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    Thunderbirds and Blue Angels Will Fly Over the City Tuesday In Show of National Unity

    April 27, 2020 | 5:08 PM
    in NEWS
    62

    The Navy and Air Force will put on a show over New York City on Tuesday around noon, doing a flyby meant to inspire national unity — and give us something cool to watch out the window other than our neighbors’ stacks of toilet paper.

    The route and timing is below.

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    62 Comments
    jsv
    jsv
    6 years ago

    It’s hard to describe the level of bad taste involved in this venture.

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    Reply
    Sam Eagle
    Sam Eagle
    6 years ago
    Reply to  jsv

    It’s hard to describe the level of bad taste it takes to mock the uniforms that guard you when you sleep.

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    Reply
    MikeDNYC
    MikeDNYC
    6 years ago
    Reply to  jsv

    Chill, jvs, and just watch these awesome flying machines. The planes need to fly, the pilots need to fly. It’s what they do.That they’re going out of their way for us to see is anything but bad taste. It is spectacular.

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    UWSider
    UWSider
    6 years ago
    Reply to  jsv

    Wait until they come roaring over and everyone is cheering….it will be amazing!

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    Reply
    UWS_1
    UWS_1
    6 years ago
    Reply to  jsv

    It’s hard to describe the level of bad taste involved in some people’s comments! Let them fly and give people a glimmer of hope!

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    Reply
    Liz
    Liz
    6 years ago
    Reply to  UWS_1

    Not everyone feels hope by seeing fighter jets fly over. It’s hard to see the connection…a strong military mitigates the COVID disaster? My guess, for most NYers, a pointless act, waste of money, a misread of what is needed. Give the money for the flyover as combat pay for healthcare/first responders or try feeding some people.

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    Sam Eagle
    Sam Eagle
    6 years ago
    Reply to  Liz

    Waste of money? Have you seen anything about how New York City is run?

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    Reply
    Just_Leave
    Just_Leave
    6 years ago
    Reply to  jsv

    What exactly do you mean? Be clear!

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    Reply
    JJH
    JJH
    6 years ago
    Reply to  jsv

    Really? Why don’t you try to describe that level??

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    UWSHebrew
    UWSHebrew
    6 years ago
    Reply to  jsv

    It’s hard to describe the complete lack of patriotism so many on the East and West coast feel towards this great country.

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    Keith
    Keith
    6 years ago
    Reply to  UWSHebrew

    How is watching a bunch of jets fly for 35 seconds an expression of patriotism?

    How about, instead, caring for all people in the country, rich and poor, regardless of state or party…and then helping them if they are needy or suffering. That would be patriotism, and something to be proud of.

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    Curtis B Roberts
    Curtis B Roberts
    6 years ago
    Reply to  Keith

    Why don’t you think about my former shipmates and counterpart airmen who sit in those aircraft who all have engineering degrees, and could make megabucks in the civilian sector but who wear the uniform of this nations military service, train to do what they do in order to allow you the chance to justifys your sad existence on this planet.

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    Kenneth
    Kenneth
    6 years ago

    It’s idiotic. Like the parade of business leaders lining up to pay homage and thanks to ‘dear leader’ at today’s press briefing.
    The cost must be well into six-figures and no one can see it.

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    Kevin S
    Kevin S
    6 years ago

    If the federal government wants to do something to inspire national unity, why is Donald Trump consistently pitting Americans against each other at this horrific time, pitting State against State, Republicans against Democrats, attacking the media, etc etc. This is an empty show until Republicans start demanding Trump himself start promoting unity. Spend the money bailing out people who became unemployed during this crisis- not wasting it on flashy shows.

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    jezbel
    jezbel
    6 years ago
    Reply to  Kevin S

    more than 8 weeks(closer to12 weeks) into this pandemic. Trump has not offered a word of hope, compassion empathy for either the sick, the dying, the frontline workers, the hardship of worker not knowing how to pay rent, pay for food, educated their kids, tele-commute if possible, lose day care, be on furlough. He’s said nothing but talk about the number of dead he didn’t want to be responsible for on those ships. The ratings his pressers were getting – better than Bachelor! He’s outbid the states who need the most PPEs, ventilators, made certain Blue states got nothing and resorted to stealing/hijacking orders from airports bound for other states.
    After NYC at the 7PM appreciation hour for Drs, nurses, EMS teams, cops, all first responders, and he sees on TV other cities are doing it too. He thinks – hey, I need to get in on this. Lets send the Blue Angels & the Thunderbirds over the worst hit cities and we’ll thanks the front lines. Except they’re working, inside hospital buildings. We’re social distancing – we can’t all run out in the streets together to gawk at the jets — we just saw last summer fly up and down the Hudson with the British Air Force. They’re so fast they’ll be gone in minutes. And the price they’ll bill the government for fuel, flight pay, hazardous duty pay, to make a fly-over house call? Come on, get real.
    Trump doesn’t care – he could have personally visited any hospital in the City, his home town, Queens, the Bronx, Manhattan could have boarded the ship….. no he just tells a guy to get the Blue Angels & the Thunderbirds ready to fly and that’s the end of his largess. And bill it to the Feds.
    He’s as shallow as they come. He cares not one whit about any of us.

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    C Gold
    C Gold
    6 years ago
    Reply to  jezbel

    I agree with you Trump is out of touch and could care less but on the other hand. The girls and guys on those teams care very much. I honestly don’t feel like this is a Trump idea for the reasons you did a very good job pointing out. I feel like it is the flight teams idea and to them I say thank you very much for the gestor of thanks.

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    jan
    jan
    6 years ago

    Bad taste..I agree…who is paying?

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    Marc Margolius
    Marc Margolius
    6 years ago

    This is like a bad joke. How about spending those resources on: (1) PPE, (2) testing, (3) hazard pay, (3) small businesses, (4) (keep going). And “comforting” NYers by flying PLANES OVERHEAD? Brilliant.

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    Steveh
    Steveh
    6 years ago

    Colossal waste of money and resources. The very people that are being ”honored” will be pre-occupied saving life’s, transporting sick or keeping us safe. How about something a bit more meaningful then a useless flyover.!

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    Miss Goodie
    Miss Goodie
    6 years ago

    How much money will that cost ?
    And WHY a flyover……dirty up the atmosphere?

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    Wendy
    Wendy
    6 years ago

    President is showing off again.
    Waste of financial and human resources.
    Noise and air pollution.
    Like waste of energy and risk of safety for West Point cadets to return to West Point for presidents’s graduation address . Selfish egotistical egomaniac.

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    Keith
    Keith
    6 years ago

    Really? Flying jets around the city is a salute to responders? What kind of asinine show is this? Save the money for something useful, like feeding people who are hungry.

    It reminds me of Trump planning a military parade….for no good reason.

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    Reply
    Curtis B Roberts
    Curtis B Roberts
    6 years ago
    Reply to  Keith

    Enough of the socialist speak, people will always be hungry. If the government pulled every unemployed and hungry person, put them to work or some other kind of national service, you would complain about that. Become part of the solution and not part of the verbal bovine scatology laden background noise permeating this page.

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    UWS
    UWS
    6 years ago

    It’s hard to describe the level of bad taste in some people’s comments. Let them fly!

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    AmericaStrong
    AmericaStrong
    6 years ago

    So many problems with this. First, residents are advised to view from their homes. The only people with a clear view are those with penthouses or river views, most of whom have left the city, and if not they are not interested in watching anything that supports front-line responders. My evidence of this is that when you view the 7pm clapping from the street, as I have done on several occasions, there is no one clapping from apartments that face RSD or CPW. They either are not home (at another residence instead of UWS) or they don’t care.

    Second, according to the Blue Angels web site, the primary purpose of Blue Angels and Thunderbird flights is as a recruiting tool for the Navy and Air Force. An economy with 20% unemployment has a huge labor surplus, making such recruiting overtures unnecessary.

    (https://www.blueangels.navy.mil/faq/)

    Third, these flights cost literally millions of dollars. While it comes out of the defense department budget, and the pentagon is claiming that these are being used as training flights so there is no additional cost, I think we can all agree that the defense budget might be better spent defending Americans from the virus. Spending on PPE is much more likely to make “America Strong” than is a military flight tour with that theme. Actions versus words, people.

    (https://taskandpurpose.com/news/blue-angels-thunderbirds-flyover-coronavirus)

    Fourth, these flights create a crazy amount of emissions, further exacerbating the climate change that is killing us, if COVID doesn’t first. According to one report, each of these planes burns 1200 gallons of fuel per hour, contributing to the U.S. military being “the world’s largest institutional user of petroleum and correspondingly, the single largest producer of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the world.” In 2017, for example, the Pentagon’s greenhouse gas emissions were greater than the greenhouse gas emissions of entire industrialized countries as Sweden or Denmark.

    (https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/10/14/problem-blue-angels#)

    The only positive I can see from this is that a military flyover ostensibly honoring first responders is better than a military parade honoring Trump. Hopefully after doing this flyover tour, there won’t be any budget left to entertain Trump’s ego.

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    bloomie
    bloomie
    6 years ago
    Reply to  AmericaStrong

    Fifth, the very LAST thing New Yorkers want is more NOISE.

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    Reply
    Dee
    Dee
    6 years ago

    What is wrong with you people? This is awesome!

    0
    Reply
    Tim
    Tim
    6 years ago
    Reply to  Dee

    Agreed!! Way too many cranky Upper West Siders who had too much time on their hands to begin with and now…

    0
    Reply
    Chloe
    Chloe
    6 years ago
    Reply to  Dee

    Right?? It’ll be fun for the kids who can see it.

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    Reply
    Julie
    Julie
    6 years ago
    Reply to  Dee

    They all need Xanax, I agree

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    Reply
    Lindy
    Lindy
    6 years ago

    Great job!!!…responses from out west where the fly overs have already been done are nothing but uplifting, positive and patriotic. Bing objective is one thing , but just being down right negative is just a reflection of ones self. No extra cost/ it’s incorporate into the training budget…you didn’t really say it’s causing more pollution did you??? Yikes !!! Front line heroes loved it out west. God Bless America !

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    C
    C
    6 years ago

    Wow, cool!!

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    Reply
    BJK
    BJK
    6 years ago

    The level of anti-Americanism in the comments to this article is sickening. NYC has gotten so much assistance from the federal government in this crisis and the ingratitude in the comments is shameful. And, in the next congressional bill, you all are going to be demanding more money (bailouts) for NYC and NY State. The comments here show that the American people should not give us NYers one more dime.

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    Curtis B Roberts
    Curtis B Roberts
    6 years ago
    Reply to  BJK

    New York pays billions of dollars in the taxes it citizens pay each year. What they accept from the government is a tiny slice of what they put in. What state do you live in, I bet your state puts pennies in and pulls millions from the govt. Id like to see you verify it and then make the same comment.

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    jezbel
    jezbel
    6 years ago
    Reply to  BJK

    You’ve got some balls. Writing an anti-NYC piece in a New York City blog? P-lease!
    Go take your disgusting bile someplace else,
    New York took a hit and showed the rest of the country exactly what was coming their way, how to act, how to treat, how to protect fellow New Yorkers and how to legislate to be fair & kind & gracious to others similarly affected.
    You don’t like New Yorkers.
    I welcome you to exit.

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    Naomi
    Naomi
    6 years ago
    Reply to  BJK

    As both a proud immigrant and Democrat, I am so sick of this “teddybear” level of Democrats (French term but hopefully you get the gist). You can be a liberal without being brainwashed, while still supporting the military and still blame the WHO for being a f mess. And honestly this is why Cuomo has become so popular nationally vs. the “this is all Trump’s fault” reps. Life isn’t black and white people.

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    uwspunk
    uwspunk
    6 years ago
    Reply to  BJK

    Except that NY has given $116 BILLION more to the federal government that we have received. Asking for money is just getting our money back. I suppose you’re so red white and brainwashed that facts are irrelevant to you.

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    uwsgrl
    uwsgrl
    6 years ago
    Reply to  BJK

    Believing that a) the money could be better spent actually supporting health care workers’ needs on the ground, b) that this will encourage people to congregate to see them, when they shouldn’t, or c) people won’t see them at all since we are stuck in our apartments, many of us without lovely views doesn’t make us anti-American, unpatriotic, or even a Democrat. In a different situation I have always enjoyed the flyovers I’ve seen, usually from my office windows. This just seems myopic.

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    UWSHebrew
    UWSHebrew
    6 years ago
    Reply to  BJK

    It’s a result of multi-generational brainwashing that to be a compassionate person, you must hate and revile anything that is or appears to be Republican supported, which includes Christian white men and true love of the USA and what it stands for. Many of the parents and grandparents of the commentators on here who fought in the American Armed Forces during WWII would be disgusted by the beliefs and sentiments their descendents espouse.

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    Curtis B Roberts
    Curtis B Roberts
    6 years ago
    Reply to  UWSHebrew

    If you love your country, you would serve it!
    Perform some national service, then you have the right to speak.

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    Reply
    Boris
    Boris
    6 years ago
    Reply to  Curtis B Roberts

    Disagree…it’s easy for you to say that because you served. One’s right to speak up should be neiother increased or diminished by their record of service. But you deserve no respect for serving if you want to deny others their rights because you perceive your contribution to be greater simply on that basis.

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    JR
    JR
    6 years ago

    Any idea when, where and time they’re flying over Connecticut?

    0
    Reply
    JM
    JM
    6 years ago

    Lol, all the multiple “this is great!” comments posted by the same two people under 10 different names.

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    Reply
    Julie
    Julie
    6 years ago
    Reply to  JM

    Yeah, no we’re all different people. By the way, Riverside Park was full – and everyone was being socially distant.

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    Reply
    Please_Leave
    Please_Leave
    6 years ago
    Reply to  JM

    Do you know that for sure only two people. Or did that just come out of your rear end?

    0
    Reply
    JM
    JM
    6 years ago
    Reply to  Please_Leave

    You must be new here.

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    Reply
    Boris
    Boris
    6 years ago

    So many people have a petty nickel-and-dime mentality when it comes to such unique American displays of unity and pride. The knee-jerk reaction to perceived wastes of money used to be calls to give the money to the homeless and fix other urban problems. Now it’s give the money to the first responders. Constantly changing the priorities based on the flavor of the day isn’t a well thought out plan.

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    Margaret
    Margaret
    6 years ago
    Reply to  Boris

    I take the other side, and I don’t know why anyones patriotism is dragged into this. You know what is patriotic, that we’re all still waiting for? Here’s a quick list. Paying federal taxes. If you’re president, releasing your tax returns to show to the American people that you can be trusted. BELIEVE in actual science. And oh here’s a patriotic idea: it’s not really all that patriotic to disband the pandemic response team against the hard objections of everybody who knew what they were talking about and after your predecessor left you with a pandemic training that the billionaires in your cabinet literally slept through.

    After this administration shows its own patriotism, maybe (??) we will start to dig out of this hell that Trump’s incompetence has plunged us into. I really hope so, myself. We don’t need ‘Mission Accomplished’ flyovers, we need an administration led by a president who isn’t jarringly totally nuts.

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    Go, Joe !
    Go, Joe !
    6 years ago
    Reply to  Margaret

    Beautifully said!
    Logical, clearly-stated, and oh…SO on-target.

    Actually I am a tad jealous, as MY rant didn’t make the cut…probably b/c it WAS more vitriol than well-reasoned argument.

    Glad to see yours here instead.

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    WILLIAM W MCGILL
    WILLIAM W MCGILL
    6 years ago

    Holy moly … really people?! You don’t want to see a precision flying show done in appreciation of our health care workers in NYC and in other major cities? It’s not “green”? The Blue Angel’s and Thunderbirds have been around since the early 60s. They do air shows. They are Navy/AF pilots paid pilot wages. Their usual shows were canceled due to Covid-19 ban on crowding. The sum total of all pollution from all their shows is less than the weed you all smoked since age 15! Give me a friggin break. Even the folks in SF love their shows. Bad taste?! In what way? The teams are funded anyway. The cost vs Pelosi’s CARES add ons is minuscule. You’d prefer no thank you gesture? There is not enough cultural diversity? Maybe a fleet of Tesla’s humming down 8th Ave would be more relevant for you? This is some evil corporate or GOP scheme? You worried they’ll go low and strafe AOC’s neighborhood? Shame on you self important cultural elitist. You get everything wrong through your presumption of some imaginary moral high ground. Any of you ever rolled their sleeves up and actually done some good for community despite spewing hot air and negativity? This is a stunning display of disconnect from the hearts and minds of most people pushing ahead in real life and not sitting in front of a laptop posing as an “influencer”. Grab a beer, look out the window, watch the flyover, and then applaud the health care workers for keeping the city safe while working in a risky situation.

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    D-Rex
    D-Rex
    6 years ago
    Reply to  WILLIAM W MCGILL

    Usually I recoil against the accusation of people being “elitist”.
    However in this case, agreed, well said.

    People need to understand that not everyone sits at a desk for a living (now I do and feel privileged to be able to make a living doing so). Bashing everything other than an afternoon spent at MoMA or composting (I support both) is only increasing the destructive divisions in our country.

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    D-Rex
    D-Rex
    6 years ago

    For a flyover, increased cost and pollution are really not an issue, as they fly approximately a dozen times per week for training anyway. So today, probably less flight time than usual.

    While I am not a “hawk” I do find the performance, technology, and extremely high-grade manufacturing of military hardware to be very interesting (especially fighter planes). The skill of these pilots and crews is arguably the best in the world.

    I will be happily and proudly watching and listening for the F-18s and F-16s today.

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    Jim Woods
    Jim Woods
    6 years ago
    Reply to  D-Rex

    Awesome tribute to our front liners!
    They deserve way more acknowledgement that they get.
    God bless them all!!

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    Robert Quackenbush
    Robert Quackenbush
    6 years ago

    Just like world War !!. The planes used to fly over to cheer us on and we won that war!

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    Mav
    Mav
    6 years ago

    This was a *terrible* idea. I went out to walk my dog on my lunch break having missed that this was going to happen. It was insanely crowded in Riverside Park with people clustering pretty close together, families without masks and children who have been cooped up all running around like they’ve been cooped up.

    I’m all about people getting outside to get some air and letting their kids get some play time, but not all at the same time, which is exactly what this accomplished.

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    Jaime Astacio
    Jaime Astacio
    6 years ago

    Thank you for sharing I wsish you flew lower so we could had seen you but the Noise was beautiful God Bles and greaat job..
    Waiting until they come roaring over and everyone is cheering….it be amazing!

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    Jaime Astacio
    Jaime Astacio
    6 years ago

    thank you

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    Reply
    Nancy
    Nancy
    6 years ago

    There were 13 jets in Phila’s flyover. Any idea what the exta one was about?

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    D
    D
    6 years ago

    Asked for tests. Got jets.

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    Patriot
    Patriot
    6 years ago
    Reply to  D

    Thank you to our servicemen and women who sacrifice their lives so that we can enjoy our freedom. May you forever stay in God’s grace as we do our best to express care and concern for our fellow neighbors. Let’s not take what we have for granted and appreciate what our great nation has to offer. We are not perfect but at least we have the freedom and ability to make things better. “GOD BLESS AMERICA”

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    R A
    R A
    6 years ago

    Ridiculous waste of needed taxpayer dollars!!!! Should’ve spent the millions on food for the hungry dum ass Trump Administration

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    Lynne
    Lynne
    6 years ago

    First off… I am a Health Care worker so don’t speak for me! This Ploy as you all put it …Most of us look at it as a nice jester to say thank you. For the good job we have done and are doing. We do have windows you know. And by the way the patients appreciated it also. You know the one who can have visitors. It but hug smiles on their faces also. So ploy or not. It was nice to see happy patient and it was like getting a stand ovation for us from our country. It was a nice few second mind break from what us Health Care workers and patients are dealing with.
    Unlike you people that obviously have to much time on your hands and make positive jesters into negative ones!
    God bless and stay in doors
    It may be you wishes for a fly over next

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    Reply

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