৮ জানুয়ারী, ২০১৯

You'd never know it...


And I still don't feel that I "know" it. There's no link to an article in this tweet. Mainstream media is a horrifying wasteland.

৬৪টি মন্তব্য:

I'm Full of Soup বলেছেন...

This Friday will be the 1st bi-weekly paycheck they miss.

traditionalguy বলেছেন...

The #1 job of Fake News is to hide the News. If we had the News, then we could think for ourselves. Quelle Horreur!

Anne in Rockwall, TX বলেছেন...

"Mainstream media is a horrifying wasteland."

It has long been so.

rhhardin বলেছেন...

It's a medium looking for its own audience, is all.

rhhardin বলেছেন...

PUERILE ... 2. I'd like to see ... [an] experiment in which callers describe the [TV] show just seen in three adjectives. Within reason, of course. ("We have a Mr. Buckley here who finds Laverne and Shirley EGREGIOUS, PUERILE, and JEJUNE"). (D. Cavett, of NEA, "Television `Wasteland' Revisited," Norman [Okla.] Transcript, 6/23/76, p.6)

(the Quintessential Dictionary, example of usage)

Darrell বলেছেন...

You mean all the pieces on Fed worker families suffering at Christmas were fake news? "No presents this year, Kids. And no food!" "Awwwwwww!"

Tommy Duncan বলেছেন...

"Mainstream media is a horrifying wasteland."

"Television is called a medium because it is neither rare nor well done” ---Fred Allen (November 1950)

paminwi বলেছেন...

Last paycheck, #26, for federal employees was issued on December 28. First paycheck of 2019 will be issued on January 11th.
So, no one has been denied pay as of today.
But, the story is: "orange man bad" so everyone is suffering.
CNN did a story on some guy not being able to buy a headstone for his wife be use of the shutdown.
Idiots actually believed that story.

Fernandinande বলেছেন...

WaPo, so probably fake -
‘I been eatin[sic] like a boss’: Federal prisoners served steak by unpaid guards during shutdown

"Steak" = Special Christmas dinner.

Jeff Brokaw বলেছেন...

Given today's hyper-partisan, rabidly anti-Trump media, the presence or absence of a link tells us ... what?

Almost nothing.

Fritz বলেছেন...

I'v already missed one band practice, and will likely miss another Thursday because the Smithsonian ran out of "old money" Jan. 1.

Ignorance is Bliss বলেছেন...

paminwi said...

CNN did a story on some guy not being able to buy a headstone for his wife be use of the shutdown.

He'll get back pay. It's not like she's going anywhere...

Otto বলেছেন...

Funny that 90 % of your blogs are riffs on mainstream media. So why do you wallow in the basement?

sdharms বলেছেন...

I am affected by the shutdown. But if this is my price to pay, so be it. The border needs a "wall" -- and a "wall" is any effective barrier to entry. So far we have almost NO EFFECTIVE barriers to entry.

rhhardin বলেছেন...

Australia has a reef.

Chuck বলেছেন...

I usually understand what you are trying to do with your blog posts, Althouse. But in this case I don’t understand the aim of your complaint. Are you agreeing with Brit Hume, that it is a problem that no federal employee has missed a paycheck yet? Because with all due respect to Brit Hume, I think that he knows about it because of reports in the media. I and others amongst your commenting community know it, and more, because we have heard all about the various problems, and when they kick in, from observing media reports.

Or are you disagreeing with Brit Hume, as a prominent member of the media, who has been part of the problem?

While it is true that mostly, no federal employees have as yet missed a paycheck, and many will continue to work even if their paychecks are stopped for a short period of time into January and February. But there are many more problems involved in this federal shutdown, beyond federal employee paychecks.

I don’t understand your media attack language in this post.

tomaig বলেছেন...

"There's no link to an article in this tweet. "

So without Hume providing a *link*, you have trouble believing that the MSM has been churning out sob stories about the woes and travails of the poor downtrodden federal government employees, employees who have not yet been deprived of anything?

You really need a *link* to "know" that?

Karen of Texas বলেছেন...

Even if you got a link, why would you be inclined to believe the "reporting" provided by a link to the "horrifying wasteland"?

That's the real issue here - the willful damnation of the fourth estate, not by Trump, but by the fourth estate itself. Trust no one.

richlb বলেছেন...

He is technically correct; but as I understand it, no deal today means no paychecks on Friday. If I was a federal employee my allegiance would start to shift from the Dems to the President. I want my paycheck, and if carving out $5B for a wall (that will probably never be built) gets me my money, so be it.

wild chicken বলেছেন...

Geeze you'd think fedgov workers would be money ahead by now and could handle some funemployment anyway. Is everyone living paycheck to paycheck? I wasn't, even in my very average salary.

LuAnn Zieman বলেছেন...

Our grandson works for the GAO. We asked him during Christmas if he was one of the government employees who would be without pay during the shutdown. He said no. His department had already negotiated their contracts through to the end of the fiscal year. (Or something to that effect.)

Ann Althouse বলেছেন...

"So without Hume providing a *link*, you have trouble believing that the MSM has been churning out sob stories about the woes and travails of the poor downtrodden federal government employees, employees who have not yet been deprived of anything?"

No, I have trouble knowing the fact he's asserting. I need a real article with facts in it, not just an assertion. If there were an article with real facts I'd find out exactly what the situation is. It's wafting to me through the comments that the federal workers are paid semi-monthly and so they don't miss a check until the end of this week. Specify that and let me have the substance to think about how bad things are for the workers. Someone who works for half a month, relying on a paycheck, is facing a lot of problems paying bills. It would be very stressful.

rehajm বলেছেন...
এই মন্তব্যটি লেখক দ্বারা সরানো হয়েছে।
Original Mike বলেছেন...

"If there were an article with real facts..."

Well, there's your problem.

Guildofcannonballs বলেছেন...

"While it is true that mostly, no federal employees have as yet missed a paycheck, and many will continue to work even if their paychecks are stopped for a short period of time into January and February. But there are many more problems involved in this federal shutdown, beyond federal employee paychecks.

I don’t understand your media attack language in this post."

Please rewrite this so it makes sense. With all of the abuse and violence you suffer here, it surely has taken its toll. Maybe remove the "But" and period before it and replace with a comma?

While it is true that mostly, no federal employees have as yet missed a paycheck, and many will continue to work even if their paychecks are stopped for a short period of time into January and February, there are many more problems involved in this federal shutdown, beyond federal employee paychecks.

Is that what you attempted to write but were unable properly to convey?

Chuck বলেছেন...

tomaig said...
"There's no link to an article in this tweet. "

So without Hume providing a *link*, you have trouble believing that the MSM has been churning out sob stories about the woes and travails of the poor downtrodden federal government employees, employees who have not yet been deprived of anything?

You really need a *link* to "know" that?



It's a conundrum, isn't it? If Brit Hume linked to a nice, meaty substantive article from a mainstream media outlet, explaining exactly how and when federal paychecks will actually be interrupted, it would self-defeat his point that no such stories were appearing in the mainstream media.

It's really hard to tell what it is that either Brit Hume or Ann Althouse want.

Which is such a pity; I've been a fan of both of them for decades. And now, in the era of Trump, they both seem to have substantially lost some of their perspective.

Fernandinande বলেছেন...

WaPo, so probably fake -

Yup, it was fake. I'm shocked.

"Prison workers last got paid Dec. 29. The first payless payday is slated for Jan. 12 if the shutdown continues, Dominick [vice president of the union that represents the prisons workers] said."

Chuck বলেছেন...

While it is true that mostly, no federal employees have as yet missed a paycheck, and many will continue to work even if their paychecks are stopped for a short period of time into January and February, there are many more problems involved in this federal shutdown, beyond federal employee paychecks.


Yep! That is exactly what I was attempting to convey. Thanks! Thanks a lot! (It really was a terrible paragraph from me, that I attempted to edit, got interrupted, came back to it in mid-edit and basically screwed up. I am grateful to you for taking the trouble to figure it out, and to do it correctly for everyone's benefit.)

narciso বলেছেন...

They are whining before it has actually happened, in order to create a narrative.

I Have Misplaced My Pants বলেছেন...

You know, about the shutdown.

I have lots of military friends and the last time there was a shutdown that did not exclude them, OH the whining and OH the rending of garments.

In things I can only say anonymously: Responsible adults have emergency funds for situations like this. Those of us who do not have free housing and free medical care provided ~ that is, those of us who are not in the military ~ manage to save enough money so that we can buy groceries for our kids if something happens to an expected paycheck (or paychecks....it may come as a surprise but people who don't work for the feds and thus have permanent jobs and benefits sometimes get laid off. And there's no back pay for us). There is ZERO excuse for not having an emergency fund, especially for active duty military and for white color fed workers. If you are living paycheck to paycheck in those conditions you only have yourself to blame. Stop buying tattoos, RVs, meals out and video games and save money like a responsible adult.

Fritz বলেছেন...

No, I have trouble knowing the fact he's asserting. I need a real article with facts in it, not just an assertion. If there were an article with real facts I'd find out exactly what the situation is. It's wafting to me through the comments that the federal workers are paid semi-monthly and so they don't miss a check until the end of this week. Specify that and let me have the substance to think about how bad things are for the workers. Someone who works for half a month, relying on a paycheck, is facing a lot of problems paying bills. It would be very stressful.

It's a fact that the last pay check (really direct deposit) goes out Jan. 11. Is it stressful knowing that at some budget battle or another, you might end up having to wait a while for your money to get restored? Sure. I worked with a lot of Feds, even, was one sort of. Of course they're pissed, but most of them will suffer no particular hardship. Some of the lower level ones who really do live paycheck to paycheck will suffer.

But I feel far worse for federal contractors who could be working but can't because of the shutdown, and won't get their checks restored.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent বলেছেন...

The funny thing is I’ve never heard an actual person complain about any government shutdown but I’ve heard a shitload of people complain about the fact that already privileged Federal employees are getting some extra paid vacation. When a factory burns down, the company doesn’t pay idle employees while the factory is being rebuilt. Let’s apply the same dynamic to Federal shutdowns. If it isn’t real, who cares?

Mary Beth বলেছেন...

I have lots of military friends and the last time there was a shutdown that did not exclude them, OH the whining and OH the rending of garments.

Tell them to switch their banking to USAA. In the past, it has given interest free pay loans to service members during shutdowns.

Ray - SoCal বলেছেন...

Lots of the gov was already funded. Plus those areas declared essential can keep on working.

Amazing to watch Trump change the rules of shutdown theater.

Robert Cook বলেছেন...

"In things I can only say anonymously: Responsible adults have emergency funds for situations like this."

Apparently, you're unaware of how financially insecure many Americans are.

Robert Cook বলেছেন...

No one is remarking on the fact that Trump is holding many Americans hostage to his caprice because Congress won't ante up billions for his Wall, a Wall he declared, promised, swore, guaranteed, promised, asserted, assured and vowed would be paid for by Mexico.

Fritz বলেছেন...

Robert Cook said...
"In things I can only say anonymously: Responsible adults have emergency funds for situations like this."

Apparently, you're unaware of how financially insecure many Americans are.


He did specify responsible adults.

SeanF বলেছেন...

Darrell: You mean all the pieces on Fed worker families suffering at Christmas were fake news?

Not necessarily. If I knew (or suspected) that a pay stoppage was coming in a month, I'd start limiting my spending now.

SeanF বলেছেন...

Robert Cook: No one is remarking on the fact that Trump is holding many Americans hostage to his caprice because Congress won't ante up billions for his Wall, a Wall he declared, promised, swore, guaranteed, promised, asserted, assured and vowed would be paid for by Mexico.

First, stop pretending you don't know what "Mexico will pay for it" means. Pretending to be that stupid is beneath you.

Second, Congress is "holding Americans hostage" just as much as the President is.

Seeing Red বলেছেন...

Teenage wasteland!

Seeing Red বলেছেন...

Federal workers can’t really get fired. So are they financially irresponsible because they think the party will never end?

They’ve been thru this before and refuse to learn their lesson?

It’s not like they have terrible heath insurance where they’re all bankrupt.

Seeing Red বলেছেন...

Congress won't ante up billions for his Wall,

Ante up walking around money Cookie. Glad handling blip of cash.

Seeing Red বলেছেন...

How detached is one from reality who thinks Uncle Sam can’t find $5 billion?

rehajm বলেছেন...

First, stop pretending you don't know what "Mexico will pay for it" means. Pretending to be that stupid is beneath you.

Second, Congress is "holding Americans hostage" just as much as the President is.


+1. Though the pretend stupid is often not beneath you...

Robert Cook বলেছেন...

"He did specify responsible adults."

Ah! I see you subscribe to the ages-old lie that people in distress are always the authors of their own difficulties.

tcrosse বলেছেন...

Here in Vegas the TSA guys at the airport are getting nervous about their paychecks. A big part of the local economy depends on processing people smoothly through the airport, so it could be a big deal, especially with CES in town. Maybe some of the big casino honchos will step up to the plate and extend payday loans (also a big part of the local economy) to them.

Hunter বলেছেন...

Robert Cook said...
Apparently, you're unaware of how financially insecure many Americans are.

I get it, because that was me a year ago. It is true nearly 8 out of 10 Americans live paycheck to paycheck. But you're not going to convince me it's because they are unable to do otherwise.

Firstly, having no savings did not keep me from paying any bill. You can still use credit cards to cover emergencies (it isn't smart, but it works). And this is what people are going to do if their paychecks don't come. It is ridiculously easy for almost anyone in this country to borrow a couple thousand dollars.

Secondly, most people would not be living paycheck to paycheck and would have savings for an emergency if they had a budget, followed it, and were organized. But instead, they spend their money until it runs out and then they accumulate debt.

Achilles বলেছেন...

Robert Cook said...
"He did specify responsible adults."

Ah! I see you subscribe to the ages-old lie that people in distress are always the authors of their own difficulties.

Not all of their problems are self inflicted. The government causes a lot of problems for them too.

Fortunately Trumps policies are raising employment and wages for the working class for the first time in decades.

But we all know your talk about helping the poor is bullshit by how you react to the undeniable improvements to working class peoples lives.

Unknown বলেছেন...

Well, Achilles, that's not quite true: Robert Cook really does want to "help the poor." He just thinks that the way to help the poor is to enslave them to the Democrat party, where they will be owned body and soul and never, ever be able to depart, totally dependent on Big Daddy Government for everything, and the gulags for those who say "bugger off".

In short, he wants us all to be Russian peasants, circa 1918. The last thing he and the rest of the left want is for us to be American peasants, circa 1776.

--Vance

Marcus বলেছেন...

So our hostess doesn't want tweets without linked articles supporting the assertions made in them? Who made her the boss of Twitter? (She MIGHT do a better job than @Jack tho).

And for those who might suffer from the loss of a continuing paycheck? Simple answer: contact your representative and senators and tell them to fund the wall.

THEOLDMAN

Bill Harshaw বলেছেন...

Reminded of the old joke/New yorker cartoon?: Man falling from the Empire State Building is asked by someone on the 50th floor: "how are you"--response is" "all right so far".

Michael Fitzgerald বলেছেন...

Brit's bucking for a Fake News Pulitzer: https://www.google.com/amp/s/thehill.com/latino/424221-border-patrol-stopped-six-immigrants-suspected-of-terrorism-in-first-half-of-2018-nbc%3famp

Brian বলেছেন...

Amazing to watch Trump change the rules of shutdown theater.

This may be the last one for a while. Trump has really flipped the script compared to the Obama shutdown. The "shutdown theater" may not work anymore.

"Trump managed to keep the parks open, why can't you? Are you an ineffective manager?"

Yancey Ward বলেছেন...

Wow, Ms. Althouse, I can't believe you wrote this:

"I need a real article with facts in it, not just an assertion."

How, exactly, would you determine an article had the correct facts? If Hume had written a published article at FoxNews.com making the same assertion, would you consider it superior to his tweet?

Yancey Ward বলেছেন...

"And now, in the era of Trump, they both seem to have substantially lost some of their perspective."

This might be the most unintentionally hilarious thing I have read in the last half year. How many of you, without searching the thread, could have guessed who wrote that quote?

FullMoon বলেছেন...

Chuck said...

"I am afraid you are mistaking me for someone who has an interest in fair treatment of Donald Trump. I'm not your guy. I am interested in smearing him, hurting him and prejudicing people against him."

নামহীন বলেছেন...

And when a Fed finally misses a paycheck, we should remember that:

1. 75% of the Feds continue to get paid, because their appropriations were passed
2. The 25% who won't get a check are getting a vacation and they ALWAYS get paid later for this vacation

Rabel বলেছেন...

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
‏Verified account @RepAOC
2h2 hours ago

I just had a furloughed worker come visit me in my office.

“I work for HUD,” he said. “My family is hurting now that I’m three weeks without a paycheck,”

“but please - please don’t give into a wall. I don’t want the political tool of withholding my paycheck to be legitimized.”

eric বলেছেন...

A shutdown that lasts a month won't be too big of a deal for the federal employees affected.

A shutdown that lasts 3 plus months?

That'll be a different story.

eric বলেছেন...


Blogger Rabel said...
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
‏Verified account @RepAOC
2h2 hours ago

I just had a furloughed worker come visit me in my office.

“I work for HUD,” he said. “My family is hurting now that I’m three weeks without a paycheck,”

“but please - please don’t give into a wall. I don’t want the political tool of withholding my paycheck to be legitimized.”


She's lying or the person who she talked to is lying. The first missed paycheck will be this weekend.

eric বলেছেন...


Blogger The Drill SGT said...
And when a Fed finally misses a paycheck, we should remember that:

1. 75% of the Feds continue to get paid, because their appropriations were passed
2. The 25% who won't get a check are getting a vacation and they ALWAYS get paid later for this vacation


#2 isn't true. Border Patrol (As one example, not the only ones) are essential employees who are not on vacation right now. Some areas have had all vacation canceled. Even if you have vacation time and sick leave, you're not supposed to be taking it during a shutdown because you're an "Essential" employee.

So please don't spread false information. There are a lot of federal workers who are still going to work each day without getting a paycheck.

Robert Cook বলেছেন...

"Fortunately Trumps policies are raising employment and wages for the working class for the first time in decades."

Except when his policies further enrich already powerful, wealthy and huge corporate entities and their upper management, who then axe thousands of workers.

RigelDog বলেছেন...

Yeah, not going to get at least one paycheck at this point. We have ready savings but only about 2 months worth. Funny thing is, we are very fiscally responsible and have made provision for any typical loss of income (no debt but mortgage, excellent and expensive disability insurance, huge life insurance policy, banked maximum sick leave, aggressive retirement savings) BUT a complete shut-down that lasts for more than a few weeks was unexpected. We also normally have about 6 months of expenses in ready savings but my car---which we kept and drove until it died--up and died in October. On the no-debt principle, we used most of the ready savings to purchase a good, new-used car. Had we thought there could be a shut-down, we wouldn't have chosen to do that.
I still support the insistence on border security, controlled immigration, and no raise for Federal employees this year either.

Gospace বলেছেন...

Mary Beth said...

Tell them to switch their banking to USAA. In the past, it has given interest free pay loans to service members during shutdowns.


Navy Federal Credit Union (NFCU) did the same thing, putting in the normal deposit. As did several other military oriented credit unions.

Commercial banks? Ha! Not a chance.