Nec Hoc Nec Ilud

* News keeps moving fast, so some items may be already out of date.

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* "Israel expands attacks in Gaza and Yemen as Trump wraps up trip to region:" https://apnews.com/article/mideast-wars-israel-gaza-hamas-hostages-05-16-2025-fb5e3b08af46a55b6faeead7b8647dc6

* "Israeli bombing wave kills dozens in Gaza including at least 22 children, say reports:" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/14/israel-hits-gaza-hospitals-in-deadly-strikes-after-pause-to-allow-release-of-edan-alexander

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* "Russia-Ukraine peace talks end after less than 2 hours with deal to swap POWs but no ceasefire:" https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-turkey-peace-talks-9a75e2069cea6c73d1276a9e53e7d6e5

* "Russia building major new explosives facility as Ukraine war drags on:" https://www.reuters.com/investigations/russia-building-major-new-explosives-facility-ukraine-war-drags-2025-05-08/?

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* "Kurdish PKK ends 40-year Turkey insurgency, bringing hope of regional stability:" https://archive.ph/EaRb3

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* "What Would It Take to Rebuild Syria?:" https://thewalrus.ca/what-would-it-take-to-rebuild-syria

* "Romania’s Election Rerun: What’s at Stake as the Far Right Rises:" https://archive.ph/oC8Lf

* "Romania’s Destiny Rides on Trump Follower Versus Math Prodigy:" https://archive.ph/dyqPS

* "Libyan protesters demand prime minister quit as three ministers resign:" https://archive.ph/dI6bW

* "Workers strike in protest against job cuts at Ford Germany:" https://archive.ph/ZTztC

* "Protesters in Budapest demonstrate against 'Transparency Bill' with banner and red paint:" https://www.euronews.com/2025/05/16/protesters-in-budapest-demonstrate-against-transparency-bill-with-banner-and-red-paint

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* "NATO mulls US demand for a big increase in defense spending as some struggle to meet today’s goal:" https://apnews.com/article/nato-rubio-trump-russia-ukraine-turkey-5c8b5ac67a05690635cab5e793a5e97d

* "Iran’s Khamenei Brands Trump a Liar in Escalation of Rhetoric:" https://archive.ph/Tfxv0

* "Dems move to block Middle East arms sales over Qatar plane deal:" https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/05/15/congress/dems-block-middle-east-arms-sales-00351865

* "No, You Can't Keep A "Free" Plane:"

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* "‘Hand-me-down’: How Trump got his jet from Qatar:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-hand-me-down-how-trump-got-his-jet-from-qatar-239693381917

* "The Trump Administration Leaned on African Countries. The Goal: Get Business for Elon Musk.:" https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-musk-starlink-state-department-gambia-africa-pressure

* "Walmart says higher prices from tariffs coming as soon as this month:" https://www.npr.org/2025/05/15/nx-s1-5399154/walmart-higher-prices-tariffs

* "U.S. AG Pam Bondi Sold More than $1 Million in Trump Media Stock the Day Trump Announced Sweeping Tariffs:" https://www.propublica.org/article/pam-bondi-trump-media-stock-tariffs

* "Supreme Court halts Trump’s deportations of Venezuelan immigrants under Alien Enemies Act:" https://www.advocate.com/news/supreme-court-stops-deportations

* "Supreme Court leaves Trump disgruntled after rejecting his deportation plans:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-briefing-with-jen-psaki/watch/trump-reduced-to-whiny-complaints-on-social-media-after-supreme-court-rejects-his-deportation-plans-239808581906

* "Boo-hoo! A petulant Trump whines about flying on the majestic Air Force One:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/trump-complains-air-force-one

* "D.H.S. Requests 20,000 National Guard Members to Help With Immigration Crackdown:" https://archive.ph/XGvxY

The National Guard dragging people Trump doesn't like out of their houses does not lead anywhere good.

* "Gabbard fires intel officials who oversaw memo contradicting White House claims on Venezuelan gang:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/gabbard-fires-intel-officials-oversaw-memo-contradicting-white-house-c-rcna206918

Remember how cherry picking intelligence at the White house's direction contributed to 9/11? I do.

* "Kirsti Noem won’t say if gay asylum-seeker deported to El Salvador’s ‘hellhole’ prison is still alive:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/robert-garcia-andry-hernandez-romero

* "Trump’s DHS considers reality TV show where immigrants fight for citizenship:" https://www.advocate.com/news/trump-immigration-reality-show

* "Protesters demand release of Dalton teen from ICE detention outside Rep. Greene's office:" https://newschannel9.com/news/local/right-thing-to-do-rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-approves-of-dalton-students-deportation-ximena-arias-cristobal-immigrations-and-customs-enforcement-ice-whitfield-county-immigration-undocumented

* Know your rights and plan ahead. "Reacting To Hasan Piker's CBP Detention:"

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* "DHS Threatens To Arrest Sitting Members Of Congress:"

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* "The rise of end times fascism:" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2025/apr/13/end-times-fascism-far-right-trump-musk

* We could be spending this money on keeping Social Security offices open. "Trump, US Army birthday bash plans include 25 Abrams tanks:" https://archive.ph/tF0ne

* This is all Dear Leader type stuff. "The huge banner of a glaring Trump in front of the USDA is a literal sign the U.S. has lost its democracy:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/huge-trump-banner-signals-despotism

* "'Most Transparent’ White House In History Keeps Majority Of Trump’s Remarks Secret:" https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-secret-transcripts_n_6824fe20e4b021b5064adc84

* Trump also threatened Springsteen's safety and freedom. "After Bruce Springsteen calls Trump "treasonous," the president responds by criticizing the rock star's skin:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bruce-springsteen-land-of-hopes-and-dreams-tour-trump-truth-social-post/

* "How Trump unleashed executive power:" https://www.reuters.com/graphics/USA-TRUMP/EXECUTIVE-ORDERS/gdpznealwpw/

* "Stephen Miller re-emerges as an ‘untouchable’ force in Trump’s White House:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/stephen-miller-untouchable-force-trump-white-house-rcna206180

* Anyone surprised the fraud they were using to dismantle the phone system was imaginary? "DOGE went looking for phone fraud at SSA — and found almost none:" https://www.nextgov.com/digital-government/2025/05/doge-went-looking-phone-fraud-ssa-and-found-almost-none/405346/

* "Disabled workers have faced prejudice. Now they face DOGE firings:" https://apnews.com/article/disabled-federal-workers-layoffs-trump-77528e68350b62e52bab3455f0a87591

* "Pentagon begins mass removal of transgender troops:" https://www.advocate.com/news/trans-troops-purge-medical-records

* "NOAA database for extreme weather disasters cancelled:" https://flowingdata.com/2025/05/13/noaa-database-for-extreme-weather-disasters-cancelled/

* "FEMA 'not ready' for hurricane season, internal review finds:" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fema-ready-hurricane-season-internal-review-finds/story?id=121837637

* I think we all know why. "Trump Administration Cancels Scores of Grants to Study Online Misinformation:" https://archive.ph/QoBiE

* "RFK Jr. Pledge to Review Abortion Pill Draws Quick Criticism:" https://news.bgov.com/health-law-and-business/rfk-jr-commitment-to-review-abortion-pill-draws-quick-criticism

* A thing on why RFK Jr,'s vaccine placebo studies are unethical: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/783809081015238656/cancer-treatment-studies-rarely-have-placebo?source=share

* "Sen. Sanders presses Secretary Kennedy on cuts to cancer research:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/sen-sanders-presses-secretary-kennedy-on-cuts-to-cancer-research-239647813845

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* "Two Supreme Court Justices Invited an All-Out Assault on the Voting Rights Act. Now It’s Here.:" https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/05/supreme-court-justices-neil-gorsuch-clarence-thomas-voting-rights.html

* "Amy Coney Barrett Tears Into Trump Official to Defend Liberal Justice at Supreme Court:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/amy-coney-barrett-tears-into-trump-official-to-defend-liberal-justice-elena-kagan-at-supreme-court/

* "“Incalculable” Damage: How a “We Buy Ugly Houses” Franchise Left a Trail of Financial Wreckage Across Texas:" https://www.propublica.org/article/homevestors-fraud-charles-carrier-texas

* "Under ‘Crime-Free Housing’ Laws, Families May Be Evicted for Minor Offenses:" https://archive.ph/pdv8I

* "How Part-Time Jobs Became a Trap:" https://archive.ph/OKhcM

* We need to fight the Budget Bill

If this budget passes, people die because they won't be able to afford the copays, especially as Trump economic policies kill jobs and keep causing prices to rise.

They are sacrificing people for the billionaires that bought them.

When you contact your Congress Critter, say what you need to say to keep Republicans split and keep Democratic spines stiff in the House.

* It is working! Every delay helps! The more we can split Republicans, the better!

* "House budget panel rejects GOP megabill amid conservative opposition:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/16/house-budget-panel-approves-gop-megabill-for-floor-action-as-leaders-mull-tweaks-00353326

* Stay Noisy! Flood the Republicans with complaints! "GOP infighting sends Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' off the rails:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-briefing-with-jen-psaki/watch/-big-brutal-setback-gop-infighting-sends-trump-s-big-beautiful-bill-off-the-rails-239811141510

* RE: SAVE ACT "Do This Today: Call Senators:" https://solarbird.dreamwidth.org/2036106.html

If these are your Senators, please stop what you are doing and call now:

KELLY (AZ)
WARNOCK (GA)
PETERS (MI)
SHAHEEN (NH)
HASSAN (NH)
CORTEZ MASTO (NV)
ROSEN (NV)

* This one is a super dangerous attack on the judiciary's ability to protect citizen's rights. "H.R. 1526: NORRA of 2025:" https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/119/hr1526

* "New Republican House bill bans transgender troops & seeks to strip trans vets of security clearances:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/gop-bill-bans-transgender-military

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* 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.

* "Take action with Indivisible:" https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/

* 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

* If you can't safely contact them in person, here are some other options for contacting your Congress Critters:

Five Calls to your critters: https://5calls.org/

Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resist.bot/

Snail Mail Campaigns: https://conuly.dreamwidth.org/3622760.html

"Congress. gov:" https://www.congress.gov/

White house (Possibly Dangerous): https://www.whitehouse.gov/

ACLU advice for writing to your Critters: https://www.aclu.org/writing-your-elected-representatives

This tracks legislation: https://www.govtrack.us/

"The Public Comment Process (+ how to write effective public comments):" https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/781844516804149248?source=share

Run for Something: https://runforsomething.net/

"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

Protests: "50501 Events:" https://www.fiftyfifty.one/events

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

"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/

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* "From trauma to triumph, will NYC Councilman Erik Bottcher become the city's first out gay mayor one day?:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/erik-bottcher-nyc-city-council

* "Texas House moves toward repealing anti-sodomy law:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/texas-advances-sodomy-law-repeal

* "DeSantis signs bill making Florida second state to ban fluoride from its water system:" https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/desantis-signs-bill-making-florida-2nd-state-ban-121846716

* "American Dental Association Objects to Florida Surgeon General’s Stance, Reaffirms Strong Support for Community Water Fluoridation:" https://www.ada.org/about/press-releases/american-dental-association-objects-to-florida-surgeon-generals-stance

* "Florida just created a law to ban fluoride in water. What should you do now?:" https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2025/05/17/florida-just-passed-a-bill-to-ban-fluoride-what-should-you-do-now/

* "Rep. Libby’s rhetoric spoils high school running | Letter:" https://www.pressherald.com/2025/05/14/rep-libbys-rhetoric-spoils-high-school-running-letter/

* "Nevada man used antigay slur in death threats to U.S. senator:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/death-threats-senator-nevada

* "How the MAGA 'manosphere' exploits attention to attract eager, young voters:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-briefing-with-jen-psaki/watch/how-the-maga-manosphere-exploits-attention-to-attract-eager-young-voters-239811141612

* "Teen ‘innocent bystander’ fatally shot during a fight near a New York City school:" https://apnews.com/article/girl-killed-stray-bullet-new-york-bronx-2698416723a3afa59705f16513f79a93

* "Judge orders ‘remediation manager’ to oversee Rikers Island jails:" https://gothamist.com/news/judge-orders-remediation-manager-to-oversee-rikers-island-jails

* "What you need to know about the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, & Biphobia (IDAHOBIT):" https://www.advocate.com/news/what-is-idahobit

* "Why June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month:" https://www.advocate.com/news/why-june-lgbtq-pride-month

* "Adolescents of the U.S. National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study: Sexual Orientation, Sexual Behavior, and Sexual Risk Exposure:" https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3210350/

* Sigh. "Pope Leo XIV says marriage is 'between a man and a woman':" https://www.advocate.com/news/pope-leo-heterosexual-marriage

* "MEPs protest Hungary’s Budapest Pride ban:" https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/05/16/meps-protest-hungarys-budapest-pride-ban

* "NYU withholds degree from gay transgender student over commencement speech:" https://www.advocate.com/news/transgender-student-nyu-speech

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* "All of the biggest U.S. cities are sinking:" https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250508112609.htm

* "A century ago, suspended monorails were serious mass-transit contenders:" https://www.popsci.com/technology/suspended-monorails-history/

* "The Day Grok Told Everyone About ‘White Genocide’:" https://archive.ph/05Wqh

* "Four bad AI futures take root:" https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/four-bad-ai-futures-arrived-this

* "Yes, the Lopez v. Apple lawsuit over Siri allegedly snooping on users is real. Here's how to cash in:" https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/lopez-apple-siri-lawsuit/

* "Scientists Have Just Discovered a New Type of Electricity-Conducting Bacteria:" https://www.wired.com/story/scientists-have-just-discovered-a-new-type-of-electricity-conducting-bacteria/

* "A rare New Zealand snail is filmed for the first time laying an egg from its neck:" https://apnews.com/article/zealand-snail-egg-neck-powelliphanta-augusta-3cb8082547a83b8c47848b6621c06cb0?

* "In Order to Unravel the Many Mysteries of Squids, Scientists Dive Into Their Mating Frenzies:" https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/in-order-to-unravel-the-many-mysteries-of-squids-scientists-dive-into-their-mating-frenzies-180986551/

* "Young bats learn to be discriminating when listening for their next meal:" https://theconversation.com/young-bats-learn-to-be-discriminating-when-listening-for-their-next-meal-253321

* "Scientists once thought only humans could bob to music. Ronan the sea lion helped prove them wrong:" https://apnews.com/article/ronan-dancing-sea-lion-boogie-wonderland-ef575607db2f710fe102e2dd7c994049

* "The surprising evolution of the weirdest animals on Earth, according to a new study:" https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/30/science/platypus-echidna-monotremes-evolution/index.html

* "Antarctica has a huge, completely hidden mountain range. New data reveals its birth over 500 million years ago:" https://theconversation.com/antarctica-has-a-huge-completely-hidden-mountain-range-new-data-reveals-its-birth-over-500-million-years-ago-256231

* "Explore Rome’s Hidden Underworld, Where a City Lurks Beneath a City:" https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/explore-romes-hidden-underworld-city-beneath-city-180986228/

* "The Cult of Whiteness | How a 17th Century Idea Shaped Modern History:"

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* "The Hell We Raised: How Texas Shaped the Gunfighter Era:" https://www.texasmonthly.com/being-texan/gunfighters-old-west-wilder-bloodier/

* "Marie Curie and Spooky Rays: Crash Course History of Science #31:"

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* "Carved in Memory: How a family heirloom uncovered the life of a man imprisoned in a First World War internment camp.:" https://www.cbc.ca/newsinteractives/features/carved-in-memory

* "100 Years Ago: The Man Who Singlehandedly Stopped Thousands of Illegal Deportations:" https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2025/05/100-years-ago-the-man-who-singlehandedly-stopped-thousands-of-illegal-deportations/

* "Amaze Yourself With the Unbelievable Story of Bessie Coleman, the Black Aviator Who Wowed the Nation With Her High-Flying Achievements:" https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/amaze-yourself-unbelievable-story-bessie-coleman-black-aviator-wowed-nation-high-flying-achievements-180986564/

* "The Art Spy who Stopped Hitler from Emptying the Louvre:" https://www.messynessychic.com/2025/05/14/the-artful-spy-who-stopped-hitler-from-emptying-the-louvre/

* "The Daring Polish Resistance Fighter Who Volunteered to Be Sent to Auschwitz So He Could Sabotage the Nazi Death Camp From the Inside:" https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-daring-polish-resistance-fighter-who-volunteered-to-be-sent-to-auschwitz-so-he-could-sabotage-the-nazi-death-camp-from-the-inside-180986559/

* "‘A Priceless Inheritance’: Preserving Memories of Black Life in Memphis:" https://archive.ph/W0q1Q

* "Veteran Crushes Tesla in Protest:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CKnQo5ZyFqA

* "Captivating Classics:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BQPj-DSaZ_U

* "Ruinous Rome:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0YMZBCsC9WE

* "Sizzling Senate Houses:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/uORP0eOj7Vc

* "Pernicious Plantagenets:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JSHSEjKsznw

* "Rowdy Robert the Bruce:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/KLFouMTMhOc

* "Devilish Dinners:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JlOrGs_1y7Y

* "Terrifying Townton:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HmGMOhDMryY

* "Triumphant Tudors:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/I1JK-_XUijE

* "Sulking Samurai:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/woxDfQtNCmE

* "Gilded Fish: Illustrations from Histoire naturelle des dorades de la Chine (1780) :" https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/chinese-fishes/

* "Sam Stone - Call ACab (Lyrics):"

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* "1953 Lavender Marriage Song:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/En3pf6qGyO8

* I am watching Murderbot with a friend.

We both found them putting Murderbot's bare face in the promotional stuff disturbing. Sec Unit would hate that and really in the books one lives inside Murderbot's head. It's just really jarring to be looking at it like that.

I have thought about it while watching the episodes. I think I would prefer if during the bits where the humans make it retract the helmet, all shots were either Murderbot POV of the other person or via the cameras/drones, whatever, so it's Murderbot's view of Murderbots via the remotes.

I know they'd never have done it that way as Skarsgard is expensive, so odds are they want his face on screen as much as they can justify.

I just, idk. I am so used to thinking of murderbot as genderless and from the inside. Having such a famous face embodying this character is super distracting.

(I have nothing against Mr. Skarsgard. He's beeen great in everything I've seen him in previously and he has a lot of range and a sense of humor about himself. It's not that I think he's doing anything wrong acting wise here, I just think having someone so famous doing this makes sense financially, but not artistically).

I think the rest of the casting is excellent and the characterizations seems good so far. I have some other concerns, but I'm happy with it over all. It's just a bit disorienting.

*****
* 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.

* "United States Disappeared Tracker:" https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/danielleharlow/viz/UnitedStatesDisappearedTracker/Map

* "Nationwide Economic Blackout: Boycott Dates for Target, Amazon, Others:" https://www.newsweek.com/nationwide-economic-blackout-boycott-dates-target-amazon-others-2037986

* "Introducing Rise Up: Federal Workers Legal Defense Network:" https://aflcio.org/2025/4/16/introducing-rise-federal-workers-legal-defense-network

( More Links Underneath: )

* As has been the case since January, the sort may be a little rough. News keeps moving fast, so some items may be already out of date.

I am once again having to cut things off before I'm done. Apologies.

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* "Exclusive: Israel still eyeing a limited attack on Iran's nuclear facilities:" https://archive.ph/G1vWp

* "Israeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 50, Palestinian officials say:" https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g28g02ng2o

* "Israeli bombardment of Gaza kills 92 in two days: Health Ministry:" https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/19/israeli-bombardment-kills-92-in-two-days-gaza-government

* "Gazans survive among unexploded bombs:" https://www.reuters.com/graphics/ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS/GAZA-ORDNANCE/byvrxbenwve/

******

* "Trump says he’s got his ‘own deadline’ for Ukraine talks as tensions flare:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/24/trump-ukraine-deal-norwegian-leaders-00307891

* This is what Russian promises are worth.

* "'Russian peace in all its glory' — Mass Russian missile, drone attack on Kyiv kills 12, injures 87:" https://kyivindependent.com/explosions-heard-in-kyiv-amid-russian-missile-attack/

* "Russia intensifies push in Kursk, Sumy border areas as Ukraine holds line, Syrskyi says:" https://kyivindependent.com/russia-steps-up-assault-on-sumy-oblast-kursk-border-as-ukraine-holds-line-syrskyi-says/

* "Russian attacks during Easter ceasefire killed 3 in Ukraine's Kherson region:" https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/russian-attacks-easter-ceasefire-declared-putin-killed-3-121004572

* "Russian forces stage mass drone attack on Ukraine's Odesa, governor says:" https://archive.ph/kXs2r

******

* "Sudan - The Biggest Humanitarian Crisis In The World Today:" https://www.forbes.com/sites/ewelinaochab/2025/04/19/sudanthe-biggest-humanitarian-crisis-in-the-world-today/

* "Haiti’s government adopts a ‘war budget’ as town after town falls to gangs:" https://apnews.com/article/haiti-gangs-violence-war-budget-mirebalais-saut-deau-daa19487d58e9ada1846ad674bca0e54

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* "EU to present roadmap in May to phase out all imports of Russian fossil fuels:" https://archive.ph/mDDq1

* "Witchcraft accusations putting hundreds at risk of "physical attacks or even death" in Ghana, Amnesty says:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/witchcraft-accusations-hundreds-risks-ghana-amnesty-international/

* "Europe’s streets are alive with the sound of protests:" https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/04/16/europes-streets-are-alive-with-the-sound-of-protests

* "Nearly 200 students, journalists go on trial in Turkey over Istanbul protests:" https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20250418-nearly-200-students-journalists-go-trial-in-turkey-over-istanbul-protests-erdogan-crackdown

* "Georgia fired 700 civil servants for supporting pro-EU protests, watchdog says:" https://archive.ph/OZcxV

* "Donald Trump's shadow looms large over Australian and Canadian elections:" https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-22/donald-trump-affecting-opposition-in-canada-and-australia/105196740

* "Visions of Solidarity: Lesbian writers on how we save the world from fascism:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/visions-of-solidarity-schulman-vaid

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* "Syrian letter delivers response to US conditions for sanctions relief:" https://archive.ph/DIIEK

* "Trump may get a nuclear deal — on Iran’s terms:" https://www.politico.eu/article/trump-may-get-a-nuclear-deal-on-irans-terms/

It seems to me we had a really good deal with Iran that was working. Wouldn't it have been simpler to keep it in place and negotiate changes now instead of ripping it up in Trump's first term because a black man touched it? Because now there is zero trust in any agreement we might make.

Just saying.

* Who are we to demand reforms of anything while we are descending into kleptocracy? Are reforms a good idea? Yes, but not along fascism oligarch lines, but rather progressive ones. "Bessent says US will seek reforms of IMF, World Bank:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/23/bessent-says-us-will-seek-reforms-of-imf-world-bank-00305728

* "US and global economic outlook deteriorates in Trump trade war, IMF says:" https://apnews.com/article/recession-imf-economy-tariffs-5ec37492c9fac499923c094776b87552

* "Sherrod Brown: What Worries Me Most About Trump’s Failing Economy:" https://archive.ph/AKKS5

* "Stocks, Bonds Sink in Broad Retreat From US Assets: Markets Wrap:" https://archive.ph/wGf6g

* "Why Trump Decided Not to Try to Fire Jerome Powell:" https://archive.ph/mO1eL

Jerome Powell is just about the last thread holding the Trump ravaged economy together.

* "Key House Republican defends Fed against Trump interference:" https://www.axios.com/2025/04/22/trump-powell-fed-lucas

* "Conflicting US-China talks statements add to global trade confusion:" https://archive.ph/WXU0l

* "Trump’s fixation on a tariff battle win against China could cost him the trade war:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/25/trumps-xi-trade-war-battle-wins-00309223

* "Gamers Nexus out there casually providing the best coverage of tariffs:" https://solarbird.dreamwidth.org/2036344.html

* "Rubio unveils a massive overhaul of the State Department that would cut staff and bureaus:" https://apnews.com/article/state-department-rubio-reorganization-trump-usaid-3fc186fefddaaa72c3040db9fb380af4

These are essential experts that will be hard to replace.

* "Trump administration denies draft executive order outlining State Department changes:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/trump-draft-executive-order-sweeping-changes-state-department-rcna202047

Notice the racism and the complete lack of understanding of why we need embassies and linguists and diplomats and people who are experts in a particular country.

* "A jungle route once carried hundreds of thousands of migrants. Now the local economy has crashed:" https://apnews.com/article/migration-darien-gap-trump-panama-colombia-ba393b4cf8caecdcf24556f7f84be508?

* "ACLU says Trump officials not complying with Supreme Court in deportation case:" https://archive.ph/YODZ6

* "Trump admin must seek return of another man who was improperly deported to El Salvador, judge rules :" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/24/trump-el-salvador-deportation-venezuelan-minor-judge-00307336

* "Gay asylum-seeker's lawyer worries for the makeup artist's safety in Salvadoran ‘hellhole’ prison :" https://www.advocate.com/news/andry-romero-attorney-cecot

* "Robert Garcia demands answers in case of gay Venezuelan migrant deported to El Salvador prison:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/robert-garcia-cecot-ice-demand

* "Rep. Garcia on Trump deportations: 'Everyone has a right to due process':" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/rep-garcia-on-trump-deportations-everyone-has-a-right-to-due-process-238412357851

* "Democratic lawmakers fly to El Salvador and demand action on gay man Trump sent to CECOT prison:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/robert-garcia-andry-hernadez

* "He disappeared after detention. Now ICE is silent on the fate of Venezuelan man:" https://archive.ph/XGkmh

* "Administration ordered to more fully respond to discovery requests from Abrego Garcia's lawyers:" https://abcnews.go.com/US/abrego-garcias-attorneys-decry-administrations-failure-comply-court/story?id=121046788

* Doxxing her is state terrorism. "Abrego Garcia’s Wife Moved To Safe House After DHS Exposed Her Address On X:" https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kilmar-abrego-garcia-wife-dhs-doxx_n_68094822e4b047d19264e2d7

* "Mahmoud Khalil misses son's birth after ICE official denies his request to be there:" https://www.npr.org/2025/04/21/nx-s1-5371757/mahmoud-khalil-misses-sons-birth-after-ice-official-denies-his-request-to-be-there

* "Lawmakers visit Mahmoud Khalil and Rümeysa Öztürk at Louisiana ICE facilities:" https://www.wgbh.org/news/local/2025-04-22/lawmakers-visit-mahmoud-khalil-and-rumeysa-ozturk-at-louisiana-ice-facilities

* "Palestinian student remains detained in Vermont with a hearing set for next week:" https://apnews.com/article/mohsen-mahdawi-columbia-student-detained-ice-vermont-2078326229e424b722e837595a03a042

* "Detained Palestinian activist in Vermont prison says he's 'in good hands':" https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/detained-palestinian-activist-vermont-prison-good-hands-focused-121053604

* "New images could change cancer diagnostics, but ICE detained the Harvard scientist who analyzes them:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ice-detain-kseniia-petrova-protest-harvard-cancer-research-rcna202180

* "Activist who took sanctuary in a church during first Trump term detained:" https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/nation/2025/04/21/activist-who-took-sanctuary-in-a-church-during-first-trump-term-detained/83197570007/

* Stay Noisy. It can work. "Trump administration reverses abrupt terminations of foreign students’ US visa registrations:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/25/trump-admin-reverses-termination-foreign-student-visa-registrations-00309407

* "German Teens Try to Visit Hawaii, End Up Deported :" https://ground.news/article/german-teens-try-to-visit-hawaii-end-up-deported

* "Activist who took sanctuary in a church during first Trump term detained:" https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/nation/2025/04/21/activist-who-took-sanctuary-in-a-church-during-first-trump-term-detained/83197570007/

* "Trump DOJ Ordered ICE to Invade Homes Without Search Warrant:" https://newrepublic.com/post/194442/trump-doj-memo-ice-arrest-search-warrant

Republicans claim the 4th Amendment doesn't apply if they don't want it to. They are attacking the most vulnerable now, but no one is safe if they can do this.

Stand up now.

* "Tents could soon house more immigrants at Krome Detention Center:" https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/tents-could-soon-house-more-immigrants-at-krome-detention-center/

* "‘Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza’ with Peter Beinart:" https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/being-jewish-after-the-destruction-of-gaza/id1382983397?i=1000703563937

* "How the weaponization of antisemitism is becoming a grave threat to freedom of speech in America:" https://www.msnbc.com/ayman-mohyeldin/watch/how-the-weaponization-of-antisemitism-is-becoming-a-grave-threat-to-freedom-of-speech-in-america-238415941640

* I can't cover all the protests, but here is a small sample.

* "ICE activity at Rhode Island Hospital draws protesters. What we know.:" https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/politics/2025/04/24/ice-officers-at-rhode-island-hospital-attract-protesters/83254959007/

* "Rally outside New Orleans ICE office draws over 100:" https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/local/protest-ice-detention-mahmoud-khalil-new-orleans-rally/289-6a6c842a-c15e-433f-8912-2da50e2834bf

* "Protests call for ICE to leave Washington:" https://www.goskagit.com/news/local_news/protests-call-for-ice-to-leave-washington/article_7f4158f8-b34d-4bbc-b968-2efd8903499b.html

* "Federal raid and arrests in Pomona spark concern, outrage in community:" https://ktla.com/news/local-news/federal-raid-and-arrests-in-pomona-sparks-concern-outrage-in-community/

* "Justice Dept. agrees to let DOGE access sensitive immigration case data:" https://archive.ph/pum5L

* At least a judge is intervening here. "Judge bars Trump from denying federal funds to ‘sanctuary’ cities that limit immigration cooperation:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-sanctuary-cities-immigrants-san-francisco-b20f3c9f44e81e2c2cbc248236762ac4

They have started illegally deporting American citizens with no due process, as they promised to do.

* "ICE Deports 3 U.S. Citizen Children Held Incommunicado Prior to the Deportation:" https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/ice-deports-3-u-s-citizen-children-held-incommunicado-prior-to-the-deportation

They were denied access to a lawyer, presumably because a preschooler with cancer is such a danger to society that ICE had to throw out the entire constitution.

* Bet they ignored all evidence, them lied when they got caught. "U.S. citizen DHS detained for 10 days has intellectual disabilities, family claims:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-citizen-detained-border-nogales-arizona-dhs-10-days-intellectual-disabilities/

* "U.S. citizen wrongly detained by Border Patrol says government account is false:" https://popular.info/p/us-citizen-wrongly-detained-by-border

* "Congress erupts over FBI arrest of Wisconsin judge:" https://www.axios.com/2025/04/25/fbi-arrest-judge-hannah-dugan-wisconsin-congress

* "Arrest of judge triggers public outrage as Trump escalates his war on the judiciary:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/arrest-of-judge-triggers-public-outrage-as-trump-escalates-his-war-on-the-judiciary-238387781902

* "‘We will find you’: Trump FBI arrests judge in Wisconsin, AG warns more to come:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-we-will-find-you-trump-fbi-arrests-judge-in-wisconsin-ag-warns-more-to-come-238380101651

* "Trump Is Arresting Judges To Send A Message:"

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* "Hundreds of scholars say U.S. is swiftly heading toward authoritarianism:" https://www.npr.org/2025/04/22/nx-s1-5340753/trump-democracy-authoritarianism-competive-survey-political-scientist

* "‘It Sucks!!!’ Trump Bitterly Rages Against Fox News and Calls for Heads to Roll at The Wall Street Journal in Truth Social Tirade:" https://www.mediaite.com/news/it-sucks-trump-bitterly-rages-against-fox-news-and-calls-for-heads-to-roll-at-the-wall-street-journal-in-truth-social-tirade/

* "Trump's second term already falling apart less than 100 days in, polls show:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-s-second-term-already-falling-apart-less-than-100-days-in-polls-show-238312517562

* "‘Unpopular’: Trump whines about Fox News poll showing his approval rating cratering:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-unpopular-trump-whines-about-fox-news-poll-showing-his-approval-rating-cratering-238296645722

* "Thousands of protesters rally against Trump across US:" https://archive.ph/KK2kF

* "PHOTOS: Anti-Trump protesters rally in cities and towns across the country:" https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/photos-anti-trump-protesters-rally-in-cities-and-towns-across-the-country

* "Anti-Trump protests sweep the nation, crossing the threshold of mainstream media attention:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/anti-trump-protests-sweep-the-nation-crossing-the-threshold-of-mainstream-media-attention-238047301545

* "Oops!: Trump's first 100 days marked by incompetent screw-ups and frantic walk backs:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/oops-trump-s-first-100-days-marked-by-incompetent-screw-ups-and-frantic-walk-backs-238218821744

* "'Unadulterated disaster': Trump spends first 100 days sabotaging what makes America great:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-unadulterated-disaster-trump-spends-first-100-days-sabotaging-what-makes-america-great-238224453805

* "Trump facing impotence as courts hand him loss after loss; court of public opinion no less harsh:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-facing-impotence-as-courts-hand-him-loss-after-loss-court-of-public-opinion-no-less-harsh-238316101946

* "Trump gets reckless as his agenda tanks and pushback intensifies:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-gets-reckless-as-his-agenda-tanks-and-pushback-intensifies-238390853787

* "Sen. Warren Extended Interview:

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* "Jon Lovett warns Democrats that ‘every inch Trump gets is an inch we don’t get back’:" https://www.advocate.com/news/jon-lovett-warns-trump-authoritarianism

* "'Anyone with a working brain is outraged': Dems react to Trump's first 100 days:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/-anyone-with-a-working-brain-is-outraged-dems-react-to-trump-s-first-100-days-238435909774

* "Rep. Raskin: Trump's first 100 days were 'a horror show,' but Americans are standing up:" https://www.msnbc.com/ayman-mohyeldin/watch/rep-raskin-trump-s-first-100-days-were-a-horror-show-but-americans-are-standing-up-238440517796

* WTF?!? "Trump really showed kids 'assassination trading card' at White House Easter event:" https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-easter-assasination-card/

* "Trump’s made-for-TV cabinet is backfiring:" https://www.msnbc.com/ayman-mohyeldin/watch/trump-s-made-for-tv-cabinet-is-backfiring-238442053542

* "Judge blocks Trump administration from requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote:" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/judge-blocks-trump-administration-requiring-proof-citizenship-register/story?id=121134512

* The bribery is completely in the open now. "Dinner with the president: Trump meme coin surges on offer to top buyers:" https://archive.ph/RiOyC

* "Trump dinner for meme coin buyers prompts senators to demand ethics probe:" https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/25/trump-dinner-for-meme-coin-prompts-senators-to-demand-ethics-probe.html

* "Scoop: Musk vs. Bessent dispute erupted into West Wing shouting match:" https://www.axios.com/2025/04/23/musk-bessent-trump-white-house-irs

* "Tesla Stock Dives 6% Ahead Of Possible ‘Code Red’ Earnings For Elon Musk’s Firm:" https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2025/04/21/tesla-stock-dives-7-ahead-of-possible-code-red-earnings-for-elon-musks-firm/

* "As Tesla profits plunge 71%, Elon Musk says he'll spend less time on DOGE:" https://www.npr.org/2025/04/22/nx-s1-5371552/tesla-earnings-april-2025-elon-musk-doge

Who could have guessed that a mostly left electric car buying demographic would not want to associate them selves with NAZI salutes and the Autocratic horrors of DOGE, except everyone with a working brain?

* "Why Elon Musk is the new Mike 'MyPillow' Lindell:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/elon-musk-new-mike-lindell

* "Polling debunks Musk excuse that his unpopularity, collapse of Tesla, is because of paid protesters:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/polling-debunks-musk-excuse-that-his-unpopularity-collapse-of-tesla-is-because-of-paid-protesters-238140485802

* "Musk eyes the exit after humiliating turn in politics: report:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/musk-eyes-the-exit-after-humiliating-turn-in-politics-report-238048325643

* "Trump replaces acting IRS commissioner just days after appointing him:" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-replaces-acting-irs-commissioner-days-after-appointing/story?id=120959980

* "Judge blocks mass layoffs at CFPB in the latest twist over the fate of the agency:" https://www.npr.org/2025/04/17/nx-s1-5368206/cfpb-layoffs-rif

* "Trump Team Eyes Politically Connected Startup to Overhaul $700 Billion Government Payments Program :" https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-peter-thiel-ramp-gsa-smartpay-expense-payment-system?

* We warned them and warned them, but most Republican Senators decided to betray their country by putting him in charge of our military.

* "Hegseth had Signal messaging app installed on an office computer:" https://archive.ph/1HA2P

* "'Mindblowing': Hegseth's phone number found all over web, posing massive security risk:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-mindblowing-hegseth-s-phone-number-found-all-over-web-posing-massive-security-risk-238380613558

* "White House backs Hegseth, Leavitt says ‘entire Pentagon’ is resisting him:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/21/leavitt-trump-stands-strongly-behind-embattled-hegseth-00300749

* "Controversial Hegseth chief of staff to leave Pentagon:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/24/hegseth-chief-of-staff-pentagon-leaving-00308721

* "Former Pete Hegseth aide in op-ed: 'Total chaos at the Pentagon':" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/john-ullyot-op-ed-pete-hegseth-rcna202071

* "Hegseth says staffers found leaking ‘will be prosecuted’ amid Pentagon chaos:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/22/pete-hegseth-leaks-investigation-00302506

* "Third top Pentagon official suspended in leak investigation:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/16/pentagon-official-suspended-leak-investigation-00293473

* "'Purely personal pettiness': Inside the ‘vicious rivalries’ roiling Hegseth’s Pentagon:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-purely-personal-pettiness-inside-the-vicious-rivalries-roiling-hegseth-s-pentagon-238213189802

* "‘Plainly unraveling’: New reporting on chaos at Pentagon under Hegseth:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-plainly-unraveling-new-reporting-on-chaos-at-pentagon-under-hegseth-238125637882

* "Sen. Tammy Duckworth - Veterans Deserve Better than Trump, Hegseth, & DOGE | The Daily Show:"

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* "Veterans Affairs secretary tells employees to report 'anti-Christian discrimination':" https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2025/04/23/veterans-affairs-tells-phoenix-workers-to-report-anti-christian-bias/83220624007/

* ""Do Something Group" rallies in downtown Kalamazoo to protest cuts to veterans' benefits:" https://wwmt.com/news/local/do-something-group-rallies-downtown-kalamazoo-protest-cuts-veterans-benefits-trump-doge-va

* "Trump's DOJ struggles defending trans military ban during D.C. appeals court hearing:" https://www.advocate.com/news/dc-circuit-trans-military-ban

* "Is Pete Hegseth violating judges’ orders blocking the Pentagon’s trans military ban? Senators demand answers:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/senators-hegseth-trans-ban-answers

* "Defense Department reinstates gender-affirming care for trans troops:" https://www.advocate.com/news/trans-troops-care-reinstated

* "Trump AG Pam Bondi falsely compares gender-affirming care for minors as the same as female genital mutilation:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/pam-bondi-targets-transgender-care

* "Trump Retaliates by Taking Kids' Lunch Money (Literally) ft. Liz Dye:"

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* "White House Assesses Ways to Persuade Women to Have More Children:" https://archive.ph/9MfDh

* "Why the White House wanting women to have more kids will lead to outlawing same-sex relations:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/trump-assaults-bodily-autonom

* "Inside the desperate rush to save decades of US scientific data from deletion:" https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250422-usa-scientists-race-to-save-climate-data-before-its-deleted-by-the-trump-administration

* "Trump’s War on Measurement Means Losing Data on Drug Use, Maternal Mortality, Climate Change and More :" https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-doge-data-collection-hhs-epa-cdc-maternal-mortality?

* "A deadly E. coli outbreak hit 15 states, but the FDA chose not to publicize it:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ecoli-bacteria-lettuce-outbreak-rcna200236

* Censoring facts while promoting conspiracy theories. "'Lab Leak,' a flashy page on the virus' origins, replaces government COVID sites:" https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/04/18/g-s1-61324/lab-leak-white-house-covid-origins

* "Health on Wheels van and COVID-19 programs to see reduced services amid grant loss:" https://krcgtv.com/news/local/health-on-wheels-van-and-covid-19-programs-to-see-reduced-services-amid-grant-loss

* "Trump Cuts Threaten Meals and Services for People With Disabilities and the Aging:" https://archive.ph/hOZtg

* "RFK Jr.’s Wish Is Coming True: Everybody’s Getting Measles:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/rfk-jrs-wish-is-coming-true-everybodys-getting-measles/

* "CDC Reports 800 Confirmed Measles Cases Across the US, 624 Being in Texas:" https://www.contagionlive.com/view/800-confirmed-measles-cases-in-the-us-by-april-18-2025-across-25-states

* "More Americans exposed to false claims about measles and its vaccines, KFF poll shows:" https://archive.ph/PzOHp

* "Millions of U.S. measles cases forecast over 25 years if shots decline:" https://archive.ph/Zk7fq

* "Why ‘Everything is Tuberculosis’ with John Green:" https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-everything-is-tuberculosis-with-john-green/id1382983397?i=1000701696135

* "US FDA suspends food safety quality checks after staff cuts:" https://archive.ph/df2sT

* "FDA head falsely claims no scientists laid off, as agency shutters food safety labs:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fda-head-falsely-claims-no-scientists-laid-off-as-agency-shutters-food-safety-labs/

* "I Know It Seems Impossible to Remember, but There Is Actually a Reason We Had an FDA:" https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a64555033/us-fda-quality-testing-milk-fired-workforce/

* "In a reversal, the Trump administration restores funding for women's health study:" https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/04/24/nx-s1-5376473/hhs-restores-funding-for-womens-health-initiative

* Why it's important plus some other things. "‘Who voted for this?’: Trump guts first and largest women’s health study:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-who-voted-for-this-trump-guts-first-and-largest-women-s-health-study-238208581957

* But they were. "Health agencies "not creating an autism registry," official says, contradicting NIH director:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/health-agencies-not-creating-autism-registry-hhs-nih/

* CW: Suicide "HHS Plans to Cut the National Suicide Hotline’s Program for LGBTQ Youth:" https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/04/national-suicide-hotline-lgbtq-youth-cuts-rfk-jr-hhs/

* People will die. "Trump Budget Draft Ends Narcan Program and Other Addiction Measures:" https://archive.ph/L4bRd

* "RFK Jr. Is Set to Cut Synthetic Food Dyes From US Food Supply:" https://archive.ph/bX9h5

* "Interior secretary gives DOGE aide sweeping powers to remake department:" https://archive.ph/Bgo1z

* "National Weather Service to resume translating its products for non-English speakers :" https://www.kait8.com/2025/04/25/national-weather-service-resume-translating-its-products-non-english-speakers/

* "Trump’s Most Unhinged Policy May Be Starving MAGA Arkansas of Disaster Relief Snuffing out FEMA is causing some collateral damage.:" https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/trump-huckabee-sanders-fema-arkansas-disaster-relief-denial.html

* "After Arkansas: The Future Of FEMA And U.S. Disaster Relief:" https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexanderpuutio/2025/04/25/after-arkansas-the-future-of-fema-and-disaster-relief-in-america/

* "EPA starts layoffs of environmental justice employees:" https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/epa-starts-layoffs-environmental-justice-employees-rcna202287

* "NWLC Statement on Trump’s Executive Order Seeking to Repeal Core Tenet of Civil Rights Act:" https://nwlc.org/press-release/nwlc-statement-on-trumps-executive-order-seeking-to-repeal-core-tenet-of-civil-rights-act/

* "Trump to target ActBlue in presidential memorandum:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/24/trump-to-target-actblue-in-presidential-memorandum-00307251

This is the main fundraising vehicle of the Democratic Party. He has no proof. Meanwhile he's using his crypto scam to take direct bribes.

For Republicans, every accusation is a confession.

* "MAGA Is Aiming to Take Over the D.C. Bar. Be Afraid.:" https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/04/pam-bondi-legal-news-maga-dc-bar.html

* "DOJ Reverses Grant Cancellations For Crime Victim Support:" https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/04/doj-reverses-grant-cancelations-for-crime-victim-support/

* "Trump orders revamp of school discipline policies, college accreditation and funding:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/23/trump-orders-schools-colleges-funding-accreditors-00307055

* "Harvard sues Trump administration over threats to cut funding if demands go unmet:" https://abcnews.go.com/US/harvard-university-sues-trump-administration-threats-cut-funding/story?id=121030309

* "Harvard sues federal government after Trump administration slashed billions in funding:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/harvard-sues-trump-administration-funding-rcna202276

* "As Harvard fights Trump, one campus quietly prepares for the worst:" https://archive.ph/3UXOo

If you are going to George Washington University, know anyone who is or has gone, or are an Alumni, now is the time to take action to stiffen their spines.

* ""Shocked and Disgusted." UA Democrats respond to news of President Trump at UA:" https://abc3340.com/news/local/shocked-and-disgusted-ua-democrats-respond-to-news-of-president-trump-at-ua-national-news-politics

* "Trump administration to resume collections on student loan borrowers in default:" https://www.npr.org/2025/04/21/nx-s1-5371723/trump-administration-collections-on-defaulted-student-loans

* "Judges blocks Trump push to cut funding to public schools over diversity programs:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-public-schools-diversity-equality-inclusion-dei-7d7ad707d91565753263a19ebde044e0

* "Two major law firms urge judges to permanently block Trump’s executive orders:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-law-firms-perkins-coie-wilmerhale-7dba5f0c38ac547bf3f2bb1f31a2ef38

* "Are Law Firms Breaking the Law by Caving to Trump?:" https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/04/are-law-firms-breaking-the-law-trump-deal.html

* "Federal judge blocks Trump administration from dismantling Voice of America:" https://apnews.com/article/voice-of-america-trump-f30c48df0c16de622ec5fd99ee6c627c

* "'60 Minutes' chief resigns, saying show's independence was compromised:" https://www.npr.org/2025/04/22/nx-s1-5372733/60-minutes-bill-owens-cbs-trump-paramount

* "In unintended filing, federal attorneys poke holes in Trump administration’s effort to end NYC toll:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-nyc-toll-congestion-pricing-6a0a3306f8625474d63c39d75b571521

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* "BREAKING: Trump Justice Department asks Supreme Court to reinstate trans military ban blocked by courts:" https://www.advocate.com/news/doj-scotus-trans-military-ban

* "Obamacare returns to SCOTUS, with preventive care on the line:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/21/obamacare-scotus-preventive-care-aca-00296631

* "After oral argument, court calls for new briefs in HHS task force case:" https://www.scotusblog.com/2025/04/after-oral-argument-court-calls-for-new-briefs-in-hhs-task-force-case/

* "The FBI mistakenly raided their Atlanta home. Now the Supreme Court will hear their lawsuit:" https://apnews.com/article/georgia-fbi-raid-supreme-court-lawsuit-9cb55aa6f45bbf02c29d84363c7c9e6f

* "Supreme Court conservatives sympathize with parents objecting to LGBTQ-inclusive books:" https://www.advocate.com/news/conservative-justices-sympathize-religious-objections

* "Compilation of Protests and Actions Against the Supreme Court:" https://whatthetrans.com/compilation-of-protests-against-the-supreme-court/

* "Economic insecurity linked to LGBTQ+ youth mental health issues: Trevor Project report:" https://www.advocate.com/news/economic-insecurity-lgbtq-youth

* The Boycott is working! Keep at it! "Target foot traffic down for 10th consecutive week amid boycott over DEI abandonment:" https://www.advocate.com/news/target-foot-traffic-down-dei

* "Trump, Johnson squelch talk of tax hike for wealthiest Americans:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/23/johnson-doesnt-expect-tax-hike-on-wealthy-in-gop-budget-plan-00306708

* RE: SAVE ACT "Do This Today: Call Senators:" https://solarbird.dreamwidth.org/2036106.html

If these are your Senators, please stop what you are doing and call now:

KELLY (AZ)
WARNOCK (GA)
PETERS (MI)
SHAHEEN (NH)
HASSAN (NH)
CORTEZ MASTO (NV)
ROSEN (NV)

* This one is a super dangerous attack on the judiciary's ability to protect citizen's rights. "H.R. 1526: NORRA of 2025:" https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/119/hr1526

* "A tax on credit unions is a tax on me.:" https://www.donttaxmycreditunion.org/

* "Nancy Mace calls transgender student a transphobic slur at University of South Carolina event:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/nancy-mace-usc-trans-slur

* "12 batsh*t things Nancy Mace has done in her anti-transgender attention grab :" https://www.advocate.com/voices/nancy-mace-south-carolina-transgender#rebelltitem13

* "Sarah McBride says she won’t let Republicans make her the main character in their anti-trans crusade:" https://www.advocate.com/news/sarah-mcbride-pod-save-america

* "'Welcome to the team': Chris Murphy, Maxwell Frost hold town halls where Republicans won't:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-welcome-to-the-team-chris-murphy-maxwell-frost-hold-town-halls-where-republicans-won-t-238300741912

---

* 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.

* "Take action with Indivisible:" https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/

* 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

* If you can't safely contact them in person, here are some other options for contacting your Congress Critters:

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/

White house (Possibly Dangerous): https://www.whitehouse.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/

* "The Public Comment Process (+ how to write effective public comments):" https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/781844516804149248?source=share

* "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/

* Protests: "50501 Events:" https://www.fiftyfifty.one/events

* 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/

* Free Bystander training amoung other useful things. "Right to Be Training:" https://righttobe.org/upcoming-free-trainings/

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* "Long-running legal saga over N.C. Supreme Court race could pave way for future election challenges, critics warn:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/legal-saga-north-carolina-supreme-court-future-election-challenges-rcna202634

* "Military and overseas voters at center of challenges in Riggs-Griffin NC Supreme Court race:" https://abc7chicago.com/post/military-overseas-voters-center-challenges-north-carolina-supreme-court-race-between-allison-riggs-jefferson-griffin/16209562/

* "How Process is Killing Progress with Ezra Klein:" https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-process-is-killing-progress-with-ezra-klein/id1382983397?i=1000702661938

* "In unprecedented move, DNC official to spend big to take down fellow Democrats:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/15/david-hogg-dnc-vice-chair-to-spend-big-to-take-down-safe-democratic-incumbents-00292535

* "Dick Durbin of Illinois, the Senate’s No. 2 Democrat, won’t seek reelection to a sixth term in 2026:" https://apnews.com/article/dick-durbin-senate-reelection-majority-02ff2de634c0e6b62842f80eef01f72e

* "The Democract Doing Trump's Dirty Work:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7fv8fZXjsrA

Coloradans! Pressure him not to veto. Unionization is essential.

* "Tennessee pauses bill targeting right to education regardless of immigration status:" https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-immigration-students-bill-9dfe0022df01d5756384cd5a4a942a24

* Stopped clocks. "North Dakota’s GOP governor vetoes library restrictions, school voucher program:" https://apnews.com/article/north-dakota-governor-vetoes-book-bans-vouchers-a5a52e027a37b14acb55ffae7ec828e3

* "Meet the new American refugees fleeing across state lines for safety:" https://archive.ph/vsdFG

* "George Santos sentenced to prison:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/george-santos-sentenced-prison

* "Countering DeSantis, $10M Hope Florida donation came from Medicaid, draft shows:" https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2025/04/22/desantis-casey-medicaid-settlement-hope-charity-andrade/

* Because of course. "George Santos begs Trump for pardon after judge handed down 7-year sentence:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/george-santos-trump-pardon-cameo

* "Senate staffer accused of having sex in Capitol building recounts 'horrific' backlash:" https://www.advocate.com/news/senate-staffer-sex-speaks-out

* CW: Mass Murder. "Car plows through Vancouver Filipino festival, killing at least 11:" https://archive.ph/npHP0

* "What is Lapu-Lapu Day? Filipinos shocked by festival tragedy in Vancouver:" https://archive.ph/jUC0y

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* "Thailand Plastic Waste Law Challenges Developed Nations’ Waste Practices:" https://happyeconews.com/thailand-plastic-waste-law/

* "Behind Closed Doors: The Secret World of Molly Houses in 18th-Century England:" https://gaylifetoday.com/2025/04/21/behind-closed-doors-the-secret-world-of-molly-houses-in-18th-century-england/

* "Weaponization of the FBI from Hoover to Trump 2.0 with Beverly Gage:" https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/weaponization-of-the-fbi-from-hoover-to-trump-2/id1382983397?i=1000700716486

* "Pope Francis dead at 88: Looking back on his LGBTQ+ rights legacy:" https://www.advocate.com/news/pope-francis-dead-lgbtq-rights

* "Pope Francis changed the conversation on LGBTQ+ Catholics—will the next Pontiff hit mute?:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/pope-francis-lgbtq

As a trans person who is not a Christian, I was not a fan and I side eye a bunch of things that happened under his watch as far as cover ups and corruption. That said, he was better than I had any hope of him being and so much better than predecessors in so many ways and on so many issues. He DID represent progress, even though he didn't go as far as one would wish. His anti-authoritarian moves were important.

I am really worried about what comes next.

So many things are getting so much worse. I would love for the catholic Church to keep moving forward, even if not as quickly as I would wish, instead of back sliding into horror.

* "'Evil is being defeated': Marjorie Taylor Greene sparks outrage after Pope Francis' death:" https://www.yahoo.com/news/evil-being-defeated-marjorie-taylor-130338336.html

* "Maddow on Pope Francis, advocate for migrants: 'He changed the world, he changed the church':" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/maddow-on-pope-francis-advocate-for-migrants-he-changed-the-world-he-changed-the-church-238046789972

* "Pope Francis’ Legacy of Compassion for Palestinians:" https://www.msnbc.com/ayman-mohyeldin/watch/pope-francis-legacy-of-compassion-for-palestinians-238414917852

* " Blasphemy is coming to St. Peter’s Square as Trump tries to hijack Pope Francis’s funeral to feed his ego:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/donald-trump-pope-funeral-blasphemy

* "Frito-Lay recall: What to know about the Tostitos tortilla chips pulled from shelves:" https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2025/04/09/frito-lay-tostitos-chips-recall/83012547007/

* "Tri-Union Seafoods Issues Recall of Select Genova®, Van Camp’s®, H-E-B and Trader Joe’s® Tuna Cans Due to Clostridium Botulinum Risk:" https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/tri-union-seafoods-issues-recall-select-genovar-van-campsr-h-e-b-and-trader-joesr-tuna-cans-due

* Wednesday, on my way out the door to collect Millennials for group errands, I found a bureaucracy packet. Worryingly, it was not the standard bureaucracy packet. O.o It takes the same documents I already had assembled for the late April or early May bureaucracy, which helps, but also suggests a second, more complicated bureaucracy will arrive soon.

I worked on it the whole time Millennials were here, and finished it, except for the one piece I need someone to print off the computer. Last time I circled and labelled the relevant items on the bank statements and it worked out. It would be better to belt and suspenders it, but in any case I hope to drive the packet and documents up there for copying, stamping, and filing.

I like to turn them in as early as I can just generally, but speed is extra important now, given the givens.

Bonus I have all the items ID number marked so when I have to take them back to the same office within the month that will speed things up a bit on my end. *eye roll*

I did not sort the things assorted people dumped on the floor and shoveled back in the wrong place repeatedly last Summer and Autumn, but I need to. I keep a year of documents out in case there is random surprise bureaucracy in the off season (Which really does happen). I just need to go through them now before boxing them for seven year storage, in case something got in there that shouldn't.

So that's a couple hours, but less urgent.

It did eat my whole evening, alas.

* …And despite the Millennials being told they were cleared to work, they for some reason haven't been reinstated and are not getting paid. Fuckssake!

So phone bureaucracy tomorrow, I guess.

Bonus: I managed to really fuck up my hand about 7 minutes after they left for the night checking if Tavy's pads were dry. Sigh.

* "Jon Stewart on Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s Deportation and How Trump Fails to Deliver | The Daily Show:"

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* "Trump’s Tariffs Ruined America’s Reputation. Does Anyone Still Respect Us? | The Daily Show:"

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* "Meet the Scientists Bringing Back the Woolly Mammoth to Fight Climate Change | The Daily Show:"

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* "Harvey Fierstein to Receive Lifetime Achievement Tony Award:" https://www.theatermania.com/news/harvey-fierstein-to-receive-a-lifetime-achievement-tony-award_1773609/

* "Must-see LGBTQ+ films every straight ally should watch :" https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/gay-movies-for-straight-allies-watch#rebelltitem12

* "Bernie Rocks Coachella:"

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* "Elmo Drops A Trump Diss Track:"

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* Cool Person in need of help. "So, due to a combination of things hitting at once we're overdue on both the electric and gas bills:" https://conuly.dreamwidth.org/3618944.html

* There's this Evangelical sect that makes creepy ass recruitment ads. They have one that uses Depecge Mode's "Personal Jesus."

Me: do they know?

So every time it comes on, my head snaps up, and then I remember it's an evangelical ad and I chuckle to myself.

*****
* 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.

* "United States Disappeared Tracker:" https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/danielleharlow/viz/UnitedStatesDisappearedTracker/Map

* "Nationwide Economic Blackout: Boycott Dates for Target, Amazon, Others:" https://www.newsweek.com/nationwide-economic-blackout-boycott-dates-target-amazon-others-2037986

* "Introducing Rise Up: Federal Workers Legal Defense Network:" https://aflcio.org/2025/4/16/introducing-rise-federal-workers-legal-defense-network

( More Links Underneath: )

* I have halted working on this aggregate edition because of yet another HOA based emergancy and a time dependant action item for the military budget bill. No news from Wednesday is in here and very little Tuesday. Sorry. World news is super short because I didn't get to it. Apologies.

* Please tell the Whitehouse anything you want them to do while there is still time: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

* "Resources for helping Gaza, Sudan and Congo:" https://www.tumblr.com/swallowedabug/758070860436439040?source=share

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* "Biden administration announces nearly $1 billion aid package for Ukraine as Trump meets with Zelenskyy:" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-administration-announces-1-billion-aid-package-ukraine/story?id=116562732

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* "Haiti gang massacres around 180 people, targeting elderly:" https://www.reuters.com/world/haiti-gang-massacres-least-110-people-cite-soleil-rights-group-says-2024-12-09/

* "Despite confusion, chaos in Syria, Assad's ouster hailed as an indisputably good thing:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/despite-confusion-chaos-in-syria-assad-s-ouster-hailed-as-an-indisputably-good-thing-226729541547

* A thing explaining the Canada Post Strike with good links to sources. I support the strike.: https://www.tumblr.com/thewynne/769397374327160832?source=share

* "Cancer-causing chemicals used in homes and workplaces banned by EPA:" https://abc7ny.com/post/epa-bans-2-cleaning-product-chemicals-both-known-potentially-cause-types-cancer/15635168/

* "USDA orders testing of milk for bird flu:" https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/usda-orders-testing-milk-bird-flu-rcna183212

I bet Trump rolls it right back like he did all those food safety regulations last time, given RFK and Mark MacAfee being invested in killing as many people as possible with preventable illness and MacAfee's financial stake in the quarantine on his infected cows being lifted so he can go back to selling infected milk.

Trump is broadly opposed to food safety and public health in general hence the RFK Jr. choice and the plans to dismantle our entire public health infrastructure.

* "These parents of transgender kids have a lot to say about the Supreme Court case on gender-affirming care:" https://www.advocate.com/news/parents-react-gender-care-case

* This is a win. "Supreme Court rejects chance to review challenge to transgender-inclusive school policies:" https://www.advocate.com/news/supreme-court-rejects-transgender-case

* "BREAKING: U.S. House passes defense spending bill with anti-trans provision:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/anti-trans-defense-bill-advances

Remember how we spent all last year and the early part of this one fighting this sort of thing where they slip anti-trans stuff into must pass funding bills?

Here we are again. Please, call your critters in the senate. Democrats actually had our backs through these fights in the last few years, but it's not guaranteed given the scapegoating in the press, so call Democratic critters too help stiffen their spines.

* I suspect the Doctor is not wrong about weaponization. "Republican senators push for 'transparency' on trans youth care studies:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/republicans-demand-puberty-blocker-findings

* 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

Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? If you can't safely contact them in person, here are some other options:

Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the representative of your choice.
Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resist.bot/
To get your Critters' numbers to call direct: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member

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

* If you live in North Carolina, now is a really good time to protest. "Rev. William Barber calls bill removing power from Democrats a ‘legislative coup’:" https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article296843764.html

* "NC Democratic Party sues over GOP efforts to toss 60,000 votes. Race for Supreme Court seat hangs in balance:" https://www.wral.com/story/nc-democratic-party-sues-over-gop-efforts-to-toss-60-000-votes-race-for-supreme-court-seat-hangs-in-balance/21756693/

* "Meet the gay 19-year-old who made history as Utah's youngest elected official:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/jackson-lewis-youngest-elected-official-utah

* "RNC Co-Chair Lara Trump to step down amid speculation about Florida senate seat:" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/rnc-chair-lara-trump-step-amid-speculation-florida/story?id=116590610

* "New Jersey just banned book bans with Freedom to Read Act:" https://www.advocate.com/education/new-jersey-book-bans

* "Ben Wikler - A Vision For the Future of the Democratic Party | The Daily Show:"

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* "Air Force defers NGAD decision to Trump administration:" https://www.msn.com/en-us/technology/aviation/air-force-defers-ngad-decision-to-trump-administration/ar-AA1vlB7V

* "Trump-era Justice Department subpoenaed congressional staffers, watchdog finds:" https://www.npr.org/2024/12/10/g-s1-37644/justice-department-subpoenae-trump

* This is some serious autocrat shit. "‘This is a signal flare’: Swalwell reacts to Trump DOJ secretly seizing his phone records:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-this-is-a-signal-flare-swalwell-reacts-to-trump-doj-secretly-seizing-his-phone-records-226713669707

* "'Positively Orwellian': Bombshell report reveals Trump DOJ spied on members of Congress:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-positively-orwellian-bombshell-report-reveals-trump-doj-spied-on-members-of-congress-226716229621

* "Autocratic Legalism:" https://lawreview.uchicago.edu/print-archive/autocratic-legalism

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* "Big Lies and Small Lies: How the Right Controls the Narrative:"

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* "Maddow: Shambolic transition inspires little confidence in Trump's coming term:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/maddow-shambolic-transition-inspires-little-confidence-in-trump-s-coming-term-226626629694

* "'Watch what they do': Maddow points out loopholes in new Trump FBI vetting agreement:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-watch-what-they-do-maddow-points-out-loopholes-in-new-trump-fbi-vetting-agreement-226626629775

* "Read the full transcript: President-elect Donald Trump interviewed by "Meet the Press" moderator Kristen Welker:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-interview-meet-press-kristen-welker-election-president-rcna182857

* "Trump details sweeping changes he’ll carry out on day one and beyond in an exclusive interview:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-details-sweeping-changes-ll-carry-day-one-exclusive-interview-rcna182858

* "Trump says he will end birthright citizenship:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/12/08/trump-end-birthright-citizenship-00193184

* "Trump's Terrible Reason for Banning Birthright Citizenship:"

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* "Trump focuses on tariffs, immigration in first network TV interview:" https://www.npr.org/2024/12/08/g-s1-37377/trump-meet-the-press-tariffs

* "Trump Plans To Pardon Jan. 6 Rioters As Soon As He Returns To Office:" https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-pardon-january-6-rioters_n_6755e17de4b06b50ac930ba9

* "'Vengeance tour': Panel reacts to Trump's interview with NBC's Kristen Welker:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/trump-vows-vengeance-against-former-rep-liz-cheney-226510917621

* "Reality stubbornly resists Trump's January 6 narrative:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/reality-stubbornly-resists-trump-s-january-6-narrative-226626629530

* "Trump names ICE chief and makes another round of immigration announcements:" https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/12/05/congress/trump-ice-chief-rodney-scott-00192974

* "Blake Masters under consideration to become Trump’s top gun regulator:" https://www.semafor.com/article/12/06/2024/blake-masters-under-consideration-to-become-trumps-top-gun-regulator

* "Trump announces new role for his administration, names PayPal co-founder 'White House AI and crypto czar':" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-announces-new-role-administration-names-paypal-founder/story?id=116509911

* "Elon Musk funded a super PAC comparing Trump’s position on abortion to Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s:" https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-rbg-pac-abortion-349e66f50b2cd08f6bcebed56f941a3e

* "Elon Musk's Mom Makes Multiple Controversial Statements About Her Son:" https://www.newsweek.com/entertainment/celebrity-news/elon-musk-mom-multiple-controversial-statements-about-son-1992579

* "Trump suggests he shares some of RFK Jr.’s concerns about childhood vaccines:" https://www.statnews.com/2024/12/08/trump-suggests-he-shares-some-rfk-jr-concerns-childhood-vaccines-autism/

* O.o. "I Took the Test RFK Jr. Is Using to Determine Who Should Work at His Health Department:" https://slate.com/life/2024/12/rfk-robert-kennedy-trump-health-human-services-job.html

* "Trump Picks Another One of His Personal Attorneys to Join Administration:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/alina-habba-trump-white-house-adviser-1235197669/

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* "Trans inmates in Florida claim prison officials conducted breast checks, forced haircuts in lawsuit: report:" https://www.advocate.com/news/florida-trans-inmates-lawsuit

* "Why conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome and long COVID are still so mysterious:" https://www.salon.com/2024/12/08/why-conditions-like-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-and-long-are-still-so-mysterious/?lh_aid=126167&lh_cid=dxlolurdg7&lh_em=markalanix%40gmail.com&di=3a6fba894977f509e6a218562781652f

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* "Nikki Giovanni, poet and literary celebrity, has died at 81:" https://apnews.com/article/nikki-giovanni-obit-e2232d5a003442afb76f084fe7c1b4a3

* So we are still waiting for Medicare to decide if I get more physio. In the meantime, the agency that pays for Goth Millennial and till the end of this year Asshole Agency cleaners as part of Medicare Advantage offered me "holistic" physio. She comes to your house. it's Mondays, looks like.

I was skeptical, but her suggestions look sound, target what needs targeting, and her credentials are excellent, so I'm going to try working this program.

I am trying not to freak out about the money for the third payment of the "Special Assessment" taking forever to transfer from Paypal. I am running out of time. I won't be able to raise a replacement if it fails to land and then I'm fucked as they will overdraw my account to take it.

* Paypal claims they sent the money for the special assessment on dec. 4th to my bank. It never made it there. HOA will try to draw the money beginning of next week regardless. If it's not there I am screwed. fees on both ends mounting exponentially into a debt I can never pay, until it threatens my housing.

Tuesday was four business days. I don't know what I'll do if it doesn't appear shortly. If I fuck everything for the month including insurance auto-withdraws. I still only have Squirrel's bit and my bill money and what the Millennials can scrape together short notice. Not enough, not enough.

We raised the money. This is terrifying that I'm still looking at being completely ruined over an illegally levied special assessment because either paypal or my bank made it disappear.

* So good news and bad news on the illegal "Special Assessment" all wrapped up together. For those following on Tumblr, I'd been waiting for the money for the third payment to arrive at my bank account after I transferred it on the 4th, so I could pay the third installment. I couldn't transfer it until the monthly housing auto-withdraw went past or risk my benefits because that would exceed the $2000 limit. My bank said paypal hadn't sent it when I called them. I got a live person at paypal who said it would be sorted today.

There was still only bill money in the account. This time my bank was able to go back further for me. (They were limited database when I'd called before).

HOA stole the whole third installment instead of taking the regular housing payment without informing me or sending a receipt. as of last Friday, their obnoxious customized "Portal" did not have any category for Illegal special assessments, nor did it show the payments for it in the regular legal housing payment category. (I discovered this evening it now does both.) My Social security in toto is significantly smaller than the third installment of the illegal special Assessment. This massively overdrew my account, wracking up fees, none of it anything anyone let me know about.

The operative word here is "Instead of." The Math doesn't add up. They did not take monthly housing. The email they sent threatening to auto-withdraw all accounts owing said it would pull on the 17th, whether we wanted it to or not. By my Math I now owe them the housing payment they did not take last week.

I would need $300ish more to cover the rest of housing I don't have, plus the auto-insurance autowithdraw.

This leaves nothing for bills at all, with is likely to be another 300-400, as I just had to over extend credit for gas for errands and medical stuff this month. I think I can float this part a little while, but January is also a month with extra bills in it and February is the other big semi-annual housing bill, so it's just going to keep getting uglier.

This is so cruel and exhausting and none of it didn't need to happen if the Boomers hadn't been set on (allegedly) wasting the emergency fund on a non-functional security theater fence they put up without asking anyone instead of doing necessary repairs to the buildings with the emergency funds, or if the HOA would just have taken what they were supposed to take and waited until I transferred the third payment as we agreed they would do.

So here I am stuck again, because I'm pretty sure they will overdraw me next Tuesday, causing cascading overdraft fees at the bank.

I hate to do this, but it's been one disaster after another this year, in large and small ways, and this absolutely blind-sided me. Twice.

If you can help: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/Gwydion

* In other news, I had a really interesting poll this evening. They took standard demographics, then asked me to summarize 2024 in one word.

*Long pause*

Me: Sorry, I was trying to think of an answer that isn't profanity. I'll go with "Horrifying."

Then they asked a few of economy questions about now versus my expectations for 2025. Terrible now, worse next year.

Most of the rest of the poll was about abortion, birth control, IVF. It wasn't just policy in general questions and candidate questions, but in the middle of the section they asked some clarifying things like when did I think life began, should the law be based on science or religious belief. FASCINATING. No one asks questions like this in issue polls usually. If you have this kind of information you would have a better idea of what the polling around abortion timing and birth control types would actually mean. It would give you a better idea of what the person answering meant instead of what the poller thought they meant. I was for real impressed.

I wished they'd been asking about bodily autonomy broadly as well because I have Opinions.

Another notable thing to me, a connoisseur of political polls who gets polled A LOT because I have a landline and am willing to answer them, is how carefully everything was worded. Very neutral, very even handed, not a hint of push.

This poll was art if any poll can be said to be. Someone or someones really wanted this poll to elicit useful information instead of confirming a bias. It wasn't lazy or broad. It was finely detailed. *chef's kiss*

*****
* 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.

* "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/

* "Buy Native List:" https://www.beyondbuckskin.com/p/buy-native.html?m=1

* Natural fiber fabric sources to buy from for sewing: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/768880596478984192?source=share

* "Palestine Children’s Relief Fund:" https://pcrf1.app.neoncrm.com/forms/gaza-recovery

* Disaster Preparedness stuff from the US Government: https://www.ready.gov/publications

( More Links Underneath: )

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* "Where Is Hamas Getting Its Weapons? Increasingly, From Israel.:" https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/28/world/middleeast/israel-hamas-weapons-rockets.html

* "Gaza mediators and others warn Israel of disaster if it launches a ground invasion on crowded Rafah:" https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-02-10-2024-2d80dc890a5030757e2ae76684fa75da

* Verified charities to help Palestinians: https://cleolinda.tumblr.com/post/737312194805612544

******

* "Netanyahu rejects Hamas cease-fire demands, vows to fight until ‘absolute victory’:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/07/netanyahu-hamas-cease-fire-demands-00140182

* "Egypt steps up security on border as Israeli offensive in Gaza nears:" https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/egypt-steps-up-security-border-israeli-offensive-gaza-nears-2024-02-09/

******

* "Russian missiles strike Ukrainian cities again, killing at least 7 and wounding dozens:" https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-kyiv-missile-kharkiv-7c360faaeec27ac169b2abf4865a4522

* "War cats: Ukraine enlists feline friends in fight against Russia:" https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-russia-war-cat-army-social-media/

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* "Farmer protests spread across Europe:" https://www.reuters.com/pictures/farmer-protests-spread-across-europe-2024-02-06/

* "Indian workers seek jobs in Israel, undeterred by conflict:" https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indian-workers-seek-jobs-israel-undeterred-by-conflict-2024-01-18/

* "Rishi Sunak’s tax bill sparks outcry after it’s revealed he paid the same rate as a teacher:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/02/10/rishi-sunak-tax/

* "Brianna Ghey’s father demands apology from Rishi Sunak for trans jibe in front of late teen’s mother:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/02/08/rishi-sunak-brianna-ghey/

* "Ex-prime minister Liz Truss brands supporters of LGBT people ‘left-wing extremists’:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/02/07/ex-prime-minister-liz-truss-brands-supporters-of-lgbt-people-left-wing-extremists/

* "Biden angrily pushes back at special counsel’s report that questioned his memory, handling of docs:" https://apnews.com/article/biden-hur-garland-classified-documents-836b99fe9cbef9ba7d32602f4928efec

* "'What the hell, man?': Hayes baffled by special counsel report on Biden:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-what-the-hell-man-hayes-baffled-by-special-counsel-report-on-biden-203977797511

* "Karine Jean-Pierre defends Biden’s fitness in tense exchange with Fox News:" https://www.advocate.com/news/peter-doocy-karine-jean-pierre

* "EPA tightens rules on some air pollution for the first time in over a decade:" https://www.npr.org/2024/02/07/1229348646/epa-tightens-rules-on-some-air-pollution-for-the-first-time-in-over-a-decade

* "AI-generated voices in robocalls can deceive voters. The FCC just made them illegal:" https://apnews.com/article/fcc-elections-artificial-intelligence-robocalls-regulations-a8292b1371b3764916461f60660b93e6

* "The Supreme Court Has Itself to Blame for Texas Defying Its Orders: Greg Abbott is taking a stand to protect his state’s right to let children die in the Rio Grande, and four justices of the Supreme Court are encouraging him to do so.:" https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/01/greg-abbott-texas-border-stunt-supreme-court/677267/

* "Supreme Court justices appear skeptical of effort to remove Trump from a state ballot:" https://www.npr.org/2024/02/08/1229176555/supreme-court-trump-colorado-ballot

* "Trump’s Supreme Court Ballot Argument Posits That Jefferson Davis Wasn’t an Insurrectionist Either:" https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2024/02/trump-supreme-court-argument-jefferson-davis-insurrectionist.html

* "Meet the lawyers arguing the Trump ballot case at the Supreme Court:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/07/trump-supreme-court-lawyers-00139974

* "Senate GOP blocks border bill, Democrats shift focus to Israel and Ukraine aid:" https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/02/07/congress/senate-supplemental-ukraine-border-aid-00140187

* "Republicans ‘absolutely allergic’ to fixing border, says Sen. Murphy:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/republicans-absolutely-allergic-to-fixing-border-says-sen-murphy-203824197878

* "House fails to pass standalone Israel aid bill as Senate package stalls:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/house-of-representatives-israel-aid-vote-mike-johnson/

* Extended Elizabeth Warren Interview:

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* "Ukraine aid bill inches forward in US Senate:" https://www.reuters.com/world/us/ukraine-aid-bill-inches-forward-us-senate-2024-02-10/

* "House fails to pass articles of impeachment for Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas:" https://www.npr.org/2024/02/06/1229642634/house-fails-to-pass-articles-of-impeachment-for-homeland-security-secretary-mayo

* "‘Laughable’: AOC blasts GOP’s ‘craven’ bid to impeach DHS Secretary:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-laughable-aoc-blasts-gop-s-craven-bid-to-impeach-dhs-secretary-203827781561

* Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? If you can't safely contact them in person, here are some other options:

Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the representative of your choice.
Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resist.bot/
To get your Critters' numbers to call direct: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member

* The Indivisible Guide: "A Practical Guide to defeating MAGA:" https://indivisible.org/sites/default/files/2023-01/20220104_Indivisible_%20A%20Practical%20Guide%20to%20Defeating%20MAGA.pdf

* "Missouri Republican candidate burns LGBTQ+ books with flamethrower and posts the video online:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/missouri-gop-flame-thrower-books

* New Yorkers who live in the 3rd district, the last day to vote in the Special Election is Feb. 13! Don't sleep on it! We can flip a seat if enough of you vote for Tom Suozzi!!!

* "What to know about the special election to replace George Santos:" https://www.axios.com/2024/02/07/george-santos-special-elections-congress-new-york

* "Candidates clash and tempers flare at New York special election debate:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/08/candidates-clash-and-tempers-flare-at-new-york-special-election-debate-00140634

* "Santos sequel? Republican candidate in NY-3 special election raises eyebrows:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/santos-sequel-republican-candidate-in-ny-3-special-election-raises-eyebrows-203978309541

* Presidential Primaries are ongoing:

Republicans: South Carolina votes 2/24/24

Michigan: All vote 2/27/24

Know your state's schedule and where to vote. Make sure you and your friends are registered. If you are voting in person, plan how to get there.

If you live in an open primary state consider voting strategically. Otherwise, vote your heart in the primary. Remember how all those votes for Sanders and Warren pushed Biden and the party platform further left?

Remember to vote in all the races, not just the top of the ticket even if it's in a separate primary (as it is in my state). Who runs congress, your state, and your local government really matters. In some states this is a separate primary. Check the rules for your state.

Never, ever sleep on a chance to vote.

Remember, it is always better to vote for someone who will listen to us than to let someone who is actively trying to kill us.

* "Worse than you can imagine: Haley loses to ‘none of these candidates’ in Nevada:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/07/haley-wins-nevada-primary-that-nets-no-delegates-00140036

* "The anti-abortion plan ready for Trump on Day One:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/29/trump-abortion-ban-2024-campaign-00138417

* "Trump Says Jan. 6 Was an Insurrection:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-says-jan-6-insurrection-1234964730/

* "West Virginia's 'Women's Bill Of Rights' Criticized As An Effort To Suppress Transgender People:" https://www.huffpost.com/entry/west-virginia-womens-bill-of-rights-criticized_n_65c56df0e4b0fb721d606684

* "New ‘Georgia Women’s Bill of Rights’ guts protections for trans women, eliminates gender identity:" https://www.advocate.com/georgia-womens-bill-of-rights

* "‘Patriotism Not Pride’ bill banning Oklahoma from spending funds on Pride Month passes key vote:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/patriotism-not-pride-bill-oklahoma

* Because Of Course. "Florida Republican lawmaker pivots from banning Pride flags — to protecting Confederate monuments:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/florida-confederate-monuments-pride-flags

* "Ohio won't restrict gender-affirming care for adults but still goes after trans youth:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/ohio-transgender-rules-revised

* "Transgender Virginians can breathe a sigh of relief after Democrats defeat all GOP anti-LGBTQ+ bills:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/virginia-democrats-protect-transgender-rights

* "Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey nominates former partner for high court, raises GOP ire:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/maura-healey-nominates-former-partner

* "South Dakota tribe bans governor from reservation over US-Mexico border remarks:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/04/south-dakota-us-mexico-border-00139485

* "Marjorie Taylor Greene pushes transgender care outrage with out-of-context, decade-old ‘Dateline’ clip:" https://www.advocate.com/news/transgender-dateline-video-outrage

* CW: Rape. "Moms for Liberty co-founder speaks out for first time after threesome revelations:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/moms-for-liberty-co-founder-speaks-out-for-first-time-after-threesome-revelations

* "North Carolina Republican says trans people should ‘find a corner outside somewhere’ to go to the bathroom:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/mark-robinson-trans-bathroom-nc

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* "Trump’s Worst Lawyer Costs Him Millions (Carroll v. Trump):"

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* "Judge Engoron's Scathing Rebuke of Donald Trump's Lawyers:" https://www.newsweek.com/judge-engoron-scathing-rebuke-donald-trump-lawyers-1868348

* "Jack Smith Hits Back at Judge Cannon’s Dangerous Order on Trump Case:" https://newrepublic.com/post/178922/jack-smith-judge-cannon-dangerous-order-trump-classified-documents

* "“Awful and unethical”: Legal experts say Judge Cannon could face removal for “disturbing” order:" https://www.salon.com/2024/02/08/awful-and-unethical-legal-experts-say-cannon-could-face-removal-for-disturbing-order/

* "'Putting her on notice': Jack Smith losing patience with Judge Cannon in Trump documents case:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/-putting-her-on-notice-jack-smith-losing-patience-with-judge-cannon-in-trump-documents-case-203985989629

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* "Political Violence is Ruining Democracy:"

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* "Ripples of hate: A chance encounter at N.Y. playground leaves a father asking, ‘What is justice now?’:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/interactive/2024/hate-crime-israel-palestine-impact-justice/?itid=mr_1

* "Libs of TikTok creator accuses NBC News of stochastic terrorism after bomb threat investigation:" https://www.advocate.com/news/chaya-raichik-nbc-stochastic-terrorism

* "TO STOP A SHOOTER: Why would an armed officer stand by as a school shooting unfolds?:" https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/03/parkland-shooter-scot-peterson-coward-broward/677170/

* "On live TV, Guardian Angels rough up a man in Times Square then misidentify him as a ‘migrant’:" https://apnews.com/article/guardian-angels-times-square-migrants-curtis-sliwa-dacb23b7cfe0679d12642bca116543d4

* "Fox News fearmongering backfires on live TV:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/fox-news-fearmongering-backfires-on-live-tv-203975750001

* "The Juror Who Found Herself Guilty:" https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/the-juror-who-found-herself-guilty/

* "Prisoners in the US are part of a hidden workforce linked to hundreds of popular food brands:" https://apnews.com/article/prison-to-plate-inmate-labor-investigation-c6f0eb4747963283316e494eadf08c4e

* "Tennessee city ordered to pay half a million dollars in damages after banning Pride and drag shows:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/02/09/tennessee-murfreesboro-damages-lgbt-ban/

* "What It’s Like to Celebrate Black History in a State Where It’s Banned:" https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/02/florida-desantis-black-history-month/?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us

* "Indiana launches anti-LGBTQ+ 'snitch line;' users flood it with memes in protest:" https://www.advocate.com/news/indiana-snitch-line

* "Kansas Attorney General demands schools out trans kids, with no law in place:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/02/10/kansas-attorney-general-schools-out-trans-kids/

* CW: CSA. "Federal lawsuit filed against former Olympian and figure skating ‘governing body’ based in Colorado Springs:" https://www.kktv.com/2024/02/02/federal-lawsuit-filed-against-former-olympian-figure-skating-governing-body-based-colorado-springs/

* "Kevin Spacey ordered to pay $1m amid House of Cards sexual harassment saga:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/02/09/kevin-spacey-charges/

* I was just explaining this to someone the other day. Trans Athlete Bans and anti-trans athlete rhetoric literally endanger children and teens both cis and trans. This is the second thing like this in Utah this year and it's only February. "Utah student athlete threatened after school board member implies she's trans:" https://www.advocate.com/news/utah-student-harassed-transgender

* "Gender-affirming care improves transgender lives, according to largest survey of trans people:" https://www.advocate.com/transgender/us-transgender-survey-findings

* "Readers deserve better than misinformation about trans care; a response to Pamela Paul:" https://www.advocate.com/transgender/misinformation-nyt-trans-care

* "The fascinating history of the lesbian slang terms ‘stud’ and ‘stem’:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/02/11/lesbian-slang-stud-and-stem/

* "We’re looking for English-speaking neopronoun users (aged 18+) to participate in a paid linguistics study.:" https://allthingslinguistic.com/post/741780492503990272/kirby-conrod-is-a-cool-linguist-whos-done-neat

* "Houthi court sentences 13 men to public execution for gay sex:" https://www.advocate.com/news/houthis-persecution-homosexuality

* "Russian media watchdog investigating Duolingo over ‘LGBT propaganda’:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/02/10/russia-watchdog-duolingo-lgbt-propaganda/

* "Pope Francis calls out ‘hypocrisy’ of same-sex blessing critics:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/02/10/pope-francis-hypocrisy-same-sex-blessing/

* "Delhi government announces free bus travel for trans community in capital city:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/02/09/delhi-free-bus-service/

* "UK government reportedly shuts down NHS Pride badge scheme in ‘gutting’ move:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/02/09/nhs-pride-badge-scheme-reportedly-shut-down-government/

* "Hundreds of transgender people stage dramatic ‘die-in’ protests at DMVs across Florida:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/02/10/florida-trans-protest/

* "Gay dog walker fatally shot by gunman who ‘hurled homophobic slurs’ and said ‘you’re going to die’:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/02/11/john-walter-lay/

* "Soldiers from prestigious U.S. Army unit charged with stealing Pride flags in Virginia:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/soldiers-charged-pride-flag-thefts

* "Care, Out of the Closet:" https://thebaffler.com/salvos/care-out-of-the-closet-neumann

* "Buckle up, everyone: right-wingers are angry at Oreos now:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/02/09/oreo-lgbtq-support-criticised/

* I'd have been a lot harder on south Park than she is, but she's a much kinder person. ""Offensive" Comedy Isn't Offensive:"

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* "How I helped change the law that put me and other Black people with HIV behind bars:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/lashanda-salinas

* Wear a condom, dammit! "Syphilis cases rise to their highest levels since the 1950s, CDC says:" https://www.npr.org/2024/01/31/1228195107/syphilis-cases-soar-in-us-cdc-says

* "Long Covid is Now the Biggest Pandemic Risk for Most People:" https://www.metafilter.com/202210/Long-Covid-is-Now-the-Biggest-Pandemic-Risk-for-Most-People

* "The Myth of Panic:" https://www.palladiummag.com/2021/07/15/the-myth-of-panic/

* "The Forgotten Lessons Of Infectious Disease Control:" https://www.donotpanic.news/p/the-forgotten-lessons-of-infectious

* "‘If Exercise Could Cure This, I Would Have Been Cured So Quickly’: Striving for fitness is usually healing. But for most people with long COVID, it can be toxic.:" https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2024/01/long-covid-exercise-post-exertional-malaise/677242/

* "Library of Congress Launches New Website for Americans to Share COVID-19 Stories:" https://newsroom.loc.gov/news/library-of-congress-launches-new-website-for-americans-to-share-covid-19-stories/s/d5739534-fec6-4e13-9f16-68d6117ee94b

* "The first at-home cervical screening device is under clinical trial, and it’s about time:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/02/08/at-home-cervical-cancer-screening/

* "Two families waited years for new kidneys. Then they found each other.:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2024/01/28/strangers-kidney-paired-transplant-arizona-illinois/

* "I was Hypnotized as a Teen. Was it Dangerous?:" https://longreads.com/2024/01/25/i-was-hypnotized-as-a-teen-was-it-dangerous/

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* "World Nears Dangerous Climate Tipping Point With Snow in Short Supply:" https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2024-snow-drought-climate-change/?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTcwNTQyODMwNCwiZXhwIjoxNzA2MDMzMTA0LCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJTNzFaNEJUMVVNMFcwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiIzRDhGMEEzMTc2MDc0NUM5OTg4NkFCNzA1NDk2RUNEQSJ9.S2wF1RX63Z24vtPWlTsEaQvADjn7KRhnt0QuhhnOrdQ

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* "Gold miners bring fresh wave of suffering to Brazil’s Yanomami:" https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/brazil-environment-yanomami/

* "This camel has a very important job:" https://www.vox.com/down-to-earth/2024/2/2/24052025/camel-seed-mojave-desert-joshua-tree-fires

* This is why we need external safety inspections. "How Boeing put profits over planes:" https://www.vox.com/money/24052245/boeing-corporate-culture-737-airplane-safety-door-plug

* "The Rooftop Solar Industry Could Be on the Verge of Collapse:" https://time.com/6565415/rooftop-solar-industry-collapse/

* "Inside the Crime Rings Trafficking Sand:" https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/sand-mafias-are-plundering-the-earth/

* "Athleisure: Destroying Fashion & the Environment:"

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* "Meta’s new AI image generator was trained on 1.1 billion Instagram and Facebook photos:" https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2023/12/metas-new-ai-image-generator-was-trained-on-1-1-billion-instagram-and-facebook-photos/

* "Texas cold leaves alligators 'frozen' underwater, but still alive. Here's how:" https://www.npr.org/2024/01/25/1226660910/alligators-frozen-underwater-brumation-explanation

* "Foul-mouthed parrots are unlikely stars at a British zoo:" https://www.npr.org/2024/01/25/1226911707/parrots-swear-profanities-british-zoo

* "These Parrots Use Their Beaks to Swing Across Branches Like Monkeys:" https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/these-parrots-can-use-their-beaks-to-swing-across-branches-like-monkeys-180983694/

* "Sighting of newborn great white shark ‘unlike anything we had ever seen before’:" https://www.science.org/content/article/sighting-newborn-great-white-shark-unlike-anything-we-had-ever-seen

* "Celebrate Winter in the Wild With 15 Photos of Animals Enjoying the Snow:" https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/celebrate-winter-in-the-wild-with-15-photos-of-animals-enjoying-the-snow-180983665/

* "Scientists Discover Stunning Evidence of Multiple Lost Prehistoric Societies:" https://www.vice.com/en/article/z3m5ye/scientists-discover-stunning-evidence-of-multiple-lost-prehistoric-societies

* "The Sensation Novelist Who Exposed the Plight of Victorian Women:" https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-sensation-novelist-who-exposed-the-plight-of-victorian-women-wilkie-collins-180983649/

* "Italy Returns Historic Plane to Ethiopia:" https://www.voaafrica.com/a/7463918.html

* "These Casual Snapshots Show What Kitchens Were Like in the 1960s:" https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/kitchen-desgins-1960s/

* "THE U.S. SHOULD APOLOGIZE TO GAY PEOPLE:" https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/01/lavender-scare-gay-people-public-service-erasure/677236/

* "Doll Houses, 1983:" https://www.presentandcorrect.com/blogs/blog/doll-houses-1983

* "Cecilia Gentili, trans activist, actress, and author, has died at 52:" https://www.advocate.com/obituaries/cecilia-gentili-trans-activist-obituary

* "It was deemed extinct. But now pentl'ach has been declared a living language thanks to Qualicum researchers:" https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/pentl-ach-officially-declared-a-living-language-added-to-b-c-list-of-first-nations-languages-1.7045803?cmp=rss

* "Los Angeles museum repatriates Asante artefacts to Ghana:" https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2024/02/05/fowler-museum-los-angeles-asante-repatriation-ghana

* "A pair of UK museums return gold and silver artifacts to Ghana under a long-term loan arrangement:" https://apnews.com/article/britain-ghana-museums-gold-colonial-theft-royal-e5aa77f9c07ab8952e507dd01e983c76

* "In South America, African-inspired religions gain more followers:" https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/south-america-african-inspired-religions-gain-more-followers-2024-02-03/

* "Tell Me Why the Watermelon Grows:" https://www.switchyardmag.com/issue-2/watermelon?src=longreads

* My surgery will be March 12th. As my dominant arm will be immobilized for two weeks, odds are I won't be doing news aggregation during that period as I suck at mousing with my off hand and I am slow. If I'm on at all it will likely be reblogs, queue, and the like. It can be up to a month after I'm freed to get up to speed, but I have no way of knowing what I can manage when, until very late March.

I'm giving people the heads up now so y'all know what's going on, and I'll remind people when we're closer. I know people worry if I drop off all social media for two weeks.

* "Meanwhile… Stolen Polar Bear | Monkey On The Run In Scotland | The $1,780 Lemon:"

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* "California’s Rainpocalypse | Taylor’s GRAMMY Surprise | Biden: Trump Is A “Sick F***”:"

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* "Meanwhile… Disco Bathroom | Kid Stuck In The Claw Game | Transatlantic Pot Bust:"

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* "Speaker Johnson Gets Spanked | Nobody Wins Nevada GOP Primary | Trump’s Pick To Run The RNC:"

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* "A History of Chuck E. Cheese: Last Squeak Tonight with John Oliver:"

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* "The Subversive Power of the Lesbian Cheerleader:"

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* "Sorry for adding to the Saltburn discourse:"

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This is pretty much where I was with this. I was low key obsessed with both Brideshead (Book and miniseries) and the Nureyev Nijinsky's Faun (and Nijinsky just generally. Also ballet) as a tween. I've seen talented Mr. Ripley any number of times.

On paper this was so exciting. The bones of something interesting were there. In practice? I kept thinking I'd rather be watching the Andrews/Irons miniseries of my youth.

* "Kwame Alexander Reads A Poem From “This Is the Honey: An Anthology Of Contemporary Black Poets”:"

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* "The 2023 Hugo nomination statistics have finally been released – and we have questions:" https://corabuhlert.com/2024/01/21/the-2023-hugo-nomination-statistics-have-finally-been-release-and-we-have-questions/

* World Con Stuff. "McCarty, Standlee, and Others Censured or Reprimanded:" https://locusmag.com/2024/01/mccarty-standlee-and-others-censured/

* "Why You Should Watch Straight Jacket, the Lost Gay Rom-Com:"

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* "Meet the 'Feud: Capote vs. The Swans' cast & the real people they play:" https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/feud-capote-versus-swans#rebelltitem3

* "Lil Nas X has hilariously on-brand reaction to new single ‘J Christ’ charting at 69:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/25/lil-nas-x-j-christ-single-chart/

* "Donald Trump Has PACs For Days:"

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* "The Stakes Are High At Super Bowl LVIII:"

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* "Stephen Is Become Death, Destroyer Of Worlds:"

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* "Home Videos - SNL:"

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* "CNN Town Hall South Carolina Cold Open - SNL:"

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* "Dune Popcorn Bucket - SNL:"

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* "Where Ought The Human Part of Pan End and the Goat Part of Pan Begin?:" https://www.thechatner.com/p/where-ought-the-human-part-of-pan?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=5&post_id=141165230&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=ykw2&utm_medium=email

* "Sometimes reading Arthuriana feels like reading Alice in Wonderland.:" https://www.tumblr.com/dduane/740748424532623360/sometimes-reading-arthuriana-feels-like-reading?source=share

*****
* 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.

* People have been asking for ways to help trans people in West Virginia, given the scary shit going on there. So far this organization is suggested. I'm keeping an eye out for more ways to help. If you have suggestions, please let me know. "Fairness West Virginia:" https://fairnesswv.org/donate/

* To track more general LGBTQIA+ Legislation: https://www.lgbtmap.org/

* An organization for the parents of trans youths: https://transparentusa.org/

* "2024 Trans Girl Scouts To Order Cookies From!:" https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/2024-trans-girl-scouts-to-order-cookies

* "Tell your Representative to Support Rep Tlaib's Resolution for a New Streaming Royalty:" https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-your-representative-to-support-the-resolution-for-a-new-streaming-royalty/

* "World Central Kitchen:" https://wck.org/

* Verified charities to help Palestinians: https://cleolinda.tumblr.com/post/737312194805612544

* "Palestine Children’s Relief Fund:" https://pcrf1.app.neoncrm.com/forms/gaza-recovery

* "Library of Congress Launches New Website for Americans to Share COVID-19 Stories:" https://newsroom.loc.gov/news/library-of-congress-launches-new-website-for-americans-to-share-covid-19-stories/s/d5739534-fec6-4e13-9f16-68d6117ee94b

* "We’re looking for English-speaking neopronoun users (aged 18+) to participate in a paid linguistics study.:" https://allthingslinguistic.com/post/741780492503990272/kirby-conrod-is-a-cool-linguist-whos-done-neat

( More Links Underneath: )

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* "World Court says Israel must prevent genocide in Gaza, stops short of ceasefire order:" https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-braces-world-court-ruling-focuses-attack-south-gaza-2024-01-26/

* Verified charities to help Palestinians: https://cleolinda.tumblr.com/post/737312194805612544

---

* "Biden administration creates $700k grant to create inclusive sex ed for trans male teens:" https://www.advocate.com/health/trans-boys-sex-education

* "Border standoff between Texas, feds intensifies as governor defies Supreme Court ruling:" https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/border-standoff-between-texas-feds-intensifies-as-governor-defies-supreme-court-ruling

* "Walmart engaged in illegal union busting at California store, U.S. agency says:" https://finance.yahoo.com/news/walmart-engaged-illegal-union-busting-182620662.html

* "Proposed funding deal will be deadly for LGBTQ+ asylum seekers:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/lgbtq-asylum-seekers-deadly-deal

* "Senate Democrats urged to reject anti-LGBTQ+ measures in funding bills by coalition:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/advocacy-groups-demand-democratic-support

Democrats held firm for us in all the negotiations last summer. The deluge of calls reminding them why they need to protect them worked.

However, it might be a good idea to contact your senators just in case.

* Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? If you can't safely contact them in person, here are some other options:

Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the representative of your choice.
Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resist.bot/
To get your Critters' numbers to call direct: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member

* The Indivisible Guide: "A Practical Guide to defeating MAGA:" https://indivisible.org/sites/default/files/2023-01/20220104_Indivisible_%20A%20Practical%20Guide%20to%20Defeating%20MAGA.pdf

* Early voting has already started in a few places.

Democrats: South Carolina votes 2/3/24

Democrats: Nevada votes 2/6/24

Republicans: Nevada votes 2/8/24
Republicans: Virgin Islands votes 2/8/24

Know your state's schedule and where to vote. Make sure you and your friends are registered. If you are voting in person, plan how to get there.

If you live in an open primary state consider voting strategically. Otherwise, vote your heart in the primary. Remember how all those votes for Sanders and Warren pushed Biden and the party platform further left?

Remember to vote in all the races, not just the top of the ticket even if it's in a separate primary. Who runs congress, your state, and your local government really matters. In some states this is a separate primary. Check the rules for your state.

Never, ever sleep on a chance to vote.

Remember, it is always better to vote for someone who will listen to us than to let someone who is actively trying to kill us.

* "Assembly lawmakers pass 14-week abortion ban Evers has vowed to veto:" https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2024/01/26/assembly-lawmakers-pass-14-week-abortion-ban-evers-has-vowed-to-veto/

* "GOP Lawmaker Thinks He’s an Abortion Expert Because He’s a Veterinarian:" https://newrepublic.com/post/178471/wisconsin-republican-lawmaker-abortion-expert-veterinarian

* "GOP lawmaker claims he's ‘qualified’ to ban abortion because he's a veterinarian:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/gop-lawmaker-claims-he-s-qualified-to-ban-abortion-because-he-s-a-veterinarian-203061317913

* "Maine Democrats bail on bill making state sanctuary for trans people amid far-right uproar:" https://www.advocate.com/news/maine-gender-care-bill-fails

* "Missouri Republicans add trans bathroom ban to 'parents' rights' education bill:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/missouri-republicans-trans-bathroom-ban

* Republicans are out legislating in favour of child abuse. "Bill weakening child labor laws in Florida clears major legislative hurdle:" https://www.wptv.com/news/political/bill-weakening-child-labor-laws-in-florida-heads-clears-major-legislative-hurdle

* "Kemp plans to make it tougher for workers to organize, form unions in Georgia:" https://www.wabe.org/governor-kemp-wants-to-make-it-tougher-for-workers-to-organize-in-georgia/

* I get where she's coming from, but I think cutting queer kids off from information and support is always bad, but in this age of censorship and books bans so much worse. "Out Florida lawmaker defends bill banning kids from social media:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/out-florida-lawmaker-defends-bill-banning-kids-from-social-media

* "Homophobe Matt Gaetz is being investigated for sex trafficking and lobbying violations by the House:" https://www.advocate.com/matt-gaetz-sex-trafficking-lobbying

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* "Trump ordered to pay $83.3M for defaming E. Jean Carroll:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/26/trump-trial-jean-carroll-defamation-verdict-00138171

* "E. Jean Carroll jury slaps Trump with penalty big enough to hurt:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/e-jean-carroll-jury-slaps-trump-with-penalty-big-enough-to-hurt-203068997914

* "E. Jean Carroll attorney: Trump verdict proves 'your lies' catch up to you:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/e-jean-carroll-attorney-trump-verdict-proves-your-lies-catch-up-to-you-203061829620

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* As usual, the U.S. is not sending it's best people, but rather, it's worst. "The MAGA Truckers Are Back—And Heading to the Border:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-maga-truckers-are-backand-heading-to-the-border

* "Alabama man shook violently on gurney during first-ever nitrogen gas execution:" https://apnews.com/article/nitrogen-execution-death-penalty-alabama-6d66344d3199f8c58f2408baa3df0738

* "Brown, Yale, Columbia among latest to settle financial-aid lawsuit:" https://www.reuters.com/legal/brown-yale-columbia-among-latest-settle-financial-aid-lawsuit-2024-01-24/

* "Oklahoma superintendent faces blowback for putting Libs of TikTok creator on library panel:" https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-education-superintendent-walters-libs-tiktok-raichik-4db2bcb9d8e0582f67329f6879bdf6ba

* "Watch dildos dominate discussion during Moms for Liberty MSNBC interview:" https://www.advocate.com/media/tiffany-justice-obsessed-dildo

* CW: Harassment. "Kansas transgender prison employee sues over alleged gender identity harassment:" https://www.advocate.com/law/kansas-transgender-prison-supervisor-lawsuit

* "Over a third of US adults never received sex education on gender identity, study finds:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/25/sex-education-usa-news/

* Once again, America lets down our veterans. "Trans veterans were promised access to gender-affirming surgeries — but it never happened:" https://www.advocate.com/health-care/transgender-veterans

* "Texas AG Ken Paxton won't leave trans people alone, again requests data from out of state:" https://www.advocate.com/texas-ag-paxton-georgia-trans

* "Ohio families request emergency funds to flee state after trans care ban passed:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/24/ohio-families-emergency-funds-trans-care-ban/

* CW: Rape. "Raped, pregnant and in an abortion ban state? Researchers gauge how often it happens:" https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/01/24/1226161416/rape-caused-pregnancy-abortion-ban-states

* "What does pansexual mean, and how is it different from bisexual and polysexual?:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/24/what-is-pansexual-meaning-flag-definition-define-bisexual-difference/

* "LGBT History Month 2024: Here’s why the UK and US celebrate in different months:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/26/lgbt-history-month-2024-uk-us-date-theme/

* ...And he's already walking it back. Sigh. "Pope Francis: Blessings for same-sex couples are for the people, not the unions:" https://www.advocate.com/religion/pope-francis-blessings-same-sex

* "Man sentenced to 48 years for the murder of a Black trans woman in Maryland:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/25/taya-ashton-maryland-usa-sentencing/

* CW: Rape. "San Francisco man convicted of poisoning, raping, and murdering young man adopted by gay couple:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/san-francisco-man-convicted-murder

* "An LGBTQ+ nonprofit in North Carolina was broken into and robbed over the weekend:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/lgbtq-nonprofit-north-carolina-burglary

* "Adoption discrimination ‘holding back’ potential LGBTQ+ families in US:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/25/lgbtq-people-foster-children-gallup/

* "The CDC finds discrimination puts trans women at higher risk of HIV:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/25/trans-woman-risks-health/

* "The latest on an HIV vaccine:" https://www.hivplusmag.com/prevention/latest-hiv-vaccine

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* I didn't really recover from the Thursday torture appointment until Sunday, and it took a stupid amount of bedrest to get there. I kept getting the shakes trying to do the exercises Friday and Saturday. One of the things I literally couldn't get my arm in position to start Friday. Saturday, I was able to hook it into place with my other hand and hold it in start position for a 15 count stretch which is as good as it was getting without Beowulf pulling a Grendel on me.

Meanwhile, news has been piling up on Klaus laptap as I struggle to keep my head above water and out of bed long enough for basics.

I did manage to do all eighteen twice (if you count the stretch as doing an exercise), Saturday, but it cost me a lot. Sunday I did manage three sets. I am concerned about how Wednesday physio, but onward we must go because what I take into surgery is the range of motion ceiling on the arm for the rest of my life. Tick Tick Tick sigh.

I asked Goth Millennial to make a cardboard decoy laptop to distract Tavy from his attempts to kill Klaus. Livia was initially terrified of it, so I can't sit it in Klaus' old spot if I want her to feel safe out here. I have set it at right angles instead, which is less alarming for her while she gets used to it. Meanwhile Tavy has started gnawing on it, so at least he has a new project. we'll need more time to see about effectiveness.

The second of the surgery shirts my Aunt funded arrived. It is marked the same size as the more generic one that is a tent, but is actually the exact right fit for me. Not ideal for post surgery, but large enough if someone is there to dress me, and it means I now own four shirts I can wear for medical appointments and such while convalescing. I plan to wander around the apartment just in boxers for a lot of this, because that's far better than having to figure out how to get in and out of shirts everyday.

I love this octopus shirt. It is beautiful and goth and pride flag coded. I was not prepared for the cuteness of the squids up close.

*****
* 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.

* People have been asking for ways to help trans people in West Virginia, given the scary shit going on there. So far this organization is suggested. I'm keeping an eye out for more ways to help. If you have suggestions, please let me know. "Fairness West Virginia:" https://fairnesswv.org/donate/

* To track more general LGBTQIA+ Legislation: https://www.lgbtmap.org/

* An organization for the parents of trans youths: https://transparentusa.org/

* "2024 Trans Girl Scouts To Order Cookies From!:" https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/2024-trans-girl-scouts-to-order-cookies

* "Tell your Representative to Support Rep Tlaib's Resolution for a New Streaming Royalty:" https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-your-representative-to-support-the-resolution-for-a-new-streaming-royalty/

* "World Central Kitchen:" https://wck.org/

* Verified charities to help Palestinians: https://cleolinda.tumblr.com/post/737312194805612544

* "Palestine Children’s Relief Fund:" https://pcrf1.app.neoncrm.com/forms/gaza-recovery

( Links Underneath: )