I’m on Kaiser, and have generally found the workers to be great. It can feel a bit cattle car-ish at times, but I guess that’s an issue with scale. The nurses and doctors and staff have all been very good. Glad to see them getting a better deal.
The low pay and bad working conditions of health care workers has been a national disgrace for too long. I was very glad to see this. And yes, if it bumps my premiums or copays up a little, I'll fucking pay. (Just so nobody uses this as an excuse to go nuts with price increases.)
When I was a working RN we made less money than supermarket baggers. The baggers had a union. Unlike grocery workers, I was in daily danger of assault (violent psych ward). I am a small woman, and I was supposed to handle (at least) 17 adult psychotics with the help of one aide who was not much bigger than I was. Only got thrown into a wall once, though. But boy, could I write vivid incident reports!
That level of understaffing is criminal. Unfortunately, it's pervasive. Mental-health services especially are chronically underfunded because the mentally ill more often than not don't vote. I haven't been on the wrong end of that dynamic as a patient (yet), thank dog, but I've seen family and friends who were, and it wasn't pretty.
"Criminal understaffing" was actually what I put on said incident report where it asked for the cause of the "incident." My supervisor had to read it out loud at the supervisors' meeting next morning. Nothing, of course, was done.
So gross. To live in such excessive manners while homeless camps line the streets and the underpass of the freeway. To hoard wealth that you and ten generations of offspring couldn't spend. This world is just hurting.
I just had another year with a net operating loss (thanks to my habit of buying magic beans ) and somehow the state of Virginia thought I could pull $22K out of my keister
Once, when I was 15, and a tourist in Israel, I thought it would be cool to wear one of those army things they sell to tourists. When I wore it on the bus, an actual soldier gave me a (correct) dressing down and at that moment I understood deep down and forever that this war business was not a game.
A few years back, I was unhappy when Sears marketed military-style clothing decorated with the U.S. Army's "Big Red One" logo. They said their merchandise was inspired by the popular video game of the same name. The real 1st Infantry Division isn't a game.
root canal yesterday has caused a massive lip blister today , so am not going out. So, I have a semi serious question for you all.
Is there a non political person you can think of who would be considered by BOTH parties to be acceptable for Speaker. Hubby and I were musing on this yesterday and we could not think of anyone.
I am not talking about celebrities( ie no Taylor Swift suggestions). Everyone we thought of could be deemed by each side to have X leanings
A guy on CNN was talking up a couple of Republican mopes no one ever heard of as compromise candidates. It doesn't occur to me why the rest of the Republicans would go for that, even if the Democrats are willing. Especially if the Democrats impose a "no stupid shit" condition to shut down things like the "impeachment inquiry" and the endless budget standoffs.
This is only semi serious--I bet George Clooney would be kind of okay? He is very liberal but he's a star and I think Repubs just like fame time, so they might get swept up....
Jack is waiting to get PAB to his gray bar hotel. Then he will start in on this crew. Meadows knows where all the bodies came in the back door of the white house.
I think they are very selective, because DOJ wields a shitload of power. I don't want any Jim, Matt or Bob bumbling around in there. Fuckface von Clownstick seems to be heading for his time in the barrel, and I think that's fine.
"The Republican Party’s inability to elect a Speaker of the House is a microcosm of larger cultural decadence and degeneration that are disproportionately afflicting the GOP."
Not so sure about the larger cultural decadence and degeneration, but whatever it is, for sure it is disproportionately afflicting the GOP. And not just in the House.
The humane thing is always the right thing to do. Will it cost you monetarily? Possibly in the short run, but will more than make up for it in the long run. Speaking as a bean counter before retirement, I know that thinking only of the monetary cost will cost far more in the long run, than thinking of the human cost as well.
He's following the narcissist's playbook. As reality starts poking thru the bubble a narcissist uses to protect themselves, they lash out violently as the bubble is the only safe place they have. It is a real psyche injury often leading to actual physical violence.
Thanks Cokehead Narcissist, for showing me all these first hand.
OT, but just got out of Evensong at the chapel at New College, Oxford. (“New” in this context means “founded in 1379” for those of you keeping score at home.)
I’d not been in this chapel, but it’s stunning. The roof in particular is amazing—all wood with angels at the joints. Almost looks Viking.
The choir is sublime. What a blend. And, sorry ladies, you just can’t beat boy sopranos. Wish I could post photos and audio here (thank you Apple Watch for surreptitious recording!)
Republicans in the House have little appetite for Ukraine aid, and that includes both the poo-flingers like Gaetz and those in the slightly less extreme part of the caucus (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/oct/14/republican-house-ukraine-support-gaetz). Reminder: "America First" was literally the slogan of American Nazi appeasers in the 1930's.
I’m on Kaiser, and have generally found the workers to be great. It can feel a bit cattle car-ish at times, but I guess that’s an issue with scale. The nurses and doctors and staff have all been very good. Glad to see them getting a better deal.
I'm really, really happy for California's healthcare workers, in particular those at Kaiser Permanente. Solidarity forever.
Me too. They're our provider, and I want those people who take care of us taken care of!
The low pay and bad working conditions of health care workers has been a national disgrace for too long. I was very glad to see this. And yes, if it bumps my premiums or copays up a little, I'll fucking pay. (Just so nobody uses this as an excuse to go nuts with price increases.)
When I was a working RN we made less money than supermarket baggers. The baggers had a union. Unlike grocery workers, I was in daily danger of assault (violent psych ward). I am a small woman, and I was supposed to handle (at least) 17 adult psychotics with the help of one aide who was not much bigger than I was. Only got thrown into a wall once, though. But boy, could I write vivid incident reports!
Oh, only once? Lucky you.
That level of understaffing is criminal. Unfortunately, it's pervasive. Mental-health services especially are chronically underfunded because the mentally ill more often than not don't vote. I haven't been on the wrong end of that dynamic as a patient (yet), thank dog, but I've seen family and friends who were, and it wasn't pretty.
"Criminal understaffing" was actually what I put on said incident report where it asked for the cause of the "incident." My supervisor had to read it out loud at the supervisors' meeting next morning. Nothing, of course, was done.
https://twitter.com/RBReich/status/1713242313449676973
"Jeff Bezos just purchased another mega-mansion in Miami’s “billionaire bunker” neighborhood. This time for $79 million.
"It sits next to another property he bought this summer for $68 million.
"Don't tell me the super-rich can't afford a wealth tax."
But how will he afford to buy a third adjacent property for $85 million?
Perspective, people.
So gross. To live in such excessive manners while homeless camps line the streets and the underpass of the freeway. To hoard wealth that you and ten generations of offspring couldn't spend. This world is just hurting.
“The problem with the poor is poverty, the problem with the rich is uselessness.”
Thanks to climate change, it'll be beachfront property in no time.
Soon after that, it will be underwater.
I have it on good authority that the 500 million yacht he got this summer requires a support yacht to service the behemoth. Seriously.
Yeah I just read that too. Apparently that’s common for these big toys
I don't doubt it. I would have expected it necessitated a flotilla.
"Super-rich"? Of course they can afford to - their only argument against it is they don't want to.
I just had another year with a net operating loss (thanks to my habit of buying magic beans ) and somehow the state of Virginia thought I could pull $22K out of my keister
See, you should've invested in purchasing Republican Congressfolk.
Santos needs to up his imposter game
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F8akgt-bgAAo38V?format=jpg&name=small
https://twitter.com/MeidasTouch/status/1713237669118173467
Okay, now there just fucking with all of us, aren't they? There's no other possible explanation.
Santos' uniform was at the cleaner. It got dirty in all the front-line fighting he did.
The usual GOP "stolen valor"...
Once, when I was 15, and a tourist in Israel, I thought it would be cool to wear one of those army things they sell to tourists. When I wore it on the bus, an actual soldier gave me a (correct) dressing down and at that moment I understood deep down and forever that this war business was not a game.
A few years back, I was unhappy when Sears marketed military-style clothing decorated with the U.S. Army's "Big Red One" logo. They said their merchandise was inspired by the popular video game of the same name. The real 1st Infantry Division isn't a game.
Halloween's on the 31st, Brian.
root canal yesterday has caused a massive lip blister today , so am not going out. So, I have a semi serious question for you all.
Is there a non political person you can think of who would be considered by BOTH parties to be acceptable for Speaker. Hubby and I were musing on this yesterday and we could not think of anyone.
I am not talking about celebrities( ie no Taylor Swift suggestions). Everyone we thought of could be deemed by each side to have X leanings
A guy on CNN was talking up a couple of Republican mopes no one ever heard of as compromise candidates. It doesn't occur to me why the rest of the Republicans would go for that, even if the Democrats are willing. Especially if the Democrats impose a "no stupid shit" condition to shut down things like the "impeachment inquiry" and the endless budget standoffs.
But if there were no stupid shit what would Republicans do with themselves?
Well, we saw what Congresswoman Boebert does.
Yeah, that's pretty much the problem right there.
ME!
This is only semi serious--I bet George Clooney would be kind of okay? He is very liberal but he's a star and I think Repubs just like fame time, so they might get swept up....
That’s who I thought of, too
Sorry about the lip blister. Hope that you feel better soon.
As for your question, the answer is nope. And the fault is Republicans, who demonize anyone not in their party.
Not just anyone not in their party, but anyone who doesn't toe that crazy caucus line.
Since the Treason Caucus owns the GOP and Putin owns the Treason Caucus , the only possible compromise candidate is Mariia Butina.
Lmao that's funny 😆
At this point no, I cannot. The current House majority is intractable to reason or traversing a responsible path of governance.
Elo......arrgh ....choking .. .fading to black.....
Just a reminder:
𝗜𝗻 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨.𝗦. 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗝𝟲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗹𝘆 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗝𝗶𝗺 𝗝𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗝𝟲 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
Along with:
Brian Babin (R-TX);
Andy Biggs (R-AZ);
Matt Gaetz (R-FL);
Louie Gohmert (R-TX);
Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA);
Andy Harris (R-MD);
Jody Hice (R-GA);
Scott Perry (R-PA).
Merrick?
Jack is waiting to get PAB to his gray bar hotel. Then he will start in on this crew. Meadows knows where all the bodies came in the back door of the white house.
Oh I'm sure he'll get right to it, as soon as he's finished prosecuting all those parking violations.
A pity the USDoJ hs only handful of employees and a minuscule budget.
I think they are very selective, because DOJ wields a shitload of power. I don't want any Jim, Matt or Bob bumbling around in there. Fuckface von Clownstick seems to be heading for his time in the barrel, and I think that's fine.
Social Security's cost-of-living adjustment set at 3.2% — less than half of the current year's increase - CBS News
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/social-security-cola-increase-2024/
Still waaaay more than what the school tosses in my direction.
It's more than I got the last few years that I worked.
Definitely more than I am going to get this year. Argh!
[seethes silently]
Speaking of healthcare labor actions, what happened with the Walgreens pharmacist walkout?
They have been understaffed and I complained about it on their fake-careaboutus site.
Dumpster fires across America burn with raging indignation after being compared to the Republican rape-enabler.
'𝗗𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲': 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗝𝗶𝗺 𝗝𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
https://www.rawstory.com/jim-jordan-gop-chaos/
"The Republican Party’s inability to elect a Speaker of the House is a microcosm of larger cultural decadence and degeneration that are disproportionately afflicting the GOP."
Not so sure about the larger cultural decadence and degeneration, but whatever it is, for sure it is disproportionately afflicting the GOP. And not just in the House.
Decadence and degeneration is whitespeak for "those people want to be treated just like us."
I certainly don't feel particularly decadent or degenerate.
Republicans, however, have EVERY reason to do so.
The nomination of Jim Jordumb is, in fact, a vigorous pumping of the bellows into the furnace of fascist extremism currently blazing in the House.
Pedo-enabler used to be enough to keep you out of office for fucking ever.
Now it is a badge of honor.
All you fascist fuck Republicans can get fucked right off to next Tuesday. Then fuck off straight to the heart of the sun.
None. Of. You. Is. Worth. A. Fuck.
"We wanted to burn down America. But that didn't happen. So we decided to burn down ourselves."
I'm okay with that.
Kind of like when the suicide bomber only kills themselves. WIN.
Has there never been a dumpster fire with these clowns?
Yes, but it was when there was a tire fire.
The very idea! Harumph!
The humane thing is always the right thing to do. Will it cost you monetarily? Possibly in the short run, but will more than make up for it in the long run. Speaking as a bean counter before retirement, I know that thinking only of the monetary cost will cost far more in the long run, than thinking of the human cost as well.
Penny wise and pound foolish, as they say. Blame everything on the need to bump up shareholder value.
Makes me glad I work for a private company. None of this short-termism nonesense.
Because they’re republicans, who sell what excuses they have for souls to anyone willing to buy.
That pisses me off.
You don't need to read the story, so I'll just give you the head.
'Human scum!' George Santos blows up at Jewish Israel protester in f-bomb laden rant
He never had much to begin with, but I think he's lost it.
Also too, Rep. Derrick Van Orden, it's a Republican thing.
“My friends in the Persian [Jewish] community, they're fantastic to me,”
he's toast now.
He's following the narcissist's playbook. As reality starts poking thru the bubble a narcissist uses to protect themselves, they lash out violently as the bubble is the only safe place they have. It is a real psyche injury often leading to actual physical violence.
Thanks Cokehead Narcissist, for showing me all these first hand.
What's His Name needs to be swiftly redacted.
That jury pool won't taint itself!
But wait, I thought George Santos was the promised Messiah?
"He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy!"
"Today, on 'Republican Poutrage Theater'..."
Inshallah, this will link to my partial solar eclipse photos.
https://substack.com/profile/157168249-flemishspy/note/c-41853995?utm_source=substack&utm_content=first-note-modal
Thanks. We were total overcast here.
Amazing. Thanks.
Thanks for posting! Great photos..
Inshallah, they DID, and they are stunning
Thank you!
OT, but just got out of Evensong at the chapel at New College, Oxford. (“New” in this context means “founded in 1379” for those of you keeping score at home.)
I’d not been in this chapel, but it’s stunning. The roof in particular is amazing—all wood with angels at the joints. Almost looks Viking.
The choir is sublime. What a blend. And, sorry ladies, you just can’t beat boy sopranos. Wish I could post photos and audio here (thank you Apple Watch for surreptitious recording!)
It was good for the soul.
was morse in the choir ?
Morse. Series 5, episode 2
https://i0.wp.com/morseandlewisandendeavour.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/vlcsnap-2021-01-25-16h15m36s650.png
Love that show. And it’s fitting I saw Thursday on stage in London last night.
Everything I know about Oxford I learned from Morse, Lewis, and Endeavour (note Oxford comma).
When 80's new wave bands go bad...
𝗩𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱, 𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘀
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67104820
It didn't effect me because I ran.
Couldn’t get away, though.
I didn't know those guys were still touring.
It's that damn haircut!
Republicans in the House have little appetite for Ukraine aid, and that includes both the poo-flingers like Gaetz and those in the slightly less extreme part of the caucus (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/oct/14/republican-house-ukraine-support-gaetz). Reminder: "America First" was literally the slogan of American Nazi appeasers in the 1930's.
It genuinely wouldn't surprise me if Russia wasn't fist- deep in Gaetz's stunt as well as Hamas
Nor does their owner, Vlad Putin.
They are not exactly owned, more like "useful idiots."