* "Lebanon's soul has been eviscerated by its financial crisis. Not even the children want to play:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/30/middleeast/lebanon-crisis-children-cmd-intl/index.html* "Russia lists Pussy Riot member, art collector and satirist as 'foreign agents':"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/30/europe/pussy-riot/index.html* "Lesbian Pop Star Denise Ho Arrested by Hong Kong Authorities:"
https://www.advocate.com/world/2021/12/30/lesbian-pop-star-denise-ho-arrested-hong-kong-authorities-cantopop-china* "The mob killing of a factory manager in Pakistan comes amid surge in anti-blasphemy violence:"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/12/24/pakistan-blasphemy-violence-labbaik/?itid=mr_world_4* "“Meet a Jew,” Germany’s New Scheme to Convince the Country That Jews Are People:"
https://slate.com/human-interest/2021/12/meet-a-jew-germany-anti-semitism-crime.html* "‘My grandmother hid Jewish children’: Poland’s underground refugee network:"
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/dec/24/my-grandmother-hid-jewish-children-polands-underground-refugee-network*********************************************************************************************************
* "WHO: global COVID cases up 11% last week, omicron risk high:"
https://www.cleveland.com/news/2021/12/who-global-covid-cases-up-11-last-week-omicron-risk-high.html* "FDA: Antigen tests may have reduced sensitivity detecting Omicron:"
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/12/28/fda-antigen-tests-reduced-sensitivity-omicron-526217* "You might get a breakthrough case of Covid-19 this winter. Here’s how to prepare.:"
https://www.vox.com/22841985/breakthrough-covid-19-winter-positive-test-how-to-prepare* "COVID cases surge in Lebanon ahead of New Year’s Eve celebrations:"
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/12/31/warnings-lebanon-covid-rising-figures* "NHS trusts in England declare critical incidents amid Covid staff crisis:"
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/jan/03/several-nhs-trusts-declare-critical-incidents-amid-covid-staff-crisis* "U.S. sets new daily high for Covid cases:"
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/12/28/us-new-daily-high-covid-526223* "US children hospitalized with COVID in record numbers:"
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/us-children-hospitalized-covid-record-numbers-82004052* "FDA Expands Pfizer Boosters for More Teens as Omicron Surges:"
https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2022-01-03/fda-expands-pfizer-boosters-for-more-teens-as-omicron-surges* "Omicron makes up 95% of sequenced Covid cases in U.S. as infections hit pandemic record:"
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/04/omicron-makes-up-95percent-of-sequenced-covid-cases-in-us-as-infections-hit-pandemic-record.html* "Hospitalizations spike amid rocketing Covid case counts; threat to hospitals renewed:"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/hospitalizations-spike-amid-rocketing-covid-case-counts-threat-to-hospitals-renewed-130067013845* "Intimate portraits of a hospital COVID unit from a photojournalist-turned-nurse:"
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/12/26/1066395049/intimate-portraits-of-a-hospital-covid-unit-from-a-photojournalist-turned-nurse* "White House issues a warning to unvaccinated Americans as concerns about omicron grow:"
https://www.npr.org/2021/12/17/1065312060/white-house-issues-a-warning-to-unvaccinated-americans-as-concerns-about-omicron* "Chris Hayes: How omicron’s contagiousness is changing the pandemic normal:"
https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/chris-hayes-how-omicron-s-contagiousness-is-changing-the-pandemic-normal-129800261794* "Pfizer pill becomes 1st US-authorized home COVID treatment:"
https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-pfizer-medication-f5f65e7e61d6aa9c7dfa193053e8878a* "US Army Creates Single Vaccine Against All COVID & SARS Variants, Researchers Say:"
https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2021/12/us-army-creates-single-vaccine-effective-against-all-covid-sars-variants/360089/* "‘This was the moment’: CDC defends altered guidance amid Omicron surge:"
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/12/29/cdc-defends-new-covid-guidelines-526234* "Omicron is latest blow to pandemic-weary front-line workers:"
https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-pandemics-london-7004e1f1b1847b9831623e6adcedb5f3* "Covid-19 surges spark chain reactions that strain US hospitals everywhere:"
https://www.vox.com/coronavirus-covid19/22849829/covid-omicron-variant-cases-surge-us-hospitals* "Florida breaks state record for COVID-19 cases again, for 4th time in 7 days:"
https://www.wfla.com/community/health/coronavirus/florida-breaks-state-record-for-covid-19-cases-again-fourth-time-in-7-days/* "Orange Mayor Demings blasts DeSantis, expands COVID-19 testing, requires masks for employees:"
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/coronavirus/os-ne-coronavirus-orange-update-12-28-20211229-3xmrumwt45gllkym5su6jz26nq-story.html* "Dem Florida gov. candidate Nikki Fried calls out DeSantis’s lack of visibility as Omicron surges:"
https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/florida-gov-ron-desantis-appears-to-be-missing-in-action-as-omicron-sweeps-across-his-state-129803845777* "Activist claims DeSantis ‘decided to just sit back, do nothing’ as Covid surged in Florida:"
https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/desantis-largely-missing-from-public-from-december-17-through-new-year-s-eve-as-covid-surged-130060869600* "Despite vaccines, more Texans died of COVID-19 in 2021 than in first year of pandemic:"
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/coronavirus/article/Despite-vaccines-Texas-COVID-deaths-35-higher-16722967.php* "Omicron is sidelining even health care workers as it rips through Texas:"
https://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/28/omicron-texas-covid-19/ * "Texas COVID-19 hospitalizations rise more than 11% in a day:"
https://www.kxan.com/news/coronavirus/hospitalizations/texas-covid-19-hospitalizations-rise-more-than-11-in-a-day/* "R.I. health care system ‘is currently collapsing,’ emergency doctors warn :"
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/12/18/metro/ri-health-care-system-is-currently-collapsing-emergency-doctors-warn/* "Frustrated emergency doctor says R.I. isn’t doing enough to address health system ‘collapse’:"
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/12/21/metro/frustrated-emergency-doctor-says-ri-isnt-doing-enough-address-health-system-collapse/* "Covid-19 patients at this hospital are dying 'at a rate we've never seen die before' -- and it's taking a toll on health care workers:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/09/us/hospital-covid-19-deaths-michigan/index.html* "Surge in COVID-19 cases overwhelms Indianapolis hospitals:"
https://www.wishtv.com/news/vaccinecentral/surge-in-covid-19-cases-overwhelms-indianapolis-hospitals/* "'There's going to be opposition': Indiana lawmakers prep to fast track vaccine mandate bill:"
https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2021/12/17/covid-indiana-lawmakers-prep-fast-track-vaccine-mandate-bill/8925925002/* "Nearly two-thirds of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in New Hampshire unvaccinated, report says:"
https://www.wmur.com/article/nearly-two-thirds-of-hospitalized-covid-19-patients-in-new-hampshire-unvaccinated-report-says/38628992* "Inside a New Hampshire hospital overwhelmed by COVID:"
https://www.wbur.org/news/2021/12/20/covid-cases-overwhelm-new-england-hospitals* "About 25% of Ohio coronavirus tests are coming back positive. Gov. Mike DeWine says actual positivity is higher.:"
https://www.cleveland.com/news/2021/12/about-25-of-ohio-coronavirus-tests-are-coming-back-positive-gov-mike-dewine-says-actual-positivity-is-higher.html* "Ohio hospital saw pediatric COVID-related hospitalizations triple in the last week:"
https://www.10tv.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/ohio-hospital-pediatric-covid-related-hospitalizations-triple-in-the-last-week/530-3228dfd1-2f0b-4a15-9956-de0267ca8fdd* "More Ohio hospitals postpone surgeries as COVID cases rise:"
https://www.10tv.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/more-ohio-hospitals-postpone-surgeries-covid-cases-rise/530-4c8f04ca-8fe4-4125-8250-a71c16e970b3* "‘We’re begging you’: Ohio hospitals have more COVID-19 patients in emergency rooms than ever before:"
https://www.cleveland19.com/2021/12/20/were-begging-you-ohio-hospitals-have-more-covid-19-patients-emergency-rooms-than-ever-before/* "'Nurses are at a breaking point': Union sounds plea as healthcare workers face continuing COVID-19 surge:"
https://www.kare11.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/nurses-breaking-point-minnesota-nurses-association-pleas-healthcare-workers-covid-19-surge/89-1dd21ed7-fa65-4926-8432-0ab1860471ed* "Mississippi in 5th wave of COVID-19, state health official says:"
https://www.wapt.com/article/msdh-issues-updated-guidance-on-omicron-covid-19-treatments/38635488* "COVID-19 cases to climb even higher as students return to school, health officials say:"
https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/2021/12/28/mississippi-covid-cases-rise-sharply-going-into-new-year/9035370002/* "COVID-19 hospitalizations up dramatically in Missouri:"
https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-st-louis-kansas-city-missouri-44e8dc99f89b812fecbe01c7b9c5a3ba* "COVID cases surge in Kansas City as the new year arrives: here are three key takeaways:"
https://www.kansascity.com/news/coronavirus/article256930162.html* "Alabama adds 5,900 new COVID cases, positivity rate hits all-time high:"
https://www.al.com/news/2021/12/alabama-covid-positivity-rate-at-all-time-high-nearly-6000-new-cases-reported-wednesday.html* "COVID-19 hospitalizations, school cases increasing in Alabama:"
https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/2021/12/22/covid-alabama-coronavirus-cases-hospitals-schools-omicron-variant/8998336002/* "COVID-19 cases continue to rise in New Jersey:"
https://abc7ny.com/covid-in-new-jersey-gov-phil-murphy-restrictions-coronavirus-updates/11361136/* "NJ's Largest Hospital System Expects Hospitalizations to Exceed Worst of 2020 Soon:"
https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/coronavirus/njs-largest-hospital-system-expects-hospitalizations-to-exceed-worst-of-2020-soon/3473230/* "Inmates at NYC's Rikers Island jail in the midst of 'emerging crisis' related to Omicron surge:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/22/us/omicron-surge-rikers-jail/index.html* Why are cruises still a thing? "3rd Florida-based ship has outbreak, state cases hit record:"
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/3rd-florida-based-ship-outbreak-state-cases-rise-81932406* "People should avoid cruise travel regardless of their vaccination status, the CDC says:"
https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/12/30/1069253312/cdc-cruise-ship-travel-covid-19* "Fauci on Fox’s Jesse Watters: He ‘should be fired on the spot’:"
https://www.wkbn.com/news/national-world/fauci-on-foxs-jesse-watters-he-should-be-fired-on-the-spot/* "Extremists shifting attention to influencing local governments expert says:"
https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/u-s-sets-global-record-of-one-million-covid-cases-reported-monday-130145349717* "Anti-vaccination protesters targeted a Cheesecake Factory — 6 were arrested:"
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/anti-vaxxer-protesers-cheesecake-factory-arrests/* "Congress' doctor urges lawmakers to work remotely and upgrade masks as omicron rages:"
https://www.npr.org/2022/01/03/1070037412/covid-congress-house-senate-omicron* "Congress' attending physician says there are "unprecedented" cases of Covid throughout the complex. :"
https://www.politico.com/minutes/congress/01-3-2022/omicron-swamps-the-hill/* "Pentagon Chief Austin Says He Has Tested Positive for COVID:"
https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2022-01-02/pentagon-chief-austin-says-he-has-tested-positive-for-covid* "Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker test positive for Covid amid US Omicron surge:"
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/dec/19/elizabeth-warren-tests-positive-covid-omicron-surge*********************************************************************************************************
* "Alexander Vindman supports arming Ukrainians to make Russian attack ‘less palatable’:"
https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/president-joe-biden-spoke-to-vladimir-putin-as-russian-troops-remain-stationed-at-ukrainian-border-129874501741* "No surprise, Donald Trump just endorsed Hungary homophobe Viktor Orbán:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2022/01/04/donald-trump-viktor-orban-hungary-election-lgbt-rights/ * "The Human Toll of America’s Air Wars:"
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/19/magazine/victims-airstrikes-middle-east-civilians.html* "Hundreds of Afghans denied humanitarian entry into US:"
https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-immigration-massachusetts-kabul-taliban-8ea41eef2c1e1735d748fcb796faccab* "Biden to speak with Putin on Thursday at Russian leader's request:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/29/politics/biden-putin-call/index.html* "Dems fight back against GOP accusations of being weak on Russia: "That dog won't hunt!":"
https://www.salon.com/2021/12/06/smacked-down-on-senate-floor-for-calling-dems-soft-on-russia-that-dog-wont-hunt_partner/* "How Ocean Shipping Works (And Why It's Broken):"
( Embed: )* "White House unveils plan to replace every lead pipe in the U.S.:"
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/white-house-unveils-plan-replace-every-lead-pipe-u-s-n1286079* "Biden’s Pick for Banking Regulator Pulls Out After ‘Inappropriate Personal Attacks’:"
https://www.thedailybeast.com/saule-omarova-bidens-pick-for-banking-regulator-withdraws-after-inappropriate-personal-attacks* "Biden finishes 2021 with most confirmed judicial picks since Reagan:"
https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/biden-finishes-2021-with-most-confirmed-judicial-picks-since-reagan-2021-12-28/* And yet Manchin insists we can’t afford the infrastructure Bill. "Biden signs $768B defense policy bill that supersized his original Pentagon request:"
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/12/27/biden-signs-defense-policy-bill-526171* "Manchin says he won't vote for Build Back Better Act:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/19/politics/joe-manchin-build-back-better/index.html* "Corporate donations to Sen. Joe Manchin's PAC surged as he fought President Biden's agenda:"
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/21/joe-manchin-pac-saw-surge-of-corporate-donations-as-he-fought-biden-agenda.html* "As Congress fails on climate (again), focus turns to executive options for Biden:"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/as-congress-fails-on-climate-again-focus-turns-to-executive-options-for-biden-129880645576* "They Are Essential Workers. They Pay Taxes. But They've Been Largely Excluded from Pandemic Aid.:"
https://www.themarshallproject.org/2021/12/15/essential-but-excluded* "The Undercover Anarchists’ Secret Construction Collective:"
https://narratively.com/the-undercover-anarchists-secret-construction-collective/* "Hostile Architecture: The Fight Against the Homeless:"
( Embed: )* "Supply shortages and emboldened workers: A changed economy:"
https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-health-business-prices-66e5f5612c0a56c18ac218425e2cd20a* "The world as we know it is ending. Why are we still at work?:"
https://www.vox.com/2021/12/16/22837830/covid-pandemic-climate-change-great-resignation-2021* "Senate parliamentarian rejects latest Dem proposal on immigration:"
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/12/16/senate-parliamentarian-rejects-latest-dem-proposal-on-immigration-525195* "Senate Democrats renew focus on voting rights as domestic policy bill stalls and filibuster changes are considered:"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/voting-rights-filibuster-manchin/2021/12/15/3492c0b0-5de5-11ec-ae5b-5002292337c7_story.html* "Politics expert asks: Will Democratic leaders really listen to voters in 2022?:"
https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/senate-majority-leader-chuck-schumer-has-promised-a-vote-on-the-build-back-better-bill-in-2022-129873989697* "'This is it': Swalwell warns 2022 could be last election if GOP wins majority:"
https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-this-is-it-swalwell-warns-2022-could-be-last-election-if-gop-wins-majority-130056261886* "Historian: We must protect democracy in 2022, or lose it forever.:"
https://www.msnbc.com/the-sunday-show/watch/historian-we-must-protect-democracy-in-2022-or-lose-it-forever-129969221954* "How Out Texas Rep. Celia Israel Put Voting Rights First in 2021:"
https://www.advocate.com/exclusives/2021/12/16/how-out-texas-rep-celia-israel-put-voting-rights-first-2021* "Schumer tries to jump-start Dems with rules change threat:"
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/01/03/schumer-threatens-vote-on-senate-rules-change-in-january-526394* "Sen. Schumer on Manchin, Sinema: We've got to keep pressing them on voting rights:"
https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/sen-chuck-schumer-vows-vote-on-senate-filibuster-rules-changes-to-advance-voting-rights-legislation-130058821956* Have something you want to tell your Senators? If you can't safely protest in person, here are some other options:
Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the representative of your choice.
Here is one that will send your reps a fax:
https://resistbot.io/* "Lincoln County, Georgia, Where The Population Is One-Third Black, Proposes Closing Down All But One Polling Place:"
https://www.theroot.com/lincoln-county-georgia-where-the-population-is-one-th-1848257870* "Washington redistricting commission sued over transparency issues as behind-the-scenes dealings emerge:"
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/lawsuit-washington-redistricting-commission-violated-open-meetings-law/* "Political stakes are high as trial begins in NC gerrymandering lawsuit:"
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article257010887.html* "Congressional redistricting hits the Ohio Supreme Court:"
https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2021/12/29/congressional-redistricting-hits-the-ohio-supreme-court/* We still have a fighting chance if we all turn out next November. "Democrats Are Doing Weirdly Well in Redistricting:"
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/12/democrats-are-doing-weirdly-well-in-redistricting.html* "Republicans hit snags deploying gerrymandering strategy to strengthen grip on power:"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/republicans-hit-snags-deploying-gerrymandering-strategy-to-strengthen-grip-on-power-129879109973* "'Slow-motion insurrection': How GOP seizes election power:"
https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-united-states-elections-electoral-college-election-2020-809215812f4bc6e5907573ba98247c0c* "Colorado Election Fraud Group Is Training Conspiracists in Other States to Knock Doors in Search of 'Phantom Ballots':"
https://coloradotimesrecorder.com/2021/10/colorado-election-fraud-group-is-training-conspiracists-in-other-states-to-knock-doors-in-search-of-phantom-ballots/39935/* "A Utah group is going door to door looking for election fraud. But they don’t want you to know about it:"
https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2021/12/06/utah-group-is-going-door/* "Amid Texas GOP’s effort to question electoral integrity, attorney general tried to indict Travis County elections chief:"
https://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/20/texas-ken-paxton-travis-county-elections/* "‘A real conflagration’: Wisconsin emerges as front line in war over the 2020 vote:"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/wisconsin-2020-vote-battle/2021/12/16/6c585248-5931-11ec-9a18-a506cf3aa31d_story.html* "Most threats against election workers, stoked by Trump's Big Lie, go unpunished: Reuters :"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/most-threats-against-election-workers-stoked-by-trump-s-big-lie-go-unpunished-reuters-129878597732* "Trump aide admits he was behind meeting with Kanye West publicist and Georgia election worker:"
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2070502* "Eric Adams becomes New York City's 110th mayor:"
https://www.msnbc.com/the-sunday-show/watch/eric-adams-becomes-new-york-city-s-110th-mayor-129969733747* "‘National divorce:’ Congresswoman openly advocates end to American democracy:"
https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-national-divorce-congresswoman-openly-advocates-end-to-american-democracy-129871429742* "Dominion Voting wins key decision in lawsuit against Fox News:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/16/media/fox-news-court-dominion/index.html* "Twitter Bans Personal Greene Account for COVID-19 Misinfo:"
https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2022-01-02/twitter-bans-personal-greene-account-for-covid-19-misinfo* "GOP Candidate Claims Colorado Gov. Jared Polis Not Gay, Is Abuser:"
https://www.advocate.com/politics/2021/12/16/gop-candidate-claims-colorado-gov-jared-polis-not-gay-abuser* "Herschel Walker stumbles badly on John Lewis, voting rights:"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/herschel-walker-stumbles-badly-john-lewis-voting-rights-n1286559* "3 retired generals: The military must prepare now for a 2024 insurrection:"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/17/eaton-taguba-anderson-generals-military/* "GOP blows off Trump’s bid to oust McConnell:"
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/12/17/gop-trump-oust-mcconnell-525207* "Trump sues NY attorney general, seeking to halt civil probe:"
https://apnews.com/article/business-new-york-lawsuits-donald-trump-albany-8cd1fd3c9dc206a5b563116f3966f2a4* "GOP agrees to pay up to $1.6 million of Trump’s legal bills in N.Y. probes:"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/republican-party-trump-legal-bills-new-york-probe/2021/12/16/08af4524-5c3f-11ec-9c0e-a955f8a009c1_story.html* "New York attorney general subpoenas Donald Trump Jr and Ivanka Trump:"
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jan/03/donald-trump-jr-ivanka-trump-new-york-attorney-general* "Subpoenas for Ivanka, Trump Jr suggest NY AG investigation entering final stages:"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/subpoenas-for-ivanka-trump-jr-suggest-ny-ag-investigation-entering-final-stages-130065477932* "The U.S. military men spreading Trump’s baseless fraud claims:"
https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-election-military/* "Cheney: January 6 committee has 'firsthand testimony' that Ivanka asked Trump to intervene during insurrection:"
https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/02/politics/bennie-thompson-trump-capitol-insurrection/index.html* "Capitol panel to investigate Trump call to Willard hotel in hours before attack:"
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/dec/27/capitol-attack-panel-investigate-trump-call-willard-hotel-before-assault* House panel asks Supreme Court to say by mid-January whether it's taking Trump's January 6 records case":"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/23/politics/donald-trump-supreme-court-records-january-6/* "Why the ‘consensus opinion’ during and right after Jan. 6 is worth remembering:"
https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/why-the-consensus-opinion-during-and-right-after-jan-6-is-worth-remembering-130056773581* "House committee seeks to interview GOP firebrand Rep. Jim Jordan about January 6:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/22/politics/jim-jordan-house-select-committee-january-6/index.html* "Michael Flynn loses his legal challenge to the House January 6 probe, one day after filing it:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/22/politics/michael-flynn-january-6-lawsuit/index.html* "Trump ally Straka has provided potentially significant information:"
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/12/17/trump-ally-brandon-straka-information-525272* "January 6 committee sends letter to GOP Rep. Scott Perry, asking to interview him:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/20/politics/scott-perry-january-6-committee/index.html* "Trump ally Roger Stone pleads the Fifth in deposition with January 6 committee:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/17/politics/roger-stone-january-6-committee/index.html* "Capitol rioters' tears, remorse don't spare them from jail:"
https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-rioters-prison-95bdc863812cab48be3d98ada67bd582* "Judge: Lack of charges for Trump over Jan. 6 is no basis for leniency for others:"
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/12/17/judge-lack-charges-trump-jan-6-525277* "Remembering the Jan. 6 insurrection: What it was like inside the Capitol:"
https://www.msnbc.com/the-sunday-show/watch/remembering-the-jan-6-insurrection-what-it-was-like-inside-the-capitol-129968709883* "Proud Boys member pleads guilty for role in Capitol riot:"
https://www.npr.org/2021/12/22/1066944829/matthew-greene-proud-boys-jan-6-capitol-pleads-guilty* "Capitol rioter told FBI he was "in the bathroom pooping when the violence occurred":"
https://www.salon.com/2021/12/03/capitol-rioter-told-fbi-he-was-in-the-bathroom-pooping-when-the-violence-occurred_partner/* "Proud Boys member pleads guilty for role in Capitol riot:"
https://www.npr.org/2021/12/22/1066944829/matthew-greene-proud-boys-jan-6-capitol-pleads-guilty* "'Jesus Christ Superstar' actor, an accused Capitol rioter, claimed 'divine' authority in court hearing:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/29/politics/january-6-jesus-christ-superstar-sovereign-citizen/index.html* "‘Q’ Has Been Quiet, but QAnon Lives On:"
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/20/technology/qanon-conspiracy-movement.html* "Defense seeks dismissal of indictment for Gretchen Whitmer kidnap plot:"
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/dec/26/defense-dismissal-indictment-gretchen-whitmer-kidnap-plot-michigan-governor-coronavirus-covid* "Since Jan. 6, the pro-Trump Internet has descended into infighting over money and followers:"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/01/03/trump-qanon-online-money-war-jan6/* "Police: Gunman in Denver who killed 5 targeted some victims:"
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article256898017.html* " Why Alex Jones Lost the Sandy Hook Lawsuits :"
( Embed: )* "North Carolina 3-year-old who accidentally shot herself on Christmas Day has died:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/29/us/north-carolina-christmas-shooting-toddler-dies/index.html* "How a bloody land feud in Honduras is stoking migrant flight to U.S.:"
https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/honduras-migration-land/* "Ex-officer Kim Potter found guilty of two counts of manslaughter for fatally shooting Daunte Wright:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/23/us/kim-potter-trial-thursday/index.html* "A Reformist Black Police Chief Faces an Uprising of the Old Guard:"
https://theintercept.com/2021/12/18/little-rock-police-chief-keith-humphrey/* "How Paid Experts Help Exonerate Police After Deaths in Custody:"
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/26/us/police-deaths-in-custody-blame.html* "A Rogue Climber Running From the Law Was Fleeing His Own Trauma:"
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/04/us/isaac-wright-driftershoots-ptsd.html* "5 teenagers charged in armed carjacking of US Rep. Scanlon:"
https://apnews.com/article/congresswoman-mary-gay-scanlon-carjacked-teens-charged-3b17b2cc9d2dc00f0782f0f937e960d0* "'Unabomber' Ted Kaczynski moved to prison medical facility:"
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/unabomber-ted-kaczynski-moved-prison-medical-facility-81916720* "Rocker Rod Stewart, son resolve Florida hotel assault case:"
https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-arts-and-entertainment-florida-rod-stewart-3ffb512ae758f75593d0cc8f1ab5ecb1* "Prison Phone Companies Are Recording Attorney-Client Calls Across the US:"
https://www.vice.com/en/article/7kbbey/prison-phone-companies-are-recording-attorney-client-calls-across-the-us* "Behind the Violence at Rikers, Decades of Mismanagement and Dysfunction:"
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/31/nyregion/rikers-island-correction-officers.html* "The Injustices of the Private Prison System:"
( Embed: )* "Far-right using COVID-19 theories to grow reach, study shows:"
https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-race-and-ethnicity-europe-1952ea369c0f4afdb6d23c7706aaadc8* "Debunking the right-wing’s shoplifting freak-out:"
https://www.yahoo.com/now/debunking-wing-shoplifting-freak-015411156.html* "Elizabeth Holmes found guilty on four out of 11 federal charges:"
https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/03/tech/elizabeth-holmes-verdict/index.html* "He wore a wire, risked his life to expose who was in the KKK:"
https://apnews.com/article/florida-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-veterans-ku-klux-klan-fa0ec4120b1457f56c527108074795b5* "Claudette Colvin: Civil rights pioneer has record cleared:"
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59688404* "OK bill would pay parents $10K each day their nominated banned books remain in libraries:"
https://www.newsweek.com/ok-bill-would-pay-parents-10k-each-day-their-nominated-banned-books-remain-libraries-1663511* "Some school librarians fed up with book bans are organizing and fighting back:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/21/us/texas-school-librarians-book-challenges/index.html* CW: Psychiatric Abuse, Domestic Abuse. "The Rise and Fall of Dr. Phil, Part One:"
( Embed: )* CW: Child Abuse, Torture "Dr. Phil's Involvement with Turnabout Ranch is Uncomfortable :"
( Embed: )* "Pushed to Perform: How Reality TV Became About Kids:"
( Embed: )* CW: Pedophilia. "Joshua Bassett's childhood sexual abuser was a family member who groomed him for years:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/12/28/joshua-bassett-sexual-abuse-coming-out-zach-sang/* CW: Sexual Abuse. "Ghislaine Maxwell found guilty of helping Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse girls:"
https://www.npr.org/2021/12/29/1066219689/ghislaine-maxwell-verdict-trial-jeffrey-epstein* CW: Sex Trafficking, Rape, Pedophilia. "What Medieval Women Who Trafficked Girls Can Teach Us About Ghislaine Maxwell:"
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/12/ghislaine-maxwell-trial-history-of-female-complicity-in-sexual-abuse.html* CW: Sex Trafficking. "Prince Andrew accuser’s 2009 deal with Jeffrey Epstein made public:"
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-59861831* CW: Sex Trafficking, Pedophilia"A QAnon con: How the viral Wayfair sex trafficking lie hurt real kids:"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/interactive/2021/wayfair-qanon-sex-trafficking-conspiracy/* "Child grooms are often overlooked in the fight to stop child marriage:"
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/01/02/1066099271/child-grooms-are-often-overlooked-in-the-fight-to-stop-child-marriage* CW: Sexual Assault. "Chris Noth: Two women accuse Sex And The City actor of sexual assault:"
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59689064* CW: Sexual Assault. "Chris Noth Is Dropped From ‘The Equalizer’ Amid Sexual Assault Allegations:"
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/20/us/chris-noth-the-equalizer-fired.html* CW: Sexual Assault. "Prosecutor drops groping charge against former NY Gov. Cuomo:"
https://apnews.com/article/new-york-andrew-cuomo-albany-david-soares-24c140df57e2cf65bea8e576bf427f74* CW: sexual Misconduct "Chris Cuomo, newly fired from CNN, faces an allegation of sexual misconduct:"
https://www.npr.org/2021/12/05/1061639233/chris-cuomo-newly-fired-from-cnn-faces-an-allegation-of-sexual-misconduct* "Bryan Singer accused of 'controlling, abusive' relationship with young assistant:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/12/21/bryan-singer-x-men-director-abuse-allegations-blake-stuerman/* "Alex Jones' wife arrested on domestic violence charge:"
https://news.yahoo.com/alex-jones-wife-arrested-domestic-204930217.html* CW: Domestic Abuse "Dubai ruler must pay ex-wife $700M in divorce settlement:"
https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/dubai-ruler-pay-wife-700m-divorce-settlement-81873513* CW: Domestic Violence "Students walked out before ‘transphobic’ Rod Liddle speech 'over assault caution':"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/12/08/rod-liddle-durham-assault-caution/* "Death of pregnant woman ignites debate about abortion ban in Poland:"
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/death-pregnant-woman-ignites-debate-about-abortion-ban-poland-2021-11-05/* "Tennessee Planned Parenthood destroyed in early morning fire:"
https://apnews.com/article/health-fires-tennessee-knoxville-planned-parenthood-524edc1a8bd12e46774c1fcdf37c6c72* "US groups behind bid to outlaw abortion linked to global attacks on human rights:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/12/07/homophobic-groups-fund-abortion-case-us/* "Abortion bans 'certain' across America if Supreme Court overturns Roe v Wade:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2022/01/04/abortion-supreme-court-roe-v-wade/* "For Young LGBTQ+ Folks, Emergency Contraception on Campus Is Essential:"
https://www.advocate.com/commentary/2021/11/29/young-lgbtq-folks-emergency-contraception-campus-essential* "Vladimir Putin uses annual four-hour speech to attack trans people:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/12/24/vladimir-putin-russia-trans-coronavirus-pandemic/* "Hungary’s cruel anti-LGBT+ law breaches basic human rights, say legal experts:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/12/21/hungary-anti-lgbt-law/* "Kiss-A-Thon Held at Six Flags Mexico After Queer Couple Reprimanded:"
https://www.advocate.com/world/2022/1/03/kiss-thon-held-six-flags-mexico-after-queer-couple-reprimanded-kissing* "Same-Sex Couples in Israel Will Soon Have Access to Surrogacy:"
https://www.advocate.com/news/2022/1/04/same-sex-couples-israel-will-soon-have-access-surrogacy* "Majority of Scots think trans people should be 'free to express their identity':"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/12/17/trans-scotland-self-id-survation-poll/* "All historic gay sex convictions to be pardoned: 'The UK did so much wrong':"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2022/01/04/gay-sex-pardon-turins-law-priti-patel/* "Crucial appeal against anti-trans LGB Alliance’s charity status to be heard in 2022:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/12/23/lgb-alliance-charity-appeal/* "Tories should give non-binary people legal recognition by 2024, say MPs:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/12/21/non-binary-legal-recognition-inquiry/* "The real-life stories of Grindr serial killer Stephen Port's tragic victims:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2022/01/04/stephen-port-victims-anthony-walgate-daniel-whitworth-gabriel-kovari-jack-taylor/* "America's LGBT+ population could be twice as big as previously thought, study says:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/12/19/usa-lgbt-population-census-pulse-survey-trans/* "Black Trans Woman Ke’Yahonna Stone Shot Morning After Christmas:"
https://www.advocate.com/crime/2021/12/31/black-transgender-woman-keyahonna-stone-shot-morning-after-christmas-indiana* "21-Year-Old Black Trans Woman Amarey Lej Killed in Pittsburgh:"
https://www.advocate.com/crime/2022/1/04/21-year-old-black-trans-woman-amarey-lej-killed-pittsburgh* "'Angry' students take stand after school targeted in racist, homophobic attack:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2022/01/04/homophobic-racist-slurs-san-dieguito-academy/* "Billionaire Mormon quits church over relentless attacks on LGBT+ rights:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/12/22/jeff-t-green-mormon-quit-lgbt-gay/* "Their fears are mirrors of what they desire:"
https://solarbird.dreamwidth.org/1814418.html* "Game-changing injectable PrEP taken every other month to be rolled out in US:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/12/22/prep-injection-fda/* Child Death "They Lost Three Daughters to Sickle Cell. Can They Save a Fourth?:"
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/21/health/sickle-cell-nigeria.html* "The whitest specialty: As medicine strives to close its diversity gaps, one field remains a stubborn outlier:"
https://www.statnews.com/2021/12/13/whitest-specialty-as-medicine-strives-to-close-diversity-gaps-orthopedic-surgery-remains-stubborn-outlier/* "New Zealand's unique cigarette ban may be a model for other countries:"
https://www.npr.org/2021/12/15/1064212737/new-zealands-cigarette-ban-model* "The Problem With the Myers-Briggs Personality Test:"
https://www.discovermagazine.com/mind/the-problem-with-the-myers-briggs-personality-test* "US population growth at lowest rate in pandemic's 1st year:"
https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-immigration-health-us-census-bureau-covid-19-pandemic-d224035ee70e805f1e42da6c1a9c079c* "Alyssa always wanted to be a doctor. Then her dad died of covid and her dream fell apart.:"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/interactive/2021/father-covid-grief/* "Children, Coping With Loss, Are Pandemic’s ‘Forgotten Grievers’:"
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/09/us/politics/children-lost-parents-caregivers-covid-grief.html* "Fentanyl number one cause of death for adults 18-45, recent government data says:"
https://www.abc12.com/news/fentanyl-number-one-cause-of-death-for-adults-18-45-recent-government-data-says/article_ed0bfe28-5f79-11ec-8aa0-af3f6cbff03c.html* "States target Sackler family for opioid crisis justice after judge dumps bankruptcy deal:"
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/states-target-sackler-family-for-opioid-crisis-justice-after-judge-dumps-bankruptcy-deal-129812037758* CW: Suicide "Hazmat incident from suspected suicide closes Main Street in Springfield:"
https://news.yahoo.com/hazmat-incident-fire-police-officials-023532091.html************************************************************************************************************
* "‘Our house was gone, it was sea and sand’: life on the vanishing coasts – in pictures:"
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/gallery/2021/dec/29/our-house-was-gone-it-was-sea-and-sand-life-on-the-vanishing-coasts-in-pictures* "Boulder County wildfires: How to help those impacted by the disaster:"
https://www.denverpost.com/2021/12/30/boulder-county-wildfires-how-to-help/* "Alaska records all-time December high of 67 degrees:"
https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/alaska-records-all-time-december-high-of-67-degrees-129871429768* "‘Doomsday glacier’: Experts raise alarms about cracking Antarctic ice shelf:"
https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-doomsday-glacier-experts-raise-alarms-about-cracking-antarctic-ice-shelf-129872965776* "3 people missing, nearly 1K structures scorched in Colorado wildfire, officials say:"
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/01/01/colorado-fire-boulder-county-2-people-believed-missing/9067357002/* "Drivers fret about food and fuel while stranded on highway :"
https://apnews.com/article/snow-storm-weather-195-virginia-660346cff578c655186ac517fb45f17f* "The Next Disaster Coming to the Great Plains:"
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/12/kansas-aquifer-ogallala-water-crisis-drought/621007/* "The rising threat to businesses in 2022? Water.:"
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/climate-change-flooding-businesses-2022/* "Trash for rice: Bali recycling scheme gives families pandemic lifeline:"
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/trash-rice-bali-recycling-scheme-gives-families-pandemic-lifeline-2021-12-29/* "Inside the Chicago-area factory aiming to end US overreliance on Asia's PPE production:"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/30/us/medical-gloves-ppe-chicago-factory/index.html* "The First Dynasty of Egypt: The Birth of a Civilization:"
( Embed: )* "The Great European Famine: The First Catastrophe of the 14th Century:"
( Embed: )* "Syphilis: The Disease that Changed Europe:"
( Embed: )* CW: Rape, Torture. "François L’Olonnais: The Most Savage Pirate of the Caribbean:"
( Embed: )* "Emiliano Zapata: Mexico’s Greatest Revolutionary:"
( Embed: )* CW: NAZIs, Holocaust, Torture. "Bayer's History is a Hard Pill to Swallow :"
( Embed: )* "The Black Cop Who Infiltrated the KKK: Ron Stallworth:"
( Embed: )* CW: Pedophilia, Child Murder "Inside the hunt for Christine Jessop's real killer:"
https://torontolife.com/city/inside-the-hunt-for-christine-jessops-real-killer/* "Betty White defended a Black dancer on her 1950s variety show:"
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2022/01/01/betty-white-show-arthur-duncan-black-tap-dancer-racism/* "Betty White Understood Gay Men, and We Loved Her for It:"
https://www.advocate.com/commentary/2021/12/31/betty-white-understood-gay-men-and-we-loved-her-it* "Gay Olympic Diving Star Ian Matos Is Dead at 32:"
https://www.advocate.com/sports/2021/12/24/gay-olympic-diving-star-ian-matos-dead-32* "A Quick Memory of Harry Reid:"
https://solarbird.dreamwidth.org/1815738.html* "Mummers 2022 Fancy Brigade 06 Vikings:"
( Embed: )* "Mummers 2022 Fancy Brigade 02 Avenuers:"
( Embed: )* "Mummers 2022 Fancy Brigade 01 Satin Slipper:"
( Embed: )* "Mummers 2022 String Band Fralinger - Orchestration Station:"
( Embed: )* That’s It. That’s the movie. "Mummers 2022 String Band 10 Quaker City- Getting the Band Back Together:"
( Embed: )* "Mummers 2022 South Philadelphia String Band - Circus Space-Tacular:"
( Embed: )* "Psychology of a Hero: Katniss Everdeen (part 1):"
( Embed: )* This latest crisis is of course happening in that weird liminal space between end of year holidays, so the fact that I got any call backs on my Wednesday round of message leaving as various social service agencies was all by itself impressive.
Thursday morning at 7AM, the phone rang. This is an alarming time for anyone to call anyone, and we are far enough north it's not yet dawn. With Squirrel's slightly longer commute to his new job (He'd have been home by then from his old job, if he hadn't stopped for groceries or gas or the like, but at 7 he's often still commuting these days) and the whole melted snow freezes into dangerous ice overnight thing, I was worried it was Squirrel having had an accident on the way home.
It was not. It was a very nice man filling in for someone on vacation at a long shot agency I called the previous day. The answer was the expected no, but he had two more leads to try.
Poverty is very time consuming. I have been poor most of my life, including all my adult life. Phone tag, the endless time consuming search for hidden little programs that might help one with whatever nightmare poverty has tossed at you this time. I fish and I wait. There is noting else to do sometimes.
It was very sweet of him to call first thing, and really kind to try to help the only way he could.
Want to help with the bills/wiring crisis? paypal.me/Gwydion
* The roads are so bad, the security guys coming to fix the fire system cancelled. Really there is nothing to be done until after the new year.
Head Millenial came in on his day off. We've got white fairy lights strung up in the kitchen and an extension cord running to the bathroom with a bedroom lamp attach. The beta now has light and heat. The lighting is dimmer than ideal but we can now see what we're doing at night and the small space heater is attached to the most stable of the household circuits, the one that is also lighting the bathroom. It's not ideal but the safety issue is abated and I have a stomache with protein in it as I typed this.
Addendum: The temperature dropped fast tonight, so it was very good we sorted out the space heater power supply.
* Friday, I'm awakened by some guy yelling about water leaking outside the interior door. So I throw on some clothes and go and answer it. It's an inspector needing to take moisture readings of his wall that connects to the neighbor on his side. So I wake squirrel up.
He hit us first, so I don't know the results of the inspection, but he had information that may be a game changer. He said that the fire suppression sprinkler cracked due to the weather, and was leaking into next door's apartment. I told him about our fire suppression and electrical issues and he said likely next door's water leak zapped us too.
If this is the case, odds are I can leverage that into getting management to pay to fix the electricals, since weather damage in another apartment leaking into ours and doing massive damage sounds a lot like the time I called in water coming out of the ceiling in the bathroom and they had to fix it for me. the Inspector said it sounded as crazy to him as it did to us that they wanted us to pay a massive repair bill caused by weather damage in someone else's apartment.
So Monday, I'll call around and verify if this is the case, and if it is, I have a good case for this being someone else's problem. Which leaves us with the bills I didn't pay so I could fix my brakes and the medical bill. I've got a few donations, including one that means I can cover the one that flips into fines on the 7th. I need to wait for money to shift around and for the electrical situation to get settled one way or another, at which point I an give an update on my level of fucked, but odds just shifted from this is my life now I guess to solvable by Spring.
In other news, the cats and I are still holed up against the cold and snow and spending a lot of time napping in a group. I am adjusting to the dim emergency lighting we've strung up and still have the battery lanterns for close work. What did I do for New Years? Pet assorted cats and read Medieval history between naps. Oh, and had spasms. So many spasms. I spent the last couple of days trying to head them off, and lost.
But we are all fed and warm and that's more than a lot of people have right now.
* The Mummer's Parade got postponed to Sunday, so I stayed up to watch it live streaming. you could see the effects of the pandemic particularly in the Comics, I think, and in some of the string Bands. Most of the parade did pretty well on the whole racism, appropriation problem. There was one thing in each section before the fancy brigades if i remember correctly, plus a really bad one by a DJ in the fancies, but trust me this is progress. It used to be so much worse.
The Fancy Brigades though? Jesus fuck! It was like some sort of racism/cultural appropriation Olympics. There were always problems in the fancies division, but this is by far the worst it's been since the '90's. no wonder the my agish black man doing the cultural sensitivity training for Mummers sounded so damned tired.
The fuck!
Anyway, money has moved around and the immediate personal financial crisis that started with the brakes on the car is under control thanks to donors. The wall I was going to hit on the seventh has been removed. If I can talk property management into fixing the electricity, it will be tight for January and possibly ugly in February, but the immediate oh shit has become a next month problem. I should know in a week or two how fucked we will be next month. I'll let you know then.
* Monday I spent all day doing bureaucracy and errands. A half an hour's argument with management rendered a hard no. Luckily, the City called and is willing to put me on the expedited waiting list. The form required me to spend two hours on hold to get a single number from an agency, but I filed the application for the city to fix the electricals the same day via email.
Going out to get the application packet turned into more of a saga than hoped, as one of my tires was on the rim flat. Luckily squirrel was awake and lent me his car. Also, I was exhausted, barely mobile and in a lot of pain. Still, the essential adulting got done.
Tuesday I spent most of the morning on more phone bureaucracy (tracking down more leads, etc.). apparently if I had 2500 I could get the electricals fixed myself. Might as well wish I had a million. I then drove on the rim to the tire store. It took two hours, which was no surprise. The line is always long there, and it was worse because of the whole people snowed in and new year thing, plus they were having computer issues which was slowing check in considerable. I couldn't not replace the tire and waiting for a better day would not make things any easier.
Apparently, the tire was under warranty, which surprised the hell out of me as I didn't know i had a warranty. I certainly hadn't paid for one. My assumption is is came automatically with the tires. As I bought these tires in February a year before the pandemic, my suspicion is if the tire had punctured say a month and a half from now, it would have expired. As it fell out, I got a free replacement tire, so that's a win.
I turned out one of the bills I didn't pay because brakes had acquired and extra 25 or so of fees; the other was the amount expected. I'll need to pay this month's bills, of course, plus the 70.00 medical bill, plus whatever they are going to charge me for car tabs later in the month, so I'm still some degree of fucked, but this could have been so much worse.
I also bought a grocery sandwich on EBT, because while it's not as bad as yesterday, my body is really not doing well at the basics. I turned in the hard copy of our application on the grounds that trying to read my arthritis handwriting on Squirrel's cell phone picture sounded dicey to me. I actually have faith that the city will help since both of the people involved in that decision are very invested in getting it sorted. It's more a matter of how long until my waiting list spot rises to an open slot and then about a three month process after that. We may even get them to replace the unreliable refrigerator and fix my broken kitchen drawer in the process.
It's going to be unpleasant, but if we can make it to April financially, we'll be okay.
* Wednesday, we didn't forage. Nearby Millennial was trapped at home because the compacted ice made her hill too dangerous. Head Millennial could make it, so we worked on stuff in the living room, while the snow invisibly piled up outside. Luckily, Squirrel took Head Millennial home before he went to work.
He called me from work. They have an outbreak and it's bad. Really, really bad. He's working directly with COVID patients. He is taking all precautions at work and is masking when he has to leave his room for food or work, but our risk just went way up.
In other news, I packed up Halloweentown today as a preliminary to taking down the interior Gothmas display. The cats had an exciting time exploring the cleared space and sitting together to stare out at the snowy landscape and occasional dog walker.
Did I mention the previous Wednesday, Head Millennial brought in a dish of snow for the cats? neither of them have much outdoor experience. (Livia escaped once and was deeply traumatized. Tavy has escaped more often, usually to the bushes in front of our patio to check for hidden Millenials). They've never been out in snow and seeing it fall only happens once or twice a year in the normal course of things, so they are fascinated and a bit alarmed whenever it happens.
The dish of snow blew the Emperor's mind. He finds snow both fascinating and alarming at the best of times. He'd never seen it indoors or been close to it. It really freaked him right out. he'd approach the bowl cautiously, tail lashing, then skitter away sideways. He did eventually sniff it, at which point he recoiled in horror. Livia basically gave it the side eye and would skirt around it.
Imperial opinion is united: It was not a hit. Snow belongs Outside, with noises and strangers.
* Since 2016, I've tried to write up a thing in the dark of every year, but this year, I didn't find the words. Looks like the Mountain Goats guy found them for me. :
https://star-burp.tumblr.com/post/672168512356237312 * "Sunday Sweets For Roy G. Biv:"
https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/2022/1/2/sunday-sweets-for-roy-g-biv*****
* 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 Kevin Strickland After Wrongful Conviction:"
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-kevin-strickland-after-wrongful-conviction* My Oldest Continuous friend's Elder Cat is getting up there and her special diet and health care for kidney failure is expensive. Gigi is a sweet, extremely cuddly girl and could use extra help. "Click here to show your support to Karrin Jackson's story *SupportGigiInHerOldAge:"
https://www.spotfund.com/story/18393388-9914-4f6c-9f99-876aa019bdee* Help LGBTQIA+ people escape Afghanistan:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-lgbtq-afghan-refugees-rebuild-their-lives* "The Rainbow Railroad:"
https://www.rainbowrailroad.org/take-action* Organizations working for reproductive rights in Texas:
https://minoanmiss.dreamwidth.org/796848.html* Even more Organizations working for reproductive rights in Texas:
https://wendelah1.dreamwidth.org/788132.html* Want to help Kimi Cole run for statewide office in Nevada?
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/kimi-cole-4-nevada-1* I used all the bill money to fix my brakes. I need about 250.00-300 to cover bills for the month. Paypal Lethran@gmail.com or paypal.me/Gwydion
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