Nec Hoc Nec Ilud

* "How Chinese Entrepreneurs Are Quietly Reshaping Africa:" https://www.ozy.com/fast-forward/how-chinese-entrepreneurs-are-quietly-reshaping-africa/93519

* Well, Fuck! "AP Photos: India's sacred cow a symbol of rising nationalism:" https://www.apnews.com/8f92a38db1be4605935b759165ec01c0

* "Duterte threatens 'suicide mission' if Beijing oversteps in South China Sea:" https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/05/asia/south-china-sea-duterte-beijing-intl/index.html

* "China's construction binge spreads to Americas, rattles US:" https://www.apnews.com/01e30c76567f40ce9d5dabc20788139c

* "Legal experts on whether public will ever see full Mueller report:" http://www.msnbc.com/am-joy/watch/barr-says-he-will-release-mueller-report-this-week-1492098115769

* "Sen. Cory Booker formally joins presidential race with an echo of Martin Luther King Jr.: “We can’t wait.”:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/sen-cory-booker-formally-joins-presidential-race-with-an-echo-of-martin-luther-king-jr-we-cant-wait/2019/04/13/f15eec3e-5d14-11e9-842d-7d3ed7eb3957_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.d653acc1fb80

* "Finland gave people free money. They became more trusting.:" https://www.vox.com/2019/4/6/18297452/finland-basic-income-free-money-canada

* "Why Europeans Don’t Get Huge Medical Bills:" https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2019/04/do-europeans-get-big-medical-bills/586906/

* "The Robocall Deluge Is a Case of Government Failure:" https://prospect.org/article/robocall-deluge-case-government-failure

* "Louisiana arson suspect expressed disgust with Baptist churches on Facebook:" https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/12/us/louisiana-church-fires-suspect/index.html

* "As Louisiana churches burn, Congress hijacks the conversation on hate:" https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/louisiana_church_fires_hate.php

* "Tlaib wants us to see 'light' in her and Ilhan Omar's election:" http://www.msnbc.com/am-joy/watch/rep-rashida-tlaib-discusses-rep-ilhan-omar-and-trump-1492051523786

* "Expert says Islamophobia is ‘weaponized’ to manipulate voters:" http://www.msnbc.com/am-joy/watch/democratic-response-to-criticism-of-ilhan-omar-by-gop-scrutinized-1492072515749

* "Columnist on Omar coverage: Fox is ‘destroying political thought’:" http://www.msnbc.com/am-joy/watch/right-wing-media-coverage-of-rep-ilhan-omar-critiqued-1492124739708

* "How border patrol chases have spun out of control, with deadly consequences:" https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-me-ln-border-patrol-immigrant-chases-crashes/

* "Why Did Brett Kavanaugh Change His Mind About the Rights of Religious Minorities in the Execution Chamber?:" https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/03/patrick-henry-murphy-brett-kavanaugh-supreme-court-domineque-ray.html

* "Even very short jail sentences drive people away from voting:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/03/28/even-very-short-jail-sentences-drive-people-away-voting/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.4dfb6ff1c088

* "Mothers grapple with unpaid maternity leave as lawmakers eye a change:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-world-of-mothers-grappling-with-unpaid-maternity-leave/

* "Mother and daughter pilot Delta flight from Los Angeles to Atlanta:" https://www.kron4.com/news/national/mother-and-daughter-pilot-delta-flight-from-los-angeles-to-atlanta/1872058313
* "HIV Rates Are Rising in States That Didn't Expand Medicaid:" https://psmag.com/social-justice/hiv-rates-are-rising-across-the-south

"Yet just two weeks ago, the Trump administration argued that the ACA—which offered about 20 million Americans access to health care that they wouldn't otherwise have—should be dismantled entirely. For those living with HIV, the ACA's provision for pre-existing conditions meant the sudden freedom of being able to change jobs and, by extension, insurance plans—something they were terrified of doing before, Beyrer says, because "HIV is the mother of all pre-existing conditions.""

* "Morehouse College Opens Its Doors To Trans Masculine Students:" https://transgriot.blogspot.com/2019/04/morehouse-college-opens-its-doors-to.html

* "‘They Had Found Out That I Am Gay, and They Were Going to Kill Me’:" https://www.thenation.com/article/edafe-okporo-asylum-refugee-migrant-voices/

* "Take from the rich and give to … the subway? Inside New York’s evolving congestion pricing policy:" https://grist.org/article/take-from-the-rich-and-give-to-the-subway-inside-new-yorks-evolving-congestion-pricing-policy/

* "How A Seed Bank Helps Preserve Cherokee Culture Through Traditional Foods:" https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/04/02/704795157/how-a-seed-bank-helps-preserve-cherokee-culture-through-traditional-foods

* "The Hidden Air Pollution in Our Homes:" https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/04/08/the-hidden-air-pollution-in-our-homes

* "The International Space Station Is a Cesspool of Bacteria and Fungi, Study Finds:" https://gizmodo.com/the-international-space-station-is-a-cesspool-of-bacter-1833885488

* "Killer Rabbits in Medieval Manuscripts: Why So Many Drawings in the Margins Depict Bunnies Going Bad:" http://www.openculture.com/2019/03/killer-rabbits-in-medieval-manuscripts-why-so-many-drawings-in-the-margins-depict-bunnies-going-bad.html

* "In India, the British Hyped Potatoes to Justify Colonialism:" https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/potato-history-india

* "History's 26 Most Incredible Heroes That You Never Heard Of:" https://www.cracked.com/pictofacts-1336-historys-26-most-incredible-heroes-that-you-never-heard-of/

* "Jail Cell Cold Open - SNL:"

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* "Weekend Update: Julian Assange Arrested - SNL:"

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* "The View: Jenny McCarthy on Vaccines - SNL:"

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* "Zachary Levi Brings Out James's Inner-Shazam:"

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* Sunday, my body was extremely rebellious. Let us hope it is less recalcitrant Monday and Tuesday.

* "10 Enchanted Garden Cakes That Are Pure Magic:" https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/2019/4/14/10-enchanted-garden-cakes-that-are-pure-magic.html

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

* "Books for low-income kids who don't have enough books Needed:" https://delight.dreamwidth.org/156856.html

* Want to help LGBTQIA+ folk escapr repressive regimes? https://www.rainbowrailroad.com/donate

* Donate to HIAS to help refugees: https://act.hias.org/page/6048/donate/1

* Want to contribute directly to the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services fund? "Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services:" https://www.raicestexas.org/

* Support Kids at the Border: http://brigdh.tumblr.com/post/175022384240/support-the-kids-at-the-border

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

* Upset about the abuse of big cats by people who shouldn't be allowed to keep them? Big cat rescue is trying to change laws to protect wild animals. "Cat Laws:" https://bigcatrescue.org/cat-laws/

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

* Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? If you can not 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.

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

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

* This is a cool person and the swimsuits are being made from an ethical source. LGBTQIA+ swimsuits: https://www.etsy.com/shop/NerdyKeppie?ref=l2-shopheader-name§ion_id=24021616

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

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

* "Saudi Women Who Fought for the Right to Drive Are Disappearing and Going Into Exile:" https://theintercept.com/2018/10/06/saudi-arabia-women-driving-activists-exile/

* "Trump, Kushner money ties to Saudi Arabia taint US policy voice:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-kushner-money-ties-to-saudi-arabia-taint-us-policy-voice-1342451779503?v=railb&

* "Recordings prove Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi murdered in consulate, Post says:" https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/12/middleeast/khashoggi-saudi-turkey-recordings-intl/index.html

* "Trump reluctant to cut off arms sales to Saudis in response to Khashoggi's disappearance:" https://www.politico.com/story/2018/10/11/trump-saudi-arabia-arms-sales-khashoggi-disappearance-892060

* "Unfinished cross-border tunnel discovered near Jacumba:" http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/sd-me-border-tunnel-20181009-story.html

* Fuckssake! "Trump accuses Hillary Clinton of colluding with Russia as crowd chants 'lock her up':" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-accuses-hillary-clinton-colluding-russia-crowd-chants-lock-her-n918836

* "My Private Oval Office Press Conference With Trump, Pence, Pompeo, and Kelly:" http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/10/my-private-oval-office-press-conference-with-donald-trump.html

* "This Is Why Liberals Think You Trumpettes Are Stupid:" https://transgriot.blogspot.com/2018/10/this-is-why-liberals-think-you.html

* "Former Rick Gates attorneys sue him for $369,000 in unpaid bills:" https://www.politico.com/story/2018/10/10/rick-gates-attorneys-bills-892059

* "Ex-FBI acting director fears agency's 'unfair treatment' is delaying book:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/andrew-mccabe-says-his-book-has-been-delayed-fbi-review-n919066

* "Judge could force Mueller to reveal nature of Manafort's flip:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/judge-could-force-mueller-to-reveal-nature-of-manafort-s-flip-1342452803531?v=railb&

* "Trump nominates 13 male judges after Kavanaugh confirmation:" http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/trump-nominates-13-male-judges-after-kavanaugh-confirmation-1342364227659?v=railb&

* I was asked for a list of important races one might donate money to if one had money to donate.

Beto O'Rourke, Senate Race, Texas: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/betofortexas-ads-ms-gl?refcode=ads_180705_dd_google_search_ad001_tc_kw&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3L3mh-3_3QIVgXp-Ch2FXAyoEAAYASAAEgL-zfD_BwE

Kyrsten Sinema, Senate Race, Arizona: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ks-gen-search?refcode=gs_postpri_1808_ks&amount=25.00&recurring=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsP3yp-3_3QIVAqvsCh1U7AYTEAAYASAAEgKAUvD_BwE

Bill Nelson, Senate Race, Florida: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/nelson_search?refcode=ads_google_nat_search

Jacky Rosen, Senate Race, Nevada: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jr-ads2?refcode=ads_google_d2d_nat&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2_L3zu3_3QIVgYd-Ch2JDQ_wEAAYASAAEgJAlvD_BwE

Heidi Heitkamp, Senate, is currently losing in North Dakota and can for sure use the money: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/hh4nd?refcode=ads_google_nat_d2d&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwbHtxu7_3QIVBNbACh0RZQmNEAAYASAAEgLnrvD_BwE

Stacey Abrams, Governor Race, Georgia: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ads-stacey-searchdtd?refcode=ads-180625-gs-natl-sdtd-search-ad2&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhZXw3e3_3QIViONkCh0XoguaEAAYASAAEgIdIfD_BwE

Andrew Gillum, Governor Race, Florida: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/gillum-primary-win?refcode=website&_ga=2.10258421.1582336703.1539312722-966284395.1539312722

If you have more close race Candidates you think should be on the master list, please let me know.

* "Republicans best chance of holding on to congress is if young people don’t get out and vote." — Rachel Maddow, 10/11/18

Only 35% of people 18-29 plan to vote in this election; 81% of those 65+ intend to vote. Please, please, please Millennials and oldest Gen Z, if you don’t come out THEY WILL WIN! They are counting on you to be discouraged, busy, exhausted, apathetic.

Please VOTE! If Millenials all come out with Gen X and oldest Z, we CAN BEAT THEM TOGETHER!!! Please, you are our only hope to save democracy from the autocratic fascists who pretty much want us all dead.

* "Containing the Catastrophe:" http://seananmcguire.tumblr.com/post/178946744030/containing-the-catastrophe#notes

* "Georgia sued over law that put voter registrations on hold:" https://politics.myajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/georgia-sued-over-law-that-put-voter-registrations-hold/9srdy1vMhb9pQ2j0zCxs7L/

* It is 2018, and we are still litigating whether black people have the right to vote in Georgia. Are you as furious about this as I am?

* Waller County Texas wants you to know there is no legal or ethical reason to not lie to black voters in official election board communications so as to trick black people into sending in voter registration forms that they can then declare invalid to prevent black people voting. Similarly, the police their want to remind you that there is no legal or ethical reason not to base the decision to arrest a man on frivolous charges for doing nothing actually illegal entirely on the basis of the man being a Democrat.

* "Why one political activist felt changing Prairie View A&M's voting procedure was worth going to jail:" https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2018-elections/2018/10/11/campaign-worker-arrested-after-standing-prairie-view-am-students-voting-rights

* "Democratic aide arrested advocating for voting rights in Texas:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/democratic-aide-arrested-advocating-for-voting-rights-in-texas-1342451779574?v=railb&

* "Adelson drops tens of millions more to save the GOP Congress:" https://www.politico.com/story/2018/10/11/adelson-donations-gop-congress-894176

* "Fmr. Sen. Boxer: People want senators to be courageous:" http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/fmr-sen-boxer-people-want-senators-to-be-courageous-1342092355649?v=railb&

* "Sen. Ed Markey: 'Don't agonize. Organize.':" http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/sen-ed-markey-don-t-agonize-organize-1342358083723?v=railb&

* "Simone Biles says team doctor abused her:" https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/15/us/simone-biles-larry-nassar/index.html

* "Tokyo Passes Law Banning TBLGQ Discrimination:" https://transgriot.blogspot.com/2018/10/tokyo-passes-law-banning-tblgq.html

* "Afro Brazilian Trans Woman Gets Elected In Brazil!:" https://transgriot.blogspot.com/2018/10/afro-brazilian-trans-woman-gets-elected.html

* "Live updates: Michael kills 6, leaves trail of devastation in Florida as it spins across the Southeast:" https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/live-updates-michael-kills-6-leaves-trail-of-devastation-in-florida-as-it-spins-across-the-southeast/70006312

* "Michael kills six and wipes out Florida beach town:" https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/11/us/hurricane-michael-tropical-storm-wxc/index.html

* "Hurricane Michael leaves Florida’s main psych hospital cut off. Helicopters drop aid.:" https://www.miamiherald.com/news/weather/hurricane/article219852085.html

* My Historically Accurate sexism post is hot again and some nice new commentary is turning up: https://faerunner.tumblr.com/post/178951513434/bitesizedoblivion-asukaskerian-celynbrum

http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/178969125017/allsortsoflicorice-bitesizedoblivion

http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/178969877817/faerunner-bitesizedoblivion-asukaskerian

(OMG! Senan McGuire picked it it up, no wonder it's suddenly picking up a thou a day!)

* "Kanye Takes Over the Oval Office & Melania Opens Up About Being "Bullied":"

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* "Jaboukie Young-White on Why Young People Don’t Vote:"

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* "Fox News Stokes Fear of Democratic Mobs:"

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* I dragged myself out to take Squirrel to get his car. The repair was more than one would like, but at least he has it. I noticed a new indicator light, so I'm going to have to take mine in, likely Monday morning to have the brakes prodded. It's rainy season and I don't want to fuck around with early warning signs on brakes. It is, of course, just when I thought I might actually catch up on my bills. *facepalm* My plan is to wait up Monday morning for them to open and call then as they suggested, and do my foraging accordingly, since honest Mechanic is on the same block. I took Squirrel to get his Secret Santa present on the way to the mechanic as I knew the right shop, settled small bill, loop to library, and picked up my case of Tofurkey gravy after. They had accidentally double ordered it, likely as a result of the confusion back in September. I said if they were willing to hold on to it until the 2nd, I'd come back and buy it, as I was planning to order a second case anyway, it being seasonal, but i hadn't room for it in my budget right now. (Or in my freezer for that matter. I clearly need to eat more stuff between now and then). It makes more sense than it sounds. They only make the gravy this time of year, and I use it year round. Me making gravy from scratch takes about an hour and a half of mostly being on my feet and it's frankly not as good. This is dramatically more efficient as far as time, convenience and spoons. One container represents two or three meals. It's worth it.

We still have lost the parking spot to the out of state plates. Squirrel is hoping they are visiting. I'm worried they've moved in. The A block spot is gone, I suspect to a bona fide disabled person in resident over there judging by parking stickers, and the B Block spot belongs to a for sure disabled person living in B. The street parking eats spoons and is a tad dangerous given the traffic and how slowly I have to decant myself to avoid damage to my legs. Sigh.

A neighbor walking her dog spotted me watering my plants and was delightfully ebullient about the Gothmas display. It fills me with such good cheer and I'm so glad others enjoy it too.

* I redid the left hand nails, but one of them had already come off my the time I finished the others, and the thumb started peeling before the cover coat dried. Three hours later, i only had two. I think this brand definitely had weak adhesive. This was the last set from this brand in the gift wraps stack. I kept on with them on the grounds that it’s best to practice with the ones that won’t last anyway, so I’m not stressed about it. http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/178969883227/i-redid-the-left-hand-nails-but-one-of-them-had

* When I went to pick up my gravy, the man at the desk gave me this huge grin and boomed, "Psi Corps! The Corps is Mother! The Corps is father!" I'd completely forgotten I was wearing an ancient B-5 Psi Corps shirt from the second Con I ever went to. (My first OriCon). We geeked out about how good that show was before he went to get my box.

If anything was due for a modern reboot with modern effects and proper exploration of the same sex relationship they had to fight censors to even hint at back in the '90's, it's this show. It seems to me exactly the thing people living in Trump's America need. I'm looking at you: STARZ, Netflix, AMC, HBO....

* So I think this is quite possibly the best season of American Horror Story. It makes me rather wish I remembered Coven better. I should have rewatched in advance. I was seriously concerned when the witches showed up, but am weirdly reassured by the return of Queenie.

I did have an odd moment at the end. See, after the shot of Murder house at the end, I started watching Criminal Minds, and their cold open was a nice couple getting the nursery ready for an imminent baby in a creepy house they just bought and for a long minute my brain hadn't quite caught up with the show change.... Seriously, imagine the thoughts spinning on from there before the Criminal Minds theme reminded me I'd switched shows, because mummified body inside the wall was on brand for AHS: Murder House, as is cute pregnant couple, creepy house, etc..

* 6ish Days; no bids as of this writing. The all items for sale link is here: https://www.ebay.com/sch/lethran/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

BPAL: Krampus (2012) (Yule (LE)): Sinister red musk, black leather, dusty rags, and wooden switches. Just Below shoulder. https://www.ebay.com/itm/BPAL-Krampus-2012-Yule-Limited-Edition/302912665865?hash=item4687007909:g:KEQAAOSwGohboEuu

BPAL: Regina Erebi (2011) (Halloween : An Evening in Hades (LE)): The Queen of Hell: pomegranate, spear mint, black mulberry, and myrrh. 1/2 Full & Scorpio (2007) (Celestials (LE)). 1-2 Imps worth. https://www.ebay.com/itm/BPAL-Regina-Erebi-2011-Halloween-An-Evening-in-Hades-Scorpio-2007/302912712603?hash=item4687012f9b:g:rlMAAOSwb2JboFtP

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

* Naral https://actnow.prochoiceamerica.org/donate/supportnaral/#.W7nPzmNRfIU

* Planned Paranthood: https://www.weareplannedparenthoodaction.org/onlineactions/hkv0R7LN0E-Q-U5mXFaXRA2?sourceid=1004272&ms=4NALz1800K1N1A&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4I2IxID03QIVA7bACh3CCwHWEAAYASAAEgKlD_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

* "Resources for Male Victims of Abuse:" http://butlerbookbinding.tumblr.com/post/178933672694/resources-for-male-victims-of-abuse

* Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab is doing a fundraiser for legal defense of refugee children in ICE detention. https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/product-category/activism/deliver-them-from-the-hands-of-the-wicked/

* Want to contribute directly to the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services fund? "Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services:" https://www.raicestexas.org/

* Support Kids at the Border: http://brigdh.tumblr.com/post/175022384240/support-the-kids-at-the-border

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

* I was asked for a list of important races one might donate money to if one had money to donate.

Beto O'Rourke, Senate Race, Texas: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/betofortexas-ads-ms-gl?refcode=ads_180705_dd_google_search_ad001_tc_kw&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3L3mh-3_3QIVgXp-Ch2FXAyoEAAYASAAEgL-zfD_BwE

Kyrsten Sinema, Senate Race, Arizona: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ks-gen-search?refcode=gs_postpri_1808_ks&amount=25.00&recurring=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsP3yp-3_3QIVAqvsCh1U7AYTEAAYASAAEgKAUvD_BwE

Bill Nelson, Senate Race, Florida: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/nelson_search?refcode=ads_google_nat_search

Jacky Rosen, Senate Race, Nevada: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jr-ads2?refcode=ads_google_d2d_nat&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2_L3zu3_3QIVgYd-Ch2JDQ_wEAAYASAAEgJAlvD_BwE

Heidi Heitkamp, Senate, is currently losing in North Dakota and can for sure use the money: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/hh4nd?refcode=ads_google_nat_d2d&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwbHtxu7_3QIVBNbACh0RZQmNEAAYASAAEgLnrvD_BwE

Stacey Abrams, Governor Race, Georgia: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ads-stacey-searchdtd?refcode=ads-180625-gs-natl-sdtd-search-ad2&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhZXw3e3_3QIViONkCh0XoguaEAAYASAAEgIdIfD_BwE

Andrew Gillum, Governor Race, Florida: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/gillum-primary-win?refcode=website&_ga=2.10258421.1582336703.1539312722-966284395.1539312722

If you have more close race Candidates you think should be on the master list, please let me know.

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

* Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the representative of your choice.

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

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

* This is a cool person and the swimsuits are being made from an ethical source. LGBTQIA+ swimsuits: https://www.etsy.com/shop/NerdyKeppie?ref=l2-shopheader-name§ion_id=24021616

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

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

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

* "April Ryan - "Under Fire" and Demanding the Truth from the Trump White House - Extended Interview:"

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* "John Kerry Wishes White House Aides Didn't Have To Resist:"

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* "Trump inauguration crowd photos were edited after he intervened:" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/06/donald-trump-inauguration-crowd-size-photos-edited

* "Kavanaugh Hearings, Day 3: Booker Has His 'Spartacus Moment'; A Mulligan On Mueller:" https://www.npr.org/2018/09/06/645307229/kavanaugh-hearings-day-3-booker-has-his-sparticus-moment-a-mulligan-on-mueller

* Kavanaugh's email on Roe v Wade.: https://int.nyt.com/data/documenthelper/269-kavanaugh-email-re-whether-roe/e6dbbda94dd204fe02af/optimized/full.pdf#page=1

* "Democrats defy GOP, release confidential Kavanaugh documents in showdown:" https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/06/democratic-senators-say-they-will-risk-expulsion-fight-to-release-kavanaugh-documents.html

* "Kavanaugh stumbles when grilled on whether he discussed Mueller probe:" https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/05/kavanaugh-mueller-probe-hearings-809115

* "Documents on Kavanaugh's hidden views 'being withheld from public':" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/06/brett-kavanaugh-hearings-third-day-documents-leaked

* "Here's Another Brett Kavanaugh Email Republicans Didn't Want You To See:" https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/kavanaugh-emails_us_5b917067e4b0162f472b242e

* "Senator Cory Booker blasts SCOTUS hearing:" http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/senator-cory-booker-blasts-scotus-hearing-1314642499664?v=railb&

* "Democrats aim for potential cracks in GOP support for Kavanaugh:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/democrats-aim-for-potential-cracks-in-gop-support-for-kavanaugh-1314744387947?v=railb&

* "Overlap in Kavanaugh nomination, Trump Russia probe becomes clear:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/overlap-in-kavanaugh-nomination-trump-russia-probe-becomes-clear-1314745411607?v=railb&

* "Swalwell: Kavanaugh 'the wrong judge at the wrong time':" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/swalwell-kavanaugh-the-wrong-judge-at-the-wrong-time-1314745923519?v=railb&

* NOTE: The person who got to decide that Democrats were only allowed to look at 10% of the Kavanaugh documents and who got to decide which things are marked “Committee Confidential” is Steve Bannon’s lawyer, who is also defending some of the people in the Mueller investigation. It’s not, say, the FBI or any other official investigative organization. Just Saying.

* Hearings continue even though Republicans refuse to release the documents from his time in the executive Branch for review. Please, please, please if you can manage it, contact your Senators to get them to fight the Kavanaugh nomination. This is geometrically more important if you have a centrist Democrat like Joseph Manchin, Joe Donnelly, and Heidi Heitkamp; or Republicans like Tim Scott, Marco Rubio, Susan Collins or Lisa Murkowski. (For Scott and Rubio emphasize Kavanaugh's racism and support for racial profiling, for Collins and Murkowski emphasize the right to chose and the Jane Doe case where he tried to force a raped immigrant teen to carry against her will, With Murowski, you might also mention his opposition to programs benefiting Alaska Natives). Contact Chuck Schumer and ask him to whip the Democrats so as to get them to stand in united opposition.

Protest in person if you can, but if you can’t, here are some other options:

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

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

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

* "Kerry: Americans' best option is to vote:" http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/kerry-americans-best-option-is-to-vote-1314638403953?v=railb&

* "Jon Kyl sworn in as senator replacing McCain:" https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-mccain/jon-kyl-sworn-in-as-senator-replacing-mccain-idUSKCN1LL2LR

* "Lyft to Offer Free and Discounted Rides to Voters on Election Day:" http://fortune.com/2018/08/23/lyft-free-ride-discount-election-day/

* "Trump admin hyped terror threat from refugees, former officials say:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/trump-admin-rejected-report-showing-refugees-did-not-pose-major-n906681

* "New rule would allow Trump admin to hold migrant kids indefinitely:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/trump-admin-plans-hold-migrant-kids-indefinitely-defying-decades-old-n907006

* Our government is not only still holding 400 of the children they kidnapped, they are planning to defy the law by restarting the child kidnapping/internment camp program. We are also still violating international law regarding refugees.

* "Trump admin. wants to hold migrant kids indefinitely:" http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/trump-admin-wants-to-hold-migrant-kids-indefinitely-1314635843746?v=railb&

* "The Deadly Incel Movement’s Absurd Pop Culture Roots:" https://medium.com/s/trustissues/the-deadly-incel-movements-absurd-pop-culture-roots-e5bef93df2f5

* "How does the literary canon reinforce the logic of the incel?:" https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/jun/04/incel-movement-literary-classics-behind-misogyny

* "Chicago Priests Caught Having Sex in Public on Ocean Drive:" https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/chicago-priest-caught-having-sex-on-miami-beachs-ocean-drive-10698424

* "Campaigners celebrate as India decriminalises homosexuality:" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/06/indian-supreme-court-decriminalises-homosexuality

* "Are Social Media Companies Really Silencing Conservatives?:"

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* "So You Think You Can Judge - Kamala Harris Brings It :"

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* "The Reading Rainbow: Bob Woodward's 'Fear':"

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* "A Damning Op Ed Distracts Trump From A Damning Book:"

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* "Trump Rebukes 'Embarrassing' Protestors At Kavanaugh's Hearing:"

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* Adapting Shakespeare: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/177827927642/laughingacademy-gwydionmisha

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

* "Fires in Greece: how to help:" https://medium.com/@theo.k/fires-in-greece-how-to-help-41ad32fc9232

* Practical ways to protest with scripts. "On the Helsinki summit, election integrity and Mueller:" https://medium.com/@Celeste_pewter/on-the-helsinki-summit-election-integrity-and-mueller-b8ed1acde2c0

* Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab is doing a fundraiser for legal defense of refugee children in ICE detention. https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/product-category/activism/deliver-them-from-the-hands-of-the-wicked/

* Want to contribute directly to the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services fund? "Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services:" https://www.raicestexas.org/

* Support Kids at the Border: http://brigdh.tumblr.com/post/175022384240/support-the-kids-at-the-border

This has a call script to help you talk your Republican Senator into voting for the Keep Families Together Act: http://rockinhamburger.tumblr.com/post/175022988673/captacorn-marvelsmostwanted-heres-a-call

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

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

* Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the representative of your choice.

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

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

* This is a cool person and the swimsuits are being made from an ethical source. LGBTQIA+ swimsuits: https://www.etsy.com/shop/NerdyKeppie?ref=l2-shopheader-name§ion_id=24021616

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

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

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

* "Ebola outbreak spreads to DR Congo city:" http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-44150762

* "North Korea says won't hold talks with 'incompetent' South unless...:" https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-missiles-southkorea/south-korea-to-play-mediator-to-resolve-north-korea-u-s-summit-doubts-official-idUSKCN1II0B7

* "Trump: ‘Animals’ comment referred to MS-13 gang members:" https://www.politico.com/story/2018/05/17/trump-immigrants-animals-595118

* O.o "Bill Gates dishes about Trump meetings in exclusive video:" http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/bill-gates-dishes-about-trump-meetings-in-exclusive-video-1236490819549

* "Team Trump: One year of Mueller is enough:" http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/team-trump-one-year-of-mueller-is-enough-1236501059881

* "Cambridge Analytica ran voter suppression campaigns, whistleblower claims:" https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/16/politics/cambridge-analytica-congress-wylie/index.html

* "Trump lawyer Cohen sought $1 million from Qatar in late 2016:..:" https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-cohen/trump-lawyer-cohen-sought-1-million-from-qatar-in-late-2016-washington-post-idUSKCN1II061

* This sure looks like using the full power of the U.S. Government as an Extortion racket for private enrichment. How is this not illegal? "Kushner family sees Qatar-tied bailout; US policy warms to Qatar:" http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/kushner-family-sees-qatar-tied-bailout-us-policy-warms-to-qatar-1236553795927?playlist=associated

* "How a Russian oligarch linked to Trump lawyer Michael Cohen turned a California state park into a mini Moscow:" https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/17/russian-oligarch-viktor-vekselberg-chairs-nonprofit-backed-by-us-firms-politicians.html

* "Manafort's former son-in-law cuts plea deal:" https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-manafort-exclusive/exclusive-manaforts-former-son-in-law-cuts-plea-deal-to-cooperate-with-government-sources-idUSKCN1II2YM

* "Pruitt apartment search help may have broken ethics rules, experts say:" https://www.local10.com/news/politics/pruitt-apartment-search-help-may-have-broken-ethics-rules-experts-say

* Why she is clearly unfit to serve. TW: Graphic description of torture Gina Haspel approved and oversaw. "U.S. Navy Reserve Doctor on Gina Haspel Torture Victim: “One of the Most Severely Traumatized Individuals I Have Ever Seen”:" https://theintercept.com/2018/05/17/gina-haspel-cia-director-torture/

* "How Haspel beat the resistance:" https://www.politico.com/story/2018/05/17/gina-haspel-cia-confirmed-democrats-596784

* That poor climate scientist trying to politely explain to someone spouting this much nonsense. "Republican lawmaker: Rocks tumbling into ocean causing sea level rise:" https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/05/republican-lawmaker-rocks-tumbling-ocean-causing-sea-level-rise

* If we don't turn out in force to Vote, WE WILL LOSE! Please, please vote in the Midterms! "The Republican Party's Generational Bet:" https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/05/the-gop-is-betting-its-majority-on-older-white-voters/560537

* TW: Pedophilia. "Mich. St. agrees to $500M Nassar settlement:" http://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/23520900/michigan-state-spartans-agree-500-million-larry-nassar-settlement

* TW: Torture "Cameroon police arrest and torture 25 men for being gay:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/05/15/cameroon-police-arrest-and-torture-25-men-for-being-gay/

* "The White House 'Buckles Up' For Mueller Probe:"

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* "Kids Pitch A New TV Show: 'Strangest Things: The Golden Mysteries':"

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* The last couple of nights it's been cool enough I only ran the living room window fans for a few hours. Tonight, when I came out to start doing things, they were scrunched up together, him craning to peer over the cat grass and her craning around the fan to see over his head so they could watch the gazebo birds. When next they were gone, I took the fans out of the window, and once the excitement of litter change and cleaning was done, Tavy wandered off to my room for a nap on the body pillow, and Livia went to see what the birds were up to. Imagine he delight at finding the fans pile up next to the cat seat and half the window sill free for her to sprawl on while watching such delights as a male robin walking the whole of our side of the gazebo before taking off and the crows doing a last glean of the lawn before sunset. Oh the delight and luxury of having it all to herself!

It took me three tries to make dinner, which wasn't my fault. The first thing was forage and spoiled when I opened it. I'd already done prep, so I cooked a different forage thing using the same prep, but either the directions were slightly wrong or my oven was. I had eaten a couple rosary "muffins," really delicious English muffin shaped dinner rolls, as the substitute dinner was a bit sweeter than the savory dinner I'd intended and I wanted something definitely not sweet in my stomach first to go with my meds. I then did a litter change and cleaning in my office until the food was ready. Apparently, the directions had dinner in just enough too long for it to be almost, but not quite edible. I did lungs and watched Livia watch the birds, by which time i'd talked myself into veggie chik'n burgers. My region is having a severe lettuce shortage which means the rich eat ll the good lettuce and there is only nasty iceberg left for the poor. Luckily, I have three mature heads of good sandwich lettuce in my garden, plus the hearty stuff that grows all year round as long as I let it seed, plus things like arugula and accent greens. I'm not making salad, though i could on the grounds i can't supplement from outside and most of the other lettuce is too young to start culling, but i have plenty for things like sandwiches and burgers. I even had some forage mango salsa to go on the burgers with the tomato and ketchup. Omnomnom. Not bad for a third attempt. I took the book stack back to the time traveling drop, and hit most of today's cleaning goal. (By rights I should have moved furniture for sweeping under, but I could tell that would have been pushing it, and I swept everything I didn't have to move furniture for, plus emptied office trash).

In other news, MI-5 has some amazing guest stars in season 2, which I am watching, Storm before the Storm is going pretty well from the first couple chapters, I have a fresh pitcher of sweet huckleberry tea and another of ultra tart lemonade in my fridge, and Livia could win a prize for her purring. :)

* I dreamed a sort of prequel to the Handmaid's Tale. They'd set up little communities along fairly empty stretches of highway and secondary roads, buying up villages and surrounding farms and ranches, the women already enslaved. They'd set up traps for travelers: gas stations, lodgings, rest stops, grabbing people if they pulled in when no outsiders could see. They'd put out those strips that pop tires on the secondary roads and catch one car at a time, posing as friendly locals putting them up for the night and promising to fix the car in the morning. If the men wouldn't join, they'd kill them. The women they'd imprison. I got trapped with a car full of people on the way to a Con when our car broke down. (It happened RL a few times when I was still well enough for trips like that. The car breaking and stranding us in a small town, 'til morning, not the christian extremist polygamist fertility cult, obviously). We figured out we were trapped. I was trying to help the women in our group hide their birth control pills in the few minutes we had before they came for us all, in case our break out attempt didn't work and most of us were killed.

Nothing like 45's America to make one dream dystopia.

* "Get Involved, Internet: Join the fight to save The Expanse:" https://news.avclub.com/get-involved-internet-join-the-fight-to-save-the-expa-1826053658

* So apparently I went from giving no fucks one way or another about Amos on the Expanse to shipping him with Prax this season.

* I used all my money on housing and insurance March, and April it all went to housing and car things. I need the car to get around as I am disabled. I need to raise about $150 to finish catching up. If you'd like to chip in: Paypal Lethran@gmail.com

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

* Want to help people on the Big Island of Hawaii? https://www.gofundme.com/hawaiinaturaldisastersrelief

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

* Want to help the refugees on Manus Island?
"Help us stop the humanitarian crisis on Manus:" https://www.asrc.org.au/donate-now/
"RISE (Refugees, Survivors and Ex-Detainees):" https://www.givenow.com.au/riserefugee/donate

* "Saudi arrests show crown prince is a risk-taker with a zeal for reform:" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/05/saudi-arabia-arrests-crown-prince-mohammed-bin-salman

* "Miss Peru contestants accuse country of not measuring up on gender violence:" https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/nov/01/miss-peru-2017-contestants-accuse-country-of-failing-to-measure-up-gender-violence

* It’s really laugh, cry, or scream in existential horror, isn’t it? "Trump Reportedly Can’t Understand Why Japan Didn’t Shoot Down North Korea Missiles:" http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2017/11/05/trump_reportedly_can_t_understand_why_japan_didn_t_shoot_down_north_korea.html

* "Mueller Has Enough Evidence to Charge Mike Flynn, Trump's Former National Security Adviser:" https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/mueller-trump-russia-probe-mike-flynn_us_59ff48b5e4b0c9652ffff7eb

* "Ohio Republicans create winnable electoral districts by siting nonvoting prisons near friendly voters:" https://boingboing.net/2017/10/31/prison-gerrymandering.html

* "Gothamist, DNAinfo, LAist, And Other Local News Sites Have Suddenly Shut Down:" https://www.buzzfeed.com/briannasacks/gothamist-dnainfo-laist-and-other-local-news-sites-have?utm_term=.wjq5byMap#.bqjeqMDdj

* "At least 26 people killed in shooting at Texas church:" http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/05/us/texas-church-shooting/index.html

* "Archaeologists discover rare remains of pregnant woman in King Solomon’s Mines:" http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Archaeologists-discover-rare-remains-of-pregnant-woman-in-King-Solomons-Mines-510965

* I still get chills and end in tears after all these years. "An inch:" https://lettersfromtitan.com/2017/11/05/an-inch/#comments

* "Why Winona Ryder Doesn't Regret Opening Up About Depression:" http://www.refinery29.com/2016/08/119488/winona-ryder-depression-the-cut?utm_source=tumblr.com&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=end&utm_campaign=h2

* Vote!!! "The Struggle:"

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* "Sunday Sweets Welcomes A Slice Of Fall:" http://www.cakewrecks.com/home/2017/11/5/sunday-sweets-welcomes-a-slice-of-fall.html

* The Exorcist: I am impressed that they actually surprised me this time. So few things do.

I'm going to spoiler the discussion of plotty stuff, though I think we are past the required wait.

I keep thinking about why this season is working so well for me. I think the secret was in the slow burn. They spent all that time in the first few episodes establishing why the group home was both important and fragile. They gave up time to invest in all the characters and really care about them. Even though it wasn't obvious how the stuff the priests (the old wolf and the young + the stuff in Europe) were going to fit together, it hasn't felt like filler. as it turns out the stuff in Washington had direct bearing and the European stuff was both world building and I think long arc set up, but all of it was interesting and worked on it's own before the pieces started fitting together.

I also just really find Verity relatable, with her intelligence and anger and her relatively adult understanding of the stresses Andy might be under (even without the demon she doesn't know about yet infesting their home) and understanding of the bigger picture even with the weight of all she is going through and has been through herself. It's really subtly done and rare to see a character so perfectly balanced between her own issues on the one hand and what is obviously a fundamental sense of what is fair. It captures remarkably well how i was at that age, for example. It would be easier to make her precociously adult or brattily teenaged. Instead both the writing and the acting is conveying something much more real.

While I'm speaking of the acting, I wanted to mention how good and naturalistic so much of it is. The horror elements work so much better because the acting of the ordinary is so good, if that makes sense. I was going to start singling people out and then realized the list would be too long. I do think the realism of Marcus' internal struggle makes Andy's struggle with his realistic mourning process and the more extreme supernatural element work better because of how similar they both look on the surface, for example.

I admit to being pleased at both spotting in advance the fairly subtle pick up attempt by the Fish and wildlife guy and that it does seem to be leading somewhere both romantically and plot wise.

This whole season just seems really well woven together, all the little parts working well with the whole.

* I think there is a third reason for going back, but my attempt to put it into words have failed. The rest is pretty much where I am. http://granpappy-winchester.tumblr.com/post/167166926666/taking-a-little-break-from-all-the-screaming-ive

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

* "Spain to impose direct rule as Catalonia leader refuses to back down:" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/18/spain-direct-rule-catalonia-deadline-direct-rule

* This is not the one in Ireland that got lots of (deserved) press a few years ago but a similar outrage in Scotland. "Orphanage grave contains 'hundreds' of children:" http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-41200949

* "Trump links UK crime rise to 'spread of Islamic terror':" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/oct/20/trump-mistakenly-links-uk-rise-with-spread-of-islamic-terror

* "Putin calls on Americans to respect Trump:" http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/356351-putin-calls-on-americans-to-respect-trump

* "Expert sees risk of corruption in Trump foreign government deals:"

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* "Mattis says Niger ambush was ‘considered unlikely,’ pledges probe:" http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/19/niger-ambush-jim-mattis-investigation-243960

* "Search for answers on U.S. soldier deaths in Niger intensifies:"

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* "Trump calls lawmaker ‘wacky,' says she told ‘total lie’ about military call:" http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/19/trump-frederica-wilson-gold-star-families-243977

* "Partisan feud undercuts Trump-Russia probe, U.S. Democrats charge:" https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-house/partisan-feud-undercuts-trump-russia-probe-u-s-democrats-charge-idUSKBN1CP2MN

* "John Kelly is not the "adult in the room":"

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* "Kelly's attack on Rep. Wilson based on lies, distortions:"

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* "Video proves John Kelly lied about Rep. Frederica Wilson:"

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* "Senate approves budget as GOP leaders reach deal to set up tax reform:" http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/19/house-senate-leaders-budget-deal-243971

This is going to be catastrophic. I know it’s not as flashy and obvious as health care policy, but please, if you have republican Congress Critters, complain in person, call, fax, text, etc..

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

* "Danielle Brooks' Emotional Keynote At R29's Every Beautiful Body Symposium:" http://www.refinery29.com/2016/10/127848/danielle-brooks-lane-bryant-plus-size-model-confidence-quotes?utm_source=tumblr.com&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=h3&utm_campaign=watch_embed&utm_campaign=watch_end&utm_campaign=end

* "Sonoma Sheriff Battles With ICE Over Misinformation On California Wildfires:" https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ice-sonoma-sheriff-california-wildfires-fake-news_us_59e92e76e4b05b4f1c3a477f

“I’d rather not fight with the federal government while trying to put out wildfires.”

* "102 female inmates are fighting on the front lines of the North Bay wildfires:" http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/inmates-firefighters-California-female-women-12287532.php

* "‘Beautiful Girls’ Scribe Scott Rosenberg On A Complicated Legacy With Harvey Weinstein:" http://deadline.com/2017/10/scott-rosenberg-harvey-weinstein-miramax-beautiful-girls-guilt-over-sexual-assault-allegations-1202189525/

* "Weak response leaves Puerto Rico backsliding one month post-storm:"

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* "Greater need but less help for Puerto Rico:"

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* "US refugee office denying girl access to abortion:"

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* "Court Blocks Immediate Abortion for Undocumented Teen:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/court-rule-after-trump-admin-blocks-undocumented-teen-s-abortion-n812791

* "Undocumented teen's case forces appeals court to weigh abortion access:" http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/20/undocumented-teen-abortion-appeals-court-243994

* I hope every single survivor and the families of the dead sue him. "Federal Judge Will Not Void Guilty Ruling On Arpaio, Despite Trump's Pardon:" http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/10/20/558978896/federal-judge-will-not-void-guilty-ruling-on-arpaio-despite-trumps-pardon

* "These Are The Three Richard Spencer Fans Arrested For Attempted Homicide In Gainesville:" https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/attempted-homicide-richard-spencer-speech-gainesville-florida_us_59ea766ae4b0958c468228ff

* "3,200-Year-Old Stone Inscription Tells of Trojan Prince, Sea People:" https://www.livescience.com/60629-ancient-inscription-trojan-prince-sea-people.html

* The end of this one made me tear up a little. "Home hundreds of years old unearthed as Quinhagak readies cultural center:" https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/rural-alaska/2017/09/03/hidden-home-hundreds-of-years-old-unearthed-as-quinhagak-readies-cultural-center/

* "Ruined ‘Apartments’ May Hold Clues to Native American History:" https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/04/science/chaco-native-american-archaeology.html

* "The traces of the Tudor palace at Greenwich are a truly remarkable find:" https://www.apollo-magazine.com/the-traces-of-the-tudor-palace-at-greenwich-are-a-truly-remarkable-find/

* Friday was an errand day. Among those errands is the most important one of all: Voting. Yes, I know it's an off year election, but early voting has started in some states including mine, and those glamorous local elections matter to your quality of life. They can mean the difference between clean water and danger. They can mean the difference between mental health and drug diversion vs. stop and frisk. They can determine whether your local schools teach science or not. They can determine if your schools are properly funded.

Please, please, vote on every ballot measure and every race. The internet exists and you can look candidates up in advance and see their positions and endorsements. It looks like in key Mid-Western stats, voter suppression gave us 45. If you vote in every election and every primary, you have a much better chance of finding out if you've been illegally disenfranchise ahead of the important mid-term next year, and thus will have time to fight to get your rights as citizens back.

We need to resist them in very way we can. Don't let them win because you don't show up.

* In other news, it's been chilly enough to wear my coat this week. My coat has buttons all over it's lapels, because I am a queer Goth from the '80's and we used to roll like that and I still do despite having given up high goth for more comfortable gothy clothes do to poverty and illness. In the last place I went, there was this bright eyed, I'm guessing Freshman or Sophomore from the university, delightful customer service person of African descent who was an utter delight. She looked at me, looked at my paper work, did a double take and clocked me again, and then the sweet young woman apologized profusely for the gendered honorific an asked for my pronouns. Usually, people who are not social acquaintances or health care providers take their best guess or work around pronouns and honorifics. My Policy is to let them as it is an exhausting conversation to have multiple times a day. This leads occasionally to situations where people with dueling genderings are eyeing each other and me for some sort of sign, which I take as proof of a successful bowl down the middle of the lane. I generally only intervene when some parent is harshly correcting a child as to my gender, at which point I side with the child, as they are usually guessing closer anyway, being more keen observers of subtle detail in these matters. Anyway, I provided her with "ze, zhir, zim" and assured her that no offense at all was taken and it was kind of her to take such care. She said, "It is important for me to practice getting this right." People like to shit on Millennials, but I loved my kids when I was teaching and feel a lot happier with my fate being in millennial hands than those of Boomers. This woman was significantly younger than the last batch I taught, but it is good to see that the principals continue on in the tail end Millennials.

* Thank you, Something Positive. It was creepy and distressing when Criminal Minds used a twisted version of my ex's murder because it was a sensation at the time, an I have often wondered about how the families of the dead feel about things like AHS using them for plot. http://www.somethingpositive.net/sp10112017.shtml

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

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

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

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

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

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

* "India court bans Islamic instant divorce in huge win for women's rights:" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/22/india-supreme-court-bans-islamic-instant-divorce-triple-talaq

* "Can these super-crops feed Africa?:" http://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-africa-40998384/can-these-super-crops-feed-africa

* "Ischia earthquake: Three brothers freed from rubble:" http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41007613

* "Woman’s body found as Danish police search for missing journalist:" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/21/missing-journalist-died-in-submarine-accident-inventor-tells-police

* I have so many questions. "Trump-shaped ecstasy pills seized by police:" http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/22/europe/germany-trump-ecstasy-pills/index.html

* "Trump risks obstruction charge pressuring McConnell on Russia...:"

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* "Trump attacked McConnell on Russia investigation: NYT:"

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* So it is looking an awful lot like Trump has decided to go to political war with Mitch McConnell because McConnell refused his demands to obstruct justice, according to Republican sources.

* Only 1057? Are they sure? "365 days of Trump’s claims:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/trump-claims-database/?utm_term=.4bab9b0ca2b2

* "Trump aides plot a big immigration deal — that breaks a campaign promise:" http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/white-house/article168425547.html

* "Senators Try to Force Trump Admin to Declare WikiLeaks a ‘Hostile’ Spy Service:" http://www.thedailybeast.com/senators-try-to-force-trump-admin-to-declare-wikileaks-a-hostile-spy-service

* "Pence on Confederate statue controversy: ‘I’m someone who believes in more monuments’:" http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/347444-pence-on-confederate-statue-controversy-im-someone-who-believes-in

* "Trump special adviser Carl Icahn mired in self-dealing scandal:"

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* "Louise Linton: 'Your life looks cute':"

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* "Breitbart editor pledges to do 'dirty work' for Bannon, smears Ivanka:" http://money.cnn.com/2017/08/22/media/breitbart-prank-emails/index.html

* "Amy Klobuchar - Fighting for an America that Leaves No One Behind - Extended Interview:"

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* TW: HateSpeech. "CEO critical of Trump responds to angry backlash:"

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* I have started hearing some things that suggest now would be a good time to remind folks that UVA and the City of Charlottesville were targeted by white supremacists because they were trying to do the right thing as far as taking down confederate monuments and taking steps to make things better and more inclusive. Charlottesville has a Democratic mayor. The businesses and people living in Charlottesville are not the enemies and many of the counter protesters live there. Boycotting Charlottesville and UVA is the opposite of standing up for decency and justice, just as boycotting and harassing Russian and Ukrainian immigrants who fled here was the exact wrong to protest Putin's anti-gay policies.

It is incredibly important that we support the victims rather than scapegoat them. I know our brains make associations that aren't entirely rational, but we can reign that shit in if we're aware of it.

* "India vs. China: Brawl on the Beach:"

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* "The Secret Service Is Strapped for Cash:"

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* Want to donate to help make the car safe for rain? Paypal Lethran@gmail.com

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

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

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

* How to help the protesters and ordinary people in Venezuela: https://thewynne.tumblr.com/post/163738805241/softestjohn-fiftyeightminutes-softestjohn

* A list of links to Charlottesville charities if you want to give the NAZIs a financial fuck you: https://twitter.com/SaraJBenincasa/status/896260623905861633

* How white Protesters can weaponize their whiteness: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/164390645622/alvaroarbeloa-vaspider-okay-friends-lets

* List of places to donate to help trans service members and fight the planned attack on active duty trans soldiers: https://vaspider.tumblr.com/post/163475550346/moonbian-hey-i-know-reblogging-posts-about-how

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

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

* "Grenfell Tower fire: Two more hospitals fail fire safety checks:" http://www.bbc.com/news/health-40525143

* "Grenfell Tower: A shadow over the capital:" http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-40592626

* As a former History Teacher, this hurts my head. "Donald Trump knows what 'a lot of people don’t know':"

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* Donald Trump Jr. is no Culper Jr.. Just saying.

* "Trump’s Russia Lawyer Isn’t Seeking Security Clearance, And May Have Trouble Getting One:" https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-russia-lawyer-marc-kasowitz-alcohol-security-clearance

* "Chris Hayes: Why Kellyanne Conway said 'yet':"

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* "Ilhan Omar - Fighting for a Better Life for All Americans - Extended Interview:"

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* As of Thursday evening, we were still needing another Republican "No" vote (more would be better) on the latest attempt to rob the Poor and Middle Class of health care so the extremely rich can get yet another tax cut. If you have a Republican Senator, please keep the pressure on. If you have Susan Collins, please call and thank her for standing firm against the bill.

This App phones your rep for you: http://takeastance.us/
Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resistbot.io/

* "The Entire Trump Agenda Is at a Tipping Point:" http://www.newyorker.com/news/ryan-lizza/the-entire-trump-agenda-is-at-a-tipping-point?mbid=nl__daily&CNDID=46214731&mbid=nl_TNY%20Template%20-%20With%20Photo%20(187)&CNDID=46214731&spMailingID=11363353&spUserID=MTY5MzU1ODQyMjU2S0&spJobID=1182466159&spReportId=MTE4MjQ2NjE1OQS2

* "Jurors often want to convict police of violent crimes. These Supreme Court rulings stand in the way.:" https://mic.com/articles/178629/jurors-often-want-to-convict-police-of-violent-crime-these-supreme-court-rulings-stand-in-the-way#.nePdNewtY

* "John Oliver: The Don Jr. Scandal Is Something (If Something Means Anything):"

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* "The German Teens Who Rebelled Against Hitler:" http://mentalfloss.com/article/73451/german-teens-who-rebelled-against-hitler#.WUGG8yXfwBA.facebook

* "President Trump's All-Purpose Anti-Hillary Defense:"

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* ASL translator FTW! "The Translators - Interpreting Donald Trump:"

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* "Doncathlon - Fox News Defends the Indefensible Donald Trump Jr.:"

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* "Donald Trump Jr. Is His Own 'Deepthroat':"

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* "Donald Jr.'s Best Defense? That He's An Idiot:"

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* Today I gimped all the way to the book drop and back. It infuriates be how painful and exhausting this is, as the distance would have meant nothing to me before I got sick. Books needed to go, so I went. I lunged when I got home, and my legs went out from under me when I got up to start dinner, but it was a short fall and the sofa was there to catch me so I'm not hurt. I did use up most of the pain resistance and spoons, but I expected that. Litter really needs changing, but it will have to wait and all the things needing feeding got fed before I left as I knew it would be bad.

We scored a car appointment for Monday, but Squirrel is bleeding money on ubers to work until then, and I am trapped here. The library will carry until then with what I dropped today.

Thanks to a kind donation, we will have enough cash by Monday to fix the battery wiring assuming nothing is dramatically more wrong than expected. I'm still down about 70.00 on bills, plus we need cat food and toilet paper, but we will survive the month, I think, assuming no more emergencies happen. I'll still need to catch up somehow, and we still need front tires before the rains come for sure, but given this car is just old enough to drink, these small things going wrong is understandable.

If you want to chip in kibble money for Little Miss and he Tiny Terror, paypal is here: Paypal Lethran@gmail.com

* I also voted today. Yes, it is July and no one is thinking about voting, but my state has a lot of primaries. I know, I know, it's an off year and no one is thinking about voting right now, and the only races on the ballet were Port and Council-at-Large. Not glamorous, I know, but important. It's in these little local elections republicans kick our asses because they vote in every single one. We NEED to vote in every single one. Every single primary. (In my state it's open primaries, with top two going on to the general. This means that you can get two Republicans in November or two Democrats, or a Democrat and a Green or Libertarian. Primary turn out can determine if it's a lose/lose election or a win/win. People of Washington? Let's always aim for the Win/Win). Every single race even if's it's just for dog catcher. Every single General election. Yes even in an off year.

Vote early if you can, because it's better to find out you've been summarily disenfranchised by some bullshit Republican algorithm that decides there can only be one registered Jane Smith or Maria Sanchez in the entire country and therefore all of them are voting illegally early. The earlier you find out, the more time you have to fight to get your citizen's rights back from the Autocrats. Voting in primaries does that too. Better to find out in July and have time to get it sorted for November.

If you have a chance to vote? Do it. Use it or lose it.

* I was reading Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day by @Seanan McGuire today and Tavy the Tiny Terror got really excited about the book for some reason and was aggressively sniffing and cuddling and head rubbing it for about 75 pages, before lightly licking my ear on Important Cat Business. I decided this was just right given the number of elderly rescue cats inside the covers. After all, he does very much miss living in a large colony.

* I have so many concerns about this show's racial agenda. "Fear the Walking Dead, Season 3, Episode 7&8: The Unveiling/Children of Wrath:" http://www.fangsforthefantasy.com/2017/07/fear-walking-dead-season-3-episode-7.html

* This episode was beyond not okay. "Preacher, Season 2, Episode 4: Viktor:" http://www.fangsforthefantasy.com/2017/07/preacher-season-2-episode-4-viktor.html

* The Recipes thing Got Better: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/162968659512/akasztofaviragpor-viking-badger

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

* This is my oldest continuous Real Life friend. She is disabled and really needs the money for herself and beasts. To buy jewelry from her: https://www.etsy.com/shop/karjack

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

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

* I have been wondering for some time what he'd do next. This really needs doing and it's not glamorous. This is technocratic and requires high intelligence and patience, so it's sort of perfect for him. "Obama to fight back on redistricting for Democrats:"

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* "Sen Elizabeth Warren breathes fire beside Hillary Clinton in NH:"

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* "Why Trump's call for poll watching terrifies the RNC:"

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* "White Dudes, Trump, and America:" http://whatever.scalzi.com/2016/10/20/white-dudes-trump-and-america/

* I think the purest expression of the Trump Agenda is the Latino Veteran who served eight tours of duty and his wife and children being driven from their home by racist who broke in, ransacked their house, poured gasoline on their daughter's crib and left racist death threats and a promise to burn their house down next time if they didn't get out. It really is exactly what he's calling for down to the violence, racial animus, and the deliberate persecution of a war veteran. And really what can be more modern Republican than terrorizing children?

* "I Went to a Wells Fargo Branch, this is What Happened Next:" http://wolfstreet.com/2016/10/23/i-went-to-wells-fargo-branch-this-happened/

* "Texas May Be Denying Tens Of Thousands Of Children Special Education:" http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/10/21/496943376/texas-may-be-denying-tens-of-thousands-of-children-special-education

* The supposed "Pro-life" movement did this by closing clinics and slashing funding. "STD Infections Rise To New Highs After States Close Health Clinics:" http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/10/20/498719092/std-infections-rise-to-new-highs-after-states-close-health-clinics

* The gift polish turned out to be a metallic pink instead of gold as I’d thought, so I added polka dots.: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/152278966547/the-gift-polish-turned-out-to-be-a-metallic-pink

* Today I also had the dinner il_volpe kindly gifted to me. Indian food: veggie sampler and eggplant.

* "New safeguards agreed for world's most trafficked mammal:" http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-37494823

* "Two disabled friends build a forest around their village:" http://siz.io/two-disabled-friends-build-a-forest-around-their-village/?src=tum

* Yesterday I glued together the skeleton men Tavy broke, voted in the general election, voted in the building election (no rent increase. Yay!), did the rest of the paper bureaucracy, changed a tank, took books back. I did not change my sheets, alas.

I wrote this long beautiful thing on why you should vote, and vote early if you are in an early voting state, but it got erased. Instead I will simply say: Please, please, please vote your whole ballot. We need progressive Congress critters who will do what’s right. You need a Governor and state legislature who believe in health care, clean tap water, and bodily autonomy. You need a city government who believe in education and infrastructure spending. You need a School Board that believes in science. You need judges who think rape is a crime and mental illness isn’t. You need a compassionate Sheriff’s Department that wants to protect and serve, not murder innocent people. Initiatives are important. In my State we are voting on minimum wage and campaign financing. In my City we are voting on EMT and school bus funding. I know some of the initiatives are a little confusing, but it’s worth a couple of minutes reading them and looking them up if you still aren’t sure.

To get these things you need to VOTE!

* That's not who we are: https://thenib.com/that-s-not-who-we-are

* "11 More of the Scariest Stories We've Ever Heard:" http://jezebel.com/11-more-of-the-scariest-stories-weve-ever-heard-1653038439

* Walking Dead the Ennui continues:

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* Snerk: http://gwydionmisha.tumblr.com/post/152244276817/curlicuecal-curlicuecal-curlicuecal

* ToS Rewatch:

- Space Seed. Ah the eugenics wars of the 1990's. I remember them well. We are a year and a half away from warp technology! I know, I know it's mean to tease, but given Richardo Montelban is born in 1920, his character would have been in his teens when the episode was made in order to be forty something when he was put in suspended animation in the 1990's.... So all star trek is guessing that some secret government eugenics lab already was raising a dangerous multi ethnic cohort of future attempted world conquerors. Using 1950's genetic tech. O.o. And I have to ask which country would do this in the '50's. It would have to be a rich country with advanced science, "selective breeding would have taken a lot of generations, which would push inception back to the 19th Century or earlier and that makes the whole thing less probable the further back you go. So I'm thinking it has to be some sort of early gene splicing Manhatten Project sort of thing, which means money and a large base of scientists to draw from. We're ruled out along with most of Europe on the grounds of racism. India had only gotten it's independence, so despite his mode of dress and supposed ethnicity, that seems awefully fast for India to have secretly built a future tech genetics program. Japan was rebuilding, dealing with shortages particularly early in the decade and not yet the powerhouse they became late in the century. So Russia or China, probably? Look, I am fond of Richardo Montelban, but there are definitely flaws, like him being made up with dark skin to be a Sikh, and the gender dynamics just generally. Amoung the racial types is listed "oriental." *wince* Problems, definitely problems. it says a lot of dark things about the historian, McGyver, that she finds Khan's creepy, controlling behavior on their first meeting awake sexy rather than gross, and that she finds his eugenics ideology attractive. I do enjoy Spock and kirk bating Khan into giving himself away, though it does say something about Khan that he falls for it. The scene where Khan gets McGyver to help him take over the ship is really scary, like domestic violence scary, with some negging tossed in. She is going with her abuser into an isolated situation where her abuser is the sole authority after she betrayed him into exile, and this is somehow meant to be a happy ending. *shudder* Seriously, there is nothing at all romantic in the McGyver/Khan interactions. They were chilling. I know she chose this but I am legitimately scared for her. Did no one think this through? I now have a lot of questions about whether Khan is lying about what happened to her in the Wrath of Khan movie.

Watching the bickering between Spock and McCoy early in this episode, I am reminded that as a child I thought they were competing for Kirk's interest when they did this. *ahem* That Khan vs. McCoy vignette when Khan

Wait a minute, If we get warp drive in 2018, does that mean the governmental and partial societal collapse in the First Contact movie is caused by Trump and the 2016 Presidential election? *shudder*

- A Taste of Armageddon. I actually agreed with Kirk on his objection in the beginning on being ordered to violate the standing order. Will wonders never cease. This whole situation just seems really sketchy right from the start. The mat painting really doesn't blend, but it's a nice change from the usual Styrofoam rocks. Once they started talking to the first local, I remembered which one this was, the computer war one, where they commit suicide when "hit." A lot of people have argued one way or another if this is clever or heavy handed, so I'm not going to rehash that. What I kept thinking of is Rachel Maddow's excellent book Drift, and how prescient this episode was regarding the post-Vietnam evolution of out military and attendant political structures. No, we don't walk into disintegration, but we have arranged for only 1% of our population to serve in a forever war that demands no sacrifices from the rest of us, and the relative bloodlessness back home makes it easy to pretend there isn't an endless war that has gone on for most of a generation, unless someone we love is actually in it or has been wounded or died. Her argument is that by shifting the burden to such a small minority and isolating the effects, it makes it so much easier for the wars to go on and on without any thought to the human costs. I think that the Star Trek version of that is less exaggerated than we like to think. Just saying. Do I think people on two planets would disintegrate themselves for 500 years without serious rebellion? No, but it sure looks like isolating the population at large from the real costs of war sure does wonders at prolonging it.

The thing that really surprises me about Tos is how few actual aliens there are. Nearly all the "aliens" are white humans. You get the Gorn that one time, and the ears on the Romulans and Vulcans, the green dancer, two episodes with big headed aliens, and the salt eater back in episode One, but mostly, they land on planets populated entirely by white humans with no attempt to explain why all the aliens look and act exactly like white people.

*****

* Hurricane Matthew has been catastrophic for the people of Haiti. 800 or more are dead and 60,000 or more displaced. Want to help?

Haitian local charities: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154561836757433&set=a.84340697432.97916.713622432&type=3&theater
Doctors Without Borders: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/country-region/haiti
Red Cross: https://www.redcross.org/donate/disaster-relief?donationProdId=prod12750029&scode=RSG00000E017&gclid=COnZ5tmJys8CFRBEfgodzWoPXQ

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

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

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

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

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

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

* "Trump's defense on not paying taxes:"

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* "Trump trade plan panned:"

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* "What you might not know about Gary Johnson:"

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* "Multi-million dollar charity pressures Trump to reveal taxes:"

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* "Ford's flub a lesson for gaffe-prone Trump:"

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* "Trump Cuba revelation could cost him Florida:"

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* "Trump Cuba connection gets close look from Cuban-Americans:"

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* TW: Rape. "Deep South - GAYCATION:" https://www.viceland.com/en_us/video/Deep-South/57e37e78f84e2069dd35d5ab?latest=1

* "Governor Paul LePage's Binder Full of Drug Dealers:"

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* "Unpacking Stop-and-Frisk:"

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* "Putting North Carolina's Anti-LGBT Law to the Test:"

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* "Elizabeth Warren Rips Wells Fargo's CEO A New One:"

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* "Hey White People! With Jon Batiste And Friends:"

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* TW: Rape. Cersei vs, Arianne: http://turtle-paced.tumblr.com/post/150675296862/do-you-think-theres-a-case-to-be-made-that

* Poldark: 2.1. I wrote before how Francis Poldark was the weakest link in the Poldark remake. It is easy for Francis to be contemptible and one dimensional. He is jealous, an alcoholic, a gambling addict, paternalistically sexist, and often an obstacle to the male protagonist (This last tends to bias an audience against a character). One of the things the original did incredibly well is to also make him likeable. That's why his story HURTS, you see. He is likeable, and well meaning, shares his cousin's strong sense of honor, and is painfully self aware of his own failings. He KNOWS what the right thing is to do, but so often can't manage to do it. He is forever in his cousin's shadow, a man who's legend he can't begin to live up to. It is a hard place to be and it preys on him, made worse by him marrying Ross' fiance while Ross was believed dead, thus setting himself up for comparison that way as well. His self awareness of all the ways he doesn't and never can measure up is his real tragedy, you see, and his prophecy is so often self fulfilling. His constant wondering if Elizabeth is measuring him against his cousin leads to jealous, assholish, and boorish treatment of Elizabeth, thus leading to more doubts and more acting out, etc.. This doesn't lead anywhere good. It makes it worse that Ross keeps reaching out a hand to rescue him (drowning, when he gambled away his mine, the card sharp) and genuinely behaving decently, and Demelza, being who she is risks her life and ends up paying a terrible cost to save both their lives. He knows the right thing is to be grateful, to behave well, and that just makes it worse. There is Ross with his strong marriage at a time when Elizabeth can't bear him to touch her anymore. Francis can see how he's behaving and hates himself for it.

The problem with Season One New Francis was that he got all the negative traits down pat, but couldn't bring the likeable. It meant that he was rather flat and to simplistic as a character. He couldn't live up to original Francis at all. He couldn't make me hurt for him.

This deficit is repaired in the season two premiere. The parting from Elizabeth before the assizes WORKS. The line, "Which one of us doesn't secretly adore him," was every bit as ouch as it needed to be, as was the "Had he never gone away in the first place." Ouch, ouch, ouch. I wish he'd brought this feel to first season, but better late than never, and his tragedy hung over all his scenes in this episode the way it should.

On a lighter note, it was weirdly mind bending to have original Ross Poldark judging new Poldark in the opening scene. I love that he's present and a piece of this remake, but at the same time, it's weird seeing two Ross Poldarks in one scene looking at each other. Trust me, I've scene the same actor in other things, such as playing Queen Elizabeth's last favorite in the brilliant Glenda Jackson Elizabeth R, and I know full well actors play other parts, but I watched the original two series so often that in a Poldark context, I'm always going to read that actor as Poldark on some level, if that makes sense. Watching them together my brain felt the way it does when I look at the vase/kiss illusion and see both pictures at once.

* TNG 4 Rewatch:

- The Drumhead. Picard actually notices that this is an unethical use of Betazoid powers, but his call out is countered by her pointing out his unethical use of Deanna's powers. Clearly someone in the writer's room finally noticed the creepy lack of ethics. The MacCarthyism and xenophobia here might be all to real here if November goes badly. I really like Worf's soul searching at the end.

- Half a Life. The Logan's Run Episode. There's a lot of meat on this one, prime directive, assisted suicide, etc.. It's also nice that for once Lwaxana Troi's sexuality is neither a joke nor centering around her sexually harassing people.

******

* Louisiana is having a major flooding disaster, the worst disaster in this country since Sandy. Want to help? https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation

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

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

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

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

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

* Want Game of Thrones without the creepy? We desperately need new players. We are very inclusive. "Game of Bones MUSH:" gobmush.wikidot.comhttp://www.cnn.com/2016/07/28/asia/indonesia-drug-executions/