csziggy
csziggy's JournalMinor rant - what's with medical providers and online health systems
It seems that every single medical provider I go to wants me to sign up and sign into their medical information systems. Maybe it's an OK idea, but if I signed up for them all I would have to keep track of a lot of them - family medicine, orthopedic clinic (that covers four doctors I use), cardiologist, nephrologist, gastroenterology, ophthamologist, and physical therapist - oh, and two different hospitals where I have gotten treatment!
On one level I can understand this, but at my age and with the number of conditions that need to be tracked, I can't keep track of all those website, passwords, and systems, much less check back with each to keep them up to date.
I think I will start requesting they ALL remove my email address from their records so they can no longer nag me about joining their wonderful medical systems.
RBG Says Trump Should Recuse Himself from All Decisions Involving the Future of the Country
WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—Asserting that his personal interests put him in direct conflict with the interests of the United States of America, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has demanded that Donald Trump recuse himself from all decisions involving the future of the U.S.
Speaking from her office at the Supreme Court, Ginsburg said that Trump’s oft-stated allegiance to himself makes it impossible for him to render unbiased decisions on issues affecting people other than himself.
More: https://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/ruth-bader-ginsburg-says-trump-should-recuse-himself-from-all-decisions-involving-the-future-of-the-country
Congressman pushing for disturbed military graves to be moved to Jacksonville National Cemetery
Updated: February 24, 2020 - 7:50 PM
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — An Action News Jax investigation has revealed the remains belonging to African American veterans recovered at a forgotten cemetery on the Northside, may soon get a proper burial.
We have learned that Rep. Al Lawson is pushing Veterans Affairs to get the remains into the Jacksonville National Cemetery.
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Lawson has also been in talks with the Florida Department of Transportation to find out why one of its contractors could dig there.
Work continues on the site off Eastport Road, but crews will not be allowed to work in the area where remains were found.
https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/duval-county/congressman-pushing-disturbed-military-graves-be-moved-jacksonville-national-cemetery/Y3R7MMPPLJGCPJCMVQ4TCVSM64/?_website=cmg-tv-10050&fbclid=IwAR1i_qT-YBoYs6w9rfjWas3DP7pliUtBQVCuSU3GCs6AZPiETzGLdrnEOZA
Related: North Jacksonville: Human bones found at construction site, police say
Fixing the Senate: Equitable and Full Representation for the 21st Century
by Todd Tucker / Monday, 18 March 2019 / Published in Politics, Publications, Report
Some of the most pressing challenges of our time—inequality and climate change—require bold proposals to set the United States and the world on a new trajectory. In Fixing the Senate: Equitable and Full Representation for the 21st Century, Roosevelt Fellow Todd N. Tucker explores five ways to realign the body with the functions it was meant to serve:
Abolishing (or fundamentally weakening) the Senate;
Undertaking filibuster reform;
Splitting California up into seven states;
Enacting statehood for DC and Puerto Rico; and
Providing representation to the nonstates.
Tucker focuses specifically on the last option, a proposal he developed and calls Full Representation. This constitutional amendment would add eight senators to the Senate, representing the federal district, overseas territories, and Native American tribes.
The US Senate’s inherent inequities are real, and they are greatly impacting our nation’s ability to have an inclusive economy and democracy. This latest paper builds on a number of Roosevelt Institute publications that argue for structural interventions to US policy and politics, in order to achieve federal rules, and an economy, that are more democratically responsive to the American people.
Full report: https://rooseveltinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/RI_Fixing-The-Senate_report-201903-1.pdf
From the Full Report:
Until the rules work for every American, they’re not working. The Roosevelt Institute asks: What does a better society look like? Armed with a bold vision for the future, we push the economic and social debate forward. We believe that those at the top hold too much power and wealth, and that our economy will be stronger when that changes. Ultimately, we want our work to move the country toward a new economic and political system: one built by many for the good of all.
It will take all of us to rewrite the rules. From emerging leaders to Nobel laureate economists, we’ve built a network of thousands. At Roosevelt, we make influencers more thoughtful and thinkers more influential. We also celebrate—and are inspired by—those whose work embodies the values of both Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt and carries their vision forward today.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Todd N. Tucker is a political scientist and fellow at the Roosevelt Institute. His research focuses on political economy, democracy, and judicial politics. He is author of Judge Knot: Politics and Development in International Investment Law (Anthem Press 2018). Dr. Tucker has testified before legislatures and expert committees around the world. His writing has been featured in Politico, Time magazine, Democracy, the Financial Times, and the Washington Post.
Fantastic fudge pie in a nut crust
A few weeks back I asked about recipes to use with the nut based pie crusts I go on clearance. I made a goat cheese, broccoli, and feta quiche that I thought turned out good, but my husband didn't like much. So I moved on from the savory recipes to sweet. This Ghirardelli Dreamy Fudge Pie was the ticket!
Original recipe: https://www.ghirardelli.com/new%21/dreamy-fudge-pie
I had plenty of eggs and a full bag of Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips, but I didn't have the evaporated milk. So I sent my husband to the store - but I forgot to check what size can 1-1/3 cups was. He brought home a 15 ounce can which seems to be close to 3 cups. No problem - I had a variety of chocolate in the freezer. The eventual "winner" (since it was the oldest) was the Nestle unsweetened baking chocolate squares. I had four 2 ounce squares, too much but there can never be too much chocolate! The 10 ounces Ghirardelli bag of chips was also more than called for. 
So I doubled the recipe and used all the chocolate and the entire can of evaporated milk. Since I was using nut crusts, I left out the pecans they called for. I'm on a diet (yeah, right) so I used the bag of Splenda Blend, which is half sugar and half Splenda. Forget the caramel sauce, we have spray foam, uh, whipped cream in a can, in the fridge.
The microwave instructions for heating and stirring until the chocolate is just melted worked great. I was too lazy to pull out a whisk so I just stirred the heck out of it. Stirring a double recipe was not easy - next time I will just make one pie's worth or once things are mostly melted, throw it into my KitchenAid.
I had both pecan and walnut crusts, so I split the recipe between one of each. It was exactly the right amount for both. I turned my convection oven down to 350 F and baked - they weren't totally set, but that liquid chocolate goodness was lovely. The walnut crust pie is in the freezer. With just two of us, one pie lasts days. I've stored the pie in the fridge and putting a piece in the microwave for 30 seconds brings back the fresh liquidy sinfullness.
Next pie to try in the nut crusts will be an old fashioned Southern chess pie. I've always wanted to try one and I suspect a nut crust would be perfect with it.
If you see the nut crusts in the market, try them - they are good. There are also easy recipes for them and the best part is that they can be gluten free, if you need that.
A race for pirates!
HOW TO DATE (Cat Edition)
Secretary of State Agrees to Settle Voter ID Lawsuits by Entering Into Consent Decree with North Da
Source: Native American Rights Fund
In the wake of the district court’s denial of the State’s motion to dismiss, the Secretary of State has agreed to settle two federal voting rights lawsuits brought by two Native American Tribes and several individual voters over North Dakota’s voter ID law.
The law requires voters to present identification listing their residential street address – a substantial hurdle for many Native Americans living on reservations, because the state has failed to assign residential street addresses to homes on tribal reservations.
In January 2016, eight Native Americans, represented by the Native American Rights Fund (NARF), Tom Dickson, and Rich de Bodo filed suit to block the North Dakota voter ID law, which disenfranchised Native American voters and violated both state and federal constitutions as well as the Voting Rights Act.
On October 30, 2018, NARF, Campaign Legal Center (CLC), Robins Kaplan LLP, and Cohen Milstein Sellers and Toll PLLC filed a separate lawsuit on behalf of the Spirit Lake Tribe and six individual plaintiffs to ensure that eligible Native American voters residing on reservations in North Dakota would be able to cast a ballot in the 2018 midterm elections and in all future elections. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, with approximately 5,868 residents of voting-age that could be affected by the law, joined the Spirit Lake case in early 2019.
Read more: https://www.narf.org/nd-voting-rights/
Issues
Voting Rights
Joint Statement By North Dakota Secretary of State Al Jaeger, Spirit Lake Nation, and Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
Today, the Spirit Lake Nation, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, other Plaintiffs, and the North Dakota Secretary of State in Brakebill, et. al v. Jaeger and Spirit Lake et. al v. Jaeger are pleased to announce an agreement in principle to settle these two federal cases and to address the claims related to tribal IDs for voting and other ballot access concerns of the Native American residents in North Dakota.
Last week, Governor Burgum approved the request for emergency administrative rules promulgated by the Secretary of State related to tribal IDs and supplemental documentation for the purposes of voting as well as validation of set aside ballots marked by Native Americans for inclusion in the final vote tally of an election. During a mediation conducted in-person on Thursday, February 6, 2020, at the North Dakota Capitol, the Plaintiffs and the Secretary of State recognized that the temporary, emergency rules were a first step forward to addressing some of the claims in the two federal lawsuits. At this mediation, the parties agreed to additional terms of settlement aimed at voter protection which will become part of a court-ordered Consent Decree. The Consent Decree will ensure all Native Americans who are qualified electors can vote, relieve certain burdens on the Tribes related to determining residential street addresses for their tribal members and issuing tribal IDs, and ensure ongoing cooperation through mutual collaboration between the State and the Tribes to address concerns or issues that may arise in the future.
While formal approval of the final agreement by the Spirit Lake Nation’s Council and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s Council will be necessary, the agreement in principal has been signed by legal counsel for the Plaintiffs and for the Secretary of State. We look forward to the Court’s final action on the Consent Decree and we will be working together on the details outlined in the emergency Rules and on the final agreement to ensure that Native Americans who are qualified electors will be able to vote in 2020 and beyond.
https://campaignlegal.org/press-releases/secretary-state-and-north-dakota-tribes-agree-settle-voter-id-lawsuit
We found my cat's remains today
When my husband and I were in the UK last fall, he disappeared. The woman taking care of him fed him twice a day, brushed him (at least until he'd attack her, which he always would even with us), and spent time with him. One morning in September he just wasn't there. He had his own cat door so he could come and go as he wanted.
He was seventeen and a half and had been looking pretty frail so I had not been sure he'd last until we got home. We were sad and Julie, the cat caretaker was devastated.
Today while looking at where we will be doing some re-fencing we found his skeletal remains. They had not been very disturbed. It looks as though he had curled up for a nap and just didn't wake up.
It brought back his loss more than I expected. I adopted him from the animal shelter when he was about four weeks old and only weighed four ounces. At least we finally know what happened to him. 
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