TBoneTX

Outstanding piece about homelessness in NYC and in general. Read all the 7 fictions. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Alternative Reality of Homelessness Policy The abomination that is urban "homelessness" policy rests on the reinforcement of certain unspoken fictions. A recent article on New York's latest "homeless" outreach program demonstrates how that process works. Before recycling the usual "homelessness" myths, New York Times reporter Emma Goldberg lets loose with a fabrication of her own making. It is a whopper. Spotting vagrants in the urban landscape, she suggests, is a specialized skill possessed only by trained professionals. "It's something you can't exactly teach: how to spot the homeless New Yorkers trying to blend into the night—people resting on bus stop benches, curled up on doorsteps, tucked into the shadows of scaffolding." Fortunately for Goldberg, the outreach team she shadows on this March night proves uncannily adept at detecting these "subtle signs of hidden life on city streets," darting, almost miraculously, from one vagrant to the next. To which an ordinary New Yorker can only ask: in what world does Goldberg live? Street vagrancy is among the most visible features of the city's public spaces; the disheveled bodies, surrounded by filthy bedding, uneaten food, and cardboard, are unmistakable at any hour. New Yorkers can only wish they were camouflaged. Having grounded her article in an alternative reality, Goldberg then turns to the more familiar fictions. Fiction #1: Every homeless outreach program is a novel breakthrough. [...] https://www.city-journal.org/article/new-york-homeless-outreach-policy?skip=1

Or, more and more so, none at all. No matter which side (good vs. bad guys) decrees things administratively, I disagree, because it's the unelected, unaccountable "fourth branch of government." If Gov. Abbott were to issue an executive order, better, but he has the State Legislature to endorse just about anything he would want.

There has to be some solution, si man. But the skool is relying on their Handbook, sigh man. The irksome thing is that they initially treated this like a unique situation but now say "it happens all the time," man. We would continue this quixotic venture, such as to contact a TV station, si man, but ex-Mrs.-T-B. wouldn't go along with it, no man. Plus, Mini-B. won't cut his hair and would look like an English sheepdog, embarrassing man.

Richard, see the various other relevant threads in this forum. In addition, folks will be along to answer how they handled their own situation.

Thought about that, si man, but wanted to exhaust proper channels first, si man. Unfortunately, ex-Mrs.-T-B. got exhausted with it first, oh well man. LPoP and unread, no see we man. We're beginning to think that we won't win this at all, si and sigh and no man.

I was thinkin' the same. You're dead-nuts right.

Where's the +1,000 button?

Skoolbus drama coming to a fruitless end, man. From skooldistrict COO of Operations, see man: --- Good Afternoon, si man: We are unable to approve the requested accommodation, no man. As outlined in the ISD Student & Parent Handbook, transportation service is limited to one designated pickup and drop‑off location per student, which must be on an approved stop and approved route, si man. Parents may designate a child‑care facility or a grandparent’s residence; however, multiple or alternating pickup and drop‑off locations are not permitted, si and no man. While this request may appear limited in scope, approving such exceptions would create significant operational and capacity challenges, as similar requests occur frequently and must be applied consistently across the District, see man. For this reason, we must adhere to the established handbook guidance, si man. We appreciate your understanding and remain available to assist within the parameters of current transportation guidelines, si man. --- This is the verbatim reply from the Exec. DiRectum of Transpurtayshun, verbatim man. Ex-Mrs.-T-B. has been cc'd on all of this and called us to tell us to knock it off, irritating and multiple rejections and "alternatives" man. She says that Mini-B. can learn to ride a bike (not heretofore done, no man) the mile-plus from our casa to ex-she-man's casa when necessary, si man, and she can drive him to skool when possible, si man. (This doesn't cover half the year when dark outside and doesn't cover the days during non-Two-Guys week when she can't take him, no man, and this will kill us, sigh man. Mini-B. also can't ride bike from ex-she-man's casa to "our" skoolbus stop without having to deal with where to leave the bike, no man. There are just two levels of appeal left, see man: VP of Operations, she man, and Superintendent, he man. The Skoolbored can dictate overall policy but not intervene in individual cases, si and no man. Comments and suggestions, huh and sigh man?

Welcome to the forum! Your thread is moved to the Russia/Ukraine/Belarus regional forum, where your questions are discussed in depth and you can get many qualified responses. Good luck!

Wonderful! Can't wait for your full report.

Country-specific thread is moved from the CR-1 Process forum to the Philippines regional forum.

Let's see... a Democratic president signs a bill into Federal law, a state agency decides to enforce it, and it's Trump's fault. Comments about this and the wisdom (or lack thereof) of enforcing this law? (Read entire article.) I don't know of many other countries that would allow those of unauthorized status to get a license and stay... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ New licensing requirement creates more hurdles for undocumented workers For some workers, a new state licensing requirement could mean the difference between keeping their job, or losing it. Earlier this year, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, or TDLR, began implementing a rule rooted in a Clinton-era federal law that prohibits the approval of license applications to workers who cannot present documentation proving lawful residence in the U.S. This change to the Texas Administrative Code will affect workers in the beauty industry, trades like HVAC and electrical, and any other service-related roles requiring TDLR-issued licenses. This leaves many workers and businesses throughout South Texas who qualify to provide these services, from massage therapy to the towing industry, with an added barrier. Regional lawmakers said because of the Rio Grande Valley's proximity to Mexico, communities here need to prepare for services to get more expensive. "It definitely affects opportunity. It definitely affects the economy. It definitely affects all aspects of life, especially for those of us who live along the Rio Grande border," said State Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, who described the change as a "Trump-inspired initiative." The law from which the new TDLR requirement is inspired was penned in August 1996. It states that people who are not legally authorized to be in the U.S. are "not eligible for any State or local public benefit," including professional and commercial licensing. [...] https://myrgv.com/local-news/2026/03/25/new-licensing-requirement-creates-more-hurdles-for-undocumented-workers/

This seems an excellent, insightful analysis. Comments on it? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Donald Trump's Psychological Smackdown of Iran — and What Will Happen Next If you could distill PR and marketing to a single sentence, it'd be, "What do I gotta say so you'll do what I want?" Meaning, it’s 100% outcome-based: Theories are fun, but reality is the ultimate litmus test. Which is why, to build a PR war plan, we only need three ingredients: • An honest, accurate assessment of where we are today. • An honest, accurate assessment of what motivates our target audience. • A clear picture of where we want to be tomorrow (i.e., what "victory" looks like). That's it. All the rest is simply a roadmap between today and tomorrow (sprinkled with tactics, measurables, and mile markers). If you know where you are and where you'd like to be, everything else falls into place. "Know the enemy and know yourself" — Sun Tzu would've rocked at PR. The Iraq War introduced the phrase "shock and awe" into the public lexicon, relying on the PR power of big booming bombs. Undoubtedly, the psychological impact was significant; how could it not be? Whereas the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war in Iran was surely shocking and aweing to many Iranian mullahs (especially all the dead ones), [...] https://pjmedia.com/scott-pinsker/2026/03/25/donald-trumps-psychological-smackdown-of-iran-and-what-will-happen-next-n4951051

Scintillating Wednesday repartee, yawn man. ----- Thrilling Wednesday report, see man: Breakfasted/skoolbused Mini-B., groggy Two Guys man. Breakfast was 2 buttered bagels, ingest we man. Siesta #1 was actually rather successful, zzz we man. Retrieved Mama T-B.'s taxes, retrieve we man. CPA said that we'd done "good" in compiling the intricate materials, assiduous we man. Gassed T-B.-mobile at proximal Costco, efficient we man. Siesta #2 initially successful, truncated by hip pain man. Din-din was nuked hamburger steaks + scalloped potatoes + r'br, ingest Two Guys man. Mini-B. left some of his scalloped potatoes, ingest later we man. No movie night, Mini-B. gaming with amigos man. Mama T-B. called with the prospect that she'll be taken off hospice status, oh brother man. No party with the rubias tonight, no cavort we man. Thursday means a visit to Mama T-B., visit we man senior she man man. We still have not compiled our taxes, no man. We must itinerary GSs/ESs for Friday, si man. And that was/is our thrilling Wednesday, report we man.

I agree that this rule sounds like a red herring and that it certainly should NOT be dictated administratively -- it's a Legislature issue. Furthermore, DMV clerks would seemingly have to judge immigration status. Comments on the pros & cons? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DMV quietly passes legal status rule for vehicle registration, renewal A new vehicle registration/renewal rule implemented by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles will result in more uninsured vehicles on the road and place a costly unfunded mandate on county tax offices, according to the state's Mexican American Legislative Caucus (MALC). In a statement released March 6, MALC said the DMV board of directors on Feb. 12 unanimously adopted amended rule changes imposing new ID requirements for registration/renewal that require applicants to prove legal status, a policy targeting illegal immigration. But MALC argues the impact will be much broader, affecting Texans regardless of legal status. [...] https://myrgv.com/local-news/2026/03/19/dmv-quietly-passes-legal-status-rule-for-vehicle-registration-renewal/

This interesting, well-written article about a LONG Texas river barrier mentions benefits of border security and presents concerns from ecological and treaty standpoints. The parts about flooding and low river flow can't be ignored. Comments? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Feds plan to install 536 miles of floating barriers on Rio Grande to deter migrants BROWNSVILLE — An experiment unfolding at the southernmost tip of the state could irrevocably change the iconic Rio Grande and the communities it sustains. Contractors are installing a 17-mile stretch of cylindrical buoys in the river to prevent illegal crossings from Mexico. These are the first of 536 miles of buoys that the federal government plans to stretch from the Gulf of Mexico deep into South Texas. The Department of Homeland Security has waived environmental laws and issued more than $1 billion in contracts to private companies to install them in continuous chains. Each industrial-style buoy is more than 12 feet long and four to five feet in diameter. Federal agencies have not made any environmental assessment or flood modeling for the border buoys available to the public. Experts have criticized the secrecy surrounding the project and warn that the buoys could intensify flooding and change the river channel. [...] https://myrgv.com/alerts-mcm/2026/03/23/feds-plan-to-install-536-miles-of-floating-barriers-on-rio-grande-to-deter-migrants/

I'm sharked! Sharked, I say!

Hoping for good things to happen rapidly for everyone.

A big relief for you! Good luck.

Welcome to the forum! 1. You may hand-write anything, to get it to fit or for any other reason. 2. Sonora appears to be the Mexican state. 3. Yes. 4. Generally, yes. If it asks (e.g.) for children's names and gives 6 blanks and you have 0, N/A once suffices. 5. Yes. Others here may have other advice.

It is Wednesday -- time for our Semiofficial Semiweekly VAWA-Thread Joke: =========================================== FUNNY ONES I went to the doctor today and told the nurse I got bitten by a wolf. She said, "Where?" I said, "No; a regular." She stared at me for ten minutes. My husband giving me directions like "Head north..." Me: "Listen here, Christopher Columbus -- do I turn at the Taco Bell or go toward Target?" I ran for the first time with my Fitbit on. It detected me running and asked if my life was in danger or if tacos were on sale for $1 again. God creating ducks: "Waterproof that chicken and give it a kazoo!" Tip of the Day: Gas prices are getting a little high, so I went to the dealership and test-drove three cars to run my errands. My body is not a temple. It's a haunted house. It's slowly falling apart, making weird noises, and contains the spirit of an old person who's always mad at something.

A lot of remaining questions... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Here's the Latest NTSB Update on the LaGuardia Crash On Tuesday, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) hosted an afternoon press conference and provided an update on the investigation into the tragic Sunday night collision between an Air Canada plane and a Port Authority fire truck at LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in New York. NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy hosted the press conference, beginning with the current status of the investigation. Homendy noted that this was their first full day on scene. They started [...] https://redstate.com/smoosieq/2026/03/24/the-latest-ntsb-update-on-the-laguardia-crash-n2200589

Thrilling Tuesday report, see man: Breakfasted/skoolbused Mini-B., groggy Two Guys man. Breakfast was 2 buttered bagels, ingest we man. Siesta #1 rather unsuccessful, hip pain man. Before noon, Mama T-B.'s CPA called with a couple of questions, could've predicted them man. We up-cleared them in short order, familiar we man. CPA said he'd call with numbers later, call CPA man we man man. As soon as we hung up with CPA, Mama T-B. called, aysheep senior she man man. There were "crises" to help with, get carcass into gear we man to visit senior she man man. The chief crisis was that the Nooser Aides had thrown damp dirty laundry atop dry dirty laundry, man. No matter that the laundry dude was to pick up her stuff in the evening, man. We had to organize it ourself to Mama T-B.'s specifications, man. We did the usual other things, too, regimented senior she man man. While we were there, CPA called, final numbers man. Mama T-B. overpaid, save half for half-of-halfferly payments and other half refunded man. Mama T-B. of course had questions after we hung up, man. Good news is that she doesn't want to see the forms and we can sign them, PoA we man. She will almost certainly change her mind after we've done so, man. Returned to casa too late for a decent siesta, Siesta #2 failed man. Mini-B. wanted initial privacy, probably yak on phone with girlfriend wee man man. We watched the Many-p.m. local news, the national TV news, and the Many-p.m. local news, watch we man. We consumed most of a bag of Aldi-knockoff Fritos, ingest we man. When we ventured upstairs, Mini-B. was zzz-ing lengthwise across his bed, out-zonked wee man man. Din-din (after Many [2+2+2+1] p.m.) was breaded chicken chunks + canned corn + r'b'r, ingest Two Guys man. Movie night was The Naked Gun 2½ - The Smell of Fear, watch Two Guys man. Two bowls of Costco popcorn were consumed, ingest Two Guys man. The remaining green grapes were then consumed, then ingest Two Guys man. No party with the rubias tonight, no cavort we man. Wednesday, we must retrieve Mama T-B.'s taxes, gold-retriever we man man. We must still off-clean the other half of our desk, sure to find our tax fodder there man. And that was/is our thrilling Tuesday, report we man.

There's strength, and certainly solace, in numbers. Sympathy and empathy to all here. Trust that progress WILL happen.

Very real sign that I saw posted in the back of a motel in Iowa: "Please do not throw your cigarette butts on the ground. The squirrels come out at night to smoke them. And we are trying to get them to quit."