Chit-Chat: The Feels

[Anela]

3 minutes ago, Dimity said:

The first board I was ever actively on was pretty tough.  The mods would come in and tell people not to 'feed the trolls' and if you ever posted anything about taking your marbles and leaving you were gone.  No second chances.  But that was a board where political conversation wasn't just permitted it was pretty much the point. 

I really appreciate this thread because it's kept me sane in the last few months and if I still want to 'visit' primetimer and need a break from politics there are tons of other threads to read and post in.  I don't think I could handle any board that was meant to be totally political right now!

Same.  I’ve been watching more movies, or just trying to avoid doomscrolling too much.  I might watch “Reacher” today, because that’s back.  I’ve been sleeping *a lot*, not feeling well most of the time, but it’s also depression, feeling like my brain is melting - over all of this, and things in my own life.  I’m at the point where my brain is feeding me nightmares, so I don’t want to go back to sleep. 

[bluegirl147]

14 minutes ago, Anela said:

I remember when Elon bought twitter, and MAGA people on another forum - one with a private political board - were all excited about the “Wild Wild West” being back. They were not people looking for unity. 

The people who want the "wild wild west" are people who know what they have to say should result in STFU.

10 minutes ago, Dimity said:

The first board I was ever actively on was pretty tough.

My first experience with a board like this was TWOP.  They were strict and sometimes it made no sense. I once got in trouble because I said the word "boy" sounds differently when a man of color hears it being said by a white person. I also got in trouble for saying "I will let others here decide for themselves".  I was told I was telling other posters what to do.

13 minutes ago, Dimity said:

I really appreciate this thread because it's kept me sane in the last few months and if I still want to 'visit' primetimer and need a break from politics there are tons of other threads to read and post in.  I don't think I could handle any board that was meant to be totally political right now!

Same.  I'm a Virgo so I love to analyze everything and it helps to have other people to discuss things with. I'm not against talking with people who have different opinions/beliefs than me but they need to be respectful and able to articulate them. And that is why my son and I do not talk politics anymore. The day after the election he texted me and said how does it feel to be on the wrong side of history. Something I never would have done to him.  Although now fuck yeah he is going to get that text from me.  Hopefully soon.

11 minutes ago, Anela said:

Same.  I’ve been watching more movies, or just trying to avoid doomscrolling too much.  I might watch “Reacher” today, because that’s back.  I’ve been sleeping *a lot*, not feeling well most of the time, but it’s also depression, feeling like my brain is melting - over all of this, and things in my own life.  I’m at the point where my brain is feeding me nightmares, so I don’t want to go back to sleep. 

If you ever need to talk you can reach out to me.  I know you are in a neighboring state and I know the games they are playing with things voted on by a majority of voters.

[Dimity]

1 minute ago, peacheslatour said:

“This is important,” Hannity responded to Trump, raising his hand to stop him.

[annzeepark914]

3 hours ago, bluegirl147 said:

According to reports he told Zelensky the US would keep defending Ukraine if they signed over all their mineral rights.  I'm sure those minerals would have found their way into Trump's Musk's  Putin's pocket.

 

Yup. Donnie's on Vlad's leash and it's now more apparent than ever.

Well, another interesting coffee group discussion this morning. As I've said, most of my friends are moms of federal employees and/or retired from federal jobs themselves. One friend was asked how things were going at her daughter's office and she said her daughter doesn't talk on her phone about anything as she believes her phone is being monitored.  I was stunned, but the others agreed that this crap is going on now.  

Aw gee...I did it again (thought my post didn't go through & clicked submit again...sorry 🥴) or, "Nevermind" as Emily Litella says!!

 

3 hours ago, bluegirl147 said:

 

 

 

Edited Thursday at 06:17 PM by annzeepark914

[anony.miss]

 

4 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

one was a speech by Gov. Pritzker of Ill. Re the March of the Nazis in Skokie in 1978. .  

Pritzker was excellent! No pussyfooting or placating, pure hardball. I thought this section was so well said:

"I do not invoke the specter of Nazis lightly. But I know the history intimately... Here’s what I’ve learned. The root that tears apart your house’s foundation begins as a seed – a seed of distrust and hate and blame. The seed that grew into a dictatorship in Europe a lifetime ago didn’t arrive overnight. It started with everyday Germans mad about inflation and looking for someone to blame.

I’m watching with a foreboding dread what is happening in our country right now. A president who watches a plane go down in the Potomac and suggests — without facts or findings — that a diversity hire is responsible for the crash. Or the Missouri Attorney General who just sued Starbucks, arguing that consumers pay higher prices for their coffee because the baristas are too “female” and “nonwhite.” The authoritarian playbook is laid bare here: They point to a group of people who don’t look like you and tell you to blame them for your problems.

I have one question: What comes next? After we’ve discriminated against, deported or disparaged all the immigrants and the gay and lesbian and transgender people, the developmentally disabled, the women and the minorities – once we’ve ostracized our neighbors and betrayed our friends – After that, when the problems we started with are still there staring us in the face – what comes next? All the atrocities of human history lurk in the answer to that question. And if we don’t want to repeat history – then for God’s sake in this moment we better be strong enough to learn from it.

We don’t have kings in America – and I don’t intend to bend the knee to one. If you think I’m overreacting and sounding the alarm too soon, consider this: It took the Nazis one month, three weeks, two days, eight hours and 40 minutes to dismantle a constitutional republic.

Tyranny requires your fear and your silence and your compliance. Democracy requires your courage. So gather your justice and humanity, Illinois, and do not let the “tragic spirit of despair” overcome us when our country needs us the most."

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/full-text-illinois-gov-jb-pritzkers-state-of-the-state-address/3678119/

 

Edited Thursday at 06:16 PM by anony.miss

[annzeepark914]

I think the DNC needs to sit up & take notice re: the D governors. 

[EtheltoTillie]

1 hour ago, Anela said:

Same.  I’ve been watching more movies, or just trying to avoid doomscrolling too much.  I might watch “Reacher” today, because that’s back.  I’ve been sleeping *a lot*, not feeling well most of the time, but it’s also depression, feeling like my brain is melting - over all of this, and things in my own life.  I’m at the point where my brain is feeding me nightmares, so I don’t want to go back to sleep. 

Reacher is back already?  Oh, Goody! 

[EtheltoTillie]

29 minutes ago, anony.miss said:

 

Pritzker was excellent! No pussyfooting or placating, pure hardball. I thought this section was so well said:

"I do not invoke the specter of Nazis lightly. But I know the history intimately... Here’s what I’ve learned. The root that tears apart your house’s foundation begins as a seed – a seed of distrust and hate and blame. The seed that grew into a dictatorship in Europe a lifetime ago didn’t arrive overnight. It started with everyday Germans mad about inflation and looking for someone to blame.

I’m watching with a foreboding dread what is happening in our country right now. A president who watches a plane go down in the Potomac and suggests — without facts or findings — that a diversity hire is responsible for the crash. Or the Missouri Attorney General who just sued Starbucks, arguing that consumers pay higher prices for their coffee because the baristas are too “female” and “nonwhite.” The authoritarian playbook is laid bare here: They point to a group of people who don’t look like you and tell you to blame them for your problems.

I have one question: What comes next? After we’ve discriminated against, deported or disparaged all the immigrants and the gay and lesbian and transgender people, the developmentally disabled, the women and the minorities – once we’ve ostracized our neighbors and betrayed our friends – After that, when the problems we started with are still there staring us in the face – what comes next? All the atrocities of human history lurk in the answer to that question. And if we don’t want to repeat history – then for God’s sake in this moment we better be strong enough to learn from it.

We don’t have kings in America – and I don’t intend to bend the knee to one. If you think I’m overreacting and sounding the alarm too soon, consider this: It took the Nazis one month, three weeks, two days, eight hours and 40 minutes to dismantle a constitutional republic.

Tyranny requires your fear and your silence and your compliance. Democracy requires your courage. So gather your justice and humanity, Illinois, and do not let the “tragic spirit of despair” overcome us when our country needs us the most."

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/full-text-illinois-gov-jb-pritzkers-state-of-the-state-address/3678119/

 

Glad you got to post this, thanks!  I saw another part of the story, where he pointed out that the outcry against the Nazis resulted in the Nazis moving their march away from Skokie even though they didn't have to and that only 20 showed up to march, and they were vastly outnumbered by protesters.  Fighting back can work!

[bluegirl147]

2 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

I think the DNC needs to sit up & take notice re: the D governors. 

Speaking of D governors, Mitch McConnell is retiring next year after his term is up. Kentucky has a popular Democratic governor Andy Beshear.  Wonder if he wants to run for that seat.  If we (meaning Democrats) ever want to be in the majority again they need to look at competing in more than blue and purple states.

 

[PRgal]

@bluegirl147 TwoP kicked me off a million years ago for not being PC enough.  The boy issue reminds me of a situation years back involving some NBA team members getting upset at monkey figurines (stuffies?) being given out to attendees.  The reason why they were handed out was because it was Lunar New Year and it was the Year of the Monkey.  It had zilch to do with race (which is a good reminder for people to do their research.  This happened in the last few years (the last time it was the Year of the Monkey) so the internet existed).

[kittykat]

9 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

Speaking of D governors, Mitch McConnell is retiring next year after his term is up. Kentucky has a popular Democratic governor Andy Beshear.  Wonder if he wants to run for that seat.  If we (meaning Democrats) ever want to be in the majority again they need to look at competing in more than blue and purple states.

 

Good riddance.  I figured that's why he grew an 11th hour conscience. Kentucky is more purple than people give credit for.  Andy Beshear is popular but the senators are firmly red.  Hopefully we can turn this one in 2026.

[annzeepark914]

7 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

Speaking of D governors, Mitch McConnell is retiring next year after his term is up. Kentucky has a popular Democratic governor Andy Beshear.  Wonder if he wants to run for that seat.  If we (meaning Democrats) ever want to be in the majority again they need to look at competing in more than blue and purple states.

 

I was even thinking about a Pritzker/Beshear ticket in 2028. The "just thinking" helps me calm down when the current occupant of the WH & his sidekick do things that rattle me to my core.

[Dimity]

For some reason this meme just popped up on my FB.  Proof that nothing on the Internet ever goes away.  And this particular meme has not aged well.  At all.

 

[bluegirl147]

Just now, annzeepark914 said:

I was even thinking about a Pritzker/Beshear ticket in 2028. The "just thinking" helps me calm down when the current occupant of the WH & his sidekick do things that rattle me to my core.

It wouldn't have mattered but Beshear was considered by Harris as her VP pick.

As much as I would like to think ahead to 2028 we really need to concentrate on 2026.  The House will definitely be winnable but we really need the Senate. Susan Collins is up for reelection.  She needs to go.

[EtheltoTillie]

3 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

I was even thinking about a Pritzker/Beshear ticket in 2028. The "just thinking" helps me calm down when the current occupant of the WH & his sidekick do things that rattle me to my core.

George Clooney is from Kentucky.  Why doesn't he do something! 

This is not entirely in jest.

[bluegirl147]

6 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

George Clooney is from Kentucky.  Why doesn't he do something! 

This is not entirely in jest.

If you believe the people who didn't want Biden to drop out Clooney was the one responsible for him dropping out. So clearly he must have clout. I say in jest.

[EtheltoTillie]

Just now, bluegirl147 said:

If you believe the people who didn't want Biden to drop out Clooney was the one responsible for him dropping out. So clearly he must have clout. I say in jest.

I just think he possibly could get elected to the Senate seat . . .

[annzeepark914]

5 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

George Clooney is from Kentucky.  Why doesn't he do something! 

This is not entirely in jest.

He could certainly get behind a good candidate & not just financially. Clooney is experienced in presentation skills (&/or has connections with those who have expertise), valuable talents to share with political candidates.

[bluegirl147]

Just now, annzeepark914 said:

He could certainly get behind a good candidate & not just financially. Clooney is experienced in presentation skills (&/or has connections with those who have expertise), valuable talents to share with political candidates.

I'm not dismissing Clooney's ability to help Democratic candidates. I was making a joke that he has so much sway that he got Biden to drop out.

3 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

I just think he possibly could get elected to the Senate seat . . .

I thought about that but he is considered a "Hollywood liberal".  

[PRgal]

7 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

I'm not dismissing Clooney's ability to help Democratic candidates. I was making a joke that he has so much sway that he got Biden to drop out.

I thought about that but he is considered a "Hollywood liberal".  

What's a "Hollywood liberal" besides being involved in the film industry?  How is that different from a non-film liberal?

[tessaray]

32 minutes ago, PRgal said:

@bluegirl147 TwoP kicked me off a million years ago for not being PC enough.  The boy issue reminds me of a situation years back involving some NBA team members getting upset at monkey figurines (stuffies?) being given out to attendees.  The reason why they were handed out was because it was Lunar New Year and it was the Year of the Monkey.  It had zilch to do with race (which is a good reminder for people to do their research.  This happened in the last few years (the last time it was the Year of the Monkey) so the internet existed).

But why should the Black athletes have just had to do research? Whoever arranged for that giveaway was tone-deaf, at minimum. Monkeys and ape images are at the heart of some of the most vile racist tropes in this country. It's bad stuff. And it's still going on. 

Those of us who aren't Black have the privilege of being oblivious to that kind of racism. The whole point of being "PC" is not conformity but not wanting to hurt others, even unintentionally. 

Btw, I love it when it's the Year of the Monkey. I have a thing for calligraphy and Asian art and some of my favorites are monkey-themed. 

Edited Thursday at 07:41 PM by tessaray

[EtheltoTillie]

1 minute ago, PRgal said:

What's a "Hollywood liberal" besides being involved in the film industry?  How is that different from a non-film liberal?

I think it's all about the fame.  So it's said disparagingly.

[PRgal]

8 minutes ago, tessaray said:

But why should the Black athletes have just had to do research? Whoever arranged for that giveaway was tone-deaf, at minimum. Monkeys and ape images are at the heart of some of the most vile racist tropes in this country. It's bad stuff. And it's still going on. 

Those of us who aren't Black have the privilege of being oblivious to race. The whole point of being "PC" is not conformity but not wanting to hurt others, even unintentionally. 

Btw, I love it when it's the Year of the Monkey. I have a thing for calligraphy and Asian art and some of my favorites are monkey-themed. 

Because they shouldn't be jumping to conclusions.  It WAS the Lunar New Year season.  This happened in Toronto where there's a significant Chinese/East Asian population and many are Raptors fans.  They just wanted to celebrate with the city.  This is a city where mainstream stores will have Lunar New Year specials.  For example, Purdy's Chocolatiers (from Vancouver, where there is ALSO a large demographic of East Asian communities) sells chocolate in Lunar New Year themed containers (I get them each year).  There's nothing DIFFERENT about these chocolates though.  They also sell chocolates coins (that look like loonies, or the Canadian $1 coin).  Same ones are used for gelt around for Chanukkah and I've seen it used for St. Patrick's Day too.  I call it "ethnic chocolate." hahaha.  Department stores will also advertise for Lunar New Year.  All seem to focus on the Chinese community more than other ethnicities that celebrate at that time, probably because that's their main clientele (and population).

Another interesting note:  In Cantonese, children are colloquially referred to as "monkeys."  It's not as bad as "spawn" in English.

Edited Thursday at 07:49 PM by PRgal

[peacheslatour]

2 minutes ago, PRgal said:

Because they shouldn't be jumping to conclusions.  It WAS the Lunar New Year season.  This happened in Toronto where there's a significant Chinese/East Asian population and many are Raptors fans.  They just wanted to celebrate with the city.  This is a city where mainstream stores will have Lunar New Year specials.  For example, Purdy's Chocolatiers (from Vancouver, where there is ALSO a large demographic of East Asian communities) sells chocolate in Lunar New Year themed containers (I get them each year).  There's nothing DIFFERENT about these chocolates though.  They also sell chocolates coins (that look like loonies, or the Canadian $1 coin).  Same ones are used for gelt around for Chanukkah and I've seen it used for St. Patrick's Day too.  I call it "ethnic chocolate." hahaha.  Department stores will also advertise for Lunar New Year.  All seem to focus on the Chinese community more than other ethnicities that celebrate at that time, probably because that's their main clientele (and population).

Another interesting note:  In Cantonese, children are colloquially referred to as "monkeys."  It's not as bad as "spawn" in English.

During both of Barack Obama's administrations, he and Michelle were constantly portrayed as monkeys by the right. It was so crude and racist that it was a real sore spot with Americans of all colors.

[Dimity]

4 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

During both of Barack Obama's administrations, he and Michelle were constantly portrayed as monkeys by the right. It was so crude and racist that it was a real sore spot with Americans of all colors.

Even during this past election cycle I was regularly seeing memes like that, especially with regard to Michelle where she was portrayed as a monkey but also as a male monkey passing as female.  This is the level they sink to and it didn't even matter that Obama hasn't been in public office for years.  They will never forgive him or Michelle for daring to exist.

Edited Thursday at 07:58 PM by Dimity

[Notabug]

36 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

George Clooney is from Kentucky.  Why doesn't he do something! 

This is not entirely in jest.

Clooney has said repeatedly that he has no interest in running for office.  He also lives at least part of the year in Italy.  He does have a farm near his parents' place in Kentucky, though.

[tessaray]

@PRgal I get that it was done innocently. And I think Chinese Lunar** New Year looks like so much fun from down here in boring Iowa.

But there is so much raw racism here in the US. If you could cut those NBA athletes a little slack too, it would go a long way. 

** Thanks all for diplomatically showing me the correct term. 

Edited Thursday at 11:46 PM by tessaray

[PRgal]

3 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

During both of Barack Obama's administrations, he and Michelle were constantly portrayed as monkeys by the right. It was so crude and racist that it was a real sore spot with Americans of all colors.

But that's different from Lunar New Year.  Monkey images were plastered all over the city around that time (that year) with Happy Lunar (or Chinese) New Year in English and Chinese (well, mostly Chinese, but also in other languages too.  Though other languages were more often used within cultural neighbourhoods).  So yeah, you didn't even have to Google.

[Notabug]

9 minutes ago, PRgal said:

Because they shouldn't be jumping to conclusions.  It WAS the Lunar New Year season.  This happened in Toronto where there's a significant Chinese/East Asian population and many are Raptors fans.  They just wanted to celebrate with the city.  This is a city where mainstream stores will have Lunar New Year specials.  For example, Purdy's Chocolatiers (from Vancouver, where there is ALSO a large demographic of East Asian communities) sells chocolate in Lunar New Year themed containers (I get them each year).  There's nothing DIFFERENT about these chocolates though.  They also sell chocolates coins (that look like loonies, or the Canadian $1 coin).  Same ones are used for gelt around for Chanukkah and I've seen it used for St. Patrick's Day too.  I call it "ethnic chocolate." hahaha.  Department stores will also advertise for Lunar New Year.  All seem to focus on the Chinese community more than other ethnicities that celebrate at that time, probably because that's their main clientele (and population).

Another interesting note:  In Cantonese, children are colloquially referred to as "monkeys."  It's not as bad as "spawn" in English.

Seems like the team and the sponsor of the giveaway did a poor job of connecting the toys to the Chinese New Year, it was their responsibility to make sure the message was appropriate.  Expecting non-Asians to not only know when Chinese New Year is but to also be aware of what animal was that year's mascot is pretty presumptuous, IMO.  Far more people would connect a monkey to the racial slur than the lunar new year.

[bluegirl147]

6 minutes ago, PRgal said:

This happened in Toronto where there's a significant Chinese/East Asian population and many are Raptors fans

But how many of the players were from Toronto?  Were they informed ahead of time? I agree with the above poster it was tone deaf.

[Makai]

1 hour ago, PRgal said:

@bluegirl147 TwoP kicked me off a million years ago for not being PC enough.  The boy issue reminds me of a situation years back involving some NBA team members getting upset at monkey figurines (stuffies?) being given out to attendees.  The reason why they were handed out was because it was Lunar New Year and it was the Year of the Monkey.  It had zilch to do with race (which is a good reminder for people to do their research.  This happened in the last few years (the last time it was the Year of the Monkey) so the internet existed).

If it’s the story I’m thinking of, there was more to it than that. The last Year of the Monkey started on 2/8/16 and the Kings were giving away Year of the Monkey t-shirts on 2/1/16, aka the first day of Black History Month. Also a day where players and coaches wear gear in acknowledgment. It’s the team’s marketing department that should have used the internet to see why that was a bad idea. 
 

ETA: just saw your post saying it was the Raptors but I can’t find any stories covering it so am not sure how much the situation with the Kings played a role. 

Edited Thursday at 08:55 PM by Makai

[PRgal]

21 minutes ago, Makai said:

If it’s the story I’m thinking of, there was more to it than that. The last Year of the Monkey started on 2/8/16 and the Kings were giving away Year of the Monkey t-shirts on 2/1/16, aka the first day of Black History Month. Also a day where players and coaches wear gear in acknowledgment. It’s the teams marketing department that should have used the internet to see why that was a bad idea. 
 

ETA: just saw your post saying it was the Raptors but I can’t find any stories covering it so am not sure how much the situation with the Kings played a role. 

I don't know why I thought it was the Raptors.  My bad!  I just remembered reading about it.  How big is the East Asian population in Sacramento?  

ETA:  never mind, I just looked it up. It's like 20%, with ethnic Chinese making a significant portion.

Edited Thursday at 08:26 PM by PRgal

[peacheslatour]

3 minutes ago, PRgal said:

I don't know why I thought it was the Raptors.  My bad!  I just remembered reading about it.  How big is the East Asian population in Sacramento?  

Sacramento has an Asian population of around 19%. I'm sure that figure includes Japanese Americans as well, who don't celebrate Lunar New Year in any major way.

[annzeepark914]

12 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

From Mediaite Feb. 19, 2025. 

Trump spoke to reporters Monday in a photo op at Mar-a-Lago as he signed executive actions, and one reporter confronted him over the contradictions.

There need to be more verbatim quotes so that people can see for themselves how little sense this man makes. He babbles on & on, never speaking in complete sentences, veering off topic over & over, etc. Such an embarrassment for the United States (another goal of Putin's achieved).

[tessaray]

16 minutes ago, PRgal said:

Another interesting note:  In Cantonese, children are colloquially referred to as "monkeys."  It's not as bad as "spawn" in English.

It's quite common here too, to refer to kids as little monkeys. No one says you can't still do that. On the flip side, it doesn't hurt to know why doing so in mixed-race company could be a bad thing.

I know from personal experience it can sting when finding out something you said or did was unintentionally racist. But it's better to know. 

[peacheslatour]

2 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

There need to be more verbatim quotes so that people can see for themselves how little sense this man makes. He babbles on & on, never speaking in complete sentences, veering off topic over & over, etc. Such an embarrassment for the United States (another goal of Putin's achieved).

If his children really loved him, they'd put him in a nice home.

[bluegirl147]

3 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

If his children really loved him, they'd put him in a nice home.

If Republicans really loved our country they would impeach him.

[Makai]

17 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

Sacramento has an Asian population of around 19%. I'm sure that figure includes Japanese Americans as well, who don't celebrate Lunar New Year in any major way.

Yep. The Chinese and Filipino populations are close in size and Sac has the largest Japanese American population in the US outside of Honolulu. 

If they had just pushed the giveaway to a later date that was actually during the Lunar New Year and not on the first day of Black History Month they probably wouldn’t have had to cancel it. 

[PRgal]

1 minute ago, tessaray said:

It's quite common here too, to refer to kids as little monkeys. No one says you can't still do that. On the flip side, it doesn't hurt to know why doing so in mixed-race company could be a bad thing.

I know from personal experience it can sting when finding out something you said or did was unintentionally racist. But it's better to know. 

It's more for people who ONLY speak Cantonese to keep in mind, usually an older population.  And/or people who are aware of this.  Many older generation Cantonese speakers live in isolated communities and don't even know what they're saying may be hurtful to outside communities (or people who have connections to outside communities).  This includes their children and grandchildren.  I can tell you that in Toronto, there are communities that can get away with never having to speak (and to an extent, hear) any English for weeks at a time.  If you're an 85 year old non-English speaking granny and unaware that your grandchild is dating a Black person, you better watch out!

[Notabug]

39 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

From Mediaite Feb. 19, 2025. 

Trump spoke to reporters Monday in a photo op at Mar-a-Lago as he signed executive actions, and one reporter confronted him over the contradictions.

So, he and his followers actually believe that there are millions of dead people over the age of 120 who are still getting Social Security checks?  Sometimes, the ignorance is beyond belief. I heard on the news that the reason these people still show up on the roster are because they were entered into the government's computers back when they were using COBOL and there is a glitch that caused them not to fall off the lists.  And, since no one in their right mind would ever think someone lived to be 120, let alone collect SS at that age; it hasn't been a priority to remove them.  Thank God for Elon discovering this error.

Speaking of ignorance, I am a physician, I recently saw a patient who is significantly overweight whose insurance doesn't cover GLP-1's (mine doesn't either).  She actually said she was so happy that Trump and RFK Jr are now in charge as she is sure that they will make the drug affordable for the average citizen because they really care about our health.  I kid you not.  I told her I thought it was extremely unlikely, but I don't think I changed her mind.  She was otherwise a pretty normal person, a little more faith in herbal remedies than most and still smoking despite severe asthma, though.  She seems prone to bad choices, there's a lot of that going around.

Edited Thursday at 08:55 PM by Notabug

[anony.miss]

 

59 minutes ago, PRgal said:

ETA:  never mind, I just looked it up.  It's like 20%, with ethnic Chinese making a significant portion.

I think your link shows that Asian Americans are 13 percent of the Sacramento population overall, and Chinese Americans are 21 percent within that 13 percent:

13.1% Asian Share of Total Pop

21% Chinese Share of Asian Am

 

1 hour ago, tessaray said:

Whoever arranged for that giveaway was tone-deaf, at minimum. 

I agree. It's not asking too much of the person in charge to inform Black players that an image with hundreds of years of racist associations is actually a celebration of the Year of the Monkey, not some disturbing racist thing coming at them from the stands.

Edited Thursday at 09:15 PM by anony.miss

[ProudMary]

Just announced. This is directly from the official Medicare website. With very few exceptions, no more telehealth visits for those on Medicare effective April 1st. I am livid and very upset about this. It directly effects a close, elderly family member who is only able to see a specific specialist, 100 miles away, through telehealth. This doctor is vital to their well-being.

Also, if you test positive at home for Covid, you were then able through telehealth, to get a Paxlovid prescription. Does this mean Medicare patients now have to physically go to an urgent care? 😠

https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/telehealth

Through March 31, 2025, you can get telehealth services at any location in the U.S., including your home. Starting April 1, 2025, you must be in an office or medical facility located in a rural area (in the U.S.) for most telehealth services. If you aren't in a rural health care setting, you can still get certain Medicare telehealth services on or after April 1, including:

Monthly End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) visits for home dialysis

Services for diagnosis, evaluation, or treatment of symptoms of an acute stroke wherever you are, including in a mobile stroke unit

Services for the diagnosis, evaluation, or treatment of a mental and/or behavioral health disorder (including a substance use disorder) in your home

[bluegirl147]

11 minutes ago, anony.miss said:

I agree. It's not asking too much of the person in charge to inform Black players that an image with hundreds of years of racist associations is actually a celebration of the Year of the Monkey, not some disturbing racist thing coming at them from the stands.

When people talk about white privilege this is an example of it not being intentional.  But just as damaging.  The person in charge was most likely white and it didn't occur to them the monkeys would be offensive.  Also another reason why DEI is important.  

[PRgal]

10 minutes ago, anony.miss said:

 

I think your link shows that Asian Americans are 13 percent of the Sacramento population overall, and Chinese Americans are 21 percent within that 13 percent:

13.1% Asian Share of Total Pop

21% Chinese Share of Asian Am

 

I agree. It's not asking too much of the person in charge to inform Black players that an image with hundreds of years of racist associations is actually a celebration of the Year of the Monkey, not some disturbing racist thing coming at them from the stands.

This reminds me of a more recent situation where a professor was accused of saying the "n" word but in reality was saying the word for "that" in Mandarin.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/10/us/usc-chinese-professor-racism-intl-hnk-scli/index.html

[bluegirl147]

3 minutes ago, ProudMary said:

Just announced. This is directly from the official Medicare website. With very few exceptions, no more telehealth visits for those on Medicare effective April 1st.

What do they think is happening?  Drs charging for visits that don't happen?  OK then punish the providers not the patients.

[EtheltoTillie]

6 minutes ago, ProudMary said:

Just announced. This is directly from the official Medicare website. With very few exceptions, no more telehealth visits for those on Medicare effective April 1st. I am livid and very upset about this. It directly effects a close, elderly family member who is only able to see a specific specialist, 100 miles away, through telehealth. This doctor is vital to their well-being.

Also, if you test positive at home for Covid, you were then able through telehealth, to get a Paxlovid prescription. Does this mean Medicare patients now have to physically go to an urgent care? 😠

https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/telehealth

 

 

Oh, this is terrible.  I work with elderly clients who are affected by this.

[peacheslatour]

3 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

What do they think is happening?  Drs charging for visits that don't happen?  OK then punish the providers not the patients.

You always hear about immigrants stealing American jobs but you never hear about the people who hire them because they exploit their labor on the cheap.

[ProudMary]

I just called the offices of both of my Republican Senators. I had to feel as if I was doing something, even though I know I'm wasting my time with these two. I can't describe just how upset I am right now. 

[peacheslatour]

Just now, ProudMary said:

I just called the offices of both of my Republican Senators. I had to feel as if I was doing something, even though I know I'm wasting my time with these two. I can't describe just how upset I am right now. 

I feel the same way. I don't know if I'm going to make it for four years.

[Notabug]

42 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

What do they think is happening?  Drs charging for visits that don't happen?  OK then punish the providers not the patients.

They do not care what is happening, they have decided to cut Medicare and this is just the start.  I do not do a lot of telehealth visits myself but I work for a huge hospital system with an international reputation for excellence.  Many patients consult the top specialists in their respective fields via telehealth and this is going to be a huge problem for someone with a rare condition who needs an expert opinion but happen to live hundreds, if not thousands, of miles from a specialist.

For example, a friend's daughter was diagnosed with an extremely rare breast cancer a couple years ago.  She went to the two top centers in her town, both excellent, and got differing opinions on the next step because it was such a rare tumor.  Using telehealth, she was able to speak to people who had actually treated multiple patients with her cancer at both MD Anderson in Houston and Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.  Using the information she got from them, she was able to decide on a treatment plan without having to get on a plane and fly cross country twice.  She wasn't on Medicare, but the principle is the same; older people will not be able to get the best care.

BTW, the change in telehealth coverage has been in the pipeline for quite some time.  It was initially expanded during COVID for obvious reasons, but had an expiration date of December 2024, not terribly unusual for an emergency ruling.  Last year, Congress voted to extend the deadline until the end of March.  However, with the change in administrations, it is pretty obvious the current Chief Executive would not sign another extension and Congress doesn't have the votes (or guts) to override a veto.  And here we are.  Expect more as other pieces of temporary legislation start to expire, even ones that have proven their worth.

This is bad news for everyone.

Edited Thursday at 10:14 PM by Notabug