Blog: If I understand this

Orthostatic Hypotension

I have learned a lot about those two words in the last three weeks.  When I ‘splain them to you, you will know why I have been “missing” for the last three weeks.  That is a condition wherein you have a sudden blood pressure drop, typically when standing up, and you get dizzy and faint.  That is what happened to me.  It was about 9:00 a.m. on a Friday, and I was sitting at my desk, having coffee and a banana, reading the morning ePaper, normal start for me.  I felt dizzy, and, thinking I might be nauseous, stood up, with intent to get to the bathroom.  Instead, I fainted, fell forward onto my desk, then bounced off that and onto the floor.  I woke up with blood on me.  I had cut my arm open, and hit my head and knee.  From there it was Urgent Care, Emergency room, hospital stay (7 days) and a “skilled nursing center” stay for physical therapy.  Along the way, the docs monkeyed with BP meds, etc.  I am home, doing better, and will try to regularly do my updates.  I had never blacked out before.  I have been thru typhoons at sea, played rugby, boxed, helped care for others in serious medical condition, and never fainted or got knocked out.  We know several others in our age group who have fallen.

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CNN  —  Millions of low-income Americans, including families with children, could lose their food stamp benefits under House Republicans’ newly passed tax and spending cuts package, according to a Congressional Budget Office analysis released Thursday. — Well, hell, the R’s tried for years to take medical care away from them too, what did we expect?  And take money away from public schools, where most poor kids go, as well as Head Start, which helps the poor also.  Damn them for being poor!

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As others more knowledgeable than I have said, the way to sum up Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill:  Take from the poor and middle class, and give to the rich and super rich.  I read a book long ago called The Rich and Superrich, published in 1968, which explained things like how they don’t pay taxes, why they have foundations, control our government, etc.  And it still goes on, more than ever, today! It’s not just me; this from CNN: “Low-income Americans will feel the effect of changes to aid programs, while the wealthy will see most of the windfall from tax cuts, according to multiple assessments.”

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Trump’s crypto scheme is perhaps the biggest illegal scam by a president in our history. To me, it is money laundering, in the sense that anyone, including foreign governments and individuals, can “buy” crypto and much of the money goes directly to Trump and his kids.  All illegal under the emoluments clause of our constitution, and expressly why the founders put that in there.   The $400 M plane is another example.  How do you donate a plane to our defense dept., and then it becomes his property?  Wouldn’t that be like a fighter pilot “taking his jet home” after his service is up?

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In baseball, it looks more and more that the Dbax are going to be an average, .500 team.   I am rooting for the Pacers in the NBA playoffs, now that my team is out.  I don’t have a dog in the hockey fight. 

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It should be obvious that what Trump and the Republicans (he could not do what he is doing without his party’s support) and up to.  Attack Head Start, cancer research for kids, public schools, SNAP (food stamps), Obama Care (again) and many others.  Who does that harm the most?  Yeah, the poor.

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The Weather here in Dana Point is so boring – about 70 and mostly sunny.  I know, no one feels sorry for us.

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Our granddaughter did graduate, with a degree in Marine Science.  She and I are the only family members with the word “Marine” in our diplomas.

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Trump’s attack on Harvard disturbs me.  How can he say they can’t have any foreign students?  Many, many colleges have them.  It is a good source of income, since most pay full tuition.  It is a warning to other schools.  An attempt to control speech?  Don’t forget that the folks who started our country were protestors!  They spoke out, and not just at the Liberty Tree in Boston, where, amongst others, The Sons of Liberty, a secret society of men who advocated for the rights of colonists, would meet at the tree and stage protests to British taxation and rule.

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Didja see the photo of Trump, wearing his political, red MAGA hat at West Point?  He even saluted the cadets wearing it!  Outrageous, but in keeping with his lack of class.  And yes, the president gets an “official” baseball hat with the presidential seal on it.  Most others have worn one.  And yes, as a graduate of another federal academy, I am appalled at that!

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If you have checked on the eaglets at Big Bear Eagle Nest, you know that they are almost ready to fly, or are “fledged” as I think bird lovers call it.

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I think this is it for my first effort “back in the business.”  Partly cloudy here today.  I am most happy to be home, and even though we joke about Kath being my “Nurse Ratched,” she is the best.

All Take Care,

Kevin