As far as these old politicians, I know some think they’re just holding on to power and that’s what it’s all about. But, a big part of the issue is that there isn’t really a system or method to help them out of office. Impeachment is for misconduct, that isn’t the case here. If they don’t see their own inabilities (and those with cognitive declines usually don’t, and too often stubbornly say they’re fine), then what? Outside of waiting until the next election, what can be done? I don’t think there’s a good answer.
Our old house is for sale again. I was in the area and since it’s not currently occupied, I had a quick look around. The current owners changed a number of things, but overall, it’s very similar to when we owned it a couple of years ago. However, I had to keep telling myself, “it’s not my house!” as I briefly walked around on the property. After owning it and living there for over 20 years, it was weird to not act like I owned the place!
We know the current owners and I’m sure they would have had no problem with me being there. That wasn’t the issue. It was just not my thing anymore. But part of me felt like it was. I don’t feel bad about it, it’s just funny how part of me was trying to revert to old ways.
https://www.har.com/homedetail/750-sue-barnett-dr-houston-tx-77018/7931089
Of all the information a modern automotive dashboard provides, why is temperature even a thing? Also, while it may be A temperature, it is not THE temperature. The temperature inside a metal box in direct sunlight isn’t how it’s properly measured.
Don’t worry. We’re not killing the planet, just ourselves. The planet will recover nicely once most or all of us are wiped out.
Film strikes, music, unions, and the Internet
For several years I’ve been trying to compare the music industry (which has been lousy for artists for a while) and the film industry, which has seemed profitable and working. I was wrong. The issue was that streaming hadn’t hit the film industry fully until recently. Now that it has, we see they’re having the same problem created by the Internet that music and print has had. The one difference is that writers and actors (and directors…) have strong unions but unfortunately the musician’s union lost that kind of strength a long time ago.
(That’s not to say anything bad against the musician’s union, I’m all in favor of it, but unlike film, not every performer or writer is a member nor is required to be except for certain jobs. It’s unlikely your favorite artist is a member, unfortunately. Most people in popular music are on their own, especially starting out.)
Gratitude is magic that anyone can perform and enjoy.
The Thing About Threads (app)
For every other social media site I ever joined, it was a slow build. Find some people I knew or knew of, as first it was quiet then after a while it was maybe even too much. But that was after using it for quite a while.
With Threads, I joined on the first day and almost immediately there were more threads than I could possibly see. Add to that the feed being algorithmic instead of chronological, and it’s like I’m getting a random order of threads every time I check. Like its compatriots Facebook and Instagram, it reloads the feed every time I open it. Stuff disappears before I can read it.
Like its sibling Instagram, there’s no iPad app and we’re guessing there never will be one. I don’t see a way to use it on my Mac or in a browser, and I don’t like being forced to pick up my phone every time I want to check.
A lot of people and accounts who I had hoped would join Mastodon are already on Threads. My best hope now is that Threads implements ActivityPub, allowing Mastodon users to follow those accounts that way. The big reason I stay on FB is because of people I want to stay in touch with who are on there. Otherwise I would have dropped it long ago. Threads is already having the same effect. I’m using it way more than I would have expected, even though I don’t love it.
A Fourth of July memory.
My wife’s aunt invited the various family members over for the Fourth a few years ago (probably 2019). We asked my wife’s parents if they were going, and they said, “no, because all the drunks are out driving on the Fourth.”
The get together was at 2 pm.
Regarding my previous post about picking which hand to write with, I think the reason behind making me choose one was that they thought I wouldn’t be able to improve my handwriting while using both. If you see my handwriting now, you would realize that’s a fool’s errand anyway!
When I was a real little kid, maybe in kindergarten, I wrote with both (either) hands. I don’t think I even knew I was doing it or that it was different. “They”* told me that I couldn’t do that, I had to pick one. I asked what did most people write with and they told me the right hand, so that’s what I went with. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I picked the left hand or was allowed to continue to use both.
* I think “they” were my father and grandmother, but I don’t know for sure.