Stargeezer Smith

https://social.linux.pizza/@stargazersmith

Stargeezer, retired. Worked in computer science (PhD), aerospace engineering, and astronomy.

Our two sons keep me engaged on microprocessor projects and astronomy discussions.

Recent widower after 55 years of marriage. A verse from my son's farewell poem about his Mother:

Artistically intelligent
indelibly beautiful
One of a kind
In your style and grace
No one can take your place

Interests:
#astronomy
#telescopes
#amateurastronomy
#scifi
#software
#perl
#forth
#linux
#GnuOctave

Website: https://afterdark-skies.blogspot.com
Location: Southwest U. S.

Public Key

npub10p7rw74qt9pmcdq4sgj8syz3avw4jahzpy2u8fdk8txf4qur57sqgxpj6x

NIP-05 Address

stargazersmith_at_social.linux.pizza@momostr.pink

Profile Code

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Publishing to

relay.damus.io

nos.lol

Author Public Key

npub10p7rw74qt9pmcdq4sgj8syz3avw4jahzpy2u8fdk8txf4qur57sqgxpj6x

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Published at

2026-04-23T20:05:17Z

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0 Metadata

Event JSON

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Last Notes

2026-05-01 22:16:07 UTC

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So he bearly noticed you.

2026-04-19 03:57:40 UTC

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Honest work is good work.

2026-04-19 01:57:49 UTC

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The helplessness feeling is hard on people when they have to depend upon others. I know my late wife mentioned how guilty she felt at having to step back and let me take over house chores. I told her I didn't mind at all, but she still felt bad about it.

2026-04-17 13:20:55 UTC

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Gees, I'm so tired of being both horrified at their incompetence and arrogance, and embarrassed.

2026-04-13 13:41:24 UTC

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I think introspection doesn't come easy to conservatives.

2026-04-02 03:29:43 UTC

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Check -- Dr. Seuss.
My favorite was Horton Hears a Who. I was looking forward to reading some Dr. Seuss to my granddaughter like I did to my sons. Alas, she doesn't like Horton Hears a Who.

2026-03-31 19:17:28 UTC

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So is he convincing himself the UK started the war?

2026-03-28 03:48:50 UTC

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Something to keep.

2026-03-13 14:40:28 UTC

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Tough to be a caregiver when you are sick yourself. Growing old together is a privilege. You help make up for each other's loss of capacity from aging. But when one is unable to be a caregiver sometimes, things get more complicated.
My late wife also woke up very nauseated from being sedated. Once we learned to complain vociferously about that likelihood, they learned to give her Benadryl along with the sedation. It helped a lot.
You are doing a great job on the biggest challenge of your life. Chin up.

2026-03-11 22:39:48 UTC

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I'm sure you know more descriptive words than menace, and though accurate they may be, they likely aren't suitable for mixed company.

2026-02-24 06:23:29 UTC

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I offer my check list based on experience.
1) enjoy every moment together.
2) always look forward.
3) keep up to date on potential helpful medicines and therapies.
4) enjoy every moment together. I know, I said that already, but it beats repeating.

2026-02-24 00:49:36 UTC

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Hopefully she has an inkling of how lucky she is to have such adventures.

2026-02-22 05:29:58 UTC

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Thinking back as your post inspires me to do, I even recall when our phone on the wall was a party line phone with a crank and not a dial.

2026-02-01 23:38:18 UTC

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Precisely the approach I'm using to keep going on past the loss of my long time spouse.

2026-01-28 04:42:36 UTC

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I offer my condolences, still reeling from my own recent loss.
I suggest you explore the concept of continuing bonds.

2026-01-26 23:52:50 UTC

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It reminds me of the "Mirror, Mirror" episode of star trek in which a temporal disruption of some kind caused some of the crew to be transported to an Enterprise craft in another dimension. In that dimension something like Trumpism (greed and cruelty) were the norm.
The more enlightened crew of the regular Enterprise could emulate the norms of the other dimension while they worked on a solution. Their counterparts from the cruel dimension could not even emulate the norms of the regular dimension, as their unenlightened minds could not grasp it.
Sounds familiar to the situation you described.

2026-01-25 05:15:40 UTC

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Watching Summer's exploits are very therapeutic to me, and I thank you for sharing.

2026-01-25 05:10:09 UTC

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Couldn't there be a wrongful death suit for reparations in a civil action?
Clearly I'm a nerd uneducated in law, but nerds are curious sorts.

2026-01-25 00:53:18 UTC

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That for some reason reminds me of a joke about light.
A passerby at night noticed a fellow on his hands and knees crawling around under a street lamp seemingly looking for something.
Passerby: "did you lose something?"
Man on knees: "yes, I dropped my keys."
Passerby: "somewhere around here?"
Man on knees: "no,over there by my house front door."
Passerby: scratches head, says " why are you looking around here then?"
Man on knees: " because the light is better over here."

2026-01-12 21:55:16 UTC

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I get your guilt feeling. Since me and my Dachshund are the only occupants of my home now, when I run errands to town she is home alone. She doesn't like that much.

2025-12-08 18:02:29 UTC

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Oh geez, are they going to take Trump's faux peace prize away?

2025-11-20 02:57:08 UTC

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I have two alarms that together go off about every 2 hours throughout the night. One is i have to go to the bathroom and it wakes me up.
The other is my Weiner dog whines to be covered up in her dog bed, and then I also realize I have to go to the bathroom.

2025-11-05 02:38:03 UTC

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I spent much of my day babysitting my 6 yr old granddaughter. A task my wife would have relished, and one somewhat therapeutic for me.

2025-10-23 02:23:04 UTC

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My wife recently passed after dialysis was tried. We had no idea of the risks.

2025-10-18 15:52:53 UTC

I drove down town for the No Kings Rally to see how it was going, and maybe attend. It was going great, but because of that no parking in sight. So I drove by the rally and honked, clapped, and waved ... and cried.
I realized that being a recent widower, my emotions aren't settled enough to experience such inspiration -- it's overwhelming to see.
If I can collect my feelings, which are complex, I've decided I could use Uber to get to the rally and back for maybe $50. I'm working on it, but it's great to see the big turnout.

2025-09-21 02:59:14 UTC

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Makes sense to me.

2025-09-20 12:17:22 UTC

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I remember a co-worker once on a rant about allegedly seeing a person in a grocery line buying food with food stamps, yet had previously flashed a wad of cash from his pocket.
The co-worker's conclusion was that they should eliminate food stamps. I tried to explain that the goal of food stamps was to give needy aid. There was a budget for that. Would there be cheaters in the client mix?
Name any human endeavor that doesn't have cheaters. As the cheaters waste some of the budget meant to help, so does using some of the budget to police and catch cheaters. When the money spent on policing exceeds the cost of the cheating, it's gone too far.
The goal after all wasn't to build a cheat-free food supplement program, but one that helped the most people. When managing such programs, it's important not to lose sight of your initial objectives.

2025-09-03 15:53:33 UTC

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Enjoy those priceless interactions while you can.

2025-08-25 21:55:37 UTC

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I'm trying to get my dachshund Jellybean used to taking short rides in the car, given that aside from her I'm alone now. And today's mission in that regard was torpedoed by a fly that happened to get in the car. Jellybean is reduced into a quivering piebald mass in the presence of a fly.
Maybe tomorrow will yield a better opportunity.

2025-08-08 22:40:38 UTC

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Your Summer posts have been a soothing respite from the health challenges our family, like yours, have been facing.
Very sorry to report that my spouse is now on Hospice and is losing her battle. Soon my life will have to endure some monumental adjustments. I may still follow your Summer posts for some solace.

2025-07-31 16:20:14 UTC

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What are you using to get such great photos?

2025-07-19 04:23:10 UTC

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I got a disappointing surprise recently when I had to change a tire. That duty was a snap when I was younger.
I could still handle the weight of the tire well enough, though it was harder than I expected. But getting down on a knee and then wrestling with the tire is what I found much more difficult in this aged body. My knees aren't up to that nonsense anymore.

2025-07-02 03:44:22 UTC

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If the GOP senators were on the Titanic, they'd be drilling holes in the bottom of the ship.

2025-06-14 03:18:24 UTC

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Take it out of the ICE budget.

2025-06-07 15:39:51 UTC

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Linux has a lot of image and video libraries and apps. I've used some of them a lot to take and process lunar and planetary images like the one below of the #plato Crater region.
A Linux app operated the video camera that took the images, a Linux app stripped out the frames for processing, a Linux program that I wrote aligned and stacked the frames, and a Linux app provideed the tools to sharpen the resulting image.
https://cdn.social.linux.pizza/system/media_attachments/files/114/642/823/386/706/284/original/ee2a81c42b74b4b3.jpg

2025-06-03 18:24:10 UTC

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Hm.
My dogs give me things to do, rather than help. I'm doing something wrong.

2025-05-28 19:15:21 UTC

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Sorry to read that you are feeling poorly. When we primary care takers sputter, the home machinery doesn't work so well.

2025-05-20 16:13:00 UTC

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Bless Summer for her sensitivity.
Our situation last night was a bit upside down from that. I awoke at about 3 AM (had to go to the bathroom) and noticed that our 16 year old Chaweenie wasn't in her bed. She has a little dementia, so I was a bit concerned.
I couldn't find her in the house, so I figured she'd managed to navigate through two nightlight illuminated rooms to the doggie door. And I figured she was likely lost outside in the dark, as her vision is no longer very good.
I turned on the porch light hoping she'd be able to relocate the doggie door. Finally I put on my clothes and went outside and found her. She was as I expected wandering around a bit lost.
I guess all's well that ends well. I'll catch a makeup nap later.

2025-05-16 23:58:42 UTC

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Agreed. It makes no sense.

2025-05-15 16:03:33 UTC

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I hope things work out well for you and yours today. My spouse is getting a blood transfusion today, as her batteries need a significant recharge.
So I can feel your pain, but life goes on, even when it's uphill for a while.

2025-05-10 01:42:02 UTC

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Ah, baseball. I never liked it, my Dad loved it. I had a couple of uncles on my Mom's side who played a little pro ball -- before WWII.
Two of my older brothers played college ball.
I was vastly out numbered.

2025-05-09 19:51:16 UTC

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The GOP senators have learned nothing of this from Trump's previous time in office. He purposely picks unqualified appointees. If the GOP folds and accepts them, the next batch will be worse, and so on. But if they rejected the unqualified, there would be bellowing but capitulation on his side.

2025-04-30 22:44:04 UTC

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States need to come together (#bluealliance) to make state hosted, multi state supported like minded organizations.

2025-04-27 03:23:11 UTC

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Rain?
I've heard of that. Wet stuff right?
In the desert we get mostly wind and dirt.

2025-04-24 18:33:35 UTC

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I've been moving through the Great Course lecture series in the history of Mathematics. It had an interesting section on how the ancients struggled with pi.
Interestingly they knew of the pi approximation 355/113, which I was unaware of until I read the book "Starting Forth" which explained the Forth fraction multiply operator */.
That operator made a handy way to work with science constants which could be accurately expressed as a ratio of integers, as Forth did only fixed point math.

2025-04-24 01:04:47 UTC

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The ones who can't work aren't so rare, I know some of them. They can't work because -- ahem -- they are disabled. Be thankful that you don't have their condition.

2025-04-20 00:05:15 UTC

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Meanwhile, our Weiner dog spent the day hiding and following me around the house because -- there was a fly in the house.
Such a coward.
https://cdn.social.linux.pizza/system/media_attachments/files/114/367/357/184/337/993/original/166aa54bd7de23d9.jpg

2025-04-19 02:56:16 UTC

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Good luck with that diagnosis. I know the feeling. Virtually every week we have doctor visits or labs. But if that's what it takes, it's what we'll do.

2025-04-14 14:34:51 UTC

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What puzzles me is that some of the billionaires, from what I read, actually want to hasten in a dystopian future to dominate from high.
They already can have what they desire, but apparently can't achieve fulfillment unless the masses suffer.
What the hell is that?

2025-04-12 20:32:13 UTC

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I guess I don't see how anyone, billionaires or poor, benefit from a diminished health system.

2025-04-11 14:40:04 UTC

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Wow ... and ... brrrr!

2025-04-02 02:28:42 UTC

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Now, after a couple days of sleep, Booker needs to have daily briefings challenging Trump's every step. Make Trump share the attention with Booker.

2025-03-16 03:14:46 UTC

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The 60s protests maybe didn't largely affect sitting administrations, but it activated voters to change administrations.

2025-03-11 03:23:25 UTC

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Question: how bad must it get to get the MAGA voters attention, and get them to realize a vote for Harris would have avoided ALL of this?

2025-03-03 17:15:00 UTC

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Hope you find a pleasing plan.
We have no blood tests today and no doctor visits. A big liberating day for us - for a change.

2025-02-25 11:58:19 UTC

These 22,000-Year-Old Drag Marks Could Be Oldest Evidence of a Handcart : ScienceAlert
https://www.sciencealert.com/these-22000-year-old-drag-marks-could-be-oldest-evidence-of-a-handcart

2025-02-24 20:05:56 UTC

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Another reason Russia (or Putin) doesn't want peace short of victory is that despots who start wars and lose them have a terrible retirement plan. That's why despots who are losing wars struggle to keep the wars going.

2025-02-22 19:07:38 UTC

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I know that "drat" feeling. I knew the day the Endeavour shuttle was being moved back to California and decommissioned. I was sure to be home that afternoon.
As it happened we lived in the flight path the shuttle and its carrier plane were following. I was ready (I thought) and waited outside until I saw the amazing sight of the shuttle mounted piggyback on the massive transport plane. I started taking pictures with my digital camera.
It wasn't until the plane had passed overhead that I realized the camera wasn't set appropriately. Frustrated at my own incompetence I readjusted the camera for the remaining shots. In spite of my incompetence I caught this fair well image of Endeavour as it headed for its resting place in California.
https://cdn.social.linux.pizza/system/media_attachments/files/114/049/096/470/136/937/original/a3e9c087bac5170e.png

2025-02-17 18:36:48 UTC

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We have a little Chweenie dog that's 16 and really slowing down. I don't know how many more years or months she'll grace our home. Losing her will be painful.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/cE85QHVHcuFLdAKD8

2025-02-16 16:19:15 UTC

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Sorry for your loss. The trouble with lovable and loyal pets is that they don't live long enough.

2025-02-04 14:41:24 UTC

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I'm not sure that he cares if what he says is true or not, even to himself.

2025-01-31 02:28:08 UTC

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I suspect a lawsuit coming.

2025-01-19 17:26:12 UTC

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Some of the disadvantaged are emotionally or mentally disadvantaged. They may have serious anxiety or be unable to make good decisions, both of which interfere with their ability to hold jobs or take care of themselves.
Those of us not disadvantaged so shouldn't look down on those who are and think them just lazy. We should be eternally grateful that we are not disadvantaged so, and use our ability to have good judgement to help the disadvantaged.

2025-01-18 22:44:31 UTC

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One thing I've observed is that the uber-advantaged have no concept of what it's like to be disadvantaged. And disadvantaged extends far beyond just being poor.

2025-01-15 21:20:30 UTC

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Those are very sharp and withstand considerable zooming in. My photos of the same areas with my #ETX90 can't quite match that.

2025-01-14 11:42:39 UTC

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My guess at a translation:
Someone with more sense is telling Trump what to do on Ukraine.

2024-12-31 00:41:37 UTC

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We call them jumping cactus because bristles will drop off and start a new cactus.

2024-12-26 16:04:45 UTC

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I love the way "woke" bugs those guys, or more likely how they think "woke" comments bring favor from their base.
How much of their base is the question.

2024-12-21 03:15:33 UTC

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I know that bad feeling. My spouse has had her iron level dropping for 3 months, even though she's taking iron supplements to treat that. Today she had to get a blood transfusion as her metabolism was dangerously low. At least that went well, she feels much better since this afternoon.

2024-12-15 23:59:08 UTC

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I tend to use that term myself, as well as howdy. I got y'all from my oldest brother who was stationed in Louisiana -- and married a southern bell.

2024-12-15 12:59:57 UTC

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After having visited one of our small city's largest dept stores yesterday, I completely agree. I won't do that again if I can avoid it.

2024-12-07 16:07:28 UTC

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I'm sure that is the issue. And it's a corporate decision driven by the desire of achieving bigger profits. it certainly isn't a decision in an effort to provide better service.

2024-12-07 08:19:14 UTC

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It sounds a little too elite for my taste.

2024-12-06 13:44:49 UTC

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And their new policy is not to even answer their phone. They'll (sometimes) call you back instead.

2024-12-04 03:04:56 UTC

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Author and orator Fran Lebowitz commented similarly on Trump.
Lebowitz thinks the biggest danger of Trump is that he is a moron. “Everyone says he is crazy – which maybe he is – but the scarier thing about him is that he is stupid. You do not know anyone as stupid as Donald Trump. You just don’t.”

2024-11-27 23:27:48 UTC

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I'm sure. What do we do to vaccinate the Internet against it?

2024-11-26 19:50:56 UTC

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Rage and ... ignorance.
They certainly, almost across the board, overestimate their level of knowledge. And there is no "public servant" instinct in any of them.

2024-11-23 02:54:37 UTC

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Are we potentially still missing something? It seems the fund raising, rally size, early voting turnout, and enthusiasm were on the Harris side. So ... what happened?

2024-11-21 03:43:30 UTC

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Hopefully it will quickly resolve and just be a memory .

2024-11-08 14:50:12 UTC

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I've been thinking about this. I call it the blue alliance. Domestic things like economic concerns, health policy, education policy, citizens rights, could be protected in blue (and like minded) states by some coordination.
The blue states, after, should have tremendous leverage over the next WH. They have most of the nation's money.

2024-11-07 03:52:31 UTC

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I'm the middle man now between my wife's health specialists and family doctor in trying to get the optimal care. I don't like it because there's so much at stake and I don't have sufficient knowledge. I only know the medical history.

2024-11-07 03:44:06 UTC

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I could have used your expertise 30 years ago when I had to be the middle man trying to get the school to work with my son in the way the psychiatrist recommended. I hate being the middle man.

2024-11-01 11:57:17 UTC

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I did occasionally lament that the creations I accomplished in computer science would be lost in just a few years. Sometimes it made me think I should have followed a math career instead.
But what the heck. I enjoyed what I did, and at least in my working years I was able to elevate the computer use of the organizations where I worked.

2024-10-27 13:30:15 UTC

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From her previous statements on the matter that proposal won't fly with a President Harris.

2024-10-25 11:20:43 UTC

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Patriots none and all.

2024-10-19 03:30:01 UTC

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I wonder what Korea is supposed to get out of this venture?

2024-10-19 03:19:02 UTC

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Does anyone know if it was cut off or if there was a malfunction?

2024-10-16 21:22:59 UTC

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I make sure I have something to read in those situations.

2024-10-16 03:13:35 UTC

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It's very stressful worrying about someone, doing the little things you can do to help, but you cannot do the medical things, you have to trust others for that. And often that help doesn't seem urgent enough.
That's what I feel. I suspect you feel some of that.

2024-10-16 02:57:44 UTC

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I'm sure you will. We had a similar occurrence about 3 weeks ago. On the mend now, but facing some additional challenges.

2024-10-14 03:59:21 UTC

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How do we as a society deal with this right wing social illness?

2024-10-10 18:58:58 UTC

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Dumb -- Harris is definitively not.

2024-10-08 13:04:01 UTC

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So Trump's basic philosophy is pretty simple.
He wants to lie at will without being fact checked.
He wants to commit crimes at will without being held accountable.
That's obvious to see. What is not obvious at all is why he has followers .

2024-10-04 04:55:45 UTC

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Not since I've been taking note. Then again, that's only for half a century.

2024-09-27 14:25:31 UTC

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As I look across the landscape, I see close polls, Harris out raising Trump better than 2 to 1 from small donors, Harris crowds 2 to 5 times larger at rallies and more fired up, Walz crowds twice the size of Trump crowds, Harris with tens of thousands of volunteers with Trump unable to get volunteers, Harris with more than 5 times as many campaign offices in swing states as Trump.
And as I ponder all of this, the thing that looks out of place is -- the polls.

2024-09-22 03:49:46 UTC

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Been there, done that, got the same result.

2024-09-14 04:00:09 UTC

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Low dose statins are pretty docile. I've been on them for many years. I take a COQ10 supplement which can help avoid low back muscle pain. That's the only side effect I've had.
My cholesterol has been under check since.

2024-09-12 18:07:01 UTC

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Or ...
The GOP could fire Trump as their candidate and solve many problems.

2024-09-12 02:45:15 UTC

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I'm still laughing at that one.
Clearly Trump as a candidate is now officially a joke.

2024-09-02 03:17:56 UTC

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I never get tired of pictures of Summer. Like you we are going through some troubles of our own. Your Summer narratives help perk me up some.