(no subject)

[gwydion]

* "At least 23 die in weekend of Ethiopia ethnic violence:" https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ethiopia-violence/at-least-23-die-in-weekend-of-ethiopia-ethnic-violence-idUSKCN1LX0VK

* "Trucking Is the Security Crisis You Never Noticed:" https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/09/19/trucking-is-the-security-crisis-you-never-noticed/

* Don't hold your breath. "U.S. ready to resume North Korea talks, seeks denuclearization by 2021:" https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-southkorea-summit/u-s-ready-to-resume-north-korea-talks-seeks-denuclearization-by-2021-idUSKCN1LY30R

* "Pompeo Prioritizes Arms Sales Over Civilian Lives in Yemen:" http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/09/pompeo-prioritizes-arms-sales-over-civilian-lives-in-yemen.html

* *headdesk* "Donald Trump urged Spain to 'build the wall' – across the Sahara:" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/19/donald-trump-urged-spain-to-build-the-wall-across-the-sahara

* "Michael Cohen spoke to Mueller team for hours; asked about Russia, possible collusion:" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/michael-cohen-spoke-mueller-team-hours-asked-russia/story?id=57959664

* No surprise here. "Trump taps Darrell Issa to lead trade agency:" https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/19/trump-darrell-issa-trade-agency-830654

* "Trump claim that FBI can't probe Kavanaugh allegations is wrong, ex-officials say:" https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/19/fbi-kavanaugh-allegations-trump-830150

* His seat is very vulnerable and he’s running against Rep. Jacky Rosen. Don’t approve Nevadans? Make sure you are registered to vote and show up in November. "GOP senator sees 'little hiccup' in Kavanaugh confirmation:" https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/407565-gop-senator-kavanaugh-accusation-is-a-little-hiccup

* Her seat is vulnerable! Missouri voters, make sure you are registered and don't forget to turn out in November! "McCaskill to vote no on Kavanaugh confirmation:" https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/19/mccaskill-vote-no-kavanaugh-830630

* "Classmate of Kavanaugh's accuser says not a case of mistaken identity:" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/christine-blasey-fords-high-school-classmate-controversy-felt/story?id=57935927

* "Sen. Chuck Grassley: No Need For FBI To Investigate Kavanaugh Allegation:" https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/chuck-grassley-fbi-brett-kavanaugh-senate-hearing_us_5ba1a7f0e4b013b097800719

* "'Unfazed and determined': Top Grassley aide vows to confirm Kavanaugh despite allegations:" https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2018/09/20/brett-kavanaugh-confirmation-furor-over-mike-davis-tweets/1366391002/

* "Protesters arrested on Capitol Hill after Senate office demonstrations:" https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/20/politics/congress-protests-brett-kavanaugh/index.html

* "Fresh out of F***s to Give, Senator Mazie Hirono Has Harsh Words for Kavanaugh Defenders:" https://www.themarysue.com/senator-mazie-hirono-badass/

* Please, please, please if you can manage it, contact your Senators to get them to fight the Kavanaugh nomination. This is geometrically more important if you have a centrist Democrat like Joseph Manchin, Joe Donnelly, Doug Jones, Jon Tester, and Heidi Heitkamp; or Republicans like Tim Scott, Marco Rubio, Susan Collins or Lisa Murkowski. (For Scott and Rubio emphasize Kavanaugh's racism and support for racial profiling, for Collins and Murkowski emphasize the right to chose, the nominee allegedly having attempted to violently rape someone, and the Jane Doe case where he tried to force a raped immigrant teen to carry against her will, With Murowski, you might also mention his opposition to programs benefiting Alaska Natives). Jeff Flake of Arizona may be softening! Please, if you are from Arizona, keep the pressure on! Contact Chuck Schumer and ask him to whip the Democrats so as to get them to stand in united opposition. It wouldn't hurt to demand your Republican Senators call for a proper FBI Background investigation. They won't, but pressuring them shows them there might be consequences.

Protest in person if you can, but if you can’t, 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/

* "Trump Boasts About Steel Industry’s ‘New Life' As More Steelworkers Vote To Strike:" https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/steelworkers-strike-arcelormittal_us_5ba1f222e4b046313fc09016

* "Despite a "Trump bump," steelworkers are mad as hell — and ready to revolt:" https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/59a3bd/despite-a-trump-bump-steelworkers-are-mad-as-hell-and-ready-to-revolt

* "Pennsylvania lawmaker wants to ban teachers from talking politics, government in school:" http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/mc-nws-pennsylvania-tallman-political-speech-ban-bill-20180917-story.html

This is broad and dangerous. My experience was that students often ask about things like politics and the war and the like. What about Current Events? Debate? Projects in which they research an issue and propose various solutions? It can be handled ethically. I never endorsed a candidate, refused to tell them who I'd voted for no matter how they begged, and responded to questions about politics, candidates, and issues factually and wit a great deal of thought about how to phrase things fairly. Teaching Social Studies is in part about preparing students to be informed citizens and voters. Part of that is teaching them to research issues and make and evaluate arguments based on evidence and reason. Part of that is letting them talk about and research issues important to them. Part of that is helping them understand how government works and getting them invested in the idea of participation when they are old enough to vote. this seriously infringes on the 1st Amendment rights of teachers, since it is definitely the government barring speech, but it also guts the social studies curriculum and deprives students of the very education they need to be well informed citizens as adults.

* "New racial controversy batters DeSantis:" https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/20/ron-desantis-florida-racial-issues-830726

* "Exclusive: With more immigrant children in detention, HHS cuts funds for other programs — like cancer research:" https://www.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-immigrant-children-detention-hhs-cuts-funds-programs-like-cancer-research-230259583.html

* So if judges aren't allowed to judge what ARE they allowed to do? "Sessions limits U.S. judges' ability to dismiss deportation cases:" https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-sessions/sessions-limits-u-s-judges-ability-to-dismiss-deportation-cases-idUSKCN1LZ2TG

* "What so many men are missing about #MeToo:" https://www.vox.com/2018/9/10/17826168/me-too-louis-ck-men-comeback

* "Texan Behind 3D-Printed Gun Legal Battle Charged With Sexual Assault of a Minor:" http://time.com/5400664/cody-wilson-3d-printed-guns-charged-sexual-assault/

* TW: Pedophilia, Suicide. "'Maria Generation': Puerto Rican kids face harsh realities:" https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/17/health/sutter-maria-generation-children-puerto-rico/index.html

* Wednesday I did make it out to forage, though later than I like. Thursday I had people over for dinner, hence the super late start on Internet things.

The whole injury/illness thing means I've made very little progress on Gothmas phase one. As of tonight, I'm still working on lighting. the string of white lights plus science fiction/fantasy light up ornaments finally died, so I need to transfer the ornaments to a new string. Given the string of white is from the turn of the century or possibly older and half the lights have been dead for two Gothmas seasons, this death was not a surprise and I got a string on deep discount last year or the year before at super steep end of season discount in anticipation. It's tomorrow's problem now, since this process is a pain if memory serves.

As it turns out, my decision to dramatically upgrade anchoring for the big Halloween Tree turns out to have been wise. I have a whole bunch of new hooks and I have made an entire support web out of that lovely deep purple yarn remnant I finger crocheted into a sturdier,more Livia resistant string. Tavy isn't the problem here for all his ferocity. His disability does make him clumsy and he does tend to knock over an occasionally off bit of Halloweentown by accident, but he pays very little attention to the trees and their ornaments. Livia though? Is at the age where she routinely roots around on the bedroom shelves to steal ew and interesting things she shouldn't have to play with. Kaiju kitten has already partially knocked over the little tree batting at ornaments. (It doen't go over because it's light strings form a support web. Tonight I had to confiscate two small Halloween things that had gotten separated from their box of compatriots, which I had set on the big tree stand while the guests were here. I then watch her stand on her hind legs to explore some of the big tree lights, though she didn't try to play with them. I think this will be a challenging year for Ornaments and the Halloweentown denizens.

I am very proud of the junior kitties today though. Tonight's guests did not include the one Tavy now lets touch him, but they both sent most of the evening on my bed, instead of Livia spending the whole time in her hiding closet. I even convinced Livia to let me give her a quick head pet, even though I was wearing the scary goth trousers, so either she's getting more accustomed, or my attempts to move more quietly are helping or both. I did briefly set of the screamers by not turning the hood on full, because I can't hear conversation when it's up that high. It went off ironically just after I'd taken the food off the burners. Sigh. It's getting really sensitive to steam, alas. They both hid, of course, but were on the bed again later when I took the plates back to the kitchen. I am so proud of them for being so brave.

* Snerk. When the school did not believe Tony Stark was Peter Parker's second emergency contact: http://seananmcguire.tumblr.com/post/178304100650/tamaranianprincess-stark-tony-i-adore-tony

* It's ebay time again. I am now I am about $150.00 behind on bills and can no longer cover insurance auto withdraw near month's end. If you'd like to chip in directly towards helping me pay my bills Paypal Lethran@gmail.com or paypal.me/Gwydion

The all items for sale link is here: https://www.ebay.com/sch/lethran/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=


BPAL: Andreiphontês 2010 (Lupercalia : Ode to Mars (LE)): Destroyer of Men Tonka, benzoin, black sandalwood, and nutmeg. Full. https://www.ebay.com/itm/302887403636

BPAL: Krampus (2012) (Yule (LE)): Sinister red musk, black leather, dusty rags, and wooden switches. Just Below shoulder. https://www.ebay.com/itm/302887410358

BPAL: Hesiod's Phoenix (2013) (Anniversary : 11th Anniversary (2013) — Visions of the Phoenix Throughout History(LE)): Golden amber, bourbon vanilla, and sweet oudh. Just Below shoulder. Close to 3/4 Full. https://www.ebay.com/itm/302887420112

BPAL: The Twisted Oak Tree (2012)(Halloween : The Haunted House (LE)): Blackened, rotted oak wood blanketed in moss and choked by a cloak of grasping ivy. Above Label. & Boo v3 (Halloween, Prototype, (LE)): 1/2 Full. https://www.ebay.com/itm/BPAL-The-Twisted-Oak-Tree-2012-Boo-v3-Halloween-Prototype-LE/302887437989?hash=item46857f86a5:g:zWkAAOSwTelboFVn

BPAL: Regina Erebi (2011) (Halloween : An Evening in Hades (LE)): The Queen of Hell: pomegranate, spear mint, black mulberry, and myrrh. 1/2 Full & Scorpio (2007) (Celestials (LE)). 1-2 Imps worth. https://www.ebay.com/itm/BPAL-Regina-Erebi-2011-Halloween-An-Evening-in-Hades-Scorpio-2007/302887503915?hash=item468580882b:g:rlMAAOSwb2JboFtP



*****
* 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