Child of God. In a committed relationship. USAF Veteran. Writer. Published Star Trek Author (licensee Amarillo Design Bureau). No DMs w/o asking. Am Israel Chai
Passing Through OMW to Heaven
Joined April 2013
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Mark Abukoff retweeted
All ready to speak at the symposium this morning.
They have very kindly given us a table to display our merchandise, but I explained that we don't sell merchandise. We prefer for every penny raised to go directly towards brain tumour research.
We are so grateful to have Charlotte's YouTube channel, and we will be playing the compilation video during our presentation. It means so much to be able to share a little of Charlotte's story and let people see the young girl behind the charity.
We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to speak, raise awareness and help keep Charlotte's legacy alive.
charlottesbag.org/
Mark Abukoff retweeted
The American people were angrier over their own pocketbooks than they were worried about socialism or Islam.
They wanted to send a message and boy did they ever.
This was a failed performance election and that reality overwhelmed virtually everything else.
Mark Abukoff retweeted
This is a good reaction.
But I will say, enough of the "rival sports team" politics. We're not getting anything out of "We won! Haha!" or "Your side lost!"
Damn. Just get the job done.
Politicians need to stop making influencer videos and just do the basic job of balancing their budgets, enforcing the laws, setting tax rates reasonably, using the tax dollars for basic services (roads, police, fire, schools, etc) before money goes to anything (or anybody) else, prepare for worst case scenarios, etc. And then, shut up.
If these new people can do it, then fine, DO IT.
Enough about your "identity agendas." Nobody cares.
Do your job.
Whoever. Somebody. Anybody.
One of the things the data analysts on our side obsessed over was "composition"—whether the electorate looked close enough to 2024 for Republicans to win. And despite polls that showed a Democrat blowout, the data kept on telling us the same story: in some states turnout was merely OK, in other states it was downright amazing, and in no state was it catastrophic. There was a genuine sense of optimism on our team: our people were showing up.
So, I asked the smartest data guy I know, does that mean we're going to shock the world? "No," he told me. "We might do better than the polls suggest. But the data is telling us that a lot of Trump/Vance 2024 voters are pissed and planning to vote for the other guys. Our voters are turning out, but they may not vote for us."
Well, that looks prophetic now. Our voters did show up. In Florida, for example, the electorate was 9 points more Republican than Democrat, just a couple points worse than 2024. Undoubtedly there were places we could have done better on turnout. But the main problem is not turnout. The main problem is that many people who voted for Trump/Vance in 2024 voted for Democrats in 2026.
There will be a lot of infighting and arguing over what happened and why that is. One of the pollsters I really respect told me that our economic messaging wasn’t sharp enough down the stretch. I’m sure that’s true.
But the real reason we lost is obvious to almost everyone.
Another pollster—one of the smartest people I know in politics, told me yesterday we’d lose the generic ballot by 13 points. I felt negative going into Tuesday, but even I was shocked by this. In his polling, he saw that a lot of Trump 2024 voters were angry and planning to vote for Democrats. He asked those voters who had abandoned us what would cause them to come back on our team. The top four answers, accounting for nearly all of the responses were:
1) End the war
2) Focus on cost of living/inflation
3) Put America First
4) Change our relationship to Israel
Our voters showed up. And the above four reasons are why many of them voted for Democrats. This is according to a pollster who nailed the results. While many spent Monday attacking Rachel Campos Duffy for calling for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, it turns out her political advice was sound. (She’s also a great person.)
In the next few months, there's going to be a lot of gaslighting. Expect to hear any number of establishment politicians say the solution to our woes is amnesty. I'm open to the idea that we should change enforcement—by focusing more on businesses that hire illegal labor, for instance. But anyone pushing amnesty is lying to you.
The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night.
If you'd like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so. Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that's at least honest.
But everyone knows why we lost. And any honest conversation about where we go from here must start there.
I remain hopeful about our country. To the people who are pissed off and want to say, “I told you so”: you’re right, you did tell us so. Take that energy into electing Republicans who share your worldview. To the people who are just pissed at the results, you should be. Let’s take that anger and get back to the work of saving our country.
Mark Abukoff retweeted
I could not agree more with every single word that she is saying
You wanted it now you better do it let’s get it done. Let’s do everything you promised. Oh wait you’re not gonna do shit except make yourself more rich and screw us but this lady is 100% correct
Mark Abukoff retweeted
Anyone who didn’t vote better keep their mouth shut around me because this is exactly what they did
Great meme
And they pile on-
the tears, the tears
#Only8Words
Mark Abukoff retweeted
Y’all do understand we’re not voting ourselves out of this right
I’m old but I will still fight but you younger people better start getting ready
There’s no way we will ever take this country back by voting
Mark Abukoff retweeted
It’s going to be two years of investigations, hearings, probably impeachments.
Possible silver lining - the democrats usually overplay their hand when they feel the wind in their sails. People might get tired of the grandstanding - and the GOP could bounce back in 28.
Mark Abukoff retweeted
The Journal of a Mother Whose Daughter Had a Brain Tumour
Diagnosis to Death: 951 days
Age 19
18.2.97 - 24.2016
13 years ago
29.10.13
Charlotte was very distressed by the constant metallic taste in her mouth, which she found extremely frustrating. Her neutrophils were low too, which would affect her body’s ability to fight off infections. She would need a GCSF injection to stimulate her bone marrow.
We also saw the dietician, as Charlotte was really struggling with eating and drinking because of the ongoing pain when swallowing. She said her mouth tasted stale, and this was putting her off eating and drinking only managing a very small bowl of cereal for breakfast and some tea.
The team were very supportive and were trying to find ways to help Charlotte. We were also given some Scandishakes, which are high-calorie milk drinks, to help increase her calorie intake. Charlotte was still very anxious about gaining weight, but she had lost another 0.5 kg over the past week. She would continue to be reviewed
30.10.13
Charlotte’s platelet count was low at 48, and we were immediately told that she would have to come off chemotherapy because of this. Tomorrow she will have her G-CSF injection. Very tired today, with all the travelling and radiotherapy taking its toll. They had also agreed to reduce her morphine even further.
Research carried out in Charlotte's Lab at King's College London covers all types of brain tumours, helping the wider brain tumour community. We are a small, entirely self-funded charity, which means 100% of your donation goes directly to research. No salaries. No overheads. No advertising. No merchandise.
charlottesbag.org/
Mark Abukoff retweeted
Canada. You’re voting for people who will gleefully murder you when you’re too expensive.
Mark Abukoff retweeted
I am deeply saddened to learn of Walter Koenig’s passing.
Although we did not know each other well away from the set, we shared the later seasons of the original Star Trek series and the six films that followed.
What I observed, and what so many fans have expressed over the years, was a man who genuinely loved the Star Trek community.
At conventions, Walter was rarely content to remain behind a signing table. He preferred to be among the people who had kept Star Trek alive for so many decades.
That kind of genuine connection is rare, and it will be remembered by everyone who came into contact with him.
My condolences to his family, his friends, and the countless fans whose lives he touched.
I support universal basic get off your @ss and work like everybody else.
I’m like that. Partly because my high school creative writing teacher drilled it into us and the habit never left. But also, as an indie writer, I don’t really ever figure to get rich from it. I’ve sold, between my six or seven titles, around a hundred copies- and that’s really, over the years, pocket change. But the fact that I reached that many people is just the greatest blessing to me. It’s also why my little fiction substack is completely free. I just want to reach people.
A genuine writer wants to be writing all the time - not just to attain fame for ‘having written.’ Someone like Kafka, or Thomas Mann is journaling almost every day. Almost graphomania.
You read this stuff about people winning prizes for AI written pieces - they can’t be real writers. They’re looking for acclaim - not doing it as a compulsion.
This gives me a little hope that genuine original writing will survive - because some people just can’t help it, and maybe will break through.