I don't know who these people are that have nothing more important to worry about than whether their reviews are getting noticed but Amazon keeps asking if I'm one of them. Amazon, do you ever wonder if one of the reviews was posted by the account holder's spouse, child or elderly parent? Judging by the contents of your "How about another look" emails, obviously not.

Ever have one of those days where you almost regret that touch screens were ever invented?

I don't know about all that. I just thought it was interesting that both were named 'Mr. Anderson'. 🤨 "That’s a really interesting comparison, because on the surface The Matrix (1999) and Shenandoah (1965, a Civil War drama starring James Stewart) feel worlds apart—one is cyberpunk sci‑fi, the other a historical family saga. But if you zoom out to themes and structure, there are some striking parallels: 1. Reluctant Protagonist Drawn Into Conflict Shenandoah: Charlie Anderson (James Stewart) insists on neutrality during the Civil War, refusing to let his family be dragged into a fight that "isn’t theirs." But circumstances (especially one son’s capture) force him to confront the war head‑on. The Matrix: Neo initially resists the idea that he’s “The One” and doubts the war between humans and machines is really his burden. He’s only fully pulled in when people he loves are endangered. 2. Family/Community vs. Individual Responsibility Shenandoah: The whole story is about protecting family, avoiding loss, and then the devastating realization that there’s no escaping consequences once history touches you. The Matrix: Neo is framed as an individual awakening, but his choices always circle back to protecting his “family” of rebels (especially Morpheus and Trinity). The fate of the community depends on whether he shoulders responsibility. 3. Collision Between Illusion and Harsh Reality Shenandoah: The Anderson family’s belief they can remain "untouched" by war is gradually stripped away by cruel reality—sons are enlisted, people die, neutrality fails. The Matrix: Humanity’s everyday life is a literal illusion; the real world is much harsher, and Neo can’t “stay asleep” once he knows the truth. 4. Loss and Transformation Shenandoah: Charlie loses loved ones to the war, and his arc is really about painful transformation—he has to reconcile ideals with an inescapable tragic reality. The Matrix: Neo “dies” and is reborn, embracing his true role. Loss and transformation set the stage for his ascent. 5. Moral Theme: You Can’t Escape the Larger Struggle Both films insist that neutrality or detachment is impossible in the face of existential conflict. You will be forced to choose: Charlie is compelled to engage with the Civil War. Neo is compelled to engage in humanity’s war with the machines. So, while the stories differ hugely in setting and tone, at their heart both follow a protagonist who wants to avoid involvement in a larger conflict, but is inevitably drawn in when those they love suffer—leading to personal transformation amid the impossibility of standing aside."

When did Randy go down the Meshtastic rabbit hole?

To all those companies and ETFs: proof of reserves or STFU. If it's acceptable to give side eye to veteran bitcoiners over their choice of node implementation, then it should be acceptable to call bullshit on most of these unproven Wall Street banker bro buys that have barely moved the price. View quoted note →

I don't think anyone questions that Trump wants the area controlled by its residents. The question is which people does Trump envision living there? We've heard everything from returning Palestinians, to Israeli settlers, to employees of corporations who plan to turn it all into some sort of resort/tourist trap. Whatever Trump's plans for the area, the fact that: 1) he was elected on the mandate to make AMERICA great again, and 2) Israel isn't a US state and none of its American supporters seem interested in forcing it to become one This leaves a lot of Trump's supporters confused as to why he's so concerned about Israel/Palestine when US cities/states continue their slide into decay. View quoted note →

It's kind of frightening to think transaction fees will be the only effective spam deterrent. How are plebs supposed to compete for block space against people who can just print dollars to buy sats? And what will that look like when the vast majority of the population are priced out of L1, and probably L2 as well? Everyone using a custodial mint which from what I can gather is just the bitcoin equivalent of a community bank? Unless I'm missing something, it seems like that brings us right back to the current problem of trust instead of verify. View quoted note →

One cool thing about this BLE Radar app is how it confirms that there's no shortage of devices in and around busy areas capable of running bitchat. Either nobody is using the app or like myself, they can't get their phone to stop killing it in the background.

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One of my friends is a trucker. He said part of the reason the shortage got bad enough for companies to hire illegals is due to the feds' ongoing war on cannabis. It never sat right with me how some employers would fire a good worker because the joint he smoked the previous week while on vacation caused him to piss hot, meanwhile the alky who dang near crawled into work straight from the keg party would get an all-clear.

Transportation Sec. Duffy Takes Emergency Action To Protect Americans From Non-Domiciled CDL Crisis On Highways  | ZeroHedge

ZeroHedge - On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero

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On the last Sunday in September, Gold Star Mother’s and Family Day honors the mothers, fathers, and families of fallen military service members. Also known as National Gold Star Mother’s Day, the day serves as a reminder of the losses suffered by military families. https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/gold-star-mothers-day-last-sunday-in-september

There's got to be a better way to prove to Alby that I'm human without fooling with these stupid captchas. BTW update available.

Never realized how much was going on in this song.

365 days Wake Up With the Word September 27, 2025

I'm starting to feel the same way about those 2-pound cans of Maxwell House 🤣 View quoted note →

This touches on an issue that I don't think has been given much thought. If we view the algorithmic amplification of big tech platforms as akin to an addictive substance, it would probably be best if new users weren't forced to visit those platforms in search of guidance on the use of sovereignty tools. Hosting your nostr/bitcoin how-tos on platforms like YouTube feels a little like having your AA meetings at the pub. I suppose we're all guilty of casting a stumbling block before our fellow nostrich whenever we share a link to content on a big tech platform but what are the alternatives, and how many years of computer science education must one have to use them? Based on my own experiences, it's looking more and more like the road to freedom lies behind an unavoidable command prompt. Maybe the GUI itself was the start of our enslavement. If so, I'm definitely a slave on the digital plantation. Very smart of YouTube to make it difficult to impossible for users to download video files for local archiving or sharing elsewhere. That's why I'm skeptical of 'alternative' streaming platforms that do the same. They're not acting in a manner consistent with a company that wants to free the world, but someone who wants to be the new boss. View quoted note →

Counter-Surveillance Using Bluetooth!