Yes computer got water damaged and then I was off to Amsterdam for my cycling infrastructure course (more left politics than infrastructure though) and then several weeks in Hamburg & Paris with my wife and a quick trip to Prague at the end meant that July and August were busy. Then I was in Melbourne quite a lot for the retail business. And hard disks turned up in Dunedin after repair in Dortmund so I did not have access to my Substack.
Sorry didn't see your poem till now as I deleted all my substack emails in one swoop yesterday, as I am never going to get around to reading 7k of them and they were clogging my gmail inbox.
Very sad and touching poem. Thank you for sending it.
You and Rikki have so much water under the bridge it is hard to believe the current situation.
And welcome back - missed you, hard to hold the fort without you
Coming back to this, Jacqueline is very churchy and I guess Aldridge is some sort of Church code. As for her invisible mates well that could be church or AI. My view is that it is likely that Church and AI are cooperating on their new version of hell. It has not escaped my attention that AI could be involved in my problems via search engine suggestions (my wife does not www but my daughter does). It could also be in control of Jacqueline although she seems too insane for that.
That is the kind of mutual support we should give each other. Build a bridge of Tin Foil Hats. Missed you both. Obviously I'm not posting on Substack for the cash, but I've been writing for the Free Press for fifty years, so why stop now?
Not sure I'm going to stick around, maybe in a reduced capacity. My income from this blog for the 6 months to June 2024 was only $200. Substack pays others like Kirsch and Malone, who don't need the money, to post. And then they just flat out steal stuff from the rest of us.
As for Rikki I'm still hopeful. I've invited her back to Europe and she hasn't said no yet. I did my cycling course in Amsterdam last July then we went to Hamburg for 3 weeks and Paris for 3 weeks where we got on the TV3 news item from the NZ House in Paris during the Olympics. Both of us interviewed. Reason for downtime from Substack started with a water damaged computer but continued as it took a while to get it fixed, only got the hard disk (with the passwords for here and associated email account) back in December.
We did house sits in those places. Blankanese in Hamburg was wonderful. Pantin in Paris was great too but too hot (mid 30s most days) and too many mosquitoes.
Well, Richard, so much for that. You come back after months of being away and this is what you get? What a nightmare. Sorry to chuckle, but there's certainly no shortage of insane people out there is there? I thought your poem was heartfelt and bold.
I see that you're resigned from Substack as well. Smart thing to do in my view it's a bit like Huffington Post from years ago when all the writers worked for free.
I tried to make the poem a post just for founding members (i.e. me and my wife and maybe a few others). But it didn't seem to work, so it's currently unpublished.
Jacqueline has departed the blog.
I mean for all I know they were love letters but regardless, not wanted here.
I have another 20 emails, several threats. I have hopefully automated a response to her emails and automatic trashing of them.
I'm glad to know you're still kicking. Thought you'd fallen off the end of the world, instead of just living there. And Cairn too.
Yes computer got water damaged and then I was off to Amsterdam for my cycling infrastructure course (more left politics than infrastructure though) and then several weeks in Hamburg & Paris with my wife and a quick trip to Prague at the end meant that July and August were busy. Then I was in Melbourne quite a lot for the retail business. And hard disks turned up in Dunedin after repair in Dortmund so I did not have access to my Substack.
I guess I should catch up on your posts.
Who is Aldridge?
Sorry didn't see your poem till now as I deleted all my substack emails in one swoop yesterday, as I am never going to get around to reading 7k of them and they were clogging my gmail inbox.
Very sad and touching poem. Thank you for sending it.
You and Rikki have so much water under the bridge it is hard to believe the current situation.
And welcome back - missed you, hard to hold the fort without you
Coming back to this, Jacqueline is very churchy and I guess Aldridge is some sort of Church code. As for her invisible mates well that could be church or AI. My view is that it is likely that Church and AI are cooperating on their new version of hell. It has not escaped my attention that AI could be involved in my problems via search engine suggestions (my wife does not www but my daughter does). It could also be in control of Jacqueline although she seems too insane for that.
That is the kind of mutual support we should give each other. Build a bridge of Tin Foil Hats. Missed you both. Obviously I'm not posting on Substack for the cash, but I've been writing for the Free Press for fifty years, so why stop now?
Not sure I'm going to stick around, maybe in a reduced capacity. My income from this blog for the 6 months to June 2024 was only $200. Substack pays others like Kirsch and Malone, who don't need the money, to post. And then they just flat out steal stuff from the rest of us.
Our business has finally turned the corner (as in this month). And there's many multiples of income from that than from this.
As for Rikki I'm still hopeful. I've invited her back to Europe and she hasn't said no yet. I did my cycling course in Amsterdam last July then we went to Hamburg for 3 weeks and Paris for 3 weeks where we got on the TV3 news item from the NZ House in Paris during the Olympics. Both of us interviewed. Reason for downtime from Substack started with a water damaged computer but continued as it took a while to get it fixed, only got the hard disk (with the passwords for here and associated email account) back in December.
We did house sits in those places. Blankanese in Hamburg was wonderful. Pantin in Paris was great too but too hot (mid 30s most days) and too many mosquitoes.
I am pleased that it's not all gloomy.
Lots of good stuff has been keeping you busy.
Best wishes,
Cairn
Thanks Cairn. Trying to talk my valentine into a Valentine's date on the 14th. Wish me luck.
Well, Richard, so much for that. You come back after months of being away and this is what you get? What a nightmare. Sorry to chuckle, but there's certainly no shortage of insane people out there is there? I thought your poem was heartfelt and bold.
I see that you're resigned from Substack as well. Smart thing to do in my view it's a bit like Huffington Post from years ago when all the writers worked for free.
And the idea that Hamish and co are behind it rather than some billionaires somewhere is farcical.
Substack are promoting famous names - John Cleese, Thomas Massie.
I tried to make the poem a post just for founding members (i.e. me and my wife and maybe a few others). But it didn't seem to work, so it's currently unpublished.