gwydion | I'm So Behind, Y'all

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* "‘Performing fascism': Masha Gessen on Trump’s dictatorial turn:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/-performing-facism-masha-gessen-on-trump-s-dictatorial-turn-84416069972

* "Schmidt: Trump, Barr building 'thugocracy' with secret police:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/schmidt-trump-barr-building-thugocracy-with-secret-police-84456005946

* "D.C. mayor on Trump using federal forces in her city: Who's next?:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/d-c-mayor-on-trump-using-federal-forces-in-her-city-who-s-next-84452933623

* Bonus! Bill Barr’s Secret Police are likely spreading COVID. "Some of Trump's unmarked police force traced to Texas prison:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/some-of-trump-s-unmarked-police-force-traced-to-texas-prison-84546117980

* "Unidentified, armed federal troops raise accountability concerns:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/unidentified-armed-federal-troops-raise-accountability-concerns-84448325645

* You know how it sounded like they were lying about Antifa? Yep, they were. "The FBI Finds ‘No Intel Indicating Antifa Involvement’ in Sunday’s Violence:" https://www.thenation.com/article/activism/antifa-trump-fbi/

* A Quick History of "Antifa." https://twitter.com/chick_in_kiev/status/1266867554041188353

* "Puerto Ricans bring out a guillotine and trans Pride flags as hundreds join Black Lives Matter protest:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/06/04/puerto-ricans-bring-out-a-guillotine-and-trans-pride-flags-as-hundreds-join-black-lives-matter-protest/

* "Chris Hayes: Yes, Gov. Cuomo, NYPD are beating peaceful protesters:" https://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/chris-hayes-yes-gov-cuomo-nypd-are-beating-peaceful-protesters-84419653909

* "Buffalo mayor addresses horrific video of police shoving protester:" https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/buffalo-mayor-addresses-horrific-video-of-police-shoving-protester-84525125861

* Any police force that riots the way they have been in NYC, Philly, D.C. etc. needs to be disbanded. They no longer serve any positive function in society.

* As far as I'm concerned any officer who witnessed the attempted murder on the elderly man in Buffalo and didn't immediately arrest the officers involved for attempted murder and call 911 should have been fired immediately. Their whole unit is protesting the suspension of the men who brutally assaulted an elderly man? Fire the whole fucking unit, because they are unfit for the responsibility. If they aren't okay with any discipline at all for attempted murder on an unarmed non aggressive elderly man, they need to go.

There are too many cops who may not have done the bad things, but are willing to defend or cover up or not intervene in the bad things while being clearly aware of them.

It's time to grow a spine. Whole department protests those firings? Fire them. Anyone left may still have at least some ethical sense.

I'm generally pro-Union, but you don't see mass teacher walk outs when a union member is exposed as a pedophile. Police need to be held to a higher standard, not no standard at all. Teachers are held to a higher standard because they basically have the safety of children in their hands. Police are way more dangerous than teachers, so....

* I keep thinking about the conversation I had with the Millenials Friday about systemic police violence and corruption, and the way where I'm from influences my thinking about these matters. I keep thinking about my having to explain to my Oregon friends why the police thought what they did to Rodney king was fine and why the riots.

So I'm originally from Philly, where like NYC the police have been violent and corrupt since there were police. That was the reality. The local precinct when I was a teen was run on principals of nepotism and patronage. It just was. It became quickly obvious to me, working at a popular police hang out that this was just another form of organized crime.

Oh they were charming guys, very nice to us. They were terrifying. We gave them anything they wanted free and they'd come fast if there was trouble instead of slow walking it. We had a get out of traffic tickets free deal if we were in uniform or they knew us. It's low level extortion. Only the businesses that gave them free stuff got protection.

They'd sit around telling funny to them stories about people they put in the hospital with group beatings for personal vendettas or for fun. They freaked my dad out my telling him about the time they thought this guy was sleeping with one of their wives, so they broke into his house and beat him near to death. Haha! We really got that guy! There was no law where I lived, only order imposed by a violent gang in blue that acted with utter impunity.

It was the '80's and we were in the metro area, outside the city limits though. There was one black cop and one woman cop at that precinct. They had been hired outside the patronage system to ward off discrimination suits. They were partners. They were not corrupt or violent as far as I could tell. We still gave them free food.

I've spent a lot of time thinking about the entire policing system in this country since I got that job at 15. I've heard a lot of people say "just a few bad apples" as if it were an excuse not to hold police accountable, as if it were some kind of excuse for letting officers beat and even kill whoever they like with impunity. People never seem to quote the entire saying. A few bad apples spoil the barrel. It's not an argument for allowing police to do as they like. It's an argument for prosecuting the shit out of every single violent and/or corrupt cop you find.

A few bad apples is like a little bit of gangrene; if you don't get rid of them they corrupt everything. You get even a hint of gangrene you act aggressively to get rid of it. you don't and you can lose the limb. It can get into the blood stream and kill the patient. Get some antibiotic on the case! Let maggots remove the dead tissue!

Instead, we've collectively decided to let whole cities rot. Promote the bad apples, let them train the next generation of cops, like Minneapolis did, then you get a whole culture of violence and corruption. Make it so you punish and force out cops who report the crimes, then good people stop signing p to do the job and only the sadists, the psychopaths, and the wildly corrupt remain.

When your blueberry bushes get the mummy virus, there's no saving them. Uproot them and plant something new that can cleanse the soil.

I've forgotten the name of the place in I think Georgia that got incorporated as a town a few years back. They got to build their justice system from the ground up. They are majority black. Almost all of the judges ended up being black women. Their policing model was based on the concept that they really were their to protect and serve the community. The police were living in the communities they served. They knew the people they were policing and the citizens knew them. Their court system was based on concepts like restitution and drug and mental health diversion. Sentences tended to be about trying to fix the damage the crime had done. Getting a schizophrenic treatment is kinder and long term all around better than locking them up for disturbing the peace. Getting someone drug and/or alcohol treatment is kinder and better than locking them up. Once they are doing better they are more likely to be able to do good restitution for an damage they did. The arrestees were being talked to and treated like people in the courtroom proceedings they filmed. It was a joint effort that everyone was engaged in to make their town better and safer for everyone in it, not a fundamentally oppositional process with cops as judge, jury and executioners. The people who were arrested were seen as part of that community and the goal was to help them stop fucking up in destructive or potentially destructive ways. It was a wildly different police culture and a wildly different police and judicial mindset.

We need to start over most places at this point. We need to rebuild from the ground up. We need a system that serves and protects everybody, not an occupying army that terrorizes citizens with impunity. that stuff happening in New York and Washington and a bunch of other places? That's terrorism. That's an occupying army trying to scare and dehumanize and crush.

We are long past removing a few rotten apples from the barrel. The barrel is full of rot; the gangrene is everywhere compromising the whole system; the mummy virus has infected all the blueberry bushes.

Time to start over and grow something new and so much better.

* "Police, policing, social issues and #AbolishThePolice:" https://amaebi.dreamwidth.org/1784909.html

* "The Double Standard of the American Riot:" https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2020/06/riots-are-american-way-george-floyd-protests/612466/

***

* "Vladimir Putin allies release sickeningly homophobic campaign ad attacking gay parents to manipulate voters:" https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/06/03/vladimir-putin-homophobia-advert-gay-parents-propaganda-russia-patriot-media-group/

* "House amendment would require warrants for web history searches:" https://www.engadget.com/patriot-act-reauthorization-house-deal-section-215-174813899.html

* "The Real Moby Dick Was So Much Worse:"

Watch on YouTube

* Thursday: I've been short sleeped for a few days due to a variety of competing commitments. Wednesday I was a mess, so I couldn't really multitask properly which meant very little work could reasonably get done. Sorry.

Livia and I were at my desk and Tavy was peering out the patio window. It was the middle of the night and the curtains were closed. I heard a soft sound like someone futzing about on the porch. Tavy panicked and ran for my bed. Livia and I looked up in response to the sound, so we both saw him zoom out of there freaked the hell out. I could actually see the processing delay as Livia tried to work out if she should panic too, but by then I was up and calmly going around to see wtf, so she decided to come with, hiding behind my legs as I lifted the door curtain. Meanwhile, Tavy saw us going to look, so he decided he should come look. People who say they aren't social beasties are liars. So I've got two of them peering around my legs as I look out into the darkness.

It wasn't an intruder, but I did not blame Tavy Baby at all for freaking out. The wind had knocked bunch of plant stands over. Me: Fuck! It's not the windy season but were are having a weird unseasonalble blast out of Alaska that's messing with the local weather and I live in a wind tunnel between two foothills near the bay so... Surprise! Our porch light is basically crap, so I couldn't properly assess the damage. i went out and set things to rights, but I was not happy. A whole bunch of budding carnation branches got chopped along with assorted thing from the neighboring planters. The container with the most mature of the tomatoes and a bunch of juvenile lettuce was amoung the casualties. I couldn't tell immediately how bad it was, so I did my best.

I got a few hours of sleep and then had a scheduled conversation call with some millennials. Afterwards I trotted out there to fix things up properly. The carnation will live, but I lots 6-8 future blooms, I'd estimate. The container with the tomato and lettuce was the one construction workers damaged a few years ago, but it was still usable and it also has a perennial thing in it which added to it's size made reporting in a newer container a serious undertaking. Oh, I purchased a replacement the time and had a really nice potting soil compost mix in it ready for the grand repotting, but it was really a two person job and there was always that perennial and... yeah.

One of the sides was smashed most of the way in. I had long thought the least damaging way to repot would be to basically take the pot itself the rest of the way apart and resettle it in the replacement. see really a wo person job. Problem is I really needed a tool for that, like wire cutters or a saw or something. I had no tools and no help. I positioned new pot by the chair and had at it the hard way with my bear hands. Luckily the damage to the structural integrity and time and plastic fatigue had moved this just into the realm of the possible barely. The construction workers had broken off the thicker plastic rim and big sections of the top 3-4 inches, leaving the thinner plastic sides. I managed to pull the section between the massive hole and the ragged top okay, but I needed wider hole and worse, a chunk of the thicker bottom plastic to go. I had to do the bottom one handed as I needed the other to balance the pot and I'm pretty sure this is how I got all the scratches on my arm.

Anyway it's done, but I think I lost one-three lettuce plants. The tomato looks okay, the perennial is badly damaged, but I have more and it doesn't matter. The tomato and lettuce do, however, so fingers crossed. They are off the stands as it's safer for that pot and the carnation on the ground anyway and the light at ground level is descent up front, especially after asshole bush got the aggressive pruning. The rank behind them aren't as they really need elevation to get enough light. I may shift some stuff around some more tomorrow though.

And then I swept the patio and watered the plants and mopped the floor because I got water everywhere, and delta with the mess on the floor Squirrel left when he took out the trash and cleaned all his pork grease off the counters and microwaves and he'd finally put the dishes away so the I prewashed a whole other load as he'd waited that long to empty it and found more pork grease wish I cleaned and hung a fly strip which is ow i got glue in my hair which I had to wash and put the shower curtain rod back up because it fell again, and, and.... Yeah.

* Friday: Livia's day started out so well. Everyone knows the best love is the one where you catch the human awake, but in the bed with all the machines off. Not only did she succeed at that. Not only that but Tavy was conked out on the sofa. She had the human all to herself! For as long as she liked with no interruption! A Red Letter Day!

Except...

The human snuck up on her later and gave her the medicine paw! I mean yes, the Emperor got one too, but still! Betrayed!

* The last couple nights I've been dealing with chronic illness stuff. Friday was particularly bad as I had the dreaded spasms, which meant until... 2AMish, I was super limited in how much time I could spend at my desk. It seriously messes with my concentration when I can actually work too. The result is the last ew nights I mostly get through prep and post a few links on tumblr, but I'm drowning in hundreds of things I couldn't look at properly. It's not that I don't care, it's that I'm federally disabled for a reason.

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

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

* Master Post for how to help organizations fighting Police violence: https://omgthatdress.tumblr.com/post/619601461925625856

* How to donate to Doctors Without Borders: https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/onetime.cfm?source=ADD200U0U00&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=googlepaid&utm_content=brand&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIz8D9kYu46QIVqh6tBh2WogxQEAAYASAAEgK4FfD_BwE

* "More on the Mashpee Wampanoag Reservation and Reaffirmation Act:" https://amaebi.dreamwidth.org/1769250.html

* "Covid 19 Support for Indigenous Communities:" https://bibliomancer7.tumblr.com/post/616704253038395392/covid-19-support-for-indigenous-communities

* "Navajo Nation COVID-19 Relief Fund:" http://www.nndoh.org/donate.html

* "NYSCI has a set of activities and resources up on their website:" https://conuly.dreamwidth.org/2999942.html

* "How to Help Librarians and Archivists From Your Living Room:" https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/archives-to-browse-from-home

* "Free Meals:" https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/food/free-meals

* "Learning Through Play: 101 Ways To Keep Young Minds Occupied At Home:" https://www.marksdailyapple.com/importance-of-play/

* Free lessons: https://www.mybluprint.com/

* CDC Foundation: https://www.cdcfoundation.org/give/ways-to-give

* "SUPPORT WORKERS IN CRISIS:" https://ofwemergencyfund.org/

* "Make to Give - Support Our Medical Personnel:" https://www.joann.com/make-to-give-response/

* "Snopes on COVID-19 Fact-Checking:" https://www.snopes.com/2020/03/20/snopes-on-covid-19-fact-checking/

* "Help the California food industry survive this crisis:" https://www.change.org/p/governor-gavin-newsom-support-the-california-food-industries-most-vulnerable-workers

* "Support Artists Impacted By the Covid-19 Pandemic:" https://daily.bandcamp.com/features/bandcamp-covid-19-fundraiser

* Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

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

* The Indivisble guide exists to help you organize effective resistance: https://indivisible.org/

* Here’s a list of vulnerable republican senators up for election this year:

Martha McSally - Arizona
Susan Collins - Maine
Cory Gardner - Colorado
Thom Tillis - North Carolina
Pat Roberts - Kansas
David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler - Georgia
Joni Ernst - Iowa

Here’s a list of vulnerable democratic senators that NEED votes to keep their seats:

Doug Jones - Alabama
Gary Peters - Michigan

* Want to get rid of Mitch McConnell? Help Amy McGrath: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/am-website?refcode=website-nav

* Want to get rid of Lindsey Graham? Help Jaime Harrison: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ms_harrison_fr_q12019_jaime-a?refcode=MS_AD_D-DD_2019.03.08_X_GG_KW__X__eyJjcmVhdGl2ZSI6IkFkZCBEb25hdGlvbiBOb3ciLCJhdWRpZW5jZSI6IkphaW1lSGFycmlzb24ifQ&recurring=TRUE&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIn4a_583I5gIVC8RkCh0MowFeEAAYASAAEgIXZfD_BwE

* There's a decent chance of flipping this Senate seat blue. Want to help? https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ads-mek-egsearch_dtd?refcode=ads-200108-gs-evergreensearch-dtd-natl-mix-8753679275-87807510469-410037583123-%2Bmark%20%2Bkelly%20%2Bdonate&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpKSR192K5wIVAsNkCh0EeAFSEAAYASAAEgLY7fD_BwE

* Want to support Christy Smith in the primary for Katie Hill's seat?: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/dw_ca25

* Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? If you can not protest in person, here are some other options:

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

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

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

* Some RL friends of mine who were barely scraping by just lost one of the part time jobs they collectively hold and it's really fucking things up for them. These are good people, who do so much for others. Want to help? https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-a-gig-worker-get-through-the-winter/share

* Help pay for cat food, litter, meds, medical copays: Paypal [email protected] or paypal.me/Gwydion

* If you are interested in helping, right now the Cat thing we need most is:
https://www.chewy.com/wellness-core-signature-selects/dp/147047

The dry food I was going to try is this one: https://www.chewy.com/blue-buffalo-wilderness-flatland/dp/176663

* Birthday/Solstice master list: https://gwydion.dreamwidth.org/2108835.html

Nec Hoc Nec Ilud

Touched By a Zombie

I'm So Behind, Y'all

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May 2025

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