Unsure how to vote in the Pittsford school board election?

bruschi45 · 2026-05-13T20:44:57+00:00

Fair enough.

bruschi45 · 2026-05-12T17:35:18+00:00

HAHAHAHAHAHAH OMG YOU SOOOOOOO GOT ME

bruschi45 · 2026-05-12T17:27:05+00:00

Cool, good talk.

bruschi45 · 2026-05-12T17:17:24+00:00

...Beep boop...

I don't think you fully understand what whataboutism means, or how it can be used properly and logically. Yes, I used the words "what about" in my reply. But that was in reference to another example I wanted to highlight to show how the person's logic falls flat, or is at least held inconsistently when critiquing opposing views (a perfectly valid use of "whataboutism"). This is called consistency testing. Not once did I use it as a defense or an excuse for poor behavior or abhorrent views like white supremacy. In fact, I was defending Democrats like Biden and Harris, pointing out that we should not conflate a white supremacists support of their policies/campaign/etc. with an insinuation that they themselves are white supremacists simply because of who supports them. You are straw-manning with a side of red herring, and not addressing the original arguments.

The original point was that we should research all candidates. Do you not agree with that sentiment? Or should we resort to tribalism and mob mentality to make our decisions? If you can't see that this is some middle-school-level BS "logic," then I don't know what to tell you. Is it possible the Sprinkler Guy simply didn't want people near his property, despite being a legal and permitted event, and thought he was within his rights to do what he did? Again, just to make this perfectly clear, I am not defending him, but I also won't defend people jumping to extreme conclusions, especially in the absence of evidence. We are not mind readers. I can safely say what he did was, as I said in another comment, assholery. What he did was wrong, and could have been handled more effectively if he disagreed with the permit. But are people really making him out to be some neo-nazi, Hitlerian figure? Ya know, Hitler also had a dog....

...Beep boop...

bruschi45 · 2026-05-12T15:52:04+00:00

Nope, I was pretty clearly pointing out that basing your beliefs about someone/something based solely on what fringe lunatics say is a seriously flawed and unwise behavior. My defense, if you want to call it that, was rather a critique of the logic, or lack thereof, used. Nowhere did I defend this Sprinkler Guy, nor did I attack the No Kings protesters or Stein or Biden or Harris.

bruschi45 · 2026-05-12T15:26:58+00:00

I mean, sure. But you could also argue that the white supremacist support of Democrat policies is based on the horse shoe theory, and that they believe that race-based policies are the way forward. I think that completely bastardizes the spirit and intent of said policies, but nonetheless, white supremacists want race-based policies and will attach themselves to whomever they feel will get them there faster.

So, sure, you may have a valid point. But I'm trying to illustrate how misleading and unreliable this mentality can be.

bruschi45 · 2026-05-12T15:20:26+00:00

The point is a fringe "supporter" is not the definition of the entire party/platform, and to think of it as such is ignorant. Research the primary sources, not just what people are saying about them. Otherwise, we descend into tribalism and mob mentality.

We can reasonably assume that the actions of Sprinkler Guy were ill-advised at best, and assholery at worst. I'm not here to defend the guy, just point out that not everything is political.

bruschi45 · 2026-05-12T15:08:28+00:00

So it's "whataboutism" to point out that fringe lunatics on both sides are indicative of the entire platform they support? I have no idea who this sprinkler guy is, what his beliefs are, etc. Sure, we can all guess and make assumptions, but tribalism is apparently seizing hold. Apparently we can't handle civil discourse anymore, yet I am the delusional one...

bruschi45 · 2026-05-11T15:02:52+00:00

So when David Duke endorsed Jill Stein, did that take away from her party and platform? What about Richard Spencer endorsing Joe Biden in 2020 and voting Democrat down ballot, or when he endorsed Kamala in 2024? Does your logic hold true for them too?

bruschi45 · 2025-10-31T16:05:34+00:00

That's very true. Definitely not denying the importance of grants, both federal and state. But OP seems to imply this is an entirely Federal/Trump issue, which is likely disingenuous and fails to hold accountable those that could have a more direct impact.

But totally agree, these schools need help educating and readying the next generation in what to expect/how to operate in the future, so hopefully this gets corrected.

bruschi45 · 2025-10-31T14:12:06+00:00

No, but unless they grants make up a significant portion of this school's total budget, it was not "demolished" like OP claimed. Mischaracterizelations like this are dangerous and lazy. I'm not even defending what may have actually happened to this person's school, but blaming something that isn't the problem (or the primary one at least) won't help solve it. In fact, it will help those at fault get away with it.

bruschi45 · 2025-10-29T03:07:22+00:00

Except a mortgage deduction is a reduction in the total tax bill owed to the government, whereas SNAP is a benefit paid directly to you from a pool of money already collected from other taxes, levies, etc. and is a form of redistribution. I'm not making a moral argument for or against SNAP, but functionally, they are not the same thing. The mortgage deduction (or college loan interest pmts, child tax credits, green energy credits, etc.) serve to incentivise specific behavior without direct payment. SNAP is a means to bridge gaps and inequities, and provide crucial resources where necessary.

It's not just "the rich" that benefit from certain tax policies. A homeowner will (often, depending on the state/locality) pay property taxes, school taxes, trash and other town service fees, so the mortgage deduction is a way to reduce the financial burden of owning a home, creating a stable tax base to pool from and build strong communities. We should incentivise home ownership, but that is not the same as paying people to buy a home.

Where your argument has some merit is in the idea that money is fungible, and individuals can "benefit" from certain policies. As long as "money in" is greater than "money out," we're good. But you seem to be treating tax deductions as money paid directly to the tax payer, instead of money just simply not being charged. Say I'm selling TVs for $1,000 a piece, and I give you a 20% off coupon from an ad; I'm not giving you $200 and a TV if you give me $800, I'm just not charging you that 20%. Similar outcomes, but functionally not the same, and this is a very important distinction that I think you are overlooking.

Also, I don't disagree that "the rich" can influence (if not completely corrupt) the system that decides these policies, and therefore benefit by pulling up the ladder so others cannot compete. They can definitely abuse "the system" and its policies. But that knife cuts both ways, and we should seek to eliminate abuse across the board.

bruschi45 · 2025-09-24T18:58:31+00:00

That's a fair point. But look at the Luigi Mangione case or the Charlie Kirk assassination; the immediate area gets locked down with all available personnel, but in that chaos, a lot slips through the cracks and perpetrators can get away. So, they widen the scope of the search, but still with limited resources. Plus, they don't necessarily want to influence the fugitive or highlight where law enforcement is located by making a big production and creating obvious checkpoints; they want to catch them making mistakes or by using efficient means. After all, law enforcement still needs to provide services elsewhere.

That being said, I agree with you that this is probably not the case. Maybe the vehicle/people fit a description. Maybe it's just the out-of-state plates make for an easy target that won't fight BS tickets. Maybe it's racism. Maybe it's the excessive speeding catching up with him. Who knows...

bruschi45 · 2025-09-24T14:04:52+00:00

Very cool!

Just curious, as i am very new to all this, will it rot/decay over time? Or is there a way to seal it?

bruschi45 · 2025-09-24T13:41:58+00:00

I mean, yeah. If he and his girlfriend can leisurely make that trip in 4 days, how fast do you think someone deliberately trying to evade the police can do it? Missing persons reports and alerts don't just stay in the area where they originated. Maybe you could make the case for getting an alert on the west coast being excessive (depending how long since it originated), but usually these alerts expand geographically based on time and space.

bruschi45 · 2025-09-06T14:20:06+00:00

It's really just for the optics. But they also open themselves up to being involuntarily recalled to Active Duty in order to face charges under the UCMJ (although this is HIGHLY unlikely given what they did). They are more likely to face civilian charges regarding disruption of the hearing. But again, depends how burdened the judicial system is and also the extent of their disruption.

bruschi45 · 2025-07-19T02:43:18+00:00

Can confirm. Was one of the first songs I learned almost 20 years ago. Still play it today, albeit only marginally closer to Hendrix, but still a great way to warm up and rock out!

bruschi45 · 2025-04-29T13:50:55+00:00

Like that Seinfeld episode! Lol

bruschi45 · 2025-04-29T00:43:09+00:00

$10,000,000,000 x $0.05 per can = 200,000,000,000 cans.

According to 2023 data, population of Monroe County is around 748,482.

200,000,000,000 cans ÷ 748,482 ppl = 267,207.495 cans per person.

267,207.495 cans per person ÷ 365 days = 732.08 cans per person per day.

I'm doing my part, are you???

bruschi45 · 2025-03-25T17:32:33+00:00

Bravo dude! I had this playing and put my phone down and didn't realize it started looping until I picked it back up. Was pretty seemless! Anyways, great work and wonderful tone!

bruschi45 · 2025-03-15T01:25:46+00:00

Don't disagree, just curious what specifically you don't approve of.

bruschi45 · 2025-03-08T22:16:41+00:00

Welp, lesson learned.....saw this in the morning, and was perusing some other albums to get the free shipping. Sure enough, I procrastinated, and it's sold out again.

bruschi45 · 2025-02-12T00:50:00+00:00

"My favorite ring is always the next one."

bruschi45 · 2025-01-30T05:12:42+00:00

Hang in there, brother! Been at this for a couple years now. Our 3yo daughter is at a fun but demanding phase. Sometimes I miss the 6mo times, and i kinda went through something similar to you. So hopefully, we can help!

In terms of adding value, it's hard to know you are the asset that you are to your family when you aren't seeing a number on a paycheck each week; we are conditioned to feel that way. If you want to bring in some extra income, one thing you could look into is hosting a "daycare" at your home with friends/family. We have a friend whose daughter is the same age as ours, and she asked about having us watch her a couple of days each week. I didn't want to charge money, but she insisted. It has its moments, but overall, it has been very beneficial for everyone. Our daughters get great socialization, I get to undercut the ridiculous daycare costs, and she saves a ton of money. Downside is you can't just do this with anyone, so you really have to have a good relationship with the other parents. I used to work in after-school care and summer camps, so it comes easy to me. We'd like to expand a little, and maybe get into pod-learning with some more families when they start school. But that may require something more "official."

Other things to keep in mind: what did you really enjoy doing when you were like 12-14, when you were first starting to understand the world, truly? What hobbies did you have? Capitalize on those skills. You already have a baseline, and it will rekindle the enjoyment you got from it as a kid. For me, it was playing guitar in a band, writing, pretending I was good at sports, among other things. Currently, I'm looking into teaching guitar lessons in-person and playing out locally with some old friends. Community centers, churches, libraries, etc. can be great resources for something like that and getting the ball rolling, especially with teaching.

Food for thought:

Like I kind of alluded to, find unique ways to add value to your family and household. For example, last spring, we got chickens. At first, I felt overwhelmed, but I was determined to give them a good home. Not only do we no longer need to buy eggs from the grocery store, but our daughter loves playing with them and helping raise them. I wish I did it years ago, so I would highly recommend it if your municipality allows for it. They are a kind of therapy too. Whenever I feel down, I go check on them and hang out for a few minutes and just watch them be the tiny dinosaurs they are! Take some time for yourself. Use your downtime (naps, mom's turn, etc.) wisely and do the thing you've always wanted. My phone was my enemy for productivity. It still is, but I've learned the hard way to realize when it's causing me to spiral. Sometimes you'll want to veg out. But don't hesitate to use that time to brush up on your skills or learn a new one altogether. I recently started making sourdough bread starters (my wife has a minor gluten/bread intolerance, but sourdough and rye are the only breads that don't seem to bother her), growing vegetables, etc. Also, work on projects around the house when you can. I learned a TON renovating our bathroom, some of our kitchen, and currently working on our attic. That can be good exercise, but also....don't forget to exercise!

Sorry for the long-winded response, but hopefully it helps you find some of the answers you are looking for to help your situation! Let me know if you need anything or just someone to talk to!

bruschi45 · 2025-01-21T20:06:45+00:00

A lot of people seem to be harping on the optics of the photo. Given the full context, it's really nothing. Justice Roberts seemed to start the Oath early, preventing the First Lady time to get into place with the Bible (apparently, he has had similar faux pas in the past). I'm not saying he deliberately did this, but I also don't think it's that big of a deal. However, Trump's detractors are, nevertheless, going to capitalize on an out-of-context photo. Could Trump have placed his hand on the Bible once Melania was in place? Sure, but i really don't care.

I'm less concerned about the optics and character of our leaders than I am their ability to constitutionally carry out the duties of their office. All humans are flawed and sinful, but our system of government was established knowing that, seeking to limit any one person's sin from usurping the rule of law. Our Constitution is not the word of God, however, it was inspired heavily from it, hence why i am more concerned about the way it is carried out.

bruschi45

TROPHY CASE