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This teachers strike. I mean, not having enough money to pay for teachers is terrible. I cant imagine what that must be like.

It's tough...West Virginia relied on the coal industry for tax revenue for far too long, plus it's cut other taxes over the years, especially for businesses under the guise of bringing in jobs. Even this year a major goal of the state government was to eliminate the business inventory tax, which I'm sure is one reason why teachers were upset at being told there was no money for a decent wage. As it is, there's a huge shortage of teachers in the state, and teachers near the border can make much more money working in surrounding states. Often, teachers who stay in West Virginia qualify for welfare and other support programs.

Another issue is PEIA, the state employee insurance agency. Earlier this year they announced that they would base premiums on household income instead of just employee income as they had before, meaning that premiums would likely double or go higher for people who were married or living together, when these people are struggling to make ends meet as it is. They backed off after it became clear how pissed people were, but they've been raising premiums and deductables and cutting benefits for years, so this is just the straw that broke the camel's back.

But actually, primary education was spared the worst of the cuts that happened when coal fell apart. I work in higher education in West Virginia, which has been cut nearly 25% in the last few years. The year before many people were laid off where I work and almost everyone else, including me, was furloughed one day a week for three months as a cost-saving measure. Last year, the state government passed a law removing seniority rights, a guaranteed pay scale, and other protections and rights to give college administrations more flexibility to lay off and fire people.

Every area of state government is suffering, but the teachers unions are powerful and can actually fight for things, so I definitely support them, even though I'm not sure they can get much more than they already have out of it.

Seems like a real unfortunate situation all around. Whatever happens I hope you'll be fine, Moot.

Randomly came across the blog of the first trans girl I became friends with, who I lost contact with years ago and found out she's a fucking Stalinist nowadays.

Didn't need to know that. But now that I do, I'm in a very unhappy mood.

What's On Your Mind

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Wait wait wait. Pengu how you gonna claim Queen Bee. You aren't even a queen! /mockindignation

Wait wait wait. Pengu how you gonna claim Queen Bee. You aren't even a queen! /mockindignation

Who says I aint a queen? 

QUEENFIGHT!

QUEENFIGHT!

Bisch, we aint cats.  Just because that's our avatar theme doesn't mean I'm going to pull out claws and start scratching.   

No claws necessary. I think I can claim the title of queen. I got the pics and vids to back it up haha.

No claws necessary. I think I can claim the title of queen. I got the pics and vids to back it up haha.

Nah dude, I already claimed it.  And its first come first serve. 

P'shaw. Sashay away. 

Stephen Hawking, modern cosmology's brightest star, dies aged 76
Sad day.

Unfortunate but not unexpected.

"I have lived with the prospect of an early death for the last 49 years. I'm not afraid of death, but I'm in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first."
—The Guardian interview, 2011

"We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the Universe. That makes us something very special."
—in Der Spiegel, 1988

Rest in peace