Obamacare going up and up

Obamacare insurance costs will rise again in 2027. Now don't blame Trump! He tried to undo that mess during his first term, and I think it was a Republican who worked against him. That's how much some hate Trump. They'd rather get rid of Trump or defeat his agenda than help the American people. ACA premiums proposed increase is 14%. Healthcare costs went up under Obama, not down--ACA went up 20% in 2025. It looked tempting in the beginning because of the subsidies, and we Americans still believe someone else will pay the bill. New Yorkers fell for that--Mamdani. Californians always go for--and Minnesotans--and increasingly, Texans. There is no free lunch--only socialism and communism. 

(Reported by ABCNews in BottomLine, Sept 2026, although the opinion part is mine)

Students using AI assistants and the professors who have to keep up

I was glancing through a bibliography of a medieval monastic reform movement (Cistercian Reform) and clicked on something that offered help from "Leo AI." Wondering who or what that was, I found I could have a chat with Brave Leo--for a price:

"Chat Privately with Brave Leo

Brave Leo is a private AI smart assistant that enhances your use of the web. Leo is free to use with limited access. Brave Leo Premium offers more models, higher limits and gives subscribers early access to new features. The default model will change from time to time. See the Brave Help Center for more details.

By default, when you ask Leo a question about a website or page you are viewing, the content of the webpage you are viewing or any text you highlight on a page, as well as your search query will be sent to Brave servers in order for Leo to provide a response. In some cases, Leo will send queries derived from your input to Brave Search and use the search results to better answer your question. Brave does not guarantee the accuracy of responses, and responses may include inaccurate, misleading, or false information. Don't submit sensitive or private information to Brave Leo, and use caution with any answers related to health, finance, personal safety, or similar. You can adjust Leo’s options in Settings any time. Go to Settings > Leo.

Leo does not collect identifiers such as your IP address that can be linked to you. We do not train our models based on your data, including your search queries or Brave Leo’s responses. No personal data is stored on our servers, or retained by Brave. See the privacy policy for more information."

Then I was supposed to click on "I understand." But I don't. So, I didn't. How does a college professor of some age ever evaluate a paper of a student who had help from Brave Leo?

Michael Smith, guest blogger, on Democrat voters

I'm not shy about saying that to the Democrats, your life and the lives of your family and friends are worthless.

 
That's not me just issuing hyperbolic rhetoric, it is a proven fact based on their on policy positions, priorities and actions.

First and foremost, this is a party that has gone from saying abortion should be "safe, legal and rare" to approving elective abortion until birth - and even then, they loudly support mothers who have killed their own children.

They have little interest in stopping the cross border flow of deadly drugs like fentanyl, costing thousands of lives every year.

They release hardened criminals back on the streets to commit more crimes that often include murder and rigorously defend them once they do commit criminal acts, enthusiastically prosecuting anyone who tries to stop their rampages.

They openly call for the abolition of any effort to stop illegal immigration or removal of illegal aliens and ignore ICE detainers of proven serious criminals, even to the point of helping these criminals avoid detention and deportation.

 
They cheer the political violence that has led to unsuccessful assassination attempts on Donald Trump, and the successful assassinations of Charlie Kirk and Brian Thompson, the CEO of United Health Care. Never forget that they idolized the Boston Marathon bombers, to the point of swooning over Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's glamor photo on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

Factions within their party openly support Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran and those who don't, try to minimize or excuse the open antisemitism and attacks on the Jewish community both here in the US and abroad.

They use the argument that "if it saves one life", it is justifiable to abridge your Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms while openly calling for a weak or open border to allow more illegal aliens to enter, even though some of those aliens murder, get drunk and drive and kill. The Democrats facilitate vehicular homicide, in the name of compassion for our "neighbors", by handing out commercial driver's licenses to aliens who do not speak or read our language.

Self-identified "lifelong Democrat" Elizabeth Carter admitted during a hearing this week that that she is "ashamed" of her party’s handling of the immigration issue after her son, William Micah Carter and his newlywed wife, Jennifer Lower, were killed in a car crash after their vehicle slammed into a jackknifed big rig driven by illegal immigrant Rajinder Kumar in late November. Kumar's CDL was issued by the State of California.

 
She agreed with the statement that "They just don't care" as an accurate assessment of the Democrat Party's view.

At worst, they hate you and want you to die, at best they see you as a disposable tool for their agenda and yet they sell their party as the party of compassion.

They are going all out to make you believe they care about you.

They don't.

Believe then when they show you who they are.

Children and poetry

For our next meeting of TEPG, The Estates Poetry Group, we're going to look at hymns as one of the earliest ways children learn and memorize poetry (and it's also the final way we hear poetry even with dementia). Again, I used AI and am not filled with terror that the Democrats and their funding sources in the AI industry have pushed on us the last 2 weeks. My question was about the meter 11.11.11.11 compared with a more standard meter like 8.6.8.6 and I was told that was impossible to know because there are too many hymnbooks. At least Chat gpt didn't tell me to ask a librarian like Co-pilot did with my last question. That meter is used for "Immortal, invisible God only wise," one of my favorites. Count it.

https://youtu.be/6YCBO5bGrdE?si=mCsbJKKd5jJC6QhF

Bill Gurley (venture capitalist) discusses how to respond catastrophes

Covid is still dividing friends, colleagues, church members and residents of senior living residences. This may be the most important explanation you'll read today, this week, or ever. Yes, I'm no click bait. This is real. At the recent symposium by All-In 2026, Bill Gurley discusses how societies respond to catastrophes. Surfside, Florida collapse, Boeing 737 MAX crashes, Hurricane Katrina, etc., and then how it responded to Covid-19. In the past the media jumped in to provide the solutions. But with Covid? It became the channel of misinformation allowing the real criminals to get away with murder.

https://singjupost.com/transcript-of-bill-gurley-searching-for-feynman-at-all-in-summit-2026/?

You can watch this, listen to it, or read it (transcript) Gurley analyzes the root causes of some recent disasters--you'll remember them--Surfside collapse, Hurricane Katrina, etc. The researchers and the solutions to prevent the next one. Sometimes it was a small failure overlooked. But Covid? Nope. No big search for solutions and prevention for next time. There are blockers and searchers. He notes 5 women Alina Chan, Katherine Eban, Emily Kopp, Zeynep Tufekci and Alison Young who are heroes but are still being ignored by the blockers and the media (who were critical in previous solutions but became political in Covid). Some of you know how to be sleuths, so get busy.

Guide to AI

 The 2026 IBM Guide to AI

Although Kamala may not understand AI or how it works, she knows she and her backers benefit if she can slow it down. And why not? If someone with a better widget shows up, just have a law that says no new players in the game--or it would just be too dangerous.

Harris backs AI slowdown amid growing safety fears - POLITICO

It's never enough for Democrats, but Republicans?

Enough is never enough for Democrats, so I'm only writing for Republicans who believe the affordability lie, yet understand there is a very real war in the middle east and the witch hunt AI doomers.

1) Inflation has been cut in half since the Biden years. OK, finished with that one.

 
2) Yes, Trump said no more wars, but he also said Israel is our ally and Iran couldn't have a nuclear bomb to wipe us out (been attacking US and allies for 49 years).

 
3) Democrats have tried to kill Trump several times and they lie incessantly about gender, fascism and white supremisim while screaming "free Palestine" and shut down Jews on college campuses. So, do Republicans really think in their wildest dreams that AOC or Kamala have any understanding of even the meaning of the words or history, or do they think more Muslims in Congress will improve their lives, or the lives of women? Get a life!

This poem has one sentence

From Pádraig Ó Tuama e-mail (Sept 13)

"In my first Poetry Unbound book (Poetry Unbound: 50 Poems to Open Your World), I wrote an essay about a magnificent short poem from Rafiq Kathwari’s collection In Another Country. It’s a short poem. In fact, the title is longer than the poem itself.

"On Receiving Father at JFK after his Long Flight from Kashmir" 

 As I fling my arms wide, he extends his hand.

(From Rafiq Kathwari’s In Another Country, published by Doire Press)

That’s it. If you’re reading this on a phone, it may be that there are line breaks in either the title or body of the poem, but in the book, the title and poem are simply one line across the page each."

Read in context of Mr. Kathwari's family history, this is a beautiful poem.  Even one sentence. I read it to our poetry group at the Estates yesterday.  I don't think the group quite understood my enthusiasm. 

Dear Classmates

Must be a rerun. Found it cleaning out my files, too old to be AI, but could still be a fake.

Dear classmates of 1957. Erma Bombeck, one of my favorite writers, said this when she found out she was dying of cancer. We’ve made it this far—near or at 80, so enjoy the ride!

If I had my life to live over, by Erma Bombeck

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren’t there for the day.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the ‘good’ living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn’t show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I’d have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, “Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.” There would have been more “I love you’s” and more “I’m sorry’s.”

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute, look at it and really see it…live it and never give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!!

Don’t worry about who doesn’t like you, who has more, or who’s doing what. Instead, let’s cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.

Are we doomed or is this just another Fauci psyop?

Have you seen the guy with round glasses who looks like a 20-year-old with a doomsday message about AI? I saw him interviewed on Fox, but I think all the networks had a version, plus WSJ. Although he had no reputation, almost no job history, no social media presence and no one knew who put him up to it, this "Whistle blower" suddenly had about 100 million fans. views, interviews and overnight became more popular than Dr. Fauci. So, I used AI to look him up based by my description. 

"Jacob Coxon, a 27‑year‑old former researcher at Anthropic and OpenAI Gizmodo."

 
There are several doomer psyop groups and if you use the old term "follow the money" you'll find Bernie--maybe--or according to Mr, Coxon it's too late and the beings will just kill all of you because they are reproducing themselves.

This morning I listened to the Friday edition of All-In, and here's how Friedberg summed up how fear of risk and the "new" are built into our beings:

"Friedberg supplies the historical pattern that makes the panel skeptical of the doomer framing generally. Al Gore's documentary An Inconvenient Truth leaned on IPCC forecasts that have since proven overstated (15:45). Public health officials predicted COVID would require total lockdown, with consequences that included the inflation and debt spiral that followed (16:12). After the Three Mile Island accident, the United States effectively stopped building nuclear plants, and the price shows it: producing one gigawatt of nuclear power costs about $15 billion in the US today, versus roughly $1 billion in China (16:36). Each case, Friedberg argues, followed the same shape: an unprovable existential claim, amplified until it became the default social assumption, used to justify centralizing control in the hands of whoever raised the alarm.

"The US will be the tribe in the Amazon that has never seen civilization. 'Cause civilization will evolve all around us." - David Friedberg [20:36]

This summary leaves out a lot, but here is a full podcast https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=cvxjqbfLVk0 If I know anything about technology above e-mail, it's these guys.

I wonder where they find their titles

 Ohio Poetry Association.  

Founded in Columbus in 1929, the Ohio Poetry Association serves poets and those who appreciate poetry at all levels. We provide a variety of programs and other opportunities for developing and professional poets.  Ohio Poetry Association | Facebook

Ohio Poetry Journals & Presses

Looking to submit your work or read the work of another poet? Explore these Ohio poetry publishers.

Antioch Review
Ashland Poetry Press
Bottom Dog Press
Cleveland State University Press
Crisis Chronicles Press
deep cleveland press
Dos Madres Press
Full/Crescent Press
Kattywompus Press
Kenyon Review
Mid-American Review
NightBallet Press
Oberlin College Press
Ohio State University Press
Ohio University Press & Swallow Press
The Orchard Street Press
The Poet's Haven
Slippery Elm
University of Akron Press
Writing Knights Press

You can also explore Ohio's book publishers on the Ohio Center for the Book website here.

Affordability--it's a Democrat hoax

Affordability.

I'm really sick of that word. In 2022 inflation was 8%; today it's 3.36% even with the war in the middle east, it is lower in the Trump administration. All week-end the news has reported on the huge crowds traveling--despite high costs. Duh. So, affordability is OK, because prices aren't keeping people home to picnic in the neighborhood park, right?

In 1962 we bought our first house which we (Bob converted to a duplex) bought for $14,000. The government CPI says $14,000 would now be $140,840, about the same for a low income neighborhood in that town that we paid. 1,000% inflation, so I think only the government creates inflation. Fauci fooled both Trump and Biden and messed up the entire country. And from what I hear among Democrats, some of them still believe Fauci and think we are still virtuous for importing illegals to take jobs from Americas. .

Canadian retirement woes

At least he's not blaming it on Trump--the fact he can't afford to retire. Bruce Grierson is a Canadian free lance writer--which has never been a secure, stable job. Affordability. I'm starting to hate that word. I'm not gloating, but I gave up a lot when I was younger so I would have enough to live on when I couldn't support myself.

But I did talk to one of my neighbors this morning at our independent living residence and complained that I was having a problem with the double verification code with my OSU e-mail password, and would you believe my friend blamed President Trump? And he was serious! His reasoning was that if Trump could rename Lake Ontario then he had messed with my e-mail login. And it's a shame too. He's such a nice guy other than that ugly Trump derangement syndrome.

https://macleans.ca/longforms/retirement-is-dead/

UALC is 70 years old and we've been there 52 years

 

We raised our hands by decade this past Sunday in worship at Lytham Road UALC. So, I'll repeat the letter from Pastor Joe Valentino (Lytham Road campus) that came in my e-mail, August 27, 2026. I'm pretty sure that Helen sitting in the pew in front of me raised her hand for 70--she's 100+. We began attending in 1974 and joined in 1976--and the next day Bob lost his job.

"This fall, UALC celebrates 70 years of life together, faithful service, and care for our community.

In July 1956, a group of men and women came together with a shared hope: to build a community rooted in faith, shaped by grace, and centered on the truth that Jesus is enough. What began as a small Lutheran congregation serving Upper Arlington has grown into a community that reaches across northwest Columbus and supports God’s work far beyond our local neighborhoods.

As we celebrate this milestone, we remember that UALC is more than an organization or a building. UALC is people: families, friends, volunteers, staff, longtime members, new faces, and neighbors who bring their gifts, time, and care to something larger than themselves. By God’s grace, we are part of his ongoing work. UALC is you.

Throughout these 70 years, God has brought together people with many different gifts, skills, and talents. He has grown our faith, knit us together as one body, and used this congregation to draw people to himself.

God is at work in our community, and he has chosen each of us to be part of what he is doing. As we look back with gratitude on the past 70 years, let us ask him to continue using UALC for his glory and for the good of our neighbors."

Lake Ontario

President Trump amazes me with the ways he tweaks the noses of both his Democrat Party challengers and our global trading partners. Like renaming Lake Ontario. For decades our woke and DEI advocates have been changing names of schools, sports teams, even pronouns and biological functions (like "chest feeding") to promote their philosophies. They've demanded we call Fred Frederica or lose our jobs. Well, he's a patriot, Has been as long as I can remember. TV -- I remember seeing him on the Oprah show when he was just a Democrat celebrity--maybe 40 years ago.

 
https://youtu.be/bFrpsx3r--Q?si=dYjeUX7-ECU8FIYX

Donald Trump's wardrobe hasn't changed, his beliefs about other countries "Ripping us off" haven't changed but look at that audience. 40 years later we all look like we're dressed for a circus or working in the garden.

Our poetry group at The Estates

We use AI a lot more than we think, but my most recent "event" was asking it, "How to start a poetry group at a senior living facility." We're ready for our 3rd meeting. Got some good stuff going.

https://www.statista.com/chart/35426/how-americans-want-ai-to-support-them/?

Syncope in older adults

 Syncope in Older Adults - What You Need to Know

Or why are you fainting?

What is syncope?

Syncope is also called fainting or passing out. Syncope is a sudden, temporary loss of consciousness, followed by a fall from a standing or sitting position. A syncope episode is usually short.

What causes or increases my risk for syncope?

Syncope is caused by a decrease in blood flow to the brain. When blood flow to the brain decreases, oxygen to the brain also decreases. Any of the following conditions may cause syncope:

Medicines such as blood pressure medicine or antidepressants, or use of multiple medicines

A medical condition such as severe anemia, a nerve disorder, asthma, or hyperventilation (breathing too quickly)

A heart condition, such as a narrow artery or an irregular heartbeat

Dehydration

Problems with the blood vessels of your brain

Bleeding, especially in your stomach or intestines, or a blood clot that passes through your lungs

A rapid drop in blood pressure after a body position change, such as moving from lying to sitting or standing

Straining during bowel movements, a cough or sneeze, or a stressful or fearful situation

What signs and symptoms may occur before syncope?

Cold, clammy, and sweaty skin

Fast breathing and a racing, pounding heartbeat

Feeling more tired than usual

Nausea, a warm feeling, sweating, and lightheadedness

A headache or dizziness

Tingling sensation or numbness

Spots in front of your eyes, blurred vision, or double vision

How is the cause of syncope diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will examine you and ask about your symptoms. Tell your provider everything you know about your syncope episode. Include where you were when you fainted and what you were doing before symptoms started. Your provider will ask about your medical history, including any heart conditions in your family. Ask anyone who saw you faint to come with you to tell the provider details of what happened. Your provider may order the following tests to find out what is causing your symptoms:

Blood tests may be done to find the cause of your syncope.

Telemetry is continuous monitoring of your heart rhythm. Sticky pads placed on your skin connect to an EKG machine that records your heart rhythm.

An echocardiogram is a type of ultrasound. Sound waves are used to show the structure and function of your heart.

A stress test may show the changes that take place in your heart while it is under stress. Stress may be placed on your heart with exercise or medicine. Ask for more information about this test.

A Holter monitor is also called a portable electrocardiography (EKG) monitor. It shows your heart's electrical activity while you do your usual activities. The monitor is a small battery-operated device that you wear. It will show how fast your heart beats and if it beats in a regular pattern. Your provider may recommend this if you have syncope often over 2 to 3 days.

How is syncope treated?

Treatment depends on the cause of your syncope. To prevent syncope from happening again, you may need any of the following:

Medicines may be needed to help your heart pump strongly and regularly. Your healthcare provider may also make changes to any medicines that are causing syncope.

Tilt training involves training yourself to stand for 10 to 30 minutes each day against a wall. This helps your body decrease the effects of posture changes and reduces the number of fainting spells.

What can I do to manage syncope?

Keep a record of your syncope episodes. Include your symptoms and your activity before and after the episode. The record can help your healthcare provider find the cause of your syncope and help you manage episodes.

Sit or lie down when needed. This includes when you feel dizzy, your throat is getting tight, and your vision changes. Raise your legs above the level of your heart. Your provider may also recommend that you keep the head of your bed elevated. This can help keep your blood pressure from dropping too low.

Check your blood pressure often. This is important if you take medicine to lower your blood pressure. Check your blood pressure when you are lying down and when you are standing. Ask how often to check during the day. Keep a record of your blood pressure numbers. Your provider may use the record to help plan your treatment.

Use assistive devices as directed. Your provider may suggest that you use a cane or walker to help you keep your balance. You may need to have grab bars put in your bathroom near the toilet or in the shower.

What can I do to prevent a syncope episode?

Know and avoid your triggers. Certain events may bring on syncope. These events may cause you to feel under pressure, upset, or fearful. When you feel the symptoms, you can make movements to prevent a syncope episode. For example, make a fist, cross your legs, squeeze your thighs together, or tighten your arm muscles.

Move slowly and let yourself get used to one position before you move to another position. This is very important when you change from a lying or sitting position to a standing position. Take some deep breaths before you stand up from a lying position. Stand up slowly. Sudden movements may cause a fainting spell. Sit on the side of the bed or couch for a few minutes before you stand up. If you are on bedrest, try to be upright for about 2 hours each day, or as directed. Do not lock your legs if you are standing for a long period of time. Move your legs and bend your knees to keep blood flowing.

Follow your healthcare provider's recommendations. 

Your provider may recommend that you drink more liquids to prevent dehydration. You may also need to have more salt to keep your blood pressure from dropping too low and causing syncope. Your provider will tell you how much liquid and sodium to have each day. Your provider will also tell you how much physical activity is safe for you. This will depend on what is causing your syncope.

Watch for signs of low blood sugar. These include hunger, nervousness, sweating, and fast or fluttery heartbeats. Talk with your provider about ways to keep your blood sugar level steady.

Do not strain if you are constipated. You may faint if you strain to have a bowel movement. Walking is the best way to get your bowels moving. Eat foods high in fiber to make it easier to have a bowel movement. Good examples are high-fiber cereals, beans, vegetables, and whole-grain breads. Prune juice may help make bowel movements softer.

Be careful in hot weather. Heat can cause a syncope episode. Limit activity done outside on hot days. Physical activity in hot weather can lead to dehydration. This can cause an episode.

https://ubiehealth.com/doctors-note/vasovagal-syncope-age65-causes-prevent-fainting-37123exp4

Advice about nutrition from Tufts

Advice from the Tufts Health and Nutrition Letter (Aug. 22) 

I think these are probably correct--I've known a long time that plant burgers are processed food, and that lunch meat wrapped in anything contains a lot of sodium, and that granola bars are really candy bars, but they are all on our senior living company's recommended diet.

PLANT-BASED BURGERS

Plant-based burgers that look and taste like meat are all the rage. But the truth is these "meat" products are highly-processed foods that bear resemblance to the plant foods from which they come. [These are served in hospitals and retirement and nursing homes and schools.]

TURKEY IN A SPINACH WRAP

Contrary to what you’ve read, turkey in a spinach wrap is not a wise choice. Deli turkey is sky-high in sodium and the wrap typically contains refined grains and only trace amounts of spinach.

GRANOLA BARS

Granola bars seem healthy, but many are just crunchy delivery mechanisms for sugar. Chocolate and other coatings can easily bring the total to 20 grams per bar – the same as a Snicker’s Bar!

BUT, I really wish I could find out what Tufts advised about Covid and what money it took or whose careers were ruined 5 years ago. I haven't been able to dig it out. 

Jim Wigtil, a friend met late

 About 9 years ago I began chatting with a woman at the gym and we became friends.  We started having long talks about our careers at Ohio State, our childhood years (we were the same age,) and faith, and I often went out for coffee with her and her husband, Jim.  They had a full and active life. In recent years be had periodic illnesses and JoAnne, his wife, turned her time to care giving. Then we moved a year ago to a senior retirement community, and meeting became difficult. Recently he died and I'll be attending his funeral. We met late, but it was a good friendship.

James Wigtil Obituary - Columbus, OH

Should it be so hard to buy Folex?

I wonder why people buy on-line. Well, I know why, but the math doesn't work.

 If I drive to Lowe's and buy one bottle 32 oz of  (carpet spot cleaner) I don't know exactly what it costs, but recall it's about 6 or 7 dollars. On line one 32 oz is $6.88 (although it varies), and on line 3 bottles same size are $34. Let's round up--I'm not the best in math--but isn't $21 less than $34? Couldn't I buy 5 singles for about the same as 3 singles if sold together?

 
Are customers so math challenged that they think larger or packaged together is cheaper? And why if I specifically ask the AI whozit "cost of Folex at Lowe's" I first get every imaginable product and size I don't want not in Lowe's and not in the store?

Who is dumb? Customer? Algorithm? AI?