#book child covid vaccine

[cock-holliday]

The whole “how will anarchism account for insulin” or any similar gotcha is so funny because of how it not only misunderstands anarchism but also misunderstands how things are handled currently.

It’s very similar to gotchas over prison abolition. “If we don’t enforce x by threat of prison and police brutality, how are we gonna stop it?” We don’t stop it with threat of prison and police brutality.

When anarchists call for removal of state oversight, the assumption is that the perspective is the same as republicans. When I say “I hate Joe Biden”, it doesn’t mean my ire towards him is for the same reason as those from the opposite direction. In fact, my ire often comes from the current system enabling my opposition. The same with insulin.

BUCKLE UP FOR AN ESSAY

Assuming these discussions are actually based in fruitful curiosity and not a horniness for the state, let’s debunk a few issues:

Item 1: Deregulated means unsafe, regulated means safe.

One of the big concerns is without STATE oversight, things won’t be safely made. The assumption then is that state oversight makes things safe. State oversight is conceptually neutral, and depends on what the state wants. Yes, it is in poor taste to off your citizens and generally they wanna keep the populous around, but that’s not always how things operate in practice.

In reproductive healthcare, under the guise of “safety” a series of laws referred to as TRAP Laws, over-regulate abortion providers with the intention of closing them down. Your hallways must be this wide. You must have x equipment you won’t use. You have to have this type of doorway. The intent is to red-tape these facilities into closing. It’s not about safety, it’s about control.

When it comes to covid vaccines, companies held patents that prevented “unpermitted” groups to produce their own vaccines and forced a dependance on the patent-holders. And by “groups” I mean entire medical organizations with the skills, training, and materials to make their own safely and correctly. It wasn’t about safety, it was about profit.

In India, certain strains of potatoes are illegal to grow because Lays holds a patent on them. You are not permitted to grow your own type of food because a company holds the “rights” to these potatoes.

Native land in the US that was “granted” in the form of reservations repeatedly gets re-stolen under the insistence of a “need” for resources and pipeline access.

You’ll notice a trend. In place of “safety” is political control, in place of “rights” to something, is financial gain.

Now, not all red tape we have currently is pointed towards the people, a lot is pointed at institutions and corporations—which is what many people are afraid of losing. Republicans want to remove child labor laws, they want to add hours to the workweek, they want to cut wages, so without the laws and oversight on these entities, we’d be fucked, right?

Item 2: Corporations are held accountable NOW.

It’s true that without any of the current oversight, corporations would be even worse. Workplace safety would be worse. But leaving the analysis here is a mistake for two reasons: it assumes that what we have is due to the benevolence of the state, and assumes the regulations we have even do what they’re supposed to.

The 40 hour work week, weekends, child labor laws, workers rights, everything good about regulation we have is because those lobbying for it were seen as a reasonable compromise next to people blowing up factories, killing tycoons, and destroying company goods. Every single good thing we have on the books was fought for with blood, sweat, tears, and the bodies of children, because the state wasn’t going to grant these protections until it became unwise for THEM not to.

Now, once we HAVE these protections, what are the consequences for violating them? The state considers child labor bad, stealing wages is bad, forcing employees to work in dangerous conditions is bad—so these things don’t happen, or when they do, the consequences prevent it from happening in the future, right?

…right?

I’ve already talked a lot about labor law on my blog and how amazingly toothless it is, but I’ll give a sparknotes version here for those who don’t know. Your boss stealing your wages, your boss employing children, your boss employing undocumented workers, your boss forcing you to work in unsafe conditions…will most often not face CRIMINAL legal consequences. The consequences they will face are under LABOR law, and the consequences for labor violations are: 1. Injunction (I prommy not to do it again) 2. Remedy (reinstating unfairly fired worker, financial compensation, etc) 3. Fines. That’s it.

No jailtime. And when it comes to fines, when the financial punishment is so minuscule as it usually is, it is not a deterrent, it becomes a cost of operation.

Now, you might be thinking “wow LJ, you paint a really bleak picture of people, things sound so bad” I want to say no, this is a bleak picture of corporations. Regulation or a lack thereof is tied to FINANCIAL INCENTIVE. It is not a reflection of people in general.

Item 3: Without fear of punishment, people will do whatever they want.

Workers on an assembly line don’t add corn and sawdust to foods because they feel like it, they are directed to by a boss who stands to make a profit by cutting down on what is real in their food. Medical industries trying out new products stand to gain money from introducing a product before it is ready. Construction workers pouring concrete have no incentive to make a bridge incorrectly, but the company shaves off some expenses by cutting corners. Financial gain AND MONOPOLY GRANTED BY POWER is what makes this cycle continue. Individual greed does not have this kind of devastation. A worker stealing from work, someone fudging their time card, doesn’t have this kind of impact because the devastating impact requires power and hierarchy.

We have a variety of social contracts that aren’t enforced with a big stick. People tend to all face the same way in an elevator. I won’t go to jail for spitting on my friend, so what stops me? No one is legally mandated to hold doors for each other or help your neighbor with groceries or donate to charity. Likewise, no one is punished for the opposite.

If a worker knows something isn’t up to code can they do something about it? I saw a post once saying the only people who hate OSHA are business tycoons. I know plenty of steelworkers who “hate OSHA” because OSHA requires heavy gloves for protection that make it impossible to grip tools, so workers forgo them under the speed demands of their boss and get hurt, then it’s their fault. I know workers who “hate OSHA” because if they get hurt at work they have to hide it because their boss has to send them home where they can’t work per OSHA guidelines. I know glass workers who “hate OSHA” because the ear protection they have to wear is too thick for the workers to communicate, so they forgo them and when they suffer ear damage, it’s their fault. In truth, they don’t hate OSHA. But the actual application of restrictions on employer’s doesn’t help if employers don’t face actual consequences, and bend their own consequences to punish the worker trying to utilize them. Sure, your boss can’t legally hurl racist slurs at you, but if you report it and get fired, can you withstand the years and expenses of court time only for your sole compensation being “reinstatement”?

So what should be the remedy then? Prison time for bosses? Let’s circle back to prisons and abolition. Prisons are an elaborate moneymaking scheme and its tentacles are gripping a wild amount of industry. Go to your local Walmart and pick up the first item you see boldly bearing a sticker that says “made in America!” Unless it’s a local small company, chances are pretty high that it was made, grown, built by prison labor. A large portion of farmworkers are prison labor. Even more are undocumented workers not protected by even our pitiful worker protections. 1/3 of California’s firefighters are prison labor.

Item 4: The state is separate from corporate influence.

So sure, more condemnation of corporations. But what does this have to do with the state? If you want to make yourself very angry about our government, look into ALEC. ALEC is a lobbying group for congress. A lot of corporations are part of this lobbying group, and they essentially write legislation that supports their financial incentives, and then lawmakers propose it before their committees. Holding hands behind your senators are corporations and private prison industries. And lawmakers are cut in on these deals.

Constantly lawmakers are revealed to be doing insider trading, taking bribes from corporations. Not just senators and reps. But supreme court justices. Presidential cabinet members. Power, control, financial incentives. The state has an interest to maintain itself, and when the opportunity for financial gain is presented, those in power take it again and again.

And ultimately, it’s not even just the case of personal corruption. It’s “playing the game.” You can’t run for office without financial backers, since elections are a money-pissing contest. Nonprofits have to kiss ass to wealthy benefactors in order to accomplish their noble goals, and their mission and directives ultimately become overwritten by the financial desires of their backers. Wealthy people won’t support unlucrative proposals, and so justice and fairness and meaningful change has to give them a financial return. Philanthrocapitalists is a term given to those of extreme wealth who pour obscene amounts of money into a social issue and are hailed a hero for the redistribution of their wealth. In reality, the “solutions” they fund perpetuate the issue. It becomes a business. Charity is turned into a profit-generating scheme. There are entire companies where you pay money to go build houses in “third world” countries. When the projects are completed and everyone feels good about the difference they’ve made and go home, the houses are torn down to make room for the next batch of saviors.

No matter how well-meaning, no president from New York is ever going to know how to appropriately address issues plaguing rural Iowans. To address them means to empower the community facing them now. No white president will ever know how to solve issues in Black communities. Appointing a Federal Black Issues Committee will still not solve the issues at a local level, because the committee, no matter how it is structured, will not reflect the issues of every Black American.

Calls for decentralization, allowing communities to address their needs at local levels without having to jump for treats from the federal government is NOT the same as right wingers chanting “states rights.”

Corporations and state financial interests reinging supreme means that as long as those in power have a big stick to control the masses, that sort of power should not be theirs in the first place, because it will continue the cycle. “MY group should get to hold the stick because not everyone can be trusted to handle things themselves” makes you much more inclined to side with structures predicated on maintaining power (cough cough financial incentives, monopolies, hierarchy) and makes you so much more dangerous than Joe Schmoe who wants out from under a boot.

So yes, how ever will anarchists address issues like insulin and ramp building without the state?

The only meaningful way to address it is WITHOUT a state.

#anarchy #anarchism #anarchist #leftist discourse #anarchist discourse

[beardedmrbean]

https://x.com/halalcoholism/status/1781092014391734595?s=46

In my senior year, I read a book about a Khmer Rouge child soldier and survivor

He said heard his little brother died from starvation while asking where he was

Evil my friend pure evil

Psst, Jewish people, the left defense of the Khmer Rouge is what would happen if the Nazis didn’t attack England and France. Sorry I think people don’t understand that Nazis had a eat the rich mentality

Also people said the cia funded the Cambodian genocide

Oh leftists

The American agencies are INCOMPETENT AS FUCK

If we know about the cia connections to bin Laden, then anti commies cia hating people would put that shit down hard.

Seriously…do they talk to any working class American? I mean ever heard that in cops shows. The cops are weary when they learn the cia is involved?

Almost like the cia makes everything a living hell for the average American….hmm why did we go to Vietnam again? Why did so many Americans have to be at the mercy of Vietnam’s vets with ptsd with little to no mental resources again?

Why does the cartels have military grade weapons that no American civilians can buy?

Why didn’t the sniper try to kill lbj as well?

Why did the crack epidemic hit my community the worst? How the fuck inner cities thugs got military grade weapons too?

There a reason why American sci-fi since 70’s have an agency that based off the cia to pull middle fingers to. Not a Trekkie, but didn’t the next generation crate a federation cia call sector 9 or something?

Gonna run those tweets on their own, since that will bring discourse™

In my senior year, I read a book about a Khmer Rouge child soldier and survivor He said heard his little brother died from starvation while asking where he was Evil my friend pure evil

Fairly large Cambodian community in my town, I'm sure they'd love a word with the idiots that think the khmer rouge was anything but evil,

Psst, Jewish people, the left defense of the Khmer Rouge is what would happen if the Nazis didn’t attack England and France. Sorry I think people don’t understand that Nazis had a eat the rich mentality

They were a form of socialists so ya, not sure how many of them realized they were, but ya.

Also people said the cia funded the Cambodian genocide Oh leftists The American agencies are INCOMPETENT AS FUCK

They managed to pull off a few things in South America, they wouldn't have funded a communist state though, not one that small at least, need something that would be more than a minor annoyance for china or the soviets.

If we know about the cia connections to bin Laden, then anti commies cia hating people would put that shit down hard.

ya he was fighting commies, Afghanistan the graveyard of empires

Why does the cartels have military grade weapons that no American civilians can buy?

ATF gunwalking scandal Thanks Obama.

Why didn’t the sniper try to kill lbj as well?

Who would have gotten us stuck in Nam for years and years if not for lbj though?

Why did the crack epidemic hit my community the worst? How the fuck inner cities thugs got military grade weapons too?

That was the FBI, CIA operates outside of our border, allegedly. It's also a contributing factor to the black community having such a low vaccination rate during covid, alphabet soup news outlets never really brought it up because that's not a way to demonize white people so they don't care.

There a reason why American sci-fi since 70’s have an agency that based off the cia to pull middle fingers to. Not a Trekkie, but didn’t the next generation crate a federation cia call sector 9 or something?

I think there was a episode of DS9 that went into that when Sisko went back in time on earth, but don't quote me on that. _________________

Got this one out at least, still waiting to hear if it's pick up day or not.

I'm gonna shitpost for a bit tho I think.

#zoomer huey anon

[kusanalogy]

Okay thenn could I request a scenario of Ei and Rosaria meeting readers protective older brothers(2 of them) ? I think it would be a funny idea jdlajxlajxos

Brother.. I'm not a child!!

Characters: Ei and rosaria x gn!reader (separate)

author's note: As much as i wanted to make this longer, i didnt have time </3 i literally wrote some of this in the hostipal 💀 dw im fine it was just a vaccine (not covid)

b/n1 = eldest brother's name // bn2 = older brother's name, the number after is just for telling the difference

word count: 700-750 total

She didnt react much when you first brought up introducing her to your family

You told her lots about your family and what to expect, All she did was nod & add small comments.

Once you both reach your family's home, you reminded her once more about your... overprotective brothers. "Nothing to worry about. We'll just keep it simple, ok?" Rosaria said while standing behind you. You smiled at her and knocked the door

"Y/n! I see you've brought a guest, hm?" b/n2, your older brother welcomed and hugged you. Since rosaria was behind you, your brother secretly gave her a threatening glance. The action spoke "Make sure to do good." so rosaria just stared at him back with a "Dont try me" look.

The two of them seemed to have caught your eldest brother's attention, Who was preparing the table for dinner. He paused and went up to you three

"Well, you two seem to not get along. So you're the girlfriend y/n has been talking about?"

"Yes- my name is rosaria. Good day, b/n1"

Your brother observed her carefully, looking for any signs of suspicion. He did find rosaria to be a bit.. different, but nothing seemed to be that bad "I see. While mom is cooking why dont we have a chat?" b/n1 smiled, though a part of it seemed to be off

Once you all settled down on the couch, with lover on your left and b/n2 on your right, the four of you tried to converse with eachother, most of it being about getting to know your peculiar s/o. It went smoothly at first, but it appeared that the sister's guard was on the whole time. Even though your father walked by and insisted she can make her self at home, it didnt look like it budged her.

Not too long after, you attempt to lay on her lap just to change positions. But right before resting your head on it, a pair of arms suddenly pull you back to your initial position.

No! Not in front of me, hmph.." The very b/n2 that sat beside you pouted

You tried to get out of b/n2's grip, attempting to get back to rosaria "Im not a child anymore! Its not like I wanna show off, I just wanna get comfortable!"

"Let her go, b/n2. Mom's calling you to set up the table for her." b/n1 reminded

b/n2's eyes once again looked at rosaria "...Im keeping my eyes on you woman."

"No need brother... i promise shes nice" You say

"To you!"

(reader's family isnt from inazuma, they're just on vacation)

It was actually your mother who asked if she could meet this mysterious partner you talk so highly about. She said it would be the perfect time, now that your family is in inazuma. You talked to ei about it, she said "Once you're comfortable with me meeting your family, then i suppose you should start with small introductions, and your personal opinions on them."

The day later you decided to visit the place your family was staying. It was a decent hotel, but nothing too special.

knock

"Im coming!!" your eldest brother told

...He was definetly taken aback when standing beside you was the electro archon herself. So was your other sibling, sitting on a small chair.

"Oh, almighty shogun! I- welcome you to ou-"

"No need for such formal presentation. Yes i am the electro archon, but i'm also y/n's" Ei politely interrupted your mother.

"Eh?!" You and b/n2 synced

The immortal looked at you, confused "Hm? Y/n, did i say something wrong?"

"Not at all! You learnt that from a book yae suggested- didnt you?" you assumed

Ei shook her head "I did happen to come arcoss similar texts in some books, but the first time i've heard it was from you."

"Alright, alright lovebirds. Get inside." b/n1 suggested

All your family members and ei sat on the empty dining table.

"Dearest brothers, you do know that i'm not a toddler anymore right!?" You said, embarrased by the previous actions.

b/n2 sulked "Oh but y/n... we jut wanna keep you safe!"

"I have an archon by my side! What else is there to ask for?!"

"Almighty shogun... Will you keep my sibling, y/n protected for eternity?" b/n2 dramatically asked while b/n1 sighed

She oh so casually answered "Yes." leaving you flustered

"Hey- stop laughing at me b/n2!!!"

#rosaria x reader #ei x reader #raiden x reader #raiden shogun x reader #baal x reader #rosaria x y/n #rosaria x you #genshin x reader #genshin headcanons #genshin fluff #genshin impact x reader #raiden ei x reader #🍀▪︎genshin writings

[redgoldsparks]

March Reading and Reviews by Maia Kobabe

I post my reviews throughout the month on Storygraph and Goodreads, and do roundups here and on patreon. Four of the books I read this month were for the Trans Right Readathon, which I participated in from Mar 20-27 and donated money to the Transgender Law Center. Reviews below the cut: 

The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels by Beth Lincoln (Dutton Books for Young Readers) A whimsical, witty debut middle grade murder mystery full of word play and puns. The Swifts are an ancient English family with many quirky rituals- one of them is the tradition of naming every new child by opening the dictionary and pointing out a word thought to determine their character; another is the massive family reunion they host every ten years when Swifts from around the world gather at the family manor, a decaying three story mansion, to try and find a massive treasure hoard hidden by an ancestor. Shenanigan Swift, youngest of three sisters who still actively live in the house, is determined that during this upcoming reunion she will be the one to find the treasure once and for all. But almost immediately, fights behind to erupt between the contentious Swifts, and a scream in the hallway leads to the discovery of a body at the bottom of the stairs, and then a deadly Scrabble duel, and then a bloody accident in the library... before she knows it, Shenanigan is searching not for a treasure hoard but for a murderer. This book includes nonbinary, trans, and queer characters and an overall message of being true to one's self despite societal and familiar pressures and expectations. An excellent read for anyone who enjoys a good all-ages tale.

Queen of the Tiles by Hannah Alkaf read by Catherine Ho (Salaam books/Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers) Najwa's world centered around her charismatic, beautiful, popular best friend Trina and their shared passion for competitive Scrabble. Then Trina collapsed and died during a tournament, and Najwa was thrown into the confusion of depression and grief. Finally, a year later, Najwa feels able to return to her first Scrabble tournament since the death of her friend. She wants to win in Trina's memory and earn her old title, Queen of the Tiles. But then someone starts posting on the dead girl's instagram account, taunting messages that hint that the death was a murder, and that the players might even now be in danger. Najwa does her best to unravel the events of a year before, navigating gaps in her own memory, and a tangle of the envy, hatred, admiration and love the Scrabble community had for Trina. This is an engaging, diverse, complex mystery that kept me guessing until the very end. Full of wordplay and etymology trivia.

The Anthropocene Reviewed written and read by John Green (Dutton) I started listening to the podcast of The Anthropocene Reviewed years ago- maybe late 2019 or early 2020? For me these essays are colored with the bittersweet poignancy of the early covid period, and indeed the book references covid, collective health, and vaccines regularly in essays on small pox and more. I had planned to re-listen to the whole book, but I ended up missing the lovely sound editing of the podcast version so I only ended up listening to the last 25% to hear all of the essays which were exclusive to the book ("Winter Mix" to the end). This book is my favorite of John Green's work to date, and I'd recommend it even if you've bounced off his novels. 

Terry Pratchet: A Life in Footnotes: The Official Biography by Rob Wilkins (Doubleday) I've read 30+ of Terry Pratchett's 50+ books, but I didn't know very much about his life before reading this biography. I never had the pleasure of hearing him speak at a convention, or of seeing him at a signing, despite the extensive amount of touring he did from the mid-90s to the 2010s. This extensive biography was written by his long time assistant, friend, and collaborator Rob Wilkins, a huge Pratchett fan who went from working on organizing the UK Discworld conventions to working for Pratchett's agent to working for the author himself. It's funny and conversational, full of footnotes and silly asides, not unlike a Pratchett book in that regard. It takes nearly 90 pages to get through Pratchett's high school years; though to be fair, Pratchett published his first two short stories, bought his first typewriter, and attended his first few sci-fi conventions before he was out of high school. He was a tremendously dedicated worker, often writing two or more books a year once he quit his journalism and PR jobs to begin writing full time. This book is primarily about his creative work and extensive hobbies (gardening, beekeeping, raising goats and ducks, astronomy, silver-casting, brewing mead, building home electronics, playing computer games, forging his own sword) but skates lightly over his interpersonal relationships outside of professional collaborations. I did not leave it with a good sense of how his only daughter might have felt about having such a workaholic as a father, but I did leave it with a better sense of what fed and nourished his astonishing imagination, and the successes and stumbling blocks he met along the way. 

Roaming by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki (Drawn and Quarterly) Zoe and Dani, high school best friends now in their first year of college at two distant and different schools, reunite for a spring break in New York City in 2009. They have five days to cram in as much sight seeing and bonding as they can. But Dani brought one of her classmates, Fiona, and this third person injects an intense new energy into the dynamic. Dani wants to visit all of the biggest tourist attractions. Zoe wants to have some adult experiences she's never had before. And Fiona? Initially she wanted to ditch the other two, but then she decides Zoe is more interesting that the people she was going to meet up with, especially after Fiona manages to buy some weed from the desk manager at their hostel and Zoe turns out to have a fake ID. This is a smart, beautifully drawn story about the painful period between being a teen and becoming an adult, the growing pains of an old friendship, the addictive pull of a new crush, the struggle to figure out who you are and want to be against the backdrop of a foreign city. Fans of previous Tamaki collaborations will love this one as well. I was lucky enough to get my hands on an advanced reader copy; preorder it now or look for it in stores in September 2023. 

Team Trash: A Time Traveler’s Guide to Sustainability by Kate Wheeler and Trent Huntington (Holiday House) A short, easy to read book on historical sustainability and recycling efforts for young readers. Two kids, Charlie and Oliver, are paired together for a science project and end up accidentally taking a time-traveling car made out of trash back in time to Pompeii, ancient Japan, early America, and more, to learn how people in different eras have handled their garbage. A fun, informative introduction to the topic for kids which includes with an example of how to contact legislators. Forthcoming in June 2023! 

Babel: An Arcane History by RF Kuang (HarperCollins) I read this for my book club, and we won't be holding our discussion of it until late April, so I might come back after that with more thoughts. For now, I'll say there were aspects of this book which I really enjoyed (the focus on the damage caused by colonization, the diverse cast, the unique magic system, the Oxford setting) but also multiple ways it felt bogged down by it's own length and some of the plot decisions. I'm normally a huge fan of a quirky or educational footnote (see: Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell) but in the second half I felt like the footnotes were bleeding the tension out of the action and really taking away from my reading enjoyment. I wanted more from several of the lead characters emotional arcs. I wanted the plot turns of the second half to come sooner. I wanted some of the multiple main character deaths to be given a bit more space to breath. Still, I'm glad I read this and I think it's a very thought provoking book, maybe more so because it's so far from perfect. 

Victories Greater Than Death by Charlie Jane Anders, read by Hynden Walch (Tor Teen) Tina has known since she was a kid that her destiny lies beyond Earth. From the outside, she looks like a regular high schooler, someone who loves her friends, has a passionate sense of right and wrong, and never passes by an opportunity to stand up to a bully or a corrupt local business owner. But in her chest is a star beacon which will someday activate and call an alien spaceship to pick her up and return the memories of her previous life. Tina is the clone of a famous and beloved space general from the Royal Fleet and she can't WAIT to get to the business of saving people for real. But when Tina's ship and future come for her, she learns that battles are messy and fighting comes with causalities. This is the first book of a trilogy, which asks the questions: what are acceptable losses when fighting for a greater good? How far will you go to save your friends? How about a girl you just met, but are already half in love with? This series is fairly light in the realism and sci-fi world building departments, and cares about its characters maybe more than its plot, but its delightfully queer, trans, and full of heart. 

Come Tumbling Down written and read by Seanan McGuire (Tor dot com) The stories that center on Jack, Jill, and the Moors continue to be some of the strongest installments in this series. In this one, Jack reappears at the school for Wayward Children- in her twin sister's body. She needs help, and she needs it fast, and despite the sign outside the school which reads "No Quests", a group of Eleanor West's students once again step through a magical door to save a world not their own. 

Lakelore by Anna-Marie McLemore  It's been a while since I read a novel all in one day! I picked this up for the Trans Rights Readathon (running on all bookish social media near you from March 20-27 2023) and I absolutely loved it. The two main characters, Bastian and Lore, are both nonbinary, both Mexican-American, and both neurodivergent. Bastian lives by the shore of a lake, the source of many myths, but only Bastian seems to be able to access the liminal, magical space beneath its surface. Until they meet Lore, who can also see the way the waves lift off the shore to become a path. But Bastian and Lore both end up pouring things into the lake they're unwilling to face- bad memories, traumas, and the hateful whispers of cruel classmates. The lake can only hold so much, and soon these painful things start flooding the shores, into the streets and homes of the teens. The only way to quiet the waters is to face what they've tried to drown. This a fast, engaging read and one of the best books about living with ADHD and dyslexia I've ever encountered. It makes me want to seek out more stories with this kind of representation, and this kind of emotional, visual language! 

Self Made Boys by Anna-Marie McLemore  Another book I finished all in one day for the Trans Right Readathon (March 20-27 2023!) This Gatsy retelling casts Nick Carraway as Nicolás Caraveo, a 17-year-old trans boy from Wisconsin. He wants to move to New York not for the glamour but because he has a head for numbers and wants to make money working on Walls Street to support his parents and establish himself as a man. His cousin Daisy finds him a cottage in West Egg, but when he reunions with Daisy he's shocked to realize she's passing as white and lying about her past to her sort-of fiancé, Tom, a man who pretends at tolerance while exhibiting casual racism. Then Nick meets his other neighbor, the infamous Jay Gatsby, who throws outrageous and extravagant parties but is more similar to Nick than most people can see. This retelling adds an insurance investigation about a missing $350,000 pearl necklace; a visit to an underground gay club; and cast full of queer characters, all trying to make some kind of safety or place for themselves in the world. I'd love to see this version added to school reading lists along side the original!

Prophet by Sin Blance and Helen Macdonald (Grove Press) At the start of this military thriller, set in 2010, a sergeant dies in a mysterious fire on a US base in the UK. Around the base, dozens of objects appear ranging from familiar, nostalgic childhood toys, to a full American style diner in the middle of an empty field. A pair of unique agents are called in to investigate these circumstances: reserved, rule following Colonel Adam Rubenstein, and chaotic Sunil Rao, unranked, pulled from rehab after an overdose attempt. Rao as the ability to spot fakes and forgeries at a glance, and also to tell when anyone is lying. Except Adam. Adam is the only person who confounds Rao's power, and the only one who can manage his unpredictable moods and whims. This unlikely team chase the threads of the mystery back to Colorado, into an experimental government lab, where they find a bizarre substance effecting people's psyches to produce physical objects linked to memory. Everyone seems to react to it in the same way... except Rao and Adam. The book is a little over long, but full of witty dialogue, very original, and the plot intrigue is underpinned by the emotional tension between the two leads, who are pulled together by curiosity, attraction, and increasingly, by real feelings. There were a few missed opportunities that I think could have ramped up the romantic stakes even farther, but still, I loved that a cautious queer romance formed the emotional core of the story.

Surpassing Certainty: What My Twenties Taught Me written and read by Janet Mock This candid, conversational memoir is read by the author in the audiobook and I really loved hearing it literally in her voice. Mock begins the book writing of being a freshman in college in her native Hawaii, of working briefly in a strip club as a dancer, of meeting the man who she would marry and live with on and off through her twenties, of following her academic ambition and writing skills to Rhode Island and then New York City, of friendships, boyfriends, heart breaks and career breaks. Mock pursued the goal of becoming a culture magazine editor with remarkable clear-eyed practicality and worked her way into higher and higher positions even as a recent grad. Along the way she gained confidence in herself, her place in the world, and her unique voice as a trans woman of color. She went from living stealth to deciding she wanted to share her story calmly and compassionately with the world. 

#books #reading #book reviews #comic book reviews #transrightsreadathon

[fallenangelsrollthedice]

I had a dream that I went to a store to get a COVID vaccination but they weren't able to do it that day so I booked an appointment and I ended up hanging out for a bit and making friends with the employees and right before I was about to leave another guy came up and he looked exactly like Milo Ventimiglia and when he left I looked to his co-worker and said "holy shit he looks just like Peter Petrelli" and she turned and said "i know right!? He doesn't see it at all" and that was it that was the dream. Also I think that there was some child endangerment on my way to the store (not by me it was other people endangering the children)

#dreams #milo ventimiglia #peter petrelli

[blackspiritshake]

September Book Pile

In It’s Always Been Ours eating disorder specialist and storyteller Jessica Wilson challenges us to rethink what having a "good" body means in contemporary society. By centering the bodies of Black women in her cultural discussions of body image, food, health, and wellness, Wilson argues that we can interrogate white supremacy’s hold on us and reimagine the ways we think about, discuss, and tend to our bodies.

A narrative that spans the year of racial reckoning (that wasn't), It’s Always Been Ours is an incisive blend of historical documents, contemporary writing, and narratives of clients, friends, and celebrities that examines the politics of body liberation. Wilson argues that our culture’s fixation on thin, white women reinscribes racist ideas about Black women's bodies and ways of being in the world as "too much." For Wilson, this white supremacist, capitalist undergirding in wellness movements perpetuates a culture of respectability and restriction that force Black women to perform unhealthy forms of resilience and strength at the expense of their physical and psychological needs.

With just the right mix of wit, levity, and wisdom, Wilson shows us how a radical reimagining of body narratives is a prerequisite to well-being. It’s Always Been Ours is a love letter that celebrates Black women’s bodies and shows us a radical and essential path forward to rediscovering their vulnerability and joy.

Conspirituality takes a deep dive into the troubling phenomenon of influencers who have curdled New Age spirituality and wellness with the politics of paranoia—peddling vaccine misinformation, tales of child trafficking, and wild conspiracy theories.

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, a disturbing social media trend emerged: a large number of yoga instructors and alt-health influencers were posting stories about a secretive global cabal bent on controlling the world’s population with a genocidal vaccine. Instagram feeds that had been serving up green smoothie recipes and Mary Oliver poems became firehoses of Fox News links, memes from 4chan, and prophecies of global transformation.

Since May 2020, Derek Beres, Matthew Remski and Julian Walker have used their Conspirituality podcast to expose countless facets of the intersection of alt-health practitioners with far-right conspiracy trolls. Now this expansive and revelatory book unpacks the follies, frauds, cons and cults that dominate the New Age and wellness spheres and betray the trust of people who seek genuine relief in this uncertain age.

With analytical rigor and irreverent humor, Conspirituality offers an antidote to our times, helping readers recognize wellness grifts, engage with loved ones who've fallen under the influence, and counter lies and distortions with insight and empathy.

An enthralling and original first novel about exile, diaspora, and the impossibility of Black refuge in America and beyond.

In the morning, I received a phone call and was told to board a flight. The arrangements had been made on my behalf. I packed no clothes, because my clothes had been packed for me. A car arrived to pick me up.

A man returns home to sub-Saharan Africa after twenty-six years in America. When he arrives, he finds that he doesn’t recognize the country or anyone in it. Thankfully, someone recognizes him, a man who calls him brother—setting him on a quest to find his real brother, who is dying.

In Hangman, Maya Binyam tells the story of that search, and of the phantoms, guides, tricksters, bureaucrats, debtors, taxi drivers, relatives, and riddles that will lead to the truth.

This is an uncommonly assured debut: an existential journey; a tragic farce; a slapstick tragedy; and a strange, and strangely honest, story of one man’s stubborn quest to find refuge—in this world and in the world that lies beyond it.

#book recommendations #jessica wilson #derek beres #matthew remski #julian walker #maya binyam #black women's health #spirituality #conspiracy #literary fiction #south african novels

[chronicallyonlinecath]

A Week of Feeling Just That Tad Bit Out of Reality

Breakdown;

Tuesday -

Average Tuesday, teased at break and lunch by Matty, Harley and co, chatting with Janek through maths, and I finished one of my compositions for music. Finished making it, that is. Still gotta make a score for it and write an 150 word essay about it

Wednesday -

Boring as ever, but with Windband at the end. Bonus - I was about to walk into the theatre to start to set up for Windband when Andrew called out to me "Hey Cath I'm not doing Windband today"

And i just yelled over my shoulder "good" and carried on down the hall, trying not to laugh when I heard all his friends go "ohhhhh" and "ooooo"

Harry proceeded to say me being happy about Andrew not being at Windband was because of me trying to squash down my feelings for Andrew. Which is partially true, but I'm not telling Harry that.

Thursday -

Sleepy day, boring, but okay. Big Band came and went, with me leaving a broken chair for Andrew when he came back from his Geography revision that he stared at and proceeded to sit on until i told him he could fix it, that it was an easy fix. That small inconvenience made him tolerable.

"The amount of sharps in this key signature... it's an issue" - Me

"You're an issue" - Andrew

"So are you-" - Me

Friday -

So apparently I'm Harley and Matty's surrogate mother and Harry is the surrogate father

He gives the sperm I carry the baby

Not that I even want to push a child out my body, but I'm not sure I have a choice at this rate. Oh, they also agreed if the group lives in a house I'm living in the tree outside

Frankly, I'll build myself a happy little treehouse to read books in tyvm.

Saturday -

Got my covid booster because I'm 16 now, and my left arm is all achey and I'm a tired boi.

I made an English and maths revision folder, then went on a walk to go read in a tree in the local park. On my way there, Harley and Matty drove past on their way to Harley's and Matty yelled at me out the window at me

Absolute jumpscare

Reading in trees is nice tho. Can't explain it, it's just calming and kinda comforting, yk?

After that, I went to Wini and Alison's 16th bday party. It was fun, but Harry was the only guy there and we sorta lounged on the outside of the socialisation until our social batteries completely drained. Harvey was supposed to be there, but he's been travelling by coach to Germany, where he'll stay until Tuesday.

This covid vaccine has made me super droopy-eyed n shit so imma go sleep and hope my achey arm doesn't keep me up

See ya on Wednesday

[laughterbynight]

Le Comfort Tags

this is going to be long

these tags are brought to you by @burntotears

Comfort Movie(s): 2005 Pride & Prejudice, Jurassic Park, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, A Little Princess, The Secret Garden, and Under the Tuscan Sun. Can't remember how well some of those aged...

Comfort Food (s): (okay so for about 9 months I had long covid before we had vaccines, which means, weirdly, my body developed allergies to a lot of foods I could tolerate previously. Old faves have *)

Cheese, big glass of Milk*, Pizza*, Tortellini Alfredo*, Miso Soup, Diet Coke*, Oat Milk Ice Cream, Teriyaki Salmon, Petit Fours*, Pastry Cream*.

Comfort Clothing: A very oversized T Shirt and nothing else or baggy pants and a velvet crop top. Very specific but it's my favorite thing to wear when I'm being cozy. I do like big sweaters but if I get overheated the feeling is ruined immediately.

Comfort Song(s): I apologize in advance but there's no way to make this short. Daydreaming means I'm always switching between a line up of songs that transport my brain to other places or set off specific feelings. Some probably don't sound comfortable per se but the familiarity is what gets me. A few have been my go-to escapism songs for well over a decade. And of course the line up is always in flux. Also, like, fanfic mood music is a must yo.

BZY-The Earth Laughs In Flowers Jean Dawson - Pirate Radio The 1975 - Happiness Great Heart - Johnny Clegg & Savuka the verve - bittersweet symphony Deco - bittersweet symphony New Radicals - You Get What You Give Tracy Chapman - Crossroads Temple of the Dog(aka soundgarden and pearl jam) - Hunger Strike ODESZA - Line Of Sight Steve Conte - Call Me Call Me The Midnight - We Move Forward Savage Garden - I Want You Stewart Copeland (yes from the police) - Misty Bog (spyro the dragon) Angels & Airwaves - The Adventure Broke for Free - A Beautiful Life Cressida- 6am (Kyau & Albert Remix) Niklas Harding & Arcane- Ice Beach Michael Cassette - Wateresque Nitrous Oxide - North Pole Fire Flowerz - Sugar

Technically you could probably put any intro and outro from the og toonami line up on this list. I stg it's like getting smacked in the face with nostalgia to hear anything from that time.

*if a song is like 8 minutes jump ahead 2. That usually gets you past the warm up.

Comfort Book(s): The Birth of the Firebringer, Vol 1. of the Sailor Moon manga, Pride and Prejudice (specifically the audio version by the sleepy bookshelf) which is also on spotify, and probably ACOMAF (the rest can rot but I still love that ONE book.)

Comfort Game(s): Spyro the Dragon (I know this game too well), Tomba 1 & 2, Stardew Valley, Harvest Moon DS Cute, Dewprism/Threads of Fate.

Comfort Streamers:

Tbh although I check in with a handful of streamers from time to time Ray is probably who I watch the most. Quick wit, sarcasm, and snark are my favorite things, so Ray is my go-to. (yes, that Ray. He escaped RT a long time ago. It's a whole thing that's been talked about by him. He's a safe one, don't worry.)

RayNarvaezJr.

dude plays pretty much anything and everything but if I had to rec somewhere to start go with either pokemon or stardew if you want chill vibes, or watch his plays of any of the resident evil or yakuza games for fuckery.

Comfort Youtube Channels:

I'm adding this because I use a few when I'm overwhelmed and need something familiar or gentle to watch. Separate from gaming stuff.

Kennie JD - Bad movies and a beat playlist (kennie is just hysterical anyway but omg these reviews. The Twilight ones in particular get me every time.

Anti-Chef - Watch Jamie attempt to cook through Julia Child's cookbooks. It's very charming and you're always rooting for him. He's very real about the process which is nice.

Dominic Noble - Lost in Adaptation. Exactly what it sounds like. Books vs Film and TV but he's also not an ass about it so it's a pleasant experience.

nigiricco - Bento videos like every three days it's wild but imo soothing to watch.

Sophia Phan - Movie Commentaries. She's adorable.

Imamu room - MORE BENTO

Joconde's baking - Really soothing baking videos imo as long as you don't mind the sound of it. Like almost asmr if that helps.

Chocolate Cacao - The master of baking chocolate I stg

José - Video essays and damn good retrospectives including scrubs, that 70s show, boy meets world, the golden girls, cheers, the fresh prince etc.

The Movie Budz - More great film commentary

PBS Idea Channel - Okay so this channel has been dead for 6 years now but it's STILL full of amazing videos that I have yet to see matched in their depth and scope. Plus it's nearly all pop culture which keeps it fun an accessible. If you aren't familiar with PBSID I highly suggest sifting through the archive. There are videos on everything from The Pokemon War Theory to How Does Night Vale Confront Us With the Unknown?

Hbomberguy - The dude with the Pathologic video. His other stuff is really good too.

Folding Ideas - Video essays and commentary plus some really good deep dives into other subjects like NFTs, Flat Earthers, and the Ralph Bakshi Lord of the Rings uh adaptation?

Primitive Technology - Okay, you know those videos YT recs where it looks like two guys built a hotel out of bamboo or something but it's clearly fake? This is the guy they're mimicking.

Peaceful Cuisine - Mostly vegan and/or gluten free cooking. Most videos have an asmr version and a version with soft music playing.

Was all of that necessary? Probably not. I am now tired. To think I trimmed down what I was going to add.

Tagging folks but like everyone feel free to do it, and no you don't have to do all the categories I did. I added the youtube videos and went kinda wild with music.

Going by my activity page again otherwise this will be too long

@loveayeti @corpsefluid @deviess @metaphysicaltelephone @cobaltbluepub @kerrykhat @doommsatic @isixdream @aetheling @thesoilofblackpepper @blue-shale @thematurescholar @ghost-proof @pixiereadsb00ks @dreaminginspacecowboy @truculentbantam @tfisathoughtfulnickelbakeryfire Zuloo Idk why I can't tag you but I see your ass on my activity page so consider yourself tagged.

#how do i even tag this? #overshare #comfort tags

[18thvariation]

2022 annual review

What can I say... except that I’m feeling defeated amidst the storm of eugenic gaslighting and COVID minimization constantly swirling around us. It is a dark time to be in public health, but it’s even more devastating when your own field turns against its own alleged values. To those still holding the line and speaking our truths, I echo your defiance.

I’ll continue to show up day after day and do my best.

Notable Happenings

Long-awaited reunion with Quag - skating in North Van

Monkeypox vaccine campaign

J+K wedding in Tofino (Wickaninnish Beach)

Expanding my teaching practice :) 

Camping with Lady @ Sproat Lake

Norcal trip: Monterey, Big Sur, Napa/Sonoma, San Francisco

Highlights: McWay sunset, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Asian Art Museum, Legion of Honor

Influenza vaccination campaign

Adopting Goose! (@thecutestgoose)

Books that influenced me:

What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma (Foo, Stephanie)

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent (Wilkerson, Isabel)

Border and Rule: Global Migration, Capitalism, and the Rise of Racist Nationalism (Walia, Harsha)

All the Living and the Dead: From Embalmers to Executioners, an Exploration of the People Who Have Made Death Their Life's Work (Campbell, Hayley)

All That Moves Us: A Pediatric Neurosurgeon, His Young Patients, and Their Stories of Grace and Resilience (Wellons, Jay)

The Inevitable: Dispatches on the Right to Die (Engelhart, Katie)

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes & Other Lessons from the Crematory (Doughty, Caitlin)

Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival & Hope in an American City (Elliot, Andrea)

On Fire: The Burning Case for a Green New Deal (Klein, Naomi)

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowkedge, and the Teachings of Plants (Kimmerer, Robin Wall)

No Is Not Enough: Resisting Trump’s Shock Politics and Winning the World We Need (Klein, Naomi)

The Emergency: A Year of Healing and Heartbreak in a Chicago ER (Fisher, Thomas)

Dear Life: A Doctor’s Story of Love and Loss (Clarke, Rachel)

The Vaccine Race: Science, Politics, and the Human Costs of Defeating Disease (Wadman, Meredith)

The Facemaker: One Surgeon's Battle to Mend the Disfigured Soldiers of World War I (Fitzharris, Lindsey)

A Good Time to be Born: How Science and Public Health Gave Children a Future (Klass, Perri)

The Magical Language of Others (Koh, E.J.)

Chinatown Pretty: Fashion and Wisdom from Chinatown’s Most Stylish Seniors (Lo, Andria)

Favourite Movies/TV series

SPY x FAMILY

Crash Landing on You

Twenty-Five Twenty-One

Hospital Playlist

The Farewell

Favourite foodie experiences

Brasserie Coquette (Kitsilano)

Sushi Time (Kerrisdale)

MELLO (Kerrisdale)

Esteban (Monterey, CA)

Palette Tea House (San Francisco, CA)

California Fish Market (San Francisco, CA)

#2022 review #year in review #2022 #semi-annual review #reflections #covid era #covid year 3 #public health

[skippyv20]

What if...this new UN gig is just for filming?

Hi Skippy & Friends-Pilgrim here getting a whif of something off regarding JH's "relaunch" of his diplomatic career...he needs to relaunch? Of course she will commandeer the microphone for a looooong word salad lecture with up close camera for that 3 second tear-which eye was it? I have read the UN is closed until Sept 21st...so have they received permission to use this as one big location shoot for their failing Netflix project? Can you imagine, once in, having the janitors turning on lights for them so she can stand at a famous podium to fake a speech? Just trying to think like she does sneaking around and taking advantage of people and places for her own profits. We know she stormed out of there last September in a huge meltdown huff...so this could be a revenge maneuver.

From their website, "United Nations Headquarters is NOW OPEN to the public for in-person guided tours. Pre-booked ticket(s) and proof of full COVID-19 vaccination are required for entry to the UN premises. All visitors are required to wear a mask during the Guided Tour." Tours are one hour. "One of our multilingual Tour Guides will take you on a brief journey through the corridors of international diplomacy. You will learn about the history and work of the United Nations and visit the famous General Assembly Hall and Security Council Chamber (meetings permitting)." Adult $22.00 Student & Senior $15.00 Child 5-12 $12.00  

Maybe it will be via zoom but just imagine seeing these two clowns with filming crew.  Long live the queen!   Great post Pilgrim….thank you🙂❤️❤️❤️❤️

[beardedmrbean]

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office on Wednesday slammed the Biden administration’s ongoing mask mandate for low-income toddlers, calling it an "unacceptable" harm to children that even contradicts current guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Head Start preschools and child care centers for low-income families, which are overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), are still requiring children as young as 2 to wear masks, despite current CDC guidelines that recommend universal masking only in areas with high COVID-19 community levels. Head Start staff members are also required to be vaccinated, The New York Times reported Wednesday.

The mask and vaccine mandates only apply to the program in 25 states after red-leaning states like Florida and Texas sued in federal courts and injunctions were imposed to stop their implementation.

"Governor DeSantis looks out for children first and foremost," DeSantis press secretary Bryan Griffin said in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital. "He was the first to insist that children should be able to return to the classroom, and he has consistently stood against masks in school as harmful towards a child’s development and education."

AMERICA'S KIDS UNMASKED TWO YEARS LATER: EXAMINING COVID MANDATE CONSEQUENCES  AS STUDENTS RETURN TO CLASS

"Governor DeSantis will not allow federal bureaucrats to muzzle children in Florida," Griffin added. "It is unacceptable that the Biden Administration would continue to do this to children, and bizarre that they would do so against their own CDC’s guidance."

An HHS spokesperson told The Hechinger Report that it informed Head Start directors in February that it would no longer enforce the mask rule. The agency told The Times that updating the official rules is "a lengthy process," which would take into consideration the CDC guidance, the recent availability of vaccinations for children as young as 6 months and over 2,700 public comments.

The rule still being on the books, however, has reportedly led to confusion among Head Start facilitators. The HHS did not respond to Fox News Digital’s inquiry about whether an updated masking and vaccine rule was in the works.

"Head Start programs have been short-circuited," Tommy Sheridan, the association’s deputy director, told The Times. "This mandate on masking and vaccines has hurt a lot of programs. It is more of a crisis that is now feeling like a looming catastrophe."

#nunyas news

[ladymisteria]

.LIVING IN THE MOTOR VALLEY.

I've been asked what exactly it means to be born, raised (and still live) in the Motor Valley... Well, let me tell you what it means (at least to me - living just over 5 minutes from Maranello):

• It means starting to love motors before you even start walking properly;

• It means knowing the history of every single Ferrari driver and of the car company better than the fairy tales you are told as a child;

• It means being able to understand - without even needing to see it in the rear-view mirror - if the car that is about to overtake you is a Ferrari, a Lamborghini or a Maserati (the best ones, like my sister, can even tell you the model, the year of construction, the engine power...);

• It means greeting prominent personalities in the world of Formula 1 as if they were old friends - simply because that's how it really is.

The journalist Leo Turrini? Grew up with my mother, still my aunt’s neighbor and always more than happy to give us a copy of his new book;

Three of my current neighbors? Full-time mechanics following Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz;

One of my former classmates? Currently a Customer Care Specialist for Formula Racing and an event planner for Ferrari and Maserati....

• It means being able to go and watch the cars try out on the Fiorano track every time there's an opportunity, even managing (if you're lucky) to snatch an autograph from the drivers and a photo with them;

• It means having T-shirts, sweatshirts, caps, flags and all kinds of original gadgets - bought for practically nothing or even given away at some event;

• It means rejoicing or regretting at the city level for every single victory or every single defeat achieved during a race;

• And although it is not something to joke about, it also means being able to say that you've received the COVID 19 vaccination accompanied by the roar of the cars in practice - since the vaccination point islocated next to the Fiorano track.

But - and there is always a 'but' - it also means losing from an early age much of the feeling of wonder and fascination that accompanies the sight of a Ferrari, Lamborghini or Maserati.

Do others exclaim "Wow!"? You shrug with a bored "Nothing special."

Do others see luxury? You see the lack of practicality, the excessive expenditure of fuel, the sacrifice of an engine created to reach inordinate speeds but forced to submit to city limits....

That's what it means.

#motor valley #maranello #home #♥ #fiorano #how it is living here #at least to me #ferrari #maserati #lamborghini #F1 #Formula 1

[theretirementstory]

Bonjour à tous, it’s a gorgeous day 26c and although I don’t want to be inside, I have jobs that need to be done!

Now what have I been up to this week 🤔, oh yes, I had a visit from a man from Orange (the phone people, not the City), he was explaining that I have to change to fibre as ADSL is on its way out. He had to come inside while we discussed things and as he wrote his name on paperwork I noted it was not a French name. It was Tunisian and as we had been speaking « Franglais » I remembered 4 words in Tunisian Arabic, he was quite impressed that I knew the word for stars and was able to bid him farewell in Tunisian too. As my dad would have said « No flies on me! »

It has been a week of catching up with friends, one who celebrated her birthday and then both her and her husband tested positive for Covid! I had a message from Monique, she had sorted some items for Ukrainian refugees and wanted to drop them off at my home. We had a lovely couple of hours , chatting about her grandchildren and mine, it was great to catch up. I met the Chief of Police in town and then as I called into the police office to pick up recycling bags she was joking about the new terrace on the front of the house, she said she has told her colleagues that I sit and drink cocktails there! After that (as I was stressing a bit) I called into the pharmacy to see if they were doing vaccinations again as I had looked to have a 4th Covid vaccination and the website only gave me towns dozens of kilometres away! Yes! I was added to the list and I received the telephone call on Friday and a rdv for this Thursday……. brilliant! I turned up at the bar on Wednesday morning even though I know he is closed, I did go along on Thursday evening to read the paper and have a coffee. I messaged Pauline, she is enjoying her work so much. Unfortunately, her grandmother did contract Covid but not from Pauline…. She is feeling better now.

It was the barbecue for the refugees on Wednesday. I was told it was at midi, however the barbecue was just getting fired up then, I was sat with the refugees and couldn’t see any other volunteers there, it turned out they were in the kitchen preparing the food, I maybe should have been up there too but no-one told me that! There was so much food and food parcels of chicken, sausage and merguez were given out at the end . It was a wonderful way to pass an afternoon, the weather was very good too. The lady who had been refused « right to remain » for a second time was telling me on Friday, that they have been given until the end of July in their apartment and then they will be moved to temporary accommodation before going who knows where! She is the lady who is pregnant with her second child, due in November, I am sure she could do without all this stress. I am busy knitting something for the new baby before they go.

I have been preparing my « speech » for Tuesday afternoon, I need to speak it aloud to make sure I have the pronunciation correct. Laëtitia is calling by on Monday evening so I will be able to practice it then too.

It’s official, I have a date to come over to the UK I need to try and book the accommodation tomorrow otherwise I will be well and truly snookered! I am going to be looking after my granddaughter for a few mornings but I am sure we will be able to fill that time in with playing etc.

Excerpt from July by Sir Charles George Douglas Roberts

I am for the open meadows,

Open meadows full of sun,

Where the hot bee hugs the clover,

The hot breezes drop and run.

How have we arrived at the seventh month of the year so quickly? My grandson will be celebrating his first birthday soon, wow I can’t wait to see the little chap again. I also cannot wait to see my « big men », my DiL and my gorgeous granddaughter.

See you next time!

#barsuraube #nature #trees #skies #photography #crafts #baking #livingthedream

[cachien]

vent

middle tn is by far the worst worst WORST place i have ever lived

i've lived in georgia, texas, alabama, and south carolina. i have relatives in mississippi so i've spent a lot of time there as well as florida. middle tn is by FAR the worst of anywhere.

starting with the basics there's anti homeless infrastructure EVERYWHERE while the price of living requires twice the average salary (idk if that's actually true but unless i live in the most crime-heavy part of town i cannot afford to live anywhere on a single income, even when i was working full-time in a job that required my degree)

my fiance's family is from here and them + everyone i've met through them are the worst people i have ever known. they're anti-vax. they use racial slurs for jokes. they HATE trans people like oh my GOD these are the most transphobic assholes i have ever met in my life, they are just openly anti-trans and tradwives and misogynists. covid is a government conspiracy, biden is the devil, trump is our only hope for salvation but the damn conspiring dems who rule the world will never let him get back in office, he'll have to do a hostile takeover. the other day my soon to be father in law seriously asked if it's confirmed that the holocaust happened. his wife is german. this morning he said the 'rumors' that hitler had a micropenis were probably made up by people trying to make him look bad. (that's just a fact from his medical records and autopsy, like, people did not need to make up new facts to make hitler look bad??? are you fucking serious??)

i have a potentially fatal allergy. i will go into anaphylactic shock if exposed to a certain allergen. they treat this like i'm being dramatic. my future mother in law legitimately suggested that i consume only chicken broth for a few weeks to "reset" and then after that i'll be fine. she constantly tries to say i should do liver detoxes and drink these expensive teas and all kinds of things and i don't know how many times i've bit back the argument that your liver's entire job is detox you do not NEED support for that if your liver is functioning

they're anti-doctor. you can't trust scientists because big pharma and the government control everything. soy is going to kill you, it has phytoestrogens, they cause breast cancer (NO, no no no. hate soy because the industry is hugely ecologically damaging and usually relies on slave/child labor, but phytoestrogens are literally harmless and if soy is someone's only reliable source of calcium and protein let them have it they need it and we are not plants so plant estrogen is not going to effect a human at all). my soon to be mother in law bought me a book for christmas called "the peanut allergy epidemic" that cites a quack calling himself a doctor who has no actual degree who claims vaccines cause food allergies even though there's ample research showing that that is NOT true and that globalization and people consuming high quantities of unfamiliar foods are more likely the cause. which checks out if you look at any of history.

oh: fun fact here. my degree is in history. so every time they say something horribly racist or holocaust denying or say that things are "historically inaccurate" or about how the modern world is soooo horrible and the left is trying to kill us all, i have minimum twenty primary sources disputing them and they do. not. care.

a family they're close friends with "cured" their child's autism by forcing him to have a vegan diet of home-grown produce bc clearly the evil evil GMOs and "inorganic" lettuce caused his autism. now that he's homeschooled and eating healthy and, oh, ten years old with more independence and therapy, he's doing better! clearly it was the veganism! bc autism needs to be cured and leaves can do it!

the far right cult is literally delusional and i live among them and i've never hated my life more. when i lived with my abusive ex whose catholic midwestern family greeted me with "ya ain't no gaddamn democrat, are ya?", they were more reasonable than people in this area. that guy's mom was at least not anti-vax. he was also homeschooled and sure he didn't believe in dinosaurs and though the earth is 7000 years old but at least he was kind to trans people and had black friends that he treated with respect.

i went to a painting group that was mostly old women and it devolved into a conversation about snow white having black dwarves is soooo historically inaccurate because ms german woman didn't even see a black person till she was 20. never mind that the holocaust killed black germans and that a fifty year eugenics process systematically eradicated germany's black population in the early twentieth century, clearly black people never existed there and to even suggest having them in a story about dwarves and magic and poison apples would just make it so unrealistic, as if the rest of the story is accurate. same woman who asked about my writing and i said i was working on a fantasy novel modeled after regency era england but with dragons and she went "yeah bc they totally had those back then" hello??? you cannot say a damn word about history when you don't know any of it

like this is the most gun-toting, history-denying, school-shootings every other week, transphobic, absolutely delusional brainwashed area i have ever lived. i can't take it anymore i've got to get out. i will be homeless in LA or NYC or anywhere that i can mention i'm bi without the absolute knowledge that my identity will become a political debate.

#vent #el speaks #personal #i fucking hate this place

[worldofwardcraft]

MAGA mania.

February 5, 2024

In 1841, Scottish journalist Charles Mackay published a book with the impressive title Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds. In it he described how, at various times, masses of gullible people believed the most inane foolishness. Like witches consorted with the Devil, alchemists changed lead into gold, or Dutch tulips were inherently valuable. Wrote Mackay in his introduction to the 1852 edition:

We find that whole communities suddenly fix their minds on one object, and go mad in its pursuit; that millions of people become simultaneously impressed with one delusion, and run after it, till their attention is caught by some new folly more captivating than the first.

He could well have been referring to the subset of our population that today is willing to accept as true patently ridiculous absurdities. This nation within our nation consists entirely of the denizens of MAGA land. And, in fact, they may be even more delusional than the people Mackay wrote about.

After swallowing the QAnon nonsense in 2017 about a worldwide Democrat cabal of Satanic, cannibalistic child molesters that Donald Trump was secretly fighting against, the MAGA deplorables are now primed to believe anything — no matter how preposterous, crazy or just plain silly.

They are certain, for example, that the coronavirus is a deliberately concocted Chinese bioweapon. But also that it's a hoax. That COVID vaccines will kill you. But also that they contains mind-controlling microchips. They're positive the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol was planned and directed by FBI agents. But also that it was the work of the imaginary militia, Antifa. Or, they'll insist it was simply a peaceful protest.

MAGA wackos believe immigrants (all of them illegal, of course) from Latin America are being recruited to replace white Americans. But also that these same immigrants are smuggling fentanyl into the US and are child traffickers. They're convinced that public school teachers are sexually grooming students. And that these busy teachers are forcing kids to become transgender. And brainwashing them with critical race theory.

But the latest MAGA theory making the rounds may be the nuttiest of all. Apparently — and stay with us now — the NFL and the Pentagon have secretly colluded to have the Kansas City Chiefs win the Super Bowl because Travis Kelce plays for them and his girlfriend is pop mega-star Taylor Swift, who is hated by the MAGAs because (get this) she encourages young people to vote and she endorsed Joe Biden in 2020.

Clearly, were he still around, Charlie Mackay could easily write another entire book simply about the delusions of the addled Trump cult. He could call it The Extraordinary Madness of MAGAs.

#maga idiots #conspiracy theory #crazy republicans

[billscheft]

With the actual "Frasier" reboot now come and gone, I feel compelled to re-post this "Totally Real Episode Guide" I wrote for Salon almost three years ago (March, 2021)....

[NOTE: This document is not to leave the Paramount+ virtual lot!!!!!!!]

Episode 12.1 ("Howdy Podner!"): Dr. Frasier Crane is back in Seattle after living for 14 years at a WH Smith in O'Hare Airport while trying to book a return flight from Chicago with a declined NBC corporate card. He is now in the third year of his daily living-room based podcast, "Freud Not." After ten minutes lambasting his listeners for never phoning in for advice, only a returned call from the Apple Store reveals to Frasier that, technically, he cannot have a podcast if he does not have a webops platform. Or if his laptop has an operating system less recent than Windows XP. His 2005 lifetime FCC ban from radio following an on-air incident with Robin Quivers (guest star Issa Rae) is briefly mentioned but not discussed.

Episode 12.2 ("You Might Feel a Little Prick"): Now up and running on Patreon, Frasier suddenly cuts off a podcast episode with a survivor of Stockholm Syndrome (Hope Hicks) when he gets an alert on his phone that there's an open slot available for the latest, most exclusive Covid vaccine, the Moderna Lisa. When the urgent care nurse (Billy Eichner) asks for an emergency family member contact, Frasier hastily scribbles "Lillith S." and a profile link from JDate.

Episode 12.3 ("Driver's Oedipus"): His thirty-second birthday approaching, Frasier's now grown, multi-issued son Frederick (Sean Hayes in a receding blond wig even though he is only heard on the phone) lets his dad know that he is motoring into town for an Oath Keepers 3K Fun Run and makes the old man promise to hook him up with courtside seats for a Sonics game, even though it's August and the NBA team left Seattle 13 years ago. Wounded, and still bitter over losing his medical license after a psychiatric journal published his meant-to-be satirical essay, "Transference in Inflatable Patients," Frasier feels compelled to tell Frederick, "Remember, you're an only child. Just like me…."

Episode 12.4 ("La-Z-Goy"): After finally selling his late father's pea-green recliner on eBay for $112.47 (local pick-up only), Frasier has second thoughts while waiting for the buyer (Riz Ahmed) to show up. He fondly reminisces about a trip to Howard Johnson's when his dad was an active duty cop and momentarily confused the Heimlich maneuver with a sleeper hold on a distressed diner (flashback with Artie Lange playing both parts). When the buyer (Daveed Diggs, after a scheduling conflict with Ahmed) finally arrives, he notices the side lever of the chair is inoperable. Frasier repays him the $112.47, plus $60 to cart the recliner away, plus two bottles of Febreze.  

Episode 12.5 ("All in the Fluidity"): Frasier's podcast is about to get its first revenue producing sponsor, the gender-neutral footwear company Matriarch. But Frasier blows the deal when he keeps insisting to the Matriarch marketing team (Alex Borstein, Dan Levy) that his pronoun should be who/whom. The sudden loss of a reliable income stream forces him to cancel his search for a new housekeeper, now down to six finalists (Busy Phillips, Amber Ruffin, Claire Foy, Justina Machado, Moses Ingram, William Zabka) who were to compete in a Wagner lip synch battle for the job.

Episode 12.6 ("Have a Tryst Kit"): His 90-day Tinder suspension suddenly lifted after only four days when the complainant (Amy Sedaris) blames the misunderstanding on a salt deficiency, Frasier renews his Quixotic search for companionship. Unfortunately, minutes into his triumphant return, he dislocates two fingers after swiping right too overzealously. When the urgent care nurse (Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan) asks for an emergency family contact, he writes down the number of the guy who carted off his dad's recliner. In the closing cliffhanger scene, Frasier is seen ringing an apartment buzzer with his free hand, a clutch of pansies and a bag of IV saline under his arm.

Episode 12.7 ("Star Bucks"): Frasier celebrates the ten-year anniversary of the closing of Café Nervosa by showing up with a thermos of Kona, a seat stick umbrella and a copy of "Alfred Adler: Sicko-phant" in front of the SmileDirect that now occupies the space. While the manager (Ken Jeong) calls the police, a well-dressed couple in their mid-forties (Vincent Kartheiser and Luke Kirby) approach. They recognize Frasier instantly and ask him to help get their daughter (a Fanning TBA) into Harvard. When the flattered celeb shrink asks what he can do, they hand him a bag with $250,000 in cash and make him open a Venmo account at gunpoint. Upon seeing the glint of the gun barrel, the assistant manager (Miles Brown) calls the police back and tells them not to bother.

Episode 12.8 ("Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time…"): Shot documentary style, Paramount+ execs and showrunners stop by Kelsey Grammer's trailer with a magnum of non-alcoholic champagne and news that they've been able to sign original cast member Dan Butler (Dan Butler) to reprise his role as Frasier's unapologetic, misogynistic co-worker Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe. The last 20 minutes is a montage of a Tesla pulling away and a mostly union crew breaking the set down to a looped medley of "There Used to be a Ballpark"/"Crazy"/"It's Raining Men" (BMI license fees pending).