Phil Landmeier @shuttersparks@qoto.org

@karlauerbach Wow. That's surprising. I've been a Walmart person for 20 years, but I too have not set foot in a Walmart for about 4 years. I use their delivery service. I order $250-300 worth of groceries and whatnot every week, delivered to my door. Worth every penny. Not to mention that more and more Walmart products are better than the name brands they carry.

@indybay My approach has worked every time so far. I say, "I have a friend who is a defense attorney. He told me to never say a word unless he is sitting next to me. It's my right to do so and I'm invoking that right." And they leave. The police understand brick walls.

@waldoj Also, I live in Dominion's region and my electric rates have been going up, up, up. What's more, wind and solar are not a thing around here, yet. Why?

@waldoj Exactly. For some reason, data centers, for years, have chosen to locate themselves in VA and MD. This seems odd.

If I were going to build a data center I'd look carefully at places like Montana and North Dakota.

I don't understand the decision-making here.

@Tharpa Agreed. I feel exactly the same way.

Your comment gives an opportunity to remind *everyone* about the composition of the United States that I've observed for 60 years. Millions, 30, 40 percent, felt the exact same way about Obama during his time as President. Every morning they got up, looked themselves in the mirror, and said "I can't believe there's a goddam n**** in the Whitehouse. It's called the WHITE house. This country is going to hell."

These are your countrymen. The racism and bigotry in this country is pervasive and intense.These voted for Trump and this is what we're up against, and it can't be fixed quickly. It takes generations to fix this, assuming people want to change it. And they don't.

@KE0FFT Yes, CW is like flying. You're never 100 percent happy with a landing. And yes, CW is HARD. But the payoff is huge and well worth it. It's so much fun when it becomes second nature. This takes 1 to 2 years of constant practice. But then... oh boy is it fun.

You know you're there when you hear a call or DX, and aggressively dive on the key without thinking.

@chusgc @BrianJopek The left column are political topics related to governance in a democracy. The right hand column are stupid questions that have been blown into pseudo-political questions by bad actors who want to destabilize a democracy, and have nothing to do with governance.

@codeofamor @BrianJopek @m Almost as if...indeed.

@clarablackink "Very clear and understandable" is my favorite compliment to receive.

@KE0FFT Sounds like PSK31 and similar modes is for you. It's fun and very conversational if you type okay. Also, CW is the most fun.

@ShaulaEvans The two businesses that always function throughout history, no matter the circumstances, are food and entertainment. People have to eat and will pay for good food. And, humans demand entertainment regardless of how dire the situation. The more dire, the more they demand it

@HopelessDemigod Yeah. We hams are well known for DIY, trying different things, trying "impossible" things, breaking rules. As a result we sometimes do amazing things. But there are some situations where our eager hubris is best suppressed and experienced professionals called in. Erecting tall towers or playing with cranes is not for beginners because mistakes are not acceptable. Mistakes can get someone killed.

@Free_Press Deportation of millions of workers will also send a lot of US farms and other businesses into bankruptcy. Higher prices is just the first problem. Then comes "not available".

It will also reduce US tax revenue by far more than what it will cost to deport them. Trumpers will be shocked to learn that illegals pay income tax and unlike most of us, they pay their taxes gladly for the privilege of working here.