Category: General

No Free Ice Cream Today

Sorry, have been feeling bad this week and today it caught up with me a bit. Also didn’t help that I’m still waiting on that huuuuge announcement from the special session of the Duma that so far is crickets chirping. Keeping an eye on things, esp. the nuclear reactor, but think there will be no free ice cream today. Standby, more to come though.

Update: TTC

First up, sorry for yesterday. You couldn’t reach my site, I couldn’t reach my site, and I couldn’t even log into the appropriate site to report the problem. As noted before, my current provider Dreamhost sucks. I appreciate the suggestions I’ve gotten, and am at the point I think it may be worth giving up buying groceries for a few weeks to go ahead and switch to a competent and effective provider. Need to lose weight anyway. FYI, got an e-mail last night from then, telling me how to change the password on my webmail, which honestly was the only part of their service that did work yesterday and was not a topic of discussion. Love that competence and reading comprehension!

The plan is to start Nuclear 201 next week. I’m reaching out to some people to solicit inputs, guest posts, and such. We will probably start with some history, as far too many don’t know it and you need to know at least some to understand current discussions. For example, a callow person complained on social media recently how whenever anyone talked escalation in the Russia-Ukraine war that it automatically went to nuclear without considering chemical, biological, or tactical nukes! The historical ignorance of that (and of current U.S. policy) is breathtaking, and one of several topics that we need to get into so that people have a realistic understanding of policies, doctrine, and more. After all, how can you truly screw things up now if you don’t know how they screwed them up before?

My plan is to keep it on a high level, though more in depth than the last time. First, I don’t want to scare off readers who are not familiar with concepts, science, etc. In fact, I want to hook them and reel them in. So, my approach remains to keep it accurate but not too in the weeds. Honestly, I modeling this on in many respects on science education, particularly physics education. You don’t start first graders out on quantum physics. You start with basic information, then each time you take it up a bit more. You can also provide a means for those students who get it to dive in deeper. As a physicist explained it to me one time, you teach basics even though you know portions of it are technically incorrect on some levels. The point is, make it understandable. Even though on some levels it is incorrect, it also forms a basis for understanding that next level and eventually moving up to a truer understanding.

On some levels, I hate the need for these discussions. Honestly, I had hoped a lot of this was in my past, not my future. My thoughts on how we got here and the opportunities lost are close to being unprintable. Putting that aside, people need to understand the thoughts, theories, and reality of nuclear war, and nuclear weapon and war policy, if we are to have a good chance of navigating the next few years without something stupid being done. Because, the fact is almost every stupid decision comes from ignorance, and, to some extent, bias if not bigotry. Nor do such screw-ups happen in isolation. The mistaken idea that everyone thinks as we do (mores, aka cultural blinders) is at the heart of that bias and bigotry on all sides.

For all that I hope for some knowledge and sanity to prevail, I also adamantly believe in preparing for Murphy’s inevitable appearance and dealing honestly with the Toddler Law of Governments. Keep in mind that in a crisis, the Good Idea Fairy also often shows up with the best of intentions and at the worst possible moment. Dealing with/preventing that means sharing knowledge and the means to acquire more on the subject. It also very much means sharing knowledge and ideas on surviving if any of the toddlers currently running the world stage do something stupid. Okay, more stupid than normal even for them.

I may even share a tale or two, both for educational purposes and to lighten the mood a bit. Sometimes, even in a dark event, a moment of unintended humor, if not hilarity, can shine forth. Also, I want to remind everyone that we’ve made it this far relatively intact. With knowledge, preparation, Devine guidance, and perhaps a bit of luck, we will continue to do so. Despair not that darkness looms. Light a candle and help drive it back.

*****

If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, feel free to hit the tip jar in the upper right or the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo. Getting hit by lightning is not fun, and it is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Things To Come?

Based on e-mail and a lone comment, looks like there is interest in a Nuclear 102 series along with some more on preparedness. I’m actually going to look into some possible guest posts for the former, will see. Meantime, I’m trying to push things along for my fundraiser as it is headed into the end of the month and I want out of here!

I would have loved to have moved months ago, but all the health issues kept that from happening. I do well most days, the coping mechanisms for the brain issues work well and it could be imagination but I swear I see/feel some progress in the healing. I don’t want to wait three years, I want to be good now! 🙂 So far, we have most everything under control as far as we can tell. Working to keep it that way. Please help me keep my head above water and get out of the hellhole that Indy has become.

Meantime, there is more to come besides Monday’s pun! May take a day or two to get the new series moving, but it will happen.

*****

If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, feel free to hit the tip jar in the upper right or the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo. Getting hit by lightning is not fun, and it is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Lite Day

The world is plowing along, and on some levels it’s quiet. There are a lot of things happening, but at least for today nothing earth shattering.

Rumors and more continue to bounce around the Kremlin, pretty much business as usual save for that one group that is still keeping quiet. Internal or external politics is the question on that, and the magic 8-ball says ask again tomorrow. This story may have rolled a verbal hand grenade into the room, but from what I’m seeing no one there seems terribly surprised at the story. As with a lot of stories, taking it with a huge grain of salt for now.

A number of things continue to puzzle me about all that is going on in Russia, and with it’s response to the West. Vladimir has, reportedly, kompromat on a number of Western politicians and leaders (as does Zelensky, again, reportedly). Yet, there has been no open use of it and RUMINT says no covert use. Surprising, as this is one more area where full use of existing “weapons” is not taking place.

Now, a question for you the reader: would you care to see a nuclear 102 series, more on preparedness, or something else? Honest question, though I am leaning towards doing more preparedness posts as a means of driving the book project forward. The sad fact is the majority of the public remains sadly ignorant on things like nuclear war, nuclear diplomacy, etc. Heck, it even extends to space as people talk about living and working in space, on the moon, and elsewhere without understanding the changes that will occur to human physiology in the process. Hmmmm. That may be a post later in the week.

So, let me know in the comments if you have a preference, and let’s see where life takes us.

*****

If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, feel free to hit the tip jar in the upper right or the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo. Getting hit by lightning is not fun, and it is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Thank You

If you have hit the tip jar, and not gotten a thank you, please do let me know! I try to get those out ASAP, but with my short term memory OH SHINEY! 🙂 I’m supposed to make lists of what I need to do, and what I’ve done, and they work well — when I remember to do them. So if you have hit the tip jar, or made a non-anonymous donation via the fundraiser, and not gotten a thank you let me know so I can take care of it. Meantime, thank you all so much for the prayers, encouragement, and help. It is all very much appreciated.

*****

If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, feel free to hit the tip jar in the upper right or the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo. Getting hit by lightning is not fun, and it is thanks to your help and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Apologies

Today’s schedule included doing due diligence on a company a friend is recommending I look into getting involved with, and two posts here. One was on the shooting here at the Greenwood Park Mall, and the other was going to be a fundraising update for here at GiveSendGo.

However, a housemate got in from overseas about 0030 hrs, spent next three hours stomping, running, and bouncing around like a demented 500 lb gerbil, knowing I was directly below him trying to sleep. I depend on routine and sufficient sleep to stay on the coping mechanisms/plans that let me function despite the fun joys of the lightning strike messing with my brain. So far off that today it’s not funny.

Yes, I did say something. Still means I’ve been up since 0030 hrs, gave up and started cooking breakfast about 0330, and am trying to get back on track but it’s not easy. If weirder than normal on social media, or just off, please forgive and be patient. If I can get back on track, I will. Odds are not good, but will try though my prime goal is to give you the best I can on each post. Quality comes first.

Meantime, please, please, please hit the flipping tip jar in the upper right, or the GiveSendGo campaign, so I can get moved out of here and out West ASAP. I get more when you donate here. While GiveSendGo does not take anything, the payment processor they use takes everything it possibly can. PayPal takes a lot less. If you have a suggestion for any other app/payment option, let me know so I can check it out. Thanks for all you have done, and thanks for your patience.

Light Posting?

If there is any posting beyond this, it is likely going to be lite. First, there are not a lot of new developments in the Ukraine. Second, I’m taking the time to try to sift through some things there and with some of the ag issues. Third, we are going to have a day of storms, and the storms do me bad. Yes, that means it can and does affect cognition. I live by lists and notes as it is, days like today push that. It also doesn’t help that I had to be at a lab before dawn for a fasting blood draw. The only redeeming part of that is that I got to have breakfast at a nice little place a vampire recommended to me a while back.

So, there may be more later but I make no promises. Especially as if we are being hit by storms I tend not to be on the computer, away from windows, etc. Yes, getting hit by lightning has, finally some may argue, taught me a bit of caution.

*****

If you like what you are reading, feel free to hit the tip jar in the upper right or the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo. Getting hit by lightning is not fun, and it is thanks to your help and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Lack Of Posting Explanation

Sorry for the lack of posting Thursday and Friday. Thursday was an early morning appointment at the dentist, to do the cleaning that had been delayed while they checked with my cardiologist over antibiotics and such. However, a quick and routine visit it was not.

At some point, my jaws clenched hard enough to break some previous dental work. It is possible that when I got hit by the lightning and locked up, that I did enough damage so that later it didn’t take much to finish it off. There were are couple of other areas that needed attention, and I was surprised to find out that fillings and such now are only expected to last five years. Guess I got my money’s worth out of what I do have.

So, we fixed the two easy things that day, though I had to wait around a couple of hours to be worked in. Unfortunately, the previous dental work can’t be fixed, and will require a crown. Guess what my insurance doesn’t cover? There are a few other things that need to be done, but for now I’m only focusing on trying to fix what needs fixing before I move. Some of the other I will have to have done after the move as it takes time (and a large amount of money).

Thursday and Friday saw weather changes, which hit me hard. I was more absentminded that normal Thursday, and Friday was not good physically or mentally. There are days the “scrambling” of data hits me harder than others, and as it is I live off lists these days. Fun. Given that it snowed this morning, I don’t really feel like going out but have to run a couple of errands.

More soon.

*****

If you like what you are reading, feel free to hit the tip jar in the upper right or the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo. Getting hit by lightning is not fun, and it is thanks to your help and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Paper And Paperwork

There is at least one post coming later, but for now I’m buried in paper and paperwork. I’m actually going through all the paper that has accumulated since I was hit by lightning, getting it sorted, and setting up two new plastic file totes to handle all of what I am keeping.

What I’m not keeping is significant. I shudder to think how many trees died in vain to make paper to be wasted by bureaucrats with mandates. The amount truly is staggering. The amount I’m having to keep just in case is staggering. May be buying a vertical file or such tomorrow to hold test/medical orders so I have them in one place and in order. Glad to say that amount is decreasing, but I’m still giving the vampires some business.

More soon.

*****

If you like what you are reading, feel free to hit the tip jar in the upper right or the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo. Getting hit by lightning is not fun, and it is thanks to your help and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.