement to bigger and crazier ideas, regardless of efficacy, relevance or common sense. Good intentions seem to be the only thing that matters. One of the left’s major unspoken, unwritten and unpopular doctrines is unfettered immigration. It , in almost every western country, has become a rallying cry for the left and right. It’s causing a shift of seismic proportions - politically, demographically, economically and culturally. European countries are losing their identities and culture. There are areas in England, where people don’t speak English. It’s the same in Germany, France, and it’s quickly spreading to other countries who have historically and culturally been the oppressed and were not colonialists, such as Ireland. The United States has had a rich history of welcoming (and also of hate towards) immigrants, but never an open board policy that welcomes almost everyone, regardless of their preparedness or our’s. It is creating a volatile situation that will have long range repercussions. It is evident on a micro and macro level. Mayor Adams was right about one thing - that the immigration situation here in New York City has the potential to completely destroy it. I would venture to say we are well on that path. I believe that something needs to be said or done (heavens to Murgatroyd) by the Uft, because as the money runs out in New York City, it will up the rhetoric for our healthcare and potentially our pensions. (I know some of you will say that cannot be done because there has to be a constitutional convention. All they have to do is call an emergency one because of the lack of funds in this city.) It is that bad. <a href="https://youtu.be/v7_4niZDaSo?si=qwBazEoVqlAOibLW">https://youtu.be/v7_4niZDaSo?si=qwBazEoVqlAOibLW</a> <a href="https://youtu.be/oqwXT_mzxtY?si=KHzh1W6JqI2AZj7R">https://youtu.be/oqwXT_mzxtY?si=KHzh1W6JqI2AZj7R</a></p><p>And let me add I have absolutely nothing against immigrants. It is unbelievably wrong to let millions of them in here without any type of plan or system of support in place. It’s wrong for them and it’s wrong for us. I also find it incredibly wrong that some of the students that are graduating with my daughter this May are facing deportation if they don’t find a job in their field of study. She has already seen several female friends deported who graduated last year with honors in engineering. These are incredible kids that speak the language, love the country and have much to offer our society. Have a great rest of the month. Spring will eventually arrive. </p>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-38644910229982455482024-02-07T06:53:00.000-08:002024-02-07T06:53:42.991-08:00February <p><br /></p>February is one of my favorite months. The winter is half over, but February reigns gloriously - not because of it, but in spite of it. February is incredibly generous and kind - especially to teachers - it gives us a week off, Martin Luther King Day, the Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day. The days are getting longer, and the sun is getting brighter. It gives us hope.<p></p><p>Last night I wasn’t feeling well and went to bed early. Trying to sleep, I was strongly compelled to pray for James, which I did. The first thing I did this morning was look to see if something had happened. When I saw the ICE blog, and it’s news, a great sadness enveloped me, but also a sense of peace - his struggle is over. </p><p>James was a glorious person - magnificent in his kindness, generosity and friendship. May G-d bless James, his family and friends.</p>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-47251591111207570132024-01-11T16:20:00.000-08:002024-01-12T10:13:00.969-08:00Mulgrew Cries to the Heavens!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="509" data-original-width="821" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfq6NpbWKwccIdHY5_CQ6zVOkdF4behJeuxnwF3jFeug1Lgy9-z7hjBaTId1cdVGwjTmj8Rq6PEF7TMonqf4r2p2K2GzsZiMpvvKOp6o5-XNloRL5f1cqwrD_iniyjiEbHsFzQXG0H4GPb6nbaDrO1v1z2NfPy-1ZgZwEyEVBQqxCKAeRv8-ntBm7j_y4/s320/IMG_1435.jpeg" width="320" /></div> <div><div> Being a public school teacher in NYC is difficult. One of the most basic challenges is simply getting to work. If one is fortunate enough to be able to live in the five boroughs, there is public transportation - an option which is increasingly dangerous, unsanitary, and unreliable. For those (the vast majority) who live outside the city, the only option is driving. For decades it has been a perennial challenge. It became increasingly difficult after Bloomberg’s initial eruption as mayor. The importance of parking cannot be underestimated. Many teachers accept or decline positions at a school based solely on its parking situation. Many union reps regard parking as the most important concern of their staffs. Their ardent pleas to city officials were/are often ignored. Those pleas were then taken to the Uft, which was viewed as a powerful organization that could actually get something done. Unfortunately, this was usually not the case, as many working in the union were unperturbed by what they viewed as a trivial issue. I remember being at one meeting with hundreds of ATRs who bitterly complained about the lack of parking (because we weren’t permanent staff members) and the union reps there making no attempt to even fake concern. (The last school I was sentenced to I paid $20 per day to park -and was happy to have the option - I was in that school for most of a year.) So imagine my surprise when I read that Mr. Mulgrew is filing suit over congestion pricing for cars going into Manhattan south of 68th Street. Mulgrew’s Shangri-La is located at 52 Broadway, which is of course south of 68th Street. He hasn’t filed this suit because there were mass meetings complaining about it, or union reps from across the city asking for it, or there was a vote taken or attempted. Mulgrew’s cries to the heavens are for the residents of Staten Island, the children of the South Bronx and anyone else he can think of (teachers are never part of that group). All are listed except the real reason - he and his staff’s wallets. <a href="https://www.thechiefleader.com/stories/uft-staten-island-bp-file-suit-to-halt-congestion-pricing-plan,51736">https://www.thechiefleader.com/stories/uft-staten-island-bp-file-suit-to-halt-congestion-pricing-plan,51736</a></div></div>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-74530801050953902542023-12-24T08:55:00.000-08:002023-12-24T08:55:44.743-08:00Christmas Greetings! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgulobPL505dsgVFlSEE1obx_nZ_XIJE0hk4FyPUxl0PyR5Gy9OppyDE0jCxtatZo8CU8iPRBo7MXRocnEou7b4NBvZw2wMML0n2kbMOUlVwFEkT9AGW0uDiue0Iike-wY-uXDZ9fIEeindVEilbZ7tG6uJovnQKQyWR3y7IzKGBuFBSvdT_oMesxnVGg/s760/2015_%202_15_11_%200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="760" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgulobPL505dsgVFlSEE1obx_nZ_XIJE0hk4FyPUxl0PyR5Gy9OppyDE0jCxtatZo8CU8iPRBo7MXRocnEou7b4NBvZw2wMML0n2kbMOUlVwFEkT9AGW0uDiue0Iike-wY-uXDZ9fIEeindVEilbZ7tG6uJovnQKQyWR3y7IzKGBuFBSvdT_oMesxnVGg/s320/2015_%202_15_11_%200.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p> Well, it’s that time of year again. I have the building decorated to the hilt. I have the ugly Christmas elves named after all of my enemies and I have a new custom made one. I usually buy all the building’s decorations at the Dollar Tree and charge the coffer 50 times the total amount. I gather various receipts from my inner cadre and use them as proof of expenses. Why am I telling you this? To let you quarter-wits know that I can’t be touched and even if I take everything from right in front of your noses, I will remain in power - because I am the PRESIDENT and I know what’s best for you. Do not question me on anything! I am going to shove Medicare Advantage straight up your keisters! How dare you try to fight me on this! I just got back from the West Indies and had a beautiful doll made up with Marianne‘s face and measurements. I’m sticking pins in it as we speak. She’ll be praying for Medicare Advantage by the end of the day. Oh, what a wonderful Christmas! Try to enjoy it, while you can. </p>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-86378186496778538252023-12-10T19:25:00.000-08:002023-12-15T18:19:00.861-08:00A Nuanced Approach to the Israeli - Hamas Conflict <p> I have to believe there are many people struggling to come to terms with what’s going on in the Middle East with Israel and Gaza. It’s complicated, in that there are so many facets to this situation that aren’t readily apparent to most people - it includes the manipulation of information, natural resources, currency, and the ultimate goal for a centralized absolute authority. In simpler terms it’s about money and power. There is a determined push to dehumanize us all. Just as Hamas dehumanized the Israeli victims which they tortured, killed and raped - Hamas, the military industrial complex and many eagerly desire a dehumanized response from Israel of hate and anger. The censorship of information here has resulted in many people protesting against Israel, refusing and denying that Hamas did anything at all. Amazingly some protesters will outright argue that Hamas did not do what they did on October 7th and that it is just Israeli propaganda - or worse that Israel had it coming. Here’s some clips I found this evening from two guys I respect and like to watch occasionally. I wish everyone a Happy Hanukkah. I know it’s very difficult time.</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/Pk_HhlS7u00?si=xC-DQcP3v0CfC7gP">https://youtu.be/Pk_HhlS7u00?si=xC-DQcP3v0CfC7gP</a></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/pC_1_q3pfLw?si=OAD5d2ccCeRo6qHn">https://youtu.be/pC_1_q3pfLw?si=OAD5d2ccCeRo6qHn</a></p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/68fd7BJ50BM?si=8GCYxW3dPKqo4fMY">https://youtu.be/68fd7BJ50BM?si=8GCYxW3dPKqo4fMY</a></p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/H1lYUZDs27A?si=2patVfkSu78xrYID">https://youtu.be/H1lYUZDs27A?si=2patVfkSu78xrYID</a></p>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-71310163430529440152023-12-07T13:54:00.000-08:002023-12-07T13:54:18.428-08:00The Opposite of What We Have - Is What We Should Want<p> I watched this clip this afternoon, and started doing a slow burn. The slow burn came not from Marianne‘s actions, thoughts and comments, but from the absence of all that from Mulgrew and the Uft. Marianne keeps everyone informed and casually answers questions straight up - this is in stark contrast to what can only be described as the intricate weavings of fabrication towards the ultimate goal of deceit, robbery and propaganda coming from the Uft and Mulgrew. Thus her grace and poise are strikingly distinct from Mulgrew‘s double talking, lies, and fawningly bad acting. Mulgrew is a complete disgrace. </p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/4wfw6Vv30XE?si=KV9XSuk2d2Rf80tz">https://youtu.be/4wfw6Vv30XE?si=KV9XSuk2d2Rf80tz</a></p>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-82457727760698346742023-12-01T11:52:00.000-08:002023-12-01T12:01:22.356-08:00Anger and Despair = Central Control Opportunity <p> It appears that in almost every country right now, there is a growing tsunami of anger. I personally believe it’s only a matter of time before we see drastic reactionary violence here, and in other countries, and not by those ‘usual suspects’ (the poor, minorities and the historically disaffected) of the past. What creates the recipe for this violence and how is it an expected opportunity for those who wish to control us? Violence is usually a last ditch effort of abject despair. While there are many that may feel we are not there, I would add the word ‘yet’. We the people - middle-class people, those who deeply care about the environment, those who deeply care about individual freedoms and those who take their oath to the constitution seriously. As our individual freedoms are slowly (and in some cases very quietly and quickly) taken from us, there may be a knee jerk reaction of despair , which can result in extreme violence (i.e. domestic terrorism). It’s definitely my hope that this does not happen, but there seems to be a manipulation towards that end. If these things do happen our government, and governments around the world, will clamp down and make the Patriot Act look like a jaywalking warning. Beware, everything is being basically set up toward that goal. There are, however, many people who are fighting this, and it’s bipartisan in many respects. Clandestine factions within our government have gotten used to not being accountable, hiding information, getting funds without accountability, and treating the American people like they are cognitively challenged children. Is it any wonder George Santos was elected and decided to do what he did? It’s a natural progression on an individual level of what is seen daily by the American people. The following videos are very pertinent to what I’ve just discussed. </p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/OHKlt-ik95Q?si=t9SBe6l0xdBy0Sku">https://youtu.be/OHKlt-ik95Q?si=t9SBe6l0xdBy0Sku</a></p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/p7WRjVU0ZWA?si=Lk3p30fl7l6Hr-7_">https://youtu.be/p7WRjVU0ZWA?si=Lk3p30fl7l6Hr-7_</a></p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/eUWvTNdhIfE?si=gYHRbjpXn-rt_i9-">https://youtu.be/eUWvTNdhIfE?si=gYHRbjpXn-rt_i9-</a></p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/2Rllivf-fqQ?si=qZ7gnZRwO7bLkNV1">https://youtu.be/2Rllivf-fqQ?si=qZ7gnZRwO7bLkNV1</a></p>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-84110937617175449632023-09-23T14:29:00.005-07:002023-09-23T14:48:50.625-07:00History - Fantasies Told by the Victors<div class="separator"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-SLLVmIclVN7yHASxuS05R1IcjZBcIZYsaOVb2DrkdMIh2EpTGC85H3Jaox-AGy5n7qcY4RE1pBNg6ZSZpZtZudvPOXXztQk8Ap-HUrasiTxl9pc01qa6tkgO96BdmJoxuNbcaC3BUyHltj59wEltY5ehXpo9dz8bb5dXY2zu5F0TBOZjORrrByEsgY8/s965/IMG_0061.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="965" data-original-width="672" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-SLLVmIclVN7yHASxuS05R1IcjZBcIZYsaOVb2DrkdMIh2EpTGC85H3Jaox-AGy5n7qcY4RE1pBNg6ZSZpZtZudvPOXXztQk8Ap-HUrasiTxl9pc01qa6tkgO96BdmJoxuNbcaC3BUyHltj59wEltY5ehXpo9dz8bb5dXY2zu5F0TBOZjORrrByEsgY8/s320/IMG_0061.jpeg" width="223" /></a></div></div><div class="separator"><br /><p style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">As bad as things seem to be getting, people are awakening in all facets - art, science and history. This one is for you James (get well soon)- <a href="https://youtu.be/Vb0BKH3z1zs?si=0vgO8zgDOGobUnp1">https://youtu.be/Vb0BKH3z1zs?si=0vgO8zgDOGobUnp1</a> <a href="https://youtu.be/VUHd5vrA7eQ?si=Agvk-SwJpqfqR7Kb">https://youtu.be/VUHd5vrA7eQ?si=Agvk-SwJpqfqR7Kb</a> </p><p style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></p></div><p><br /></p>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-44289710676165893852023-06-26T09:24:00.005-07:002023-06-27T06:02:16.401-07:00A Rough Road Ahead <p> I just read an article saying that math and reading scores are at their lowest since 1990 for the average 13 year old.<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/21/us/naep-test-results-education.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare"> https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/21/us/naep-test-results-education.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare</a> Well, 1990 was the year I started teaching. I had a PPT certificate , which was a temporary license to teach basically anything. I had five preps my first year and I was teaching reading, math and social studies to 7th and 9th graders in a junior high in the South Bronx. Most of the kids did struggle, but they all tried. I remember setting up a reading lab with plants, bookshelves, club chairs and tons of high interest novels. I had some great success with those students. Skip forward 33 years and things are so bad that they are unbelievable - <a href="https://youtu.be/4P7QyJ7cUfs">https://youtu.be/4P7QyJ7cUfs</a> Politicians and the media would like you to believe that it was the lockdown that caused it. It’s not, it’s cell phones and the decline of civilization. <a href="https://youtu.be/DZt4EDqB58Q">https://youtu.be/DZt4EDqB58Q</a></p><p><br /></p>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-13146486903217424412023-06-19T05:28:00.007-07:002023-06-19T05:30:54.418-07:00The NY Post Skews Reality on the Backs of Teachers (Again)<p> One of my daily rituals is to read the New York Post. I also subscribe to the New York Times. If I am to be honest, I enjoy the Post much more. I think it’s because I’m allowed to argue and fight with the overwhelming amount of absurdly moronic readers of that venue. They have a comment section that seems to attract every neanderthal in the New York region. The sparring is quite addictive and enjoyable. Check out the latest - an incredibly shortsighted biased article that moved my blood pressure up this morning. The author’s bit on healthcare coverage was especially infuriating . One of the commenters, a Horace Mann, mentions something in the comments that I found very interesting —</p><div class="components-common-MessageRow-index__messageRow components-MessageDetails-index__message-details-wrapper" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; align-items: center; column-gap: 6px; display: flex; flex-flow: row nowrap; grid-auto-flow: column; justify-content: space-between; row-gap: 6px; white-space: nowrap;"><div class="components-common-MessageCol-index__messageCol components-MessageDetails-index__left" style="align-items: flex-start; display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: start;"><div class="components-common-MessageRow-index__messageRow" style="align-items: center; column-gap: 6px; display: grid; grid-auto-flow: column; justify-content: start; row-gap: 6px;"><span class="Menu__menuButtonContainer--11-4-6 src-components-Username-index__truncated src-components-Username-index__nonButton" color="var(--spotim-color-scheme-l5)" style="cursor: default; display: inline-flex; font-size: var(--spotim-font-size-t4); overflow: hidden; pointer-events: none; text-overflow: ellipsis;"><div class="Menu__menuButtonWrapper--11-4-6" style="display: inline-flex; width: 101.46875px;"><span class="Typography__text--11-4-6 Typography__t4--11-4-6 Typography__l6--11-4-6 src-components-Username-index__wrapper src-components-Username-index__truncated" color="var(--spotim-text-color-muted)" data-spot-im-class="message-username" face="var(--spotim-font-family-username)" style="background-image: none; border: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: var(--spotim-font-size-username); letter-spacing: var(--spotim-letter-spacing-username,var(--spotim-letter-spacing-t4)); line-height: 1.5em; margin-block: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1px; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-transform: var(--spotim-text-transform-username);">“Horace Mann</span></div></span></div><div class="components-common-MessageRow-index__messageRow" style="align-items: center; column-gap: 6px; display: grid; grid-auto-flow: column; justify-content: start; row-gap: 6px;"><div class="components-common-MessageRow-index__messageRow" style="align-items: center; column-gap: 6px; display: grid; grid-auto-flow: column; justify-content: start; row-gap: 6px;"><span class="Typography__text--11-4-6 Typography__t5--11-4-6 Typography__l5--11-4-6 components-PrettyDate-index__dateFormat" color="var(--spotim-text-color-date-format,var(--spotim-color-scheme-l5))" face="var(--spotim-font-family-date-format,var(--spotim-font-family-t5))" style="display: inline; font-size: var(--spotim-font-size-date-format,var(--spotim-font-size-t5)); letter-spacing: var(--spotim-letter-spacing-date-format,"normal"); line-height: var(--spotim-line-height-date-format,var(--spotim-line-height-t5)); margin-block: 0px; text-transform: var(--spotim-text-transform-date-format,none);"><time data-spot-im-class="message-timestamp" title="11h ago">11h ago</time></span></div></div></div><div class="components-common-MessageRow-index__messageRow components-MessageDetails-index__right" style="align-items: center; align-self: baseline; column-gap: 6px; display: grid; flex-grow: 0; grid-auto-flow: column; justify-content: start; row-gap: 6px;"><div class="components-MessageContextMenu-index__message-context-menu" data-open-web-class="comment-options-menu-button" data-openweb-allow-amp="true" data-spot-im-class="context-menu" style="align-items: center; display: flex; outline: none; z-index: 15;" title="Options"><span class="Menu__menuButtonContainer--11-4-6" color="var(--spotim-color-scheme-l5)" style="display: inline-flex; font-size: var(--spotim-font-size-t4);"><div class="Menu__menuButtonWrapper--11-4-6" style="display: inline-flex; width: 24px;"><button aria-label="Open menu options" class="Button__button--11-4-6 Button__action--11-4-6 Button__isEllipsis--11-4-6 Button__hoverBackground--11-4-6 Button__circle-icon--11-4-6 Menu__defaultMenuButton--11-4-6 components-MessageContextMenu-index__contextMenuButton" style="align-items: center; border-radius: 50%; border: none; color: var(--spotim-text-color-action,var(--spotim-color-scheme-l5)); cursor: pointer; display: flex; font-family: var(--spotim-font-family-action,var(--spotim-font-family-t5)); font-size: var(--spotim-font-size-t4); height: fit-content; justify-content: center; letter-spacing: var(--spotim-letter-spacing-action,var(--spotim-letter-spacing-t5)); max-width: 100%; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 3px; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-transform: var(--spotim-text-transform-action,none); transform: rotate(90deg);" type="button"><span class="Button__contentWrapper--11-4-6" style="align-items: center; display: flex; justify-content: center; width: 18px;"><svg viewbox="0 0 128 512" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M64 208c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48s-21.5 48-48 48-48-21.5-48-48 21.5-48 48-48zM16 104c0 26.5 21.5 48 48 48s48-21.5 48-48-21.5-48-48-48-48 21.5-48 48zm0 304c0 26.5 21.5 48 48 48s48-21.5 48-48-21.5-48-48-48-48 21.5-48 48z"></path></svg></span></button></div></span></div></div></div><div class="components-MessageContent-index__messageEntitiesWrapper" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-top: calc(var(--spotim-message-margins, 5px) - 3px);"><div class="components-MessageContent-components-MessageEntities-MessageEntities__message-entities components-MessageContent-components-MessageEntities-MessageEntities__is-column undefined" style="flex-direction: column; margin-bottom: -2px; max-width: var(--spotim-max-reading-width); position: relative;"><span class="Typography__text--11-4-6 Typography__t4--11-4-6 Typography__l6--11-4-6" color="var(--spotim-color-scheme-l6)" face="var(--spotim-font-family-t4)" style="display: inline; font-size: var(--spotim-font-size-t4); letter-spacing: var(--spotim-letter-spacing-t4); line-height: 1.5em; margin-block: 0px;"><div class="richie-entities__entity__7d9542036c55fd69 richie-entities__text-entity__8aeaf023f0a08223 richie-entities__isEdited__ae6ad2f28afbb3e9" data-edited-text="(Edited)" data-spot-im-class="message-text" style="line-height: var(--spotim-line-height-message-text,1.5em); margin-bottom: 10px; margin-inline-start: 1px; min-height: 1px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-break: break-word; zoom: 1;"><blockquote class="richie-entities__blockquote__a6f7838e6bc3276a" style="border-left: 3px solid var(--spotim-color-scheme-l3); color: var(--spotim-color-scheme-l4); font-style: italic; margin: 6px 0px 0px; padding-left: 1rem;"><p style="margin-block: 0px;">Unlike pensions, the state constitution doesn’t guarantee ..</p></blockquote><p style="margin-block: 0px;"></p><p style="margin-block: 0px;">Hmm. I shall search for that disgraceful, special interest, taxpayer hostile provision .. Yep. There it is. Article 5 §7:</p><p style="margin-block: 0px;"></p><p style="margin-block: 0px;"><em>After [7/1/40], membership in any pension or retirement system of the state or of a civil division thereof shall be a contractual relationship, the benefits of which shall not be diminished or impaired.</em></p><p style="margin-block: 0px;"></p><p style="margin-block: 0px;">It looks like the communists pushed this through in NYS' Constitutional Convention of '38. <strong>Outrageous</strong>. Abolish PERS. Oh, and gov't workers and their financial dependents should NOT be allowed to vote in a GE.”</p><p style="margin-block: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin-block: 0px;">Read the entire article at your own risk. <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/06/18/with-no-room-to-raise-taxes-where-will-adams-find-the-money-for-his-pricey-union-deals/?utm_source=url_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons" style="font-family: var(--spotim-font-family-t4); letter-spacing: var(--spotim-letter-spacing-t4);">https://nypost.com/2023/06/18/with-no-room-to-raise-taxes-where-will-adams-find-the-money-for-his-pricey-union-deals/?utm_source=url_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons</a></p><p style="margin-block: 0px;"><br /></p></div></span></div></div>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-67455474930617687012023-05-30T07:04:00.009-07:002023-05-30T08:02:04.581-07:00Denials and the Devastation of Sickness <p> One of my buddies sent me this, an email referencing an article from the Washington Post - it’s content is quite good and pertains to some of the things that could happen as the UFT actively works against us (again). </p><p>Give it a read, and then listen to this poem ‘Hell is a Lonely Place’, by Charles Bukowski. </p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/dwFNS-sNPEk">https://youtu.be/dwFNS-sNPEk</a> </p><p><strong style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20.16px;"><em>Denials of health-insurance claims are rising — and getting weirder</em>, Elisabeth Rosenthal, The Washington Post</strong><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20.16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20.16px;">Millions of Americans in the past few years have run into this experience: filing a health-care insurance claim that once might have been paid immediately but instead is just as quickly denied. If the experience and the insurer’s explanation often seem arbitrary and absurd, that might be because companies appear increasingly likely to employ computer algorithms or people with little relevant experience to issue rapid-fire denials of claims — sometimes bundles at a time — without even reviewing the patient’s medical chart; a job title at one company was “denial nurse.”</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20.16px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20.16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20.16px;">It’s a handy way for insurers to keep revenue high — and just the sort of thing that provisions of the Affordable Care Act were meant to prevent. Because the law prohibited insurers from deploying a number of previously profit-protecting measures such as refusing to cover patients with preexisting conditions, the authors worried that insurers would compensate by increasing the number of denials.</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20.16px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20.16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20.16px;">A recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) of plans on the Affordable Care Act marketplace found that even when patients received care from in-network physicians — doctors and hospitals approved by these same insurers — the companies in 2021 nonetheless denied, on average, 17 percent of claims. One insurer denied 49 percent of claims in 2021; another’s turndowns hit an astonishing 80 percent in 2020. Despite the potentially dire impact that denials have on patients’ health or finances, data shows that people appeal only once in every 500 cases.</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20.16px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20.16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20.16px;">Sometimes, the insurers’ denials defy not just medical standards of care but also plain old human logic...</span></p>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-91181801202413160942023-05-28T18:00:00.006-07:002023-05-29T17:44:09.826-07:00Sign the Petition- 10k needed (6/9/23 deadline)<p> There’s 10,000 signatures needed to bring the Uft‘s nonsense to vote. If you haven’t signed it, please do, and if you have -pass it on. Remember, this can be signed by working teachers, and those who have retired. </p><p>Sign at <a href="https://egjeqv.clicks.mlsend.com/te/cl/eyJ2Ijoie1wiYVwiOjM0MTk4OSxcImxcIjo4OTQ2MzU4NzY4NTI3MDkxOSxcInJcIjo4OTQ2MzU5MTE1ODE1NDUzNn0iLCJzIjoiMWEwNzQ0NzU3Mjg4NjI2NCJ9" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">https://egjeqv.clicks.mlsend.com/te/cl/eyJ2Ijoie1wiYVwiOjM0MTk4OSxcImxcIjo4OTQ2MzU4NzY4NTI3MDkxOSxcInJcIjo4OTQ2MzU5MTE1ODE1NDUzNn0iLCJzIjoiMWEwNzQ0NzU3Mjg4NjI2NCJ9</a></p>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-75909418978681627642023-05-26T17:54:00.001-07:002023-05-26T17:54:23.908-07:00A Message from the Party of Deceit <p> And now, for a message from the Party of Deceit, aka UNITY, for those who don’t know better. Read at your own risk. (A great challenge for those of us who are trying to reach enlightenment.)</p><div class="m_-2521685211167695256u-row-container" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; padding: 0px;"><div class="m_-2521685211167695256u-row" style="margin: 0px auto; max-width: 660px; min-width: 320px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word;"><div style="border-collapse: collapse; display: table; height: 198px; width: 660px;"><div class="m_-2521685211167695256u-col m_-2521685211167695256u-col-100" id="m_-2521685211167695256u_column_3" style="display: table-cell; max-width: 320px; min-width: 660px; vertical-align: top;"><div style="background-color: #c2e0f4; height: 198px; width: 660px;"><div class="m_-2521685211167695256v-col-padding" style="border: 0px solid transparent; box-sizing: border-box; height: 198px; padding: 15px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="m_-2521685211167695256u_content_image_2" role="presentation" style="font-family: Lato, sans-serif; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" style="padding: 0px 15px; word-break: break-word;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" style="padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px;"><img align="center" alt="Image" border="0" class="m_-2521685211167695256v-src-width m_-2521685211167695256v-src-max-width" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/oasis-prod01-unlayer/1662242759875-Untitled+design.png" style="border: none; clear: both; display: inline-block !important; float: none; height: auto; max-width: 529.2px; outline: none; width: 504px;" title="Image" width="529.2" /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="m_-2521685211167695256u-row-container" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; padding: 0px;"><div class="m_-2521685211167695256u-row" style="margin: 0px auto; max-width: 660px; min-width: 320px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word;"><div style="border-collapse: collapse; display: table; height: 475px; width: 660px;"><div class="m_-2521685211167695256u-col m_-2521685211167695256u-col-100" id="m_-2521685211167695256u_column_8" style="display: table-cell; max-width: 320px; min-width: 660px; vertical-align: top;"><div style="background-color: #c2e0f4; height: 475px; width: 660px;"><div class="m_-2521685211167695256v-col-padding" style="border: 0px solid transparent; box-sizing: border-box; height: 475px; padding: 15px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family: Lato, sans-serif; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" style="padding: 15px; word-break: break-word;"><div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Hey there </p><p style="line-height: 19.6px;"> </p><p style="line-height: 19.6px;">We are in the middle of a historic organizing effort; unfortunately, the opposition is spewing cynical rhetoric. The opposing caucuses are for organizing until we call for it. We are asking members to get together and advocate for the fair contract we deserve. The opposition is opposed to it. Why would they be opposed to organizing now? The answer is all in politics. Don't let them define the narrative and paint a different picture. To get a fair contract, we must unite with all members, organize and advocate, period. That is, and always has been our narrative! <br /> <br />Let's redirect their message; please share or repost the Facebook post below to show support for the hard work that we are doing to fight for what we deserve.<br /> <br />We need to clap back and send our message loud and clear! </p><p style="line-height: 19.6px;"> </p><p style="line-height: 19.6px;"><a href="http://clicks.memberclicks-mail.net/ls/click?upn=UPChYthJ5Hd7BzHNydomF-2F-2FLk4UtUGaNnabYNweR7frV9pqDxX81ocjl-2BBk7SNIxQUzAvRUxxgDaXAopzGMP5oYZy6b4bL7-2BLzN6ZYLrkGNdYqoWUnbMkI4kHCIi5tqw8yrf_ETzP8kLwEX-2BLNVCGznD9tLFCxEsWfwP-2FVOi-2F-2Bi-2F6y0PWLvFTvwmm5b-2FNeZ-2F16jA9TUibFkezyiGqC-2FgzgySuMBnKGmrtsAsVuvnrsKRsMTq3-2FP-2Bt4gRvzm7oiApkJzTMaI2vEzAyg-2FgDqhsJAFfKZSYr0N-2BWgiJtLjWT8DESNVfWt1UWUaqYlDfBE1Ppj-2FKyfOGbQMfha7LUq7cZ0BG6udq1AIM3WAfGDHy4LxegHwqqc-2BW3g9BGC5O2EuITMRaKNLXYY5vrQH9an4nUv7FdAT7nODePmrNnCes0pYFGUYP-2BOMs5VI-2FS-2FR49cRZfpRaLfp0kvN9eBXqAxp2sQzZwuQ-3D-3D" rel="noopener" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/100064502509964/posts/pfbid0wv3sEHQW1kPQ7ZwZk5rgQz7yutpuGP7RkFm3kfcNcGxKhKNub6QjTdYUiY9Bwujjl/?mibextid=DcJ9fc</a></p><p style="line-height: 19.6px;"> </p></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="m_-2521685211167695256u-row-container" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; padding: 0px;"><div class="m_-2521685211167695256u-row" style="margin: 0px auto; max-width: 660px; min-width: 320px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word;"><div style="border-collapse: collapse; display: table; height: 163px; width: 660px;"><div class="m_-2521685211167695256u-col m_-2521685211167695256u-col-100" style="display: table-cell; max-width: 320px; min-width: 660px; vertical-align: top;"><div style="background-color: #c2e0f4; border-radius: 0px; height: 163px; width: 660px;"><div class="m_-2521685211167695256v-col-padding" style="border-radius: 0px; border: 0px solid transparent; box-sizing: border-box; height: 163px; padding: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family: Lato, sans-serif; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" style="padding: 10px; word-break: break-word;"><div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><p style="line-height: 19.6px;">Thanks for your support! </p><p style="line-height: 19.6px;"><br />Best, </p><p style="line-height: 19.6px;"> </p><p style="line-height: 19.6px;"><span style="font-family: impact, chicago; font-size: 18px; line-height: 25.2px;">Unity Caucus Social Media Team</span></p></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="m_-2521685211167695256u-row-container" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; padding: 0px;"><div class="m_-2521685211167695256u-row" style="background-color: #c2e0f4; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 660px; min-width: 320px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word;"><div style="border-collapse: collapse; display: table; height: 217px; width: 660px;"><div class="m_-2521685211167695256u-col m_-2521685211167695256u-col-100" id="m_-2521685211167695256u_column_9" style="display: table-cell; max-width: 320px; min-width: 660px; vertical-align: top;"><div style="height: 217px; width: 660px;"><div class="m_-2521685211167695256v-col-padding" style="border: 0px solid transparent; box-sizing: border-box; height: 217px; padding: 15px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family: Lato, sans-serif; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" style="padding: 15px; word-break: break-word;"><div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.6px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: center;"><p style="line-height: 19.6px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 25.2px;"><strong>Contact Info:</strong></span></p><p style="line-height: 19.6px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19.6px;">Unity Committee</span></p><p style="line-height: 19.6px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19.6px;">P.O. Box 90362</span></p><p style="line-height: 19.6px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19.6px;">Brooklyn, NY 11209</span></p><p style="line-height: 19.6px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19.6px;"><a href="http://clicks.memberclicks-mail.net/ls/click?upn=UPChYthJ5Hd7BzHNydomF-2F-2FLk4UtUGaNnabYNweR7frV9pqDxX81ocjl-2BBk7SNIxQUzAvRUxxgDaXAopzGMP5oYZy6b4bL7-2BLzN6ZYLrkGOd9ViaAl-2Fdp-2Fnc4vHYKK8JIqDE_ETzP8kLwEX-2BLNVCGznD9tLFCxEsWfwP-2FVOi-2F-2Bi-2F6y0PWLvFTvwmm5b-2FNeZ-2F16jA9TUibFkezyiGqC-2FgzgySuMBnKGmrtsAsVuvnrsKRsMTq3-2FP-2Bt4gRvzm7oiApkJzTMaI2vEzAyg-2FgDqhsJAFfKZSYr0N-2BWgiJtLjWT8DESNVfWt1UWUaqYlDfBE1Ppj-2FKyqc7l3eA9EPnwcm6LKkzy8-2BXtm21Qn3SIT6jX-2B7TVwK3ZKtl0qaFUpiXSPjXJmTDwwud0ZkQtPNKEzj-2F1dvobl3qqj3DHlUDa3dH-2Blmoa-2FbRy-2BP-2BVBP-2BmGpAt-2FBQBEPU9uUz-2FDjD6GEAvCE1cW955qQ-3D-3D" rel="noopener" target="_blank">unitycommittee@hotmail.com</a> </span></p></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="m_-2521685211167695256u-row-container" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; 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margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: center;"><strong>Connect with Us:</strong></h3></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="font-family: Lato, sans-serif; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" style="padding: 15px 15px 0px; word-break: break-word;"><div align="center"><a href="http://clicks.memberclicks-mail.net/ls/click?upn=UPChYthJ5Hd7BzHNydomF-2F-2FLk4UtUGaNnabYNweR7frV9pqDxX81ocjl-2BBk7SNIxQUzAvRUxxgDaXAopzGMP5oYZy6b4bL7-2BLzN6ZYLrkGNf9wLZDG0WSERCCLzqZJ2-2B7eMB_ETzP8kLwEX-2BLNVCGznD9tLFCxEsWfwP-2FVOi-2F-2Bi-2F6y0PWLvFTvwmm5b-2FNeZ-2F16jA9TUibFkezyiGqC-2FgzgySuMBnKGmrtsAsVuvnrsKRsMTq3-2FP-2Bt4gRvzm7oiApkJzTMaI2vEzAyg-2FgDqhsJAFfKZSYr0N-2BWgiJtLjWT8DESNVfWt1UWUaqYlDfBE1Ppj-2FKy9qpQPEvRGlikToGDV5AIzbXNIL-2BhYwtTzwYfzZjZ8fwVHtHr2fks0w5uiQps3KC3sxeIaI-2B-2BqgZSBXV7IkVKgVDcp8lsT8gTbccqGAf-2BtUhmNLRO7XRAIXno8Zo-2BJgu-2ForosgTEXvyn4h5XqaHLecg-3D-3D" style="background-color: #3b5998; border-radius: 4px; box-sizing: border-box; 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border-radius: 4px; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; display: inline-block; font-size: 14px; max-width: 100%; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; width: auto; word-break: break-word;" target="_blank"><span style="display: block; line-height: 16.799999px; padding: 10px 20px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16.8px;">Twitter</span></span></a></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div></div></div></div>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-49773603594852147202023-05-15T06:39:00.003-07:002023-05-15T06:39:39.503-07:00Paul Laurence Dunbar<p> The first school I worked in was called Paul Laurence Dunbar JHS in the Bronx. Very few people knew who he was, especially the teachers ; here’s one from Paul Laurence Dunbar.</p><div class="c-feature-hd" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 9px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: canada-type-gibson, Gill Sans, Gill Sans MT, Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><b>We Wear the Mask</b></span></span></div><div class="c-feature-sub c-feature-sub_vast" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; border: 0px; font-family: adobe-garamond-pro, Garamond, Baskerville, "Baskerville Old Face", "Hoefler Text", "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 6px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="c-txt c-txt_attribution" style="border: 0px; color: #494949; display: inline-block; font-family: canada-type-gibson, "Gill Sans", "Gill Sans MT", Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 0.75rem; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 1.4px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;">BY <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/paul-laurence-dunbar" style="border: 0px; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.25s cubic-bezier(0.215, 0.61, 0.355, 1) 0s; vertical-align: baseline;">PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR</a></span></div></div><div class="c-feature-bd" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; border: 0px; font-family: adobe-garamond-pro, Garamond, Baskerville, "Baskerville Old Face", "Hoefler Text", "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.1875rem; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="o-poem isActive" data-view="PoemView" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.125rem; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em; text-indent: -1em; vertical-align: baseline;">We wear the mask that grins and lies,<br /></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em; text-indent: -1em; vertical-align: baseline;">It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—<br /></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em; text-indent: -1em; vertical-align: baseline;">This debt we pay to human guile;<br /></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em; text-indent: -1em; vertical-align: baseline;">With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,<br /></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em; text-indent: -1em; vertical-align: baseline;">And mouth with myriad subtleties.<br /></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em; text-indent: -1em; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em; text-indent: -1em; vertical-align: baseline;">Why should the world be over-wise,<br /></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em; text-indent: -1em; vertical-align: baseline;">In counting all our tears and sighs?<br /></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em; text-indent: -1em; vertical-align: baseline;">Nay, let them only see us, while<br /></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em; text-indent: -1em; vertical-align: baseline;"> We wear the mask.<br /></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em; text-indent: -1em; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em; text-indent: -1em; vertical-align: baseline;">We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries<br /></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em; text-indent: -1em; vertical-align: baseline;">To thee from tortured souls arise.<br /></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em; text-indent: -1em; vertical-align: baseline;">We sing, but oh the clay is vile<br /></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em; text-indent: -1em; vertical-align: baseline;">Beneath our feet, and long the mile;<br /></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em; text-indent: -1em; vertical-align: baseline;">But let the world dream otherwise,<br /></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em; text-indent: -1em; vertical-align: baseline;"> We wear the mask!</div></div></div>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-20592631225880604772023-05-09T03:47:00.000-07:002023-05-09T03:47:18.876-07:00Yeah <p> Gamblers All</p><p>by Charles Bukowski</p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;">sometimes you climb out of bed in the morning and you think, </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;">I'm not going to make it, but you laugh inside </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;">remembering all the times you've felt that way, and </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;">you walk to the bathroom, do your toilet, see that face </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;">in the mirror, oh my oh my oh my, but you comb your hair anyway, </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;">get into your street clothes, feed the cats, fetch the </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;">newspaper of horror, place it on the coffee table, kiss your </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;">wife goodbye, and then you are backing the car out into life itself, </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;">like millions of others you enter the arena once more. </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;">you are on the freeway threading through traffic now, </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;">moving both towards something and towards nothing at all as you punch </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;">the radio on and get Mozart, which is something, and you will somehow </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;">get through the slow days and the busy days and the dull </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;">days and the hateful days and the rare days, all both so delightful </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;">and so disappointing because </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;">we are all so alike and so different. </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;">you find the turn-off, drive through the most dangerous </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;">part of town, feel momentarily wonderful as Mozart works </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;">his way into your brain and slides down along your bones and </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;">out through your shoes. </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;">it's been a tough fight worth fighting </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;">as we all drive along </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(72, 72, 72); color: #484848; font-family: sans-serif, serif; font-size: 16px;">betting on another day.</span></p>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-514377024681482552023-04-23T06:43:00.000-07:002023-04-23T06:43:14.940-07:00For Recent Retirees and Everyone Else<p> A poem by Charles Bukowski.</p><div class="pt-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(26, 26, 26); color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; padding-top: 3rem !important; text-align: center;"><h2 class="merri-title text-center mb-0" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "noe display", Merriweather, Georgia, serif !important; font-size: calc(1.325rem + 0.9vw); line-height: 1.25; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></h2><h2 class="merri-title text-center mb-0" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "noe display", Merriweather, Georgia, serif !important; font-size: calc(1.325rem + 0.9vw); line-height: 1.25; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px;">Throwing Away the Alarm Clock</h2><h2 class="merri-title text-center mb-0" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "noe display", Merriweather, Georgia, serif !important; font-size: calc(1.325rem + 0.9vw); line-height: 1.25; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></h2></div><div class="pt-4 pt-md-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(26, 26, 26); color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; padding-top: 1.5rem !important; text-align: center;"><div class="merri-font p-poem" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-size: 17px; height: auto; line-height: 29px; text-align: left;"><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">my father always said, “early to bed and</div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy </div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">and wise.”</div><div class="g-line-height-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1 !important;"> </div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">it was lights out at 8 p.m. in our house</div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">and we were up at dawn to the smell of</div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">coffee, frying bacon and scrambled </div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">eggs. </div><div class="g-line-height-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1 !important;"> </div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">my father followed this general routine</div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">for a lifetime and died young, broke, </div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">and, I think, not too</div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">wise.</div><div class="g-line-height-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1 !important;"> </div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">taking note, I rejected his advice and it</div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">became, for me, late to bed and late</div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">to rise.</div><div class="g-line-height-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1 !important;"> </div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">now, I’m not saying that I’ve conquered</div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">the world but I’ve avoided</div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">numberless early traffic jams, bypassed some</div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">common pitfalls</div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">and have met some strange, wonderful</div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">people</div><div class="g-line-height-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1 !important;"> </div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">one of whom </div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">was </div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">myself—someone my father</div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">never </div><div class="verse " style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;">knew.</div></div></div>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-30687805172069239102023-03-12T08:18:00.001-07:002023-03-12T08:18:49.148-07:00Don’t Get Sick and Don’t Get Old<p> There’s a great article in today’s New York Times concerning our latest shafting by the Uft in New York City. Here is the link <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/10/business/medicare-advantage-retirement-nyc.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare">https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/10/business/medicare-advantage-retirement-nyc.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare</a> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpkK_Vf1jHHrP_ZS3Pjn9uNr97lb_5BXdp-SbmkML7sXdT-fQKxvomyNdLrA71N_0KZZjSA5HGwdIXrUwTtYNQ5OJ3cuPWh9c5fu5cRpYqZeS-80toz3Aqd4ec7hpqk1OHyq5oIQiOwQkLc1g0WSLNhSvvZjDMBVJBbuNuc9OFGs4ZQ0zWfFD9Gy2J/s2048/C5C54E6D-41A5-40F2-87D0-BE4090C2656E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpkK_Vf1jHHrP_ZS3Pjn9uNr97lb_5BXdp-SbmkML7sXdT-fQKxvomyNdLrA71N_0KZZjSA5HGwdIXrUwTtYNQ5OJ3cuPWh9c5fu5cRpYqZeS-80toz3Aqd4ec7hpqk1OHyq5oIQiOwQkLc1g0WSLNhSvvZjDMBVJBbuNuc9OFGs4ZQ0zWfFD9Gy2J/s320/C5C54E6D-41A5-40F2-87D0-BE4090C2656E.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLV5Xrxh0pAw66M9yBLjDh2cIRvY4q9Z3mG-ePYBD5QFzRGCgrGvfJ-7-k2J9nErLSsvXLby8dsF3FcQSDS3w9XHCykG9HPNPx_-kbeRCny2uoRwP6k8YdyoClgBHaOD9pGlo7EmWHR1grXfXOGPvxW5m3Arwe3homznQPDrrf2pJAcgYQ-nd0O50T/s2048/62E99A61-457B-467C-B186-18F65934FC97.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><p></p>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-13577596776182496632023-02-20T06:32:00.001-08:002023-02-21T06:54:13.857-08:00Happy President’s Day<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1QEatwii7Oy4_rQ912RTeR0alJmZcrhhiAkfqdrWVMQkHVTSvOfa3-paLnHrNWU61dnnkzbPIw8bagBoghUO2gTTusHj98tUTN1o_qDRK6WwcTUQTn2__j-K_tWu6DqPyLDcmo1frrRvEMsFornzpMCq5fR7Dtwx7gn0opXjx9IauP-TR24PxOYy/s1248/7908827F-2082-4D5B-8F0D-279B33466CED.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="922" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1QEatwii7Oy4_rQ912RTeR0alJmZcrhhiAkfqdrWVMQkHVTSvOfa3-paLnHrNWU61dnnkzbPIw8bagBoghUO2gTTusHj98tUTN1o_qDRK6WwcTUQTn2__j-K_tWu6DqPyLDcmo1frrRvEMsFornzpMCq5fR7Dtwx7gn0opXjx9IauP-TR24PxOYy/s320/7908827F-2082-4D5B-8F0D-279B33466CED.jpeg" width="236" /></a></div><br /> On this Presidents’ Day, 2023, President Biden is in the Ukraine. I just finished reading an article in the New York Times concerning Biden’s extreme admiration for FDR which was the impetus for his replacing Washington’s picture in the White House. I’ve always admired FDR as well, but was somewhat unaware of his entire history - some of if it is unsettling. There are some marked similarities between Biden and FDR - and not in a good way. I saw this clip recently from a prepper, who sees disaster around every corner. I’m beginning to think he may be onto something. Check out the little history lesson he gives, <a href="https://youtu.be/zxQMEuAEuyU">https://youtu.be/zxQMEuAEuyU </a>but don’t give into catastrophizing everything. I used to think guys like this were absolutely nuts - I don’t anymore. The pandemic changed my perception on a lot of things. ( I definitely would keep a little extra food and water in your home and make an emergency plan in case of some type of disaster. Not a bad thing to do even in good times.) With Biden in the Ukraine all I can expect is a precipitously closer sprint to the edge of an abyss, in which we (and most of the world) will fall into another world war. There are so many other things he could be doing here, i.e., the train derailment, the border, fentanyl, the economy, the UFOs, - the list goes on and on. (I support a peaceful end to the war in the Ukraine.) Additionally, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon are now selling arms openly to Taiwan. I don’t imagine that China is very pleased with that and our perceived acquiescence, or outright approval, in allowing it. It may be just the push China needs to start openly supporting Russia. Enjoy your Presidents’ Day.<p></p>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-44111818603538858222023-02-12T18:06:00.001-08:002023-02-13T04:01:03.916-08:00All Things Considered, I Hope the UFOs are Balloons<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_d2U2PszXTY8Pj_qJ_L2SuNL7GlqKYZiPuF28y1XfnOeKLNSpDb7U-iNdGzBMQr1Rn1OXUlIgXmNN4ufibWnxpjHkcMbdrnvRTJKSNSE1dwILaPk9c4Tx6SlPUepYLOIrl4wXfrT8RFUAPaPu37lxC1Ub4Jm7AvF5X96WDqFBVC2NdBX-JrlprjOi/s2224/A49D926F-7C9C-4A79-9FB3-F49B6CE2CCF3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2224" data-original-width="1668" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_d2U2PszXTY8Pj_qJ_L2SuNL7GlqKYZiPuF28y1XfnOeKLNSpDb7U-iNdGzBMQr1Rn1OXUlIgXmNN4ufibWnxpjHkcMbdrnvRTJKSNSE1dwILaPk9c4Tx6SlPUepYLOIrl4wXfrT8RFUAPaPu37lxC1Ub4Jm7AvF5X96WDqFBVC2NdBX-JrlprjOi/s320/A49D926F-7C9C-4A79-9FB3-F49B6CE2CCF3.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> There are numerous reports of UFOs being spotted around the world and our government shooting three out of the air (four if one counts the Chinese balloon). There are also reports that one of these is cylindrical and metallic with no propulsion; one of the other ones is described as being octagonal. They are also saying these aren’t balloons. It makes me think that either it’s something with a payload or it’s non-human. I know some will scoff at the idea, but these things have been around for a very long time <a href="https://youtu.be/rF4nxHxpbPc">https://youtu.be/rF4nxHxpbPc </a> and often pop up prior to major catastrophes and wars, as well as around nuclear plants and installations. (I have no idea what they are or where they come from.) I recently read a description of a similar object flying over an especially brutal and large Roman battle in what would become Germany. Here’s the rub, everything is pointing towards a (nuclear?) world war with China and Russia on one side and the West on the other. As all attempts at a peaceful end have been thwarted, <a href="https://youtu.be/jYAvwBhtnAg">https://youtu.be/jYAvwBhtnAg</a>, it’s almost a certainty we will have war. Our military industrial complex doesn’t want peace and a staged alien invasion (a la Ronald Reagan, <a href="https://youtu.be/MAAHgAuti84">https://youtu.be/MAAHgAuti84</a> ) may be a way to unite and ultimately control every country’s population.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-3816249026501224582023-02-02T10:38:00.004-08:002023-02-02T16:54:43.852-08:00A Message from the CEO of the Ukraine<p> I’ve been following this war closely and the folks I talk to don’t seem to understand much of what’s going on - they think I’m 100% wrong. This war is about American investment. There are companies here in the US that are going to become even wealthier and make their stockholders very happy . I don’t have a problem with that, but I have problem with tax payer funds being used to facilitate the scheme. Putin was undoubtedly wrong to go into the Ukraine, but we’re really not there to help Ukrainians - we are there to help the rich get richer on taxpayers backs (again). If you think I’m wrong, watch this clip where Zelenskyy admits it. (And yeah, I know Russell Brand is annoying, but we’re not getting the information from anyone else.) </p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/8puG7TIXVNU">https://youtu.be/8puG7TIXVNU</a></p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/ok-E7pRDiaw">https://youtu.be/ok-E7pRDiaw</a></p>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-30658157879080729662023-01-25T08:17:00.005-08:002023-01-25T08:20:32.354-08:00Our War with Russia is Escalating <p> I don’t know if you folks have been following the news lately, but things do not look good. The arms companies are making a fortune selling arms to the US, which sends them off to the Ukraine. Now Germany has been forced to supply arms to the Ukraine as well. This is highly suspect and unusual, in that Germany has become one of the most progressive and peaceful countries in all of Europe. Here’s a link here from Russell Brand - I know he’s annoying, but what he says makes a lot of sense. You social studies teachers out there take notice. Russia is saying this is a clear provocation, and they are correct. Where does this lead and why aren’t we afraid of nuclear war - when I was growing up it was a constant threat. There is a very realistic potential that we could be struck with a nuclear bomb. I believe that these companies, that are selling arms, would not mind that in the least, as they are also involved in the rebuilding of cities. Since when did peaceful negotiations become an extinct process? Since when did Democrats become warmongers? Watch the clip and prepare your stomach, because it actually made me ill. Cheers.</p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/imIfU8p4c68">https://youtu.be/imIfU8p4c68</a></p>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-34302989709163074362023-01-20T18:44:00.004-08:002023-01-20T19:00:29.051-08:00Meandering Thoughts, January 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo0x_7dIrBHKuvmZ61Ax3UFU2AdaYDz1ggAuU69xKX7Ut6gi8eSXQRvNwh6Khlx2MMVbaq08f-kc-da3cASEyw60UPYoNav3V-d5D2BY0a9Yyae1CYXxbD6NPGTrV1T3De4adXYQY4jRGp1HJxb4hoHAPtBEu1RjKHex8PN7LGeLuEPMx-q-UQMh9N/s1004/CF47E3B5-C810-4953-9CC5-CBF78F2C1E37.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="1004" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo0x_7dIrBHKuvmZ61Ax3UFU2AdaYDz1ggAuU69xKX7Ut6gi8eSXQRvNwh6Khlx2MMVbaq08f-kc-da3cASEyw60UPYoNav3V-d5D2BY0a9Yyae1CYXxbD6NPGTrV1T3De4adXYQY4jRGp1HJxb4hoHAPtBEu1RjKHex8PN7LGeLuEPMx-q-UQMh9N/s320/CF47E3B5-C810-4953-9CC5-CBF78F2C1E37.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> Well, another year over and a new one just begun. Ah, G-d bless John Lennon. To be honest ever since March 2020 it seems like time has remained stagnant. While I feel older and unfortunately heavier, I don’t feel like I’ve accomplished anything of real significance during this unusual time period. The Covid nonsense has had a lingering effect on everyone. I used to go to the gym three times a week - in addition to hiking. Now it’s a push for me to leave the house at all. My kids are grown and at school and life. Now, I have two cats. I know some people don’t like cats, but I love them. They are my best friends. They greet me at the door, come to me when I call them and they never leave my side. They have an affinity for certain music which surprises me. They love Brian Eno and Yasmin Williams. I’m also a big tennis fan, so right now I’m staying up all night watching the Australian open and sleeping half the day. I also started exercising outside again, which I enjoy - however, the weather is always an issue - I say that in full realization that we’ve had a very good winter. Like I’ve said before, global warming hasn’t been such a bad thing for New York City and it’s environs. I do some calisthenics, and have a bungee like cord with handles. It was surprising to me, at first, the amount of exercises you can do with it. One of my buddies accompanies me on these soirées. He’s an intellectual, former English teacher and staunch unionist. We’ve both followed the current surprising actions of Mulgrew with interest. To be honest, I never thought that MM would go against the retirees the way he has. It reminded me of a movie I watched ( and recommend) recently called, ‘Black Phone’ , in which a bully attempts to do his thing, and a tough kid stands up to him. (Spoiler alert, turn the clip off after the bathroom scene, if you haven’t seen it -<a href="https://youtu.be/soryCK894co">https://youtu.be/soryCK894co</a> ) The tough kid beats the crap out of him and later explains to another bullied kid that he was very surprised the bully actually attacked him. He said he had to make sure the bully bled a lot, so that people could see it. He also told this particular bullied kid that he’d have to eventually stand up for himself. I guess that summed up the week for me. I was very happy that we stood up to Mulgrew, and that there was a bit of his blood spilled, so to speak. It will be interesting to see if there are further ramifications to all this. I don’t believe there will be - I believe Mr. Mulgrew will be quiet for some time. I also believe he will try to curry favor with retirees to make up for what he tried to do. It will have to be better than trying to claim credit for trying to get back all that money we paid in co-pays. Cheers.<p></p>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-35423069194192829472023-01-13T16:21:00.003-08:002023-01-13T16:25:50.601-08:00War is a Profitable Venture for Vultures and Capitalists <p> The more I read about the war in Ukraine, the more disgusted I become. Do some research on BlackRock and stop listening to the main stream news media propaganda machine. What follows is very informative, via Russell Brand. Whilst I find him some what annoying, especially with that irksome accent, he is undeniably one of the more accurate and sane voices out there. Here’s to you Russell🍻</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/4v_aC1ZTlOg">https://youtu.be/4v_aC1ZTlOg</a></p>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-44476034660351354932023-01-04T07:51:00.001-08:002023-01-04T07:51:24.758-08:00Make Some Noise<p> <span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">On Monday, there will be a Committee on Civil Service and Labor meeting at the Council Chamber – City Hall</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span dir="ltr" style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">at 10 AM</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span></p><blockquote style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr" id="divtagdefaultwrapper" style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span dir="ltr">Monday, January 9, 2023</span><o:p></o:p></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Carmen De La Rosa, Chairperson<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Introduction – By Council Member De La Rosa (by request of the Mayor) – A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to health insurance coverage for city employees, city retirees, and their dependents.<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">There will be a rally on the steps of City Hall <span dir="ltr">at 9:00 AM</span>. The retirees are encouraged to sign-up to testify for the hearing.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Please register to testify online or come to City Hall to testify in-person.<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://council.nyc.gov/testify/" id="LPlnk364087">https://council.nyc.gov/testify/</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Please forward to your fellow retirees.</p></div></div></blockquote>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201845765372486560.post-36485651112846188202022-12-31T10:10:00.007-08:002023-01-01T07:38:59.589-08:00The Biden administration‘s attack on the middle class - no protections for your pension and the introduction of the digital dollar <p>Here’s a video concerning the digital dollar, pushed through right before Thanksgiving; and the removal of a basic protection on pension funds. Digital currency, in my belief, is very dangerous because our government’s involvement in it - tracking money and a universal income; not to mention how funds that are held could be transferred into digital dollars, which could replace cash. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions. Taking out the clause that protects our pensions and pension funds is also unbelievable. And let’s not even get into the trillion plus dollars that was borrowed in large part to ramp up a proxy war with Russia. Watch the video and come to your own conclusions and do some research. Happy New Year!</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/tAanBZ1AGTo">https://youtu.be/tAanBZ1AGTo</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Bronx ATRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08787717237141454628noreply@blogger.com0