#Home Loan For Government employees

[inr-plus-apply-online-home-loan]

INR PLUS: Making Homeownership a Reality Housing| Loan for Government Employees

In a country where the dream of owning a home remains a top priority for many, government employees often find themselves in a unique position when it comes to securing housing loans. Recognizing the specific needs of this vital sector of society, INR PLUS has emerged as a leading service provider, dedicated to facilitating housing loan for government employees.

For those serving in governmental roles, stability and long-term security are often synonymous with their positions. However, when it comes to purchasing a home, the financial burden can sometimes seem insurmountable. This is where INR PLUS steps in, offering tailored home loan solutions that cater to the specialized requirements and circumstances of government employees.

One of the key advantages of INR PLUS is its deep understanding of the intricacies involved in providing housing loans to this particular demographic. With extensive experience in navigating the complexities of government regulations and employment structures, the organization is well-equipped to streamline the loan application process for its clients. This expertise not only ensures a higher rate of approval but also expedites the overall timeline from application to disbursement.

Moreover, INR PLUS recognizes the invaluable contribution that government employees make to society and the economy at large. As such, the organization is committed to offering competitive interest rates, flexible repayment options, and personalized financial solutions that align with the unique circumstances of each client. By prioritizing transparency, trust, and customer satisfaction, INR PLUS has earned a reputation as a dependable ally in the journey towards homeownership for government employees.

The benefits of availing a housing loan through INR PLUS extend beyond mere financial assistance. By partnering with a reputable and experienced service provider, government employees can access a wealth of resources and support to guide them through the homeownership process. From expert advice on property selection to assistance with legal formalities and documentation, INR PLUS offers a comprehensive suite of services aimed at making the transition to homeownership as smooth and stress-free as possible.

In a landscape where affordability and accessibility remain significant barriers to homeownership, INR PLUS stands out as a beacon of hope for government employees seeking to realize their dream of owning a home. By combining specialized expertise, personalized solutions, and a commitment to customer satisfaction, the organization empowers its clients to take the crucial step towards establishing a secure and stable future for themselves and their families.

In conclusion, with its dedicated focus on serving the housing loan needs of government employees, INR PLUS has emerged as a trusted partner in the journey towards homeownership. By offering tailored financial solutions, expert guidance, and unwavering support, the organization is paving the way for a brighter and more secure future for those who serve our nation diligently.

Contact us for more details:- https://www.inrplus.in/home-loan.php

sales@inrplus.in

Contact Number:- 9891751729 "Rainbow Fincorp 101, Vardhman Prakash Plaza Sector -20 Dwarka Near Hyundai Showroom. New Delhi-110075"

[inrplusloans]

Apply Home Loan in Private Employees and Government Employees | INR PLUS

Purchasing a home is a dream that many individuals strive to achieve. However, the soaring property prices often pose a significant obstacle to fulfilling this dream. To bridge the financial gap, home loans have become increasingly popular among both private employees and government employees, offering a feasible path towards homeownership. INR PLUS, a leading financial institution, understands the unique needs of these individuals and provides tailored solutions to fulfill their aspirations.

Private Employees: Private sector employees form a substantial part of the workforce in many countries. While some might assume that securing a home loan for private employees could be challenging, INR PLUS believes otherwise. The institution takes into account various factors, such as the applicant's income, credit history, and overall financial stability, to determine loan eligibility.

To apply for a home loan as a private employee, one needs to provide the necessary documents, including salary slips, bank statements, income tax returns, and identity proof, among others. Additionally, having a good credit score significantly enhances the chances of loan approval. INR PLUS offers competitive interest rates and flexible repayment options to ensure convenience for private employees.

Government Employees: Government employees often enjoy stability, regular income, and job security, making them reliable borrowers. Recognizing the importance of homeownership for this segment, INR PLUS extends attractive home loan schemes exclusively designed for government employees. These loans come with special benefits, including lower interest rates, relaxed eligibility criteria, and longer repayment tenures.

To apply for a home loan as a government employee, one must furnish the necessary documents, such as salary slips, bank statements, income tax returns, employment proof, and identity proofs, among others. INR PLUS streamlines the loan application process, making it hassle-free for government employees to fulfill their homeownership dreams.

Benefits of INR PLUS Home Loans: INR PLUS offers a multitude of benefits to both private and government sector employees seeking home loans. Some key advantages include:

1. Competitive interest rates: INR PLUS provides home loans at competitive interest rates, ensuring affordability for borrowers.

2. Flexible repayment options: The institution offers flexible repayment options, allowing borrowers to choose a tenure that suits their financial capabilities.

3. Speedy processing: INR PLUS understands the urgency of owning a home and strives to process home loan applications quickly and efficiently.

4. Extensive loan amount: Depending on the applicant's eligibility, INR PLUS provides substantial loan amounts, enabling borrowers to purchase their desired homes.

5. Special offers and discounts: INR PLUS frequently introduces exclusive offers and discounts for both private and government sector employees, making it easier for them to acquire their dream homes.

Conclusion: INR PLUS recognizes the importance of homeownership for private and government sector employees and aims to make this dream a reality. With competitive interest rates, flexible repayment options, and a streamlined application process, INR PLUS ensures that applying for a home loan becomes an accessible and convenient process. Whether you're a private employee or a government employee, INR PLUS is here to make your dream of owning a home a tangible reality.

For More Information

Visit: https://www.inrplus.in/ Contact: +91-9891751729 Mail At: sales@inrplus.in Rainbow Fincorp 101, Vardhman Prakash Plaza Sector -20 Dwarka Near Hyundai Showroom. New Delhi-110075

[applyloanagainstproperty]

Home Loan for Government Employees | Housing Loan - INR PLUS

Government employees frequently use house loans as a source of funding since they enable them to buy the homes of their dreams and benefit from a number of creditor benefits. But it might be difficult to know where to begin with so many possibilities.

[sensualnoiree]

1st House: The Helm This is where your spiritual energy and identity take the spotlight. The 1st House governs your appearance, personality, and vitality—the essence of how you project yourself to the world. It’s your steez, your approach to life, and the first impression you make on others. The 1st House is all about beginnings, the mask you may unknowingly wear, and how you come to know yourself on a deep authentic level. The captain of this ship is the ruling planet of the zodiac sign residing there.

2nd House: Gate of Hades Your values, self-esteem, and ability to attract wealth are all tied to the 2nd House. This is where your personal resources, possessions, and financial matters come into play. The foods you eat, your saving and spending habits, and your sense of self-worth are all part of this house. It’s where your style and material wealth are rooted, reflecting how you value yourself and what you own. This house represents how you sustain for yourself, how you support all that the first house needs of you to be who you are.

3rd House: Goddess The 3rd House is the domain of communication, early education, and the mind. It governs how you gather and process information, your intellect, and your interactions within your community. This house also encompasses your relationships with siblings, short travels, and technical skills. It’s the space where your to-do list and daily mental activities take shape.

4th House: Subterranean Deeply connected to your roots, the 4th House represents your home, heritage, and ancestry. It’s where your inner life and sense of security are nurtured, influenced by your upbringing and relationship with your parents—especially the mother. This house also relates to land, generational gifts, and knowledge passed down through the family. It’s a space of femininity and the feminine energies in your life. This is the lowest point of the birth chart and can be fairly private and personal-as opposed to the 10th house. It holds up the rest of the chart and is incredibly important in terms of learning about our sense of security/stability emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

5th House: Good Fortune Joy, creativity, and self-expression flourish in the 5th House. This is where you experience the pleasures of life—love affairs, children, art, and entertainment. It’s the house of flirtation, play, and drama, where your passions come to life. The 5th House also governs leisure activities, fertility, and the pursuit of happiness through creative endeavors. A sense of nostalgia lives here too.

6th House: Bad Fortune The 6th House deals with work, health, and daily routines. It’s the space of labor, servitude, and the duties that never seem to end. This house also governs how you care for your body, deal with illness and injury, and interact with employees or pets. It’s where the unexpected challenges in life arise, requiring your attention and resilience. Look here for understanding on what great works you may find yourself committing to.

7th House: Setting Place Relationships take center stage in the 7th House. This is where you finally begin to truly engage with others, forming long-term commitments, whether in marriage, partnerships, or friendships. It’s the house of open enemies, where you face the other in life. The 7th House also governs relaxation, romance, and the deep bonds that define your connections with others.

8th House: The Idle Place Death, transformation, and shared resources are key themes in the 8th House. It’s where you confront karma, contracts, and generational lessons. This house also deals with loans, debts, and the deep psyche—the mysteries and fears that lie beneath the surface. The 8th House is a place of soul material, where you explore the unseen and the unknown. Here, you face all consequences-positive & negative- of the 7th house and the relationships, contracts, and potential enemies made there. This is the house of others esteem of you, opposite of the 2nd.

9th House: House of God The 9th House is your portal to higher knowledge, philosophy, and spiritual exploration. It governs your worldview, ethics, and the pursuit of truth through study, travel, and discovery. This house is where you connect with religion, spirituality, and the higher mind, expanding your understanding of the world and your place in it.

10th House: House of Praxis Your public life, reputation, and career are shaped by the 10th House. It’s where you strive for honor, recognition, and achievements that define your legacy. This house also relates to your relationships with authority figures, particularly the father, and how you navigate the public sphere. The 10th House is where your goals, fame, and business acumen are realized. Sitting at the very top of the chart, like the sun at noon high in the sky, all can see you here.

11th House: Good Spirits In the 11th House, your hopes, dreams, and social networks come to life. This house governs your friendships, group affiliations, and the communities you belong to. It’s where you connect with humanity, receive sudden blessings, and find support in your aspirations. The 11th House is also associated with gifts, riches, and the imagination needed to dream big.

12th House: Bad Spirits The 12th House is a place of retreat, isolation, and self-undoing. It’s where you confront your inner shadows, secrets, and hidden enemies. This house governs institutions, mental health, and the need for solitude or seclusion. It’s also a space of psychological development, where you deal with endings, sickness, and the unseen forces that shape your life journey. This house is in a blind spot to the first house of Self and that is why we can be blind to the very things that reside here. Its not so much that these things seek out to destroy you but any area of your life your are deeply unaware of can come back and disorientate you from who you believe yourself to be.

follow for more astro insights like this and head on over to @quenysefields or my etsy --> sensualnoiree to grab my new astrology guidebook on reading your own natal chart :)

[justinspoliticalcorner]

AAMER MADHANI and ZEKE MILLER at AP:

WASHINGTON (AP) — Incoming senior Trump administration officials have begun questioning career civil servants who work on the White House National Security Council about who they voted for in the 2024 election, their political contributions and whether they have made social media posts that could be considered incriminating by President-elect Donald Trump’s team, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter. At least some of these nonpolitical employees have begun packing up their belongings since being asked about their loyalty to Trump — after they had earlier been given indications that they would be asked to stay on at the NSC in the new administration, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive personnel matters. Trump’s pick for national security adviser, Florida Rep. Mike Waltz, in recent days publicly signaled his intention to get rid of all nonpolitical appointees and career intelligence officials serving on the NSC by Inauguration Day to ensure the council is staffed with those who support Trump’s agenda. A wholesale removal of foreign policy and national security experts from the NSC on Day 1 of the new administration could deprive Trump’s team of considerable expertise and institutional knowledge at a time when the U.S. is grappling with difficult policy challenges in Ukraine, the Mideast and beyond. Such questioning could also make new policy experts brought in to the NSC less likely to speak up about policy differences and concerns. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday that he has not been told by Waltz or Trump transition team officials that the incoming team has conducted or planned on conducting such vetting. But Sullivan in recent days has made a robust case for the incoming Trump administration to hold over career government employees assigned to the NSC at least through the early going of the new administration. He called the career appointees “patriots” who have served “without fear or favor for both Democratic and Republican administrations. ”

[...] The NSC staff members being questioned about their loyalty are largely subject matter experts who have been loaned to the White House by federal agencies — the State Department, FBI and CIA, for example — for temporary duty that typically lasts one to two years. If removed from the NSC, they would be returned to their home agencies. Vetting of the civil servants began in the last week, the official said. Some of them have been questioned about their politics by Trump appointees who will serve as directors on the NSC and who had weeks earlier asked them to stick around. There are dozens of civil servants at the directorate level at the NSC who had anticipated remaining at the White House in the new administration. A second U.S. official told the AP that he was informed weeks ago by incoming Trump administration officials that they planned on raising questions with career appointees that work at the White House, including those at the NSC, about their political leanings. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly, however, had not yet been formally vetted.

[...] Trump, during his first term, was scarred when two career military officers detailed to the NSC became whistleblowers, raising their concerns about Trump’s 2019 call to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which the president sought an investigation of Biden and his son Hunter. That episode led to Trump’s first impeachment. Alexander Vindman was listening to the call in his role as an NSC official when he became alarmed at what he heard. He approached his twin brother, Eugene, who at the time was serving as an ethics lawyer at the NSC. Both Vindmans reported their concerns to superiors. Alexander Vindman said in a statement Friday that the Trump team’s approach to staffing the NSC “will have a chilling effect on senior policy staff across the government.” He added, “Talented professionals, wary of being dismissed for principled stances or offering objective advice, will either self-censor or forgo service altogether.” The two men were heralded by Democrats as patriots for speaking out and derided by Trump as insubordinate. Eugene Vindman in November was elected as a Democrat to represent Virginia’s 7th Congressional District.

The Trump campaign team is conducting an authoritarian purge of civil servants working at the National Security Council by letting only loyal Trumpists serve on the Council as part of the MAGA cult’s war on expertise.

See Also:

Raw Story: Security experts grilled on how they voted as major White House cull begins: insiders

The New Republic: Trump Appointee Has Unhinged Plan for Purging Government Workers

Daily Kos: Trump risks national security with loyalty test for civil servants

[quaranmine]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/09/22/us-braces-calamitous-costly-government-shutdown-eight-days/

Hey, just a heads up--

A (US) government shutdown is pretty imminent right now. They have until September 30 to pass any sort of budget to keep funding the government, but congress has been unable to come to any decisions or compromises. Typically what happens each year on Sept 30 is Congress will pass a continuing resolution (a temporary budget) to buy a month or two to keep arguing about it. This year, they haven't been able to pass even that. McCarthy has sent the House members home for the weekend already, which means they will have even less time next week to figure something out.

So, what happens during a government shutdown? Some parts of the government--deemed essential--will keep operating. Please be nice to these employees, because they will be working without pay. Fortunately a bill passed in 2019 means they are guaranteed to be paid at the end of the shutdown, but still. Thousands of other federal employees will be furloughed and not allowed to work. For hundreds of thousands of employees, they will struggle to pay bills.

What about everybody else, the public being served? Broadly speaking, tons of grants and projects and research and environmental reviews and loans and services will be halted and delayed. Most significantly though:

SSA will continue to issue retirement and disability checks, as well as Medicaid/Medicare benefits. There might be delays, especially in new signups.

FEMA will continue to offer disaster relief and aid, but may run out of funds if the shutdown continues.

Thousands of low income parents will lose access to Head Start programs and childcare programs.

FDA food safety inspections, as well as other safety inspections (including worker safety), may be delayed

Mail delivery continues, as the US Postal Service is independently funded.

Food stamps, housing vouchers, and college financial aid may lapse if the shutdown lasts beyond October. The longest shutdown in US history was in 2018, for 35 days. This one is probably unlikely to be that long, but if it is, people may lose access to these programs.

WIC will only be able to operate for a few days after the shutdown, leaving millions of pregnant people, infants, and children at risk of going hungry.

Weather forcasting, air traffic control, TSA, etc will continue (though the employees won't be paid)

Hopefully a shutdown will be averted, but it's far more likely this year than other years. If you are in a position to be affected by a lapse in government services, I would recommend keeping up with the news so that it doesn't hit you as a surprise. Ultimately I can make no real predictions for how it will turn out or which things will be affected, but I hope this helps.

[misfitwashere]

Musk’s dangerous bullying

ROBERT REICH

DEC 2

Friends,

No one better illustrates the sinister consequences of great wealth turned into unaccountable power than Elon Musk. 

Musk, the richest person in the world, is not only claiming presidential authority to fire federal workers, but he’s posting the identities of those whose jobs he wants to eliminate — with the clear intention that his followers harass and threaten them so they quit. 

Musk is utterly unaccountable. He has never been elected to anything, but he spent $120 million helping Trump become the president-elect and is now acting as if he’s Trump’s co-president, calling himself Trump’s “First Buddy.”

After buying Twitter for $44 billion, Musk turned it into a cesspool of disinformation and conspiracy theories and manipulated its algorithm to give himself 205 million followers, to whom he is now distributing treacherous lies. 

In recent days, Musk boosted posts on his website singling out the names and job titles of four federal employees working in climate policy and regulation who have done nothing other than hold titles Musk dislikes. All four targets are women. 

In one instance, Musk quote-tweeted a post highlighting the role of 37-year-old Ashley Thomas, a little-known director of climate diversification at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation. 

Musk’s repost — “So many fake jobs” — garnered 32 million views, triggering a tsunami of taunts against Thomas, such as, “Sorry Ashley Thomas Gravy Train is Over” and “A tough way for Ashley Thomas to find out she’s losing her job.”

Musk apparently took the word “diversification” in Thomas’s title to mean the “D” in “DEI,” which Musk considers “woke.” 

Thomas (who holds degrees in engineering, business, and water science from Oxford and MIT) is focused on climate diversification to protect agriculture and infrastructure from extreme weather events.

Following Musk’s tweet, Thomas shut down several of her social media accounts. 

In another repost, Musk mocked Alexis Pelosi, a relative of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who works as a senior adviser to climate change at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“Nancy Pelosi’s niece should not be paid $181,648.00 by the U.S. Taxpayer to be the ‘Climate Advisor’ at HUD,” the original account wrote. “But maybe her advice is amazing 🤣🤣” Musk snarked. 

Musk also singled out the chief climate officer in the Department of Energy’s loan programs office and shared the name of an employee serving as senior adviser on environmental justice and climate change at the Department of Health and Human Services.

IMHO, Musk’s targets should sue him for defamation. 

This is hardly the first time Musk has targeted specific people, and he obviously knows how dangerous such targeting can be. 

After taking over Twitter in 2022, Musk targeted Yoel Roth, the platform’s former head of trust and safety, who had recently left the company. Musk tweeted, incorrectly, that it looked like Roth had argued “in favor of children being able to access adult Internet services.” Some platform users interpreted this as Musk calling Roth a pedophile, and they posted calls for Roth’s death. 

Roth moved out of his house because of the threats. 

Musk has also singled out specific civil servants. In 2021, he targeted Missy Cummings, a former fighter pilot and senior adviser at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, whom Musk claimed was “extremely biased against Tesla” because she questioned the safety of Tesla’s advanced driver-assistance system. 

Cummings said she received death threats and was forced to leave her home as a result of Musk’s posts.

Musk’s current targeting is even more dangerous because he has the apparent authority of the president-elect. Although the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” that Musk is co-heading (with Vivek Ramaswamy) isn’t a real department and has not been authorized by Congress, Musk is acting as if it’s real. 

Cummings says Musk’s personal intimidation is already leading some longtime federal employees to leave their jobs: “He intended for them, for people just like this, to be intimidated and just go ahead and quit so he didn’t have to fire them. So his plan, to some extent, is working.”

**

I worked in the federal government between 1974 and 1980, first at the Federal Trade Commission and then at the Justice Department, and from 1993 to 1997 I served as secretary of labor. 

Most of the federal employees I came to know cared deeply about the common good. The vast majority did their work carefully and thoughtfully. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude. 

But ever since Richard Nixon attacked “unelected bureaucrats” as America’s enemy and Ronald Reagan blamed “liberal bureaucrats” for government’s failings, government employees have been scapegoated. And now Trump is preparing to attack the so-called “deep state.”

In fact, America spends less each year on the federal government’s civilian workforce (roughly $200 billion) than we spend annually on federal contractors ($750 billion). 

Much of the “fat” is found in these private, for-profit contractors, who aren’t accountable to anyone except the office that draws up the contracts. 

The biggest waste is in the Defense Department, where many contractors have avoided competitive bidding because they have a monopoly over critical technologies. 

Which brings me back to Musk, whose businesses are fast becoming among the government’s largest contract monopolists. According to USASpending.gov (the government database that tracks federal spending), Musk’s SpaceX and his Starlink satellite division have signed contracts totaling nearly $20 billion. 

I don’t know how much waste and inefficiency are to be found in Musk’s government contracts because I haven’t been able to find any reports on them — which is precisely the problem. 

While Musk seeks to intimidate federal civil servants whose job titles he dislikes, forcing some to leave government because his postings have elicited threats to their lives, Musk is distracting attention from himself and his own profitable dips into the taxpayer trough. 

I invite any of you with an inclination to root out waste and inefficiency to find out what you can about any likely abuses in Musk’s government contracts, and let us know what you come up with.

[mariacallous]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Incoming senior Trump administration officials have begun questioning career civil servants who work on the White House National Security Council about who they voted for in the 2024 election, their political contributions and whether they have made social media posts that could be considered incriminating by President-elect Donald Trump’s team, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter.

At least some of these nonpolitical employees have begun packing up their belongings since being asked about their loyalty to Trump — after they had earlier been given indications that they would be asked to stay on at the NSC in the new administration, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive personnel matters.

Trump’s pick for national security adviser, Florida Rep. Mike Waltz, in recent days publicly signaled his intention to get rid of all nonpolitical appointees and career intelligence officials serving on the NSC by Inauguration Day to ensure the council is staffed with those who support Trump’s agenda.

A wholesale removal of foreign policy and national security experts from the NSC on Day 1 of the new administration could deprive Trump’s team of considerable expertise and institutional knowledge at a time when the U.S. is grappling with difficult policy challenges in Ukraine, the Mideast and beyond. Such questioning could also make new policy experts brought in to the NSC less likely to speak up about policy differences and concerns.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan is making a robust case for the incoming Trump administration to hold over career government employees assigned to the NSC at least through the early going of the new administration.

“Given everything going on in the world, making sure you have in place a team that is up to speed, and, you know, ready to continue serving at 12:01, 12:02, 12:03 p.m. on the 20th is really important,” Sullivan said on Friday.

The NSC staff members being questioned about their loyalty are largely subject matter experts who have been loaned to the White House by federal agencies — the State Department, FBI and CIA, for example — for temporary duty that typically lasts one to two years. If removed from the NSC, they would be returned to their home agencies.

Vetting of the civil servants began in the last week, the official said. Some of them have been questioned about their politics by Trump appointees who will serve as directors on the NSC and who had weeks earlier asked them to stick around. There are dozens of civil servants at the directorate level at the NSC who had anticipated remaining at the White House in the new administration.

A second U.S. official told the AP that he was informed weeks ago by incoming Trump administration officials that they planned on raising questions with career appointees that work at the White House, including those at the NSC, about their political leanings. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly, however, had not yet been formally vetted.

Waltz told Breitbart News last week that “everybody is going to resign at 12:01 on January 20.” He added that he wanted the NSC to be staffed by personnel who are “100 percent aligned with the president’s agenda.”

“We’re working through our process to get everybody their clearances and through the transition process now,” Waltz said. “Our folks know who we want out in the agencies, we’re putting those requests in, and in terms of the detailees they’re all going to go back.”

A Trump transition official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters, said the incoming administration felt it was “entirely appropriate” to seek officials who share the incoming president’s vision and would be focused on common goals.

The NSC was launched as an arm of the White House during the Truman administration, tasked with advising and assisting the president on national security and foreign policy and coordinating among various government agencies. It is common for experts detailed to the NSC to carry over from one administration to the next, even when the White House changes parties.

Sullivan said he had not spoken to Waltz about the staffing matter, and said it was “up to the next national security adviser to decide how they want to play things. All I can say is how we did it and what I thought worked.”

“When they are selected to come over, they’re not selected based on their political affiliation or their policy opinions, they’re selected based on their experience and capacity and so we have a real diversity of people in terms of their views, their politics, their backgrounds,” Sullivan said of those assigned to the NSC. “The common element of all of it is we get the best of the best here” from agencies including the State Department, the intelligence community, the Pentagon and the Homeland Security and Treasury departments.

Sullivan noted when Biden took office in 2021, he inherited most of his NSC staff from the outgoing Trump administration.

“Those folks were awesome,” Sullivan said. “They were really good.”

Trump, during his first term, was scarred when two career military officers detailed to the NSC became whistleblowers, raising their concerns about Trump’s 2019 call to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which the president sought an investigation of Biden and his son Hunter. That episode led to Trump’s first impeachment.

Alexander Vindman was listening to the call in his role as an NSC official when he became alarmed at what he heard. He approached his twin brother, Eugene, who at the time was serving as an ethics lawyer at the NSC. Both Vindmans reported their concerns to superiors.

Alexander Vindman said in a statement Friday that the Trump team’s approach to staffing the NSC “will have a chilling effect on senior policy staff across the government.”

He added, “Talented professionals, wary of being dismissed for principled stances or offering objective advice, will either self-censor or forgo service altogether.”

The two men were heralded by Democrats as patriots for speaking out and derided by Trump as insubordinate. Eugene Vindman in November was elected as a Democrat to represent Virginia’s 7th Congressional District.

[script-a-world]

Submitted via Google Form:

Is it possible for a country to not have any private road vehicles unless you belong to government (but then they are still government vehicles loaned to government employees even if you're allowed a certain amount of private use as a perk)? There is a massive network of public transportation everywhere so there is little need of private vehicles. Also taxis are only run by the government and not private companies. Also how much would this help at with congestion on the road/gas prices?

Tex: I would hesitate to create a social hierarchy that depends on official permission to own and/or operate certain things that will likely end up being perceived as luxury goods, as historically it doesn’t end up well for the people with the special permissions. This seems like an attempt to solve a perceived problem by creating an incidental environment that will engender a culture of nepotism and corruption. This is a debate that has been going on in the real world for many, many years, and one of the products of this is alternative energy sources and incentivizing everyone (and I do mean everyone) into using public transportation more often. A government, as a general rule, likes to advertise their cost-cutting measures because it makes them look good and ensures fewer people are upset with them, so it seems politically more feasible to invest in public infrastructure for public transportation and give government employees stipends/bus passes/etc than designating them special permission to be the only ones to drive a personal vehicle.

Addy: Your world is set up such that only government employees (and maybe buses and taxis) have road privileges. What kind of city infrastructure will develop with those restrictions?

Public transit (of various forms) is only economically feasible if you have a high enough population density that people can walk to and from your public transit in a reasonable timeframe without having an absurd number of stops. That means that you'll have a moderate-to-high population density - think of the rows of townhouses you see on BBC. When you have a moderate-to-high population density, you also (generally, following natural development patterns) get a higher density of shops*. If you have shops close by, you can reach them by walking, without needing to use public transit at all. Following this chain of logic, when you have shops interspersed with residential homes, most everyday needs are fairly accessible by walking.

* Say a brand wants to have 5000 people in the region for each store. If you have 100 people per square mile, that means you have one store per 50 square miles. If you have 1000 people per square mile, you have one store per 5 square miles. If you have 5000 people per square mile, you can have one store per square mile.

So you've got walking (or wheelchair, etc) for most travel, and then buses/trains/subways/etc for going longer distances. Most people don't have access to cars, so your infrastructure is going to be based around foot travel. If you're a government employee, will a car really be a benefit to you? It'd be convenient for going between different cities and the like, but I imagine that it wouldn't be very efficient for traveling around town. Why does a foot-travel-based town need parking lots?

It doesn't.

Motorcycles and pickups could be useful in rural areas (hauling around animal feed and the like), but those aren't being used on public roads, so the restrictions wouldn't apply there.

For congestion… you design your roads based on the amount of traffic you see. If you don't have traffic, why would you have congestion? I'd recommend looking into light rail systems. England, Germany, Austria, etc – light rail is pretty useful.

For roads… I imagine them being similar to fire lanes and emergency access roads. Firetrucks need to be able to get anywhere in a reasonably fast manner, after all. Same for ambulances and police vehicles and whatever else might apply in your world (something something hospital helicopters). If you have buses, then you'll also have some kind of infrastructure for that. You'll also have some form of transportation for people traveling between cities (could be rail, could be road, depending on the purpose. Think of semi trucks, for example).

Gasoline. That's a bit trickier. What are petroleum products being used for in this country? How developed is the petrochemical industry? Supply and demand, yes, but you also get issues of economies of scale.

I'd really recommend looking at pre-car societies and their layouts. Also light rail and the history of petroleum (also Standard Oil). But to answer your question: congestion would be miniscule and gasoline would be a little complicated but probably doable.

Licorice: Is it possible? Yes, it’s perfectly possible. There are several islands around the world which have banned cars. One, which I have visited, is Hydra is Greece. Public transport is mostly conducted by mules and donkeys. Another is the channel island of Sark. 

A society in which only government employees are allowed to use cars would be an oppressive society, an  us-and-them society. It also begs the question of who counts as a government employee? Nurses and doctors? Train drivers? And why would most of them need a car?

If you want this imaginary society to be a utopia rather than a dystopia, you could allow private car ownership on a need basis. Emergency services workers need cars. Public transport drivers need cars, unless the public transport runs round the clock. Farms may sometimes need cars. For some disabled people and their carers, a car can transform their quality of life. So perhaps it is these people who should be granted a licence to own a car, rather than civil servants? 

Presumably people without cars will still be allowed to own bicycles, motorbikes, electric bicycles, scooters, segways, and other personal motorised methods of getting about. You’re going to need a good road infrastructure for these things and for the public buses and trams. 

If your country is self-sufficient in oil and gas, drastically reducing the number of cars on the road might have a local impact on gas prices. If it imports gas, then it may have less effect. Here’s an NPR article on how the price of gas is determined.

But remember, gas is used for many purposes beside driving cars, so a rise or fall in demand from private car owners may not have the impact on gas prices that one might expect. 

[siderealmaven]

Houses in Sidereal Astrology

The most important part of astrology is the planets and the second most important thing is the houses. The houses in a chart show you where the planets are, what they’re doing, and who they’re doing it with. They provide the context for the story being told by the planets and ground them in reality. Without an exact time to indicate the rising sign of a chart, knowing the houses is impossible.

House significations can change depending on the branch of astrology you’re engaging with, such as mundane, natal or horary, or the zodiac being used such as sidereal or tropical. And of course, each astrologer is going to have their own tried and true preferences that they swear by.

Here’s mine.

(Originally published on Sidereal Maven's Patreon Page as a free post.)

1st House

The Self + Personality, outer appearance of the body, things that happen to you + actions that you take, changes made to your appearance such as: hair cuts, body modifications, surgery and injuries. Personal style can also be found here, such as the types of clothes you wear and how you like to present yourself to others.

2nd House

Food, money, and personal possessions. Your income, how you create it, and who you create it with. Your food, what you eat, how you eat it, and who you eat it with. Your sense of self esteem and personal values can also be found in this house, as we live in a capitalistic society that ties personal possessions and income to our individual worth and value.

3rd House

Siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents and close family friends. Family gatherings, parties and reunions. Primary school, classmates, and neighbors. Your daily commute to work or around your local area. Day trips and short distance travel. Reading, writing, and studying. Social media, radio, podcasts, and self publishing. Private spiritual practice that is engaged with alone or within the home with family members.

4th House

Your parents, their home, and/or your childhood home. More specifically your father(s), father figures, and your paternal line. Your physical residence, the land you live on, agriculture, farming, gardening and real estate. Ancestral lands and ancestral parents, as well as your relationship to them. Family secrets, stories and heirlooms. Your private life. Your own relationship to being a parent if you are one, could be found here.

5th House

Children, childhood, and your inner child. The creative projects that you give birth to and nurture into existence. Your romantic partners and lovers, the dates you go on and the things you do together. Sex, sexual health, and baby making. You’ll also find cooking, fitness, sports, and physical activities. Creative hobbies such as art, theater, music, dance, etc. This house can also represent your father’s money + income and how it affected you growing up.

6th House

Job description and work environment. Your coworkers and/or employees that you hire. This could also be creative projects that you consider to be work and self employment. Service oriented work such as; medicine, public service jobs, community service and taking care of ill family members. Pets, veterinarians, and animal related work. Your physical health, illnesses, diagnosis, and treatment is also found here, along with your daily routines of care.

7th House

Partnerships, such as business partners, spouses, and co-parents. Courtrooms, litigation and legal battles. Lawyers, Doctors, Therapists, Astrologers and other professionals that you consult for advice. Rivals and competitors. Open enemies and people/groups/ideologies you find yourself in conflict with.

8th House

Shared finances and resources, especially those you share living spaces or financial responsibilities with. Inter-generational and communal living. Gifts, inheritance, loans, investors, debts and taxes. Death, loss, major life changes and initiations into new ways of being. Mediums and spiritualists.

9th House

Institutions of power such as governments, universities, and religious organizations. Government jobs, leaders, and organizers. Judges, diplomats and ambassadors. Higher education and learning, mass media, journalism, film, and traditional publishing (newspapers, magazines, and books.) Religious leaders, organizers, buildings, and sacred sites. Far distance travel and exploration. Oracles, divination, psychics, astrology, palm reading, etc.

10th House

Public status and reputation, the way you are seen and known by the outer world. Public Personas and your public life. Your mother(s), mother figures and maternal line. Authority figures, bosses, supervisors, and people who hold power over you + your relationship to them. Promotions and scandals.

11th House

Mentors, teachers, guides and helpful friends. Unions, nonprofits, and communities that you are a part of and participate in. Industry partners and allies. Sororities + Fraternities. Students, apprentices, step-children and other people’s children. Child support and custody. Your mother’s money + income and how it affected you growing up. Audiences + fans.

12th House

Foreign or unfamiliar places, cultures, and people. International travel. Immigrants and immigration. Remote work or work from home jobs. New experiences that take you out of your comfort zone. Solo spiritual exploration and experiences. Solitude and isolation. Hospitals, rehab, jail and prisons. Monasteries, convents, or other isolated religious groups. Estrangement + estranged family members.

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[beardedmrbean]

SACRAMENTO, California — California's public university campuses will not be opening campus jobs to undocumented students after Gov. Gavin Newsom rejected legislation to create such a mandate.

The Sunday veto avoids legal and political risks as it crushes the hopes of immigrant rights activists who have suffered a string of defeats this year.

The Democratic governor in his veto message said immigrant students' access to higher education opportunities is "important for local communities and California's economy," but he warned of legal risks.

“Given the gravity of the potential consequences of this bill, which include potential criminal and civil liability for state employees, it is critical that the courts address the legality of such a policy and the novel legal theory behind this legislation before proceeding,” Newsom wrote in his veto message.

Newsom has previously supported services and rights for undocumented Californians, including the expansion of the state’s health insurance system to include all eligible undocumented residents.

But he has now vetoed two proposals in short succession, including legislation that would have opened up state-supported home loans to undocumented people, as former President Donald Trump hits Vice President Kamala Harris over progressive California policies and immigration on the campaign trail.

The governor’s decision means thousands of students will continue to seek under-the-table pay at off campus jobs, compete for paid fellowships or forego income altogether as they complete their coursework. Undocumented students in California receive financial aid but many have been unable to work on campus since a federal judge closed applications for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in 2021.

“The federal government has failed Dreamers and failed on immigration reform,” Democratic Assemblymember David Alvarez, author of the bill, said in a statement after state lawmakers passed his legislation.

Progressive legal scholars and student activists last year sought to ease those restrictions at the University of California system, host to prestigious campuses including UC Berkeley and UCLA. They argued a federal law banning employment of undocumented people does not apply to state governments such as public universities.

University leaders questioned that untested legal theory and decided against allowing campuses to hire the students — at least until after the election. They publicly cited legal risks to employers and students, but officials also told POLITICO the Biden administration had privately pressured them not to proceed at a time when the president’s reelection campaign was taking hits over the border. The UC’s governing board members — many of them Newsom appointees — ultimately postponed discussion of the idea until January of 2025.

Democratic state lawmakers attempted to override the decision, introducing legislation a month later that in its final form sought to require the University of California, California State University and California Community Colleges to offer jobs to undocumented students. It was unclear, however, whether Assembly Bill 2586 would have applied to the UC, which has constitutional autonomy from the Legislature.

UC leadership had also considered seeking declaratory relief on the issue, essentially asking a court whether the system could hire the students before proceeding. That step was unpopular with activists who worried that option would prevent students from ever being hired, but Newsom in his veto message again floated having the UC go that route.

"Seeking declaratory relief in court — an option available to the University of California — would provide such clarity," he said of the legal ambiguity surrounding the issue.

University leaders never formally opposed the legislation, but their lobbyists warned legislators that it could expose their systems to lawsuits and make undocumented students and the people hiring them vulnerable to criminal prosecution.

“Unfortunately, AB 2586 does not protect our undocumented students or employees from prosecution, nor does it protect the University from the risk of potentially losing billions in federal dollars,” UC Legislative Director Mario Guerrero wrote in a letter to the state Senate Appropriations Committee in July. He added, “We would welcome working with the author and Legislature on other legal options to support these students.”

[libraryofcirclaria]

The 1301 Crisis

Library of Circlaria

Blog Posts

Map of Remikra, 1264-1308

Article Written: 3 October 1452

1301-02

The economy, up to this point, was prosperous in the Early Retunian Republic, having fully recovered from the 1290 downturn. This recovery was the result of Prime Minister John Waltmann's economic reform measures, renewed prospects of deep-trade reform, and the expansion of the lightfire industry in Ancondria.

However, this economy was more vulnerable than ever, for about 90 percent of it was financed by loans from the Big Five Banks in Hasphitat. Numerous businesses and even privately-owned estates were either paying operation costs with these loans, or were profitable enough to do so without the loans and were now paying those loans back. Many individuals had also taken loans out, primarily for paying rent, which had become unaffordable for many entry-level workers without some form of financial assistance.

Upon receiving critical testimony from foreign powers regarding the outlook of lightfire investments in Ancondria, the Big Five Banks decided to invoke a clause from the 1276 Resolution and liquidate all loans previously made to businesses invested in the field. This happened in June 1301 and led to the shuttering of many businesses as a result of defaults. This also led to a dramatic fall in the stock and tradestone markets, leading other businesses to either shutter or pare down on operation and labor costs. The resulting mass-layoffs left people unable to pay back loans or rent, causing them to lose homes and property. The resulting explosion in poverty led businesses to lose large numbers of clients, and were also forced to shutter, laying off even more employees and worsening the cycle.

This economic collapse also had an impact on privately-owned estates, many of which were startups and were paying back bank loans. When loan liquidation failed to yield as much payback as needed, the banks faced financial pressure to liquidate estate loans. When the estates defaulted, the banks liquidated their properties, evicting landlords and tenants. This meant that many tenants were evicted even if they paid their rent faithfully.

Such loan liquidation and stock collapses occurred in the midst of the Big Five Banks contracting, which forced the branch banks to fend for themselves when it came to providing cash for those requesting to withdraw their savings. But mass panic ensued, and many people flooded the banks to attempt to withdraw their savings, which led the branch banks to run out of funds and eventually shutter.

In the beginning of 1302, in the midst of this chaos, Prime Minister Waltmann enacted a measure provided by the Remikran Union to build emergency housing to house those who were suddenly left homeless. This addressed the homeless crisis but the living units were basic, lacked comfort, and were often dangerous. In fact, there are many accounts of walls and ceilings collapsing as well as structural fires.

Mervin Teller, a Provincial Domain Governor General having served under former Prime Minister Jackson, announced his run for the Prime Minister election of 1302, blaming Prime Minister Waltmann for "mismanagement" in the midst of the economic crisis. Teller presented an agenda to re-invest in international trade to create jobs, a seemingly appealing plan. However, it was later in his campaign when Teller stated that he would end the emergency housing program in order to re-balance the government budget, prompting backlash from the population and causing him to lose the election to Waltmann.

1303-06

Through negotiations, Waltmann convinced bank leaders in the summer of 1303 to make cautious investments in the market surrounding Ancondria, and enacted stimulus measures to re-establish businesses. This had relative success, and it appeared the economy was en route to recovery.

In February 1304, however, the Linbraean Royal Trust made negative testimony against Ancondrian investors from Middle Remikra and withdrew an essential credit line, which sent the Middle Remikran markets crashing again. In the summer of 1304, Waltmann, again through negotiations, convinced the Five Big Banks to make cautious re-investments in Ancondria, as the embassy and Retunian territories in Ancondria were formally established along with an emerging market in the Ancondrian city of Silba. The economy re-stabilized as a result, but then crashed again in the beginning of 1305 amid fears stemming from international intervention involving the Great Northern Duchy of Ecnedivelc. However, trade in Ancondria continued to grow, and the economy re-stabilized beginning in 1306. With the promise of growth in the future, businesses in the mainland of Middle Remikra re-emerged while unemployment was at its lowest rate since the 1301 Crisis began.

1307-09

And then came the crash of 1307. Precipitated by a fallout in the Ancondrian trade market, it was the largest market crash since the beginning of the 1301 Crisis and erased the progress made in 1306. Again, people were unemployed as more of them were forced into emergency housing. Protests broke out in the cities while Prime Minister Waltmann encountered stiff resistance from the banks during negotiations.

Walter Scott Mason, President of the Rotary Legion of North Kempton, announced his run for Prime Minister in 1306 for the 1308 election, running as a candidate for the Diplomatic Party. Initially, his wild rhetoric in evangelism and ultra-nationalism made him the least popular Diplomatic Party candidate, as he seemed to stand no chance against the leading Diplomatic Party candidate: Woodward Madden, the incumbent governor of Gymia. However, when the 1307 crash happened, Mason began preaching to numerous crowds that Waltmann was enacting policies to favor the Holz Finzi Darkfire Community and award them economic privileges over everyone else. This claim turned out to be false; nonetheless, a large majority of the conservative Retunian population, desperate for answers, immediately turned their support toward Mason. And thus, Mason won the Diplomatic Party primary election in September of 1307. And loyal Rotary Chapters across the Republic united to form the "Knights of the Common Good," or the KCG, under Mason's leadership.

Meanwhile, another significant portion of the population turned their support toward Holz Finzi, who had, up to this point, been regarded with fear for his power in darkfire practice. However, emerging studies at the time had shown darkfire to have practical benefits needed for the present economic situation. Furthermore, accounts came to light detailing those either deeply involved in darkfire or having innate darkfire conjuration tendencies being subject to measures of harsh oppression during the Early Republic. This bolstered support for darkfire legalization, which almost came to fruition in 1308.

Despite sharing a common interest for a better economic future, Finzi supporters and Mason supporters were fiercely opposed to each other to the point of violence. When he lost to Waltmann in the controversial 1308 election, Mason continued his campaign, refusing to concede and continuing to rally his supporters. He was about to host a meeting in the Chemkan city of Tandowyn that November when he was assassinated. KCG leaders blamed the assassination on Finzi and his supporters, and launched a nationwide act of vengeful violence against the Finzi Darkfire Community, bringing the Early Republic very close to a civil war.

And thus, in the beginning of 1309, it was Prime Minister Waltmann serving as the only force preventing the two dueling nationwide political factions from engaging in an all-out conflict. In September 1309, Waltmann gestured for the Banks to engage in a possible deep-trade opportunity in Ancondria. However, that opportunity proved false and sent the Retunian markets crashing again; and this time, for the first time in history, the Retunian government declared bankruptcy. This prompted nationwide protests while Waltmann got involved in a scuffle with his appointed Governor General, William Irving, who pulled out a pistol and shot Waltmann dead. The Retunian government moved to instill Marshall Noland as the Interim Prime Minister, but at a critical moment, the officiation was interrupted by a missile shot by the KCG, forcing the government of the Early Republic to cease functions.

And so began the 1309 Revolution, over which Finzi and his supporters would ultimately prevail on 7 September 1309. The KCG and their allies fled to Gymia, which had declared autonomy from what would become the Independent Commonwealth State of Retun. The former Gymian territory became the Reformed Federal Estates of Retun and would declare a war on the Commonwealth in 1311, but would lose to the Commonwealth the following year. Meanwhile, Finzi and the Commonwealth government enacted sweeping policies that eradicated the financial economic woes of the 1301 Crisis.

[k8ld]

I have paid off my student loans.

First began taking them out in 2012 and graduated college in the summer of 2016.

Started paying them when I immediately began college, with monthly interest payments.

I worked almost 40 hours a week as a full time student, maintained a GPA above 3.0 and had an active social life. I went to a college in state, chosen because it was the cheapest of the four I was accepted to, and commuted everyday.

When I graduated college, my monthly payments were around $500-$600 a month. I was working in the same restaurant job I had during college for the next 4 years while desperately seeking a full time position.

In 2017 my grandfather passed away and I received some money which was all put toward getting rid of the loans with the higher interest rates I had been paying since I was 18 years old. This was absolutely a privilege, and I was still left with about $30,000 (?) in federal loans.

In June of 2018 I owed 26,320. In 2020 I finally got a full time job. Covid happens, monthly payments were frozen, a gift honestly. I started saving up my monthly payments and then paying off individual loans in large chunks. I have applied for PSLF as a government employee and was still about 80 qualifying payments shy of forgiveness when I made the decision to just get rid of it all.

I paid the last individual loan a few days ago.

This timeline may not seem that impressive but to me it is.

I’ve never traveled, I’ve never left the country, I didn’t do spring break vacations, I couldn’t afford to move out of my parents home until I was 28. I stayed at jobs I absolutely hated and drove cars until they couldn’t be driven anymore. I had panic attacks from the fear of never getting out of the debt. I remember breaking down on the basement steps of my parents home after coming home from work at 11pm because I was just burnt out from the worrying and anxiety, I was 22. I use to make the joke that if I died, yeah I’d be dead, but at least my loans would be gone.

My story isn’t special or unique, it’s not particularly heart wrenching or moving anyone to tears but I know somewhere out there, there are other 21 year olds suddenly finding themselves in this situation. It’s a feeling worse than drowning. It can make you question everything and wonder if it was all worth it for an education.

College is where I fell in love with learning, but was it worth it? I will never be the same person I was again because of the anxiety caused by the financial stress I faced at a young age. I missed out on so many of the things young people are urged to do and explore because I was busy keeping up with debt. I had years of unhappiness because of the need for financial security and being terrified to take risks in my career choices.

I’m left wondering since I made that final payment, was it worth it? I have a BA In History with a minor in cultural anthropology. I loved perusing my studies.

I am a personnel officer/clerk for a municipal government. College degree helps my position but was not necessarily a requirement.

Will it equal out somewhere down the line? I really don’t know.

[tubbytarchia]

Living in Estonia as it becomes possibly the most expensive EU country to live in rant

Oh my god, oh my god?? Up to 2022 Estonia for many years was declared the country with the best tax system, and you know what? Yeah. Life was decent, but previous governments fucked everything up by making things too comfy, what's the result? And keep in mind that almost ALL of these have already risen by maybe 10-20% at the least in the last year

Gas prices set to raise by 27% to 75% Water price set to raise up to 400% Nursing home prices have already doubled company charges set to raise by 60% Continuous VAT increase, set to increase by 20% at the start of the new year and then more later on, which raises all prices (And store items have already increased, in some cases by double what they cost in 2022! So a total of about 70% food price increase in January!!) Harsh car tax in 2025 Sugar tax up to 25% No confirmation but safely assumed in the near future: Significant increases in alcohol tax, fuel excise duty, land tax, social tax, work insurance tax, deforestation tax (ok cant complain with that one lol I guess?) ON TOP OF the current inflation, euribor increase, salary decrease etc

By 2027, if things were to stay the same, Estonia would be 1.7 billion eur in debt. This is because previous governments continued to introduce fixed costs (mostly to families (AKA if you have kids), companies and the elderly. I can confirm personally as my sister gets pretty ridiculously big sums from the country for having a child. And in the past, establishing a company was a very easy way to earn a ton of money from the country without any drawbacks. Pensions have been increased multiple times, while the number of elderly in Estonian has only been growing) without really finding sources to cover those costs. Our economic growth should grow by like 10% a year to get this money, which obviously isn't going to happen. The country has no option other than to raise costs for all the commoners who earn average or less than. At least, those are the only people having their lives thrown into a goddamn shitpit. Because the country cannot take money away from pensions, military, education and state employees like police and teachers (though teachers' pay is already criminally low). And if we took loans we would just be paying billions of loan interest in 2027

No outside investors will want to come here anymore with the ridiculous prices, and I can only assume that that's why we don't ever get good goddamn things. We got GameStop and Subway which then less than a year later left. I wonder why?? And given the VAT increase which shows no signs of stopping, Estonia is set to become the country with the most expensive food prices in Europe

Estonia still has free education and healthcare (at least... for emergencies) so I feel like I automatically can't complain much given that places like the US experience price increases too on top of stupid education and healthcare prices. But holy shit? How am I ever supposed to move out and live? If I ever have to leave my parents' place I'm getting the fuck out of Estonia and I hope many dozens of others do too. Again, not that the current government has much other choice but idk, can't help but wish they just taxed the shit out of rich people or sum. Just tax rich people regardless, in every country, why can't we tax those guys more instead of the poor etc. It's maddening, how are any of us supposed to live

[itsjustagoober]

What do you do for a living? Do you have a college degree?

At the moment, not too much! I've done everything customer service that I could manage and drive to. I was a Sam's Club cashier, a Walmart cashier, a GameStop cashier, a gas station clerk, a Dollar Tree cashier, UPS loader/unloader and tried for Taco Bell once. Didn't work out, unfortunately. I also tried to even get a base-level government job once, with an emissions test facility employee. Couldn't pass the tests so I had to wait for a long cooldown and haven't gone back yet. I tried to apply to be a librarian once too and it also didn't go anywhere, unfortunately.

As of right now, I was busy all summer with helping my great uncle after he had a cardiac episode and am finally home on my own again after a week's vacation with my girlfriend. Probably might pick up DoorDash for a bit again while seeing if I should even apply for another job or just finally bit the bullet and apply for disability.

As for my college degree, I never got to finish it. It was one or two core classes I had left to finish, but I wasn't allowed to take out any more loans and my parents made too much on paper for me to get FAFSA. Still owe that loan to this day, blegh. I have to be available for family and others just in case, so it's been hard to keep a job for so long. The ADHD and autism combo doesn't help either lol.

[makoheadrush]

So, there may be a bit more political posting here than usual; I’ll usually tag things like that with “US politics” or “venting” if it’s a personal vent - for those who might want to avoid that sort of thing. I get it - no hard feelings either - frankly I’m sick of politics myself.

But right now - once again - we’re looking at yet another fucking government shutdown, because Congress can’t get their shit together. (Although for real, the ones holding this up are the right wing “Freedom Caucus” aka Trump’s little lunatic group of foot soldiers).

A shutdown means for me and my colleagues - because we’re “excepted service” aka “essential” - we don’t get furloughed and sent home. We are required to report to work and NOT GET PAID until a spending bill is passed. This isn’t my first shutdown. And it used to be a rarity, that shutdowns would happen. Now, because our elected officials are childish little ass clowns, it seems this is now an annual shitshow.

I work hard at my job. I’m proud of the work I do. I’m regarded as a subject matter expert in my field by now, and I’m the primary trainer for new hires in my region. Our longest shutdown was in 2018-2019, for 35 days.

35 days without pay. I still had to pay to get to work every day (gas and parking fees), still had to put in the time every day for 35 days without getting a paycheck. Employees are always helpfully advised to “take out an emergency loan” during shutdowns. Here’s the thing - we shouldn’t fucking HAVE to do that. You know who still gets paid during a shutdown? Congress. The anti-federal employee group - and let’s be honest, it’s basically right wing Republicans who would love nothing more than to fire all of us - have no trouble collecting their own paychecks, while 2.2 million workers get nothing but waiting and wondering “when will I get paid?”