It shows up on my laptop, but not on my iPhone, so I had no idea. Thanks for the reminder!

Yesterday, i had to run down to Zürich, so I caught the first plane down there. For that I had to get at 4:00 AM. Since I love a rare kind of apple juice made there, I bought 6 liters of it. That meant I had to take the train back up here to Germany due to all the liquid. I did, and of course it was late, and I had to wait for the next commuter train up to the airport to retrieve my car. My adrenaline level was temporarily brought up by some crazy guy in a Mercedes racing through the parking garage at 100 KpH (60 MPH) who nearly smashed right into me. I got home at 10:30 PM.

I used to maintain this kind of schedule for 21 days in a row thirty years ago. Now I find that three hardship schedules a week knock me out. I must be getting old. Or something.

But maybe I’m just getting soft. My Swiss colleague drove up from Geneva to meet me yesterday. It used to be a three hour drive, but due to increasing traffic (that’s what you get for joining Schengen), it now takes four or more each way, and he is 78, been with us since he was 37, so 41 years now. This is my fiftieth year with my outfit! We were twelve twenty-somethings when I joined. Now we’re nine hundred people worldwide, and the top guy now is the same one who recruited me in 1975! The thought takes some getting used to.

my aunt & uncle [10 yrs ago next Sept]
Born US citizens. He worked for WHO in Virginia/DC then moved to Geneva. Worked ?30+ yrs more, retired to a little village in western Switzerland, 1 1/2 north of there.

My aunt paid for my trip. Stayed almost 3 weeks making art in her incredible studio that was part of their house. B&W, and colored woodcut prints were her major output. Some children's books.

Most of their extended family live there, and one set in Zurich. One here in the USA.

One of my cousin's said to me something along the lines of their parents had taken them across the USA decades earlier. Driving like 60 miles was nothing. But then now here driving 60 miles or so - complaints!
😄 Relativity in action!

DU is our Sanity Port For Fighting For Democracy Since 2001 .

I’m in — I just hate having to use Paypal in any way. But needs must, my tip is on my way.

I ALWAYS send a check if I can. That way, I know that there are no greedy fingernails scratching off a little piece for themselves, all the while presenting themselves as performing some noble service.

I ask to be deleted — they ask me for a password. It goes around and around.

I wonder if EarlG could get us on Act Blue? I trust them more than PayPal.

I used them many years ago when they first started. Then I noticed that their software started taking money from my credit card without my authorizing it. They automatically checked a “make it monthly” box that the donor had to de-activate manually! When I complained, they in essence called me an idiot for not understanding. Then, I found out that they take 3.95% out of each contribution, not including the credit card companies taking out a similar cut. This meant that for every million dollars taken in by Act Blue, a candidate got $80,000 (!!!) deducted before they saw a cent. So, if they raise a billion dollars through their software, they keep $39,500,000, and I think I read somewhere that the real number was ten times that. Come to think of it, that’s an impressive operating profit, since computers do all the work. Maybe I AM an idiot after all, but that’s why this idiot prefers to send checks. That way, every cent goes where I intended it to go.

Meanwhile I just got another email from PayPal telling me how to shop! Dammit. I don’t want to do this!

and then at the end, when you are invited to open an account, you have to see the "lit" circle, to click on it to unlit it. Then you are invited to pay as a guest.

Wish it were easier.

When I cool off a bit (like tomorrow) I will try the phone number at the bottom of my new membership email, but somehow I doubt that will be enough.

Grateful for the DU port in this storm... For

Kind words...

Good humor...

Insight...

Encouragement...

Strength...

Vision...

May we maintain our health + sanity + live long + prosper --

Let this be our best revenge...

In every last detail!

You're much appreciated here.


I always thought that you were pleasant to interact with. You're always sharing wonderful family photos with us and letting us get to know you. Thank you.

To know me is not a goal to which all aspire, and probably with good reason!

When brimming with reality... it's the top spot on the interwebz.

These days, some of the most outrageous satires and parodies of the Trumpanzees are surpassed only by reality, itself. Distinguishing between the two is not often easy!

But I kicked in yesterday. Felt good to do it.

Low retirement income, but some discretionary so a renewal.
DU: good info, fast breaking news, good discussions, community, and fun.

So important we have Dems, Americans abroad, and others [like our international folk] from around the country: blue, purple, red, cities, burbs, rural to get a variety.
Yes, could use more currently 20's, 30's yrs old, but very good otherwise.