Monthly Archives: September 2026

Mostly me

Election Stuff and the Maker Space soda machine

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I just got a reminder email from the City Clerk’s office reminding me of my schedule for collection from the drop boxes. Those three dates are already on my calendar. I’ll get paid for three hours a shift plus a bit for gas. Then November 3rd, I work the election at the same polling location that I did for the primary.

It’s going to be an interesting race. One of the candidates for Governor is a long term Republican Senator; the other is a Democrat who served as a Milwaukee County Executive. It’s probably going to be a tight race. Two Democrat primary candidates who withdrew from the race still remain on the ballot and could skew the Democrat results since nothing prevents voters from selecting them in the booth. As for the other races, I’ll vote for whomever is not a Republican.

In other news, I published a poll for the Makerspace membership to vote on what drinks are going into the new vending machine. Not everyone is happy as several of our former offerings were not in the top 8 choices. Fewer than ten percent of the membership voted in the survey and I expect a lot of complaints about our reduced selection. Our old machine had slots for twice as many brands and variants but the compressor died. I did search online but could not find a replacement compressor to fit the space.

The bill collector was not accepting dollars, so I messaged for one of the electronics gurus to attempt a fix. I would have figured it out but I would have had to stand on a stool to get close enough to find the proper wire and connector. I did get a response from one of our newer members who used to do vending machine repairs in his other life and he was able to repair the bill collector.

I still have to get the Treasurer to set us up for card payments at the machine since a lot of younger members want to pay by card instead of cash. I’m not going to pay an extra ten percent for a drink by using a card. If I don’t have cash, I have my emergency caffeine under a shelving unit in my studio and there’s ice in the breakroom freezer.

About me

Sorry again for the absence.

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The brain is still malfunctioning. I’m going to be going to various Clinics for a couple of evaluations. I’m still having effects from the last concussion. This is longer lasting than prior head bumps. I fallen an additional 6 times since the August head bump.

The only good thing about the last 6 falls (4 in one day and 2 other separate falls) is that I didn’t hit my head again. The bad thing was that I fell again more than once in the same hour. My appointment is for Oct. 4th. I’ve made a list of everything that is going wrong with this aging sack of flesh. What this means is probably more physical therapy, a hearing assessment, a more in depth look at my eyes, and probably another look inside the half-empty box that holds the gelatinous wad of brain cells.

The damned boomerang returned. He called in sick to work yesterday. I hope this isn’t the prelude to another firing. He has medical insurance now. He needs to get his brain sorted. I’m too old for this drama. I’m tempted to sell my house and move into an old folks establishment and I hate old people in spite of being aged.

I screwed up my poll worker schedule. I missed my first ballot box assignment. I forgot to put it on the calendar. I may have confused it with the training date, which I did get to, but my first scheduled work day was two days after that. I also missed the phone call that would have gotten me to the site late. Brain fart alert! I did email and apologize to the supervisor but that was hours later.

The art exhibit coordinator asked me what I was planning to display at my art show in November. I told him I was bringing all my unfinished projects of the last 60 years. That will included a 58-year old unfinished baby sweater, if I can find it, that I started before my daughter was born. I also need to find the unfinished 46-year old sweater that I started when my son was born, as well as hand-knit single socks and mittens from when I was knitting on my commute by car, then bus, to and from work before I retired.

I can’t promise I’ll post more frequently, but I’ll try. Thank you to the few of you who read me.

My own damned opinion., Voting

Another Civics lesson

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Today’s topic is the 25th Amendment

25th Amendment

The 25th Amendment, proposed by Congress and ratified by the states in the aftermath of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, provides the procedures for replacing the president or vice president in the event of death, removal, resignation, or incapacitation.

Section 1.

In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.

Section 2.

Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

Section 3.

Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.

Section 4.

Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.

Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.

When you read this, you will notice the serving President has a way to fight the impeachment by submitting documentation proving that he does have the capacity to continue in office. It then becomes the duty of the Vice President and two-thirds of Congress to refute the statement of capacity and vote for impeachment if their evidence supports the fact that the President is, in fact, not capable of discharging his duties.

With the current Congress, even if the opposition party gains a majority in the midterm election, they may not get enough votes from the minority party to fulfill the two-thirds requirement.

PLEASE VOTE IN THE MIDTERMS. Our democracy depends on everyone voting to change Congress to a more moderate organization and expelling the current regime before we find ourselves in a much larger battle for survival.

Thank you.