Reality Based Opinions

Reality Based Opinions

I used to call this blog Reality Based Opinions. Then I thought that since my opinions are not the only ones based on reality, and there may be relatively few who do not base opinions on reality, Reality Based Opinions was more than a bit presumptuous and discouraging of any real conversation so a new name was in order.

I chose Retired Guy since that did describe my situation. I am retired and now have time to read books and publish some book reviews here, time to work on my genealogy and publish something here in hopes of finding a new relative, and time to express my opinions (which I believe to be based on reality).
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Ethics Trump-style

Ethics Trump-style

I just read an article on Ethics Trump-style while writing my last post. In some respects it seems that President Trump’s executive order which was proclaimed as strengthening our ethics rules on lobbyists was actually weaker than the Obama rules it replaced.

Read the Politico article on Trump lobbying ban weakens Obama rules.

GOP cowards

GOP cowards

I called this post GOP cowards. That may be true in some cases but some may just be a case of mistaken belief. Perhaps GOP stupidity or maybe GOP strangeness would have been a better title but that would have been overly long and I don’t like to bore my audience.

According to Politico only a few Republicans have expressed opinions on President Trump’s executive order temporarily barring immigrants from seven Muslim-majority nations. It could be more will eventually give an opinion, perhaps after they see the polls.

But the small sample showing courage to share opinions either opposing the order or agreeing with the administration is fairly small. If they agree or say nothing it could be because they really agree or maybe they are cowards afraid not to support the administration.
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While we were being misdirected

While we were being misdirected

Are we being misdirected? 

President Trump is well known for his alternative facts and apparent obsession with fairly minor things such as crowd size and millions of illegal voters. Perhaps this is just misdirection so we don’t pay enough attention to the important stuff.

Was misdirection the secret to at least some of his business success.  While some of his “partners” were busy dreaming of their profits,  was Mr. Trump was busy taking the money and setting others up for the fall?
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Widespread voter fraud: a confession

Widespread voter fraud: a confession

I wish to confess.  I may have inadvertently contributed to the widespread voter fraud that may have caused Donald Trump to lose the popular vote in our last election.  On the other hand, widespread voter fraud may have contributed to his win.

We may never know if someone impersonated me in another state.   We probably don’t know how he or she voted, although President Trump seems 100%  sure they voted against him.

President Trump plans to launch an investigation into this massive voter fraud.

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Alternative facts  or alternative  reality

Alternative facts  or alternative  reality

So now we are told there are alternative facts. Is a fact something firm or do we need to consider each alternative reality?

How many realities are there?

Do we need to account for all of them in our thinking?

Once upon a time there were facts and pretty much everyone agreed on them but there were often had different interpretations as to what the facts meant or perhaps differing opinions on the best way to deal with them.  Now the facts are unclear because there are alternative facts and maybe alternative realities to consider .
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Update on a modern dystopian thriller

Update on a modern dystopian thriller

Several months ago I reviewed The Punishments by J.B. Winsor. I just wanted to update it a bit. This modern dystopian thriller has not changed since my review but it may be even more appropriate for our times.

The United States government is taken over by Christian fundamentalists. There are many similarities to the situation in the United States today. This story about the growth of government power and efforts to limit it makes for a fine thriller.
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Protecting us from Canadians

Protecting us from Canadians

There have been several articles in the new this morning about our border patrol protecting us from Canadians including several women (2 were French!) and I wonder if there were French-Canadian somehow involved. One was even a dual U.S and Canadian citizen.

Some got through after extensive questioning but some were sent back. Many admitted to coming for the Women’s March.
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TrumpCare, the expensive repeal of ObamaCare

TrumpCare, the expensive repeal of ObamaCare

Can we afford to let the Republicans do this? It is expensive to repeal ObamaCare and for our money we get less. Why, Republicans?

The repeal of ObamaCare would cost about 353 billion dollars over the next 10 years and about 20 million people would lose their health insurance. Continue reading “TrumpCare, the expensive repeal of ObamaCare”

Dangerous Women and Paul Ryan

Dangerous Women and Paul Ryan

Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House, is so scared of the dangerous women who disagree with his stance on defunding Planned Parenthood he refused let them deliver petitions and called out the security guards to protect him (or perhaps to prevent having to listen to people who disagree with him).

Why is Paul Ryan so scared? Continue reading “Dangerous Women and Paul Ryan”

DNA evidence in genealogy

DNA evidence in genealogy

I just read an interesting post by Blaine Bettinger. If you are interested in the use of DNA evidence in genealogy, it is well worth a read.

The article is The DNA Era of Genealogy. Blaine Bettinger also has 2 books which will probably be of interest if you are looking at DNA results or considering adding DNA to you genealogy toolbox.

I have both in paperback. I find it easier to go back and re-read sections as needed as well as looking at some of the figures. I am reading both for an overview but like having the book to read in detail as needed.
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Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA

Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA

I am finding family but not in the same way.  And I use some of the same techniques.  But this book is about a very different quest than mine.

This was a bit of an unusual experience for me.  I was browsing Amazon looking for something else.  I forget what but that is unimportant.  My hobby is genealogy and last Christmas I was given an autosomal DNA test kit. The results confirmed several known relationships and one suspected relationship.  It also opened several unexpected avenues of research.

So I am acquainted with the uses and power of DNA for genealogy but still feel very much like a beginner in genetic genealogy.
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Rescuing Retirement: Guarantee Retirement Security

Rescuing Retirement: Guarantee Retirement Security

Rescuing Retirement is an interesting and important book. Millions of older Americans are living in poverty or close to it. Our retirement system is broken. And we should and can fix it. This book is about how we do that.

The full title is Rescuing Retirement: A Plan to Guarantee Retirement Security for All Americans by Tony James and Teresa Ghilarducci.
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President-elect Trump has disappointed but not surprised

President-elect Trump has disappointed but not surprised

Last week I wrote that I hoped President-elect Trump would try to bring us together and be a president for all Americans. So far I do not see anything that suggests this will happen.

I had hoped that he would try to be a better President than his campaign suggested. It is early in his transition but I haven’t seen anything that indicates this will happen. President-elect Trump has disappointed but not surprised me.

President-elect Trump

President-elect Trump

The election is over. We have a clear winner, Donald J Trump. I think that no matter how we voted, or did not vote, we should come together to support President-elect Trump

In my opinion Donald Trump ran a disgusting campaign but now he is President-elect Trump and will soon be President Trump. This county is divided and we need to come together to find common ground and at least move ahead where we agree and try to compromise where there is disagreement.
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