The Long Road Out

 How can 85% of Republican voters believe that there's a deep state "conspiracy" to unseat Trump.  Who are they picturing?  Hillary in a deep bunker (surrounded by a bunch of sex slave pre-teens????) with three other socialists pulling levers and saying things like "HHHHAAAAA!  Now vee gott heem!" There's not a Democrat in the country who hasn't said, outloud and in public, 100 times or more, that Trump is the biggest loser they've ever known, and they'd do anything to get anyone with a brain in power. A few people tried to give Trump the benefit of the doubt after he won in 2016.  That lasted four minutes until he tried to open his mouth and began to degrade the value of the universe from his new podium. So, we shifted into descriptors immediately: Trump is an asshole Trump is fat Trump has an IQ of 11 on a good day Trump has a vocabulary of 200 words Trump wrecks everything he touches Trump is a failed business loser who has screwed over everyo...

Here's a blurb from Medley 238.  My thanks to author Nat Eliason for alerting me to this analysis, even if the conclusion is well known.  Of course McKinsey was the prime advisor to the Sacklers while they were pushing oxycontin.   How does McKinsey stay out of jail?  The law firms and CPA firms who advise criminals get nailed.  Remember Arthur Andersen? Here's Eliason's summary, including his link to the original reporting.      The World of Opiates      💊 Another bombshell insight into how McKinsey helped Purdue "turbocharge" opiate sales  came out last week . Apparently McKinsey suggested they give opiate distributors a rebate for every overdose attributable to the opiates. Don't worry if you kill anyone, you'll get your money back!  ➕ They were even kind enough to do the math for how much money this might mean:  "The presentation estimated how many customers of companies including CVS and Anthem might overdose. I...

Once again, I updated  my VPN and lost all ability to connect to my wifi.  The problem was far beyond "reboot the router." Fortunately, the geeks on the web saved me again.   As item number 12 on a list of solutions I found, here's the answer.  Once I deleted these files, my Mac sprung back to life, all the lights lit up, and I was back in business.  Thank you! 12. Delete Preference Files Deleting all preference wireless setting plist files may help you fix this problem. Here is how: Turn off Wi-Fi. Go to the Finder. Click Go and Go to Folder (or hit Command+Shift+G). Enter the following: /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/ Locate the following files (plus any “old” backups): com.apple.airport.preferences.plist com.apple.network.identification.plist com.apple.wifi.message-tracer.plist NetworkInterfaces.plist (if present) preferences.plist Now you may want to create a folder and drag them to this folder (so you will have these files so you can put them bac...

Like many families, we've applied for a refi on our New York City apartment.  The refi is for an amount equal to approximately 28% of the appraised value.  This seems like a pretty safe transaction since so many people we know have financed up to 100% of appraised value in the last six months.  Rates are low and it's a good time to move cash out of real estate in a bad market. Here's the latest message I received from the mortgage banker I've been working with for 50 days. (I submitted all or most of these documents six weeks ago, got a Commitment Letter, and then that letter was shockingly cancelled this week.  The Bank has now offered me an alternative solution with significant points, closing costs, a higher interest rate, and significantly worse terms.  I think the banking term for this behavior is "larceny." Plus, lots of fun photocopying so that I can pay extra points, interest, and principal compared to TD Bank's signed Commitment Letter they failed...

 The idiot in the White House believes that it's a good idea for 17-year old kids to load up with weapons and drive to minority communities to defend property.  He believes that such a kid, after a two-hour drive filled with intentionality, has a right to a self-defense claim when he unloads his weapons into a crowd.  So, I want to make it absolutely clear:  you won't even let 17 year olds into our military or secret police.  Now, without any training, you want them on the streets, near schools, and on the fringes of agitated citizens? What the serious fuck.  You, Donald Trump, are a dangerous accessory to murder.  Here's a baseline principle: no teenager should have access to weapons.  This would reduce the teen suicide rate in the United States by half in an instant. It would reduce the number of women murdered by young boyfriends. And it would save our Democracy.  As has always been the case in the United States, people who reject the gove...

I look back at the 18-year old I was on Niskayuna High School Graduation Day, at Saratoga Performing Art Center (SPAC) on some June morning in 1973.  I was class president, and had given some sort of graduation speech, and now I found myself standing with my mom and dad, and my dad's half sister Debbie, contemplating the gate I had passed through. My grandparents must have taken the picture...or my sort-of girlfriend at the time, Sue Ludwig. And where was Glenn, my brother who often is just out of the frame in moments where I was transitioning to another stage? I owe Glenn a lot of apologies...I tried to include you, but I don't think I did it right. The picture calls to mind Mary Chapin Carpenter lyrics about sepia tones and "they were younger than you are now, that hot summer night." Hah...that's a joke.  My Mom was 38 and my dad was 39.  I'm 65.  Mary--please write a new song to help we with this math! Come on, come on ! It would have been my dad...

Here's a tribute to my great friend, wonderful dancer, and unparalleled Bates College Trustee.  Thank you for all the many years we shared as students, volunteers, Trustees, and beyond, Geri! I'm sorry the opportunity for a big splashy (and gorgeously choreographed) finale is lost for the moment...but believe me, the moment is honored by all of us... Best wishes to you, Geri Fitzgerald ! David