gwydion | (no subject)

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* CW: Rape. "Trans Woman: 'I've Been Sexually Assaulted 14 Times in Georgia Prison':" https://www.advocate.com/transgender/2020/11/24/trans-woman-ive-been-sexually-assaulted-14-times-georgia-prison

* "Anti-trans group For Women Scotland want to stop government from redefining 'woman' to include trans women:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/11/27/scotland-anti-trans-for-women-government-redefine-woman-lady-wise-court/

* "Finland’s feminist prime minister Sanna Marin comes out swinging for trans people’s right to self-identify:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/11/25/finland-prime-minister-sanna-marin-trans-act-rights-self-id-equality-programme/

* "What It's Like to Be Trans in the UK:" https://twitter.com/JayHulmePoet/status/1328994210599628801

* "Allegations of Sexual Abuse, Antigay Slurs Rile Upscale Restaurant:" https://www.advocate.com/business/2020/11/24/allegations-sexual-abuse-antigay-slurs-rile-upscale-restaurant

* "Breakthrough HIV Test Offers Double-Duty Innovation:" https://www.hivplusmag.com/testing/2020/11/25/breakthrough-hiv-test-offers-double-duty-innovation

* "‘Within Seconds Everything Was Gone’: Devastating Floods Submerge the Philippines:" https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/18/world/asia/philippines-floods-photos.html

* "December will bring a sight in the sky not seen since the Middle Ages, astronomers say:" https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/jupiter-saturn-planet-sky-night-b1761241.html?utm_content=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR0E2rZES01bC8HjB42iEe6sv8iY1g0z2eZcoYa5EBE03sHKR650Jru_0fQ#Echobox=1606250380

* "I tried 3000-Year-Old Hairstyles • Using Iron Age Tools!:"

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* CW: Dead Human Body Parts, Disordered Eating. "The Foreskin Wedding Ring of St Catherine:"

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* "A Dress Historian Explains the Difference between Corsets and Stays:"

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* "Taverns and the complicated birth of early American civil society:" https://aeon.co/essays/taverns-and-the-complicated-birth-of-early-american-civil-society

* "Lesbian Marriage is Older Than You Think // Queer History 101 [CC]:"

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* "The Case of The Perfect Murder Gone Wrong (Leopold and Loeb) (Real True Crime // LegalEagle):"

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* "The Rise of Conservatism: Crash Course US History #41:"

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* "This is how Freddie Mercury’s brave and selfless final act changed the lives of HIV and AIDS patients the world over:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/11/24/freddie-mercury-queen-final-days-death-tribute-rock-hiv-aids-coming-out/

* "Bruce Boynton, civil rights pioneer who inspired 1961 Freedom Rides, dies at 83:" https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/25/boynton-civil-rights-freedom-rides-440768

* "Jan Morris Remembered as Gifted Writer, Transgender Trailblazer:" https://www.advocate.com/people/2020/11/24/jan-morris-remembered-gifted-writer-transgender-trailblazer

* "Ponzi Scheme Suspect Uses Underwater Scooter to Flee F.B.I.:" https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/18/us/matthew-piercey-ponzi-scheme.html

* CW: Suicide. "Ophelia, Gertrude, and Regicide - Hamlet Part 2: Crash Course Literature 204:"

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* CW: Suicide. "Of Pentameter & Bear Baiting - Romeo & Juliet Part 1: Crash Course English Literature #2:"

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* NWS "MAKING A SEX POSITION TIER LIST FROM THE KAMA SUTRA.:"

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* The Friday food box was particularly unhelpful. Like, it had milk and potatoes for me and a jar of peanut butter, eggs, potatoes and an apple for Squirrel. Me: Wow, they really lay it on for Thanksgiving. So this is meant to be two week's food for two people? No, gentle readers, it wasn't. They brought a surprise delivery at lunch time Wednesday containing...Potatoes, broccoli, and Ketchup for me; but several things Squirrel could potential eat including some pork chops for Squirrel, so he's getting meat for tomorrow. Seriously, what did they think I was going to do with 20-30 tiny radishes? When you sign up, they ask for special diet information, but really they drop off a generic box of perishables and one of non-perishables. It used to be two sets out of which we could often glean a reasonable amount of useable food, especially as they weren't identical. I throw out anything rotten they toss in there and give the rest to another impoverished family so it's not wasted. They do seem to be the only way to get shelf stable milk they usually do better with Squirrel, and normally there's 3 or 4 things I can use, but the last two boxes were brutal.

Anyway, I got a few hours sleep and woke up feeling like I've been beaten with sticks, so I took things gently. There was some bureaucracy waiting for me, so I got through that and mailed out what I could.

* Prisencolinensinainciusol: https://twitter.com/BadAstronomer/status/1332148449291218945

* NWS. Things I can never unsee: https://twitter.com/daniellerosegal/status/1331752942571962368

* Manly Men and Fashion History: https://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/635841735581450240/snarkyfancat-snarkyfancat-comepraisetheinfanta

* TNG: Season 7 Rewatch:

- 7.24 Preemptive Strike. They are having a party for the recently returned Ro, on the way to the Cardassian border. She's uncomfortable, so Picard calls her away for a chat about her recent training. The Maqui attack a Cardassian ship, another crossover with DS9 plot points. The Feds grumpily rescue the Cardassians, who proceed to be assholes about it. Even though the Cardassians are having the same problem with civilian resisters, they claim the feds aren't trying hard enough.

Picard meets with a Admiral about it. Turns out the Cardassian government is supplying the Cardie terrorists in the DMZ. The Maqui are growing and planning more aggressive action. They approach Ro about infiltrating them, using her new training. She has reservation, but agrees "to validate your faith in me."

They pretend Rois on the run from the feds in the right sort of bar. The locals protect her from Worf and Data. The guy who misdirected them, sidles up to recruit her. he stuns her and takes her to the Maqui cell. She pretends to be reluctant; they question her about the Cardassian she's accused of killing. She gives them her real name and background, as she's a Bajoran with a long on record discipline problem while in Starfleet. They just made it look like she was a deserter. So much easier to keep track of her story if it's nearly all real. They background check her.

The main guy tells her his story. The thing I always liked about the Maqui design is it makes sense. They are displaced people with a legitimate grievance. You can see why people would join. You can argue the right and wrong of their actions, but they are sympathetic in a way that most people like them in TV and movies aren't. The federation people who fight them in TNG and DS9 empathize with them. You don't see things this kind of nuanced post 9/11. you hardly ever saw them pre-9/11. Anyway, they bond over Bajoran cooking. Her story checks out, so she's in.

The Cardassians are going to use biogenic weapons against civilians. They decide on a preemptive strike. Ro tells them she can steal them med kits if they give her a ship. They send a sceptic with her. Ro explains her plan to use algorithms etc. to get around security protocols. The Enterprise goes to sort out a supposed emergency that is actually Ro's ship in hard to scan area. She piggybacks a message that causes Picard to let her steal the medical supplies. The Enterprise pretends to hunt them while they escape.

Ro has her bona fides, so she's able to leave and give a proper report. Picard wants to set up a trap to lure them into chasing illusory biogenic weapons where the Feds can grab them. She agrees despite qualms and tries to convince them that third parties are carrying components. The illusary convoy is so big attacking it requires help from lots of other cells.

The Old guy describes the victory celebration to Ro. He reminds her of her father. Ouch. Her speech is heartbreaking. They decide to celebrate now just to celebrate. Cardassians start randomy murdering the civilians there as part of their reign of terror. The Old guy is killed trying to help a wounded bystander. "When an old fighter like me dies, someone elses rises to take his place. Double ouch.

Ro does her rendevue with Picard in civvies. She tries to convince him to call it off by lying the Maqui didn't take the bait. Starfleet Intelligence said they did. She confesses her qualms. He points out she'll be court marshaled if she sabotaged it. She realizes they aren't actually friends. He sends Riker back with her as much as a guard as anything else. She pulls a phaser on Riker and gives away the ambush. She runs away to be really Maqui. She tells Riker to tell Picard she's sorry and beams out. Riker said he thinks his only regret is that she let Picard down. It ends with a long somewhat disturbing shot of so excellently dark face acting by patrick stewart.

This plot is really well designed and unlike several others in this season that felt like fillers, actually has things to say. The bridging aspects to DS9 actually fit and don't feel like they are tacked on. It's a solid end for Ro's arc that has emotional resonance. It does the Star Trek at it's best raising of important ethical questions.

*****
* 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.

* The Flooding in Vietnam and Cambodia is devastating. Want to help? https://linktr.ee/lvndhy

* "Protect the Results - Organizing to Protect the Results of the 2020 Election:" https://protecttheresults.com/

* Want to try to flip the Senate?

Donate to Raphael Warnock: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/warnockrunoff
Donate to Jon Ossoff: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ossoffrunoff

"The Midwest Immigration Bond Fund!:" https://secure.actblue.com/donate/midwestibf

* The Blackfeet are under Covid lockdown and need food pantry donations: https://www.fastblackfeet.org/campaigns/fast-blackfeet/

* What to help fight for queer people in Africa? Try the Initiative Sankofa D’Afrique de l’Ouest www.ISDAO.org

* Things you can do to help save the post office: https://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/626472377433358336

* "When and how to vote in all 50 states:" https://www.axios.com/how-to-vote-by-state-2020-307c3d17-ee57-4a1b-8bad-182ca1cdb752.html

* Want to help people in Beirut? https://karolinadeaen.tumblr.com/post/625576504313741312

* Organizations to help trans folk: https://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/620857152453640195/about-us

* "How to Safely and Ethically Film Police Misconduct:" https://www.teenvogue.com/story/how-to-film-police-safely

* Master Post for how to help organizations fighting Police violence: https://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/620861026680881152/oberynmartell-list-of-black-lives-matter-and

* How to donate to Doctors Without Borders: https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/onetime.cfm?source=ADD200U0U00&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=googlepaid&utm_content=brand&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIz8D9kYu46QIVqh6tBh2WogxQEAAYASAAEgK4FfD_BwE

* "Covid 19 Support for Indigenous Communities:" https://bibliomancer7.tumblr.com/post/616704253038395392/covid-19-support-for-indigenous-communities

* "Navajo Nation COVID-19 Relief Fund:" http://www.nndoh.org/donate.html

* "SUPPORT WORKERS IN CRISIS:" https://ofwemergencyfund.org/

* "Help the California food industry survive this crisis:" https://www.change.org/p/governor-gavin-newsom-support-the-california-food-industries-most-vulnerable-workers

* "Support Artists Impacted By the Covid-19 Pandemic:" https://daily.bandcamp.com/features/bandcamp-covid-19-fundraiser

* Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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

* The Indivisble guide exists to help you organize effective resistance: https://indivisible.org/

* Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? If you can not 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/

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

* If you are interested in helping, right now the Cat thing we need most is:
https://www.chewy.com/wellness-core-signature-selects/dp/147047

The dry food I was going to try is this one: https://www.chewy.com/blue-buffalo-wilderness-flatland/dp/176663

* Birthday/Solstice master list: https://gwydion.dreamwidth.org/2108835.html

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Touched By a Zombie

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March 2026

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