I do not see a need for all of this watching except against spies or criminals perhaps.
Plus even then, it must be legal and right to do so.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on April 13, 2025, 11:21:39 AMI do not see a need for all of this watching except against spies or criminals perhaps.
Plus then, it must be legal to do so.

There are places on this planet where being gay or trans IS criminal.

Coming soon to a U.S. state near you.

Quote from: Lori Dee on April 13, 2025, 11:23:02 AMThere are places on this planet where being gay or trans IS criminal.

Coming soon to a U.S. state near you.

I am talking about real criminals.  You know, those who most sensible people think are crooks, thieves, etc., real criminals.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on April 13, 2025, 12:00:57 PMI am talking about real criminals.  You know, those who most sensible people think are crooks, thieves, etc., real criminals.

I know that's what you meant. I was making the point that any system can be abused against a targeted community. We had hundreds of people deported to Venezuela under that guise. Turns out that many of them have no criminal history and were in the U.S. legally.

Another Day in the Life of Lori Dee, the Paranoid Conspiracy Theorist.

In today's mail, I received a letter from the Treasury Department.

Not from the IRS. (Happy Tax Day).
Not from the Passport Office.
Not from the State Department concerning my application for a new birth certificate.
From the Treasury Department.

If any of you have ever received a Treasury check in the mail, you know what it looks like without opening the envelope. This looked like a letter.
< Gasp >

I mustered the courage to open it.

Wrapped inside an invoice was a Treasury check for $51.13. 
The invoice had no explanation; only an Invoice ID number and a reference number. I didn't recognize either one.

Maybe it is a scam!

The only thing I could think of was that it might be related to my VA prescription co-pays. But I haven't received a bill or statement from the VA in months.

I would rather talk to the VA than the Treasury Dept., so I called our local billing office and asked if they had issued a credit for some reason. It turns out that they had. For $51.13. < whew! >

When the VA upgraded my disability rating, it removed my requirement to pay a co-pay for my medications. Since the effective date of the rating change was back-dated, that also affected my co-pays retroactively. This was a refund for an "overpayment".

As we have seen from this Administration, sometimes the boogeyman isn't real. 

Quote from: Lori Dee on April 15, 2025, 02:56:18 PMAs we have seen from this Administration, sometimes the boogeyman isn't real. 

Awesome, Lori! The only letter I've ever received from the Treasury Department was a notice they were going to garnish my SS for owed prescription co-pays. So, I paid the VA twice and six months later was issued a refund. Glad it works the other way sometimes. 

It is interesting that in Kentucky, their federal tax filing date for 2024 taxes is not until Nov. 03, 2025.  They had bad weather damage.

Weather forecast this morning called for a chance of rain/snow mix starting at 4 PM.

Cool. I have plenty of time to run some errands.

I go outside, and it is starting to sleet. I went and filled up the Jeep with gas and ran to the grocery store.

I only picked up a few necessities (that still cost $125 total  ) and got home. It is snowing now. If it comes down any harder, we will have a blizzard.

Now I am wondering what is going to happen at 4 PM, that the weather disservice did not also predict?

Quote from: Lori Dee on April 17, 2025, 01:55:16 PMWeather forecast this morning called for a chance of rain/snow mix starting at 4 PM.

Cool. I have plenty of time to run some errands.

I go outside, and it is starting to sleet. I went and filled up the Jeep with gas and ran to the grocery store.

I only picked up a few necessities (that still cost $125 total  ) and got home. It is snowing now. If it comes down any harder, we will have a blizzard.

Now I am wondering what is going to happen at 4 PM, that the weather disservice did not also predict?

I must be getting stronger as a typical bags of groceries that cost $60 I can now carry with one hand instead of two.

Been that way for us since 03:00 hours.  Still going.  Left my Jaguar XJ8 in the garage and pulled out my Tahoe. 

Asking my wife if she wants me to come and get her from work, silly me I was worried about the traction conditions.  Wife says, don't worry, "Oksana and I get along fine."  Oxana is her black Vanden Plas (also Jaguar).  I'm ashamed; I chickened out but she pushes through with a rear wheel drive Sport Saloon!

The rest of the story. Oksana came to us with a myriad of troubles.  Like the assassin code name "Villanelle", real name "Oxsana" on Killing Eve, she was unpredictable and deadly.  I sorted her though over about 6 months and she growls once again.  When I drive her, she throws codes.  When my wife drives her, no codes.   For me?  My Tahoe never throughs a fit, no codes, EVER!

I too have gained strength in my senior years!  <snicker, giggle>

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on April 17, 2025, 02:00:08 PMI must be getting stronger as a typical bags of groceries that cost $60 I can now carry with one hand instead of two.

I recently put new tires and struts on the Jeep, so I no longer have traction issues. There are places where the streets are sloped so rainwater/snowmelt will flow toward the storm drain. The problem is that it flows across three lanes and turns to ice.

So when I need to go out for supplies and the weather is threatening, I try to get it done before it hits.

Ice?  Me no like.

Short wheelbase Jeep?  Must be a hoot in the snow.

Quote from: Lori Dee on April 17, 2025, 02:30:21 PMI recently put new tires and struts on the Jeep, so I no longer have traction issues. There are places where the streets are sloped so rainwater/snowmelt will flow toward the storm drain. The problem is that it flows across three lanes and turns to ice.

So when I need to go out for supplies and the weather is threatening, I try to get it done before it hits.

That seems wise.

Chrissy

Quote from: D'Amalie on April 17, 2025, 02:34:57 PMShort wheelbase Jeep?  Must be a hoot in the snow.

2015 Jeep Patriot Sport. Front-wheel drive (CVS). The problem is that the Sport package is not off-road rated. It is designed for highway use: a 4-cylinder engine, a 15-gallon fuel tank, and not much power going uphill. But on the open road, she will scoot and get 22 MPG. If I could, I would drop a 6-cylinder in her and add a lift kit so she can tackle the forest service roads better. But now that she is paid off, it might be cheaper to just trade her in for a trail-rated Renegade. 

Quote from: Lori Dee on April 17, 2025, 02:40:47 PM2015 Jeep Patriot Sport... But now that she is paid off... 

Keep it as a back up!  You can buy a lot of fuel for the cost of that Renegade, yet it would be so much fun! A trail rated machine may not be so good on the highway.  I'm guessing your tradin in value is still pretty good with a 2015 modle year.  I take my '98 Chev Tahoe (K5 size 2dr) where the ATVs go, loving every minute of it.  It's every bit as capable as my '73 Scout II was back in the day, and still has impeccable road manners.  I've not had a car payment in 23 years.

Twenty-two on the highway isn't so bad.  My big saloon cars get 26 - 34 mpg on highway, speed dependent.  I have trouble keeping my foot out of them out here in the Mountain West where I can cruise the Interstates at 85-90 (mph not kph for my Canadian and Euro friends.)

Quote from: D'Amalie on April 17, 2025, 02:53:38 PMI take my '98 Chev Tahoe (K5 size 2dr) where the ATVs go, loving every minute of it.

Before the Jeep, I had a 1994 Silverado pickup that I built a wooden camper on the back. She was only two-wheel drive, but she could get me where I wanted to go. I did get high-centered a couple of times trying to follow an ATV trail back to a prospecting area. I keep a tow strap and a 4-ton come-along, so I was able to winch myself out.

Eventually, the old girl gave up the ghost, and there was no more life in her, so I traded her in for the Jeep. My only regret is that the Jeep is not trail-rated. Other than that, she does pretty well.

You need a rally car, lol.

Quote from: Lori Dee on April 17, 2025, 03:00:30 PMBefore the Jeep, I had a 1994 Silverado pickup that I built a wooden camper on the back. She was only two-wheel drive

I have 93 Silverado, also 2wd.  I bought back in 93. She is still running like she did back in 93. When I move I plan on bringing her with me with my JKR. That ole Chevy is a good truck.

Quote from: Sephirah on April 17, 2025, 03:11:36 PMYou need a rally car, lol.

I watched the rally races in Germany. So much fun. Our Supply Sergeant would buy wrecked Porsches and put their engines in Volkswagons and sell them to rally drivers. He had a nice side business doing that for many years.