Phil Landmeier @shuttersparks@qoto.org

Well, it finally happened.

Medicare, America's national health insurance program for seniors 65+, is now over 50% privatized.

In 2017, private plans comprised 33% of Medicare enrollment.

In 2023, private plan enrollment via Medicare Advantage plans reached just over 50%.

We have sold out our seniors healthcare security to the profiteers.

#Medicare #HealthCare #HealthCareInsurance #USPol #USPolitics #Retirement #SocialSecurity

https://www.kff.org/policy-watch/half-of-all-eligible-medicare-beneficiaries-are-now-enrolled-in-private-medicare-advantage-plans/

Note to journalists: stop calling what's happening in Russian-occupied Ukraine an "evacuation." That is a lie.

It is a forced expulsion of Ukrainian residents by the Russian occupiers. It is part of the genocide of the Ukrainian people by the Russian fascist invaders.

Turns out the Allen, TX mass shooter was a neo-Nazi with a Proud Boys offshoot patch on his tacticool vest.

Gee, that's like, so shocking.

He was also booted out of the military for mental health issues, so can someone explain to me just how the FUCK this asshole got access to anything more dangerous than a Q-Tip? You wanna know why I've become a misanthrope? It's not C0VID. This shit is why I don't like being in public more than I need to be. #politics

@SrRochardBunson @DoctorDeathray

The people who run the HOA are exactly those people who should never have any sort of authority over another person at any time for any reason.

Twitter notifies 'affected users' over privacy breach exposing 'Circle' messages

Twitter confirmed Saturday a privacy breach resulted in the public exposure of tweets originally meant for users' "Twitter Circle," — also known as "close friends," The Guardian reports.

#Twitter #TwitterMigration #ElonMusk #breach #security #news #privacy

https://www.alternet.org/twitter-privacy-breach-circle-messages/

5 May 1945 | The US Army soldiers liberated the German concentration camp complex Mauthausen-Gusen. Between 1938-45 over 190,000 people were imprisoned there. At least 90,000 of them were killed, including some 28,000 Poles.

More: http://mauthausen-memorial.org/en

#Mauthausen #Gusen #history

"No employee of the federal government, that I’m aware of, is allowed to accept these kinds of gifts. If [Clarence] Thomas was in the House, if he was in the Senate, if he was in the White House, if he was anywhere else in government, this would not be allowed. If he was a lower court judge, this would not be allowed. And frankly, he should resign over this."

~ Ian Milhiser

#ClarenceThomas #SupremeCourt #corruption #ethics
/1

https://www.democracynow.org/2023/5/3/supreme_court_corruption_scandal

Okay, the headline is obscure. Let’s fix that.

Republican Florida has just banned financial institutions in-state from offering ecologically sustainable investment funds

AND

_mandated_ private lending investment in fossil fuels, private prisons, and firearms manufacturing.

If anyone makes noises at you about Republicans and “economic freedom” please use this.

From: @thehill
https://press.coop/@thehill/110301616221338860

Today I helped take down (temporarily) an antenna from the top of the PREOC building because they are installing solar panels over the whole roof. We were going to put up the other HF antenna that was taken down on the lower roof for the same reason a year ago. Could not do it because the company doing the roofing and panels did not think about the radio antennas and put obstacles in our way. For the present time, our PREOC has no functioning radios. It's time the powers that be took this situation more seriously. No one seems to think radios are important anymore until they need them/us.

#hamr #HamRadio #AmateurRadio

Gordon Lightfoot, an icon of folk music in #Canada, has died at the age of 84. https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/gordon-lightfoot-dead-1.6828991

My number one #Mastodon tip for people is to boost more!

Discovery sucks on Mastodon, which is partially by design, but it also means it’s hard to find new and interesting people here. If you see something cool, reach for that boost button as well!

putin signs decree allowing deportation of Ukrainians from occupied territories

According to the decree, Ukrainians in the occupied territories who choose to retain their Ukrainian citizenship can be deported after July 1, 2024.

Under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, the unlawful deportation of local populations is considered a war crime.

Read more here🔗 https://kyivindependent.com/putin-signs-decree-deporting-ukrainians/

#Ukraine 🇺🇦 #SlavaUkraine #RussiaIsATerroristState
#СлаваУкраїні! #StandWithUkraine

MP Scott Benton, bargain basement puppy

#news #politicians #politics #satire #Tories

The news that a politician has received donations or gifts is nothing new. It is also no surprise that shortly afterwards a politician has spoken out on a debate in support of the group that has been so generous. What can be surprising are the sums involved.

In the recent debates about the changes to the gambling laws MP Sc

https://daily-twerk.com/politics/mp-scott-benton-bargain-basement-puppy/

“Wikipedia will not perform #OnlineSafetyBill age checks”

I had a long chat with Chris at the BBC about this, wondering how many other popular sites will be stifled or incentivised to abandon UK users.

Quite amazing to think that a reference tool like an encyclopaedia might be compelled to check its users’ papers, and that there are still some people saying that this is fine.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-65388255

This is really important. Musk’s entire rationale for buying Twitter was to reduce censorship, but it was all BS.

This is MAGA mouthpiece Steven Crowder demanding respect from his heavily-pregnant wife b/c she won't do what he says.

She filed for divorce and he went on a rant about the injustice of Texas law that ALLOWS her to divorce him without his permission.

...

He seems nice.