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* Polio is coming back. "Biological Attack:" http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/10/22/biological_attack_polio_spreading_across_middle_east

* "Bank of America found liable in NY civil trial; prosecutor: Mortgage profit 'built on fraud':" http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2022109637_apxbankofamericacountrywide.html

* "How the US Government Betrayed the Constitution and invented an Imaginary Fascist One:" http://www.juancole.com/2013/10/government-constitution-imaginary.html

* "Security Check Now Starts Long Before You Fly:" http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/22/business/security-check-now-starts-long-before-you-fly.html?_r=0

* I have a Congressional rules question for someone more politics nerdy than I: If one must stand to filibuster, does that mean that congress people in wheelchairs are barred from participating in talking filibusters?

* Texas Republicans want to remind you that the massive threat of a single case of in person voter fraud in the 21 century completely justifies their new law disenfranchising married women, minorities, and trans folk.

* To put the Texas voter suppression into perspective: 1/3 of all women in Texas are now not allowed to vote in the election that has already started in that State. The Republican War on Women and their War on the Right to Vote are converging big time.

* Rushed Virginia voter purge meets resistance:

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* "10 Fascinating Facts About Ravens:" http://mentalfloss.com/article/53295/10-fascinating-facts-about-ravens

* "Texas’ voter ID law that could disenfranchise women voters targets trans voters in general:" http://feministing.com/2013/10/22/texas-voter-id-law-that-could-disenfranchise-women-voters-targets-trans-voters-in-general/

* "Why Is It Taking 5 Months (And Counting) To Renew My Drivers License In TX?:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2013/10/why-is-it-taking-5-months-and-counting.html

* A postal worker woke me up 45 minutes before the alarm, but this was a good thing as I was still feeding Hector when the phone rang. It was a guy who saw my old notice for my Table Top early medieval Shifter game and was really excited about a chance to play a Bubasti. He's coming to sit in the Sunday after next, work shift willing, to see if we are a good fit for him and vica versa. I used the extra time before the alarm to pass out pettins. I mailed my swap, took the sewing machine in to see if the place that sold it could sort the damned thing out, and checked Joanne's for 70% Halloween closeouts. They had Halloween ornaments, so that was worth it. My car stalled out in the Pharmacy line, but the guy behind me was a mechanic who also does interior painting on the side. We need the battery contacts cleaned and some oil, which means no rest day for me tomorrow. I still need to do bureaucracy ASAP and some gardening, but I'm calling today productive.

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* In case you missed it, we have not only been spying on regular citizens in allied countries for no reason, but we've gone out of our way to spy on Angela Merkel's diplomatic communications. Germany has joined France (our oldest and best ally) in protests. Yep, we are exactly that arrogant and assholeish as a country.

* "Genomics England Will Sequence 100,000 National Health Service Patients to Improve Clinical Care:" http://www.technologyreview.com/news/520571/why-the-uk-wants-a-genomic-national-health-service/

* It turns out that the North Dakota State government has been systematically covering up hundreds of oil spills.

* Multiple Republican Officials in North Carolina go all out on the extreme racism as part of the roll out of their outreach to African Americans:

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I think Aasif Mandvi put it best when he asked Don Yelton, a North Carolinian precinct captain, "You know we can hear you, right?"

Side note, congratulations to the handsome and clever fake news correspondent, Aasif Mandvi, for breaking real news.

* "NC GOP official fired after bragging voter ID law would ‘kick the Democrats’ butt’:" http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/10/24/nc-gop-official-fired-after-bragging-voter-id-law-would-kick-the-democrats-butt/

* "GOP Candidate Sentenced for Felony Fraud After Changing Party Affiliation of 300 Democratic Voters, Casting Absentee Ballots in Their Name:" http://www.bradblog.com/?p=10186

* Pro-choice Republicans alienated by new GOP

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* "Case Explores Rights of Fetus Versus Mother:" http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/24/us/case-explores-rights-of-fetus-versus-mother.html?_r=2&

* First they came for the breast cancer screening. Then they came for the right to have life saving emergency medical procedures if a woman is having a miscarriage. Now they are coming for birth control and the right to vote for women. This is the Republican mainstream, folks. This is is how much they hate women: they want them to die from cancer, or blood poisoning, or bleed to death. They want to deny them the right to take birth control and the right to vote.

They do this in the name of Life and Love, but it's really about power.

* "This 419-Million-Year-Old Fish Has the World’s Oldest Known Face:" http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2013/09/this-419-million-year-old-fish-has-the-worlds-oldest-known-face/

* My belief that we needed the battery in the car replaced was confirmed, with an added helping of a small part needing replacing. The part was free, but it meant it took a whole lot longer. I came home to another stupid bit of paperwork from Bank of Evil to sign and an email from my Realtor saying that we ought to close by the 31st, but they are now illegally demanding we pay for the resale cert, despite State Law requiring they do. He's going to try to sort that out. Sigh.

* Things needing doing this weekend: 1. Paper Bureaucracy. 2. Notes review for my Table Top. 3. Optional: Start Solstice Readings.

* Attn: il_volpe: http://lettersfromtitan.tumblr.com/post/50955560257/greenlust-bubblejam-the-incredibly-intricate

* I've got a Hot Drinks Circular Swap up at BPAL if anyone is interested: http://www.bpal.org/topic/82111-autumn-drink-swap-sign-ups-open/#entry2363114