A concise narrative of the theft from the NYT now that the dust has settled. Link to video

Link to video

https://photos.app.goo.gl/xbSkJo3vS3E79hcP6 A Georgian textured yellow gold chain necklace Description A Georgian textured yellow gold chain, the belcher-style link chain with each round link featuring a textured star motif design, the clasp in the form of a hand, the hand extending from a coiled snake, with a rub-set ring with a redish pink gem on the index finger holding a ball, circa 1800, measuring approximately 124 x 0.5cm, gross weight 45.9 grams. I had trouble linking the page. This is on Necklaces> page 1 124cm Georgian long chain. Magnificent! A "long chain" is "a thing" in jewelry. I love them. I noticed a listing for a Victorian chain and it has the hand motif clasp too. I thought that was interesting. This is a long chain I'd like to buy. The price has increased $300 in about a year but there have been similar price increases in lower price point stock gold items at Cartier too. I believe this can fairly be said to relate to the increase in gold prices recently. This item probably reaches my personal limit of what I would pay for a piece of new or vintage jewelry. https://www.vancleefarpels.com/us/en/collections/jewelry/other-collections/vcarp7u600---trace-chain-70-cm.html

@Rontuner said in AWS outage and the peril of Smart Things: to get the lights on in the piano room, she had to call her husband at work to control from his phone... Good grief!! Nothing in our house is "smart" -- yet. I'm dreading dealing with it when it's time for something new, esp. something major like the HVAC system. Our current one has a programmable thermostat, but that's it, it's not connected to anything (other than itself). The thought of having a bed malfunction because of an Amazon outage would make me go crazy. Well, if nothing else, now everyone knows what AWS stands for. I learned about it some years ago when I learned that AWS was the underlying infrastructure of basically all of the internet pages of the uni where I worked at the time. I remember thinking it seemed like a bad idea to have a public uni so reliant on a company like Amazon. When our course learning management system was down this week of over 12 hours, I was reminded of that...

I need to listen again with good headphones. But even on my phone it sounds gorgeous!!!

More cancer news, mRNA vaccines and cancer. How mRNA Vaccines Can Help Fight Cancer Turning "cold" tumors "hot" https://erictopol.substack.com/p/how-mrna-vaccines-can-help-fight?publication_id=587835&post_id=176787765&isFreemail=true&r=1v8sh2&triedRedirect=true

Local reporting from the Daily Herald. A family-run Palatine cafe is closing because of a drop in customers due to immigration enforcement in the area, the owners said. Chappie's Cafe, 754 W. Euclid Ave., will serve its last meal Nov. 2. The business has seen great success despite opening four years ago during COVID, said Judith Martinez, who owns the cafe with her husband, Omar Garcia. But things began to change about three to four weeks ago, when federal agents arrived and started to approach customers, she said. Two masked agents encountered customers while they were eating breakfast and asked to see their papers but took no one into custody. Agents visited about a week later. This time, Martinez locked the front door when she saw them driving around the parking lot. They then confronted her in the back of the store. “Right away, they told me, ‘Who are you? I need to see your papers. I need to see your passport. I need to see your legal status,’” she said. There were two cars parked in the back, without license plates, she said. “I was afraid and I was nervous, but I'm a U.S. citizen,” said Martinez, who was born in Mexico but later came to the United States and was naturalized. Her husband is also an immigrant but is here legally, she said. She kept asking the agents why they were there, but they avoided her questions and soon left. Beside the looming threat of federal agents keeping customers away, food costs have risen sharply, making the decision to close easier. Local reporting from the Daily Herald. https://archive.is/BlJSB

What has Trump done for you lately? Gave George Santos a Get Out of Jail Free card. Asked for $230 million of taxpayer dollars for himself. Tore down the East Wing of the White House. Will the greatness never end???

Hey @Steve-Miller ! I've got a novel sourdough recipe for you: Sourdough Soba Noodles Japanese soba noodles are delicious and nutrient rich. They’re made with buckwheat, which contains all nine essential amino acids, meaning buckwheat is a complete protein. A common flour ratio for soba noodles is 80:20 buckwheat flour to all purpose wheat flour. This small amount of gluten in from the wheat is enough to make the dough manageable, and in the case of our recipe, the all purpose flour comes in the form of sourdough starter, adding flavor complexity and digestibility. Our instructions do include baker’s percentages in case you’d rather not use sourdough starter, and the recipe is written for four small servings (or two large), allowing a beginner to finish the entire process relatively quickly and without needing an extra long rolling pin or special knife. https://breadtopia.com/sourdough-soba-noodles/?utm_content

"I will be withdrawing myself from Thursday's HSGAC hearing to lead the Office of Special Counsel because unfortunately I do not have enough Republican votes at this time," Ingrassia posted in an online message. "I appreciate the overwhelming support that I have received throughout the process and will continue to serve President Trump and the administration to Make America Great Again!" https://www.npr.org/2025/10/21/nx-s1-5581714/paul-ingrassia-nomination-withdrawal

Imagine having a budget of 1.7 million to hire an architectural firm to buy whatever kind of lot/ land and steer all of your budget into something you could think of as your dream house. It wouldn't take me a minute to decide to do that instead of buying some AI looking monstrosity.

I have spray bottles with various amounts of rubbing alcohol/ water, vinegar/ water, and Dawn/ water. Other than that I buy products with any chemical you can think of except ammonia. I buy fragrance free laundry soap--same brands, just the "free and clear" versions. I don't like the smell of industrial perfumes. Other habits? I don't know. I think people are creatures of habit so probably so!

Needless and disgusting.

@Bernard said in Bosendorfer at Costco!: Klimt Bosendorfer. Whoa! How did it sound? Was it gorgeous? Also, that sounds like a lovely event!

The siding is redwood. You can't tell now but it is mid-century modern. In 1973 when the summer cottage on the site was demolished and the house was built the roof was completely flat. The sloping roofs you see now were a later addition.

My mother once said in the prosperous times they were always creating federal holidays. The prosperous times she referred to are a distant memory. Date to eat? Wouldn't you have to keep your agenda to yourself? That seems all kinds of awkward and messed up.