maeve harris @maeve@girlcock.club

#Georgia #transgender inmate Ashley Diamond, incarcerated in a men's prison, suing Bureau of Prison for sexual assaults by prisoners and staff, and a denial of necessary health care https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ashley-diamond-transgender-inmate-georgia-prison-lawsuit-assaults/

#Thailand police announce they will charge at least 7 protesters with lese majeste (insult to the monarchy), a charge carrying a 15 year prison sentence. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-protests/thai-police-to-deploy-thousands-for-royal-protest-idUSKBN2840P0

The American Medical Association (#AMA) declares #racism a public health threat https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/11/23/racism-public-health-threat-american-medical-association/6400945002/

#Indiana Atty General asks #SCOTUS to permit the state to strip same-sex couples of their parenting rights, that is that states may refuse to recognize those persons as parents of their own children. https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/11/box-henderson-indiana-marriage-equality-supreme-court.html

I'm so old I can remember when the phrase 'moderate #Republican' was not an oxymoron

White House #Coronavirus Task Force warns that many, perhaps most, Americans are falling short of #Covid19 mitigation measures, and a "significant behavior change of all Americans" is necessary. I'm looking at you, gov DeSantis https://edition.cnn.com/2020/11/24/politics/white-house-coronavirus-task-force-state-reports/index.html

#Scotland is the first country in the world to make menstrual products (tampons, pads) free 'for everyone who needs them'. The quoted phrase would seemingly include FtM trans Scots https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/11/24/scotland-first-offer-free-tampons-pads-addressing-period-poverty/6405418002/

Prominent right-wing media personalities and trumpistas (here, Laura Ingraham and Tucker Carlson) are beginning to distance themselves from Trump. Waiting for cowards in the #gop Senate to follow suit https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/nov/24/fox-news-laura-ingraham-tucker-carlson-rush-limbaugh-trump

President-elect #Biden is giving some hints of his thinking on his cabinet picks 'as Trump firewall crumbles'. Centrists, of course, but more women and minorities than any admin in history, if we are to believe reports https://edition.cnn.com/2020/11/24/politics/joe-biden-transition-donald-trump-election-2020/index.html

On January 1, the US Government intends to grant to pensioners and social security recipients a Cost of Living Allowance (adjustment for inflation) of a wee 1.3%. The rise in cost of living for seniors, with medical expenses, insurance, etc is rather more than that. It would be hoped that the Biden admin would decide to use the CPI-E (Consumer price index for elders) in making such COLA calculations, replacing the current CPI-W.

Bank of England (#UK's Central Bank) governor says that a no-deal #Brexit would cost more than raging #Covid19 infections, and that its negative effect on the economy would last longer https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/nov/23/no-deal-brexit-to-cost-more-than-covid-bank-of-england-governor-says

Related: polling indicates a majority of Scots would favour becoming 'a nation once again' (to use the title of an old Irish tune)

#EU chief #Brexit negotiator #Barnier says 'fundamental differences' persist in trade talks with the #UK, as the clock winds down https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-barnier/eus-barnier-says-fundamental-differences-persist-in-uk-trade-talks-idUKKBN28317G

Motherboard reports that #Amazon has hired spies from the rather infamous #Pinkerton agency to assist in its #unionbusting activities. CEO Bezos' net worth is $200 billion https://nypost.com/2020/11/23/amazon-reportedly-hired-pinkerton-spies-to-monitor-unionization-efforts/

By the way, there is no money in the Philippines budget for #Covid19 vaccine distribution

US National Security Adviser O'Brien announces delivery of $18 million in munitions to the #Philippines, one assumes to be used against the restive South. President #Duterte has been ambivalent in his attitude to the US https://thehill.com/homenews/news/527135-obrien-announces-delivery-of-missiles-bombs-to-philippines

#Michigan Board of Canvasser's certifies #Biden's victory in that state's presidential election, in spite of all the #Trump campaign's efforts to monkey-wrench the certification.. The article's report of a 3-0-1 result is confusing, given there are 4 members. https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2020/11/board-of-canvassers-certifies-michigans-election-results-in-3-1-vote.html

I don't think about wearing so-called 'age appropriate' clothing in public. I don't own any such.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has rejected the #Trump campaign's efforts to invalidate mail-in ballots of voters from #Philadelphia https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/23/trump-loses-pennsylvania-ballot-lawsuit-seeking-to-block-biden-win.html

President-elect #Biden is reported to have selected former US Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen to be Treasury Secretary. She is unlikely to have any trouble being confirmed, even if the #gop retains a majority in the Senate after the run-off https://edition.cnn.com/2020/11/23/business/janet-yellen-treasury-joe-biden/index.html