* I still have a stupidly large amount of prepped links, but I've been scaffolding this all evening so I'm cutting it here before it runs another day.
* "Hezbollah brings Iranian fuel into Lebanon to ease shortages:"
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-58583008* "Missing bolts, poor welding contributed to Mexico City metro collapse, auditor finds:"
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/missing-bolts-among-issues-that-sparked-mexico-city-metro-collapse-auditor-finds-2021-09-07/* "Justin Trudeau's early election gamble backfires in Canada but he clings onto power:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/20/americas/canada-election-results-trudeau-o-toole-intl/index.html* I had a ton of good coverage of the Canadian election, but events overtook me, so I pulled the links.
* "Rivals allege mass fraud as Russian pro-Putin party wins big majority:"
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/pro-putin-party-heads-russian-election-win-after-navalny-clampdown-2021-09-19/* "Communists, observers report violations in Russian election:"
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/communists-observers-report-violations-duma-election-80094316* Google and Apple took strong action to side with Putin against Democracy."Google, Apple remove Navalny app from stores as Russian elections begin:"
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/google-apple-remove-navalny-app-stores-russian-elections-begin-2021-09-17/* "Apple, Google, cowed by Putin, remove Russian protest voting app as election begins:"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/apple-google-cowed-by-putin-remove-russian-protest-voting-app-as-election-begins-121227845901* "Top Russian Diplomat’s Secret Life With Millionaire Mistress Exposed:"
https://www.thedailybeast.com/top-russian-diplomat-sergey-lavrovs-secret-life-with-millionaire-mistress-exposed* "Boris Johnson’s reshuffled cabinet has a sorry record on LGBT+ rights:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/09/16/boris-johnson-cabinet-reshuffle-lgbt-rights/* "Liz Truss promoted to foreign secretary and remains equalities minister:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/09/15/liz-truss-foreign-secretary-equalities/* "Both North and South Korea fire ballistic missiles as tensions rise on peninsula:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/15/asia/north-korea-missiles-intl-hnk/index.html* "Russia election: Opposition crushed ahead of managed polls:"
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-58504603* "Haiti faces fresh instability as PM comes under scrutiny:"
https://apnews.com/article/port-au-prince-haiti-f57d0c530cd01452f357d020b8926324* "Haiti prosecutor seeks to charge PM in killing, is replaced:"
https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-port-au-prince-haiti-assassinations-1b48e0e75c14ee83b5530b2f8a9618c4*********************************************************************************************************
* "COVID-19 virus is evolving to get better at becoming airborne:"
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/09/210916173428.htm* "Pfizer says COVID-19 vaccine works in kids ages 5 to 11:"
https://apnews.com/article/business-science-health-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-202cb6e44b90270ec4d1f19690ed94c5* "Indian study finds big drop in COVID antibodies within four months of vaccination:"
https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indian-study-finds-big-drop-covid-antibodies-within-four-months-vaccination-2021-09-14/Preliminary study, not peer reviewed, and for Covaxin and Covishield/AstraZeneca . Also, it may not reflect lesser effectiveness. Basically, not nearly enough is known and it’s far to early to panic.
* "Ischgl: Austria sued over Tyrol ski resort's Covid-19 outbreak:"
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54256463* "Biden doubles US global donation of COVID-19 vaccine shots:"
https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-general-assembly-joe-biden-pandemics-business-united-nations-e7c09c1f896d83c0ed80513082787bd3 * "The U.S. is falling to the lowest vaccination rates of the world’s wealthiest democracies.:"
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/11/world/asia/us-vaccination-rate-low.html* "After Months Of Bans, Fully Vaccinated Travelers Will Be Allowed To Fly To The U.S.:"
https://www.npr.org/2021/09/20/1038912216/white-house-says-vaccinated-foreign-nationals-will-be-allowed-to-fly-to-the-u-s* "1 in every 500 US residents have died of Covid-19:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/15/health/us-coronavirus-wednesday/index.html* "COVID-19 cases climbing, wiping out months of progress:"
https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-health-texas-coronavirus-pandemic-kentucky-9e89fcef6ef184baa4703a47d2aefab6* "'Soul-crushing': US COVID-19 deaths are topping 1,900 a day:"
https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-missouri-c4d03a53de4036158fabb0125c4f7b02* "US panel backs COVID-19 boosters only for seniors, high-risk:"
https://apnews.com/article/fda-panel-rejects-widespread-pfizer-booster-shots-1cd1cf6a5c5c02b63f8a7324807a59f1* "What to know about the FDA's decision on Pfizer booster shots:"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/what-to-know-about-the-fda-s-decision-on-pfizer-booster-shots-121227333684* "More than 675,000 people have died of Covid-19 in the US, surpassing country's 1918 flu pandemic death toll:"
https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-vaccine-updates-09-20-21/h_9235b1080a7bd0bbee1fb393d8055b2b* "F.D.A. Authorizes Pfizer Booster Shots for Older and At-Risk Americans:"
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/22/us/politics/pfizer-boosters-fda-authorize.html* "GOP governors decry Covid mandates despite requiring other vaccines in own states:"
https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/gop-governors-decry-covid-mandates-despite-requiring-other-vaccines-in-own-states-120796741724* "Are Biden's Vaccine Mandates Legal?:"
( Embed: )* "Florida COVID update: 10,723 cases added, state nears 50,000 total deaths:"
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article254263558.html* "Florida Governor Celebrates Ban on School Mask Mandates as More Kids Die From COVID:"
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/09/florida-governor-celebrates-ban-on-school-mask-mandates-as-more-kids-die-from-covid* "Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis threatens to fine state counties and cities over vaccine mandates:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/13/politics/ron-desantis-vaccine-mandate-fine-florida/index.html* "DeSantis ‘anti-vaccine mandate’ event turned anti-vaccine real quick:"
https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/florida-s-ron-desantis-anti-vaccine-mandate-event-turned-anti-vaccine-real-quick-120796741608* "Nearly 2 million people in Texas are overdue for a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine:"
https://www.texastribune.org/2021/09/14/coronavirus-texas-vaccine-second-dose/* "“Do I or don't I?” Some Texas hospitals grapple with new mandatory vaccine rule:"
https://www.texastribune.org/2021/09/10/coronavirus-texas-vaccine-mandate-hospitals/* "Tennessee ranks worst in nation for COVID-19 spread:"
https://www.wbir.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/tennessee-worst-in-nation-for-covid-spread/51-4061c4f5-0eda-43f2-b200-dc346181a20d* "About 56.5% of COVID-19 cases occurring in Metro Nashville middle and high schools:"
https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/education/2021/09/13/covid-19-school-tennessee-half-nashville-cases-middle-high-schools/8318871002/* "I was supposed to have life-saving surgery. Tennessee’s covid-19 surge cost me a hospital bed.:"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/09/14/tennessee-covid-19-surge-hospital-beds-surgery/* "Stillbirths may be increasing in Middle Tennessee due to COVID pandemic:"
https://www.wkrn.com/news/stillbirths-may-be-increasing-in-middle-tennessee-due-to-covid-pandemic/* "Mississippi health officials plea for vaccination after 'significant' number of COVID-19 fatalities in pregnant women:"
https://abcnews.go.com/US/mississippi-health-officials-plea-vaccination-significant-number-covid/story?id=79931539* "Mississippi governor calls Biden vaccine mandate 'tyranny':"
https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-health-coronavirus-pandemic-mississippi-tate-reeves-546dfb92122b16daa903622c59e92032* "‘Substantial’ daily death rate cited for Alabama’s COVID-19 hospitalization decline:"
https://www.wsfa.com/2021/09/14/substantial-daily-death-rate-cited-alabamas-covid-19-hospitalization-decline/* I am so angry about this. "A Man Died After Being Turned Away From 43 ICUs At Capacity Due To COVID, Family Says:"
https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/09/13/1036593269/coronavirus-alabama-43-icus-at-capacity-ray-demonia* "Man dies in out-of-state hospital after multi-state Cardiac ICU search:"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/man-dies-in-out-of-state-hospital-after-multi-state-cardiac-icu-search-120811077880* "‘You’re not getting this damn vaccine’: Alabama teen’s struggle for COVID shot mirrors struggles nationwide:"
https://www.al.com/news/2021/09/youre-not-getting-this-damn-vaccine-alabama-teens-struggle-for-covid-shot-mirrors-struggles-nationwide.html* "CDC reports 70 additional COVID-19 deaths in Oklahoma:"
https://kfor.com/news/local/cdc-reports-70-additional-covid-19-deaths-in-oklahoma/* "South Carolina adds nearly 15,000 new COVID-19 cases, 158 deaths over three days:"
https://www.thestate.com/news/coronavirus/article254199853.html* "COVID updates: SC Children's hospitals report 20 children needing critical care:"
https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/2021/09/13/covid-sc-mask-vaccine-mandate-hospitals-cases-updates-clemson-dashboard/8272184002/* "All-time high Covid hospitalizations in Idaho:"
https://komonews.com/news/local/all-time-high-covid-hospitalizations-in-idaho* "‘Their Crisis’ Is ‘Our Problem’: Washington Grapples With Idaho Covid Cases:"
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/13/us/coronavirus-hospitals-washington-idaho.html* "Likelihood of survival becomes key for rationed hospital care in Covid-crushed Idaho:"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/likelihood-of-survival-becomes-key-for-rationed-hospital-care-in-covid-crushed-idaho-121079877877* "Washington governor asks feds for medical staffing help:"
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/washington-gov-jay-inslee-asks-feds-for-medical-staffing-help-with-covid-response/* "Alaska’s largest hospital implements ‘crisis standards of care’ as U.S. marks grim milestone:"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/09/15/covid-delta-variant-live-updates/* "COVID-19 surge forces health care rationing in parts of West:"
https://www.startribune.com/covid-19-surge-forces-health-care-rationing-in-parts-of-west/600097740/?refresh=true* "Doctors face hard choices at packed hospital; patients wait in their cars for treatment:"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/doctors-face-hard-choices-at-packed-hospital-patients-wait-in-their-cars-for-treatment-120988229508* "Alaska plans to help hospitals with COVID-19 crisis care:"
https://apnews.com/article/business-health-alaska-public-health-coronavirus-pandemic-35b7d277449e702c42f1d5f591053788* "The Big Lie, Updated:"
https://solarbird.dreamwidth.org/1805180.html* "They Shunned Covid Vaccines but Embraced Antibody Treatment:"
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/18/health/covid-antibody-regeneron.html* "Chris Hayes on the madness of opposing Covid vaccine to ‘own the libs’:"
https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/chris-hayes-on-the-madness-of-opposing-covid-vaccine-to-own-the-libs-121557061525* "Anti-gay radio host who shamefully mocked AIDS victims dies with COVID-19:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/09/15/bob-enyart-aids-covid/*********************************************************************************************************
* "UN climate talks: Faint progress on money, none on pollution:"
https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-general-assembly-climate-united-kingdom-united-nations-business-40ac1b94dc489832415aa41adc9671cf* "Afghan women hit back at Taliban with #DoNotTouchMyClothes campaign:"
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58550335* "A Million Afghan Children Could Die in ‘Most Perilous Hour,’ U.N. Warns:"
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/13/world/asia/afghanistan-united-nations-crisis.html* "The Other Afghan Women:"
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/09/13/the-other-afghan-women* "Afghanistan girls soccer team given asylum in Portugal:"
https://apnews.com/article/soccer-immigration-sports-portugal-professional-soccer-b2097da4ac6ba491b31fffc2431091d3* "Pentagon Reverses Itself And Now Says A Deadly Kabul Drone Strike Was An Error:"
https://www.npr.org/2021/09/17/1038381206/drone-attack-afghanistan-civilians-pentagon* "‘All of them have names:’ Hayes on 10 civilians killed in Kabul drone strike:"
https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-all-of-them-have-names-hayes-on-10-civilians-killed-in-kabul-drone-strike-121212997890* "Trump aides aim to build GOP opposition to Afghan refugees:"
https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-afghanistan-immigration-taliban-ac6dbd381ff5e6e64f921e1e64f53444* Looks like they sorted it out, but I'm leaving in the links in case you wanted to know WTF.
* "France To Send Its Ambassador Back To The U.S. Following A Macron-Biden Call:"
https://www.npr.org/2021/09/22/1039735697/france-ambassador-submarine-macron-biden-call* "Australia nuclear submarine deal: Aukus defence pact with US and UK means $90bn contract with France will be scrapped:"
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/sep/16/australia-nuclear-submarine-deal-contract-france-scrapped-defence-pact-us-uk* "Furious Over Sub Deal, France Recalls Ambassadors to U.S. and Australia:"
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/09/17/us/political-news* Australia has this big ongoing trade deal with France involving submarines with France with a lot of money and jobs tied up in it. UK and US negotiated a secret deal with Australia for Australia to get nuclear reactor for submarines. Not weapons. Just the sort of the subs that don't have to refuel. They announced it this weak without even a heads up to France, which is just a dick maneuver however you feel about submarines conventional or nuclear, if you see what I mean.
France is our oldest and most loyal ally. Honestly I am confused as why the fuck we didn't include France in negotiations that effected them. Like, I have complicated thoughts about the agreement with Australia and UK, but given the trade deals between Australia and France, basic courtesy would suggest they should be dealt in. If we are negotiating something that effects them, we should include them. D'uh.
* "Russian hackers target Iowa grain co-op in $5.9 million ransomware attack:"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/09/21/new-cooperative-hack-ransomware/* "'Release the hounds': Ransomware attacks prompt calls for aggressive U.S. cyber response:"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-release-the-hounds-ransomware-attacks-prompt-calls-for-aggressive-u-s-cyber-response-121666629508* "Woodward/Costa book: Worried Trump could 'go rogue,' Milley took secret action to protect nuclear weapons:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/14/politics/woodward-book-trump-nuclear/index.html* "On concerns of Trump instability, Gen. Milley built shadow authority; soothed China: book:"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/on-concerns-of-trump-instability-gen-milley-built-shadow-authority-soothed-china-book-120902725768* "Schumer calls on Biden to cancel $50,000 in student debt for all:"
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/21/schumer-calls-on-biden-to-cancel-50000-in-student-debt-for-all-.html* "Biden Announces Out Nominees for Futures Commission, Commerce:"
https://www.advocate.com/politics/2021/9/13/biden-announces-out-nominees-futures-commission-commerce* "U.S. government aid helped reduce poverty in 2020, Census data shows:"
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-median-income-dropped-2020-poverty-rose-census-data-shows-2021-09-14/* "Biden invokes Defense Production Act for second time to address fire hose shortage:"
https://www.yahoo.com/now/biden-invokes-defense-production-act-052545045.html* "Out West, Biden points to wildfires to push for big rebuild:"
https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-fires-california-idaho-wildfires-6f50ae5a9f9e0922530f7594b427b07a* "Manchin suggests he may support a $1T-$1.5T spending agenda:"
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/12/manchin-senate-spending-agenda-511482* "House Democrats plan 26.5 percent corporate rate as part of multitrillion tax hike:"
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/12/corporate-tax-rate-511570* "Hayes looks at reconciliation bill through lens of ‘The Price is Right’:"
https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/chris-hayes-looks-at-reconciliation-bill-through-lens-of-the-price-is-right-121067077980* "Bernie Sanders justifies $3.5T budget: 'How much is too much' to save planet?:"
https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/bernie-sanders-justifies-3-5t-budget-how-much-is-too-much-to-save-planet-121070149937* "What Congress will ask oil execs when they testify on climate disinformation:"
https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/what-congress-will-ask-oil-execs-when-they-testify-on-climate-disinformation-121215557834* "Dems rope debt to government funding, lassoing GOP into clash:"
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/20/democrats-government-shutdown-debt-limit-513008* "Three Democrats say they’ll oppose party’s drug-price plan, creating roadblock for larger package:"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/09/14/democrats-oppose-drug-price-plan/* "How Kathleen Rice Is Threatening the Biden Agenda:"
https://prospect.org/politics/how-kathleen-rice-is-threatening-the-biden-agenda/* "House sends shutdown patch, debt fix to Senate demise:"
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/21/democrats-funding-shutdown-debt-limit-513407* "Jeffries calls out GOP hypocrisy on debt ceiling—and calls McConnell’s bluff :"
https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/jeffries-calls-out-gop-hypocrisy-on-debt-ceiling-and-calls-mcconnell-s-bluff-121561157669* "'Try us': Jayapal makes clear House Progressives not bluffing on infrastructure bills:"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-try-us-jayapal-makes-clear-house-progressives-not-bluffing-on-infrastructure-bills-121664581925* "One-on-One with Deputy Secretary of the Treasury on the State of the American Rescue Plan:"
https://www.msnbc.com/the-sunday-show/watch/one-on-one-with-deputy-secretary-of-the-treasury-on-the-state-of-the-american-rescue-plan-121296453630* "‘Failure is not an option’: Hayes on why Dems must unify on Biden agenda:"
https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-failure-is-not-an-option-hayes-on-why-dems-must-unify-on-biden-agenda-121749061673* "Post Trump, U.S. Democrats offer bill to rein in presidential powers:"
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/post-trump-us-democrats-offer-bill-rein-presidential-powers-2021-09-21/* "No, the Richest One Percent Don’t Pay 40 Percent of the Taxes.:"
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/fact-check-richest-1-dont-pay-40-of-the-taxes.html* "Dems bet their political chips on party-line immigration reform:"
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/13/immigration-reform-democrats-political-chips-511253* "Democrats blocked from including immigration reform in party-line spending bill:"
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/19/democrats-immigration-reform-spending-bill-512898* "Democrats propose a compromise bill on voting rights.:"
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/14/us/politics/voting-rights-bill-democrats.html* "Stacey Abrams on voting rights bill: ‘I am excited and very supportive’:"
https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/stacey-abrams-backs-voting-rights-bill-i-am-excited-and-very-supportive-120887365810* "Sen. Padilla: Democrats need ‘gumption’ to change rules if needed to pass voting bill:"
https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/senate-democrats-released-new-voting-bill-after-reaching-compromise-with-manchin-120891461899* "Democrats introduce new legislation to protect voting rights:"
https://www.msnbc.com/the-sunday-show/watch/democrats-introduce-new-legislation-to-protect-voting-rights-121296965587* "'A major victory for our country': Sen. Klobuchar breaks down 'Freedom to Vote Act':"
https://www.msnbc.com/the-sunday-show/watch/sen-klobuchar-breaks-down-new-freedom-to-vote-act-as-major-victory-for-our-country-121298501562* Have something you want to tell your Senators? If you can't safely protest in person, here are some other options:
Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the representative of your choice.
This App phones your rep for you:
http://takeastance.us/Here is one that will send your reps a fax:
https://resistbot.io/* "ALEC pushed voter suppression bills:"
https://pluralistic.net/2021/09/03/kindgergarten-court/#alec-lied* "Arizona Senate asks Cyber Ninjas to make 2020 election audit records available:"
https://www.yahoo.com/now/arizona-senate-asks-cyber-ninjas-204100563.html* "Wisconsin GOP leaders pressured to sign election subpoenas:"
https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/wisconsin-gop-leaders-pressured-to-sign-election-subpoenas/article_56924ee2-305f-5064-af75-27f55886f178.html* "Following Arizona's shambolic example, Wisconsin GOP starts bumbling election spectacle :"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/following-arizona-s-shambolic-example-wisconsin-gop-starts-bumbling-election-spectacle-120906821532* "Republicans become less tethered to reality; Democrats engrossed in policy wrangling:"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/republicans-become-less-tethered-to-reality-democrats-engrossed-in-policy-wrangling-121078341738* "Pennsylvania GOP lawmakers approve wide-ranging subpoenas for personal information of 2020 voters:"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/09/15/pennsylvania-gop-election-probe-subpoena-trump/* "State Republicans seek voters' personal info as GOP vote count stunts threaten security:"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/state-republicans-seek-voters-personal-info-as-gop-vote-count-stunts-threaten-security-121078853943* "Lawsuits Claiming 2020 Ballots Were Manipulated Come to WA:"
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/washington/articles/2021-09-21/lawsuits-claiming-2020-ballots-were-manipulated-come-to-wa* "The Bye Line: Republicans can’t remain silent on the danger Trump poses to the party and the republic:"
https://www.msnbc.com/the-sunday-show/watch/the-bye-line-republicans-can-t-remain-silent-on-the-danger-trump-poses-to-the-party-and-the-republic-121293381979* "Backers of Trump's false fraud claims seek to control next elections:"
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/backers-trumps-false-fraud-claims-seek-control-next-us-elections-2021-09-22/* "Threats against members of Congress are skyrocketing. It's changing the job:"
https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2021-09-20/threats-members-of-congress* "Republican war on elections makes casualties of civilian stewards of democracy:"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/republican-war-on-elections-makes-casualties-of-civilian-stewards-of-democracy-121226821899* "California Gov. Newsom Crushes Republican-Led Recall Effort:"
https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/national-international/2021-09-15/california-gov-newsom-crushes-republican-led-recall-effort* "Democrats could change 'weaponized' California recall system:"
https://apnews.com/article/california-recall-politics-elections-california-coronavirus-pandemic-c9963319bfd8754dc77687049ba6e0e0* "‘Greatest self-own’: GOP strategist rips Elder’s pre-election fraud claims:"
https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/gop-strategist-ron-nehring-rips-larry-elder-s-pre-election-fraud-claims-121068101920* "Caitlyn Jenner and Her Recall 'Platform': What a Waste:"
https://www.advocate.com/commentary/2021/9/14/caitlyn-jenner-and-her-recall-platform-what-waste* "Caitlyn Jenner Releases Incredulous Statement After Crushing Defeat:"
https://www.advocate.com/politics/2021/9/15/caitlyn-jenner-releases-incredulous-statement-after-crushing-defeat* "Progressive hopeful Morgan Harper's bid for Ohio Senate Seat:"
https://www.msnbc.com/the-sunday-show/watch/progressive-hopeful-morgan-harper-s-bid-for-ohio-senate-seat-121295429931Want to contribute to Morgan Harper's campaign?
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ads_ms_mh_gs_202109_dd_launch?source=ads_ms_MH_20210903-DD-GS-Launch-National_mhkywrds-Natl-1865U-MF_a003-MH-ad3-gstxt-txt&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqKuKBhCxARIsACf4XuGuQ_qm_8NW3mAhIySgB61jwTijPejfpvU6Gkt_JHp3b5YG4E75aWAaAhwTEALw_wcB* "Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez hit with ethics complaint over iconic Met Gala appearance:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/09/15/alexandra-ocasio-cortez-aoc-met-gala-complaint/* CW: Child Abuse. He claimed God told him to emotional and physically abuse the child and therefore it was okay. "Republican convicted for kicking child in the crotch during homophobic rant:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/09/15/mark-samsel-homophobic-rant/* "Ohio House Republican, Calling Trump ‘a Cancer,’ Bows Out of 2022:"
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/16/us/politics/anthony-gonzalez-ohio-trump.html* "GOP rep announces retirement after threats of violence, Trump celebrates:"
https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/gop-rep-announces-retirement-after-threats-of-violence-trump-celebrates-121208901539* "Troll farms reached 140 million Americans a month on Facebook before 2020 election, internal report shows:"
https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/09/16/1035851/facebook-troll-farms-report-us-2020-election* "Longtime GOP operatives charged with funneling Russian national’s money to Trump, RNC:"
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/20/gop-operatives-charged-funneling-russian-money-trump-rnc-513219* "Trump repeatedly endorses elections officials who reject 2020 election results:"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-repeatedly-endorses-elections-officials-who-reject-2020-election-results-120814661740* "Trump Sues NYT and Niece—Who Calls Him ‘F*cking Loser’:"
https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-sues-new-york-times-and-his-niece-mary-trump-over-tax-story* "Trump Campaign Knew Lawyers’ Voting Machine Claims Were Baseless, Memo Shows:"
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/21/us/politics/trump-dominion-voting.html* "Memo shows Trump lawyer's six-step plan for Pence to overturn the election:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/20/politics/trump-pence-election-memo/ * "Pence sought way to hand election to Trump; Dan Quayle advice saved U.S. democracy: book:"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/pence-sought-way-to-hand-election-to-trump-dan-quayle-advice-saved-u-s-democracy-book-120904261608* "Trump's insurrection may be over, but the danger to democracy is ongoing:"
https://www.msnbc.com/the-sunday-show/watch/trump-s-insurrection-may-be-over-but-the-danger-to-democracy-is-ongoing-121295941739* "Rep. Swalwell: When cameras are off Republicans know their statements are ‘batty’:"
https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/pence-praises-journalist-posing-as-insurrectionist-for-embracing-big-lie-on-camera-120799301725* The whole thing looks Suspect. "Durham is said to be seeking indictment of lawyer whose firm represented Hillary Clinton’s campaign:"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/john-durham-michael-sussmann-hillary-clinton/2021/09/16/ed8ba0e6-1696-11ec-a5e5-ceecb895922f_story.html* "Indicted Trump Org. ex-CFO Weisselberg expects more indictments:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/20/politics/allen-weisselberg-trump-org-hearing-cy-vance-case/index.html* "Court transcript suggests search warrants used in broadening Trump Org tax scheme case:"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/court-transcript-suggests-search-warrants-used-in-broadening-trump-org-tax-scheme-case-121568837968* "Schiff: Jan. 6 investigation going 'straight to subpoenas' in some cases:"
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/21/jan-6-investigation-subpoenas-513425* "The Seditionist’s Cookbook:"
https://www.thebulwark.com/the-seditionists-cookbook/* "Amid high security, small pro-Trump crowd rallies at U.S. Capitol:"
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-capitol-high-alert-pro-trump-demonstrators-converge-rally-2021-09-18/* "Pro-Insurrectionist rally flopped, but warns of deeper rot in GOP:"
https://www.msnbc.com/the-sunday-show/watch/pro-insurrectionist-rally-flopped-but-warns-of-deeper-rot-in-gop-121295429779* "Capitol Police arrest man with bayonet and machete in truck near DNC headquarters:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/13/politics/bayonet-machete-arrest-capitol-police/index.html* "DHS to ramp up deportation flights to Haiti as migrants overwhelm US southern border:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/18/politics/biden-haiti-deportations/index.html* I am furious at Biden over this. "White House Faces Bipartisan Backlash on Haitian Migrants:"
https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2021-09-21/mayorkas-chief-says-images-from-border-horrified-him* "Homeland Security chief Mayorkas says images from border 'horrified' him:"
https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2021-09-21/homeland-security-chief-mayorkas-says-images-from-border-horrified-him* "Officials: Many Haitian migrants are being released in US:"
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article254401744.html* "Haitian deportees start over in country they don’t recognize:"
https://apnews.com/article/business-mexico-caribbean-port-au-prince-haiti-d37a08bda5d779bf6ddb8f0ae34e1451* "Angry scenes at Haiti airport add to Biden pressure over expulsions:"
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/us-says-4000-haitian-migrants-moved-border-four-more-flights-come-mayorkas-2021-09-21/* "DHS vows to have findings within 'days' in investigation of Border Patrol's treatment of Haitian migrants:"
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/09/22/photos-border-patrol-using-horse-reins-whips-prompts-dhs-probe/5812845001/* "Texas Gov. Abbott sends miles of cars along border to deter migrants:"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/09/22/texas-greg-abbott-del-rio-border-wall/* "Ex-cops accused of violating Floyd's rights plead not guilty:"
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/cops-accused-violating-floyds-rights-arraigned-80003361* They are screaming that the vaccine mandate will make officers quit the Seattle PD.
Me: good. The ones who quit are likely the bad ones any way. They just demonstrated they are against serving and protecting and happy to kill and maim people for no reason at all by giving them COVID. Yes, there will be shortages. Why don't we shift all that extra pay over to social services and start doing mental health diversion and non-violent responses to mental health crises. just saying. It's away to get around the union and still do police reform
Newscaster continues to act like It'll be the end of everything and there will be violent anarchy in the streets if all the worst cops decide to self downsize.
Me: I don't really see a down side here. If the officer shortage is that acute pull them off harassing poor people for petty shit and just make their job solving actual crimes that hurt people like murder, sexual and physical assault, kidnapping, and burglary. You know the things police do in civilized societies that don't pay absorbent salaries for thugs in blue to terrorize their citizens. You see crisis, newscaster lady; I see a opportunity for real police reform.
* "The new warrant: how US police mine Google for your location and search history:"
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/sep/16/geofence-warrants-reverse-search-warrants-police-google* "‘I Helped Destroy People’:"
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/01/magazine/fbi-terrorism-terry-albury.html* CW: Pedophilia. "US lawyers ask British courts to tell Prince Andrew of suit:"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/us-lawyers-ask-british-courts-to-tell-prince-andrew-of-suit/2021/09/15/09499b86-1637-11ec-a019-cb193b28aa73_story.html* CW: Rape. "Federal judge denies Trump's request to stop E. Jean Carroll lawsuit from moving forward:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/15/politics/e-jean-carroll-trump-lawsuit/* CW: Pedophilia. "Biles: FBI turned ‘blind eye’ to reports of gymnasts’ abuse:"
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/article254259768.html* "Biden administration files motion to block Texas abortion ban:"
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-administration-files-motion-block-texas-abortion-ban-2021-09-15/* "Satanic Temple set to challenge Texas abortion law on freedom of religion grounds:"
https://wgntv.com/news/satanic-temple-set-to-challenge-texas-abortion-law-on-freedom-of-religion-grounds/* "Anonymous hacks Texas Republican Party website in retaliation for state's abortion ban:"
https://www.sacurrent.com/the-daily/archives/2021/09/13/anonymous-hacks-texas-republican-party-website-in-retaliation-for-states-abortion-ban* "The Texas Abortion Decision Is Bad For Everyone:"
( Embed: )* "Women suffer hardship under Texas abortion ban; Judge unhurried by DOJ emergency filing:"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/women-suffer-hardship-under-texas-abortion-ban-judge-unhurried-by-doj-emergency-filing-120986181595* "The rank hypocrisy of Justice Barrett claiming Supreme Court isn't partisan:"
https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/the-rank-hypocrisy-of-justice-amy-coney-barrett-claiming-supreme-court-isn-t-partisan-120796741920* "Texas doctor who violated state’s abortion ban is sued, launching test of constitutionality:"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/texas-abortion-doctor-sued/2021/09/20/f5ab5c56-1a1c-11ec-bcb8-0cb135811007_story.html* "Why I violated Texas’s extreme abortion ban:"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/09/18/texas-abortion-provider-alan-braid/* "'Rank vigilantism' of first application of Texas abortion ban invites court challenge:"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-rank-vigilantism-of-first-application-of-texas-abortion-ban-invites-court-challenge-121667653513* It's a different one. "Texas governor signs bill tightening restrictions on abortion-inducing drugs:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/21/politics/texas-abbott-abortion-inducing-drugs-law/index.html* "Supreme Court sets Dec. 1 for arguments in challenge to Roe v. Wade:"
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/20/supreme-court-abortion-case-513012* "U.S. Soccer says it has offered identical contract proposals to men's, women's players:"
https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/us-soccer-says-it-has-offered-identical-contract-proposals-mens-womens-players-2021-09-15/* CW: Eating Disorders. "Lawmakers Push Facebook To Abandon Instagram For Kids, Citing Mental Health Concerns:"
https://www.npr.org/2021/09/15/1037222495/lawmakers-push-facebook-to-abandon-instagram-for-kids-citing-mental-health-conce* CW: Eating Disorders. "Food, Beauty, Mind | Philosophy Tube:"
( Embed: )* "The Gender Criticals:"
( Embed: )* And yet, Marriage wasn't a sacrament for most of the history of the catholic church. They only created in response to Protestants doing it. Sacraments have and thus can change. The Pope is lying about not having the power. he just doesn't want to. "Pope Francis emphatically shuts down hope for same-sex marriage in Catholic Church:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/09/17/pope-francis-catholic-church-same-sex-marriage/* "How LGBTQ+ Life Has Changed in One of the World's Mega Nations:"
https://www.advocate.com/commentary/2021/9/13/how-lgbtq-life-has-changed-one-worlds-mega-nations* "Mayor Attacked, Beaten in Gay Cruising Area, Left Tied to Tree:"
https://www.advocate.com/crime/2021/9/15/mayor-attacked-beaten-gay-cruising-area-left-tied-tree* "Trans doctor cruelly struck off for wearing a bikini to the beach:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/09/21/trans-doctor-turkey-larin-kayatas/* "Chinese Volleyball Star Comes Out as Country Steps Up LGBTQ+ Censoring:"
https://www.advocate.com/sports/2021/9/14/chinese-volleyball-star-comes-out-country-steps-lgbtq-censoring* "Four arrested over murder of queer journalist Lyra McKee in Northern Ireland:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/09/15/lyra-mckee-murder-arrest/* "Black Trans Woman Disaya Monaee Fatally Shot in Chicago Suburb:"
https://www.advocate.com/crime/2021/9/14/black-trans-woman-disaya-monaee-fatally-shot-chicago-suburb* "Corrections Officer Dressed as a Woman, Pistol-Whipped and Robbed:"
https://www.advocate.com/crime/2021/9/13/corrections-officer-dressed-woman-pistol-whipped-and-robbed* "Alphonso David Says HRC Treated Him Differently Because of Race:"
https://www.advocate.com/news/2021/9/13/alphonso-david-says-hrc-treated-him-differently-because-race* "Trevor Project: Make Sports More Welcoming to LGBTQ+ Youth:"
https://www.advocate.com/sports/2021/9/15/trevor-project-make-sports-more-welcoming-lgbtq-youth* "Tory cuts jeopardising global fight against HIV and AIDS, report warns:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/09/21/hiv-aids-tory-cuts-official-development-assistance/* "A Crisis of Minds: The Fascinating Tale of "Healing" People... By Destroying Their Brains:"
( Embed: )* "That Time Some Psychiatrists Pretended to be Mentally Ill to Prove Psychiatrists Don't Know Anything:"
( Embed: )* "Britain begins world's largest trial of blood test for 50 types of cancer:"
https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/britain-begins-worlds-largest-trial-blood-test-50-types-cancer-2021-09-12/* "Simple Mathematical Law Predicts Movement in Cities around the World:"
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/simple-mathematical-law-predicts-movement-in-cities-around-the-world/#
*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
The World is basically on Fire/Melting. I'm putting stuff to do with it here.
* "The Kids Are Not Alright:"
https://gizmodo.com/the-kids-are-not-alright-1847671079?utm_source=gizmodo_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2021-09-15* "A wildfire in Spain is uprooting villages, razing forests — and raising concerns about climate change:"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/09/13/spain-wildfires-military-deployment/* "Nicholas, now a tropical depression, still douses Gulf Coast:"
https://apnews.com/article/tropical-storm-nicholas-35477d4e990ac7c6de4c7c55e33c00fd* "California’s Wildfires Had an Invisible Impact: High Carbon Dioxide Emissions:"
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/21/climate/wildfire-emissions-climate-change.html* "Wildfires rage in Sequoia National park and forest, sending flames into grove of giant trees:"
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-09-13/fires-rage-in-sequoia-national-park-forcing-closures-as-crews-make-progress-on-dixie-caldor-fires* "In California, Even Fire-Resistant Trees Need to Be Protected From Flames:"
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/21/us/california-fire-trees-general-sherman.html* "How one foil-wrapped home survived the Caldor Fire as everything around it burned:"
https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/How-one-foil-wrapped-home-survived-the-Caldor-16444302.php*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
* "5.9-magnitude earthquake strikes Australia; shaking felt in Melbourne:"
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/5-8-earthquake-strikes-australia-shaking-felt-melbourne-n1279796* "Volcano erupts on Spain's La Palma island, spewing lava and forcing thousands to evacuate:"
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/la-palma-volcano-eruption-spain-cumbre-vieja-island-evacuation/* "A Massive Subterranean ‘Tree’ Is Moving Magma to Earth’s Surface:"
https://www.quantamagazine.org/a-massive-subterranean-tree-is-moving-magma-to-earths-surface-20210915/* "Life at 50C: How to cool a megacity:"
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-58557995* "Life at 50C: The toxic flares fuelling climate change:"
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-africa-58549010* "How India's air pollution is being turned into floor tiles:"
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210909-the-young-inventor-purifying-indias-dirty-air* "Idled Thai taxis go green with mini-gardens on car roofs:"
https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-health-business-thailand-gardening-94e6376a9b0ed616ba3b203f8c503a46* "Frederick Douglass: Crash Course Black American History #17:"
( Embed: )* "Did the Victorians Think Ankles Were Too Scandalous?:"
( Embed: )* My apologies. A bunch of obits are in the queue below where I cut off. Next time.
* "Sam Bee’s Not-Solved Mysteriez: UFOs:"
( Embed: )* "Charity Dean Predicted the Pandemic. Here's What She Thinks Is Next.:"
( Embed: )* "What Texas’s New Abortion Ban Means For Reproductive Rights Across the Country:"
( Embed: )* "Lukashenko: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO):"
( Embed: )* "What Republicans Get Wrong About Vaccine Mandates:"
( Embed: )* "Getting Vaccinated Doesn’t Take (Your) Balls:"
( Embed: )* "What American Citizens Can Do To Help Afghanistan:"
( Embed: )* "Food Waste and Climate Change: How Your Leftovers Can Save the World:"
( Embed: )* "Bewitched: It was Gay All Along?:"
( Embed: )* Over the weekend, Livia caught a third mouse. She patrols every night. She always finds them 1-3 nights after the food delivery. Still, I'm starting to worry about mice in the walls....
* Wednesday Tavy started things out by feigning a desire for an arm cuddle, but it was all a ruse to bite by emergency pendant to summon the paramedics. Sigh.
Wednesday wears all of us out what with forage, and all the things needing doing generally. It's turning out that having the second Millennial in for two hours is a massive help. Changing the bed with two able bodied people? So much faster. (It's a very heavy mattress and it really needs two people to get it correct on the head board end, between the lifting and pulling from opposite sides.) The tanks have been a major issue, since I stopped being able to handle the big tanks when my shoulder joint started to go. Head Millennial struggles with one step in the process. It turns out nearby Millenial can do everything but a different step, so they can just trade off tanks vs. Kitchen tasks. Nearby Millenial is cheerful and a hard worker too. I really think this will work out really well.
* Friday, the Autumn winds came in earnest, bring Autumn rain. Finally. The cats were unsettled of course. The wind this time of year really moves the familiar landscape outside their windows and there are strange irregular sounds. It usually takes a week or so for them to really get used to Autumn. The mild at this point chill and all the unsettling stuff sent them to my bed for cuddles and hanging around peacefully in a group. The air purifier's white noise blocks our the wind sounds. They have to stand on their hind legs to see out the window, and of course, I was in there sleeping and later reading the latest In Cryptid. It is quiet. it is safe. Everything in there is familiar. Their personal human is available and mostly still, ideal for cat purposes.
* Saturday we went on a perishable run followed by the usual putting things away and dishes. It being properly the rainy season now, it was time to take out the living room portable air system and replace it with phase 1 Gothmas stuff. Which is a process.
I had concerns about where the unit would be stored and had come up with something we could try, but head Millennial was like, I bet I could fit it in the hall closet. Me: O.o
Understand that this closet has been close packed since I moved in. Oh, I get outerwear and TV tables out of it on the regular. The painting stuff is on a high shelf and I periodically get it down for touch ups. We traditionally keep the wheel chair in the front for those occasions when I need it. One of the cat carriers is in there for vet emergencies, plus the back up emergency cane, one of the card tables... You get the idea. This is not a big closet. Everything in there is in there for a good reason, and dealing with it is a real pain in the ass.
The Millennial had reorganized it at some point during one of his organizing sprees, but it being summer, I was only opening the left panel to get or put back TV tables, usually on game night. In a hurry. Without really looking. I let him try to fit the monster in there on the grounds that it would be a dramatically better place than what was now plan B (My idea).
Gentle readers, he did it! I am blown away. He even made enough extra space for the big plastic fan Squirrel gave me when he upgraded at some point during the summer heat emergency. Head Millennial is an organizational God.
We also started the moving things around in the living room, cleaning and making space part of Gothmas Phase 1, pulled the boxes for phase one out of my bedroom closet and stacked them in the living room, and put up the Halloween trees, though didn't decorate them. It looks so much more cheerful with them there.
After the Millennial clocked out, we ate dinner and watched the Surreal Estate two part season ender and watched assorted cats explore the area by the window. Livia sensibly hides during Gothmas related commotion and emerges later to discover the humans have yet again illogically rearranged her living space. Sigh. Tavy got the special treat of getting to sit next to his favorite Millennial on the sofa and nap by his head for nearly two hours, having exhausted himself 'helping' with the Forbidden Closet reorganization and with the excited running around in celebration of a Gothmas Box Moving Day, one of his favorite Autumn activities.
Tomorrow? We decorate the Cat Asylum Interior!
In other news, I would like to thank the benefactor who made sure that we had not only enough money for car repair, but car insurance auto withdraw. Whoever you are, you are my hero.
*The Gothmas season stretches from the beginning of the Autumn rainy season in September to the first week of January. It is a disability friendly Gothy way to celebrate Autumn.
Phase 1: Halloween Tree, Halloweentown, and assorted interior decorations go up. In September as soon as the weather turns.
Phase 2: We add exterior Halloween decorations. It runs from close to October 1st as we can get to around November 3rd.
Phase 3: We take down all the exterior decorations except uncarved gourds (arranged as a ‘Harvest Display’) and the lights, which I keep off except in emergencies when I need extra lights to do something outside in the garden to avoid pushing the HOA over the line into fining us. This saves a fuck of a lot of spoons on taking lights down and putting them back up. I stick my Birthday presents and Samhein presents under the larger black hallowed tree.
Phase 4: We gild the lily. Basically we layer all the Solstice stuff on top of the Gothmas stuff already up, which again saves a fuck ton of spoons and since I’m not christian is an excuse to keep all the gothy decoration stuff up because glitter trees full of geeky and goth ornaments are cheerful things for the dark of the year.
Breakdown: Generally, we start taking things down on the 2nd or 3rd of January. sometimes it takes a few days, but it’s all set up to do in stages. I store things in boxes by phase with Phase one boxes on top to be easy to grab next year and phase 4 on the bottom. Organization like this is everything if you are a disabled person who takes Gothmas this seriously.
The nice thing about it is I can get all my Gothy stuff past the HOA and everything is done in stages and with a helper which is way more manageable than the try to do it all at once, take it down, put a whole other set of stuff back up a month later process my parents went through every autumn.
The day I decided to do Gothmas this way changed everything and most years results in three and a half months out of every year of genuine gothy pleasure every night.
* Normally I decorate with a different Millenial. It's still extremely time consuming and this with both of us having a good idea of what it's meant to look like and a well established routine and division of labor. Head Millenial saw the display briefly once or twice at best before the Pandemic. I also had six strings blow fuses during light testing and bulb replacement, which meant I couldn't be nearly as helpful as I'd meant to be. Thus it was not all that surprising we only got a half to a third of the there, which is fine. Training a new person on Gothmas is a whole epic in itself.
This is now a next weekend problem.
This wore me out, which meant I went to bed instead of loading a ridiculous number of prepped links that had accrued over the last week and pushing the thing out.
Monday, I was up all day dealing with car stuff, adulting, and obligations. They spotted a new potential problem I'll need to keep an eye on this autumn to see if it is anything. (They felt exploratory surgury on the car to be far more expensive than it's worthy without more data. We'll see.)
Livia is very disappointed my the lack of live mice in the Cat Asylum this weekend. Tavy would like to lodge a complaint about the frequency of the medicine finger in the last month. Both cats approve of the open living room window and the deliberately clear space among the goth tchotchkes for sitting and staring purposes.
* Tuesday, the pain won.
Wednesday, we went foraging, and then the Millenials got to work on a list I had divided into "Must Do," "Should Do," and "Stretch Goals." I was not expecting them to get to stretch goals. They efficiently divided tasks, and had at it. Nearby Millenial is really getting the hang of things, BTW. They worked beautifully together. They finished 15 miniutes early, so I gave them some smaller tasks I'd wanted doing. Wednesdays really wear out head Millenial, and there are several things like bed change, trash, and recycling that are just worlds easier with two able bodied people. I'm just incredibly happy with how the whole thing is working out for all four of us.
* Immortality:
https://jonquility.tumblr.com/post/661189122717892608/have-you-heard-the-tale-of-the-queen-of-thieves* I am actually angry that I liked that first episode of AHS: Red Tide. The went down hill fast and the lastest episode made me actually angry. A friend asked: What Di they do?
Me: What didn't they do. Gaslighting. Suicide. A particular kind of betrayal I don't enjoy even in fiction. Lots and lots of endless petty Ryan Murphy bullshit interpersonal stuff. I really shitty and condescending attitude towards people who try to make art but aren't genius that is structural to the plot....
I'm in the school of thought that people making art is good for the people making art even if they never get really good and that everyone pretty much sucks when they start anyway and I just... I'm furious. Like my friends, I also feel like the writers at AHS are maybe the last people who should go after people for imperfect art.
* ToS: Season 2 Rewatch:
- 3.4: And the Children Shall Lead. (CW: Suicide)
The main three beam down in response to a distress signal to find nearly everyone dead. They take zero precautions against pathogens or alien parasites despite a number of previous times they answered distress calls only to get infected by a deadly pathogen or taken over by aliens. seriously, have these people learned nothing at all in three years? A dying friend of Kirk doesn't recognize him. It looks like it's all self inflicted. They get a damaged recording of a man yelling about an "enemy within."
All the colony children are alive though, and playing rather than traumatized. Shatner's WTF face may be some of the most believable acting of his whole career. Nimoy still wins though of the three of them, despite DeForest Kelly's excellent entry. McCoy thinks it's a trauma response and wants to get them up to the ship instead of letting the others interrogate them, so he beams up with the children without any quarantine procedures in place. Spock suspects induced suicide caused by a biological or chemical agent, yet they are not wearing NBC suits or even the most basic PPE. Just saying. yes, it won't help with dis corporate aliens and the like, but they don't know what caused it yet. Anyway, maybe the children are behaving oddly through fear of punishment or promise of reward. I wonder if this episode influenced Children of the Corn?
Spock finds a weird reading in a nearby cave. Nothing humanoid is in there (except themselves, presumably). Kirk gets anxiety. Spock feels nothing. Kirk gets weird and paranoid rapidly, in some of the worst acting of Shatner's career. It passes so they beam up with no anti-infection protocols despite kirk possibly being infected.
Nurse Chapel gives the kids ice cream using primitive replicators as a special treat. No one is wearing PPE. One child, Stevey, is singled out by the narrative. McCoy says there is nothing physically wrong with them. McCoy wants to go to a star base to spread the possible infection and let a real child psychologist deal with them. Kirk insists on interrogating them against the doctors orders.
Kirk tries to relate to the children and asks leading questions. Nurse Chapel: Parents like children. Little Girl: That's what you think. Kirk presses. They start chanting "Bizzy! Bizzy!" and the girl pretends to be a bee stinging Kirk. The leader of the children asks for more ice cream. Kirk's refusal is proof "They all say it." When questioned the leader says his father was upset the day he died. "They were always upset." Was this episode influenced by the Twilight Zone's "It's a Good Life?" The planet was for adults, who loved it down there, always "Bizzy." a clue, methinks! Kirk sensibly puts a guard on the children.
The children do a ritual to summon "The Angel." An alien appears, telling them they did very well in infiltrating the Enterprise. The adults will want to take them to a Star base, but they should get them to take them to Marcus 12, with millions on it. Maybe a million friends to join them. The rest (adults, I assume) will be enemies. They will defeat the enemies, no one will tell them what to do, and the alien will rule the universe. The children are ordered to take over the Enterprise.
They clean up the tricoder recording. The adults had anxiety, of which the children are free. They kept poking around in the cave, despite growing anxiety. The last survivor of a dead race took refuge in there long ago.
The children want to go to Markus XII. Kirk says no. The leader stays on the bridge to psychically influence the navigators. The girl turns up with her security guard. The Leader is making them think they are circling the planet still when they are actually flying to Markus XII. Uhura notices and gets zapped too. Scotty notices down in engineering, but they already zapped the other Engineers. They fight, but Scotty wins.
On the tapes, the expedition head says they were making him do things like call Starfleet for transportation. he tried to warn them when he realized what he'd done, but "The Enemy within!" The dispatch was never sent. It happened fast. They realize that whatever it was misled 'the innocent' IE: The children. The destroyed race were marauders that kept attacking their neighbors until they were eventually destroyed by their combined victims. Kirk thinks the evil has returned. McCoy objects to damaging the children. Kirk is like the ship comes first.
Kirk goes to switch planetary investigation crews, but the planet isn't there, so the guys they send down are beamed into space and they can't bring up the ones they left down there. Why are there no safety protocols for this?
The children summon the alien on the bridge surrounded by tranced out adults. Kirk is not best pleased. The alien says they've been discovered, but it's too late for the adults to stop them. If the adults give them trouble the children should release the beast of fear in the adults. Kirk battles the leader for control of Sulu and Uhura. The child makes Uhura see herself old, which... fuck you writers. Let's make the woman vane. Sulu thinks if he changes course they will be destroyed. Spock refuses to obey the order to send a report to StarFleet. he fails to obey, despite all that mental discipline training and I think that makes no sense. Logically, Spock should be resistant rather than Kirk, but Spock does break the control. The security guards can't understand Kirk. Spock takes Kirk off the bridge, just as Kirk succumbs to his fear of losing control.
Spock mind melds him and fixes it in the elevator. Scotty's been zapped and threatens to kill Kirk if he touches the instruments. The engineers attack, but Spock and Kirk escape. Spock wants to do something about the children, "Without followers evil can not spread." The ship and the crew are in danger. "The evil is spreading fast." Kirk agrees that if they can't excise the evil the children will need to be killed. Chekhov turns up with security to arrest them. The Leader gets Chekhov to threaten to kill them. Conflicting loyalties are invoked. A fight ensues. The leader runs when his people lose.
Kirk returns to the bridge, where the leader is in the captain's seat. A very childish argument ensues. Kirk points out their leader is afraid to be seen. If he's not afraid he should show himself. Spock plays the recording of the Alien summoning chant. The Alien appears. Kirk and Spock argue with him. he thinks Kirk and Spock's gentleness makes them weak. They show the children pictures of the children playing with their late parents. They smile. Then there is the image of their dead parents and the smiles fade. So very manipulative. The Alien tries to justify murdering their parents to the crying children. Kirk points out to the children that without them the alien is nothing. he turns "ugly," because of course star Trek needs to hammer in the idea that the beautiful are good and anyone who isn't is bad. Fuck you, Roddenberry.
*****
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