On this day, 23 February 2004 in Trebišov, Slovakia, the biggest clash occurred between security forces and unemployed, mostly Roma, workers protesting against welfare cuts. Police attacked 400 demonstrators using tear gas and water cannon. The next day they attacked the settlement where the protesters lived, conducting illegal searches and torturing pregnant women and disabled people with batons and electric cattle prods. But the protests continued successfully in winning improvements to benefits for all unemployed people in the country.
This is a short history: https://libcom.org/history/slovakias-unemployed-riots-2004 https://www.facebook.com/workingclasshistory/photos/a.296224173896073/1657991427719334/?type=3
[video]
(via fanofspooky)
Hasan Minhaj has created an actually free website for doing your taxes online, and it includes both a gallery naming and shaming corporate tax avoiders, and THIS little gem - an ASMR video. About taxes. That definitely falls into the category of “things that are unfeasibly hot for some goddamn reason”.
10/10
It is literally named TurboTaxSucksAss.com and that is the best thing I’ve seen all day.
Spaceweather.com Time Machine - February 20th, 2021
CIR HITS EARTH, SPARKS ARCTIC AURORAS: Last night, a co-rotating interaction region (CIR) hit Earth’s magnetic field. High above Norway, “it looked like the sky split open,” says aurora tour guide Marianne Bergli, who sent this picture from Kvaløya, Tromsø.
“The auroras dancing over our heads were unbelievably beautiful,” says Bergli.
A CIR is like a mini-CME (coronal mass ejection). It’s a transition zone between slow- and fast-moving streams of solar wind. Density gradients inside CIRs can mimic the shock fronts of CMEs, and often do a good job sparking auroras.
A good job? “It was great,” says Markus Varik, also in Tromsø. “The pinks and reds were the best we’ve seen in years.”
(Source: spaceweather.com)
Spaceweather.com Time Machine - February 21st, 2021
PINK AURORAS OVER ICELAND: “I’ve never seen the sky so pink before,” says Jónína Óskarsdóttir, who witnessed an outbreak of nitrogeneous auroras over Fáskrúðsfjörður, Iceland.
“It was great, though it didn’t last for long time because of the cloud cover,” says Óskarsdóttir.
Pink auroras are a sign of nitrogen. Most auroras are green–the color of oxygen atoms being struck by energetic particles 100 km to 300 km above Earth’s surface. Pink appears when energetic particles from space descend lower than usual, striking nitrogen molecules at the 100 km level and below.
The energetic particles, in this case, came from a hole in the sun’s atmosphere spewing solar wind faster than 600 km/s. Cracks in Earth’s magnetic field allowed the wind in, deep enough for pink.
(Source: spaceweather.com)
(via vooreheez)
Getting Involved Masterpost
I’ve been compiling links to resources and organizations that are doing important work to support the most vulnerable people during this pandemic. If you’ve been feeling helpless to fight all the awful things that are happening, here’s some ways you can help. Do what you are able to - donating, volunteering, protesting, joining a union, contacting your government representatives, and simply spreading information are all good actions to take right now.
Mutual Aid Disaster Relief - resources for getting involved in mutual aid efforts. https://mutualaiddisasterrelief.org/collective-care/
Mutual Aid Hub - map for locating mutual aid resources and groups in your area that you can donate to or get involved in. https://www.mutualaidhub.org/
Never Again Action - organization fighting against ICE detention centers. https://www.neveragainaction.com/
Feeding America - all food banks are in desperate need of support right now, donate or find your local food banks here. https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank
Black and Pink - organization for prison abolition and support for incarcerated ppl who are LGBT/HIV+. https://www.blackandpink.org
Movimiento Cosecha - organization for undocumented immigrants, in need of donations. https://www.lahuelga.com/
Indigenous Mutual Aid Directory - resource for indigenous-led mutual aid groups. https://www.indigenousmutualaid.org/
Covid-19 Resources for Undocumented Immigrants - google doc spreadsheet of resources for uncoumented immigrants. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18p9OSlLpSYanIoUC-gEbhVbRMYVUfw4wyrixa9ekGdc/htmlview?fbclid=IwAR0euDbk5OiWd7EgBPKUPm01wCjCb-Z8-KiZK4EBlR53J0VNpVvQYTJy4eY&sle=true#gid=0
COVID-19 Sex Worker Harm Reduction Resources (U.S. Based) - google doc of resources for sex workers. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GpmUbu7UDCKtbnsBwImFLQtXzHLlZ6FYPY_NjJvyiFs/edit
It’s Going Down - information, news, current actions, and resources about anti-capitalism and mutual aid. https://itsgoingdown.org/
Detention Watch Network - coalition against ICE detention camps. https://www.detentionwatchnetwork.org/covid-19
Amnesty International - campaign to end human rights abuses. https://www.amnesty.org/
Food Not Bombs - organization providing food and supplies to people in need. http://foodnotbombs.net/new_site
General Strike 2020 - information about the general strike that is being organized in many places on May 1st, as well as other labor and rent strikes. https://www.genstrike.org/may-day-guide/
IWW - International Workers Union https://iww.org/
ResistBot - service that makes it easy to contact your representatives (USA) about important issues. https://resist.bot
Please reblog this, and if anyone has more links to share, please add on!
Autonomous Tenants Union Network - organizes renters to resist evictions, rent hikes, neglectful and predatory landlords, etc https://atun-rsia.org/
Cooperative Gardens Commission - connecting people to grow food and build food sovereignty https://coopgardens.com/
