I look at it as there are three options. Self-managed filters No filters at all Filter imposed by The Powers That Be (which as has been admitted is interns at Facebook) I put those in my preferred order. The problem with the no filters is a bunch of trolls would spew hate that they sanctimoniously believe the Other believes in. Then they will get confirmation from the other trolls that hateful people are everywhere. The people that I'd want to block their politics or religion aren't contributing to the Conversation. They are just foaming at the mouth. Of course, I want them to say whatever they want. I just don't have to listen to it. I used to have a friend and we aren't any more because of social media. Not super-close but we were invited to each other's weddings and various parties over the years, and I've known her for many years. We are both involved in an annual several-day-long event where we'd hang out and catch up. Then she started foaming at the mouth on social media. The end came when she said she wanted to kill the president and would given the chance. I confronted her and said it had to be an hyperbole. She said No she was 100% serious. This is the same person that when I mentioned I probably wouldn't shake the hand of the current president, she figuratively clutched her pearls and declared that the worse thing ever. The hand-shaking comment was because an English friend of ours had said that he accidentally ran into Prince Charles at a hotel elevator and got to shake his hand.

I love German food and we had it as often as possible when I was growing up. There is a family joke (but true) that I was made in Germany. I was once visiting extended family and we ate at a German restaurant. The older teen decided to skip it. When I saw him at the house afterward I asked why he didn't eat with us. He said he didn't like German food. I was nonplussed, I said, "What's not to like? It is meat and potatoes" I get that many people probably don't like it but those that "only eat hamburgers" shouldn't have a problem with it. The next year he went with us and liked it. Now if someone also couldn't have vinegar, then they'd be SOL.

I see stuff that costs lots of money. How do I find the free stuff?

As a complete language-dunce, I highly recommend the Michael Thomas CD's. I learned more his first CD than I did from 2 years of foreign language in High School and three college classes (both not German). His personal history is pretty cool too. The Culture Shock book on Germany was good too. Where I learned one of my favorite jokes. The trouble with German food is that in a couple of days you are hungry again. Speaking of which, the meals are different than I as an American was used to. The middle of the day is when the big meal happens. I worked for a large company and they had a really nice company cafeteria with large, nice, heavy meals. My problem was that the other time for a heavy meal was in a restaurant. I didn't live there but I would spend several weeks a week there in hotels. But, for you living there, that should be less of a problem. I'd recommend switching to a light evening meal. Another thing with restaurants, the assumption in non-tourist areas is that a restaurant table will be used once per evening. So, if you go early the restaurant might be 90% empty and they'll tell you that they are full and can't seat you. Note, this was in a non-tourist area in the north. Since I didn't live there, I don't have much to offer.

I'd like complete control over it. I don't care if they share their shadow algorithm. Although, even having control over other filters would probably take care of it for me. For example, there are some people that I really don't want to hear about their opinions on politics or religion, but I would love to hear absolutely everything about their kids or goats. Remember the good old days when people didn't discuss politics or religion? There was a reason for that social rule.

Competitive filtering would be great. I would love love love to be able to apply my own filters, and I'd apply them. Personally, my main problem is filth. There are also some people on facebook that I don't want to ignore but I'd like to do what Facebook does with the shadow-banning. Trouble is, they don't shadow-ban the right people. With twitter it would also be nice to have a setting to not see comments. Oooh, I just had a dreamy idea that I don't think is possible, filter out the bots. I've heard that a good percentage of twitter is bots.

The important thing will be having big wheels.

Ours is more similar to this one. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DQ6QRS8/ref=sspa_dk_detail_4?pd_rd_i=B07DQ6QRS8&pd_rd_w=dTr74&pf_rd_p=57cbdc41-b731-4e3d-aca7-49078b13a07b&pd_rd_wg=PtgsV&pf_rd_r=BS1HT79DXYWBZ7ESXJ0T&pd_rd_r=f4000bb6-43cb-4b0b-bfe8-173c2f866089&s=sporting-goods&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExM0FQRUNWRzBDOEZMJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTM3MzMwVTVEVFdTQlNMV1BCJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA0ODI2MDQ3M1U0UkFVUTRDRzMmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWxfdGhlbWF0aWMmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&th=1 I don't know how good it is on sand. We've used it there but I don't remember. But, I would think the big wheels would be good. Do you have one of these pop-up tent changing rooms? Handy for at the beach. We also use it as a potty tent while camping anywhere. 5-gallon bucket and a thick plastic bag. I always have to use the bathroom in the middle of the night and walking to the bathroom wakes me up. DH prefers primitive camping (he even taught it while in college) but fortunately for me he needs electricity for his CPAP. https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Changing-Collapsible-Wakeman-Outdoors/dp/B07WWYQS7B/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3BHA2ZP0S61PH&keywords=changing+pop+up+tent&qid=1650635825&s=sporting-goods&sprefix=changing+pop%2Csporting%2C88&sr=1-4

My favorite thing about the internet is being able to find my peeps. We have a nice pop-up wagon with big wheels and people have commented on it. When I mention in real life that I bought it for the library and book sales they look at me like I sprouted a second head.

I remember the ear lobe one, that was funny. Of course he's had a lot of work done. I hadn't even heard of the JFK JR one. Who even cares enough about him to make up a conspiracy about him? Not a conspiracy theory, but I enjoyed the Hitchhiker's Guide series take on Elvis not being dead. You mentioning the idea that JFK Jr being alive reminded me of that. Awesome series for a family-friendly road trip when the youngest is at least preteen. Russia-Trump collusion and Biden's laptop being fake are two that come to mind. Many things related to SARS2 including that the numbers were inflated and that the shot can effect menstruation. Both have been admitted now, and up until the second before

I might be interested in a 3-year chunk for the reunion. My school was so big I doubt they'd do that though. Do any reunions make badges using the yearbook photos? I would have recognized no one at the one I went to if three hadn't recognized me first.

I went to my 10-year and while it wasn't bad I said I wouldn't do it again. I went to a huge school (around 1000) in my class. I saw three people that I knew. I guess I didn't change much because people recognized me and not vice-versa. Also, I had more friends in the class above and below me.

I think I'll have to get that. We just recently saw Gifted Hands movie about him on Netflix and really enjoyed it.

What we've seen in the last 6 years is the effects of the repression of speech/information, not more of it. I know when I see a warning from Facebook and a suppression of the information, I first think "Well, that's probably true" and I want to know more. It is like that Belgium group that censored their own list of books to censor because people were using it as a reading list (around the time of the American Revolution). Joke going around, "What is the difference between facts and a conspiracy theory?" "About 6 months"

I suspect that the difference is that potluck is voluntary contributions. You determine what and if you bring. Paying for food at the 'reception' isn't voluntary. You either pay the per-head price the reception venue charges or you don't eat at the restaurant. For me, I'd be OK with potluck for an extremely close friend, but there are many people that I am close enough for a wedding invite, but not close enough for a potluck wedding. Although, I guess if it were something like a church potluck that just happened to be a wedding reception, I'd be OK with that too. That wouldn't be quite so much about the couple getting married, as an excuse to gather together and socialize.

There have been lawsuits where Twitter was told by parents that certain materials was child porn (where their child was in the porn) and Twitter refused to pull it. That isn't "make anything they disagree with these days as being somehow related to child abuse." Can you imagine images of your child being out there and a 'responsible' company is OK with that? Just based on that, if Musk figuratively burns the house down, I'd be OK with that.

Don't we all know someone well who is permanently harmed by being ignored by health care?

The problem with Twitter is that the line was drawn on the wrong side. Child porn is A-OK with Twitter. People disagreeing with The Powers That Be, that isn't OK. The solution to bad speech isn't suppressing the bad speech it is more speech. ETA: I was on twitter for two one-week time periods. I had stopped because of the cesspool of it. I do miss Larry Elder's posts though.

Nope, would never do that. Before I married my favorite wedding reception was sheet-cake, sodas and a mp3 player hooked to some speakers. I remember being pleased that I was able to get a second diet coke.

One idea for the remainder of this semester. I totally understand wanting to lay low. I can't tell you how many times I've counted to 12 before answering a question. But, this is a bit unusual in that the others aren't really trying. So, maybe just start taking advantage of class time. Answer those questions, ask questions even if the others won't understand. I feel different if the others were putting forth an effort and still failing. Effort but still struggling would have been me. My foreign language classes in college taught me humility (but no Russian)

An appropriate response to being told to "Smile" is to say in a commanding voice, "Dance." Then when they sputter and say why would you say something like that?, you say that you thought he's wanted to trade inappropriate bodily commands.

I once got a complement from a fashion person whose name people would recognize on my Zenni sunglasses. I think it was really that they went well with my face and coloring. He'd flown into town to get a particular car (pre-lockdown). I don't think he was used to hearing that cool stuff could come from bargain internet sites.

I found that having a muzzle on my dog helped to calm *me*. Otherwise I'd worry and be tense, then she'd pick up that tension, and then we'd spiral out of control.

Funny thing, I suspect that I know where she'll be going. We have 3 nights at the Hilton timeshare in Carlsbad, CA. It was pretty cheap, $250 for all three nights, plus parking of around $30/night. The three of us are going, but DD actually prefers a sofa. Cool thing is that it is next to Legoland with a special entrance. About what she said, if my mom said that I'd take it as a combo of joking and high praise. We get along great and she adores both me and DD. She had given up on having grandkids, so when DD came along she was over the moon and has stayed there. Your mom? Not so much.

But, someone doesn't need Loans to get a good education. You can get an MIT education entirely online. Others too, but is the one that interested me. Last I looked (years ago) it was free. You can even self-study, and you can continue to do that. I'd put my self-study education over the last 5 years up against anyone not currently in college. You can even contact professors with questions. I've found them to be extremely helpful even to a random stranger like me. A question that might seem to be brown-nosing from a student is answered eagerly and at great length when it comes from a stranger who is therefore genuinely interested in their favorite topics. You can sit in on lectures if you need the room full of people to learn. You can't take tests, or get credit of course. It is the course credits that you pay through the nose for. It is those course credits that give you the credentials you need for employment.