PAC-10-BEAR said:

---

In August 2025, President Trump signed an executive order banning banks from de-banking Americans over their political or religious beliefs.

---

hopefully you or Trump unloaded some of bitcoin by then. It tanked around then. I mean that's why he got into it right? …..because of the debanking that nobody seems to remember.

BearlySane88 said:

---

JP Morgan just admitted it lol

https://apnews.com/article/trump-jpmorgan-dimon-debanking-2e0db127f360e5dbe1d3cc975dd73703#

---

duh. That's my point. Nobody still doesn't know or care.

cal83dls79 said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

JP Morgan just admitted it lol

https://apnews.com/article/trump-jpmorgan-dimon-debanking-2e0db127f360e5dbe1d3cc975dd73703#

---

duh. That's my point. Nobody still doesn't know or care.

---

Everything JP Morgan did was appropriate and actually a model for how other businesses should have conducted themselves

In less than a year, Trump erased 12 years of solvency for the trust fund that pays for Medicare Part A

Read on, it's Trump/MAGA's fault!!

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/in-less-than-a-year-trump-erased-12-years-of-solvency-for-the-trust-fund-that-pays-for-medicare-part-a/ar-AA1WV3QA


Recent policy changes and economic shifts have slashed 12 years off the projected life span of the trust fund that pays for Medicare Part A, according to a newly updated report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund is now slated to be entirely exhausted by 2040, even though the balance generally increases through 2031, as spending will begin to outstrip income in the following year.


This rapid deterioration of Medicare's financial solvency represents a stark drop from the CBO's previous estimate, which was published just last year, in March 2025. The dramatically shortened timeline means future retirees could face significant cuts to vital health care services far sooner than previously anticipated. As required by the Deficit Control Act, CBO Director Phillip Swagel noted the projections reflect the assumption benefits would be paid as scheduled even after the HI trust fund was exhausted.


The primary culprit for this accelerated depletion is a sharp reduction in the fund's projected income, heavily driven by legislation passed over the last year. Specifically, the 2025 reconciliation act (Public Law 119-21, more commonly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) significantly reduced the revenues the trust fund normally receives from taxing Social Security benefits. This legislation lowered tax rates and established a temporary deduction for taxpayers age 65 or older. Consequently, this major policy shift enacted during the Trump administration has directly contributed to starving the Medicare safety net of critical future funding.

There's more via the link.

concordtom said:

---

In less than a year, Trump erased 12 years of solvency for the trust fund that pays for Medicare Part A

Read on, it's Trump/MAGA's fault!!

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/in-less-than-a-year-trump-erased-12-years-of-solvency-for-the-trust-fund-that-pays-for-medicare-part-a/ar-AA1WV3QA


Recent policy changes and economic shifts have slashed 12 years off the projected life span of the trust fund that pays for Medicare Part A, according to a newly updated report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund is now slated to be entirely exhausted by 2040, even though the balance generally increases through 2031, as spending will begin to outstrip income in the following year.


This rapid deterioration of Medicare's financial solvency represents a stark drop from the CBO's previous estimate, which was published just last year, in March 2025. The dramatically shortened timeline means future retirees could face significant cuts to vital health care services far sooner than previously anticipated. As required by the Deficit Control Act, CBO Director Phillip Swagel noted the projections reflect the assumption benefits would be paid as scheduled even after the HI trust fund was exhausted.


The primary culprit for this accelerated depletion is a sharp reduction in the fund's projected income, heavily driven by legislation passed over the last year. Specifically, the 2025 reconciliation act (Public Law 119-21, more commonly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) significantly reduced the revenues the trust fund normally receives from taxing Social Security benefits. This legislation lowered tax rates and established a temporary deduction for taxpayers age 65 or older. Consequently, this major policy shift enacted during the Trump administration has directly contributed to starving the Medicare safety net of critical future funding.

There's more via the link.

---

Baby Boomers always pulling up the ladder behind them. They've done it their whole lives.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-23/panama-to-occupy-canal-ports-after-court-scraps-ck-hutchison-deal

dajo9 said:

---

Baby Boomers always pulling up the ladder behind them. They've done it their whole lives.

---

# not dead yet

bearister said:

---

dajo9 said:

---

Baby Boomers always pulling up the ladder behind them. They've done it their whole lives.

---

*I'm still p@issed off about these over charges:
1. Aggregate cost of 4 years of Cal tuition: $2,550;
2. Cost of 2 bedroom furnished apartment on Benvenue at Dwight Way: $300/month;
3. Price of 1st house in Walnut Creek : $137,000.

*My starting salary as an attorney in 1979 was $17,000. I was rolling in dough with that.

---

If you're concerned about inflation, maybe this will be of interest to you.

Can you rank all the OECD nation currencies by federal debt as a percentage of GDP?




I can give you a ranked list of OECD countries by government debt as a percentage of GDP, but it's important to clarify a few things first:
1. Most OECD data available publicly show general government gross debt (federal + state + local) as a % of GDP, not just federal debt alone. This is the standard debttoGDP measure used for cross-country comparisons in OECD reporting.



Here's a ranked list of OECD countries by general government gross debt as a percentage of GDP, based on the latest available international data (primarily IMF World Economic Outlook and OECD reporting) - this covers most OECD members with recent figures (2024-2025). These are general government debt figures (central + state + local), which is the standard comparable measure reported by the OECD and IMF.

Note: This ranking uses general government gross debt (% of GDP), as detailed federal-only debt data isn't uniformly available across all OECD countries. The IMF's World Economic Outlook provides the most recent standardized figures for nearly all OECD members.



OECD Countries Ranked by Government Debt (% of GDP) (approx. 2024-2025)

Rank Country Debt % of GDP
1 Japan ~235 % (highest among OECD)
2 Greece ~169 % (among highest in OECD)
3 Italy ~137 %
4 United States ~122 %
5 France ~111 % (OECD data trend)
6 Canada ~107 %
7 Spain ~107 %
8 Belgium ~104 %
9 United Kingdom ~101 %
10 Portugal ~99 %
11 Finland ~77 %
12 Austria ~76 %
13 Hungary ~73 %
14 Germany ~64 %
15 Israel ~62 %
16 Slovenia ~69 %
17 Poland ~51 %
18 Netherlands ~47 %
19 New Zealand ~46 %
20 Czechia ~44 %
21 Ireland ~43 %
22 Latvia ~43 %
23 Sweden ~36 %
24 Denmark ~30 %
25 Switzerland ~38 %
26 Estonia ~21 % (lowest OECD)




Key Points to Understand
These figures reflect general government gross debt as a share of national economic output the most internationally comparable metric.
Japan's debt ratio is by far the highest among OECD nations.
A handful of Western European countries and the U.S. carry very large debt ratios above 100 %.
Several Nordic and Central/Eastern European OECD members typically have moderate to low debt levels relative to GDP.
Not all OECD countries may appear here due to data availability differences in public reporting (some figures are IMF estimates).

^Russia is at 20%.

Isn't Bayer responsible for the purple marks on Trump's hands or is it the frequent use of IV lines?

Senile purpura
https://dermnetnz.org/topics/senile-purpura

Senile purpura is a common, benign condition characterised by the recurrent formation of purple ecchymoses (bruises) on the extensor surfaces of forearms following minor trauma.

With age and photodamage, the dermal tissues become thin and increase the fragility of blood vessels. As a result, superficial vessels tear and rupture even with negligible trauma. The subsequent extravasation of blood into the surrounding dermis results in the development of dark purple ecchymoses.

Although cosmetically displeasing, senile purpura is benign and unrelated to any systemic diseases or blood dyscrasias. It is, however, a risk factor for skin tears in institutionalised patients.

*Wait until you hit 70….that is when the fun starts. One of my swim buddies was so freaked out by it he ran to the doctor. I think some fans had kittens when they saw bruising on Cris Collinsworth's hands during a broadcast.

Cal88 said:

---

Eastern Oregon Bear said:

---

Isn't Bayer responsible for the purple marks on Trump's hands or is it the frequent use of IV lines?

---

Bayer owns Monsanto, their lobbying and hard cash paid off as Trump just enshrined glyphosates as untouchable big agro chemical.

---

I was using Bayer as a reference to aspirin use but I agree that Bayer has its fingers in a vast web of dangerous chemicals and has a lot of weight to throw around in various underhanded ways.

bearister said:

---

Senile purpura
https://dermnetnz.org/topics/senile-purpura

Senile purpura is a common, benign condition characterised by the recurrent formation of purple ecchymoses (bruises) on the extensor surfaces of forearms following minor trauma.

With age and photodamage, the dermal tissues become thin and increase the fragility of blood vessels. As a result, superficial vessels tear and rupture even with negligible trauma. The subsequent extravasation of blood into the surrounding dermis results in the development of dark purple ecchymoses.

Although cosmetically displeasing, senile purpura is benign and unrelated to any systemic diseases or blood dyscrasias. It is, however, a risk factor for skin tears in institutionalised patients.

*Wait until you hit 70….that is when the fun starts. One of my swim buddies was so freaked out by it he ran to the doctor. I think some fans had kittens when they saw bruising on Cris Collinsworth's hands during a broadcast.

---

I'm moving towards 70 faster than I care to admit and see the signs. I have had some bruises from bumps I didn't remember though none since I stopped taking daily aspirin several years ago.

My youngest sister, who is in her 50s, has had frequent bruising. She was diagnosed with a genetic disorder of connective tissues that makes her predisposed to bleeding under the skin. I apparently have it too, since if your sibling has it, it's almost certain that everyone in the family has it. So far, all I've had is slow healing of the incision after ulcer surgery.

In case you thought Palantir was just a JD Vance problem

NEW:

The DCCC raised $2.9 million from Palantir's lobbying firms last month, per a new FEC disclosure. pic.twitter.com/FgZm68c8MZ

— Sludge (@Sludge) February 25, 2026

PAC-10-BEAR said:

---

Big C said:

---

So...

Anything negative is still Biden's fault (or Obama's) and anything positive is because of President Donald J. Trump?

I hear what you're saying. Thanks.

---

I'm skeptical of crime statistics actually, but it would be interesting to know what percentage of violent crime was committed by illegal aliens.

---

AI Overview:

"Available research and data on crime in the United States indicate that undocumented immigrants (illegal aliens) are, on average, less likely to commit crimes or be incarcerated than native-born U.S. citizens. While high-profile cases do occur, comprehensive data does not support the claim that undocumented immigrants have a higher crime rate.
Congress.gov

Key findings regarding undocumented immigrant crime rates include:
Lower Incarceration Rates: A 2023 analysis by the Cato Institute found that the incarceration rate for undocumented immigrants was roughly half that of native-born Americans.

Lower Arrest Rates: A 2020 study based on Texas Department of Public Safety data found that undocumented immigrants were arrested for violent and drug crimes at less than half the rate of native-born citizens, and for property crimes at a quarter of the rate.

Long-Term Trends: Research covering four decades of data indicates that as the immigrant population has grown, the total crime rate in the U.S. has generally declined.

Specific Crimes: A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that undocumented immigrants have lower conviction rates for homicides, sexual assaults, and other felonies compared to native-born Americans.

Federal Data: In FY2024, non-U.S. citizens accounted for 34.7% of all individuals sentenced in the federal system, with 88.7% of those being illegal aliens. However, the majority of these convictions (72.3%) were for immigration-related offenses, not violent or property crimes.
House.gov

Data Limitations
Direct comparisons are challenging because many local jurisdictions do not record or release the immigration status of criminals. The most commonly cited data comes from Texas, which is one of the few states that tracks this information systematically.
Congress.gov

Contextual Data on Immigration and Crime
19802022 Data: From 1980 to 2022, the immigrant share of the U.S. population grew from 6.2% to 13.9%, while the total crime rate dropped by 60.4%.

Border Patrol Data: While there has been a surge in illegal crossings, research has not shown a direct correlation between these increases and a rise in violent crime rates in the United States."