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2/27/25 - 3/3/25
* Sorts still a bit rough. I my defense two medical situations occurred this week and I'm still kind of a mess as a result.
* "Israel’s refusal to withdraw from this narrow strip of desert could threaten the Gaza ceasefire:" https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-ceasefire-egypt-gaza-corridor-ca9615f42004a47bafe969fef1377e04
* "Israel block on Gaza aid coordinated with Trump administration, Israeli source says:" https://abcnews.go.com/International/israel-blocks-aid-gaza-hamas-ceasefire-phase-1/story?id=119338884
* "Newborns in Gaza are dying from the cold as fears rise over ceasefire's next phase :" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/gaza-babies-cold-dying-israel-hamas-rcna193784
* "Tens of thousands of Palestinians seek shelter after Israeli assaults across the West Bank:" https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/tens-thousands-palestinians-seek-shelter-after-israeli-assaults-119280768
* "Israel Is Gazafiying the West Bank, and Turning These Palestinians Into Refugees Yet Again:" https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/twilight-zone/2025-03-01/ty-article-magazine/.highlight/israel-is-gazafiying-the-west-bank-and-turning-these-palestinians-into-refugees-yet-again/00000195-4839-df18-a1fd-c8f906a60000
* I am so angry and I am out of words, really. To some up, Israel is breaking a bunch of ceasefire provisions and is back to blocking humanitarian aid to Palestinians, while also continuing their genocide in the West Bank. Israel is claiming that all this is somehow the Palestinian's fault.
* "Egypt and its neighbors working on alternative to Trump's Gaza plan that wouldn't displace Palestinians:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/israel-hamas-gaza-egypt-arab-post-war-counterproposal-trump-plan/
* Meanwhile, Republicans in America are laying the ground for Annexation. "Exclusive: GOP staffers told to call occupied West Bank Judea and Samaria:" https://www.axios.com/2025/02/26/west-bank-judea-samaria-name-change-gop
* He's trivializing his planned invasion and genocide. The level of disgusting here is beyond anything I have words for. "Trump posts madcap Gaza ‘Riviera’ AI video featuring sunbathing Netanyahu:" https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-posts-gaza-riviera-ai-video-sunbathing-benjamin-netanyahu/
* "Bernie Sanders Hasn’t Stopped Arms Sales to Israel — But He Won’t Stop Trying: With the ceasefire in Gaza on the edge of collapse, Sanders once again introduced resolutions to block certain weapons sales to Israel.:" https://theintercept.com/2025/02/26/bernie-sanders-israel-arms-gaza/
******
* "The Trump U.N. vote siding with Russia throws U.S. support for democracy into the trash heap of history:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/trump-un-vote
* "Trump’s Defense Secretary Hegseth Orders Cyber Command to ‘Stand Down’ on All Russia Operations:" https://gizmodo.com/trumps-defense-secretary-hegseth-orders-cyber-command-to-stand-down-on-all-russia-operations-2000570343
We have abjectly surrendered to Russia. I know most Republicans hate Democracy so much they'd rather be a Russian satellite country, because if they didn't they wouldn't have voted to Trump, and nearly all the Republican Senators are all in on exposing their bellies and pissing themselves if Putin even looks like he might rub their bellies and call them good boy, because if they didn't they wouldn't have put Pete Hegseth in charge of our military, but it still feels bizarre that Republicans didn't have even a sliver of patriotism left to prevent this.
* "Defense Secretary Hegseth orders U.S. Cyber Command to cease operations against Russia:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/defense-secretary-hegseth-orders-u-s-cyber-command-to-cease-operations-against-russia-233299013857
* "It Was an Ambush: Friday marked one of the grimmest days in the history of American diplomacy.:" https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/02/ukraine-us-relations-trump/681880/
* "‘A mugging’: Blumenthal slams Trump’s attack on Zelenskyy as ‘pathetic ambush’:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-a-mugging-blumenthal-slams-trump-s-attack-on-zelenskyy-as-pathetic-ambush-233243717773
* "Russian Journalist Invades Press Pool While Trump Meets Zelensky:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/russian-journalist-invades-press-pool-while-trump-meets-zelensky/
* "'Who's that good for?': Maddow connects the dots on Donald Trump's behavior toward Russia:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-who-s-that-good-for-maddow-connects-the-dots-on-donald-trump-s-behavior-toward-russia-233254981763
* "Maddow: Two new details learned from Trump's Oval Office meltdown:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/maddow-two-new-details-learned-from-trump-s-oval-office-meltdown-233259077571
* "No spine required: Republicans immediately dump support for Zelenskyy after Trump meltdown:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/no-spine-required-republicans-immediately-dump-support-for-zelenskyy-after-trump-meltdown-233260613669
* "Trump's Oval Office stunt leaves Zelenskyy cornered and Ukrainians afraid:" https://www.msnbc.com/ayman-mohyeldin/watch/trump-s-oval-office-stunt-leaves-zelenskyy-cornered-and-ukrainians-afraid-233279045691
* "The seismic shift in U.S. diplomacy after Trump's spat with Zelenskyy:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/how-trump-s-spat-with-zelenskyy-jolted-u-s-diplomacy-233275461744
* "Rep. Meeks: How Putin 'benefited' from Trump-Zelenskyy shouting match:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/putin-wins-in-the-shouting-match-between-zelenskyy-trump-rep-gregory-meeks-233274437938
* "Chris Hayes: Trump ‘irreparably destroyed’ world order with Zelenskyy blowup:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/chris-hayes-trump-irreparably-destroyed-world-order-with-zelenskyy-blowup-233236549860
* "US terminates support for Ukraine's energy grid restoration, NBC reports:" https://kyivindependent.com/nbc-us-terminated-support-of-ukraine-energy-grid-restoration/
This is designed to help Russia kill civilians by cutting heat in the middle of Winter, as the reason this was needed was to counter Russia's bombing of energy infrastructure.. This is us joining in Russia's genocide.
Elon has been actively siding with Russia. Cutting this USAID program sure looks deliberate to me.
* "Trump Abandons Zelenskyy, Defends Putin, and Proves His Unfitness (Again):"
I have been struggling since I first heard Friday to find words for the obscenity of Trump and Vance's behavior and the horror of what my country is doing, but I just couldn't find the words.
This speaks for me far better than I can right now.
* ""Time for Europe to step up": Contentious Trump-Zelenskyy meeting stuns politicians, world leaders: The heated exchange between nominal allies came as a shock to politicians around the world:" https://www.salon.com/2025/02/28/time-for-europe-to-step-up-contentious-zelenskyy-meeting-stuns-politicians-world-leaders/
* "Europeans scramble to show leadership of the 'free world' as U.S. alliance fractures:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/trump-europe-military-defense-ukraine-putin-merz-macron-nato-zelenskyy-rcna193992
* "Zelenskyy enacts true diplomacy as the GOP scrambles:" https://www.msnbc.com/ayman-mohyeldin/watch/zelenskyy-enacts-true-diplomacy-as-the-gop-scrambles-233308741833
* " Americans should be 'ashamed' at how Trump treats Zelenskyy and our allies, says Ambassador Rufus Gifford:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/rufus-gifford-trump-zelenskyy
***I'm going to leave the pre-Friday Trump-Russia-Ukraine stuff as people might want the lead up and I Republicans are already trying to gas light the country on this stuff***
* I am so ashamed of all of this. "What is in the draft of Trump's minerals deal with Ukraine?:" https://www.reuters.com/world/key-provisions-us-ukrainian-draft-minerals-deal-2025-02-26/
* "‘Gangsterism’: Ukraine agrees to minerals deal with Trump to secure U.S. support:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-gangsterism-ukraine-agrees-to-minerals-deal-with-trump-to-secure-u-s-support-232929349637
* "Trump, Russia, Ukraine, and the Artlessness of the Deal:"
* "Experts cite legal gaps in Trump's minerals deal with Ukraine:" https://www.reuters.com/world/experts-cite-legal-gaps-trumps-minerals-deal-with-ukraine-2025-02-27/
* "‘Trump likes what Putin does,' Bernie Sanders says in exclusive interview:" https://kyivindependent.com/us-senator-bernie-sanders-trump-likes-what-putin-does/
******
* One by one, the lights are going out all over the world. "Democracy Index 2024:" https://www.axios.com/2025/02/27/global-democracy-score-record-low-report
* "China military helicopter flies within 10 feet of Philippines patrol plane over South China Sea:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/south-china-sea-philippines-dangerous-military-encounter-us-tension/
* "Greece at standstill ahead of mass protest on anniversary of deadly train crash:" https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/greece-standstill-ahead-mass-protest-anniversary-deadly-train-crash-2025-02-28/
* "Donald Trump Needs to Be Uninvited From G7 Summit: Canadian Politician:" https://www.newsweek.com/jagmeet-singh-donald-trump-uninvited-g7-meeting-2036904
* "Our own Brexit? Experts warn of 'economic mayhem' thanks to Trump policies:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/our-own-brexit-experts-warn-of-economic-mayhem-thanks-to-trump-policies-233138245730
* "Can Trump Steal Greenland and Panama? ft. Liz Dye:"
* "Trump administration says it’s cutting 90% of USAID foreign aid contracts:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-foreign-aid-cuts-6292f48f8d4025bed0bf5c3e9d623c16
* They keep lying they restored funding while continuing to block it. "Elon Musk Says DOGE ‘Accidentally Canceled’ Ebola Prevention: DOGE's slash-and-burn approach to government funding is beyond reckless:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/elon-musk-doge-accidentally-canceled-ebola-prevention-1235280939/
* "Musk says work to stop Ebola was accidentally cut but restored. Experts raise doubts:" https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/02/27/g-s1-50929/elon-musk-ebola-usaid
* "'We will regret this': Cuts leave U.S. vulnerable to Ebola, contrary to Musk assurances:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-we-will-regret-this-cuts-leave-u-s-vulnerable-to-ebola-contrary-to-musk-assurances-233051205826
* "An out former USAID official speaks on the fatal global fallout of dissolving its LGBTQ+ programs:" https://www.advocate.com/news/ex-usaid-lgbtq-funding-trump
* "Supreme Court temporarily halts lower court's order for Trump to unfreeze foreign aid funds:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/supreme-court-temporarily-halts-lower-court-s-order-for-trump-to-unfreeze-foreign-aid-funds-233038405959
* "Fired federal workers stage DOGE protests in Washington:" https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/mountain/politics/2025/02/25/washington-d-c--doge-musk-protests
* "Activists arrested at die-in when protesting loss of global HIV funding:" https://www.advocate.com/news/activists-arrested-foreign-aid-protest
* "DHS registry for migrants in US illegally raises alarm from immigration advocates:" https://abcnews.go.com/US/immigration-law-experts-raise-concerns-dhs-registry-migrants/story?id=119231088
* "Trump allies circulate mass deportation plan calling for ‘processing camps’ and a private citizen ‘army’:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/25/documents-military-contractors-mass-deportations-022648
* "Trump's deportation project falls short of its hype; private 'army' presents concerning option:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-s-deportation-project-falls-short-of-its-hype-private-army-presents-concerning-option-232948293572
* "Judge blocks Trump’s executive order suspending refugee admissions to the US:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/25/trump-refugee-executive-order-injunction-federal-judge-00206016
* "Trump floats ‘gold card’ to grant US residency to wealthy foreigners:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/25/trump-floats-gold-card-grant-residency-wealthy-foreigners-00206116
* "Marco Rubio may have just banned trans foreigners seeking visas from U.S. entry:" https://www.advocate.com/news/marco-rubio-banned-transgender-visas
* "Venezuelan men allege mistreatment while in detention in Guantánamo Bay:" https://www.npr.org/2025/02/25/nx-s1-5306433/guantanamo-detainee-speaks-venezuela-trump-immigration-abuse
* "Man Sent to Guantánamo Bay for Biking on Wrong Side of the Road:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/man-sent-to-guantanamo-bay-for-biking-on-the-wrong-side-of-road/
* "ACLU and other advocates sue to block migrants from being sent to Guantánamo Bay:" https://www.npr.org/2025/03/01/g-s1-51567/aclu-sue-trump-migrants-guantanamo
* "Migrant arrests at US-Mexico border near record low in February:" https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/migrant-arrests-us-mexico-border-approach-record-low-february-2025-02-27/
* Record low immigration is not a crisis requiring militarizing the border like this, but here we are. "Up to 3,000 more U.S. troops are ordered to the border with Mexico:" https://www.npr.org/2025/03/01/nx-s1-5314368/more-border-troops-mexico
* "LGBTQ+ cruise rescues 11 refugees adrift in the Gulf of Mexico:" https://www.advocate.com/news/gay-cruise-refugee-sea-rescue
* "Plane crashes, near misses, smoked cabins as Trump rages about the delay with his gilded new Air Force One:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/air-force-one-trump
* "What Trump’s order making English the official language in the US could mean:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-declare-english-official-language-5b24f6ac1172803f615cea69e13f8724
People need documents they can read if they are going to sign them.
* "Busted: DOGE humiliated by brutal fact-checking, walks back bogus savings claims:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/busted-doge-humiliated-by-brutal-fact-checking-walks-back-bogus-savings-claims-232942661849
* "Musk, standing before Trump’s Cabinet, gets their applause and approval:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/26/musk-cabinet-trump-applause-00206245
* "The White House has evaded for weeks on saying who is leading DOGE. Here’s who it is.:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/25/doge-leader-elon-musk-00002670
* "'Incompetent, illegal': Why the Trump White House won't admit Musk is in charge:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-incompetent-illegal-why-the-trump-white-house-won-t-admit-musk-is-in-charge-233028677960
* "Elon’s Email Demand Is Being Met With ‘Very Rude’ Flood of Spam:" https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/elon-musk-email-spam-very-rude-1235278629/
* "What I Did Last Week: An Email to Elon Musk :" https://newrepublic.com/article/191989/email-elon-musk-cpac-salute
* NWS. "TVs at HUD Played an AI-Generated Video of Donald Trump Kissing Elon Musk’s Feet:" https://www.wired.com/story/trump-musk-hud-feet-video/
* How to flood the DOGE/OPM.Elon Musk justify your job email system: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gL40i2ROFbQ
* "Musk and Trump’s federal layoffs are just getting started:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/26/trump-administration-federal-agencies-mass-layoffs-00206222
* "Youngkin Offers Constituents Insulting ‘Job Fair’ As Musk Purges Virginian Federal Workers:" https://talkingpointsmemo.com/where-things-stand/youngkin-offers-constituents-insulting-job-fair-as-musk-purges-virginian-federal-workers
* "The Trump administration sets the stage for large-scale federal worker layoffs in a new memo:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-layoffs-d295d4bb2cdd5023c27d9cb03754e81b
* "OPM illegally ordered agencies to fire ‘probationary’ federal employees, judge rules:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/27/opm-firing-probationary-federal-agency-employees-judge-ruling-00206615
The employees either were hired, promoted, or changed jobs within the government. The employees did nothing wrong. Being fired for being promoted, for example, is punishing excellence and the opposite of a merit based system.
* "How Trump and Musk’s agenda is shaping up to be full-on class warfare:" https://www.msnbc.com/ayman-mohyeldin/watch/how-trump-and-musk-s-agenda-is-shaping-up-to-be-full-on-class-warfare-233278533708
* "Trump's federal demolition failing on multiple fronts as courts step in, public opinion turns:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-s-federal-demolition-failing-on-multiple-fronts-as-courts-step-in-public-opinion-turns-233158725843
* Meanwhile in Republican extreme corruption news. "FAA targeting Verizon contract in favor of Musk's Starlink, the Washington Post reports:" https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/faa-targeting-verizon-contract-favor-musks-starlink-washington-post-reports-2025-02-26/
* "‘Fundamental corruption’: Chris Murphy blasts Elon Musk’s $2.4 billion FAA scheme:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-fundamental-corruption-chris-murphy-blasts-elon-musk-s-2-4-billion-faa-scheme-233140293940
* "Social Security Administration could cut up to 50% of its workforce:" https://apnews.com/article/social-security-layoffs-doge-musk-trump-93efbed33957af5ec8ac37744d0592de
* He's going after social security next. "Elon Musk Calls Social Security 'The Biggest Ponzi Scheme Of All Time':" https://www.huffpost.com/entry/elon-musk-social-security-ponzi-scheme_n_67c337cce4b049364f4586a3
* "Why a former IRS commissioner says Musk’s mass layoffs are a huge mistake:" https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-a-former-irs-commissioner-says-musks-mass-layoffs-are-a-huge-mistake
* "Tulsi Gabbard purges intelligence officers over out-of-context conversations conservatives decry as ‘transgender sex chats’:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/intelligence-officers-fired-transgender-chat
* "Federal judge rules Trump administration can fire career intel officers who had DEI jobs :" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/federal-judge-rules-trump-administration-can-fire-career-intel-officer-rcna194036
* "Critics Worry Kash Patel Will Purge the FBI. Would He Even Need To?:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/kash-patel-fbi-director-nominee-purge-1235273360/
* "FBI agents express shock and dismay over naming of right-wing podcaster to No. 2 post: Dan Bongino — who once called the FBI “irredeemably corrupt”— suggested on his podcast Monday that he was prepared to step out of his role as a MAGA warrior.:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/fbi-agents-express-shock-dismay-naming-right-wing-podcaster-no-2-post-rcna193498
* "Protesters flood national parks to express outrage over job cuts:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/protesters-flood-national-parks-express-outrage-job-cuts-rcna194406
* I can't cover all the protests across the country, but I want to thank all of you participating. "Trump’s first month sparks protests, packed town halls across Oregon:" https://www.opb.org/article/2025/02/27/trumps-first-month-sparks-protests-packed-town-halls-across-oregon/
* If your Congress Critters are cowards, call or email or protest other places, like Tesla Dealerships. Stay Noisy. "House Republicans hit the brakes on town halls after blowback over Trump's cuts:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-republicans-town-halls-blowback-trump-cuts-rcna193766
* "DHS quietly eliminates ban on surveillance based on sexual orientation and gender identity:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/dhs-allows-surveillance-sexual-orientation
* "FDA moves to rehire medical device, food safety and other staffers fired days earlier:" https://apnews.com/article/fda-layoffs-trump-doge-rehired-medical-devices-85d4743e4ce88dbe3b99c813bad4b702
* "America’s Food Safety Is Now in the Hands of Don Jr.’s Hunting Buddy:" https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/food-safety-donald-trump-jr-kyle-diamantas-hunting-buddy
* As a 14th Century specialist... O.o, that Marmot thing! "Qualifications of Trump's new food safety official seem even worse for the company he keeps:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/qualifications-of-trump-s-new-food-safety-official-seems-even-worse-for-the-company-he-keeps-233052741732
* "'This guy': Trump Jr.’s hunting buddy to be top food regulator at FDA:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/trump-jr-s-hunting-buddy-to-be-top-food-regulator-at-fda-232924741784
* "Trump administration weighs pulling funding for Moderna bird flu vaccine, Bloomberg News reports:" https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/trump-administration-weighs-pulling-funding-moderna-bird-flu-vaccine-bloomberg-2025-02-27/
* "FDA cancels meeting to select flu strains for next season's shots:" https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fda-cancels-meeting-select-flu-strains-seasons-shots-rcna193931
* CW: Child Death. "A child has died in the Texas measles outbreak:" https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/02/26/nx-s1-5309800/texas-measles-child-death-vaccination
Unless a child is barred from vaccination for a medical reason like cancer, it is child abuse not to vaccinate, in my opinion.
* CW: Child Death "As measles outbreak turns deadly, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. bungles the facts:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/as-measles-outbreak-turns-deadly-robert-f-kennedy-jr-bungles-the-facts-233052229739
* "‘Nightmare scenario’: Fears grow as RFK Jr. downplays deadly measles outbreak:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-nightmare-scenario-fears-grow-as-rfk-jr-downplays-deadly-measles-outbreak-233032261573
* "Some experts question RFK Jr. calling measles outbreak 'not unusual':" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/experts-question-rfk-jr-calling-measles-outbreak-unusual/story?id=119221816
* "This cancer researcher was studying LGBTQ+ people. Her work is now in limbo:" https://www.advocate.com/health/cancer-research-lgbtq-people-suspended
* "Rupa Bhattacharyya - World Trade Center Health Program & DOGE's Effect on Gov't | The Daily Show:"
* "Pentagon orders budget revamp to reinvest $50 billion into Trump defense priorities:" https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-looks-8-defense-budget-cut-each-next-5-years-washington-post-reports-2025-02-19/
* "America Has a Rogue President:" https://archive.ph/2vaPM
* "'Rogue president': Trump removal of senior military leaders, military lawyers raises alarm:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-rogue-president-trump-removal-of-senior-military-leaders-military-lawyers-raises-alarm-232843845746
* This is essential to the Republican plan to destroy the VA so they can force Veteran's into the for profit insurance market. "'These Are Human Beings': VA Fires 1,400 More Employees It Considers Nonessential:" https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/02/25/these-are-human-beings-va-fires-1400-more-employees-it-considers-nonessential.html
* "‘We are watching the gutting of VA,’ veterans groups warn in wake of federal worker firings:" https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2025-02-26/veterans-jobs-trump-firings-16963479.html
* "Trump suffers backlash as Musk's crew attacks services for veterans:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-suffers-backlash-as-musk-s-crew-attacks-services-for-veterans-233162309580
* "Outrage after Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon tries to quietly move to kick out transgender troops:" https://www.advocate.com/news/pentagon-quietly-pushes-transgender-ban
* "Transgender troops are now being identified for removal under Pentagon orders:" https://apnews.com/article/transgender-military-trump-ban-troops-deb9e388ff588d9d25fb0d8cc58e540f
* "Trans colonel faces removal after decades of service: 'Absolutely heartbroken':" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/pentagon-plans-to-purge-transgender-troops-from-u-s-military-233276997560
* "BREAKING: Trump administration says trans service members have until March 26 to quit Air Force:" https://www.advocate.com/news/trump-transgender-departure-ultimatum
* "Trump administration admits to judge it doesn’t know how many troops are trans—or why it’s banning them:" https://www.advocate.com/news/doj-undermines-trump-military-ban
Glad Law is fighting for trans service members. Want to help? https://givebutter.com/donatetoglad?utm_src=webheader&_gl=1*1qhxi1q*_ga*NDM3MjM0Mzk1LjE3NDEwMDk5NDA.*_ga_PCJHHSV2G7*MTc0MTAwOTk0MC4xLjAuMTc0MTAwOTk0MC4wLjAuMA..
* "Trump's Justice Department files complaint about lesbian judge hearing trans military case:" https://www.advocate.com/news/trump-doj-slams-lesbian-judge
Remember how last time Trump was in office he tried to bar a Latino judge from a case on the grounds of bias because Trump was racist and therefore a non-white judge couldn't judge him fairly?
Lets hope The Justice Department gets shot down on this one too, as otherwise it is incredibly scary and dangerous.
* "Over 80 House Democrats demand Trump rescind gender-affirming care ban: 'We want trans kids to live':" https://www.advocate.com/politics/house-democrats-trans-youth-care
* "Federal judge blocks Trump’s transfer of transgender women to men’s prisons:" https://www.advocate.com/news/judge-blocks-trump-transgender-prisoners
* "Art Museum of the Americas cancels Black & LGBTQ+ exhibitions after Trump’s DEI crackdown:" https://www.advocate.com/news/museum-pulls-lgbtq-black-artists
* "EPA moves to ditch finding that greenhouse gases cause harm:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/26/epa-greenhouse-gases-00204866
* Save The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Explainer and directions here with link to government comment form: https://www.tumblr.com/veluigi/776960165468684288/action-item?source=share
Direct Link to Form: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/02/25/2025-03014/removal-of-national-environmental-policy-act-implementing-regulations
* "This animal is on the edge of extinction. Trump just fired the people trying to save it.:" https://www.vox.com/down-to-earth/401389/trump-doge-fish-wildife-service-black-footed-ferret?ref=organizingmythoughts.org
* This is one of the Indigenous led organizations trying to save them. "The Buffalo Nations Grasslands Alliance, :" https://www.bnga.org/
* "Trump administration layoffs hit NOAA, agency that forecasts weather, hurricanes:" https://www.npr.org/2025/02/27/nx-s1-5298738/trump-administration-layoffs-hit-noaa-the-agency-that-forecasts-weather-and-hurricanes
The only reason you would do this is if you want horrific weather disasters people aren't prepared for. Trump ran on doing this, so I guess this is what Republicans want even though a whole lot of them rely on hurricane, tornado, flood warnings, etc.. It baffles me that this seems like a good idea to literally anybody.
* "Mass Layoffs at NOAA Spark Concerns Over Weather, Climate Research:" https://time.com/7262974/noaa-layoffs-climate-research-weather/
* This feels related to me. "Farmers Sue Agriculture Department Over 'Purge' of Climate Information:" https://www.newsweek.com/farmers-sue-agriculture-department-climate-information-government-website-2035619
* Hint: Not Remotely. "Is Brandon Williams qualified to oversee the nation’s nuclear arsenal?:" https://www.syracuse.com/politics/cny/2025/02/is-brandon-williams-qualified-to-oversee-the-nations-nuclear-arsenal.html
* "The National Archives is nonpartisan but has found itself targeted by Trump:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-archives-firings-layoffs-historical-recordkeeping-559027fdd2f634263bea7774a78d66fe
* "Judge blocks Department of Education, federal personnel office from sharing data with DOGE:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/doge/judge-blocks-department-education-federal-personnel-office-sharing-dat-rcna193453
* Cruelty is the point. "The Department of Education Told Employees to End Support for Transgender Students:" https://www.propublica.org/article/department-of-education-transgender-students-email
* "Teens with disabilities were getting help with life after high school. Then DOGE started cutting.:" https://www.chalkbeat.org/2025/02/26/trump-doge-cuts-to-education-research-hit-classrooms-and-students/
* This is the end of an independent Justice Department. "Trump White House says it can talk to Justice Dept. on criminal cases:" https://archive.ph/qxe00
* "White House seizes control of press pool, will decide which outlets cover events with president:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/25/trump-white-house-press-pool-access-00206001
* "Judge refuses to overturn Trump’s ban on Associated Press in White House press pool:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/24/trump-associated-press-court-hearing-00205852
* "7 key takeaways from the Supreme Court’s ‘reverse discrimination’ case:" https://www.advocate.com/news/scotus-skeptical-reverse-discrimination-rule
* "Tennessee drag ban will stay as SCOTUS refuses to hear case, but artists 'refuse to be silenced':" https://www.advocate.com/news/tennessee-drag-ban-supreme-court
* Michiganders! Now would be a great time to protest. "Michigan Republican lawmaker to introduce resolution asking SCOTUS to overturn marriage equality:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/scotus-resolution-overturn-marriage-equality
* "Michigan’s lesbian attorney general slams GOP movement to end marriage rights in just 4 words:" https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/02/michigans-lesbian-attorney-general-slams-gop-movement-to-end-marriage-rights-in-just-4-words/
* "North Dakota GOP advances resolution calling for end to nationwide marriage equality:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/north-dakota-anti-marriage-equality
* "Number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rises to 242,000, highest level in 3 months:" https://apnews.com/article/unemployment-benefits-jobless-claims-layoffs-labor-a4b9beab0c8a16c374ed5492f02a61f6
* "Consumer confidence falls the most since 2021 over fears about inflation and tariffs:" https://www.npr.org/2025/02/25/nx-s1-5307965/consumer-confidence-sentiment-inflation-trump-tariffs
* "Republicans consider major budget change to obscure deficit impact of extending Trump's tax cuts:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/republicans-budget-change-deficit-impact-trump-tax-cuts-rcna194015
* "Gov. Beshear warns against GOP Medicaid cuts: 'It would be a betrayal':" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/gov-beshear-warns-against-gop-medicaid-cuts-it-would-be-a-betrayal-233035333593
People like me will die. This is the goal, of course.
Republicans want to remind you that this extreme life threatening cruelty is essential to pay for the massive tax cuts they want to give a handful of billionaires.
If you have Democratic Senators, call to stiffen their spines and get them to stand firm in unity. If you have Republican critters focus on how it will harm their base. If you can get your Republican Congress person to vote against this budget, it will be incredibly helpful, as the margin is small. Say whatever you need to say to sway them.
Either way, tell them you will never vote for them again if they pass this budget.
* "Liberal Redneck - On Gutting Medicaid and Food Stamps to Cover More Tax Cuts for the Wealthy:"
* "Were SNAP Benefits Cut? House Republican Budget Explained:" https://www.newsweek.com/were-snap-benefits-cut-house-republican-budget-explained-2036687
* I want to thank all of you who have been protesting and will be protesting. "“It's heartbreaking" Medicaid supporters protest against spending cuts:" https://www.nbc26.com/oshkosh/its-heartbreaking-medicaid-supporters-protest-against-spending-cuts
* I'm not holding my breath for Republicans voting for Bernie's ethical and logical and fiscally sensible proposal, alas. "Social Security Update: Lawmakers' New Plan Would Expand Benefits by $2,400:" https://www.newsweek.com/social-security-update-lawmakers-new-plan-expand-benefits-2400-2037496
* "Even Republicans object as Trump DOJ nominees are disturbingly noncommittal on obeying courts:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/even-republicans-object-as-trump-doj-nominees-are-disturbingly-noncommittal-on-obeying-courts-233161285780
* "Dr. Mehmet Oz holds millions from companies that he’d wield power over if confirmed, report shows:" https://archive.ph/EG3jm#selection-2461.0-2461.14
* The Republican War on the Environment continues. "Congress is reversing a tax on this climate superpollutant: The Senate voted to overturn an EPA rule requiring oil companies to pay a fine for emitting methane, a powerful greenhouse gas:" https://archive.ph/bxbrn
* "Thune says Senate will consider bill to restrict trans athletes ‘early next week’:" https://www.ktsm.com/news/national-news/thune-says-senate-will-consider-bill-to-restrict-trans-athletes-early-next-week/
Explainer: "Call your Senators RIGHT NOW: "https://solarbird.dreamwidth.org/2027950.html
* "Iowa senator condemns GOP in fiery speech over trans civil rights repeal: ‘Shame on all of you Christians’ (exclusive):" https://www.advocate.com/politics/tony-bisignano-iowa-transgender-rights-speech
* Our job for the next two years is to survive, to build grassroots resistance, to do all in our power to slow the republican Christo-fascist agenda, and to prepare for 2026 in case there is still Democracy.
We are trying to build a good list of resistance resources.
Please add more below if you have them.
* Trump 2.0 Indivisible Guide. https://indivisible.org/resource/guide
* "Democracy 2025:" https://www.democracy2025.org/?utm_source=df-ad&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=21912407002&utm_content=721373734297&source=df-ad-gs&gad_source=1
* "Resisting Fascism in 2025 and Beyond:" https://www.prideandpagesbookclub.com/resisting-fascism-in-2025-and-beyond
* Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? If you can't safely contact them in person, here are some other options:
Five Calls to your critters: https://5calls.org/
Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resist.bot/
"Congress. gov:" https://www.congress.gov/
ACLU advice for writing to your Critters: https://www.aclu.org/writing-your-elected-representatives
Script to complain about Elon Musk/DOGE. I also suggest contacting your AG about data privacy. "Introducing Red State Scripts, Vol. 1:" https://homewiththearmadillo.blog/2025/02/10/introducing-red-state-scripts-vol-1/
* This tracks legislation: https://www.govtrack.us/
* "Vote Smart:" https://justfacts.votesmart.org/
* Useful organizing links and resources: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/771859083592613888/hater-of-terfs-ive-already-reblogged-a-link-to?source=share
* Run for Something: https://runforsomething.net/
* How to render emergency aid in a riot: https://riotmedicine.net/static/downloads/riot-medicine_a5.pdf
* "How to Safely and Ethically Film Police Misconduct:" https://www.teenvogue.com/story/how-to-film-police-safely
* Avoiding Activist Burnout: https://www.tumblr.com/veluigi/771755723969478656/on-twitter-im-seeing-dozens-of-threads-from-black?source=share
* "ICE Raids Toolkit: Defend Against ICE Raids and Community Arrests:" https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/raids-toolkit/
* Contains a raid tip hotline amoung other things. "Know Your Rights
LEARN HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY:" https://wearecasa.org/know-your-rights/
* An older article, but on my mind given the Republican attempt to repeal birthright citizenship for Indigenous Americans. "For Many Indigenous People, Voting Is Getting Harder:" https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/montana-indian-citizenship-act/
* This one really matters, don't sleep on this one Wisconsin! "Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates spar over Musk and Soros donations in high-stakes race:" https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-supreme-court-elon-musk-trump-389c78d86d0e81913decdd1efe180d89
* "The troubling anti-LGBTQ+ history of a conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate :" https://www.advocate.com/politics/brad-schimel-troubling-lgbtq-history
* "Thirty lonely but beautiful actions you can take right now which probably won't magically catalyze a mass movement against Trump but that are still wildly important:" https://thewhitepages.net/p/thirty-lonely-but-beautiful-actions
* ""A woman is like a child": MAGA quickly turns its sights on stripping Republican women of power:" https://www.salon.com/2025/02/26/a-woman-is-like-a-child-maga-quickly-turns-its-sights-on-stripping-women-of-power/
* "Transphobic discrimination legalized in Iowa:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/breaking-transphobic-discrimination-legalized-iowa
* "Upstate New York town adopts inclusion resolution in wake of trans man Sam Nordquist's death:" https://www.advocate.com/news/canandaigua-inclusivity-resolution-sam-nordquist
* "Texas leaders defend Black official after lawmaker’s public interrogation of DEI policies left her in tears:" https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/28/texas-brian-harrison-DEI-water-board/
* She decided to endanger the life of a teenager. "Maine lawmaker censured for outing, deadnaming trans student athlete:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/maine-lawmaker-censured-outing-student
* Contains Boycott dates into June. "Nationwide Economic Blackout: Boycott Dates for Target, Amazon, Others:" https://www.newsweek.com/nationwide-economic-blackout-boycott-dates-target-amazon-others-2037986
* CW: Rape. "Neil Gaiman is a Monster, Not a Master:"
* CW: Rape "Andrew Tate, the accused human trafficker with Trump’s support, returns to the US:" https://www.vox.com/culture/401197/andrew-tate-trump-support-richard-grenell-tweet
We actually pressured them to send them here instead of trying them because I guess we don't have enough human traffickers here in the opinion of republicans.
* CW: Rape. "Prison work assignments used to lure and rape female inmates. Guards sometimes walk free:" https://apnews.com/article/prison-rape-women-inmates-guards-001a816334d8745fd29557f02b2f0e5a?
* The Republicans are trying to weaponize transphobia to entirely dismantle federal disability protections, a long cherished right wing dream. We hang together or hang separately, folks. "Disability advocates rally in Capitol as lawsuit involving Missouri AG sparks fear, confusion:" https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/27/disability-advocates-rally-in-capitol-as-lawsuit-involving-missouri-ag-sparks-fear-confusion/
* "Ugly is evil: the dystopian legacy of 2000s makeover tv:"
* "Philadelphia schools will allow trans athletes to compete, rejecting Trump executive order:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/philadelphia-schools-transgender-athletes
* "Ohio university posts 'biological sex' restroom signs, then says it was a mistake:" https://www.advocate.com/news/university-cincinnati-exclustionary-restroom-protest
* "Congo mystery disease "investigation deepens" as deadly, unidentified illness spreads, WHO says:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/congo-mystery-disease-deaths-who-investigation-deepens/
Elon Musk is still illegally blocking money to the team that would normally be investigating this before it spreads. The death rate is rising alarmingly.
* "“Not Medically Necessary”: Inside the Company Helping America’s Biggest Health Insurers Deny Coverage for Care:" https://www.propublica.org/article/evicore-health-insurance-denials-cigna-unitedhealthcare-aetna-prior-authorizations
* "Millions of low-cost homes are deteriorating, making the U.S. housing shortage worse:" https://www.npr.org/2024/10/30/g-s1-30916/housing-crisis-affordable-homes-deteriorating-shortage-repair
* "The Answer To Making Cities More Family-Friendly? Courtyards:" https://archive.ph/TaeAf#selection-1428.0-1428.1
* "Cul-de-Sacs, But Smarter: How Montreal is Rethinking Residential Streets:"
* "‘Found’ Dataset Reveals Lost Maya City Full of Pyramids and Plazas, Hiding in Plain Sight Beneath a Mexican Forest:" https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/found-dataset-reveals-lost-maya-city-hiding-in-plain-sight-beneath-a-mexican-forest-180985354/
* "Lost Chopin music unearthed nearly 200 years after composer's death:" https://abc7news.com/post/frederic-chopin-lost-music-unearthed-200-years-after-composers-death/15486086/
* "The Toxic Wave That Swallowed a Tennessee Town: The night of the 2008 coal ash disaster in Kingston, Tennessee:" https://oxfordamerican.org/oa-now/the-toxic-wave-that-swallowed-a-tennessee-town
* "'Buffy' and 'Gossip Girl' actress Michelle Trachtenberg dead at 39:" https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/buffy-gossip-girl-actress-michelle-trachtenberg-dead-39/story?id=119215091
* " Gene Hackman and Wife Betsy Arakawa Found Dead in Santa Fe Home; Oscar-Winning Star of ‘French Connection’ and ‘Unforgiven’ Was 95 :" https://variety.com/2025/film/obituaries-people-news/gene-hackman-dead-wife-discovered-french-connection-unforgiven-1236322100/
* "Listeria outbreak linked to recalled frozen shakes now blamed for 12 deaths:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/listeria-outbreak-frozen-shakes-recall/
Republicans want to remind you that killing people by firing food safety workers is an essential cost cutting measure required to pay for tax cuts for a hand full of billionaires, including the billionaire that fired them.
* The difficulty took level of Wednesday was turned up way too high. Connectivity outages. Hours lost to whatever Tavy did to Dreamwidth. The fish urgent stuff they needed me to do that is physically exhausting and of course I had one of my semi-falls. A bad one that fucked up my dominant wrist. Then there was a failed quest to find an ace bandage that went missing during a reorganization a while back, though I did find three things I'd given up looking for over a month ago. Then the ice pack quest. Massive over sized ice pack and the tiny ones for burns? Easy. The midsized flexible ones? A minor drama. I've managed a makeshift thing that will at least hold a pack on, but it gets in the way of typing.
My real worry is that someone will take it for a defensive injury instead of me slamming it hard into a doorframe while flailing in an attempt not to land on the bathroom tiles, then landing hard on the bathroom tiles.
I have a retina follow up appointment from the December near half blinding Friday morning. (At a location Squirrel and I can't remember because we were exhausted and I was fucked up from the near half blinding and not driving.) I have looked on line and there is a likely place where I thought the eye specialist might be so fingers crossed.
There is physio next Tuesday. Between that and all the eye specialist people, I am scared one of them will call adult protective services, or worse the cops, thinking I am being abused. I am not. I respect people calling in to try to protect vulnerable adults. I also remember that time the Food Stamp People thought my partner was beating me when it was a mix of bruises and burns from work (Work kitchen was tiny with lots of pointy metal corners. Restaurant kitchens are burn factories and you aren't really able to stop and treat them properly. At the time I had scars from kitchens going back six years), and vigorous training in Wing Chun inflected with Muay Thai (which I was scared to tell them about for fear they'd cut my benefits).
* Friday was incredibly hard. I stayed up for Retina specialist. This is the follow up after the eye emergency where I nearly tore my retina on December 30-31. Retina specialist turned out to be where I suspected it was, which was lucky, though I went early in case I was wrong and had to find crime scene number two.
This place fascinates me. It has this ridiculously fancy massive check in and waiting area with coffee, tea, and cookies with high end decor, such as one might expect from a plastic surgeon catering to the rich. Very Swank, Very trendy. The clientele are very much not, but rather a cross section of mostly older people dressed in warm comfey clothes, who like me, look we all belong at Poverty Clinic from our clothes and the generally just rolled out of bed lack of styling. My hair was only half dried from washing when I left home and so despite having been brushed while wet was clumped together, a thing I was a bit embarrassed about as I had meant to brush it again to unclump it before leaving home, but forgot. I fit right in. Many of them looked like they hadn't brushed it all week.
The entire operation is like an old pre-conyer belt assembly line. There is this windowless undercoated intake room that is in startling contrast with the waiting area decor, that might be a repurposed supply closet. This is where they ask the basic questions, do a preliminary check, add the horrible eye drops of doom (Three types!), and check eye pressure.
Today's intake was one of the standard ladies working there in cheerful scrubs. She had a trainee whose scrub top outfit was the absolutely most elegant thing I'd ever seen done with a scrub top. Like, if you didn't know she was dressed for a medical setting, one would expect her sitting in a higher end restaurant or the audience for a stage performance. She made that work outfit look fashionable. She was doing the thing with the long sleeved shirt under the scrub top a lot of them do and they are allowed to wear solid trousers there, so only about half the people had scrub trousers. I think hers were a softer fabric, and were too tailored for scrubs or sweats without being tight like leggings. She was in black from the top of her beautifully draped hijab to her shoes. She looked amazing. I was so impressed by how put together she looked compared to literally every one there.
So then there's a little hallway lined with chairs where they park you until the next person comes to take you off for tests. Last time this involved several rooms each with different techs and machines. This time a guy just scanned my eyes and took me direct to the room with the big padded chair that reminds me of going to the dentist in the seventies. This is where the Retina Specialist himself looks at the scans and test results and then does his own special examination.
Short version, the left is as it was, the right is out of danger. The miniature cataracts are identical. He reiterated the you could blind yourself if you rub your eyes. I said I convinced several of my myopic friends not to rub their eyes since he had last seen me.
Bad eye stuff in next paragraph and after. Skate at your own risk.
Long version… The examination went really poorly as my right eye aches and itches at the best of time and had already had too much prodding. He was trying to do something involving a too bright light (because eye drops dilating my pupils) and forcing my eyelids to stay open with his fingers and it went on for ages and required me moving my eyeballs on command and not inching away from him. I don't do well with other peoples fingers and instruments too close to or in my eyes because of all the injuries when I was younger and also my right eye is always irritated now because that's the new normal. (I could put contacts in and take them out myself when I had them, but I could never tolerate someone else doing it). I kept inching away because for me this is torture. I really, really hurt and every instinct in my body wants me to avoid large things in or near my eye. Him also holding the light right up to my dilated pupil made it all so much worse. I couldn't hold still. He got rougher and understandably frustrated. It took ages.
Anyway, my eye's fine. Keep going to the optometrist every year, don't rub eyes, call if anything horrific happens again.
And then I tried to go home and another really bad thing happened to my injured eye. Skip next paragraph to avoid.
Something was wrong with my right eye rather suddenly. It was out of focus like there was a thin film over it. I was literally on the highway on moderate early lunch traffic. I am trying to find a way to clear the film without rubbing it because I am in the left lane and there are erratically moving trucks in the right and all the sudden speed changes are dangerous. It is rough having to drop from 60-35 as trucks move on and off at the illegally close on and off ramps. That sort of thing. Then suddenly everything goes mauve in my right eye. It's still too bright too white in my left. I checked. My theory is he subtly injured the lid or worse with his fingernail while he was doing the close examination and I was dealing with a thin layer of fluid from the injury, plus a wee bit of blood.
When I made it off the highway and could park to look, I couldn't really see anything in the visor mirror except maybe a barely there thin mauve corona around the pupil that could have been a trick of the light.
I made it home regardless, but the pain was so extreme I had a hell of a time getting to sleep. I'd just started to drift off when a Medicare robot called. It was a real Medicare robot and had my identifying data. This is why I didn't hang up right away. It did that long preamble thing they do where they try to hard sell me on something annoying and inconvenient that they know I don't want to do so they don't tell me the thing they are calling about, just launch into the sales pitch.
Live Medicare callers do the same thing. They will waste five minutes or more on nonsense preliminaries. I think they are trying to sunk cost fallacy people into agreeing, the way Cutco knives does.
I have a strict policy that if you wake me up you need to identify yourself and organization up front. If you don't I do my do not call list spiel and hang up. They passed this one. My next rule is if you do not tell me what you want by the end of sentence three, I hang up. You are wasting my time and every second of awake makes getting back to sleep that much harder. I can lose hours of sleep to irritating sleep cycle phone calls sometimes.
A Medicare robot once spent months waking me up because it did not say it was a Medicare robot. If a random robot phones me, I assume spam call and hang up. They then tried live humans who couldn't pass rule one or two. I hung up. Eventually some supervisor called, immediately identified she was calling for Medicare and then said with speedy desperation, "Don't hang up! It's about X." I did not hang up. That particular bit of Medicare must have a note in my file as a live person calls every time and immediately identifies who they are and why they are calling. I trained them!
Also, other bits of Medicare insist on the rambling mystery hard sell. In truth, I suspect the robot wanted me to do the annoying annual half hour intrusive phone survey. Better luck next time, robot! I wish there were someway to get them to do the annoying intrusive phone survey in the evening, like the political polling does. I am more willing to engage after 5PM. Also if they just say what they want without the time wasting.
Given just how much Medicare and IRS fishing scams target elderly people, I think it is weird that Medicare tries to make the phone robots sound as much like scam bots as possible. You'd think they'd WANT us to hang up on robo callers that don't identify themselves or launch themselves into fishy sounding high pressure sales pitches. Just saying.
So it took ages to get to sleep and then I woke up with the worst headache I've had in decades. We are talking post-concussive syndrome levels of completely non-functional needs to lie still in the dark pain. My theory is all the bright light and prodding at the eye doctor.
My eye still hurts and is a little filmy, but it's a clear film and then pain is down from on fire to extra annoying, so a win? I guess?
My eye sight is where it was a week after the Incident, so that's good.
* As of Saturday evening, thanks to a third kind donor, we have enough to cover housing tax and expected bills. I need to see what is going on with the clothes washer situation, but we are fine for now.
The UPS delivery date for the New Used laptop has been deleted. I have no idea what is going on in Pennsylvania. O.o
* After the Millennials left Sunday, I sprained my ankle, putting the sofa padding back where it goes. I'm also still dealing from after effects from Friday's headache. Tavy also cut up my under chin pretty badly before I went to bed Sunday morning.
I am increasingly worried the physio lady will think someone beat me up.
* "Elon Musk’s Email Ultimatum: Justify Accomplishments or Get Semi-Fired | The Daily Show:"
* "Vulgar Replies To Musk's Email | Trump's Mystery Bruise | Hooters In Trouble:"
* "Elon Musk Crashes Cabinet Meeting & Trump Touts $5M "Gold Card" for VIP Immigrants | The Daily Show:"
* "Who Runs DOGE? | White House Press Corps: We're Cooked | America's Gold Card For Rich Foreigners:"
* "Meanwhile... China's Puppy Mountain | Cocaine Toupet | Where's Waldo The Bull? | Celebrity Beaver:"
* "Josh Johnson Asks How NYCers Honor Black History Without Breaking DEI Bans | The Daily Show:"
* "The Problem with CRUISING (1980):"
* "Making Tight Medieval Hose:"
* "True Facts: Plants That Explode:"
* "True Facts: How Camels Conquered the Desert:"
* "How Vladimir Putin Got The Trump Family Jewels:"
* "Has Siri Gone Anti-MAGA?:"
* "Close Encounter 50th – SNL50:"
* "Elon Musk Cold Open - SNL:"
*****
* 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.
* "Nationwide Economic Blackout: Boycott Dates for Target, Amazon, Others:" https://www.newsweek.com/nationwide-economic-blackout-boycott-dates-target-amazon-others-2037986
* Save The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Explainer and directions here with link to government comment form: https://www.tumblr.com/veluigi/776960165468684288/action-item?source=share
Direct Link to Form: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/02/25/2025-03014/removal-of-national-environmental-policy-act-implementing-regulations
* Indigenous led organizationtrying to save endangered species that just lost Federal funding. "The Buffalo Nations Grasslands Alliance:" https://www.bnga.org/
* What to do if you are an adult who is losing your gender affirming care from your physician: https://www.tumblr.com/anonymousalchemist/774948824033673217
* Help Lambda Legal Continue their fight: https://support.lambdalegal.org/site/Donation2;jsessionid=00000000.app30130a?df_id=6680&mfc_pref=T&6680.donation=form1&NONCE_TOKEN=D3311163DF16F06EEA5520010BAF90B5&_gl=1*n53ras*_gcl_au*MTMxNDYxNjc0LjE3MzgxODExMzg.*_ga*MTY0NDY4OTM4NC4xNzM4MTgxMTM4*_ga_290ZG8GMP3*MTczODE4MTEzOC4xLjEuMTczODE4MTIwMi41OC4wLjA.
* Glad Law is fighting for trans service members. Want to help? https://givebutter.com/donatetoglad?utm_src=webheader&_gl=1*1qhxi1q*_ga*NDM3MjM0Mzk1LjE3NDEwMDk5NDA.*_ga_PCJHHSV2G7*MTc0MTAwOTk0MC4xLjAuMTc0MTAwOTk0MC4wLjAuMA..
* "Donate to the ACLU:" https://action.aclu.org/give/now
* "Vote Smart:" https://justfacts.votesmart.org/
* "Resources for California fire victims were scattered. So I created this site to help.:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/california-disaster-recovery-resources
* "Where your donations to L.A. fire victims will do the most good:" https://www.advocate.com/news/donate-los-angeles-fire-victims
* "Democracy 2025:" https://www.democracy2025.org/?utm_source=df-ad&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=21912407002&utm_content=721373734297&source=df-ad-gs&gad_source=1
* "Resisting Fascism in 2025 and Beyond:" https://www.prideandpagesbookclub.com/resisting-fascism-in-2025-and-beyond
* "Here are 26 organizations fighting Donald Trump that you can donate to:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/anti-donald-trump-charities
* Run for Something: https://runforsomething.net/
* "LGBTQ+ Victory Fund:" https://victoryfund.org/
* Where to protest the censoring and erasure of transfolk on the Stonewal Uprising monument if you can't go in person. Select no and leave a comment.: https://www.nps.gov/ston/index.htm
* "Palestine Children’s Relief Fund:" https://pcrf1.app.neoncrm.com/forms/gaza-recovery
* ACLU advice for writing to your Critters: https://www.aclu.org/writing-your-elected-representatives
* Contains a raid tip hotline amoung other things. "Know Your Rights
LEARN HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY:" https://wearecasa.org/know-your-rights/
* "The Black Consumer Advisory:" https://naacp.org/campaigns/black-consumer-advisory
* Want to help Virginia get a Democratic Governor? "Support Abigail's Campaign for Governor of Virginia!" https://secure.actblue.com/donate/blu-asfg-2025-gs-dd?refcode=BLU_ASFG_DD_GS_NT_NTL_Q1_01&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAt4C-BhBcEiwA8Kp0CcaXXWdWpVI1uyoauFCRFgrY9hsEMA4pbxF_TO6ZPHAdhNzOmcwHTxoC8lgQAvD_BwE
* What to do if you encounter an immigration official. "Know Your Rights:" https://unitedwedream.org/resources/know-your-rights/
* "ICE Raids Toolkit: Defend Against ICE Raids and Community Arrests:" https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/raids-toolkit/
* "ICE Watch Programs Can Protect Immigrants in Your Neighborhood — Here’s What to Know:" https://www.teenvogue.com/story/ice-watch-programs-immigrants-how-to-start
* "Legal Services for Your Reproductive Life:" https://reprolegalhelpline.org/
* "National Abortion Hotline:" https://prochoice.org/
* "Plan C: Abortion pills by mail in every state:" https://www.plancpills.org/
* "Resources for Accessing Abortion Care:" https://reproductivefreedomforall.org/resources/resources-for-accessing-abortion-care/
* "Contraception and Birth Control Resources:" https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/contraception/more_information/resources
* "Gynecologists who will perform a tubal sterilization:" https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Djia_WkrVO3S4jKn6odNwQk7pOcpcL4x00FMNekrb7Q/edit?gid=1318374028#gid=1318374028
* Useful organizing links and resources: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/771859083592613888/hater-of-terfs-ive-already-reblogged-a-link-to?source=share
* "We have a right to safety, privacy, and protest. Say no to mask bans.:" https://www.stopmaskbans.com/
* "Trans Kids Deserve Better:" https://transkidsdeservebetter.org/support
* "World Central Kitchen:" https://wck.org/
* Trans support organization: https://www.pointofpride.org/
* "Transanta: An opportunity to directly support trans youth:" https://thisfinecrew.dreamwidth.org/291573.html
* Links for various Palestinian Aid Organizations: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/750151174318112768?source=share
* "Black Alliance for Peace’s Atlanta Citywide Alliance:" https://linktr.ee/bapatlanta
* Map of Cop Cities planned or being built: https://isyourlifebetter.net/cop-cities-usa/
* Want to help Journalists without Borders? https://donate.rsf.org/us/donate/~my-donation
* How to donate to Doctors Without Borders: https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/secure/donate
* "The Rainbow Railroad:" https://www.rainbowrailroad.org/take-action
* "These Organizations Accept Donations To Help People in Ukraine:" https://www.snopes.com/news/2022/03/01/where-to-donate-help-ukraine/
* "Russia-Ukraine War: Info and ways to help:" https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/
* "Support OVD-Info:" https://beste-glatisant.tumblr.com/post/677388506851606528/hi-ive-donated-to-the-ukranian-refugees-and-now
* "War in Ukraine! Support LGBTQ people.:" https://secure.wayforpay.com/payment/s047412e502b6
* What to help fight for queer people in Africa? Try the Initiative Sankofa D’Afrique de l’Ouest www.ISDAO.org
* Organizations to help trans folk: https://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/620857152453640195/about-us
* Indivisible Guide for Trump 2.0 "A Practical Guide to defeating MAGA:" https://indivisible.org/resource/guide
* This tracks legislation: https://www.govtrack.us/
* Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? If you can't safely protest in person, here are some other options:
Five Calls to your critters: https://5calls.org/
Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the representative of your choice.
Senate: https://contactsenators.com/senator-phone-numbers/
Congress in General: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member
Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resist.bot/
* "DONATE TO EMILY'S LIST:" https://win.emilyslist.org/a/donate-to-emily
* What to help support all of us all here at the Cat Asylum? https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/Gwydion
* I admit to having a wicked good time tormenting myself and other history geeks with my polls: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydpolls
* "Israel’s refusal to withdraw from this narrow strip of desert could threaten the Gaza ceasefire:" https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-ceasefire-egypt-gaza-corridor-ca9615f42004a47bafe969fef1377e04
* "Israel block on Gaza aid coordinated with Trump administration, Israeli source says:" https://abcnews.go.com/International/israel-blocks-aid-gaza-hamas-ceasefire-phase-1/story?id=119338884
* "Newborns in Gaza are dying from the cold as fears rise over ceasefire's next phase :" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/gaza-babies-cold-dying-israel-hamas-rcna193784
* "Tens of thousands of Palestinians seek shelter after Israeli assaults across the West Bank:" https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/tens-thousands-palestinians-seek-shelter-after-israeli-assaults-119280768
* "Israel Is Gazafiying the West Bank, and Turning These Palestinians Into Refugees Yet Again:" https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/twilight-zone/2025-03-01/ty-article-magazine/.highlight/israel-is-gazafiying-the-west-bank-and-turning-these-palestinians-into-refugees-yet-again/00000195-4839-df18-a1fd-c8f906a60000
* I am so angry and I am out of words, really. To some up, Israel is breaking a bunch of ceasefire provisions and is back to blocking humanitarian aid to Palestinians, while also continuing their genocide in the West Bank. Israel is claiming that all this is somehow the Palestinian's fault.
* "Egypt and its neighbors working on alternative to Trump's Gaza plan that wouldn't displace Palestinians:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/israel-hamas-gaza-egypt-arab-post-war-counterproposal-trump-plan/
* Meanwhile, Republicans in America are laying the ground for Annexation. "Exclusive: GOP staffers told to call occupied West Bank Judea and Samaria:" https://www.axios.com/2025/02/26/west-bank-judea-samaria-name-change-gop
* He's trivializing his planned invasion and genocide. The level of disgusting here is beyond anything I have words for. "Trump posts madcap Gaza ‘Riviera’ AI video featuring sunbathing Netanyahu:" https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-posts-gaza-riviera-ai-video-sunbathing-benjamin-netanyahu/
* "Bernie Sanders Hasn’t Stopped Arms Sales to Israel — But He Won’t Stop Trying: With the ceasefire in Gaza on the edge of collapse, Sanders once again introduced resolutions to block certain weapons sales to Israel.:" https://theintercept.com/2025/02/26/bernie-sanders-israel-arms-gaza/
******
* "The Trump U.N. vote siding with Russia throws U.S. support for democracy into the trash heap of history:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/trump-un-vote
* "Trump’s Defense Secretary Hegseth Orders Cyber Command to ‘Stand Down’ on All Russia Operations:" https://gizmodo.com/trumps-defense-secretary-hegseth-orders-cyber-command-to-stand-down-on-all-russia-operations-2000570343
We have abjectly surrendered to Russia. I know most Republicans hate Democracy so much they'd rather be a Russian satellite country, because if they didn't they wouldn't have voted to Trump, and nearly all the Republican Senators are all in on exposing their bellies and pissing themselves if Putin even looks like he might rub their bellies and call them good boy, because if they didn't they wouldn't have put Pete Hegseth in charge of our military, but it still feels bizarre that Republicans didn't have even a sliver of patriotism left to prevent this.
* "Defense Secretary Hegseth orders U.S. Cyber Command to cease operations against Russia:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/defense-secretary-hegseth-orders-u-s-cyber-command-to-cease-operations-against-russia-233299013857
* "It Was an Ambush: Friday marked one of the grimmest days in the history of American diplomacy.:" https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/02/ukraine-us-relations-trump/681880/
* "‘A mugging’: Blumenthal slams Trump’s attack on Zelenskyy as ‘pathetic ambush’:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-a-mugging-blumenthal-slams-trump-s-attack-on-zelenskyy-as-pathetic-ambush-233243717773
* "Russian Journalist Invades Press Pool While Trump Meets Zelensky:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/russian-journalist-invades-press-pool-while-trump-meets-zelensky/
* "'Who's that good for?': Maddow connects the dots on Donald Trump's behavior toward Russia:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-who-s-that-good-for-maddow-connects-the-dots-on-donald-trump-s-behavior-toward-russia-233254981763
* "Maddow: Two new details learned from Trump's Oval Office meltdown:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/maddow-two-new-details-learned-from-trump-s-oval-office-meltdown-233259077571
* "No spine required: Republicans immediately dump support for Zelenskyy after Trump meltdown:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/no-spine-required-republicans-immediately-dump-support-for-zelenskyy-after-trump-meltdown-233260613669
* "Trump's Oval Office stunt leaves Zelenskyy cornered and Ukrainians afraid:" https://www.msnbc.com/ayman-mohyeldin/watch/trump-s-oval-office-stunt-leaves-zelenskyy-cornered-and-ukrainians-afraid-233279045691
* "The seismic shift in U.S. diplomacy after Trump's spat with Zelenskyy:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/how-trump-s-spat-with-zelenskyy-jolted-u-s-diplomacy-233275461744
* "Rep. Meeks: How Putin 'benefited' from Trump-Zelenskyy shouting match:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/putin-wins-in-the-shouting-match-between-zelenskyy-trump-rep-gregory-meeks-233274437938
* "Chris Hayes: Trump ‘irreparably destroyed’ world order with Zelenskyy blowup:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/chris-hayes-trump-irreparably-destroyed-world-order-with-zelenskyy-blowup-233236549860
* "US terminates support for Ukraine's energy grid restoration, NBC reports:" https://kyivindependent.com/nbc-us-terminated-support-of-ukraine-energy-grid-restoration/
This is designed to help Russia kill civilians by cutting heat in the middle of Winter, as the reason this was needed was to counter Russia's bombing of energy infrastructure.. This is us joining in Russia's genocide.
Elon has been actively siding with Russia. Cutting this USAID program sure looks deliberate to me.
* "Trump Abandons Zelenskyy, Defends Putin, and Proves His Unfitness (Again):"
I have been struggling since I first heard Friday to find words for the obscenity of Trump and Vance's behavior and the horror of what my country is doing, but I just couldn't find the words.
This speaks for me far better than I can right now.
* ""Time for Europe to step up": Contentious Trump-Zelenskyy meeting stuns politicians, world leaders: The heated exchange between nominal allies came as a shock to politicians around the world:" https://www.salon.com/2025/02/28/time-for-europe-to-step-up-contentious-zelenskyy-meeting-stuns-politicians-world-leaders/
* "Europeans scramble to show leadership of the 'free world' as U.S. alliance fractures:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/trump-europe-military-defense-ukraine-putin-merz-macron-nato-zelenskyy-rcna193992
* "Zelenskyy enacts true diplomacy as the GOP scrambles:" https://www.msnbc.com/ayman-mohyeldin/watch/zelenskyy-enacts-true-diplomacy-as-the-gop-scrambles-233308741833
* " Americans should be 'ashamed' at how Trump treats Zelenskyy and our allies, says Ambassador Rufus Gifford:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/rufus-gifford-trump-zelenskyy
***I'm going to leave the pre-Friday Trump-Russia-Ukraine stuff as people might want the lead up and I Republicans are already trying to gas light the country on this stuff***
* I am so ashamed of all of this. "What is in the draft of Trump's minerals deal with Ukraine?:" https://www.reuters.com/world/key-provisions-us-ukrainian-draft-minerals-deal-2025-02-26/
* "‘Gangsterism’: Ukraine agrees to minerals deal with Trump to secure U.S. support:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-gangsterism-ukraine-agrees-to-minerals-deal-with-trump-to-secure-u-s-support-232929349637
* "Trump, Russia, Ukraine, and the Artlessness of the Deal:"
* "Experts cite legal gaps in Trump's minerals deal with Ukraine:" https://www.reuters.com/world/experts-cite-legal-gaps-trumps-minerals-deal-with-ukraine-2025-02-27/
* "‘Trump likes what Putin does,' Bernie Sanders says in exclusive interview:" https://kyivindependent.com/us-senator-bernie-sanders-trump-likes-what-putin-does/
******
* One by one, the lights are going out all over the world. "Democracy Index 2024:" https://www.axios.com/2025/02/27/global-democracy-score-record-low-report
* "China military helicopter flies within 10 feet of Philippines patrol plane over South China Sea:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/south-china-sea-philippines-dangerous-military-encounter-us-tension/
* "Greece at standstill ahead of mass protest on anniversary of deadly train crash:" https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/greece-standstill-ahead-mass-protest-anniversary-deadly-train-crash-2025-02-28/
* "Donald Trump Needs to Be Uninvited From G7 Summit: Canadian Politician:" https://www.newsweek.com/jagmeet-singh-donald-trump-uninvited-g7-meeting-2036904
* "Our own Brexit? Experts warn of 'economic mayhem' thanks to Trump policies:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/our-own-brexit-experts-warn-of-economic-mayhem-thanks-to-trump-policies-233138245730
* "Can Trump Steal Greenland and Panama? ft. Liz Dye:"
* "Trump administration says it’s cutting 90% of USAID foreign aid contracts:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-foreign-aid-cuts-6292f48f8d4025bed0bf5c3e9d623c16
* They keep lying they restored funding while continuing to block it. "Elon Musk Says DOGE ‘Accidentally Canceled’ Ebola Prevention: DOGE's slash-and-burn approach to government funding is beyond reckless:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/elon-musk-doge-accidentally-canceled-ebola-prevention-1235280939/
* "Musk says work to stop Ebola was accidentally cut but restored. Experts raise doubts:" https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/02/27/g-s1-50929/elon-musk-ebola-usaid
* "'We will regret this': Cuts leave U.S. vulnerable to Ebola, contrary to Musk assurances:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-we-will-regret-this-cuts-leave-u-s-vulnerable-to-ebola-contrary-to-musk-assurances-233051205826
* "An out former USAID official speaks on the fatal global fallout of dissolving its LGBTQ+ programs:" https://www.advocate.com/news/ex-usaid-lgbtq-funding-trump
* "Supreme Court temporarily halts lower court's order for Trump to unfreeze foreign aid funds:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/supreme-court-temporarily-halts-lower-court-s-order-for-trump-to-unfreeze-foreign-aid-funds-233038405959
* "Fired federal workers stage DOGE protests in Washington:" https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/mountain/politics/2025/02/25/washington-d-c--doge-musk-protests
* "Activists arrested at die-in when protesting loss of global HIV funding:" https://www.advocate.com/news/activists-arrested-foreign-aid-protest
* "DHS registry for migrants in US illegally raises alarm from immigration advocates:" https://abcnews.go.com/US/immigration-law-experts-raise-concerns-dhs-registry-migrants/story?id=119231088
* "Trump allies circulate mass deportation plan calling for ‘processing camps’ and a private citizen ‘army’:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/25/documents-military-contractors-mass-deportations-022648
* "Trump's deportation project falls short of its hype; private 'army' presents concerning option:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-s-deportation-project-falls-short-of-its-hype-private-army-presents-concerning-option-232948293572
* "Judge blocks Trump’s executive order suspending refugee admissions to the US:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/25/trump-refugee-executive-order-injunction-federal-judge-00206016
* "Trump floats ‘gold card’ to grant US residency to wealthy foreigners:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/25/trump-floats-gold-card-grant-residency-wealthy-foreigners-00206116
* "Marco Rubio may have just banned trans foreigners seeking visas from U.S. entry:" https://www.advocate.com/news/marco-rubio-banned-transgender-visas
* "Venezuelan men allege mistreatment while in detention in Guantánamo Bay:" https://www.npr.org/2025/02/25/nx-s1-5306433/guantanamo-detainee-speaks-venezuela-trump-immigration-abuse
* "Man Sent to Guantánamo Bay for Biking on Wrong Side of the Road:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/man-sent-to-guantanamo-bay-for-biking-on-the-wrong-side-of-road/
* "ACLU and other advocates sue to block migrants from being sent to Guantánamo Bay:" https://www.npr.org/2025/03/01/g-s1-51567/aclu-sue-trump-migrants-guantanamo
* "Migrant arrests at US-Mexico border near record low in February:" https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/migrant-arrests-us-mexico-border-approach-record-low-february-2025-02-27/
* Record low immigration is not a crisis requiring militarizing the border like this, but here we are. "Up to 3,000 more U.S. troops are ordered to the border with Mexico:" https://www.npr.org/2025/03/01/nx-s1-5314368/more-border-troops-mexico
* "LGBTQ+ cruise rescues 11 refugees adrift in the Gulf of Mexico:" https://www.advocate.com/news/gay-cruise-refugee-sea-rescue
* "Plane crashes, near misses, smoked cabins as Trump rages about the delay with his gilded new Air Force One:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/air-force-one-trump
* "What Trump’s order making English the official language in the US could mean:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-declare-english-official-language-5b24f6ac1172803f615cea69e13f8724
People need documents they can read if they are going to sign them.
* "Busted: DOGE humiliated by brutal fact-checking, walks back bogus savings claims:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/busted-doge-humiliated-by-brutal-fact-checking-walks-back-bogus-savings-claims-232942661849
* "Musk, standing before Trump’s Cabinet, gets their applause and approval:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/26/musk-cabinet-trump-applause-00206245
* "The White House has evaded for weeks on saying who is leading DOGE. Here’s who it is.:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/25/doge-leader-elon-musk-00002670
* "'Incompetent, illegal': Why the Trump White House won't admit Musk is in charge:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-incompetent-illegal-why-the-trump-white-house-won-t-admit-musk-is-in-charge-233028677960
* "Elon’s Email Demand Is Being Met With ‘Very Rude’ Flood of Spam:" https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/elon-musk-email-spam-very-rude-1235278629/
* "What I Did Last Week: An Email to Elon Musk :" https://newrepublic.com/article/191989/email-elon-musk-cpac-salute
* NWS. "TVs at HUD Played an AI-Generated Video of Donald Trump Kissing Elon Musk’s Feet:" https://www.wired.com/story/trump-musk-hud-feet-video/
* How to flood the DOGE/OPM.Elon Musk justify your job email system: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gL40i2ROFbQ
* "Musk and Trump’s federal layoffs are just getting started:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/26/trump-administration-federal-agencies-mass-layoffs-00206222
* "Youngkin Offers Constituents Insulting ‘Job Fair’ As Musk Purges Virginian Federal Workers:" https://talkingpointsmemo.com/where-things-stand/youngkin-offers-constituents-insulting-job-fair-as-musk-purges-virginian-federal-workers
* "The Trump administration sets the stage for large-scale federal worker layoffs in a new memo:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-layoffs-d295d4bb2cdd5023c27d9cb03754e81b
* "OPM illegally ordered agencies to fire ‘probationary’ federal employees, judge rules:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/27/opm-firing-probationary-federal-agency-employees-judge-ruling-00206615
The employees either were hired, promoted, or changed jobs within the government. The employees did nothing wrong. Being fired for being promoted, for example, is punishing excellence and the opposite of a merit based system.
* "How Trump and Musk’s agenda is shaping up to be full-on class warfare:" https://www.msnbc.com/ayman-mohyeldin/watch/how-trump-and-musk-s-agenda-is-shaping-up-to-be-full-on-class-warfare-233278533708
* "Trump's federal demolition failing on multiple fronts as courts step in, public opinion turns:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-s-federal-demolition-failing-on-multiple-fronts-as-courts-step-in-public-opinion-turns-233158725843
* Meanwhile in Republican extreme corruption news. "FAA targeting Verizon contract in favor of Musk's Starlink, the Washington Post reports:" https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/faa-targeting-verizon-contract-favor-musks-starlink-washington-post-reports-2025-02-26/
* "‘Fundamental corruption’: Chris Murphy blasts Elon Musk’s $2.4 billion FAA scheme:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-fundamental-corruption-chris-murphy-blasts-elon-musk-s-2-4-billion-faa-scheme-233140293940
* "Social Security Administration could cut up to 50% of its workforce:" https://apnews.com/article/social-security-layoffs-doge-musk-trump-93efbed33957af5ec8ac37744d0592de
* He's going after social security next. "Elon Musk Calls Social Security 'The Biggest Ponzi Scheme Of All Time':" https://www.huffpost.com/entry/elon-musk-social-security-ponzi-scheme_n_67c337cce4b049364f4586a3
* "Why a former IRS commissioner says Musk’s mass layoffs are a huge mistake:" https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-a-former-irs-commissioner-says-musks-mass-layoffs-are-a-huge-mistake
* "Tulsi Gabbard purges intelligence officers over out-of-context conversations conservatives decry as ‘transgender sex chats’:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/intelligence-officers-fired-transgender-chat
* "Federal judge rules Trump administration can fire career intel officers who had DEI jobs :" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/federal-judge-rules-trump-administration-can-fire-career-intel-officer-rcna194036
* "Critics Worry Kash Patel Will Purge the FBI. Would He Even Need To?:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/kash-patel-fbi-director-nominee-purge-1235273360/
* "FBI agents express shock and dismay over naming of right-wing podcaster to No. 2 post: Dan Bongino — who once called the FBI “irredeemably corrupt”— suggested on his podcast Monday that he was prepared to step out of his role as a MAGA warrior.:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/fbi-agents-express-shock-dismay-naming-right-wing-podcaster-no-2-post-rcna193498
* "Protesters flood national parks to express outrage over job cuts:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/protesters-flood-national-parks-express-outrage-job-cuts-rcna194406
* I can't cover all the protests across the country, but I want to thank all of you participating. "Trump’s first month sparks protests, packed town halls across Oregon:" https://www.opb.org/article/2025/02/27/trumps-first-month-sparks-protests-packed-town-halls-across-oregon/
* If your Congress Critters are cowards, call or email or protest other places, like Tesla Dealerships. Stay Noisy. "House Republicans hit the brakes on town halls after blowback over Trump's cuts:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-republicans-town-halls-blowback-trump-cuts-rcna193766
* "DHS quietly eliminates ban on surveillance based on sexual orientation and gender identity:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/dhs-allows-surveillance-sexual-orientation
* "FDA moves to rehire medical device, food safety and other staffers fired days earlier:" https://apnews.com/article/fda-layoffs-trump-doge-rehired-medical-devices-85d4743e4ce88dbe3b99c813bad4b702
* "America’s Food Safety Is Now in the Hands of Don Jr.’s Hunting Buddy:" https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/food-safety-donald-trump-jr-kyle-diamantas-hunting-buddy
* As a 14th Century specialist... O.o, that Marmot thing! "Qualifications of Trump's new food safety official seem even worse for the company he keeps:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/qualifications-of-trump-s-new-food-safety-official-seems-even-worse-for-the-company-he-keeps-233052741732
* "'This guy': Trump Jr.’s hunting buddy to be top food regulator at FDA:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/trump-jr-s-hunting-buddy-to-be-top-food-regulator-at-fda-232924741784
* "Trump administration weighs pulling funding for Moderna bird flu vaccine, Bloomberg News reports:" https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/trump-administration-weighs-pulling-funding-moderna-bird-flu-vaccine-bloomberg-2025-02-27/
* "FDA cancels meeting to select flu strains for next season's shots:" https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fda-cancels-meeting-select-flu-strains-seasons-shots-rcna193931
* CW: Child Death. "A child has died in the Texas measles outbreak:" https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/02/26/nx-s1-5309800/texas-measles-child-death-vaccination
Unless a child is barred from vaccination for a medical reason like cancer, it is child abuse not to vaccinate, in my opinion.
* CW: Child Death "As measles outbreak turns deadly, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. bungles the facts:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/as-measles-outbreak-turns-deadly-robert-f-kennedy-jr-bungles-the-facts-233052229739
* "‘Nightmare scenario’: Fears grow as RFK Jr. downplays deadly measles outbreak:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-nightmare-scenario-fears-grow-as-rfk-jr-downplays-deadly-measles-outbreak-233032261573
* "Some experts question RFK Jr. calling measles outbreak 'not unusual':" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/experts-question-rfk-jr-calling-measles-outbreak-unusual/story?id=119221816
* "This cancer researcher was studying LGBTQ+ people. Her work is now in limbo:" https://www.advocate.com/health/cancer-research-lgbtq-people-suspended
* "Rupa Bhattacharyya - World Trade Center Health Program & DOGE's Effect on Gov't | The Daily Show:"
* "Pentagon orders budget revamp to reinvest $50 billion into Trump defense priorities:" https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-looks-8-defense-budget-cut-each-next-5-years-washington-post-reports-2025-02-19/
* "America Has a Rogue President:" https://archive.ph/2vaPM
* "'Rogue president': Trump removal of senior military leaders, military lawyers raises alarm:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-rogue-president-trump-removal-of-senior-military-leaders-military-lawyers-raises-alarm-232843845746
* This is essential to the Republican plan to destroy the VA so they can force Veteran's into the for profit insurance market. "'These Are Human Beings': VA Fires 1,400 More Employees It Considers Nonessential:" https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/02/25/these-are-human-beings-va-fires-1400-more-employees-it-considers-nonessential.html
* "‘We are watching the gutting of VA,’ veterans groups warn in wake of federal worker firings:" https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2025-02-26/veterans-jobs-trump-firings-16963479.html
* "Trump suffers backlash as Musk's crew attacks services for veterans:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-suffers-backlash-as-musk-s-crew-attacks-services-for-veterans-233162309580
* "Outrage after Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon tries to quietly move to kick out transgender troops:" https://www.advocate.com/news/pentagon-quietly-pushes-transgender-ban
* "Transgender troops are now being identified for removal under Pentagon orders:" https://apnews.com/article/transgender-military-trump-ban-troops-deb9e388ff588d9d25fb0d8cc58e540f
* "Trans colonel faces removal after decades of service: 'Absolutely heartbroken':" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/pentagon-plans-to-purge-transgender-troops-from-u-s-military-233276997560
* "BREAKING: Trump administration says trans service members have until March 26 to quit Air Force:" https://www.advocate.com/news/trump-transgender-departure-ultimatum
* "Trump administration admits to judge it doesn’t know how many troops are trans—or why it’s banning them:" https://www.advocate.com/news/doj-undermines-trump-military-ban
Glad Law is fighting for trans service members. Want to help? https://givebutter.com/donatetoglad?utm_src=webheader&_gl=1*1qhxi1q*_ga*NDM3MjM0Mzk1LjE3NDEwMDk5NDA.*_ga_PCJHHSV2G7*MTc0MTAwOTk0MC4xLjAuMTc0MTAwOTk0MC4wLjAuMA..
* "Trump's Justice Department files complaint about lesbian judge hearing trans military case:" https://www.advocate.com/news/trump-doj-slams-lesbian-judge
Remember how last time Trump was in office he tried to bar a Latino judge from a case on the grounds of bias because Trump was racist and therefore a non-white judge couldn't judge him fairly?
Lets hope The Justice Department gets shot down on this one too, as otherwise it is incredibly scary and dangerous.
* "Over 80 House Democrats demand Trump rescind gender-affirming care ban: 'We want trans kids to live':" https://www.advocate.com/politics/house-democrats-trans-youth-care
* "Federal judge blocks Trump’s transfer of transgender women to men’s prisons:" https://www.advocate.com/news/judge-blocks-trump-transgender-prisoners
* "Art Museum of the Americas cancels Black & LGBTQ+ exhibitions after Trump’s DEI crackdown:" https://www.advocate.com/news/museum-pulls-lgbtq-black-artists
* "EPA moves to ditch finding that greenhouse gases cause harm:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/26/epa-greenhouse-gases-00204866
* Save The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Explainer and directions here with link to government comment form: https://www.tumblr.com/veluigi/776960165468684288/action-item?source=share
Direct Link to Form: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/02/25/2025-03014/removal-of-national-environmental-policy-act-implementing-regulations
* "This animal is on the edge of extinction. Trump just fired the people trying to save it.:" https://www.vox.com/down-to-earth/401389/trump-doge-fish-wildife-service-black-footed-ferret?ref=organizingmythoughts.org
* This is one of the Indigenous led organizations trying to save them. "The Buffalo Nations Grasslands Alliance, :" https://www.bnga.org/
* "Trump administration layoffs hit NOAA, agency that forecasts weather, hurricanes:" https://www.npr.org/2025/02/27/nx-s1-5298738/trump-administration-layoffs-hit-noaa-the-agency-that-forecasts-weather-and-hurricanes
The only reason you would do this is if you want horrific weather disasters people aren't prepared for. Trump ran on doing this, so I guess this is what Republicans want even though a whole lot of them rely on hurricane, tornado, flood warnings, etc.. It baffles me that this seems like a good idea to literally anybody.
* "Mass Layoffs at NOAA Spark Concerns Over Weather, Climate Research:" https://time.com/7262974/noaa-layoffs-climate-research-weather/
* This feels related to me. "Farmers Sue Agriculture Department Over 'Purge' of Climate Information:" https://www.newsweek.com/farmers-sue-agriculture-department-climate-information-government-website-2035619
* Hint: Not Remotely. "Is Brandon Williams qualified to oversee the nation’s nuclear arsenal?:" https://www.syracuse.com/politics/cny/2025/02/is-brandon-williams-qualified-to-oversee-the-nations-nuclear-arsenal.html
* "The National Archives is nonpartisan but has found itself targeted by Trump:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-archives-firings-layoffs-historical-recordkeeping-559027fdd2f634263bea7774a78d66fe
* "Judge blocks Department of Education, federal personnel office from sharing data with DOGE:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/doge/judge-blocks-department-education-federal-personnel-office-sharing-dat-rcna193453
* Cruelty is the point. "The Department of Education Told Employees to End Support for Transgender Students:" https://www.propublica.org/article/department-of-education-transgender-students-email
* "Teens with disabilities were getting help with life after high school. Then DOGE started cutting.:" https://www.chalkbeat.org/2025/02/26/trump-doge-cuts-to-education-research-hit-classrooms-and-students/
* This is the end of an independent Justice Department. "Trump White House says it can talk to Justice Dept. on criminal cases:" https://archive.ph/qxe00
* "White House seizes control of press pool, will decide which outlets cover events with president:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/25/trump-white-house-press-pool-access-00206001
* "Judge refuses to overturn Trump’s ban on Associated Press in White House press pool:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/24/trump-associated-press-court-hearing-00205852
* "7 key takeaways from the Supreme Court’s ‘reverse discrimination’ case:" https://www.advocate.com/news/scotus-skeptical-reverse-discrimination-rule
* "Tennessee drag ban will stay as SCOTUS refuses to hear case, but artists 'refuse to be silenced':" https://www.advocate.com/news/tennessee-drag-ban-supreme-court
* Michiganders! Now would be a great time to protest. "Michigan Republican lawmaker to introduce resolution asking SCOTUS to overturn marriage equality:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/scotus-resolution-overturn-marriage-equality
* "Michigan’s lesbian attorney general slams GOP movement to end marriage rights in just 4 words:" https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/02/michigans-lesbian-attorney-general-slams-gop-movement-to-end-marriage-rights-in-just-4-words/
* "North Dakota GOP advances resolution calling for end to nationwide marriage equality:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/north-dakota-anti-marriage-equality
* "Number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rises to 242,000, highest level in 3 months:" https://apnews.com/article/unemployment-benefits-jobless-claims-layoffs-labor-a4b9beab0c8a16c374ed5492f02a61f6
* "Consumer confidence falls the most since 2021 over fears about inflation and tariffs:" https://www.npr.org/2025/02/25/nx-s1-5307965/consumer-confidence-sentiment-inflation-trump-tariffs
* "Republicans consider major budget change to obscure deficit impact of extending Trump's tax cuts:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/republicans-budget-change-deficit-impact-trump-tax-cuts-rcna194015
* "Gov. Beshear warns against GOP Medicaid cuts: 'It would be a betrayal':" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/gov-beshear-warns-against-gop-medicaid-cuts-it-would-be-a-betrayal-233035333593
People like me will die. This is the goal, of course.
Republicans want to remind you that this extreme life threatening cruelty is essential to pay for the massive tax cuts they want to give a handful of billionaires.
If you have Democratic Senators, call to stiffen their spines and get them to stand firm in unity. If you have Republican critters focus on how it will harm their base. If you can get your Republican Congress person to vote against this budget, it will be incredibly helpful, as the margin is small. Say whatever you need to say to sway them.
Either way, tell them you will never vote for them again if they pass this budget.
* "Liberal Redneck - On Gutting Medicaid and Food Stamps to Cover More Tax Cuts for the Wealthy:"
* "Were SNAP Benefits Cut? House Republican Budget Explained:" https://www.newsweek.com/were-snap-benefits-cut-house-republican-budget-explained-2036687
* I want to thank all of you who have been protesting and will be protesting. "“It's heartbreaking" Medicaid supporters protest against spending cuts:" https://www.nbc26.com/oshkosh/its-heartbreaking-medicaid-supporters-protest-against-spending-cuts
* I'm not holding my breath for Republicans voting for Bernie's ethical and logical and fiscally sensible proposal, alas. "Social Security Update: Lawmakers' New Plan Would Expand Benefits by $2,400:" https://www.newsweek.com/social-security-update-lawmakers-new-plan-expand-benefits-2400-2037496
* "Even Republicans object as Trump DOJ nominees are disturbingly noncommittal on obeying courts:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/even-republicans-object-as-trump-doj-nominees-are-disturbingly-noncommittal-on-obeying-courts-233161285780
* "Dr. Mehmet Oz holds millions from companies that he’d wield power over if confirmed, report shows:" https://archive.ph/EG3jm#selection-2461.0-2461.14
* The Republican War on the Environment continues. "Congress is reversing a tax on this climate superpollutant: The Senate voted to overturn an EPA rule requiring oil companies to pay a fine for emitting methane, a powerful greenhouse gas:" https://archive.ph/bxbrn
* "Thune says Senate will consider bill to restrict trans athletes ‘early next week’:" https://www.ktsm.com/news/national-news/thune-says-senate-will-consider-bill-to-restrict-trans-athletes-early-next-week/
Explainer: "Call your Senators RIGHT NOW: "https://solarbird.dreamwidth.org/2027950.html
* "Iowa senator condemns GOP in fiery speech over trans civil rights repeal: ‘Shame on all of you Christians’ (exclusive):" https://www.advocate.com/politics/tony-bisignano-iowa-transgender-rights-speech
* Our job for the next two years is to survive, to build grassroots resistance, to do all in our power to slow the republican Christo-fascist agenda, and to prepare for 2026 in case there is still Democracy.
We are trying to build a good list of resistance resources.
Please add more below if you have them.
* Trump 2.0 Indivisible Guide. https://indivisible.org/resource/guide
* "Democracy 2025:" https://www.democracy2025.org/?utm_source=df-ad&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=21912407002&utm_content=721373734297&source=df-ad-gs&gad_source=1
* "Resisting Fascism in 2025 and Beyond:" https://www.prideandpagesbookclub.com/resisting-fascism-in-2025-and-beyond
* Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? If you can't safely contact them in person, here are some other options:
Five Calls to your critters: https://5calls.org/
Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resist.bot/
"Congress. gov:" https://www.congress.gov/
ACLU advice for writing to your Critters: https://www.aclu.org/writing-your-elected-representatives
Script to complain about Elon Musk/DOGE. I also suggest contacting your AG about data privacy. "Introducing Red State Scripts, Vol. 1:" https://homewiththearmadillo.blog/2025/02/10/introducing-red-state-scripts-vol-1/
* This tracks legislation: https://www.govtrack.us/
* "Vote Smart:" https://justfacts.votesmart.org/
* Useful organizing links and resources: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/771859083592613888/hater-of-terfs-ive-already-reblogged-a-link-to?source=share
* Run for Something: https://runforsomething.net/
* How to render emergency aid in a riot: https://riotmedicine.net/static/downloads/riot-medicine_a5.pdf
* "How to Safely and Ethically Film Police Misconduct:" https://www.teenvogue.com/story/how-to-film-police-safely
* Avoiding Activist Burnout: https://www.tumblr.com/veluigi/771755723969478656/on-twitter-im-seeing-dozens-of-threads-from-black?source=share
* "ICE Raids Toolkit: Defend Against ICE Raids and Community Arrests:" https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/raids-toolkit/
* Contains a raid tip hotline amoung other things. "Know Your Rights
LEARN HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY:" https://wearecasa.org/know-your-rights/
* An older article, but on my mind given the Republican attempt to repeal birthright citizenship for Indigenous Americans. "For Many Indigenous People, Voting Is Getting Harder:" https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/montana-indian-citizenship-act/
* This one really matters, don't sleep on this one Wisconsin! "Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates spar over Musk and Soros donations in high-stakes race:" https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-supreme-court-elon-musk-trump-389c78d86d0e81913decdd1efe180d89
* "The troubling anti-LGBTQ+ history of a conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate :" https://www.advocate.com/politics/brad-schimel-troubling-lgbtq-history
* "Thirty lonely but beautiful actions you can take right now which probably won't magically catalyze a mass movement against Trump but that are still wildly important:" https://thewhitepages.net/p/thirty-lonely-but-beautiful-actions
* ""A woman is like a child": MAGA quickly turns its sights on stripping Republican women of power:" https://www.salon.com/2025/02/26/a-woman-is-like-a-child-maga-quickly-turns-its-sights-on-stripping-women-of-power/
* "Transphobic discrimination legalized in Iowa:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/breaking-transphobic-discrimination-legalized-iowa
* "Upstate New York town adopts inclusion resolution in wake of trans man Sam Nordquist's death:" https://www.advocate.com/news/canandaigua-inclusivity-resolution-sam-nordquist
* "Texas leaders defend Black official after lawmaker’s public interrogation of DEI policies left her in tears:" https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/28/texas-brian-harrison-DEI-water-board/
* She decided to endanger the life of a teenager. "Maine lawmaker censured for outing, deadnaming trans student athlete:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/maine-lawmaker-censured-outing-student
* Contains Boycott dates into June. "Nationwide Economic Blackout: Boycott Dates for Target, Amazon, Others:" https://www.newsweek.com/nationwide-economic-blackout-boycott-dates-target-amazon-others-2037986
* CW: Rape. "Neil Gaiman is a Monster, Not a Master:"
* CW: Rape "Andrew Tate, the accused human trafficker with Trump’s support, returns to the US:" https://www.vox.com/culture/401197/andrew-tate-trump-support-richard-grenell-tweet
We actually pressured them to send them here instead of trying them because I guess we don't have enough human traffickers here in the opinion of republicans.
* CW: Rape. "Prison work assignments used to lure and rape female inmates. Guards sometimes walk free:" https://apnews.com/article/prison-rape-women-inmates-guards-001a816334d8745fd29557f02b2f0e5a?
* The Republicans are trying to weaponize transphobia to entirely dismantle federal disability protections, a long cherished right wing dream. We hang together or hang separately, folks. "Disability advocates rally in Capitol as lawsuit involving Missouri AG sparks fear, confusion:" https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/27/disability-advocates-rally-in-capitol-as-lawsuit-involving-missouri-ag-sparks-fear-confusion/
* "Ugly is evil: the dystopian legacy of 2000s makeover tv:"
* "Philadelphia schools will allow trans athletes to compete, rejecting Trump executive order:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/philadelphia-schools-transgender-athletes
* "Ohio university posts 'biological sex' restroom signs, then says it was a mistake:" https://www.advocate.com/news/university-cincinnati-exclustionary-restroom-protest
* "Congo mystery disease "investigation deepens" as deadly, unidentified illness spreads, WHO says:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/congo-mystery-disease-deaths-who-investigation-deepens/
Elon Musk is still illegally blocking money to the team that would normally be investigating this before it spreads. The death rate is rising alarmingly.
* "“Not Medically Necessary”: Inside the Company Helping America’s Biggest Health Insurers Deny Coverage for Care:" https://www.propublica.org/article/evicore-health-insurance-denials-cigna-unitedhealthcare-aetna-prior-authorizations
* "Millions of low-cost homes are deteriorating, making the U.S. housing shortage worse:" https://www.npr.org/2024/10/30/g-s1-30916/housing-crisis-affordable-homes-deteriorating-shortage-repair
* "The Answer To Making Cities More Family-Friendly? Courtyards:" https://archive.ph/TaeAf#selection-1428.0-1428.1
* "Cul-de-Sacs, But Smarter: How Montreal is Rethinking Residential Streets:"
* "‘Found’ Dataset Reveals Lost Maya City Full of Pyramids and Plazas, Hiding in Plain Sight Beneath a Mexican Forest:" https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/found-dataset-reveals-lost-maya-city-hiding-in-plain-sight-beneath-a-mexican-forest-180985354/
* "Lost Chopin music unearthed nearly 200 years after composer's death:" https://abc7news.com/post/frederic-chopin-lost-music-unearthed-200-years-after-composers-death/15486086/
* "The Toxic Wave That Swallowed a Tennessee Town: The night of the 2008 coal ash disaster in Kingston, Tennessee:" https://oxfordamerican.org/oa-now/the-toxic-wave-that-swallowed-a-tennessee-town
* "'Buffy' and 'Gossip Girl' actress Michelle Trachtenberg dead at 39:" https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/buffy-gossip-girl-actress-michelle-trachtenberg-dead-39/story?id=119215091
* " Gene Hackman and Wife Betsy Arakawa Found Dead in Santa Fe Home; Oscar-Winning Star of ‘French Connection’ and ‘Unforgiven’ Was 95 :" https://variety.com/2025/film/obituaries-people-news/gene-hackman-dead-wife-discovered-french-connection-unforgiven-1236322100/
* "Listeria outbreak linked to recalled frozen shakes now blamed for 12 deaths:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/listeria-outbreak-frozen-shakes-recall/
Republicans want to remind you that killing people by firing food safety workers is an essential cost cutting measure required to pay for tax cuts for a hand full of billionaires, including the billionaire that fired them.
* The difficulty took level of Wednesday was turned up way too high. Connectivity outages. Hours lost to whatever Tavy did to Dreamwidth. The fish urgent stuff they needed me to do that is physically exhausting and of course I had one of my semi-falls. A bad one that fucked up my dominant wrist. Then there was a failed quest to find an ace bandage that went missing during a reorganization a while back, though I did find three things I'd given up looking for over a month ago. Then the ice pack quest. Massive over sized ice pack and the tiny ones for burns? Easy. The midsized flexible ones? A minor drama. I've managed a makeshift thing that will at least hold a pack on, but it gets in the way of typing.
My real worry is that someone will take it for a defensive injury instead of me slamming it hard into a doorframe while flailing in an attempt not to land on the bathroom tiles, then landing hard on the bathroom tiles.
I have a retina follow up appointment from the December near half blinding Friday morning. (At a location Squirrel and I can't remember because we were exhausted and I was fucked up from the near half blinding and not driving.) I have looked on line and there is a likely place where I thought the eye specialist might be so fingers crossed.
There is physio next Tuesday. Between that and all the eye specialist people, I am scared one of them will call adult protective services, or worse the cops, thinking I am being abused. I am not. I respect people calling in to try to protect vulnerable adults. I also remember that time the Food Stamp People thought my partner was beating me when it was a mix of bruises and burns from work (Work kitchen was tiny with lots of pointy metal corners. Restaurant kitchens are burn factories and you aren't really able to stop and treat them properly. At the time I had scars from kitchens going back six years), and vigorous training in Wing Chun inflected with Muay Thai (which I was scared to tell them about for fear they'd cut my benefits).
* Friday was incredibly hard. I stayed up for Retina specialist. This is the follow up after the eye emergency where I nearly tore my retina on December 30-31. Retina specialist turned out to be where I suspected it was, which was lucky, though I went early in case I was wrong and had to find crime scene number two.
This place fascinates me. It has this ridiculously fancy massive check in and waiting area with coffee, tea, and cookies with high end decor, such as one might expect from a plastic surgeon catering to the rich. Very Swank, Very trendy. The clientele are very much not, but rather a cross section of mostly older people dressed in warm comfey clothes, who like me, look we all belong at Poverty Clinic from our clothes and the generally just rolled out of bed lack of styling. My hair was only half dried from washing when I left home and so despite having been brushed while wet was clumped together, a thing I was a bit embarrassed about as I had meant to brush it again to unclump it before leaving home, but forgot. I fit right in. Many of them looked like they hadn't brushed it all week.
The entire operation is like an old pre-conyer belt assembly line. There is this windowless undercoated intake room that is in startling contrast with the waiting area decor, that might be a repurposed supply closet. This is where they ask the basic questions, do a preliminary check, add the horrible eye drops of doom (Three types!), and check eye pressure.
Today's intake was one of the standard ladies working there in cheerful scrubs. She had a trainee whose scrub top outfit was the absolutely most elegant thing I'd ever seen done with a scrub top. Like, if you didn't know she was dressed for a medical setting, one would expect her sitting in a higher end restaurant or the audience for a stage performance. She made that work outfit look fashionable. She was doing the thing with the long sleeved shirt under the scrub top a lot of them do and they are allowed to wear solid trousers there, so only about half the people had scrub trousers. I think hers were a softer fabric, and were too tailored for scrubs or sweats without being tight like leggings. She was in black from the top of her beautifully draped hijab to her shoes. She looked amazing. I was so impressed by how put together she looked compared to literally every one there.
So then there's a little hallway lined with chairs where they park you until the next person comes to take you off for tests. Last time this involved several rooms each with different techs and machines. This time a guy just scanned my eyes and took me direct to the room with the big padded chair that reminds me of going to the dentist in the seventies. This is where the Retina Specialist himself looks at the scans and test results and then does his own special examination.
Short version, the left is as it was, the right is out of danger. The miniature cataracts are identical. He reiterated the you could blind yourself if you rub your eyes. I said I convinced several of my myopic friends not to rub their eyes since he had last seen me.
Bad eye stuff in next paragraph and after. Skate at your own risk.
Long version… The examination went really poorly as my right eye aches and itches at the best of time and had already had too much prodding. He was trying to do something involving a too bright light (because eye drops dilating my pupils) and forcing my eyelids to stay open with his fingers and it went on for ages and required me moving my eyeballs on command and not inching away from him. I don't do well with other peoples fingers and instruments too close to or in my eyes because of all the injuries when I was younger and also my right eye is always irritated now because that's the new normal. (I could put contacts in and take them out myself when I had them, but I could never tolerate someone else doing it). I kept inching away because for me this is torture. I really, really hurt and every instinct in my body wants me to avoid large things in or near my eye. Him also holding the light right up to my dilated pupil made it all so much worse. I couldn't hold still. He got rougher and understandably frustrated. It took ages.
Anyway, my eye's fine. Keep going to the optometrist every year, don't rub eyes, call if anything horrific happens again.
And then I tried to go home and another really bad thing happened to my injured eye. Skip next paragraph to avoid.
Something was wrong with my right eye rather suddenly. It was out of focus like there was a thin film over it. I was literally on the highway on moderate early lunch traffic. I am trying to find a way to clear the film without rubbing it because I am in the left lane and there are erratically moving trucks in the right and all the sudden speed changes are dangerous. It is rough having to drop from 60-35 as trucks move on and off at the illegally close on and off ramps. That sort of thing. Then suddenly everything goes mauve in my right eye. It's still too bright too white in my left. I checked. My theory is he subtly injured the lid or worse with his fingernail while he was doing the close examination and I was dealing with a thin layer of fluid from the injury, plus a wee bit of blood.
When I made it off the highway and could park to look, I couldn't really see anything in the visor mirror except maybe a barely there thin mauve corona around the pupil that could have been a trick of the light.
I made it home regardless, but the pain was so extreme I had a hell of a time getting to sleep. I'd just started to drift off when a Medicare robot called. It was a real Medicare robot and had my identifying data. This is why I didn't hang up right away. It did that long preamble thing they do where they try to hard sell me on something annoying and inconvenient that they know I don't want to do so they don't tell me the thing they are calling about, just launch into the sales pitch.
Live Medicare callers do the same thing. They will waste five minutes or more on nonsense preliminaries. I think they are trying to sunk cost fallacy people into agreeing, the way Cutco knives does.
I have a strict policy that if you wake me up you need to identify yourself and organization up front. If you don't I do my do not call list spiel and hang up. They passed this one. My next rule is if you do not tell me what you want by the end of sentence three, I hang up. You are wasting my time and every second of awake makes getting back to sleep that much harder. I can lose hours of sleep to irritating sleep cycle phone calls sometimes.
A Medicare robot once spent months waking me up because it did not say it was a Medicare robot. If a random robot phones me, I assume spam call and hang up. They then tried live humans who couldn't pass rule one or two. I hung up. Eventually some supervisor called, immediately identified she was calling for Medicare and then said with speedy desperation, "Don't hang up! It's about X." I did not hang up. That particular bit of Medicare must have a note in my file as a live person calls every time and immediately identifies who they are and why they are calling. I trained them!
Also, other bits of Medicare insist on the rambling mystery hard sell. In truth, I suspect the robot wanted me to do the annoying annual half hour intrusive phone survey. Better luck next time, robot! I wish there were someway to get them to do the annoying intrusive phone survey in the evening, like the political polling does. I am more willing to engage after 5PM. Also if they just say what they want without the time wasting.
Given just how much Medicare and IRS fishing scams target elderly people, I think it is weird that Medicare tries to make the phone robots sound as much like scam bots as possible. You'd think they'd WANT us to hang up on robo callers that don't identify themselves or launch themselves into fishy sounding high pressure sales pitches. Just saying.
So it took ages to get to sleep and then I woke up with the worst headache I've had in decades. We are talking post-concussive syndrome levels of completely non-functional needs to lie still in the dark pain. My theory is all the bright light and prodding at the eye doctor.
My eye still hurts and is a little filmy, but it's a clear film and then pain is down from on fire to extra annoying, so a win? I guess?
My eye sight is where it was a week after the Incident, so that's good.
* As of Saturday evening, thanks to a third kind donor, we have enough to cover housing tax and expected bills. I need to see what is going on with the clothes washer situation, but we are fine for now.
The UPS delivery date for the New Used laptop has been deleted. I have no idea what is going on in Pennsylvania. O.o
* After the Millennials left Sunday, I sprained my ankle, putting the sofa padding back where it goes. I'm also still dealing from after effects from Friday's headache. Tavy also cut up my under chin pretty badly before I went to bed Sunday morning.
I am increasingly worried the physio lady will think someone beat me up.
* "Elon Musk’s Email Ultimatum: Justify Accomplishments or Get Semi-Fired | The Daily Show:"
* "Vulgar Replies To Musk's Email | Trump's Mystery Bruise | Hooters In Trouble:"
* "Elon Musk Crashes Cabinet Meeting & Trump Touts $5M "Gold Card" for VIP Immigrants | The Daily Show:"
* "Who Runs DOGE? | White House Press Corps: We're Cooked | America's Gold Card For Rich Foreigners:"
* "Meanwhile... China's Puppy Mountain | Cocaine Toupet | Where's Waldo The Bull? | Celebrity Beaver:"
* "Josh Johnson Asks How NYCers Honor Black History Without Breaking DEI Bans | The Daily Show:"
* "The Problem with CRUISING (1980):"
* "Making Tight Medieval Hose:"
* "True Facts: Plants That Explode:"
* "True Facts: How Camels Conquered the Desert:"
* "How Vladimir Putin Got The Trump Family Jewels:"
* "Has Siri Gone Anti-MAGA?:"
* "Close Encounter 50th – SNL50:"
* "Elon Musk Cold Open - SNL:"
*****
* 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.
* "Nationwide Economic Blackout: Boycott Dates for Target, Amazon, Others:" https://www.newsweek.com/nationwide-economic-blackout-boycott-dates-target-amazon-others-2037986
* Save The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Explainer and directions here with link to government comment form: https://www.tumblr.com/veluigi/776960165468684288/action-item?source=share
Direct Link to Form: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/02/25/2025-03014/removal-of-national-environmental-policy-act-implementing-regulations
* Indigenous led organizationtrying to save endangered species that just lost Federal funding. "The Buffalo Nations Grasslands Alliance:" https://www.bnga.org/
* What to do if you are an adult who is losing your gender affirming care from your physician: https://www.tumblr.com/anonymousalchemist/774948824033673217
* Help Lambda Legal Continue their fight: https://support.lambdalegal.org/site/Donation2;jsessionid=00000000.app30130a?df_id=6680&mfc_pref=T&6680.donation=form1&NONCE_TOKEN=D3311163DF16F06EEA5520010BAF90B5&_gl=1*n53ras*_gcl_au*MTMxNDYxNjc0LjE3MzgxODExMzg.*_ga*MTY0NDY4OTM4NC4xNzM4MTgxMTM4*_ga_290ZG8GMP3*MTczODE4MTEzOC4xLjEuMTczODE4MTIwMi41OC4wLjA.
* Glad Law is fighting for trans service members. Want to help? https://givebutter.com/donatetoglad?utm_src=webheader&_gl=1*1qhxi1q*_ga*NDM3MjM0Mzk1LjE3NDEwMDk5NDA.*_ga_PCJHHSV2G7*MTc0MTAwOTk0MC4xLjAuMTc0MTAwOTk0MC4wLjAuMA..
* "Donate to the ACLU:" https://action.aclu.org/give/now
* "Vote Smart:" https://justfacts.votesmart.org/
* "Resources for California fire victims were scattered. So I created this site to help.:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/california-disaster-recovery-resources
* "Where your donations to L.A. fire victims will do the most good:" https://www.advocate.com/news/donate-los-angeles-fire-victims
* "Democracy 2025:" https://www.democracy2025.org/?utm_source=df-ad&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=21912407002&utm_content=721373734297&source=df-ad-gs&gad_source=1
* "Resisting Fascism in 2025 and Beyond:" https://www.prideandpagesbookclub.com/resisting-fascism-in-2025-and-beyond
* "Here are 26 organizations fighting Donald Trump that you can donate to:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/anti-donald-trump-charities
* Run for Something: https://runforsomething.net/
* "LGBTQ+ Victory Fund:" https://victoryfund.org/
* Where to protest the censoring and erasure of transfolk on the Stonewal Uprising monument if you can't go in person. Select no and leave a comment.: https://www.nps.gov/ston/index.htm
* "Palestine Children’s Relief Fund:" https://pcrf1.app.neoncrm.com/forms/gaza-recovery
* ACLU advice for writing to your Critters: https://www.aclu.org/writing-your-elected-representatives
* Contains a raid tip hotline amoung other things. "Know Your Rights
LEARN HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY:" https://wearecasa.org/know-your-rights/
* "The Black Consumer Advisory:" https://naacp.org/campaigns/black-consumer-advisory
* Want to help Virginia get a Democratic Governor? "Support Abigail's Campaign for Governor of Virginia!" https://secure.actblue.com/donate/blu-asfg-2025-gs-dd?refcode=BLU_ASFG_DD_GS_NT_NTL_Q1_01&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAt4C-BhBcEiwA8Kp0CcaXXWdWpVI1uyoauFCRFgrY9hsEMA4pbxF_TO6ZPHAdhNzOmcwHTxoC8lgQAvD_BwE
* What to do if you encounter an immigration official. "Know Your Rights:" https://unitedwedream.org/resources/know-your-rights/
* "ICE Raids Toolkit: Defend Against ICE Raids and Community Arrests:" https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/raids-toolkit/
* "ICE Watch Programs Can Protect Immigrants in Your Neighborhood — Here’s What to Know:" https://www.teenvogue.com/story/ice-watch-programs-immigrants-how-to-start
* "Legal Services for Your Reproductive Life:" https://reprolegalhelpline.org/
* "National Abortion Hotline:" https://prochoice.org/
* "Plan C: Abortion pills by mail in every state:" https://www.plancpills.org/
* "Resources for Accessing Abortion Care:" https://reproductivefreedomforall.org/resources/resources-for-accessing-abortion-care/
* "Contraception and Birth Control Resources:" https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/contraception/more_information/resources
* "Gynecologists who will perform a tubal sterilization:" https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Djia_WkrVO3S4jKn6odNwQk7pOcpcL4x00FMNekrb7Q/edit?gid=1318374028#gid=1318374028
* Useful organizing links and resources: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/771859083592613888/hater-of-terfs-ive-already-reblogged-a-link-to?source=share
* "We have a right to safety, privacy, and protest. Say no to mask bans.:" https://www.stopmaskbans.com/
* "Trans Kids Deserve Better:" https://transkidsdeservebetter.org/support
* "World Central Kitchen:" https://wck.org/
* Trans support organization: https://www.pointofpride.org/
* "Transanta: An opportunity to directly support trans youth:" https://thisfinecrew.dreamwidth.org/291573.html
* Links for various Palestinian Aid Organizations: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/750151174318112768?source=share
* "Black Alliance for Peace’s Atlanta Citywide Alliance:" https://linktr.ee/bapatlanta
* Map of Cop Cities planned or being built: https://isyourlifebetter.net/cop-cities-usa/
* Want to help Journalists without Borders? https://donate.rsf.org/us/donate/~my-donation
* How to donate to Doctors Without Borders: https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/secure/donate
* "The Rainbow Railroad:" https://www.rainbowrailroad.org/take-action
* "These Organizations Accept Donations To Help People in Ukraine:" https://www.snopes.com/news/2022/03/01/where-to-donate-help-ukraine/
* "Russia-Ukraine War: Info and ways to help:" https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/
* "Support OVD-Info:" https://beste-glatisant.tumblr.com/post/677388506851606528/hi-ive-donated-to-the-ukranian-refugees-and-now
* "War in Ukraine! Support LGBTQ people.:" https://secure.wayforpay.com/payment/s047412e502b6
* What to help fight for queer people in Africa? Try the Initiative Sankofa D’Afrique de l’Ouest www.ISDAO.org
* Organizations to help trans folk: https://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/620857152453640195/about-us
* Indivisible Guide for Trump 2.0 "A Practical Guide to defeating MAGA:" https://indivisible.org/resource/guide
* This tracks legislation: https://www.govtrack.us/
* Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? If you can't safely protest in person, here are some other options:
Five Calls to your critters: https://5calls.org/
Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the representative of your choice.
Senate: https://contactsenators.com/senator-phone-numbers/
Congress in General: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member
Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resist.bot/
* "DONATE TO EMILY'S LIST:" https://win.emilyslist.org/a/donate-to-emily
* What to help support all of us all here at the Cat Asylum? https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/Gwydion
* I admit to having a wicked good time tormenting myself and other history geeks with my polls: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydpolls