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Music Credits:

"News Theme" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

and:

"The Whip (Extended Version)" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

For the last two weeks I’ve been rationing my news intake and watching, reading and listening to a lot of comedy, trying to retain my sanity in a country that appears to be losing its collective mind.

But I’m enough in touch to know that the unqualified huckster who was elected president two weeks ago has started nominating a veritable clown car full of unqualified white men for his cabinet. I wrote on that last week.

He’s threatening GOP senators who don’t agree to adjourn for at least 10 days so he can just name whoever he wants with no input from the legislature. The constitutionality of this is suspect, to say the least. Then again, he seems to have at least six members of SCOTUS in his pocket.

They’ve already ruled that he’s immune from prosecution for anything he does that can be described as an official act, something that completely flabbergasted me.

Since I originally posted the text version of this column, his nominee for Attorney General (I was planning on calling him AG Butthead) has dropped out and the AG of Florida has been put forward, so the clown car is full of white men with one blond MAGA white woman in there. I hope she’s wearing full armor and carrying a cattle prod.

Remember:

I don’t know, and I doubt you do

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Here’s what the inside of my brain looks like right now:

Prequel:

Since I originally wrote and published this column last Tuesday, November 12, 2024, our new (old) President-elect has started nominating people for cabinet positions. A few of them make sense, but:

A Faux Gnus weekend anchor to lead the Department of Defense?

An accused sex offender and one of the least liked members of the House for Attorney General?

An inexperienced House member who used to be Vice Chair of the Democratic Party with, shall we say, an unusual view of the world, for Director of National Intelligence?

A multi-billionaire with no government experience to head up a so-far non-existent Government Efficiency department? I read somewhere today that it should be named the Department of Redundancy Department because we already have the Government Accountability Office for that.

And finally, so far, a guy from a political dynasty who has some good ideas (reduce chemical additives in our food and improve nutrition in the food schools feed our kids), and some that are completely whacko, i.e. there are no safe and effective vaccines. AND, he has a dead worm in his brain.

Last week’s election did not go the way I’d hoped, to put it mildly.

It turns out that, in spite of the fact that I get my news and information from a variety if sources, including some I rarely agree with, I’ve been living in a liberal bubble.

I do NOT watch Faux Gnus.

The folks I watch and listen to still live on Earth One but interpret things differently than I do. People like Justin Robert Young, who tries to analyse the balls and strikes of the horserace (to mix a metaphor), Andrew Heaton, who is way more libertarian than I am, but admits that he’s sure he’s wrong about a lot of things, he’s just not sure which things (me too) and Jennifer Briney, who’s Congressional Dish podcast digs deep into important legislation passed by the US Congress. Together the three of them have a podcast called “We’re Not Wrong”

The notes for this podcast are nearly identical to the newsletter I wrote yesterday, with the addition of this link to the Wikipedia article on “With great power comes great responsibility.”

I’ve also embedded related articles at the end.

As near as I can tell, three of the current members of the Supreme Court of the United States are guilty of perjury during their confirmation hearings before the Senate and another two are guilty of, at the very least, taking bribes.

We must impeach them. Now. They have illustrated very clearly that they don’t understand how a constitutionals democracy works.

As I understand it is black letter law in this country that nobody, NOBODY, is above the law.

This especially applies to the President of the United States. Apparently five members of our current SCOTUS are concerned that a President might be “chilled” from taking action if he feared prosecution once he left office.

GOOD! Given the extreme power currently held by the Chief Executive in our country, there MUST be consequences if that power is abused.

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A very conservative former Federal Judge, Michael Luttig, has strongly criticized today’s SCOTUS ruling on presidential immunity.

In my humble opinion the three most recently appointed justices committed perjury before the U.S.Senate when they assured them that they believed in stare decisis (established Legal Precedent), then proceeded to overrule Roe v Wade which has been in force for over half a century and Chevron Deference, which has been on the books for more than 4 decades.

It’s too soon to know what effects the Chevron Deference ruling will have, but the results of overturning Roe are abundantly clear. In many states it is now very dangerous to be a woman of child-bearing age. An ectopic pregnancy or other complication cannot be treated without likely major legal consequences for the woman, her doctor, hospital, and possibly even the person that drove her to the hospital.

All this in the (as far as I can tell) mistaken belief that God doesn't want women to have control over their own bodies.

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The “exeptions” in some state laws would be laughable if they weren’t so tragic. Often a doctor would need to defend their actions in criminal court if they use medical best practices to treat an ectopic pregnancy or other complication affecting the woman’s health, life and/or fertility.

But I digress. It is clear to me that at least five of the nine justices on the Supreme Court are not-so-closeted Christian Nationalists who are not ruling constitutional balls and strikes.

Instead they have their own agendas which are not aligned with our constitutional democratic republic. A couple of them try to mask their true intentions as “originalism”, “textualism” or some such. This is, to use a technical term, b******t.

There is no way the founders could have envisioned such things as AR-15s, bump stocks, or even hedge funds. Trying to determine how people who had never seen a railroad or an automobile would legislate today is ludicrous.

These activist justices must be removed, and in some cases prosecuted for using their positions for their own personal enrichment.

Or, expand the court to dilute their influence. I used to be dead set against that, but I think it’s time for extreme measures.

In fear for our democracy, I DISSENT!

Lastly, in the upcoming election, vote for candidates who understand and support democracy and our constitution. If you can’t bring yourself to vote for a Democrat for president, write yourself in, or leave that line blank, then vote for non-MAGA senators, representatives and other down ballot candidates.

Alright. When I started this column I was PISSED! [could you tell?]

I feel a little better now.

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ChatGPT Summary:

In Episode 28 of Diary of a Senior Geek, Gary reminisces about the early years of his daughter Amanda, affectionately called AJ. He describes the magical moment when he realized she was becoming a little person, mirroring his actions like scratching her nose and tugging her ear. These interactions were a revelation to him, highlighting her growing awareness and individuality.

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Gary reflects on the bedtime routines he and his wife Debbie established, starting with reading to Amanda from birth. Despite his initial skepticism, Debbie's dedication to early reading paid off as Amanda developed favorite books and a love for stories. As she grew, bedtime included lullabies and songs, often leading Gary to improvise with campfire songs and Beatles tunes. The reading tradition continued until Amanda was about 14, ending naturally without a specific decision.

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Gary also shares fond memories of their outdoor adventures, exploring parks guided by a Thomas's Guide, and enjoying frozen yogurt together. He humorously recounts how Amanda's first taste of chocolate yogurt led to her becoming a lifelong chocoholic. The episode concludes with reflections on his grandfathers and a thoughtful analysis of the Beatitudes, emphasizing the value of living an ethical life despite societal challenges.

Music Credit:[Looped]

Be Chillin’

By Alexander Nakarada 

A lovely piece of music🎻

that is not copyrighted🔓

so you can use it as background music💡

for your videos🎥

without any restrictions✌.

💗Visit my channel for more: 🌼

   / @nocopyrightbackgroundmusic5596   👉

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For some reason between last week and today ChatGPT and Copilot have started getting snippy about summarizing text. That’s OK, I can summarize myself:

In November of 2019, in Episode 27 I talked about our journey to cut the cord to our Cable TV company and start using streaming services instead.

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This episode didn’t age well, so I’ve recorded new audio detailing our current streaming experiences.

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Music Credit:

´Inventing Flight” 

Written by Bryan Teoh. Delightful, pleasant, grand, discovery or NatGeo.

This music is available for commercial and non-commercial purposes.

CC0 - Creative Commons

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Chat GPT Summary [slightly edited]:

This week, I'm shifting gears to share more about myself. I've been discussing my life, but I think it's time to clarify who I am, why I'm doing this podcast, and why you might want to listen.

I'm just a guy who loves documenting my life, sharing my philosophy, aiming to be a good example, and enjoying attention—something I've always craved, even dreaming of being a radio announcer.

I'm here to entertain, maybe teach, and connect with anyone who finds value in my voice or knows me personally.

I believe in the basic goodness of people, the importance of the golden rule, and that everyone does their best with their available resources.

I'm an agnostic, always seeking truth and respecting everyone's right to their beliefs.

Thank you for reading Diary of a Senior Geek. This post is public so feel free to share it.

I see everyone as the hero of their own story, responsible for their actions and capable of learning from their mistakes.

Life isn't out to get us; it's just unpredictable.

I value self-reflection, daily improvement, politeness, and the journey of continuous growth. Despite my efforts, I acknowledge my own flaws and strive to do my best, even when I fall short.

Music Credit:

´Inventing Flight” 

Written by Bryan Teoh. Delightful, pleasant, grand, discovery or NatGeo.

This music is available for commercial and non-commercial purposes.

CC0 - Creative Commons

If you want to support my efforts and be able to comment you can start a paid subscription 60% off the regular price, $2 a month or one year or $20 per year.

Or send me a one-time donation of a dollar (or more) to SeniorGeek49 on Venmo.

You can find me at any one of these places: Check out my new bio site!

In this episode, Gary Fisher shares his experiences of early parenthood after the birth of his daughter, Amanda. Gary starts by noting the surreal feeling of time distortion when they first brought Amanda home, particularly regarding the wait for her umbilical cord stump to fall off. This period seemed to stretch endlessly despite only being a few weeks.

Gary mentions that his wife, Debbie, handled most of the baby care since she was a stay-at-home mom while he returned to work after a short paternity leave. Their overprotectiveness, stemming from the long struggle to have Amanda, meant they rarely left her alone, even keeping her in a bassinet by Debbie's side at night for easy feeding.

During the day, Amanda often stayed in a bouncy baby holder on the kitchen table as the family ate or chatted. Debbie's father Walt frequently joined them for meals, and Amanda's presence became a central part of their daily routine. However, Debbie's exhaustion from breastfeeding and Amanda's poor sleeping habits made nights challenging. They discovered that singing helped soothe Amanda, although getting her to sleep could take up to an hour and a half.

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Gary reflects on the strain this placed on their relationship. He initially responded to Debbie's exhaustion with practical advice, not realizing she just needed to vent. This misunderstanding led to tension, but they eventually communicated better, with Gary offering more emotional support.

To give Debbie breaks, Gary would take Amanda for long walks in the stroller around their neighborhood. Amanda enjoyed these walks, often falling asleep, which provided Debbie with much-needed rest. The family also had pets: Sam, a dog, and two cats, Sutty and Pippi. Sam was very tolerant of Amanda, who would sit on him and dress him up. The cats, although generally indifferent to each other, would team up against intruding neighborhood cats.

As Amanda grew older, particularly around three years old, she started to become more challenging, constantly negotiating everything, which drove Debbie to frustration. Despite this, Amanda eventually settled down, and the family adjusted to their new dynamics.

During this period, Gary was working at Hughes Aircraft Company as a Unix system administrator after earning his degree in computer science. He also provided PC and Mac support, which involved manually setting IP addresses, a tedious task at the time. One memorable event during his tenure was watching the construction of the Blue Line extension through his office window.

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Gary recounts a significant moment when, after the death of their previous dog, Sam, Debbie and Amanda brought home a new puppy they named Rainey. This marked a new chapter for their family, blending their growing bond with Amanda and adapting to their roles as parents.

In conclusion, Gary shares that early parenthood was a mix of joy, exhaustion, and learning to navigate new responsibilities and emotions. Despite the challenges, the experience brought them closer and shaped their family life. He ends the episode by teasing future stories about their new dog, Rainey.

Music Credit:

A lovely piece of music🎻 that is not copyrighted🔓 so you can use it as background music💡 for your videos🎥 without any restrictions✌.

💗Visit my channel for more: 🌼

  / @nocopyrightbackgroundmusic5596  

👉 Free download: 🌼

🌼   https://freepd.com/music/Bonfire.mp3

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ChatGPT Summary:

On August 8, 1988 at about 1:00 AM, Debbie went into labor, and we headed to the hospital. Amanda was positioned with her back to Debbie's spine, causing significant pain. Debbie's labor lasted 13 hours with slow dilation, leading to an epidural for pain relief and to speed up dilation.

The attending OBGYN we had chosen was delayed due to his daughter's wedding, and a substitute doctor arrived but was replaced last minute by their original doctor. Amanda was delivered after Debbie received an episiotomy, despite the doctor's usual avoidance of the procedure.

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Debbie had been given Demerol, making her loopy and thinking she was hallucinating when Amanda turned over into the correct birthing position. After the epidural things moved very quickly. I was the first to see Amanda was a girl. I cut the cord, and Amanda was placed skin-to-skin with Debbie for bonding.

After a long labor, we felt strange seeing Amanda in a bassinet. At long last we had a little human to take care of.

Debbie stayed overnight at the hospital while tI brought her a Big Mac and then went home to sleep. The next day, we picked up Amanda, with some confusion over the baby seat requirements for leaving the hospital, and started our life as parents.

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Music Credit:

"City Sunshine" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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A disclaimer about last week’s episode, then the story of our adventures with infertility and pregnancy. And I completely fail to pronounce "spontaneity" correctly after several tries and finally give up!

If you like the show, please give it a 5 star rating on whatever app or site you use to listen to it. Thanks!

Here's a couple of links to the journal Dad used to record his life: https://www.amazon.com/Book-Myself-Yourself-Autobiography-Questions/dp/1401303099 https://www.amazon.com/Book-Myself-Do-Yourself-Autobiography/dp/0316534498 (Newer edition)

Thank you for reading Diary of a Senior Geek. This post is public so feel free to share it.

If you want to support my efforts and be able to comment you can start a paid subscription 60% off the regular price, $2 a month or one year or $20 per year.

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This episode is from about three and a half years ago. The Quote of the Week segment on the Beatitudes from the New Testament seems apt given recent events.

Backing up a bit to fill in the timeline. Our life in Torrance. I talk about a couple of issues that will come up in later episodes. 

If you like the show, please give it a 5 star rating on whatever app or site you use to listen to it.  

Thanks! 

Here's a couple of links to the journal Dad used to record his life: https://www.amazon.com/Book-Myself-Yourself-Autobiography-Questions/dp/1401303099 https://www.amazon.com/Book-Myself-Do-Yourself-Autobiography/dp/0316534498 (Newer edition) 

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ChatGPT Summary:

In this episode of "Diary of a Senior Geek," Gary Fisher reminisces about his early married life in Torrance. After moving into a friend's house with his wife, Debbie, they inherited a dog named Sam. Despite initial reluctance due to his upbringing without dogs, Gary quickly grew fond of Sam's playful nature. The couple also rented out a room to a friend, leading to some social clashes over hot tub nudity. Gary navigates the tensions with humor, reflecting on the dynamics of relationships and boundaries in shared living spaces.

Thank you for reading Diary of a Senior Geek. This post is public so feel free to share it.

As Gary shares snippets from his father's journal, listeners get a glimpse into family history and the changing norms of swimwear. A heartwarming anecdote about receiving swim trunks as a gift highlights the generational shifts in fashion and societal norms. Reflecting on biblical teachings, Gary discusses the Beatitudes, emphasizing themes of compassion and peace. As an avowed "old hippie," Gary's interpretation of Christianity leans towards love and forgiveness, contrasting it with the perceived harshness of the Old Testament. Through personal anecdotes and philosophical musings, Gary offers listeners a blend of nostalgia, humor, and introspection.

Music Credit:

"Evening" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Looped to fit length of episode.

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