#Cognitive Services Industry

[mostlysignssomeportents]

The health industry’s invisible hand is a fist

On June 21, I'm doing an ONLINE READING for the LOCUS AWARDS at 16hPT. On June 22, I'll be in OAKLAND, CA for a panel and a keynote at the LOCUS AWARDS.

The US has the rich world's most expensive health care system, and that system delivers the worst health outcomes of any country in the rich world. Also, the US is unique in relying on market forces as the primary regulator of its health care system. All of these facts are related!

Capitalism's most dogmatic zealots have a mystical belief in the power of markets to "efficiently allocate" goods and services. For them, the process by which goods and services are offered and purchased performs a kind of vast, distributed computation that "discovers the price" of everything. Our decisions to accept or refuse prices are the data that feeds this distributed computer, and the signals these decisions send about our desires triggers investment decisions by sellers, which guides the whole system to "equilibrium" in which we are all better off.

There's some truth to this: when demand for something exceeds the supply, prices tend to go up. These higher prices tempt new sellers into the market, until demand is met and prices fall and production is stabilized at the level that meets demand.

But this elegant, self-regulating system rarely survives contact with reality. It's the kind of simplified model that works when we're hypothesizing about perfectly spherical cows of uniform density on a frictionless surface, but ceases to be useful when it encounters a messy world of imperfect rationality, imperfect information, monopolization, regulatory capture, and other unavoidable properties of reality.

For members of the "efficient market" cult, reality's stubborn refusal to behave the way it does in their thought experiments is a personal affront. Panged by cognitive dissonance, the cult members insist that any market failures in the real world are illusions caused by not doing capitalism hard enough. When deregulation and markets fail, the answer is always more deregulation and more markets.

That's the story of the American health industry in a nutshell. Rather than accepting that people won't shop for the best emergency room while unconscious in an ambulance, or that the "clearing price" of "not dying of cancer" is "infinity," the cult insists that America's worst-in-class, most expensive health system just needs more capitalism to turn it into a world leader.

In the 1980s, Reagan's court sorcerers decreed that they could fix health care with something called "Prospective Payment Systems," which would pay hospitals a lump sum for treating conditions, rather than reimbursing them for each procedure, using competition and profit motives to drive "efficiency." The hospital system responded by "upcoding' patients: if you showed up with a broken leg and a history of coronary disease, they would code you as a heart patient and someone who needed a cast. They'd collect both lump sums, slap a cast on you, and wheel you out the door:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4195137/

As Robert Kuttner writes for The American Prospect, this kind of abuse was predictable from the outset, especially since Health and Human Services is starved of budget for auditors and can only hand out "slaps on the wrist" when they catch a hospital ripping off the system:

https://prospect.org/economy/2024-06-13-fantasyland-general/

Upcoding isn't limited to Medicare fraud, either. Hospitals and insurers are locked in a death-battle over payments, and hospitals' favorite scam is sending everyone to the ER, even when they don't have emergencies (some hospitals literally lock all the doors except for the ER entrance). That way, a normal, uncomplicated childbirth can be transformed into a "Level 5" emergency treatment (the highest severity of emergency) and generate a surprise bill of over $2,700:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/10/27/crossing-a-line/#zero-fucks-given

The US health industry is bad enough to generate a constant degree of political will for change, but the industry (and its captured politicians and regulators) is also canny enough to dream up an endless procession of useless gimmicks designed to temporarily bleed off the pressure for change. In 2018, HHS passed a rule requiring hospitals to publish their prices.

Hospitals responded to this with a shrewd gambit: they simply ignored the rule. So in 2021, HHS made another rule, creating penalties for ignoring the first rule:

https://www.cms.gov/priorities/key-initiatives/hospital-price-transparency/hospitals

The theory here was that publishing prices would create "market discipline." Again, this isn't wholly nonsensical. To the extent that patients have nonurgent conditions and the free time to shop around, being able to access prices will help them. Indeed, if the prices are in a standards-defined, machine-readable form, patients and their advocates could automatically import them, create price-comparison sites, leaderboards, etc. None of this addresses the core problem that health-care is a) a human right and b) not a discretionary expense, but it could help at the margins.

But there's another wrinkle here. The same people who claim that prices can solve all of our problems also insist that monopolies are impossible. They've presided over a decades-long assault on antitrust law that has seen hospitals, pharma companies, insurers, and a menagerie of obscure middlemen merge into gigantic companies that are too big to fail and too big to jail. When a single hospital system is responsible for the majority of care in a city or even a county, how much punishment can regulators realistically subject it to?

Not much, as it turns out. Kuttner describes how Mass Gen Brigham cornered the market on health-care in Boston, allowing it to flout the rules on pricing. In addition to standard tricks – like charging self-pay patients vastly more than insured payments (because individuals don't have the bargaining power of insurers), Mass Gen Brigham's price data is a sick joke.

See for yourself! The portal will send you giant, unstructured, ZIPped text files filled with cryptic garbage like:

ADJUSTABLE C TAPER NECK PLUS|1|UNITED HEALTHCARE [1016]|HB CH UNITED HMO / PPO / INDEMNITY [34]|UNITED HEALTHCARE HMO [101604]|75|Inv Loc: 1004203; from OR location 1004203|52.02|Inpatient PAF; 69.36% Billed|75|Inv Loc: 1004203; from OR location 1004203|56.87|Outpatient PAF; 75.83% Billed

https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en/patient-care/patient-visitor-information/billing/cms-required-hospital-charge-data

These files have tens of thousands of rows. As a patient, you are meant to parse through these in order to decide whether you're getting ripped off on that HIP STEM 16X203MM SIZE 4 FEMORAL PRESS FIT NEUTRAL REVISION TITANIUM you're in the market for (as it happens, I have two of these in my body).

Kuttner describes the surreal lengths he had to go through to prevent his mother from getting ripped off by Mass Gen through an upcoding hustle. By coding her as "admitted for observation," Mass Gen was able to turn her into an outpatient, with a 20% co-pay (this is down to a GW Bush policy that punishes hospitals that charge Medicare for inpatient care when they could be treated as outpatients – hospitals reflexively game the system to make every patient an outpatient, even if they have overnight hospital stays).

Kuttner's an expert on this: he was national policy correspondent for the New England Journal of Medicine and covers the health beat for the Prospect. Even so, it took him ten hours of phone calls to two doctors' offices and Blue Cross to resolve the discrepancy. The average person is not qualified to do this – indeed, the average person won't even know they've been upcoded.

Needless to say that people in other countries – countries where health care is cheaper and the outcomes are better – are baffled by this. Canadians, Britons, Australians, Germans, Finns, etc do not have to price-shop for their care. They don't have to hawkishly monitor their admission paperwork for sneaky upcodes. They don't have to spend ten hours on the phone arguing about esoteric billing practices.

In a rational world, we'd compare the American system to the rest of the world and say, "Well, they've figured it out, we should do what they're doing." But in good old U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!, the answer to this is more prices, more commercialization, more market forces. Just rub some capitalism on it!

That's where companies like Multiplan come in: this is a middleman that serves other middlemen. Multiplan negotiates prices on behalf of insurers, and splits the difference between the list price and the negotiated price with them:

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/07/us/health-insurance-medical-bills.html

But – as the Arm and a Leg podcast points out – this provides the perverse incentive for Multiplan to drive list prices up. If the list price quintuples, and then Multiplan drives it back down to, say, double the old price, they collect more money. Meanwhile, your insurer sticks you with the bill, over and above your deductible and co-pay:

https://armandalegshow.com/episode/multiplan/

The Multiplan layer doesn't just allow insurers to rip you off (though boy does it allow insurers to rip you off), it also makes it literally impossible to know what the price is going to be before you get your procedure. As with any proposition bet, the added complexity is there to make it impossible for you to calculate the odds and figure out if you're getting robbed:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/05/04/house-always-wins/#are-you-on-drugs

Multiplan is the purest expression of market dynamics brainworms I've yet encountered: solving the inefficiencies created by the complexity of a system with too many middlemen by adding another middle-man who is even more complex.

No matter what the problem is with America's health industry, the answer is always the same: more markets! Are older voters getting pissed off at politicians for slashing Medicare? No problem: just create Medicare Advantage, where old people can surrender their right to government care and place themselves in the loving hands of a giant corporation that makes more money by denying them care.

The US health industry is a perfect parable about the dangers of trusting shareholder accountable markets to do the work of democratically accountable governments. Shareholders love monopolies, so they drove monopolization throughout the health supply chain. As David Dayen writes in his 2020 book Monopolized the pharma industry monopolized first, and put the screws to hospitals:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/01/29/fractal-bullshit/#dayenu

Hospitals formed regional monopolies to counter the seller power of consolidated Big Pharma. That's Mass Gen's story: tapping the capital markets to buy other hospitals in the region until it became too big to fail and too big to jail (and too big to care). Consolidated hospitals, in turn, put the screws to insurers, so they also consolidated, fighting Big Hospital's pricing power.

Monopoly at any point in a supply chain leads to monopoly throughout the supply chain. But patients can't consolidate (that's what governments are for – representing the diffuse interests of people). Neither can health workers (that's what unions are for). So the system screwed everyone: patients paid more for worse care. Health workers put in longer hours under worse conditions and got paid less.

Kuttner describes how his eye doctor races from patient to patient "as if he was on roller skates." When Kuttner wrote him a letter questioning the quality of care, the eye doctor answered that he understood that he was giving his patients short shrift, but explained that he had to, because his pay was half what he needed, relegating him to a small apartment and an old car. The hospital – which skims the payments he gets for care – sets his caseload, and he can't turn down patients.

The answers to this are obvious: get markets out of health care. Unionize health workers. Give regulators the budgets and power to hold health corporations to account.

But for market cultists, all of that can't work. Instead, we have to create more esoteric middlemen like "pharmacy benefit managers" and Multiplan. We need more prices to shovel into the market computer's data-hopper. If we just capitalism hard enough, surely the system will finally work…someday.

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/2024/06/13/a-punch-in-the-guts/#hayek-pilled

[unsubscribed]

Saw the Beast Games allegations on my dash again and I think I've finally managed to articulate why anyone who was still supportive of Jimmy should have seen this coming a mile away.

What a lot of people noticed about the eye surgery video was that it was dehumanising, which was met with the response that Jimmy wasn't doing anything overtly cruel or exploitative, he was using his money to help people who wouldn't get help otherwise, "benevolent" dehumanisation if you will. If you've ever been on the receiving end of a social service or large charity organisation you've probably experienced this.

The problem is once you dehumanise someone in a "nice" way it makes space in peoples minds to dismiss genuine harm. It's part of the reason the whole charity industrial complex is set up the way it is, it allows the moderately left-leaning upper middle class to feel like they're helping the same people their lifestyle systematically exploits without noticing the necessary cognitive dissonance. After all, the disadvantaged aren't real people with essential dignity, they're just inert receivers that you shovel money onto for good person points.

So seeing this benevolent dehumanisation in a Mr Beast video was a huge red flag to a lot of people who've either been on the other end of it or know someone who has, because we know what it paves the way for; malevolent dehumanisation, the textbook kind that gets you abused, neglected and exploited.

[vivicantstudy]

17 Compelling Reasons to Start Learning Mandarin Today!

1. Cultural access: Mandarin opens doors to understanding China’s rich cultural heritage, including literature, philosophy, and art. It’s the key to exploring classical works like Confucian texts and contemporary media without relying on translations.

2. Cognitive benefits: Studies show that learning Mandarin enhances cognitive abilities, such as problem-solving and memory. The complexity of Mandarin characters and tonal distinctions challenges the brain, leading to better mental agility.

3. Future-proofing: As China continues to grow as a global economic powerhouse, being fluent in Mandarin positions you advantageously for future job markets and international business opportunities.

4. Travel convenience: Speaking Mandarin makes traveling in China, Taiwan, and Singapore significantly easier. It helps with navigating public transport, understanding local customs, and accessing services, enhancing your overall travel experience.

5. Business and networking opportunities: With China being home to many of the world’s largest companies, Mandarin can open doors to new business ventures, partnerships, and job opportunities in a wide range of industries.

6. Learn a completely different writing system: Mandarin involves learning thousands of characters, offering a unique cognitive challenge. This skill not only enriches your understanding of the language but also provides insight into Chinese thought processes and cultural nuances.

7. Stand out in the global job market: Fluency in Mandarin is a rare and highly sought-after skill. It can distinguish you from other candidates, making your résumé stand out and potentially leading to higher salary offers and unique career opportunities.

8. Influence of Chinese pop culture: Access China’s booming entertainment industry, including hit movies, music, and television shows. Understanding Mandarin allows you to enjoy these cultural products in their original form, without relying on subtitles or translations.

9. Connect with Chinese heritage: For those with Chinese ancestry or interest, learning Mandarin facilitates a deeper connection with your heritage. It allows you to engage with historical documents and family traditions that are often only accessible in the original language.

10. Enhance travel experiences in Asia: Mandarin proficiency improves your travel experiences across multiple countries in Asia, where Chinese influence is significant. It helps you interact with locals, understand regional dialects, and fully immerse yourself in diverse cultures.

11. Access to advanced technologies: China leads in fields like artificial intelligence and fintech. Understanding Mandarin gives you direct access to cutting-edge research, innovations, and trends emerging from these technology sectors.

12. Build stronger personal relationships: Learning Mandarin allows you to communicate more effectively with Mandarin-speaking friends, colleagues, and partners. It deepens personal connections and shows respect for their language and culture.

13. Tap into Chinese academic resources: China’s academic sector is growing rapidly. Mandarin proficiency enables you to access a wealth of research, academic journals, and educational materials that are increasingly influential on the global stage.

14. Gain insights into global trends: Understanding Mandarin helps you stay informed about global trends and innovations directly from China. This knowledge is valuable for staying ahead in industries like fashion, technology, and social media.

15. Improve cultural sensitivity: Learning Mandarin enhances your understanding of Chinese social norms and etiquette. This cultural insight is crucial for navigating personal and professional interactions with respect and understanding.

16. Develop long-term cognitive benefits: Mandarin’s unique challenges, such as tone recognition and character memorization, promote long-term cognitive development

These were my favorite reasons why I study Mandarin! I’m loving the journey because it connects me deeply with a new culture and opens doors to Chinese technological innovations. Plus, the challenge of learning Mandarin is boosting my cognitive skills and problem-solving abilities. Thanks for reading up to here!

[americatransformed]

Elon’s progressive organizing powers of intelligence made the smartest car I’ve ever had! FSD is truly amazing! Someone please help me understand how these organizing powers of intelligence can be put in the service of organizing powers of ignorance? How is it logical to prop up a candidate who empowers religious extremists and lies the climate crisis is all a hoax? I support Tesla to defeat the ICE car industry and speed the transition to alternative energy! It’s upsetting Tesla money could have helped bring Trump to power!

Is there some plan I don’t know about? Trump will give Elon more free reign of space regulation than Kamala, getting US to Mars faster to explore hidden alien artifacts the public doesn’t yet know about, that could transform civilization and defeat Trump? Supporting temporary evil will bring US faster to a greater good? 🤔

I just don’t want to believe the alternative; Elon has gone to the dark side for real (Dark Gothic MAGA) (Under the spell of something like MAGA Evangelical SITH Lords) and Mars missions have become his own con to dupe progressives into jumping on Trump train, leading to an End Times nightmare, with World War waged before we have time to explore, fulfilling Biblical prophecy and the Star Trek timeline simultaneously, where we must endure a new dark age after global war begins in 2026! 😣 I wish someone could help me make sense of the cognitive dissonance; how can Elon use his good to support so much that’s backwards and wrong?

[nohrianseneschal]

Paradise Kiss: A Lesson on Dreams and Being Happy (heavy spoilers) Part 1

Thanks to this totally random tweet about anime endings, I'm reminded of an old shoujo manga flame of mine from the early 2000s: Paradise Kiss, nicknamed ParaKiss by its mangaka and fans. In stereotypical Ai Yazawa fashion (baddum tss), this manga revolves around a hopelessly flawed yet peak relatable girl undergoing the trials and tribulations of self-discovery. It just so happens that the setting takes place in a generic, average-sized town in Japan, and it just so happens that this town is home to an eclectic ensemble cast of aspiring fashionistas and designers. And it also just so happens that this cast is at a crossroads: their 3rd year in high school. Yukari was initially on the conventional path of graduating with top marks and entering into a prestigious university. By the time we get to the 2nd chapter of the manga, we see Yukari cast all her mother's dreams aside to become a model in the cutthroat fashion industry.

We begin with our protagonist Yukari, who is enrolled in an elite private high school. She spends her days studying for college entrance exams, but early on, we discover that her hard work is very extrinsically motivated. Specifically, her mother has had an iron-clad grip on her life, and if not for a chance encounter on the street, Yukari would've continued on in this way. Living without living. Doing things that don't make her happy or give her any meaning -- a shell for others' aspirations and desires.

As I said, a chance encounter brings her to the hole-in-the-wall atelier, which was an antique bar rennovated into an... well, atelier for fashionistas attending the local art school. Yukari has been scouted by one of the students to model for their upcoming fashion show in the school's Culture Festival. Although she vehemently opposes the idea at first, Yukari decides to model for them, after witnessing firsthand the extent of their conviction and earnestness of their efforts.

I am deliberately downplaying George's role in here, because I do think future readers should get to know George (the manga's romantic lead and 90s toxic boy) at their own pace and through Yukari's perspective. Describing him would remove some of the magic that is necessary to experience through Yukari's besotted eyes, and Yazawa does a great job staging the cognitive dissonance Yukari herself feels when she's around George. What you should know right away is that George is the de facto leader of the Atelier group and designer behind the label Paradise Kiss. It is his word that becomes the final voice in asking Yukari to model, and it is his intoxicating presence that drives her to join them.

All this to say, that there's a reason -- I think -- that ParaKiss, out of many other Shoujo or even Shounen romances of the 2000s, is still the only one being reprinted. Its 20th-anniversary edition was reprinted back in 2019. In the wake of Nana's permanent hiatus (Yazawa's more popular manga), ParaKiss's fandom is alive and well. More and more people are discovering it, thanks to the reductively short anime adaptation making its way to streaming services. The promise of a (very satisfying) conclusion provides a healing balm of sorts for deluded Nana fans, and the story in its entirety holds its own as a romance masterpiece. The art style, the fashion, the romance, and the writing are all top scorers, but something about ParaKiss remains startlingly unique despite more than 20 years passing us by. Very few shoujo manga dare to try what Yazawa has done with this story, and very few shoujo manga do it so seamlessly -- devoid of the mandatory witticisms and marvelizations so common in today's media. ParaKiss is honest. Brutally honest. Yukari's inner monologues and expressions anticipate what the audience is thinking, not because she's so clever but because we can all relate to her. We've all made that mistake we can't help making. We've all watched ourselves undergo the consequences of our stupid actions, with nothing but self-pity to help us weather the storm. And all of us have known the beauty of believing the world is full of limitless possibilities, and we've tasted the bittersweet revelation that limitations do exist, and that's okay.

In other words, you don't have to be an intellect to enjoy and feel the takeaways of ParaKiss. The mangaka isn't trying to wink and nudge you into believing you're a smart consumer, because Yukari's story (or perhaps, Yukari herself) speaks of a hurt deeper than narrative conflict. Her hurt comes from one's first love, whatever or whoever it may be. First love isn't always romance (although it's a huge part of Yukari's story in ParaKiss). First love is the feeling that everything is new and ripe for discovery. First love is the disappointment that this period of discovery is finite, but you're so much stronger and better for having gone through it, brief as it may be. That is Paradise for Yukari: first love as the Edenic coming-of-age journey she needed to become who she is meant to be.

Many fans and critics agree that Paradise Kiss is a story about one's first love, and how you can have an impactful romance without it ending into a happily ever after. Of course I agree with this take. George is the 2nd protagonist, no question. His presence, actions, and personality catalyze the journey of self-discovery that Yukari finds in her last year of high school.

That said, I don't think enough attention has been paid to the other first love Yukari goes through: the world of fashion. Indeed, the story begins and ends with Yukari's time in the fashion world - her first thrills of modeling and her final, bittersweet acceptance of its inevitable end. This part of the story is so underhanded yet profoundly philosophical, I'm surprised discussions of fashion have become afterthoughts in any serious commentary of ParaKiss.

It's worth noting that Yukari doesn't exactly have insecurities directly related to her physical appearance. It's probably the most unrelatable part of her. When people comment on her beauty, she doesn't deny it, but she doesn't affirm it. We're meant to see and understand Yukari's natural beauty as a fact of her life, like the color of her hair or her height. She even brags about being able to stay skinny no matter how much she eats, which is the closest I came to hating a shoujo protagonist to be honest. Rather, her feelings of self-inadequacy stem from her immaturity, lack of style, and overall lack of self-confidence. In other words, when she starts the story believing her crush on classmate Tokumori is hopeless, she reasons, "Tokumori won't go for girls like me." Yukari doesn't mean she's too ugly for him. She means she's too inferior; too stupid; too 'uncool' for someone she perceives as the ideal. Even when she swiftly moves on to George and sets her sights on him, Yukari's feelings of worthlessness influence her behavior and decisions in the relationship, ultimately affecting how George himself treats her.

If Yukari's psyche sounds incoherent, it is and it isn't. It's realistically incoherent. Women are socially conditioned to find themselves inadequate in some way, and that self-perception is ultimately dictated by how men receive and project it back. This is the genius of ParaKiss. Whether or not you relate, this facet of Yukari's personality is an apt observation on what it means to be a woman as a high schooler, and I don't think it's an accident that prior to meeting the ParaKiss fashion team, Yukari's self-worth came entirely from her mother. For Yukari, growing up and leaving the nest means learning your place in the world in relation to men, and perhaps that's why Yukari's first love is riddled with so much pain, beauty, and joy.

In this cut-out of a panel, Yukari finally asks herself the question that must be in the fore of everyone's minds: 'What am I to George?' What is she to the man she considers the most important to her? What are we in relation to men? It takes Yukari 6 months to figure out that she doesn't need George to answer the first part of that question. By the time the series ends, Yukari is able to ask the same question without George.

These romantic pitfalls and triumphs become more meaningful when you realize this occurs in the context of breaking out into the fashion industry. Similar to Eve in Milton's Paradise Lost, Yukari looks at a mirror and discovers herself. She falls in love with that image. She falls in love with what fashion (not George!) reflects back at her -- a confident, cool woman who can don all sorts of masks and clothes.

When she asks a veteran model for advice on how to walk the runway, the model cryptically replies, "Just tell yourself you're the most beautiful woman in the world." This is a hurdle for the likes of Yukari, whose low self-esteem has prevented her from truly being alive prior to the events of the story. When she does walk down that runway, fully confident and basking in the crowd's reaction to her beauty, Yukari finally understands what it means. Telling yourself you're the most beautiful woman in the world is akin to believing yourself a woman; akin to believing yourself a woman worth existing and hogging the spotlight, without a man to justify it. Yukari might have been wearing clothes that George designed, but one can argue that the dress would not exist without Yukari. Indeed, he designed it with her face and body in mind. Yukari herself inspires the art George believes he's creating, and Yukari herself embodies and imparts the meaning of that art for the audience when she walks down the runway.

Thanks to the fashion show and Yukari's success, George himself realizes he cannot design for ready-to-wear clothing lines. Yukari too discovers that modeling isn't something she can just do. It's something she can work hard at, succeed, fail, and still enjoy. Unlike the grind of studying endlessly for exams she'll never pass, Yukari finds fulfillment in trying and failing in the fashion industry, and this self-realization lets her redefine what it means to succeed and fail, as we all come to understand by the end of the manga.

Given that Ai Yazawa studied fashion, it's no surprise that clothing, design, and the industry's connections are all important for Yukari's coming-of-age. Modeling and wearing George's clothes aren't all butterflies and roses. As we later see by the end of the manga, fashion leaves Yukari feeling dehumanized at times, which Yukari outright states in an inner monologue by calling herself a 'doll.' The liberating potential of modeling becomes a prison, in the right context. When another woman -- particularly one who rejects modeling or being a man's muse and instead aims to be a designer herself -- enters George's life, Yukari feels helpless. The autonomy she gained by modeling bites back in a mocking display of her own shallow disregard for other women's agency. Indeed, she acts vile toward Kaori (the aspiring designer in question), solely because she's threatened by how George sees her as an equal. The potential of self-fulfillment comes crashing down when the implication here is that, as his muse and model, Yukari will never be his equal.

I'm going to take a second and point out how brilliant this brief love triangle is on the part of Ai Yazawa. We are so used to shoujo protagonists who are sweet, understanding, and unfailingly good. Yukari is a surprise, to say the least. She's not afraid to be mean and flaunt her beauty to intimidate her competition, and at the same time, she's not afraid to own up to her faults and wallow in self-pity when humbled. Although George is the intermediary in the love triangle, you can also see how the fashion industry itself pits women against each other. Yukari can't measure up to Kaori, the talented and mature designer with true compassion for her peers and classmates. The culture festival led Yukari to believe that she, as their model, takes center stage, but with the show over, her status as model reduces to her one of the many cogs that prop up designers' creativity and will. If God is the designer in this paradise, then Eve is just a shell of and for his designs, just as Yukari recedes to a doll when George no longer respects her. Life, it seems, is difficult for a fashion model who seeks to affirm her existence and purpose in a world that devalues such traits in the first place.

Spoilers: George and Yukari's relationship lasts only 6 months, but Yukari's relationship with fashion lasts much longer: 10 years. In the manga's epilogue, Yukari is nearing retirement, and she mentions 'plateauing' in her career as a model. Although as a teenager she aspired to be a world class super model, her work only takes her to other cities in Japan, and she is content to end less with a bang and more like a firm sense of dignity and pride at her work.

It's also no shocker that, rather than confirm her retirement, the manga ends with an announcement of her engagement and imminent marriage to her Tokumori, her high school crush and classmate. The last panels mock the sense that first loves are more powerful than the present love they experience (which is so amazing and Part 2 will be about that), and while these lighthearted panels tell us it's a joke, you can easily see how those words apply to Yukari's love affair with fashion.

Her crush and first love spur her to 10 years of a successful career. Perhaps she never realized her ambitions of modeling in the West, but she nevertheless finds and declares herself successful. This is what first love is. You might start out believing it needs to be 'happily ever after,' but you can end it and grow and realize that 'remembered ever after' is just as good, for the role it had in your life and your growth.

Yukari isn't just telling us the story of her first love with George. She's also telling us the story of how she fell in love with herself through fashion, and how her job as a model helped her live the many lives she otherwise would've never experienced if she had stayed on her mother's preplanned course.

Fashion isn't just about the clothes, the romance, or the glamorous lifestyles. Fashion is looking back and basking in being looked at. Fashion is making meaning out of how others perceive you, and fashion can be a cruel reminder that those meanings are already preordained and predetermined. Yukari doesn't necessarily fight against that. She embraces it all and learns from it.

I'm going to stop here, because I don't think an essay about ParaKiss and first love is complete without talking about George's own implied ending and Tokumori's constant presence in the beginning, middle, and end of Yukari's story. There's still so much to say, so I'll save it for Part 2. For now, let me conclude with the argument that Paradise Kiss is so unique in so many ways. It takes on the typical rhythms and beats of a shoujo manga, but it also embraces the flaws, ugliness, and messiness of love as it manifests in romance and fashion. You can't appreciate and love ParaKiss without understanding how Yazawa carefully crafts and packages a coming-of-age story into a seemingly typical love story. To use the jargon of the trade, we come into ParaKiss believing the firm and distinct boundary separating haute couture from ready-to-wear. Fashion is both, and to fall in love with it is beautiful.

[inposterumcumgaudio]

Thoughts about class structure in Wellington Wells?

Ooh! A challenge!

So the English love class distinctions and hierarchies and shit. They can hear each other's accents, make tons of socio-economic assumptions based on them, and decide exactly how much respect is owed.

Like most structures in Wellington Wells though, class structure is a crumbling facade built on a shifting foundation. It doesn't bode well for anyone looking for stability in their station, but it does also offer a lot of upward mobility for the more industrious in what would have been the lower classes.

Because we live in a capitalist world, we tend to think of class structure as being built on wealth and everything else follows from that. Money, however, has diminished value in Wellington Wells. If the butcher has no bacon to sell, it doesn't matter how many sovereigns you can offer him for it.

So instead it becomes those things that would follow from one's money that determines one's place in the pyramid.

Location

At face value, class does seem to be divvied up by location. If you're able to get into The Parade, you must be in the upper crust. Only the richest, most important people can get a Letter of Transit and all the fanciest businesses are in there. William Godwin certainly argues that the emerald city is hoarding all the food like fat cats while the people in The Village are eating charcoal.

But I think the requirement of the Letter of Transit is more about social utility than class, although these things can go hand in hand.

If you look at the businesses that inhabit the Parade, you'll find most of Wellington Wells' bureaucratic and civil service offices, several social organizations, as well as the bank, a law firm, and Turing Electric Security's corporate HQ. Basically all stuff that benefits from and relies on social stability. If you live or work in the Parade and thus have a standing Letter of Transit, it's not because you are wealthy necessarily. Arthur certainly wasn't rich if he was renting from Mrs. Hudson.

No, if you're allowed to come and go as you please (letter in hand, of course) it's because you've been determined to not be a threat to the status quo. It's like that Upton Sinclair quote. "It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it." The people in the Parade are especially motivated not to see any problems and to insist that everything is fine, even though they are much more likely to be exposed to the realities here. They are trusted to do this. Indeed, the Department of Archives, Printing, and Recycling and the Sanitation and Book Disposal offices require employees possessed of great strength for cognitive dissonance in order to protect the rest of the village who might not.

Being this sort of person certainly does help one along the path to upward mobility. Most of the best paying jobs are located in the Parade so getting in is the first step. But it's only one of many variables in the class status equation.

Home Ownership

Like most things in Wellington Wells, housing is in short supply. As more buildings fall into disrepair, more and more people are forced to shack up in the ones that remain which is why most homes in the Village are populated by seemingly unrelated people and many further are even sharing beds. This is only exacerbated by people being forced to abandon their family homes in the Garden District (and only gently eased by others having to return there after becoming Downers).

But there are those who own homes all to themselves. Sally Boyle notably has her own home (but is demonstrably broke when we play as her), Nick Lightbearer has a house to himself, Gemma Olsen and Dr. Faraday do as well, Dr. Verloc is said to have inherited his from his uncle. Victoria Byng has an actual fucking mansion to herself. Both Lawrence brothers owned homes and indeed the Colonel's daughters are quite antsy to inherit.

Inheriting is the only realistic way to obtain real estate in Wellington Wells anymore, as sales are likely few and far between unless you're speculatively investing in neighborhoods that are undergoing gentrification "beautification". As for everyone else, they're all waiting for Mrs. Chaney's house to hit the market and be sold for an obscene ransom, likely to be turned into another rental for six or more Wellies to share. Or if those six Wellies pool their funds and manage to beat out the other offers, they could form a co-op. Gotta be optimistic!

To that end, there are two notable examples of this and I think they are very different responses to housing scarcity with similar outcomes: Thomasina House and The Hippocratic Club.

Thomasina House is inhabited by Criers. Though not expressly stated in the game, many Criers are married to men serving in the Victory Memorial Camp and have been since the war. (Soliders have lines mentioning their wives and there was a cut quest where you could spy on a soldier's wife in the Village for him.) Soldiers do collect a reliable paycheck, so presumably most Criers are being supported that way. Otherwise (or in addition) some have jobs themselves (Mrs. Pankhurst's sewing shop, Madame Wanda's Reform Club). While I don't think any Criers are what we'd call rich, I don't think many of them are poor either. None of the Criers in Thomasina House speak of any work, so we can assume they're comfortably retired.

So it begs the question why a group of them would choose to live together if they could afford to live alone.

While living communally like this is cost effective, I would bet that for many of them, it's just the community and security of living with other women of their same age. When walking around Thomasina House, one does not hear of any arguments or difficulties living with one another. Additionally, once (if) one's children have moved out of the house, a home large enough to house them is now too much work to maintain. Maybe even you let the kids have the house to give them a leg up. Moving to the home for ladies of a certain age is basically the Wellington Wells version of boomers selling their McMansions, downsizing to a smaller and less expensive home, and living off the profit.

Contrast this to the Hippo Club, where Doctors live.

I think the Hippo Club is the opposite situation happening: men who would have expected to be able to secure homes for themselves with the money their education should have brought them cannot. It's not that they aren't well compensated; I'm sure Doctors still make a fine living. It's just that there are no homes for them to buy. The Doctors who live at the Hippo Club got in the game too late.

Imagine putting all that effort into your studies, expecting to make your mom proud, and yet here you are, in your 40's beyond, living with roommates who won't do their share of the chores and are constantly fucking with you.

It's no wonder Sam is fed up and Dr. Hughes won't even let anyone else on his floor.

The Hippo Club is essentially a frat house. I would suspect the house is actually owned by Wellington Health Institute so its inhabitants feel no pride in or ownership over it. They are notably immature. They pull pranks on each other, vandalize the premises, they've no discipline for keeping the place tidy, and they have interpersonal quarrels. That they do not get along suggests that some of them at least only live there because they have to.

And it makes sense that there's a sense of arrested development there. If society does not fulfill its end of the bargain and give them the means to advance in their lives, then they will happily - defiantly - stay at their current one!

There is one sure way to know where someone is on the class scale though: do they have a maid?

Victoria has a live-in maid. We never meet her, but she's enough of a fixture that the Constables expect her to make them a sandwich every day.

Nick also had a maid, although his probably cleaned other people's homes as well, if she can afford to quit.

Although there are outliers that should not be counted:

Keeping Up with the Burne-Joneses

This one is tricky because as in real life, one can affect the look of wealth without actually being wealthy. Especially in a world where there isn't a lot you can buy to be conspicuous about it. Compliment machines, custom happy face masks, designer drugs. Coffee beans without quotation marks and butter to make a cake for an office party perhaps.

I'd say if you've got a unique outfit in the game, you're probably achieving this one. Victoria, Sally, and Nick all have outfits that where made only for them.

I think the most conspicuous consumption in the game has to be Sally's pregnancy dress.

This dovetails with another opinion I have, that Davey Hackney designed Wellington Wells' mod fashion not just around the idea of optimistic modernity, but also to use less fabric because - again - limited supply of material. The mod look requires even less than war time rationed 40's styles; it was merely the trick of convincing the people of the new aesthetic (in real life, the mod style was a backlash to the 50's New Look and its yards upon yards of fabric but because England lost the war here, there's never a New Look to rebel against).

That a girl can now buy a bright new dress in a simple cut made of no more than three yards of fabric keeps the economy moving and the morale high. Davey Hackney is doing his patriotic duty. There's a reason his atelier is in the Parade.

But Sally's pregnancy dress flies in the face of that. So much so that I don't think this was trendy at all. It might even have never been available for anyone else to buy.

I like to think Sally pitched this to Davey in this way: yes, you're going to make a really weird - "outrageous" and kinda ugly if we're being honest - dress and no one in their right mind will want to buy it. But that's okay because it will cost so much that they wouldn't be able to afford it even if they were mad enough to want it. And Davey went for it because while he does love to make money, I'm sure, he also loves exclusivity. What is even the point of being rich and fabulous if the prole hovel is filled with lookalikes wearing Mrs. Pankhurst's admittedly good knock-offs? But this? Mrs. Pankhurst cannot afford to make this. And frankly, she wouldn't understand it at all. This? This is a statement!

But Sally is just the model here. Yes, she's got this one-of-a-kind dress made of an offensive amount of fabric in this context, but she probably didn't pay for it either. It's another favor. Sally is actually just the expression of Davey's conspicuous consumption!

Money, Power, Women

In America, first you get the money, then you get the power, then you get the women. At least in 80's Miami. In 60's Wellington Wells? Ehhhhh.

General Byng probably has some generational wealth going for him that he and Victoria are benefiting from. Seems unlikely Victoria could have secured a house that big unless her father bought it years ago. They clearly have money and they appear to have power.

But do they actually?

As we come to learn in Victoria's DLC, she's not really that powerful at all. She organizes social events and makes very important decisions and about very important things. She's in charge of a relatively important document management department, but that's still just middle management. You'd almost get the impression that she's been afforded a lot of latitude as General Byng's daughter and now everyone is just giving her "big" jobs to let her feel important.

General Byng, on the other hand, would seem to have actual power. The constabulary is under his thumb and even Dr. Verloc's Doctors are cautious about overstepping his bounds... except he readily admits that his powers are limited by the Executive Committee, who has cast him out to the Victory Memorial Camp.

But as we find out in Ollie's act, the Executive Committee aren't exactly a force to be reckoned with either. (And as far as class goes, we have no way to know but they look like Just Some Guys).

Not a lot of places where the organizational chart is a fucking circle. And I would say only half of these people come from means. Johnny Bolton was probably compensated fairly for his service (gotta head off the M in MICE, after all), but apparently he needed a side hustle if he was running a bookstore too. Chief Constable Peters probably isn't diving into his Scrooge McDuck vault of sovereigns after a long day of patrolling the bridge. Nor is Penelope Snug, even if she's actually in charge of all infrastructure and not just motilene.

Haves and Have-Nots

There is only one real solid class distinction in Wellington Wells: Wellies and Wastrels.

Even here though, there's nuance. It's not so easy to say that the worst Wellie life is better than the best Wastrel life.

For one thing, I think there are some Wastrels who chose the life, rather than being forced into it. Ollie obviously did this, but I also think Eric Liddell chose the Garden District intentionally since running is forbidden in the Village. I also think Nigel Lawson's a good candidate for this narrative, someone who could return to the Village but chooses not to.

By contrast, the suicide party in Victoria's DLC had histoplasma mushrooms. Wherever would Wellies have gotten those unless they'd tried their luck in the Garden District before deciding to end it all?

The thing about Wastrels though is that usually in a class structure, you need people on the bottom in order to have someone for the upper classes to exploit and build their wealth on the backs of. Wastrels are not being exploited though; they've been abandoned, exiled. Downers serve no purpose in Village society and so they've been cast out entirely.

If there was a way to make money off Downers, aside from selling them Sunshine, I'm sure some enterprising individual would have thought of it.

Maybe it's just that money has a finite upper limit on how much happiness it can buy you when happiness is also a choice you're free to make on any street corner and there's little else for sale.

[kervl-klear]

I was wondering, if Huchu attempted cognitive behavior therapy then how did he run those sessions in terms of what did he do to try to help the others? Considering you wrote that, in doing so he caused the others to "internalize their problem to the point they cannot be helped anymore including himself". Also, did he think he could be like a psychiatrist (or at least provide similiar service) due to the fact that psychiatrists work with medicine?

I hope my question is clear enough. If not, feel free to ask what I am trying to ask (^^)

Thank you for tuning in to my frequency! The answer contained potentially triggering contents, so I'll hide it under the cut. Please enjoy. ✨

Huchu’s Qualifications

Huchu has bachelor's degree in neuroscience, master's degree in Pharmacy. D. and is currently studying PHD on medical instrumentation engineering. Aside from taking class, he’s a neurosurgeon at marine corps hospital, take shift as a battlefield surgeon at marine camp and use the rest of his free time to operate Lubi service so he has the following active licenses, Pharmacist license and P&S license.

In Northland, here’s the requirements for attaining psychiatrist certification: Be a graduate of an accredited medical school certified by International Red cross committee, complete all trainings in a program approved by Northland mental care bureau, have an active, full, unrestricted medical license, and have satisfactorily completed the Northland mental care bureau’s specialty training requirements.

So do keep in mind that Huchu is not qualified to do psychiatrist work as he lacks item 2 and 4.

Does Huchu think he is qualified to do psychiatrist works?

Unfortunately, yes. Despite lacking all the correct trainings, he tried to be both therapist and psychiatrist for C2ISTAR as you can see Hongcha mentioning Huchu being the one who prescribed Risperidone for Angae in [🌹for Angae].

This is because Huchu think that Clinical Psychology is like Neuroscience but less scientific. Similar to our world, neuroscience is praised as the hardest medical major in the world. So naturally Huchu look down on psychology as an easier neurology mixed with social study. So, in his little head. If mental care staffs can do it, then definitely neurosurgeon can do it too.

Clinical Psychology in the world of C2ISTAR

In the world of C2ISTAR, Mental illnesses are usually deemed as invalid illness, so the mental care industry is constantly being look down upon. The discrimination also discourages many people in this world from studying clinical psychology. Even if Huchu open his mind and take studying clinical psychology seriously, it is still very unlikely that he will produce good result as study material for clinical psychology in this world is ineffective at best from the very beginning due to the lack of interest this world has toward it.

The acceptable branches of psychology are study by the industrial, intelligence and defense service for the purpose of manipulation, interrogation and indoctrination which is very different from clinical psychology in practice.

Clinical psychology is also heavily associated with the Aldehyde cult. A multi-faith cult that believes mental illness is a sign of ascension. The more soldiers lose touch with reality, the closer they are to heaven and if they are close enough to heaven. These soldiers will be able to give birth to the new Angel that will be savior to their world. They often kidnapped veteran from asylum so they can use these veterans to birth a new Angel.

Huchu's treatment on C2ISTAR

Huchu might be well intention and most faults mainly resulted from ignorance, but the damage is still there. In fact Huchu is actually skeptical that CBT would produce result, however, C2ISTAR seems to need it and Huchu is weak to that. Here are the treatments Huchu did on each C2ISTAR alongside its effects.

Orenji’s treatment

Orenji is Huchu's first patient for CBT service with his main problem being Paruresis. Huchu choose Journaling and Cognitive restructuring technique for him. However, the underlying root of Orenji's Paruresis is Urolagnia so Orenji can't quite be honest with his thought. However, the cognitive restructuring is somewhat almost effective due to the other physical treatment. Orenji had chronic UTI that connected with bladder infection, so Huchu often insert catheter for Orenji whenever he needs it. This seems to cause Orenji to associate Huchu with relieve, hence the reason why he can go when Huchu is around. But can't quite do the same with someone else. Orenji also seems to develop some form of incontinence whenever Huchu is around.

Huchu also lose his temper every time Orenji induced temporary amnesia on himself because he knows how fragile Orenji's brain is as he was the one who put Orenji's brain and sculp back together so he's constanly worries about Orenji accidentally killing himself but since Huchu always arrive with Clozapine, he had been unknowingly endorsing Orenji's behavior. Still, after Orenji is back to his sense. He would have to endure a session of outburst Huchu throwing things at him or start hitting him with a chair.

Baegcha/Hongcha’s treatment

The main method is Role playing through puppet activity; the idea was so that Beagcha could see why he need to stop pursuing his stop-list so they can start working on his fear of touch. Usually when a certain method doesn't work, therapist would move on to the next one, but Huchu let Beagcha continue with the ineffective method because this is what Beagcha prefer to do and Huchu doesn't have the heart strip this away from him. Huchu later resort to locking Beagcha in his room whenever Huchu notices things are taking a toll on him and simply use puppet therapy as a way for Baegcha to process what he went through each hunt.

Huchu also deemed Hongcha to be something he need to get rid of because Huchu see Hongcha as the evil alter that endorse Baegcha to pursue the stop-list. The thing is that, neither Baegcha nor Hongcha are the host. Both Baegcha and Hongcha are alters pretending to be the host. Usually alters are protective of each other and take responsibility as a system. However, Huchu intervention had created a dynamic where both alters cannot get along. And because Beagcha trusted Huchu, he begun to think he needs to repress Hongcha to be better and Hongcha became bitter toward the situation, he blamed Huchu for his sour relationship with his alter.

When Hongcha appear mid-session, Huchu would either shock him with electricity or shove him into a small box to chase him away. Huchu did made many attempts to get rid of Hongcha ranging from submerging him in extremely cold water to purposely staving him and since Hongcha is unaware that it is impossible to get rid of an alter. Hongcha see Huchu’s attempts as life threatening situation and in retaliation, he believes that he must kill Huchu which make Baegcha agreed with Huchu even more.

Seoltang’s treatment

After discovered that sedative doesn't work on Seoltang. Huchu would mainly use Imagery and Relaxation training. However, the underlying cause for Seoltang's insomnia is cumulative anxiety of being in disguise. Something Seoltang cannot tell anyone due his true identity. Huchu had no idea about Seoltang's anxiety, so he had no idea why Seoltang sleep schedule doesn't improve not to mention that imagery make him feel worse as it worsens his longing for the place that no longer exist.

Out of concern as Seoltang already show all signs of developing Alzheimer, Huchu decided that any methods that give Seoltang shut eyes will suffice and purposed the hypoxia idea. So instead of having his anxiety treated and get an actual sleep, Seoltang ended up inventing so many self-choking methods that even people with choking fetish would think that this man is a freak. Thus, Seoltang's anxiety was never addresses not to mention that one of hypoxia common symptoms is also anxiety which contribute to his mood swing getting worse as well.

Noeu’s treatment

Noeu is way too shy to address that his overworking tendency came from his constant fear of unexpected death, so Huchu assumed that Noeu is obsessed with conquest and taking control. This led to Moral reconation therapy. However, Moral reconation therapy required to be practiced in groups as one on one session can reinforces narcissistic behavior. Somethings that should not be mixed with Noeu’s competitiveness and ambition.

The therapy also required the therapist to be well versed in the subject of morality to work which Huchu’s morality is ambiguous at best so he can’t always keep up with Noeu’s questions or leaps of logic. This unintentionally validated Noeu’s thought derailment and prompted him to go from weakening other nations then have Northland invade them to the exact same thing but also profiting from them and take advantage of their resources because he’s more confident in his ideal than ever and he now genuinely think he’s doing this world a favor.

Angae’s treatment

Usually, therapist would approach patient with hallucination with Reframing technique. Something that Angae had already accomplish on his own. This is because managing a psychosis episode with medication was proven less effective as medication came with side effect. However, due to Huchu being a neurosurgeon with neurology logic. He goes straight to prescribing Risperidone and focus more on helping Angae with anxiety using Stress inoculation training. However, Angae didn't stress out because he's worrying about having an episode. He has an episode because he's stressed out, so Angae made no progress and Huchu had been accidentally gaslighting Angae into thinking that he had an illness he didn't have.

Angae already questioned reality around him, so he is unsure how valid his opinion is about the topic. This led to Angae letting Huchu continue with the treatment that make no sense to him even though this fueled the thought that he's being held back to fit into a certain explanation.

Yuseong’s treatment

A lot of people with Hyperthemesia has tendency to be obsessed over things easily as well as having trouble moving on from the past because they had trouble forgetting things. So Huchu choose Metacognitive therapy and Distraction technique. Due to the confusion that came with partial amnesia combined with the fact that Yuseong never experience forgetting stuffs before, Yuseong is desperate to seek for things he can identify himself with. This led to his obsession to connecting his identity with the unhealthy diary, something Huchu sees as a form of delusion.

Usually, the first rule of dealing with delusional patient is to validate their experience. Although what happen isn't real to us, it's real to the patient. However, due to Huchu's concern of Yuseong recreating situation in the diary. Huchu usually react very sternly and outright dismissed Yuseong’s belief in the session. Since Yuseong can control his expression well, Huchu had no idea that he is invalidating Yuseong. Although Yuseong still likes Huchu, he began to pay less attention to the session and draw or play with his alphabet book whenever Huchu is holding a session for him. He also hold on to the diary even tighter than before.

Effect of failed treatment on Huchu

Therapy is a stressful and draining job, both therapist and psychiatrist in real life are trained and educated on how they can handle their job without intaking their patient's baggage.

But since Huchu never went through these training, all the negativity goes straight to him and since he is at the end of the line for mental comfort. Combine that with his habit of caring too much, he got stuck in a position where he himself has no one to go to for all the problems above he involves himself in. This of course fueled his urge to go through with unethical method to get what he wants for instead, considering amputating Noeu so he never has to worry about him arriving at ER with seizure again.

.....................................................

Clinical psychology is one of my weaker subjects, so the treatment descriptions are simplified at best and none of my statements should be considered scientifically accurate.

Still, I hope this information suffice you. \(^^ )✨

[duckprintspress]

Fandom Lexicon: C

The third installment in our posts about our Fandom Lexicon introduces the most terms yet: those beginning with the letter C!

Make sure you check out the main Fandom Lexicon page! We’ve posted letters A, B, and now C, and will be adding one or more letters each week until the entire lexicon is live and available for your perusal.

Spot a mistake we’ve made? Have we left something out? Let us know!

Lexicon Terms Beginning with C (read more)

C Drama: Abbreviation for “Chinese drama.” TV dramas from China

C Pop: Abbreviation for “Chinese pop.” Pop music from China.

C-Ent: Abbreviation for “Chinese entertainment.” Overarching term for the Chinese entertainment industry.

C&C: Abbreviation for “comments and criticism.” Typically used by a creator when indicating whether they do or do not want comments and/or criticism on their work. For example, an author’s note might read, “C&C Welcome.”

Camp NaNo: Shortened term referring to “Camp National Novel Writing Month.” A week-long writing event that occurs twice every year, in April and July. It is hosted by NaNoWriMo, but unlike the original NaNo, participants in Camp NaNo choose their own goals. See also NaNoWriMo (pending).

Canon: Facts about a narrative provided within the published context of the media being referred to. What does and does not count as canon is often up for speculation and scrutiny by fans with different interests/perspectives. Generally considered separate from “Word of God” explanations of the text – canon events must have happened “on the page” or “on the screen” or “in the recording” for the media in question, depending of course on the original format for the media. Read more about what canon means.

Canon Compliant: A fanwork that follow the rules/characterizations/plot of its source material, as interpreted by the creator of that work. Truly canon compliant works follow canon so closely that they could exist in canon without violating any known information about the world and characters, though that can be a moving target for canon compliant works created when canon is still ongoing. Read more about canon compliance.

Canon Divergent: A fanwork that begins at an established point in the source material’s canon, then takes off in its own direction. Read more about canon divergence.

Canon Insert: Most typically refers to when a writer’s original character is added to canon or replaces an existing canon character. Less typically, refers to a character from franchise A who is added to a canon or replaces an existing canon character in a fanwork about franchise B. Read more about character inserts.

Carrd: A service that hosts simple, easy-to-make websites for free, or more advanced ones for a fee, used by fans and other people to provide a central place for their contact details, interests, and personal information they want to share. Learn more on the Carrd website.

Casefic: A genre of fanwork in which the main characters are solving a case. Most common in fandoms where there are episodes or books that are each case-based, such as The X-Files, CSI, or Supernatural. Read more about casefic.

CBT: Abbreviation for “cock and ball torture” and for “cognitive behavioral therapy.” A classic example of just how important context can be for understanding what an abbreviation means!

CC: Abbreviation for the Creative Commons. A license that a user can assign to their own creation, giving permission to use the creation in their own projects provided they follow the terms of the chosen Creative Commons license. Read more about the types of Creative Commons licenses on the Creative Commons webpage.

Cheerleader: A person who reads a fanfic before it’s published and cheers the author on, so they keep up their motivation. The difference to alpha or beta reader is that the cheerleader usually does not offer any concrit nor do they do spelling and grammar (SPAG) editing.

Chibi: A type of art in which the characters are shown with unrealistic proportions, most often with unusually large heads and eyes. Also sometimes called “SD,” which stands for super-deformed. Read more about the term “chibi.”

Cishet: Shortened term for “cisgender heterosexual.” An individual whose assigned gender at birth matches their gender identity and who experiences sexual attraction to the opposite gender and only the opposite gender (excluding non-binary people and other genders outside the binary). While intended to be used to refer to people who are not queer, the term has often become a short-hand insult for aromantic and asexual people, and for bisexual people who are in relationships with person who are of the opposite in-the-binary gender. Read more about the term “cishet.”

Cisswap: See Genderbend (pending).

Citrus: See Citrus Scale.

Citrus Scale: A method for rating works from general to explicit without using lewd terminology. Read more about the citrus scale on Fanlore or in our blog post on the topic.

Claims: Typically refers to the point in a Bang of any size when artists are given an anonymized list of fic summaries, choose their favorites, and subsequently find out which authors they will be working with. In reverse bangs, it refers to when authors choose the artist they will be working with. For another usage, see Face Claim (pending).

CNTW: Abbreviation for “chose not to warn.” The creator chose not to use warning tags/labels. This abbreviation and usage is based on the AO3 Archive Warning “Creator Chose Not to Use Archive Warnings.”

Coda: A fanwork that adds a scene that fans wish had been included in the source material. Often described by citing the season and episode that the fanwork is a coda to. For example, “coda to 5 x 2” would be a coda/new final scene created to follow the events of episode 2 of season 5. Sometimes referred to as an “episode tag.” Read more about codas.

Concrit: A shortened term for “constructive criticism.” 1. Critique of a creation that actively contributes to its improvement. In this definition, the criticism is usually intentionally solicited, and the critique is done by the editor or beta reader in collaboration with the writer, after discussion of what the author is trying to accomplish and what their goals are. 2. Unwelcome and unsolicited critique from commenters on fanworks, which givers often try to excuse by leaning on definition 1.

Conlang: A shortened term for “constructed language.” An artificially created language, for example Klingon in Star Trek and Elvish in the works of J. R. R. Tolkien. Read more about conlangs.

Consentacles: A portmanteau of “consent” and “tentacles.” Used to refer to tentacle sex enjoyed with enthusiastic consent. “Dubious consentacles” is also in use, indicating that the consent is more ambiguous.

Cosplay: Dressing up like a character from a given franchise. Ranges from exact replications to crossovers and/or creative reinterpretations of the source material. Read more about cosplay.

CP: Abbreviation for “couple,” except when it means “child pornography.” In East Asian fandoms, CP refers to the main couple in a work. In Western fandoms, CP most often stands for “child pornography.” This difference has caused many, many problems. Read more about the different uses of CP as an abbreviation.

Crack: A speculative concept that is unbelievably ridiculous. For example, “what if all the characters were chicken nuggets?” Read more about crack.

Crackship: A ship between that is unbelievably ridiculous, such as a character with an object, a location with a creature, or two people who would genuinely never in a thousand years ever work out in a relationship. Not the same thing as an unpopular ship or rare pair. Read more about crackships.

Creation Challenge: A fandom event in which the host(s) come up with a theme and/or a list of prompts, and participants are invited to create fanworks in response to that prompt. Examples of creation challenges include Big Bangs and Bingos.

Crossover: A term with many uses in different contexts; in fandom, it refers to when a fanwork combines multiple sources in some way. Mulder and Scully showing up in a Doctor Who fic, for example. Read more about crossovers.

Crucifix Nail Nipples: A well-known story told by Tumblr user thebibliosphere. Often referenced as an example of just how ridiculous erotica can be. Read the original post.

CSEM: Abbreviation for “child sexual exploitation material.” What it says on the tin – this is a legal/technical term for materials featuring actual children photographed or filmed in sexual situations. Creating or possessing these materials is illegal in most of the world. Read more about the usages and legal definitions of this term.

[milkyfederation]

Before joining the Milky Federation, humans made great advances in the fields of robotics and AI, managing to create machines that created machines that developed advanced artificial cognition.

The Rand Conglomerate used this intelligence on one of its products: the R&droids, made to substitute those pesky unionized human workers.

Upon joining the MF, it was declared that any sufficiently cognitive being (artificial or not) is a person. The androids were freed and left alone to look for jobs and be a part of society.

(04/22) Old face ideas! I have a problem with the symmetry tool...

A sex R&droid who's discarded her artificial skin. / A construction R&droid, the rusty chin made them look manlier, corporate found them more trustworthy. / An extremely intelligent R&droid made to do maths, physics, philosophy, etc. If it doesn't require physical work, they can do it!

Made from a cleaning robot body and a very advanced brain, Aia is one of a kind! / A damaged service industry R&droid without their synthetic skin. / A competing company managed to make a walking security system smart enough to deserve rights.

A military R&droid, programmed with strategic brilliance and doctrinal nationalism. / A space colonist R&droid who loves stickers. / A famous actor's stunt R&droid, still with some of his synthetic skin, upon being freed he joined a punk band in space.

Terminology: Android means sufficiently cognitive artificial being of "human origin". A Robot is a non cognitive machine. Robot is a slur to androids.

[hi-ma-ni]

BPO Companies: How to Choose the Best BPO Company in India?

Today, business process outsourcing has become a growing trend. With so much data and consumers to manage, corporate confidence in Best BPO Company has grown over the years. India's IT and BPO services sector has grown rapidly since its inception in the mid-1990s and today has a turnover of US$37.6 billion. The Indian BPO market has grown due to economies of scale, reduced business risk, cost advantages, improved utilization, and superior experience. Among competitors such as Australia, China, the Philippines, and Ireland, India is now the world's leading hub for the consumption of BPO services. India's immense popularity as a global outsourcing destination is due to the country's low labor costs and a large pool of skilled and skilled workers gave an opportunity to companies like Ascent BPO to provide better services at reasonable prices.

But since many organizations in India offer quality data entry services, companies only need to choose the best ones after they have done their homework. Look on our website to learn how to choose the Best BPO Company like us.

What is business process deploying or outsourcing (BPO)?

Before we get started, we want to give our audience an overview of what a BPO is. Business process outsourcing companies provide services that allow companies to focus on their core business. Let us consider this problem in detail. You may not have the time or resources for a separate organization that you can trust to handle other aspects of your business. These other aspects can be anything from call center operations, marketing, SEO, finance to human resource activities. The sky is the limit. Now that business process outsourcing has sparked some interest, let's explain what to look for in the Best BPO company.

Some Best BPO company are given below:

Tata Consulting Services:

Tata Consulting Services (TCS) is the second-best outsourcing firm in India. TCS is an organization based in Mumbai in Bangalore. TCS provides trading services, platform solutions, analytics, information services, and more. TCS has more than 400,000 employees in India and thousands of employees in other parts of the world. Tata Advisory Services will generate revenue of approximately $23 billion in 2020.

Wipro:

Wipro is a leading multinational company providing IT services, consulting, and business operations. They serve their clients by applying their expertise in cognitive computing, hyper-automation, robotics, cloud, analytics, and emerging technologies.

Ascent BPO

Ascent BPO manages multiple streams such as data entry services, data entry projects, data entry processing, web research, financial accounting, and call center services. Get the best outsourcing service at the lowest possible price here. Wide access to major Indian metropolitan areas such as Delhi and Mumbai, as well as other major cities in India such as Bangalore, Chennai, and Kolkata.

First source solution:

Firstsource Solution is a leading provider of customized Business Process Management (BPM) services to the banking and financial, customer service, telecom, media, and health industries. It is headquartered in Mumbai, and also has operations in the United States, United Kingdom, and the Philippines. In addition, Firstsource Solutions recently won Gold and Silver Awards at the UK Complaint Management Awards 2020.

UrbanTimer:

UrbanTimer is a VA company based in Kolkata. Believing that your experience will be "the best in your business," the company offers administrative support, customer service, content creation, graphic design, project management, QuickBooks services, startups, and more.

Professional BPO Qualifications: What To Look For?

Companies considering working with a BPO company should know what to look for in potential partners. If you're wondering how to find the most qualified BPO company like Ascent BPO, a few key qualifications are good indicators that you're doing business with experienced professionals:

1.    Proven experience:

Your business processes should not be executed by ordinary people. One of the most important qualifications for Best BPO company is proven experience in the industry. Excellent customer testimonials show that your business has been treated similarly.

2.    Specialized Services:

We offer a variety of functions and processes, and specialized services demonstrate expertise. If you're wondering how to find the most qualified BPO company, it's a good sign to find a company that specializes in a field similar to yours.

3.    Reliability and Security:

Because Ascent BPO handles confidential and proprietary company information, you want to ensure that your BPO company's data security measures are in place. If you can tell that a BPO company values ??reliability and security, you know your data is safe.

4.    Focus on Metrics:

Being data-driven is one of the most important skills a BPO company should look for. A metrics-driven BPO company tests and shows clients how it is performing.

5.    Transparency:

Transparency is an important factor if you want to know how to find the most qualified BPO company. If a BPO company doesn't seem honest or transparent, you won't be satisfied with their work.

You should browse through the above-given details about BPO companies to find the most qualified BPO company. These elements will help you determine which BPO company is the best fit for your business.

Resource:https://www.ascentbpo.com/bpo-companies

Useful Links:

[linguisticdiscovery]

Why are there so many languages in the world?

The CogSci Mind Challenge is asking you to answer this question with a 5-minute video.

The best video wins $1,000 and will be featured on the CogSci Society’s website and YouTube channel!

What is the CogSci Mind Challenge?

The CogSci Mind Challenge is a competition that challenges cognitive scientists to address a thought-provoking question in Cognitive Science for an audience of non-experts, particularly high school and early college students. The task is to create a 5-minute video answering the question, "Why are there so many languages in the world?" The video should communicate cognitive science concepts in an engaging manner for students unfamiliar with Cognitive Science. Video content should reflect the interdisciplinary nature of Cognitive Science (which spans Artificial Intelligence, Linguistics, Anthropology, Psychology, Education, Neuroscience, and Philosophy) and not be limited to a single discipline (i.e. linguistics). The first-place winner will receive $1000, the second-place winner will receive $500, and the third-place winner will receive $250. These winning videos will also be featured on the CSS website and YouTube channel. You can learn more about this opportunity at our website where you can also find links to last year's winning videos.

We encourage submissions from people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives and for this contest to reflect the Cognitive Science Society's core values of interdisciplinary breadth and inclusiveness. Consider sharing this opportunity with others who have a passion for Cognitive Science, including faculty, graduate students, senior undergraduates, people in industry, etc.

Student involvement and outreach

In addition, after the videos are reviewed by the CogSci Society, actual high school and early undergraduate students will be providing feedback on which videos they think should win. Involving these students is both an opportunity to outreach to them about Cognitive Science and a way to receive critical feedback as they are the target demographic. We are currently connecting with students to be judges in this competition. If you know of a student group, classroom, or outreach group that services high school or early college students that we could connect with, please let us know.

[diliwriter]

What is the Best Psychology Degree in Sri Lanka?

Choosing the best psychology degree in Sri Lanka involves considering several factors such as the curriculum, faculty expertise, research opportunities, and career prospects. With numerous universities offering psychology programs, finding the right fit for your academic and professional goals is essential.

1. Understanding the Scope of Psychology Programs

Psychology is a diverse field encompassing various specializations like clinical psychology, counseling, organizational psychology, and forensic psychology. When selecting a program, ensure it offers a comprehensive curriculum that covers fundamental areas of psychology and allows you to specialize in your area of interest.

2. Evaluating Curriculum and Courses

A top-notch psychology degree program should provide a balanced mix of theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Look for programs that include coursework in cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, and research methods. Practical components such as internships, lab work, and field studies are crucial for hands-on experience.

3. Faculty Expertise and Research Opportunities

The expertise and reputation of the faculty members are critical indicators of a program's quality. Research the faculty's academic backgrounds, publications, and areas of expertise. Additionally, consider programs that offer robust research opportunities, as engaging in research projects can enhance your understanding of psychological theories and practices.

4. Accreditation and Recognition

Ensure that the psychology program you choose is accredited by relevant educational authorities in Sri Lanka. Accreditation guarantees that the program meets specific quality standards and that your degree will be recognized by employers and other educational institutions.

5. Career Support and Opportunities

A strong psychology program should provide excellent career support services, including counseling, job placement assistance, and networking opportunities with industry professionals. Investigate the program's track record for graduate employment and further education placements.

6. Alumni Network and Community

An active and engaged alumni network can be a valuable resource for current students. Alumni can offer mentorship, career advice, and job opportunities. Programs that foster a sense of community and ongoing connections among graduates are beneficial for long-term career development.

7. Facilities and Learning Environment

Modern facilities, well-equipped laboratories, and access to psychological testing tools are essential components of a quality psychology program. A conducive learning environment that supports academic and personal growth can significantly enhance your educational experience.

For those seeking a premier psychology degree, NSBM Green University in Sri Lanka stands out as an excellent choice. With its state-of-the-art facilities, experienced faculty, and commitment to academic excellence, NSBM Green University provides a nurturing environment for aspiring psychologists to thrive.

NSBM Green University

[fuckyeahvanhalen86-95]

Backstage Auctions, Inc. has announced The Alex Van Halen Collection, the auction house's most anticipated and historical auction event of the year featuring the personal collection of legendary Van Halen drummer Alex Van Halen.

Backstage Auctions says: "It is an unbelievable honor to represent one of the greatest rock drummers of all time and we could not be any more excited. Alex is the reason why so many people picked up a pair of drumsticks and this auction is a fantastic opportunity to see so many of his instruments and gear go to new homes. All of these pieces have a thick layer of magic 'Al' dust and we can only hope that it will bring boundless joy and thrills to their future owners."

The collection features over 350 lots, with a wide array of memorabilia, such as drum kits, snare drums, kick drums, road cases, drumheads, cymbals, gongs, sticks and mallets, personal items, record awards, autographed pieces and so much more. The auction is definitely one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for fans and collectors to own a piece of van halen history. Each lot sold will come with a personally signed certificate of authenticity from Alex, which is a collectible in itself.

Alex says: "I always have pursued the best possible sound, which drove me every single day, every single album, and every single tour to be on top of my game. I hope that passing on all these pieces will inspire current and next generations to be the best they can be. Now, let's have some fun — VAN HALEN style!"

Each piece featured in the auction is essentially a highlight item, but among the standouts is the legendary "5150" tour kit, the 2015 tour kit (and the last kit Alex ever used in concert),his personal collection of vintage RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) record awards, the exceptionally rare rosewood snare drums that helped define his signature sound, the eye-catching and iconic gongs, a kick drum from the early backyard party days, and even a piano from the Van Halen family home.

The auction is a celebration of a 40-year career that saw Van Halen sell nearly 100 million albums worldwide, making them one of the best-selling groups in the history of music. Alex Van Halen's place in the pantheon of rock 'n' roll drummers is legendary. The incredible body of work that he created alongside his brother Eddie is memorialized in Van Halen's historic catalog of genre-defining music.

"I kept all these drums, cymbals, heads, and all other kinds of gear, instruments, and road cases in my warehouse for decades and it will bring me great pleasure to see them end up in the hands of my fans and fellow drummers," says Alex. "A portion of the proceeds will go to the Ride On Therapeutic Horsemanship charity to further support the services they provide to those in need."

Alex and his wife have been longtime supporters of Ride On Therapeutic Horsemanship. The organization's mission is to promote the welfare of at-risk youth and people with any type of physical, intellectual or cognitive disability by means of equine-assisted activities and therapies, and by providing instruction and education for all in equestrian-related social, vocational and recreational activities.

The auction will open up for bidding on June 1 and close on June 9.

[bibliophiliac-bisexual-disaster]

Okay, let's get something straight (or rather, gay). This goes out to all kpop fans.

If I have to see one more comment or tweet talking about how weird/gross it is for fans to discuss an idol's sexuality, or come after other fans for suggesting an idol might be queer, or act all holier-than-thou and talk about how we shouldn't "assume people's sexuality, I am going to fucking scream.

And before you come at me with wild accusations, let me get this out of the way - in no way do I condone the hypersexualization or objectification of idols. Or anyone for that matter. But discussing someone's possible orientation or seeing something that points to queerness isn't inherently sexual or fetishizing and to equate those two things is disgustingly homophobic on levels I cannot even begin to unpack here. Sexualities of all kinds (gay, straight, bi, ace, pan etc) are all celebrations of humanity and while it is up to every individual how public or private they want to be with their identity, it is not wrong to playfully guess or acknowledge signs of queerness (especially when so often there are explicit signs of queercoding!)

I encounter people's internalized homophobia and heteronormativity everyday both online and in person but the level of cognitive dissonance people have about this subject sometimes in the kpop fandoms I'm in is ASTOUNDING. So here I am writing this post to deconstruct some of shit.

First of all, the "oh, we shouldn't assume their sexuality" bullshit. People assume sexuality all the time. Literally, so much of the kpop industry itself is built on performative heterosexuality. We see in this in how commonly idols are asked about their "ideal type" (usually clearly implying the opposite gender). In how the slightest interactions between idols of different genders leads to dating rumors. In how it's assumed, especially for boy groups, that the fandom is mostly women/girls. In how it's normal for fans to pretend they are in a relationship with their bias. Like, be so for fucking real, kpop fan culture is literally where the word DELULU comes from. So it's okay to assume sexuality with all of this, but it's not okay if someone teases or so much as suggests that an idol might not be straight? The only time assuming sexuality is cast as being wrong is when the sexuality in question is anything but heterosexuality. And coming from a queer person, if you have ever said this, disrespectfully, fuck you.

Because in the process of saying shit like that you are essentially insinuating, intentionally or unintentionally, that not being straight is bad or abnormal. Because why else would you treat the suggestion of someone's queerness as an insult? Why would the idea that an idol is not straight be offensive or demeaning?

Even worse, this bullshit, patronizing, hetero-morality complex shuts down any discourse queer kpop fans want to have about queercoding in the industry. And there is a LOT of that. Korea is conservative, coming out isn't the only way to affirm queerness. And not wanting, not being able to be out and proud does not negate someone's possible queerness, idol or not. So queercoding is often an important form of self expression for some idols and to deny that discourse is denying those very idols you claim to be protecting their right to express themselves, their personhood and humanity.

And the cherry on top of the fucking cake is that of all places to do this, KPOP? An entertainment business model that has literally been built on queerbaiting? As much as I enjoy kpop, as a queer fan, this is one of the less than savory aspects of industry I have to be aware of and contend with. And if you find yourself wondering how kpop queerbaits, think about the concept of "fan service" between members of an idol group. Fan service includes all instances of a group encouraged to perform "skinship" or flirt with each other to amuse the fans. Fan service is literally an euphemistic way of referring to queerbaiting and it is unbelievable how people don't even realize it. It's even more frustrating to see some fans having the audacity to brush things off as "fan service" when fans playfully (emphasis on playfully) engage in shipping. They don't even realize how problematic it is that such "fan service" is used for the viewing pleasure of straight fans and baits queer fans but simultaneously denies queer fans their space and voice and shuts down actual queerness in the industry. If you enjoy fan service (and nothing wrong with that by itself), but also demonize shippers or shut down queer fans discussing queercoding, you are part of the problem. Don't come up trying to say you wish the kpop industry would be a little less severe on idols dating or being queer, because you are part of the reason why the industry is the way it is.

To all my fellow queer fans, be absolutely unapologetic for your jokes or memes or ships or thought-provoking discussions on queerness and queercoding. There is no shame in our joy, we are not wrong or twisted for it. Because we know that we would celebrate our idols for who they are or want to be no matter how they choose to express themselves. Do not let people who would twist it into something perverted or bad, as an excuse for their own homophobia, shame you for the innocent joy of celebrating queerness. Do not let yourself be ashamed of it. As long as you are kind and respectful, love what you love and be queer and proud and happy.

[berniesrevolution]

CATALYST JOURNAL

The scholarship on the civil rights movement has increasingly moved away from a focus on political economy. In this interview, Doug McAdam recounts the context in which he wrote his classic book, Political Process and the Development of Black Insurgency, 1930–1970, and how the evacuation of class analysis has changed the field.

Interview by jeff Goodwin

In the scholarship on the civil rights movement, Doug McAdam’s work has played a pioneering role. His 1982 book Political Process and the Development of Black Insurgency, 1930–1970 — a classic in the field of sociology — presents a primarily materialist explanation of the civil rights movement. His book Freedom Summer, about the struggle in Mississippi in 1964, won the C. Wright Mills Award in 1990. And he is the coauthor, with Sidney Tarrow and Charles Tilly, of the influential 2001 book Dynamics of Contention, which argues that social movements, revolutions, riots, and rebellions are related forms of “contentious politics.” McAdam’s later works cover issues ranging from environmental activism to political polarization.

Political Process and the Development of Black Insurgency, which grew out of McAdam’s doctoral dissertation at Stony Brook University, is far and away the most frequently cited academic book — or book of any kind — on the US civil rights movement, with over ten thousand citations. The book has also had an enormous influence on social science theorizing about social movements and the broader field of contentious politics.

Political Process develops a “political process model” to explain the civil rights movement. Scholars have subsequently applied this model to a wide range of social movements. The model emphasizes the importance of three factors for the emergence and dynamics of social movements: political opportunities, formal and informal organization, and what McAdam calls “cognitive liberation.” But these factors are, in a sense, secondary to McAdam’s main argument — for lurking behind them are more fundamental political-economic forces and class interests.

The longest chapter in McAdam’s book argues that it was the changing political economy of the South — the decline of cotton and the rise of urban industrial and service-sector employment — that led to the overthrow of Jim Crow and caste (but not class) oppression. As McAdam makes clear in this interview, Marxist scholars like Michael Schwartz (one of his dissertation advisers) and Jack Bloom led him to incorporate political economy into his explanation of the civil rights movement.

Ironically, this core element of McAdam’s theoretical perspective would be forgotten (or willfully ignored) by subsequent scholars. Political Process is mainly remembered for the concept of political opportunities — or what some would call “political opportunity structure” or POS — not for its more fundamental political-economic analysis.

For the most part, political economy remains marginal to sociological studies of social movements, at least in the United States, up to the present day. The Marxist roots of political process theory have been almost totally forgotten.

McAdam recently sat down with Jeff Goodwin to discuss the origins of his interest in civil rights and the influence of Marxism and political economy on his work on the civil rights movement.

Goodwin | Where did your interest in the civil rights movement originate, biographically speaking?

McAdams | I was born in 1951. I don’t know why, but I was always very attuned to politics and current events. I was only eight at the time of the lunch counter sit-ins in 1960, and I don’t remember being aware of them at the time. But the other major campaigns of the civil rights movement — Birmingham, Freedom Summer, Selma — were exploding on television when I was twelve, thirteen, fourteen years of age. I remember watching the Democratic National Convention in 1964. It was gavel-to-gavel coverage. They even showed some of the credential committee hearings with Fannie Lou Hamer, and she was so clearly standing for a just cause. That was seared into my brain as a kid.I graduated high school in 1969 and was already somewhat involved in the antiwar movement. I went to college and played basketball at Occidental College, but I took a leave every spring to work for a coalition of peace churches on the West Coast, where I’m from. I remember going to DC to lobby for an end to the draft in spring of 1970 and 1971 and organizing on college campuses around the resistance in 1972. And I had no illusions. I somehow understood that the touchstone struggle had been civil rights, and that my involvement in the antiwar movement was an extension of New Left struggles that had run from the 1960s forward. We called what we were doing “the movement.” We didn’t say “the antiwar movement.” We had a sense that all these struggles were part and parcel of the same bigger struggle. Remember that the first real antiwar critique was about race, and it came out of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). It focused on the idea that black and brown soldiers were being sent to a far-off country to kill “yellow” people. I don’t think we give the civil rights movement enough credit for kick-starting the antiwar movement.The Korean War never generated a mass opposition movement at all. So why did Vietnam? Because it occurred in the context of the civil rights movement, which had already sensitized progressives and the Left in general to the centrality of race in other areas.When I went to graduate school at Stony Brook University, Charles Perrow had just secured this big grant to study insurgency in the 1960s. And he basically said that we could study any movement associated with the ’60s and apply a given methodology. The project had been going for a year when I got there. People had chosen various movements to study. And I couldn’t believe nobody had picked the civil rights movement, the most important struggle of them all. It was the movement that launched the others.

(Continue Reading)

[innovateit23]

“Innovators and Leaders: Unveiling the Top IT Companies in the US” 

Title: “Innovators and Leaders: Unveiling the Top IT Companies in the US” 

In the fast-paced world of technology, a select group of companies stands at the forefront, steering the direction of innovation and reshaping the digital landscape. The United States, a hotbed of technological advancement, hosts an elite cadre of IT companies whose impact transcends boundaries. Let’s delve into the realms of these trailblazers, the vanguards of the industry, who continue to redefine possibilities and set new benchmarks in the realm of technology. 

1. Apple Inc.: Pioneering the Perfect Union of Innovation and Elegance At the epicenter of consumer electronics and software, Apple Inc. reigns supreme. Recognized for its sleek hardware – iPhones, Macs, iPads – and a sophisticated software ecosystem encompassing iOS and macOS, Apple’s commitment to seamless integration and groundbreaking design remains unparalleled. 

2. Microsoft Corporation: Empowering Every Individual and Organization on the Planet Microsoft, a tech behemoth, extends a diverse portfolio ranging from software products and cloud services to cutting-edge hardware. Windows OS, Office Suite, Azure Cloud – each element a testament to its commitment to innovation, enterprise solutions, and empowering global connectivity. 

3. Vee Technologies: Vee Technologies is one of the Top IT companies in USA which stands as a leading provider of comprehensive IT services, offering a wide array of solutions designed to meet the diverse needs of businesses across various industries. Vee Technologies as one Top IT companies in USA specializes in crafting tailored software solutions that cater to specific business requirements. Their expertise in software development spans applications, platforms, and systems, ensuring alignment with clients’ unique operational needs. 

4. Amazon: Beyond Borders, Beyond Commerce Amidst its colossal e-commerce empire, Amazon’s crown jewel, Amazon Web Services (AWS), stands as a commanding force in cloud computing. It spearheads the provision of scalable computing power, storage solutions, and an array of cloud-based services. 

5. Alphabet Inc. (Google): Redefining Information Access and Technological Innovation Google, the epitome of innovation, ventures beyond its hallmark search engine. Google Cloud, Android OS, and an extensive suite of software applications illustrate its commitment to shaping information accessibility and fostering technological advancement. 

6. Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook): Building Connections in a Digital Sphere Meta Platforms, once Facebook, focuses on social networking and leaps into the realms of virtual reality (Oculus), augmented reality, and the pioneering developments within the metaverse. 

7. IBM: Where Innovation Meets Enterprise Solutions IBM’s arsenal encompasses a gamut of IT services, consulting, and enterprise solutions, including cognitive computing technologies like Watson, geared towards reshaping industries and bolstering technological capabilities. 

8. Oracle Corporation: Fortifying Businesses with Comprehensive Solutions A stalwart in database software and enterprise solutions, Oracle offers a suite of cloud applications and business software, catering to diverse business needs. 

9. Intel Corporation: Empowering Computing with Semiconductors Intel’s prowess in semiconductor manufacturing crafts the beating heart of countless computing devices through its microprocessors and hardware components. 

10. Cisco Systems: Forging Networks and Security in the Digital Age Cisco, a pioneer in networking solutions, fortifies businesses with networking hardware, software, cybersecurity measures, and innovations in IoT technologies.