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Lowell Tuttle

Back.

Called my good friend Ester Ray Burns in Austin today and asked if possible for her alum UT deal on ticketing to include Susie and me for the November 2024 UT / A&M game in College Station.  

I think Susie would be impressed.

The only game I went to in College Station was UT/A&M in November of 1969...Checked in on Steve Healy there who was a cadet.   Went to the bonfire, saw the yell leaders, watched when they scored for the kisses.

I hope it will be a good game and hope I will be here still...

Wayne Gary

With all of the Aggie jokes I am just having fun with the tu/ut.UT debate.

Jerry May

Janalu, I just happened to read the forum today, and saw your kind post! Yup ole 45' and I are exactly 5 years apart. Ellen had a huge lemon cake made..... that is sooooo rich, I can only stand one "sliver" at a time. Great with this mornings coffee! Such a sweet wife for all her thoughtfulness! And I'll share this. I woke up one day last week......at my usual 5:00 o'clock time. And there she was, holding my hand. (apparently had fallen sound asleep, and ended up that way) Didn't even stir when I said, "Gonna go get you some coffee"

So I've been observing the comments made about candidates, and the downside to them. 
I do like Desantis.....and think he will make a fine President .......someday. But if President Trump is able to run he'll win. Heck even Gavin Newsome said he thought Trump would "clean his clock!" DeSantis will have his moment..... because he is so young!

As far as Trump is concerned, yes he's arrogant and conceited and has become hardened moreso.....because

the left and the media have constantly nipped at his heals and make "mountains out of molehills!" And so yes, he will hit back! Even Melania.... our beautiful First Lady at the time was interviewed about him. Her response was someting akin to: " If you try to make fun or criticize or try to embarrass him, he WiLL hit back, twice as hard!" 
But I'm in agreement with Bob Davidson. Look at the accomplishments.....inspite of all the distractions! I'll take a Doberman in the White House over a poodle any day!

So I'll take Trump, because he is maybe the only one who can "right this ship" now.

And what many dont know is there is another side to him. It manifests itself in subtle ways, like helping with the 

mic when shorter people get up to speak, and then some not so subtle ways. Like waiting on people in the Oval Office: "Need some more coffee, cream or another roll?"

And Ellen and I saw this at work through him or the administration in his term. 
I was at my "wits end" trying to get Ellen before a judge when she became very sick as you recall from fluoroquinolone poisoning. She had 5 surgeries for torn ligaments and tendons; and chronic fatigue and brain fog! The latter two are still a problem! 
So I wrote President Trump on Ellen's behalf pleading for a speedier hearing. Three months later we were in front of a judge, after waiting two years!
To make a very long story short, the judge looked at the case and finally said, "Well after reading some nine-hundred pages of medical testimony; and I see here we've heard from the TRUMP administration. I'm ruling benefits!" And the gavel came down!

So he or someone in the administration had done exactly what we wanted (he or someone knew someone with SSA) We didn't need a letter back, just wanted results! Just as I've heard of him paying off peoples homes and such, he does some things quietly.

Still not the reasons I would vote for him, but this kinda proves he's not the "devil incarnate" either!

That's all, and Janalu thanks again!~j

David Cordell

We all know that Biden loves Amtrak, but....really??

This is only 16 seconds.

Lowell Tuttle

When I was in the hospital for eight days, a different intern from Houston Methodist Neurosurgery practice visited with me early each morning.

One morning. a very attractive young female came in an announced herself as Dr. Demand, intern.   We had a conversation.

I asked if she was any relation to Gary or Bobby Demand (from RHS) and that I had played JV football with them the first year they moved to Richardson.

Her eyes lit up.   They are her uncles.   I can't remember which for sure, but I think she said Gary had passed.

What a small world.

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

Lowell,

That incident with Dr. Demand was interesting.  I wonder what kind of comments the lady gets when she tells everyone of her name, Dr. Demand, especially in a hospital situation?  Probably like the ones I got as Miss Jeanes, when I was a youngster at Heights.  Kids would ask me if I was related to Mr. Green Jeans, on Captain Kangaroo.  I would nearly always say "Yes!"

Glad you are feeling more chipper and enjoying the comforts of home.  Are you restricted from driving for a while?

My husband had the old fashioned type of laminectomies that they performed in the late seventies, where there was only one incision, so he has a six inch scar on the small of his back.  He was not able to drive for three weeks, which drove him nuts!  Drove me nuts too, since he can't stand to be stuck at home for days on end, not being able to go fishing or anything else. 

Jerry, 

That was so interesting that Trump, or his staff, answered your personal letter to him.  That reminds me of when we were second graders, and Virginia Hooter wrote a letter to President Eisenhower, to which he responded.   I can't remember what she asked him, but he was so kind as to write back to that little stinker!  HA!

David Cordell

Question: Do you use an email client to aggregate your different email addresses in one place?

I have seven email addresses, most of which I don't use much. But I would like for all of them to be visible in one place. I have Outlook, but it is my university account. There are some emails that I wouldn't want to go to the university!

Any ideas?

Wayne Gary

David,

You can go to the settings and have them forwarded to a named e-mail. My work e-mail was forwarded to my managers e-mail so both of us had a copy.

Wayne Gary

It is so humid today that when I was mowing my yard I kept seeing schools of fish swimming by.

Lowell Tuttle

Cordell.   Bent grass greens with wild bermuda rough and bermuda planted mounds is why I joined Falcon Point back in 1988.

Of course we had lakes rather than rolling terrain and elevation...

But the same idea exists around the greens...

No more bent grass now...they decided to swtch to bermuda years ago.   Hard to keep bent alive in 90+% humidity and 80 + degrees farenheit...

This US open is fun to watch...especially since I am in a back brace and a walker anyway...

David Cordell

Lowell,

I like the LACC course, and I think it will be harder tomorrow and Sunday with drier conditions and another day of growth in the rough. I'm not sure why they didn't make the fairways narrower, though. Looks like Aggie Sam Bennett might be for real. Hope Scottie makes a move tomorrow. Looks like Spieth missed the cut.

What's your time schedule on the road to recovery? How long will you need a walker? Do you mind providing details of the surgery?

David Cordell

I may not be explaining myself very well. 

I want to be able to open one app, whether by smartphone or computer, that will show all my emails together, regardless whether they are from AOL, UTDallas, Hotmail, Gmail, etc.

Is there a really good app that aggregates the emails well and allows saving emails in one place?

Is Outlook good at this?

Lowell Tuttle

David.   I have used Outlook for years.   The feature which allows you to add accounts is what you are looking for.   I believe it is dependent your set up as to how many accounts you can have.   That being said, each account is slightly different.   It is hard for guys like us to do this because we are not familiar with the terminology and/or standards an expert easily understands.   Even youtube video's or Microsoft pages with suggestions is frustrating.   Have an expert help you...and help you understand what they have done.  $200 I am guessing.   And never change internet providors without them re setting it all up.

Here is my procedure from mychart@methodist

Sandra Spieker (Ringo)

David posted:

I may not be explaining myself very well. 

I want to be able to open one app, whether by smartphone or computer, that will show all my emails together, regardless whether they are from AOL, UTDallas, Hotmail, Gmail, etc.

Is there a really good app that aggregates the emails well and allows saving emails in one place?

Is Outlook good at this?

Sandra Responds:

I have Outlook and I use it to send all of four of my email accounts to one place, my computer.  I don't know if it works for Gmail, I don't use Gmail.    Danny has set up  the Outlook email accounts.    Fact is, we have separation of duties at our house.  Emails is Danny's job to set it up and maintain.  Not my thing, I might muck it up.  I know how to look at the settings mind you, but change them.....no way. I probably could in a pinch but to touch them would be unwise.  I don't send my emails to my iphone.   I use that thing enough as it is without introducing another reason to pick it up.  I know it can be done though. 

Lowell Tuttle

I did accomplish one tech feature recently.   I hate hate hate phone texting.   Too small for my fingers.   I purchased a new Dell desktop recently.   Customers love texting

One of its features was phone texting (on the computer, bluetoothed to my phone.)

So, if someone texts me, it shows up on my computer monitor.   I can answer using my regular keyboard.

Supposedly, I can also answer and make phone calls with this Dell feature, but I don't have microphone yet.

Jerry May

HAPPY FATHERS DAY........ Guys!

Wayne Gary

I did not know how much of  the Southern states were not affected by the Emancipation Proclamation. Kentucky, Missouri, Delaware and Maryland were slave states not part of the CSA.  There were many tribes that held slaves.  It took the 13th amendment  and treats to end slavery in all of the US.   Here is part of it;

Now, therefore I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by virtue of the power in me vested as Commander-in-Chief, of the Army and Navy of the United States in time of actual armed rebellion against the authority and government of the United States, and as a fit and necessary war measure for suppressing said rebellion, do, on this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and in accordance with my purpose so to do publicly proclaimed for the full period of one hundred days, from the day first above mentioned, order and designate as the States and parts of States wherein the people thereof respectively, are this day in rebellion against the United States, the following, to wit:

Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, (except the Parishes of St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Jefferson, St. John, St. Charles, St. James Ascension, Assumption, Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Orleans, including the City of New Orleans) Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, (except the forty-eight counties designated as West Virginia, and also the counties of Berkley, Accomac, Northampton, Elizabeth City, York, Princess Ann, and Norfolk, including the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth[)], and which excepted parts, are for the present, left precisely as if this proclamation were not issued.

And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

Justice is SWERVED!

Remember when we were at the Deuback Skating Rink and the announcer would come over the PA system to announce,  "All Skate"?  Little did we know what that term would come to mean in our lives!

Merrick Garland allows the FBI and DOJ to remain weaponized against us, the citizens, which began under Obama's Eric Holder, with his leadership preferences.  Garland is still pissed that Mitch McConnell didn't allow him to become a Supreme Court Justice.  

So he is reeking his vengeance now, as J. Biden watches and talks secretly with the AG, agreeing with Garland's actions.

And what exactly IS the 'BIDEN FAMILY BUSINESS'?   Please explain........... 

It is not 'IT', but maybe it is 'IP'? (influence peddling) 

NAW!   Prez. JoeJoe is a fine, gentlemanly guy, dontcha' know!   And we want to re-elect that fine, upstanding (except when he stumbles) mental midget!!!

Fool me once..........

And by the way, did you read recently about the Dominion Computer critical vulnerabilities? 

No?

Well.......I'm not surprised that you didn't read or hear of it.  You have to search the internet to find it..........

But the state of Georgia is re-thinking their use of the machines and are considering manually-marked ballots instead.........

Best choice, I think!  There will be no need to worry about fouled outcome.  We can rely only on our own hand to mark and handle our ballots.  Convenience needs to be secondary at this point in time.  Our votes MUST be legitimate and unblemished by other hands or apparatus inventions.  We MUST have accurate elections!

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

Tommy,

 I have confidence in marking my little round circles, as I have done that process since elementary school when we filled in those same type little circles on our Iowa Basic Skills forms.  Every year, for two days in a row.  Blackening those blank zeros!  Two days of no regular subjects and no homework!  My hand would get cramps doing that particular exercise each day, but I powered through!  I never had a notice that my forms were incorrectly filled in, and I never had to do any repeats for errors.  Evidently, I performed my task sufficiently, and was able to have my skills tabulated.  And I know that others all around me did the same.

If there are those among us who can't perform that coloring process sufficiently, then I would assume that those people should not be voting for our very important representatives, or our president.  SOME educational proficiency is necessary to vote.  Those lacking citizens should be required to go to a class or demonstration, to learn the easy skills necessary.  If they have some disability, then special assistants can be provided; assistants who have been designated to do such tasks by the election offices of each state.

You say you had a secure database.  Well I'm glad you can guarantee that that database was secure.

I don't believe that our government can guarantee that anything they set up will be secured to my satisfaction, since we are to trust our fellow mankind who are seeking paying jobs.  I doubt those people are selected for their integrity in much of a verifiable way, nor are they sworn to be totally unbiased, having signed some type of binding legal agreement before a certified official, with witnesses at hand.  Although in some states, official voting officers have likely been very careful to select honorable citizens to be sure, I suspect in other states, selection processing of voter helpers may have been too lax in our past.  I may be wrong...... 

  Does that sound cynical?  You bet!  In this day and age, I trust few.

I forgot to mention that the Postal System is not particularly good at handling ballots well, so I think it is best to go to a voting precinct to cast your vote during an alloted voting few days ( 3-4-5 days perhaps) and if some persons know they will be out of town, then those persons can vote 2 weeks ahead of schedule, for 2 or three days, at a close-by voting office, as designated.  Seems reasonable to me.  If there are homebound folks who can't get out, then cetain verified voting officials will go to those people, with a witness to oversee the filling-out process.  A phone call to your local precinct office, can set up an appointment, I would think.  These people can vote three wks. ahead, to have plenty of time to make arrangements.

The pandemic rashness should not continue to stay in place.  We can wrap up our voting much more efficiently now.  Our citizens know how to pay their bills on schedule, and in a timely way, so they should be able to vote in a timely manner without foolish pampering being needed.  Nursing home individuals should have a relative on hand when voting, to oversee that the process is done properly and legally.  Again, if assistants are needed with their witnesses too, then that can be arranged with a voting office, three wks. ahead of the regular voting days.  If more time is needed, the official voting officers in charge can request extra time (perhaps three wks. in rare cases)

We could all vote on this type of process in our states, so I think we should notify our Congress men and women to get busy and prepare bills for legislatures to pass on through for us.  Let's git-ur-done, people!

Sandra Spieker (Ringo)

Tommy and Janalu,

I found this article on the pros and cons of paper ballots versus electronic voting.  Here is the link and list (see list below).  In my opinion you give the average person a pen or pencil, advise them of the simple instructions to fill in the circle completely, or check the box with an X and they will find a way to completely ignore the instructions make a mistake or muck it up.  The chance of error in reading the ballots by hand is great, especially when the ballot is complicated with mulitple candidates, admendments or measures.  It is also vastly more expensive, and time consuming to count.  It would take weeks to get the final results in.

Top ten advantages (merits) of paper ballot

1. The paper ballot is a traditional method used for vote counting. The basic thing it is able to provide to the voters is the trust factor. As it does not have electronic circuits, it is impossible to highjack elections which use the paper ballot.

2. People who are not technology savvy or who do not feel comfortable using computerized voting systems during elections can happy cast their votes using the paper ballot. Paper ballot can be easily used even by the people with low literacy level.

3. Few of the Electronic voting machines works on the battery which might get stuck in between due to low power charge. Thus in the case of uninterrupted voting, paper ballots are the best. Also, post usage of electronic voting machines, the batteries are dumped in open which might be hazardous to the environment.

4. Using paper ballot is time-consuming but it generates a lot of employment for the people who are engaged in vote counting. Due to automation of electronic voting machines, it takes less manpower to calculate the votes which directly impacts the employment rate of people during the general election.

5. The paper ballot is also effective in reducing fake and bogus votes as the software of electronic voting machines can be manipulated with malicious malware which can be used to tamper the actual election results. Manipulating votes in the paper ballot is not that easy as per person gets only one slip to cast their votes.

6. The votes capture by paper ballot can be store for a limited period of time but for electronic voting machines, once they get corrupted it is impossible to get back the original data. In some cases, there were re-elections as the EVMs failed to record the votes properly and recorded only half of the actual votes cast.

7. Casting votes using paper ballots do not use any codes which can be hacked by the hackers. It is impossible to manipulate paper ballot votes.

8. In rural areas, where the cases of robbery are more, in such areas, it is easier for the robbers to rob the EVM but it is difficult for them to rob paper ballot.

9. Electronic voting machines need to be charged on period basis thus in an area where there are frequent power cuts, paper ballots are best.

10. In the paper ballot, it is easier to identify different party symbols but in electronic display system attached in EVM, it is very difficult to make the difference between two almost identical symbols.

Top ten disadvantages (demerits) of paper ballots

Paper ballots are considered to be the most trustworthy methods to be used during an election but it comes with few limitations. We have listed down few disadvantages of the paper ballots due to which EVMs are preferred nowadays.

1. There is no scope for automation in paper ballot system. Electronic voting machines are preferred because it reduces the manual work and with one press of the button, the votes are recorded.

2. Post-election, it takes a huge amount of time to count the votes before declaring the results. In electronic voting machines, the counting is be done within few minutes.

3. The people who are physically challenged find it difficult to cast their votes through the paper ballot and even if they cast their votes using paper ballot they require someone to cast their vote on behalf. In such cases, their privacy while casting vote is breached. However, with EVMs in place they can just touch the screen in order to cast their votes via touchscreen EVM.

4. Paper is a substance that is inflammable thus under certain circumstances, the paper in which the votes were recorded in ballot might get damaged then becomes impossible to retrieve the records of the votes.

5. Paper ballots cannot be manipulated but using paper as a raw material in such voting system it becomes harmful for the environment. On the other hand, using electronic voting machines are much more economical.

6. In few places where the governance is corrupt, they can easily insert several bogus paper votes in the ballot and then it becomes impossible to track the honest votes.

7. Few electronic voting machines give paper trial for the votes recorded. However, on the paper ballot, there are no such confirmations. There is no automation in place which can tell that how many votes were recorded per minute.

8. Casting votes using paper ballot is a time-consuming task whereas voting via EVM is done in few seconds.

9. The cost of expenditure on the paper ballot is way higher than on EVM. Using EVMs are quite economical for the election commission.

10. With the paper ballot, the greatest challenge is that one could never use historic reference in case of the paper ballot whereas in EVMs one can store the records for years.

Both paper ballot and EVMs have their pros and cons but it is up to you to decide that which one does justice to the current voting scenario.

Bob Davidson

Tommy, condescension is not actually a virtue.  Neither is sneering.  You really can do better.

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

Bob,

I agree with you.

All I was trying to say was that where I have voted many times until recently, we marked our ballots in little individual booths, with no problems that were evidenced by me.  I felt good about blackening my little circles beside the names of those I preferred.  After a few minutes, I pushed my ballot into a locked box with a slot in it for the ballots, and left.

All the people in Georgetown voted that way, with little fuss or bother, until recently.

In the last couple of years, we have voted on electronic voting machines, hoping that the machines are tallying our votes properly.  We just have to trust that is happening accurately, and I have trouble trusting government and machines these days.  I've read about how machines can be manipulated after votes have been cast.

I think marking our own ballots and placing out ballots into locked boxs at out precincts made me feel better about my vote being secure and accurate.  The officials at our precincts were our neighbors and friends.

That's all.

Thanks, Bob, for your understanding.

I feel I could trust you anywhere, anytime.

Sorry for my rambling post about voting, #28091.  It was not necessary.   I think after I wrote it, I knew it was going to be attacked by certain folks who like things the way they are currently, while I like the way things used to be.  I'm just an old fashioned kinda gal, I guess.  I felt more secure with the honesty of former times. One of the reasons I spoke in my former post about days at Heights, marking our Iowa Basic Skills remembrances, was because I thought those who post on this forum prefer to hear about our remembrances. And....never at any time, as I typed my words, did I attempt to write a formal thesis.  I was just putting down musings of a small town housewife, thinking aloud, attempting to be a little bit humorous at times.

Sandra Spieker (Ringo)

Janalu,

For what it is worth, I was an election judge in Texas in a very RED county for several years.  During all that time we had nothing but electronic voting.  All of the Republicans always won.  EVERY SINGLE ELECTION.  The only known Democrat that won an election in this county that I know of ran unopposed for College board.  All of those elections were fair.  No one cast a fraululent ballot EVER that I witnessed. As a judge, I witnessed how the machines worked and how voters were qualified and allowed to vote (checked in).  I had to set the voting machines up along with the head judge.  I was always an alternate judge because I was the minority party.  We always lost.  ALWAYS.  In our part of Texas (Parker County) there is no two party system.  Only one runs, and is never opposed and ALWAYS WINS, that is unless it is a national election or one for State Wide office.  Never have I cried foul or accused anyone of fixing or rigging an election, even though my candidate always loses.  I keep voting though....God only knows why. 

The machines work this way.  One set of machines is hooked up to the Elections office via the internet.  These machines sole purpose is to determine if the voter is qualified to vote in that district, or county.  They access the voter database to check the rolls instantly.  The voter must show proof of who they are, and once verified by a human being is then allowed to vote and gets a ticket with a number to access the voting machine.  The actual voting machines are not connected to the internet at all.  Those machines are hooked up to a computer to store votes.  That computer is locked and stays that way the entire election.  The head election Judge has a key to it and no one else does.  My job was to watch that judge and makes sure she or he was honest.  Their job was to watch me to make sure I was honest.    Each vote was backed by a paper ballot (only the last two times I was a judge.).  I have not judged since the pandemic.  I will never judge again.  Too many weirdos claiming fraud scared me out of that job forever.  Great Job Trumpers, you got rid of me!

Voter fraud is very rare.  They catch these folks and punish them severely.  None has affected the outcome of an election in Texas in my lifetime.  If you have proof of such, please post it here. 

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

I'm not a weirdo claiming fraud.

I'm just a voter who prefers marking my ballot the old fashioned way.  It made more sense to me, and I felt more secure that way.

Simple as that.

And I'm not a dyed-in-the-wool Trumpster or cultist, as Hillary states of Republicans, recently.  I'm looking with interest at all of our candidate hopefuls.  There is still a lot of time for developments anew.

You have spoken of your time as a voting official several times.  I have no questions about how you did your job properly.

Bob Davidson

There  is an older gentleman I see most mornings when I walk my dogs.  When he's not walking on the hike and bike trails, often he's resting on one of the benches in the neighborhood park where I give my guys a drink of water.  When he's in the park, we often chat a little.

I know he' s a widower, a retired engineer and was one of the original homeowners in our subdivision, in the late 1980s. Neither of us cares for the current mayor of Houston or the County Judge. Today I found out that he is the younger brother of one of my friends in junior high school in Mississippi and the brother died several years ago. When I asked him if he'd gone to the same schools as his brother, we had a conversation I found both enlightening and discouraging.

I belong to a bulletin board for the high school class most of my junior high friends attended -- a Jackson public school -- and know what has become of a lot of them.  My neighbor is either three or five years behind us (I couldn't quite hear what he said) and had an entirely different school experience from that of my peers:

When Jackson integrated the schools, they did it in steps -- starting with early elementary schools.  That was where things were in 1965 when we moved to Texas.  When John started junior high, it was the first year that our old school was majority black. When I was there, it had no blacks, and the discipline was very, very stringent, almost military, much more so than Richardson.  When they integrated, they brought in a number of teachers and administrators from the old black schools who had different expectations, especially of the black kids.  He said it was so chaotic that almost all of the white kids, including him, left.  So did most of the white teachers.  They all said they left because there was no learning going on, but plenty of stealing, fighting, and drugs.  Jackson public schools went from about half white to 90% black in a couple of years after integration.

His parents weren't rich or connected enough to get him into one of the established private schools so he had to go to one of the newly formed schools, which they called "seg academies" -- quite disparagingly.  His school was run by and taught by ex-Jackson public school administrators, teachers, and coaches.  Their school was an old warehouse, with makeshift equipment and old books but no blacks.

When I mused that it could look really racist, like white parents were so against their kids goiing to school with blacks that they started new segregated schools to get away from them, he said part of it was our parents' generation having different views and part of it was the way the black kids acted.  He and his peers were amazed at how they behaved, like they were from a different, distopian world.  He asked if I remembered when the city closed the public pools in Jackson after the racial incidents.  My memory was that they shut them down temporarliy after there were fights between goups of teenagers and the lifeguards couldn't keep order.  He said they never reopened. 

I had to get home to get to work, but intend to talk more to him about his view of what happened there.  I think I may post something in the other high school bulletin board and see if anyone has any thoughts.

  .