#instead of trying to place it within a consumer economy

[rollercoasterwords]

the tiktokification of ao3

or: some of you fundamentally misunderstand ao3 and it really, really shows

i was talking about this with a friend a few days ago and since then i've seen multiple posts of various sorts that have just made me think about it more, so. here is me breaking down a disconnect i see particularly with younger members of the marauders fandom (i say marauders specifically just bc that's the only one i'm plugged into):

okay, so i've seen many (usually younger) marauders fans either talking online about how they wish ao3 was more like social media (specifically regarding algorithms) OR talking about ao3/fanfiction/fanfic writers as if they are operating under the same etiquette/guidelines/assumptions they would bring into social media platforms. this ranges from being mildly irritating to genuinely harmful, and i want to talk abt why.

first - you have to understand that social media, in this day and age, exists in a profit economy. and when i say social media here, i'm referring to platforms like tiktok, twitter, instagram, etc. all of these platforms exist in a profit economy where content is a product that can be monetized. this leads to a few important distinctions:

people posting on these social media platforms are generally posting with the intent to get their content seen by as many people as possible, as quickly as possible

they post with this intent because once their content is consumed by enough people, it becomes a product that they can monetize

therefore, if that content gets popular enough, these people can become influencers, where content creation is an actual job and their audience are, in a sort of vague and obscured way, similar to consumers purchasing a product

because of the profit economy surrounding social media, there are certain assumptions + forms of interaction that bleed across almost all social media platforms. the ones relevant to this little essay include:

operating under the assumption that anyone posting anything on the internet wants to go viral, ie. be seen by as many people as possible as quickly as possible in order to grow an "audience"

these influencers are creating content for us, their audience, so they should want to please us. they should also be trying to appeal to the broadest possible audience. therefore, if we dislike their content, we have a right to make that very, very clear.

in that same vein, we have a general right to critique content creators, as they are making a profit and we are the consumers purchasing their product--much like you might feel entitled to a certain standard of service in a restaurant where you are paying for the food.

when you carry these assumptions over to a platform like ao3, it creates problems. why? in a nutshell: because ao3 exists outside the profit economy

ao3 is a non-profit. it does not have an algorithm because it is not trying to sell you anything. this means that the writers posting their work on ao3 are not making a profit. we are not influencers. we are not creating monetized content to sell to a consumer-audience. where consuming content on other social media platforms might be comparable to eating at a restaurant, reading fanfiction on ao3 is more like coming over to someone's house and eating cookies that they made for free. you are in their house. the cookies are free, given as a gift. so what happens when those assumptions outlined above start to bleed over from other social media?

assuming that anyone posting fanfiction online wants their work to go viral -- i've seen this with popular fic writers getting questions like, "are you worried x isn't going to be as popular as y?" those questions are usually not ill-intended, but they demonstrate a fundamental lack of understanding about why writers post work on ao3. it's not to go viral. it's not to build any sort of online following. most of us who post on ao3 have jobs or schoolwork or other commitments, and writing fanfiction is something done for fun, out of a love for writing. those sharing their work online might be seeking community, but that is fundamentally different from seeking an audience, and in no way involves internet virality. if someone is posting fanfic on ao3 with the hope that it'll "go viral," then they likely either won't continue writing fanfic for long or will reach a point where they have to re-evalute their motivations, because seeking joy and validation by turning your art into a product for consumption just isn't very sustainable.

influencers are creating content for us, so we have a right to let them know if we don't like it -- nope!! fic writers are not influencers. yes, even the popular ones. no matter how much other people might blow their work up on social media, fic writers are still outside the profit economy. they are not creating content for an audience. they are not creating content for you. they are writing because they love it, and they are generously sharing it. if you don't like it, don't interact with it. you are never entitled to loudly and publicly proclaim how much you dislike a fic. i talk about this more here

we have a general right to critique fic writers, the same way we do with content creators/influencers -- again, no. you should not be treating fic writers the way you would treat an influencer on another social media platform, no matter how popular they may be. this is not to say fic writers are beyond all reproach; rather, it is a call-in to check your entitlement. fic writers are not little jesters entertaining in your court. they are not subject to your whims. they do not have to do things for you. they do not have to write things you like. in that post i linked on point 2, i talk about what etiquette might look like if you're really concerned that a fic writer is doing something harmful, but that is not what i'm talking about here. i am talking about the proliferation of negativity i have seen, especially on twitter and tiktok, where people essentially just talk shit about fics or fic writers as though they are entitled to have those fic writers working to please them. this is gross, and it needs to stop. you wouldn't go over to someone's house, eat the cookies they baked to share, and then spit those cookies back in their face and start shouting about what a shitty baker they are. or maybe you would--in which case, congratulations! you are Not A Good Person.

anyway, at the end of the day, a lot of this can be boiled down to: Because ao3 exists outside the profit economy, fic writers are not influencers, and you should never be treating them as though they are. i think i see this disconnect largely with younger people just because they've maybe only ever really understood social media within this sort of influencer-consumer-culture economy, and genuinely don't understand how to interact differently with the internet. so, consider this post a call-in to reevaluate the way you interact with fic writers and the etiquette you use when it comes to engaging with fanfic on ao3! i promise that ao3 being different from social media is a very, very good thing, and also a very, very rare thing, so let's treasure it and focus on fostering community rather than trying to morph it to fit the mould of influencer-audience dynamics that we see almost everywhere else <3

#tldr: fic writers aren't influencers #stop acting like they are #it only creates problems!!!! #anyway if you have engaged in some of these behaviors that doesn't make u a bad person #it just means u should maybe shift ur perspective moving forward #capitalism is a lifeless desert that grows every day and ao3 is a little oasis #let's all enjoy it while we can #instead of trying to place it within a consumer economy #ranting and raving #txt

[eretzyisrael]

It’s summer, and the ritual of buying a new pair of flimsy plastic flip-flops for the beach begins again. They wear out, so you trash them, and the cycle repeats year after year.

This ‘wear them and trash them’ cycle is one of the biggest contributors to plastic waste contamination in the world.

But there’s now a fashionable ‘slide’ that breaks that cycle. You wear it and plant it. Israeli startup Balena has developed what it describes as the world’s first fully compostable plastic fashion product.

Balena slides are billed as the first fully compostable plastic fashion item. Courtesy

When the slides reach the end of their life, they’re planted in a composter, and within six months, they decompose completely, leaving only a green legacy behind.

Conventional plastics can take hundreds of years to break down, and even then, their chemical makeup is toxic to the earth.

But Balena has developed BioCir, a pioneering plastic that maintains its shape and use like conventional plastic. 

It’s only when it’s exposed to the specific bacteria and conditions of a compost facility, that the breakdown is triggered – so ethical consumers don’t need to worry about the slides disappearing on their feet.

Balena released their first 1,000 pairs of men’s and women’s BioCir slides – with a cinnamon scent – in Tel Aviv, its hometown, together with designated take-back spots for when they wear out.

Owners return the slides to be shredded, then planted back into the ground for full biodegradation at a local industrial compost facility, instead of tossing them into the garbage to be landfilled.

Balena, a materials science company, has developed a plastic that biodegrades. Courtesy

“When we look at the future of sustainability, it is clear that recycling alone is not solving the problem, the direction needs to turn towards a circular economy model,” David Roubach, CEO of Balena tells NoCamels.

“The world’s addiction to fast fashion has generated an estimate of 92 million tons of textile waste each year and just 12 per cent of the material used for clothing is recycled.”

When the slides wear out, drop them off to be shredded and planted. Courtesy

So Balena started in reverse, aiming to solve the problem of a product’s end of life, and working back from there.

“We’ve turned to the Earth’s natural cycles for answers,” says Roubach. “We need to transition from traditional mechanical recycling, where we melt the product and try to make another product, to a method called biological recycling. 

“This renewable concept draws on the example of plants and trees. Nature eventually decomposes and returns to its starting state to begin the cycle again. This phenomenon is the vision for Balena.”

Worn out slides are taken to their final resting place. Courtesy

They’ve achieved this ‘Benjamin Button’ effect by using a combination of naturally occurring ingredients bonded by a plastic that they say is fully compostable.

Companies that claim to be sustainably-focused tend to be small-scale boutiques. But Balena has bigger ambitions and sees the slides as a proof of concept. From there it can expand to other products.

The fully bio-circular plastic can be made conventionally (a process known as injection molding) or by using 3-D printing. The non-toxic material can also be copied and pasted on a global scale, for other companies looking to reduce their ecological footprint.

Slides are shredded and allowed to biodegrade. Courtesy

Society is shifting from an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ mentality, and opening its eyes to the effects of fast fashion. Consumers now want to know where their products come from – and where they’ll end up.

Companies that claim to be sustainably-focused tend to be small-scale boutiques. But Balena has bigger ambitions and sees the slides as a proof of concept. From there it can expand to other products.

“Our aim goes beyond being just another niche or one-time project,” says Roubach, who majored in fashion and sustainability in Milan, Italy.

Balena’s BioCir is a a circular alternative to landfill. Deposit Photos

“With an affordable and scalable proof of concept, we are hoping the compostable materials that enabled the BioCir slide will eventually replace the polluting plastic in the fashion industry.

“In the beginning it was a challenge figuring out our idea, being a minority player in the high-tech world of Israeli startups,” says Roubach.

The breakdown process only begins when the plastic is exposed to specific bacteria so don’t worry, they won’t biodegrade while you wear them. Courtesy

Despite the challenges, Balena was able to tap into the ‘green’ potential of the Startup Nation and develop sustainable solutions, leaving a lasting impact on the fashion industry and helping pave the way for a greener future.

“Now, climate tech and sustainable startups are gaining momentum, which means something is changing. Israel is aligning its focus in the right direction, and I am proud to be a part of that.”

#Israel #Environment #Balena #BioCir #biodegradable #Youtube

[miac-s]

"In Defense of the Poor Image" Response:

This reading takes a deep dive into what a “poor image” really means in not only the visual context, but the metaphorical one as well, for consumers of media will always want to turn to something more visually pleasing and polished, whereas, having a bootleg DVD (for example) would be considered as a downgrade or a perversion of the original movie because of its low quality.  However, pirating, illegal distribution, disturbing or pornographic bastardization are all issues that have latched onto one’s concept of the “poor image”, and this has only been made stronger due to the internet and its vast possibilities. Yet, it is also thanks to the internet that many people, whether regular ones or film makers themselves, are able to see the imperfect media that, otherwise, would stay as lost or even unheard of, and even allows regular people the chance to be “producers” or “editors”, sparking passionate individuals to try to preserve the media as is, or to be even further warped as well. 

I believe that the main point of this particular reading is that “poor images” have actually been proven to have saved media that would have otherwise been lost to the voids of this world, such as first film screenings of particular movies and so much more due to the fast advancements of technology itself. Some are even intentionally “poor” because of the individual with control over them, such as Juan Garcia Espinosa with his Third Cinema Manifesto, wants the viewers not only to be appreciative of “good and perfect” art, but, to also not have that initial consumeristic value of the works themselves and to instead simply enjoy it for what it itself has to offer rather than being a bastardization of a famous, well known work that already exists. Along with that notion, the “poor image” can already stand on its own for its abstract forms and lack of “masters”, so to speak. Due to the lack of “masters”, poor images are also easily able to be shown to anyone and everyone, which only further engages more and more people and then gives THEM the choice of sharing it with even more, whether for a thrill or for genuine care for what that media may mean to them. They become their own thing in the end, and sometimes even are more sought after than the “original” make it once came from. 

I learned that, due to the past economies and media consumers before us, that some films or videos were often not turned into “poor images” as a choice, for most would have kept them buried within their own minds after having seen them. Yet, some truly passionate people do want to preserve certain things and want to be able to have others see them for what they tell or carry with them, low quality being accepted as a tradeoff for such a thing. I also learned that the correlation between the “poor image” and imperfect cinema actually go hand in hand under the notion that it is existing in order to prove that not all cinema needs to be so perfect and easily marketable/consumed, for art and life must also find a good balance with each other in order to be truly enriching for a viewer to be able to understand why imperfect cinema is even allowed to exist in the first place. 

The question that surfaced to my mind while reading this particular article was this:

What would bootleg or “lost” media look like in the even further future thanks to how more accessible, “good” technology is being accessed by the youth these days? Would the lack of “bad quality” still be needed in order for something to be deemed rare or abstract? Or would the thrill of discovering something “lost” still make it stand apart from “perfect” media?

As for the image that I decided to choose, I went with Stan Brakhage's Existence is Song (1987), for it truly embodies the type of image that would never usually be kept, for it is oversaturated and hard to decipher what is actually being seen. Yet, it draws me in because of that abstract sense, and inflicts curiosity of why it was done this way or what importance it holds for it to be shown on this reading's website.

[909hold]

The Numerous Benefits Of Local Seo Services

Seo, Or Search Engine Optimization, Is The Practice Of Setting Up Your Website And All Of Your Content To Appeal To The Algorithms Of Search Engines Such As Google, Bing, And Yahoo. While General Seo Focuses On Getting Higher Ranks In Niche-Specific Queries, Local Seo Pulls Geographic Location Into The Equation.

While Many Of The Same Principles Apply, There Will Be A Shift In Keyword Usage And Back Linking To Target A Local Audience And Maximize Impact In A Smaller Pool Of Competitors.

How Does Local Seo Work?

Every Search Engine Has One Mission: To Generate The Best Results For User Queries. To Do This, Search Engines Use Artificial Intelligence To Crawl, Index And Rank All Online Content And Filter Out The Best Results. Your Position On The Results Page Depends On Your Website Including The Essential Elements That Google Wants And Omitting The Elements That Are Penalized.

Local Seo Works With A More Specific Goal Of Getting Ranked On These Platforms. Instead Of Competing With The Dominant Companies In Your Market, You'll Be Working To Stand Out In Your Community.

Techniques Such As Including Location-Specific Terms In Keywords And Back Linking From Local Events Pages Will Boost Your Presence In A More Relevant Area. This Will Increase Your Rank Position When Nearby Searchers Look For Your Products Or Services. We At Digital Marketing Agency Have Local Seo Experts To Help You Increase Traffic To Your Site.

Benefits Of Local Seo Services

Focusing Your Seo On Local Markets Positions You As The Small Fish Out Of The Big Pond And Gets You Into A More Realistically Sized Pool. Since Most Small Businesses Rely On Local Consumers To Thrive, The Benefits Of This Approach Are Undeniable.

If You're Asking Yourself "Should I Be Using Local Seo?" Here Are Reasons To Get You Started.

1. Improve Online Visibility

Google's First 5 Results Collect 67.6% Of User Clicks. This Does Not Include The Paid Advertisements Shown At The Top Of The Page.

If Your Business Isn't Showing Up In Those Top 5 Spots Or Even On The First Page, Chances Are Visitors Won't Even Know You Exist.

The Number One Success Factor In Your Business Is The Customers, So You Need To Start Placing Yourself Where They Are. Using Local Seo Techniques Will Help You Crack The Top Organic Results And Improve Your Chances Of Being Found.

2. Build A Community

Businesses And Consumers Alike Are Sinking In On The Importance Of Building A Community And Keeping The Local Economy Alive. When Your Business Begins To Try And Connect With Other Local Companies, You Will See An Online And Off Impact.

While Getting More Reputable Local Backlinks Is A Great Way To Boost Your Rank, It Also Opens The Door To Helpful Working Relationships. Tell Your Customers About Your Relevant Services And They Will Be More Inclined To Do The Same.

Your Customers Will Rely More On Referrals And Often Find It More Efficient To Visit Businesses Within Their Area To Get Started.

3. More Relevant Traffic

72% Of Local Searches Resulted In A Personal Visit Within 5 Miles Of The User.

When You Target Local Consumers, You Get Encouraging Web Visits From People Who Can Come And Visit You.

Using A Comprehensive Seo Approach For A Business That Relies On Local Traffic Can Leave You With A Lot Of Dead-End Visits. For Example, Let's Say You Have A Blog Post With Useful Tips And Tricks Related To Your Product Or Service. If You Neglected To Use Local Targets, You Would Get Hits From All Over The World.

As Great As It Is To Have This Wide A Reach, The Chances Of A Foreign Hit Becoming A Paying Customer Are Slim.

4. Local Return Customer

As We Mentioned Earlier, Customers Are Seeing More And More Value In Supporting The Local Economy. Plus, It's Often More Convenient To Do Business In Your Area.

With Local Seo You Will Have Two Major Touchpoints For Nearby Customers. First, They'll Spot You And Stop. Your Business Can Then Provide Them With An Incredible Experience And Win Them Over As Loyal Customers Or Clients. Subsequently, When They Need These Services Again, Your Name Will Appear At The Top Of The Search And Trigger Their Memory.

5. Build Trust And Authority

Consumers Trust That High-Ranking Companies Have Been Vetted By Google And Are Trustworthy Businesses.

Getting A Prominent Position On The Results Page Will Encourage Your Audience To Trust And Respect Your Business. This Higher Designation Also Portrays You As An Authority For Your Niche And Increases Your Level Of Appeal.

6. Reduce Advertising Costs

Organic Traffic Has Taken Over As The Most Valuable Audience For Businesses. While Paying For Ads What May Previously Have Been Your Only Opportunity For High-Visibility, Using Local Seo Will Reduce Your Need For These Measures.

Increasing Your Rank Will Allow You To Use Google As A Free Advertisement For Your Business And Get More Valuable Clicks Than With Paid Advertising.

7. Increase In Sales

An Increase In Relevant Traffic Leads To An Increase In Sales. With Local Customers Ready To Buy, Appearing As An Authority In Your Area Will Increase Your Chances Of Being The Landing Spot For Their Purchase.

If Local Searchers Aren't Ready To Seal A Deal Yet, They Will Be Encouraged By Your Proximity And Optimal Availability. Instead Of Finding Businesses That Are Hours Away Or Needing To Shop Blindly Online, They Can Visit You And Get To Know You As A Local.

Time To Get Local Seo Services

From Increased Visibility To A More Trustworthy Presence, Getting Into Local Seo Is A Great Option For Your Marketing Efforts. Stop Spending Your Time And Money Building Meaningful Impressions On Unrealistically Competitive Markets And Zone In On Where You Need Them Most.

Ready To Maximize Your Business But Need Some Assistance? Get In Touch With Us Today To Find Out How Our Local Seo Services Can Take Your Small Business To The Next Level.

#909holdings #digital agency #marketing online #web development #website design

[pastmeetsplanet]

Recycling is Dead, and We Killed Him.

It's interesting how sustainability can evoke hope, cynicism, and dread. While it's a significant issue, it can be overwhelming for an individual to tackle. Sustainability is defined as maintaining and continuing for the extended future.

This passage resonated with me because it highlights that sustainability is not a simple issue with a single solution. Instead, it is a wicked problem that requires a multifaceted approach. (Robertson, 2021, p. 9)

On our field trip, we saw firsthand how complex and interconnected sustainability issues can be. For example, the issue of plastic waste is not simply an environmental problem but is also linked to consumerism, the economy, and social justice.

As such, we must approach sustainability with a holistic perspective, addressing all of these issues simultaneously, if we hope to progress towards a more sustainable future.

Recycling is one aspect of environmentalism that is often discussed, but it's more complex than it seems. While I don't know why seeing the bins and the discussion of recycling frustrated me, it's simplyifying that If you recycle, you're helping! While many students try to recycle, others must know how to do it properly.

In places like Germany, they pay people to recycle their products; they even have specific bins dedicated to paper, glass of color, and wrapping paper. Yes, we can have these little trash bins out to promote recycling, but there's more at the root that no one is getting to; the issue is we have a lot of logos that say oh, it's recyclable, but a lot of plastic isn't recyclable, and it ends up in the waste. It feels like a lie sometimes, and it's frustrating. We must address the number of constantly sold copious water bottles to eliminate plastics and pollution within our universities. Are they genuinely recyclable, or even the amount of Chick-fil-A bags and straws I see every day again. We tell the consumer that everything is recyclable, yet the consumer knows no difference. But it is not our fault. Were stuck with disposables.

To truly make a difference, we need to address the root of the problem, such as the rampant production of plastic and the need for legislation to ban single-use plastics. We tell the public that recycling is working, but that offers a false idea of comfort where we develop laziness! It's not just about individuals recycling; it's about making systemic changes to reduce waste and pollution.

While it's encouraging to see some efforts made, such as using chillers to power the university's air conditioning, it's concerning to see disparities in implementing these systems. Overall, it's essential to continue having conversations and taking action to address environmental issues. However, it's crucial to not fall into complacency and recognize that there's still much work to be done.

My genuine concerns will always be how the University and Students address these issues. How can we stop simplifying them?

Citations:

Che, C. (2023, August 7). His Recycling Symbol Is Everywhere. The E.P.A. Says It Shouldn’t Be. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/07/climate/chasing-arrows-recycling-symbol-epa.html 

Igini, M. (2023, June 26). How Waste Management in Germany is Changing the Game. Earth.Org. https://earth.org/waste-management-germany/ 

Robertson, M. (2021). Sustainability Principles and Practice. In Sustainability Principles and Practice. Taylor & Francis Group.

Photo. Torres, A. (2024, January 18). FGCU Geothermal Air Conditioner. 

Photo. Torres, A. (2024, January 18). FGCU Recycling Bin West Lake.

[xlntsetup]

Things You Must Know Before Setting Up Your Business In The UAE!

The UAE is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. It's also a country where you can set up your business with ease and minimal fuss and at a low DMCC Company Set Up Cost. However, there are some essential things that you must know before setting up your business in the country. In this article, we've pulled together some of these things.

The UAE is a rapidly expanding market.

The UAE is a rapidly expanding market. It has a large population and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. There are many opportunities for business growth here, especially if you're interested in selling your products or services directly to consumers rather than through an intermediary wholesaler.

In addition to offering great economic opportunities for entrepreneurs, several cultural factors make this country ideal for starting a new company.

 

It would be best if you had a local sponsor/agent, but they don't need to own part of your business.

It would be best if you had a local sponsor/agent, but they don't need to own part of your business. If you're planning on starting up an outdoor sports equipment store or fashion boutique with your partner, you'll need someone to help with paperwork (and possibly even pay off any fines). Your sponsor can also assist with getting licenses and permits necessary for opening up a company in the UAE; this makes it easier when dealing with bureaucracy because all paperwork is handled by one person instead than two people trying to do everything themselves!

 

Business setup in the UAE requires careful planning and pre-emptive actions best carried out by professionals.

Business setup in the UAE requires careful planning and pre-emptive actions best carried out by professionals. The UAE is a rapidly expanding market, with many free zones offering 100% ownership. However, if you want to set up your business in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or Sharjah, you must have a local sponsor/agent who can assist with setting up your company.

This person must understand how things work in their respective country and keep up with changes within their home country so they can help guide you through what will be required for building and running a successful business here.

 

A good credit rating aids the growth of your business.

Having a good credit rating is crucial for your business growth. It allows you to secure loans, partners, and investors for your business and new customers, employees, and suppliers.

A good credit rating can also help you get better deals on insurance policies and mortgages.

 

There are plenty of opportunities to do well in the UAE market.

The UAE is a growing business market. The country's population is expected to grow at around 2% annually for the next decade. With this growth comes opportunities for new businesses and existing ones looking to expand their operations in any way possible.

The UAE has many advantages when it comes to doing business with its people:

There are no income tax rates or capital gains taxes

There are no restrictions on foreign ownership of companies (except those that limit foreign ownership of banks)

 

In the end

The UAE has always been a place of opportunity and growth for businesses. Whether you're looking to start a business or expand one already in operation, the country has everything you need to succeed. With so many free zones offering 100% ownership options, there are no excuses not to invest here. If you'd like more information about getting started or want the best Company Formation Services, feel free to contact us.

#DMCC Company Set Up Cost #Company Formation Services

[phynali]

so not to ruminate on things that vex me, but the past 2 or so months have been kinda shit, and i’m trucking along and there absolutely are high points and good things and joys that balance some of this out, but i need to vent out some of the negative emotions somewhere to get ‘em out. so i guess i’m doing that here because - 

we’re in lockdown#6 where i live (state of victoria) and it’s hard, this yo-yo of restrictions and swinging in and out of one lockdown after another. 

for those who understandably won’t know, what we call lockdown here means not just restaurant and commercial closures and mandatory working from home unless you’re in an industry where that’s impossible -- it also means no guests (0) inside you’re home unless you’re both living alone and single or else romantic partners, it means not leaving your home at all except for one of 4-5 necessary reasons, not being outside for more than 2hrs per day even to exercise, and not going more than 5km from your home unless required for work/medical/etc required reasons.

it’s intense. we spent (i think) 128 days in this degree of lockdown in 2020, never mind how many we spent in other forms of restrictions and working from home. and we’ve been back in it four (4) times in 2021 already. in-out-in-out-in-out - 

it’s taking a toll on the mental health of every person i know. we get weekly emails with wellbeing and resilience tips from my job -- not just “be productive or else” capitalism but heartfelt ones from wellbeing officers with copies of articles like this one on languishing from the NYT, acknowledging we’re all struggling and directing us to the plethora of wellbeing resources our workplace is trying to provide, not only to us but reminding us they offer it to our families too.

i’m one of the lucky ones. i’m really not trying to wallow here or to pretend otherwise. i appreciate that i can work from home, even though i can’t focus when i do and it this interacts with my adhd to fuck my productivity. even if i’m so behind and delayed it feels like i’ve lost 12-18 months worth of work and it will have long-term ramifications on my career -- even so, i still i have a job. i still get paid. and i even kept my job, a bit by the skin of my teeth but i did, when my sector downsized last year. yes, the way my employer went about lay offs left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth (my own included), but i made it through. 

and my sector, while affected, is by no means the worst of the collateral damage.

the yo-yo of lockdowns is taking a very very real toll on industries like hospitality, tourism, commerce. and the economy does have indirect effects on health and mental health as well. my friend, a waitress, was on her way to work the evening shift at a restaurant when she got the call about the latest lockdown. she had to turn around and go home because the announcement came just hours before the lockdown was imposed, and every place suddenly had to close by 8pm. bye bye evening shift. so much of the government support for these industries has dried up, has been inadequate. 

lockdowns save lives. i don’t begrudge my state for imposing one except that yes -- i’m resentful we’re here again with only six cases. i can be both accepting and grateful and also pissed and tired and more all at once. 

even more than the latest lockdown, i’m pissed about the yo-yo. that we went into lockdown in june, came out in july, went back in in july, came back out in july, are going back in now, in the first week of august. three lockdown/re-openings in 10 weeks, as if this rollercoaster doesn’t completely incapacitate our ability to plan or prepare for anything more than a week out, more than a day out -- in this case, more than a few hours out. 4pm the lockdown was announced, with an 8pm start time. as if that doesn’t have more insidious consequences on individuals and industries than a more clearly articulated and consistent approach. as if all the restaurants that got to open up this week didn’t purchase large food orders for this weekend that will spoil because they were given 4 hours notice to close their doors.

that’s the part i hate, right now more than the lockdowns themselves. consumer sentiment was at a high in april, optimism was everywhere. people felt good, and like we had a plan forward. now -- well, now my job is sending me emails about how normal and okay it is that i might be ‘languishing’ because aren’t we all?

and i absolutely do begrudge my federal government, and i’m angry with them, and this is part of why:

but i also accept, to some extent, that these decisions have all been made in difficult circumstances, and i’m not really about to pretend i could do any better. 

at the same time, australia’s vaccine rollout is among the slowest and lowest at least within OECD countries. i know that’s partly because we’ve managed the keep cases low and therefore we are prioritized less when it comes to who needs the vaccines most (and thus who is earlier in line to be able to purchase) among other geo-political reasons i won’t get into, but it still very much sucks. our timeline and ability to move forward and ability to stop having lockdowns requires a mostly-vaccinated population, and that’s not something we’ll have anytime soon.

and i am a visa-holder here and my family is back in canada and with our current border restrictions leaving to visit is honestly is not an option because i wouldn’t be able to return, to work. i’m managing that distance okay most of the time despite my homesickness and frustration but my partner’s parents are older and his mother’s health just isn’t amazing and it’s weighing on him a lot. 

a phd student i work with just had a parent die in another country while stuck here, had to drop everything to return, is devastated by not being by their parent’s side when it happened because it came on sudden, and now won’t be able to come back into australia after, will have to finish their thesis remotely from abroad. stories like that are becoming commonplace in certain circles, here. this student is not the first or only person i know who has been in that exact situation in the past year.

it’s enraging, and upsetting, and instills a sense of helplessness because -- there’s nothing that can really be done about it. there’s no good answer, but it’s scary to think of what could happen. i know it scares my husband. if his mother’s health suddenly dips -- does he drop everything and leave? how can he not? would i go with him or hold the fort here? what ramifications does that have either way?

right now, we’re in the first stages of getting permanent residency, my job is putting in the nomination, and this is one of those awesome high-points i mentioned. it’s a very much needed sense of security in my career and my future in this country. but while a PR application is pending and under review, you can’t leave the country, even in pre-covid times. it takes months to get the application fully nominated, accepted, then submitted, and months on months to process.

in january 2020 we had agreed that for xmas 2020 we’d return home to canada. obviously the world changed and we quickly determined that wouldn’t be the case. we pushed that plan back to july-aug 2021, then to october 2021, xmas 2021. my partner’s sister asked him last week if we started making plans, booking things for xmas, was calling to check that we’d had our second jabs. he had to explain the situation to her, that we aren’t even eligible for our first vaccine yet, that we aren’t holding out any real hope of visiting, not this year, not until mid-next.

anyway - i’m just. languishing, i guess, if that’s the word for it after all. i know it’s not the same as depression -- i’ve had episodes of that, been treated for it in different ways. this is and feels different, even if there are obvious similarities. whatever to call it, it sucks, and i hate it. and i hate the other lows and anxieties and crap i’ve been dealing with in the past few months as well that didn’t make it into this post about covid. crap with work, with friends, with goddamn car rentals of all stupid things. crap that’s making me anxious and crap that just needs processing. crap that is, ultimately, massively exacerbated because lockdowns turn us into little rats gnawing on the bars of our cages.

and i guess i just needed to talk about it somewhere, to organize my thoughts and free up some headspace (emotion space?) currently being used to hold these thoughts and feelings in place. i kind of hate posting personal crap like this and always get the urge to delete but i also have a hard time organising my thoughts if i don’t write them out with this intent to post. sort of want to go outside and scream at god, sort of want to phone up a friend and yell at him for an hour for being an exhausting ass, sort of want to be alone for a day to curl up under a blanket with a movie that’ll make me cry because raging at the universe is always so much easier when i’m alone and unobserved. but i guess since those aren’t especially kind or feasible i’ll post this instead.

anyway - if you read to the end of this for any reason, i’m not trying to be maudlin, and there’s really no need to respond. it’s just a feelings dump, sucking some of the poison out, not really much different than journalling but i’ve always been better at that online than on paper. 

#ugh #personal post #just organising thoughts and bitching about present circumstances #because i'm tired of 2021's bullshit and needed to vent a bit #gpoy

[fishoutofcamelot]

Yves Montand's les feuilles mortes is Merwen as Gwen ages and becomes old, memories flitting in and out of her consciousness as Merlin tends to her last moments on her death bed, her hand caressing his cheek as she says the final goodbye. Merlin clutches into her hand tight, his shoulders tremored as he sobs, losing his last friend and lover.

Dude it’s MY job to make people sad about Merwen! If you keep this up, I’ll be out of a job!!! And I can’t afford that in this tragic fandom economy.

Ngl tho, you’re absolutely right about the vibes. Although if I might add, I also kinda get a reincarnation vibe from it too.

The scene: France, 1947. WWII is finally over. Merlin, or Michon Epinette as he goes by now, is walking down a wet cobblestone street. His face is sullen. As he walks, hands stuffed into his pockets and head bowed, flashbacks are interjected into his mind. Brief snippets of his time in Camelot - meeting Arthur, hanging out with the knights, saving the kingdom. But above all, his time with Gwen. All the memories and laughs and tears they shared together. 

The flashbacks increase in frequency the further along he comes, only now they’re all focusing on Arthur’s death, Leon and Gaius and Percival’s deaths, until only Merlin and Gwen remain. Until Gwen ages and dies too, until Merlin is left weeping over her dead body. But in none of the memories do any of their faces appear. The faces and appearances of his loved ones are just some of the many things he’s forgotten after all these years, much to his distress.

Merlin shakes his head to force the memories away, and enters a bar. It’s pretty empty. Everyone is fairly quiet aside from the clanking of glasses and occasional murmurs here and there - and on the stage, a slow, morose jazz performance.

He sits down at the bar and gets a drink, watching the performance and trying not to cry over how deeply the mournful lyrics speak to him. It’s the 1400-year anniversary of Gwen’s death, and it stings just as intensely now as it did back then.

The woman singing wears a yellow dress that is elegant yet simple, back exposed and black gloves deftly holding the microphone. Her own eyes are tearful, she herself affected by her own lyrics - Les Feuilles Mortes, now that he thinks about it - and if not for some impressive self-control then her elaborate makeup might have been running.

But looking at her face, her dark, gentle face and deep brown eyes, a most profound sense of deja vu settles into his gut. As if he should know her somehow. 

But Merlin has lived for many, many years, and has met many, many people. If he’s met her before, he doesn’t remember, and likely never will. And besides, it was probably nothing important.

Still, the clenching of his heart pulls him to her. As if something terrible will happen, as if he’ll suffer a loss worse than he can ever imagine, if he doesn’t hold her in his arms this very moment.

Instead of sweeping her up and never letting go, Merlin waits for the song to end, politely applauds, and then greets her as she sits down at the bar stool next to him. Another performer walks onto the stage in her place.

They speak in French as she asks if she’s seen him before, a puzzled look creasing her features. He says that he’s just got one of those faces, and reaches out his hand to shake hers. He introduces himself using his current alias, Michon Epinette, but his ribcage screams at him to tell the truth. To tell her that his name is Merlin. He ignores the impulse.

She calls herself Guinevere Laurent, and oh how his heart aches at the familiarity of it. Another Guinevere, just as kind and soft as his own had once been. He commends her performance, admits that it had made him cry, and she tells him it has that effect on people - especially those who have recently suffered a loss. 

Ms. Laurent asks him who he’s lost, then gets flustered as she apologizes for being so forward. He instead tells her that he lost a great deal of friends. Everyone he’s ever known and loved is dead now.

“The war?” she surmises.

“Yes,” he says, because while they’re not thinking about the same war it’s still true.

She sips from her cocktail glass. “I lost a great deal of friends to the war as well. My brother Elouan, my best friend Lazare, and my father Thomas. Normandy, all of them.”

He shrugs. “If they had to die at war, at least it was Normandy.” Then, flustering - “Oh no, I’m so sorry! That was so insensitive of me. I didn’t mean -”

Ms. Laurent - Guinevere - shakes her head. “It’s fine. You’re right, though. Normandy is...heroic. As good a place to die as any. I just...I just wish they hadn’t had to die in the first place.”

Merlin has nothing to say to that, so he doesn’t. And the two of them sit there at the bar counter, nursing their cocktails - which are, coincidentally, the exact same - and ruminate over their respective losses. Guinevere Laurent is likely thinking about the second world war, and Merlin is thinking about Camlann. And both of them are thinking about after. What happens next. Where they go from here, when everyone they care about is six feet under.

While the similarity in names is likely a coincidence, Merlin can’t help but feel drawn to this Guinevere too. She speaks and acts and feels so much like the one he lost that his chest burns with sorrow. But also, perhaps, with something else too. Something he hasn’t felt in a long time.

Hope.

Merlin ventures out his broken heart and cracks a joke, trying to lighten her spirits. For the life of him, he will never be able to remember what the joke is, but it does its job in making a tentative smile splash onto her face. 

Warily, with an uneven and rough voice, she murmurs out a joke of her own. He won’t ever be able to remember that one, either, but he laughs just as quietly and genuinely as she did.

After an hour their laughter has transformed into something loud and unending, and it fills up the entire bar with an orange, jovial mood. Other people are talking amongst themselves with more liveliness than they had before, and now Merlin and Guinevere are not the only people smiling in here. Even the scrunched-faced bartender is cracking a grin.

It feels familiar. It feels like he’s been in this situation before - laughing with someone as loudly as possible to chase away their mutual pains, until their desperation turns into sincerity and sincerity into passion. 

For one glorious evening, Merlin allows himself to exist in a fantasy world where Gwen isn’t dead, but sitting right next to him. It’s weird and wrong, for sure, but he can’t help pretending that Guinevere Laurent and Guinevere Pendragon are the same person.

The crowd raucously, drunkenly cries out to Guinevere for an encore, begging her to give them another song. She shakes her head and says she’s done for the night, and all her songs are too sad anyway, but the crowd remains insistent. 

Merlin nudges her shoulder with his own. “You can do this, Gwen.”

And for some reason, just locking eyes with him is enough for her to acquiesce.

She dusts off her dress and reluctantly shuffles onto the stage once more, and the current performer steps aside to let her have the microphone.

Guinevere discusses something with the people manning the instruments, and after a moment they appear to reach an agreement of some kind. 

As the music swells to life, she casts one final glance at Merlin. He nods encouragingly, and she nods back, then closes her eyes and begins.

“Je suis seul ce soir,” she sings in a soulful cadence.

He loses himself in the music, lets the medieval nostalgia consume him like a snake devouring a field mouse - and just as the snake’s venom strikes the mouse, so too does a heartbreaking realization strike Merlin.

He called her Gwen. He referred to Guinevere Laurent as Gwen, his Gwen.

But she’s not. She’s not his Gwen.

His Gwen is dead, and she’s not coming back.

Suddenly, the whole world flares harshly at him. The lights are too modern and bright, the music is too loud and lively, the crowd is too busy and young. And Guinevere Laurent stands on the stage, eyes closed as she sings from the heart. 

And it’s not Gwen. It’s not Gwen, it’s not Gwen, it’s not Gwen, and the reminder of this truth is a slap to the face. Gwen didn’t dress like that, didn’t speak that language, didn’t sing in French bars or drink cheap cocktails. 

Gwen died. She died in pain, and she died gasping for air, and she died pushing him away in fear because her senile mind could not recall who he was. She died afraid, surrounded by faces and places she didn’t recognize, tearfully asking for a brother who had been dead for decades.

But even despite with all the differences, Guinevere Laurent looks so horribly similar to Gwen, back when she was young and innocent. The similarities, the memories, are enough to shatter whatever shaky pieces of his heart he had managed to cobble together.

Merlin presses a trembling fist to his mouth as tears pierce their way through his eyes, clouding his vision and sapping his body of any resolve it might have had. 

He fumbles out of the bar to get away from it all, lest the agony bubble out of him like blood. The cold air stings his cheeks, but the bitterness of it provides a momentary distraction from the memories left behind in the bar.

Determined to find some other hole-in-the-wall at which to drink and forget forget forget, Merlin stumbles away, not even bothering to wipe away the curtain of tears shuttering his face.

But back in the bar, Guinevere Laurent begins to remember things. As the melody holds up her heart, as the fondness that ‘Michon’ had born within her chest lifts her ever higher, flashes of a distant life spark in her mind. 

A boy with an impish grin, stuck in the stocks but still shaking her hand. A young man with a colourful scarf, sitting on a hill and braiding flowers into her hair. A friend, back pressed to hers as they both hold swords and fight to defend their kingdom. A companion, holding her wrinkled hands and helping her get up the stairs.

The name whispers into her mind. Merlin.

But as the final notes of Seule Ce Soir  rumble to an end, as Guinevere opens her eyes in the hopes of soaking in the rays of her old friend’s presence, she finds no sign of Michon - Merlin - and instead a vacancy in his place. 

Thanks for the ask! <3

#long post #i shouldve added a read more line huh #well im too lazy to do it now so we'll just have to suffer through it #merwen #mergwen #bbc merlin #merlin bbc #merlin #bbcm #ask #fish post

[minecraftorigins]

Background lore to the classes: ⚠️Long paragraphs ahead⚠️

Please keep in mind this is my perspective of the lore to the Origins mod and is absolutely not 100% canon. This is just written for fun. Thanks! <3

【Table of Contents】 Ⅰ. Short background information ⅰ. Enderian ⅱ. Merlings ⅲ. Phantom ⅳ. Elytrians  ⅴ. Blazeborn ⅵ. Avians ⅶ. Arachnid ⅷ. Shulk ⅸ. Feline ▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃                                                 ⅰ. Enderian Enderians is a species that barely any books have knowledge about, even those that are very old and dusty. From what is known so far, Enderians are born in the End by the Ender Dragon. How they are created by such a being is unknown, and researchers still are unable to find the answer. Enderians life cycle is quite fast, and are able to grow from an egg to a toddler in the span of a month. Though their life cycle is fast, they can live up for several years if not decades. Enderians are known for their tall and lanky appearance, and frightening eyes. They can also grow to 7-8 feet tall. During the OverWorld War Enderians were kept in their homeland,the End, unable to travel to the other two worlds. After the OverWorld War passed, the Ender Dragon finally allowed her children to explore and seek the world. Therefore, why Enderians appear both in the Nether and OverWorld. Enderians still do not like to make eye contact or contact with water. If unlucky, an Enderian can accidentally spread a curse to you. A curse called the Enderman Curse. The Enderman Curse is not contagious towards other people and is instead spread by contact, the curse also leaves the victim in agonizing pain as they transform into an Enderman. If lucky, the curse will sometimes stop halfway or a quarter way from the body. The curse can also not be spread by or to hybrids; meaning half Enderman and Human can’t give the curse to anyone, and any hybrid won’t be affected.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃                                                  ⅱ. Merlings The Undersea Kingdom is where most Merlings are born, since the kingdom hasn't opened their gates after the Overworld War. No one is allowed to swim beyond the Kingdom unless they are a Merling of buisness or a guard on patrol. Of course there are Merlings that left the borders illegally and created families beyond them. But, the majority of the population is within the borders of the kingdom. Merlings when they are born have tails that stick with them up until their early teenage age. Usually around ages 13 through 15 is when their tails would shed. The shedding would last for about a week, before the Merling has a new pair of legs. Once the Merling has a new pair of legs they are given a ceremony where they receive a crystal. The crystal is a rare gem that allows the wearer to from legs to tail when they please, and is only found inside the Undersea Kingdom. The crystal can only be obtained by a Merling therefore anyone seeking the crystal would need help from one or be one.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃                                                    ⅲ. Phantom Phantoms are manifested by a strong feeling in a dream or nightmare, therefore allowing the Phantom to have a physical form and exist in the Overworld. Phantoms digest dreams and nightmares but can be sustained with regular food for a while. Phantoms can not be in direct sunlight due to the fact that they are photoallergic, but going invisible allows them to walk in the sunlight without being burned. Though, it causes their hunger to go up quicker. Phantoms also have a hunger for dreams, being able to consume mobs and players dreams when they sleep. Consuming ones dreams will allow the Phantom to not have to eat for some time unless they go invisible. Phantoms would mostly be in large houses and forests during the daytime to avoid the sun, then during the night they will be most active to hunt down those who sleep. And though Phantoms did not partake much in the OverWorld war, those who have been around those times have great knowledge about the war.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃                                                    ⅳ. Elytrians Elytrians we’re a normal group of Overseekers before the Overworld war. They were the natives of the Overworld not yet evolved into the modern era. Their camps were located on top of hills and large plains, this way they could have an advantage against those who try to take their territory. It wasn’t after the Overworld war when their culture was changed like all the other origins, it was changed before the Overworld war and it was the starting point of the war as well. The Elytrians invaded the Avians territory and villages, but they weren’t stealing anything of value or anything that is advanced beyond their time. They stole the Avians wings, ripping them straight from their bodies. Later they would mutate their body to these wings and soon it would be evolved into them. This caused the war between the Avians and Elytrians, soon involving most of the other origins. After the war, the history of what they have done been altered to make it look like the Avians were the villian. Kids grew up with false history saying that the Avians invaded and wanted to steal the Elytrians wings that they’ve been blessed with. The true books have either been burnt or buried deep into the soil, alongside the author of the book.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃                                                    ⅴ. Blazeborn The Blazeborns have been a seperated tribe since the Overworld war, and now are an even more separated as a civil war arises. Before the Overworld war they were known as a powerful military empire that supported their allies during the war. But after the war was finished their former leader was assassinated. Not knowing what to do without a leader, and those who want to be the next leader fighting for the position, the empire soon fell apart. Some Blazeborns that are still loyal to the old ways of the empire, and is trying to rebuilt it, formed a group called “The New Flame”. They believe that the empire claim back the old territory, and then take over the Overworld next. “The New Flame” also supports dictatorship and agrees that one person should have absolute power over the people. Other Blazeborns that are still loyal to their origins but do not agree on the idea to rebuilt the empire, formed a group called the “Burnt Outs”. They support the idea of having a court system instead and have selected representatives from votes.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃                                                       ⅵ. Avians Avians now in modern times have their homes on mountains or elevated places, though there are some who still prefer tree houses. Before the Overworld war the Avians didn’t all have their homes away from a forest or jungle, their villages were always way up in the trees. This was because they had their wings back then, and could fly like the birds they were. But, it was when the Elytrians attacked when their ability to fly was stripped away from them. Of course being attacked by an opposing origin would lead into some conflict, and is what started the war between the two. The two origins still has not recovered from the tragedies and bloodshed, and the tension still has not been lifted. Avians still have the most accurate recorded history from the war, their evidence can easily be backed up. They kept their books, kept the evidence, and plenty of retired Avians still have stories to share about it. The only problem is to know the firsthand knowledge of the Overworld war, you would need to get the trust of the Avians, yet alone convince them your not a threat.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃                                                     ⅶ. Arachnid Arachnids we’re not involved with the war and instead we’re kept in their caves during it. The Queen at the time did not want any Arachnid to fall victim of a murder, or get themselves stuck In between conflict. Arachnids would make their nests in underground railroads, mine shafts, and large caves. They had their own systems of communication and specific rooms for different objects or groups. The largest room in the system would mostly always be the fresh-prey room. The education system was taught in separate caves with more rooms for different classes. All younglings would go to a sister/brotherhood school where they will become closer to their tribe mates. They will take the school up till the end of elementary and then have the choice to take it again during high school and graduate. If they choose to graduate from a sister/brotherhood school then they can not mate with another Arachnid. If they don’t choose to graduate from a sister/brotherhood school then they would go to a regular high school and have the option to mate with another Arachnids that graduate from a regular school as well.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃                                                       ⅷ. Shulk Shulks we’re also not too involved with the war. Shulks were born in the End alongside the Enderians, and the Ender Dragon wasn’t letting anyone out of the End during the war times. Shulks are raised on End ships or End Cities, usually by a single parent. It’s very uncommon to see a full family raising a child in Shulk culture. After the Shulk is grown up, around age 13 or 15 they are sent out of their homes to the real world. This is a common tradition that most Shulk families would do, claiming that it toughens their shell and makes them less soft. Sadly most Shulks do not make it, or survive in the End with all the dangers lerking around. The rate of deaths are very high in the End, so most Shulks would seek refuge in the Overworld and try make a home there instead of their homeland.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃                                                        ⅸ. Feline The Feline culture remained the same even after the war, they were involved with it but it didn’t effect them as much as the other tribes. Felines before the war were known to handle rough jobs or tasks, such as an assassins or being a body guard. Of course with the right price you could convince a Feline to work for you. The only major change that happened to their culture after the war, was a lot of Felines were rich off the products they were making to support the war, or was rich due to the amount of body guards or extra soldiers needed. Therefore this created first class Felines that depend on their social status and their position in economy. Roughly 2% of the Feline population is above the middle class mark, but that doesn’t mean that they are still not rich. The higher classes expect much from heirs and children to make an example of their families, therefore not making Felines the best at families or parent advice.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃                                                               【Credits】 》The Origins mod does not belong to be and belongs to creators. 》Check out https://www.curseforge.com/minecraft/mc-mods/origins/files to download the mod.

#Origins #curse forge #origins mod #Minecraft #Minecraft AU #Own lore #lore #long reads

[punkofsunshine]

The (Informal) Miniature Anarcho-Solarpunk Manifesto

The integration of communalism into a classless system away from the main caste-esque system of hierarchy around the world is very costly when viewed from a consumer lens, but is essential in the degradation of the overbearing hierarchy that the main populace is subjected to and thusly become numb to the pressures placed upon them from an early age, spiral into endlessly consuming for a sense of being in a world that doesn’t care if you’re alive, to them you’re just a replaceable cog in the profit machine. The goal of the communalist, socialist, solarpunk, etc. should not be to live in their own bubble, but to expand their influence exponentially through participation with the outside world, turn a commune into a city as it were. Less people in a place that has dictated control by the state and the consumers within, the less control the state and capital have over people. A migration of people increases quality of life and food consumption, luckily food growth can be optimized to accommodate many people when given according to need as opposed to given to whomever has the money to afford produce. One must also keep in mind, the debt accrued is now a community responsibility, so the members will do everything in their power to keep people functioning in the community, that must include people paying off debts. Who are you if you let a fellow worker suffer on their own? Who are you to let a human such as yourself be subjected to the violence of the state in its many forms? Pushing back against such oppression is why we ascribe to this ideology, so we can taste freedom and save the earth from ourselves.

No individual is solely responsible for the pollution and poverty. Multiple corporations and their figureheads are. Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Bernard Arnault, Qin Yinglin & family, Michael Bloomberg, The Koch family, Jim Simons, Alaian & Gerard Wertheimer, Mark Zuckerburg, Amancio Ortega, Larry Ellison, Warren Buffett, the Walton Family, Steve Ballmer, Carlos Slim Helu & family, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Francoise Bittencourt Meyers & family, Jack Ma, Ma Huateng, Mukesh Ambani, Mackenzie Scott, Beate Heister & Karl Albrecht Jr., David Thomson & family, Phil Knight & family, Lee Shau Kee, François Pinault & family. Sheldon Alelson, The Mars family, Elon Musk, Giovanni Ferrero, Michael Dell, Hui Ka Yan, Li Ka-Shing, He Xiangjian, Yang Huiyan & family, Joseph Safra, Dieter Schwarz, Vladimir Potanin, Tadashi Yanai & family, Vladamir Lisin, Ray Dalio, Takemitsu Takizaki, Leonid Mikhelson, etc. (Forbes) The list could go on, but I’m not about to list four-hundred people, the people have to change what the ruling class refuses to, hijacking corporate manufacturing and removing police of their power is essential. The police are targets due to the fact they protect corporate interests and stunt progressive growth, all of the people listed above refuse to let power be taken from them, there are too few people willing to make attempts to go after them because what would happen to their favourite source of consumption if that happened? What would happen to convenience? It would disappear, they don’t want to have to make things themselves, such is the first world’s entitlement. Doing without the convenience to save the environment should be a priority, things aren’t going to just get better on their own just because you installed solar panels and an eco-friendly water filtration system. The extent of the work that needs to be done is tremendous and must be organized efficiently and with regard to equivalency of power.

The world is in the process of ending due to all the turmoil we put it through, but the fact we’re more worried about comfort and convenience is very telling of what kind of culture western society has, instead of trying to fight those who destroy the environment and oppress us, we’re eager to mimic them. Why? Because they have and we have not. Such is the downfall of the consumerist mind. A majority of Americans think like consumers, not citizens, which is very telling because the anti-communist culture moted it be after the second world war. (Vox) There’s no telling where the zeitgeist is headed, but there’s political radicalization on both sides of the spectrum, sadly the other side of the spectrum is what we fought against, fascism, nazism, and authoritarianism. 2016 through 2020 were the worst years in terms of hate crimes committed on minority groups since the 60’s which is really saying something, neo-nazi groups sprung up and made themselves the focus, where there are fascists, there will always be anti-fascists or to be informal, antifa. I, the author am a background informant for the loose collective known as antifa, our job is simply to let people know where rallies are going down, we use pseudonyms and VPNs so we cannot be tracked. So why am I telling you this? Isn’t this supposed to be about what we can do to rebel against the systems that oppress us? Yes, and I’m getting there. There’s a reason I’m talking about fascism, and that is the fact fascism and capitalism are linked together.

Fascism/imperialism has been described as “capitalism in decay” by Vladimir Lenin due to the fact that neoliberalism is capitalism functioning as normal, communism post-capitalism, and fascism is capitalism going away slowly. It is an unjust and evil way of looking at the world, but once capitalists sense danger to their power, they fund fascism just so they can keep their power for longer. Anti-fascist action is also anti-capitalist action, for every nazi destroyed, we are one step closer to freedom. For every capitalist institution raided and demolished, we are one step closer to freedom. The city isn’t made of buildings that you can buy from, it’s made of the people who live there, so when the BLM protests occurred and stores were “looted” and burned, that was a form of praxis that hasn’t happened in years it was truly inspiring to see the people of Oregon (among other places) fight the police, fight back the alt-right, give capitalists the middle finger, create autonomous zones, and keep people from getting evicted during the pandemic. That is what communalism is partly about, supporting each other in the face of adversity no matter the cost of personal wellbeing, it’s the pinnacle of mutual aid.

Revolutionary action is one-hundred percent essential in securing future freedoms for not only generation Y, but generation Z and subsequent generations. As a member of generation Z, I feel fear, anger, and dread when it comes to climate change and the fact our generation will have to clean up the messes of the former generations when it comes to pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, unsustainable farming practices, soil health degradation, deforestation, the melting of polar habitats, natural disasters, etc. The weight of the world falls upon our shoulders and we realize this as a truth or we reject reality and follow in our parent’s footsteps and do nothing about it, it’s up to us, the most depressed and angry generation in the U.S.’s rather short history to right the wrongs made by former generations when most of us can’t even find motivation to get out of bed in the morning. I am writing this manifesto in my bed as I have been for the past week when I remember to write it down. It’s not enough to just write a theory however, put practice in it and it becomes more than just a talking point. It becomes a movement, how far you want to take it depends on you, but I do not condone violence against any of the people in the list above for strictly legal reasons. It is not absurd to think that we don’t have a snowball's chance in hell to stop the impending climate disaster that is about to fall onto us, because that assumption is correct. The best we can do is rebuild afterwards then hope and pray the next generation continues our work to restore the planet and maybe move outside our solar system, god willing.

I’ve tried writing a short solarpunk novel, I realized that the fiction may be important for outreach, but I was trying to add personal political theory to a narrative that’s supposed to be about a character’s internal conflicts as opposed to what I’m doing now, informal political theory, which is why I’m addressing you, the reader. I’ve read and listened to political theory in the past, and it’s incredibly dry and hard to pay attention to, don’t get me wrong, it’s important when you’re a part of various movements such as eco-socialism, communalist-anarchism, and anarcho-solarpunk, but I think it’s more important to connect with a reader or listener to make sure they understand the message before saying “do some praxis.” That is the goal here, not to be the leftist, humane version Ayne Rand, but instead instill in people a hope for the future that learns to do without mass manufacturing, that learns to make their own food sustainably, that learns that we all have a right to food, clean water, housing, medical treatment, and clean air without having to pay for all of those things. I may not be a part of the bottom percentage of people, but if I were my point would still stand strong, the notion that you have to work to get basic necessities is immoral on many levels, but in “free market” economies that’s the standard and I was as blind to it as most people before I found solarpunk, it started out by liking the aesthetic, but I started thinking about what we do to our planet and realized this isn’t just a bunch of pretty pictures, this is an idea for a utopian future entrenched in equality, sustainability, environmentalism, and anti-corpocracy.

Many people say that socialism has never worked, they give reasoning such as “Income inequality expands under socialism.” Which is just capitalist projection, during the 2020 pandemic, which is still ongoing at the time or writing, the rich got richer and the poor got poorer. “. . . in the months since the virus reached the United States, many of the nation’s wealthiest citizens have actually profited handsomely. Over a roughly seven-month period starting in mid-March – a week after President Donald Trump declared a national emergency – America’s 614 billionaires grew their net worth by a collective $931 billion.” (USA Today) The middle class, which skyrocketed post-feudalism/post-monarchy has been getting erased by the ruling class, which is the goal of capitalism. Capitalism is rooted in the aristocracy or the bourgeoisie and was created to have control over the masses without having a direct economic power structure overhead. Things may have gotten better for the growing middle class and the poor marginally, then the industrial revolution kicked in and everything went downhill from there. Pollution began with burning coal, the car came along, now it’s coal and oil, and so on until today where we have access to truly world-altering technologies, but what’s holding us back are the people who continue to exploit non-renewable resources for profit and solely profit. The betterment of mankind isn’t on the mind of the capitalist, they can avoid global catastrophe, they aren’t the peasants, they’re the monarchs. Why do you think billionaires fund space travel and cryogenics research? It’s not to better the rest of the world, it’s to get the hell out of dodge after global warming takes its toll and they have no more workers willing to fill their pockets by letting their labor be exploited. As I said above, it’s up to my generation to fix the mess they made. Maybe we’ll learn a lesson, or maybe we’ll die in the process, either way the situation is dire and action needs to be taken.

Who will take action? Well, if you made it this far into the manifesto without falling asleep or getting angry at the things I have to say, it’s you, me, and everyone else who cares, is tired of selling their soul, and wants freedom. Freedom, not via the dollar, but via being human. It matters not your ethnicity, skin colour, religion (or lack thereof), sexuality, gender, or anything else; you matter, the world matters, and it takes all of us to save it.

-A manifesto by Aeron Fae Greenwood

#solarpunk #manifesto #communalism #anarchism #egalitarianism #hope for tomorrow #zerowaste #food production #praxis #socialism #revolution #written by yours truly #climate change #climate justice #climate crisis #climate activism #i ramble #anti capitalism #anti authoritarian #antifa #anti fascism #blm #eat the rich #eat the government #eat the patriarchy #take action

[littlepinksockofmine]

yells because i too was frustrated by my econ classes, kate raworth. gonna learn some stuff maybe.

“ In 1990, Raworth, now 50, arrived at Oxford University to study economics. She quickly became frustrated by the content of the lectures, she recalls over Zoom from her home office in Oxford, where she now teaches. She was learning about ideas from decades and sometimes centuries ago: supply and demand, efficiency, rationality and economic growth as the ultimate goal. “The concepts of the 20th century emerged from an era in which humanity saw itself as separated from the web of life,” Raworth says. In this worldview, she adds, environmental issues are relegated to what economists call “externalities.” “It’s just an ultimate absurdity that in the 21st century, when we know we are witnessing the death of the living world unless we utterly transform the way we live, that death of the living world is called ‘an environmental externality.’”

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One evening in December, after a long day working from home, Jennifer Drouin, 30, headed out to buy groceries in central Amsterdam. Once inside, she noticed new price tags. The label by the zucchini said they cost a little more than normal: 6¢ extra per kilo for their carbon footprint, 5¢ for the toll the farming takes on the land, and 4¢ to fairly pay workers. “There are all these extra costs to our daily life that normally no one would pay for, or even be aware of,” she says.

The so-called true-price initiative, operating in the store since late 2020, is one of dozens of schemes that Amsterdammers have introduced in recent months as they reassess the impact of the existing economic system. By some accounts, that system, capitalism, has its origins just a mile from the grocery store. In 1602, in a house on a narrow alley, a merchant began selling shares in the nascent Dutch East India Company. In doing so, he paved the way for the creation of the first stock exchange—and the capitalist global economy that has transformed life on earth. “Now I think we’re one of the first cities in a while to start questioning this system,” Drouin says. “Is it actually making us healthy and happy? What do we want? Is it really just economic growth?”

In April 2020, during the first wave of COVID-19, Amsterdam’s city government announced it would recover from the crisis, and avoid future ones, by embracing the theory of “doughnut economics.” Laid out by British economist Kate Raworth in a 2017 book, the theory argues that 20th century economic thinking is not equipped to deal with the 21st century reality of a planet teetering on the edge of climate breakdown. Instead of equating a growing GDP with a successful society, our goal should be to fit all of human life into what Raworth calls the “sweet spot” between the “social foundation,” where everyone has what they need to live a good life, and the “environmental ceiling.” By and large, people in rich countries are living above the environmental ceiling. Those in poorer countries often fall below the social foundation. The space in between: that’s the doughnut.

Marieke van Doorninck, deputy mayor for sustainability, is trying to make Amsterdam a “doughnut city” Judith Jockel—Guardian/eyevine/Redux

Amsterdam’s ambition is to bring all 872,000 residents inside the doughnut, ensuring everyone has access to a good quality of life, but without putting more pressure on the planet than is sustainable. Guided by Raworth’s organization, the Doughnut Economics Action Lab (DEAL), the city is introducing massive infrastructure projects, employment schemes and new policies for government contracts to that end. Meanwhile, some 400 local people and organizations have set up a network called the Amsterdam Doughnut Coalition—managed by Drouin— to run their own programs at a grassroots level.

It’s the first time a major city has attempted to put doughnut theory into action on a local level, but Amsterdam is not alone. Raworth says DEAL has received an avalanche of requests from municipal leaders and others seeking to build more resilient societies in the aftermath of COVID-19. Copenhagen’s city council majority decided to follow Amsterdam’s example in June, as did the Brussels region and the small city of Dunedin, New Zealand, in September, and Nanaimo, British Columbia, in December. In the U.S., Portland, Ore., is preparing to roll out its own version of the doughnut, and Austin may be close behind. The theory has won Raworth some high-profile fans; in November, Pope Francis endorsed her “fresh thinking,” while celebrated British naturalist Sir David Attenborough dedicated a chapter to the doughnut in his latest book, A Life on Our Planet, calling it “our species’ compass for the journey” to a sustainable future.

Now, Amsterdam is grappling with what the doughnut would look like on the ground. Marieke van Doorninck, the deputy mayor for sustainability and urban planning, says the pandemic added urgency that helped the city get behind a bold new strategy. “Kate had already told us what to do. COVID showed us the way to do it,” she says. “I think in the darkest times, it’s easiest to imagine another world.”

In 1990, Raworth, now 50, arrived at Oxford University to study economics. She quickly became frustrated by the content of the lectures, she recalls over Zoom from her home office in Oxford, where she now teaches. She was learning about ideas from decades and sometimes centuries ago: supply and demand, efficiency, rationality and economic growth as the ultimate goal. “The concepts of the 20th century emerged from an era in which humanity saw itself as separated from the web of life,” Raworth says. In this worldview, she adds, environmental issues are relegated to what economists call “externalities.” “It’s just an ultimate absurdity that in the 21st century, when we know we are witnessing the death of the living world unless we utterly transform the way we live, that death of the living world is called ‘an environmental externality.’”

Almost two decades after she left university, as the world was reeling from the 2008 financial crash, Raworth struck upon an alternative to the economics she had been taught. She had gone to work in the charity sector and in 2010, sitting in the open-plan office of the antipoverty nonprofit Oxfam in Oxford, she came across a diagram. A group of scientists studying the conditions that make life on earth possible had identified nine “planetary boundaries” that would threaten humans’ ability to survive if crossed, like the acidification of the oceans. Inside these boundaries, a circle colored in green showed the safe place for humans.

But if there’s an ecological overshoot for the planet, she thought, there’s also the opposite: shortfalls creating deprivation for humanity. “Kids not in school, not getting decent health care, people facing famine in the Sahel,” she says. “And so I drew a circle within their circle, and it looked like a doughnut.”

Inner Ring: Twelve essentials of life that no one in society should be deprived of; Outer Ring: Nine ecological limits of earth’s life-­supporting systems that humanity must not collectively overshoot; Sweet Spot: The space both environmentally safe and socially just where humanity can thrive Lon Tweeten for TIME

Raworth published her theory of the doughnut as a paper in 2012 and later as a 2017 book, which has since been translated into 20 languages. The theory doesn’t lay out specific policies or goals for countries. It requires stakeholders to decide what benchmarks would bring them inside the doughnut—emission limits, for example, or an end to homelessness. The process of setting those benchmarks is the first step to becoming a doughnut economy, she says.

Raworth argues that the goal of getting “into the doughnut” should replace governments’ and economists’ pursuit of never-ending GDP growth. Not only is the primacy of GDP overinflated when we now have many other data sets to measure economic and social well-being, she says, but also, endless growth powered by natural resources and fossil fuels will inevitably push the earth beyond its limits. “When we think in terms of health, and we think of something that tries to grow endlessly within our bodies, we recognize that immediately: that would be a cancer.”

The doughnut can seem abstract, and it has attracted criticism. Some conservatives say the doughnut model can’t compete with capitalism’s proven ability to lift millions out of poverty. Some critics on the left say the doughnut’s apolitical nature means it will fail to tackle ideology and political structures that prevent climate action.

Cities offer a good opportunity to prove that the doughnut can actually work in practice. In 2019, C40, a network of 97 cities focused on climate action, asked Raworth to create reports on three of its members—Amsterdam, Philadelphia and Portland—showing how far they were from living inside the doughnut. Inspired by the process, Amsterdam decided to run with it. The city drew up a “circular strategy” combining the doughnut’s goals with the principles of a “circular economy,” which reduces, reuses and recycles materials across consumer goods, building materials and food. Policies aim to protect the environment and natural resources, reduce social exclusion and guarantee good living standards for all. Van Doorninck, the deputy mayor, says the doughnut was a revelation. “I was brought up in Thatcher times, in Reagan times, with the idea that there’s no alternative to our economic model,” she says. “Reading the doughnut was like, Eureka! There is an alternative! Economics is a social science, not a natural one. It’s invented by people, and it can be changed by people.”

The new, doughnut-shaped world Amsterdam wants to build is coming into view on the southeastern side of the city. Rising almost 15 ft. out of placid waters of Lake IJssel lies the city’s latest flagship construction project, Strandeiland (Beach Island). Part of IJburg, an archipelago of six new islands built by city contractors, Beach Island was reclaimed from the waters with sand carried by boats run on low-emission fuel. The foundations were laid using processes that don’t hurt local wildlife or expose future residents to sea-level rise. Its future neighborhood is designed to produce zero emissions and to prioritize social housing and access to nature. Beach Island embodies Amsterdam’s new priority: balance, says project manager Alfons Oude Ophuis. “Twenty years ago, everything in the city was focused on production of houses as quickly as possible. It’s still important, but now we take more time to do the right thing.”

Lianne Hulsebosch, IJburg’s sustainability adviser, says the doughnut has shaped the mindset of the team, meaning Beach Island and its future neighbor Buiteneiland are more focused on sustainability than the first stage of IJburg, completed around 2012. “It’s not that every day-to-day city project has to start with the doughnut, but the model is really part of our DNA now,” she says. “You notice in the conversations that we have with colleagues. We’re doing things that 10 years ago we wouldn’t have done because we are valuing things differently.”

The city has introduced standards for sustainability and circular use of materials for contractors in all city-owned buildings. Anyone wanting to build on Beach Island, for example, will need to provide a “materials passport” for their buildings, so whenever they are taken down, the city can reuse the parts.

On the mainland, the pandemic has inspired projects guided by the doughnut’s ethos. When the Netherlands went into lockdown in March, the city realized that thousands of residents didn’t have access to computers that would become increasingly necessary to socialize and take part in society. Rather than buy new devices—which would have been expensive and eventually contribute to the rising problem of e-waste—the city arranged collections of old and broken laptops from residents who could spare them, hired a firm to refurbish them and distributed 3,500 of them to those in need. “It’s a small thing, but to me it’s pure doughnut,” says van Doorninck.

The city says the Beach Island development will prioritize balancing the needs of humans and nature Gemeente Amsterdam

The local government is also pushing the private sector to do its part, starting with the thriving but ecologically harmful fashion industry. Amsterdam claims to have the highest concentration of denim brands in the world, and that the average resident owns five pairs of jeans. But denim is one of the most resource-intensive fabrics in the world, with each pair of jeans requiring thousands of gallons of water and the use of polluting chemicals.

In October, textile suppliers, jeans brands and other links in the denim supply chain signed the “Denim Deal,” agreeing to work together to produce 3 billion garments that include 20% recycled materials by 2023—no small feat given the treatments the fabric undergoes and the mix of materials incorporated into a pair of jeans. The city will organize collections of old denim from Amsterdam residents and eventually create a shared repair shop for the brands, where people can get their jeans fixed rather than throwing them away. “Without that government support and the pressure on the industry, it will not change. Most companies need a push,” says Hans Bon of denim supplier Wieland Textiles.

Of course, many in the city were working on sustainability, social issues or ways to make life better in developing countries before the city embraced the doughnut. But Drouin, manager of Amsterdam’s volunteer coalition, says the concept has forced a more fundamental reckoning with the city’s way of life. “It has really changed people’s mindset, because you can see all the problems in one picture. It’s like a harsh mirror on the world that you face.”

Doughnut economIcs may be on the rise in Amsterdam, a relatively wealthy city with a famously liberal outlook, in a democratic country with a robust state. But advocates of the theory face a tough road to effectively replace capitalism. In Nanaimo, Canada, a city councillor who opposed the adoption of the model in December called it “a very left-wing philosophy which basically says that business is bad, growth is bad, development’s bad.”

In fact, the doughnut model doesn’t proscribe all economic growth or development. In her book, Raworth acknowledges that for low- and middle-income countries to climb above the doughnut’s social foundation, “significant GDP growth is very much needed.” But that economic growth needs to be viewed as a means to reach social goals within ecological limits, she says, and not as an indicator of success in itself, or a goal for rich countries. In a doughnut world, the economy would sometimes be growing and sometimes shrinking.

Still, some economists are skeptical of the idealism. In his 2018 review of Raworth’s book, Branko Milanovic, a scholar at CUNY’s Stone Center on Socio-Economic Inequality, says for the doughnut to take off, humans would need to “magically” become “indifferent to how well we do compared to others, and not really care about wealth and income.”

In cities that are grappling with the immediate social and economic effects of COVID-19, though, the doughnut framework is proving appealing, says Joshua Alpert, the Portland-based director of special projects at C40. “All of our mayors are working on this question: How do we rebuild our cities post-COVID? Well, the first place to start is with the doughnut.” Alpert says they have had “a lot of buy-in” from city leaders. “Because it’s framed as a first step, I think it’s been easier for mayors to say this is a natural progression that is going to help us actually move out of COVID in a much better way.”

Drouin says communities in Amsterdam also have helped drive the change. “If you start something and you can make it visible, and prove that you or your neighborhood is benefiting, then your city will wake up and say we need to support them.” In her own neighborhood, she says, residents began using parking spaces to hold dinners with their neighbors during summer, and eventually persuaded the municipality to convert many into community gardens.

Citizen-led groups focused on the doughnut that are forming in places including São Paulo, Berlin, Kuala Lumpur and California bring the potential to transform their own areas from the bottom up. “It’s powerful when you have peers inspiring peers to act: a teacher inspires another teacher, or a schoolchild inspires their class, a mayor inspires another mayor,” Raworth says. “I’m really convinced that’s the way things are going to happen if we’re going to get the transformation that we need this decade.”

COVID-19 has the potential to massively accelerate that transformation, if governments use economic-stimulus packages to favor industries that lead us toward a more sustainable economy, and phase out those that don’t. Raworth cites Milton Friedman—the diehard free-market 20th century economist—who famously said that “when [a] crisis occurs, the actions that are taken depend on the ideas that are lying around.” In July, Raworth’s DEAL group published the methodology it used to produce the “city portrait” that is guiding Amsterdam’s embrace of the doughnut, making it available for any local government to use. “This is the crisis,” she says. “We’ve made sure our ideas are lying around.”

#economics #environmentalism #doughnut economics

[shockglove76-blog]

Ukraine Kyiv Media

The word "Ukraine Kyiv information" is in fact quite correct when discussing confirming on occasions within Ukraine. It's widely recognized that almost all people in Ukraine don't actually know nearly anything in regards to what is to take place there. The bulk media generally in most places, for example the British, are likely to over-sensationalize a number of situations or areas of the nation, on the level that they distort the simple truth in order to satisfy their particular political requirements. The perfect illustration of this is the manner in which traditional western press have overstated the Maidan trend in Maidan Rectangular previous Feb ., extremely exaggerating the amount of support that the Maidan protesters got for your emerging trend and downplaying the position of far proper components inside. It really is therefore essential that those enthusiastic about confirming on occasions in Ukraine usually do not acquire themselves too significantly. Ukraine is a big land and then there are a huge selection of more compact types at the same time. Even though the nation itself is interesting, it is not a playhouse for that professional. As a result, try and avoid reporting on national politics for the nation where the national politics enjoy 2nd fiddle to economics. Ukraine as being a land has dropped in to a deeply recession. Many organisations have gone bust and without having an development within the economical situation, the government may find itself struggling to keep its brain above water. The only probable way to consider is to apply American multimedia outlets that provide professionalism and reliability when addressing international reports. However, a great deal of the skilled hit throughout the uk and US are completely inept at covering domestic news in such a way as could be ideal for the country. The multimedia by itself is just not to be criticized. It has simply been applied for days on end by people that have an axe to grind. Ukraine can be a predominantly gardening land even though most people consume traditional western weight loss plans, there exists a lot of poorer people who consume mainly eastern food products. This is basically the key to learning how this news will be covered. For example, some reports records are likely to pay attention to the disputes in Georgia and Ukraine, little if any focus is being compensated to agriculture in Ukraine. It is really an huge oversight because agriculture kinds the heart of any contemporary overall economy. American press insurance coverage of Ukraine is consequently targeted almost entirely as to what everyone want to learn about. Most articles concentrate on situations in and round the nation, instead of the lives of regular inhabitants. A popular ploy is always to assess Ukraine to Asia, to mention how the previous is "sensation the pressure" in the latter. https://www.quora.com/Is-news-important/answer/Merwys?ch=10&share=f52ad275&srid=uFGdhf This kind of content articles, while well intentioned, fail to depict the true photo of any establishing nation. As a result, the most effective useful resource for acquiring fair news is none other than independent media organizations. The Kyiv Publish is one of the greatest established and most highly regarded of the organizations. The company has reporters on the ground in Kyiv and accesses information and facts through a variety of press such as radio, television set, web and information company places. Reporters function under agreements with news agencies and acquire the data from their store.

#news

[twocubes]

Wow, that apple pi is great. Who is John Galt?

A Spectre is haunting multinational capitalism--the spectre of free information. All the powers of ``globalism'' have entered into an unholy alliance to exorcize this spectre: Microsoft and Disney, the World Trade Organization, the United States Congress and the European Commission.

Where are the advocates of freedom in the new digital society who have not been decried as pirates, anarchists, communists? Have we not seen that many of those hurling the epithets were merely thieves in power, whose talk of ``intellectual property'' was nothing more than an attempt to retain unjustifiable privileges in a society irrevocably changing? But it is acknowledged by all the Powers of Globalism that the movement for freedom is itself a Power, and it is high time that we should publish our views in the face of the whole world, to meet this nursery tale of the Spectre of Free Information with a Manifesto of our own.

Owners and Creators

Throughout the world the movement for free information announces the arrival of a new social structure, born of the transformation of bourgeois industrial society by the digital technology of its own invention.

The history of all hitherto existing societies reveals a history of class struggles.

Freeman and slave, patrician and plebeian, lord and serf, guild-master and journeyman, bourgeois and proletarian, imperialist and subaltern, in a word, oppressor and oppressed, stood in constant opposition to one another, carried on an uninterrupted, now hidden, now open fight, a fight that has often ended, either in a revolutionary re-constitution of society at large, or in the common ruin of the contending classes.

The industrial society that sprouted from the worldwide expansion of European power ushering in modernity did not do away with class antagonisms. It but established new classes, new conditions of oppression, new forms of struggle in place of the old ones. But the epoch of the bourgeoisie simplified the class antagonisms. Society as a whole seemed divided into two great hostile camps, into two great classes, directly facing each other: Bourgeoisie and Proletariat.

But revolution did not by and large occur, and the ``dictatorship of the proletariat,'' where it arose or claimed to arise, proved incapable of instituting freedom. Instead, capitalism was enabled by technology to secure for itself a measure of consent. The modern laborer in the advanced societies rose with the progress of industry, rather than sinking deeper and deeper below the conditions of existence of his own class. Pauperism did not develop more rapidly than population and wealth. Rationalized industry in the Fordist style turned industrial workers not into a pauperized proletariat, but rather into mass consumers of mass production. Civilizing the proletariat became part of the self-protective program of the bourgeoisie.

In this way, universal education and an end to the industrial exploitation of children became no longer the despised program of the proletarian revolutionary, but the standard of bourgeois social morality. With universal education, workers became literate in the media that could stimulate them to additional consumption. The development of sound recording, telephony, moving pictures, and radio and television broadcasting changed the workers' relationship to bourgeois culture, even as it profoundly altered the culture itself.

Music, for example, throughout previous human history was an acutely perishable non-commodity, a social process, occurring in a place and at a time, consumed where it was made, by people who were indistinctly differentiated as consumers and as makers. After the adoption of recording, music was a non-persishable commodity that could be moved long distances and was necessarily alienated from those who made it. Music became, as an article of consumption, an opportunity for its new ``owners'' to direct additional consumption, to create wants on the part of the new mass consuming class, and to drive its demand in directions profitable to ownership. So too with the entirely new medium of the moving picture, which within decades reoriented the nature of human cognition, capturing a substantial fraction of every worker's day for the reception of messages ordering additional consumption. Tens of thousands of such advertisements passed before the eyes of each child every year, reducing to a new form of serfdom the children liberated from tending a productive machine: they were now compulsorily enlisted in tending the machinery of consumption.

Thus the conditions of bourgeois society were made less narrow, better able to comprise the wealth created by them. Thus was cured the absurd epidemic of recurrent over-production. No longer was there too much civilisation, too much means of subsistence, too much industry, too much commerce.

But the bourgeoisie cannot exist without constantly revolutionising the instruments of production, and thereby the relations of production, and with them the whole relations of society. Constant revolutionising of production, uninterrupted disturbance of all social conditions, everlasting uncertainty and agitation distinguish the bourgeois epoch from all earlier ones. All fixed, fast-frozen relations, with their train of ancient and venerable prejudices and opinions, are swept away, all new-formed ones become antiquated before they can ossify. All that is solid melts into air.

With the adoption of digital technology, the system of mass consumer production supported by mass consumer culture gave birth to new social conditions out of which a new structure of class antagonism precipitates.

The bourgeoisie, by the rapid improvement of all instruments of production, by the immensely facilitated means of communication, draws all, even the most barbarian, nations into civilisation. The cheap prices of its commodities are the heavy artillery with which it batters down all Chinese walls, with which it forces the barbarians' intensely obstinate hatred of foreigners to capitulate. It compels all nations, on pain of extinction, to adopt its culture and its principles of intellectual ownership; it compels them to introduce what it calls civilisation into their midst, i.e., to become bourgeois themselves. In one word, it creates a world after its own image. But the very instruments of its communication and acculturation establish the modes of resistance which are turned against itself.

Digital technology transforms the bourgeois economy. The dominant goods in the system of production--the articles of cultural consumption that are both commodities sold and instructions to the worker on what and how to buy--along with all other forms of culture and knowledge now have zero marginal cost. Anyone and everyone may have the benefit of all works of culture: music, art, literature, technical information, science, and every other form of knowledge. Barriers of social inequality and geographic isolation dissolve. In place of the old local and national seclusion and self-sufficiency, we have intercourse in every direction, universal inter-dependence of people. And as in material, so also in intellectual production. The intellectual creations of individual people become common property. Modern bourgeois society with its relations of production, of exchange and of property, a society that has conjured up such gigantic means of production and of exchange, is like the sorcerer's apprentice, who is no longer able to control the powers of the nether world whom he has called up by his spells.

With this change, man is at last compelled to face with sober senses his real conditions of life, and his relations with his kind. Society confronts the simple fact that when everyone can possess every intellectual work of beauty and utility--reaping all the human value of every increase of knowledge--at the same cost that any one person can possess them, it is no longer moral to exclude. If Rome possessed the power to feed everyone amply at no greater cost than that of Caesar's own table, the people would sweep Caesar violently away if anyone were left to starve. But the bourgeois system of ownership demands that knowledge and culture be rationed by the ability to pay. Alternative traditional forms, made newly viable by the technology of interconnection, comprising voluntary associations of those who create and those who support, must be forced into unequal competition with ownership's overwhelmingly powerful systems of mass communication. Those systems of mass communication are in turn based on the appropriation of the people's common rights in the electromagnetic spectrum. Throughout the digital society the classes of knowledge workers--artists, musicians, writers, students, technologists and others trying to gain in their conditions of life by copying and modifying information--are radicalized by the conflict between what they know is possible and what the ideology of the bourgeois compels them to accept. Out of that discordance arises the consciousness of a new class, and with its rise to self-consciousness the fall of ownership begins.

The advance of digital society, whose involuntary promoter is the bourgeoisie, replaces the isolation of the creators, due to competition, by their revolutionary combination, due to association. Creators of knowledge, technology, and culture discover that they no longer require the structure of production based on ownership and the structure of distribution based on coercion of payment. Association, and its anarchist model of propertyless production, makes possible the creation of free software, through which creators gain control of the technology of further production.[1] The network itself, freed of the control of broadcasters and other bandwidth owners, becomes the locus of a new system of distribution, based on association among peers without hierarchical control, which replaces the coercive system of distribution for all music, video, and other soft goods. Universities, libraries, and related institutions become allies of the new class, interpreting their historic role as distributors of knowledge to require them to offer increasingly complete access to the knowledge in their stewardship to all people, freely. The liberation of information from the control of ownership liberates the worker from his imposed role as custodian of the machine. Free information allows the worker to invest her time not in the consumption of bourgeois culture, with its increasingly urgent invitations to sterile consumption, but in the cultivation of her mind and her skills. Increasingly aware of her powers of creation, she ceases to be a passive participant in the systems of production and consumption in which bourgeois society entrapped her.

But the bourgeoisie, wherever it has got the upper hand, has put an end to all feudal, patriarchal, idyllic relations. It has pitilessly torn asunder the motley feudal ties that bound man to his ``natural superiors,'' and has left remaining no other nexus between man and man than naked self-interest, than callous ``cash payment.'' It has drowned the most heavenly ecstasies of religious fervour, of chivalrous enthusiasm, of philistine sentimentalism, in the icy water of egotistical calculation. It has resolved personal worth into exchange value. And in place of the numberless and feasible chartered freedoms, has set up that single, unconscionable freedom--Free Trade. In one word, for exploitation, veiled by religious and political illusions, naked, shameless, direct, brutal exploitation.

Against the forthcoming profound liberation of the working classes, whose access to knowledge and information power now transcends their previous narrow role as consumers of mass culture, the system of bourgeois ownership therefore necessarily contends to its very last. With its preferred instrument of Free Trade, ownership attempts to bring about the very crisis of over-production it once feared. Desperate to entrap the creators in their role as waged consumers, bourgeois ownership attempts to turn material deprivation in some parts of the globe into a source of cheap goods with which to bribe back into cultural passivity not the barbarians, but its own most prized possession--the educated technological laborers of the most advanced societies.

At this stage the workers and creators still form an incoherent mass scattered over the whole globe, and remain broken up by their mutual competition. Now and then the creators are victorious, but only for a time. The real fruit of their battles lies, not in the immediate result, but in the ever-expanding union. This union is helped on by the improved means of communication that are created by modern industry and that place the workers and creators of different localities in contact with one another. It was just this contact that was needed to centralise the numerous local struggles, all of the same character, into one national struggle between classes. But every class struggle is a political struggle. And that union, to attain which the burghers of the Middle Ages, with their miserable highways, required centuries, the modern knowledge workers, thanks to the network, achieve in a few years.

Freedom and Creation

Not only has the bourgeoisie forged the weapons that bring death to itself; it has also called into existence the men who are to wield those weapons--the digital working class--the creators. Possessed of skills and knowledges that create both social and exchange value, resisting reduction to the status of commodity, capable collectively of producing all the technologies of freedom, such workmen cannot be reduced to appendages of the machine. Where once bonds of ignorance and geographical isolation tied the proletarian to the industrial army in which he formed an indistinguishable and disposable component, creators collectively wielding control over the network of human communications retain their individuality, and offer the value of their intellectual labor through a variety of arrangements more favorable to their welfare, and to their freedom, than the system of bourgeois ownership ever conceded them.

But in precise proportion to the success of the creators in establishing the genuinely free economy, the bourgeoisie must reinforce the structure of coercive production and distribution concealed within its supposed preference for ``free markets'' and ``free trade.'' Though ultimately prepared to defend by force arrangements that depend on force, however masked, the bourgeoisie at first attempts the reimposition of coercion through its preferred instrument of compulsion, the institutions of its law. Like the ancien régime in France, which believed that feudal property could be maintained by conservative force of law despite the modernization of society, the owners of bourgeois culture expect their law of property to provide a magic bulwark against the forces they have themselves released.

At a certain stage in the development of the means of production and of exchange, the conditions under which feudal society produced and exchanged, the feudal organisation of agriculture and manufacturing industry, in one word, the feudal relations of property became no longer compatible with the already developed productive forces; they became so many fetters. They had to be burst asunder; they were burst asunder.

Into their place stepped free competition, accompanied by a social and political constitution adapted to it, and by the economic and political sway of the bourgeois class. But ``free competition'' was never more than an aspiration of bourgeois society, which constantly experienced the capitalists' intrinsic preference for monopoly. Bourgeois property exemplified the concept of monopoly, denying at the level of practical arrangements the dogma of freedom bourgeois law inconsistently proclaimed. As, in the new digital society, creators establish genuinely free forms of economic activity, the dogma of bourgeois property comes into active conflict with the dogma of bourgeois freedom. Protecting the ownership of ideas requires the suppression of free technology, which means the suppression of free speech. The power of the State is employed to prohibit free creation. Scientists, artists, engineers and students are prevented from creating or sharing knowledge, on the ground that their ideas imperil the owners' property in the system of cultural production and distribution. It is in the courts of the owners that the creators find their class identity most clearly, and it is there, accordingly, that the conflict begins.

But the law of bourgeois property is not a magic amulet against the consequences of bourgeois technology: the broom of the sorcerer's apprentice will keep sweeping, and the water continues to rise. It is in the domain of technology that the defeat of ownership finally occurs, as the new modes of production and distribution burst the fetters of the outmoded law.

All the preceding classes that got the upper hand, sought to fortify their already acquired status by subjecting society at large to their conditions of appropriation. Knowledge workers cannot become masters of the productive forces of society, except by abolishing their own previous mode of appropriation, and thereby also every other previous mode of appropriation. Theirs is the revolutionary dedication to freedom: to the abolition of the ownership of ideas, to the free circulation of knowledge, and the restoration of culture as the symbolic commons that all human beings share.

To the owners of culture, we say: You are horrified at our intending to do away with private property in ideas. But in your existing society, private property is already done away with for nine-tenths of the population. What they create is immediately appropriated by their employers, who claim the fruit of their intellect through the law of patent, copyright, trade secret and other forms of ``intellectual property.'' Their birthright in the electromagnetic spectrum, which can allow all people to communicate with and learn from one another, freely, at almost inexhaustible capacity for nominal cost, has been taken from them by the bourgeoisie, and is returned to them as articles of consumption--broadcast culture, and telecommunications services--for which they pay dearly. Their creativity finds no outlet: their music, their art, their storytelling is drowned out by the commodities of capitalist culture, amplified by all the power of the oligopoly of ``broadcasting,'' before which they are supposed to remain passive, consuming rather than creating. In short, the property you lament is the proceeds of theft: its existence for the few is solely due to its non-existence in the hands of everyone else. You reproach us, therefore, with intending to do away with a form of property, the necessary condition for whose existence is the non-existence of any such property for the immense majority of society.

It has been objected that upon the abolition of private property in ideas and culture all creative work will cease, for lack of ``incentive,'' and universal laziness will overtake us.

According to this, there ought to have been no music, art, technology, or learning before the advent of the bourgeoisie, which alone conceived of subjecting the entirety of knowledge and culture to the cash nexus. Faced with the advent of free production and free technology, with free software, and with the resulting development of free distribution technology, this argument simply denies the visible and unanswerable facts. Fact is subordinated to dogma, in which the arrangements that briefly characterized intellectual production and cultural distribution during the short heyday of the bourgeoisie are said, despite the evidence of both past and present, to be the only structures possible.

Thus we say to the owners: The misconception that induces you to transform into eternal laws of nature and of reason, the social forms springing from your present mode of production and form of property--historical relations that rise and disappear in the progress of production--this misconception you share with every ruling class that has preceded you. What you see clearly in the case of ancient property, what you admit in the case of feudal property, you are of course forbidden to admit in the case of your own bourgeois form of property.

Our theoretical conclusions are in no way based on ideas or principles that have been invented, or discovered, by this or that would-be universal reformer. They merely express, in general terms, actual relations springing from an existing class struggle, from a historical movement going on under our very eyes.

When people speak of ideas that revolutionise society, they do but express the fact, that within the old society, the elements of a new one have been created, and that the dissolution of the old ideas keeps even pace with the dissolution of the old conditions of existence.

We, the creators of the free information society, mean to wrest from the bourgeoisie, by degrees, the shared patrimony of humankind. We intend the resumption of the cultural inheritance stolen from us under the guise of ``intellectual property,'' as well as the medium of electromagnetic transportation. We are committed to the struggle for free speech, free knowledge, and free technology. The measures by which we advance that struggle will of course be different in different countries, but the following will be pretty generally applicable:

Abolition of all forms of private property in ideas.

Withdrawal of all exclusive licenses, privileges and rights to use of electromagnetic spectrum. Nullification of all conveyances of permanent title to electromagnetic frequencies.

Development of electromagnetic spectrum infrastructure that implements every person's equal right to communicate.

Common social development of computer programs and all other forms of software, including genetic information, as public goods.

Full respect for freedom of speech, including all forms of technical speech.

Protection for the integrity of creative works.

Free and equal access to all publicly-produced information and all educational material used in all branches of the public education system.

By these and other means, we commit ourselves to the revolution that liberates the human mind. In overthrowing the system of private property in ideas, we bring into existence a truly just society, in which the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all.

 — Eben Moglen, January 2003, The dotCommunist Manifesto

#Anonymous

[kurtblogs]

Kurt's Blog

Hi my name is kurt paul L perez and im 17 years old,When i grow up i would like to be a biologist or a wildlife researcher

I see our community as a cheerful and a hardworking community however their are times we are often ignorant and greedy on our acts.As a student i would raise awareness by spreading the proper knowledge on our current social issues so that people will be woke with the current issues and how we can work together in order to fix it.

Reflection paper.

Significance and scope

1)This issue matters to me kse usto ko lng na talaga umunlad ang philipinas sa hirap at para ren may mga trabaho na ang mga walang trabaho at di na magugutom ang mga tao ulit.

2)The people because we depend on it on our everyday life and this is were we get our expenses.

3)this issue started at the 1990 when we stopped focusing on our agricultural practises.

Connections

1)This issue did not change people are still blind and did not mind the fact that we could become rich and powerful if we would just trust in our own agricultural powers and resources and that we would not need to depend on other countries for their help.

2)If we would not do anything about it the philipines would just depend much more on exported goods rather than making and importing the things we could make and do.

3)This is connected to everything because if we just trusted in our agricultural practises like before our economy would prosper and this could have an huge impact on the philipines just because we are good at farming and making rice.

4)Yes it is cause agricultural before is our source of income and that is the thing that boosted our country before but it changed just because of people now a days are buying exported products.

5)Its a problem cause farmers are now struggling just to make a living everyday because philipinos buy exported rice from other country's rather than on supporting our's.

6)This is a problem if we don't do anything our local farmers would go hungry and would not earn any money.

Reflection

1)I feel sad because our government did not noticed this and did anything because that we could make quality rice more than any country could because that is the best thing we do and that our land is rich with minerals,I just felt really dissapointed also because they could have done something just by selling our own rice to other countries and eating our locally made food.

2)We could have prevented this from happening this from the start if we just trusted and that we should not depend on other countries for their rice and other products.by now if we did not stopped making and selling our own rice the philipines today is very prosperous and that everyone would have a job.

First trime exam

Family disaster vid link.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RQflysr1ZMIbPKqDbx80fgx0155icAm3shvFeeIaRnw/edit?usp=drivesdk

Second trime SA 1

SS SA#1

So the COVID-19 pandemic previously began at Wuhan at a wet commercial center from defiled

bats or different creatures that are on the lookout and that individuals are beginning to get

tainted individually from the infection until it spread worldwide from transportation, canned

products, conveyances, creatures, and from the ordinary items we contact. In any case, I accept

that this should be a bioweapon that china was trying and was made within a lab in Wuhan

where they made the infection and tried it to individuals on what could the impacts be

nevertheless nobody knows reality with regards to it however we likewise should be cautious on

what we eat to ensure that it is truly consumable and appropriately cleaned before serving or

eating it to keep getting any sort of disorder from it.

The Coronavirus pandemics truly did an enormous effect on us monetarily as well as in any

conceivable manner, our economy truly dropped drastically yet now is gradually turning out to

be ordinary again.this also did a very huge impact on our health because old and young kids

tend to be more susceptible to the virus because of weak or weakened immune systems and

that all of us need to do a mandatory quarantine when we go back to the philippines and a swab

test to see weather they are positive or negative once they got their results if they are negative

they would travel and go to other places if not they are going to be forced for self quarantine.

The safety of the filipinos is in-danger because we tend to not be serious at this pandemic only

from the start and that people now are being not aware that the covid pandemic is still here and

is very active and we tend to not mind it anymore by going outside and not wearing a mask and

going into huge gatherings like going to the mall and party celebrations. Even tho we are

protected by wearing masks and "social distancing" we can't deny the fact that the covid it over

because when you look at how many filipinos are infected it is already at the 300000 plus and

even going up even more slowly but surely if we don't do anything about this in no time we

would reach 1millon people that are infected at the philippines from this virus,to be honest the

government is not doing that much to help stop the covid pandemic.they are not putting more

efforts into our healthcare instead they had the money to improve manila bay instead of

spending it for our healthcare helping people. And funding more hospital beds or places where

people are infected could stay first.the citizens are helping as much by giving relief goods for the

people who could not get out of their places and by donating money to the hospitals to further

improve their healthcare.the ongoing developments on helping the pandemic ease is slow but is

working,by mass testing and giving people loan or money to the people to help finance their

everyday needs,for me all we need to to is full cooperation and trust on the government

hopefully that they would take this pandemic very seriously and help us rise again from the

pandemic and to be covid free for us to have a normal life again.

Editorial cartoon and writing about duterte's Administration.

BRAIN DRAIN.

Every Filipino medical professional knows the statistics. In recent years, this Southeast Asian

nation has ranked number one for exporting nurses and number two for sending doctors

overseas, according to the University of the Philippines in Manila.

Between 2004 and 2010, nearly 72 000 Filipino nurses were newly employed or rehired abroad,

according to data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration. The latest specific

numbers date back to 2008, when then-health secretary Francisco Duque estimated that 85% of

Filipino nurses were working in Western countries, while 70% of Filipinos were dying without

medical attention — a death rate not seen since the 1970s.

But Kenneth Ronquillo, director of the Health Human Resource Development Bureau of the

Department of Health, says the much-reported brain drain is, in fact, a myth.

“In terms of absolute doctors and nurses, the Philippines has always had an ample supply,” he

says.

And in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis, the Philippines may actually be facing the

opposite problem — a surplus — as a result of the fall in overseas demand. In mid-2011, the

Philippine Nurses Association warned that 287 000 nurses in this country of 90 million people

were either unemployed or lacking sufficient hours.

The other key concern has been that, too often, the best-qualified and best-trained doctors and

nurses are the ones who leave. Though overseas demand has, conversely, raised domestic

standards, says Ronquillo.

“The international community preference for our experienced nurses has led to higher

expenditures for training and development of fresh, local graduates,” he says, adding that

Western countries typically require two to three years prior experience.

The real problem in the Philippines, says Ronquillo, is that money is not being spent to make

sure that medical human resources are spread equitably across this archipelago nation; remote

areas are not only lacking doctors and nurses, but also hospitals and clinics.

So first of all i just wanted to point out that the main reason for this is low salary and on how

much we don't look at the naturally talented ones with the proper education because on how

some families don't have the sufficient money to help their sons to go onto proper education and

that itself is just wasted potential and that only the smart and talented doctors are almost all

overseas because of the high pay and lots of benefits for me its a waste cause we need them

here more. However due to the low pay and less benefits they rather work abroad and that the

cause of these is the government they don't give them a rise when they are the one of the most

important people we need for me lastly is that i hope that the government would do something

abt this cause for me this is just a huge waste on professional doctors because it would really

help us even now, because of the pandemic,

Sources:pssc.org.ph › Papers › Brain ...PDF

Brain Drain in the Philippines* Fact and Figures on the Drain - Philippine Social Science Council

CONTRACTUALIZATION

There are many companies in the Philippines who have resorted to hiring people on a

contractual basis even if they are working on regular, ongoing tasks like normal employees

would in a company. As a result, these non-regular employees are deprived of the opportunity to

get secure, long-term employment. In most cases, they also do not receive the employee

benefits due them.

What is “endo?”

Endo is a colloquial term coined from shortening the phrase, “end-of-contract.” Here in our

country, employers are required to regularize employees after six (6) months of working for the

company, so some companies try to game the system by means of only hiring workers for a

maximum of five (5) months. The governing law regarding this matter is detailed under Article

281 of the Labor Code of the Philippines, which reads:

Probationary employment shall not exceed six (6) months from the date the employment.In most cases, they also do not receive the employee

benefits due them.

What is “endo?”

Endo is a colloquial term coined from shortening the phrase, “end-of-contract.” Here in our

country, employers are required to regularize employees after six (6) months of working for the

company, so some companies try to game the system by means of only hiring workers for a

maximum of five (5) months. The governing law regarding this matter is detailed under Article

281 of the Labor Code of the Philippines.

8)Second trime exam

) The issue is about ladies segregation and sexual orientation separation that they generally

consider ladies or and others in unexpected sex in comparison to they couldn't dominate same

as men do and that ladies or others of another sex consistently have been peered down

grinding away and are constantly tormented and annoyed. It's not generally men who are

predominant they generally imagine that they are prevalent than ladies since they think they are

more grounded and we ladies are powerless, well truth be told we are altogether equivalent.

With regards to the work environment, there is a much more grounded sense among the public

that the battleground is lopsided, still a disparity in compensation for people during a similar

occupation which is a demonstration of sex separation in the work environment. Sex

segregation is characterized as bias or separation dependent on a person's sexual orientation.

Sexual orientation balance is achieved when people can get to and appreciate equivalent. With

regards to the work environment, there is a much more grounded sense among the public that

the battleground is lopsided, still a disparity in compensation for people during a similar

occupation which is a demonstration of sex separation in the work environment. Sex

segregation is characterized as bias or separation dependent on a person's sexual orientation.

Sexual orientation balance is achieved when people can get to and appreciate equivalent prizes

and openings independent of their sex. Different nations have gained generous ground

concerning sex balance in ongoing periods. On the other hand, ladies actually persevere

through less compensation.

2) The difficulty that has caused this is that men's voice consistently pondered giving ladies the

simpler activities at work since they figure ladies couldn't find men doing the things they

accomplish in their work. Also, that the impact is that men regularly consider fewer ladies in light

of this that on the off chance that they are given a similar undertaking as to the men they

couldn't do it or do it as same as them. Large numbers of the state laws presently set up are

comparative in nature to government social liberties laws yet may offer extra assurance against

work related separation. Practically all states have received segregation laws identified with

work, with security against separation dependent on different elements, for example, race,

sexual orientation, age, conjugal status, public beginning, religion, or handicap.

The parts of government that are resolving this issue is the branch of equity that expresses

that any sort of separation or harassment of various sexes isn't permitted and you could be

placed into prison for segregating anybody regardless of the sex nor race of the person in

question is in no means are in effect yet appeared or improvement however for me I would

solve is to treat everybody the same and to never peer down on their gender, race nor

monetarily and that they base them on their skills, hard work and outlook on their work as

opposed to being one-sided based by the sex.

Research output about political dynasty

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1C1tVLv3jJ6znLxdPTqnJdGigmP5fSNsRFbFwLFx8Ebs/edit?usp=sharing

Article bill of rights.

On automatic review is a decision of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Bogo, Cebu, Branch 61,

finding appellant Dindo "Bebot" Mojello guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of rape with

homicide defined and penalized under Article 335 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by

Republic Act No. 7659, and sentencing him to the supreme penalty of death.1

Appellant Dindo Mojello, alias "Bebot" was charged with the crime of rape with homicide in an

Information dated May 22, 1997, as follows That on the 15th day of December 1996, at about

11:00 o'clock in the evening, at Sitio Kota, Barangay Talisay, Municipality of Santa Fe, Province

of Cebu, Philippines and within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, the above-named

accused, moved by lewd design and by means of force, violence and intimidation, did then and

there willfully, unlawfully and feloniously succeed in having carnal knowledge with Lenlen Rayco

under twelve (12) years of age and with mental deficiency, against her will and consent, and by

reason and/or on the occasion thereof, purposely to conceal the most brutal act and in

pursuance of his criminal design, the above-named accused, did then and there willfully,

unlawfully and feloniously with intent to kill, treacherously and employing personal violence,

attack, assault and kill the victim Lenlen Rayco, thereby inflicting upon the victim wounds on the

different parts of her body which caused her death.On January 21, 1999, the trial court rendered

judgment finding appellant

guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of rape with homicide, and sentencing him tosuffer

the death penalty. From the facts found by the court a quo, it appears that on December 15,

1996, at or around 9:00 p.m., Rogelio Rayco was having some drinks with agroup which

included Roger Capacito and his wife and the spouses Borah and Arsolin Illustrismo at the

Capacito residence located at Barangay Talisay, Sta. Fe, Cebu. Rogelio Rayco left the group to

go home about an hour later. On his way home, he saw his niece, Lenlen Rayco, with appellant

Dindo Mojello, a nephew of Roger Capacito, walking together some thirty meters away towards

the direction of Sitio Kota. Since he was used to seeing them together on other occasions, he

did not find anything strange about this. He proceeded to his house. On December 16, 1996,

between 5:00 to 6:00 a.m., the Rayco family was informed that the body of Lenlen was found at

the seashore of Sitio Kota. Rogelio Rayco immediately proceeded to the site and saw the

lifeless, naked and bruised body of his niece. Rogelio was devastated by what he saw. A

remorse of conscience enveloped him for his failure to protect his niece. He even attempted to

take his own life several days after the incident. Appellant was arrested at Bantayan while

attempting to board a motor launch bound for Cadiz City. On an investigation conducted by

SPO2 Wilfredo Giducos, he admitted that he was the perpetrator of the dastardly deed.

Appellant was assisted by Atty. Isaias Giduquio during his custodial interrogation. His

confession was witnessed by Barangay Captains Wilfredo Batobalanos and Manolo Landao.

Batobalanos testified that after it was executed,

Newsletter.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1o1WYl_P1h4yEfohWuAqLrU-M_fTtD5m8rjE5svY14JY/edit?usp=sharing

Final exam.

Definition of extrajudicial killing is when a government official is involved in an incident when they kill a person without sanction of any legal process.The usual targets are: political,trade union,dissident,religious.The well known example is a grade 11 Senior high school named Kian Loyd Delos Santos.

He was killed in Caloocan City.And the police claim that Delos Santos was involved in a drug operation in the place,and then they said that the victim was a drug runner and fired at him with a .45 caliber pistol during the incident.But the eyewitness said that they saw the policeman dragged Delos Santos in the dark alley,and shot him three times,leaving his body in a pen for pigs.Both PAO and NBI filed murder charges to those officers involved in the Delos Santos incident.Two days later a similar case also in Caloocan city also there was a teenager named Arnaiz 18 year old,and a former student in the University of the Philippines.Police claimed that the victim was robbing a taxi driver,and automatically shot him.According to Dr Edwin Erfe,chief of the Public Attorney’s Office forensic laboratory services,found in their autopsy that Arnaiz has deep abrasion and marks of showing he was handcuffed,dragged and severely beaten.De Guzman,Arnaiz’s last known companion,was found in a creek in Gapan Nueva Ecija province on September five.It was quite unclear how De Guzman Really died.After the forensics examination it showed that De Guzman has been stabbed 26 times, the knife pierce to his lungs and heart.According to Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre III,that some wounds Deguzman gain ,and indicated that the killers continue stabbing the victim even he already died.According to Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency,4,948 suspected drug users and dealers died during police operations from July 1,2016 to September 30,2018.They do not include the others who was killed by “unidentified gunman”.Philippine National Police claim 22,980 deaths since “war on drugs”.And began to be classified as “homicides under investigation”.his law has to stop,because it doesn't give a chance to the drug pushers and dealers to have a second chance to restart all over again ,and to those who were brutally murdered the innocent should be removed from their duty to set an example to not make the same mistake twice.

Speech link.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mRL773R5FDE-zqVzDfUPve9YuIg_vssj/view?usp=drivesdk

[astroseri]

“Harvest” Moon 🌾 in Aries (Full Moon)

on Oct. 1st 2020, 9:05pm UT

What is a harvest full moon?

The harvest moon is the name given to the full Moon that takes place closest to the autumn equinox.

It is called a harvest moon because the Moon is particularly bright and rises early. In the past, this allowed farmers to extend their working day and work by the light of the extra-bright Moon, gathering crops to prepare for the winter months - hence 'harvest'.

Numerology of this Full Moon: 6

Takes Place In Aries 🐏

Part 1. What you will manifest during this time...

☉ Sun - In full moon charts, it opposes the moon. It shows the seeds we planted at some point in the past, that are now bearing fruit (indicated by position of moon). The sun is in its own house (5), so rewards and karma from all previous actions now manifest. Leo—the Sun’s sign—being in the fourth house asks if you have been living, speaking and acting out of integrity rather than others’ values. How have you spoken or acted? If it has been out of integrity rather than ego, or fitting in out of fear then you will be particularly blessed during this period. Do you perform or make entertainment? Influencers with personal integrity and unconventional messages will receive increased fame, influence and recognition.

Any acts of service to others will also be rewarded. 5th in virgo. And... Have you been critical of society and others, instead of always blindly following along (virgo)? You will be rewarded for being discerning and living in alignment with your truth.

☽ Moon in Aries - We are reaping physical gains, status and achievement—11th house. Those acting out of integrity shine in the eyes of others now. Achievements will be public and material in nature—significator in 2nd from 11. They will involve individuality and breaking free from structure—saturn in 11th from 11. Major achievement and gains are possible. The results of our previous actions and public expressions will now manifest. There will be acts of individuality and breaking free from the system of accepted reality. Values not ever before publicly expressed will now be expressed. it Will seem offensive and distasteful to some who are stuck in old paradigms, but admirable to others. Nonetheless this full moon will trigger many people’s insecurities, because the moon is conjunct chiron. Ultimately, public expressions of change, innovation and individuality will be therapeutic to others.

This is a good time for creativity and putting into the physical, your dreams and ideals. On the other hand, Anger and frustration are high and if you don’t find an outlet they will escape negatively. Unfortunately, This will be the expression for most people.

Done.

Now... I wrote specific insights into what energies will happen in society if you’d like read on..

Part 2.

—————The State of Society ————

Ok. Now the State of Society...

♅ Rx in the 12th: A need to break Away - Rebellion and structural disruption will be an unconscious expression of material needs and values. Since uranus is retrograde, a need for rebellion and individuality will be magnified and will be expressed impulsively rather than consciously. These disruptive expressions will be subconsciously motivated, possibly by fear. On the positive spectrum this energy will be used for unconventional creations, individuality and forms of self-expression.

♄ in the 9th: The Nature of our Gains & Achievements - Achievements and gains for those living in integrity will be—9th—large. There will be gains in status and influence. New faces of change will be born (influencers, innovators, advocates). Despite this, traditional structures and reality will remain firm... More firm than ever. Saturn will be stationary and very strong... Though structure stands strong and begins to assert itself more than ever, this transit will make many aware of how reliant we are on structures and belief systems that can ultimately fail us. And that ultimately we become trapped in them when the time comes to rely on ourselves. This period is a (final) warning to break free from structural ordinance and dependence.

♂Rx in the 11th: Inability to Act. Causes Hoarding of Resources - the desire will be to achieve material aspirations and goals, especially independent of the current structure. This will feel restricted if the world seems to stagnate and the economy falters. There may be a sense of inaction or helplessness because we are too dependent on current structures, our economy and governments.

The manifestation of this blocked desire to break free will be to impulsively hoard material things and resources out of fear. There will be some hoarding of goods and food (Ascendant at 29° Taurus). And a sensed urgency to acquire resources. This will likely be out of fear.

Authorities become very helpful - Since both saturn and capricorn are in the 9th (benefic). The authorities become very auspicious. Government will start relief programs to distribute food, money and resources to individuals in need. There will even be government subsidized food provisions.

These efforts by authority will be very effective at treating the symptoms of broken society. Unfortunately this will not fix the underlying causes of dysfunction and many people will become dependent on the relief; this further limits their self-sufficiency and ability to act autonomously in the future. (Saturn square Mars!!!)

This phenomenon is intentional. This is pretty dark but the motivation behind these “helpful” efforts by authorities will be to exert more control and power over the population. (8th in sagittarius + jupiter in 8th). There are strings attached and insidious motives behind these apparent “reliefs” and “stimulus”. Quality of life does not improve. Later, dependency on relief will happen and authorities exert more control over their dependents (through the form of regulations). Remember these wise words: Nothing comes free.

Asc. @ 29° Taurus: Desperate State of Affairs (Resources and Money) - Major upsets and instability in values and resources are indicated. 29 degree placements indicate urgency, extremities, impending conclusions and culminations of energy, perhaps even an inabilty to have foresight or to settle. Taurus is the sign of money, values and resources. I expect the stock market will peak off around October 1st and suffer large dips and instability. The government will maintain a sense of structure but there will generally be huge falls economically.. This harvest moon’s climate says now is a final time to Harvest any and all forms of gains and resources that you will need for the coming winter.

♀Venus, the Chart Ruler: Our Money, Food Supply and Resources - individuals will accumulate food, wealth, resources and value in the home—venus in the 4th. Also this manifests to putting more focus and value into the family and securing stability rather than increasing the career, reputation and work ambitions which become more of an afterthought. venus is ALSO at the anaretic degree—29° of leo (in addition to being square to the 29° ascendant!!!) There absolutely will be HOARDING, and SHORTAGES. An Extreme cumulation of energy on resources and an inability to settle. Venus In Leo is showing the shortages will be a result of impulsive action, conflict, anger, competition. self-centerdness and perhaps battle. (it is 5th from ARIES). The outcome will be expressed as structural and business shortages. (5th from leo is capricorn). This will only spiral, as venus is trine the retrograde mars which indicates accumulation of resources as well. There is a grand trine between venus, mars and the south node (each of which are indicating a need to secure oneself). I am convinced there will be shortages starting around Oct. 1st. Stock up now.

☊ In gemini + 1st house: The Key to Thriving these Times - North Node is telling us to be self-reliant in our thinking. To be independent thinkers. And to be absolutely discerning especially when it comes to values.. Ask yourself “What matters to me?” It is not a time to look at what everyone else values (or is potentially buying in hoards) because you will only feed into confusion. It is not a time to try to control things and people, or to feel lack. You have to be discerning and analyze what is psychologically driving everyone’s values. It will give you insight into your own subconscious reactions and thus get a grasp on the reality that values are whatever YOU choose.

Collectively, there are indications of confusion around values, and of an inability for people to discern the significances of material things. Perhaps the dollar will lose it strength. Perhaps resources will become more critical than currencies. This will exacerbate desperation, but ultimately it emphasizes a need for spiritual detachment and to become more self-conscious rather than competing like rats. That is the intended lesson and cure.

☊ is traditionally known as Rahu, the “dragon’s head”. People become all-consuming in the area it occupies in their charts. One can never get enough of that particular thing. With it being in the 1st house and close to the 2nd cusp, there will be extreme selfish, indulgent energy in some people... Perhaps to the point of theft and trickery (gemini). People will never feel like they’ve accumulated enough materials in accordance to their self-interest.

Rahu, The “Dragon’s head” is ideally a guide for the soul but must be approached from an awareness of intrinsic wholeness. Then it stops consuming and manifesting negatively. In general, people are not that conscious. so There will be a seemingly all-consuming material lack in the collective and this will manifest very intensely and destructively —> Ketu is near the 8th house ♏️👿🏃🏾

Ironically, it is a good time to give instead of take, especially in one’s community. Exchange is favored. Good karma will come. It is a good time to discuss material values, to create art and music, and even to share resources within one’s community.

Summary 📝

Those who have been living in integrity around others will thrive during this period. They will make gains in influence and status. Speaking unconventional thoughts. New influencers, musicians, creators and advocates will gain popularity and relevance. Food Shortages and Material Turbulence are guaranteed. Government structures step in to provide sustenance, but there are strings attached (Dependency, Control & Submission).

Dependency to fallen structures/governments will be the outcome for those who are not living out of integrity or who haven’t been critical of others and society.

☋ in sagittarius - Time to “Let Go” instead of Seeking More: - Ketu here shows There is a need for spiritual detachment and instead focusing on giving. Ketu is exalted here. It signifies letting go and achieving what some call “moksha”. People born with this aspect usually have achieved some form of spiritual satisfaction and enlightenment in past lives. They no longer “seek” in current lives but rather give, and their focus is on experiencing their immediate surroundings.

It is in the 7th: it is time to focus on oneself rather than the actions of others.

It is time to let go of any “lack” mindset, of external desires and of a need to take things through power struggles. Instead time to create value of your own (creations and planting seeds), and indulge in your own possessions and creations.

Lastly, Ketu is trine to venus, the chart’s ruler... Trine is an auspicious aspect. Spiritually letting go, and focusing on the immediate experience around you (gemini) and your own value, especially your personal integrity and your family will bring fantastic results despite the extreme climate around resources.

Thanks for Reading!

- @astroseri

#2020 horoscope #october horoscope #astrology transit #astrology forecast #north node #full moon in aries #seri the lover #astro seri #astro notes #full moon #october 2020 horoscope #planetarytransit

[honeyrose-tea]

this has been a strange start to the new year for sure. how are you doing? what did you think of the situation in the capitol? any thoughts or worries about the rest of the month? I'm curious to hear your thoughts on everything. -🌙

thank you so much for the ask💞 almost every day I check my inbox anticipating the next time I'll hear from you. just knowing that someone cares.... it really does a lot for my self-esteem. I don't have many friends right now and the few I do are very busy and have a lot of things they would rather do than talk to me. thank you for making time to listen to me and ask me how I'm doing. you wouldn't believe how many people don't. I haven't always been the most consistent presence for you and I'm sorry. I'm trying to do better and be less selfish because I know how it feels to be on the receiving end of that. thank you for always being kind to me, pen pal.

there is a lot I want to say regarding the capitol and the situation in the country in general. as a social science student (and hopefully one day a professor!) these situations are of great academic interest to me. as a bisexual woman and an informed US citizen who cares about my rights I am also very personally vested in American issues. but first I would like to tackle your question regarding how I'm doing:)

I'm doing pretty good. classes have started back up but most of mine are online. I'm thinking of switching to online exclusively because of how much emotional (and sometimes physical) labor in-person classes are, and also for the sake of my health and my parents'. it's funny how so many things we did with ease before the pandemic seem so burdensome now. even small interactions are anxiety-inducing now, and I find myself having a hard time socializing even casually. like a muscle that has atrophied without use, my social skills are awful now. on a happier note, my productivity and creativity are both at all-time highs since social interactions aren't using up all my energy anymore. I brought my record player to my dorm room and I've been listening to a bunch of music, I've also been writing and recording some music of my own. I have a couple of demos and if you or anyone else is interested, I'll post them on here. once I record and edit full band versions I'll put them up on my soundcloud. I've tried sharing some of my stuff with some friends but none of them really care and I don't want to annoy them. besides, it's more for myself anyway. I wang to prove to myself that I can make music and that I can say something worth saying. a lot of my struggle over the past 6 months has been that I feel as though nothing I do or say can change anything, that none of my actions matter. I struggle a lot with control and I've been working on it for years, but it's still really hard for me. anyway. I'm enjoying class and what I do outside of it. I've been in my element living alone again (in my dorm) and feeling free to wear/do/say what I want, when I want. I wash my dishes and sing to myself and manage my time and drink lots of artificially sweetened and heavily flavored coffee without anyone around to judge me. and I get to cry and masturbate when I want, both of which are helpful in regulating my moods. I don't know. it's not like I'm doing anything exciting, but I am doing each thing I do well and with a happy heart. I feel like this portion of my life is something of a hibernation- the winter seasons combined with the pandemic have me in a cozy little daydream, reading and self-reflecting and getting back in tune with myself and my passions. I have a feeling that the spring and summer will be very vibrant bustling months so I am trying to enjoy my rest and soak in as much knowledge about myself and the world around me as I can. it's hard for me to live in the present and not get antsy (connected to control issues, I think) but I'm getting better at it. on the subject of the future, I've also been using this time to look into grad school and prepare for the GRE (a standardized test required for most grad school applications, similar to the ACT/SAT). I'm learning a lot that I didn't know since neither of my parents went further than undergrad, and I'm getting excited. I'm really looking forward to doing research. I've already been collecting some thesis ideas for an undergraduate-level thesis that I have to complete next year for the honors college, and hopefully I can turn that into a masters and/or PHD thesis when the time comes. now, on to more important matters than my silly little life.

I have very complicated feelings about america. I do have some attachment to some of the original ideas that are at the foundation- "bring me your huddled masses...", "all men are created equal", the general spirit of democracy, etc.- all of these are valid and worth keeping (in some form) to me. I think a lot of good people and ideas exist around us and I believe that we must be as empathetic and kind as possible to one another in order to navigate the current climate and preserve the good that we do have. that said, america was also founded on some pretty terrible, bigoted principles and our history- as well as our present- is marred by injustices. our society has become highly individualistic because of capitalism, and it has resulted in considerable division on every level. the competition that fuels capitalism is like an invasive species of plant, it does not only exist within our economy but it slithers out into our social world and the way we relate to others. I think capitalism coupled with our post-enlightenment founding is the source of most all of our problems as a country. capitalism has taken root in america in a way more malicious and all-consuming than in any other culture, because it was there at the beginning of our country and all of our social norms have grown out of it. many other cultures have existed long before capitalism and though it has modified their culture, it has not altogether become it. because america was founded on capitalism, we have no cultural identity outside of it. america is, itself, capitalism. that is precisely why america is experiencing all of the best and worst parts of capitalism at their most extreme. it is why, as I mentioned previously, we are perhaps the most divisive and competitive society in the modern world, and probably in history. we are the richest and most powerful country but we have the largest wealth gap and incarceration rate, among many other extremes.

all of this is to say that the rise of Trump and fascism in this country has been a long time coming, and unmistakably inevitable. to defeat it we will have to break america down to its fundamentals, throw out everything that is unethical and unjust, and rebuild our entire society from there. this is radical and hard to imagine, it will also be very difficult to execute, but I strongly believe that much of our societal systems just cannot be reformed, they must be thrown out and replaced.

the capitol riots were inexcusable and sickening but decidedly inevitable. this has been steadily building for america's entire existence. I think it will get worse before it gets better, as there are already plans for bigger and more numerous protests across the country in the following weeks. that said, I feel hopeful as I see the anti-fascist movement grow in the wake of fascism, I am hopeful as I see many people being radicalized and awakened to the realities of this country's failings. I don't know how exactly we will even begin to rid ourselves of the biases, prejudices, and downright hatred that plagues our country. I don't know how we will relate on an individual level to those with such deeply-ingrained hate in their hearts. I don't know how we will change our systems of government and economy to reflect new cultural values that we begin to build together. I am not sure what the future will hold. I do believe, however, that we will triumph over this moment and that the future will be better. I think that the only way to radically change and unite so many vastly different people and remove the blinders from their eyes is through a terrible, historic awakening like the one we are having now. the situation itself is awful, but I am hopeful that out of this mess we become a nation more committed to justice and to some of the ideals which we have falsely claimed to be emulating for our entire history.

so yes, I am worried about the next few weeks, months, and even years. there is no end to the pursuit of a just society, and I think every informed citizen is always a bit apprehensive about certain aspects of their culture. there will always be problems to combat and injustices to rectify, but I think that we will soon be moving to a better place, that we will remember these moments and say, "never again". I am hopeful, despite seeing some of the worst of humanity in recent days, that these atrocities will bring positive change.

I know that was long and instead of discussing issues about the capitol, or even just current political issues, I expanded the scope considerably and dragged in a lot of things from history and grander sociopolitical theories. still, I think it is hard to talk about the insurrection attempt without talking about a lot more. thank you for reading my takes and caring about them. I spend a lot of time thinking about these things, and it feels nice to share them with someone other than my annoyed professors who want me to shut up so they can finish the lecture and stick to their semester schedule.

I hope you're well and that you're staying safe and healthy. are you in school now too? have you or your family had the virus? thank you for coming to talk to me, I always enjoy it. I'll talk to you again soon💞

#pen pal