Velos

Glad you mentioned that, I checked, good to know. Thank you.

Thank you, normally we get enough junk mail as it is... will just add the notices to the recycle bin without bothering to open. Safe Travels,

I just received this email. Does this mean we have to call DirecTV every time we stop to get the local channels? or will we get Livingston, TX Channels everywhere we go? Has anyone else received this notification? Dear Regrettably, we must inform you of a new law that affects your programming. Until recently, the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act Reauthorization (STELAR) Act authorized DIRECTV to provide you access to your out-of-market broadcast networks—ABC, CBS, NBC, CW, and/or FOX. Unfortunately, Congress has decided to not renew key provisions of this law. As a result, on June 1, 2020, we no longer will be able to provide you access to these out-of-market channels. These are not available anywhere else. However, this change does not affect access to your existing local network stations. If you’re paying for these channels, you’ll receive a credit within 1-2 billing cycles for this programming change. If you have any questions, please call us at 866.595.9429. Thank you for choosing DIRECTV.

I periodically receive advertisements for AARP. Are you an AARP member and if so what benefits to you use? Thank you.

I just received this announcement below for a job openings if anyone is interested? There are RV lots for rent in town and there is a 55+ RV park near the lake that has privately owned lots for rent https://www.juniperridgerealestate.com/rental/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: whitemtnlake@frontier.com To: Sent: 4/17/2020 1:33:55 PM US Mountain Standard Time Subject: WMLCRID WML is currently accepting applications for our summer lake patrol/maintenance positions. You may go online to our website: WML-RecreationDistrict.org on the District Docs & Forms page under job descriptions and applications to review the job description and print off the application to fill out and turn in to the District Office (small building at the lake entrance – Fri., Sat., & Sun. 9 - 1). You may also stop by the District Office during business hours (Fri., Sat., & Sun. 9 -1) to pick up an application. Best Regards, Pat Stevens Administrator, WMLCRID

Microsoft announces end-of-life date for Skype for Business Online: July 2021 Skype vs. Zoom: Video chat apps for working and keeping in touch, compared Facebook’s Worst Privacy Abuses & Data Scandals – Timeline

Interesting article, cyberspace is way bigger than us. Facebook and Google come to mind in their competition for market share. They will all hack and or disparage each other and with computer and technology traveling at the speed of light it is challenging for humans to keep up. We have to be selective as it can be time consuming to stay safe on the Internet but the alternative is to be "left behind". As with anything on the internet you have to be responsible to confirm your settings for your computer and each program you use as well as performing routine maintenance. Just like your car if you don't perform routine maintenance it won't take care of you. The internet is not free everything is sold. Even this forum is searched and data gathered. When you "Google" topics the escapee forum posts come up. Nothing new, just the longer they are up the more places they show up. Once on the internet ALWAYS on the internet. "The bottom line The reality is you can’t see your friends, your classmates and maybe your co-workers right now. You can’t eat at restaurants and you definitely can’t go to bars. Zoom is one of the platforms people have ubiquitously adopted to replace these in-person interactions amid the coronavirus outbreak. And it works relatively well. It’s OK to use Zoom, experts say. Just be thoughtful about what you’re using it for and observe a few precautions." SOURCE: https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/story/2020-04-13/is-zoom-safe-to-use-heres-what-you-need-to-know How to prevent Zoom bombing: 5 simple tips SOURCE: https://www.techrepublic.com/article/how-to-prevent-zoom-bombing-5-simple-tips/?fbclid=IwAR2gxjOnhGd5Dveafnu04eXGwogr8-W9_Ao2qQgx0FEVgRgAv-rIIK4LbCw "Zoom Security: Here’s What Zoom Is Doing To Make Its Service Safer It is no surprise that people are worried about Zoom’s security, but I have to say the company’s response has so far been impressive. It’s not trying to hide security issues–fixing problems for Mac and Windows users very quickly. Zoom founder and CEO Eric Yuan has apologized to users, and the firm is now aiming to make the service more secure by default. In other words, users don’t have to try as hard because the security and privacy are built in from the start. " SOURCE: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2020/04/10/zoom-security-heres-what-zoom-is-doing-to-make-its-service-safer/#711570e030fc

I was hesitant to try ZOOM, but the gym in our park is closed so they are doing real time classes free to residents via ZOOM and I started them last week. I hope they keep them going afterwards as I would pay for the classes while I am on the road as they are that good. While walking my dog the other day a friend rode her bike by and we chatted, at the appropriate social distance, and she said her wine club has been having "virtual" wine tastings on ZOOM. They have a free version which closes after 40 minutes and they just rejoined two more times. A friend visiting Juniper Ridge RV Park in Show Low AZ said they have Monday coffee and news every week but with the stay at home orders they were canceled and they are talking about holding them via ZOOM when the high season starts. My DR started using video conferencing so healthy people (their choice) don't have to go to the Dr's office full of sick people for wellness checks and refills. Here are 32 other ways to us ZOOM besides work: https://www.morningbrew.com/daily/stories/2020/04/02/32-ways-people-using-zoom-besides-work?utm_source=morning_brew

Whether we like it or not this is a very valuable though extremely painful learning experience for all of us. If we take steps today.. make changes.. it won't be for naught. Time is priceless and nonrenewable invest your time in what you value to get the most return on it. The first thing many may say in a disaster is I wish I would have ______________ or the "government" should have done_____________? I believe each of us is responsible for ourselves and the "government" is us. We need to concentrate on what we have control of; which is how we take care of ourselves, our families, our community and how we react to others. We can take this opportunity to learn from what has happened and take action to prepare for the next event. If it never happens in our lifetime I thank the man above and we will have had less stress in our lives knowing in addition to our prayers we rowed our own boat to the other side. How many had emergency supplies? Challenging for full timers with no home base but at least a go bag if you should have to exit your RV on short notice. If you have a go bag or emergency supplies do you rotate them every 3 or 6 months? Nothing is worse that having a disaster and grabbing emergency supplies that are expired, damaged or incomplete. Check lists are boring but free up your mind to be in and enjoy the present and provide confidence when an emergency occurs. During these stay at home orders do a search of this forum for check lists. There are many creative and experienced contributors here. With everyone here reading this on some type of internet device you can save your check lists there. If you can access them on your smartphone then the next time you have to wait in line for an appointment, to pick up something or a repair you could invest your time in reviewing your lists to make sure they are up to date and if not add a reminder on your calendar or email to take care of it. Today is a day of hope and renewal and I am grateful for my blessings. I am thankful for all our first responders and healthcare workers. My hope for all who read this if for you and yours to be safe. Happy Easter.

I heard this on the news last night: Arizona congressman calls for closing Grand Canyon immediately to help social distancing Ronald J. Hansen Arizona Republic The complete article here: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2020/03/27/rep-raul-grijalva-demands-immediate-closure-grand-canyon-coronavirus-covid-19/2932086001/

The RV park we summer in is discussing how they can communicate during this time of social distancing. In the past they use to have Monday Coffee and donuts in the lodge (which has a capacity of 300) to share news updates, community issues and activities, then email afterwards meeting minutes. With many here still working on the road and/or have children home from school what software/apps is your business or school using to communicate, conduct business meetings or class seminars?

"The virus is thought to spread mainly between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes." SOURCE: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/2019-ncov-factsheet.pdf From Dr. Quays paper: "Why is this important? because the virus will spend at least some time in your nose, mouth, and throat just waiting to get into your lungs. Acid/base reactions are the fastest chemistry in biology and an alkaline solution will quickly change the shape of the virus. if your nose and mouth are continuously alkaline it is inactivated before it ever gets into the lungs." We can all read the same paper and still come to different conclusions. Dr. Quay stated in his paper that if your nose and mouth are continuously alkaline (ie drinking green tea, brushing your teeth with tooth paste containing baking soda, possibly eating foods with high alkalinity) its possible the virus is inactivated before it ever gets into the lungs where it does the damage. It didn't appear to me that he was referring to the whole body's PH but just your nose and mouth where the virus enters. I believe you are referring to this alkaline diet scam: https://www.health.com/celebrities/alkaline-diet-creator-jail-time

Good point Zulu. I am not a fan of Facebook but several groups I participate in use it to share information since the demise of the Yahoo Groups storage capabilities. IMHO There is a lot of trash and bias on Facebook and that makes them money; so one must be very selective with the material obtained on Facebook. Facebook's business model is to provide the service to users for free then sell the data collected from their pages: https://fourweekmba.com/how-does-facebook-make-money/ "Facebook is an attention-based business model. As such, its algorithms condense the attention of over 2.4 billion users as of June 2019. Facebook advertising revenues accounted for $31.9 billion or 98.66% of its total revenues. Facebook Inc. has a product portfolio made of Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Oculus." Trust but verify here is some background on Dr. Steven Quay: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenquay Here is a definition of Coronaviruses: "Coronaviruses are a group of related viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans, coronaviruses cause respiratory tract infections that can be mild, such as some cases of the common cold (among other possible causes, predominantly rhinoviruses), and others that can be lethal, such as SARS, MERS, and COVID-19. Symptoms in other species vary: in chickens, they cause an upper respiratory tract disease, while in cows and pigs they cause diarrhea " Dr. Quay stated in his paper "Searching the US National Library of Medicine I found what might be an answer: a paper from 1990 that showed that a related (obviously not this one) "Medicine isn't an exact science that is why doctors are always practicing." We would all love to have the answers in 280 characters or less but we would never get this full story if that's all we had.

Good point green tea, asparagus and baking soda toothpaste are not for everyone. I found this list of Alkaline foods that may provide other alternatives? Source: https://www.betterbones.com/alkaline-balance/alkaline-forming-foods/ Alkaline foods list March 6, 2020/1 Comment/in Alkaline Balance /by Dr. Susan E. Brown Fruits Low Alkaline Medium Alkaline High Alkaline Coconuts Raisins Grapes Blueberries Oranges Apples Cherries Apricots Grapefruit Avocado Olives, green Banana Pears/Peaches Lemons Blackberries Nectarines Strawberries Persimmon Raspberries Tangerines Limes Papaya Pineapple Watermelon Cantaloupe Honeydew Vegetables Low Alkaline Medium Alkaline High Alkaline Snow peas Carrots, organic Cucumbers Brussels sprouts Cauliflower Mushrooms Artichokes Eggplant Beets Summer squash Baked potato Zucchini Bell peppers Okra Broccoli Cabbage String-beans without formed beans Asparagus Onions Celery Kohlrabi Collard greens Parsnips Endive Mustard greens Kale Winter squash Sweet potatoes Yams Dairy Low Alkaline Medium Alkaline High Alkaline Clarified butter (Ghee) Oils Low Alkaline Medium Alkaline High Alkaline Olive oil Flax oil Coconut oil Avocado oil Cod Liver oi Nuts / Seeds / Legumes / Herbs / Spices Low Alkaline Medium Alkaline High Alkaline Almonds Bay leaf Cayenne pepper Sesame seeds Sunflower seeds Black pepper Lentils Cashews Basil Garlic Cilantro Cinnamon Soy sauce Chestnuts Sea salt Ginger root Pumpkin seeds Parsley Breads / Grains / Desserts Low Alkaline Medium Alkaline High Alkaline Granola (unsweetened) Oatmeal Quinoa Wild rice Baked apples (unsweetened) Sweeteners / Vinegar’s Low Alkaline Medium Alkaline High Alkaline Rice syrup Sucanat Apple cider vinegar Molasses Umeboshi vinegar Beverages Low Alkaline Medium Alkaline High Alkaline Apple juice Grape juice Orange juice Green Tea Herbal tea Grapefruit juice Pineapple juice Mineral water Ginger tea

I thought this post though long, it was written by a MD, PHd, was interesting. I have only copied part of it here, Dr. Quay gives a source study for his conclusions at the end of the article. Click on his name and it will take you to his full Facebook page article as well as other information about the cornonavirus. Steven Quay March 11 at 6:37 AM Coronavirus update, 1222 GMT, 11 Mar Two topics today: .... 2. I think I found the Achilles Heel of the coronavirus. Achilles Heel: This virus is nasty and diabolical and once it gets into a cell, human medicine has little to offer at this time. The entire value proposition of a vaccine is to 'train' the immune system to have proteins that stick all over the virus just before it tries to enter the cell. Vaccines work by stopping or slowing cell entry. A virus is NOT technically alive and outside the cell it is as inert as a stone. So interfering with those little knobby things in the picture below with a $1 billion US vaccine may work in 18 months or so. My idea was simpler and quicker: are there simple 'environmental' changes that could destabilize those spikes and maybe slow/prevent entry into the cell, not with an antibody, but with something else. Searching the US National Library of Medicine I found what might be an answer: a paper from 1990 that showed that a related (obviously not this one) coronavirus, which was stable for days in acidic solutions was inactivated within MINUTES in alkaline solution. Why is this important? because the virus will spend at least some time in your nose, mouth, and throat just waiting to get into your lungs. Acid/base reactions are the fastest chemistry in biology and an alkaline solution will quickly change the shape of the virus. if your nose and mouth are continuously alkaline it is inactivated before it ever gets into the lungs. The microscope picture shows normal virus in acid solution (a) and clumpy, misshapen viruses in alkaline conditions (b). But its not just looks that changed but the ability to infect cells. The next graph is how long the virus could still infect cells when exposed to different pH values. The Y-axis is a log scale. The numbers 5, 6, and 7 are normal pH values and at these pH values >90% of the virus can still infect after two days. But the lines at 8 or 9 (my hand-drown red arrow) show >95% of the virus in GONE within minutes at alkaline pH values! So how do you get your oral cavity at pH 8, alkaline? If you do that whenever you are in the world you are giving yourself a science-based effort to NOT get infected. First, almost every toothpaste is baking soda, alkaline pH. Teeth dissolve is acid (think cola drinks) and cavities are bacteria using acid to dissolve your teeth. So brush regularly. Second, change up that water bottle you sip on all day. Few drinks are alkaline, most juices are acidic and you can see from the chart that acid STABILIZES this virus. But two drinks are perfect: green tea (not acidic coffee, unfortunately) and mineral spring water, with bicarbonates. So fill your water bottle with green tea or mineral water and sip away, all day. Finally, the Achilles Heel has a second target. Something called sulfhydryl (SH) bonds hold the different amino acid chains together. Lots of foods have natural SH bond breakers but the absolute best is asparagus. In fact, that special 'smell' is its sulfur-containing compounds. It is less clear this will work because it makes the INSIDE of cells rich in SH bond breakers not necessarily the outside but, what the heck, with a little Parmesan cheese, it might just add a second attack on the virus shell and in the worse case, it makes a delicious, side dish! Reference for above study: "Conformational change of the coronavirus peplomer glycoprotein at pH 8.0 and 37 degrees C correlates with virus aggregation and virus-induced cell fusion." Sturman LS, Ricard CS, Holmes KV. J Virol. 1990 Jun;64(6):3042-50. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2159562

If your travels are held up here are somethings you can do while you wait: I would prefer an abundance of caution in advance and hear all the complaints afterwards that it wasn't as bad a predicted than to not act and incur the worst case scenarios. Alternatives to our travels: Catching up on reading (download free books from with your library card or Amazon Prime https://www.amazon.com/primeinsider/reading/prime-reading-perks.html) Free E-books https://mashable.com/article/free-ebooks/ Record lots of movies Walking around the park, though I miss the gym and exercise class camaraderie Walking DVDs for inside https://www.amazon.com/s?k=walking+cds&ref=nb_sb_noss_2 Writing letters, emails and texting friends and family Reorganizing and possibly reducing what I carry in my cupboards and storage bays Learn a second language (good mental exercise) This is just one app for free learning: https://www.duolingo.com/ Free online courses http://www.openculture.com/freeonlinecourses Check out a newspaper from a country you would like to visit http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/

I would prefer an abundance of caution in advance and hear all the complaints afterwards that it wasn't as bad a predicted than to not act and incur the worst case scenarios. Alternatives to our travels: Catching up on reading (download free books from with your library card or Amazon Prime https://www.amazon.com/primeinsider/reading/prime-reading-perks.html) Free E-books https://mashable.com/article/free-ebooks/ Record lots of movies Walking around the park, though I miss the gym and exercise class camaraderie Walking DVDs for inside https://www.amazon.com/s?k=walking+cds&ref=nb_sb_noss_2 Writing letters, emails and texting friends and family Reorganizing and possibly reducing what I carry in my cupboards and storage bays Learn a second language (good mental exercise) This is just one app for free learning: https://www.duolingo.com/ Free online courses http://www.openculture.com/freeonlinecourses Check out a newspaper from a country you would like to visit http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/

I saw this on the news this morning and thought it was a good way to remember to check your smoke detectors and electronic devices privacy settings: https://cyberguy.com/tech-tips-tricks/5-must-dos-when-you-spring-ahead-for-daylight-saving/

Here are a couple more links to help Voters in Texas, South Dakota and Florida: "2019 is is fairly quiet year for important elections. However, it doesn’t hurt to think ahead and prepare yourself for the excitement of 2020! Across the country, voting in the general election will take place on November 5, 2019 and November 3, 2020. For those of you domiciled in Florida, South Dakota and Texas, keep reading to learn important dates and ensure you are prepared to vote! " https://www.escapees.com/voting-absentee-2/

Drilling down on the link in my previous post above is specific information for SD absentee voting: https://sdsos.gov/elections-voting/voting/absentee-voting.aspx Posted Thursday at 06:44 PM I found this website https://vip.sdsos.gov/VIPLogin.aspx Where South Dakotan's can check the status of their absentee ballot application: V.I.P. is provided as a public service by the Secretary of State in cooperation with the County Auditors in each of South Dakota’s 66 counties. This search shows your voter registration information, polling place location and your sample ballot. Sample ballots that may be available for viewing are: Primary, General and some municipal and school ballots. The municipal and school ballots will only show on this site if the municipality and school are combining their election with the county for the State June Primary Election. If you are voting by absentee ballot, this search will also provide you with tracking information regarding the date your absentee ballot application was received, the date your absentee ballot was sent to you, and the date your absentee ballot was received.

I believe the reason they need to be filled out for each election for those under 65 or annually for those over 65 or disabled is to insure they are going to the current registered voter. Website for Texas residents printable application for ballot by mail: https://www.sos.texas.gov/elections/voter/reqabbm.shtml Here are the instructions from the website above: Application for a Ballot by Mail To be eligible to vote early by mail in Texas, you must: be 65 years or older; be disabled; be out of the county on election day and during the period for early voting by personal appearance; or be confined in jail, but otherwise eligible. Instructions for submitting an Application for Ballot by Mail (“ABBM”): Print (PDF) the ABBM form OR submit an order online and an ABBM will be mailed to you. Complete Sections 1 through 8. Sign and Date Section 10. If you were unable to sign the application and someone witnessed your signature, that person must complete Section 11. If someone helped you complete the application or mailed the application for you, that person must complete Section 11. Affix postage. If you printed the application you must place it in your own envelope and add postage. If you ordered the application online and it was mailed to you - fold the application in half, moisten top tab, seal and add postage. Address and mail the completed ABBM to the Early Voting Clerk in your county. You may also fax the application if a fax machine is available in the early voting clerk’s office. You also have the option of submitting a scanned copy of the completed and signed application to the Early Voting Clerk via email. If an ABBM is faxed or emailed, then the original, hard copy of the application MUST be mailed and received by the early voting clerk no later than the 4th business day. The Early Voting Clerk is the County Clerk or Elections Administrator for your county Contact information, including fax numbers if available, and email addresses for the Early Voting Clerks are available on this website. NOTICE: DO NOT MAIL, FAX, OR EMAIL COMPLETED APPLICATIONS FOR BALLOT BY MAIL TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE. ALL APPLICATIONS RECEIVED BY THIS OFFICE WILL BE REJECTED. Military and overseas voters are welcome to use the regular registration and early voting by mail process available to all voters away from their home county on Election Day. However, there are also special provisions for military and overseas voters. For more information, please read the Early Voting in Texas pamphlet.

I found this website https://vip.sdsos.gov/VIPLogin.aspx Where South Dakotan's can check the status of their absentee ballot application: V.I.P. is provided as a public service by the Secretary of State in cooperation with the County Auditors in each of South Dakota’s 66 counties. This search shows your voter registration information, polling place location and your sample ballot. Sample ballots that may be available for viewing are: Primary, General and some municipal and school ballots. The municipal and school ballots will only show on this site if the municipality and school are combining their election with the county for the State June Primary Election. If you are voting by absentee ballot, this search will also provide you with tracking information regarding the date your absentee ballot application was received, the date your absentee ballot was sent to you, and the date your absentee ballot was received.

Thank you. Do you ask for notification of ballots or does the mail service automatically notify you when your ballots arrive?

I received a Ballot by Mail Application with a political flyer for the upcoming March 3, 2020 election. I noticed on the application for ballot by mail that Voters 65 years or older can sign up annually. Do any other full timers 65 and older using the Escapees Mail Service take advantage of this feature? If I sign up now will I have to reapply for the November 2020 election? Thank you.

Good info, thank you for posting.