Category: Life

Your life without a computer: what does it look like?

Your life without a computer: what does it look like?

I lived for over 20 years without one. No GPS to drive. No cell phone to text. I can do math in my head and write in cursive. I took a chemistry class with a slide rule.

We used to say we’d meet friends in a particular place at a certain time. Occasionally we’d have to use a payphone, but many times it was a handwritten list of directions. We all got there, mostly on time and at the right place.

Sure it makes a lot of stuff easier, but I did all of my thesis papers without Google and used the library as my search engine. I still type, but I learned on a typewriter.

My sense of direction is much sharper than the computer kids as is my grasp of a lot of knowledge and pattern recognition.

I think it would be slower, but I’d have a helluva lot easier time than any of the alphabet generations would. They laugh at OK Boomer, but have no idea that we can do a lot more when the power is out and there is no internet.

We just went through Helene and I was fine with no power, no internet and survival instincts I learned growing up.

Mid Week Meme Dump

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In what ways does hard work make you feel fulfilled?

In what ways does hard work make you feel fulfilled?

This one is easy. My Mom told me about this when I was young. It’s our task in life to overcome. You have to climb the mountain and achieve.

To leave it there is easy and lazy, but the question is about being fulfilled. You feel that way when you achieve, accomplish, or figure out the difficult issues in life.

Humans need to over overcome. Complacency is unfulfilling.

With Good Reason, More Americans Are Skipping College

Is college still worth it? According to Newsweek, millions of Americans are just saying “no.”

Why? Because, according to a new poll, many see universities as a place where political agendas replace useful skills, and they walk away with $300,000 in debt that cripples them for life.

In fact, college enrollment is down 2.5 million since COVID-19, while the share of 18- to 26-year-olds working in the trades has gone from 25% pre-pandemic to 31% today.

Meanwhile, a recent Gallup survey found only a third of Americans—of all ages—say they have confidence in universities: 32% said they have little or no faith. That’s a big drop from just a decade ago, when 57% had faith and just 10% did not.

Of those who lost faith, 41% said liberal indoctrination has taken over, while 37% said college doesn’t teach relevant skills. The rest cited the cost.

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It’s a theme that people are figuring out that colleges are just indoctrination factories. While there are a few good ones (see the story posted below) and there are a few degrees needed for advanced education, the social bullshit they put students through is being exposed as not worth it.

Also, in the theme of woke that I’ve been on, people are tired of it and a lot of it starts with colleges.

The Real Reason Introverts Hate Small Talk

Why do the majority of introverts hate small talk?

By definition, introverts are people who feel drained by socializing and recharge their energy by spending time alone. Because small talk is neither emotionally nor intellectually stimulating, it can feel like an inefficient use of their limited social energy. In other words, if introverts are going to use up their energy, they want to spend it in ways that really count.

(Not sure if you’re an introvert? Here are 21 signs that confirm you’re an introvert.)

Also introverts tend to enjoy delving deep into topics and exploring ideas on a meaningful level. It’s more energizing to talk about things that feel important and relevant to them. Small talk, by its very nature, remains at a surface level.

Why Introverts Hate Small Talk

It’s not that introverts hate socializing or people. Even though we’re introverts, we still need close, healthy relationships to thrive.

As my friend Dr. Laurie Helgoe points out in her fascinating book, Introvert Power, “Introverts do not hate small talk because we dislike people. We hate small talk because we hate the barrier it creates between people.”

Small talk doesn’t bring people closer. Quite the opposite — it can create a barrier that prevents the kind of genuine, intimate connections we all crave.

Think about it. When two people get stuck in small-talk mode, discussing only “safe” and polite topics like the weather, they don’t really learn anything new about each other. They don’t get to know the other person or understand who they are. They miss discovering that their conversation partner, for example, wakes up early to go birdwatching, hates the color yellow, or grew up on a family farm.

As a result, the relationship doesn’t grow in a satisfying way. In general, introverts are interested in understanding people’s thoughts, feelings, life lessons, and experiences, which isn’t usually achieved through small talk.

Full story

What brands do you associate with?

What brands do you associate with?

Anything not woke to start with. As soon as they start the DEI crap, I won’t buy it or even walk into their store.

Now that we have that out of the way….

I told my wife that if she died, I’d buy a Ferrari. I’ve always been a Porsche fan, but I’ve had 3 of them.

T!TS For Trump, Trying To Out Do The Hawk Tuah Girl

First of all, my favorite line in the whole story is the cop who said she had a seriously great set.

She’s his breast supporter.

An OnlyFans model who shut down the New York City-to-Dublin portal last spring proudly flashed Donald Trump during his rally Thursday night — saying the stunt was part of her larger fundraising effort, called “Tits for Trump.”

Ava Louise, 26, made headlines in May when she flashed the downtown Manhattan portal, which was subsequently shut down. On Wednesday night, she showed off her assets again within full view of Trump and thousands of attendees at the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island, video obtained by The Post showed.

Ava Louise flashed Trump during the Nassau Coliseum rally.
Ava Louise flashed Trump during the Nassau Coliseum rally. Courtesy Ava Louise

She jumped up and down and cheered along with the crowd in hopes of giving the Republican White House nominee, 78, an eyeful. It’s unclear if he spotted her.

While the other MAGA diehards in the audience seemed to appreciate the gesture, a police officer stationed in the crowd immediately pulled Ava and her boyfriend out of their seats, Ava told The Post.

Here it is:

The Secret Service at the venue, however, was more sympathetic, and supposedly convinced the disgruntled cop to let Ava and her boyfriend leave without issue, she alleged.

“Seriously, great set,” a man who appeared to be a federal agent in a khaki polo shirt can be heard complimenting Ava in a video provided to The Post.

The agent even nodded at Ava’s boyfriend, telling him, “Nice job, bro.”

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What’s your all-time favorite album?

What’s your all-time favorite album?

This should cause controversy. It is entirely personal

Led Zeppelin 2,3,4 Houses of the Holy or Physical Graffiti.

Living and dying in 3/4 Time, Son of a Son of a Sailor – Jimmy Buffett

Boston

5th Gear (Brad Paisley)

I could go on and on, but I’ll let others chime in

Here’s the list of best selling albums, but some people have strange taste. Linkin Park, Brittany Spears, Eminem are on the list.

We had the best songs and bands in the 70’s. It’s why they keep doing covers of them.

Best name? You can Tune a Piano, but you can’t Tunafish.

These ‘Extroverted’ Behaviors Annoy Introverts the Most – Especially Numbers 7-15

When someone feels the need to fill the silence with meaningless chatter while avoiding topics that actually matter

If you’re an introvert, you’re probably well aware that we live in an extroverted world. As Susan Cain pointed out in her bestselling book, Quiet, Western culture is shaped by the extrovert ideal — the belief that the “best” person is outgoing, highly sociable, and thrives in the spotlight.

However, introverts make up 30-50 percent of the U.S. population, and many of them find certain “extroverted” behaviors quite annoying. So, I asked the introverts who follow me on Facebook to share which behaviors bother them the most — and here’s what they had to say. The good news? If you can relate, you’re not alone!

Click here if you want to see the list

What would your life be like without music?

What would your life be like without music?

Although I am a trained musician with years of theory, the absence of music affects me like a lot of people. It is a part of much of my time, both physically and mentally.

I have it going anytime I exercise, which is nearly every day. I have biking playlists (3 hours) and gym playlists. Hell, this morning, I was listening to soft music at the driving range. While it doesn’t seem logical, I have a waterproof iPod that I use when swimming. I do miles at a time so it’s not your basic up and back and be done. That would be a lot more tedious once you go over 100 laps.

Where it gets me though is when I’m listening to a song (usually while driving) and it brings back a memory of a relationship or a time in my life. I relive it in my head and likely write pages in my diary about it. It is usually about growing up because the best music was from the 70’s.

I’m sure everyone does it, but I doubt they explore it in writing to flush out everything that happened when that song was on the radio.

Lately, I’ve forced myself to listen to songs that remind me of my cheating girlfriend who was a traveling whore (stewardess). I try to make myself see if I have any feelings and there is nothing left. I’ve emptied that tank other than the fact that it happened. I’m mostly grateful I didn’t wind up with her ass, being miserable.

Mostly, I’m very happy to feel the time in my life when my responsibilities were few and life was carefree and deadline free.

That’s what music does for me

How do you celebrate holidays?

How do you celebrate holidays?

I avoid them as much as possible.

I hate my birthday because the only real birthday happened a long time ago.

Christmas starts in September now and I’m fatigued by the time it comes. I don’t think most people believe in the real reason for Christmas anyway. They just want to decorate and get gifts. I question their sincerity when they are all nice in the season, yet give me the finger while driving.

As usual, because I’m an introvert, I have a hard time processing the attention and wish that it would just be over.

What’s your favorite word?

What’s your favorite word?

Perspicacious – of acute mental vision or discernment.

Synonyms:

shrewd, sagacious, perspicacious, astute mean acute in perception and sound in judgment.

shrewd stresses practical, hardheaded cleverness and judgment.

a shrewd judge of character

sagacious suggests wisdom, penetration, and farsightedness.

sagacious investors got in on the ground floor

perspicacious implies unusual power to see through and understand what is puzzling or hidden.

a perspicacious counselor saw through the child’s facade

astute, suggests shrewdness, perspicacity, and diplomatic skill.

an astute player of party politics

What personality trait in people raises a red flag with you?

What personality trait in people raises a red flag with you?

My first thought was the usual red flags for dating girls. There are the usuals like too many tats, piercings, hair dyed an unnatural color, and feminist attire.

Then it occurred to me that those are for the dating crowd. For me, it is chatty females. When they start in on nothing just because they can’t handle silence, I’m out of there. I can’t take small talk. I will talk for hours on something deep, but yapping just for the sake of talking is a red flag. That is the introvert in me coming out

When thinking deeper about the question and including the population of the world, the clear answer was disloyalty. That is the end of a relationship for me. Once that line is crossed, I can’t go back. Once you stab me in the back, that’s it.

Shout out to my college girlfriend who slept around I found out afterwards. This blog is for you.

3 Important Things to Know About the Introverts in Your Life

Here are some excerpts. The link to the full article is below. If you are an introvert, you already know this. If you are an extrovert, it’s really for you. They are the cause of a lot of our anxiety and problems trying to drags us along to a bunch of stuff we’re uncomfortable doing.

1. They need time to mentally prepare for socializing.

An introvert socializes very differently from an extrovert. Many of us “quiet ones” can socialize with people in small or large crowds, but it comes at a cost to our mental and physical energy. Instead, we prefer smaller, more intimate settings, or better yet, quiet evenings at home with just one other person as opposed to those spent out.

Even though I’m an introvert, I can “play the extrovert” when needed. I can put on the perfect smile, don my best dress, and be the perfect lady on your arm. I’ll be charming, witty, and entertaining. I can host a family feast during the holidays or attend that lavish event you’ve been looking forward to all year……

2. Alone time is how introverts recharge.

Speaking of parties, can an introvert go out and party? Sure! But we will probably be the first ones to leave and go home. The crowd of people and the noise — while energizing to extroverts — is utterly exhausting to us introverts.

After The Event is when an introvert needs their alone time the most. I want nothing more than to go home, possibly take a long bubble bath, and spend a day in my pajamas. Downtime is how introverts recharge their energy, both mental and physical. (Here’s the science behind why introverts love — and need — alone time.)….

3. Introverts need their world a little quieter and less crowded.

Even though we love spending time alone, you have to understand that introverts still want to be included. We want to be asked. If we turn down your invitation to dinner or a night out, we might tell you that we’re busy or have other plans. Those plans could very well involve spending the day reading, writing, or binge-watching TV……

Click to read more, especially if you know an introvert. You need to know this

How Long Until People Are Willing to Hear That Lockdown Wasn’t Worth It?

Most except the real sheep now know what a farce the lockdown, masks, and the jab were. We have Sweden which didn’t lock down and got over it quickly to compare to. The media won’t tie it to the election, but the evidence remains.

Well, some are waking up, like this:

On March 27th 1913, the population of Columbus, Ohio, started running. Afterwards, nobody was exactly sure why or when. James Thurber, the comic novelist, was a schoolboy in the town and recalled the incident in a famous article some years later. He said that perhaps it was simply someone suddenly remembering an appointment to meet his wife, and then a paperboy in high spirits joined in, and then perhaps a portly man of affairs broke into a trot, and before you knew it, the entire high street, from the union depot to the courthouse, was running. After the run had begun, people began to look for a justification, and the hubbub, the noise, eventually formed into one word: the dam had burst. Nobody stopped to point out that there was zero evidence of it having burst and that, anyway, even if it had, it could not have possibly reached Columbus, Ohio. People ran on for several more miles and then, eventually, sheepishly returned to the town. Here is the point: Thurber said that years passed before anyone dared mention it. Everyone carried on with their business as usual — and woe betide you if you made some jokey remark about the day the dam did not break.

It seems to me that we are in a very similar place with the lockdowns. Then, too, we saw herd instinct at its worst: people joining in one after another without stopping to think. It is an interesting counterfactual to ask what would have happened if the first sign of the pandemic had not been in autocratic China but in a country where lockdowns, the confinement of the entire population, would have been unthinkable — let us say if it had started in the Netherlands or Canada or somewhere. It started in China; then there was the attempt by the Italian Government to stop people moving from north to south; and then, suddenly, lockdowns, which had never been foreseen in any previous planning document, were considered a standard tool of public policy overnight. We were panicked into a response that no one had foreseen prior to those days — by shrieking broadcasters such as Piers Morgan, night after night, saying, “Why aren’t we copying these other countries?”, and all the signs up saying, “Covidiots go home” — and, rather like the people of Columbus, Ohio, we did not stop to think, and we still do not want to go back and ask whether it was justified or proportionate.

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I like the part about Covidiots, those were the sheep who lined up like it was 1930 in Germany to do what they were told. Maybe we are finally waking up

How She Destroyed a Two a Half Year Relationship “Complimenting” Her Boyfriend

This is an interesting post. You have to think about it. The more you do, the more full of shit this girl is for thinking this way. No wonder guys don’t want to have anything to do with some of the girls these days.

Sometimes there’s a Tweet on X that goes viral because men and women have such different perspectives on it. The following Tweet you’re about to see fits that bill. If you were generalizing the reactions, most men seemed to find it horrifying while a surprising number of women seemed to think it was no big deal or even a compliment somehow.

If you’re wondering who’s right, it’s the men. Definitely, the men. Still, everyone needs to see this so they can make up their own minds, right?

From a woman’s perspective, you might be able to see how she thinks of this as backhanded compliment. After all, she doesn’t want to be with all those other guys long-term, but he’s the man she wants to be with permanently. That means she thinks more highly of him than other men. Why, what a silly man! He should understand that’s what she means!

Ok, that’s one interpretation. But, how else could it be interpreted?

Well, a lot of guys would probably hear that “compliment” as another way of saying, “I’ve been with lots of exciting guys, but I couldn’t hook any of them. Now I’m getting older now and I’m ready to settle down with a stable, safe, guy who will mow the yard and pay the bills.”

Is that flattering? Not in the least.

Much more here.

I’d dump her in a second for this. This is a privileged attitude that isn’t justified

Democrats And Tech Titans Coming Over To Trump

Yes, because they see through the bullshit of a wafer-thin candidate that will further destroy the country. I guess the MSM can’t make up enough stuff and the dem’s hiding like Biden did to avoid being caught driving stupid on the campaign trail (a scripted CNN interview that will be edited is not a press conference).

and this:

A shocking partisan switch is underway in the stratosphere of the tech titans: The industry known for its wokeness is betting big bucks on a Republican.

Last week former President Donald Trump gave a thumbs up to the notion of teaming up with billionaire innovator Elon Musk if he wins in November. Hours later, Musk posted a message on X: “I am willing to serve.”

Investor and “Shark Tank” star Mark Cuban called the phenomenon of tech bosses boosting Trump “insane.”

Not really: While Democrats strove mightily last week to push “freedom” as the theme of their convention, tech leaders are betting that freedom of speech, freedom to innovate and freedom from crushing government regulations and confiscatory taxes are more likely in a Trump reign than in a Kamala Harris administration.

Among those Silicon Valley heavyweights is Nicole Shanahan, who was Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate.

“I would say that I trust the future of this country more under the leadership of Trump … than I do of the Harrises,” Shanahan said last week as Kennedy weighed his decision to back Trump in the race.

Harris’ economic plans, Shanahan warned – “particularly her flawed ideas about price caps on food” – echo “the very policies that caused the famine my family suffered through in Mao’s Communist China.”

By July, Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, the investment firm’s principals, had changed sides and endorsed Trump, saying the Republican will reduce regulation and lower taxes.

When Trump chose running mate J.D. Vance, a venture capitalist with Silicon Valley experience, tech entrepreneurs applauded.

PayPal founder David Sacks is throwing his support to Trump and even spoke at the Republican National Convention. Palantir Technologies cofounder Joe Lonsdale and cryptocurrency kings Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss are donating to Musk’s America PAC to back Trump.

more

And this:

Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are seeking to gain high-profile endorsements from their opponent’s party in the presidential race, with the former receiving more than the latter.

As Trump has received endorsements from Tesla CEO Elon Musk, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Harris has struggled to receive as many major endorsements from Republicans.

During his speech on Monday at a National Guard Association conference in Detroit, Trump said, “This fight is no longer between Democrats and Republicans. This is a fight between communism and freedom, very serious fight.

“That’s why millions of traditional Democrats, including FDR Democrats, JFK Democrats, independents and old fashioned liberals are joining our movement. Our poll numbers are great. We’re uniting forces to end the endless foreign wars, stop the censorship, end weaponization of our government, defend our borders, rebuild our middle class, protect the health of our children, and, above all, restore our republic.”

source

What daily habit do you do that improves your quality of life?

What daily habit do you do that improves your quality of life?

Exercise, both my body and mind. I swim miles, climb mountains on my bike, play golf, Tai Chi, and take my dog for long walks.

I continue to study foreign languages and take college level courses. I read a lot of books also. I’ve always loved that.

This keeps me busy. It’s hard to stay young.

The Testosterone And Sperm Count Nosedive

The Sperm Count Nosedive

Let’s start with some cold, hard facts. Research indicates that sperm production has taken a significant nosedive since the 1900s, putting male fertility and overall health at risk. A meta-analysis conducted by Carlsen et al. in 1992 reported a worldwide decline in sperm counts from 1938 to 1990, based on the semen analyses of nearly 15,000 men from 23 countries.1

More recent studies have reinforced this alarming trend, with a review suggesting that global sperm counts have plummeted by more than 50% over the past 50 years.2 Another study found a staggering 51.6% reduction in average sperm count worldwide between 1973 and 2018, with the decline becoming even steeper after 2000.3

The Testosterone Tumble and Sperm Stress

Now, you might be wondering, “What’s causing this sperm apocalypse?” While there are certainly several complicated factors, there are a few culprits taking center stage: declining testosterone levels and poor sperm quality.

Environmental toxins, lack of exercise and movement, and life stresses are of course playing major roles here, but so are dietary fats. Enter PUFAs, Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, which have infiltrated modern diets, replacing the good old saturated fats and animal fats that our ancestors thrived on.

added fats and oilsThe yellow and gray lines (shortening, margarine and vegetable oils) are higher in PUFA relative to the blue and orange lines (animal fats).4

And guess what? Your sperm are not fans of this dietary revolution. The reduction in testosterone and sperm quality has correlated strongly with a massive change in dietary fat consumption. We’ve shifted from a diet higher in saturated fat and animal fats to one dominated by PUFAs. This change isn’t just affecting your waistline — it’s messing with reproduction!

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while PUFA’s are listed as part of the problem, I think it’s video games, metrosexual trends and interference by females with that male toxicity bullshit that neutered the latest bunch.

Man up out there, stop being pussies.

What TV shows did you watch as a kid?

What TV shows did you watch as a kid?

I grew up in the 60’s before they took off the good TV because it was wholesome, albeit not something that challenged our intelligence.

So it was Batman (Adam West), Gilligans Island (My Mom hated us watching that), The Beverly Hillbilies, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie (Even then I knew Barbara Eden was hot), The Wild Wild West, Green Acres and some others of this ilk.

They wiped all of those out for the next round, but we still had WKRP, Taxi, Barney Miller and some of those that were good.

The Trouble With People Today, This Close To The Election

I was having a conversation with my buddy George who claims he was perceptive. He was giving me the litany of reasons girls don’t like Trump, while standing firmly behind voting for him.

I did get a lecture as to how good JD Vance was because he was young and didn’t put out mean tweets.

I asked him if he’d investigated Tampon Tim Walz. He’d never heard of him. I’m wondering myself how can you be perceptive if you don’t know 1/4th of the Presidential election lineup.

This caused me to wonder about what Donald Rumsfeld said.

I was watching that press conference and it struck me how true this really was. Most people don’t know much outside of their little world and never see the big picture.

That took me to this well-known joke:

A guy was seated next to a 10-year-old girl on an airplane. Being bored, he turned to the girl and said, “Let’s talk. I’ve heard that flights go quicker if you strike up a conversation with your fellow passenger.”

The girl, who was reading a book, closed it slowly and said to the guy, “What would you like to talk about?”

Oh, I don’t know,” said the guy. “How about nuclear power?”

“OK,” she said. “That could be an interesting topic. But let me ask you a question first. A horse, a cow and a deer all eat the same stuff… grass. Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty, and a horse produces clumps of dried grass. Why do you suppose that is?”

The guy thought about it and said, “Hmmm, I have no idea.”

To which the girl replied, “Do you really feel qualified to discuss nuclear power when you don’t know shit?”

Most people don’t know shit, yet they talk a lot of shit.

I caught a lot of shit from my cousin about Trump’s mean tweets and being an Alpha male, you know the kind that girls let them do stuff to that they wouldn’t a less rich or powerful type. Instead, she went out of her way to promote the disaster that was our current president and how our nation was wrecked by incompetence. She failed to understand the concept of hypergamy. She also ignored that girls sleep with who they want, (most) guys sleep with who they can, except alpha males.

I don’t have a moral to the story other than look at yourself. You probably don’t know as much as you think. You know what you’ve heard and your opinions are usually reflections of other people you’ve heard. That means we all need to get better educated as to the candidates.

Critical thinking is a lost art. They don’t teach it in schools anymore (other than private schools). We sure could use more of that in this election cycle to bring some common sense to how and who we should have run our nation. History for example is a great teacher. We have a lot of it telling us what is the right thing instead of the politically correct thing.

I think our lives would be a lot less difficult if we all thought through things a bit more than what social media and the MSM tells us to think. It’s why I dumped Fakebook and Twitter years ago.

So after lampooning those who claim to be perceptive, I’m not going to do it. I am a person who sees patterns. What I see is a bunch of sheep being told what to think instead of thinking for themselves

YMMV

10 Of The Political Lies We Are Being Told Right Now (What, Only 10?)

As Steely Dan might say, the things that pass for knowledge today, I can’t understand.  It’s all lies, falsehoods, and misdirection on tap, served fresh 24/7/365.

Lie #1: Joe Biden was a great president, a dedicated public servant who put country first and stepped aside so that Kamala Harris’s brilliance could save our democracy.

Well, that’s five lies all tied up in one bundle!  Joe Biden is easily the worst president in my lifetime, possibly ever.  He and his family got rich, not by serving anyone, but by grifting on his various political offices.  Slow Joe also didn’t step aside; he was kicked to the curb by his Democrat comrades after it became clear he was going to lose in November. And so now we have Kamala Harris, who was chosen as V.P. simply because she possesses ovaries and dark pigmentation.  And for the one millionth time, America is a republic — if we can keep it — not a democracy.

Lie #2: Man-made climate change will make the Earth unlivable for humans in (pick one) 5, 10, 39, or 5,000 years.

Ha, ha!  If you think our Creator would allow us, His/Her/Zey’s most ambitious, creative, and intelligent organism, to destroy our beautiful terrarium, then you’re either a fool or an atheist, possibly both.  Our most brilliant minds can’t predict tomorrow’s weather with precision, our weather records extend a mere blip into the nearly five billion years of the planet’s estimated existence, and the only reason the scam’s called “climate change” is because leftists gave up on “global warming” when the Earth inconsiderately stopped warming.

Lie #3: Democrats love black people.

Where to start with this one?  The president who ended slavery in America was a Republican.  It was the Democrat party who championed Jim Crow laws.  It’s Democrats who’ve historically come up with all kinds of handouts and special programs for blacks, not because they love them, but because they think African-Americans simply can’t cut it on a level playing field.  Folks, that’s racism of the highest order.

And Democrats just love killing unborn babies, a statistically telling percentage of whom are black.

Lie #4: Diversity is our strength.

Nope, sorry, uniformity is our strength.  A team that’s chosen based on merit alone, and who plays according to one set of values and with a single goal in mind, always wins.  But don’t take my word for it; ask any recent champions of the almost three-quarters African-American NBA.  If diversity is strength, then the NBA is arguably one of the weakest b-ball leagues on the planet.

Go here for the other six, but I bet you can guess them

Were You Born An Asshole, Or Did You Work At It All Your Life

Every time I hear this song, I think of people that I worked with.

My first job was relatively free of them, but then the list started.

At ICS, there was Gilbert/Carl Fiorentino – they went to jail.

The next job at Core was these two:

Robert Adamson and Sondra Arkin. Robert tried to screw people over out of sheer spite and Sondra was a loser who was a vindictive feminist. There were a lot of others like the head of software development, but he was more of a wiener.

I moved to IBM and there were plenty of people like:

Laura Knapp, Sandy Carter, John Callies, Amy Loomis, Ed Barbini, and a lot of New Yorkers, but the top of the list when I hear the song is:

Ray Gorman.

I always go to him as he was tied with Amy as my worst manager. No one continuously lied to me as much as Ray from day one. He also always tried to screw me but never could. He was mad that I made more money than him and beat the system continuously when he couldn’t. He thought I didn’t know what he was doing, but everyone told me what he was up to behind my back (not just to me, he fired a guy who had taken leave to serve in Afghanistan) so I was always a step ahead. It was funny that he could never get away with screwing me because everyone else thought he was an asshole also.

He’s really lucky that I didn’t actually kick his ass. I saw him in Vegas at a computer show after he got transferred to Lenovo and he tried to act like nothing happened. He thought we were friends after backstabbing me. It was all I could do to not deck him. I did the right thing and walked away, but not next time, he’s got an ass whooping coming . I dislike sniveling pricks and that’s why I think of Ray when the song plays.

Toilet Paper: The Biggest Scam to Ever Exist?

After I visited Japan, I’ve had a bidet to clean my ass. No more shit-stained undies or worrying that you might smell like shit if there was a chance of some oral satisfaction.

Now this:

Ah, toilet paper. That innocent little roll sitting quietly in your bathroom, innocuous, and oh-so-essential—or is it? If you ask me, my dear wicked ones, we might be staring at the greatest con in the history of mankind. Yes, I said it. Let’s dish.

Think about it. We’re paying good money for a product that we literally flush down the toilet. Every. Single. Day. We’re tossing away cash, wiping it on our behinds, and sending it to the sewage system like it’s nothing. Is this not the ultimate racket? The Charmin bears are probably lounging in their gold-plated forest homes, laughing at us all.

Let’s dive into the origins, shall we? Toilet paper is a relatively modern invention, but somehow, humanity has survived for centuries without it. A few leaves, a splash of water, a bit of cloth—crude but effective. Fast forward to today, and we’ve been brainwashed to believe that without this fluffy, overpriced tissue, civilization as we know it would collapse. Really? The ancients managed, and last I checked, they built the pyramids.

And don’t even get me started on the marketing. Those cute little puppies and bears in the commercials, selling us the dream of the softest, plushest experience for our derrières—oh please. It’s a game, my friends—a sly, cunning game. The manufacturers have you convinced that more plies equal a better life. But does your rear end really know the difference between two-ply and four-ply? I doubt it.

Of course, I’m not suggesting we all start using leaves again—after all, we’ve evolved past that (haven’t we?). But isn’t it time to question the necessity of this everyday item that’s silently draining our bank accounts and our forests? There are alternatives, from bidets to bamboo—dare I say, the time for a toilet paper revolution is nigh?

Here’s the rest which tells you why you should wash your ass.

I never had a problem during COVID-19 because my bidet did the job. I was laughing at people trying to find it at the stores.

Oldest Person Passes Away at 118

In a poignant turn of events, Kane Tanaka, recognized as the world’s oldest person, has passed away at the age of 118. Tanaka, who was born on January 2, 1903, in Fukuoka, Japan, held the title of the world’s oldest living person according to the Guinness World Records. Her remarkable lifespan spanned three centuries, witnessing profound changes in the world.

Tanaka’s long life was marked by her resilience and positive outlook. Despite her advanced age, she remained active, engaging in activities such as playing board games and solving puzzles, which she attributed to her longevity. She lived in a nursing home in Fukuoka, where she continued to inspire those around her with her vibrant spirit.

Throughout her lifetime, Tanaka experienced significant historical events, including two World Wars and numerous technological advancements. Her life was a testament to the extraordinary potential of human longevity, and her passing has prompted reflections on the progress of medicine and living conditions over the past century.

Tanaka was officially recognized by Guinness World Records in March 2019. Her achievement of living to 118 years old captured global attention, highlighting not only the advances in healthcare but also the importance of lifestyle and genetic factors in extending human life.

story

I don’t know if I want to live that long.

I asked AI who is the new oldest person:

Following the death of Kane Tanaka, the new oldest living person is Lucile Randon, a French nun also known as Sister André. She was born on February 11, 1904, making her 120 years old as of August 2024.

It’s always the females. I think they kill off the men

Why You Age Rapidly Between 44 and 60

For many, middle age is associated with midlife crises and internal tumult. According to new research, it is also when the human body undergoes two dramatic bouts of rapid physical transformation on a molecular level.

In a new study, scientists at Stanford University tracked age-related changes in over 135,000 types of molecules and microbes, sampled from over 100 adults. They discovered that shifts in their abundance — either increasing or decreasing in number — did not occur gradually over time, but clustered around two ages.

“Obviously you change throughout your entire life. But there are two major periods when there are lots of changes: One is when people hit their mid-40s, and one is they hit their 60s,” said Michael Snyder, a geneticist at Stanford University who co-wrote the study, in a phone interview. On average, the changes clustered around the ages of 44 and 60.

story

AI version

Where did your name come from?

Where did your name come from?

I’m not going to put my full name out in public for privacy reasons, but my middle name is Dutch and my last name is a version of the French name my ancestors came to the US with.

I’m also a namesake so add a Jr on to the end of my name. I’m proud of my father so I’m glad to have the same name.

What motivates you?

What motivates you?

I don’t have to be motivated. It comes from within. I was born with a sense of responsibility that causes me to do what needs doing. I also prioritize it over other things because it is the right thing to do. That is life, work, and the stuff you have to do.

I think it comes from my father who always did a complete job until it was right. It rarely took him two tries

It’s why I never understood people who let things go

Now for stuff I want to do, I know that there is some sacrifice to become good at anything. It was that was for all of my avocations and is what keeps me healthy.

It’s the right thing to do, period.

Dad Catches Record Fish On Daughter’s $9.99 Pink Pole

One West Virginia dad etched his name in fishing history by making an impressive catch on the most unassuming gear imaginable.

On July 21, Tyler Rutherford and his relatives spontaneously decided to fish a family farm pond.

They took worms and a few poles, and Rutherford soon cast a line from his 3-year-old daughter’s pink fishing pole out into the 1.5-acre pond.

The young girl is only able to reel the line in, so Rutherford casts it for her.

“We all just grabbed a thing of nightcrawlers,” Rutherford told the West Virginia Outdoors podcast. “I’d got my daughter a little pink $9.99 Zebco from Academy Sports and I’d got my little boy one for Easter.

story

Sayings I Used For My Email Closing At Work

I kept this file hanging around and thought I’d share it, YMMV:

L’esprit de L’escalier – things you wish you could have said after you leave an argument

Talk to a fool and he calls you foolish

“Rudeness is the weak man’s imitation of strength.”

Vous-avez le cerveau d’un d’un sandwich au fromage –you have the brain of a cheese sandwich

“Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.” (Sign hanging in Einstein’s office at Princeton)

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”
– Dale Carnegie

Robert Frost – “In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.”

Arrête de ramer, tu attaques la falaise. (you can stop rowing now, you’re on the beach)

It is easy to lose one’s perspective in a mass of details.

Failure is but a paragraph in the book of each human life. It is the pages that follow that ultimately define us

Laurence J. Peter – “An economist is an expert who will know tomorrow why the things he predicted yesterday didn’t happen today.”

“Racing is Life.  Everything before and after is just waiting.” Steve McQueen from the movie LeMans

Albert Einstein open original article “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former

Joseph Heller -“The enemy is anybody who’s going to get you killed,
no matter which side he’s on.”

Sidney J. Harris – “A cynic is not merely one who reads bitter lessons from the past, he is one who is prematurely disappointed in the future.”

Abba Eban-“History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives.”

When you win, say nothing, when you lose, say less. -Paul Brown

You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them. -Michael Jordan

Every game is an opportunity to measure yourself against your own potential. -Bud Wilkinson

Excellence is not a singular act but a habit. You are what you do repeatedly. -Shaquille O’Neal

“Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.” Winston Churchill, as quoted in The New American Newspeak Dictionary (2005) by Adrian Krieg, p. 96

 Rudeness is a weak person’s imitation of strength – Oscar Wilde

“What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.”

Losers quit when they’re tired. Winners quit when they’ve won

370H-SSV-0773H – read upside down

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race [is] not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so [are] the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

— Ecclesiastes 9:11,12 —

“Meetings are indispensable when you don’t want to do anything.” – John Kenneth Galbraith

If guns kill people, then pens misspell words, cars make people drive drunk, forks make you fat, and TVs make you watch porn.

Listen to people. If they are worth talking to, they are worth listening to first.

You can’t change what happens to you in life. All you can change is how you deal with it.

I think I’m emotionally constipated because I haven’t given a $hit in days.

Liberalism: Moochers electing looters to steal from producers

Political Correctness – A term used by whiny pussies that need stuff sugar coated

“The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.” -Albert Einstein

 “I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.” Abraham Lincoln

“This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.” Elmer Davis

“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty.”  John F. Kennedy

“Sure I wave the American flag. Do you know a better flag to wave? Sure I love my country with all her faults. I’m not ashamed of that, never have been, never will be.”  John Wayne

“We must always remember that America is a great nation today not because of what government did for people but because of what people did for themselves and for one another.” Richard Nixon

“There is no limit to the greatness of America!” George W. Bush

“Liberals become indignant when you question their patriotism, but simultaneously work overtime to give terrorists a cushion for the next attack and laugh at dumb Americans who love their country and hate the enemy.” Ann Coulter

“I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” Nathan Hale

“Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.” Adlai E. Stevenson

“One, if you attack my integrity, I will defend myself. If you attack my patriotism, I will defend myself. If you come after my family, I will counter-attack viciously, I will destroy you.” Scott Ritter

“The American patriots of today continue the tradition of the long line of patriots before them, by helping to promote liberty and freedom around the world.” John Linder  

“Patriotism is easy to understand in America. It means looking out for yourself by looking out for your country.” Calvin Coolidge

“This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in.” Theodore Roosevelt

“You cannot spill a drop of American blood without spilling the blood of the whole world…. We are not a nation, so much as a world.” Herman Melville 

A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within.

– Ariel Durant

“Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving wordy evidence of the fact.” – George Eliot

Quote du jour

But isn’t it always that way with liberals? The only time they seem to make any sense at all is when they’re drunk or you are.

–Burt Prelutsky

Ya gotta be tough if your gonna be stupid.

“Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rapidly promoted by mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a piece of shit by the clean end.”

Laurence J. Peteropen original article

“Against logic there is no armor like ignorance.”

“Never judge a book by its movie.”

“Liberals are very broadminded: they are always willing to give careful consideration to both sides of the same side.”

“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
— Benjamin Franklin

“Give me four years to teach the children and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted.”
— Vladimir Lenin

“When an opponent declares, ‘I will not come over to your side,’ I calmly say, ‘Your child belongs to us already… What are you? You will pass on. Your descendants, however, now stand in the new camp. In a short time they will know nothing else but this new community.’”
— Adolf Hitler

Never take advice from women about women.

And the last one was when I retired:

If the phone doesn’t ring, it’s me – Jimmy Buffett

Why Some Introverts Hate Their Birthdays

I know I hate mine and it’s coming up, mostly the attention thing. No extrovert will understand this, but you should.

Anyway, here it is and boy is it right. Again, courtesy of Introvert Dear, link at the end

I’ve never really liked my birthday. In fact, it’s one of the days I dread the most. I hate all the extra attention and the pressure to make it a special day, usually with a party. It’s insufferable.

When I was a teenager, I used to have long, exhausting fights with my mother in the weeks leading up to my birthday. She always wanted me to celebrate with a huge party filled with family and friends. But to me, a huge birthday party is synonymous with torture, not celebration. Instead, I wanted something small, like going to the movies or the bowling alley with a few close friends.

No Birthday Party For Me, Thank You

More often than not, I used to win these fights and ended up doing what I wanted for my birthday. But all these arguments took a toll on my mental health and self-esteem. Whenever I refused to have a party or make a big deal out of my birthday, people called me a party pooper, a killjoy, and a downer. I didn’t have the words to defend myself (I was still a kid), so I internalized all those insults and convinced myself that there was something “wrong” with me. It took me years to realize and accept that there was nothing wrong with me — I am an introvert.

I am now a proud introvert who can defend the reasons behind my actions and behaviors. In case you’re curious, my relationship with my mother has improved, but I still hate my birthday. I believe a lot of the reasons stem from the fact that I’m an introvert.

Obviously, not all introverts hate their birthdays, but over the years I have noticed that a significant portion of the online introvert community feels aversion or indifference toward their birthdays. Here are a few reasons I believe some introverts (like myself) don’t like their birthdays.

Why Some Introverts Hate Their Birthdays

1. Too much attention

This one’s a no-brainer. Most introverts don’t like being the center of attention, so having an entire day dedicated to them can be quite uncomfortable. It’s especially tough when they are put on display in front of a lot of people, anxiously waiting to see their reactions while opening gifts or making a wish and blowing out the candles to the tune of “Happy Birthday.”

In my case, I especially hate all the attention I receive for something as trivial as turning one year older. I feel like I haven’t earned it, and I don’t know what to do with it. Being the center of attention makes me anxious, uncomfortable, and insecure. I always try to avoid it and redirect that attention to something or someone else. But when it’s my birthday, that is almost impossible to do because it’s “my day.”

2. The social exhaustion of a party

Birthdays and parties practically go hand in hand. When your birthday is coming up, everyone expects you to throw a big party to celebrate. Introverts tend to dislike parties because we don’t like big crowds, loud noises, and shallow socializing. This aversion to parties doesn’t change when the party is ours. If anything, it makes it worse.

When we throw a party, we might end up feeling anxious and worrying if everyone is having fun. It’s our party, so we feel the pressure and responsibility to be a good host and ensure everyone is enjoying themselves. But in the process, we sometimes forget to have a good time ourselves.

And don’t even get me started on surprise parties. It’s undoubtedly a nice gesture for someone to throw you a surprise party because it shows they care enough to go through all the trouble of organizing it. But a surprise party is practically a living nightmare for an introvert. If there’s anything worse than having a party, it’s not having knowledge or control over your own party.

3. The pressure to make it a “special” day

This is one of the things that bother me the most about my birthday. Sometimes, I just want to do something small to celebrate, like going to the movies or taking a long walk around the city. But the pressure from others to make it a “special” day can be too much. I get it, I was born on that day, but why does it have to be the most special day of my year? Why do I have to have the time of my life specifically on that day? That’s just setting myself up for failure because the expectations are always way too high. (And we introverts don’t like pressure anyway!)

Plus, when your birthday is coming up, it seems like everyone has their own opinion about how you should celebrate it. Instead of asking you what you want to do, some people tell you exactly what you should do. Whether it’s a party or going dancing at a club, your birthday might end up being about what other people want to do instead of what you want.

And God forbid you suggest you don’t want to do anything for your birthday — people might look at you as if you’re crazy. They will try to convince you that you’re wrong and that you will regret it for the rest of your life if you don’t do something special on that day.

4. All the phone calls and “happy birthday” messages

This one might come off as ungrateful because it’s undoubtedly nice to have people who care enough to wish you a happy birthday. But to an introvert, all that attention can be overwhelming.

Phone calls, in general, make some introverts uncomfortable. When the sole purpose of a call is to wish us a happy birthday, it’s even worse because all the attention is on us. After the “Happy Birthday”s and “Thank you”s, the inevitable small talk follows, making us even more uncomfortable. It doesn’t help that the people who usually call are relatives or friends you only talk to two or three times a year.

The same goes for the Facebook messages and texts you receive throughout the day. After the pleasantries and birthday greetings, you have to make small talk (again, in a different form) with all the people who wished you a happy birthday. This can be a bit too much, which is why I think some introverts hide their birthdays from their social media pages.

Want to feel more at ease in social situations?

Discover the secrets to enjoying fun, meaningful conversations. Know exactly what to say, even if you’re introverted, shy, or anxious. Feel less drained and have more energy while socializing. Click here to secure your spot in Jenn Granneman’s upcoming course, Easy Conversation.

5. The singing

Few situations are worse for an introvert than being in front of a cake while friends and family sing what feels like a three-hour rendition of “Happy Birthday.” I never know what to do or where to look when that melody starts, and suddenly I have a cake in front of me and dozens of eyes on me.

There is no appropriate reaction to that situation. Do I smile the whole time? No, that would look fake, and my cheeks would probably start to hurt after the third “Happy birthday to you…” Do I put on a poker face? No, that would probably come off as bratty and ungrateful. Do I sing with them? No, that would look awkward. Do I run away and hide in the bathroom? No, that would probably lead to a lot of questions. Whoever came up with this particular birthday tradition obviously hated introverts and wanted to see them suffer.

I Don’t Hate All Birthdays, Just Mine

I love celebrating my friends and family’s birthdays. I enjoy seeing them happy and buying them presents to celebrate another year of their lives. But when the spotlight is on me and it’s my birthday, I hate it. I hate the pressure, the attention, and the Happy Birthday song.

However, that doesn’t mean I haven’t enjoyed my birthdays before. The birthdays I have enjoyed the most are the ones when I did what I wanted to do, like going to the movies or the bowling alley with my best friends, not when I succumbed to the pressure from others and ended up doing what they wanted me to do.

So if you have an introvert in your life and you want to make their birthday special, just ask them what they want to do and respect it. Don’t assume everyone wants to celebrate with a huge party and be the center of attention.

And if you’re an introvert who hates their birthday like I do, there are ways to enjoy this “special day.” Set realistic expectations, put your foot down, and do what you want to do, whether that’s having dinner with your family, going dancing with your friends, or staying home with a good book and a Netflix marathon. I can’t promise you’ll start loving your birthday, but at least you’ll enjoy it more. And the good thing about birthdays is they only happen once a year.

story

As If I Needed Another Reason Not To Go Back To New York

Plant That Causes Serious Burns and Alters Human DNA Spreads Across New York

Damage to DNA results from the plant’s toxins interacting with ultraviolet light from the Sun. Heat worsens the effects.

Giant Hogweed sap contains toxins that cause phytophotodermatitis, which means that they heighten the skin’s sensitivity to sunlight.

The skin’s reaction to Giant Hogweed sap can be intensified by heat and sweat, which means it’s most dangerous during the summer.

But the worst damage happens at the microscopic level.

When the sap’s toxins get inside skin cells, they can destroy the body’s DNA molecules with help from the sun.

As a result, those skin cells die, which is actually what causes the blistering burns.

I had to work there and the day I left was the last day I’d set foot in that state

What is the most important thing to carry with you all the time?

What is the most important thing to carry with you all the time?

A Swiss Army knife of life tools. I couldn’t narrow this down to just one so here’s some. I bet bocopro has the best answer though. Maybe others want weigh in.

Your wits, self-control, belief in God, knowledge you’ve learned from the hard lessons in life, pattern recognitions, martial arts skills, situational awareness of your surroundings, and perhaps a 1911.

Externally, I’m never without a knife of some kind and breath mints which are always in my truck.

5 Reasons an Introvert Isn’t Talking

Why are you so quiet?

As an introvert, I’ve been asked this question countless times. It mostly happened when I was a child, but I distinctly remember one instance in high school when someone asked if I was mute. I replied that I simply didn’t like talking that much.

Growing up, I was the shy girl who preferred reading and writing stories over engaging in conversation. Classmates would ask me this question, while teachers and other adults would often sigh and comment, “Oh, she’s so quiet!”

Not all introverts are shy and quiet, but I happen to possess both these traits. And, I require much more alone time than most people around me.

In an effort to help the world better understand us “quiet ones” — and perhaps spare some of my fellow introverts from having to answer this annoying question — here are five reasons why an introvert might not be talking.

The list is here. Click to see if one of them is you or someone you know

The takeaway: Don’t try to force an introvert to talk more or change them into an extrovert. It won’t happen. Love them for who they are because there’s nothing wrong with being an introvert.

Thanks again to Introvert Dear who makes my life more understandable.

Women Don’t Feel Safe in Sweden Anymore

Before I post the story, I know a lot of people who live there. The school teachers tell me instead of stop, drop and roll, how to get away from the rapists. They told me the immigrants moved in and ruined everything. They suck the money out of the social system and made Sweden the rape capital of the world.

Now the story:

This article was written by Swedish independent journalist Peter Imanuelsen, also known as PeterSweden. You can follow him at PeterSweden.com.

New official statistics show that a large number of women feel unsafe in the country.

What do you think when you hear about my home country of Sweden? 40 years ago, most people would have thought about it as one of the most peaceful countries on earth. And that was true.

But things have changed drastically. Decades of Socialist policies have destroyed Sweden.

Now we have some official statistics from the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (BRÅ)

34% of women and 18% of men say that they either feel ”unsafe” or ”very unsafe” being outside in their own neighborhood in the evening.

Among women and girls aged 16 – 19 years old, a whopping 44% say that they don’t feel safe being outside in the evening.

But is this justified?

Turns out that since 2015, there has been a massive increase where people have self-reported being victims of a crime.

A whopping 4.7% of people report having been the victim of a sexual crime, up from 2% back in 2014. That is more than 100% increase!

The last 9 years there has been a whopping 80.928 reported rapes in Sweden. We now have one of the highest number of rapes in the entire world.

I have been warning about this development for years, but I was ridiculed by the mainstream media and ”experts”.

The weird thing is, that many people still continue to vote for more Socialism despite these horrible statistics.

I can even remember self-proclaimed feminist and Swedish singer Zara Larsson attacking me on social media many years ago while ignoring the rape crisis in Sweden. You can’t make it up.

You can read my in-depth article on the truth about the Swedish rape crisis from a few years ago here.

story with crime chart stats

Mid Week Meme Dump

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And for my Danish relatives who brag that they are always the happiest country, It’s easy to be happy when you have such low expectations. I never bought it.

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What’s The Most Money You’ve Ever Spent On A Meal – And Was It Worth It ?

What’s the most money you’ve ever spent on a meal? Was it worth it?

When I started hunting, I had to buy a tree stand, camo clothes, a gun, and corn to grow to in a field to attract them. I then had to get the tools to process the deer after harvesting it and the same for my son.

I could have bought a venison dinner for under $50 bucks, but probably spent thousands on that first meal.

Absolutely worth it and every deer after that. I guess the cost of the above listed amortized over all the deer, but that first one cost a lot.

FAFO – Anti-Israeli Protesters

From the Associated Press:

For college students arrested protesting the war in Gaza, the fallout was only beginning

Since her arrest at a protest at the University of Massachusetts, Annie McGrew has been pivoting between two sets of hearings: one for the misdemeanor charges she faces in court, and another for violations of the college’s conduct code.

It has kept the graduate student from work toward finishing her dissertation in economics.

“It’s been a really rough few months for me since my arrest,” McGrew said. “I never imagined this is how UMass (administration) would respond.”

Some 3,200 people were arrested this spring during a wave of pro-Palestinian tent encampments protesting the war in Gaza. While some colleges ended demonstrations by striking deals with the students, or simply waited them out, others called in police when protesters refused to leave.

Many students have already seen those charges dismissed. But the cases have yet to be resolved for hundreds of people at campuses that saw the highest number of arrests, according to an analysis of data gathered by The Associated Press and partner newsrooms.

Along with the legal limbo, those students face uncertainty in their academic careers. Some remain steadfast, saying they would have made the same decisions to protest even if they had known the consequences. Others have struggled with the aftermath of the arrests, harboring doubts about whether to stay enrolled in college at all.

They should get what they deserve, kicked out and jobs at Starbucks

Why Some Introverts Hate Their Birthdays

I’ve never really liked my birthday. In fact, it’s one of the days I dread the most. I hate all the extra attention and the pressure to make it a special day, usually with a party. It’s insufferable.

Introvert Dear has a great article today. Here goes.

When I was a teenager, I used to have long, exhausting fights with my mother in the weeks leading up to my birthday. She always wanted me to celebrate with a huge party filled with family and friends. But to me, a huge birthday party is synonymous with torture, not celebration. Instead, I wanted something small, like going to the movies or the bowling alley with a few close friends.

No Birthday Party For Me, Thank You

More often than not, I used to win these fights and ended up doing what I wanted for my birthday. But all these arguments took a toll on my mental health and self-esteem. Whenever I refused to have a party or make a big deal out of my birthday, people called me a party pooper, a killjoy, and a downer. I didn’t have the words to defend myself (I was still a kid), so I internalized all those insults and convinced myself that there was something “wrong” with me. It took me years to realize and accept that there was nothing wrong with me — I am an introvert.

I am now a proud introvert who can defend the reasons behind my actions and behaviors. In case you’re curious, my relationship with my mother has improved, but I still hate my birthday. I believe a lot of the reasons stem from the fact that I’m an introvert.

Obviously, not all introverts hate their birthdays, but over the years I have noticed that a significant portion of the online introvert community feels aversion or indifference toward their birthdays. Here are a few reasons I believe some introverts (like myself) don’t like their birthdays.

story plus way more including the list of things that suck about birthdays for Introverts.

I hate it as it’s just another day for me. Now that I’m (much) older, it reminds me of how little time I might have left.

The Great Cholesterol Scam and The Dangers of Statins

•There is a widespread belief that elevated cholesterol is the “cause” of cardiovascular disease. However, a large body of evidence shows that there is no association between the two and that lower cholesterol significantly increases one’s risk of death.

•An alternative model (which the medical industry buried) proposes that the blood clots the body uses to heal arterial damage, once healed, create the characteristic atherosclerotic lesions associated with heart disease. The evidence for this model, in turn, is much stronger than the cholesterol hypothesis and provides many important insights for treating heart disease.

•The primary approach to treating heart disease is to prescribe cholesterol lowering statin drugs (to the point, over a trillion dollars have now been spent on them). Unfortunately, the benefits of these highly toxic drugs are minuscule (e.g., at best taking them for years extends your life by a few days) and the harms are vast (statins are one of the most common pharmaceuticals that severely injure patients).

•In this article we will explore the specific injuries caused by statin drugs, the forgotten causes of cardiovascular disease, and our preferred treatments for heart and vascular diseases.

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What strategies do you use to maintain your health and well-being?

What strategies do you use to maintain your health and well-being?

Before I start, I’m betting that people who read my blog have better answers than me. It’s usually the case. I enjoy the comments and it’s eye-opening.

I was a martial artist for years. I learned that you need balance in your life. Mine are Spirit, Mind and Body. I guess I knew it all along, but that experience put words to it.

For Spirit, you need a relationship with God at the forgiveness level. Others believe in their own thing.

For Mind, I take University classes, write extensively, and keep learning. I try to find patterns and opportunities as they present themselves to me in life. You have to challenge your mind or it will become stale. I also learn foreign languages from the dreaded Duolingo.

For Body, I work out six days a week. I bike the mountains, lift weights, Tai Chi, golf and keep myself moving. If you don’t, your body starts the process of decay. At my age, it’s already happening.

The other thing I do is stay away from people who make my life miserable. I don’t have that much time left and spending it with those who are unpleasant isn’t worth it.

Favorite Game (card, board, video, etc.) Why? It’s A Lay Up For Me

What’s your favorite game (card, board, video, etc.)? Why?

Once again, you get the introvert answer. I loathe those long assed games where people get together and socialize for hours playing Monopoly or Bridge. I’m ready to leave before it starts.

I had the chance to play video games in 1981 before Nintendo came out with the orange button controller. I knew then that I didn’t have time to waste playing the same scenario over and over, although I get the attraction to others.

If I play a card game, it’s going to be solitaire. I don’t really play it anymore, rather spend my time writing and learning, but anytime I can do something to not drain my social battery quickly.

I played golf yesterday. I can be alone there also. I have my earbuds in and tune out the world.

What Bothers You and Why?

What bothers you and why?

This goes like the line, how do I love you, let me count the ways. The list is endless and sometimes I feel like Clint Eastwood with, get off my lawn.

Rather than make a list, I’ll stick to my introverted life and go with small talk. Introverts have a low tolerance for conversation that isn’t meaningful or that isn’t going anywhere. When you are young, you might put up with it for a longer time or if there is a worthwhile reward (employment, sex, etc.). That reward is less as you move on in life.

Conversely, I love deep and engaging conversation, that is intellectually stimulating. Even then, there is a time limit and I need to recover.

I’ve learned to say yes, good, right, fine, good point, and anything that could end the conversation and not leave it open-ended.

21 Signs That Confirm You’re an Introvert

One clear sign you’re an introvert: You feel lonelier in a crowd than when you’re alone. Solitude feels good to you.

Have you always felt different? Were you the quiet one in school? Did people ask you, “Why don’t you talk more?” Do they still ask you that today?

If so, you might be an introvert like me.

Being an introvert means you lose energy from socializing and gain energy by spending time alone. That’s it. Introversion is not a flaw, a disorder, or a diagnosis. It’s a healthy personality trait that comes with many strengths.

Keep in mind, that nobody is completely introverted or extroverted — we all show both traits at different times, though we tend to lean more in one direction or the other.

Here’s the list, it’s pretty convincing.

If You Could Host A Dinner And Anyone You Invite Was Sure To Come, Who Would You Invite?

If you could host a dinner and anyone you invite was sure to come, who would you invite?

I had this question at a team meeting years ago at IBM. An answer that I thought was better than mine came from another person. This is how it went.

I’d invite myself from 20 years ago, now, and 20 years from now. It would allow me to forgive myself for the mistakes I’ve made, congratulate myself for the things I’d overcome, and get advice from the future me on how to live my life.

While it seems a bit narcissistic, fundamentally it would be sound advice.

I forget what I answered, but I’m pretty sure Jesus and my parents who had since passed were some of my guests.

Cancelled Plans, An Introvert’s Favorite Gift

Nothing is better for me than when plans are cancelled for an event. The minute I agree to do something I’m somewhat on the edge about, the regret begins. I bet I burn up as much of my social battery dreading going to these events as being there. Hell, I’m burnt out before I even go if I realize it’s a big mistake or someone says there will be a lot of people there.

In fact, if you want to give your introverted friend the gift they want the most, give them cancelled plans. It’s one of our favorites. Heck, call them up and say that the plans you had to go out together are cancelled, even if you didn’t make any. That’s how good of a gift it is.

What Time Do You Go To Bed And Wake Up?

What time do you go to bed and wake up currently?

I’m retired. I was tired yesterday and I’ll be retired today. I have all the time in the world to sleep and now I can’t pull it off like the good old days

I go to bed when I’m tired. Sleep can be a battle anyway when you get older. I get as much as I can so getting a head start is not unknown to me.

As far as waking up? I don’t have a real choice in that matter either. If the sun is up, I’m hosed. I just have to hope I have enough by then. I’m glad I don’t live in Northern Europe where the sun is up by 4:30.

Then there is the fun game that seasoned citizens play called get up to pee. There is no telling how many times that will happen. That can throw a spanner in the works of trying to get back to sleep. An all nighter for me would be not having to piss, but I can’t remember that happening in a decade.

Avoid Crowds And Stress, And Don’t Rush Around

What strategies do you use to increase comfort in your daily life?

Yes, it’s Introvert time again. I am more comfortable alone than I am among a lot of people. While it’s possible to be alone in a crowd (introvert strategy here), it still comes with stress.

I also hate deadlines and the stress that comes with making it. I try to get stuff done well in advance so I don’t have to deal with it at crunch time.

Oh, and avoid family reunions as much and as often as possible.

I’m sure others have much better strategies to increase their comfort, but here’s my .02.

What Is Your Most Memorable Vacation?

Describe your most memorable vacation.

I’ve been on vacations as a kid, with that family growing up. I was kind of a tag along and did what my parents decided mostly. We went to the beach a lot growing up in Florida. That meant I grew up next to Disney World. Heck, we didn’t even have Disney until 8th grade for me. My memories there are of playing alone next to the ocean in my own world.

Then came vacations with a different family, my wife and kids. We traveled around the world. They were good times that I’ll remember while taking one kid fishing everywhere and the other doing anything to keep her from being bored. There was no time to recover or recharge my social battery.

Later in life I did stuff like sailfishing in Costa Rica or going to F1 in Italy and again they were good, but stressful trying to catch planes and waiting in huge crowds. I still had to rush to catch planes and was a mule hauling luggage around the world.

As always though, my introvert self comes out. Vacations where you are always on the run and trying to make everyone happy wore my social battery out to the point that I’d need a vacation to recover from vacation.

Now, I just go to the mountains where there aren’t many people and I can relax without having people acting like tourists or waiting in line. I have my stuff in my place and I can do gardening and tree trimming out in field with no one telling me what to do.

Not having the next deadline or trying to catch the next plane is my favorite.

The Science Behind Why Introverts Need Alone Time

Again, this comes from Introvert Dear, a resource that helps me understand me. The link is at the end

The Curious Connection Between Introverts and Rewards

When writing my book, I spoke with Colin DeYoung, a psychology professor at the University of Minnesota who had recently published a paper on introversion. He explained that one reason introverts need alone time is related to how we respond to rewards.

No, I’m not referring to the gold foil stars you might have earned in grade school (though it could be argued that stickers are indeed a reward for kids). For adults, rewards can be things like money, social status, social connections, sex, and food. When you get promoted at work or convince an attractive stranger to give you their phone number, you’re receiving a reward. Hurray!

Of course, introverts also value things like money, relationships, and food. However, researchers believe that introverts are wired to respond differently to rewards than extroverts. Compared to our more outgoing counterparts, we “quiet ones” are simply less motivated and energized by these same rewards. It’s as if extroverts see big, juicy steaks everywhere, while introverts often see overcooked hamburgers.

In fact, as any introvert can confirm, sometimes those “rewards” aren’t just less appealing — they can actually be tiring and annoying, like a big party. This brings me to another reason why introverts need alone time: We react differently to stimulation.

An Extrovert and an Introvert Go to a Party

Take, for example, two friends at a house party — one an extrovert, the other an introvert. They’re crammed into a crowded room where loud music blares from huge speakers. Everyone is practically shouting to be heard over the din. There are a dozen conversations happening simultaneously, with just as many things demanding their attention.

For the extrovert, this level of stimulation might feel just right. He sees potential rewards everywhere — an attractive stranger across the room, opportunities to deepen old relationships, and the chance to make new friends. Most importantly, tonight offers a chance to boost his social status within his friend group, especially if he navigates the evening skillfully.

So, the extrovert feels energized and excited to be at the party. In fact, he’s so motivated that he stays late into the night. He’s exhausted the next day and needs time to recover — after all, partying is hard work. But to him, the energy spent was well worth it.

Now, back to our introvert. See him over there, hunkered down in the corner? For him, the environment feels overwhelming. It’s too loud, there are too many things happening at once, and the crowd creates a dizzying buzz of activity. Sure, he wants to make friends, fit in, and be liked, but these rewards just aren’t as tantalizing to him. It feels like he would have to expend a lot of energy for something he’s only mildly interested in to begin with.

So, the introvert heads home early to watch a movie with his roommate. In his own apartment, with just one other person, the level of stimulation feels just right. He exchanges some texts with a woman he met a few weeks ago in one of his classes. Like the extrovert, he too wants friends and a romantic partner. However, he finds it too tiring to deal with the noise and socializing at a big party to make those connections.

The Dopamine Difference

Chemically, there’s a good reason the introvert in the above scenario feels overwhelmed, and it relates to a neurotransmitter called dopamine. This chemical, found in the brain, is often referred to as the “feel good” chemical because it regulates our pleasure and reward centers.

One of its roles is to make us notice potential rewards and motivate us to pursue them. For example, dopamine alerts the extrovert to the attractive stranger at the party and fuels his motivation to come up with a cheesy pick-up line.

Another important function of dopamine is reducing our cost of effort. Socializing requires energy because it involves paying attention, listening, thinking, speaking, and moderating our emotional reactions. Technically, socializing is tiring for everyone, including extroverts. However, dopamine helps make it less exhausting for them.

According to DeYoung, extroverts have a more active dopamine reward system. As a result, they can better tolerate — and often push through — the tiredness that inevitably comes with socializing. Much of the time, they don’t experience the same level of mental and physical fatigue that introverts do, thanks to this dopamine boost.

It’s called the “introvert” hangover, not the “extrovert” hangover for a reason.

Introverts Are Sensitive to Dopamine

Dr. Marti Olsen Laney explains the difference between introverts and extroverts in her 2002 book, The Introvert Advantage. She states that introverts are more sensitive to the effects of dopamine, requiring less of it to feel its pleasant effects. Too much dopamine, she notes, can lead us “quiet ones” to feel overstimulated — another reason why introverts need alone time

Extroverts, in contrast, may have a low sensitivity to dopamine, meaning they need more of it to feel happy. Social activities and stimulating environments increase dopamine production, which helps explain why extroverts relish socializing and “being on the go” more than introverts.

Introvert dopamine sensitivity
Source: “The introvert brain explained”

Interestingly, Dr. Laney explains that introverts may prefer to use a different brain pathway, one activated by acetylcholine. This neurotransmitter is linked to long-term memory, perceptual learning, and the ability to stay calm and alert, among other functions.

Introverts might enjoy spending time alone partly because of acetylcholine. According to Laney, this neurotransmitter can produce a sense of happiness for introverts when they engage in inward-focused activities, such as quietly reflecting or enjoying hobbies.

Extroverts Place More Significance on People

Finally, a study found that extroverts might simply find humans more interesting than introverts do. This finding aligns with the idea that introverts are less motivated to seek social rewards.

In this study, researchers observed a diverse group of individuals and recorded their brain’s electrical activity using an EEG. As participants were shown pictures of both objects and people, the researchers measured their brains’ P300 activity. This activity happens quickly in response to sudden changes around us and gets its name because it occurs within 300 milliseconds.

Interestingly, researchers found that extroverts showed the P300 response primarily when viewing images of faces, whereas introverts only exhibited this response after viewing objects. Essentially, extroverts’ brains became more active when looking at people.

This doesn’t mean that introverts hate people (though, admittedly, the human race can get on my nerves occasionally). Researchers still don’t fully understand introversion. However, these findings suggest that extroverts might simply place more importance on social interactions than introverts do.

So, the next time an introvert in your life needs alone time, remember that it’s not personal. Introverts need alone time because their brains are wired that way. It isn’t necessarily a reflection of how they feel about you or your relationship.

As for me, you can find me at home tonight. Preferably with the whole place to myself, that is.

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FAFO, Job Offers Rescinded To Pro-Palestine Protestor Students

Campus Reform reports:

3 in 10 campus ‘pro-Palestine’ protesters had job offer rescinded in past six months: Survey

A recent survey found that 3 in 10 college students or recent graduates had job offers rescinded as a result of their “pro-Palestine” activism.

Intelligent surveyed 672 students or recent college graduates who have engaged in anti-Israel activism and found that 29% of them had a job offer rescinded in the past six months and 55% believe there was bias against them in the hiring process because of their activism.

7 in 10 pro-Palestine activists said they were asked about their protest history during the interview process, according to the survey results.

Intelligent Chief Education and Career Development Advisor Huy Nguyen said that the results are consistent with other studies.

“It’s consistent with another study that we performed where employers expressed concerns that hiring protestors and strongly vocal activists might cause distractions and disruptions in the workplace and negatively impact their workplace,” Nguyen said.

21% of those surveyed also reported negative feedback from potential employers about their activism and 14% either had job offers withdrawn or not extended.

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It Matters For Eternity

How important is spirituality in your life?

To Answer This, let’s not confuse being religious with being spiritual. A lot of religious people are doing time and hell when they thought they were doing good on earth.

Spirituality should be the center of your life. If you accept the postulate that your soul is eternal, then spirituality becomes the focus of your life by default.

Therefore, it is a very important aspect that is a part of all of the other decisions and directions in my life. It is important to know that I’m still able to take the wrong fork in the road despite this.

Yes, Spaceballs 2 Announced – May The Schwartz Be With You

Please Lord, don’t let them ruin this. At least it’s Mel Brooks.

A sequel to the 1987 Mel Brooks monster hit “Star Wars” parody “Spaceballs” is in the works, with actor Josh Gad and Brooks on board producing the upcoming film.

Amazon MGM Studios confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that a sequel to the 1980s comedy is in early development with Gad not only on board to produce, but star in as well.

The script is being written by Dan Hernandez, Benji Samit, and Gad, with Josh Greenbaum helming the project, the outlet noted.

Details of the plot are being kept under wraps for now with Kevin Salter on board as executive producer.

“Spaceballs” came out from MGM a decade after George Lucas introduced the world to the Force in “Star Wars” in the late 1970s.

The parody’s cast included such up-and-coming stars of the time as John Candy, Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, and Daphne Zuniga. And the C-3PO parody character was voiced by the late-star Joan Rivers.

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Trying To Stop The Olympic Athletes From Having Sex

Low birth-rates are a real civilization concern in all the western hemisphere, with data regarding fertility rates in the population also sending shivers through the spine of those examining this dire situation.

So all we don’t need now is furniture specially designed to prevent people from having sex. That’s of course not to suggest that people ought to have casual sex as much as possible or anything like that – but there is no denying that this trend in furniture is awfully wrong.

After it arose that Athletes at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics will be sleeping on cardboard anti-sex beds, now it appears the mania is spreading far and wide in the European continent, and extending to the fans, too!

New York Post reported:

“Apparently, you don’t have to be an Olympian to be cursed with an anti-sex bed: A Scottish soccer fan who had reserved a hotel on Booking.com was horrified after discovering that the mattresses were made of cardboard, as detailed in a thread on X.

‘Wait till you see the absolute shambles of a situation @bookingcom put us in last night,” user RoryB96 said while describing the digs, which they’d booked over the weekend while watching Scotland play at the UEFA European Championship in Germany’.”

Of course, in many ways this story is just about the alleged lack of quality in accommodation booking sites, but it underscores the trend.

“’One of the beds was made out of cardboard and also held together by duct tape’, Rory described. ‘The 2nd bed was a sofa bed that was broken and disgusting’.”

A real cardboard city.

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I’ve got news for you, they are the best athletes in the world, meaning they have probably also have the biggest sex drive. It’s that time of life. If people want to screw, a cardboard bed isn’t going to stop it. They used up all of the free condoms last Olympics meaning they had enough sex for any 10 people in 2 weeks

A Typical Marriage Conversation

This comes from my writings in 2020. It’s unedited and I read it and say yep, that’s marriage. I have this conversation frequently. Just change out the subject to anything or anybody and it goes about the same.


Here is my day. (Wife or T) Which chicken should we get out? Me: get out the one in the package. T: but they are too big. Me: then get out the other one. T: but they won’t work will they? Me: use whatever you want. T: but which chicken should I get out? Me: whatever works, it’s chicken. T: what do you think I should use. Me: (to myself: whatever the fuck you want, you aren’t listening anyway) You asked me and I told you and you don’t want to do it so look in the freezer and get out some chicken. T: but you bought them and I thought you bought another one. Me: look in the freezer and find the right one (about to shoot myself).

I never knew which chicken we got out. I knew it didn’t matter.

I’m not Jewish, but when I lived in South Florida, the guys told me this one. Why do Jewish Husbands die first?

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A: Because they want to.