The American experiment

The American experiment is now a failure. Our strengths have turned into weaknesses. America lasted measles 249 years. Couldn't maker it to the big two-five-o. We are a nation of anything goes and do whatever you want. Congratulations. It's ruined. How long before everyone else realizes America is just another third world banana republic shithole?  American exceptionalism is dead.

Florida couple sues fertility clinic over wrong embryo being implanted | Fox News

See what happens when humans interfere with things they shouldn't?!?!

https://www.foxnews.com/us/florida-couple-sues-fertility-clinic-allegedly-giving-birth-someone-elses-baby

Government is idiotic

Why anyone would buy a new car thinking it's better or will last longer than and older car is misinformed. Those within the government mandating things like emissions or efficiency requirements are idiots.

What happens is the government sets a standard and engineers have to figure out how to meet the standard. Use less fuel while getting more miles per gallon. Reduce carbon emissions. The engineers figure out how to do this which adds significant complexity to an engine. The way engineers have figured out to accomplish these objectives is creating gas direct injection engines.

Without writing a scientific paper, it is absolutely impossible for these gdi engines to last as long as a port fuel injected engine. It also explains why cars are getting tremendously expensive, incredibly complex and decreased reliability. I don't see how these modern engines can last beyond 150,000 miles.

The government doesn't care how long a car will last or how reliable a car is. The regulators don't want you driving a gas car to begin with. The sooner it wears out the sooner you'll be forced to buy a newer more efficient and probably electric car. Ultimately I believe they don't want you driving any car whatsoever. And they will gradually make it prohibitively expensive to own car.

The best cars are old cars. Anyone buying a new car expecting it to last 15-20 years is misinformed. To learn more watch videos by Scotty Kilmer or Jason Fenske about the many problems with direct injection. Over priced, over complicated and ultimately pieces of garbage.

The federal government is evil. They ruin everything they touch . Absolutely everything. Nothing is made better with government involvement. Nothing. What they touch turns to shit. It may not be immediate but it will eventually be destroyed. Smart people don't work for the government. Career government employees aka regulators, bureaucrats and anyone over 70 years old, are worthless. Absolutely worthless.

I’m a snob

I don't mind reading used books. I don't like reading library books. I also don't like reading paperback books. Often times the text is smaller.

Library books. They're dirty and smell old. Institutionalized old. Cover worn. Pages folded. Occasional booger found. Gross.

Brand relationships

 I am not a big brand guy; with the exception of electronics and motor cars.  I love vintage Pioneer electronics.  I don't know if it sounds good or if it is just nostalgia from the sound I grew up with.  My dad had a pioneer receiver.  He upgraded when I was in high school and handed down the pioneer I grew up with to me just before I went to college.  I sold it shortly after marriage...  Bought another just like it a few years ago.  I am a fan not only the sound; but also the aesthetics of the silver face with blue lighting on the tuner dial.  

The other brand I really enjoy is Lexus.  I've owned two BMWs and two Lexus.  Personally, I think Lexus makes the best car for the price that can be purchased.  Toyota reliability combined with Lexus luxury in the form of ride quality, sound insulation and interior material quality.  They make a better car.  One that is often aspirational in the new car market.  On the used market they are very reasonable for the quality of car on gets.  Stellar products.

My first Lexus was an LS430.  My second Lexus is an ES350.  While they are from different eras with the Lexus story, it is obvious they are related.  They feel good to drive.  The don't handle particularly well; however, they are excellent freeway cruisers.  Quiet.  Powerful.  Solid.  Having driven the ES350 for a few weeks,  it is amazing how heavy the LS430 is.  I often say it's driving a bankvault down the freeway.  Or a heavy fountain pen.  The ES350 isn't quite as insulated as the LS, but it is way more refined than a Toyota Camry or Avalon.  

The only new car I've purchased for my use was a 2003 Mazda 6.  I think I fell asleep on the way to the airport one morning and ended up totaling it.  Ended up going off the road and driving up a bridge embankment.  After that I purchased a Toyota Avalon recommend by a trusted car dealer.  It was a high quality car; but it was boring.  An old man's car.  I don't know if the LS or the ES are young people's cars - but I don't think they're boring.  Refined is a better word for it.  

Anyhoo...  there's just something better about a Lexus.  There's something special about an LS.  But an ES is still good.

I almost bought a camry when I lived in Florida after making a huge mistake on an Acura MDX.  I didn't like that car.  I traded in my corvette for it because I couldn't get out of the corvette anymore due to back problems.  Kept the MDX for a short time and then bought the LS.  I remember liking the camry - but it was too expensive at the time.  The LS was 13000 cheaper than a Camry I was looking it.  A 20 year old LS drove better than a 5 year old camry.  A 13 year old ES drives better than anything we test drove after Z wrecked his car.  We drove a few ES, a Camry, an accord, a few Avalons and a civic.  All were at least a decade old.  The ES reigned supreme.  

 RIght now I'm driving the ES and Z is driving the LS.  Maybe when Z gets a job we will trade.  But until then I will drive the newer car.  

When we bought the ES, I found a two owner matador (metallic) red with a parchment leather interior.  We test drove another one that had some kind of synthetic leather.  While it was softer than real leather - it felt really weird when it was hot and it didn't breathe against your skin.  Sweat city.  It was disgusting.  So they mandatory upgrade was genuine leather because it was natural and perforated for heated and cooling seats.  The one option we couldn't find that I wanted was the Mark Levinson sound system.  I think those with the upgraded sound systems are  unicorns in the wild.  Maybe we'll find one next time we need a car.  Maybe we wont. 

On all the shelves

A vast sea of items made in China. Nearly every part for every car comes from China.

DJT had it right when he was elected office. A country that doesn't make things is doomed.

Barack Obama said factory jobs would leave America. Jobs left because the were given away to the lowest bidder.

😢 boo hoo

Winter storm snarls travel as airlines strand passengers.

Shut the fuck up.

Weather stranded passengers. Airlines didn't. If it's not safe to operate, they won't.

Don't make this a goddam airline problem. Make it a weather problem.

What a bunch of whiny ass victims blaming airlines. The airlines have no obligation to house or feed your sorry ass because weather conditions are not conducive to safe operation.

Sorry ass bitch media whores.

FAFO

First it was Renee Goode. Now it is Alex Pretti. Come on libs - who's next in line to do something stupid and get shot. Their lives weren't lost to some great cause. They were lost interfering in federal law enforcement activities.

Stop. Callborate and listen.

Like sands through the hourglass

So are the days of our lives. We visited two care facilities for my dad. I had visited one additional last week. Made a selection and signed a contract. Was informed one of their current residents is in a fragile state. We saw her accommodations yesterday and she was out in the living room yesterday.

Received text message the current resident is actively dying and is expected to pass in the next couple days. I am saddened by the news. It was evident during our visit the care team and the owners loved and cared for this woman.

There was an authentic surge of emotion felt when discussing her status yesterday. I think her name was Doris. That swell of tears suppressed as quickly as the surge when it came.

Instead of being happy my dad will have a place to go I feel sadness for their loss. The care in which they interacted with and cared for Ms. Doris was evidence they have a strong connection to and care for their residents. The kindness in the way they spoke to her, how they embraced her when repositioning her for comfort, the hugs and the kiss on her head as she fell asleep in the chair yesterday.

The message received moments ago was tender and the weight of sadness palpable.

Pleased to have found a place where my dad will live in an environment where the people and owners are genuinely kind, caring and compassionate.

Highlighting demographics

A black owned snow cone business is a highlight it the community. Because it's a snow cone business or because a black person owns it?

Why can't it just be a snow cone business instead of it being a black owned business? So people can feel good about supporting a minority owned business?

If I had my druthers I'd prefer if it was just a snow cone business. Being black owned doesn't move me to support them. It's okay to highlight a business owned by someone with brown skin. A white owned business is racist? Wanting to support a white owned busbess? Forgetaboutit. You're racist.

A minority owned business is good for society. A white owned business isn't. Go to hell.

Interesting

Marc, here is an educated question, why is this allowed: 

Ten Ways Billionaires Who Hate You Are Manipulating You Right Now by @thewisewolf

1) The first manipulation is the illusion of choice. You think you have two parties representing different visions for America but both parties are funded by the same billionaires, vote for the same surveillance bills, approve the same defense budgets, and serve the same corporate interests. The choice you are given is which color tie the puppet wears, not who controls the strings.

2) The second manipulation is emotional hijacking. The news does not inform you, it activates you. Every story is framed to trigger fear or anger or disgust because those emotions bypass your rational thinking and make you easier to control. You are not watching journalism. You are being subjected to psychological operations designed to keep you in a constant state of agitation.

3) The third manipulation is tribal sorting. The algorithm learns what makes you angry and feeds you more of it until your entire worldview is shaped by outrage at the other side. You are sorted into a tribe not because you chose it but because keeping you tribal keeps you predictable and profitable.

4) The fourth manipulation is false scarcity. You are told resources are limited and the other tribe is taking what belongs to you. Immigrants are stealing your jobs. Welfare recipients are draining your taxes. The other party is destroying your healthcare. Meanwhile the billionaire class has more wealth than any humans in history and could solve most of these problems tomorrow if they wanted to.

5) The fifth manipulation is memory holing. Stories that threaten powerful interests get buried or forgotten within days. Exposed crimes result in no consequences. Historical context that would help you understand the present is never taught. You are kept in a perpetual present with no past to learn from and no future to plan for.

6) The sixth manipulation is controlled opposition. The voices you think are fighting for you are often funded by the same interests they pretend to oppose. The outrage merchant on your side of the aisle is playing a character designed to keep you engaged and angry and tuned in while nothing ever actually changes.

7) The seventh manipulation is the Overton window. The range of acceptable opinion is artificially narrowed so that anything outside it seems extreme. Ideas that were mainstream fifty years ago are now treated as radical. Ideas that serve elite interests are treated as moderate common sense. You are not choosing your beliefs from the full range of human thought. You are choosing from a menu they wrote.

8) The eighth manipulation is learned helplessness. You are shown so many problems with no solutions that you eventually give up and accept that nothing can change. This is intentional. A population that believes resistance is futile does not resist. They scroll and complain and feel superior for understanding how bad things are while doing absolutely nothing about it.

9) The ninth manipulation is identity capture. Your political affiliation becomes your identity, and any attack on your party feels like an attack on you personally. This makes you defend politicians and policies that harm you because admitting they are wrong would mean admitting you were wrong, and your ego will not allow that.

10) The tenth manipulation is the most insidious of all: you are manipulated into believing you are too smart to be manipulated. Every person reading this thinks the manipulations I described apply to other people, the stupid people, the brainwashed people on the other side. That certainty is itself a manipulation. The moment you believe you are immune is the moment you become most vulnerable

Garbage Pasta

Drew Barrymore's garbage pasta recipe is the ultimate clean out the fridge recipe. STFU. Who cares?!?! Celebrities suck. Everything about them is about them. They are the absolute most useless people on the planet propped up by perpetual lying and self pontification. The best celebrity is a dead celebrity.

Parkie

Medication becoming ineffective for my dad. He is administered does of drugs every 4 hours and is barely rewarded with 1.5 out of on time due to the delays in absorption through digestive system and/or the medications losing their effectiveness.

Father informed there is a medical device called duopa which requires a port to be installed in jejunum. Allows pump to be worn for up to 18 hours a day where same mediation in gel form is administered directly at absorption point.

Unable to live in current residence with port. Was told 'you're welcome to pursue this treatment. If you get the port you can't live here.' Conversation ended.

Researched options. Next move to skilled nursing facility. You might as well have one foot in the grave. Alternative would be in home care facilities where someone has a house staffed with better trained medical assistants to provided higher levels of care with better care/provider ration. 4:1.

Residents share space in a regular house with private and shared space available and shared bathrooms. A resident literally gets a bedroom. And access to common areas like shared living accommodations.

Residents require more care. Diabetics. Dialysis. Feeding tubes. Tracheotomy.

My dad is willing to give up his independence and autonomy to try the duopa pump. Expecting a golden ticket from Parkinson's.
Suggested he moderate his expectations.

We are looking at care facilities today.

He views this as giant step forward. I view this as giant step backward. There is no meeting in the middle.. I find it impossible to put on a windex shine to something I feel will not bring him the benefit he is expecting.

I hope I'm wrong and he's right because to me this is the beginning of the end.

Lake Travis

They're building a 2 mile tunnel from lake Travis to provide water in 3 additional cities in Williamson county . Unacceptable. If your city ain't got enough water you shouldn't be allowed to build more of anything. I hate what we're
Doing to this planet through population migration and growth. Hate it.

Breeze

So Alpa is suing breeze airways and David Neeleman for not negotiating in good faith. David has been opposed to unionization his entire life. Is he the only one brave enough to stand up against the neighborhood bully? Or does he want to exploit the work group to keep costs low to maintain a competitive advantage?

Homeownership

According to Cea weaver homeownership is a weapon of white supremacy. Just what this country needs. She's unfit for public service.

Circadian rhythm

Apparently my body still thinks you wake up at 0245 when you have to go to work. SMH.

That’s a wrap of a walk in the park

Finished the book. Glad I read it and it's not one to revisit. On a sale of 1-5, I'd offer a rating of 3.89. Or, a high C rating of 77.8.

Moments were exceptional. Others were less than. A well told and complex story.

I didn't come away motivated to visit the canyon. Rather, I came away with thoughts on how humans have a tendency to ruin everything. Struck by the tension between preservation, enjoyment and development.

Fascinated by the writing of places of wonder un-disturbed by man. Reminded of a road trip we took to Colorado when z was under 13 and j was not much much older than 6. We left super early in the morning and it was the first time I got to share with my family the unusual pre-darkness. The purple blue black color of 3-4 o'clock in the morning. A time of day most don't get to experience.

Technology

If I was a teacher I would want to know why the students are issued better and newer computers than the faculty. My wife's laptop is ancient and weighs a ton. Anyone in corporate America would be shocked at the tools provided to teachers and how antiquated they are.

Denim

A pair of Levi's 501 jeans has a suggested retail price of $84.95. Let that sink in for a moment. Nearly 85 dollars for a pair of denim jeans. What's the world coming to?

Social media

LinkedIn is has become just as a much of a societal sewer as Facebook. Social media - no make that all media - is nothing more than a vehicle to self deprecate, and demonstrate mental illnesses and personality disorders affecting the masses. Fuck off. Mind your own business and STFU.

Journey

Reading Kevin Fedarko's walk in the park. About midpoint. Reading suddenly becomes uncomfortable and emotional requiring a pause as I prepare to visit my dad and the executive director of his residence.

Earlier today my dad and I spoke to George, a 'mentor' for advance stage Parkinson's treatment called duopa. Duopa has a mentor program where an existing user of the device volunteers to answer questions posed by prospects investigating the device for their own management of advance stage Parkinson's.

The conversation was a struggle. George has had the pump for seven or eight years. He was slow and hard of hearing. His wife Wilma was also on the call. If anything, this conversation served as a reality check as to where my dad's health will be heading as Parkinson's continues wreaking havoc on his nervous system.

Reading about the canyon and a developer's desire to build an entertainment district at the confluence was bothersome having read to this point in the journey. Fedarko visiting his dad after extensive chemo treatment was eliciting an emotional response I was ill prepared to experience on this day.

Pause. Close book and realign my emotional set point for the upcoming meeting.

Lowe’s home improvement

Went to Lowe's after hiatus. They're now selling clothing and pet food. Weird.

Opraharpo

Oprah's been in the news talking about glp-1 medications and here storied weight loss journey. Shut up already. She's naturally fat. She doesn't like it. She's struggled with being fat for her entire life. Her weight has gone up and down like a yo-yo. Shes tried everything. Glp-1 works. Now she feel the need to educate the rest of us. WGAF. She gotta be flaunting her wealth to be able to afford the drug under the guise of public interest. STFU already. She's been in the media for 40'years and she refuses to fade away into the sunset. Harry. Oprah. Megan. William. Kate. Charles. Prince. Off with these self deprecating losers.

Opportunity

For Christmas I bought my dad a deck of cards and a card holder he can use when playing cards. It was an idea where we could visit him and not have the awkward end of conversation when everyone sits in silence. Now we transition to playing card games and the visit ends after we play some games. A nice way to spend time together.

Good Gone bad

 Rene Goode got shot for ‘protesting’ ice presence somewhere in Minnesota. And once again, the left cixtimizing machine is cranking up trying to make this dumb broad the next George Floyd. As like George Floyd, Goode is probably not an explanation citizens; but rather a loud mouth liberal too stupid to realize our country has laws and too stupid not to interfere in law enforcement operations.  Of course - she’s a lesbian with a ring in her nose. 

I saw multiple videos. She was told to get out of her car. She moved in back and forth trying to flee. She accelerated towards a cop and she got shot.  Fafo. 

It’s sad to me how vulnerable the left is to being stupid and violent.  Their protests are exhausting.  They are meaningless. They are lawless. Just like the BLM BS. 

This loss of life should be laid at the feet of Josh Frey, Tim Walz and Ilhan Omar as there are the ones radicalizing the nutjobs. Selling them the message that illegal immigrants are good, honest people.  They’re not.  They started life in this country breaking our laws and in turn becoming criminals.  A high percentage of them are on some sort of public assistance and if they’re Somali in Minnesota, chances are good they’re defrauding the government and the tax payer.  

Maybe the immigrants aren’t the problem. Maybe it’s the left believe in belittling the rule of law. The agitators. The protestors. Doing violence, stealing and being a toal pain in the ass to the rest of our society. Maybe they should be deported to cecot and disappeared in an ice raid along with the illegals.  

America is dead

We've let the third world in en mass and we've turned into the third world. An unrecognized shithole compared to its former glory.

Shootings. Rampant drug use. Police refusing to do their job. District attorneys failing to prosecute for crimes. Mayors telling police not to enforce the law. Not to cooperate with the feds.

Paid agitators. Paid protestors. Mass migration. Islam laying roots and getting traction in this country. Islam is not compatible with the Christian faith and principles to which this country as founded.

Protesting law enforcement. People getting shot. Others driving U-Haul trucks into a crowd of people protesting Iran.

Why do we have people protesting Iran in America? Maybe because this country is ruined. Its moral fiber is soiled with the values and politics of the third world which is really not something we should be involved.

Uproar over lesbian being shot by ice. FAFO. She did on both counts. Now there's outrage. How about not interfering with or harassing law enforcement activities. Mind your own business.

Another attempt at reinventing a George Floyd movement. Rob Reiner failed to sustain. I doubt a lesbian with have any better momentum.

The protesters don't realize how good America used to be. We should deport them to
Somali and let them see how the people they claim to care so
Much about live. And then ask them if they want the same inbred backwards life here brought from over there.

Bad idea. If they like the Somali lifestyle, deport all the sympathizers to Somalia. Keep the third world over there instead of brining to our country.

It's sad and embarrassing what these people are doing to America. They're ruining it.

And by the way. If we take Greenland it won't be good for Canada. We're coming for you and Cuba too. And then we'll take Mexico and South America after that, too. Venezuela is a stepping stone to bigger and better things. Like a western hemisphere ruled by America. Mexico isn't doing anything to stop the drug and human trafficking cartels. We'll do it. They had the option of working with us. Now step aside and get ready for some shock and awe unlike anything the world has never seen before.

I saw a video featuring Jesse Ventura, former governor of Minnesota stating we've turned into a gestapo nation because the feds and military are conducting law enforcement on the streets. They wouldn't have to if local police and prosecutors were doing their job.

Get with the program. This is a nation with laws that are enforced. This Willy Nilly do whatever you want without consequences ideology is destroying our country from the inside. America is rotting from the inside out.

Automobiles

Zachary totaled his car in August.  We have been making due with two cars since only one person has been working.  It makes sense as there was no need for three cars.  We decided to replace the third car and my wife and I agreed we could make an acquisition once another member of the household was employed.  My wife went out of town over the weekend so I went out and bought a car.  Let's just say this didn't go over very well upon her return.

On the way home from the airport my wife was excitedly sharing all she did with her friend on their trip.  We pulled into the driveway and she was an additional vehicle sitting in the driveway.  YOU DID WHAT?

I bought a car.  How many miles on it?  100,000.  WHAT?  How much did you spend?  16,000 dollars- WHAT?  How did you pay for it?  I wrote a check.  WHAT?  Why didn't you call me?  Because you'd say no and it would ruin your vacation.  You could have waited until I got back.  The car would be gone.  Another one would come up.  We need a car in a week.  

And we discussed how bad the purchase was and that we should have got a much newer car and taken out a loan for it.  How much did you want to spend?  IDK.  What kind of car would you want?  Something inexpensive like a Hyundai.  It was my turn to say WHAT?  Then I am told that old cars breakdown all the time and the repairs are super expensive.  Because it needs a catalytic converter.  Oh?  Yeah.  We've never had a catalytic converter fail on a car.  It will need new tires and brakes.  No, they're new.  

At any rate, most cars available in the 12-15k range are absolute garbage.  99.9% of them have CVT transmissions, 4 cylinder engines, cloth seats, etc.  A ton of options from the like of Hyundai, Kia, Chrysler, Jeep, Mitsubishi.  And for those looking for a total bargain, there are plenty of Mercedes, BMW and Audi in the same price range that the uneducated buyer would be proud to own until they have to fix it.  Also some Mazda and Lincoln.  A few civic, carolla, accord and camry, too.  All but the camry have CVT.  Their engines are mostly direct injected.  Mileage is typically very high.  

I just cannot justify under circumstance buying a less reliable car with higher mileage.   If the benchmark is a new Hyundai, there are SOOOO many better options out there for a considerably less amount of money on the second hand market.  But the Hyundai is new.  Who cares - it won't last very long.  My parents buy Hyundais all the time.  Your parents get rid of them after four years.  Buying new is not the same as buying good.  Most new cars are garbage.

 Buying a used vehicle is a bit of a science and a bit of luck.  Meticulous research goes into it - especially nowadays; given how expensive everything is.  Gotta narrow down a few choices to hone in on and then be hyper aware of the market and familiar with inventory.  What moves and what doesn't. I am of the opinion that they best used car you can buy nowadays is a car manufactured before 2015 that is in excellent condition with a reasonable maintenance history.  No more than 2 or 3 owners depending on the car.  A minor accident is not big deal if it has been properly repaired.  Due a thorough investigation when a potential car hits the market.

I still don't understand why one would take on ANY amount of debt for a new car of diminished quality.  Here is what I think makes car in the current automotive environment:

A reputable make/model with history of reliability

Port fuel injected engine.  Normally aspirated.  No turbo.  No supercharger.  No direct injection. No carburetor. No Hybrid - although Toyota hybrids have exceptional reliability.  No EV

6 or 5 speed automatic transmission.  NO CVT under any circumstance.  No 7-9 speed auto, either.

Leather upholstery

No safety stuff like lane keeping assist, radar cruise, blind spot monitor, auto headlights, etc.

Suddenly, choices get limited and cars described above usually sell in a week (often times in days) if they're in good condition. 

It was dark when we came home from the airport.  All my wife could see was an additional car in the driveway without paying attention to anything besides the emotion of not being involved or consulted in the purchasing decision. 

I hope she comes home tomorrow while there's still sunlight and she can see the huge mess I got us into!?!?! 

 

Alien Spacecraft Turd

Obama's library building is ugly.  Maybe it will look better on the inside. They say it will be dark inside because light is harmful to the artifacts that will be contained inside.  Have they not heard of ultraviolet rejecting windows?

They're hiring site says the following:  "Ccommitted to anti-racism and sets the expectations for how we will engage and make space for the work.  We're focused on making sure our actions match our intent - removing barriers for diverse vendors, building anti-racism and equity into our hiring practices, and recruiting diverse cohorts for our leadership programs....  working with members of the predominantly Black (with a capital letter) community that is our home."  

They are also "deeply committed to creating an actively anti-racist organization, leveraging our global reach to combat systemic racism and inequity wherever it exists."  They describe candidates as "equal parts dreamers and doers who care as much about how we achieve our goals as we do about the goals themselves."

All this sounds like it was written by the Obama's with the constant projection of race baiting victim mentality they promote with every word they say.  

Decide for yourself.

 

After 5 months

 Received job offer after 5 months.  Hundreds of hours spent looking at job opportunities.  Approximately 80 applications submitted.  5 interviews.  1 offer received.  Successfully pivoted my career from commercial aviation to the automotive repair space without having to start from the bottom.  Technically I am training at the bottom in order to understand the business to lead the business at an auto parts retailer.

I received a phone call today from another store manager with the same company asking if I was still interested.  I told him I just received an offer from another location.  Interestingly, I interviewed with a district manager and did not interview at the store level.  

My initial store location is 9 minutes from home.  Previously I drove 45 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on traffic to the airport.  I *hated* the drive after having made it for 18 years.  Over the years the commute gradually contributed to dissatisfaction with career; along with feeling unseen, unheard and unappreciated by leadership above and peer group.  I felt appreciated by the teams I supported - the crewmembers, the supervisors and the business partners.

On one hand the time spent looking for a new job was extremely stressful.  Initially it was no big deal.  After submitting numerous applications and rejection for positions I was a perfect fit for, the journey came to weigh on me and my family, especially with my wife.  Unemployment became a weight on my back and a cloud over my head even though I was given six months of financial runway to launch into another career.

I received verbal job offer yesterday.  Last night, I was exhausted.  The stress of reinvention finally resolved and I was dead tired.  After preparing dinner and cleaning up after I could barely keep my eyes open.  I powered through a few chapters of a new book and went to bed.  I slept like a rock for the first time in months.  Woke up late feeling well rested.   

I'm thankful and excited about the opportunity and looking forward to what I can do and accomplish in the role.  I have to learn the business and am looking forward to being a different leader than I was in my last role while utilizing what worked and changing what didn't.  

 

Free Childcare in NYC

Mayor Mamdani and governor hochul announced planes for free childcare. Why is it the responsibility of the government and taxpayer to provide childcare? I guess it's departure from rugged individualism and leaning in to the warmth of collectivism that makes it possible for people to not take responsibility for the actions nor meet the responsibilities that come with having a family.

I hear the Somalis in Minneapolis and St Paul MN have a winning formula for a childcare system. I bet it will work even better in New York.

I still can't believe zooran and his wife were living in a rent controlled apartment. She wore shoes that cost over $600.00 USD for his mayoral inaugural ceremony. Typical. I wonder if they're on food stamps, too?!?!

As a whole

Americans, especially the left, way too soft and sympathetic to those who break our immigration laws. Laws are in place for a reason. Until the law is changed, it must be enforced.

Joe Biden and Alexander Mayorkas are treasonous and seditious. Those two did more domestically to facilitate a foreign invasion than any other terrorist. They should be tarred and feather publicly, arrested and thrown in jail where they can both rot for the rest of their lives.

Deportation is not a crime. It is the result of one.  Deport illegals now. 

Islam is incompatible with Christianity. While people have the ‘right’ to practice the faith of their choosing free from persecution, they do not have the right to displace the faith and values which were used in forming the foundations of this country.  

This islamists aren’t interested in integrating. They want separation and supremacy.  Their allegiance is not to America.  Their allegiance is to their religion and their native country.  The only to prevent their agenda is through removal, otherwise their agenda and influence cannot be stopped. 

America has imported too many people from the third world and now is becoming a third world.  These people are immigrating at a rate to invade the homeland. Stop it now. 

Dan Brown

Secret of Secrets. The latest story from acclaimed author of the davinci code. I think I've read most if not all of the Robert Langdon books.

I read the first one after L and I were married at the recommendation of my mother in law. She always enjoys a good book!

The topic was most interesting and as always the book equivalent of a good adventure movie.

On a scale of one to five, I'd give it a score of 4.25. On a lettered scale, it'd earn an A-. One of the best books I've read in quite some time. I enjoy Browns style and I enjoy the Robert Langdon character. I also enjoyed the setting as the story traverses the city of Prague. All of the Langdon books have an element of city exploration and it makes for a good and engaging story.

BoomBoomPOW!

Natural resources

I don't understand why it's okay to use tons of water for industrial and technical pursuits and then constantly nag household users about consumption reduction and conservation. Why? So there's more of this precious resource to cool an AI data center or bend metal for cars?

Nope. Thanks for playing

21,000

That's the number of people that moved here in 2025. They say if you're not growing you're dying. Austin now has a population of 1,054,000 people. When I moved here, the population was 302,500.

I hate living here. I've hated it for 8 years. It's turned into an overpopulated liberal shithole with horrendous traffic.

Weave

They call it a weave because the cheap ones look like they're made from yarn.

Funny but at the same time not

 

Tattoo

 Read an interesting article about tattoo.  Why anyone would do this is beyond my understanding. A path leading to potential immunity-deficiencies. Poor life choices positively reinforced by contemporary culture. 

Mind bender

Mind bender. Page ripper. If you like popcorn movies, Dan brown writes the equivalent in book form with aha moments that hit hard.

Times I can rip through it. Times I slowdown to insure more complete understanding.

Book is poignantly timed given life experiences of the previous 12 months.

Plenty to ponder on how we understand how the mind does or does not function.

Reading Rainbow

 A while ago I mentioned Dan Brown's new book 'Secret of Secrets.'  I bought it and started reading it and paused until now.  I have this quirk of denying myself enjoyable things out of guilt that I should be doing something else or, that I am not worthy of the experience or, that I want the experience to last by not completing it.  It's a conflicted state of mind and it happens a lot.  With doing enjoyable activities like seeing movies, reading, listening to music, etc.

Being out of a job, it was a splurge to buy the book back in September or October.  I read that the book basically chronicles 2.5 days of the adventurous life of Robert Langdon.  I spent all this money for a 2.5 day romp through Prague that would be over in less than a week.  I stopped reading.  

The premise of the book is fascinating as it has to do with the science of consciousness.  If you read the Davinci Code you know Dan Brown can write a page ripper.  I didn't want to the story to end so quickly because I splurged on the experience.

I picked it up again - and wow!  It's a ripper and such a good ride.  At times a bit confusing because the chapters jump around different geography and segments of time that are occurring simultaneously as well as flashbacks.  Anyway - I'm going to rip through this in preparation of my next read and I'll list the book for sale for the same price as can by used locally without having to support a business.

Since dumping the facebook, I've started watching videos on youtube.  I get impatient with the vocal cadence of the content I typically consume.  THey talk too slow.  It feels leisure.  I want to laser through it and get to the point.  I started listening to the videos first at 1.5x speed and now at 2x speed.  My kids sometimes hear what I'm doing and ask me if I can understand what I'm hearing.  I can.  If the brain can parse different languages, it can be trained to parse it's native language more quickly.  It makes consumption more efficient, if you will.  They think it's weird.  I tell them they should try it.

Now I'm able to read more quickly because my brain is used to quicker exposure to and parsing of words.  Quicker auditory processing of the words. It's made reading more enjoyable as I am able to read, write and listen at roughly the same pace.  Streamlined production and streamlined consumption.  

I think it's pretty neat you can increase the efficiency of your brain through training.  Mental exercise.  How cool is that? 

Cancelled concerts

What I don't understand is why any entertainer would penalize their fans by cancelling a performance because of the name on the building. Trump is deranged. And Trump derangement syndrome is a thing. Taking anger against the president out on your fans is misguided and said performers should seek professional psychiatric counseling.

Insane

Next step in hiring process is doing a one way virtual interview. Read question. Ponder. Record. Submit. Like talking in a void of nothing. Unable to hold thought or answer concisely seeing myself on a screen or staring off into nowhere.

Participation feels void of human interaction and connection. Quit in frustration and while try again tomorrow. They said I could be penalized for number of takes. I didn't get through the first question and already did three or four attempts.

Did further research on organization and discovered 74 percent of workforce are remote. 26 percent of people go to place of business. Organization is proud of these statistics.

In previous job I was resentful of people on teams calls participating on their porch, in their living room or kitchen, etc. Get your ass into the office like the rest of us.

Question the viability to work in an environment where 3/4 of the team is working outside the office. Maybe remote work is a privilege for the uber productive. Jealous I don't have the credentials or professional aptitude to work at home?

Resentful. Judgmental. Envious. Old. Traditional. Limited.

Maybe I should quit before I start? Push through and see what happens because I can't be the only person who feels this way?

Stupid dinosaur.