I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence
And so the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're goin' through

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Linkee-poo Wednesday

Alligators still on overload. Heck, I'm still dealing with yesterday's alligators.

"A new government watchdog memo says the Trump administration waived rigorous background checks for all staff working at the nation’s largest detention camp for migrant children… None of the 2,100 staff has gone through FBI fingerprint checks either, but the Tornillo contractor says staff are vetted in other ways." WTF? Full disclosure, I had to be fingerprinted to take x-rays (but then I'm already in the federal databases from my AF days). (Grokked from Xeni Jardin)

"For the first time in nearly a decade, the number of uninsured children in the United States increased. Recently released data shows an estimated 276,000 more children were uninsured in 2017 than in 2016… Three-quarters of the children who lost coverage between 2016 and 2017 live in states that have not expanded Medicaid coverage to parents and other low-income adults. The uninsured rates for children increased at almost triple the rate in non-expansion states than in states that have expanded Medicaid." This is not a good thing. (Grokked form Xeni Jardin)

In related news, "Life expectancy in the United States declined again in 2017, the government said Thursday in a bleak series of reports that showed a nation still in the grip of escalating drug and suicide crises… The CDC issues its health statistics report each December. The 2017 report is the third in a row to show a decline in life expectancy." We're the only industrialized nation where life expectancy is decreasing. Funny that we're also the only one that doesn't have universal healthcare and we have the largest income/wealth disparity as well. (Grokked from Laura J Mixon)

"Ivanka Trump says she was heartbroken after seeing images this week of US border patrol agents firing tear gas into crowds that included migrant children… But when asked about the president’s recent decision to authorize the military to use lethal force on migrants, the first daughter—who serves as a senior adviser to her father—appeared to be learning the news for the first time. Visibly perplexed, she also suggested it was likely untrue… 'He’s not talking about innocents,' she added. 'So, he’s not talking about innocent asylum-seekers.'" Yes, they don't know what the fuck they're doing or talking about. Also, Dear First-Daughter and senior advisor, CBP are not part of the armed forces. Your Dad's position as CnC has diddly to do with this. (Grokked from Xeni Jardin)

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