Hans van Zijst

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

Professional nerd and grammar nazi, writes in Dutch and English. Can read some German, French and Spanish too. Learning русский.

Location:: Netherlands

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 15:28:51 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

Has #Meloni heard of the Streisand effect?

Never really noticed she was particularly small, until now. I knew she was small-minded...

The Guardian :press: wrote the following post Thu, 18 Jul 2024 14:59:03 +0200

Italian journalist ordered to pay €5,000 damages over Giorgia Meloni height jibe

Giulia Cortese convicted of defamation over two tweets that judge in Milan said amounted to ‘body shaming’An Italian court has ordered a journalist to pay €5,000 in damages to the prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, for mocking her height over social media in what... #press

https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/18/italian-journalist-ordered-pay-damages-mocking-giorgia-meloni-height?utm_source=press.coop

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 13:57:47 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

I think #Xi told #Putin to help him get his hands on #Taiwan. So Putin instructed his orange asset to help him out.

The Guardian :press: wrote the following post Thu, 18 Jul 2024 13:43:53 +0200

Chip stocks fall further after Trump’s remarks on Taiwan defence

Semiconductor and related tech shares hit hard by former US president’s calls for Taipei to pay for US protectionBusiness live – latest updatesThe stocks of some of the world’s largest chipmakers have fallen further after comments by Donald Trump that Taiwan, which is central to the global... #press

https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/jul/18/chip-stocks-trump-taiwan-defence-semiconductor?utm_source=press.coop

politics

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 15:48:20 +0200

Jim Bowering

arjaybe@diasp.org

Hm. A protection racket. Typical of gangsters.

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 11:52:10 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

Kenneth John Bardsley wrote the following post Thu, 18 Jul 2024 11:22:35 +0200

politics

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 10:18:03 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

Swastika sans serif, I like that 😂

carlos quintana wrote the following post Wed, 17 Jul 2024 14:28:09 +0200

X - formerly known as twitter. Oder wie wir Typographen sagen: Swastika Sans Serif.
(Ist leider nicht von mir.)

internet

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 23:16:44 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

Amen! 👇️

Leah Rowe is not a Rowebot wrote the following post Wed, 17 Jul 2024 23:16:02 +0200

By the way.

Donald Trump is still a fascist. Here's just one article from several years ago, after the Jan6 coup attempt:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jun/25/donald-trump-general-mark-milley-crack-skulls

Trump came inches away from invoking the Insurrection Act in response to protests against racism in America. Such an action would have made him a dictator.

You call someone a nazi and they'll always deny it. Modern fascists do not go around shouting Heil Hitler and brandishing copies of Mein Kampf, but the way they talk and act is exactly the same.

politics

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 19:52:39 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

While mom's out, the #kittens sleep.

And then mother #Melian is done eating and gets back to her important job.

#CatsOfMastodon

cats

Lunch

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 14:41:05 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

Mother #Melian had half a herring for lunch, and then some normal lunch after that.

And after that, the #kittens wanted their lunch too 😉

#CatsOfMastodon

cats

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 12:30:32 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

Americans and their #firearms... 🤦

law-abiding Americans have a right to carry a handgun outside their home for self-defense

I thought the Second Amendment was meant to give "a well organized militia" an option to overthrow a rogue government. But apparently individual Americans need to carry lethal weapons "for self-defense"...

So glad I don't live in a dog-eat-dog world where I must apparently be prepared to shoot someone or be shot. I like watching westerns, but I wouldn't want to live in one.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/07/17/minnesota-gun-carry-laws-court-ruling/

politics

show all 10 comments

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 12:41:09 +0200

Alexander Hay

alexanderhay@mastodon.social

@hans There are also plenty of ways to describe US gun culture, but "well organized" ain't one of them.

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 13:19:07 +0200

Prof Kemi FG

KFuentesGeorge@universeodon.com

@hans

The frustrating thing is that the "Wild West" had way more restrictions on gun possession than we do now.

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 14:54:08 +0200

Paul Chernoff

paulc@mstdn.social

@hans Your understanding is correct. “Bunker Hill" got its name because that was the bunker where the militia stored its guns. It was illegal to use a gun purchased for use with a militia for personal defense.

Definition of a militia in those times were murky. It was a time we didn't have police. George Washington, as president, was not a fan of them.

Back then, use of a gun in self-defense could land you in jail.

But the 2nd amendment’s writing is murkey and possibly intentionally so.

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 15:27:58 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

@Paul Chernoff Yeah, I read the original text once, it's not even grammatically correct. Not sure if that was intentional, but it does pose some legal challenges of course.

The intentions, no doubt, were good. After all, America had just freed itself from the English and the founding fathers wanted to make sure a government that would abuse its people could be overthrown.

But... those were different times, with very different firearms. In todays world you don't overthrow a government with a group of people using AR-15s. Not against stuff like tanks, helicopters and guided missiles.

So, in the original context of the 2A, you should allow people (no, "a well organized militia") to own tanks, helicopters, guided missiles and whatnot... Not for self-defense against their neigbors, but against the state.

Maybe I shouldn't say that, the NRA might get ideas...

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 15:42:13 +0200

Nemethon

nemethon@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

The biggest problem in the USA is lack of education combined with enormous stupidity. That's why they don't understand why this is all a stupid idea, even though Europe is showing that there are better ways.

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 15:54:46 +0200

Paul Chernoff

paulc@mstdn.social

@hans Think of much of the US Constitution as a reaction to the abuses of the British. I believe there were over 100 proposed additions to the Bill Of Rights, many which came from Colony/State constitutions. Note that there is no national right for hunting, which is in the Virginia Constitution.

The US 2nd amendment is similar to one in Virginia. Jefferson proposed a simple right to arms for self protection in Virginia. It was shot down.

And there is the slavery angle.

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 18:17:37 +0200

Dennis Wilson (Pureblood) @diaspora.psyco.fr

dennisleewilson@diaspora.psyco.fr

Ah. You have constructed a straw dummy by re-writing the text of the Second Amendment to suit YOUR view and then proceeding down the path of your own prejudices.

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 18:24:17 +0200

Dennis Wilson (Pureblood) @diaspora.psyco.fr

dennisleewilson@diaspora.psyco.fr

Ah. You have constructed a straw dummy by re-writing the text of the Second Amendment to suit YOUR view and then proceeding down the path of your own prejudices, while ignoring anything that might actually help you understand why Americans proudly and defiantly keep their guns.

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 18:25:43 +0200

Dennis Wilson (Pureblood) @diaspora.psyco.fr

dennisleewilson@diaspora.psyco.fr

Ah. You have constructed a straw dummy by re-writing the text of the Second Amendment to suit YOUR view and then proceeding down the path of your own prejudices, while ignoring anything that might actually help you understand why Americans proudly and defiantly keep their guns.

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 18:50:01 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

@Nemethon I think it's mostly the unchecked and unhinged capitalism: everything is about the money.

If you have money, you can get anything. If not, you can die. So glad Europe is much more socialist than that.

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 11:40:29 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

Pretty bizarre, in one of the richest nations in the world...

𝕕𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕖𝕒 🏳️‍⚧️🦋 wrote the following post Wed, 17 Jul 2024 04:09:25 +0200

show all 6 comments

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 12:40:49 +0200

Joseph Teller

joseph_teller@diaspora.glasswings.com

Without insurance a one way trip in the ambulance can cost up to $10k here. We had a friend who had a heart attack and ended up dying in hospital afterwards. My wife and I handled his memorial service, care of his home, rehoming his cats etc. until his relatives could come out and deal with things. We brought his mail in for weeks afterwards including the bills for the ambulance that brought him to the hospital and that was what they charged him.

Flash forward a few years and I had an accident while out exercising and was ambulanced to local hospital (I had insurance) so our cost was only about $200 for the trip. A passerby had called the ambulance for me, as I was injured and temporarily blinded by the accident as well as dazed. I did manage to insist that they bring me to MY hospital (the one that I dealt with regularly, where my doctor had their office and where all the records were easily accessible on me) rather than the big one in Boston that would have cost me more and been longer to be seen by anyone and impossible to get home from in an impaired state when released. Crossing the river to the big city would have doubled the cost of the trip.

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 15:17:24 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

@Joseph Teller Wow, 10K for a ride in an ambulance! Getting that kind of bill after a loved one has passed away makes things even more painful...

I'm not sure how much an ambulance costs here, I've only needed one once. Had an accident at work and was taken to the hospital. I never saw a bill, not for the ambulance, the treatment or the pain killers I got: everything was handled by the insurance.

My mom had several long-distance trips in ambulances (long-distance by Dutch standards, mind you 😏), but those were also handled by the insurance. Just like the extensive surgery she needed.

In this country everybody has health insurance, it's mandatory. I pay some €120 per month, I believe, with a deductible of €350 per year. Everything over that is covered.

Getting ill or injured should never be a financial death sentence: medical care should be available for anyone when needed, not just for the rich.

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 16:38:47 +0200

Peter Lindelauf

peter_lindelauf@diasp.org

Canada, too, has universal health care. We don't have to worry about being bankrupted by accident or illness as with the American model of predatory health care.

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 18:46:05 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

@Peter Lindelauf I know.

And when I needed medical care in Vancouver, the hospital assured me they were going to help my anyway, insurance or not. I had insurance, of course, but it was good to know that no insurance didn't equal no help.

That's how it was in Salt Lake City: the doctor wouldn't even speak to me before he got my credit card...

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 21:51:24 +0200

Peter Lindelauf

peter_lindelauf@diasp.org

We don't even pay insurance premiums anymore. "Medical Services Plan (MSP) premiums were eliminated as of January 1, 2020. British Columbia residents are no longer charged MSP premiums. Enrolment in MSP remains mandatory for all residents." Our government in BC is left of center and formerly Socialist, @Hans van Zijst.

"More than 70% of health care spending is publicly funded through general tax revenues. The provinces and territories generate 78% of the cost, with the federal government providing the rest through the Canada Health Transfer (CHT). This split has been the subject of debate since Medicare was first established."

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 22:02:38 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

@Peter Lindelauf We used to have a system like that: "ziekenfonds". Everybody was insured via ziekenfonds, but if you had enough money, you could buy a private insurance, "particulier", which would cover much more than only the necessary stuff.

Unfortunatly we went through a period of privatization in the nineties, in what was sometimes called the "third way". It basically meant selling lots of government-provided services off to commercial enterprises. Bad idea, really bad idea...

So now we have a more expensive system with much, much more bureaucracy. Still a lot better than the American system, but not as nice as British Columbia's...

Good mewning

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 11:13:44 +0200

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

Good mewning, as @stux⚡ would say 😉

A brand new day, curious to see if these four little #kittens will have gained another 10% in weight by the evening.

#CatsOfMastodon

cats