The Blog that Used to Be About Australia

To start at the beginning of this series, click here . To read the reasoning behind this series, click here. Getting back to the Holocaust Explained website.    Now I'm on the Adolf Hitler biography part. He was born in Austria. I actually just wrote Australia. Oops. He moved to Munich in his 20's and enlisted in the army. I'm already itching to go down another rabbit hole—A Google Maps one. I want to see where Hitler was born.  It's a town called Braunau-am-Inn. Google Maps has a little description, saying it's known as being Hitler's birthplace.  I'm wondering if it's the kind of place where people are mostly ashamed of that fact. Or is there a large number of people who are proud of it? How do they handle Nazi-fans coming to pay homage? I see there's a Hitler birthplace Memorial Stone.   I'm having trouble finding it on Street View.  But the area is quite pretty. I think the stone in this picture might be it.  The good news is it's not big

For part 1, please click here. For the reasons why I decided to do these research posts, click here. Note: For these posts, the site I'm most relying on, at this point, is The Holocaust Explained Website which is run by the Wiener Holocaust Library in London  I left off at the American Stock Market crash.   Just like today, the economies of countries were linked.  One country has a disaster; then many other countries suffer financially as well.   I think the United States played the role as the first domino in 2008 as well...with the housing bubble thing. With this current one, I'm not sure. I think it's mostly the pandemic causing the issue...and the Russian war.  Back to Germany, though. The Holocaust Explained Website says that since the United States was suffering financially in 1929, they called in their loans.  This is not a phrase I'm familar with but judging from the context, I'm guessing it means they asked to be be paid back. Germany returned to suffering

Okay...so I've decided to attempt a research post. I want to learn more about the rise of Nazism in Germany.  On social media, I've heard people compare what's going on in the United States to 1930's Germany. I believe these people know what they're talking about.  But I want to learn more—get a deeper understanding.   I'm starting with the Weiner Holocaust Library. Well...before I begin I should mention that my research posts are usually quite wacky.  I go off on tangents, blab on and on about myself, go on unrelated rants, etc. So if you're looking for something more...normal...I suggest just scrolling through and clicking on one of the links I'll provide.  Or backtracking back to Google (or whatever search engine you used)  I say that like I totally don't care if you click away from me.  But in all honesty, I'd really love it if you stayed.  I did some quick reading and skimming on the Weiner library before beginning this post. In answer to my

I am furious and disgusted with people who are openly and proudly homophobic, transphobic, and/or misogynistic.   I'm furious and disgusted with Christian-extremists who want to force their religious ideologies on everyone else.   But I am also probably equally furious and disgusted with people who say things like: I'm fine with people being gay.  I have friends that are gay.  But.... I'm actually pro-choice.  But.... Our family friend is trans, and we love her to bits.  But..... I think things are going a bit too far. But... But.... GAS PRICES!!!!!!  Seeing that we just finished with a pandemic, there's a major war happening in Europe, and many other countries are dealing with high gas prices, I'm really doubtful that Biden is doing something that a Republican president can quickly undo and suddenly gas prices will become good again.   But let's play make-believe Go Brandon style.  Let's pretend a Republican can march into office and do some kind of magic t

 Dear Family, I know you just want to talk about hotdogs and Chicago food...and joke around...and share photos of dogs. All those conversations would be cool as a subplot or comic relief.  I have nothing against light-hearted distractions...even in the worst of times.   But having those conversations amidst a complete silence regarding the January 6 Hearings and the overturning of Roe vs. Wade is very disconcerting. I tell myself, though, that silence is preferable to knowing how and why you still stand behind Donald Trump. That you think he's a bit crude but the real villain in the story is Schumer and Pelosi. Or hearing that although you support reasonable abortion and reasonable gun safety, you're going to continue voting for politicians who want no abortion and lots of guns.   Things running through my head as you discuss Chicago food: A) Our country is falling into the hands of fascist right-wing religious extremists.  I wish we could all openly and strongly agree that rel

One of the things that's hard for me as an autistic person...and specifically an introverted autistic person (there ARE extroverted autistic people, btw) is attending social gatherings...especially if it involves a large group and/or people I don't, or hardly, know. (By large group: I mean over 5 people). I don't hate these social gatherings.  I would be sad if they disappeared all together.  But I'd be more content if they were maybe three or four times a year....or at most once a month rather than multiple ones in a month or sometimes even multiple ones in two weeks.   When you live in the same metroplex as fourteen other family members, these social events happen quite often. There are birthday parties, graduations, performances, holidays, out-of-town relative-gatherings dinners-just-because, etc.  I would be much more okay with all of this if there weren't obligations, requirements, or pressure to attend.  BUT there is.   Every so often, we get a friendly no-obl

We are all autistic! No.  We're probably not. But I personally have trouble figuring out the line between autistic and allistic (non-autistic). Today, I came up with a test...not full-proof at all.  But it's something to think about.  The question: If we are married or have been married: Who was in our wedding party? My two sisters and my sister-in-law made up my wedding party.  I had no lifelong friends I could ask.  I had no real friends from work.  I was not still close to anyone from college.    I think not having friends to fill our wedding party is a sign that autism is likely possible.   If we had friends in our wedding party, and we continue for years or decades to remain friends with these friends...I'd say that was a good sign that autism is likely not be part of the story. There are exceptions, though. A) If we had to hide huge parts of ourselves to keep these friendships going.  Was it the type of friendship where we felt like we had to wear a mask and if we let