JUST IN: Food services workers at Loyola Marymount University have reached a tentative contract agreement with contractor Sodexo.
That means that the Democratic presidential primary debate scheduled for Thursday can go ahead as planned.
— NPR Politics (@nprpolitics) December 17, 2019
There’s also the argument that, at this point, having a debate that nobody watches isn’t the worst outcome… but seriously, given the impeachment debate, are even the participants going to be focused on their arguments for next year?
The President’s Letter To The Speaker Of The House
Baud
Reposted from below.
OT: Aren’t we still waiting for Bernie’s?
Yutsano
@Baud: I’m pretty sure the answer there is “never” because revolution and shut up neolib!
dmsilev
I assume that all of the Senators (we’re down to three: Warren, Sanders, and Klobuchar) will get asked how they’re going to vote in the trial. Someone will probably ask Joe Biden for his thoughts as well.
Darrin Ziliak (formerly glocksman)
For some reason, Evansville’s No One Is Above The Law protest was held at 11:30 am instead of later in the day, so I was able to attend and snap a few pics.
Google Photo Album of protest.
Dorothy A. Winsor
Ooh, I just noticed the “refresh” button at the top of the page. Nice.
debbie
Just curious: Did the DNC have a backup plan for this?
Marcopolo
@Dar Ziliak (formerly glocksman):Unfortunately for me family politics are over-riding national politics tonight. I have to be at a family dinner in a half hour or I would be standing outside the office of Ann Wagner (MO-2) right now. Hope there is a good showing.
And somebody give the leadership of the Loyola Marymount Food Servic Workers a bonus. They made excellent use of circumstances to leverage their negotiating position.
Marcopolo
@Marcopolo:Well, that comment got a little scrambled. Is this what I get for not participating here for a week or so?
rikyrah
Glad that they got a contract
Calouste
@Baud:
I think we’re still waiting for Wilmer’s tax returns from 2016, except for that one year of which he did release.
I wouldn’t expect a medical report about Wilmer before the autopsy.
Baud
@Calouste:
He did finally release those.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/15/politics/bernie-sanders-tax-returns-release-2020/index.html
dmsilev
@debbie: This was the backup plan. The original plan for the debate was to hold it at UCLA, which also fell through due to labor disputes at the university.
Not sure there was ever a Plan C.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@debbie: This was the backup plan, UCLA was the original plan.
Original Lee
Whelp, got an unpleasant surprise this morning. Medicare has decided that my grandmother, who has been in rehab for a broken hip, no longer needs to be in a skilled nursing facility and has instructed the rehab facility to discharge her on Friday. Grammy can’t stand up on her own or get out of bed or dress herself yet because she also has a broken wrist that can’t bear weight for another 3-4 weeks. We think that someone somewhere apparently decided while she was still in the hospital that she would be ready to go home on Dec. 20, because this notice took the rehab staff by surprise, too.
We’re trying to figure out what to do about this, because she should be in rehab until mid-January.
Added note: She lives alone on the other side of the country from me and my siblings, so at the moment we’re taking turns flying out for a week. This is not sustainable.
Jay
japa21
@Original Lee: How long has she been in rehab? Medicare has a 60 day limit in terms of benefits?
If she hasn’t been in that long, the rehab facility should have a case manager who can appeal the decision.
Jay
Fair Economist
@Baud:
We’re in a reboot of Waiting for Godot.
BC in Illinois
Just got back from an “Impeachment Eve” demonstration at the MO 2nd Congressional District office of Ann Wagner (R – safe Republican vote). It was a good turnout; I’d say around 200 people in the 30 degree (20 wind chill) cold. Enough of a crowd to make people feel good and to make a loud enough sound for the event.
The national events were supposed to start at 5:30pm. We started at 4:00, to be there while her office was still open. [It wasn’t – they closed early in our honor.] But lots of signs: big “IMPEACH” signs, littler signs of “no one is above the law,” “impeachment is in the constitution,” “Vote your conscience, Ann,” and a few “lock him up” and “jail to the chief.”
A couple of notes:
1. If you’re going to have people lead chants [“When I say impeach!, you say remove! ”], make sure that the people leading the chants have some sense of rhythm. Even the classic “Hey! Hey! Ho! Ho!” needs some leadership.
Is it . . .
. . . or is it . . .
It makes a difference.
2. We decided, as an amorphous collective, that we were only chanting to each other (and the three guys with a “Trump 2020” flag across the street), so we decided to march down to Manchester Avenue, where we would be visible.
And here, I will give credit to the St Louis County Police, who were keeping an eye on the whole thing. Up until this time, they just made sure that we didn’t block traffic and that we and the Trump people stayed on separate sides of the street. But they not only let us march (on the sidewalks), they facilitated our walking on the street the first two blocks from the back office-park we were in, to a more major road. They led the group (for two blocks) with full flashing lights, and monitored traffic for the first turn. They handled it easily and professionally, like it was their job not only to keep us from making a nuisance of ourselves, but also to make it possible for us to do what we were doing. They handled it well.
3. A good time was had by all, and there were a lot of appreciative honks of the horns of passing cars. A hot chocolate on the way home, and I am almost warm.
Fair Economist
@Original Lee: My stepfather was also kicked out of rehab prematurely after breaking his hip. My mother has round-the-clock assistance anyway and so they can help him too but that was not part of the decision. I was pretty incredulous when I heard about it.
Jay
BC in Illinois
@BC in Illinois:
Jay
Patricia Kayden
BC in Illinois
@BC in Illinois:
I apologize for the previous apology.
This apology was unnecessary and appeared in this place owing to an administrative error.
Major Major Major Major
@Patricia Kayden: that’s what happens when you use a Russian botnet to buy a trending topic…
Jay
Major Major Major Major
i should hope so. I’ll definitely be giving poor marks to whoever tries to make every answer about the impeachment.
Mostly curious to see how Pete handles what I assume will be an avalanche of criticism.
Amir Khalid
@BC in Illinois:
Have the staff responsible for issuing the first apology been sacked?
Roger Moore
@Amir Khalid:
Yes. And the people responsible for sacking the people who issued the first apology have been sacked.
Jay
This is one of the reasons I love my anti-facist comrades and researchers,
When the Pentagon tweets out celabatory photo of a Nazi War-criminal who murdered US Prisoners, and civillians on all Fronts of the war, to “remember” the Battle of the Bulge,
Who else would track the image to it’s source raising questions about exactly which websites are these guys surfing on at work or at home.
It’s not a site that shows up when you do common searches for images or Malmady,
Slovenian Nazi’s, really?
Jay
JCJ
@Original Lee:
Not certain, but I believe the length of stay allowed is set based on the diagnosis. My mother faced the same and her worthless orthopod wouldn’t order a new x-ray. My brother’s ex was on staff at that hospital and ordered the x-ray. It showed inadequate healing and thus a new diagnosis code allowed a longer stay.
Medicare does not determine whether a person can be in such a setting, it only determines ifMedicare will pay. The facility might demand up front payment and it ain’t cheap.
Another Scott
@Darrin Ziliak (formerly glocksman):
Looks like a very good turnout! Thanks for the pics.
Cheers,
Scott.
Nicole
Cancer update, for those who saw my post last week- it’s not definitive until the final PET scan analysis is in, but it looks like the recurrence is confined to one lymph node and nowhere else, and it’s the same kind of cancer as last time (estrogen positive). Which means (deep breath) no chemo. Surgery is tentatively scheduled for the end of the week and then I go on Tamoxifen and maybe manage to kick the cancer can down the alley for another 5 or 10 years. Or longer. Longer would be nice.
Best I can hope for, so I’m feeling pretty grateful this evening. Send good thoughts this is, indeed, how it all plays out.
Also, PET scan… not fun. Zero stars. (though five stars to the technician, who was extraordinary) I’m still radioactive, so I can’t be within 6 feet of my kid, and yet I have no superpowers. Boo.
zhena gogolia
@Nicole:
Oh, I’m thinking of you.
gbbalto
@Nicole: Best of luck to you! Hopefully stop it right there!
Jay
Another Scott
@Calouste:
TheHill today:
(Emphasis added.)
One of these is not like the others… :-/
That said, none of us know how much time we have.
A colleague (in another group) died in his office yesterday evening or this morning. He was fine around noon yesterday. He often biked to work… I think he was in his late ’50s. :-(
Cheers,
Scott.
JPL
@Jay: That’s pretty awesome.
Jay
@Nicole
So boo, ( cancer)
Yea, ( treatment)
Boo, ( tests)
Yea, ( Tech)
Boo, ( radioactive)
Boo, ( no kid hugs)
Boo, ( no superpowers, sleep on it though, sometimes the origin story takes a couple days, )
But still yea,
Fu€k cancer.
Major Major Major Major
@Nicole: ugh! But… yay it’s not worse? Like the kitten, hang in there.
JPL
@Nicole: Fingers and toes crossed that it is easily treatable. Hugs.
Jay
Amir Khalid
@Nicole:
It’s better news than you had feared. (Well, less-bad news.) That’s definitely something to feel good about. Stay strong.
Jay
Another Scott
@Nicole: Don’t give up on the super powers just yet. Some can be delayed a bit. :-)
Best of luck with the treatment!
Cheers,
Scott.
spudgun
@Nicole: Damn, not even shooting lightning out of your fingertips? Lame… ;-)
Sending you good vibes for the best diagnosis – you can beat it!
Baud
MSNBC chyron reporting that they have the votes for impeachment.
Baud
@Nicole:
Thats because no one has made you angry yet.
Nicole
@Baud:
Oh my God. That’s it. I’m going to go spend some time on Twitter RIGHT NOW.
Jay
So, those in some of the twitters might be just enjoying their time online, as MagHabs, the famous Doltus Stenographer, gets dunked on again by the twitter verse, first for the Bloomberg Dance hoax, now for the MullerDad69 Starbucks hoax, and whom is now rage tweeting at Media Matters, because when she googled it, none of the fact checks were reporting it as a hoax, ( they wern’t reporting it at all).
How much does the Trump Whisperer get paid?
Oh yeah, $350,000+ smackaroonies
Croaker
Rage Against The Machine – The Ghost of Tom Joad
Resist
Chris T.
@Patricia Kayden: I think perhaps they do mean “landside”. More specifically, “under-the-land side” … that is, bury him!
Elizabelle
@Nicole:
I hope you beat this cancer, and are around for your kid’s kid’s kid.
raven
@Nicole: Sounds a bit better, hang tough.
Lapassionara
@Baud:
Whoo. Good news. Thanks.
schrodingers_cat
Happy Impeachment Eve, everyone!
Original Lee
@japa21:
She has only been in rehab a month. We were told at the care conference two weeks ago that she would have up to 100 days but would probably be able to go home in mid-January, a week or two after the orthopedist cleared her wrist to bear weight. The case manager has filed an appeal, but it will only gain her 7 days.
Major Major Major Major
I’m still waiting to see Buttigieg’s health records.
eric
@Nicole: I put in a vote for “longer.”
Dorothy A. Winsor
@Nicole: Good news! I’m glad.
Original Lee
@Fair Economist: Yeah, amazing. What gets me is, there are a lot of other seniors there in rehab who have been there months, and they are not being kicked out. Maybe they have amazing supplemental insurance, but I have to wonder why they get to stay until they hit their benchmarks but my grandmother is being told she’s out.
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@Jay:
Hi Jay. Wanted to apologize for last night.
Original Lee
@JCJ: Thanks for the info. I’ll pass that on. This is so messed up.
Marcopolo
@BC in Illinois: Thanks for the report. Just returned from my family dinner. Hope to run into you on occasion in 2020 working to elect Jill Schupp in MO-2.
Aleta
@Nicole:
Sending positive thoughts for your health and a smooth surgery. You can leave all the politics and stress to us if you like, cause there are 1000’s of us raring to go. Rest easy about the election and just do all the health and joy parts that come along.
FelonyGovt
@Nicole: @Nicole: Will be thinking good thoughts for you. I took Arimidex (basically Tamoxifen for post menopausal women) for 5 years with no ill effects.
Ruckus
@Nicole:
Good luck.
Kick cancer’s ass. It deserves that.
Original Lee
@Nicole: Surviving multiple rounds with cancer is a superpower, I think. I’m glad it appears to be treatable!
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@Nicole:
Glad to hear it’s localized. Good luck with your surgery. I’ll be keeping you in my thoughts
Ruckus
@Another Scott:
My grandfather died on the tennis court in his mid 40s. But medicine has come a very long way in the last 83 yrs, now if we could manage to have everyone of us able to get actual reasonable healthcare we’d be a billion times better country.
Gin & Tonic
So the freezing rain this morning caused an unexpected cancellation of work. Six batches of cookies later, I’m beat. Remind me not to pursue a new career as a baker.
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@Gin & Tonic:
Don’t pursue a career as a baker ; )
danielx
From downstairs thread: I just read Trump’s diatribe to Pelosi from beginning to end, and I could hear the screaming from my brain cells dying getting louder with every paragraph.
Ohio Mom
@Nicole: I’m almost at the start of year seven of arimidex. There sure are a lot of us, aren’t there?
Have you been to the discussion boards at breastcancer.org? I’ve learned so much there, and it’s a wonderfully supportive community. I always recommend the place.
Wishing you a strong response to, and minimal side effects from the Tamoxifen. And a short time dealing with the post-surgical drain(s). Keep us posted!
Gin & Tonic
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): Thanks for the reminder.
On the other hand, I expect those of my children who will be able to make it here next week will be appreciative of these efforts.
Calouste
@danielx: Why would you do that to yourself?
Gin & Tonic
Has there been any commentary on Trump’s continued Erdogan ass-kissing by declaring that the Armenian genocide wasn’t a genocide?
danielx
@Calouste:
I’ve been told I have a masochistic streak a yard wide.
Immanentize
@Nicole: I am sorry about the coming shit for you. But the Docs know so much more than even 7 years ago.
I respect cancer because it is wicked smaht. If evil. But we are also smart and strong.
Jay
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):
no biggie, you got push back, for a quick summary of the other world view if you are interested:
http://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2019/12/the-true-infinity-war
Gin & Tonic
New Apple ad on YouTube for your viewing pleasure.
Jay
@Gin & Tonic:
nope, but it came just as Putin and Ergodan are dividing up the spoils in Libya.
chris
Heh, the letter…
Gin & Tonic
@chris: That comment is really disrespectful to Ted Kaczynski, who put a lot of work and a lot of thought into his writings.
Nicole
Thanks for the warm thoughts, everyone! They are all so much appreciated. My mom died from breast cancer at age 35 back in the early 1980s, so I have had a long and very emotional but not particularly rational relationship with the damn disease. This is a lesson to me that every cancer journey is unique. With a little bit more luck, this is just round two, and far from a knock out one.
(And nice to hear from the survivors of breast cancer among the jackals; you inspire me)
Gin & Tonic
@Nicole: I’ve missed a lot of this, but wish you success in this struggle. One data point – my mother-in-law, a hale and ornery-as-fuck 95 years old, had breast cancer more years ago than I can recall. She’s survived all sorts of things in her life, and I think that was just a minor bump in the road – I hope it’s just a minor bump for you as well.
TomatoQueen
@Nicole: Sorry to have missed the earlier news, and am so sorry it’s recurred, tho’ the parameters if confirmed seem to be more in your favor than not. May you have continued strength and excellent care from your providers and no insurance bs.
frosty
@Nicole: That sounds like good news, considering. Longer would definitely be nice, crossing my fingers.
John Revolta
@BC in Illinois:Unless you’re marching with a group of severely rhythmically-challenged white people, it’s
Hey HEY! Ho HO!
Donald Trump has GOT to GO!
chris
@Gin & Tonic: Point. Damn, never thought I’d feel bad for ol’ Ted.
Original Lee
@Nicole: To follow up on Gin and Tonic’s data point, my great grandmother had a full mastectomy followed by radiation treatment in the early 1960s and lived to be 103.
frosty
@John Revolta: My favorite moment at the Science March in DC 2+ years ago was listening to the severely rhythmically-challenged scientists trying to chant. They meant well!
CaseyL
@Nicole: That is about as good news as you can get and still have cancer to fight. Sending you good thoughts for a smooth and uneventful surgery and followup treatment that kicks cancer’s ass!
J R in WV
@Nicole:
Darn! Best of luck, we are all pulling for you, you know that!
danielx
D’oh!
After reading various comments in this thread, I realized just now that my doc was screening me for lung cancer yesterday. Just now, because that wasn’t what I was there for. He did come back and say there was no sign of anything on chest x-ray…on the other hand he’s a family practice guy and not a radiologist. Didn’t hear back from him today….fingers crossed.
debbie
@Gin & Tonic:
O/T, but did you see someone answered your question about vanilla?
debbie
@Nicole:
I missed your post from last week, but am glad the prognosis is better than you feared. Kick that cancer’s ass!!!
Ohio Mom
@danielx:
If you have reason to be concerned, you can always get a second opinion. But of course we are all hoping it really is nothing.
BC in Illinois
@John Revolta:
SRCWP are part of our big-tent coalition.
You just don’t led them lead the chants.
ETA – This also applies to @frosty at #94
danielx
@Ohio Mom:
Truth. Trouble is that attitude is key, and I am very tired.
debbie
@dmsilev: @?BillinGlendaleCA:
Thanks!
Forgot I’d asked the question! ?
danielx
@BC in Illinois:
I was trying to form a mental picture of Cole break dancing, and the image just refused to form.
Mike in NC
All I want for Christmas is the impeachment of Fat Bastard, the Kremlin’s willing stooge.
J R in WV
@danielx:
Our family practice doc, when he sends us for an x-ray, a radiologist always sees it as well as our family practice guy before we hear about it… so you probably shouldn’t worry too much.
On the other hand, when the orthopedic surgeon takes x-rays, he’s the expert looking at them right there. I guess I’m saying sometimes it depends on why they’re doing an x-ray and where. At the Imaging Centers, a radiologist will always see them, as well as your doc.
Hang in there!
John Revolta
@BC in Illinois: Rather have ’em inside the tent chanting out of time, than outside the tent chanting in time!
Yutsano
@Nicole: Apologies for not saying anything sooner. I do hope you’re going to be okay, and that you kick cancer up the backside again and harder.
Also: frak cancer.
Jinchi
@Baud:
Sure, but is he going to live to be 200 years old like our current president?
Origuy
A year ago November, a woman in my orienteering club was found to have cancer in her lungs, bones, and brain. The cancer was not considered curable, but she was given radiation treatments to slow the growth and make her more comfortable. She was in her 70s, a former teacher, and was enjoying her retirement. In February, about 50 of her friends and family gathered to share our stories and memories with her. We didn’t know how much longer she would be around. She has continued traveling with her sister and coming to events, although doing easier courses and often not finishing. The last time I saw her was this November, when she climbed the hill to the start and decided not to continue; that was not a small hill, though. Next week, she’ll be helping with our annual potluck; an event she has done for years. She’s beaten the odds so far.
TheGates
@Jay: Yeah, we should throw the baby back with her. Agreed.