#San Francisco Community Radio

[reasonsforhope]

"For over a decade, the Yosemite toad has been recognized as a federally threatened species, after experiencing a 50% population decline during the Rim Fire of 2013.

The wildfire, which encompassed a mass of land near Yosemite National Park, made the amphibian species especially vulnerable in its home habitat. 

Native to the Sierra Nevada, the toads play a key role in the area’s ecosystem — and conservationists stepped in to secure their future.

In 2017, the San Francisco Zoo’s conservation team began working with the National Park Service, Yosemite Conservancy, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish & Wildlife, and the U.S. Geological Survey. 

The goal of all of these stakeholders? To raise their own Yosemite toads, re-establishing a self-sustaining population in the wild. 

“Over the past several years, SF Zoo’s conservation team has been busily raising hundreds of these small but significant amphibians from tadpole stage, a species found only in the Sierra Nevada, for the purpose of reintroducing them to an area of Yosemite National Park where it was last seen 11 years ago,” the zoo shared on social media. 

By 2022, a group of toads were deemed ready for release — and at the end of June of this year [2024], 118 toads were flown via helicopter back to their habitat.

“It’s the first time anyone has ever raised this species in captivity and released them to the wild,” Rochelle Stiles, field conservation manager at the San Francisco Zoo, told SFGATE. “It’s just incredible. It makes what we do at the zoo every day worthwhile.���

Over the past two years, these toads were fed a diet of crickets and vitamin supplements and were examined individually to ensure they were ready for wildlife release.

Zoo team members inserted a microchip into each toad to identify and monitor its health. In addition, 30 of the toads were equipped with radio transmitters, allowing their movements to be tracked using a radio receiver and antenna.

The project doesn’t end with this single wildlife release; it’s slated to take place over the next five years, as conservationists continue to collect data about the toads’ breeding conditions and survivability in an ever-changing climate. They will also continue to raise future toad groups at the zoo’s wellness and conservation center...

While the future of the Yosemite toad is still up in the air — and the uncertainty of climate change makes this a particularly audacious leap of faith — the reintroduction of these amphibians could have positive ripple effects for all of Yosemite.

Their re-entry could restore the population balance of invertebrates and small vertebrates that the toads consume, as well as balance the food web, serving as prey for snakes, birds, and other local predators.

“Zoo-reared toads can restore historic populations,” Nancy Chan, director of communications at the San Francisco Zoo, told SFGATE. 

Stiles continued: “This is our backyard, our home, and we want to bring native species back to where they belong.”

-via GoodGoodGood, July 11, 2024

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Juan Carlos Lara at KQED:

The Federal Communications Commission is investigating San Francisco-based KCBS for its coverage of immigration enforcement actions in San José last month, sparking concerns from press freedom advocates and drawing right-wing backlash to the radio station. In an interview on Fox News, Trump-appointed commission chair Brendan Carr said he opened the investigation after KCBS shared the live locations and vehicle descriptions of immigration officials on Jan. 26. “We have sent a letter of inquiry, a formal investigation into that matter, and they have just a matter of days left to respond to that inquiry and explain how this could possibly be consistent with their public interest obligations,” Carr said. First Amendment advocates worry the FCC investigation will have a chilling effect on news organizations reporting on the Trump administration’s mass deportation plans. “Law enforcement operations, immigration or otherwise, are matters of public interest,” said David Loy, legal director for the First Amendment Coalition. “People generally have the right to report this on social media and in print and so on. So it’s very troubling because it’s possible the FCC is potentially being weaponized to crack down on reporting that the administration simply just doesn’t like.” Loy worried that the move could deter other news organizations from pursuing reporting critical of the Trump administration. “It’s an intimidating exercise. The process is the punishment,” Loy said. “Even if charges are never filed, people have to look over their shoulder to wonder, is the government going to come after me because I report something that the government doesn’t like me to say?”

[...] Last year, Carr criticized his own commission for voting to approve part of Audacy’s bankruptcy reorganization plan that would involve the investment firm founded by billionaire George Soros, a donor to liberal causes and a lightning rod for the right wing. Soros Fund Management bought much of Audacy’s debt during the reorganization process, Bloomberg reported. This drew the ire of Carr and other conservatives, and Carr vowed to take another look at that decision after being tapped by Trump to lead the FCC. The clashes with KCBS and its parent company are only the latest confrontations between President Trump’s FCC and media organizations.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s war on the free press goes marching on, as the agency is launching a meritless investigation into San Francisco AM radio station KCBS over its coverage on ICE raids.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Paul Fairie

Published: Jan 1, 2025

A List of Predictions Made in 1925 About 2025

Women will dress logically in one-piece hygienic suits

People will live to 150

There will be nothing to laugh at

Food will be delivered by tubes from communal kitchens

Giant aeroplanes will fly 50 passengers between London and Paris in only a couple of hours

Crime will be treated as a disease

People will be awakened by radio alarm clocks and baldness will be almost universal

San Francisco will be the greatest city in the world

We will run out of oil

Smoking will be a thing of the past

Books will be printed on nickel leaves and will contain 30,000 pages

Canada will have a population of 100,000,000

Banking and burglary will be wireless

There will be a wheat shortage

Geologists will be able to peep into the crust of the earth

The world will have reached its saturation point

Speakers will be able to address the entire world at once and the unification of the human race will be complete

[uwmspeccoll]

It’s Feral Friday! 

This week we’re taking a look at This Land is My Land, a newly acquired addition to our collection from book artist, concrete poet, & graphic designer Thad Higa. This 100-page work is “a fictional narrative from the imagined headspace of current day, online white supremacists, nationalists, and their sympathizers”. It was digitally printed, features Coptic binding with uncovered boards as well as two multi-page foldouts, and was self-published in a limited edition of 50 numbered copies in Oakland, CA in 2023. 

Higa is an Okinawan-Korean American cultural worker born in California in 1989 and raised in Hawaiʻi. His practice “investigates the intersections of language, technology, capitalism and eurocentrism, and their roles in controlling perceptions of reality and legibility.” In This Land is My Land, Higa “weaves together all manner of rhetorical devices and strategies, creating an experience familiar to anyone who has read the comments on an online article or listened to attendees at a Trump rally.” The structure of the book inherently encourages interaction, emphasizing the participatory and performative nature not only of reading & text-based communication but also of the formation and enaction of political identity.  

His work has been highlighted on the Lantern Review, Artists’ Book Reviews, Art Review, Art Papers & Hawai’i Public Radio, and featured in the exhibitions whistling the avant garde (Small Press Traffic, San Francisco CA, 2023) and O, (FiveMyles, Brooklyn NY, 2021).  

--Ana, Special Collections Graduate Intern 

View more Feral Friday posts. 

View more Artists’ Books posts. 

View more Concrete Poetry posts. 

View more Graphic Design posts. 

[mur-art]

Oooo, you have Jefferson hcs? I'd love to hear them if you're comfortable with that (not forced)

I definitely haven’t thought about this too much /s

TL;DR I feel like he’d be a great one-off character for the Table purely for comedic value. Dude is pathetic and his antics and attempts to convince others of his legitimate (totally legitimate, he swears) statehood would be hilarious.

Some art and HCs under the cut.

@freshwolfhell has lots of good Jeff HCs as well! A lot of these are the results of our discussions!

TW Discussion of weed (ofc) and other drugs

I forgot if I posted this one or not; again, credit to @freshwolfhell for inspiring this silly comic.

-As the comic above implies, Jeff is sometimes the definition of political “horseshoe theory”; coming to agree with certain progressive/liberal values not because he understands them or agrees with them, but for his own completely unhinged reasons.

-Dude smokes so much weed. He’s just constantly surrounded by a haze. He also struggles with addictions to some harder drugs.

-He’s a hardcore conspiracy theorist. There aren’t many conspiracy theories he DOESN’T believe in, even ones that seemingly contradict each other.

-He lives in an RV deep in the forest. The RV is covered in moss and hasn’t been moved in at least 20 years. It’s at the end of a dirt road that’s impassable when it rains. He rarely leaves, but when he does, he drives an old beat up Subaru with a hundred somewhat contradictory political bumper stickers.

-He managed to rig up a setup for TV and shitty internet, but he’s very much stuck in the past technology-wise. He still rents DVDs and listens to the radio. His favorite pastime is listening to true crime or conspiracy podcasts, and/or watching news stories about how much California sucks.

-He may or may not frequently get mistaken for some type of cryptid.

-He used to work in the logging industry and he feels a lot of resentment at California and the “environmentalists,” who, in his opinion, ruined his life by lobbying against the industry, leading to the downfall of so many of “his” towns and plunging him into poverty. He’s extremely bitter about this, as well as every other wrong (imagined or real) committed by California and Oregon against him. (Just like California) He keeps receipts. He writes down everything in a journal, and takes it with him everywhere.

-He lets his resentment and anger control him. Instead of trying to better his own situation or trying to get along with others, he places the blame for his own failures on everyone else.

-A lot of his resentment and anger is (perhaps misplaced) jealousy. Of California. Of the other cities and regions of California who have (in his mind) everything he never had. Of the other states, who are recognized as such and the honor that brings. Of course he’d never admit this.

-He’s convinced in his own mind that he’s a real state, and has been for decades, and that everyone else is actively conspiring to hide that fact.

-In an attempt to to gain support, he’s gone to the other “misfits” in the nation like Puerto Rico, Hawai’i, and Maryland. Each attempt has backfired spectacularly, as he’s not exactly culturally or racially aware, and ended up saying some offensive shit to them.

-He tries to call both California and Oregon every Thursday to remind them that he’s a state, but they’ve long since blocked him on every form of communication. So he’s gone back to writing letters. They’re long-winded, filled with spelling errors, and list (in great detail) every grievance that Jeff has with both of them. He never gets a response, but he continues to send them.

-He also writes letters to various other California and Oregon cities— nasty, threatening letters if he hates them (San Francisco) or vague attempts to make friends if he likes/admires them (Bakersfield).

-He has a whole ass arsenal of guns. He is absolutely NOT a responsible gun owner. He should probably not be trusted with any type of weapon, not even a kitchen knife.

-He’s a self-proclaimed “survivalist.” He knows how to forage for food and he does eat a lot of wild blackberries and fish he caught himself. However, all the ramen and candy he eats on a regular basis might be hard to find during the apocalypse…

In conclusion, he (not California, as he claims) is his own worst enemy. He lets his legitimate feelings of betrayal and isolation burn out of control and rule his life. He’s lonely and bitter and he’s constantly seeking the kind of validation he never receives.

Also, here’s a playlist for this asshole. Mostly just vibes.

[mediawhorefics]

hiii, hope you're fine, was wondering if you have any recommendations for murder mystery books? idealy sapphic

hiiii i've been fine (pretty atrocious actually my entire life is falling apart hence why i haven't been able to maintain this second blog) i'm always here for book recs tho !!!!

this is actually a bit of a tricky one for me because i'm a big mystery fan, but i'm not huge on murder mysteries in general. i do love a challenge tho, so i'll see what i can find for you!

the last binding trilogy (freya marske) -> not quite murder mystery but a historical fantasy series ft. some murders and some mysteries. each book focuses on a queer couple and the second one ft. sapphics trying to solve a magical murder on a cruise ship. its mainly a romance series with a great magical mystery overarching plot. 10/10

i kissed shara wheeler (casey mcquiston) -> again a general mystery rather than a murder mystery but it's a sapphic ya romance about a prom queen disappearing after kissing her academic rival and said academic rival's obsession with finding her.

bury the lede (gaby dune) -> graphic novel about an intern at a newspaper stumbling upon a gruesome crime scene. (full disclosure, i dont remember anything about this one... i read it ages ago rip)

sadie (courtney summers) -> ya mystery novel. after her sister's murder, sadie, disappointed by the official investigation, skips town in pursuit of the murderer and justice for her sibling. meanwhile a radio personality overhears sadie's story at a gas station and becomes obsessed with finding her, starting a podcast to track his progress. not sapphic particularly and tw applies. it's a pretty harrowing book, but keeps you on the edge of your seat. apparently the audiobook is amazing.

big bad wolf series (charlie adhara) -> okay it's mlm and it's technically werewolf porn, but the mysteries in this ex-fbi agent partnered with a werewolf to solve werewolf crimes series are actually good and engaging and keep you on your toes. no one was more surprised than me.

the will darling adventures trilogy (kj charles) -> again mlm and more general mysteries than murder mystery specifically, but it's so good and there is a sapphic side pairing later in the series. it's set in the 1920s... will darling is a wwi vet who just inherited his uncle's second hand's bookshop which lands him in a world of trouble when both a gang of criminal and the war office end up on his doorstep looking for the same information. which he's pretty sure he doesn't have.

hither page (cat sebastian) -> sorry this one is mlm too rip. post wwii. a gruesome murder shocks a small community with a sprinkle of romance between the village's doctor and the spy sent undercover to solve the crime.

here are some books that fit the vibe that are on my to read and i'm excited to pick up, but obvs can't vouch for yet

last night at the telegraph club (malinda lo) -> sapphic love story set in 1950s san francisco chinatown

lavender house (lev a.c. rosen) -> described as knives out with a queer historical twist. set in the 1950s.

even though i knew the end (cl polk) -> historical fantasy murder mystery ft. a sapphic detective trying to catch a notorious serial killer to ensure she can have a future with the woman she loves.

a million to one (adiba jaigirdar) -> girl gang heist on the titanic. historical ya and sapphic.

meddling kids (edgar cantero) -> paranormal/horror/mystery grown up teen detectives reunite to solve a paranormal mystery fro their past. also queer.

the dead and the dark (courtney gould) -> paranormal/horror/mystery/ya/sapphic. logan, daughter of two ghosthunters, is determined to solve the mysteries of snakebite, oregon where weather patterns are odd and teenagers keep disappearing/showing up dead.

alright, i think that's all i can think of for now ??? i'll add to the list if something pops in my head, but hopefully that covers what you were looking for, at least a little? sorry i didn't 100% follow the brief for some of these haha.

[granvarones]

the roots of queer clubs can be traced back to the early 20th century. many of these spaces existed in secrecy, then in the aftermath of the stonewall uprising against police violence in june 1969, queer clubs began to emerge from the shadows. the uprisings served as catalyst for transformation of queer nightlife.

in the 1970s and 1980s and throughout the 1990s, clubs continued to serve a profound role personal and collective liberation. these venues provided a space that offered a sense of freedom and refuge from homophobia and discrimination and music played a pivotal role. the songs , which often times could only be heard in queer spaces - months before they crossed over to mainstream pop radio, were a sonic invitation for everyone to come out to dance and be free on the dance floor.

below are a few of the songs that soundtracked the celebration of coming out to and/or inviting people into your world. may we all find a dance floor to move and be with abandon as we sing, or lip sync, to our favorite songs!

I WAS BORN THIS WAY • CARL BEAN

defiant in its profound message about gay pride, self-acceptance, and self-affirmation, “i was born this way” was initially released in 1975 by motown recording artist valentino. two years later, in 1977, carl bean, also on motown, covered the song and made it an anthem on and off the dance floor. bean’s version was remixed and re-released as the “better days” remix. it ignited dance floors again - almost a decade later.

I’M COMING OUT • DIANA ROSS

written by the prolific producer nile rodgers, “i’m coming out” was inspired after nile saw multiple diana ross drag performers in a bathroom at a new york queer club in 1979.

although the term “coming out” had been used to describe self-disclosure around sexual orientation and gender identity since the turn of the 20th century, ross was surprisingly unaware of the concept until nile told diana, “..this song is gonna be your coming-out song. we think of you as our black queen…”

I AM WHAT I AM | GLORIA GAYNOR

“i am what i am” was initially written for the 1983 broadway musical “la cage aux folles.” gloria gaynor, first lady of disco, released a dance version later that year. “i am what i am,” became a global queer anthem during a time when “coming out” was fiercely encouraged to build community and organize around the still unfolding AIDS crisis.

I’M COMING OUT OF HIDING | PAMALA STANLEY

philadelphia-born and raised pamela stanley scored a string of dance hits in the early 1980s. Her most notable song was the Hi-NRG classic “coming out of hiding.”

released nationally in 1984, “coming out of hiding” became a massive club hit, reaching #4 on billboard’s dance chart, and became an anthem among gay men during the onset of the AIDS crisis. a time when severe homophobia threatened to chase LGBTQ folks back into the closet.

NEW ATTITUDE | PATTI LABELLE

by the release of “new attitude” at the end of 1984, patti labelle had already cemented herself as a queer icon for her fashion, performance style, and resilience. she was also one of the first recording artists to support and perform at AIDS benefits.

if a jolt of energy could be a timeless self-empowering anthem, it would be “new attitude.” the song’s uplifting message of self-confidence, transformation, and embracing one’s connection with queer audiences.

COME INTO MY HOUSE | QUEEN LATIFAH

“welcome into my queendom, come one, come all…,” the opening line of the first verse of queen latifah’s 1990 hip-hop/house track “come into my house” is an invitation into her world, extended to those of us who were either exiled from or denied entry into kingdoms that valued hyper-masculinity and conformity. and visitors are greeted with the song’s refrain, “give me body!,” an invitation into her world and community.

GO WEST | PET SHOP BOYS

originally recorded and released by queer disco group the village people in 1979, “go west” is an unapologetic rallying cry about gay freedom and migration to san francisco. english synth-pop queer duo pet shop boys’ 1993 cover was hopeful and reflective in its yearning for acceptance and community. a theme that resonated emotionally during immense loss during the height of the AIDS crisis.

FREE HAPPY & GAY | THE COMING OUT CREW

in the 1990s, as LGBTQ+ culture continued to gain mainstream visibility, the coming out crew’s 1995 exuberant dance track “free, gay and happy” captured the unwavering power of queer joy and hope. written and performed by renowned vocalist sabrina johnston, “free, gay and happy” became a club hit in both the US and UK.

[dallonwrites]

REVELATIONS, REVELATIONS - WIP intro

[ revelations, revelations by @dallonwrites / kevin laminto / erica e. goode / @/negaversace / revelations, revelations / mateus campos felipe / jay hulme / amatullah bourdon / tony detroit / revelations, revelations ]

disclaimer: this is my own original work

Genre: Literary Fiction Setting: San Francisco, 1985-1986 Aesthetics: saltwater, moon reflections in lakes, big empty houses, stained glass windows, blue hour, disco nights, night time city ambience, streetlights, swimming pools, the moon, blurry film photos, cold coffee, cigarettes, diners at night, birthday cake Essential Songs From The Playlist: Modern Talking - Cheri Cheri Lady / Shannon - Let the Music Play / Madonna - Material Girl / Patti Smith - Because the Night / Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy / Tears for Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule the World / Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want to Have Fun / Diana Ross - Upside Down / Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) / Sade - Smooth Operator / The Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star Deals With: Christian trauma + fundamentalism, faith, sibling relationships, childhood trauma, girlhood into womanhood, queerness and being closeted, AIDS crisis, toxic fathers, absent mothers Summary: Twins Dorothy and Felix have little memories of a time before their upbringing in a tiny, gated Christian fundamentalist community, and even less memories of their mother. As isolated children they retreated into each other and, even as they get older and began having separate experiences of their religion, and as their father hurt one of them with his distance and the other with his closeness, they still promised to one day escape together. But as their community grew sinister, and their rejection of it escalated into a violence and shared trauma they can't tell anyone else of, a rift formed: Dorothy's anger and resentment grew; Felix retreated further into faith to try and remedy himself. Dorothy escaped, and Felix didn't follow. When they reunite three years later, Felix will do anything to make it up to his sister. The return of an old habit of breaking into family homes to see what they could've had, and Dorothy's fixation on a man she believes reflects all the pain her old religion caused her, sees them fall back into the same co-dependency and co-destruction they wanted to escape. Amongst all this, they separately experience intense, unstable relationships, and a fragile friendship group that reaches breaking point when people start to get sick. Trying to understand their bond as adults, their placement in their community, and attempts to escape their past sees them fall right back into it, leaving the question of whether they can separate themselves from their trauma - or each other - at all.

If you've been around you already know about this one. She's basically the source of my special interest and whilst I would love to finish her one day, she's also just my special baby and I love getting to shape her over and over again. That being said in the last year I've found myself much more settled in the story and I think! It is starting to really come to life!

This is part of a wider ~series~, which is to say I have a special interest and cannot stop writing novels about the same characters, usually in the same setting. My other WIP, Lover Boy, is set in the same storyline and covers the years after. These are all personal projects that I work on at my own slow pace, but I talk about them a lot!

[jgroffdaily]

For a whole generation, this week marks the 25th anniversary of quietly tuning in to Channel 4 with the sound turned right down, in the desperate hope that it didn’t arouse suspicion.

Queer As Folk, Russell T Davies’ series about the lives of three gay friends, debuted in February 1999. It was a bold look at the heart of Manchester’s gay scene that provided something then rare in British television: a joyous exploration of what it meant to be gay.

“I vividly remember thinking: ‘Canal Street, does such a place really exist?’” says the BBC Radio 2 DJ Owain Wyn Evans. “It was a far cry from the head count of absolute zero role models or reference points available for me at the time in Ammanford, south Wales.”

The show has been celebrated as a pivotal moment of LGBTQ+ representation, but it wasn’t the only one. Here, notable LGBTQ+ people, including Joe Lycett, Juno Dawson and Alice Oseman, talk about the television that helped them.

Looking

Before All of Us Strangers, there was Looking. Launched in 2014, the HBO series following three gay friends in San Francisco was cancelled after just 18 episodes (and a feature-length special).

But it has aged like a fine wine. It feels remarkably human and captures beautifully the little things – such as when Patrick (Jonathan Groff) and Richie (Raúl Castillo) catch each other’s eyes on the subway for the first time. Or the heartbreaking way Kevin (Russell Tovey) rubs Patrick’s ears when he knows he is seeing him for the last time.

After years of being “othered” because of my sexuality, Looking was the first time I realised that I could – and should – experience the same highs (and lows) of romantic love as everyone else; that there is a world out there and I should explore it.

[etherealsworldvision]

General Message

Before I begin the reading I’d like to take a moment to talk about: Restore the Delta. They’re a non-profit organization whose mission is to ensure the health of San Francisco Bay-Delta estuary and Delta Communities. Click here if you’d like to donate.

🚨 P.S.A 🚨 I DO NOT GIVE PERSONAL READINGS

Credits: Photography by Jack W. Dykinga; Layout by Triso Gamboa

Note: The reason I used Triso’s layout is a trial run to see the type of engagement this will get. For sure I will (and would love to) create my own template.

[ Messages: ‘I feel no shame, I’m in love, sweet love don’t you ever go away it’ll always be this way.’ - Sweet Love by Anita Bake; ‘Fear is found in bravery. Without it then we will always remain sheltered — take that step.’; ‘If soulmates do exist they are not found, they are made. People meet, they get a good feeling, and they work on building a relationship.’; Picture a wave. In the ocean. You can see it, measure it, its height, the way the sunlight refracts when it passes through. And it's there. And you can see it, you know what it is. It's a wave. And then it crashes in the shore and it's gone. But the water is still there. The wave was just a different way for the water to be, for a little while. You know it's one conception of death for Buddhists: the wave returns to the ocean, where it came from and where it's supposed to be.’; May you Pursue what lights you up; May it be effortless; May you know you are worthy of a gift; May you extend your reach.]

[ Additional Messages: Yellow of the Sun - Nao; 444; 1010; completion; pirate ships; crews; cruise; The Good Place.]

Cards: The World; 10 of Cups; Justice; 10 of Pentacles. King of Diamonds; 4 of Spades; Ace of Diamonds; Ace of Clubs. Joy; Ease; Receive; Stretch.

Wow you guys are coming into a new energy! I feel that this may be coming in by late spring to late summer, meaning June — September. Some of you may be my Leo’s because that season is popping up OR you may have a good time during Leo season. You may find stability within your finances and emotions or will be coming into it.

I’m getting that during the time you’re reading this you have been struggling for the past few months. Like you’re just stuck in a rut. You know that one song ‘nothings new’ by Rio Romeo — they kept singing nothing’s new…yeah. You might have even closed yourself off or couldn’t find the time to connect with people because of the situation.

Now I’m not saying “this is the end yiipieee!” It’s more of hey you’re gonna set sail again because the weather conditions are right. Because when you’re a sailor you know when you can set sail and when you have to navigate through the storms while clenching the wheel as tight as you can.

I’m also getting the radio host from the song ‘Hopscotch’by Tinashe. ‘Alright, we got another beautiful day here in sunny Los Angeles, California. Let’s take a look at our seven day forecast — we’re seeing lots of sunshine all week long — temperatures in the mid to upper 70s’. Yeah I typed that out cause it’s fun and it adds to the fun lol. I’ll even add it here lol.

Anyway before spring ends, you may get into a new hobby or fandom that just makes your world sparkle. For some reason that is the key indicator that you’ll get a break. Because of this new hobby/entertainment you’ll feel emotionally reconnected which makes you want to be motivated to explore yourself and everything around you.

As you start to explore and expand things start to escalate. It might become overwhelming so of course you need something to balance it out and that is where material/finances come in. It really could be finance or something that’s physical coming in fruition. Honestly for some of you — you may have been working on a looong project and you finally see the results.

The important thing to know is that this experience will find you instead of you looking for it. Like it really feels that this is going to randomly pop up (on your feed for some of you). Okay this is all I’m getting for you, I wish you all well :)!

[posttexasstressdisorder]

WhatMatters

Your guide to California policy and politics

By Lynn La

February 3, 2025

Presented by California Water Service, Climate-Smart Agricultural Partnership and Uber

 

 

Good morning, California.

Newsom orders more water for farmers and towns

The San Luis Reservoir, an artificial lake on the eastern slopes of the Diablo Range of Merced County, on Feb. 10, 2023. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

From CalMatters environment reporter Alastair Bland:

As downpours soak Northern California, Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered state officials to capture and store more stormwater in San Joaquin Valley reservoirs for farmers and towns, and to “remove or minimize” any obstacles that stand in the way. 

If that sounds familiar, it is: The governor issued similar orders two years ago, when he waived environmental laws to store more water as storms drenched the state and caused disastrous flooding. Months later, the Legislature and Newsom enacted a new law that smooths the way for such actions. 

In a video posted on social media, Newsom said he aims to store more stormwater “for people and agriculture.” The three-year, statewide drought “yielded ongoing, significant impacts” on farm communities, he wrote in his order. 

Growers and cities that use water from the State Water Project welcomed Newsom’s action. 

But environmental groups worry that it will kill salmon and other fish spiraling toward extinction. By diverting and storing more water, less is left in Delta rivers for fish.

Environmentalists also noted the similarity between Newsom’s order and President Donald Trump’s order last week to waive the Endangered Species Act and pump more water out of the Delta. The Army Corps of Engineers then abruptly increased outflow from two small San Joaquin Valley reservoirs. 

Trump posted on social media that the water would have prevented the Los Angeles wildfires — but that water does not reach Southern California. It also will do little to help farmers, since they need irrigation water for crops in spring and summer, not now. 

Jon Rosenfield, science director at San Francisco Baykeeper: “Trump issued an executive order that is nothing short of an assault on California’s environment, and it’s like Newsom said, ‘Hold my beer.’”

Speaking of Trump: On Saturday Trump issued an order imposing tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada and China. The tariffs are meant to hold the countries “accountable to their promises of halting illegal immigration” and stopping fentanyl and other drugs “from flowing into our country,” according to the order.

As CalMatters reported in November, Mexico and China made up 40% of California’s imports in 2023 and the state could feel the brunt of the tariffs. Nationally, prices are projected to rise by nearly 1 percentage point, according to the UCLA Anderson Forecast. Because Canada is also a key supplier of lumber for the U.S., Trump’s order also has major implications for Southern California as it rebuilds from the deadly wildfires.

In addition to customers and small businesses feeling a hit, leaders from Canada and Mexico said they will impose retaliatory tariffs on American goods. California’s top exports include almonds, wine and dairy products.

 How will Trump’s second presidency affect your corner of California? CalMatters is working with public radio partners to gather perspectives across the state. Share your thoughts here.

CalMatters events: On Feb. 25 CalMatters’ Adam Echelman will hold a panel to discuss what the state is doing to help employment outcomes for Californians ages 16 to 24. Register here to attend in person at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles or virtually.

Other Stories You Should Know

 Keeping CA kids insured

A patient waits in line to pick up a prescription at La Clinica in Oakland on Sept. 26, 2019. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

When voters approved Proposition 35 in November to lock in tax revenue to pay more to the doctors who treat low-income Medi-Cal patients, voters also nixed dedicated funding to keep kids insured, among other Medi-Cal earmarks.

That’s now a problem. As CalMatters’ Kristen Hwang explains, due to administrative errors or missing paperwork, about 400,000 children on Medi-Cal lose coverage every year for a period of time and then must re-enroll. 

To pay for this gap in coverage, Newsom and state legislators passed a law last year allocating $33 million to fund the program starting in 2026. But there’s a rub: The legislation stipulated that continuous coverage would not be funded if Prop. 35 passed, which it overwhelmingly did.

Advocates are now urging Newsom to try again, and allow low-income children to stay on Medi-Cal without renewal requirements until age 5. But they face an uphill battle: To spend Medi-Cal money this way, California needs federal approval. And Trump’s initial attempt to freeze federal funding signaled his intent to slash spending for social safety net programs.

Read more here.

 

College students seek immigration services

Artwork created by students hangs on the walls at the Dream Resource Center at Pierce College in Woodland Hills near Los Angeles on Jan. 28, 2025. Photo by Alisha Jucevic for CalMatters

Demand for immigration legal services are skyrocketing at California colleges, write Delilah Brumer and Mercy Sosa of CalMatters’ College Journalism Network. The sudden uptick follows Trump’s pledges of mass deportations and the operations that federal immigration enforcement authorities are carrying out across the U.S. and California.

California has an estimated 100,000 students who are either undocumented or come from mixed-status families — more than any state. Over the last five years, the state has provided $52.2 million to fund college immigration resource centers, also known as Dream centers, to help undocumented students navigate financial aid applications and connect them with free legal services.

Since Trump’s November victory, legal service providers say their free consultations are booked several months out. Some Dream center coordinators also say that state funding is critical to the centers, and are calling for more stable sources of money. 

Read more here.

 

And lastly: Homelessness count and AI jobs

Volunteers Michelle Lefever (left) and Maggie DuRocher (center) survey a resident experiencing homelessness for the annual point-in-time count in San Diego on Jan. 25, 2024. Photo by Adriana Heldiz, CalMatters

California’s homeless population grew at a slower rate last year than the rest of the country, according to federal data. CalMatters homelessness reporter Marisa Kendall and video strategy director Robert Meeks have a video segment on the latest homelessness rates as part of our partnership with PBS SoCal. Watch it here.

And check out another video by CalMatters College Journalism Network reporters and Robert about the state’s partnership with Nvidia to prepare college students for careers in artificial technology. Watch it here.

SoCalMatters airs at 5:58 p.m. weekdays on PBS SoCal.

 

California Voices

California Voices deputy editor Denise Amos: After completing a four-year apprenticeship, a Los Angeles County ironworker and mother of two discusses the challenges of being one of the few women in the industry.

 

 Other things worth your time:

 

Some stories may require a subscription to read.

 Trump is threatening CA in the wrong way // The Atlantic

Federal firefighters fought LA’s blazes. Then came resignation offers // The Washington Post

CA still bullish on EV trucks, despite industry opposition and setbacks in Washington // Los Angeles Times

CA saw the nation’s biggest drop in death row inmates — without any executions // San Francisco Chronicle

Experts weigh in on immigration crackdown’s effect on CA $2B citrus harvest // The Fresno Bee

Possibility of immigration raids worries San Diego County medical providers // The San Diego Union-Tribune

Contra Costa County refinery fire under control, but ‘residual smoke and flaring’ possible // San Francisco Chronicle

A rising San Diego politician abruptly quit, raising a lot of questions // Los Angeles Times

 

See you next time!

Tips, insight or feedback? Email whatmatters@calmatters.org. Subscribe to CalMatters newsletters here. Follow CalMatters on Facebook and Twitter.

About Us· How We're Funded· Subscribe· Donate

 

CalMatters 1017 L Street #261 Sacramento, CA 95814 United States

 

[head-post]

Harris pledges to legalise recreational marijuana

US Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday voiced her support for legalising marijuana, speaking publicly on the issue for the first time since she became the Democratic Party’s nominee, US media reported.

Harris defended her record as a prosecutor, promised to decriminalise marijuana and push for police reform in an effort to build support among black men in an interview with radio host Charlamagne Tha God on Tuesday. Charlamagne, a black comedian and author who hosts The Breakfast Club radio programme, is known for his blunt interviews with celebrities.

Although he supports Harris, he has criticised her and President Joe Biden in the past and called Democrats “cowards” for not effectively prosecuting the case against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. He asked Harris to respond to rumours that she has disproportionately jailed black men in more than a dozen years as San Francisco district attorney.

“It’s simply not true,” Harris said, adding that she has been called “one of the most progressive prosecutors” on marijuana cases. She said she would push to decriminalise marijuana if she became president because she knows how the laws hurt some groups, especially black men.

Some polls show Harris has less black male support than Biden in the 2020 election.

Her campaign and allies, including former US President Barack Obama, are working to win them back in Michigan and other states that will be decided by small margins.

Harris said one of the biggest challenges she faces is misinformation from the Trump team aimed at black voters. She also added:

“They are trying to scare people away because they know they otherwise have nothing to run on.”

Recreational use of marijuana is currently legal in 24 states and the District of Columbia, where the capital, Washington, D.C., is located. In addition, 38 of the 50 states allow medical use of marijuana, although it remains illegal in some states and at the federal level.

Support from African-Americans

During the interview, Harris also talked about reparations for the African-American community as a way to repair the historical damage of slavery, and when Charlamagne asked if he supported such a measure – a historic demand of the black community – Harris said the issue should be studied.

With 20 days before the election, Harris is trying to reach out to the black community at a time when polls show some African-Americans are leaning toward Trump or choosing not to vote. Harris and other party leaders are trying to address the phenomenon and win back voters who have traditionally voted for Democrats.

Last week, former President Barack Obama spoke to a group of African-American men at Harris’ campaign office in Pittsburgh. Obama noted that some “brothers” seemed to have a hard time voting for a woman and that Harris’ support was lower than when he ran, so he urged them to support the vice president and get to the polls.

On Monday, Harris unveiled a plan with specific measures for African-American men, including providing one million loans to African-American entrepreneurs, protecting cryptocurrency assets and increasing investment in training and accreditation programmes in black communities. The plan also calls for increased investment in researching diseases that disproportionately affect African American men, such as prostate cancer or diabetes.

Read more HERE

[mariacallous]

The US Justice Department on Tuesday unsealed a complaint charging Bence Horvath, a 46-year-old Hungarian national, with conspiracy to export American radio communication technology to Russian government end-users through a network of affiliates in Serbia, Hungary, Spain, Latvia and elsewhere.

The Justice Department did not disclose the names of the affiliates. 

Horvath was arrested on August 23 at San Francisco International Airport for allegedly attempting to illegally export the US-origin radio communications technology.

According to the Justice Department, Horvath managed a multinational procurement network that agreed contracts directly with various Russian government entities, focusing on large-scale projects such as constructing operational radio communications systems in Russia’s Kursk region, near the Russian-Ukrainian border.

“This defendant allegedly sought to skirt US export controls put in place to protect our national security and to address Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine,” said US Attorney Matthew M. Graves.

The Justice Department alleged that Horvath and others in his alleged network spoke with a small US radio distribution company about procuring US-manufactured military-grade radios and related accessories and exporting them to Russia.

Over the months that followed, Horvath continued his efforts to secure the items, which he intended to trans-ship to Russia via a freight forwarder in Latvia, according to the Justice Department.

The complaint alleges Horvath purchased 200 military-grade radios intended for illegal export before the US Customs and Border Protection intercepted the shipment.

According to court documents obtained by BIRN, the maximum possible penalties for his alleged crimes are 20 years’ imprisonment and a  $1,000,000 fine.

The arrest was the result of a joint investigation by multiple US agencies, coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture and the Disruptive Technology Strike Force, both aimed at enforcing sanctions and export restrictions related to Russia’s military actions in Ukraine.

“The Justice Department remains committed to disrupting and holding accountable criminal networks that continue to fuel Russian aggression,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew Olsen.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Are nearby planets sending radio signals to each other?

Scientists use Allen Telescope Array to search for interplanetary communications in the TRAPPIST-1 star system

A new technique allows astronomers to home in on planets beyond our solar system that are in line with each other and with Earth to search for radio signals similar, for example, to ones used to communicate with the rovers on Mars. Penn State astronomers and scientists at the SETI Institute spent 28 hours scanning the TRAPPIST-1 star system for these signs of alien technology with the Allen Telescope Array (ATA). This project marks the longest single-target search for radio signals from TRAPPIST-1. Although the team didn’t find any evidence of extraterrestrial technology, their work introduced a new way to search for signals in the future.

A paper describing the research was accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journal and is available online as a preprint.

“This research shows that we are getting closer to technology and methods that could detect radio signals similar to the ones we send into space,” said Nick Tusay, a graduate student research fellow at Penn State and first author of the paper. “Most searches assume a powerful signal, like a beacon intended to reach distant planets, because our receivers have a sensitivity limit to a minimum transmitter power beyond anything we unintentionally send out. But, with better equipment, like the upcoming Square Kilometer Array, we might soon be able to detect signals from an alien civilization communicating with its spacecraft.”

The project focused on a phenomenon called planet-planet occultations (PPOs). PPOs happen when one planet moves in front of another from Earth’s perspective. If intelligent life exists in that star system, radio signals sent between planets could leak and be detected from Earth.

Using the upgraded ATA — a series of radio antennae dedicated to the search for extraterrestrial technology located at the Hat Creek Observatory in the Cascade Mountains about 300 miles north of San Francisco — the team scanned a wide range of frequencies, looking for narrowband signals, which are considered possible signs of alien technology. The team filtered millions of potential signals, narrowing down to about 11,000 candidates for detailed analysis. The team detected 2,264 of these signals during predicted PPO windows. However, none of the signals were of non-human origin.

The ATA's new capabilities, which include advanced software to filter signals, helped the team separate possible alien signals from Earth-based ones. The researchers said they believe that refining these methods and focusing on events like PPOs could help increase the chances of detecting alien signals in the future.

“This project included work by undergraduate students in the 2023 SETI Institute Research Experience for Undergraduates program,” said Sofia Sheikh, a SETI researcher at the SETI Institute who earned her doctoral degree at Penn State. “The students looked for signals from human-made orbiters around Mars to check if the system could detect signals correctly. It was an exciting way to involve students in cutting-edge SETI research.”

The TRAPPIST-1 system is a small, cool star about 41 light years from Earth. It has seven rocky planets, some of which are in the habitable zone, where conditions might allow liquid water to exist — an essential ingredient for life as we know it. This makes TRAPPIST-1 a prime target searching for life beyond Earth.

“The TRAPPIST-1 system is relatively close to Earth, and we have detailed information about the orbit of its planets, making it an excellent natural laboratory to test these techniques,” Tusay said. “The methods and algorithms that we developed for this project can eventually be applied to other star systems and increase our chances of finding regular communications among planets beyond our solar system, if they exist.”

The team did not find any alien signals this time, but they will continue improving their search techniques and exploring other star systems. Future searches with bigger and more powerful telescopes could help scientists detect even fainter signals and expand our understanding of the universe, the team said.

In addition to Tusay and Sheikh, the research team includes Jason T. Wright at Penn State; Evan L. Sneed at the University of California, Riverside; Wael Farah, Andrew Siemion and David R. DeBoer at the University of California, Berkeley; and Alexander W. Pollak and Luigi F. Cruz at the SETI Institute. This research was primarily funded through grants from the U.S. National Science Foundation with additional support from the Penn State Extraterrestrial Intelligence Center and the Penn State Center for Exoplanets and Habitable Worlds, which are supported by the Penn State and the Penn State Eberly College of Science.

About the SETI Institute Founded in 1984, the SETI Institute is a non-profit, multi-disciplinary research and education organization whose mission is to lead humanity’s quest to understand the origins and prevalence of life and intelligence in the universe and to share that knowledge with the world. The institute’s research encompasses the physical and biological sciences and leverages expertise in data analytics, machine learning and advanced signal detection technologies. The SETI Institute is a distinguished research partner for industry, academia and government agencies, including NASA and NSF.

IMAGE: Illustration showing communication between planets beyond our solar system looking from the perspective of Earth. New research using the Allen Telescope Array looked for this type of communication, similar to communication between Earth and our rovers on Mars, in the TRAPPIST-1 star system. Credit Zayna Sheikh

[monstersinthecosmos]

September 24, 1973

The guy working at the desk at his hotel only speaks a little English, but they communicate well enough for him to write down the address of the train station on a piece of paper. Daniel rubs at the back of his neck, twitchy and impatient, even though the sun is up.

Slept a little bit. Kept some food down, but he’s uncomfortably bloated now. He shifts his weight as he waits for the concierge to call him a taxi, and can’t remember when was the last time he fucking took a shit.

Hates his fucking body all of a sudden.

A few minutes later he’s outside, lighting a cigarette and leaning against the wall of the hotel as he waits for the taxi. Closing his eyes against the sun, feeling the warmth on his face. It feels good, even though he’s beginning to resent it. Feels safe. He could fall asleep, just like this, standing up.

He digs Lestat’s watch out of his pocket again, flips it open. Ornate thing. Antique. He tries to wind it but nothing happens, and he can’t help wondering when it stopped. It’s stuck on 3:59. 

Maybe if things calm down, if he thinks he can stay in one place for a few days, he can get someone to fix it.

Lestat is still down there, Daniel thinks. He pictures it, wonders if Lestat sleeps curled up like a person, on flat on his back like a corpse. He thinks of that fucked up house and all those books, and has so many questions to ask. 

The taxi driver speaks even less English than the concierge, but Daniel is able to show him the note. Friendly as he nods, and gestures towards the trunk, but Daniel keeps his bag with him, in his lap in the back seat, hugging it as they pull out. 

He slumps against the door, his temple leaning into the window. The driver has talk radio on and Daniel can’t make out a word of it, which is… relaxing. Sun beats down through the glass, baking him. Feels safe. Moving, in the sun. Warm now.

Eyes close. Too tired to be scared. He’s not sure how far away the train station is, but maybe it’s okay to sleep for the car ride.

Armand knew that Louis would kill all those other vampires. They’re people, Daniel wants to scream. He can imagine himself down there, beneath the theatre, holding the yellow dress. They’re still people. The image of the theater is so vivid now, knowing what Armand looks like. Shorter than he imagined, but he holds the entire room hostage with his presence.

Daniel doesn’t understand why Louis stayed with him.

He killed your wife. She was your daughter.

The taxi hits a bump and Daniel gasps awake.

Unsure where he is, can’t remember anything except he’s got to get away, keep moving moving moving. The sky is too open through the window, and he can see water, and the cables of a suspension bridge blurring by. He sits up, rubbing at his chest, feeling his heart racing through his t-shirt.

He’s back in San Francisco. On the Golden Gate. Louis’s voice spills from the car radio.

Daniel shouts. He tells the driver to stop, but the man just glances at him in the rearview, perplexed. No English. Daniel’s hand leaves a smudge on the window and he considers throwing himself out of the car.

“They’ll find me here,” he shouts. “I left California, Louis will know. They’ll find me, they’ll know!!”

The driver slows. Not to stop, but to adjust to the flow of traffic. He snaps at Daniel in Portuguese, and his ears ring.

Armand is gonna fucking kill me.

He’s sweating, reaching for the door handle, but as the car slows he gets a better look at the outside.

Red bridge but… it’s not San Francisco. It’s not. It’s not.

He turns around in the seat, looking out the back window. Doesn’t see the skyline. His stomach cramps and his vision doubles.

“Sorry,” he mumbles. Lip quivering. He twists back to sit correctly. Hugs his bag to his chest. The driver narrows his eyes, and Daniel holds up his hands in apology. “Sorry,” he says again. He doesn’t know any Portuguese but he attempts a quick “Lo siento,” just in case. 

Their eyes stay locked for a moment. Finally the driver nods. He shrugs, mutters to himself. Looks back to the road.

Daniel tilts his head against the glass, trying to see up to the top. 

Just a red bridge. He’s in Lisbon. He remembers that. He flew to Lisbon.

He’ll take a train next. Just take off into Europe and see what happens. Trains don’t seem safer but he wonders if he should try take one overnight. That way he can keep moving. Won’t have to stop. 

That guy told him about the Midnight Sun one time. It’s almost winter, though, it’s not going to work. In fact, it would be the opposite soon. Dangerous.

Anyway. That guy got locked up, he was crazy. 

Daniel isn’t crazy. 

[previous day] | [next day]

[beardedmrbean]

The fate of the annual Lesbians Who Tech (LWT) Summit hangs in the balance now that its organizers are being forced to consider relocating the event.

The summit is typically held in San Francisco’s LGBTQ+ neighborhood, called the Castro district. But recently, the Castro Merchants Association voted to stop allowing the organization to close down two blocks worth of streets for the summit.

Terry Asten-Bennett, president of Castro Merchants, told Hoodlinethat 27 members of the merchant group voted in favor of halting the street closures. Eight members abstained, and zero members voted to let the organization continue as is.

In a letter to San Francisco officials, Asten-Bennett described the issues caused by closing the streets in the past: “Issues such as unimproved barriers segregating the community, inadequate delivery points, unreliable garbage and recycling pickup, insufficient bus rerouting information, and noise disturbances from overnight construction have negatively impacted our residents, businesses, and the overall well-being of our district.”

LWT founder and CEO Leanne Pittsford expressed her frustration with how the Castro Merchants have handled the situation. She said she didn’t understand why LWT was not invited to the meeting ahead of the vote.

Asten-Bennett’s response to that question: “After months of inviting LWT to give us an update and Leanne informing me before the October meeting, ‘It was never in my plan’ to come back and give us an update, followed by a total disregard for every area of concern, I did not feel it was necessary to have their input. This vote was about what was best for us as a merchant organization.”

But Pittsford maintains the event is great for the Castro neighborhood.

“Having 2,000 queer women, queer women of color, and non-binary leaders walking around spending a million dollars during the weekdays is pretty impactful,” she said, estimating that the event’s economic impact on the city is about $3 million, with $1 million going to Castro businesses.

Nevertheless, many of the merchants are in favor of changing the event. Store owner Patrick Batt, who has long opposed the street closures and closed his shop for five days this year rather than dealing with the Summit, alleged that LWT did not have any “real involvement with the neighborhood.”

He told Hoodline ahead of the October 2023 event, “There was and had been radio silence regarding their plans and how it might affect the Castro, either for the good or the bad… This event has clearly grown too large for the Castro to accommodate, and LWT has not been a good partner or a benefit to the Castro for some time.” 

But LWT has argued that it’s crucial for one of the few lesbian events in the city to take place in the gay neighborhood. “Women, and lesbians in particular, are often displaced,” said LWT’s event producer Audrey Joseph in October. “It’s not just in San Francisco, it’s everywhere.”

Pittsford has maintained that LWT used every local vendor possible and said “many of the bars were completely ecstatic.”

She also said it’s really not possible to hold the event elsewhere. She explained that the event needs proximity to the Castro Theatre and street closures to allow breakout stages and sponsorship booths. She asked, “How can the Castro Merchants be more supportive of queer women, queer women of color, and non-binary leaders?”

Pittsford founded LWT in 2013 and with more than 40,000 members, it has since become the largest community in the world for LGBTQ+ people in tech. About 5,000 people attend its annual summit in San Francisco.