Nec Hoc Nec Ilud

* "Zimbabwe's resistance leader says Mugabe is "history":" https://news.vice.com/story/zimbabwes-resistance-leader-says-mugabe-is-history

* "Zimbabwe's President Mugabe resigns:" http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-42071488

* "Egyptian lawmakers introduce LGBT criminalization bill:" http://www.washingtonblade.com/2017/10/27/egyptian-lawmakers-introduce-lgbt-criminalization-bill/

* "Trump hurts Haitians he promised to help:"

( Embed: )

* "Trump looks to boost GOP gerrymandering edge:"

( Embed: )

* "VA's quiet plan to widen private care with TRICARE stirs ire:" http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/vas-quiet-plan-widen-private-care-tricare-stirs-51216763

* "Trump moving stealthily to privatize the VA, alarming vets groups:"

( Embed: )

* "Trump ignores Nixon lesson with public pressure on DoJ, Sessions:"

( Embed: )

* 45 has endorsed noted pedophile and bigot, Roy Moore, because "we don't need a liberal person in there." But we do need a pedophile, apparently.

* So they are open about wanting a pedophile in the senate because that’s way better than them not robbing the poor and middle class to give the rich a tax cut they don’t need. Somehow, they still are claiming to be the party of family values. These are the family values they are touting. "White House to Alabama: Stand with Roy Moore:"

( Embed: )

* "President Trump backs Roy Moore:"

( Embed: )

* "Net Neutrality: What You Need to Know Now:" https://www.savetheinternet.com/net-neutrality-what-you-need-know-now

* "Trump FCC to revoke net neutrality: Politico:"

( Embed: )

* "Trump FCC would close internet with revocation of net neutrality:"

( Embed: )

* "Mueller examining Kushner contacts with foreign leaders: WSJ:"

( Embed: )

* Things that make me go hmmmm.... "Dismissal of key US attorney, Dana Boente, a mystery:"

( Embed: )

* This is my response to a comment about the tax bill not being about a war on education but a war to only allow the rich into college:

They’ve been fighting against access to education on all levels nearly as long as I’ve been alive. I am pretty sure the goal is to make it impossible for people not born with large trust funds to ever improve their situation, to permanently enshrine extreme wealth inequality and hereditary class distinction.

They are trying to concentrate wealth and power in small number of hands and make it as close to impossible to undo as they can manage. you can see it in every financial policy starting with Regan. You can see it in the battle to destroy Unions and depress wages since the ‘70′s. You can see it in mass incarceration for minor offenses that bar people from voting. You can see it in the voter suppression that keeps eligible citizens from voting. You can see it in targeted voter intimidation aimed at people of colour. You can see it in the deliberate starving of public schools of the funds they need to actually educate students instead of warehousing them. You can see it in supposed school “reforms” designed to lower the quality of education and leave students less prepared for higher education.

You can really see it in this tax bill which punishes teachers for providing school supplies to students who can’t afford them, and which makes college so expensive only the rich get to go, no matter how hard the student works or how intelligent they are.

This is a war on Merit on behalf of the interests of inherited wealth. We need to fight this with everything we have, because they are stealing the future of this generation and every generation to come after and the more battles we lose the harder it will be to keep fighting.

* "Conyers scandal rocks House Democrats:" https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/21/john-conyers-sexual-harassment-253977

* "Charlie Rose fired by CBS, PBS and Bloomberg over sexual misconduct allegations:" https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/harvey-weinstein-scandal/tv-host-charlie-rose-suspended-apologizes-after-sexual-harassment-accusations-n822691

* "Charlie Rose out at CBS News, PBS:"

( Embed: )

* I am not at all surprised that a man willing to assault a woman in the ways he attacked Ms. Tweedan would assault other women. "Woman says Franken inappropriately touched her in 2010:" http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/20/politics/al-franken-inappropriate-touch-2010/index.html

* I am uncomfortable using the me too tag because of my gender, but this sort of thing is wide spread. There is something fundamentally wrong with the way we socialize men and boys to believe they are entitled to other people's bodies, because that's what this is. ( TW Sexual assault: ) So I keep thinking about the things that I was forced to accept if I wanted my pay check in my teens and twenties, all the women and men I've known with stories like this, and the occasional male friend coming to me over the years with his horror on discovering it had happened to his girlfriend or his women friends or his family members so he could have someone to talk through the process with.

I believe the women. I always believe the women, because it is so disgustingly common. Because I was someone who had to dodge male hands every day at work. Because I had to defend myself and my sister when we were small. Because I have a long list of friends it's happened too, and not just the women. Because it's fucking exhausting to have to deal with constantly, and the things my disease has done to my body and thus put an end to it for me, hasn't erased my long memory of what it felt like to deal with it daily from customers and coworkers and management.

I want a better world than the one we had and the one we have now and that means changing the culture. That means men confronting men and calling them on their bullshit. That means believing and supporting the ones who were attacked. That means listening to the stories. That means raising the next generation of boys better.

* "Sex harassment accusations continues to rock media, politics:"

( Embed: )

* "Woman with crude anti-Trump sticker adds new decal to her truck:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/karen-fonseca-trump-sticker-new-decal-troy-nehls-pickup-truck/

* "Moni's 2017 TDOR Thoughts:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2017/11/monis-2017-tdor-thoughts.html

* "A Ten Point Post TDOR Plan:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2017/11/a-ten-point-post-tdor-plan.html

* Warning: contains ableist language at the end. "How do you avoid Thanksgiving arguments? We asked a hostage negotiator:" http://www.kgw.com/news/how-do-you-avoid-thanksgiving-arguments-we-asked-a-hostage-negotiator/493752055

* I am not convinced those are leashes, but the carvings are interesting. "The first-ever depiction of dogs shows them on leashes:" http://www.newsweek.com/saudi-arabia-8000-year-old-rock-art-first-ever-depiction-dogs-and-humans-had-715114

* "Ancient Ruins Discovered Under Lake in Turkey:" https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/11/underwater-fortress-urartu-lake-van-turkey-archaeology-video-spd/

* "The Anti-Roy Moore Headlines You Haven't Seen:"

( Embed: )

* "On Elephants, Trump Has A Change Of Heartlessness:"

( Embed: )

* Sunday, the winds were so wild, they kept startling poor Tavy awake. Monday, I did some excellent adulting: tanks, garden stuff, foraging, meds, library, fish food (We only had a day or two of micro pellets left). My the time the forage was away and dishes done, etc., I didn't have much left. I did promised things and necessary things, but I wasn't up to tackling the news firehouse. Instead I went to bed early and got good sleep. Tuesday I spent the afternoon on phone bureaucracy (Progress!) and went on a long loop for a kibble run in really wild weather. I made it home safe despite wind strong enough to bat my car around, rush hour, and accidents on the freeway. There was a break in the rain the last half of the journey home and I stood next to my car a good five minutes, watching the clouds rush north alarmingly fast. Through occasional breaks in the stormclouds, I could see another layer higher up moving slower, but still fast for clouds. It was beautiful and strange and it made me wish I had a camera so I could film it for you.

Anyway, I am a day and a half behind on postings, and it may be some time before I catch up.

* Amoung the random bits of phone bureaucracy today, I talked to a supervisor at the clinic where I go. This is not a thing that normally happens, but I need to make special arrangements for some unusual medical documentation another bit of bureaucracy is going to need apparently.

Anyway, some of you will remember that I was one of the earliest trans patients to pioneer at this clinic. There were two others I know of before me but seriously, it was a huge thing for this city as when we started advocating for trans services there, trans patients still had to travel all the way to Seattle for basic services like prescriptions. I'm not even talking first prescribing. I am talking about on going treatment. The only endocrinologist in town was a notorious transphobe and wasn't taking new patients anyway. One doctor at the poverty clinic was willing to do script renewels, and a little while after that, I talked a second into trying it. Word of mouth spread, because even having two practitioners doing basic trans friendly GP type stuff North of Seattle was a Big Fucking Deal, especially as they take Medicare/Medicaid and do sliding scale for patients in poverty. People kept coming; services kept expanding. The clinic realized how big the need was, and they evolved to take proper care of us. New staff was hired with the trans patient base in mind. They did special training to make sure trans patients were being treated properly. They asked actual trans patients how they were doing and took suggestions seriously. This is how to be an ally on a medical professional level, and I am incredibly proud of them. They adjusted standardized forms to make them trans friendly. They have a standard protocol for use names vs. legal names and are super careful about calling trans patients by the correct ones. They changed the fucking names of the clinic a number of years ago because the old one made them look a tad catholic and that was scary for LGBTQIA+ patients, and thus counter productive given that they are now not only the major provider up here for transfolk, but they have a large HIV+ patient base as well and have for decades before we invaded them, but us being around helped encourage the change, as when they asked us about things they could do better, the name kept coming up.

So as part of our conversation about arranging for the special documentation, my trans status came up. He was looking at my chart and noticed that they had no pronouns listed for me. Apparently they'd added a standardized pronoun slot to the forms in the last decade, but I've been out so long, they'd missed me. We had a conversation about them in which my choice of "ze, zir, zim" caused rather a bit of confusion as he'd not heard them and couldn't figure out at first that'd I'd understood and was answering. (They had they as one of the expected options, but he wasn't as up on other non-binary variants). Anyway, he was fine and my chart is updated and he's expected to call back tomorrow about my documentation for the bureaucracy, which is fine. Mostly I just wanted to say how impressed I am at how hard those cisfolk down at the poverty clinic are trying to do things right and how open they are to evolving to fit the needs of a population that is extremely underserved every where.

Revaunchist forces may be trying to beat us down and take our basic rights from us and kill us, but people who decided to stand up for what's right voted in Transfolk in Virginia and Minneapolis this month, and at the downtown poverty clinic I can have a calm adult conversation about non-binary pronoun options with a cis-person admin at a local clinic that is doing it's damnedest to keep my people healthy and make them feel respected.

* Tavy had his first serious oops for the season today. One would think from his personality, that he'd be a terror with Gothmas ornaments and nothing in Halloweentown would be safe, but he is as careful as he can reasonably be given his disability and while he does tip over halloween village people with his feet, it's clearly accidental and the larger items and the Halloween trees/ornaments are safe. Tonight he messed up a jump and sent the Halloweeen globe, a ceramic pumpkin and some village people flying, but nothing was broken and it was very load and scary for him so he got a nice cuddle. Seriously, he tries so hard, and I am honestly impressed we got all the way to Thanksgiving week without mishap.

* "Signs You're About To Be In A Gay Subplot In A Period Drama:" http://the-toast.net/2015/11/24/signs-youre-about-to-be-in-a-gay-subplot-in-a-period-drama/

* It is quite possible that I'm a character in a Stoppard play. "How To Tell If You Are In A Tom Stoppard Play - The Toast:" http://the-toast.net/2015/11/30/how-to-tell-if-you-are-in-a-tom-stoppard-play/

* Snerk. Warning: contains nudes from Western Art. "Normal, Old-Fashioned Heterosexuality In Western Art History:" http://the-toast.net/2016/02/29/normal-old-fashioned-heterosexuality-in-western-art-history/

* "Z Nation, Season 4, Episode 8: A Crisis of Faith:" http://www.fangsforthefantasy.com/2017/11/z-nation-season-4-episode-8-crisis-of.html

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

* "'When they began slaughtering us we ran for our lives': Rohingya trapped inside Myanmar:" https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/nov/14/when-they-began-slaughtering-us-we-ran-for-our-lives-rohingya-trapped-inside-myanmar

* "Aung San Suu Kyi complicit in Rohingya 'ethnic cleansing' in Myanmar, MPs told:" https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/nov/15/aung-san-suu-kyi-complicit-in-rohingya-ethnic-cleansing-in-myanmar-mps-told

* "US Holocaust Museum says evidence of genocide against Rohingya in Myanmar:" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/15/us-holocaust-museum-evidence-genocide-rohingya-myanmar

* "May commits to European security and takes aim at Putin:" https://www.politico.eu/article/may-commits-to-european-security-and-takes-aim-at-putin/

* "Robert Mugabe's grip on Zimbabwe ebbing away after military takes control:" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/15/mugabe-family-military-takes-control-zimbabwe-mnangagwa

* "Russian parliament votes for law that could list CNN as 'foreign agent':" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/15/russia-to-register-international-media-as-foreign-agents

* "Democrats concerned Trump too 'unstable' to be trusted with nukes:" http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/14/politics/trump-nuclear-authorization-hearing/index.html

* He's so callous he cut and pasted his response. "Trump Tweets Condolences for Wrong Mass Shooting:" https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/11/trump-tweets-condolences-for-wrong-mass-shooting

* "Christopher Steele believes his dossier on Trump-Russia is 70-90% accurate:" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/nov/15/christopher-steele-trump-russia-dossier-accurate

* "At Least 4 Victims Killed After Shooting At School, Other Locations In California:" https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/11/14/564117257/at-least-3-reported-dead-after-shooting-at-school-other-locations-in-california

* Well, shit. "Consumer bureau chief announces resignation:" http://thehill.com/policy/finance/360488-consumer-bureau-chief-announces-resignation

* "Trump economic adviser appears surprised by CEO tax proposal response:" http://thehill.com/policy/finance/360444-trump-economic-adviser-stunned-after-few-ceos-say-they-will-invest-more-if-tax

* "Republican Senators Add Repeal Of Individual Health Care Mandate To Tax Bill:" https://www.npr.org/2017/11/14/564154614/republican-senators-add-repeal-of-individual-health-care-mandate-to-tax-bill

If you can not resist in person, here are some other options:

Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the representative of your choice.
This App phones your rep for you: http://takeastance.us/
Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resistbot.io/

* Senator Johnson flipped to a no on the Tax Bill today. Please, please keep the pressure on your Republican Senators if you have them, especially Susan Collins. "First Republican senator breaks with GOP on tax bill:" https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/15/republican-against-senate-tax-bill-244947

* "Nearly 1.5 million people signed up for Obamacare plans so far: officials:" https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-healthcare-enrollment/nearly-1-5-million-people-signed-up-for-obamacare-plans-so-far-officials-idUSKBN1DF27A

* "House passes $700B compromise defense bill:" https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/14/house-passes-defense-bill-244899

* I’m not holding my breath. "House Dems introduce impeachment articles against Trump:" https://apnews.com/58fbb83643e94baaa79a2f1d99a36f04/5-House-Dems-introduce-impeachment-articles-against-Trump

* "Judge rules DOJ can't withhold money from Philadelphia over 'sanctuary city' policies:" http://thehill.com/latino/360500-judge-rules-doj-cant-withhold-money-from-philadelphia-over-sanctuary-city-policies

* "The Trump administration let DACA renewals sit in mailboxes — and then rejected them for being "late":" https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/11/15/16650400/daca-renewal-deadline-rejected-lockbox-uscis

* "McConnell proposes Sessions as a write-in to replace Moore:" http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/15/politics/mcconnell-moore-sessions-write-in/index.html

* "An Alabama Robocall Invokes Ugly Tropes:" https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/11/a-dishonorable-smear-in-dixie/545957/

* TW: Pedophila. "McConnell proposes Sessions as a write-in to replace Moore:" http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/15/politics/mcconnell-moore-sessions-write-in/index.html

* TW: Pedophila. "On another wild day, Alabama GOP refuses to abandon Roy Moore:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/alabama-gop-refuses-abandon-roy-moore-after-another-wild-day-n821281

* TW: Pedophila. When Republicans say they support Roy Moore, what they are really saying is that a person believing that a right wing terrorist who blew up a church and murdered four little girls is a worse person than someone who molested at least nine teenagers and was willing to use force on at least one. They are saying they are so in favour of murdering children because of the colour of their skin that they are completely comfortable with a child molester representing them. That is the choice: someone who tried to put a terrorist in prison or a pedophile.

* A useful reminder of some of the rapists, Pedophiles, and Domestic Abusers still getting Hollywood support with sources at bottom. TW, obviously.: http://butlerbookbinding.tumblr.com/post/167540062104/99briefingcinnamon-weavemama-weavemama-i

* Don't be an asshole: http://seananmcguire.tumblr.com/post/167494612505/rosetintmyworld84-as-we-approach-the-holiday#notes

* "Oklahoma Democrats win state Senate seat in red-district special election:" http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/360595-oklahoma-democrats-win-state-senate-seat-in-red-district

* This is a good solution! http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/167515218407/cool-disability-psa

* NWS Language. "Deadpool’s “Wet on Wet” Teaser:"

( Embed: )

* I'm rewatching the back half of Season 2 of DS9, and I keep thinking how much I want a modern reboot. The politics are incredibly pertinant. The Cardassians are, after all, a stand in for both the NAZIs and the Soviets. Now seems a good time to revisit the aftermath of the Occupation of Bajor for a host of real world reasons, from the refugee and concentration camps, to the questions of guilt and complicity and the ethics of Resistance, to the Cardassians secretly arming and funding Bajorian Extremists in order to destabilize Bajoran Democracy, to the proxy war in the DMZ. I just really thing these stories ought to be told again right now.

And oh would I love a version that wasn't constantly brushing up against homophobic and transphobic censorship. Imagine a version where Dax's gender implications and bisexuality could be openly and fully explored. Imagine a version where instead of Kira Nerys just giving Jadzia these painful longing looks when she is walking away, and where they are endlessly forcing hetero romance plots in that generally do not fit, teasing us briefly with what could be, and then resetting to het they could actually have and explore that relationship properly. Imagine a version in which Garak gradually successfully seduces Julien instead of both actors projecting subtext like wild but it being absolutely forbidden. Garak's slow emotional and intellectual seduction is so well done in the cannon version. The move from outright suspicion on julien's part to them bickering over literature while in line for their daily lunch together, to the moment in the episode I watched tonight where by rights they should have kissed and it is obvious how much julien cares despite his denials, and the gift of garak's trust, to Julien's holding his hand. When this was made DS9 and B5 (which also desperately needs a modern reboot) had to fight for a single scene implying physical and romantic love between women. With the right Network in support, they could really let the relationships breath, here in the second decade of the 21st century.

* Cup of China: Men. Max Aaron is noticeably improved over the Summer and much more fun to watch, being one of the ones who added Ballet over the Summer. He's still a tad primitive on footwork and choreography, but is so much closer to where he needs to be. I adore Javier Fernandez. He's the sort of total package skater I enjoy and he really connects with the crowd. Pairing him with Man of La Mancha in an Olympic year is a stroke of genius. Tonight though? Ouch. He made a hash of his jumping pass to the extent that that the commentators were speculating he might have a stomache bug. It was hard to watch. I do hope it was temporary and that he'll be more himself next he competes. Jin Boyang was on my short list last year of young skaters who could be podium contenders if they got their artistics up over the Summer, and I've been eagerly looking forward to seeing what he's skating this year. *wince* The choreography was not good: simplistic, lots of telegraphing, strange transitions, inelegant spin. Plus, he was having a bad night with his jumps. As with Javier, I know he is way better than this performance technically and in both cases, it was really hard to watch. Mikhail Kolyada struggled with his early jumps, but I've honestly never seen him connect as well with the crowd and I think this music and choreography really suits him. One a day when the best skaters were falling all over the place, I honestly can't fault the judges on how things fell out. Let us all hope everyone does better when we get closer to Korea.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

* "Iraq must invest in education to secure its future:" http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2017/05/iraq-invest-education-secure-future-170527103925684.html

* I spent most of the week pondering why we've pulled out of the Paris Climate Accords. Objectively the Accords are good for business and the planet. Pulling out does not benefit 45 personally on a financial level as far as I can tell, which is his usual reason for doing anything. It is bad for business and property owners. Exxon and the other oil companies are against it. It's likely going to harm workers as there are already more jobs in clean energy than there are in coal and sticking with the goals we agreed on would create jobs. His stated reason are entirely lies as China and India did not "get a better deal" and the "evidence" he sited was clearly pulled out of his ass. I was honestly stumped. Thursday night, a friend pointed out that he's likely doing it for the benefit of the Russian Oil Company, Rosneft, and so it's likely a favor for Putin and his Kleptocrats at the expense of our country and the long term survival of civilization and the World. Ah. I have mulled it since and it does seem the only logical explanation.

* 45 has decided that all employers should have an absolute right to stop employees from taking birth control, and the rule is going into effect very soon. "Trump attacks birth control amid scandal circus distraction:"

( Embed: )

* Why do any thing substantive when you can be self righteous while victim blaming? "Kentucky Governor Plans for Dealing with a Rising Murder Rate? Pray it Away:" http://www.mediaite.com/online/kentucky-governor-plans-for-dealing-with-a-rising-murder-rate-pray-it-away/

* "Parents Forced to Go Public About Racism Experienced by Students, Leading Administration to Finally Respond:" http://atlantablackstar.com/2017/06/01/parents-forced-go-public-racism-experienced-students-leading-administration-finally-respond/

* "25 inmates told the same disturbing story: Officers turned rural road crew into torture.:" http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/special-reports/article152337452.html

* "Ramadan for non-Muslims: An etiquette guide:" http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/04/us/ramadan-non-muslims-etiquette-guide/index.html

* "Vixy & Tony - Mal's Song:"

( Embed: )

* There is a Wicked Girls parody about Horror Movie Survival: http://seananmcguire.tumblr.com/post/158628414810/filkyeahfilk-series-filksong-genealogy

* There is a hole in my ceiling and I am cleaning up plaster mess, but I no longer have a drip. The bad news is I woke up sick. They are giving it time to dry and should be back next week to plaster. It did mean two men in work boots with ladders and tools, which Tavy did not like. he held out until they had to come into my room to shut off the water, at which point he hid. We did get back to sleep by lunch time, and he curled up where he could look right into my face from close up when he was worried. Oh, and we pilled poor LM.

Judging by type of cough, this is likely viral. It's debilitating and messing hard with my ability to concentrate, is making me irritatingly emotional, and will likely mess with the quality of my posting this weekend, but I am not expecting this one to escalate like the two month pneumonia of February/March did. I may need to lie down a lot and my typing with be the suck, but do not worry about me.

* Midsummer Night's Dream Cow Poem: http://lettersfromtitan.tumblr.com/post/160554986261/magic-and-moonlit-wings-daughter-of-prospero

* They actually ran the Dick Cavett with Robin Williams. Part of why it was so magic at the time was that he was only on Mork and Mindy, or in clubs doing Improve. There would be comedy specials soon after, which we loved, but back then, unless you could go to see him live, you didn't get to see what he was like outside of that half hour show, which we mostly had to listen to on the radio as choir practice let out when the show was starting. If we rushed home we could see the last act. There was no looking them up on line back then and no video tape. If you missed a thing you missed it all all you could do was hope for reruns. I'm not sure I can convey any of this to anyone younger than me, that we had literally never seen anything like this, and we had no way of going back and watching this particular performance again. I saw this show once nearly four decades ago, and my Mother and I would still reference it when she was alive, our mutual experience of it, the only real proof we had that we'd seen it at all, much as with that mind blowing Richard Pryor show that got cancelled almost right away as it freaked out the Network Suits.

It turned out it was a two night thing, with Robin Williams doing his first ever talk show interview, which I had not seen as a child in '79, as the first night. It was the second night that Mother and I saw with the improvised pseudo Shakespeare. His humor turns out to be sporadically rather more casually racist than I remember him being later in his career, which breaks my heart more than a little, even though I know his later stuff wasn't cringe worthy that way. The pseudo Shakespeare was delightful though, and way more racy and homoerotic than I was able to understand at that age. It holds up, where so much of the rest of it doesn't. It is kind of amazing to me that Cavett was able to keep up as well as he did, even knowing Cavett had a background in stand up and was a comedy writer before he because an interviewer. Robin Williams eventually outpaced him, but the by play was hilarious and they really did shockingly well together. I am very glad I got to see it, even if the rest of it was a tad disappointing.

The crowd work had a few cute moments, but mostly was piffle that didn't really go anywhere. I think the more focused premise in the Shakespeare bit helped by giving them a framework to hang the nonsense on, making the jokes more apt to land.

I am suspecting I conflated it with a second occasion as there is a bit I remember that wasn't in there.

* The hat meme keeps getting better: http://the-alexandrian-alchemist.tumblr.com/post/161373308871/xbrokenbutfabulousxstuff-puppetpuppe

* "The Evolution of Wonder Woman:" http://www.tastefullyoffensive.com/2017/06/the-evolution-of-wonder-woman.html

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

* "What can I do to help Syria?:" http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/161385222607/what-can-i-do-to-help-syria

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

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

Want to fight Climate Change? "Ready to Mobilize? Start Here!:" http://www.theclimatemobilization.org/start_here

* Distressed by the anti-gay genocide in Chechnya and the anti-gay laws in Russia? Donate here: https://lgbtnet.org/en

* The Rainbow Road and other ways to help Gay Refugees: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/160470723507/the-rainbow-railroad-is-helping-gay-men-escape

* This is a Real Life friend of mine. They do very much need the money and a number of people and beasts depend on him and his husband. They have been incredibly helpful and supportive of me. If you can kick in, it is a kindness.: https://www.youcaring.com/tod-788345

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

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

* "The Maccabeats - Hasmonean - A Hamilton Hanukkah :"

( Embed: )

* When I went to bed yesterday it was snowing hard and fast. It was no surprise at all to wake to a yard full of snow and the paths dangerous. I'm confined again until the paths are reasonably safe for a body damaged in the particular ways mine is.

* "convo i had with the hubster this morning before i even had coffee:" http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/154889992052/convo-i-had-with-the-hubster-this-morning-before-i

* "Random things about Rogue One:" http://lettersfromtitan.tumblr.com/post/154617132560/random-things-about-rogue-one

* I am right now imagining Max from Black Sails and Maeve from Westworld meeting to talk. I think it would be brilliant and they might take over the world.

* "Black Sails, or How to Write Women:" https://www.thefandomentals.com/black-sails-write-women/

* "Black Sails Makes and Breaks Its Monsters:" https://www.thefandomentals.com/black-sails-makes-breaks-monsters/

*****

* Suicide Crisis numbers: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/153016816845/non-us-crisis-line-list

* Victim of a Hate Crime? Report to the police first, but also report here to help the SPLC track incidents: https://www.splcenter.org/reporthate

* Trans Relief Project: http://transrelief.com/

* "Donate to the SPLC:" https://donate.splcenter.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=463

* "A List of Pro-Women, Pro-Immigrant, Pro-Earth, Anti-Bigotry Organizations That Need Your Support:" http://jezebel.com/a-list-of-pro-women-pro-immigrant-pro-earth-anti-big-1788752078?rev=1478710019591&utm_campaign=socialflow_jezebel_facebook&utm_source=jezebel_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

* General Charities list to help groups being targeted in Trump's America: http://lovingmyselfishard.tumblr.com/post/153111297079/charities-that-may-need-some-love-in-the-upcoming

* Where to donate to help Immigrants: http://colinfirth.tumblr.com/post/152963467726/carecen-la-center-for-community-change

* Ways to protest: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/174f0WBSVNSdcQ5_S6rWPGB3pNCsruyyM_ZRQ6QUhGmo/htmlview?usp=sharing&sle=true#

* More ways to protest "So here’s the deal:" http://the-cimmerians.tumblr.com/post/153516131819/so-heres-the-deal

* "10 ways we can help Standing Rock Indian Reservation.:" http://browngurlwfro.tumblr.com/post/153755459138/dooder-tooder-this-is-a-photo-my-friend-posted

* "List of Standing Rock Resources:" https://laughingacademy.tumblr.com/post/152671392633/list-of-standing-rock-resources

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

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

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

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

* "Why working-class actors are a disappearing breed:" http://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/may/08/working-class-actors-disappearing-britain-class-privilege-access-posh?CMP=share_btn_tw

* "More Than 100 Americans Have Been Killed in Mass Shootings in 2016:" http://www.vice.com/read/more-than-100-americans-have-been-killed-in-mass-shootings-in-2016
* "Watch This Comedy Trio Skewer The Offensive Questions Transgender People Get Asked:" https://www.buzzfeed.com/lanesainty/trans-comedian-counters-rude-questions-in-the-best-way?utm_term=.baB4yJgV4#.kf06L9wd6

* "100 Years of Beauty - Episode 20: Syria (Jessica):"

( Embed: )

* "100 Years of Beauty - Episode 17: Egypt (Dina):"

( Embed: )

* "100 Years of Beauty - Episode 19: Ireland (Stephanie) :"

( Embed: )

* "100 Years of Beauty - Episode 21: Kenya (Keesee) :"

( Embed: )

* "A generation of artists were wiped out by Aids and we barely talk about it:" http://www.theguardian.com/society/commentisfree/2016/apr/20/a-generation-of-artists-were-wiped-out-by-aids-and-we-barely-talk-about-it-robert-mapplethorpe

* Squirrel's trip to the hospital for a scheduled procedure went swimmingly and he looked noticeably better when I brought him home than he has in ages.

* "Actor Creates Movie Trailer Using Random People on the Street:" http://www.tastefullyoffensive.com/2016/05/actor-creates-movie-trailer-using.html

* "Containment, Season 1, Episode 4: With Silence and Tears:" http://www.fangsforthefantasy.com/2016/05/containment-season-1-episode-4-with.html

* "Containment, Season 1, Episode 3: Be Angry At The Sun:" http://www.fangsforthefantasy.com/2016/05/containment-season-1-episode-3-be-angry.html

* "Fangs For The Fantasy: Rape by Deception:" http://www.fangsforthefantasy.com/2016/05/rape-by-deception.html

* "Sunday Sweets: Oh. Em. GEODE.:" http://www.cakewrecks.com/home/2016/5/15/sunday-sweets-oh-em-geode.html

* "Amy Schumer Just Made an Excellent Point About the Old Men Policing Her Vagina :" http://mic.com/articles/141561/this-inside-amy-schumer-sketch-nails-what-s-wrong-with-women-s-health-in-america?utm_source=policymicTBLR&utm_medium=style&utm_campaign=social#.LUCDC85MJ

* "Kit Harington Explains How He Revealed Jon Snow's Fate to Get Out of a Speeding Ticket:" http://www.tastefullyoffensive.com/2016/05/kit-harington-on-revealing-jon-snows.html

* "Here Are All The Ways You Can Help Fort McMurray:" http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/05/04/fort-mcmurray-how-to-help_n_9843774.html?ncid=tweetlnkcahpmg00000002

* Want to help Equador in the wake of their Earthquake? http://www.ifrc.org/en/news-and-media/news-stories/americas/ecuador/ecuador-red-cross-responds-to-deadly-earthquake-72129/

* Zimbabwe has joined Ethiopia in disaster level drought People and animals are dying. Want to help? https://www.wfp.org/help

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

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

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

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

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

* "Sri Lanka: five steps to vaccine success:" http://www.vaccineswork.org/post/133290012222/sri-lanka-five-steps-to-vaccine-success

* At least 34 people in one attack and 15 in another (with two bombers) are dead in Nigeria. Boka Haram, being cowards, has been turning little girls into suicide bombers, likely the ones they've been kidnapping, though it's not proved yet. Boko Haram has killed more civilians than any terrorist group, including ISIS.

* So a pretty alarming thing just happened in Mali. I'm going to give you a little background first. There's been long running trouble between the people in the North of Mali and the government in the South. Over time, people who got exiled or were wanted by the government, particularly Tariq people went north across the Algerian desert to Libya, where many of the men signed up to serve in the military. Remember that tank convoy and various military transports spotted going South during the overthrow of Kadafi? Those were deserters taking weapons an vehicles back to Mali, where they formed the core of a Tariq separatist uprising in northern Mali. The more secular wing of the uprising quickly got overwhelmed by the religious extremist wing and it became one of those monstrous extremist nightmares that goes around destroying cultural treasures, burning books, killing moderate Muslims, etc.. Some of you will remember the heroic efforts of the people of Timbuktu to hide and smuggle out irreplaceable and unique early Islamic manuscripts.

Mali's government wasn't up to a challenge of this magnitude and French and Pan-African forces have been helping them fight. The pro-government forces have been doing well. The French being there is a thing that is politically complicated because of their history of colonialism in Mali, which I'm not going to get into in depth, but their plan to pull out in the near future was a bit of a relief to pretty much everyone in the region, who given many of the neighboring countries' history with colonialism and French colonialism in particular, is not surprising.

At 7AM local time (my last night), the extremists took a large hotel frequented by international travelers hostage. Government forces with help from french special forces were taking it back floor by floor when I went to bed. It is thought they had over a hundred hostages at one point. Reports continue to be a bit chaotic and contradictory. It is thought the attackers are dead. It is thought approximately 20 hostages were killed. The French withdraw has been cancelled.

* The UN approved a resolution calling on the world to unite against Islamic State.

* "Texas Women Are Inducing Their Own Abortions:" http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/11/texas-self-abort/416229/

* A response to the complaint "women don’t know how much rejection hurts:" http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/133523850002/inkskinned-women-dont-know-how-much-rejection

* Trump is calling for a Nazi-style mandatory National registry of Muslims with required religion specific identification they and only they would have to carry. O.o For pretty fucking obvious reasons, the Anti-Defamation League and several other Jewish groups are condemning this Trump policy.

* "More Universities Move To Include Gender-Neutral Pronouns:" http://www.npr.org/2015/11/08/455202525/more-universities-move-to-include-gender-neutral-pronouns

* Misleading headline alert. It's about adding genetic data to linguistic and archaeological data to try to figure out where the Indo-European language group likely originates. "DNA reveals the origins of modern Europeans:" http://phys.org/news/2015-03-dna-reveals-modern-europeans.html

* "How did the chicken cross the sea?:" http://phys.org/news/2015-03-chicken-sea.html

* In which I talk about the Wycliffe Bible and the backlash in the notes. "Society despairs of the Modern Woman, 1915 style:" http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/133587535367/questionableadvice-progress-1915

* "Victorian Nipple Rings:" https://www.bodyartforms.com/blog/victorian-nipple-rings-part-one/

* "The schoolboy sailors who died at Gallipoli:" http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-31712158

* "Ponds and their toads cured of dreaded disease:" https://www.sciencenews.org/article/ponds-and-their-toads-cured-dreaded-disease?tgt=nr

* "Tragedy in Paris: The Three Stages of Political Grief:"

( Embed: )

* "Hey, Huddled Masses: Get Lost:"

( Embed: )

* "Sesame Street: Game of Chairs (Game of Thrones Parody):"

( Embed: )

* My scheduled thing got moved, so today was supposed to be a bureaucracy day, but Hector wouldn't stop hurting me when I was sleeping so I couldn't do it. He's pretty manicky today just generally but I got him to eat, so i attempted some experimental baking even though he was way too interested in what was going on. I put the experimental pie in the oven, cleaned up, and went to write up events in Africa. He WOULD NOT leave things in the kitchen alone. I kept having to go in there to do things like fish him out of the trash can. He knew I was making a bread smell in there and he wanted whatever I was making RIGHT NOW! He eventually flung a glass flour canister off a shelf, managing to break one of my Great grandmother's plates in the process. Glass everywhere. It's likely too damaged to glue together and I'm not up to trying tonight.

I want to make clear, I am not feeding this cat pie, but that doesn’t stop him throwing a tantrum on the off chance.

* I watched The Hollow Crown: Henry IV pt. 1. The Henry IV's are amoung my least favorite Shakespeare plays, but I was promised Hiddleston and they did such a brilliant job with the very difficult to do well Richard II, that I gave it a try. I am not sorry. My fundamental problem with IV pt.1 I it is full of pointless cruelty with a particularly nasty clsss based underpinning all framed as if it is funny. It's not something I find funny. Seriously, that thing where they torment the pot boy, who's poverty is extreme by offering him a huge sum of money then making him say anon... Incredibly, pointlessly cruel.

I think one of the reasons this adaptations works for me is that the people making it clearly get how appalling this is. Most Shakespeare adaptations re so full of reverence for the Author, that there is a portentousness and exaggeration to the acting. There is so often an air of trying a little too hard about the comedic bits and it's a little too easy to overact the dramatic bits. This production treats the dialog like dialog, if that makes sense. They speak the lines as if they were modern instead of as if they were poetry. This makes a huge difference in the feel of the thing.

What Hiddleston does with Prince Hal is kind of brilliant. Hiddleston's charisma really helps, but the genius is in the way he plays the horrible pranks. It's rather like the "Loki'd" short he did a few years ago. He plays his Hal a little bit dorky, as a likable, but awkward doofus who isn't quite sure how far is too far and keeps trying anyway to be the class clown so that the cool kids will like him. He plays his Hal in such a way that it's clear the jokes don't quite work because they are sort of childish and aweful and nearly always a little too much. The result is that instead of a callous brute, you get a significantly more subtle character study of a rich kid trying too hard to fit in with a rough crowd.

The performance also really invites you to think about what his childhood and relationship to his father must be for him to run around behaving like this. The little playlet section is pivotal for this. When Falstaff plays the King, he is playing A King. When Hiddleston's Hal plays the King, he is very distinctly playing Jeemy Irons playing Henry IV. It is unnerving and uncomfortable but it really sucks you into the psychology of it. The scene goes from a mocking jest to ouch rather quickly as a result, which is perfect.

There are lots of clever little moments in the acting all over the cast like that. Hotspur's much put upon wife repeatedly punching his arm in exasperation under witch there is an obvious affection. Little moments where Fallstaff's expression suggests that under the bluster there is both self awareness and a deep vulnerability. The moment where Hal and his brother simultaneously realize their father is mortal in an imminent rather than abstract sense.

Look, I'm never going to like watching either Henry IV, but this was riveting and the performances are brilliant, even though the battle scene suffered rather from budgettary limits. This interpretation really works for me in a way that no other version I've ever seen did. (Yes, that includes My Own Private Idaho. I love all the Rent Boy bits in it, but the explicitly Henry IV parts are excruciating, and I mostly skip those when I watch so as to get back to River Phoenix). This is the Henry IV made for people who don't like Henry IV. I am excite to see if they can manage to make pt. 2 interesting which would pretty much be a miracle).

* Mad Max is Not the hero: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/133584243892/potofsoup-bookshop

* A good criticism of the star trek reboot: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/133527809982/well-heres-the-thing-that-i-try-to-explain-to

* Marina Sirtis, Sexism, and TNG: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/133516791352/webgeekist-colonel-kira-nerys

* "Photographer Unearths Vivid Images From 1980s NYC:" http://gothamist.com/2015/11/05/revisit_1980s_nyc.php

* I want the real Sam back. "Book 2 vs. Season 2: Sam Tarly’s Love Life:" http://turtle-paced.tumblr.com/post/133395490597/book-2-vs-season-2-sam-tarlys-love-life

* Story Dragon Store: http://thestorydragon.com/?product_cat=owens-art

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

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

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

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

* Paris Update: As of Sunday morning 129 dead 352 wounded, 99 seriously. Seven of the attackers are dead, another seven detained. France is considering it an act of war and is stepping up bombings in Syria. Arrests and interrogations are also ongoing in Belgium and Germany.

* "John Oliver’s best piece ever: This brilliant expose on our endless prison cycle is an absolute must:" http://www.salon.com/2015/11/09/john_oliver_does_it_again_this_brilliant_expose_on_our_endless_prison_cycle_might_be_his_most_important_piece_ever/?utm_source=Tumblr&utm_medium=Tumblr%20Share&utm_campaign=Tumblr

* "15 people with Down syndrome tell a mom what kind of life her child will have:" http://www.upworthy.com/15-people-with-down-syndrome-tell-a-mom-what-kind-of-life-her-child-will-have?c=tbn

* "Your identity is a slur:" http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/133260104722/your-identity-is-a-slur

* "Tom Hiddleston & Jessica Chastain Throw the Worst Party Ever :"

( Embed: )

* Diverse comic with non-binary main character. "Eth's Skin:" http://www.eths-skin.com/post/71812472945

* I am old enough and my family was geeky enough that most of Tom Baker and all of Peter Davidson's era Who were

* "Tam Lin: A Summary:" http://seananmcguire.tumblr.com/post/133042466045/tam-lin-a-summary

* "The Failure of Female Leadership In the Walking Dead World :" http://www.fangsforthefantasy.com/2015/11/the-failure-of-female-leadership-in.html

* "Supernatural, Season 11, Episode 6: Our Little World:" http://www.fangsforthefantasy.com/2015/11/supernatural-season-11-episode-6-our.html

* This rather reminds me of Dhrae and Marsei: http://butlerbookbinding.tumblr.com/post/133248796399/theasexualityblog-sexyaussiekirkland

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

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

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

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

* "Meet the Only Man to Ever Be Hit With Two Atomic Bombs and Make It Out Alive:" http://mic.com/articles/123498/tsutomu-yamaguchi-hiroshima-nagasaki-atomic-bombs?utm_source=policymicTBLR&utm_medium=main&utm_campaign=social

* I've been trying to compose something to say about the main Republican debate, but I can't think of any thing to say that doesn't involve the phrase "Whiny scrotum" so I'm going to have to try again another day.

* "Arrest Made In India Clarke Case:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2015/08/arrest-made-in-india-clarke-case.html

* "Soon To Be Released Stonewall Movie Is Whitewashing And Erasing Trans History:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2015/08/soon-to-be-released-stonewall-movie-is.html

* I will not being seeing the crappy Stonewall movie. The people who made it were so sexist and racist and lazy that instead of telling the incredible true stories of the Women of Colour who actually were the heroines of the protest, they decided to replace them with a fictional cis white man so they could erase the true history with a boring White savior trope. Fuck that. These are the women that this movie should be about: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/126162640702/meet-the-women-of-stonewall

* "Babies On Display: When A Hospital Couldn't Save Them, A Sideshow Did:" http://www.npr.org/2015/07/10/421239869/babies-on-display-when-a-hospital-couldnt-save-them-a-sideshow-did

* Yakity Max (Mad Max Spoilers):

( Embed: )

* "Can you explain how Oberon claims his children?" http://seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com/633590.html

* Last week on Dark Matter: Space Samurai vs. Space Rednecks.

* MrBumblepants took some garden pictures week before last. http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/126226320152/mrbumblepants-took-some-garden-pictures-week

* Ebays, Links fixed, 3ish days:

( Embed: )

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

* My RL oldest continuous friend is doing a fundraiser: http://www.gofundme.com/x9g7q2k

* Trying to stay afloat until August: http://www.gofundme.com/cuovws or Lethran@gmail.com

Today's post didn't. You can find it here: http://gwyd.livejournal.com/1463924.html

* "Russia Is Persuaded to Alter Statement to Call for Inclusion:" http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/15/sports/russia-is-persuaded-to-alter-statement-to-call-for-inclusion.html?hp&_r=1&

* "Blood and money: stabbing attack follows campaign deal gone wrong :" http://minivannews.com/politics/blood-and-money-stabbing-attack-follows-campaign-deal-gone-wrong-65449

* Why Ted Cruz Loves Jesse Helms:

( Embed: )

* "Drug addiction: The complex truth:" http://mindhacks.com/2013/09/13/drug-addiction-the-complex-truth/

* "Penny Arcade and the Slow Murder of Satire:" http://cleolinda.tumblr.com/post/60273982453/penny-arcade-and-the-slow-murder-of-satire

* "San Antonio Passes Far-Reaching Antidiscrimination Measure:" http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/06/us/san-antonio-passes-far-reaching-antidiscrimination-measure.html?emc=eta1&_r=0

* "The Visual Intelligence of Pacific Rim:" http://stormingtheivorytower.blogspot.ca/2013/07/the-visual-intelligence-of-pacific-rim.html

* Things like this fascinate me. "The Real Mermaids of San Marcos, Texas:" http://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/the-real-mermaids-of-san-marcos-texas/

* The Clutch: