WTF-Beta

I was always proud of the fact Jules Verne chose Port Tampa (a small neighborhood in Interbay where I'm from, not the port of Tampa) as the sight for the launching of his fictional moon launch. /off- topic

Link to video

"Anti-Semitism" means either not supporting the State of Israel in anything it does or supporting Palestinians for any reason at all according to this administration.

A fishing expedition and an invasion of privacy. Honestly, plain creepy.

Yes.

I think often of St. Augustine and its unique history.

Underneath it all, Florida developed as a plantation territory, no different from Hawaii after Kamehameha the Great united the Hawaiian islands with European weapons and military advisors.

Look at this map. It's worse than I thought.

Rural Florida is beautiful (rural anywhere is beautiful). I wanted to live there when I was younger. The problem with rural Florida is the problem in most rural places. There aren't any jobs.

Florida development looked nothing like this map when I was growing up.

I've definitely decided I want to live in an urban area for the way everything you need is within a short distance, there are more choices you have in terms of where you can do business and their are more cultural activities (e.g. the Dalí Museum in Saint Petersburg, the Ringling Museum in Sarasota).

I've never lived in an apartment building. I'd like to live in one with at least three stories and an elevator or ideally in a tall building. (Medieval tower houses are my favorite residential architecture along with Georgian houses and Norman castles).

One thing I won't be doing again this time around is spending a lot of time driving in what is now a continuous traffic jam.

I can't think of the exact figure off the top of my head but Florida has a population that is about double what it was when I was born.

I don't think this is good for Florida's fragile ecology or for its quality of live but what can I say about it.

I don't love it here but maybe because I was born here I don't have any trouble making sense of it.

I've been pleasantly surprised by the women.

The men are in their own worlds (however different from each other they might be-- the polar opposite of the culture in HI-- where being on the DL is almost a requirement for residency).

Almost all of the women you meet are culturally sophisticated, wise, and have no judgment. They just address you as "honey" (unless it's a serious business situation), it's light-hearted, friendly, and no problem.

This is the norm because there are definitely woman who deviate from it. They stand out like a sore thumb.

Women who routinely show bigotry in the way their behavior toward Blacks are also rare and likewise stick out like neon signs.

I'm pretty sure they have no self-awareness.

The men are very self-contained, and as I said, ignore strangers for the most part. They generally seem to care as much about the appearance of gender roles as a lot of men I knew in the NE. A lot of them are from there.

In Hawaii you might be in a professional office, think a mixed-race man doesn't know you're alive. You might step outside to wait at the same time and realize he is staring you down with unadulterated feelings. This happened every day in Hawaii. It never happens in Florida.

They have two very different cultures.

Anyway, urban/ suburban sprawl has consumed Florida.

Edited, Tues, for clarity.

Also, I forgot to post the link to the map yesterday.

It's staggering. Urban/ suburban areas run almost the entire west coast, the entire east coast, connect the east and west coasts via Orlando and run up the middle to Gainesville, and run the length of the panhandle--- all contiguous.

Sorry. I'll look for it.

jon, thanks!

Andy, there are a myriad of scientifically proven physiological benefits given a person doesn't attempt it if they have certain diseases (e.g. kidney disease). It achieves a myriad number of healing and restorative processes in the body.

Not exactly. More like certain forms of dissent have been out lawed. Same here as I will prove.

Link to video

Do you think I'm joking? I'm not. Do you know what's in the Epstein files? If not, find out. Let it sink in.

The Fergie character is the best! Lol.

The problem with Charles is a) he lied during his marriage vows and b) his second marriage is illegitimate, and c) he has played out his short reign as a "Defender of the Faith" with with no credibility.

He will be an asterisk in Diana Spencer's history. The BBC did a poll of the 100 most admired Britains some time ago. The answers came back as 1) Elizabeth I, 2) Winston Churchill, 3) Diana Spencer, and so on. Charles will be a footnote in Diana Spencer's history. The dustbin of history is waiting for him.

I know that this sounds harsh. I've developed a habit in my early old age of not pulling my punches.

That was very funny, and the Sarah character was spot on.

Day 4, early evening to midnight.

I fell off the wagon.

Organic tomatoes mixed with sweet corn, organic olive oil, sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder.

Can of solid tuna fish with sea salt. Peaches after draining heavy syrup.

I'm starting again with today as Day 1. I will do this. I will not succumb to temptation.

I will start again if I fail yet again. I will achieve it.

Please give me a day or two so I can find and cite the actual legislation.

Okay.

It's federal so everywhere.

I'm going to drive like a very conservative, very competent, very cautious old man.

Too many liability issues. Too many safety issues by far. Too many financial issues.

I love cars and driving but I'm too old to drive as a hobby if you know what I mean.

Been there, done that.

I make typos all the time because my screen is too small. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

There is a "Big Keyboard" app for Android but it comes with its own interface. I can't give up my bog standard interface and relearn how to use my phone again. I really am not interested in that and have no energy to put toward learning it.

I want to buy a Pixel 10 Pro XL.

But I want to wait until I've moved because everything I need is on my phone, I want to buy in the future after there's been at least one it not two significant price drops, and I don't want to make that kind of purchase until I've moved to my new place, I've bought a mattress set to put on the floor, and I've had time to think long and hard about my finances.

This is a good phone. It's a Motorola. It's worth keeping to me because it has my contact information and all my legal in documents. It has an OLED screen with a high ppi count. I had a Motorola G and it made my eyes hurt. It might have been an indulgence but it had to go.

The battery will start refusing to hold a charge one day. It always happens. I'd like to have my first flagship phone (especially looking forward to glass back, better water resistance rating, much better camera, and porcelain color (white color). I've always liked white phones.

I think the timing might come together and it might be more practical.

I'm becoming more and more conservative as the days move forward. /Tangent

Yes, there are a lot of people with long commutes all over the country. Many people in Duchess County New York drive 150 miles round trip back and forth to NY five days a week. It's been this way since I can remember and it's still this way. And this is in addition to the fact that there are two Metro-North commuter rails, one running from NY to Poughkeepsie, and the one to the east with its terminus at Wassaic in Wassaic County to the north of Dutchess County.

I'm not driving anywhere unless it's a necessity or it's somewhere I want to visit.

I decided on this plan long before the war started raising gas prices.

Or if he has a heart or a mind.