Nec Hoc Nec Ilud

* TW: Pedophilia. "In Chile, pope met by protests, threats, burned churches:" http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/chile-pope-met-protests-threats-burned-churches-52454519

* "Brazil ex-President Lula loses appeal:" http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-42810464

* "Padmaavat: Indian cinemas brace for violence as Bollywood epic opens:" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/25/padmaavat-bollywood-epic-film-hindu-queen-muslim-threats-violence

* "The State Department is sued for denying citizenship to children of binational same-sex couples:" http://www.newsweek.com/state-department-sued-denying-citizenship-children-binational-same-sex-couples-787473

* "DOJ threatens 'sanctuary cities' with subpoenas, escalating Trump's immigration enforcement campaign:" https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/01/24/justice-department-threatens-sanctuary-cities-subpoenas-escalating-trumps-immigration-enforcement-ca/1061225001/

* "Mayors' group calls off Trump meeting after DOJ threatens sanctuary cities:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/mayors-call-trump-meeting-after-justice-department-threatens-sanctuary-cities-n840721

* "White House: Trump hasn't fired Mueller in part because of how the press would react:" https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/23/politics/robert-mueller-donald-trump-fire-white-house/index.html

* Yes, please. "Trump says he's 'looking forward' to talking to special counsel Robert Mueller:" https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/24/trump-says-hes-looking-forward-to-talking-to-special-counsel-robert-mueller.html

* "Trump once asked a top FBI official about his 2016 vote:" https://www.vox.com/2018/1/23/16926280/trump-fbi-andrew-mccabe-2016-vote

* "GOP tries to save Trump, attacks FBI, U.S. intelligence:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/gop-tries-to-save-trump-attacks-fbi-u-s-intelligence-1144200771667

* Obviously no, but the rest is interesting. "Trump's Criticism of Wilbur Ross and Ryan Zinke Strikes at His Own Weaknesses:" https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/01/whoa-wilbur/551222/

* "Flynn kept FBI interview concealed from White House and Trump:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/flynn-kept-fbi-interview-concealed-white-house-trump-n840491

* "What did Trump know about Flynn and when did he know it?:" http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/what-did-trump-know-about-flynn-and-when-did-he-know-it-1145194051690

* Bet I can guess who he voted for. "Man arrested, accused of threatening to kill CNN employees:" http://thehill.com/media/370207-man-arrested-after-threatening-to-kill-cnn-employees

* "Why won't evangelicals quit Donald Trump?:" http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/why-won-t-evangelicals-quit-donald-trump-1144126019931

* Remember, census data determines things like how many Congress Critters your state gets and is used for section 2 under the VRA to fight racial discrimination in voting. If people are afraid to fill it out, particularly in urban areas, particularly people of color... "The Controversial Question DOJ Wants to Add to the U.S. Census:" https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/01/the-controversial-question-doj-wants-to-add-to-the-us-census/550088/

* 900% is “helping” people. *side eye* "Under Trump Appointee, Consumer Protection Agency Seen Helping Payday Lenders:" https://www.npr.org/2018/01/24/579961808/under-trump-appointee-consumer-protection-agency-seen-helping-payday-lenders

* "Trump’s Commerce Secretary Keeps Falling Asleep During Meetings:" https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/01/trumps-commerce-secretary-keeps-falling-asleep-during-meetings

* "DoJ warns Nunes on reckless 'memo' stunt:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/doj-warns-nunes-against-political-stunts-with-classified-material-1145302595650

* "Justice Dept.: 'Reckless' to release Nunes memo without review:" https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/24/politics/nunes-memo-fbi/index.html

* I have a list of names. "Leading GOP senator raises the specter of a 'secret society':" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/leading-gop-senator-raises-the-specter-secret-society

* "About that 'Secret Society' at the FBI:" http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/about-that-secret-society-at-the-fbi-1145201219616

* "GOP smear of FBI makes law enforcement harder:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/law-enforcement-made-more-difficult-by-republican-smears-of-fbi-1145357379926

* Please Florida. "Florida Takes Big Step Toward Expanding Voting Rights To Over 1.5 Million People:" http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/florida-felony-disenfranchisement_us_5a62060fe4b074ce7a07ab01

* "Trump finally responds to the Kentucky shooting, nearly 24 hours after Trudeau:" https://www.vox.com/world/2018/1/24/16928676/trump-tweet-texts-kentucky-shooting-trudeau

* "What we know now: Marshall County High School shooting:" https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2018/01/24/what-we-know-now-marshall-county-high-school-shooting/1060830001/

* "U.S. senator to be first to give birth in office:" https://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-duckworth/u-s-senator-to-be-first-to-give-birth-in-office-idUSKBN1FD09N

* TW: Pedophilia, Rape "Larry Nassar sentenced to up to 175 years in prison for decades of sexual abuse:" https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/24/us/larry-nassar-sentencing/index.html

* TW: Pedophilia. "Perv Watch- HERO Hater Named In Lawsuit:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2018/01/perv-watch-hero-hater-named-in-lawsuit.html

* "Do work requirements help lift people out of poverty?:" https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/making-sense/do-work-requirements-help-lift-people-out-of-poverty

* "Video shows border agents dumping water left for migrants:" http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/video-shows-border-agents-dumping-water-left-for-migrants-1144118339539

* "Schumer withdraws offer on Trump's wall:" https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/23/chuck-schumer-trump-wall-offer-359156

* "Trump waives dozens of environmental rules to speed up construction of border wall:" http://thehill.com/latino/370202-trump-admin-waives-dozens-of-environmental-rules-to-speed-up-construction-of-border

* "Weddell Sea 'deserves protected status':" http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-42795208

* "Trump's 'hatred of sharks' boosts charities:" http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-42809865

* "Ancient Egyptian Queen Neithhotep, Narmer’s wife:" https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/40455/Ancient-Egyptian-Queen-Neithhotep-Narmer%E2%80%99s-wife

* "Hetepheres I: King Sneferu’s wife and King Khufu’s mother:" http://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/40167/Hetepheres-I-King-Sneferu%E2%80%99s-wife-and-King-Khufu%E2%80%99s-mother

* "Ursula K Le Guin, sci-fi and fantasy author, dies aged 88:" https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/jan/23/ursula-k-le-guin-sci-fi-fantasy-author-dies-at-88

* "When Your Catfish Is Actually a Fish:"

( Embed: )

* "Steve Bannon Needs a Job:"

( Embed: )

* "Kangaroo Bae Has James Corden Hot & Bothered:"

( Embed: )

* "Trump's 'Business As Usual' Oval Office Photo Shoot:"

( Embed: )

* "Women's March 2018: Bigger Crowds, Even Funnier Signs:"

( Embed: )

* "Ismo: Ass Is The Most Complicated Word In The English Language:"

( Embed: )

* "Quentin Tarantino’s Star Trek:"

( Embed: )

* "END OF ZE WORLD ...PROBABLY FOR REAL THIS TIME:"

( Embed: )

* "Gerrymandering: Because America Can Hack Its Own Elections:"

( Embed: )

* "Building Bridges (Not Walls) in Mexico:"

( Embed: )

* I went to bed early and slept in as long as I could in hopes of improvement. Alas physical inconvenience and a pair of striped hellions running around yelling (him) and squeaking (her) and knocking things over meant the quality was not good. Still, foraging must be done, so I dragged myself out anyway, masked and droopy. It took twoish hours to put the food away as i kept having to rest and I scraped myself up in another fall. (I fall often, though I've set things up so I often an catch myself on the way down or land somewhere reasonable. Often, I get control back fast enough to have a good say on HOW I land. If I am lucky, I've grabbed something on the way down and my legs start working again part way through the collapse and I can not actually fall. this one was ill timed and I hit things on the way down, though luckily no cats were injured. (Livia was on the desk and Tavy is used to me and scurried.

I hate this virus, it's extra icky, it never seems to leave and I'm pretty clearly starting secondary infection number two on top of it. Did I get sick right before or right after solstice? I've lost track. I start to get better and then Bam! I'm running out of frigging masks for wearing out when I must do things. Still, it's better than MRA or last year's antibiotic resistant lung thing.

It's just shit needs doing around here. Litter boxes need changing and bending makes me cough and/or vomit even if you leave out the dust. Cats have been going on sprees and I need to clean up/sweep. There are a ton off small stupid things. I'm about to be behind on two bills and I REALLY need to do an auction, but that's an all evening undertaking with mask and gloves and all the little tests I periodically give myself are showing with this fever, I've not the brain acuity for something so precise. Argh.

Still, I would like to thank whoever sent gas money. When it clears I'll go get gas and meds and that's one less thing to be distressed about.

This virus is so incredibly exhausting on top of the usual exhausting of being chronically ill. I hate being so irritatingly emotional, which is a particularly annoying side effect of this one.

* Despite at least two month long interruptions due to shifting ILL due dates, I have finished the utterly fascinating Unnatural Murder: Poison At the Court Of James l, by Anne Somerset. I have been impressed with both the quality of her writing and the extensiveness of her research before, but I think she may have out done herself here. It is extremely readable, of course, but seriously, the amount of work in digging through old court records and documents as well as the depth of knowledge of the period are admirable. It was incredibly hard to put down. I will admit, that James is just out of my period and I am kicking myself for not ever wondering what happened to these folks after Elizabeth I died.

I knew King James much preferred sex with men, of course, and about Villiers, but not I'd honestly never wondered who was principle favorite before him or what happened to him. Wow, was I missing out on an amazing story. How is this not a STARZ mini series? Complex social and romantic relationships with gay and bisexual people. A possible asexual person (though gay and super discrete is possible). High relationship drama, including a dramatic and precedent setting divorce! Horrifying early modern medical and legal practices! Intrigue, politics, poison, and Court Room Drama! Cameos by all sorts of famous early modern people!

Seriously, this is a good read for historian and non-historian alike.

* Squirrel reports LM is pretty much done eating kibble and it's obvious she's been losing weight. Her teeth look okay to him. I've suggested he check for tumors just in case, and we'll see about the vet if things continue. She's about the age Hector was when he moved over to all goosh and she does seem happy to eat chunky goosh, so it's not at the pate only stage. I'm upping their goosh from every other day to daily. Given Livia eats like a horde of locusts and can use the extra fat and protein for all that growing, and Tavy really ever only wants a few bites, everyone getting daily goosh shouldn't be a problem for them. I've currently got a good stockpile, so no one is starving this month or next.

* Privilege and Representation: http://seananmcguire.tumblr.com/post/170104697065/campaignagainstcliche-roger-that

* Also, OMG, Black Lightning. Here I was thinking the first episode was good, but the second is AMAZING!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

* Things continue to deteriorate in Yemen. Best to be keeping an eye on that one.

* "Jewish Labor MP walks out after Abbott's Goebbels comment:" http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-19/jewish-labor-mp-walks-out-after-tony-abbotts-goebbels-comment/6332910

* "French Government Starts Blocking Websites With Views The Gov't Doesn't Like:" https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150318/06273130352/french-government-starts-blocking-websites-with-views-govt-doesnt-like.shtml

* "If you own a pitchfork, you will grab it when you see this chart.:" http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2015/03/income-inequality-chart-wall-street-bonuses-minimum-wage

* "How Colleges Misspend Your Tuition Money:" http://www.psmag.com/business-economics/pay-for-decent-teachers-not-dr-phil

* "Welcome to Global Warming’s Terrifying New Era:" http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2015/03/19/thirty_years_of_above_average_temperatures_mean_we_re_entering_a_new_era.html

* "LAPD says every car in Los Angeles is part of an ongoing criminal investigation:" http://boingboing.net/2014/03/24/lapd-says-every-car-in-los-ang.html

* "Starbucks Asks Employees to Solve Race Relations in America for No Extra Pay:" http://www.thenation.com/blog/201873/starbucks-asks-employees-solve-race-relations-america-no-extra-pay#

* "Williams on What the Black Lynchings Numbers Don't Reveal:" http://diasporahypertext.com/2015/02/24/williams-on-what-the-black-lynchings-numbers-dont-reveal/

* "Why White People Freak Out When They're Called Out About Race:" http://www.alternet.org/culture/why-white-people-freak-out-when-theyre-called-out-about-race

* "D.W. Just Needs To Pee In Peace:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2015/03/dw-just-needs-to-pee-in-peace.html

* Fish Update: I can not find the pleco. I even checked all around the tank lest it escaped as plecos are wont to do. No sign.

* "iZombie, Season 1, Episode 1: Pilotfangsforthefantasy.com:" http://www.fangsforthefantasy.com/2015/03/izombie-season-1-episode-1-pilot.html

I love Ravi best!

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

* Greenwick found, "Ask a North Korean: How fashion works in North Korea:" http://www.nknews.org/2014/10/ask-a-north-korean-how-fashion-works-in-north-korea/

* I'm not holding my breath for this agreement working out, but this article has an overview of the situation if you aren't all that up on it. "Nigeria and Boko Haram 'agree truce':" http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29665165

* "Debunking the big Ebola myths:" http://on.msnbc.com/1up8RYc

* "MHP: We have two standards for health care in America:" http://on.msnbc.com/1po2UZO

* "Discrimination 'mounting' on West African immigrants:" http://on.msnbc.com/1wo8kKy

* The Supreme Court ruled that Texas is allowed to disenfranchise 600,000 mostly black and Latino/a voters after all. Fuck. Poll Taxes are now constitutional again.

Elections matter. Please vote.

* "The Litmus Test:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-litmus-test.html

* This may be the best thing. "Volunteers use 3-D technology for good:" http://on.msnbc.com/1woD8L3

* Attn: Greenwick. "Questions surround Florida inmate's death:" http://on.msnbc.com/1sZ8Cq4
"Florida inmate’s family calls on DOJ to investigate death:" http://on.msnbc.com/1sZdDPm

* "The 10 Worst States for Women:" http://247wallst.com/special-report/2014/10/16/the-10-worst-states-for-women-2/2/

* "Of Gamers, Gates, and Disco Demolition: The Roots of Reactionary Rage:" http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/10/16/of-gamers-gates-and-disco-demolition-the-roots-of-reactionary-rage.html?via=desktop&source=twitter

* "#StopGamerGate2014 hashtag suggests internet is growing tired of GamerGate:" http://www.cbc.ca/newsblogs/yourcommunity/2014/10/stopgamergate2014-the-internet-has-had-enough-of-gamergate.html

* "MHP: Time to take down the confederate flag in South Carolina:" http://on.msnbc.com/1poiHYM

* "Trans Woman Beaten In New York:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2014/10/trans-woman-beaten-in-new-york.html

* "Trans Woman In Memphis Brutally Attacked:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2014/10/trans-woman-in-memphis-brutally-attacked.html

* "An Ugly NH GOP Blog Post:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2014/10/an-ugly-nh-gop-blog-post.html

* "As Transgender Visibility Grows, Transgender Rights Lag:" http://www.vocativ.com/culture/lgbt/transgender-rights/

* "Trans Person Elected To Office In Peru!:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2014/10/trans-person-elected-to-office-in-peru.html

* "Jazz Named To 2014 Time Magazine 25 Most Influential Teens List:" http://www.transgriot.blogspot.com/2014/10/jazz-named-to-2014-time-magazine-25.html

* White Privilege Debate. "Exclusive - Bill O'Reilly Extended Interview:"

( Embed: )

* "Sam Brownback's Conservative Kansas Experiment:"

( Embed: )

* "A Week of Victories for Gay Rights:"

( Embed: )

* "Fangs For The Fantasy: American Horror Story, Season 4, Episode 2: Massacres and Matinees:" http://www.fangsforthefantasy.com/2014/10/american-horror-story-season-4-episode_17.html

* Fundraiser to Help Us Survive: http://www.gofundme.com/cuovws

* "4 African Queens & Empresses in History You Should Know:" http://diasporicroots.tumblr.com/post/86997343638/4-african-queens-empresses-in-history-you-should-know#disqus_thread

* "An open letter to privileged people who play devil’s advocate:" http://feministing.com/2014/05/30/an-open-letter-to-privileged-people-who-play-devils-advocate/

* "Activists in Maryland fail to gather enough support to challenge protections for transgender individuals:" http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/md-activists-fail-to-gather-enough-signatures-to-challenge-transgender-protections/2014/06/01/52182d6e-e9c1-11e3-9f5c-9075d5508f0a_story.html

* "Maryland Haters Fail In Trans Rights Law Repeal Effort:" http://www.transgriot.blogspot.com/2014/06/maryland-haters-fail-in-trans-rights.html

* I've got circular swaps with openings.
Just Tea: http://www.bpal.org/topic/83424-just-tea-spring-circular-swap/
Hot drinks: http://www.bpal.org/topic/83154-spring-drink-swap-open/
Scented Products: http://www.bpal.org/topic/83239-spring-scented-products-kitchen-sink-circular-swap/

* As I wrote this, the authorities in Kiev were trying to disperse protesters in Kiev, Ukraine, with riot police. The protesters have toppled the last statue of Lenin. Apparently there was a violent attempt to clear them out last night their time, which failed. The riot police were gathering as I typed this so I can not tell you much in the way of details.

* Protests continue in Thailand. The Prime Minister has dissolved parliament and is planning to step down. The Government says they will stand down. Protesters are now calling for an unelected "people's government."

* It's been a brutal year for train wrecks (Spain, Italy, China, Quebec, NYC). A car full of mostly women passengers derailed in the vicinity of Jakarta and caught fire. It's sounding like the engineer and someone else have been confirmed dead but there are no casualty figures as of this writing, since they are still rescuing people and doing triage.

* "We're Still Watching You, Smith College :" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2013/12/were-still-watching-you-smith-college.html

* People tend to get defensive when there is conversation about privilege. Sometimes it turns out there is a fundamental misunderstanding about what it means on a day to day level. I find this example helps: Cis people never have to think about whether or not the hospital will let them bleed to death on the sidewalk if they are in a car accident. They get to assume the hospital will treat them. They don't have to think about the trans folk who get turned away because to some hospitals, we aren't really people and therefore they don't have to treat us in emergency situations. Do I want to take the right to be treated in hospital rooms from cis people? No. What I do want is for cis people to send some time thinking about what that feels like to be considered so less than than human that they will let you bleed to death rather than stitch your wounds, mocking you while you die. It means I want cis people to think about how precarious life is if you can be randomly denied essential services like emergency medical treatment, police protection, etc. with no consequences acruing to the people who deny you services. I want cis people to expend a little empathy and compassion on understanding why some of us are incredibly angry or fearful, or traumatized from beatings or police harassment or from being repeatedly denied medical care at all levels. I want cis people to not pull the tone argument or pretend these concerns aren't real and deadly serious. I want cis people to listen to the voices of trans people talking about how the micro and macro aggressions harm their lives, about the real effects of transphobia in the real world, instead of talking over them and trying to explain that those concerns are somehow invalid or dramatically less important than the imaginary threats cis people often believe trans people pose contrary to evidence. (Ex: No trans women have assaulted cis women in bathrooms, but there are plenty of examples of harassment and assault on transwomen in bathroom perpetrated by cis people). Most importantly, I want cis people to stand up for us when we are out of the room and to vote for and advocate us having basic rights like life saving emergency room treatment. I am not trying to take away anyone's right to emergency medical treatment; I want to make it universal. I am not trying to demonize cis-folk for getting stitches or treatment for a heart attack or whatever. I am merely pointing out that part of cis privilege is never having to think about whether that doctor/hospital/whatever is safe and will provide treatment rather than ridicule and that another part of cis privilege is being able to dismiss and belittle these concerns and a whole nest of other things that come with them.

I know I am privileged to live in a very safe city (comparatively little in the way of violent crime for it's population size, a solidly left LGBTQ friendly college town with trans medical services available at the poverty clinic). I am privileged to depend on the feds for my money with all their LGBTQ fairness regulations rather than a private employer who could drop me for bias without references. I know I have all sorts of privilege that comes from being white. (I do my best to listen to people; signal boost; try not to be That Sort of Asshole; do what little is in my power to move the culture on; call people out in every day life if I see or things that aren't okay; and live, write, and vote my conscience. I am far from perfect, and part of what's hard about fighting one's own privilege is that individual elements of it can be invisible to oneself.) I know that my access to education growing up is an aspect of privilege. That having had family support is a privilege a whole lot of people I know don't and may never have. And on and on and on.

Knowing that perfection isn't attainable, doesn't mean that the striving to be better and to make the world better isn't worth it, nor does it excuse us from trying.

When someone asks me to check my privilege, it means it's time for me to shut up and listen and then go think about what I just heard. I'm okay with that. It's a bad idea to let ego get in the way of learning something important, and it's definitely a bad idea to let ego get in the way of empathizing with someone experiencing real injustice. I am here to learn as well as spout off about the things that are in my bailiwick.

* "Scouting The Remains of Brooklyn’s Incredible Paramount Movie Theatre:" http://www.scoutingny.com/?p=7089

* "Found in the Trash: A Box of Otherworldly Notes:" http://www.messynessychic.com/2013/11/06/found-in-the-trash-a-box-of-otherworldly-notes/

* "The 12 Best Gingerbread Houses of 2013:" http://www.cakewrecks.com/home/2013/12/8/the-12-best-gingerbread-houses-of-2013.html

* The debt limit damage is already here: http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/the-debt-limit-damage-is-already-here-54421059914#

* How much do Republicans love the troops? If they continue with the shutdown, wounded veteran's disability payments stop in November. That's how Republicans show their much boasted love of the troops and their patriotism.

* Greenwick found, "The Debt Ceiling: "Everything you need to know €”in cartoon form €”about debt-ceiling fiascos, from McKinley’s war with Spain to Obama getting punk’d.":" http://www.themorningnews.org/article/the-debt-ceiling

Notice the Gephardt rule is from 1979, the year Republicans wasted 12 billion dollars on a debt ceiling tantrum.

* "The Dixiecrat Solution:" http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/14/opinion/krugman-the-dixiecrat-solution.html?hp&_r=0

* Republican "Family Values" in action: "Newlyweds separated by US shutdown:" http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24501030

* Here are some more children Republicans are literally killing by shutting down the program that provides them medical treatment "US shutdown jeopardizes lifeline for dying children:" http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24525913

* "Meet Rep. Paul Broun:" http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/meet-rep-paul-broun-54422083605

* My feeling is that if you are threatening to destroy the world economy unless you get a list of petty demands filled, you are a Bond villain, not a Politician.

* Meta Media Moment: It is always fascinating watching the BBC presenter trying to explain why the US is creating these dangerous and expensive financial crises for ourselves and potentially the world when there is no rational reason sane economists can grasp. He tries. He tries so hard to break it down into simple terms and make sense of it, but of course there is no sense to it. Under the calm there is this sense that he's sweating whether or not economic self interest will trump Faith based Nihilism.

* "False equivalence: how 'balance' makes the media dangerously dumb:" http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/11/false-equivalence-balance-media

* I explain that crashing the economy is why Food Stamps/EBT/SNAP is high to a troll: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/64168146434/taakuya-answered-like-putting-millions-more-people-on

* "A strange game:" http://americablog.com/2013/10/strange-game.html

* "By 2047, Coldest Years May Be Warmer Than Hottest in Past, Scientists Say:" http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/10/science/earth/by-2047-coldest-years-will-be-warmer-than-hottest-in-past.html?_r=3&

* "Watery asteroid discovered 150 light-years off hints at habitable worlds:" http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/10/11/hungry_dwarf_sucks_lifegiving_juices_from_unfortunate_victim/

* "Rare blood-filled mosquito fossil found:" http://news.ninemsn.com.au/technology/2013/10/15/08/40/rare-blood-filled-mosquito-fossil-found

* "Planthopper Nymphs Have 'Fireworks' Shooting Out Of Their Butts! :" http://www.thefeaturedcreature.com/2013/02/planthopper-nymphs-have-fireworks-shooting-out-of-their-butts.html

* "North Carolina: Marriage Ban Is Challenged:" http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/15/us/north-carolina-marriage-ban-is-challenged.html?_r=0&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1381890158-+IoJxnQurvwEUdDiumN+VA

* il_volpe found, "10 reasons you should stop being so irrationally upset about your hair being repeatedly set on fire:" http://coyot.es/crossing/2013/10/15/10-reasons-you-should-stop-being-so-irrationally-upset-about-your-hair-being-repeatedly-set-on-fire/

* Glee 5.1-3:

( Spoilers: )

I have watched "The Quarterback," but I'm not going to write about it here. (I reserve the right to comment on things others have written.) I have buried two lovers and most of my family and the near absence of a forth wall means I can't really talk about this as art right now. All I will say is that there was a time I'd had given my left arm for a certain grotty grey long coat to wrap myself in. I can't help but empathize with all the folks still grieving Mr. Monteith out in the real.

* il_volpe found, "Coyote Crossing:" http://coyot.es/crossing/2008/07/19/coyote-crossing/

* "Getting Into the Spirit:" http://travel.nytimes.com/2013/10/13/travel/getting-into-the-spirit.html?emc=eta1&_r=1&

* The Cecil & Carlos Shirt is ready for pre-order! http://www.topatoco.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=TO&Product_Code=CPB-FELLINLOVE&Category_Code=CPB

* Autumn Cake: http://www.cakewrecks.com/home/2013/10/13/fall-into-sweets.html

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

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

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

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

( Embed: )

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

* Damnit, I just want to move already.

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

* The Clutch:

* The flooding in central/Eastern Europe continues scary. While the water is going down in Germany, they had to open the dams on the Vltava worsening the flooding south of Prague. Villages and towns have been evacuated in areas under threat. Things remain scary in the Czech republic and Austria.

* Meanwhile the Missouri is also flooding and the levees are in the process of failing around West Alton.

* Revised Oklahoma figures: 19 confirmed dead. The tornado is the largest on record and has been upgraded in retrospect to a EF5 rather than an EF3.

* Republicans are blocking legislation to put safe rooms in schools and trailer parks on the grounds that saving the lives of children and the poor is less important than corporate profits and generally a waste of money. A Democrat is planning to put it directly to the voters:

( Embed: )

* You know how FOX is saying the head of the IRS went to the White House 157 times? It turns out that they made that up. It was 11 times over the course of 4 years, which is completely reasonable given the Obamacare implementation. FOX News is continuing to repeat the lie often in hysterics because fictional stories are generally treated as news over there.

* Mostly old white men holding hearings on sexual assault in the military decided they don't need outside review while refusing to let the rape survivors speak:

( Embed: )

* This week in GOP Misogyny (TW: pro-Rape Republicans out in Force):

( Embed: )

* "As A White LGBT Person, You STILL Have More Privilege Than A POC TBLG Person Ever Will:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2013/06/as-white-lgbt-person-you-still-have.html

* "Combating Bossip Comment Thread Transphobia:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2013/06/combating-bossip-comment-thread.html

* "Ohio High School Lets Trans Latina Student Graduate Wearing Correct Gown:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2013/06/ohio-high-school-lets-trans-latina.html

* This is one of the more surreal "Better Know a District's" I've seen:

( Embed: )

* I had sleep stolen by movers coming for the neighbors, but I did get out and pick up meds, get a haircut, change books at library, and made it to my appointment with even newer Doc. She was running 45 minutes late, and as my file is the War and Peace of Medical Files I didn't get out until after 6PM. O.o. She seemed cool with the trans stuff and believes in AS and CF carrier syndrome. I got one of my meds back. I'm waiting to broach the other key one until I'm lower on them. It's important to keep the people controlling my chronic pain and anti-nausea drugs sweet. She seems nice and I got my other Hep A shot. I can work with her.

Of course the Doctor running so late meant I was too late to hand off the car which pretty much screws Squirrel. He was gone when I got back, so I'm hoping he got a ride. I'm "under the weather" and exhausted, so I may bring out the serious meds and crash in a bit.

Where is Archeology round up? Where was it last week? I'm wading through game research, queer fiction on ILL that needs to go back, and link spam, so I simply haven't had time for proper sorting on the archeology stuff.

After a year and a half of jerking my sister around to the point that she had to threaten to sue, Merrill Lynch has finally released our money. I'll know my fate in a week or two.

I am so excited about il_volpe coming that I've started dreaming he's here.

* Normally when I have a Scarlet Pimpernel yen, I get the Richard Grant one. This time on a whim I got the Anthony Andrews out. He was once my beloved Sebastian, after all and it's fun to contemplate the similar defense mechanisms while watching the actor do those things with his face. I had my usual fun spotting actors in various roles out of context. (I last saw this in the 80's, so the game is more fun than it might otherwise be). Prinny is Julian Ffellows who writes Downton! The ex-boyfriend from Victor/Victoria is Armand! The first Doctor from Poldark is Robbespierre! Look, I take my fun where I can get it. It's uneven compared to the Richard Grant version, being over acted and cartoonish in spots.

What was the real surprise? Sir Ian McKellen was way too sexy for Chauvelin. Oh, the acting is stunning, but one expects that for Sir Ian. No, it was the effect of those wicked cheekbones. Why did no one tell me he was such a hotty thirty years ago and how did I miss it? Add in the passion and yearning in those piercing eyes and dayumn. Watch him scheme, watch him fence, watch him smoulder. It's an inappropriate reaction to the character, but he gives the character a soul he doesn't generally have. He was by far the best thing in the film.

I submit the following as evidence in my defense:
( Hottness!: )

* The Clutch:

* The University of Leicester is declaring the body found in the car park to be Richard III's.

* I'm finding a lot of the Richard III coverage annoying. They are repeating the old Tudor claim about him having murdered the little Princes despite a majority of historians of the period thinking the Tudors did it rather later then retroactively claimed that he had done it. It's not provable unless they find the bodies again, but acting as if everyone believes everything the Tudors paid people to say is the sort of thing that makes me grind my teeth. Siumilarly, most historians have thought he had mild scoliosis and maybe a limp as the hunchbak and withered arm claims are much later and again by people paid by the Tudors. Such claims get more exagerated the further you get from the generation that knew him.

Why was Richard III so vilified anyway? 1. The same reason the aristocracy rose against him: He championed the legal rights of commoners over the new impositions of the nobles. No really. He sided with commoners over things like traditional rights to the commons and had a special court set up where commoners could sue their Lords over land disputes. He was in favor of progressive taxation. you know, the sorts of things nobles dispised. So they backed the Henry VII when he rebelled. 2. Henry VII was really big into propaganda. He used pageantry to build the idea of his legitimacy after the war. He also hired writers, poets, and pamphleteers to vilify the dead Richard and exaggerate ans spin Richard's traits that good be taken for negatives. They took his good looks and slight build and accused him of being weak, despite his proved physical and political courage. They took his limp and slightly crooked back and made him a hunchback. (I do not endorse ableism, but the prejudice of the time made any physical difference a strong negative and a sign of bad character). They turned him into a two dimensional villain to be hissed at and booed, adding more and more charges as memories dimmed and the generation that remembered him died off. Generations passed and Shakespeare made a play to please Henry VII's grand daughter based on the earlier propaganda and turned Richard III into one of the most memorable villains in English literature. The strong fair minded king his contemporaries knew and wrote about got buried by histories commissioned by the winners.

People like Richard the monster better than Richard the man, as the monster makes the better story and it's more fun to have aa black and white villain than a complex political reality. It still makes me all stabby seeing smug TV presenters pretend everyone only believes in the fictional monster and that the real man is something they only just discovered and haha, look at how stupid historians are for believing things they actually don't. Sigh. Seriously people, there's several generations of scholarship going the other way and you folks in the media alternately perpetuating the myths and mocking academics because you are to ignorant to know that hardly anyone in academia believes those myths is so not helping.

* The Escheresque "Logic" behind our drone strike program:

( Embed: )

* Rove vs. The Tea Party:

( Embed: )

* Recent Republican conspiracy theories about the President:

( Embed: )

* In honor of Rosa Park's hundredth birthday, I give you Rosa Parks in her own words:

( Embed: )

* "Researchers crack olfactory code for partner selection, synthesize first biologically effective perfume:" http://phys.org/news/2013-02-olfactory-code-partner-synthesise-biologically.html#jCp

* Unpacking the privilege of being conventionally attractive: http://www.ted.com/talks/cameron_russell_looks_aren_t_everything_believe_me_i_m_a_model.html?utm_source=twitter&source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ios-share

* "New Archbigot - same old story:" http://www.sparkindarkness.com/2013/02/new-archbigot-same-old-story.html

* On androcentrism and demonizing the feminine in advertising: http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2013/02/03/men-go-on-guyets-because-girls-are-stupid/

* When Tibicina was here, she gifted me some Firefly themed teas. I promptly forgot them until I searched my pockets last night for something else. To my delight, there they were! I tested Inara tonight and it was love at first sip.

* A tragedy of the closet: http://www.rifters.com/crawl/?p=3917

* The civil war in the Central African Republic has reached the point where foreign nationals are being urged to evacuate for their own safety.

* Russia has started talks with the Syrian opposition, though it's not clear how serious they are. Meanwhile, top government officials continue to defect or disappear.

* The protests demanding that the India government enforce laws against rape and put rape trials on the expedited case track instead of not taking rape reports and letting the few trials that go forward drag on for years in the hopes the survivors give up.

* The weather outlook is alarming on the east Coast right now from blizzards in the North to cyclones in the south. If you are in an area projecting severe weather, please take reasonable cautions and be careful out there.

* The Dinosaur smuggler is facing 17 years in prison and massive fines for violating both US and Mongolian Law. These crimes damage world knowledge by removing things from context without proper documentation making it hard to glean information from them.

* The FLDS pedophile cult believes the world is about to end. They are closing businesses down in preparation. I am worried this will turn into a Jim Jones situation.

* Don't try this at home, kids! "‘Set the spirit alight’: Victorian festive science:" http://thequackdoctor.com/index.php/set-the-spirit-alight-victorian-festive-science/

* The Year in Charts:

( Embed: )

* "Fox News says Fred Phelps’ “God Hates F*gs” hate group is “left wing”:" http://americablog.com/2012/12/fox-news-fred-phelps-is-left-wing.html

* Cis-privilege vs trans repudiation:

( Embed: )

* I have a lot of bureaucracy that's piling up. I set an alarm, but unfortunately, the plug that feeds electricity to the clock came loose. (Likely because of cats). Luckily, an insurance company woke me up to ask me more questions. Unfortunately, it was an hour later than planned. I was only able to do 1/3 of the driving around town bureaucracy. I could have done all of it if it weren't for shortened holiday hours. I failed at my attempt to get laundry quarters as the bank had shortened holiday hours. I did get to exchange books at the library, which was important and time dependent. I'm still coughing and walking, lying down, and bending over are ugly, but Im starting to be able to work on clearing backlog from the worst of the sick. I have a stack of sit down bureaucracy I haven't had the heart to look at properly. Maybe this weekend. I still have tree projects out which I was working on when I fell sick and was incapable of finishing. I'm behind on tank maintenance as my ability to bend, walk, and lift was not and still isn't up to it. Gah! Add to this the reality that people forget how to drive during rush hour this time of year. Chalk it up to the sun going down 4ish and by the time people get out of work, it's full night. Having it feel like 8 or 9 at night makes people anxious to get home. It leads to normally polite PNW folk running lights four or five at a time, deliberately blocking intersections to cause a whole light cycle of chaos, random signaled lane switching, and general assholery. I hate being out that time of day; triple for the dark of the year. It's also disorienting having no natural light in my room except for an hour at mid-day. It's like there is no day, only night, and it fucks with my sense of time.

* The car goes in for fixing next week for likely two days. Insurance is covering a rental car, which makes it less difficult.

* To the loot count, add some little replacement speakers from Squirrel for my lap top as the others have a rattle and were making listening to anything unpleasant.

* An interesting take on Django Unchained placing it in contrast to traditional American narratives, "The Black, the White and the Angry:" http://movies.nytimes.com/2012/12/25/movies/quentin-tarantinos-django-unchained-stars-jamie-foxx.html?hp=&_r=2&pagewanted=2&

* Debate over whether or not what Tarantino is doing in Django is acceptable:

( Embed: )