@steve-miller an upright doesn’t need as much expertise as a grand because it doesn’t have to be taken apart. It is of course poorly balanced and so needs professional movers, but, at the risk of being blasphemous, in my opinion, an average upright that’s not unusually valuable doesn’t necessarily need professional piano movers. A lot of steps or other considerations (e.g., tight turns) might change that though. Professional moving companies may have specific piano details (and fee schedules) on their web sites, so you might start there. And then compare the prices between piano movers and regular movers. When I had my Petrof upright moved by a regular moving company, I talked to them about how they would move it, how it would be placed and secured in the truck, those kinds of questions, to ascertain that they knew what they were doing. I didn’t have any problems. I’ve always used professional piano lovers for my grand though.

I know you don’t have an iPhone, Daniel, but just in case iPhone users do come to this thread for advice… You can use the Shortcuts app to make a “Convert Image” option in the share sheet on your iOS device. I think if you use this link it will copy my shortcut into your app… https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/85c62af7694a48e89a9d00f2062a45a3 Once you have the shortcut, it appears in the sharing menu (the square with the arrow pointing up) for a photo. Scroll down and choose Convert Image. It will make a smaller sized copy of the photo, which should then be able to be uploaded here.

@Steve-Miller that’s pretty much what everyone here is eating too!

Thanks, Mark!

Link to video They say evil is banal but I would add it's amazingly stupid.

Steve, I sent this listing to my sister-in-law and we had a chat about it. Her reflex reaction was negative and she didn't change her mind. She just really didn't like the idea. I chose her to be the trustee of my Trust. I'm very grateful she agreed. We've sorted a few decisions. The car is sorted (17k price point used Hyundai Accent, approx. 40k miles, almost showroom condition), a substantial investment account in my name-- that in addition can be used to pay expenses of the car and home both in my name, not the Trust's on the advice of my attorney, and we've agreed I will buy a home in a cash sale. We pretty much agree on everything. We're mindful these monies are to last for my lifetime. She told me to remember I chose her because she's practical. Well, that's part of it. She's very accomplished and responsible. So, she all but ruled it out, didn't like the idea, and didn't like the price. We're going to revisit it after the storm and after I read wtg's links and research Florida's current laws. She likes the idea of the mobile home I want to buy. I like it too. It was my idea. Nothing's perfect. Land lease parks are transitioning from family to corporate ownership all over the country. They hike the rents substantially and have separated out certain things that used to be included in lot rent (water, waste removal) and added them as fees. I think I could weather the storm. There are many who can't. There are many people already who are elderly and managing to keep their homes but can't afford everything they need and have to choose what to do without. I'm leary of condos in Florida. Believe me. I live here and I hear about it. I haven't ruled them out. Living in an apartment is much nicer than living in a mobile home. In a perfect world, I'd my an old stock concrete block house but they're risen to astronomical prices. The bottom line is it's a blessing to be have options.

Damn, Jon! It’s been that long! It’s incredible, really, and I’m so glad it’s working out for you!

@wtg Good advice. This miserable backwater requires that I call the county - CALL! - before each and every election to request a mail in ballot. We’re doomed.

I’ve made soup from a dried mix. The Hurst “ham bean” one. No bueno. The big beans stay hard and the small beans turn to mush. I’ll have to try the Bobs version. His stuff is generally solid

@Lisa said in Question for SK (and anyone else who'd like to chime in): something he could do after work, from home Maybe he can find an online tutor?

Great news, jon-nyc! Coming back to the US sounds like pins and needles.

@jon-nyc said in Keep it up Democrats in Congress ...: I think most every democrat agrees there’s no higher priority than to defang Trump. That’s going to happen in the midterms if at all. The optimal strategy is therefore one that make taking the house and senate most likely. Everything else is preening. I'm in board.

Public opinion on ICE: [image: 1769181183305-img_8136.jpeg] Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/23/us/politics/poll-ice-immigration.html?unlocked_article_code=1.GlA.H1W-.menbHL_P0R_d Over 80% of Republicans think ICE's enforcement are "just right" or want ICE to go even harder.

For those who suffered through the shingles vaccine, some good news. Last April I wrote a Ground Truths entitled “The Shingles Vaccine and Reduction of Dementia.” At the time many were unaware of this unanticipated relationship based on 2 large natural experiments. Two new studies this week have advanced our understanding about the potential biological impact of the Shingles vaccine, independent of its effects for preventing Shingles or direct action vs. herpes zoster virus and reinforced its protection from dementia, ~80% of which is attributable to Alzheimer’s disease. In this post I won’t get into the details of what I previously wrote (please link back for more perspective), but instead devote the text to the new findings. https://erictopol.substack.com/p/spotlight-on-the-shingles-vaccineagain?publication_id=587835&post_id=185215801&isFreemail=true&r=1v8sh2&triedRedirect=true Topol's earlier post: https://erictopol.substack.com/p/the-shingles-vaccine-and-reduction

Canada/Carney disinvited. Guess Carney's remarks in Davos didn't sit well with the orange man. https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/international/2026/01/23/trump-withdraws-canadas-invitation-to-board-of-peace/