Let's See Musk's Kids (not the biological ones)

They keep talking about these 20-something 'kids' running amok in our Federal agencies, making grown workers cry - well, I want to see them!  Why aren't they being interviewed, or at least lined up as a backdrop to Musk instead of his black-capped Mini Me?  Do they even exist, or is it  another conspiracy theory? Are they Leprechauns?  Likewise the woman in charge of DOGE, on paper, at least; or is she still on vacation in Mexico? 

I realize lots of you don't care about the abrupt firings without cause or compensation, or vindictive bosses setting their sights on someone's family; happens all the time in the corporate world. Everyone's for a reduction in waste, et al;  but the government works differently than private industry, and like it or not, federal workers have protections by law to protect them from such arbitrary actions, which is why there are so many suits heading for court.  Most federal workers can earn lots more in the private sector (I certainly did), so don't be so heartless.  What goes around comes around.  What counts is we follow the LAW, silly me.

I don't particularly care about the Venezuelans being deported IF, as they claim, the deportees are indeed part of that gang, Tren de Aragua,  f___ 'em.  But since Due Process has flown out the window, how can we know?  Aren't we supposed to be Innocent until proven Guilty?  I'm no 'gang fan' but I am a fan of our basic laws as laid down in the Constitution, and this one's a biggie (from the Legal Information Institute):

The Fifth Amendment says to the federal government that no one shall be "deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law." The Fourteenth Amendment , ratified in 1868, uses the same eleven words, called the Due Process Clause, to describe a legal obligation of all states.

Let's see how the current Administration goes around that.  Change rarely occurs overnight but gradually, like the erosion of our laws and rights.  Look at how they're splitting hairs over defying a Judge's order.  Doesn't matter whether it's one judge in some obscure place - if Trump was principled he'd have turned those planes around and filed an objection in the meantime.  Land 'em in Guantanamo, why not?

For our President to unilaterally decide which laws he'll follow and which he feels are immaterial is a dangerous thing.  After the gangs, who?  Three-strikers; the homeless; no, wait, Arabs (I just heard of the female doctor at Brown U. deported to Lebanon).  He'll sentence them to manual labor at the Gaza Riviera, like the builders of the Pyramids.  If due process is gone, what's their alternative?   

But I digress.  So who's seen these computer whiz-kids, other than people getting the axe?  And as long as we're publicizing everything about everybody, let's see their parents - are they billionaires, too?  It's only fair - they have access to everything about US.  Why don't we hear reporters asking to see these KIDS as well as proof of the overblown SAVINGS?

It's a Shell Game.  Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Dipping Chocolate to Decompress

Skype is ending in May, that makes a big difference to me.  Back when I lived on the moon outside of Medford I couldn't get any phone reception; but the Internet worked, so I bought a phone number from Skype for, I dunno, about $39 a year plus $5/month - included talk, text; plus I added long distance credit, supercheap.  A few times I did video calls with Pam in England, but then we forgot how to get our computers to talk to one another, or I did, but at least we could have long talks for next to nothing. Germany, too.

But Skype has been losing ground to Zoom, WhatsApp and others, and hard as I've looked I cannot find anything comparable in this world that I trust.  Sure, they have things called VOIP, but you have to buy equipment or pay hefty monthly fees or the people you call have to be on it, too.  One popular outfit insisted I HAD to use an App, what bullshit.

I had a simple flip phone until buying my first Smartphone last October, but I've only used it for work because Skype didn't accept 'group chats.'  If the phone rang or blipped it was nice to know who was calling, plus I didn't get SPAM calls.  It's grueling to change phone numbers on accounts, and I'm individually contacting friends of the change. I don't have that many, but at least they're real. 

After learning the news I lamented at work, "They're ending Skype!"

"I know," Lori said, "I thought of you when I first heard."

We discussed the necessity of more than one phone - did I really need it?

"I can give everyone my new number, but I hardly know how to answer the phone so I'll lose all my friends, boo hoo!"

She assured me I can overcome this but I barely know the basics.  My cousin responded to my text then we briefly spoke, but afterwards I wondered if I was screaming into the microphone so texted,

"Sorry if I yell in the phone, I have to learn."  I got an LOL response, so it must be true.

I receive four separate responses before I can type out, Thanks, I'm good, even using auto-words, how do people manage?  That's what I like about Skype - I can open my laptop and quickly type messages out using a REAL keyboard.  I can make a call, prepare a cup of coffee and when asked for prompts, my account number or whatever, I can switch screens using my mouse.

How'll I talk without my mouse?!  It's a quandry.  My head spins when I ponder future interactions with Amazon, Consumer Cellular or the banks when they instruct me to check my email (or the same phone!) for a code to verify I'm me; they'll wait. 

So after the cake pop debacle (and to distract myself from current events), last month I decided to improve my skills and signed up for a Chocolate Dipping class.   Upon arrival I regretted not taking my camera, forgetting that's what phones are for; for awaiting each pupil was an assortment of goodies and fondue pots with already-melting chocolate, one dark and one milk, to share between dipping partners.  Mine was a nice young fellow who'd wanted some tips before tackling cake pops for his son's birthday, but the class was delayed by snow so he muddled through his like I did mine.

The layout was beautiful:  each (raw) tray filled with strawberries; grapes; pretzel sticks; gummy worms; Oreos, Nutter Butters; dried apricots, banana slices and other weird stuff; marhmallows; biscotti; and rippled potatoe chips, those were really good.  We brought our own whisks and coffee mug (to hold the whisk) and two cookie sheets each.  Of course I also brought parchment paper, Tupperware containers, an apron and a few other things - I always overpack.

There were 5 of us dipping, chatting and laughing, but looking around I noticed everyone else was carefully twirling their fruit with panache while letting excess chocolate drip back into the fondue pot.  Me, I dunked and dropped, alternating between the tray and my mouth but hell, people liked them all the same.  The class went home with 2 large and 2 larger bars of chocolate for homework.

The other day, Lori sent me a Skype text:

"you're famous"

"Famous?"  I assumed an auto-word flub.

"your pic is in a magazine"

"As long as it's not me knocking some kid off their bike," everyone has a phone.

 "its a very good happy picture," bless her.

One of the residents had brought in the latest community college pamphlet stuffed in mail boxes, I was tickled.  The class was 1-1/2 hours, but we were pretty much finished and cleaning up in an hour.  Everyone had a good time and the instructor kept us engaged.  The main points I remember is NOT to allow a single drop of water into the chocolate or it'll fall apart or something; and choc. covered strawberries must be eaten within 24 hrs because they ooze pectin (?) and that, too, will make the chocolate disintegrate. 

MY point is, sign yourself up for a silly class.  It's fun to play in the sandbox again.

But oh, damn, I need to take my own advice - does using my cell phone mean I can't talk to Miguel in Puerto Rico without incurring charges and minutes?  I haven't had to worry about phone bills for ages and if I'm not careful I'll rack up a bundle.  Better look back into that 'App only' outfit which offers free int'l calling, but oh, I'll be too embarassed to tell people I have the old number after all, where's that chocolate?

Left Out of Trump's Promises

I love the way politicians talk about 'a little disruption' in our lives caused by Trump's flip-flopping policies.  This post is written from lower down the economic ladder than most of the people I know, but I have to get this out of my system: I'm definitely feeling left out of any economic 'boom' Humpty's promising.

Let's start with Social Security:  you've heard them talking about removing the income tax, that sounds pretty good.  Except that won't help me, because Social Security below a certain amount doesn't get taxed anyway.  Now before you Harrumph, I receive about $1100 a month, I make due; and compared to many that's quite a bit, so I can't complain. But I still think we all need to get together and advocate for economic equality based on sex;  it would certainly help me now.  Let's force our politicians to pass a law to adjust women's retirement incomes to equal their male counterparts.  What are the chances?

My SNAP benefits will likely be negatively affected, possibly by 25%, if their math's correct.  Back down to about $5 a day for food, can you do that?  I've learned to.  When food prices are only expected to rise further?  Yeah, that makes sense.  No comment on Medicaid at this time.

If we're supposedly helping ALL Americans, doesn't that include people like me? I haven't heard anything about offering the neediest anything other than CUT CUT CUT to services. I also don't hear anything about low-income housing (affordable housing is different) but then why would I possibly want to live in a structure which doesn't rust?  The color's so nice. Some of this may be news to you for you're focused on your own necks, I get it.  This is merely informative.

Here's a prediction I made last June about Trump's future efforts to remain in power:

"...Because he'd have to face judicial consequences after he leaves office, he'll work like mad to amend or remove completely the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, limiting the number of terms a President can hold office.  Imagine his first argument:

"They meant three terms in a row - I've had a break between mine."

If that doesn't work, he'll promote his sons as the rightful MAGA successors.

"They still want to muzzle me, but I'll continue fighting for you through Don Jr., Eric and later Baron."

Don Jr. is announcing his 2028 Presidential run - isn't that one of today's headlines?

I also predicted bounties for illegals, sort of:

"Deportations have quickly shifted from Dangerous Criminals to "and any other illegals" who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Good, you say? Will you also be one of those who reports on their neighbors and families...after they proclaim that anyone who KNOWS of an Illegal Alien but fails to report them will be subject to arrest, or an even better incentive: FINED."

How many missed this (in fairness, I had, when I wrote my piece in January):

"In Missouri, Republican Senator David Gregory introduced SB72 late last year and at the legislative session held by the Public Safety Committee on January 27. “If an illegal alien is arrested and imprisoned  under this section as a result of a report to the information system, the person who made the report shall be eligible to receive a reward of one thousand dollars,” the proposal states. If the tip turns out to be accurate, the arrested person would be charged with “trespass by an illegal alien” and subject to life in prison without probation, parole or release of any kind unless federal immigration authorities take custody to deport the individual."

Here's today's prediction:  they're going to re-introduce Debtor's Prison at some point, I just know it.  

It's all quite overwhelming to me.  Serving the Ukranian people up like Christians in the arena because Zelensky didn't do what Trump wanted years ago concerning Hunter Biden's laptop, come on.  I don't know a single Democrat who feels our party has a sense of direction and we're all feeling sick; and if they don't do something soon...

Well, at least I'll have my Ace - I finally ordered a copy of my Polish Grandfather's immigration record, which, because Poland had been carved up so didn't officially exist, Grandpa's listed as a Russian from Russia.  I said it might come in handy.  I'm picking up the Faberge Egg next month, read Dear Pres. Putin. 

Trump and JD Need Miss Manners

What an embarassing, boorish display in the Oval Office by our President and Vice President, I use the terms loosely, when 'hosting' the Ukranian President.  They're no diplomats - they're nothing more than dressed-up buffoons with useless wives...and how dare ANYONE comment on President Zelensky's wartime outfit - which has remained pretty much the same from Day 1 - after Elon Musk weighed in on a Cabinet meeting looking as if he's headed for a frat party.  Bunch of pigs.

And what about the dispicable lining-up of former Ukranian supporters - like Lindsey Graham - claiming Trump and the American People were disrespected.  By the way, I absolutely HATE that overused word, particularly by such hypocrites.

Disgusting, what's happening to our Presidency.  Who thinks it's a good idea that we're siding with Russia, North Korea, Sudan, and the likes in the United Nations?  WHO is proud of Trump's behavior?

Bullies, Skinheads and ass-kissing Republicans, that's who.  We've got sex offenders, animal killers and hate-spewing Podcasters in charge - Lord help us.

They're Getting Closer...Am I Worried?

In earlier posts I opined that we are ALL on Trump/Musk's lists at some level or another.  Who isn't feeling angst for the hundreds of thousands of our citizen-Civil Servants suddenly being canned?  Who isn't affected by personal stories about the consequences of the loss of income; medical care or schooling for children;  federal funding to do good things, like save lives?

Of course it sounds ridiculous to spend money on a transgender play in some third-world country--if you take nothing else into consideration.  Spending U.S. money in other places for any reason sounds ridiculous--if you take nothing else into consideration.

Ridding SNAP of Junk Food

I was happy to see on the news RFK Jr's suggestion/mandate, through the Dept of Health and Human Services, that SNAP benefits include restrictions, but it's not an original idea.  That's the way things once were; and others, including me, have had the same suggestion; but they need to examine SNAP rules for more reasons than the junk food.  In a published article I explained how I lost 30 pounds during COVID because I was able to buy good-quality food; and here's an exerpt from a 2021 post:

"Prior to Covid-19, my monthly food allotment was approximately $80, but has since increased by $100.  This equals the maximum amount I might receive for my situation:  65, living alone, Social Security my sole income.  It’s not hard to understand how my focus had been price over nutrition, so predictably, the pounds piled on.

"That began to change when I could afford better quality food, including fresh fruits and vegetables, leaner meats, healthful snacks and reduced calorie items.  I replaced pasta with fish and read nutritional labels as never before.  No longer huffing and puffing on short walks, I have more energy and don’t crave sweets as much; but just in case, I’ve discovered delicious, sugar-free chocolates. Encouraged by the bathroom scale, I continue eating smaller meals and curbing bad habits. I happily donated my wardrobe to fire victims.

"I therefore advocate at least a portion of the increased SNAP benefits become permanent, but with an unpopular yet sensible caveat:  there should be restrictions on junk food. This idea is not new but was raised during deliberation of the Food Stamp Act of 1977, when a proposed change restricting low-nutritional foods was rejected.  Here are a few examples of why the entire program could use re-examination:

"In grocery stores, only cold foods can be purchased using SNAP; nothing from the hot, prepared section.  A freshly roasted chicken does not qualify; however, once that same unsold, dried-out carcass is placed in the refrigerated section it becomes eligible.  Not everyone has an oven, consider fire and homeless victims.

"Not permitted are alcohol and tobacco, rightly so; but neither can SNAP be used for paper or hygiene products. Some people advocate dogfood be allowed but as a pet owner I disagree.  Free dogfood is frequently donated through shelters, but hand soap and toothpaste don’t grow on trees.

"I can grab all the candy, ice cream, pastries, chips and soda I want.  I could blow my entire month’s allotment running the gauntlet at the checkout stand.  Holiday gift boxes with gourmet food items get through, I discovered by accident.  I can even buy a jalapeno pepper plant.

"I need toilet paper more than a jumbo bag of M&M’s, and a warm meal is healthier than a can of Red Bull.  If I crave a bag of chips but have to pay for it with cash, I’ll think twice and grab an apple. Imagine the reduced cases of obesity and diabetes alone.

"It won’t help to throw extra credit into SNAP accounts if people don’t know how to manage a limited budget, so I suggest every SNAP household receive a guide to shopping and cooking a healthful diet, such as Good and Cheap, Eat Well on $4 a Day, by Leanne Brown, (once) available online for free."

I was always astonished that I could wander the holiday isle and select a pretty box of chocolates; mugs with packets of sugary apple cider; or a brownie mix with a little pan included...and pay for it through SNAP.  I used to be nervous at the register whether or not my card would cover the Russell Stover solid chocolate Bunny in my basket; and continue to be amazed when it hops through the checkout and into my bag, thanks Uncle Sam.  Yes, I feel guilty, but I'll do almost anything for chocolate.  

I'll bet Bobby II never had to worry about the not having enough to eat or the price of eggs.  I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm not buying huevos imported from Venezuela or wherever; since we won't have a reliable FDA to assure they're safe.  Chicks, farmers say, will be ready to lay eggs in about 6 months.  I can make due until then.  Can Gen Z?