WTF-Beta

Link to video

1st mention of him here at around 3:45.

Link to video

Netanyahu is pressuring him and others in the US government to do it according to Tucker Carlson's sources.

Tucker Carlson does have many credible sources in Washington.

I'd prefer to talk about the thread topic than read about how Tucker Carlson is allegedly a know nothing asshole.

Stranger

"Then came the ads."

One, from a group supporting Abdul, tied the cost of groceries to America’s support for Israel."

Then came the ads? You mean Al-sayed and his supporters weren't saying the same things the entire time. Really?

It's "anti-Semitic" to point out the Iran war is driving inflation?

GMAFB.

@wtg said:

She gave it one more try to explain why she did what she did.

https://upnorthlive.com/news/local/haley-stevens-explains-decision-to-endorse-mike-rogers-in-election-day-statement-el-sayed-michigan-senate-race-upnorthlive-election-x-twitter

First law of holes...

"and it was not made for me" is the tell. It was made for her.

I don't buy that at all. It wasn't any matter of principle, imo. It was seemingly irrational and incoherent, but below the surface, it was nothing more than her loyalty to Israel and her bigotry. Any such person who makes speeches saying a foreign nation comes to them in their dreams etc. should be anywhere else other than in the Party or in Congress. Besides, she would have articulated a principle it she had one. Instead, her explanations made no sense.

The leadership is corrupt. They give FA about their constituents. They stand for nothing. It would take a lot of pressure from certain members of Congress AND the public to bring accountability. I don't see it happening.

Democrats win Senate.

53 with 51 and 2 caucusing.

So that's it.

Democrats win both houses.

@Bernard said:

Collins has conceded!!

I've been looking forward to this day for a long time!

El-Sayed wins.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-elections/michigan-senate-results

Media in denial mode.

Democrats win House.

No not dinner and a movie. I'd rather get run over by a train.

I mean the food.

dates fruit

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Dates are the sweet, chewy stone fruits of the date palm tree (Phoenix dactylifera), grown for thousands of years in hot, arid regions across the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of the United States like California's Coachella Valley.

Popular Varieties

• Medjool: Large, soft, and sweet with a rich, caramel-like flavor. They are often called the "King of Dates."
• Deglet Noor: Smaller, firmer, and drier with a delicate, nutty flavor, making them ideal for baking and cooking.

Nutritional Value & Health Benefits

• Nutrient-Dense: Packed with natural sugars (fructose and glucose), dietary fiber, potassium, magnesium, iron, and antioxidants.
• Digestion & Energy: High soluble fiber helps support smooth digestion and provides a source of sustained energy.
• Heart Health: Naturally high in potassium and certified by organizations like the American Heart Association as a heart-healthy food choice.

How to Enjoy & Use Them

• As a Snack: Eat them straight out of hand after removing the pit.
• Natural Sweetener: Blend dates with water to make a 1:1 substitute for white sugar in baking or use date syrup.
• Stuffed or Wrapped: Stuff them with nut butter, cheese, or wrap them in bacon for savory-sweet appetizers.
• In Recipes: Chop them into oatmeal, salads, energy bars, or baked goods.

Shopping & Prices

You can find fresh or dried options at most grocery stores or online:
• Natural Delights Whole Medjool Dates: Typically around $7.99 – $8.99 for standard retail packs, or bulk packs like 2 lbs from Sam's Club for around $10.95.
• Deglet Noor Dates: Available through suppliers like Azure Standard starting around $8.40 per pound.
Read more about their profile on Healthline.
If you'd like, let me know:
• How you plan to use them (snacking, baking, or cooking?)
• Which variety you are curious about (Medjool vs. Deglet Noor)
I can help you with recipe ideas or storage tips!

I read about dates and bought a 2 LB bag of dried Medjool dates.

I was almost out so I ordered more.

I couldn't read the print on my small phone but these turnout to be not dried.

Omg.

Fresh dates are like an explosion of sugar in your mouth.

It's better than candy.

Plus, unlike candy, they have many nutritional benefits.

I ate 5.

Then I ate 4 more.

I should probably skip them tomorrow.

I want hydrogen. It emits water vapor.

But let's hook up to the grid and burn coal as well as use nuclear power plants as well.

Not that I'm in the market. The priced of new cars are obscene.

The market has seen fit to...? This market of which you speak seems imperious. It doesn't seem to rest on a solid foundation nor to factor in the matter of the relation between the individual and society in neither an economic nor a social sense.

Why would one assume the military should be privatized? There have always been mercenaries, but leaving this aside, how could a privatized military have an allegiance to a constitution? This is a rhetorical question. It couldn't.

Our Constitution contains the provision that the military is under civilian command. This person's adventures are inconsistent with it.

Also, this person's father's fortune, and his own, were built on literal slavery. It's a mining fortune held by apartheid fascists and slave owners.

And, this is to say nothing about this person spending hundreds of millions of dollars to buy US elections.

IMHO, "oligarch who wants to take over the world" is a good theme for comedy, but not so much of a good idea in real life.

Arthur Schopenhauer - Wikipedia

https://share.google/4NFk01MGyFVUPEJpU

@jon-nyc Are you a fan of Schopenhauer?

I think I remember you mentioning him but can't remember when or what you said. Maybe you haven't mentioned him and I'm thinking about a different philosopher.

I discovered Schopenhauser recently, and also how his philosophy compares to Machiavelli's writings, to Jung's teachings, and to the work of many modern social scientists.

To my surprise (I'm sure it's due to my age; it couldn't be anything else) I find myself in agreement with Schopenhauer, someone I never studied in school, and with Machiavelli. I've been a fan of Jung for a long time.

I'm so dumb! The dental office was having an all day Halloween costume party. I don't celebrate Halloween plus I can be somewhat too literal at times in social situations if that makes sense. I failed to notice. This was the day of my initial appointment. I thought the receptionist was a security guard. Hahaha! She was very beautiful and charming too which didn't help matters. Omg.

That does sound better.

From my perspective, for better or worse, the 401K laws were written in the late '70 iirc and defined benefit pensions were almost completely phased out on the '80's.

My grandfather retired with Air Force after 20 years, and then had a 10 year vesting (a 10 years vesting) after 13 years with the VA. His VA retirement check wasn't much but by the time he earned it, it was all going into the bank. My grandmother had a 20 year vesting with Fireman's Fund before American Express bought them. She got a vesting from FF and a severance from American Express. My mother had a 20byear vesting with NYS (that didn't amount to much because she passed a year later).

The truth is my father wouldn't have been able to leave my brother and me anything if not for defined benefit pensions totaling 20 + 10 + 20 + 20 years or 70 years of vestings and my father's 30 years of working as an electric, or 100 years of work.

It's humbling to know how hard my ancestors worked and to know that they did it for their family more than for themselves.

But compounding interest is a great thing. Large parts of my grandparents' estates were because of it. They kept reinvesting money at around 5% interest. It's too bad those days are gone.

It's too bad interest rates are low, inflation is rampant, and nobody has the opportunity to work for one company for 30 years now.

It's too bad the old school actuaries who were extraordinary and made these systems run are barely remembered today let alone their work respected.

The powers that be should be amplifying the Social Security Act. It's too bad their only concern is privatizing it.

At the end of the day, risk is risk.

We've all heard about the many people who have to work into their '80's and '90's now.

I can't imagine it. I don't know how they do it.

Congratulations @wtg ! I'm glad it worked out for you.

What did I miss?

It's probably too early to tell.

I spent almost the whole day d oing house projects, cleaning, paying bills, making medical appointments, and "self care". As usual. I need a lot of "self care" time every day. I have to cut my hair every day. I have to follow a schedule of medications every day (some of us do). I still (rather absurdly) have to do laundry in the kitchen sink every day. I have to wash dishes, eat, wash dishes, eat, wash dishes every day and nauseum. I have to coordinate using the kitchen sink for dishes and laundry because you can't do one and the other at the same time obviously, I have to take out the trash every day of course. I'm still finding things to donate ow away. It's a lot. I love my place. I love my new life. But it's a lot.

I feel kind of guilty I I didn't follow the elections, nor the wars' (plural) escalations, yet.

Do you remember this show?

What ever happened to them?

Robert Wagner, 96, Still Calls Stefanie Powers 'Mrs. H' | Grazia USA

https://graziamagazine.com/us/articles/in-1979-they-became-tvs-hart-to-hart-couple-47-years-later-hes-96-and-shes-84-25497-c1/

I do.

I remember it mostly for the cars. Lol.

Mercedes SL Heart to heart

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The yellow Mercedes-Benz SL roadster featured in the classic 1979–1984 television series Hart to Hart is an R107-generation model.

The Cars on the Show

• First Two Seasons: Jennifer Hart (played by Stephanie Powers) drove a yellow 1978/1979 Mercedes-Benz 450SL (R107) with the California vanity plate "2 HARTS".
• Later Seasons: The car was later updated/replaced in the series run with a newer model, such as a Mercedes-Benz 380SL.
• Other Hart Vehicles: Jonathan Hart drove a red Dino 246 GTS in the opening sequence, and they also owned a dark green Rolls-Royce Corniche convertible ("1 HARTS") and a Mercedes-Benz 300TD wagon ("3 HARTS").
If you're looking for information on these classic roadsters, let me know:
• Are you interested in buying or restoring an R107 Mercedes-Benz SL?
• Do you want to know specifications (like the 450SL vs. 380SL engine details)?
Petrolicious
Maple Yellow Mercedes-Benz R107 Is A Retired Hollywood Star Living In - Petrolicious
Vehicle: Maple Yellow Mercedes-Benz 450SL R107 (4.5L V8, 160BHP). History: Original on-screen co-star vehicle from the first two seasons of the TV series Hart t...
SportsCar LA
Used 1978 Mercedes-Benz 450-Class 450 SL For Sale ...
Car Sold. Used 1978 Mercedes Benz 450 Class 450 SL. Back to Showroom. 1978 Mercedes-Benz 450SL. offered at. SOLD. 1978 Mercedes-Benz 450SL. 1978 MERCEDES 450SL.
Wikipedia
Hart to Hart - Wikipedia
The Harts' beloved pet dog is a Löwchen called Freeway, so named because he was a stray that they found wandering on the freeway.

So to make a note of it-

My Casio digital is F-91W.

It's a decades old classic. Actually it's one of the most famous digital watches.

It's old school size designed before the world headed in the big watch direction.

It has time (duh), military time, calendar, alarm, stopwatch, the ability to perform a "grandfather-like clock" function, and a backlight function.

I have a hard time seeing any of it because I'm farsighted.

I have bought this same watch over decades. I used to be able to read it as clear as day. Life.

It has 3 physical buttons. There's a very completed set of instructions about which button to press, which to press simultaneously, and which to press and hold, in which sequence, to hack it, let alone other functions. It's easy to press and hold to turn on the back light. That's about it for my old self.

My plan is to let the battery die and keep the watch, and continue to wear it occasionally.

I wouldn't be without one. I can't set it. And inflation. I've told this story but my Casio analog, white dial, small Arabic numerals (the large numerals variant came later) went from $13 to $29 in the most recent price hike (for a watch that never had price hikes).

So I'm not paying for another digital, and the analog will get a battery replacement.

Interesting trivia- There's an urban legend that OBL used this watch to detonate the Twin Towers on 9/11. Yes, even though airplanes were involved. Yes, even though OBL wasn't in the US on 9/11. Yes, it makes no sense at all. But the urban legend continues.