Maybe you can post a couple screenshots? No sound…unless you can grab some.
Glad you had a good time.
DID YOU HAVE A LOT TO DRINK TOO?
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You’d mentioned the possibility of dumping the file somewhere online, then linking to it here. I do not know how to do that 
I’d posted the video on my Facebook page, but it’s not set to public.
As for drinks, just about enough: 3 cups of mediocre Riesling ON ICE at the show, and a very nice Fords gin dry AF martini nightcap at home 
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Imgur would probably work. I’ve used it for other sites that didn’t allow image uploads.
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Well? Saw a family with a sign as I was exiting the Target parking lot. This was in Mongomeryille Pa and the police do not usually have all that much to do here which is a good thing. Figure someone called the police on them so they had to go to the extreme corner of the fish tank. I did not stop. Ninja would have tried to attack them for one thing. Macho little bastige. And women traveling alone have less options for interacting with strangers. I think that same summer, it might have been too hot to bring Ninja that day I was at the target parking lot again. I did the thing where I parked way out of the way to encourage myself to do a bit more walking. Not smart because I was traveling alone. Sigh. I just had to remind myself that con men are rarely violent. I felt like stretching a little and this car with two guys pulled up next to me. Long conversations before I convinced them to pick an easier target because they were wasting valuable scamming time. Well I was a bit more subtle than that but I tried to see things from their point of view. They wanted to wax my car because it would not pass inspection other wise. I was polite and calm and I have no problem lying my ass off when needed. They wanted three hundred dollars. I did not tell them I had no cell phone but lied about that for sure. I told them all car stuff had to be approved by my husband and he was at work and could not take calls. I do not have a husband.
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Gabriel wrote some weird ass stuff. I still can’t figure out Shock The Monkey let alone this.
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My last duty station I was downtown in a building with the 5th floor leased out for federal use. The entire 4th floor was the county welfare offices. Some large subset of the clients stopping the elevator to get off at the 4th floor would be wearing clothing worth a week of my sergeant pay; more, if they had on the more expensive Air Jordan high-tops. Lots of really nice fur coats in the winter, too.
From time to time I’d catch a window-view of someone I’d seen coming in in notable getup, as they left - most of that subset were driving late model cars.
Still, I routinely give cash to the sob-story folks in parking lots. Most recently though it was a guy doing a really quite passable job playing pop music on @emglow101’s squeezebox.
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I choose to err on the side of compassion, (and I have been scammed at least twice), but that doesn’t mean I make eye contact or connect with all the panhandlers. I do give money to street musicians, or other performing artists, as well as others from time to time, and when traveling. I just consider it part of what I should do, and it’s always good for my karmic account, I reckon.
BUT, TRUE story, and kind of strange, it happened about 10 years ago, at least part 1 did. My friend and I were just leaving a bookstore in a neighboring city, when we were approached by a man who looked like anybody you might bump into at a mall or restaurant for instance. He said he was from a different part of the state, had been notified his daughter in college had been in an accident, was in the hospital, and he was on his way to see her, when his car was broken into at a rest stop, and his money was stolen. I had a kid in college at the time, so he seemed relatable. I gave him some money, not a lot, but enough to help a bit. I realized right away it was a total scam, and felt foolish, but what the heck - shame on him, not on me. PART 2: about 2-3 years later, I was called to jury duty, and for the first time ever, I fulfilled my obligation, showed up and was selected. Lo and behold the scammer was also chosen, which I realized riding up the elevator to the courtroom. I was totally stunned but of course pretended I’d never seen him before. It was a case that should never have gone to court in the first place, (non felony theft) otherwise, I would have gone to the judge and spilled. He did vote right away to convict the guy. It takes one to know one, I guess.
ETA: There is an historical district in Seattle that implores people to not give to panhandlers, supported by all the shop owners, restaurants and other businesses. I do abide by that and refrain, since there are many problems in that area.
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Love everything about this post. Thank you. Those who appreciate a good story relate to this sort of thing. And Your post and Respectfully’s inspires more stories. How can that possibly be a bad thing? Last winter I was camping our favorite table at the reading terminal market. A two top laden with food and drink. I like that word laden. Cdc had gone to get one more item from The Dutch Eating Place when dude approaches telling me I was sitting there like a beautiful queen. Ummm. Sob story about needing to buy train ticket to north carolina. It might have been believable because he was wearing an extra layer of clothing but it was cold out. I told him all the bounty was paid for by someone else and I had no money to give he got outta there faaaast.
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I really like the part about the wall. People who know know.
I am with you on this 100%. If I feel moved to help I accept the risk of being scammed.
Giving money to aggressive panhandlers only encourages it so I don’t.
A while back while walking to grab a bagel in downtown St Paul a 20-something kid asked for money for food. I recognized him as one of the regular panhandlers/loiters so we went inside a little market where he picked out a sandwich. He snatched it up and left without a word as I paid. Oh well. He got breakfast but no money. He needed it.
Another time I was walking through a muni park that’s pretty much a camping spot for homeless and troublemakers when I saw a young 20-something couple sitting quietly on a park bench. The boy was wrapped up in a blanket leaning against a girl who was embracing and comforting him. He looked feverish. I have no idea how they found themselves in the situation they were in but they needed help but not asking for it. The girl said he had been sick with fever for the last day. There was no way to walk away without helping them.
I bought a stupidly expensive knife for no other reason than impulse. So I won’t second guess giving $100 to a guy and his kids holding a sign saying they’re struggling if it feels legit.
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This is more or less how I view it. I’ve got enough money for now. If someone says they need some, then what is $5 to me? It’s a negligible amount, even if I do it every week it only amounts to $250. If they are truly in need or if they are scammers, either way, I hope they get what karma has coming for them.
My wife and I don’t see quite eye-to-eye on this, though. She’s a bit more jaundiced, despite being 6 years younger. Oh well. She’ll give me some stuff but still lets me donate.
Also, basically same comment @Respectfully_Declined. We seem copacetic here.
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How does being 6 years younger factor in?
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Just that I’d think a younger woman would be more sympathetic than an older man?
Or that a younger woman would be less jaundiced than an older man?
Take yer pick, BBQ Dude!
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I’m still pondering this.
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I read about the unintended consequences of Proctor & Gamble’s development of Tide Pods. Apparently 8 people have died from eating them. Two children and six dementia adults. P&G changed pod colors and designed more challenging to open lids.
It seems that was a news story looking for a problem.
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I guess it all boils to who you can trust nowadays. The first time at the WM stop sign. Fine. After that when it’s week after week no way. Another thing is that lately when we visit larger cities it’s mainly Hispanic or India
women with kids with sign that start out with “I’m an immigrant and”. My main problem is I can’t read the sign until I get right up in there. You don’t want to stare at the sign and then take off,
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I’m late to to game here but are you and CCE a couple? I’m getting a little confused here.
P.s. I can’t help but hear that song every time I see your HO name.
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I am too. Who are you talking to when saying, “you”?
You did hear that eating Tide pods was a “dare thing” among some youths, as well as Tide Pod pizzas, etc.,(which was more jokey) for awhile? Not an urban myth, but pretty damn strange. Pre Covid I think.
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I rarely if ever give money at traffic controls. And I don’t need unsolicited window washing either.
…… 
…….
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