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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#169126: Jan 24th 2017 at 5:47:04 PM

[up] are you just being hyperbolic with those n umbers?

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#169127: Jan 24th 2017 at 5:48:16 PM

[up] That's somewhere in the ballpark of what happened in Tianamen square; official death tolls were never released, so we don't know, but tens of thousands of protesters were indeed arrested.

edited 24th Jan '17 5:48:33 PM by CaptainCapsase

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#169128: Jan 24th 2017 at 5:49:53 PM

[up] Ah, I thought you were referring to something Trump did. Nvm.

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#169129: Jan 24th 2017 at 5:57:41 PM

I'm not saying that America has had its atrocity... yet. Not on that scale, recently enough to be in memory. But atrocities of that scale have been recorded, and we've become somewhat desensitized to hearing about them.

edited 24th Jan '17 5:57:59 PM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#169130: Jan 24th 2017 at 5:59:11 PM

Well, it looks like the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is going to get privatized, and both the National Endowment For The Arts and the National Endowment For The Humanities are on the chopping block.

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#169131: Jan 24th 2017 at 6:05:50 PM

All that negotiation and compromise going on, it makes you feel warm inside doesn't it?

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#169132: Jan 24th 2017 at 6:11:06 PM

Not really. At most there is a grim acceptance of the fact that democratic lawmakers are going to be faced with some very unpleasant choices over the next few years.

ViperMagnum357 Since: Mar, 2012
#169133: Jan 24th 2017 at 6:16:40 PM

[up]Years? Try days. I have no idea what this country will look like next week, but I do not think it will have gotten anything but worse, with more of the same at best.

edited 24th Jan '17 6:16:55 PM by ViperMagnum357

LinkToTheFuture A real bad hombre from somewhere completely different Since: Apr, 2015 Relationship Status: What's love got to do with it?
A real bad hombre
#169134: Jan 24th 2017 at 6:17:20 PM

What do they stand to gain from cutting that sort of stuff? Aren't there other things where government spending could be limited where the spending is less needed? Surely, there's something.

edited 24th Jan '17 6:17:42 PM by LinkToTheFuture

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." -Thomas Edison
CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#169135: Jan 24th 2017 at 6:18:54 PM

[up] They don't have anything to gain but to weaken voices that oppose them, which is why this is something that should be fought tooth and nail.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#169136: Jan 24th 2017 at 6:19:41 PM

[up][up] Tax cuts for the rich, oil subsidies, and/or more money to spend on military spending. Except for the VA of course.

edited 24th Jan '17 6:19:51 PM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised
RisingStar Since: Nov, 2016
#169137: Jan 24th 2017 at 6:19:45 PM

This got buried a couple pages ago, so I feel like it's worth stating again that contributing to anything that can push education into vulnerable areas (both city and rural) is even more vital now that...well, the government funding might be cut out from under it.

Edit: Like, for example, some of my first books were kids' science encyclopedias and illustrated storybooks. That kind of thing, to help people learn to think critically while they're young.

edited 24th Jan '17 6:20:59 PM by RisingStar

higherbrainpattern Since: Apr, 2012
#169138: Jan 24th 2017 at 6:27:04 PM

Also, donate to your local public radio stations and PBS.

LinkToTheFuture A real bad hombre from somewhere completely different Since: Apr, 2015 Relationship Status: What's love got to do with it?
A real bad hombre
#169139: Jan 24th 2017 at 6:28:38 PM

What a wonderful excuse to donate to NPR.

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." -Thomas Edison
RisingStar Since: Nov, 2016
#169140: Jan 24th 2017 at 6:29:22 PM

[up][up]@higherbrainpattern: Bingo. Viewers like you indeed.

edited 24th Jan '17 6:29:48 PM by RisingStar

FluffyMcChicken My Hair Provides Affordable Healthcare from where the floating lights gleam Since: Jun, 2014 Relationship Status: In another castle
My Hair Provides Affordable Healthcare
#169141: Jan 24th 2017 at 6:35:28 PM

[up][up][up][up] One of my most memorable childhood books was an illustrated and condensed bible . . .

. . . whose authors and artists had Shown Their Work in describing the intricacies of ancient Jewish history and daily life in Roman Palestine in supplemental fact sections alongside each Bible story.

Washington Post: USDA scrambles to ease concerns after researchers were ordered to stop publishing news releases

Employees of the scientific research arm at the Agriculture Department were ordered Monday to cease publication of “outward facing” documents and news releases, raising concerns that the Trump administration was seeking to influence distribution of their findings.

Department officials scrambled to clarify the memo Tuesday afternoon, after intense public scrutiny and media requests, stating that the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) had not “blacked out public information” and adding that scientific articles published through professional peer-reviewed journals have not been banned. Such a decree would have conflicted with established scientific integrity standards and previous media guidance “encouraging, but not requiring, USDA scientists to communicate with the media about their scientific findings.”

The memo's shortness and terse language seems to have exacerbated the confusion: “Starting immediately and until further notice, ARS will not release any public-facing documents. This includes, but is not limited to, news releases, photos, fact sheets, news feeds, and social media content,” wrote ARS chief Sharon Drumm in an email to employees.

The ARS guidance was not issued in coordination with other offices at the USDA, department officials said, and partially contradicted a department-wide memo that went out on the same day. The USDA-wide memo, issued by the department's acting deputy administrator, Michael Young, was intended to offer guidance on “interim procedures” until a new secretary takes over USDA.

Young stressed during a phone call with reporters Tuesday evening that his guidance does not place a gag order on publication to scientific journals, does not place a blanket freeze on press releases, or prohibit food safety announcements.

“The ARS guidance was not reviewed by me. I would not have put that kind of guidance out. My guidance has to do with policy-related announcement and that sort of thing,” Young said during a phone call with reporters early Tuesday evening. “I had my memo drafted before the ARS memo, I was not a part of it.”

Young’s memo, a copy of which was given to The Washington Post, emphasizes that press releases and policy statements must be routed through the office of the secretary for approval: “In order for the Department to deliver unified, consistent messages, it's important for the Office of the Secretary to be consulted on media inquiries and proposed response to questions related to legislation, budgets, policy issues, and regulations,” said the memo. “Policy-related statements should not be made to the press without notifying and consulting the Office of the Secretary. That includes press releases and on and off the record conversations.”

Young stressed that he is a “career official,” not a partisan appointee, and said that the memo he issued closely mirrored one sent at the beginning of the Obama administration. He also said he shared the memo with Trump transition official Sam Clovis before issuing it.

“This is really just formalizing again what is fairly standard practice within the department. I just felt like, yeah, I want to be cautious because I don’t want any surprises on my watch. I was trying to avoid any surprises,” he said.

The Agricultural Research Service employs thousands of in-house scientists, maintains scores of research locations around the country and boasts a $1 billion budget. It is tasked with conducting research to “develop and transfer solutions to agricultural problems of high national priority,” according to the USDA. That research focuses on topics such as food safety, nutrition, animal and crop production, and agricultural sustainability.

Research publicized on the USDA's website this month includes papers such as “Helping Arizona Wheat Growers Maximize Resources” and “Test Uses Novel Antibodies to Detect Shiga Toxins.”

The “public-facing documents” memo Monday, which was first reported by Buzz Feed, raised fears that the new Trump administration was attempting to filter articles about ongoing scientific research being conducted by ARS.

The ARS sought to ease those concerns Tuesday afternoon. Young also said Tuesday evening that he had spoken with ARS and suggested he might support clarifying or rescinding the research agency’s confusing guidance.

“As the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency, ARS values and is committed to maintaining the free flow of information between our scientists and the American public as we strive to find solutions to agricultural problems affecting America,” ARS said in a statement to The Post Tuesday afternoon, seeking to clarify the scope of the memo.

USDA and ARS have issued media guidance in the past. Under the Obama administration, guidance published in 2013 stipulated that USDA employees should clear any “media inquiries on topics that are sensitive” with public affairs staffers. That media guidance, which appeared to have been last updated in 2016, also urges them to communicate with supervisors about “any instances where they feel public affairs or communications staff is stifling their ability to communicate about their work.”

The USDA does not yet have a permanent department head. Former Georgia governor Sonny Perdue was nominated by President Trump to head the USDA last week but has not yet begun the confirmation process. The congressional committee overseeing his hearing has not given guidance on when his hearing will take place, pending his submission of necessary paperwork.

edited 24th Jan '17 6:36:21 PM by FluffyMcChicken

RisingStar Since: Nov, 2016
FluffyMcChicken My Hair Provides Affordable Healthcare from where the floating lights gleam Since: Jun, 2014 Relationship Status: In another castle
My Hair Provides Affordable Healthcare
#169143: Jan 24th 2017 at 6:49:58 PM
Bat178 Since: May, 2011
#169144: Jan 24th 2017 at 6:53:29 PM

[up] No duh it affects his ability to govern, but we are already becoming Trumpmenistan in the span of a few days, so it won't matter.

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#169145: Jan 24th 2017 at 6:53:36 PM

At this rate, I think American democracy is a write off barring a principled (ha!) stand by the GOP or a general revolt. I'll consider humanity lucky if the Trump regime doesn't trigger a shooting war between the major powers.

Although, I'm starting to think that one of Trump's ideas might be replicated here in Canada. A wall is sounding like a good idea, what with how scary our southern neighbors are getting. Plus it would be longer, and one-upping Donald sounds like fun.tongue

edited 24th Jan '17 6:53:45 PM by Rationalinsanity

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
CenturyEye Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign? from I don't know where the Yith sent me this time... Since: Jan, 2017 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign?
#169146: Jan 24th 2017 at 6:53:46 PM

Well, El Presidente left Saudi Arabia out from the Muslim immigration restriction out of the kindness of his heart...and the generosity of those who can buy him.

Edit: [up]Are you sure you couldn't use the extra provinces? That very population mismatch means you might want to make the investment, lest you become the mid-century Ukraine. I rather think the Californians, Cascadians, and New Englanders would would assimilate happily.

edited 24th Jan '17 6:57:56 PM by CenturyEye

Look with century eyes... With our backs to the arch And the wreck of our kind We will stare straight ahead For the rest of our lives
Skiller2 The Sun’s Firstborn from The Bay Area Since: Feb, 2016 Relationship Status: Abstaining
The Sun’s Firstborn
#169147: Jan 24th 2017 at 6:54:23 PM

California's governor spoke some words against the Trump administration.

Apparently most of California's legislature agrees with him.

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#169148: Jan 24th 2017 at 6:56:26 PM

California is set to become the Good Counterpart to Texas.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Falrinn Since: Dec, 2014
#169149: Jan 24th 2017 at 6:57:15 PM

[up][up][up] So he left the country most of the 9/11 hijackers were from off the restricted list?

Somehow that annoys me more than the list existing in the first place. If you are going to be prejudice, at least be consistent in your prejudice.

edited 24th Jan '17 6:57:51 PM by Falrinn

Bat178 Since: May, 2011
#169150: Jan 24th 2017 at 6:59:51 PM

[up] They have oil. The GOP loves oil.


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