Gotta give Zig props

[zigbee]

If you have kids and grand kids, you almost have no choice but to lie to yourself and say everything is going to be fine.

Do you really think in the late 1930s amid a worldwide depression, massive debt, WWII looming as Hitler and Japan were taking control of continents, that things were better then?  Please, the world is much better now.  There is incredible wealth, peace among nations aside Russia, and strong state govts that out number dem.  The fed govt is corrupt, several states ruined, and I think a split coming.  Is this as bad as BACK then?  No way

[Sanitarian2]

If you have kids and grand kids, you almost have no choice but to lie to yourself and say everything is going to be fine.

My mother said the same thing, home loan rates in the double digits, no way her children will be able to afford a house, I said the same thing, both my children own homes. While my children are "doing OK" financially, I do agree that they are likely to be less well off than I am.

[zigbee]

If you have kids and grand kids, you almost have no choice but to lie to yourself and say everything is going to be fine.

My mother said the same thing, home loan rates in the double digits, no way her children will be able to afford a house, I said the same thing, both my children own homes. While my children are "doing OK" financially, I do agree that they are likely to be less well off than I am.

Individual cases vary.  All my kids are far better off than my wife and I, and we’ve inherited money and done well investing and buying property.  One son is well established in early 30s in billion dollar company running one office in Columbus.  Another well in healthcare and married to soon to be nurse practitioner.  Another in real estate industry.   All 3 from dirt bag area of Appalachia but worked hard, gained education, gained skills.   My granddaughter is OSU grad and looking at more study and opportunities in Europe.  She has boundless future.

There is so much opportunity for young people compared to my generation it’s incredible

[zigbee]

Being pro dem and anti Trump isn’t woke.  Trump would be rejected like Reagan, Bush, McCain, Romney.
Bush, et al.

Woke is radical CRT, DEI, BLM, anti police and laws reducing punishment, support for men pretending to be women. Add the gay factor of full and robust in your face actions as fine around children with drag hags and you’ve got woke.

It peaked few years ago but is losing steam because of the repugnance of the message and indoctrination and execution of it.   It’s disgusting and targets groups while protecting others,

When you see James carville and Bill Maher and comedians like Dave Chapplelle blasting it you know it’s not going well.

[ChinaBuck]

Nihilists desire to be right.

[zigbee]

Texas university clears DEI offices, fires employees in light of new state law: report
The Texas Senate Committee on Education is expected to hold a hearing in May probing university officials on how they are ensuring compliance with state law banning DEI.

The University of Texas at Austin fired dozens of employees who worked in their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs to comply with a new state law, according to a report.

University of Texas at Austin President Jay Hartzell announced Tuesday the school’s Division of Campus and Community Engagement is being dissolved and its programs and funding transferred to other divisions.

The announcement comes as the university works to comply with a new Texas law that came into effect Jan. 1, which effectively dissolved DEI institutions at public colleges and universities throughout the state.

The Austin American-Statesman reported that a person with knowledge about the situation said 60 positions that were related to DEI work were eliminated at UT-Austin.

The law mandates that all governing boards of public colleges and universities ensure that their institutions prohibit the establishment and maintenance of a DEI office and the issue of "DEI Statements." In addition, hiring practices and training are no longer able to use DEI statements.

"I recognize that strong feelings have surrounded SB 17 from the beginning and will shape many Longhorns’ perceptions of these measures," Hartzell wrote in reference to the new law. "It is also important that this continues to be a welcoming, supportive community for all."

In the message, Hartzell said student-facing jobs would remain throughout the rest of the semester and that laid-off employees could apply for other positions at the university.

The firings came after state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R., outlined expectations on how universities will comply with the state law. He wrote a letter expressing the serious nature of the bill, saying that the measure "mandates a fundamental shift in the operation of our higher education institutions." He added that universities are expected to facilitate a "merit-based environment."

Furthermore, he explained that the Texas Senate Committee on Education is expected to hold a hearing in May, probing chancellors and "general counselors" of higher education institutions to show how their universities are complying with the law. If universities fail to comply with the state law, they could lose funding, Creighton warned.

Among 5 specific questions on compliance, university spokespeople are expected to explain, "How has your institution ensured that there are no DEI offices or officers on campus, or no individuals or organizations performing the duties of a DEI office or officer?"

Cultural graduations were another casualty of the effect of the law, prompting outrage from some students.

When the university’s Multicultural Engagement Center (MEC) was closed in compliance with the state’s law, Black Graduation, Latinx Graduation, and GraduAsian ceremonies were impacted as a result.

Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, introduced a bill to freeze federal funding to colleges and universities that force students to sign or make statements on DEI.

The University of Florida fired all its DEI employees in compliance with state law last week.

[wydileie]

Also Shakira told a story of how her sons did not like the Barbie Movie because they felt emasculated.    She actually explained things well when she said " My sons will grow up to be men and I want them to respect women"  Now you may not think that is a big deal but in the entertainment world that is huge.  We will see if it cost her anything like gigs closed dropped endorsements etc.  It is almost like someone is asking is it ok to be a male yet?

This has been a big issue in the election polling as men feel left out and specially black males.

Not to derail the thread, but I actually thought Barbie was pretty anti-feminist and pro-men, although I think the opposite was supposed to be the case. The Barbies are clearly the villains of the movie.

[ScarletHayes]

This rubber band known as basic, decent, American culture got stretched too far and too fast, and it's beginning to snap back (we all saw Bud Light).  People don't like being forced into anything, whether it's Yankee Doodle Dandy patriotism or this woke lunacy.

I'm not saying things are great as the culture seems to be in a free fall, but you typically do get blow back from the population (as long as it's still free and has the ability to speak its mind) when pushed too far too fast.  If you want to blame Trump for something, blame him for this.  We were in the slow cooker.  He wasn't supposed to win in 2016.  That 4 years set "them" back, so the accelerator had to be rammed through the floor politically and culturally.

My personal fatalism has more to do with politics and how one side is rigging the game while laughably still hiding behind the skirt of "democracy."  The culture, while currently a train wreck, is far more difficult for "them" to control.    You'll know the tide has turned when younger white women decide that they want to start having babies again.

[zigbee]

Colorado community threatens to fine, seize buses that drop off illegal immigrants: 'No more freeloading'
Bus companies could be fined $1,000 per passenger under Douglas County's new ordinance


One county in Colorado is taking direct action to combat the migrant crisis, putting bus companies on notice not to stop or drop off illegal immigrants in their community.

Douglas County, Colorado, Commissioner George Teal said his community, which is home to a large Republican population, is not a sanctuary city and that the new ordinance is reflective of that.

"No more freeloading," Teal told "Fox & Friends" co-host Lawrence Jones on Thursday. "We thought this ordinance was required to make sure that we can keep our community safe."


Under the ordinance, buses dropping off "commercial passengers" in "unplanned locations" in Douglas County could face fines up to $1,000 per passenger and buses may be seized by local law enforcement.




The Douglas County, Colorado, ordinance seeks to discourage bus companies from dropping off migrants in the area.
The legislation comes as Colorado communities try to distance themselves from Denver, which advertised itself as a sanctuary city and is now flooded with migrants.

"Denver got on the bandwagon of the anti-Trump fad of declaring a sanctuary city early, among Democrat cities across the nation," Teal said. "We're not a Democrat county. We're a community that is mostly Republican. We were never going to be a sanctuary county."

Local officials in Monument went so far as to take a formal vote to affirm the town’s status as a "non-sanctuary city" as fears grow about the possibility of migrants leaving Denver for nearby communities.


The migrant crisis has reportedly put a financial strain on Denver, and the city is scaling back services as a result. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston announced in February the closure of four migrant shelters and the goal of reallocating nearly $60 million back into city services.

The migrants, Johnston assured, would not be kicked out after shelters close. He said they will simply be moved to different facilities.


Teal, however, remained skeptical.

"We know that it's just a matter of time before Denver starts diverting buses here into Douglas County. We’re to the south of Denver — right between Denver and Colorado Springs. And that's why we did this ordinance, so that, when that happens, we’re prepared."



Teal argued the "fad" of sanctuary city declarations was an attempt to push back against former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.

"As we've all checked and found out, President Trump isn't the president anymore — at least not yet, again," he said. "Right now it's President Biden, one of their own Democrats. And yet they still continue these policies that they’re starting to regret."

[Sanitarian2]

I thought we weren't ALLOWED to ask for proof of citizenship so how could the bus company know the immigration status of the passengers.

[Soupcity Kid]

Well as I mentioned progress is slow but there were some setbacks.

Seattle school district is canceling the gifted program because the gifted were mostly white and Asian and therefore catered to systemic racism/

In Boston a hospital is not going to report to Children Services if any child is born with illegal drugs in their system because the hospital is afraid this will lead to disproportional visits to hoes of minorities which must be the majority of these cases.  So if your a minority I guess it is ok if your family is drug addicted and possibly not providing a suitable home life??  Wow how racist and unequal opportunity under the law imho.

The new acronym is being tossed around called AWFUL  A White female liberal.   Heard it on the 5 today.

[ChinaBuck]

Well as I mentioned progress is slow but there were some setbacks.

Seattle school district is canceling the gifted program because the gifted were mostly white and Asian and therefore catered to systemic racism/

In Boston a hospital is not going to report to Children Services if any child is born with illegal drugs in their system because the hospital is afraid this will lead to disproportional visits to hoes of minorities which must be the majority of these cases.  So if your a minority I guess it is ok if your family is drug addicted and possibly not providing a suitable home life??  Wow how racist and unequal opportunity under the law imho.

The new acronym is being tossed around called AWFUL  A White female liberal.   Heard it on the 5 today.

It's not just any hospital in Boston, it's Massachusetts General Brigham (MGB), one of the top four hospitals in the country according to the rankings by USN&WR. Their decision will encourage many lesser hospitals to do the same. Boston was kind of late to the party on the woke stuff, but they are running at full speed right now. 

And by the way, we have worked with MGB on two hospitals in China and not long ago met with their chief China rep about doing more work together. I wouldn't describe her or her group as that woke, but they aren't going to buck the system.

[zigbee]

The Rock' explains why he's not endorsing Biden this time, how he feels about 'woke culture'
'I started to realize like, oh man, that caused an incredible amount of division in our country,' Johnson said about endorsing Biden in 2020
 
“The endorsement that I made years ago with Biden was one I thought was the best decision for me at that time,” he told Will Cain on Fox News in an interview posted online Friday. “I thought, ‘I’m in this position where I have some influence and I felt it was my job then to exercise my influence [and] share: This is who I’m going to endorse.’ I’m not going to do that. I was then, the most followed man in the world, and am today, and I appreciate that … but what that caused was something that tears me up in my guts — which is division. That got me. I didn’t realize that then, I just felt like there was a lot of unrest and I’d like things to calm down.”

He continued, “The takeaway after that was it caused an incredible amount of division. I realize now going into this election, I will not do that. My goal is to bring this country together. I believe in that. There will be no endorsement. At this level of influence, I will keep my politics to myself. It is between me and the ballot box. But I will tell you this: Like a lot of us out there, not trusting of all politicians, I do trust the American people and whoever they vote for that is my president and who I will support 100 percent.”

Asked if he was happy with the state of America right now, Johnson replied, “No.”

“Today’s cancel culture, woke culture, division, etcetera — that really bugs me,” he added. “In the spirit of that, you either succumb to that and be what other people want you to be, or you be yourself and be real … and that might make people upset and piss people off, and that’s OK.”

Johnson was also asked once again if he ever plans to run for president and the actor answered, “No, that’s not my intention. I’m not a politician.”

In 2020, Johnson made headlines by sitting down with Biden and Kamala Harris and announcing his endorsement, a message promoted by the Biden campaign.

“As a registered Independent for years now with centrist ideologies, I do feel that Vice President Biden and Senator Harris are the best choice to lead our country, and I am endorsing them to become President, and Vice President, of our United States,” he wrote at the time. “Progress takes courage, humanity, empathy, strength, KINDNESS & RESPECT.”

Johnson’s comments come amid his return to WrestleMania 40, WWE’s flagship event.

While it’s unclear how much celebrity endorsements actually matter, the loss of The Rock’s endorsement isn’t great news for the Biden team as they ramp up to for a rematch with Donald Trump in November. The announcement comes amid plenty of speculation about whether another massive celebrity will renew their endorsement of Biden — Taylor Swift, who likewise endorsed Biden in 2020, hasn’t yet made an endorsement this year.

[zigbee]

ACLU threatens to sue Georgia over election bill conservatives praise as 'commonsense' reform
Georgia's elections bill could boost independent candidates like RFK Jr and make voter roll audits easier

The Georgia legislature passed new election ballot reforms that could have a big impact in the 2024 election in the key battleground state, should Gov. Brian Kemp sign the bill into law.


The Georgia state legislature passed GOP-backed Senate Bill 189 last week, which now awaits Kemp’s signature or veto.

The bill would grant access to Georgia’s ballot to any political party that has qualified for the presidential ballot in at least 20 states — a change that could boost independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and potentially draw votes away from President Biden.

The bill also makes ballots, once certified, immediately available as public record in an effort to increase the scope of poll watchers on Election Day. It also makes audits of voter rolls easier, to ensure deceased residents or those who have moved out of state are no longer eligible to vote.



Hans von Spakovsky, an election law expert and former member of the Federal Election Commission, said the Georgia legislature, through measures like Senate Bill 189, is trying to address several administration problems highlighted in the 2020 election.

"The Georgia legislature has been trying to correct the vulnerabilities that allowed some of those administrative problems to creep in," von Spakovsky told Fox News Digital in an interview.


Von Spakovsky, who also served on the Board of Advisors of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission and on the Fulton County Board of Registrations and Elections, praised the measure as an effort to make future elections "as transparent as possible."



Andrea Young, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in Georgia, has said the legislation violates the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), and threatened to sue if it becomes law.


Among other things, the NVRA, signed by President Bill Clinton in 1993, bans states from removing registered voters from voter rolls unless certain criteria are met.

"The majority in the Georgia General Assembly persists in passing laws that will undermine our democracy," Young told local news station FOX 5. "This is a recipe for election chaos, and we strongly urge the governor to veto it."

But von Spakovsky said he doesn’t see anything in the state’s measure that would violate the NVRA, and says that similar legal challenges in other states have failed. He also noted that claims by President Biden two years ago that other Georgia election reforms — like requiring ID for absentee ballots — were a mechanism to suppress minority voters and amounted to "Jim Crow 2.0" have proven to be false. Von Spakovsky noted that a survey conducted by the University of Georgia found that precisely 0% of Black respondents said that they had a "poor" experience voting in 2022, compared to 0.9% of White voters.


"I have a lot more confidence that we're going to have a good election this year than I did in 2020," von Spakovsky said.

Janae Stracke, vice president of outreach at the conservative group Heritage Action, said that lawmakers in Georgia "deserve a lot of praise for their work to make it easier to vote and harder to cheat through commonsense proposals that are often supported by a bipartisan majority of Americans."



"Free and fair elections are the bedrock of our republic, and everyone deserves to know their vote will be counted accurately this November," she said.

The ACLU did not respond to zigbee.com political news

[Soupcity Kid]

Also Shakira told a story of how her sons did not like the Barbie Movie because they felt emasculated.    She actually explained things well when she said " My sons will grow up to be men and I want them to respect women"  Now you may not think that is a big deal but in the entertainment world that is huge.  We will see if it cost her anything like gigs closed dropped endorsements etc.  It is almost like someone is asking is it ok to be a male yet?

This has been a big issue in the election polling as men feel left out and specially black males.

Not to derail the thread, but I actually thought Barbie was pretty anti-feminist and pro-men, although I think the opposite was supposed to be the case. The Barbies are clearly the villains of the movie.

Hmm you did not mention something like "I took my kids to see Barbie and I liked the movie"??  Tell us more about why you went to see the Barbie Movie??