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Post by Merge on Jul 10, 2024 16:46:34 GMT
They’ve rarely done anything to help so we’re indifferent as to where they are. Abbott withheld federal disaster funds from Harris County (which had the most $$ in damage) after Harvey just because we don’t vote for him. Biden has said he’ll get federal funding directly to affected counties this time instead of letting Abbott/the state distribute it like Trump did. We’re better off that way. Me, I’m just planning our move to Spain. Oh how exciting. I hope you will post lots of information and such. I know many of us will be living vicariously through you and others living abroad. It’s not happening immediately - setting the end of 2025 as a target.
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Post by Merge on Jul 10, 2024 2:53:56 GMT
Who cares? Maybe he got beamed up to a different galaxy. I imagine the people of Texas might care. Shouldn’t they both be doing something to help their constituents? They’ve rarely done anything to help so we’re indifferent as to where they are. Abbott withheld federal disaster funds from Harris County (which had the most $$ in damage) after Harvey just because we don’t vote for him. Biden has said he’ll get federal funding directly to affected counties this time instead of letting Abbott/the state distribute it like Trump did. We’re better off that way. Me, I’m just planning our move to Spain.
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Post by Merge on Jul 10, 2024 2:48:58 GMT
Thanks for reaffirming my thought process. Fence and roof quotes in the works. And until then clean up for all the downed trees. If possible, don't clean up until you get an estimate as they will include clean up in the estimate. It will be a long time before a contractor can come out and do work after a big storm like this. We all do our own cleanup if possible so as not to miss the city’s storm debris pick ups. playingcinderella, best wishes to you. Be careful with contractors who gouge after a storm like this.
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Post by Merge on Jul 9, 2024 18:54:49 GMT
I went back to work full time in 2006. The scrapbooking sort of naturally fell off after that.
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Post by Merge on Jul 9, 2024 17:30:54 GMT
I heard he's back in TX, whereas Abbott is not. However, can anyone confirm that Whataburger is how people are tracking outages because the power company doesn't supply that info? I can’t confirm but my friend in Kingwood just sent me that. She seems to believe it but she can be gullible. I mean, it’s not going to give you street by street guidance, but if you’re out looking for a gas station or store with power, heading towards the open Whataburgers isn’t a bad strategy .
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Post by Merge on Jul 9, 2024 17:28:48 GMT
And and Cruz couldn’t go to Cancun because they got hit by Beryl before we did. Aruba, maybe?
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Post by Merge on Jul 9, 2024 17:27:59 GMT
I heard he's back in TX, whereas Abbott is not. However, can anyone confirm that Whataburger is how people are tracking outages because the power company doesn't supply that info? Can confirm. Centerpoint’s outage map has been “down for maintenance” since May. We’ve had two major weather with widespread outages events since then.
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Post by Merge on Jul 9, 2024 17:26:55 GMT
Abbott’s off on his “I wanna be president someday” tour. Neither of them gives a crap about blue Houston anyway.
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Post by Merge on Jul 9, 2024 16:01:14 GMT
Sure, I guess you do better when you don't give a shit about other people or the planet. And this sentiment is why many conservatives do not engage in political threads here. *sigh* as blitzburggirl noted above, today’s Republican Party bears little/no resemblance to the one our parents belonged to. Can we agree on that? And if we can agree on that, can we agree that there is little value in engaging with supporters of a party whose clearly stated mission (via Project 2025 and the many words of Republican operatives) is to dehumanize everyone they don’t like, destroy the federal government, and end any attempt at environmental protections? If you tell me you’re a conservative, I need to know what kind. If you’re a Trump supporter (or a supporter of any modern GOP politician), there is no point in engaging with you at all. If you dislike Trump but still vote GOP because “muh taxes,” or you’re convinced that immigration is an existential threat to the country, I have a different set of words for you. If you’re a conservative who understands the inherent danger of Trumpism and is willing to engage with Democrats to help overcome it, then we can have a civil conversation. In no case can we have a civil conversation if any part of your belief system includes treating women, minorities, LGBTQ, or immigrants as less than fully autonomous humans OR allowing that to happen because you think you’ll get lower taxes if you look the other way.
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Post by Merge on Jul 9, 2024 14:05:02 GMT
No power at our house and our portable generator stopped working, so our fridge and freezer is a loss.
By extreme coincidence, DH’s company was bringing in several out of country employees this week for a meeting and had reserved a lovely block of hotel rooms downtown, in a hotel that happens to accept dogs. The employees’ flights were canceled, so DH, his business partner, their marketing manager and one of the software architects are all staying here. We spent the night in air conditioned comfort with our dogs and can be here til Friday if needed.
(My oldest daughter may disagree with the comfort part as she spent the night on the couch in our room, but it was better than staying in her hot, dark apartment.)
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Post by Merge on Jul 8, 2024 11:46:45 GMT
Per our local weather guys, the worst of it is upon us. We lost power about an hour ago. Fortunately we have a gas stove so I was able to heat water for coffee (French press) and tea.
Once the rain stops, hopefully early afternoon, we can get out the generator and at least plug in the fridge and some fans.
Hope everyone else is doing well!
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Post by Merge on Jul 8, 2024 0:41:06 GMT
No place is perfect. The right has ginned people up with the narrative about California. Our family has some experience bugging out of California. DH's family left in the 70s because of the air quality. California has some issues, but what state doesn't? We love Florida, but there's a list of drawbacks that I'll spare you for now. DD and her husband left CA for Denver. The cost of living is much lower and it's less stressful than where she lived in SF. She had to walk through garbage and excrement and often got harassed by homeless people on her way to work. Crime was a problem. She's even more liberal than we are but the cost of living, taxes, public policy, and other factors made it too much even for her. Their San Francisco tech salaries go a lot further in Denver. Several of yall have mentioned air quality. And I find that an odd reason to leave California specifically. California has had air quality issues for a long time. Somewhat due to the location and somewhat due industry and due to people’s daily lives. However California has taken many legislative steps to improve air quality. It is no where near as bad as the 1970’s and that’s due to legislative changes California has made to improve emissions. California has taken the forefront in the battle to improve air quality. It’s not California’s fault that the economy of California is so large that it affects what automakers sell elsewhere. 🤷♀️ I can’t fault California for wanting total EV but they aren’t there yet. I’m sure without some form of oppression from the outside ( GOP making federal laws oppressing ca laws ) they will make great strides in air quality once again. There are other states that have air quality issues that do little about it cough coughArizonacough cough. But maybe as Arizona swings more progressive they too will tackle air quality issues head on with legislation. NJ was ( maybe still is ) contemplating a ban on gas powered leaf blowers. Initially I was offended - like leaf blowers were all the difference on emissions maybe take some steps to limit private air flights since everyone & their brother are flying private jets everywhere now before picking on leaf blowers. I was wrong, it’s not emissions, it’s noise, several towns have already banned them. Gas leaf blowers are noisier than electric leaf blowers - so hadn’t even thought of that. 🤷♀️ Air quality? Please visit the east side of Houston, home to the refineries and chemical plants that power your cars and home. Asthma and cancer rates are much higher there than in the west part of the city.
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Post by Merge on Jul 8, 2024 0:35:37 GMT
Get up and have a cup of something caffeinated. We usually get out in the morning regardless of the heat (and don't get me wrong - it is HOT here) - as we all need to move our bodies, including our dogs. Come back, drink a lot of water, and then we're big fans of the afternoon siesta tradition. Read, practice an instrument, do some cleaning up, prep for dinner, teach some lessons (me) or finish work and head to the gym (DH). Have dinner and enjoy something on TV.
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Post by Merge on Jul 8, 2024 0:23:45 GMT
England and France understood the assignment. It remains to be seen if the US will.
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Post by Merge on Jul 7, 2024 20:34:31 GMT
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Post by Merge on Jul 7, 2024 17:23:04 GMT
My hurricane supplies (Houston not expecting a severe hit). Wine and gin purchased previously. Can I come hang out at your house?😊 Yep. Dinner is at 6:00. Hope you like okra in your gumbo.
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Post by Merge on Jul 7, 2024 17:07:20 GMT
I'm overdue for a dental cleaning but that's it.
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Post by Merge on Jul 6, 2024 23:59:36 GMT
Is supposed to imply that the person is disconnected from reality, I think.
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Post by Merge on Jul 6, 2024 23:48:28 GMT
My hurricane supplies (Houston not expecting a severe hit). Wine and gin purchased previously.
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Post by Merge on Jul 6, 2024 23:46:18 GMT
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Post by Merge on Jul 6, 2024 17:27:34 GMT
It scares me! But I am glad to see that it has popped up for discussion on my NextDoor app and the ones responding are all opposed to it. I hope the messages gets out to more people. Here they say it’s not real that it’s just made up by the liberals as a scare tactic. I’m in a very Trumpy area. Lots of veterans in our area. Fascinating that they think it’s disturbing enough to be a scare tactic, but have no interest in knowing more.
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Post by Merge on Jul 6, 2024 17:26:29 GMT
We really tried as we’d heard it was great - maybe 2 episodes 3? It was just exhausting I have to watch it in chunks. It’s too much to binge.
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Post by Merge on Jul 6, 2024 13:24:08 GMT
We haven't gone to any kind of event on the 4th for years. I don't think big crowds and lots of booze mix very well. Then you add in the nationalist element and it's just not a good time. We definitely have a large crop in this country who think that freedom means not needing to care about anyone else.We call it an overblown sense of entitlement. I really really hate it. Comes from the top!
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Post by Merge on Jul 6, 2024 12:53:07 GMT
Ugh. We’re watching it more closely now. Houston’s going to be on the dirty side even if the current track holds true.
DH’s company has a bunch of people flying in from other countries tomorrow for a long week of work. Come to the USA! Enjoy a hurricane while you’re here! 🫤
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Post by Merge on Jul 6, 2024 1:13:52 GMT
1998 - ordering coding books for the guys at the software startup where I was working at the time. With the company card.
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Post by Merge on Jul 5, 2024 23:41:10 GMT
It actually astonishes me that anyone can be this evil to wish so much hardship on people. Then they will complain when all those living in poverty resort to crime. I bet they won’t even be able to figure out why. Nope, they'll just funnel even more money to their buddies in the for-profit prison system, locking people up for nonviolent drug and property crimes to enrich their donors.
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Post by Merge on Jul 5, 2024 23:27:51 GMT
We hear that in Texas as well - oh, all these Californians are moving here for more "freedom."
And then they get here and find out that the middle class tax burden, all in, is actually higher in Texas than in Cali. (Rich people in Texas do have lower taxes because our tax structure is inherently regressive.) And while housing may be cheaper depending on where you came from and where you want to live now, nobody's living in the nicer parts of Austin, Houston, or Dallas for cheap.
Congrats, you can buy a gun in Texas with no background check at a gun show, and you don't need a permit to carry it around in public. But that means the rest of us have less freedom and safety because who knows when the next mass shooting will be? It's ridiculous.
ETA: on the "allows shoplifting" thing: every retail store I worked at 30 years ago had a policy that we did not confront shoplifters. The potential liability for asking minimum wage employees to confront someone who might be aggressive and/or armed was not worth the value of whatever they took. That was true in Nebraska, Colorado, and Missouri in the 80s and 90s. I'm pretty sure it's still true today. Is that what they mean by "allowing shoplifting?" If so, it happens everywhere, and it's a corporate policy, not something the state enforces.
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Post by Merge on Jul 5, 2024 19:19:05 GMT
We have a keypad deadbolt and like it because we don't have to remember keys or get them out to unlock the door. It's as secure as any other deadbolt. We like that we can input additional codes for the cleaning people, pet sitter, etc. and then delete them if we don't use them anymore.
Ours is older so it's not a "smart" deadbolt, but if I were buying one right now, I'd get one that worked with either Alexa or Google home, so it could be controlled remotely.
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Post by Merge on Jul 5, 2024 18:22:53 GMT
Trump attempts to distance himself from Project 2025, says he doesn't know anything about the Heritage Foundation. Hmmm. Yeah. They're just the folks who endorsed/put forward his three pet justices. And he's already stated his agreement with many of the most disturbing parts of the document, like gutting federal agencies and replacing career civil service employees with lackeys loyal only to him. x.com/justinbaragona/status/1809254509606035848
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Post by Merge on Jul 5, 2024 16:36:43 GMT
We definitely have a large crop in this country who think that freedom means not needing to care about anyone else. Unfortunately, I believe this is getting more and more common. “As long as I have mine, the hell with everyone else…” What happened to love thy neighbor? That part of the bible is "woke" now.
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