GatewayRedbirds.com

Apple removing the fingerprint unlock feature & pivoting to Face ID really sucks in the age of the mask.

I type this genuine, heartfelt post with much disappointment and sadness.

I was just exchanging text messages with my best friend. He has been one of my longest-running friends, and was the best man in my wedding. He and his wife are feeling under the weather, and so they canceled their son's birthday party for tomorrow. I told him I hope he and his wife didn't have COVID, especially since we don't know the long-term effects yet. He responded by saying he's sure they don't have the "Chinese virus".

He had lived in AZ for about 15 years after college graduation, and I knew he had conservative leanings. (I'm pretty sure his father is a dedicated Fox News watcher and a known climate change denier, and his father's 2nd wife is a full-on conspiracy theory believer.) However, I didn't know my friend was that conservative. I didn't want to paint with a broad brush with his time living in AZ, his desire to move back there some day, his father's influence, his step-mom's extreme opinions, etc. But it appears he might have gone off the deep end.

There is one possible reason for me to have hope. This guy works in federal law enforcement, and has handled international cases in the past. If... if... he knows something I don't... or something he can't share, such as it was a man-made virus (which, to be clear, has been publicly debunked), then maybe all is not lost with the relationship. As I have posited in a different thread, a man-made virus is a much worse situation for the political stability of our planet than what we're currently living in. I can certainly see the value in trying to cover that up at all costs. But I tend to think that is simply the emotional part of my brain trying to find any rationalization to salvage the 37-year bond we have forged.

To sum up, I might have just lost my best friend today. Even though I have copious amounts of acquaintances and friends, but no real close friends, I am probably in the beginning stages of mourning. Thankfully, I have my wife, who was already my best female friend, but I think she just got promoted to best overall friend.

mikechamp wrote: ↑

July 24 20, 10:51 am

I type this genuine, heartfelt post with much disappointment and sadness.

I was just exchanging text messages with my best friend. He has been one of my longest-running friends, and was the best man in my wedding. He and his wife are feeling under the weather, and so they canceled their son's birthday party for tomorrow. I told him I hope he and his wife didn't have COVID, especially since we don't know the long-term effects yet. He responded by saying he's sure they don't have the "Chinese virus".

He had lived in AZ for about 15 years after college graduation, and I knew he had conservative leanings. (I'm pretty sure his father is a dedicated Fox News watcher and a known climate change denier, and his father's 2nd wife is a full-on conspiracy theory believer.) However, I didn't know my friend was that conservative. I didn't want to paint with a broad brush with his time living in AZ, his desire to move back there some day, his father's influence, his step-mom's extreme opinions, etc. But it appears he might have gone off the deep end.

There is one possible reason for me to have hope. This guy works in federal law enforcement, and has handled international cases in the past. If... if... he knows something I don't... or something he can't share, such as it was a man-made virus (which, to be clear, has been publicly debunked), then maybe all is not lost with the relationship. As I have posited in a different thread, a man-made virus is a much worse situation for the political stability of our planet than what we're currently living in. I can certainly see the value in trying to cover that up at all costs. But I tend to think that is simply the emotional part of my brain trying to find any rationalization to salvage the 37-year bond we have forged.

To sum up, I might have just lost my best friend today. Even though I have copious amounts of acquaintances and friends, but no real close friends, I am probably in the beginning stages of mourning. Thankfully, I have my wife, who was already my best female friend, but I think she just got promoted to best overall friend.

Sorry man. This really sucks. My mom thinks George Soros and Barack Obama concocted a plan to create and spread Covid to bring down the Trump presidency.

That makes me think of the guy who is probably the closest to me now even though we rarely see each other anymore. He is almost more of a brother. He is just the opposite as far as politics go. He rattles off on everything on the other side of the spectrum and I just don't say anything. He is a great person, and would do anything to help me or pretty much anybody else. So I just let him rattle and get it off his chest, then go on with life.

I probably deal with it so well because he's also a bleeping Broncos fan and I am a Raiders fan, and we still can be friends.

I guess if the person has crossed to not being a good person anymore, than yeah you are probably done. If it is just a politics thing, I think that can be overcome, if it is worth it to you. I can understand if it isn't worth it too, though.

I think at least as far as me, I can tolerate anybody that isn't an arsehole. I draw the line there.

mikechamp wrote: ↑

July 27 20, 1:21 pm

I'd like to stay friends with the guy, and if it was just politics, I think I could let it slide and avoid the topic as much as possible. But the racist undertones are more than just politics, I fear.

As weird as this may sound, I've never picked up on any racism from him in the past. Either this is a recent change to match the politics, or as I mentioned in my original post, there is something sinister happening at the international level that I don't know and he can't discuss.

Sometimes it ain’t wisdom that comes with age. Sometimes it’s racism. YMMV.

mikechamp wrote: ↑

July 27 20, 1:21 pm

I'd like to stay friends with the guy, and if it was just politics, I think I could let it slide and avoid the topic as much as possible. But the racist undertones are more than just politics, I fear.

As weird as this may sound, I've never picked up on any racism from him in the past. Either this is a recent change to match the politics, or as I mentioned in my original post, there is something sinister happening at the international level that I don't know and he can't discuss.

There is nothing sinister happening at the world level, other than governments ignoring the deaths of their people in order to maximise the profits of their friends; but that's hardly new.

I feel like the sleazy end of the political right understands that blaming "the other" in times of crisis works better than explaining the complex geopolitical climate, and is easier. Schools don't equip kids with critical thinking skills like they used to. Decades of propaganda have hammered into us that politics is a game, and you should just pick a side rather than deciding which policies are better for you and the country around you.

Famous Mortimer wrote: ↑

August 13 20, 10:27 am

mikechamp wrote: ↑

July 27 20, 1:21 pm

I'd like to stay friends with the guy, and if it was just politics, I think I could let it slide and avoid the topic as much as possible. But the racist undertones are more than just politics, I fear.

As weird as this may sound, I've never picked up on any racism from him in the past. Either this is a recent change to match the politics, or as I mentioned in my original post, there is something sinister happening at the international level that I don't know and he can't discuss.

There is nothing sinister happening at the world level, other than governments ignoring the deaths of their people in order to maximise the profits of their friends; but that's hardly new.

I feel like the sleazy end of the political right understands that blaming "the other" in times of crisis works better than explaining the complex geopolitical climate, and is easier. Schools don't equip kids with critical thinking skills like they used to. Decades of propaganda have hammered into us that politics is a game, and you should just pick a side rather than deciding which policies are better for you and the country around you.

There's a not-sleazy end?

I was trying to be nice

Prominent Christmas trees just aren't feeling it this year: