#+ 10 ecp

[asteroidtroglodyte]

{MTG Color Theory 201:}

Or

2-Color Characters

[if you like, you may also peruse my post on monocolor characters]

With 5 colors available, we have 10 possible combinations of 2. As it happens, this includes 5 Allied Color Pairs (ACPs) and 5 Enemy Color Pairs (ECPs). Grouping them this way will help us understand their motivations, which are either coherent & external (ACPs) or dissonant & internal (ECPs). I’ll get into what exactly I mean by that below.

{for reference}

ACPs (Allied Color Pairs)

Red/Green: The Champion

Green/White: The Martyr

White/Blue: The Authority

Blue/Black: The Manipulator

Black/Red: The Demolisher

ACPs are defined by what their 2 colors agree on. Their ideology a coherent fusion of their color philosophies. They will have 2 Fair Weather Friends, the 2 colors adjacent to them, which they can tolerate but only to a degree; and 1 Nemesis, their shared enemy color, an external motivating force that they stand firmly against.

Vs

ECPs (Enemy Color Pairs)

White/Red: The Enforcer

Red/Blue: The Visionary

Blue/Green: The Cultivator

Green/Black: The Predator

Black/White: The Master

ECPs are defined by what their 2 colors disagree on. Their Ideology is defined by a dissonant tension along a particular philosophical axis. They will be defined partially by their Blind Spot, the single color that sits between theirs, and their Rival Color Pair, the 2 colors opposite their Blind Spot that define what they reject in life.

{dig into the notes}

{see also my Quick Tour of 2-color Paladins}

[coochiequeens]

Ladies, vote for yourself and those denied the right

Dhurnal (Pakistan) (AFP) – Perched on her traditional charpai bed, Naeem Kausir says she would like to vote in Pakistan's upcoming election -- if only the men in her family would let her.

Issued on: 05/02/2024 - 08:41

In  the village of Dhurnal in Punjab, spread across crop fields and home to several thousand people, men profess myriad reasons why women should not be allowed to vote © Farooq NAEEM / AFP

Like all the women in her town, the 60-year-old former headmistress and her seven daughters -- six already university educated -- are forbidden from voting by their male elders.

"Whether by her husband, father, son or brother, a woman is forced. She lacks the autonomy to make decisions independently," said Kausir, covered in a veil in the courtyard of her home.

"These men lack the courage to grant women their rights," the widow told AFP.

Although voting is a constitutional right for all adults in Pakistan, some rural areas in the socially conservative country are still ruled by a patriarchal system of male village elders who wield significant influence in their communities.

In the village of Dhurnal in Punjab, spread across crop fields and home to several thousand people, men profess myriad reasons for the ban of more than 50 years.

"Several years ago, during a period of low literacy rates, a council chairman decreed that if men went out to vote, and women followed suit, who would manage the household and childcare responsibilities?" said Malik Muhammad, a member of the village council.

"This disruption, just for one vote, was deemed unnecessary," he concluded.

Robina Kausir, a healthcare worker, talks to AFP in Dhurnal of Punjab province, ahead of the upcoming general election © Farooq NAEEM / AFP

Muhammad Aslam, a shopkeeper, claims it is to protect women from "local hostilities" about politics, including a distant occasion that few seem to remember in the village when an argument broke out at a polling station.

Others told AFP it was simply down to "tradition".

First Muslim woman leader

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has stressed that it has the authority to declare the process null and void in any constituency where women are barred from participating.

In reality, progress has been slow outside of cities and in areas that operate under tribal norms, with millions of women still missing from the electoral rolls.

Muhammad Aslam, a shopkeeper, claims a ban on women voting is to protect them from "local hostilities" about politics © Farooq NAEEM / AFP

The elders in Dhurnal rely on neighbouring villages to fill a government-imposed quota which maintains that 10 percent of votes cast in every constituency must be by women.

Those who are allowed to vote are often pressured to pick a candidate of a male relative's choice.

In the mountainous region of Kohistan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province home to almost 800,000 people, religious clerics last month decreed it un-Islamic for women to take part in electoral campaigns.

Although voting is a constitutional right for all adults in Pakistan, some rural areas in the socially conservative country are still ruled by a patriarchal system of male village elders who wield significant influence in their communities © Farooq NAEEM / AFP

Fatima Tu Zara Butt, a legal expert and a women's rights activist, said women are allowed to vote in Islam, but that religion is often exploited or misunderstood in Pakistan.

"Regardless of their level of education or financial stability, women in Pakistan can only make decisions with the 'support' of the men around them," she said.

Pakistan famously elected the world's first Muslim woman leader in 1988 -- Benazir Bhutto, who introduced policies that boosted education and access to money for women, and fought against religious extremism after military dictator Zia ul-Haq had introduced a new era of Islamisation that rolled back women's rights.

However, more than 30 years later, only 355 women are competing for national assembly seats in Thursday's election, compared to 6,094 men, the election commission has said.

Pakistan reserves 60 of the 342 National Assembly seats for women and 10 for religious minorities in the Muslim-majority country, but political parties rarely allow women to contest outside of this quota.

Those who do stand often do so only with the backing of male relatives who are already established in local politics.

"I have never seen any independent candidates contesting elections on their own," Zara Butt added.

'Everyone's right'

Forty-year-old Robina Kausir, a healthcare worker, said a growing number of women in Dhurnal want to exercise their right to vote but they fear backlash from the community if they do -- particularly the looming threat of divorce, a matter of great shame in Pakistani culture.

She credits part of the shift to access to information as a result of the rising use of smartphones and social media.

"These men instil fear in their women – many threaten their wives," she told AFP.

Robina, backed by her husband, is one of the few prepared to take the risk.

When cricketing legend Imran Khan swept to power in the 2018 election, Robina arranged for a minibus to take women to the local polling station.

Only a handful joined her, but she still marked it as a success and will do the same on Thursday's election.

"I was abused but I do not care, I will keep fighting for everyone's right to vote," Robina said.

[valbellepeche]

With the recent announcement of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, I've been thinking about X's story, the time leading up to humanity leaving Earth in particular. I wanted to analyze these events and compare them to the rest of the series to see if I can discern possible relations between the games or otherwise learn something about them.

Full spoilers for Xenoblade X, 1, 2, and Future Redeemed.

To begin with, let's summarize the events leading up to the destruction of each timeline's respective Earth, starting with Xenoblade X.

In the 2020s, Elma arrived on Earth and warned humans of the alien conflict that will eventually reach Earth. She brought advanced alien technology, notably including light speed travel. The Coalition government was formed, and the Earthlife Colonization Project, or Project Exodus, was started with hopes of preventing human extinction. The Lifehold is developed, a system that stores human consciousness so they can later be put in newly created artificial biological bodies. In July of 2054, the aliens reached Earth, and it was destroyed in the conflict, with the Project Exodus ships attempting to leave amongst the chaos. Most of the ships were not successful, and it's possible the White Whale was the only one to survive.

For Xenoblade 1-3:

The Conduit was discovered at the beginning of the 21st century. It was moved to an orbital ring built so the Conduit could be studied safely. A group known as the Saviourites pushes for the protection of their own human rights, which likely did not end up happening. The Saviourites attack the low orbit station in an attempt to possess the Conduit.

Where things get interesting is when concepts and terms from Xenoblade X appear. As early as the Siren model kit's bonus lore, the world government is referred to with the same name as X's, Coalition. The next part of the timeline comes from Future Redeemed's infamous radio scene, where the Earthlife Colonization Project/Project Exodus is named directly. It is stated that, as a part of the project, the 8th ship has left, bringing the total number of people sent to space to 3 million. Ships 9 through 13 are planned to bring the number to 10 million, with each carrying up to 1.5 million. This is distinctly different from the ECP in X, where the ships only leave once Earth is actively being destroyed. Additionally, the ships in the numbered games' timeline seem to be carrying people in their original bodies rather than using the Lifehold and Mimeosomes, which allow the White Whale to effectively carry 20 million people, a massive increase in carrying capacity.

What really got me thinking about all of this was reading one of Xenoblade X's short stories released in Japan before the game came out. (Translation by twitter user tried4thdslip)

This part specifically stood out to me. "...there were many who refused to join under the umbrella of the Coalition government. Most of the world, however, agreed upon the gravitas of the situation and banded together to avoid potential extinction. As a result, the injustice that a dissatisfied minority felt went largely ignored."

This is a near perfect match for the Saviourites, predating their appearance in Xenoblade 2. They've been building upon Earth's politics in these games even across separate universes. Whether it's building up to something or not, I can't say for certain, but it's fascinating nonetheless.

This brings to question whether certain events overlap between timelines. Was the Conduit discovered on X's Earth? Did Elma come to the numbered games' Earth? My answer to both of these is no, at least for now. There's no orbital ring on X's Earth. (admittedly, the ring did not exist in Xenoblade 1, although it wasn't added in X's remaster, so the point still stands) Humanity's technology is based on what Elma gave them rather than the Conduit. And most importantly, if they had the Conduit, it would make more sense to use it against the incoming aliens rather than attempting to flee.

As for Elma existing in Xenoblade 1-3's universe, the Coalition government and Earthlife Colonization Project existing at all is interesting, but their purposes and execution differ from that of X's, so I don't think they were created for the same purpose.

If I missed anything or got something wrong, please let me know. See you all on Mira in March!

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Earlier this month, a train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, triggering a massive fire and forcing everyone within a 1-mile radius of the crash to evacuate. To avoid a potential explosion, officials conducted a controlled detonation of five tankers three days later, sending carcinogenic vinyl chloride into the air. Two days later, residents of the 4,500-person village were told they could safely return home. Many questioned the safety of the air and water supply.

Since then, reporting has made clear that this environmental disaster was less a freak accident than a predictable outcome of lax safety measures and capitalist greed. Here’s what you need to know about the Norfolk Southern rail company.

NORFOLK SOUTHERN CHOSE NOT TO UPGRADE ITS TRAINS’ “CIVIL WAR-ERA” BRAKES.

A report in The Lever notes that the train that crashed in East Palestine was not equipped with Electronically Controlled Pneumatic brakes—fully electric brakes that experts say could have reduced the severity of the crash. Although Norfolk Southern once touted its use of ECP brakes, it lobbied against requiring them on trains carrying hazardous materials. An Obama-era rule required that HHFTs have ECP brakes, but the Trump administration overturned this rule.

NORFOLK SOUTHERN WORKERS DON’T GET PAID SICK TIME.

Remember when the Senate voted to avert a rail strike and deny workers sick leave? Norfolk Southern workers were among those affected. When investors encouraged Norfolk Southern to offer paid sick leave, the company said, OK, we won’t furlough people as often. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT.) has since demanded that rail companies offer workers at least seven days of paid sick leave.

RAIL COMPANIES REFUSE TO HIRE ENOUGH WORKERS.

Unions say that the rail industry’s use of furloughs to reduce the workforce stretches staff too thin. As Timothy Noah wrote in the New Republic, the 141-car train that crashed in East Palestine carried just two crew members and one trainee:

"On February 10, Anya Litvak of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that security camera footage 20 miles short of where the derailment occurred showed a rail car axle that appeared to be on fire. Why this information was not transmitted quickly to the train crew remains unknown, but it seems likely that the answer has something to do with the number of people who were in a position to sound the alarm."

NORFOLK SOUTHERN HAS SPENT BILLIONS ON STOCK BUYBACKS.

Norfolk Southern made $4.8 billion in operating profit in 2022, More Perfect Union reported, and paid shareholders $4.7 billion in stock buybacks and dividends.

As my colleague Hannah Levintova explained last year:

"A buyback is when companies purchase shares of their own company from investors, driving up the value of the remaining stock because there are fewer shares circulating. Buybacks are taxed at the lower capital gains rate, which maxes out at 20% for the wealthiest households. But for those investors who don’t sell their shares back to the company, there’s no tax—even though the value of their holdings has increased. Until that investor sells the asset, their wealth will grow tax-free. And thanks in part to a tax code loophole that enables the wealthy to pass shares on to their heirs, who can then skip paying capital gains taxes on them altogether, buybacks play a role in building untaxed generational wealth."

THE TRAIN THAT CAUSED THE CLOUD OF SMOKE OVER EAST PALESTINE WAS NOT CATEGORIZED AS A “HIGH-HAZARD FLAMMABLE TRAIN.”

Thanks to pressure from industry lobbyists, the “high-hazard flammable train” categorization applies only to trains carrying a narrow set of materials, like crude oil, The Lever also reported. That designation would have required that the train follow specific speed and braking restrictions.

DESPITE MAKING BILLIONS IN PROFIT, NORFOLK SOUTHERN INITIALLY OFFERED JUST $25,000 TO EAST PALESTINE.

Norfolk Southern managed to scrape together $25,000 for the town that’s been doused in toxic chemicals. People who fled their homes under fear of death can claim $1,000 per person per household. Since then, the company has announced increases in charity.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

After Ohio rail disaster, Buttigieg is silent on restoring the safety standards Trump repealed

When a freight train carrying toxic chemicals derailed near East Palestine, Ohio, bursting into flame and sending up clouds of poisonous vinyl chloride smoke and gas, our immediate concerns were for the people in harm’s way and the train crew:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/04/us/train-derailment-fire-palestine-ohio.html

If you’d like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here’s a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/11/dinah-wont-you-blow/#ecp

But those immediate concerns were soon joined by a broader set of worries: that the entire rail industry presented a systematic danger, and the Ohio derailment was a symptom of a much deeper pathology that endangered anyone who lives near one of the rail corridors that crisscross America.

The rail industry is the poster child for corporate power, and rail barons were among the first targets of Gilded Age trustbusters who saw the rail monopolies as a threat to the prosperity and wellbeing of Americans, as well as the integrity of the American political system itself.

40 years of neoliberal “consumer welfare” antitrust — starting with Reagan and continuing through every administration since — has seen the American rail sector achieve levels of concentration that meet and exceed the corrupt, untenable degree of the late 19th century.

Like the original rail barons, the current crop (including the self-styled cuddly billionaire Warren Buffett), have gutted rail investment, skirted on safety, maimed and abused their workforce, smashed their unions, and placed the entire US supply chain in a state of brittle precarity:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/02/04/up-your-nose/#rail-barons

Like all monopolists, the rail industry has been able to capture its regulators, trampling evidence-based policy and replacing it with rules that benefit shareholders at the expense of the public, labor, and customers.

https://doctorow.medium.com/regulatory-capture-59b2013e2526

This regulatory capture is an inevitable consequence of market concentration. When an industry is composed of dozens of small- and medium-sized firms, they are unable to converge on a single story about which rules regulators should favor them with: some of those companies will want things the others don’t, and each will vie to produce evidence disconfirming the others’ claims.

But when an industry dwindles to a handful of cozy giants whose C-suites are stuffed with company-hopping executives who’ve done time at every major company in the sector, they converge on a single fairy tale about the best way to regulate their industry, and convert their regulators’ truth-seeking exercises into rigged auctions that they handily win:

https://locusmag.com/2022/03/cory-doctorow-vertically-challenged/

That’s what happened during the Trump years, when rail lobbyists secured the repeal of a long-overdue, hard-won safety regulation that would have required rail companies to replace the Civil-War-era brakes on their rolling stock with modern electronically controlled pneumatic brakes (ECPs):

https://jacobin.com/2023/02/rail-companies-safety-rules-ohio-derailment-brake-sytems-regulations

The repeal cost millions in lobbying dollars, but it was worth it. Shortly after the ECP rule was scrapped, Norfolk Southern handed millions in bonuses to its execs and did billions in stock buybacks, while laying offf thousands of workers:

https://www.fool.com/investing/2018/10/25/norfolk-southern-implements-massive-buyback-progra.aspx

Elections, we’re told, have consequences. After Biden won the 2020 presidential election, he made a string of excellent appointments — people like FTC chair Lina Khan, who hit the ground running with detailed plans for making sweeping, consequential changes that would blunt corporate power, reverse-Trump era abuses, and correct the dysfunctions that created a political base for Trump:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/08/party-its-1979-og-antitrust-back-baby

But other Biden appointees arrive in office with much less ambition. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has spent his tenure as King Log, failing to take action on spiraling airline cancellations, confining his major enforcement action to fining foreign airlines while ignoring the out-of-control abuses of America’s domestic carriers, except for the also-ran airline Frontier, which accounts for less than 2% of domestic travel:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/16/for-petes-sake/#unfair-and-deceptive

There are striking similarities between the structural defects in the airlines and the rail companies: both are highly concentrated sectors who have laid off senior staff, attacked unions, and blown billions in public money on stock buybacks and executive bonuses, even as their service degraded.

Both industries have been sharply criticized by experts and industry veterans, who’ve called for specific regulation. In the case of the airlines, SWA pilots and flight attendants had sounded the alarm about antiquated scheduling systems; for the rail companies, it’s experts like Grady Cothen, formerly a top safety expert at the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), who told Congress that without action on braking systems, “[there] will be more derailments, more releases of hazardous materials, more communities impacted”:

https://www.congress.gov/event/117th-congress/house-event/LC69424/text?s=1&r=9

Despite these warnings, and despite the near-misses and smaller disasters that led up to the 100-foot-tall fireball over Ohio, Buttigieg’s DOT has not moved to reinstate the Obama-era brake safety rule, deferring to the monopoly rail owners self-serving claim that there is no need for such a move:

https://jacobin.com/2023/02/department-of-transportation-train-brake-regulation-ohio-derailment/

Indeed, the FRA is currently considering a rule that would further weaken braking rules, reducing obligations to inspect, test and certify braking systems:

https://www.regulations.gov/document/FRA-2019-0072-0005

The rail labor unions — the best source of independent expertise on the daily operation of the freight system — say that this would be a disaster: “Following through with a final rule would only deliver yet another financial windfall to rail carriers by eliminating inspections, testing and repairs, and deferring routine maintenance”:

https://www.goiam.org/news/territories/tcu-union/carmen-division-tcu/rail-labor-files-joint-comments-on-fras-nprm-2/

Serving as Transportation Secretary to the President of the United States of America makes you one of the most powerful people in the history of the human race. The Secretary’s powers, while not unlimited, are extensive. The American people need a DoT that works for them, not one that weakens safety rules:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/10/the-courage-to-govern/#whos-in-charge

Image: Gage Skidmore (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pete_Buttigieg_January_2020.jpg

CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

James St John (modified) https://www.flickr.com/photos/jsjgeology/27110172823/

CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

This week (Feb 13–17), I’ll be in Australia, touring my book Chokepoint Capitalism with my co-author, Rebecca Giblin. We’re doing a remote event for NZ tomorrow (Feb 13). Next are Melbourne (Feb 14), Sydney (Feb 15) and Canberra (Feb 16/17). More tickets just released for Sydney!

[Image ID: A locomotive steaming away from a nuclear explosion. The face of the logo has been replaced with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg's, in the style of Thomas the Tank Engine.]

[smallorangelover]

I can't use ANY Mastercard products - I'm preemptively banned because of fosta / sesta and the surveillsncd technology it birthed. and it's in everyone's interest to know that, and how it might affect them

Because the facial recognition technology used to deport sw from the US border 10 years ago is used at the UK border on every single person now. The systems used to trace financial transactions on sw are used on people in the UKs anti Muslim 'counter terrorism' laws now.

thinking about how traditionally people have not cared about whorephobia. I did my thesis on the Yorkshire ripper, who killed many sw before moving onto (in the police's words) "real women". Sw even reported the actual killer to the police ages before he was caught but no one gave a shit because they didn't trust sw systems of knowledge - eg noting down the car number plate and appearance of clients, and sending them to a friend , Internal community blacklists, and the like. I think about the sw who were needlessly killed and smeared in the press all the time....

to this day the feminist reporting refuses to connect the sw rights movement by the ECP (who campaigned very hard on this case for a real investigation and apology) with wider discussions of misogyny relating to that case

[kedamono-dreams]

it's kind of insane that it's gonna be a whole year and a half since I started using linux as my full time OS soon. in my opinion, it's a very good operating system and I only really have issues with certain (important and uninportant) windows engineering/creative applications, certain games, UI, and setting up a proper music production workflow. i also wish it were easier to synchronize configurations and stuff across computers but that is just a "multiple computers" issue.

it's been a really good experience 95% of the time, and i'd recommend it to most people who don't

(boring personal history stuff relating to computers below. at the end i explain some of the issues i've had and how i think i could fix them)

I fried my gamer laptop (obviously a windows machine) on December 6th, 2022 and had to fall back on what would become my favorite laptop, the thinkpad X220t. after juggling a few different unices/Linux distros, I settled on Linux Mint MATE. however, I couldn't do any actual work on that laptop other than like basic web browsing (which was all I needed at the time bc I was in community college)

after a while I managed to put together a pretty cheap desktop! i tried installing windows 10 on it and the installer refused because I was missing drivers for something. i could not figure out what it was, it might have been my CD drive, the hard drives I had, the nvme drive, the graphics card... so I went with what I was using on the thinkpad. Linux Mint installed without a hitch.

after I went to big boy college, I decided to upgrade my laptop since I needed a better portable computer. I was either going to get a 13" Macbook or a Framework, but I went with the Framework because I liked the ideals and the features, alongside some willful ignorance. ("It's a Mac, of course it's going to cost more! Those are super expensive computers!" I assumed, before dropping $500 more than I would have on the Mac I would have bought.) I also installed Linux Mint on the Framework.

Now, to expand on some of the issues I've had with Linux: Engineering applications, creative applications, very few Windows games, UX, and music production.

Engineering applications: I am going to college for ECpE, so I need to use certain programs for coursework/extracurriculars. The big ones are Fusion360, Altium, Solidworks, just most CAD/EDA stuff. (sidenote: Intel/Altera Quartus has binaries for and works on Linux, but it requires so much undocumented work that I had to piece together from compilation/simulation error logs that I consider it to be mostly broken from install.) It sucks that so many important applications are relevant to me/my future work and they don't have native Linux binaries, don't want to install under WINE, and/or require so much finagling that you'll go a little insane trying to get them to work. The FOSS alternatives are either much worse or considered fit for only amateur work. (AFAIK) KiCAD also lacks the collaborative aspects of Fusion360 or Altium, which makes it difficult to work with others who are on Windows and do use F360 or Altium. I could probably solve this through hours of tweaking, or I could just spin up a VM for F360, Altium, or Solidworks.

Creative applications: Everything I could say has already been said, but it's also not as bad as it could be. Krita, Pinta, Darktable all seem to be quite decent. Inkscape is okay. GIMP is functional. Blender is becoming more common in the creative industry, and is a definite rival to other 3D modeling software. I think that there's probably good excuses for Adobe to not release native binaries for Linux, but it would be really nice if they at least allowed or considered supporting/making it easier to run the programs under WINE.

Rare non-functioning Windows games: I rarely play video games anymore, and most video games I want to play work through Proton/WINE by default. (Thank you, Valve!) However, like one or two games I've tried do not work properly. I could see a big reason why: I have an Intel ARC card in my desktop. At this moment in time, the ARC cards are sort of iffy in the Linux sphere. I would recommend against other Linux users getting ARC cards right now, but the price is REALLY right and I would probably buy another one if not for certain political/humanitarian issues. I could probably fix this by getting a different graphics card, tweaking launch parameters, or simply waiting a year or two.

UI: I'm kinda blind. Not legally speaking, but I have a horrible prescription (>-10.00 in each eye before correction for astigmatism) and cannot see without my glasses at all. This is mostly a personal issue, possibly a Framework issue, but very high DPI screens give me trouble. Since fractional scaling does weird stuff, I have to raise the font size by a few points and increase the size of most of the UI elements in order to feel comfortable using computers long term. I also use darker themes on my desktop. This often breaks a lot of UI , making it hard/impossible to read button or labels. LibreOffice programs are pretty bad for this. It sucks.

Music production: This is possible using Linux! Sound on Linux is not that bad! However, attaining a "pro" production config is really hard. This can be solved by nutting up and reading the docs and watching 10 hours of youtube videos, or installing a distro with all the shit built-in and preconfigured. I've heard Ubuntu Studio is pretty okay.

In conclusion: Linux is pretty good. There's issues with it but the issues (IMO) are better than the Windows issues.

[vroomleasing]

Top 10 Motorcycle Routes in Singapore to Explore in Motorcycle: Rent and Ride

Singapore, though small in size, holds a plethora of scenic and thrilling motorcycle routes waiting to be explored. Whether you're a seasoned rider or a novice adventurer, the Lion City has something for everyone. With the convenience of motorcycle rental services, exploring these routes has never been easier. So, gear up, hop on, and let's delve into the top 10 motorcycle routes in Singapore that promise breathtaking views, cultural immersion, and unforgettable experiences.

Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE) to East Coast Parkway (ECP) Loop Kickstart your journey with a scenic ride along the Marina Bay skyline via the MCE. Cruise down the ECP, soaking in panoramic views of the coastline and lush greenery. Stop by East Coast Park for a refreshing seaside break before looping back to complete the journey.

Mandai Road to Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Escape the urban hustle and bustle as you navigate through Mandai Road's winding paths surrounded by verdant foliage. Make a pit stop at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, where winding roads lead to breathtaking viewpoints amidst Singapore's only remaining primary rainforest.

Punggol Promenade to Coney Island Experience the serenity of Singapore's northeastern coastline with a ride from Punggol Promenade to Coney Island. Traverse along picturesque waterfronts, mangrove swamps, and wooden boardwalks, offering a glimpse into the island's rich biodiversity.

Southern Ridges Trail Embark on a journey through lush greenery and elevated walkways along the Southern Ridges Trail. Start from Mount Faber Park, traverse through Henderson Waves, and culminate your ride at Labrador Nature Reserve, offering panoramic views of the city skyline and the harbor.

Changi Village to Changi Beach Park Explore Singapore's eastern charm with a leisurely ride from Changi Village to Changi Beach Park. Marvel at rustic kampong houses, historical landmarks, and pristine beaches, offering a glimpse into Singapore's rich heritage and natural beauty.

Kranji Countryside Discover Singapore's rural side with a scenic ride through the Kranji Countryside. Meander through quaint farms, orchards, and nature reserves, immersing yourself in the tranquility of lush countryside landscapes juxtaposed against urban skyscrapers.

Sentosa Island Circuit Embark on an exhilarating ride around Sentosa Island's scenic circuit, offering breathtaking views of pristine beaches, iconic attractions, and lush greenery. Explore hidden coves, seaside promenades, and adrenaline-pumping activities along the way.

Western Adventure: Lim Chu Kang Road to Kranji Traverse through Singapore's western frontier with a ride from Lim Chu Kang Road to Kranji. Wind your way through rustic villages, marshlands, and historical landmarks, offering a glimpse into Singapore's agrarian past and natural heritage.

Coast-to-Coast Trail Embark on an epic cross-island adventure along Singapore's Coast-to-Coast Trail, spanning 36 kilometers from Jurong Lake Gardens to Coney Island Park. Experience diverse landscapes, from urban parks and nature reserves to park connectors and scenic waterfronts.

Murai Reservoir to Chestnut Nature Park Conclude your journey with a scenic ride from Murai Reservoir to Chestnut Nature Park, traversing through tranquil reservoirs, lush forests, and idyllic picnic spots. Immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of nature, rejuvenating your spirit amidst Singapore's urban landscape.

Conclusion: From coastal highways to verdant nature trails, Singapore offers a myriad of motorcycle routes waiting to be explored. With the convenience of Singapore's Best Motorcycle rental service, riders can embark on thrilling adventures, immersing themselves in the Lion City's rich tapestry of culture, heritage, and natural beauty. So, rev up your engines, embrace the open road, and embark on an unforgettable journey through Singapore's top 10 motorcycle routes.

[owlsinathens]

10 most recent first lines in order from first to last

Thank you @st-clements-steps for the tag! 🥰 Also fu tumblr for withholding my notifications 🤨

10. “If I were you, I’d go with Jon.”

From What's in the name of a King?, a short ficlet about names and identity

9. He hasn’t climbed those stairs in years, and yet Theon remembers every single step.

From The Staircase, which isn't a true crime Netflix docu, but a fic set in Winterfell before the Long Night

8. The footsteps sound loud on the path leading to the edge of the gardens. Of course. Of course.

From The Call of the Dragon, my foray into HotD and Daemon/ECP*

7. Let them come to you. They will. They always do.

From What it is like, a continuation of The Call of the Dragon

6. “Kyra really doesn’t like you, huh?”

From Another Christmas (without Dickens, thank fuck), a little sequel to Another Christmas Carol, on hiatus until a more christmassy season

5. Theon’s gaze follows the Kraken’s arms, the edges of the carving weathered and fractured.

From The Greyjoy of Pyke, my asoiaf canon only fic for Greysnow Week

4. The sea is rough as the wind in my hair

From To the Sea, a ballad (sort of) for Greysnow Week

3. The air gets colder each day, so cold it almost feels hot on his face.

From Time in a bottle, my got canon only fic for Greysnow Week

2. The Ghost flower is native only to the North of Westeros, growing in dark, hidden spots beneath tree roots and rocks.

From Snowbells, part one of a two-part sex pollen AU, also for Greysnow week

1. His hands are welded to the reins, his fingers stiff and sore.

From Chapter 7 of One by One the Walls Give Way (but do not hide your face), aka 1x1, aka the corset AU

Tagging @callmejude, @florentium, @ferrame, @sappsorrow, @megaunhappybunny, @attaining-fic, @samshinechester and whoever feels like doing this!

*EPC = my affectionate nickname for Aemond, aka Eyepatch Cunt.

[smqazi]

HOW TO IMPLEMENT VERDICTS OF 

SUPREME COURT OF PAKISTAN

IN SO-CALLED ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN, 

WHICH BY DEFINITION IS 

NEITHER ISLAMIC NOR REPUBLIC,

UNFORTUNATELY!

The Problem With The Implementation of Pakistan’s Supreme Court Verdicts 

The recent ruling fixing a date for the Punjab provincial assembly elections is deeply controversial as it lays bare the apex court’s partisan bias.

Recent rulings by the Pakistan Supreme Court have thrust it into the middle of the ongoing political crisis in the country. These decisions, often made by partisan judges, are eroding the stature of and public confidence in Pakistan’s judiciary.

For over a year now, Pakistan’s political parties have been wrangling over the holding of elections. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief and former Prime Minister Imran Khan has been pushing for elections to the National Assembly (NA) to be advanced and for the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial assembly elections to be held before general elections. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)- led government prefers the elections to be held at the same time. Elections to the NA are due later this year.

Amid this political wrangling, Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial has come under scrutiny for his suo motu action on the Punjab assembly elections. Earlier this month, a three-member bench led by Bandial fixed May 14 as the new date for elections to the Punjab assembly. In doing so, he quashed a decision by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to defer polls in the province from April 10 to October 8.

This Supreme Court ruling is a major setback to the Shehbaz Sharif government, which has been trying to defer elections to the Punjab assembly, which was dissolved on January 13. The ruling PML-N-Pakistan People’s Party alliance is opposed to holding assembly elections in Punjab ahead of national elections.

As per the rules, elections are to be held under a caretaker government. With an elected government in place in Punjab, especially should that be led by the opposition PTI, the chances of victory for the ruling combine in Pakistan’s most populous and electorally crucial province in the general election could be undermined.

Sharif’s government has openly objected to the Supreme Court order to hold assembly elections in Punjab on May 14, saying that this is meant to facilitate victory by the PTI. The PTI, which enjoys immense popularity in Pakistan, believes it can win the upcoming election in Punjab, which will give it an upper hand administratively in the province when the NA elections take place subsequently across Pakistan.

Chief Justice Bandial’s authority and neutrality have been further eroded following revelations that the Supreme Court judges objected to the initiation of proceedings under Article 184(3) of the Constitution on the PTI’s petition regarding polls in Punjab.

When Bandial ruled in favor of early elections in Punjab, a number of top judges ruled that PTI’s suo motu request was dismissed on the ground of maintainability. The objection from the judges was based on their understanding that such action should not be taken without consulting all members of the court, and that the issue was pending in provincial courts and didn’t qualify as an issue of public interest.

The ruling coalition is in no mood to implement the top court’s rulings, which it believes may undermine its electoral prospects in the upcoming general elections.

Meanwhile, the ECP has complained that its constitutional authority has been undermined by the Supreme Court as the latter issued a date for Punjab assembly elections without its consent.

To find a way out of the situation, the parliament has tried to enact legislation to curtail the powers of the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) with regard to unilaterally taking suo motu actions. However, earlier this month Bandial ruled that the bill curtailing the CJP’s powers will remain ineffective even if it becomes law. The ruling virtually undermines the legislature’s ability to do its work.

The situation has gotten to a point where the state seems to be in a revolt against the top judge’s orders over the elections. The State Bank of Pakistan has refused to obey the chief justice’s order to directly allocate funds to the ECP without the parliament’s approval. The Defense Ministry has made it clear that it cannot allocate security personnel as they are busy with military operations across the country. Meanwhile, the government has refused to enter into negotiations with PTI leadership under pressure from the Supreme Court.

This is not the first time that the apex court’s chief justices have tried to intervene in matters that are beyond their remit, undermining the judiciary’s legitimacy and harming Pakistan’s interests at home and abroad.

Rulings by Supreme Court judges have in fact left Pakistan weaker and caused trouble for policymakers and concerns for international investors. One of the most notable examples in this regard is the verdict handed out by former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary in the Reko Diq deal in 2013. The ruling damaged Pakistan’s reputation among investors and cost it financially too.

During his term at the helm, Chief Justice Saqib Nisar gave several controversial verdicts that were beyond his constitutional authority. Not only was Nisar behind the scandalous initiative of establishing a fund to collect donations for the construction of a dam but also, he repeatedly interfered in daily administrative affairs by using suo motu authority of his office to an unprecedented extent.

The Supreme Court is tasked with providing a fair and impartial interpretation of the law. However, its recent decisions have created an atmosphere of uncertainty in the country as citizens are unsure of how these decisions will be implemented. It is now up to the Supreme Court to prove that it can remain impartial and make decisions as per the Constitution rather than politics. Only then can it restore public trust in the judiciary and prevent further damage to the institution and the country.

REFERENCES:

Wikipedia

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

https://carnegieendowment.org/2022/06/23/politics-at-bench-pakistani...

The Diplomat

[plokjnhb]

home depot store 3 10' glass windows, 6 curtains 10' each, 1 rope 16', ecp dh, 6 tarps, 8 stones, 3 roofs, 6 buckets, 10 chains, 10 locks with keys, 4 large bowls, 10 bowls, 40 planks, 2 chainsaws, 2 saws, 1 notebook, 10' latter, 1 john boat, 1 tent 2 rooms deliver daily on paid shelby farms protective services on paid loc shelby farms paid loc beaches and streams paid fish farm a-ppL deLivers paid Loced barreLs cookeries, charcoaLed paid Loc - 123 paid 5799 paid Loc 10 cots, 10 baskets large, 10 big towels, 10 small towels, 10 sheets with comforters, 1 box toilet paper, 1 box paper towels, awect trees and grounded icecicle icecicles acttca paid loc 2000 Lbs. 2000 waterings Loced 8 wheeLs Larged 123899 paid loc on water 5 houses paid 2 stone firecampings paid deliverLoc erbil kountry paid loc parkings 1 van with key @ 918 tamarind Ln cordova tennessee and atm card paid on paid loc must return to candace marie hughes on paid and candace marie hughes and on paid and paid. on. paid. loc. vvoiced on paid. loc. parked. paid. loc. parked paid. loc. kiykiyradio on paid. on. paid. on. paid. loc.

[work-at-home-mania]

SAP Payroll Technical Analyst, Staff | SAP EC/ECP | Remote

Lockheed Martin. United States �� Maryland, Bethesda Industry: Accounting / Finance Job ID: 679510BR Date posted: Oct. 30, 2024 Program: 1LMX Description:About Us:Today’s way of working is drastically changing due to the transition in the working environment, new competitors on the… Date posted: 10/30/2024 07:05 PM

[tregomountainear]

Writer's Group

The Eureka Community Players is starting a writers group, similar to the one that resulted in our evening of 10-minutes scenes called “The Waiting Room” last year.  The initial meeting is Saturday, October 26th at 3:00 p.m. in the Glacier Bank Community Room.  The goal is to again write scenes for a performance.  The ECP is inviting interested people to participate. For more information, contact…

[whattheabcxyz]

2024-10-04

Singapore

China tourists jailed for scamming members of public into paying for meals & lodging

Bidadari HDB residents pestered by property agents to sell their flats - now that there's the HDB resale portal, who needs these useless parasites anymore?! 😒

Singaporeans want to eat healthy, but fewer than 25% know what a balanced meal is

3 taken to hospital after 9-car pile-up on ECP

LTA & bus operators to review management of free bus services during MRT disruption

SAF reviewing policies as mental health cases rise

More marketing, veterinary & sports job openings, but overall hiring slows

Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng charged with 2 offences linked to Iswaran probe

Singles can buy 2-room flexi BTO flats in all locations during October sales launch

Parts of Marine Parade flooded due to burst underground pipe

Science

^ Different types of cellular deaths in humans

Food

Singapore: Tingkat delivery company Kim’s Catering suspended for 4 weeks by SFA - their premises were found to be infested with pests on 2 occasions; they were only fined $800 though! 😡

Art

Singapore: Bras Basah food court apologises for using plagiarised artwork - generative AI to blame!

Music

Lo-fi music's popularity & how some are capitalising on it

Fashion

Singapore Army launches fashion collection in collaboration with local designer Amos Ananda

Business

Singapore: HairFun salon chain, previously known as Scissor & Comb, under investigation for unscrupulous sales tactics

Literature

A small collection of ghost stories

[mastermaverick]

Pinheiros Enfrenta SESI Bauru em Busca da Liderança do Paulista de Vôlei Feminino

Equipe PinheirosFoto: Gabriella Garbim/ECP Um Duelo Imperdível no Paulistão A expectativa está no ar e o clima é de pura adrenalina no vôlei feminino paulista! Amanhã, dia 10 de setembro, o Esporte Clube Pinheiros terá um desafio crucial pela frente na quinta rodada do Campeonato Paulista de Vôlei Feminino. A partida contra o SESI Bauru promete ser um espetáculo de alto nível e, para quem é fã…

[drmaqazi]

The Problem With the Implementation of Pakistan’s Supreme Court Verdicts

in so-caled Islamic Republic of Pakistan, which is neither Islamic nor Republic, 

UNFORTUNATELY 

The recent ruling fixing a date for the Punjab provincial assembly elections is deeply controversial as it lays bare the apex court’s partisan bias.

Recent rulings by the Pakistan Supreme Court have thrust it into the middle of the ongoing political crisis in the country. These decisions, often made by partisan judges, are eroding the stature of and public confidence in Pakistan’s judiciary.

For over a year now, Pakistan’s political parties have been wrangling over the holding of elections. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief and former Prime Minister Imran Khan has been pushing for elections to the National Assembly (NA) to be advanced and for the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial assembly elections to be held before general elections. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)- led government prefers the elections to be held at the same time. Elections to the NA are due later this year.

Amid this political wrangling, Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial has come under scrutiny for his suo motu action on the Punjab assembly elections. Earlier this month, a three-member bench led by Bandial fixed May 14 as the new date for elections to the Punjab assembly. In doing so, he quashed a decision by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to defer polls in the province from April 10 to October 8.

This Supreme Court ruling is a major setback to the Shehbaz Sharif government, which has been trying to defer elections to the Punjab assembly, which was dissolved on January 13. The ruling PML-N-Pakistan People’s Party alliance is opposed to holding assembly elections in Punjab ahead of national elections.

As per the rules, elections are to be held under a caretaker government. With an elected government in place in Punjab, especially should that be led by the opposition PTI, the chances of victory for the ruling combine in Pakistan’s most populous and electorally crucial province in the general election could be undermined.

Sharif’s government has openly objected to the Supreme Court order to hold assembly elections in Punjab on May 14, saying that this is meant to facilitate victory by the PTI. The PTI, which enjoys immense popularity in Pakistan, believes it can win the upcoming election in Punjab, which will give it an upper hand administratively in the province when the NA elections take place subsequently across Pakistan.

Chief Justice Bandial’s authority and neutrality have been further eroded following revelations that the Supreme Court judges objected to the initiation of proceedings under Article 184(3) of the Constitution on the PTI’s petition regarding polls in Punjab.

When Bandial ruled in favor of early elections in Punjab, a number of top judges ruled that PTI’s suo motu request was dismissed on the ground of maintainability. The objection from the judges was based on their understanding that such action should not be taken without consulting all members of the court, and that the issue was pending in provincial courts and didn’t qualify as an issue of public interest.

The ruling coalition is in no mood to implement the top court’s rulings, which it believes may undermine its electoral prospects in the upcoming general elections.

Meanwhile, the ECP has complained that its constitutional authority has been undermined by the Supreme Court as the latter issued a date for Punjab assembly elections without its consent.

To find a way out of the situation, the parliament has tried to enact legislation to curtail the powers of the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) with regard to unilaterally taking suo motu actions. However, earlier this month Bandial ruled that the bill curtailing the CJP’s powers will remain ineffective even if it becomes law. The ruling virtually undermines the legislature’s ability to do its work.

The situation has gotten to a point where the state seems to be in a revolt against the top judge’s orders over the elections. The State Bank of Pakistan has refused to obey the chief justice’s order to directly allocate funds to the ECP without the parliament’s approval. The Defense Ministry has made it clear that it cannot allocate security personnel as they are busy with military operations across the country. Meanwhile, the government has refused to enter into negotiations with PTI leadership under pressure from the Supreme Court.

This is not the first time that the apex court’s chief justices have tried to intervene in matters that are beyond their remit, undermining the judiciary’s legitimacy and harming Pakistan’s interests at home and abroad.

Rulings by Supreme Court judges have in fact left Pakistan weaker and caused trouble for policymakers and concerns for international investors. One of the most notable examples in this regard is the verdict handed out by former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary in the Reko Diq deal in 2013. The ruling damaged Pakistan’s reputation among investors and cost it financially too.

During his term at the helm, Chief Justice Saqib Nisar gave several controversial verdicts that were beyond his constitutional authority. Not only was Nisar behind the scandalous initiative of establishing a fund to collect donations for the construction of a dam but also, he repeatedly interfered in daily administrative affairs by using suo motu authority of his office to an unprecedented extent.

The Supreme Court is tasked with providing a fair and impartial interpretation of the law. However, its recent decisions have created an atmosphere of uncertainty in the country as citizens are unsure of how these decisions will be implemented. It is now up to the Supreme Court to prove that it can remain impartial and make decisions as per the Constitution rather than politics. Only then can it restore public trust in the judiciary and prevent further damage to the institution and the country.

REFERENCES:

Wikipedia

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

The Diplomat