An expression of violence
Still Too Much News
Beyond the world of TFP’s transition picks, the Syrian government has fallen, and the suspected killer of the CEO of UnitedHealthcare has been apprehended in Pennsylvania.
It’s too much, all jumbled up together. It’s hard to make sense of it all.
What does it mean that Republicans are celebrating the acquittal of subway vigilante killer Daniel Penny?
What does it mean that the suspected CEO killer grew up wealthy, with an Ivy League education?
What does it mean that so many hours, so much money, so much attention, was poured into the investigation of the CEO’s murder, and not the murder of a teenager in lower Manhattan on the same day?
What does it mean that so many people online appeared to be celebrating the death of the CEO?
How do we reconcile a singular act of homicide on the street with the suffering and death of thousands in the name of boosting an insurance company’s bottom line? Why do we call one thing immoral and not the other? Why is only one considered an expression of violence?
Which human lives are worth mourning? Which aren’t?
One Useful Thing
Insurers in the US deny tens of millions of claims every year. If your insurer has denied one of your medical claims, there’s a good chance you are entitled to receive your “claim file”, i.e. the notes and documents your insurer used when making the denial decision.
ProPublica has made an online tool to help you request your claim file.
Review Questions
Let’s see what you’ve learned from our notes about bribery and money laundering.
If TFP’s campaign writes a one-time check for $100,000 to a law firm that employs RFK, Jr., just weeks after Kennedy drops out of the presidential race, with no clear indication of the business reason or of services being rendered (other than the label “Legal Consulting”), what should you do?
- A) Ask the campaign for more information about the transaction, there is likely a good reason for it
- B) File a SAR (Suspicious Activity Report), through the proper channels, without talking to the campaign
- C) Do nothing.
(The answer is B! Fun fact: you could be held liable for civil or criminal penalties if you choose A or C!)
Then again, this is America! Here we are likely to let crimes slide, when there are rich people or law firms involved! Even when TFP isn’t the president!
Besides, what’s $100,000 between friends? A candlelight dinner with TFP and his wife will run you $2 million.
Act now, while supplies last!
All the @#$%ing things
Night 31: Things I’ve learned about money laundering
Night 30: Turned to the words of Frederick Douglass
Night 29: Canceled my OpenAI subscription
Night 28: Donated money to three orgs
Night 27: Addressed a hazardous tile floor
Night 26: Picked up trash with the Trash Falcons
Night 25: Learned more about Pete Hegseth than I wanted to
Night 24: Canceled recurring subscriptions I no longer need
Night 23: Dwelt in gratitude
Night 22: Picked up pie from a favorite local business
Night 21: Downsized my clothes closet
Night 20: Increased my monthly contribution to the ACLU
Night 19: Deleted a blog from two decades ago
Night 18: Researched nonprofit board opportunities
Night 17: Contributed to Trans Lifeline
Night 16: Spent time together with loved ones
Night 15: Bought from a not-for-profit online store
Night 14: Refined an icon and wordmark
Night 13: Contributed to the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund
Night 12: Contributed to The Guardian
Night 11: Read, reflected, and rested
Night 10: Sent money to support vaccinations in Nigeria
Night 9: Sent money to a friend in need
Night 8: Gave gifts and spoke words of appreciation aloud
Night 7: Contributed to a California-focused nonprofit newsroom
Night 6: Made homemade donuts for my team
Night 5: Opted into a paid Buttondown tier
Night 4: Reviewed my local election results
Night 3: Deactivated my X account
Night 2: Contributed to my local nonprofit newsroom
Night 1: Started by starting
Words, sorts, thinks, and actions by Chris Ereneta, from Oakland, California. Thanks for reading! Consider forwarding this to a friend! Thoughtful feedback and questions are welcomed at that.often@gmail.com