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1. The deportations of innocent people from the US to El Salvadoran Prisons breaks my heart. I'm heart-broken over this. In law school, my Criminal Procedural Professor and Kansas Defender Project Supervisor advised me on numerous occasions "There But for the Grace of God, Go I" - and I'm thinking about it now. I think that phrase daily now.
I don't know if you've been following this - if only peripherally? But ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement) illegally and erroneously deported two male US citizens, just because they had a tattoo, to an El Salvadoran prison that has harsh conditions. One was a tattoo artist and the other El Salvadoran National who legally immigrated to the US with his family in 2011 for sanctuary from El Salvadoran Gang Violence. And numerous human rights violations. It is a prison for the worst criminals, and the sentences are for life. It is not interested in rehabilitating its prisoners. Instead it tortures them. NPR - El Salvador Mega Prison CECOT
60 Minutes recently reported the 238 of the people sent there had no criminal records and weren't gang members.
When a federal judge ordered the Trump Administration to retrieve them, the Trump Administration admitted they were wrong, refused to do it, and appealed the case to the US Supreme Court who agreed to block the judge's order, on the grounds that the claimants had to make their case in their jurisdiction where the deportation took place and not in DC. And that they have to do it on an individual basis, not en mass. Here.
The ACLU is fighting it and swiftly. Per the article - they managed as of April 9, to get the Texas and NY Judges to block future deportations.
"NEW YORK, April 9 (Reuters) - U.S. judges in Texas and New York dealt blows on Wednesday to President Donald Trump's effort to revive deportations of alleged Venezuelan gang members under a wartime law after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a nationwide ban on such removals.
Wednesday's actions marked early victories for the American Civil Liberties Union, which is seeking to prevent additional deportations of alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act. The Republican administration last month deported 238 Venezuelans to a prison in El Salvador." [ Please note that none of the 238 deported are gang members, and none had criminal convictions.]
( HOW TO HELP )
( Links )
I'm sorry folks, but I felt the need to spread this news far and wide. It breaks my heart. I can't look away. It also reminds me a bit too much of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and Adolph Hitler.
2. Trekkies?
“We often fear what we do not understand. Our best defense is knowledge.” -Tuvok
The Roddenberry Foundation is excited to announce a series of livestreams featuring Star Trek cast members, producers, Roddenberry Foundation grantees, and Trekkies who are experts on the world’s most pressing issues.
( Read more... )
3. Considering going to an Anti-Fascist Cabret at my Church tomorrow night with Wales. Will most likely go, if weather and health permit.
4. Started reading a large paperback version of Octavia Butler's The Parable of the Sower, which I'd bought myself for my birthday. I figured it was apropos.
It comes complete with a forward by Levar Burton. Which I kind of skipped over to get to the story. I'm admittedly not a fan of "forwards" or "end credits" or "acknowledgements" - I just want the story, dammit.
It was mentioned in the sci-fi novel that I eventually gave up on. I've given up on two of those to date - Station Eternity, and some space opera by Cat Rambo, that I can't remember the name of, I remember the author's name because it kind of stands out?
5. Knees are killing me. I have them elevated and am icing them. Probably a combo of digestive issues, inflammation, and arthritis. Getting older is not for wimps. Also the fingers ache today, along with the toes - it was cold, and that inflames the arthritis, which is in both.
Been trying Ryze Mushroom Chicory Coffee - for digestion, inflammation, and mood. The Cocoa - made me gassy and kept me awake, because I did it at night. Won't do that again. The Chicory I did in the morning and put in just a teaspoon. It seemed to be okay. I had minimal disgestive discomfort.
My IBS is not necessarily sensitive to the same FodMaps as others. I have issues with most grains, dairy (to an extent, but not overwhelming), soy (to a lesser extent), potatoes, eggplant, cauliflower (if not ground into a flour), beans, legumes, and coffee (not necessarily caffeine).
Everything else tends to be hit or miss. For example? I can for the most part do cheese, buckwheat, oats, onion, garlic, mushrooms...tomatoes (are hit or miss due to acidity). My sister in law can't do onions, buckwheat, garlic, mushrooms but can do potatoes, cauliflower, beans, legumes, rice, and soy.
6. Making my way slowly through BTVS S2. So far, am picking up a pattern. S2 is the flip side of S1, in that the stand-a-lone episodes are skippable, campy and kind of offensive? While the serial or arc episodes featuring the vampires are really good. I mean REALLY good. Somewhere along the line they figured out how to write a good A plot or through plot. But lost the B or episodic plot/monster of the week bit that was working in S1. Weird. I don't know how that happened.
Some Assembly Required - the Frankenstein Episode starts out well enough, then gets really icky? ( Read more... )
I don't know if you've been following this - if only peripherally? But ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement) illegally and erroneously deported two male US citizens, just because they had a tattoo, to an El Salvadoran prison that has harsh conditions. One was a tattoo artist and the other El Salvadoran National who legally immigrated to the US with his family in 2011 for sanctuary from El Salvadoran Gang Violence. And numerous human rights violations. It is a prison for the worst criminals, and the sentences are for life. It is not interested in rehabilitating its prisoners. Instead it tortures them. NPR - El Salvador Mega Prison CECOT
60 Minutes recently reported the 238 of the people sent there had no criminal records and weren't gang members.
When a federal judge ordered the Trump Administration to retrieve them, the Trump Administration admitted they were wrong, refused to do it, and appealed the case to the US Supreme Court who agreed to block the judge's order, on the grounds that the claimants had to make their case in their jurisdiction where the deportation took place and not in DC. And that they have to do it on an individual basis, not en mass. Here.
The ACLU is fighting it and swiftly. Per the article - they managed as of April 9, to get the Texas and NY Judges to block future deportations.
"NEW YORK, April 9 (Reuters) - U.S. judges in Texas and New York dealt blows on Wednesday to President Donald Trump's effort to revive deportations of alleged Venezuelan gang members under a wartime law after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a nationwide ban on such removals.
Wednesday's actions marked early victories for the American Civil Liberties Union, which is seeking to prevent additional deportations of alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act. The Republican administration last month deported 238 Venezuelans to a prison in El Salvador." [ Please note that none of the 238 deported are gang members, and none had criminal convictions.]
( HOW TO HELP )
( Links )
I'm sorry folks, but I felt the need to spread this news far and wide. It breaks my heart. I can't look away. It also reminds me a bit too much of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and Adolph Hitler.
2. Trekkies?
“We often fear what we do not understand. Our best defense is knowledge.” -Tuvok
The Roddenberry Foundation is excited to announce a series of livestreams featuring Star Trek cast members, producers, Roddenberry Foundation grantees, and Trekkies who are experts on the world’s most pressing issues.
( Read more... )
3. Considering going to an Anti-Fascist Cabret at my Church tomorrow night with Wales. Will most likely go, if weather and health permit.
4. Started reading a large paperback version of Octavia Butler's The Parable of the Sower, which I'd bought myself for my birthday. I figured it was apropos.
It comes complete with a forward by Levar Burton. Which I kind of skipped over to get to the story. I'm admittedly not a fan of "forwards" or "end credits" or "acknowledgements" - I just want the story, dammit.
It was mentioned in the sci-fi novel that I eventually gave up on. I've given up on two of those to date - Station Eternity, and some space opera by Cat Rambo, that I can't remember the name of, I remember the author's name because it kind of stands out?
5. Knees are killing me. I have them elevated and am icing them. Probably a combo of digestive issues, inflammation, and arthritis. Getting older is not for wimps. Also the fingers ache today, along with the toes - it was cold, and that inflames the arthritis, which is in both.
Been trying Ryze Mushroom Chicory Coffee - for digestion, inflammation, and mood. The Cocoa - made me gassy and kept me awake, because I did it at night. Won't do that again. The Chicory I did in the morning and put in just a teaspoon. It seemed to be okay. I had minimal disgestive discomfort.
My IBS is not necessarily sensitive to the same FodMaps as others. I have issues with most grains, dairy (to an extent, but not overwhelming), soy (to a lesser extent), potatoes, eggplant, cauliflower (if not ground into a flour), beans, legumes, and coffee (not necessarily caffeine).
Everything else tends to be hit or miss. For example? I can for the most part do cheese, buckwheat, oats, onion, garlic, mushrooms...tomatoes (are hit or miss due to acidity). My sister in law can't do onions, buckwheat, garlic, mushrooms but can do potatoes, cauliflower, beans, legumes, rice, and soy.
6. Making my way slowly through BTVS S2. So far, am picking up a pattern. S2 is the flip side of S1, in that the stand-a-lone episodes are skippable, campy and kind of offensive? While the serial or arc episodes featuring the vampires are really good. I mean REALLY good. Somewhere along the line they figured out how to write a good A plot or through plot. But lost the B or episodic plot/monster of the week bit that was working in S1. Weird. I don't know how that happened.
Some Assembly Required - the Frankenstein Episode starts out well enough, then gets really icky? ( Read more... )