I have looked at and evaluated the new roundabout they built as part of the approach to the approach to the I55 bridge. I figured it will last round about 5 years, or likely less.

The problem is threefold. It will be a traffic snarl. It will cause an increase in insurance premiums, as there will be an increase in fender-benders. Certainly, it will be the target of complaints, especially by truckers.

And, oh yes, it will be yet another thing to draw nationwide attention. Essentially, it will become known as the Mid-South, well… I suspect they will have many terms for it that I don’t use.

Now, the question is: Do they replace it with something better or worse? Of course, the cost will also be a consideration.

I wonder if the financial implications played a significant role in the decision-making process this time, potentially influencing the overall strategy and outcome of the situation at hand.

By one of those cute misdirection things, I set up an account with Thrive Market instead of Wal-Mart.

I’m struggling to close this account, and I may need to request a new debit card to resolve the issue.

Stay vigilant against potential manipulation. Spread awareness to everyone in your network—friends, family, and even those who may not share your perspective. Though our numbers may be small, collective communication can rapidly amplify our message and create meaningful impact.

I suggest adding one more thing: as with me, you might want to cut up your card and have another issued if Thrive Market gets your number.

I’ve already sent instructions not to renew my subscription. They tell me it will remain active until May. I have enjoyed writing, I hope you have and will continue to enjoy them until they take them down.

In the meantime, you can still order my books from Amazon.Com from my author’s page http://www.amazon.com/author/story_teller Note, there is an underline between story and teller that is not easily seen. One of the reasons I am retreating from blogging is to allow me to finish the two books I almost have finished and to continue to polish the more than 35 already done.

As with my posts, they are varied in subject matter and type. You won’t find any profanity. Most of the books are limited violence. With the exception of the Kip Series, 12 and 13-year-olds should not have any problems with them. However, these three books are good thoughtful books that have their share of twists. In them, poor Kip wants to remain an optimist, but the killers just won’t let him. He’s in the wrong kind of work. He can’t stand murders, especially kids. The murderers over time turn him into an outright pessimist.

Just a small matter really, but I figure I should alert anyone that has or is thinking of buying an electric vehicle. One thing that helps the milage for EVs is that they, most of them, pump electricity back into the batteries when slowing or going downhill. Even on my short trips, my car will generally put 1 or 2 miles back in the battery while slowing. So if I drive 10 miles, I might only pay for 8 or 9 of them.

However, that can’t happen if your battery is already fully charged. The is another good reason to refrain from fully charging your battery. Naturally, if you are on a cross-country trip, this very well may not apply.

Personally, I try to keep my battery between 35 and 90%. Because a full charge on my car is approximately 200 miles, I just double the percent to determine my range. Nissan has told me that I should let it go down to 20%. However, I don’t like being limited to 40 miles should there be an emergency. Worse, it would take me at least two full days to recharge my car from 20 up to 80% on 110 volts. If I need to drive every day, that means interruptions in charging with discharges, which is also not recommended.

Sometimes reality does get in the way of those ideals.

On the speculation front… I wonder how long it will take before people start selling auxiliary battery packs to give cars, maybe those extra few 40 miles. Now doubt in my mind, it will happen. It is just a matter of what form it will take.

Microwaves have a way of creating memorable mishaps in kitchens everywhere. Almost everyone has a cautionary tale about an accidental metal-related incident. The surprising truth is that aluminum foil can actually spark and ignite when placed inside these seemingly harmless appliances, a discovery that can instantly elevate one’s heart rate and create a moment of pure kitchen panic.

In the realm of workplace mishaps, some stories stand out for their peculiar nature. This secondhand tale involves a night shift worker with an unconventional approach to microwave popcorn preparation. Rather than using the timer, he would set the cooking time generously long and rely on auditory cues to know when the kernels finished popping.

One fateful evening, a momentary distraction disrupted his routine, resulting in a burning disaster. The microwave was swiftly replaced, but the pungent aroma of scorched popcorn lingered throughout the lobby and adjacent offices for nearly a week, serving as a reminder of the importance of attentiveness during even the most mundane tasks.

The incident became a cautionary tale, swiftly transforming the individual’s reputation and serving as a lasting lesson for future team members. The story spread quickly, becoming a legendary warning passed down to each new recruit, ensuring the embarrassing moment would never be forgotten or repeated.

Humor often fails, so I resort to raw honesty. The frozen food anecdote I shared earlier is entirely factual. In truth, I was fully prepared, anticipating someone would eventually probe deeper into the story, waiting for that precise moment of inquiry.

During my single years, frozen dinners were a culinary lifesaver. My freezer was stocked with an array of ready-to-heat meals, each offering a convenient solution to hunger. Back then, before microwaves became ubiquitous, I would patiently wait 35 minutes while my dinner transformed from a solid block of ingredients into a steaming, edible meal. These pre-prepared dishes were not just food, but a testament to the convenience of modern cuisine.

I continue to keep these items in my freezer, enjoying them after heating. Yet, the cooking time has significantly decreased from thirty minutes to merely seven minutes. This rapid transformation creates an unusual experience. Previously, I was unbothered by longer preparation times. Now, the brief seven-minute interval is too short to engage in other activities, a phenomenon I refer to as the “microwave effect.”

In the era of instant gratification, traditional cooking methods like slow roasting have given way to microwave convenience. We impatiently hover near the appliance, eyes wandering, fingers drumming, eagerly anticipating the shrill beep that signals our meal is ready in mere minutes.

Microwaves have become an indispensable kitchen appliance, with nearly every household boasting at least one. Their convenience and speed have transformed how we prepare meals, making them an essential part of modern culinary life.

Still, we continue to wait.

The truth I’ve long concealed will finally be revealed. By reading these words, you are about to uncover a hidden story that has remained silent until this moment.

The woman recoiled, her nose wrinkling with disdain as she uttered the cutting remark, “Don’t tell me you actually eat frozen dinners?”

“I leaned in closer, my voice a hushed whisper. ‘Swear you’ll keep this between us.'”

Her eyes darted nervously as she leaned in close, whispering with fierce determination, “Not a single person will ever know.”

I cleared my throat and clarified, “I prefer to heat them up first.” I hesitated, then added, “Their too hard for me to bite when they’re completely frozen.”

My aversion to frozen dinners stems from a hidden truth, yet I unabashedly indulge in the occasional frozen dessert.

There is much speculation about the leak. Naturally, there is no way we will likely ever know what really happened. How-some-ever, I figure there are at least four real possibilities. Then too, there might be one or three possibilities I haven’t considered.

First, it might be as it seems. Sometimes things do work that way. Still I do have some problems with that. The one method I am leaning on is that it was intentional, either by the president or the Sec. of Defense. It would be easy to do and it is a good way to mix things up and see what comes out. Moreover, it is a good way to feed bad information to the opponent. Or they might be feeding them accurate info and making them think it’s wrong.

Third, the meeting might have been a hoax. The real meeting could have been held earlier without the extra guest. It is possible and very plausible. A good general will always be trying to distribute bad info to the opponent. If nothing else, it will make the opposing generals suspicious of his sources.

Finally, there might not have ever been a meeting. It might have just been a test of the messaging system to see how reliable it is. If this be the case, I don’t think that method will be used in any real communications.

In any case, what Trump should have done is to say the man was just following orders to invite the other man on. He could have said, “My idea; my responsibility.” It would have ended right there.