Friday, October 18, 2024

"Donald Trump said disabled people should just die, his nephew says"/ "Second Trump presidency would put ‘meaningful drag’ on Canada’s economy: Desjardins"

Aug. 8, 2024 "Donald Trump said disabled people should just die, his nephew says": Today I found this article by Padraig Moran on CBC:


When Fred Trump III asked his uncle Donald Trump for money to help with his disabled son's medical care, he says the former U.S. president suggested letting the young man die instead.

Fred's son, William Trump, was born with a genetic mutation that altered his physical and cognitive development. The former president had contributed financially to William's care over the years, but mounting costs forced Fred to ask for more help in a 2020 phone call. 

In his new book, All in the Family: The Trumps and How We Got This Way, Fred alleges that his uncle's response was: 

"I don't know, he doesn't recognize you. Maybe you should just let him die and move down to Florida."

Fred was shocked at the response, and insisted that his son does recognize him.

"To this day, it's still hard to wrap my head around it," he told The Current's guest host Susan Bonner. 

"I don't know how one human being could say that about anybody else. Least of all his grandnephew," he said. 

Fred said his uncle has never met William, who is now living in a group home and doing well medically. 

"He's 25 years old now, an extremely wonderful young man. Everybody that he touches, they are the better for it," Fred said. 

After the former president was elected in 2016, Fred and his wife Lisa realized they could use their new connection to the Oval Office to attempt to help the disabled community. 

He said his cousin Ivanka Trump helped to set up a meeting with the then-president in early 2017, where Fred and a group of advocates made a pitch for better supports for people living with disabilities.

Fred said his uncle seemed interested in what they had to say, and called him back into the Oval Office when the meeting had ended and everyone else had left.

"He just looked at me and said, 'Those people, the costs. Why don't they just die?'" Fred said.

"That was the precursor to … what he said to me about his grandnephew, three years later."

In a statement to The Washington Post, Donald Trump said he had helped Fred and William both financially, and through introductions to government and medical officials.

"I helped him so much, more than anyone else in his life, and this is the thanks I get," said the former president, who is contesting the U.S. presidential election as the Republican nominee in November, facing off against Democratic nominee Kamala Harris.

The statement did not respond to a question about Fred's allegations of what his uncle said about disabled people, the Washington Post said. 


Bitter family fights

Fred is the son of Donald's older brother, Fred Trump Jr., who he described as a free spirit who eschewed the family real estate business to become an airline pilot. 

Fred said that decision didn't sit well with Donald or Fred Jr.'s father, Fred Trump Sr., who "constantly ridiculed" him for it.

"Donald called him a glorified bus driver. I think that's pretty demeaning," Fred said. 

Fred Jr. died of a heart attack in 1981 after a struggle with alcoholism. After Fred Sr. died in 1999 after a battle with dementia, Fred and his sister Mary Trump expected to receive some portion of the inheritance that would have gone to their father.

But they discovered that the former president and his two living siblings at the time — Robert Trump and Maryanne Trump Barry — had convinced Fred Sr. to remove them from the will. An ensuing lawsuit was settled out of court. 

"When I would ask for money from the fund that had been set up by Donald and his siblings, I was literally asking for my own money — I always looked at it that way," Fred said.

Despite those conflicts, Fred said he and his uncle remained close over the years, even attending his inauguration. 

"We were close. Donald was the first person to put a golf club in my hand ... even when my father was alive, he would take me places and we would do things," he said.

When Mary released a sharply critical book about their uncle in 2020, Fred distanced himself from his sister's book, calling it a breach of the family's privacy. 

He said he ultimately decided to write his own book not out of a desire for revenge, 

but as a way to speak up for the needs of people living with disabilities. 

"The only way I could [do that] was to tell the story of my family. That's a very complex story, a sometimes cruel story, and yes … that story couldn't be told without telling about Donald," he said.


A Trump voting for Harris

Fred said he'd like to see better funding and training for the caregivers that help people living with disabilities and their families. 

He also wants more diverse housing supports, arguing that a one-size-fits-all model won't meet everyone's needs.

Fred said he didn't vote for his uncle in 2016 or 2020, instead casting his ballot for Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, respectively. While his uncle never asked who he voted for, Fred has already made his mind up about this election.

"I am going to be voting for, endorsing and campaigning for Kamala Harris," he said, adding that he believes her administration, if elected, would "advocate on behalf of people with disabilities."

He said his uncle has an ability to make people believe he's on their side, but can cast them aside once he gets what he wants.

"If you can't trust your own uncle to do the right thing, 

how can the people of America trust him to take care of them if he's re-elected president?"

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/fred-trump-disabled-people-1.7288890


My opinion:  Fred Trump III isn't trying to make Donald Trump look bad.  He's exposing him for who he is because he said a very mean and rude comment about disabled people.

This reminds me of this comment: 


"#MeToo movement becomes #WeToo in in victim-blaming Japan"/ "Outrage as women in Japan told not wear glasses in the workplace"

Aug. 17, 2020 Saying: I found this on Facebook:

"You never look good when you are trying to make someone else look bad."- Unknown

Cham: Sometimes people need to be exposed for who they are hahah or maybe I should stop being petty

Tracy Au: There's a difference between trying to make someone look bad, and exposing them for who they are. It's like those #MeToo accusers and victims, they are plainly telling everybody about the perpetrators. They're not trying to make them look bad.


https://badcb.blogspot.com/2020/08/job-articles-wetoo-gender-gap-done.html


Oct. 9, 2024 "Second Trump presidency would put ‘meaningful drag’ on Canada’s economy: Desjardins": Today I found this article by Jordan Fleguel:



If former U.S. president Donald Trump returns to the White House following next month’s presidential election, Canada’s economy would likely be negatively impacted, according to Desjardins’ senior director of Canadian economics.

Randall Bartlett told BNN Bloomberg in a Wednesday interview that the implications of a second Trump presidency would be “multifold” for the Canadian economy, noting that the Trump campaign’s rhetoric around tariffs is the main concern.

“Those are the direct impacts of the 10 per cent or up to 20 per cent tariff applied to imports from Canada,” he said.

“Beyond that, there’s also implications for things like the dramatic slowing in migration to the U.S., which would weaken the U.S. economy, particularly in sectors like construction.”

Bartlett added that Trump’s “drill baby drill” approach to the oil and gas sector may 

also put downward pressure on North American energy prices, 

ultimately weighing on incomes and profits brought in by Canadian energy companies.

“There are some offsetting impacts to those negative shocks but generally on net, a very meaningful drag on the Canadian economy,” he said.

By contrast, Bartlett said that if U.S. vice president and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris wins the election, Canada’s economic relationship with the U.S. will look much the same as it does now.

“A Harris-Walz outcome is going to look a lot like the current baseline that we had baked-in, which is sort of a status quo kind of economic scenario; some slight differences, but generally pretty similar,” he said.

Bartlett explained that his research team examined the policy positions of both candidates, as well as decisions made by the first Trump administration around issues such as Canada-U.S. trade to determine how different election outcomes would impact Canada economically.

“And then we looked at how trade-exposed various commodities are that are exported from Canada, so we looked at 96 goods sectors, how trade exposed they are to the U.S., and then ultimately what the impact of those tariffs could be,” he said.

Bartlett added that while previous U.S. administrations have used tariffs to specifically target Canadian goods, 

Trump’s proposal to place a levy of up to 20 per cent on all imports into the U.S. would lead to less severe impacts for Canadian exporters.

“If there’s a blanket tariff on imports from abroad… there won’t be that same substitution away from Canadian exports, but there’s still going to be a meaningful impact as there’s domestic substitution away from imported goods and services,” he said.

Bartlett added that a Trump administration may decide to be more lenient with Canadian imports in certain sectors, but Trump’s tone during his first presidency was “to go after all imports to the U.S. regardless of any sort of long-standing relationships with other countries.”

“It’s possible that there could be some exemptions for imports from Canada. When we look at the energy sector in particular, we don’t think that a Trump administration would want to cause any sort of increase on energy prices in the U.S.,” he said.

“Other categories with some longer standing agreements possibly might get some exemption but it’s really anyone’s guess as to what the implications would be.”

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/economics/2024/10/09/second-trump-presidency-would-put-meaningful-drag-on-canadas-economy-desjardins/



Oct. 14, 2024:




These are the other 2 blog posts:


"Remote work creating schism as option unavailable to many workers"/ "Most Canadians prefer working from home, survey finds"



"Working from home is becoming a once-a-week treat for more office goers"/ "Canadians work from home more than employees in any other country"





My week:


Oct. 11, 2024 "Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds donate $1 million to Hurricane Milton, Helene relief fund": Today I found this article by Jay Stahl on USA Today:

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are giving back to Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene victims.

The A-list duo donated $1 million to hurricane relief efforts and food bank network Feeding America is praising the pair.

"We thank Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds for donating $1 million to our disaster relief fund for Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Their longtime support of Feeding America in times of crisis has helped our network on the ground before, during and after disasters," the organization said on Instagram Thursday.

The charitable organization continued: "These funds will help food banks provide basic needs like water, ready to eat food and supplies to communities facing heartbreaking loss and a long recovery."

The news comes after Lively's BFF Taylor Swift donated $5 million to Feeding America's victims of Hurricane Helene and Milton relief fund.

"We're incredibly grateful to Taylor Swift for her generous $5 million donation to Hurricanes Helene and Milton relief efforts," Feeding America's CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot wrote in an Instagram post Wednesday. "This contribution will help communities rebuild and recover, providing essential food, clean water, and supplies to people affected by these devastating storms.

"Together, we can make a real impact in supporting families as they navigate the challenges ahead," she said. "Thank you, Taylor, for standing with us in the movement to end hunger and for helping communities in need."

Contributing: Taijuan Moorman


Sat. Oct. 12, 2024 "A 101-year-old former doctor who worked until he was 85 shared his 3 longevity secrets — including eating sardines": Today I found this article by Serafina Kenny on the Business Insider and Yahoo:

Keeping active

William would swim four or five times a week when he was younger. Now, he walks and lifts 15-pound weights daily.

"Beware of inactivity," he said. "I don't allow myself to become immobile."

Eating home-cooked meals — and lots of sardines

William said that he still prepares all his meals. Home cooking can make it easier to eat fewer ultra-processed foods, which were linked to a higher risk of 32 health issues, including type 2 diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease in a study published in The BMJ earlier this year.

Having a long and varied career

William has had various jobs and didn't retire until he was 85.

He started as a primary care physician, then moved into public health and workers' compensation, and was a psychotherapist by the time he retired.

"Change in careers is good for anybody," he said, adding, "You can't sleep through life. You have to stay interested."

Dr. Sinha said that a long and varied career allowed William to stay engaged and maintain a purpose, but it is also beneficial to 

volunteer, 

have hobbies, 

and social stimulation.




Sun. Oct. 13, 2024 Team of 2 Designated Drivers with own car: Today I found this on Indeed:

Benefits
Pulled from the full job description

  • Casual dress
  • Flexible schedule

Full job description

Winter is here, and we need help!

Sober Drivers is a designated driving company that drives customers home in their own vehicles. To accomplish this, we work in a client/chase driver pair, and we are currently looking for teams. Teams don't have to live together but must be at a very close distance from each other. A reliable, economical vehicle is a must for the chase driver.

Help us reduce drinking and driving. You'll get to have fun and get paid to do it! If you enjoy driving and meeting new people, sober drivers could be suited to you.

How do sober drivers work?

The client driver drives the customer home in the customer's car, while the Chase driver follows in their own car to chauffeur the client driver from trip to trip.

Qualifications for each position

1. CLIENT DRIVER: The driver who drives the customer's car must be comfortable driving a variety of different vehicles. A driver's license is required.

2. CHASE DRIVER: Uses their own vehicle to transport the client driver. It is beneficial that your car is fuel-efficient for this position.

At this time, we are seeking only applicants that hire as teams.

Sober Drivers is open 24/7, but most of our business is in the evenings and nights between 7 p.m. and 4 a.m.

We are looking for teams that can be available Friday and Saturday from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m.If you're available a few times during the week from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., that is a bonus, too.

Drivers will be required to provide their availability on a week-to-week basis.

As we peak closer to the holiday season, we will see a higher demand for drivers as we become busier.

Competitive compensation

Paid percentage of each trip taken plus

Client/Chase drivers split 100% of the tips.

weekly payout Pay averages out to $18–22 per hour, but this is not an hourly-paid position. Apply today, and we'll contact you back with the next steps in the process.

Job Type: Part-time

Part-time hours: 8 per week

Salary: $18.00-$22.00 per hour

Benefits:

Casual dress

Schedule:

Evening shift

Every Weekend

Holidays

Night shift

On call

Weekend availability

Job Types: Part-time, Commission, Casual

Expected hours: No less than 8 per week

Additional pay:

  • Commission pay
  • Tips

Benefits:

  • Flexible schedule

Flexible language requirement:

  • French not required

Schedule:

  • 10 hour shift
  • 12 hour shift
  • 4 hour shift
  • 8 hour shift
  • Evening shift
  • Every Weekend
  • Night shift
  • On call
  • Overtime
  • Weekends as needed
  • Weekends only

Application question(s):

  • Do you or your partner have an economical, reliable vehicle you can use to be the chase driver?
  • Are you okay with being on call?
  • Are you able to send and receive e-transfers?
  • This job requires two drivers to work together as a team. Do you have a partner for this job?

Licence/Certification:

  • Driving Licence (required)

Work Location: On the road

My opinion: This sounds like a good idea.  The other ways to get home is get a taxi or rideshare.


Tues. Oct. 15, 2024 "Lilly Ledbetter, icon in the battle for U.S. equal pay, dead at 86": Today I found this article on CBC:

Ledbetter died Saturday of respiratory failure, according to a statement from her family
X

Ledbetter's discovery that she was earning less than her male counterparts for doing the same job at a Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. plant in Alabama led to her lawsuit, which ultimately failed when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2007 that she had filed her complaint too late.

The court ruled that workers must file lawsuits within six months of first receiving a discriminatory paycheck - in Ledbetter's case, years before she learned about the disparity through an anonymous letter.

Two years later, former U.S. president Barack Obama signed into the law the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which gave workers the right to sue within 180 days of receiving each discrimination paycheck, not just the first one.

"Lilly Ledbetter never set out to be a trailblazer or a household name. She just wanted to be paid the same as a man for her hard work," Obama said in a statement Monday.

"Lilly did what so many Americans before her have done: setting her sights high for herself and even higher for her children and grandchildren."



Oct. 16, 2024 "Grandmother famed for inviting stranger to Thanksgiving diagnosed with breast cancer": Today I found this article by Kaleigh Werner on The Independent and Yahoo.  This is a heartwarming story:

The grandmother who accidentally invited a stranger to Thanksgiving dinner has revealed she’s been diagnosed with breast cancer.

In a heartfelt message, Wanda Dench opened up about her diagnosis in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and admitted she’s been undergoing chemotherapy. Jamal Hinton, the “stranger” Dench accidentally texted eight years ago, posted her statement on X/Twitter on Wednesday (October 16).

Dench began her message by describing her relationship to Hinton, writing: “You might know how we met in 2016 when I accidentally sent him a text inviting him to Thanksgiving when I thought I sent it to my grandson.

“It went viral and it changed our life for the better and we still plan on getting together for Thanksgiving next month as we have every year.”

Since 2016, Hinton has spent considerable time with Dench and her family, joining them at her home in Arizona each year for the November holiday.

Back in 2016, Dench accidentally texted Hinton when the then-17-year-old was in class at high school. The duo exchanged several texts, though Dench soon realized she hadn’t contacted her 24-year-old grandson. Still, Hinton asked if he could still join her family for Thanksgiving and the beloved tradition has remained ever since.




Sat. Oct. 12, 2024 Jumbo Dim Sum: Last weekend my family and 5 of my parent's and grandma's friends celebrated my grandma's 90th birthday.

The food is good:

Deep fried shrimp with peaches, lettuce, mayonnaise

Fried rice with shrimp

Spicy deep fried pork

There were 3 big tables by us.  They were one big party with 3 birthdays.

Costco at Sherwood Park: Today my parents and I went there this morning.  They opened at 9am.  We got there by 10am and a lot of people were leaving.  It was really busy.  I haven't been there in years.  The last time I was there was probably 2013.

We ate a hot dog for breakfast.

I tried the samples:

Takis sweet chili chips- good.

Takis fuego with lime- too spicy.

Mashed potatoes with herb and garlic- flavorful and too salty.

Mexican salad- average.

Starbucks Vanilla Creamer for 1 litre is $11.99- this is good.

Almond milk- average.

Chili fried peas and chips- spicy.  Average.

They sell a lot of Christmas decor.  There are clothes, toys, and books.

Wal- Mart: We went there to buy a few more groceries like carrots.  

You can buy a whole pound of carrots at Costco, but we don't want to eat that much.

Sun. Oct. 13, 2024 Thanksgiving dinner: My family had roast beef and gravy.  There was roasted carrots, celery, onions, and baked potatoes. 

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