The All Things Political Topic - Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you

[Azdeus]

5 hours ago, Gfted1 said:

@ All of you living in UHC nirvanas, I assume all vaccinations and medicines are free of charge? @Gorth, youre geezerly like me, does AU Medicare pay for everything? Would you have to pay anything out of pocket for the Shingles vaccine?

Depends, I got my tetanus shot for free when I sliced up my hand, but shingles vaccine costs 135-165 dollars. Sauce.

Well technically I paid 10$ for my tetanus shot, but it was an all inclusive kind of deal

Edited December 1, 2022 by Azdeus
It's started bugging out again. FFS.

[Gfted1]

Special master: Appeals court halts review of Trump documents seized at Mar-a-Lago | CNN Politics

[Raithe]

https://impakter.com/eu-hosted-gala-party-in-metaverse-how-it-went/

The EU threw a gala in the metaverse... and 6 people showed up.

[InsaneCommander]

20 minutes ago, Raithe said:

https://impakter.com/eu-hosted-gala-party-in-metaverse-how-it-went/

The EU threw a gala in the metaverse... and 6 people showed up.

You mean someone actually showed up?!

[Lexx]

Metaverse is just Second Life all over again. Remember when every company had their own plot of land and some person employed to idle there all day long? Hilarious.

[ShadySands]

Judge orders sanctions in response to Lake, Finchem election suit

Supreme Court Seems Ready to Back Web Designer Opposed to Same-Sex Marriage

Two electric substations were damaged by gunfire on Saturday, leaving tens of thousands of customers in the dark. The cost of the damage is probably in the millions, one official said.

[Malcador]

2 minutes ago, ShadySands said:

Two electric substations were damaged by gunfire on Saturday, leaving tens of thousands of customers in the dark. The cost of the damage is probably in the millions, one official said.

Great, hopefully this crap doesn't catch on.

[Gromnir]

23 minutes ago, ShadySands said:

 

Supreme Court Seems Ready to Back Web Designer Opposed to Same-Sex Marriage

 

maybe not as likely to enrage the nation as dobbs overturning roe, but am thinking this one could be equal problematic as it releases the pandora's box o' horrible the Court narrow avoided with the bigoted colorado cake maker.

commercial speech has always been treated different, but the current Court has weaponized First Amendment religious freedom and speech protections to effective defend historical entrenched values circa the 1860s and 1780s often at the expense o' common sense and even the health and welfare o' the multitude. who were being routine discriminated in 1787 and 1868? everybody but white men. how could such an overt biased standard not make a reasonable person shudder?

the lawyers for the plaintiff suggest there is limits as to whom a person engaged in a business transaction may refuse service, but they proposed no specific limits and am not sure how The Court could possible craft a general rule which would clarify as 'posed to confuse. same-sex marriage is enough o' an affront to religious freedom such that the business owner may refuse service, but denying services to disabled or minorities is a bridge too far? why exact? what is the legal argument for distinguishing?

we thought the legal reasoning in obergefell were suspect even if am personal in favour o' same-sex marriage. however, obergefell is law and am not sure how this Court pretends it ain't relevant. based on responses during oral arguments, Justices for the majority is considering the religious and artistic freedoms o' the business owner, but am not sure how such invalidates the protections we assume is relevant in other business settings when a person belonging to a suspect class is denied equal consideration. of course you can't fire a person from their job 'cause o' their race, religious beliefs or disabilities, but is possible to deny those same persons business services?  and maybe is not ok to deny business to racial minorities and disabled persons but those engaged in a same-sex union is fair game, but if such is the case, what is the reason for the exception?

am most concerned this will be another situation where the Court works backwards from a desired conclusion (i.e. allowing businesses to refuse service to teh gayz) and cobbles together a flawed historical analysis to legitimize the illegitimate. with each such new case, the Court undermines american faith in the rule of law.

HA! Good Fun!

 

[Hurlshort]

I'm amazed they are taking on the case. The lady hasn't even started her 'web design' business yet. Nobody has asked her to design a gay wedding site. It is just speculation. 

[Gorth]

31 minutes ago, Hurlshort said:

I'm amazed they are taking on the case. The lady hasn't even started her 'web design' business yet. Nobody has asked her to design a gay wedding site. It is just speculation. 

Why let facts get in the way of a good lawsuit?

 

Edit: Less facetious, if you are looking for a way to accomplish an agenda, the details are sometimes unimportant as long as a goal is accomplished, in this case getting the Supreme Court to make policy and become a partisan part of government, enabling policies you desire for whatever reason motivates you

[Gromnir]

1 hour ago, Hurlshort said:

I'm amazed they are taking on the case. The lady hasn't even started her 'web design' business yet. Nobody has asked her to design a gay wedding site. It is just speculation. 

for pre-enforcement challenges, the litigant must exhibit, "an intention to engage in a course of conduct arguably affected with a constitutional interest, but proscribed by a statute, and there exists a credible threat of prosecution thereunder."

standing is one o' the most arcane aspects o' law. something more than 80% o' civil cases is decided based on the application o' the rules o' civil procedure.  criminal matters tend to be more cut and dry, but is not always so.

regardless, we no longer demand that to bring a case before the Court, a person must first violate a law. if a state created new abortion criminal statues, we would not demand the doctors perform an actual abortion and possible expose self to significant criminal liability as a pre requisite for challenging the validity o' the abortion law. perhaps ask the doctor to sit in prison for lord knows how long while the courts answer relevant questions o' law and fact?

both the state and the litigants want the question o' constitutionality answered regarding Colorado's Anti Discrimination Act.  in these sorta cases, pre-enforcement challenges is if not de rigueur, then hardly exceptional. 

Alito jokes about Black kids in KKK outfits during Supreme Court argument

is what we call a ted cruz moment from J. alito. ted cruz, whatever you may think o' him, is a smart guy, and if there is five persons in Congress more intelligent than ted cruz we would be shocked. nevertheless, how many times has ted said or done something so tone deaf or stupid as to be baffling? more than a few times. many more occurences o' buffoonery than just a few. 

am not sure if is reassuring or disappointing when smart people behave stoopid. 

'course alito's comments is arguable worse than simple tone deafness, but unlike senator cruz, a Justice holds office for life.

HA! Good Fun!

[Hurlshort]

I came home today and my daughter was watching Philadelphia. Obviously we've come a long way, but it amazes me that people still try to justify outright discrimination in the name of capitalism and christianity. 

[ShadySands]

https://www.vice.com/en/article/g5v9xy/the-freight-rail-labor-dispute-was-never-about-sick-days

Some insight into the rail labor issues. 

I have a friend who used to work on trains who quit(after surviving two rounds of cuts) because it was more a lifestyle than a job and he wanted to see his kids grow up. 

Edited December 6, 2022 by ShadySands

[Gromnir]

20 hours ago, Hurlshort said:

I came home today and my daughter was watching Philadelphia. Obviously we've come a long way, but it amazes me that people still try to justify outright discrimination in the name of capitalism and christianity. 

this is why it would be so great if crt were actual being taught everywhere like republicans, fox news and bruce would have you believe. crt removes the questions o' moral turpitude and blame in the analysis o' discriminatory laws and practices. as causal observes it is ez to believe cultures o' bigotry is being diminished by natural forces o' social evolution-- things is better than they were 50 or 100 years ago, yes? improvements is dramatic for many minority groups and for women. mistake.

would be nice to believe our generation is somehow better and more enlightened than the previous one(s).

*shrug*

crt don't have the conclusions and ez answers most people want, but it does require analysis o' actual change and when studied critical, it becomes apparent change is resisted by those in power who current benefit from banking practices, laws and customs. "me and mine." does such an observation shock anybody? motivated self interest is hardly a shocking concept.

if you wanna see meaningful cultural changes, is best to look to economic factors, and unfortunate, since before the great recession, the economy has not been improving for a large % o' working class americans. white and working class americans has a considerable amount o' political power.  wanna look for an explanation as to why bigotry appears to have become worse in the last decade or two, then is best to look to economic factors. crt is not just 'bout race. applies equal to women and lgbt or any other group which has had to overcome systemic obstacles to economic parity. "me and mine." particular when those folks become fearful, they resist change even if it would benefit the economy as a whole to do so. 

serious though, we do wish crt were being taught everywhere. would be refreshing to have discussions o' systemic racism and bigotry w/o all the baggage.

also

Manhattan Jury Convicts the Trump Organization of All Charges Alleging More Than Decade-Long Tax Fraud Scheme

A spokesperson for the Trump Organization tried to pass the blame to Weisselberg in a statement, citing his trial testimony.

“Mr. Weisselberg testified under oath that he ‘betrayed’ the trust the company had placed in him and that he, at all times, acted ‘solely’ for his ‘own personal gain’ and out of his ‘own personal greed,'” the spokesperson said. “The notion that a company could be held responsible for an employee’s actions, to benefit themselves, on their own personal tax returns is simply preposterous.”

...

In addition to criminal liability, the Trump Organization also faces an active civil lawsuit filed by James this past September. Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron put the Trump Organization under court monitoring until the case is resolved at trial next year.

HA! Good Fun!

ps the conviction makes almost unfathomable any kinda continued existence for the trump organization. period. is not a situation where he could rename and move to Delaware.  as such, this news is much more significant than some may understand in the moment seeing as how trump were not a named defendant... and the legal situation for trump personal only gets more dire.

 

Edited December 7, 2022 by Gromnir

[ShadySands]

51-49

I guess the rankings go Reverends > Werewolves > Vampires

Edited December 7, 2022 by ShadySands

[Malcador]

24 minutes ago, ShadySands said:

51-49

I guess the rankings go Reverends > Werewolves > Vampires

There's gotta be a Blaxploitation film with that, right.

[Gromnir]

7 minutes ago, ShadySands said:

51-49

I guess the rankings go Reverends > Werewolves > Vampires

warnock winning is a victory for sanity, but recognizing how improbable terrible were walker as a candidate, the race were far closer than it shoulda' been. am suspecting any republican candidate woulda' garnered at least walker vote totals.

the current entrenched political and social divisiveness strikes us as unhealthy but am not seeing any short term solutions.

HA! Good Fun!

[Lexx]

7 hours ago, ShadySands said:

https://www.vice.com/en/article/g5v9xy/the-freight-rail-labor-dispute-was-never-about-sick-days

Some insight into the rail labor issues. 

I have a friend who used to work on trains who quit(after surviving two rounds of cuts) because it was more a lifestyle than a job and he wanted to see his kids grow up. 

Damn, this is really bad. Crazy that nobody wants to see this. Guess they really need a big catastrophe first, else nobody will care.

[BruceVC]

Walker has given his concession speech and like before the Senate rerun was very close 

But Warnock was the better choice so well done on his victory. Certain  politicians in the US are classic examples of hypocrisy. I dont generally support or get motivated by political  tabloid gossip and hyperbole but Walker is the ultimate hypocrite and he deserved to lose 

He has a  list of women who he insisted on having abortions and he has several children he doesn't support 

So much for traditional Conservative values 

 

[Gorth]

On 12/2/2022 at 4:29 AM, Gfted1 said:

@ All of you living in UHC nirvanas, I assume all vaccinations and medicines are free of charge? @Gorth, youre geezerly like me, does AU Medicare pay for everything? Would you have to pay anything out of pocket for the Shingles vaccine?

I couldn't say. Never had a shingles vaccine. Got a tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) and Diphteria vaccine a year and a half ago. I think it cost me $30 Australian or so (22-25 USD iirc). I really only needed the whooping cough vaccine, as it was all because of friends of mine having a baby and that thing is detrimental to the future of babies if you bring it to their home (I got to hold the little girl two weeks after she was born ). They didn't ask for it, but I thought it prudent. Only after she pulled the needle out of my shoulder did she (the pharmacist) tell me it could be a bit sore because it also had tetanus vaccine in it (which I had no idea about before getting the shot)

But it wasn't exactly a financial burden (like 3 cups of Cappuccino at a cafe) and it was entirely optional. Covid vaccines have been free so far.

 

Edit: Doctor visits every 6 months, getting prescriptions and requisitions for blood tests etc. are free. Because of my geezerdom I assume. Old and frail people like me need help after all

 

[majestic]

Shingles vaccination costs 250€ here. Per shot. Two needed, of course. It is a constant source of debate as it is one of the few recommended vaccination not covered by the regular health insurance, in spite of a full rollout being cheaper than the side effects of having to treat affected people in the hospital. Most others are free*, with some exceptions accounting for age here and there, the HPV vaccine is free for people under the age of 18, while flu shots are reduced for the elderly, and some exceptions when it comes to the more exotic vaccinations - like any shots you need to get before going on vacation. No sense in everyone chipping in for someone's brothel visit in Thailand.

*Usual caveat, 'free' as in 18% of everyone's paycheck is going towards social insurance. That's healthcare, pension plans and unemployment insurance (and some other things).

[Malcador]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63885028

Coup from that was very ambitious

[Lexx]

I'm curious if they really actually planned a coup or if they just liked to talk about it.

In any case, those people are absolute top of their class nutjobs. Everyone who ever had to deal with those Reichsbürger can attest to that. Worst is, their following gets bigger every year. Government agencies even have special instructions on how to handle them, because they are so delusional.

Edited December 7, 2022 by Lexx

[Malcador]

KSK barracks was searched as well, so maybe was a little serious - https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/report-25-people-detained-raids-germany-94663047

 

 

[Gromnir]

4 hours ago, Gorth said:

I couldn't say. Never had a shingles vaccine. Got a tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) and Diphteria vaccine a year and a half ago. I think it cost me $30 Australian or so (22-25 USD iirc). I really only needed the whooping cough vaccine, as it was all because of friends of mine having a baby and that thing is detrimental to the future of babies if you bring it to their home (I got to hold the little girl two weeks after she was born ). They didn't ask for it, but I thought it prudent. Only after she pulled the needle out of my shoulder did she (the pharmacist) tell me it could be a bit sore because it also had tetanus vaccine in it (which I had no idea about before getting the shot)

But it wasn't exactly a financial burden (like 3 cups of Cappuccino at a cafe) and it was entirely optional. Covid vaccines have been free so far.

 

Edit: Doctor visits every 6 months, getting prescriptions and requisitions for blood tests etc. are free. Because of my geezerdom I assume. Old and frail people like me need help after all

 

the internet tells us australia does not cover the cost o' an effective shingles vaccination and that it will cost you $250 per shot if you want the good stuff. however, if you are an australian between 70 and 79, you can request a single-dose zostavax shingles vaccination for free.  zostavax is ~50% effective as 'posed to shingrix which provides +90% protection.

'course we always believe rando info from the internet, but it is a starting point.

kinda amusing how this started with a grumbly american complaining when he saw how much his insurance were being charged for a shingles vaccination, but truth is all  americans get "free" through private insurance or medicare once they is aged 65, which is the best case scenario for all the "uhc nirvanas" so far responding in thread. in fact, based on boardie feedback, more than a few o' the uhc nations either don't offer the shingles vaccination, charge a fee, or offer a cheaper alternative vaccine. receive the shingles vaccine, as it turns out, is one o' thew few things older americans can rely on the government to help, along with a handful o' other vaccines and, curious enough, kidney dialysis... plus other stuff.

we did mention how arcane is medicare part d, yes? if you keep private insurance once you hit 65, then depending on your plan, you could have a substantial prescription deductible. hospitals, in the past, might charge a patient +$75 for tylenol and a patient might need pay a $50 deducible. ever seen the number o' meds old people routine take, particular when hospitalized? each separate med being administered might result in the triggering o' the $50 deductible. some o' that nonsense has been addressed in recent years, but not all. regardless, is good advice for americans when they is close to reaching 65 to do considerable research regarding their medicare part d coverage as prescription costs is gonna represent a substantial % o' their monthly budget.

aside, what private insurance is charged for a medication or procedure is not same as what you, as an uninsured consumer, would actual pay. once again, relying on the infallible internet, we see americans pay 'tween $180 and $300 for a single dose o' shingrix.  kinda sux to have folks shopping around, contacting individual pharmacies and looking for coupons to be able to afford a shingles vaccination, but the alternative for americans is they need wait 'til 65 at which point they either pay through their private insurance or as a medicare recipient. 

HA! Good Fun!

 

Edited December 7, 2022 by Gromnir