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abqtommy

abqtommy's Journal
abqtommy's Journal
June 30, 2020

Today is the 38th birthday of my autistic/blind son that lives with me. Here's the sentiment

that was in one of the cards he got in the mail:

Wishing Life's Best For You, Son...

For your birthday,
I am wishing all good things
to come your way.

Where there are opportunities,
I wish you the ability to see them
and seize them.

Where there are challenges,
I wish you courage and patience
so you will grow in strength and wisdom.

Where there is love,
I wish you the openness to accept it
and the willingness to return it.

And within each wish is a hope
that you will be blessed
with a meaningful, successful life.

Snipped here to edit out happy birthday wishes. I think this would make a great daily
affirmation since we can't have too many...

June 26, 2020

From The BBC News: Google Doodle: The short but influential life of Olive Morris

"Activist Olive Morris has become the latest Google Doodle on what would have been her 68th birthday.

Morris, who died from cancer aged 27, campaigned for racial and gender equality, and squatters' rights.

She led protests and demonstrations, and helped to found the Brixton Black Women's Group in 1973, one of Britain's first networks for black women.

Google Doodles are the changes made to the company's logo to mark events, anniversaries and significant people."

more at link: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-53191543?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world&link_location=live-reporting-story

Every day, in every way, I'm happy to learn something new for me and you.

June 21, 2020

From The Guardian: The Iconoclast unmasked: the man behind far-right YouTube channel

Former media student Daniel Atkinson used video-sharing platform to influence new generation of rightwing activists(...)

by Mark Townsend, Sun 21 Jun 2020 03.15 EDT

He is the anonymous architect behind one of the most successful and toxic British far-right YouTube channels, responsible for disseminating racist, Islamophobic and antisemitic material. For years the individual known as The Iconoclast has managed to protect his identity despite amassing nearly 21m views and more than 218,000 subscribers.

However the Observer can reveal that the figure behind one of the biggest far-right content producers in the UK – and the movement’s most prominent anonymous account – is a former media student called Daniel Atkinson.

Campaigners said the unmasking of Atkinson was important because he is emblematic of the latest manifestation of the far right.

(YouTube accused of being 'organ of radicalisation'
Read more)

They said it is highly likely his widely disseminated racist views influenced some far-right supporters who clashed with police in central London last weekend.

much more at link:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/21/the-iconoclast-unmasked-the-man-behind-far-right-youtube-channel

I think this article provides some good perspective on social media and right-wing influence. At least
I find it informing...

June 18, 2020

Microsoft fail for WIN 10 version 2004 update: Every day I check my son's WIN 10 machine for

updates. On 6-16- 20 I received notice that the update to version 2004 was available. Went through the process. It took about 3 hours and the update failed. On 6-18-20 the version 2004 update was again presented. Went through the process and it took about two and a half hours. The update failed.
Interestingly enough, during the last bit of operation in the final installation today there was text on the computer monitor that read "undoing changes to your computer". DUH!

On a side note, I'm still getting regular updates to my WIN 7 machine, you know, the one Microsoft said it stopped supporting back in January of this year? My WIN 7 unit is looking better and better to me every day!

Here's a link to a search I ran on the version 2004 update, if anyone can make sense of the data:
https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffnt&q=status+of+microsoft+win+10+version+2004+update&ia=news

Lotta frustration and head-scratching going on here...

June 8, 2020

Now for the Song In My MInd for today: Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin' 1964...

link to song info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%27t_Let_the_Sun_Catch_You_Crying

link to lyrics:
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/gerryandthepacemakers/dontletthesuncatchyoucrying.html

Gerry And The Pacemakers Lyrics
"Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying"

Don't let the sun catch you cryin'
The night's the time for all your tears
Your heart may be broken tonight
But tomorrow in the morning light
Don't let the sun catch you cryin'

The night-time shadows disappear
And with them go all your tears
For the morning will bring joy
For every girl and boy
So don't let the sun catch you cryin'

We know that cryin's not a bad thing
But stop your cryin' when the birds sing

It may be hard to discover
That you've been left for another
But don't forget that love's a game
And it can always come again
Oh don't let the sun catch you cryin'
Don't let the sun catch you cryin', oh no

link to performance:



Ah, The British Invasion and how pleasant it was!

June 6, 2020

And the Song Of The Day in my head this morning is You Ain't Goin' Nowhere by Bob Dylan

Artist: Bob Dylan

Album: Music & Words 1998 to 1963

lyrics:

Clouds so swift
Rain won't lift
Gate won't close
Railings froze
Get your mind off wintertime
You ain't goin' nowhere

Whoo-ee! Ride me high
Tomorrow's the day
My bride's gonna come
Oh, oh, are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair!

I don't care
How many letters they sent
Morning came and morning went
Pick up your money
And pack up your tent
You ain't goin' nowhere

Whoo-ee! Ride me high
Tomorrow's the day
My bride's gonna come
Oh, oh, are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair!

Buy me a flute
And a gun that shoots
Tailgates and substitutes
Strap yourself
To the tree with roots
You ain't goin' nowhere

Whoo-ee! Ride me high
Tomorrow's the day
My bride's gonna come
Oh, oh, are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair!

Genghis Khan
He could not keep
All his kings
Supplied with sleep
We'll climb that hill no matter how steep
When we get up to it

Whoo-ee! Ride me high
Tomorrow's the day
My bride's gonna come
Oh, oh, are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair!

link to lyrics: http://www.songlyrics.com/bob-dylan-the-band/you-ain-t-goin-nowhere-lyrics/

link to performance:

June 3, 2020

From The Guardian 6-3-20 Political Cartoons: After seeing some of the U.S. cartoons of

tRUMP's religious experience I thought that all that was needed was to portray him wrapped in a
U.S. flag. Now this morning I see that Steve Bell has succeeded admirably in portraying just what I had in mind...

Steve Bell on Trump's church photo op amid George Floyd protests — cartoon

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/picture/2020/jun/02/steve-bell-on-trumps-church-photo-op-amid-george-floyd-protests-cartoon

I recommend The Guardian Political news just for the cartoons... enjoy!

June 2, 2020

Out And About Yesterday And Today*... and I made a funny or two...

Yesterday: 6-1-20

I finished up our absentee ballots and got them ready for mailing tomorrow. But then I found out
that to be valid they had to be received by our County Clerk by 7 pm tomorrow. So I hotfooted it down to the post office and dropped the ballots off in the drive-thru mail drop in the early afternoon. Whew!
That was almost a disaster!

Today: 6-2-20

I had a large envelope of family pics ready to send to Canada so I headed to my local UPS store to
avoid the long lines at the Post Office. (UPS can also provide USPS service.) When I got there there was a small line so I eased into a little bit of shade and explained to some people waiting for the
hair stylist next door that I didn't want to get too tan since I might get shot. I'm not used to getting
compliments but one of the guys said Hey, That's Funny! Being encouraged I then said to another person in the UPS line You Know What They Say About Mad Dogs And Englishmen** and the answer was No, What? So I said They Go Out In the Noonday Sun. Don't people read anymore?
Short answer:UPS took my money but couldn't print out the stamp I needed so they gave me a
refund and I headed for the Post Office.

The Post Office was great, no line, quick service and much cheaper than UPS. I'd like to thank my vee-hickel for having air conditioning that works even in city traffic. That really helps me keep from
developing an attitude...

Went to WalMart. Just normal stuff, did my shopping. Didn't see any Muslims. Oh well. Got home.
Wiped down groceries and put them away. Checked our absentee ballot tracking info and the
County Clerk already has our ballots. It doesn't get much better than that!

*Yesterday And Today is also a studio album by The Beatles. See information at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yesterday_and_Today And I bet YouTube has a page where you can listen...

**Mad Dogs And Englishmen is also the name of Joe Cocker's tour plus being a song written by
Noel Coward with plenty of reference to both here:
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=is+there+a+song+or+album+titled+mad+dogs+and+englishmen&t=ffnt&ia=web Again, YouTube will be willing to support your listening needs...

So it looks like Noel Coward is the definitive source for the quote "Mad dogs and Englishmen go out
in the midday sun." I apologize for misquoting "noonday" for "midday" but then that's more of an
apology than anyone will ever get out of tRUMP. Right? Stay tuned for my next exciting adventure...
https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffnt&q=source+of+saying+that+mad+dogs+and+englishmen+go+out+in+the+noonday+sun&ia=web

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