Vexed Florist

YouTube video by Callie Freeman The Invasive Jumping Worm, Amynthas spp.

You can add Asian Jumping Worms to your list of "Oh, hell no" invasive species. They don't bite, but they can destroy your garden (and affect commercial agricultural food production, by degrading the soil). They are also damaging to our forests. youtube.com/shorts/_y38s...

Elon Musk is Stealing Your Personal Social Security Data Acting Commissioner Michelle King left her position after refusing to hand over private Social Security data to billionaire Elon Musk.

Elon Musk's DOGE now has access to your personal Social Security data.

There is no way to overstate how serious a breach this is.

We always end up getting cheated these days. 🙄

Federal judge blocks Musk and crew from Treasury data access. No-paywall version of this morning's WaPo article:
archive.ph/8ZZvc

We miss you, Jersey Girl!!!💗💗💗

It was a great day in Trenton, NJ with @goldengirl57.bsky.social and tons of other resisters!!💙💪
#resist #nj #protest #stopthecoup

No hate! No fear! Immigrants are WELCOME here!!
#resist #nj #protest

Stop the coup!💙💪

NJ protest!!💙💪

The people trying to scare you away from protests are undercover Trump supporters more than likely, don’t allow concern trolls to dictate your reaction to fascism. Trust yourselves.

Represent, Jerz!!!💙💙💙

Horror movie analogy 100% fits. Though, Musk impresses me as more of a Borg than a slasher.

a man in a suit and tie is screaming with the words wake up behind him ALT: a man in a suit and tie is screaming with the words wake up behind him

Our democracy is being dismantled as we speak, but people (and news outlets) are talking about Beyoncé and Taylor Swift??
If it's true that "democracy dies in darkness," it's almost sundown, people. Where are your priorities??? #wakeup

Q: The current funding bill for the federal government expires on March 14. Will I still receive full pay and benefits if the money runs out? A: Any government shutdown could potentially affect an employee's pay regardless of whether he or she has accepted the deferred resignation offer. Moreover, if you accept the deferred resignation offer, you would still be entitled to backpay under the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019. See 31 U.S.C. 1341(c)(2). Q: Does my agency have VERA for employees who opt to take the deferred resignation offer? A: Yes. Employees who are eligible for the deferred resignation offer and are at least age 50 with at least 20 years creditable Federal service, or any age with at least 25 years creditable Federal service are eligible for VERA along with the deferred resignation offer (unless your position is exempted from the deferred resignation program by your agency). Q: I am scheduled to retire soon after September 30, 2025. Can I take advantage of the deferred resignation program? A: If your retirement date is between October 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025, you are still eligible for deferred resignation (unless your position is exempted from the deferred resignation program by your agency). If your retirement date is within this window, your deferred resignation date will be extended to match your retirement date. Q: How can I make it clear that I would like to resign AND retire (not just resign)? A: You are welcome to type "resign and retire" into the reply email but it is not required. If you simply write "resign" and you are eligible for retirement on or before December 31, 2025, we will process your resignation with retirement as of September 30 OR your actual retirement date (if it is between September 30 and December 131, 2025).

New - Another "Fork in the Road" email has gone out to federal employees with FAQs about the deferred resignation program. This is the third they've received.

Some fed employees have been advised to download their
Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF) because they're hearing OPM is planning to cut off access tomorrow.

The folder includes all personal identifying info, performance reviews, benefits selections, raises.

Unclear why they'd do this.

US Senate Democrats on Monday afternoon “to sound the alarm” that Elon Musk and his DoGE team were reportedly granted access to the federal government’s central payments system, which handles nearly $6 trillion and the vast majority of all federal disbursements.

🍊, on 7/26/24: "In four years, you don’t have to vote again. We’ll have it fixed so good, you’re not going to have to vote.”

What we are witnessing is not an incoming administration reshaping the executive branch to enact its policy agenda.

We are witnessing the rapid and systematic installment of an oligarchy.

And people were worried about f'n TikTok stealing our info?? The enemy is within our own government!!

This can't be legal in any way, shape or form!!

More USAID staff ousted after Trump administration dismantles aid agency Two officials were removed for trying to prevent DOGE access to restricted areas.

The Trump administration removed two top USAID security officials over the weekend after they tried to stop representatives from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency from gaining access to restricted parts of the building reut.rs/4hmspfa

It’s official: Elon Musk’s staffers have now illegally obtained classified information from the USAID office.

Here’s a recap of what’s happening:

HUD.gov resources page that shows VAWA as an option

when you click on the VAWA icon, you're taken to a page that cannot be found

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) page on the Department of Housing and Urban Development's website has been removed.

This is what the government did with 120K+ Japanese Americans in 1942.

I know. I was there in those camps.

1,100 EPA employees have been notified of imminent termination.

Thank you, Senator! Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden demanded answers from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent after reports surfaced that personnel affiliated with Elon Musk have sought access to a highly sensitive Treasury Department payment system.

I'm very much tuned in to other sources, thanks. My point is that the American public at large is NOT, and the fact there's no TV coverage explains why so few US citizens know what is going on.

Yes, I have for years, they are amazing. But, I think most Americans are unaware because it's not anywhere on TV. Bluesky is relatively new, and still pretty niche right now.

I mean...the DC plane crash is a horrible tragedy...but COME ON, so is the hostile takeover of the US Govt! And yet for that, crickets??