Not sure a cut of $186m between 2025 and 2034 warrants the cavalier description -- "benefits were scaled back" -- of changes to SNAP in the BBB.
In the immediate term, "Approximately 4 million people in a typical month will lose some or all of their SNAP food benefits once the changes are fully implemented, based on Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates." according to the Center on Policy and Budget Priorities. [1] I'm not sure what is going to happen in my community (rural Virginia with a good portion of federal and federal-adjacent retirees living here full-time) as people continue to be kicked off SNAP. Food pantries are serving more people than at the beginning of 2025. I've not investigated the status of donations. But anecdotally, friends are giving fewer food items to emergency pantries.
But as is the case with other aid programs, there is a public benefit to public benefits: "Here’s the remarkable thing about SNAP: it’s one of the highest return investments the government makes. According to USDA Economic Research Service data, every $1 in SNAP benefits generates approximately $1.50 to $1.80 in economic activity. During the Great Recession, that multiplier reached $1.84." The question is, with the reduction in people served coupled with work requirements, will the follow-on economic benefits be realized between now and 2034? How will low-income households fare?
When I started doing promotion of public events sponsored by a small nonprofit in rural Virginia (USA), I was handed several pieces of paper with notes like post office, banks, dry cleaners, lumber yard. Over time, I've built a spreadsheet of places to share event and other community information. There's churches, HOAs, social media groups, IRL locations, media outlets, and so on. I am constantly referring people to the list to use (share information and seek information0 and edit. I knew very few people would make edits but I expected a couple of folks to use it for outreach.
About a month ago, I started thinking that my small neck of the woods could use something other than FB to share info. I'd love for electronic discussion groups to fill the void. Of course there are downsides, starting with slow adoption. But I feel like it's a lift anyone can manage given that it's based in email.
Of course, what will be shared is stupid stuff and not what I want (public opinion on state and local policies) and particularly information relevant to people with low incomes.
I know nothing about the topic BUT I can remember John Kirby and Jake Sullivan regularly talking logistics, Poland, and other things mentioned here. I don't think I've heard those things from this administration's reps. Not sure if not hearing is good or bad. I sure learned a bunch from Kirby and Sullivan, though.
> Professional soccer socks are, by design, form-fitting. In addition to holding shin guards in place, they provide support to the ankle, the arch of the foot, and the calf; they help manage moisture and reduce foot movement inside the cleat to improve stability. This design principle has been used in professional soccer for decades. Although materials have evolved to become lighter and more durable, they are still primarily based on synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon, and spandex.
> There is a biomechanical component to this sensation. During a sprint or a change of direction, the largest muscle in the calf contracts and increases in thickness to generate the force that propels the athlete forward. This change in shape occurs thousands of times during a game. For some, the repeated expansion of the muscle is enough to create a sensation of pressure when the sock exerts constant compression on the calf.
Players complain about discomfort (the socks are too tight) and the players cut holes in them to "'release tension' and run better." But according to the article, there is no science substantiating the value of cutting the holes.
Not sure if one conclusion is that organizations are okay with player discomfort. If this is the case, this sucks for current and future players.
Yes, rules are absolutely necessary. And community engagement is also essential. Community input might be tiring, frustrating, and the like but people get to speak as part of the process and because they have a right to.
Apologies. Was taken with the names and stories. . . didn't read the about page. Guess my critical thinking was on the fritz. Seriously, learn a lot here and will try to do better.
Every time I read stories like this my heart hurts. And I feel like I've been punched in the gut.
Every single time I read stories like this all my shit comes to the surface. Thank goodness for mental health professionals and prescription drugs.
No matter how I feel about your experiences, I want to know more. I want others to feel like they can share with people who are ready to listen and be supportive however we can.
I've been involved in social services public policy since 1997 and this one of the meanest, hateful, despicable sets of rulemaking I have ever seen. It's almost as though the president and his team hate poor people. Or maybe that it's that they are dismissive of poor people.
I can't do anything to change the rules right now, but I can and will engage in a ton of GOTV work for elections this year.
Or, as prep school teachers and college professors told students who asked the question "How long does the paper have to be?", "Short if you have a lot of time and long if you don't.
I (now) fondly remember getting my first English paper back as a hs freshman with an F. Shook me to my core. I had, after all, gotten into this good school as one of the select few. That was a good lesson and it's served me pretty well.
Having had three colonoscopies so far, my system for prep is to change what I eat at least the week before. Jello, ice pops. . . generally light stuff. At some point before I start drinking the beverage from hell, I get butt cream. Smear it on and then drink. Keeping a layer of diaper rash ointment on the tush helps a LOT.
I suggested to the pharmacists at my local pharmacy they should recommend butt cream when someone buys the prep stuff. Not sure if they do it, but all agreed it was a good idea.
OpenAI Foundation is a corporation established in Delaware. It has received it's 501(c)3 status from the IRS which means donations are deductible to the fullest extent of the law (or some such; it's been a long time since I've had to write that). The American people do not own the foundation.
As for the OpenAI that is a public benefits corporation, I know nothing about all the ins and outs of that type of corporation.
But websites are not everything. Everything would include updating the website with hours, menus, etc. And since way too many businesses in my part of the world (rural Virginia, though not sure that matters) can't update their hours, email, menus, etc. on socials, there is no way they can manage a website.
Lately, I've been trying to get restaurants, in particular, to share their news in text in addition to the graphic. They can't/won't do that. Why? Not sure and I don't care enough to ask. But I am not following them anymore and telling them why. Not sure they care, which is fine.
blue nose creative co (handmade quilts): Etsy shop https://bluenosecreativeco.etsy.com
Policy on the #NNK: blog https://policyonnnk.blogspot.com/
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