* "Putin rival ties Kushner meeting to Kremlin bankers:" https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/putin-rival-ties-kushner-meeting-kremlin-bankers-n811631

* So not only did 45 call up the family of one of the special forces men who died in Niger to be deliberately callous to the grieving widow and her family, he then called her, another family member, and her congress women liars when they exposed his cruelty, presumably as part of his vendetta against gold star families he has been openly pursuing since he started to run for present. It also turns out 45 decided to prank the grieving father of a dead soldier last August by calling him up and promising him money, then not sending it, presumably also to show how much he hates gold star families. When called on it in the press the white house claimed it was all a lie as they were totally sending the check later that night. Mmmhmmm. What kind of monster would do these cruel things on purpose to grieving families of people who literally died in service of their country?

* Look, despite being a reasonably up on things person, I totally missed us invading Niger. When did we invade? Why? Shouldn't the Congress Critters have some sort of debate and vote before we go around invading places? Why is trump scared to read what seems a pretty standard statement, is he covering something up, by cruelty and taunting towards gold star star families who just lost people they love to distract us from his refusal to talk about Niger? I have questions and I feel like our government owes us some basic fucking answers here. "White House staff drafted Niger sympathy statement for Trump that was never released:" http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/18/trump-niger-condolence-statement-243917

* "Trump denies telling widow of fallen soldier, 'He knew what he signed up for':" http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-denies-telling-widow-fallen-soldier-knew-signed/story?id=50549664

* I doubt it will make any difference as Republicans voted for him on purpose knowing he held nothing but hatred and contempt for War Veterans and Gold Star families. Why would the lasted examples make any damned difference to people who think pissing on grieving families of our War Dead is hilarious. Again, if they didn't broadly approve, why did they vote for him? Because I’d have cut off a finger before voting for anyone in either party who behaved as he did during the election. "Fallout From Trump's Insult To Green Beret Widow, Use Of Kelly Deemed Political Dynamite:" https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/10/18/1708040/-Fallout-From-Trump-s-Insult-To-Green-Beret-Widow-Use-Of-Kelly-Deemed-Political-Dynamite

* I feel like there is a pattern here. 45 is deliberately cruel to Gold Star Families mourning recent loss and publicly slanders them. He is at the same time attacking NFL players kneeling in remembrance of murdered innocents during the anthem in the same way Special Forces kneel to honor their dead during the anthem, on the ground that it is somehow unpatriotic. Mike Pence has protested the right of Athletes to mourn at great taxpayers expense as part of 45's broad effort to use the weight of the executive branch to violate athlete's first amendment right to publicly mourn.

Last night while complicating this fundamental outrage, I found myself thinking of Antigone, persecuted by Creon for the crime of mourning her dead brothers and for trying to bury them according to custom, of her bravery in standing in opposition to something so cruel and impious as outlawing mourning. I was thinking of Haemon, Creon's son, who joins her in her protest and their willingness to die for what is right. I was thinking of Jean Anouilh's version which he wrote in 1942 in response to a lone act of resistance and produced in early 1944 still under the NAZI occupation as an antifascist message. The line I draw between the one thing and the other is a clear one, especially as 45 insists that NAZIs and KKK who injured so many and killed one in Charlottesville are "good people" while any resisting tyranny, racism, fascism, and genocide are unpatriotic.

* "Trump Gives Himself 'A 10' Out Of 10 On His Response To Puerto Rico:" https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-puerto-rico-hurricane-maria_us_59e8d8abe4b0aa3f77dc5f5f

* "Donald Trump tells homophobic hate group they will 'no longer be silenced':" http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2017/10/13/donald-trump-pledges-to-hate-group-that-homophobes-will-no-longer-be-silenced/#

* "George W. Bush slams Trumpism, without mentioning president by name:" http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/19/george-w-bush-trumpism-243945

* "Second judge halts Trump's latest attempt at travel ban:" http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/18/trump-travel-ban-maryland-judge-blocks-243901

* "GOP calls grow to end Russia investigations this year:" http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/18/politics/republicans-congress-russia-investigation/index.html

* "Sessions defends Comey firing, dodges questions on Trump:" https://apnews.com/70baab1c054e4837b1d962475bfd6f85/Sessions-defends-Comey-firing,-ties-it-to-Clinton-email-case

* "Trump says Comey knew he was going to exonerate Clinton:" https://apnews.com/1b526916a1de4faa999557d5f214971b/Trump-says-Comey-knew-he-was-going-to-exonerate-Clinton

* The Republican war on health care continues. "Paul Ryan comes out against Alexander-Murray health care bill:" https://www.axios.com/paul-ryan-comes-out-against-alexander-murray-health-bill-2498070386.html

* "GOP to muscle budget through Senate as it eyes tax cuts:" http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/senate-republicans-cruise-passage-budget-plan-50580737

* How you can tell they are lying when they say they believe life begins conception: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/gwydionmisha

* "A Judge Just Ordered The Trump Administration To Allow An Undocumented Teen To Obtain An Abortion:" https://www.buzzfeed.com/zoetillman/the-trump-administration-just-went-to-court-to-defend?utm_term=.ohEkBGRwD#.lt5raZVnO

* "Spirit Day 2017:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2017/10/spirit-day-2017.html

* "No Always Means No:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2017/10/no-always-means-no.html

* "Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Happens To Trans People, Too:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2017/10/sexual-assault-and-sexual-harassment.html

* Jewish Theoretical Physicists vs. the NAZIs: http://satyrday.tumblr.com/post/166549914581/thebibliosphere-clockworkcanary-drst

* "CeaseFire in Chicago: Lowering Crime in the Windy City:"





* "The Daily Show Takes Chicago: Culture and Crime in Obama's Hometown:"





* Yesterday was my birthday. There was this whole drama about the cake, which I had been wanting for three years, but my phone inexplicably didn't ring and the bakers decided that the basic black and white checkerboard done exactly the way you normally make it in that bakery only with the white icing purple and the outline of a skull piped onto the glaze meant I wanted the white cake pink which the don't do...? Anyway, they did not have my second choice cake in either it being the wrong day for it, so we ended up with a perfectly nice Victoria Lace, though it was chocolate instead of vanilla as promised. WTF, bakery. It was also pissing down rain and due to a series of unfortunate events we ended up driving all over it. Luckily the partially flooded bit towards the end did not get the brakes, and the good Disabled spot in front of my building had not filled up while I was out. We were all soaked through by this point.

We had the best flavour of take and bake pizza though, and fizzy cider for a toast, and cider to mull to warm up with and all was well. It was a fine party despite the shaky start.

Loot count so far:
Black Sails!
A cute skeleton hand ornament for the Gothmas tree,
Two Candy corn themed mice for Tavy's busy box.
Half a tank of gas.

Tavy is well pleased, as he found the mice in his busy box after left and has been have the best time with them. He also let one of the guests see him and made blinky eyes at him, though he was a hard no on more personal interaction.

* "The Game of Thrones Mystery that Never Was:" https://www.thefandomentals.com/rhaegar-lyanna-jon-magical-mystery-tour/

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

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

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

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

* Help pay for cat food, litter, meds, medical copays: Paypal [email protected]

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