Garden Stroll

16 May 2022

Thank You!!

 Thinking Outside the Box

As citizens who really care about our USA we need to realize that we can not continue to focus on just ourselves.  We all live on this Panet and need to support each other in maintaining the values our forebears fought for and some even perished for:

Greetings,

Yesterday May 5, 2022 I posted this picture on My Facebook Page as well as sent it out to many here in Central Georgia.

 

 

This picture taken on 14 January 1994 shows our President, the President of  Russia and the President of Ukraine after they signed the “Budapest Memorandum” or as it also known the “Trilateral Statement!”  This was accomplished to have Ukraine give up it’s Nuclear Weapons so the world could live in peace.  In case you were not aware, Ukraine was a major player in the Nuclear Weapons game back then.  Ukraine did give up it’s Nuclear Weapons!  Today we are witnessing Russia not abiding by the agreement and also hearing Russia threatening Ukraine with the use of Nuclear Weapons to promote the agenda of taking over Ukraine.  Russia now claims that this agreement is now null and void in as much as there is a new Government in Ukraine.  So, much for international agreements! 

 

Two individuals on the Macon-Bibb Commission took offense to acknowledging our History and what we should be doing as Freedom Loving Citizens and having Hope in our Future!  Of course that is their right.  However I think it quite appropriate to review a bit of History.

 

“Just a reminder to this ridiculous email exchange, the agreement was done in 1994. Frankly, I don’t know why I get dragged into group emails like this as a county commissioner. I respectfully ask to please let me concentrate on things I can help with, not things done by a former president 28 years ago. I understand some of you folks have nothing but time, unfortunately I am not one of those folks.  Very few if any of the current local politicians had any input here. 

Respectfully” 

 

A fellow Commissioner then posted this:

 

“I soooooooooooooo agree with you,”

 

I considered these comments and reviewed why I am quite zealous about our USA!

 

·        I served with a Survivor of the Bataan Death March!

·        I served with a World War II Aviator who was a Fighter Ace.

·        I was allowed to participate in the General/President Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Service in the Honor Guard at Saint Paul's in London  as the British conducted a service on 14 April 1969.

 

Admittedly these events happened some time ago however they are still part of My History and the Legacy that I desire to promote for My Children, Grand Children and all future Generations.

 

Now regarding the War in Ukraine,   I recall with great clarity the day in 1945 when My Mom gathered her children around the Radio to tell us that the War was over.

 

So, if I am considered zealous, please forgive me, but I do have great concerns about the potential for a Nuclear War now!!

 

Regarding the statement about this does not apply to Macon-Bibb I would simply state that I know of at least two Heroes who would dispute that statement:

 

1.      Rodney Maxwell Davis, USMC who died on 6 September 1967

2.    Kelly Lance Courtney, USMC who died on 30 October 2004

 

Both of these Heroes gave their lives in defense of Our Way of Life here in Macon-Bibb, Georgia and the USA!

 

Regarding the scope of Politics I have learned that former Speaker of the House, Tip O’Neill has been credited with the statement:  “All Politics is Local!’  However there are some that think otherwise!!

 

Regarding the use of Technology to reach many I defer to Saint Paul formerly known as “Saul of Tarsus” who wrote many letters which were circulated throughout the known world in His time.  In fact many of these letters are still read today by “God Fearing Peoples” everywhere.

 

I share these comments with You today totally aware that I am but one citizen with no political position and/or power.  I am one citizen attempting to do what is just and proper for the benefit of our fellow mankind!

 

Warm Regards,   Alan F. E. Thiese

 Macon-Bibb Convenience Center

Our Elected Leaders are serious about illegal dumping in Macon-Bibb.  They have opened a Convenience Center at 920 11th Street.  At least four more of these Centers are planned for Macon-Bibb to mae it quicker and easier for all to discard bulky items or stuff that is not picked up by the system, for example "glass."

This center is open seven days a week from 8:30 A.M. until 4:00 P.M.  However, I suggest that you plan on arriving by 3:30 P.M. to have adequate time to unload.  The Staff is friendly and will help you unload the large/heavy stuff.  I  know, I have used this Center!!  They will not accept Asphalt Roofing materials.  They do accept "Glass!"

Once you arrive and show your Driver's License with a Macon-Bibb address you will be directed to the proper roll off/roll on bin so you can dispose of your stuff!

Remember the goal - By working together we all can Keep Macon-Bibb looking Clean and Good.  Thank You to our Mayor and Commissioners!!

 Remembering Shipmates

I realize that it is early for Decoration Day now known as Memorial Day, but today I decided to remember shipmates even though I did not serve with them.  One from World War I and One from World War II.

When I first transferred to Macon, Georgia in 1971 this Family took me in like I was a Son.  We attended the same church and I appreciated their hospitality.  In fact when I needed sewing done Mrs. Sprunk kept me hemmed up!!

This World War II Sailor is the Father of My oldest Son!!As You can tell I appreciate Heroes who Served in Our Navy prior to My time in Our Navy!!!  They set the standard I attempted to follow!!!

 Planting Day

Middle Georgia

2 May 2022

We purchased the Swedish Ivy and the Coleus in the three tall Grey Planters to supplement the Ferns which have wintered over for at least three years from Mossy Corner near Forsyth, Georgia.  As the Owner stated the small plants will grow fast and will not suffer transplant shock as much as larger plants which of course will also cost more!

The low planters have Calabrichoa plants and will also grow and spread!

I also purchased one Brandywine Tomato Plant for Summer Time "Mater Sandwiches!

The tall Posts have one Barberry plant and I added one Coleus as well as three Scaevila to each planter which adore the front door.

These flowers also wintered over and are from years past however they add interest to the low planters which also adorn the front door!

A few weeks ago I planted these flowers which I ordered from Breck's!.

Blue Agapanthus

White Agapanthus

The Three tall Planters on the Deck!

Phlox

 29 April 2022

Garden Stroll

When I returned Home I took the opportunity to take some pictures of the Habitat where I reside with My Bride:

 Georgia

Road Trip

29 April 2022

It was My pleasure to Travel to Augusta, Georgia and return Home.  On the way to Augusta, Georgia I saw several interesting structures so on the return trip I took the opportunity to capture these pictures.  These situations do not appear to be very healthy, however I think we will soon see some improvement,  The Convertible in the car port appears to be also ready for some restoration.

I suspect it will  be some time before we see these structures on Zillow.  The supply chain issues are indeed very troubling!!!

4 April 2022

Garden Stroll 

 

Alan F. E. Thiese

1 April 2022

 

The President of the United States of America

The Senate Majority Leader

The House of Representatives Speaker

The Senior Senator for Georgia

The Junior Senator for Georgia

The Second District Representative for Georgia

 

Greetings Most Honorable Duly Elected Leaders,

 

Today I focus on Defective Decisions.  I am also guilty of doing them.  As I recall during my preparation for this the Fifth Letter to You I was a college student and I decided that I did not have to attend classes on a regular basis.  After some time of this charade My Parents pulled the plug on financing further College Education. 

 

You may be asking why I discuss this with you.  I consider each of you of being guilty of “Defective Decisions” in your role as a Leader in our USA.

 

The following is a quote and it is printed in Green so you can overlook it, however I feel that what You, Mr. President have done and the rest of You have condoned is simply not in the best interest of America. 

                                   Green!!

 

Batteries, they do not make electricity – they store electricity produced elsewhere, primarily by coal, uranium, natural gas-powered plants, or diesel-fueled generators.  So, to say an EV is a zero-emission vehicle is not at all valid.

 

Also, since forty percent of the electricity generated in the U.S. is from coal-fired plants, it follows that forty percent of the EVs on the road are coal-powered, do you see?"

Einstein's formula, E=MC2, tells us it takes the same amount of energy to move a five-thousand-pound gasoline-driven automobile a mile as it does an electric one. The only question again is what produces the power? To reiterate, it does not come from the battery; the battery is only the storage device, like a gas tank in a car.

 

There are two orders of batteries, rechargeable, and single-use. The most common single-use batteries are A, AA, AAA, C, D. 9V, and lantern types. Those dry-cell species use zinc, manganese, lithium, silver oxide, or zinc and carbon to store electricity chemically. Please note they all contain toxic, heavy metals.

 

Rechargeable batteries only differ in their internal materials, usually lithium-ion, nickel-metal oxide, and nickel-cadmium. The United States uses three billion of these two battery types a year, and most are not recycled; they end up in landfills. California is the only state which requires all batteries be recycled. If you throw your small, used batteries in the trash, here is what happens to them.

 

All batteries are self-discharging.  That means even when not in use, they leak tiny amounts of energy. You have likely ruined a flashlight or two from an old, ruptured battery. When a battery runs down and can no longer power a toy or light, you think of it as dead; well, it is not. It continues to leak small amounts of electricity. As the chemicals inside it run out, pressure builds inside the battery's metal casing, and eventually, it cracks. The metals left inside then ooze out. The ooze in your ruined flashlight is toxic, and so is the ooze that will inevitably leak from every battery in a landfill. All batteries eventually rupture; it just takes rechargeable batteries longer to end up in the landfill.

In addition to dry cell batteries, there are also wet cell ones used in automobiles, boats, and motorcycles. The good thing about those is, ninety percent of them are recycled. Unfortunately, we do not yet know how to recycle single-use ones properly.

 

But that is not half of it.  For those of you excited about electric cars and a green revolution, I want you to take a closer look at batteries and also windmills and solar panels. These three technologies share what we call environmentally destructive production costs.

 

A typical EV battery weighs one thousand pounds, about the size of a travel trunk.  It contains twenty-five pounds of lithium, sixty pounds of nickel, 44 pounds of manganese, 30 pounds cobalt, 200 pounds of copper, and 400 pounds of aluminum, steel, and plastic. Inside are over 6,000 individual lithium-ion cells.

 

It should concern you that all those toxic components come from mining. For instance, to manufacture each EV auto battery, you must process 25,000 pounds of brine for the lithium, 30,000 pounds of ore for the cobalt, 5,000 pounds of ore for the nickel, and 25,000 pounds of ore for copper. All told, you dig up 500,000 pounds of the earth's crust for just - one - battery."

 

Sixty-eight percent of the world's cobalt, a significant part of a battery, comes from the Congo. Their mines have no pollution controls, and they employ children who die from handling this toxic material. Should we factor in these diseased kids as part of the cost of driving an electric car?"

 

I'd like to leave you with these thoughts. California is building the largest battery in the world near San Francisco, and they intend to power it from solar panels and windmills. They claim this is the ultimate in being 'green,' but it is not.  This construction project is creating an environmental disaster.  Let me tell you why.

 

The main problem with solar arrays is the chemicals needed to process silicate into the silicon used in the panels. To make pure enough silicon requires processing it with hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, hydrogen fluoride, trichloroethane, and acetone. In addition, they also need gallium, arsenide, copper-indium-gallium- diselenide, and cadmium-telluride, which also are highly toxic. Silicon dust is a hazard to the workers, and the panels cannot be recycled.

 

Windmills are the ultimate in embedded costs and environmental destruction. Each weighs 1688 tons (the equivalent of 23 houses) and contains 1300 tons of concrete, 295 tons of steel, 48 tons of iron, 24 tons of fiberglass, and the hard to extract rare earths neodymium, praseodymium, and dysprosium. Each blade weighs 81,000 pounds and will last 15 to 20 years, at which time it must be replaced. We cannot recycle used blades.

 

There may be a place for these technologies, but you must look beyond the myth of zero emissions. 

 

"Going Green" may sound like the Utopian ideal but when you look at the hidden and embedded costs realistically with an open mind, you can see that Going Green is more destructive to the Earth's environment than meets the eye, for sure.

 

Going Green is a lofty goal, but today and in the foreseeable future we really need to be energy independent here in the USA.  While our President is begging foreign countries to sell us fossil fuel, some who are considered  our enemies, it would appear proper to cancel the policies that were enacted just after 20 January 2021 so we here in the USA would not have to suffer because of the “Defective Decisions” made by Our President. 

 

So Congress people, why do I even bother you with this?  Just recently I hear the White House Press Secretary utter a response that directed the questioner to ask Congress regarding a situation in Ukraine because it was not the President’s responsibility.   I suspect that each of you are aware that You have a solemn duty to insure that the Way of Life of the U. S. Citizens is promoted!  I am confident that each of you are also aware that rapid inflation is eliminating any wage increases for  a USA worker that you often trout results in a negative increase in available financial funds needed to support one’s self and/or a family!!

 

In summary Each of You are not really focused on the Citizens of the USA!!

 

I will not address the Border Crisis in this letter simply because that was the first concern of My letter of 21 December 2021 to each of you.

 

I recently traveled on an
Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. and observed the “Changing of the Guard" at the Tomb of the Unknown.  These Heroes know their duty and the purpose of their duty.  After that we Visited “The Wall!”  Each of these Heroes knew their purpose and performed it well.  As You know they gave their lives!

 

 

Again, I say I am asking Each of You to Know Your Purpose just like each of the aforementioned Heroes Did!  You do indeed Serve the American People!!  Please go and do likewise!

 

Thank You.

 

Alan F. E. Thiese