Again zippo from the congresscritters, but BO spent a hour (apparently) in a press conference blaming the Pubs…

And it’s come out that the administration released $445M to ‘public broadcasting’ on the first day of the shutdown, article HERE.

But they’ve all but shut down the VA, and there are issues, including funding going forward for disability payments…

The government shutdown is denying an array of financial benefits to families of troops killed in combat, training or by other causes in the military.

In addition, services to veterans were further curtailed Tuesday as the Department of Veterans Affairs exhausted some carryover funding and furloughed 7,000 workers who process compensation claims.

As a result, the VA cut off public access Tuesday to all 56 regional offices where veterans routinely walk in to file claims for compensation of combat- or other service-related wounds, injuries or illnesses.

It remains unclear whether the VA will be sending out compensation checks on Nov. 1 to about 3.8 million veterans who rely on them, department spokeswoman Victoria Dillon says. While the VA is continuing to process compensation cases this month, funding for this will run out by the end of October if the shutdown continues, she says.

Meanwhile, the families of four soldiers and a Marine killed in Afghanistan since the shutdown last week are not receiving a $100,000 death gratuity or any unpaid income due their loved ones, or being reimbursement for burial expenses, the Pentagon says.

“Unfortunately, as a result of the shutdown, we do not have the legal authority to make death gratuity payments at this time,” says Navy Lt. Com. Nate Christensen, a Pentagon spokesman.

Full article HERE.

That is just #@$%# pathetic!!! And unconscionable…

And NPS played Gestapo in Yellowstone to a group of senior citizens.

A guide who led a tour group through Yellowstone as the government shutdown began accused the National Park Service of “Gestapo tactics” in trying to prevent the visitors from viewing any of the park’s sites.

Tour director Gordon Hodgson told the Livingston Enterprise, a Montana newspaper, that park rangers allowed the group to stay at a lodge for the 48 hours they were allotted under shutdown rules, but refused to let them do anything else in the park — including walk on the boardwalk paths outside the lodge or visit any of the park’s geysers.

Article HERE.

And MD has a rather interesting privacy policy on their healthcare website…

Should you decide to apply for health coverage through Maryland Health Connection, the information you supply in your application will be used to determine whether you are eligible for health and dental coverage offered through Maryland Health Connection and for insurance affordability programs. It also may be used to assist you in making a payment for the insurance plan you select, and for related automated reminders or other activities permitted by law.  We will preserve the privacy of personal records and protect confidential or privileged information in full accordance with federal and State law. We will not sell your information to others.  Any information that you provide to us in your application will be used only to carry out the functions of Maryland Health Connection. The only exception to this policy is that we may share information provided in your application with the appropriate authorities for law enforcement and audit activities. 

Full article HERE. I can’t help but wonder if folks read that or just blindly accepted the policy…

On the lighter side…

I need to get my daughter to teach Vito this trick…

Sigh…

h/t Les, JP, Frito and others…