What's on your mind?

[bèlla]

I heard about this earlier... Biden signs reauthorization of surveillance program into law despite privacy concerns

Here's a snippet with a link to the article that explains the law.

What the bill does is it vastly expands the number of businesses and the number of individuals who can essentially be forced by the government to spy for them. In the past, the people who were collecting communications under 702 were basically internet service providers and phone companies, Google and AT&T. That’s the way it works right now. This guy in the House, Congressman Turner, without any discussion in the Senate whatsoever, dramatically expanded it. It expanded it to all these other service providers who have access to communication equipment. That’s it in a nutshell.

Turner’s provision, called Section 25, allows the government to forcibly deputize as a spy anybody who installs, maintains, and repairs communications equipment. Anyone who has access to a server, to a cable box, Wi-Fi, a phone, or a laptop. And if they have access to that, they can be forced into spying for the government. No warrants, no direct court oversight of this, and basically that person doesn’t have any recourse and probably doesn’t have high-priced lawyers available who are experts in figuring out the FISA court.

 

[sampa]

If a man's friend I'm getting acquainted with did the same I'd tell him and let him handle it. I wouldn't have befriended him. I don't know their relationship and toes are tricky.

Yes, it was a weird situation at the time and handled very immature at the time. Communication was not there. I also was nervous because I had to wear a wig at the time and no one knew. The guy that was interested in me seemed shallow and I was afraid of him finding out. The other guy that I friended we got together, but he was more like a buddy. I saw him as nothing more. Too many issues. I've seen him marry twice now.

 

[sampa]

Good meeting with someone from church I see twice a year. She's doing everything to get me connected and plugged in. I shared this song with her last November and forgot till she shared. Powerful. I told her some of the women in church I noticed on Sunday I'm curious to here their stories. She was so excited and gave me info for one of them that us leading a house of prayer and one of her daughters is going off into missions.im curious where God will lead and hopefully I can be in a Bible study this fall. And try out a prayer group during one of the services. I let her know about my desire for marriage so she can pray. I don't usually open up that part of my life.

 

[GodDoesListen55]

It seems like being nice literally gets you nowhere.

 

[SarahsKnight]

I hate to leave such a beautiful city. ^-^

 

[sampa]

I hate to leave such a beautiful city. ^-^

View attachment 346508

There will be the next!!!! Onto another adventure, new people and places to experience.

 

[SarahsKnight]

There will be the next!!!! Onto another adventure, new people and places to experience.

I made it to Ste Marie just now.

 

[SarahsKnight]

Hmm ... not quite as pretty as I imagined a river border town would be (I can actually see Canada through the window right now ), but then again, Eden Prairie is a tough act to follow and I might be looking through pre-colored glasses ... or however that expression goes. = P


Also, even for an Irish pub there is an unusual amount of casual swearing amongst these folk. Are all Michiganites like this, Sir @Saucy , Miss @sampa ?
= P
*puts on Cinema Snob glasses and raises nose in the air*
Really ... such unpleasant language ....

 

[venksta]

Hmm ... not quite as pretty as I imagined a river border town would be (I can actually see Canada through the window right now ), but then again, Eden Prairie is a tough act to follow and I might be looking through pre-colored glasses ... or however that expression goes. = P


Also, even for an Irish pub there is an unusual amount of casual swearing amongst these folk. Are all Michiganites like this, Sir @Saucy , Miss @sampa ?
= P
*puts on Cinema Snob glasses and raises nose in the air*
Really ... such unpleasant language ....

*waves from Canada*

 

[SarahsKnight]

*waves from Canada*

Oh, hello. Are you actually just across the river? ^-^

 

[venksta]

Oh, hello. Are you actually just across the river? ^-^

Lol. I'm actually on the west coast.

 

[sampa]

Also, even for an Irish pub there is an unusual amount of casual swearing amongst these folk. Are all Michiganites like this, Sir @Saucy , Miss @sampa ?
= P

Alls I can say is northerners are much more rough than the polite yes ma'am I get when I'm in Arkansas with my cousins kids (young 20s). It could just be the pub, Michigan is a pretty large state, I've never been north. Lansing, Holland, Kalamazoo, Ann arbor and southwest Michigan is where I've been. I hope to go camping this summer in Michigan.

 

[SarahsKnight]

Lol. I'm actually on the west coast.

Ah, so you are actually even farther from me now than the distance I drove from southern Arkansas to even get here.

 

[SarahsKnight]

Alls I can say is northerners are much more rough than the polite yes ma'am I get when I'm in Arkansas with my cousins kids (young 20s). It could just be the pub, Michigan is a pretty large state, I've never been north. Lansing, Holland, Kalamazoo, Ann arbor and southwest Michigan is where I've been. I hope to go camping this summer in Michigan.

I also just discovered at this pub that I am SO not a beer person.

Folks like Miss @bèlla and myself keep it classy with wine, right, Bella?


I look forward to seeing Ann Arbor, by the way. It, Troy, and Okemos are together on my next and last stop.
I am considering Niagara Falls NY as well to live at as well, but since i have already been there briefly some years ago, I see no reason to go so far out of my way back home after the above three cities. There's already enough hours on the road. I am fortunate that Claire has not gone on strike already.


.... and just now that "zombie" song by The Cranberries came on. Somehow seems appropriate for the atmosphere of a pub.

 

[sampa]

Trying to figure out what it means each time a woman of position touches my arm in passing at different times I've been speaking with someone (usually a man, maybe another one in leadership) I can't seem to find anything but only when a woman touches a man. Maybe for interrupting my conversation...a sweet politeness and a favorable glance (nod) that doesn't always happen in another context.

 

[GospelS]

Fear not my dove. Though they literally kill you and seal the tomb, I shall raise you from death and fill the earth with His seed.

 

[bèlla]

I also just discovered at this pub that I am SO not a beer person.

Folks like Miss @bèlla and myself keep it classy with wine, right, Bella?

Seriously! Beer makes you fat. Look for a wine bar. ;-)

Beer is more laid back and may attract a rowdier crowd. Wine doesn't inspire the same but spirits will. Wine chills you out but the others amplify.

I prefer champagne when I'm out and wine at home.

.... and just now that "zombie" song by The Cranberries came on. Somehow seems appropriate for the atmosphere of a pub.

LOL

 

[SarahsKnight]

Just sitting here at the park in front of the St. Marys river, enjoying the rather blissful atmosphere while reading a book I had just bought while in Eden Prairie. I am all for 50 degree weather in the spring but the wind here being so close to water makes it a bit too chilly to remain outside of the car while I read. But with the window down I can still hear the rather pleasant sounds that come with such scenery, like the gulls calling. Anyway, caught this barge as it came by.

Here are some other pictures while I was walking alongside the river. Of course, that is the Ontario side of Sault Ste Marie across the way.

 

[bèlla]

Biden signed the divest or ban bill for Tik-Tok.

President Biden on Wednesday signed a law that would ban Chinese-owned TikTok unless it is sold within a year.

If not sold within a year, the law would make it illegal for web-hosting services to support TikTok, and it would force Google and Apple to remove TikTok from app stores — rendering the app unusable with time.

Any company, or set of investors, angling to purchase TikTok would have to receive the blessing of the Chinese government, and officials in Beijing have strongly resisted a forced sell.

In particular, ByteDance owns the engine of TikTok, its hyper-personalized algorithm that pulls people in and keeps them highly engaged with their feed.

Chinese officials have placed content-recommendation algorithms on what is known as an export-control list, meaning the government has additional say over how the technology is ever sold.

 

[bèlla]

There comes a time when you juggle the balls and let them fall.