So, if we ever do get a stimulus check, we're supposed to buy stuff with it to help the economy, right? I'm dreaming of a new camera, which would be a celebration of family, nature and life. Some would just go for incidentals, of course. And a few more donations...local food bank, etc. Got plans? Idears?
Yeah, a big chunk of whatever we get will go to my younger sibling who has mostly been out of work this year. Usually, our extras go to our kids, but they are mostly okay just now, with the exception of Eldest and family, who we'll give a chunk to, as they lost yet another horse last week. The vet bills have been astronomical...this is the 4th horse to die this calendar year. They rescue horses, mostly, and the ones who arrive with injuries can't always recover. But are often rather old, and at least they at least die loved. But this was a heartbreaker, because it was a healthy horse not quite 3 years old. He got colic, which is painful, and ruptured something, which was excruciating, so they had to put him down. Sigh.
Didn't think to mention that my current camera (other than iPhone) has a rubber band around it to hold the battery case closed. Not having good photos of the grands and photos for the blog, etc., is just not a good option.
My stimulus check will bring my balance up to where I can pay my property taxes without dipping into savings. My property taxes are normally covered by my annual required minimal distribution from my 403(b), but the first relief bill allowed me to skip that this year.
Who I Lost "One in three Americans has lost someone to the coronavirus. In videos and photos, those left behind share the stories of their loved ones."
I was just noticing this morning that more than half of Vermonters have been tested for Covid. That's not the number of tests they've done, as many are tested repeatedly, but the number of people who have been tested.
What the Media Are Missing About Joe Manchin [Click] “The senator has skillfully managed his image, to stay viable in a state that went from a Democratic to a Republican majority.”
Well, it is neither a stimulus (a pretense that the trade and exchange need to be primed with occasional infusions of cash) nor a relief (consistent with the pretense that only emergency conditions require Congressional attention). If Congress had been infusing money into the economy as needed for the last four decades, we would not have collapsing infra-structure, inadequate health care facilities, decrepit rail transportation, a shrinking mid-West, a deficit in scinetific innovation, nor would we have been unprepared for a series of environmental insults, including a pandemic. The Commercial sector has always relied on subisides on the federal and local level, even as it maintained the free market pretense. The greed of the financial middlemen simply cannot be sustained.
Re Jeanne Shaheen voting against $15: That particularly distressed me too, Listener.
The other night Chris Cuomo did a breakdown of what $15 per hour actually means. Assuming you are able to get forty hours a week, which is a big assumption, you'd make just barely $30,00 per year. He used St. Louis as an example and showed that a single person can barely live on that amount. I guess Shaheen et al either don't know that or don't care.
WASHINGTON - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Friday issued the following statement after the Senate failed to advance an increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour over a five year period:
“At a time when millions of people are working for starvation wages, when the minimum wage of $7.25 an hour has not been raised by Congress since 2007, when the President of the United States and the House of Representatives support it, it is absolutely imperative that the Senate approve an increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour. If any Senator believes this is the last time they will cast a vote on whether or not to give a raise to 32 million Americans, they are sorely mistaken. We’re going to keep bringing it up, and we’re going to get it done because it is what the American people demand and need.”
I just don't understand them not voting for it, since it is so widely popular. Maybe they accept, or think that their voters accept, that old chestnut about how it causes businesses to fail? But that has been disproven repeatedly at the state and local levels. It's not as if the wealthy will lose out; it will end up in their pockets anyway--just like Will Rogers observed, money trickles up. Maybe they support it but are truly committed to not including it in a budget reconciliation bill? I have very strong doubts about that. They don't have much time to regain popular support.
The only argument I have heard is that a higher minimum wage costs jobs and causes small businesses to fail. *shrug* Seems to be another case of if you repeat the lie often enough maybe eventually it will magically transmogrify into truth.
The Ohio State site that reports Covid numbers is only reporting verified deaths now. They say that Ohioans who die out of state from Covid are not getting reported quickly.
OHIO; COVID cases 977,736 and 17,502 deaths (same number as yesterday).
Wil found this cartoon and we laughed so hard! Since many of us are getting our jabs this month, it seemed the time to share it.
ReplyDeleteSo, if we ever do get a stimulus check, we're supposed to buy stuff with it to help the economy, right?
ReplyDeleteI'm dreaming of a new camera, which would be a celebration of family, nature and life.
Some would just go for incidentals, of course. And a few more donations...local food bank, etc.
Got plans? Idears?
I have a family member who is struggling so hard. That's where my check goes.
Delete✨❤️✨ You're good people, Susan.
DeleteYeah, a big chunk of whatever we get will go to my younger sibling who has mostly been out of work this year. Usually, our extras go to our kids, but they are mostly okay just now, with the exception of Eldest and family, who we'll give a chunk to, as they lost yet another horse last week. The vet bills have been astronomical...this is the 4th horse to die this calendar year. They rescue horses, mostly, and the ones who arrive with injuries can't always recover. But are often rather old, and at least they at least die loved. But this was a heartbreaker, because it was a healthy horse not quite 3 years old. He got colic, which is painful, and ruptured something, which was excruciating, so they had to put him down. Sigh.
Didn't think to mention that my current camera (other than iPhone) has a rubber band around it to hold the battery case closed. Not having good photos of the grands and photos for the blog, etc., is just not a good option.
DeleteMy stimulus check will bring my balance up to where I can pay my property taxes without dipping into savings. My property taxes are normally covered by my annual required minimal distribution from my 403(b), but the first relief bill allowed me to skip that this year.
DeleteFrom the front page of the NY Times:
ReplyDeleteWho I Lost
"One in three Americans has lost someone to the coronavirus. In videos and photos, those left behind share the stories of their loved ones."
That is an amazing statistic.
It really is!
DeleteI was just noticing this morning that more than half of Vermonters have been tested for Covid. That's not the number of tests they've done, as many are tested repeatedly, but the number of people who have been tested.
Yes, Alan, it's a stupendous statistic. And it only drives home the terrible unfairness of the fact that Trump has not lost a single family member.
DeleteJack Ohman cartoon: Big surprise. [Click]
ReplyDeleteThat's s good cartoon. Meaningful.
DeleteAnd it doesn't even begin to tell the story, but how much can one do in a single political cartoon?
DeleteVTcases: 15.964-15,819 = 145
ReplyDelete2451 active cases
208 deaths(+1)
Recovered 13,305 (83.3%)
Hospital:24(-2) ICU:2(-2)
Tests 334,936 (+840)
What the Media Are Missing About Joe Manchin [Click] “The senator has skillfully managed his image, to stay viable in a state that went from a Democratic to a Republican majority.”
ReplyDeleteThe Senate passed the bill. If the House concurs and it gets signed by the President...
ReplyDeletehttps://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/stimulus-update-us-relief-bill-03-06-21/index.html
President Biden to speak soon about the stimulus package.
ReplyDeleteWell, it is neither a stimulus (a pretense that the trade and exchange need to be primed with occasional infusions of cash) nor a relief (consistent with the pretense that only emergency conditions require Congressional attention). If Congress had been infusing money into the economy as needed for the last four decades, we would not have collapsing infra-structure, inadequate health care facilities, decrepit rail transportation, a shrinking mid-West, a deficit in scinetific innovation, nor would we have been unprepared for a series of environmental insults, including a pandemic.
DeleteThe Commercial sector has always relied on subisides on the federal and local level, even as it maintained the free market pretense. The greed of the financial middlemen simply cannot be sustained.
Re Jeanne Shaheen voting against $15: That particularly distressed me too, Listener.
ReplyDeleteThe other night Chris Cuomo did a breakdown of what $15 per hour actually means. Assuming you are able to get forty hours a week, which is a big assumption, you'd make just barely $30,00 per year. He used St. Louis as an example and showed that a single person can barely live on that amount. I guess Shaheen et al either don't know that or don't care.
'Shameful': Millionaire Senators Vote Against Popular Minimum Wage Raise That Would Lift Millions Out of Poverty - Click
ReplyDeleteSanders Statement on Minimum Wage Vote
ReplyDeleteWASHINGTON - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Friday issued the following statement after the Senate failed to advance an increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour over a five year period:
“At a time when millions of people are working for starvation wages, when the minimum wage of $7.25 an hour has not been raised by Congress since 2007, when the President of the United States and the House of Representatives support it, it is absolutely imperative that the Senate approve an increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour. If any Senator believes this is the last time they will cast a vote on whether or not to give a raise to 32 million Americans, they are sorely mistaken. We’re going to keep bringing it up, and we’re going to get it done because it is what the American people demand and need.”
I just don't understand them not voting for it, since it is so widely popular. Maybe they accept, or think that their voters accept, that old chestnut about how it causes businesses to fail? But that has been disproven repeatedly at the state and local levels. It's not as if the wealthy will lose out; it will end up in their pockets anyway--just like Will Rogers observed, money trickles up. Maybe they support it but are truly committed to not including it in a budget reconciliation bill? I have very strong doubts about that. They don't have much time to regain popular support.
DeleteThe only argument I have heard is that a higher minimum wage costs jobs and causes small businesses to fail. *shrug* Seems to be another case of if you repeat the lie often enough maybe eventually it will magically transmogrify into truth.
DeleteThe Ohio State site that reports Covid numbers is only reporting verified deaths now. They say that Ohioans who die out of state from Covid are not getting reported quickly.
ReplyDeleteOHIO; COVID cases 977,736 and 17,502 deaths (same number as yesterday).
1.79%
DeleteOver 100 Organizations Urge Biden to Ban Chlorpyrifos - Click
ReplyDeleteWeeklong boycott of Amazon (online and Prime TV) starts tomorrow,
ReplyDeletein support of Amazon workers who want to create a Union.
Amazon is working hard to keep them from it.
https://ucommblog.com/section/corporate-greed/dont-cross-virtual-picket-line?fbclid=IwAR21q0WvLZpQDEDe_23CpcrmhCf5oS68RudT9rd84q6e7MgtUtDLi8uHMVE