Discussion: The Trump Indictments

Morganna said:

mjc said:

A shot across the bow maybe? she says hopefully.

Finally heard tape of one of Defendant's comments this morning, imo couldn't be clearer tampering with witness(es).  Seems likely any random street thug would be locked up if it could be proved he said anything like that.

eta: otoh, does this mean the judge totally dismissed the other dozen or so instances??

eta again: NYT says $9,000, so apparently judge recognized most instances?  Still peanuts, but at least a warning

Apparently $1,000 per violation is the maximum allowed in New York State. Of course, jail could be the next option. We can only dream.

$9,000 ain't a lot, but on top of that, he'll have to attend his son's graduation which he had no intention of doing, so there's some justice.

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Discussion: What does Putin want (and whatabout it)

Informative:

FARA in Focus: What can Russia’s Foreign Agent Law tell us about America’s? (Journal of National Security Law & Policy)

FAFSA in Focus: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa

Farfisa in Focus:

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Discussion: What does Putin want (and whatabout it)

nan said:

But, we have no opposition in the US and freedom of speech is attacked as "disinformation" and Biden kills journalists too.  Some of this ranting at Russia is projection. 

I suppose it's not surprising you can't imagine Russians, Georgians, or Ukrainians wanting democracy given you yourself seem to scorn it.

We have choices in this country, and they make real, material differences. It matters if abortion is legal or not -- something that depends on who wins  elections at both the federal and the state level. It mattered whether we invaded Iraq or not. It mattered whether we had decided to uphold our nuclear deal with Iran or not. It matters whether we open up pristine Alaskan wilderness to exploitation or if we declare it road free. It matters if we use government to push us toward an emission-free future or not. It matters in all sorts of ways, large and small. Elections are meaningful.

When people complain, as you do, that they're not meaningful, and that it doesn't matter, it can mean a few things. It could be ignorance -- not realizing just how many things are impacted by who governs. It could be lack of attention -- not making the connection between events that happen and who governs (this is especially common because there are many delays between change and effect. As an easy example, think of the impactful, but lengthy, way the Supreme Court's makeup changes and then begins to yield different rulings, which themselves often take a while to play out and have visible impact).

It is also sometimes a sign of tunnel vision, of someone dismissing things that are important, but which aren't important to them. Think, for instance, of voters who dismiss reproductive rights as an issue.

Another aspect to this is that democracy gives us choices, not guarantees. It's a big country. On many issues, you're going to find yourself holding a minority opinion; perhaps even an extremely minority opinion. Change can be hard, but not impossible. The fact that few people share an opinion today doesn't mean they can't be convinced to do so tomorrow, but there's also no guarantee that you ever will change enough people's minds. Your complaints here seem to be along the lines of this -- too few Americans share your foreign policy views. And your explanation for this is conspiracy and the over-privileged decision that democracy doesn't matter or even really exist.

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Discussion: Bring Out Your Dead! The celebrity death thread....

Paul Auster, grew up in SOMA and graduated from Columbia High School. Famous as a Brooklyn author, but his sweeping novel "4 3 2 1" has a protagonist who grows up (in multiple ways) in Maplewood and vicinity.

Paul Auster, the Patron Saint of Literary Brooklyn, Dies at 77 - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

[Edited to add] Found the video of the talk he gave on Zoom, hosted by the South Orange Library, on 4/3/21 about that novel and talking about his memories of growing up. 

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Discussion: Handyman

I'm not sure if you're still looking, but just in case anyone else pulls this thread up ij future, a friend of ours has a handyman service, who helped work on our panto productions. His name is Gordon Brown (not the former UK Prime Minister), and here's his info: https://www.gmbhandymanservices.com/

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Discussion: The Rose Garden and White House happenings: Listening to voters’ concerns

@mtierney, You have posted a cartoon about protestors saying "first pay off my student debt." but whatever your feelings about loan forgiveness, and as I think this is becoming a talking point for Biden detractors, I am sharing an explanation of those who are eligible. This was copied for CBS news in January. 

MONEYWATCH

Biden forgives $5 billion more in student loan debt. Here's who qualifies and how to apply.

By Kate Gibson

Edited By Alain Sherter

January 19, 2024 / 12:18 PM EST / CBS News

• The Biden administration a week ago said that, starting in February, people with less than $12,000 in student loans and who have been making payments for at least 10 years would get their remaining loan balance erased. Borrowers also have to be enrolled in the White House's new Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) repayment plan.
  

Nearly 44,000 of the borrowers approved for debt relief are teachers, nurses, firefighters, social workers and public servants with at least 10 years of service. The remaining close to 30,000 borrowers have been making payments on their loans at least 20 years, but who did not get relief through income-driven repayment plans.

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Discussion: The NYT Spelling Bee Thread

Got the QB yesterday with a little hint from the Buddy. Had no idea "churchy" is a word. 

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Discussion: medicare SUPPLEMENT plan broker needed

wendy said:

Joan herself is on an Advantage plan. Others like me and dick are on supplement plans. I think Joan gave you very good reasons - in general terms - why some folks choose supplement plans. For me it was the freedom to choose among other reasons and the possibility that some of my valued doctors would not be on such a plan. If you need more detail than what I have given you generally feel free to contact me privately.

Wendy Lauter

Real person

Thank you.  I was looking for general reasons and the part of your answer that I bolded above is precisely what I was seeking.  I thought that the fear that preferred doctors might not participate would be a driving factor.  I actually hadn't really considered the issue of what if I need a new doctor and how being in an Advantage plan might complicate matters.

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Discussion: What does Putin want (and whatabout it)

drummerboy said:

The problem gets back to other things I tend to pick on - the definitions of words like existential threat, regime change, coup, etc.

when used by the pro-Russian side, they just mean different things than what they traditionally meant. It's a very insidious form of propaganda that they engage in. Some do it knowingly, others not so much.

Very true. On the issue of why Russia considers Ukraine to be a threat, the historian Serhy Yekelchyk notes that it's really due to the mere fact that Ukraine exists, and isn't under the domination of Russia. Writing shortly after the failure of the initial Russian attempt to topple Ukraine's government in the 2022 invasion:

"[A] sovereign Ukraine threatens both aspects of the Russian identity. By becoming an independent state in 1991 and subsequently refusing to place itself within the Russian sphere of influence, Ukraine challenged the vision of Russia as an empire. But it also defied the notion of Russia as a nation-state by showing the strength of the Ukrainian ethnic identity and, above all, the inclusive political identity that developed after the two democratic revolutions in 2004–5 and 2013–14. This political identity included Ukraine’s national minorities, and the early Russian setbacks in this war have demonstrated that the majority of ethnic Russians living in Ukraine identify with it."

Who is Putin fighting against? | OUPblog

Yekelchyk's book "Ukraine: What Everyone Needs To Know", which came out in 2020 after Zelenskyy's election, is a good historical overview of the facts leading up to the situation right before the Russia launched the full-scale war in 2022. It's available from the library here for anyone local who is interested in reading some relevant history.

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Discussion: medicare SUPPLEMENT plan broker needed

Steve said:

Query - why supplements over Advantage plans?  I know some folks who have been on Advantage plans for years and like them and NYC has been trying to push its retirees onto an Advantage plan but retirees have successfully pushed back.  NYC alleges the benefits will be much greater (though I don't understand why they don't offer the Advantage plan and see if people switch on their own).

Thanks.

Supplement plans allow for more freedom of choice than some advantage plans, no network limitation on which doctors are covered by the plan, no referrals needed, no gate keeper telling you the procedure you want/need will not be covered.  Advantage plans may include benefits that supplement plans don’t such as transportation to medical appointments, meal delivery after discharge from hospital or rehab, wellness programs, case manager, home visits, etc.  There really is no best choice for everyone.  The NYC case, still in the courts, would result in a cost saving to the City.  City retirees see it as a loss of freedom of choice since they can now choose from a variety of Medicare plans, one of which is the AETNA plan the City is pushing.  Another issue is that a significant number of retirees have moved outside of the NY metropolitan area and may not get adequate coverage under the AETNA plan.

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