gwydion: (Default)
gwydion ([personal profile] gwydion) wrote2025-08-08 01:16 am

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* News keeps moving fast, so some items may be already out of date.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:"

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* "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?:"

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* "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:

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* "Billionaires Want Your 401k Funds:"

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* "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":"

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* "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:"

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* "Our Twice-Impeached President | Donald Trump, Job Killer | Good At Ballroom | El Gilded Age:"

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* "Meanwhile... A "Bewitched" Sequel? | World's Oldest Baby | Vodka Sodas | The $200k Penis:"

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* 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?:"

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* CW: CSA "Why Trump Wants A Golden Ballroom At The White House:"

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* "Deep To The Heart Of Chi-Town:"

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* "Putting Nukes On The Moon:"

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* "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: )
gwydion: (Default)
gwydion ([personal profile] gwydion) wrote2025-08-04 03:04 am

7/28/25 - 8/4/25 In the Toils

* News keeps moving fast, so some items may be already out of date.




* "Trump Rages About Windmills and Whales, Claims He Sent Aid to Gaza But No One Said ‘Thank You’:" https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-windmills-whales-gaza-eu-trade-1235394806/

* "In GOP rift, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene calls Gaza crisis a ‘genocide’:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-weekend-primetime/watch/-in-gop-rift-rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-calls-gaza-crisis-a-genocide-244258885848

* "Trump administration scolds allies over Palestinian statehood:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/31/trump-palestinian-statehood-push-00487326

* "'Absolutely insane': Bernie slams Trump for threatening Canada over Palestine move:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-absolutely-insane-bernie-slams-trump-for-threatening-canada-over-palestine-move-244239429681

* "Two Israeli human rights groups say their country is committing genocide in Gaza:" https://www.npr.org/2025/07/28/nx-s1-5482881/israel-gaza-genocide-rights-groups-btselem-physicians

* "Trump, breaking with Netanyahu, acknowledges ‘real starvation’ in Gaza:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/28/trump-break-netanyahu-gaza-starvation-00479739

* Fact Checking Trump's offensive disinformation: "Trump said US was only country that gave aid to Gaza for food. Here are the facts:" https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trumps-us-gaza-aid/

* "Videos show Israeli extremist group blocking aid trucks to Gaza:" https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/video-aid-trucks-gaza-israelis/

* "Whistleblower: 10-year-old Palestinian boy ‘gunned down’ after receiving food aid:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-weekend-primetime/watch/whistleblower-10-year-old-palestinian-boy-gunned-down-after-receiving-food-aid-244262469741

* "Wave of condemnation after killing of Palestinian activist in West Bank:" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/29/palestinian-awdah-hathaleen-oscar-winning-no-other-land-killed-in-west-bank

* "Israeli Court Releases Settler Suspected of Fatally Shooting Palestinian in West Bank to House Arrest:" https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-07-29/ty-article/.premium/israeli-court-releases-settler-who-fatally-shot-palestinian-in-west-bank-to-house-arrest/00000198-5605-dae7-abbb-df958a2c0000

* "Peter Beinart - "Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning" | The Daily Show:"

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******

* "Photos of how Bedouins in Israel improvise shelters to survive missile threats:" https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/israel-bedouin-homemade-bomb-shelters-war-mideast-8ab285f8025503f4a0740d0e0cc54a81

******

* "Russian strikes kill 25 in Ukraine, as Trump confirms deadline for talks:" https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj0y45mdjp7o

* "Russia says it has captured two villages in Ukraine, Ukraine reports heavy fighting:" https://archive.ph/OLyKX

* "Russia says it captured Ukrainian town of Chasiv Yar after 16-month battle:" https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-says-it-captured-ukrainian-town-chasiv-yar-after-16-month-battle-2025-07-31/

* "Russian air strike on Kyiv kills six, officials say:" https://www.reuters.com/world/russian-air-strike-kyiv-kills-six-officials-say-2025-07-31/

* "Russian attack kills 3 in Ukraine's city of Dnipro, governor says:" https://archive.ph/46iCZ

* "Russians shell three districts of Dnipropetrovsk Region, causing damage:" https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4020608-russians-shell-three-districts-of-dnipropetrovsk-region-causing-damage.html

* "Russia at the gates: How Ukraine defended a strategic city for months:" https://archive.ph/A9nzX

* "Russia's Aeroflot cancels flights after pro-Ukrainian hackers claim massive cyberattack:" https://archive.ph/lX7CA

* "School-leavers losing their lives for Russia in Putin's war with Ukraine:" https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce9xkg7dmd5o

******

* "Exclusive: Trump pledged to save Afghans. But UAE had already sent some evacuees back, cable shows:" https://archive.ph/q8T91






* "Trump hits Brazil with tariffs, sanctions but key sectors excluded:" https://archive.ph/e4OHc

* "Trump's Brazil trade squeeze gives tariff challengers fresh legal ammunition:" https://archive.ph/cHc2L

* "Trump sets EU tariff at 15%, lower than his original threat, after meeting in Scotland:" https://www.npr.org/2025/07/27/nx-s1-5481246/trump-tariffs-european-union

This is nothing to cheer for. A 15% tax on Americans is a lot worse than no tax.

* "EU admits it can’t guarantee $600B promise to Trump:" https://www.politico.eu/article/eus-600bn-us-investment-will-come-exclusively-from-private-sector/

* "Trump formalizes high tariffs as he tries to reshape the global economy:" https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/trump-sets-tariff-levels-reshapes-economy-rcna222387

* "Trump slams Canada's plan to recognize Palestinian state amid trade talks:" https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/us-canada-trade-negotiations-deadline-1.7598002

* "Trump extends Mexico tariff deadline for 90 days:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/31/trump-extends-tariff-deadline-on-mexico-for-at-least-90-days-to-allow-more-talks-00486673

* "Trump signs order imposing new tariffs on a number of trading partners that go into effect in 7 days:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-mexico-3b03b98296424e59c7dc19a865d21969

* "Trump ends de minimis exemption for global low-cost goods:" https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/30/trump-de-minimis-shipping.html

* "Trump slaps universal 50% tariff on copper imports; metal’s price plunges:" https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/30/trump-copper-tariff-trade.html

* "Trump’s tariffs get frosty reception at federal appeals court:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/31/trump-tariff-arguments-appeals-court-00486972

* "Trump blows up his own case for tariff power with scattershot excuses:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-briefing-with-jen-psaki/watch/no-king-trump-blows-up-his-own-case-for-tariff-power-with-scattershot-excuses-244171333966

* "Trump fires BLS commissioner, raising concerns about economic data quality:" https://archive.ph/5oMww

* "Trump goes off the deep end over bad jobs numbers; Fox panel stunned:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-briefing-with-jen-psaki/watch/-incredibly-weak-trump-goes-off-the-deep-end-over-bad-jobs-numbers-fox-panel-stunned-244241989971

* "Trump will try to ‘cook the books’ after firing labor stats chief, experts warn:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/trump-will-try-to-cook-the-books-after-firing-labor-stats-chief-experts-warn-244234821822

* "Fed Governor Kugler is resigning, giving Trump a nominee on committee that sets interest rates:" https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/01/federal-reserve-governor-kugler-part-of-the-committee-that-sets-interest-rates-is-resigning.html

* "Rebound in US economic growth in second quarter masks underlying slowing trend:" https://archive.ph/NsmCc

* "US Fed keeps interest rates steady despite dissent and Trump pressure:" https://www.semafor.com/article/07/30/2025/us-fed-keeps-interest-rates-steady-but-2-governors-dissent

* "'Scotland is already great.' Protesters troll Trump on his golfing trip:" https://www.npr.org/2025/07/26/g-s1-79744/scotland-protesters-anti-trump-golf

* "A Golfing Trump Is Greeted by Protesters in Scotland:" https://archive.ph/QQfQg#selection-517.87-517.99

* "New birthright citizenship rulings provide the ultimate test for the Supreme Court:" https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/trump-immigration-birthright-citizenship-supreme-court-rcna220390

* "States sue USDA over efforts to gather food stamp data on tens of millions of people:" https://www.npr.org/2025/07/28/nx-s1-5482842/snap-usda-privacy-lawsuit

* "Henrico firm wins $1.2B contract for ICE camp at Army base:" https://richmond.com/news/local/business/article_1249a9cf-8431-4921-b31a-324b85a49d2d.html

* "Judge throws out Trump’s lawsuit against Illinois over sanctuary policies:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/25/illinois-sanctuary-immigration-ruling-00477916?s=04

* "Judge blocks Trump from fast-tracking deportations of immigrants paroled into US:" https://archive.ph/PQppO

* "Appeals court keeps in place restrictions on immigration stops in L.A. based on language and job:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/appeals-court-keeps-place-restrictions-immigration-stops-l-based-langu-rcna222611

* "Five Days In Immigration Court:" https://www.huffpost.com/entry/five-days-in-new-york-city-immigration-court-federal-agents_n_68640763e4b0aa65edbb4642

* She literally did nothing wrong and was subjected to all this cruelty. "Arrested While Still Breastfeeding, Marine Veteran's Wife Is Now Free amid Immigration Case:" https://people.com/wife-of-marine-veteran-released-recognizance-after-2-months-of-ice-detention-11778841

* "Marine's wife released from immigrant prison with ankle monitor; discusses her two-month ordeal:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-briefing-with-jen-psaki/watch/marine-s-wife-released-from-immigrant-prison-with-ankle-monitor-discusses-her-two-month-ordeal-244176965538

* In American life, a growing and forbidding visual rises: The law-enforcement officer in a mask":" https://apnews.com/article/ice-masks-immigration-enforcement-policing-aacbb45b9eca804c2295f52a33a2a0fd?

* "In Los Angeles, a terrified immigrant sits inside a truck as a masked man swings a baton, shattering his window.:" https://projects.propublica.org/trump-ice-smashed-windows-deportation-arrests/

* "'He'll smash it!': ICE agents breaking through vehicle windows to detain drivers, report finds:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-weekend-primetime/watch/-he-ll-smash-it-ice-agents-increasingly-breaking-through-vehicle-windows-to-detain-drivers-report-finds-244261957875

* "Dropped cases against LA protesters reveal false claims from federal agents:" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/28/doj-la-protesters-false-claims

* "Immigrant Rights Protests Continue Near LA’s Detention Center:" https://sanfernandosun.com/2025/07/30/immigrant-rights-protests-continue-near-las-detention-center/

* "Protests planned over Trump Administration's immigration crackdown in New York City:" https://abc7ny.com/post/protests-planned-trump-administrations-crackdown-undocumented-immigrants/17332438/

* "Why Did This Farmworker Die in an Immigration Raid?:" https://www.thenation.com/article/society/ice-raid-jaime-alanis-garcia/

* "Teachers demand LAUSD do more to protect students, families from ICE:" https://abc7.com/post/teachers-call-lausd-keep-students-safe-immigration-raids/17412980/

* "Inside the neighborhood patrols watching for Ice: ‘They thought they could scare us – but this is LA’:" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/03/los-angeles-ice-patrols-union-del-barrio-immigration

* "How ICE’s Arrest of a High School Student Activated a Massachusetts Town:" https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/07/ice-volleyball-arrest-eighteen-gomes-da-silva-milford/

* "Activists draw attention to ICE facility near Philipsburg with protest, calls for action:" https://www.centredaily.com/news/local/community/philipsburg/article311493482.html

* 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




* "Trump plans massive renovation of White House:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/31/trump-renovation-ballroom-white-house-00487004

I know it a small thing compared to everything else, but he's been ruining an historic building and is now planning to destroy the East wing because he has no taste and an inflated ego.

I don't know, it just feels both symbolic of his destruction of 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.

* "The Short-Lived Plan to Produce a Trump-Themed Instant Pot:" https://archive.ph/W3UqA

* "'Total Mental Collapse': Trump Ripped After 'Insane' New Ramble In Europe:" https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-europe-wind-power-rant_n_6886ecb0e4b0b306e5bb35ac

* "Trump's distraction methods fall flat against Epstein uproar:" https://archive.ph/frCkD

* "Everyone Donald Trump has threatened since the Jeffrey Epstein scandal blew up in his face:" https://www.advocate.com/news/donald-trump-beyonce

* "MAGA Sycophant Orders Revenge Plot on Trump Prosecutor:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/maga-sycophant-tom-cotton-orders-revenge-plot-on-trump-prosecutor-jack-smith/

* "Next on Trump's revenge tour? The man who investigated him for Jan. 6th:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-weekend-primetime/watch/next-on-trump-s-revenge-tour-the-man-who-investigated-him-for-jan-6th-244258373820

* "What Will It Cost to Renovate the ‘Free’ Air Force One? Don’t Ask.:" https://archive.ph/XLjEu

* "Trump skims nuclear safety funds to spruce up vanity gift plane from Qatar: Report:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-skims-nuclear-safety-funds-to-spruce-up-vanity-gift-plane-from-qatar-report-243983941775

* Remember how Trump and Musk fired all those FAA People?

* "Passengers flee smoking American Airlines jet in Denver after aborted takeoff:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/american-airlines-boeing-denver-landing-gear-fire-emergency-slide-rcna221419

* "Passengers rattled, 2 crew injured after Southwest plane descends minutes into flight:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/southwest-airlines-burbank-rcna221195

* "Staffing issues cause delays at Newark Airport for a 2nd day:" https://pix11.com/news/local-news/staffing-issues-cause-delays-at-newark-airport-for-a-2nd-day/

* "White House Reportedly Tells Hegseth To Stop Polygraph Tests As Senior Official Believe They Could Be Targeted Next:" https://www.latintimes.com/white-house-reportedly-tells-hegseth-stop-polygraph-tests-senior-official-believe-they-could-587694

* "Drag queen and sailor at center of Navy controversy praises admiral denied a promotion by Pete Hegseth:" https://www.advocate.com/news/drag-performer-and-sailor-at-center-of-navy-controversy-praises-admiral-denied-a-promotion-by-pete-hegseth

* "DOJ denies existence of transgender people in stunning court filing defending Trump’s military ban :" https://www.advocate.com/news/doj-trans-people-dont-exist

* "Trump’s Labor Department proposes more than 60 rule changes in a push to deregulate workplaces:" https://apnews.com/article/labor-department-deregulation-worker-safety-wages-223309692fecb3721ef377154e7689ed?

"The U.S. Department of Labor is aiming to rewrite or repeal more than 60 “obsolete” workplace regulations, ranging from minimum wage requirements for home health care workers and people with disabilities to standards governing exposure to harmful substances."

Regulations are written in blood.

* "US to allow federal workers to promote religion in workplaces:" https://archive.ph/Mt0s1

* "How the Trump administration is greenlighting discrimination against LGBTQ+ federal employees:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/trump-lgbtq-federal-employees-opinion

* "Court allows Trump to end union bargaining for federal workers:" https://archive.ph/EKeLx

* "As US wildfires rage, Trump staff cuts force firefighters to clean toilets, critics say:" https://archive.ph/MA1r1

* "Federal government paying 154,000 people not to work:" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/federal-government-paying-154000-people-work/story?id=124249462

* "Trump pressures 17 pharma CEOs to cut US drug prices:" https://archive.ph/Zh1Lv

* "RFK Jr. mulls firing ‘critical’ panel that determines no-cost preventive care services insurers must cover:" https://www.advocate.com/news/preventive-care-taskforce-rfk-jr

* "US health chief Kennedy targets vaccine injury compensation program:" https://archive.ph/fHmzg

* "US Senate Democrats to investigate Kennedy's firing of vaccine expert panel:" https://archive.ph/8Ndtc

* "‘Explosive’ conservative non-doctor turbocharging RFK Jr’s healthcare coup:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-weekend-primetime/watch/-explosive-conservative-non-doctor-turbocharging-rfk-jr-s-healthcare-coup-243914821801

* "The Trump Administration’s War on Disability:" https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-trump-administrations-war-on-disability/

* "Over a dozen states sue to protect gender-affirming care from federal investigations:" https://www.advocate.com/health/states-sue-trump-gender-affirming-care

* "FTC seeks public comment about being “deceived” by gender-affirming care providers:" https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/07/ftc-seeks-public-comment-about-being-deceived-by-gender-affirming-care-providers/

* "Exodus at VA: 10,000 Employees Are Resigning in September. Here’s the List:" https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/07/31/exodus-va-10000-employees-are-resigning-september-heres-list.html

* "Trump Administration Moves Quietly to Eliminate Life-Saving Abortions for Veterans:" https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/08/military-veterans-trump-abortion-ban/

* "Court blocks termination of LGBTQ-related NIH health research grants:" https://www.advocate.com/news/court-blocks-termination-nih-grants

* "Trump administration moves to release billions in federal education cash:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/25/trump-administration-moves-to-release-billions-in-federal-education-cash-00477213

* "Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funded queer-inclusive shows, is shutting down:" https://www.advocate.com/news/corporation-for-public-broadcasting-shut-down

* "Trump goes too far: Colbert cancellation puts spotlight on Trump war on the First Amendment:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-weekend-primetime/watch/next-on-trump-s-revenge-tour-the-man-who-investigated-him-for-jan-6th-244258373820

* "Smithsonian removes references to Trump's impeachments from 'Limits of Presidential Power' exhibit -- for now:" https://abcnews.go.com/US/smithsonian-removes-references-trumps-impeachments-limits-presidential-power/story?id=124271509

* This is why staying noisy helps: "Smithsonian will again include Trump in impeachment exhibit in 'coming weeks':" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/smithsonian-will-include-trump-impeachment-exhibit-coming-weeks-rcna222690

* "Lawsuit challenges EEOC's failure to investigate anti-transgender discrimination:" https://www.advocate.com/news/eeoc-sued-transgender-discrimination

* "Court blocks Trump admin's anti-LGBTQ+ restrictions on grants for domestic violence and homeless shelters:" https://www.advocate.com/news/court-blocks-anti-lgbtq-orders

* CW: Suicide. "After Northwestern scientist questioned for China ties died by suicide, family sues and speaks out:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/northwestern-jane-wu-lab-suicide-lawsuit-rcna217636

* "Feds move to drop charges in controversial cases as Trump re-ups L.A. prosecutor:" https://archive.ph/NqKwc

* "DOJ dismisses case against a Trump donor after White House fired career prosecutor:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/doj-dismisses-case-fat-brands-andy-widerhorn-fired-proseuctor-rcna221940

* "Trump administration seeks to keep US Attorneys in place before court can act:" https://archive.ph/BXrEK

* "Another Trump clash with the courts is already spinning out into criminal cases:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/28/alina-habbas-authority-as-new-jerseys-top-prosecutor-questioned-in-new-legal-filing-00480025

* "Remember running the mile in school? The Presidential Fitness Test is coming back:" https://www.npr.org/2025/08/01/nx-s1-5489117/trump-presidential-fitness-test-history

* CW: CSA. "Donald Trump praises registered sex offender invited to speak at White House event for children’s fitness:" https://www.advocate.com/news/sex-offender-trump-white-house

Trump continues to be proudly and very vocally pro-pedophilia as he has been most of his adult life.

**** Trump/Epstein/Maxwell, etc. Here Sort is likely rough. CW: CSA I've been compiling all week. Some items may be slightly out of date because the story is moving fast.****

* Trump continues to go in on coddling dangerous pedophiles. "Ghislaine Maxwell Dramatically Handed Sweetheart Prison Move:" https://www.thedailybeast.com/ghislaine-maxwell-dramatically-handed-prison-move-from-florida-to-federal-prison-camp-bryan-in-texas/

* "Trump moves Ghislaine Maxwell to 'cushy' prison with Elizabeth Holmes, Real Housewives star:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/trump-moves-ghislaine-maxwell-to-cushy-prison-with-elizabeth-holmes-real-housewives-star-244238917721

* "Suspicious: Trump's Epstein hole gets deeper with apparent special treatment of Ghislaine Maxwell:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-briefing-with-jen-psaki/watch/suspicious-trump-s-epstein-hole-gets-deeper-with-apparent-special-treatment-of-ghislaine-maxwell-244243525804

* "Pardon or Immunity for Ghislaine?:"

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* "‘I never would have allowed that’: Fmr. Special Counsel on the DOJ’s meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-weekend/watch/-i-never-would-have-allowed-that-fmr-special-counsel-on-the-doj-s-meeting-with-ghislaine-maxwell-244267077540

* "Democratic senators ask Blanche to commit that DOJ won't advocate for pardon or commutation for Maxwell:" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/democratic-senators-blanche-commit-doj-advocate-pardon-commutation/story?id=124144308

* The victims and survivors and the families of the dead matter. "‘Pure evil’: Trump urged not to pardon Maxwell by Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre’s attorney:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-pure-evil-trump-urged-not-to-pardon-maxwell-by-epstein-victim-virginia-giuffre-s-attorney-244166725990

* "Trump says he ended friendship with Epstein because he ‘stole people that worked for me’:" https://apnews.com/article/trump-epstein-friendship-scotland-falling-out-a9896c04fcf932f232f1b319154eb800

* "Trump says Epstein 'stole' underage victim from him when she worked at Mar-a-Lago spa:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/trump-says-epstein-stole-underage-victim-from-him-when-she-worked-at-mar-a-lago-spa-244035141609

* "Epstein Takes the Fifth About Trump:"

Embed: )

* "“Elites doing unspeakable things”: Why following Epstein’s money matters:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-weekend-primetime/watch/-elites-doing-unspeakable-things-why-following-epstein-s-money-matters-243911749521

* "Senate Democrats Use Obscure Law To Compel Trump Admin To Turn Over Epstein Files:" https://www.huffpost.com/entry/senate-democrats-epstein-files-rule-of-five_n_688a3e2ae4b07dfa117ee718

* "New details on ‘missing minute’ from Epstein jail tape:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/new-details-on-missing-minute-from-epstein-jail-tape-244102725782

* "Trump and MAGA 'caught in the web of their own conspiracy theories' amid Epstein fallout:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-weekend-primetime/watch/trump-and-maga-caught-in-the-web-of-their-own-conspiracy-theories-amid-epstein-fallout-243911749969

* "Trump bot meltdown: Trump's Epstein contradictions befuddle programming meant to mimic MAGA:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-bot-meltdown-trump-s-epstein-contradictions-befuddle-programming-meant-to-mimic-maga-243605061952




* "Inside the Preparations for Trump’s Next Supreme Court Nominee:" https://time.com/7305987/donald-trump-supreme-court-justices/

* "US judge blocks Trump-backed Medicaid cuts to Planned Parenthood:" https://archive.ph/wOXrA

* "QUIET PART OUT LOUD: Trump official accidentally says the truth about Trump budget program:"

Embed: )

* "Gov. Andy Beshear: Democrats need to spend 80% of our time talking and working on people’s core concerns:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-weekend-primetime/watch/gov-andy-beshear-democrats-need-to-spend-80-of-our-time-talking-and-working-on-people-s-core-concerns-244275781903

* "Congressional stock trading ban gets Senate panel’s OK:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/30/senate-stock-trading-ban-pelosi-act-00484256

* "Trump's grip slips: Signs Republicans are finding less value in siding with Trump over constituents:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-briefing-with-jen-psaki/watch/trump-s-grip-slips-signs-republicans-are-finding-less-value-in-siding-with-trump-over-constituents-244107845903

It would be better if Trump weren't exempted, but just stopping congress from insider trading would be a step forward.

* RE: SAVE ACT "Do This Today: Call Senators:" https://solarbird.dreamwidth.org/2036106.html

If these are your Senators, please stop what you are doing and call now:

KELLY (AZ)
WARNOCK (GA)
PETERS (MI)
SHAHEEN (NH)
HASSAN (NH)
CORTEZ MASTO (NV)
ROSEN (NV)

* This one is a super dangerous attack on the judiciary's ability to protect citizen's rights. "H.R. 1526: NORRA of 2025:" https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/119/hr1526

* He should have been disbarred, not elevated to a lifetime appointment. "Senate confirms Trump lawyer Emil Bove for appeals court, pushing past whistleblower claims:" https://apnews.com/article/emil-bove-confirmation-whistleblowers-trump-republicans-democrats-71f92822cb2e8d57387748c2451fa724

* "New Whistleblower Says Trump Judicial Nominee Lied in Senate Hearing:" https://newrepublic.com/post/198535/donald-trump-judicial-nominee-emil-bove-whistleblower-lied-senate

* "Judiciary Democrats demand probe after third Bove whistleblower:" https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/07/29/congress/emil-bove-doj-inspector-general-00481131

* "Senate confirms ex-Fox News host Pirro as top federal prosecutor for nation's capital:" https://www.npr.org/2025/08/03/nx-s1-5491473/senate-confirms-ex-fox-news-host-pirro-as-top-federal-prosecutor-for-nations-capital

* "BREAKING: Senate confirms Fox host Jeanine Pirro for U.S. Attorney for DC:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-weekend-primetime/watch/breaking-senate-confirms-fox-host-jeanine-pirro-for-u-s-attorney-for-dc-244261445970

* "‘Totally unfit to serve’: Fmr. Fox News host Jeanine Pirro confirmed as DC’s top Federal Prosecutor:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-weekend/watch/-totally-unfit-to-serve-fmr-fox-news-host-jeanine-pirro-confirmed-as-dc-s-top-federal-prosecutor-244266565815

* "American Abortion Policy Will End Up in the Hands of This 34-Year-Old Trump Appointee:" https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/07/trump-abortion-plan-judge-josh-divine.html

* "Senator admits 'mistake' in confirming Missouri judge who compared marriage equality to bestiality:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/argus-king-mistake-homophobe-judge

* "AFGE Opposes Barely 30-year-old OSC Nominee Who Called Civil Servants “Parasites” and “Bugmen”:" https://www.afge.org/article/afge-opposes-barely-30yearold-osc-nominee-who-called-civil-servants-parasites-and-bugmen




* 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 Republicans unveil new congressional map that looks to pick up five GOP seats:" https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/30/texas-redistricting-congressional-maps-house-republicans/

* "Democrats struggle against Trump-waged redistricting battle:" https://www.semafor.com/article/07/30/2025/democrats-struggle-to-choose-their-weapons-in-a-trump-waged-redistricting-battle

* "'Intentional discrimination': Texas Democrat pushes back on GOP redistricting plan:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-weekend-primetime/watch/-intentional-discrimination-texas-democrat-pushes-back-on-gop-redistricting-plan-243912773581

* "‘This is our last best chance to stand and fight’: Beto O'Rourke on Texas' redistricting plan:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-weekend-primetime/watch/-this-is-our-last-best-chance-to-stand-and-fight-beto-o-rourke-on-texas-redistricting-plan-244261445873

* "Texas House panel advances redrawn congressional map that would add more GOP seats:" https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/01/texas-redistricting-gop-gains/

* "'Bigger than Texas': Congresswoman slams new GOP-drawn map:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-weekend-primetime/watch/-bigger-than-texas-congresswoman-slams-new-gop-drawn-map-244275781782

* "'We are in a battle.' Jasmine Crockett SLAMS Texas GOP's redistricting plan:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-weekend-primetime/watch/-we-are-in-a-battle-jasmine-crockett-slams-texas-gop-s-redistricting-plan-244281925516

* I want to thank all of you who are protesting or contributing to the fund for thwarting quorum.

* "​Nancy Mace declares herself a ‘proud transphobe.' The internet had some thoughts :" https://www.advocate.com/news/nancy-mace-proud-transphobe#rebelltitem1

* "Nancy Mace considers quitting Congress to take her transphobia statewide in South Carolina:" https://www.advocate.com/news/nancy-mace-considers-quitting-congress

* "Independent Dan Osborn makes another run at Nebraska Senate:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/08/dan-osborne-nebraska-senate-run-00441914

* "Meet the gay Navy veteran trying to flip a red congressional seat in Virginia:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/mike-pruitt-gay-virginia-candidate

Want to help? https://secure.actblue.com/donate/mike-pruitt-1?refcode=directory

* "Roy Cooper officially launches North Carolina Senate bid:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/28/roy-cooper-north-carolina-senate-campaign-00479710

* "Bad news for Trump: Democrats get their wish as Roy Cooper enters North Carolina Senate race:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/bad-news-for-trump-democrats-get-their-wish-as-roy-cooper-enters-north-carolina-senate-race-243979333741

Want to help him? https://secure.actblue.com/donate/roy_cooper_email?refcode=directory

* This is who he's running against: "RNC’s Michael Whatley officially launches North Carolina Senate bid:" https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/07/31/congress/whatley-launches-senate-bid-00487323

* A plague on both their houses! "Project 2025 architect to challenge Lindsey Graham for Senate in South Carolina:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/project-2025-architect-paul-dans-lindsey-graham-senate-south-carolina-rcna221460

* "This gay Navy reservist is running to represent the Virginia Beach area in Congress:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/gay-reservist-james-osyf-congress

Want to Help? https://secure.actblue.com/donate/james-osyf-1?refcode=directory

* CW: So many things. "California gubernatorial candidate criticized for Auschwitz post:" https://ktla.com/news/california/california-gubernatorial-candidate-blasted-for-auschwitz-post/

He's a neo-NAZI calling for concentration Camps if he wins.

* "BREAKING: Kamala Harris announces whether she’ll run for California governor or not:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/kamala-harris-california-governor

* "Kamala Harris decides not to run for governor of California:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/kamala-harris-decides-not-run-governor-california-rcna222048

* "Omar Fateh wins mayoral endorsement at chaotic DFL convention:" https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2025/07/20/omar-fateh-minneapolis-dfl-endorsement-mayor

Want to Help? https://secure.actblue.com/donate/campaign-fund-of-omar-fateh-1?refcode=directory

* "Galvanized by Trump, These States Are Passing Harsh New Laws Against Immigrants:" https://www.themarshallproject.org/2025/07/25/florida-law-alabama-immigration-trump?

* "21 states that have passed anti-LGBTQ+ laws in 2025 so far:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/anti-lgbtq-laws-states-2025#rebelltitem22

* "New Hampshire Republican governor signs gender-affirming care ban into law:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/new-hampshire-bans-gender-affirmation

* "Gay S.F. supervisor gets blowback for proposing to scrap domestic-partners law:" https://www.advocate.com/politics/sf-supervisor-repeal-domestic-partners

* "What we know about Midtown Manhattan mass shooting suspect Shane Devon Tamura:" https://abcnews.go.com/US/shane-devon-tamura-suspect-midtown-manhattan-shooting/story?id=124159125

* "The secret to Baltimore's extraordinary year:" https://popular.info/p/the-secret-to-baltimores-extraordinary

* "Project 2025's Mike Howell targets UNC courses that mention diversity and LGBTQ+ topics:" https://www.advocate.com/news/heritage-foundation-diversity-courses

* "Kansas public universities end LGBTQ+, DEI programs :" https://www.advocate.com/news/kansas-universities-end-lgbtq-dei

* "Austin police seek men who assaulted a trans woman and her friends, and broke Good Samaritan's jaw:" https://www.advocate.com/crime/austin-assault-transgender-woman-friends

* "14 LGBTQ+ disability activists who are changing the world one fight at a time :" https://www.advocate.com/activism/lgbtq-disabilty-activists#rebelltitem1

* "The intersection of CEOs' glee at layoffs and the Sydney Sweeney American Eagle 'gene' ad:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/american-eagle-sydney-sweeney-racism




* "Hurricane Iona now a major hurricane, south of Hawaii:" https://earthsky.org/earth/hurricane-iona-pacific-hawaii-july-aug-2025/

* "A derecho with at least one 99 mph gust swept the Upper Plains and Midwest, the weather service says:" https://apnews.com/article/derecho-storms-winds-midwest-plains-iowa-7009659fc8ac7c74bc12b071fb5bfe64

* "Tsunami waves reach Hawaii, California after huge quake off Russia:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/live-blog/live-updates-hawaii-tsunami-warning-hours-russia-earthquake-rcna221881

* "Volcanic Activity Holds Steady at Sundhnúkur:" https://www.icelandreview.com/news/volcanic-activity-holds-steady-at-sundhnukur/




* 0ne of the city contractor sub contractor guys called. He was going to try to squeeze us in between other jobs soon as our bit is small compared to what they usually do, like probably a half day of work. It would likely have been okay as it's in the only completely unaffected part of the apartment the "office" area of the living room. I'd have to move a chair, my ottoman, and Livia's ottoman, which I could likely temp store in the kitchen, but I let him know there was a lot of contractor stuff going on right now and that I was fine if he wanted to push it further out, and he opted for that. He'll get back to me mid-August, most likely.

Just before City Guy knocked off for the night Monday, he called me to tell me honest city contractor found a really good dishwasher in black on sale, but the sale ended Wednesday. I checked the email and it looked amazing. I approved it and Contractor Guy emailed back he was going to get it, so hopefully that's sorted. I endlessly marvel at the city program that fixed elderly and disabled people's homes. Not only that it exists at all, but that it values choice on the part of people being helped.

Tuesday, they gave me another tail end mudding. On my way out after to do a library run, I spotted them starting mudding at the far end of the hall right after Contractor lunch break. I intuited this meant they'd likely hit me first thing in the morning Wednesday or at latest Thursday for final mudding.

I was correct. They hit me Wednesday morning for the full process. They came back in the afternoon to remove the plastic cat chocking hazards. The floor is still papered as they will need to paint. Still, I think it's cat safe, so I opened their room and Tavy spent hours in there exploring.

Livia discovering her room is open: Merrerup?!?!

She really freaked out. I think she thought if I opened the door for her her bed, her window perch, etc., would be inside, but instead it's weird smells, paper floor, and debris piled against two walls. She was willing to nibble at her dinner just inside the door after reassurance pets and a great deal of processing time. Livia spent most of the next couple hours standing in front of her uncanny valley room hoping it will magically switch back. She'd stare sadly into the room, look beseechingly at me, then go back to staring. Livia went all the way in, finally. When I went to pour the kettles into the Iced tea pitcher to steep, she was sitting forlornly in the spot where if the bed was there was the most coveted evening nap spot. Heartbreaking!

So next is primer. The plaster is dry to the touch, but I know it takes longer than that to be really dry. I do know they are doing primer step on the floor above me, so let us hope they squeeze us in again instead of making us wait another week. I am betting the painting step will be cream or the like. I am hoping they will take pity on us and use our blue. I tucked a gallon in there a while back and they moved it to under the window today. If not, New Millennial says they will help Squirrel paint it.

We are all desperate for this to be over. The pain keeps waking me and without my lung treatments, I'm having trouble breathing lying down. It's started waking me too. Livia won't really be all right until she has her bed and bedroom window mesting spot back. Even Tavy has had too much excitement. Squirrel needs my dressers out of their bathroom so they can prep for City plumbing and ventilation renovation. They keep waking me as they try to sneak out past me to work or grabbing food.

I want my room back so bad, y'all.

* They came by before Contractor lunch to Primer the affected areas. I was able to chat with the young men as they were packing up. They have been sneaking me in ahead of queue. They can't guarantee they will paint tomorrow, but they will try to get me as soon as they can.

They will use their own paint! In my "Dancing Blue" colour! Yay! I was so stressed about trying to fix it ourselves. They say they will bring their own paint, which means we can use the paint I have to add another coat in my bathroom, which is needed. The when of that, i don't know.

There is hope of me being able to start moving furniture back in next week. *digits cruciform*

When I went to check mail, it looked like they were setting up to start mudding this half of the floor. They are definitely painting upstairs still. I saw a bunch of them carrying paint up.

This means the contractors pushed me a week to a week and a half ahead with their little odds and ends of work.

I keep thanking them. It's all I can do, really.

Higher ups came by to take progress pictures of my room.

I have let the city contractor folks know we are on schedule for them.

In other news, it turns out that my doctor had to redo the paperwork for the replacement machine for my lung meds. A very nice lady at poverty clinic spent hours looking for original nebulizer documentation.

How do I know it was hours? Because she called me in frustration hoping I had a guess when the original referral was. She then called back a couple hours later when she found it. My medical records are basically war and peace and I've been going to poverty clinic since '98, at least two computer medical file programs and i forget how many doctors ago. I've no idea how long she'd spent searching before she called me the first time.

They will submit again.

We have a quick telemed scheduled for next week just in case this set of paperwork fails so they can pin it on a fresh appointment in a pinch.

It is possibly a week or two of slow deterioration until I can start treating my lungs again, which is very much hypoxia territory. I am likely already in hypoxia territory now (I am light headed and randomly dizzy and my brain is not right,) but nothing can be done unless I have an ER level crisis.

* Friday Art and Techie Millennial came to visit for the first time in ages. I missed them so much. Tavy let Art Millennial Pet him for the first time ever and sat next to him.

After they left Livia had stress Blerps followed by worse in my bedroom. I have done my best to clean it all and have put down baking soda and dragged the HEPA back in and got it going. It needs new filters, but it still helps.

Art and Techie plan to come back next Friday and further plans were made in general.

* Saturday, I needed cheese for dinner and I decided to hit OTC pharmacy first as that would tell me if I should pick up the particular cheese at the expensive place that takes OTC or the slightly less expensive C-Op that also is the only place a couple other things come from and takes EBT. I blew most of my OTC at the pharmacy, as it turns out, since prices went up again. I ended up spending too much at the Co-op too. *hangs head* In my defense, the garden isn't doing nearly as well this year as it did last and they had a bunch of starts for things that failed to thrive in my garden cheap. Let us hope third time's the charm with the goth bazil in particular. It is also fresh fruit season and I got a lottle to excited in the produce section just generally.

I literally just realized I forgot lettuce. I think because usually the garden is producing tons at this point, but the greens in general also failing to thrive.

I did eat my first tomato of the season from my garden a couple of days ago. It was... not remotely photogenic, but of decent size and delicious. It was not anything I specifically planted, but a volunteer. My mother called all self seeded and tomatoes grown from seeds that we tossed in the garden after eating "volunteers," to differentiate from store bought and planted seeds and starts. I don't know the name of this varietal, but it's the heirloom time that's a little tart when ripe. Omnomnom. Juicy and perfectly ripe and still warm from the sun when I sliced it for a sandwich.

The tomato crop is likely to be medium, judging from what's growing right now. Last year wias the most abundant I ever had for both greens and tomatoes. This year the tomatoes and spearmint and lavander are okay. The half of the basil I didn't lose is doing fine. I am baffled at the sudden wilting of one of the thai basil baskets a couple of weeks ago. It had been going gang busters, but in the space of a few days, it started to die misteriously. IDK.

Livia is over her distress and I cleaned most of her mess, though I need to hit one of the boxes again and search the debris maze for hidden deposits. I think a quiet day really helped.

Tavy's anxiety has been skyrocketting. I think part of the problem is the emergency sleeping arrangements comflict with his disability. He's really good at compensating, but sleep has always been extra hard because when he relazes he tends to roll or fall off things. Since he was a kitten, we worked out a bunch of ways to make it so he can sleep on me safely. It's collaborative. When I had a bed, I would arrange the prop pillows and my limbs to bolth limits joint damage and pain for me and to provide him lots of comfortable supportive sleep options that cater to his tastes in nap locations on and around my body.

If I am in the least risky sleep position on the sofa, he tends to fall or roll, digging his claws hard into my sleeping flesh in a vane attempt to slow or prevent his decent. The sudden pain also tends me to start awake yelling. So he has to sleep in places he can't touch me. When I'm reading or watching TV, I'm awake to protect my joints and can face the other way, so he can grab a love and a cuddle nap, but it's not the same or enough.

Saturday, he figured out how to position his body on me so he doesn't roll! He got two good sleep on his sleeping human times! He's noticeably calmer today.

* Sunday, new Millenial and I did a bunch of errands together, then watched part of a skating gala I'd saved for them. I thought Livia was better, but she's not. Running the air purifier in my bedroom really is helping my breathing some. Like it can't solve everytime I go outside there is too much pollen and the just over two weeks without lung treatments, but it is very clearly helping.

* 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

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

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* "Trump Bombarded by Epstein Q's in Scotland, MAGA “Caddies” Provide Cover Back Home | The Daily Show:"

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* "Deferred Prosecution Agreements: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO):"

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* "Trump Invites Jesus to the Workplace & GOP Prays for a Tariff Rebate | The Daily Show:"

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* "Trump Asks Hegseth to Cool It With the Polygraphs & Kristi Noem Goes Horse Girl | The Daily Show:"

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* "Jordan Klepper Hears MAGA’s Epstein Conspiracies Over the Years | The Daily Show:"

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* "A Scottish Welcome | Ghislaine Maxwell Mystery | Paramount + Skydance = PSKY | NBC, ABC Next?:"

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* "Meanwhile... Ear-Splitting Orgasms, 7K Steps Per Day, J. Lo's Birthday Song, Harry Styles's Sex Toys:"

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* "Kevin Smith Gets REAL About His Movies & Batman | Grave Conversations:"

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* "I Didn’t Expect Dr. Gurathin To Be My Favorite Part of Murderbot:" https://reactormag.com/i-didnt-expect-dr-gurathin-to-be-my-favorite-part-of-murderbot/

* "Beyoncé Responds To President Trump:"

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* My long 9 point somewhat speculative explanation for why Dracula Does That on the Demeter based on other stuff in the book (posting the version where someone corrects a mistake in my thinking): https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/790773207966908416/gah-im-wrong-about-3-id-forgotten-ah-yes?source=share

* "Sunday Sweets: Wonderland Treats:" https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/sunday-sweets-wonderland-treats-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: )
gwydion: (Default)
gwydion ([personal profile] gwydion) wrote2025-07-28 12:39 am

7/25/25 - 7/28/25

* News keeps moving fast, so some items may be already out of date.

* Sunday's news didn't make it in here as I was clearing some of the History/Archaeology backlog.




* "Knesset votes 71-13 for non-binding motion calling to annex West Bank:" https://www.timesofisrael.com/knesset-votes-71-13-for-non-binding-motion-calling-to-annex-west-bank/

* "Settlers Torch Palestinian Homes in West Bank, Residents Flee Village:" https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-07-26/ty-article/.premium/settlers-torch-palestinian-homes-in-west-bank-residents-flee-village/00000198-46aa-d675-a79a-67eeea7e0000

* "'Campaign of starvation': Doctors Without Borders chief says starving Gazans risk being shot for food:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-weekend-primetime/watch/-campaign-of-starvation-doctors-without-borders-chief-says-starving-gazans-risk-being-shot-for-food-243896389970

******

* "US, China confront each other on Ukraine at United Nations :" https://archive.ph/9VM3y

* "Musk ordered shutdown of Starlink satellite service as Ukraine retook territory from Russia:" https://archive.ph/D8mrL

* "Ukraine facing fierce fighting around eastern city of Pokrovsk, Zelenskiy says:" https://archive.ph/YiUhg

* "Over 23,000 civilians, 113 children trapped in active combat zones in Donetsk Oblast, official says:" https://kyivindependent.com/over-23-000-civilians-113-children-trapped-in-active-combat-zones-in-donetsk-oblast-official-says/

******



* "Canada pauses nonbinary American's deportation to U.S., citing Trump's hostile policies:" https://www.advocate.com/news/canada-pauses-nonbinary-deportation




* "Mr. Trump goes to the Fed. A curious encounter follows.:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/24/trump-powell-fed-tour-vought-pulte-rates-00474645

* "Trump Can't Fire The Fed Chair (unless the Supreme Court was lying this whole time):"

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* " Trump admin may end PEPFAR, replacing it with a program chiefly benefiting the U.S. :" https://www.advocate.com/news/trump-administration-may-end-pepfar

* "The IRS Is Building a Vast System to Share Millions of Taxpayers’ Data With ICE:" https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-irs-share-tax-records-ice-dhs-deportations

* "Immigration agents demand tenant information from landlords, stirring questions and confusion:" https://apnews.com/article/ice-letters-landlords-tenant-immigration-dacd6d4b24adbc5c916d72cb10f13b44

* "Trump’s Prison Swap Welcomed a Convicted Murderer Back to U.S.:" https://newrepublic.com/post/198272/trump-prison-swap-vezuela-freed-american-convicted-murder

* CW: Sexual Assault, Torture. "Gay makeup artist Andry Hernández Romero describes horrific sexual & physical abuse at CECOT in El Salvador:" https://www.advocate.com/news/andry-hernandez-romero-cecot-torture

* CW: Sexual Assault, Torture. "No One Was Supposed to Leave Alive:" https://archive.ph/n7ykJ

* "Deportation flights from Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz' have started, Ron DeSantis says:" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/florida-alligator-alcatraz-desantis-immigration-deportation-flights-rcna221093

* "Outrage after border agents subject detained gay Vermont superintendent to hours of ‘psychological terror’:" https://www.advocate.com/news/vermont-gay-citizen-detained-cbp

He's a US Citizen and government official. The Agents told him he had no rights. No one is safe when Constitutional Rights are removed for some. If due process is suspended for some; no one has it.

* "‘Praying for it to end’: Vermont superintendent speaks out after ICE interrogation:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-praying-for-it-to-end-vermont-superintendent-speaks-out-after-ice-interrogation-243875909995

* "Immigration advocate: The Trump admin is 'using the justice system to trap people':" https://www.msnbc.com/the-weekend-primetime/watch/immigration-advocate-the-trump-admin-is-using-the-justice-system-to-trap-people-243892805948

* "DOJ sues New York City over 'sanctuary' immigration policies:" https://abcnews.go.com/US/doj-sues-new-york-city-sanctuary-immigration-policies/story?id=124048815

* "Felony charges dropped against 2 Ohio journalists arrested during immigration protest:" https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/felony-charges-dropped-2-ohio-journalists-arrested-immigration-124013305

* "Protesters clash with National Guard, police officers outside downtown LA detention center:" https://abc7.com/post/protesters-clash-national-guard-lapd-officers-outside-downtown-la-detention-center/17278358/

* "Protesters gather for 'Families First' rally in Downtown LA against Trump's immigration policies:" https://abc7.com/post/protesters-gather-families-first-rally-downtown-la-trump-administrations-immigration-policies/17313068/

* "Protesters demand local officials keep ICE out of communities:" https://news3lv.com/news/local/protesters-demand-local-officials-keep-ice-out-of-communities

* 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/
"Know Your Rights:" https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/protesters-rights




* "Trump signs an executive order to make it easier to remove homeless people from streets:" https://www.npr.org/2025/07/24/nx-s1-5479139/trump-homelessness-executive-order-civil-commitment-camping

It destroys programs that actually work like Housing First in favour of dehumanization and cruelty.

* "Only Billionaires Benefit From New AI Plan & Criminalizing Homelessness:"

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* "Trump administration releases FBI records on MLK Jr. despite his family’s opposition:" https://apnews.com/article/martin-luther-king-fbi-files-donald-trump-1a58c3f0c9ec8878e487434e0d372b81

* Another item from the department of distraction. "Tulsi Gabbard Is Pushing Debunked Russian Propaganda to Help Trump:" https://newrepublic.com/post/198406/tulsi-gabbard-clinton-conspiracy-debunked-russia

* "Trump calls for Kamala Harris, Oprah, and Beyoncé to be prosecuted as Epstein fallout continues:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-weekend-primetime/watch/-changing-the-epstein-narrative-trump-now-going-after-beyonce-and-oprah-243895365748

* "It’s Now Looking Pretty Clear That Pete Hegseth Shared Classified Documents on Signal:" https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a65502082/pete-hegseth-national-guard-los-angeles/

* "Medical groups and US states work to circumvent Kennedy's vaccine decisions:" https://archive.ph/VFlVj

* "US health officials, tech executives to launch data-sharing plan, Bloomberg News reports:" https://archive.ph/bEiFN

I don't trust this given RFK Jr.'s demands for a master list of all autistic people in the country and for internment camps for people with mental illnesses as well as his general eugenics inspired ableism, nor do I trust tech companies with private data.

* "What we know about Columbia's $221 million settlement with the Trump administration:" https://www.npr.org/2025/07/25/nx-s1-5479240/columbia-trump-administration-settlement-details

* "What Columbia’s settlement with the Trump administration means for higher education:" https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/what-columbias-settlement-with-the-trump-administration-means-for-higher-education

* "Trump signs NIL overhaul order to curb big money influence in college sports:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-signs-nil-overhaul-college-sports-pay-to-play-rcna220933

* I hate that I have to cover South Park at all. They've been normalizing things like antisemitism and transphobia for a couple of generations now and it shows in our culture. I don't like the fatphobia and homophobia and transphobic body shaming they are using to attack Trump. I'd rather we focused on the actual ways he's terrible instead of attacking groups that are already mistreated by the fascist autocracy in charge of my government. I really don't like the use of Gen AI on whole lot of levels even though I understand why they are doing it.

At the same time, them giving a big fuck you to CBS/Paramount/Skydance and Trump is important right now given all the obeying in advance and censorship going on.

It wouldn't be right to ignore it even if I am throwing up in my mouth a bit over having to look at even clips and cover it.

So I'm linking some things. Skate at your own risk and please take my actual words above as a statement of my position, and not some of the wording in the coverage that contradicts my take on it.

* "‘South Park’ Lampoons Trump in Shocking Season 27 Premiere as Creators Ink $1.5 Billion Deal:" https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/south-park-season-27-premiere-controversy-deal-1236327443/

* There are a bunch of things I really don't like about this article, but it's addressing some important things like the cartman in the room in the middle of the awful. "South Park review: Trump has a 'teeny-tiny penis' and Satan is his boyfriend:" https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/south-park-trump-satan-paramount

* "Trump fumes over ‘South Park’ roasting him, depicting him in bed with Satan:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/trump-fumes-over-south-park-roasting-him-depicting-him-in-bed-with-satan-243808838001

* "The Media Is Eroding Under Trump:"

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**** Trump/Epstein/Maxwell, etc. Here Sort is likely rough. CW: CSA I've been compiling all week. Some items may be slightly out of date because the story is moving fast.****

* "Jeffrey Epstein’s Birthday Book Included Letters From Bill Clinton, Leon Black:" https://archive.ph/sBoCZ

* "“He didn’t do this alone”: An investigative reporter breaks down the unanswered questions surrounding Epstein:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-weekend-primetime/watch/-he-didn-t-do-this-alone-an-investigative-reporter-breaks-down-the-unanswered-questions-surrounding-epstein-243892293733

* "Chris Hayes grills JD Vance over Epstein spin: 'Google your boss!':" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/chris-hayes-grills-jd-vance-over-epstein-spin-google-your-boss-243870789975

* Ghislaine Maxwell not only recruited and groomed young girls, she personally molested some of them. She's a convicted pedophile and they are likely going to pardon her if she agrees to lie for Trump and that is disgusting and infuriating.

* "Amid Epstein furor, Ghislaine Maxwell seeks relief from US Supreme Court:" https://archive.ph/OuZNl#selection-1015.20-1015.38

* "DOJ's meeting with longtime Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell happened after Maxwell initiated contact: Sources:" https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/doj-meeting-ghislaine-maxwell-set-thursday-sources/story?id=124021785

* "The DOJ to Ghislaine Maxwell: ‘Pardon me, do you mind lying and denying for Donald Trump?':" https://www.advocate.com/voices/will-maxwell-lie-for-trump

* "‘POTUS is clearly furious’: White House is frustrated by all-consuming Epstein coverage:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/23/potus-is-clearly-furious-white-house-is-frustrated-by-all-consuming-epstein-coverage-00469547?nid=0000015a-dd3e-d536-a37b-dd7fd8af0000&nname=playbook-pm&nrid=ac1d4b6f-b1ce-4c2f-9e9a-59e34ca57275

* "Trump Sued Wall Street Journal Over Epstein Files (And It's Crap):"

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* "Questions about Epstein files follow lawmakers home:" https://www.npr.org/2025/07/24/nx-s1-5478924/trump-epstein-congress

* "Trump's Epstein mess dogs Republicans in home districts; Scandal follows Trump overseas:" https://www.msnbc.com/the-briefing-with-jen-psaki/watch/trump-s-epstein-mess-dogs-republicans-in-home-districts-scandal-follows-trump-overseas-243879493827




* "Judges’ orders ‘need to be respected,’ Elena Kagan says amid Trump’s escalating conflict with the courts:" https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/24/elena-kagan-judicial-independence-00475926

* "Kim Davis is trying to get the Supreme Court to overturn marriage equality:" https://www.advocate.com/news/kim-davis-scotus-overturn-marriage

* "Visualized: Every State’s Most Common Job in 1998 vs. 2024:" https://www.visualcapitalist.com/each-states-most-common-job-1998-vs-2024/

* RE: SAVE ACT "Do This Today: Call Senators:" https://solarbird.dreamwidth.org/2036106.html

If these are your Senators, please stop what you are doing and call now:

KELLY (AZ)
WARNOCK (GA)
PETERS (MI)
SHAHEEN (NH)
HASSAN (NH)
CORTEZ MASTO (NV)
ROSEN (NV)

* This one is a super dangerous attack on the judiciary's ability to protect citizen's rights. "H.R. 1526: NORRA of 2025:" https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/119/hr1526

* "This Creep Is About To Get A Lifetime Appointment:"

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* "Senate GOP-led panel delays testimony for Trump special counsel nominee:" https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/07/24/congress/panel-punts-special-counsel-nom-00473663




* 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/




* I want to thank all of you who are protesting. "Texans, Democrats condemn GOP redistricting plans at first public hearing:" https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/24/texas-redistricting-hearing-house-legislature-congress/

* "Democrats rally in Texas over Trump order to redraw districts: ‘The only way they can keep power is to cheat’:" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/25/democrats-redistricting-texas-voter-map-trump

* "Extended Adam Schiff Interview:"

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* "Texas GOP Rep. Giovanni Capriglione admits affair, denies abortion allegations:" https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/25/giovanni-capriglione-affair-texas-house-republican/

* "Far-right Oklahoma schools head Ryan Walters had nude women on TV during meeting: report:" https://www.advocate.com/news/ryan-walters-nude-images

But he calls us obscene for existing clothed in public minding our own business.

The hypocrisy is exhausting. He's trying to censor us out of existence for a religious rules he doesn't even follow.

* "Goodbye, George Santos: The gay fabulist former GOP congressman surrenders to prison authorities:" https://www.advocate.com/news/george-santos-begins-prison-sentence

* "Longtime critic of voting machines charged in firebombing of Colorado election office:" https://wtop.com/national/2025/07/longtime-critic-of-voting-machines-charged-in-firebombing-of-colorado-election-office/

* "Judge gives ex-officer nearly 3 years in Breonna Taylor raid, rebuffs DOJ call for no prison time:" https://apnews.com/article/breonna-taylor-raid-hankison-sentence-4da93877da13f506be42cc1c738cab2b

* Another murder by police and a particularly cruel one. "Family of man killed in tent crushed by bulldozer sues city of Atlanta:" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/19/atlanta-death-homeless-encampment-bulldozer-lawsuit

* "Phoenix LGBTQ+ film fest canceled because of Trump's anti-DEI orders:" https://www.advocate.com/news/lgbtq-film-fest-canceled-trump

* CW: Child Abuse. "Dozens of Teens Who Spent Time at Abusive Florida Reform School Ended Up on Death Row:" https://www.themarshallproject.org/2025/07/14/florida-death-row-teens-abuse

* CW: CSA. "Border agent charged with child sex trafficking, fraud. Critics raise oversight concerns.:" https://madison.com/news/nation-world/crime-courts/article_88f5a6b0-e8f6-5edd-bf1c-d073e1ba0bd4.html

* On CSA: https://www.tumblr.com/magicman1972/790103142729711616/im-big-mad-i-know-i-spend-most-of-my-time

* "No, California is not guaranteed to remain an abortion haven:" https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/joegarofoli/article/california-not-guaranteed-abortion-haven-20786366.php

* "Texas man sues California doctor in federal court, testing a new angle to crackdown on abortion pills:" https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/23/texas-california-abortion-pill-shield-law-lawsuit/

* "Pregnant and Unmarried? In Tennessee, That’s Now Grounds for Denial of Care.:" https://msmagazine.com/2025/07/24/pregnant-unmarried-woman-tennessee-denied-prenatal-care/

* "BREAKING: French President Macron sues Candace Owens for defamation over claims his wife is transgender:" https://www.advocate.com/news/macron-sues-candace-owens-defamation

* What about the right of the children not to be abused? "Anti-LGBTQ+ mom in Oregon wins right to potentially adopt LGBTQ+ kids:" https://www.advocate.com/news/oregon-lgbtq-adoption-homophobic-mom

* "Appeals court rejects anti-trans challenge to Washington State's laws protecting minors' rights:" https://www.advocate.com/news/appeals-court-rejects-anti-transgender

* "A library fired a pastor for misgendering his co-worker. Now he’s trying to bankrupt it.:" https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/07/a-library-fired-a-pastor-for-misgendering-his-co-worker-now-hes-trying-to-bankrupt-it/#:~:text=He%20has%20joined%20forces%20with%20an%20anti-LGBTQ%2B%20hate,Parish%20Library%20after%20he%20repeatedly%20misgendered%20his%20coworker.

* "We watched activists disrupt a ‘gender-critical’ meeting dressed as clowns:" https://www.dazeddigital.com/life-culture/article/68107/1/lesbian-activists-gender-critical-event-clowns-dyke-project-disruption

* "Laws are targeting my daughter's right to exist:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/autism-transgender

* "How the Black AIDS Institute continues to fill in the gaps:" https://www.advocate.com/news/black-aids-institute-fills-gap

* "Is RFK Jr. calling the shots? Who can get a flu shot this fall, as of now?:" https://insidemedicine.substack.com/p/is-rfk-jr-calling-the-shots-who-can

* "Mary Had Schizophrenia—Then Suddenly She Didn’t:" https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/07/28/mary-had-schizophrenia-then-suddenly-she-didnt

* "Even Grave Errors at Rehab Hospitals Go Unpenalized and Undisclosed:" https://archive.ph/6ugIF




* "Mapped: 16 times extreme weather drove higher food prices since 2022:" https://www.carbonbrief.org/mapped-16-times-extreme-weather-drove-higher-food-prices-since-2022/

* "Wildfires threaten Turkey’s fourth-largest city as southern Europe grapples with blazes:" https://apnews.com/article/bursa-wildfires-yamukli-f58126f03465b0604f13b901346976a0

* "Why Filipinos keep getting married in flooded churches:" https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn9y02rn7pzo

* "A New Orleans group plans several events centered on 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina:" https://www.wdsu.com/article/a-new-orleans-group-plans-several-events-centered-around-20th-anniversary-of-hurricane-katrina/65515522




* "Why Access to Running Water Is a Luxury in Wealthy US Cities:" https://archive.ph/IC6SS#selection-1154.0-1154.1

* "New York City intersections see one-third fewer pedestrian injuries with longer head-start intervals:" https://phys.org/news/2025-07-york-city-intersections-pedestrian-injuries.html

* "India wants air conditioners to be made with milder temperature settings to save energy:" https://apnews.com/article/india-climate-change-extreme-heat-air-conditioners-29dc15ba12cb4142e0670ca8466ba61f?

* "ChatGPT and OCD are a dangerous combo:" https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/417644/ai-chatgpt-ocd-obsessive-compulsive-disorder-chatbots

* "People Are Being Involuntarily Committed, Jailed After Spiraling Into "ChatGPT Psychosis":" https://futurism.com/commitment-jail-chatgpt-psychosis

* "ChatGPT advises women to ask for lower salaries, study finds:" https://thenextweb.com/news/chatgpt-advises-women-to-ask-for-lower-salaries-finds-new-study

* "AI companies have stopped warning you that their chatbots aren’t doctors:" https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/07/21/1120522/ai-companies-have-stopped-warning-you-that-their-chatbots-arent-doctors/?

* On ubiquitous technical surveillance: https://bldgblog.com/2025/07/seer/

* "After $380M hack, Clorox sues its “service desk” vendor for simply giving out passwords:" https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/07/how-do-hackers-get-passwords-sometimes-they-just-ask/

* Keep Protesting! "Tesla profits drop 16% as Elon Musk faces continued backlash:" https://abcnews.go.com/Business/tesla-profits-drop-16-elon-musk-faces-continued/story?id=123991661

* "The rubber hand illusion works on octopuses too:" https://phys.org/news/2025-07-rubber-illusion-octopuses.html

* "Cloning Came to Polo. Then Things Got Truly Uncivilized:" https://www.wired.com/story/cloning-came-to-polo-things-got-uncivilized-cambiaso/

* "'It's just a weird, weird bird': Why we got the dodo so absurdly wrong:" https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250714-why-history-got-the-dodo-so-absurdly-wrong?

* "Study translates fragmentary ancient Sumerian myth around 4,400 years old:" https://phys.org/news/2025-07-fragmentary-ancient-sumerian-myth-years.html

* "What Did the Ancient Egyptians Eat? AO Wants to Know.:" https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-did-the-ancient-egyptians-eat

* "Lighthouse of Alexandria rises again as 22 massive blocks resurface from the seafloor after 2,000 years:" https://archaeologymag.com/2025/07/lighthouse-of-alexandria-rises-again/

* "Huge Roman 'jigsaw' reveals 2,000-year-old wall paintings:" https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y5w1ldz8do

* "Erotic ancient mosaic stolen by Nazi German captain during WWII is returned to Pompeii:" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/erotic-ancient-mosaic-returned-pompeii-rome/

* "Athens is reviving a 2,000-year-old Roman aqueduct: 'the miracle is that it still works':" https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/athens-greece-ancient-roman-hadrians-aqueduct-water

There are ones in Türkiye still in use, but they'd had pretty consistence maintenance which fills me with glee whenever I think of them, but this is exciting in a different way.

* "What is Hwæt? The Debate Behind Beowulf’s Opening Line:" https://www.medievalists.net/2025/07/hwaet-beowulf-opening-line/

* "Medieval Knights Were a LOT Gayer Than You Think:"

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* "The Sword in the Stone and Other Legendary Blades of the Middle Ages:" https://www.medievalists.net/2025/06/sword-stone-legendary-blades-middle-ages/

* "The Colorful History of Tarot Is as Mesmerizing as the Decks Themselves:" https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/colorful-history-tarot-mesmerizing-decks-themseles-180986811/

* "The Many Lives of the Medieval Wound Man :" https://publicdomainreview.org/essay/the-many-lives-of-the-medieval-wound-man/

* "What to Wear in Renaissance England (Dressing Lady Greensleeves):"

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* "The 16th-Century Artist Who Created the First Compendium of Insect Drawings:" https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2025/07/joris-hoefnagel-insect-drawings/

* "“They say that all women have the same apprehension”: Anxiety and Isolation in Seventeenth-Century Pregnancy:" https://nursingclio.org/2025/05/28/they-say-that-all-women-have-the-same-apprehension-anxiety-and-isolation-in-seventeenth-century-pregnancy/

* "Gold from legendary 1708 shipwreck is seen in new images:" https://www.yahoo.com/news/gold-legendary-1708-shipwreck-seen-173000220.html?guccounter=2

* "200-year-old condom decorated with erotic art goes on display in Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum:" https://apnews.com/article/amsterdam-condom-rijksmuseum-sex-work-76352b1551ac968bbf6c182db07d3e88

* "You Can Listen to a Lost Chopin Waltz That Hasn’t Been Heard for Nearly Two Centuries:" https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/you-can-listen-to-a-lost-chopin-waltz-that-hasnt-been-heard-for-nearly-two-centuries-180985363/

* "An Armenian Bridal Trousseau of Exceptional Artistry: Uncovering a 19th-Century Textile Treasure at the British Museum:" https://chinarmart.com/2025/07/14/an-armenian-bridal-trousseau-of-exceptional-artistry-uncovering-a-19th-century-textile-treasure-at-the-british-museum/

* "Harvard hired a researcher to uncover its ties to slavery. He says the results cost him his job: ‘We found too many slaves’:" https://www.theguardian.com/news/2025/jun/21/harvard-slavery-decendants-of-the-enslaved

* "The Horrors of Victorian Train Travel:"

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* "33 Photos That Reveal What Life Was Really Like In Wild West Mining Towns:" https://allthatsinteresting.com/wild-west-mining-towns

* "Lonely Diarist of the High Seas:" https://daily.jstor.org/lonely-diarist-of-the-high-seas/

* "The Jumping Frenchmen of Maine:" https://www.amusingplanet.com/2025/06/the-jumping-frenchmen-of-maine.html

* "The Nevada City That Turned Getting a Divorce Into a Tourist Attraction:" https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2025/06/the-nevada-city-that-turned-getting-a-divorce-into-a-tourist-attraction/

* "Much Ado About Adenoids:" https://www.damninteresting.com/much-ado-about-adenoids/

* "The First World War, in Sharp Focus:" https://archive.is/rC7vP#selection-310.0-310.1

* "With Their Bravery During World War I, These Daring American Women Doctors Proved Their Might to Folks Back Home:" https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/with-bravery-during-world-war-i-these-daring-american-women-doctors-proved-their-might-180986812/

* "Remembering the Heyday of Japan’s Silent Film Narrators:" https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/benshi-japanese-silent-film-narrators

* "PHOTOS : cette époque où les parisiens se baignaient dans la Seine:" https://www.pariszigzag.fr/insolite/histoire-insolite-paris/baignade-seine-paris

* "Queer Representation in Pre-Code Hollywood:" https://daily.jstor.org/queer-representation-in-pre-code-hollywood/

* "Paris unveils mural of Josephine Baker to honor her legacy:" https://apnews.com/article/paris-mural-josephine-baker-496e400b4283cc8726d6a61b7049189c

* "One man recorded over 17,000 traditional folk songs to preserve the true sound of America:" https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2025/6/one-man-recorded-over-17000-traditional-folk-songs-to-preserve-the-true-sound-of-america?

* "Amelia Earhart’s Reckless Final Flights:" https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/06/09/amelia-earharts-reckless-final-flights?

* "S.F. built the nation’s biggest pool in the coldest part of town. It ended badly:" https://www.sfchronicle.com/totalsf/article/fleishhacker-pool-san-francisco-20770773.php

* "When an unsung Indian helped Austrian Jews escape the Nazis:" https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crl0r5wrkexo?

* "How a Deadly Circus Fire on the ‘Day the Clowns Cried’ Traumatized a Community—and Led to Lasting Safety Reforms:" https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-a-deadly-circus-fire-on-the-day-the-clowns-cried-traumatized-a-community-and-led-to-lasting-safety-reforms-180986888/

* "A Nazi document trove raises questions for Argentina:" https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/nazi-document-trove-raises-questions-argentina-2025-07-15/

* "The kindness of strangers: I was five years old when a woman I’ll never know gave me an extravagant doll:" https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/jul/21/the-kindness-of-strangers-i-was-five-years-old-when-a-woman-ill-never-know-gave-me-an-extravagant-doll

* "Heritage founder Edwin Feulner’s death reminds us, every time hell mourns, a devil gets their horns:" https://www.advocate.com/voices/edwin-feulner-legacy-hate

* "Dr. David "Spottacus" Benaron - furry known for work foundational to smartwatch heartrate monitors - passes away:" https://www.flayrah.com/9371/dr-david-spottacus-benaron-furry-known-work-foundational-smartwatch-heartrate-monitors-passes

* "Tom Lehrer, influential musical satirist, dies at 97:" https://www.npr.org/2025/07/27/835453983/tom-lehrer-musical-satirist-dead

My parents loved him. I remember my father's glee the Saturday he decided I was old enough to share him with me. My parents set me up with a big project on the dining room table, because i always listened best with me hands busy and they played me the records.

His music has given me nearly half a century of pleasure.

He will be so missed.

* Friday contractor crew turned up about an hour before their lunch to tinker in my room. Meanwhile, Management says they won't start my floor until August. My suspicion they are sneaking me tail ends to speed me up persists.

The Internet went out just before bedtime, so I rebooted the router and went for bath and bed. It was still down Saturday and at ate hours trying to get it back up. Sigh. Bonus, Tavy managed to delete more than half an hour of a work with a casual step. Sigh. Up hill both ways some days.

* 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

* "Trump’s Epstein Furor Grows as MAGA Karens MTG and Boebert Demand Answers | The Daily Show:"

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* "Meet Scott Jennings: CNN’s Conservative Voice Turned Trump-Stanning Troll | The Daily Show:"

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* "Trump's Epstein Coverup Fails As House Subpoenas Files | DOJ Meets Ghislaine Maxwell | Can't Stop AI:"

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* "Pam Bondi Skips Human Trafficking Conference:"

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* "Tom Lehrer: The Wild West Is Where I Want To Be (studio solo) (1953):"

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* "Tom Lehrer: Clementine (concert live) (1959):"

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* "Tom Lehrer | “Be Prepared”:"

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* "Tom Lehrer - So Long Mom (A Song for WW III) - with intro:"

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* Unfortunately still relevant. I wish we lived on a better time line where it wasn't. "Tom Lehrer - Send the Marines - with intro:"

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* "Tom Lehrer - Send the Marines - with intro:"

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* "Tom Lehrer - I Hold Your Hand In Mine - LIVE FILM from Copenhagen in 1967:"

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* "Tom Lehrer - The Irish Ballad - LIVE FILM From Copenhagen in 1967:"

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* "Tom Lehrer - Poisoning Pigeons In The Park:"

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* When I was kid and first heard this song, I wanted to grow up to have this kind of obituary. "Tom Lehrer | “Alma” (The Spiciest Obituary):"

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* "Tom Lehrer - Smut - LIVE FILM From Copenhagen in 1967:"

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* "Tom Lehrer - We Will All Go Together When We Go:"

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* "Tom Lehrer - The Masochism Tango:"

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* "Tom Lehrer and the NSA:" https://www.tumblr.com/gwydionmisha/790286447730163712?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.

* 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

More Links Underneath: )