• Happy New Year!

    From Mike Dippel@954:895/1 to All on Thu Jan 1 00:23:44 2026
    I just watched the ball drop. It makes me wonder what is in store for me, my family, my
    country, the world in the coming year.

    I pray that everyone has a blessed year filled with health and happiness!

    Mike Dippel

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  • From Rob Mccart@954:895/54 to MIKE DIPPEL on Fri Jan 2 09:49:17 2026
    I just watched the ball drop. It makes me wonder what is in store
    >for me, my family, my country, the world in the coming year.

    I'm usually pretty up and my health and financial stability is
    better than most but even I have said a few times in the past
    couple of years that I'm glad I'm not a lot younger and I won't
    be around for what it looks like is probably coming..

    ---
    * SLMR Rob * Sometimes you get the beer. Sometimes the beer gets you.
    * Origin: Capitol City Online (954:895/54)
  • From Daryl Stout@954:200/56 to Mike Dippel on Fri Jan 2 04:15:39 2026
    Mike,

    I pray that everyone has a blessed year filled with health and
    happiness!

    If you saw a light on in my house at the new year, it meant I had
    to go pee. <G>

    Daryl

    ... Bartenders do it on the rocks.
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  • From Mike Dippel@954:895/1 to Rob Mccart on Fri Jan 2 10:31:58 2026
    On 1/2/2026 9:54 AM, Rob Mccart wrote to Mike Dippel:

    I just watched the ball drop. It makes me wonder what is in store
    >for me, my family, my country, the world in the coming year.

    I'm usually pretty up and my health and financial stability is
    better than most but even I have said a few times in the past
    couple of years that I'm glad I'm not a lot younger and I won't
    be around for what it looks like is probably coming..

    ---
    * SLMR Rob * Sometimes you get the beer. Sometimes the beer gets you.
    * Origin: Capitol City Online (954:895/54)

    I try to stay up as well. Like most people I have some health issues, and sometimes I
    feel a little depressed, but overall, I love like and want to stick around as long as
    possible. I have found that I can deal with the 'small' stuff, knowing that there is more
    good than bad in my life.

    Mike Dippel


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  • From Mike Dippel@954:895/1 to Daryl Stout on Fri Jan 2 10:35:36 2026
    On 1/2/2026 4:21 AM, Daryl Stout wrote to Mike Dippel:

    Mike,

    I pray that everyone has a blessed year filled with health and happiness!

    If you saw a light on in my house at the new year, it meant I had
    to go pee. <G>

    Daryl

    I'm guessing that you didn't stay up. I did stay up, but went to bed not long after the
    ball dropped. One year I made a resolution that I knew I cold keep: "I'm going to gain
    weight". Sure enough, it came true <g>.

    Mike Dippel

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  • From Mike Powell@954:895/54 to ROB MCCART on Fri Jan 2 11:17:47 2026
    I just watched the ball drop. It makes me wonder what is in store
    >for me, my family, my country, the world in the coming year.

    I'm usually pretty up and my health and financial stability is
    better than most but even I have said a few times in the past
    couple of years that I'm glad I'm not a lot younger and I won't
    be around for what it looks like is probably coming..

    Indeed. :(

    Mike P


    * SLMR 2.1a * The ultimate mail reader is here!!!!
    --- SBBSecho 3.28-Linux
    * Origin: Capitol City Online (954:895/54)
  • From Daryl Stout@954:200/56 to Mike Dippel on Sat Jan 3 02:19:54 2026
    Mike,

    I'm guessing that you didn't stay up. I did stay up, but went
    to bed not long after the ball dropped. One year I made a
    resolution that I knew I cold keep: "I'm going to gain weight".
    Sure enough, it came true <g>.

    Actually, I did. I was recording the audio transcript of the monthly
    Journal for the Quarter Century Wireless Assocation (QCWA). It's for
    amateur radio operators, anywhere in the world, who were first licensed
    at least 25 year ago (2001 as of 2026), and are currently licensed.

    I've been doing that since September, 2024, when the individual who
    had been doing it, retired. Having had poor eyesight (legally blind,
    with severe nearsightedness much of my life), I realized what a benefit
    this is...for those who are visually impaired, or completely blind.

    For doing such, I was 1 of 2 recipients of the 2025 QCWA President's Award...which I was NOT expecting.

    This month (January, 2026) was 90 minutes long, and 35 megabytes in
    size. You might as well order a 7 course meal, as it'll take as long
    to eat it, as it will to listen to the recording. <G>

    And, I got an award for starting my 35th year in amateur radio.

    Daryl, N5VLZ

    ... Buttblotting Fluid - The blue stuff on diaper commercials.
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    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:200/56)
  • From Rob Mccart@954:895/54 to MIKE POWELL on Sun Jan 4 08:46:35 2026
    I'm usually pretty up and my health and financial stability is
    >> better than most but even I have said a few times in the past
    >> couple of years that I'm glad I'm not a lot younger and I won't
    >> be around for what it looks like is probably coming..

    Indeed. :(

    That was a bit of a downer statement I guess.. I've been listening
    to my Niece and her husband complain about how bad things are,
    but they are living in a big expensive house that's almost fully
    paid off and everything seems to be going pretty well so I guess
    it's not all that horrible for everyone.

    Although her husband is expecting the big crash that will make
    money worthless, buying Crypto and Gold and such..

    I've tried to tell him if everything totally crashes, you can't
    eat Gold either.. B)

    ---
    * SLMR Rob * Join the Anarchists Club now... Phone - Ummm... ???
    * Origin: Capitol City Online (954:895/54)
  • From Rob Mccart@954:895/54 to MIKE DIPPEL on Sun Jan 4 08:46:35 2026
    I'm usually pretty up and my health and financial stability is
    >-> better than most but even I have said a few times in the past
    >-> couple of years that I'm glad I'm not a lot younger and I won't
    >-> be around for what it looks like is probably coming..

    I try to stay up as well. Like most people I have some health issues,
    >and sometimes I
    >feel a little depressed, but overall, I love like and want to stick
    >around as long as
    >possible. I have found that I can deal with the 'small' stuff,
    >knowing that there is more good than bad in my life.

    Yes, I'm not as bad off as a lot of people my age but it's important
    not to dwell too much on the things you can't do anything about and
    if you can feed yourself and pay the bills, you can usually find
    a little something to enjoy in life. Giving up on things just makes
    whatever years we have left unhappy ones.

    A line I recently took note of in a book I was reading said:
    "Boredom is self inflicted injury.." B)

    ---
    * SLMR Rob * Acrophobics Anonymous meets 8pm in the church basement
    * Origin: Capitol City Online (954:895/54)
  • From Mike Powell@954:895/54 to ROB MCCART on Sun Jan 4 10:50:08 2026
    Although her husband is expecting the big crash that will make
    money worthless, buying Crypto and Gold and such..

    I suspect that we are in an AI Bubble right now and, much like the Dot Com bubble of the 1990s, it will eventually burst.

    I've tried to tell him if everything totally crashes, you can't
    eat Gold either.. B)

    Not sure that crypto will be very safe. You can at least trade physical
    gold for things, though. ;)

    Mike P

    * SLMR 2.1a * Oxymoron: Arrogant Humility.
    --- SBBSecho 3.28-Linux
    * Origin: Capitol City Online (954:895/54)
  • From Rob Mccart@954:895/54 to MIKE POWELL on Tue Jan 6 09:16:57 2026
    Although her husband is expecting the big crash that will make
    >> money worthless, buying Crypto and Gold and such..

    I suspect that we are in an AI Bubble right now and, much like the Dot Com
    >bubble of the 1990s, it will eventually burst.

    It's not just AI, although that is adding confusion. The housing prices
    are ridiculous, although slowly starting to drop and, blamed on AI
    or no, I think there are fewer jobs than the young people who will
    need them and increases in the cost of living due to inflation outpacing increases in income for Most people. Also, when you base the support of
    society (pensions and taxes funding the gov't) on constant increase in population eventually you hit a point of saturation.

    I've tried to tell him if everything totally crashes, you can't
    >> eat Gold either.. B)

    Not sure that crypto will be very safe. You can at least trade physical
    >gold for things, though. ;)

    Only if gold still has value.. If money goes away then things revert
    to a barter system.

    Not that I think things will get that bad.. There will be more poor
    people and more problems but I think we will carry on..

    ---
    * SLMR Rob * The Procrastinators Anonymous meeting has been postponed
    * Origin: Capitol City Online (954:895/54)
  • From Mike Powell@954:895/54 to ROB MCCART on Tue Jan 6 11:28:40 2026
    Although her husband is expecting the big crash that will make
    >> money worthless, buying Crypto and Gold and such..

    I suspect that we are in an AI Bubble right now and, much like the Dot Com
    >bubble of the 1990s, it will eventually burst.

    It's not just AI, although that is adding confusion. The housing prices
    are ridiculous, although slowly starting to drop and,

    This is supposedly because private companies, and foreign investors,
    are/were buying up properties like candy. Not sure if they still are or
    not.

    Mike P

    * SLMR 2.1a * Is beer like Champagne?
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    * Origin: Capitol City Online (954:895/54)
  • From Rob Mccart@954:895/54 to MIKE POWELL on Thu Jan 8 09:18:19 2026
    It's not just AI, although that is adding confusion. The housing prices
    >> are ridiculous, although slowly starting to drop and,

    This is supposedly because private companies, and foreign investors,
    >are/were buying up properties like candy. Not sure if they still are or
    >not.

    They've taken measures to reduce that in Canada but it sounded like
    the biggest influence was caused by too much immigration and foreign
    students and such all needing housing. We were bringing in people
    faster than we were building housing for them so, supply and demand..

    ---
    * SLMR Rob * This secret formula protected by the Metric system
    * Origin: Capitol City Online (954:895/54)