Anne arundel county public schools address

AACo News, Information, Discussion, & Photos.

2017.08.28 05:33 AACo News, Information, Discussion, & Photos.

For those that live, work in, travel through, or enjoy Anne Arundel County, MD and what it has to offer.
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2008.10.20 23:39 Maryland

A community for redditors residing in or otherwise interested in the State of Maryland, USA.
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2008.06.11 14:35 Charm City

Subreddit for Baltimore, Maryland.
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2023.05.28 13:52 BigTute Interested Parties: Something is Missing

CM/ECF NOTICE OF ELECTRONIC FILING
The following persons/entities were sent notice through the court's CM/ECF electronic mail (Email) system on May 25, 2023 at the address(es) listed below:
Only 15 non-CreditoDebtor interested parties (several duplicates like UBS and HCP account for another 7). Mostly law firms, Banks, Advisors, and Brokers. Not one is Big Pharma. A couple of obscure firms. Link to filing below.
on behalf of Creditor Emas Pharma Limited (d/b/a Bionical Emas) [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of U.S. Trustee US Trustee [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Creditor Committee Official Committee of Equity Securities Holders [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Interested Party HSBC Bank USA National Association [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Creditor Oracle America Inc. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]), [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])[,[email protected]](mailto:,[email protected])
on behalf of Defendant JB Pacific Inc. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]), [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Creditor Frontier Clinical Research LLC [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Creditor Fisher Scientific Company LLC [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Creditor CRB Builders LLC [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]), [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])
on behalf of Creditor Zhenwei David Miao [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Creditor Gang Gary Chen [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Creditor WestAir Gases & Equipment Inc. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]), [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Debtor Sorrento Therapeutics Inc. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Debtor Sorrento Therapeutics Inc. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]), [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])
on behalf of Interested Party FMR LLC [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Interested Party National Financial Services LLC [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Broker Robinhood Securities LLC [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of U.S. Trustee US Trustee [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Interested Party Robert Half International Inc [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])
on behalf of Interested Party Protiviti Inc. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])
on behalf of Creditor Bank of America N.A. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Other Prof. Fortis Advisors As Representative [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]), [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])
on behalf of Creditor The Scripps Research Institute [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])
on behalf of Creditor Synova Pesquisa Cientifica LTDA [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])
on behalf of Interested Party Digisino Technology Ltd. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]), [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])
on behalf of Interested Party EASTGATE BEND TWO [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Creditor PCI Pharma Services [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Interested Party Jolene Wise United States Securities & Exchange Commission [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Interested Party Jon Gauthier [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Interested Party HCP Life Science Estates Inc. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]), [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])
on behalf of Interested Party HCP University Center West LLC [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])
on behalf of Interested Party HCP Life Science REIT Inc. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]), [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])
on behalf of Creditor Committee Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Creditor TDC Northridge LLC [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]), [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Interested Party Explora Biolabs Inc. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected]);[email protected] [urn.com;[email protected]](mailto:urn.com;[email protected])
on behalf of Interested Party Charles River Laboratories Inc. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]), [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected]);[email protected] [urn.com;[email protected]](mailto:urn.com;[email protected])
on behalf of Debtor Scintilla Pharmaceuticals Inc. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]), [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])
on behalf of Debtor Sorrento Therapeutics Inc. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]), [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])
on behalf of Interested Party Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Creditor Koenig Oelsner, Taylor, Schoenfeld & Gaddis PC [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]), [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Creditor TriLink BioTechnologies LLC [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Debtor Sorrento Therapeutics Inc. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Debtor Sorrento Therapeutics Inc. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]), [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])
on behalf of Interested Party UBS Financial Services [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Interested Party UBS Securities LLC [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Interested Party Nomura International Trust Company [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Interested Party ABN AMRO Clearing USA LLC [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Interested Party UBS AG [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Interested Party Interactive Brokers LLC [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Debtor Sorrento Therapeutics Inc. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])
on behalf of Creditor Immunotherapy NANTibody LLC and NantCell Inc. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]), [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])
on behalf of Creditor Silex Microsystems AB [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Other Prof. Vanguard Marketing Corporation [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Interested Party JMB Capital Partners Lending LLC [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]), [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])[;[email protected]](mailto:;[email protected])
on behalf of Creditor Committee Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
on behalf of Creditor Synova Pesquisa Cientifica LTOA [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
Creditor Mayo Clinic Inc. [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]), [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
Link to Court Filing
submitted by BigTute to Open_Debate_SRNE [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 13:41 Megalicious_ PPO reposted without personal info courtesy of PettyPittyPatty

PPO reposted without personal info courtesy of PettyPittyPatty submitted by Megalicious_ to KM3Snark [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 12:57 Vanguard_CK3 [Event] The King commands and the people obey

While sitting on the Royal Throne, King Ageel gestures for the Guards to open the doors of the hall. A stream of people file in, some lining up in front of the King while others move out of the way so that they can simply observe the proceedings. After a few minutes, all movement in the chamber has ceased. All faces turn towards the King expectantly.
In front of the King, there lines up 5 petitioners lined up in an orderly row. They await the King to call on then. His Majesty gestures for the first in line to approach.
Sheikh Rashid Hamdan, a tribal chief who has extensive experience in mediating conflicts and maintaining relationships with various tribal leaders in the region of Tihama. He has approached the King to address a growing dispute between two rival tribes over grazing rights in a border region.
"Your Majesty, I bring to your attention the escalating tensions between the Abas and Marwan tribes. They are in dispute over grazing lands in their respective territories, it has been reported that the situation has escalated into violence. I urge you to intervene and find a resolution to prevent further bloodshed and maintain tribal harmony."
"Sheikh Rashid, investigate the underlying causes of the dispute. I suggest that you seek the guidance of respected religious scholars to mediate between the two tribes. We must emphasize the importance of unity in Islam and the need for forgiveness and reconciliation. Remind them of the Prophet's teachings on resolving conflicts peacefully. Uncover any external influences or hidden agendas that may be fueling the conflict. Use the information to leverage negotiations and bring the rival tribes to a fair and just agreement."
Next in line is Abdullah Al-Farsi, a diligent and detail-oriented clerk from Sana'a bearing the responsibility for managing official documents and records. Abdullah approaches the King to present a list of pending administrative tasks requiring the King's attention.
"Your Majesty, I humbly submit a list of pending administrative matters that require your approval and guidance. These include land allocations, legal disputes, and bureaucratic procedures."
"Abdullah, prioritize the tasks based on their importance and expedite the necessary paperwork to ensure efficient governance. Collaborate with the Ministry of Interior to address any legal disputes. After which you must notify the appropriate authorities to enforce law and order and ensure swift resolutions to any pending matters. You are also required to investigate any bureaucratic inefficiencies and propose reforms to streamline our administrative processes."
Soon after, Jokha al Raymi, a highly educated and dedicated academic who was recently appointed as the Minister of Education steps forward to propose reforms.
"Your Majesty, I bring to your attention the state of our education system. It requires immediate attention and reform. Our schools lack resources, trained teachers, and access to quality education. I have prepared a plan for improvement, and I seek your support and guidance."
"Jokha, implement your proposed reforms with a focus on allocating sufficient funds for educational infrastructure, teacher training, and student scholarships. Let our educational institutions instill values that uphold our Islamic principles and foster a sense of unity among our students. Education is the key to our nation's future. collaborate with international organizations and friendly countries to exchange knowledge and expertise. Let us establish partnerships to uplift our education system. Prioritize vocational training and skills development to address the needs of our workforce. Let us equip our youth with the practical skills required for economic growth, infusing moral and ethical teachings in our education curriculum. Investigate any corruption or mismanagement within the Ministry of Education. Weed out those who hinder progress and ensure that educational resources reach the students who need them the most."
The Minister of Health, Dr. Qassem Mohamed is a renowned physician known for her expertise in public health and dedication to improving healthcare services. Dr. Qassem pproaches the King to discuss the pressing healthcare issues in the kingdom.
"Your Majesty, our healthcare system is strained, and the well-being of our people is at stake. We need to address the lack of medical facilities, shortage of doctors, and the growing burden of diseases."
"Dr. Qassem, you must first collaborate with religious leaders to raise awareness about healthcare practices aligned with Islamic teachings. Emphasize the importance of health and hygiene as integral parts of our faith. After then we wi allocate funds to build more hospitals and clinics, recruit and train medical professionals, and ensure the availability of essential medications and equipment. You will also seek collaborations with foreign healthcare organizations to bring in advanced medical technologies, establish medical research centers, and foster knowledge exchange to enhance our healthcare capabilities. Most importantly, the Ministry will establish mobile medical units to reach remote areas, prioritize public health campaigns, and invest in preventive care to reduce the burden of diseases."
Last in line we have Haifa Al-Houthi, a skilled administrator and trusted advisor to the King. She is known for her organizational abilities and keen financial acumen. Amira approaches the King to discuss the kingdom's economic development plans and the allocation of resources.
"Your Majesty, I present to you the first draft of the proposed economic development plan for the kingdom. It outlines our strategies for infrastructure, trade, and revenue generation."
"Haifa will need to create a yearly budget and work together with all branches of government to ensure continuity of state affairs. Collaborate with our foreign counterparts to attract investments and foster trade partnerships that can fuel our economic growth. let us ensure our economic endeavors align with our religious values of fairness, justice, and providing opportunities for all."
As the petition line comes to an end, and the courtiers are dismissed, the heir to the Kingdom approaches Haifa to discuss a matter of utmost urgency....
submitted by Vanguard_CK3 to Geosim [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 12:14 Maxcactus 25 Anne Arundel County midshipmen graduate from U.S. Naval Academy

25 Anne Arundel County midshipmen graduate from U.S. Naval Academy submitted by Maxcactus to AnneArundelCounty [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 10:09 subreddit_stats Subreddit Stats: ProgressiveDemocrats top posts from 2022-11-20 to 2023-05-27 15:45 PDT

Period: 187.69 days
Submissions Comments
Total 1000 6982
Rate (per day) 5.33 37.12
Unique Redditors 48 878
Combined Score 25426 29352

Top Submitters' Top Submissions

  1. 8359 points, 357 submissions: FarPiano9575
    1. This was US Marine combat veteran Ruben Gallego as violent MAGA insurrectionists were overrunning the Capitol on January 6th. He gathered fellow Democrats to prepare to fight if necessary. "I would have killed motherfuckers to save this democracy. Fuck those guys." (638 points, 128 comments)
    2. Students from Nashville-area high schools and colleges, including Belmont University and Vanderbilt U, are pouring into downtown Nashville to gather at the Capitol for another rally to call for safe gun laws following last week's mass school shooting. (112 points, 20 comments)
    3. Sen. John Fetterman is back. “Great to be here,” he says. (77 points, 9 comments)
    4. My friend's late father, at 18, fighting the Nazis in France. He was ANTIFA. (74 points, 16 comments)
    5. Fun fact: Speaker Pelosi won nine consecutive leadership elections—on the first ballot. (71 points, 7 comments)
    6. This is historically important and this is the first step in holding Trump accountable for his crimes. (67 points, 10 comments)
    7. "We're literally building bridges, and they're literally banning books." - Pete Buttigieg (64 points, 3 comments)
    8. Insurrectionist Marjorie Taylor Greene has just been placed on the House Homeland Security Committee. Does that make you feel any more secure? 😱 (64 points, 29 comments)
    9. Trump hid in an underground bunker while Americans protested in the streets. Joe Biden flew into the middle of a war in Kyiv, Ukraine on President's Day and walked the streets as air raid sirens blared. One man stands for world freedom and peace, while the other stood only for his narcissistic self (61 points, 14 comments)
    10. 200 students walked out of class at an Alabama high school after they were reportedly told their student-led Black History Month program could not reference slavery or the civil rights movement "because one of our administrators felt uncomfortable" (60 points, 10 comments)
  2. 7529 points, 276 submissions: ProgressiveDemocrats
    1. Wow. Students are standing outside the Tennessee House right now and chanting, “Fuck you fascists.” Young people are absolutely pissed off & we are about to give Republicans hell like they’ve never seenZ We aren’t forgetting this. (814 points, 309 comments)
    2. President Biden just schooled Republicans by reminding them, “Ronald Reagan was doing the 28% tax rate, you know, that wacko liberal guy." Does anyone else love President Biden’s sense of humor? (122 points, 22 comments)
    3. JUST IN: Justin Jones has been voted BACK to the Tennessee State House by the Metro Nashville Council! The Council was responsible for choosing who would fill the seat until the special election, and they voted to select Jones. Right after the vote, Jones embraced the council members. (115 points, 14 comments)
    4. Holy shit. The former Lt. Governor of Texas, Ben Barnes, just came forward to say he was part of a secret Republican operation that convinced Iran to keep Americans held hostage in order to sabotage Jimmy Carter’s 1980 presidential campaign. (Link to the story in comments below) (84 points, 15 comments)
    5. As the Republican party tries to gaslight Americans into thinking Biden's State of the Union Address was terrible, note that 72% of Americans had a positive view of the Address. - That's leaps and bounds better than any Trump SOTU. - Joe Biden knocked it out of the park. (82 points, 6 comments)
    6. WOW. Absolute power move by Hakeem Jeffries. After Republicans kicked Ilhan Omar off of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Jeffries immediately put her on the House Budget Committee. Republicans messed with the wrong party and person. Rep. Omar won’t be silenced. (82 points, 19 comments)
    7. Way to go, Tulsa high schoolers!!🥳 (80 points, 9 comments)
    8. HOLY SHIT! Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin is about to put the smackdown on SCOTUS Justice Clarence Thomas after revelations that he's been accepting luxury gifts from Republican donors and not disclosing them. 📢 (71 points, 14 comments)
    9. MAGAs are attacking Arnold Schwarzenegger for posting a video in which he condemns anti-Semitism after his visit to Auschwitz. It was a 12-minute video that was powerful, uplifting, and inspiring -- and Arnold doesn't even talk about politics. Why are they offended by this video? (71 points, 29 comments)
    10. BREAKING: In a SHOCKING move, two Texas Republicans just joined the Democrats to PASS the “Raise The Age” gun control bill out of committee in the Texas Legislature! That's right – TEXAS! (more in the comments) (64 points, 11 comments)
  3. 2671 points, 84 submissions: Top-Bottle7403
    1. Jamie Raskin just destroyed Lauren Boebert with Donald Trump's OWN Words. Rep. Raskin is truly the greatest. (113 points, 15 comments)
    2. If you're randomly posting about World War III on Easter, you don't need to be running for the presidency, you need to run to a mental health provider. (99 points, 21 comments)
    3. BREAKING: Four members of the Proud Boys, including their former leader Enrique Tarrio, were convicted today of seditious conspiracy for plotting to keep Trump in power after his election defeat by leading a violent mob to attack the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (78 points, 8 comments)
    4. Jamie Raskin is owning MAGA Republicans, all while undergoing cancer treatment on a daily basis. He’s a true hero! Please drop a comment below ❤️ to show him your support. (72 points, 12 comments)
    5. Sometimes one image can say more than a thousand words (70 points, 6 comments)
    6. Wonderful people should get to hear the wonderful things about themselves while they're still with us. Jimmy Carter was the first President I cared about when I was a kid, and he's been an incredible human being ever since. Thanks President Carter, for living an exemplary life in service of others. (66 points, 7 comments)
    7. God has nothing to do with it. (64 points, 6 comments)
    8. Last month, DeSantis signed a bill that “will allow anyone who can legally own a gun in Florida to carry one without a permit. It means training and a background check will not be required to carry concealed guns in public. It takes effect July 1.” Get ready for more mass shootings in Florida. (63 points, 21 comments)
    9. The China spy balloon just sent back its first pics from Missouri (61 points, 8 comments)
    10. This 1977 image is of GOP Tennessee Gov Bill Lee dressed in drag. There nothing wrong with this, except for the fact that Bill Lee is about to sign a bill that will ban and criminalize drag in the state. - The image is from a high school yearbook. GOP hypocrisy just keeps getting worse and worse. (58 points, 11 comments)
  4. 2598 points, 101 submissions: In-The-Middle12
    1. Eight years. No scandals. No impeachment hearings. No drama. Just class and grace personified. Let's let them know we miss this wonderful family. (79 points, 14 comments)
    2. If Republicans in the TN House can expel fellow members of the opposition party simply for protesting gun violence, then surely Democrats in the US House should be able to expel members of Congress for taking part in or aiding an insurrection, right? (79 points, 7 comments)
    3. BREAKING: Tesla has fired 30+ workers at its Buffalo gigafactory, one day after workers there announced a unionization campaign. -Tesla managers announced surprise performance reviews, then fired 8x as many workers as usual. - Tesla is notorious for union-busting. (61 points, 6 comments)
    4. A five-hour police delay in alerting the public that the Monterey Park, California, dance hall killer was on the run is throwing a spotlight on the nation's flawed, patchwork system for warnings of mass shooters at large. (58 points, 7 comments)
    5. Can you find five people in any job outside of policing where one of them wouldn't have stopped the others from beating a man to death? There are no dentists or plumbers, or accountants who would've done that to Tyre Nichols. Only cops have been trained to think that's normal. (49 points, 10 comments)
    6. NEW: Some actually newsworthy footage that was just released in connection with a Jan. 6 trial of Ed Badalian, the InfoWars superfan whose buddy drove a stun gun into Mike Fanone's neck during the Capitol siege. From inside a trashed suite of Senate hideaway offices: (49 points, 7 comments)
    7. Texas Republicans just found out that if they secede from the Union, they lose all their government checks. Say what!! The right-wing Republicans are now double-thinking this move. (49 points, 15 comments)
    8. Oh my. A new video just surfaced that shows Rep. Nate Schatzline (R-TX), who wrote a bill to restrict drag shows, dressed in drag while skipping through a park wearing a black sequined dress. (48 points, 4 comments)
    9. When Trump was POTUS he was still renting an entire floor of Trump Tower to China’s largest state owned bank. They paid him 5.4 million while in office so y’all can STFU about Biden. (48 points, 3 comments)
    10. If you only share ONE post today, let it be this list of 156 House Republicans who voted to raise the retirement age for Social Security to age 70. -- Don't let them get away with it. - Make sure EVERYONE knows. (45 points, 1 comment)
  5. 1121 points, 37 submissions: Safe_Salt9663
    1. This is not normal (81 points, 20 comments)
    2. D.C. should be a state. What do you think? (80 points, 19 comments)
    3. A corrupt Republican lawmaker has just been EXPELLED from the Arizona State Legislature over ethics violations, including some relating to election misinformation. (62 points, 11 comments)
    4. BREAKING: Wall Street Journal drops bombshell, reveals that Elon Musk’s Twitter is now a whopping $13 billion in debt due to Musk’s failed Twitter Blue grift and the wave of advertisers fleeing to “protect their brands” from Twitter’s toxicity. (click for more) (61 points, 16 comments)
    5. Walker’s campaign paid $595,600 to a company called ‘Jetts’ to supposedly charter private planes. However, Fox has learned that ‘Jetts’ is a defunct car wash that was owned by a Walker donor. (54 points, 12 comments)
    6. The stacked Supreme Court… (49 points, 5 comments)
    7. Another war I must’ve missed. (44 points, 14 comments)
    8. MAGA world is sharing this photo claiming 700K migrants are on their way to the US border. This is FALSE. This photo was taken on October 27, 2018, of Honduran migrants in Arriaga, Mexico, heading to the US. Under Trump's presidency. Just another lie from the GOP. (43 points, 7 comments)
    9. JUST IN: Far-right extremist Riley Williams has been sentenced to 3 years in prison for storming the U.S. Capitol on January 6 and directing a mob toward the office of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. (click for more) (41 points, 5 comments)
    10. Happy Sunday to everyone who knows that no sitting US President has ever attended the coronation of British royalty, so if you're trying to shame President Biden for not doing so, you're a complete dummy... Get a grip. (37 points, 4 comments)
  6. 485 points, 17 submissions: Top_Bottle7403
    1. This is why every vote matters! (91 points, 18 comments)
    2. Thank you Senator Blumenthal for holding Clarence Thomas accountable — (49 points, 11 comments)
    3. Child labor is making a comeback in Republican-led states. That’s what THEY mean by “progress”. (47 points, 11 comments)
    4. A conservative city council has banned the LGBTQ+ flag from government property in Huntington Beach. Another attempt to marginal LGBTQ+ individuals. But hate cannot be allowed to win. Not in California. Not anywhere. (44 points, 13 comments)
    5. Donald Trump just called Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg "a Racist in Reverse," and claimed that Joe Biden pushed Bragg to prosecute him. He then made a call to “investigate the investigators!” (34 points, 13 comments)
    6. The Southern Baptist Convention decided Tuesday to oust Saddleback Church, the second-largest congregation of the convention, because it has a female pastor (34 points, 6 comments)
    7. I wonder what the MAGA zombies think when Trump says DeSantis is being disloyal. Do they then hate DeSantis? Do they think he’s part of deep state? Or do they think Trump is a senile, old man? There are no policy differences. So, do they weigh which one is owning the libs harder? (29 points, 9 comments)
    8. BREAKING: After taking heat for days trying to handle this on his own with Norfolk Southern and making it much worse, Gov. Mike DeWine finally relents and declares a disaster so he can get federal assistance. (25 points, 3 comments)
    9. Here’s my advice to everyone — like me! — who’s excitedly awaiting Trump’s indictment: Relax, and keep your popcorn ready. 🍿 (20 points, 9 comments)
    10. Good morning and Happy Saturday to everyone who agrees that it's better to be "woke" than to sleepwalk through life acting like a rude, obnoxious, selfish asshole. (18 points, 1 comment)
  7. 288 points, 10 submissions: SetMau92
    1. Sanders Counters GOP Giveaways With Tax Hike on Estates of UltraWealthy"Over and over again, Republicans in Washington have professed their deep concern about the national debt and yet virtually all of them have signed onto legislation that would provide a $1.8 trillion tax giveaway to billionaires. (43 points, 2 comments)
    2. Senate Finance Chief: Nothing Unites GOP More Than 'Helping Rich People Cheat on Their Taxes' "It's a centerpiece of the ransom Speaker McCarthy has cobbled together as he threatens to trigger a catastrophic default," said Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden. (43 points, 11 comments)
    3. Audio Reveals Top GOP Lawyer's 2024 Strategy: Make It Harder for College Students to Vote "Instead of fighting for the people or actually earning the votes, Republicans' only plan is to try to 'combat' voting on college campuses," said Rep. Summer Lee. (39 points, 5 comments)
    4. All is not well in Florida... (35 points, 1 comment)
    5. Darn those pesky facts.. (33 points, 4 comments)
    6. Sanders and others Ramp Up 14th Amendment Pressure on Biden to Counter 'Reckless' GOP "Republicans have made it clear that they are prepared to hold our entire economy hostage unless you accede to their demands to reduce the deficit on the backs of working families. That is simply unacceptable." (29 points, 10 comments)
    7. GOP Debt Limit Bill Could Put Over 10 Million at Risk of Losing Medicaid: Analysis "This agenda would narrow opportunity, deepen inequality, and increase hardship," said the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (23 points, 2 comments)
    8. GOP Readies 'Shameful' Vote to Oust Omar From House Committee "You cannot remove a member of Congress from a committee simply because you do not agree with their views," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal. "This is both ludicrous and dangerous." (17 points, 2 comments)
    9. Progressive Young Voters to Biden: Energize Us and Win or Ignore Us and Lose "We need you to deliver the bold ideas that our generation cannot live without—stop the climate crisis, fight for the rights and dignity of immigrants, impose real gun control—and run on a bold platform." (17 points, 4 comments)
    10. Whitewash is to “gloss over or cover up,” (9 points, 1 comment)
  8. 125 points, 4 submissions: blixt141
    1. Nebraska Republican Says Six-Week Abortion Ban Is Necessary Because White People Are Being Replaced (49 points, 9 comments)
    2. Supreme Court rolls back federal safeguards for wetlands under Clean Water Act (35 points, 13 comments)
    3. Where Things Stand: Biden Shreds McCarthy’s Performative Debt Limit Bill (33 points, 5 comments)
    4. Police: 11 shot, injured during mass shooting at South Carolina park (8 points, 1 comment)
  9. 108 points, 5 submissions: Smelly-taint
    1. I love how the GOP wants to destroy everything that their own constituents benefit from. (33 points, 7 comments)
    2. Can't think of anything better than a dictator. 🤦🏽‍♂️ (30 points, 9 comments)
    3. Yes! Yes! Yes! (21 points, 28 comments)
    4. Woke? (13 points, 3 comments)
    5. Fuck these Anti Constitutionalist. Attack the Capital then attack my rights. (11 points, 20 comments)
  10. 89 points, 6 submissions: Puffin_fan
    1. Idaho Republicans Deny Girls Free Tampons in School (28 points, 6 comments)
    2. GOP’s Proposed Expansion Of Work Requirements Targets Low-Income People In Their Early 50s Who Already Work (20 points, 3 comments)
    3. Finland's average electricity price slips into negative territory (14 points, 2 comments)
    4. 'I’m trying not to go into panic.' Review of millions of Medicaid enrollees plagued by error and confusion (10 points, 4 comments)
    5. After Signature Bank Deal, FDIC Is Left With $11 Billion in ‘Toxic Waste’ Loans (9 points, 3 comments)
    6. As Rail Profits Soar, Blocked Crossings Force Kids to Crawl Under Trains to Get to School (8 points, 0 comments)

Top Commenters

  1. SpukiKitty (2210 points, 453 comments)
  2. SqnLdrHarvey (1737 points, 394 comments)
  3. In-The-Middle12 (1456 points, 284 comments)
  4. Top-Bottle7403 (1301 points, 240 comments)
  5. SmylesLee77 (1147 points, 294 comments)
  6. ProgressiveDemocrats (1104 points, 204 comments)
  7. FarPiano9575 (1090 points, 205 comments)
  8. Alternative-Flan2869 (679 points, 178 comments)
  9. HillbillyEulogy (588 points, 124 comments)
  10. Biishep1230 (533 points, 101 comments)

Top Submissions

  1. Wow. Students are standing outside the Tennessee House right now and chanting, “Fuck you fascists.” Young people are absolutely pissed off & we are about to give Republicans hell like they’ve never seenZ We aren’t forgetting this. by ProgressiveDemocrats (814 points, 309 comments)
  2. This was US Marine combat veteran Ruben Gallego as violent MAGA insurrectionists were overrunning the Capitol on January 6th. He gathered fellow Democrats to prepare to fight if necessary. "I would have killed motherfuckers to save this democracy. Fuck those guys." by FarPiano9575 (638 points, 128 comments)
  3. President Biden just schooled Republicans by reminding them, “Ronald Reagan was doing the 28% tax rate, you know, that wacko liberal guy." Does anyone else love President Biden’s sense of humor? by ProgressiveDemocrats (122 points, 22 comments)
  4. JUST IN: Justin Jones has been voted BACK to the Tennessee State House by the Metro Nashville Council! The Council was responsible for choosing who would fill the seat until the special election, and they voted to select Jones. Right after the vote, Jones embraced the council members. by ProgressiveDemocrats (115 points, 14 comments)
  5. Jamie Raskin just destroyed Lauren Boebert with Donald Trump's OWN Words. Rep. Raskin is truly the greatest. by Top-Bottle7403 (113 points, 15 comments)
  6. Students from Nashville-area high schools and colleges, including Belmont University and Vanderbilt U, are pouring into downtown Nashville to gather at the Capitol for another rally to call for safe gun laws following last week's mass school shooting. by FarPiano9575 (112 points, 20 comments)
  7. If you're randomly posting about World War III on Easter, you don't need to be running for the presidency, you need to run to a mental health provider. by Top-Bottle7403 (99 points, 21 comments)
  8. This is why every vote matters! by Top_Bottle7403 (91 points, 18 comments)
  9. Holy shit. The former Lt. Governor of Texas, Ben Barnes, just came forward to say he was part of a secret Republican operation that convinced Iran to keep Americans held hostage in order to sabotage Jimmy Carter’s 1980 presidential campaign. (Link to the story in comments below) by ProgressiveDemocrats (84 points, 15 comments)
  10. WOW. Absolute power move by Hakeem Jeffries. After Republicans kicked Ilhan Omar off of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Jeffries immediately put her on the House Budget Committee. Republicans messed with the wrong party and person. Rep. Omar won’t be silenced. by ProgressiveDemocrats (82 points, 19 comments)

Top Comments

  1. 26 points: KayleighJK's comment in Wow. Students are standing outside the Tennessee House right now and chanting, “Fuck you fascists.” Young people are absolutely pissed off & we are about to give Republicans hell like they’ve never seenZ We aren’t forgetting this.
  2. 23 points: Similar_Candidate789's comment in Wow. Students are standing outside the Tennessee House right now and chanting, “Fuck you fascists.” Young people are absolutely pissed off & we are about to give Republicans hell like they’ve never seenZ We aren’t forgetting this.
  3. 23 points: SpukiKitty's comment in Wow. Students are standing outside the Tennessee House right now and chanting, “Fuck you fascists.” Young people are absolutely pissed off & we are about to give Republicans hell like they’ve never seenZ We aren’t forgetting this.
  4. 23 points: brotherstoic's comment in Should we be looking for someone other than Biden?
  5. 23 points: moreobviousthings's comment in Holy shit. The former Lt. Governor of Texas, Ben Barnes, just came forward to say he was part of a secret Republican operation that convinced Iran to keep Americans held hostage in order to sabotage Jimmy Carter’s 1980 presidential campaign. (Link to the story in comments below)
  6. 22 points: westofme's comment in Alex Jones transferred his assets to his family and friends, evading payments to Sandy Hook families. It should be illegal, but sadly, it's not.
  7. 20 points: Explorers_bub's comment in The city of Franklin, Tennessee is voting whether to allow a Pride festival. Someone during public comment says it will result in “a rainbow room where 8-12 year-old kids are given butt plugs & dildos.” --- This is what GOP propaganda is doing.
  8. 19 points: ProgressiveDemocrats's comment in Holy shit. The former Lt. Governor of Texas, Ben Barnes, just came forward to say he was part of a secret Republican operation that convinced Iran to keep Americans held hostage in order to sabotage Jimmy Carter’s 1980 presidential campaign. (Link to the story in comments below)
  9. 19 points: westofme's comment in Another war I must’ve missed.
  10. 18 points: HillbillyEulogy's comment in Please tell me whats wrong with this picture?
Generated with BBoe's Subreddit Stats
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2023.05.28 10:06 Geist_Lain Texas AG Ken Paxton impeached, suspended from duties; will face Senate trial

Defying a last-minute appeal by former President Donald Trump, the Texas House voted overwhelmingly Saturday to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton, suspending him from office over allegations of misconduct that included bribery and abuse of office.
The vote to adopt the 20 articles of impeachment was 121-23.
The stunning vote came two days after an investigative committee unveiled the articles — and two days before the close of a biennial legislative session that saw significant right-wing victories, including a ban on transgender health care for minors and new restrictions on public universities’ diversity efforts.
The vote revealed substantial divisions within the Republican Party of Texas — the largest, richest and most powerful state GOP party in the United States. Although the party has won every statewide election for a quarter-century and has controlled both houses of the Legislature since 2003, it has deep underlying fissures, many of them exacerbated by Trump’s rise and influence.
Few attorneys general have been as prominent as Paxton, who made a career of suing the Obama and Biden administrations. One of Trump’s closest allies in Texas, along with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Paxton unsuccessfully sued to challenge the 2020 presidential election results in four states.
Attention now shifts to the Texas Senate, which will conduct a trial with senators acting as jurors and designated House members presenting their case as impeachment managers.
Permanently removing Paxton from office and barring him from holding future elected office in Texas would require the support of two-thirds of senators.
Impeachment was supported by 60 Republicans, including Speaker Dade Phelan and all five of the representatives from Collin County — where Paxton and his wife have lived for decades. All 23 votes in opposition came from Republicans.
Afterward, Paxton called the vote “illegal, unethical, and profoundly unjust,” adding that he looked forward to a quick resolution in the Senate.
The move to impeach came less than a week after the House General Investigating Committee revealed that it was investigating Paxton for what members described as a yearslong pattern of misconduct and questionable actions that include bribery, dereliction of duty and obstruction of justice. They presented the case against him Saturday, acknowledging the weight of their actions.
“Today is a very grim and difficult day for this House and for the state of Texas,” Rep. David Spiller, R-Jacksboro, a committee member, told House members.
“We have a duty and an obligation to protect the citizens of Texas from elected officials who abuse their office and their powers for personal gain,” Spiller said. “As a body, we should not be complicit in allowing that behavior.”
Paxton supporters criticized the impeachment proceedings as rushed, secretive and based on hearsay accounts of actions taken by Paxton, who they said was not given the opportunity to defend himself to the investigating committee.
“This process is indefensible,” said Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, who complained that the vote was taking place on a holiday weekend before members had time to conduct a thorough review of the accusations. “It concerns me a lot because today it could be General Paxton, tomorrow it could be you and the next day it could be me.”
Saturday’s vote temporarily removes a controversial but influential Republican figure in Texas and nationally. He has led an office that initiated lawsuits that overturned or blocked major Biden and Obama administration policies, particularly on immigration; sought to reverse Trump’s electoral defeat in 2020; aggressively pursued voter fraud claims; and targeted hospitals that provided gender care to minors.
The Legislature had impeached state officials just twice since 1876 — and never an attorney general — but the House committee members who proposed impeachment argued Saturday that Paxton’s misconduct in office was so egregious that it warranted his removal.
“This gentleman is no longer fit for service or for office,” said committee member Rep. Ann Johnson, D-Houston. “Either this is going to be the beginning of the end of his criminal reign, or God help us with the harms that will come to all Texans if he's allowed to stay the top cop on the take, if millions of Texans can’t trust us to do the right thing, right here, right now.”
Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, a member of the investigative committee, used his presentation time to criticize Paxton for calling representatives as they worked on the House floor to “personally threaten them with political consequences in the next election” if they supported impeachment.
Speaking against impeachment, Rep. Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington, called the process “wrong.”
“Don’t end our session this way. Don’t tarnish this institution,” Tinderholt said. “Don’t cheapen the act of impeachment. Don’t undermine the will of the voters. Don’t give Democrats another victory handed to them on a silver platter.”
The vote came as hardline conservatives supportive of Paxton’s aggressive strategy of suing the Biden administration were lining up in support of him. Trump — a close political ally to Paxton — blasted the impeachment proceedings as an attempt to unseat “the most hard working and effective” attorney general and thwart the “large number of American Patriots” who voted for Paxton.
Trump vowed to target any Republican who supported impeaching Paxton, adding after the vote: “What is our Country coming to?” In the evening, he called Abbott “missing in action,” asking followers on his Truth Social network, “Where is the Governor of Texas on his Attorney General’s Impeachment?”
As lawmakers listened to the committee members make their case, Paxton took to social media to boost conservatives who had come to his defense, including Trump, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, and conservative radio host Grant Stinchfield, who tweeted, “Kangaroo Court in Texas.”
About 90 minutes into the debate, the official Twitter account of the Texas attorney general’s office began tweeting at members of the committee to challenge some of the claims being made.
“Please tell the truth,” the agency’s account said.
Under the Texas Constitution, Paxton is suspended from office pending the outcome of the Senate trial. The Senate had recessed before the House voted to impeach, and Patrick, who presides over the Senate, did not immediately respond to a request for comment about a timeline for an impeachment trial.
Because Paxton was impeached while the Legislature was in session, the Texas Constitution requires the Senate to remain in Austin after the regular session ends Monday or set a trial date for the future, with no deadline for a trial spelled out in the law.
The constitution also allows the governor to appoint a provisional replacement. Gov. Greg Abbott had not weighed in on the calls to impeach Paxton and his office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday.
Impeachment represents the greatest political threat to date for Paxton, who has been reelected twice despite a 2015 indictment for felony securities fraud and an ongoing federal investigation into allegations of official misconduct that began in 2020.
The impeachment vote capped a tumultuous week at the Capitol. From Tuesday to Thursday:
Paxton abruptly accused Phelan of presiding over the chamber while drunk and demanded that he resign.
The House General Investigating Committee revealed it had been investigating Paxton in secret since March.
The committee heard a three-hour presentation from its investigators detailing allegations of corruption against the attorney general.
The committee’s three Republicans and two Democrats voted to forward 20 articles of impeachment to the full House.
Paxton, who was comfortably elected to a third term last year, made a rare appearance before assembled reporters Friday to criticize the process, saying he was not given a chance to present favorable evidence. He called impeachment an effort by Democrats and “liberal” Republicans to remove him from office, violating the will of voters and sidelining an effective warrior against Biden administration policies.
“The corrupt politicians in the Texas House are demonstrating that blind loyalty to Speaker Dade Phelan is more important than upholding their oath of office,” Paxton said. He added, “They are showcasing their absolute contempt for the electoral process.”
Many of the articles of impeachment focused on allegations that Paxton had repeatedly abused his powers of office to help a political donor and friend, Austin real estate developer Nate Paul.
In fall 2020, eight top deputies in the attorney general’s office approached federal and state investigators to report their concerns about Paxton’s relationship with Paul.
All eight quit or were fired in the following months, and most of the details of their allegations against Paxton were revealed in a lawsuit by four former executives who claim they were fired — in violation of the Texas Whistleblower Act — in retaliation for reporting Paxton to the authorities. Paxton’s bid to dismiss the lawsuit is awaiting action by the Dallas-based 5th Court of Appeals.
According to the lawsuit, the whistleblowers accused Paxton of engaging in a series of “intense and bizarre” actions to help Paul, including intervening in an open-records case to help Paul gain documents from federal and state investigations into the real estate investor’s businesses. They also accused Paxton of directing his agency to intervene in a lawsuit between Paul and a charity, pushing through a rushed legal opinion to help Paul avoid a pending foreclosure sale on properties and ignoring agency rules to hire an outside lawyer to pursue an investigation helpful to Paul’s businesses.
In return, the whistleblower lawsuit alleged, Paul paid for all or part of a major renovation of a home Paxton owns in Austin. Paul also helped Paxton keep an extramarital affair quiet by employing the woman Paxton had been seeing, the lawsuit said, adding that the attorney general may also have been motivated by a $25,000 contribution Paul made to Paxton’s campaign in 2018.
In their report to the House General Investigating Committee on Wednesday, the panel’s investigators concluded that Paxton may have committed numerous crimes and violated his oath of office.
Investigators said possible felonies included abuse of official capacity by, among other actions, diverting staff time to help Paul at a labor cost of at least $72,000; misuse of official information by possibly helping Paul gain access to investigative documents; and retaliation and official oppression by firing employees who complained of Paxton’s actions to the FBI.
The articles of impeachment accused Paxton of accepting bribes, disregarding his official duties and misapplying public resources to help Paul.
The articles also referred to felony charges of securities fraud, and one felony count of failing to register with state securities officials, that have been pending against Paxton since 2015, months after he took office as attorney general. The fraud charges stem from Paxton’s work in 2011 to solicit investors in Servergy Inc. without disclosing that the McKinney company was paying him for the work.
The impeachment articles also accused Paxton of obstruction of justice by acting to delay the criminal cases with legal challenges and because a Paxton donor pursued legal action that limited the pay to prosecutors in the case, causing further delays “to Paxton’s advantage.”
Taken in total, the accusations showed a pattern of dereliction of duty in violation of the Texas Constitution, Paxton’s oaths of office and state laws against public officials acting against the public’s interest, the impeachment resolution said.
“Paxton engaged in misconduct, private or public, of such character as to indicate his unfitness for office,” the articles said.
An attorney general had never before been impeached by the Legislature, an extraordinary step that lawmakers have reserved for public officials who faced serious allegations of misconduct. Only two Texas officials have been removed from office by Senate conviction, Gov. James Ferguson in 1917 and District Judge O.P. Carrillo in 1975.
If Paxton is to survive, he will need to secure the support of 11 senators. With the 12 Democratic senators likely to support his removal, any votes for acquittal would need to come from the 19 Republican members.
Several Republican senators issued statements Saturday evening warning constituents and others that their role as jurors in the upcoming impeachment trial prohibited them from discussing the case. In a television interview Thursday, Patrick said merely that he believed senators would be responsible jurors and “do their duty.”
A complicating factor is Sen. Angela Paxton, R-McKinney, Paxton’s wife. State law requires all senators to attend an impeachment trial, though whether she will recuse herself from voting is unclear.
Paxton’s political base lies in the far-right faction of the Republican Party, where he has positioned himself as a champion of conservative causes and a thorn in the side of Democratic President Joe Biden. Paxton has criticized his opponents as RINOs (Republicans in name only) who “want nothing more than to sabotage our legal challenges to Biden’s extremist agenda by taking me out.”
He also retained the backing of the state Republican Party, led by former state Rep. Matt Rinaldi, who frequently attacks Republicans he considers to be insufficiently conservative. On Friday, Rinaldi said the impeachment was Phelan’s fault for allowing Democrats to have too much influence in the House.
“The impeachment proceedings against the attorney general are but the latest front in the Texas House’s war against Republicans to stop the conservative direction of her state,” Rinaldi said in a statement.
Paxton also has maintained a close relationship with Trump and filed an unsuccessful U.S. Supreme Court challenge to the 2020 presidential election. Paxton also spoke at Trump’s rally in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, shortly before the president’s supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol.
Ken Paxton has plagued Texas for far too long. I'm glad to see a modicum of justice being done.
submitted by Geist_Lain to BreakingPoints [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 09:20 RetailSlave5408 JK Rowling as a role model and as model of success

In her video essay about the consumerist aspect of Harry Potter, Verily Bitchie notes how from the very beginning Harry Potter was praised for “getting kids into reading” Indeed there was a lot of encouragement and acknowledgment from parents and teachers who are overwhelmingly female. Women are over represented as caretakers from parents and babysitters to teachers not to mention librarians and I think in no small part because Harry Potters strong word of mouth came from the many women who embody these roles and who I have a suspicion were overjoyed to see a woman author doing so well, not to mention the fact that boys were reading her novels despite sexist and patriarchal attitudes that so result go unchallenged. (At this rate it’s standard for girls to be encouraged or generally interested in traditionally masculine interests or media content, but we don’t really challenge boys to do the same with anything considered un-masculine)
Additionally, Rowling herself was frequently upheld as a role model for millennials to reach for the stars. How many times as kids did we hear, “JK Rowling had to go through 12 different publishers.” or more often “JK Rowling was writing on napkins unable to afford to heat her apartment!” Which Rowling herself actually dispelled in an interview. Never mind the fact that Rowling received a grant to finish the books from the Scottish Arts Council or the fact that the cafe she wrote in was co-owned by her ex-brother in law at the time.
Barack Obama was not above perpetuating the myth of JK Rowling’s rags to riches. When I was 15, Obama addressed high school students in a nationally broadcast address where he treaded the tired old story about JK Rowling going through publishers and the importance of persistence. This sentiment, lobbed one year into the global recession just reads as incredibly tone deaf and outdated. Was it too much to provide us a healthier and less ambitious as mythologized role model?
I find two problems with this narrative. No 1, this can-do-attitude style undermines the relevance of massive institutions and systems. Publishing is incredibly competitive and 12 rejections is the lesson that should have been taken from that story. Then of course there’s poverty and the freedom to create that financial security and independence brings with leisure time. No 2, this is the kind of astronomical success and cultural cache that only one person can enjoy in a generation. Aside from being more privileged than we were told by the media and misinformed parents and teachers, I can’t help but feel that some of the success of Harry Potter is in some ways accidental. This is not to say the books didn’t have something to them or that Rowling is a crap writer (she’s not) but rather that it wasn’t that alone that got them to where they are. It’s like telling kids if they practice their instruments hard enough they can become The Beatles or The Rolling Stones.
The UK publisher only read the first 60 pages until his daughter convinced him to publish the book. Sometimes these kinds of chances are that arbitrary. How many other authors out there went to 12 different publishing houses with work just as good as JK’s and didn’t have an executive’s child on their side?
It really makes you think about the quality of writing that publishers expect and the biases they inhabit and the whims they can be persuaded on.
Another interesting thing to take note of, Verily Bitchie also mentions how 3 days after the UK publication of the first book, Scholastic won the bidding war for the US publishing rights of the first novel and purchased it for $105,000 which was “practically unheard of a the time for a children’s novel” remarking on the marketing speculation and merchandise tie-ins they saw latent in the text.
So much has been made of Rowling as a writer and who she is as a person, but I think not everyone talks about her as a role model.
The danger of holding her up as a role model of hard work, talent and persistence Is this her success is more a matter of winning the lottery. Not because her books eventually sold and enjoyed popularity but because no other living author has enjoyed this amount of success or even had this kind of a book to franchise business model. That aspect is like winning the lottery and the problem I see with it is that more realistic and achievable goals like, having a stable income, being debt free, having a job you like that is not a detriment to your well being is not seen as enough or even as “successful”
I really blame not JK but the educators, parents and politicians who told us to look to a woman who spawned a $10 billion dollar franchise as a model of success. Who failed to model more attainable and less outer space aspirational examples of success in our lives on the eve of a global recession and the decline of homeownership and the ability to afford basic living expenses.
submitted by RetailSlave5408 to EnoughJKRowling [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 05:03 Choice_Somewhere3192 Things my parents have said and done.

things my parents have said to me: - your brain is full of shit - you are so stupid - why cant you use your brain - why did i give birth to such a stupid child - your life is hard? my life is harder bcos i gave birth to you, i had to c-section and u are complaining that ur life is hard? - you look like a diseased druggie (talking abt my eczema flare ups) - you are ugly and dirty (talking abt my eczema flare ups) - you dont need to see a doctor for this, you are just dirty thats why your skin is like that (talking abt my eczema flare ups) - i dont care if you are uncomfortable with my friends coming over to our house, i'll allow them to rape you and the police wont even be able to help you - you think i dont respect you? if i didnt respect you i wouldnt have raised you till today! - i have my reasons for raising my voice but you do not get to raise your voice at me - i wish i never gave birth to you - fine, u watch, i will divorce your dad and it will be because of you. (theyre alr not on speaking terms and basically behaving like divorced but she said this to make me feel guilty and blame me for their rs) - you dont get to be sad, stressed or depressed if you havent gone through what i've been through raising you. - school is hard? i never even had the chance to go to school and you are telling me school is hard? - you're crying? why the fuck are u even crying? u want to kill urself? fine i will help you with that (drags me to the highest level of the building) - when im talking u just shut up and dont talk back to me - u are telling me u are depressed? so are u trying to imply that i was the cause of ur depression? what abt me? YOU are the cause of my depression and pain - told her that there was this stranger man stalking me and catcalling me and she said i was overthinking and being rude and that i shldnt speak of him badly
things my parents have done to me: - she knew that i was being bullied in school for being poor, yet she spreads lies about me to the adults (teachers, parents) from my childcare that i am a troubled kid who hits her, making everyone in my school and childcare including the teachers and parents of my bestfriends to outcast me. not once has she ever stood up for me. she just enjoyed bullying her own kid along with everyone else. - slapped me, punched me, thrown me, thrown furniture at me (wooden chairs, tables), scratched me, pulled my hair, pulled my hair and hit my head on walls multiple times, kicked me, hit me with objects to the point my skin split and bled and told me not to tell my teachers in school that she hit me. (some of this were also done in public in front of many people, when i was only a kid-teen) - DRAGGED me out of the house as punishment - didnt speak to me for almost a year as punishment, gave me silent treatment and addressed me as 'that person' 'that useless girl' (still doing it) - bought my older sister a macbook for leisure purpose and when i asked for a laptop because i was starting high school and it was compulsory (the school was already going to fund for it but we had to pay first), she slapped and punched me multiple times literally like a punching bag... (this was all in the same week)
There's way more but the list is getting long. I don't see the need to talk to them anymore once I have my own life. But I still live with them and everyday is a battle, I'm tired. I wish I can be happy
submitted by Choice_Somewhere3192 to toxicparents [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 03:41 palocci The Brazilian "Secular Stagnation" and what Lula can do about it

The Brazilian
Introduction
Here's another effortpost on Brazil! This time I'll be talking about why the Brazilian economy stagnated, and what we can expect from Lula in terms of economic policy (I've talked about this in the past but now I'll go into more detail).
Between 1920 and 1980, Brazil was a clear economic success story. For 60 years, our GDP grew at an average of 4% a year. This 'golden age' ended in a hyperinflation crisis, which made the 1980s become known as a 'lost decade', and since its resolution in 1994 with the Plano Real, our economy has experienced minimal growth: from 1980 to 2020, the average GDP growth rate was only 0.7%.
Evolution of the Brazilian per capita product, at 2010 prices, from 1900 to 2021. The scale of the graph is logarithmic in base 2.
In this post, I'll try to explain the reasons for Brazil's low growth in the last four decades and what Lula's plans are to address them.
The debate
Before delving into the actual causes of the "semi-stagnation", I would like to explain the economic debate in Brazil. This debate revolves around two major groups of economists: the "developmentalists" and the "liberals." The term "developmentalism" may be unfamiliar to many people here, but it is very present in Latin America. A decent explanation for it could be "dirigisme with Latam characteristics."
In short, liberalism in this context is associated with economic orthodoxy and a pro-market orientation in economic policy, while developmentalism leans towards economic heterodoxy and advocates for direct state interference in the economy. This debate is, in theory, separate from the traditional right versus left political divide, as we have had governments from both ends of the political spectrum adopting policies aligned with either school of thought. For instance, Lula I (2003-2007) represented a left-wing liberal government, while Geisel (1974-1979) presided over a right-wing developmentalist government. However, in practice, liberalism is associated with the right-wing while developmentalism is associated with the left-wing.
One area of major divergence between those two groups is full employment. Liberals argue that the Brazilian economy generally operates at full employment, which means that there are well-defined supply-side limits and restrictions in the economy, whereas developmentalists believe it tends to operate below that level. This implies that the economy's natural state is one of perpetual aggregate demand deficiency, and thus the government could just increase spending to mobilize idle production factors and stimulate economic growth.
Furthermore, liberals typically view direct state intervention in the economy with distrust, opposing increased public investments in infrastructure and most forms of industrial policy. Their preference generally leans towards reducing government spending and relying on a 'crowding in' effect, together with supply-side reforms. Conversely, developmentalists perceive state intervention as a necessity to stimulate the economy, favoring a robust industrial policy and increased public investments.
Those are significant oversimplifications, and many economists do not align themselves with either group. In any case, I would say this categorization reasonably represents the current debate.
It's a tradition in Brazil to divide ministries between liberals and developmentalists to ensure a balance between the two. The current Finance Minister, Fernando Haddad, believes in a middle ground approach, with some of his secretaries (e.g., Guilherme Mello) leaning more towards developmentalism, while others (e.g., Bernard Appy) lean more towards liberalism. Planning Minister Simone Tebet and Industry and Commerce Minister Geraldo Alckmin are firmly in the liberal camp. However, due to the nature of his ministry, Geraldo Alckmin will probably concede more to developmentalist policies (as he's already doing). Aloizio Mercadante, the President of the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), is considered the leader of the developmentalist branch of the government, along with Workers' Party President Gleisi Hoffmann (some people jokingly refer to her as the main opposition to Fernando Haddad and the 'Twitter Shadow Finance Minister' due to some of her tweets).
Without further ado, let's get to the causes of Brazil's stagnation.
Guido Mantega (Finance Minister between 2006 and 2014) and Antônio Palocci (Finance Minister between 2003 and 2006). Mantega is associated to developmentalism and Palocci to liberalism.
Education
First of all, the significant growth of the 20th century left a terrible educational legacy. Brazil only began to have a somewhat consistent educational policy in the 1990s and 2000s, when basic education was universalized. To put it into perspective, in 1990, the average number of years of schooling in Brazil was 3.8 years. Even Sub-Saharan African countries like Congo, Zimbabwe, and Zambia had higher average schooling levels than ours. Approximately a quarter of the population were illiterate.
The key change came with the 1988 Constitution, which decided that Brazil would try to become an European-style social democracy. Since then, considerable progress has been made, but clearly not enough. The main educational bottleneck lies in Elementary School II, which typically spans the ages of 12 to 15. It is during this stage in Brazil that the discrepancy between age and the appropriate grade level drastically increases, leading to higher rates of grade repetition and students falling behind in their education.
This problem is probably related to the transition from a single teacher trained in pedagogy in Elementary I to several specialists teaching only one subject. This transition also occurs at the onset of adolescence, which is naturally a turbulent phase already, with the introduction of drugs, alcohol and various forms of prejudice being normal. The result ends up being a distancing of the student from school.
Two Brazilian states, which have been governed by center-left parties for many years, serve as examples in Brazilian educational policy: Pernambuco and Ceará.
A highlight in Ceará is the Programa de Afabetização na Idade Certa (Program of Alphabetization in the Right Age), which aims to ensure that all students in the state's public school systems achieve literacy by the age of 7. The plan was based on the following pillars: (1) the elaboration of a specialized literacy curriculum that was adopted in all the municipalities, with structured materials for teachers and students containing a daily routine of classroom activities and homework assignments; (2) pedagogical practices to encourage reading in the classroom; (3) financial incentives for the municipalities that achieve better results in education; and (4) evaluation and monitoring of the program, with a census and diagnostic test that is applied at the beginning of every semester.
Pernambuco has implemented a Full-Time High School system that stands out. The system is based on the following pillars: (1) the introduction of a subject called "life project," which encourages students to create plans with goals and objectives for their lives; (2) guided study, providing a space for autonomy in learning and fostering self-directed learning skills; (3) hands-on, practical classes that combine theory and practice; (4) youth clubs, where collective interests of young people are pursued; (5) tutoring, where teachers (tutors) interact with students to support their development; and (6) full-time education, of course.
Both plans have been tremendous successes and could be implemented nationwide. The Member of Parliament Tabata Amaral has proposed the program "basic education like Ceará's, high school like Pernambuco's." We might see that put in practice. Izolda Cela, the mind behind Ceará's basic education plan, is the Executive-Secretary of the Ministry of Education, and the current Minister of Education is Camilo Santana, the governor of Ceará between 2014 and 2022.
Izolda Cela (Executive-Secretary of the Ministry of Education) and Camilo Santana (Minister of Education).
Public Investments
Furthermore, there is a general consensus that the significant decrease in public investment since 1980 explains part of the problem. During the Golden Age of Brazilian growth, public investment mounted to about 6% of GDP, whereas it currently stands at approximately 4% since the lost decade. Liberal economists tend to attribute this to the expansion of the welfare state, that came with a substantial increase in the tax burden (from 25% of GDP in the 1970s to 35% in 2000). On the other hand, developmentalist economists point to the decline in public savings due to the privatization of state-owned enterprises in the 1990s.
In his second government, Lula created the Programa de Aceleração do Crescimento (PAC) (Growth Acceleration Program), whose objective was precisely to expand public investments. Unfortunately, the plan ended up with highly controversial results, primarily due to the low administrative capacity of the Brazilian State and corruption (some like to call the plan the Corruption Acceleration Program!).
But now the Workers' Party has gained new experience. Many of its state governments became famous for extensive investment programs in partnership with the private sector, delivering positive results. Chief of Staff Rui Costa, in particular, had a successful experience with public-private investments during his tenure as the governor of Bahia. He is now expected to lead the "New PAC", which will probably be announced at some point between today and July. (The project still has no name and is provisionally being called "New PAC").
Here's what Rui Costa has said about the project: "We will have, in an unprecedented way, investments with Public Private Partnerships (PPIs) at the federal level. Many states, including Bahia, have made PPI projects. [...] We are negotiating with the Ministry of Finance the conditions for guarantees so that we can leverage these projects."
Lula wants to meet with the 27 state governors to determine which state projects the Union should prioritize for its investments. In recent weeks, Costa has held individual meetings with the state governments to define which projects will be included in the new PAC. In all, eight governors have already been heard.
In a speech on the May 1st holiday, Lula said the following about the project: "We are inviting foreign businessmen to invest in Brazil and we are showing them the great projects that we are going to present in the third PAC. It will be the largest infrastructure project in this country."
Former Governor of Bahia (2014 - 2022) and current Chief of Staff Rui Costa.
Deindustrialization
Another problem is the early deindustrialization that is taking place in Brazil: we are losing our industry before becoming rich. In the beginning of the lost decade, the industry accounted for one-quarter of the Brazilian GDP, whereas today it represents around one-tenth. The reason for this process is complex, and once again, economists disagree. Liberals point to the new form of production organization that emerged with globalization, where the manufacturing of goods was fragmented into different stages, each executed in different countries. According to this line of thinking, Brazil failed to adapt to the new industrial configuration and remained stuck in an unrealistic autarkic dream. On the other hand, developmentalist economists usually argue that after the end of hyperinflation, Brazil fell into a trap of having an overvalued currency and high interest rates, demolishing the industry's competitiveness. (I am more inclined towards the first thesis, although it is a fact that the Brazilian exchange rate was detrimental to the industry after the Real Plan).
Now I want to talk a little bit about the Brazilian industrial bourgeoisie and its problems. In the 1960s, the then sociologist and future president Fernando Henrique Cardoso published his thesis on the Brazilian industrial entrepreneurs. Based on his research, he concluded that Brazilian industrialists did not have any national project, and (1) "only cared about their personal interests when speaking on behalf of the class" and (2) "[their] political action consists of personal participation in the patrimonialist game." Brazil has a serious problem related to what we call 'patrimonialism,' which refers to the capture of resources from the Brazilian state to benefit private interests.
Unfortunately, industrial policy in Brazil often results in tax exemptions, subsidies, tariff protections, etc., for an inefficient, patrimonialist, and somewhat broken industry that was developed in the 20th century. The Workers' Party itself fell into this outdated corporatism while in power, especially during the first Rousseff administration (2011-2015). It is a shame that advocating for greater state involvement in the economy ends up becoming a defense of those interest groups.
In this sense, I find myself opposed to both liberals and developmentalists. While the latter end up promoting an agenda that only benefits private interests, albeit with good intentions, the former dismiss any state planning, believing in an 'economic abiogenesis.' Since 2016, we have been reducing the role of the state and waiting for a crowding in effect, but with no success. We need strong a industrial policy, but it has to be transparent and not perpetuate the old game of patrimonialism.
In the words of the brilliant economist Laura Carvalho: "We want a State that identifies ways to stimulate technological innovation and product development in partnership with the private sector. But this policy cannot become hostage to the existing private sector. We have remnants of our industry of the 20th century, for example the automobile industry, and when we do industrial policy, we end up just giving incentives to them. This is a state that does not choose winners, but rather is chosen by losers. Those who are struggling in the industry try to eat the resources of the state to survive."
Unfortunately, the signals from the new Lula government are quite negative. Industry and Commerce Minister Geraldo Alckmin recently announced a plan of incentives for the automobile industry, which is essentially the same program that has failed several times in the past. There are positive things coming from his ministry, but few of them have much to do directly with a well-made industrial policy. It's a shame.
His plans beyond industrial policy appear positive, as shown in the following excerpt, at least: "Brazil had an early deindustrialization. Europe also deindustrialized, but ours was precarious and severe. More than reindustrializing, we need a neo-reindustrialization. A central issue is the competitiveness agenda. There is a principle in medicine that says: suppress the cause and the effect ceases. We have to act on the causes of low growth. Our tax model generates an absurd cost for companies. It is not fair. We have an absurd judicialization that leads to legal insecurity and hinders exports. The whole world has a VAT (value added tax. I defend it. I think Haddad is doing well and I am a great enthusiast of the tax reform."
Probably more than any other politician of expression today, Haddad positions himself as a republican and talks about reducing the patrimonialist distortions of the Brazilian public budget. He talks about "closing the drains of what is called Brazilian patrimonialism" and "ending a series of abuses that have been committed against the fiscal base" of the country. He says that many sectors have been "overly" benefited "with rules established over the decades and that have not been reviewed by any outcome control. Many have expired from the point of view of efficiency, and need to be revoked."
Former Governor of São Paulo (2001 - 2006; 2010 - 2017) and current Vice-President of Brazil and Minister of Industry and Commerce Geraldo Alckmin.
Business Environment
Brazilian productivity has been stagnant for decades. What is causing this? The main suspect is the Brazilian tax system. There is an enormous complexity in the various indirect taxes (ISS, ICMS, PIS/Cofins, and IPI), which forces every company to have an excessively large department dedicated to tax payment. Additionally, numerous divergences of interpretation arise between the Federal Revenue, state authorities, and businesses. On every corner of our cities, there is a specialized tax law office to assist companies in dealing with the extremely high level of litigation in our taxation system. To make matters worse, our indirect taxes discourage investment in locations with higher social returns, as the tax complexity and special tax regimes artificially alter the profitability of investments and production. A general simplification of these taxes, with the adoption of a Value Added Tax, could have an impact on the economy's efficiency equivalent to the Plano Real, which ended hyperinflation.
Even beyond the tax issue, the Brazilian business environment is terrible. According to the World Bank's Doing Business 2020 report, which measures the ease of doing business in 190 countries, Brazil ranks 124th. This problem is related to excessive bureaucracy, unexpected judicial decisions, loopholes in regulatory frameworks, and disrespect for contracts.
The Tax Reform is going to be the government's main priority after the approval of the New Fiscal Anchor. Planning Minister Simone Tebet summed up the reform as follows: "The Tax reform is the only silver bullet that we have to save Brazil."
And here's what Finance Minister Fernando Haddad has said about it: "There is no way to grow Brazil's productivity with this tax system [...] We are developing a tax reform that is even more modern, because it introduces in the national tax system a Value Added Tax that solves a good part of the flaws of the current system that, in my opinion, is the great villain for the low growth rates of our productivity." The idea is to approve the Tax Reform still this year (Haddad talks about doing it in the first semester!).
Special Secretary for Tax Reform Bernard Appy.
Economic Isolation
Brazil has a very closed economy. Among the 160 countries analyzed by the World Bank, the Brazilian economy is only less open than that of Sudan. The average protection applied by Brazil to capital goods is 14 times higher than in Chile and 25 times higher than in Mexico. This is probably the most expressive cause of the low productivity and deindustrialization in Brazil, together with the tax system. Here, I quote the brilliant economist Edmar Bacha: "[The closure of the Brazilian economy during the Geisel government (1974 - 1979)] caused a tremendous drop in the economy's productivity and an increase in the cost of capital goods. And this, I believe, is what lies at the root of our stagnation after the so-called economic miracle (1968-1974). Our industry became unable to compete internationally. And we were forced, because the industry has this extraordinary lobbying capacity, to prevent the redesign of the Brazilian industry to participate in global value chains."
Bacha's argument makes sense: the collapse of GDP growth coincides with the collapse of capital accumulation (the growth rate of the capital stock) after Geisel's government. Why did capital accumulation collapse? Bacha explains that using a decomposition of the investment = savings relationship: K' = s(1/p)v - δ, where K' = capital accumulation, s = savings rate, p = relative price of investment, v = output-capital ratio, and δ = depreciation rate.
Between 1950-1980, the "golden age" of Brazil, K' grew at nearly 9% per year. Between 1981-2014, this number was 3%. Why? Looking at the historical series, the difference is not in savings or depreciation. What happened was that the output-capital ratio fell by about one-third, and the relative price of investment increased by one-third. In other words, the capital requirement per unit of output increased significantly, and at the same time, the price of investment goods rose significantly. According to Bacha, this process occurred between 1973 and 1983, a period in which the Military Government pursued an autarkic economic policy.
The ideal scenario for Brazil would be to open its economy and have an export-oriented industry. The industry we have developed is heavily reliant on our domestic market, without external competition. In the words of economist Nelson Barbosa: "Brazil cannot produce ships, but it can produce airplanes. Brazil does not have car manufacturers, but it has bus manufacturers. Brazil cannot have a domestic production of microelectronics, but it has a good domestic production of electric motors. So we need to study what worked in these sectors to see if it can be replicated in other sectors. All these successful sectors, Embraer, Weg, Marco Polo, are sectors that are competitive in Brazil and in the world. Here is the first clue: correct industrial policies create domestic production that competes domestically and internationally. They are integrated products that import and export extensively. Value chains."
However, an open trade policy without a plan may not be positive either. In Nelson's words: "Development always means increased productivity. Opening the economy can stimulate productivity, but it can also lead to a negative specialization. You can open your economy and become a country that only exports commodities, with an inflated services sector that only sells domestically, with a significant portion of your population relying on informal jobs. Which is what happens in Brazil. So I think trade openness is inevitable, more developed countries are more open, but thinking that just opening up will automatically lead to development is naïve and something we shouldn't do in the 21st century. I believe that strategic trade integration is crucial and necessary for development. Unilateral openness, without any plan, will only reinforce the specialization we already have today."
In any case, it is certain that the current excessive protectionism cannot be maintained. Opening up would allow broader access for companies to (1) cheaper and higher-quality inputs and (2) foreign-produced capital goods and technology, (3) create significant competition effects to invigorate the economy, and (4) create a 'selection effect' that would eliminate losers and favor winners.
But this is the agenda that I am least hopeful about. Trade openness is a topic that faces strong opposition from the Brazilian left and would likely only occur under a moderate center-right government. I hope, at least, that some trade agreements can be reached to open up the economy. The European Union-Mercosur trade agreement would have a significant impact and would be very important but I'm not very hopeful that it'll be approved.
Haddad is still optimistic, though! He said that a more emphatic diplomatic effort will be made starting in the second semester, in a movement that will take advantage of Brazil's leadership in Mercosur and Spain's leadership in the European bloc.
Simone Tebet (Planning Minister) and Fernando Haddad (Finance Minister).
Interest Rates
Interest rates in Brazil are much, much higher than the global average. Our credit is scarce and dysfunctional. Lula likes to repeat that Brazil is a capitalist country without capitalism because there is no credit.
Brazil has the second-highest bank spread in the world, second only to Madagascar. This means that banks in Brazil charge very high interest rates for lending money. To give you an idea, Brazil's bank spread is higher than the average observed in countries at war. There are several reasons for this, but some stand out: (1) savings in Brazil have historically been very low (around 20% of GDP), (2) the government consumes a significant portion of savings to finance itself, and (3) the Brazilian banking sector is extremely concentrated, with a few banks dominating the entire sector.
The other issue in this discussion is the current policy interest rate set by the Central Bank. Brazil currently has the highest real interest rate in the world, at around 9%. The debate about whether this interest level is correct or not is quite active in Brazil, with its proponents arguing that the current Brazilian inflation is demand-driven and pointing to inflation in the services sector and core inflation, while its critics argue that inflation is not demand-driven, pointing to the fact that Brazil has had a negative output gap since 2015 and that supply shocks can explain the inflation in services.
This debate is complex, and it is hard to determine definitively which side is right. Nevertheless, the Central Bank is strongly adhering to the first thesis.
The current Chairman of the Central Bank, Roberto Campos Neto (RCN), is the grandson of an economist of the Military Dictatorship and was appointed by Bolsonaro. He will remain in his position until 2024 due to the new autonomy granted to the Central Bank in 2021. In this scenario, Lula engaged in a public war against RCN, urging him to lower interest rates. The situation became tense, but Lula never showed any willingness to take effective action to remove him, remaining only in rhetoric. Throughout the conflict, Haddad positioned himself as a moderate, playing a certain "good cop, bad cop" game with Lula and gaining trust in the financial market. Apparently, Lula intends to nominate former executive-secretary of the Finance Ministry Gabriel Galípolo to replace RCN in 2024. He was recently appointed as director of monetary policy at the Central Bank, and is widely identified as a heterodox economist.
Haddad's current plan is to stabilize Brazil's deficit to allow for a monetary loosening. Here's what he said: "We are not at a point where fiscal expansion is going to help the economy. If there is room for any stimulus, it will be monetary. If we know how to make the transition, there is room for a lower interest rate, you just have to give security to the monetary authority." He does not seem to be concerned about banking concentration, though.
Chairman of the Central Bank Roberto Campos Neto.
TL;DR
The Brazilian economy has seen very little growth since the the lost decade in the 1980s. One of the primary factors contributing to this stagnation is the economy's low productivity. There are several reasons behind this low productivity, including:
  1. Inadequate infrastructure and insufficient investments in its development.
  2. A significant delay in comparison to other countries in terms of investing in education.
  3. Unreasonable economic protectionism.
  4. Private groups exerting undue influence and capturing the Brazilian state (patrimonialism).
  5. Failure to adapt our industry to a globalized world.
  6. Excessively high bank spreads.
  7. A terrible business environment, particularly due to the tax system.
There are other reasons for sure, but I'd say most people would agree those are the most important ones. Also, here's my effortpost on the Workers' Party, in case you haven't read it.
submitted by palocci to SocialDemocracy [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 01:38 HopeTroll Hunter’s Oral History (2004): “We Solve Unsolved Cases In This Country… Cases that Haven't Been Solved after 10, 15, 20, 25 years … We Must Not Give Up!!!

Thanks to u/-searchingirl
for mentioning Hunter's oral history
https://localhistory.boulderlibrary.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A25588?solr_nav%5Bid%5D=e941fb4f3ae7ecc9d9ec&solr_nav%5Bpage%5D=0&solr_nav%5Boffset%5D=1&solr_nav%5Bquery%5D=%20
Hunter’s Take
My sister says to me, “I'm so sorry you had to have this case,” … I want to share that I don't feel that way … There were tremendous challenges, unpopular decisions that had to be made …I feel … to some extent proud … that I weathered the storms, as I think a DA should, and did the right thing based on the evidence and I'm … real comfortable with that
Hunter’s Grand Jury Experience
When I announced … the grand jury finished its work and … I had concluded … there was insufficient evidence to bring charges, this disappointed a lot of people.
Hunter’s Last Term
There had been some questions … about whether I should run [for DA] again.
The thinking being, 24-years was enough, but I decided to go again and the Gods may have had this case as a present for me, for making that decision…
Why the case became high-profile
Reporters were stealing his garbage
I had reporters going through my trash. I finally had to put a sign on the the garbage cans that [read], “if you're walking your dog you can put your poop here” and that stopped some of them from going in.
The Side Shows
When the media got their claws into this one, there were so many side shows.
Larry Schiller
I remember looking out … and here was Larry Schiller, who wrote the book “Perfect Town Perfect Murder” and he's got an entourage of a half a dozen people and he's showing them where I live.
Geraldo Rivera
Rivera was down at the Boulderado, stirring up the public interest … He or one of his people called my [10-year old] daughter … to say you … really ought to persuade your dad to be on our show.
Eller
…Tom Koby, … a very good chief had taken a man from his staff who did not have felony investigative experience and made him the commander of detectives prior to the death of JonBenet … this commander … did not have the instincts to work this investigation in a cooperative, collaborative way … and he believed early on … there was evidence, for example semen on JonBenet’s panties
… the commander focused his attention on the Ramsey's based on his understanding of that evidence or perhaps some other evidence, that I'm not aware of, … and he forgot that … you can't have blinders on or you are not going to turn all of rocks that need to be turned.
…John Eller was the Commander of Detectives and did not have the kind of experience … necessary to deal with this caliber of investigation and he had the opinion that he knew who did it and it's my impression that the department's focus … on the Ramseys to the exclusion of … other evidence.
the final break before Eller was replaced was that in the fall of 1997, Vanity Fair did a piece we've come to know … because of depositions … one of the main detectives [Steve Thomas was the source], … with no homocide experience, … a number of things … appeared in that article that were evidentiary … and … were from … case filings about the ransom note … plus direct criticism of the DA's office.
…one of the deputies was accused of giving one of the defense attorneys a backrub at one of the meetings that involved handwriting analysis.
I was at that meeting, it never happened, but that didn't matter…
Lou Smit saves the trainwreck
…early on … I … put on my staff … a hot shot detective who'd solved numerous kinds of crimes in the Colorado Springs area working in the police department and in the sheriff's office.
... we're getting hundreds and hundreds of pages and evidence. They needed to be cataloged in an appropriate way, so that we could retrieve them. … Lou was able to set up a database out of it.
If it was fibers, we could pull that up as a particular fiber...I wanted to be able to compete with a defense team that had unlimited resources at that time and was doing everything that a defense team could do in this kind of high-profile case.
…Well Lou Smit was referred to in the Vanity Fair article as a delusional old man, because if this was the BPD’s general view of him … Koby and I could not mend that …
[Lou Smit is] probably one of the finest investigators I've ever known… certainly he didn't like being called a delusional old man, but also being disrespected to the extent he was by the Boulder police officers ... and maybe his own following of the evidence, Lou Smit became pretty much convinced and he's been on national TV that it was an intruder.
One of my deputies who is working closely with him … also became convinced or nearly convinced that it was an intruder. …
Koby’s Apology Letter
I had an apology letter from Koby ... I've never released that letter from him saying, it's outrageous, I don't know who did it, I apologize …
Vanity Fair Article Fallout
I tried to counter that Vanity Fair article … [with an] interview with Larry Schiller, … [in the] New Yorker…
I thought it was … a mediocre article. …the agreement in writing was … he would not use that material for his book.
I have that on New Yorker stationary. … I think things were rolling too fast and furious in terms of the high-profile nature of this case …
The Tabloids
… a picture of JonBenet on the cover and [it] didn't really matter … about the content …one of those reporters said to me that every time they had …a picture of JonBenet on the front of their tabloid, they would sell an extra 250,000 copies.
His Philosophy
…prosecutors around the country have said to me … how lucky you are …that your job is putting away people that have interfered with an individuals right to do what they want to do, their peace, and to have hurt them
…I'm honored to have been able to do that this last case … I think that it allowed me to draw deep on what I am as a human being, what I am as a lawyer, to call it the right way, to do the right thing in the face I think of a lot of hollering and yelling by the public that couldn't stand …to think that a little six year-old girl had been murdered and There is yet to be any justice I mean this this does not sit well with any of us …it would have been easy to bring charges but to approach charges when you didn't feel you could make your case would have been a horrible thing to do …
it's an unsolved case we solve unsolved cases in this country you taught any prosecutor he'll tell you he can name cases that have been solved after 10 15 20 25 years and I can think of five or six in our county so we must not give up on that
RDI petty party poopers
…the bumps and grinds of the case and some lost relationships, some real losses … one of my deputies … who I hired straight out of law school, … worked for me for the whole time…[didn’t attend my] retirement because [he said] I'm angry at you about this okay. … I had to make …a tough call but it was the right thing to do. …
you want to the search for the truth and [if] people are not gonna follow the evidence, like some police officers, they need to be gone … they need off because it is a search for the truth, it's a turning of all of the rocks, it's to follow the evidence where it takes you If you think you know where you're going you can't follow the evidence and that's a very important the thing to know…
Hunter’s Family
I'm grateful that [my] family was able to … take this in stride. I never saw them … upset, cry, or anything like that. I mean they didn't … like the publicity, but I'd been a DA from their birth through their very early years and I think they kind of rolled into that.
Hunter’s Final Analysis
…In the final analysis …I don't think we lost evidence …we picked up all of the hairs we picked up all of the fibers you know we took all of the photographs and so I don't think any evidence was lost because of this pissing contest …the public is not interested in paying its’ police department and its’ prosecutors to not get along and to fight with each other…
submitted by HopeTroll to JonBenet [link] [comments]


2023.05.27 22:00 LintLicker_3000 Memorial day weekend entertainment

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENT -- Today/Friday, May 26; Saturday, May 27; Sunday, May 28; Monday, May 29 --- Juan de Fuca Festival; Hood Canal Fjord Fest; Shepherds’ Festival; concerts; community theater; art studio for teens; historical society's online auction; art studio; work to learn party.
By Peninsula Daily News (www.peninsuladailynews.com)
• The 30th anniversary Juan de Fuca Festival begins today, bringing together more than 60 acts on five stages and dozens of artisan and food vendors at the free street fair in Port Angeles.
The Vern Burton Community Center and grounds, 308 E. Fourth St., is the hub for the celebration of music and art from around the region and beyond.
The street fair, which will also showcase 18 Juan de Fuca debut artisans — local entrepreneurs vending for the first time — will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. today through Sunday.
The Five Acre School Soundwaves marimba band will play on the Community Stage outside the Vern Burton center at 4:15 p.m. today, and then comes the opening ceremony for the Juan de Fuca Festival at 5 p.m. On the mainstage inside the Vern Burton, live music starts at 5:30 p.m. this evening and continues through Sunday, with the closing act, the Americana band Rose’s Pawn Shop, starting its mainstage show at 8:30 p.m.
This year, those 17 and younger get in free to the festival, and students 21 and younger with valid ID pay half price.
Three-day passes for adults are $100, while single-day passes are $30 for today, $55 for Saturday and $50 for Sunday. The Juan de Fuca Festival’s new mobile app offers ticket sales and information, as does its website, JFFA.org.
• The Memorial Weekend fundraising festival in Brinnon continues this weekend with a new name and new focus.
It will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 251 Hjelvicks Road, Brinnon, off U.S. Highway 101. The gate fee is $10 per day. Children younger than 12 are admitted free with a paying parent. Active military and veterans are admitted free with ID.
ShrimpFest began 30 years ago to celebrate the plentiful Hood Canal Spot Shrimp and raise funds for such local causes as schools, food banks and animal rescues. This year it has a new name: the Hood Canal Fjord Fest.
No spot shrimp will be sold in bulk. However, the famous shrimp will be part of dishes made by some vendors, along with other seafood and specialty locally sourced dishes, some of which are detailed at https://www.facebook.com/HoodCanalFjordFest.
• Pianist Lisa Lanza brings together the cream of Port Townsend’s young musicians and some of their equally talented elders for a Memorial Day weekend concert Sunday to perform for the benefit of Ugandan AIDS orphans.
The 12th annual show will be at the First Presbyterian Church at 1111 Franklin St. in Port Townsend, which co-sponsors this historically sold-out musical event with Grace Lutheran Church.
“Sharing Music, Enriching Lives” will be at 4 p.m. Sunday. Doors will open at 3:30 p.m. Pre-concert music will be performed at 3:45 p.m. by “Lambs in the Fold,” Jeni Little, Don Fristoe, Hank Snelgrove and John Snelgrove. A $15 to $20 donation, cash or check, is suggested. Masks are recommended but not required.
• Key City Public Theatre in Port Townsend will present PlayCraft Originals and 10-minute productions for Sips & Scripts at 7 p.m. tonight and 5:30 p.m. Saturday
All tickets are pay-what-you-wish for a chance to have a behind-the-scenes look at innovative stories in the works, according to a press release. Tickets and information can be found at KeyCityPublicTheatre.org, by emailing [email protected], or in person during box office hours from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
• The Bunker, a free art studio for teens, has its next session today at the nonprofit Northwind Art School at Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend.
Calligrapher Lindsey Wayland and painter Michele Soderstrom, who’s also a Port Townsend High School art teacher, are the two volunteers hosting the session. Middle school and high school students are welcome. The Bunker will be well-stocked with art supplies, snacks and drinks, and music will play all afternoon.
The Bunker will be open from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Building 306 at the fort. Information and the parental permission form can be found at https://northwindart.org; click on Courses.
• Mia Torres will perform from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. tonight at the Old Alcohol Plant Inn, 310 Hadlock Bay Road, Port Hadlock. No cover charge.
• AHA Auction for the Jefferson County Historical Society ends at midnight today.
All funds raised go to sustain the historical society’s core programs and build new ones, the group said in a press release. AHA stands for Art, History and Adventure.
To place bids or donate, see https://go.rallyup.com/jchsmuseum-aha.../Campaign/Details....
• Mike and Val James will perform from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday at Spirits Bar and Grill in the Old Alcohol Plant Inn, 310 Hadlock Bay Road, Port Hadlock. No cover charge.
• Sound Advice will play Motown, classic soul and rock favorites from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday at the Sequim Elks, 143 Port Williams Road, Sequim. Admission is $12 per person, $10 for Elks members.
• House of Hamill will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Quimper Grange, 1219 Corona St., Port Townsend. Admission is $20 per person; mask wear is requested.
• Port Townsend Urban sketchers will meet in Uptown Port Townsend at 10 a.m. Saturday. The group will meet at the corner of Lawrence and Tyler streets opposite from Aldrich’s Market.
After sketching, the group will reconvene at noon to share their work and take a photo. The event is open to all skill levels. For more information, visit www.urbansketchers porttownsend. wordpress.com.
• Spring Art Fair will be hosted by the Port Ludlow Art League from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. The annual art sale is at the Bay Club, 120 Spinnaker Place.
The sale features work from local artists that includes jewelry, ceramics, paintings, photographs, textiles, woodwork, baskets, cards and books. Proceeds benefit the league’s scholarship fund. For more information, visit www.portludlowart.org.
• Work to learn party hosted by the Sequim Botanical Garden Society will be at 1 p.m. Saturday.
The work party is in the Terrace Garden at Carrie Blake Community Park, 202 N. Blake Ave. Gail Ditmore will discuss the care and growing of peonies. The presentation is free and open to the public. For more information, call Dona Brock at 360-460-8865, email [email protected] or www.sequim botanicalgarden.org.
• Shepherds’ Festival is set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday.
The annual festival is at Sequim Prairie Grange, 290 Macleay Road. The free festival is sponsored by Clallam County 4-H, the North Olympic Shuttle and Spindle Guild and the Olympic Peninsula Fiber Growers Association.
Featured activities include sheep herding and shearing demonstrations, a farm animal petting zoo, fiber spinning demonstrations, a 4-H raffle, arts and crafts vendors and lamb kebabs and lamb chili.
• Art installation at Jefferson Healthcare in Port Townsend will continue through mid-August. Forty works form the Northwind Art’s Showcase program are on view in public reception areas. For details, see north windart.org and click on Courses.
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2023.05.27 21:47 stagehand1029 63M (M4F) My Cousin Barb

63M (M4F) MY COUSIN
kiss her lips, like gentle rain ferocity the storm, passion unleashed *Johnny Oneball
When I was ? I had been sniffing my mother's underwear for several years, she knew it, I knew my mother was literally giving me free access to her underwear, and I was the happiest kid on the block. Apart from one woman who I babysat for her son, Annie taught me to lick her pussy, I was still a virgin.
That changed the summer of my ?th year. My incredibly beautiful cousin, Barbara, had lost her husband. He, unfortunately, drowned in a fishing accident. A shock to all, my cousin was alone with three young son's, the oldest being 5, followed by twins, just 3 years old.
Barb called my mom and asked if she could take me up north, where we grew up, alongside the river. Her parents, my parents, took us every summer. Barbara was trying to heal. Make better memories for her boys, I'm sure. My mom, of course, said "sure, as long as he wants to". And I did. I love going to the Au Sable river to this very day!
I'm 63… reflecting on something that sparked a memory, today at a family funeral, and Barb was in attendance. We hugged, with the knowledge of our past. She always has that special smile, reserved for me, we hug tightly, closer with meaningful adoration.
The weekend arrived and my cousin picked me up, and we headed north. A two hour drive, the family retreat is waiting. As we headed north, her boys fell asleep and we chatted. I asked Barb, why don't we stay at your dad's cabin, located just less than 2 miles from the river? ( my uncle had a few bucks) Barbara said that she wanted her sons to have her memories of growing up, taking a holiday by the river, and camping.
My cousin at that time, is the apple of my extremely large family's eye. She's a strikingly beautiful brunette, tall and slim, gorgeous, and recently widowed. Me, I'm thinking about the opportunity to sniff her panties. I'm (young). I know my place, I'm going to babysit, let Barb get away, my job is to help her have a good time, set up camp, do the menial tasks, and allow her to relax. In the process, helping her heal. My instructions were clear, my mom made them very clear, whatever Barbie wanted, I was to "make it happen"
We arrived up north early Friday afternoon, set up camp and went to the beach. A lagoon on the backwaters of one of the many dams on the river, surrounded by highlands. Barb was wearing a black one piece bathing suit. She hadn't trimmed her thick black bush, I couldn't stop staring! I tried, but I just couldn't. The boys played in the shallows, I noticed she was crying, not outright blabbing but quietly struggling with the fact that her husband drowned in water. We were at the beach… her first encounter with life after the fact. I really didn't know what to do, so I touched her shoulders and said "I'm sorry".
We returned to camp, ate dinner and had a bonfire. Roasted marshmallows, the boys fell asleep. We called it a night.
In the morning, Barb had her clothes already on the clothes line… a pair of white underwear (oh fuck) hanging, blowing gently in the breeze. I'm making plans to do what I do best, smell them bad boys, properly! Rinsed out, they were not that… they smelled of river water. White granny undies hanging on a clothes line, how could I get her panties alone? I couldn't! What do I do? Improvise you perverted fools…. I would walk around camp, always going under the clothes line, letting her panties rub over my face, I did this several times.
As night fell, the boys went to sleep and eventually Barb said, hey John, I need to shave my legs, could you hold the flashlight? (yessss) "I sure can Barb" I exclaimed! I knew I was about to get a show, we went into her tent… "Don't look John". Now, of course I was "not looking" she stripped to her underwear, it's sorta dark, she was beautiful standing there in just her underwear, "oh dear, I left my bathing suit on the clothesline John, could you go get it please?" My mom was great at forgetting her whatever, ( know what's going on)… "of course Barb" I fetched her garment. When I returned, she was completely naked, so I walked in. The most beautiful woman, I held out my hand, her eyes were staring at my wandering eyes
John, have you ever seen a woman? she asked… I replied " I have Barbie, I've seen my mom, and my sister." I didn't tell her I already knew how to please a woman (Anne taught me) "but never this close up" she giggled. I need to trim my public hairs John, I need you to hold the flashlight, can you do that? (yes, she said public hairs) Barbara put on her bathing suit, her nipples were hard, like my young dick! She took the old school razor and dipped it in the washbowl, lathered her pubic area, legs, and began shaving… I made damn sure the flashlight was on her pussy!
Barbara began to talk. I'm just, I'm lonely John, since my husband died (she said his name but screw yall, too personal) I'm sorry I replied. "I get so lonely" I reached out, touching her shoulder, Barbara literally flinched at my touch, honestly, I was ahhh, I wasn't (as I reflect) I really didn't know what to do… then she said, "I saw you today Johnny, smelling my underwear, on the clothesline"… I uhhh… I'm sorry Barbie… I uhhh… "no John, it's OK, I just, I…" what? Barb, I said, " It made me horny John, do you understand?" " "I saw you, and I'm lonely…. Im… do you like me johnny?"
Guys… I'm (legal)at the time, and as today sparked this memory, I really didn't know empathy, I didn't understand women, I basically didn't know jack shit! What I DID know was, I loved sniffing panties, and jacking off, I licked one gal, Annie, who taught me how, but by no means did I have the knowledge I possess today…
I answered yes, of course I like you, again she was,her eyes were wet (her pussy was glistening) yes Barbie, I think your so pretty, she grabbed me and hugged me… she kissed me! Now, I'm (legal), inexperienced and not really scared, but surely I remembered what my mom said " make sure you take care of you cousin, son"... what I never expected was about to happen.
I was really close to her, she turned and said, " I need this, Johnny, do you understand?" yes Barb, I understand. "nobody can ever know" , she pulled me in and began kissing me… I didn't really know how… I was learning on the fly… Mmmmmmñnn she moaned, I wanted to cum right then…. Barbie grabbed my hand and took it straight to her crotch, mmmmmnnmmmnn… ohhh.. john…. she convulsed…. Ohhhhb Johnny im…. ahhh i…i…..I'm gonna. Cummmmmm!!!! I've never cum in my shorts… not that quick.
My cousin Barb was breathing so heavily, she was crying, "I'm so disgusting johnny" I heard her say, NO Barb, you're not at all disgusting I said. "Ohhh, thank you ohhh Johnny…" we lay in her tent. Barb fell asleep, cold ass water underneath us, I just took her underwear, put them to my nose and jacked off… blowing a massive load onto my belly quickly falling asleep next to my cousin. In the morning, (if you have never) breakfast was the best, the smell of fresh brewed coffee, eggs, bacon and taters, Barbra was glowing, her boys eating, I said "it's a great morning", she smiled…
Today's funeral reminded me of something I have forgotten… I wasn't supposed to tell. When I saw my cousin across the room, and we smiled at each other…
How could I not remember? *he smiles
As always, give it the love it deserves people can't say the truth… ages… but yeah, this happened, edited by mods… shhhhhh…
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2023.05.27 21:24 titusromano1234 Regret about quitting

I have a lot of regret about quitting after one year of teaching. I’m going to try and look for another school. When I tell some people I quit after only one year I get so much judgment from friends and family. I was re-elected to teach another year but the constant apathy and bad behavior from students was soul crushing. If I can’t find a job in the fall I’m going to substitute teach and tutor full time, and I feel no shame in this but other people shame me for quitting. It was so disappointing creating lesson plans that went to $hit most of the time.
Maybe I’m in the wrong Facebook group. I don’t plan on leaving teaching, but hoping to work at a better school. No school, staff, or student body is perfect, but the school I worked at was the worst in the whole county.
Only %70 of our students graduate per year According to Public School Review, our high school is ranked 1/10 overall 1/10 College Readiness %2 of students are at math proficiency, %16 for English, and %5 for Science
We have some amazing teachers at this school and I loved my colleagues, but I wasn’t willing to commit to another year. But now I feel sad, like I gave up easy. I resigned because the job was affecting my mental health. At the time I thought resigning was the best decision for me, but now I feel regret. Anyone else feel that way?
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2023.05.27 19:38 lurkinma Why is DCFS looking at my LinkedIn?

Backstory - 4 years ago DCFS was called on me. It was a retaliation call in response to a terrible argument that I got into with family. This person said I was doing drugs around my children, which is absolutely not true. I do smoke marijuana, but only at night when they’re in bed and my husband is home as well. We also live in a legal state and I have an up-to-date medical card.
I was upfront and honest about what I do, and the situation that caused the call to occur. The social worker talked to the kids, looked around the house, spoke with the school, and the case was closed as unfounded.
I ceased all communication with the family involved in the call, but the situation was terrible and caused me to really shut down to anyone outside of my very small circle. I deleted all of my personal social media, and any socials I am on is under a “decoy” name to prevent people from finding me.
We also sold our home and moved to the other side of town. And yes, the false DCFS call absolutely had a hand in that decision. We didn’t want this family knowing where we lived.
As I said, that was nearly 4 years ago. We’ve continued on with our lives, our kids are loved, adored, well taken care of, and have everything they could need. They are happy, doing well in school, and our lives have been quiet and peaceful.
But this week I got a notification that a social worker from DCFS in my county was looking at my LinkedIn profile. There is no reason for a social worker to be snooping around, no conflicts, no issues with my kids, nothing. So I’m stressed and anxious and have no idea what could have caused this social worker to look me up.
LinkedIn is the only social media platform that has my actual name, so if someone were trying to find info on me online, that’s the only page they could go to in order to get information about me.
Is a social worker looking you up on LinkedIn a normal thing to have happen? Even if it’s this family bothering us again, wouldn’t DCFS have access to my number and address in some sort of database? Why go to LinkedIn?
Also, if this does turn into DCFS contacting me, am I able to decline talking to them? Last time it really caused so much turmoil, and my kids were traumatized. Now they’re older and understand even more, so I don’t want to subject them to this situation again.
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2023.05.27 19:23 GlenBurniePlayers Newest Post for Promoting Don't Get Fooled Again with class

Good Morning Anne Arundel County, Good Morning America. This weekend we honor those America's who died in American Wars. Here is the newest episode of our post. https://youtu.be/faxz_SFOue0
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2023.05.27 18:12 SystemicAnnihilation I don't feel smart enough to care about anything except instant gratification

Briefly about me. I'm 20, grew up in a middling public school system in a middling suburb of a red state. But then I went to a STEM boarding school and struggled while encountering people like my roommate then who self-studied half of an undergraduate math curriculum and now has a Master's from my state school and works as a full time software engineer. And then I got another lucky break with a full ride to a very competitive and very global institution.
Every semester, I let myself down. Most people grow and adapt, for me the freshman year was the best because it was easiest. Now I have to just hope I can market myself well enough to get a job that will still barely enable me to afford a sublet in a big US city. Because I'm not getting into a decent graduate program and affording it with this. Nor do I have the attention span and ability to focus on one long-term project to go further in academia, honestly. Economics gets so theoretical.
I just don't feel deep and interesting enough as a person to develop genuine friendships, honestly. I start learning new hobbies/skills on my own, but I quit. I don't have the 'debater' personality that wants to intellectually pick every argument apart, I just want to absorb information. Seems like the workforce, classes, and intelligent people prioritize the former. I only speak English, not 5 languages and whatever I picked up on two gap years in a remote village before university. I spent so much time getting my hopes up for summer internship apps only to get constantly ghosted after the interview but.. at least I got one and I'm not rotting at home this time.
I've realized that all the non-academic/non-work things I do a lot are just pure escapism. And they wouldn't be possible without me existing on a full ride. I make a reasonable amount (for side money) from freelance/survey sites and usually have (minimum wage) on-campus assistantship/jobs on top of that. But instead of graduating with $10k+ in my own savings or investing it, I'm spending it all traveling solo. I've taken advantage of positioning (these flights aren't from the US) and I will have been to 30ish countries by the time I graduate, barely having left the US before I started university.
I've constantly been looking forward to the next trip, and I have some very interesting stories for someone my age. But I'm constantly just looking forward to my next travels and neglecting what I actually need to do to sustain my life and career. I drink, quite a lot, even alone sometimes because I feel like it just turns off the cold overthinker that I am. But the relationships I form through this are inherently transitory, and just end up giving me bittersweet feelings in the end. Or, most often, just Instagram friends where we lurk each others' stories but never talk again. I think what I prize here might be the dopamine highs of the constant novelty of seeing new places + the party scene + being 'active' with no time to dwell on my own thoughts.
I spent last semester in NYC and I was so incredibly overstimulated there that it affected every facet of my overall well being. Having no rent or actual bills I was spending an absurd amount from my stipend and other earnings at restaurants and bars. I'm naturally good looking-ish, not even through my own hard work (like gym) but by face and height. So as another form of escapism I sent myself on a dating app frenzy and fucked around and dealt with constant ghostings after dates that 'went well'. Over the past 5 months I've been on dates with OR made out with (or more) something like 20-25 different people. 10ish of those were the failed first dates with no chemistry. Yet I know none of this has a future with me moving around so much, it just makes me feel validated without having to show how smart or competent I am. And I've realized that for various reasons, which I'm sure partially include my own anxieties and porn use, that I'm not even a huge fan of casual sex. In some sense I have even felt with hookups and FWBs that the actual PIV part can be a chore but I just like the intimacy and foreplay.
The last week or two before I went home, including during finals, I wanted to just get my work over with. Clearly I underestimated what was an "A quality" paper here when I turned in some final papers a week before the deadline. Anyway, I was waking up every morning with the deepest pit in my stomach and sometimes I didn't want to eat. I was the kind of tired that even 11 hours of deep sleep couldn't address. And I've realized that I've felt a little bit of that sense of doom/dread at the end of every semester. Somehow, the next semesteevent is always simultaneously the time I'll get my shit together and the time it'll fall apart. I need more robust systems to handle leaving home again for my summer internship, but I've been through this cycle so many times that I almost feel a preemptive defeat.
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2023.05.27 18:02 Syndicalistguy02 Excerpts from “Chapter 16: Wandrisc Astrotheology,” in 'An Introduction to the World’s Religions', a Republian textbook…

NOTE FROM THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Earlier chapters have covered religions that condemn indulgence, with some even focused on asceticism and the rejection of all worldly desires. This chapter, however, will cover the first of a few that openly encourage and glorify it. Being so unorthodox compared to most other religions and enjoying a period of rapid conversion in the Auroras, it is especially vulnerable to misinterpretation and misinformation, leading to severe discrimination that will be covered later in this chapter.
As such, we on the editorial board ask that you keep an open mind while reading.

“I tell you this now, do not mistake my indulgence for weakness. I partake in this material world not because my soul is weak, but because it is reverent to its betters. I know not why you think it is honorable to live in dirt and misery, only that if I am to join the great kingdom of the night, then I must prove myself worthy not just to myself, but to those around and above.”
Wandrisc Astrotheology (WA; it is important to note that this is a Republian term, as there are a variety of names the religion goes by in its homeland, some of which will be identified in this chapter) is one of the four most well-known religions from Wandrakunja and, with over a billion followers and counting, one of the largest in the world. Its roots stretch across the Erstisc peoples of surface-world Wandrakunja, though there is significant converting and evangelizing in the Auroras (which will be covered later). WA, as the name implies, primarily focuses on the stars, which are believed to be divine beings, and the path one must take to ascend to starhood. Though there are disagreements within Astradom (again, a Republian term) on the minute details, there is general agreement that this path involves emulating the stars through collective, semi-utilitarian hedonism…

…Likely originated in the Pre-Migration era. Archeological evidence indicates that it was not necessarily a single religion so much as a family of distinct but related local traditions; it was likely polytheistic and seemed to have placed a certain amount of reverence in the stars, but more as representations of the Gods rather than actual deities. It was only during the First Migration that WA as we would recognize it arose. Again, we can turn to archeology to find dramatic shifts in both belief and practice…
…Thus, the religion primarily spread through syncretism as much as through conquest, accepting local traditions when possible and rationalizing them within the Astrotheologite worldview when not. That is not to say, of course, that old religions were left unscathed or even extant; the conversion of the Varyags involved the renunciation of all gods except for Perun and Veles, including the destruction of their respective idols and outlawing of their names except for curses…

…Eventually, the War Between the Gods culminated in the Destruction of the Gods, in which they violently exploded into countless fragments that formed our universe, including us…
Everything possesses its own soul, giving it sentience and a place in the Great Ash, a hierarchy of the universe arranged by the approximate perfection of each type of being, often represented by an Ash tree; the stars inhabit the canopy, mankind inhabits the branches, and all else descends the trunk to the roots. Note that despite the organization, this does not mean it is possible to become perfect in the absolute, that is, omnipotent and omniscient and utterly free of fault. Such attributes could only be assigned to the Gods themselves, who no longer exist and can never again. Thus, the very height of the Ash, the stars themselves, are not gods, per se, but the closest the universe will ever get to them.
Still, to ascend the Ash is still the ultimate desire and duty of any Astrotheologite: each step higher in the Ash grants a soul not only greater power to influence those below but also better attributes: greater capacities for wisdom, love, courage, etc. (and, of course, pleasure). Consequently, descending the Ash is to be robbed of such attributes, to be given less to live on. There are, of course, the depths of the cockroach and fly—disgusting pests that revel in filth—but there are far worse fates. For instance, rocks and drops of water may appear to be nonliving, but to the Astrotheologite, they are very much alive and suffering (and deserve it). They possess sentience (however limited), yet lack the ability to do anything with it; such beings are forced to spend their lives witnessing the universe pass around them without being able to partake in it. That is the reality any Astrotheologite fears: to have no mouth, and want to scream…

…For mortals, a requirement of ascending the Ash is realizing their insignificance before the Stars, to understand that no mater how brightly they shine, they will still be dreary beggars compared to the brilliance of their betters. This is not to condemn sumptuousness or beauty, but to instill humility, to remind a soul of their place in the universe, and to warn against hubris and excessive pride, for if there is anything the stars dislike, it is a soul that does not respect its universal lords…
…Upon death, the soul leaves the body to briefly wander; then it will appear before the stars themselves to be placed within a new vessel; with the Gods dead, the stars inherited their duty of judging a soul’s reincarnation. The souls they deem worthy of ascending the Ash closely resemble them in character, if not appearance. Thus, the purpose of Wandrisc Astrotheology is to ascend to near-godhood by emulating and satisfying the stars…

…The legend went that in 417, Roar Balderson, a chieftain of the Hrafnasæ (Rafasia), was frustrated with the constant disputes among his subjects over how best to emulate the stars, doubly so with the constant accusations of ranglæti (“injustice,” though a better, though still somewhat inaccurate, translation would be “blasphemy”). So it was that he used his extensive knowledge of various popular sagas to compile their teachings into the Lok Deilna (End of Disputes), a framework of nine “Pleasures” organized into three overarching themes that serves as a clear path to emulate the stars and come as close to godhood as one can in the mortal life. While the existence of Roar and the fact that he wrote some form of religious-moral code are indisputable, it is highly unlikely he alone was responsible for the Lok as we know it; today, the scholarly agreement is that the modern Lok is an amalgamation of various preceding codes, compiled and streamlined by a Hæstisc (Hostian) priest in the early 800s.
It should be clarified that though most Astrotheologites have adopted the Lok Deilna, the codex is not universally accepted; it has no divine origin and was written by mortals for mortals, which is why a minority of Astrotheologites refute the Lok and emphasize an individualist, non-specific approach to emulation. Even so, the sheer popularity of the Lok means that it is worth discussing in length, for the average Astrotheologite you may encounter in Wandrokunja will very likely believe in and follow it.
It should also be said that, unlike the Ten Virtues of Rationalism, the nine Pleasures are not strictly defined characteristics or behaviors, but rather more of ideals and concepts that give foundation to one’s thoughts and guide them towards correct behavior, like how the words “blue” or “yellow” don’t tell you of exact shades like navy or gold, but can give you a good idea of what such colors would look like (and, consequently, what may be acceptably called such). The Lok itself does not directly address its Pleasures, but instead offers a roundabout explanation through various myths, allegories, and of course, sagas. Moreover, the concepts of the Lok can convey much about the philosophy of WA, including cultural connections that otherwise may not be obvious for non-Astrotheologites.
Finally, we must discuss the nature and order of the Pleasures. If the primary purpose of WA is to emulate the stars, then it is only logical that the Lok emphasizes social sustainability and cohesion. The countless stars do not fight one another for prominence in the night sky; they merely are, and coexist to delight our eyes with their art; harmony is beauty and beauty is harmony. In short, what is good for the community is good for the self, and all laws shall come forth from that ethos. Thus, while the Nine Pleasures are technically equal in importance, those of the Self occupy the status of last-among-equals. Even so, the Lok demands that to fully emulate a star, one must partake in all Nine Pleasures at least once, so the Pleasures of the Self are not considered less valuable per se, but merely less urgent or immediate than those of the Stars and Kin.
The Lok Deilna:
The Stars
The Kin
The Self

…Of one and a half millennia, WA diverged into multiple Stjörnumerki (“Constellations;” i.e., schools) that emphasize different Pleasures based on different theological arguments; often, they also differ on cultural and organizational grounds. The three largest correspond to the three most prominent Astrotheologite states:
The Kongekreds Constellation: the “Royal Circle” is primarily based in the Hrafnasæ and prioritizes the Pleasures of the Stars, sometimes even at the expense of the other six. Ravens are considered divine messengers and prominently feature in the Kongekreds’ art and rituals. Royally ordained priests are hierarchically structured, with the Hrafnisc monarch as head. Historically, the Rikja attempted to force the Kongekreds as the sole official Constellation from the 900s to the end of the 90 Years’ War.
Ayuka’s Constellation: emphasizes the Kin and Self as an equal dyad, arguing that one cannot fully comprehend one without the other; communal harmony is impossible without individual self-respect, and vice versa. It is thus considered one of the more “liberal” and “luxurious” constellations. Until the 90 Years’ War, modern-day Hæstland was divided among feuding clan-states, each of which focused on their own Huskami (Roughly, “Spirit of the clan”), a single star said to represent their founder. After the ascension of clan Lofwine as the sole reigning family, the Constellation has focused worship on the Huskami Ayuka, known in the Auroras as Alpha Imperator.
The Korol’s Constellation: The Varyags converted from Slovisc Polytheism in 358 under Miroslav the Enlightened of the First Koroldom. This Constellation is notable for being among the starkest examples of WA’s syncretism, combining Perun and Veles with the stars to achieve a unique cosmology holding the two near-gods as Sopraviteli (diarchs) of the universe. Prioritizes the Kin and includes non-elven nature; as such, it directs special reverence to mythological creatures such as the firebird and Baba Yaga, believed to be earthly manifestations of various stars.

The first recorded meeting of Auroran converts was on the winter solstice of 1355, in El Puente, Nuevo Cielo. Since then, the “Cultus Siderum” has grown exponentially in the Auroras, with a 1439 report by the World Cultural Institute estimating over 30 million converts throughout the eastern hemisphere. That is not to say that the Cultus is the only Old World religion gaining followers in the New, nor does it mean that the newcomer faith is welcome…
…Perhaps the most significant catalyst was Honoré-Donatien d’Olbieaux, a prominent Rationalist Scholar and early anthropologist who was among the first to describe Wandrisc Astrotheology in his seminal work La Branche d'Argent (The Silver Branch). Naming it “Le culte de la luxure” (The Cult of Lust), he classified it as a Barbaric Cult, more “advanced” than Savage Atheism, yet “inferior” to Civilized Religion. He described it in fantastical claims, perhaps his most memorable being alleged weekly ceremonies where a young virgin was “shared” among the village before being slaughtered and cooked. Even during his time, La Branche was harshly criticized for its lack of credible sources and presentation of d’Olbieaux’s personal opinions as fact, but it quickly garnered popular appeal for its dramatic writing style; for almost a century after its publishing, La Branche defined public perception of WA…
…Took advantage of the burgeoning internet to rapidly spread in urban centers, where most Auroran Astrotheologites are located; not only did ready access to information gradually break down some (but not all) misconceptions, but the new rapidity of communication also allowed groups of disillusioned Rationalists to convene and convert over the net…

…Should note that not all Astrotheologites, especially those in the Old World, are enthusiastic about the recent wave. Without question, the greatest issue facing Astrotheologites in the New World are the so-called “Wayward Gangs,” fringe Constellations that espouse egoistic teachings; the most infamous, the Order of the Nine Virtues, combined the Self and the Stars, claiming that to emulate the stars was to put the individual before all others…the Hrafnasæ and Hæstland offered to send religious scholars to “properly educate” these Gangs. However, this introduces another issue to the burgeoning Constellations: their development, sovereignty, and relationship with the Old World…
Wandrisc Astrotheology has unexpectedly grown to a prominent position in global religion, and if recent surveys are to be believed, it will likely retain that position for the foreseeable future. It is especially important for modern comparative religious study, as it professes a uniquely hedonistic worldview that emphasizes the material world as a conduit to divinity while remembering one’s own imperfection and insignificance before the near-gods. Every night, you can look up and see a million brilliant beings looking back, judging, waiting. Just because perfection is impossible does not mean you shouldn’t strive for it. Yet at the same time, on lonely nights, one cannot help but wonder how dull and pathetic a star must be if it was the only one in the sky. That is the true test of an Astrotheologite: to find and embrace pleasure not just for oneself, but with and for others; to realize that to become a shining star is to be a guiding light, and so to emulate a star is to become a character worth following. And a soul that can accomplish that is one worthy of the endless sky.

About the Author
Arvid D. Skaarup is an anthropologist specializing in Old World religions. He received his Ph. D. in Anthropology from the University of Olgansk and has since been teaching comparative religion and cultural history at the Université de La Miracle. In his free time, he travels around the world, both Old and New; often, he returns to his native Rafasia to visit family. Currently, he is staying in Nuevo Cielo to write La Puerta Estrecha, which examines the contemporary life of Astrotheologites in the nation’s capital of El Puente.

Artist’s Notes
This lore is part of The 14th Hundredyears, a combination of 16th/17th-Century fantasy and Modern Fantasy that takes place in a world settled by two different hemispheres from two different time periods.
Wandrakunja, Land of the Southern Pole, is the southernmost continent of the World, which they call by various names, most commonly Ertho or Zeme. Though it spans both hemispheres, it is undoubtedly part of the west, the peoples here being among the Old Worlders who first settled on this planet. A fact sheet containing basic information can be found here: https://www.deviantart.com/kaiserguy14/art/The-Gemeanwealth-949855524
submitted by Syndicalistguy02 to worldbuilding [link] [comments]


2023.05.27 17:57 autobuzzfeedbot 21 Actors People Thought Were Miscast But Actually Ended Up Nailing The Role

  1. Let's start with Joe Pesci as Tommy DeSimone in Goodfellas. DeSimone was over six feet IRL — and Pesci is 5'4". Along with the other characters, DeSimone was also supposed to be pretty young, which is referenced in the script. Pesci was in his late forties. He still nailed the part, nabbing an Oscar for the role.
  2. Robert De Niro's character in Goodfellas, Jimmy, is also supposed to be young — it's explicitly stated he's in his late twenties.
  3. Rachel McAdams was also way too "old" for her role as a high school junior in Mean Girls. In fact, at 26 she was closer in age to her onscreen mom, Amy Poehler (32), than some of her teenage counterparts, like Lindsay Lohan and Amanda Seyfried. Still, she absolutely nailed the role.
  4. Another actor who was far too old for his role? Alan Rickman as Snape in the Harry Potter films. Snape would have been 31 when Harry first goes to Hogwarts, according to the books. Alan Rickman was 54 when he first began starring in the series, and 65 when it ended (at which time his character would've been 37). However, the role ended up being one of Rickman's most iconic, with close to universal acclaim over his portrayal.
  5. When Hugh Jackman was cast as Wolverine in the X-Men films, he was largely known as a suave Broadway star. He's also a full foot taller than Wolverine is supposed to be.
  6. A bunch of the Game of Thrones actors looked nothing like their characters from the books, but the most glaring example is probably Peter Dinklage as Tyrion. Tyrion is supposed to be hideous and much shorter. The show also didn't take pains to change his eye color, and they gave up on his hair color pretty quickly. Even Tyrion's scar just serves to make him look badass and rugged rather than more hideous like in the books.
  7. Heath Ledger was largely seen as a romantic lead before being cast in The Dark Knight — his most noteworthy roles had been in 10 Things I Hate About You and Brokeback Mountain.
  8. Speaking of Batman films...Michael Keaton also had many doubters when he was cast as Batman. At the time, he was best known for starring in comedies like Mr. Mom and Beetlejuice.
  9. Another actor who faced a ton of fan backlash for his casting was Tom Cruise in Interview with the Vampire. Cruise, perhaps best known as the action star of Top Gun, had never played a villain. Even the book's author, Anne Rice, publicly disapproved of the casting. However, Rice ended up changing her mind after seeing him in the role, along with many fans.
  10. There was also backlash after Tom Cruise was cast as Jack Reacher. The 5'7" actor seemed an odd choice to play the 6-foot, 5-inch, 250-pound character, but he somehow pulled it off.
  11. One of Morgan Freeman's most iconic roles was playing Red in The Shawshank Redemption. However, he looked a lot different than his character in the novella, who was a white, red-haired Irishman.
  12. Daniel Craig's most iconic role has been as James Bond but fans were initially reluctant to accept him in the role. Casting director Debbie McWilliams remembered that "stuff would come out about [how] he couldn’t walk and talk, he couldn’t run, he couldn’t drive a car properly, so much stuff which was completely and utterly untrue," after Craig was cast. Fans also felt the fact that he was blonde and only 5'10" made him a bad Bond. However, pretty much everyone was convinced he was perfect after seeing Casino Royale.
  13. Keanu Reeves not only seemed a strange choice to play the titular character in Constantine, but the movie took basically no pains to make him more like the character. Constantine is famously blonde, wise-cracking, and British — Keanu spoke in an American accent, took the role seriously, and kept his brown hair.
  14. Chris Pratt was certainly no action star when he was cast in the MCU as Peter Quill. In fact, he probably seemed a very strange choice to play the space adventurer, considering his main claim to fame was playing the lovable doofus Andy Dwyer on Parks and Recreation — whose lack of physical ability is even made fun of onscreen.
  15. Playing a real-life person is hard, and modern films take pains to use prosthetics and makeup to help an actor immerse themselves in character. But frankly, when the actor is good enough, it doesn't really matter what they look like. Take Leonardo DiCaprio in The Aviator — he looks nothing like Howard Hughes and was way too young for the role. Still, he pulls it off.
  16. And it's actually remarkable how little Leo looks like Frank Abagnale Jr. in Catch Me if You Can. Still, he was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance.
  17. Anthony Hopkins also failed to match Richard Nixon's distinctive looks in the film Nixon, but it clearly didn't matter. He was nominated for an Oscar for his role in the film.
  18. And besides them both being older white men, John Lithgow looks exactly nothing like Winston Churchill, despite playing him in The Crown. He still won an Emmy and a SAG award for his portrayal.
  19. Fans weren't entirely on board when Mos Def was cast in the film adaptation of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Not only was he not British, but he was primarily known as a hip-hop star. It was also an example of "color-blind casting": the character's race was not named in the book, but some fans had pictured him as white. But the race of the character was not as important (he's not even human; he's an alien), and Mos Def nailed his own take on the role.
  20. Viggo Mortensen was a last-minute choice to play Aragorn, and he was a bit shorter and younger than he was meant to be (he was supposed to have gray in his hair). He's also meant to look scraggly and frightening when the hobbits first encounter him as Strider, which the handsome star doesn't quite pull off. He also knew very little about the books. But none of that seemed to matter, as the film's entire cast, including Mortensen, ended up a prime example of perfect book-to-film casting.
  21. And finally, absolutely nobody in Grease looks like a teenager. But it doesn't matter! It's a great film!
Link to article
submitted by autobuzzfeedbot to buzzfeedbot [link] [comments]


2023.05.27 17:31 SchlesingerMindy323 [HIRING] 25 Jobs in AL Hiring Now!

Company Name Title City
Lee Company Duct Mechanic Ardmore
Lee Company Duct Mechanic Athens
Jobot Senior Electrical Engineer Bessemer
Jobot Senior Electrical Engineer Birmingham
Penske Truck Leasing Diesel Mechanic Boaz
Oculus Search Partners Home Nurse Camden
Encompass Health Behavioral Health Supervisor Cusseta
Lee Company Duct Mechanic Decatur
Lee Company HVAC Installer Decatur
Baldwin County Public Schools WIC Coordinator Fairhope
Oculus Search Partners Wellness Nurse Fairhope
Lee Company Duct Mechanic Falkville
Boeing Systems Safety Engineer Grant
Pilgrim's Plant Worker Haleyville
Reliance Worldwide Storeman Hanceville
Reliance Worldwide General Laborer Hanceville
Confidential Diesel Mechanic Hanceville
Lee Company Sheetmetal Helper Harvest
TMX Finance Site Manager Huntsville
Vital Smiles BDS Huntsville
Encompass Health Physiotherapy Assistant Hurtsboro
TF1 CDL A Driver Kellerman
Boeing Air Export Agent Laceys Spring
Boeing Systems Safety Engineer Meridianville
Ascension Talent Acquisition Associate Mobile
Hey guys, here are some recent job openings in al. Feel free to comment here or send me a private message if you have any questions, I'm at the community's disposal! If you encounter any problems with any of these job openings please let me know that I will modify the table accordingly. Thanks!
submitted by SchlesingerMindy323 to AlabamaJobs [link] [comments]


2023.05.27 17:29 Pizov Asking ChatAI about the effects of slavery on african people in america and how capitalism has used it to its own advantage...and critique of Capitalist AI tech...

I asked it some quesitons and here we go. I want to specifically note the last paragraph since it reveals the capitalist bias in AI technology. While the answers it generated are quite good and informative, that it still defends the capitalist mode of production is noteworthy.
Present day AI technology - and the public-facing side of it - is a product of capital interests. It is framed as "good for humans" but in the end it is good for capital accumulation. The propaganda around it is convincing the public at large that it is "good" and for "good", which is the major issue with it, since capitalist AI tech is not being used for that. Anyhow, here's the rest of it. The responses to my questions are quite good.
What are the sociological, behavioral and psychological effects of slavery on African Americans that exist still to present day?
ChatGPT
The legacy of slavery has had profound and enduring effects on African Americans, and its impact can still be observed in various sociological, behavioral, and psychological aspects of their lives today. Here are some of the key effects:

  1. Socioeconomic Disparities: Slavery entrenched significant socioeconomic disadvantages for African Americans that continue to persist. Centuries of exploitation, oppression, and limited access to education, land, and economic opportunities have contributed to the racial wealth gap, income disparities, and uneven representation in positions of power.
  2. Institutional Racism: Slavery established a foundation for systemic racism that has persisted through various social institutions. Discriminatory policies and practices, such as segregation, redlining, and unequal treatment within the criminal justice system, continue to disadvantage African Americans and perpetuate racial inequality.
  3. Cultural Identity and Community: The disruption caused by slavery, including the erasure of African cultures and forced assimilation into a new society, has shaped the African American experience. Cultural identity has been reshaped through the blending of African and American elements, and community bonds have formed as a means of survival, resilience, and resistance against ongoing discrimination.
  4. Intergenerational Trauma: The psychological effects of slavery have been passed down through generations, resulting in intergenerational trauma. The experiences of enslavement, violence, and dehumanization have had lasting effects on African American mental health, with symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) being observed in individuals and communities.
  5. Racial Identity and Stereotyping: Slavery's enduring impact is also reflected in the construction of racial identity and the perpetuation of racial stereotypes. African Americans often face negative stereotypes, racial profiling, and bias, which can influence their self-perception, interactions with others, and opportunities for advancement.
  6. Educational Disparities: Historical barriers to education during slavery and segregation have contributed to persistent educational disparities for African Americans. Unequal access to quality schools, resources, and opportunities, along with the perpetuation of biased disciplinary practices, has hindered academic achievement and limited educational outcomes for many African American students.
  7. Health Disparities: African Americans continue to experience disproportionate health disparities, partly as a consequence of slavery's lasting effects. Limited access to quality healthcare, systemic racism within medical institutions, and the impact of chronic stress associated with racism contribute to higher rates of chronic diseases, shorter life expectancy, and poorer overall health outcomes.
It is important to note that the effects of slavery are complex and interact with other intersecting factors such as gender, class, and geography. While progress has been made in addressing these issues, ongoing efforts are required to combat the persistent effects of slavery and strive for racial justice and equality.
How has capitalist economics used these negative forces to its advantage?
ChatGPT
Capitalist economics, as a system, has historically benefited from and perpetuated the negative forces resulting from slavery and its legacy. Here are some ways in which capitalist economics has used these forces to its advantage:

  1. Exploitation of African American Labor: Slavery itself was an extreme form of labor exploitation, where African Americans were treated as property and forced to work without compensation. Even after slavery was abolished, capitalist economic systems continued to exploit African American labor through sharecropping, convict leasing, and other forms of cheap and often exploitative labor arrangements.
  2. Racialized Economic Hierarchy: Capitalism has relied on a racialized economic hierarchy, where African Americans were systematically excluded from economic opportunities and relegated to low-wage, menial jobs. This allowed capitalist systems to maintain a cheap labor force and maximize profits while perpetuating racial inequality and economic disparity.
  3. Segregation and Market Exclusion: During the Jim Crow era and beyond, capitalist systems actively supported and benefited from racial segregation. African Americans were denied access to housing, education, and public services, and were confined to segregated neighborhoods and markets. This exclusion limited their ability to accumulate wealth, restricted their consumer choices, and concentrated economic power in the hands of white-owned businesses.
  4. Racialized Consumption and Exploitative Practices: Capitalist systems have often exploited African American communities as a lucrative market for products and services, while simultaneously perpetuating harmful stereotypes and reinforcing racial inequalities. Examples include predatory lending practices, targeted advertising for harmful products, and exploitative pricing in predominantly African American neighborhoods.
  5. Capitalizing on Criminalization: The criminalization and mass incarceration of African Americans have been heavily influenced by capitalist interests. Private prisons and companies profiting from prison labor have been involved in lobbying for harsher criminal justice policies and perpetuating the school-to-prison pipeline. This profit-driven approach has disproportionately affected African Americans, leading to increased incarceration rates and perpetuation of economic disenfranchisement.
  6. Co-opting Resistance Movements: Capitalist systems have often co-opted and diluted the efforts of African American resistance movements. By commodifying aspects of Black culture and activism, capitalist entities can profit from the appeal of cultural products while maintaining the structural inequalities that perpetuate racial injustice.
It is crucial to recognize that these negative forces and exploitative practices are not inherent to capitalism itself but have been historically intertwined with it. Capitalist systems can be reformed and reshaped to address these issues, promoting economic equity, fair labor practices, and social justice for all individuals, regardless of race. [emphasis added]
submitted by Pizov to LateStageCapitalism [link] [comments]


2023.05.27 16:27 lizziepalooza My Response to the "High Grass & Weeds Program" Threatening Letter

My Response to the
(Pic of my gorgeous, meadow-like backyard haven that can only even be seen by one other house, taken today, eight days after my "violation" was issued.)
Dear Sirs, Madams, et al. of the High Weeds & Grass Program:
I am the owner and primary resident, along with my husband, at my address. This past week I received a violation notification from your fine board, indicating that I have unleashed “an environmental public nuisance … Specifically, vegetation which has not been cut, mowed or otherwise removed” that has attained a height of “twelve (12) inches or more.”
I would first like to request clarification, along with an extension on the time period you’ve suggested before the city comes on to my property and removes plants that are residing here quite intentionally. I feel it’s necessary to protest the vague distinction of “vegetation” that has achieved a “height of twelve (12) inches or more” that could only be offending a very few people in the small cul-de-sac in which I live. Virtually every other yard in my neighborhood has vegetation in the forms of trees, bushes, and other lawn ornamentation well over twelve inches, and I myself have a multitude of trees, bushes, and so forth that fall into the realm of “vegetation” that cannot reasonably fall under the quite specific measurement of twelve inches. I would like a list of the specific vegetation you wish for me to remove, which I think is quite a reasonable request before you demand money from me for forcing unwanted changes onto property I own and pay ever-increasing taxes on.
Furthermore, I’d like to address the fact that I have very specific intentions for the future of my yard and property that don’t include the almost constant noise pollution many of my neighbors in this same cul-de-sac produce with unnecessary and excessive use of gasoline-powered lawn tools that not only disrupt the natural habitat we’re lucky enough to enjoy in this still-secluded part of Marion County, but that also make this otherwise haven of nature and beauty into a constant cacophony of chainsaws, lawn mowers, edgers, and blowers. I’d like to point out that my neighbors allow feral cats to wander around the neighborhood—a practice that is far more disruptive in a small ecosystem like the one we enjoy here than allowing a few plants to take their natural course for a few months of the year. (I can send along a number of studies and articles about the nuisance feral cats create. Here is just one from wildlife.org: https://wildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Feral-Cats.pdf.)
I’m quite happy to produce any number of scientific texts and references, in whatever form you’d like, that show leaving a property alone for the first two years of ownership is the best way to learn the natural landscape with which you’re working and create a productive plan for moving forward with a regenerative natural landscape that doesn’t require constant upkeep and that also provides valuable ecosystem protection that’s far more important than a collection of six houses having perfectly manicured lawns, at the expense of all the peace and quiet we should enjoy every day. I’m sure the landscapers who offered to mow my lawn for the incredibly reasonable price of $1,085 as a first payment and then $300/ mo into perpetuity are making sure to keep selling that expectation to my neighbors, but I hope to demonstrate a different way to be in the future. After all, we’re already seeing effects of climate change in our state, and we all should be changing our approaches and views when it comes to the same-old ways of performing lawn care.
I bought my house in December of 2020. The past two summers, I’ve done minimal lawn care and have observed where the sun hits the lawn at various times of day to learn where I want to plant the native plants I’ve been studying in the meantime. This year, I’ve been participating in No-Mow May with a large collection of people in various online communities encouraging people to stop feeling the need to constantly hack away at their lawns, wasting time and money, and also making neighborhoods worse in myriad ways with noise pollution. I’d ask that a member of the High Weeds & Grass Program come spend a day in my yard and witness him- or herself how much more pleasant it is to hear birds and wind and various wildlife than it is to hear constant motors running. Within the next five years, my lawn will be highly manicured and packed full of native plants in properly delineated flowerbeds, but I’m not a rich enough person to do it in one fell swoop. I will work toward making improvements over this long holiday weekend, as I’d planned to do anyway, but I’d still like a review that explains far more specifically what’s wrong with my lawn.
I don’t expect us to be in disagreement once we have a better understanding of one another’s intentions, but I’m shocked that in a city as progressive as Indianapolis and a state as conservative as Indiana we can’t appreciate both environmental truths and the importance of respecting personal property.
Please don’t assume that every person with a bit of a messy yard is lazy or neglectful or unloving of their property. I love my house and the land I own, and even though it’s incredibly beautiful to me with all my vegetation over twelve inches, I am willing to bring it in line with expectations once they’re more clearly outlined. I’d also like to remind the city AND my neighbors to have some grace and consideration for several factors: This is the first home my husband and I have owned. He and I lived our entire adult lives in apartments in the city before we moved here—over half our lives at this point. Lawn care hasn’t been something we’ve had to fit into our days, and also—we don’t have years of equipment built up. We had to replace our entire HVAC in the first year of owning our home, which limited the amount we’ve been able to invest in tools that others take for granted. Times are difficult. Inflation is unbelievably high. Wages are low. People are struggling and suffering. I find it hard to believe that a few stray plants in my yard are causing “an environmental public nuisance” to anyone who doesn’t need to check their priorities. No one comes and shows you how to properly care for your lawn. There’s a steep learning curve, and we’re still on it.
Please let me know what specifics you require of me. You’re welcome to come to my door (with a properly made appointment), email me directly, or give me a call instead of sending me vague, threatening letters in the mail.
My regards—
submitted by lizziepalooza to fucklawns [link] [comments]


2023.05.27 16:22 reys_saber Could I get some resume feedback? I’m looking to switch to either project management, Plumbing Foreman, or back into Plumbing BIM/ design.

Could I get some resume feedback? I’m looking to switch to either project management, Plumbing Foreman, or back into Plumbing BIM/ design.
The last two jobs have been short stints where I learned a lot. Company C “laid me off” after I questioned shady financial practices. This job only lasted 4 months.
I just left Company D because they didn’t take safety seriously and my company vehicle brakes went out in a customer’s driveway (I almost hit their car and house) after months of me pleading with management to get them fixed before they went out.
My work history looks like this: Company A - 10 years. (First stint) was promoted from plumbing apprentice, to Journeyman, to Master. Then got promoted to BIM/VDC/ Plumbing Design. After several years I was asked to teach at night through their apprenticeship program while still working my VDC Plumbing Design Job During the Day.
County Schools - 1 Year. It was a good job but bad bosses. Work was either on fire or dead slow. I got tired of lack of challenges. So I moved on to company B.
Company B. 1.5 years. Good company, went through a major restructure, I knew my job would be eliminated in 6 months so I went back to school at local community college to learn welding.
The college found out I had extensive experience in drafting, and asked If I would teach. I taught for 1.5 years.
Company A called me again and said they wanted me back for more money and a new boss. Stayed their 3 years, but left due to lack of mobility (linear or upward). I was just Stuck where I was at, with no chance in moving to something more challenging in the company.
The last 2 jobs have been absolutely junk. I left company A for company C (small upstart), but was only their for 4 months. I still learned a lot (and learned not to question why the owner bought his wife a new corvette after the initial success of me changing his pricing structure.) I was promptly laid off after questioning several shady financial dealings.
Then I found a Job at company D. The interview went great, but after 3 months I came to the realization that the owner was absolutely clueless about skilled trades, and only cared about profits. I quit on the spot after my brakes went out on my company vehicle and he wanted to put me into another company vehicle that was 2 years out of inspection. My safety comes first.
How do I explain all of this to new employers?
submitted by reys_saber to Construction [link] [comments]