Nec Hoc Nec Ilud

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 News keeps moving fast, so some items may be already out of date.

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* "Israel redraws Gaza map, limiting Palestinians to a third of the enclave:" https://archive.ph/5eN2N

* "Middle East latest: Israeli strikes kill 12 overnight in Gaza, including kids:" https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-airstrikes-latest-0f9a737e82458cf2e74259adab530749

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* "Ukraine, US sign minerals deal sought by Trump:" https://archive.ph/WVRyL

* "Russian drone attack kills two, injures 15 in Ukraine's Odesa:" https://archive.ph/7AozJ

* "Russian troops try to advance in Ukraine's Sumy region, governor says:" https://archive.ph/WmIdU

* "Russians fighting more intensely despite ceasefire talk, Ukrainian commander says:" https://archive.ph/3Tsny

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* "More than a dozen killed in sectarian clashes near Syrian capital:" https://archive.ph/Ekp9J

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* "Georgian police raid homes of activists providing financing to anti-government protesters:" https://archive.ph/IOumz

* "European court tells Serbia to ‘prevent the use of sonic weapons’ after protesters’ claims at rally:" https://apnews.com/article/serbia-sonic-weapon-human-rights-court-30de60760590703a457a896239e886e9

* "Serbian students, unions join forces six months into mass protest campaign:" https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250501-serbian-students-unions-join-forces-for-anti-corruption-protest

* "Black Sea may hold back world wheat supplies into 2026:" https://archive.ph/tDVpb

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* "The Senate votes down resolution to block Trump’s global tariffs amid economic turmoil:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-economy-7f81370d120d9529a354d2a4db32a7e5

* "Trump shrugs off shortage fears: Kids may get 'two dolls instead of 30’:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/trump-shrugs-off-shortage-fears-kids-may-get-two-dolls-instead-of-30-238666821858

* "Trump claims he 'could' have Kilmar Abrego Garcia returned to the U.S. His administration has said otherwise.:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/trump-claims-kilmar-abrego-garcia-returned-us-administration-said-othe-rcna203734

* "SOS: Migrants held in Texas fear notorious El Salvador prison:" https://archive.ph/JgmYi

* "‘Hands off our neighbors’: Protestors gather in Evansville after day of ICE raids:" https://www.14news.com/2025/04/30/hands-off-our-neighbors-protestors-gather-evansville-after-day-ice-raids/

* "Trump Administration’s ICE Immigration Raids Have Dairy Farmers on Edge:" https://buckscountybeacon.com/2025/04/trump-administrations-ice-immigration-raids-have-dairy-farmers-on-edge/

* "Active duty military caught in immigration raid at makeshift night club in Colorado Springs, no criminal charges filed:" https://www.cpr.org/2025/04/28/colorado-springs-immigration-raid-no-charges/

* "He was sent to El Salvador; she was sent to Venezuela. Their 2-year-old is still in the US:" https://abcnews.go.com/US/el-salvador-venezuela-2-year-us/story?id=121296196

* "FAMILY SEPARATION upon Deportation; 40,000 Pets Reunified:"

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* "Homeland Security admits Oklahoma raid targeted wrong people:" https://kfor.com/news/local/homeland-security-admits-oklahoma-raid-targeted-wrong-people/

* "Protests erupt as border czar Tom Homan visits Rochester:" https://13wham.com/news/local/protests-erupt-as-white-house-border-czar-tom-homan-visits-rochester-police-locust-club-union-immigration-traffic-stop-trump-administration

* "'I am not afraid of you,' Columbia student says of Trump after release from ICE:" https://abcnews.go.com/US/lawyers-columbia-student-detained-ice-seek-release-case/story?id=121317902

* "ICE Goes After US-Born Children:"

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* "'Historic debacle': Trump sets new standard for poor presidential performance; Americans displeased:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-historic-debacle-trump-sets-new-standard-for-poor-presidential-performance-americans-displeased-238684229542

* This terrifies me. "‘This Is What We Were Always Scared of’: DOGE Is Building a Surveillance State:" https://archive.ph/aFMlT

* "Real mission of DOGE seen in new insights on federal data and privacy:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/real-mission-of-doge-seen-in-new-insights-on-federal-data-and-privacy-238682181934

* "US CDC cancels science group workshop on preventing human bird flu infections:" https://archive.ph/KmB0Y

* "In visit to Texas, RFK Jr. said autism, diabetes deserve more attention than measles:" https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/29/texas-measles-robert-kennedy-autism/

It would be so much cheaper to just vaccinate people with measles then to let them get measles. It would also cut down on things like long term health effects, measles related disabilities, and children dying.

I'm not against diabetes research. I'm just saying we could have both.

Re Autism Disinformation from RFK Jr.: https://www.tumblr.com/hyperlexichypatia/781765301357379584?source=sha

* "The US has nearly 900 measles cases, and 10 states have active outbreaks. Here's what to know:" https://www.krem.com/article/news/nation-world/measles-outbreaks-what-to-know/507-958f9508-c77b-474e-bae5-d0b1a960e9b6

* "Measles jumps borders in North America with outbreaks in Canada, Mexico and US:" https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-mexico-canada-ontario-0956a30c043b030ae79bc9f67c6ce89c

* "‘Insane’: Workers who protect coal miners face termination thanks to DOGE:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-insane-workers-who-protect-coal-miners-face-termination-thanks-to-doge-238668869911

* "Can the Trump administration intervene on Colorado’s new gun-control law? Republicans hope so.:" https://www.denverpost.com/2025/04/17/colorado-gun-control-law-pam-bondi-legislature/

* "US, Kari Lake Must Disburse $12 Million to Radio Free Europe:" https://news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/us-kari-lake-must-disburse-12-million-to-radio-free-europe

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* "List of USA protests today:" https://conuly.dreamwidth.org/3623856.html

I would like to thank all those protesting today!

* "Financial Services Republicans approve CFPB cuts for GOP megabill:" https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/04/30/congress/financial-services-republicans-approve-cfpb-cuts-for-gop-megabill-00320143

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

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

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

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

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

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

Please add more below if you have them.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Some semi-organized snail mail campaigns:" https://conuly.dreamwidth.org/3622760.html

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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* " In ‘Partisan Effort to Steal a Seat on the Supreme Court,’ Ruling Gives GOP Control of NC Election Board:" https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/north-carolina-court-state-election-board-republican-control/

* "Illinois governor says don’t blame trans kids for losses by ‘do-nothing Democrats’ in fiery speech:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/jb-pritzker-defends-trans-kids

* "Wide-ranging crackdown on abortion pills passes Texas Senate:" https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/29/texas-senate-abortion-pill-bill/

* "Missouri Senate committee advances reinstating statewide abortion ban:" https://www.stlpr.org/government-politics-issues/2025-04-30/missouri-senate-committee-advances-reinstating-statewide-abortion-ban

* "Poland's last 'LGBTQ-free zone' is no more:" https://www.advocate.com/news/poland-lgbtq-free-zone-abolished

* "Spokane City Council passes measure protecting LGBTQ+ rights and gender-affirming care:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/spokane-washington-lgbtq-ordinance

* "Bacteria use ancient war trick to outsmart viruses—and it could help us fight superbugs:" https://phys.org/news/2025-04-bacteria-ancient-war-outsmart-viruses.html

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* "How 50 years of climate change has changed the face of the 'Blue Marble' from space:" https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250422-how-50-years-of-climate-change-has-changed-the-face-of-the-blue-marble

* "Countries agree to global carbon tax on shipping, opposed by Trump:" https://archive.ph/uYefp

* "Almost half of Americans are now exposed to unhealthy air pollution:" https://www.axios.com/2025/04/23/air-quality-climate-change

* "Severe weather brings deadly storms and flash flooding across swath of U.S.:" https://archive.ph/0PMAQ

* "Myanmar quake: Ongoing aftershocks spread fear:" https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/04/1162711

* "Myanmar Earthquake Relief:" https://www.myanmarearthquakehelp.com/en/donate

* "Native Village of Tyonek, 40 miles from Mount Spurr, prepares for potential eruption:" https://alaskapublic.org/news/public-safety/2025-04-29/native-village-of-tyonek-40-miles-from-mount-spurr-prepares-for-potential-eruption

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* "Managing Our Forests Better:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JGNEdVhBw3w

* "Your phone isn’t secretly listening to you, but the truth is more disturbing :" https://newatlas.com/computers/smartphone-listening-conversations-ads-facebook/

* "A Researcher Found Hidden Messages on an Obelisk. They Weren’t Meant for Ordinary Eyes.:" https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a64565606/hidden-messages-obelisk/

* "Medieval tapestry’s penis count remains a bone of contention:" https://www.popsci.com/science/medieval-tapestry-controversy/

* "Selling Your Wife At Market: The London History Show:"

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* "The Unhinged Trials of Oscar Wilde:"

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* "The First Cat Memes: History of Cats 3 | World History | Extra History:"

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* "77 Colorized Images That Show The Roaring Twenties As It Truly Was:" https://allthatsinteresting.com/1920s-colorizations

* "These 27 new LGBTQ+ movies & TV shows are heating up May:" https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/upcoming-movies-tv-shows-lgbtq#rebelltitem1

* "Why Do I Love These VICIOUS Queens?:"

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* "What's the Difference Between Art & Design?:"

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* "Who Gets to Be a "Real" Artist? (Amateur & Outsider Art): Crash Course Art History #13:"

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* "How a Banana Sold for $150,000 : Modern Art:"

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* "Why Is Art So Expensive?:"

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* "True Facts: The Bizarre Magic of Water Walkers:"

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

The help links are at the bottom under the cut.

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

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

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

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* As is custom now, Trump stuff sort is likely a little rough. I can not guarantee anything in the tariff section is up to date, because he changes it so fast and reactions from understandably furious trading partners are basically light speed at this point.

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* "Hamas says it will only release American-Israeli hostage if ceasefire deal is implemented:" https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-ceasefire-hostages-03-15-2025-b54c0c11c4d7f0ca52653edb033c70f5

* "Israel's decision to cut power to Gaza hits the strip's water supplies:" https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-14/israel-cuts-power-to-gaza-hits-water-supplies-hamas-ceasfire/105045700

* "Palestinians unearth fresh wounds as Gaza's al-Shifa hospital burials are relocated:" https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/bodies-buried-temporarily-gaza-hospital-during-israeli-raids-brought-cemeteries

* "Israel’s attacks on reproductive healthcare in Gaza ‘genocidal’: UN probe:" https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/13/israels-attacks-on-reproductive-healthcare-in-gaza-genocidal-un

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* "Putin on a ceasefire in Ukraine, Western companies and gas:" https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/what-has-putin-said-about-ukraine-ceasefire-deal-2025-03-13/

* "In rare meeting without U.S. ally, Western army chiefs meet to show Ukraine unity:" https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/rare-meeting-without-us-ally-western-army-chiefs-meet-show-ukraine-unity-2025-03-11/

* "Poland and Baltic nations welcome Macron’s nuclear deterrent proposal:" https://apnews.com/article/france-nuclear-deterrent-umbrella-russia-55e91ab65d13559dfc55dfe376ba5268

So many countries gave up their nuclear weapons trusting our promises to protect them.

* "Poland's President Duda calls for U.S. to deploy nuclear weapons in his nation:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/poland-president-duda-us-nuclear-weapons-deploy/

* "Germany debates issue of nuclear weapons:" https://www.dw.com/en/germany-debates-issue-of-nuclear-weapons/a-71924424

* This is disgusting and shameful. "'Say thank you' Rubio tells Poland amid Ukraine Starlink spat:" https://archive.ph/hVrjR

* "Trump puts U.S. at risk with increasing reliance on Musk and Starlink:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-puts-u-s-at-risk-with-increasing-reliance-on-musk-and-starlink-234049093674

* "US senator accuses Trump of weakening Ukraine's defense, dismisses Musk 'traitor' insult:" https://archive.ph/d4euZ

* "'Serious mistakes': Kelly sounds alarm on Trump handling of Ukraine; Nails Musk on 'traitor' gibe:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-serious-mistakes-kelly-sounds-alarm-on-trump-handling-of-ukraine-nails-musk-on-traitor-gibe-234047557512

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* "Trump launches large-scale strikes on Yemen's Houthis, at least 31 killed:" https://archive.ph/bgr1S

* "Entire families killed during Syria's violence, UN says:" https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/un-says-entire-families-killed-syria-military-operation-2025-03-11/

* "A tinderbox conflict in Congo is ready to explode:" https://www.reuters.com/graphics/CONGO-SECURITY/MAPS/movaykzaava/?

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* Good! "Philippines' ex-President Rodrigo Duterte arrested at ICC's request over 'drugs war' killings:" https://archive.ph/1Ellj

* This includes commentary on the new Canadian PM, amoung other things. "Off the cuff news reactions:" https://sabotabby.dreamwidth.org/2648730.html

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* We are seriously threatening to go to war with Denmark. "NATO Chief Smacks Down Trump on Greenland Grab:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/nato-chief-smacks-down-trump-on-greenland-grab/

* "Pentagon asked for military options to access Panama Canal, officials say:" https://archive.ph/KH6eM

We are planning to invade Panama, apparently. We HAVE access to canal. What we are planning to do is invade another country and occupy it because we are too cheap to pay a perfectly reasonable toll.

* "Donald Trump, who has been on a mission to strip transgender people of all dignity, complains ‘everything is transgender’: He made the bizarre remarks in front of the Irish prime minister.:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/trump-everything-is-transgender

* "If our neighbor Canada hates us and Trump, what does that say for the rest of the world?:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/canada-world-hates-trump-vance

No one should trust us. Not even a tiny bit.

* "How Trump’s ‘51st State’ Canada Talk Came to Be Seen as Deadly Serious
President Trump, in an early February call, challenged the border treaty between the two countries and told Justin Trudeau he didn’t like their shared water agreements. :" https://archive.ph/56bzU

* "Amid U.S.-Canada trade war, Trump makes some false or misleading claims to justify tariffs:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-tariffs-canada-trade-fact-check/

* "Canada and EU announce retaliatory tariffs, escalating Trump’s trade war:" https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/canada-and-eu-announce-retaliatory-tariffs-escalating-trumps-trade-war

* "Ontario slaps 25% tax increase on electricity exports to US in response to Trump’s trade war:" https://apnews.com/article/canada-ontario-us-trump-tariffs-electricity-834dc3d9defd314923912f9bd8540e31

* "Trump Ag Secretary's Clucked-Up Advice On Eggs Has Critics Squawking: Brooke Rollins' idea to combat rising prices isn't going over very well:" https://www.huffpost.com/entry/brooke-rollins-eggs-backyard-chickens_n_67c676c9e4b044c440ed7fa7

Renters, especially in apartments aren't allowed to have chickens. A lot of cities and towns ban them even for home owners.

I literally know people who had to give away all their chickens when they moved into an apartment.

* It's almost like there might be consequences for starting a trade war for funsies. "Tesla, led by Elon Musk, warns of export retaliation due to new Trump tariffs:" https://www.npr.org/2025/03/14/g-s1-53947/tesla-led-by-elon-musk-warns-of-export-retaliation-due-to-new-trump-tariffs

* "‘Big mad’: Trump is ‘emotional’ and ‘annoyed’ over trade war he started:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-big-mad-trump-is-emotional-and-annoyed-over-trade-war-he-started-234383429687

* This harms everybody. "US State Department Kills Global Air Monitoring Program Researchers Say Paid for Itself:" https://www.wired.com/story/air-monitoring-beijing-state-department-halted/

* It's all illegal, of course. Republicans absolutely do not care. "Secretary of State Rubio says purge of USAID programs complete, with 83% of agency’s programs gone:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-rubio-usaid-foreign-aid-bf442d62af67918a6fc5eee839074601

* "Judge Weighs USAID Classified Document Destruction Amid Trump Shutdown:" https://www.newsweek.com/judge-weighs-usaid-classified-document-destruction-amid-trump-shutdown-2043272

* "Court hands Trump third appellate loss in birthright citizenship battle:" https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/court-hands-trump-third-appellate-loss-birthright-citizenship-battle-2025-03-11/

* Lie Detector Tests have no validity, of course, which is why law enforcement loves them so much. "DHS administering lie detector tests to employees in effort to find leakers:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dhs-lie-detector-tests-employees-leakers-immigration-raids/

* "The Alien Enemies Act: What to know about a 1798 law that Trump has invoked for deportations:" https://apnews.com/article/alien-enemies-trump-immigration-deportations-21a62ede23b8c493b60d00a9c125722f

* "Federal judge blocks Trump's plan to target 'alien enemies' for deportation:" https://www.npr.org/2025/03/15/nx-s1-5246028/trump-alien-enemies-act-tren-de-aragua-deportation

This is just the tip of the spear. If he wins here, he will keep expanding it to remove anyone he doesn't like.

Normal deportation proceedings would work, but he's trying to establish a precedent.

* "Japanese Americans react to Trump's plans to invoke Alien Enemies Act:" https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/japanese-americans-react-to-trumps-plans-to-invoke-alien-enemies-act#google_vignette

* "Trump reportedly keen on law at root of disgraceful chapter in American history:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-reportedly-keen-on-law-at-root-of-disgraceful-chapter-in-american-history-234498629977

* "ICE Wastes $16M on Guantanamo Bay Operation as All Migrants Returned to US:" https://www.newsweek.com/ice-guantanamo-bay-migrants-immigration-waste-millions-back-usa-2044018

* "Judge says Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil can't be deported from U.S. as protesters call for his release:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/demonstrators-take-nycs-federal-plaza-mahmoud-khalil-arrested-ice-rcna195602

* "Experts say Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder, can't be deported without due process:" https://abcnews.go.com/US/experts-palestinian-activist-mahmoud-khalil-deported-due-process/story?id=119756360

* "Federal agents are seen arresting Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil in a newly released video:" https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-mahmoud-khalil-ice-trump-653771d9f168c490c49d6e45e37a0893

* "New Mahmoud Khalil complaint names Trump and Rubio, and alleges 'targeted, retaliatory detention':" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/new-mahmoud-khalil-complaint-names-trump-rubio-alleges-targeted-retali-rcna196378

* "White House allegedly asked for updates on arrest of activist Mahmoud Khalil, his attorney says:" https://abcnews.go.com/US/white-house-allegedly-asked-updates-arrest-activist-mahmoud/story?id=119811712

* "Trump admin loses in court as judge blocks deportation of Mahmoud Khalil:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/trump-admin-loses-in-court-as-judge-blocks-deportation-of-mahmoud-khalil-234150981981

* "Exclusive: Wife of detained Palestinian Columbia student says she was naive to believe he was safe from arrest:" https://archive.ph/bG3jK#selection-1373.88-1373.102

* "98 protesters arrested at Trump Tower sit-in for detained activist Mahmoud Khalil:" https://abcnews.go.com/US/hundreds-protesters-stage-trump-tower-sit-calling-release/story?id=119762664

* Reminder: they arrested him without a warrant in the absence of a crime for voicing an opinion Trump doesn't like. "The detention of Mahmoud Khalil is a flagrant assault on free speech:" https://www.msnbc.com/ayman-mohyeldin/watch/the-detention-of-mahmoud-khalil-is-a-flagrant-assault-on-free-speech-234524741853

* "Mahmoud Khalil's lawyer: his arrest is 'test case' for how far Trump will go to repress political enemies:" https://www.msnbc.com/ayman-mohyeldin/watch/mahmoud-khalil-s-lawyer-his-arrest-is-test-case-for-how-far-trump-will-go-to-repress-political-enemies-234525253893

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* "Elissa Slotkin delivers rebuttal to Trump:" https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/03/04/trump-joint-address-to-congress/democrats-respond-00212952

* The extreme corruption continues. "People Are Paying Millions to Dine With Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago:" https://www.wired.com/story/people-paying-millions-donald-trump-mar-a-lago/

* This is discrimination and damaging. "Trump signs executive action targeting public service loan program:" https://www.npr.org/2025/03/07/nx-s1-5321313/trump-executive-action-public-service-loan-program

* "Trump order denies student loan relief to nonprofit workers engaged in ‘improper’ activity:" https://apnews.com/article/public-service-student-loan-forgiveness-trump-457a24f8dba3c52dfe58f1e72ba61fa4

* "Judge blocks Trump from enforcing 'chilling' order against law firm:" https://www.npr.org/2025/03/12/g-s1-53422/judge-blocks-trump-law-firm

* "Former DOJ official blasts interim D.C. U.S. attorney’s hiring ban on Georgetown Law grads:" https://www.advocate.com/news/doj-official-slams-georgetown-ban

* "Thousands of fired federal workers must be offered reinstatement, a judge rules:" https://www.npr.org/2025/03/13/nx-s1-5325959/federal-employees-court-firing

* "A 2nd judge orders thousands of fired federal employees temporarily reinstated:" https://www.npr.org/2025/03/13/nx-s1-5325694/maryland-court-fired-federal-employees-trump

* "Federal judges order Trump to rehire thousands of fired probationary federal employees :" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/federal-judges-order-trump-to-rehire-thousands-of-fired-probationary-federal-employees-234392133708

* "'A sham': Federal judge blasts Trump admin on improper firings of federal workers; orders rehiring:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-a-sham-federal-judge-blasts-trump-admin-on-improper-firings-of-federal-workers-orders-rehiring-234398789993

* They are ignoring the court orders to stop. "Trump poised to launch new round of layoffs despite setbacks in court:" https://archive.ph/aVPti

* "Federal workers called back to the office — or is it a shuttered Subway?:" https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/federal-workers-called-back-to-the-office-or-is-it-a-shuttered-subway/ar-AA1APHKA

You know what would be easier and cheaper? Let people continue working remotely.

* "Tech 'solution' makes a fool of Trump again; Federal return to office order bungled:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/tech-solution-makes-a-fool-of-trump-again-federal-return-to-office-order-bungled-234403909936

* "A Wannabe Influencer Is in Charge of Defending DOGE Cuts:" https://www.thecut.com/article/opm-mclaurine-pinover-fashion-influencer-videos-doge-cuts.html

The cheek of it to fire so many hard working productive people and to have someone like this calling them lazy and incompetent. Every Republican accusation a confession.

* "Musk And Trump Are Trying To Break The Government So Billionaires Can Take It Over - Ezra Klein:"

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* "Judge orders urgent release of DOGE records, citing ‘unprecedented’ power and ‘unusual secrecy’:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/10/judge-orders-doge-record-release-00223151

* "Top lawyer at IRS removed amid DOGE push for taxpayer information: Sources:" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/top-lawyer-irs-removed-amid-doge-push-taxpayer/story?id=119769757

* "OPM to review potential risks from DOGE’s access to sensitive federal systems:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/10/opm-security-doge-access-00221620

* "Diverse groups opposing Trump-Musk agenda coalesce around date for nationwide protest:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/diverse-groups-opposing-trump-musk-agenda-coalesce-around-date-for-nationwide-protest-234497605740

* "‘The people hold the power’: Grassroots anti-Trump resistance outshines lawmakers:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-the-people-hold-the-power-grassroots-anti-trump-resistance-outshines-lawmakers-234483781748

* "Republicans struggle to answer for Trump, Musk to alarmed constituents back home:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/republicans-struggle-to-answer-for-trump-musk-to-alarmed-constituents-back-home-234049093911

* "'I'm going': Tim Walz to hold town halls in Republican districts in wake of DOGE cuts:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-i-m-going-tim-walz-to-hold-town-halls-in-republican-districts-in-wake-of-doge-cuts-234266693990

* "States sue Trump administration over mass firings of federal employees:" https://www.npr.org/2025/03/08/nx-s1-5321864/trump-federal-employees-lawsuit-states

* "Md. Attorney General goes deeper on lawsuits against Trump administration, expects more to come:" https://wtop.com/maryland/2025/03/md-ag-brown-goes-deeper-on-lawsuits-against-trump-administration-expects-more-to-come/

* "Billionaires at Trump’s Swearing-In Have Since Lost $209 Billion:" https://archive.ph/dRz86

* "Musk Melts Down as Tesla Stock Price Plunges:" https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/musk-tesla-stock-price-plunge-1235292855/

* "Donald Trump Calls Tesla Boycotts Illegal:" https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-tesla-boycott-illegal-2042647

* "Trump turns White House into Tesla showroom as Musk gets ‘government bailout’:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/trump-turns-white-house-into-tesla-showroom-as-musk-gets-government-bailout-234149957918

* "Tesla turmoil ignites political proxy war:" https://www.axios.com/2025/03/13/tesla-trump-white-house-musk

* "Trump says violence against Tesla is domestic terrorism:" https://archive.ph/fh80a

* "As Musk’s business empire falters, Trump summons a wave of conservative support:" https://archive.ph/8JNve

* "Tesla Reportedly Stops Cybertruck Deliveries Because a Massive Part Keeps Flying Off:" https://futurism.com/tesla-stops-cybertruck-deliveries-trim

* "Rep. Larson BLASTS The GOP For Blocking Elon Musk From Testifying:"

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* "Trump prepares order dismantling the Education Department:" https://www.npr.org/2025/03/05/nx-s1-5316227/trump-order-dismantling-education-department

* " Linda McMahon lays out Education Department’s ‘final mission’ :" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/04/linda-mcmahon-education-department-final-mission-00210057

Reminder: she's never taught or administered a school and is profoundly ignorant about the damage she is doing and doesn't care to learn.

* "Education Department cuts half its staff as Trump vows to wind the agency down:" https://apnews.com/article/education-department-layoffs-job-cuts-linda-mcmahon-ce9f6a8a63972aede0d8fbdf057ab788

* "What the Education Department layoffs could mean for students with disabilities:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/education-department-layoffs-students-disabilities-rcna196114

This harms students with disabilities and anyone not born rich enough to pay for college up front. Cruelty is the point.

* "US judge temporarily halts Trump plan to cut hundreds of millions of dollars for teacher training:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-department-of-education-lawsuit-teacher-training-d9f84633d57f4010e1c03fcdaf003db2

* "Trump fires 1,300 at Department of Education; programs expected to suffer with staff gutted:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-fires-1-300-at-department-of-education-programs-expected-to-suffer-with-staff-gutted-234164805699

* "Fired Education Department worker: 'We got the sense that we were disposable.':" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fired-education-department-worker-sense-disposable/story?id=119732001

* "Massive Layoffs at the Department of Education Erode Its Civil Rights Division: Only five of the agency’s civil rights offices remain nationwide. Those who are still with the department say it will now be “virtually impossible” to resolve discrimination complaints.:" https://www.propublica.org/article/education-department-civil-rights-division-eroded-by-massive-layoffs

* "GOP voucher plan would divert billions in taxes to private schools:" https://archive.ph/1eNhg

This is about starving public schools which serve everyone in favor of private schools which can and do discriminate. This means concentrating the students who need the most support in schools that are having their funding cut at the same time to make it impossible to provide that support.

This is on purpose. Republicans have been trying to destroy public schools longer than I've been alive as the last thing they want is quality education for people who aren't white and also wealthy.

* "Elon Musk Teases Big Cuts to Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/elon-musk-cuts-social-security-medicaid-medicare-1235293407/

* "Social Security Backtracks on DOGE Phone Service Cuts After Media Report:" https://www.newsweek.com/doge-pushes-social-security-administration-cut-off-phone-service-report-2043708

This is why we need an independent media. This is why we need protests.

Why is this important? The Social Security Administration has a notoriously difficult website to use. It requires a special log in thing that most people do not have. (Including me.) Sometimes they will issue you one and not tell you what it is if you get it at an SSA office. They don't, say email it to you, which would be useless in any case for people who don't have internet access or have disabilities that make using the Internet extra hard, and for people who often are older than the internet and have little to no appropriate skills, or are home bound and can't get to library, or have had their local library cut and also just had the SSA office near them closed, or.... You get the idea.

Approximately 80% of people on Social security or applying for benefits use the phone service, because it actually works if you are patient, unlike the glitchy and difficult to access web site.

This cut is really about denying people who paid into the system getting access to the benefits they paid for.

It also really fucks up seniors and people with disabilities who need things like Medicaid and EBT on top of their Medicare as those programs often require a proof of income letter once or twice a year that must be issued within 1-3 months of turning in your paperwork. (Exactly details are state by state. My state is once a year up to three months. My state is super lenient because it's been unified Democratic rule for decades and it works at keeping citizens alive instead of trying to kill them off). So do a bunch of other programs for seniors and people with disabilities. I have to interact with this phone system 2-4 times a year, depending on which of my services need re-upping.

The knock on effects of the planned cuts would have been huge!

Stay noisy! Save lives!

* They are still planning more deadly cuts: "DOGE attacks on Social Security officials could have dire consequences:" https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/doge-social-security-cuts-service-rcna196118

See the part above about people needing to go in person for a lot of things like starting benefits, updating after name changes, etc.? Yeah.

* "Here’s a ‘dead’ person on Social Security in Seattle, with plenty to say:" https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/heres-a-dead-person-on-social-security-in-seattle-with-plenty-to-say/

They are basing these cuts on a debunked lie Musk and Trump keep telling because DOGE Minions are so incompetent they couldn't recognize a COBOL language error message, Cutting people off from benefits they deserve will kill them and there is significantly less than a one percent fraud/error rate.

* "Understanding Trump's War on Research Funding & The Future:" https://www.panaccindex.info/p/understanding-trumps-war-on-research

* "The US agency that monitors weather will cut another 1,000 jobs, AP sources say:" https://apnews.com/article/noaa-job-cuts-weather-forecasts-trump-doge-musk-7e35e9d5d757d8fc3f0f50b2bd71c87d

These cuts are essential to preventing the prediction and monitoring of extreme weather so more people will die.

* People will die. People like me will die. "DOGE Is Trying to Shutter Crucial Volcano Observatory Facilities:" https://www.notus.org/health-science/doge-alaska-volcano-observatory

* "The True Cost of Trump’s Cuts to NOAA and NASA:" https://time.com/7267889/climate-cost-of-trump-staff-cuts-noaa-nasa/

* Ignore the misleading headline. "Trump wants to use the ‘God Squad’ to increase logging, but it must follow strict rules:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-logging-endangered-species-god-squad-5ddbbd117a480cdc60f5bc5580cd72ef

They are ignoring the endangered species act so as to drive endangered species extinct looks like too.

* "EPA workers silenced as agency cancels hundreds of grants:" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/epa-workers-silenced-agency-cancels-hundreds-grants/story?id=119715963

* "Trump’s FBI Moves to Criminally Charge Major Climate Groups: The Trump administration is targeting climate organizations that received a Biden-era grant.:" https://newrepublic.com/post/192660/trump-fbi-charge-climate-organizations

It's not illegal to receive a government grant and there is zero evidence that any of these groups broke the law.

* "The FAA’s Troubles Are More Serious Than You Know:" https://archive.ph/pnaya

* "Musk Faces Complaint Over Efforts to Get FAA to Drop Verizon, Use Starlink:" https://www.pcmag.com/news/musk-faces-complaint-over-efforts-to-get-faa-to-drop-verizon-use-starlink

It is essential that Starlink loses this one.

Verizon has a contract they bid for and won fairly. Elon Musk arbitrarily cancelling it without any government authority and awarding his own company a no bid contract is illegal and corrupt on it's face in multiple ways.

This is also away to hijack our entire federal aviation system so he can hold it for hostage later, much as he did with the Ukrainian military.

* "Trump cuts environment program for low-income, minority communities:" https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250312-trump-cuts-environment-program-for-low-income-minority-communities

* "Trump administration issues funds to NYC housing nonprofits, with new strings attached:" https://gothamist.com/news/trump-administration-issues-funds-to-nyc-housing-nonprofits-with-new-strings-attached

* He knew that he was screwing over California, and he did it anyway for the optics and revenge. "Trump's 2.2 billion-gallon dump from California reservoirs just got even uglier:" https://www.sfgate.com/centralcalifornia/article/trump-california-reservoir-dump-kaweah-success-20209496.php

* "Top US health agency makes $25,000 buyout offer to most of its employees:" https://apnews.com/article/hhs-employee-buyouts-kennedy-cdc-nih-medicaid-bf5a746518b2b3fe967ab95a8e2a1a65

* So people will go hungry. Children will go hungry. "USDA cancels $1B in local food purchasing for schools, food banks:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/10/usda-cancels-local-food-purchasing-for-schools-food-banks-00222796

* This also really hurts small farmers. "USDA ends program that helped schools serve food from local farmers:" https://apnews.com/article/school-lunch-usda-trump-c1485f824573913fe9a734bbf1273e26

* "US senators to urge USDA to reinstate canceled local food programs:" https://archive.ph/jLnN2

* Which have a lot of salt. "Sen. Deb Fischer offers up ‘canned food’ as alternate to USDA food bank cuts:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/13/deb-fischer-canned-food-usda-food-bank-cuts-00228164

* "Donald Trump's policies are making our kids dumber, sicker, meaner, and scared:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/trump-children-sicker-meaner-opinion

* "Harvard doctors sue Trump administration over censoring LGBTQ+ terms:" https://www.advocate.com/news/harvard-doctors-sue-trump-administration

* Transphobia harms everyone. "Trump officials kill federal research on safer period products over mention of transgender men:" https://www.advocate.com/news/usda-scraps-study-transgender-mention

* "RFK Jr. Reportedly Had a Call With Texans Helping Distribute Unproven Measles Remedies:" https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/03/rfk-jr-measles-outbreak-texas-cod-steroids-call-seminole-mennonite-community-hhs/

You know what would be way more effective than quack medicine? Vaccinating everyone who can be vaccinated.

* Case in point: "Measles cases linked to Texas outbreak grows to 259, with just 2 among fully vaccinated people:" https://abcnews.go.com/Health/measles-cases-linked-texas-outbreak-grows-259-2/story?id=119799576

* "Trump adviser Alina Habba says veterans fired by DOGE are perhaps 'not fit to have a job at this moment':" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/doge/trump-adviser-alina-habba-says-veterans-fired-doge-are-perhaps-not-fit-rcna194721

Trump has a long standing disgust and hatred for veterans in general, but particularly ones with disabilities. This is why he appointed people who feel exactly the same to steal their jobs and their health care from them.

* "Federal judge dismantles Trump's trans military ban in explosive hearing:" https://www.advocate.com/news/judge-skeptical-trans-military-ban

* I am not convinced they will follow the ruling stopping this. "Pentagon says it will start kicking transgender people out of military this month:" https://www.advocate.com/news/trans-military-ban-moves-ahead

* "Trump's VA rescinds policy treating transgender vets with dignity (exclusive):" https://www.advocate.com/news/transgender-veterans-policy-rescinded

* "Veteran Chains Himself Outside White House to Protest Trump and Musk:" https://newrepublic.com/post/192559/veteran-chains-white-house-protest-trump-musk

* CW: Rape. We are in a constitutional crisis now. (See also Trump administration refusing to restore funding and rehire people, as well as the Military being ordered to ignore the ruling ordering them not to discharge all the trans soldiers). "Federal officials force transgender women into men’s prisons despite judge’s ruling against Trump’s order:" https://www.advocate.com/news/transgender-women-forced-mens-prisons

* "Pam Bondi reshapes the DOJ around Trump's priorities:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/s-trumps-justice-department-now-rcna195289

* "Justice Chucks Paper Straws in Favor of Plastic Per Trump Order:" https://news.bgov.com/bloomberg-government-news/justice-chucks-paper-straws-in-favor-of-plastic-per-trump-order

* CW: Domestic Violence. "DOJ official says she was fired after opposing the restoration of Mel Gibson's gun rights:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/doj-official-says-was-fired-opposing-restoration-mel-gibsons-gun-right-rcna195287

* "Trump administration eyes cuts to Justice Department public corruption unit, people familiar say:" https://archive.ph/hnuLn

The only reason you would do this is if you were planning to bribe or otherwise allow the bribing of public officials by your allies.

* They are ending the case because most of the victims are black. "Justice Dept. says ending Louisiana petrochemical case helps ‘dismantle radical DEI programs’:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-louisiana-cancer-denka-chloroprene-epa-lawsuit-89b1f870816f65370eeb75ff269e9c0e

* This only helps our enemies. "Trump’s Justice Dept. ousts national security officials in latest purge:" https://archive.ph/99SjJ

* "They're Fabricating Criminal Prosecutions Now:"

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* This next batch may look small, but Trump is seizing control of the judiciary, persecuting political opposition, and removing checks that prevent Autocracy.

* He is calling openly for political prosecutions. "Trump pledges to ‘expose’ his enemies in political speech at Justice Department:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-visits-justice-department-e9091e3721adda4d3ed39bd15119a0d4

* "The GOP aim to shutdown democracy and 'replace it with techno-state dictatorship' warns Rep. Raskin:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/the-gop-aim-to-shutdown-democracy-and-replace-it-with-techno-state-dictatorship-warns-rep-raskin-234523205943

* "Trump demands 'accountability' for his pursuers in Justice Department speech:" https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-demands-accountability-his-pursuers-justice-department-speech-2025-03-14/

* They are criminalizing non-violent political speech. "Acting U.S. attorney for D.C. opens inquiries into Democrats, alleging possible threats to DOGE, Supreme Court justices:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/acting-u-s-attorney-inquiry-schumer-possible-threat-doge-supreme-court-justices/

* Luckily, push back is having an effect. "D.C. prosecutor drops bid to investigate Schumer for purported threat:" https://archive.ph/enoUV

* "D.C. U.S. attorney targets Ukraine whistleblower Rep. Vindman:" https://archive.ph/owxVo

* "Democratic senators request investigation of interim DC US attorney:" https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/democratic-senators-request-investigation-of-interim-dc-us-attorney/3862040/

Because what Ed Martin's doing is illegal and unethical.

* "Trump allies launch a bid to take control of a powerful Washington legal group:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/trump-allies-bradley-bondi-control-dc-bar-association-rcna195253

They need to do this because Ed Martin is in danger of being disbarred for all the illegal and unethical things he is doing to persecute people Trump doesn't like.

* "Trump hones Justice Department as weapon of revenge; some dull edges remain:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-hones-justice-department-as-weapon-of-revenge-some-dull-edges-remain-234501189653

* "‘Lawlessness’: Hayes on the ‘terrifying’ abuse of power at Trump’s EPA, FBI:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-lawlessness-hayes-on-the-terrifying-abuse-of-power-at-trump-s-epa-fbi-234483781911

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* "Supreme Court to decide whether states can protect LGBTQ+ youth from conversion therapy:" https://www.advocate.com/news/supreme-court-conversion-therapy-case
Conversion Therapy is torture. It has no validity, but it can lead to depression and suicide.

Republicans want to abuse children, knowing it's abuse for the pleasure of harming queer children.

* "Think Small: End Billionaires:" https://www.mind-war.com/p/think-small-end-billionaires

* "Two weak spots in Big Tech economics:" https://pluralistic.net/2025/03/06/privacy-last/

* "US stock market loses $4 trillion in value as Trump plows ahead on tariffs:" https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/investors-flee-equities-trump-driven-uncertainty-sparks-economic-worry-2025-03-10/

It's been suggested that doing the will he won't he with the tariffs, while extremely devastating for business, ordinary people, US Foreign Policy/trade relations, and the US Economy; would be an excellent way to manipulate the US stock market so that billionaires could buy up stocks at rock bottom prices.

I'm not saying that's what's happening, but it's the only logical reason anyone I've seen could think of to do what Trump is doing with tariffs.

I'm not suggesting Trump is bright enough to do this on his own, but I think their are a lot of very rich people who have bought their way into his inner circle who are

Again, that's speculation. I mean he could also be doing this for fun or because Putin told him to. Or all three.

* "Striking workers in WA could get unemployment insurance benefits:" https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/striking-workers-in-wa-could-get-unemployment-insurance-benefits/

* "Nestlé Purina workers in Pennsylvania on strike:" https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/03/11/koct-m11.html

* "Nestle Purina workers strike for better wages and benefits in South Whitehall Township:" https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/lehighvalley/lehigh-county/allentown-area/nestle-purina-workers-strike-for-better-wages-and-benefits-in-south-whitehall-township/article_d28a8caa-f79b-11ef-86f9-bf0bc337c1b6.html

* Chuck Schumer betrayed us, rather than stand firm and force them to negotiate. Sigh. "Democratic Party fractures in government shutdown fight, with anger running high:" https://apnews.com/article/democrats-congress-chuck-schumer-government-funding-shutdown-43d1acea20c34ad28d848edc08ad6375

Here's who to primary:
Chuck Schumer
John Fetterman
Kirsten Gillibrand
Maggie Hassan
Catherine Cortez Masto
Jean Shaheen
Brian Schatz
Dick Durbin

Gary Peters is retiring
Angus King is a centrist independent, but caucuses Democrat.

If these are your critters, consider telling them how you feel.

* "Republicans say Medicaid is safe. But budget math says otherwise:" https://www.npr.org/2025/03/10/1237260288/republicans-say-medicaid-is-safe-but-budget-math-says-otherwise

* "DC leaders in budget panic, saying Congress bill would financially devastate the city:" https://wtop.com/dc/2025/03/dc-leaders-in-budget-panic-saying-bill-in-congress-would-financially-devastate-the-city/

* "'Chuck Schumer's gotta go!' Dems face reckoning amid dire polls:" https://www.msnbc.com/ayman-mohyeldin/watch/-chuck-schumer-s-gotta-go-dems-face-reckoning-amid-dire-polls-234543173956

* "‘Chuck Schumer is not willing to be in the driver's seat’: Ameshia Cross on Sen. Schumer's leadership:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/-chuck-schumer-is-not-willing-to-be-in-the-driver-s-seat-ameshia-cross-on-sen-schumer-s-leadership-234544709839

* "House Republicans literally alter time to avoid responsibility for Trump wrecking the economy:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/house-republicans-literally-alter-time-to-avoid-responsibility-for-trump-wrecking-the-economy-234171974002

* "Trump administration withdraws CDC director nomination just before Senate hearing:" https://apnews.com/article/dave-weldon-cdc-director-9a3d061832e2f0f644f2c58fbae36965

* "Transgender Rep. Sarah McBride calls out 'weird' obsession by Republicans in whose minds 'I appear to live rent-free':" https://www.advocate.com/politics/sarah-mcbride-gop-weird-obsession

* "'Have you no decency?': Republican calls Sarah McBride 'mister,' but Democrats wouldn't have it:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/republican-misgender-sarah-mcbride

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

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

Please add more below if you have them.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

---

* "Teen targeted by homophobic school board member now running for his job:" https://www.advocate.com/news/teen-challenges-school-board-homophobe

* Wisconsin! Please don't sleep on this election. Your future chance at free and fair elections as well as so many of your rights are on the line! "The Wisconsin Supreme Court Election Is a Referendum on Elon Musk:" https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/03/elon-musk-wisconsin-supreme-court-brad-schimel-susan-crawford/

* "Crawford, Schimel clash over Musk, Soros money in $59 million court raceRecord spending in Wisconsin Supreme Court race reaches $59M as candidates debate outside influence from billionaire donors Musk and: Soros.:" https://www.wisn.com/article/crawford-schimel-clash-over-musk-soros-money-in-59-million-court-race/64176457

The polls are incredibly tight and a Schimel win means Democrats lose their majority and Trump-Musk style court decisions will do terrible damage.

* "Governor Hochul Holds Roundtable with Workers Impacted by Federal Layoffs and Announces Expansion of New York’s “You’re Hired” Initiative to Recruit Impacted Workers :" https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-holds-roundtable-workers-impacted-federal-layoffs-and-announces-expansion-new

* "Protests erupt as bill allowing TN schools to refuse to enroll undocumented students moves forward:" https://www.wsmv.com/2025/03/11/protests-erupt-bill-allowing-tn-schools-refuse-enroll-undocumented-students-moves-forward/

* Texans, I beg of you to protest. Pull out the stops. "Texas Republican bill would make simply being transgender a felony:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/texas-republicans-transgender-lives-felony

* "Protesters unveil giant Pride flag in response to Utah's new bill trying to ban it:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/pride-flag-utah-protest

* "North Dakota Senate rejects resolution seeking to overturn marriage equality:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/north-dakota-marriage-equality-resolution

Watch your state level politics, folks, because protests and calls can do a lot there. Don't give up hope.

* "Andy Beshear lambastes Gavin Newsom for hosting Steve Bannon on podcast:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/beshear-lambastes-newsom-bannon

* "Wisconsin conservative admits he was wrong about his anti-trans beliefs — this was all it took:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/anti-trans-bill-wisconsin

* "Study: Long sentences for juveniles make reentry into society more difficult:" https://phys.org/news/2025-03-sentences-juveniles-reentry-society-difficult.html

Water is wet studies are essential for making arguments in court, to policy makers, and to people who haven't made their minds up yet.

* "Multiple D.C. LGBTQ+ bars pull Jack Daniel's orders over distiller's retreat from diversity & inclusion:" https://www.advocate.com/business/lgbtq-bars-pull-jack-daniels

I am old enough to remember the Coors boycott.

* "New German, Swiss, and Austrian guidelines recommend gender-affirming care, slam Cass Review:" https://www.advocate.com/health/europeans-recommend-gender-affirming-care

* "New report finds LGBTQ+ and intersex Americans faced much discrimination in 2024:" https://www.advocate.com/news/new-report-confirms-widespread-discrimination

* "LGBTQ+ youth feel safer online than in-person — and it's not close:" https://www.advocate.com/news/lgbtq-youth-feel-safer-online

Water is wet studies are essential for making arguments in court, to policy makers, and to people who haven't made their minds up yet.

* "Who is MassResistance, the far-right group behind anti-marriage equality resolutions?:" https://www.advocate.com/news/who-is-massresistance-anti-lgbtq

* "Seven suspects charged with torture, killing of trans man Sam Nordquist appeared in court:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/seven-suspects-sam-nordquist-appear-court

* "Body of 'Julie Doe' in Florida identified as transgender woman Pamela Leigh Walton:" https://www.advocate.com/news/investigation-identifies-deceased-transgender-woman

* "Trump’s anti-trans agenda takes center stage at planned 'Detrans Awareness Day' events:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/republicans-celebrate-detrans-awareness-day

* Why are people still going on these floating plague ships? "Another norovirus outbreak on Princess Cruises ship sickens dozens of passengers and crew:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/norovirus-outbreak-princess-cruises-ship-coral-princess-sickens-dozens-passengers-crew/

* "Measles cases spike to 25-year high in Europe:" https://www.politico.eu/article/measles-cases-spike-to-25-year-high-in-europe/

---

* "“Cool” years are now hotter than the “warm” years of the past: tracking global temperatures through El Niño and La Niña:" https://ourworldindata.org/global-temperatures-el-nino-la-nina

* "A Mount Spurr eruption is ‘likely’ within weeks or months, scientists say:" https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2025/03/12/a-mount-spurr-eruption-is-likely-within-weeks-or-months-scientists-say/

---

* "The Global South’s Cleantech Revolution in Five Charts:" https://rmi.org/the-global-souths-cleantech-revolution-in-five-charts/?ref=fixthenews.com

* "Music industry’s 1990s hard drives, like all HDDs, are dying:" https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/09/music-industrys-1990s-hard-drives-like-all-hdds-are-dying/

* "There’s a bizarre animal in the deepest depths of the Pacific Ocean that looks like a toast rack – and it uses deadly hooks to kill its prey:" https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/marine-animals/harp-spnge

* "When an American Town Massacred Its Chinese Immigrants:" https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/03/10/when-an-american-town-massacred-its-chinese-immigrants

* "Dora Richter Lived:" https://epgn.com/2024/06/25/dora-richter-lived/

* "How the Boredom Epidemic ruined Hobbies:"

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* "Looking for the mysterious photographer who snapped occupied Paris and mocked the Nazis:" https://www.lemonde.fr/en/summer-reads/article/2024/09/09/looking-for-the-unknown-photographer-who-snapped-occupied-paris-and-mocked-the-nazis_6725386_183.html

* "Arizona Rep. Raúl Grijalva, fierce LGBTQ+ ally & progressive champion, dies at 77:" https://www.advocate.com/obituaries/arizona-congressman-raul-grijalva-dies

* "Sen. Alan Simpson was way ahead of his party when it came to LGBTQ+ rights and marriage equality:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/alan-simpson-remembered

I didn't agree with everything he did, but this and his work for Internment camp survivors is incredibly admirable.

* "Felice Picano, acclaimed gay author, has died at 81:" https://www.advocate.com/news/author-felice-picano-dies

* "WWII bomb disposal operation in Paris causes hours of travel chaos and Eurostar line closure:" https://apnews.com/article/france-paris-gare-nord-unexploded-bomb-d76871a93baee768df2a225922f12d89

* I am making progress on spinning up Killian Laptop. I downloaded a bunch of smaller programs, I finally convinced some browsers to sync. I've added some more accessibility extensions, and Saturday, I got a couple browsers set up with things so I could run some of the standard things I do everyday of him.

He's pretty fast compared to Klaus. The main problem I'm having is I can't get Waterfox to run on him. Our theory is maybe he's too old for modern iterations. I am trying earlier versions one by one, but I may be stuck with classic Waterfox, which is not supported and can't sync, so I keep having to stop to hand customize. I'll keep at it this week when I'm not in the aggregate crunch.

* In Cat News: Sunday Tavy discovered that Goth Millenial can also administer medication.

Livia also reached the end of her patience with a Thing the Emperor has been doing. The Empress is a peaceable animal by nature as long as you aren't live prey. She is more than twice his size, but she will generally give way as it's less hassle unless he pushes her too far.

Sunday, she decided she had had enough. For the last month or two, he's been peeing on everybody's favorite spot on my bed 5-6 times a week. I am a person with a clothes washer on it's last legs that can only use hot water. I can't wash multiple cat pads every night and he's also taken to running it to pee on the bed while I am getting ready for bed, so if he does it earlier, the cats are SOL for napping in the Best spot until I do the bed time laundry. Traditionally, he then gets really angry at the humans because Someone has Peed in the best spot!!!

This is Livia's favorite spot too. In fact, she sleeps there more than he does in winter as he decamps for his heated bed for most of his Night Napping.

Tavy's refusal to pee in the box has been inconveniencing her all this time. Sure, she has her second favorite spot: the bedroom window podium, which I tricked out for her in her youth, but a lot of cold seeps in on winter nights and though she is cold adapted, she would rather be a bit further from the window in the comfy spot in the elbow of the Pillow Mountain Range. She has a number of other popular spots, including the desk box, top of pillow mountain, and three other on bed locations. (She used to love sleeping on the sofa, but that is also covered in pee pads and Tavy pee by that time of night. In warmer weather there is also Living room Window box, but the emperor peed in the spare boxes, so I'm not bothering with a new one until the weather is good for window naps.)

Before you ask, yes, we tried keeping the boxes clean. He pees in the boxes to mark them after a change, then goes right back to the sofa if no one is sitting on it, and sometimes when they are. I'd have to scoop each box myself after every use, a thing I can't do with my lungs and arthritis. I miss when he used to pee in the tub or the sink. I could just run a little water after each use, but he doesn't anymore.

Anyway, Sunday night, Livia was camped in the Best Bed Spot and was Not Moving, because if she did, he'd just pee on it after a token sit to establish dominance. he tried all of the passive aggressive tactics. Which she ignored, and when he got physical, she yelled at him and wapped him a good one. He knows he can't win a physical fight, so he is asleep in his desk bed as of this writing and she is enjoying the Best Bed Spot in peace for the first time since he started the regular bed wetting.

Good on her.

* "ICE Detention: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO):"

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* "Trump Tanks Stocks, Exhausts Wall Street | Erasing "Women" From The Internet | The King's Playlist:"

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* "Trump Trade War Wipes $4T Off The Stock Market | Rebrand Your Tesla | RFK Jr. On Measles:"

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* "Beer Will Cost More Under “Chaotic” Tariffs | Trump: Khalil Detention Is The First Of Many To Come:"

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* "Au Revoir, Champagne | EPA Is Abandoning The Environment | Vandalizing Teslas:"

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* "Meanwhile... Packing Peanuts Are Not Food | Banana Technology | Carolina Reaper World Record:"

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* "A room full of witnesses | Rose B. Simpson: Journeys of Clay | Exhibition Insights:"

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* "Ceaser's Camp 49BC:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/P2PFY7iQNVw

* I wish I could debate some of these with him at a party. "Manic Monarchs:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hUkHg1A1W5o

* "Dashing Dolphins:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9hZRMAR3w1E

* "Charging Cavalry:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ww5_UiO09Ks

* "Ludicrous Ludwig II:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/nXalZ_6m5Fg

* "True Facts: How Snakes Move:"

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* "How to play the accordion with Betsy and ‪dinosaurdinnertheatre1792‬ :"

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* "King Charles' Radio Show: An Affront To Donald Trump?:"

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* "Amazon's Deepening Relationship With The Trumps:"

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* "Is It Worth It?:"

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* "The Ballad of Tommy & Joey:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/KPmAbERDy5A

* "The Red God Chronicles: The Folly of King Runas:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/e5VB-DDHfk0

* "The Red God Chronicles: The Tragedy of Rudolf:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/nF1Al07sQ3M

* "The Red God Chronicles: The Defiance of the Fae Queen:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JBVglBFW5GU

*****
* 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.

* "Find Non-US Alternatives: Discover alternatives to the mainstream products, services, and companies typically found in the United States and Russia, sourced from other regions.:" https://www.bankrupttrump.org/

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

* Save The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Explainer and directions here with link to government comment form: https://www.tumblr.com/veluigi/776960165468684288/action-item?source=share

Direct Link to Form: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/02/25/2025-03014/removal-of-national-environmental-policy-act-implementing-regulations

* Indigenous led organizationtrying to save endangered species that just lost Federal funding. "The Buffalo Nations Grasslands Alliance:" https://www.bnga.org/

* What to do if you are an adult who is losing your gender affirming care from your physician: https://www.tumblr.com/anonymousalchemist/774948824033673217

* Help Lambda Legal Continue their fight: https://support.lambdalegal.org/site/Donation2;jsessionid=00000000.app30130a?df_id=6680&mfc_pref=T&6680.donation=form1&NONCE_TOKEN=D3311163DF16F06EEA5520010BAF90B5&_gl=1*n53ras*_gcl_au*MTMxNDYxNjc0LjE3MzgxODExMzg.*_ga*MTY0NDY4OTM4NC4xNzM4MTgxMTM4*_ga_290ZG8GMP3*MTczODE4MTEzOC4xLjEuMTczODE4MTIwMi41OC4wLjA.

* Glad Law is fighting for trans service members. Want to help? https://givebutter.com/donatetoglad?utm_src=webheader&_gl=1*1qhxi1q*_ga*NDM3MjM0Mzk1LjE3NDEwMDk5NDA.*_ga_PCJHHSV2G7*MTc0MTAwOTk0MC4xLjAuMTc0MTAwOTk0MC4wLjAuMA..

* "Donate to the ACLU:" https://action.aclu.org/give/now

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

* "Resources for California fire victims were scattered. So I created this site to help.:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/california-disaster-recovery-resources

* "Where your donations to L.A. fire victims will do the most good:" https://www.advocate.com/news/donate-los-angeles-fire-victims

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

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

* "Here are 26 organizations fighting Donald Trump that you can donate to:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/anti-donald-trump-charities

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

* "LGBTQ+ Victory Fund:" https://victoryfund.org/

* Where to protest the censoring and erasure of transfolk on the Stonewal Uprising monument if you can't go in person. Select no and leave a comment.: https://www.nps.gov/ston/index.htm

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

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

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

* "The Black Consumer Advisory:" https://naacp.org/campaigns/black-consumer-advisory

* Want to help Virginia get a Democratic Governor? "Support Abigail's Campaign for Governor of Virginia!" https://secure.actblue.com/donate/blu-asfg-2025-gs-dd?refcode=BLU_ASFG_DD_GS_NT_NTL_Q1_01&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAt4C-BhBcEiwA8Kp0CcaXXWdWpVI1uyoauFCRFgrY9hsEMA4pbxF_TO6ZPHAdhNzOmcwHTxoC8lgQAvD_BwE

* Post Joann's fabric Resources: https://www.tumblr.com/omgthatdress/777133232259989504/quilted-twins-florida-based-quilting-shop-with-a?source=share

( More Links Underneath: )

---

* "Rafah is a rubble-strewn ghost town 2 months after Israel invaded to root out Hamas:" https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/rafah-dusty-rubble-strewn-ghost-town-2-months-111724487

* "Israeli military orders the evacuation of Gaza City, an early target of its war with Hamas:" https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-07-10-2024-6358a61735f0e30132decce781860594

* "If you are struggling with choosing which fundraisers to support, please consider donating to the following places providing medical aid, food, and other supplies to Palestine at this time:" https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/750500230956564480?source=share

* Links for various Palestinian Aid Organizations: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/750151174318112768?source=share

******

* "Israel approves the largest Palestinian West Bank land grab in three decades:" https://www.salon.com/2024/07/03/israel-approves-the-largest-palestinian-west-land-grab-in-three-decades/

* "Protesters call ‘shut down’ on Sunday, demanding elections on 9-month war milestone:" https://www.timesofisrael.com/protesters-call-shut-down-on-sunday-demanding-elections-on-9-month-war-milestone/

******

* "F-16s head to Ukraine to begin flights this summer:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/07/10/f-16s-fighter-jets-ukraine-00167265

* "Russian missile attack kills 36, hits children's hospital, Ukraine says:" https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukrainian-air-defence-engaged-repelling-russian-missile-attack-kyiv-officials-2024-07-08/

* "Ukrainian attacks on supply lines slowed Russians in Kharkiv, intercepts show:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/07/08/ukraine-intercepts-russia-kharkiv-supplies/

---

* "Reformist Pezeshkian beats hard-liner to win Iran presidential election, promising outreach to West:" https://apnews.com/article/iran-presidential-election-runoff-jalili-pezeshkian-results-8a10c940adc1259566791b549828a3fd

* "French vote gives leftists most seats over far right, but leaves hung parliament and deadlock:" https://apnews.com/article/france-elections-far-right-macron-08f10a7416a2494c85dcd562f33401d1

* "‘Popular front:’ How a pro-democracy coalition could unite to defeat Trump:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-popular-front-how-a-pro-democracy-coalition-could-unite-to-defeat-trump-214540869778

* "Why Nicolás Maduro appears 13 times on the ballot for Venezuela’s presidential election:" https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-presidential-election-maduro-ballot-opposition-195ae6a6db441f8759a28b6694355c81

* "‘Freedom!’ chants at Venezuelan opposition rallies ahead of election show depth of needs and fear:" https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-election-maduro-opposition-machado-edmundo-freedom-1d9aab83e201fcfa911ca1d1f72bdc80

* "Canada’s First Grocery Store Where Food is FREE Opens in Saskatchewan:" https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/canadas-1st-full-scale-free-grocery-store-to-open-in-saskatchewan/

* "Two US states ask Supreme Court to rule on anti-trans sports bans:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/07/12/west-virginia-idaho-title-ix-trans-sport/

* "Clarence Thomas Took Free Yacht Trip to Russia, Chopper Flight to Putin’s Hometown: Dems:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/clarence-thomas-accepted-yacht-trip-to-russia-chopper-flight-to-putins-hometown-democrats

* "The Supreme Court Destroyed The Government While You Weren't Looking:"

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* "US inflation cools again, potentially paving way for Fed to cut interest rates soon:" https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-rates-economy-federal-reserve-biden-8d15ca77433a1ae072a1e63dfc089f24

* "How Joe Biden turned the American economy into the ‘envy of the world’:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/how-joe-biden-turned-the-american-economy-into-the-envy-of-the-world-214782533820

* "Lawmakers want to know why there are fewer LGBTQ+ homeowners than straight: 'Concerning disparities':" https://www.advocate.com/exclusives/lgbtq-homeowner-disparities-congress-letter

* "Dick Durbin’s Spineless Delay on Supreme Court Corruption:" https://newrepublic.com/post/183717/dick-durbin-cowardly-supreme-court-thomas-alito

* "Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez filed separate articles of impeachment Wednesday against Supreme Court justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.:" https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/07/10/congress/aoc-impeachment-articles-against-alito-thomas-00167335

* "Senators demand special counsel investigation into Justice Clarence Thomas:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/senators-demand-special-counsel-investigation-into-justice-clarence-thomas-214529605507

* Action Item. Tell Congress to vote for HR 8206: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C864IfRx1DH/

* Stop the government censoring queer and other minority voices off the Internet in the US : https://www.stopkosa.com/

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

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

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

* "Trump’s Fake Electors Will Be Front and Center at RNC:" https://newrepublic.com/post/183712/trump-fake-electors-rnc-republican-national-convention

* "What to know about legal battles on details of abortion rights ballot measures across US:" https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/legal-battles-details-abortion-rights-ballot-measures-us-111896160

* "Nonbinary representation in government is on the rise with a record number of out elected officials:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/lgbtq-elected-officials-record-nonbinary

* "School district ejects board members who voted to ban Pride flags:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/07/12/school-district-voted-ban-pride/

* Primaries are Ongoing:
Important! Remember to vote in all primaries!!!

NOTE: Important non-Presidential Primaries are also ongoing! Remember to vote in all the races, not just the top of the ticket. Who runs congress, your state, and your local government really matters. In some states this is a separate primary. Check the rules for your state. This is how you push the party and the government left.

Tennessee (Congress): 8/1/24

Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Washington: 8/6/24

Hawaii: 8/10/24

Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont, Wisconsin: 8/13/24

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

Never, ever sleep on a chance to vote.

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

* "On campaign trail, RFK Jr. pushes 'bonkers' theory about CIA's 'takeover of the American press':" https://abcnews.go.com/US/campaign-trail-rfk-jr-pushes-bonkers-theory-cias/story?id=111274658

* "RFK Jr. pledges to ‘open the files’ on 9/11 attacks:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/07/05/rfk-jr-911-attacks-00166671

* "Is Nicole Shanahan Flirting With QAnon and Christian Nationalism?:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/nicole-shanahan-rfk-jr-demonic-1235046740/

* "Read the letter President Biden sent to House Democrats telling them to support him in the election:" https://apnews.com/article/biden-letter-democrats-4562a72aa3a891e55261617d0d494d00

* "White House doctor offers explanation for Parkinson's expert's visits:" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/white-house-doctor-offers-explanation-parkinsons-experts-visits/story?id=111764565

* "New York Post publishes racist article about Kamala Harris, sparks outrage:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/new-york-post-racist-harris

* "‘Gross and getting worse’: Trump allies step up racist, sexist attacks on Kamala Harris:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-gross-and-getting-worse-trump-allies-step-up-racist-sexist-attacks-on-kamala-harris-214786117593

* "NYT editorial board calls Trump ‘unfit to lead’:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/07/11/trump-new-york-times-00167529

* "Trump chooses wrong side as global democracy hangs in the balance:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/trump-chooses-wrong-side-as-global-democracy-hangs-in-the-balance-214714437627

* "Stunning Report Reveals Just How Closely Trump Is Tied to Project 2025:" https://newrepublic.com/post/183706/report-trump-ties-project-2025

* "Trump’s Claim to ‘Know Nothing’ About Project 2025 Is Ridiculous:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/donald-trump-project-2025-1235053996/

* Easy to read Project 2025 summary: https://www.tumblr.com/cleolinda/755715549458300928?source=share

* "'Drill, baby, drill': Trump’s Project 2025 would gut all U.S climate policy:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-drill-baby-drill-trump-s-project-2025-would-gut-all-u-s-climate-policy-214541381680

* "Trump panics as public gets wise to Project 2025, 'authoritarian how-to manual':" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/trump-panics-as-public-gets-wise-to-project-2025-authoritarian-how-to-manual-214793285812

* "Who would pull Trump's strings in a second Trump administration? Check the Mar-a-Lago guest list.:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/who-would-pull-trump-s-strings-in-a-second-trump-administration-check-the-mar-a-lago-guest-list-214623813922

* "The MAGAts are demanding our pre-emptive surrender. Why do you think that is?:" https://solarbird.net/blog/2024/07/06/the-magats-are-demanding-our-pre-emptive-surrender-why-do-you-think-that-is/

* "A Trump Ally Is Training 75 Armed Citizens. Is That a Militia?:" https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/11/nyregion/bruce-blakeman-armed-citizens-long-island.html

* "Trump's right-hand guy: The man behind Project 2025 and the MAGA dating app:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/trump-s-right-hand-guy-the-man-behind-project-2025-and-the-maga-dating-app-214614085835

* "If you think Project 2025 is scary, take a look at Donald Trump's Agenda 47:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/agenda47-donald-trump-project-2025

* "Tell your family that climate change is actually real and Trump wants more of it.:" https://solarbird.dreamwidth.org/1982626.html

* "When you talk to your Trumpy family and friends…:" https://solarbird.dreamwidth.org/1983297.html

* "Ron DeSantis vetoes millions in arts funding to shut down Florida's fringe festivals:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/desantis-vetoes-millions-arts-funding

* "Texas AG Ken Paxton is getting free help from Stephen Miller's America First Legal:" https://www.lawdork.com/p/texas-ag-ken-paxton-is-getting-free

* "Lauren Boebert mercilessly mocked for calling White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre a 'DEI hire':" https://www.advocate.com/politics/lauren-boebert-white-house-press-secretary-dei-hire

---

* "Judge Aileen Cannon grants Trump's request to pause some deadlines in classified documents case amid immunity questions:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/judge-aileen-cannon-grants-trump-request-pause-classified-documents-rcna160547

---

* "Hundreds of Patriot Front right-wing extremists march through Nashville:" https://www.advocate.com/news/patriot-front-nashville-march

* "We Need To Talk About Cop Cities: They're Everywhere:"

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* "Police Helicopter Flights and Spending Soar in New York City:" https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2024-nyc-police-helicopter-flights/?cmpid=BBD061824_CITYLAB

* "You can’t start from the top; you have to start with the people:" https://solarbird.dreamwidth.org/1983097.html

* "Planning parenthood for incarcerated men:" https://19thnews.org/2024/06/planning-parenthood-for-incarcerated-men/

* "Florida Republicans terrorized a teacher because of a Black Lives Matter flag. She hit back and won:" https://www.salon.com/2024/06/19/florida-terrorized-a-teacher-because-of-a-black-lives-matter-flag-she-hit-back-and-won/

---

* "Why Hurricane Beryl was more than Houston could handle:" https://www.vox.com/climate/360181/climate-hurricane-beryl-blackout-houston-flood

---

* "“Burned House” Mystery: Why Did This Ancient Culture Torch Its Own Homes Every 60 Years?:" https://daily.jstor.org/burned-house-mystery-why-did-this-ancient-culture-torch-its-own-homes-every-60-years/

* "Jim Inhofe, 89, dies after a long Senate career marked by fight against climate science:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/07/09/senator-jim-inhofe-obituary-00167021

* "James Inhofe, anti-LGBTQ+ former Republican senator, dead at 89:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/james-inhofe-antigay-senator-dead

* "What, to the Black trans woman, is the Fourth of July:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/trans-fourth-of-july

* "A man is caught attempting to smuggle 100 live snakes into China in his pants:" https://www.npr.org/2024/07/10/nx-s1-5035210/100-live-snakes-pants-smuggle-china

* "Drugs Disguised As Taco Bell Burritos Found During Traffic Stop:" https://wabx.net/2024/07/09/drugs-disguised-as-taco-bell-burritos-found-durring-traffic-stop/

* Apparently the crack down on illegal fireworks spurred by wildfire risk is working. Not only did we not get a week of random explosions, I couldn't hear professional explosions or neighborhood ones unless I went outside. No one set anything off in my complex let alone right under the living room window as is the usual practice. As far as I could tell the cats didn't notice.

The sky has been subtly uncanny valley for... I'm guessing a weekish? It's the wrong colour. No clouds. Yes, in a lot of places no clouds is fine, but here, there are almost always clouds of some sort. Normal cloudless periods are like a couple hours at most. Day after day of no clouds at all is absolutely a climate change thing in our weird little micro-environment, it's only been happening for a few years and I associate it with wildfires. The sky isn't bruise or orange, so that's good, but now and then, I get a whiff of something burning that shouldn't be. I can't explain it, but the sky's the wrong shade of blue to the south. Without clouds, the sky is too big here.

It is very much not helping that I keep having to go out into the extreme heat and pollen, whether I want to or not and it's a problem. I have had heat exhaustion, and once, likely heat stroke, but wasn't given proper medical attention at the time. (I'm not writing about it again now; I am tired). I was never particularly good at high heat and humidity. I can't really function in it at all now. Add in all the pollen and i struggle to think and breath and move about.

The cats are stressed, of, course, but it's because they are worried about my health (I'm moving in ways that show obvious extreme pain and exhaustion) and because of two months of massive disruptions to their schedules and periodic human intruders including men with boots. These things are also fraying at me, but I didn't piss all over the sofa, nor did I start a literal pissing contest with a cat in another part of town over which cat Goth Millennial belongs to. My having to deal with all the extra mess and laundry is not helping. I am looking very hard at you, Tavy. (The Emperor Octavian totally started it. King Henry was simply responding in kind to what amounted to an imperial power grab).

My physio is going very badly. I keep having to pull chunks of exercise sets because my arm nopes out or standing hurts to much to do that many of the ones I can only do standing up.

I did take some of the Millennials out to the lake Sunday. We tried to go to the one without invasive wildlife, but spent ages just to not get in. I drove back to my end of town. I always liked that lake better, but you have to decontaminate everything to avoid spreading the snails kayakers brought from Aotearoa. I didn't see any fish, and it looked like there were fewer dragonflies. I'm wondering if the snails are messing up breeding for native species in the reeds they colonized. The trees and the water were still beautiful though. We swam until my arm gave out and we had cheese, crackers, and fresh lychee while watching families swim.

Then the assholes turned up. Apparently they had been there hours earlier, as they claimed that the crumpled up abandoned looking towel they'd casually dropped at the edge of the cut a body length away from us meant that we were encroaching on them somehow. It was a crowded day at the lake. Four feet would not have been a weird distance even if we hadn't thought it was just a lost towel or they'd had it spread out with gear like a normal person. We weren't blocking access. We had to be close to the water because I'm an older disabled person, and as it was, the crawl from the water's edge was purgatorial. (I decided it would be easier and hurt less then them levering me up and me hobbling the distance. Did I mention my spine and hips are nightmares right now?)

So the assholes got angry at us for not intuiting that they owned a 15 yard stretch of close to the water space in a public park by virtue of them having dropped a balled up towel near it. O.o It was 6:30ish PM. You literally can't get a sunburn that late at this latitude, because the angles are wrong. They stood close and sprayed and sprayed and sprayed arisol sunblock all over each other which billowed towards us in a cloud. And not just us, but a dad and a two and a half year old toddler. I mentioned I was a lung patient, so she started blowing massive about of vape at us. And the dad. And the toddler with delicate lungs, because that's just how entitled they were to the entire stretch of land between two batches of reeds and we all deserved chemical warfare for daring to do normal things at the lake. Which as douche bag white 20 somethings they owned. We all got sore throats and queasy, I was coughing and had lung and breathing trouble all night. The Millennials were angry they were doing this to an elder, especially one who had an assistive devise and was obviously disabled. I was angry that they did this to a baby playing along the thin stretch of beach with her dad watching over her.

I am pretty sure I am not the asshole here.

Bonus? We lost the housing increase battle and somehow I must find an extra $142 a month starting in august while still paying all the other bills and buying things I can't do without, like toilet paper. I am still catching up for the refrigerator. The Millennials are all going through a bunch of no fault of their own crises too and two of them need to move by the end of the month.

It is A LOT. Especially in this terrible unnatural heat.

* I was kind of a mess at physio. We did a couple of things and then he spent the bulk of the session working on my arm. He thinks that I am using my pectoral muscles too much trying to compensate for my completely thrashed deltoids. That's my assignment along with continuing to try to undo the thing where the wrong sling fucked up arm alignment and posture from the previous session, plus trying to do the excercises, which generally eats up a couple hours of my night if my arm is working.

It's funny how lying still and having someone else work my arm thrashes me almost as much as swimming to exhaustion. Bodies are weird. Thursday night I was so tired that I basically fed myself and did my daily poll stuff on tumblr, then had to go right back to bed.

This means all the news links are just sitting there waiting for me to get to them instead of at least half posted to tumblr and scaffolded for the aggregate. Sigh. I am on track to do all or most of the Friday physio, at least. (I owe for sets of two types of excercises. One easy, one mid-range as of 5PM).

My physio got approved by Medicare for another cycle, which is good, because, really, I'm making very little progress to an utterly discouraging extent. Unfortunately they are way booked, so there will be massive gaps in August and September and this cycle is running to mid-October. (Yikes!) Let's hope some sort of progress occurs. I'm a little freaked that my arm still collapses when I try to lift anything over gtwo pounds and I can't hold my arm out straight to the side without help.

* "Project 2025 Is Trump's Blueprint For A Radical Conservative Takeover Of The U.S. Government:"

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* "Meanwhile... Matthew McConaughey Is OK | Margarita Butt Funnel | Heinz Every Sauce:"

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* "Meanwhile… Taco Bell Drugs | Real Skin Robot Face | S’mores Instant Ramen:"

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* "I Need Help! (An Important Channel Announcement) | READUS 101:"

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* "Play Mystery Candidate Today!:"

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* "Who Hacked Gov. Kristi Noem’s Socials?:"

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* "Emma, Part II:" https://www.thechatner.com/p/emma-part-ii?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=5&post_id=146399570&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=ykw2&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email

* "Sunday Sweets Dives Under The Sea:" https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/sunday-sweets-dives-under-the-sea-2024
*****
* 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.

* "Support a Global Plastics Treaty:" https://act.greenpeace.ca/en-ca/support-global-plastics-treaty

* "Black Alliance for Peace’s Atlanta Citywide Alliance:" https://linktr.ee/bapatlanta

* Map of Cop Cities planned or being built: https://isyourlifebetter.net/cop-cities-usa/

* "if you are struggling with choosing which fundraisers to support, please consider donating to the following places providing medical aid, food, and other supplies to palestine at this time:" https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/750500230956564480?source=share

* Links for various Palestinian Aid Organizations: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/750151174318112768?source=share

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

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

( More Links Underneath: )

* I'm doing better, but I still tire easily and the physio is already getting ugly. This means I'm going to run out of things like energy and pain resistance without much warning.

The pain has been and continues to be stunning this week.

---

* "Israel says it will send more troops to Rafah, as fighting also rages in Gaza’s north:" https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-hamas-latest-05-16-2024-c7318fc513e79580082c0a80ae6878b6

* "Strike kills U.N. aid worker, injures another in southern Gaza:" https://www.npr.org/2024/05/14/1251272912/gaza-united-nations-un-aid-worker-killed

* "‘Outrageous’ arson attack forces UNRWA to temporarily shutter East Jerusalem compound:" https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/05/1149586

* "Israeli activists attack Gaza aid convoy, drawing U.S. condemnation and highlighting risk to aid work:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/israel-gaza-aid-west-bank-settlers-united-nations/

* "Gaza: Israelis Attacking Known Aid Worker Locations:" https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/05/14/gaza-israelis-attacking-known-aid-worker-locations#:~:text=As%20of%20April%2030%2C%20the,injuring%20at%20least%20one%20more.

* It won't be enough. "US establishes Gaza pier to try to boost aid to hungry enclave:" https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-establishes-gaza-pier-try-boost-aid-hungry-enclave-2024-05-16/

* "if you are struggling with choosing which fundraisers to support, please consider donating to the following places providing medical aid, food, and other supplies to palestine at this time:" https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/750500230956564480?source=share

* Links for various Palestinian Aid Organizations: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/750151174318112768?source=share

******
* "U.S. report says it's 'reasonable to assess' that Israel has violated humanitarian law:" https://www.npr.org/2024/05/10/1250442216/u-s-report-says-reasonable-to-assess-that-israel-has-violated-humanitarian-law

* "Rep. Jayapal on Contradictions in State. Dept. Report on Israeli Conduct in Gaza:" https://www.msnbc.com/ayman-mohyeldin/watch/rep-jayapal-on-contradictions-in-state-dept-report-on-israeli-conduct-in-gaza-210763333765

* "Army Officer Resigns in Protest of ‘Unqualified’ U.S. Support to Israel:" https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/13/us/army-officer-resigns-gaza-israel.html

* "Interior Dept staffer becomes first Jewish Biden appointee to publicly resign over war in Gaza:" https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/interior-dept-staffer-jewish-biden-appointee-publicly-resign-110272884

* "Member of Israel’s War Cabinet says he’ll quit the government June 8 unless there’s a new war plan:" https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-war-05-18-2024-3ac9d8e59198d5884d0faa6649a53e4f

* "Water cannon used to disperse anti-government protesters in Tel Aviv:" https://apnews.com/video/israel-hamas-war-protests-and-demonstrations-tel-aviv-israel-benjamin-netanyahu-14c6787047b940caa67d663c59c15702

* "Sen. Lindsey Graham Suggests Nuking Gaza, Calls Hiroshima ‘the Right Decision’:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/sen-lindsey-graham-suggests-nuking-gaza-calls-hiroshima-the-right-decision

* "Republican Congressman Joins Lindsey Graham in Calls to Nuke Gaza:" https://newrepublic.com/post/181580/republican-congressman-greg-murphy-nuke-gaza

* "Pro-Palestinian protests continue on I-5 overpass in Bellingham:" https://mybellinghamnow.com/news/297792-pro-palestinian-protests-continue-on-i-5-overpass-in-bellingham/

* "Pro-Palestine encampment forms on WWU campus:" https://mybellinghamnow.com/news/297792-pro-palestine-encampment-forms-on-wwu-campus/

* "Business titans privately urged NYC mayor to use police on Columbia protesters, chats show:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/05/16/business-leaders-chat-group-eric-adams-columbia-protesters/

* "Pro-Palestinian Student Protesters Celebrated for ‘Moral Clarity’ at ‘The People’s Graduation’:" https://time.com/6979149/pro-palestinian-student-protesters-the-peoples-graduation/

* "50 powerful photos from ACT UP's pro-Palestine rally at the GLAAD Media awards:" https://www.advocate.com/news/act-up-glaad-media-protest

******

---

* "The changing face of protest:" https://restofworld.org/2024/facial-recognition-government-protest-surveillance/#/an-end-to-privacy

* "A growing number of Americans end up in Russian jails. The prospects for their release are unclear:" https://apnews.com/article/russia-prisoners-swap-gershkovich-whelan-putin-2a53c30a7ee686ee85de412ee833d154

* "Slovak PM Fico's attacker may not have acted alone, says minister:" https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/worst-fears-slovak-pms-health-are-over-says-deputy-prime-minister-2024-05-19/

* "German far-right leader intentionally used banned Nazi slogan, court rules:" https://www.politico.eu/article/german-far-right-leader-found-guilty-of-using-banned-nazi-slogan-bjorn-hocke-afd-alternative-for-germany-thuringia/

* "Venezuela’s barred opposition candidate is now the fiery surrogate of her lesser-known replacement:" https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-presidential-election-maduro-opposition-machado-edmundo-aecb49c26aba7dd7c98c0139282c8ade

* "Search and rescue efforts underway as helicopter carrying Iran's President Raisi suffers 'crash landing':" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/helicopter-carrying-irans-president-suffers-hard-landing-state-tv-says-rcna152961

* "Vatican Museums staff challenge the pope with a legal bid for better terms and treatment:" https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/ap-top-news/2024/05/13/vatican-museums-staff-challenge-the-pope-with-a-legal-bid-for-better-terms-and-treatment

* I have serious concerns. "Seeking Access to Congo’s Metals, White House Aims to Ease Sanctions: A deal to allow the Israeli billionaire Dan Gertler to cash out his mining positions in the Democratic Republic of Congo has enraged human rights activists and some government officials.:" https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/16/us/politics/congo-cobalt-us-sanctions.html

* "Biden announces new tariffs on imports of Chinese goods, including electric vehicles:" https://www.npr.org/2024/05/14/1250987721/biden-china-tariffs-electric-vehicles

* "US issues warning about possible terror attacks at LGBTQ+ Pride events worldwide:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/05/20/pride-month-warning-us-state-department/

* "US to send additional $2 billion in Ukraine aid, Blinken says:" https://abcnews.go.com/US/us-send-additional-2-billion-ukraine-aid-blinken/story?id=108534198

* "US greenlights potential weapons sale to Israel:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/14/us-greenlights-potential-weapons-sale-israel-00158045

* "Justice Department formally moves to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug in historic shift:" https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-rescheduling-drug-policy-biden-15b43441670757b0c2bfa36731e47d07

* "Over 20 Republican-led states are challenging Biden admin's LGBTQ-inclusive Title IX rule:" https://www.advocate.com/news/title-ix-lgbtq-lawsuits

* "Supreme Court orders Louisiana to use congressional map with additional Black district in 2024 vote:" https://apnews.com/article/louisiana-supreme-court-congressional-redistricting-black-representation-201c1fa9e494ad0d88e4d9ed8328eae0

* "A 'Stop The Steal' Symbol Was Displayed At Alito's House In 2021:" https://www.huffpost.com/entry/supreme-court-samuel-alito-stop-the-steal-flag_n_6646913ae4b0dd63cd2bd6ae

* "Alito offers strikingly petty excuse for upside-down flag, affirms pro-Trump bias:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/alito-offers-strikingly-petty-excuse-for-upside-down-flag-affirms-pro-trump-bias-211175493923

* "Justice Alito's upside-down flag sparks another SCOTUS ethics scandal:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/justice-alito-s-upside-down-flag-sparks-another-scotus-ethics-scandal-211197509527

* "Rep. Raskin: “the highest court in the land has the lowest ethical standards.”:" https://www.msnbc.com/ayman-mohyeldin/watch/rep-raskin-the-highest-court-in-the-land-has-the-lowest-ethical-standards-211224645780

* "Elizabeth Warren on the Biden admin's big win for airline passengers:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/elizabeth-warren-on-the-biden-admin-s-big-win-for-airline-passengers-211026501692

* "White House to Republicans: You’re not getting audio of Biden’s interview with Hur:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/16/biden-moves-to-block-house-from-getting-his-classified-docs-interview-tapes-00158323

* "House Democrats launch probe of Trump’s dinner with oil executives:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/05/14/trump-oil-executives-investigation-democrats/

* "Marjorie Taylor Greene Has Been Obsessed With AOC for Years:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/aoc-marjorie-taylor-greene-feud-history-1235023214/

* "School leaders push back on House GOP claims of inaction over antisemitism:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2024/05/08/antisemitism-house-hearing-k-12-schools/

* "Republicans follow through on their odd home appliance fixation:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/republicans-follow-odd-home-appliance-fixation-rcna151249

* Stop the government censoring queer and other minority voices off the Internet in the US : https://www.stopkosa.com/

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

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

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

* "Meet RAGA—One of the Scariest GOP Groups You’ve Never Heard Of:" https://www.thenation.com/article/society/republican-attorney-general-raga/

* "In Arizona, election workers trained with deepfakes to prepare for 2024:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/08/arizona-election-workers-trained-with-deepfakes-prepare-2024/

* "'He is dangerous': Rep. Balint on the Trumpian threat Speaker Johnson poses to democracy:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/-he-is-dangerous-rep-balint-on-the-trumpian-threat-speaker-johnson-poses-to-democracy-211225157642

* "MAGA Candidate Draws Outrage After Bizarre “Weak and Gay” Video:" https://newrepublic.com/post/181592/gop-candidate-weak-gay-video

* "‘Outside money in Oregon swing district prompts claims of Republican meddling:" https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2024/05/17/outside-money-in-oregon-swing-district-prompts-claims-of-republican-meddling/

* "OUTSIDE GROUPS SPENT $285,000 BACKING JAMAAL BOWMAN. AIPAC ALONE JUST DROPPED NEARLY $2 MILLION TO ATTACK HIM.:" https://theintercept.com/2024/05/16/aipac-jamaal-bowman-attack-ads-george-latimer/

* "Rep. Jamaal Bowman on being AIPAC’s top target:" https://www.msnbc.com/ayman-mohyeldin/watch/rep-jamaal-bowman-on-being-aipac-s-top-target-211195973612

* Primaries are Ongoing:
Important! Remember to vote in all primaries, not just presidential!!!

NOTE: There is a call for people to vote "uncommitted" in the Democratic primary as a protest against Biden's Israel policy. The time to pressure Biden with your vote is now, not in November. The pressure from all the different types of protests do seem to be working, if far slower than we'd like.

NOTE 2: There is a similar protest against Trump where people vote for a candidate who isn't running. Check your state to see who people are promoting.

NOTE 3: Important non-Presidential Primaries are also ongoing! Vote the whole ballot!

Georgia, Kentucky, Oregon, Idaho: 5/21/24 (House Primaries as well! Important!!!)

Idaho (Democrat): 5/23/24

Texas (Run Off Election): 5/28/24

Iowa (House Primary), District of Columbia (Democrats), Montana (General Primary, Important!), New Jersey (General Primary, Important), New Mexico (General Primary, Important!), South Dakota: 6/4/24


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

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

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

Never, ever sleep on a chance to vote.

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

* "Biden and Trump agree to debates. And then debate about more debates.:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/15/biden-proposes-2-debates-with-trump-ditching-bipartisan-commission-00158082

* "Why Trump's 2020 debates should make him think twice about meeting Biden again in 2024:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/why-trump-s-2020-debates-should-make-him-think-twice-about-meeting-biden-again-in-2024-211038789777

* "How Can This Country Possibly Be Electing Trump Again?:" https://newrepublic.com/article/181287/can-america-possibly-elect-trump-again

* "Every Awful Thing Trump Has Promised to Do in a Second Term:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trump-second-term-plans-wildest-proposals-1234947327/

* "Trump Says He’d Deport ‘Anti-American’ Protesters in Bizarre Rally Speech:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/donald-trump-deport-protesters-hannibal-lecter-new-jersey-rally-1235019174/

* "Trump's election denialism is a 'dagger at the heart of American democracy':" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/trump-s-election-denialism-is-a-dagger-at-the-heart-of-american-democracy-210771525632

* "Trump pledges to 'roll back' Biden gun rules, fire ATF chief at NRA rally:" https://www.reuters.com/world/us/donald-trump-fire-up-supporters-nras-annual-us-gathering-2024-05-18/

* "Why Donald Trump ended up praising Hollywood’s most famous cannibal:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/13/trump-hannibal-lecter-immigration/

* "Biden and Trump split screen: "Unhinged" and "Hannibal Lecter":" https://www.axios.com/2024/05/12/biden-trump-rallies-fundraiser-hannibal-lecter

* "NC Senate votes to ban people from wearing masks in public for health reasons:" https://www.wral.com/amp/21433199/

* "South Carolina has passed a gender-affirming care ban. Here's what families can do:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/south-carolina-gender-affirming-care-resources

* "Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs a bill that strikes climate change from state law:" https://www.npr.org/2024/05/16/1251769080/florida-desantis-climate-change-law

* "A Virginia county board votes to restore Confederates' names to schools:" https://www.npr.org/2024/05/10/1250446827/virginia-confederate-school-names-restored

* "Louisiana bill would place abortion pills on same list as opiates:" https://www.axios.com/2024/05/13/abortion-pills-controlled-substance-louisiana-amendment

* Republicans continue to champion CSA as part of their core anti-bodily autonomy agenda. "Why Are Some Republican Lawmakers Hellbent on Preserving Child Marriage?:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/republican-lawmakers-child-marriage-abortion-1235018777/

* "Rudy Giuliani still hasn’t been served his Arizona indictment:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/05/14/rudy-giuliani-arizona-charges/

* "DOJ requests judge order Steve Bannon to begin prison sentence:" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/doj-requests-judge-order-steve-bannon-begin-prison/story?id=110209704

* "US Senator Robert Menendez goes on trial for corruption, no jurors chosen:" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/senator-bob-menendez-trial-jury/story?id=110269043

* "Witness at Sen. Bob Menendez's bribery trial says meat-export monopoly made costs soar:" https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/witness-sen-bob-menendezs-bribery-trial-meat-export-110349002

---

* I can't cover Trump legal stuff in the detail I normally would. Physio ramped up and my arm isn't up to much right now. I am just to tired and in too much pain for blow by blows. Apologies.

* "IRS Audit of Trump Could Cost Former President More Than $100 Million:" https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-irs-audit-chicago-hotel-taxes

* "Trump Campaign Hid Settlements With Women, New Complaint Says:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-campaign-hid-settlements-with-women-new-complaint-says

* "'Utterly humiliating': Trump sycophants in matching suits audition for Trump outside trial:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/-utterly-humiliating-trump-sycophants-in-matching-suits-audition-for-trump-outside-trial-210954309549

* "Trump sycophants parroting attacks on justice system risk further provoking MAGA extremists:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/trump-sycophants-parroting-attacks-on-justice-system-risk-further-provoking-maga-extremists-211040325835

* "Maddow slams 'corrosive' rhetoric as spectacle of Trump's Republican cheering squad grows:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/maddow-slams-corrosive-rhetoric-as-spectacle-of-trump-s-republican-cheering-squad-grows-211113541653

* "GOP rep invokes Proud Boys at Trump trial: 'Standing back and standing by':" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/gop-rep-invokes-proud-boys-at-trump-trial-standing-back-and-standing-by-211101765671

* "‘Bizarre’: Lauren Boebert says Trump ‘looks pretty while he sleeps’ in court:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-bizarre-lauren-boebert-says-trump-looks-pretty-while-he-sleeps-in-court-211169349830

* "Michael Cohen says Trump was concerned about election when he sought to bury Stormy Daniels' story:" https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/05/13/trump-hush-money-criminal-trial/a-critical-line-of-testimony-00157625

* "Stunning lack of effort: Trump defense tepid in attack on Cohen's damning testimony:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/stunning-lack-of-effort-trump-defense-tepid-in-attack-on-cohen-s-damning-testimony-210952261967

---

* "Pennsylvania state trooper who violently arrested Black transgender official on video is fired:" https://www.advocate.com/news/pa-state-trooper-fired-arresting-trans-official

* "‘Horrible’ and ‘beyond F'd up’: Texas Democratic lawmakers outraged by Abbott pardon of Daniel Perry:" https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/05/17/congress/texas-democrats-house-react-daniel-perry-pardon-abbott-protest-garrett-foster-00158651

* "Starting over: Women emerging from prison face formidable challenges to resuming their lives:" https://apnews.com/article/women-prisoners-reentry-challenges-program-shortage-d56afe6283c25e981d37d6e925d90ffd

* "Vivek Ramaswamy Praises Ann Coulter for Saying He’s Too ‘Indian’ to Vote For:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/ann-coulter-tells-ramaswamy-she-wouldnt-vote-for-him-because-youre-an-indian

* "Two Black cadets and the struggle for diversity at an elite US military institution:" https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-race-academy/

* "Segregation Academies Still Operate Across the South. One Town Grapples With Its Divided Schools.:" https://www.propublica.org/article/camden-alabama-segregated-schools-brown-v-board

* "This Map Lets You See How School Segregation Has Changed in Your Hometown:" https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/school-segregation-interactive-map-180984360/

* "A GOP school board member tried to ban a student's art for being 'offensive' to Christians:" https://www.advocate.com/news/virginia-augusta-school-board-gay-art
szx

* CW: CSA. "Attorney General Ferguson announces investigation into Catholic Church’s handling of child sex abuse allegations:" https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/attorney-general-ferguson-announces-investigation-catholic-church-s-handling

* "Even more salacious details emerge about the Zieglers' sex lives as they seek evidence be suppressed:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/zieglers-sex-lives-police-evidence

* "Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker goes on transphobic, sexist rant during graduation speech:" https://www.advocate.com/sports/harrison-butker-misogynistic-transphobia

* "Gay couple sues NYC over 'discriminatory' denial of IVF benefits:" https://www.advocate.com/gay-couple-ivf-benefits-lawsuit

* "Third lesbian killed after boardinghouse arson attack in Argentina:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/third-lesbian-dies-fire-argentina

* Hospital wait times can kill. Denial of care can kill. "Trans teen ‘attempts self-mastectomy’ while waiting for surgery in ‘act of desperation’:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/05/17/trans-teen-mastectomy-new-zealand/

* "Unsurprisingly, LGBTQ+ staff more likely to leave the NHS after Tory ‘gender ideology’ crackdown:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/05/18/lgbtq-nhs-workers/

* "Do not ban transgender people from receiving care in mainstream hospital wards:" https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/661601

* "Las Vegas man shot at his gay neighbors while screaming homophobic slurs, police say:" https://www.advocate.com/las-vegas-hate-crime-bb-gun

* "Bay Area man convicted for attacking, robbing, abandoning Grindr hookup:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/grindr-hookup-robbery-sf

* "female loneliness and the catch-up friendship crisis:"

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* "The CDC Is Squandering the Breakthrough RSV Vaccine:" https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2024/03/cdc-rsv-vaccine-babies-eligible/677907/

---

* "Largest Year–Over-Year Gain in Keeling Curve Set in March:" https://keelingcurve.ucsd.edu/2024/05/08/largest-year-over-year-gain-in-keeling-curve-set-in-march/

* "A mountainous country loses its last glacier:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/05/15/venezuela-corona-glacier-humboldt/

---

* "I Was Scammed By Taylor Swift’s Boyfriend:"

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* "Orcas have sunk 3 boats in Europe and appear to be teaching others to do the same. But why?:" https://www.livescience.com/animals/orcas/orcas-have-sunk-3-boats-in-europe-and-appear-to-be-teaching-others-to-do-the-same-but-why

* "The Actual History of Pink for Girls and Blue for Boys:"

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* "Trans women discussed trans rights on the BBC over 50 years ago—here’s what it looked like:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/05/06/trans-history-week/

* "California political activist couple Peggy Moore and Hope Wood killed in car crash:" https://www.advocate.com/news/peggy-moore-hope-wood-killed

* "Black trans woman Kita Bee killed in hit-and-run in Kansas City:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/transgender-woman-killed-kita-bee

* 5/13/24: I meant to write a lot last week, but the weather has been very uneven and physio is moving into the two days to recover phase. By the time I was up to writing, I felt I really just needed to push the aggregate out.

Friday freaked me out a little. I was exhausted and in pain and not at my best. Now that I know the asshole agency app makes them fill out a form about me every time they come and that one of them snitched on me last month, leading to medical social worker trying to Hard sell a home visit I don't want or need, I am wary about every interaction with this one, even though it definitely wasn't her. Is the suggestion about organizing the tea station, something no one has been up to all winter and is on our when we have time list, just a suggestion or the beginning of the Asshole Agency/social services deciding they need to steal my autonomy because I'm disabled? Probably not, but it worries me she was here on a bad pain day in case she types something into the app they DO flag.

Fuck. We can't manage without the help as my primary purpose until Autumn is basically just physio and it eats most of my time, energy, and pain resistance.

Sunday, I had a visitor until 3ish in the morning, which is fine. I'm nocturnal.

Except today is bloodwork day, and they didn't say it was fasting, but this batch usually is. I was having some juice and a snack when I looked at the time. Fuck!

So I'll be staying up to do blood draw waaay later than expected. I am exhausted and hungry and I can't take the morning meds dose, including half the days arthritis pill until I get back because arthritis pill needs food.

And I have an online social engagement in the evening as I generally do on Monday and Tuesday.

On the upside, we went grocery shopping Sunday evening before dinner, and I now have pastry rising in the kitchen so I can have a special treat later.

Miles to go before I sleep. Sigh.

* 5/16/24: Wednesday, we went out to the prettiest local lake for a picnic dinner. We sat amoung the trees and looked out at the water. Later, We went down to the bay to watch sunset over water, seagulls circling and diving in front of salmon belly sky.

It is so beautiful here, still.

It is strangely cold, the coldest it's been in May since I moved up here. The plants will perk up and then the strange cold returns. The once reliable range of weather shattered a decade ago and each Spring brings surprises. I suspect we'll lose half the starts in the end. The marigolds are my fault. I accidentally weeded them.

The mint is finally bouncing back at least and I still have hope for the tomatoes. They are full grown and tomatoes respond well to a touch of mortality.

I got a new exercise and an upgrade to my home physio Wednesday. I was so exhausted I went to bed early and didn't even try any that evening, which is fine. I'm allowed to take physio evenings off. Thursday I managed ten of the upgraded exercise and did two other sets of regular. I only managed three of the new exercise before my shoulder hard vetoed. Sigh. I suspect the cold isn't helping.

The current goal is to rebuild enough strength for me to independently lift my arm above my shoulder and hold it for a five count.

* Looks like state election polling season has started. Long time readers will know I get polled a lot, being in possession of a land line, and I generally answer them unless there is a pressing need not to, because I'm a bit of a connoisseur.

I just (Thursday) got extensively polled on the Attorney general race in my state, which is unusual. They occasionally get folded into a governor or state legislature poll, but dedicated attorney general polls are rare. It started with the usual baseline questions and there were the usual demographic questions at the end, but 3/4 of the poll was attorney general stuff. It came off as legit as apposed to a push poll and was very issue oriented. I suspect one of the democratic candidate campaigns was funding it and I suspect they are working out ad strategies.

Usually, I'm more interested in biases and poll design, but this one had so much issues based stuff it left me legitimately weighing who I should vote for this summer. We're early enough in I haven't done the research yet. It's clear I'll need to do more than average. Of the people in the polls, it was the Republican I knew best and instantly dismissed. (On the Republican scale of conservative to nightmare, he's on the more reasonable end but there is no universe were I vote "back the blue.") One of the Democrats I've never heard of and the other I had a vaguely positive opinion, but neither did I know well. Both have some negatives but also really strong positives, hence the need to dig properly to see how much is real, how much is puff, and if there is anything disqualifying. Exciting!

* 5/17/24: So Thursday I was exhausted and in pain so I went to bed early. Alas, very little actual sleep was involved for reasons beyond my control. Livia got lots of pettins out of it at least, as one of her skills is responding to people waking me up my waiting for me to come back from the bathroom and climbing on while the emperor is elsewhere. This was good and important as Tavy's guarding me again, likely due to the obvious physical distress I've been in the last week and a half. When he gets anxious it's everyone's problem. Between Millennial outdoors adventure and the Emperor being the emperor she didn't get any really long bed pets Wednesday.

I had a very early telemedicine thing Friday morning. I had the cleaner scheduled for 10. Goth Millennial wanted to come over and work on some stuff of their own, which is a thing some of them do sometimes. I said sure, as I'd definitely be up all morning. Telemed was fine. Apparently one of my older vaccines is no longer good, so I need go get part one, preferably next week. It was also fast, so I offered to collect Goth Millennial. The Cleaner had a family emergency, which I believe, given things she's said about her circumstances. so I ordered an extra Tuesday because there is a lot needing doing and I barely used any hours the first three months of the year so there is plenty.

My original plan involved going back to bed noonish, but there were a bunch of phone calls and emergency errands and such so i accomplished very little of the things I had on my original agenda for today. Goth Millennial ended up doing some house and garden things as well as the stuff on their agenda, and i couldn't really do any uninterrupted thing until mid afternoon.

By which point my successfully completing my daily physio homework had become a serious liability to everything else because I felt like I was being attacked with knives. In physio's defense Tavy also managed to pin me in a stress position twice, including during lung time this evening, so some of it is Anxious Cat. By dinner time I gave up and took my emergency meds. no noticeable improvement occurred. Indeed as of 9:45PM it is escalating. O.o Which means I'm going to have to employ All the Techniques and home I can chip enough away to sleep.

So I'm trying not to scream and or cry. Still haven't finished the original three to four hours of stuff I was supposed to do today, though I have hopes of Before Midnight local time, and Friday morning aggregate is late again. Tomorrow maybe? Because no way can I push this out tonight.

* Techie Millennial came to Sunday dinner for the first time in ages. I missed them.

I continue to struggle with physio, exhaustion, and my shoulder screaming at me. Sigh.

* "Opioid Settlements: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO):"

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* "Jon Stewart Gives Sen. Robert Menendez a Corruption Lesson | The Daily Show:"

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* "The History of Museums: Crash Course Art History #3:"

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* "Gender Census:" https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/GenderCensus2024

* "Summer of Trump Cold Open - SNL:"

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* "Fast Fashion Ad - SNL:"

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* "Would Jeeves and Wooster survive Castle Dracula?:" https://www.tumblr.com/brigdh/750210068089389056?source=share

* "Hot Vampire Hunters in Your Area!:" https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bonus-1-hot-vampire-hunters-in-your-area/id1679833472?i=1000606859900

* "Jane Austen's Persuasion, Part II:" https://www.thechatner.com/p/jane-austens-persuasion-part-ii?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=5&post_id=144622588&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=ykw2&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email

* "Sunday Sweets' Crowning Achievement:" https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/sunday-sweets-crowning-achievement-2024

*****
* 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.

* "Gender Census:" https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/GenderCensus2024

* "Do not ban transgender people from receiving care in mainstream hospital wards:" https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/661601

* "Black Alliance for Peace’s Atlanta Citywide Alliance:" https://linktr.ee/bapatlanta

* Map of Cop Cities planned or being built: https://isyourlifebetter.net/cop-cities-usa/

* "if you are struggling with choosing which fundraisers to support, please consider donating to the following places providing medical aid, food, and other supplies to palestine at this time:" https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/750500230956564480?source=share

* Links for various Palestinian Aid Organizations: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/750151174318112768?source=share

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

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

( More Links Underneath: )

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* "Israel plans to build 3,300 new settlement homes. It says it’s a response to a Palestinian attack:" https://apnews.com/article/israel-settlements-hamas-gaza-war-netanyahu-smotrich-1d2306d55c24c8559b630d9f20db30e2

* CW: Rape. "U.N. report finds ‘reasonable grounds’ to believe victims were sexually assaulted Oct. 7:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/04/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-palestine/#link-MVPCJFYKPVHJHIVS2GUXLG6WQQ

* "Gaza: Worst famine fears realised as 10th child reportedly ‘starves to death’:" https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/03/1147112

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

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

* Fundraisers for Gaza: https://www.tumblr.com/el-shab-hussein/742344297699999744/hi-if-its-okay-i-saw-you-were-boosting?source=share

******

* "Harris urges a Gaza cease-fire for hostage deal, presses Israel to ease aid delivery:" https://www.npr.org/2024/03/03/1235712368/kamala-harris-gaza-ceasefire-israel-aid

* "HOW ISRAEL QUIETLY CRUSHED EARLY AMERICAN JEWISH DISSENT ON PALESTINE:" https://theintercept.com/2024/03/03/israel-our-palestine-question-zionism-american-jews/

******

* "In Ethiopia, a secret committee orders killings and arrests to crush rebels:" https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/ethiopia-violence-committee/

******

* "31,000 Ukrainian troops killed since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Zelenskyy says:" https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-troops-killed-zelenskyy-675f53437aaf56a4d990736e85af57c4

* "How one officer class offers a glimpse into Russia’s military amid Ukraine war:" https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/ukraine-crisis-russia-officers/

* "Indians are unwittingly recruited into the Russian army:" https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2024/02/29/indians-are-unwittingly-recruited-into-the-russian-army_6573586_4.html

* "How Russian officials and their collaborators spirit away Ukraine’s children:" https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/ukraine-crisis-children/

* "Ukrainian veterans protest after church withdrawals gay soldier's medal:" https://www.advocate.com/world/ukrainian-gay-soldier-medal-withdrawn

* "With lives shattered by war, Ukrainian teens build new dreams:" https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/ukraine-crisis-anniversary-teenagers/

* "Inside Ukraine’s Wartime Salons:" https://www.allure.com/story/ukraine-wartime-salons?utm_source=pocket_discover

---

* "Russia’s Wagner Group expands into Africa’s Sahel with a new brand:" https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/12/russias-wagner-group-expands-into-africas-sahel-with-a-new-brand.html

* "Yulia Navalnaya once avoided the limelight. Now she’s Russia’s newest opposition leader:" https://apnews.com/article/yulia-navalnaya-navalny-death-92efe8fa54fa6a6614fb3433c27e4878

* "Inside ‘The Game’: The dangerous new path migrants are risking to get to the EU:" https://inews.co.uk/news/world/refugee-europe-bosnia-asylum-seeker-2916539

* CW: Sexual Abuse. "Inside North Korea's Forced-Labor Program:" https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/03/04/inside-north-koreas-forced-labor-program-in-china

* "Asylum-seekers risk lives to cross Rio Grande into US:" https://www.reuters.com/pictures/asylum-seekers-risk-lives-cross-rio-grande-into-us-2024-02-26/

* "A unanimous Supreme Court restores Trump to the Colorado ballot:" https://www.npr.org/2024/03/04/1230453714/supreme-court-trump-colorado-ballot

* "4 takeaways from the Supreme Court’s ruling on Trump and 14th Amendment:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/04/takeaways-supreme-court-trump-ruling/

* "Amazon’s Big Secret:" https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/02/amazon-profits-antitrust-ftc/677580/

* "Republicans who say they support IVF backed a bill protecting life ‘at conception’:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/25/ivf-republicans-legislation/

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

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

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

* The Republican War on Democracy continues. "Trump’s Allies Ramp Up Campaign Targeting Voter Rolls:" https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/03/us/politics/trump-voter-rolls.html

* "It Can Happen Here: A new project tracking creeping authoritarianism.:" https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/03/it-can-happen-here-trump-authoritarianism-fascism/

* "She’s a Prophet. She’s a Theocrat. She’s the Most Powerful Lobbyist You’ve Never Heard Of.:" https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/08/abby-abildness-lobbyist/

* "'The Republican Party is going through some things': Maddow marvels at GOP veering into extremism:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/maddow-marvels-at-gop-veering-into-extremism-right-up-to-the-top-205461573974

* "U.S. voters face stark contrast in 2024 choices, with no 'magic wand' coming to help:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/u-s-voters-face-stark-contrast-in-2024-choices-with-no-magic-wand-coming-to-help-205463621504

* "Laverne Cox is begging all queer Americans to vote Democrat in the 2024 election:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/laverne-cox-election-2024

* "Black LGBTQ+ candidates still face bigotry — here's how they're fighting it:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/black-lgbtq-politicians-obstacles

* "Oregon mayoral candidate was involved in 1984 gay bashing but says he's changed:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/oregon-mayoral-candidate-gay-bashing

* "Missouri Republicans try to remove man with ties to KKK from party ballot:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/donald-trump-mark-robinson-mlk

* "Offensive comments by N.C. Republican stand out even in Trump’s party:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2024/03/02/mark-robinson-governor-candidate-north-carolina-offensive-comments/

* "Donald Trump endorses Mark Robinson, who said gays are ‘filth’ and ‘maggots,’ for NC governor:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/donald-trump-mark-robinson-mlk

* "Trump calls GOP's most toxic candidate 'Martin Luther King times two':" https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/3/4/2227413/-Trump-calls-GOP-s-most-toxic-candidate-Martin-Luther-King-times-two

* Presidential Primaries are ongoing:

NOTE: There is now a call for people to vote "uncommitted" in the Democratic primary as a protest against Biden's Israel policy, I have voted that way in my up coming primary. The time to pressure Biden with your vote is now, not in November. The more of us who do this the more likely he'll actually do something.

Alabama, Alaska (Republicans), Arkansas, California, Colorado, Iowa (Democrats), Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, American Samoa (Democrats): 3/5/24

Hawaii: (Democrats): 3/6/24

American Samoa (Republicans): 3/8/24

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

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

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

Never, ever sleep on a chance to vote.

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

* "'Uncommitted' protest over Biden's Israel support heads to Minnesota:" https://www.reuters.com/world/us/uncommitted-protest-aims-minnesota-over-bidens-israel-support-2024-03-04/

* "Biden says Trump wouldn't concede next time: "Losers are never graceful":" https://www.axios.com/2024/03/04/biden-trump-2024-election-concede

* "Nikki Haley wins DC primary, first victory for campaign:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/03/haley-dc-primary-results-00144502

* "Hungarian PM Orban to meet ally Trump on March 8:" https://www.reuters.com/world/hungarian-pm-orban-meet-trump-march-8-florida-2024-03-04/

* "At CPAC, Trump Invokes Clashing Visions of America’s Future:" https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/24/us/politics/trump-cpac.html

* ""Truly dystopian": Experts worry Trump's school vaccine plan will spark "public health catastrophe":" https://www.salon.com/2024/03/04/truly-dystopian-experts-worry-school-vaccine-plan-will-spark-public-health-catastrophe/

* ""He looks lost": Alarm after Trump's "mind blanks out" repeatedly during speech:" https://www.salon.com/2024/03/04/he-looks-lost-alarm-after-mind-blanks-out-repeatedly-during-speech/

* "Trump’s White House Was ‘Awash in Speed’ — and Xanax:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trump-white-house-drugs-speed-xanax-1234979503/

* "Kentucky bill threatens to take custody of trans kids using ‘wrong’ school bathroom:" https://www.advocate.com/news/kentucky-bill-take-trans-children

* I think we all know why they want this and what they are going to do to the women. "New Oklahoma bill could allow state to create database of women who had abortions:" https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2024/02/15/oklahoma-abortion-law-kevin-west-bill-creates-database-women/72613836007/#:~:text=New%20Oklahoma%20bill%20could%20allow,of%20women%20who%20had%20abortions&text=A%20Democratic%20lawmaker%20expressed%20concerns,procedure%20and%20ban%20emergency%20contraception.

* "A bill protecting birth control access is headed to Virginia’s governor. Here’s why Republicans said they opposed it.:" https://www.pilotonline.com/2024/03/01/a-bill-protecting-birth-control-access-is-headed-to-virginias-governor-heres-why-republicans-said-they-opposed-it/

* "As Missouri lawmakers continue attacking LGBTQ+ rights, one city is taking a stand against hate:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/columbia-missouri-lgbtq-safe-haven

* "Georgia Senate passes bill to create ‘America First’ license plate:" https://www.ajc.com/politics/georgia-senate-passes-bill-creating-america-first-license-plate/XHE3RYKTN5DLPAOJ6PKZRK3HH4/

Reminder: "America first" is a NAZI slogan broadly adopted by Trump and the Republicans for obvious reasons.

* "California Sen. Laphonza Butler reads Audre Lorde in protest of GOP book banning:" https://www.advocate.com/books/banned-books-laphonza-butler

* "Oklahoma superintendent’s ties to anti-trans influencer spark outrage in wake of Nex Benedict’s death:" https://www.advocate.com/news/ryan-walters-transphobic-influencer-ties

* "Oklahoma superintendent and Libs of TikTok celebrate bullying gay principal out of job for drag persona:" https://www.advocate.com/news/oklahoma-drag-principal-resignation

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* "San Francisco prosecutors will seek a retrial in bondage and poppers killing of gay man:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/san-francisco-poppers-murder-retrial

* "Oklahoma High School’s atmosphere of bullying exposed in wake of Nex Benedict’s death:" https://www.advocate.com/news/owasso-high-school-bullying-oklahoma

* "After Nex Benedict's death, 350 LGBTQ+ groups, activists, and celebs urge Oklahoma superintendent's removal:" https://www.advocate.com/news/activists-demand-ryan-walters-removal

* "Nex Benedict's death spurs student walkout at his Oklahoma high school over anti-LGBTQ+ bullying:" https://www.advocate.com/news/nex-benedict-walkout-lgbtq-bullying

* "Nex Benedict vigils are erupting across the country. Here are powerful photos from these memorials:" https://www.advocate.com/news/nex-benedict-vigils-gallery#rebelltitem71

* "Attackers yelled antigay, racist slurs during beach party stabbing of teen boy in California:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/antigay-slurs-teen-attacked-california

* "Colorado police looking for two men who attacked a man in potential antigay hate crime:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/colorado-police-2-men-looking

* "Teachers are tired of the culture wars — and many support LGBTQ+ curricula, Pew survey finds:" https://www.advocate.com/news/teachers-lgbtq-race-education-legislation

* Republicans are winning their war on Bodily Autonomy. "Texas quietly restricts gender-affirming care for trans adults: 'Canary in the coalmine':" https://www.advocate.com/news/texas-gender-affirming-care-medicaid

* "Appeals court lets Indiana's gender-affirming care ban go into effect:" https://www.advocate.com/news/indiana-trans-care-ban-upheld

* "The fight to decolonize queer identity:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/trinah-kakyo

* "Transgender rights are under attack not just in the U.S., but around the world: study:" https://www.advocate.com/news/transgender-rights-attack-world

* "Ghana: UN and human rights groups condemn passage of ‘profoundly disturbing’ anti-LGBTQ+ bill:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/03/01/ghana-anti-lgbtq-bill-condemn-un-human-rights-groups/

* Help Queer Folks in Ghana: https://www.silentmajorityghana.com/donate

* "Police raid ‘My Little Pony’ gathering and a gay night at a local club in Russia:" https://www.advocate.com/news/russia-my-little-pony-raid

* "Gay airline employee subject to 'torture' after arrest in Qatar, family says:" https://www.advocate.com/news/gay-airline-torture-qatar-grindr

* "The Czech Republic expands unions for same-sex couples but rejects marriage and full adoption rights:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/02/29/czech-republic-vote-against-queer-community/

* "Nepal must not move backwards on trans rights:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/manisha-dhakal

* "New South Wales Police commissioner vows to ‘do better’ for victims of LGBTQ+ hate crimes:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/02/26/new-south-wales-police-report-lgbtqia/

* "Police find bodies of murdered reporter Jesse Baird and his boyfriend:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/jess-baird-murder-details

* "Sydney Mardi Gras comes to a halt as parade pays moving tribute to killed gay couple:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/03/02/jesse-baird-and-luke-davies-sydney-mardi-gras/

* "Trans woman Tiffany Scott dies in custody at high-security Scottish prison:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/03/01/trans-woman-tiffany-scott-dies-in-custody-at-high-security-scottish-prison/

* "MP praised for defending trans rights as conversion therapy ban debate turns into ‘garbled mess’:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/03/02/conversion-therapy-bill/

* "Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tells U.N. to 'go pound sand' after LGBTQ+ rights criticism:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/texas-greg-abbott-un-lgbtq

* "Texas AG Ken Paxton can't get PFLAG's data on trans members and care: court:" https://www.advocate.com/law/ken-paxton-pflag-transgender

* "The sinister reason why the Texas Attorney General is demanding LGBTQ+ group members’ names:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/03/01/ken-paxton-pflag-national/

* "A pious Church and Cardinal Dolan trashes a dead trans woman who, like Jesus, helped the marginalized:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/cecilia-gentili-dolan-marginalized

* "Ohio man faces charges after urinating on LGBTQ+ Pride flag in porch while shouting ‘f**k the gays’:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/02/28/ohio-man-pees-lgbtq-pride-flag-home/

* "Australian man awkwardly humps his way up a set of railings to avoid using ‘woke’ Pride stairs:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/03/03/man-avoids-gay-stairs/

* "Love Lost, And Found:" https://storycorps.org/animation/love-lost-and-found/

* "Is this the future of PrEP?:" https://www.hivplusmag.com/prep/future-of-prep

* "The FDA Says This Group Can Now Use Biktarvy Safely:" https://www.hivplusmag.com/treatment/fda-new-group-biktarvy-safely

* Wrap it up and get tested regularly. "Queer men aren't the only ones affected by recent syphilis spike:" https://www.hivplusmag.com/news/women-babies-affected-syphilis-spike

* "Gender and sexuality in autism, explained:" https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/gender-and-sexuality-in-autism-explained/

* They are going to kill some kids, aren't they? "Florida defies CDC in measles outbreak, telling parents it's fine to send unvaccinated kids to school:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-measles-outbreak-unvaccinated-kids-school/

* "There's a norovirus outbreak. Here's how to avoid it — and what to do if you catch it.:" https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/theres-a-norovirus-outbreak-heres-how-to-avoid-it--and-what-to-do-if-you-catch-it-224854240.html

* "Beyond the myths: ADHD explained in powerful comics:" https://www.kevinmd.com/2024/01/beyond-the-myths-adhd-explained-in-powerful-comics.html

* "Silent brain changes precede Alzheimer’s. Researchers have new clues about which come first:" https://apnews.com/article/alzheimers-dementia-amyloid-tau-b31db4ce15caf8b5c9c722b6240b2951

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* "Why industry is blocking the push for more energy efficient homes:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/02/21/homebuilders-energy-efficiency-climate/

* "In Cincinnati, redevelopment can mean artwork — and people — disappear:" https://www.npr.org/2024/02/21/1231466640/in-cincinnati-redevelopment-can-mean-artwork-and-people-disappear

* "The Future of Silk:" https://worksinprogress.co/issue/the-future-of-silk/

* "Apple’s Car Was Doomed by Its Lofty Ambitions to Outdo Tesla:" https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2024-03-03/why-was-apple-car-canceled-the-hubris-in-apple-thinking-it-could-outdo-tesla-ltbke5ut

* "X/Twitter has ‘quietly restored’ a ban on misgendering and deadnaming trans people:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/03/01/x-twitter-has-quietly-restored-a-ban-on-misgendering-and-deadnaming-trans-people/

* "Elon Musk sues OpenAI's Sam Altman for breach of contract:" https://www.advocate.com/news/sam-altman-openai-elon-musk

* "Can Humans Endure the Psychological Torment of Mars?:" https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/25/magazine/mars-isolation-experiment.html

* "Twin Bell's turtles hatch during research project to repopulate the species in the NSW New England region:" https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-21/belles-turtle-repopulation-program-produces-twin-hatchlings-une/103485442

* "Getting that 'Moby Dick' — The first humpback whales to be seen having sex are both male:" https://www.advocate.com/news/humpback-whale-gay-sex

* "Charlotte, a stingray with no male companion, is pregnant in her mountain aquarium:" https://apnews.com/article/stingray-pregnant-charlotte-north-carolina-1da7d7ab06bf22169ef2c8e589db9cb4

* "Pythagoras was wrong: There are no universal musical harmonies, study finds:" https://phys.org/news/2024-02-pythagoras-wrong-universal-musical-harmonies.html

* "Rediscovering Rome’s Female Merchants:" https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/antiquity-roman-female-merchants

* "A mysterious 2,000-year-old Iron Age warrior was female, a new study shows:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/old-iron-age-female-warrior-scilly-iburial-rcna96595

* "The Humour of Medieval Scribes:" https://www.medievalists.net/2024/02/humour-medieval-scribes/

* "Tales of the Catfish God: Earthquakes in Japanese Woodblock Prints (1855):" https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/earthquakes-in-japanese-woodblock-prints/

* "Recovering the Lost Aviators of World War II:" https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/recovering-lost-aviators-world-war-ii-180983690/

* "Meet the Boston native at the center of the Tuskegee Airmen mural at Logan Airport:" https://www.wgbh.org/news/local/2024-02-29/meet-the-boston-native-at-the-center-of-the-tuskegee-airmen-mural-at-logan-airport

* "Rosalind Franklin was so much more than the ‘wronged heroine’ of DNA:" https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02144-4

* "What Is the Dominant Emotion in 400 Years of Women’s Diaries?:" https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/what-is-the-dominant-emotion-in-400-years-of-womens-diaries-180983834/

* "The Endangered Languages of NYC:" https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/02/22/magazine/endangered-languages-nyc.html

* "The Black Women of Gee’s Bend Work Hard and Easy: The wonder world of quilt-making:" https://commonreader.wustl.edu/c/the-black-women-of-gees-bend-work-hard-and-easy/

* "Some Museums Scrambled to Remove Native American Items From Display. These Museums Didn’t Need to.:" https://www.propublica.org/article/why-museum-of-us-history-colorado-didnt-scramble-meet-new-repatriation-rules

* "Pat Logue, Lambda Legal attorney who won landmark cases, has died:" https://www.advocate.com/news/pat-logue-lambda-legal-obituary

* Saturday physio still gave me the shakes, but it was the first time I made any real progress with the hardest Exercise.

Monday, the car fix was cheaper than expected, but they discovered the power steering is about to Go. I've already paid the housing tax, which ate most of my discretionary funds, and I blew the entire EBT on shelf stable easy to make things for while I'm laid up plus a few perishables and I still need to hit the other store for fresh veg and such.

The car fix is expensive, as there aren't that many places carrying compatible parts for a car this ancient, so the price is like twice what it would have been a decade ago. I made the appointment for mid-April, when I hope to be allowed to drive as it takes two of us to drop off and pick up the car. The hope is it can survive another week, as I shan't be allowed to drive for any of March past the 12th.

Sigh. Being Poor is so damned expensive.

I have decided not to worry about it now. Getting through March is going to be hard enough given the surgery stuff. If worse comes to worst I'll just not pay anything but housing next month.

On the up side, the completely immobilized arm for two weeks turns out to have been for the rather extreme and complex surgery we though i was going to need. I am getting the medium surgery instead, so I'll be able to move it a little. It won't be good for much, but can move it a little will be a bit easier than not at all.

I am still stressed out about trips to the toilet and the like, trying to manage one handed without practice. I know lots of people manage fine with one or no arms. I once had a lover who only had one part of one arm and he was the most graceful man I've ever seen including professional dancers. I have no practice though, and I'm not going to be in great shape the first few days.

* "Pig Butchering Scams: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver:"

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* "Black writers share their favorite books to honor Black History Month:" https://www.advocate.com/books/black-writers-black-history-month

* "New Indigenous heist movie focuses on repatriation of belongings:" https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/the-great-salish-heist-1.7112633

* "A gender-bending Civil War soldier's tale comes to the musical stage:" https://www.advocate.com/theater/rosetta-project-civil-war-gender

* "Detectives - SNL:"

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* "Airbnb Design Commercial - SNL:"

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* "Sunday Sweets Sings It's Not Easy Being Green:" https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/sunday-sweets-sings-its-not-easy-being-green-2024

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

The help links are at the bottom under the cut.

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

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

* "How you can support queer and trans kids in Oklahoma after Nex Benedict’s death:" https://www.advocate.com/news/how-to-help-trans-kids

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

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

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

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

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

* Fundraisers for Gaza: https://www.tumblr.com/el-shab-hussein/742344297699999744/hi-if-its-okay-i-saw-you-were-boosting?source=share

* Help Queer Folks in Ghana: https://www.silentmajorityghana.com/donate

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

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

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