Lee.org

Tom’s Diner by Suzanne Vega

Magical moments in time.

We got letters from my mom’s insurance provider, Humana Medicare plan saying they were disenrolling her, and a letter from CarePlus Medicare Advantage HMO saying they were enrolling her. I called to find out what was going on and fuckin CarePlus was slamming her (IE, they were becoming her provider without her permission).

Jessica, the nice lady at CarePlus said that the records show that Brenda (evil fucking Brenda) had maybe spoken to mom and switched her “maybe sometime in August or September” with an effective date of October 1st.

I can imagine how the phone call went (if it even happened at all), “Hi, I’m good Brenda from [mumble] insurance company. You’re insurance is going to expire soon but I can help. I’ll help you, Ok?”

Mom, “Hello? Oh if you can help, that’d be great.”

Evil Brenda, “Great! Bye!” [typing furiously, racking up another spiff for the day]

After 40 minutes on the phone with CarePlus, and getting a coveted Grievance Number and Disenrollment Number, my mom’s health insurance should be back to normal.

Fuck evil Brenda at CarePlus.

TLDR: federal employees aren’t allowed to play partisan politics. Many federal websites are now showing partisan messages saying that the Democrats closed the government, when in fact it is a disagreement between the two major political parties that has stalled a budget bill.

The Department of Justice website that explains the Hatch Act is violating the Hatch Act. Read from the first paragraph of that very website:

All Department of Justice employees are subject to the Hatch Act, 5 U.S.C. 7323(a) and 7324(a), which generally prohibits Department employees from engaging in partisan political activity while on duty, in a federal facility or using federal property. Political activity is activity directed toward the success or failure of a political party, candidate for partisan political office, or partisan political group. The statute carries serious penalties including REMOVAL from federal employment.

Screenshot

If you can’t see it, the very top of the page reads, “Democrats have shut down the government. Department of Justice websites are not currently regularly updated. Please refer to the Department of Justice’s contingency plan for more information.” And to be clear, “Democrats” haven’t shut down the government, a disagreement between the two major parties has done so.

Additionally, they went out of their way to make sure that Archive.org would not save a copy of the illegal website. Under the law, that isn’t “conspiracy” but yes, they are conspiring to cover their tracks.

October 1st snapshot from archive.org

Screenshot

October 3rd snapshot from archive.org

Screenshot

I wanted to relay this little vignette that played out over the last few days with Abigail. It might strike a chord with you.

The other day, Abigail was really hot when she got home from school. So I suggested that she take a shower or wet a washcloth and put it on her body. She declined the washcloth and went into the shower. She started shouting that the water was too cold, and she got angry and frustrated… at me! So yesterday it was really hot, and instead of saying any words, I just set out a glass of ice water and a wet washcloth, where she sits down after school. I said nothing to her about it. A few hours later, when her mom came home, she spoke effusively, and happily to her mother about how she found the washcloth and ice water that I set out.

Oh, kids!

How can it be that the website of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development looks like this today?

That is not their job. The department is posting fascist propaganda. The Hatch Act makes posts like this clearly illegal.

Screenshot

I don’t even know how many other government websites are posting this un-American bullshit.

Oh look, here’s more at HHS.gov

Screenshot

This is just a nice photo of Megan and Lee at the Madera Pancake Breakfast last year.

Remember Steve from Blue’s Clues? He remembers and he still appreciates our time spent together!
(via)

For my relatives in Nashville and my friends in Washington DC, where Jimmy Kimmel was preempted last night, here’s the 30 minute Youtube version of last night’s show. Viewed 15 million times as of right now, it’s an important watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1tjh_ZO_tY

(for historical perspective, Trump’s FCC called ABC and had him taken off the air. Public outcry (about fascism) brought him back)

In light of Jerry resigning from Ben and Jerry’s because Unilever isn’t holding up their end of the deal, I sent another letter to Unilever:

I wrote to you in March (see my public archive of the letter here) saying “If you abandon Ben and Jerry’s social mission, I will stop purchasing your product and strongly suggest to my friends the same.”

My family has avoided your products since March. Now that the co-founder Jerry Greenfield has left the company for the same reasons, I will actively pursue removing your products from our local shelves by reaching out to friends and local stores, and activism describing how distasteful your products are.

Do the right thing.

This week I embarked on a new gaming adventure, we played Dune the board game!
It’s got a lot of twists and turns, no “Victory Points” (yay!), lots of treachery, a brutal fighting system, and it’s going to be a lot of fun after I figure out how the hell to play it!