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shaldreth · 2 years
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WoX's Secret Sale Numbers
Making this an entire post because I wanna add pictures. lol Women of Xal was 15% off on Steam last week, and we told absolutely no one* about it! Why? Because we wanted to see if we could get some people to convert their wishlists to actual purchases without any advertising whatsoever. I wanted a baseline understanding of how Steam works.  *Well, okay, I did mention it during a livestream on Friday. I didn’t think about it ok my brain just went into ad mode aaaa Turns out that Steam does actually advertise your sale for you in some capacity despite claiming not to, even if that’s just sticking the game on the “sale” page. Because we made about 4x as much last week as we usually do. Numbers and graphs under the cut! 
Pre-Advertising:
Let's start with the period of time before we even started using tumblr Blaze. The first Blaze post we purchased was the $4.20 one on 4/20, so here are some numbers on our sales from the three weeks prior to that week.
Before any advertising whatsoever, we were selling less than 1 copy a day, and making about... $5 a day.
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Tumblr Blaze:
Our first Blaze purchase was that $4.20 sale and it was probably tuned a little weird because apparently some people saw the post like three times in a row. Oh well.
We've Blazed a post about WoX a total of 3 times, and the exposure has been gradual but definitely noticeable. Since then, our daily average sales increased to 1 per day, making about $11 a day.
Thanks, tumblr! <3
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Steam Sale:
Now the fun part. We put the game on sale for 15% and said absolutely nothing about it, just to see if we could get some of our 1,800 wishlist listings to convert. And they sorta did! 3 copies sold per day, and $47 per day!
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Wishlist Conversions:
So let's talk about those wishlist conversions. We've had 2,193 unique users on Steam wishlist the game. 237 of those later deleted their wishlisting, whereas 155 were converted to actual purchases. This leaves a total of 1,801 users who have currently wishlisted the game. Over the course of the 15% sale, we've had 14 people purchase the game off their wishlist and 21 (!!) add the game to their list. The sale actually resulted in a net INCREASE in wishlistings, which is wild to me.
Overall:
Y'all want a graph? Here, have a sales graph. We'll go over it together.
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The first peak circled in fuchsia is from our initial beta release in August. The second peak in yellow is from our full release in October. The third peak in green is a little hard to see, but that's right after we started using Blaze. You can see that our sales have generally increased since that point, which is awesome.
And the fourth peak in white is from the 15% sale. Even without any advertising, that sale outperformed our tumblr Blaze numbers. Granted, they're so close together that I have no doubt some of the tumblr blaze people are mixed in with the sale people. I'm sure a few players saw the game through tumblr, bookmarked it for later, and then saw a sale a few weeks later and decided "why not?".
Thanks to everyone who's bought the game. <3
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kanchankhatanaa · 10 months
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The Maternity Benefit Act: An Overview
The Maternity Benefit Act of 1961 must be complied with by factories, mines, and plantations. The Act applies to all businesses that have more than 10 employees working each day throughout the previous 12 months. Additionally, it applies to every shop and other establishment in the concerned Indian state. Additionally, this Act applies to specific facilities and businesses. It must be followed in order to maintain the goodwill of the workforce.
Every organization must abide by this Act, and the workers must receive a number of benefits. The outcome is that the employees get the best care and their health is maintained. The health of employees is essential since it promotes the growth of the company.
The following are the major conditions required to fulfill in order to claim maternity benefits −
• The employee (women) must have worked for the establishment for at least 80 odd days in the previous 12 months in order to be eligible to receive benefits under this Act. • The Act also protects women who miscarry, in addition to public hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and other businesses. • A woman is entitled to a maximum of six weeks of paid leave if her pregnancy ends in miscarriage or she has an abortion. If she delivers the baby earlier than expected, the earnings will be paid 48 hours after the birth certificate is shown. • Women were granted 12 weeks of maternity leave under the terms of the Maternity Benefit Act of 1961. The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act of 2017 has raised the leave term from 12 to 26 weeks, nevertheless. • The 26−week maternity leave period can be divided into up to 8 weeks of leave before the expected delivery date and the remaining leave following childbirth • Up to two children may be granted the 26−week maximum maternity leave duration. The 12−week leave period applies to mothers who have more than two children. According to the act, a woman is not obligated to work for six weeks after a miscarriage, unless the miscarriage was caused by a medical termination of the pregnancy. Surrogate moms and mothers who have adopted a child under three months old are also eligible for 12 weeks of leave.
Section 3 Definitions Section 4 Employment of, or work by, women is prohibited during certain periods. Section 5 Right to payment of maternity benefit. Section 7 Payment of maternity benefit in case of death of a woman. Section 8 Payment of medical bonus. Section 13 No deduction of wages in certain cases. Section 18 Forfeiture of maternity benefits. Section 21 Penalty for contravention of Act by the employer.
All about Overtime Payment Rules in India
Factory: Factories Act, 1948
• Weekly Limit - Maximum 48 hours a day. • Daily limit - Maximum 9 hours a day. • Interval - No work for more than 5 hours without an interval. • Spread over - Working hours including interval periods not more than 10.5 hours. • Overtime limit - Daily work time inclusive of overtime shall not exceed 10 hours which is 60 hours on a weekly basis. Overtime hours cannot exceed 50 hours in a quarter (3-month period).
As per Section 59 of the Factories Act, 1948, a person is entitled to be paid overtime wages twice his ordinary rate of wages in case he/ she is required to work for more than 9 hours a day or more than 48 hours in a week. The wages mentioned here are equivalent to the basic wages along with allowances but do not include any bonus or other overtime wages. In case a worker is paid on a ‘piece rate’ basis, the time rate will be calculated on the basis of the previous month and the amount of overtime wages will be calculated accordingly.
Shop/ Establishment: Shops and Establishments Act of States/ UTs
• Daily working hours may range from 8-10 hours • Weekly working hours cannot exceed 48 hours • Overtime may range from 10-11 hours on a daily basis (1 to 3 hours) • No continuous (break-free) work for more than 5 hours in one go • Weekly limit of 50-60 hours • Quarterly limit of 50-150 hours • Spread over a limit of 10-14 hours
Depending upon the rate fixed by states or union territories, employees are paid for overtime hours apart from fixed working hours in the shops or establishments. In some states, the overtime amount is twice the usual working hours. Here again, the employee overtime rate is calculated for basic + allowances (not including any bonus).
Mines Act, 1952
• Daily Working Hours - 9 hours a day above ground/ 8 hours a day under the ground • Weekly hours - Maximum 48 hours a week • Overtime - If a person works for more than a fixed time (above or below the ground), he/ she is entitled to overtime wages twice the ordinary rate • The payment will be equivalent in case of employee works on a piece rate • There is a work hour limit of a maximum of 10 hours a day inclusive of overtime
As per the overtime payment rules in India, it is calculated on basic salary. It may also include dearness or any other allowance. But it may be noted that labor law on overtime in India excludes any bonus or other such incentive while deciding or calculating overtime payment rules. In any case, the overtime payment rules do not regard the gross salary. But if there is no statutory obligation and the employer wishes to reward the hard-working employees voluntarily, overtime payment rules in India do not restrict the same. In such a case, whether overtime is paid on basic or gross in India is the employer’s choice.
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nancylarch6 · 2 years
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Apply For China Visa In A Third Nation, Hong Kong & Macau
TVP’s Concierge Service Fees are $99 per individual for the primary application and $79 for each extra destination or service. TVP’s Concierge Service does not embrace the prices of U.S. State Department Fees, Foreign Government Consular Fees, FedEx overnight delivery or TVP’s passport and/or visa processing services fees. All candidates also need to submit a signed health statement when submitting their visa applications, and complete a COVID-19 nucleic acid take a look at within 5 days prior to their flight to China. Due to the present pandemic crisis, China is currently requiring all foreigners to current their Electronic Health Declaration QR code and vaccination certificates upon arrival, as nicely as unfavorable PCR and antibody exams. They will then bear additional testing on the airport and, supplied all is nice to go, a 14-day quarantine. Some provinces require that quarantine to final 21 days or even more for essentially the most excessive circumstances. Should a visitor check optimistic at any level, they're escorted to a authorities facility for isolation. All of this, in fact, is offered you hold a sound entry visa. Many Chinese Embassies, Visa Processing Centres and Consulates briefly closed down but some have reopened in latest weeks. 台胞證申請 cover medical evacuation. Police, school administrators, transportation officials, and lodge employees might check your visa to be sure to haven't overstayed. If you overstay your visa’s duration of keep, you may be denied service by hotels, airports and practice stations, in addition to face fines and detention. 台胞證照片 and exit requirements are strictly enforced, as are restrictions on activities allowed by any particular visa class. As soon as you arrive in China, you should register along with your local police station,within 24 hours of your arrival. Once you get your passport again, research your new visa very carefully. It’s not all that rare to be granted a visa aside from the one for which you have applied. Somestuff-ups happen occasionallyso go over it with a fine toothcomb. Since you can solely apply for the PU letter and the Z Visa once you have a signed teaching contract in place, get your job sorted first and then come again to step 1. China Visa The consular officer will inform you in case your utility needs additional processing. For a direct member of the family making use of separate from the principal visa applicant- A copy of both the visa and the I-94 for the principal visa holder is required. Requesting to renew your visa or that of a direct family member,selectRenewing an A-1 or A-2 Visa in the United Statesto learn more. A-3 visa holders must reapply for his or her visas outside the United States. The stage of earnings of the daddy or sponsor should show to the official their capability to cope with your travel and stay costs overseas for the deliberate period of keep. Being assured when explaining the aim of your go to is essential. Give particulars to the officer why you wish to make the visit by offering additionally the supporting paperwork evidencing the aim of it (i.e. Sightseeing France’s vacationer areas, skilled coaching, remedy appointment, studies, or other). Rush and expedited services usually are not supplied by the Los Angeles consulate. The applicant must apply for a non-immigrant visa, sort “O” on the Embassy. The applicant is required to submit an official recommendation letter from the organisation in Thailand to the Embassy. Taiwan Work Visa And Permit If they suppose your utility requires further examination, they'll ahead it to the Bureau of Consular Affairs in Taiwan, who will notify them of what choice to make. You could apply at any mission, but you are advised to use in the one in your country. If there’s no Taiwanese diplomatic mission in your nation, apply to the nearest one. Two passport-size pictures, taken within the previous six months. Passengers are advised to arrive on the airport at least four hours earlier than the scheduled departure time. If you would possibly be traveling in the midst of your academic activities at BU, you might need to renew your visa to return to the US and resume research, research, instructing, and so forth. The visa software procedures are usually the identical however there are some limited exemptions to the visa interview requirement. Consular posts in plenty of nations have drop-off or mail-in visa software procedures for faculty kids and scholars renewing visas if they've already been fingerprinted during a previous visa application. See country-specific utility directions on the website of the consulate the place you'll be making use of for a visa. CIBTvisas offers passport services for US citizens by submitting proper documentation in your behalf to the United States Department of State. A $20 charge will be charged for any check returned by your bank. Because your friend referred you, your application with Boundless is discounted. Start https://www.chinavisa.com.tw/china-visa/%E9%AB%98%E9%9B%84%E5%B8%82/index.php applying with Boundless throughout the subsequent 14 days, and you may save $50. If nothing else, the journey ban episode should have taught Europe and the United States that it is simple to let crackdowns on worldwide travel linger, with out concern for human and financial prices. With this in thoughts, human mobility ought to be elevated to leaders’ degree and put on the agenda on the G-7 and G-20 conferences alongside trade and know-how points — if only as a end result of free movement is a trademark of democratic societies. Japan Visa For Chinese Language Residents Turkey boasts a rich and dynamic culture, has an intriguing historical past, and impressive architectural heritage. The Turkey e-Visa can be used to have interaction in business ventures, attend conferences or occasions. Foreign vacationers who wish to travel to Turkey must either apply for a visa or an electronic travel authorization. You are required to supply details of your accommodation in Turkey, such as hotel handle, contact details, metropolis, and district. While planning a visit won't be the identical because it as soon as was, as of August 2021, most countries have began to reopen and ease border restrictions for vacationers. Regular flights are additionally working to and from other nations, including the USA, Austria, Croatia, Greece, Germany, the Netherlands, and Singapore. A legitimate form of fee – You will need a debit card or credit card so as to pay in your Kenyan visa fee. Travel itinerary – You may be required to submit your journey plans in Kenya, which includes however is not limited to your resort or lodging bookings, activities, and airline ticket. Please note that momentary entry restrictions may apply in extraordinary circumstances, as was the case for the COVID-19 pandemic. The Exit and Entry Permit is valid for 3 months and only good for a single trip to Mainland China. Unlike ROC nationals, there is not any permit-on-arrival service at different ports of entry for SAR passport holders, and those looking for to enter Mainland China who arrived at a port of entry without acceptable documentations for entering might be denied entry and faraway from Mainland China. To get a visa to Turkey residents of many countries must go to an embassy or consulate. To apply for the Turkey e-Visa, nonetheless, the traveler can merely full the net kind which only takes a few minutes. Covid Vaccine And Test Necessities For U S Entry More than 200 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have already been offered to citizens in China and about 100 million Chinese individuals have already been vaccinated according to the the statistics from the China National Health Council on April 21, 2021. China plan to get about 560 million folks vaccinated to the end of June, 2021, attaining 40% immunization coverage nationwide. The facilitation preparations for those inoculated with Chinese vaccines are based on full consideration of the security and effectiveness of the vaccines, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian stated on Tuesday. Zhao known as it a meaningful attempt to facilitate cross-border journey. But Chinese embassies in several countries have issued notices saying the country will open visa functions to pick individuals who have taken a China-made jab. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many nations have closed off their borders and worldwide journey has turn out to be a tough if not nearly inconceivable task. While there have been talks about “travel bubbles”, corresponding to that proposed between Hong Kong and Singapore, concrete plans have but to come back to fruition. That is, till most recently, when the EU announced a version of its “vaccine passport”, underneath which those who can produce proof of vaccination with a quantity of recognised vaccine manufacturers could journey free from quarantine obligations into continental Europe. The US has already organized for all of the doses it needs from Pfizer/BioNtech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. They might want to submit the Letter of Commitment on COVID-19 vaccination, the vaccination certificates , and the check reports . Celebrate your colleagues and your self during this week honoring world payroll professionals. These college students would wish to go to a separate dorm for self-quarantine with a required Covid-19 take a look at. They might return to their own room if their physique temperature was again to normal and the Covid-19 take a look at came back unfavorable. Provides you with one-stop answer for the authetication of CanSino or Sinovac vaccinations on the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China for China Visa. We are certified official translators of the Judiciary Council of Ecuador with legal responsibility for the work produced. We’ll provide you with escorts, interpreters, attorneys and take you through the entire course of effectively and hassle free. Travel I was refused in Shule as a end result of the county doesn’t have the authority to issue marriage visas over 3 months. However, nowhere have I been capable of finding the entries/re-entry regulations for an X2 visa. On September third once I tried to get my physical done, as a end result of my size of study is lower than one hundred eighty days, I was unable to have the examination and was told that my X visa could be converted to an X2 visa at a later date . Until then, the PSB will only be willing to problem an exit and entry allow (出入境通行证) to your child. I had planned to reside briefly in China next year. But I’m not interested in working there – a minimal of not initially, till I’ve had time to discover choices and alternatives from the inside. (I have the means to help myself.) The F-visa would have been perfect, considering I don’t wish to work while I get the “lay of the land”. But the F-visa is apparently inconceivable to get these days. You’ll have to attend for publication of R visa rules to see if that visa may be an choice for you. Visit the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship for extra details. At the port of entry, a CBP official validates Form I-94, Record of Arrival-Departure, which notes the size of keep permitted. Customs and Border Protection upon your entry to the U.S. The US Visa system may be extremely troublesome and complex to navigate. Please make sure to visit our immigration middle which will provide you with extra detailed information about specific pupil visa's for the USA. Needless to say, it just isn't uncommon sense that one needs to abide by the beginning date in the I-20. Contact yourIES Abroad Advisorwith additional questions. Photocopy of Chinese ID of the inviting particular person or foreign passport and permanent residence allow. Issued to those who intend to go to relations who are Chinese citizens residing in China or foreigners with everlasting residence in China; the supposed period of keep is restricted to no extra than 180 days. If you do meet the factors to use for a Taiwan student visa at the BOCA, you have to accomplish that no much less than 8 workdays earlier than your current visa expires. Submit the application type and the paperwork at a Taiwanese diplomatic mission in particular person within 30 days.When you complete the appliance type, you will have to select which diplomatic mission you'll apply in from a dropdown menu. Itseasy Passport & Visa All first-time applicants must submit their purposes to the China Travel Service branch in Hong Kong or Macau while subsequent renewals of the permit can be accomplished in both Mainland China or the two SARs. It isn't attainable to use or renew the permit outdoors the PRC. Holders of the permit can enter Mainland China no matter function of entry and may remain in Mainland China indefinitely, although their social benefits are restricted not like Chinese nationals with residency in Mainland China. Home Return Permit holders additionally must get hold of an employment authorization from the municipal governments in order to work legally in Mainland China. BoliviaA comparable agreement, which have been signed and ratified by Chinese and Bolivian governments in March 2014, also solely facilitates the visa utility procedures for Chinese nationals. The validity, processing instances and required documentations for Bolivian nationals are unchanged. Starting from 2018, visa candidates from increasingly more nations (including the us, the UK, and Canada) have to make their visa utility in person and have their fingerprints collected. Issued to those that are family members of Chinese citizens or of foreigners with Chinese permanent residence and intend to go to China for household reunion, or to those who intend to go to China for the purpose of foster care. The meant length of stay in China exceeds a hundred and eighty days. Whether applicants come to the embassy in person or consign others for the visa application, the candidates ought to sign on the applying kind . Rarely do people making use of for a short lived residence permit undergo the method alone. Usually, the HR staff at your faculty or employer will assist you through every step. Most foreigners will solely have to register at the local police station, go for the well being check, and go for the interview at the PSB, and even then a local colleague will most likely accompany you. Your China work visa utility have to be handed in at your nearest – some embassies and consulates around the world are nonetheless accepting visas applications so finest to check in the nation you’re making use of from. Washington Express Visas is a personal firm that is not affiliated with any authorities company. Usa Nonimmigrant Visas If the official thinks you plan to stay in the us, he or she should refuse your visa. Remember, the F and J visas are for individuals who intend to return to their home country. The document to be submitted for non-immigrant visa software is contingent upon necessities and appropriateness of purposes acknowledged in the utility form. The next step for visa applicants is to schedule an interview at a U.S. consulate or embassy. Check that there aren't any current journey restrictions, corresponding to coronavirus pandemic-related ones. Your visa appointment wait time will depend upon the us In addition to student, journey, and short-term employee visas, there a number of other kinds of nonimmigrant visas. Learn about nonimmigrant visas available for professionals beneath NAFTA, treaty investors, non secular staff, and more. The B visa a nonimmigrant visa for individuals wanting to enter the United States quickly for enterprise (B-1) or for pleasure or medical therapy (B-2). People planning to travel to the us for a different purpose, such as to review, perform temporary work, act as journalists, and so forth, must apply for a special visa in the appropriate category. 89–236, §11, substituted a reference to choice, nonpreference, immediate relative, and particular immigration classification, for a reference to nonquota classes to which immigrants are classified. That they have a residence outdoors the us as well as other binding ties that may insure their return overseas at the finish of the visit. You can schedule a session with us on Skype, over the cellphone, or in particular person by using our “Online Consultation” kind.
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customersurveyinfo · 2 years
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Wal-Mart, Get Your Hands Off My Receipt! - Scholarly ...
Where do you think you should go to purchase an exercise bike? A razor? Or the latest booties that you would like to wear at rodeos in your area?
TO MORE POST CLICK HERE: Walmart Survey
For many the answer to all of these is Walmart. The retailer has dominated the market whether in-store, online and even international.
The earnings of Walmart are a reflection of its dominance in the market. Walmart achieves 500 billion dollars annually and has more than 140 million customers per each week--in the U.S. alone!
How does a business that has thousands of stores, millions of employees working in stores as well as hundreds of million of clients assess the level of satisfaction of customers?
By enticering its customers to fill out surveys following the purchase.
What is their incentive like? What could they do to increase it? Does it work for them? If these are questions that you're interested in knowing the answer to, you're at the right location!
FUTURE POST HERE: Walmart Survey Invitation code
Are you curious about the various survey incentives you can choose from and how to decide when to use one over the others? Find out what one survey methodsologists has to share. Take a look now
What's the Walmart Survey is really about
Have you got the most current Walmart receipt in your wallet?
Why? It's the location of the Walmart survey used by the company to measure the satisfaction of its customers.
On the front of the page there's a small font at the top of the page that describes the survey. When you go to the back of the page, where you'll find directions on how to complete the survey as well as what the terms mean in greater detail.
In the event that you do not have the receipt with you here's the way Walmart incentives customers to take the survey:
They give 755 customers an opportunity to be the winner of a gift card to their store. 755 of them receive $100, while 5 lucky winners will are awarded a gift card of $1000.
The winners are chosen according to a regular schedule and only adults aged 18 or over who are residents of one of the fifty U.S. states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia can take the survey.
It's important to mention that the estimated time to complete takes about 10 minutes. The customer is required to complete the survey within a week after the date of purchase to be eligible to win the prize.
There are some drawbacks to this model include the Walmart Survey incentive system
There are many ways to motivate your participants to fill out your survey. Walmart used a well-known method, referred to as the raffle incentive or sweepstakes.
Despite the potential benefits and efficacy of this kind of incentive, there are a few drawbacks to this type of incentive:
The cost of participating far outweigh the advantages. The benefit in this instance is getting a gift card, while the cost is the time of your respondent. Because gift cards are given to a tiny portion of respondents -- 755 out of hundreds of millions per quarter--the estimated value of the survey is considerably less than the value that they spend 10 minutes.
Giving a gift card is less important than cash. The gift card will force your recipient to purchase from your establishment, but they also prevent your respondent from using the card in more beneficial ways, such as placing it in their savings account, or buying at other retailers. Through research conducted within research in the web survey science The authors discovered that, all things being equally, people tend to answer your survey if the prize comes in the form cash, rather than other types of compensation.
The awards are presented frequently. People are generally anxious and prefer the present over the future, a term that was coined by academics as "Delayed Discounted." As as a result, granting an award that is further into the future -- in this case each 90-day period--discredits its significance and impact on people who are eligible.
The difficulty of understanding the survey. Because Walmart's sales are predominantly store-based, making surveys offline can be vital. The only way to learn regarding this Walmart survey is on receipts, which gives it a lack of exposure.
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clevercatchphrase · 3 years
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Happy 3rd birthday to @wandersong​! A super charming and colorful game, and one I’m very proud of owning on physical disc. If you’re curious about it, I highly suggest watching the Wanderbots Let’s Play (no relation to Wandersong despite the name) on youtube if you want a look at the game. Their voice for the bard is perfection imo. 
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May you give some tips on how to write about mid-nineteenth century and early twentieth century ?? Sorry for the inconvenience and thanks if there is an answer or not xd 😅 greetings and take good care :) :D
Okay, so I only really know about AMERICAN mid-nineteenth and early 20th century history, so I hope that’s what you mean!!
How to Write About The Mid-Nineteenth/ Early Twentieth Century America
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This post will encompass 1850-1920 in America only. A lot of things happened during this period, so I’m going to try to outline it as best I can! This post is gonna be a long one, so I put all of the specifics under the cut:
Overview:
The Industrial Revolution hits. We begin this era with horse-drawn carriages and end with planes, tanks, and cars.
Expansion west, “Manifest Destiny”
The Civil War ends slavery in the United States
The Gilded Age marks an era of unbridled capitalism and robber barons, while the Progressive Era following it marks an age of activism and human rights.
13th Amendment in 1865 abolishes slavery, 14th and 15th Amendments in 1868 and 1870 gives Black people the right to vote, 19th Amendment in 1920 gives women the right to vote.
World War I marks a major advancement in technology and global affairs, sets the stage for the second world war that will come later.
The Roaring 20s provides a façade of success to precede the gigantic stock market crash of 1929.
I’ve copied and pasted a lot of this information directly from America’s Best History and added tidbits of my own as well!
1. The 1850s
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Presidents:
Zachary Taylor (1849-1850)
Millard Fillmore (1850-1853)
Franklin Pierce (1853-1857)
James Buchanan (1857-1861)
Important Events:
- Peak point of tension between North and the South, primarily over which states will be admitted as free states or slave states.
- The Compromise of 1850 admits California as the 31st state, without slavery, and adds Utah and New Mexico as territories with no decision on the topic. The Fugitive Slave Law is strengthened under the Compromise, which also ended the slave trade in the District of Columbia.
-1854 - The Republican Party is founded, in opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska Act. (Note: This form of “Republican” is essentially modern-day Democrats. The parties switched platforms later.)
-The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 allows the issue of slavery to be decided by a vote of settlers. This established the territories of Kansas and Nebraska and would breed much of the rancor that culminated in the actions of the next years of "Bleeding Kansas."
2. The 1860s
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Presidents:
James Buchanan (1857-1861)
Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)
Andrew Johnson (1865-1869)
Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877)
Important Events:
-1860- The Pony Express begins. Overland mail between Sacramento, California and St. Joseph's, Missouri is carried over the Oregon Trail for eighteen months by this series of riders on horseback, then rendered obsolete when the transcontinental telegraph is completed.
- 1860 - South Carolina is the first southern state to secede from the Union in response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President.
-The Homestead Act of 1862 is approved, granting family farms of 160 acres to settlers, many of which were carved from Indian territories. This promotes expansion West, and eventually led to the establishment of the state university systems.
- The Civil War 1861 – 1865
Overview: Union won due to their advanced railroad system and industrialization that provided them with clothing and other supplies. South is ransacked by General Sherman, brings about era of Reconstruction. Slavery is abolished, but former slaves are not immediately emancipated.
People to know:
Abe Lincoln (President of the Union)
Ulysses S. Grant (Union General, future President)
William Sherman (Union General)
Jefferson Davis (President of the Confederacy)
Robert E. Lee (Confederate General)
Stonewall Jackson (Confederate General)
 Important Events/Battles:
Fort Sumter 1861- A fort in Charleston, South Carolina harbor is bombarded by Confederate forces after the U.S. Army commander failed to evacuate, thus triggering a declaration of war.
Battle of Bull Run 1861- First official battle in Manassas, Virginia. Confederates emerge victorious as picnicking (yes, you read that right. People were picnicking and using the battle as entertainment) onlookers watch on in horror; realization that this war won’t be resolved quickly or easily.
Emancipation Proclamation is issued by Abraham Lincoln on September 22, 1862 stated that all slaves in places of rebellion against the Federal Government would be free.
Battle of Shiloh 1862- Victory of Union over Confederacy. Led by Ulysses S. Grant.
Battle of Antietam 1862- Bloodiest day of the war in Sharpsburg, Maryland. 
Gettysburg 1863- Considered the turning point of the war. The furthest Southern incursion into the North, where the Union beats back the attacking Confederate troops. A few weeks after the war, Lincoln issues the Gettysburg Address (“Four score and seven years ago…”).
The South Surrenders on April 2nd, 1865
- April 9th, 1865 - Abe Lincoln is assassinated at Ford Theatre by John Wilkes Booth. Andrew Johnson takes his place, and he does not keep up Reconstruction and withdrew all troops from the South so they could be left to their own devices. This is said to be the reason for segregation.
- 1866 -The KKK is formed  to prevent Black people from voting. Things such as poll taxes, grandfather clauses, and literacy tests are implemented by states to also discourage Black people from voting as well.
-  1867 -Alaska is purchased from Russia for $7.2 million dollars, approximately two cents per acre, by signing the Treaty of Cession of Russian America to the United States.
- 1869- The final golden spike of the transcontinental railroad is driven into the ground, marking the junction of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads. This act, as much as any other, would signal the marked increase in the settlement of the west.
3. The 1870s
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Presidents:
Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877)
Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881)
Important Events:          
-The Gilded Age begins. Characterized by gross materialism and blatant political corruption that gave rise to important novels of social and political criticism.
-1870 - Standard Oil Company is incorporated by John D. Rockefeller.
-1870 - The first African-American to be sworn into office in the United States Congress, Hiram Rhodes Revels, a Republican from Mississippi takes his place in the United States Senate.
- 1870 - The 15th Amendment is ratified. It gave the right to vote to Black Americans. Race would officially no longer be a ban to voting rights, though it continues to be an issue in Southern states.
- 1871 - The great fire of Chicago starts. The fire burned 1.2 million acres of land, destroyed 17,450 buildings, killed 250 people, and left 90,000 homeless.
- 1876 - The Battle of Little Big Horn occurs when Lt. Colonel George Custer and his 7th U.S. Cavalry engage the Oceti Sakowin and Cheyenne Indians on the bluffs above the Little Big Horn River. All 264 members of the 7th Cavalry and Custer perish in the battle, the most complete rout in American military history.
- 1877 - Crazy Horse surrenders to the United States Army in Nebraska. His people had been weakened by cold and hunger.
- 1878 - The first commercial telephone exchange is opened.
- 1878 - Thomas Edison patents the cylinder phonograph and the Edison Electric Company begins operation
4. The 1880s
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Presidents:
James A. Garfield (1881-1881)
Chester A. Arthur (1881-1885)
Grover Cleveland (1885-1889)
Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893)
Important Events:
- 1881 - Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell form the Oriental Telephone Company.
-1882 - The Standard Oil Company trust of John D. Rockefeller is formed when Rockefeller places all of his oil holdings inside it.
- 1883 - The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act is passed by Congress, overhauling federal civil service and establishing the U.S. Civil Service agency.
- 1884 - The Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions in the U.S.A. call for an eight-hour workday.
- 1885 - The Statue of Liberty arrives for the first time in New York harbor.
- 1886 - The Haymarket riot and bombing occurs in Chicago three days after the start of a general strike in the United States that pushed for an eight-hour workday.
- 1887 - Congress passes the Interstate Commerce Act to regulate and control the monopolies of the railroad industry.
- 1888 - The prototype for the commercial phonograph is completed by Thomas A. Edison
- 1888 - The Washington Monument officially opens to the general public.
5. The 1890s
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Presidents:
Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893)
Grover Cleveland (1893-1897)
William McKinley (1897-1901)
Important Events:
- The rise of Imperialism.
- 1890 - The Battle of Wounded Knee, South Dakota, occurs in the last major battle between United States troops and Native Americans. Hundreds of native men, women, and children are slain.
- 1892 - Ellis Island, in New York Harbor, opens as the main east coast immigration center, and would remain the initial debarkation point for European immigrants into the United States until its closure in 1954. More than 12 million immigrants would be processed on the island during those years.
- 1892- Nativist sentiments rise with the immigration of Southern and Eastern Europeans flooding into the country. Italian, Polish, Russian, and other immigrants face significant discrimination.
- 1895 - The first professional football game is played in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
- 1896 - Plessy vs Ferguson decision by the Supreme Court states that racial segregation is approved under the "separate but equal" doctrine. This paves the way for Jim Crow laws in the South.
- 1896 - The first modern Olympic Games is held in Athens, Greece.
- 1896 - Gold is discovered near Dawson, Canada, setting up the Klondike Gold Rush
- 1897 - The era of the subway begins when the first underground public transportation in North America opens in Boston, Massachusetts. 
-1897- The Progressive Era begins
- 1898 – The Spanish- American War begins. It lasts one year and ends in U.S. victory. It was triggered by United States battleship Maine exploding and sinking under unknown causes in Havana Harbor, Cuba, killing two hundred and sixteen seamen. 
- 1898 - The United States annexes the independent republic of Hawaii.
- 1899 - The Open Door Policy with China is declared by Secretary of State John Hay
9. The 1900s
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Presidents:
William McKinley (1897-1901)
Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909)
William Howard Taft (1909-1913)
Important Events:
- 1901 - The American League of Major League Baseball is formed.
- 1902 - The first movie theatre in the United States opens in Los Angeles, California.
- 1902 - Cuba gains independence from the United States.
- 1903 - Inventors Wilbur and Orville Wright succeed in the first sustained and manned plane flight.
- 1906 - The Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act is passed due to the efforts of “muckrakers” that worked to expose corruption. “The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair, which described the horrible conditions in the meatpacking industry, helped sponsor outrage that would get these laws passed.
- 1908 - The first passenger flight on a plane occurs when Wilbur Wright escorts Charles W. Furnas in the Wright Flyer III at Huffman Prairie Flying Field in Dayton, Ohio.
- 1908- The first production Model T is built at the Ford plant in Detroit, Michigan.
10. The 1910s
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Presidents:
William Howard Taft (1909-1913)
Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)
Important Events:
- 1911 - Standard Oil is declared a monopoly by the United States Supreme Court and ordered dissolved under the powers of the Sherman Antitrust Act.
- 1913 - The first moving assembly line is introduced and adopted for mass production by the Ford Motor Company, allowing automobile construction time to decrease by almost 10 hours per vehicle.
- 1915 – The first telephone conversation is conducted by Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas A. Watson between New York and San Francisco.
- 1915 - The British ship Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat submarine, causing 128 American passengers to be lost. Germany, although it warned of the pending crises to passengers, issued an apology to the United States and promised payments.
- 1918 - The influenza epidemic Spanish flu spans the globe, killing over twenty million worldwide and five hundred and forty-eight thousand people in the United States.
- World War I 1917-1918
Overview: After three years spent remaining neutral, the United States joins World War I. The U.S. made its major contributions in terms of supplies, raw material, and money, and its joining into the war helped to turn the tides against the Germans and Ottomans.
People to know:
Woodrow Wilson (President)
John J. Pershing (General)
Important Events/Battles
The United States declares war on Germany in 1917 after the Zimmermann Telegram is given to the United States by Britain on February 24, showing the offer by Germany to give Mexico back the southwest United States if they would declare war on the United States.
June 26th, 1917 - The first troops from the United States arrive in Europe to assist European allies in World War I. Troops engaged in World War I would include conscript soldiers authorized by the passage of the Conscription Act, the Selective Services Act, on May 18, 1917. General John Pershing would be placed in command of the American Expeditionary Forces during the campaign.
1918 - The United States military forces has over one million troops in Europe fighting in World War I.
May 28, 1918- United States forces are victorious in the Battle of Cantigny, the first independent American operation.
September 26, 1918- Allied forces begin the attack at Meusse-Argonne, the final offensive of the war.
November 11, 1918 - Hostilities in World War I begin to end with the Austria-Hungary alliance for armistice with the allies on November 3. Armistice Day with Germany occurs when the Allies and the German nation sign an agreement in Compiegne, France. Woodrow Wilson would become the first U.S. President to travel to Europe while in office when he sails to attend the Paris Peace Conference on December 4.
1919 - The Treaty of Versailles is signed, ending World War I.
- 1919- The 18th Amendment is passed, bringing about the era of Prohibition
11. The 1920s
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Presidents:
Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)
Warren G. Harding (1921-1923)
Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929)
Herbert Hoover (1929-1933)
Important events:
-1920 - The League of Nations is established with the ratification of the Treaty of Versailles, ending the hostilities of the first World War. In a final vote, the United States Senate again votes against joining the League.
- 1920 - Women are given the right to vote when the 19th Amendment to the United States constitution grants universal women's suffrage.
- 1920 - The National Football League is formed
- 1921 - A national quota system on the number of incoming immigrants is established by the United States Congress in the Emergency Quota Act, curbing legal immigration.
- 1923 - The first sound on film motion picture Phonofilm is shown in the Rivoli Theatre in New York City by Lee de Forest.
- 1924 - The Indian Citizenship Act granted all Native Americans citizenship that had been born within the territory of the United States.
- 1925 - Nellie Tayloe Ross is inaugurated as the first woman governor of the United States in Wyoming.
- 1925 - Radiovision is born. The precursor to television is demonstrated by Charles Francis Jenkins when he transmits a 10 minute film of synchronized pictures and sound for five miles from Anacostia to Washington, D.C. to representatives of the United States government.
- 1928 - The first appearance of Mickey and Minnie Mouse on film occurs with the release of the animated short film, Plane Crazy.
- 1928 - Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman to fly over the Atlantic Ocean.
- 1929 - Postwar prosperity ends in the 1929 Stock Market crash. The plummeting stock prices led to losses between 1929 and 1931 of an estimated $50 billion and started the worst American depression in the nation's history.
Hope this helped, and happy writing!!!!!
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elianthvia · 3 years
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7 Reasons Why I Quit
(only for a little bit)
It has, alas, been another few weeks since I posted. I have an excuse for my unpunctuality: I've been spinning non-stop like a top. The conclusion of the last Zoomester and the start of summer are to blame. I have seven partners in crime.
Culprit 1: Puppetry Workshop
Towards the end of the year, DTI (Design Thinking Initiative), in collaboration with the Theatre Shop, hosted an in-person puppetry workshop where a small number of people could participate per covid protocols. In-person events were few and far between this semester, so of course I rushed to sign up. The workshop ran for about 2 hours on three consecutive Mondays. We met in the theatre shop inside Mendenhall Center for Performing Arts.  
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The first day we made shadow puppets (and mine was a bee); the second day we made hand puppets (mine was a ... cyclop ghost king?); the third day we made marionette or string puppets (I attempted to make a teru teru bōzu, but everyone thought it a ghost). I had a lot of fun trying different fabrics, re-learning how to use a bandsaw, and magically joining things together with the help of a hot glue gun. (Side note: Polymer chemistry is the magician behind the scene, and I will be learning more about the science of hot glue guns in the polymer class I am taking next semester!) The workshop was surprisingly not as popular as I anticipated, maybe because people were busy as the semester came to a close. The good news is that DTI will be running the workshop again in the fall so more people will get to participate.
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(Is she a ghost or teru teru bōzu?)
Culprit 2: Spring Piano Recital
I did not expect to attend a live concert this semester, but I was invited to the spring piano recital as a "special guest." It is a habit I developed while working as a concert crew at Sage, to sit outside the Sweeney Concert Hall and listen to the rehearsals after I finished setting up the stage. That day I was going to do homework outside the concert hall while waiting for my performing friend to finish. The piano instructor spotted me and asked me if I wanted to join. Disbelieving in my good luck, I accepted the invite. About ten students were scattered in the almost empty concert that felt sad and lonesome, but soon music filled the air. I thoroughly enjoyed every performance. Lots of Chopin were played, but my favorite one is Rhapsody in Blue which just entered the public domain this year. All pieces are about or more than a century old, which is not a surprise, but refreshingly, there is a piece by a female composer, Amy Beach, whose granduncle co-founded Bates College. You can find the full program here.
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Culprit 3: End of Classes
The end of classes was epitomized by professor-resembling pixels on our computer screens bidding us goodbye. Usually professors would plan something fun for the last day of classes, virtually as well. 
I remember last semester my Multivariable Calculus professor changed his virtual background to a wall of donuts, explaining that during the pre-pandemic times he used to bring a box of donuts for students on the last day. This semester in Mathematical Methods for Physicists and Engineers, we explored the applications of Fourier Transform by looking at the velocity of a star and detecting the number of planets around it. Our last Circuit Theory lab was in person, where we got to listen to a song/piece of our own choice through the low pass filter and the high pass filter pictured below. The professor handed out prizes (cool items she accumulated in conferences) to students to reward them for their participation in the pre-class trivia games. I received a mini glow moon. In addition, our circuits professor left out end-of-class fun packs with origami papers and stickers outside her office. Our last Organic Chemistry lab was also in-person, where each lab group presented their experiments and findings (through a projector rather than Zoom screen share!) My presentation group decided to dress up for this special occasion after a long year of virtual school. Lastly, for Organic Chemistry, we played organic chemistry jeopardy in our last lecture.
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With all the professors wishing you a happy summer, you start daydreaming about the sunny beach and breezy wind. Oh wait, you still have final exams to take. All in three days!
Culprit 4: Final Examinations
This semester we had a three-day final exam study period (or reading period) when professors are not allowed to assign any homework or set deadlines. Right after the reading period is our final exams. Smith is known for its flexibility when it comes to exams thanks to its Honor Code system. Many exams are self-scheduled. Some are open-notes, and some are untimed. In a normal year, students go to Seelye Hall to print out and take the exams when they feel prepared. 
For the classes I am taking this semester, I had three hours to take my Math Methods final, a whole day to take the Circuits Theory final, and the entire finals period to take my Organic Chemistry I final. Besides the exams, I had several other writing assignments to turn in. I was very fatigued at the end of the semester, so even though I only had three exams, I struggled to muster up mental energy to study. To make things worse, I got my second Pfizer shot during the reading period and had a pretty bad reaction. As a result, I asked the class dean to give me an extension on an exam, which was generously granted, and I was gratefully less overwhelmed.
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Culprit 5: SmithCycle
The finals are now over, but my vacation didn't start yet. I am staying on campus for a few extra weeks to work for SmithCycle. SmithCycle is a program that collects, sorts and redistributes gently used dorm items students donate in the move-out process at the end of each school year. It gives purpose to items of reusable value and creates a more sustainable campus. In the past week, we have collected hundreds of bags (no exaggerations!) of items. Besides clothes, books, school and dorm supplies, some of the unexpected items include coffee makers, brand new water filters, and a monitor. One of my coworkers commented that first-years shouldn't have to shop clothes hangers again while they were going through three boxes of donated hangers.
The winter clothes we collected are going to the International Students and Scholars Office. They have an event called Winter Clothes Closet every fall where international students "shop" for free to help them get accustomed to the New England weather. School supplies will be moved into the Common Goods Resources Center which CEEDS hopes to launch in Fall 2021 (very exciting!). I cannot plug SmithCycle enough. If you are an incoming first-year, visit the Common Goods Resources center before you head to Target! 
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I have always been interested in sustainability and renewable energy and want to get more involved. When I saw the SmithCycle worker position posted on Workday, I immediately applied. Every SmithCycle worker's job varies. I am mainly responsible for washing and drying the linens and blankets. When waiting for the washer and dryer, I help with unloading the van that circulates between houses to pick up bags of donations. I also help with sorting. Pictured below is the inside of Scott Gym where all the items are currently stored.
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Culprit 7: Summer Housing
As college transitions into summer, students who are staying on campus for some part of the summer had to move out of their spring housing assignment into their summer housing. I moved from Chapin, the house in central campus, to Capen, which is on the periphery of Smith. I know Chapin and Capen sound alike, but they are very different houses location-wise and personality-wise! To make up for its distance to the academic buildings, Capen House has its own garden, Capen Garden. The garden a gorgeous place many current Smithies are missing out on. There is a mini fountain, hedges, a garden temple, a plant arch, and a bizarre owl statue. Look at the last picture of the garden in this blog, and you will agree with me that the Paradise Pond is overrated.  
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Built in 1825 and acquired by Smith in 1921, Capen House is named after Bessie Capen, the second woman to be admitted to MIT. She taught chemistry at Smith College. Fun fact: Bessie Capen was once the associate principal of the Mary A. Burnham School for Girls, now Stoneleigh-Burham School; I went there for horseback riding lessons during my first year at Smith. Small world, right?
Case Closed
Thanks for reading this long-ish explanation. I hope my tardiness in delivering this post may be justified by the causes above. To compensate, I will write about my other summer plans and updates in the next few weeks. Stay tuned! Meanwhile, enjoy your summer!
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newstfionline · 3 years
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Tuesday, May 4, 2021
Employers, insurers push to make virtual visits regular care (AP) Make telemedicine your first choice for most doctor visits. That’s the message some U.S. employers and insurers are sending with a new wave of care options. Amazon and several insurers have started or expanded virtual-first care plans to get people to use telemedicine routinely, even for planned visits like annual checkups. They’re trying to make it easier for patients to connect with regular help by using remote care that grew explosively during the COVID-19 pandemic. Advocates say this can keep patients healthy and out of expensive hospitals, which makes insurers and employers that pay most of the bill happy. But some doctors worry that it might create an over-reliance on virtual visits. “There is a lot lost when there is no personal touch, at least once in a while,” said Dr. Andrew Carroll, an Arizona-based family doctor and board member of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Landlords and renters both struggling (Washington Post) In the covid economy of 2021, the federal government has created an ongoing grace period for renters until at least July, banning all evictions in an effort to hold back a historic housing crisis that is already underway. More than 8 million rental properties across the country are behind on payments by an average of $5,600, according to census data. Nearly half of those rental properties are owned not by banks or big corporations but instead by what the government classifies as “small landlords”—people who manage their own rentals and depend on them for basic income, and who are now trapped between tenants who can’t pay and their own mounting bills for insurance, mortgages and property tax. According to government estimates, a third of small landlords are at risk of bankruptcy or foreclosure as the pandemic continues into its second year.
Pandemic baby bust unprecedented in Bay Area, California history (San Francisco Chronicle) U.S. residents are having fewer babies this year. And California’s birth rates in January and February—around the time when early pandemic babies would be due—declined by 15% compared to the same period last year, the steepest year-over-year decline for those months since at least 1960, according to a Chronicle analysis. We used data from California’s Health and Human Services department, which collects monthly birth totals per county. We found that the state’s births declined from nearly 70,000 in the first two months of 2020 to fewer than 59,000 in the same period in 2021.
Zoom Court Is Changing How Justice Is Served (The Atlantic) Last spring, as COVID‑19 infections surged for the first time, many American courts curtailed their operations. As case backlogs swelled, courts moved online, at a speed that has amazed—and sometimes alarmed—judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys. In the past year, U.S. courts have conducted millions of hearings, depositions, arraignments, settlement conferences, and even trials—nearly entirely in civil cases or for minor criminal offenses—over Zoom and other meeting platforms. As of late February, Texas, the state that’s moved online most aggressively, had held 1.1 million remote proceedings.
Mexico City metro overpass collapses onto road; 20 dead (AP) An elevated section of the Mexico City metro collapsed and sent a subway car plunging toward a busy boulevard late Monday, killing at least 20 people and injuring about 70, city officials said. Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said 49 of the injured were hospitalized, and that seven were in serious condition and undergoing surgery. The overpass was about 5 meters (16 feet) above the road in the southside borough of Tlahuac, but the train ran above a concrete median strip, which apparently lessened the casualties among motorists on the roadway below. “A support beam gave way,” Sheinbaum said, adding that the beam collapsed just as the train passed over it.
El Salvador’s judiciary (Foreign Policy) Lawmakers in El Salvador voted to remove five influential Supreme Court judges and the attorney general over the weekend in a move U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has noted with “grave concern.” The motions to remove the officials passed with a supermajority in El Salvador’s legislature, now ruled by President Nayib Bukele’s New Ideas party following a sweeping victory in February’s elections. Addressing the international community on Twitter Bukele dismissed rebukes over the move. “With all due respect: We are cleaning house … and this doesn’t concern you,” Bukele said.
‘Hospitals are full’ as Argentina COVID-19 cases hit 3 million (Reuters) Argentina coronavirus cases hit 3 million on Sunday since the pandemic began, as medical workers said hospitals were full to capacity despite toughened government measures to bring down the spread of infections. The government of President Alberto Fernandez this week unveiled a new round of tougher restrictions as a second wave of infections has battered the country, filling up intensive care units and setting new daily records for cases and deaths. Marcela Cid, owner of a business on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, said that Argentines were increasingly “locked into a situation” that while necessary, was of little help to anyone trying to move beyond the pandemic.
EU proposes reopening external borders (AP) In an announcement sure to be welcomed by travelers worldwide, EU officials on Monday proposed easing restrictions on visiting the 27-nation bloc as vaccination campaigns across the continent gather speed. Travel to the European Union is currently extremely limited except for a handful of countries with low infection rates. But with the summer tourist season looming, the bloc’s European Commission hopes the new recommendations will dramatically expand that list. The Commission hopes the move will soon allow travelers reunite with their friends and relatives living in Europe and support the bloc’s economy this summer. Under the Commission’s proposal, entry would be granted to all those fully vaccinated with EU-authorized shots. Coronavirus vaccines authorized by the European Medicines Agency, the bloc’s drug regulator, include Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.
Indian leader’s party takes electoral hit amid virus surge (AP) India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi suffered a resounding defeat in a key state election on Sunday, indicating his Hindu nationalist party’s political strength may be slipping as the country struggles to contain an unprecedented surge in coronavirus cases. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was unable to dislodge West Bengal state’s firebrand chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, after a hard-fought campaign. His party also failed to win in two southern states, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. But the BJP secured a second term in the northeastern state of Assam and an alliance with regional parties led it to victory in the union territory of Puducherry. Even before the current virus surge, Modi’s party faced stiff challenges in these local legislative elections. Following the disappointing results, Modi stands weakened but faces no threats to staying on as prime minister until his term ends in 2024.
Formal Withdrawal from Afghanistan Begins (AP) US and NATO troops stationed in Afghanistan formally began the withdrawal phase over the weekend, a process that is expected to last through the summer and officially end Sept. 11. Roughly 3,000 US troops and 7,000 coalition troops remain in the country, along with a reported 18,000 Pentagon-employed contractors. The exit has been framed as nonconditional—meaning ongoing attacks by the Taliban against the Afghan government won’t delay the withdrawal. Many have questioned the ability of the Afghan National Army to provide security against the Taliban absent international forces. Despite assurances by Afghan officials, Taliban forces have established themselves across most of the country. Afghan forces control an estimated one-third of the country’s districts, with the Taliban controlling about 10%, and nearly half—areas that include a total of roughly 14 million people—currently contested.
Chinese man crosses Taiwan Strait by rubber dinghy, seeking ‘freedom and equality’ (Washington Post) A Chinese man appeared to sail undetected through the highly militarized Taiwan Strait in a rubber dinghy, fleeing his native China for Taiwan in search of “freedom,” according to Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration. The man, identified only by his surname, Zhou, left Shishi county in Quanzhou, a port city in Fujian province, at 10 a.m. on Friday, arriving more than 10 hours later at Taichung port on Taiwan’s western coast, Taiwan’s Coast Guard said on Monday. Officials said they were still investigating Zhou’s journey over the 100-mile stretch of sea between China and Taiwan, which is patrolled by hundreds of Chinese and Taiwanese coast guard ships and naval vessels. Coast Guard officials, relaying Zhou’s account of his journey, told reporters he had traveled in a rubber raft measuring 8.8 feet by 5 feet that he bought on the Chinese e-commerce site Taobao and fitted with an outboard motor. The incident has prompted concerns about the security of the contentious waterway at a time when military observers worry that long-standing tensions between the governments of China, Taiwan and the United States, which is committed to defending Taiwan, could boil over into military conflict.
Australia warns its citizens of jail and $50,000 fine if they return from India (Washington Post) Even in the pandemic era of closed borders, Australia’s latest travel restriction stands out: Anyone, including Australian citizens, who arrives in the country after visiting India in the previous 14 days can face up to five years in jail, a $50,000 fine or both. On Monday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison defended the move. Australia had seen a sevenfold increase in the percentage of people traveling from India who tested positive for the coronavirus, the prime minister told Sydney’s 2GB radio station. The decision to threaten even Australian citizens with jail time if they return home from India during its record-breaking coronavirus surge is a significant escalation of border restrictions for Australia, an island nation that had already mandated strict controls at its borders throughout the pandemic.
DR Congo declares state of siege over eastern bloodshed (Reuters) Militants killed at least 19 people, including 10 soldiers, in raids on two villages in the east of Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday, hours after President Felix Tshisekedi declared a state of siege in two provinces. A surge in attacks by armed militias and inter-communal violence in the east have killed more than 300 people since the start of the year as government troops and U.N. peacekeepers struggle to stabilize the situation. The most recent attacks took place early on Saturday when militants raided two villages in North Kivu’s regional hub of Beni, local authorities said. Tshisekedi had declared a state of siege in North Kivu and Ituri provinces on Friday.
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emmagrant01 · 5 years
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Fic!
Title: The road to rapture has a lot of pit stops Author: Emma Grant (emmagrant01) Fandom/Pairing: Good Omens, Aziraphale/Crowley Summary: Five times they kissed over four thousand years, and one time they actually meant it. Rating: T (for now, may change) Tags: 5+1, kissing, idiots in love, slow burn (will be updated as I go)
Notes: I did a truly ridiculous amount of research for a fic of this length, meaning it’s historically accurate when it was convenient for the plot, and otherwise not. If you know enough about these time periods to pick out my inventions, I hope you’ll just let it go and enjoy this for what it is!
This is all drafted, and I’m posting chapters as I get them edited into a shape I like. My plan is to post one per day. If you don’t like reading WIPs, no worries! You’ll only have to wait a week.
Huge thanks to @esterbrook for her helpful comments.
Read on AO3
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