samhexum

My new boss wants to change everything that we do and how we do it. I disagree with most of it, plus she hasn’t been here long enough to know what she is talking about. Every time I try to push back, she accuses me of not wanting to change with the times and that I have “old school” ways that won’t work. That sounds to me like an ageist comment. How should I address this? Hmmm, I don’t love the comment that’s for sure, and I don’t blame you for wondering if it’s a reference to your age, way of thinking or both. However, that doesn’t mean that the spirit of the statement isn’t true. It’s not uncommon for employees to get stuck in familiar ways, making them resistant to change. New bosses also want to put their stamp on things, and the situation and state of the business dictates how quickly and aggressively they act. Resisting everything is not the way to demonstrate that you want to be part of the team. Try showing your boss that you are open-minded and willing to change — otherwise, you may be forced to make a bigger change. YOU WERE IN THE PAPERS THIS WEEK, YOU FOSSIL:

Scientists have confirmed the existence of the world’s oldest forest — and the ancient, secret spot is only a short drive from the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple. First discovered at the bottom of an abandoned quarry near the town of Cairo in the Catskill Mountains back in 2009, the experts have been working to learn the exact ages of the plants and trees growing in the area, where rocks reportedly up to 385 million years old hold the wooded area’s fossilized treasure. Researchers from SUNY Binghamton and the University of Cardiff in Wales, were excited to find evidence of extremely early plants — some that would have “even been seen by dinosaurs,” the BBC reported. The forest, just over two hours’ drive from NYC’s George Washington Bridge, once spread out over an area of about 250 miles. The soil sifters are said to have been focusing their efforts on an area roughly half the size of a football field. Rocks containing fossils dating back 385 million years were found in the scenic mountain region. brandtbolding – stock.adobe.com “The Cairo site is very special,” Christopher Berry, a paleobotanist at Cardiff University, told Science in 2019. “You are walking through the roots of ancient trees. Standing on the quarry surface we can reconstruct the living forest around us in our imagination,” he said. For years, Berry and his colleagues have been examining plant and tree fossils in the area to help them build their case. The New York site joins more far-flung locales such as the Amazon rainforest and Japan’s Yakushima Forest in an elite group of O.G.’s. The site isn’t currently open to the public, but is surrounded by a wealth of scenic beauty. demerzel21 – stock.adobe.com Those interested in visiting the exact site will be disappointed, at least for the time being — the quarry is owned by the Town of Cairo, and is currently strictly reserved for scientific study, out of concern for preservation of the area. There’s plenty else to see in the area however. Skiing at Windham Mountain and the trendy shops and restaurants of the city of Hudson are both just minutes away, while the hiking trails of Catskill Park are right on Cairo’s doorstep. The Cairo site isn’t the only extremely old find in the region — another forest site was previously discovered in nearby Gilboa, dating back just three years shy of the current crownbearer.

First-ever World's Ugliest Lawn competition crowns woman who says 'ex-husband left with lawnmower back in 2016' A yard in Australia took home first place in the first-ever World’s Ugliest Lawn competition.

Dear Abby: I have been with my wife, “Sandy,” for 40 years. We married as soon as it became possible for us as a gay couple. While our relationship isn’t perfect, we are deeply committed and I always assumed we shared the same values. Recently, one partner of a couple we know well was admitted to a care facility for advanced dementia. The other partner became involved with someone else almost immediately. I expressed to Sandy that I believe in “until death do you part,” and I was shocked to learn that Sandy not only supported the unfaithful partner, but said she believed one should get on with their life and she could actually see herself doing the same thing! I haven’t been able to get past this, and I now find myself questioning my confidence in our relationship. I’m torn between trying to fix all the minor issues and make our relationship perfect in the hope of holding on to her, and pulling away to avoid this future betrayal. Neither path seems right. I know we should talk, but I’m afraid it will just make things worse. What should I do? — Shattered in New York Dear Shattered: I think you already have an inkling of what my answer would be. What you should do is talk these uncomfortable subjects through. Because you are so threatened by what Sandy’s answers may be, do it in the office of a licensed therapist at your nearest LGBTQ Center. If you do, it may bring the two of you closer. Please keep in mind that none of us has a contract with God. If the shoe were to be on the other foot, and Sandy was the one with a lingering terminal illness, would she want you to rush out and find a new partner? Somehow, I doubt it. IF THERE ACTUALLY IS A GOD, I PRAY THAT SANDY DEVELOPS DEMENTIA SO YOU CAN PLAY THE DEVOTED MARTYR FOR THE REST OF YOUR LONELY SHRIVELED UP LIFE. Dear Abby: Last weekend, my son was married in a small church in Northern California, a perfect venue for a small wedding. The bride and groom come from large families, and in order to keep the cost down, they decided that children under 21 would be omitted from the guest list. (Example: My husband had only one friend invited to the wedding — my son’s godfather.) BE HONEST– DOES HE ACTUALLY HAVE ANY OTHER FRIENDS? My brother and his wife, who have three children under 21, were extremely offended that their children were not invited to accompany them. They missed the couple’s shower, didn’t show up to the wedding and offered no explanation. The morning of the rehearsal dinner, we learned the reason for their absence from my sister and her husband. Apparently, their children were extremely upset. We have tried to speak with them about the situation, with no response. Any suggestions? — Wedding Belle Blues Dear Blues: If your brother and his wife accepted the shower and wedding invitations and didn’t bother to show up, they were extremely rude. You did nothing wrong, and you don’t owe them an “explanation” for the fact that your son and his bride omitted their children from the guest list. Go on with your life, refuse to be intimidated and be happy for your son. KILL THE BASTARDS! (then send their estate a bill for the wasted meals)

25 caskets from 1800s cemetery threaten to fall off cliff into Lake Norman what could the caskets possibly hope to gain by making this threat?

#*@< YOU, $&^*! By samhexum

Texas zoo welcomes first African lion cub in nine years

Here you can request our Gardener's Idea Book — it is a great way to get ready to garden this spring. While you are here you can also sign-up to receive our monthly gardening tips newsletter, Winners Circle® — it's filled with wonderful in-depth information that is timed for each season in the garden, and includes a new plant profile and plant combination recipe each month. https://www.provenwinners.com/winners-circle

If she needs money, she can just sign an endorsement deal to put her face on a box of GRIFTees.

How old were you, 14? lube, patience... Explain this to me, because unless you are walking to a store in another city to pick up that Pillsbury product, I'm confused.

And I'll bet Josh Allen wouldn't even offer to dig you out. Star NFL QB offers to help woman push car out of snow during blizzard: 'State of shock'

Hoda Codpiece

I've been posting to this thread for y'all & for the gossip factor, but the fact is that, while he HAS gotten in terrific shape, I've always found him to be quite unattractive.

A rookie Brooklyn cop who was rescued from a car fire as a baby by two Finest in the ‘90s met her saviors for the first time Friday — and was given one of their shield numbers, prompting its former owner to weep. Officer Dennise Gomez was just 2 years old when NYPD detective partners Eric Ocasio and Charles Claudio pulled her, her mother and baby brother out of a burning vehicle in East Harlem in 1996. Gomez was reunited with her heroes more than 27 years later at an heartwarming event Friday at One Police Plaza in Manhattan, where Gomez received Claudio’s badge number. “When we say that police officers make a real difference, it’s clearly not just words … [Gomez’s] life is their legacy,” NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban said as he presented the touching shield to Gomez, causing Claudio to break down in tears. “And now their work is her work.” Gomez, who now works in the 90th precinct in Brooklyn, entered the police academy in 2022. She had written about the incident — which she does not remember — as the inspiration for her decision to join New York’s Finest. Friday’s reunion, she said, was emotional for her and her mother. “It means a lot. It’s an honor. Hopefully, I can do exactly what they did for others. This is why we’re here — to help others, to be there and to serve,” she said. “To meet them, it’s like they’re superheroes,” Gomez added of her rescuers all those years ago. Ocasio, 57, became overwhelmed reflecting on his 25-year career — and also the starting one of the person he helped save. “It’s a ripple effect to know that you had an impact as a young man coming on the force. You always dream of something like this that you want to do well, you want to do good,” he said. “But to find out 10 years after I retired that this young lady wanted to carry on because of what my partner and I did that day — it’s very fulfilling,” he continued, starting to cry. “To be honest with you, if I was to die tomorrow as far as my police career, you know you did well,” Ocasio said. Claudio, 60, added, “This is a great honor for me and my partner to be in front of people and live a dream. “I’m just glad that she joined our family,” he said of Gomez. “This is a family. I feel like I gained another daughter.” Ocasio and Claudio were on patrol on East 116th Street in Harlem on a hot July night in 1996 when they spotted a vehicle stopped at a red light with gasoline gushing from the bottom, according to police. The cops leapt out of their cruiser and yelled to alert the driver, but the gasoline caught fire, and within seconds, the car was completely engulfed in flames, with 2-year-old Gomez, her 1-year-old brother, and her mother trapped inside. The mother screamed as the inside of the car filled with smoke, and Ocasio and Claudio sprang into action and tried to open the doors, but they were locked, police said. Ocasio busted the driver’s side window open with his radio and, with the help of a good Samaritan, pulled the mother to safety. Meanwhile, Claudio rescued Gomez and her brother from the back seat. In the end, the family was unscathed. Gomez said she first learned about her rescue from an old newspaper article. “We consistently talked about it all the time throughout our careers: ‘I wonder what happened to them,’ ” said Ocasio, who now lives just 5 minutes from his former NYPD partner in Florida, about Gomez and her family. Lt. Jose Caraballo of the Police Academy reached out to the retired officers to see if they wanted to meet Garcia. “When I got the call, for my partner and I it was special because we’ve been retired over 10 years now,” Ocasio said. “So to hear a story like that. I had a great career, 25 years. I worked with some fantastic people. And this was the cherry on top.” https://nypost.com/2024/01/12/metro/rookie-cop-saved-from-burning-car-as-a-baby-finally-meets-nypd-saviors/

Jeremy Allen White bared it all this month for his racy and utterly titillating Calvin Klein underwear campaign and the internet collectively swooned over the 32-year-old heartthrob’s rippling pectorals. Unfortunately, individuals who are visually impaired have been unable to properly appreciate all that White has to offer in his tighty whities until now. Thanks to the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), blind and partially sighted people have the opportunity to enjoy White’s ‘thirst trap’ too. RNIB created alt text, which accompanies images online and on social media platforms to help describe content and the content of images for those who may be unable to see them, for two of White’s sexiest photos, which were shot in New York City. “We’ve written image descriptions to help blind and partially sighted people decide which thirst trap is their favorite,” @RNIB wrote on X this week, along with two photos of the actor who won his second Golden Globe, for best performance by a male actor in a television series — musical or comedy, on Sunday. “See the alt text for more and tell us – which one do you choose?” The alt text for the first photo reads, “A film photo of Jeremy Allen White standing in front of a red sofa on a rooftop in New York City, wearing only white Calvin Klein briefs. His curly hair and lean, toned physique is silhouetted against the pale evening sky. He stands with his arms by his side, smiling off-camera.” The second photo is described as “A film photo of Jeremy Allen White standing behind scaffolding on a rooftop in New York city, wearing only white Calvin Klein boxers. His curly hair, blowing in the wind, and his toned, lean physique are lit up by the sun of golden hour. He has one hand on a rung of scaffolding at shoulder height and the other on a rung above his head, as if he’s about to climb. There’s a look of intense concentration on his face.” Users flocked to the comment section of the ad to express their appreciation for the in-depth alt text. “This is brilliant,” one user wrote. “It’s made me realize I am nowhere near as descriptive as I should be when writing ALT text for my company’s campaigns. (I choose #2).” “This is representation and accessibility at its best,” another user commented. “I absolutely hate when I see alt text that’s been used to just make a random joke or just repeats the text of the tweet,” said another. “This is great! I love a great ALT text. And my favourite is version 2,” a fourth user commented. Helen Dutson, RNIB’s Social Media Content Manager, explained why organizations should pay more attention to their alt text. “Big brands like Calvin Klein failing to provide alt text on their social media posts is, frankly, pants,” she told the Daily Mail. “Many blind and partially sighted people listen to digital content with assistive technology which reads alt text aloud to make it accessible to them.” “This means that when organizations and public figures don’t describe their images, there’s a huge group of people who just hear the word ‘image,'” she said. “By adding alt text, you can ensure everyone knows what you’re saying on social media, and everyone feels included in and part of the conversation.”

anything you can do, I can do 7 times in one human year... Dog survives 60-foot fall off cliff, night alone by freezing lake

Sunday, Jan. 14 Mixology Class at “The Last Word” Take part in this unforgettable evening of cocktail making. Learn tips and tricks from experts in crafting drinks from the Prohibition era. (The Last Word, 31-30 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria. 2-4 p.m. Admission: $39.47) Ice Age Hike Hike through Cunningham Park and learn about how the area looked in prehistoric times. (Cunningham Park, Union Turnpike and 196th Street, Fresh Meadows. 1-2 p.m. Admission: Free)

Bronx rider gets 2-year prison sentence for throwing pumpkin at Metro-North conductor's face Was he out of his gourd?!?!?

Psst... make us an offer... any offer... Rental giant Hertz on Thursday said it will sell off about 20,000 electric vehicles from its fleet and buy more gas-powered cars – a stunning reversal after tapping NFL legend Tom Brady to tout its transition to EVs. The company said the high costs to repair electric vehicles and a lack of demand among renters led to its decision to abandon those plans. Brady starred in a series of buzzy Hertz commercials in 2021, with Hertz vowing it would order 100,000 Tesla vehicles by the end of 2022 — before Thursday’s sudden U-turn. “The company expects this action to better balance supply against expected demand of EVs,” Hertz said in a regulatory filing announcing the move. “This will position the company to eliminate a disproportionate number of lower margin rentals and reduce damage expense associated with EVs.” Hertz said it expects to complete sales of its electric vehicles by 2025. The company’s shares plunged more than 4% in trading Thursday. Tesla shares fell about 3%. The Tesla deal was just one element of Hertz’s plan to “electrify” its rental fleet. The company previously said in 2022 that it would buy 175,000 EVs from General Motors and as many as 65,000 electric vehicles from Swedish manufacturer Polestar. The rental service expects to incur about $245 million in “incremental net depreciation expense” related to the move, according to the filing. Those costs will be reflected in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2023. The cost of maintaining a fleet of electric vehicles has been a source of concern for Hertz executives. Last October, Hertz CEO Stephen Scherr told analysts that “collision and damage repairs on an EV can often run about twice that associated with a comparable combustion engine vehicle.” Scherr insisted at the time that Hertz was “committed” to a “long-term strategy to electrify the fleet.” Hertz’s used car website lists more than 700 EVs on sale including BMW’s i3, Chevrolet’s Bolt and Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y SUVs.

Let's celebrate with a beer, eh! A 25-year-old Canadian man had his driver’s license a measly 20 minutes before he was pulled over by police, who caught him drinking a beer in “celebration” of passing his driver’s test. The Brampton man had just gotten his G2 license — the second-level permit drivers in Canada receive before getting a full Class G license — when the Ontario Provincial Police caught him weaving in and out of traffic and speeding down a highway. “In celebration, the driver cracked a beer and decided to drive back to Brampton on Highway 10,” Ian Michel with Caledon OPP alleged, according to the Caledon Enterprise. The driver “flew past an unmarked police vehicle,” Michel said. According to police, the car was operating about 30 mph over the speed limit. Police also said the driver was weaving in and out of traffic in a “careless manner” before he was pulled over. “I can’t even begin to understand why someone would think that drinking a beer in their vehicle while driving is a smart idea, let alone a novice driver who should be well-versed on the rules of the road,” Michel said. After pulling the driver over they discovered an open beer inside the vehicle. The driver allegedly registered a blood alcohol concentration above zero — breaking a law that states new drivers must have no alcohol in their system. The offending driver’s license was suspended for 30 days. He was charged with stunt driving, careless driving, novice driver with BAC above zero, driving with open liquor and several other offenses, police said. “These are not simple errors in judgment, they are choices being made that put the lives of other drivers and pedestrians at risk,” Michel said. “Simply put drivers like this kill people and don’t belong on our roads.”

C'mon, be honest... you were still in the running towards each other in slow motion stage of your relationship when you got hitched.