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starchick68.bsky.social
✨StarChick68💫
@starchick68.bsky.social
2.4K followers 1.6K following 6.5K posts
PNW~Finally got a Bluesky account (been reading my fav profiles for a while), but Schumer ticked me off. I had to share info about the CR (3-2025)
https://www.epi.org/publication/cutting-medicaid-for-low-taxes-on-the-rich-is-terrible-for-american-families/
Posts Replies Media Videos
starchick68.bsky.social
www.facebook.com/feministnews...
https://www.facebook.com/feministnews.us/posts/trumps-1987-trip-to-moscow-was-orchestrated-by-the-soviet-diplomatic-service-wit/1218973016942522/
December 5, 2025 at 9:09 AM
starchick68.bsky.social
Here is a facebook post with some text from that Politico article (link not working for me now)

www.facebook.com/feministnews...
Feminist News August 13 · Trump's 1987 trip to Moscow was orchestrated by the Soviet diplomatic service with KGB assistance with the dual goals of fostering business relations and potentially cultivating Trump for intelligence or political purposes. Ivana Trump’s father, Miloš Zelníček, was an informer for the Czechoslovak State Security Service (StB), which was the secret police and intelligence agency of communist Czechoslovakia during the Cold War. The StB's activities were closely aligned with Soviet intelligence, so some of the information gathered likely reached Moscow. He had a "functional relationship" with the Czech secret police, providing information about his daughter Ivana and her life in the United States, including Donald Trump's activities and ambitions. Miloš was classified as a "conspiratorial informer," meaning he discreetly passed along information without being a formal agent or publicly associated collaborator. This relationship afforded him some cover and plausible deniability while assisting the StB's surveillance efforts. The StB closely monitored Ivana and Donald Trump starting from their marriage in 1977 and kept files on the family, relying on Miloš for updates.
December 5, 2025 at 9:09 AM
starchick68.bsky.social
2017
www.politico.com/magazine/sto...

Interesting this link doesn't work (for me) anymore, hmmm
December 5, 2025 at 9:06 AM
starchick68.bsky.social
www.politifact.com/article/2025...

"There are several paths to eliminating the federal income tax with the help of tariff revenue, but none of them are palatable. ..."
line graph 2024 vs 2025 Under Trump, tariff revenue has risen
December 5, 2025 at 3:50 AM
starchick68.bsky.social
By Louis Jacobson December 3, 2025
www.politifact.com/article/2025...
... Could a consumption tax be feasible? The idea of switching from a largely income-based tax system to one that’s more dependent on consumption has been debated for decades. Many European countries levy a value-added tax, which is essentially a sales tax broken into several pieces at various stages, from a product’s creation to its final sale. This idea faces challenges in the U.S. Many states already tax retail sales, so a new federal tax layered on top would pose an extra burden, especially for lower-income families that have to spend larger percentages of their income than wealthier families do (and who often pay relatively little in federal income tax under the current system). The sales tax "would have to be around 40%, and there would be a lot of evasion at that rate," said Dean Baker, co-founder of the liberal Center for Economic and Policy Research. more on link https://www.politifact.com/article/2025/dec/03/trump-replace-income-tax-tariffs-revenue/ Trump sees a future without federal income taxes, but the tariff math doesn’t add up By Louis Jacobson December 3, 2025
December 5, 2025 at 3:50 AM
starchick68.bsky.social
another crappy fraud/scam happening:

'I had all these packages on my porch that I didn't order' - online scam

www.khq.com/helpmehayley...
... "I had all these packages on my porch that I didn't order," she said. "Pens, tooth brushes, hair iron thing, speakers, a humidifier." A wide variety of Amazon goods Jennifer is adamant she never ordered and only opened because she was expecting a gift. "I was clueless as to what was going on," she said. "I was looking through emails trying to figure this out." That's when she spotted it. Her personal Amazon account had somehow gotten connected with an Amazon business account. She says she's still unsure how they gained access. The LLC that was listed is one she says she had never heard of and did not recognize. Amazon contacted her about the suspected 'unauthorized user' on her account. "I got an email I couldn't respond to that says we realize it's not you," she said. "(It said) here's some steps to take, but nothing about what to do with the products or getting my money back." Via those emails, it stated that was an issue she would need to take up with her bank. She says she tried but because she did receive the goods and items, they were unable to help. Jennifer says not all of the orders by the perpetrator that were made cleared, but she says nearly $300 did. "(That amount of money) means a lot to me," she said. "I'm on a set income. I have a dog with Cushing's (disease). That's a trip to the vet." more on link https://www.khq.com/helpmehayley/spokane-county-man-billed-nearly-1-000-for-unused-unopened-cell-phone-he-says-he/article_536f00e3-d854-4278-9311-f599111ba1e3.html
December 5, 2025 at 2:51 AM
starchick68.bsky.social
Holiday Charity Fraud Prevention Tips

I have used www.charitynavigator.org before

... and another site to use: www.guidestar.org

info was from my bank
Holiday Charity Fraud Prevention Tips The holiday season is a peak time for fraudsters looking to take advantage of people giving gifts online or donating to charities. 
 Tips to protect yourself:

 1. Fake Charities • Research charities thoroughly before donating. Verify their legitimacy on websites like Charity Navigator or GuideStar. • Be cautious of emotional appeals that pressure you to donate immediately. 2. Charity Impersonators • Contact the charity directly through their official website or phone number to confirm the request. • Avoid donating via links sent in unsolicited emails or text messages. 3. Donation Payment Fraud • Donate through secure, legitimate payment portals on the charity’s official website. • Avoid cash payments or unconventional payment methods like gift cards. 4. General Holiday Fraud • Monitor your bank and credit card statements for unauthorized transactions. • Be skeptical of too-good-to-be-true deals: fraudsters often lure victims with unbelievable discounts or exclusive offers.
December 5, 2025 at 2:47 AM
starchick68.bsky.social
Pres. Obama artwork/poster HOPE poster artwork first, Pres. Obama, HOPE then, HATE, tRump raging then, HEAL, Biden then, GROW, Harris
December 5, 2025 at 2:31 AM
starchick68.bsky.social
www.beacon.org/They-Take-Ou...

Illegal immigrants are not eligible for most public services and live in fear of revealing themselves ...

2/2
Myths Made in America "They Take Our Jobs!": And 20 Other Myths about Immigration Aviva Chomsky https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62690._They_Take_Our_Jobs_
December 5, 2025 at 2:12 AM
starchick68.bsky.social
www.beacon.org/They-Take-Ou...

Aviva Chomsky, a professor at Salem State College, states that "Early studies ...have come to the same conclusions. Immigrants, legal and illegal, are more likely to pay taxes than they are to use public services.

1/2
"They Take Our Jobs!": And 20 Other Myths about Immigration (Myths Made in America) Paperback – June 1, 2007 by Aviva Chomsky (Author) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62690._They_Take_Our_Jobs_
December 5, 2025 at 2:12 AM
starchick68.bsky.social
Economic impact of illegal immigration to the United States

links to references/sources on wiki page
Economic impact of illegal immigration to the United States links to sources on wiki link ... Cost-benefit analysis Aviva Chomsky, a professor at Salem State College, states that "Early studies in California and in the Southwest and in the Southeast...have come to the same conclusions. Immigrants, legal and illegal, are more likely to pay taxes than they are to use public services. Illegal immigrants are not eligible for most public services and live in fear of revealing themselves to government authorities. Households headed by illegal immigrants use less than half the amount of federal services that households headed by documented immigrants or citizens make use of."[16] National Public Radio (NPR) wrote in 2006: "Supporters of a crackdown argue that the U.S. economy would benefit if illegal immigrants were to leave, because U.S. employers would be forced to raise wages to attract American workers. Critics of this approach say the loss of illegal immigrants would stall the U.S. economy, saying illegal workers do many jobs few native-born Americans will do."[17] Professor of Law Francine Lipman writes that the belief that illegal migrants are exploiting the U.S. economy and that they cost more in services than they contribute to the economy is "undeniably false".[18] Lipman asserts that "illegal immigrants actually contribute more to public coffers in taxes than they cost in social services" and "contribute to the U.S. economy through their investments and consumption of goods and services; filling of millions of essential worker positions resulting in subsidiary job creation, increased productivity and lower costs of goods and services; and unrequited contributions to Social Security, Medicare and unemployment insurance programs." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_impact_of_illegal_immigration_to_the_United_States#cite_note-16
December 5, 2025 at 2:12 AM
starchick68.bsky.social
12-1-2025

University of Washington loses federal funding for migrant student program

The Department of Education rejected UW’s renewal application without explanation as other Washington institutions retained their grants.

thetacomaledger.com/2025/12/01/u...
graphic of person/student sad looking head held in hands, looking at a claw hand machine ... with money in it, implying it will be hard to get money from US Dept of Ed now UW loses federal funding for migrant student program December 1, 2025 Jamenson Aleman 47 Views College Assistance Migrant Program , uw , UWT The Department of Education rejected UW’s renewal application without explanation as other Washington institutions retained their grants. By J.A. Aleman
December 5, 2025 at 2:04 AM
starchick68.bsky.social
@bookish-anchorite.bsky.social‬ “Worrying about getting someone’s neopronouns right” > “Living through the collapse of the republic”
December 4, 2025 at 4:39 AM
starchick68.bsky.social
‪@see-kerof.bsky.social‬ Being woke is literally being civillised.
December 4, 2025 at 4:35 AM
starchick68.bsky.social
article with this same photo ... warning a lot of MAGA Christianity™️ being spouted in that article, not sure how they could fit any more stereotypical buzzwords in it 🙄 I grew up being dragged to churches like that

birminghamchristian.com/pete-hegseth...
December 3, 2025 at 9:20 AM
starchick68.bsky.social
The gift is the latest in a series of recent donations helping pay for college around the country.

www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
The gift is the latest in a series of recent donations helping pay for college around the country. Last year, the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York received a $1 billion donation from Ruth Gottesman, a former professor and the widow of a Wall Street investor, making tuition there free. Most medical students at Johns Hopkins University no longer pay tuition thanks to a $1 billion gift from Bloomberg Philanthropies. In September at Marshall University in West Virginia, President Brad Smith and his wife, Alys Smith, announced a $50 million gift to promote a program aimed at eliminating student debt, in part by covering tuition for West Virginia students with family income of $65,000 or less. The University of Washington announcement Monday is worth about $8,000 to $10,000 per student, said UW Medicine spokesperson Susan Gregg. The program will also be able to expand from 70 to 100 students over the next 10 years. ... https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/anonymous-50m-gift-will-cover-tuition-students-university-washington-rcna246930
December 3, 2025 at 8:56 AM
starchick68.bsky.social
wow, there are some millionaires that give back to the betterment of society these days

*article lists some other recent amazingly large monetary donations to other universities

An anonymous $50M gift will cover some tuition for students at University of Washington
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
An anonymous $50M gift will cover some tuition for students at University of Washington The Associated Press …The donor, from Washington state, wishes to remain anonymous, but “had a relationship with this program,” Gregg said. The donor is also a fan of the local burger chain Dick’s, and burgers were piled high atop platters as the students celebrated. The field of medical laboratory services has faced increasing demand and an aging workforce in Washington, according to UW Medicine. Those factors have resulted in an “urgent need to grow the pipeline of highly skilled clinical laboratory professionals,” the health care system said in a news release. “You are the glue, in many ways, of our entire health system,” Dellit told the students. “You are the unsung heroes. You work behind the scenes that allow all of the health care machinery to work.” ... https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/anonymous-50m-gift-will-cover-tuition-students-university-washington-rcna246930
December 3, 2025 at 8:56 AM
starchick68.bsky.social
Mother Nature tells China to stay out of Tibet?

weather.com/news/video/m...

... a huge section of a massive bridge collapsed in China’s Sichuan province. Watch as a landslide sends enormous chunks of concrete crashing into a river only months after the bridge was completed and open to traffic.
screenshot of bridge getting wiped out by dirt and rocks in landslide, the closed caption says bridge connecting Sichuan province to Tibet had just opened in January ...
December 3, 2025 at 8:46 AM
starchick68.bsky.social
my ex used one -his personality is a lot like tRump, narcissistic, but I digress ...

his CPAP was leaving a permanent dent on his nose, like a penis nose, I had him try to find a better fitting nozzle or whatever they call them (better fitting ones cost more, etc.)

pic from google search - not ex😁
man with short black hair with CPAP hoses and tubing around back of head to attached under nostrils (aka nose holes)
December 3, 2025 at 3:22 AM
starchick68.bsky.social
US minimum wage by state Jan. 2021
Federal minimum is $7.25
highest CA OR WA CT MA DC

note: WA state as of 2025 -- set at $16.66
graphic from Newsweek
US minimum wage by state Jan. 2021 Federal minimum is $7.25 highest CA ORE WA CT MA DC note: WA state now for 2025 $16.66 graphic from Newsweek
December 3, 2025 at 3:10 AM
starchick68.bsky.social
$66 per hour minimum wage to match buying power boomers had in 1970s trickle down doesnt work
December 3, 2025 at 3:10 AM
starchick68.bsky.social
Same with me, I keep having to shut down firefox because it would get sluggish and I could hear the CPU whirring a way. That started some time in the past month or so... it wasn't like this before.

Hopefully, it will help, I just did it. I've never messed around in browser configs before 😁
firefox settings about:config then copy/paste and toggle click to false Excellent!
December 3, 2025 at 2:58 AM
starchick68.bsky.social
tRump working hard to not fall asleep ...
tRump 12-2-2025 squinting and sucking in his cheeks to try not to fall asleep while others are talking/lying
December 2, 2025 at 11:51 PM
starchick68.bsky.social
💙 @pelosi.house.gov
Pelosi standing table of men sitting down and she is pointing her finger at tRump across the table, giving him a good lecture on something ... not sure when exactly this photo was taken now, but it's a classic Pelosi
December 2, 2025 at 11:08 PM
starchick68.bsky.social
@pelosi.house.gov
2019

Pelosi urges Republicans to condemn Trump’s ‘racist tweets’

www.pbs.org/newshour/pol...
Two days after Trump tweeted that four Democratic freshmen should “go back” to their home countries — though all are citizens and three were born in the U.S.A. — Democrats muscled the resolution through the chamber by 240-187 over strong GOP opposition. The rebuke was an embarrassing one for Trump, and he had appealed to GOP lawmakers not to go along, but there were four Republican votes for the resolution. The measure carries no legal repercussions for the president and the vote was highly partisan, unlikely to cost him with his die-hard conservative base. Before the showdown roll call, Trump characteristically plunged forward with time-tested insults. He accused his four outspoken critics of “spewing some of the most vile, hateful and disgusting things ever said by a politician” and added, “If you hate our Country, or if you are not happy here, you can leave!” — echoing taunts long unleashed against political dissidents rather than opposing parties’ lawmakers. The president was joined by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California and other top Republicans in trying to redirect the focus from Trump’s original tweets, which for three days have consumed Washington and drawn widespread condemnation. Instead, they tried playing offense by accusing the four congresswomen — among the Democrats’ most left-leaning members and ardent Trump critics — of socialism, an accusation that’s already a central theme of the GOP’s 2020 presidential and congressional campaigns. Even after two-and-a-half years of Trump’s turbulent governing style, the spectacle of a president futilely laboring to head off a House vote essentially proclaiming him to be a racist was extraordinary. Underscoring the stakes, Republicans formally objected after Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California said during a floor speech that Trump’s tweets were “racist.” Led by Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, Republicans moved to have her words stricken from the record, a rare procedural rebuke. ... pbs.org
December 2, 2025 at 11:05 PM