Ilsa
Ilsa's JournalI feel like I need to clarify something about Texas Towelie's
life and passing.
I was single and no kids (SANK!) for ages, with a good job and orderly life when my parents requested my help in looking after Paul. But after I had a family, the majority of his physical and daily care fell on our brother after 2012. Their personality differences made that partnership very difficult for both of them, but it was hardest on Paul. After our parents' "estate" was settled, I was mostly providing emotional support to both brothers.
I didn't want to leave anyone with the impression that I'm a superhero. 
All of your kind words have really helped. I've been able to have multiple good cries which gave me so much relief.
I've been dreading having to write this post since yesterday.
I feel physically ill trying to get the words out. My heart hurts.
My brother, DU's Texas Towelie, passed away yesterday.
Decades ago my parents tasked me with looking after my younger brother. One sibling was 1500 miles away. Another was out of the country. And the other was too stressed all of the time to participate. He was my brother, and I wouldn't let them down. My younger brother was intelligent and bipolar. He was well-educated, but never had money, even with a good paying job. He had some problems with decision-making. He grew up with us in a horrible small town in south Texas with rattlesnakes, javelinas, cowboys, and bullies. I can't imagine how rough it was for him. He was more suited for a genteel life.
Paul (Towelie) had several chronic health problems for decades that finally caught up with him. I think he was dreading what could have come next. He passed away overnight on May 14. He was living with our brother in Texas who had PTSD from the Gulf War. Neither would be easy to live with, but I couldn't convince Towelie to leave Texas when he could like I did when I moved to Georgia.
Over the years I have sought out Paul's posts to keep an eye on him, trying to assess his emotional state after several suicide attempts. I also looked for his absence from DU as it might have meant he was hospitalized and our brother forgot to tell me. Over these decades I was married with a traveling husband, a severely autistic teen son, and a MIL with dementia. I couldn't do everything from 1000 miles away and people here depending on my help. I think he might have figured out "Ilsa" was his sis, but I hope he's forgiven me for not being upfront about it. If he was angry for me trying to look out for him, I can live with that. Paul and I have always been more alike in our interests and politics.
A few years before he joined DU, I invited him here, hoping he could make friends here and find purpose. I think he took his time and found you on his own. I'm so glad he made friends with so many of you. I know he appreciated every kind word you had for him, as do I. Please forgive me for my deception.
My heart aches for him, that he had so many physical and emotional problems over the years, and endured so much suffering.
I need to go mourn for my beloved brother. I've been doing a lot of that over the last 3½ years having lost my husband, my MIL afterwards, my dog, my son's caregiver after 2 years, and about 4 or 5 aunts and uncles. I'll try to answer questions if you have any.
Magats are getting bad news from Alex Jones
Nicole Wallace had the video clip on Deadline White House. Here's an aol news link with an article from The Independent:
https://www.aol.com/articles/wing-conspiracy-theorist-alex-jones-090006697.html
Right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones doubles down on criticism of former ally Trump: ‘We’re in free fall’
snip
Jones told listeners that it was time to “cut bait” on the president ahead of the midterm elections.
During Trump’s second term, Jones has repeatedly criticized the president over his handling of the release of the Epstein files and the ongoing conflict in Iran.
On Tuesday’s episode of The Alex Jones Show, the host took aim at Trump’s health, comparing the president’s current state to his late grandfather’s decline due to dementia.
snip
“But he’s gone. And that’s it. And all the people rallied around him, you can see, Hegseth’s freaked out,” Jones added. “You can see, the press secretary’s freaked out.
snip
Jones also suggested that Trump’s brain is “not doing too hot” and claimed that the swelling seen around the president’s ankles is a sign of heart failure.
Snip
I love the First Round of the tournament. Watching UK & Santa Clara
in OT. Kentucky tied the game with less than 7 seconds. Santa Clara sunk a 3 with only 2.6 sec remaining. UK's Oweh made is shot just after crossing midcourt. Buzzer sounded while the ball arced and was heading downward. He made the 3, tying the game.
I love these moments in NCAA tournament that create lore. I love the upsets, busted brackets, all of it.
Trump thinks he's gamed out the war.
He must think that if he sends 5,000 Marines to take Khark, that so many of their deaths will force Americans to "rally behind the war effort" which might politically save his ass, even though it does nothing to bring NATO in.
But too many of us older citizens witnessed this "in for a penny, in for a pound" macabre exercise in the 1960s and early 70s. The patriotic thing to do is to not spend our military on his vanity projects or Epstein distractions, while leaving us vulnerable to real threats.
Please tell me if my brain isn't sorting through this reasonably.
A cousin who is a veteran got a letter from the Army
telling him they want him to re-up, even though he's 60, sick, and partially disabled. He said other career army, now retired, are getting letters trying to call them up for service.
Is this typical, or is the military this desperate?
I never want to hear a republican say that women
are too emotional to be president. Or that they may be menopausal. Not when Trmp, without gop addressing it, has stated multiple times that he is making a decision based on his "gut." So it's a guess, based on his emotional state.
He was asked today or yesterday when the war will be over, and he replied that his decision is based on his gut. He said something similar at the start of the attack.
Related celebrities: Shirley Jones and
Hillary Rodham Clinton? Google says no, although both have family roots in Pennsylvania. And this would be Shirley Jones around 15 years ago.
The reason I ask is because I was watching a tv show where Shirley Jones was being interviewed 12-13 years ago. Her voice sounded so much like Hillary's in tone and her laugh (her low-key laugh, not her big laugh). Accent is close, but slightly different. General appearance has many similarities, like nose, facial structure, but HRC's eyes are set apart slightly more than SJ's.
Just a passing thought.
WTI crude oil closed at $67.02 per barrel on Friday 2/27/26.
Right now West Texas Intermediate crude is trading at $90.59 per barrel. The lighter, "sweeter" crude oils at trading higher, of course. Brent and Murban ard trading at $92.66 and $102.20 respectively.
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Gender: Do not displayCurrent location: Georgia
Member since: 2003 before July 6th
Number of posts: 64,590