Notices by Tony Stark (tonystark@democracy.town)

I remember when I first heard the song 'Everlong' by Foo Fighters. I’ve seen it performed live four times. To this day, it's still my favorite song of all time. Hearing this morning about the passing of Taylor Hawkins is devastating. Music is an important art form to me, and their work in particular is extremely valuable for me.

This one stings so bad, I can't even process it. My heart goes out to his family, the band, the crew, and all of his fans.

Watch Foo Fighters Play 'Everlong' at Their Final Gig With Taylor Hawkins-
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/foo-fighters-everlong-taylor-hawkins-final-peformance-1327135/

@Gargron
I wouldn't be really sure about how "left" that is, considering. Personal opinion is one thing but...

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/facebook-twitter-remove-disinformation-accounts-targeting-ukrainians-rcna17880
@BalooUriza

Djokovic claims he "tried everything." Everything but get vaccinated and follow the known rules, that is.

Not vaccinated, then go home. Pretty simple. Your choice not to get vaccinated. Your choice not to play. There's your freedom.

Opinion | Djokovic is another whiny sports superstar with an exaggerated sense of entitlement:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/01/08/djokovic-vaccines-entitlement/

Biden has been trying to mandate masks and vaccines with the Republican-run states going after him and using their state tax dollars to fight him for almost all year long.

And the Republican-run states of Texas, Florida, and others have literally bullied schools to not mandate or they lose funding. So here we are. Biden is going everything that he can. And now our national guard are going to help hospitals. Hospitals in many areas are overflowing with Covid patients. Because all these unvaccinated GQPers are taking up hospital beds over and over again.

Trump did nothing to slow Covid down. He, Fox, and other GQP members mocked masks and downplayed getting the vaccine. But in the backrooms, many of them were first in line to get vaccinated (Florida governor Ron DeSantis is one of them). They couldn't care less about their own people. 

Businesses, Republican states ask Supreme Court to halt Biden vaccine and testing mandate:
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/20/covid-news-supreme-court-asked-to-halt-biden-vaccine-and-testing-mandate.html

@stux
I wish I could help out more than I do but I hope this works for you.

I’m vaccinated and am tired of the anti-vaxxer mentality but I don’t want vaccinated or unvaccinated people to go into debt for seeking medical treatment.

Our for-profit healthcare system is just bleeding out the working class. Too many Americans have been scammed into believing the free market is the best thing since sliced bread. The fact is that it’s not great for everything. Healthcare is done better and cheaper in most advanced countries with universal single payer. We need it here and it's never been more apparent.

The days of full covid coverage are over. Insurers are restoring deductibles and co-pays, leaving patients with big bills:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/09/18/covid-hospital-bills-insurance-deductible/

To those complaining about vaccine mandates:

It isn’t mandating the vaccine by force. It's still your decision. If you're not vaccinated, you just need to get weekly testing. Sounds pretty common sense. Get a nose wipe a few times a week to make sure you won’t be killing others including your family. Of course, it's easier and safer to just get the shot.

This is how we keep schools, colleges and businesses open, folks. Get vaccinated. Wear masks where people can't be vaccinated. The schools and businesses shutting down are the ones that aren't doing it.

If you still don't want it, you still have an option. That option is to stay home and not work anywhere that's mandating a safe, effective vaccine that saves lives, including your own.

You don’t have to get a vaccine. You have your "freedom" to lose your job and your ability to go anywhere and see how much you make looking at QAnon accounts on the internet all day. #GetVaccinated

I am starting to see a pattern here...

Nowadays, if a story starts with "anti-masker"/"anti-vaxxer" and especially combined with "conservative radio host", it often ends with "died from Covid-19/Covid complications".

I just wonder how long it will take for the anti-crowd to see it. I won't hold my breath (unless I am close to an anti-masker/anti-vaxxer.)

3rd conservative radio host who condemned vaccines dies of Covid:
https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2021/08/29/3rd-conservative-radio-host-who-condemned-vaccines-dies-of-covid-1390555