Tag Archives: government

‘Surviving R. Kelly’ Puts Abuse In The Spotlight & The Government Ain’t Ish: This Week’s Winners & Losers

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Source: Gilbert Carrasquillo / Getty This week was rough.  From government shutdowns to stories of abuse, it was hard to chose winners and losers for the week. But with a deeper dive into details, the choice was clear on who was taking a W and who got left with an L. Check out the losers below, then hit the next page to find out who’s winning in these days and times. Losers The government So Trump wants $5.7 billion to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border to keep “illegal” immigrants out. A lot Democrats are like nah. Legislation that directs U.S. Treasury funds to certain federal agencies doesn’t get passed. The government goes into a partial shutdown that’s already headed into it’s third week.   The department of Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Justice, State, Transportation and Treasury are considered shut down. Thus, close to 800,000 workers across the U.S. are currently furloughed or working for free, including many Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers, Environmental Protection Agency workers, and even employees at major research centers like NASA.   Not to mention, public assistance programs such as Section 8 vouchers have lapsed in funding causing The Department of Housing and Urban Development to send letters to 1,500 landlords asking them not to evict residents who receive assistance.   You can check out all the departments affected by the shutdown here. So the question remains… WTF IS THE GOVERNMENT DOING!? What kind of government claiming to be for the people plays with their people’s livelihood? Now granted, Congress just passed a resolution on Friday ensuring back pay for workers affected by the shutdown, according to The Hill . The bill would also guarantee payment for employees affected by future shutdowns. But this doesn’t account for the stress and paranoia employees and the American people have had to endure, leading to GoFundMe pages for workers, travel safety scares and food inspection halts . Who knows what poison could’ve slipped into our tuna salad due to a brief shutdown.   The only way this shutdown will end is if Dems give into Trump’s wall, Trump gives into the Dems “nah!” or they both come to an agreement – one which could include continuing the funding of all agencies, while the debate over the border wall continues separately. But Trump’s insistence that he’s willing to let the shutdown go on for “months or even years” makes it clear this can get ugly. So yea, the government is trash right now. And the American people don’t feel supported. L.

‘Surviving R. Kelly’ Puts Abuse In The Spotlight & The Government Ain’t Ish: This Week’s Winners & Losers

Dear Millennials: You’re Not Lazy, You’re Burnt Out

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Dear Millennials: You’re Not Lazy, You’re Burnt Out

Rent’s Due! Federal Workers Sadly Resort To Crowdfunding Sites Amidst Government Shutdown

Source: J.R. Davis / Radio One D.C. People’s Heartbreaking Pleas Are Shared On GoFundMe While some ( but not all ) elected officials continue to feel safe and secure with their regular paycheck, other government workers are out here struggling because of the shutdown . So much so that they have to resort to crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe. According to Newsweek, a GoFundMe spokesperson said that around 1,000 furloughed federal workers have started a crowdfunding account to help cover their living expenses. This makes sense considering the fact that one quarter of all U.S. government departments have been affected by the government shutdown. Some 800,000 federal employees have been furloughed or have been working without pay. A GoFundMe spokesperson, Katherine Cichy, told Reuters on Wednesday that GoFundMe has a dedicated staff who is managing and reviewing the fundraising pages related to the government shutdown. So far the crowdsourcing attempts have exceeded $100,000 since the shutdown started. Alphonzo Breland, a 41-year-old Internal Revenue Service worker from California, told Reuters that he tried to get a night job at a warehouse before trying out GoFundMe on Tuesday. “My heart is always fluttering, my head is racing,” Breland said. “My mortgage is due now, I have until the 15th and then I get a late fee. I had to cancel the tuition deduction for my daughter’s school.” Julie Burr, who described herself as a single mom and contracted government worker in Missouri, wrote on her GoFundMe page , “I’m losing pay every day that this government shutdown continues.  I’ve taken on extra shifts at my 2nd job but it isn’t going to pay rent and all my bills. Being a single mom, I’m in panic mode right now. If you’d like to help, any donations are appreciated.” Two sons, Robert and Tristan from Seattle, have even started a GoFundMe page for their mom, who “has not received her paycheck” due to the government shutdown. “My mom is a single mom of 2 boys trying to make ends meet,” they wrote. “My mom does not get help from the state, she works really hard to provide for me and my brother… [We] are reaching out to the world to see if we can raise enough money so that she doesn’t have to worry anymore.“ With stories like this, elected officials and, of course, Trump are really showing their a$$ on how much they care about the American people.  

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Rent’s Due! Federal Workers Sadly Resort To Crowdfunding Sites Amidst Government Shutdown

Food For Thought: Jennifer Lopez Gets Real About Why Her Past Relationships Failed

Source: CBS Photo Archive / Getty Jennifer Lopez Covers Harper’s Bazaar Magazine Until recently Jennifer Lopez hasn’t had much luck with love. But now that she’s found the man of her dreams in A-Rod , she’s reflecting on why that might be. The 49-year-old stunner covers the February issue of Harper’s Bazaar in all red Gucci and opens up about media scrutiny, her kids, and being in a better place now than she had been previously. As far as her rollercoaster journey with love, she tells the publication: “For me, the relationship journey has been very up and down. But it didn’t have to do with anybody else but me—it was about me figuring out me.” “Until you learn to love yourself, you can’t completely love [someone else] in a way that is pure and true. Once you do that, you can have relationships that are based on love and respect, that are supportive and nourishing. There’s an evolution there that had to happen for me,” J. Lo adds. “I feel like I’m in a better place now.” On being scrutinized by the media: “You’re trying to do your best and people are putting you down, or trying to make believe you’re not a nice person, or you’re a diva. I’m always like, ‘Who are you talking about?’” On life today: “I’ve got two amazing kids and a great boyfriend. I don’t have everything figured out, and everything isn’t perfect. But I feel very proud that with all the things I’ve gone through in my personal life, I’m still optimistic and hopeful.” On feeling boxed in early on in her career: “From early on in my career, I felt like people wanted to put me in a box. You will play these sorts of roles, do this type of thing. Or you will only act. You cannot sing and act at the same time. I felt very confined by that because I knew I was going to do different things. I was at least going to try!” Click here to see her breathtaking cover shoot and read the full interview. It’s hard to believe J. Lo is about to be 50 years old… gotdamn!   Continue reading

Big Orangey Disaster: Twitter Flipped The TSA Crisis Into Hilariously Petty Memes

“Are you coming in today?” TSA employees: pic.twitter.com/9ucjIdH2EA — Jane (@A_maan_duuh) January 6, 2019 Twitter Copes With TSA Crisis With Jokes At this point, all you can do is laugh to distract yourself from the pathetic state of Trumpy’s America  currently spiraling deeper into the orangey abyss by the infuriating Government shutdown that’s left thousands of federal employees in wage-free limbo without signs of ending anytime soon. Sadly, it’s a complete and total disaster but at least we have these memes to make us feel a smidge better. TSA workers until the government shutdown is over. pic.twitter.com/4SJyhuhCii — Will (@gondola__) January 7, 2019 Peep the absolutely funniest (and pettiest) TSA crisis tweets/memes on the flip. Continue reading

Oh Hell Nah: IRS Won’t Issue Tax Returns During Government Shutdown, But They’ll Still Accept Your Payments

Source: Rita Maas / Getty The Government Shutdown Could Keep You From Getting A Tax Refund If you thought the government shutdown wouldn’t affect your daily life, it might be time to think again. As the partial shutdown approaches its two-week point, concerns are growing that a heavily impacted IRS will delay taxpayers’ getting their refunds . The agency has categorized issuing tax refunds as a “non-excepted” activity — meaning that those tasked with processing refunds would be furloughed during their shutdown. Meanwhile, several types of tax return processing were deemed “Necessary for the Safety of Human Life or Protection of Government Property.” That’s according to a December shutdown plan, which   lays out  the first five business days of the agency’s response during a shutdown occurring outside of tax season. While the document notes the plan can be reassessed and furloughed employees can be recalled,  The Wall Street Journal  reported on Wednesday that the IRS generally does not issue refunds during a shutdown. The IRS plan says that only 12.5 percent of the IRS workforce is authorized to work during a shutdown, while the rest of the agency faces furloughs. That plan could be revised as soon as Friday, as the agency shifts into tax season, which typically starts in mid-January. Budget negotiations to reopen the government have stalled over President Donald Trump’s demand for funding a border wall, which means the risk is growing that tax refunds could be delayed if these aforementioned IRS workers don’t return to work soon.

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Oh Hell Nah: IRS Won’t Issue Tax Returns During Government Shutdown, But They’ll Still Accept Your Payments

The Kardashians: How Many Babies Will They Pop Out in 2019?

There are many big questions heading into 2019: Will the government ever re-open? Will the McRib return? Will some beautiful rogue asteroid finally put us all out of our misery? But for gossip purposes, there may be no greater concern than the rate at which our planet's Kardashian population will expand in 2019. (Although that asteroid one is a pretty close second.) So just how many  Kardashians are already pregnant and how many Kris Jenner grandbabies are coming down the pike? Join us as we answer the questions that keep Americans up nights:   1. Tough to Top 2018 was a banner year for Kardashian fertility, as Kylie, Khloe, and Kim all welcomed new children. 2. A Solid Start It won’t be easy to put up even bigger numbers in the new year, but believe it or not, the Kards may be committed to doing exactly that. 3. Who Ordered the #4? We learned this week that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are expecting their fourth child, a boy, via surrogate. 4. Switching It Up Kim is using a different surrogate than the one she hired to carry Chicago West. The unidentified woman is said to be due in May. 5. Queen Kim And with that, Kim will officially become the baby-makingest of all her siblings. 6. Kourt is Adjourned Kourtney Kardashian previously led the way with three kids, but it seems the eldest Kard sister has closed up shop for the time being. View Slideshow

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The Kardashians: How Many Babies Will They Pop Out in 2019?

Bill Cosby Goes Nuts, Compares Self to Jesus, Claims He "Saved" Women

Despite his efforts to throw out the conviction, sentence, and judge , Bill Cosby remains in prison. Now that Cosby’s sex tape evidence is public knowledge, he may be more afraid than ever that this prison sentence is just the beginning. In a new phone call, Cosby sounds like he has totally lost his mind. He is paranoid and he compares himself to Jesus. RadarOnline reports that Bill Cosby is making bizarre outbursts from behind bars. The disgraced former comedian is now known as Inmate No. NN7687. In a phone call that RadarOnline obtained, Cosby says some truly outlandish things. “They’re using sonic pressure on my head!” he exclaims. In the phone call obtained by the tabloid, he claims that he believes that he is being possessed by the ghost of his deceased mother. And that’s not the only super weird thing that he’s been saying. Cosby believes that officials at Pennsylvania’s SCI Phoenix state prison are plotting against him or have it out for him. He also claims that he “saved” the women whom he is accused of having heinously assaulted. On top of everything, he is bragging about his intelligence. And maybe he was feeling in a Christmas spirit, because he mentions Jesus. Unfortunately, it was to compare himself to Jesus. That is not going to go over well. Let’s start with Cosby’s apparent paranoia about prison employees. There have been real cases of prison guard misconduct, but that is … not what he is describing. “I think they have some kind of eye in the cell,” Cosby claims. “Every time I start writing it goes up higher to see it.” “I think the mirror is rigged,” he then announces. “There is a huge satellite on the compound.” Cosby theorizes: “Their plan is to make me look totally crazy, so nobody believes anything I am saying!” That sounds more than a little nuts. And then he delves into the more than 60 women who accuse him of sexual assault. “I have empathy for those women!” Cosby insists. “I have understanding for the women.” “I saw what they were struggling through,” he continues. “Did I put those women in a garbage can?” Cosby asks. “Your society put them in the garbage!” According to RadarOnline , Cosby says: “I picked them out of the garbage and helped them!” That almost sounds like a confession, if a heinous one. Then Cosby discusses his smarts. He insists that he knows “more about the economy, more about money, more about the government than all the presidents combined.” At the risk of treading into contentious political waters, does that sound similar to the ramblings of a certain orange man, by any chance? And then, while many households still have Christmas trees up, he compares himself to Jesus. “You don’t take human life like this, and sabotage it, and rip it apart like Jesus Christ!” Cosby reportedly exclaims. He then says: “Now I know what Jesus was going through!” He also predicts some sort of vengeful apocalypse . His insistence that he is some sort of martyr and the victim of a conspiracy continues. “[The cops and judges] are to blame,” he accuses. “I lost my f–king life. I couldn’t get a fair trial! They sabotaged my ass!” “They’re all inhumane living bastards,” Cosby continues. “And they’re going to get nuked in the end!” Yikes. Yikes. Yikes. This is not a good look and it sounds like he has totally lost his mind. Prison can be hell on anyone’s mind, even the guilty, and especially an 81-year-old man. Is Cosby really as off his rocker as he sounds in this phone call? It is always possible. That said, some worry that he is deliberately jabbering in an effort lay groundwork for an escape from prison . After all, if his attorneys come forward with evidence that their client is mentally unwell, they could try to move him to a psychiatric facility. That is … something to consider. Cosby is really, really not enjoying his time in prison. View Slideshow: Bill Cosby: A Look at His Life Behind Bars

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Bill Cosby Goes Nuts, Compares Self to Jesus, Claims He "Saved" Women

Must Be Nice: Education Department To Wipe Away $150 Million in Student Loan Debt

Source: Nigel Carse / Getty $150 Million In Student Loan Debt To Be Wiped Away The Education Department is wiping a whopping $150 million in federal student loans off the books, and has already begun the process of informing thousands of borrowers that they no longer owe the government money because the schools they attended shut their doors. The loan forgiveness, which was  announced earlier this week , applies to about 15,000 borrowers as federal education officials begin to carry out new rules that they fought in court for more than a year over. The department said it began notifying some of the borrowers by email on Friday that their loans would be discharged within the next few months. Any payments that the borrowers made toward a loan will also be refunded, it said. About half the borrowers attended Corinthian Colleges, a large for-profit chain that went bankrupt in 2015 after a deluge of lawsuits accusing it of predatory recruiting practices and false marketing. The rest attended one of the more than 1,000 other schools that shut down between November 2013, the start date for the automatic-discharge rules, and November 2015. The new rules require the department to automatically forgive the loans of eligible borrowers three years after their school closed, but students can apply before then. Under the Education Department’s closed school forgiveness program, federal student loan borrowers can apply to have their loans wiped away if they attended a school that closed while they were enrolled, or soon after, and they do not transfer their credits elsewhere. The program is based on the principle that lenders bear responsibility for ensuring that a loan is sound, and that borrowers shouldn’t be responsible for loans taken out for an education that turned out to be worthless. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has said that she intends to rewrite the rules for some of the agency’s debt-forgiveness programs; The soonest those changes could take effect is July 2020. “The federal government must become a more responsible lender,” Ms. DeVos said, adding that students “need to understand the implications of their decisions.”

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Must Be Nice: Education Department To Wipe Away $150 Million in Student Loan Debt

Tekashi 6ix9ine’s Lawyer Says Plea Deal Is Not An Option

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Source: MICHAEL CAMPANELLA / Getty The evidence against Tekashi 6ix9ine is mounting but his team is remaining confident. His lawyer has made it clear they are not considering backing down. According to a new report by  TMZ the rapper’s attorney will not consider a plea deal. “A plea deal is simply off the table, even if the feds offer one” Lance Lazzaro told the gossip site. This announcement comes as a surprise to many as prosecutors have submitted several photos as evidence to the judge. Included are shots of the Brooklyn rapper, his former associate Kifano “Shotti” Jordan and automatic weapons that places them at armed robberies and shootings that took place earlier this year. According to the court documents police confiscated smartphones from Tekashi’s crew. Once inspected the devices synced up exactly with the GPS locations of the armed robbery on April 3 in Brooklyn. The backpack that is alleged to be stolen was found in Tekashi’s home during a raid in September. An AR-15 rifle was also retrieved from the search of the house. Lazzaro is standing firm about his client’s innocence as none of the footage or visuals show him pulling a trigger or receiving any pilfered goods. He added that 6ix9nine “was never part of a conspiracy, plain and simple. Nor did he ever participate in any incidents that the government has alleged.” You can view the photo evidence here . Tekashi is currently sitting in prison without bail. #GoodLuckWithThat. Photo: Getty  

Tekashi 6ix9ine’s Lawyer Says Plea Deal Is Not An Option