Tag: thinking

Sunday’s Theme Music — Home

Ashland, southern Oregon — Sunday, November 8, 2026.

Drizzly and chilly outside, a beaten gray sky hangs low over Ashland. 54 degrees, it rains off and on, a pattern expected to carry through the high of 60 F. A few remaining shimmering maples are ablaze in red against the misty gray.

Gina (sister) took Mom by the house Friday. The house is Mom’s house. Given the upcoming holiday season, my mind flashes back to past travels and its associated planning. Ten years ago — 2016 — my wife and I would be talking about going back East to see Mom and my sisters in Pittsburgh, then visiting my wife’s mother and sister in West Virginia. We usually flew into Pittsburgh, rented a car, visited a day or two in Pittsburgh, drove down, visited there for several days, and then drove back up to Pittsburgh and spent several more days.

Plans slowly changed. My wife’s mother moved into an assisted living place as her Parkinson’s advanced. Our visits were quiet times sitting with her, waiting for her to speak. We would take her favorite food to her a few times, dinner from Bob Evans. Then she passed and the visits were only to Pittsburgh.

Reflecting on this year’s travel plans, I’m working around my medical issues, and my wife’s RA issues would make cross-country travel a daunting challenge.

Part of these thoughts emerged from a friend’s medical crisis. She lost her husband on October 17, 2026. Thursday, she had a stroke and went to the hospital for a carotid artery stent. Her surgery was Friday morning. She’s been unresponsive since then.

Sorry. I didn’t plan to write a somber post. That’s just what emerged. It’s not unique; millions of people have similar stories about life, family, and change. Experiencing these things in parallel to me, my wife says little about it, but I know she deeply feels the changes and losses. Ultimately, as with almost everything else, we process differently. Neither way is right or wrong, just different.

On the very, very positive side, I have wonderful memories of journeys ‘home’ to visit with Mom and my sisters and their families and will keep feasting on them.

Also emerging were more reflections about the 2026 blue tide. Republicans staying home instead of voting was a significant reason why Democrats strongly prevailed. That’s nothing to count on for future elections, but it certainly repudiates Trump and the GOP’s direction for the company: Republicans couldn’t even hold their noses to vote to keep Republicans in office under Trump.

It seems like Trump is subdued since then. I imagine that a sane person in Donald Trump’s situation would be digging into the post-mortem to discover what went wrong. But Trump always buries his head. Right until he election, he insisted that his approval ratings were great. Since then, he blamed the losses on the candidates, continuing his standard of ignoring truth and reality.

Your Trump Quote of the Day:

Donald Trump refuses to accept that he was on the ballot, and that’s why Republicans lost. Trump thinks “everyone is profiting” because the stock market is up, completely ignoring the affordability issues caused by rising gas, diesel, oil, food, and healthcare prices.

Just like their leader, Donald Trump, MAGAts are blaming everything rather than looking squarely at the truth and Steve Bannon wants to double down on the failed policies.

With my thoughts of going ‘home’ in the past and Republicans staying home, Les Neurons predictably responded with…a song about home.

The Neurons actually played multiple songs about home in my morning mental music stream. We had Ozzy, Bruce, John Denver, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Motley Crue, Simon and Garfunkel all offering songs about being home, hometowns, and going home. It was Home-a-palooza in the head.

I eventually landed on a favorite song by Blind Faith, a 1969 gem called “Can’t Find My Way Home”. I came across this version by Rachel Price and enjoyed it, so I offer it to you.

I ended up on this song because I wondered how the GOP was going to find their way home. Under Trump, they’ve been promoting election deniers and candidates running on hate and deception. The voters rejected so where — or how — will the GOP turn now?

Meanwhile, the Democrats have found a cadre of strong, principled, young candidates, and many won. I’m not going to celebrate too much because holding office change people, as do events. Despite my age, I still can’t see the future.

May you and your family enjoy a wonderful day at home or traveling, whatever works for you, as long as you find solace and joy in what you do.

Cheers

1

Saturday’s Theme Music — The Age

Ashland, southern Oregon — Saturday, November 7, 2026.

Wow, it was a bright and sunny morning this, um, morning. Sunshine blazed across the surviving leaves, giving a gift of beautiful colors. Temperature was in the high 30s but has already jumped to 63 F.

Since those early hours, clouds have hazed the sky’s clarity. Rain might come after sunset.

My sister, Gina, provided an interesting Mom report yesterday. Gina took Mom to another doctor appointment. Hearing of Mom’s constant UTI issues, he asked, “Why do they keep giving her antibiotics that don’t work?” Good question, doc. Put it to your colleagues.

Gina took Mom to McDonald’s afterward for a Big Mac. Mom loves McDonald’s and KFC. Always startled me when she’d inform me, eyes glowing with delight, that we were having KFC for dinner. Regardless of my opinion of it, Gina knew Mom loves it and treated her, which made Mom happy, which is a win.

Thinking about McDonald’s does trigger memories of our first McDonald’s visit. Sometime in the 1960s, Mom took my sisters and I to McDonald’s. We were all a little mystified and skeptical about this new, unusual eatery. But we enjoyed ourselves and the food seemed tasty.

Later, though, returning to the US from some overseas location in the 1980s, I ate at McDonald’s and disliked it. I tried again but either it had changed or my taste buds were changed. I only ate at McDonald’s two more times since then that I remember. Each time, I grimaced and swore never again.

Mom is also finally getting the private room she’s been after since moving into Heritage Grove earlier this year. The price is higher than she was quoted back then. My sisters all weighed in about the costs and the pros and cons of being in a private room, such as socializing. Gina’s contention, and I agree with it, is that we think Mom wants it so Mom will be happier in it. Fingers crossed.

Two songs competed for attention in my morning mental music stream today. One came about after the blue wave emerging from the midterm elections told Trump exactly what We the People think of him and his agenda. The second song came from a news article I read the other day.

The first song is “I’d Love to Change the World” by Ten Years After. Yes, Republicans lost on Tuesday in the US in a large way, but on reflection, we need to consider the rest of the world. Right-wing hate and agendas have emerged in multiple nations. It’s not surprising that in this turbulent period, a song about changing the world would pull The Neuron’s focus. Alvin Lee and Ten Years After came out with the bluesy rock song back in 1971. I was fifteen at the time and invested in social change and hope for a peaceful future, which is probably a weird thing for someone who joined the US Air Force to claim.

“Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” is the other song, two really, a medley released by The Fifth Dimension in 1969. The songs emerged from the musical, “Hair”. Their entry into the morning mental music stream was triggered first by that amazing early morning sunshine but its foothold was cemented by an article about “The Age of Aquarius”. From what I read, “The Age of Aquarius” is an astrological concept referring to a cosmic era defined by a shift in global consciousness, technological advancement, and humanitarian focus. It began in 2022 and has to do with where Pluto is and the alignment of planets. It happens about every 250 years and when it last happened, we saw the American and French revolutions.

We’ll see what happens, of course. May you enjoy felicitous weather for whatever you’re trying to accomplish today, along with a little harmony and understanding.

Cheers

2

The Trump Blue Wave Weave

It’s very interesting to look at how different industries responded to the 2026 blue wave.

Wall Street loved it! They foresee political gridlock, which is ‘good for the stock market’.

The AI industry and data center construction were instantly up in arms, warning what the Democrats will do via building limitations on new and bigger data centers.

Healthcare and insurers focused on ACA were delighted, as Democrats were bound to make moves to restore the subsidies which many people need to afford insurance in this era.

Oil prices dropped, which will bring relief to food sectors because fertilizer prices should drop, along with gas and diesel prices, and the shipping costs associated with those. This comes just in time for Black Friday and the traditional holiday shopping frenzy in the US.

Oil stocks dropped. Sad face for those oil companies which made huge profits since Trump attacked Iran in Feb of 2026.

The renewable energy sector is also excited but realize, too, that with Trump in the White House, the Federal government will stymie investment and construction of windmills and solar arrays. They’ll probably turn to the states for renewable energy initiatives.

Meanwhile, who will emerge as the Democrats’ leaders? My wife is pushing a ‘take no prisoners’ attitude. She is all for bringing back the guillotine. Her choice to lead the Dems is AOC.

Others are pushing for Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer, but there are also those pushing against those two, viewing them as enablers. Champions for these two react by claiming that the blue wave is a direct success from their leadership.

Selecting their party’s leadership is just the beginning for the Dems. They must decide on their priorities and objectives. One contingency of voters wants to go after Trump and his enablers and minions and demand accountability for their transgressions.

A more moderate group preaches to attack affordability first. Retake the purse strings and re-establish checks and balances. Put out the fires and then go after Trump et al.

Hakeem Jeffries suggested that voters don’t want to go after Trump at all. Jeffries said, “”I haven’t had a single member of the House Democratic caucus talk to me about impeachment. We’ve been relentlessly focused on affordability and accountability.”

Personally, I’m not certain that accountability can be achieved without impeachment, but that such claims either way should be part of a transparent investigation. Trump’s corruption is another growing sore point among Americans.

Record-High 89% in U.S. Say Government Corruption Widespread

I suspect that if corruption isn’t investigated, Republicans would seize on that as evidence to them that the Democrats are the source of corruption. I make that suggestion based on Trump and the GOP’s recurring use of projection.

There’s also a fear that Democrats will waffle and bicker and not come to any decisions or take any directions, leaving us swirling around and around in a whirlpool of indecision.

Suggestions are out there about what to do. Drew Magarey published his demand list for Dems. It’s something to think about.

In the meantime, Donald Trump remains in the Oval Office, disconnected from reality, pushing forward an aggressively reactionary agenda, dismissing social services, pursuing deregulation and causing destabilization, distracting us from serious challenges as he tries to build things and name things in honor of him. Expect a great deal of Operation Epic LOOK — SQUIRREL! from Trump in the coming months. Expect more, too, quiet behind-the-scenes maneuverings from the Heritage Foundation. I have little doubt that they’re coaching Trump, pushing his lawsuits and attacks on checks and policies, sneaking around, trying to advance the goals and ideals of Project 2025.

Going into 2027, we know that for every Dem action, there will be a Trump reaction. Donald Trump will resist ending the Iran war and fight to keep the tariffs in place. Trump will fight renewable energy projects and attempts to gain transparency into his administration.

It’s not science. Just history.

6

Thursday’s Theme Music — Wheels

Ashland, southern Oregon — Thursday, November 5, 2026.

Warmer and drier today, with a hazy but blue sky and a temperature of 48 F. Our valley’s expected high is 60 F.

Mom’s latest lab report returned with bad news. Her Escherichia coli count was abnormal, >100,000 CFU/mL. More antibiotics are being prescribed, and Gina is picking those up.

Gina, my sister, acts as Mom’s POA, messenger, driver, and financial manager. Now, as she points out to Mom, she’s also managing Mom’s doctor visits and prescriptions. Mom can do little on her own. I was aware of this back when I visited Mom before Frank passed away. Mom struggled to keep things mentally organized and clarified. Frank helped a great deal by being Mom’s driver, helping Mom with her doctor’s visits, and picking up her prescriptions.

Now, with Frank no longer available in those roles, Mom struggles to understand why Gina doesn’t respond immediately to every text Mom sends her, instantly escalating from “I need this” to “WHY ARE YOU IGNORING ME”. When Mom posits her requests and needs, she tends to be demanding, as if an imperial decree is being issued.

Mom has always been like that. What’s fascinating is that I’ve witnessed these transactions and saw how they went down. Mom often projected herself as being very sweet, patient and polite. That was often far from the truth. That’s part of the reasons why my sisters and I keep our distance from her.

Enough of that complaining. Had to get it off my chest.

We’ve been processing the blue wave, waiting for some results, and digesting the ‘what happened’ autopsies. I’m expecting two years of Trump chaos and legislative gridlock. The Democrats will be under a microscope, with every move and word examined for effectiveness as the GOP and Trump enter counter-attack mode. Accusations about overreach, communism, socialism and other rightwing scare tactics will soon begin popping up.

I don’t expect any changes to Trump’s attempts to rule like a dictator. He’ll keep insisting that he’s above the law, the greatest ever, and a genius at everything, while demonstrating amazing ignorance. Trump has already gone from being contrite about the midterm results to blaming the Republicans who lost for not being him.

Your Trump Quote of the Day:

There’s a mountain of evidence that Trump and his policies and administration are unpopular. Donald Trump will continue to deny them because he cannot face the truth.

Today’s theme music is a 1972 Black Sabbath offering. I was thinking about Mom, politics, and life and went into a reflection about wheels turning.

The Neurons pounced! The morning mental music stream went from John Lennon and Alice Cooper offerings to a Journey tune to a BST song1. Then, perhaps because I was thinking about my youth and Mom, 1972 called up with “Wheels of Confusion”.

My gosh, was that a surprise. I’d not heard this song in too long and hearing it in my mental stream made me grin. So I offer it up to you.

I hope the wheels keep turning for you and carry you to better places.

Cheers

  1. John Lennon – “Watching the Wheels”; Alice Cooper: “Under My Wheels”; Journey: “Wheel in the Sky”; BST (Blood, Sweat, and Tears), “Spinning Wheel”. ↩︎
3

Wednesday’s Theme Music — Right now

Ashland, southern Oregon — November 4, 2026.

Beautiful day outside. Something in the air. The sky is a fantastic BLUE and the sunshine is sharp and bright.

It’s 49 F degrees outside, rising to 58 F today. We might see 60. Overall, a crispy autumn day.

My sister, Gina, took Mom to vote yesterday as well as taking Mom to her doctor’s appointment. Gina treated us to regular updates about Mom’s awareness of what was going on and what was expected. Gina concluded that Mom needs to be in a nursing home.

The midterm elections were held in the US yesterday. The projected blue tsunami came through even stronger than expected.

Mike Johnson immediately announced a TACO move.

There are many terrific headlines out there today, reflecting the state of things.

Goodbye, Susan Collins

Late at night, a lame duck quacks on Truth Social

2 Native American Women Break Political Barriers This Election

Vance Blames Republican Midterm Losses On Iran War: ‘Everyone Knows Why We Lost’

I’m sure there are many who think as I do, that the midterm election results are in with good results for We the People but the mango maniac still remains in a seat of power. Trump may be contrite today, blaming others for his mistakes, but Donald Trump will come raging back. Don’t let your guard down.

Your Trump Quote of the Day:

Even after the decisive Democratic victories in the midterms, an election specifically about the success and direction of the nation, Donald Trump refuses to accept the failure of his policies and practices.

With all that bubbling in my thinking, The Neurons pulled up “Right Here, Right Now”. This Jesus Jones song reflected exactly what my main body of thought was reporting. Take a pause, right here, right now, to accept the win because we’ve been waiting for it but now that it’s not over.

Right here, right now, it’s a little better.

Cheers

0

Monday’s Theme Music — Tuesday morning

Ashland, southern Oregon — Monday, November 11, 2026.

Overcast and wet defines the morning’s view of the sky and land. Still colorful but fading, November is taking over, kicking October’s influences out. It’s 52 F with a chance of 58 F as a high.

My 1440 minutes are consumed with writing and BCG wash number 5. My wife and I were talking about going to a Day of the Dead celebration after my appointment but we both realized how stupid that would be. *smile*

Nothing new from Mom’s negotiations with my sister, Gina. I don’t expect a fast decision. Gina is always suspicious of Mom these days. In Gina’s view, Mom uses pain and problems as tools to manipulate others, so she’s waiting to see how sincere and true Mom’s offer to apologize to Gina’s husbands really is.

I don’t blame Gina at all. I’m extremely leery of Mom’s current entreaties. I want Mom to be happy but I’m not certain she has that capacity any longer.

Tomorrow is election day in America. Trump is escalating his attacks on democracy. Through him and his minions, voting by mail is threatened. Trump is also attacking voter registration and trying to intimidate state voting officials. As usual, Donald Trump is trying to use ’emergency’ as his excuse for what he’s doing, pleading to the Roberts Court for help. Yes, we’ve seen this playbook.

My wife and I talk about the midterm elections a lot at our house. There is a bit of fatigue in our conversations. The GOP’s television commercials are so friggin’ annoying.

Like Brad Hicks, running for state office. Part of the appeal he makes to voters is that ‘one party shouldn’t be in charge of everything.’

Hello, Brad. You’re a Republican. You do realize that Republicans control Congress and the White House, don’t you? You are, in effect, arguing against voting for Republicans because one party shouldn’t be in charge of everything.

Other than that, and attack, attack, these Trump-supporting candidates try to appeal for affordability and common sense. They never elaborate on either and don’t address the Trump-sized elephant who is affecting affordability in America.

So we are really, really, REALLY looking forward to Election Day — ESPECIALLY if We the People manage the blue wave so many are predicting.

With those thoughts in mind, The Neurons have placed “Sweet Tuesday Morning” in my morning mental music stream. This is a Badfinger song which came out in 1971. I had the album and listened to the tune often. I don’t think I’ve heard it on the radio in decades, which is a shame. Other than being about Tuesday, though, the song doesn’t have much to do with election day or the stresses, worries, and frustrations it represents.

I hope your 1440 minutes are stress free and relaxed although I suspect many are like me, hopeful but anxious, angry and weary.

May the blue wave arrive and save us.

Cheers

0

John Scalzi’s Sage Voting Advice

Science fiction and fantasy writer John Scalzi weighed in on the 2026 midterm elections and who you should vote for in Ohio, where he resides. I think much of his advice applies to other states in 2026. Really, his final paragraph summarizes it all very well.

“And don’t vote for any Republicans. Let their manifest exile begin this year. Let it be compounded in 2028. Let them wander in the wilderness for a very long time. They deserve it.“

I urge you to read the rest of his post. It might make you smile.

My Voting Recommendations, 2026 | Whatever

0

Sunday’s Theme Music — Rolling on

Ashland, southern Oregon — November 1, 2026.

November has arrived, and it looks tired out there today. Dispirited. Like it’s beginning with a hangover. Limp with rain and moisture, many leaves have surrendered, leaving their trees almost naked. The remaining leaves appear dull, as if they’re just hanging on.

Fog and mists cut down the light and block the views. It’s warmer today, already 43 F, with a high of 53 possible.

Mom sent out a text to Gina (my sister) yesterday. Mom will give Gina $4K a month and apologize to Pat if she can come live with Gina.

The money aspect isn’t a concern for Gina. It’s always been about Mom’s accusations about Pat and her refusal to apologize to him for what she claimed he did to her. Mom claimed that Pat spied on her all the time, took and hid her remote, and used an ‘invisible device’ on her head to cause her pain.

I don’t know what will come of this. Texts exploded yesterday after Gina and Mom became angry again, with Gina threatening not to take Mom to her appointment or to vote next week.

With November here, the midterm elections are at last in reach. I’m feeling the anxiety that many others. One, a hope that there is a blue wave.

Two, a worry that there won’t be a blue wave.

Three, a worry that there is a blue wave and Trump reacts by inciting violence. There is infamous precedence for that.

Your Trump Quote of the Day:

Yes, that was Donald Trump — the ‘peace president’, the one who never condones violence — after he lost the 2020 election and the results were being certified. Yet, Trump has sanctioned and cheered the violence done in his name, and the GOP says little.

For whatever reasons, the Bachman-Turner Overdrive song, “Roll On Down the Highway”, is being cranked through my morning mental music stream.

The song was released in 1975. I was in my first year of service in the US Air Force and my wife was a senior in high school. She graduated and we married, and this was part of our soundtrack of the time.

Today, my mind is stuck on the chorus, “Let it roll, down the highway.” It’s a reflection for me that I’m ready for some changes. The dice are thrown. Let’s see how they roll.

I hope the dice roll breaks in your favor today and everyday. Have a peaceful and joyous Sunday.

Cheers

4

AI, Trump, and Deception

On some days, it’s hard to be in the coffee shop. I was writing away when a group of five males who are about my age arrived. I’ve seen them before but don’t know them. After ordering drinks, they took the table beside me and began discussing subjects I enjoy.

For instance, they mentioned “Klara and the Sun”. Terrific book. A short summary is given. They don’t know the author’s name.

Working on my manuscript, I refrained from informing them.

“Did you lose any money yesterday?” one asked another. “There was a big crypto crime. I can’t remember the name of the company.”

I know, I know, my brain shouted, but I kept typing, venturing deeper into the novel in progress.

My coffee-shop neighbors returned to an earlier topic, AI. One said, “I think they’ll need to start labeling things made with AI.”

“Oh, yes,” another confidently replied. “That’s a given.”

I laughed to myself. I don’t think anything involving large sums of money and corporations is a given. I think that’s especially so when profits and revenues are in direct competition with public health and safety. Thinking back, I easily recall several historic incidents that repudiate that idea.

  1. Way back when cigarette companies paid doctors to reassure people that cigarettes weren’t dangerous.
  2. Remember the exploding gastanks on Ford Pintos? Ford paid a lot of money to keep that quiet, figuring that it would be cheaper to pay off the lawsuits.
  3. How ‘bout that time that oil and energy companies found and hid the risks and dangers of climate change?
  4. Purdue, the Sacklers, and the opiod epidemic early this century?
  5. Or what about DuPont and 3M hiding the effects of forever chemicals, Johnsons & Johnsons and the talcum powder/asbestos scandal, Volkswagen and dieselgate, or Monsanto and Roundup?

I can imagine the campaigns already, based on what I’ve seen with GMO labeling battles and Oregon Connects’ astroturf efforts here in Oregon. AI companies will run emotional ads arguing that forced labels stifle local software developers, harm tech startups, and slow down life-saving medical AI innovations.

They’ll jump on the deliberate manufacturing of ignorance and doubt, tactics corporations successfully employed before. As we’ve seen with multiple issues and challenges, the fight over AI labeling won’t be fought with facts; it will be fought by trying to convince you that facts don’t exist yet, or that a consensus about the facts doesn’t exist. It’ll be fought by convincing you that there is doubt.

Which brings us to Trump. Trump loves AI, although he wants to rename it, of course. While in office, Trump will absolutely fight to keep AI labels from being applied. Donald Trump is all for making money and dismisses values like honesty, ethics, and integrity.

So Trump will instantly denigrate any efforts to label AI content. That, I think, to Trump seems a lot like ‘woke’. And if he does, it will malign the effort for years.

I think that because of the 2020 presidential election. Donald Trump claims that election was ‘stolen’ from him. No evidence of that has ever been produced. Trump often claims it’s because of voting by mail. 51% of Americans believe that election security is now a big problem in 2026. When it’s addressed by party, 83% of Republicans believe that voting by mail is now not safe.

We can argue that the polls now reflect a worry that Trump has taken steps to make voting less secure. I believe that he influences others with his lies and deceptions.

Which is the point. When someone like Donald Trump takes the stage and bellows a claim, it becomes part of our modern landscape, tainting truth, spreading doubt and confusion.

And that’s why I don’t think that we’ll ever be able to accurately label AI content.

Not till longer after Trump is gone.

3

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑