Omnibus Edition

* I am still way behind, so I'm posting what I have.

* "5 Views From Belarus On The Country's Political Crisis:" https://www.npr.org/2021/06/15/1005467402/5-views-from-belarus-on-the-countrys-political-crisis

* "Iranians vote in election all but guaranteed to deliver an ultra-conservative president:" https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/18/middleeast/iran-election-voting-intl/index.html

* "Peru election: socialist Pedro Castillo claims victory ahead of official result:" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/16/peru-election-socialist-pedro-castillo-claims-victory-ahead-of-official-result

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* "Covid: Peru more than doubles death toll after review:" https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-57307861

* "Brazil's Main COVID Strategy Is A Cocktail Of Unproven Drugs:" https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/06/15/1006198151/covid-pseudoscience-is-choking-brazil

* "Fake coronavirus tests may have helped fuel Indian outbreaks.:" https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/15/world/india-fake-coronavirus-covid-tests.html

* "Vaccines and oxygen run out as third wave of Covid hits Uganda:" https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/jun/15/vaccines-and-oxygen-run-out-as-third-wave-of-covid-hits-uganda

* "NIH study suggests coronavirus may have been in U.S. as early as December 2019:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/when-was-coronavirus-first-in-us/2021/06/15/1aaa6b56-cd2d-11eb-8cd2-4e95230cfac2_story.html

* "The U.S. Has Hit 600,000 COVID Deaths, More Than Any Other Country:" https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/06/15/1006186695/the-u-s-has-hit-600-000-covid-deaths-more-than-any-other-country

* "Stephen Karanja: Kenyan anti-vaccine doctor dies from Covid-19:" https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-56922517

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* Needs a Senate vote. "House repeals 2002 Iraq War authorization:" https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/17/2002-iraq-war-authorization-repealed-494997

* "Persistence: Once a lone voice against open-ended military authority, now in the majority:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/once-a-lone-voice-against-open-ended-military-authorization-rep-lee-now-in-the-majority-115036229644

* "Autonomous drone attacked soldiers in Libya all on its own:" https://www.cnet.com/google-amp/news/autonomous-drone-attacked-soldiers-in-libya-all-on-its-own/

* "Biden sums up his meeting with Putin: ‘This is not about trust’:" https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/16/biden-putin-geneva-494812

* "Biden bucks trend of predecessors with immediate, tough stance on Russia’s abuses:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/biden-takes-immediate-tough-stance-on-russia-s-abuses-compared-to-trump-other-predecessors-114961477679

* "No threats, but Biden drops heavy hint to Putin on response to cyber aggression:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/no-threats-but-biden-drops-heavy-hint-to-putin-on-response-to-cyber-aggression-114967621796

* "Why it matters that Biden, Western media, keep saying Alexei Navalny's name:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/why-it-matters-that-biden-western-media-keep-saying-alexei-navalny-s-name-114965061716

* "Joy Reid celebrates the Bidens restoring American dignity abroad:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/bidens-restoring-american-dignity-abroad-during-g7-summit-celebrated-by-joy-reid-114695749717

* "The quest for a pill to fight viruses gets a $3.2 billion boost:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/06/17/drugs-for-covid/

* "Trump tried to fire her for telling the truth; Biden wants to give her a promotion:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-tried-to-fire-her-for-telling-the-truth-biden-wants-to-give-her-a-promotion-115102789618

* "Education Department says Title IX protections apply to LGBTQ students:" https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/16/politics/title-ix-lgbtq-students/

* "Biden administration delivers debt relief to some former ITT Tech students:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2021/06/16/itt-tech-debt-relief-biden/

* "The Justice Department Overturns Policy That Limited Asylum For Survivors Of Violence:" https://www.npr.org/2021/06/16/1007277888/the-justice-department-overturns-rules-that-limited-asylum-for-survivors-of-viol

* "Federal judge blocks Biden's ban on leases for drilling on public lands:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/federal-judge-blocks-biden-s-ban-leases-drilling-public-lands-n1270972

* "Joy Reid critiques McConnell’s Supreme Court tactics in this edition of ‘The Absolute Worst’:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/mcconnell-s-statement-on-blocking-biden-s-election-year-supreme-court-nominees-criticized-by-joy-reid-114808389941

* "Texas Power Grid, Strained Last Winter, Now Faces an Early Heat Wave:" https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/15/climate/texas-heat-wave-electricity.html

* "Why Ted Cruz’s tweets have aged like milk in the Cancun sun:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/why-ted-cruz-s-tweets-have-aged-like-milk-in-the-cancun-sun-114860613662

* "Texas gov. proposes millions for border wall despite concerns about Texas grid, heatwave:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/texas-gov-greg-abbott-proposes-250-million-for-border-wall-amid-intense-heatwave-115031109607

* "Supreme Court tosses lawsuit challenging Obamacare:" https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/17/supreme-court-obamacare-decision-494990

* If you don't have health care, please sign up today. "Every LGBTQ+ Person Needs Health Insurance:" https://www.advocate.com/commentary/2021/6/15/every-lgbtq-person-needs-health-insurance

* "Joy Reid critiques the control Big Oil holds over American politics:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/oil-companies-control-of-american-politics-critiqued-by-joy-reid-114863173559

* "The Amazon that customers don’t see: Inside a key warehouse during the pandemic:" https://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon/the-amazon-that-customers-dont-see-inside-a-key-warehouse-during-the-pandemic/

* "MacKenzie Scott's Amazon wealth grows even as she gives away billions of dollars:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/mackenzie-scott-s-amazon-wealth-grows-even-as-she-gives-away-billions-of-dollars-114871877527

* "'Inherently lazy:' NYT report exposes Amazon's low regard for workers:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-inherently-lazy-nyt-report-exposes-amazon-s-low-regard-for-workers-114870341618

* "'Burning precious time': Month-long vacation not the best idea given Democrats' to-do list:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-burning-precious-time-month-long-vacation-not-the-best-idea-given-democrats-to-do-list-115103813977

* "Sen. Whitehouse calls on Democrats to battle conservative groups waging war on progressive policies:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/conservative-groups-waging-war-on-progressive-policies-slammed-by-sen-sheldon-whitehouse-114862149549

* "Senate unanimously passes a bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday:" https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/15/politics/juneteenth-federal-holiday-senate-vote/index.html

* "Juneteenth federal holiday bill heads to Biden's desk; only 14 Republicans vote no:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/juneteenth-federal-holiday-bill-heads-to-biden-s-desk-only-14-republicans-vote-no-114966597598

* "GOP votes to make Juneteenth holiday while trying to ban teaching it:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/gop-votes-to-make-juneteenth-a-federal-holiday-while-trying-to-ban-teaching-white-supremacy-and-racial-hierarchy-114958405950

* "Biden signs ‘Juneteenth’ bill, asks U.S. to reflect on slavery’s ‘terrible toll’:" https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-sign-juneteenth-bill-creating-holiday-marking-us-slaverys-end-2021-06-17/

* "Slavery Didn't End On Juneteenth. Here's What You Should Know About This Important Day:" https://www.npr.org/2021/06/17/1007315228/juneteenth-what-is-origin-observation

* "The amazing woman behind Juneteenth's long road to becoming a national holiday:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/the-amazing-woman-behind-juneteenth-s-long-road-to-becoming-a-national-holiday-115039301972

* "Rep. Jackson Lee: ‘Folks who never heard of Juneteenth now have a moment of reflection':" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/sheila-jackson-lee-on-new-federal-holiday-juneteenth-is-a-moment-of-reflection-115028549693

* "Juneteenth federal holiday could face pushback like Critical Race Theory Harvard historian says:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/juneteenth-holiday-celebrated-critical-race-theory-explained-by-harvard-historian-annette-gordon-reed-115030085638

* "Why Juneteenth, Now a Federal Holiday, Is So Significant:" https://www.advocate.com/news/2021/6/17/why-juneteenth-now-federal-holiday-so-significant

* There is zero chance of getting ten Republicans, and it will likely peel off a bunch of democrats because it's got bad stuff in it. "Manchin moves shake up Dem strategy for massive elections bill:" https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/16/manchin-gop-elections-bill-494878

* "Math makes Manchin voting rights compromise bill an exercise in futility:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/math-makes-manchin-voting-rights-compromise-bill-an-exercise-in-futility-114967621883

* ...And there it goes. "GOP crushes Manchin’s hopes for elections compromise:" https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/17/gop-manchin-election-compromise-495023

* "The GOP’s greatest weapon against voting rights? Time. :" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/chris-hayes-says-the-gop-s-greatest-weapon-against-biden-agenda-and-voting-rights-is-time-115027525557

* "State Rep. Chris Turner on Texas Democrats meeting with Sen. Joe Manchin on voting rights:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/juneteenth-texas-democrats-meeting-with-joe-manchin-on-voting-rights-discussed-by-st-rep-chris-turner-114960453807

* "Stacey Abrams’ ‘Hot Call Summer’ campaign asks supporters to call senators daily to pass voting rights bill:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/stacey-abrams-launches-hot-call-summer-campaign-to-get-congress-to-pass-for-the-people-act-114807365926

* "'Now is the time': Texas Democrats implore Congress to act on voting rights:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-now-is-the-time-texas-democrats-implore-congress-to-act-on-voting-rights-115104325625

* "Beto calls for voting rights activism in public, in person—not just on Twitter:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/beto-o-rourke-calls-for-voting-rights-activism-in-person-not-on-twitter-and-facebook-115093573899

* Have something you want to tell your Senators? If you can't safely protest in person, here are some other options:

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/

* "Nikole Hannah-Jones links nationwide critical race theory backlash to spread of voter suppression laws:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/critical-race-theory-being-banned-in-over-20-states-analyzed-by-1619-project-creator-nikole-hannah-jones-114808389764

* "Republican-commissioned hand recount of ballots in Arizona close to concluding; no results expected until later this summer:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/republican-commissioned-hand-recount-of-ballots-in-arizona-close-to-concluding-no-results-expected-for-months/2021/06/14/10fac212-cd65-11eb-8014-2f3926ca24d9_story.html

* "In secret recording, Florida Republican threatens to send Russian-Ukrainian ‘hit squad’ after rival:" https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/17/secret-recording-florida-republican-threat-hit-squad-494976

* "Michele Rayner-Goolsby Aims to Be Florida's 1st Out Person in Congress:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/2021/6/14/michele-rayner-goolsby-aims-be-floridas-1st-out-person-congress

* "George P. Bush's 'risky' move: Challenging Texas' pro-Trump attorney general:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/george-p-bush-s-risky-move-challenging-texas-pro-trump-n1270199

* "‘Pure insanity’: Emails show DOJ response to Trump election fraud claims:" https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/15/doj-emails-trump-election-fraud-claims-494589

* "‘Wink-wink, nudge-nudge:’ DOJ officials humored Trump while stalling election scheme:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-wink-wink-nudge-nudge-doj-officials-humored-trump-while-stalling-election-scheme-114864709692

* "Chris Hayes: It wasn’t for lack of trying that Trump's election plot didn't work:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/chris-hayes-trump-s-election-plot-failed-but-not-for-lack-of-trying-114860101911

* "Should the DOJ consider indicting Donald Trump? MSNBC analyst Charlie Sykes offers his critique:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/trump-indictment-should-be-considered-by-the-department-of-justice-charlie-sykes-suggests-114696261804

* "Rep. Krishnamoorthi on emails showing Trump allies pressured DOJ on election:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/trump-allies-pressuring-doj-to-investigate-conspiracy-theories-about-2020-election-analyzed-by-rep-krishnamoorthi-114860613873

* "A House Panel Will Investigate Trump DOJ Surveillance Of Lawmakers And Journalists:" https://www.npr.org/2021/06/14/1006417513/a-house-panel-will-investigate-trump-era-surveillance-by-the-department-of-justi

* "Criminal probe of Trump in Georgia may be keen to know why U.S. attorney quit:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/context-of-resignation-of-u-s-attorney-could-be-key-in-criminal-investigation-of-trump-114963013829

* "Justice Department can keep the Barr memo on not charging Trump secret for now, judge rules:" https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/14/politics/barr-memo-mueller-secret/index.html

* "NYT: Trump CFO’s personal tax returns obtained by prosecutors:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/nyt-trump-cfo-s-personal-tax-returns-obtained-by-prosecutors-114860613605

* "Internet troll arrested for fraud over 'Gay Voices for Trump' scam:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/06/14/gay-voices-for-trump-arrest-josh-hall/

* "Biden’s domestic terrorism strategy details unprecedented focus on homegrown threats:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/biden-strategy-domestic-extremism/2021/06/14/d88250c8-cd4e-11eb-9b7e-e06f6cfdece8_story.html

* "First on CNN: FBI warns lawmakers that QAnon 'digital soldiers' may become more violent:" https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/14/politics/fbi-qanon-threat-assessment/index.html

* "21 Republicans vote no on bill to award Congressional Gold Medal for January 6 police officers:" https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/15/politics/congressional-gold-medal-house-vote/index.html

* "Partner of fallen Capitol police officer slams House GOP members who voted against Congressional Gold Medals:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/fallen-capitol-police-officer-brian-sicknick-longtime-partner-on-house-gop-members-who-voted-against-congressional-gold-medals-115097157587

* "Rep. Swalwell on reports GOP congressman refused to shake hands with D.C. officer who defended Capitol on Jan. 6:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/republicans-voting-against-awarding-congressional-gold-medals-to-capitol-police-for-jan-6-heroism-slammed-by-rep-swalwell-114960453619

* "‘Propagandists’: Hayes rips right-wing media’s Jan. 6 conspiracy theories:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/chris-hayes-rips-right-wing-media-s-jan-6-conspiracy-theories-114957893838

* "Top Pentagon officials deny saying National Guard deployment on Jan. 6 wasn't 'good optics':" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/top-pentagon-officials-deny-saying-national-guard-deployment-jan-6-n1270926

* "FBI interview with Jan. 6 insurrection defendant includes questions about Member of Congress connections:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/fbi-obtains-transcript-of-jan-6-insurrectionist-interview-with-questions-regarding-members-of-congress-115097157731

* "FBI asks Jan. 6 suspect about ties to Congress, extremists groups:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/fbi-asks-jan-6-suspect-about-ties-to-congress-extremists-groups-115092549943

* "F.B.I. Is Pursuing ‘Hundreds’ in Capitol Riot Inquiry, Wray Tells Congress:" https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/15/us/politics/capitol-riot-inquiry-fbi-congress.html

* "Father, son charged with storming Capitol during Jan. 6 riot:" https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-capitol-siege-77c434e59a08aad2b43daea9d046be7d

* "As Mike Flynn stokes QAnon conspiracy theories, his brother commands U.S. Army in Pacific:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/as-mike-flynn-stokes-qanon-conspiracy-theories-his-brother-commands-u-s-army-in-pacific-114871877808

* "Rainbow Railroad to Biden: Make LGBTQI+ Refugees a Priority:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/2021/6/11/rainbow-railroad-biden-make-lgbtqi-refugees-priority

* "ICE tried to wish everyone a happy Pride Month. People weren’t impressed:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/06/16/ice-immigration-customs-lgbt-pride-month-twitter/

* "The Marathon Men Who Can't Go Home:" https://www.gq.com/story/ethiopian-marathon-runners-bronx-new-york

* "For a second year, most U.S. police departments decline to share information on their use of force:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/06/09/police-use-of-force-data/

* "A 'profound' mistake: Prosecutor fights to free wrongfully convicted man still in prison:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/prosecutor-jean-peters-baker-fights-to-free-wrongfully-convicted-man-kevin-strickland-still-in-prison-115099205799

* "Drag March For Change Fills Chicago Streets With Calls for Justice:" https://www.advocate.com/pride/2021/6/15/drag-march-change-fills-chicago-streets-calls-justice#media-gallery-media-17

* "What Florida’s “Critical Race Theory” Ban Tells Us About Anti-Antiracism:" https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/06/florida-critical-race-theory-ban-what-it-tells-us-about-anti-anti-racism.html

* "Opinion: 1836 values? Don't leave out the slavery and ethnic cleansing:" https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outlook/article/Opinion-1836-values-Don-t-leave-out-Texas-16243724.php

* "The Importance of Teaching Dred Scott:" https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/the-importance-of-teaching-dred-scott

* CW: Domestic Violence. "Michigan assault suspect caught, in live courtroom feed, violating restraining order:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/virtual-court-hearing-takes-turn-after-prosecutor-spots-assault-suspect-n1260698

* Can we please, please stop doing this? "Punishment Follows Catastrophic Gender Reveal Party:" https://www.advocate.com/news/2021/6/10/punishment-follows-catastrophic-gender-reveal-party

“Stop it. Stop having these stupid parties,” Jenna Karvunidis wrote on Facebook last September, after the California fire. “For the love of God, stop burning things down to tell everyone about your kid's’s penis. No one cares but you.”

* "Is BDSM Always Sexual? An In-Depth Discussion:"

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* "Corporate Pride...:"

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* "Hungarians protest 'inhumane' law banning schools from talking about LGBT+ people:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/06/15/hungary-lgbt-protest-trans-gay-ban-schools-viktor-orban/

* The South Korea insists that their military is so weak it can be easily toppled by even a single blow job and therefore they must imprison two men for raping each other over consensual oral sex. "South Korean court rules consensual sex between two male soldiers ‘bordered on rape’:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/06/15/south-korea-gay-sex-consensual-military-indecency/

* "Hungary Passes Law Banning LGBTQ+ Content For Minors:" https://www.advocate.com/world/2021/6/15/hungary-passes-law-banning-lgbtq-content-minors

* "Beloved trans activist 'assassinated' just metres from her home in Guatemala:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/06/15/guatemala-trans-murder-andrea-gonzalez-cecy-ixpata-hate-crime-transphobia/

* CW: Rape "Gay Brazilian Gang-Raped; Activists Say President Encourages Violence:" https://www.advocate.com/world/2021/6/09/gay-brazilian-gang-raped-activists-say-president-encourages-violence

* "Lawmaker Apologizes for Vote Against Gay Marriage After Son Comes Out:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/2021/6/11/lawmaker-apologizes-vote-against-gay-marriage-after-son-comes-out

* "DUP's likely next leader spent years aggressively lobbying against LGBT+ rights:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/06/18/dup-leader-edwin-poots-resignation-jeffrey-donaldson-lgbt-rights-record/

* "National Trust boss hits back at The Telegraph's ridiculous Pride accusations:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/06/16/national-trust-pride-director-general-hilary-mcgrady-telegraph/

* "Woman says she was framed for assault by pub staff who called her 'crazy lesbian':" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/06/16/bath-pub-assault-crazy-lesbian/

* "Gay imam, trans priest and lesbian rabbi to kids about diversity and faith:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/06/16/gay-imam-trans-priest-lesbian-rabbi-school-diversity-week/

* "What Maya Forstater's "Gender Critical" Win Means For Transgender Folks:"

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* "Woman pushed man out of wheelchair and kicked cop in racist, homophobic rampage:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/06/14/scotland-falkirk-homophobia-racism-assault/

* "'Lads' hurl homophobic slurs at bar staff as their table time slot comes to an end:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/06/16/swansea-bar-six-homophobia-fatphobia-ableism-pride-month/

* "Mental health charity Mind refuses to back down after vile transphobic pile-on:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/06/18/mind-mental-health-charity-trans-men-transphobes-twitter-lgb-alliance/

* "Trans woman 'humiliated' after being 'repeatedly misgendered' by railway worker:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/06/17/northern-rail-trans-woman-eden-vickerman-misgender-transphobia-manchester-piccadilly/

* "In US, Pride Month festivities muted by political setbacks:" https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-health-coronavirus-pandemic-biden-cabinet-lifestyle-7c2b0853ab968eb38f9518ee38188048

* "‘It scares my daughter and it scares me’: Rep. Newman reacts to anti-trans laws:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-it-scares-my-daughter-and-it-scares-me-rep-newman-reacts-to-anti-trans-laws-115094597726

* "What the Supreme Court Ruling on Foster Care Means for LGBTQ+ Parents:" https://www.advocate.com/news/2021/6/17/what-supreme-court-ruling-foster-care-means-lgbtq-parents

“To get to today’s result, the Court prioritized the interests of the religious agency over the City’s commitment to equal and professionally appropriate treatment of the children in its care. Some of the language in the decision is worrying because it fails to appreciate how deciding the case in this manner will result in harm to the children in Philadelphia’s care. However, this is a case in which no evidence was presented about same-sex couples who had applied to CSS and then been turned away or about children who had been denied equal treatment and respect based on an LGBTQ identity. When confronted with such facts in a future case, the Court will have to grapple for the first time with the ways such discrimination harms the foster children whose needs and best interests must always be paramount in child welfare cases.”

* "Florida governor Ron DeSantis is waging war on innocent trans kids:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/06/14/ron-desantis-florida-governor-trans-youth-kids-surgery/

* Alas, it’s only a partial ban. "Michigan Gov. Bans State and Federal Funding for Conversion Therapy:" https://www.advocate.com/youth/2021/6/14/michigan-gov-bans-state-and-federal-funding-conversion-therapy

* Alas, it’s only a partial ban. "North Dakota Finds Novel Way to Ban Most Conversion Therapy:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/2021/6/11/north-dakota-finds-novel-way-ban-most-conversion-therapy

* And he's Antisemetic too. "Bigoted Republican gives worst excuse for donation to 'death to gays' preacher:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/06/16/republican-louie-gohmert-donation-steven-anderson-lgbr/

* "Former College Football Player Accused of Killing Man He Met on Tinder:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/2021/6/10/former-college-football-player-accused-killing-man-he-met-tinder

* "Bedlam at D.C. Gay Bar When Bouncer Drags Woman Down Stairs by Hair:" https://www.advocate.com/news/2021/6/14/bedlam-dc-gay-bar-when-bouncer-drags-woman-down-stairs-hair

* "Arby’s Employee Leaves Homophobic Slur On Couple’s Receipt:" https://www.advocate.com/news/2021/6/15/arbys-employee-leaves-homophobic-slur-couples-receipt

* "Republicans Cut Mic of Brian Sims, Gay Lawmaker, For Calling Them Out:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/2021/6/10/republicans-cut-mic-brian-sims-gay-lawmaker-calling-them-out

* "Library gives meagre apology after reviled anti-trans book used in Pride display:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/06/16/when-harry-became-sally-library-texas-pride/

* "Pupils and parents rush to defend male teacher slammed for wearing colourful makeup:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/06/15/nick-popadich-teacher-makeup-pride-month-homophobia-backlash-grand-blanc-high-school/

* "Baker Jack Phillips Fined for Again Refusing Cake to LGBTQ+ Customer:" https://www.advocate.com/transgender/2021/6/17/baker-jack-phillips-fined-again-refusing-cake-lgbtq-customer

* "Pennsylvania High School Elects Female Couple as Prom Royalty:" https://www.advocate.com/youth/2021/6/11/pennsylvania-high-school-elects-female-couple-prom-royalty

* "West Virginia Republican State Legislator Comes Out As Gay:" https://www.advocate.com/news/2021/6/17/west-virginia-republican-state-legislator-comes-out-gay

* "Charles M. Blow on Bi Visibility and the Debt We Owe as Queer People:" https://www.advocate.com/bisexual/2021/6/15/charles-m-blow-bi-visibility-and-debt-we-owe-queer-people

* They have had one success, so don't hold your breath. "Did Researchers Uncover a Functional HIV Cure?:" https://www.hivplusmag.com/treatment/2021/6/16/did-researchers-uncover-functional-hiv-cure

* "Oregon House Passes Bill to Allow Pharmacists to Provide PrEP And PEP:" https://www.hivplusmag.com/news/2021/6/15/oregon-house-passes-bill-allow-pharmacists-provide-prep-and-pep

* CW: Eating Disorders "This is how eating disorders affected five gay men – and what they want you to know:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/06/16/eating-disorders-lgbt-people-gay-queer-men-anorexia-bulimia-mental-health/

* "‘On That Edge of Fear’: One Woman’s Struggle With Sickle Cell Pain:" https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/30/us/sickle-cell-black-women.html

* "Subway Swabbers Find a Microbe Jungle and Thousands of New Species:" https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/26/science/microbes-subway-metasub-mason.html

* "DNA Jumps Between Animal Species. No One Knows How Often.:" https://www.quantamagazine.org/dna-jumps-between-animal-species-no-one-knows-how-often-20210609/

* "Researchers "Translate" Bat Talk. Turns Out, They Argue—A Lot:" https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-translate-bat-talk-and-they-argue-lot-180961564/

* "Ancient Gardens Persist in British Columbia’s Forests:" https://www.hakaimagazine.com/news/ancient-gardens-persist-in-british-columbias-forests/

* "A 'Bubble Barrier' is trapping plastic waste before it can get into the sea:" https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/08/europe/bubble-barrier-sea-c2e-spc-intl/index.html

* "Astronomers deliver first photo of black hole:" https://phys.org/news/2019-04-astronomers-unveil-photo-black-hole.html

* "'Giant arc' stretching 3.3 billion light-years across the cosmos shouldn't exist:" https://www.livescience.com/giant-arc-in-space.html

* "Buddha and Ashoka: Crash Course World History #6:"

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* "The Silk Road and Ancient Trade: Crash Course World History #9:"

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* "Debunking 6 Lies You've Been Told About the Middle Ages:"

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One thing I’d like to add in support is that there is strong continuity between late Roman Imperial and early Medieval art because it’s a shared symbolic language. When the Tetrachy was formed, the emperors commissioned a whole bunch of stylized art to be erected all over the Empire showing them with the same face or with one face for the emperors and one for the Caesars. Sometimes it would just be a stand alone with the same stylized face, rather than a portrait of any particular one of the four. There a big one with four identical faces on one head all looking out in different directions.

Did artists all over the Empire suddenly forget how to sculpt realistic faces at once? No. This art was intended to symbolize that the four of them were basically one, that the empire was still whole even though administration had been divided into big regional districts. The four men making up the Tetrarchy were effectively one authority and one will according to the visual imagery. Call it symbolism or propaganda, but it was on purpose.

So Christians looked at this Imperial art symbolizing that a bunch of different dudes are functionally the same dude and thought something like, “We are all one in Christ,” so they borrowed that symbolism. They’d do statues and reliefs with the same stylized face on all the figures, male or female. Eventually the Empire fell, but people kept liking the idea so those stylized identical faces turn up in a lot of Romanesque religious structures. People also got to liking the stylized look just generally as she points out above.

Don’t get me wrong, late Romans did keep doing individualized statue portraiture and you can also find plenty of Romanesque early medieval art with multiple figures with different faces despite being heavily stylized and on the same relief carving and some more realistic figures, it’s just there was a powerful symbolic message in having, say a piece of art where the saints and the ordinary people have the same face, or Jesus and the people around him all have the same face. There are all sorts of theological messages you could send to people visually in contexts where hardly anyone in that church was literate , and it could be very moving for the people contemplating the art.

Tastes change over time. The bit in the video about the shift from extremely realistic to abstract modern art is very apt. Art also has a visual language that can be culturally determined. (Ex: the eyes in anime are different relative sizes and shapes to convey things about the character to viewers.) Romanesque art has a context. One thousand years of medieval art was made by a variety of cultures in a variety of contexts to do different things. Context very much matters.

* "How Death Influenced Everyday Life in the Middle Ages:"

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* "The VERY Complicated History of Women with Short Hair:"

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* "Poe's Best-Selling Book During His Lifetime Was a Guide to Seashells:" https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/edgar-allan-poe-seashell-book

* "The Victorians' Weird Obsession With Crashing Trains...on purpose?:"

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* CW: Medical Horrors "Let's Look At the Gruesome World of Victorian Medicine:"

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* CW: Suicide, Sexual Assault, Hate Speech, Persecution. "Terror and Vice: LA's Painful Gay History:"

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* "The Mystery of St. Louis’s Veiled Prophet:" https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/09/fair-st-louis-and-the-veiled-prophet/379460/

* "JC Leyendecker- The Iconic Gay Artist We ALMOST Forgot:"

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* "Selma van de Perre - "My Name Is Selma":" https://www.cc.com/video/u76zdo/the-daily-show-with-trevor-noah-selma-van-de-perre-my-name-is-selma

* "A Brief History of White Women Hating Feminism:"

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* "‘What Do I Do Next?’: Orphaned by Covid, Two Teens Find Their Way:" https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/29/nyregion/covid-death-mom-teens.html

* "LGBT+ campaigner and 'force of nature' Leeze Lawrence has died suddenly, aged 39:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/06/15/leeze-lawrence-death-tributes-out-for-independence-nicola-sturgeon-snp-lgbt/

* "The Best Story You’ll Hear About Someone’s Morning Commute:" http://nowiknow.com/the-best-story-youll-hear-about-someones-morning-commute/

* "A Bisexual History of Dracula:"

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* "Bram Stoker and the Fears that Built Dracula:"

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* "Yuri on Ice - How Gay is Gay Enough?:"

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* "How Shadow and Bone Erases Systemic Racism:"

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* ""The Mother of Klingons" - L'Rell Character Analysis:"

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* I'm still grumpy about them short changing Ensign Ro. "Which Star Trek Character Actually Has the Most Wasted Potential?:"

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* "Why Peter Cushing Was the King of Hammer Horror:"

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* "Victorian Dress vs Fight Scenes: "The Nevers" Costume Analysis:"

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* "The Nevers costuming is...wow 😲 || A Dress Historian Reviews The Nevers Victorian Costuming:"

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* "Crimson Peak Costumes (Edith Cushing, Thomas Sharpe, Lucille Sharpe):"

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* "Crimson Peak's Costumes, and How Tuberculosis Shaped Victorian Fashion:"

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* "Star Trek's Autistic & Neurodiverse Representation:"

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* "Spock & Neurodiverse Leadership:"

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* "Midsummer Night's Dream in 15 minutes:"

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* "Unpacking the Male Gaze: Birds of Prey vs. Suicide Squad:"

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* "What Are Conservatives Screaming About Today?:"

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* "We Can’t Rely on the Supreme Court to Protect LGBTQ+ Rights:"

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* "Teaching About Racism in Schools:" https://www.cc.com/video/qj52rm/the-daily-show-with-trevor-noah-teaching-about-racism-in-schools

* "California's Gubernatorial Recall Election:" https://www.cc.com/video/5268ww/the-daily-show-with-trevor-noah-california-s-gubernatorial-recall-election

* "Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse - Arizona's Shady Recount:" https://www.cc.com/video/uji054/the-daily-show-with-trevor-noah-jordan-klepper-fingers-the-pulse-arizona-s-shady-recount

* "Restaurant Industry Faces Worker Shortage:" https://www.cc.com/video/zh9xzk/the-daily-show-with-trevor-noah-restaurant-industry-faces-worker-shortage

* "Police Target Code of Silence & People Return Pandemic Pets:" https://www.cc.com/video/alny89/the-daily-show-with-trevor-noah-police-target-code-of-silence-people-return-pandemic-pets

* "CP Time - Black Leaders of the Labor Movement:" https://www.cc.com/video/5c032b/the-daily-show-with-trevor-noah-cp-time-black-leaders-of-the-labor-movement

* "Slouching Towards Gilead:" https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2021/06/handmaids-tale-season-4-politics-american-democracy/619216/

* I know I've said this before, but W. Kamau Bell has been impressing me since his "Totally Biased" days with how consistent and sincere his commitment to trans representation on his projects is. I love that on his old show his randomly just have queer folk on and he not only remembered the T in LGBTQIA+, but he'd have non-binary folk on.

I love how with "United Shades," he clearly must take time on the regular to think something like, "I bet this issuer we're covering this week disproportionately effects trans folk" and then actually goes and talks to local trans activists in the community he's covering on episodes that aren't specifically about trans people in particular. Most news and news adjacent shows are so lazy about this; he never is. I trust him because he puts the effort in to include us and be a true ally, not just a performative one.

He actually covers trans issues too. I remember how big it was when he went to Texas to cover anti-trans legislation and the people fighting against it. Outside the queer press almost nobody was covering it, and there he was digging in deep and trying to signal boost our issues the way he did his best to signal boost police harassment of trans women of colour in Atlanta. I remember my excitement when he interviewed the late, great Monica Roberts in the Texas segment. He has such respect and empathy. It matters in a world where most media would rather ignore us, or amplify TERFs instead of us, or just have Dan savage represent all Queer folk, or call in one or two trans celebrities at best.

He just did a whole show on the aftermath of the murder of Mulaysia Booker in 2019, and it was powerful and heartbreaking and important. I love that he introduced both her birth mother and her trans mother. I love the way he highlighted her individuality and personality and what she meant to everyone who knew her and the community at large. I love that he used this to talk about the issues facing trans folk in Texas and the country, but that he never forgot to keep her at the center.

We need more allies like this who really step up, who use their platform so respectfully and sensitively. Who never forget us.

* Me watching Loki: Is that Checkov's Jet Ski?

* G Rated and beautiful. "The Witch’s Child:" https://archiveofourown.org/works/31323842

* "15 Modern Conveniences That Were Met With A Bizarre Amount Of Resistance:" https://www.cracked.com/image-pictofact-6616-15-modern-conveniences-that-were-met-with-a-bizarre-amount-of-resistance

* "Paris Is Still Burning in These Photos:" https://www.advocate.com/photography/2021/6/17/paris-still-burning-these-photos#media-gallery-media-14

* "The makers of In the Heights on how they turned the hit Broadway musical into a movie:" https://www.vox.com/22522628/in-the-heights-interview-miranda-hudes-chu

* ToS: Season 2 Rewatch:

- 2.24: The Ultimate Computer. (CW: Suicide).

Star Fleet is conducting super secret war games in which the Enterprise will be hunted by the whole fleet in order to test a brand new star ship computer made by Dr. Daystrom. They are removing the crew so it's just Captain Kirk, the regulars and the Computer plus a handful of randos. Kirk's job is to just sit there and let the computer do everything. Did they pick Kirk because of his special history with ruining computers, I wonder?

Anyway, the plan is to replace all or nearly all crew with computers for fully automated war ships throughout the fleet if the test goes well. Bones takes out his anger at making humans redundant by being an asshole to Spock. Spock snipes back. Kirk is like "What do you want me to do about it?" Scotty plays by the book in what I suspect is also a protest. Daystrom won't let Spock, a computer expert help with the hook up which is suspect. Bones says racist stuff behind Spock's back, attributing a bunch of feelings and opinions to Spock without, you know, consulting him, because strawmen are more fun and can't defend themselves. Kirk has a bad feeling about the automatons, but lets the racism fly by. Kirk is now low key resisting within the bounds of his orders. Spock keeps carefully phrasing things when asked for an opinion and people keep ignoring the subtlety because attributing opinions he didn't express is more fun, I guess. Sigh.

Anyway, they turn everything over to the computer when they reach the planet. There are no plans to turn the computer off after the test. They scan a planet. Computer turns off lights and environmental control on deck four. Kirk sends Scotty to take a squint, then makes his recommendations for a landing party. Computer turns off lights and environmental control on another deck and makes a change in the landing party make up, as the Captain and medical officer are "non-essential." Scotty says the computer is turning off systems all over the ship, presumably for the same reason.

Daystrom says the computer is shutting down power to areas not in use as it needs that power to run it's processors, more each time they ask it a question which... It seems like a lot more power than a computer would need, just saying, but Suuuure. Spock points out that the computer is limited by it's input, which is prescient and still a big problem in the RL present (see people training computers to be racist by imputing racist data). Basically the computer is affected by the conscious and unconscience biases of the programmer. Score one for Spock!

Uhura reports a vessel shadowing them. Bones is on the bridge because Sick bay is shut down and cranky about it. Another ship turns up. It's Feds doing a surprise drill for the computer. The Computer anticipates Kirk's orders and starts doing it's own thing, winning the drill. Kirk points out it was faster trhan a human crew. Spock points out this might not be desirable, as a star ship runs on loyalty in terms that sound like a subtle declaration of love. Everyone pretends this is a totally heterosexual thing for a supposedly emotionless vulcan to say.<.< >.>

The win is awarded to "Captain Dunsel." Dunsel is a part that serves no useful purpose, so by implication Kirk.... Yeah. Ouch. Bones makes him comfort food and brings booze. Kirk feels useless. Bones tries to cheer him up. Kirk waxes poetic about tall ships and his love of the Enterprise.

another ship is spotted. It's not a drill, but an old automated ore freighter. It doesn't respond to hails because no one is aboard. The Enterprise computer decides to attack it and ignores commands from the crew, having locked them out. It blows up the ore transport. They go to unplug the computer, but it now has a force field to keep it from turning it off. Daystrom insists this is a "minor difficulty." An Engineer tries to turn it off at the source and the computer vaporizes him and taps directly into the warp core. Spock and Scotty co me up with a potential work around.

Daystrom is missing. Kirk claims Daystrom was as surprised as anyone that the computer did all this stuff. Spock points out that he designed the computer and should know what it can and can't do. he also points out the computer is behaving illogically. which fits in his observation about programmer bias above.

Bones finds and confronts Daystrom in main engineering. "You don't shut a child off when it makes a mistake." The AI is growing, learning. Bones points out it's learning to kill. Daystrom claims it's self defense. Then he launches into his evil speech of evil, justifying it all as 'we don't want to destroy life; we want to save it."

Bones researched Daystrom's history. He had a major breakthrough and a ton of awards in his early twenties. Clearly a genius, but has done nothing much since then. Bones is suspicious. He thinks the computer isn't quite right and Daystrom is willing to do anything for that second breakthrough. They have to restrain Daystrom to try the work around, but it doesn't work, because the computer magically rerouted the controls as a decoy.

Spock confronts Daystrom about the computer behaving illogically. Daystrom admits he used human "engrams" to get true AI. The Computer is going to attack four Star Fleet ships, not knowing it's a war games and will destroy them. They can't warn them. The Feds think it's Kirk somehow despite calling him Dunsel. *side eye* People are dying. Daystrom is still like "It's misunderstood."

It's Daystrom's engrams; they try to convince hi to talk to it. Star Fleet plans to destroy the Enterprise. Daystrom gives in and tries to talk the computer down to save it. Daystrom realizes he's murdered hundreds of people with his actions. The computer insists it needs to kill all these people to save itself. Daystrom goes full on mad scientist laughter at the academy Bwahaha! cliche and rants about crushing star ships. Starfleet authorizes the destruction of the Enterprise.

Kirk's like: surely the regret is in there too. The computer explains that it must survive so man might be protected. Kirk points out the computer murdered people and leans into the contradiction. He talks yet another computer to death basically, convincing it to kill itself out of guilt. Seriously, I am wondering if Kirk wasn't intended by Starfleet to be the fail safe if the AI went rogue.

Kirk orders Scotty to cut power to shields while they restore communications. Luckily the other captain figures it out. They sedate Daystrom and send him for "Total Rehabilitation." This is one of my data points for the theory I've written about before involving conditioning and reeducation in the federation. <.< >.> Kirk explains that he knew captain wesley and gambled on his humanity over blind obedience to orders. They lean on it several more times. Thus the moral of the story is spelled out for those not following. Sigh. Bonees tries to strawman Spock again. Spock repeats that computers are more efficient; not better. Bones does some more racist needling. spock pushes back and good for him.


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

The help links are at the bottom under the cut.

* How to help India: https://www.khalsaaid.org/donate

* "How to Help India Amid the Covid Crisis:" https://www.nytimes.com/article/india-covid-how-to-help.html

* Mutual Aid Link Round Up: https://laughingacademy.tumblr.com/post/645696532415447040/popss-great-big-mutual-aid-masterpost

* Want to help the Asian Community?
https://nymag.com/strategist/article/where-to-donate-to-help-asian-communities-2021.html
https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
https://www.advancingjustice-atlanta.org/

* What to help save bats, and essential part of our ecosystem? "Merlin Tuttle's Bat Conservation:" https://www.merlintuttle.org/

* My oldest continuous Real Life friend is doing this project. "Bed, Bath, & Behemoth: An Epic D&D 5e Adventure:" https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/482738549/bed-bath-and-behemoth-an-epic-dandd-5e-adventure?fbclid=IwAR2pA1NFVGG7aZyrLDC5h9Q0a_g7yMh_rY5rWxrnpZ3sJRSe6yO8gAAEq4M

( Links Underneath: )