(no subject)

[gwydion]

* "Peter Madsen sentenced to life for murdering journalist Kim Wall:" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/25/peter-madsen-sentenced-life-murdering-kim-wall-submarine

* "PMQs verdict: Corbyn says time for Rudd to go over Windrush scandal:" https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/apr/25/pmqs-verdict-corbyn-says-time-for-amber-rudd-to-go-over-windrush-scandal

* "Trump administration ends humanitarian program for Nepal:" http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-administration-ends-humanitarian-program-nepal/story?id=54757198

* "North Korea nuclear test site has collapsed and may be out of action – China study:" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/26/north-korea-nuclear-test-site-collapse-may-be-out-of-action-china

* "Top Trump Fundraiser Caught Working for Assad Ally:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/top-trump-fundraiser-caught-working-for-assad-ally

* "Trump pushes to swap Electoral College for popular vote:" https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/26/trump-electoral-college-popular-vote-555148

* "Trump on his presidency: 'I would give myself an A-plus':" http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/384976-trump-gives-himself-an-a

* "Trump says 'at some point' he won't stay away from Justice Department:" https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/26/politics/donald-trump-justice-department-fox-and-friends/index.html

* "Stormy Daniels attorney: Trump comments on Cohen ‘hugely damaging’:" http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/384974-stormy-daniels-attorney-trumps-comments-on-cohen-hugely-damaging

* Trump on Cohen: 'Nothing to do with me'http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/384969-trump-on-cohen-nothing-to-do-with-me

* "Trump stomps on own legal strategy with blurting rant on Fox News:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-stomps-on-own-legal-strategy-with-blurting-rant-on-fox-news-1220310595873?playlist=associated

* "U.S. Attorney General Sessions says Mueller probe has taken on...:" https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-sessions/u-s-attorney-general-sessions-say-mueller-probe-has-taken-on-life-of-its-own-idUSKBN1HX30P

* Don't hold your breath McConnell's still blocking it. "Senate panel approves bill to shield Mueller from Trump firing:" https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/26/senate-panel-approves-bill-to-shield-mueller-from-trump-firing-555458

* "Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand: Trump has filled the swamp:" http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/sen-kirsten-gillibrand-trump-has-filled-the-swamp-1220225603882

* "House chaplain forced out by Ryan:" http://thehill.com/homenews/house/385035-house-chaplain-forced-out-by-ryan

* "Lawmakers grill EPA chief Scott Pruitt over ethics scandals, spending:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/democrats-excoriate-epa-administrator-scott-pruitt-over-lavish-spending-n869271

* "FBI says it told White House about Porter abuse allegations in March 2017:" http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/385085-fbi-says-it-told-white-house-about-porter-abuse-allegations-in-march

* "Pompeo confirmed as secretary of state:" https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/26/pompeo-clears-key-senate-hurdle-to-be-secretary-of-state-555908

* Ronny Jackson has withdrawn from the VA nomination process.

* "Trump extends abysmal track record of nominee failures:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-extends-abysmal-track-record-of-nominee-failures-1220339267959?playlist=associated

* "'Our veterans deserve better': Former VA Secretary McDonald:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-our-veterans-deserve-better-former-va-secretary-mcdonald-1220291651703?playlist=associated

* "Thanks to a loophole in Kansas law, 6 teens are running for governor:" "Thanks to a loophole in Kansas law, 6 teens are running for governor:" https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/09/politics/kansas-teens-running-for-governor-trnd/index.html

* "Seeing red: Teacher walkouts shut Arizona, Colorado schools:" http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/thousands-teachers-arizona-colorado-protest-54740976

* "James Forman Jr. - "Locking Up Our Own" and the Path to Criminal Justice Reform - Extended Interview:"

* "Bill Cosby guilty on all three counts in indecent assault trial:" https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/26/us/bill-cosby-trial/index.html

* "Cosby accuser: ‘This is a wave, a big wave’:" http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/cosby-accuser-this-is-a-wave-a-big-wave-1220232259943

* "I was fired because I’m gay; that’s still legal in Ohio:" https://www.newsday.com/opinion/commentary/gay-and-fired-1.18219678

* "Religious right says CA legislation will outlaw the Bible, but didn't they claim the same thing about hate crimes legislation? :" http://holybulliesandheadlessmonsters.blogspot.com/2018/04/religious-right-claim-ca-legislation.html#.WuMZUX8h3IV

* "The Sky Was No Limit: The WASP Women Pilots of WWII:" http://mentalfloss.com/article/535815/wasp-women-pilots-wwii

* "Shaqnado ft. Victoria Beckham & Shaquille O'Neal:"

Watch on YouTube

* "Meek Mill Is Released & Bill Cosby Is Convicted :"

* "North Korea's Nukes: Kim Jong-un Pulls a Total Trump Move:"

* "Michael Cohen Leans on the Fifth Amendment:"

* All but one of the ebays sold and everyone paid up right away. I plan to mail tomorrow. I need to do another batch for Monday.

* I legitimately love Dunkirk. It's not surprising really. I am a sucker for a movie that is not afraid to use silence and ambient sound for long stretches, that is willing to tell it's story as much with the acting as with the realistically spare dialog. A friendship is formed through exchanged expressions and a will to work together, without words, on an eerie beach with periodic horrors. I love the way WWI is the subtext of everything that happens on the small rescue boat without it being mentioned once. The best thing though is that someone has made a War movie about the importance of empathy, because that's what Dunkirk is. It is most obvious in the small boat story, where that is openly the thrust of the narrative: empathy compels the captain to go; empathy informs his treatment of the man with PTSD, his reaction to the tragedy, the reason he persists until he's rescued all he can in the face of real danger; it's in how he parents, his nod of approval for his son in the end, and his words to the downed pilot. The Captain's decency and perseverance has true kindness and empathy at it's heart. It's central to the other threads though. The pilot's decision to risk death or capture to give the infantry the best possible chance of escape through his sacrifice is beautiful because of it's kindness. you can see empathy in the main infantry character too. He consistently puts the best construction on the Frenchman's actions: on the beach, on the Red Cross Boat, on the Dutch boat when the xenophobic highlanders start picking out scapegoats. We like the Frenchman because he keeps helping the Englishman even though he could just as easily save himself by himself. They are queue jumpers, yes, but they are both kind. The horrifying xenophobia in the belly of the boat, the way the highlander keeps putting the worst construction on everything, including the blind man's failure to "look me in the eye." That's about his lack of empathy in contast to the other characters. He's a villain because he doesn't empathize, because he doesn't even try to see things from another point of view. I think the scene on the train is about how small his world is because his point of view is so narrow. He can't guess and at first keeps failing to grasp what the reaction to Dunkirk is, because he's so trapped in his own head. I think the movie is inviting us to forgive him the same way the Small Boat Captain kept inviting his son to forgive the character who's PTSD causes such damage. It never occurred to me that someone could make a war movie about empathy and kindness, but here it is, and it feels like something the world needed, especially now when the whole west is falling to fascism. Resistance out of kindness, an understanding that sometimes just surviving is enough, that we need to forgive each other and ourselves and all try to do better, to be better.

* The Expanse found a way to make Amos interesting to me!!! Also, I had a momment of real confusion when the Bondage Monk from Killjoys appeared fully dressed in a UNN uniform, and I couldn't figure out what he was doing there. Was he infiltrating? Wait, I thought he was Dead! Oh right! That's Killjoys; this is Expanse.

* I am doing National Poetry Month again this year, but I'm confining it to Tumblr on the grounds of tired. What the poems I selected? Five or so should turn up daily over here if you want to look them over: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/tagged/Poem

* I used all my money on housing and insurance last month, and this month it's all went to housing and car things. I need the car to get around as I am disabled. I need to raise about $400 to stay afloat. If you'd like to chip in: Paypal Lethran@gmail.com

*****
* Full list of Resistance and charity links has been migrated to my profile as it was getting out of hand.

* "Help us stop the humanitarian crisis on Manus:" https://www.asrc.org.au/donate-now/

* "RISE (Refugees, Survivors and Ex-Detainees):" https://www.givenow.com.au/riserefugee/donate

* How to help Rohingya refugees: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/29/world/asia/rohingya-aid-myanmar-bangladesh.html?emc=edit_nn_20171012&nl=morning-briefing&nlid=50784086&te=1&_r=0

* Help fight for Net Neutrality restoration: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/170010496350/democrats-are-just-one-vote-shy-of-restoring-net

* A list of organizations to help you run for office: http://lovingmyselfishard.tumblr.com/post/167330144634/psst-hey

* Trans Lifeline is one of those organizations you can call at (877) 565-8860 in the US and in Canada (877) 330- 6366.

* The Trevor Project has a 24 hour hotline geared toward helping our youth, and you can call it at 1-866-488-7386

* Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the representative of your choice.

* This App phones your rep for you: http://takeastance.us/

* Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resistbot.io/

* Help pay for cat food, litter, meds, medical copays: Paypal Lethran@gmail.com

* Birthday/Solstice master list: https://gwydion.dreamwidth.org/1925021.html

* Want Game of Thrones without the creepy? We need new players. We are very inclusive. "Game of Bones MUSH:" gobmush.wikidot.com