(no subject)

* Congressional Republicans are refusing to fund zikka eradication, even though we already have 544 cases, and the brain damage and human misery that are likely to result from foot dragging becomes more expensive by the day on the spurious grounds that it saves money to wait until the problem is widespread, vastly more expensive, and possibly eradicable. This is the same penny wise pound foolish thinking and fundamental cruelty that lead Michigan Republicans to decide to poison Flint Michigan causing brain damage and destroying the entire water system in the town to save $100-200 a day while knowing full well that replacing every pipe in town and life long care for the people they gave brain damage is vastly crueler and more expensive. This is what republican rule looks like: incredible senseless cruelty and disregard for human life combined with wild fiscal irresponsibility. Keep in mind that zikka is now believed to cause not only Microcephaly, but host of other learning delays, according to the latest studies in Brazil.

* "Trump's scheme to 'opt out of the recession':"

( Embed: )

* "Trump's insulting attacks shrugged off by NM Governor Martinez:"

( Embed: )

* This is the clearest explanation I've seen so far. "Clinton e-mail report illustrates antiquated IT system:"

( Embed: )

* "Conservatives plot to hold the line on social issues at convention:" http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/21/politics/social-conservatives-platform-rules-committee-convention/index.html

* "Pictures: An Elite Viking’s Prized Possessions:" http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/03/160323-vikings-galloway-hoard-treasure-scotland-archaeology/

* "The Female Ghost Buster Who Rooted Out Spiritual Fraud for Houdini:" http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-female-ghost-buster-who-rooted-out-spiritual-fraud-for-houdini

* "This 9-Year-Old Girl Crushed A Navy SEAL–Designed Obstacle Course Race:" https://www.buzzfeed.com/javiermoreno/this-9-year-old-girl-completed-a-24-hour-obstacle-course-des?utm_term=.guAkYXyem#.xn0rWpvom

* Book Brienne vs. Show Brienne: http://turtle-paced.tumblr.com/post/144706943452/books-vs-show-brienne-of-tarth

* Yet another way the show dramatically weakened Brienne's arc: http://turtle-paced.tumblr.com/post/144798352507/do-you-think-the-shows-portrayal-of-renly

* "For the (Not)Watch: ‘Game of Thrones’ 6×05 Recap:" http://www.fandomfollowing.com/for-the-notwatch-game-of-thrones-6x05-recap/

* All the Way: Damn the casting was good on this, and the acting was beautiful in a mostly understated way. It does a good job of conveying the messiness of politics and law making, and a solid job of showing what LBJ was like. This is harder than it sounds. He was a cartoon for so long, that finding the man in all his contradictions is harder than it looks. It's easier to do caricature than character, but this production nails it.

* Preacher. I have a weird, complicated relationship with the original comic, which I read in real time when it was new. The original issues are upstairs in the Tal memorial comic book collection boxes. I haven't read them since they first came out and I'm not up to digging them out, though I do plan a library reread soon. It's past time, really. The knot preventing me was untied a few years ago. So this is a situation where i am and am not the audience for this show at the same time. I have intense feelings about the comic books, but I'm rusty on details after all this time. So grain of salt.

I did watch the pilot. It was slow, and I'm not sure people who are new to the property will take to it, since I'm not sure it's clear enough where things are going. It's so easy for this to pick up an audience that will feel betrayed by the contents while missing the audience that it really is for, if that makes sense. I'm not all that into most of the casting either. I'm not really buying this Jesse Custer. The Cassidy acting is excellent, but he's not the right brand of ugly, if that makes any sense. I can likely adjust to this shade of interpretation, but it will take time. I do love the Tulip though. Seriously. Tulip makes me happy. So I'm not buying Jesse and I'm not sure about tone or marketing, but I think Cassidy will work out given time, and Tulip is FTW. (And yes, I know damned well what Tulip looked like in the comics and I don't care. This IS Tulip, and if you aren't also complaining about the shortness of the actor playing Jesse's face or the way Cassidy looks completely different then I think we all know what your agenda is.) Look, I may no longer remember every twist of the plot, but I sure remember what the characters were like and that is the part that's important to me.

So I'm sticking with it in hopes that the pacing and the bugs with Jesse will shake out once the real action gets going.

* "Here Are All The Ways You Can Help Fort McMurray:" http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/05/04/fort-mcmurray-how-to-help_n_9843774.html?ncid=tweetlnkcahpmg00000002

* Want to help Equador in the wake of their Earthquake? http://www.ifrc.org/en/news-and-media/news-stories/americas/ecuador/ecuador-red-cross-responds-to-deadly-earthquake-72129/

* Zimbabwe has joined Ethiopia in disaster level drought People and animals are dying. Want to help? https://www.wfp.org/help

* "How to help Flint, Michigan:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/how-help-flint-michigan

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

* Donate to help refugees: http://donate.unhcr.org/international/general

* A list of LGBTQA Charities: http://awkward0w1.tumblr.com/post/126399233673

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