Spyke

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funny

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How could this be?!

Dear Young Folk,

Physical aging happens ridiculously fast. Faster than you imagine. The years just tick away like minutes.

Mental aging goes much slower (barring dementia or other malidies, of course).

The crazy thing is that even once older (I'll turn 60 this year) your view of yourself quite often feels like you're still much younger.

I internally feel perpetually 30-35. Until I try to (say) run or sprint, or jump off something, then... oh my. I really am 60. Another example: my brain knows how to throw a fast ball (ingrained from when I was a teenager). If I actually try... uhh.. no go. My arm revolts.

I've even asked my 83 year old mom how her internal self feels. She says the same - still feels like she did in her 30s on the inside. On the outside she has to intentionally walk very carefully so as not to fall and break something.

Moral of the story? Enjoy that young body while you have it. Seriously. It won't last.

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Vance and Walz agree to a vice presidential debate on Oct. 1 hosted by CBS News

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I dunno, these debates scare me. Harris/Walz is surging right now, and Trump/Vance is tanking: this gives Trump/Vance a chance to inject their brand of FUD by throwing shit against the wall and seeing if anything sticks.

For example, I suspect Vance is going to try and nail Walz with Walz's 1995 DUI. That'll be a hard one for him to talk his way out of, it's ugly and then later his campaign lied about it.

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Glenn Greenwald Claims AOC and Democrats ‘Voted For the War In Ukraine’

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Many reasons, including deciding that Trans folks are delusional and fake and taking up more than their fair share of attention. But at the core of it I suspect that it's a desire to stay relevant and make money in the media world, and the easiest way to do that is to buddy up to the far right assholes of the world. Just a guess though.

Good article on it here:

https://www.salon.com/2022/08/08/what-happened-to-glenn-greenwald-the-former-trans-ally-now-sides-with-right-wing-transphobia/

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Who had a tougher bid for re-election? Jimmy Carter in 1980 or Donald Trump in 2020?

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I was around: it was a depressing time (and I even liked Carter):

• The Iran hostage situation was ever-present. It was nightly news, to the point that all the major broadcasts started out with "this is day #X of the hostage situation".

• Carter tried to rescue the hostages, and failed badly - 8 servicemen died, and this was just a few months before the election.

• Carter pissed off a lot of people by boycotting the 1980 Olympics (boycotting USSR's invasion of Afghanistan - Ironic in that the US eventually did 20 as well years later). Lots of atheletes spoke out, their only or last time to make it to the Olympics. Turning the Olympics into a political weapon left a bad taste in general.

• Inflation rates were incredibly high, I think 12%-ish.

• Housing interest was through the roof, heading towards 13% (it eventually hit 18% under Reagan, I think)

• We were in the beginnings of a severe recession.

• Carter was never very charismatic - he was smart guy, but gave pretty boring speeches (IMO)

And then you have Reagan show up... optimistic, charismatic, and people just wanted change.

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CDs are better than vinyl and most people listen to music on systems that sound dreadful

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I have a high-end turntable and playback system (very nice speakers, as well as planar magnetic headphones), and I listen to my vinyl both directly and vinyl-ripped-to-digital (i.e. a CD). I do like what vinyl does to the sound, often combined with the better mastering that was done back in the day, as compared to the brick-wall mastering most albums are put through nowadays.

I have done a few experiments in the past where I play vinyl "live" and switch (a/b/x) to a a vinyl->CD rip, and I cannot tell the difference. Nor can my friends.

I consider myself an audiophile.

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Briggs and Riley Carry-On

I've been using a Briggs and Riley (checked bag)since 2006 for quarterly business trips (including overseas: it's been to England, Ireland, India, France, Norway, Russia). Still going strong, nothing's ever broken.

I think it was ~$350 when I bought it. I just looked, and the equivalent model now goes for $750. God-damn, inflation's a bitch.