(no subject)

* "U.S., Mexico reach NAFTA deal, turn up pressure on Canada:" https://www.reuters.com/article/us-trade-nafta/exclusive-u-s-mexico-reach-nafta-deal-talks-with-canada-to-start-immediately-idUSKCN1LC1E7

* "Donald Trump tried to colour the US flag in and got it wrong:" https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-us-flag-wrong-colour-blue-stripe-a8508556.html

* "Trump Meets QAnon Kook Who Believes Dems Run Pedophile Cult:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-in-oval-office-meets-promoter-of-qanon-conspiracy-theory-that-says-democrats-run-pedophile-cult

* "Judge strikes down Trump’s federal workforce executive orders:" https://www.politico.com/story/2018/08/25/trump-federal-workforce-executive-orders-struck-down-796150

* "Trump finally orders flags lowered to honor McCain:" https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/27/politics/white-house-flag-john-mccain-tribute/index.html

* "Trump White House fails at simple decency in McCain response:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-white-house-fails-at-simple-decency-in-mccain-response-1307800643806?v=railb

* I'm going to reiterate that I'm only listing these things because of relevance to the whole AMI/catch and kill/follow the money/campaign finance/cover up situation that currently has Micheal Cohen in hot water and implicates 45. This one is less likely to turn up interesting in that respect than the other ones (Daniels/McDougal), but just in case, I'm putting it here. I really, really am not enjoying being asked to think about 45's sex life in any respect, especially when I'm still queasy from whatever I came down with last Friday. "EXCLUSIVE: ex-Trump World Tower doorman's "catch-and-kill" contract released:" https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/24/politics/trump-tower-doorman-contract-ami/index.html

* "Trump didn't disclose full payments to Cohen in official paperwork, a potential violation:" https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/24/trump-paid-michael-cohen-more-than-what-he-stated-in-financial-disclosure.html

* "House Intel Dem wants Cohen, Trump Jr. to testify again:" https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/27/politics/mike-quigley-axe-files/index.html

* "Aides expect Trump to go rogue on Manafort pardon:" https://www.politico.com/story/2018/08/24/trump-manafort-pardon-white-house-aides-795712

* "Jailed Russian hacking suspect seen as potential source of info:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/jailed-russian-hacking-suspect-seen-as-potential-source-of-info-1307806275638?v=railb

* "Gun control, teacher groups threaten legal action against DeVos over possible firearms funding:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/gun-control-teacher-groups-threaten-legal-action-against-devos-over-n903676

* "Student Loan Watchdog Quits, Says Trump Administration 'Turned Its Back' On Borrowers:" https://www.npr.org/2018/08/27/642199524/student-loan-watchdog-quits-blames-trump-administration

* "DNC changes superdelegate rules in presidential nomination process:" https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/25/politics/democrats-superdelegates-voting-changes/index.html

* "Federal Court, Once Again, Rules North Carolina’s GOP-Gerrymandered Congressional Districts Unconstitutional:" https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/08/federal-court-rules-north-carolinas-gop-gerrymandered-congressional-districts-unconstitutional.html

* "Judges demand NC rectify gerrymandering as election draws near:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/judges-demand-nc-rectify-gerrymandering-as-election-draws-near-1307798083776?v=railb

* If you live in Arizona, don’t forget to vote today! "Arizona primary voters look to replace retiring Flake:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/arizona-primary-voters-look-to-replace-retiring-flake-1307802691538?v=railb

* Only if we turn up in droves to vote! "What happens if Democrats take the House:" http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/what-happens-if-democrats-take-the-house-1307680835666?v=railb

* "Trump administration appeals federal judge's preliminary injunction on family separation:" http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-family-separation-appeal-20180825-story.html

* I wish I could show you the wonderful piece VICE did on anti-Trans discrimination in Texas and how it's particularly harming children and trans women of colour. It was an impressive piece of journalism and respectfully done Seriously, props to VICE for doing the right thing.

* "MARVEL || Bohemian Rhapsody:"

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* I am still recovering from my illness of the weekend, so gave myself the day off. I did change a tank and do dishes and the like, but I didn't even try to forage. I kept getting calls all afternoon, which did not help. In the last couple of months I've had four supposed Police and five supposed Fire charities call, all with Seattle area codes. Why would real local to my area charities be calling from Seattle instead of having local area codes and why are they calling from so many separate numbers if they are real? I keep blocking them of course both for being shady and for refusing to take no for an answer. I blocked one of each today Which means I keep having to bump blocked spam numbers off the bottom of the list, letting them call me again. Sigh. I also blocked an obvious medical insurance scam from a local number. I have Medicare and Medicare advantage. The only real person phone conversations I've had about medical insurance were 1. about them giving in and letting me keep a medication I need to fuction last Spring, and 2. The one's last winter trying to solve the failure of Social security and medicare to communicate effectively about my gender. I know I one hundred percent didn't call some random lady about getting insurance. Firm "No," hang up, block. Sigh.

I also got extensively robopolled twice today on different topics, luckily when I was done sleeping and had moved on to the delightful Du Chatelet biography I'm reading. The first was a male voice and clearly intended as market research for targeted ads about banning Seattle's soda tax. I've written about this one before. Seattle passed a tax on soda and the soda companies flipped out and got an innocuous sounding group to astro turf a ballot initiative to not only repeal it, but preemptively ban such things state wide. The second one was a woman's voice and doing more generally polling about environmental regulation and gun laws. The first was carefully designed to be even handed, but I'm guessing 60% likely industry side not tax side. The second I'd guess was maybe 70% likely left. In both cases I'd not swear to either. still, it's fun to deconstruct them for my own amusement.

Have I mentioned how much I love the scent of my garden in the evening? Tomato leaf and basil with a hint of clove from the carnations over a rich green earthy scent from good damp soil, and this year a kiss of coriander foraged earlier in august. The tomatoes this year are the best I've managed to grow since moving away from my Mother's house. I used three perfectly ripe romas from one of my plants tonight, picked fresh from the vine. *happy sigh*

I'm gong into next month $75.00 under, with a bill unpaid as a result, so next month will inevitably be worse. Want to pitch in? Paypal Lethran@gmail.com or paypal.me/Gwydion

* Fear the Walking Dead: On the one hand, it's incredibly exciting to see an actor in a wheel chair playing a character in a wheelchair instead of them hiring an able bodied person. On the other hand why do people with disabilities always have to be villains?

* "Sunday Sweets Explores The Galaxy:" http://www.cakewrecks.com/home/2018/8/26/sunday-sweets-explores-the-galaxy.html

* Party lie it's 1321: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/177445218877/femminiello-deathtofun-i-told-a-guy-his-total

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

* "Fires in Greece: how to help:" https://medium.com/@theo.k/fires-in-greece-how-to-help-41ad32fc9232

* Practical ways to protest with scripts. "On the Helsinki summit, election integrity and Mueller:" https://medium.com/@Celeste_pewter/on-the-helsinki-summit-election-integrity-and-mueller-b8ed1acde2c0

* Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab is doing a fundraiser for legal defense of refugee children in ICE detention. https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/product-category/activism/deliver-them-from-the-hands-of-the-wicked/

* Want to contribute directly to the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services fund? "Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services:" https://www.raicestexas.org/

* Support Kids at the Border: http://brigdh.tumblr.com/post/175022384240/support-the-kids-at-the-border

This has a call script to help you talk your Republican Senator into voting for the Keep Families Together Act: http://rockinhamburger.tumblr.com/post/175022988673/captacorn-marvelsmostwanted-heres-a-call

* 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

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

* Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? 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/

* This is a cool person and the swimsuits are being made from an ethical source. LGBTQIA+ swimsuits: https://www.etsy.com/shop/NerdyKeppie?ref=l2-shopheader-name§ion_id=24021616

* Help pay for cat food, litter, meds, medical copays: Paypal Lethran@gmail.com or paypal.me/Gwydion

* 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.comn