#Bike Benefits Program

[kiranherbert]

Companies Should Make It a Priority to Boost Employee Bicycling

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week #19

May 17-24 2024

President Biden wiped out the student loan debt of 160,000 more Americans. This debt cancellation of 7.7 billion dollars brings the total student loan debt relieved by the Biden Administration to $167 billion. The Administration has canceled student loan debt for 4.75 million Americans so far. The 160,000 borrowers forgiven this week owned an average of $35,000 each and are now debt free. The Administration announced plans last month to bring debt forgiveness to 30 million Americans with student loans coming this fall.

The Department of Justice announced it is suing Ticketmaster for being a monopoly. DoJ is suing Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation for monopolistic practices. Ticketmaster controls 70% of the live show ticket market leading to skyrocketing prices, hidden fees and last minute cancellation. The Justice Department is seeking to break up Live Nation and help bring competition back into the market. This is one of a number of monopoly law suits brought by the Biden administration against Apple in March and Amazon in September 2023.

The EPA announced $225 million in new funding to improve drinking and wastewater for tribal communities. The money will go to tribes in the mainland US as well as Alaska Native Villages. It'll help with testing for forever chemicals, and replacing of lead pipes as well as sustainability projects.

The EPA announced $300 million in grants to clean up former industrial sites. Known as "Brownfield" sites these former industrial sites are to be cleaned and redeveloped into community assets. The money will fund 200 projects across 178 communities. One such project will transform a former oil station in Philadelphia’s Kingsessing neighborhood, currently polluted with lead and other toxins into a waterfront bike trail.

The Department of Agriculture announced a historic expansion of its program to feed low income kids over the summer holidays. Since the 1960s the SUN Meals have served in person meals at schools and community centers during the summer holidays to low income children. This Year the Biden administration is rolling out SUN Bucks, a $120 per child grocery benefit. This benefit has been rejected by many Republican governors but in the states that will take part 21 million kids will benefit. Last year the Biden administration introduced SUN Meals To-Go, offering pick-up and delivery options expanding SUN's reach into rural communities. These expansions are part of the Biden administration's plan to end hunger and reduce diet-related disease by 2030.

Vice-President Harris builds on her work in Africa to announce a plan to give 80% of Africa internet access by 2030, up from just 40% today. This push builds off efforts Harris has spearheaded since her trip to Africa in 2023, including $7 billion in climate adaptation, resilience, and mitigation, and $1 billion to empower women. The public-private partnership between the African Development Bank Group and Mastercard plans to bring internet access to 3 million farmers in Kenya, Tanzania, and Nigeria, before expanding to Uganda, Ethiopia, and Ghana, and then the rest of the continent, bring internet to 100 million people and businesses over the next 10 years. This is together with the work of Partnership for Digital Access in Africa which is hoping to bring internet access to 80% of Africans by 2030, up from 40% now, and just 30% of women on the continent. The Vice-President also announced $1 billion for the Women in the Digital Economy Fund to assure women in Africa have meaningful access to the internet and its economic opportunities.

The Senate approved Seth Aframe to be a Judge on the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, it also approved Krissa Lanham, and Angela Martinez to district Judgeships in Arizona, as well as Dena Coggins to a district court seat in California. Bring the total number of judges appointed by President Biden to 201. Biden's Judges have been historically diverse. 64% of them are women and 62% of them are people of color. President Biden has appointed more black women to federal judgeships, more Hispanic judges and more Asian American judges and more LGBT judges than any other President, including Obama's full 8 years in office. President Biden has also focused on backgrounds appointing a record breaking number of former public defenders to judgeships, as well as labor and civil rights lawyers.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Grist:

In the depths of the Great Depression in 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt warned Congress that millions of Americans were idly “walking the streets,” presenting a threat to the country’s stability, even though they “would infinitely prefer to work.” It’s part of the reason he proposed the Civilian Conservation Corps, a program that would hire men to preserve forests, prevent soil erosion, and control floods. “More important, however, than the material gains will be the moral and spiritual value of such work,” Roosevelt said.

President Joe Biden referenced that line last month when he announced the launch of the American Climate Corps, a government jobs program inspired by Roosevelt’s that tackles the environmental problems of the 21st century. Besides the obvious benefits of restoring wetlands and installing solar panels, the climate corps is intended to pave a path to green careers for those who sign up. Another advantage of joining, though less-discussed, is that it could help alleviate widespread climate anxiety, channeling young people’s concern into concrete, hands-on work. More than half of Americans are anxious, to some degree, about how climate change is affecting their mental health. There are only about 250 job openings in the climate corps right now, but the White House expects to employ 20,000 people over the program’s first year.

While the vast majority of 18- to 28-year-olds in the United States say they’re worried about climate change, two-thirds of them are unsure what they can do to make a difference, according to polling from the think tank Data for Progress in 2022. The combination is ripe for “climate anxiety,” a catch-all term for the feelings of grief, fear, and distress that’s not so much a clinical diagnosis as a logical response to living through the hottest period on Earth in 125,000 years. 

According to common wisdom, the best way to treat existential dread about global warming is to “take action.” But not all types of climate action are equal. Proponents of the American Climate Corps suggest that the program offers something more substantial than ditching meat or taking a bike ride — it’s a chance to work on climate change or environmental justice issues all day as part of a larger cause. “There’s something about, ‘Here is a clear job with a clear timeline and a clear local goal. I can, like, put my hands in the dirt,’” said Kidus Girma, campaign director of the Sunrise Movement, a youth-led climate organization that fought to make the climate corps happen. 

In small doses, anxiety can prompt people to do something, but in large doses, it can be incapacitating. The structure of the American Climate Corps could be useful for young people who are overwhelmed by the enormity of a global problem and aren’t sure where to start, said McKenna Parnes, a clinical psychology researcher at the University of Washington. 

Taking action as part of a group, as opposed to going it alone, can significantly alleviate the distress associated with climate change, according to a study Parnes co-authored in 2022. Climate corps members wouldn’t necessarily need to be working with people all day to get those benefits. “Even if it’s folks that are doing individual jobs but part of the greater collective, just by nature of being part of the climate corps, there’s already that collective piece,” she said.

[frociaggine]

Hi ❤️ I was wondering, do you have some recs/advices for light cardio HIIT sessions? I follow a weight lifting program online split on 3 days, i'd like to do some type of cardio on a fourth day but online there is.. TOO MUCH infos, i'm basically a beginner still and i'm getting so confused 😭

hi hi thank you for asking I LOVE these questions ❤️ I totally get what you mean about Too Much Information, fitness internet is chockfull of info but it can and does get overwhelming (and contact story!) especially if you're a beginner.

On cardio: I'm a big cardio fan, and could yap about the benefits all day. However! I feel very strongly that the best kind of cardio is the one that you actually like doing. If you're "just" looking to add "do more cardio" to your schedule, without any specific goals, the type of cardio matters a lot less than whether it's going to be fun for you to do. It can be as simple as doing 15/20 mins on an exercise bike after you're done at the gym, or dancing to kpop videos in your bedroom, or going on a moderate hike on Saturdays. If you want to add some more structured workouts, that's also great — more on that below — but IME, finding a form of cardio that you actually enjoy is a lot more important in the long run than trying to find THE perfect cardio workout.

this is the part where I yap. sorry.

SAMPLE CARDIO ROUTINE FOR LIFTERS from this amazing (very insightful!) r/fitness post by a lifting coach who's very solid

Something like this is IMO ideal if you don't have time or inclination to do much else. If it looks good to you, stop here! No need to read on. If you want more info and resources, go on

What's HIIT anyway?

sorry to be pedantic BUT I think it's important when exploring online fitness resources to know this: "light HIIT" is a misnomer. HIIT has become kind of a buzzword that's overused in fitness circles for marketing / SEO reasons, and I understand why (visibility!) but I wanted to clarify this just so you know what to look for going forward. HIIT = "High-intensity interval training": short bursts of exercise that have your heart literally jumping in your throat, followed by recovery. You're meant to give it your absolute all and flop dead like a fish on the grass when you're done. The upside is that HIIT workouts are very short; the downside is that they're very intense, and it can be kind of mentally daunting to psyche yourself up to do it.

So maybe I don't want to do the mentally daunting workout. What else is there?

NON-HIIT WORKOUTS THAT FUCK

Just because something is branded as "HIIT" when it's not, it doesn't mean it's not a damn good workout in its own right. Here is a youtube playlist from a "follow along workouts" fitness influencer who I LOVED during the pandemic (Caroline Girvan, I've yapped about her before). I used to do one of her cardio-heavy workouts once a week as an integration to an at-home fitness routine. That playlist I linked includes 92 (NINETY TWO) workouts. Some are bodyweight, some use dumbells for resistance; pick and choose.

LIGHT CARDIO

Maybe this is what you were looking for in the first place! LISS = Low-Intensity Steady Cardio. As the name implies, instead of "high-intensity bursts + recovery" style of workout, LISS workout means that you constantly keep moving at a steady rate. The downside is that LISS workouts are much longer, and maybe more dull, and you're better off doing them multiple times a week to see benefits. The upside is that they're less taxing on your body and require less recovery time, and they can be paired up with lifting days. Something like 15 mins on an exercise bike as a cooldown after lifting + one longer session (40+ min) on a day you don't lift would be what I think of as "integrating cardio into a lifting schedule" if you don't want to do anything high intensity. Replace exercise bike with walking up an incline or jogging or swimming or dancing or whatever. You can mix and match. You can take a brisk half hour walk 3 times a week and go on a hike every other weekend. Just find something that you enjoy and can stick to ( <- personally I have an audiobook I save to listen to ONLY when I'm doing chill-ish cardio to entertain me during)

Nevermind those alternatives. I want to do HIIT anyway. What do I do?

resources: introduction to HIIT writeup from r/HIIT (not famliar with the sub but the guide looks pretty solid) + some examples of HIIT workouts that you can do anywhere depending on your preferences (bodyweight training, exercise bike or rowing machine, kettlebell swings etc)

Here's an example of a follow-along HIIT workout from an influencer I think is very solid: ONE, TWO. They're 15 minutes long and pretty much what I mean when I say that HIIT is meant to be short and deadly; you do something like this, you recover, you're done.

BIG disclaimer: Don't start with any moves that are too fancy at first. Because HIIT = high intensity, that mostly translates into "doing some moves very fast to try and get your heart rate up within the interval window" and some people interpret that as trying to get in as many reps as possible. this goes extra hard for "follow along" workouts but also in general. If you're not very familiar with those moves, you can risk injury. Some HIIT routines are very dynamic, and if you don't have the movements nailed down, you're better off focusing on maintaining form rather than doing them really fast.

Other disclaimer: I would still pair up HIIT once a week with some more chill cardio on lifting days. If it's possible. But if you're doing HIIT in an intense way, that's already a lot!

TLDR

Summing up. Example of HIIT workouts. Follow alongs: one, two, three. I'd recommend doing one of these once a week if you like them, on a non-lifting day. If these aren't your speed, then a longer session of moderate cardio on a non-lifting day would be good, depending on what you have access to and enjoy. You can also do moderate cardio on lifting days if you're feeling extra motivated.

long-ass science-y article on benefits of cardio for weightlifters because I just really love this blogger

[xiaq]

Hi! I read an old post of yours from when you were teaching, where you said you earned 39k a year, and that it wasn't a lot of money. That would be 3k a month + 3k end-of-year bonus, especially if it's tax free (as in, all money already goes to you, with taxes already paid). In my country, that's a very good income. How much does life cost in the USA, for you to say that academia is not a career that makes you lots of money? I think I'd need context to understand, if you can explain, please :)

Hi there! So what it comes down to is cost of living coupled with an inability to put money away for retirement.

Also, that 39k is before taxes. So I was really making around 32k annually or 2,600 a month. No bonuses.

When I was making that, I was living in Dallas, TX and then Gunnison, CO. The average rent cost for a one bedroom apartment in Dallas was $1,500 base per month and in Gunnison, CO the average rent cost for a one bedroom apartment is $1,700. In both places I paid less than the average, but my total costs with paid parking, utilities, etc. were around $1,500. In addition to housing, I had to pay for health insurance which was around $2,000 a year, car insurance which was around $1,500 a year, and then general car maintenance which was $2-3,000 a year depending on if I needed new tires. I walked or rode my bike as much as possible, but was still spending at least $50 a month on gas (more when I'd go camping or drive home for the weekend 3 hrs away). I also had to pay for vet bills, food for me and my dog, and standard life stuff. Even with couponing and a strict budget, I was spending around $300 a month on food for me and my dog in Dallas and $400 per month in CO since food was more expensive in the mountains (like, a little box of strawberries was $8, a 2-serving bag of salad was $5). Also, even though I was paying for health insurance, I still had to pay copays and out of pocket for bloodwork and some specialists, which was a couple more thousand a year. I rarely went out to eat, I don't drink or smoke, and I bought all my clothes and books second-hand. Pretty much any time I traveled it was because my parents or friends were going somewhere and I could tag along, or I was car camping. So I was living a very frugal lifestyle and still had no money left at the end of the year to put toward retirement based on my teaching salary.

So, as a breakdown my approximate annual costs were (I just went and found an old budget spreadsheet from 2020)

Rent+utilities+wifi/phone $18,000 Health insurance $2,000 Car insurance $1,500 Car maintenance $2,000 Gas $1,000 Vet bills/dog food $1,000 Food $3,500 Medical copays and oop expenses: $2,000 Clothes $500 Books $500 Home-goods, laundry, cleaning products, misc $500 Skin, hair, hygiene products $500 Total cost: $33k You'll notice this is more than my teaching salary. I was doing a bit of tutoring and ghostwriting on the side and my parents were kind enough to pay for some of my car maintenance that year, which is the only reason I didn't end up in financial trouble.

Importantly, I had no money at all for emergencies or putting toward retirement. I was also working 60-70hrs a week, had very little opportunity for career/salary growth, and was constantly being asked to pick up additional unpaid labor for the benefit of students/the program. I loved teaching, but there was no way that lifestyle was sustainable and there wasn't any hope of retirement. AND I was one of the few people who had no student loans to pay off by the time I finished graduate school. Thanks to academic scholarships, living at home, and my parent's assistance, I had no debt. That is highly unusual for people in academia and I can't even imagine the stress it would have added to my life if I was trying to pay off student loans every month as well.

Also, I'd just like to point out that adjunct professors make even less than I was making as a lecturer, and even tenured profs don't make all that much more. The humanities in academia in the US is not the place to be if you're wanting to make a reasonable amount of money for the amount of work you're doing. :( By contrast, working in tech, I'm now making $100k a year (78k take home), I work 40-50 hrs a week, I'm putting money into my retirement every month, and my work/life balance is magnificent. I'm also up for a promotion in a few months and I have a lot of opportunities for career and salary growth in the future. For the first time in my adult life I don't feel like I have to count every penny, and I think I may actually be able to retire some day.

Anyway, I hope that helps give context!

[feuqueerfire]

23.5 Eps 9 - 12 Live Blogging

well... I started watching an on-air show after a long time (February 2023 Never Let Me Go, I'm not counting Our Skyy 2) and I really just binged the first 8 episodes and fell off lol. Interestingly, I also had to binge the last 4 eps of NLMG because I stopped keeping up weekly after ep 8 (though I did watch eps 4 - 8 on a weekly basis before that).

Anyway, I wasn't feeling a Need to come back to this show because I found the resolution to Ongsa-Earth underwhelming and the reaction I've seen to these last few episodes has also been middling, so hmm idk. I'm also just not in the mood for high school shows right now (I Will Knock You is also on-hold rip), so it feels a bit unfair to this show to watch it when I'm not in the mood but what can you do? I don't want to leave it hanging even after the show ends.

Ep 9: When The Earth Tilts (May 22/23)

9-1

aughhh I really don't know if I should make myself just watch this or not because they're being cute but I just... kinda don't care. I'm indeed in the mood for something more dramatic but I also think I'm just apathetic toward them the way I became toward Akk and Ayan as soon as The Eclipse finished airing and also to Palm and Nueng toward the end of the show (although I loveeee Palm and Nueng now after some time has passed, so maybe that'll be the case here too?)

the introduction of the exchange program

Oh, dad and Ongsa just moved to Bangkok and they're getting to live as a full family, so I guess Alpha and mom lived here before

Aw, Aylin interacting with them and forcing her mouth to do smiles to try to fit in/communicate with human family

I... watched 10 mins the whole day, rip

am I being unnecessarily harsh on this show or does the conversation not seem... natural between Onsga and Sun like it's just a bike riding scene and it should be fine but why am I just like... this isn't how people talk.

at first I was like nooo Ayling shouldn't need to put on makeup to fit in the way she was trying at lunch with Alpha and Ongsa but it's cute if she wants to do it herself before meeting with Luna heh

khun faen hehe

pls not the two pairs competing

9-2

aw, Teacher Nida and Bambam helping an insecure Alpha

9-3

chef Alpha omg

no more P'Ton flirting, we have progressed past the need for P'Ton flirting

Aylin basically pieing his face was so deserved, idc that Ton helped Ongsa and Sun or whatever, he's annoying

oh nooo my poor overwhelmed Aylin

9-4

1 year scholarship to America

and now the guilt of Alpha telling Sun to not leave Ongsa, oh no

is this their first I love you? I can't remember

ahhhh the towel scene + kisses

lol I know how the scene ends because of spoilers but I would've lost my damn mind while waiting if I didn't know lol

I wasn't really into it at the start of this ep but I liked it again by the end!

I didn't mind Luna asking Aylin to socialize more with her family because it's a fairly small step since she already spends time with them and I think it'd be good for Aylin to push herself a bit out of her comfort zone and realize the benefits of maintaining relationships but the stuff at the end was too much, like why must Aylin sit at the table for lunch with a bunch of Luna's friends when she already struggles with people? I hope Luna thinks it through more next ep and apologizes but I'm nervous that that won't be the case based on some fan reactions, though idk if that was to ep 9 or ep 10.

Ep 10: (May 23/24)

10-1

plss Alpha with the knife truly is so funny

ah, Sun's out to her parents + they know Ongsa's her gf but Ongsa didn't know they knew everything

...not keeping secrets

and vaguely hypothetically asking about distance and time

10-2

secrets plaguing Aylin and Sun

oh, Sun's telling Ongsa. and she hasn't even taken the test yet and doesn't know if they'll make it. honestly a pretty good time to get Ongsa, no misunderstandings or really much secrecy yet

10-3

Teacher Bambam and Nida lmfaooo Bambam reading all the tarot cards correctly but not picking up on them being about HER!!

I feel like we've been finally learning more about Sun these past 2 eps through this scholarship and her desire for it

DON'T GIVE UP SCHOLARSHIP AND EXCHANGE PROGRAM AND NEW EXCITING EXPERIENCE FOR THIS RANDOM HIGH SCHOOL RELATIONSHIP

not even TESTING for the scholarship?!?! girl pls

I went to bed and was supposed to watch the last part before going to sleep but I didn't feel like watching Sun out Ongsa (maybe? based on a bit of the Next Part teaser at the end) so I'm here the next morning

10-4

my Aylin !!! :(

but also like... is it that big of a reveal that Aylin was bullied? feels like More should've been said or explored here?

I'm gonna smack Ton

the teachers confession!! hehe

Ongsa's right to tell Sun to pursue her exchange program dreams

okay Sun's outing of Aylin was accidental and I'll give it a pass because she's a teenager who has grown up in a very accepting home and they're all out at school, so she didn't think before mentioning the 3rd wheeling thing

but she should realize that Ongsa's trying to steer the conversation away and back off

instead of confronting Ongsa and outing her in front of her parents and wtf is "so you're never gonna tell them about me?" why is 'never' coming up here? you've barely been dating bruh and haven't discussed anything. like she could've been upset at Ongsa for keeping her a secret without feeling the need to declare it in front of her parents when Ongsa doesn't want to come out

and then just Leaving and riding away on P'Sunny after doing all that?!?!?

I've seen that Ongsa's the one who has to apologize to Sun apparently and I don't want to watch that at all.

Ep 11: (May 24)

11-1

indeed you should've been mad at finding out Ongsa's Earth, would've made more sense than here.

NO MORE TON, ENOUGH

11-2

do I care about Tin and Mawin? I cared more earlier on in the show but now idk

why is there so much Ton, he and Charoen better not end up together like she literally does not like that man

I don't really get the 'you don't understand me at all' thing tbh

11-3

parental acceptance

another series mention of worrying about disappointing the parents

the thing is I just feel like coming out isn't only about "you worry too much about what others think" like that's not the same category as Ongsa not telling anybody about Sun and her dating because Sun's popular while she's not. It has more to do with possible pushback and violence from her own family where she didn't feel safe enough to come out. and i just don't like that coming out and being publicly with a girl is treated as the same thing as 'caring too much about other people'

and like make your home and environment a very explicitly queer-accepting space so that your daughter isn't so afraid of coming out to you and doesn't know what reaction to expect wtf

11-4

losing my entire mind at the Luna/Aylin scene, they're soooo cute, I'm soooo giddy hehehehehehe

Sun's parents at least telling her to not change for the one she loves

and Sun says sorry too

long-distance incoming, i'm guessing we'll get some time skip next ep

So close to the finale, finally

Ongsa sending Sun Hundreds of texts and going to her home at night is why. at least Sun called her out on the texts + acting unhinged publicly about the sun, but why have her go to Sun's house at night while Sun's explicitly ignoring her and knock and text and stuff. at least Alpha was taking her away but still. I'll overlook it (kinda how I still was so into PaiSky in Love In The Sky despite Pai's endless SIMs and calling) but it's been noted.

Ep 12: Promise Me... Sun (May 24)

It's a shame that my feeling is glad that I'm almost done rather than being sad about reaching the end.

12-1

Aylin, I freaking love youuuuuu, cutieeeeeee

12-2

terrible cook Ongsa, so true, same girl

12-3

the merch alien hat

at least we're not getting Ton with Cheroen

12-4

Grade 11... were they in grade 10 before?

the separation being in the literal last part is later than I expected

Aylin putting the Luna love note in her mouth hehehe

Nida/Bambam plssss lmfaoo

no! Ton and Charoen are not in love, leave her aloneeeeeeeeee

Aylin is such a trickster when it comes to getting kisses hehehehehehhe

no more glasses for Ongsa, I saw this on a Tumblr post and was like ?! >:(

reunited

Overall:

GMMTV's first GL and MilkLove's first full GL; I was super excited, especially after having watched MilkLove in Bad Buddy and the Magic of Zero special, which is why I started watching this on-air (thought I'd start it even earlier than ep 8 but didn't because of exams). So it's a shame that I feel so... nothing about the show, especially the main couple; I think Aylin/Luna is my fave ship in here. I think I also just wasn't much in the mood for a silly high school romance series right now, which isn't the show's fault but contributed to why I didn't feel the pull to continue watching the show. When I did watch it, it could get pretty cute though, I giggled/gushed a few times, especially about Luna and Aylin. The teachers' storyline was cute too, though barely there. Aylin was the MVP for sure.

Rating: 6/10

[4grandpasonly]

The impact of physical activity in older age

Physical activity is essential for good health at any age, but it is especially important for older adults. As we age, our bodies naturally lose muscle mass and strength, and our bones become more fragile. Regular physical activity can help to slow or even reverse these changes, and it can also help to improve our overall health and well-being.

Some of the benefits of physical activity in older age include:

Improved physical function: Physical activity can help to improve our strength, balance, and coordination, which can make it easier to perform everyday tasks such as walking, climbing stairs, and getting in and out of a chair.

Reduced risk of chronic diseases: Physical activity can help to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer.

Improved mental health: Physical activity can help to improve our mood, reduce stress, and improve our sleep.

Increased life expectancy: Studies have shown that people who are physically active tend to live longer than those who are not.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that older adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity each week. They also recommend doing muscle-strengthening activities that work all major muscle groups on two or more days a week.

Some examples of moderate-intensity aerobic activity include:

Walking briskly

Biking

Swimming

Water aerobics

Dancing

Some examples of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity include:

Running

Cycling uphill

Swimming laps

Water aerobics with weights

Jumping rope

Some examples of muscle-strengthening activities include:

Lifting weights

Doing calisthenics

Using resistance bands

Doing yoga

Doing Pilates

If you are new to physical activity, it is important to start slowly and gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workouts. You should also talk to your doctor before starting any new exercise program.

[sumechiayuu]

Why I don't think Kiyotaka Ishimaru's death in Danganronpa was necessarily bad writing (Spoilers ahead)

Note that these are my personal views on the matter, and you are free to disagree with my feelings on it. As long as you're civil about it, I'm fine with it. Full thoughts under the cut.

I get it. It sucks to see them try to do something interesting with him in the form of Kiyondo, just for them to kill him off in the most emotionless way. However, I disagree with the idea that he never grew after Mondo’s death. In fact, he did grow, just not in a healthy way. He got over the death of his friend by adopting Mondo’s traits. Yes, it’s not “good” character growth but I disagree with the notion that a character HAS to develop in positive ways to be considered well written. Not every character will get their happy ending, but it’s okay. (Plus at least he can reunite with Mondo in heaven) 

Another thing about his death is how it connects with his character. For context, Kiyotaka is meant to represent political power, specifically in Japanese society. The way he forcefully takes charge of the whole class and with how his family is connected to the prime minister in terms of his grandfather, he also has a strong liking for morals. But later, he starts to fraternize with a power that specifically opposes the political system, and that power is Mondo due to his status as a bike gang leader. By nature, they should not be able to get along, but alas, they do. However, this does bad for both of them, as not only does Mondo die, but Kiyotaka’s morals slowly begin to crumble. He desperately starts to cling onto the idea that his best friend-no, his bro-could never harm someone. He’s his comrade after all, isn’t he? 

And that’s what ended up being his downfall. Post-mortem, Kiyotaka not only began to use Mondo’s traits as a coping mechanism, but his final moments consist of him breaking the nighttime rule for the sake of his own benefit. His friendship with Mondo doomed both from the start, as it was never meant to be.  

Not only that, but in a world where only the “talented and gifted” are appreciated, of course one who believes in hard work gets pushed to the sidelines and otherwise gets underappreciated. This is another reason why his death feels so terrible. Kiyotaka promoted hard work and despised the concept of a “genius”, and despite this he still gets admitted into the school based on talent. Society in general promotes the idea of people inherently being gifted with certain abilities, while pushing genuine hard work aside. It’s why students in “gifted” programs get praised for even the bare minimum, while students who work and work but happen to be “normal” get ignored by the system. The school system is inherently unfair, and this is shown with Kiyotaka’s death. Despite his efforts, despite his push for people to not praise the concept of being a genius, he still ends up dying. Because that’s what happens to those types of kids who aren’t “gifted”. They die out. 

[goodstuffhappenedtoday]

U.S. State Park Unveils New Trail Made of Illegally Dumped Tires

Officials from Tennessee State Parks, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), and local leaders today cut the ribbon on a new hard-surface walking and biking trail in T.O. Fuller State Park that’s over 2.5 miles long—made from rubber crumbs derived from tires.

The tires had been illegally dumped in the area around the park, gathered by volunteers and local contractors, then transformed into crumbs by Patriot Tire Recycling in Bristol, the only facility in the state with the ability to recycle tires in such a way. It is one of the longest rubber-bearing trails in the U.S.

Once the tires were recycled into crumbs, the material was brought back to the park for construction of the trail.

The project, which began with collection in 2019, was funded by a Tire Environmental Act Program grant of $250,000, and near-equal amounts from other state department programs.

“This is a quintessential example of recycling in full circle, collecting dumped material then converting it into positive use,” said David Salyers, commissioner of TN Dept. of Environment and Conservation.

“It’s exactly the kind of responsible environmental activity Tennesseans can be proud of, where an area can be cleaned up then have people enjoy the benefits in a new way.”

[rotationalsymmetry]

(what we actually want: everyone just be chill about weight/size now!!!! You can pay attention to weight/weight changes as a potential indicator of health (and also you can do whatever you want forever) but there's no real health benefit in assuming that weight gain or a stable high weight CAUSES worse health or that weight loss or a stable low weight CAUSES better health. If you want to be healthier you can take a weight neutral approach and if you don't want to you don't have to and if you want someone else to be healthier consider whether that's actually any of your business! And if you want to promote public health there's many way better ways to do that than to try to get individual fat people to stop being fat!)

(Seriously there's so many better public health things there's walkable cities there's workplaces that have showers and bike parking and offer free gym memberships as a perk and there's, well, the main thing that fucks up people's health is not having enough money. So there's also that. And there's disease management stuff, and environmental regulations. Anyways the point is public health things are collective things and they don't assume that every individual person can be in great health as long as they personally do everything right, that's not how anything works.) (even for people who aren't sold on the weight neutral thing, there's actually things that can promote a ... moderate weight? ... that don't involve shaming fat people for being fat, like giving schools and childcare programs the funding they need to give kids fresh fruits and vegetables with their meals and snacks, and again making sure kids and adults have opportunities to exercise. In general it's better to give people more options, not fewer ones.)

[elleenvs3000f23]

Week 3: Lets Talk Privilege, Empathy and Access

Google defines privilege as “a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group”. I tend to think of privilege as everything I have never thought to ask or work for but non-the-less benefited from. 

Privilege also creates blind-spots in our empathy. Things we don't consider to be obstacles or concerns can cause us to make our interpretive work isolating or inaccessible to others. For example, I speak French and English and speak both very quickly. When I used to coach skating, it took reminders from my supervisor or very confused looks from my student (a newly immigrated canadian excited to play hockey) for me to realize I wasn't accounting for our language barrier at all; I also never considered how my verbal instructions might be frustrating for him to understand or make him feel unwelcome on the ice. Heck, this middle school kid had the guts and confidence to join a learn-to-skate program where he knew most of the skaters would be at least half his age. I should have been doing everything in my power to make that confidence worthwhile. I have been on the other side of this as well. In one of my first jobs in the environmental science world I was part of a team of three men and two women (myself included). Unfortunately, our office only had two sets of waders below a men's size 9 despite having multiple female biologists, and on day two of work, one of the small waders sprung a leak. No one had considered that we might need different equipment because they had never struggled to find what they needed to do their job before. These examples are both small, easily fixed problems that maybe ruined a day at most, but if incidents like these pile up or happen regularly when an individual tries to access interpretive services (or provide them), they create a sense of unwelcome and unwantedness that will prevent excellent interpreters and guests from wanting to participate. 

Another important relationship between interpretation and privilege is access. It is largely due to privilege that I became interested in environmental science and interpretive work in the first place. I grew up in a house with a large back yard, I have family with a cottage, and my best friend had many acres of private forest we could explore. I lived within a kilometer of bike and walking trails that were safe enough for me to explore alone as a young woman and if I ever felt unsafe I had my large dog Rudy to take with me. We think of nature as free space that everyone should have access to but it costs money to live close to nature or find transportation to these areas. If my family had never moved from Detroit where I was born my relationship with nature and my career would look a lot different. Because I had access to natural spaces I am now a young interpreter; if most interpreters are from similar backgrounds as me (white and middle class), none of us will notice when we are excluding others because of the earlier mentioned empathy gap. 

I am still learning about my privilege and how it affects my work and will be doing so for the rest of my career so I look forward to hearing your thoughts and discussing further!

Until next time,

Elle

[wetsteve3]

Klock named Grand Marshal for 83rd Sturgis Motorcycle Rally STURGIS - 

A talented woman with roots in the motorcycle world has been named the Grand Marshal for the 83rd City of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

Laura Klock, president and founder of the South Dakota non-profit Helping With Horsepower, most recently completed her Bike Rebuild program with students from Mitchell Technical College which will be auctioned at Mecum Auction Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 28. Funds from the sale of the motorcycle will benefit both Helping With Horsepower and the Sturgis Rally Endowment Fund. Klock said she was honored and humbled to be asked to be grand marshal. “The Sturgis Rally holds a really special place in my heart,” she said.

[ghostjelliess]

Listen, I also am trying to cut down on plastic. Single-user plastics are bad. I agree, I want more stores with bulk-buy option, I make my bread or buy from the bakery (uses paper bags), and I wash my recyclables before binning. But in the narratives of plastics, I just want to acknowledge that I really like wearing contacts (I have super bad vision, and I appreciate offices offering recycling programs!), I like that my retainer keeps my teeth inline after going through adult braces (to treat a trauma injury, but also for the aesthetic a little bit), I like my phone case that makes it so I don't have to buy a new phone every clumsy drop, and I like the snap lids on our glass tupperware.

There's a lot of discussion about plastic being Bad, and I just want to take a second to reevaluate what that means for me. Because the year I got contacts, I made it to a collegiate level soccer team (after being the *worst* player on the HS team lol). The orthodontist was recently able to align my bite so my teeth didn't keep falling out and I wouldn't need dentures by forty, using lots of metals and plastics. I can preserve my food much longer and make a lot more nutritious meals for my family.

Having only the conversation of good vs bad negates all the middles, and I just had to lecture myself on some of the benefits I hadn't noticed, and correct some of my own ablism against myself. Plastics give me a much higher quality of life medically and conveniently. From the squeeze waterbottle on my bike to the yogurt container repurposed as a plant pot. Looking at their role more holistically is the only way we can have an inclusive conversation about how to move through the consequences of them.

[freebeatfit]

Affordable Spin Bike

Looking for an affordable spin bike that's as close to the Peloton experience as possible? Want something that goes beyond just cycling, offering plenty of versatility and convenience? Look no further than the freebeat Spin Bike. This innovative bike combines high-quality engineering with thoughtful design, providing everything you need to push yourself physically. Whether you're a cycling enthusiast or a yoga lover, a busy professional or an everyday woman, the White Indoor Bike has something for you.

​But what really sets this bike apart is its benefits over the Peloton. With 12 resistance levels and a comfortable, customizable seat, the White Indoor Bike delivers a smoother ride than its competitor. Plus, it comes equipped with an LCD display screen that tracks essential metrics like time, distance, calories burned, and speed. And with the ability to sync with popular fitness apps like Zwift and Kinomap, you can explore virtual courses and compete against cyclists from around the world.

Ready to take your indoor cycling to the next level? Follow these steps to get started with the White Indoor Bike: first, adjust the bike to your height and secure your feet in the pedals. Next, choose a workout program that fits your fitness level and goals. Transform your indoor cycling experience with the White Indoor Bike.

[freeworldallahexecutivembaclass]

Good film please enjoy

My New York City accomplishments and check my update list of accomplishments I got free gym membership people on Medicare for the little old ladies I don't throw them in the streets and I doubt Trump ever did Trump is my man this is teach me that no matter what you in get into they are going to be critics what In saying I'm the best help New Yorkers have had in decades if not centuries Trump is the whole package but he had boundaries he set boundaries and was strong against people especially the criminal element me I defend the proletariat the common man and woman with real issues and get them the laws passed that they need boost the economy with more money legalize weed get free college education for the city citibikes more money for people on Human resources administration and permanent employment from temporary seasonal jobs from decades long however much months work program they learn and then get kicked out and you can't support yourself and your family I made it where that after you finish that probation period you get the job the job security meaning your secure because you got a steady paycheck and now could build a future from there I got union contract for Starbucks workers and Amazon workers and more money on the city feps and seps voucher for their housing the city pay more rent for you so you and your family could rent in the neighborhoods you want with better schools and employment opportunities for the parents to provide a good future for their kids

New York City accomplishments and still much more everyday I wake up to more accomplishments

I got hotels for the homeless in New York City 2021

I got Amazon workers their union contract

I got Starbucks workers their union contract

I got the minimum wage increased from $ 11 dollars an hour to $ 15 dollars to $ 17 dollars an hour

I got more money put on the housing vouchers the city feps and seps voucher so that homeless individuals and women with their kids and husband and wife can have better housing and a better life for themselves and their family And it's only going to get better more housing more safer housing where the housing crew does it's job and provide safe clean housing toxic free air conditioners and heating free cable watch some good TV shows and movies and enjoy their summer and winter and they get WI Fi now hooked up with their house packages and hopefully more money on the voucher to help rehabilitating families to get their lives together better housing and better schools for their kids equal a better future

I got the fair chance to compete for a job act of 2019 in New York City and California hopefully other cities and countries are going to follow suit

I legalized marijuana in New York City

I cleaned up fox square in Brooklyn , NY

Free college education in New York City

Free gym membership for people on Medicare

I brought Yo MTV raps to the Brooklyn Museum 🎨 an Art museum since I'm of the sophisticated crowd and Talented tenth from W . E . B . Dubois book and I'm a rapper from Harlem and Brooklyn New York City via Saint Croix U.S. Virgin Islands

Citi bikes for New Yorkers

Benefit monetary assistance increase for snap and cash assistance recipients

Rikers Island tablet program podcasts and video games for inmates in jail to help stop crime violent crime in prison and to help rehabilitate the guy or woman and stop the back and forth of them going to jail . The tablet have podcasts and programs for Job Search legal research and books to read to help them become better citizens in the free society .

I got my own subway street named after me now called Respect Avenue in New York City New York and Brooklyn New York

Governor Andrew Cuomo gave me and opened an hospital named after me in Brooklyn , New York back in 2015 Brooklyn's 760 downstate biotechnology incubator hospital 🏥 thank you

I got meteors in front of the courtroom in New York City right in front of City Hall , 80 and 100 Centre street symbolizing I'm superman and I'm not a enemy of the people of New York I'm their friend and employers are there to help me if I just meet them halfway with some job skills they will employ me get me a job and for all that I say thank you for letting me work my way back into America's good people list thank you so much I mean I'm working and learning to give myself a job start my own business I'm learning how to do that but it is good to know that I got y'all white people the decent ones on my side not the ones that side with my enemies and haters but the ones that rock with me to be there to give me my life back with the meteors in front of the courtrooms thank you for the chance again in my life to work and not stay idle in dangerous neighborhoods and environments which I'm teaching my way out of but thank you so much and I honor that thank you so much I'm proud to be an American 🏈

Laws I'm proposing

Job Safety and secure act - 2022

Fair banking act - 2022

Retirement investment plan for employees IRA act - 2022

Ready , willing and able Expansive territory act - 2023

Riverside drive Expansion project act - 2023

The new ferry from New Jersey to New York City - 2023

School sports culture expansion Act Copperas Cove , Texas

Rikers Island schooling expansion act Added on Basic education classes on Rikers Island on the tablet , college programs on the program , online school on the Tablet . -2023

NYCHA ( New York City Housing projects ) plans and ideas for improvement

The New Trench town rock - 2021 , 2022 , 2023

I won the Super bowl with Patrick Mahomes I got Clinton Dannemora back and I came home and took over the streets of NYC in politics Errol Louis of Channel 1 news would be proud of me

President Joe Biden gave me a medal of honor for heroism and striving to help humanity

Lebron James to sports center " I like what we're building " 4 / 2 / 2023

And many other pitches and proposals rebuilding the workforce , wages and structure of New York city and cities like New York .

Next order of business : My Plans for infrastructure in a utopian society hotels jobs pay raise on citizens paycheck from 15 $ - 17 $ dollars minimum wage pay to 19$ dollars to 20$ dollars an hour to better provide for all costs emergencies uncovered insurance payments due to partial health care coverage and full union membership granted to employees of any company free education grants and school loans payment plans

Pay raise for school teachers in every city at junior high school , high school and elementary school level since they are stewards of our children's future .

Pay raise for civil service workers and Civil service exams made and updated daily to the public , school crossing guards , correction officers , supervisors , probation officers , construction site supervisors .

Pay raise for day care workers

Free day care services for temporarily unemployed mothers and fathers

Pay raise for city fire fighters and police officers .

Job contractors fulfilling contracts with back to work public assistance programs that train and employ job candidates without their high school diploma or GED and granting them full employment with full medical and medicare coverage union membership and back to school Acces Vocational rehabilitation counseling and restoration of financial aid assistance for non violent crimes like drug sellers and abusers to stop recidivism to prison and to cure an addiction to a habit of committing perpetual crimes thus creating repeat offenders .

Jobs moving back to inner cities through the effort of study and research groups from urban planning courses from their neighboring colleges .

Tax abatement and financial incentives and business incentives and tax breaks .

Joe Biden and vice president Kamala Harris should include this law into all of their plan for cleaning up America I'm glad to see it go beyond New York City and other counties in New York I want to share this honor with author Michelle Alexander who I did my research from her book about mass incarceration of the Black and Latino community and the political office and my friends that help put this law in place I reached out to hopefully stop the recidivism to prison and hopefully to help some of my friends and people that go back and forth to jail because they couldn't get a job due to the felonies on their record I recommend a certificate of relief of disabilities to all people returning to society if they haven't given you one go get it from your county's or borough courthouse it works wonders .

Next order of business : Tax cuts to help the everyday person keep more of their check in their pockets cut the tax rates in New York City by 4 percent I see it as New York State taxes % 8.82 to % 4 percent and business tax cuts to create more jobs Proposal For a Wage increase of $ 22 dollars an hour Including : Fire safety directors Security guards Librarians Fed Ex workers UPS workers Ready Willing and able with free vocational grants from access vr programs they should hire vocational rehabilitation counselors and job developers finding permanent housing and permanent job placement after the clients training Stock Clerks and cashier's at major stores like Gristedes , C Town , met foods , Burlington coat factory wage increase for all warehousing and factory workers jack pallet and forklift training for people with no experience and a starting salary at $ 17 - 19 $ dollars an hour and it increase with more time on the job how about the first year at that base salary of $ 17 - 19 $ dollars and on the even of that year the employee gets an raise of $ 2 dollars more on their check and other financial incentives as cash allocation from their check for newly place employee mutual fund packages besides with other benefits that said company is offering this helps to place that company on the stock market grant their employees preferred stock options from their company that they work for at that current moment and because of the huge huge employee buy in it is like the employers are investing in their employees and their stores and company .

Educational requirements for jobs posted is less than a high school diploma but the job candidate has to be in a vocational program or GED preparation course half or full time hours .

Civil service jobs and exams posted weekly .

Sales professional salary plus commission on sales and stock options for mutual funds packages as bonuses with an wage increase to $ 19 dollars to $ 21 dollars an hour .

Newly added benefits to a job description benefits an employer on jobs posted give to their employees an employer get to hold back cash or take money out of an employees check to put towards a mutual funds stock fund option to help that client make more money as a second job the municipals funds and stock and funds and stock and then you gotta get hedge funds option packaged in to help the employees money make more money for them talk about overtime whew and at the same time that local market and store owner can put his company on the stock market and give out public shares thus in the end making it a good investment a regular place of shopping in a family like environment it is like getting to know your deli clerk , butcher , bakery attendant again only this time you are making money with the people you are spending money with Think about it that in turns build better communities better stores customer relationships safer neighborhoods and the beautifying of economically depressed environments more money for your kids college tuition school supplies newer roads being built leading to and from better neighborhoods and businesses and this is a future that we all as fellow New Yorkers can build together .

This is for young mothers without any help in the house feed your babies good food 🥝 so they grow up and play sports and make their mom proud 🪴. It is never too late for your education learn with your kids use free daycare services and self learn any skills you need to increase your value in the employment market .

[tanshu123]

best gyms panchkula

Introduction

There are many gyms in Panchkula, these gyms offer state-of-the-art facilities, including a well-equipped workout area, cardio equipment and an array of strength-training machines.

The gym also provides customized workout plans, nutrition guidance, and personal training sessions. The trainers here are certified and experienced, who motivate and guide you towards your fitness goals.

Apart from the gym, Muscle Blaster also has a luxurious spa area that offers various massages and treatments to rejuvenate your body after an intense workout session.

The gym is clean well-maintained, and follows all the necessary safety protocols, making it a safe and hygienic place to work out. Overall Muscle Blaster Gym & Spa is a top-notch fitness centre in Panchkula, making it an excellent choice for fitness enthusiasts looking for a reliable and quality gym experience

1 Burn gym

Burn Gym is the best gym in Panchkula which offers a wide range of exercise programs and equipment to help individuals achieve their fitness goals. The gym provides a comfortable and motivating environment for its members, with state-of-the-art facilities and a team of professional trainers.

The gym features various cardio machines such as treadmills, ellipticals, and stationary bikes, as well as weightlifting equipment like dumbbells, barbells, and weight machines. Members can also attend group fitness classes, including yoga, Zumba, and spin classes.

The gym also offers personalized training programs to help members reach their fitness goals, whether they want to lose weight, build muscle, or improve their overall health. With its friendly staff, modern facilities, and comprehensive programs, Burn Gym is an excellent choice for anyone looking to start their fitness journey or take their workout to the next level.

Website: Burn Gym

Timing: Mon to sat 6 am-10 pm

Address: : SCO 394 - 396, Sector 8, Panchkula, Haryana 134109

2 FITNESS GYM

Fitness Gym is the best gym in Panchkula which provides a facility which offers various fitness equipment and classes to help individuals achieve their fitness goals. Gyms typically offer a range of cardio and strength training equipment, such as treadmills, ellipticals weight machines, and free weights Some gyms also provide group fitness classes like yoga, spin, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). The benefits of going to a fitness gym include improved physical fitness, weight loss increased strength and improved mental health. Many gyms also provide personal training services to help individuals achieve their fitness goals. Overall, a fitness gym is an excellent place for individuals to work out and improve their overall health and well-being.

Website:  Fitness gym

Timing:  Sun: Closed

Mon to Sat 5 am - 10 pm

Address: SCO -211, Top Floor, Sector 14, Industrial Area Phase 2, Panchkula, Haryana 134113

Introduction

There are many gyms in Panchkula, these gyms offer state-of-the-art facilities, including a well-equipped workout area, cardio equipment and an array of strength-training machines.

The gym also provides customized workout plans, nutrition guidance, and personal training sessions. The trainers here are certified and experienced, who motivate and guide you towards your fitness goals.

Apart from the gym, Muscle Blaster also has a luxurious spa area that offers various massages and treatments to rejuvenate your body after an intense workout session.

The gym is clean well-maintained, and follows all the necessary safety protocols, making it a safe and hygienic place to work out. Overall Muscle Blaster Gym & Spa is a top-notch fitness centre in Panchkula, making it an excellent choice for fitness enthusiasts looking for a reliable and quality gym experience

1 Burn gym

Burn Gym is the best gym in Panchkula which offers a wide range of exercise programs and equipment to help individuals achieve their fitness goals. The gym provides a comfortable and motivating environment for its members, with state-of-the-art facilities and a team of professional trainers.

The gym features various cardio machines such as treadmills, ellipticals, and stationary bikes, as well as weightlifting equipment like dumbbells, barbells, and weight machines. Members can also attend group fitness classes, including yoga, Zumba, and spin classes.

The gym also offers personalized training programs to help members reach their fitness goals, whether they want to lose weight, build muscle, or improve their overall health. With its friendly staff, modern facilities, and comprehensive programs, Burn Gym is an excellent choice for anyone looking to start their fitness journey or take their workout to the next level.

Website: Burn Gym

Timing: Mon to sat 6 am-10 pm

Address: : SCO 394 - 396, Sector 8, Panchkula, Haryana 134109

2 FITNESS GYM

Fitness Gym is the best gym in Panchkula which provides a facility which offers various fitness equipment and classes to help individuals achieve their fitness goals. Gyms typically offer a range of cardio and strength training equipment, such as treadmills, ellipticals weight machines, and free weights Some gyms also provide group fitness classes like yoga, spin, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). The benefits of going to a fitness gym include improved physical fitness, weight loss increased strength and improved mental health. Many gyms also provide personal training services to help individuals achieve their fitness goals. Overall, a fitness gym is an excellent place for individuals to work out and improve their overall health and well-being.

Website:  Fitness gym

Timing:  Sun: Closed

Mon to Sat 5 am - 10 pm

Address: SCO -211, Top Floor, Sector 14, Industrial Area Phase 2, Panchkula, Haryana 134113