BISBEE WIRE #75/new race/Bisbee Economy/houses sold near you/votes & elections

editor: fred miller           July 27, 2024              #75/July 24

Hello,

Whew! That was close! A snoozer with one late stage septuagenarian and one octogenarian would have given me facial and neck problems from wincing, cringing and nodding off.

But Joe came through and it is a much different race now. But please, if you can, ignore the cacophony surrounding the prez finally deciding not to seek re-election and then the anointment of Veep Harris. The mainstream & right wing media/trump campaign continue to act like a chicken immediately after decapitation. And this, after a month of hammering by media harpies on how old Joe is and and hounding him to get gone. He did. And now there is a tizzy of dithering, huffing, fussing, flapping and fussing that has produced tons of clickbait pronouncements, wild speculations, oral ejaculations, and a torrent of what can only be called, Caca.

I modestly claimed on KBRP magazine last week to prognosticate the poop before it was a scoop, as it were. I predicted Joe would drop out last weekend, and that Harris will be the nominee and Mark Kelly would be the VP on the ticket. But dear readers, I went further and predicted that the senate seat that will be vacated by Kelly-that will be appointed by Gov Hobbs-will be occupied by Adrian Fontes and that Lisa Marra would become acting Sec. of State. (That was before a political insider reporter said to me that,"Hahaha. Except Hobbs,  haaaaaateeeeeees Fontes" ).  You heard it here first.

There is palpable relief  but more joy and hope expressed by people; in person, on the radio, on tv, and of course on the net, who were hoping ABJ-anybodybutjoe. So the dice have been rolled and we'll see what's what.

The trumpies have already started the trash talk. I hope she continues to keep swinging. In my best technicolor daydream I see Kamala Harris on a debate stage saying to the overweight, spray tanned, bleached blond comb-over bald guy, "You think you gonna come over here and grab my pussy?  Your days of pussy grabbin is over'!

Anne Carl is running for County Recorder, however I inadvertently left her off my list last issue (drat that cutting and pasting!). She is running on the dem ticket and if you haven't yet voted, be sure to fill in the bubble next to her name.  Any good campaign is powered by people. Money is important, but rarely can a win be notched by dough alone. She can use volunteers and you can help. Go here for info about how to plug in. Every little bit helps. A couple hours a week, a day a week, whatever time you can give is helpful. And often you'll meet some fine folks also helping out.

Scott Muhelman and Beca Reyes, the singing duo that have played around Bisbee for many years, need a by a ride. Their car done broke and it's not worth fixin. So hat in hand he is doing a gofundme to get a used truck. Goal of $4,000 of which about $2900 has been raised. Both of them have worked countless fundraisers for others. So if you got a bit of bread and can help out, go here

Quite possibly the best nightly Olympics show to catch in the next couple of weeks is Kevin Hart and Keenan Thompson. Give em a try. They be funny.

I told Anita the readers of the Wire are too well adjusted to need advice and guidance for life's problems, but we could try it anyway.  Sure enough we have only gotten a couple questions for Ask Anita and while disappointed at not getting more questions, she is gratified that we live in such an emotionally stable community that has none of the problems that surface in other cities. But if, in fact, a crisis or perplexing problem emerges in your life  be assured her wisdom quite possibly could guide you to equilibrium once again. In that case send an email to bisbeewire@gmail.com with Ask Anita in the subject.

fred

................​AROUND TOWN................

PROJECT WILDLIFE WANTS YOUR BODY

On Saturday July 27, a workday is scheduled at upper vista park to install an irrigation system. The fun begins at 6:30 am. They will have some tools, bring yours if you like, cold water, and hopeful some music like maybe 'working on the chain gang'. Upper Vista Park in Warren. fmi, call 949 300-9478.

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Contessa's Cantina will close at the end of July. In a statement on FB, Victor and Gustavo the owners, said they are closing to prioritize their well being and health. They thanked the community and staff for their long time support.

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BISBEE LIBRARIANS BOOKED FOR NATIONAL MUSEUM AWARD

Bisbee library staff will be traveling to Washington D.C. to accept  the National Medal for Museum & Library Service at a ceremony July 30.   Honored with the Copper Queen Library are four other libraries and five museums from around the country.  The National Medal is the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries that demonstrate excellence in service to their communities. Since 1994, the award has honored 212 institutions that exemplified extraordinary and innovative approaches to public service.

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FEEDBACK TO THE HERALD REVIEW

The Herald Review is looking for readers comments about the paper. Go here to put in your two cents and maybe win gift card.

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SUBMIT A TRAFFIC SAFETY MESSAGE

The Arizona Department of Transportation is inviting the public to submit their engaging and creative traffic safety messages for its popular Safety Message Contest. Submissions are open through July 29 at azdot.gov/SignContest The message must relate to traffic safety/Signs accommodate 3 lines, 18 characters per line/Hashtags, phone numbers and website addresses are not allowed/No emojis/The ampersand (&) is your friend

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RAMSEY CANYON WEDDINGS NOT FOR THE BIRDS!

According to an article in the Herald Review, new owners of the RC Inn have been having too many weddings leading to some tenseness among the other residents due to noise, parking, and intoxication-not of the nature type.

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BISBEE MEDIA MENTIONS

https://thisistucson.com/todo/southern-arizona-day-trips-road-trip-tucson/article_7d7e08c4-0877-11ed-a5bd-b79545cff04d.html?utm_source=thisistucson&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=eatdrink

https://www.newsweek.com/readerschoice/best-historical-small-townFirst, Travel Lemming named it one of the 50 best U.S. places to visit in 2024. Months later, Atlas Obscura included Bisbee on its inaugural Wanderlist, the only U.S. destination featured.

The Mine

https://www.kgun9.com/news/community-inspired-journalism/cochise-county/one-tank-trip-exploring-bisbees-copper-queen-mine

The Deportation

https://www.wonkette.com/p/the-time-arizona-put-the-wobblies

The Library

https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2024/07/23/national-library-award

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GET YOUR ART FIX AT ARTEMIZIA

A new opening at Artemizia Gallery, Time Flies by LA street artist Corie Mattie.  This exhibit juxtaposes the nostalgic 1950s with today’s reality, emphasizing how much has changed and how much remains to be done. “Time Flies” reminds us to pause, reflect, and appreciate the moments and progress that define our lives. More info: www.artemizia.com 818 Tombstone Canyon. Thurs.-Sunday 11-4.

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GOLFERS REJOICE-THE MOST BORING COURSE IN THE US IS SAVED

The city of Sierra Vista has bought Pueblo Del Sol golf course. Well bought is the wrong word. Castle and Cook, the real estate owner and developer of the Oaks and Holiday and now abandoned Tribute 'communities', owed the city $600k+ since  2000, so the city forgave the debt in exchange for the golf course. (One could ask why the city was owed that money for such a long time without collecting or at least charging interest-conceivably more than $1million?) But who wants to nitpick cause the city now has a golf course that features loud electronic noises every five holes so the golfers don't fall asleep.

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APPLY TO BE ON THE AZ/MEXICO BORDER COMMISSION

(or any of the 100+ state commissions and boards)

https://bc.azgovernor.gov/bc/form/boards-and-commissions-application

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KROGER/ALBERTSONS MERGER ON HOLD

It is not off, but they have agreed to halt their controversial merger plan until at least October, after a Colorado judge ruled on the state’s request for a permanent injunction barring the $25 million merger. They still have to face a trial with the FTC.

...............BISBEE ECONOMY................

AZ TOURISM: RE-BRANDING THE BRAND FOR A BRAND NEW BRAND

AZ Office of Tourism is looking for  your input.

From a press release written in marketing-speak (3 mentions of 'brand' in the first graph)...."Our quest to build a refreshed and updated brand identity for our beloved state has been driven entirely by Arizonans, making the resulting brand a story that is told and owned by us. So while this process will continue because brands are always evolving, we are asking for your assistance as we finalize this first significant phase of our listening sessions.

"...To make this effort as representative of Arizona as possible... we’re inviting you and anyone who you think may want to share their thoughts to a Discovering Arizona Regional Virtual Listening Session, which starts next week. July 29 - Tucson & Southern Region (Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, Pima & Santa Cruz) Follow this link to register. You will then receive a follow-up in the near future with a calendar invite with the Zoom link.

Lisa Urias, CEO & EDD, Arizona Office of Tourism

+++++++++ IDEAS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN BISBEE An unmentioned, and possibly quite tacky to mention-but then why would that stop me-is a potentially huge economic tourism effect if abortion becomes enshrined in the AZ constitution after a vote in November. It could be a huge travel benefit as women from states that ban or drastically restriction abortions, come to Arizona for their healthcare. And a growth opportunity for Copper Queen Hospital and Chiricahua Clinics. Establishing a spa catering to women's (and men's) health would be a draw for many visitors. And open a whole new 'market' for health related tourism that encompasses hiking, biking, and various wellness treatments. Would need a catchier slogan than Bisbee! Abortions R Us! of course.If there was an econ dev staff person, thy could try attracting  a large scale cannabis grow operation. Water is available, there is a ready supply of workers-both prison and over the border, and a user-friendly environment.

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CITY FINANCES

In her June financial report, city Treasurer Keri Bagley, noted that although the fiscal year ended, that the report was a " draft financial statement prior to year-end accruals, adjustments and corrections. Additionally, expenses for FY24 are still coming in and will be entered into FY24 as they are received. All amounts are subject to change.) That said...overall revenue is $504,000 above budgeted amounts. Although a few categories were short of projections or not finalized, the majority-Sales taxes, permits, building permits, code violations, business licenses showed surpluses. Both Police and Fire departments were $262k and $515k under budget respectively, mostly due to short staffing.

With all departments and funds taken into account from revenue and below anticipated expenses, there was a net revenue over expenses of $814,000. $400k was set aside for the Pension Bond Debt Service Reserve.

From her report on a few enterprise funds (those departments not funded by the general fund :

Visitor Center: Bed Tax is $72,000 above what was anticipated for the year. Expenses are at 94% leaving a net revenue over expense of $33,000. This net revenue over expense will change as there are some expenses for FY24 that have not been processed yet. This account may be closer to break-even but that will still leave an approximate $350,000 cash and fund balance.

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Some interesting figures from the Visitor Center budget:

Salary for the one full time employee was $2500 over budget; overtime is $5000 over budget; business travel was way under budget-only $1749 whereas $7000 was budgeted; professional fees were $4500  with none budgeted; contract services were 166% over budget-$25,000 spent with $15,000 budgeted; printing was $2500 over budget.

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Sanitation: Sanitation revenue is at 102% and expenses are at 93% leaving a net revenue over expense of $119,000 and a fund balance of $731,000. Most of this fund balance is made up of capital assets/leases but there is a positive cash balance of $114,000. This will be needed next fiscal year for anticipated capital improvements to the recycling area.

Queen Mine: Revenue from Mine Tours and Merchandise sales is at 118% or almost $200,000 more than anticipated. Expenses are at 67% leaving a net revenue over expense of $258,000 and a fund balance of $1.6 million.

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HOUSES SOLD

A few stats from realtor.com

• Homes in Bisbee, AZ sold for 3.08% below asking price on average in June 2024

• In June 2024, the median listing home price in Bisbee, AZ was $334K, trending up 6% year-over-year. The median listing home price per square foot was $216. The median home sold price was $257K.

• On average, homes in Bisbee, AZ sell after 74 days on the market. The trend for median days on market in Bisbee, AZ has gone down since last month, and slightly up since last year.

• There are 118 homes for sale in Bisbee, AZ, 5 of which were newly listed within the last week. Additionally, there are 7 rentals, with a range of $495 to $1.3K per month.

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A very busy month with 16 houses sold for a total of $4,986,200;  the largest dollar amount in the 8 years I've been tracking sales.  And it wasn't one sale that skewed the total, but almost all houses sold for above $200k with four houses above $400,000.  The sales continue to reflect the roller coaster housing market; one month few sales, the next many. (Last month it was four sold).

I dunno what that means. Unfortunately I don't have access to the kind of in-depth data that would indicate # of houses on the market month by month, where buyers are coming from, how long houses have been in between time they are sold (indicating flipping) what the use of the house will be, and more.  So it is all speculation. The sales could indicate interest rates that continue high although they are coming down slowly, but still around 7% (30 yr fixed). Maybe lotsa cash floating around. Maybe small towns are more attractive. Maybe some of the pub that Bisbee gets. Got any guesses?

House                         OLP/LP/SP

                           (Original List Price/List Price/Sell Price)

121 Hazzard             115k/115k/$105,000

103 Pinal Dr              $140,000

1389 W. Cameo        229k/229k/$202,000

40 Cochise Row        244kk/229k/$207,500

2142 S. Kentucky      245k/225k/$208,000

107 Campbell            309k/269k/$240,000

113 Clawson Av         325k/325 k/$315,000

52A Main St               315k/315k/$320,000

607A Tombstone        365k/349k/$350,000

601 Bisbee Rd           525k/420k/$355,000

832 Tombstone          399k/386k/$373,000

311 15th Terrace        425k/389,700/$389,700

6 Manzanita               468,500k/468,500k/$435,000

41 OK St.                   550k/499k/$435,000

15 Maxfield Av           499k/499k/$450,000

36 Yuma Trail            493k/479k/$471,000

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BUILDING PERMITS

For the month of June 46 permits for work totaling $1,078,672 were issued. There were 12 commercial permits worth $734,500 with $609,000 of that total for work being done on the fire damaged Letson Loft and 28 Main. On the residential side, several mini splits installed, and several roofs replaced/repaired. 

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SALES TAXES (for actual spending in April)

Bed taxes for the June report were $18,581, Down $20,000 from two and three months prior and $6,000 from last month.  Bar/restaurant sales were about $9,000 down from the May report and $25,000 from two months prior. Conversely grocery for home consumption rose about $11,000 from last month and $20,000 from two months ago.

ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

Lianne's Crocheted Crafts

501 Bisbee Rd.

Lianne Rogers

Anthony Rogers

..............RESOURCES & SHORTS...............

DO SOMETHING!

Sitting on the sideline is not an option if you want to see changes made. CEBV has various trainings for getting or sharpening skills such as; Improve Messaging, writing better Letters to the Editor, phone banking, Persuasion, and more. Go here for more info.

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LOOK UP CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS HERE

https://seethemoney.az.gov/#JurisdictionId=0|Page=1|startYear=2023|endYear=2024|IsLessActive=false|ShowOfficeHolder=false|View=Detail|TablePage=6|TableLength=50

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LOOK UP MIDWIVES IN THIS STATE DATABASE

A searchable database for those who wish to employ the services of a midwife to help with pregnancy and labor. Go here

In the search bar, you can find the names of 400 midwives with active licenses, the agency that licenses them, the type of license they have, when they were initially licensed in Arizona, and whether regulators have fined, cited, or disciplined them. In the “Regulatory Actions” column, you can click on the link if there are any regulatory records.

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LOOK UP HOW MUCH DOUGH GAMBLING BRINGS IN

Go here to show month/annual reports.

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BABY MAKING IS MONEY HONEY...for the hospital

And should you choose to not use a midwife for delivery there is always a hospital. However be aware of a few costs...

"Americans spend more on childbirth than nearly anything else that happens at the hospital. The average delivery is $13,000. Even after insurance pays, patients who have babies still end up on the hook for nearly $3,000."

"Most spending on childbirth goes toward delivery and newborn care. Cesarean section delivery remains the most common surgery in American hospitals, despite years of advocacy to lessen its use. About 30 percent of kids are born this way, more than twice the World Health Organization’s recommendation."

"Hospitals earn 50 percent more for C-sections than for vaginal deliveries, even though recent research shows they cost less than vaginal deliveries. When cheaper medical care earns more money, that warps behavior."

(quotes from a times article 7/15)

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From the newsletter BIG.A roundup of antitrust news.  Go here for more info

• The IRS has collected $1 billion from just 1,500 millionaires it was able to audit due to increased funding levels in the Inflation Reduction Act that allocated more than $45 billion to the IRS to, among other things, collect taxes owed on under reported returns

•   Kroger and Albertsons continue to try and make their merger work by offering to sell off more and more stores. Why? Their argument is economies of scale make this merger a good idea. How can selling off stores make sense?

• Axios: “Just 13% of workers in the U.S. are now earning less than $15 an hour. Two years ago, that number was 31.9%. Even accounting for inflation — $15 an hour in 2024 has the same buying power as about $14 in 2022 — this is remarkable progress.”

• The Antitrust Division is preparing to sue landlord price-fixing software maker RealPage.

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US inflation cooled in June for a third straight month. Here’s a primer on how the Bureau of Labor Statistics measures inflation. You can also explore price changes with this inflation calculator.  

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AUTO REPO'S ON THE RISE

US car repossessions rocketed higher in the first half of the year, up 23% compared with the same period last year. With high interest rates and residual inflation hitting household budgets, the spike in seizures may provide a window into the average consumer’s financial health at a key time for Federal Reserve policymakers. Repossessions started ticking up last year and have now surpassed pre-pandemic levels. From Bloomberg News

..............COCHISE COUNTY................

PRIMARY TURNOUT AS OF 7/24.

Read this for how many ballots have been returned to date in Cochise County and the State.

An interesting data base tracks the ballots that have been turned in throughout the state.Changes daily and as July 30 nears many ballots will be turned in, however it's interesting.  Go here for tracking ballots; location, gender, party and more. Not official, but takes stats from the dem party as well as postings from all county recorders, plugs them into a database and wah lah!

(Independents do not vote in party primaries unless they had requested a ballot. In this case they were a negligible number as was Libertarian and Greens.)

This gives a bit of a glimmer of how things are going. And if turnout is any indication, the dems are doing pretty good. Both parties are very weak in turning out young voters. Females both state and in our county are voting in slightly higher numbers than males; another good sign. How those females are voting is not determined.

Statewide registration 

https://azsos.gov/elections/results-data/voter-registration-statistics

There are 1,434,982 repubs (35.36%), 1,192,205 dems (29.38%), 1,369,644 other (33.75%), {3 other parties under 1% totaling about 61,000}. a total of 4,058,320 registered voters.

Historical primary turnout in the past 12 years has been from a low of 27% to a high of 34%.

As of 7/24:

Statewide Turnout

718,256 ballots returned,  17.6% turnout of eligible voters

322,644/25% dems

388,146/24.9% repubs

19.8% female turnout

18% male turnout

21.4% ages 18-54

46.8% ages 55-74

31.6% 75 over

Cochise County Turnout

13,694 ballots returned,   18.0% turnout of eligible voters

5507/26.8% dems

8087/23% repubs

19.7% female turnout

17.7% male turnout

16.1% ages 18-54

48.2% ages 55-74

36.6% 75 over

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LEGALITY OF JAIL VOTE UP TO SUPREMES

An Arizona Court of Appeals panel says that Cochise County disenfranchised some voters during a May 2023 special election, with the decision overturning the case’s previous dismissal, the Arizona Republic’s Sarah Lapidus writes. The lawsuit, which says the county disenfranchised 11,000 voters on the inactive list by failing to send them ballots, will now move forward with the remaining issue of whether the 11,000 votes were sufficient to change the election’s outcome up to the Supreme Court to decide.

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Maricopa County Judge Geoffrey Fish threw out motions to dismiss the case or remand it back to a state grand jury. That means Tom Crosby, 64, of Sierra Vista, and Peggy Judd, 61, of Willcox, still face felony counts of conspiracy and interference with an election officer.

...............THE LEGE................

NEW VOTER REQUIREMENTS REQUIRING PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP IN STATE ELECTIONSArizona won't be able to block those who sign up to vote using a federal registration form from casting a ballot in the presidential election. 

In a brief order Thursday, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a plea by Republican legislative leaders to delay a trial judge's ruling barring enforcement of such a ban. In the same order, the three-judge panel said those using the federal form can cast their ballots by mail or in person.

The judges decided, however, that anyone who tries to register to vote using a state form is required at the same time to provide documented proof of citizenship. If they do not, the application must now be rejected.

AZ STAR 7/18

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REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS WANT TO SPEND COUNTY TAXPAYERS MONEY

from Jen Fifield at Votebeat

Republican lawmakers in Arizona privately pressured county leaders across the state to count ballots by hand instead of using machines, according to previously unreported text messages.

The messages, obtained by Votebeat through public record requests, are a window into how state lawmakers are trying to leverage relationships with Republican county supervisors — who decide how to count ballots in their counties — to promote a practice that state officials have repeatedly said would be illegal.

And it highlights how lawmakers have turned to counties to try to change how ballots are counted, after failing to change state laws.

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CONSUELO HERNANDEZ

I am unaffiliated with any politician's campaign, but have some questions or Rep Hernandez who represents me. Why is she not supporting Rep Stahl-Hamilton? She endorses Ms. Ortega, a political novice, in much of her mail promos. Why? Out of 9 finance reports in the past few years, she has been late 7 times, including this month. She either owed or has paid about $12,000 in late fees. And why did she support a trip for AZ legislators to Israel in the middle of the lege session? It could have been any time. Arguably it held up critical legislation on water and the budget. And did she receive per diem when you were traveling?

...............WORD...............

An AI query.....sent from RC in Alaska

This was the Ask of ChatGPT...Charlie Chan was a fictional character that had many sayings based on ancient Chinese teachings that conferred common wisdom. Many were based on Confucius.  Write 30 new sayings with the same tone but using modern language.

ChatGPT response

• "Patience is like a good Wi-Fi connection - it's worth waiting for."

• "A smartphone in hand is useful, but a friend in need is invaluable."

• "To scroll endlessly is easy; to focus on what matters takes skill."

• "In a world of hashtags, be someone's exclamation point."

• "The best apps are often found outside the App Store."

• "A clear inbox leads to a clearer mind."

• "Like emojis, words are best used to express, not impress."

• "The cloud saves data, but kindness saves hearts."

• "Followers come and go; true friends stick like strong Wi-Fi."

• "Swipe right on opportunities, but left on negativity."

• "Notifications remind us of what's new; reflection reminds us of what's    true."

• "Updating software is like upgrading knowledge - essential for smooth operation."

• "A smile is the emoji of the face."

• "In the game of life, good manners are the ultimate cheat code."

• "A shared meme is laughter doubled."

• "A quick reply shows you care; a thoughtful reply shows you're there."

• "Likes are fleeting; kindness leaves a lasting impression."

• "Multitasking divides attention; mindfulness multiplies peace."

• "A selfie captures a moment, but a good conversation captures a heart."

• "In the playlist of life, harmony comes from diversity."

• "Charging your own battery is just as important as charging your phone."

• "Like GPS, intuition often knows the way."

• "Face-to-face beats FaceTime, every time."

• "A status update doesn't define you; your actions do."

• "In a world full of browsers, be someone's bookmark."

• "Data can inform, but wisdom guides."

• "Swipe up to lift someone's spirits."

• "In the realm of emojis, a heart always speaks louder than words."

• "Backups protect data; friendships protect the heart."

• "Downloading experiences enriches life more than downloading apps."