Nec Hoc Nec Ilud

* News keeps moving fast, so some items may be already out of date.

---

* "Why Israel's having some of its biggest protests since the war in Gaza began:" https://www.npr.org/2025/03/25/nx-s1-5339490/israel-protests-netanyahu-hostages-gaza-war

******

* "Russian strike kills 14, including six children in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine says:" https://archive.ph/YhVc3

---

* "Labor accuses Dutton of copying Trump with suggestion children being ‘indoctrinated’ at school:" https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/apr/01/labor-dutton-trump-comparison-doge-school-curriculum

Please don't follow us into the dark, Australia.

* "Elections watchdog warned AI presents 'high' risk in current campaign: internal documents:" https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ai-elections-rules-1.7499383

* "Canada election debates will see these 5 party leaders participate:" https://globalnews.ca/news/11110269/canada-election-leaders-debates-lineup-qualify/

---

* "Iran wants indirect talks with US, warns regional countries over strikes against it:" https://archive.ph/YISOu

* "Rep. Balint: Trump wants to 'flex his muscles as the tough guy' with threats against Iran, Russia:" https://www.msnbc.com/ayman-mohyeldin/watch/rep-balint-trump-wants-to-flex-his-muscles-as-the-tough-guy-with-threats-against-iran-russia-235823685542

* "Exclusive: Trump preparing executive order to increase weapons exports, sources say:" https://archive.ph/8eVEY

* "See Trump’s list: More than 180 countries and territories facing reciprocal tariffs:" https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/02/trump-reciprocal-tariffs-countries-chart-imports-united-states.html

* "US slaps 26% tariff on India amid ongoing bilateral trade talks:" https://archive.ph/7EdpD

* "China urges US to immediately lift tariffs, vows retaliation:" https://archive.ph/AIYKX

* "Trump tariffs pile stress on ailing world economy:" https://archive.ph/WTPAM

* "Dow futures tumble over 800 points on fear Trump’s tariffs will spark trade war: Live updates:" https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/02/stock-market-today-live-updates-trump-tariffs.html

* "US Senate passes bill aimed at stopping Trump tariffs on Canada:" https://archive.ph/udQis

Unfortunately, Mike Johnson is blocking it in the House because that is how much Republicans hate America and how much Republicans want to destroy our economy, probably for generations because of all the trading partners (and islands entirely inhabited by penguins) we have burned.

Everyone who ever told you Republicans are good on the economy was LYING to YOU.

That was last true when Nixon was President.

Ever since Reagan, I've watched Republicans crash the economy over and over, and Democrats start to repair the damage, then have Republicans voted in and yet again crash the economy.

It's what they do. They suck money out of the pockets of ordinary people while giving tax cuts to the very richest and making decisions that harm everyone but a handful of billionaires.

This time they broke the economy, the government, and Democracy, things they've been vowing to do since I was born.

They could literally stop the Trump tariff destruction TODAY but backing the Senate on ending Trump's authority to destroy the American economy by rescinding Trump's emergency declaration that gives him the Authority to do this to us.

IF YOU HAVE A REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE in THE HOUSE, CALL THEM NOW.

Make the phones ring off the hooks. I am begging you. Every hour that passes the harder it is to fix.

Here is a script for calling Congress Critters on tariffs: https://www.tumblr.com/errorschacha/779843646911643648?source=share

* "Top Republican leads bill to reassert Congress’ tariff power amid Trump trade war:" https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/04/03/congress/top-republican-leads-bill-to-reassert-congress-tariff-power-amid-trump-trade-war-00268710

There is now one for all the Tariffs in the Senate, so call your Senator NOW!

* "Trump Goes Crazy on Trade:" https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/trump-goes-crazy-on-trade

* "Trump's targets for 'reciprocal' tariffs include uninhabited islands but exclude Russia and Iran:" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trumps-targets-reciprocal-tariffs-include-uninhabited-islands-exclude/story?id=120445283

* "Launching the Economic Version of the Iraq War.:" https://fallows.substack.com/p/launching-the-economic-version-of

* "Will Malignant Stupidity Kill the World Economy?:" https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/will-careless-stupidity-kill-the

* "President Trump’s mindless tariffs will cause economic havoc:" https://www.economist.com/leaders/2025/04/03/president-trumps-mindless-tariffs-will-cause-economic-havoc

* "A third global recession in 20 years looms:" https://www.axios.com/2025/04/02/trump-reciprocal-tariffs-cause-recession

* "It's the end of the world's economic order as we know it:" https://www.axios.com/2025/04/03/trump-tariffs-canada-europe-allies

* "China hits back at Trump with 34% tariff on U.S. imports:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/china-hits-back-trump-34-tariff-us-imports-rcna199665

* "‘This Could Get Much Uglier’: The Fatal Flaw in Trump’s Trade War:" https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/04/03/trump-tariffs-manufacturing-confusion-00267945

* "Dow plunges 2,000 as sell-off for markets slams into a scarier gear following Trump’s tariffs:" https://apnews.com/article/market-rates-trump-tariffs-d86db525c370e9da834e6dfb76e23b86

* "‘Worst case scenario’ Hayes says Trump is waterboarding the U.S. economy:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-worst-case-scenario-hayes-says-trump-is-waterboarding-the-u-s-economy-236286533786

* "Needless economic pain from Trump not even worth it if his tariff gambit works: Economist:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/needless-economic-pain-from-trump-not-even-worth-it-if-his-tariff-gambit-works-economist-236488261814

* "Lack of answers from Trump on tariff game plan leaves investors uneasy:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/lack-of-answers-from-trump-on-tariff-game-plan-leaves-investors-uneasy-236491333583

* And for bonus stupid that explains so much... "Critics suspect Trump’s weird tariff math came from chatbots:" https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/04/critics-suspect-trumps-weird-tariff-math-came-from-chatbots/

* "Trump is 'steering the Titanic towards the iceberg,' says CNBC reporter:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/trump-is-steering-the-titanic-towards-the-iceberg-says-cnbc-reporter-236596805514

* "The ridiculous real story behind the tariff plan that turned Donald Trump into a global disaster:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/the-ridiculous-real-story-behind-the-tariff-plan-that-turned-donald-trump-into-a-global-disaster-236611653893

* "Amazon’s last-minute bid for TikTok comes as a US ban on the platform is set to take effect Saturday:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-tiktok-amazon-bytedance-china-us-ban-19f62e2dba637a0d1a0b41102a2f351f

* Trump is openly disrespected our fallen soldiers again. "Trump Skips Honoring Soldiers Killed in Lithuania to Watch Golf:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-skips-transfer-soldiers-killed-lithuania-liv-golf-1235310901/

* "Donald Trump blows off dignified transfer of fallen U.S. soldiers for golf events:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/donald-trump-blows-off-dignified-transfer-of-fallen-u-s-soldiers-for-golf-events-236615749688

* "Appeals Court clears the way for Musk, DOGE to resume cuts to USAID:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/28/appeals-court-usaid-ruling-doge-00259154

* Cruelty is the point "A USAID worker's pregnant wife was denied an emergency medical evacuation after DOGE fired her:" https://www.advocate.com/news/usaid-pregnant-denied-medical-evacuation

* "Exclusive: Trump administration is pointing spy satellites at US border:" https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-administration-directs-spy-satellite-agencies-surveil-us-mexico-border-2025-03-27/

* Everything about this is gross. "Donald Trump Reveals $5m Visa Gold Card With His Face On:" https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-reveals-5m-visa-gold-card-his-face-2055171

* "The Trump DOJ Is Barreling Toward Contempt of Court. There’s Still One Way Out.:" https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/04/trump-doj-contempt-boasberg-salvador-prison.html

* "Most US Institute of Peace workers get late-night word of their mass firing:" https://apnews.com/article/us-institute-peace-trump-doge-mass-firing-746aa4fce9ad35fe17e8e22ce29417e3

They aren't part of the executive branch. I don't understand how any of this is legal.

* "DOGE Staffer Appointed to Lead U.S. Institute of Peace Founded Company That Sells ‘AI Workers’: Nate Cavanaugh, a 28-year-old college dropout, is steeped in the hypercapitalist ideology of Silicon Valley:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/doge-us-institute-of-peace-nate-cavanaugh-1235307495/

* "Trump administration takes $500M US Institute of Peace building for free:" https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/politics/federal-fallout/us-institute-of-peace-usip-500-million-dollar-headquarters-department-of-government-efficiency-trump-administration/65-b32203f0-ec4a-410f-b128-15484a282d3c

* "'This is bananas': DOGE looks to finagle a building the federal government doesn't own:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-this-is-bananas-doge-looks-to-finagle-a-building-the-federal-government-doesn-t-own-235941445573

* "Inside ICE Air: Flight Attendants on Deportation Planes Say Disaster Is “Only a Matter of Time”:" https://www.propublica.org/article/inside-ice-air-deportation-flights

* Xenophobic Lies vs. Reality: "Risk Analysis of Mass Shootings Committed by Immigrants and Native-Born Americans:" https://www.cato.org/briefing-paper/risk-analysis-mass-shootings-committed-immigrants-native-born-americans#

* "Maryland father sues U.S. officials after being deported to El Salvador prison:" https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/maryland-father-deported-el-salvador-abrego-garcia-us-immigration/

* "Wife of man mistakenly sent to El Salvador prison says she fears for his safety: "My husband's not a criminal":" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wife-man-error-deported-to-el-salvador-prison/

* "‘Horrific’: Joe Rogan blasts Trump for sending innocent people to El Salvador prison:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-horrific-joe-rogan-blasts-trump-for-sending-innocent-people-to-el-salvador-prison-236093509538

* Now we find out if there is even a shred of rule of law left. "Judge orders the Trump administration to return man who was mistakenly deported:" https://www.npr.org/2025/04/04/nx-s1-5352448/judge-orders-the-trump-administration-to-return-man-who-was-mistakenly-deported-el-salvador

* "ICE agents detain nearly 40 employees during morning raid at Whatcom County businesst:" https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/politics-government/article303349791.html

* "Protest emerges at Ferndale facility after ICE reportedly detains Whatcom County activist:" https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/article302806399.html

* "The Trump Administration’s War on Activists Is Escalating: ICE’s detention of a Washington state union organizer, alongside other threats to activists, raises the question of how far the Trump team will go to stifle dissent.:" https://newrepublic.com/article/193391/juarez-zeferino-ice-detention-activists

* If it is legitimate, why do it in secret and not tell the students? This prevents them getting due process, so they can be kidnapped. "Visas revoked, records terminated for more students at U of M, MSU Mankato:" https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/04/03/5-international-college-students-in-mankato-have-records-terminated-by-dhs

* "Ten Colorado international students – at least half Middle Eastern – have visas revoked:" https://www.cpr.org/2025/04/02/csu-cu-uccs-international-students-visas-revoked/

There were a bunch more of these as other colleges have started checking.

* "Colorado activist Jeanette Vizguerra's hearing delayed as legal team challenges deportation: "She was targeted":" https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/family-legal-team-colorado-activist-jeanette-vizguerra-press-conference-hearing/

* "Judge denies Justice Department's effort to move detained Tufts student's case to Louisiana:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/judge-detained-tufts-student-rumeysa-ozturk-case-vermont/

* I can't cover all the protests in all the places people have been kidnapped from, but I want to thank all of you doing it. Stay noisy.

* "Students walk out at Ballou to demand release of Rümeysa Öztürk:" https://www.tuftsdaily.com/article/2025/04/students-walk-out-at-ballou-to-demand-release-of-rumeysa-ozturk

* "WATCH: Video shows Alireza Doroudi being detained by ICE officers at his apartment near the University of Alabama:" https://www.cbs42.com/news/watch-video-shows-alireza-doroudi-being-detained-by-ice-officers-at-his-apartment-near-the-university-of-alabama/

* "University of Alabama students protest to demand ICE release international student Alireza Doroudi:" https://www.wvtm13.com/article/university-alabama-protest-doroudi-student-detained-ice/64342584

* Reminder of how bullshit the claims are that they are renditioning criminals and not innocent asylum seekers: "The Makeup Artist Donald Trump Deported Under the Alien Enemies Act:" https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-immigration/the-makeup-artist-donald-trump-deported-under-the-alien-enemies-act

* "British Tourist Detained by ICE for 19 Days Warns Against All US Travel:" https://www.newsweek.com/ice-tourist-immigration-detained-2055805

* "‘Inhumane conditions’ and death at Miami’s Krome migrant detention center:" https://english.elpais.com/usa/2025-04-01/inhumane-conditions-and-death-at-miamis-krome-migrant-detention-center.html

* "Weekend protests in South Florida over Trump deportation program and Tesla:" https://www.wusf.org/politics-issues/2025-03-31/weekend-protests-south-florida-trump-deportation-program-tesla-doge

* "Protesters march through downtown Dallas for the Mega March 2025:" https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/thousands-march-through-downtown-dallas-for-the-mega-march-2025/

* I can't cover all the protests, but I like to remind people that they are out there: "Protesters in small New York village march to Trump border czar's home over family's ICE detention:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/protesters-small-new-york-village-march-trump-border-czars-home-family-rcna199867

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

* "Huger man accused of posing as ICE officer in viral video excused from court Friday:" https://abcnews4.com/news/local/huger-man-seen-posing-as-ice-officer-in-viral-video-excused-from-court-friday-wciv-abc-news-4-sean-johnson-sullivans-island-immigration-and-customs-enforcement-kidnapping

---

* "Russian punk band Pussy Riot pops up at Washington Square Park to issue warnings about authoritarianism in America:" https://www.amny.com/news/pussy-riot-washington-square-park-authoritarianism/

* "Hundreds of protests planned as Trump's abuses generate wide array of grievances:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/hundreds-of-protests-planned-as-trump-s-abuses-generate-wide-array-of-grievances-236612677727

* "Angry protesters from New York to Alaska assail Trump and Musk in ‘Hands Off!’ rallies:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-protests-hands-off-472c574303260cbac315367cc808960d

* "Photos: See demonstrators around the country rally in 'Hands Off!' protests:" https://www.npr.org/sections/the-picture-show/2025/04/05/g-s1-58479/photos-see-hands-off-protests-trump-musk

* "Anchorage demonstrators join ‘Hands Off!’ rally, part of national protests:"https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2025/04/05/over-1000-join-anchorages-hands-off-rally-part-of-national-protests/

* "Protesters mobilize across region for "Hands Off!" demonstrations:" https://6abc.com/post/protesters-mobilize-region-hands-off-demonstrations/16132025/

* "Demonstrators participate in "Hands Off" protests in South Florida, expressing frustrations with Trump administration:" https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/miami-hands-off-president-trump-protest-elon-musk/

* "Big crowd for ‘Hands Off’ rally in heart of one of the most Trump supporting states in the country:" https://wvmetronews.com/2025/04/05/big-crowd-for-hands-off-rally-in-heart-of-one-of-the-most-trump-supporting-states-in-the-country/

* "See the photos as protesters gather in Eugene for the “Hands Off!” demonstration.:" https://www.registerguard.com/picture-gallery/news/2025/04/05/protesters-gather-in-eugene-for-hands-off-largest-nationwide-demonstrations-in-recent-years-over-110/82888339007/

* "Bellingham turns out for local version of national day of protest against Trump policies:" https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/article303583746.html

* "'Bloodbath': Protesters meet Trump at every step as he butchers U.S. government agencies:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-bloodbath-protesters-meet-trump-at-every-step-as-he-butchers-u-s-government-agencies-236123717533

* "'There's no other savior or option': Resistance to Trump mobilizes as Americans have seen enough:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-there-s-no-other-savior-or-option-resistance-to-trump-mobilizes-as-americans-have-seen-enough-235933765750

* "Chris Kluwe got arrested protesting MAGA. He's still protesting because 'it's the right thing to do':" https://www.advocate.com/news/chris-kluwe-pride-flag-arrest-update

* "Trump voters got exactly what they wanted — so why are people complaining?:" https://www.alternet.org/alternet-exclusives/trump-voters-tariffs/

* "We Are Sleepwalking Into Autocracy: Senator Chris Murphy, of Connecticut, describes how free and fair elections might end in America as soon as 2026.:" https://www.newyorker.com/podcast/the-new-yorker-radio-hour/senator-chris-murphy-this-is-how-democracy-dies-everybody-just-gets-scared

* "The frog of democracy is nearly boiled. We can still jump out of the pot.:" https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/trump-dictatorship-universities-law-firms-20250323.html

* "Lawsuits Related to Trump Admin Actions:" https://www.courtwatch.news/p/lawsuits-related-to-trump-admin-executive-orders

* "Democrats sue Trump administration over elections executive order:" https://archive.ph/Zcelw

* "Satire Won’t Save Us: Power, Masculinity, and the Cult of Trump:"

( Embed: )

* "Trump moves to strip unionization rights from most federal workers:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/28/union-rights-federal-workers-donald-trump-00257010

* "Trump Just Pardoned … a Corporation?:" https://theintercept.com/2025/04/02/trump-pardons-corporation-bitmex-crypto/

* "Several federal agencies launch a 'deferred resignation' effort to encourage workers to leave their jobs:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/federal-agencies-launch-new-deferred-resignation-effort-encourage-work-rcna199069

* "Trump Tells Inner Circle That Musk Will Leave Soon:" https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/04/02/trump-musk-leaving-political-liability-00265784

* "Musk might be on his way out, but what happens to all the destruction he wrought on the federal government?:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/musk-leaves-destruction

* "Protests against Elon Musk’s purge of US government swarm Tesla showrooms:" https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-tesla-doge-protests-a07cb5f20d65d0fb4dcb3547e2b7879c

* "‘He’s a loser’: Tim Walz says Elon Musk’s ‘toxic personality’ repels voters:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-he-s-a-loser-tim-walz-says-elon-musk-s-toxic-personality-repels-voters-236279877905

* "The Tragedy and Comedy of Elon Musk:"

( Embed: )

* "Social Security: How to Prepare for Changes to Benefit Access:" https://www.newsweek.com/social-security-prepare-changes-benefit-access-2052895

* "A list of the Social Security offices across the US expected to close this year:" https://apnews.com/article/social-security-offices-closures-doge-trump-b2b1a5b2ba4fb968abc3379bf90715ff

* "Social Security demands that gay activist living with AIDS repay $200k in benefits:" https://www.advocate.com/news/social-security-demands-activist-repay

You know how I've been expressing concerns about targeted attacks on people the administration doesn't like. Do I know it's happening here? No, but I suspect it.

* "Musk's claim Biden administration gave Social Security numbers to millions of noncitizens lacks context: The Enumeration Beyond Entry program grants Social Security numbers to successful applicants for U.S. residency, work permits and citizenship.:" https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/04/01/musk-biden-social-security-numbers/

* "Emails Confirm Social Security Administration Canceled Maine Contracts As Political Payback:" https://www.huffpost.com/entry/janet-mills-social-security-maine-leland-dudek_n_67ed2d99e4b0b937ab8f135c

* "DOGE cuts stall Maine seafood business trying to go green:" https://www.pressherald.com/2025/03/19/doge-cuts-stall-maine-seafood-business-trying-to-go-green/

* "Maine DHHS forced to end dozens of contracts due to federal cuts:" https://wgme.com/news/local/maine-dhhs-forced-to-end-dozens-of-contracts-due-to-federal-cuts-cdc-programs-president-donald-trump-doge-elon-musk

* "Children put at risk in Donald Trump's petty vendetta against the state of Maine:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/children-put-at-risk-in-donald-trump-s-petty-vendetta-against-the-state-of-maine-236497989870

* "Waltz’s team set up at least 20 Signal group chats for crises across the world:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/02/waltzs-team-set-up-at-least-20-signal-group-chats-for-crises-across-the-world-00266845

* "Report: Waltz used Gmail for official work:" https://www.axios.com/2025/04/01/mike-waltz-signal-gmail-security

* "Pentagon watchdog launches probe into Hegseth use of Signal chat ahead of Houthi airstrike:" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/pentagon-watchdog-launches-probe-signalgate/story?id=120458325

* "Fresh from scandal over group chat attack plans, Hegseth's conduct opens him to ridicule:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/fresh-from-scandal-over-group-chat-attack-plans-hegseth-s-conduct-opens-him-to-ridicule-235934277935

* "One small part of Pete Hegseth's wardrobe is a big tell:" https://www.salon.com/2025/04/06/one-small-part-of-pete-hegseths-wardrobe-is-a-big-tell/

* He's doing another purge, this time based on a Neo-NAZI conspiracy theorist's suggestions. "Trump fires several national security officials over loyalty concerns:" https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2025/04/03/trump-moves-to-fire-several-nsc-officials-over-loyalty-concerns/

* "Laura Loomer Is a Warning: No one else with direct access to the president has been as outwardly bigoted.:" https://archive.ph/jnAjK

* "‘Absurd’: Sen. Kim on MAGA conspiracist Laura Loomer's White House influence:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-absurd-sen-kim-on-maga-conspiracist-laura-loomer-s-white-house-influence-236597829503

* "Pete Hegseth Moves to Replace Military’s Lawyers for Chilling Reason:" https://newrepublic.com/post/192695/pete-hegseth-replace-military-lawyers

Yet more purges of competent and ethical people. It's extra scary because they are essential to ethical conduct of our military

* "Naval Academy Takes Steps to End Diversity Policies in Books and Admissions:" https://archive.ph/YIl3Z

They are having to censor the naval academy library because the diversity ban bars them from having books about MLK or Jackie Robinson.

* "Appeals court denies Trump DOJ’s request to halt injunction on trans military ban — for now:" https://www.advocate.com/news/appeals-court-trans-military-ban

* "Meet the transgender Army lieutenant who is challenging Donald Trump's military ban \:" https://www.advocate.com/news/nicolas-talbott-transgender-soldier-plaintiff

* "Transgender Army officer Erica Vandal was born into military service. Now, she's suing Trump to stay in :" https://www.advocate.com/news/erica-vandal-decorated-transgender-leader

* "This trans Air Force recruit wants to jump out of planes to save others. He's suing Trump to serve:" https://www.advocate.com/news/clayton-mccallister-transgender-pararescue-recruit

* "Veterans, unions, top Michigan Dems gather to protest Trump VA order in Ann Arbor:" https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2025/03/29/veterans-unions-michigan-dems-protest-trump-va-order-in-ann-arbor/82721024007/

* "Thousands laid off as Kennedy and Musk take aim at health agencies:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/01/kennedy-lays-off-thousands-across-the-health-bureaucracy-00262913

* "The CDC Has Been Gutted:" https://www.wired.com/story/cdc-gutted-rif/

* For salt in the wounds of the illegally fired: "Fired health workers were told to contact an employee. She’s dead.:" https://archive.ph/DOKuM

* "Democratic-led states sue to block Trump from $11 billion health funding cut:" https://archive.ph/i9gGl

* "HHS firings undermine federal government’s ability to care for vulnerable Americans:" https://www.statnews.com/2025/04/01/hhs-firings-put-disabled-americans-at-risk/

* "HHS layoffs hit Meals on Wheels and other services for seniors and disabled:" https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/04/01/g-s1-57716/hhs-layoffs-seniors-disabled-liheap-acl

* "Alzheimer’s Association Sounding the Alarm Over the Threat of Elimination of Alzheimer’s Programs at HHS, CDC:" https://www.alz.org/news/2025/threat-of-elimination-of-alzheimers-programs-hhs-cdc

* "Exclusive: Trump health layoffs include staff overseeing bird flu response, source says:" https://archive.ph/PzkLw

* "Measles outbreak in west Texas continues while cuts on health agencies loom:" https://www.npr.org/2025/04/01/nx-s1-5343519/measles-outbreak-in-west-texas-continues-while-cuts-on-health-agencies-loom

* "50 canceled measles clinics, and other local impact from HHS cuts:" https://www.statnews.com/2025/04/01/hhs-layoffs-local-officials-react-rif-impacts-public-health/

* "Another child has died::" https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50

* "Doctor Behind Award-Winning Parkinson’s Research Among Scientists Purged From NIH:" https://www.wired.com/story/doctor-breakthrough-parkinsons-research-nih-purge/

* This will bread more antibiotic resistant strains which is bad for everyone. Infectious disease know no borders. "Tuberculosis is the world’s top infectious killer. Aid groups say Trump’s funding freezes will cause more deaths:" https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/30/health/tuberculosis-impact-usaid-funding-intl-scli/index.html

* "Trump team guts AIDS-eradication programme and slashes HIV research grants:" https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00969-5

* "HIV Activists March in NYC to Protest “Death by 1,000 Musk Cuts”:" https://www.poz.com/article/hiv-activists-march-nyc-protest-death-1000-musk-cuts

* Trump admin cuts tens of millions from Planned Parenthood: The Title X funds were earmarked for birth control and other non-abortion services. "Trump admin cuts tens of millions from Planned Parenthood:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/31/trump-admin-cuts-tens-of-millions-from-planned-parenthood-00261763

It was already illegal to use federal funds for abortion. This is intended to prevent access to birth control and cancer screenings. They are lying when they say they are "Pro-Life."

* "FDA's top tobacco official removed from post in latest blow to agency's leadership:" https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/fdas-top-tobacco-official-removed-post-latest-blow-120366010

* "Donald Trump fired the man who likely saved his life: Former medical official:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/donald-trump-fired-the-man-who-likely-saved-his-life-former-medical-official-236335685814

* "Entire staff responsible for utility assistance included in HHS cuts, sources say:" https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/trump-admin-fires-staff-liheap-agency-utilities-assistance-program-rcna199177

* "Drugmakers sink after key FDA official ousted as Trump plans health overhaul:" https://archive.ph/JYyC0

* "PHOTOS: Crowd gathers to protest firings, budget cuts at CDC:" https://www.ajc.com/configsection/photos-crowd-gathers-to-protest-firings-budget-cuts-at-cdc/MUC3JE3AKVE4HNYOGESFJCEHGU/

* " In a week, RFK Jr. fat-shames the West Virginia governor, fires 10k HHS workers, and enrages Wall Street:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/rfk-jr-offends-everyone

* "Senate confirms Dr. Oz to lead Medicare and Medicaid:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/03/senate-confirmation-mehmet-oz-medicare-medicaid-00270913

* "National Park Rangers rebel against queer erasure on Trans Day of Visibility:" https://www.advocate.com/news/park-rangers-transgender-stonewall-erasure

* "K-12 schools must sign certification against DEI to receive federal money, administration says:" https://apnews.com/article/dei-trump-school-discrimination-federal-funding-7d1025753b9bd924711ace4069fca399

* "Trump administration announces anti-trans investigations team to fight 'gender ideology' in schools:" https://www.advocate.com/news/trump-anti-transgender-investigations

* "Trump’s Latest Power Grab Threatens Free Expression and LGBTQ+ Voices in Smithsonian Institutions:" https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/trumps-latest-power-grab-threatens-free-expression-and-lgbtq-voices-in-smithsonian-institutions

* "ALA statement on White House assault on the Institute of Museum and Library Services :" https://www.ala.org/news/2025/03/ala-statement-white-house-assault-institute-museum-and-library-services

* "The White House press corps just caved to Trump, and that should terrify you:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/white-house-press-caves-trump

* "These universities are in Trump's crosshairs. Many don’t know why.:" https://www.reuters.com/world/us/these-universities-are-trumps-crosshairs-many-dont-know-why-2025-03-27/

* "Trump administration halts dozens of research grants at Princeton University:" https://apnews.com/article/princeton-trump-federal-funding-9c32a996256849ac00792ef50dbdfb0e

* "Trump administration targets billions in funding to Harvard:" https://archive.ph/EP0gd

* "Judge dismisses Eric Adams case, denying DOJ an opportunity to revive it later:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/02/judge-dismisses-eric-adams-case-00265683

* "The Pathetic, Cowardly Collapse of Big Law: Trump’s actions are an attempt to tilt the scales of justice by using the raw power of government coercion—and they’re working.:" https://archive.ph/gvgpv

* "Another big law firm cuts a deal with White House to avoid sanctions:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/01/law-firm-cuts-deal-avoid-sanctions-00265285

* "Over 500 law firms sign brief backing Perkins Coie suit against Trump:" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/500-law-firms-sign-brief-backing-perkins-coie/story?id=120499725

* "On a scale of 1-10, how freaked out is Eric Holder about the Trump admin so far?:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/on-a-scale-of-1-10-how-freaked-out-is-eric-holder-about-the-trump-admin-so-far-236290117814

* "Truth Social filing would allow Trump's trust to sell up to $2.3 billion in stock:" https://www.axios.com/2025/04/02/trump-truth-social-stock

---

* "Trump increasingly asks the Supreme Court to overrule judges blocking key parts of his agenda:" https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-deportations-birthright-citizenship-0787cdf8bd36b964c7974ed032717ed4?

* "The LGBTQ+ Supreme Court cases to watch this term:" https://www.advocate.com/news/lgbtq-supreme-court-cases-2025#rebelltitem1

* "What are 'Religious Freedom' laws, and how are they used against LGBTQ+ people?:" https://www.advocate.com/news/religious-freedom-vs-lgbtq-rights

* "Supreme Court wrestles with red state efforts to defund Planned Parenthood:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/02/scotus-wrestles-with-red-state-efforts-to-defund-planned-parenthood-00266466

* "Activists rally outside Supreme Court in DC ahead of Planned Parenthood funding case:" https://wjla.com/news/local/march-for-life-rally-planned-parenthood-funding-abortion-rights-anti-abortion-supreme-court-pro-life-choose-health-medina-south-atlantic-tax-dollars-washington-dc-motherhood

The one time I was able to go to a big DC protest it was in support of Abortion Rights when there was a case before the Supreme Court (on a date!) in 1989. That time, we won.

I want to thank all of you protesting out there.

* "Supreme Court sides with administration over Education Department grants:" https://www.npr.org/2025/04/04/nx-s1-5345607/supreme-court-education-department

* "Some House Republicans voice opposition to the Senate's newly adopted budget for Trump's agenda:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-adopts-new-budget-trumps-agenda-gop-cracks-emerge-rcna199747

They are doing dramatic cuts to Medicaid to pay for tax cuts to Billionaires.

If this passes, people die.

They are sacrificing people for the billionaires that bought them.

It is essential to contact your Reps, especially if they are "Freedom Caucus."

I know this is counter intuitive, but they are challenging from the extreme right. Maybe try something like: the tax cuts are driving up the debt. IDK, I'm bad at working out how they think. You know your Congress Critter best.Seriously, call in to all republican reps. Make whatever argument works if they ask for one. For regular republicans try: cutting medicaid really hurts seniors on Medicare too, as a lot have both, or something similar.

* "Medicaid cuts would decimate Native American programs, tribal health leaders say:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/medicaid-cuts-native-american-health-programs/

* We'll see, I guess. "Trump’s Joint Chiefs Pick Throws President Under Bus in Confirmation Hearing:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-joint-chiefs-pick-dan-caine-calls-him-a-liar-at-confirmation-hearing/

* "A Democratic senator is putting holds on VA nominees to protest Trump’s plans to cut its workforce:" https://apnews.com/article/veterans-congress-gallego-trump-6236bbc77ff1a98f736b1cf134cab609

* "Adam Schiff places hold on Ed Martin's nomination to be D.C. U.S. attorney:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-nominee-u-s-attorney-in-d-c-ed-martin-blocked-adam-schiff/

* "Booker stages Senate filibuster to protest 'crisis' he says Trump and Musk created:" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/booker-stages-senate-filibuster-protest-crisis-trump-musk/story?id=120365354

* "BREAKING: Sen. Cory Booker gives marathon speech to ‘disrupt’ Senate in protest of Trump, Musk:" https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/watch/sen-cory-booker-filibusters-on-senate-floor-to-disrupt-the-senate-because-our-nation-is-in-crisis-235914309998

* "Cory Booker breaks a 68-year-old Senate record with a 25-hour speech:" https://www.npr.org/2025/04/01/nx-s1-5347318/cory-booker-senate-speech

* "Cory Booker Breaks Senate Speech Record in 25-Hour Rebuke of Trump Administration:" https://time.com/7273417/cory-booker-filibuster-speech-senate/

* "Cory Booker wipes away a racist's record, fires up lost Democrats, and eyes a presidential run in 2028:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/cory-booker-record-speech

* "Cory Booker Broke a Record — Now Let's Fix Democracy!:"

( Embed: )

* "House Democrats open probe into FCC media investigations:" https://archive.ph/DfLAR

* "Elizabeth Warren launches campaign to investigate Department of Education closure: 'I will fight it with everything I've got':" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/elizabeth-warren-launches-campaign-investigate-department-education-closure/story?id=120388078

* "Face-Off Between Trump Diehards Marjorie Taylor Greene and Anna Paulina Luna Gets Ugly:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/face-off-between-trump-diehards-marjorie-taylor-greene-and-anna-luna-gets-ugly/

* "Democrats introduce bill to expand gender-affirming care access to mark Trans Day of Visibility:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/becca-balint-trans-healthcare-bill

* "‘I promise I’ll behave’: Congress’ most mercurial Republican faces DOGE, Signalgate anger:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/29/town-hall-backlash-doge-signalgate-00005579

* "Charges dropped against trans advocate falsely accused of assault by Nancy Mace for giving her a firm handshake:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/nancy-mace-handshake-charges-dropped

* "Sarah McBride: Trans visibility and proximity have never been more important than now:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/sarah-mcbride-opinion-tdov

---

* Our job for the next two years is to survive, to build grassroots resistance, to do all in our power to slow the republican Christo-fascist agenda, and to prepare for 2026 in case there is still Democracy.

We are trying to build a good list of resistance resources.

Please add more below if you have them.

* Trump 2.0 Indivisible Guide.  https://indivisible.org/resource/guide

* "Democracy 2025:" https://www.democracy2025.org/?utm_source=df-ad&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=21912407002&utm_content=721373734297&source=df-ad-gs&gad_source=1

* "Resisting Fascism in 2025 and Beyond:" https://www.prideandpagesbookclub.com/resisting-fascism-in-2025-and-beyond

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

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

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

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

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

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

Script to complain about Elon Musk/DOGE. I also suggest contacting your AG about data privacy. "Introducing Red State Scripts, Vol. 1:" https://homewiththearmadillo.blog/2025/02/10/introducing-red-state-scripts-vol-1/

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

* "Vote Smart:" https://justfacts.votesmart.org/

* Useful organizing links and resources: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/771859083592613888/hater-of-terfs-ive-already-reblogged-a-link-to?source=share

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

* How to render emergency aid in a riot: https://riotmedicine.net/static/downloads/riot-medicine_a5.pdf

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

* Avoiding Activist Burnout: https://www.tumblr.com/veluigi/771755723969478656/on-twitter-im-seeing-dozens-of-threads-from-black?source=share

* "ICE Raids Toolkit: Defend Against ICE Raids and Community Arrests:" https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/raids-toolkit/

* Contains a raid tip hotline amoung other things. "Know Your Rights
LEARN HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY:" https://wearecasa.org/know-your-rights/

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

---

* "Trans and wanting to run for office? Danica Roem will help lead a training for transgender candidates:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/victory-institute-transgender-training

* "PSA: If you or people you know voted in North Carolina:" https://conuly.dreamwidth.org/3612905.html

They are trying to invalidate ballots from last November to overthrow an important election. Please check and cure your ballot if it's one of the ones in the court case.

* Democracy held in Wisconsin. "Democrats’ win in Wisconsin court race also is a big loss for Elon Musk:" https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-supreme-court-elon-musk-81f71cdda271827ae281a77072a26bad

* "Jill Underly reelected as Wisconsin superintendent of schools:" https://www.wpr.org/news/april-election-dpi-state-superintendent-jill-underly-reelected-kinser

This is also a relief. I want to thank all of you who voted the whole ballot.

* "GOP retains two House seats in Florida, as Democrats claim 'historic' improvement:" https://www.npr.org/2025/04/01/nx-s1-5348089/florida-congressional-results-gop-patronis-fine

* "Louisiana voters reject constitutional amendments championed by Republican governor:" https://apnews.com/article/louisiana-constitutional-amendments-landry-c9a48606790251bdddb84978eea382ea

* "In Tuesday election, Aurora City Council incumbents appear to stay, except alderman at-large:" https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/04/02/aurora-alderman-at-large-election/

* Minnesotans! Don't Forget to Vote April 8! "Referendums on the April 8 special election ballot:" https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/04/01/minnesota-special-election-referendums-april-8

* "Minnesota Governor Walz Calls Special Election for Senate District 6 :" https://www.nfib.com/news/news/minnesota-governor-walz-calls-special-election-for-senate-district-6/

* "Gay U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas announces Senate bid:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/chris-pappas-runs-us-senate

* "Can Democrats win Michigan's 2026 U.S. Senate seat? Mallory McMorrow says yes. | Opinion:" https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/columnists/nancy-kaffer/2025/04/06/u-s-senate-mallory-mcmorrow-democrat-dnc-michigan-elissa-slotkin-gary-peters/82797095007/

* "Protester carried out after undocumented student bill passes TN committee:" https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-news/protester-carried-out-after-undocumented-student-bill-passes-committee/

* "Florida Senate pushes ahead with 'don't say gay at work' bill after seemingly brushing it aside:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/florida-dont-say-gay-work

* "Utah becomes first state to ban fluoride in public water:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/utah-bans-fluoride-public-water-rcna193917

* "Utah bans Pride flags after “cowardly” governor avoids veto:" https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/03/utah-bans-pride-flags-after-cowardly-governor-avoids-veto/

* "Prosecutors seek 7-year prison sentence for George Santos in sweeping fraud case:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/george-santos-sentencing-recommendation

* "FBI raids leader of gay furry hacking group that went after the organization behind Project 2025:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/project-2025-gay-furry-hackers

* "Everyone Loved a Colorado Prison’s VFW Post—Until a Popular YouTuber Heard About It:" https://www.5280.com/everyone-loved-a-colorado-prisons-vfw-post-until-a-popular-youtuber-heard-about-it/

* "a promise, a threat, and a proportional response:" https://solarbird.dreamwidth.org/2033252.html

* "Here are 11 major companies standing up for DEI :" https://www.advocate.com/news/companies-keeping-dei#rebelltitem13

* "Alabama community saves library after funding cut over LGBTQ+ books:" https://www.advocate.com/news/alabama-town-saves-library

* "Iowa State students hold 'funeral' for LGBTQ+ center shut down by anti-DEI bill:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/iowa-state-lgbtq-center-closes-dei

* "Goth Is White: Pallor, Prejudice and Purity:"

( Embed: )

* "Lesbian former police officer wins $10 million in sexual harassment lawsuit:" https://www.advocate.com/news/ashley-cummins-lesbian-harassment-lawsuit

* "A Disturbing Advance in Fetal Personhood:" https://www.thecut.com/article/why-a-georgia-womans-arrest-after-miscarriage-is-disturbing.html

* "Georgia's War on Reproductive Freedom:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JpN99TQPs8Y

* "If a Fetus is a Baby...:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9x0SnANrjEI

* "A Win for Repro Rights: Alabama Can’t Charge Activists Helping Patients Get Out-of-State Abortions:" https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/04/alabama-cant-charge-abortion-groups-for-helping-patients-out-of-state-criminal-conspiracy/

* "Hormones and surgery improve transgender men's quality of life: study:" https://www.advocate.com/health/transgender-men-surgery-hormones-benefits

Water is wet studies are essential for things like persuading people and the courts.

* "World Athletics to require DNA testing of athletes in women's track and field:" https://www.advocate.com/sports/world-athletics-dna-testing

* "Montana judge blocks anti-trans bathroom law:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/montana-2671627321

* "Parents don’t stop fighting for their LGBTQ+ kids:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/parents-dont-stop-fighting-for-their-lgbtq-kids

* "‘World’s largest transgender flag’ unfurled at Utah State Capitol for Trans Day of Visibility:" https://www.abc4.com/news/politics/inside-utah-politics/utah-largest-trans-flag-visibility/

* "Trump signed away my identity, but forgot biology doesn't follow orders:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/gender-diversity-in-nature

* "Ervianna 'Baydee' Johnson, Black trans woman, found dead in North Carolina:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/ervianna-johnson-transgender-woman-killed

* "Meet the transgender woman arrested for using a Florida Capitol restroom (exclusive):" https://www.advocate.com/news/transgender-woman-arrested-florida-bathroom

* "Outrage follows after Texas gay campground doubles-down on banning transgender men from property:" https://www.advocate.com/news/transgender-men-banned-texas-campground

* "Transgender girl joins boys' track and field team in Virginia:" https://www.advocate.com/sports/transgender-girl-joins-boys-team

* "‘You picked the wrong one’: Texas transgender teacher resigns after Libs of TikTok prompts far-right harassment campaign:" https://www.advocate.com/news/transgender-teacher-resigns-after-targeting

* "A Mississippi cafe made a discount for straight couples only. Now, other restaurants are hitting back:" https://www.advocate.com/news/mississippi-cafe-discount-straight-only

* "In Memphis, Kayla Gore is building homes — and a future — for Black trans people:" https://www.advocate.com/news/black-transgender-housing-leader-tennessee

* "Autism’s missing women:" https://aeon.co/essays/the-missing-women-of-autism-are-differently-different?

Water is wet studies are essential for things like persuading people and the courts.

* "Bird flu could be heading north this spring with fewer federal health officials working to stop it :" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/bird-flu-heading-north-spring-fewer-federal-health-officials-working-s-rcna199607

* "Study strengthens link between shingles vaccine and lower dementia risk:" https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2025/03/shingles-vaccination-dementia.html

* "If You're Black, You Have Every Right To Be Paranoid About Where Your Genetic Data Is Going:" https://www.huffpost.com/entry/23andme-genetic-discrimination_n_67eab84ce4b0b5d66dcfeb57

---

* "Air pollution kills millions every year — where does it come from?:" https://ourworldindata.org/air-pollution-sources

* "Without USAID, Myanmar Is Struggling to Recover From Its Massive Earthquake: “We have the capacity to save lives, and the choice has been not to use it,” said the former head of the agency’s Myanmar mission.:" https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/04/trump-usaid-myanmar-earthquake-response-aid/

* "Myanmar images reveal scale of quake destruction as death toll climbs more than 2,700:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/myanmar-images-reveal-scale-quake-destruction-death-toll-climbs-2700-rcna199005

* "Volcano erupts in southwestern Iceland after a nearby town and spa are evacuated:" https://kfor.com/science/ap-science/ap-authorities-in-iceland-evacuate-southwestern-town-and-blue-lagoon-spa-over-fear-of-volcanic-eruption/

* "Amidst signs of possible eruption, Alaska Volcano Observatory updates Upper Valley residents on Mt. Spurr:" https://ktna.org/2025/04/amidst-signs-of-possible-eruption-alaska-volcano-observatory-updates-upper-valley-residents-on-mt-spurr/

---

* "Advocates cry foul after YouTube quietly removes ‘gender identity’ from hate speech policy:" https://www.advocate.com/business/youtube-scraps-gender-identity-protection

* "The Town That Went Crazy for Crypto: In San Pedro, Argentina, 16,000 people, a fifth of the population, signed up for a cryptocurrency exchange where everyone won. Until they didn’t.:" https://archive.ph/FCrti

* "Dora Richter: Lacemaker & Trans Pioneer:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/FlgQhdOrT6c

* "These three gay men began dating in 1970. Here are 50 Polaroid photos from their lives:" https://www.advocate.com/news/polaroid-images-polyamory-gay-men#rebelltitem51

* "Zine Archives Preserve Trans Survival and Storytelling:" https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/queer-trans-zine-archives

* "Actor Val Kilmer has died — a look back at his most notable roles:" https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-02/val-kilmer-death-film-role-retrospective/105129062

* "ACT UP member Nanette Kazaoka, a fierce activist for marginalized people, is dead at 83:" https://www.advocate.com/news/nanette-kazaoka-aids-activist-obituary

* Social Security call back last Monday was an obviously exhausted and beaten down sounding woman. I'm sure it's absolutely terrible over there with terrified and likely furious Seniors calling all day. I apologized for bothering her because the phone tree was gone. I was polite as it was possible to be and I also laced in appreciation for her hard work and all the hard work they do over there, sincerely meant.

At one point I gave a little cough as I was doing the thing where I slowly lower chest elevation in preparation for sleep. She started apologizing like I'd yelled. I felt terrible and told her she needn't apologize and it was just a cough. I reiterated that I new how slammed they must be and how difficult it all is. It really made me wonder how rough other callers were being with people who's livelihoods were threatened through no fault of their own, that she be so alarmed by a cough.

By the time I was thanking her for her public service and wishing her the best of luck at the end of the call there were a tiny bit of life in her voice.

It was a small thing, a tiny drop of the bucket, done in the same spirit that leads me to apologize to a customer service worker when the person ahead of me has been a dick because someone owes them a damned apology, and then crank up my politeness to eleven. Nobody deserves to be treated like that by a single asshole customer, let alone by their own government. I can't really fix that, but I can least do my best to convey that I see the other person as a human being and think they deserve better.

The treatment of government workers in this country makes me furious.

All I can do is signal boost and hope people keep fighting for them and for all of us.

* Tuesday I had one of my periodic mega torso muscle spasm things, which ate a couple hour until I could get it under control. Luckily is was after I ran a couple essential, time sensitive errands.

Wednesday I was still aftershocky, but at the minor inconvenience level. I did errands by myself as two Millennials were making their homemade lasagna on the grand scale. The lasagna was magical.

In other news, My Social Security didn't arrive. On two previous occasions when Republicans were dicking around with Social Security, it came a day or two late, but under the current circumstances it is extra concerning. Have I been declared dead? Deleted from the roles by a teenager who decided I was disabled enough? Or are payments just delayed by assholery, but not gone, gone? I actually have some hope it's just delay as I checked in with a friend on SSI who did get theirs.

Still, there is no way to fix it until my in person appointment and that will be too late for Housing auto-withdraw.

Let's all cross our fingers, shall we?

Update: Tim Walz's mom's check was late too.

Update 2: Check arrives.

* My sleep schedule is still messed up, but luckily the meds disruption was only one day. (On time is ideal, but I don't have to be the kind of strict a lot of people do. Approximate works okay with most of my stuff. That said, three hours off on an anti-nausea medication is a special kind of unpleasant.)

Saturday, we did errands in the morning, because I'm not the only one dramatically sleep disrupted. They are no longer shopping like a hurricane is coming, but the drivers are dangerous and there is a different kind of panicky going on at the grocery store, which is hard to categorize. We were at the big ethical grocery (The Employee owned one), and I noticed they had way more people on shift than is usual for even the first weekend of the month, which suggests they've adjusted to the panic buying and anticipated both in ordering staple foods and staffing how people were going to react to Trump crashing the economy this week.

I still need to hit two more stores this week for things about to be in short supply that are important and necessary. I am exhausted.

We did do a little errand each for me and Goth Millennial for which the other stayed in the car because we were exhausted. We were supposed to go downtown, but had very little left and both had groceries to put away. (Goth Millennial is being jerked around again and hasn't been paid in almost a month for aid work. Things are getting pretty gnarly here at the Cat Asylum, but nothing can be done just yet as we have to wait on things out of our hands. *gestures at Trump and Musk setting the government on fire*).

There was a big demo with thousands of people downtown proper near the courthouse/city hall, but we weren't up to it. There has been a regular Friday demonstration more central downtown for decades. We get a lot of other demonstrations on different days generally as well. This is a very left wing town. It's a small city, but we do love to demonstrate.

We did pass a small, separate demonstration on the was home, but they had hands off signs, so I waved and beeped.

I am double booked Tuesday for two time sensitive things that protect my benefits. (I tried to get wait listed. I tried to move the theoretically more moveable one. It is impossible, which doesn't surprise me. *gestures to the government being on fire* The appointments are 40 minutes apart on check in and about fifteen minutes apart for space. I am terrified I won't make it. My plan is to try to go very early for appointment one in hopes somebody cancels. I have already gathered the paperwork.

I am FUCKED if I miss either.

Then I get inspected on the 11th, a thing I am in no way prepared for, and can't get anyone to help with. *See Goth Millennial being not paid.* I have tried calling around for other help. No joy.

* "Tasers & Excited Delirium: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO):"

( Embed: )

* "MAGA Becomes TIT | Why Trump Wants A Third Term | J.D.'s Stupid Greenland Trip:"

( Embed: )

* "Trump's Tariff Spectacle | Good Climate Change? | Everyone Is At Risk Of Being Sent To El Salvador:"

( Embed: )

* "Trump Risks Historic Economic Damage | Musk Crushed In Wisconsin | Sen. Booker's Marathon Speech:"

( Embed: )

* "Trump Jets Off To Watch Golf After Triggering Global Market Meltdown | No Tariffs On Russia:"

( Embed: )

* "7 lesbian-coded characters who made history in Hollywood's pre-Code era:" https://www.advocate.com/lesbian/7-lesbian-coded-early-characters

* "A Liberation Carol:"

( Embed: )

* "Jury Duty - SNL:"

( Embed: )

* "Planning New York - An SNL Animated Short:"

( Embed: )

* "The World Reacts To Trump's Tariffs:"

( Embed: )

* "The New Students- Woody Guthrie Cover - All You Fascists Bound To Lose:"

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

The help links are at the bottom under the cut.

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

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

( More Links Underneath: )

* "Five of the countries most at risk from famine in 2020:" https://www.bbc.com/news/world-52379956

* "A 56-Year-Old Finally Learned To Write His Name — Because Of A Coronavirus Lockdown:" https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/04/25/844082712/a-56-year-old-finally-learned-to-read-and-write-because-of-a-coronavirus-lockdow

* I'm sectioning off epidemic specific stuff in the aggregation between the dotted lines, so people who need to skip can skip without losing the other stuff. I'm putting secondary effects things in their usual slots.

************************************************************************************************

* "WHO says no evidence shows that having coronavirus prevents a second infection:" https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/25/us/who-immunity-antibodies-covid-19/

* "Adding A Nylon Stocking Layer Could Boost Protection From Cloth Masks, Study Finds:" https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/04/22/840146830/adding-a-nylon-stocking-layer-could-boost-protection-from-cloth-masks-study-find

* "CDC confirms six coronavirus symptoms showing up in patients over and over:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/04/27/six-new-coronavirus-symptoms/

* "Special Report: Countries, companies risk billions in race for coronavirus vaccine:" https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-vaccine-specialrep/special-report-countries-companies-risk-billions-in-race-for-coronavirus-vaccine-idUSKCN2270U1

* "What immunity to Covid-19 might actually mean:" https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2020/4/23/21219028/covid-19-immunity-testing-reinfection-antibodies-explained

* "Why wearing a mask matters: coronavirus transmission explained:"https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/why-wearing-a-mask-matters-coronavirus-transmission-explained-82552901606

* "6 Solutions To Beat COVID-19 In Countries Where The Usual Advice Just Won't Work:" https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/04/26/844207862/6-solutions-to-beat-covid-19-in-countries-where-the-usual-advice-just-wont-work

* "India Coronavirus Map and Case Count:" https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/world/asia/india-coronavirus-cases.html

* "As coronavirus swamps India, hospitals turn away other sick people:" https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-04-06/coronavirus-fears-india-ration-medical-care

* "Trans sex workers who don’t have legal gender recognition unable to access COVID-19 financial support:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/04/26/trans-sex-workers-legal-gender-recognition-covid-19-financial-support/

* "New Zealand Says It Has Won 'Battle' Against COVID-19:" https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/27/845304917/new-zealand-says-it-has-won-battle-against-covid-19

* "U.S. says will not take part in WHO global drugs, vaccine initiative launch:" https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-who-usa/us-says-will-not-take-part-in-who-global-drugs-vaccine-initiative-launch-idUSKCN2261WJ

* "Trump expands battle with WHO far beyond aid suspension:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/trump-expands-battle-with-world-health-organization-far-beyond-aid-suspension/2020/04/25/72c754e6-856e-11ea-9728-c74380d9d410_story.html

* "Experts answer pressing questions about COVID-19:" https://www.msnbc.com/am-joy/watch/coronavirus-questions-answered-by-public-health-experts-82587717848

* "U.S. deaths soared in early weeks of pandemic, far exceeding number attributed to covid-19:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2020/04/27/covid-19-death-toll-undercounted/?arc404=true

* "President’s intelligence briefing book repeatedly cited virus threat:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/presidents-intelligence-briefing-book-repeatedly-cited-virus-threat/2020/04/27/ca66949a-8885-11ea-ac8a-fe9b8088e101_story.html

* "The Trump administration, in the midst of a deadly pandemic, is moving to scrap vital protections for LGBT+ patients:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/04/24/donald-trump-lgbt-administration-department-health-human-services-rollback-obamacare/

* "Fauci calls for at least doubling virus testing before reopening country:" https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/25/anthony-fauci-coronavirus-testing-reopen-207962

* "White House is reviewing expanded guidance on reopening society:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/04/28/white-house-is-reviewing-expanded-guidance-reopening-society/

* "‘This guy hasn’t changed one iota’: Coronavirus or not, it’s the same old Trump:" https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/24/trump-coronavirus-same-207221

* "13 hours of Trump: The president fills briefings with attacks and boasts, but little empathy:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/13-hours-of-trump-the-president-fills-briefings-with-attacks-and-boasts-but-little-empathy/2020/04/25/7eec5ab0-8590-11ea-a3eb-e9fc93160703_story.html

* "Trump grapples with a surprise threat: Too much Trump:" https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/25/trump-team-2020-polling-207675

* "Chris Hayes: Instead of plan, White House gives us pathological, narcissistic propaganda show:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/chris-hayes-instead-of-plan-white-house-gives-us-pathological-narcissistic-propaganda-show-82552901554

* Someone needs to explain to 45 what Sarcasm means. He keeps using that word. It does not mean what he thinks it means. "Freed of briefing duty, wounded Trump airs full collection of grievances on Twitter, retweeting claim of ‘coup attempts’:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/04/27/trump-twitter-media-coronavirus/

* Al Gore Extended interview:

https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/al-gore-on-trump-pandemic-response-irresponsible-incompetent-and-disgraceful-performance-82642501506

https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/al-gore-on-environmental-implications-of-coronavirus-crisis-82643525760

* "FEMA Diverted Masks From Veterans Hospitals, VA Official Says:" https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/fema-diverted-masks-from-veterans-hospitals-va-official-says

* "Months into coronavirus crisis, federal response has not improved:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/months-into-coronavirus-crisis-federal-response-has-not-improved-82649669720

* "Nearly 50 On USS Kidd Test Positive For Coronavirus, Navy Confirms:" https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/27/846377848/nearly-50-on-uss-kidd-test-positive-for-coronavirus-navy-confirms

* "AP review: State supply stocks sparse and dated before virus:" https://apnews.com/1f123d323b4089a6f7b242abcceb6d08

* "Florida’s No-Rules Vibe Gets a Coronavirus Reality Check:" https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/04/25/ron-desantis-re-open-florida-coronavirus-204833

* "Michigan task force to address disproportionate impact of coronavirus on black communities:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/michigan-task-force-address-disproportionate-impact-coronavirus-black-communities-n1189121

* "Family ravaged by coronavirus begged for tests, hospital care but was repeatedly denied:" https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/04/20/coronavirus-racial-disparity-denied-tests-hospitalization/5163056002/

* "Detroit says it's restored water to nearly everyone amid COVID-19:" https://www.michiganradio.org/post/detroit-says-its-restored-water-nearly-everyone-amid-covid-19

* How many people are going to die because Brian Kemp decided to fix the last election? "No rest for Kemp from critics as GA launches reopening amid COVID-19:" https://www.ajc.com/news/rest-for-kemp-from-critics-launches-reopening-amid-covid/iFRXx4Ws0sAqqIdMJpnKSN/

* "Seattle successfully curbed infections while New York became global epicenter:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/seattle-successfully-curbed-infections-while-new-york-became-global-epicenter-82641477534

* "Two states: one Democrat, one Republican. Two very different outcomes:" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/23/us-coronavirus-outbreak-tennessee-kentucky

* "Meat and Poultry Processing Workers and Employers:" https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/meat-poultry-processing-workers-employers.html

* "Madison Tyson plant outbreak up to 58 cases:" https://www.1011now.com/content/news/Madison-Tyson-plant-outbreak-up-to-58-cases-569963541.html

* "JBS sends cease-and-desist letter to union over media comments amid COVID-19 outbreak:" https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/jbs-sends-cease-and-desist-letter-to-union-over-media-comments

* "Meat plants become COVID-19 hotspots after poor handling of outbreaks:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/meat-plants-become-covid-19-hotspots-after-poor-handling-of-outbreaks-82650181948

* "Workers voice concerns as meat plant re-opens amid coronavirus outbreak:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/workers-voice-concerns-as-meat-plant-re-opens-amid-coronavirus-outbreak-82651717577

* "It was my job to call people who tested positive for Covid-19. I learned a lot:" https://www.statnews.com/2020/04/24/call-people-covid-19-positive-lessons-learned/

* "The Body Collectors of the Coronavirus Pandemic:" https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-local-correspondents/the-body-collectors-of-the-coronavirus-pandemic

* "What It’s Like to Be a Public Defender Right Now:" https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/03/baltimore-public-defender-during-coronavirus.html

"Part of the arguments against release that we face from judges, prosecutors, and even the governor is that jails are “safer” for our clients than the community. Medical professionals do not agree. Essentially, the basic premise of prisons is to house individuals in small, tightly confined spaces near one another. How is that safe? It’s ironic that prosecutors and judges have been praised in the media for releasing older prisoners and dropping low-level cases, despite being the ones responsible for these often questionable incarcerations in the first place."

* "I did not sign up for the military. I signed up for Walmart.:" https://www.vox.com/2020/4/23/21229942/coronavirus-grocery-store-workers-walmart-covid-pandemic

* "This Is Not the Apocalypse You Were Looking For:"https://www.wired.com/story/coronavirus-apocalypse-myths/

* "Trump’s Disinfectant Remark Raises a Question About the ‘Very Stable Genius’:" https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/26/us/politics/trump-disinfectant-coronavirus.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

* "Media condemned for playing Trump coronavirus briefings in full:" https://www.msnbc.com/am-joy/watch/trump-led-coronavirus-briefings-must-end-politics-expert-says-82589765509

* "NYC Poison Control Sees Uptick In Calls After Trump's Disinfectant Comments:" https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/25/845015236/nyc-poison-control-sees-uptick-in-calls-after-trumps-disinfectant-comments

* "Coronavirus: medical experts denounce Trump's theory of 'disinfectant injection':" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/23/trump-coronavirus-treatment-disinfectant

* "The EPA is reminding people to use disinfectant only on surfaces:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/epa-reminding-people-use-disinfectant-only-surfaces-n1191656

* "Trump's COVID-19 disinfectant ideas horrify health experts:" https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-trump-disinfectant/trumps-covid-19-disinfectant-ideas-horrify-health-experts-idUSKCN2261N7

* "Please Don't Drink Disinfectant, Lysol And Dettol Maker Says After Trump Claimed People Could Inject It To Kill The Coronavirus:" https://www.buzzfeed.com/emilyashton/coronavirus-donald-trump-disinfectant-warning

**************************************************************************************

* "Navy Leaders Recommend Reinstating Roosevelt Captain Fired Over Virus Warning:" https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/24/us/politics/coronavirus-navy-roosevelt-brett-crozier.html

* "Top Pentagon leaders split on next steps for fired captain who warned of coronavirus:" https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/25/brett-crozier-investigation-coronavirus-208027

* "Schumer to introduce legislation preventing Trump from signing stimulus checks:" https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/27/schumer-trump-stimulus-checks-signature-210356

* "Small business rescue stumbles in relaunch:" https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/27/small-business-rescue-stumbles-211986

* "Pelosi says Democrats will push for vote by mail in next coronavirus relief package:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/pelosi-says-democrats-will-push-vote-mail-next-coronavirus-relief-n1193276

* "White House aiming for Trump pivot from virus to economy:" https://apnews.com/f4e3cde87550e442f2375ffa4b0727ee

* "Fauci calls for at least doubling virus testing before reopening country:" https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/25/anthony-fauci-coronavirus-testing-reopen-207962

* "Pelosi: President has been irresponsible, we've insisted on truth:" https://www.msnbc.com/am-joy/watch/trump-statements-on-coronavirus-cares-act-discussed-by-pelosi-82583621821

* "Rep. Tlaib: Thousands in Detroit lack water to wash hands:" https://www.msnbc.com/am-joy/watch/coronavirus-exposing-economic-disparities-analyzed-by-tlaib-82588229639

* "Americans too scared to go to work risk losing unemployment aid, experts say:" https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-georgia-worker/americans-too-scared-to-go-to-work-risk-losing-unemployment-aid-experts-say-idUSKCN2251RD

* "Trump supporters are singing ‘MAGA’ to the tune of YMCA because truly nothing is sacred anymore:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/04/27/donald-trump-ymca-maga-village-people-coronavirus-lockdown-protest-wisconsin-madison/

* "Major US meat producer warns 'food supply chain is breaking':" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/apr/27/tyson-foods-coronavirus-food-supply-chain

* "SCOTUS Just Found a Way to Inflict More Terror on Immigrants:" https://www.thenation.com/article/society/scotus-barton-immigrants/

* "O'Rourke: Remember many working in hospitals are immigrants:" https://www.msnbc.com/am-joy/watch/trump-signing-order-limiting-immigration-criticized-by-o-rourke-82587205617

* TW: Rape. "‘Evil’ predator asked a guy in a gay bar to share a taxi home. He’d go on to drug and sexually assault him in his own home:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/04/27/carol-simon-sexual-assault-theft-drugged-london-city-quebec-pub-met-police-jail/

* "This is how a cruel arranged marriage scam is manipulating ‘vulnerable’ LGBT+ Asians in search of love:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/04/27/vice-arranged-marriage-bureau-reeta-loi-documentary-asian-dating-scam-lgbt-urvi-shah/

* "Promising new HIV research is ‘a paradigm shift’ in understanding how the disease works:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/04/26/hiv-aids-research-breakthrough-virus-rna-paradigm-shift-university-maryland/

* "Drug used in HIV treatment triples in price after being rejected for coronavirus use:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/04/26/mytesi-hiv-treatment-triples-price-fda-approval-coronavirus-covid-19/

* "USA vs USSR Fight! The Cold War: Crash Course World History #39:"

( Embed: )

* "The Cold War: Crash Course US History #37:"

( Embed: )

* "Middle-Aged Mutant Ninja Turtles - SNL:"

( Embed: )

* "How Low Will You Go? - SNL:"

( Embed: )

* "Dr. Anthony Fauci Cold Open - SNL:"

( Embed: )

* "Released Early - SNL:"

( Embed: )

* "Pornhub - SNL:"

( Embed: )

* "Message from Gov. Whitmer - SNL:"

( Embed: )

* "The Pandumbic - Trump's Disinfectant Injection Fallout:"

( Embed: )

* "Trump's Idea To Inject Disinfectant Inspires New Cleaning Products:"

( Embed: )

* "You're Doing Amazing, Mr. President. See, Sarcasm Does Work!:"

( Embed: )

* "Pete Davidson "Andre 2000" Music Video - SNL:"

( Embed: )

* "Pete Davidson "Drake" Music Video - SNL:"

( Embed: )

* "Coldplay's Chris Martin: Shelter from the Storm (At Home) - SNL:"

( Embed: )

* My head seems improved today, but I'm still having to limit screen time or the pain comes back.

I poked around the garden and discovered a weed problem. I was rather aggressive with it. We'll see. I also noticed some of the second batch of lettuce seeds sprouting. Not as many as I'd like, but essential given the givens.

* It turned out the internet provider autodraw from Squirrel's bank failed despite funds being abundant. Me paying for groceries the other night despite having funds also failed and they seem to be charging daily fees. The electric bill failed mid month under the same conditions. Two separate banks. The intermittent fails the last couple nights were them cutting most of our service without telling us. Check your stuff. I think if it's multiple banks, something is really wrong.

* "Stereotype Technology:" https://cupcake-goth.dreamwidth.org/1186771.html

* "Sunday Sweets Is For The Birds This Audubon Day:" https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/2020/4/26/sunday-sweets-is-for-the-birds-this-audubon-day

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

* "NYSCI has a set of activities and resources up on their website:" https://conuly.dreamwidth.org/2999942.html

* "How to Help Librarians and Archivists From Your Living Room:" https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/archives-to-browse-from-home

* "Free Meals:" https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/food/free-meals

* "Learning Through Play: 101 Ways To Keep Young Minds Occupied At Home:" https://www.marksdailyapple.com/importance-of-play/

* Free lessons: https://www.mybluprint.com/

* CDC Foundation: https://www.cdcfoundation.org/give/ways-to-give

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

* "Make to Give - Support Our Medical Personnel:" https://www.joann.com/make-to-give-response/

* "Snopes on COVID-19 Fact-Checking:" https://www.snopes.com/2020/03/20/snopes-on-covid-19-fact-checking/

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

* "100 Million Mask Challenge:" https://www.providence.org/lp/100m-masks

* "Coronavirus: Deaconess asks public to sew CDC-compliant face masks for staff:" https://www.courierpress.com/story/news/2020/03/18/coronavirus-deaconess-ask-public-provide-medical-face-masks/2865273001/

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

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

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

* Here’s a list of vulnerable republican senators up for election this year:

Martha McSally - Arizona
Susan Collins - Maine
Cory Gardner - Colorado
Thom Tillis - North Carolina
Pat Roberts - Kansas
David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler - Georgia
Joni Ernst - Iowa

Here’s a list of vulnerable democratic senators that NEED votes to keep their seats:

Doug Jones - Alabama
Gary Peters - Michigan

* Want to get rid of Mitch McConnell? Help Amy McGrath: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/am-website?refcode=website-nav

* Want to get rid of Lindsey Graham? Help Jaime Harrison: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ms_harrison_fr_q12019_jaime-a?refcode=MS_AD_D-DD_2019.03.08_X_GG_KW__X__eyJjcmVhdGl2ZSI6IkFkZCBEb25hdGlvbiBOb3ciLCJhdWRpZW5jZSI6IkphaW1lSGFycmlzb24ifQ&recurring=TRUE&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIn4a_583I5gIVC8RkCh0MowFeEAAYASAAEgIXZfD_BwE

* There's a decent chance of flipping this Senate seat blue. Want to help? https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ads-mek-egsearch_dtd?refcode=ads-200108-gs-evergreensearch-dtd-natl-mix-8753679275-87807510469-410037583123-%2Bmark%20%2Bkelly%20%2Bdonate&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpKSR192K5wIVAsNkCh0EeAFSEAAYASAAEgLY7fD_BwE

* Want to support Christy Smith in the primary for Katie Hill's seat?: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/dw_ca25

* Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? If you can not protest in person, here are some other options:

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

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

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

* Some RL friends of mine who were barely scraping by just lost one of the part time jobs they collectively hold and it's really fucking things up for them. These are good people, who do so much for others. Want to help? https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-a-gig-worker-get-through-the-winter/share

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

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

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

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

* "US makes it more difficult to travel to Cuba, blacklists many large military-run businesses:" http://www.nola.com/national_politics/2017/11/us_makes_it_more_difficult_to.html

* "Closure of Yemen's borders to aid deliveries is 'catastrophic', UN warns:" https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/nov/07/closure-of-yemen-borders-to-aid-deliveries-is-catastrophic-un-united-nations-warns

* "Trump blames predecessors, not China for unfair trade practices:" http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/359544-trump-blames-predecessors-not-china-for-unfair-trade-practices

* "Trump gutting of State Department hard to explain with politics:"

( Embed: )

* "Aide nixed offer of Russian women for Trump:" http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/09/politics/keith-schiller-russian-offer-women-2013-moscow/index.html

* "Johnstown Never Believed Trump Would Help. They Still Love Him Anyway.:" https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/11/08/donald-trump-johnstown-pennsylvania-supporters-215800

* "Papadopoulos represented Trump campaign at international meetings:" http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/09/politics/papadopoulos-meetings-coffee-boy/index.html

* "Mueller interviews top White House aide:" http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/09/politics/stephen-miller-interviewed-special-counsel-russia-investigation/

* "Flynn worries about his son's legal exposure:" http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/08/politics/michael-flynn-son-special-counsel-russia-investigation/index.html

* "Trump voter fraud panel sued by its own member:" https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/09/trump-voter-fraud-commission-lawsuit-matt-dunlap-244741

* "Donald Trump’s extremely unqualified nominees:"

( Embed: )

* TW: Pedophilia. "Moore scandal extends tumultuous streak in Alabama politics:"

( Embed: )

* TW: Pedophilia. "Roy Moore accused of child molestation:"

( Embed: )

* TW: Pedophilia. So according to him, anyone against grown ass men in their thirties molesting teenaged girls is part of "the forces of evil," as the right to sexually assault young teenagers is an important "Conservative value." "Moore after sexual allegations: 'I refuse to stand down':" http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/359713-moore-after-sexual-allegations-i-refuse-to-stand-down

* TW: Pedophilia. And he's not the only Republican evangelical I saw strongly defending child molestation as a core christian value tonight, just the most prominent and therefore loudest. "Alabama state auditor defends Roy Moore, invokes Mary and Joseph:" http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/alabama-state-auditor-defends-roy-moore-against-sexual-allegations-invokes-mary-and-joseph/article/2640217

* Please keep protesting. "Senate GOP’s tax bill points to nasty fight ahead:" https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/09/senate-tax-bill-2017-244743

* "Sanders: GOP tax plan about cuts for wealthy, companies:"

( Embed: )

* "Texas governor says church shooting not as bad as Hitler:" https://www.jta.org/2017/11/07/news-opinion/united-states/texas-governor-says-church-shooting-not-as-bad-as-hitler

* "From protests to politics: Braxton Winston wins Charlotte City Council at-large bid:" http://www.wbtv.com/story/36790543/from-protests-to-politics-braxton-winston-wins-charlotte-city-council-at-large-bid

* "Woman who ran after Atlantic County Freeholder mocked the Women's March knocks him off the board:" http://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jersey/shore/run-for-something-ashley-bennett-womens-march-dinner-john-carmam-atlantic-county-freeholder-20171108.html

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

* "New leptospirosis deaths recorded in Puerto Rico:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/new-leptospirosis-deaths-recorded-puerto-rico

* "Hurricane-hit Puerto Rico's huge rebuilding task:" http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41929287

* "New bill aims to stop senators from sexually harassing each other:" https://news.vice.com/story/new-bill-aims-to-stop-senators-from-sexually-harassing-each-other

* TW: Sexual Harassment, graphic depictions of Weinsteinesque grossness. "Louis C.K. accused of sexual misconduct in bombshell report:" http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/09/entertainment/louis-ck-sexual-misconduct/index.html

* "Spacey to be erased from completed film:" http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-41925767

* "Brave Enough to Be Angry:" https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/08/opinion/anger-women-weinstein-assault.html

* "Even in a 'Sanctuary State,' Immigrants Are Still in Danger:" https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/mb37bx/even-in-a-sanctuary-state-immigrants-are-still-in-danger

* "Arrests Made In Stephanie Montez Case:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2017/11/arrests-made-in-stephanie-montez-case.html

* TW: Dead Animal. "The stray dogs that led the space race:" http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20171027-the-stray-dogs-that-paved-the-way-to-the-stars

* "Send Nudes to Facebook & Allegations Against Louis C.K.:"

( Embed: )

* "China Pulls Out All the Stops for Trump:"

( Embed: )

* "Back in Black - How to Honor Veterans Without Using Them as Political Pawns:"

( Embed: )

* "What Would a President Worse Than Trump Look Like?:"

( Embed: )

* "Jen Psaki - Understanding the Difference Between Facts and Opinions:"

( Embed: )

* I did a long list of disgusting cleaning type things today, but did not do litters. facepalm* Tavy did the log roll thing today and tried and failed a second time. Look, I know able bodied cats do this easily, but it's huge given how hard it is for him to achieve.

* I was hoping I'd actually catch up tonight, but my computer is being an asshole. I'm sorry some of the election stuff is so late and for how far behind I expect to be by the time I go to sleep.

* "a guide to exploring abandoned farms:" http://lovingmyselfishard.tumblr.com/post/167329787544/a-guide-to-exploring-abandoned-farms

* That Water Park where I may or may not have died: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/167336886847/ask-oncies-jizz-themoistplinth

* Every time I see 45 on TV being horrible I find myself wishing Douglas Adams' Total Perspective Vortex was a Thing.

* Poitier/Belafonte Cavett interview is delightfully full of dry and/or deadpan humor. I now very much want to see Buck and the Preacher, which they were promoting even though I'd never heard of it before. I just find the interplay between the two men utterly charming.

*****
* 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

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

* Resistance links for the tax cuts for the rich: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/166977878817/fullhalalalchemist-the-gop-is-aiming-for-a-65vc

* Republicans are trying to kill library funding. Help us save the libraries. http://www.ala.org/advocacy/advleg/federallegislation/fight-for-libraries

* 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

* This is exactly how scary I think it is. "Trump's Assassination Dog Whistle Was Even Scarier Than You Think:" http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/trumps-assassination-dog-whistle-was-scarier-than-you-think-w433615

* "Amandla Stenberg Drops One Truth Bomb After Another in Recent Video:" https://mic.com/articles/144942/amandla-stenberg-drops-one-truth-bomb-after-another-in-recent-video?utm_source=policymicTBLR&utm_medium=main&utm_campaign=social#.jbCwFLaLv

* "100 Years of Beauty - Episode 23: Hawaii (Misty):"

( Embed: )

* "100 Years of Beauty - Episode 22: Puerto Rico (Alex):"

( Embed: )

* It is my belief that Punk, Goth, and Metal were at one point all Xer responses to us all believing we'd never see 30 between the Plague, Nuclear War, and Environmental Destruction. Punk is a raging against the dying of the light. Goth is "If we're going to live in the ruins, we might as well enjoy the aesthetics and have a good time with what's left." Metal is "If the Apocalypse is coming, might as well be horseman." Of course, back in the beginning they were all blurred lines.

* The Racism and Sexism has been a serious issue in the coverage o the Olympics this year. In my opinion it has always been a problem with the coverage and I've been complaining about things like body shaming female athletes and creepy racism in particularly opening ceremonies, but often just in general for as long as I can remember. I was really pleased that this year the rest of the country seems to finally be fed up with it.

One of the many reasons I've come to quietly loathe the male Equestrian commentator is that he is a man that looks at an athlete in her early thirty, clearly a grown woman, and calls her "girl." The thing is that I would be more more lenient with this sort of thing if they were talking about a fifteen year old gymnast, because that is a gray line, but you know what? I can't remember any of the Gymnastics commentators making that slip as they scrupulously called the women "athletes" on every occasion I can remember, which got me thinking about how much progress there has been in my lifetime in the area of Gymnastics commentators. See, it used to be gymnastics and figure skating commentators were the worst most sexist pieces of shit covering the Olympics. (I hated Dick Button with a passion over his cruel comments about the bodies of teenaged girls and was over joyed when he finally retired. Fuck you, Dick Button!) I still remember my fury listening to them relentlessly body shame Mary Lou Retton for having a muscular athletic body instead of looking skinny and pre-pubescent. A lot of world class gymnasts have developed dangerous eating disorders because of the pressure involved in trying to do one of the hardest sports in the world while under pressure to look delicate and frail. It has done irreparable harm to the athletes themselves and to all the little girls watching who wanted to be like Nadia or Mary Lou or Kerry or Gabby. It is already a cannibal sport that chews up bodies and spits them out damaged. We don't need adult men verbally obsessing over young girl's bodies and trying to make them feel like shit on top of that.

But this year was different. For all the shitty sexist things going on with the NBC commentary, gymnastics was... not perfect, but a damned sight better. There are still issues around age and weight, but every single comment I heard about the girl's bodies was either 1. The same sort of list of ACL injuries, illnesses, and the like they had for the male gymnasts, which is totally fair and pertinent to performance, or 2. Directly related to how some apparatus are a little easier or harder for people who are shorter or taller. They don't do this with the men, so I'd like to wave good bye to this, but I'm not sure I can convey to someone who can't remember how bad it was how much progress this represents.

There was horrible racist shit on the internet including from other gymnasts aimed at Gabby Douglas and Simone Biles,(I am really furious about the treatment of Ms. Douglas particularly), but not once did I catch the commentator's pulling out the racist unwoman meme or body shaming Simone the way they used to attack Mary Lou. I realize this is an incredibly low fucking bar, but it took most of my life time to get there and the rest of the NBC commentators don't seem to have gotten the memo, despite us being well into the twenty first century. Again, not perfect, especially around Gabby Douglas, Oksana Chusovitina, and a couple of the Chinese gymnasts, but I see a strong upward trend and I'd love the commentators in other sports to step up their game.

* Synchronized swimming is beautiful an I love that it exists, but at the same time, it is a very weird activity if you think about it. I mean, imagine being the first one to think, "Hey, why don't you and I hold our breathes a really long time underwater upside down while frantically waving our legs about in unison. Then after a bit I will throw you through the air without touching bottom."

* I also love that rhythmic gymnastics is a Thing. If they broadcast it, I would watch it every year the way I do figure skating. I suppose it's no surprise to anyone that watching ballet with props is one one of my favorite things about summer Olympics.

* Louisiana is having a major flooding disaster, the worst disaster in this country since sandy. Want to help? http://thewightknight.tumblr.com/post/148963870683/the-lonely-one96-almalexiaslouisiana-is

* California is now an official disaster due to out of control fire made worse by the drought. https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation

* "How to help Flint, Michigan:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/how-help-flint-michigan

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

* Donate to help refugees "UN Refugee Agency:" http://donate.unhcr.org/international/general

* Organizations helping with the refugee crisis: http://captainofalltheships.tumblr.com/post/128790538169/an-updated-list-of-organizations-to-donate-to-help

* A list of LGBTQA Charities: http://awkward0w1.tumblr.com/post/126399233673

* Want Game of Thrones without the creepy? We desperately need new players. We are very inclusive. "Game of Bones MUSH:" gobmush.wikidot.comhttp://www.cnn.com/2016/07/28/asia/indonesia-drug-executions/

* "Freddie Gray's death 'not an accident,' medical examiner says :" http://www.stlamerican.com/news/local_news/article_fd742b80-2f6b-11e6-bf1d-0bad0e04afb5.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

* So I'm an Elder Goth. I consider myself an early adopter, as I was a year or two too late to be the real cutting edge. I was one of two Goths at my first college the first year I was there for example. This was the period when there was huge overlap with punk and metal culture and fashion. I used to go the whole nine yards. Dyed mowhawk, make up, jewelry. I still where most black clothes, with jewel tones no and then for accent. (When I moved West I added more colours, the goth fashion having opened up into more subgenres by then, but I'm mostly back to black for simplicity since I became ill. Gone are the elaborate outfits I once sported). I did not spike my hair, as aqua net was bad for the ozone and at that length it's pretty much aquanet or nothing, but otherwise, I looked like something out of the pages of Sandman, something often commented upon. I cut the makeup way down when I moved west and stopped when I moved north except for formal occations, what with the teaching. I don't think I've worn any in more than a decade now. When I started dying in earnest, I stopped wearing jewelry. I took it off for a hospital visit, and never put it back on, except the occasional pendant. Once my medical situation stopped being life expectancy measured in months, it was a long time crawling back up to the level of function I have now. The BPALs are comforting, me being a scent based life form, and it's been hard selling off the half of the collection as I've had to in the last two years. Scents were fundamental to my moral. The rest of my vanities, I've had to let go one my one. It is a classic survival technique for extreme situations. When there is an opportunity cost for every action one takes, when every action takes a ridiculous about of energy, lots of activities that are inconsequential under normal conditions suddenly become too expensive in time and energy.

I have been missing the jewelry again. I think it was my uncle sending me my Grandfather's ring and me wearing it sporadically for the last however many months, added to my DS9 rewatch. I miss my rings, my Bajoran earing. I've been starting small, with pendant, and a pinky ring. Last night Greenwick repeirced my ears. (They had half grown closed, so we needed a sterilized needle). I am wearing the only gold earings I have left, very silly and mid-'80's and not my style at all to help with the infection. The right ear is doing well, my always problematic left with it's weird pocket of scarring is clearly going to be more troublesome.

It was weird going through my old jewelry, each with it's stories and memories. Wednesday, I wore the Erik Fairy necklace, loved intensely for two years, then only taken out to wear with costumes. Today I am wearing my beloved cinnabar dragon from Eugene, which I clearly need to figure out how to clean. It is a small thing, but a piece of who I once was.

* So Squirrel lost most of two month's work to the almost dying thing. The insurance he's got through his job is meant to cover living costs during a catastrophic illness, like that, but this is a lie. The are refusing to cover the thing that nearly killed him because they have declared the other dangerous medical thing they fixed while he was out "pre-existing" even though it was the nearly dying of the other thing that had him out of work so it all out to be covered. Do not give Afflack money. They are a scam. His job is dropping them because of this. There 1-3 day turn around is a lie and they don't pay out.

Luckily, a friend kicked in enough that my start of the month bills didn't all crash and burn, and I now have lung meds, enough fish food for the month, and a working blender. We found out that Afflack was well and truly screwing us today, but in the same mail, there was a check from a very gracious friend. It's not what we lost to Afflack being a scam, but it is enough to solve a whole exciting collection of immediate problems.

So thank you, kind heroes for being there when we needed you.

Poverty is so damned stressful and exhausting, but last night there was coconut cake and earings, and today the fish are fed, and next week I'll see about saving us from collections on medical bills.

* "King (Not Prince) Caspian: The Chronicles of Narnia Reread Project Part 4:" http://www.fandomfollowing.com/king-not-prince-caspian-the-chronicles-of-narnia-reread-project-part-4/

* "For the (Not)Watch: ‘Game of Thrones’ 6×06 Recap:" http://www.fandomfollowing.com/notwatch-game-thrones-6x06-recap/

* "How to help Flint, Michigan:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/how-help-flint-michigan

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

* Donate to help refugees: http://donate.unhcr.org/international/general

* A list of LGBTQA Charities: http://awkward0w1.tumblr.com/post/126399233673

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

* "John Kasich tells audience member they'd 'get over' his Social Security plan:" http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/09/politics/john-kasich-get-over-it-social-security/

* "America wants you to suffer: The staggering ways we punish our college graduates:" http://www.salon.com/2015/10/10/14131480_partner/?utm_source=Tumblr&utm_medium=Tumblr%20Share&utm_campaign=Tumblr

* I just saw another pundit out stigmatizing folks on psyche meds which is cruel, inaccurate, and dangerous, because way more people die or get way sicker than they otherwise would be because of the stigma discouraging them from seeking help. The brain is an organ. Needing to take meds to function normally shouldn't be stigmatized whether that med is insulin, welbutrin, prozac, or the celebrex that let's me walk around my apartment most days instead of being pretty much a wheelchair user which is the alternative given the level of spinal damage I have.

When it comes to medication for minors, I am a moderate because I was a teacher. Let me explain what that means. 1. Medications are mostly tested on adult white cis men. This is a huge fucking problem, because bodies vary wildly. If you do all your testing on a narrow, homogeneous population you do not get an accurate picture of what that drug will do at that dosage when released into the wild. Adult cis white men are not the default body. There have been huge problems with overdoses caused by the average woman or child being smaller than the average adult man. There have been issues caused by hormones, body fat, and structural differences interacting with medications differently. There have been problems because the developing brains and bodies of adolescents interact with meds differently, and overdoses caused because they are basically guessing at what the dose of something ought to be for a nine year old girl based on dosage for a forty year old man. People are horribly injured, sometimes permanently, and people die. There is pretty much no testing on what medications I in trans bodies, which means often deadly surprises for trans folk and doctors innocently following dosage directions that have zero data on what they will do to our bodies. I have a list of meds issues related to my transness that are as we speak word of mouthing between GPs who treat trans people because there is nothing in the text books they studied in college about a potentially deadly thing that happened to me and some other trans people in my region that likely happens to a significant percentage of us all over the world but isn't in any of the literature. The reason we know it's an issue is because trans folk do a lot of medical word of mouth. If that doesn't scare you it should. I think that the FDA should not clear any drug for use in the general population without a good sample size of both men and women with diverse racial and body types. No drug should be given to children or teens without having been tested and normed on a good sample size of people of more than one gender and a variety of body types in that age range. So that's a real problem and it needs to have changed like decades ago and there is no sign of it changing now.

2. One of the standard "educational reforms" mostly intended to save money is to cut out recess, phys ed., art, and music classes. This is done supposedly to make more time for "the basics." The problem is that if you cut those things you dramatically decrease the effectiveness of the academic class time. No really. I mean, yes, it's anecdotally obvious if you spend any time at all teaching K-12, particularly the 1-8 range, but there are lots of scientific studies backing up what any teacher can tell you. It turns out that retention is dramatically increased if you go out and do something physical after studying. Going out and running around or shooting hoops or whatever at regular intervals not only burns off energy and is healthier for your body, but it gives your brain important time to process whatever it is you just learned. It turns out that varying activity generally is good for you, and music and art are particularly helpful to certain types of learners. There are good, sound brain sience reasons that private schools leave in all the enrichment activities rather than cutting them for academics: that time spent oing other things enhances student learning and people who can afford to buy the best education for their children side with science over sentiment. Education reformers cut things we know are objectively good for the students because of unconscious classism: they don't want the children of the poor to ever have nice things. They consider what turns out to be fairly essential to the children's ability to focus in class and retain what they learned as frivolous. These are often the same people wanting to starve children to punish them for bad grades when we know that objectively, hungry children have a hard time focusing on tasks or retaining knowledge and that hungry children are more likely to act out in class. Feeding them three nutritious meals a day would be a much better way to improve student learning than starving them, but rich people love punishing poverty instead of giving people a ladder to climb out of it, so that's how policy is set.

What does this have to do with meds? In schools where I was allowed to hand a child a pass and send zim out to do a lap or two around the school in exchange for the child then sitting down and working hard the rest of the period, I had a lot more compliance from kids who really did want to work, but couldn't. It was much more effective and humane than a discipline referral. Would more recess and options to let kids run around a little more magically remove the need for meds? Hell no. I've seen kids with real dangerous depression. I've seen kids with ADHD who absolutely needed their meds to have a prayer of accomplishing anything that day. I've seen kids with less common issues who needed one type of medication or another. I absolutely think that there are children who need pharmaceutical help of one sort or another. That help was generally most effective when mixed with other sorts of help and support. Sometimes that help would be from a psychiatric professional, or a special ed teacher, or an occupational therapist, because often serious need for meds also comes with a need for coping strategies or other issues needing addressing. In pretty much all cases the children do better with a flexible and compassionate classroom teacher interested in partnering with the kid to find things that will help them deal with right now and getting through today productively and with a minimum of embarrassment.

So call me a moderate. Stigmatizing these children as lazy or violent or just needing to pull up their pants and get to work is the opposite of helping. It is in fact a lie that really can hurt people. I do favour a more global approach to the well being of each child. It shouldn't just be medicate them and forget them. It should be the right dose, combined with a variety of non-pharmaceutical help, tailored for what is best for the child and the room full of children as a whole. When I walked into that room every morning, my goal was for every one of the people under my care to have a pleasant and productive day. That went the same for the kid on insulin as it went for the kid on Ritalin or prozac or the kid who's english reading skills were still developing or the kid who was scared because ze didn't know where ze was going to be sleeping tonight. I couldn't fix all the problems, but I could sure try to make sure everyone felt safe in my room and had the best chance I could give them of learning something today whatever the hell else was going on in their lives.

So fuck you, Bill Maher!

* Someone should do a montage of news casters and pundits complaining about the Democratic presidential candidates being decent human beings capable of policy discussion without name calling and thus bad for ratings.

* "Ben Carson comments, favorability misaligned:"

( Embed: )

* "The super wealthy's impact on the presidential campaign:"

( Embed: )

* "Facts dispute 'Ferguson effect' on crime rate:"

( Embed: )

* "By the numbers: US police kill more in days than other countries do in years:" http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jun/09/the-counted-police-killings-us-vs-other-countries

* Reality vs. fantasy in an active shooter situation: http://big-wired.tumblr.com/post/130838296818/anyanka-eg-daji-ruhu-that-whole-schtick

* NWS "Students Plan To Open-Carry Dildos Over Controversial Texas Campus Gun Law:" http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/10/10/ut-gun-carry-protest/

* "National Coming Out Day 2015:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2015/10/national-coming-out-day-2015.html

* "Sunday Sweets Welcomes A Slice Of Fall:" http://www.cakewrecks.com/home/2015/10/11/sunday-sweets-welcomes-a-slice-of-fall.html

* Yes, I watched it, but I really can’t seem to process it properly, so I’m linking you the fangs review. "American Horror Story (Hotel): Season 5, Episode 1: Checking In:" http://www.fangsforthefantasy.com/2015/10/american-horror-story-hotel-season-5.html

* "How to Dance Goth:"

( Embed: )

* Organizations helping with the refugee crisis: http://captainofalltheships.tumblr.com/post/128790538169/an-updated-list-of-organizations-to-donate-to-help

* A list of LGBTQA Charities to donate money to instead of seeing the racist Stonewall Movie that decided to portray a black trans woman activist as a cis white man. http://awkward0w1.tumblr.com/post/126399233673

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

* "Bristol Palin's Anti-Obama Rant Is So Ignorant, Even Sarah Palin Disagrees :" http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/09/02/bristol-palin-attacks-president-obama-unleashes-incredibly-awkward-uneducated-rant-image/

* "Will Planned Parenthood cause a gov. shutdown?:" http://on.msnbc.com/1OlV9mw

* "Abortion access under threat in Ohio:" http://on.msnbc.com/1J50Kqd

* "Abortion clinics in OH fighting to stay open:" http://on.msnbc.com/1J55jAX

* How racist is Rand Paul? I'm glad you asked. "Rand Paul Thinks 'Lack Of Assimilation' Is Native Americans' Problem:" http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rand-paul-assimilation-native-americans_55e8986fe4b0b7a9633c4edc?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

* Speaking of racists... "Louisiana Cop Outed As KKK Member Refuses To Resign Because He's 'Been Baptized':" http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/09/02/louisiana-cop-outed-as-kkk-member-refuses-to-resign-because-hes-been-baptized/

* "Charlie Rose Gender Identity Show:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2015/09/charlie-rose-gender-identity-show.html

* "Judge OKs gender surgery opposed by 48-year-old’s parents:" http://www.kansascity.com/news/nation-world/article33533784.html

* So I spent all evening doing nitpicky, complicated cleaning that needed doing and setting up the next set of ebays, mostly intended to finish up the back log of medical copays needing covering. My hands were super shaky, which did not help. Tomorrow's goal is more nitpicky cleaning and maybe doing the next Black Sail rewatch.

* "Parents of Reddit, what is the creepiest thing your young child has ever said to you?:" https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1d2v7i/parents_of_reddit_what_is_the_creepiest_thing

* "Summer officially over as first Goth of winter spotted:" https://newsthump.com/2015/09/11/summer-officially-over-as-first-goth-of-winter-spotted/

* 6 Lots, ten days: ( Cut for your pleasure: )

* A list of LGBTQA Charities to donate money to instead of seeing the racist Stonewall Movie that decided to portray a black trans woman activist as a cis white man. http://awkward0w1.tumblr.com/post/126399233673

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

* "My ’70s Health-Nut Parents Didn’t Vaccinate Me. This Is What My Childhood Was Like." http://www.slate.com/articles/life/family/2014/01/growing_up_unvaccinated_a_healthy_lifestyle_couldn_t_prevent_many_childhood.html

* MrBumblepants came over today, hence me being missing online all evening. We had tea and pie.

* Glee 6.6 "What the World Needs Now:"

( Cut for your pleasure: )

* "Kenyan Goths:" http://www.teenagefilm.com/archives/threads-ahead/kenyan-goths/

* "12 Monkeys, Season One, Episode Three: Cassandra Complex:" http://www.fangsforthefantasy.com/2015/02/12-monkeys-season-one-episode-three.html

* "Grimm, Season Four, Episode Eleven: Death Do Us Par:" http://www.fangsforthefantasy.com/2015/02/grimm-season-four-episode-eleven-death.html

* Our Financial Situation continues Scary: http://www.gofundme.com/cuovws or Lethran@gmail.com

* "Nine sentenced to death in Xinjiang:" http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-27714794

* Al-Shabaab is believed to be the group that killed at least another 10 people on a separate raid on a coastal town in Kenya.

* How much do Republicans care about Benghazi really? They caught the man behind the Benghazi Embassy attack. The Right Wing media is pretending that never happened, except to claim it's a conspiracy to help Hillary Clinton. *side eye*

* "Strange case: 'At all events the blade fell' :" http://thequackdoctor.com/index.php/strange-case-at-all-events-the-blade-fell/

* An Event I wish I could attend. "Bats Day 2014!:" http://gothic-charm-school.com/charm/?p=949

* "In the Flesh, Season 2, Episode 6:" http://www.fangsforthefantasy.com/2014/06/in-flesh-season-2-episode-6.html

* "John Moe’s Pop Song Correspondences: A Note Placed in the Pay Envelope of Billy “The Piano Man” Joel.:" http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/a-note-placed-in-the-pay-envelope-of-billy-the-piano-man-joel

* "List: Rap Lyrics of the (17)90’s.:" http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/rap-lyrics-of-the-1790s

* "The Top 5 Graphic Novels You Should Check Out:" http://arsmarginal.wordpress.com/2014/06/11/the-top-5-graphic-novels-you-should-check-out/

* "Samwell and John Snow: Daddy Issues:" http://azad-injejikian.deviantart.com/art/Samwell-and-Jon-Snow-ASoIaF-Game-of-Thrones-355300289

* "What's Your 'Game of Thrones' Warrior Name?:" http://www.zimbio.com/generator/d_rN-Gyttd2/What+Is+Your+Game+Of+Thrones+Warrior+Name?i=xaFYSIZeK4b&t=Ed3IOw2-Bi_

* The Clutch:

* "Remains of prehistoric funerary banquets discovered in Israel:" http://www.newkerala.com/news/story/97103/happy-birth-day-rekha.html#.UrYqDrSQMf5

* "9000 year old music and alcohol - a powerful mix:" http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/12/2013/9000-year-old-music-alcohol-powerful-mix

* "Prehistoric sacrifice skulls found:" http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-25187247

* "Recent forensic findings shed light on ancient life in Vietnam:" http://www.asianewsnet.net/news-54577.html

* "Abandoned Ancient Road Pathway to China's History:" http://english.cri.cn/11354/2013/11/27/2743s800716.htm

* "Terracotta Army was an awesome fighting machine with REAL weapons so powerful they could kill an enemy with a single arrow:" http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2516445/Terracotta-Army-awesome-fighting-machine-weapons-powerful-kill-enemy-single-arrow.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

* "Inscribed story of Katugahagalge Vihara:" http://www.dailynews.lk/features/inscribed-story-katugahagalge-vihara

* "1,400-year-old Buddhist temple discovered in China:" http://news.oneindia.in/international/1400-year-old-buddhist-temple-discovered-in-china-1355275.html

* "The gates of Istanbul:" http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/the-gates-of-istanbul.aspx?pageID=238&nID=59146&NewsCatID=438

* "Mass grave found near cathedral :" http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breakingnews/offbeat/mass-grave-found-near-cathedral-29795255.html

* Watch the video to see the art. "Church uncovers stunning wall paintings:" http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-25214557

* "How genetics are rewriting the history of the Caribbean:" http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/razibkhan/100248977/how-genetics-are-rewriting-the-history-of-the-caribbean/

* "Plains Indian Fortress With Moat, 'Underground Apartments' Unearthed in Oklahoma:" http://westerndigs.org/plains-indian-fortress-with-moat-underground-apartments-unearthed-in-oklahoma/

* "The Nashville Experiment:" http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/12/05/the-nashville-experiment/?_r=0

* "Uganda Goes There-Passes Anti Homosexuality Bill:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2013/12/uganda-goes-there-passes-anti.html

* "California Trans Teen Tells Her Story To The School Board:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2013/12/california-trans-teen-tells-her-story.html

* "On Surviving Family Gatherings During The Holidays:" http://gothic-charm-school.com/charm/?p=890