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.

I don't know what the President is doing, except trying to buy votes. There is the $5,000 he is promising if you vote Republican in the 2026 mid-term.

We just received emails announcing we are "receiving a One-Time Payment of $90 to offset some of the cost of your October Medicare premium. This will ensure these funds benefit YOU and your individual healthcare needs."

Woohoo... Doesn't cover the rise in cost of groceries, fuel, health insurance, etc.

He goes on to say, "I will never stop fighting to put the American People FIRST, restore Affordability, protect your hard-earned money, and lower the Cost of Healthcare."

Hah! It's sad that some voters actually believe him.

Margaret Hamilton, computing pioneer who led software development for the Apollo program, dies at 90.

"Over two decades at MIT, Hamilton forged new paths in computer science and engineering. Her groundbreaking work included leading the team that programmed the first computers that took humans to the moon."

God speed, Margaret.

Google searches getting worse?

This morning I used Google to search for a well known coffee shop "near me". I received 3 results with the closest 4 miles away.

I knew there was one much closer, I just needed directions. I was ready to go to a different coffee shop within eyesight.

But, no, I wanted what I wanted. So, I searched for "coffee shops". Looking at the map, there it was 0.2 miles away.

What the? I think they are making their Google searches not as good trying to force use of AI, which they will start charging us to use.

It's like searching for recipes. The results are now showing Sally's or JoBeth's or Tammy's. I used to get Southern Living , Allrecipes, Martha Stewart, Trisha Yearwood, Ina Garten.

The President is out campaigning in many states.

In Ohio, near where a truck plant with 1,400 employees, is closing, he appears desperate.

In a speech, the President of the United States said,

"If you do that, we're going to win, and we're going to win big, and we're going to shove it up their ass.
...
repeatedly attacked Democrats during ​his speech, at one point calling them "dumb son of a bitches...

Deplorable. Heh. Guess it's working out for the Administration

Wall Street Journal,

DHS has distributed more than $200 million to its law enforcement partners from January 2025 to Aug. 1, according to a Trump administration official. There is plenty more where that came from: The Trump administration has earmarked $1 billion from Congress. In addition, the Justice Department this summer announced $3 billion in grants to state and local governments that cooperate on immigration enforcement.
...
Under the Trump administration, the DHS program has yielded fewer than one in ten immigration arrests nationwide, about 46,500 of around 576,000 from January 2025 through July 2026, according to an analysis of government data by The Wall Street Journal.

No wonder we can't afford healthcare, groceries, gas, efc.

A music venue is being added to the growth in South Knoxville at 808 Sevier Avenue. More drinking on the Avenue, now along with late night activities.

We, previous South Knoxvillians, are happy there is new business along the Avenue. However, it is not exactly as we expected. We had hoped for something more like the Bearden/Western Plaza area. A nice grocery store, a couple of small restaurants, a pharmacy, a hardware store...

It is good there are still members of the South Knoxville Community keeping watch over the growth.

After administering two doses of a lethal drug, the execution failed.

The prisoner was alive and loudly snoring after the attempted lethal injection and taken by ambulance from the prison, her attorneys said. She was being treated at a hospital, but they said they hadn’t been told about her condition.

A message?

RFK Jr. Says AI Is ‘Better Informed’ Than Doctors And Can ‘Free Us From Medical Tyranny’

“If somebody tells you, ‘Masks work, trust the experts,’ A.I. may tell you otherwise. If somebody tells you, ‘Social distancing works, trust the experts,’ A.I. may correct that. And if somebody tells you that a vaccine will prevent transmission and infection, or you need to take it to protect your grandmother, A.I. may say it actually doesn’t do that,” Kennedy said.

I'm getting sick thinking about who is the running our country. On the other hand, will the MAGA followers stop going to the doctor freeing up the doctors and giving me and mine more time with them?