Michael's pondering thoughts

At a pivotal crossroads, a nation contemplates its future between the pursuit of wealth and industry or the call to civic duty and democratic engagement. I turn 57 this month, and with everything going on in the world, it almost feels like an afterthought. This year feels worse, more doom and gloom than others. I am not entirely sure why, but it is not just politics. The economy has been rough too, with gas prices staying high, in my case over $4.25 a gallon, along with rising costs across the board and ongoing tech hardware shortages. It all adds to the sense that things are off. I have never seen as much upheaval as I have this past year. I have also never witnessed in my adult life companies and wealthy individuals fawn over a President to this extent, while much of the media seems complicit. Then they wonder why their trustworthiness is at an all-time low. I believe in a neutral, fact-based media, but in reality we have never truly had one in this country except when it suite...

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING: FULL SPOILERS In "Civil War" (2024), the iconic torch of liberty becomes a battleground as soldiers clash atop its flame, symbolizing the fierce struggle for freedom amid chaos. My Rating: ½ (0.5/5 stars) The movie stunk, and it stunk so bad I kept watching only for the action at the end. It made no sense to me. Why were we in a civil war? Seems more like a feel-good piece for the press. There were undertones of innuendo but no reason was given, nothing clear was given. It was basically like the viewer came in the middle of a tale and only got none of the backstory. Totally stupid movie. If you were supposed to guess about the relationship to today's politics, this movie will be bad in 25 years' time since there is no context at all, and I mean at all. Every good movie has some backstory, either through flashbacks or other ways. My big takeaway: no context, skip it. Don't waste 2 hours like I did. Yes, there were some good action and...

History was made today. The kind of history that will be written about and studied for years to come, and I was able to capture it from my backyard. Artemis II successfully launched with a crew of four and is heading to the Moon. Not as great, magnificent, or universe changing as what we will celebrate this Sunday with Easter and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, not even close. But still amazing. Here is what I get to see from my house on the other side of the coast of Florida. Not as amazing as being there, but still awesome. No Fools today on this 1st of April. Pretty surreal to watch it from here.

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS My Rating: ⭐⭐½ (2.5/5 stars) The cast has done good work in other films, but not here. They were probably paid, but the story was terrible. Calling it a 2.5 felt generous. In my view, there was nothing redeeming about this movie. This product uses the TMDb API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDb .

A man joyfully adjusts settings on a futuristic interface labeled "Analyzing," exploring the possibilities of Stardock's Clairvoyance technology in a cozy, modern workspace. I have been trying out a new app from Stardock called Clairvoyance . It is a nice AI interface that is very powerful and lets you use API keys to interact with large language models and do all kinds of things. It also takes a privacy-first approach and is a bit more user friendly than some other tools I have tried. I will say this has been very compelling and interesting to use. I honestly cannot believe it is free, and I hope it stays free. That said, there are still some bugs and rough edges. For example, it does not always make it clear whether it is actively working or if something has hung. When subagents get stuck there does not seem to be an obvious way to stop or cancel the task, at least that I have found so far. I have also seen cases where the interface says it is finished but still re...

https://elgan.com/why-you-should-love-blogs-now-more-than-ever Why you should love blogs now more than ever , Mike Elgan (@MikeElgan@mastodon.social) on sharkey ( source ) I saw Mike's post in my timeline, and it's referenced above. While I know some people hate AI with a passion, I agree that AI content has, for the most part, made the internet harder to enjoy. I agree with his post wholeheartedly, and maybe it will bring blogs - and hearing from people on blogs - back into the spotlight. There was a time when most blogs looked quaint and personal, reflecting the owner's personality not only in their words but in the site's visuals. I also agree with Dave Winer's views on blogs, though not the idea of leaving everything completely unedited. If by "unedited" he means honest, uncensored feelings, I'm fine with that. But I do think having an AI or another human proofread your work is usually a good idea. When I read some of my earlier posts from m...

A lone traveler embarks on a journey through a vibrant valley of blogging platforms, seeking the perfect path to share their voice and stories with the world. Okay, it has been one year since I joined Micro.blog and Scribbles.page, and just over a year since I joined Write.as. I thought I would review all three services with a clear winner, a hard "can't wait for my subscription to end and won't be renewing," and a dark horse. I joined all three within months of each other looking to get rid of my InMotionHosting web host and get away from WordPress. I didn't like the direction that Matt Mullenweg was heading and didn't want to get burned like I did with Elon Musk and Twitter. Twitter was a special place for me as I refused to use any Zuckerberg product, especially since he ruined Instagram. Now with the history out of the way, here we go. Write.as — I joined the free tier in October/November 2024 and was initially impressed by its simplicity compa...

⚠️ Warning Political Rant Okay, this is one of the few politically related posts I make each year because politics are so divisive. So here’s your warning: if you’d rather not read political commentary, feel free to stop here. The recent armed action against Iran has me conflicted. I believe it's more of a distraction and a pretext than a genuine strategic necessity. While the issues we face in America come from the neglect of both parties, Trump seems to be using these problems to his advantage. This situation should have been addressed years ago when Iran first began developing its nuclear program. The United States is skilled at acting as a global police force and solving immediate problems but not at handling long-term challenges such as nation building. We have never successfully created a functioning foreign democracy. Historically, outside powers that try to build nations in their own image often fail in the long run. They either cannot fully erase local cu...

A cluttered desk overflowing with DVDs, game controllers, and a computer setup highlights the challenge of balancing a busy to-do list with the pursuit of better health and productivity. I haven't blogged lately for several reasons. I have been feeling much better from my Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (I have blogged extensively about it in several past posts). I will just say my Camzyos and Metoprolol 200 mg ER twice daily seems to be working. I am sleeping at night and I hardly feel my heart symptoms anymore. The only lingering negative is a high heart rate most of the time, even when sleeping. But I have more energy, and that is actually why I haven't been blogging as much. I know what you are thinking: if you are feeling better, why aren't you blogging? Well, it is because I am catching up on backlogged personal projects I have wanted to get done, and spending too much money in the process. Ever since AI came on the scene, I have been getting up to speed...

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS In the desolate wasteland of New Vegas, three survivors and their loyal dog embark on a perilous journey through a post-apocalyptic world where every step could be their last. My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5 stars) Episodes: 8 | Aired: 12-16-2025 This season answered a lot of questions and introduced a few new ones. But I actually liked this season better than the first season. I think they did the flashbacks much better this season, and this is thoroughly engaging and enjoyable entertainment. The one negative I would have is that this is not the first TV show or movie that has tried to technologize the 50s after World War 2 and the 60s. I am always astonished at the technology they built but other things that seem like simpler items that they miss, and I say why doesn't the technology they have built work here or there. Oh, and I didn't miss the few references to modern day issues and Trump. I find it amazing how politics of today is meshing...

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING: FULL SPOILERS My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5 stars) I thought it was partly a drama and partly a horror movie. It was engaging and it also made me think about how history repeats itself through some of its themes. It was two hours long and maybe about half an hour too long. Still, it was interesting, and it was sad in parts. A lot of what was portrayed in some scenes probably did happen. This product uses the TMDb API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDb .

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING: FULL SPOILERS My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐½ (3.5/5 stars) A solid, if unremarkable, entry in the Tron series. Jared Leto stands out, and the plot introduces a novel twist: the digital world invades ours, spotlighting AI. It's a fine way to kill almost 2 hours. However, it's not worth a theater visit. Watching it on Disney+ is your best bet. This product uses the TMDb API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDb .

This is your Content Warning: this is going to be a Political Rant Flexing the power of Article I, this bold graphic underscores the enduring strength and influence of legislative authority across diverse global arenas. Where is Congress while Trump talks like a king? I am going to let everyone in on a little secret. Congress, the Article I institution, is supposed to be the most powerful branch because it is closest to the people. Article I comes first in the Constitution and is the longest. The Founders had just fought a war against a king and were deeply wary of executive power. Alexander Hamilton called the judiciary the "least dangerous branch" in Federalist 78. Think about it: the Judicial Branch is unelected and can be constrained by Congress. Both Article II (the President) and Article III (federal judges) can be impeached and removed by Congress. The only way to get rid of a member of Congress is expulsion by their own chamber or being voted out by the people...

Great news today at my follow-up with my hypertrophic cardiomyopathy specialist. Camzyos is really starting to work. My most recent echo earlier this week was excellent, and so was the heart cath I had in late December. In fact, the heart cath showed that Camzyos is working well enough that I do not need to rush into an alcohol ablation or a septal myectomy. If I ever do need an intervention in the future, my doctor said I would be a good candidate for septal alcohol ablation. I also told my doctor that, if at all possible, I would prefer to stay on medication and avoid any surgical treatment. More good news: I will not have to see him or have another echo for six months. I told the doctor I have been feeling great since starting Camzyos. My metoprolol dose was increased last month, and I have been sleeping much better. He said everything seems to have calmed down, and my gradients with exertion have improved greatly. So, no immediate decisions need to be made. He also had a ...

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING: MILD SPOILERS When the heist goes right: Meet the trio behind the biggest score of their lives in 'The Pickup'. My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5 stars) "The Pickup" serves as a pleasant diversion with its fairly engaging plot and commendable performances. The film is entirely a work of fiction. A notable concern, however, is the excessive crude language, particularly from Pete Davidson, which seemed unnecessary for its comedic aspirations. This product uses the TMDb API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDb .

I just had to snap a photo when I saw this scene. A full moon peeking out from behind those clouds. It was such a dramatic, moody sight with the silhouettes of trees just barely visible at the bottom. Isn't it amazing how nature puts on a show like this? This is a werewolf's nightmare 😉.

I just wanted to put up a quick blog post and wish everyone a Happy New Year. Let's pray and hope that God blesses us all. I'm looking forward to this year on many fronts. I want to continue getting my heart under control with my Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, do more self-hosting with AI, and learn more coding. This is also my 25th year of proper blogging (more posts coming on that later). With all the computing power I'm putting together, I'm hoping to learn more about web development, self-hosting, and becoming less dependent on big tech. I'm one year closer to retirement, which I'm looking forward to. Instead of focusing on an employer's needs, I'll be able to focus 100 percent on what interests me and devote more time to my faith. Putting my love of God and technology together. So Happy New Year to everyone, and let's see what 2026 brings for us all. Should be an interesting year, especially on the home front with the United Sta...

Amidst a cascade of light and time, a visionary crafts his dreams for 2025, blending art and aspiration in his timeless sanctuary. I thought I would give a roundup from my point of view for 2025 and share some thoughts on 2026. 2025 brought so many new things for me. I left InMotion Hosting and WordPress after 9 years with them. I probably would still be with them if it weren't for three factors. First, they had given me a discount for three years, and when it expired, they would not renew it and offered me nothing. Second, they had switched to a new spam email system called MailChannels that was more concerned with outgoing spam instead of incoming spam. I think they started to concentrate on outgoing spam because of complaints coming in. The last issue was WordPress. I started to get the same feeling of craziness from the owner/co-owner that I got from Elon Musk. I moved to Write.as and thought I would like it. I had been trying it out before I left InMotion Hosting. I pu...

Today was a peculiar yet fulfilling day. It started with a dense fog but cleared up nicely. I managed to capture the sun through my telescope for the first time, and I also spotted the moon in broad daylight, though the telescope had some trouble pinpointing it. I hope you find the images as delightful as I did. They were taken with my Zwo Seestar S30, except for the fog picture, which I captured with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Driving through a foggy night, the world blurs into a mysterious haze of lights and shadows. Birds dance around the daylit moon, painting a serene scene in the vast blue canvas above. Gazing into the cosmic abyss, the sun reveals its fiery solitude surrounded by the dark embrace of space.