A reminder that the entirety of US foreign aid represents 1% of the federal budget. Cutting this out might save US citizens a dollar each year in taxes, if that.
On Wednesday, I had a meeting with representatives from several teams at USAID in Zimbabwe. We had a large training initiative that was supposed to begin there next Monday that got cancelled, and we were figuring out the cancellation logistics. When we asked how they were doing, one of the leaders on the health team related that there are people in the hospital and AID-supported health clinics right now who are in desperate need of malaria medication. This medication is onsite, literally just sitting on the shelves in the hospital. However, due to the immediate “stop work” order from the Administration, none of that medicine can be provided to these sick patients because it violates the order. If anyone were found to have used it, they could be face immediate disciplinary action.
The blood on this administration's hands will be unfathomable. I get that MAGA doesn’t care about that and many are actively rooting it on (because...brown people), but the rest of us decent human beings certainly do.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
A reminder that the entirety of US foreign aid represents 1% of the federal budget. Cutting this out might save US citizens a dollar each year in taxes, if that.
It will actually cost a lot more than it saves. Aid to foreign nations isn't done out of altruism. It's done out of self interest. Whether it is to bring stabilty to a region or to halt the spread of disease, we get a net benefit. I would say they're too dumb to understand but ai don't think that's it. Aid money is just more funds they can loot in the short term while they're pillaging. They don't give a fuck about 10 or 20 years from now. They need to extract much wealth as possible now to build that fortress and moat for the apocalypse.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
A reminder that the entirety of US foreign aid represents 1% of the federal budget. Cutting this out might save US citizens a dollar each year in taxes, if that.
It will actually cost a lot more than it saves. Aid to foreign nations isn't done out of altruism. It's done out of self interest. Whether it is to bring stabilty to a region or to halt the spread of disease, we get a net benefit. I would say they're too dumb to understand but ai don't think that's it. Aid money is just more funds they can loot in the short term while they're pillaging. They don't give a fuck about 10 or 20 years from now. They need to extract much wealth as possible now to build that fortress and moat for the apocalypse.
There's also a lot of racism mixed in as well. I think a lot of people making these decisions are indifferent at best to the lives that will be lost.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 12:50 pm
by Zaxxon
LawBeefaroni wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 12:16 pmThey need to extract much wealth as possible now to build that fortress and moat for the apocalypse that they are bringing on.
FTFY.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
LawBeefaroni wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 12:16 pmThey need to extract much wealth as possible now to build that fortress and moat for the apocalypse that they are bringing on.
FTFY.
Assumed, but yeah, worth calling out.
It's why they don't care about all the damage being done. They have survival fantasies, be it moving to Mars or the AI singularity or bioengineered immortality or the Rapture..or just a giant compound on a high elevation island. They think they'll be OK of they can just shear all the sheep enough. Shear them and then eat them.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 1:07 pm
by Isgrimnur
And who's going to cook their mutton on their post-apocalypse plantations?
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
A reminder that the entirety of US foreign aid represents 1% of the federal budget. Cutting this out might save US citizens a dollar each year in taxes, if that.
It will actually cost a lot more than it saves. Aid to foreign nations isn't done out of altruism. It's done out of self interest. Whether it is to bring stabilty to a region or to halt the spread of disease, we get a net benefit. I would say they're too dumb to understand but ai don't think that's it. Aid money is just more funds they can loot in the short term while they're pillaging. They don't give a fuck about 10 or 20 years from now. They need to extract much wealth as possible now to build that fortress and moat for the apocalypse.
There's also a lot of racism mixed in as well. I think a lot of people making these decisions are indifferent at best to the lives that will be lost.
It all tracks with the America First mentality. Also, Americans will always have access to malarial drugs so not our problem. Or at least not the problem of those who can afford it. All the other stuff about regional security blah blah blah doesn't sell at the voting booth after all.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 1:37 pm
by Rumpy
What would stop a non-government organization or philanthropist from doing what the government isn't doing? I'm assuming they can't stop an organization like the Red Cross from providing foreign aid, and if the government is refusing foreign aid, then I would probably see more of this kind of thing in the future.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 1:40 pm
by LordMortis
Beginning January 20th, my daily Blood pressure check went from controlled to borderline uncontrolled bad enough that my PCP wants to increase my meds rather than lower them, as I have been working very hard on getting to this point of reducing meds over the past two plus years. I wonder what changed in my health beginning on the 20? She struck a bargain with me and said to start doing my monitor in the afternoons to see if it's better. After a week's checks it's not better.sigh
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 1:51 pm
by $iljanus
Rumpy wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 1:37 pm
What would stop a non-government organization or philanthropist from doing what the government isn't doing? I'm assuming they can't stop an organization like the Red Cross from providing foreign aid, and if the government is refusing foreign aid, then I would probably see more of this kind of thing in the future.
Its the scale of financial aid needed which makes it unaffordable for organizations like the Red Cross or the equivalent to bankroll these sorts of health programs. And sure a multi billion dollar philanthropist can do it until they get bored or distracted by the next shiny thing.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 1:52 pm
by GreenGoo
Thank goodness HIV etc respects political boundaries. Especially if walls are built on those boundaries.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 2:09 pm
by Enough
NSF funding is still being held up for previously awarded funds for us with no recent updates from the uni. It's just crazy that they are halting the most competitive science funding in the world that has been an engine of growth and greatness since it's inception. It's almost like they're resigned to it all ending. And given drill baby drill is the priority in the face of climate change as we head into the final chances of doing something, we probably will be speed running our way now to a new kind of nasty, brutish and short hellscape that Hobbes could not have even dreamed up.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 2:09 pm
by Skinypupy
Rumpy wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 1:37 pm
What would stop a non-government organization or philanthropist from doing what the government isn't doing? I'm assuming they can't stop an organization like the Red Cross from providing foreign aid, and if the government is refusing foreign aid, then I would probably see more of this kind of thing in the future.
In a perfect world, this is exactly the sort of thing the billionaires would be spending their piles of endless wealth on instead of hording them or buying political power.
Unfortunately 99% of billionaires are also sociopaths, so...
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
A reminder that the entirety of US foreign aid represents 1% of the federal budget. Cutting this out might save US citizens a dollar each year in taxes, if that.
On Wednesday, I had a meeting with representatives from several teams at USAID in Zimbabwe. We had a large training initiative that was supposed to begin there next Monday that got cancelled, and we were figuring out the cancellation logistics. When we asked how they were doing, one of the leaders on the health team related that there are people in the hospital and AID-supported health clinics right now who are in desperate need of malaria medication. This medication is onsite, literally just sitting on the shelves in the hospital. However, due to the immediate “stop work” order from the Administration, none of that medicine can be provided to these sick patients because it violates the order. If anyone were found to have used it, they could be face immediate disciplinary action.
The blood on this administration's hands will be unfathomable. I get that MAGA doesn’t care about that and many are actively rooting it on (because...brown people), but the rest of us decent human beings certainly do.
the article wrote:
Although USDA eradicated NWS from the United States in 1966 using sterile insect technique, there is a constant risk of re-introduction into the United States.
Imagine having something like that come back to the US after 59 years.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 2:17 pm
by Max Peck
Isgrimnur wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 1:07 pm
And who's going to cook their mutton on their post-apocalypse plantations?
Robots + AGI means they don't need any peasants to do the work and weaponizing the robots means they don't need human soldiers to protect their fiefdoms.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 2:28 pm
by Isgrimnur
raydude wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 2:13 pm
I wonder if funding of the barrier against New World Screwworms that's in Panama is still being funded, and if so, whether Trump will stop that too. If he does, there could be massive potential impacts on livestock, pets, and even humans in the Southwest.
the article wrote:
Although USDA eradicated NWS from the United States in 1966 using sterile insect technique, there is a constant risk of re-introduction into the United States.
Imagine having something like that come back to the US after 59 years.
The New World Screwworm was recently detected in Mexico, and the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife is asking people in South Texas to watch out for animals affected by the screwworms.
...
The CDC said screwworms are most common in the tropics and subtropics, but recent cases have appeared in Central America for the first time in years. Mexican authorities told the United States Department of Agriculture in November of a positive detection of New World Screwworm in a cow, according to the Texas Animal Health Commission.
The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 2:34 pm
by Zarathud
Someone needs to explain to the people why these policies are good for Americans. Money well spent.
The problem is Democrats haven’t calibrated their talking points yet. We need someone like Pete Buttigeg to step forward and explain why Trump is being dumb and short-sighted.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 2:46 pm
by Hyena
Zarathud wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 2:34 pm
Someone needs to explain to the people why these policies are good for Americans. Money well spent.
The problem is Democrats haven’t calibrated their talking points yet. We need someone like Pete Buttigeg to step forward and explain why Trump is being dumb and short-sighted.
Oh he has...multiple times. But he's GAY! What on earth could he know about anything??
(I wish on multiple stacks of various religious texts that we as a country could one day unite under the banner of electing Pete Buttigeg to the Oval Office)
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 2:57 pm
by Zaxxon
LordMortis wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 1:40 pm
Beginning January 20th, my daily Blood pressure check went from controlled to borderline uncontrolled bad enough that my PCP wants to increase my meds rather than lower them, as I have been working very hard on getting to this point of reducing meds over the past two plus years. I wonder what changed in my health beginning on the 20? She struck a bargain with me and said to start doing my monitor in the afternoons to see if it's better. After a week's checks it's not better.sigh
Ugh, best of luck.
I wonder what the cost of these non-directly-attributable health impacts will be, in the aggregate, over the next 4 (4?) years, worldwide.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 3:05 pm
by IceBear
Mine is through the roof
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
LordMortis wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 1:40 pm
Beginning January 20th, my daily Blood pressure check went from controlled to borderline uncontrolled bad enough that my PCP wants to increase my meds rather than lower them, as I have been working very hard on getting to this point of reducing meds over the past two plus years. I wonder what changed in my health beginning on the 20? She struck a bargain with me and said to start doing my monitor in the afternoons to see if it's better. After a week's checks it's not better.sigh
Ugh, best of luck.
I wonder what the cost of these non-directly-attributable health impacts will be, in the aggregate, over the next 4 (4?) years, worldwide.
Indeed, take care of yourself LM!
It's super hard on relationships too. I know many couples with one of them working for a federal agency and almost across the board they are experiencing a lot of fear and tension, so of it could lead to the end of some marriages too. Imagine you are a hardcore data scientist and have just lost your gig due to having climate in the title and you want to keep the professional career going and meanwhile your partner wants to stay in the same town close to family, etc. It's going to rip apart a lot of those families they claim to care so much about.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 3:11 pm
by Skinypupy
Zarathud wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 2:34 pm
Someone needs to explain to the people why these policies are good for Americans. Money well spent.
They're all scary people living in shithole countries. Why should "Real Muricans" care about helping them?
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 3:21 pm
by LordMortis
Enough wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 3:09 pm
It's super hard on relationships too. I know many couples with one of them working for a federal agency and almost across the board they are experiencing a lot of fear and tension, so of it could lead to the end of some marriages too. Imagine you are a hardcore data scientist and have just lost your gig due to having climate in the title and you want to keep the professional career going and meanwhile your partner wants to stay in the same town close to family, etc. It's going to rip apart a lot of those families they claim to care so much about.
That will help me sleep at night. I truly feel for so many so hurt, which I do not doubt is at the heart of my problems. (Nothing has come for me personally yet) It's just this flurry of fuck you's that just won't be bounced back from so easily, if at all. 11 days in. 11 days to do the damage the Heritage Foundation, the Federalist Society, Congress, and the GOP Administration have done with nothing but pride.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 3:25 pm
by Blackhawk
Isgrimnur wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 1:07 pm
And who's going to cook their mutton on their post-apocalypse plantations?
The morlocks who live on the slopes below their fortress.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 3:35 pm
by Alefroth
Isgrimnur wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 1:07 pm
And who's going to cook their mutton on their post-apocalypse plantations?
Optimus robots of course.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 3:45 pm
by GreenGoo
Max Peck wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 2:17 pm
Robots + AGI means they don't need any peasants to do the work and weaponizing the robots means they don't need human soldiers to protect their fiefdoms.
Robots have some thoughts:
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 4:11 pm
by Max Peck
Skynet probably doesn't end any better for the techbros than it does for the rest of us, but that doesn't mean the techbros won't take the shot.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 4:15 pm
by Enough
Max Peck wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 4:11 pm
Skynet probably doesn't end any better for the techbros than it does for the rest of us, but that doesn't mean the techbros won't take the shot.
I have actually wondered if Davos convinced them all that climate apocalypse and Skynet ills are irretrievably baked in at this point and this is their reaction. I only moderately entertain ideas like this, but the last 11 days makes one wonder what the hell.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 4:16 pm
by Holman
Enough wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 3:09 pm
It's super hard on relationships too. I know many couples with one of them working for a federal agency and almost across the board they are experiencing a lot of fear and tension, so of it could lead to the end of some marriages too. Imagine you are a hardcore data scientist and have just lost your gig due to having climate in the title and you want to keep the professional career going and meanwhile your partner wants to stay in the same town close to family, etc. It's going to rip apart a lot of those families they claim to care so much about.
Trump has made it clear that he doesn't give a fuck about Americans who didn't vote for him.
I'm sure he assumes that most data scientists (especially those with "climate" in their title) aren't MAGA.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 5:09 pm
by hepcat
I have that one goddamn coworker who's ultra maga and who I idiotically accepted a Facebook friend invite from a decade ago. I turned off his updates for his news feeds so I don't see them, but I still masochistically browse his latest updates every few days and I see just a wall of friggin' lies that he claims are true. His latest? Trump's lie that he personally stopped democrats from sending 50 million dollars worth of condoms to Hamas. I kid you not. The fuckwad said that and his junior fuckwads like my coworker are now repeating it as fact. It is not.
God, I wanna unfriend this asshole so damn much and just ignore him. More importantly, I want to debunk his shit on my page. But he's a higher up in the company and it would just result in bad feelings all around.
So word to the wise, people: Don't mix work and social media.
Edit: color me surprised. Facebook posted a “see context added to this post” that when clicked, simple reads “No, the U.S. did not do this.”. I mean, I wish it wasn’t in spoilers, but at least it’s something.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Max Peck wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 2:17 pm
Robots + AGI means they don't need any peasants to do the work and weaponizing the robots means they don't need human soldiers to protect their fiefdoms.
Robots have some thoughts:
Indeed. Plus, not all software devlopers are evil. And I'm counting on the ones who were forced out of civil service or have seen loved ones impacted by greedy techbros to put malicious code in the robot software.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 5:40 pm
by Isgrimnur
What happens if the robots aren't built with red LEDs in their eyes?
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 5:52 pm
by Unagi
That's a fair question. Kinda makes you wonder why anyone would even risk installing red LEDs on a robot like that.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Rumpy wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 1:37 pm
What would stop a non-government organization or philanthropist from doing what the government isn't doing? I'm assuming they can't stop an organization like the Red Cross from providing foreign aid, and if the government is refusing foreign aid, then I would probably see more of this kind of thing in the future.
Its the scale of financial aid needed which makes it unaffordable for organizations like the Red Cross or the equivalent to bankroll these sorts of health programs. And sure a multi billion dollar philanthropist can do it until they get bored or distracted by the next shiny thing.
Then I think it would be nice to see Americans double down on donations via international organizations. Because it's quite clear Trump isn't the voice of most Americans.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Rumpy wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 1:37 pm
What would stop a non-government organization or philanthropist from doing what the government isn't doing? I'm assuming they can't stop an organization like the Red Cross from providing foreign aid, and if the government is refusing foreign aid, then I would probably see more of this kind of thing in the future.
Its the scale of financial aid needed which makes it unaffordable for organizations like the Red Cross or the equivalent to bankroll these sorts of health programs. And sure a multi billion dollar philanthropist can do it until they get bored or distracted by the next shiny thing.
Then I think it would be nice to see Americans double down on donations via international organizations. Because it's quite clear Trump isn't the voice of most Americans.
Wait, I'm not following. Trump sucks, and therefore, as an American, I should double-down on donations?
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Rumpy wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 1:37 pm
What would stop a non-government organization or philanthropist from doing what the government isn't doing? I'm assuming they can't stop an organization like the Red Cross from providing foreign aid, and if the government is refusing foreign aid, then I would probably see more of this kind of thing in the future.
Its the scale of financial aid needed which makes it unaffordable for organizations like the Red Cross or the equivalent to bankroll these sorts of health programs. And sure a multi billion dollar philanthropist can do it until they get bored or distracted by the next shiny thing.
Then I think it would be nice to see Americans double down on donations via international organizations. Because it's quite clear Trump isn't the voice of most Americans.
Wait, I'm not following. Trump sucks, and therefore, as an American, I should double-down on donations?
Via international organizations. Show the world that Americans care despite the government pulling foreign aid. Just an idea.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 6:42 pm
by Holman
Rumpy wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 6:16 pm
Via international organizations. Show the world that Americans care despite the government pulling foreign aid. Just an idea.
Individual donations will never be anything but a splash in a bucket compared to what government can and should do. Plus there are so many grifters in the charity donations space (and more would sprout like mushrooms) that the waste would outpace the gain. And then there's the way that the sexiest/trendiest charity goals would suck up 90% of the attention while a thousand other and equally worthy projects would be overlooked. etc etc. There are plenty of reasons why American foreign aid is much more complex than just writing a check to OxFam.
No. Americans have to change their government back to what it was, one way or another.
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 6:53 pm
by Rumpy
Ahh well, horrible idea then
Re: The Apprentice Season 2 - The Second Presidency of Donald Trump
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 6:56 pm
by Holman
Rumpy wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2025 6:53 pm
Ahh well, horrible idea then
I mean, I wish it wasn’t in spoilers, but at least it’s something.