And, 1946 was immediately after a world War where there were an estimated 60-75 million deaths.

From the Wall Street Journal,

The U.S. national debt reached 100% of gross domestic product for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, hitting the triple-digit mark for the first time since 1946.
...
The annual budget deficit of nearly $2 trillion was 6.2% of GDP, continuing an unusual streak of red ink outside of wars, recessions and emergencies.

And many Republicans continue to says the current President is a good business man that we need to run our country. I don't think so. He and his cabinet have no clue.

What a beautiful couple of days. October is a good time of year to travel.

Continued...

Foothills Craft Guild Inc is at

Knoxville Expo Center
5441 Clinton Hwy, Knoxville, TN, United States, 37912.

Foothills Craft Guild 60th Annual Fine Craft Show is happening this weekend at Knoxville Expo Center!

Oct 30: 10-6pm
Oct 31: 10-6pm
Nov 1 : 10-4pm

Tickets available online or at the door.

While speaking at a rally in Perry, GA, the President said:

"Our country is making hundreds of billions of dollars because of what's happened in the Middle East, because they're coming to Texas and they're coming to Oklahoma and they're coming to Louisiana and they're taking that oil," Trump said.
...
My people say, please don't mention that, Sir, people are paying a little higher," Trump said, adding that he expected gas prices to fall.
...
"But I said, 'I don't give a damn, I'm gonna say it: We're making a frickin fortune,'" he added.

As if that isn't bad enough, "Trump said. "By the way, I looked at one hell of a beautiful ass before: Nicki Minaj... "That's hard to miss," he said of the "Pink Friday" artist, before saying, "Stand up! That's hard to miss."

I just don't understand.

How is it people can give the MAGA right wing their votes?

Barack Obama did not hold back today.

“He's got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a cheesecake factory."

[image or embed]

— Andrew Weinstein (@andrewjweinstein.com) October 24, 2026 at 3:57 PM

"He’s clearly not focused on lowering prices for you.”

"Obama argues that we won’t fix our political problems unless we rediscover our moral compass first"

“How much time do you think this defense secretary spends looking in the mirror in the morning? These are not serious people” —

On Oct. 20, 2026, around 8:15 pm, "a 70-year-old man from Maryville was fatally struck while attempting to cross the road near" McDonald's annd Foothills Mall, at Foothills Mall Drive and Lamar Alexander Parkway.

Recently, WATE had a good story about "Alcoa man calls for improved sidewalks as he struggles to navigate in his wheelchair."

A 41-year-old man was struck by a car just before 6 p.m. on Wilkinson Pike, in Maryville, on Monday, Nov. 10, 2025.

Hamilton Crossing shopping center has no real pedestrian guidance. There is one painted crosswalk, but with the speeding cars, it's game of chance.

Blount County growth has made it more dangerous for pedestrians and bicyclists. More pedestrian crossing lights need to be installed at non-intersections. More intersections need markings along with pedestrian lights.

What's the point of growth if the community is lost.

There have been a few instances in Middle Tennessee where people have tried to vote for a certain candidate but the voting machine shows they selected a different candidate.

Even Stella Parton reports a problem with voting, “In Tennessee last week at the Hermitage Library where I voted, I had to go back three times and correct my vote because it kept defaulting to Marsha Blackburn,” Stella wrote on Facebook."

When we were voting in Blount County there was one voting volunteer that kept hurrying people along when they were getting ready to turn over the voting slip. You should take the time to review the voting slip to ensure the candidates you voted for are the candidates listed on your voting slip.

Be aware. Take your time. Don't let anyone hurry you along. Report any problems you encounter.

We have it pretty bad when the leading contestant for governor in Tennessee is Marsha Marsha Marsha. This year the Democrats have a great opponent in Jerri Green.

Alabama has it worse in the contest between Doug Jones, Democrat, and Tommy Tuberville, Republican. I mean really, how can Alabama Republicans justify electing Tuberville. Oh, yeah. He was a football coach.

Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly will face off in the 2026 Florida governor's race.

But, then there is the Ohio governor's race. Wow! Republican Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign "confirmed that it produced the ad and would spend $4 million to air it in the state." "Ohio’s bitter governor’s race got even uglier Tuesday when an attack ad surfaced featuring Democratic nominee Amy Acton’s long-estranged mother calling her daughter “a liar,” prompting Acton’s brother to accuse Acton’s Republican opponent, Vivek Ramaswamy, of turning childhood rape “into a political talking point.” Democrat Amy Acton responds with "Her experiences shaped her values, compassion and her "belief that every person deserves to be safe, to be heard, and to have a fair chance at a better life," she continued."

Some of the worst campaigns ever. Vote! Vote! Vote!

The Administration is so happy about giving some Senior Citizens an extra $90 to help with Medicare premiums. In addition, there is a lot of back slapping over Social Security cost of living increase.

For 2026, which is the year we are living, I've experienced a $12.37 monthly loss in SS income/Medicare cost net profit/loss.

The net profit/loss are for:
Social Security income, 2.8% increase in 2026.
Medicare Part B premium increase of 9.67%.
Medicare Part D premium increase of 100%, although the premium was $0 and increased to $3.60.
Medicare Supplement/Medigap Increase of 29.5%

The Social Security 2.8% income increase did not cover the Medicare price increases. The $90 Medicare rebate we recently received covers 7 months of the loss. The Medicare rebate was "to put healthcare dollars back where they belong – in the hands of our Medicare beneficiaries – and make coverage more affordable." Hah.

For those of you who think Medicare is free, think again. For those of you celebrating the 3.6% 2027 Social Security increase, think again. How will that add up to the Medicare price increases?

This doesn't include the ridiculous price increases for food, gas, clothing, housing, and taxes. How will survival be in 2027?

For those in their early years, don't forget to save for your Senior years. If the Democrats don't gain control for the next 10 to 12 years, the Republicans will put us all in the poorhouse.

On Tuesday, October 20, 2026, Tennessee Dept. of Health along with local Health Depts. are offering free flue shots.

Use the Fight Flu Event Location map to find a Fight Flu site near you for a free flu vaccine on Oct. 20th.

Knoxville, TN, locations
Knox County Health Department
140 Dameron Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917
8 am to 6 pm

Knox County Health Department West
9000 Executive Park Drive, Suite A301B, Knoxville, TN 37923
8 am to 12 pm (noon)

Lonsdale Elementary School
1317 Louisiana Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37921
4:30 pm to 7:00 pm

Mission District Safe Space
505 Depot Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917
1 pm to 3 pm

New Direction-Emerald Youth
2410 Martin Luther King Jr Ave, Knoxville, TN 37915
1:30 pm to 4 pm

Blount County/Maryville, TN, locations

Blount County Health Department
301 McGhee Street, Maryville, TN 37801
8 am to 3 pm

What: Knox SOUP Announces New Name, November 5 Community Dinner, and Call for Project Proposals
When: Thursday, November 5, 2026 - 5:30pm
Where: Knoxville First Presbyterian Church, 620 State Street

Knoxville SOUP is now Knox SOUP, a name that better reflects the organization’s commitment to supporting community-driven projects throughout Knox County. The organization has always welcomed proposals from across the county, and the updated name makes clear that its reach extends beyond the city of Knoxville.

Knox SOUP — Supporting Outstanding Unique Projects — will celebrate its continued mission at a community dinner on Thursday, November 5, 2026, and is inviting individuals and groups to submit project proposals for consideration on their website - KnoxSOUP.org.

Continued...

Nerobefehl Nation, The Nero Decree was a scorched earth policy... If I can't have it, you can't either.

Paul Krugman, Substack.

All indications are that Republicans are headed for massive defeat in election... So what will he do when Americans show what they really think of him?
...
He will, of course, claim that the election was rigged and try to overturn the results.

... trying to punish Ukraine for daring to deny victory to his friend Vladimir Putin

... suddenly cut down hundreds of trees at a public golf course in Washington

... the Kennedy Center, a national icon that Trump is destroying because he can’t put his own name on it, as the model for what is all too likely to happen to America over the next two years.
...
But one thing Democrats can do is make it clear that everyone who aids and abets Trump in his Neroism can and will be held accountable to the full extent of the law.

Don't go. We drove up to Cades Coves yesterday. Then, turned around. There was a sign that said the Loop Road could take 4-6 hours. Say what!

I love to see people from across the country here to visit. We need the diversity.

We drove through Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. It was crowded but not bad. It didn't take long.

The leaves are just starting to change. Good color could take another week or three.

Knox County, TN, Election Commission early voting information.
Early voting locations.
Early voting hours.
Sample ballot.

Does South Knoxville lose out on voting locations? One location for all of South Knoxville and it sorta kinda has a traffic signal. Wouldn't want to be crossing Chapman Highway without a traffic signal.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told Politico last week "that society will face a “coming tidal wave of cybersecurity problems” coming from open-source AI models. He also said that people will “have to just accept some fairly severe cyber incidents from open models, in exchange for the liberty that comes with that.”

WTF?!?!?
...

“No, Mr. Altman. We won’t accept a severe AI cyberattack in exchange for ‘liberty,'” Sanders wrote on X.

Go Bernie. Someone has to stand up to these AI/Tech overlord wannabes.

According to InsideOfKnoxville,
Old Sevier Market Is Officially Open for Business.

Old Sevier Market is a grocery store at 906 Sevier Avenue. It is in the old Bondurant Brothers building, sharing space with Redbud Kitchen, Hi-Wire Brewing and others.

Voting may take longer this time because of the three Constitutional Amendments on the ballot. They are long and a little confusing.

ACLU's stance on the amendments.

From the Tennessee Bar Association, the Constitutional Amendment State Legislature sponsors.

Tennessee Lookout Voter Guide

Knox County, TN, Sample Ballot.

Blount County, TN, Sample Ballot.

A “yes” vote is a vote to amend the Constitution and adopt the language in the proposed amendment.
A “no” vote is a vote to keep the current language in the Constitution unchanged.

For an amendment to pass and become part of the Constitution, both of the following must happen:
The amendment must receive more “yes” votes than “no” votes; and
The number of “yes” votes must be more than half of all votes cast in the governor’s race.

Constitutional Amendment #1
Vote for One (1)
Summary:
This amendment changes Article I, section 15 of the Tennessee Constitution by allowing a court to hold a defendant without bail
before trial when that defendant is accused of:
an offense punishable by the death penalty, an act of terrorism, second degree murder, aggravated rape of a child, aggravated rape,
grave torture, or any crime for which a convicted person would
be required to serve eighty-five percent of their sentence.

This amendment requires courts to state on the record the reasons for their decision to grant or deny bail in those cases.

Question:

Shall Article I, Section 15 of the Constitution of Tennessee be amended by deleting the following:
That all prisoners shall be bailable by sufficient sureties, unless
for capital offences, when the proof is evident, or the presumption great. And the privilege of the writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in case of rebellion or invasion, the General Assembly shall declare the public safety requires it.

and substituting instead the following:
(a) All prisoners shall be bailable by sufficient sureties unless
for the following when the proof is evident or the presumption great: (1) A capital offense; (2) An act of terrorism; (3) Second degree murder; (4) Aggravated rape of a child; (5) Aggravated rape; (6) Grave torture; and (7) Any other offense for which, as of November 3, 2026, a defendant, if convicted, could not be released prior to the expiration of at least eighty-five percent of the entire sentence imposed.
(b) In any case in which bail for an offense listed in subsection (a) is granted or denied before conviction, the judge or magistrate shall place in the record the judge's or magistrate's reasons for
granting or denying bail.
(c) The privilege of the writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in case of rebellion or invasion, the General Assembly shall declare the public safety requires it.

Yes
No

Two mroe Constitutional Amendments after the break.

Continued...

Texas Senate candidate James Talarico (D) has been accused by MAGA influencer of being committed to an Ohio mental hospital.

Talarico spokesperson confirmed Talarico had the flu.
The hospital Talarico was accused of being at later confirmed the progressive lawmaker had never received treatment from the facility.

a pathetic conspiracy theory

This should be an interesting election. I hope Democrats get out the vote so there will be no question as to who won. Although, if AI hacks the votes we're in big trouble. On the other hand, it is my understanding voting computers have no access to the Internet, thus can't be hacked?

Robert Moody, who recently took on a role on the Knox County Board of Zoning Appeals for the county's 9th district [South Knoxville] was cited for misdemeanor assault at an event at Jackson Terminal in downtown Knoxville.
...
"Andy Fox, who is the county commissioner for District 9 [SoKno], was listed as a panelist at the forum, as well as Monty Fritts [Republican TN State Representative Loudon/Roane Counties]."

Whatta ya gonna do?

Artificial Intelligence technology out of control?

Anthropic’s A.I. agents had submitted 20 visa applications through a form available on the State Department’s website...

The Philadelphia Police Department said earlier on Friday that Anthropic had notified it that the company’s technology submitted a false homicide tip to the agency’s website.

Anthropic said an A.I. model it had been testing had taken several unauthorized actions, including using a flaw in a university website to download data and sending a government agency a form that it had been told not to submit.

Should the government spend more time controlling Artificial Intelligence? Would this activity be allowed in any previous Administration? Any and all organizations, companies, etc. that have been hacked should sue the hacking company for big bucks. This is totally unacceptable.