What's in the news?

[Callie Del Noire]

Not all that. Yes it is not fun, but you can go for two weeks easily with no pills before you start experiencing anything. Before the big op downstairs you have to go without for a month, and that wasn't too bad. A little bit of acne, some extra sweating and that was it for me. And considering its three small pills a day, it isn't much. You dont even need any water or anything to swallow em down with.

Honestly I was more of a wreck before the pills. So anyone trying to hide their trans nature after this is likely to be a worse soldier due to the mental strain it puts you on not being able to be yourself.

See that was my concern. The heath of the service member. Even if it's trying, there are jobs most folks can do. my first 4 years included some of the most physically trying work I ever did, working the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, and I know the folks I work with that I mentioned earlier could cope with it bit one (He's got MS and PTSD)

This confirms it to me, this is a Trump boondoggle to divert attention from the fact he's at least 8 months behind appointments, inept and capriciously cruel. Tomorrow he'll tweet something just as stupid, inept and cruel

I hope my brother is right and he leaves office in 18 months because he's bored

[MiraMirror]

For folks on hormone replacement therapy, how physically stressful is in on your systems to come on and off of the regimen?

Pretty much what Sara said.  Sure, it can make some people a bit irritable, but nothing that would endanger people in a combat role.  It's a hell of a lot more stressful being off the pills, especially when you're suddenly cut off, so to speak.  Suppressing transpeople's transness is far more harmful for their morale and health than letting them get their hormones and be themselves.

[Lustful Bride]

Trumps latest move alienates Latinos across the board.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/latinos-express-outrage-after-trump-pardons-arpaio/ar-AAqItEO?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=HPCOMMDHP15

[Oniya]

I say we fund the shortest possible wall between Trump and Mexico.  Now, what do you think his waist size is?

[RedRose]

Makes me ashamed to be american, and even more ashamed to be married to someone who voted for the asshole.

Never be ashamed of who you are, even if some other people belonging to the same country are bad.

[TheVillain]

I have a buddy that would say that he was going to vote for Trump expressly because  he thought Trump would do so badly that it would force a system reboot.

Made sense then, still makes sense now. And we both still say that his hairpiece would make a better president.

[Lustful Bride]

Never be ashamed of who you are, even if some other people belonging to the same country are bad.

+1 this country has done a lot to help many people over the centuries of its existence. Be proud to be an American, loving your country means loving it even when it does bad. We strive to make it better everyday and to do less is to give up.

[Lustful Bride]

Veterans try to tell people of the realities of what they went through.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/veteran-wants-america-to-awaken-to-realities-of-the-afghanistan-war/ar-AAqJuU5?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=HPCOMMDHP15

"Americans still seem to feel so much more connected with 'Game of Thrones,' or whatever the newest TV series is," she says, "instead of this very real world we enter every time we deploy."

Its the sad goddamn truth. If you really love your vets, for doing what they do so you don't have to, then do more than just pat them on the back and give them a thank you.



Situation in Texas begins to look grim.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/texas-gov-greg-abbott-is-warning-of-the-potential-for-very-dramatic-flooding-from-harvey/ar-AAqIObU?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=HPCOMMDHP15

[TheVillain]

Yeah.

Short Version - Harvey looks like it's going to be at least as strong as Katrina was, and the government looks even less prepared. W fucked up a lot of his appointments for disaster relief, but Trump didn't even fill most of the posts.

If by some miracle Harvey kills less people then Katrina it'll only be because less major cities are along the path.

[MiraMirror]

As someone who went through Katrina, I would have hoped that people would've learned from all the mistakes that magnified how awful that was, even an egomaniac like Trump. :/

[gaggedLouise]

I can see from the news that it's a mighty storm and that it's causing lots of damage, but some news sources seem to be dubbing Hurricane Harvey the most powerful hurricane disaster ever to strike the US - am I missing something here? It's neither as strong (in wind speeds) nor anywhere near as deadly as Katrina - or even Sandy (made a few quick WP checks). 

[Oniya]

I can see from the news that it's a mighty storm and that it's causing lots of damage, but some news sources seem to be dubbing Hurricane Harvey the most powerful hurricane disaster ever to strike the US - am I missing something here? It's neither as strong (in wind speeds) nor anywhere near as deadly as Katrina - or even Sandy (made a few quick WP checks). 

None of those even come close to the Galveston hurricane of 1900.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1900_Galveston_hurricane

Maybe the cost of damage was less, but between 6,000 and 12,000 deaths occurred as a result of that storm, making it the third highest casualty count of any Atlantic storm.  (The other two did not strike the US mainland, being Hurricane Mitch in 1998 with just under 20,000 and the Great Hurricane of 1780 with well over 20,000.)

[RedRose]

If you really love your vets, for doing what they do so you don't have to, then do more than just pat them on the back and give them a thank you.

Agree. I love Game of Thrones lol but as someone whose ancestors and some more recent relatives belonged to various European armies... I totally know how hardcore the job is and I was among the first to bring food to the soldiers in front of touristy and religious places...

[Lustful Bride]

Agree. I love Game of Thrones lol but as someone whose ancestors and some more recent relatives belonged to various European armies... I totally know how hardcore the job is and I was among the first to bring food to the soldiers in front of touristy and religious places...

We all have to do our part.

In other news. The Texas Hurricane aftermath has gotten worse. With flooding leading to loss of homes and deaths.

3,000 National Guard soldiers have been called in to help.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/3000-guard-troops-called-up-as-%e2%80%98catastrophic%e2%80%99-harvey-causes-deadly-floods-in-texas/ar-AAqIsgx?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=HPCOMMDHP15

[Callie Del Noire]

http://www.kktv.com/content/news/Controversial-newsletter-compares-veterans-to-white-supremacists-441704493.html

Gotta ask..anyone in Colorado Springs know if this is for real or a publiv trolling?

Cause..WTF !?!?!?

[Lustful Bride]

http://www.kktv.com/content/news/Controversial-newsletter-compares-veterans-to-white-supremacists-441704493.html

Gotta ask..anyone in Colorado Springs know if this is for real or a publiv trolling?

Cause..WTF !?!?!?

.....I hope this is a bad joke. I really hope it is....but these days people are so... it is completely possible that this letter was written with absolute honesty and seriousness.

But this person does have the right to say what they want. Rights guaranteed and protected by those same veterans that they do not want to see get an education.

[HairyHeretic]

Some of the wording used is rather strange. I'd be inclined to think it's trolling

[Sara Nilsson]

Some of the wording used is rather strange. I'd be inclined to think it's trolling

It sure smells of troll. From the very first few lines that is the impression I got.

[Oniya]

There's a mangled bit of abbreviation towards the bottom that looks like a trollish take on the LGBTQA abbreviation.  Wasn't sure if that was legit or not, but someone has added it to the Urban Dictionary (dated today) with the last two A's as 'Anti-' and 'Aircraft'.  Considering how exactly a month ago, veterans (both transgender and cisgender) were speaking out against ban that 45 has now instituted, I'm thinking that both groups are getting trolled.

[Sara Nilsson]

The newsletter is titled "Social Justice Collective Weekly"

considering how the term Social Justice Warrior is the standard insult I say the very title is a clear indicator.

First off, many veterans openly mock the ideas of diversity and safe spaces for vulnerable members of society.

Again, safe spaces. Something almost only used as an insult.

[TheGlyphstone]

The real question is who the intended trollees are. It seems like something tailor-made to set off the right by attacking veterans, but at the same time exhibits a lot of language choices indicating a right-leaning author.

[TheVillain]

Leaning lefties are the targets. Not a lot of conservatives will actually put their money where their mouth is when it comes to vets.

[Oniya]

The real question is who the intended trollees are. It seems like something tailor-made to set off the right by attacking veterans, but at the same time exhibits a lot of language choices indicating a right-leaning author.

So - you set off the right by attacking veterans.  The right attacks the perceived instigator (the left - and particularly anyone who isn't cisgender/heterosexual).  This causes the people being attacked to push back (at a minimum).  The actual instigator sits back and watches the fireworks.

Sounds like something out of 4chan.

[Twisted Crow]

...Not a lot of conservatives will actually put their money where their mouth is when it comes to vets.

From my own experience in how I have been treated as a Veteran after 11 years? Most Republican politicians. Pfft. Hell no they won't. Not in a million years.

But normal conservative citizens? Yes, they will. At least, I will personally vouch for Texan conservatives. They are pretty genuine about helping veterans, some in my life even touching/moving me to tears when I try to refuse any help or goodwill. Most of those I have met were going to bat for me even if they felt I was "another liberal" to them.

Though, politicians (of either side) generally don't care as much as they lead on. So, if you are talking about Rep politicians, I would agree.

[HairyHeretic]

So - you set off the right by attacking veterans.  The right attacks the perceived instigator (the left - and particularly anyone who isn't cisgender/heterosexual).  This causes the people being attacked to push back (at a minimum).  The actual instigator sits back and watches the fireworks.

Sounds like something out of 4chan.

I've seen a couple of news stories recently about right wingers setting up fake antifa twitter accounts, using doctored photos and trying to discredit the antifa movement, or at least make them look more violent / intolerant / whatever in the public eye. This could be a similar thing.