1/11/24 - 1/15/24
Jan. 15th, 2024 01:13 am*
* "Journalism groups and family reject Israeli accusation that Gazan reporters killed were ‘terrorists’:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/journalism-groups-family-reject-israeli-accusation-gazan-reporters-kil-rcna133666
* "Gaza Journalist Wael Al Dahdouh to Pres. Biden: Listen to Both Sides, Not Just One:" https://www.msnbc.com/ayman-mohyeldin/watch/gaza-journalist-wael-al-dahdouh-to-pres-biden-listen-to-both-sides-not-just-one-201913925535
* "Shot in ‘cold blood’: Killing of Palestinian grandmother sparks outcry:" https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/13/shot-in-cold-blood-killing-of-elderly-palestinian-woman-sparks-outcry
* "Looming Starvation in Gaza Shows Resurgence of Civilian Sieges in Warfare:" https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/11/health/gaza-israel-hunger-starvation.html
* "Gaza Is Starving:" https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/gaza-is-starving
* Verified charities to help Palestinians: https://cleolinda.tumblr.com/post/737312194805612544
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* "Blinken urges Israel to engage with region on postwar plans that include path to Palestinian state:" https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-09-2024-017066376ac06026622ee0b83dc2b65e
* "US, allies attack Houthi targets in Yemen in response to missile barrages in the Red Sea:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/11/u-s-attacks-houthi-targets-in-yemen-in-response-to-missile-barrages-in-the-red-sea-00135203
* "American intel officials warn of risk of Hezbollah attacking U.S.:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/10/american-intel-officials-hezbollah-u-s-attack-risk-00134874
* I have serious concerns. "U.S. and allies launch military strikes on Houthis in Yemen in 'major escalation':" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/u-s-and-allies-launch-military-strikes-on-houthis-in-yemen-in-major-escalation-201807941709
* "South Africa accuses Israel of genocide against Palestinians at top international court:" https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/south-africa-accuses-israel-of-genocide-against-palestinians-at-top-international-court
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* "US Fails to Fully Account for Arms Sent to Ukraine, Watchdog Says:" https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-11/us-fails-to-fully-account-for-arms-sent-ukraine-watchdog-says?sref=MIBMEEoj
* "White House says U.S. Ukraine assistance has ‘ground to a halt’; UK announces increased drone funding:" https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/12/russia-ukraine-war-updates-for-jan-12-2024.html
* "Putin believes Ukraine will fall within just months without new US aid, says Senate Intelligence Chair:" https://www.businessinsider.com/putin-believes-ukraine-will-fall-months-without-us-aid-senate-2023-12
* "How the Russian Government Silences Wartime Dissent:" https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/12/29/world/europe/russia-ukraine-war-censorship.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Jk0.byu7.btH7bbrwVA_a&hpgrp=k-abar&smid=url-share
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* "The ruling-party candidate strongly opposed by China wins Taiwan’s presidential election:" https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-china-election-cbf44565b771cddfb60c2a26d2014b0c
* "Macron appoints gay French PM’s ex-partner as foreign minister:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/12/france-emmanuel-macron-gabriel-attal-stephane-sejourne/
* "Inside The Russian Propaganda Mill Beaming Out Of A Florida Strip Mall:" https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/inside-the-russian-propaganda-mill-beaming-out-of-a-florida-strip-mall
* " Ukrainian refugees fall victim to ‘sophisticated’ UK visa scams:" https://news.yahoo.com/media-ukrainian-refugees-fall-victim-133212717.html
* "Gay couple left ‘heartbroken’ after cruel Home Office decision:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/15/gay-couple-denied-partner-visa-uk/
* "Eight ways the UK government ‘eroded’ human rights in 2023, according to damning new report:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/13/uk-government-has-eroded-human-rights-damning-report-finds/
* "Biden administration rescinds, replaces Trump-era 'license to discriminate in health care' rule:" https://www.advocate.com/news/right-to-discriminate-rule-repealed
* "The White House Just Announced a $623 Million EV-Charging Bonanza:" https://www.wired.com/story/white-house-623-million-ev-charging-bonanza/
* "The Supreme Court Will Decide if States Can Force Hospitals to Let Women Die:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/supreme-court-states-emergency-abortion-1234945425/
* "A New Mexico Republican was removed from office just last year for the same reason that Trump was ordered off the 2024 Colorado ballot:" https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-colorado-14th-amendment-couy-griffin-new-mexico-2023-12
* "Johnson flails as Republicans demand consequences for conservative hijacking:" https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/01/11/congress/conservatives-push-johnson-00135080
* "Congressional leaders agree to deal to extend government funding deadlines:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/congressional-leaders-agree-to-deal-to-extend-government-funding-deadlines-201899077616
* "GOP fight over budget negotiations is 'the same old chaos' -House Minority Whip Katherine Clark:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/gop-fight-over-budget-negotiations-is-the-same-old-chaos-house-minority-whip-katherine-clark-201914949938
* Republicans did this cruel and terrible thing; Democrats want to undo it. "Congress saddled scam victims with taxes. A new bill would change that.:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/01/10/scam-victims-taxes-raskin-bill/
* "A former White House scientist was scammed out of $655,000. Then came the IRS.:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/12/14/cyber-crime-scams-irs-taxes/
* "Opinion: The GOP’s abandonment of Ukraine makes me ashamed to be an American:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/12/08/ukraine-gop-congress-aid/
* "Rep. Crockett: GOP’s Hunter Biden spectacle is about ‘pleasing Trump':" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/rep-crockett-gop-s-hunter-biden-spectacle-is-about-pleasing-trump-201720389886
* "Rep. Clarke on Mayorkas impeachment threat: 'This is all about political theater':" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/rep-clarke-on-mayorkas-impeachment-threat-this-is-all-about-political-theater-201898565810
* Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? If you can't safely contact them in person, here are some other options:
Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the representative of your choice.
Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resist.bot/
* The Indivisible Guide: "A Practical Guide to defeating MAGA:" https://indivisible.org/sites/default/files/2023-01/20220104_Indivisible_%20A%20Practical%20Guide%20to%20Defeating%20MAGA.pdf
* The Republican War on Democracy continues. "Republicans threaten Carson, Douglas over voter rolls:" https://www.nevadaappeal.com/news/2023/dec/10/republican-national-committee-threatens-to-sue-carson-douglas-over-voter-rolls/
* "Wisconsin false electors admit their actions were used to ‘improperly overturn’ the 2020 presidential election:" https://wausaupilotandreview.com/2023/12/06/wisconsin-false-electors-admit-their-actions-were-used-to-improperly-overturn-the-2020-presidential-election/
* I don't understand why trying to overthrow the government isn't disqualifying for all public offices. "Wisconsin secretary of state calls for removal of fake Trump elector from elections commission:" https://wausaupilotandreview.com/2023/12/11/wisconsin-secretary-of-state-calls-for-removal-of-fake-trump-elector-from-elections-commission/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon
* "Kellyanne Conway is selling the GOP a dream that's destined to backfire:" https://www.salon.com/2024/01/08/kellyanne-conway-is-selling-the-a-dream-thats-destined-to-backfire/
* Early voting has already started in a few places.
Iowa caucus is literally on Mon. as in 1/15/24.
New Hampshire votes 1/23/24.
Know your state's schedule and where to vote. Make sure you and your friends are registered. If you are voting in person, plan how to get there.
If you live in an open primary state consider voting strategically. Otherwise, vote your heart in the primary. Remember how all those votes for Sanders and Warren pushed Biden and the party platform further left?
Remember to vote in all the races, not just the top of the ticket. who runs congress, your state, and your local government really matters.
Never, ever sleep on a chance to vote.
Remember, it is always better to vote for someone who will listen to us than to let someone who is actively trying to kill us win.
* "Malcolm Kenyatta on breaking barriers and making Pennsylvania Black queer history:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/malcolmn-kenyatta-auditor-general-interview
* "Trans candidate Arienne Childrey is running for Ohio House and against the state's drag ban sponsor:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/trans-ohio-candidate-legislature
* "‘Terror as a tactic’: Threat of MAGA mob looms over 2024 Republican primary:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-terror-as-a-tactic-threat-of-maga-mob-looms-over-2024-republican-primary-201873477564
* "Welcome to the Loser's Ball: The incentives explain why Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley are trying to avoid catastrophic success.:" https://plus.thebulwark.com/p/welcome-to-the-losers-ball
* "Fears of a NATO Withdrawal Rise as Trump Seeks a Return to Power:" https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/09/us/politics/trump-2025-nato.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Ek0.Crv9.kgti-D2IvVIJ
* "Inside Trump’s Plot to Corrupt the 2024 Election With ‘Garbage’ Data:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trump-election-plans-corrupt-voter-registration-eric-eagleai-1234920083/
* "Raskin demands Trump return $7.8M foreign governments paid his companies during presidency:" https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4404911-raskin-trump-foreign-emoluments/?utm_source=hill_app&utm_medium=social&utm_content=share-link
* "‘We want it back’: Raskin demands Trump repay $7.8m from foreign governments:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-we-want-it-back-raskin-demands-trump-repay-7-8m-from-foreign-governments-201874501620
* "Evangelical leaders lose influence as followers find new savior in Trump:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/evangelical-leaders-lose-influence-as-followers-find-new-savior-in-trump-201883717562
* "Trump mainstreams political violence with normalizing repetition:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/trump-mainstreams-political-violence-with-normalizing-repetition-201885765596
* I don't understand how this is legal. "New Florida law blocks Chinese students from academic labs:" https://www.science.org/content/article/new-florida-law-blocks-chinese-students-from-academic-labs
* "Missouri Republicans pivot from attacking LGBTQ+ lives to focus on childcare and education issues:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/missouri-gop-lgbtq-issues-backseat
* Republicans are winning their war against freedom and bodily autonomy. "10 States That Passed the Worst Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws in 2023:" https://www.advocate.com/law/worst-anti-lgbtq-laws-2023#rebelltitem1
* We warned you this is where this is going. "West Virginia Republicans want to ban transgender people from public spaces, call them ‘obscene’:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/transgender-obscene-cured-west-virginia
* "Ohio Republican implies opponents of her trans bathroom bill should be drowned:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/ohio-bathroom-bill-republican-drown
* "Moms for Liberty school board member resigns after Target shoplifting arrest:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/12/moms-for-liberty-school-board-keri-blair-target-shoplifting-arrest/
* "Sen. Ron Johnson stunned when CNN asks him to back up his MAGA lies:" https://boingboing.net/2023/12/12/sen-ron-johnson-stunned-when-cnn-asks-him-to-back-up-his-maga-lies-video.html
* "Roger Stone Plotted Assassinating Democrats, Bombshell Report Says:" https://newrepublic.com/post/177935/roger-stone-audio-assasinate-democrats-swalwell-nadler
* "Why the judge in Trump's fraud trial may have a heavy penalty in mind:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/why-the-judge-in-trump-s-fraud-trial-may-have-a-heavy-penalty-in-mind-201806917704
* "Donald Trump defies judge, gives courtroom speech on tense final day of New York civil fraud trial:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-lawsuit-new-york-closing-arguments-b36abe2fd695d0172e71f8ef9c5ee7f3
* "Trump caps New York civil fraud trial with courtroom tantrum:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/trump-caps-new-york-civil-fraud-trial-with-courtroom-tantrum-201809989639
* "Trump recorded pressuring Wayne County canvassers not to certify 2020 vote:" https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2023/12/21/donald-trump-recorded-pressuring-wayne-canvassers-not-to-certify-2020-vote-michigan/72004514007/
* "George Conway: Trump’s lawyer walked into ‘nasty’ trap at immunity hearing:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/george-conway-trump-s-lawyer-walked-into-nasty-trap-at-immunity-hearing-201720901757
* "Hayes: We are already living with a version of Trump’s 'SEAL Team 6' argument:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/hayes-we-are-already-living-with-a-version-of-trump-s-seal-team-6-argument-201801285543
* "Sen. Schatz warns of 'new turn' for Trump with 'Seal Team 6' claim:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/sen-schatz-warns-of-new-turn-for-trump-with-seal-team-6-claim-201801285783
* "Bomb Threat Made at Home of Judge in Trump’s Bank Fraud Trial:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/arthur-engoron-bomb-threat-made-at-home-of-judge-in-trumps-bank-fraud-trial
* "Antisemitic incidents in the U.S. surged after Oct. 7 Hamas attack, advocacy group says:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/antisemitic-incidents-us-jumped-360-oct-7-hamas-attack-advocacy-group-rcna133104
* "Maryland man sentenced for threats to America's largest LGBTQ+ rights group and several lawmakers:" https://www.advocate.com/maryland-man-sentenced-threats-hrc
* "Ohio prosecutors broke rules to win convictions and got away with it:" https://www.npr.org/2023/12/14/1216111092/ohio-court-prosecutor-misconduct-due-process-rights?utm_medium=JSONFeed&utm_campaign=news&utm_source=press.coop
* I am too furious for words. "Families in disbelief after hundreds of bodies found buried behind Mississippi jail:" https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/families-in-disbelief-after-hundreds-of-bodies-found-buried-behind-mississippi-jail
* "Tennessee Republican wants to ban 'political' flags in schools after being triggered by LGBTQ+ Pride:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/tennessee-flag-ban-schools
* "In Kentucky, LGBTQ Student Clubs Go Underground as SB 150 Goes Into Effect:" https://truthout.org/articles/in-kentucky-lgbtq-student-clubs-go-underground-as-sb-150-goes-into-effect/
* "Book ban lawsuit moves forward as Florida district removes over 1,000 titles:" https://abcnews.go.com/US/book-ban-lawsuit-moves-forward-florida-district-removes/story?id=106292183
* "Nearly 700 books have been removed from classroom libraries in one Florida county:" https://www.npr.org/2023/12/21/1221040451/nearly-700-books-have-been-removed-from-classroom-libraries-in-one-florida-count
* "The dictionary pulled from Florida school district due to Ron DeSantis book ban law:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/11/dictionary-book-ban-florida-school-escambia-county/
* "You won't be finding these books at West Ada Schools:" https://www.kivitv.com/news/local-news/in-your-neighborhood/eagle/you-wont-be-finding-these-books-at-west-ada-schools
* "Colorado conservatives call for law enforcement action to ban books:" https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/next/next-with-kyle-clark/colorado-conservatives-law-enforcement-action-ban-books/73-43e3164b-e750-40e1-bfc5-430b99a2942e
* "Dictionaries a casualty of right-wing book ban panic:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/dictionaries-a-casualty-of-right-wing-book-ban-panic-201887813607
* CW: Rape. "Florida GOP chairman Christian Ziegler’s rape investigation expands to video voyeurism:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/christian-ziegler-rape-investigation-expands
* "‘The Eunuch Maker’ pleads guilty to role in live-stream castration cartel:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/eunuch-maker-pleads-guilty
* "Priest who ‘organised gay orgy’ where man overdosed on erectile dysfunction pills faces jail:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/12/priest-gay-orgy-erectile-dysfunction-pills-poland/
* "Gender-neutral toy aisles required under new law in California:" https://www.advocate.com/law/gender-neutral-toy-aisles-california
* "The New Lisa Littman Study on ROGD and Detransition is a Total Mess:" https://www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-news/the-new-lisa-littman-study-on-rogd-and-detransition-is-a-total-mess
* "Gender dysphoria diagnoses are steadily increasing. Here's what that means:" https://www.advocate.com/news/gender-dysphoria-diagnoses-increase
* "Seattle hospital sues Texas AG over demands for details on trans minors:" https://www.axios.com/2023/12/22/gender-seattle-children-hospital-texas-ken-paxton-lawsuit
* "Alabama can enforce law criminalizing gender-affirming care, court rules:" https://www.advocate.com/law/alabama-felony-trans-care-ban
* "Republican Officials Openly Insult Women Nearly Killed by Abortion Bans:" https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2024/01/republican-abortion-bans-pregnant-women-deaths.html
* "African Catholics tell Pope Francis they reject same-sex blessings:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/12/african-catholics-pope-francis-same-sex-blessings/
* "Police release photo of man after clubber targeted with homophobic abuse:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/12/sheffield-gay-club-homophobic-abuse-hate-crime/
* "Michigan transgender man Jean Butchart shot and killed in series of attacks:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/transgender-man-shot-killed-michigan
* "Kentucky homophobe Kim Davis, who denied gay couples marriage licenses, must pay over $360,000:" https://www.advocate.com/law/kim-davis-attorney-fees-damages
* "USA Boxing issues strict rules on trans inclusion, but conservatives still complain:" https://www.advocate.com/sports/usa-boxing-transgender-inclusion-restrictions
* "Our country's dark history of persecuting people with HIV:" https://www.hivplusmag.com/stigma/us-history-hiv-criminalization
* "Book event disinvites queer author because his disability aid makes others “uncomfortable”:" https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2024/01/book-event-disinvites-queer-author-because-his-disability-aid-makes-others-uncomfortable/
* "United Airlines plane makes an emergency landing after a warning about a possible door issue:" https://apnews.com/article/united-airlines-plane-door-light-airbus-1390b31462497889eba7c8bf79a54d1b
* "U.S. battery storage capacity expected to nearly double in 2024:" https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=61202#
* "Renewables grew rapidly in 2023, but must grow faster still to meet climate change target, IEA says:" https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-cop29-renewable-energy-fossil-fuels-2df7406c071ad0a828b428bb0cede955
* "Researchers find a massive number of plastic particles in bottled water:" https://www.npr.org/2024/01/10/1223730333/bottled-water-plastic-microplastic-nanoplastic-study
* CW: CSA. "AI image-generators are being trained on explicit photos of children, a study shows:" https://apnews.com/article/generative-ai-illegal-images-child-abuse-3081a81fa79e2a39b67c11201cfd085f
* "Facebook Is Being Overrun With Stolen, AI-Generated Images That People Think Are Real:" https://www.404media.co/facebook-is-being-overrun-with-stolen-ai-generated-images-that-people-think-are-real/
* "Elon Musk claims cis is a ‘heterophobic word’. He’s entirely incorrect:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/11/elon-musk-cisgender-slur/
* "Monumental ancient map re-emerges in new Rome museum:" https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/monumental-ancient-map-re-emerges-new-rome-museum-2024-01-11/
* "A missing person with no memory: How investigators solved the cold case of Seven Doe:" https://apnews.com/article/seven-doe-remains-missing-persons-reba-bailey-1d2edeacf3e6b6605ad4b509d4cc7be2
* "The Soloist: At fifty, Mikhail Baryshnikov reflects on how ballet saved him.:" https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1998/01/19/profile-mikhail-baryshnikov
* "Beloved Virginia Beach-area LGBTQ+ advocate killed by drunk driver, police say:" https://www.advocate.com/news/virginia-beloved-activist-killed-crash
* "The female marines Japan is training for war:" https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/japan-defence-women/
* "Snapping The Cable:" https://tedium.co/2024/01/06/cable-tv-2024-decline/
* "The Last Days of the Barcode:" https://archive.is/pXMkH#selection-570.0-570.1
* "Mongolians Are Circus Stars All Over the World, Except at Home:" https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/25/world/asia/mongolia-circus-acrobats-marinelli-bend.html
* Aidan drained, but didn't reboot. I am losing hope.
It is actually cold here and even snowed a little. O.o
The simpler of the shirts my Aunt bought me arrived and it is much nicer than I expected. The texture is lovely, like the hurts I used to get from International Male in the '90's. I bought it two sizes up on the grounds that I wanted lots of extra fabric for comfort post surgery and zero drama getting it on and off, since I have enough trouble with button down shirts without one arm immobilized. It is gloriously tentlike, and I am now wondering if I can can just drape it over the arm and sling and only stick the other arm through an arm hole. I have options!
I ordered the fancier shirt two sizes up on the same principal. I like too large. Too large is so much easier with my sensory and mobility issues. I am actually excited for it.
* Saturday was incredibly challenging for us. The cats and I were having a nice sleep in my bed when we were jarred awake by the skull splitting alarm. It's hard enough on the rest of us, but Livia is super sensitive by cat standards. She hid of course, and there is no chance of us ever evacuating her in a fast emergency as it would be a three person job. This worries me, but it's a problem without a solution.
I could barely walk and it's bad cold outside. It took ages for me to dress and hobble out to the bench by the curb. (I certainly wasn't going out there naked, and it's too cold for me not to need to bundle up. I learned a long time ago you always grab the keys and go bag just in case). I could tell from the fact that it was still going while I struggled to get the shoes on that it was real, but also the fire engines didn't have the siren on. There was no smoke smell, and it was the non-fire emergency light that flashes for the deaf, so I guessed water emergency. Except when it's a false alarm or test, it's always been a water emergency. They want us to walk through the corridors and gather in the parking lot in the way of the fire engines in emergencies. This has always struck me as madness, so I hobbled out the back door. The gimp to the curb took ages and was incredibly painful. I said fuck this to going all the way around to gather with the others and grabbed the bench.
From there I watched the denizens of the other buildings walk dogs, etc. and glance occasionally at my ringing building. I saw a lot of dog owners sensibly evacuate their dogs into their cars with blankets, which made sense. Seriously, the blizzard missed us, but I think this is the coldest it's ever been where I lived since I moved west in the early '90's. We are talking unsheltered people freezing to death weather. This kind of thing is extra dangerous here because we barely even get snow normally in our weird little micro-climate, so a lot of unhoused people from nearby areas migrate here for cold weather precisely because it's safer than the plains or the mountains because, while it gets chilly it generally doesn't freeze much. (We fucking need housing first in this town with full social support services, because there's no excuse for people being forced to sleep rough when the area is this well off). We are talking when I took Goth Millennial home later, my fingers went numb in fifteen minutes with the car heater on cold. It wasn't quite that bad with the sun out, but it was close. I watched firefighters go in and out. I saw squirrel chatting with the firefighters, but they didn't see me. I read for a bit. The bench was a really good idea. I couldn't have stood that long and the wheelchair would have taken ages to get out given how bad my shoulder and hip joints were functioning. We got the all clear and I hobbled back in.
I decided to try to sleep clothed just in case. Tavy and I were settled back in bed, when squirrel popped in to tell me it was yet another water emergency involving an indoor waterfall, this time involving building pipes rather than a bad water heater or maintenance error (Previous causes of indoor/outdoor waterfall. There was a really impressive one from a forth floor balcony once when the guys replacing the roof had an ooopsie). As I wrote this, he came out to tell me that my suspicion it was frozen pipes was correct. Get this, they hadn't insulated the main building pipes for the forth floor so they burst. Duh. There is a reason they won a massive lawsuit against the guy that built this place. Indoor waterfall through four floors of maintenance area and out the front door to freeze in the parking lot. O.o. I think there is water in the wall between my bathroom and the hall. There is water in the carpet approximately where my washer and dryer are. I can't see water, but I can smell wet plaster in there. I have Concerns.
One of the other buildings had the same thing happen last week. I hope they quick wrap the pipes in the third building.
Livia had just emerged from the secure hide for her reassurance pet and was about a minute in when the alarm went off again. Cats panicked. I figured it was the inevitable multiple retriggering sequence after a water emergency. They shut off all the building alarms for the duration after the second retrigger. I didn't see Livia again until about 8. (I have furnished her favorite hide with a multilevel sleep complex and toys in the lower level. She's fine in there. Sometimes she sleeps in there for fun.
Fucking Low Bid contractors.
Update: Apparently the upper floors had to lose their electrical for safety reasons overnight, and the elevator shaft filled up with water which needs pumping out. Remediation is going to be expensive and time consuming.
I am horrified all those people are dealing with this in the kind of weather we've been having because asshole low bid contractor decided to save a few bucks by not wrapping the pipes. I'm furious he was hired to build this place given his reputation for exactly this sort of thing.
* "Judge To Trump Lawyer: Control Your Client | Christie’s Hot Mic Moment | Belichick Exits:"
( Embed: )
* "Meanwhile… Gillian Anderson’s Vulva Dress | Wienermobile Seeks Driver | Giant Shakira Statue:"
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* "Ligeia to go (Poe in 2 minutes, English version):"
( Embed: )
* "RIP queer TV: Every LGBTQ+ show we’ve lost in recent memory:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/13/lgbtq-tv-shows-cancelled-2023-2024/
* "Trump Delivers His Closing Argument:"
( Embed: )
* "Die For You - The Weeknd ('70s James Bond Style Cover) starring Tatum Langley:"
( Embed: )
* "The Chain - Fleetwood Mac ('70s Jazz Cover) ft. Tawanda:"
( Embed: )
* "2024 Trans Girl Scouts To Order Cookies From!:" https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/2024-trans-girl-scouts-to-order-cookies
* "The queen of a fairy tale kingdom, got cursed to give birth to a princess who’s going to live her life isolated in a tower the first 20 years of her life.:" https://www.tumblr.com/elidyce/185279756723/you-the-queen-of-a-fairy-tale-kingdom-got-cursed
* "Roleplay Is Not Dead Nor Doth It Sleep:" https://www.tumblr.com/steampunktoy/739352031505104896?source=share
*****
* Full list of Resistance and charity links has been migrated to my profile as it was getting out of hand.
The help links are at the bottom under the cut.
* Help the Lenape Nation get recognition from Pennsylvania: https://www.lenape-nation.org/
* "World Central Kitchen:" https://wck.org/
* Verified charities to help Palestinians: https://cleolinda.tumblr.com/post/737312194805612544
* "Palestine Children’s Relief Fund:" https://pcrf1.app.neoncrm.com/forms/gaza-recovery
( Links Underneath: )
* "Journalism groups and family reject Israeli accusation that Gazan reporters killed were ‘terrorists’:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/journalism-groups-family-reject-israeli-accusation-gazan-reporters-kil-rcna133666
* "Gaza Journalist Wael Al Dahdouh to Pres. Biden: Listen to Both Sides, Not Just One:" https://www.msnbc.com/ayman-mohyeldin/watch/gaza-journalist-wael-al-dahdouh-to-pres-biden-listen-to-both-sides-not-just-one-201913925535
* "Shot in ‘cold blood’: Killing of Palestinian grandmother sparks outcry:" https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/13/shot-in-cold-blood-killing-of-elderly-palestinian-woman-sparks-outcry
* "Looming Starvation in Gaza Shows Resurgence of Civilian Sieges in Warfare:" https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/11/health/gaza-israel-hunger-starvation.html
* "Gaza Is Starving:" https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/gaza-is-starving
* Verified charities to help Palestinians: https://cleolinda.tumblr.com/post/737312194805612544
******
* "Blinken urges Israel to engage with region on postwar plans that include path to Palestinian state:" https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-09-2024-017066376ac06026622ee0b83dc2b65e
* "US, allies attack Houthi targets in Yemen in response to missile barrages in the Red Sea:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/11/u-s-attacks-houthi-targets-in-yemen-in-response-to-missile-barrages-in-the-red-sea-00135203
* "American intel officials warn of risk of Hezbollah attacking U.S.:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/10/american-intel-officials-hezbollah-u-s-attack-risk-00134874
* I have serious concerns. "U.S. and allies launch military strikes on Houthis in Yemen in 'major escalation':" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/u-s-and-allies-launch-military-strikes-on-houthis-in-yemen-in-major-escalation-201807941709
* "South Africa accuses Israel of genocide against Palestinians at top international court:" https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/south-africa-accuses-israel-of-genocide-against-palestinians-at-top-international-court
******
* "US Fails to Fully Account for Arms Sent to Ukraine, Watchdog Says:" https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-11/us-fails-to-fully-account-for-arms-sent-ukraine-watchdog-says?sref=MIBMEEoj
* "White House says U.S. Ukraine assistance has ‘ground to a halt’; UK announces increased drone funding:" https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/12/russia-ukraine-war-updates-for-jan-12-2024.html
* "Putin believes Ukraine will fall within just months without new US aid, says Senate Intelligence Chair:" https://www.businessinsider.com/putin-believes-ukraine-will-fall-months-without-us-aid-senate-2023-12
* "How the Russian Government Silences Wartime Dissent:" https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/12/29/world/europe/russia-ukraine-war-censorship.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Jk0.byu7.btH7bbrwVA_a&hpgrp=k-abar&smid=url-share
******
* "The ruling-party candidate strongly opposed by China wins Taiwan’s presidential election:" https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-china-election-cbf44565b771cddfb60c2a26d2014b0c
* "Macron appoints gay French PM’s ex-partner as foreign minister:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/12/france-emmanuel-macron-gabriel-attal-stephane-sejourne/
* "Inside The Russian Propaganda Mill Beaming Out Of A Florida Strip Mall:" https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/inside-the-russian-propaganda-mill-beaming-out-of-a-florida-strip-mall
* " Ukrainian refugees fall victim to ‘sophisticated’ UK visa scams:" https://news.yahoo.com/media-ukrainian-refugees-fall-victim-133212717.html
* "Gay couple left ‘heartbroken’ after cruel Home Office decision:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/15/gay-couple-denied-partner-visa-uk/
* "Eight ways the UK government ‘eroded’ human rights in 2023, according to damning new report:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/13/uk-government-has-eroded-human-rights-damning-report-finds/
* "Biden administration rescinds, replaces Trump-era 'license to discriminate in health care' rule:" https://www.advocate.com/news/right-to-discriminate-rule-repealed
* "The White House Just Announced a $623 Million EV-Charging Bonanza:" https://www.wired.com/story/white-house-623-million-ev-charging-bonanza/
* "The Supreme Court Will Decide if States Can Force Hospitals to Let Women Die:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/supreme-court-states-emergency-abortion-1234945425/
* "A New Mexico Republican was removed from office just last year for the same reason that Trump was ordered off the 2024 Colorado ballot:" https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-colorado-14th-amendment-couy-griffin-new-mexico-2023-12
* "Johnson flails as Republicans demand consequences for conservative hijacking:" https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/01/11/congress/conservatives-push-johnson-00135080
* "Congressional leaders agree to deal to extend government funding deadlines:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/congressional-leaders-agree-to-deal-to-extend-government-funding-deadlines-201899077616
* "GOP fight over budget negotiations is 'the same old chaos' -House Minority Whip Katherine Clark:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/gop-fight-over-budget-negotiations-is-the-same-old-chaos-house-minority-whip-katherine-clark-201914949938
* Republicans did this cruel and terrible thing; Democrats want to undo it. "Congress saddled scam victims with taxes. A new bill would change that.:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/01/10/scam-victims-taxes-raskin-bill/
* "A former White House scientist was scammed out of $655,000. Then came the IRS.:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/12/14/cyber-crime-scams-irs-taxes/
* "Opinion: The GOP’s abandonment of Ukraine makes me ashamed to be an American:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/12/08/ukraine-gop-congress-aid/
* "Rep. Crockett: GOP’s Hunter Biden spectacle is about ‘pleasing Trump':" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/rep-crockett-gop-s-hunter-biden-spectacle-is-about-pleasing-trump-201720389886
* "Rep. Clarke on Mayorkas impeachment threat: 'This is all about political theater':" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/rep-clarke-on-mayorkas-impeachment-threat-this-is-all-about-political-theater-201898565810
* Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? If you can't safely contact them in person, here are some other options:
Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the representative of your choice.
Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resist.bot/
* The Indivisible Guide: "A Practical Guide to defeating MAGA:" https://indivisible.org/sites/default/files/2023-01/20220104_Indivisible_%20A%20Practical%20Guide%20to%20Defeating%20MAGA.pdf
* The Republican War on Democracy continues. "Republicans threaten Carson, Douglas over voter rolls:" https://www.nevadaappeal.com/news/2023/dec/10/republican-national-committee-threatens-to-sue-carson-douglas-over-voter-rolls/
* "Wisconsin false electors admit their actions were used to ‘improperly overturn’ the 2020 presidential election:" https://wausaupilotandreview.com/2023/12/06/wisconsin-false-electors-admit-their-actions-were-used-to-improperly-overturn-the-2020-presidential-election/
* I don't understand why trying to overthrow the government isn't disqualifying for all public offices. "Wisconsin secretary of state calls for removal of fake Trump elector from elections commission:" https://wausaupilotandreview.com/2023/12/11/wisconsin-secretary-of-state-calls-for-removal-of-fake-trump-elector-from-elections-commission/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon
* "Kellyanne Conway is selling the GOP a dream that's destined to backfire:" https://www.salon.com/2024/01/08/kellyanne-conway-is-selling-the-a-dream-thats-destined-to-backfire/
* Early voting has already started in a few places.
Iowa caucus is literally on Mon. as in 1/15/24.
New Hampshire votes 1/23/24.
Know your state's schedule and where to vote. Make sure you and your friends are registered. If you are voting in person, plan how to get there.
If you live in an open primary state consider voting strategically. Otherwise, vote your heart in the primary. Remember how all those votes for Sanders and Warren pushed Biden and the party platform further left?
Remember to vote in all the races, not just the top of the ticket. who runs congress, your state, and your local government really matters.
Never, ever sleep on a chance to vote.
Remember, it is always better to vote for someone who will listen to us than to let someone who is actively trying to kill us win.
* "Malcolm Kenyatta on breaking barriers and making Pennsylvania Black queer history:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/malcolmn-kenyatta-auditor-general-interview
* "Trans candidate Arienne Childrey is running for Ohio House and against the state's drag ban sponsor:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/trans-ohio-candidate-legislature
* "‘Terror as a tactic’: Threat of MAGA mob looms over 2024 Republican primary:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-terror-as-a-tactic-threat-of-maga-mob-looms-over-2024-republican-primary-201873477564
* "Welcome to the Loser's Ball: The incentives explain why Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley are trying to avoid catastrophic success.:" https://plus.thebulwark.com/p/welcome-to-the-losers-ball
* "Fears of a NATO Withdrawal Rise as Trump Seeks a Return to Power:" https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/09/us/politics/trump-2025-nato.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Ek0.Crv9.kgti-D2IvVIJ
* "Inside Trump’s Plot to Corrupt the 2024 Election With ‘Garbage’ Data:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trump-election-plans-corrupt-voter-registration-eric-eagleai-1234920083/
* "Raskin demands Trump return $7.8M foreign governments paid his companies during presidency:" https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4404911-raskin-trump-foreign-emoluments/?utm_source=hill_app&utm_medium=social&utm_content=share-link
* "‘We want it back’: Raskin demands Trump repay $7.8m from foreign governments:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-we-want-it-back-raskin-demands-trump-repay-7-8m-from-foreign-governments-201874501620
* "Evangelical leaders lose influence as followers find new savior in Trump:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/evangelical-leaders-lose-influence-as-followers-find-new-savior-in-trump-201883717562
* "Trump mainstreams political violence with normalizing repetition:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/trump-mainstreams-political-violence-with-normalizing-repetition-201885765596
* I don't understand how this is legal. "New Florida law blocks Chinese students from academic labs:" https://www.science.org/content/article/new-florida-law-blocks-chinese-students-from-academic-labs
* "Missouri Republicans pivot from attacking LGBTQ+ lives to focus on childcare and education issues:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/missouri-gop-lgbtq-issues-backseat
* Republicans are winning their war against freedom and bodily autonomy. "10 States That Passed the Worst Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws in 2023:" https://www.advocate.com/law/worst-anti-lgbtq-laws-2023#rebelltitem1
* We warned you this is where this is going. "West Virginia Republicans want to ban transgender people from public spaces, call them ‘obscene’:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/transgender-obscene-cured-west-virginia
* "Ohio Republican implies opponents of her trans bathroom bill should be drowned:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/ohio-bathroom-bill-republican-drown
* "Moms for Liberty school board member resigns after Target shoplifting arrest:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/12/moms-for-liberty-school-board-keri-blair-target-shoplifting-arrest/
* "Sen. Ron Johnson stunned when CNN asks him to back up his MAGA lies:" https://boingboing.net/2023/12/12/sen-ron-johnson-stunned-when-cnn-asks-him-to-back-up-his-maga-lies-video.html
* "Roger Stone Plotted Assassinating Democrats, Bombshell Report Says:" https://newrepublic.com/post/177935/roger-stone-audio-assasinate-democrats-swalwell-nadler
* "Why the judge in Trump's fraud trial may have a heavy penalty in mind:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/why-the-judge-in-trump-s-fraud-trial-may-have-a-heavy-penalty-in-mind-201806917704
* "Donald Trump defies judge, gives courtroom speech on tense final day of New York civil fraud trial:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-lawsuit-new-york-closing-arguments-b36abe2fd695d0172e71f8ef9c5ee7f3
* "Trump caps New York civil fraud trial with courtroom tantrum:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/trump-caps-new-york-civil-fraud-trial-with-courtroom-tantrum-201809989639
* "Trump recorded pressuring Wayne County canvassers not to certify 2020 vote:" https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2023/12/21/donald-trump-recorded-pressuring-wayne-canvassers-not-to-certify-2020-vote-michigan/72004514007/
* "George Conway: Trump’s lawyer walked into ‘nasty’ trap at immunity hearing:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/george-conway-trump-s-lawyer-walked-into-nasty-trap-at-immunity-hearing-201720901757
* "Hayes: We are already living with a version of Trump’s 'SEAL Team 6' argument:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/hayes-we-are-already-living-with-a-version-of-trump-s-seal-team-6-argument-201801285543
* "Sen. Schatz warns of 'new turn' for Trump with 'Seal Team 6' claim:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/sen-schatz-warns-of-new-turn-for-trump-with-seal-team-6-claim-201801285783
* "Bomb Threat Made at Home of Judge in Trump’s Bank Fraud Trial:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/arthur-engoron-bomb-threat-made-at-home-of-judge-in-trumps-bank-fraud-trial
* "Antisemitic incidents in the U.S. surged after Oct. 7 Hamas attack, advocacy group says:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/antisemitic-incidents-us-jumped-360-oct-7-hamas-attack-advocacy-group-rcna133104
* "Maryland man sentenced for threats to America's largest LGBTQ+ rights group and several lawmakers:" https://www.advocate.com/maryland-man-sentenced-threats-hrc
* "Ohio prosecutors broke rules to win convictions and got away with it:" https://www.npr.org/2023/12/14/1216111092/ohio-court-prosecutor-misconduct-due-process-rights?utm_medium=JSONFeed&utm_campaign=news&utm_source=press.coop
* I am too furious for words. "Families in disbelief after hundreds of bodies found buried behind Mississippi jail:" https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/families-in-disbelief-after-hundreds-of-bodies-found-buried-behind-mississippi-jail
* "Tennessee Republican wants to ban 'political' flags in schools after being triggered by LGBTQ+ Pride:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/tennessee-flag-ban-schools
* "In Kentucky, LGBTQ Student Clubs Go Underground as SB 150 Goes Into Effect:" https://truthout.org/articles/in-kentucky-lgbtq-student-clubs-go-underground-as-sb-150-goes-into-effect/
* "Book ban lawsuit moves forward as Florida district removes over 1,000 titles:" https://abcnews.go.com/US/book-ban-lawsuit-moves-forward-florida-district-removes/story?id=106292183
* "Nearly 700 books have been removed from classroom libraries in one Florida county:" https://www.npr.org/2023/12/21/1221040451/nearly-700-books-have-been-removed-from-classroom-libraries-in-one-florida-count
* "The dictionary pulled from Florida school district due to Ron DeSantis book ban law:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/11/dictionary-book-ban-florida-school-escambia-county/
* "You won't be finding these books at West Ada Schools:" https://www.kivitv.com/news/local-news/in-your-neighborhood/eagle/you-wont-be-finding-these-books-at-west-ada-schools
* "Colorado conservatives call for law enforcement action to ban books:" https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/next/next-with-kyle-clark/colorado-conservatives-law-enforcement-action-ban-books/73-43e3164b-e750-40e1-bfc5-430b99a2942e
* "Dictionaries a casualty of right-wing book ban panic:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/dictionaries-a-casualty-of-right-wing-book-ban-panic-201887813607
* CW: Rape. "Florida GOP chairman Christian Ziegler’s rape investigation expands to video voyeurism:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/christian-ziegler-rape-investigation-expands
* "‘The Eunuch Maker’ pleads guilty to role in live-stream castration cartel:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/eunuch-maker-pleads-guilty
* "Priest who ‘organised gay orgy’ where man overdosed on erectile dysfunction pills faces jail:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/12/priest-gay-orgy-erectile-dysfunction-pills-poland/
* "Gender-neutral toy aisles required under new law in California:" https://www.advocate.com/law/gender-neutral-toy-aisles-california
* "The New Lisa Littman Study on ROGD and Detransition is a Total Mess:" https://www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-news/the-new-lisa-littman-study-on-rogd-and-detransition-is-a-total-mess
* "Gender dysphoria diagnoses are steadily increasing. Here's what that means:" https://www.advocate.com/news/gender-dysphoria-diagnoses-increase
* "Seattle hospital sues Texas AG over demands for details on trans minors:" https://www.axios.com/2023/12/22/gender-seattle-children-hospital-texas-ken-paxton-lawsuit
* "Alabama can enforce law criminalizing gender-affirming care, court rules:" https://www.advocate.com/law/alabama-felony-trans-care-ban
* "Republican Officials Openly Insult Women Nearly Killed by Abortion Bans:" https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2024/01/republican-abortion-bans-pregnant-women-deaths.html
* "African Catholics tell Pope Francis they reject same-sex blessings:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/12/african-catholics-pope-francis-same-sex-blessings/
* "Police release photo of man after clubber targeted with homophobic abuse:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/12/sheffield-gay-club-homophobic-abuse-hate-crime/
* "Michigan transgender man Jean Butchart shot and killed in series of attacks:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/transgender-man-shot-killed-michigan
* "Kentucky homophobe Kim Davis, who denied gay couples marriage licenses, must pay over $360,000:" https://www.advocate.com/law/kim-davis-attorney-fees-damages
* "USA Boxing issues strict rules on trans inclusion, but conservatives still complain:" https://www.advocate.com/sports/usa-boxing-transgender-inclusion-restrictions
* "Our country's dark history of persecuting people with HIV:" https://www.hivplusmag.com/stigma/us-history-hiv-criminalization
* "Book event disinvites queer author because his disability aid makes others “uncomfortable”:" https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2024/01/book-event-disinvites-queer-author-because-his-disability-aid-makes-others-uncomfortable/
* "United Airlines plane makes an emergency landing after a warning about a possible door issue:" https://apnews.com/article/united-airlines-plane-door-light-airbus-1390b31462497889eba7c8bf79a54d1b
* "U.S. battery storage capacity expected to nearly double in 2024:" https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=61202#
* "Renewables grew rapidly in 2023, but must grow faster still to meet climate change target, IEA says:" https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-cop29-renewable-energy-fossil-fuels-2df7406c071ad0a828b428bb0cede955
* "Researchers find a massive number of plastic particles in bottled water:" https://www.npr.org/2024/01/10/1223730333/bottled-water-plastic-microplastic-nanoplastic-study
* CW: CSA. "AI image-generators are being trained on explicit photos of children, a study shows:" https://apnews.com/article/generative-ai-illegal-images-child-abuse-3081a81fa79e2a39b67c11201cfd085f
* "Facebook Is Being Overrun With Stolen, AI-Generated Images That People Think Are Real:" https://www.404media.co/facebook-is-being-overrun-with-stolen-ai-generated-images-that-people-think-are-real/
* "Elon Musk claims cis is a ‘heterophobic word’. He’s entirely incorrect:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/11/elon-musk-cisgender-slur/
* "Monumental ancient map re-emerges in new Rome museum:" https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/monumental-ancient-map-re-emerges-new-rome-museum-2024-01-11/
* "A missing person with no memory: How investigators solved the cold case of Seven Doe:" https://apnews.com/article/seven-doe-remains-missing-persons-reba-bailey-1d2edeacf3e6b6605ad4b509d4cc7be2
* "The Soloist: At fifty, Mikhail Baryshnikov reflects on how ballet saved him.:" https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1998/01/19/profile-mikhail-baryshnikov
* "Beloved Virginia Beach-area LGBTQ+ advocate killed by drunk driver, police say:" https://www.advocate.com/news/virginia-beloved-activist-killed-crash
* "The female marines Japan is training for war:" https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/japan-defence-women/
* "Snapping The Cable:" https://tedium.co/2024/01/06/cable-tv-2024-decline/
* "The Last Days of the Barcode:" https://archive.is/pXMkH#selection-570.0-570.1
* "Mongolians Are Circus Stars All Over the World, Except at Home:" https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/25/world/asia/mongolia-circus-acrobats-marinelli-bend.html
* Aidan drained, but didn't reboot. I am losing hope.
It is actually cold here and even snowed a little. O.o
The simpler of the shirts my Aunt bought me arrived and it is much nicer than I expected. The texture is lovely, like the hurts I used to get from International Male in the '90's. I bought it two sizes up on the grounds that I wanted lots of extra fabric for comfort post surgery and zero drama getting it on and off, since I have enough trouble with button down shirts without one arm immobilized. It is gloriously tentlike, and I am now wondering if I can can just drape it over the arm and sling and only stick the other arm through an arm hole. I have options!
I ordered the fancier shirt two sizes up on the same principal. I like too large. Too large is so much easier with my sensory and mobility issues. I am actually excited for it.
* Saturday was incredibly challenging for us. The cats and I were having a nice sleep in my bed when we were jarred awake by the skull splitting alarm. It's hard enough on the rest of us, but Livia is super sensitive by cat standards. She hid of course, and there is no chance of us ever evacuating her in a fast emergency as it would be a three person job. This worries me, but it's a problem without a solution.
I could barely walk and it's bad cold outside. It took ages for me to dress and hobble out to the bench by the curb. (I certainly wasn't going out there naked, and it's too cold for me not to need to bundle up. I learned a long time ago you always grab the keys and go bag just in case). I could tell from the fact that it was still going while I struggled to get the shoes on that it was real, but also the fire engines didn't have the siren on. There was no smoke smell, and it was the non-fire emergency light that flashes for the deaf, so I guessed water emergency. Except when it's a false alarm or test, it's always been a water emergency. They want us to walk through the corridors and gather in the parking lot in the way of the fire engines in emergencies. This has always struck me as madness, so I hobbled out the back door. The gimp to the curb took ages and was incredibly painful. I said fuck this to going all the way around to gather with the others and grabbed the bench.
From there I watched the denizens of the other buildings walk dogs, etc. and glance occasionally at my ringing building. I saw a lot of dog owners sensibly evacuate their dogs into their cars with blankets, which made sense. Seriously, the blizzard missed us, but I think this is the coldest it's ever been where I lived since I moved west in the early '90's. We are talking unsheltered people freezing to death weather. This kind of thing is extra dangerous here because we barely even get snow normally in our weird little micro-climate, so a lot of unhoused people from nearby areas migrate here for cold weather precisely because it's safer than the plains or the mountains because, while it gets chilly it generally doesn't freeze much. (We fucking need housing first in this town with full social support services, because there's no excuse for people being forced to sleep rough when the area is this well off). We are talking when I took Goth Millennial home later, my fingers went numb in fifteen minutes with the car heater on cold. It wasn't quite that bad with the sun out, but it was close. I watched firefighters go in and out. I saw squirrel chatting with the firefighters, but they didn't see me. I read for a bit. The bench was a really good idea. I couldn't have stood that long and the wheelchair would have taken ages to get out given how bad my shoulder and hip joints were functioning. We got the all clear and I hobbled back in.
I decided to try to sleep clothed just in case. Tavy and I were settled back in bed, when squirrel popped in to tell me it was yet another water emergency involving an indoor waterfall, this time involving building pipes rather than a bad water heater or maintenance error (Previous causes of indoor/outdoor waterfall. There was a really impressive one from a forth floor balcony once when the guys replacing the roof had an ooopsie). As I wrote this, he came out to tell me that my suspicion it was frozen pipes was correct. Get this, they hadn't insulated the main building pipes for the forth floor so they burst. Duh. There is a reason they won a massive lawsuit against the guy that built this place. Indoor waterfall through four floors of maintenance area and out the front door to freeze in the parking lot. O.o. I think there is water in the wall between my bathroom and the hall. There is water in the carpet approximately where my washer and dryer are. I can't see water, but I can smell wet plaster in there. I have Concerns.
One of the other buildings had the same thing happen last week. I hope they quick wrap the pipes in the third building.
Livia had just emerged from the secure hide for her reassurance pet and was about a minute in when the alarm went off again. Cats panicked. I figured it was the inevitable multiple retriggering sequence after a water emergency. They shut off all the building alarms for the duration after the second retrigger. I didn't see Livia again until about 8. (I have furnished her favorite hide with a multilevel sleep complex and toys in the lower level. She's fine in there. Sometimes she sleeps in there for fun.
Fucking Low Bid contractors.
Update: Apparently the upper floors had to lose their electrical for safety reasons overnight, and the elevator shaft filled up with water which needs pumping out. Remediation is going to be expensive and time consuming.
I am horrified all those people are dealing with this in the kind of weather we've been having because asshole low bid contractor decided to save a few bucks by not wrapping the pipes. I'm furious he was hired to build this place given his reputation for exactly this sort of thing.
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*****
* Full list of Resistance and charity links has been migrated to my profile as it was getting out of hand.
The help links are at the bottom under the cut.
* Help the Lenape Nation get recognition from Pennsylvania: https://www.lenape-nation.org/
* "World Central Kitchen:" https://wck.org/
* Verified charities to help Palestinians: https://cleolinda.tumblr.com/post/737312194805612544
* "Palestine Children’s Relief Fund:" https://pcrf1.app.neoncrm.com/forms/gaza-recovery
( Links Underneath: )