ScottinSoCal 🇺🇦 🕊 🏳‍🌈 @ScottSoCal@computerfairi.es

Dzharylgach The largest island of Ukraine, which is located near the resort centers of Skadovsk and Lazurne, is a protected area, a large number of local flora and fauna is listed in the Red Book of Ukraine. Red deer can be seen on the island, and mouflons hide in the coastal thickets of cattails and reeds. There are many foxes on the island.
Where: Kherson region, the territory of Ukraine temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation https://www.volynpost.com/news/55158-unikalna-ukraina-24-kutochky-stvoreni-pryrodoyu-ta-lyudynoyu-foto

#Queer people have come to expect the worst from the state’s #Republican leadership, but ahead of the upcoming legislative session they’re bracing for what could be a record-breaking wave of attacks on their rights.

Some of the most dangerous bills filed as of November target parents and medical professionals who support #trans kids and teenagers with gender-affirming medical care. It’s a continuation of a shockingly vicious policy instituted early in 2022 by Paxton and Abbott that forced child welfare agents at the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to investigate families with trans kids as if they were potential child abusers. Even though the American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal, and Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays went to court and halted these abuse investigations, the directive sent DFPS into disarray and caused some families to flee the state. 

Representative Bryan Slaton, the most staunchly anti-#transgender legislator of the 2021 session, is back with a bill to redefine gender-affirming care provided by medical professionals as child abuse, and other #GOP legislators have joined the effort to enshrine into law what Paxton and Abbott failed to achieve through executive decree and legal maneuvers. For example, a bill from Representative Cole Hefner would set prison sentences for parents who support their child’s gender-affirming health care, while Representative Steve Toth filed two bills penalizing insurance companies for paying for that care. 

Alejandra Caraballo (@esqueer), a clinical instructor at Harvard Law’s Cyberlaw Clinic who specializes in the intersection of #gender and the #law, called the situation “beyond dystopian.”

“Teachers, doctors, first responders, therapists, social workers—anyone who has a mandated reporter role around child abuse—would be required to turn in friends and family and their patients, their students, to the state,” she told the Observer. 

From my analysis of upcoming attacks on #LGBTQIA rights at the #Texas Legislature, published as part of the overall #txlege preview in @TexasObserver Magazine's January/February 2023 issue (https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-legislature-preview-2023/)

(Illustration by Drue Wagner)
#drag #children #journalism #news #fascism

Some people actually can't get vaccinated for covid. We can protect them by continuing to wear our masks.

Some people actually can't wear masks. We can protect them by continuing to wear our masks.

I find it telling that people who can wear masks refuse to do such a small thing because they don't want to, instead of choosing to do it because it will keep others safer.

Hearty meat sauce, creamy Alfredo, and a pot of pasta ... must be time for baked penne!

#cooking

@Bradley_JF @Npars01 I disagree that your potential is limited if you wear a mask. I almost think that is a silly thought, no offense. The opposite is true in my way of thinking.

If folks would mask, it would be safer for everyone and it could expand your potential because you might have more cool and caring people in rooms with you. It would not be forever, either! In fact, the whole pandemic would be so much shorter for everyone if we could do little things!

@mog7546 “First CBO score of the new Congress is here.

Says that the GOP IRS funding bill would reduce spending by $71.5B and reduce revenue by $185.8B.

Net deficit increase of $114B.”
Richard Rubin

https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2023-01/hr23_IRS.pdf

A man shot & killed a 13-year-old Black child named Karon Blake in Washington, DC—claiming he thought Karon was breaking into a car.😳 Police confirm Karon was unarmed.

Police have not yet ID’d or charged the shooter. Karon is the 426th person killed by gun violence in 2023.😓

To all the fine Mastodonians with hearts not filling with hate… for all you fine folks staying in your lane and not bothering or belittling or conspiring against anybody.

Please enjoy this photo of my mixer w/ Snickerdoodle dough on the paddle as your well-deserved escape on a postcard from Utopia.

I want to show my gratitude for you guys & remind you how much I appreciate w/ a picture of something about cookies or cozy-aroma meals.

Thank you for being up to all good as much as possible. ✌️🥹♥️

Reporters will continue reporting straight-faced that the GOP's top concern is "the deficit" even as their openly-stated #1 top policy demand is to add $100B to deficit by cutting IRS enforcement.

Quoth the raven: "Screw this."

In case anyone was wondering what the different hashtags for #MMIW (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women) were. Here are all the hashtags...
#Indigenous #WeAreStillHere #MMIW #MMIWG2S #MMIWG #MMIP

Failed dictators who plot coups are more welcome in Florida than gay kids.

@ScottSoCal @drewharwell that's why all decent people need to jump ship..today

it's been way too long since i last posted a photo of my #sillyDoggy, so let's make up for it with two photos!! 😊

i especially love these because in the first one it looks like he's smiling a big smile, and in the second one you can see all of his cute little crooked front teeth 🥺 💜 🥰

#pets #animals #dogs #dogsOfMastodon #dogstodon #mastoDogs #mastoDog #dog #rescueDog #monDog #dogMom #boostsOK

ICYMI, Glenn Greenwald was compromised by the same group of ratfuckers that netted Julian Assange a decade ago — including and especially Peter Thiel and Eric Prince.
https://jimstewartson.substack.com/p/ever-wonder-why-the-cult-wants-to

Announcing the signed, limited edition of John Scalzi's (@scalzi) The Dispatcher: Travel by Bullet, the thrilling next installment in The Dispatcher novella series! https://subterraneanpress.com/the-dispatcher-travel-by-bullet-preorder-/

I'm trying to get better at asking for what I need. I have been going through a few #challenging situations very recently, and I could use a boost. No, not that kind of boost. An #EmotionalBoost. I know few of you know me, but if you have any sort of #support to throw my way, even as a stranger, I'll take it.

Attached is a #ComicStrip I created on stripcreator.com many years ago. I felt it was kind of relevant to the situation.

Thanks in advance for the #whack.

#MentalHealth