gwydion (
gwydion) wrote2025-08-08 01:16 am
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
8/4/25 - 8/8/25 The Horrors
* News keeps moving fast, so some items may be already out of date.
* "Israel intends to take control of Gaza Strip, Netanyahu says:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/07/netanyahu-israel-control-gaza-00497835
* "Sen. Slotkin On The Deep State, Israel’s Endgame In Gaza, and Dems’ Alpha Energy:"
( Embed: )
******
* "Trump tells European leaders he’ll continue Russia talks through in-person meetings with Putin:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/06/trump-european-leaders-in-person-meetings-putin-00496106
* "Trump orders nuclear submarines moved after Russian 'provocative statements':" https://archive.ph/Xujli
* "Brazil's Bolsonaro appeals house arrest order:" https://archive.ph/Fa9E2
* "U.K. resident activism:" https://amaebi.dreamwidth.org/2680664.html
* "Rival anti-migrant and anti-racism protests face off outside a hotel housing migrants in London:" https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/rival-anti-migrant-anti-racism-protests-face-off-124308218
* "U.S. plans to ease human rights criticism of El Salvador, Israel, Russia:" https://archive.is/4e5sZ
* "Anti-LGBTQ+ Catholic leader confirmed as ambassador to Vatican:" https://www.advocate.com/news/anti-lgbtq-catholic-ambassador-vatican
* "Trump's tariffs are now fully in effect. Are prices rising? Here's what we know:" https://www.npr.org/2025/07/29/nx-s1-5477470/prices-trump-tariffs
* Tariffs are a regressive tax paid by ordinary American consumers: "US expects $50 billion a month in tariff revenues, US Commerce chief Lutnick says:" https://archive.ph/Wqyi7
* "Trump says US will charge tariff of about 100% on semiconductor imports:" https://archive.ph/SnnQd
* "Apple CEO Tim Cook bends the knee to Donald Trump with a golden Oval Office gift & $100 billion pledge:" https://www.advocate.com/news/tim-cook-donald-trump-gift
* "Trump imposes extra 25% tariff on Indian goods, ties hit new low:" https://archive.ph/N5XZg
* "Exclusive: 'I won't humiliate myself': Brazil's president sees no point in tariff talks with Trump:" https://archive.ph/EXAiR
* "US employers slash hiring as Trump advances a punishing trade agenda:" https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-economy-trump-federal-reserve-68a15f89d68793a6cf88a522ff33246c
* "Trump narrows Fed chair candidates to four, excluding Treasury Secretary Bessent:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-reserve-powell-successor-d7a0739a1f870e6b200036b66d9d3d1a
* "Trump names economic adviser Miran to temporary Fed opening:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/07/trump-fed-miran-powell-inflation-cea-00498696
* "Trump says he’s ordering new census:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/07/trump-new-census-00497025
The Census is literally a requirement in Article I, Section 2, Clause 3 of the Constitution and counts everybody living here. (There were exceptions for Slaves and untaxed indigenous people, but that got changed later, obviously). An accurate Census is essential for things like House of Reps, Electoral college, taxation, and resource allocation. The reasons you need to know how many people live in a place is pretty obvious. Notice that they illegally want not to count undocumented Immigrants, but not not prisoners, who also lack voting rights but prisoners are usually taken from cities to fluff up rural numbers, so that helps republicans.
There is no provision to redo the Census if the President doesn't like the numbers.
* "Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Lift ICE Racial-Profiling Ban:" https://archive.ph/oO1BA
* "Trump Just Released His Plan to Revoke Birthright Citizenship. It’s Worse Than Imagined.:" https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/07/trump-birthright-citizenship-supreme-court-ice-maternity-ward.html
* "More immigration judges terminated as Trump administration works to cut down massive case backlog:" https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-immigration-court-judges-terminated-donald-trump-administration-works-cut-down-massive-case-backlog/17434235/
I have said for decades that we should fold immigration judges into the regular judiciary so they would have independence, rather than being fired on a whim if they do something the president doesn't like and that immigration courts ought to follow more normal procedure including a right to a lawyer.
Also, someone needs to explain subtraction to Republicans (just generally). If you take things away, you have less of them. We need more judges, not less the bigger the backlog is.
* "2 federal immigration judges speak out after being abruptly fired by Trump administration:" https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/immigration-judges-fired-trump-administration/
* "Flight Manifests Reveal Dozens of Previously Unknown People on Three Deportation Flights to El Salvador:" https://www.404media.co/flight-manifests-reveal-dozens-of-previously-unknown-people-on-three-deportation-flights-to-el-salvador/
* "Trump has militarized the immigration system. Now is the time to stand up:" https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/aug/03/trump-us-immigration
* "National Guard Ordered to Do ICE Paperwork at Immigration Facilities in 20 States:" https://theintercept.com/2025/07/31/national-guard-ice-immigration-trump/
* "Maddow: U.S. profoundly changed by authoritarian leader; 'We're beyond waiting and seeing now':" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/maddow-u-s-profoundly-changed-by-authoritarian-leader-we-re-beyond-waiting-and-seeing-now-244353093883
* "No justice left: Massive ICE recruitment blitz raises red flags:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-briefing-with-jen-psaki/watch/no-justice-left-massive-ice-recruitment-blitz-raises-red-flags-244493893972
* "Ice to hold 1,000 detainees in Indiana after deal with state’s prison system:" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/05/indiana-immigration-detainees-ice
* "Border patrol agents jump out of rental truck and ambush people at LA Home Depot:" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/06/ice-border-patrol-home-depot-los-angeles
* "L.A. agrees to pay $500,000 to reporters arrested at 2021 Echo Park protest:" https://archive.ph/yGXyN
* "DHS denies hunger strike at Alligator Alcatraz despite Cuban detainee’s two-week protest:" https://english.elpais.com/usa/2025-08-05/dhs-denies-hunger-strike-at-alligator-alcatraz-despite-cuban-detainees-two-week-protest.html
* Stay Noisy! Keep Protesting! "ICE arrests decline amid backlash to June immigration raids:" https://www.axios.com/2025/08/05/ice-arrests-july-decline-immigrants
* "Scarsdale High School grad released after being detained by ICE for several days:" https://abc7ny.com/post/scarsdale-high-school-grad-yeonsoo-go-detained-ice-rally-prayer-vigil-set-thursday/17431965/
* I am not surprised. It's Eugene! "Protest at Lane County Fair over controversial Alcatraz shirts draws county response:" https://www.kezi.com/news/local/protest-at-lane-county-fair-over-controversial-alcatraz-shirts-draws-county-response/article_a34e082c-af02-4559-9e55-f84d9544bf6b.html
* "When The U.S. Government Tried To Replace Migrant Farmworkers With High Schoolers:" https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/07/31/634442195/when-the-u-s-government-tried-to-replace-migrant-farmworkers-with-high-schoolers
* "Stanford student paper, noncitizen students sue Trump officials over speech-related visa policies:" https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/08/06/stanford-student-lawsuit-trump-officials-free-speech-visas/
* "Trump bans trans women athletes from 'extraordinary ability’ visas:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/trans-women-athletes-extraordinary-visas
* "State Department to charge some travelers $10,000 bond to get visas:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/04/state-department-visa-bonds-00492077
* Here are some ways to help Immigrants and the anti-ICE Protesters:
Immigrant Defenders: https://give.immdef.org/give/545119/#!/donation/checkout
The Bail Project: https://bailproject.org/
National Bail Fund Network: https://www.communityjusticeexchange.org/en/nbfn-directory
Amnesty International: protect asylum-seekers: https://donate.amnestyusa.org/page/113080/donate/1
The Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights: https://www.theyoungcenter.org/
CHIRLA: https://www.chirla.org/
AL Otro Lado: https://alotrolado.networkforgood.com/projects/63833-al-otro-lado-fund
Mid-South Immigration Advocates: https://miamemphis.org/
"Know Your Rights:" https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/protesters-rights
* "Strategic Resistance: Mass Demonstration:" https://ninelives.karawynnlong.com/strategic-resistance-mass-demonstration/
https://mgerwingarch.com/m-gerwing/2012/11/24/architects-glossary-soffit
* "80 years after Hiroshima, Trump’s ‘gut’ is in charge of the nuclear codes, and it's dangerous:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/donald-trump-nuclear-codes-hiroshima
* Which Means he's thinking about it, probably. "Trump says he will ‘probably not’ seek a third term:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/05/donald-trump-2028-election-00493621
* "Before and After Photos Show White House Rose Garden Paved Over:" https://www.newsweek.com/before-after-photos-white-house-rose-garden-2109488
I know it a small thing compared to everything else, but he's destroyed a piece of history by literally paving it over because he has no taste and an inflated ego.
I don't know, it just feels both symbolic of his destruction of the environment and the country as a whole and is deeply distressing as someone who cares about history.
Again, minor compared to what ICE agents are doing or his foreign policy or his public health policy, all of which are actively killing people, but it still bothers me.
* "Trump says JPMorgan, Bank of America rejected his deposits:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/05/trump-jpmorgan-bank-america-debanking-00494729
* "Marjorie Taylor Greene officially urges Trump to commute George Santos’s prison sentence:" https://www.advocate.com/news/george-santos-pardon-mtg
* "Dozens attend OKC Rage Against the Regime rally to protest Trump administration:" https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2025/08/02/rage-against-the-regime-held-to-protest-trump-administration-policies/85427103007/
* "Duffy to announce nuclear reactor on the moon:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/04/nasa-china-space-station-duffy-directives-00492172
* "Trump, in another break from the norm, interviews 4-star general candidates:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-generals-meeting-candidates-four-star-00ddfa91be57fb92eb616694ef50b6ba
* "What’s Included in the 596 Books Banned by the Department of Defense Education Activity?:" https://bookriot.com/whats-included-in-the-596-books-banned-by-the-department-of-defense-education-activity/
* "VA severs ties with most federal unions, terminating worker contracts:" https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2025/08/06/va-severs-ties-with-most-federal-unions-terminating-worker-contracts/
* "Air Force rescinds early retirement approvals for transgender service members kicked out by Trump :" https://www.advocate.com/news/air-force-transgender-retirement
* "Senate Democrats Estimate DOGE Caused Billions of Dollars In Government Waste:" https://talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo/senate-democrats-estimate-doge-caused-billions-of-dollars-in-government-waste
* "FDA’s New Drug Approval AI Is Generating Fake Studies: Report:" https://gizmodo.com/fdas-new-drug-approval-ai-is-generating-fake-studies-report-2000633153
* "US health agency to wind down mRNA vaccine development:" https://archive.ph/eojTk
* "Is America's Food System Safe Under Trump?:"
( Embed: )
* "White House backs away from IVF coverage mandate despite Trump’s campaign pledge, Washington Post reports:" https://archive.ph/WMGAF
* "Trump Administration Moves to Destroy Satellite That Monitors Greenhouse Gases:" https://gizmodo.com/trump-administration-moves-to-destroy-satellite-that-monitors-greenhouse-gases-2000639234
Destroying the satellites is essential to preventing us having accurate climate data, something Billionaires do not want us to have for obvious reasons.
* The Republican War on the environment continues. "E.P.A. Moves to Cancel $7 Billion in Grants for Solar Energy:" https://archive.ph/7N9lV
* "After helping GOP-led Texas, Trump admin denies FEMA aid to another Democratic-led state:" https://www.msnbc.com/top-stories/latest/maryland-fema-aid-flooding-texas-trump-wes-moore-rcna220869
* "Key sections of the US Constitution deleted from government’s website:" https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/06/key-sections-of-the-us-constitution-deleted-from-governments-website/
They are outright censoring parts of the constitution in service of Fascist Autocracy.
* "Confederate statue toppled during Black Lives Matter protests will be reinstalled:" https://www.npr.org/2025/08/05/nx-s1-5493106/confederate-statue-albert-pike-reinstall
Republicans prefer to honor traitors instead of people who tried to make the country or the world better, so, of course.
* "Philly activists rally at Independence Park to protest Trump’s moves to remove exhibits that depict slavery in early America:" https://whyy.org/articles/philadelphia-presidents-house-site-slavery-exhibit-protest-trump-removal/
* "Pam Bondi seeks grand jury review of Obama-era origins of Trump-Russia investigation:" https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-russia-trump-bondi-gabbard-55bd00e15fe18da1533b623c3ca9bbbb
* "Legal Watchdog Files Bar Complaints Against Justice Dept. Lawyers:" https://archive.ph/PwYRT
* "Trump regulatory czar Jeffrey Clark should be disbarred for role in 2020 election plot, disciplinary board rules:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/31/jeffrey-clark-disbarred-recommendation-00487257
* "Law strikes back: Lawyers doing Trump's bidding targeted where integrity still matters:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/law-strikes-back-lawyers-doing-trump-s-bidding-targeted-where-integrity-still-matters-244355141795
* "Video shows Department of Justice official urging Jan. 6 rioters to 'kill' cops:" https://www.npr.org/2025/08/07/nx-s1-5493197/doj-trump-jan-6-defendant-jared-wise-capitol-riot
* "FBI ousts ex-acting director, other agents, in latest purge, people briefed say:" https://archive.ph/B3r1b
* "Trump's war on facts backfires at FBI as top talent walks away:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-briefing-with-jen-psaki/watch/trump-s-war-on-facts-backfires-at-fbi-as-top-talent-walks-away-244564037814
* " Trump’s War on Big Law Means It’s Harder to Challenge the Administration:" https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-law-firms-accountability-environment-police-lgbtq
* "New nonprofit firm in Washington adds to legal resistance to Trump:" https://archive.ph/rrMSE
* "Brown University is ‘functionally inaccessible’ to transgender students after Trump settlement:" https://www.advocate.com/news/transgender-students-unsafe-brown-university
This is the goal of all the anti-trans policies and laws: To force all trans people out of public life.
* "Harvard President Garber Tells Faculty He Is Not Considering a $500 Million Deal With Trump:" https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2025/8/3/garber-500-million-trump/
* "Harvard scientists say research could be set back years after funding freeze:" https://apnews.com/article/harvard-trump-nih-funding-cuts-32c1ae9dc542897496974a85aaa07b85
* "Judge dismisses Truth Social CEO’s defamation suit against Rachel Maddow:" https://www.advocate.com/news/nunes-maddow-defamation-case-dismissed
* "Liberal watchdog Media Matters is in serious trouble after being sued by Elon Musk:" https://www.advocate.com/news/media-matters-existential-crisis
* "38 years in the media industry, and I never thought the U.S. media would crumble like this:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/media-crumbles-under-trump-attacks
* CW: CSA. Trump is out championing pedophilia again. "Trump and the Catholic Church Fight a Law Requiring Clergy to Report Child Abuse:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trump-catholic-church-child-abuse-law-clergy-priests-1235388032/
* CW: Sex Trafficking "Sean 'Diddy' Combs has reached out to Trump about pardon, source says:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/sean-diddy-combs-trump-pardon-rcna223282
**** Trump/Epstein/Maxwell, etc. CW: CSA ****
* "JD Vance to meet with top Trump officials to plot Epstein strategy – report:" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/06/jeffrey-epstein-jd-vance-trump-meeting
* "Busted: Weasel words fail to hide Vance, Bondi, Patel at damage control meeting:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-briefing-with-jen-psaki/watch/busted-weasel-words-fail-to-hide-vance-bondi-patel-at-damage-control-meeting-244558917936
* "The FBI Redacted Trump’s Name in the Epstein Files:" https://archive.ph/EipJb
* "Ghislaine Maxwell doesn’t want grand jury materials in her case unsealed:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/05/maxwell-grand-jury-materials-00494366
* "Comer issues subpoenas for DOJ’s Epstein files, depositions with former officials:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/05/epstein-subpoenas-department-of-justice-00494129?nid=0000018f-3124-de07-a98f-3be4d1400000&nname=politico-toplines&nrid=be070962-4be9-4973-9f98-2d06bb76424c
* "Epstein Victim Says Trump's Reported Move 'Monumentally Mind-Blowing':" https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-files-victim-pam-bondi-2108809
The survivors and the families of the dead should come first, but republicans refuse to consider them at all in the rush to cover up pedophilia and coddle pedophiles.
* "'She is a monster': Survivors warn Trump is dealing with Epstein's 'puppet master':" https://www.msnbc.com/the-briefing-with-jen-psaki/watch/-she-is-a-monster-survivors-warn-trump-is-dealing-with-epstein-s-puppet-master-244491333889
* "The Supreme Court Prepares to End Voting Rights as We Know Them:" https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/08/voting-rights-act-supreme-court-2/
* "New York opens America's first city-funded shelter specifically for trans people:" https://www.advocate.com/news/new-york-city-transgender-shelter
* Extended Interview with Sec. Robert Reich:
( Embed: )
* "Billionaires Want Your 401k Funds:"
( Embed: )
* "CBO: Republican megabill to cost $4.1T, due to higher borrowing costs:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/04/congressional-budget-office-gop-megabill-to-cost-4-1t-drive-up-borrowing-costs-00492581
* "TRUTH TO POWER: Constituent delivers blast of reality to Republican congressman at town hall:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-briefing-with-jen-psaki/watch/truth-to-power-constituent-delivers-blast-of-reality-to-republican-congressman-at-town-hall-244426821802
* Our job for the next year and a half 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.
* "Take action with Indivisible:" https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/
* Trump 2.0 Indivisible Guide. https://indivisible.org/resource/guide
* "Democracy 2025:" https://www.democracy2025.org/?utm_source=df-ad&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=21912407002&utm_content=721373734297&source=df-ad-gs&gad_source=1
* "Resisting Fascism in 2025 and Beyond:" https://www.prideandpagesbookclub.com/resisting-fascism-in-2025-and-beyond
* If you can't safely contact them in person, here are some other options for contacting your Congress Critters:
Five Calls to your critters: https://5calls.org/
Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resist.bot/
And another: https://faxzero.com/fax_senate.php
Snail Mail Campaigns: https://conuly.dreamwidth.org/3622760.html
"Congress. gov:" https://www.congress.gov/
White house (Possibly Dangerous): https://www.whitehouse.gov/
ACLU advice for writing to your Critters: https://www.aclu.org/writing-your-elected-representatives
This tracks legislation: https://www.govtrack.us/
"The Public Comment Process (+ how to write effective public comments):" https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/781844516804149248?source=share
Run for Something: https://runforsomething.net/
"Vote Smart:" https://justfacts.votesmart.org/
Useful organizing links and resources: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/771859083592613888/hater-of-terfs-ive-already-reblogged-a-link-to?source=share
Protests: "50501 Events:" https://www.fiftyfifty.one/events
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
"ICE Raids Toolkit: Defend Against ICE Raids and Community Arrests:" https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/raids-toolkit/
Contains a raid tip hotline amoung other things. "Know Your Rights
LEARN HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY:" https://wearecasa.org/know-your-rights/
* "Texas House Democrats flee the state in bid to block GOP’s proposed congressional map:" https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/03/texas-democrats-quorum-break-redistricting-map/
* "Texas Democrats fleeing the state also stopped anti-abortion and anti-trans bills:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/texas-democrats-abortion-transgender-maps
* "'ENOUGH': Texas Dem holds fast as Abbott tries heavy hand lawsuit to force Trump's election scheme:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-briefing-with-jen-psaki/watch/-enough-texas-dem-holds-fast-as-abbott-tries-heavy-hand-lawsuit-to-force-trump-s-election-scheme-244428357673
* "FBI to Aid Texas in Locating Democrats Over Redistricting:" https://www.newsweek.com/john-cornyn-fbi-texas-democrats-redistricting-request-2110202
Even though they have broken no laws, let alone federal laws, the FBI has agreed to illegal hunt down democrats to arrest them for legally crossing state lines.
* "Texas Democrats who fled to Illinois faced bomb threat, police say:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/06/texas-democrats-threats-00495572
* "Gov. JB Pritzker Pledges That Illinois Will Do "Whatever It Takes To Preserve Democracy":"
( Embed: )
* "Hochul embraces gerrymandering in New York:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/04/hochul-embraces-gerrymandering-in-new-york-00492008
* "California moves to dismantle GOP map — and Trump’s grip:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/04/california-fires-back-at-texas-redistricting-00493314?nid=0000018f-3124-de07-a98f-3be4d1400000&nname=politico-toplines&nrid=24e2b104-55c7-486b-821f-eaaa748661c8
* What would Jesus do? Commit genocide. "Indiana Lt. Gov. Beckwith shares post from church that called for death to gays; his team walks it back:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/indiana-lt-gov-hate-repost
* "Man accused of killing Minnesota lawmaker pleads not guilty to murder charges:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/man-accused-killing-minnesota-lawmaker-appear-court-murder-charges-rcna223576
* "New details about police activity after lawmaker shootings raise questions about response:" https://www.startribune.com/new-details-from-crucial-hours-after-lawmaker-shootings-raise-questions-about-police-response/601432709
* "Luigi Mangione's attorneys accuse prosecutors of illegally obtaining his medical records:" https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/luigi-mangiones-attorneys-accuse-prosecutors-of-hipaa-violations/
* CW: Suicide, Domestic Violence. "Kansas police severely damage 'Transgender House' in standoff with murder suspect:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/mott-house-transgender-damaged-police
For those who will only see the headline, it was a unrelated murderer who broke in while running from police.
"Planting Peace, which is headquartered in the “Equality House” next door, painted the home in the colors of the transgender flag in 2016. It was renamed in 2019 for late transgender activist Stephanie Mott, former chair of Equality Kansas and founder of the Kansas Statewide Transgender Education Project.Trending stories
Both the rainbow-colored Equality House and the pink, white, and blue Mott House are neighbors to the headquarters of the Westboro Baptist Church, a notorious anti-LGBTQ+ religious group founded by Fred Phelps."
If you want to help support the Mott House they take donations here: https://www.plantingpeace.org/campaign/transgender-house/#donate-now
* "He was forced into a women’s prison unit where he was attacked & denied healthcare. Now he’s suing.:" https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/08/he-was-forced-into-a-womens-unit-where-he-was-attacked-denied-healthcare-now-hes-suing/
* "Project 2025's Mike Howell targets UNC courses that mention diversity and LGBTQ+ topics:" https://www.advocate.com/news/heritage-foundation-diversity-courses
* CW: CSA. "Arkansas man who police say admitted to impregnating a child takes plea deal, gets probation:" https://www.4029tv.com/article/arkansas-probation-impregnating-child/65477545
$690 in restitution and a slap on the wrist. It's adding insult to injury.
* CW: Domestic Violence. "Gay model arrested after his estranged husband was found dead in their New York City apartment:" https://www.advocate.com/news/donald-zieben-hood-arrested-after-husband-found-dead
* "Beyond the Macrons' lawsuit: Why do people accuse powerful women of being men?:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/why-do-people-accuse-powerful-women-of-being-men
* "Citing Skrmetti, appeals court rejects challenge to Oklahoma ban on gender-affirming care for youth:" https://www.advocate.com/news/oklahoma-transgender-care-ban-upheld
* "Tennessee demands abortion data from hospitals in ban exceptions case:" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/06/tennessee-abortion-data-ban
* "Idaho Lost One in Three Obstetricians After Its Abortion Ban:" https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/08/idaho-abortion-ban-obstetrics-doctors-leaving/
* "Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court strikes down St. Lucia laws criminalizing gay sex:" https://www.advocate.com/news/st-lucia-gay-criminalization-invalidated
* "U.K. to begin major study on health of transgender youth:" https://www.advocate.com/health/uk-major-study-transgender-youth
* "FBI report: Despite overall crime drop, anti-LGBTQ+ violence remains alarmingly high:" https://www.advocate.com/news/anti-lgbtq-hate-crimes-high
* "A gay Arizona man's death is still unsolved, but Phoenix police closed the case: report:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/marcus-freiberger-death-case-closed
* "Virginia prosecutor says ‘potential hate crime’ against Black lesbian couple has his ‘utmost attention’:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/black-lesbians-virginia-hate-crime
* "Texas church vandalized by homophobes gets restored by affirming community:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/texas-methodist-church-vandalized-lgbtq
* "Idaho's anti-transgender bathroom law challenged by trans college student:" https://www.advocate.com/news/idaho-transgender-bathroom-ban-challenged
* "A powerful civil rights group is hitting the road and going to red states. Here's why:" https://www.advocate.com/news/hrc-launches-lgbtq-storytelling-tour
* "Trans darts champion laments ban against trans women as 'loss for the trans community':" https://www.advocate.com/news/trans-darts-champion-ban-response
Someone needs to explain to me how being trans makes you inherently better than cis people at darts, because that sounds like bullshit.
* "What to Know About the Hack at Tea, an App Where Women Share Red Flags About Men:" https://web.archive.org/web/20250727001949/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/26/us/tea-safety-dating-app-hack.html
* "Complaints, protests mar Tesla Diner’s opening in Hollywood:" https://ktla.com/news/california/complaints-protests-mar-tesla-diners-opening-in-hollywood/
* "Single-Celled Creature Has Eye Made of Domesticated Microbes:" https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/single-celled-creature-has-eye-made-of-domesticated-microbes
* "'Gilded Age' side-eye: How a silent maid unveils centuries of trans history:" https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/gilded-age
* Monday morning Contractor inspection led to another caulking and a bucket of dancing blue paint set outside our door in the afternoon.
* Tuesday was A LOT. I had a telehealth, which did not work out, much as all the telehealths haven't for the last couple years, so as always, it ended up being phone instead. I tell them over and over that you can not text a zoom link to a landline and they will need to email it. It's in my chart at both doctors who like to telehealth. Inevitably they try to text the landline anyway. It's fine. I hate zoom telehealth anyway; phone is better unless they need to actually look at a thing.
We think third time will be the charm on my lung treatment machine. I may also be getting a walker out of it which will enable me to go out in nature again, hopefully. (No swimming this summer. :()
This ate over an hour for a ten minute call, what with all the prep (I needed to set the sofa into awake position in case Tavy peed on it. He did not, but it's not a thing to bet on.) Things that needed to be undone later, then done again. I needed to brush my hair, etc.. answer assorted pre-telehealth calls, etc.. It took a while to get back to sleep.
And then the Landscapers came.
Not only were they Loud All Day they spent a Lot of time in front of the Patio and the front Window, and one took a leaf blower up onto the patio. (In his defense, he was clearing a lot of stuff he'd earlier chainsawed onto the patio.) Tavy also wanted to fight that guy while also being scared of the sounds, as he was attacking the bushes Tavy thinks the Millennials live in. Normally the cats would have hidden in my room with me, but the room being a barren wasteland, they ran around like chickens with heads cut off.
It was A Lot for all of us. Add in all the allergens they kicked up, which in inevitably leak in the cracks. I could feel my breathing worsening in waves, and continue to struggle.
No painters or contractor work on my floor at all today except for ones passing through or futzing with the materials piles.
* Wednesday: No Painting today.
My lungs are now so bad I am struggling hard to stay oxygenated lying down.
There would be a partial solution to this if I had a bed. I sleep poorly propped like a 19th century tuberculosis patient, but it is better than what I am doing now.
I wake dizzy and exhausted and weak.
I dream about struggling for air.
My mother spent most of the last decade of her life dreaming she was being suffocated by various means. I think about that a lot.
The good news is, they phoned me in the afternoon to get me to go fill out a web form so I could get a new machine. Finally.
Alarmingly, the form has no save or submit button or the like. I called and left a message, just in case.
Out in the garden, a second tomato just got a touch of orange today.
The landscape guy appears to have accidentally decimated my asparagus feathers in the technical sense. (This is where more asparagus come from). Let us hope enough survived or enough seeds did there thing.
An entire bush I was using for privacy is gone. O.o
I miss the mature gardens of my youth, but bougie people hate ground cover and like wasting money replacing bushes and the like just as they start to mature. Sigh.
In my exhaustion and distraction I missed the second zoom meeting yesterday, the one where I planned to beg them to save the pride displays and let the gardens mature for once.
Still there were very good sandwiches with a plum for dessert today, and i am ready to start my Locked Tomb reread.
UPDATE: A friend suggested I try a more commercial browser. This led to me actually fixing it, but the problem was not the browser it turned out, but incredibly poor web design.
They have one of those big ad thingies you can’t close for their own services Covering the button to scroll a tiny privacy policy window, so to submit you need to know there is an invisible scroll bar next to the privacy policy.
* Thursday: I had dental cleaning which meant I needed to stay up for the appointment. I didn't even get to lie down until 11AM.
The good news: They came to paint today and it was a lot of toing and froing. It looks great and they reattached the wood bits they'd removed for the duration.
The bad news: They will not remove the trash, wreckage, clean, etc. until the HoA signs off. I am not allowed to move the furniture back until the HoA signs off. Contractors said to email them, so I did.
I am so tired and brain foggy and having it this close to over without being over is agonizing.
I really hope HoA signs off tomorrow so we can try to assemble the queer community to help me get my bed together and my furniture back where it goes.
It is so hot on the sofa (The anti-Tavy covers really retain heat and I can't blow a fan across to dissipate it) and it hurts and I just want my nice cool comfortable place to sleep with my cats on or around me.
* Squirrel Needs Help with Bills!
They've been running behind since last autumn because they got scammed, plus all the stuff with the Housing issues, plus the strike this Autumn. Now they had to quarantine for most of a week because of a dangerous exposure at work. They are fine, but it means they have a small paycheck right when all the things are due, including insurance and car payment to get to work, the Internet bill, etc..
They think they can negotiate partial payments with another $200ish to keep things going another month.
If you'd like to help them out and help keep us both online:
paypal.me/Squirrelmh
* "Why Was Trump On The Roof? | Trump's Disapproval Rating | Did Ghislaine Snitch? | Red State Rage:"
( Embed: )
* "Our Twice-Impeached President | Donald Trump, Job Killer | Good At Ballroom | El Gilded Age:"
( Embed: )
* "Meanwhile... A "Bewitched" Sequel? | World's Oldest Baby | Vodka Sodas | The $200k Penis:"
( Embed: )
* Queer History and Murderbot (Also some Star Trek): https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/791284563712294913/thank-you-for-writing-this-and-its-a-really?source=share
* "19 LGBTQ+ movies & TV shows coming in August 2025 — and where to watch them:" https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/lgbtq-movies-tv-shows-coming-in-august-2025#rebelltitem1
* "Tired Of Democrats Who Don't Fight Back Against Republicans?:"
( Embed: )
* CW: CSA "Why Trump Wants A Golden Ballroom At The White House:"
( Embed: )
* "Deep To The Heart Of Chi-Town:"
( Embed: )
* "Putting Nukes On The Moon:"
( Embed: )
* "Sunday Sweets: Modern Marvels:" https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/sunday-sweets-modern-marvels-2025
*****
* 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.
* CW: Suicide "These hotlines are still available for LGBTQ+ youth after Trump kills 988 services:" https://www.advocate.com/news/lgbtq-youth-hotlines-still-available
* "United States Disappeared Tracker:" https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/danielleharlow/viz/UnitedStatesDisappearedTracker/Map
* "Introducing Rise Up: Federal Workers Legal Defense Network:" https://aflcio.org/2025/4/16/introducing-rise-federal-workers-legal-defense-network
* Here are some ways to help Immigrants and the anti-ICE Protesters:
Immigrant Defenders: https://give.immdef.org/give/545119/#!/donation/checkout
The Bail Project: https://bailproject.org/
National Bail Fund Network: https://www.communityjusticeexchange.org/en/nbfn-directory
Amnesty International: protect asylum-seekers: https://donate.amnestyusa.org/page/113080/donate/1
The Young Center for Immigtrant Children's Rights: https://www.theyoungcenter.org/
CHIRLA: https://www.chirla.org/
AL Otro Lado: https://alotrolado.networkforgood.com/projects/63833-al-otro-lado-fund
Mid-South Immigration Advocates: https://miamemphis.org/
* Want to help Nathan Sage against Joni Ernst? https://www.sageforsenate.com/
* Want to help Dr. Annie Andrews beat Lindsey Graham?" https://secure.actblue.com/donate/loc_annie_fr_txt_q22025?refcode=LOC_RTL_FR_2025.05.29_Lindsey-Bad-Job_B1_C1_Pros_N_Peony_RG-T1&amount=5
* Want to help Mike Pruitt in Virginia? https://secure.actblue.com/donate/mike-pruitt-1?refcode=directory
* Want to help Roy Cooper in North Carolina against Michael Whatley? https://secure.actblue.com/donate/roy_cooper_email?refcode=directory
* Want to help James Osyf in Virginia Beach? https://secure.actblue.com/donate/james-osyf-1?refcode=directory
* Want to help Omar Fateh in Minneapolis? https://secure.actblue.com/donate/campaign-fund-of-omar-fateh-1?refcode=directory
( More Links Underneath: )
* "Israel intends to take control of Gaza Strip, Netanyahu says:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/07/netanyahu-israel-control-gaza-00497835
* "Sen. Slotkin On The Deep State, Israel’s Endgame In Gaza, and Dems’ Alpha Energy:"
( Embed: )
******
* "Trump tells European leaders he’ll continue Russia talks through in-person meetings with Putin:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/06/trump-european-leaders-in-person-meetings-putin-00496106
* "Trump orders nuclear submarines moved after Russian 'provocative statements':" https://archive.ph/Xujli
* "Brazil's Bolsonaro appeals house arrest order:" https://archive.ph/Fa9E2
* "U.K. resident activism:" https://amaebi.dreamwidth.org/2680664.html
* "Rival anti-migrant and anti-racism protests face off outside a hotel housing migrants in London:" https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/rival-anti-migrant-anti-racism-protests-face-off-124308218
* "U.S. plans to ease human rights criticism of El Salvador, Israel, Russia:" https://archive.is/4e5sZ
* "Anti-LGBTQ+ Catholic leader confirmed as ambassador to Vatican:" https://www.advocate.com/news/anti-lgbtq-catholic-ambassador-vatican
* "Trump's tariffs are now fully in effect. Are prices rising? Here's what we know:" https://www.npr.org/2025/07/29/nx-s1-5477470/prices-trump-tariffs
* Tariffs are a regressive tax paid by ordinary American consumers: "US expects $50 billion a month in tariff revenues, US Commerce chief Lutnick says:" https://archive.ph/Wqyi7
* "Trump says US will charge tariff of about 100% on semiconductor imports:" https://archive.ph/SnnQd
* "Apple CEO Tim Cook bends the knee to Donald Trump with a golden Oval Office gift & $100 billion pledge:" https://www.advocate.com/news/tim-cook-donald-trump-gift
* "Trump imposes extra 25% tariff on Indian goods, ties hit new low:" https://archive.ph/N5XZg
* "Exclusive: 'I won't humiliate myself': Brazil's president sees no point in tariff talks with Trump:" https://archive.ph/EXAiR
* "US employers slash hiring as Trump advances a punishing trade agenda:" https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-economy-trump-federal-reserve-68a15f89d68793a6cf88a522ff33246c
* "Trump narrows Fed chair candidates to four, excluding Treasury Secretary Bessent:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-reserve-powell-successor-d7a0739a1f870e6b200036b66d9d3d1a
* "Trump names economic adviser Miran to temporary Fed opening:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/07/trump-fed-miran-powell-inflation-cea-00498696
* "Trump says he’s ordering new census:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/07/trump-new-census-00497025
The Census is literally a requirement in Article I, Section 2, Clause 3 of the Constitution and counts everybody living here. (There were exceptions for Slaves and untaxed indigenous people, but that got changed later, obviously). An accurate Census is essential for things like House of Reps, Electoral college, taxation, and resource allocation. The reasons you need to know how many people live in a place is pretty obvious. Notice that they illegally want not to count undocumented Immigrants, but not not prisoners, who also lack voting rights but prisoners are usually taken from cities to fluff up rural numbers, so that helps republicans.
There is no provision to redo the Census if the President doesn't like the numbers.
* "Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Lift ICE Racial-Profiling Ban:" https://archive.ph/oO1BA
* "Trump Just Released His Plan to Revoke Birthright Citizenship. It’s Worse Than Imagined.:" https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/07/trump-birthright-citizenship-supreme-court-ice-maternity-ward.html
* "More immigration judges terminated as Trump administration works to cut down massive case backlog:" https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-immigration-court-judges-terminated-donald-trump-administration-works-cut-down-massive-case-backlog/17434235/
I have said for decades that we should fold immigration judges into the regular judiciary so they would have independence, rather than being fired on a whim if they do something the president doesn't like and that immigration courts ought to follow more normal procedure including a right to a lawyer.
Also, someone needs to explain subtraction to Republicans (just generally). If you take things away, you have less of them. We need more judges, not less the bigger the backlog is.
* "2 federal immigration judges speak out after being abruptly fired by Trump administration:" https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/immigration-judges-fired-trump-administration/
* "Flight Manifests Reveal Dozens of Previously Unknown People on Three Deportation Flights to El Salvador:" https://www.404media.co/flight-manifests-reveal-dozens-of-previously-unknown-people-on-three-deportation-flights-to-el-salvador/
* "Trump has militarized the immigration system. Now is the time to stand up:" https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/aug/03/trump-us-immigration
* "National Guard Ordered to Do ICE Paperwork at Immigration Facilities in 20 States:" https://theintercept.com/2025/07/31/national-guard-ice-immigration-trump/
* "Maddow: U.S. profoundly changed by authoritarian leader; 'We're beyond waiting and seeing now':" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/maddow-u-s-profoundly-changed-by-authoritarian-leader-we-re-beyond-waiting-and-seeing-now-244353093883
* "No justice left: Massive ICE recruitment blitz raises red flags:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-briefing-with-jen-psaki/watch/no-justice-left-massive-ice-recruitment-blitz-raises-red-flags-244493893972
* "Ice to hold 1,000 detainees in Indiana after deal with state’s prison system:" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/05/indiana-immigration-detainees-ice
* "Border patrol agents jump out of rental truck and ambush people at LA Home Depot:" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/06/ice-border-patrol-home-depot-los-angeles
* "L.A. agrees to pay $500,000 to reporters arrested at 2021 Echo Park protest:" https://archive.ph/yGXyN
* "DHS denies hunger strike at Alligator Alcatraz despite Cuban detainee’s two-week protest:" https://english.elpais.com/usa/2025-08-05/dhs-denies-hunger-strike-at-alligator-alcatraz-despite-cuban-detainees-two-week-protest.html
* Stay Noisy! Keep Protesting! "ICE arrests decline amid backlash to June immigration raids:" https://www.axios.com/2025/08/05/ice-arrests-july-decline-immigrants
* "Scarsdale High School grad released after being detained by ICE for several days:" https://abc7ny.com/post/scarsdale-high-school-grad-yeonsoo-go-detained-ice-rally-prayer-vigil-set-thursday/17431965/
* I am not surprised. It's Eugene! "Protest at Lane County Fair over controversial Alcatraz shirts draws county response:" https://www.kezi.com/news/local/protest-at-lane-county-fair-over-controversial-alcatraz-shirts-draws-county-response/article_a34e082c-af02-4559-9e55-f84d9544bf6b.html
* "When The U.S. Government Tried To Replace Migrant Farmworkers With High Schoolers:" https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/07/31/634442195/when-the-u-s-government-tried-to-replace-migrant-farmworkers-with-high-schoolers
* "Stanford student paper, noncitizen students sue Trump officials over speech-related visa policies:" https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/08/06/stanford-student-lawsuit-trump-officials-free-speech-visas/
* "Trump bans trans women athletes from 'extraordinary ability’ visas:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/trans-women-athletes-extraordinary-visas
* "State Department to charge some travelers $10,000 bond to get visas:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/04/state-department-visa-bonds-00492077
* Here are some ways to help Immigrants and the anti-ICE Protesters:
Immigrant Defenders: https://give.immdef.org/give/545119/#!/donation/checkout
The Bail Project: https://bailproject.org/
National Bail Fund Network: https://www.communityjusticeexchange.org/en/nbfn-directory
Amnesty International: protect asylum-seekers: https://donate.amnestyusa.org/page/113080/donate/1
The Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights: https://www.theyoungcenter.org/
CHIRLA: https://www.chirla.org/
AL Otro Lado: https://alotrolado.networkforgood.com/projects/63833-al-otro-lado-fund
Mid-South Immigration Advocates: https://miamemphis.org/
"Know Your Rights:" https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/protesters-rights
* "Strategic Resistance: Mass Demonstration:" https://ninelives.karawynnlong.com/strategic-resistance-mass-demonstration/
https://mgerwingarch.com/m-gerwing/2012/11/24/architects-glossary-soffit
* "80 years after Hiroshima, Trump’s ‘gut’ is in charge of the nuclear codes, and it's dangerous:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/donald-trump-nuclear-codes-hiroshima
* Which Means he's thinking about it, probably. "Trump says he will ‘probably not’ seek a third term:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/05/donald-trump-2028-election-00493621
* "Before and After Photos Show White House Rose Garden Paved Over:" https://www.newsweek.com/before-after-photos-white-house-rose-garden-2109488
I know it a small thing compared to everything else, but he's destroyed a piece of history by literally paving it over because he has no taste and an inflated ego.
I don't know, it just feels both symbolic of his destruction of the environment and the country as a whole and is deeply distressing as someone who cares about history.
Again, minor compared to what ICE agents are doing or his foreign policy or his public health policy, all of which are actively killing people, but it still bothers me.
* "Trump says JPMorgan, Bank of America rejected his deposits:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/05/trump-jpmorgan-bank-america-debanking-00494729
* "Marjorie Taylor Greene officially urges Trump to commute George Santos’s prison sentence:" https://www.advocate.com/news/george-santos-pardon-mtg
* "Dozens attend OKC Rage Against the Regime rally to protest Trump administration:" https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2025/08/02/rage-against-the-regime-held-to-protest-trump-administration-policies/85427103007/
* "Duffy to announce nuclear reactor on the moon:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/04/nasa-china-space-station-duffy-directives-00492172
* "Trump, in another break from the norm, interviews 4-star general candidates:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-generals-meeting-candidates-four-star-00ddfa91be57fb92eb616694ef50b6ba
* "What’s Included in the 596 Books Banned by the Department of Defense Education Activity?:" https://bookriot.com/whats-included-in-the-596-books-banned-by-the-department-of-defense-education-activity/
* "VA severs ties with most federal unions, terminating worker contracts:" https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2025/08/06/va-severs-ties-with-most-federal-unions-terminating-worker-contracts/
* "Air Force rescinds early retirement approvals for transgender service members kicked out by Trump :" https://www.advocate.com/news/air-force-transgender-retirement
* "Senate Democrats Estimate DOGE Caused Billions of Dollars In Government Waste:" https://talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo/senate-democrats-estimate-doge-caused-billions-of-dollars-in-government-waste
* "FDA’s New Drug Approval AI Is Generating Fake Studies: Report:" https://gizmodo.com/fdas-new-drug-approval-ai-is-generating-fake-studies-report-2000633153
* "US health agency to wind down mRNA vaccine development:" https://archive.ph/eojTk
* "Is America's Food System Safe Under Trump?:"
( Embed: )
* "White House backs away from IVF coverage mandate despite Trump’s campaign pledge, Washington Post reports:" https://archive.ph/WMGAF
* "Trump Administration Moves to Destroy Satellite That Monitors Greenhouse Gases:" https://gizmodo.com/trump-administration-moves-to-destroy-satellite-that-monitors-greenhouse-gases-2000639234
Destroying the satellites is essential to preventing us having accurate climate data, something Billionaires do not want us to have for obvious reasons.
* The Republican War on the environment continues. "E.P.A. Moves to Cancel $7 Billion in Grants for Solar Energy:" https://archive.ph/7N9lV
* "After helping GOP-led Texas, Trump admin denies FEMA aid to another Democratic-led state:" https://www.msnbc.com/top-stories/latest/maryland-fema-aid-flooding-texas-trump-wes-moore-rcna220869
* "Key sections of the US Constitution deleted from government’s website:" https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/06/key-sections-of-the-us-constitution-deleted-from-governments-website/
They are outright censoring parts of the constitution in service of Fascist Autocracy.
* "Confederate statue toppled during Black Lives Matter protests will be reinstalled:" https://www.npr.org/2025/08/05/nx-s1-5493106/confederate-statue-albert-pike-reinstall
Republicans prefer to honor traitors instead of people who tried to make the country or the world better, so, of course.
* "Philly activists rally at Independence Park to protest Trump’s moves to remove exhibits that depict slavery in early America:" https://whyy.org/articles/philadelphia-presidents-house-site-slavery-exhibit-protest-trump-removal/
* "Pam Bondi seeks grand jury review of Obama-era origins of Trump-Russia investigation:" https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-russia-trump-bondi-gabbard-55bd00e15fe18da1533b623c3ca9bbbb
* "Legal Watchdog Files Bar Complaints Against Justice Dept. Lawyers:" https://archive.ph/PwYRT
* "Trump regulatory czar Jeffrey Clark should be disbarred for role in 2020 election plot, disciplinary board rules:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/31/jeffrey-clark-disbarred-recommendation-00487257
* "Law strikes back: Lawyers doing Trump's bidding targeted where integrity still matters:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/law-strikes-back-lawyers-doing-trump-s-bidding-targeted-where-integrity-still-matters-244355141795
* "Video shows Department of Justice official urging Jan. 6 rioters to 'kill' cops:" https://www.npr.org/2025/08/07/nx-s1-5493197/doj-trump-jan-6-defendant-jared-wise-capitol-riot
* "FBI ousts ex-acting director, other agents, in latest purge, people briefed say:" https://archive.ph/B3r1b
* "Trump's war on facts backfires at FBI as top talent walks away:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-briefing-with-jen-psaki/watch/trump-s-war-on-facts-backfires-at-fbi-as-top-talent-walks-away-244564037814
* " Trump’s War on Big Law Means It’s Harder to Challenge the Administration:" https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-law-firms-accountability-environment-police-lgbtq
* "New nonprofit firm in Washington adds to legal resistance to Trump:" https://archive.ph/rrMSE
* "Brown University is ‘functionally inaccessible’ to transgender students after Trump settlement:" https://www.advocate.com/news/transgender-students-unsafe-brown-university
This is the goal of all the anti-trans policies and laws: To force all trans people out of public life.
* "Harvard President Garber Tells Faculty He Is Not Considering a $500 Million Deal With Trump:" https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2025/8/3/garber-500-million-trump/
* "Harvard scientists say research could be set back years after funding freeze:" https://apnews.com/article/harvard-trump-nih-funding-cuts-32c1ae9dc542897496974a85aaa07b85
* "Judge dismisses Truth Social CEO’s defamation suit against Rachel Maddow:" https://www.advocate.com/news/nunes-maddow-defamation-case-dismissed
* "Liberal watchdog Media Matters is in serious trouble after being sued by Elon Musk:" https://www.advocate.com/news/media-matters-existential-crisis
* "38 years in the media industry, and I never thought the U.S. media would crumble like this:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/media-crumbles-under-trump-attacks
* CW: CSA. Trump is out championing pedophilia again. "Trump and the Catholic Church Fight a Law Requiring Clergy to Report Child Abuse:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trump-catholic-church-child-abuse-law-clergy-priests-1235388032/
* CW: Sex Trafficking "Sean 'Diddy' Combs has reached out to Trump about pardon, source says:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/sean-diddy-combs-trump-pardon-rcna223282
**** Trump/Epstein/Maxwell, etc. CW: CSA ****
* "JD Vance to meet with top Trump officials to plot Epstein strategy – report:" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/06/jeffrey-epstein-jd-vance-trump-meeting
* "Busted: Weasel words fail to hide Vance, Bondi, Patel at damage control meeting:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-briefing-with-jen-psaki/watch/busted-weasel-words-fail-to-hide-vance-bondi-patel-at-damage-control-meeting-244558917936
* "The FBI Redacted Trump’s Name in the Epstein Files:" https://archive.ph/EipJb
* "Ghislaine Maxwell doesn’t want grand jury materials in her case unsealed:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/05/maxwell-grand-jury-materials-00494366
* "Comer issues subpoenas for DOJ’s Epstein files, depositions with former officials:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/05/epstein-subpoenas-department-of-justice-00494129?nid=0000018f-3124-de07-a98f-3be4d1400000&nname=politico-toplines&nrid=be070962-4be9-4973-9f98-2d06bb76424c
* "Epstein Victim Says Trump's Reported Move 'Monumentally Mind-Blowing':" https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-files-victim-pam-bondi-2108809
The survivors and the families of the dead should come first, but republicans refuse to consider them at all in the rush to cover up pedophilia and coddle pedophiles.
* "'She is a monster': Survivors warn Trump is dealing with Epstein's 'puppet master':" https://www.msnbc.com/the-briefing-with-jen-psaki/watch/-she-is-a-monster-survivors-warn-trump-is-dealing-with-epstein-s-puppet-master-244491333889
* "The Supreme Court Prepares to End Voting Rights as We Know Them:" https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/08/voting-rights-act-supreme-court-2/
* "New York opens America's first city-funded shelter specifically for trans people:" https://www.advocate.com/news/new-york-city-transgender-shelter
* Extended Interview with Sec. Robert Reich:
( Embed: )
* "Billionaires Want Your 401k Funds:"
( Embed: )
* "CBO: Republican megabill to cost $4.1T, due to higher borrowing costs:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/04/congressional-budget-office-gop-megabill-to-cost-4-1t-drive-up-borrowing-costs-00492581
* "TRUTH TO POWER: Constituent delivers blast of reality to Republican congressman at town hall:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-briefing-with-jen-psaki/watch/truth-to-power-constituent-delivers-blast-of-reality-to-republican-congressman-at-town-hall-244426821802
* Our job for the next year and a half 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.
* "Take action with Indivisible:" https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/
* Trump 2.0 Indivisible Guide. https://indivisible.org/resource/guide
* "Democracy 2025:" https://www.democracy2025.org/?utm_source=df-ad&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=21912407002&utm_content=721373734297&source=df-ad-gs&gad_source=1
* "Resisting Fascism in 2025 and Beyond:" https://www.prideandpagesbookclub.com/resisting-fascism-in-2025-and-beyond
* If you can't safely contact them in person, here are some other options for contacting your Congress Critters:
Five Calls to your critters: https://5calls.org/
Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resist.bot/
And another: https://faxzero.com/fax_senate.php
Snail Mail Campaigns: https://conuly.dreamwidth.org/3622760.html
"Congress. gov:" https://www.congress.gov/
White house (Possibly Dangerous): https://www.whitehouse.gov/
ACLU advice for writing to your Critters: https://www.aclu.org/writing-your-elected-representatives
This tracks legislation: https://www.govtrack.us/
"The Public Comment Process (+ how to write effective public comments):" https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/781844516804149248?source=share
Run for Something: https://runforsomething.net/
"Vote Smart:" https://justfacts.votesmart.org/
Useful organizing links and resources: https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/771859083592613888/hater-of-terfs-ive-already-reblogged-a-link-to?source=share
Protests: "50501 Events:" https://www.fiftyfifty.one/events
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
"ICE Raids Toolkit: Defend Against ICE Raids and Community Arrests:" https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/raids-toolkit/
Contains a raid tip hotline amoung other things. "Know Your Rights
LEARN HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY:" https://wearecasa.org/know-your-rights/
* "Texas House Democrats flee the state in bid to block GOP’s proposed congressional map:" https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/03/texas-democrats-quorum-break-redistricting-map/
* "Texas Democrats fleeing the state also stopped anti-abortion and anti-trans bills:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/texas-democrats-abortion-transgender-maps
* "'ENOUGH': Texas Dem holds fast as Abbott tries heavy hand lawsuit to force Trump's election scheme:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-briefing-with-jen-psaki/watch/-enough-texas-dem-holds-fast-as-abbott-tries-heavy-hand-lawsuit-to-force-trump-s-election-scheme-244428357673
* "FBI to Aid Texas in Locating Democrats Over Redistricting:" https://www.newsweek.com/john-cornyn-fbi-texas-democrats-redistricting-request-2110202
Even though they have broken no laws, let alone federal laws, the FBI has agreed to illegal hunt down democrats to arrest them for legally crossing state lines.
* "Texas Democrats who fled to Illinois faced bomb threat, police say:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/06/texas-democrats-threats-00495572
* "Gov. JB Pritzker Pledges That Illinois Will Do "Whatever It Takes To Preserve Democracy":"
( Embed: )
* "Hochul embraces gerrymandering in New York:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/04/hochul-embraces-gerrymandering-in-new-york-00492008
* "California moves to dismantle GOP map — and Trump’s grip:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/04/california-fires-back-at-texas-redistricting-00493314?nid=0000018f-3124-de07-a98f-3be4d1400000&nname=politico-toplines&nrid=24e2b104-55c7-486b-821f-eaaa748661c8
* What would Jesus do? Commit genocide. "Indiana Lt. Gov. Beckwith shares post from church that called for death to gays; his team walks it back:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/indiana-lt-gov-hate-repost
* "Man accused of killing Minnesota lawmaker pleads not guilty to murder charges:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/man-accused-killing-minnesota-lawmaker-appear-court-murder-charges-rcna223576
* "New details about police activity after lawmaker shootings raise questions about response:" https://www.startribune.com/new-details-from-crucial-hours-after-lawmaker-shootings-raise-questions-about-police-response/601432709
* "Luigi Mangione's attorneys accuse prosecutors of illegally obtaining his medical records:" https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/luigi-mangiones-attorneys-accuse-prosecutors-of-hipaa-violations/
* CW: Suicide, Domestic Violence. "Kansas police severely damage 'Transgender House' in standoff with murder suspect:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/mott-house-transgender-damaged-police
For those who will only see the headline, it was a unrelated murderer who broke in while running from police.
"Planting Peace, which is headquartered in the “Equality House” next door, painted the home in the colors of the transgender flag in 2016. It was renamed in 2019 for late transgender activist Stephanie Mott, former chair of Equality Kansas and founder of the Kansas Statewide Transgender Education Project.Trending stories
Both the rainbow-colored Equality House and the pink, white, and blue Mott House are neighbors to the headquarters of the Westboro Baptist Church, a notorious anti-LGBTQ+ religious group founded by Fred Phelps."
If you want to help support the Mott House they take donations here: https://www.plantingpeace.org/campaign/transgender-house/#donate-now
* "He was forced into a women’s prison unit where he was attacked & denied healthcare. Now he’s suing.:" https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/08/he-was-forced-into-a-womens-unit-where-he-was-attacked-denied-healthcare-now-hes-suing/
* "Project 2025's Mike Howell targets UNC courses that mention diversity and LGBTQ+ topics:" https://www.advocate.com/news/heritage-foundation-diversity-courses
* CW: CSA. "Arkansas man who police say admitted to impregnating a child takes plea deal, gets probation:" https://www.4029tv.com/article/arkansas-probation-impregnating-child/65477545
$690 in restitution and a slap on the wrist. It's adding insult to injury.
* CW: Domestic Violence. "Gay model arrested after his estranged husband was found dead in their New York City apartment:" https://www.advocate.com/news/donald-zieben-hood-arrested-after-husband-found-dead
* "Beyond the Macrons' lawsuit: Why do people accuse powerful women of being men?:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/why-do-people-accuse-powerful-women-of-being-men
* "Citing Skrmetti, appeals court rejects challenge to Oklahoma ban on gender-affirming care for youth:" https://www.advocate.com/news/oklahoma-transgender-care-ban-upheld
* "Tennessee demands abortion data from hospitals in ban exceptions case:" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/06/tennessee-abortion-data-ban
* "Idaho Lost One in Three Obstetricians After Its Abortion Ban:" https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/08/idaho-abortion-ban-obstetrics-doctors-leaving/
* "Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court strikes down St. Lucia laws criminalizing gay sex:" https://www.advocate.com/news/st-lucia-gay-criminalization-invalidated
* "U.K. to begin major study on health of transgender youth:" https://www.advocate.com/health/uk-major-study-transgender-youth
* "FBI report: Despite overall crime drop, anti-LGBTQ+ violence remains alarmingly high:" https://www.advocate.com/news/anti-lgbtq-hate-crimes-high
* "A gay Arizona man's death is still unsolved, but Phoenix police closed the case: report:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/marcus-freiberger-death-case-closed
* "Virginia prosecutor says ‘potential hate crime’ against Black lesbian couple has his ‘utmost attention’:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/black-lesbians-virginia-hate-crime
* "Texas church vandalized by homophobes gets restored by affirming community:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/texas-methodist-church-vandalized-lgbtq
* "Idaho's anti-transgender bathroom law challenged by trans college student:" https://www.advocate.com/news/idaho-transgender-bathroom-ban-challenged
* "A powerful civil rights group is hitting the road and going to red states. Here's why:" https://www.advocate.com/news/hrc-launches-lgbtq-storytelling-tour
* "Trans darts champion laments ban against trans women as 'loss for the trans community':" https://www.advocate.com/news/trans-darts-champion-ban-response
Someone needs to explain to me how being trans makes you inherently better than cis people at darts, because that sounds like bullshit.
* "What to Know About the Hack at Tea, an App Where Women Share Red Flags About Men:" https://web.archive.org/web/20250727001949/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/26/us/tea-safety-dating-app-hack.html
* "Complaints, protests mar Tesla Diner’s opening in Hollywood:" https://ktla.com/news/california/complaints-protests-mar-tesla-diners-opening-in-hollywood/
* "Single-Celled Creature Has Eye Made of Domesticated Microbes:" https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/single-celled-creature-has-eye-made-of-domesticated-microbes
* "'Gilded Age' side-eye: How a silent maid unveils centuries of trans history:" https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/gilded-age
* Monday morning Contractor inspection led to another caulking and a bucket of dancing blue paint set outside our door in the afternoon.
* Tuesday was A LOT. I had a telehealth, which did not work out, much as all the telehealths haven't for the last couple years, so as always, it ended up being phone instead. I tell them over and over that you can not text a zoom link to a landline and they will need to email it. It's in my chart at both doctors who like to telehealth. Inevitably they try to text the landline anyway. It's fine. I hate zoom telehealth anyway; phone is better unless they need to actually look at a thing.
We think third time will be the charm on my lung treatment machine. I may also be getting a walker out of it which will enable me to go out in nature again, hopefully. (No swimming this summer. :()
This ate over an hour for a ten minute call, what with all the prep (I needed to set the sofa into awake position in case Tavy peed on it. He did not, but it's not a thing to bet on.) Things that needed to be undone later, then done again. I needed to brush my hair, etc.. answer assorted pre-telehealth calls, etc.. It took a while to get back to sleep.
And then the Landscapers came.
Not only were they Loud All Day they spent a Lot of time in front of the Patio and the front Window, and one took a leaf blower up onto the patio. (In his defense, he was clearing a lot of stuff he'd earlier chainsawed onto the patio.) Tavy also wanted to fight that guy while also being scared of the sounds, as he was attacking the bushes Tavy thinks the Millennials live in. Normally the cats would have hidden in my room with me, but the room being a barren wasteland, they ran around like chickens with heads cut off.
It was A Lot for all of us. Add in all the allergens they kicked up, which in inevitably leak in the cracks. I could feel my breathing worsening in waves, and continue to struggle.
No painters or contractor work on my floor at all today except for ones passing through or futzing with the materials piles.
* Wednesday: No Painting today.
My lungs are now so bad I am struggling hard to stay oxygenated lying down.
There would be a partial solution to this if I had a bed. I sleep poorly propped like a 19th century tuberculosis patient, but it is better than what I am doing now.
I wake dizzy and exhausted and weak.
I dream about struggling for air.
My mother spent most of the last decade of her life dreaming she was being suffocated by various means. I think about that a lot.
The good news is, they phoned me in the afternoon to get me to go fill out a web form so I could get a new machine. Finally.
Alarmingly, the form has no save or submit button or the like. I called and left a message, just in case.
Out in the garden, a second tomato just got a touch of orange today.
The landscape guy appears to have accidentally decimated my asparagus feathers in the technical sense. (This is where more asparagus come from). Let us hope enough survived or enough seeds did there thing.
An entire bush I was using for privacy is gone. O.o
I miss the mature gardens of my youth, but bougie people hate ground cover and like wasting money replacing bushes and the like just as they start to mature. Sigh.
In my exhaustion and distraction I missed the second zoom meeting yesterday, the one where I planned to beg them to save the pride displays and let the gardens mature for once.
Still there were very good sandwiches with a plum for dessert today, and i am ready to start my Locked Tomb reread.
UPDATE: A friend suggested I try a more commercial browser. This led to me actually fixing it, but the problem was not the browser it turned out, but incredibly poor web design.
They have one of those big ad thingies you can’t close for their own services Covering the button to scroll a tiny privacy policy window, so to submit you need to know there is an invisible scroll bar next to the privacy policy.
* Thursday: I had dental cleaning which meant I needed to stay up for the appointment. I didn't even get to lie down until 11AM.
The good news: They came to paint today and it was a lot of toing and froing. It looks great and they reattached the wood bits they'd removed for the duration.
The bad news: They will not remove the trash, wreckage, clean, etc. until the HoA signs off. I am not allowed to move the furniture back until the HoA signs off. Contractors said to email them, so I did.
I am so tired and brain foggy and having it this close to over without being over is agonizing.
I really hope HoA signs off tomorrow so we can try to assemble the queer community to help me get my bed together and my furniture back where it goes.
It is so hot on the sofa (The anti-Tavy covers really retain heat and I can't blow a fan across to dissipate it) and it hurts and I just want my nice cool comfortable place to sleep with my cats on or around me.
* Squirrel Needs Help with Bills!
They've been running behind since last autumn because they got scammed, plus all the stuff with the Housing issues, plus the strike this Autumn. Now they had to quarantine for most of a week because of a dangerous exposure at work. They are fine, but it means they have a small paycheck right when all the things are due, including insurance and car payment to get to work, the Internet bill, etc..
They think they can negotiate partial payments with another $200ish to keep things going another month.
If you'd like to help them out and help keep us both online:
paypal.me/Squirrelmh
* "Why Was Trump On The Roof? | Trump's Disapproval Rating | Did Ghislaine Snitch? | Red State Rage:"
( Embed: )
* "Our Twice-Impeached President | Donald Trump, Job Killer | Good At Ballroom | El Gilded Age:"
( Embed: )
* "Meanwhile... A "Bewitched" Sequel? | World's Oldest Baby | Vodka Sodas | The $200k Penis:"
( Embed: )
* Queer History and Murderbot (Also some Star Trek): https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/791284563712294913/thank-you-for-writing-this-and-its-a-really?source=share
* "19 LGBTQ+ movies & TV shows coming in August 2025 — and where to watch them:" https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/lgbtq-movies-tv-shows-coming-in-august-2025#rebelltitem1
* "Tired Of Democrats Who Don't Fight Back Against Republicans?:"
( Embed: )
* CW: CSA "Why Trump Wants A Golden Ballroom At The White House:"
( Embed: )
* "Deep To The Heart Of Chi-Town:"
( Embed: )
* "Putting Nukes On The Moon:"
( Embed: )
* "Sunday Sweets: Modern Marvels:" https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/sunday-sweets-modern-marvels-2025
*****
* 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.
* CW: Suicide "These hotlines are still available for LGBTQ+ youth after Trump kills 988 services:" https://www.advocate.com/news/lgbtq-youth-hotlines-still-available
* "United States Disappeared Tracker:" https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/danielleharlow/viz/UnitedStatesDisappearedTracker/Map
* "Introducing Rise Up: Federal Workers Legal Defense Network:" https://aflcio.org/2025/4/16/introducing-rise-federal-workers-legal-defense-network
* Here are some ways to help Immigrants and the anti-ICE Protesters:
Immigrant Defenders: https://give.immdef.org/give/545119/#!/donation/checkout
The Bail Project: https://bailproject.org/
National Bail Fund Network: https://www.communityjusticeexchange.org/en/nbfn-directory
Amnesty International: protect asylum-seekers: https://donate.amnestyusa.org/page/113080/donate/1
The Young Center for Immigtrant Children's Rights: https://www.theyoungcenter.org/
CHIRLA: https://www.chirla.org/
AL Otro Lado: https://alotrolado.networkforgood.com/projects/63833-al-otro-lado-fund
Mid-South Immigration Advocates: https://miamemphis.org/
* Want to help Nathan Sage against Joni Ernst? https://www.sageforsenate.com/
* Want to help Dr. Annie Andrews beat Lindsey Graham?" https://secure.actblue.com/donate/loc_annie_fr_txt_q22025?refcode=LOC_RTL_FR_2025.05.29_Lindsey-Bad-Job_B1_C1_Pros_N_Peony_RG-T1&amount=5
* Want to help Mike Pruitt in Virginia? https://secure.actblue.com/donate/mike-pruitt-1?refcode=directory
* Want to help Roy Cooper in North Carolina against Michael Whatley? https://secure.actblue.com/donate/roy_cooper_email?refcode=directory
* Want to help James Osyf in Virginia Beach? https://secure.actblue.com/donate/james-osyf-1?refcode=directory
* Want to help Omar Fateh in Minneapolis? https://secure.actblue.com/donate/campaign-fund-of-omar-fateh-1?refcode=directory
( More Links Underneath: )