Glad it’s not stitch worthy, but best wishes for healing! New procedure to shout “Clear!” before starting the little plane!

Nobody said anything about claiming anything.  Jim merely alluded to the fact that there are many people in Texas with Mexican names that have roots going back to before Texas's independence.

Somebody here said that I am the only one that makes people say "That's not what I said".  That person was seriously wrong.

You’re doing it again, Joe. That person said you usually are the only one. You ignore words that don’t fit your desire to be offended. Try not to turn qualified statements into definitive ones. I also find it sad that you’ve carried this misconception since January 17. Glad I could lift that burden for you.

http://www.pilotspin.com/index.php?topic=7046.msg133804#msg133804

It’s unavoidable. You start with freedom which brings prosperity which brings comfort and plenty which brings complacency.  All it takes is a generation born into plenty.  They’ve never known what it takes to maintain freedom and produce the prosperity they take for granted. Naïveté and laziness ensues. Because food seems to magically appear in the grocery store and is endless they have no motivation to defend the system that produces it. They have no idea of the substructure underlying it: Free market economics and strong defense thereof. So they ignore the corruption rotting it all out from the inside.

That really describes us, the kids of the men who fought in World War 2. We were of course aware that our fathers fought for America and freedom, but it was history, not something we actually saw, and somehow was regarded by us unconsciously as something that “couldn’t happen again,” and we grew up not worrying about our next meal or feeling that our freedom, opportunity and prosperity were in any way threatened. All subsequent wars and skirmishes seemed distant to us and unable to penetrate our safe bubble, except for Vietnam, which was seen as a political disaster and not an actual threat to America except for the loss of blood and treasure it exacted.

Until 2001, we felt “safe.” It always was an illusion, and I can’t imagine really what all that has come down over the past few years and prior looks like to the younger generations, whose reference points to history and freedom are more distant than ours.

Haha!!! I just liked Lucifer’s post in green about moderating the forum, but thought that for Joe’s sake I should say that I liked it because of its sarcasm. I’m so thoughtful. 

Sure.  You just keep on believing that.

Or perhaps it just seems that way because the few that do engage in  personal attacks are such prolific posters.

Well, Joe, Anthony’s statement is true. In fact, only two posters here actually make personal attacks. One trouble might be that you tend to filter and contort things said to you into personal attacks. I suppose you’ll think that statement is a personal attack. But you’re usually the only person to whom I have to respond, “I didn’t say THAT, I said THIS.” I live in hope that you’ll grow a thicker skin.

You are correct that the two who do engage in personal attacks post a lot. But the truth is that there are only two who get the knives out and cross the boundary into incivilty.

I think (hope) we’ve all got more spirit of liberty in us now. I refused to wear a mask until the signs went up saying the government required it. You know, “Please help us comply.” I didn’t want to bring fines down on my wonderful local grocery store, so I masked in there. Yet I know people who did not mask at all, were pleasant about it when approached, and suffered no repercussions.

Now, I would not mask unless it was required for health care. I think that whatever is in store for us down the line this year will not include masks. America is done with that.

Not a joke. Since November I’ve gradually lost my taste and smell to zero. Haven’t had covid to my knowledge. Last time I had a cold was February 2023. Researching, I see that it can be zinc deficiency, although I have zero of the other symptoms of that.

I don’t have sinus issues and never have. No dry mouth or such.

My acupuncturist told me to try nicotine patches at a low dose. She said if I did have covid in February, the spike protein binds to the olfactory nerve and the nicotine releases it. Honestly, online are many stories of the nicotine (gum or patch) giving people back their taste and smell. I was hopeful but it did not work. Now I am trying zinc supplementation. And will consult another doctor.

Just thought I’d throw it out there to see if anyone has experience with this. It takes much joy out of life.

I do wonder what the potential population of a third party would be.  Among we the people, not all Republicans are RINOs or far far right nutcases.  Likewise, not all democrats are DINOs or far far left nutcases.  I believe that the vast majority of we the people are middle of the road, generally leaning fiscally conservative and leaning socially liberal.  They are forced into the two-party system.  But if there was a real middle third party that had middle party values, I think that things would eventually settle into 25% Republican, 25% democrat, and 50% middle.  It could be that the middle is actually RINO/DINO.

In a normal presidential election, it is indeed the middle that is larger and thus would carry the vote.

Again, I’m saying it doesn’t have to be Trump but his is the only message that cuts to the truth. But for people to believe it, much more suffering, sadly, will be required to wake them up. Anybody following the silence about Lloyd Austin? He’s hospitalized and no one in authority seems to want to talk about it.  Secretary of Defense is the number two nuclear guy after Resident Biden. Number two, a woman, at present is vacationing in Puerto Rico and running the United States military from her hotel room. Or is she? Who’s in charge?  Will it take enemy action as we get weaker and weaker to wake people up? Or merely economic suffering and shortages?

The message:

https://x.com/FreyjaTarte/status/1742154975138988422?s=20