Chit-Chat: The Feels

[Bookish Jen]

2 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

My one hope is that he doesn’t last the next four years.

When it comes to RFK, Jr.'s confirmation maybe we could use a little laugh.

[Ohiopirate02]

2 minutes ago, Dimity said:

And his selective outrage is pretty interesting.  Are there any fast food franchises anywhere in the US or Canada that are staffed mainly  by white men?  Why single out Starbucks? I can't imagine...

I fear it's a fishing expedition and the main goal is the discovery phase. Of course it could be they want access to the corporate memos from the year the Christmas cup was red to prove Starbucks is "anti-christian."

[bluegirl147]

All these people who are against DEI and cheering it being banished are in a rude awakening.  If companies decide to do as Trump wishes and only hire white people there are going to be a lot of job openings.  Especially in the service industry.  There is already shortages in health care settings. Daycare centers.  A lot of restaurants are still short staffed after the pandemic.  And what about women/people of color/members of LGTBQ that have jobs?  Does Trump want all of us fired and replaced by white men?

 

[peacheslatour]

28 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

All these people who are against DEI and cheering it being banished are in a rude awakening.  If companies decide to do as Trump wishes and only hire white people there are going to be a lot of job openings.  Especially in the service industry.  There is already shortages in health care settings. Daycare centers.  A lot of restaurants are still short staffed after the pandemic.  And what about women/people of color/members of LGTBQ that have jobs?  Does Trump want all of us fired and replaced by white men?

 

Yes.

[Ohiopirate02]

16 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

All these people who are against DEI and cheering it being banished are in a rude awakening.  If companies decide to do as Trump wishes and only hire white people there are going to be a lot of job openings.  Especially in the service industry.  There is already shortages in health care settings. Daycare centers.  A lot of restaurants are still short staffed after the pandemic.  And what about women/people of color/members of LGTBQ that have jobs?  Does Trump want all of us fired and replaced by white men?

 

From what I can gather, the anti-DEI people want women, POC, the disabled, and the LGBTQ+ community in their place while straight, cisgender, able-bodied white guys run everything. That does not mean there would not be any women, POC, white disabled men, or white gay men in positions of leadership, just less than what (this group perceives) we have now. There will always be room for tokens because there needs to be someone to blame when the shit hits the fan. Women, POC, and the portion of the LGBTQ+ community this crowd will allow will all still be working just not in positions where they manage straight, cisgender, white men. Also, the "good" jobs that pay enough to support a family will go to the white guys first. If there is no white guy applying for the job, then a qualified woman or POC would be acceptable. When it comes to people with disabilities, things will get funky and be based on the specific disability and the accommodations a person would need since Americans do place a moral value on disability.

[kittykat]

Yes.  Any service jobs, administrative/secretarial work will be pawned off on us.  Get an actual position, sure but you'll probably be paid less and be shamed by your fellow coworkers for "taking a man's job.". Don't believe this will happen?  This was work culture in the 70s/80s... hell this shit is still happening.

Edited Thursday at 08:51 PM by kittykat

[fastiller]

NYC's Commission on Human Rights sent their regular newsletter email (I get it for work) and this last one, sent earlier today starts off with celebrating Black History Month.  So, there's that.

[PRgal]

1 hour ago, bluegirl147 said:

All these people who are against DEI and cheering it being banished are in a rude awakening.  If companies decide to do as Trump wishes and only hire white people there are going to be a lot of job openings.  Especially in the service industry.  There is already shortages in health care settings. Daycare centers.  A lot of restaurants are still short staffed after the pandemic.  And what about women/people of color/members of LGTBQ that have jobs?  Does Trump want all of us fired and replaced by white men?

 

Actually, A LOT of people who aren't fans of DEI (at least in the academic world) are Asian.  See Harvard case. And how Mindy Kaling's brother faked being Black to get into med school. So it depends on the kind of DEI.  I think certain specialities in medicine may benefit with full DEI (e.g. psychiatry - Asians (regardless of geography or culture, so not just Confucian-influenced cultures like Chinese and Korean) where mental health and mental health awareness is even MORE stigmatized).

[suomi]

9 hours ago, tres bien said:

There’s constant chatter that democrats don’t have a leader, don’t have a message, were caught flat footed and have no strategy.

As far as a leader of the party anytime a young member of congress tries to assert their self they are swated down by the old guard who really have no stake in the future anymore.

The old guard's stake in the future is the world their children and their grands and their greats will inhabit. They realize that more than you can imagine. 

The youngs have fire in their bellies and are prone to shooting first and asking questions later. The participation trophy generations (plural) think the sky is the limit and everyone within earshot needs to hear what they have to say. 

They remind me of kids who get married while looking at what their parents currently have and somehow think they are entitled to start out with what it took their parents decades to amass.

Both Dem camps need to calm tf down and tack toward the center. We can only hope that they will recognize new realities none of us can escape from and fight like hell to restore the balanced system our founders intended for us to have.

1 hour ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

I fear it's a fishing expedition and the main goal is the discovery phase. 

It's a federal case so they will fast-track it to the Supremes where a favorable ruling is likely.

[Dimity]

27 minutes ago, suomi said:

The old guard's stake in the future is the world their children and their grands and their greats will inhabit. They realize that more than you can imagine. 

Thank you!  Just because we have people like Trump doing terrible things that line their own pocket with no concern for what the world will be like 10 or 20 years from now doesn't mean this is true for everyone.  I have NEVER been more concerned for what the future will be like for my children and my grandchildren.

14 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

Janeen Deal, who is related by marriage to Vice President JD Vance's half-siblings, stated that the hospital requires her daughter to get both the Covid-19 and flu vaccinations.

We have had similar challenges here in Canada and the courts have sided with the hospitals.  Even in Trumpish Alberta this has not gone the way the objectors have hoped. 

[Ohiopirate02]

1 minute ago, peacheslatour said:

A 12-year-old girl in Indiana has been refused to be put on its heart transplant waiting list because of her vaccination status, her family has confirmed, as a GoFundMe has been set up in an attempt to raise funds to get the necessary operations.

Janeen Deal, who is related by marriage to Vice President JD Vance's half-siblings, stated that the hospital requires her daughter to get both the Covid-19 and flu vaccinations.

These are requirements that Janeen and her husband are unwilling to comply with. This is due to their belief that the concepts of vaccines conflict with their religious and medical beliefs, demanding a religious exemption from the hospital.

 

The couple adopted Adaline from China when she was just 4 years old. Janeen explained that Adaline was born with two heart conditions, and they knew at the time of adoption that she would eventually need a heart transplant.

So they KNEW she would need to be vaccinated to get a new heart and still decided to adopt her and to not vaccinate her.

Its like they adopted this child knowing they were going to watch her die just to push their whackjob ideology on the rest of us. You know there will be a court case resulting from this to make vaccines unnecessary for any transplants going forward. Fucking evil, vile human beings.

If there was a court case brought and the courts sided with the anti-vaxxers, then the system in place for the vast majority of organ transplants would cease to exist. I cannot see insurance companies approving a transplant into a patient who refuses to vaccinate or who's parents refuse. They are not going to pay out hundreds of thousands of dollars for this. And with the new administration and Congress looking to massively cut Medicaid funding, the government will not be picking up the cost. This means organ transplants would only be done privately and the only patients who could afford them are the very rich (or Dick Cheney).

[anony.miss]

3 hours ago, bluegirl147 said:

I live in one of those states and the denial is strong.

And for far too many MAGA, the denial wil never end. They'll lose jobs, businesses,  healthcare, etc, and instead of taking stock, they'll just point a finger everywhere but at themselves.  Not all of them will do that  (you can see vids online from Trump voters who are already sickened by their vote) but enough MAGA will stay stuck in unearned grievance to keep the country down.  And if they lived on an island, that would be fine. They'd be free to ruin their own lives. But they don't live on an island, and we're not protected from the impact of what they've done to the country (and the world), not protected from how their vote has given Trump the ability to strip/destroy nearly a century of programs that made America one of the most successful, stable, and prosperous nations ever.  All because of the price of eggs. Or Kamala's laugh. Or whatever excuse is on offer these days.

Edited Thursday at 10:25 PM by anony.miss

[Lantern7]

"Gulf of Who Gives a Fuck"?

My pharmacy accepts walk-ins. I'm thinking I should schedule something anyway. Maybe take a picture of myself flipping off RFK2 just for funsies.

[Dimity]

16 minutes ago, anony.miss said:

But they don't live on an island, and we're not protected from the impact of what they've done to the country, how their vote has given Trump the ability to strip/destroy nearly a century of programs that made America one of the most successful, stable, and prosperous countries ever. 

And not to sound selfish but he's not just bent on taking down your country, he's got his eye on ruining as many other countries as he possibly can.  I mean you can't be a ruthless dictator if you limit yourself to just one neighbourhood I guess.

[anony.miss]

3 minutes ago, Dimity said:

And not to sound selfish but he's not just bent on taking down your country, he's got his eye on ruining as many other countries as he possibly can.

Before I read your post, I  added this to mine:   "...we're not protected from the impact of what they've done to the country (and the world)". Great minds think alike? ;)

It's  terrifying watching the stability of the post WW 2 world thrown into chaos by Trump - benefits nobody but Putin.  Funny, that.

 

Edited Thursday at 10:29 PM by anony.miss

[bluegirl147]

55 minutes ago, anony.miss said:

 

It's  terrifying watching the stability of the post WW 2 world thrown into chaos by Trump - benefits nobody but Putin.  Funny, that.

 

It's crazy right?  That one man can be such a wrecking ball and destroy so much.

[peacheslatour]

13 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

It's crazy right?  That one man can be such a wrecking ball and destroy so much.

Are you ready for the Trump Performing Arts Center? Imagine an entire government based on the hurt fees fees of one giant toddler.

 

[Lantern7]

32 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

 

If you need a smile, here’s John Oliver taking Lee Greenwood behind the woodshed last year.

ETA: Last Week Tonight returns to HBO on Sunday. As always, I hope John can survive the coming year.

Edited Friday at 12:14 AM by Lantern7

[lookeyloo]

I just read Heather Cox Richardson and now I wonder if Musk has some power over tRump who seemed powerless at that strange press thing and is now just a bystander?

[bluegirl147]

12 minutes ago, lookeyloo said:

I just read Heather Cox Richardson and now I wonder if Musk has some power over tRump who seemed powerless at that strange press thing and is now just a bystander?

I've been saying this for months.  Trump doesn't like to share the spotlight and the other day he was playing second fiddle to a child.

[Lantern7]

Musk doxxed daughter of Judge McConnell.

Is it safe to say that the villains from Lethal Weapon 2 were better thought-out antagonists from South Africa than Ol’ Elon?

[PRgal]

This is all a mess.  I'm not religious, but I'm praying for you guys.

[tearknee]

1 hour ago, Lantern7 said:

Musk doxxed daughter of Judge McConnell.

Is it safe to say that the villains from Lethal Weapon 2 were better thought-out antagonists from South Africa than Ol’ Elon?

Hopefully anyone still has Danny Glover on speed dial.

[tearknee]

Anti-vaxers = even if their child(ren) aren't killed by their parents doing this, those children will later find it hard to go anywhere as you need to be vaccinated to enter other countries.

[Blergh]

12 hours ago, Eri said:

I would try not to stress. I reiterate to my colleagues that an executive order is not a law, and that in fact, obeying some of these executive orders is breaking actual laws & statutes. If employers are following any of these ridiculous EOs, they are liable to get sued. If it hasn't been approved by a court or Congress,  I'd take it with a grain of salt.

I think more than 20 universities have filed lawsuits about the indirect research funding cuts that the administration proposed. The proposed cuts would mean millions of dollars lost. 

I have a friend with colleagues who work in DEI and so far they are still presenting and doing business as normal. For example, Emory was pretty big on DEI before Biden’s presidency. It’s listed as a metric on their performance reviews.

I know the healthcare field is under attack right now,  but if Costco, Apple or the airlines can ignore the bullies and survive (so far) without having to amend their policies, then others can try too.

Thank you for your thoughts on this.

I'm not sure what the whole thought process was re this edict.

However, THE most important thing for our hospital is patient care and making sure that it's the best care possible. Alas, this does require a good amount of $$$ for medicine, research, equipment,etc.  and I imagine that the hospital's PTB were worried that if the fed funds got abruptly cut off, this could cripple the patients ( figuratively and possibly literally) . THAT is the bottom line.  Legal suits might possibly result in a court ruling in health care providers' favor. ..or said suits could boomerang resulting in no fed funds AND being more in the hole re legal fees.  In any case, I can imagine that this possibility has been at least discussed but I have no idea if it got shot down in administration. ..or the option may yet happen but they're not showing all their cards just yet.

Regardless, it's despicable that health care itself has been needlessly targeted (and I agree that it's horrible that ANY qualified, competent and vital employee of any position would get axed just to appease #45 and MAGA)!

[Absolom]

10 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

My one hope is that he doesn’t last the next four years.

Influenza A is bad this year...

[ProudMary]

Louisiana's Surgeon General rolls out the welcome mat for RFK, Jr. 😠

Louisiana Department of Health says it will no longer promote mass vaccination

https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/13/health/louisiana-mass-vaccination/index.html

New Orleans, which has its own, independent health department says they will not be following suit.

The Louisiana Department of Health will no longer promote mass vaccination, the state’s surgeon general, Dr. Ralph Abraham, told state health workers Thursday.

“The State of Louisiana and LDH have historically promoted vaccines for vaccine preventable illnesses through our parish health units, community health fairs, partnerships and media campaigns,” Abraham wrote in a memo addressed to “LDH Team Members” and obtained by CNN. “While we encourage each patient to discuss the risks and benefits of vaccination with their provider, LDH will no longer promote mass vaccination.”

[Dimity]

3 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

Again, Trump supporters. Good job. Really bang up work you're doing on our country here. 

  I wonder how long it will be before the next polio epidemic.

[Dimity]

[annzeepark914]

At my Thursday morning coffee group, several friends mentioned that they have sons & daughters who are affected by the firings of federal employees.  I learned that one of the younger women in my book club was just fired (not sure which agency she worked for). She's a single mom. Another friend said her daughter, who's been working remotely since the pandemic, has to return to her workplace next week. There will be a delay getting to her actual office as they all have to go through a magnetometer because the Doge employees have been getting threats (& there's only one magnetometer for the whole bldg). 

[Lantern7]

Left a message for my Congresswoman. Reminded her no one elected Musk to do anything. Doing this seems easier than finding the energy to ream out CBS. I read they're going to make The Amazing Race do a season chock full of Big Brother alumni. I know it's small, but the amount of disrespect that I perceive CBS giving TAR pisses me off.

[suomi]

4 hours ago, Dimity said:

  I wonder how long it will be before the next polio epidemic.

Ventilators (even portable vents) have replaced the iron lung. According to the CDC there is no specific treatment beyond antispasmodic meds, moist heat, PT, bed rest and pain relievers. The only cure is prevention. 

[Soapy Goddess]

19 hours ago, bluegirl147 said:

Since Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico I would say he has something against Mexico.

That makes no sense at all. He renamed it Gulf of AMERICA because he loves America! Not because he hates Mexico. And before you (or anyone else) replies with the usual pat answer...as many here have pointed out, criminals are entering the U.S. from ALL parts of world, not just Mexico.

And let's not pretend that DJT is the only president to rename anything. I don't recall any uproar when Obama and Biden renamed Ft. Bragg to Ft. Liberty.

[Soapy Goddess]

19 hours ago, Anela said:

With everything he’s doing, I think trump has something against America. 

I don't understand how you can say that when he's finding fraud/overspending in our government. Billions of dollars have been wasted on numerous ridiculous programs, and he's getting to the bottom of it. 

If only people would concentrate on the good that's being done, as opposed to listening to Maddow's rhetoric, you'll see that he's trying to save us money while getting our country out of debt.

[Soapy Goddess]

14 hours ago, Cementhead said:

Musk apparently calls this kid his 'emotional support human,' (how healthy) but this explanation tracks and makes perfect sense. 

About as healthy as people who have emotional support animals that aren't dogs.

[tres bien]

While I was here yesterday lamenting over the out of touch old guard democrats in congress Senator Tina Smith (D MN) announced she won’t seek reelection in ‘26. As one of my senators I don’t consider her part of the “old guard “. She succeeded Al Franken in 2018

It’s going to be a nasty campaign season for her seat. We have MAGAs  in Minnesota (notably congressman Tom Emmer who announced he won’t run for the seat)

We also have the governor’s election in ‘26 and Governor Walz has not decided if he will run for a 3rd term. 
 

I have been blocking texts and emails and not answering calls from democrats or the Democratic Party since the election. I will not donate to a candidate ever again. I will vote because that’s what should be what’s expected of me 

 

Edited Friday at 11:00 AM by tres bien

[abbyzenn]

Although Musk has said there's so much corruption/fraud I don't think he hasn't really given any actual examples.  Nor has any one been charged with fraud nor has it been stated that there's investigations initiated.  To actually discover corruption/fraud takes more investigation than saying X amount of money was spent.  

Regarding waste - what one person might consider waste another person might not consider it waste.

At this point I don't believe anything Musk says on what's being found.  I think he's finally had to admit there that was no $50 million (then raised to 100 million) of condoms going to Gaza.  IF he's actually finding fraud/waste there's no need to exaggerate.  

Another point to make is how much Congress is at fault for all this - after all they're the ones that allot the money AND make the laws.  The federal employees are just carrying out these laws - they're not making the laws.

This whole issue with NY Mayor Adams shows corruption will be tolerated by Trump if it's of benefit to him.

[Anela]

2 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

I don't understand how you can say that when he's finding fraud/overspending in our government. Billions of dollars have been wasted on numerous ridiculous programs, and he's getting to the bottom of it. 

If only people would concentrate on the good that's being done, as opposed to listening to Maddow's rhetoric, you'll see that he's trying to save us money while getting our country out of debt.

He isn’t doing anything good, and he’s flooding the zone with terrible executive orders, designed to leave people feeling exhausted, and like we can’t do anything to stop it all. 

He is not doing anything good. 

Edited Friday at 11:33 AM by Anela

[Blergh]

2 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

That makes no sense at all. He renamed it Gulf of AMERICA because he loves America! Not because he hates Mexico. And before you (or anyone else) replies with the usual pat answer...as many here have pointed out, criminals are entering the U.S. from ALL parts of world, not just Mexico.

And let's not pretend that DJT is the only president to rename anything. I don't recall any uproar when Obama and Biden renamed Ft. Bragg to Ft. Liberty.

AFAIC, it's more like #45 L-O-A-T-H-E-S America (all nations within both of the Western Hemisphere continents including the U.S of. . ) . Moreover, that particular Gulf is not solely within US jurisdiction (unlike Ft. Bragg).  And did anyone else hear of anyone else truly having wanted to change the Gulf name before #45 did so- or for that matter North America's highest peak known by the Alaska locals as Denali since time immemorial(and yes, I know that Alaska is the 49th US State to have been admitted).

[tres bien]

In Minnesota Land of 10,000 lakes a lot of them have Native American names

The largest lake in Minneapolis was until  recently named Lake Calhoun (1817) after then Secretary of War John Calhoun 

After some recent events the city found that Calhoun was a slave owner and pro slave ownership 

In 2020 the state decided to restore the name to the original Dakota name Bde Maka Ska

Edited Friday at 11:53 AM by tres bien

[suomi]

Trump and Musk can’t seem to locate much evidence of fraud

They keep justifying their bold moves as combating fraud, but they have been unable so far to point to much of anything specific that’s actually fraudulent.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/13/fraud-trump-musk-doge-fail/

[lookeyloo]

I think we should stay alert to this 

https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/02/13/save-act-women-voting/

[Dimity]

1 hour ago, suomi said:

Trump and Musk can’t seem to locate much evidence of fraud

They keep justifying their bold moves as combating fraud, but they have been unable so far to point to much of anything specific that’s actually fraudulent.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/13/fraud-trump-musk-doge-fail/

What has it cost the US taxpayer so far to basically hand over all their personal info to Musk?  Trump supporters will say it was worth it, I guess.

Edited Friday at 01:11 PM by Dimity

[Dimity]

5 hours ago, suomi said:

Ventilators (even portable vents) have replaced the iron lung. According to the CDC there is no specific treatment beyond antispasmodic meds, moist heat, PT, bed rest and pain relievers. The only cure is prevention. 

Well at least no one will end up in an iron lung (not being sarcastic) but that's not going to be much comfort if we are back in time to the days of deadly epidemics.

[Dimity]

4 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

I don't understand how you can say that when he's finding fraud/overspending in our government. Billions of dollars have been wasted on numerous ridiculous programs, and he's getting to the bottom of it. 

If only people would concentrate on the good that's being done, as opposed to listening to Maddow's rhetoric, you'll see that he's trying to save us money while getting our country out of debt.

The problem is just because you disagree with a program that doesn't mean it's ridiculous or fraudulent. Or, for that matter, wasteful. Trump through Musk is killing an ant with a sledgehammer THAT is ridiculous and possibly criminal.

 

[Annber03]

4 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

That makes no sense at all. He renamed it Gulf of AMERICA because he loves America! Not because he hates Mexico. 

Are you serious with this, 'cause LOL, no. 

[PRgal]

I love this video: 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DF-jKX3RxqP/?igsh=a3V4bWtpdDhqMjR0
 

And I would never have thought to top noodles with devilled eggs

[krankydoodle]

1 hour ago, Blergh said:

And did anyone else hear of anyone else truly having wanted to change the Gulf name before #45 did so-

I was looking this up because--speaking of wasteful spending--I was interested to see if there were any articles discussing the cost of making this change in terms of having to update official documents, maps, etc. and found this from NPR in 2012:

Call It 'Gulf Of America,' Not Gulf Of Mexico, Lawmaker Says In Bit Of Satire

Quote

Daniel Cherry of Mississippi Public Broadcasting just talked with Rep. Stephen Holland — the Democratic lawmaker who's getting a lot of attention for introducing a bill to rename the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America.

Holland told Daniel that so many of his Republican colleagues seem to want to push anything or anyone Mexican out of the state that he's just trying to "embrace" their cause and help them out. In other words, he's introduced a bill that he thinks will make a satirical point by being outrageous...

-- The idea of renaming that body of water the Gulf of America also came up in 2010, when Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert created a Gulf of America fund to help in the cleanup after the BP oil spill. As Colbert said: "I don't think we can call it the Gulf of Mexico anymore. We broke it, we bought it."

We really have become a joke.

But I agree with others that ridiculous moves like this are potentially a distraction. It just makes it harder to track all the awfulness happening.

[Anela]

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/society-equity/us-targets-diversity-equity-inclusion-united-nations-2025-02-14/

US targets diversity, equity, inclusion at United Nations
 

 

[Ohiopirate02]

9 minutes ago, Dimity said:

The problem is just because you disagree with a program that doesn't mean it's ridiculous or fraudulent. Or, for that matter, wasteful. Trump through Musk is killing an ant with a sledgehammer THAT is ridiculous and possibly criminal.

 

The other main issue is that a co-equal branch of government, Congress, is the one who holds the purse-strings and decides how our tax dollars get spent. Congress crafts a budget on a schedule, and the president is supposed to lobby Congress to see these changes happen. The idea of DOGE is not necessarily a bad one if Elon and his minions were only looking at the budgets to then advise Trump about possible changes. They are not supposed to be stopping payments on programs Congress already approved. Because the next part is that Congress has to decide where all the money being "saved" is going to go.