Nec Hoc Nec Ilud

* "Resources for helping Gaza, Sudan and Congo:" https://www.tumblr.com/swallowedabug/758070860436439040?source=share

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* "Russian gas era in Europe ends as Ukraine stops transit:" https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/russia-halts-gas-exports-europe-via-ukraine-2025-01-01/

* "South Korean presidential guards prevent arrest of impeached Yoon after tense stand-off:" https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-korea-authorities-moving-arrest-president-yoon-yonhap-says-2025-01-02/

* "Central American troops arrive in Haiti to fight gangs:" https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/central-american-troops-arrive-haiti-fight-gangs-2025-01-03/

* "150 Guatemalan troops and 8 Salvadorans join multinational mission in Haiti:" https://haitiantimes.com/2025/01/06/first-guatemalan-and-salvadoran-soldiers-arrive-in-haiti/

* "What will Syria’s future look like? The answer could lie in other Arab countries’ recent pasts:" https://apnews.com/article/syria-future-assad-arab-spring-lessons-51635b7aabc0760bb7841829586ede7c

* "Syria to include all sectors in new government, foreign minister says:" https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syria-include-all-sectors-new-government-foreign-minister-says-2025-01-03/

* "Amendments to school textbooks by Syria's new authorities draw outcry:" https://www.voanews.com/a/amendments-to-school-textbooks-by-syria-s-new-authorities-draw-outcry/7922467.html

* "Trespassing For The Common Good:" https://www.noemamag.com/trespassing-for-the-common-good/

* "Biden honors LGBTQ+ trailblazers for marriage equality contributions at Presidential Citizens Medal ceremony:" https://www.advocate.com/news/biden-mary-bonauto-evan-wolfson

* I hate using the new York Times for anything, but I have no choice as to coverage on this, and it seems important enough to do. "Death on the Night Shift at Frozen Pizza Factories in Chicago:" https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/21/us/immigration-undocumented-workers-jobs.html

* "Republican Party messiness on full display after struggling to elect Mike Johnson as House speaker:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/republican-congress-speakership-mess

* "Stacey Plaskett’s moment during the House speakership vote makes waves: ‘I have a voice!’:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/reidout-blog/stacey-plaskett-house-speaker-vote-virgin-islands-rcna186183

* "Republicans release top bill priorities in rules package. The No. 1 priority? Trans people:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/republicans-release-top-bill-priorities-in-rules-package-the-no-1-priority-trans-people

* "Democrats can ‘exploit’ growing fractures in MAGA Congress, says Rep. Raskin:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/democrats-can-exploit-growing-fractures-in-maga-congress-says-rep-raskin-228457541734
This is really important right now.

* Urgent Action Item: Contact your Congress Critters about sticking together.

My experience is they mostly just log for or against whatever it is, but if it's a rare case where they want arguments, tailor them to your target critter.

Contact your Senators and make sure they stand firm against dangerous nominees like Gabbard, Hegseth, Patel, and RFK Jr.

(That goes double if, like John Fetterman, your Critter is talking about bipartisanship over what's best for constituents and the country.)

If you have a democratic senator try to convince them to hang tight as a party in opposition instead of giving ground that will hurt people or the country.

If your senator is republican give it a try anyway. Argue national security, law and order, or please don't bring back polio or the like as is appropriate.

Contact your House of Representative member and beg them to stand firm against bills such as the ones intended to gut social security and Medicare in favour of tax give aways for billionaires and corporations and anything attacking bodily autonomy. (If they are republican go hard right if you have to give an argument.)

We need our Congress Critters to did their heals in and make them fight for every inch.

* "Sen. Blunt Rochester is first Black person to serve in both chambers of Congress:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/sen-blunt-rochester-is-first-black-person-to-serve-in-both-chambers-of-congress-228528709548

* "13 LGBTQ+ elected lawmakers join the 119th Congress:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/119th-congress-lgbtq-members

* "History-making Sarah McBride sworn in as first out transgender member of Congress:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/sarah-mcbride-transgender-member-sworn

* "Nancy Mace’s anti-trans Capitol bathroom rules didn’t make the House rules package:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/trans-bathroom-missing-house-rules

*****
* Our job for the next two years is to survive, to build grassroots resistance, to do all in our power to slow the republican Christo-fascist agenda, and to prepare for 2026 in case there is still Democracy.

We are trying to build a good list of resistance resources.

Please add more below if you have them.

Trump 2.0 Indivisible Guide.  https://indivisible.org/resource/guide

Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? If you can't safely contact them in person, here are some other options:

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

Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resist.bot/

To get your Critters' numbers to call direct: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member

Five Calls to your critters: https://5calls.org/

Useful organizing links and resources: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/771859083592613888/hater-of-terfs-ive-already-reblogged-a-link-to?source=share

Run for Something: https://runforsomething.net/

How to render emergency aid in a riot: https://riotmedicine.net/static/downloads/riot-medicine_a5.pdf

"How to Safely and Ethically Film Police Misconduct:" https://www.teenvogue.com/story/how-to-film-police-safely

Avoiding Activist Burnout: https://www.tumblr.com/veluigi/771755723969478656/on-twitter-im-seeing-dozens-of-threads-from-black?source=share

*****

* It's hard to to, but possible, which is why we need to hold off on allowing a Constitutional convention.
"Why some states are afraid Trump will literally rewrite the Constitution:" https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/trump-republicans-constitution-convention-rcna185464

* Not even a tiny bit surprising. "Kyrsten Sinema accused of misusing campaign funds for lavish travel:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/kyrsten-sinema-funds-misuse-complaint

* "The GOP's collective amnesia on January 6th, four years later:" https://www.msnbc.com/ayman-mohyeldin/watch/the-gop-s-collective-amnesia-on-january-6th-four-years-later-228534853896

* "'Betrayal': Fmr. Capitol police officer reacts to Trump's victory:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/-betrayal-fmr-capitol-police-officer-reacts-to-trump-s-victory-228530245846

NOTE: I am moving the Trump section up the page soon, but I'm waiting until the hand over on the 20th.

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* "The leopards are eating each other’s faces and I am thrilled:" https://solarbird.dreamwidth.org/2020532.html

* "Trump, Hegseth and the Honor of the American Military:" https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/02/opinion/trump-hegseth-military-morality.html

* "'Kill our kids': Sen. Murphy warns of deadly consequences of RFK Jr. pick:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-kill-our-kids-sen-murphy-warns-of-deadly-consequences-of-rfk-jr-pick-228457029865

* We need to stop this one too. O.o "Rachel Maddow on Billy Long: Five things to know about Trump's pick for IRS commissioner:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/rachel-maddow-on-billy-long-five-things-to-know-about-trump-s-pick-for-irs-commissioner-228484677733

* "Pete Buttigieg, first out gay Cabinet secretary, to be replaced by antigay former reality star & Fox News host:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/sean-duffy-pete-buttigieg

* "Apple CEO Tim Cook joins other major business leaders with $1 million personal donation to Trump’s inauguration:" https://www.advocate.com/business/tim-cook-donates-trump-inauguration

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* "Colorado man accused of attacking TV reporter, saying ‘This is Trump’s America now’:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/12/28/colorado-man-trumps-america-now-00196098

* Obviously not all veterans. "U.S. Military Service Is the Strongest Predictor of Carrying Out Extremist Violence:" https://theintercept.com/2025/01/02/military-veterans-extremism-attack-new-orleans-vegas/

* "Gov. Roy Cooper grants clemency for 15 people on death row, including 3 in Forsyth County:" https://www.wxii12.com/article/gov-roy-cooper-grants-clemency-15-people-death-row/63313709

* "Alabama profits off prisoners who work at McDonald’s but deems them too dangerous for parole:" https://apnews.com/article/prison-to-plate-inmate-labor-investigation-alabama-3b2c7e414c681ba545dc1d0ad30bfaf5

* "Costco is fighting to keep its DEI program as major companies roll back initiatives:" https://qz.com/costco-dei-program-walmart-john-deere-backlash-1851730064

* CW: Sexual Assault. "What the Most Famous Book About Trauma Gets Wrong: People kept telling me to read “The Body Keeps the Score.” I was shocked at what it actually says.:" https://www.motherjones.com/media/2024/12/trauma-body-keeps-the-score-van-der-kolk-psychology-therapy-ptsd/

* "‘Baby in a dumpster.’ A spate of abandoned newborns unsettles Texas.:" https://archive.ph/wdWOV#selection-472.0-472.1

* "Florida gay man shot dead in his partner's arms on New Year's after stray bullet hits him, police say:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/florida-dead-nye-shot

* "Monthly fatal injuries in the US, pre and post covid:" https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1873480277064106483.html

* "Dead family, lost friends: How the coronavirus changed one small town:" https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/01/01/how-covid-19-pandemic-reshaped-america/77181653007/

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* "Why seas are surging:" https://archive.ph/oUq3R#selection-272.0-272.1

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* "Another Study Shows Incredible Results of Pairing Solar Panels With Agriculture: ‘Getting more from the land’:" https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/another-study-shows-incredible-results-of-pairing-solar-panels-with-agriculture-getting-more-from-the-land/

* "Want to get a prescription for nature access in Canada? Here's how it works:" https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/nature-prescription-how-to-get-one-1.7421810?cmp=rss

* "Meta slammed for 'disturbing' AI profiles, including a fake Black queer mother:" https://www.advocate.com/news/meta-ai-profiles-black-queer-women

* "This week on the Advocates: The Cost of Deepfakes:" https://www.advocate.com/news/the-advocates-deepfakes

* "The Editors Protecting Wikipedia from AI Hoaxes:" https://archive.ph/EovD2

* "Meet the underpaid workers in Nairobi, Kenya, who power OpenAI:" https://pivot-to-ai.com/2024/11/30/meet-the-underpaid-workers-in-nairobi-kenya-who-power-openai/

* "The Art of Sutherland Macdonald, Victorian England’s “Michelangelo of Tattooing” (ca. 1905):" https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/sutherland-macdonald-tattoos/

* "Letters Hidden in My Family’s Attic Reveal a 1910s Bank Con in Key West:" https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/key-west-bank-con-letters

* This! "The Case for Same-Sex Figure Skating.:" https://substack.com/home/post/p-154177649

* Skate at your own risk. "What Did We Get Stuck In Our Rectums Last Year?:" https://defector.com/what-did-we-get-stuck-in-our-rectums-last-year-5

I beg of you to only use flared base toys made by reputable manufacturers and not random items from around the house.

* "Hundreds of Curious Cats Contemplated Ancient Egyptian Artifacts During a Series of ‘Meowseum Nights’ in China:" https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hundreds-of-curious-cats-contemplated-ancient-egypt-artifacts-during-a-series-of-meowseum-nights-in-china-180985612/

* I am not enjoying anything my body has done in the last two weeks, but here we are. If the pain level would even drop a couple notches everything would be a little more bearable.

I am emphatically not enjoying it looking like opaque black smoke is endlessly blowing in front of my eye or a there is a crack in a phone screen only in motion, but there is nothing to be done short of a dangerous eye operation. Once a floater happens, it's generally forever and this bastard is huge and placed in exactly the wrong place it what was my better eye, but isn't any longer. Sigh.

* "The Failure, Fear, And Frenzy around Luigi Mangione:"

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* "Comparing Every Version of Nosferatu:"

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This is extremely good analysis and her perspective is valuable. I grew up with the Murnau and have watched it countless times since I was little. I've seen the Herzog not nearly as often, but I did see it within a year of it's release and watch it periodically as well. I was a kid when the Herzog came out and didn't really appreciate it until some point in my 20's.

I don't agree with quite everything in here and I think the new Nosferatu has a lot of things to say, particularly in the way it is trying to talk about gendered violence. At the same time? I was very disappointed they lost the dance macabre like sequences from the Herzog, because those were important and I think would have been relevant to us for the reasons this commentator enumerated.

For the record, Goth Millennial and I really liked the new one, but the audience we saw it with reacted in a way that suggested a lot of people are deeply uncomfortable with what's on the screen and aren't willing to engage with the complexities and ambiguities. I particularly liked how the movie was both doing it's own thing, but also clearly in dialog with the other two versions, much like I experience the Herzog in relation to the Murnau.

All versions of Nosferatu have problems. Addressing one set can open up a new set. That is true here. It was true with the Herzog.

Honestly? When the commentator was discussing the ways people had trouble engaging with the Herzog when it was new, reminded me a bit of sitting in an audience where half the people were experiencing the film in a way completely different from the way i process it.

I am wondering if discomfort and debate are not things essential to doing Nosferatu right. I think it's part of why something so influential on future filmmakers rarely gets remade along with the whole antisemitism problem. (You can't remake Nosferatu without trying to decide how to handle the anti-Semitism of the original. It's a tricky, tricky thing. Same with Dracula. hundred plus year old media can be landmines.)

Anyway, this Nosferatu comparison piece is excellent and I really appreciated the perspective and context.

* "January 1, 2025 is Public Domain Day: Works from 1929 are open to all, as are sound recordings from 1924!:" https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicdomainday/2025/

* "Stunning Colorful Kodachrome Photos Show the Everyday Life in America during the 1940s:" https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/colorful-kodachrome-slides-from-usa/

*****
* 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.

* "We have a right to safety, privacy, and protest. Say no to mask bans.:" https://www.stopmaskbans.com/

* Ethical Elephant sanctuary disaster relief: https://www.tumblr.com/veluigi/769847233453719552/emergency-flood-relief?source=share

* "Trans Kids Deserve Better:" https://transkidsdeservebetter.org/support

* "Here are 26 organizations fighting Donald Trump that you can donate to:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/anti-donald-trump-charities

* Run for Something: https://runforsomething.net/

* "LGBTQ+ Victory Fund:" https://victoryfund.org/

* "Buy Native List:" https://www.beyondbuckskin.com/p/buy-native.html?m=1

* Natural fiber fabric sources to buy from for sewing: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/768880596478984192?source=share

* "Palestine Children’s Relief Fund:" https://pcrf1.app.neoncrm.com/forms/gaza-recovery

* Disaster Preparedness stuff from the US Government: https://www.ready.gov/publications

* "My husky’s fren needs your help:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/74raKUtbCKI

* Useful organizing links and resources: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/771859083592613888/hater-of-terfs-ive-already-reblogged-a-link-to?source=share

* Five Calls to your critters: https://5calls.org/

* Avoiding Activist Burnout: https://www.tumblr.com/veluigi/771755723969478656/on-twitter-im-seeing-dozens-of-threads-from-black?source=share

( More Links Underneath: )

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* "Chef José Andrés: Food Is Not A Weapon Of War:"

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* Food aid to Gaza for Ramadan: https://support.anera.org/a/ramadan-2024

* "Palestine Children’s Relief Fund:" https://pcrf1.app.neoncrm.com/forms/gaza-recovery

* Verified charities to help Palestinians: https://cleolinda.tumblr.com/post/737312194805612544

* Fundraisers for Gaza: https://www.tumblr.com/el-shab-hussein/742344297699999744/hi-if-its-okay-i-saw-you-were-boosting?source=share

******

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* Stop the government from censoring queer and other minority voices off the Internet: https://www.stopkosa.com/

* Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? If you can't safely contact them in person, here are some other options:

Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the representative of your choice.
Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resist.bot/
To get your Critters' numbers to call direct: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member

* The Indivisible Guide: "A Practical Guide to defeating MAGA:" https://indivisible.org/sites/default/files/2023-01/20220104_Indivisible_%20A%20Practical%20Guide%20to%20Defeating%20MAGA.pdf

* Primaries are ongoing:

NOTE: There is a call for people to vote "uncommitted" in the Democratic primary as a protest against Biden's Israel policy. The time to pressure Biden with your vote is now, not in November. The pressure from all the different types of protests do seem to be working, if far slower than we'd like.

NOTE 2: There is a similar protest against Trump where people vote for a candidate who isn't running. Check your state to see who people are promoting.


Wyoming (Democrats): 4/13/24

Alabama (Run Off): 4/16/24

Puerto Rico (Republicans): 4/21/24

Pennsylvania: 4/23/24

Puerto Rico (Democrats): 4/28/24


Know your state's schedule and where to vote. Make sure you and your friends are registered. If you are voting in person, plan how to get there.

If you live in an open primary state consider voting strategically. Otherwise, vote your heart in the primary. Remember how all those votes for Sanders and Warren pushed Biden and the party platform further left?

Remember to vote in all the races, not just the top of the ticket even if it's in a separate primary (as it is in my state). Who runs congress, your state, and your local government really matters. In some states this is a separate primary. Check the rules for your state.

Never, ever sleep on a chance to vote.

It is always better to vote for someone who will listen to us than to let someone who is actively trying to kill us.

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* "How Fani Willis and Nathan Wade (Almost) Derailed Trump’s Georgia Prosecution:"

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* "Is Libs of TikTok a Terrorist?:"

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* "Native Land is an app to help map Indigenous territories, treaties, and languages.:" https://native-land.ca/

* "The Anti-Trans Propaganda Film Made by a Cult:"

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* "Working While Autistic:"

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* "Mount Etna blows spectacular smoke rings into the sky:" https://apnews.com/video/italy-volcanoes-sicily-europe-6f02270f03b94364ac39b63fb29f9694

* "Anti-LGBTQ+ conspiracy theorists are claiming that today’s solar eclipse is a ‘sign from God’:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/04/08/2024-solar-eclipse-conspiracy-theories/

* "Did Oscar Wilde's Sisters ☠️ From their Skirts Catching on Fire? (Victorian Fashion Myth Busting):"

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* "The Victorian Foot Fad Inspired by a Horror Novel: Weird Fashion History:"

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* Washing Machine Update 3/29/24: I tried to schedule a repair, but our set up is too hard for the repairman's back. I have left a message with someone he recommended.

My suspicion it will be in the $200-300 range, but that's a wild guestimate that assumes 100 or less for parts.

Thanks to Thursday donors I have enough to cover the in home visit, plus an hour of labour at local rates.

*fingers crossed for early next week washer repair*

* The washing Machine guy came. Luckily it was all labour and no parts, so I have clean clothes and bedding.

This week has been stupid hard, made harder by the can't sleep kuch thing. My arm hurts. I am eternally tired. Briwser crashed and wiped all links friday. I spent something like three hours barely scratching the surface on trying to get some things back.

I did manage to shower myself Friday, though really, I should have someone helping me in and out. I think I messed my arm up some getting in, but otherwise it was a little dicey, but fine.

* One of the many things I lost in Friday's browser crash was a fic I was reading about Frenchie and Jim integrating in Blackbeard's crew between season one and two and a slow accord building between Frenchie and Izzy. They'd just pulled a con to sell a painting to multiple people. I suck at finding things on AO3 as I barely use it and mostly just red recs friends make when I do. Lucius was in the walls, so likely started in the gap between seasons. It was something like 8 installments in and no sex, though I've no idea if the whole thing was G-rated. I don't know who rec'd it. I'm bummed I will likely never get to read the rest of it.

* I suspect I'll be slightly short for car repair and autowithdraws, even without paying other bills. i needed things like cat litter and tp. *facepalm*

* "Boeing: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO):"

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* "State Medical Boards: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO):"

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* "Student Loans: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO):"

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* "Food Delivery Apps: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO):"

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* "Strange Eclipse Behavior | NYC’s Earthquake | Mt. Etna Blows Smoke Rings | Trump’s $50M Fundraiser:"

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* "queer villains and the death of media literacy:"

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* "Can a Movie Change the Law?:"

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* "Mary Poppins ~ Lost in Adaptation:"

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* "Easter Cold Open - SNL:"

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* "Pilates - SNL:"

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* "Donald Trump’s New Border Plan:"

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* "Worried About Airplane Safety? Try Whitlock’s Hot Air Balloon!:"

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* OFMD: "Tea Soup and Sympathy:" https://www.tumblr.com/brigdh/747412270036992000?source=share

* "Sunday Sweets: Wedding Cakes For Music Lovers:" https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/sunday-sweets-wedding-cakes-for-music-lovers-2024

* "DONATING ECLIPSE GLASSES:" https://conuly.dreamwidth.org/3484009.html

* "Types of Eclipse Photo:" https://xkcd-rss.livejournal.com/739732.html

*****
* 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.

* People have been asking for ways to help trans people in West Virginia, given the scary shit going on there. So far this organization is suggested. I'm keeping an eye out for more ways to help. If you have suggestions, please let me know. "Fairness West Virginia:" https://fairnesswv.org/donate/

* To track more general LGBTQIA+ Legislation: https://www.lgbtmap.org/

* "How you can support queer and trans kids in Oklahoma after Nex Benedict’s death:" https://www.advocate.com/news/how-to-help-trans-kids

* An organization for the parents of trans youths: https://transparentusa.org/

* "2024 Trans Girl Scouts To Order Cookies From!:" https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/2024-trans-girl-scouts-to-order-cookies

* "World Central Kitchen:" https://wck.org/

* "Palestine Children’s Relief Fund:" https://pcrf1.app.neoncrm.com/forms/gaza-recovery

* Verified charities to help Palestinians: https://cleolinda.tumblr.com/post/737312194805612544

* Fundraisers for Gaza: https://www.tumblr.com/el-shab-hussein/742344297699999744/hi-if-its-okay-i-saw-you-were-boosting?source=share

* Help Queer Folks in Ghana: https://www.silentmajorityghana.com/donate

* "Library of Congress Launches New Website for Americans to Share COVID-19 Stories:" https://newsroom.loc.gov/news/library-of-congress-launches-new-website-for-americans-to-share-covid-19-stories/s/d5739534-fec6-4e13-9f16-68d6117ee94b

* "We’re looking for English-speaking neopronoun users (aged 18+) to participate in a paid linguistics study.:" https://allthingslinguistic.com/post/741780492503990272/kirby-conrod-is-a-cool-linguist-whos-done-neat

( More Links Underneath: )

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* "Photos of life in war: Palestinians flee south in Gaza, Israel mourns dead soldiers:" https://www.npr.org/sections/pictureshow/2024/01/29/1225728725/israel-gaza-war-photos

* Verified charities to help Palestinians: https://cleolinda.tumblr.com/post/737312194805612544

******

* "Document spells out allegations against 12 UN employees Israel says participated in Hamas attack:" https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-29-2024-4c49c2fb89c3bfd4963f2260b34943c1

* Sigh. "US says its Israel policy unchanged after report on leveraging weapon sales:" https://www.reuters.com/world/us-says-its-israel-policy-unchanged-after-report-leveraging-weapon-sales-2024-01-28/

* "State Department reviewing options for possible recognition of Palestinian state:" https://www.axios.com/2024/01/31/palestine-statehood-biden-israel-gaza-war

******

* "Enemy drone that killed US troops in Jordan was mistaken for a US drone, preliminary report suggests:" https://apnews.com/article/jordan-drone-attack-attack-confusion-f175962e058b9b6f668303faf248d8e6

* "U.S. blames Iran-backed militia for deadly attack, leaving Middle East on edge:" https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/u-s-blames-iran-backed-militia-for-deadly-attack-leaving-middle-east-on-edge

* "Hayes on the ‘looming threat’ of a widening Middle East conflict:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/hayes-on-the-looming-threat-of-a-widening-middle-east-conflict-203279941771

******

* "‘Kharkiv is their priority’: Deadly Russian attacks hit Ukraine’s northeast:" https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/29/kharkiv-ukraine-intensified-shelling

* "Russian mayor orders quote from ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov on choreography school wall to be replaced by ‘words of a true patriot’:" https://meduza.io/en/news/2024/01/29/russian-mayor-orders-quote-from-ballet-dancer-mikhail-baryshnikov-on-choreography-school-wall-to-be-replaced-by-words-of-a-true-patriot?utm_source=email&utm_medium=briefly&utm_campaign=2024-01-30

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* "The right-wing’s latest manufactured outrage? An EU inclusive language toolkit from 2019:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/29/european-union-language-gender/

* "Why has the Maori king of New Zealand called a national meeting?:" https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/19/why-has-the-maori-king-of-new-zealand-called-a-national-meeting

* "China's ageing population threatens switch to new economic growth model:" https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-ageing-population-threatens-switch-new-economic-growth-model-2024-01-18/

* "FBI director warns Chinese hackers aim to 'wreak havoc' on U.S. critical infrastructure:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/fbi-director-warn-chinese-hackers-aim-wreak-havoc-us-critical-infrastr-rcna136524

* "Two LGBTQ+ women may soon be confirmed as lifetime judges: 'It's crucial right now':" https://www.advocate.com/news/federal-judge-lgbtq

* "Lost Highway: The trials of trucking school:" https://harpers.org/archive/2024/02/lost-highway-emily-gogolak/

* "Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady as consumer confidence improves and inflation slows:" https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/federal-reserve-interest-rate-decision-january-2024-increase-decrease-rcna136429

* "Trump slams deal that would give Biden authority to close border:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/27/trump-dunks-on-bipartisan-senate-border-deal-00138210

* ""Chaos Caucus in Action" GOP split over tanking border deal for Trump:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/-chaos-caucus-in-action-gop-split-over-tanking-border-deal-for-trump-203113029829

* "House GOP turns immigration issue into political theater:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/house-gop-turns-immigration-issue-into-political-theater-203382853700

* "Wyden Slams Backroom Scheme to Cut Social Security, Medicare as Bill Clears House Committee:" https://www.finance.senate.gov/chairmans-news/wyden-slams-backroom-scheme-to-cut-social-security-medicare-as-bill-clears-house-committee

* "Can Federal Transit Operations Funding Foster Healthy, Thriving, Sustainable Communities? Yes, Here’s How.:" https://cleantechnica.com/2024/01/19/can-federal-transit-operations-funding-foster-healthy-thriving-sustainable-communities-yes-heres-how/

* This is some more racist bullshit in hopes of distracting people from the fact the Republicans are backing an adjudged sexual predator for president. "House Republicans unveil Mayorkas impeachment articles:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/28/house-republicans-mayorkas-impeachment-articles-00138235

* "Rep. Maxine Waters: Mayorkas impeachment inquiry all comes back to Trump:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/rep-maxine-waters-mayorkas-impeachment-inquiry-all-comes-back-to-trump-203112005996

* "Gay Democratic reps demand Pentagon resolve cases of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ dishonorable discharges:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/dont-ask-dont-tell-pentagon

* Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? If you can't safely contact them in person, here are some other options:

Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the representative of your choice.
Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resist.bot/
To get your Critters' numbers to call direct: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member

* The Indivisible Guide: "A Practical Guide to defeating MAGA:" https://indivisible.org/sites/default/files/2023-01/20220104_Indivisible_%20A%20Practical%20Guide%20to%20Defeating%20MAGA.pdf

* We are fucked if the Supreme Court doesn't reverse this decision. "US court will not revisit ruling limiting voting rights lawsuits:" https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-appeals-court-will-not-reconsider-ruling-limiting-voting-rights-laws-scope-2024-01-30/

* "Rep. Nancy Mace's former chief of staff files to run against her in South Carolina:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nancy-mace-former-chief-of-staff-daniel-hanlon-south-carolina/

* Early voting has already started in a few places.

Democrats: South Carolina votes 2/3/24

Democrats: Nevada votes 2/6/24

Republicans: Nevada votes 2/8/24
Republicans: Virgin Islands votes 2/8/24

Know your state's schedule and where to vote. Make sure you and your friends are registered. If you are voting in person, plan how to get there.

If you live in an open primary state consider voting strategically. Otherwise, vote your heart in the primary. Remember how all those votes for Sanders and Warren pushed Biden and the party platform further left?

Remember to vote in all the races, not just the top of the ticket even if it's in a separate primary. Who runs congress, your state, and your local government really matters. In some states this is a separate primary. Check the rules for your state.

Never, ever sleep on a chance to vote.

Remember, it is always better to vote for someone who will listen to us than to let someone who is actively trying to kill us.

* I forgot to mention I voted the other day. No, not in the Primary. My state is late in the calendar and has a tiny delegate count. No, it was a local special election.

A lot of people ignore special election and local elections, but as I keep saying, a lot of really important things for quality of life happen in local elections.

In this case, it was a pair of really important school funding measures, including one that made sure kids had access to modern computers.

This stuff feels small, but education funding is an important investment in the future.

Wherever you are, if you can legally vote, vote every chance you have.

* "Biden planning post-UAW endorsement trip to Michigan:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/30/biden-uaw-endorsement-trip-michigan-00138594

* "'Booming' Biden economy forces GOP to shift focus to new 'shiny object':" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-booming-biden-economy-forces-gop-to-shift-focus-to-new-shiny-object-203368517740

* "Haley, shy with Trump attacks, reaches for alternative opponents:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/haley-shy-with-trump-attacks-reaches-for-alternative-opponents-203380805772

* "Trump stays on Illinois’ ballot as the election board says it lacks power to remove him over Jan. 6:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-14th-amendment-insurrection-ballot-illinois-8709a8dbf12f845ed30fce22c9bff469

* "Trump Urges States to Send Troops to Texas Border:" https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/01/trump-abbott-border-send-troops-national-guard-texas/

* "'Extraordinarily destabilizing and dangerous': 10 GOP Governors answer Trump’s call to send troops to border:" https://www.msnbc.com/ayman-mohyeldin/watch/-extraordinarily-destabilizing-and-dangerous-10-gop-governors-answer-trump-s-call-to-defy-biden-and-send-troops-to-border-203102277701

* "Trump calls UAW president a ‘dope’ after union endorses Biden:" https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/29/trump-uaw-president-dope-biden-00138310

After all, Biden has merely stood with worker's his whole career and fought for union and worker's rights, while Trump has done the massive work of doing a few photo ops and made lies and hollow promises while helping the posses and trying to repeal things workers need.

What a dope for Fain to side with the interest of the people he represents instead of against them, like Republicans generally do.

* "Report: Trump spent $50 million in donor money on legal bills in 2023:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/report-trump-spent-50-million-in-donor-money-on-legal-bills-in-2023-203285061707

* "Trump Allies Pledge ‘Holy War’ Against Taylor Swift:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/donald-trump-more-popular-taylor-swift-maga-biden-1234956829/

* "Right-Wingers Say Super Bowl Is Rigged So Taylor Swift Can Endorse Biden:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/taylor-swift-targeted-conspiracies-chiefs-super-bowl-1234955940/

* "Utah is the latest state to ban diversity, equity and inclusion efforts on campus and in government:" https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/utah-is-the-latest-state-to-ban-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-efforts-on-campus-and-in-government/

* This is a fundamental safety issue. "Florida criminalizes changing gender on driver’s licenses in latest attack on LGBTQ+ rights:" https://www.advocate.com/news/florida-criminalizes-changing-gender

* Republicans want you to know that as Pro-life Christians they believe in taking food out of the mouths of children for both the pleasure of it and political gain, just as Jesus would have wanted. "Republican governors in 15 states reject summer food money for kids:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/01/10/republican-governors-summer-lunch-program/

* "Ohio, Michigan Republicans in released audio: 'Endgame' is to ban trans care 'for everyone':" https://www.advocate.com/politics/ohio-republicans-ban-trans-care

* "Michigan’s GOP Chair Drama Takes Another Nasty Turn:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/ousted-michigan-gop-chair-kristina-karamo-now-claims-the-rnc-is-colluding-against-her

* "Arizona GOP boss quits after leaked tape shows him floating a job for Kari Lake to skip Senate race:" https://apnews.com/article/jeff-dewit-resigns-kari-lake-recording-bribe-07319f36b057f804f880a7e07f8d16b1

* "Oklahoma GOP rescinds censure of Sen. Lankford, calls meeting 'illegitimate':" https://okcfox.com/news/local/oklahoma-gop-censures-sen-lankford-for-open-border-deal-collaboration-with-democrats-rep-jacob-rosecrants-border-security-illegal-immigration-anthony-ferate-republican-party-bipartisanship-oath-constitution-ok-politics-chuck-schumer

* "Oregon’s newest Republican lawmaker says LGBTQ+ support is akin to child abuse:" https://www.advocate.com/dwayne-yunker-oregon-lawmaker-gop

* "Judge tosses Disney suit claiming Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis retaliated over 'don't say gay' critique:" https://www.advocate.com/law/disney-desantis-suit-dismissed

* "Nancy Mace said she wanted to 'get punched in the face' by rioters on January 6 for attention:" https://www.businessinsider.com/nancy-mace-wanted-to-get-punched-in-the-face-by-a-rioter-on-january-6-2024-1

---

* "Trumps Throw Tantrum Over Court Monitor’s Financial Bombshell:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-throw-tantrum-over-court-monitors-financial-bombshell

* "Bad timing for Trump as court-appointed monitor flags accounting of tens of millions of dollars:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/bad-timing-for-trump-as-court-appointed-monitor-flags-accounting-of-tens-of-millions-of-dollars-203297349831

* CW: Rape "E. Jean Carroll says she plans to use $83 million on 'something Donald Trump hates':" https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/jean-carroll-plans-83-million-donald-trump-hates/story?id=106751516

* CW: Rape "Don't fear Donald Trump, say the women who won an $83 million damages award:"
https://www.advocate.com/news/jean-carroll-trump-is-nothing

* CW: Rape "Why E. Jean Carroll's legal defeat of Donald Trump matters :" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/why-e-jean-carroll-s-legal-defeat-of-donald-trump-matters-203201605654

* "‘We beat Donald Trump’: E. Jean Carroll and lawyers on Trump's fallibility:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-we-beat-donald-trump-e-jean-carroll-and-lawyers-on-trump-s-fallibility-203205701999

* "Criminal prosecution of Trump in Georgia bogs down with attacks on Willis:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/criminal-prosecution-of-trump-in-georgia-bogs-down-with-attacks-on-willis-203382853919

* "Meet the woman who secretly taped Trump saying, ‘I need 11,000 votes’:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/meet-the-woman-who-secretly-taped-trump-saying-i-need-11-000-votes-203286085898

---

* "Arson at Georgia gender-affirming care clinic investigated as hate crime:" https://www.advocate.com/news/gender-care-clinic-arson-georgia

* "Some supporters of a far-right convoy headed to the Texas border are calling for civil war:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/supporters-far-right-convoy-headed-texas-border-are-calling-civil-war-rcna136058

* "An Idealistic Cop, a Forbidden Ticket and a Police Career on the Brink:" https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/16/nyregion/mathew-bianchi-nypd-traffic-tickets.html

* "Pennsylvania man rants about ‘LGBTQ+, woke-left mob’ in YouTube video with his father’s severed head: report:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/pennsylvania-beheading-youtube-rant

* "Charlie Kirk's 'Black Pilot' Remark Sparks Fury:" https://www.newsweek.com/charlie-kirk-black-pilots-racism-accusations-1863546

* "Florida LGBTQ+ advocates slam ban on sociology, DEI at state’s universities:" https://www.advocate.com/news/dei-florida-lgbtq-advocates

* "Experts say that gender-affirming care bans amount to 'abuse.' Why won't lawmakers listen?:" https://www.advocate.com/gender-affirming-care-bans-abuse

* "Trans patient makes hundreds of paper stars to represent others receiving gender-affirming care in hospital:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/02/01/paper-stars-trans-patient/

* "Health workers call to make morning-after pill available ‘for everyone’ in shops and petrol stations:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/31/morning-after-pill-supermarket/

* "Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Act must be stopped. Now.:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/uganda-anti-homosexuality-law-voices

* "Germany’s transgender community confronts surge in far-right disinformation:" https://www.advocate.com/news/german-transgender-law-disinformation

* "Doctor blames man's chronic back pain on gay sex, couple says:" https://www.advocate.com/news/doctor-blames-pain-gay-sex

* "Seattle gay bars raided over ‘lewd conduct violations’:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/30/seattle-gay-bars-raided-lewd-conduct/

"SAW director Madison Zack-Wu told Capitol Hill Seattle: “These regulations that are so paternalistic, that control people’s bodies and sexualities, pretty much only affect marginalised communities and non-conforming people."

* CW: Harassment. "New York pizzeria to pay $25,000 to settle harassment suit by transgender cook:" https://www.advocate.com/law/trans-cook-settles-pizzeria

* "Are transgender athletes allowed in the Olympics? The truth behind the myths:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/29/are-transgender-athletes-allowed-in-the-olympics-the-truth-behind-the-myths/

* "Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas files lawsuit against World Aquatics:" https://www.advocate.com/sports/lia-thomas-sues-world-aquatics

* "Amber Glenn becomes the first out queer woman to win the US Figure Skating Championship:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/29/amber-glenn-figure-skating/

* "Transgender women have a higher risk of HIV infections. A new CDC report reveals why:" https://www.advocate.com/news/transgender-women-hiv-infections-discrimination

* I can't donate, but if you can, consider doing it. "Red Cross declares an emergency blood shortage, as number of donors hits 20-year low:" https://www.npr.org/2024/01/09/1223734878/red-cross-blood-shortage-national-blood-donor-month

* "Drinking black tea linked to longevity:" https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/drinking-black-tea-linked-to-longevity#:~:text=A%20large%20study%20published%20online,associated%20with%20a%20longer%20life.

---

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* "Girls, ages 13 and 14, save tourists from riptide in Barbados:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2024/01/17/teens-save-tourists-riptide-barbados/

* "Elon Musk says he's 'Jewish by association' after Auschwitz visit, sees 'almost no antisemitism':" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/elon-musk-says-jewish-association-auschwitz-visit-sees-almost-no-antis-rcna135271

* "LGBTQ+ people have been arrested through social media. Meta must protect them, says human rights groups:" https://www.advocate.com/news/meta-lgbtq-digital-targeting-hrw

* "Stunned devs left scrambling for livelihoods in wake of yesterday's layoff bloodbath: 'In the end the contributions didn't matter':" https://www.pcgamer.com/stunned-devs-left-scrambling-for-livelihoods-in-wake-of-yesterdays-layoff-bloodbath-in-the-end-the-contributions-didnt-matter/

* "‘Serious Sketchball’: How a Crypto Pastor Scammed His Flock:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/colorado-crypto-pastor-was-always-a-serious-sketchball-acquaintances-say#:~:text=This%20month%2C%20Colorado's%20Securities%20Commissioner,misappropriated%20for%20their%20personal%20benefit.

* "Japan becomes the fifth country to land a spacecraft on the moon:" https://apnews.com/article/japan-moon-landing-jaxa-probe-slim-845d4868636df5ced2e1818c588f29a4

* "In World First, Horned Oryx Upgraded from Extinct in Wild to Endangered Owing to Decades of Zoo Work:" https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/in-world-first-scimitar-horned-oryx-upgraded-from-extinct-in-wild-to-endangered-owing-to-decades-of-zoo-work/

* "Alligators get more intimidating after study reveals they have an amazing ability:" https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article284329364.html

* "‘Incredible.’ Mangled shark off Florida took just months to repair fin, study says:" https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article283553633.html

* "Grizzly Bears Are Mostly Vegan: But humans made them more carnivorous.:" https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2024/01/grizzly-bear-california-carnivore-meat-eating/677070/

* "Billions of cicadas will emerge in the US this year in a rare double-brood event:" https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/national-international/billions-of-cicadas-will-emerge-in-the-us-this-year-in-a-rare-double-brood-event/3317523/

* "Megalodon didn't look like a 50-foot great white shark, controversial study claims:" https://www.livescience.com/animals/extinct-species/controversial-study-claims-megalodon-didnt-look-like-a-50-foot-giant-great-white-shark

* "Broadway legend Chita Rivera dies aged 91:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/01/30/chita-rivera-movies-and-tv-shows/

* "Pioneering LGBTQ+ activist Ann Maguire has died at 80:" https://www.advocate.com/obituaries/pioneering-activist-ann-maguire-obituary

* Tuesday torture appointment was terrible, but not quite as bad as Thursday. Apparently the Medicare Advantage covered para-transit is also a lie as I discovered when I got picked up. Luckily I had a dollar left. so now I need to call around again to various social services that claimed it was a thing and find out WTF.

Being disabled is exhausting.

In other news, I'd forgotten our little storage closet is upstairs. Next to the elevator. The one that filled entirely with water and they had to pump out that still isn't safe to use.

So after physio I hobbled upstairs to check. There is zero chance of me pulling everything or much of anything out by myself, let alone carrying it all downstairs without an elevator. There is no one to help. Still I had to check in case I needed to try to work something out immediately. Asshole Agency Maybe? Idk.

The carpet just inside the closet was dry as were the boxes in front. There is no telling what's going on in the back. We'll still need to pull it all out and move it when they do damage inspections, but I have a little more time. Maybe the elevator will be fixed by then and we can use a dolly? Where to store it idk.

It was encouraging that the cleared and damaged ones were all closer to the waterfall, and the damage didn't look that bad. I am hoping that the closets on the other side of the elevator shaft were spared or partially spared by the water pouring down the shaft.

I think it's mostly paper records in the back in case of need, the ones that are oldest need recycling anyway as you only need to keep the seven years. I am hoping the missing photo album is further front. If the tax stuff sucked up any water it is not a loss. If it's old letter and the like, it's irreplaceable.

We are incredibly lucky. Most of the upper floors of two buildings have mostly been without electricity. some without water. People lost everything and have been living out of hotels. Dire damage happened in the apartments next door; We had a slow drip in the laundry closet that stopped on it's own.

It is apparently much worse in the other building.

Seriously, every time I look up at the darkened upper windows I think of how catastrophic this has been for so many people.

* "Meanwhile… How To Pronounce “Kelce” | Highway Horse | MTA’s $700k Fare Hack:"

( Embed: )

* "Trump Is Big Mad At Nikki Haley | White House Pharmacy Scandal | Many Loose Bolts Found On Planes:"

( Embed: )

* "Sound of Science: Skinny Sharks | Why Dogs Wag Their Tails | Blame Gen Z For The Blood Shortage:"

( Embed: )

* "Taylor Swift Inspires Super Bowl Conspiracies | Trump Ordered To Pay $83M | Biden Blasts Snickers:"

( Embed: )

* "GOP Backs Out Of Border Deal | Abbott’s Texas Rebellion Moves U.S. Towards Civil War:"

( Embed: )

* "MAGA’s Holy War On Taylor Swift | Elmo Taps America’s Angst | God’s Army Convoy Limps Toward Texas:"

( Embed: )

* "The Late Show’s I’s On Edjukashun: Furries Rumor Debunked | Florida’s Ban On Pride Flags:"

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* "The Late Show Presents: “The Twilight Zone: Just The Twists”:"

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* "Alaska Airlines Updates Its Fleet:"

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* "New From Hasbro: Trauma Me Elmo:"

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

The help links are at the bottom under the cut.

* People have been asking for ways to help trans people in West Virginia, given the scary shit going on there. So far this organization is suggested. I'm keeping an eye out for more ways to help. If you have suggestions, please let me know. "Fairness West Virginia:" https://fairnesswv.org/donate/

* To track more general LGBTQIA+ Legislation: https://www.lgbtmap.org/

* An organization for the parents of trans youths: https://transparentusa.org/

* "2024 Trans Girl Scouts To Order Cookies From!:" https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/2024-trans-girl-scouts-to-order-cookies

* "Tell your Representative to Support Rep Tlaib's Resolution for a New Streaming Royalty:" https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-your-representative-to-support-the-resolution-for-a-new-streaming-royalty/

* "World Central Kitchen:" https://wck.org/

* Verified charities to help Palestinians: https://cleolinda.tumblr.com/post/737312194805612544

* "Palestine Children’s Relief Fund:" https://pcrf1.app.neoncrm.com/forms/gaza-recovery

( Links Underneath: )

* "Niger coup widely condemned, countries urge return to order:" https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/niger-president-says-democracy-will-be-saved-following-coup-2023-07-27/

* "Can Israel's Supreme Court Disqualify the First Law of Netanyahu's Judicial Coup?:" https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-07-24/ty-article/.premium/can-the-high-court-block-the-new-law-that-limits-its-actions-against-israeli-government/00000189-88a1-d5eb-abcb-f9e725150000

* "Netanyahu Government's Vindictive Anti-democratic Campaign Becomes Law:" https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/haaretz-today/2023-07-24/ty-article/.premium/netanyahu-governments-vindictive-anti-democratic-campaign-becomes-law/00000189-8821-d964-a789-9a2500390000

* "Protests rock Israel as it passes curbs on some Supreme Court powers:" https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israels-netanyahu-discharged-hospital-reuters-witness-says-2023-07-24/

* "‘Blood Everywhere’: As Israel’s Protests Ramp Up, the Police Crack Down:" https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-07-20/ty-article-magazine/.premium/blood-everywhere-as-israels-protests-ramp-up-the-police-crack-down/00000189-6eb8-d7ac-ab8b-ffbaa0c20000

* "Huge Protest March Reaches Jerusalem After 5-Day Trek From Tel Aviv:" https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/22/world/middleeast/jerusalem-protest-march-israel.html

* "Spanish election's nail-biting finish makes hung parliament likely:" https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/spain-heads-close-run-polls-marked-by-spectre-far-right-2023-07-23/

* "Government urged not to house LGBTQ+ refugees on ‘barbaric’ migrant barge:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/28/bibby-stockholm-lgbtq-migrants/

* "British Prime Minister Sunak narrowly avoids wipeout in local polls:" https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-pm-sunaks-conservatives-win-boris-johnsons-former-parliamentary-seat-2023-07-21/

* "Susan Hall: Tory London mayor candidate is ‘hard-right’ Trump fan who wants trans women out of sports:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/20/susan-hall-tory-london-mayor-candidate-trump-gender-critical/

* "What the UK’s incoming flexible working laws mean for you:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/21/what-the-uks-incoming-flexible-working-laws-mean-for-you/

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* "Russia attacks Danube grain export route vital for Ukraine:" https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-attack-odesa-destroys-grains-depot-injures-four-ukraine-military-2023-07-24/

* "Sea drones and the counteroffensive in Crimea:" https://www.reuters.com/graphics/UKRAINE-CRISIS/CRIMEA/gdvzwrmrlpw/

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* "Judge knocks down Biden’s asylum policy as illegal border crossings dip:" https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/25/biden-asylum-policy-immigration-00108074

* "Pressured by Joe Biden, AI companies agree to guardrails on new tools:" https://indianexpress.com/article/world/joe-biden-ai-companies-agree-to-guardrails-on-new-tools-8854274/

I'll believe it when I see dramatic improvement. I suspect they are just trying to duck the creation of strict federal regulation, but I'd love to be wrong.

* "Biden will designate a national monument honoring Emmett Till and his mother:" https://www.npr.org/2023/07/23/1189664409/emmett-till-national-monuments-biden

* "Don't let the black and white photos fool you, the historic fight for civil rights is still happening:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/don-t-let-the-black-and-white-photos-fool-you-the-historic-fight-for-civil-rights-is-still-happening-189280837843

* Regulations are written in blood."After decades of delays and broken promises, coal miners hail rule to slow rise of black lung:" https://apnews.com/article/black-lung-silica-dust-coal-mining-west-virginia-be722098fcf2a20b16bd73ca12c06c7e

* "Judge says she's not ready to accept Hunter Biden's plea deal:" https://www.npr.org/2023/07/26/1190211798/hunter-biden-plea-tax-charges

* "White House shuts down possibility of Hunter Biden pardon:" https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-shuts-down-possibility-hunter-biden-pardon

* "Psaki on Hunter Biden probe: Biden values DOJ independence. I saw it firsthand.:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/psaki-on-hunter-biden-probe-biden-values-doj-independence-i-saw-it-firsthand-189359173742

* "Trump vow to weaponize DOJ against Bidens trips up case against Hunter: Analysis:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/trump-vow-to-weaponize-doj-against-bidens-trips-up-case-against-hunter-189369925589

* "Supreme Court clears path for Mountain Valley Pipeline construction to resume:" https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/27/supreme-court-clears-path-for-mountain-valley-construction-to-resume-00108076

* "This Is How Conservatives Manufactured an LGBTQ+ Rights Supreme Court Case:" https://www.advocate.com/law/303-creative-lgbtq-rights-scotus

* "McConnell’s Dream of a Segregated U.S. Is Being Realized:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/supreme-court-anti-lgbtq

* "SCOTUS Lets Trans Woman's Discrimination Suit in Virginia Go Forward:" https://www.advocate.com/law/supreme-court-transgender-woman-discrimination

* "US economic growth accelerated in 2nd quarter, exceeding expectations and quieting recession fears:" https://abcnews.go.com/Business/us-economy-expected-grown-slowed-dispelling-recession-fears/story?id=101664985

* "The Fed's hot pause summer gets an ice bath: Interest rates rise again:" https://www.npr.org/2023/07/26/1190093285/fed-federal-reserve-interest-rates-borrowing-inflation

* "One year old, US climate law is already turbocharging clean energy technology:" https://apnews.com/article/inflation-reduction-act-renewable-energy-policy-economy-d5b0a7f15659930c6c15f0d180b193e8

* "Jaime Colindres lived at the American Hotel in the 1990s and again for about five years in the 2010s.
LA Promised to Preserve Low-Cost Housing. These Tenants’ Homes Were Turned Into Hotel Rooms Anyway.:" https://www.propublica.org/article/meet-people-uprooted-by-american-hotel-los-angeles

* "Hotel workers kick off third wave of strikes in Hollywood, Pasadena:" https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2023-07-20/hotel-workers-third-wave-strikes-hollywood-pasadena

* "For fast food workers, organizing poses extra challenges:" https://www.kcrw.com/news/shows/greater-la/traffic-filipino-protests/fast-food-strike

* "French Film Guilds Pledge ‘Full Solidarity’ With SAG-AFTRA and WGA Strikes; SFA Leader Hopes to Host Event by End of Summer:" https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/french-film-guilds-pledge-full-145927765.html

* They are determined despite not being able to to find a scrap of credible evidence. "McCarthy: GOP’s Biden probes ‘rising to the level of impeachment inquiry’ :" https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/25/kevin-mccarthy-impeachment-inquiry-biden-00107955

* "Inside Kevin McCarthy’s secret promise to expunge Trump’s record:" https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/20/kevin-mccarthy-donald-trump-impeachment-expunge-promise-00107236

* "‘These people look pathetic’: Pelosi slams McCarthy on expunging Trump impeachments :" https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/23/pelosi-slams-mccarthy-expunge-trump-impeachments-00107727

* "House Democrats Introduce Gender-Neutral Laws Bill:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/democrats-push-gender-neutral-laws

* "LGBTQ+ Democrats push for America to stop funding Uganda over anti-homosexuality law:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/12/lgbtq-democrats-uganda-funding-robert-garcia/

* "Democrats Introduce Bill to Make PrEP Available to More Americans:" https://www.advocate.com/law/prep-drug-protection-bill

* "US senator JD Vance moves to ban all gender-affirming care for trans minors across the nation:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/21/gender-affirming-care-ban-jd-vance/

* "House Republicans Schedule ‘Mean-Spirited’ Hearing on Gender-Affirming Care:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/house-republicans-bigoted-care-hearing

* "National Anti-Trans Bans Loom: Will Democrats Surrender Trans Rights?:" https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/national-anti-trans-bans-loom-will

Now is an excellent time to tell your Democratic Congress Critters trans Healthcare is important

* "Heritage Foundation Says That Of Course GOP Will Use KOSA To Censor LGBTQ Content :" https://www.techdirt.com/2023/05/24/heritage-foundation-says-that-of-course-gop-will-use-kosa-to-censor-lgbtq-content/

Some Democrats are siding with their effort to let the most conservative state censor us all for being queer on the Internet.

Please, please, please don't sleep on this.

* "Another action item, this one’s worse: KOSA:" https://solarbird.dreamwidth.org/1929643.html

* Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? If you can't safely contact them in person, here are some other options:

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

Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resist.bot/

* The Indivisible Guide: "A Practical Guide to defeating MAGA:" https://indivisible.org/sites/default/files/2023-01/20220104_Indivisible_%20A%20Practical%20Guide%20to%20Defeating%20MAGA.pdf

* "Democrats say new Alabama congressional map shorts Black voters:" https://www.reuters.com/world/us/alabama-lawmakers-clash-over-black-voters-redistricting-deadline-looms-2023-07-21/

* Republicans are strongly opposed to the rule of law. "Alabama Republicans refuse to draw a second Black congressional district in defiance of Supreme Court:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/alabama-gop-refuses-draw-second-black-district-supreme-court-order-rcna94715

* "Why Alabama Republicans may be plotting something bigger with defiance of Supreme Court:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/why-alabama-republicans-may-be-plotting-something-bigger-with-defiance-of-supreme-court-189197893875

* "Rudy Giuliani concedes he made false statements against 2 Georgia election workers:" https://www.npr.org/2023/07/26/1190173929/rudy-giuliani-georgia-election-workers

* "'You can't lie in the court of law': Trump's Big Lie hits brick wall in court:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/-you-can-t-lie-in-the-court-of-law-trump-s-big-lie-hits-brick-wall-in-court-189364293995

* "‘I have been indicted,’ says suspect in Michigan vote machine tampering probe:" https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/i-have-been-indicted-says-suspect-michigan-vote-machine-tampering-probe

* "A Black Man Was Elected Mayor in Rural Alabama, but the White Town Leaders Won’t Let Him Serve:" https://capitalbnews.org/newbern-alabama-black-mayor/

* "‘Manchin is dreaming:’ What the third-party push gets wrong about America:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-manchin-is-dreaming-what-the-third-party-push-gets-wrong-about-america-189361733734

* RFK Jr. is the worst. Please do not vote for him. "RFK Jr. Clashes With Sean Hannity, Says U.S. ‘Pushed’ Ukraine War:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/rfk-jr-clashes-with-sean-hannity-during-fox-news-town-hall-says-us-pushed-ukraine-war

* "DeSantis lets go of more than a third of campaign staff as reset continues:" https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/25/desantis-lets-go-of-more-than-1-3-of-campaign-staff-as-reset-continues-00108046

* Well that's on brand. "Canceled Documentary Details DeSantis’ Time at Gitmo, Including Allegedly Overseeing Forced Feedings:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/desantis-guantanamo-force-feedings-canceled-documentary-1234793826/

* Republicans aren't even pretending they aren't NAZIs anymore. "Mask Off: DeSantis Staffer Reportedly Shares Video of DeSantis and Giant Nazi Symbol:" https://newrepublic.com/post/174555/desantis-staffer-reportedly-shares-video-desantis-giant-nazi-symbol

* "DeSantis doubles down on claim that some Blacks benefited from slavery:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/07/22/desantis-slavery-curriculum/

* "Dictator-wannabe Donald Trump praises Xi Jinping as a "perfect" leader who rules "with an iron fist":" https://boingboing.net/2023/07/19/dictator-wannabe-donald-trump-praises-xi-jinping-as-a-perfect-leader-who-rules-with-an-iron-fist-video.html

* "People Aren’t Facing Up to the Horrors a New Trump Term Would Bring:" https://newrepublic.com/article/174535/people-arent-facing-horrors-new-trump-term-bring

* "The Potential Danger of a Trump Second Term:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/the-potential-danger-of-a-trump-second-term-189092933676

* "Let's talk about Trump's angry new rhetoric....:"

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* "Rep. Paul Gosar promotes another antisemitic site that praises Hitler and denies the Holocaust:" https://www.mediamatters.org/diversity-discrimination/rep-paul-gosar-promotes-another-antisemitic-site-praises-hitler-and-denies

* "McConnell episode alarms Senate GOP:" https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/26/mcconnell-abruptly-leaves-press-conference-after-feeling-light-headed-00108318

* "Texas A.G.'s PAC makes 'amazing' donation to Lt. Gov. presiding over his impeachment trial:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/ahead-of-texas-ag-s-impeachment-trial-his-pac-donates-millions-to-lt-gov-running-trial-189198917594

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* CW: Sexual Abuse "Trump loses bid for new trial in E. Jean Carroll case:" https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/19/trump-loses-bid-new-trial-carroll-00107025

* "Timeline: Manhattan DA's Stormy Daniels hush money case against Donald Trump:" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/timeline-manhattan-district-attorney-case-donald-trump/story?id=98389444

* "Rep. Schiff on Trump's Potential Third Indictment:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/psaki-to-gop-candidates-defending-trump-what-is-your-endgame-189186629934

* "Trump grand jury hears testimony from aide who was with him on Jan. 6:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/trump-grand-jury-hear-testimony-aide-was-jan-6-rcna94998

* "Let's talk about Trump's legal team being surprised....:"

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* "Trump court schedule puts rule of law on the ballot; Alabama GOP already rejecting courts:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-court-schedule-puts-rule-of-law-on-the-ballot-alabama-gop-already-rejecting-courts-189196869576

* "Feds sought surveillance video from State Farm Arena in Trump probe:" https://www.ajc.com/politics/exclusive-feds-sought-surveillance-video-from-state-farm-arena/TWLKTY4KGFB25DUPSPZXUEDFL4/

* "Trump Tried to Delete Mar-a-Lago Security Footage to Thwart Investigators:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-carlos-de-oliveira-mar-a-lago-classified-docs-1234796376/

* "Why Jack Smith waited until now to charge Trump for secret Iran document flaunted on tape:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/why-jack-smith-waited-until-now-to-charge-trump-for-secret-iran-document-flaunted-on-tape-189453893613

* "Prosecutors looking at meeting at which Trump expressed confidence in voting security:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/prosecutors-looking-at-meeting-at-which-trump-expressed-confidence-in-voting-security-189277765722

* "I served on the Jan. 6 committee. Jack Smith is vindicating our work.:" https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/trump-indictment-looming-jan-6-committee-zoe-lofgren-rcna96471

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* "Six months. 28 mass killings in the US. That’s the worst yet, and all but one case involved guns:" https://apnews.com/article/mass-killings-record-gun-violence-0174103c37756fe4d247fd15cd3bc009

* "Derailing the defund: How SPD manipulated the media narrative around the 2020 protests:" https://www.realchangenews.org/news/2023/07/19/derailing-defund-how-spd-manipulated-media-narrative-around-2020-protests

* "Seattle police kept mock tombstone for Black man, Trump flag in break room, video shows:" https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/seattle-police-kept-mock-tombstone-for-black-man-trump-flag-in-break-room-video-shows/

* "Video Confirms that Officer Was Going 74 MPH, Did Not Have Siren Running When He Struck Pedestrian:" https://publicola.com/2023/07/20/video-confirms-that-officer-was-going-74-mph-was-not-running-siren-when-he-killed-pedestrian/

* "New Police Body Cam Data Exposes the True Scale of NYPD Violence Against Protesters:" https://www.wired.com/story/nypd-george-floyd-nyc-protester-settlement/

* "New York to pay $13 million to protesters arrested during George Floyd protests:" https://www.reuters.com/world/us/new-york-pay-13-million-protesters-arrested-during-george-floyd-protests-2023-07-20/

* "A Trooper Issued More than 1,000 Fake Tickets. Connecticut Police Won’t Say Whether He Still Has a Job.:" https://archive.ph/jTv5E#selection-1661.0-1675.272

"A single state trooper logged 1,350 fraudulent traffic tickets into a Connecticut database meant to detect racial profiling. The finding is key to a damning new audit of the Connecticut State Police, which reveals pervasive trooper malfeasance, including at least 26,000 false tickets logged over seven years, that masked racial bias in the force’s policing. Now, the CSP refuses to discuss the audit — or even reveal if the most-prolific ticket faker still has a badge."

* "Why Do White Supremacist Groups Often Include Latinos? :" https://advocatechannel.com/white-supremacist-groups-latinos

* Don't forget to vote in school board elections, because they will remember. "Chaos at the School Board:" https://www.propublica.org/series/chaos-at-the-school-board

* "Florida Board of Education OK's Anti-LGBTQ+ Policies, Sanitized View of Slavery:" https://www.advocate.com/education/florida-schools-anti-lgbtq

"Among the new standards OK’d for teaching about slavery and racism is one that requires “instruction for middle school students to include ‘how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit,’” CNN reports. The NAACP issued a press release calling this “a sanitized and dishonest telling of the history of slavery in America.”

A policy on racially motivated massacres, which occurred in Florida towns and elsewhere in the 20th century, mandates inclusion of “acts of violence perpetrated against and by African Americans,” even though most of the violence was committed by whites against Blacks."

* "Florida tries to defend its revisionist history on slavery:" https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/7/21/2182564/-Florida-tries-to-defend-its-revisionist-history-on-slavery

* "Infamous right-wing online group's programming approved for Florida students:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/right-wing-online-group-s-programming-approved-for-florida-students-189279813581

* "Maxwell Frost rips new Florida curriculum as bid to ‘erase Black history’:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/maxwell-frost-rips-new-florida-curriculum-as-bid-to-erase-black-history-189270597974

* "School district approves materials mentioning Harvey Milk after governor threatens $1.5 million fine:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/22/california-school-district-materials-harvey-milk-approve-fine/

* "VA: Youngkin’s Anti-Trans School Rules Prohibit Uncommon Nicknames:" https://www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-news/va-youngkins-anti-trans-school-rules-prohibit-uncommon-nicknames

* "They Checked Out Pride Books in Protest. It Backfired.:" https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/22/us/pride-books-library-protest.html

* CW: Child Sexual Abuse. "Why Do Neo-Nazis Keep Getting Arrested For Child Sexual Abuse Material?:" https://www.vice.com/en/article/3akvbw/why-do-neo-nazis-keep-getting-arrested-for-child-porn

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* "Infant deaths surge in Texas after abortion ban:" https://arstechnica.com/health/2023/07/infant-deaths-surge-in-texas-after-abortion-ban/

"The new grim statistics are only expected to worsen. Abortion bans and restrictions are known to increase infant deaths, maternal deaths, and maternal suffering. And the US already has the worst maternal and infant mortality rates of any other high-income country in the world."

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* "Gender-Affirming Care Bans Often Modeled by Anti-LGBTQ+ Groups: Report:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/gender-affirming-care-bans-bills

* CW: Suicide. "80% of Transgender Americans Have Considered Suicide:" https://www.advocate.com/health/transgender-alarming-suicide-rate

* "Breaking Down Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria:"

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* "Lesbian mums in Italy ‘living in fear’ as government strips names from birth certificates:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/26/lesbian-mums-italy-birth-certificates-giorgia-meloni/

* "Yandex CEO Charged Under Russia’s Anti-LGBTQ+ “Propaganda” Laws:" https://www.advocate.com/business/yandex-ceo-russia-propaganda-lgbtq

* "Matty Healy’s gay kiss stunt is white saviourism that could harm LGBTQ+ Malaysians, says singer" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/26/matt-healy-malaysia-lgbtq-rufus-sivaroshan/

* "Peru court offers same-sex marriage hope for LGBTQ+ couples:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/22/peru-same-sex-marriage-court/

* "Teen Pleads Guilty to Brutal Attack on Lesbian Couple:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/lesbian-couple-attacked-dublin

* "Suella Braverman suggests ‘trans ideology’ book as summer reading:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/21/suella-braverman-helen-joyce-summer-reading/

* "Labour ‘placating gender critics’ with latest U-turn – and trans members have had enough:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/26/labour-trans-anneliese-dodds-keir-starmer-gender/

* "Keir Starmer repeats anti-trans dogwhistle, claiming a woman is an ‘adult female’:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/26/keir-starmer-labour-trans-adult-female/

* "Brianna Ghey suspect pleads not guilty to murder of trans girl:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/20/brianna-ghey-suspect-pleads-not-guilty-to-murder-of-trans-girl/

* "Gay man hits back at ‘disgusting’ decorator who refused work due to Christian beliefs:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/27/bristol-gay-man-discrimination-painter/

* "The Right Is Using the Anti-Abortion Supreme Court Ruling to Attack Trans Care. Will It Work?:" https://www.advocate.com/law/dobbs-gender-affirming-care-transgender

* "In the war over transgender rights, Florida is ground zero. One woman’s battle to survive:" https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2023-07-20/transgender-laws-florida

* "Arlington Public Schools Say "No," Refuse To Comply With Anti-Trans State Policy:" https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/arlington-public-schools-say-no-refuse

* "Mum of 11-year-old at centre of trans bathroom ban case speaks out: ‘She’s just a person’:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/20/wisconsin-trans-girl-mother-bathroom-ban-school-policy/

* "Judge blocks ‘hateful’ Arizona ban on trans girls playing sports:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/22/arizona-trans-girls-sports-ban-temporary-injunction/

* "What States Have the Most Anti-LGBTQ+ Hate Crimes? :" https://www.advocate.com/hate-crimes/hate-crime-lgbtq-states

* "Pro-LGBTQ+ church set on fire following video of visit by right-wing YouTuber:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/28/pro-lgbtq-church-firebombed/

* "Chris Rufo Claims Trans Acceptance Threatens Reality Itself:" https://www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-news/chris-rufo-claims-trans-acceptance-threatens-reality-itself

* "'Refugees in the USA': Transgender care bans cause families to pull up stakes:" https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/07/20/refugees-in-the-usa-transgender-care-bans-cause-families-to-pull-up-stakes

* "How Women’s World Cup players are defying FIFA’s Pride rainbow ban:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/28/womens-world-cup-lgbtq-pride-onelove-armband/

* "2023 Treatment Guide: Is it Time to Change Your HIV Regimen?:" https://www.hivplusmag.com/treatment-guide/10-reasons-to-change-your-hiv-regimen

* "How Living with HIV is Criminalized:"

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* "Growing up gay with cerebral palsy: ‘Too gay for the disabled people and too disabled for the gays’:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/25/emmett-de-monterey-cerebral-palsy-gay/

* "We are failing young people by not trusting them to be the experts about their own lives:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/28/young-people-experts-disability/

* "Colorado’s new right-to-repair law ensures tractor and wheelchair owners get the parts they need:" https://techcrunch.com/2023/04/25/colorados-new-right-to-repair-law-ensures-tractor-and-wheelchair-owners-get-the-parts-they-need/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jb251bHkuZHJlYW13aWR0aC5vcmcv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAAp5W8XviPTARKL9KycaPqUgz-13Q0sIePzadxd_ULg8Y6Rbc1jutI4xxn8YVgOiIxogdxuRzqzdIOzRoZH5kityHg9tP7rLF8AbbYZtTbdJXMUYX9dmqjcitsttnkEVFFhf6y_8-B_p05FpQu0CYmLMpu7vth4pEBuii5SCvje2

* "How can businesses support disabled employees?:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/27/how-can-businesses-support-disabled-employees/

* "Why our voices change as we get older:" https://theconversation.com/why-our-voices-change-as-we-get-older-208640

* "Reinventing the E.R. for America’s Mental-Health Crisis:" https://www.newyorker.com/science/annals-of-medicine/reinventing-the-er-for-americas-mental-health-crisis

* I support harm reduction. "Harm Reduction: Young People in Appalachia and the South Are Addressing the Overdose Crisis:" https://www.teenvogue.com/story/harm-reduction-young-people-overdoses

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* "Climate Disasters Daily? Welcome to the ‘New Normal.’:" https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/10/climate/climate-change-extreme-weather.html

* "Climate change role in July heatwaves 'overwhelming', scientists say:" https://www.reuters.com/world/climate-change-role-july-heatwaves-overwhelming-scientists-say-2023-07-25/

* "Gulf Stream shutoff could happen this century, scientists warn:" https://www.politico.eu/article/climate-change-gulf-stream-atlantic-ocean-global-warming-nature-ditlevsen-copenhagen/

* "What People With Disabilities Know About Surviving Climate Disasters:" https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2023-06-22/in-climate-disasters-people-with-disabilities-are-getting-left-behind

* "Let's talk about 80 million at 105 degrees....:"

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* "Maricopa County Medical Examiner at 106% capacity, bringing in coolers:" https://www.abc15.com/news/region-phoenix-metro/maricopa-county-medical-examiner-at-106-capacity-bringing-in-coolers

* I mildly burned my feet on black top Tuesday a week ago in about a minute, and it's not nearly that hot here.

Be careful folks, and keep children and animals off pavement."Toddler receives second-degree burns to feet from hot playground in Castle Rock: "It's dangerous":" https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/toddler-receives-second-degree-burns-feet-hot-playground-castle-rock-dangerous/

* "Monsoon floods threaten India's Taj Mahal, but officials say the iconic building will be safe:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/monsoon-floods-threaten-indias-taj-mahal-but-officials-say-the-iconic-building-will-be-safe/

* "Nova Scotia floods cause 'unimaginable' damage; four people missing:" https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/atlantic-canada-province-says-dam-could-breach-tell-residents-get-out-2023-07-22/

* "‘Concrete Coffins’: Surviving Extreme Heat Behind Bars:" https://www.themarshallproject.org/2023/07/22/texas-heat-prison-louisiana

* "Texas charges prisoners 50% more for water as heat wave continues:" https://www.kut.org/health/2023-07-20/texas-charges-prisoners-50-more-for-water-for-as-heat-wave-continues

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* "Tornado damage to Pfizer plant will probably create long-term shortages of some drugs hospitals need:" https://apnews.com/article/pfizer-factory-tornado-drugs-north-carolina-3ce4b4ee0be984f751e0173091a3cdd7

* "How Bricks Made From Invasive Seaweed Clean Mexico's Beaches:"

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* "Elon Sues The Lawyers That Forced Him to Buy Twitter:"

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* "X Isn’t a Super App. It’s Just Twitter:" https://www.wired.com/story/twitter-x-rebrand-elon-musk/

* "Elon Musk’s Twitter rebrand to ‘X’ is a total disaster. Here’s what’s happened so far:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/26/elon-musks-twitter-x-rebrand-disaster/

* "‘Mom, these bad men have me’: She believes scammers cloned her daughter’s voice in a fake kidnapping :" https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/29/us/ai-scam-calls-kidnapping-cec/index.html

* "Legends Summarized: The Epic of Gilgamesh:"

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* "Eating The Heart Of A King:"

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* CW: Child Abuse "The Dark Secrets Buried at Red Cloud Boarding School:" https://www.wired.com/story/marsha-small-red-cloud-boarding-school/

* "Clinging to the Enigma of Rock Hudson:" https://www.advocate.com/television/rock-hudson-documentary

* "Susan Love, Outspoken Lesbian Doctor and Breast Cancer Expert, Dies at 75:" https://www.advocate.com/obituaries/susan-love-dead-breast-cancer

* "Steven Pieters, Longtime HIV Activist Interviewed by Tammy Faye Bakker, Dies at 71:" https://www.advocate.com/obituaries/steven-pieters-obituary

* "Sue Johanson, Who Gave Witty Sex Advice, Dead at 92:" https://www.advocate.com/obituaries/sex-adviser-sue-johanson-dies

* "Cheri Pies, pioneering author of lesbian parent handbook, dies of cancer, aged 73:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/25/cheri-pies-lesbian-parent-handbook-dies-cancer/

* "Appreciation: Sinéad O’Connor was right all along:" https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2023-07-27/sinead-oconnor-dies-snl-catholic-church-protest

* "All the ways queer icon Sinéad O’Connor proved she was a fearless LGBTQ+ ally:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/27/sinead-oconnor-lgbtq-ally-irish-singer-dead/

* "Sinéad O’Connor risked it all to give voice to the powerless and call out the Catholic Church:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/27/sinead-o-connor-death-catholic-church-snl/

* Our movement must be intersectional. We must all have each other's backs. Leave no one's rights behind. "50+ Years Since Stonewall, 20 Years After Lawrence, We Still Fight Criminalization:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/lgbtq-criminal-justice-system

* "I’m a Luddite (and So Can You!):" https://thenib.com/im-a-luddite/

* Why people didn't come out in High School (Hate Speech, Bullying, Hate Crime, Child Abuse): https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/723812206710489088/i-figured-out-who-i-was-over-the-course-of-the?source=share

* "The Outsiders | Toxic Masculinity vs. Vulnerability:"

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* "The History of Gay Hollywood:"

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* "The Black Reclamation of the Body Snatchers:"

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* "RENT and the Mainstreaming of Queer Suffering:"

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* "Chuck Tingle Goes Mainstream...ish:" https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/profiles/article/92146-chuck-tingle-goes-mainstream-ish.html

* "“Horror Is Not a Celebration of Death, It Is a Celebration of Life”: Chuck Tingle Talks Camp Damascus:" https://www.tor.com/2023/07/11/horror-is-not-a-celebration-of-death-it-is-a-celebration-of-life-chuck-tingle-talks-camp-damascus/

* "Camp Damascus is a Hopeful Story of Queer Struggle and Survival:" https://gizmodo.com/camp-damascus-chuck-tingle-review-book-horror-queer-1850668427

* "The Foggy Dew - Sinéad O’Connor & The Chieftains, 1995:"

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* "Sinéad O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U:"

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* "Sinéad O'Connor - I Am Stretched on Your Grave:"

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* Sunday was a trip to the Lake with Millennials. No rich children stole my crutch this time. We had a really good swim, but the current was above average strong and at some point I was like, "Oh shit! There's the swim boouy! We are in the middle of the boat lanes. We swam back. It was fine. They put in an outdoor shower this year, which is a huge help. After we showered we ate finger foods and chatted.

I stopped by the bathrooms on the way to my car and OMG! It was one of those things where there was a perfectly logical explanation from the perspective of the three of us already in the bathroom, but like opening a door into chaos for the other two people involved.

This bathroom is tiny. Three stalls on your left. Across from that a big metal communal urinal. The sink and mirror give an excellent view of the door and also a small bench they jammed in against the door wall. It's almost 6:30PM on a crowded hot weekend. it's a couple hours before sunset, so the park is less crowded than when we arrived 4ish, but people are still arriving and the bathroom is Trashed. The little beach strip is more mud then sand and people have been tracking water and black mud/sand in there for about ten hours and there is tp paper mache all over the ground and the toilets desperately need cleaning.

So I step out of the stall, just as a person is heading to the nasty ass urinal trench thing. Another guy is climbing up on the bench to change, because he understandably doesn't want to be barefoot on that floor and then put on shoes to drive home. Bench guy is soon full on pooh bear over my right shoulder as i wash my hands, which takes a while because the water keeps auto shutting off, so I have to stop and restart every few seconds. Perfectly framed over my left shoulder is the door, which swings open.

It's two gentlemen, one of whom beelines for the urinal. The other freezes in horror and starts yelling, "Wrong bathroom! Wrong bathroom!" I have very long hair. I am wearing a mask because I'm in a small, poorly ventilated place. I have on a black tee and my trunks look like goth shorts. My sandals are of an ubiquitous style worn my any gender in my region in good weather. I'm very androgynous. I think it was my hair causing the initial panic, but his head turned to follow his friend's trajectory to the 2-3 person piss trench and he saw bench guy crouched pantsless behind me like a downhill skier doing the streak, as if he was possibly about to pounce on my back, and his cries of wrong bathroom got a lot more shrill. In my head I'm picturing the Guy in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas who walks in on hippies liking a guy's jacket. His oblivious friend is doing his business, the other guy is about to leave. I turn and head towards the poor panicky guy and am like: It's the right bathroom. I have long hair.

We have accidentally traumatized a guy who was clearly not ready for the PNW weird.

A couple millennials came back for dinner. Once we arrived, I realized just how fucked I was. I'd swum too long and my arms were DONE. Luckily, I'd dropped off New Millennial to get their car and a take 'n bake, so I could just lung and rest up. They ended up staying very late talking. I closed down the apartment for the night and went to bed.

I could have gotten up nineish, but I decided to read Camp Damascus in between pettins and supplemental sleep all day, which turned out to be a good call. I have this thing where I promise the Millennials that if they are ever stranded at one of the further bits of town they can call me and if I physically can, I will come get them. Bus service is even shittier out there and there's a severe lack of shelters to wait in. It was pouring down at a rate that was threatening to flood low lying areas. A Millennial was trapped at the back of beyond with a long drenching slog to the bus. Of course I went, but it turned into a a much longer trip than intended for reasons that were no one's fault. I got them home and reasonably dry though, and I'm not sorry.

It did eat and extra chunk of evening though, and I'm really chewed up from swimming. I am very glad I got the aggregate out Friday, because I'm not up to much posting this evening.

We plan to do lake swimming on Sundays all August, which will effect posting schedule.

* Minoan miss needs funds to get around for training: https://minoanmiss.dreamwidth.org/1232423.html#cutid1

* Secrecy in Dracula: https://www.tumblr.com/vickyvicarious/724040479037161472/your-meta-made-me-think-that-secrecy-sealing?source=share

* "A princess died in the Snow:" https://www.tumblr.com/seananmcguire/723388026724745216?source=share

* "Midnight Pals: Little Longfellow War:" https://www.tumblr.com/bitterkarella/723927370035265536/midnight-pals-little-longfellow-war?source=share

* "Midnight Pals: Long Longfellow War:" https://www.tumblr.com/bitterkarella/724022759803535360/midnight-pals-long-longfellow-war?source=share

* "Midnight Pals: Escape Antics:" https://www.tumblr.com/bitterkarella/724113850793869312/midnight-pals-escape-antics?source=share

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

The help links are at the bottom under the cut.

* Want to help queer folk in Russia?

Queer Svit - https://queersvit.taplink.ws/ Helping LGBTQ+ and BIPOC аffected by the war and political repressions
Center-T - https://centre-t.com/english Helping transgender people in Russia
КилькоТ-Действие - https://boosty.to/kilkota
Delo LGBT+ - https://www.delo.lgbt/ || https://boosty.to/delolgbt

* BPAL Charity Fundraiser "TRIUMPH IN MY SONG:" https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/product-category/activism/triumph-in-my-song/

* Support the WGA. "Entertainment Community Fund:" https://entertainmentcommunity.org/

* "DIY Box Fan Air Filter Directions:" https://aghealth.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk261/files/inline-files/DIY%20Air%20Purifier%20Directions_English.Spanish_0.pdf

* Useful state of trans links for making an arguement that we are real and nead human and civil rights: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/722268284819570688/you-are-a-great-source-of-news-and-information-and?source=share

* Fundraiser to help some friends of a friend survive: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-tara-candice-survive-unemployment

* Minoan miss needs funds to get around for training: https://minoanmiss.dreamwidth.org/1232423.html#cutid1

* Cool Blackwork Embroidery Patterns for Beginners: https://www.etsy.com/shop/thehaberdasheress/?etsrc=sdt

* If you would like to help support me and the Cats: paypal.me/Gwydion

( Links Underneath: )

* The aggregate went up late this week because of chaos detailed below. My body is still completely thrashed from the Friday uncleaning. I am doing my best, but only a tiny portion of news made it up.

* "Waterloo university stabbing was ‘targeted anti-LGBTQ+ attack’, police say as suspect charged:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/30/waterloo-university-stabbing-was-targeted-anti-lgbtq-attack-police-say-as-suspected-charged/

* "Bigots blame stabbing attack in a Canadian University’s Gender Issues class on trans people being too trans in public:" https://www.wehuntedthemammoth.com/2023/06/29/bigots-blame-stabbing-attack-in-a-canadian-universitys-gender-issues-class-on-trans-people-being-too-trans-in-public/

* "Russia conducts tactical fighter jet drills over Baltic Sea:" https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-conducts-tactical-fighter-jet-drills-over-baltic-sea-2023-06-27/

* "Putin tells rebellious Russian fighters to swear allegiance or leave for Belarus:" https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/26/putin-rebellion-troops-belarus-00103695

* "Some Russians welcomed Wagner mercenaries who appeared in their streets during brief insurrection:" https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/26/europe/russia-wagner-rostov-sympathy-ukraine-intl-cmd/index.html

* "Plot Thickens: Russian Generals Supported Wagner Mutiny but Backed Out – US Intelligence:" https://www.kyivpost.com/post/18817

* "Wagner’s Prigozhin Planned to Capture Russian Military Leaders:" https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/wagners-prigozhin-planned-to-capture-russian-military-leaders-805345cf

* "Putin Moves to Punish Prigozhin Allies:" https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/28/world/europe/putin-prigozhin-russia.html

* "Prigozhin May Be Gone, but Not the Failings He Ranted About:" https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/29/world/europe/prigozhin-shoigu-gerasimov-surovikin-russia-military.html

* "The poppycock of Myanmar drug suppression:" https://asiatimes.com/2023/06/the-poppycock-of-myanmar-drug-suppression/

* "SNP politicians accuse Tories of ‘rank hypocrisy’ for supporting devolution ‘where it suits them’:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/30/snp-hannah-bardell-gender-recognition-reform/

* "Politician who allegedly said all white men should have Black slave is suspended:" https://thegrio.com/2023/04/14/british-politician-andrew-edwards-white-men-black-slave/

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* "Ukraine spy chief accuses Russia of 'mining' cooling pond at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant:" https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-spy-chief-accuses-russia-mining-cooling-pond-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-plant-2023-06-20/

---

* This is a really helpful thing explaining why Biden's wanting bridges without weight restrictions is correct from a civil engineering perspective: https://www.tumblr.com/whovianuncle/721335205966823424/surely-this-is-a-good-idea-that-doesnt-have-the?source=share

* This win was essential for saving democracy and a huge relief. "Supreme Court denies state legislatures the unchecked power to set election rules:" https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/27/supreme-court-rejects-independent-state-legislature-theory-00103793

* "Hayes: Supreme Court has ruled against the right’s ‘slow-motion insurrection’:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/hayes-supreme-court-has-ruled-against-the-right-s-slow-motion-insurrection-185338437718

* "Ketanji Brown Jackson Dismantles SCOTUS Conservatives in Blistering Dissent:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/ketanji-brown-jackson-dismantles-scotus-conservatives-in-blistering-affirmative-action-dissent

* "US Supreme Court's two Black justices clash over affirmative action ruling:" https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-justices-jackson-thomas-illustrate-heated-us-debate-race-2023-06-29/

* "How Clarence Thomas ‘pulled the ladder up behind him’ on affirmative action:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/how-clarence-thomas-pulled-the-ladder-up-behind-him-on-affirmative-action-185974341842

* "Conservative justices welcome affirmative action—of legacy students:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/joy-conservative-justices-welcome-affirmative-action-of-legacy-students-185984069671

* "Battle for belonging: Steps toward racial progress in U.S. met with pushback: book:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/battle-for-belonging-steps-toward-racial-progress-in-u-s-met-with-pushback-book-185401925504

* "End of affirmative action checks another box on list of long term conservative projects:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/end-of-affirmative-action-checks-another-box-on-list-of-long-term-conservative-projects-186013253633

* "How the repercussions of affirmative action's end will reach far beyond college admissions:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/how-the-repercussions-of-affirmative-action-s-end-will-reach-far-beyond-college-admissions-186014277620

* "Supreme Court: Affirmative Action Is OK — If the Students Are Getting Sent to Die in Wars:" https://theintercept.com/2023/06/29/supreme-court-affirmative-action-military-academy/

* "Biden slams SCOTUS affirmative action decision: 'Discrimination still exists in America':" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-supreme-court-affirmative-action-decision-word/story?id=100491437

* "Why the Supreme Court decision on affirmative action matters:" https://www.npr.org/2023/06/29/1176715957/why-the-supreme-court-decision-on-affirmative-action-matters

* "Harvard 'legacy' policy challenged on heels of affirmative action ruling:" https://www.reuters.com/world/us/harvard-legacy-policy-challenged-heels-affirmative-action-ruling-2023-07-03/

* "Capitol Hill reacts to Supreme Court rulings:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/capitol-hill-reacts-to-supreme-court-rulings-186388549870

* "Naive emphasis on 'colorblindness' ignores racial reality in U.S.:" https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/watch/naive-emphasis-on-colorblindness-ignores-racial-reality-in-u-s-186697285583

* "Supreme Court rejects challenge to Jim Crow-era Mississippi voting law:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-rejects-challenge-jim-crow-era-mississippi-voting-law-rcna85633

* "Supreme Court strikes down Biden’s student debt relief plan:" https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/30/supreme-court-strikes-down-bidens-student-debt-relief-plan-00104409

* "The Student Loan Case’s Unwilling Participant:" https://prospect.org/justice/2023-06-19-student-loan-cancellation-supreme-court-mohela/

The Republicans sued to end student debt relief on MOHELA's behalf against their will and against their best interests since the state government didn't have standing for the suit, and Republicans Supreme Court justices found for the state anyway because that's how much they hate poor and middle class students having access to college and want to punish them with crushing life long debt for daring to try to get an education.

All precedent and the legal requirement that the people doing the suing have an injury and standing have been thrown out.

* "Elena Kagan Has Had Enough:" https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/01/opinion/elena-kagan-dissent-supreme-court.html

* "What is the Higher Education Act —and could it still lead to student loan forgiveness?:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-is-the-higher-education-act-and-could-it-still-lead-to-student-loan-forgiveness/

* "US Supreme Court says Colorado designer can refuse LGBTQ+ customers: ‘License to discriminate’:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/30/us-supreme-court-lgbtq/

* "The man named in the Supreme Court’s gay rights ruling says he didn’t request a wedding website:" https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-gay-rights-lgbtq-website-385ec911ce0ca2f415966078eddb66da

This doesn't say it invalidates all anti-discrimination laws in this country of any kind, but in effect, it does since there is no limit on who or why you can discriminate against in this ruling.

Bonus points for the woman they found in favour lying in her filings about nearly everything in them, basically. her business is hypothetical. The person she claimed asked for a website didn't and wasn't aware the case was happening or involved him until it was already in front of the Supreme Court, etc.

I don't understand how any of that is legal, but that's just how eager the Republican Partizans on the supreme court are to make all discrimination legal: They ruled in an entirely hypothetical lawsuit about a dispute that didn't exist based on perjured depositions and filings without even informing the other party they were in a lawsuit about a thing they didn't do.

* "Reactions to SCOTUS' major blow to LGBTQ rights:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/reactions-to-scotus-major-blow-to-lgbtq-rights-186388037861

* "Supreme Court rules for Christian mail carrier who refused to work Sundays:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-rules-christian-postal-worker-refused-work-sundays-rcna84868

My assumption is they will use this precedent to allow EMTs, Doctors, hospitals, and pharmacists to deny trans people life saving health care, a thing that is already happening, but not currently legal.

I absolutely think hijabs etc. should be covered under the first amendment and anti-discrimination laws. I do think if Christians get their holidays off so should the rest of us.

it’s different if you say up front you can’t work certain holidays, but for me this is of a piece with the recent SCOTUS decision striking down all anti-discrimination laws.

The web designer one allows people and businesses to discriminate against any one for any reason. They deliberately put no limits on that.

This decision contradicts that, by saying that in the case of Christians, that previous ruling doesn’t apply, since Christians can’t experience any sanctions at all for signing up for a job they then refuse to do.

Sure looks like “rules for thee, but not for me.”

I’d love to be wrong, but I'd rather not bet my life on it next time I have to go to the Christian hospital where they group pray every morning, which is the only one servicing my small city.

* "John Roberts' Supreme Court rolls back civil rights one marginalized group at a time:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/john-roberts-supreme-court-rolls-back-civil-rights-one-marginalized-group-at-a-time-186273349702

* "'Galling': Hayes on the 'imperial mindset' of the Supreme Court conservatives:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-galling-hayes-on-the-imperial-mindset-of-the-supreme-court-conservatives-186215493589

* "Pressley, Ocasio-Cortez call for changes to the Supreme Court:" https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/02/pressley-aoc-changes-supreme-court-00104537

* "Writers Strike Messaging War Reshapes Standoff With Studios:" https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/writers-strike-messaging-studios-1235523786/

* "Elizabeth Warren, Susan Collins Introduce Tax Bill to Help Married Same-Sex Couples:" https://www.advocate.com/law/elizabeth-warren-refund-equality-act


* Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? If you can't safely contact them in person, here are some other options:

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

Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resist.bot/

* The Indivisible Guide: "A Practical Guide to defeating MAGA:" https://indivisible.org/sites/default/files/2023-01/20220104_Indivisible_%20A%20Practical%20Guide%20to%20Defeating%20MAGA.pdf

* "America's Family Secret:" https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-slavery-lawmakers/

* "Once a Trump target, arc of the moral universe bends for Yusef Salaam:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/once-a-trump-target-arc-of-the-moral-universe-bends-for-yusef-salaam-185706565996

* "Candidate turns lessons of public, personal struggle into winning platform:" https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/watch/candidate-turns-lessons-of-public-personal-struggle-into-winning-platform-186699333718

* "RFK Jr. Claims ‘Vaccine Research’ Likely Responsible for HIV and the Spanish Flu:" https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/06/robert-f-kennedy-jr-does-vaccine-make-fork-stick-to-me.html

* "The MAGA right is going all in on RFK Jr. That could backfire.:" https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/robert-kennedy-republican-super-pac-biden-rcna91176

* "DeSantis’s latest appeal to MAGA tops Trump in performative cruelty:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/06/27/desantis-immigration-border-plan-trump-maga/

* "Pete Buttigieg slams Ron DeSantis for ‘trying to prove his manhood’ with anti-LGBTQ+ video:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/03/pete-buttigieg-ron-desantis-anti-lgbtq-video/

* "Lindsey Graham booed, called ‘traitor’ at Trump rally in his home state:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/lindsey-graham-booed-called-traitor-at-trump-rally-in-his-home-state-186648645849

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* "Court upholds sanctions for some − not all − lawyers for suit to overturn Mich. election:" https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/elections/2023/06/23/court-upholds-sanctions-for-only-some-kraken-attorneys/69493140007/

* "Rudy Giuliani interviewed in DOJ probe into 2020 election:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/report-rudy-giuliani-interviewed-in-doj-probe-into-2020-election-185342533732

* "Giuliani, at center of Trump election subversion schemes, spoke with federal prosecutors:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/giuliani-at-center-of-trump-election-subversion-schemes-spoke-with-federal-prosecutors-185703493978

* "WSJ: Giuliani testified for 8 hours in DOJ probe, questioned on Sidney Powell:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/wsj-giuliani-testified-for-8-hours-in-doj-probe-questioned-on-sidney-powell-186650693895

* "Stephanie Grisham: Trump showed secret documents to Mar-a-Lago diners :" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/stephanie-grisham-trump-showed-secret-documents-to-mar-a-lago-diners-186645573966

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* "Senate report blasts intelligence failures ahead of Jan 6; bias, 'chilling effect' noted:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/senate-report-blasts-intelligence-failures-ahead-of-jan-6-bias-chilling-effect-noted-185394757922

* "Man wanted on Jan. 6 charges arrested with weapons near Barack Obama’s Washington home:" https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-insurrection-obama-weapons-857bad453191c67480b020ec0d1f980a

* "Drag Doesn't Kill People — Guns Do:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/drag-queens-guns

* "Baltimore mass shooting leaves 2 dead; half of 28 injured were children:" https://www.reuters.com/world/us/baltimore-police-scene-mass-shooting-incident-media-2023-07-02/

* "In wake of deadly mass shooting in Baltimore, mayor decries ghost guns, trafficking:" https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/watch/in-wake-of-deadly-mass-shooting-in-baltimore-mayor-decries-ghost-guns-trafficking-186686021667

* "The Disturbing New Face of Mass Incarceration:"

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* "Shipping containers used for Arizona's makeshift border wall are now for sale, but buyer beware:" https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2023/06/30/arizonas-shipping-container-border-wall-boxes-are-now-for-sale/70361464007/

* "Thousands more prisoners across the US will get free college paid for by the government:" https://apnews.com/article/prison-pell-grant-college-graduation-ff3f0b80b5bc0e44dde0408c3dedea19

* "Judge awards a Black church $1M over BLM banner burned by Proud Boys during protest:" https://www.npr.org/2023/07/01/1185630152/judge-awards-a-black-church-1m-over-blm-banner-burned-by-proud-boys-during-prote

* "Georgia teacher faces termination after reading book about acceptance to class:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/georgia-teacher-faces-termination-after-reading-book-about-acceptance-to-class-185672261786

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* "Reproductive rights battle especially poignant in context of Black maternal health:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/reproductive-rights-battle-especially-poignant-in-context-of-black-maternal-health-184461893607

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* "Hundreds detained at banned Pride marches in Turkey: ‘They are aware of our strength’:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/27/turkey-pride-arrests-istanbul-izmir/

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* "Climate Central analysis shows that human-caused climate change is making the near-record heat forecast in large parts of Texas and Mexico at least 5 times more likely.:" https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-shift-index-alert

* "Forest fire centre declares 2023 already worst year ever for Canadian wildfires:" https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2023/06/26/quebec-wildfire-smoke-causes-widespread-smog-warnings-grounds-some-water-bombers.html

* "Canadian wildfire emissions hit record high as smoke reaches Europe:" https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/canadian-wildfire-emissions-reach-record-high-2023-2023-06-27/

* "Rainfall likely won’t be enough to extinguish Quebec wildfires causing US smoke, officials say:" https://apnews.com/article/canada-wildfires-smoke-quebec-rain-a0e287ea5117cccadb9e6917304635ea

* "Air quality plummets as Canadian wildfire smoke stretches across the Midwest :" https://www.npr.org/2023/06/28/1184812177/chicago-detroit-pittsburgh-canada-wildfire-smoke

* "DIY Box Fan Air Filte rDirections:" https://aghealth.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk261/files/inline-files/DIY%20Air%20Purifier%20Directions_English.Spanish_0.pdf

* "Brutal heat wave makes Texas among the hottest places on Earth:" https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/brutal-heat-wave-makes-texas-hottest-places-earth-rcna91584

* "Heat and smoke are smothering most of the U.S., putting lives at risk:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/06/28/extreme-heat-wave-texas-southern-states/

* Pro-Life Republicans act swiftly to cause more deaths because they believe people aren't dying fast enough. "Workers Die in Texas Heat as Greg Abbott's Water Break Ban Comes Under Fire:" https://www.newsweek.com/workers-die-texas-heat-greg-abbotts-water-break-ban-comes-under-fire-1808610

* "Critics Blast New Law After Dallas Postman Dies Amid Extreme Heat :" https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/dallas-usps-worker-dies-in-extreme-heat-critics-slam-hb-2127-16896591

* "35-year-old lineman dies after working to restore power in East Texas :" https://www.ketk.com/news/local-news/35-year-old-lineman-dies-after-working-to-restore-power-in-east-texas/

* "Teen and Stepfather Die on Hike in Near-Record Texas Heat:" https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/26/us/texas-heat-hiker-deaths.html

* "Inmates are dying in stifling Texas prisons, but the state seldom acknowledges heat as a cause of death:" https://www.kiiitv.com/article/news/local/texas/inmates-are-dying-in-stifling-texas-prisons/503-810c66fc-2bf2-4b7c-946f-c1cbac2ad58e

* What would Jesus do? Deny prisoners succor so that they die locked up in oven like conditions they can't escape. "Push to put air conditioning in Texas prisons fails:" https://www.corsicanadailysun.com/news/push-to-put-air-conditioning-in-texas-prisons-fails/article_257e94fe-0b00-11ee-a1ea-8bf9f4e3447f.html

* "Solar power proves its worth as heat wave grips the state:" https://www.texastribune.org/2023/06/28/texas-solar-power-grid-heat-wave/

* "Gov. Greg Abbott vows to exclude renewable energy from any revived economic incentive program:" https://www.texastribune.org/2023/03/01/chapter-313-texas-renewables-economic-development/

Solar Energy is saving Texas' butt right now and keeping their crappy proprietary grid afloat, but in March Republicans decided doubling down on the oil and gas industry while planning to make renewable energy harder to develop in order to make everything so much worse.

* "As Texans suffer in the heat, state Republicans play politics:" https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/as-texans-suffer-in-the-heat-state-republicans-play-politics-185722949628

* "Heat wave hits Southern California with a scorching Fourth of July weekend:" https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-06-30/heat-wave-southern-california-fourth-of-july-weekend

* "The Titan Submersible Was “an Accident Waiting to Happen”:" https://www.newyorker.com/news/a-reporter-at-large/the-titan-submersible-was-an-accident-waiting-to-happen

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* "It's Called Micro Metro:" https://www.youtube.com/shorts/O-ZiycBMULI

* "National Geographic magazine has laid off the last of its staff writers:" https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/28/media/national-geographic-magazine-staff-writers/index.html

* "We Cleaned Up The Ocean Floor At 40 Meters Depth:"

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* "How to Disable Ad ID Tracking on iOS and Android, and Why You Should Do It Now:" https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/05/how-disable-ad-id-tracking-ios-and-android-and-why-you-should-do-it-now

* "Google Says It'll Scrape Everything You Post Online for AI:" https://gizmodo.com/google-says-itll-scrape-everything-you-post-online-for-1850601486

* "A Four-Decade Secret: One Man’s Story of Sabotaging Carter’s Re-election:" https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/18/us/politics/jimmy-carter-october-surprise-iran-hostages.html

* He was incredibly talented. I loved him particularly in naked Lunch, Warlock and Impromptu, but he was in so many things. It's terrible he's gone, but at least the family have him back to mourn properly. In my experience, waiting is worse than knowing. "Julian Sands’ remains found in Mt. Baldy area, San Bernardino officials confirm:" https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-06-27/julian-sands-remains-found-mt-baldy-san-bernardino

* "Bonus 4: Queering the Gothic:" https://www.scribd.com/podcast/655892341/Bonus-4-Queering-the-Gothic-Stephen-interviews-Dr-Jamie-Bernthal-Hooker?irclickid=3kxxPHRpOzhvU%3A11aUXpLwX1UkF2jZSFRRYS3E0&irpid=2003851&utm_source=impact&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=affiliate_pdm_acquisition_Bing%20Rebates%20by%20Microsoft&sharedid=bing&irgwc=1

* "Good Omens Parody by The Hillywood Show®:"

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* Tuesday I went to the Doctor and had a blood draw. She's mostly caught up. Nothing can likely be done about the allergy treatments unless I want to day trip to Everett every two weeks starting in September, but i am so tired and the pain meds make me even more so. there is concern about no meds causing heart palpatations, but we are going to try a pill twice a day anyway, so i can get coverage in my sleep. Let us all hope I don't start hallucinating.

Given the hallucination risk I stayed at minimum for the Wednesday errands as the last thing I wanted was to start hallucinating while driving.

Some sort of blight has hit one of the garden tubs, but only one species of volunteer plant, which we removed in hopes it isn't in the soil and hasn't spread to the others. The other volunteers and the thing that actually is meant to be growing there look okay, but we are going to try to identify the species of ick, in case we need to sterilize and start over. I will be pissed if that's the case as it's one of the big whiskey barrel planters with the most expensive things in the garden in it. *fingers crossed*

Wednesday was the first day I woke up with bad collapsey legs since I started the new meds and on the scale of bad legs it was about medium. My arms we ironically less collapsey than average for the last week.

Bodies are weird.

* I think I need to tell you about the Cleaner, because OMG, but for that you will need context on my pain/meds situation.

So less pain does not remotely equal no pain. My hip joints were a mess Wednesday, and only a little better Thursday. My shoulder joints, and thus my arms, started to go bad Thursday. The fundamental things wrong with my body aren't fixable, but the new meds are doing a stellar job on what I think of as the secondary pain, IE: everything else not joint or tendon or in their immediate vicinity. It is far more effective than the muscle relaxants I've been using for decades at this since it's hitting the nerves and not just the muscles. It also adds to the tired. So much to the tired. Bonus: on the new dose, I get dizzy if I don't rest enough, and the heart palpitations hit longer and harder when they hit.

Dramatically better means for an extreme chronic pain/chronic illness perspective, not from a remotely healthy person's perspective, if you follow. I was into about a month of unbearable torment when we tried the one pill dosage. I'm still not sure my system can handle the two pills, and I plan to stick to this dose. They are supposed to last eight hours, but I get an extra four hours of partial coverage per pill, and like I said the side effects are scaling up on me.

So right now my balance sucks, I'm exhausted, and my shoulder joints scream at me if I try to do anything remotely strenuous with them, you follow?

So far I've had four different cleaners turn up, two of them twice. Three of those are hard and thorough workers. One of those will not wear her mask. I put up with it because I am wearing mine and turn on all the fans and I'm scared if I don't take her, no one will come. (see five skipped cleaning appointments in a row).

Cleaning is a hard fucking job and they are underpaid, get no benefits, no set hours, and have to pay their own travel costs including for the ferry if they are coming from the reservation and that is a lot of gas. I respect cleaners. I've done it, after all, amoung the many shit jobs I had over the years. I trust them to know what they are doing. This has been the case in three instances. Most of the conversation with those three cleaners has been things like: Where does this go? Where is (whatever) kept? What should i do next? I refuse to micro manage. In my experience, micro managing is dramatically less efficient and just insults the person doing the job. I know I hated it, when I was the person being micro-managed. This works great for Goth Millennial and for the other three cleaners on the other four occasions.

I'm sure you are sensing the big but here.

So the cleaner who came today, turned up the other time she was here high as a kite. I don't mean a little buzzed, which is fairly normal in this town and this state. Weed's been legal here for ages. People with shitty service jobs occasionally come to work a schootch high. It doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things if, say, your barista's a little buzzed. I don't partake myself for a host of reasons, but most of my friends since... I'm going to say 1985, have/do. A little high is no big deal.

Orbiting Pluto without a suit is. She was way out of it girl at a party who's friends have to watch her like a hawk high. She was barely coherent high. She drove here. O.o. She drove home. This terrifies me. after some consultation with my friends including them seeing the mess she made and me acting out vignettes, our best guess is she must have dramatically misjudged an edible. (It had to be vape or edible. I would have smelled smoke. Edible makes the most sense for both the degree of Jesus fuck high and the thinking she was fine when she left home, but waaaay not fine when she got here. Surely she would have cancelled otherwise, right?).

So basically instead of my working away at the aggregate or tumblr queue programming or whatever, it was a lot like baby sitting a toddler who would not shut up, only the toddler would make more sense and the mess would have likely been confined to things in a toddler's reach. I had to go around after she left and actually use the forbidden to me for safety reasons ladder to save a bunch of my cups and glasses from the accident I could see happening the second Squirrel opened a dish cupboard because he had jammed them in their so precariously that the door was the only thing preventing them falling. Goth Millennial came the next day and had to take everything out and restack it. I could live with the fitted sheet being inside out, so we left that for today.

I did not turn her in to the asshole agency because 1. worker solidarity. I never went to work on a substance, but I've worked so, so many shit jobs and the Asshole Agency is terrible. 2. I was pretty sure it was a mistake involving an edible. 3. I was big on giving people another chance when I was teaching. On fuck up shouldn't lat for ever unless that fuck up was malicious or really damaging to other people.

Well, fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice shame on me.

No, she was not noticeably high this time, though I couldn't rule a mild buzz out. She also had a shamefaced and subdued demeanor that clearly told me she knew how badly she'd fucked up last time. She said she'd signed up for me on purpose instead of her other option because I was really nice to her and my apartment was full of interesting things to look at while she cleaned. My apartment is full of interesting things to look at and I suspect she liked me because I was consistently kind to her when she was a mess last time and hadn’t turned her in. She really is sweet and nice and she is clearly trying her best but not remotely the sharpest tool in the shed. Which can be fine. I've known a lot of good workers over the years with significant developmental or accident related challenges and they did fine. She wasn't in that category, but I realized she'd need extra supervision compared to the others. I underestimated how much.

She did walk right up to Tavy and start petting him right away like last time which again confused and alarmed him. Sure, Squirrel and I and a couple of the Millennials can do that because we are his particular friends, but he barely knows her and and she would NOT stop doing that last time no matter how many times I told her he was a biter and apt to maul when he was worked up. I was so proud of him because he did not attack her the first three times, and honestly the forth time, I would have bitten her too in his place.

Tavy was noticeably wary of her. He did want to watch what she was doing, but he remembered her. (By contrast, the other cleaners he'd watch from a distance for a while, and then follow around and in a couple cases, get me to pick him up so he could get a better look. He really took to the GNC person who came once, and kept sniffing their legs). He did let her pet him without biting her, and she was together enough to stop when I told her he was down, and leave him alone for the rest of the two hours when I said he was in a mood to hang out and watch but not interact.

I got her through the linen change okay and last time she was so high she forgot we had a dishwasher after she'd emptied it and it took her most of her shift except the linen change, but the dishes looked and smelled clean, so I set her to that and did not remotely supervise her enough. This I did not discover until evening, but we'll get to that.

Then I set her to sweep and mop, which... Like I've worked a lot of restaurant jobs, often with people in a supported worker with severe intellectual challenges. I've never seen one who'd been doing it for years who couldn't do it correctly. She said she'd been doing this for several years.

Assuming makes an ass out of me, doesn't it?

Oh gods the mess she made! I should have known it was too hard for her when she started prepping for mopping before sweeping. So I told her to sweep first, which she did. I told her to dump the water in the sink, not the tub, which turned out to be very, very lucky. (The tub is the most expensive thing I own. A city program that remodels for elderly and disabled people paid for it. I will never be able to afford to fix or replace it. There are super strict cleaning directions for a reason, because the mechanism is delicate.) I told her to use the liquid all purpose cleaner under the sink. I should have got it out and prepped the bucket myself, but bending hurts and I was exhausted and dizzy and my arm situation was deteriorating. I should have done it anyway, because this is So. Much. Worse.

She used a ton of water. Like way, way to much water in a way that suggested she did not wring the mop and/or she was dumping puddles out of the bucket. It was a terrifying fall risk situation because this was the end of her shift and I really really needed to get ready for bed as soon as she left and forage delivery was late so I had to go drag it in, just as I'd given up and settled into bed. So I'm dizzy with unreliable legs, using both hands and going careful back and forth over this swamp of a floor with a weird gritty, soapy texture. Which is... not what you want in a cleaner for elderly and disabled people. I could fall and end up in the hospital under those conditions. And it;'s not like I could want a couple hours for it to dry. There was no point in washing my feet in the bathroom, so I kept using wipes on them before getting into bed.

Then I woke up to pee and realized just how bad it really was. *head desk* My best guess is she used Ajax, which is stored under a bookshelf in the bathroom, not under the sink. Like a TON of Ajax. The kitchen sink and nearby counter was caked with it and the floor was tacky and gritty and full of muddy footprints. I couldn't leave it like that. I cleaned the sink. I took the other mop with the disability friendly easy to wring it out attachment which had been to complicated for her head and wet mopped it all again, frequently rinsing and wringing it out, until my arms basically gave out and I had to wash up and take a nap.

It's still incredibly dirty. I feel like crying, because I can't feel clean unless my feet are. I've been skating around on damp towels, but though my hip joints are a lot better this evening, I wear out fast and it hurts quite a bit if I do it too much. I hate leaving a terrible mess like this for the millennial, but I simply can't mop any more with these arms. I'd have been so much better off giving her something else to do, but I couldn't think of anything else simple enough for her, and I know from last time she will not leave early no matter how much I tell her she can just clock out at the end of the hour.

At this point I was debating what to do. I had settled on calling Monday and asking them to put her on my no list without giving a reason, because I simply can't go through this again. It's too hard on my body and it's incredibly could seriously injure me dangerous.

Then I went to feed the Empress Livia and discovered something worse.

I'm medically fragile. Amoung so many other things, I have an immune system that is far more interested in own goals than fighting pathogens. I can and will catch anything you expose me too. Anything. I also have a dicey digestive system. Anything I use to prepare food or eat or drink needs to be really fucking clean. We prewash for grease and stuck on food then run them through the washer to make sure the soap and anything else is off. yes, I know this is bad for the environment as it uses extra water, but it’s a serious safety issue for me.

I was very, very clear on directions because I remembered last time. “Wash the dishes and then put the in the dishwasher. The dishes in there are dirty, so don’t put them away. I will run the washer after you leave.” Did she do that? No. Were the dishes cleaned and dried, which would be reasonably acceptable as an alternative? No. They were jammed in with the clean dishes, soaking wet and covered in soap bubbles six or seven hours after she left. We'll have to go through all the pans tomorrow. I pulled the pans and dishes I remembered were in the sink yesterday. I have no way of guessing with the glasses and flatware and I don't know which things Squirrel put in there.

I am exhausted and I hurt and I've been pushed way past the limit of what my body can handle in a day and I can't trust my dishes or the glass I'm drinking out of and I can't get the dirty Ajax grit off my feet. I'm going to go take a bath, but my feet will be dirty again the second I touch the floor.

She's another poor person. I feel like a class traitor just putting her on my no list, but she could theoretically kill an elderly person with her mopping, and I can't decide if I should say something, because anything I do will be a terrible option.

This person literally uncleaned my apartment. I just....

Look, I know it’s a free service, but this is so very much worse than when they don’t send anyone.

* Squirrel was horified because he works with elderly people and he knows better than anyone that falls kill. He insisted I call right away about her. Squirrel: Even I know not to use Ajax on floors!

It turns out they take calls on the weekends. I admit i broke down a bit. My arm was screaming at me and we are looking at weeks of cleaning to get all the Ajax up. It turns out they literally don't fire people for any reason so ethically I feel a lot better about calling, but at the same time she could literally kill an elderly person and also they could send someone even more dangerous because there is no check on that. O.o. so she's blocked on the app from seeing my jobs. I ordered an extra cleaner, but I don't really think they'll send one. IDK.

I spent hours last night trying to fix it last night. Goth millenial spent hours on it today. It still is incredibly dirty. I'm scared the cats are eating the Ajax dirt that clings to their paws. Tavy is really traumatized and wouldn't even let Goth millenial pet him today and he mostly avoided the other millenials who were here breifly. he keeps needing reassurance cuddles and held blerpfest last night in the living room. I don't blame them.

At lets cancelling five times in a row wasn't actively destrucxtive. This was. It was so very very destructive.

It is freaking me out that shge's out there driveing, that she's likely endangering other people and their pets with the uncleaning.

Bonus: She waited long enough to clock out after i told her to clock out that her five minute delay stoole a half hour of cleaning from me.

* Sunday I took some of the Millennials for swimming/picnic at the Lake for the first time this season. I got to watch New Millennial fall in love with the PNW landscape exactly the way I did more than thirty years ago.

You can really tell which of us grew up with cold Northern Ocean. Me: wading steadily deeper and deeper once I'm far enough in to keep my balance by my self on the rocks and the bottom gets a little smoother, then slowly swimming out a little deeper in search of the warmer tide. (It's a run off fed lake, and the mixing of the cold inflow with the water that's been in the lowlands long enough, makes these weird little temperature striations you can very much feel even after you cold adapt). Everybody Else: Wading crotch deep and thinking for a while about whether they want to swim after all, then going way slower and stopping a lot to rethink.

I love my Millennials. The other two each had one of the newest Millennial's arms to help them over the rocks because the rocks suck and I'd forgotten to warn them. Me, urging them on: Keep coming! I found the warm current! New Millennial: Looking concerned this might be hazing, followed by the moment of delight and surprise on finding I was not. Look, it's only like ten or fifteen degrees on a good day, but it does make a difference and the activity of swimming or treading water and the adaptation once you go up to your neck and then duck your head, all add up. You just need to get into a sweet spot.

I discovered on the way back that my fucked up arms really, really don;t want to do backstroke. I managed a lopsided curve towards shore until I was far enough in to pull along the rocks with my hands and kick. So Goth Millennial is hanging close on the way to the shallows, because I can't really get out safely by myself and need help getting up onto my feet and staying there until I'm reasonably sure they are working, at which point either Goth Millennial (or Techie Millennial, who couldn't come), would grab my crutch so I could use it and their arm to get out onto the "beach."

My crutch was not where I left it. My crutch was not anywhere nearby where someone might have moved it if it were in the way of say launching a jet ski from the wrong stretch of "beach" instead of the boat and jet ski launch area. I mention jet skis as their were two anchored in the swimming area where they were not meant to be we we arrived, one of which way out past the swim buoys where it was meant to be, and the other parked on the "beach" where it emphatically should not be, surrounded by mostly kids, obscuring view of the corner where the "beach hits the cit off with the higher land and grass. But I hadn't gone near that, and I needed the crutch to get out to look to see if the crutch was there.

I am still angry about that fad a decade or so ago when asshole able bodied art students would steal poor people's wheelchairs for shitty "art projects" and then brag about it on line as if stealing an expensive thing someone couldn't afford to replace and stranding them somewhere like a park or a bathroom or an inaccessible public building was something virtuous and clever instead of an incredibly cruel things to do to someone, as if their crap project was worth more than someone else's independence. My crutch is basically one of my legs. Someone's wheels are their legs.

Every time I go into the water anywhere, I know there is a chance someone will steal my crutch. This is the PNW, and I think someone leaving a mobility aid next to the water makes sense to the ableds, whereas someone leaving a wheelchair on the pavement in a park doesn't for some asshole shitty lack of empathy and imagination neurotypical reason, I guess.

So I'm starting to get really upset and Goth Millennial is really worried and we are having a loud conversation along the lines of Me: shit! I can you see my crutch anywhere? I left it right there. I think someone may have stolen !it! Millennial standing up and going to look across the bad rock stretch craning their head around to see if some asshole maybe put it on the grassy bit above the cut: I can't see it! It's not there!" Middle School age, glaring resentfully at one of the younger kids, stomps around to the other side of the illegal parked jet ski, where we had zero chance of seeing it, retrieves it and hands it to me. Me: you're very kind! Thank you! Goth Millennial hoists me to my feet while I use their arm and the crutch to just barely get my balance. This is a complicated and painful procedure, returning to gravity after freedom, and I need to stand their awhile like two or three feet away from Asshole Jet Ski Extended family. These kids just stare at me the whole time we are doing this. It is very, very obvious that my normally invisible disability is very, very real. Grumpy teen in charge to a younger kid: You better go apologize. No one apologizes. They keep staring at us hobble slowly and carefully up the shallow stairs. After I went to pee and wash lake water off my hands before eating, I went to set my crutch down by my chair and all this water poured out of it. I'd left it on dry land.

Asshole Family who was too privileged to use the boat and jet ski launch who thus had to drive their jet skis through the swim area had stolen my fucking crutch to play with in the water and the missing adults and the grumpy teen in charge had let them, and then they hid it behind their angled jet ski so no one could see it afterwards. They could have lost it in the lake. They could have kept it.

We found out when our friends came out of the water that they’d also stolen and hid our blind friend's flip flops, which they grudgingly had returned when it was clear they were hers.

Rich people are the worst.

So we go get dinner stuff at the grocery store and drop a Millennial off and I'm in my kitchen searching for my reusable straws, of which I own four. I have one I was using for lemonade which I put in the refrigerator last night. I had assumed the other three were in the wash or something up until now, but I searched the dishwasher and they weren't there. All the flatware are in the dishwasher except the chopsticks and some specialty use items, since we didn't know which the Asshole Cleaner hadn't cleaned properly before putting back. we’d emptied the trays. I search there and around there anyway. There are no reusable straws in the kitchen except the one I was drinking out of Friday when Asshole Stoner Cleaner was uncleaning the apartment.

The time she was here high as a kite she kept wiggling them and shouting "Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle!" She was obsessed with them. They were a gift from Goth Millennial. I don't think they were that expensive, but they were cute and had a nice texture and are earth friendly. (Some people can't use reuseable straws for a bunch of reasons and we have emergency plastic straws here. This is not any sort of judgement on people who use single use. Let's ban fishing industry plastics which are most of the ocean plastic pollution before going after disabled people's straws, okay?)

I think the only reason she didn't steal the forth straw was it was right next to me so I could poke it up under the mask for brief sips. I'd left it and the cup in the fridge because I don't like to put them to wash until I see a new clean straw I can use in situations like this or when my arms are bad, and it's easier and safer to hold the cup low, or sometimes just because. They are reusable! It hurts nothing. I wanted a straw because my body wasn't working and I wanted to drink the juice I'd bought for dinner while lying down and waiting for things to stop hurting so much.

There is zero chance the other three are still here.

I had checked my bedroom right after she left for small, easily stealable things missing from the bookshelf where I put curios right after she left because the comment about my interesting things felt like something a person might say anyway, but also a things someone who might pocket once would say and I was already upset and wary of her because of everything. There are things it would be hard to check, like my BPAL Collection, but odds are she wouldn't steal those. She'd have had to climb on the bed and go through the little boxes and she was only unsupervised in there for a few minutes with the sweep and mop. I will need to see if she stole the bottle where I keep a few tramadol in case I wake up unable to get out of bet or occasionally, even roll over without an hour or more of slow, excruciating effort. While they clean, I'm sitting at my desk right next to the bottled meds collection that mostly feed assorted pill organizers, and the shelf above where the things I need to grab quick in an emergency are not surprisingly untouched. If anything had been stolen when I got up to go to the bathroom the parent tramadol bottle would be easiest to raid and the only really attractive thing to steal except throat pearls, and you'd have to know what they were and they are not recreational, just a little expensive and perscription. The altar and display shelf over the sofa seems fine, and she definitely didn't go in grabbing distance anyway.

When I went into the bathroom to bathe the lake water away, I noticed some small things missing. One of them I'd assumed was in the wash, but I have done a bunch of laundry over the weekend since the Ajax tainted clothes get washed separately and I don't want the dye to be leached by cleanser by letting them sit unwashed, and we have to wash the mop head by itself between uses to get all the ajax out. It's not in the wash. It's gone, a small, very useful thing. Nothing expensive is missing that I've noticed yet, but I haven't properly inventoried all the otc things and the prescription ointments and such, but I'm guessing those wouldn't be attractive. I doubt she'd steal books. She didn't strike me as a reader, but when I am in less pain and less exhausted, I'll inventory them better.

Asshole. Fucking asshole.

I know it could have been worse. Every little curio and most of the art except some things in the bathroom that are there because of the risk of steam or water damage have a story. They were given to me by friends or lovers or made by me when my hands still worked right or purchased at particular events or on particular occasions. These are memories and irreplaceable regardless because they are mostly hand made or limited edition from conventions.

We don't have money for replacing straws right now. They haven't paid Goth Millennial for a month and a half, not even for the supposedly paid training sessions. I owe money to the Honest Mechanic for the third time in three months and am about to burn two thirds of my bill money tomorrow on that, because you never ever fuck over a small business, just like you never ever fuck over another poor person. (I don’t steal, but I think ethically, stealing from a big chain to feed your kids is okay, and very much better than letting you kids starve, especially given the wage theft and lobbying against the social safety net and minimum wage those chains do. They steal from the poor, particularly their workers and if they hadn’t paid politicians to do things that prevent people from having enough to eat, then which is the bigger evil? Mom and pops? Family Businesses? Little micro businesses and artists and what have you? Never, ever okay. Small businesses are the life blood of a community online and RL, and letting me defer payment is a major fucking favor, so they are next after housing, whatever happens to my other bills. The other few things I spotted are replaceable if we had money for it.

I am so fucking angry anyway. I already felt my home was desecrated by her uncleaning it and distressing Tavy and the all over fuckery of it, but this small thing, this thing that wouldn't matter if I were a little better off or they weren't a gift, but feel like a big thing when added to all the rest.

It takes a lot to make me hate someone. We are not there yet, but if I do find something important I overlooked gone, I will, much like I still hate the ex-friend from first college who took three important things with sentimental value that were/are irreplaceable when he dropped out. This is how he became an ex-friend. He knew that the plaque was the last thing the artist my first freshman lover bought it from made and that it had a bunch of layered meanings in what was written on it. The things he stole from me and another friend were like that. Very personal and chosen with surgical precision to cause the most distress. (He did other, worse things, then made sure everyone thought, I’d done them and I was a monster. none of this we found out until he’d gone and we none of us could figure out why. Okay, the terrible things he needed someone to frame, but the rest... Sociopathy was the best guess for all of it really. Last I checked he was still working with children and there was fuck all provable we can do about it, but he really, really shouldn’t have been working with children). These things the Uncleaner stole were small, replaceable things, not something where there is no other one even if memories weren’t attached.

All the things missing I've looked for off and on since the time she was here high, under the belief they were misplaced or in the wash. I wouldn't be surprised if that's when she took them and that's part of why she was so embarrassed the second time, but if she were really embarrassed she could have brought them back then and I'd never have known. Like, she could have tossed them into one washer or the other, or tucked them around the sink, and I'd have just thought that was where they were.

I know the Asshole Agency will do fuck all, but I'm going to call them anyway. Goth Millennial said before we knew about the theft that she was the one who was a class traitor, because you don't do shit like this to another poor person. I have no idea when my apartment will actually be clean again. I'm doubting that an extra two hours this week even if someone turns up will do it.

We are still baffled by the thought process.

If she'd put the dishes into the dishwasher like I'd asked, it would have been fine and not tons of extra time and work cleaning everything. I still need to sit on the kitchen floor in the Ajax to go through all the pots and pans in case the extra cleaner does come. If she'd rinsed and dried them before putting them away, it would have been not ideal, but likely fine. She did neither for no reason we can understand. Putting them away wet and soapy was actually more work than racking them in the dishwasher like I asked.

Not only was the bottle of liquid all purpose cleaner right in front when I opened the cabinet under the sink to hand it to Goth Millennial Saturday when they decided wet mopping wouldn't be enough, there was a literal second full bottle behind it because I hate running out of things so I tend to buy two at once if I have enough cash for it and the trip to get the one I like that is effective but doesn't make bad smells is annoying if I don't want a big mark up. It was right there. couldn't have missed it if she'd opened the compartment. To get at the Ajax I use only for the toilet, she had to go past the dish soap for the sink and tub and the shampoo and conditioner I bought before the engine light went on last month. She could have used the dish soap and it would have been not ideal, but fine except for all the extra water. A wet mop after she left would have solved it. She had to go on her hands and knees and move things to get the Ajax. Following directions was Easier. Asking me to get it if she somehow couldn't recognize it as a bottle of liquid cleaner was easier. Getting about a third to a half of a big cylinder of Ajax out of those small holes was definitely harder than doing it properly.

WTF!?!

I get that stealing small stuff you don't need is actually a symptom of mental illness that requires therapy she likely can't afford, and given how high she was she really had no observable impulse control I could see, hence her repeatedly stopping work to pet a cat I'd warned her not to, and the 'wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, and all the many other things. This is the only explicable part of it. Like I get it. If that's all she'd done I would have been mildly miffed and reported and blocked her because I don't like people stealing my stuff and she might take something from someone else they couldn't eventually replace, but I wouldn't be this kind of furious. A compulsion to steal and/or walking away with something because one is borderline incoherent high and then going oops later are pretty easy to understand motivation wise.

Doing all this extra work to do so much damage to someone you barely know makes zero sense. I was nice to her! I sent her home with a big bag of food each time! We none of us think this was malice. It can't be laziness as this took so much extra work than not doing damage would. so seriously WTF, with the dishes and the Ajax? This question haunts us all.

UPDate: Asshole Agency now says they will file a ticket and investigate. I trust nothing they say, as they've lied to me before, most recently Saturday, when they claimed there was nothing to be done except blocking her from coming here. Today's guy says they weren't supposed to blow be off like that and their is a system. There is no way to tell which of them is lying. I hope the ticket system is not fictional like half of their cancellation calls and I hope there is an investigation system that is not made of bullshit and rubber stamps. That would be nice.

It really does scare me should could accidentally kill someone or their pets and it worries me she's out their in the homes of vulnerable elderly people who may not have a support system to handle the devastation. I'm still having trouble turning my head and lifting a full glass of liquid with my dominant arm above my shoulder. I don't know what long term health effects the Ajax will have on the cats. Livia's on a special diet for her urinary system. I did not fall and I could hide in my bed until all the water dried. The stuff she stole was small and that big a deal. I have Goth Millennial and to a lesser extent the others to help me clean up, but this is exhausting them. None of them have to do that and I appreciate that so much.

If I were older though? I could have broken a hip or had a serious head injury with no one to help.

It still freaks me out she was driving like that the previous time.

I've done a whole lot of shit jobs out of poverty. I have never harmed someone like she harmed me. I never would. I hate that I am harming her now, by reporting, but I had to try to protect whoever next after me. I hate the Asshole Agency. I hate them for the terrible way they treat the cleaners and whole fucking gig economy, and the predatory capitalism that makes this the business model now, and the shiftiness of it all. I wonder how many people before me tried to report her and how many gave up trying to get the asshole agency to care and just blocked her. Did she trash anyone's home before mine?

This was supposed to be extra help, but this is so much harm, so much extra pain, so much extra stress. Medicare pays them money to send untrained, unvetted people into the homes of vulnerable adults run by an agency who's first recourse is to lie to you if you complain about anything, and only calls you half the time to tell you the cleaner cancelled.

I am tired of being upset about all this. It will hard to be not upset about it until my apartment is clean and smells normal again. The chemicals give me a headache, which does not help either.

* On Monday night the extra cleaner I ordered for Tuesday called. They generally do this to check in. i tell them where to park and to call on arrival so I can pop out and wave them in and that they should wear a mask and headphones atre fine if they want to wear them. I began to hope a cleaner really would turn up despite the holiday.

An hour before the scheduled time of arrival, the Asshole Agency called, because they couldn't reach the cleaner. Me: she called last night. Everything seemed fine. Them: do you know how to reach her? Me: No. O.o

She was a couple minutes late, having taken the wrong entrance to my apartment complex, which happens a lot. It was fine. I explained the situation with dishes and floors. she did all the dishes and followed directions. She actually solved the floors with time to spare. O.o. i'll feel better with an extra mopping in the bathroom, but the Ajax spell is gone and she even got the caked crust around the edges in the bathroom. Then she took out the trash and organized the pots and pans, which have been a mess since the silverware drawer broke.

She was respectful of Tavy's space, which was a huge help, since the Uncleaner traimatized him to the point he's having his nightmares again. Livia hid of course, sensible girl.

Goth Millenial wanted to come hang out, so I went and got them. We had a nice dinner and watched Dark Winds. This is a rewatch for me, but they'd only seen the first episode. It's both worth a rewatch and the new season starts soon, so the timing is excellent. Tavy was so worn out from supervising the cleaner from afar, he slept through the visit.

After Lung Time Livia came out of hiding for a love and a snack, just in time for them all to be panicked by fireworks in the parking lot. They both Noped odff to their hides for hours. Livia only came out a couple hours later. She got a love and a snack, and then the fireworks started again, luckily not nearly as loud, so at least Tavy was okay.

The imperial couple decree no more fireworks ever, please.

The Ajax took the shiny protective layer off the flooring, which makes me sad, but I suspected this would be the case when I realized what she'd done to me.

Otherwise, things are normalish here at the cat asylum. It was almost midnight as I wrote this and the wind from Alaska is finally blowing the smell of Canada burning out of our little valley by the bay.

I would like to thank the donor who paid for the latest car repair and to anyone who chipped in in the last slightly over a year and a half when the catastrophic string of things falling apart including two appliances, an apartment electrical system, my teeth, A fire alarm, a tire, and.... Was it five car repairs on my aged and slowly failing vehicle?

I would like to thank you all for the kind words and support you all give me. I notice and it does matter.

* A thing I wrote for Tumblr on the evening of the 4th:

I have a lot of new followers who joined in the last year. You may have noticed that my 4th of July programming is not what one might expect from an American. It is deliberate. I think it is more valuable to see the country for what it is, what’s best and most important about it and fight for what it could be than to bellow self congratulatory platitudes wrapped in a flag.

The fight has gotten so much harder in the last 7 or so years, but it always was hard. Those of us who could never afford the rose colored glasses need to stick together, to have each other’s backs. To those who see the rising tide of fascism and are joining the cause and for those young enough that this is all pretty new, welcome.

We really do need to hang together or we really will hang separately. I said back in 2016 this was going to be a marathon and not a sprint and we have so very many miles to go. There is still time to save what is good about this country, and to build something new and better on part of the foundation that is still good. We can do it if we stick together and leave no one behind this time. We can do it if we don’t let them split us and get us all scrambling for the crumbs instead of insisting on pie for everyone.

This isn’t over. Not quite yet, though it might feel like it may be for some of us. Let us not go softly into that good night. Let us rage together at the dying of the light.

* "Midnight Pals: Jewish Noir:" https://www.tumblr.com/bitterkarella/721215690590339072/midnight-pals-jewish-noir?source=share

* "Midnight Pals: A Fable:" https://www.tumblr.com/bitterkarella/721521022058233856/midnight-pals-a-fable?source=share

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

The help links are at the bottom under the cut.

* BPAL Charity Fundraiser "TRIUMPH IN MY SONG:" https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/product-category/activism/triumph-in-my-song/

* Support the WGA. "Entertainment Community Fund:" https://entertainmentcommunity.org/

* "DIY Box Fan Air Filter Directions:" https://aghealth.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk261/files/inline-files/DIY%20Air%20Purifier%20Directions_English.Spanish_0.pdf

* My oldest continuous friend is trying to raise money to buy games for a Cat Rescue fundraiser. This cat rescue is no kill and places most cats in foster homes until they can be adopted. They are good people there and it's a huge number of cats many needing basic or more serious healthcare.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/318lgf6fa0?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p_cf%20share-flow-1&fbclid=IwAR1smSQTz7deMSVUBsEg30AdhQ-zeAEHGXOcHXqVUILTlF2MqnIIW49SDVU

* Cool Blackwork Embroidery Patterns for Beginners: https://www.etsy.com/shop/thehaberdasheress/?etsrc=sdt

* If you would like to help support me and the Cats: paypal.me/Gwydion

( Links Underneath: )

* "Gay Ex-Adult Film Star Antonio Moreno Elected Mayor of Small Town :" https://www.advocate.com/politics/antonio-moreno-mayor-elect

* "Russian opposition leader Navalny urges anti-Kremlin campaign as his new trial begins:" https://apnews.com/article/russia-navalny-trial-c1c5cb7936e2c4eebcb76c1289aadfd6

* "Russia bars media from new "extremism" case against Navalny:" https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russias-navalny-court-face-extremism-charges-2023-06-19/

* "A failed plot to assassinate a C.I.A. spy in 2020 in part led to expulsions of the agency’s chief in Moscow and his Russian counterpart in Washington.:" https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/19/us/politics/russia-spy-assassination.html

* "Book shows Putin broke unwritten rule with plot to kill defector on U.S. soil:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/book-shows-putin-broke-unwritten-rule-with-plot-to-kill-defector-on-u-s-soil-nyt-183393349660

---

* "Russian mercenary boss accuses top brass of Ukraine battlefield cover-up:" https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-mercenary-boss-accuses-top-brass-ukraine-battlefield-cover-up-2023-06-22/

* Let's hope the people of the Crimea aren't left behind at the end of this. "Ukraine hits bridge linking Crimea to mainland in blow to Russian supply route:" https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-hits-bridge-linking-crimea-mainland-blow-russian-supply-route-2023-06-22/

* "Russia steps up aerial strikes on Ukraine, killing at least 6 amid Kyiv counteroffensive:" https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-odesa-f31bf4e312800e08803cc0190e28823a

---

* "Biden Rolls Out New LGBTQ+ Resources on Day of Historic White House Pride Celebration:" https://www.advocate.com/gay-pride-parade/biden-historic-pride-month-celebration

* "Biden Blasts ‘Prejudiced’ Lawmakers for Targeting LGBTQ+ Rights:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/joe-biden-gop-lawmakers-prejudiced

* "White House Pride Flag Display Enrages Right-Wingers:" https://www.advocate.com/gay-pride-parade/gop-pride-flag-violation

* "Fox News Says White House Flew ‘Pedophile,’ ‘Groomer’ Pride Flag:" https://www.advocate.com/media/outrageous-fox-news-pedophile-pride

* "Kamala Harris: Our One-on-One With the Vice President:" https://www.advocate.com/exclusives/exclusive-vice-president-kamala-harris

* "Justice Samuel Alito Took Luxury Fishing Vacation With GOP Billionaire Who Later Had Cases Before the Court :" https://www.propublica.org/article/samuel-alito-luxury-fishing-trip-paul-singer-scotus-supreme-court

* "Alito didn’t recuse himself from case involving billionaire fishing friend:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/propublica-alito-didn-t-recuse-himself-from-case-involving-billionaire-fishing-friend-183940165990

* "As Texas swelters, local rules requiring water breaks for construction workers will soon be nullified:" https://www.texastribune.org/2023/06/16/texas-heat-wave-water-break-construction-workers/

* "If Writers Lose the Standoff With Studios, It Hurts All Filmmakers:" https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/film-editor-view-writers-strike-1235511140/

* "VOCATIONAL AWE AND LIBRARIANSHIP: THE LIES WE TELL OURSELVES:" https://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2018/vocational-awe/

* "House GOP vows to continue Biden probes despite Hunter’s ‘sweetheart’ deal :" https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/20/house-republicans-hunter-biden-00102666

5 years of intensive partizan investigation and all they found were two minor tax misdemeanors that he already paid back, a fraction of what Roger stone owes and refuses to pay, and an addict in possession of a gun charge that they usually only pursue when there is other more serious crime involvement, that they are very likely only pursuing because he's the relative of a public figure.

Republicans are lying that this is a sweet heart deal. It's slightly more harsh than the average citizen. Meanwhile they are lying that Drumpf is somehow being persecuted unfairly for being investigated for a bunch of geometrically worse crimes related to various attempts to overthrow the US government where he either was caught on tape of publicly admitted them or where there is a mountain of evidence and where he doesn't get hand cuffed or mug shots or have to spend time in jail pending arraignment, and where the FBI and DOJ foot dragged and refused to even consider investigating for over a year, because those institutions don't believe that there should be equal treatment under the law for Drumpf. The Republicans agree with him that he should be allowed to shoot people in broad daylight with no consequences so even the most deferential treatment and mild consequences are unfair.

Yes, Hunter Biden made some bad decisions, mostly around his addiction, but this is penny ante stuff. He didn't kill anybody, or take bribes while in public office, or steal classified documents to compromise national security, or repeatedly try to overthrow the government. The disparity in the way Drumf is being treated vs any normal person doing similar things is massive, but Republicans are pretending that the scandal is that Hunter Biden is only getting slightly harsher than average treatment for the minor stuff he did and not being changed with the imaginary crimes they want him to have committed, and not Drumpf getting all these extra privileges.

* "‘Sheer sadism’: Hayes on the right’s fixation with Hunter Biden:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-sheer-sadism-hayes-on-the-right-s-fixation-with-hunter-biden-183607877536

* "House GOP ponders action against DOJ in defense of Trump :" https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4054435-house-gop-doj-defense-trump/

* "Adam Schiff Gets John Durham to Admit Russia Helped Trump:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/adam-schiff-gets-john-durham-to-admit-russia-helped-trump

* "Rep. Ted Lieu pulls no punches during Durham report committee hearing:" https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/6/21/2176745/-Rep-Ted-Lieu-pulls-no-punches-during-Durham-report-committee-hearing

* "Lieu blasts ‘dumb’ Durham hearing: Republicans focused on ‘stupid stuff’:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/lieu-blasts-dumb-durham-hearing-republicans-focused-on-stupid-stuff-183949381728

* "Democrats Push for Mental Health Support for LGBTQ+ Youth in Republican-Led House:" https://www.advocate.com/lgbt-youth/lgbtq-youth-mental-health-bill

* "Republican Dan Crenshaw Says Gender-Affirming Care Ban Is ‘The Hill We Will Die On’:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/dan-crenshaw-gender-affirming-care

* Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? If you can't safely contact them in person, here are some other options:

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

Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resist.bot/

* The Indivisible Guide: "A Practical Guide to defeating MAGA:" https://indivisible.org/sites/default/files/2023-01/20220104_Indivisible_%20A%20Practical%20Guide%20to%20Defeating%20MAGA.pdf

* "'Stay Woke Florida!' tour begins 15-city 2024 voter outreach effort:" https://www.wptv.com/news/political/stay-woke-florida-tour-begins-15-city-2024-voter-outreach-effort

* "No Labels Is Helping a Firm that Raises Money for Right-Wing Extremists:" https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/06/no-labels-is-helping-a-firm-that-raises-money-for-right-wing-extremists-anedot/

* "Poppers Cause AIDS, the Environment Makes Boys Trans Says Robert F. Kennedy Jr.:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/robert-f-kennedy-jr-poppers

Remember how that Poppers caused AIDS not HIV rumor killed so many people in the '80's? RFK Jr. is pushing it as part of his Anti-Vax presidential campaign. I thought that died when Protease inhibitors came in! RFK Jr.: The Worst Kennedy.

He peddles that anti-Autistic people ableist bullshit. He tried to get as many people killed during the worst of COVID as possible. He's now trying to get Dr. Hotez killed by anti-vax terrorists as part of his presidential campaign.

Now with bonus transmisogyny and toxic masculinity.

* "RFK Jr's campaign of conspiracies: 'The leader of everybody’s brain worms':" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/rfk-jr-s-campaign-of-conspiracies-the-leader-of-everybody-s-brain-worms-183615557966

* "11 Republican Presidential Hopefuls and Their Awful Anti-LGBTQ+ Records :" https://www.advocate.com/politics/2024-presidential-candidates-gop-lgbtq

* "Donald Trump Gives the Game Away on Conservatives' Transgender Panic:" https://advocatechannel.com/donald-trump-transgender-schools

* "GOP presidential candidates use trans bodies as political stepping stones:" https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2023/06/gop-presidential-candidates-use-trans-bodies-as-political-stepping-stones/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

* "Why aren’t LGBTQ people safe right now? Because Republicans want votes.:" https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/republicans-2023-pride-backlash-polls-bud-light-rcna89564

* "'New level of hypocrisy': Why the GOP is wooing Muslims after decades of hate:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-new-level-of-hypocrisy-why-the-gop-is-wooing-muslims-after-decades-of-hate-183374405573

* "Miami GOP Mayor Francis Suarez jumps into presidential race:" https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/14/francis-suarez-president-mayor-miami-00102030

* "What a trio! The Florida men — Trump, DeSantis, Suarez — are a hoot to watch:" https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/fabiola-santiago/article276552331.html

* "Will Hurd, a moderate Texas Republican and Trump critic, announces run for president:" https://www.texastribune.org/2023/06/22/will-hurd-presidential-campaign-2024/

* "Former Rep. Will Hurd jumps into 2024 race as Republican field grows:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/former-rep-will-hurd-jumps-into-2024-race-as-republican-field-grows-184204869811

* "DeSantis fixation on 'the woke' has a poor track record as a political strategy in Florida:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/desantis-fixation-on-the-woke-has-a-poor-track-record-as-a-political-strategy-in-florida-183396421714

* As if we needed more proof Ron DeSantis is terrible at even the most basic parts of his job. "Pete Buttigieg Can’t Reach Ron DeSantis to Talk Florida Transportation Projects:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/pete-buttigieg-ron-desantis-calls

* "Tallahassee Mayor Nixes LGBTQ+ Advisory Council Meeting During Pride Month:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/florida-tallahassee-lgbtq-advisory-council

* "How the Stain of Prop. 8 May Be Removed From California:" https://www.advocate.com/law/evan-low-scott-wiener-marriage

* "Trans Judge Appointed in New York, Makes History:" https://www.advocate.com/transgender/transgender-man-new-york-judge

* "Rep. Judy Chu: I am a target of the right’s new McCarthyism:" https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/rep-judy-chu-target-rights-new-mccarthyism-rcna73477

* "Marjorie Taylor Greene Revives Anti-Trans Bathroom Predator Myth:" https://www.advocate.com/politicians/marjorie-taylor-greene-anti-trans

* "California Investigates School District After Board Members Call Harvey Milk a 'Pedophile':" https://www.advocate.com/news/harvey-milk-school-district-pedophile

********************

* This is from early May. I can't remember if I posted it then, but I think it's a good reminder due to developments in Michigan and Nevada. "Judge: Wisconsin fake electors complaint must be reheard:" https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-fake-electors-2020-trump-lawsuit-fb9cf9a5cdf109798fafc83cbaf1c72a

* "What ever happened to the federal investigation of Trump's fake elector scheme?:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/what-ever-happened-to-the-federal-investigation-of-trump-s-fake-elector-scheme-183395397606

* "Eastman plan to keep Trump in power faces a reckoning, as authorities seek his disbarment :" https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/20/eastman-disbarment-trial-trump-election-plan-00102784

* "Trump’s promise of payback for prosecution follows years of attacking democratic traditions:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-retribution-indictment-documents-biden-american-democracy-5a8ec37b359fee85d0f0956139d79f51

* "The Next Big Lie:" https://statuskuo.substack.com/p/the-next-big-lie

* "U.S. judge sets Aug. 14 trial date for Trump in Florida documents case:" https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-judge-sets-aug-14-trial-date-trump-florida-documents-case-2023-06-20/

* "Barr Says Documents Case Against Trump Is ‘Entirely of His Own Making’:" https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/18/us/politics/barr-trump-documents-russia.html

* "Donald Trump's Legal Troubles Continue to Pile Up:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/donald-trump-s-legal-troubles-continue-to-pile-up-183135301973

* "Trump Indictment Raises Questions Over Possible Damage to National Security:" https://www.msnbc.com/jonathan-capehart/watch/trump-indictment-raises-questions-over-possible-damage-to-national-security-183135301994

* "Trump is not the first president special counsel Jack Smith has prosecuted:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/trump-is-not-the-first-president-special-counsel-jack-smith-has-prosecuted-184200773818

* "FBI resisted opening probe into Trump’s role in Jan. 6 for more than a year:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2023/06/19/fbi-resisted-opening-probe-into-trumps-role-jan-6-more-than-year/

* "DOJ resisted investigating Trump’s actions on Jan. 6 for over a year:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/wapo-doj-resisted-investigating-trump-s-actions-on-jan-6-for-over-a-year-183369797838

********************

* "‘Bob’s Burgers’ Actor Jay Johnston Charged in January 6 Riot:" https://advocatechannel.com/bobs-burgers-jay-johnston-charged-january-6-riot

* "Is America Already in a Civil War?:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/donald-trump-far-right-brad-onishi-america-civil-war-interview-1234772017/

* "MAGA pastor: Christians need people who are ‘willing to strap bombs to their chest’ like the Muslims:" https://deadstate.org/maga-pastor-christians-need-people-who-are-willing-to-strap-bombs-to-their-chest-like-the-muslims/

* "Donald Trump and the party of political violence:" https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/4049597-donald-trump-and-the-party-of-political-violence/

* "Unmasking Moms for Liberty:" https://www.mediamatters.org/critical-race-theory/unmasking-moms-liberty

* "Suspect arrested after FBI uncovers alleged mass shooting plot:" https://abcnews.go.com/US/suspect-arrested-after-fbi-uncovers-alleged-mass-shooting/story?id=100155442

* They want to murder him for the crime of saving lives. He's such a good, compassionate, and empathetic man and I am furious that Anti-vaxxer shit RFK Jr. is waging a vendetta against him for calling him on his deadly and ableist bullshit to his face. "Vaccine expert Dr. Peter Hotez harassed outside Houston home after weekend of online attacks:" https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/health-science/coronavirus/2023/06/19/454720/peter-hotez-harassed-houston-house-joe-rogan-rfk-attacks/

* "Florida says it’s responsible for transporting migrants to Sacramento:" https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2023-06-06/florida-migrants-sacramento

* "Migrants share their experience, say they were deceived when they were flown to Sacramento:" https://www.kcra.com/article/sacramento-migrants-florida-california-texas/44228637

* "Newsom calls DeSantis ‘small, pathetic man,’ implies kidnapping charges over migrant stunt:" https://www.kron4.com/news/newsom-calls-desantis-small-pathetic-man-implies-kidnapping-charges-over-migrant-stunt/

* CW: Lynching. "Was Rasheem Carter Lynched?:"

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* Kentucky Police side with a dangerous member of a terrorist organization because they don't believe Queer People are human enough to defend. "KKK Members in Kentucky Pull Gun on LGBTQ+ Activists — Police Let Them Off:" https://www.advocate.com/news/kkk-kentucky-lgbtq-gun-threat

* "Neo-Nazis Protest Outside Disney World With Swastikas & DeSantis Signs:" https://www.advocate.com/news/florida-desantis-nazi-disney-swastikas

* "Military Chief Defends Cancellation of Drag Show at Nevada Military Base:" https://www.advocate.com/news/drag-show-military-chief-cancellation

* "NH officials say they're looking into neo-Nazi incident outside drag story hour in Concord:" https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2023-06-19/nsc131-neo-nazi-teatotaller-drag-story-hour-concord

* "How the conservative Christian right is hijacking homeschooling:" https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/schools-are-under-attack-america-s-religious-right-n1295340

* "Most Americans OK Discussing Gender and Sexuality in Schools: Survey:" https://www.advocate.com/news/schools-gender-sexuality-okay

* "College Board says it won’t alter AP courses to comply with Florida’s laws:" https://thehill.com/homenews/education/4051993-college-board-says-it-wont-alter-ap-courses-to-comply-with-floridas-laws/

* "Ron DeSantis Objects to AP Course's LGBTQ Content, College Board Defends It:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/ron-desantis-ap-college-board

* "Don’t Let Extremists Deny LGBTQ+ Students an Education:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/point-foundation-valencia-education

* "Florida School District Offers Refunds, Erasure of Yearbook's LGBTQ+ Content:" https://www.advocate.com/news/florida-lgbtq-yearbook-refund-censorship

* In a disaster, look for helpers. "High school English teacher makes a stand over book bans, erasure of LGBTQ+ students :" https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2023/06/18/high-school-english-teacher-makes-a-stand-over-book-bans-erasure-of-lgbtq-students/

* "L.A. School Board President Gives a Lesson on LGBTQ+ Inclusion:" https://www.advocate.com/news/school-lgbtq-inclusion-la-board

* "Missouri's Largest Library System Boots Pride Displays in Kids, Teen Areas:" https://www.advocate.com/gay-pride-parade/missouri-library-bans-pride-displays

* "How Do You Fight Book Bans? GLAAD and EveryLibrary Offer a Guide:" https://www.advocate.com/books/book-bans-guide-glaad-everylibrary

* "Despite Book Bans, LGBTQ+ Fiction Sales Soar:" https://www.advocate.com/books/lgbtq-books-record

* "Queer Representation in Children's Books Is More Important Than Ever, Says Author Seamus Kirst:" https://advocatechannel.com/queer-children-books-seamus-kirst

* "'Maus' Author Art Spiegelman Deeply Concerned About 'Authoritarian' Book Bans:" https://advocatechannel.com/art-spiegelman-maus-authoritarian-book-bans

* "With 'The Little Mermaid,' young Black kids are more interested in the water than ever. What to know about swimming racial disparities.:" https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/the-little-mermaid-young-black-kids-swimming-racial-disparities-213941973.html

* CW: Human Trafficking "Romanian prosecutors change human trafficking charge against Andrew Tate:" https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/romanian-prosecutors-change-human-trafficking-charge-against-andrew-tate-2023-06-13/

* CW: Child Sexual Abuse. "Archdiocese provides District Attorney Jason Williams voluminous file on disgraced priest:" https://www.nola.com/news/courts/archdiocese-provides-jason-williams-file-on-disgraced-priest/article_9f0308da-0bc5-11ee-9e46-cf8ef429070a.html

* Bet his mama's proud of him. What would Jesus do? Harass and terrify a nine year old out of cruelty for fun, apparently. "Man Harasses 9-Year-Old at Field Day Event, Falsely Insists She’s Transgender:" https://www.advocate.com/news/canadian-field-day-transgender-girl

* "TikTok Star Barrett Pall Shares How Misogyny Hurts Men, Too:" https://advocatechannel.com/barrett-pall-tiktok-misogyny-hurts-men-too

* "Southern Baptists reject Rick Warren’s appeal to reinstate Saddleback:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2023/06/14/southern-baptists-rick-warren-vote/

* "Playing With Yourself Has Been Perfected Over Millions of Years:" https://www.advocate.com/news/masturbation-evolution-primates

* "Documents show how conservative doctors influenced abortion, trans rights:" https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2023/06/15/abortion-transgender-christian-doctors/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWJpZCI6IjMxNjY3NzkiLCJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNjg2ODAxNjAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNjg4MDk3NTk5LCJpYXQiOjE2ODY4MDE2MDAsImp0aSI6IjgzMWE2MmY0LTM4ZDEtNGY5NS1hYTcyLTM2ODRiMDk1MWYzOCIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9oZWFsdGgvMjAyMy8wNi8xNS9hYm9ydGlvbi10cmFuc2dlbmRlci1jaHJpc3RpYW4tZG9jdG9ycy8ifQ.Z9BU0-uG1kom8puxLC9eIUHPUoxxNtpmqRTFcH9sBL8

---

---

* "Support for Same-Sex Relationships Plummets as Less Find Them "Morally Acceptable":" https://www.advocate.com/news/gay-relationships-decrease-gallup

* "Without Self-Respect, There Is No Pride:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/without-self-respect-there-is-no-pride

* "Immediate access to gender-affirming hormone therapy eases distress, depression, suicidal thoughts for transgender adults, research finds:" https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/immediate-access-gender-affirming-hormone-130021402.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9kdWNrZHVja2dvLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJ3DZb5dKhaU7JElIJ2zvo9piTp-qTv-k2BfF8SzC8VmSU6lC_jX829G_jM_rzgfxWgxIkv_XV7m9t_EpH4AoR06MsWbsW0zRZQmoLa_Y5njvgiLspkR0Ef-rFfx3__HxpLwexVQeyK_NfkhDub-p8zDWynfrTjLrWWfKf7QykTe

* "A Message to White Gays:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/message-to-white-gays

* "Queer Athletes on Competing in Countries with Anti-LGBTQ Laws:"

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* "31 Places Where Showing LGBTQ+ Pride Is Illegal :" https://www.advocate.com/world/where-is-it-illegal-to-be-gay-31

* "Qatar targeting LGBTQ+ people with ‘full blown force’ six months after World Cup, activist says:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/19/qatar-lgbq-world-cup/

* "Being LGBTQ+ in Malaysia: ‘You don’t know who to turn to’:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/18/malaysia-lgbtq-persecution-non-binary-musician-moreofthem/

* "Baltic Pride knife assault victim recalls ‘pain and confusion’ of homophobic attack:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/19/baltic-pride-knife-attack-patrick-tianen/

* "Queensland passes new law allowing trans people to self-ID on birth certificates:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/15/queensland-birth-certificates-trans-self-id/

* "Man Who Murdered Gay American Scott Johnson in 1988 Is Sentenced Again:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/scott-johnson-murderer-sentenced-again

* "Right-wing troll charged with harassment of LGBTQ+ activist for posting selfie with dying dad:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/19/bubba-pollock-end-of-life-care-dad-ontario/

* "Growing up as a queer, masc woman in a small town wasn’t plain sailing – but it wasn’t all bad:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/18/queer-masc-lesbian/

* "LGBTQ+ refugees don’t feel safe in the UK: ‘Everything’s attacking us, we’re demonised’:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/22/teslim-joel-refugee-week-nigeria-sierra-leone/

* "Gay Afghan who fled Taliban couldn’t claim LGBTQ+ asylum in UK, John Nicolson MP writes:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/21/john-nicolson-mp-gay-afghan-asylum/

* "Tory government and US conspiracy theories to blame for anti-drag attacks in UK, study finds:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/22/anti-drag-us-uk-conspiracy-theory-research/

* "Activists blast Tory conversion therapy consent loophole: ‘This will cost many lives’:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/21/conversion-therapy-rishi-sunak-boris-johnson-consent-loophole/

* "Electric Shock Treatment, Overt Homophobia in U.K. Armed Forces:" https://www.advocate.com/news/armed-forces-uk-homophobia-report

* "Royal College of Nursing members demand resources to better support LGBTQ+ hate crime victims:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/18/royal-college-of-nursing-hate-crime-lgbtq/

* "Rishi Sunak urged to drop ‘harmful’ trans schools guidance dubbed ‘new Section 28’:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/19/rishi-sunak-trans-schools-guidance/

* "Rishi Sunak’s ‘disgusting’ anti-trans jokes condemned by MPs and LGBTQ+ charities:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/19/rishi-sunak-leaked-video-trans-reaction/

* "LGBTQ+ advocates shocked by Equality Act reforms debate: ‘Distressing and infuriating’:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/13/westminster-debate-equality-act-sex-trans/

* "Bristol Pride calls for allyship after billboard advert is set on fire in ‘cowardly’ hate crime:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/19/bristol-pride-billboard-attack/

* "Lesbian couple ‘heartbroken’ by homophobic doormat attack supported by kind neighbours:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/19/pride-doormat-attack-bristol-lesbian-couple/

* "‘Let women speak. No not like that’: TERFs pile on female Guardian writer for pro-trans article:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/19/terfs-guardian-trans-allyship/

* "‘Gender-critical’ activists attempted to protest a Primark in Lincoln. Two people showed up:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/19/lincoln-primark-lgbtq-protest/

* "Bolt apologises after taxi driver leaves queer man stranded with ‘no gay boy’ insult:" https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/06/22/bolt-taxi-service-homophobia-manchester/

* "The Insidious Violence of Civility Politics:"

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* "LGBTQ+ Americans: Let's Take Back Our Flag:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/lgbtq-americans-let-s-take-back-our-flag

* "SARS-CoV-2 airborne infection probability estimated by using indoor carbon dioxide:" https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11356-023-27944-9

---

* "Four alarming charts that show just how extreme the climate is right now:" https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/17/world/four-climate-charts-extreme-weather-heat-oceans/index.html

* "Greece finds no more survivors of migrant boat disaster with hundreds missing:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/greece-finds-no-survivors-migrant-boat-disaster-hundreds-missing-rcna89440

* "New accounts clash with official version of migrant shipwreck disaster off Greece:" https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20230619-new-accounts-clash-with-official-version-of-migrant-disaster-off-greece

* "Titanic-bound submersible suffered ‘catastrophic implosion.’ The US Navy detected an implosion Sunday and told rescuers, an official tells CNN:" https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/22/us/submersible-titanic-oceangate-search-thursday/index.html

---

* "Live camera shows I-95 collapse repairs underway in Philadelphia:" https://abc7ny.com/i-95-collapse-philadelphia-i95-interstate-highway-road/13386149/

* "The Hidden Chemicals Destroying American Farms:"

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* "GLAAD: Social media companies are enabling real world violence:" https://www.axios.com/2023/06/15/glaad-social-media-companies-hate-speech-lgbtq

* Steve Huffman is vowing to send Reddit into the toilet after Twitter, looks like. "Reddit CEO praises Elon Musk’s cost-cutting as protests rock the platform :" https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/reddit-blackout-protest-private-ceo-elon-musk-huffman-rcna89700

* "Despite widespread protest, Reddit CEO says company is ‘not negotiating’ on 3rd-party app charges :" https://thehill.com/business/despite-widespread-protest-reddit-ceo-says-company-is-not-negotiating-on-changes-to-data-access/

* "Here’s the note Reddit sent to moderators threatening them if they don’t reopen:" https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/16/23763538/reddit-blackout-api-protest-mod-replacement-threat

* "Reddit CEO Steve Huffman isn’t backing down: our full interview:" https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/15/23762868/reddit-ceo-steve-huffman-interview

* "Stop Talking to Each Other and Start Buying Things: Three Decades of Survival in the Desert of Social Media:" https://catvalente.substack.com/p/stop-talking-to-each-other-and-start

* "Twitter is being evicted from its Boulder office over unpaid rent:" https://techcrunch.com/2023/06/14/twitter-is-being-evicted-from-its-boulder-office-over-unpaid-rent/

* "Twitter is the worst major social media platform when it comes to LGBTQ+ safety, says GLAAD:" https://thehill.com/homenews/ap/ap-technology/twitter-worst-among-major-social-media-platforms-when-it-comes-to-lgbtq-safety-glaad-says/

* "Musk Incites Anti-Vaccine Conspiracists By Mischaracterizing Peter Hotez:" https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshuacohen/2023/06/19/musk-incites-anti-vaccine-conspiracists-by-mischaracterizing-peter-hotez/?sh=505b10e3108f

* "Elon Musk has made some disturbing comments about Jews. Here’s a list:" https://forward.com/news/550035/elon-musk-disturbing-comments-jews/?amp=1

* "Elon Musk’s promise to treat ‘cis’ as a slur will provoke more extremism:" https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/jk-rowling-elon-musk-cisgender-trans-slur-rcna90632

* I often feel like reality has sailed on past the Onion these days. "Mark Zuckerberg agrees to fight Elon Musk in cage match:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mark-zuckerberg-elon-musk-fight/

* "Neanderthal adhesives were made through a complex synthesis process:" https://arstechnica.com/science/2023/06/neanderthals-seem-to-be-the-first-humans-to-make-synthetic-materials/

* "Send beer!’ Life on the Roman frontier revealed by soldiers’ private letters:" https://www.nationalgeographic.com/premium/article/vindolanda-roman-fort-england

* "The First Self-Proclaimed Drag Queen Was a Formerly Enslaved Man:" https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-first-self-proclaimed-drag-queen-was-a-formerly-enslaved-man-180982311/

* "The Bread and Roses Strike of 1912:" https://thefatovamingusfiles.wordpress.com/2023/06/16/the-bread-and-roses-strike-of-1912/

* "Jane Addams: Chicago's Haunted Sapphic Icon:"

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* "14 Inspiring Queer Protest Posters in Days of Rage from ONE Archives :" https://www.advocate.com/activism/14-inspiring-queer-protest-posters

* "The Importance of Juneteenth - the Newest Federal Holiday:" https://www.advocate.com/news/juneteenth-importance-federal-holiday

* "Treat Williams, LGBTQ+ Ally in Gay-Themed Films, Dead at 71:" https://www.advocate.com/obituaries/treat-williams-lgbtq-ally-dead

* "Pride’s Bookshelf: Unveiling The LGBTQ+ Memoirs You Must Own:" https://www.out.com/gay-lifestyle/prides-bookshelf-unveiling-the-lgbtq-memoirs-you-must-own

* "13 Vintage Photos of Los Angeles Pride from ONE Archives :" https://www.advocate.com/gay-pride-parade/vintage-photos-los-angeles-pride

* "17 Photos of the Trans Experience by Mariette Pathy Allen :" https://www.advocate.com/art/mariette-pathy-allen-breaking-boundaries#rebelltitem18

* "10 Iconic Photos of LGBTQ+ History From Getty Images:" https://www.advocate.com/photography/10-photos-lgbtq-history

* My garden makes me happy, tiny as it is. I love the way it smells of basil and tomato leaves and rosemary and spearmint. I love the lushness of it compared to the sterile looking landscaping management insists on. It feels like the glorious chaos of nature fighting back every time seeds blow out of my container garden and sprout amongst the deliberately barren patches beyond my porch border. I love being surrounded by green and all those vegetable plant flowers.

This is already shaping up to be the best year ever for my tiny strawberry patch. I likely would have been the best year for asparagus, judging from the early growth, but the compost sprouted such an abundance of other things that I fear the asparagus hasn't a chance. Maybe next year. The day after New Millennial brought over the Pride Pinwheel they painted, my beloved carnations started blooming. Some of the early tomatoes are already growing on the bigger plants, which gives me hopes of this year being as good as last year for tomatoes.

* Tuesday, I met the new, alas temporary Doctor. Today's medical theme was arthritis. For those following along, but medical records are on the scale of the complete unabridged writings of Aquinas, as it's impossible for anyone to get a handle on them quickly, so we are doing a series of appointments each centered on a major theme to help get things on track.

I have warned her about the opiods and anti-psychotics both artificially inducing hallucinations and paranoia in people of my family and how it happened to me post surpery in percacet last year so she'll know if I get in a car accident and start hallucinating so they give me an anti-pscotic which together may induce psychotic break. Brains are fun.

I have a new replacement referral for the wheelchair/mobility assessment. It turns out there is now literally one allergy doctor with a tiny practice left in the whole city, which is why we are all so fucked. Peacehealth closed two other essential specialties in which they had a monopoly, fucking over all those patients too, the bastards. she's going to check our county and the county just south for me. It's worth blowing my medical transport credits on. They just way upped the limit anyway.

Medical science has moved forward a lot in the last 10-15 years. One of the early rheums said I likely had fibromyalgia, but it wasn't worth pursuing as medicare didn't believe in it and the treatment would be the same as my way easier to document arthritis and visible to the naked eye spinal damage.

So we are trying a new class of meds to see if I can tolerate them without my brain and/or body flipping out, as so often happens when one introduces new meds to it. I'm at a sub clinical dose to test tolerance, but I can feel the difference. I also feel a bit peculiar, though I'm adjusting.

Long time readers know the drill. I am weird, but if you spot anything obviously weird for me, way off my usual sort of postings, nonsense, irrationality, that sort of thing, give me a heads up that new meds may be driving me off the rails. Squirrel and my usual chat buddies know the drill and I'll let the millennials know what to watch for. Odds are it will be fine. I'm more likely to get stopped by physical side effects on this one, but it's always good to have more spotters.

* Wednesday, Squirrel lent us his cat for errands and then we hug out. We are still looking for a better sobriquet for New Millennial. Head Millennial will henceforth be called Goth Millennial.

So Goth Millennial and I are on the sofa and Techie Millennial and New Millennial are on the chairs. The Emperor was understandably excited. Many of his personal Millennials were here. (As of this week, New Millennial is in the Clowder according to the Emperor, so he climbed onto me to enjoy, being part of the group. Pictured here, Tavy, the Tiny Terror himself, in the crook of my arm alertly participating in the group discussion.

https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/720889365153349632/wednesday-squirrel-lent-us-his-cat-for-errands?source=share

* The elderly car goes into the shop Friday for the third time in threeish months. I've no idea how expensive it will be, but I've a nasty feeling it will be bad. I have blown all my money on catching up the bills I didn't pay in April for the previous repair. If you want to chip in: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/Gwydion

* Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Cat Rescue fund raiser. They made a lot of money with the event, and the games will be used in recurring fundraisers.

* TNG: The Spot Centric Episode: https://www.tumblr.com/seananmcguire/720868927245336576?source=share

* "Midnight Pals: Dracula Sovereign of the Damned:" https://www.tumblr.com/bitterkarella/720324019247792128/midnight-pals-dracula-sovereign-of-the-damned?source=share

* "Midnight Pals: this is so stupid:" https://www.tumblr.com/bitterkarella/720767546126712832/midnight-pals-this-is-so-stupid?source=share

* "Midnight Pals: New Friends:" https://www.tumblr.com/bitterkarella/720492487495630848/midnight-pals-new-friends?source=share

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

The help links are at the bottom under the cut.

* BPAL Charity Fundraiser "TRIUMPH IN MY SONG:" https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/product-category/activism/triumph-in-my-song/

* Support the WGA. "Entertainment Community Fund:" https://entertainmentcommunity.org/

* My oldest continuous friend is trying to raise money to buy games for a Cat Rescue fundraiser. This cat rescue is no kill and places most cats in foster homes until they can be adopted. They are good people there and it's a huge number of cats many needing basic or more serious healthcare.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/318lgf6fa0?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p_cf%20share-flow-1&fbclid=IwAR1smSQTz7deMSVUBsEg30AdhQ-zeAEHGXOcHXqVUILTlF2MqnIIW49SDVU

* Cool Blackwork Embroidery Patterns for Beginners: https://www.etsy.com/shop/thehaberdasheress/?etsrc=sdt

* If you would like to help support me and the Cats: paypal.me/Gwydion

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