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odinsblog · 1 year

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🗣️THIS IS WHAT INCLUSIVE, COMPASSIONATE DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE

Minnesota Dems enacted a raft of laws to make the state a trans refuge, and ensure people receiving trans care here can't be reached by far-right governments in places like Florida and Texas. (link)

Minnesota Dems ensured that everyone, including undocumented immigrants, can get drivers' licenses. (link)

They made public college free for the majority of Minnesota families. (link)

Minnesota Dems dropped a billion dollars into a bevy of affordable housing programs, including by creating a new state housing voucher program. (link)

Minnesota Dems massively increased funding for the state's perpetually-underfunded public defenders, which lets more public defenders be hired and existing public defenders get a salary increase. (link)

Dems raised Minnesota education spending by 10%, or about 2.3 billion. (link)

Minnesota Dems created an energy standard for 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040. (link)

Minnesota already has some of the strongest election infrastructure (and highest voter participation) in the country, but the legislature just made it stronger, with automatic registration, preregistration for minors, and easier access to absentee ballots. (link)

Minnesota Dems expanded the publicly subsidized health insurance program to undocumented immigrants. This one's interesting because it's the sort of things Dems often balk at. The governor opposed it! The legislature rolled over him and passed it anyway. (link)

Minnesota Dems expanded background checks and enacted red-flag laws, passing gun safety measures that the GOP has thwarted for years. (link)

Minnesota Dems gave the state AG the power to block the huge healthcare mergers that have slowly gobbled up the state's medical system. (link)

Minnesota Dems restored voting rights to convicted felons as soon as they leave prison. (link)

Minnesota Dems made prison phone calls free. (link)

Minnesota Dems passed new wage protection rules for the construction industry, against industry resistance. (link)

Minnesota Dems created a new sales tax to fund bus and train lines, an enormous victory for the sustainability and quality of public transit. Transit be more pleasant to ride, more frequent, and have better shelters, along more lines. (link)

They passed strict new regulations on PFAS ("forever chemicals"). (link)

Minnesota Dems passed the largest bonding bill in state history! Funding improvements to parks, colleges, water infrastructure, bridges, etc. etc. etc. (link)

They're going to build a passenger train from the Twin Cities to Duluth. (link)

I can't even find a news story about it but there's tens of millions in funding for new BRT lines, too. (link)

A wonky-but-important change: Minnesota Dems indexed the state gas tax to inflation, effectively increasing the gas tax. (link)

They actually indexed a bunch of stuff to inflation, including the state's education funding formula, which helps ensure that school spending doesn't decline over time. (link)

Minnesota Dems made hourly school workers (e.g., bus drivers and paraprofessionals) eligible for unemployment during summer break, when they're not working or getting paid. (link)

Minnesota Dems passed a bunch of labor protections for teachers, including requiring school districts to negotiate class sizes as part of union contracts. (Yet another @SydneyJordanMN special here. (link)

Minnesota Dems created a state board to govern labor standards at nursing homes. (link)

Minnesota Dems created a Prescription Drug Affordability Board, which would set price caps for high-cost pharmaceuticals. (link)

Minnesota Dems created new worker protections for Amazon warehouse workers and refinery workers. (link)

Minnesota Dems passed a digital fair repair law, which requires electronics manufacturers to make tools and parts available so that consumers can repair their electronics rather than purchase new items. (link)

Minnesota Dems made Juneteenth a state holiday. (link)

Minnesota Dems banned conversion therapy. (link)

They spent nearly a billion dollars on a variety of environmental programs, from heat pumps to reforestation. (link)

Minnesota Dems expanded protections for pregnant and nursing workers - already in place for larger employers - to almost everyone in the state. (link)

Minnesota Dems created a new child tax credit that will cut child poverty by about a quarter. (link)

Minnesota Democrats dropped a quick $50 million into homelessness prevention programs. (link)

And because the small stuff didn't get lost in the big stuff, they passed a law to prevent catalytic converter thefts. (link)

Minnesota Dems increased child care assistance. (link)

Minnesota Dems banned "captive audience meetings," where employers force employees to watch anti-union presentations. (link)

No news story yet, but Minnesota Dems forced signal priority changes to Twin Cities transit. Right now the trains have to wait at intersections for cars, which, I can say from experience, is terrible. Soon that will change.

Minnesota Dems provided the largest increase to nursing home funding in state history. (link)

They also bumped up salaries for home health workers, to help address the shortage of in-home nurses. (link)

Minnesota Dems legalized drug paraphernalia, which allows social service providers to conduct needle exchanges and address substance abuse with reduced fear of incurring legal action. (link)

Minnesota Dems banned white supremacists and extremists from police forces, capped probation at 5 years for most crimes, improved clemency, and mostly banned no-knock warrants. (link)

Minnesota Dems also laid the groundwork for a public health insurance option. (link)

I’m happy for the people of Minnesota, but as a Floridian living under Ron DeSantis & hateful Republicans, I’m also very envious tbh. We know that democracy can work, and this is a shining example of what government could be like in the hands of legislators who actually care about helping people in need, and not pursuing the GOP’s “culture wars” and suppressing the votes of BIPOC, and inflicting maximum harm on those who aren’t cis/het, white, wealthy, Christian males. BRAVO MINNESOTA. This is how you do it! And the Minnesota Dems did it with a one seat majority, so no excuses. Forget about the next election and focus on doing as much good as you can, while you still can. 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿

👉🏿 https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1660846689450688514.html

#politics #minnesota #social justice #culture wars #this is what democracy looks like #republicans are evil

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ushoptions · 1 year

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Finding Affordable Health Insurance for Independent Contractors in Sarasota, Florida: A Comprehensive Guide

“According to a recent study, nearly 80% of uninsured adults living in Florida are likely to be eligible for help paying for health coverage, but they are still not enrolled for various reasons.” Introduction: Staying healthy should not have to be a financial burden, especially for independent contractors who do not have access to the same benefits offered to salaried employees. With the soaring…

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#Affordable #Comprehensive #Contractors #Finding #Florida #Guide #Health #Independent #Insurance #Sarasota

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healthinsurancebrokerflorida · 1 year

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At Barakat Insurance, we believe that everyone deserves access to affordable and high-quality health insurance plans in Florida. That's why we offer a range of policies designed to fit any budget, without compromising on the quality of care you receive.

#Barakat Insurance #health insurance plans in Florida #Affordable Health Insurance

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fatliberation · 11 months

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When We Leave NEDA Behind, Where do We Go?

A Guide by Sharon Maxwell @heysharonmaxwell

NEDA has a long history of harming the communities it is supposed to serve. As we #leaveNEDAbehind, I encourage you to follow the following ED orgs who are committed to serving and supporting ALL folks with eating disorders.

The National Alliance for Eating Disorders

The National Alliance for Eating Disorders (“The Alliance”) is the leading national non-profit organization providing education, referrals, and support for all individuals experiencing eating disorders, as well as their loved ones. The Alliance’s services include:

Educational presentations and training days

Free, weekly therapist-led support groups nationwide (virtual and in-person) for those experiencing eating disorders and for their loved ones

Support and referrals through both a free helpline and comprehensive referral website/app

Direct, low-cost, life-saving, outpatient treatment to underinsured and uninsured adults in the south Florida community.

Unique and empowering Southern Smash scale smashing events and SmashTALK panel discussions.

@alliancefored | #notonemore | allianceforeatingdisorders.com

Project HEAL

Project HEAL (Help to Eat, Accept, and Live)’s mission is to break down systemic, healthcare, and financial barriers to eating disorder healing. Project Heal’s goal is to change the systems and, in the meantime, to provide life-saving support to people with eating disorders who the systems fail.

Project HEAL’s services include:

For those unsure of the next step in their eating disorder healing journey, Project HEAL provides free, impartial Clinical Assessments, followed by a comprehensive report with diagnosis, clinical recommendation, and referrals.

For those struggling to access treatment through their insurance, Project HEAL’s Insurance Navigation Program helps individuals understand their often confusing benefits and advocate on their behalf to get their treatment covered.

Project HEAL connects people to free Treatment Placements through the HEALers Circle, a national network of facilities and providers at every level of care. They also offer paid scholarships with providers with shared identities.

Project HEAL offers one-time Cash Assistance grants of $500-$1,500 to individuals who are unable to afford tertiary costs related to their treatment, i.e., housing and travel costs or insurance deductibles.

Crisis Textline: text HEALING to 741741 | www.theprojectheal.org

FEDUP

FEDUP (Fighting Eating Disorders in Underrepresented Populations) is a collective of trans+, intersex, and gender diverse people who believe eating disorders in marginalized communities are social justice issues. FEDUP’s mission is to make visible, interrupt, and undermine the disproportionately high incidence of eating disorders in trans and gender diverse individuals through radical community healing, recovery institution reform, research, empowerment, and education. FEDUP’s services include:

Support groups: FEDUP Closed Support Group for Gender-Diverse Folx, Support Group for Caregivers and Loved Ones of Trans & Intersex People With Eating Disorders, and Closed Support Group for QTBIPOC With Eds

Listing of FEDUP approved providers of therapy, counseling, nutrition services, and recovery coaches

Educational content about eating disorders

A conference for researchers, advocates, and clinicians in the eating disorder field where all attendees are empowered to participate, share their expertise, and learn from one another so that they can incorporate approaches that work - for our patients, our communities, and ourselves

@fedupcollective | fedupcollective.org

Nalgona Positivity Pride

Nalgona Positivity Pride is an unconventional eating disorder awareness organization that shines a light on the often-overlooked societal factors that perpetuate unrealistic and oppressive beauty and health standards. NPP offers a vial space for BIPOC to celebrate and embrace their bodies and identities. Nalgona Positivity Pride’s services include:

Education, such as public speaking services for universities, mental health and eating disorder organizations, and more as well as social media content

Consulting services for eating disorder providers and women of color entrepreneurs, including social media, branding, and event planning. Also, size diversity, creating eating disorder informed media, eating disorder harm reduction

An eating disorder harm reduction hub, including The EDHR Course and The EDHR Harm Reduction Community Services

2 eating disorder support groups: Sage and Spoon and The Eating Disorder Harm Reduction Community Circle

@nalgonapositivitypride | nalgonapositivitypride.com

Body Reborn

Body Reborn is a restorative space for people of color with disordered eating.

Body Reborn’s services include:

The Healing Collaborative - A free 8-week program for people of color. The program consists of three pillars: (1) Body Liberation, (2) Peer Support, and (3) Lifelong Community.

A non-hierarchical, discussion-driven conference that centers experiences of marginalized people in eating disorder care

@bodyreborn | bodyreborn.org

MEDA

MEDA (Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association) is dedicated to the prevention and compassionate treatment of eating disorders, so that every body has access to recovery and support. MEDA’s services include:

Assessments to individual therapy and groups, tailored treatment referrals. to hight levels of care, skill sessions to hels reach meal and snack goals, and 24/7/365 community available

The Sooner the Better helps communities learn the signs and symptoms of disordered eating, exercise, and body image.

MEDA offers presentations from a skilled mental health clinician on a variety of topics including Body Confidence, Eating Disorders, and Promoting Positive Body Culture in Your Schools and Homes.

MEDA also offers high-level clinical trainings for professionals working with eating disorders whether it is in the field of medicine, mental health, or education.

Annual national conference bringing over 275 people together to discuss the latest in eating disorder research and therapies

“Networking with a Purpose” meetings where clinicians come together to learn about specific aspects of treatment

Two graduate clinical interns are trained at MEDA every year, where they are supervised by clinicians and work directly with clients and loved ones.

@recoverwithmeda | medainc.org

ANAD

ANAD (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders) provides free peer support to anyone struggling with an eating disorder. ANAD’s services include:

Eating Disorder Peer Support Groups

Recovery Mentorship Program offering free eating disorder support online for those who struggle with eating disorders but are motivated to recover. ANAD mentors are people who have walked the difficult road to recovery from their eating disorder and are recovered for at least 2 years.

Eating Disorder Treatment Directory

ANAD Approach Guides are designed to educate and “guide” its community on a wide range of topics, such as caregiving, pregnancy, binge eating, and navigating life after treatment.

@anadhelp | anad.org

heysharonmaxwell.com | #leaveNEDAbehind

#fuck NEDA #leavnedabehind #eating disorder recovery #ed recovery #tw ed recovery #tw ed

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transhoming-project · 1 year

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Save Trans Lives

The "TransHoming Project" aims to build Tiny Home communities and RV Parks for Minorities fleeing red states. These homes could either serve as temporary lodging or permanent residence.

These communities would be established in sanctuary states such as:

New Jersey

New York

Oregon

Illinois

California

Any other state that is safe for LGBTQ+ individuals, Women, Children, and People Of Color.

The end goal is to have large-scale communities with little-to-no cost for the inhabitants, and a self-sustaining model for water, food, and electricity.

If the United States will not protect us, we will make our own sanctuary.

Why is this project needed?

As of April 7th, 2023, there have been over 450 anti-LGBTQ+ bills proposed in the United States. These bills range anywhere from Banning transgender healthcare for youth (Idaho HB 71) and prohibiting Health Insurance from covering ANY Gender affirming care (Florida HB 1421), to Charging anyone who uses the “incorrect” bathroom with sexual assault (Arkansas SB 270).

To find more information, visit the ACLU’s website.

With these bills in the works, the safety of LGBTQ+ persons, their health providers, and their children are at risk. It is imperative that we start relocating to blue sanctuary states before these bills become law.

With our project, we will ensure that those who cannot afford to quickly relocate on their own can seek proper shelter through us.

How can I help?

Share Our Cause!

Spread the message to your friends and family! The more visibility this project gets, the faster it will succeed!

Subscribe to our social medias:

Youtube

Instagram

Discord

Tiktok

LinkTree

Help Financially

Each sale on our website goes into funding the project, or you can donate directly to the cause by subscribing to our website.

Updates On funding will be posted weekly on our social media.

Offer a Skill/Service

We are in need of:

(Illinois Residents Only)

Realtors

Construction Workers

Architects

Electricians

(Remote)

Artists

Advertisers (with prior successful results)

Lawyers

If you have any of the skills listed above, contact us! We are willing to pay for expertise.

#trans #transgender #us politics #trans genocide #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtq+#lgbt+

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truebuggy · 1 year

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If you want to support Trans healthcare in Florida right now, SPEKTRUM Health is a really great LGBT clinic in Orlando that's asking for donations. They're who I've used for years, and they provide really affordable full healthcare and gender affirming care.

DeSantis is trying to pass some shit that would make it illegal for them to prescribe HRT or do gender affirming care via telehealth (they provide care to many people that don't live close enough to get in-person care), among other restrictions- I think there's something about making insurance not cover gender affirming care as well.

You can donate to them here:

#i just had an appointment and my nurse was so sad- it made me sad too #im not worried about myself im worried about Them

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biological-catastrophe · 6 months

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Hello! I need to complain because America is a fucking joke. Vent under the cut as well as TW/CW list

TW/CW: School shooting, (preventable) death, cancer, abortion, homophobia/transphobia

This country is a goddamn joke. I could go on and on about how bad it is and I really need to because it’s grinding my gears.

They’re passing a law that makes it ILLEGAL TO BOYCOTT COMPANIES SUPPORTING ISRAEL. They don’t give a fuck about our constitution. In one breath they’re saying this and another saying the fact we can’t afford a place to live is because we keep spending money on Starbucks and avocado toast. And how the fuck are you going to enforce this?? You gonna hold a gun to my head and make me buy McDonalds or Starbucks?? What the fuck?? We already can’t afford to live here.

I’m lucky my parents are still letting me live with them because I could never afford a place to live. I’m pretty sure I did my math right but: minimum wage is $7.25 USD an hour. The average apartment is $2,000 a month. To afford JUST THAT, someone would have to work near 70 hours a week. Not including food, insurance, medicine, gas, anything besides rent. And with the pay I got at my last job ($10 an hour), I’d have to work 50 hours a week for rent. “Oh those jobs are only meant for like high schoolers” so you only want these fast food places to be open from 5-10 pm? You don’t want them to be open during school hours then? Hypocrites.

And SPEAKING OF SCHOOLS, the school shootings are not a joke. I think I talked about it already but there was an active shooter on my college campus while we were outside. We have lockdown drills so many times, it’s ingrained in us what to do since kindergarten what to do. I met a girl who got shot like 7 times and survived. I’ve grown up always having an escape route out of the school. Nobody cares. Nobody cares that a literal toddler was able to get ahold of a gun and SHOOT HIS TEACHER, and the teacher warned about the kid making threats before and the school didn’t do anything. Nobody cares that someone a girl rejected could bring a gun to school and shoot her and many others. It’s hypocritical that they ban abortion and then don’t care for the kid as soon as they’re born.

And god, the abortion ban. I live in Texas as I’ve said. Here, the law is called the heartbeat bill. Abortion is allowed until the fetus has a heartbeat. But by the time people have that, they generally don’t even know they’re pregnant. It’s basically a total abortion ban. And they’re so fucking sneaky with it. You can SUE people and doctors who have abortions. A man sued three women of a million dollars EACH, including is then-wife. And I also heard rumors of them trying to ban state travel for abortions as well which is also unconstitutional.

And do we even want to talk about health care??? I saw a video the other day of a girl and her best friend who both have cancer and can’t afford it. They can’t afford LIFE SAVING TREATMENT. Are you fucking joking?? People can’t afford insulin and are dying from it. People can’t afford life saving shit and die. What the fuck kind of dystopia is that?? I had to go get an MRI and it was THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS???? What the fuck???

And do we even want to get started on the homophobia/transphobia?? The ‘don’t say gay’ bill in Florida and the numerous drag ban bills. Texas is doing the thing similar to the heartbeat bill where you can sue a ‘person who is not conforming to their assigned gender at birth’ or something like that. Femboys and masculine women could get sued. What the fuck? It’s so expensive and hard to get HRT and surgeries for people. They are trying to raise the voting age so people can’t vote against it. They started with kids and now want to include adults into their 20s. I’m sick of it. I’m just sick of all of this.

And I can’t complain about all of this and not talk about the 2021 Texas Freeze. Basically what happened, February of 2021 we had a horrible freeze, at nights it got into the negatives (for reference, ‘cold’ here for me is in the 40s. This is all Fahrenheit. 40°F = 4°C; -3°F = -19°C). Our power plants weren’t ready for this. We lost power during a lot of this. Some people didn’t have power for WEEKS, people died from the cold because the power plant people were greedy and lazy and didn’t put in proper weather safeties. This could have been prevented. Pipes burst, people died and got ill, the state was in a panic for weeks. We had power about half the time, but god was it cold.

I hate this country. I hate it so fucking much. This country is a fucking dystopia, some sick work of apocalypse fiction. I want to leave so fucking bad. I can’t wait till this place crashes and burns.

#zee’s ooc #this is just a long vent bc I hate this country <3

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shcmook · 9 months

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I am really struggling currently. Both financially and with health. A lot of my health issues have gotten worse these past months and my employer doesn’t cover my health insurance or sick days.

Even small amounts help stop overdraft fees, payment methods on my profile

Please 🙏

Details on health issues:

My carpel tunnel has come back and gotten bad. I’ve always had a very sensitive stomach and issues with that. Ive been having a lot of back pain.

A lot of it isn’t even diagnosed bc I haven’t really been able to afford a doctor recently

My mental health issues are at an all time low to an extent that I’ve known I was gonna have issues paying bills for a month but it took me til today to even try to write out these posts.

I’d like to be in a position where I’m raising money to move out of Florida and start my transition. That can’t be priority rn but stream viewers know that if I can hit even my goals to afford basic bills I will take the time to dress femme and celebrate trans joy on stream 💖

Despite the focus on health in this thread, any money u give is mostly going towards RENT.

Also… my phone will probably die next month. It’s having a lot of overheating / battery issues. I want like a mid tier price one but that’s ANOTHER strain on budget

Anyways I hate making posts like this but I really need any help available

Alt text: Bernie sanders saying “I am once again asking for your financial support” meme. He walkin around wearin a big jacket in snowy Vermont

#trans #mutual aid #I am once asking for your financial support

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kudzucataclysm · 1 year

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America (aka DUSA or MEDUSA) in the Year 2005

Geography, Climate, Environment

The United States is one of the largest countries on Earth in terms of landmass, ranking near Russia and China in total size. The coastal plain of the Atlantic seaboard gives way to deciduous forests and the Appalachian Mountains. The Appalachian Mountains divide the Eastern Seaboard with the Great Plains and Mississippi River of the Midwest. Further west lie the Rocky Mountains; to their south lies the desert of the southwestern states; to their north lie the wet, temperate forests of the former Oregon and Washington states.

By the late 20th century, corporate exploitation and shortsighted policies have degraded environmental conditions within America and the rest of the globe. Nuclear devastation, volcanic weather, and changing climates made it harder to grow crops, keep soil fertile, and irrigate effectively. These disasters culminated in the 1991 dust bowls and firestorms of the Midwest. By 1970, the previously profitable fruit-growing areas of California, Texas, and Florida were economic and environmental wastelands.

By the year 2000, large swathes of coastal America were underwater due to the destruction of the world’s weather and climate system from ABIS.

Demographics

Population

The last official census conducted in 1960 listed the official U.S. population at around 254,323,175 people. The U.S. population then plummeted post-Collapse by roughly 10,000,000 people between 1960-1970 if the death toll established by the MIC is correct. This equates to roughly 1/5 of the population dying in the span of a decade.

After the Collapse, society centralized for protection. Isolated rural towns were largely abandoned in a large migration to urban centers. The lack of protection and difficulty of acquiring food and medicine in the hinterlands has left large parts of America filled with ghost towns. As such, the vast majority of the population live in urban centers.

Religion

Some of the most popular religions in America include Islam (both Shia and Sunni) and Christianity. An Islamic mosque can be found in almost every major city, and is very popular among the urban poor. Christianity is divided into three major sects: a more liberal and relaxed Roman Catholic Church, Mormonism in the West, and Fundamentalist Christianity in the form of Evangelicalism in the southeast. A resurgence of Buddhism has also occurred in the West.

Family Structure

From 1960 to 2000, the number of Americans in a classic, two-parent nuclear family had gone from 60 to 2 percent. The deaths of 100 million during the Collapse meant that roughly every one in three of these deaths was a parent. Almost half the families were sole-parent families. With other socioeconomic factors in play this orphaned roughly thirty million children in eighteen months. Roughly ten million were unable to support themselves and died; another ten million died attempting to survive under martial law and the onslaught of feral Martian and Chimera hordes; the remaining ten million were set loose in society without the socialization skills of an adolescent amidst the violence and chaos, and many died.

By 2000, roughly eleven percent of the American population had grown up with no real family structure. This segment of the population also reproduced at twice the rate of other Americans.

Health

Several plagues, viral outbreaks, sky-high poverty rates, an alien invasion, and lack of affordable, quality healthcare have greatly impacted the average US life expectancy. Many individuals do not have health insurance, and virtually all hospitals are corporate-owned.

During the chaos of the 1960s, ADP, the Wasting Plague, urban civil war, and starvation killed millions of Americans. Nuclear radiation and volcanic ash has also impacted the livelihood of American citizens, from the 1962 nuclear exchange and Caldera Incident to the 1995 Nevadas nuclear spill that contaminated the Colorado river.

In 2005, the average life expectancy is 55 years of age. Due to the high rate of violence in the country, a majority of people are unable to live past 53 unless they are a part of the 1%.

Education

In 2005, a vast majority of states simply do not have a public education system. As a result, gang membership is at an all time high.

Any schooling in rural areas focuses on day-to-day survival rather than mathematics or higher education.

Government/corporate education is an alternative for those that cannot attend public schooling, and is fairly complete. However, it is known for producing very high stress levels and rates of suicide. Furthermore, individuals are subjected to behavior modification, loyalty testing, indoctrination and propaganda; and all curriculum is based on an individual's aptitudes.

American universities are notorious for being extremely expensive and having very long waiting lists. Since there is no common education system there is no common education theory. As a result, the process has fragmented. The most prolific school in the USA at the moment is the Promethean School of Science, or PSS-1, in the city state of Necropolis Metro.

One in six people in the NEC are chimeras, and less than a third of them are properly educated. There are no schools for them, but one “reform school” (Zone 6th Vocational) that’s more of a juvenile correctional facility than an actual education institution. Limited corporal punishment is used often, and the school has a very low graduation rate…if a child is even admitted at all. Thus the chimera population at large is extremely uneducated and typically illiterate, as well as socially, mentally, and emotionally challenged when it comes to society at large.

Government and Politics

Sometime in the 1960s in the mad scramble for order after the nuclear strikes and Yellowstone eruption, military government districts were declared, and military governors were named to oversee their districts. Each military governor was the leader of a military company, a collection of military units assigned to the same district. Pentagon planners grouped as many disparate units together as possible under the precept that every military control district should have the units necessary to handle any situation or emergency.

During this time individual states began to break away from the main body of the country. Local state governments were fed up with the ineffectual and dictatorial actions of the bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. as well as the exposed machinations of CHARON.

The workings of what was left of the United States Government were returned to civilian jurisdiction in 1980 after the signing of the Intersolar Protocol and much control over Earth was handed over to the Martian Kingdom.

The Borderland States came into existence in 1981, when Texas threatened secession from the Union during a row over states' rights and Martian rule. After Alaska jumped on board, the newly reformed Federal government acceded to the economic pressure against them and established the Borderland States; states which had a quasi-independent status and greater autonomy with respect to the United States government. As such, state and local laws can be in direct opposition to federal law. Texas was the first Borderland State in 1983, followed by California, Alaska, Florida and Las Nevadas (formerly the state of Nevada).

Unfortunately, Texas (along with most of the Southwest), California (with Oregon and Washington state), and Alaska (which was handed over to the USSR) were annexed by Mexico and the SNPA almost immediately after their secessions.

Economy

In 2005, American industry is primarily divided into the manufacturing, technology, and service industries. The manufacturing industry has returned due to the low standard of living in America along with the lack of labor unions. The cyberware, nanotech, and biological industries within the technological sector are the highest-profit businesses in the American economy.

The crash of the World Stock Exchange in 1953 and the troubles of the World Bank meant the United States had no one to borrow money from to pay off its extremely high national debt. Federal Bonds were cashed in so fast the U.S. Government could not print money fast enough, and the value of the dollar plummeted. It’s now one of the most unstable currencies in the world.

Post-Collapse America has a two-tiered economy and an extremely small and shrinking middle class. By 2000, the United States had one of the highest levels of income inequality in the world, with 90% of the wealth controlled by 10% of the population. These 10% make up the ultra-wealthy; 15% make up the middle class (30,000,000 people); 10% are on the poverty line; and 65% live in squalid misery and third-world conditions. This is in stark contrast to Africa and parts of Asia in which 40% of the population is considered middle-class.

By 2000, roughly 30% of all citizens were receiving some form of government assistance. The Collapse saw the end to all social programs in America, including but not limited to: Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamps, welfare, unemployment benefits, subsidies and price controls.

Infrastructure

American transportation is built around major metropolitan areas surrounded by relatively empty, deserted ghost towns and wilderness. The civil strife of the Collapse prevented any new revolutions in mass transit from taking place. There is very little non-direct mass transit. Completed in 1982 by the Martians, the Starline bullet train runs underground across the nation and connects coast to coast.

The extremely high cost of jet fuel means flights are largely regional, such as Necropolis to Maine. Longer flights, such as across the midwest, are much more dangerous and expensive due to the erratic radioactive weather patterns present- as such, most cross country flights are sub-orbital.

After the dust bowls and acid rains of the 1980s, the power industry was able to make a smooth transition from coal-fired generators to a hydrogen-fired refit; cutting costs and reducing environmental damage. Nuclear power was never capitalized upon due to public superstition resulting from the nuclear war.

Almost all groundwater in the US is virtually undrinkable. Desalination plants have been built up and down each coast, with the east coast having a couple offshore plants.

Culture

Food

70% of all food on the market is mash, a slang term for all manufactured foods of varying quality. Mash itself is also one of the almost twenty manufactured foods that make up the majority of the American diet. Developed by Pfaff Corp for the American relief effort in the Urban Civil War Period, mash provides a full day's supply of vitamin and mineral compounds, as well as a minimal amount of complete proteins. It features a fairly dry and grainy consistency similar to animal food.

Roughly 28% of foods are OMSCPs, or Organically Modified Single Cell Proteins; or, also, OMs. OM is a generic term for any food niche such as hamburger om, chicken om, broccoli om, cheese om; and generally looks like any other food product. OMs have also been genetically tailored to fit any of the thousands of vegetable protein foods available.

The remaining two percent of foods are considered "fresh, real foods" and are available to the average millionaire. Three percent of the population eats fresh foods more than once or twice a year, with some estimates as low as one percent. With the contamination of almost all fresh water in the United States, fresh foods are grown in sealed hydroponic gardens or imported; parts of China and the Soviet Republics are the new breadbasket of the world.

Almost all of the food consumed in 2005 is eaten out, and many apartments simply lack a kitchen. Most city streets are filled with vendors. Most vendors sell either handfoods or prepackaged meals, though occasionally a vendor may have a pot of fresh soup or noodles in broth. Real fresh foods are usually only available in very expensive restaurants.

In order to accommodate the exploding population of Martians and Chimera across the globe during the 70s and 80s, Pfaff Corp and Sanguine Pharmaceuticals teamed up to create a line of both synthetic and non-synthetic blood and meat foods; BloodJump! It’s in almost everything meat based on the market. Other synthetic meat foods also include Nail Chips (fried nails), Placenta Rings (fried placenta chips), Eye Pops (caramelized eyeballs), Lung Bread and Blood Lemonade! While fairing very well in the diets of aliens everywhere, for many, it’s not as good as the real thing, and there’s debate over whether or not the synthetic foods actually have any nutritional value for even the average Chimera.

Sports

During the collapse, professional sports died for over a decade. Violent blood sports became the norm amidst the chaos. The great stadiums of the pre-Collapse largely disappeared save for the Arrowhead complex in Kansas City; and the "golden age" of professional sports was considered over; with the last Olympic Games held in 1960.

International Soccer is the only sport followed globally, and with the death of nationalism, corporations took over sponsorship of teams. American football had regained popularity by 1995, and remains the most violent sanctioned sport in the country. Many old sports are still played, however usually in scattered and disconcerted states. Golf is still enjoyed by some corporate executives. Baseball is also played. While largely unpopular in America, baseball is the leading sport in Asia for young people.

Some areas of the world and the Borderland States sponsor prison-inmate gladiatorial contests, full-contact obstacle courses, martial arts death-duels, and other wargames. While technically illegal, this does not stop the market from supplying demand.

In Necropolis, public assassinations are considered a sport in their own right, but only the highest bounties are considered for live broadcast. It's also dependent upon how many assassins there are after high end targets, and who. The Order of Antumbra hosts these events.

Mass media

Mass media in America is privately-owned and operated by corporations. While libraries, databases, and universities offered free information pre-Collapse, information has since become a commodity. Governments and corporations pay other governments and corporations for use of their databases.

After the war in 1962 and the subsequent ‘Chimera outbreaks’ as well as an epidemic of ADP, there was a global lockdown on information, leading to the balkanization of the internet and the mass censoring of information. Most people in 2005 aren’t aware of what ‘memes’ are, and are largely ignorant of what the world was like before 1950.

The most common form of media is television.

Major Cities/Population Centers

Necropolis Metro / N.E.C. - Speculated 30 million persons

Despite many attempts by the US govt, Necropolis remains an autonomous city state separate from the rest of the country.

Necropolis is one of the newer urban metropolises that was founded and built in 1980, by Lupe Altena, by combining the entire former northeast megalopolis area.

Necropolis is considered a modern multicultural and thriving city state of the 21st Century, overrun by corporations, corruption, aliens, organized crime and gang violence. It has wide streets and dense urban skyscrapers which are homes to thousands of people. Cultural diversity can be found all over, however it has clear Asian and West African influence dominance. The Martian Kingdom effectively controls the city and protects its borders from outside interference through the giant UFO that constantly hovers above the city. However, local government is still under civilian/corporation/human control- Martians simply oversee and monitor everything.

In 2000, it was considered the most dangerous place to live in the DUSA, with crime being doubled than that anywhere else. Homeless population had risen by 200% in the 1990s. Gang violence is commonplace and government oppression is found throughout the Undercity Necropolis.

There are also 3 main stack tiers- the Dredge, the sewer system, the Necropolis Undercity, the city under the surface, and Necropolis proper, which is divided into Upper and Lower Necropolis. The surface is half abandoned and crime ridden, with many (debatable) well-off Necropolites living in the Undercity.

Necropolis proper is divided into 21 special municipal zones- Zone 1 being the most secure and central in terms of the NEC government, and Zone 21 being nigh uninhabitable (to the average human).

Zones 10-21 have the highest concentration of Chimera and Martian populations, while Zones 5-19 have the highest mutant population. Zones 1 and 2 have the highest android population.

Philadelphia, DUSA - 3 million persons

The so-called ‘new’ capital of the US, and central seat of what remains of the federal government. In reality, most of what constitutes the real power behind the government remains somewhere in the Rockies.

Las Nevadas - 7 million persons

An independent city-state much like Necropolis, Nevadas formed out of the ruins of the former city of Las Vegas. The city eventually spread outwards in the aftermath of ‘62 and with the help of superpowered organized crime, Las Nevadas eventually wrestled total control over the Hoover Dam and much of the Southwest.

#shattered earth #my writing #superglue

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coverageguru · 1 year

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Dental Health Insurance

Root canals are a common procedure used to repair and save damaged or infected teeth. Although they can be expensive, dental health insurance can help cover the cost of a root canal. In this article, we will explain the basics of root canal costs and how different types of insurance policies can help reduce your expenses.

Root Canal Cost Without Insurance

The average cost of a root canal varies depending on the type of tooth being treated. For front teeth, the procedure typically costs between $300-$1500, while bicuspids are slightly less expensive at around $250-$1300. Molars tend to be the priciest option, running anywhere from $400–3000 per tooth. Fortunately, with dental insurance and other types of coverage, you can significantly reduce your out-of-pocket expenses.

Root Canal Cost With Insurance

Many health and dental insurance policies provide coverage for root canals. Generally speaking, basic health insurance plans will cover 50–60% of the cost, while more comprehensive plans may cover up to 70–80%. Generally speaking, plans that offer higher monthly premiums or larger annual deductibles have more coverage for costly procedures like root canals. Additionally, some employers may offer supplemental coverage that also covers part or all of the cost of a root canal. It’s important to review your policy documents carefully before making a decision about whether or not to pursue treatment. Additionally, some insurers may offer discounts or special rates on root canal procedures. However, it is important to check with your insurer to understand what is covered and the available discounts that may be available.

With the most comprehensive dental insurance plans, it’s possible to greatly reduce the out-of-pocket cost of a root canal. According to Value Penguin, some employers offer the highest option of coverage which can bring a $1000 root canal down to as low as $300 or $500. These plans may come with larger monthly premiums — up to around $100-$150 per month depending on the employer.

#insurance policy #affordable health insurance in florida #affordable health insurance in california #affordable health insurance in texas #affordable health insurance

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rainofaugustsith · 2 years

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I am so tired of all these posts/tweets/comments telling people to "just move" from their red state. Or "just move" to some rural area if living in a city is too expensive. Sweet baby Jesus, just stop.

Moving takes money. A lot of money. And no, many if not most people don't have the money to just re-purchase all their furniture when they move, so they have to move their belongings. Shit, when I moved I was scraping together money to buy something decent looking at Ikea that took me several hours to assemble myself.

Some people don't have cars. Others can't drive so saying "just rent a car/truck" doesn't work. It will take money for them to get to the new state. If they are driving, add in gas, which isn't cheap right now.

Housing also costs money. And generally more in blue states than in red states. It's a pain in the ass and sometimes totally impossible for people to find affordable, safe housing. If you are disabled in any way now add in the challenge of finding accessible housing that is also safe and affordable. You'd be shocked by just how few houses and apartments have ramps/elevators to access all levels and common areas, doorways that can accommodate wheelchairs, etc. Let's also not forget that if you are renting you are often asked to come up with first month's rent, last month's rent and a deposit which means you might need three months of rent payments at once. Given the price of rents right now that could easily mean needing $4500 -$9000 of cash on hand at once. Plus some places charge application fees just to apply to rent an apartment. If you own property you have to sell it and then hope it's enough to cover the costs of renting/buying something in your new more expensive state.

People have community support in their existing neighborhoods that they may not have in a new state. You work and grandma watches your kids, and she's down the block in your red state community? Yeah, now move cross-country and you're paying hundreds a week for child care, which you likely don't have.

Health insurance. You have any kind of ongoing medical issue, and you take meds. Or your child or partner, who depend on your health insurance, do. Now you move to another state, lose your previous job, and your insurance is gone. Good luck paying the hundreds or thousands of dollars you need for your medication or treatments every month until your new insurance kicks in, if you were fortunate enough to find a job with comparable insurance. Or have thousands to pay on deductibles for a marketplace plan.

A lot of people are spending most of their income on housing and food and a majority of Americans do not even have $400 saved up for an emergency.

A lot of these states are not as red as they seem because they are gerrymandered and voter suppressed to hell and back. A lot of states it's been like 40% to 50% in elections meaning 40% of the entire state's voters that that voted, voted blue.

They may have very emotional and personal reasons for not wanting to be driven away from their home, too. People's homes and communities are important.

I'll be honest, there are red states I will not set foot in, if I can help it. I would not even change planes in Texas or Florida anymore because I don't feel safe being there and don't feel their laws would support me as a non-Christian disabled queer person. I fully understand and support people leaving if they feel it is no longer safe to be there. But the reality is that a lot of people can't afford to leave even if they feel unsafe to the core, so fucking stop acting like it's the answer. "You choose to stay in a red state?" Fuck. You.

So yeah, stop telling people in red states to move. Just. Fucking. Stop. Unless YOU are personally planning to financially bankroll their move and help them set up in your town.

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dontmeantobepoliticalbut · 1 year

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In November, millions of voters in red, blue and purple states voted on the future of our health care directly on the ballot. And Senator Warnock ran his re-election campaign and run-off on health care. Health care, and Warnock, won decisively.

Voters decided to expand Medicaid in South Dakota, meaning more than 40,000 low-income South Dakotans will finally have the health care they should have had years ago. More than 17 million Americans have gained health coverage as a result of Medicaid expansion, part of the Affordable Care Act that became optional as a result of a 2012 Supreme Court decision. Every time expansion of health care through Medicaid is on the ballot, health care wins.

In Arizona, the voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 209, the Predatory Debt Collection Act, with a whopping 72% approval. This measure will protect Arizonans from predatory debt collection, including families suffering from medical debt.

Voters in states as varied as Michigan, Vermont, California, Kentucky and Montana supported abortion rights. In Michigan, Vermont and California, voters approved ballot measure enshrining abortion rights into their state constitutions. In Kentucky and Montana, voters rejected initiatives to restrict access to reproductive health care.

And in Oregon, Measure 111 passed. Voters there made Oregon the first state in the nation to guarantee affordable health care as a constitutional right. Now the state legislature needs to deliver on it, perhaps by moving forward a state-based public health insurance option as Colorado, Nevada and Washington have done so far.

Senator Warnock just won re-election in Georgia as a champion for lower drug prices, as did candidates across the country last month such as Representative Susan Wild in Pennsylvania.

Health care was on the ballot across the country, and the results are clear: Americans want affordable, accessible health care.

This issue is personal for me, because I've been on the front lines fighting for my health care and for the health care of 135 million Americans with pre-existing conditions like me. I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in 2017. The day after my first chemotherapy treatment, Republicans in the U.S. House voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act – the insurance paying for the treatments I needed to survive. But health care voters fought to defend the Affordable Care Act from a Congress and President determined to repeal it. We won.

And in the past couple years, health care voters have finally seen progress from Congress: with the American Rescue Plan making health insurance more affordable than ever, and the Inflation Reduction Act lowering prescription drug costs for seniors and allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices at last. Yet already those gains are under attack.

Whether voting to expand health insurance through Medicaid, protect families from medical debt, preserve the right to reproductive freedom, or guarantee health care as a human right, Americans showed up and made their priorities known. Health care is a winning issue, no matter the state or political party of the voter.

Voters in South Dakota and elsewhere also demonstrated that state legislatures are blocking overwhelmingly popular legislation. It's time for Representatives in the remaining eleven hold-out states including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, to do their jobs. They must represent the interests of their constituents by finally expanding Medicaid so low income Americans in their states can get health care too.

It's also time for Congress to get on board and work to expand lower drug prices to all, instead of threatening to take away what gains on affordable prescription drugs we made through the Inflation Reduction Act.

And once again, we are reminded that the majority of Americans support affordable, legal and accessible abortion access. Abortion is health care. We must continue to advocate for reproductive freedom and show our elected officials that their restrictions on our bodies are unwarranted and unwelcome.

Our fight for affordable, accessible health care continues. There's so much more to do, from tackling prescription drug costs for the rest of us not on Medicare, to ensuring lower health insurance costs to ensure everyone can get access to care.

Voters want health care. Listen up, elected officials.

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