Right now, I'm currently seeing quite a few of gold star members.



Last August for the Summer Fund Drive I was able to gift two wonderful members star memberships. I would love to do this again for other members. The problem is I don't know when other members star memberships expire, I would imagine quite a few in August. I'm sure some DU'ers would prefer to purchase their own star membership and that's okay too.


We're missing a few members that I would like see here more often as well.


I'm going to finish getting ready so that I can get to work. If you would like to reply in this thread what month/year your star membership ends so that possibly other members can gift, please let us know.


I'll check back later.


Have a marvelous day, DU!

I usually wait for malaise to report incoming storms, but this one is definitely on the must watch list for those living near the Gulf.







https://www.wwltv.com/video/weather/severe-weather/wednesday-am-tropical-update-invest-99-may-form-depression-by-friday/289-638e9dd3-bdc4-4738-872e-a810eb2af7f0

Which can be found here: https://democraticunderground.com/100215761473





I wanted to add a link and to the gallery that contained larger images of the Covid crisis at Ochsner's Medical Center.
https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/multimedia/photos/collection_21c6fb86-fd5f-11eb-9b4b-075127c7a715.html#24










Here's to all medical and hospital staff everywhere that are overwhelmed, tired and frustrated. You are all hero's. This includes food service, housekeeping, janitorial, clerical, porters, volunteers, and whoever else that I forgot to mention.

I was disappointed when fellow DUers were posting that they got their vaccines, but didn't share any of their experiences about the process that they went through or how the workers were treating them. So, I wanted to share my experience here on DU.



First, I will admit that it took me awhile to find a Pfizer vaccination location. The vaccine websites made it sound like a person had to bring all this paper work in to prove residency, not too mention a printout of your confirmed appointment. In reality, all a person needed to bring was a drivers license (or state issued I.D card), insurance card and the vaccination card if it's a second vaccine being done. Obviously, if a person doesn't have insurance, you just simply let them know. With both appointments, not one person looked at my appointment confirmation printout.



The location was at University at Buffalo South Campus by appointment. As I drove into the parking lot today, the electronic flashing sign was also welcoming walk-ins besides appointments, so that was wonderful to see! And just like my 1st time, they had National Guards that greet each vehicle and asks if it's their 1st or 2nd vaccination. If it's the 1st time, the National Guard will direct the driver where to park and to follow the large signs directing towards the vaccination building.


Once one has parked their vehicle and walked up to the designated building, there's a person in regular street clothes that takes each persons temperature and asks if their experiencing any Covid symptoms and if they have come into contact with an infected person. 3 weeks ago, there was a State Trooper at a podium that looks for names with their appointment times and highlights the information on the paper. Today, there was a National Guard doing that job. This is all done outside before going in through the doors.


Once I was inside the door, there is another person standing at another podium asking for names with appointment times and highlighting the information. Once a processor person is free, the person at the podium will direct a person to a numbered table. There are 6 different people working and processing at 6 different tables so the line moves quickly. That person then will take your I.D, health insurance card and will write information down on a piece of paper and will direct a person to another large room where the vaccinations are taking place.


Once at the entrance of the vaccination room, a National Guard ask if it's for the 1st or 2nd vaccination. The room has 2 separate que lines. Line 1 on the far right is for the 1st vaccine. Line 2 in the middle is for the 2nd vaccine. On the very left is the exit line where a person walks so that they can exit the building without blocking any vaccine que lines.


Once a vaccine table opens up, and there are several of them, a National Guard will have the person follow them, and will also take the paperwork and hands it over to the person giving the vaccine. They have the name of the person, address, phone number and birthday up on a computer screen, and at that time the person confirms that all information is correct and spelled correctly. Questions are asked if there are any known allergies or any known autoimmune diseases. I was then given my 2nd dose and directed to recovery room #2.



There are 4 recovery rooms all together, and they have chairs spaced out 6 feet apart. Once a person has waited the 15 minutes, the person in that room acknowledges the person leaving and tells them to have a good day and each seat is sanitized. The last time I waited my 15 minutes in room #4, but today I waited in room#2. I also noticed an EMS gurney with medical bags and supplies sitting on top of the gurney. I also noticed an EMS person sitting down and watching the room. I actually didn't see that the last time, it could be because I was in a different recovery room.


Once my 15 minutes was up, I told the person working the recovery room to have a great day and left.


My experience may not be the same as another persons experience. This was on a college campus and I thought it was extremely organized and that everyone was polite and helpful. It was also a extensive relief getting vaccinated. Thanks for listening.

He loved canoodling with his humans, introducing himself to random strangers, belly rubs, snoozing in desk chairs, begging for food at dinnertime, and helping dad with jobs around the home. It might be awhile before I can watch and comment on pet videos since my heart is seriously broken.




R.I.P. Bermuda

Today is the 1st day for early voting in the state of New York and the 2 polling places in my county opened at 10AM. The weather yesterday was a beautiful sunny day at a warm 80 F. Today it was a cold 45 F and I ended up standing in line for about an hour. I wish that I had remembered my winter gloves but I dressed for the colder weather for the most part.





The parking lot was full when I arrived at Cornell Cooperative Extension and people were parking on the shoulder of the road where there were no parking anytime signs. It was a little chaotic with people coming in and leaving in the 2 different entrances/exits and with oncoming road traffic at 45mph. There were no caution signs and I felt that that someone should have been there to help direct traffic. Drivers were trying to leave and they couldn't see with all the vehicles parked on the side of the road; by some miracle there wasn't any accidents while I was there.






I didn't take a photo, but once we got closer to the building there were signs on the front door that masks were required to enter the building. Everyone was wearing a mask while waiting in line outside and everyone was complying with this beneficial rule while inside.







There were 12 of these individual voting booths inside the building. The gentleman in the red shirt sanitized each booth after it was used. The pens that we used to mark our selections were collected in the area where the paper ballot machine were and sanitized before another person used it.. Upon leaving, the outdoor line was still quite long.

I have 2 different neighbors that keep adding to their Biden/Harris support signs in their yard. I'm sharing the images for my DU family.





This 1st house has other Biden/Harris banners displayed on the other front half of the house. I decided not to share that section of the house since the actual number address would be visible. I was out for a walk and let them know that I appreciated their signs. They said thank you and to make sure that I vote. I told them that I always vote straight Democratic.










Here is the 2nd house that had these 2 lovely signs.



As I was walking by today, they recently added this gem.




This is encouraging for Niagara County. As far as Presidential elections are concerned, my area is heavily Democratic with the exception for the 1980 and 2016 Presidential elections.




GOTV.

As the news unfolded that DFT called our military losers and suckers, Tammy Duckworth talked about her experience about how her crew saved her life. I snapped this photo on my phone during her interview because I was admiring her RBG doll sitting in the background.








R.I.P. Justice Ginsburg.

I changed the name of the title of the article since Robert W. Welch and his wife wasn't just berating a teenage girl and her friends, they were straight up using racial slurs towards these teenage girls, threatening them, harassing and stalking them in a car. I'm providing the link to the story below and the three links are the video links.







more at link:https://buffalonews.com/2020/06/15/aide-to-ortt-resigns-after-video-surfaces-of-him-berating-youths/?
fbclid=IwAR3RiqNH2oOIDoxRq3yFQUc0OPBme9Uqpg08akUp7hGic-BV82I0hU1tuzI


video link:https://www.facebook.com/100005377036480/videos/pcb.1324822814373607/1324833594372529/?type=3&theater


video link:https://www.facebook.com/100005377036480/videos/pcb.1324822814373607/1324833634372525/?type=3&theater

video link:https://www.facebook.com/100005377036480/videos/pcb.1324822814373607/1324833671039188/?type=3&theater

Omar Jimenez one of CNN correspondenst was covering the Minneapolis, Minnesota riots about 5:00 this morning. Mr. Jimenez and his crew showed their press credentials right before the arrest. He has been released.















https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2020/05/29/cnn-omar-jimenez-arrested-covering-minneapolis-protests/5281683002