Tag: signal boost

529A Accounts Let Disabled Save Without Risk to Government Aid

beatrice-otter:

phosphorescent-naidheachd:

PEOPLE with disabilities will be able to open new, tax-free savings accounts under at least two programs offered nationally this summer.

The state-sponsored accounts are known as 529 ABLE, or 529A, accounts. Authorized in 2014 by the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE Act), the accounts are modeled loosely on 529 college savings accounts.

The main benefit of the new accounts is that they allow disabled people to accumulate significant savings without jeopardizing their eligibility for need-based government help like Supplemental Security Income or Medicaid. Disabled people, their families and friends can contribute as much as $14,000 a year without putting federal benefits at risk.

[…]

The Able National Resource Center has a website with information about the accounts.

FINALLY.

529A Accounts Let Disabled Save Without Risk to Government Aid

vortexsophia:

“The law is very real in every US state and universally enforced. If you wear electioneering material into a polling location you will be asked to remove the item.If you refuse to remove the item (with t-shirts you will be asked to go to a bathroom and turn it inside out) you will be told to leave the polling location and not to return until you have removed the item.” – Field manager from Sanders team.

Please Share this, it’s valid Nationally… 

koryos:

If you love Scottish fold cats, I’m going to tell you something you don’t want to hear. Please, please read on anyway. If you are considering adopting a Scottish fold, PLEASE continue reading. This information needs to be more widely known.

In 2008, the Journal of Small Animal practice released a short report on disorders associated with breeds of cats. In this report, the authors mentioned the Scottish fold:

People who own them may be “charmed” by their round faces and open expression (and they may not realise that the reason the cats do not move around too much is because they are variably crippled with arthritis).1

The gene that causes the cute fold in the Scottish fold’s ear also leads to the development of a degenerative disorder called osteochondrodysplasia. ALL Scottish folds have this disorder, whether they show symptoms or not- the fold in their ears is caused by a cartilage deformity that also affects their joints.

Osteochondrodysplasia leads to crippling osteoarthritis, which affects Scottish folds at much younger ages than other breeds of cats. In cats heterozygous for the gene, the disease’s progression can be seen in cats as young as six months. In homozygous cats, it can be seen as early as seven weeks old.

Affected cats may be grossly deformed, with short wide limbs and a short, inflexible tail. They show lameness, swollen wrist (carpal) and ankle (tarsal) joints, have an abnormal gait, and are reluctant to move and jump. Severely affected individuals become crippled and unable to walk.

…Many affected cats are euthanased earlier in life due to the profound effects of this disease.2

The breed is often described as “placid” and “calm.” This is due to the fact that they are constantly in pain due to this disorder. Even in mild, ‘asymptomatic’ cases which can occur in heterozygous cats, they may still be experiencing pain due to cats’ tendency to hide their suffering.

Many breeders of Scottish folds claim that not all heterozygous cats have the disorder, because the studies that examined the cats (which were all, heterozygous or not, shown to have it) had small sample sizes.

In 2003, Lorraine Shelton, a specialist in genetic diseases, offered to pay for 300 x-rays of healthy adult Scottish folds to prove that the disorder was not present in some heterozygous cats.

…She has asked a list of 300 Scottish Fold breeders from around the world to go to their vet to get X-rays done. She had offered to pay for these X-rays but not a single breeder had taken up that offer. You could not know whether this problem existed unless an X-ray was taken. If somebody would send her an X-ray of a healthy hind leg of a folded eared cat, she would be grateful as she wanted to see the very first one.3

To date, no one has taken her up on the offer. The breeders’ unwillingness to have their cats examined speaks volumes. The authors of all studies on these cats agree: it ethically wrong to continue breeding these cats.

It disturbs me that any breeder would knowingly continue to create animals that will be in pain throughout their lives. As a cat lover myself, I am begging you, please do not buy Scottish folds. Do not support these unethical breeding practices, or the concept that it is acceptable to intentionally breed unhealthy animals for the sake of how they look.

Citations

1 Breed-related disorders of cats (discusses issues with other breeds as well)

2 Genetic welfare problems of companion animals: osteochondrodysplasia (a thorough description of the disease and its prevalence)

3 FIFe meeting notes (leading to a decision not to recognize Scottish folds as an offical breed due to the disorder)

There was also a follow-up email about Shelton’s offer which can be read here.

Studies on osteochondrodysplasia in Scottish Folds

Osteochondrodysplasia in Scottish Fold cats

Incomplete dominant osteochondrodysplasia in heterozygous Scottish Fold cats (this is the source of the above x-ray pictures)

Before you buy ANY animal, please do your research. If a breed suffers from high incidences of genetic disorders, don’t use your money to support the creation of more animal suffering.

krxs10:

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ATTENTION !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Protest Breaks out Against the Lack of Sanders Coverage Outside CNN Studio In Hollywood California, And Not One News Network Is Covering it

On Sunday, more than 1,000 protesters voiced their anger over CNN’s lack of Bernie Sanders coverage and the medias blatant bias towards Hilary Clinton, at the network’s Los Angeles headquarters.

And yet….not one Major or Local new station is covering it….

Protesters gathered together in a peaceful sit in, holding up bernie signs and chanting “Clinton News Network”. Since CNN’s first Democratic presidential debate program this election season, the network has put Clinton front and center and fawned over her performance, even when Sanders gained more followers.

This #BernieBlackout is no coincidence or accident. 

it could have something to do with the fact that Time Warner Cable owns CNN. Time Warner, of course, has donated over $400,000 to Hillary Clinton’s campaigns.


Despite his last six wins in a row, and the fact that Bernie’s managed to pack arenas with over 27 thousand people, Sanders has been largely ignored by the network. Ironically, CNN continued to run segments on an upcoming travel show even as the large mob chanted outside the building. 

DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU SEE ON TV. REMEMBER: WE ARE HIS MEDIA

#StayWoke

PSA: That Shady Postcard You Got About The Primary Election Is Misleading

hobbitystmarymorstan:

prettiestpandabear:

thessalian:

steviemcfly:

NYC followers: the Board of Elections sent out “correction” postcards to new voters (AKA Bernie voters) saying the primary is in September. It’s still April 19. You should still vote. In fact, bring two friends who weren’t going to vote as a “fuck you” to the people who were trying to trick young people out of voting in the first place.

This election is getting dirtier and more disgusting every time I turn around and the primaries aren’t even over yet.

Yeah that’s right. I’m reblogging this twice because it is so important. I know at least one person who got one of these so tell everyone you know in NY.

State primary is in September. Presidential primary is still April 19th. Supposedly, everyone receiving this notice should automatically know that it’s only about state elections.

PSA: That Shady Postcard You Got About The Primary Election Is Misleading

wtfplus:

Attention Torrid shoppers – DO NOT put items in your cart while signed in! 

I am a high-volume platinum rewards member, and I noticed something fishy the other day.  Take a look at the times at the top of the screen shots.  Not signed in, the dress is listed on clearance for $46.11.  Sign into my account, and the price skyrockets to $61.48.  Sign back out, price drops back down to $46.11.  What gives, Torrid?!?!? This isn’t okay. Why would you charge your BEST customers MORE money?

submitted by a concerned citizen !

ismokequiet:

stupidsexynixon:

myflawedfairytale:

Why isn’t Tumblr freaking out about the biggest leak in history?

The Panama Papers are information that has the potential to change the world and this story broke over 2 hours ago now. Putin might go to prison. Same with the Saudi-Arabian king Salman ibn Abd al-Asis, the Ukranian president Petro Poroschenko, the former Georgian prime minister Bidsina Iwanischwili, the Argentinian president Mauricio Macri, a quarter of the Icelandic cabinet, 11 other world leaders, and ‘best soccer player of all time’ Lionel Messi.

This is 2.6 terabytes of leaked data about tax evasion and off-shore companies, drug trade, etc etc etc. Remember Wikileaks? That was huge, right? The Panama Papers dwarf the 1.7GB of data we got out of that.

THE VIDEO

Just watch it. Think about it. Talk about it. This is real journalism and probably the biggest scandal of our lifetimes.

Here’s the actual documents that have been released so far since nobody thought to post it. It’s a bit overloaded at the moment due to traffic so keep trying if you can’t get through the first time. Nothing incredibly shocking right now imo but take a look for yourselves if you’re interested.

heavy content warning on the video for rape, human trafficking, pedophilia

lumpatronics:

just a reminder that a lot of people supporting “light it up blue” aren’t aware of its negative connotations. 

a lot of people dont know why autism speaks is bad, and it never occurs to them to look up if it has issues.

it is none of our duties to educate these people during april, but keep in mind that people may not be malicious, just ignorant.

If you DO want to educate them, here is a 40 page essay about why autism speaks is bad, with works cited.

use this as you will