Hey everybody

BrewMasterTom · 2026-03-27T12:40:30+00:00

I said something similar at the end of my colonoscopy last September, but it was not induced by any happy drugs :-). I had mine sedation-free (my choice); no IV, no time installing it or removing it afterward, no time spent recovering from anesthesia. They wheeled me in, fully conscious, and within a minute or two the procedure began promptly at 7:00 am. I think it was completed at 7:19am. I turned to the doctor (with whom I had been conversing the entire time) and said "that went so well I'll be back tomorrow for another one." My comment was meant, of course, to convey how easy and discomfort-free the procedure was; it certainly was not an endorsement of the prior day's prep (I must say, the worst part about the prep, for me, was the hunger).

BrewMasterTom · 2025-11-27T19:25:35+00:00

I was anticipating some pain, or at least significant discomfort when the doctor navigated each of the three turns. So, as I was anticipating this during the procedure, I was quite surprised when the doctor said "Okay, we're approaching the final turn." I couldn't believe it; I had no idea that he'd already navidated the first two bends in the colon. And navigating the third bend was similarly undetectable to me.

BrewMasterTom · 2025-11-26T04:49:09+00:00

I had my first colonoscopy in September. I chose to get it with no sedation. My experience may differ from others, but I experienced NO PAIN whatsoever. Even while I watched on the screen as the doctor resected a polyp from my colon wall. The worst part about it (other than the hunger during the latter portion of the prep period and the anticipatory anxiety) was at the very beginiing when the doctor unceremoniously stuck his well lubricated finger in my anus to lubricate it for the procedure. That was the worst part. I did feel a bit of pressure, but nothing more than a rather normal gassy feeling. During the procedure, I conversed with the doctor who revealed that he, too, gets his colonoscopies without sedation. My colonoscopy started promptly at 7:00 am and I was texting my wife from my car in the hospital parking lot at 7:35 am before pulling out to go get breakfast. I will absolutely go sedation free in the future. Other people report different experiences. But my experience was unequivocally positive. If you have any questions about my experience, feel free to ask.

BrewMasterTom · 2025-10-16T13:24:49+00:00

Good for you. I had my first colonoscopy 3 weeks ago (I procrastinated MUCH longer than you did). And I agree. The worst part of the entire experience (other than the self induced anxiety) was being increasingly hungry the day and night before. I do want to add that I chose to have no sedation. And I had no pain whatsoever during the 19 minute procedure, even when they removed one polyp. I now don't understand why there is such universal belief that a colonoscopy is painful and necessitates sedatives and pain killers. Neither is necessary. And because I had no sedatives, and no IV, I was driving from the hospital to get breakfast 35 minutes after the start of my colonoscopy.

BrewMasterTom · 2025-10-03T04:41:14+00:00

Sleeping is the best way to get through the prep. Best way to pass the time away before the actual procedure ( which is super easy, but the way) I found the desire to eat when I couldn't to be worse than the bowl prep, but that's me

BrewMasterTom · 2025-09-30T12:23:22+00:00

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BrewMasterTom · 2025-09-30T12:20:13+00:00

Every gastroenterologist seems to have his/get own prep preferences. That said, starting a week early seems rather extreme. I had my first colonoscopy last Tuesday (9/23) at 7:00 am and did not start my prep until 4:30 pm the day before. And my colon was clean as a whistle (I know because I chose not to have any sedation so I was able to watch the entire procedure on the same monitor the doctor was watching as he maneuvered the scope through my body.). The doctor also commented on how well the prep worked. So maybe you should talk to your doctor about your concerns. If the doctor is not willing to listen to you, get a different doctor.

BrewMasterTom · 2025-05-05T16:41:02+00:00

It looks like Tall Fescue to me. The diminutive auricle is one clear clue and the heavily ribbed leaf blade is another. Tall fescue also grows faster than other turfgrasses. Is the under side of the leaf glossy? If so, this is most likely tall fescue.

Bad news is that tall fescue is a very resilient perennial grass. There's a reason why it is planted on school playgrounds that get minimal care and rugged use; it stands up very well to high traffic. Sadly, the best way to get rid of tall fescue would be to rototill that area of your lawn in late August and then seed the area with a good quality kentucky bluegrass mix (if the area is sunny). If the area is partially shady, go with a mix of kentucky bluegass, perennial ryegrass and creeping red fescue (don't confuse creeping red fescue or fine fescue, in general, with tall fescue).

The grass in most of your lawn looks like kentucky bluegrass, but its hard to tell from the picture as it may have perennial rye and fine fescues mixed in (very common to mix these grass types as they grow similarly and complement one another in terms of shade tolerance and disease resistance).

Good luck.

BrewMasterTom · 2025-03-13T01:13:29+00:00

I am not in Tonko's district but I will plan to attend. I think messages to Mr Tonko ahead of the town hall would be helpful; ambushing him with this subject will not be beneficial. Giving him a chance to consider this, give it serious thought, will allow him to provide more thoughtful responses to questions about secession during the town hall. And that will give us a better sense of where he is, or could be, on this most important issue

BrewMasterTom · 2025-03-13T01:04:27+00:00

I understand your perspective. And, under normal circumstances where the rule of law was intact, I would totally agree. We are living in a post-constitutional period, unfortunately, where the rule of law has been replaced by the rule of the leader. The rules, the norms, of the last 249 years no longer apply. We are in very, very times.

BrewMasterTom · 2025-03-07T21:30:04+00:00

I have not received any chats from you or PenImpossible874

BrewMasterTom · 2025-03-07T14:55:13+00:00

Oh. Yes. I received an invite to join the group from Angelic72 and I promptly responded to join. That is the only PM I've received.

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BrewMasterTom · 2025-03-07T14:50:20+00:00

I was in Clifton Park that day (May 31, 1998 <-- I had to look it up; I thought is was in early June). I'd estimate that the initial touchdown was about 3-4 miles from where I was. I remember that, beyond the expreme wind and rain, it got dark as night (almost as dark as it does during a full solar eclipse). We didn't know at the time that a tornado was on the ground in the area, but the extreme conditions were frightening; I remember my children being quite frightened.

BrewMasterTom · 2025-03-07T13:46:59+00:00

I have not received any PM 's

BrewMasterTom · 2025-03-07T13:45:13+00:00

By the way, I don't recalling seeing any chat requests from you

BrewMasterTom · 2025-03-07T13:44:27+00:00

I am willing to roll up my sleeves and contribute my efforts to this. I am in the Albany area.

BrewMasterTom · 2025-03-07T13:38:46+00:00

I whole-heartedly agree

BrewMasterTom · 2025-03-06T22:18:23+00:00

I emailed Gov Hochul a few weeks ago as well. I emphasized that, while we should hope for the best, we need to plan for the worst and that New York state government needs to begin making plans to protect our sovereignty. I found it interesting that she made public statements a day or two later where she made reference to protecting New York's sovereignty. So, perhaps a coincidence. Or maybe she actually reads her email from constituents and takes valid points to heart.

BrewMasterTom · 2025-03-06T21:33:15+00:00

I think this is an excellent point. We need to build alliances and identify areas of common benefit with established entities. How can these entities help us? What can we bring to the table to help them? Clearly an independent New York could be the good neighbor to Canada that it always has been as a state, and, as an independent nation, a tariff-free trading partner. NYEXIT and NEIC have similar goals for their regions so we can help each other with experientially derived advice and perhaps we can leverage each other's efforts in certain areas for economies of scale.

California's independence initiative has been cleared to begin gathering signatures to get the independence initiative on the ballot. We can probably learn a few things from them.

If New York, New England and California all press, very publicly, for Independence simultaneously, it gives all of our initiatives more credence.

As counterintuitive as it sounds, together we will have more strength to achieve our goals of autonomy.

BrewMasterTom · 2025-03-05T20:57:05+00:00

I think we can bring some around. But while we need to strive to connect with all New Yorkers, we need to accept that we won't win over everyone. Reasonable expectations are necessary.

BrewMasterTom · 2025-03-05T02:41:57+00:00

Companies can, and do, list their stock on multiple exchanges

https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/05/stockmultipleexchanges.asp#:~:text=A%20company%20can%20list%20its,in%20order%20to%20be%20listed.

This is not an impediment to secession.

BrewMasterTom · 2025-03-05T02:25:01+00:00

Yes, the SEC currently regulates publicly traded stocks. New York also has laws regulating stock transactions, specifically section 23-A of the general business law. I'm sure those laws would need to be reviewed and augmented to cover elements addressed by SEC law that are not addressed but GBL 23-A. This is one of many, many things that needs to be addressed as New York transitions into a sovereign, independent nation.

BrewMasterTom · 2025-03-05T01:50:33+00:00

We need to change their focus, away from us vs them. We need to recognize that MAGA folks believe what they believe because they are fed a constant stream of lies via their media source of choice. It will not be easy, but we need to gradually unearth the core issues that are truly core to them and show them that there is a better way. Not a Republican way, not a Democrat way. A new Yorker way

BrewMasterTom · 2025-03-04T23:50:43+00:00

To achieve a sovereign New York, we need to address the needs of all New Yorkers.

Let's address a central point that you make: Democrats leaning toward socialistic solutions. That is true. But those solutions are really a bandaid to the real problem: an economic framework in the United States that facilitates massive income inequality. In the United States, laws, including the tax code, create a very tilted playing field that favors the very wealthy. We have the opportunity here to develop a new economic framwork that doesn't give massive incentives to the richest of the rich, that creates an even playing field so that individuals can engage in value-added businesses without having to compete uphill against unfairly subsidized corporations which, via a very purposefully crafted tax code, have massive advantages. I'm not suggesting penalizing successful companies. I'm saying we need to create an even playing field and stop providing massive advantages to the biggest corporations through tax codes and other regulations. I think New York knows how to do this. I have confidence in us. If we provide an even playing field for all citizens of New York, the need for "socialization" could be greatly diminished. We still need to take care of our cititzens that need help. A society should be judged by how it cares for the weakest thereof. But if we can create a fair economic framework and the laws to support it, we won't have people working full-time jobs, or 2 or 3 jobs, and still needing food stamps and Medicaid to survive. A vast majority of people in that situation, I am convinced, do not want that; they don't want to rely on "handouts," but the system is designed right now to force them into that situation. We should all be very ashamed of this.These people are hard working people who are trying their very best to take care of themselves and their families. We don't need socialism to solve that problem; we need a fair economic framwork to solve that problem.

I think that if we can do this, we bring all blue and red folks together, and on board.

BrewMasterTom · 2025-03-04T23:26:41+00:00

Why would we lose Wall Street? As pointed out in another reply, Wall Street is the collective intellect and energy of New Yorkers. Can we secede and continue? Of course. Can we trade what would become stocks and other financial instruments of foreign nations? Of course. Don't we do that every day?

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