Topics

31

Support / Late Forum Bonus

« on: August 19, 2020, 08:03:20 am »Message ID: 1336519

Well, here it is August 19 and still no forum bonus for me and it shows as long overdue.  Is there anybody monitoring this site anymore on even a semi-regular basis?

32

Support / Where is the Administrator?

« on: August 01, 2020, 06:55:32 am »Message ID: 1334114

Does no one regularly monitor and administrate this site anymore?  I have had an issue accessing surveys for almost two months and it has not been permanently addressed.  In fact, I'm getting fed up enough that I am thinking of leaving the site after 5 years of using Fusion.  Now we have some a** on here posting filthy pictures for several days at least and they are not taken down in an expedient manner and the person or persons blocked.  Both issues are unacceptable!

33

Off-Topic / John Bolton's Interesting Comment

« on: July 06, 2020, 11:55:45 am »Message ID: 1331357

In response to being asked how the president's thinking gets shaped, whether by TV or advisors, Bolton stated:

"A combination of television and listening to people outside the government that he trusts for one reason or another.  I think if you could clock the amount of time he's spent actually in the Oval Office versus the amount of time he spends in the little dining room off the Oval Office with the cable news networks of one form or another on--it would be a very interesting statistic."

34

Off-Topic / Covid and Houston

« on: July 03, 2020, 07:23:15 am »Message ID: 1330838

1 in 4 individuals being tested in Houston are showing positive.  Texas has over 180,000 cases in Texas alone.  The governor has finally figured it out and issued a mask order to fight the virus. However, he still lets restaurants open at 50% capacity but is not supporting local areas in issuing orders according to need.  This is an indication of the virulence of this virus when it sees an opening and when denial, refusal, and ignorance rules.  Sustained economic growth is not going to happen until the virus is brought under a modicum of control. Wherever you are, stay home if it is not essential!

35

Off-Topic / Native Americans

« on: July 03, 2020, 07:17:54 am »Message ID: 1330836

Today, Native Americans are the poorest population in the entire Northern Hemisphere and have the highest need in the U.S. Harsh government policies concentrated Native Americans in barren regions inadequate for farming and distant from settlers, supplies, and jobs.  Most reservations are so remote that the added costs of transporting supplies and products on and off the reservations make local production impractical.  What's more, the U.S. government holds reservation land in trust so outside businesses are reluctant to invest and create jobs on reservation lands.

Today, between 35-85% of the Native Americans who live on reservations are unemployed.  To find work, many must move away from their reservation and leave families behind.  This is why half the children living on reservations are being raised by grandparents.

This is an issue which needs to be addressed.  Drilling, fracking, mining or taking any lands which belong to a reservation should not be done without agreement of the reservation and providing renumeration.

36

Off-Topic / Mitch

« on: July 03, 2020, 07:07:59 am »Message ID: 1330835

The Congressional House has passed many bills which are still laying on McConnell's desk.  This is unacceptable when you consider the nature of some of these bills.  For example, both major and minor legislation have been included in this logjam: healthcare reform, climate change, food safety, financial aid for the U.S. postal service, a job security act for wounded veterans, a Civil War battlefield preservation act, vision care for children, the naming of a federal courthouse in Iowa after former rep. Jim Leach (R-Iowa), a National Historic Park named for Jimmy Carter, a bill to improve absentee ballot voting, a bill to improve cybersecurity, and the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

If you are from Kentucky or have family or friends there, please vote for Amy McGrath as Mitch is an obstructionist idiot! It's not even about partisanship, it's about doing something for the people of this country and not a personal agenda and power!

37

Off-Topic / Do You Know About Pears?

« on: June 03, 2020, 09:13:09 am »Message ID: 1327013

Color isn't a good way to tall if a pear is ripe.  While a Bartlett's skin color brightens as it ripens, most varieties show little change.

The pear producers' advice: "Check the neck."  Pears are ripe when the flesh around the stem yields to gentle pressure.

Exception:  Asian pears (which are round like apples) stay crisp.  They're picked when ripe, so you can eat them as soon as you buy them.  Try one sliced in a leafy green salad.

I, myself, am not a pear fan.  Sometimes I go an entire season without having even one and don't miss them with all the other seasonal fruit I do like!

38

Off-Topic / About Papayas

« on: June 03, 2020, 09:06:59 am »Message ID: 1327010

Let papayas ripen at room temperature until the skin is mostly yellow-orange.

Slice in half lengthwise, scoop out the black seeds with a spoon, cut off the rind, then slice into chunks.

Top with a squeeze of fresh lime juice before you dig in.  The acidity really peps up the flavor.

I really like papayas but don't buy them often for some unknown reason.  However, my mouth is watering for a fresh, ripe, sweet papaya after writing this!

39

Off-Topic / About Kiwis

« on: June 03, 2020, 09:00:34 am »Message ID: 1327009

Don't want to peel?  Try a gold kiwi.  Its edible skin is less fuzzy than a green kiwi's.  And the yellow flesh--it holds a smaller core and fewer seeds--is sweeter.

Gold kiwis have nearly twice as much Vitamin C as green kiwis.  Greens have more Vitamin K.  So mix it up!

Gold kiwis are easiest to find from May to November.

Keep your eyes peeled for kiwi berries.  They pop up for a short time in fall or winter.  The grape sized fruit has smooth edible skin and kiwi-like flesh.

I didn't even know about either gold kiwis or kiwi berries.  Did you?

40

Off-Topic / New Washer/Dryer

« on: June 03, 2020, 06:04:06 am »Message ID: 1326970

Well, I think I may be buying a new washer and dryer pair in the next several months.  I have a pair now that is only about 9 years old but my experience in getting repairs on any major appliance is that I am paying out so much for the combined service charge and repair that I might as well get some new appliances.

So, have any of you bought a particular brand over the last 5 years that you are particularly pleased with?  What do you like about your purchase?  The only things I have decided upon is that I am buying a top loader because I have received quite a bit of feedback that people don't like the front loaders.  I also want to have a washer with a see-through top to monitor the amount of soap added. I also think that buying ones with all the bells and whistles tend to mean that you just have more to go wrong.

Please tell me about your experiences.

41

Off-Topic / Environmental De-Regulation

« on: June 02, 2020, 06:07:16 am »Message ID: 1326828

The Trump administration has launched a dangerous attack on Americans' ability to participate in decisions that affect their homes, health, and environment.  The White House proposed gutting the National Environmental Policy Act, a 50 year old law that requires major public land, ocean, and infrastructure projects such as bridges, freeways, and pipelines to undergo rigorous environmental review.  The rewritten law would restrict public input on key decisions, narrow the scope of scientific review, and allow companies to author their own analyses.

Acknowledge, love, and protect and support your planet while it is decent for living.  For those of you who are religious, surely God gave it to us to be good custodians.

42

Off-Topic / ACAB!!!

« on: June 01, 2020, 06:41:03 am »Message ID: 1326636

ACAB!  This acronym is going around the internet and at protests!  I detest it!  If you don't know, it stands for "All cops are bad."  Shame on them for painting all cops with this broad brushstroke. It is similar to "One bad apple spoils the whole bunch!"  There are over 800,000 police in this country providing safety and public service. Most are fine men and women doing the best they can in a very highly stressful and dangerous occupation.  One negative from these protests are the people using this acronym.

43

Off-Topic / Do You Have a Green Thumb?

« on: June 01, 2020, 06:35:26 am »Message ID: 1326633

Now, this is what I wish I had. A green thumb!! I would like to be able to grow just about anything with no problem.  I would like to see flowers and plants flourish.  However, I can kill off almost anything.  I also, believe it or not, almost get a little anxiety when I buy and try to care for plants.  I feel like the pressure is on to keep them alive.  I never have more than one plant now.  With artificial plants and flowers as beautiful and realistic as they are today, I have fake plants.  I even have a neighbor who uses a lot of artificial greenery outside intermixed with real plants and flowers.

44

Off-Topic / Do You Iron?

« on: June 01, 2020, 06:28:21 am »Message ID: 1326631

I can remember when ironing my clothes was a regular occurrence.  I ironed almost everything "back in the day."  Over the years, as fabrics have improved, I began to iron less.  Nowadays I iron very little.  I take my clothes out of the dryer as the cycle comes to an end and hang then up immediately or spread them out on a towel. When I do iron, it is for special occasions or if something, by chance, is rather badly wrinkled.  Also, it is often what I call "touch up" ironing.  However, some people have told me they never iron.  What about you?  Do you own an iron and do you use it?

45

Off-Topic / Evictions

« on: June 01, 2020, 05:57:38 am »Message ID: 1326600

As state rent freezes expire, evictions are on the horizon.  Some people will be owing April, May, and June rents.  Landlords say they can no longer afford to collect nothing in many cases. This is truly sad but I am not sure what the answer is.  Do you know someone who is going to be affected by the end of the rent freezes?