It is a miracle that everyone in Stardust Crusaders speaks the same language

I love how kakyoin speaks morse code

we are pitting bad bitches against each other for gladitorial entertainment

Today, the administration announced its recognition of “World Autism Awareness Day.” This is a step backwards from the previous administration’s recognition of World Autism Acceptance Day. But this change is far from the only way the Trump administration is turning the clock back when it comes to meeting the needs and protecting the rights of autistic people. From science to services and supports, the government is determined to drag us into a past marked by ignorance and institutionalization. Trump’s statement talks about “opportunities for all Americans to thrive and prosper,” but autistic people across the country will pay the price for the administration’s destructive policy decisions.

Today’s announcement claims that the Trump administration is “prioritizing gold standard research.” In fact, the only autism research the administration has platformed is redoing already thoroughly debunked research into autism and vaccines, for which it has hired a known quack. The administration has also notably made cuts to autism research programs that receive federal funding. This includes millions of dollars in cuts to research and programs aimed at improving the lives of already existing autistic people.

The statement also says that the administration is “increasing transparency” around its autism policies and research. This comes after the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has ended HHS’ policy of accepting public comments during the rulemaking process, and amid a communications freeze at HHS that has brought cooperation between the agency and stakeholders to a halt. The only information about any public engagement around the harmful “Make America Healthy Again” commission was an announcement from Children’s Health Defense, an organization that Kennedy founded, that the MAHA commission would be meeting with the public “on the road.” There has been no confirmation from HHS about whether this is true, and there has been no consultation or communication with autistic-led organizations about the harmful autism policies that Secretary Kennedy has put forward.

The announcement says that there has been “a staggering increase” in autism prevalence. But increased diagnosis is nothing to fear. There have been a number of improvements to our understanding of autism in different groups of people, and improvements to insurance access in America since the 1980s. This includes the passing of the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion. More people are getting diagnosed because we are getting better at finding and understanding autism. This is why more Black, Asian and Pacific Islander and Hispanic 8 year olds are being diagnosed than their white peers, for the first time in US history — it’s a reflection of more people getting access to diagnosis.

Today’s announcement says that the administration will “empower [autistic people] to reach their full potential and realize their American Dream.” But autistic people cannot reach our full potential if our access and support needs are not met. The Trump administration threatens our ability to live full lives by making it harder to access Social Security. It is trying to take away lifesaving services by cutting Medicaid and its waiver programs to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. It threatens our inclusion in schools by trying to destroy the Department of Education. And it harms our inclusion in our communities by dismantling the Administration for Community Living.

While short, the statement notably only speaks to people who “[aid] Americans with ASD” and focuses only on children. It completely fails to even acknowledge the existence of autistic adults. This might be because we are aware of how much harm the administration is doing to our community. Or perhaps this statement is also a relic of a time when we were not invited to advocate for ourselves.

Too often, the administration clings to obsolete ideas about our community. Even when it claims to believe that "Americans with ASD have made, and will continue to make outstanding contributions for our country and the world,” it takes pains to define us first by our “challenges.” We see this focus reflected in the administration’s policies, such as when the president publicly blames people with developmental disabilities for a deadly plane crash and attacked Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) programs and when he called for a return to institutions and threatened programs that help us to live in our communities. 

The administration claims it is moving us towards a brighter future. This is a lie. It is attempting to drag us backwards to a time before people listened to self advocates, when autism research and advocacy centered around institutionalization and the fruitless search for a “cure.” These priorities were wrong before, and they’re still wrong now.

Autistic adults exist. We live and belong in our communities. The services and data we rely on to do that are under threat because of this administration’s policies. The administration may claim that it is working towards a better future for autistic people, but we cannot ignore its harmful actions. We know how to fight back against this awful rhetoric and these regressive policies, because they are the same policies self-advocates have been fighting for decades. ASAN will continue to resist the Trump administration’s dogged attempts to drag us into the past. 

no way 😭

Download this easy DIY clothing repair guide (only 10 pages) from Uni of Kentucky

link to PDF

Excellent resource if you're new to sewing and want to start doing some clothing repair!

Professional seamstress here, who has taught intro to sewing many times, saying: this guide is excellent!

good info to have no matter what, but also super valuable in sustainability and punk scenes

Portraits of a young and handsome Marlon Brando captured by Philippe Halsman in 1949 and 1950.

By popular request (ones, nearly ten[s] of people are asking), here's my Republican-specific congresscritter tariffs script:

Hi, my name is [NAME] and I'm a constituent from [CITY/TOWN, ZIP].

I'm calling [REPUBLICAN REP/SEN NAME] to ask [HIM/HER] to save our economy.

The tariffs announced on April 2nd are taxes. The American Enterprise Institute says it's a tax increase that will destroy our economy. They say there are zero benefits, there will be zero benefits. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Cato Institute and Manhattan Institute all agree, it's just a wrecking ball made of taxes. There's no upside.

These tariff-taxes will cost American jobs—private sector layoffs are already starting—and destroy American businesses, short-term and long-term. This is going to ruin people. The stock market is already cratering.

If we as a country are going to make sweeping economic changes, it's congress's job to draft and vote on those. We need review and oversight, not to be handed down dictatorial decisions, no matter who's president.

So, I ask that [REPUBLICAN REP/SEN NAME] intervene by backing a joint resolution, or by any means available, to stop Trump's misuse of emergency powers. Put a stop to the tariffs, rein in the overreach, and return financial and economic decision-making to congress where it belongs.

Thank you.

(For Democrats, 5calls has a very short script that will work.)

Reminder to my fellow Christians:

The people that we reject for social/political/religious/class-related reasons are the people that Jesus is meeting at the well. Whoever you think is "other" than you is the person to whom Jesus is offering living water. Whoever you look upon with contempt or disdain is the person to whom Jesus is saying, "I who speak to you am He."

that one scene from despicable me where gru pulls his spacesuit out the washing machine and it’s pink from the girls ballet outfits

ohhhhh this is a story about a guy named Al and he lived in a sewer with his hamster pal but the sanitation workers really didn't approve so he packed up his accordion and had to move to a city in Ohio where he lived in a tree and he worked in a nasal decongestant factory and he played on the company bowling team and every single night he had a strange recurring dream where he was wearing lederhosen in a vat of sour cream but that's really not important to the story

the very next year he met a dental hygienist with a spatula tattooed on her arm (on her arm) but he didn't keep in touch and he lost her number then he got himself a job on a tater tot farm and he spent his life savings on a split level cave 20 miles below the surface of the earth (of the earth) and he really makes a mighty fine jellybean and pickle sandwich for what it's worth

then one day Al was in the forest trying to get a tan when he heard the tortured screaming of a funny little man, he was caught in a bear trap and Al set him free and the guy that he rescued was grateful as can be and it turns out he's a big-shot producer on TV then he gave Al a contract and whaddaya know, now he's got his very own

Weird

AL

SHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!

ohhhhh this is a story about a guy named Al and he lived in a sewer with his hamster pal but the sanitation workers really didn't approve so he packed up his accordion and had to move to a city in Ohio where he lived in a tree and he worked in a nasal decongestant factory and he played on the company bowling team and every single night he had a strange recurring dream where he was wearing lederhosen in a vat of sour cream but that's really not important to the story

the very next year he met a dental hygienist with a spatula tattooed on her arm (on her arm) but he didn't keep in touch and he lost her number then he got himself a job on a tater tot farm and he spent his life savings on a split level cave 20 miles below the surface of the earth (of the earth) and he really makes a mighty fine jellybean and pickle sandwich for what it's worth

I'm begging you to turn the sound on

Spring.

Spring.

Spring.

Spring.

Spring.

Everytime this crosses my dash my eyes light up because I know my favourite part is coming. Spring. Spring. Spring. Spring. Spring.