TIL You all raised 20k for a canceled TV show. So please if you have the kind of disposable income please consider helping me pay for my aunt's medical bills. she had a heart attack. as well helping to keep my housed this month.
we need help. desperately right now. my aunt and I are both teachers and we're trying to raise about 600 dollars more minimum now. thank you very much.
my apologies if this has already been posted here but im sharing this. here is what someone said on twitter along w this image:
the central image text reads: “@everyone I HAVE BEEN RELIABLY INFORMED GUARDIAN JOURNALISTS ARE SNOOPING AROUND ASKING FOR TRANS PEOPLE TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT DIY HRT. THEY ARE PARTICULARLY LOOKING FOR UNDER-18S DOING DIY. SHOULDN'T NEED TO BE SAID, BUT DO. NOT. ENGAGE. SPREAD WIDELY. DO NOT ENGAGE. WE NEED THIS NOTICE SPREAD OUT VIA EVERY GRASSROOTS SUPPORT GROUP AND SOCIAL CIRCLE IN THE COUNTRY.
URGENT. IF THEY GET EVEN ONE TO TAKE PART IT BECOMES A NATIONAL CONVERSATION. TOP ALERT.
Guardian journos are apparently asking trans people about DIY. Trans followers: DO NOT SAY ANYTHING TO THEM. NOT A WORD.
I also know I’ve got cis mutuals who have written for the Guardian. Please know I’ve always thought less of you because of that.
reblogging to add the Trans Safety Network guidelines for media engagement
do not engage with the Guardian if you’re trans and a minor. do not speak with the Guardian on DIY HRT.
heck, unless the journalist is reputable and has a track record of good reporting on trans issues, do not speak with them about DIY HRT. seek out your local organisation if you are approached by a journalist.
I obviously can't verify the screenshot, but the guardian is a toilet, and the guidelines for media engagement posted are worth reading.
It's never worth engaging with an interviewer that has malicious intent. There's no good point you can make that they can't simply redact or spend an infinite amount of time figuring out how to spin in a negative. You've almost certainly seen some right wing interviewers who are so inept at this that they make themselves look bad, but even they're not worth the risk talking to. Their base does not care at best, and it'll help them at worst.
last year i was eating in a fancy, large restaurant when i began to hear a rumble and the distant sound of people chanting ‘potassium, potassium’ and suddenly hundreds of people dressed as bananas flood this restaurant chanting potassium over and over and we were trapped there for a very long time because the bananas would not leave and they were everywhere
this post has haunted me for like 3 years. every time i start to think i imagined it, it shows up on my dash again and then immediately disappears into the ether for another 17 months
CDC's dangerous infection control draft sent back for revision due to public outcry, current vaccines show effectiveness against JN.1, take
The Weather
More than half of all US states remain at high to very high levels of SARS-CoV-2 detected in wastewater since January 25, 2024. As more people face reinfections, COVID remains a serious disease and we recommend that you continue to take precautions as the risk for infection is high at this time.
Although wastewater levels have dropped for multiple US regions, wastewater levels in the South have climbed higher than we’ve seen for any region this season and are currently the second highest peak we’ve experienced in the duration of the pandemic. This is a particularly concerning rebound as at the beginning of the year, Southern levels were experiencing a sharp decline. CDC’s national and regional wastewater data over time also show high levels nationally. As a reminder, the last two weeks are provisional data, indicated by a gray shaded area on the graph, therefore these values may change as additional wastewater sites report data. We want to remind you that multiple layers of precautions will protect against a COVID infection.
Wins
We thank many of you this week for joining us and in signing on with our letter to the ACLU regarding the actions taken by the CDC’s Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) that previously weakened already insufficient protocols employed within healthcare settings. We had many concerns with the actions taken by HICPAC. As a result of your actions, as well as support by many of our allies at previous HICPAC meetings, the CDC responded on January 23, 2024, with a request to consider clarification questions in distinguishing masks and N95 respirators. The CDC asked HICPAC to consider these questions prior to submission to the Federal Register for more public comment. This success demonstrates the importance of working together and holding the CDC accountable for ensuring safe healthcare settings for all patients and healthcare workers. You may also submit an additional comment or a reply to the CDC’s official response to HICPAC at the bottom of the news release.
As many healthcare systems and public health departments have restored masking in healthcare settings only when facing public pressure, without further action this important measure may not last. We ask you to support national and local groups to advocate for everyone’s safety in maintaining universal masking in all healthcare and healthcare-like settings. Universal masking can become a standard of preventative care rather than a short term response to infectious disease already surging.
Variants
JN.1 remains the dominant variant in the United States, and is approximately 93.1% of circulating variants as of 2/3/2024. HV.1 drops even further to 2.3%, and all other variants are estimated to make up less than 2% each. The updated 2023-2024 COVID vaccines updated with the XBB.1.5 variant were recently shown by a MMWR report to be at least 49% to 60% effective against symptomatic infections during the Fall season, from late September 2023 to mid-January 2024. By ensuring additional precautions including testing, masking, ventilation, and air filtration, the additive effect will ensure a higher effectiveness.
Vaccine uptake remains limited with only 21.8% of adults and 11.6% of children receiving the updated COVID vaccine as of 2/02/24. The Bridge Program remains available for those underinsured or without insurance for no-cost access to these vaccines.
Hospitalizations
A downward trend continues with new hospital admissions, currently at 22,636 the week of January 27, 2024. We still do not know the total number of hospital-acquired infections, since reporting over these numbers was halted in May of 2023. Despite this decrease in new hospital admissions, please consider that wastewater levels are still high nationwide, and that hospitalization does not reflect the current amount of circulating virus. Please continue to exercise caution and wear a well-fitting respirator indoors.
Testing and Treatment
A study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases (CID) found that SARS-CoV-2 viral load peaks around the fourth day of symptom onset. This may suggest why tests do not seem to be picking up positive cases early on. This does not mean that transmission is unlikely prior to the fourth day of symptoms, but rather, one should continue to employ serial testing and isolation measures beyond the first few days of illness. If you have tested negative on day one or two with a rapid antigen test (RAT), you may still have a COVID infection, unless you test negative on day four or five with a RAT.
Because of a lack of RAT sensitivity, people may mistakenly believe they do not have COVID, and both enter isolation too late and exit isolation prematurely, leading to increased transmission within the population. For this reason, it is important to wear a high quality respirator at the onset of COVID-like symptoms, regardless of a negative test. We must demand for more sensitive testing and no-cost access to better tests (such as PCR), as well as an infrastructure that allows for longer sick leave and sick-time pay. At this time, limited testing options remain at no cost including the Test to Treat program and Walgreens PCR program as well as treatment options including the no cost antiviral program operated by Pfizer and supported by Health and Human Services. Remember to check for regional offerings as well such as the “Express Testing” PCR program in New York City, which could be more accessible to you.
Vaccines
On February 1, the CDC published in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) that the most recently updated monovalent XBB.1.5 booster offered 54% increased protection against symptomatic (self-reported) COVID. Note, the study was limited as it did not evaluate the effectiveness against asymptomatic COVID cases. The CDC recommends that all individuals older than 6 months of age should receive the updated vaccine. If you have not yet received your vaccine, please do so.
Current updated vaccines being somewhat effective against symptomatic acute infection is not enough, and we should demand for sterilizing immunity of COVID through vaccines. Intranasal vaccines, which may induce a more robust mucosal immunity based on animal models, seem to be in the pipeline. However, it is unclear whether production of such vaccines is receiving appropriate funding or will be available to the public anytime soon.
The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is having a meeting on February 28-29th and COVID vaccines will be on the agenda. We will be sending information on a request for actions in the coming few weeks on how to participate in ensuring the CDC takes appropriate steps to protect the public from ongoing COVID infections.
Take Action
Further research and investment is needed for effective treatments against Long COVID. PCORI, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, is seeking individuals to represent patient voices on their advisory panels. This is an invaluable opportunity to advocate for Long COVID research as this research and funding organization has an annual budget of nearly 300 million dollars for medical research. Applications are due March 29, 2024 and those selected to be on their advisory panels can participate virtually. Lending your voice to this is invaluable.
We must also ensure constant access to no or low cost high quality masks and respirators. Request that the federal government ensure that there remains ongoing local manufacturing of high quality masks and N95 respirators to prevent a future shortage by contacting your representatives.
Many people rely on pulse oximeters in healthcare and at-home settings as a medical device to check blood-oxygen levels during an active COVID infection and recovery. For several decades, it has been established that these medical devices have failed to measure accurately when used with darker skin color. In response, a recent lawsuit has been filed against 12 manufacturers. In addition, the FDA is currently seeking comments through the Federal Register on this matter. We ask you to submit a public comment asking the FDA to act immediately and ensure future pulse oximeters are properly manufactured to support all people.
young me especially would have hated hearing this but networking is literally the most important thing you can do to improve your situation like forget economic barriers to education etc just keep making friends with different people and eventually someone will offer you a hand up just because they dig your vibe and that is exactly all that's happening when undeserving people surpass you anyway
When I look at how I survived my 20s, it was always helpful friends putting work my way. And often the helpful friends were people I had only known for weeks.
@gallusrostromegalus gave some of the best advice about this that i’ve ever seen. i’ve screenshotted it below for your convenience.
if you want the context, check out the story here. it’s delightful. they’re a brilliant writer.
i would add 8. keep doing it over and over again until it doesn’t feel weird anymore. you will develop muscle-memory for community-building. eventually it will be comfortable, maybe even pleasant. listen to me. i grew up with social anxiety that was completely debilitating. i was literally unable to look at or speak to any stranger. i promise that if you force yourself to do the hard thing, it will get easier.
I would love to be able to go out in person to connect with people, but I am immunocompromised and I CANNOT GO OUT without risking severe illness and Literal Death because people don't mask.
I mask everywhere, with an n95 or better mask. I still got covid, and now I'm even more disabled than I was previously. I was lucky to avoid severe long COVID, but if I get it again, I likely won't be so lucky. One-way masking doesn't work. EVERYONE needs to mask unless they are genuinely medically unable, in which case they rely on all of the rest of us to mask! COVID is spreading silently and continuing to mass disable and kill people.
I'm not sure what to say other than to continue to beg people to care if I live or die or have my life even more ruined by pain and fatigue and illness than it already is. PLEASE WEAR A MASK.
More immunity and relaxed behavior add up to a new COVID mystery: How common is symptomless spread now?
The best masks are elastomerics such as the p100. These are reusable and can be used indefinitely, which saves money long-term. Many look pretty conspicous, but the Flo mask and Envo mask are very low-profile. N95s do work well if AND ONLY IF everyone wears them. Check out project n95 for reasonably priced masks:
Project N95 is the trusted nonprofit shop for masks, N95 respirators, COVID-19 tests, kids masks, PPE and more. Find information about the C
Please. Networking is about helping others. Let's take care of each other.
If you're waiting for public officials to tell you that covid is in fact still here and that you should in fact still be masking & regularly getting tested, it would already be too late by then. I need more people to let it sink in that the US government's first and (probably only) priority is the economy, as opposed to being honest about covid.
Rich people and government officials like the PotUS are still making it mandatory to mask when interacting with them.
Rich people and government officials like the PotUS get PCR tested and make it mandatory for everyone to do the same before interacting with them.
Rich people and government officials like the PotUS are making it mandatory to make sure everywhere they go has filtered, clean air.
They are protecting themselves and still taking precautions during this on-going pandemic while lying to our faces that the pandemic is over. They may be maskless on camera, but they're sure as fuck rushing to get tested after the fact.
If you're waiting for these people to be honest with you about covid & to tell you how to protect yourself, it would already be too late by then.
in the wake of all this new information during COVID, do you feel that maybe we should all just be masking all the time, COVID of no COVID? I mean it can't be the only airborne disease out there and immunocompromised ppl have always and will always exist so like. Following that thinking even if we don't have COVID we could still be risking other people's health (and lives) with other diseases we may have right? Idk I'm stressing a lot about this do I just need to wear a mask outside forever cos. Masks mess with my breathing and sensory issues and stuff but. I don't wanna?? Kill people by accident??? Aaaaa
Hello, thanks for reaching out about this.
I saw this ask about a month ago, and I needed time to think about how I'd respond to it (so I want to thank you for the patience!).
I'll try to answer all of this to the best of my ability, and I thought I'd answer this by going backwards (responding to the last things you said and then moving up with responding to the first things you said).
Everything is below the cut because this is very long!
First I'll try to summarize what I think you're asking here:
"Vulnerable people exist in this world all around me, therefore does this mean I'm constantly posing a threat to those vulnerable people's safety when I don't mask? The thought of this brings me feelings of stress, fear, and anxiety."
I find this is hard to answer candidly without risking stressing out you or anyone else who's aware of the consequences of their choice not to mask. Nonetheless, my honest answer is: yes, choosing not to mask means risking the lives and safety of vulnerable people, i.e. the disabled, immunocompromised, elderly, children & babies, and those that intersect those groups. That risk can take place directly (such as interacting with an immunocompromised elder) or indirectly (such as interacting with the parent of a disabled child).
I also want to add that it's not only those groups that need protecting. I firmly believe that regardless of your age and/or whether or not you self-identify as disabled or immunocompromised that everyone is at risk of the long-term consequences of this rapidly mutating, vascular, and immunosuppressive virus. No one is invincible to this, and I'll add: not even if you're vaccinated (still get vaccinated if you can, but know that you can still catch covid & develop long covid regardless of your vaccination status).
1. "Masks mess with my breathing and sensory issues."
I understand how that can be difficult to deal with, trust me. There are specific masks (such as most standard KN95s) that irritate the hell out of my face after a certain point. The way those specific masks brush against the hairs of my cheeks just make me want to rip the mask off my face completely. Finding alternatives has been a lifesaver, and they've allowed me to get through the day without wanting to maul someone lol. I don't know what masks you have tried out already, so I'll just recommend the one's I like as well as the one's I've heard good reviews on from people that also have sensory issues:
NIOSH 3m Aura N95 Respirators
Flo Mask
GATA Mask (Haven't tried this one yet, but I've heard a LOT of people say this has been a game changer for them because of how comfortable it is & how it doesn't trigger much sensory issues at all due to its silicone material. Probably the only con I've heard is the chance of the build up of moisture in the mask after a long period of use & water possibly dripping on your face— this happens to me sometimes with my Flo Mask. Edit on Sept. 26, 2023: I tried GATA Mask, and I personally have a tough time getting a comfortable fit & seal with it, even when getting the small/medium size for adults to see if it'll make a difference, and the nose bridge shape not fitting well for me is a huge con. Customer service is just suggesting I spend more, so I'll just give this one a break, for now at least. A lot of other people seem to like it though.)
Halyard FLUIDSHIELD [ASTM Level 3] Mask (My mom works in a hospital, and these are masks she brings home from work. They're VERY comfortable for me, especially when I'm masking at home. I recommend finding a way to tighten the loops that go around your ears to prevent as much gaps around the mask as possible. If tight loops hurt your ears easily, I recommend a mask brace.)
O2 Nose Filters (I haven't tried these out yet as well, but I've seen videos demonstrating how effective these are at filtering out SOOO many unseen particles. I don't recommend using these alone of course, because there's still a risk of inhaling harmful aerosols through your mouth. I would recommend using this as a reinforcement of the protective measures you take. For example: adding on a comfortable surgical mask— ideally one with a high filtration efficiency like the previous suggestion— with the nose filters. I think these nose filters would be great if you're removing your mask real quick to take a sip of water or if you're outdoors with enough distance from crowded areas & groups.)
In the ideal world, more people would mask during this on-going pandemic so those that deal with sensory issues and/or those that straight-up can't wear a mask due to medical reasons wouldn't have to worry so much about choosing between existing & risking their health. For now, we just have to find alternatives.
2. "Do I need to wear a mask outside forever?"
My answer to this is: yes until further notice. There's no foreseeable end to this pandemic right now, but it would be worth the patience to wait for adequate tech, treatment, and cures for covid-19 to be released before even thinking about getting loose with masking.
Societal mandates have been dropped way too soon, and public health in regards to covid-19 is being forced on us as an individual responsibility. As a consequence, this gives this rapidly mutating virus a lot of wiggle room to spread and do whatever it wants. This means doctors and experts don't have much answers yet for adequate treatment because there's a MAJOR lack of containment (such as masking & quarantining) and documentation (such as testing & reporting). This isn't to say there hasn't been any advancements whatsoever: for example, Washington University just developed a breath test for covid that gives results in just 1 minute! This is great news! And this is just one reason why it's very necessary for those who can mask to mask, so scientists are given more time to roll out helpful solutions & tools sooner.
Another thing I'll add is if you're symptomatic and/or are positive for covid, you should 100% be wearing a mask no matter what, point blank period. I say "and/or" because it is VERY much possible to have covid and not experience any symptoms at all; this is a major reason why it's necessary to mask up in public consistently, because you can't always know who you bump into that may have covid or not.
3. "Even if we don't have covid, we could still be risking other people's health (and lives) with other diseases we may have right?"
Yes, there is a possibility of spreading airborne diseases to vulnerable people unknowingly— without the protective & preventative tools that is.
I can only speak for America because that's the cultural zeitgeist I grew up in, but: I feel like many of us can agree that, unless you worked in a healthcare setting, what was "normal" (in America) before 2020 when it came to airborne illness prevention was definitely not the regular use of a mask. American health education mainly taught us if we're coughing & sneezing to try to do so in a tissue or into your elbow, as well as frequently wash our hands. That doesn't account for the way air actually works though. For instance, if someone with the common cold coughed into the inside of their elbow, the particles they coughed out are still able to linger in the air because their elbow isn't creating a tight seal around their mouth (their elbow may have caught the droplets from their cough— which are bigger & heavier— but the smaller, lighter aerosols would just spread around similar to how smoke does); it's the difference between 😪 vs 😶🌫️. The only sure way for the germs they've coughed out to be blocked from spreading to other people is if they wear a well-fitted, quality mask/respirator.
I feel like health education from a young age should include the benefits of masking; that way it would be easier to adapt to the need to put on a mask to protect ourselves & others as a collective. It would be phenomenal & wonderful if we as a collective were used to masking the same way we're used to putting on socks before putting on our shoes.
4. "Immunocompromised people have always and will always exist"
Yes, that is true. And that means necessary measures taken to protect them, as well as other vulnerable people, should be the standard.
5. "[Covid] can't be the only airborne disease out there"
Of course not. There's plenty of them. However, not all airborne diseases are the same, nor should they be treated as such. What's been observed in regards to the long-term effects of covid is not at all the same with other airborne diseases. Covid is a highly contagious virus that is more than just a respiratory disease. Its goal is to attack your immune system, nervous system, heart, brain, and/or other vital organs. That's what viruses do. They act smart and sneaky, and they have the capability to trigger illnesses in your body that you may not have had pre-infection:
Chickenpox is known to lead to shingles
Epstein-Barr is known to lead to mono
HPV is known to lead to cancer
Covid-19 has been found to lead to:
POTS
ME/CFS
Stroke & Heart attack
Alzheimer's
Dementia
"Brain Fog"; Memory & Concentration Problems
The list goes on, and these are only what we know of. Covid may not be the only airborne disease, but it definitely is a dangerous one with serious, long-term negative effects.
6. "Do you feel that we should all be masking all the time, whether or not covid-19 exists?"
In regards to masking with the existence of covid:
Yes. Masking is a vital method in the prevention of catching & spreading covid-19, because it is primarily spread through the air.
In regards to masking without the existence of covid:
See my answer for number 3, and also: given the fact wearing a mask can only do more good than harm for most folks, I don't see why not. Imagine a world where we don't have to worry about flu season or allergy season anymore because those aerosols are filtered out from consistent mask wearing. Sounds like the dream to me lol.
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I hope this made sense! If anyone has anything they'd like to add to answer anon's questions, please feel free to share!
hey i know that i dont talk about it a lot on here but this blog is pro masking. official govt and world organizations ending the health emergency doesn't mean covid is over. long term organ damage happens w every infection. the chances of long covid increase w each infection. we are facing an ever evolving infectious disease with no institutional protection. respirators protect you and others, please mask up!
you can request free n95 masks from project n95 here:
Get masks for free from Project N95. If you can't afford high-quality respiratory protection, Project N95 can help: Get in touch with us now
all we have is each other, mask up and take care of your community
whenever i have those brutal searing being-dissolved-from-inside period cramps during school or work i pretend i am a viking warlord who has been stabbed in the abdomen but i killed the assailant so i’m the only one who knows im injured and i have to carry on normally til the end of the battle to keep up my mens morale
This is a very valid approach, but as someone who dealt with those exact cramps for many years:
THAT IS NOT NORMAL OR HEALTHY
It turns out your period should actually make you feel just vaguely sick and sore, with mild cramping when you pass a clot. MILD. As in “easily beaten by 2 ibuprofen and a large coffee.”
You should feel tired or gross, sure, but not in agony. If the cramps are worse significantly worse than a headache, you have a problem
The agonies are NOT HEALTHY.
Please contact a doctor, ideally a gyno you trust, and tell them about this cramping. Be clear that you are dealing with a level of pain you normally associate with grievous injury. 8+ on the pain scale.
“Oh it’s not that bad” YOU ARE ROLEPLAYING A DYING MAN TO COPE YES IT IS THAT BAD
And I’m willing to bet that you’re passing more than a typical amount of blood, too. Did you know that you shouldn’t EVER fill a menstrual cup to capacity in the course of a normal 8 hour work day? That if you have tampon or pad leakage in under 4 hours, you’re “flooding” (passing blood too quickly to be absorbed).
These, too, are not healthy. But most people don’t know what a “normal” period even is. Especially since these symptoms often start around age 12, when adults are busy obsessively telling you to grow up and that it’s “not that bad” so that most of us with problems internalize that we are weak, not that we need help.
There is help.
There are treatments.
In my case, it was a simple matter of changing a single medication. It turns out, menstruation is supposed to suck because you’re vaguely lightheaded and your hormones are wacked out.
It’s NOT supposed to make you enter psychotic episodes or torture you like an open wound.
If you at all can, contact a doctor about this issue.
Fun fact also for diabetics or prediabetics that’s have periods and who may not know;
Your hormone levels (and thus your period whether you even bleed or not) can and do affect your blood sugar levels and if you are feeling unusually dehydrated but still peeing a lot, you likely have blood sugar that is too high. A lot of period havers experience this in the days leading up to their period, but some can also lean hypoglycemic instead.
Please check your blood sugar more often, and adjust your insulin or nutrition and activity levels accordingly! Feeling kind of sick is normal, feeling like you can’t get enough water, your head won’t stop hurting, you can’t stop peeing are all Very Not Good.
And if you don’t have diabetes, or you aren’t aware that you do, but are experiencing these symptoms? Please take it seriously! Take any of your unusual or painful symptoms seriously. You are better to be safe than sorry! 🙏
Just fyi for everyone the new strain DOES have the capability to do breakthrough infections (meaning if you’ve had your shots or COVID within the last two or three months you can get it again - only 2 confirmed cases in the US as of this morning though), no we don’t know if the new vaccine coming in September will be protective enough, and yes a lot of our overarching medical bodies are letting us doctors know that those who are elderly and/or are immunocompromised should be wearing a mask.
If you have had COVID at any point - congratulations, you are immunocompromised! You are a high-risk individual if you have had COVID.
You should be wearing a mask. You should be considering how to reduce your risk. There are many tools and strategies we did not have in 2020.
And for clarity's sake - all strains have had breakthrough potential. The new strains are largely unrecognizable to your body's immune system, so breakthrough potential is much, much higher.
COVID does increasing amounts of damage every time you get it, and many "healthy people" become seriously disabled after their third infection.
The state does not care anymore (if you live in the US). Please take care of yourselves as best you can.
EVERYONE should be masking, whether or not they are immunocompromised. Masking only works if everyone does it. It's mostly "keep your germs to yourself." If you do not mask, you are contributing to the severe disabling and deaths of people around you. The good news is, it's never too late to start masking again. If you're feeling social pressure to not mask, talk to your therapist about it if you have one, talk to your friends about it if not. If you're struggling to get masks that work for you, check out Project n95, they have resources for small, large, duckbill (better for heat), colorful masks. P100s are the best to get, but n95s are much better than nothing.
Hey kids! When this happens, which it does a LOT, you call your states insurance commissioner's office and file a formal complaint! Make sure you get a reference number for EVERY. SINGLE. CALL. you make, save every form of correspondence (email and mail) AND retain a copy of all your responses. If they stonewall you (That's not a covered service, we're not allowed to disclose that, etc) request a copy of your benefits, insurance is a CONTRACT and is legally binding.
Download a call recording app if you can, even if you can't share the recordings at first they can be useful for your reference and can be presented if you need to go to court.
I work with insurance companies all day everyday and have so for almost a decade. I trust them as much as I trust my dog to watch the Thanksgiving turkey. Approach each interaction with them *like* it's going to go to court.
Hey kids! When this happens, which it does a LOT, you call your states insurance commissioner's office and file a formal complaint! Make sure you get a reference number for EVERY. SINGLE. CALL. you make, save every form of correspondence (email and mail) AND retain a copy of all your responses. If they stonewall you (That's not a covered service, we're not allowed to disclose that, etc) request a copy of your benefits, insurance is a CONTRACT and is legally binding.
Download a call recording app if you can, even if you can't share the recordings at first they can be useful for your reference and can be presented if you need to go to court.
I work with insurance companies all day everyday and have so for almost a decade. I trust them as much as I trust my dog to watch the Thanksgiving turkey. Approach each interaction with them *like* it's going to go to court.
Hey @staff. This is a perfect example of why collapsed reblogs is such a bad idea. Seeing the full thread, you go like this:
😮 ooh, that's cool
😀 "they're free," hehe!
🤣 "16 cents," perfection!!
I have achieved joy, I feel positive feelings toward Tumblr, I want to engage, I want to stay, my eyeballs land on more ads, you make more money, everyone wins! 🎉
Seeing the collapsed thread, you go like this:
😮 ooh, that's cool
😐 "16 cents"? yes, that's literally what the pic shows, not sure why you felt the need to say that
There is no motivation for me to uncollapse the reblog chain—it looks like a boring conversation about the denominations of coins. And even if I do uncollapse it, you've ruined the joke by showing me the punchline before the setup. I am sad, Tumblr is boring, I go elsewhere to entertain myself, I see less ads, you make less money, everyone loses. 😥
Reblog chains are the best thing about Tumblr. They are your unique super power. They are the thing that makes people screenshot Tumblr and share it around. Why on earth would you kneecap them??
I don't know exactly how you plan to implement this. Give people the option to keep them collapsed if there truly are people who are annoyed by how long they can get (you already have a version of this feature), but don't collapse them for everyone or new users by default. Please. It will make Tumblr so much more boring.
