Nec Hoc Nec Ilud

* I probably lost some things in the crash, but I'm too tired to work it out.

* "Turkey gives green light to Swedish NATO membership bid:" https://www.reuters.com/world/turkey-sweden-locked-talks-break-impasse-over-nato-membership-2023-07-10/

* "Putin's war on Ukraine backfires as NATO set to expand again:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/putin-s-war-on-ukraine-backfires-as-nato-set-to-expand-again-187430981956

* "NATO skirts final call on Ukraine membership, leaving unity-testing fight for later :" https://www.politico.eu/article/nato-skirts-final-call-on-ukraine-membership-leaving-unity-testing-fight-for-later/

* "Biden deems idea of Ukraine NATO membership as ‘premature’:" https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/09/biden-deems-ukraine-nato-membership-premature-00105321

* "Israel May Have Committed War Crimes in Jenin Operation, UN Palestinian Rights Official Says:" https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-07-06/ty-article/.premium/israel-may-have-committed-war-crimes-in-jenin-raid-un-palestinian-rights-official-says/00000189-2a7b-dcb5-a5df-6f7f370a0000

* "New migrant tragedy at sea changes little as EU leaders forge ahead with tougher borders plans:" https://apnews.com/article/migration-eu-summit-libya-turkey-borders-refugees-eab33d5169ae1c147e0dc5b2dc1f8266

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* Russia has been using them on Ukrainian civilians for some time. "U.S. approves cluster bombs despite humanitarian concerns:" https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/07/u-s-approves-cluster-bombs-in-latest-ukraine-weapons-transfer-00105234

* I am really alarmed. "One Ukrainian soldier had six extensively drug-resistant bacterial infections:" https://arstechnica.com/health/2023/07/ukraine-war-spurs-horrifying-rise-in-extensively-drug-resistant-bacteria/

* "A Boy’s Life on the Front Lines:" https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/06/26/magazine/ukraine-war-childhood.html

* "Thousands of Ukraine civilians are being held in Russian prisons. Russia plans to build many more:" https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-prisons-civilians-torture-detainees-88b4abf2efbf383272eed9378be13c72

* "The Children Russia Kidnapped:" https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2023/07/russia-kidnapping-abducting-ukrainian-children/674535/

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* "U.S. drone strike kills Islamic State leader in Syria, Defense Department says :" https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/09/drone-strike-islamic-state-leader-syria-00105334

* "Where Clarence Thomas Entered an Elite Circle and Opened a Door to the Court:" https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/09/us/clarence-thomas-horatio-alger-association.html

* "NYT: Clarence Thomas gave elite group 'unusual' access to Supreme Court:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/nyt-clarence-thomas-gave-elite-group-unusual-access-to-supreme-court-187414085847

* "Civil rights dominoes set to fall as conservative activists get Supreme Court's message:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/civil-rights-dominoes-set-to-fall-as-conservative-activists-get-supreme-court-s-message-188522053560

* "White House slams John Cornyn for infrastructure vote amid ‘Bidenomics’ push:" https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/cornyn-biden-broadband-funding-18175221.php

* "Biden laughs at Tuberville hailing Alabama broadband funds he voted against, reviving feud with senator:" https://www.al.com/politics/2023/07/biden-laughs-at-tuberville-hailing-alabama-broadband-funds-he-voted-against-reviving-feud-with-senator.html

* "US Rep. Nancy Mace endorses Charleston bus project. But she voted against its funding.:" https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/us-rep-nancy-mace-endorses-charleston-bus-project-but-she-voted-against-its-funding/article_687b1c16-15cb-11ee-b76d-277e7ee0749f.html

* "Buttigieg calls out opponents of infrastructure bill now trying to take credit:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/buttigieg-calls-out-opponents-of-infrastructure-bill-now-trying-to-take-credit-187643973878

* "Read SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher’s fiery speech announcing actors’ strike:" https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2023-07-13/fran-drescher-speech-actors-strike-sag-aftra-strike-press-conference

* "'Complete disrespect': Fran Drescher, SAG-AFTRA president, rages at media execs over impasse:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/-complete-disrespect-fran-drescher-sag-aftra-president-rages-at-media-execs-over-impasse-188373061828

* Why the Actor's strike is important: https://www.tumblr.com/thirddoctor/722802911553437696?source=share

* "GOP’s Bombshell Anti-Biden Witness Has a Wee Credibility Problem Why does this keep happening?:" https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/07/gal-luft-gop-biden-witness-charged-china-justice-department-comer.html

* "'Failure': Raskin on missing GOP ‘informant’ turning out to be fugitive:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-failure-raskin-on-missing-gop-informant-turning-out-to-be-fugitive-187630661543

* "McCarthy claims indictment of GOP 'informant' only makes Biden case 'stronger':" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/mccarthy-claims-indictment-of-gop-informant-only-makes-biden-case-stronger-188365381745

* "As GOP works the law enforcement refs for Trump, important policing issues go fallow:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/as-gop-works-the-law-enforcement-refs-for-trump-important-policing-issues-go-fallow-188084293657

* 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/

* 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

* Ohioans please vote! Early Voting has already started! "Ohio Republicans piling on in seeking closed primaries on top of Issue 1 affront:" https://www.cleveland.com/opinion/2023/07/ohio-republicans-piling-on-in-seeking-closed-primaries-on-top-of-issue-1-affront-editorial.html

* "Ohio Issue 1 isn’t about any one issue — It’s about every issue and the power Ohio voters have:" https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/07/11/ohio-issue-1-isnt-about-any-one-issue-its-about-every-issue-and-the-power-ohio-voters-have/

* "‘Desperate’: Ohio Republicans pull ‘brazen stunt’ to undermine abortion rights:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-desperate-ohio-republicans-pull-brazen-stunt-to-undermine-abortion-rights-188514373750

* "WA transgender youth bill targeted in national culture war:" https://crosscut.com/politics/2023/05/wa-transgender-youth-bill-targeted-national-culture-war

* "Editorial: Ballot measure isn’t about parental rights:" https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/editorial-ballot-measure-isnt-about-parental-rights/

* "No, Washington Did Not Just Pass a Law Allowing the State to Kidnap and Transgenderify Children:" https://www.thestranger.com/news/2023/04/19/78955501/no-washington-did-not-just-pass-a-law-allowing-the-state-to-kidnap-and-transgenderify-children

* "Conspiratorial election denial bad for business pillow guy learns; GOP does damage control:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/conspiratorial-election-denial-bad-for-business-pillow-guy-learns-gop-does-damage-control-188084805617

* "Abortion complicates 2024 outlook as Republicans gear up for Iowa and primary season:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/abortion-complicates-2024-outlook-as-republicans-gear-up-for-iowa-and-primary-season-187636805929

* "GOP candidates court anti-abortion crowd; count on mass amnesia for general election:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/gop-candidates-court-anti-abortion-crowd-count-on-mass-amnesia-for-general-election-188084805859

* "We Investigated the Deepest, Darkest Corners of the Internet to Understand Ron DeSantis’ Bizarre New Video:" https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/07/08/ron-desantis-memes-lgbtq-ad-00105238

* He's targeting trans men specifically. "Why Ron DeSantis is emailing his supporters about men getting pregnant:" https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/30/desantis-campaign-cash-gop-voters-00104323"

* "The Sequel Will Be Worse. Trump’s former Justice Department officials fear a second term.:" https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/07/trumps-ex-justice-department-officials-fear-a-second-term.html

* "‘Retaliation’: Why Trump’s former DOJ officials fear a second term:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-retaliation-why-trump-s-former-doj-officials-fear-a-second-term-187412037687

* "A Small Town’s Fourth of July: Flags, a 5K and Trump’s Attacks on American Institutions:" https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/01/us/politics/trump-pickens-independence-day.html

* "These are the 5 state driver's licenses no longer valid in Florida under new immigration law:" https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/these-are-the-5-state-drivers-licenses-no-longer-valid-in-florida-under-new-immigration-law/3066073/

* "Misfire’: Floridians already feeling economic effect of DeSantis immigration law:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-misfire-floridians-already-feeling-economic-effect-of-desantis-immigration-law-187412038002

* Who was it who said a gaffe is saying what you really believe by accident? "Tommy Tuberville reverses his claim that white nationalists are unfairly labeled racist:" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/tommy-tuberville-triples-claim-white-nationalists-unfairly-labeled/story?id=101095697

* "‘Embarrassing’: Ex-Alabama Senator rips Tuberville's white nationalist remarks:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-embarrassing-ex-alabama-senator-rips-tuberville-s-white-nationalist-remarks-188078661661

* "Ex-GOP Ohio House speaker sentenced to 20 years for role in $60M bribery scheme; appeal expected:" https://apnews.com/article/bribery-investigation-ohio-speaker-householder-sentenced-7ff5163a7d1fdbbfe6570ed34c7a7f67

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* "Disciplinary panel calls for Rudy Giuliani’s disbarment:" https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/07/disciplinary-panel-calls-for-rudy-giulianis-disbarment-00105220

* "Attorney ethics case against Trump ally Clark moves forward in DC:" https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/attorney-ethics-case-against-trump-ally-clark-moves-forward-dc-2023-07-07/

* "DOJ won’t defend Trump in Carroll rape defamation case anymore:" https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/11/doj-trump-in-carroll-rape-defamation-case.html

* "A grand jury sworn in Tuesday could decide whether Trump is charged over Georgia’s 2020 election:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-grand-jury-0cfd32492da81697879b8c8ac00f8c83

* "Trump wants classified documents trial delayed until after 2024 election:" https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/11/trump-classified-documents-trial-date-2024-00105565

* "New targets suggest new indictments likely in Trump cases: new reports:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/new-targets-suggest-new-indictments-likely-in-trump-cases-new-reports-188521029990

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* "Let's talk about a judge's quotes at a hearing...:"

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* The republican mainstream and literal Neo-NAZIs Venn Diagram is a circle. "College Republicans Convention to Host White Nationalist Nick Fuentes:" https://newrepublic.com/post/174204/college-republicans-united-convention-antisemite-nick-fuentes

* "US citizenship test changes are coming, raising concerns for those with low English skills:" https://apnews.com/article/new-citizenship-test-naturalization-immigrants-immigration-c074aa1c92b226b4960485fb26d0f4fa

* "Immigration policies don’t deter migrants from coming to the US – Title 42 and the border rules replacing it only make the process longer and more difficult :" https://theconversation.com/immigration-policies-dont-deter-migrants-from-coming-to-the-us-title-42-and-the-border-rules-replacing-it-only-make-the-process-longer-and-more-difficult-200776

* "Domestic terrorism charges in Georgia are prompting concern over political repression:" https://www.npr.org/2023/06/28/1184782128/cop-city-atlanta-domestic-terrorism

* "A Police K-9 Took This Man’s Eye:"

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* This decision is shameful. "Oklahoma judge dismisses Tulsa race massacre reparations case filed by last known survivors:" https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/08/us/tulsa-race-massacre-reparations-case/index.html

* "Judge dismisses Tulsa reparations case as California reparations task force unveils final report:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/judge-dismisses-tulsa-reparations-case-as-california-reparations-task-force-unveils-final-report-187273285822

* "'This isn't over': Demand for national reparations intensifies after dismissal of Tulsa lawsuit:" https://news.yahoo.com/this-isnt-over-demand-for-national-reparations-intensifies-after-dismissal-of-tulsa-lawsuit-201152753.html

* "With race-based admissions no longer an option, states may imitate Texas Top 10% Plan:" https://www.texastribune.org/2023/06/29/texas-college-top-ten-percent-plan-supreme-court/

* The Republican War on Capitalism, Child Safety, and Free Expression continues. Note they are saying that a simple display of a rainbow constitutes pedophilia as part of their campaign to trivialize CSA. "7 Republican AGs write to Target, say Pride month campaigns could violate their state’s child protection laws:" https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/07/08/business/target-attorneys-general-pride-month/index.html

* "Inside Moms for Liberty’s summit: Big money and even bigger conspiracy theories:" https://www.mediamatters.org/moms-liberty/inside-moms-libertys-summit-big-money-and-even-bigger-conspiracy-theories?fbclid=IwAR1HHHab7Z60Hq7HA_-C_OsGM-8TR2FOU-Lzv0pJwXpAE5n8akFBisXzUZw

* This means libraries can't let children read e-books to get around government censorship. "HOOPLA, OVERDRIVE/LIBBY NOW BANNED FOR THOSE UNDER 18 IN MISSISSIPPI:" https://bookriot.com/hoopla-overdrive-libby-now-banned-for-those-under-18-in-mississippi/

* CW: CSA. "BBC suspends presenter alleged to have paid teen for sexually explicit photos:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/09/bbc-explict-photos-teen-presenter-suspended/

* CW: CSA "BBC presenter: Second young person comes forward with allegations:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/11/bbc-presenter-second-young-person/

* CW: CSA "Huw Edwards named as BBC presenter suspended over sexual images claim:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/12/bbc-presenter-huw-edwards/

* CW: Abuse "Fans Built Her an Internet Empire. Now They’re Tearing It Down:" https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/colleen-ballinger-miranda-sings-youtube-fans-allegations-1234774947/

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* "'Stop killing us': Polish women protest against strict anti-abortion law:" https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/stop-killing-us-polish-women-protest-against-strict-anti-abortion-law-2023-06-14/

* "It’s Almost Impossible to Get an Abortion in Poland. These Women Crossed the Border to Germany for Help:" https://time.com/poland-abortion-laws-protest/

* "Poland sees peril for women of extreme, ill-considered abortion bans:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/poland-sees-peril-for-women-of-extreme-ill-considered-abortion-bans-187296837924

* The Republican War on Freedom continues. "Most abortions now banned in Iowa after Gov. Kim Reynolds signs 'fetal heartbeat' law:" https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2023/07/14/iowa-abortion-ban-six-weeks-gov-kim-reynolds-signs-law-republicans-special-session-fetal-heartbeat/70398800007/

* For your own safety, I beg you not to give Meta's Facebook or Threads any of your data. "Teen and mom plead guilty to abortion charges based on Facebook data:" https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/11/teen-and-mom-plead-guilty-to-abortion-charges-based-on-facebook-data/

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* I admit, I wept when I realized some of the women were older than me. So few are still here, but there they are living their best lives. "Kristen Lovell, co-director of 'The Stroll,' knows sex work is real work:" https://www.npr.org/2023/07/06/1186278193/kristen-lovell-co-director-of-the-stroll-knows-sex-work-is-real-work

* "Hollyoaks star Annie Wallace expertly breaks down why so-called ‘trans ideology’ doesn’t exist:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/11/hollyoaks-actress-annie-wallace-sally-st-claire-trans-ideology/

* "Polish judge backs ‘homosexuals molest children’ claim in ‘shameful’ ruling:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/10/poland-pride-van-lgbt/

* "Trans woman found ‘brutally murdered’ in her own home in Greece:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/11/trans-woman-murdered-greece-anna-ivankova/

* "EuroPride slams Georgian government ‘incompetence’ after Tbilisi Pride attack:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/11/europride-georgia-tbilisi-pride-attack/

* "US ambassador to host Pride party in defiance of Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ+ PM:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/15/david-pressman-hungary-us-viktor-orban-budapest-pride/

* "Nepal makes history as first South Asian country to recognise same-sex marriage:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/09/nepal-same-sex-marriage-supreme-court-ruling/

* "Latvia swears in EU’s first openly gay president:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/10/latvia-edgars-rinkevics-president-gay/

* "‘Straight pride’ photo lands Canadian politician Danielle Smith in hot water:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/11/straight-pride-photo-lands-canadian-politician-danielle-smith-in-hot-water/

* "Draft civil service gender policy would ban most trans employees from bathrooms:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/12/civil-servants-trans-guidelines-gender-critical/

* "Government’s job to decide the definition of sex in Equality Act, says EHRC boss:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/12/ehrc-sex-definition-women-and-equalities-committee-trans/

* "MPs blast government for ‘unacceptable stress’ caused to LGBTQ+ community by conversion-therapy ban delay:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/12/conversion-therapy-ban-conservative-government-lgbtq/

* "Appeal against spiralling trans healthcare wait times argues NHS ‘breached legal duty’:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/12/court-of-appeal-good-law-project-nhs/

* "Oxfam, Samaritans and 100 other charities sign pledge to support trans and non-binary people:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/10/oxfam-samaritans-charities-sign-trans-rights-pledge/

* Vanderbilt University agrees with Republicans that HIPAA doesn't apply to trans people as we have no legal or human rights so turned over unredacted medical records not only without a fight, but without telling them thus outing and endangering their patients. Medical ethics? What medical ethics? "Tennessee A.G. uses private medical records in Republican campaign against trans people:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/tennessee-a-g-uses-private-medical-records-in-republican-campaign-against-trans-people-187444805726

* "US hair salon refuses to serve some trans customers after Supreme Court ruling:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/12/hair-salon-refuses-trans-non-binary/

* "Thousands of congregations disaffiliate from national church over LGBTQ+ issues:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/10/united-methodist-church-split-lgbtq/

* "Olympian Caster Semenya wins appeal at European Court of Human Rights over testosterone rules:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/11/caster-semenya-wins-appeal/

* "World cycling body bans trans women from female categories: ‘Impossible to rule out advantage’ :" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/15/uci-cycling-trans-women-sports-ban/

* "The unspoken struggles of being a high masking Autistic:"

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* "The One-Shot Drug That Keeps on Dosing:" https://www.wired.com/story/the-one-shot-drug-that-keeps-on-dosing/

* "Maternal deaths in the US more than doubled over two decades. Black mothers died at the highest rate:" https://apnews.com/article/black-maternal-mortality-american-indian-hispanic-deaths-64da18fec80f8f1790aee2e9986a757e

* "Noise could take years off your life:" https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/06/09/health/noise-exposure-health-impacts.html?unlocked_article_code=VgkBNGRcsfA0ZGckA2c6C4_95DcpKhkw4NGIrwKX-8ptavShrG8nAVm2KYEtuEkcIfTq5KSxVQ8SY4pDMWDO3U2PRJW8ZgIxhMJXVUu1h-9Qz4UVcwLw01vCRBUvnD80w7hC0baJCGFht_zJz4PbfW3ErJ2PNSd-u-3Mug1C3_45_ryX7kOTGxpQ-1qc3GjUIF4r-1rpHSiHHXv3EaKPUtEJd82-nPycZ-jouwVlp5pnliNRTR5z77PB_-fCtzQVBH_5D-JLOrifP__okHrdkFaD8TnnPLWfAyNFJwItEoBYI2H-ccP7E10kPoS6smyQ91AinKUYyWRCIyOPZ3HefifY1p3r1yAsbYb8wzLB8dLnrgHwlWE&smid=url-share

* "They Followed Doctors’ Orders. Then Their Children Were Taken Away.:" https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/29/magazine/pregnant-women-medication-suboxonbabies.html/

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* "It’s even hot in Antarctica, where it’s winter:" https://www.vox.com/climate/23792828/antarctica-heat-wave-sea-ice-level-record-el-nino

* "Record-breaking heat scorches communities around the world:" https://apnews.com/article/heat-climate-change-global-warming-hot-recordbreaking-heat-b87a7cd3bb8f70692d433cb06877975b

* "Coast-to-coast heat dome sends temperatures soaring, threatens all-time records:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/07/13/heatwave-california-arizona-florida-texas-records/

* "Florida ocean temperatures at ‘downright shocking’ levels:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/07/10/florida-ocean-temperature-heat-records/

* "How Hot Is the Sea Off Florida Right Now? Think 90s Fahrenheit.:" https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/12/climate/florida-ocean-temperatures-reefs.html

* "90 degree sea temperatures among 'most worrying signs’ of climate crisis:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/90-degree-sea-temperatures-among-most-worrying-signs-of-climate-crisis-188366917660

* "Record-breaking North Atlantic Ocean temperatures contribute to extreme marine heatwaves:" https://climate.copernicus.eu/record-breaking-north-atlantic-ocean-temperatures-contribute-extreme-marine-heatwaves

* "El Niño is back: Surging temperatures bring extreme weather and threaten lives:" https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/07/07/el-nino-is-back-heres-what-it-means-for-extreme-weather

* "A meteorologist got threats for his climate coverage. His new job is about solutions:" https://www.npr.org/2023/06/27/1184461263/iowa-meteorologist-harassment-climate-change-quits

* "Canadian Wildfires Burn a Record 25 Million Acres With No End in Sight:" https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-07-15/canadian-wildfires-burn-a-record-25-million-acres-with-no-end-in-sight

* "Canada sees its farthest-north 100-degree temperature as wildfires rage:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/07/10/canada-record-heat-wildfires-climate/

* "Campfire ban in place for most of B.C., state of emergency for Stikine announced as wildfire numbers spike:" https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-wildfires-july-10-2023-1.6902150

* "Canadian wildfire dangers should prompt more proactive mitigation from government:" https://abcnews.go.com/US/canadian-wildfire-dangers-prompt-proactive-mitigation-government-experts/story?id=100478859

* "B.C. wildfire fighter, 19, died after being hit by falling tree while responding to blaze: RCMP:" https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/devyn-gale-bc-wildfire-fighter-dead-1.6907184

* "In fight against Canada fires, dancing South Africa crews are a familiar and uplifting sight:" https://apnews.com/article/canada-wildfires-south-africa-firefighters-smoke-ea13e9377f4696a80f30c17f7ea959dc

* "For some remote Canadian wildfires, best and fastest option is sending in the smokejumpers:" https://apnews.com/article/canada-wildfires-smoke-firefighters-smokejumpers-climate-ed33e70c86756119f631538becc9da29

* "The year of wildfire smoke: Why the U.S. faces a brutal season:" https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/year-wildfire-smoke-us-faces-brutal-season-rcna92453

* "Minnesota and Wisconsin issue air quality alerts amid a new round of Canada smoke:" https://www.npr.org/2023/07/15/1187943437/minnesota-wisconsin-midwest-air-quality-alert-smoke

* "Fast-moving fires force evacuations, char thousands of acres in Riverside County as heat wave continues:" https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-07-14/fires-force-evacuations-char-hundreds-of-acres-in-riverside-county

* "Wildfire in southwest Oregon puts up huge smoke column, burning near Agness:" https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2023/07/15/large-wildfire-reported-near-oak-flat-in-southwest-oregon-agness/70417528007/

* "India's monsoon rains flood Yamuna river in Delhi, forcing thousands to evacuate and grinding life to a halt:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/india-monsoon-2023-delhi-flood-yamuna-river-record-water-level-deaths-evacuations/

* "Torrential rain, floods kill 22 across northern India:" https://www.reuters.com/world/india/torrential-rain-floods-kill-22-across-northern-india-2023-07-10/

* "Flash floods hit Spain after heavy rainfall; cars swept away, people trapped:" https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/flash-floods-hit-spain-after-heavy-rainfall-cars-swept-away-people-trapped-watch-101688868123707.html

* "Rare flash flood warning issued for New York as a woman dies trying to evacuate:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/rare-flash-flood-warning-issued-new-york-woman-dies-trying-evacuate-rcna93346

* "Vermont faces a rare high risk for flooding. Here’s why these days are so deadly and devastating:" https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/10/weather/vermont-flooding-high-risk-new-york/index.html

* "Five key factors that spurred the historic floods in Vermont, New York:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/07/11/vermont-flooding-cause/

* "Landslides and floods kill at least 22 as South Korea battered by torrential rains:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/south-korea-weather-landslides-torrential-rain-flooding-north-korea-rcna94415

* "In pricey Palos Verdes, the ocean view is great — until your house slides into a canyon:" https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-07-13/rolling-hills-estates-landslide-cause-palos-verdes-peninsula

* "Northern Mexico bakes as residents try to beat scorching heat:" https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/northern-mexico-bakes-residents-try-beat-scorching-heat-2023-07-14/

* "What 120 Degrees Looks Like in One of Mexico’s Hottest Cities:" https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/06/world/americas/hermosillo-mexico-heat.html

* "One-third of Americans under heat alerts as blistering weather spreads from Southwest to California:" https://conuly.dreamwidth.org/3398221.html#cutid1

* "The Southwest Bakes With More Heat on the Way:" https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/09/us/heat-southwest-arizona.html

* "New measures are being taken to reduce heat-related deaths in Phoenix:" https://www.npr.org/2023/07/10/1186827280/new-measures-are-being-taken-to-reduce-heat-related-deaths-in-phoenix

* "Emergency room visits surge, Texans die amid dangerous heat wave:" https://www.texastribune.org/2023/06/30/texas-heat-wave-deaths-illness/

* "As summer heats up, impacts of drought begin to appear in northwest Montana:" https://montanafreepress.org/2023/07/10/flathead-lake-at-precarious-level-as-drought-comes-to-northwest-montana/

* "Nearly 62,000 people died from record-breaking heat in Europe last summer. It’s a lesson for the US, too:" https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/10/world/deadly-europe-heatwave-2022-climate/index.html

* "How the Western drought has increased carbon emissions:" https://grist.org/energy/western-drought-hydropower-emissions-study/

* "Maryland asks some residents to conserve water amid drought conditions:" https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/environment/bs-md-water-conservation-drought-mde-20230710-fgd73j6vsve73j2frjizqg5ucy-story.html

* "Drought and extreme heat burn through farmers' margin for error — and it's only July:" https://www.nbcnews.com/business/drought-extreme-heat-burn-farmers-margin-error-only-july-rcna93862

* "Coachella Valley Rescue Mission Provides Homeless Resources in Extreme Heat:" https://nbcpalmsprings.com/2023/07/12/coachella-valley-rescue-mission-provides-homeless-resources-in-extreme-heat/

* "In Phoenix, Heat Becomes a Brutal Test of Endurance:" https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/11/us/phoenix-heat-wave.html

* "Why is this city in the Keys the hottest spot in Florida? Weather service has answers:" https://www.miamiherald.com/news/weather-news/article277277108.html

* "‘Bud Light of insurance’: Florida official blames insurer crisis on wokeness:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-bud-light-of-insurance-florida-official-blames-insurer-crisis-on-wokeness-188076101690

---

* "Scottsdale bans natural grass in front yards of new houses to conserve water amid Arizona’s drought :" https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/13/us/scottsdale-arizona-grass-ban-new-houses/index.html

* "A Building Made From Cannabis? Yes, Seriously - With Hempcrete:" https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/ex/sustainablecitiescollective/building-made-cannabis-yes-seriously-hempcrete/324521/

* "Drive-thrus are creating problems for cities and towns:" https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/24/business/drive-thru-fast-food-chick-fil-a-urban-planning/index.html

* "The ACTUAL Danger of A.I. with Gary Marcus:"

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* "Tax preparers that shared private data with Meta, Google could be fined billions:" https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/07/meta-wont-say-what-happened-to-taxpayer-data-it-may-have-illegally-collected/?utm_brand=arstechnica&utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social

* "Far-right figures, including Nazi supporters, anti-gay extremists, and white supremacists, are flocking to Threads:" https://www.mediamatters.org/facebook/far-right-figures-including-nazi-supporters-anti-gay-extremists-and-white-supremacists-are

* "Meta’s vision for Threads is more mega-mall than public square:" https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/07/threads-shopping-mall-not-a-public-square/

* I stand by my avoidance of Facebook, Threads, and ChatGPT. "Hackers are increasingly using ChatGPT lures to spread malware on Facebook:" https://techcrunch.com/2023/05/03/malware-chatgpt-lures-facebook/

* "Facebook's Threads is so depressing:" https://jogblog.substack.com/p/facebooks-threads-is-so-depressing

* "Mark F***king Zuckerberg Is Not Your Friend:" https://catvalente.substack.com/p/mark-fking-zuckerberg-is-not-your

* "Elon Musk wants ‘d**k measuring contest’ with Mark Zuckerberg:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/10/elon-musk-wants-dk-measuring-contest-with-mark-zuckerberg/

* "Elon Musk and the dominance space:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/07/10/elon-musk-twitter-threads/

* "Twitter’s death spiral and what it means for LGBTQ+ rights:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/13/twitter-death-lgbtq/

* "“How is still being on Twitter, for whatever reason, actually ‘handing money’ to [Musk and his fascist project]?”:" https://solarbird.net/blog/2023/04/23/how-is-still-being-on-twitter-for-whatever-reason-actually-handing-money-to-musk-and-his-fascist-project/

* "Far-right Twitter influencers first on Elon Musk’s monetization scheme:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/07/13/twitter-creators-payments-right-wing/

* "Twitter Blue Accounts Are Spreading Misinformation About The War In Ukraine:" https://www.forbes.com/sites/petersuciu/2023/07/10/twitter-blue-accounts-are-spreading-misinformation-about-the-war-in-ukraine/?sh=77065a6f320f

* "Apple Is Taking On Apples in a Truly Weird Trademark Battle:" https://www.wired.com/story/apple-vs-apples-trademark-battle/

* "Pinanga Subterranea: New Species of Rare Palm Discovered to Flower Underground:" https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/44551/20230627/pinanga-subterranea-new-species-rare-palm-discovered-flower-underground.htm

* "Summer is here. Where are the Fireflies?:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/interactive/2023/firefly-summer-extinction/

* "Flowers pollinated by honeybees make lower-quality seeds:" https://www.sciencenews.org/article/flowers-pollinate-honeybees-low-seeds

* "After being swallowed alive, water beetle stages 'backdoor' escape from frog's gut:" https://www.livescience.com/beetle-escape-frog-butt.html

* "Dolphin moms use baby talk to call to their young, recordings show:" https://apnews.com/article/dolphin-mothers-baby-talk-calves-cc0c189aa1b8e1298155b1ea78c1002a

* "What Did Viking Town Houses Look Like? And Where Did They Poop?:"

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* "Reflections In The Shadow of Tahoma: Nettie J. Asberry:" https://www.tacomaartslive.org/terms/583-in-the-shadow-of-tahoma-nettie-j-asberry

* "A hundred years on from the 'cult of the clitoris' libel trial, let's remember that fake news is nothing new:" https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/oscar-wilde-maud-allan-cult-of-the-clitoris-black-book-first-world-war-a8369811.html

* "A fire destroyed millions of veterans’ records. 50 years later, families are still seeking answers:" https://apnews.com/article/military-records-fire-veterans-2f8337c58bc87c10179a2cf6ee54136a

* "My Aunties | Father Figures:"

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* "A Short History of Naughty Literature and Zane:"

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* "Steven Pieters: One of the longest-living HIV survivors in US dies after cancer battle:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/10/steven-pieters-hiv-activist-dies/

* "Fast fashion retailer Shein accused of racketeering and copyright infringement in lawsuit:" https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/shein-rico-charge-racketeering-lawsuit-b2375825.html

* "5-person refugee team competes at European Games in Poland:" https://www.infomigrants.net/en/post/50021/5person-refugee-team-competes-at-european-games-in-poland

* Very early Sunday morning I discovered that I no longer need four pillows on top of the two elderly wheelchair cushions on my beat up second hand office chair. I can now manage with just the two wheelchair cushions thanks to my new meds. This may seem like a small thing, but it means I get my options back for leg and hip positioning at my desk.

(I can't sit easily long term in a chair without propping my legs if I intend to use the legs for things like walking later. It's also uncomfortable to let them dangle. you know how starting ballet at a very young age changes the shape of your hip joints? Now add serious arthritic degeneration and what the current rheum thinks is hyper-mobility, but not the really obvious everyone notices it kind. Apparently they are in the process of changing diagnostic criteria based on more recent science. Apparently most ballet dancers and gymnasts would qualify under the newer guidelines, which makes sense to me.)

My shoulder is still completely fucked from the trying to clean up after the Uncleaner, but I am really noticing the difference in so many ways. Yay, new meds. I've mostly acclimated to the side effects so far. still no hallucinations and last night's test with combining with the emergency tramadol did not induce temporary psychosis, which is a really good sign. (For new readers a whole bunch of meds can induce hallucinations and paranoia in my family, including opiods, anti-psychotics, and SSRIs. At high doses we are talking full psychotic break, a thing I've seen now deceased older family members experience in the hospital. if someone is having an obvious psychotic break, they tend to administer anti-psychotics, which have a multiplying effect with the pain killers and thus make things way worse, so they administer more anti-psychotics instead of cutting the opiods and the anti-psychotics out.... you can see the obvious problem. I have only just started hallucinating with stronger opiods, but can still tolerate milder ones. They are still a little unpleasant for me at low doses. I don't use them too often because some time pain killers are necessary and due to allergies my only other options are Tylenol and my arthritis pill, which I can't take more often than every twelve hours for safety reasons. It's a whole thing. New med is a class none of us have taken before, so I'm a guinea pig). I am wary of going up to the standard for adult humans dose, however, as I am getting the weird intense dreams side effect, which for me can be a warning that a drug is about to turn ugly on me. Don't worry, everybody around me knows what's going on with my meds situation.

I other news, Tavy wants to hang out with his favorite Millennials and enjoyed watching the Friday cleaner, but still is only letting me and Squirrel touch him. he did want to be super close to goth Millennial Saturday and was interested in play, though tired easily in the heat. He also get upset when it was time for Goth Millennial to go home. It's looking like he's recovering from the Uncleaner traumatizing him. he still wants reassurance after sleep, but yesterday he didn't wake me in a panic after a bad nightmare and have trouble being soothed. I am still furious about the whole thing, but the cats are being more normal.

Goth Millennial put in the air conditioner/air filtration in the main area before they left, which is making a huge difference.

* Sunday: Tavy let Goth Millennial pet him. he’s still too distressed to sit on the sofa with Goth Millennial for TV time and pettins, but he did curl up behind us. The cats are still sleepy, I'm hoping from the heat and not the Ajax, but Tavy was himself enough to play what is a normal amount for him in summer.

Goth Millennial got some good gardening in and is starting to sort out things cleaners put away in odd locations. The air filtering in the main room is being a huge help. I worry about all the smoke injuring my cats and the Millennials. I know it's really been fucking me up, but ever running the machine for a few hours perks us all up. My room is filtered as always when I sleep, of course.

I blew through all the EBT and OTC in the first week of July and am way over budget on food already. Sigh. I gaze sadly at melons and cucumbers I can't eat safely and pass on.

* The new meds side effect wave hit hard and dangerous Thursday, but I'm not sure it didn't start a lot earlier.

Okay, so I had a vicious headache last Friday night for about three hours, which didn't particularly shock me, as my body just does stuff like that. Same Saturday. Normal. Sunday. Monday. I made a note to mention it to the doctor Tuesday morning, but forgot. I noticed Tuesday's headache at the same time was absolutely crushing for three hours, then shut off like a faucett as if it had never been. Which is creepy and wrong. So I'm now weighing if the new meds improvement is worth creepy three hour debilitating headache every day, and if I should call it in the next day.

So Wednesday I wake up to one of my body is very, very bad days. which is a thing that happens sometimes, especially if my body's been to far which between the uncleaner and the extreme heat and this being the worse time of year for my allergies and assorted RL commitments including the doctor is not weird. Plus I'm... I forget how many days in on struggling to type on Klaus Laptop because its hard to lift my arm the extra nine and a half inches, and I'm mostly having to drink with a straw because i go half my wake cycle not being ably to lift a full glass of water that high and I'm dropping things because my arms are fucked. which happens. All of it really stresses out my body though, you follow?

So sometimes the alarm goes off because I have to go somewhere and my body nopes out of it, or tries to. So I'm exhausted. I have the shakes. I end up way late to pick up Goth Millennial because it's just that hard to move. So I drive Goth Millennial around and wait in the car while they do errands. Goth Millennial goes outside to putter in the garden. I lung, then take a nap, all with Tavy glued to my chest, because it's sometimes better after a nap. Resets everything to a more acceptable level of crappy.

I make it all the way up to minimally functional by the time the other Millennials arrive for dinner. One of them had brought pre-marinated and cooked tofu. Me: I think we should make rice for it. With coconut milk and saffron and Turmeric. New Millennial: Oooo! That sounds delicious! Me: It's possible I'm edging up towards Indonesian happy rice except I don't have any lemon grass. But I do have Bay leaves.... So it ends up with New Millennial Making Rice and the two of us keep consulting on spices until I have to lie down again. The results we excellent.

Tavy is still clearly traumatized from the Uncleaner. He loves techie Millennial. Techie Millennial was the first visitor he let pet and play with him. He hid from the Millennials when they arrived after nap time. He did eventually come out and watch them for a bit and even rubbed against Techies legs, but ran if it even looked like someone might tough her. I'm still so angry about the Uncleaner traumatizing him like this.

Really, I just wanted to go to bed after they left, but I needed to stay up for the morning allergy treatment. My body was really not movi ng well, but I dragged myself there and back, which nearly did me in. I did manage to prep for bed and climb in, which really fucking hurt, at which point the first wave of hallucinations and fast heartbeat and arrhythmia hit. So that was fun. Me: Guess that's it for new Meds. They were amazing while they lasted.

They must have been really busy at the doctor because they didn't get back to me until afternoon. I left a message for my doctor's nurse, conveying that I was having severe side effects and needed to know if I should go to the ER. No one ever got back to me. The heart stuff got really bad for four or five hours, always with visual hallucinations. I thought about calling for help, but my right arm wasn't working and my left wasn't great either, and it's usually eight hours minimum to get seen at the ER and they yell at you if you bring in chest pains that turn out not to be a heart attack, and the pain only happened when I moved so it was likely just torso muscles screaming about my arms.

But the supper high irregular heart beat for hours can't be good. I wrote this waiting for receptionist call back Friday morning. I was 36 minutes in on the wait as I typed this sentence. I really think they should check my heart, but if they are this busy... Yeah. I'm assuming if it was really dangerous, they'd return my call from yesterday instead of continuing to ignore my message.

* It took about an hour and a quarter total, but we will find out if i had a heart attack or not on Tuesday. They I had to chase down the asshole agency as they had not called to tell me the cleaner wasn't coming, so it's now rescheduled for Tuesday. Then I waited on hold to try to schedule the mobility assessment, only to discover the number they gave was for central processing. They were going to transfer me when call waiting beeped, so i made them give me the direct line number and extension. (It was meds. Pharmacy was delivering meds and they only wait five minutes so that was the correct call on my part.) The making appointment direct line was faster by far, but I had no clue which wheelchair vender I was interested in. O.o apparently they have the vender in on assessment days, so that effects scheduling. I let her pick. She was like: We like this one better, but we have to offer both.

Forage delivery still hadn't arrived. It was now really hot and polleny outside. This is relevant. I can't leave food out there very long or it will spoil. Inside, I have air conditioning and extra filtering. I can breath inside, but not outside. I was exhausted and frustrated and really pissed off about the medical stuff. My chest was still tight. There is a band of intense pain keeping me from lifting my arms properly. I manage to drag the laundry basket to me room anyway, but I'm not remotely up to the pain involved in folding it. Livia wants her love. I climb into bed for Livia loves. My experience is, getting ready to sleep summons Forage Delivery somehow. Livia is done with her love. I've been in bed over an hour waiting. Tavy insists I should sleep with claws to my nipple, because health stiff makes him anxious.

The phone rings. We have the conversation where we double check which porch to put it on. I lie there a bit, working up to the pain of levering myself out of bed. I lumber out there. No food boxes. so I'm thinking did he think left instead of right? So I'm out in the mid day sun with my crutch and bare feet, struggling to breath because I can't breath in the heat on a good day and this isn't close. I have no idea how I will get the food boxes to my apartment. My best guess is crawl on the pavement pushing them ahead of me because there is zero chance of my arms even lifting them. It's not on the patios of any building facing the gazebo. Me: did they drive past and hit the wrong side of my building? So I hobble around the other side in baking heat and it's not on the logical patios. I have to then hobble all the way back to my patio, exhausted. I simply can't be out any longer or I will collapse. This is why I have forage delivery, so I don't have to seriously endanger myself getting the food. Which i am now doing and failing at miserably.

I try last call return. No one answers. Fuck! I restart the computer and look up forage delivery dispatch. I get a live human without a long wait on hold for the first time in two days. This is possibly a miracle. I am still struggling to breath when I explain and ask if they could at least give me a hint as to where the food is because I can't be out in the sun searching anymore. She puts me on hold and reaches them. She puts me on hold and reaches them. she says they will come back.

So I go lie down in my room where the air is best and wait. He’s like: I’m right here. The food is here. I go look. No man. No food. I used my stop a kid from across the playground below to see if we could get a Polo for my Marco. No dice. I had cleverly left the phone off the hook when I went to look on the grounds that the food was definitely not on my patio previously.

It turns out that they’d put it in the middle of the other side of the building, expecting me somehow to drag it all that way over carpeted halls. O.o I didn’t think to look there because we’d discussed patio locations in such a super specific way moments before he’d put it at the main entrance instead of a patio. He was nice enough to bring it around and drop it right inside my door.

I have recently learned Millennials generally don’t know the word “gazebo” and are afraid to ask or look it up because of the cleaners. I am now wondering if patio may also be too bougie to be familiar, but lots of apartments around here come with small patios if they are ground floor, even the shitty apartments I can generally afford, just like tiny balconies are super common on upper floors in this region. Surely jungle of plants and blue chair were hints though? IDK. We’ve lost a lot of delivery people in the decade we live here too. Something about the complex confuses people.

Forage delivery guy looked like a thirtyish Mr. Clean and really was very kind, just confused.

Goth Millennial was sweet enough to come in on their day off to work and extra two hours looking after me, and then we finished the back third of a movie we’d been re-watching together. I’m not great, but improving. I also have a new unexplored theory about what is wrong with my arms from the article about statins I linked in this space. I guess I’ll run it by the doctor when I see them.

* "Completely Neutral, Race-Blind College Admissions Questions:" https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/completely-neutral-race-blind-college-admissions-questions

* "You drop a small piece of food on the floor, and decide to kick it under the oven/couch/whatever because you can’t be bothered to pick it up. As you’re walking away, you hear a very quiet “Thank you!” from under it.:" https://bixbythemartian.tumblr.com/post/183910148322/you-drop-a-small-piece-of-food-on-the-floor-and

* "Midnight Pals: Body Horror:" https://www.tumblr.com/bitterkarella/722118655202181120/midnight-pals-body-horror?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.

* BPAL Charity Fundraiser "TRIUMPH IN MY SONG:" https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/product-category/activism/triumph-in-my-song/

* Support the WGA. "Entertainment Community Fund:" https://entertainmentcommunity.org/

* "DIY Box Fan Air Filter Directions:" https://aghealth.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk261/files/inline-files/DIY%20Air%20Purifier%20Directions_English.Spanish_0.pdf

* Useful state of trans links for making an arguement that we are real and nead human and civil rights: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/722268284819570688/you-are-a-great-source-of-news-and-information-and?source=share
* Cool Blackwork Embroidery Patterns for Beginners: https://www.etsy.com/shop/thehaberdasheress/?etsrc=sdt

* If you would like to help support me and the Cats: paypal.me/Gwydion

( Links Underneath: )

* "Australia to apologise to sex abuse victims:" http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-42984260

* "Deadly earthquake strikes Taiwan:" http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-42966916

* "'Boko Haram wanted me to carry a bomb':" http://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-africa-35891811/escaping-boko-haram-they-wanted-me-to-carry-a-bomb

* "Violent protests as opposition leader is jailed in Bangladesh:" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/08/violent-protests-opposition-leader-jailed-bangladesh-khaleda-zia

* "Trump reportedly doesn't read his daily intel briefing:" http://www.msnbc.com/brian-williams/watch/trump-reportedly-doesn-t-read-his-daily-intel-briefing-1158376516001

* "Trump wants to cap lifetime Medicaid benefits, even for disabled people, the chronically ill, and people with Alzheimer's:" https://boingboing.net/2018/02/07/are-there-no-workhouses-3.html

* "Tim Kaine demands release of secret Trump war powers memo:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/sen-tim-kaine-demands-release-secret-trump-war-powers-memo-n846176

* "Trump blocks release of Democratic Russia memo:" https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/09/trump-blocks-release-of-democratic-memo-402083

* "FBI surveillance of Carter Page might have picked up Bannon:" https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/08/carter-page-steve-bannon-fbi-communications-398992

* "Trump doesn't get the 'best people.' He gets the worst. Here's why.:" http://theweek.com/articles/753966/trump-doesnt-best-people-gets-worst-heres-why

* "Second White House staffer resigns amid abuse allegations:" https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/09/second-white-house-staffer-resigns-amid-abuse-allegations-402084

* "Rachel Brand to resign from Justice Dept.:" https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/09/politics/rachel-brand-resigns/index.html

* "Trump closer to ending Russia probe as Rachel Brand quits DoJ:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-closer-to-ending-russia-probe-as-rachel-brand-quits-doj-1158335043931?playlist=associated

* "Chief of Staff John Kelly expressed to President Trump willingness to resign: Sources:" http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/sources-chief-staff-john-kelly-expressed-president-trump/story?id=52970133

* "WTF is going on with Jared Kushner’s security clearance:" https://thinkprogress.org/its-been-385-days-and-jared-kushner-still-doesnt-have-a-permanent-security-clearance-e58c4f7dfa8f/

* TW: Domestic Abuse "White House won't say when Kelly knew about alleged abuse:" http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/white-house-won-t-say-when-kelly-knew-about-alleged-abuse-1157234755726

* "Trump wishes disgraced aide well after domestic abuse allegations:" https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-porter/trump-wishes-disgraced-aide-well-after-domestic-abuse-allegations-idUSKBN1FT2MX

* "Trump frustrated with Hicks' role in Porter scandal:" https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/09/politics/rob-porter-donald-trump-reince-priebus/index.html

* "Trump vetting failures seen in scandals, firings, security lapses:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-vetting-failures-seen-in-scandals-firings-security-lapses-1157371971590?playlist=associated

* "Congress votes to reopen government, passes massive budget deal:" https://www.newsday.com/news/nation/congress-budget-vote-1.16646015

* "Trump gets mocked for his parade idea:" http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/trump-gets-mocked-for-his-parade-idea-1157250627786

* "Standing Up From My Wheelchair in Public:" http://taibhsearachd.tumblr.com/post/170709622053/standing-up-from-my-wheelchair-in-public

* "Number 4- Rest in Power and Peace Celine Walker:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2018/02/number-4-rest-in-power-and-peace-celine.html

* "An Ancient Virus May Be Responsible for Human Consciousness:" https://www.livescience.com/61627-ancient-virus-brain.html

* "Tools near Mumbai beach trace human settlements to Middle Stone Age:" https://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/tools-near-mumbai-beach-trace-human-settlements-to-middle-stone-age/story-B8EI1618lgZq9hvcsPH0GO.html

* The Pictures are Amazing! I've only seen one of them before. "The all-black WWI regiment renowned for courage despite prejudice:" https://mashable.com/2015/11/18/harlem-hellfighters/#ei5hNIhir8qJ

* "The Queer, Disabled and Women of Colour Suffragettes History Forgot:" https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/d3w8wy/the-queer-disabled-and-women-of-colour-suffragettes-history-forgot

* "Angela Davis On Violence:"

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* "In 1968, Three Students Were Killed by Police. Today, Few Remember the Orangeburg Massacre:" https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/1968-three-students-were-killed-police-today-few-remember-orangeburg-massacre-180968092/

* "The Trumps-Giving Day Military Parade:"

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* "Our Very Smart President Can Easily Handle Robert Mueller:"

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* "Global Warming Is Now Not ‘Necessarily A Bad Thing’:"

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* "The White House Got Rid Of A Bad Man (No, Not Trump):"

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* "Quincy Jones Dishes On JFK, MJ, And POTUS:"

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* Thing I learned today: Biathlete and Bi athlete sound pretty much the same.

* I know Librarians is meant to be silly and the last episode was pretty, but I am having some really big problems with their mythology. Humans had colour and creativity long before the Library of Alexandria was formed. I simply can't swallow that everything was dull, unimaginative and lifeless until a particular library was built in North Africa under a Macedonian Dynasty. It doesn't pass the smell test. There was a long history of art and literature in Meopotamia, Egypt, India, and China, before that first scroll went into it's cubbyhole at the Library. It's just... too big and patently false a nonsense to swallow. Also, I'd been side eyeing the Mediterranean civilization hegemony here. Shouldn't there be a counterweight library somewhere in, say, China or India, given the age and literacy of those civilizations? While travel from Western Europe to India was hard until relatively recently, there was thriving trade from Eastern Africa to Eastern Asia with the subcontinent as a hub. Could the library make doors to cities in countries not mentioned in it's tomes? How would librarians know to go there, wouldn't a second, waaaay older library make sense? What of the Americas? Would first Century north African or European Librarians be traveling to continents they had no idea existed? How could the Library have the level of influence alleged there? What of Australia, New Zealand, etc.? Again, completely unsuspected to the rest of the world until relatively recently. It is looking more and more like the oral tradition of the indigenous Australians may be alarmingly accurate further back than writing existed. How do oral traditions on that scale and civilizations that old with that much continuity fit into the world building.

I just... The library is too new and too geographically specific, and so much Art and literature and creativity existed before the Library of Alexandria was a thing, and it's gotten impossible to ignore this season what with the Librry's back story and effects on the world being too large and Universal. The Dark Ages were that super specific thing that happened in Greece when Mycenaean culture collapsed so thoroughly that they forgot how to write and suddenly the people trying to make ceramics clearly only vaguely knew how pots were made because nearly all the professional potters were dead. The European "Dark Ages" was a thing Early Modern Era historians did where they labelled everything they didn't like Medieval and Every thing they did like Renaissance and then labelled a big chunk of history the Dark Ages to contrast it with their own time which they labelled enlightenment. Yes, things got pretty chaotic for a while in particular spots in Europe, but even where things were pretty bad, people still wrote books, and civilization trundled on just fine in Ireland and the eastern Roman Empire, and pretty much the whole rest of the world. There was never any whole world dark ages, so that warring librarians catastrophe story makes zero sense from a World historical perspective. Occasionally a particular civilization or section of a civilization will crash and burn, but there has not yet been a world wide catastrophe. And again, take a look at how complex and colorful world art and literature are before the founding of the Library of Alexandria, so the causation does not make any sense and I couldn't stop worrying at it that whole last episode, which meant that it was hard to focus on what was on the screen.

It was better not knowing the larger show mythology, because everything crumbles when you do, like a meringue one has taken a hammer to. I get it, it's a silly show and not intended for thinking thoughts, but they've exceeded the suspension of disbelief, and I'm not sure I can get mine back after this season.

* "The Environment and Tolerance in Wolf Speaker:" https://www.thefandomentals.com/environment-tolerance/

* I won't be watching these. "Benioff and Weiss are Writing Star Wars Movies and Rebellions are Built on LIES:" https://www.thefandomentals.com/benioff-weiss-star-wars-announcement/

* "Once upon a time there was a city called Omelas...:" http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/170685911452/shedoesnotcomprehend-once-upon-a-time-there-was

* Jyn Erso's last Words: gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/170683653612/ladytharen-i-personally-love-that-jyns-last

* "The sun is probably the closest thing we’ll ever have to a true Eldritch Abomination." http://lettersfromtitan.tumblr.com/post/170625947241/ndiecity-the-sun-is-probably-the-closest-thing

* Tywin Lannister vs. Eddard Stark as Parents: http://turtle-paced.tumblr.com/post/170510636997/wasnt-there-anything-that-tywin-was-right-about

* Dany and Jorah's Role: http://turtle-paced.tumblr.com/post/170536435512/do-you-think-jorahs-role-is-a-sort-of-entry-level#notes

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

* "Help us stop the humanitarian crisis on Manus:" https://www.asrc.org.au/donate-now/

* "RISE (Refugees, Survivors and Ex-Detainees):" https://www.givenow.com.au/riserefugee/donate

* How to help Rohingya refugees: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/29/world/asia/rohingya-aid-myanmar-bangladesh.html?emc=edit_nn_20171012&nl=morning-briefing&nlid=50784086&te=1&_r=0

* Help fight for Net Neutrality restoration: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/170010496350/democrats-are-just-one-vote-shy-of-restoring-net

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

* Trans Lifeline is one of those organizations you can call at (877) 565-8860 in the US and in Canada (877) 330- 6366.

* The Trevor Project has a 24 hour hotline geared toward helping our youth, and you can call it at 1-866-488-7386

* Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the representative of your choice.

* This App phones your rep for you: http://takeastance.us/

* Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resistbot.io/

* Help pay for cat food, litter, meds, medical copays: Paypal Lethran@gmail.com

* Birthday/Solstice master list: https://gwydion.dreamwidth.org/1925021.html

* Want Game of Thrones without the creepy? We need new players. We are very inclusive. "Game of Bones MUSH:" gobmush.wikidot.com

* At least thirty are dead in a surprise volcanic eruption in Japan that was ongoing as of this writing.

* "The Twisted World of Sexual Organs:" http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbc.com/earth/bespoke/story/20140908-twisted-world-of-sexual-organs/index.html

* "Firelight talk of the Kalahari Bushmen: Did tales told over fires aid our social and cultural evolution?:" http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140922152809.htm

* I understand intellectually that '50's nostalgia is about those with the most privilege hungering for a time when they had all the privilege and didn't have to share a drop. It is utterly alien to me. Why would I want to live in a time where my values were considered abhorrent and my very identity was labelled deviant and literally criminalized? I'm furious that the Republicans are bringing back Jim Crow, why would I want to be fighting that all over again from scratch when the battle not to slide back is so fucking hard? Why would I want to go back to square one on Women's Rights, when the battle to stop Republicans dragging us back to coat hangers etc. is so fucking hard? Do we really want to go back on all off the cultural, civil, and human rights progress we've made in the last 60 years? I say no.

Republicans say yes, but that's not all they want. They explicitly want to drag us back to 1850 in pretty much every realm of society, but that's a much longer rant.

The thing the rise of TV Shows like Mad Men and Masters of Sex brings home to me is how wildly unattractive that sexual dynamic, that version of idealized masculinity and femininity are to me. I pretty much hate everything about that time and that culture except the tax code. Oh there were unconventional women, like Virginia Johnson. Hell, my Maternal line has always specialized in strong, intelligent, unconventional women who took no shit from the culture or men in their lives. The women of my families have always swam up stream, bucking gender roles and expectations. I have more than a century and a half of sold proof, and family legend stretching back further. That doesn't mean it was easy to be a bad Victorian, a bad Edwardian, a bad 1950's house wife. It didn't make my mother's life easier, though it made it more fulfilling. I'm a stubborn cuss, and I definitely cut my own swathe, not having much truck with gender or social conventions. I picked my own path. If I were of my Mother or Grandmother's generation, odds were, I'd have done the same: set my sights on what I wanted and started fighting my way to get there, as my parents and grandparents and Great Grandparents, did, back to Great Great Grandmother Rachel and beyond. That doesn't mean I'd want to, given my druthers. I am a creature of my time, and change isn't happening fast enough as it is, and the retrograde change pulling us backwards to the 50's (1950's or 1850's regardless) fills me with endless anger. I want a better world, not a worse one. I don't want to have to refight the battles of generations past. I want to fight new ones to make things better for everyone, not holding actions against the rising reactionary dark.

I have no nostalgia. I do not want my Grandmother's world back, nor the one of two centuries ago. I do not want the world of my youth and prime back (though I would not say no to a body healthy and strong as I had), I haven't forgotten the Plague or Reagan or Thatcher, or the way it felt to awaken to a loud explosion the year before the Wall fell to wonder for a few brief seconds if i was about to become a silhouette on a wall. Why the fuck would I want all that back? Why would I want constant on the job sexual harassment back? Why would I want a world back where people were dying and their partners and agency were ripped from them? Why would I want any of it back except the sex and the ability to run and fight and dance? The world and I have changed. A whole lot of things have happened good and bad. I'd rather play a new hand than obsess over old ones. I'd rather see what's around the corner than fight a nightmarish forever war in which we only go backward.

Fuck nostalgia and the horse it road in on. Fuck the republican vision of their perfect world of never ending privilege for the wealthy white straight cis man and screw the rest of us. I'll throw my lot in with the uncertain future any day over a stiffing past that was never really the heaven they dress it up as even for those that won the privilege lottery.

* "Ayn Rand's Buffy The Vampire Slayer:" http://the-toast.net/2014/09/26/ayn-rands-buffy-vampire-slayer/

* Attn: Djinni. I broadly side with the lions on this one. "Do Tigers Like MARMITE?:"

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* "This Woman Made A Death Star Dress. All Other Dresses Are Inferior.:" http://io9.com/this-woman-made-a-death-star-dress-all-other-dresses-a-164011762

* It is ebay time again, Two days, three no bid: ( Cut for your pleasure: )

* Fundraiser to Help Us Pay Back Rent and Insurance: http://www.gofundme.com/cuovws

Here is a Thing I Wrote on Tumblr in Response to a Person raising points about Biases in How we Veiw History, Evolutionary Psychology, and Economics.

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* I know I've been mostly focused on the Humanitarian crises in Africa the last couple of months, but it is Winter in Northern Indian at least 5 thousand people displaced due to escalating violence along the border with Pakistan are huddled in flimsy often makeshift tents as I type this. Those who still have homes are afraid to return after 60 people were killed in religious riots. The government is not helping, it sounds like. They have no save water supply and disease is spreading.

It sounds like you best bet to help is Red Crescent of India, if you are interested: http://redcrescentsocietyofindia.com/

* Periodic reposting of Charities serving refugees in the Central African Republic and South Sudan:

Want to help?
Doctors Without Borders: refugee camps: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/
The Red Cross (South Sudan): http://www.redcross.ca/where-we-work/worldwide/africa/sudan-and-south-sudan
Central African Red Cross: http://www.ifrc.org/en/what-we-do/where-we-work/africa/central-african-red-cross-society/
The World Food Program for South Sudan: http://www.wfp.org/countries/south-sudan/food-security
or for Central African Republic: http://www.wfp.org/countries/central-african-republic

* The UN got the Syrian government to let them start evacuating the trapped civilians of Homs. It's a slow process, and a lot of people are cut off and unable to reach safe exits. Still it is something.

* "Today, February 11th 2014, Thousands of Websites are Protesting Surveillance.:" https://thedaywefightback.org/

* il_volpe, have you seen this? "WATCH: This Crow Is The Smartest Bird You've Ever Seen:" http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/06/crow-smartest-bird_n_4738171.html

* "Cultural connections with Europe found in ancient Jordanian settlement :" http://www.hum.gu.se/english/current/news/Nyhet_detalj/cultural-connections-with-europe-found-in-ancient-jordanian-settlement-.cid1200725

* "Beginning Of The Inevitable Backlash:" http://www.transgriot.blogspot.com/2014/02/beginning-of-inevitable-backlash.html

* Best of luck to Michael Sam, an All-American defensive lineman from the University of Missouri, who came out today. He is expected to be an NFL draft pick and what he is doing is incredibly brave. May you have a long, healthy, and lucrative career.

* Re: Walking Dead I am glad they are finally fleshing out Michonne. Danai Guriraacted the shit out of that episode.

* "Grimm only latest in NY's rogues gallery:"

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* Chris Christie is personally denying port authority employees on his side of the border a rise in the minimum wage that the ones on the New York side are getting.

* "Oh, the tyranny!:" http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2014/01/oh-tyranny-by-davidoatkins.html

* "What the Republicans oppose:" http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2014/01/what-republicans-oppose.html

* "The public is clear: solve inequality by taxing the obscenely rich:" http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-public-is-clear-solve-inequality-by.html

* "Good Reason to Kill #48: Asked Wrong Question After State of the Union:" http://www.loweringthebar.net/2014/01/good-reason-to-kill-48-wrong-question.html

* Lack of Self Awareness Anyone? "About that 'government making health care choices for you,' Ms. McMorris Rodgers ...:" http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/29/1273405/-About-that-government-making-health-care-choices-for-you-Ms-McMorris-Rogers

* "Fox Host Says There Is No Gender Gap: 'Many Women Make Exactly What They're Worth':" http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/maccallum-fox-women-make-exactly-worth

* I wonder how many folks at the IOC are wishing they'd called up Vancouver last Summer when the protests started to see if they wanted to host the Winter Olympics a second time in a row.

* "Why the Olympics Are a Lot Like "The Hunger Games":" http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/21492-why-the-olympics-are-a-lot-like-the-hunger-games

* A Rogue, paramilitary branch of the SPCA in New Jersey! "An even more mind-bending New Jersey story:"

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* "Budget-Friendly and (Almost) Dracula-Free Transylvania:" http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/27/travel/budget-friendly-and-almost-dracula-free-transylvania.html

* "State of the Struggle: First Come LGBT Legal Protections, Then Comes Marriage:" http://www.autostraddle.com/state-of-the-struggle-first-come-lgbt-legal-protections-then-comes-marriage-219942/

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* "A Man Takes A Single Rake to The Beach. And When You Zoom Out And See It... Mind BLOWN.:" http://www.viralnova.com/beach-art/

* I am really excited about the BBC doing the Musketeers.

* "GOP isn’t Getting more Ignorant on Evolution, it is Just getting Older:" http://www.juancole.com/2014/01/getting-ignorant-evolution.html

* "Politifact debunks GOP claim that Obamacare funds beheadings:" http://americablog.com/2014/01/politifact-debunks-gop-claim-obamacare-funds-beheadings.html

* "Arctic Thaw : Image of the Day:" http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=82657

* "Nanotech Vaccine Promising Against Infections:" http://www.technologyreview.com/news/522846/nanoparticle-that-mimics-red-blood-cell-shows-promise-as-vaccine-for-bacterial/

* TW: Insects. "These are a few of my favorite stings…:" http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/compound-eye/2013/09/18/these-are-a-few-of-my-favorite-stings/

* "Edit Wars Reveal The 10 Most Controversial Topics on Wikipedia:" http://www.technologyreview.com/view/517101/edit-wars-reveal-the-10-most-controversial-topics-on-wikipedia/

* "Lawrence of Arabia as Archaeologist:" http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/archaeology-today/archaeologists-biblical-scholars-works/lawrence-of-arabia-as-archaeologist/

* "The 17th-Century Breastoration: A Time Before Bras:" http://thehairpin.com/2011/07/the-17th-century-breastoration-a-time-before-bras/

* "Franklin Graham: Racism, misogyny, homophobia are ‘biblical truths we stand for’:" http://www.patheos.com/blogs/slacktivist/2014/01/02/franklin-graham-racism-misogyny-homophobia-are-biblical-truths-we-stand-for/

* "A Test of leadership on Marriage Equality:"

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* "David Cameron's internet porn filter is the start of censorship creep:" http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/03/david-cameron-internet-porn-filter-censorship-creep?CMP=twt_gu

* TW: Includes a coach advocating genocide against us. "I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot:" http://deadspin.com/i-was-an-nfl-player-until-i-was-fired-by-two-cowards-an-1493208214

* "'YMCA' Is Not A Gay Anthem? Really?" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2014/01/ymca-is-not-gay-anthem-really.html

* "Gay, Inc Needs A Trans Rooney Rule:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2014/01/gay-inc-needs-trans-rooney-rule.html

* Today was a win one lose one sort of day. Greenwick started packing the kitchen; I worked on small stuff, bits and bobs in the bedroom and office. We went to let the bed guys in and unloaded some gear. While the men worked in my room, we worked on various projects around the new apartment. The washing machine works. I need to double check that the drier dried stuff. Greenwick did more cleaning and prep; I unpacked various things and put them away. The bed guys finished unnervingly fast, which turned out to be because it was the wrong bed. O.o Me: it was supposed to have drawers and a bookshelf and be made of wood. Them: You were the custom order with the all the cool little drawers? They loaded the wrong pallet on the truck! That's going to take two hours to assemble!

The mattress is mine and they said I can sleep on it, but I'm going to wait until Thursday to move across with cats and fish. They are coming back with my bed Wednesday. The plan is to take more of the kitchen across tomorrow before game. It's really fine. I honestly could do with another half week to get ready. I've also had a couple of out side the box thoughts on how to make the furniture work in the new space.

* Republicans proud of their plan to literally starve children:

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* Melissa Harris-Perry's message to a girl with disordered eating:

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* "Another Obamacare horror story debunked:" http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-mh-debunked-20131030,0,6010994.story#axzz2jKT7Sg8Q

* "Climate Change Seen Posing Risk to Food Supplies:" http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/02/science/earth/science-panel-warns-of-risks-to-food-supply-from-climate-change.html?_r=0

* "What's the greatest threat to economic growth? It's climate change.:" http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2013/10/whats-greatest-threat-to-economic.html

* Warning: Spiders: "13 Horrifying Ways to Die (If You’re an Arthropod) :" http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/compound-eye/2013/10/31/13-horrifying-ways-to-die-if-youre-an-arthropod/

* "Neolithic cave dwelling found in NW China:" http://www.china.org.cn/china/2013-10/22/content_30369649.htm

* "Ancient Chinese wrote with brushes:" http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/article_xinhua.aspx?id=175235

* "Research shows 'endowment effect' is not present in hunter-gather societies:" http://phys.org/news/2013-10-endowment-effect-hunter-gather-societies.html

* "Two mummies found in ancient Peru cemetery:" http://phys.org/news/2013-10-mummies-ancient-peru-cemetery.html

* "30th Anniversary of Able Archer 83:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2013/11/30th-anniversary-of-able-archer-83.html

* "Neo-Bircher apocalyptic politics harms the people who embrace it:" http://www.patheos.com/blogs/slacktivist/2013/11/01/neo-bircher-apocalyptic-politics-harms-the-people-who-embrace-it/

* "Sick mum 'belittled' by Air NZ:" http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/9349367/Sick-mum-belittled-by-Air-New-Zealand

I'm sure you'll be relieved to know that Air New Zealand doesn't consider breast cancer a serious illness.

* I seriously suggest avoiding the comment section. "When Science and Archaeological Conspiracy Theories Collide:" http://gizmodo.com/when-science-and-archaeological-conspiracy-theories-col-1446529030

* "Saturday Sellout-Mia Love:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2013/11/saturday-sellout-mia-love.html

* "SecDef Hagel orders National Guard to recognize spouses of gay troops:" http://americablog.com/2013/10/breaking-secdef-orders-rogue-red-state-national-guards-recognize-sex-spouses-us-troops.html

* RP Shenanigans in Spain:

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* "10 of the world's most scenic cemeteries:" http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/30/travel/worlds-most-scenic-cemeteries/

* Nonononono! http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/2013/11/01/bugs-bunny/

* The Clutch:

* I am aware of conflicting reports as to what exactly happened in Cairo, but it looks bad regardless of which version of events is correct. I need more time to research before I can say anything intelligent.

* "“Maldives cannot afford to be an inward looking, xenophobic country”: former President Nasheed:" http://minivannews.com/politics/maldives-cannot-afford-to-be-an-inward-looking-xenophobic-country-former-president-nasheed-61638

* "Comment: Maldivian history a mockery of past and present:" http://minivannews.com/politics/comment-maldivian-history-a-mockery-of-past-and-present-61603

* Intent, the Zimmerman Verdict, VRA, and Voting Rights in Texas:

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* "Pentagon: Americans must give up Liberties to fight “enemies” but we won’t say who they are:" http://www.juancole.com/2013/07/pentagon-americans-liberties.html

* "When Lettuce Was a Sacred Sex Symbol:" http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2013/07/when-lettuce-was-a-sacred-sex-symbol/

* "Civil War Surgeon Set The Standard For Battlefield Medicine:" http://www.npr.org/2013/07/07/199632890/setting-the-standards-for-civil-war-medicine?sc=17&f=1008

* "Dissecting the Outrageous, Inaccurate Claims Made at a High School Abstinence-Only Presentation:" http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2013/07/18/dissecting-the-outrageous-inaccurate-claims-made-at-a-high-school-abstinence-only-presentation/

* "North Pole melts, forms lake at top of the world:" http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/climate-weather/stories/north-pole-melts-forms-lake-at-top-of-the-world

* "Tara Abarara, Pop-Stealer: A Story about Privilege, Opportunity, and Dr. Pepper:" http://amorphousamphibian.wordpress.com/2013/07/27/tara-abarara-pop-stealer-a-story-about-privilege-opportunity-and-dr-pepper/

* Today I took it slow. Hector was doing the thing where he clawed my face while I was sleeping again and my sleep was heavily disrupted as a result. I'm so tired. I did a bunch of reading with the beasties, dragged myself out to get lemon juice and litter, set up out back and did a little research while Mache grazed. After there was house work and some Internet housekeeping.

* Some more lilies bloomed, so here they are in a vase together.: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/56653202928/some-more-lilies-bloomed-so-here-they-are-in-a

* Damnit, I just want to move already.

* My Scented Home Products Circular Swap is looking for people to sign up: http://www.bpal.org/topic/81082-summer-scented-home-products-circular-swap/

* The Clutch:

* At least six people are dead (not counting the shooter) and five wounded in a mass shooting in Santa Monica connected to a fire. Basically, he traveled towards the campus shooting at whoever he saw and engaging in gun battles with police along the way. They shot and killed him in the library.

* An impaired crane operator in Philly collapsed a building killing six a few days ago. He's under arrest.

* They arrested a lady who once played a Walker on Walking Dead for the latest batch of attempted risin poisonings.

* "Earliest Case of Child Abuse Discovered in Egyptian Cemetery:" http://www.livescience.com/34738-egypt-cemetery-reveals-child-abuse.html

* "Rare Finding of Ancient Greek Warrior:" http://usa.greekreporter.com/2013/05/23/rare-finding-of-ancient-greek-warrior/

* "Fact Sheet on Boudicca:" http://www.livescience.com/37061-boudicca.html

* "Mali: Timbuktu's literary gems face Islamists and decay in fight for survival:" http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/20/mali-literary-treasures-battle-survival

* "Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning:" http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/family/2013/06/rescuing_drowning_children_how_to_know_when_someone_is_in_trouble_in_the.html

* "Extinct lizard named after The Doors' singer Jim Morrison:" http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22764946

* "There Are Whales Alive Today Who Were Born Before Moby Dick Was Written:" http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/smartnews/2013/01/there-are-whales-alive-today-who-were-born-before-moby-dick-was-written/

* "A Scarred Landscape in Oklahoma:" http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=81271

* "Aurora over Oregon’s Mt. Hood this weekend:" http://earthsky.org/todays-image/aurora-over-oregons-mt-hood-this-weekend

* "Are electronic cigarettes noncarcinogenic?" http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/3110/are-electronic-cigarettes-noncarcinogenic

Y’all know I’m big on harm reduction. This looks like harm reduction to me. Sure, it’s better if people quit, bu for people who aren’t, this looks a lot safer. It also stops things like people like me walking into a cloud of smoke and collapsing and children being burned in the face by passing strangers who are careless about where their hands are. (Yes, this happens).

* "Anglican Rats Leaping off a Sinking Ship:" http://www.sparkindarkness.com/2013/06/anglican-rats-leaping-off-sinking-ship.

* Unlocking the Truth - Monster:

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* The Clutch: