![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
Day #262
In between worrying about not being busy enough at work, and well COVID, I'm hanging in there today. Also irritable. So I did the Loving Kindness Meditation this morning, that I found on the Internet. Mainly because I couldn't remember the words.
It helped. Very calming.
The internet is still trying to scare and irritate me, but I refuse to let it.
Other items of note..
pop culture items...
1. Fans, Films and Franchizes - an Interview with Jeff Gomez
[I've no idea who Jeff Gomez is, your guess is probably better than mine. But he makes an excellent point on how to speak to folks on social media and in fandom.]
You know, if I’m Spock and I’m having a discussion with you, and you’re a fierce alien who’s angry about something my starship has done, I’m going to consider the philosophy of infinite diversity in infinite combinations (the IDIC way of being followed by the Vulcans), and I’ll talk to you reasonably and point you to what the Federation stands for. And in doing so, the fan would be more likely to get it, not just because they’re being spoken to more reasonably, but because they’re being listened to.
“What is your concern? Talk to us? We want to hear it?” Not “Oh my god you people are morons! I’m not going to listen to you because you’re deplorable!”
You don’t fight with your customer. In no business would you be encouraged to wage war with the people paying money for your content and goods. If you do that, it’s short-sighted. If you do that, a parent walking through a Target store and thinks about buying the Star Wars toys will think, “Y’know what? They called my son a moron.”
Generally speaking, I think that's a good idea. I've learned that I get nowhere attacking people. It doesn't win me any friends, it doesn't change minds, it gets me nowhere. I don't recommend that you fight people on social media for any reason.
2. I'm strongly considering watching the Netflix flick "MANK" about the making of Citizen Kane, but I can't say I agree with this critic that Citizen Kane is the best movie ever made. I'm afraid the appeal of Citizen Kane is entirely lost on me. I've seen it three times. I've gone to sleep during it more than one. Hence the repeated viewings. I find it duller than dirt.
But, I do like some of Herman J. Mankiewicz's films...such as Pride of the Yankees and Man of the World, even if I can't remember them that well.
Family
Mother: So you know that video on FB that was a scam? The one in which your Aunt D sent by FB Messenger, and later posted was a scam?
Me: Yes...
Mother: I opened it. And I got about as far as installing, except they wanted to charge me, and I declined.
ME: Oh god.
Mother: Then I found out it was a scam and I don't know what to do...
ME: Change your password on Facebook and tell everyone you've been hacked.
Mother: I tried to delete the app, but I can't find it.
ME: Did you play it?
Mother: I couldn't - because I had to pay or accept free trail and I declined.
Me: Then you should be fine.
Mother: It caught me at a weak moment.
Me: Yeah -
Mother:So how do I have to contact FB to change my password?
Me: No. You just go to your account and change it - it's very easy. I've done it numerous times.
Mother: okay, I guess I can figure it out.
My poor mother. I wanted to kick my Aunt D. Although I don't think my mother got as far as Aunt D did with the scam, since one hasn't been sent to me.
It's been going around FB - at least five people have sent it to me in the last month. I ignore it or delete it.
[ETA: Aunt K told mother she had to change her apple id. I wanted to strangle her. Thank you very much Auntie. Go scare mother. You can spend an hour on the phone with her explaining how to change a password, when it's NOT necessary. It's not necessary - mother didn't actually launch it nor did she give it her apple password. I think she's fine - it never launched. No one got it. Mother didn't actually play it, she stopped before it got that far.]
Meanwhile, mother had talked to brother, apparently brother didn't know that niece couldn't get into the seminar she was supposed to take.
Mother: So why was my granddaughter unable to get into the Seminar? Didn't she have to take that? Your sister didn't seem to know.
Brother: Wait. What? What do you mean she couldn't get in? This is the first I'm hearing of this.
Mother: Your sister had a great conversation with her last night and mentioned it off-hand.
Brother to niece: So, I hear didn't get into the Seminar?
Niece: Yep.
Brother: Why am I finding out from my mother and sister?
Niece: You didn't ask? Don't worry, it's taken care of, and it works out for the best anyhow.
Brother: What happened?
Niece: I didn't get in, but it worked out fine - I'm taking the prequisite for a course I want to take after - entitled Introduction to Racism (a sociology course). I can take the required seminar later in the Spring or after that if I have to.
My niece is a lot like her father in some ways. This amuses me to no end.
Crazy Company
Today we did the Safety Stand Down Meeting Via Teams. Some time back the organization decided that if it had Safety meetings once a month or every three months (like everything else in crazy org, it's not exactly consistent), that the org would be safer. So we have these meetings - usually about safety things that have zip to do with us. Sometimes we don't have them at all - BOSS (who after doing a couple, realized they were a colossal waste of his time), started just sending us the information and the attendance sheet. OR he delegates it to someone else on his team.
Since Boss wasn't in attendance, everyone joined without video. So I saw all these initials on my screen. Tahani (DW nickname for other boss, who actually reminds me of Tahini from the Good Place. I have four, BOSS, Jay, Tahani, and Breaking Bad) - she lead the meeting.
Tahani: So, this is going to be real quick. Since the topic of the Safety Meeting is COVID and everyone already knows all there is to know about it from the news. It's not like the information isn't out there..I'm just going to talk about three things.
Tahani: Okay, we're just going to address what pertains to us. 1) if you return to the office for any reason, make sure you are wearing a mask, social distance, and wash your hands. Not everyone seems to know how to do this - make sure you do. Keep others safe. (Tahani has small children). If you are sick stay home. Considering just having a cough any longer - is enough to make you look nuclear nowadays - stay home. 2) I shouldn't have to tell you this - but be safe at home. I'm not going to be like Cuomo and tell you all just to socialize with two people in your home or not see family. But don't have a party, get tested, and wear masks. Don't do anything that isn't safe - since we don't know when we'll all be sent back into the office. So it is important you keep yourself and others safe. 3) If you travel out of state for any reason, and it is to any of the states on the danger list (which is basically most of them) - make sure you follow the required protocols before returning to the office.
Tahani: Finally we're getting some push back from headquarters on having live site tours. They think they are safe if held out doors. Any suggestions or questions regarding those.
Crickets.
Tahani: God, this is a tough crowd.
Chidi: Okay I had a site tour -
Martinez: I -
Tahani: Oh good! I was beginning to think I was talking to myself, and no one was there.
We have a lengthy discussion about how to keep site tours with multiple vendors and lots of people wandering about - safe. I don't have any coming up - which on the one hand is a good thing, on the other worries me. I'm kind of paranoid after the meeting again - regarding not having been given a lot of work. Granted, I've no control over how much work I have. And I'm incredibly efficient and make every deadline in advance. I've not been behind or delayed on anything from my end, I've been delayed by others - but not the same thing. Legal delays everybody. I think they get off on it.
Then we break off, and Tahani jumps to another meeting with two of my colleagues.
Watching crazy org handle COVID has been an experience. One I could have done without, to be honest. Like everyone else - they are kind of floundering.
New York vs. COVID
While Britain administers its first vaccines to the elderly, and infirm, New York waits for final approvals and vetting to distribute theirs. They received 100,000 vaccines from Pfizer, which NY is distributing to frontline health care workers and nursing home residents first (that was the majority of deaths - and they can't afford to lose any more hospital staff). They've figured out that they have enough to cover all the nursing homes and frontline healthcare workers in the State. (In NY State - I'm after 270,000 people to get the vaccine.)
Regarding the news about the Doofus passing on getting the next round of 100 million vaccines from Pfizer, and as a result they won't be available until June - I actually remember that. Back in April or May, the decision was made to purchase vaccines from three different vendors, in the hopes one could deliver. They couldn't afford to do two rounds, and were uncertain of Pfizer's progress, so invested in Moderna as well. There's a lot of vaccines being developed simultaneously. So the next 100 Million went to the EU instead. (Great Britain is no longer part of the EU).
Anyhow, my take on all this - is the pharmacies and scientists should have developed the vaccines for free and distributed them for free. It's a pandemic, it is to everyone's best interest that everyone be vaccinated. And I do mean EVERYONE.
1. Total COVID hospitalizations rose to 4,835. Of the 162,464 tests reported yesterday, 9,335, or 5.74 percent, were positive. There were 906 patients in ICU yesterday, up 34 from the previous day. Of them, 493 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 74 New Yorkers to the virus.
2. Driver's license expiration dates have been pushed back to January 1, 2021. If you have a New York State Driver's License or permit with an expiration date after March 1, 2020, it is still valid until January 1, 2021. This extended an Executive Order that granted people whose licenses expired during the pandemic more time to renew.
3. SUNY Upstate Medical University received the number one ranking by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its COVID-19 saliva test. The saliva test developed by Upstate Medical and New York startup Quadrant Biosciences, called Clarifi COVID-19, detects the virus in its earliest stages. The FDA also cited the test as being among the most sensitive tests regardless of type. SUNY's COVID-19 saliva test is cost-effective and easy to use, which has been instrumental in helping SUNY campuses test students and staff and pinpoint cases.
4. In the second round of the program, Nourish NY has so far spent $2.4 million to help New Yorkers in need. So far, over 2.6 million pounds of raw milk has been turned into dairy products and distributed by food banks, along with 750,000 pounds of produce. Over one million households in need have received products sourced from New York farms.
Mustn't argue with people on social media, bad mojo. So I'm posting this picture instead...
It helped. Very calming.
The internet is still trying to scare and irritate me, but I refuse to let it.
Other items of note..
pop culture items...
1. Fans, Films and Franchizes - an Interview with Jeff Gomez
[I've no idea who Jeff Gomez is, your guess is probably better than mine. But he makes an excellent point on how to speak to folks on social media and in fandom.]
You know, if I’m Spock and I’m having a discussion with you, and you’re a fierce alien who’s angry about something my starship has done, I’m going to consider the philosophy of infinite diversity in infinite combinations (the IDIC way of being followed by the Vulcans), and I’ll talk to you reasonably and point you to what the Federation stands for. And in doing so, the fan would be more likely to get it, not just because they’re being spoken to more reasonably, but because they’re being listened to.
“What is your concern? Talk to us? We want to hear it?” Not “Oh my god you people are morons! I’m not going to listen to you because you’re deplorable!”
You don’t fight with your customer. In no business would you be encouraged to wage war with the people paying money for your content and goods. If you do that, it’s short-sighted. If you do that, a parent walking through a Target store and thinks about buying the Star Wars toys will think, “Y’know what? They called my son a moron.”
Generally speaking, I think that's a good idea. I've learned that I get nowhere attacking people. It doesn't win me any friends, it doesn't change minds, it gets me nowhere. I don't recommend that you fight people on social media for any reason.
2. I'm strongly considering watching the Netflix flick "MANK" about the making of Citizen Kane, but I can't say I agree with this critic that Citizen Kane is the best movie ever made. I'm afraid the appeal of Citizen Kane is entirely lost on me. I've seen it three times. I've gone to sleep during it more than one. Hence the repeated viewings. I find it duller than dirt.
But, I do like some of Herman J. Mankiewicz's films...such as Pride of the Yankees and Man of the World, even if I can't remember them that well.
Family
Mother: So you know that video on FB that was a scam? The one in which your Aunt D sent by FB Messenger, and later posted was a scam?
Me: Yes...
Mother: I opened it. And I got about as far as installing, except they wanted to charge me, and I declined.
ME: Oh god.
Mother: Then I found out it was a scam and I don't know what to do...
ME: Change your password on Facebook and tell everyone you've been hacked.
Mother: I tried to delete the app, but I can't find it.
ME: Did you play it?
Mother: I couldn't - because I had to pay or accept free trail and I declined.
Me: Then you should be fine.
Mother: It caught me at a weak moment.
Me: Yeah -
Mother:So how do I have to contact FB to change my password?
Me: No. You just go to your account and change it - it's very easy. I've done it numerous times.
Mother: okay, I guess I can figure it out.
My poor mother. I wanted to kick my Aunt D. Although I don't think my mother got as far as Aunt D did with the scam, since one hasn't been sent to me.
It's been going around FB - at least five people have sent it to me in the last month. I ignore it or delete it.
[ETA: Aunt K told mother she had to change her apple id. I wanted to strangle her. Thank you very much Auntie. Go scare mother. You can spend an hour on the phone with her explaining how to change a password, when it's NOT necessary. It's not necessary - mother didn't actually launch it nor did she give it her apple password. I think she's fine - it never launched. No one got it. Mother didn't actually play it, she stopped before it got that far.]
Meanwhile, mother had talked to brother, apparently brother didn't know that niece couldn't get into the seminar she was supposed to take.
Mother: So why was my granddaughter unable to get into the Seminar? Didn't she have to take that? Your sister didn't seem to know.
Brother: Wait. What? What do you mean she couldn't get in? This is the first I'm hearing of this.
Mother: Your sister had a great conversation with her last night and mentioned it off-hand.
Brother to niece: So, I hear didn't get into the Seminar?
Niece: Yep.
Brother: Why am I finding out from my mother and sister?
Niece: You didn't ask? Don't worry, it's taken care of, and it works out for the best anyhow.
Brother: What happened?
Niece: I didn't get in, but it worked out fine - I'm taking the prequisite for a course I want to take after - entitled Introduction to Racism (a sociology course). I can take the required seminar later in the Spring or after that if I have to.
My niece is a lot like her father in some ways. This amuses me to no end.
Crazy Company
Today we did the Safety Stand Down Meeting Via Teams. Some time back the organization decided that if it had Safety meetings once a month or every three months (like everything else in crazy org, it's not exactly consistent), that the org would be safer. So we have these meetings - usually about safety things that have zip to do with us. Sometimes we don't have them at all - BOSS (who after doing a couple, realized they were a colossal waste of his time), started just sending us the information and the attendance sheet. OR he delegates it to someone else on his team.
Since Boss wasn't in attendance, everyone joined without video. So I saw all these initials on my screen. Tahani (DW nickname for other boss, who actually reminds me of Tahini from the Good Place. I have four, BOSS, Jay, Tahani, and Breaking Bad) - she lead the meeting.
Tahani: So, this is going to be real quick. Since the topic of the Safety Meeting is COVID and everyone already knows all there is to know about it from the news. It's not like the information isn't out there..I'm just going to talk about three things.
Tahani: Okay, we're just going to address what pertains to us. 1) if you return to the office for any reason, make sure you are wearing a mask, social distance, and wash your hands. Not everyone seems to know how to do this - make sure you do. Keep others safe. (Tahani has small children). If you are sick stay home. Considering just having a cough any longer - is enough to make you look nuclear nowadays - stay home. 2) I shouldn't have to tell you this - but be safe at home. I'm not going to be like Cuomo and tell you all just to socialize with two people in your home or not see family. But don't have a party, get tested, and wear masks. Don't do anything that isn't safe - since we don't know when we'll all be sent back into the office. So it is important you keep yourself and others safe. 3) If you travel out of state for any reason, and it is to any of the states on the danger list (which is basically most of them) - make sure you follow the required protocols before returning to the office.
Tahani: Finally we're getting some push back from headquarters on having live site tours. They think they are safe if held out doors. Any suggestions or questions regarding those.
Crickets.
Tahani: God, this is a tough crowd.
Chidi: Okay I had a site tour -
Martinez: I -
Tahani: Oh good! I was beginning to think I was talking to myself, and no one was there.
We have a lengthy discussion about how to keep site tours with multiple vendors and lots of people wandering about - safe. I don't have any coming up - which on the one hand is a good thing, on the other worries me. I'm kind of paranoid after the meeting again - regarding not having been given a lot of work. Granted, I've no control over how much work I have. And I'm incredibly efficient and make every deadline in advance. I've not been behind or delayed on anything from my end, I've been delayed by others - but not the same thing. Legal delays everybody. I think they get off on it.
Then we break off, and Tahani jumps to another meeting with two of my colleagues.
Watching crazy org handle COVID has been an experience. One I could have done without, to be honest. Like everyone else - they are kind of floundering.
New York vs. COVID
While Britain administers its first vaccines to the elderly, and infirm, New York waits for final approvals and vetting to distribute theirs. They received 100,000 vaccines from Pfizer, which NY is distributing to frontline health care workers and nursing home residents first (that was the majority of deaths - and they can't afford to lose any more hospital staff). They've figured out that they have enough to cover all the nursing homes and frontline healthcare workers in the State. (In NY State - I'm after 270,000 people to get the vaccine.)
Regarding the news about the Doofus passing on getting the next round of 100 million vaccines from Pfizer, and as a result they won't be available until June - I actually remember that. Back in April or May, the decision was made to purchase vaccines from three different vendors, in the hopes one could deliver. They couldn't afford to do two rounds, and were uncertain of Pfizer's progress, so invested in Moderna as well. There's a lot of vaccines being developed simultaneously. So the next 100 Million went to the EU instead. (Great Britain is no longer part of the EU).
Anyhow, my take on all this - is the pharmacies and scientists should have developed the vaccines for free and distributed them for free. It's a pandemic, it is to everyone's best interest that everyone be vaccinated. And I do mean EVERYONE.
1. Total COVID hospitalizations rose to 4,835. Of the 162,464 tests reported yesterday, 9,335, or 5.74 percent, were positive. There were 906 patients in ICU yesterday, up 34 from the previous day. Of them, 493 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 74 New Yorkers to the virus.
2. Driver's license expiration dates have been pushed back to January 1, 2021. If you have a New York State Driver's License or permit with an expiration date after March 1, 2020, it is still valid until January 1, 2021. This extended an Executive Order that granted people whose licenses expired during the pandemic more time to renew.
3. SUNY Upstate Medical University received the number one ranking by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its COVID-19 saliva test. The saliva test developed by Upstate Medical and New York startup Quadrant Biosciences, called Clarifi COVID-19, detects the virus in its earliest stages. The FDA also cited the test as being among the most sensitive tests regardless of type. SUNY's COVID-19 saliva test is cost-effective and easy to use, which has been instrumental in helping SUNY campuses test students and staff and pinpoint cases.
4. In the second round of the program, Nourish NY has so far spent $2.4 million to help New Yorkers in need. So far, over 2.6 million pounds of raw milk has been turned into dairy products and distributed by food banks, along with 750,000 pounds of produce. Over one million households in need have received products sourced from New York farms.
Mustn't argue with people on social media, bad mojo. So I'm posting this picture instead...