#Collaborative group assessment

[ctbraininjurysupportservice-blog]

Brain Injury Day Groups: Beneficial to Healthcare Agencies or Harming Clients?

This article explores the potential benefits and drawbacks of brain injury day groups for managing and rehabilitating individuals with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), while also assessing their impact on healthcare agencies and clients. While day groups can offer cost-effective and streamlined care, they may overlook individual needs and cause harm, necessitating a delicate balance between group-based care and individualized support. This article delves into these issues and highlights the importance of considering each client's unique needs to ensure optimal rehabilitation outcomes.

ABI Resources is a reputable organization that provides exceptional support to individuals and families in collaboration with various government agencies and community service providers, including the Connecticut Department of Social Services DSS, COU Community Options, the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services DMHAS, Connecticut Community Care CCC CCCI Southwestern Connecticut Area on Aging SWCAA, Western Connecticut Area on Aging WCAAA, Allied Community Resources ACR, Access Health, and United Services. ABI Resources collaborates care with renowned institutions such as UCONN, Yale, and Hartford. As a community care and supported living provider, ABI Resources is dedicated to offering high-quality and personalized care to enhance the lives of those it serves. Medicaid MFP Money Follows the person program / ABI Waiver Program / PCA waiver.

https://twitter.com/ABIresources

[kleopatra45]

Sun in the Houses [Solar Return]

In astrology, the Solar Return chart is a powerful tool used to predict the themes and events for the upcoming year. The Solar Return chart is cast for the exact moment when the Sun returns to its natal position each year. The house in which the Sun falls in the Solar Return chart is particularly significant, as it highlights the main focus and areas of emphasis for the year.

Sun in the 1st House

When the Sun is in the 1st house of the Solar Return chart, the focus for the year is on self-expression, personal development, and identity. This can be a year of significant personal growth, new beginnings, and increased confidence. You may feel more assertive and eager to take on new challenges.

Sun in the 2nd House

With the Sun in the 2nd house, the emphasis is on finances, values, and personal resources. This year may bring opportunities to improve your financial situation, increase your income, or make important purchases. It's also a time to assess your values and what you truly consider important.

Sun in the 3rd House

The Sun in the 3rd house highlights communication, learning, and local community. This can be a busy year filled with social interactions, short trips, and intellectual pursuits. You may find yourself more involved in writing, teaching, or engaging in various forms of communication.

Sun in the 4th House

When the Sun is in the 4th house, the focus shifts to home, family, and personal foundations. This year may bring changes or developments in your home environment or family dynamics. It’s a good time to focus on your roots, secure your base, and nurture your emotional well-being.

Sun in the 5th House

With the Sun in the 5th house, the year is marked by creativity, romance, and personal enjoyment. This is a time to express yourself through creative activities, enjoy hobbies, and indulge in leisure pursuits. Romantic relationships and interactions with children may also be highlighted.

Sun in the 6th House

The Sun in the 6th house emphasizes work, health, and daily routines. This year you may find yourself more focused on your job, improving your health, and organizing your daily life. It's a good time to establish healthier habits and streamline your work processes.

Sun in the 7th House

When the Sun is in the 7th house, partnerships and relationships are at the forefront. This year may bring significant developments in your personal or business relationships. You may form new partnerships, strengthen existing ones, or experience important changes in your interpersonal dynamics.

Sun in the 8th House

The Sun in the 8th house brings focus to transformation, shared resources, and deeper psychological issues. This can be a year of profound change, where you confront and release old patterns. Financial matters involving shared resources or investments may also be significant.

Sun in the 9th House

With the Sun in the 9th house, the emphasis is on expansion, higher learning, and exploration. This year may bring opportunities for travel, pursuing higher education, or exploring new philosophies and belief systems. It's a time to broaden your horizons and seek new experiences.

Sun in the 10th House

The Sun in the 10th house highlights career, public image, and personal achievements. This can be a year of professional advancement, recognition, and increased responsibilities. You may set ambitious goals and work hard to achieve them, gaining visibility and respect in your field.

Sun in the 11th House

When the Sun is in the 11th house, the focus is on friendships, social networks, and long-term goals. This year you may become more involved in group activities, organizations, or causes that are important to you. It's a good time to network, collaborate, and pursue your aspirations.

Sun in the 12th House

With the Sun in the 12th house, the emphasis is on introspection, spirituality, and retreat. This can be a year of inner growth, healing, and releasing what no longer serves you. You may feel drawn to solitude, meditation, or exploring the subconscious mind. It's a time for reflection and preparing for new beginnings.

©️kleopatra45

[zvaigzdelasas]

[Dawn is Pakistani Private Media]

The heinous killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh risks tipping the Middle East into “wider conflict”, the chair of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) told a meeting on Wednesday.

The comments from Gambian Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara came as a senior Iranian official said during the meeting that the Islamic republic would need to defend itself from Israel, which it blames for Haniyeh’s death last week in Tehran.

Iranian and Palestinian officials called for Wed­nesday’s gathering of the 57-member OIC in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah, saying the body needed to respond to the killing of the Hamas leader.[...]

Haniyeh’s killing “will not quell the Palestinian cause but rather it amplifies it, underscoring the urgency for justice and human rights for the Pales­tinian people”, [Tangara] said. “The sovereignty and territorial integrity of nation states are fundamental principles underpinning the international order.

“Respecting these principles has profound implications and their violation equally carries significant consequences.”[...]

“Currently, in the absence of any appropriate action by the (UN) Security Council against the aggressions and violations of the Israeli regime, the Islamic Republic of Iran has no choice but to use its inherent right to legitimate defence against the aggressions of this regime,” Ali Bagheri, Iran’s acting foreign minister, told the OIC.

[NewStraitsTimes is Malaysian Private Media]

Malaysia has proposed four key measures to support the Palestinian cause, including the establishment of a group of eminent persons tasked with assessing and identifying measures to implement the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) Advisory Opinion.[...]

He said the measures emphasised the need to expand global support for Palestine, leveraging the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) rulings and the unity achieved by Palestinian factions through the Beijing Declaration.

"Such measures should focus on universal jurisdiction and ensure the consistent application of international law," he stated during the meeting in Jeddah, yesterday.

Second, Malaysia called for the reinstatement of the United Nations Special Committee Against Apartheid.

The primary task of this committee would be to halt the illegal occupation of Palestinian Territories (OPT) by Israel and to address the apartheid policies imposed on Palestinians, he added.

Third, Malaysia proposed that the OIC, in collaboration with like-minded countries, request a resumed session of the 10th Emergency Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on the Issue of Palestine.

"This suggestion is to discuss the means and ways to implement or "give effect" to the ICJ's Advisory Opinion.

"Finally, we should extend our undivided support and fully assist, in the rebuilding of the Palestinian economy and livelihood post-conflict. This is a key step that would ease their return to normalcy," Mohamad said.

Following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, who also led Hamas' political bureau, Malaysia called for a concerted effort to counter Israeli propaganda and misinformation.

"Malaysia has always been a strong advocate for peace and stability. As much as we condemn the assassination, we urge all parties to restraint, to avoid escalating the situation into a regional and global crisis.

"The attack in Tehran could well be an attempt to derail the ongoing peace negotiations in the Middle East.

"We should not fall into their trap. Cool heads must prevail. We should support the continuation of the peace process to be resolved at the negotiating table. Diplomacy is the way to go," he noted.[...]

According to [Turkish State Media] Anadolu Agency (AA), the world body also urged the UN Security Council (UNSC) to impose an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire on Israeli aggression and "ensure adequate and sustainable access to humanitarian aid throughout Gaza Strip."

7 Aug 24

[gatheringbones]

[“Such groups suffer from a syndrome I call empowerment to the midline. We dedicate ourselves to empowering individuals, right up until the moment when someone actually begins to exercise power — defined simply as the ability to get what they want done. At that point, it’s as if they’ve stepped over an invisible line that separates the oppressed from the oppressors. Suddenly this person we’ve worked so hard to help find a voice becomes the person everyone wants to speak out against.

I also call this pattern empowerment to complain. We focus our nurturing and attention on anyone who takes the position of victim and complains about leadership. Anyone who takes action or sets direction is suspect. Unfortunately, this sort of empowerment is not very empowering. Nobody gets what they want, and often little or nothing gets done.

True empowerment implies action. Complaining is not enough. Taking action means taking responsibility — suggesting, offering solutions and doing the work to implement them. But in a group suffering from the empowerment to the midline syndrome, there’s no zone of action, no autonomy, no scope for creativity. The group may have done away with the inequalities of leaders and followers, of some people being the stars and others relegated to mere extras. But they’ve done so by preventing anyone from having the power to act.

Here are some of unspoken assumptions behind the empowerment to the midline syndrome in progressive and collaborative groups.

1. People who have extraordinary skills, experience, levels of commitment or other resources or who take on big responsibilities — call them leaders — are always suspect. They are fair game for attack. The result is that no one feels truly safe in the group. There is no trust. No one is able to train, to mentor or pass on skills.

2. Leaders should never receive extra benefits, perks or rewards beyond the joy of the work itself, or they are exploiting others. In collaborative groups, we are often reacting against a larger system of hierarchy, in which higher levels of responsibility confer marks of status and collateral powers. We don’t want to reproduce that sort of inequality. But we do want to allow people to earn fair rewards for their labors, marks of appreciation and respect. If a group continually sees its most experienced people drifting away or burning out, it may be a warning sign that this pattern is in force.

3. We must always sacrifice the needs, benefits and rewards of insiders to the needs of outsiders. Empowerment means always siding with the perceived victim or underdog. The group functions on power-under — people get their way by taking the position of victim. They gain social power, not by taking on responsibility, but by complaining about those who do. The complainers are not truly empowered to act, and those who do take action are undermined.

4. We refuse to acknowledge that people might have different levels of skill, experience, talent, commitment or responsibility, because to do so might affirm a hierarchy. The group is unable to make use of its members’ skills and talents. We can’t mentor and critique each other, we can’t assess what skills and forms of responsibility are needed or are operative in a group and we can’t set standards or hold one another accountable for meeting them.”]

starhawk, from the empowerment manual: a guide for collaborative groups, 2011

[rei-ismyname]

Summers Protocols

I know I'm not alone on this - I could read an entire Guide to the Marvel Universe Omnibus-type collection of Summers Protocols for every conceivable threat in existence, especially if it's written by someone with as much wit and attention to detail as Kieron Gillen. Al Ewing would be perfect, his lore knowledge is 👌👌👌.

The footnotes full of Easter eggs and dry humour, the implications behind the two listed appendices especially the 05 references and his groupings of different types of assets and threats (I wonder if the appropriate Mutants are aware they're grouped as ANGELS and ICEMEN? It'd make commanding large groups much easier.) The Xavier files (Chuck's protocols for taking down each of the X-Men) were only scandalous at the time because he was so secretive about it - this is much more impressive and almost certainly has a section of similar content. After all, superbeings get mind controlled, mesmerized, bodyjacked etc quite frequently. It'd be foolish not to.

I think it captures Scott's personality well too. Maybe there's a fic out there that explores the concept. There's been dull small scope releases in a broadly similar sphere - a SHIELD file and threat assessment on each of the 198 written by Val fucking Cooper comes to mind, but that was dry and humourless as shown above. Maybe that ship has sailed - Krakoa was the time to do it. Scott still definitely has files like this, but the collaboration and stakes that comes with being Captain Commander of a nation would be both framing device and source of drama/humor.

[coochiequeens]

Anthropologists just proved what every women already knows

For most people around the world, physical work takes up a great amount of time and energy every day. But what determines whether it is men or women who are working harder in households? In most hunter-gatherer societies, men are the hunters and women are the gatherers – with men seemingly walking the furthest. But what’s the labour breakdown in other societies?

We carried out a study of farming and herding groups in the Tibetan borderlands in rural China – an area with huge cultural diversity – to uncover which factors actually determine who works the hardest in a household, and why. Our results, published in Current Biology, shed light on the gender division of work across many different kinds of society.

The majority of adults across the world are married. Marriage is a contract, so one might expect roughly equal costs and benefits from the union for both parties. But unequal bargaining power in a household – such as one person threatening divorce – can lead to unequal contributions to the partnership. 

Leaving home

We decided to test the hypothesis that leaving your natal area after heterosexual marriage to live with your spouse’s family may contribute to a higher level of workload. In such marriages, the new person typically isn’t related to, and doesn’t share a history with, anyone in their new household. Without blood relatives around them, they might therefore be at a disadvantage when it comes to bargaining power.

The most common form of marriage around the world is where women are the “dispersers”, leaving their native home, while men stay with their families in their natal area. This is known as patrilocality. 

Neolocality – in which both sexes disperse at marriage, and the couple lives in a new place away from both their families – is another common practice in many parts of the world. Matrilocality  – where women stay in the natal family and men move to live with the wife and her family – is quite rare. And duolocality – where neither sex leaves home and husband and wife live apart – is very rarely seen. 

Luckily, in the diverse Tibetan borderlands, all four of these different dispersal patterns can be found across various different ethnic groups.

Our study focused on rural villages from six different ethnic cultures. With our collaborators from Lanzhou University in China, we interviewed more than 500 people about their dispersal status after marriage, and invited them to wear an activity tracker (like a fitbit) to assess their workloads.

Women work harder

Our first finding was that women worked much harder than men, and contributed most of the fruits of this labour to their families. This was evidenced both by their own reports of how much they worked and by their activity trackers. 

Women walked on average just over 12,000 steps per day, while men walked just over 9,000 steps. So men also worked hard, but less so than women. They spent more time in leisure or social activities, or just hanging around and resting.

This may be partly because women are, on average, physically weaker than men, and may thus have reduced bargaining power. But we also found that individuals (be they male or female) who disperse at marriage to live away from their kin have higher workloads than those who stay with their natal families. 

So if you are female and move away from home at marriage (as most women do throughout the world), you suffer not just in terms of missing your own family but also in terms of workload. When both sexes disperse and no one lives with their natal families, both sexes work hard (as there is little help from kin) – but the woman still works harder. According to our study, perfect sex equality in workload only occurs in instances where men disperse and women do not. 

These results help us to understand why women globally disperse, but men generally do not. Dispersal is especially bad for men – adding about 2,000 more steps per day to their step count, but only adding about 1,000 steps per day for women.

Time and energy spent on farming, herding and housework competes with free time. So substantial labour contribution to households in these rural areas can result in less time spent on rest. From an evolutionary view, giving up rest isn’t favourable unless it contributes to higher fitness – such as enhancing offspring survival.

We don’t actually know whether it is favourable in this case, as it hasn’t been researched much. It may be true in poor and rural areas around the world, but less so in wealthier settings.

In most urban areas, for example, an inactive lifestyle is becoming more pervasive. And research has shown that sedentary lifestyles in such areas among white-collar workers are becoming a significant public health issue. They are linked to many chronic health conditions such as obesity, infertility, and several mental health disorders. 

Sex inequality in workload persists both in the home and outside. Now our study has given an evolutionary perspective on why women are more likely than men to be bearing a heavy work burden. 

But things are slowly changing. As women are increasingly starting families away from both their partner’s and their own family, their bargaining power is increasing. This is further boosted by their increasing levels of self-generated wealth, education and autonomy. Ultimately, these changes are leading men to take on an increasing workload in many urban, industrial or post-industrial societies.

[nataliesfirefly]

chapter 1 - new year, same rivalry

a/n: hello! i’m back finally! super excited for this series, it’s definitely going to be more wholesome than my other one, and more of a slow burn! my plan is to have ten chapters, but that could change later on.. anyways enjoy and please tell me what you think! if you would like to be put on the series taglist, let me know! ♥️

chapter warnings: slight language

wc: 3.8k

series masterlist

“Welcome, year twelves. It’s lovely to see you all today, I recognize some familiar faces. My name is Mrs. Chasteen, I’ll be your teacher for English studies this year.” You set your bag down and take a seat, glancing up at the woman speaking. She’s very elegant, with her grey hair pulled into a strict bun and sophisticated tiny rectangle glasses resting on the bridge of her nose. You smooth out your black pleated skirt before crossing your legs.

“As I’m sure you all know, this year is very important. You should be considering which universities you wish to apply to, how you would like to further your education…” Your attention is side tracked when a tall figure hurries into the room, his dark eyes scanning for an open seat. You swear your heart drops to your stomach. Farleigh.

His eyes eventually fall onto you after spotting the empty seat next to you. He reluctantly walks over and sits down next to you with a big sigh, like he’s just put off by your existence. At least the feeling’s mutual.

“Your grades need to be in top shape this year, as they will determine your chances of getting into university. This year is arguably the most important for grades,” Mrs. Chasteen explains, pacing around slowly. You shift uncomfortably, scooting away from Farleigh. It’s like he’s trying to take up space on purpose as he splays his books and papers across the table. You shoot him an ungrateful look which he ignores.

“Now, enough about all that. I’m going to introduce the book that we will be studying closely this term.” You perk up at her words as she goes to her desk, picking a book up off the surface.

“This book is found on many, many reading lists for universities, namely Oxford.” You raise an eyebrow and sit up at the mention of your dream school. “A classic from the Victiorian era: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë.” She holds up the book briefly and you let out a relieved sigh. “One of my personal favorites,” She adds quietly, setting the book back down.

Farleigh nudges you with his shoulder and you have to stop yourself from physically recoiling. “Would’ve thought you’d already read this by now,” He mutters with a slight smirk on his face, showing his teeth like a fox. Suddenly, a question enters your mind and now you have to ask, though you might come off as insecure. “Have you?” You whisper back, eyebrows furrowed. He shakes his head. “No.”

Okay, good. That would have been bad if he had already read it. It’s always nice at the start of the year. You’re both even, and no one’s ahead of each other in anything. Yet.

“We’ll be discussing and taking assessments over the chapters, so be certain to keep up with your reading. For your final project before winter break once we finish the book, you will be writing an essay based off of it and a prompt that I will give you. I will also be pairing you up with someone to collaboratively write said paper with.” Your eyes widen at this. A group project? Well, not a group. A duo. Nevertheless, it’s weird for two people to write an essay together. You’ve never heard of it.

“You need to learn how to critique each other and work together. It’s an important skill for uni.” Mrs. Chasteen seems to notice everyone’s looks of confusion. “Hmm,” Farleigh hums. You glance over to him shortly before observing the other students in your class. You recognize a lot of them. Just accquaintances, not friends.

“Anywho. Please come and grab a copy, then sign the sheet so I know you received one.” You quickly stand up and head over to her desk. You want to make a good first impression. But Farleigh and his stupid long legs make it there before you do, charming Mrs. Chasteen with a bright smile.

“Hello. I’m Farleigh. I’m absolutely thrilled to be taking your class,” He holds out his hand, speaking with his velvety voice while your teacher shakes his hand with a curt nod. “You’re quite tall,” She remarks with an impressed expression. You roll your eyes. Why does everyone feel the need to comment on his height? Does it make him better than everyone else? It’s just one more thing that makes Farleigh stand out more than you, and you hate that. You miss what he responds with due to your bitter thoughts.

“Please, take a book.” She steps back and gives him more space. He reaches down and takes a copy off of her desk, signing the paper shortly after with his free hand, writing in flawless cursive. You’re envious of how smoothly and quickly he can connect the letters. It looks like something out of a scroll from the eighteenth century.

“Oh, wonderful cursive,” Mrs. Chasteen clasps her hands together in approval and Farleigh just glances at you with a shit-eating grin before walking off and back to your shared table.

“Hi there,” You put on your best I’m very high achieving and hard working smile and mimic Farleigh’s actions, holding out your hand as you introduce yourself. She smiles back warmly while shaking your hand. “What a beautiful name. I’ve heard many great things about you from your previous teachers.” She almost lowers her voice. You feel your face heat up and you try not to show your pride.

“Oh, well then, I hope I live up to your expectations, miss.” You say with a beaming smile. She chuckles and hands you a book. “I’m certain you will,” She replies as you sign your name on the sheet of paper in slightly sloppier cursive, looking worse underneath Farleigh’s perfect signature.

You walk back to your spot with a spring in your step, holding your head high. Hearing just those few words from your new teacher’s mouth made your day. That’s how badly you crave academic validation. Or just… validation in general.

“You hear that?” You ask, returning his grin from earlier. “Hear what?” He asks, raising an eyebrow and turning to you with a confused expression. “Nevermind.” You don’t know why you thought he would’ve heard your conversation from all the way over here. “Mmm,” He hums in response, and there’s some attitude in his tone. You debate whether you should come up with a snarky question to ask him, but you decide against it.

Once all the books are handed out, Mrs. Chasteen walks up to the whiteboard and uncaps a marker. “So, can anyone tell me something interesting about Emily Brontë?” She asks.

Both of your hands shoot up at the same time. You mentally curse at Farleigh and shoot him an annoyed side glance. He returns the favor. Mrs. Chasteen notices this and raises her eyebrows. “Eager to answer, are we?” She chuckles and then looks around. “Anyone else?”

You glance around the room. No one else is raising their hands, they’re all just looking expectantly at you and Farleigh. You look back to your teacher with wide eyes, willing her to pick you.

“Alright then..” Mrs. Chasteen clears her throat. Her eyes land on you. She’s going to pick you. Yes. Now you can prove your intelligence and superiority to the rest of the class, and to Farleigh.

“Farleigh.” Your hand drops back down to your side in defeat and he turns to look at you. He just winks. He winks. The annoying fuck, you could probably strangle him right now-

“Well, Emily wasn’t the only poet and writer in her family. Her sister, Charlotte, wrote Jane Eyre, which was hugely successful. But Wuthering Heights was critiqued for being too clumsy or, rather, not well structured.” He explains, sounding like a fucking Britannica article. It was the exact thing you were going to say, and it pisses you off. You rest your elbows against the desk and put your chin in your hands, sighing dejectedly.

Mrs. Chasteen nods and writes this on the board, summing up the information into bullet points. “Correct. Very good.” She caps the marker again and turns back to the class. You raise your hand quickly, and she calls your name.

“I think Farleigh’s forgetting to mention Anne Brontë. She was probably the least popular out of the three sisters, but her works are seriously underrated. Her last novel, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, was one of the first feminist novels. She paved the way for other female authors and gave women a voice.” You explain, and Mrs. Chasteen looks surprised at your level of knowledge. You can feel Farleigh’s bristling energy next to you. You smile contentedly, watching as your teacher writes what you said about Anne off to the side.

“And have you read this book?” Farleigh suddenly asks. You turn to face him, unafraid of his challenging. “No, I have not. But I did a project over the Brontë sisters last year, and my research went quite in depth.” You explain, and he does one of those Olympic winning eyerolls. “Having extra information like that comes in handy, you know,” You grin as his eyebrows furrow, glaring sharply at you. “It’s not like it matters. We’re not even talking about Anne. She asked about Emily.” It seems like you two have forgotten completely about the rest of the students in the room, the teacher, and everything else in the world as you begin to argue. It just comes naturally.

“If I’m not mistaken, you mentioned Charlotte. She asked about Emily,” You mock him. He opens his mouth to say something back, then closes it and looks down.

“Alright.. anywho, now we’re going to read a short introduction to the book to give you all an idea of what you’re getting into.” Mrs. Chasteen explains, giving you and Farleigh a stern look.

Throughout the rest of the class, you and Farleigh remain silent and refuse to speak to each other, though you were instructed to discuss with the person next to you. You look out the stained glass window, watching the raindrops patter onto the cobblestone, the puddles illuminated by the golden light shining from the lanterns, the chatter around you drowned out by your own thoughts about the rest of today.

Your overthinking is interrupted by your teacher’s voice.

“Okay everyone, that’s it for today. I will see you all tomorrow. Could you two stay for a moment, please?” She turns to you and Farleigh as you’re gathering your things, gesturing for you two to come up to her desk. You both glance at each other before nodding and heading over after you’ve swung your bag over your shoulder.

“So… you two seem very.. competitive. You’re both very intelligent, make no mistake.” You wonder where she’s going with this. “Which makes me curious– May I ask which universities you two intend on applying to?”

“Oxford.” You both say at the same time, after which you immediately turn to each other with wide eyes. What? No. It can’t be. You’re seriously fucked if he applies to Oxford. They rarely ever take two people from the same school.

“You’re applying to Oxford?!” You both ask, once again, at the same time. He looks almost personally offended by you, with his upper lip pulled up and his eyebrows knitted together in a familiar scowl.

“Oh- Haha, well. What a coincidence,” Mrs. Chasteen chuckles nervously, glancing back and forth. “I went to Oxford. It was quite lovely there, and the professors–”

“No, you can’t. I’m applying to Oxford.” You point at yourself, and he scoffs. “Who says I can’t?” Farleigh asks, his voice dripping with sass. “Me.” You reply. He rolls his eyes and facepalms with exasperation.

“Well, the chances of you both getting in aren’t… impossible. If they see two exceptionally good students who are at the top of their class, they won’t mind if you’re from the same school. They only see the talent,” She goes on to explain, trying to stop an argument from breaking out again.

“Logically, they would pick the top student, though. Not students,” You emphasize the s at the end of students. Mrs. Chasteen continues. “You never know. And backup universities are a great option, if–”

“I appreciate the suggestion, but I’ll only be applying to Oxford. It’s Oxford or nothing,” You reply, your voice full of determination. “Me too. Oxford’s been my dream uni since I moved here from the states,” Farleigh adds. You turn to glare at him and he glares right back.

“Well then. That’s fine, just please try not to take up any more class time with your bickering.” She raises her eyebrows at you two. You nod. “Yes, miss.”

“And who knows,” She says, pushing her glasses back up to the bridge of her nose, “You two might work better together. Two smart brains are better than one,” You shudder at the word together. You and Farleigh working together? Absolutely not.

“Think about it.” She points a finger and you reluctantly nod, just to give her some temporary satisfaction. “You’re excused,” She dips her head and you hear Farleigh let out a little sigh of relief. “Thank you, miss. Have a good day,” He nods shortly to her before turning on his heel and heading for the door. You follow suit.

Shit. You forgot about the rain. Before English class, you had made it inside before the downpour had really started. Now the raindrops covered every inch of the ground. You have to cross the courtyard to get to your next class, which is in the west wing of the school. You awkwardly stand in the arched corridor, listening to the rain, slightly shivering as you try to make a decision. The weather is always bipolar in London. It’s September, and the other day it was sweltering. Now it’s freezing and rainy.

Farleigh turns around and raises an eyebrow at your hesitation. “What are you doing?” He asks. You glance down. He’s holding a black umbrella. How is he always prepared for everything?

“Well I don’t have an… umbrella,” You mumble, gesturing to the one in his hand. “Am I supposed to care?” He replies. Of course. Why did you think he would care?

“You asked me what I was doing,” You throw your hands up. “I was answering your question!” You exclaim angrily. He rolls his eyes. “What’s your next class?” He asks hesitantly.

You pull out the small yet important paper from your pocket with your classes on it, looking down and squinting. “Biology,” You reply, looking up and watching all the other students bustling around, chatting excitedly or holding umbrellas over their head as they walk through the courtyard. You look back to Farleigh, who seems to be thinking something over in his head.

“Alright, c’mon.” He nods to you, walking out into the open area, holding up the umbrella. You step forward without questioning it, just thankful for the rare act of kindness. “I’m headed to the west wing anyway,” He says as you walk side by side, as if he has to make it clear that this is not him being generous to you. It’s simply convenient.

You wish you didn’t have to stay so close to him, but if you want to be covered fully from the rain, you sort of have to get closer to him, your head brushing against his shoulder due to your almost embarrassing height difference and your feet almost tripping over his. You both remain silent, with only the sound of the rain pelting against the umbrella to keep you company.

You eventually reach the west corridor, and he’s quickly stepping away from you and wrapping up the umbrella. You begin walking to go find your class, before you hear his voice call after you.

“No ‘thank you’ or anything?” He asks. You turn around and groan internally. “...Thank you.” You respond, very reluctantly and quietly. “You’re welcome,” He smiles sarcastically and you roll your eyes before turning back around, quickening your pace to make it to your class on time.

A week later, your first calculus assessment of the year is already upon you. It doesn’t help that you share that class, of all classes, with Farleigh. Math has always been your most difficult subject. You’ve never been quick to understand it, it never comes naturally for you. But if you put in the time and work, you can make it seem like it’s effortless.

Apparently for Farleigh, it is effortless. He makes it clear that he never studies for tests or quizzes. While it infuriates you, you also find it hard to believe. How can he ace everything when he claims he doesn’t even try?

You sit down at your desk, fishing your pencil and calculator out from your bag. You nervously chew on the eraser, waiting for the papers to be passed out.

“First assessment of the year, good luck everyone. If you fail, there will be no corrections, so hopefully that makes you feel better,” Mr. Bailey says as he passes out the tests. His sarcasm somehow only makes the situation worse. You spent hours studying for this last evening, although he claimed this was all ‘mostly a review’ from your precalculus class last year. Right. Review. You should know this stuff by now.

As soon as the paper is on your desk, you begin working, starting with the problems you know how to solve. You get in that zone, completely unbothered by your surroundings or any distractions, just working, switching between writing down numbers and formulas to typing into the calculator.

You get stumped on a question and glance up to check the time. Your eyes wander from the clock over to Farleigh, who seems completely relaxed, one hand running through his hair and fiddling with his dark curls and the other working a problem out.

“Eyes on your own tests, please,” Mr. Bailey sternly calls out. Your eyes dart over to him, where he sits behind his desk, his gaze directly upon you. Fuck. Now he’s going to think you were cheating. But what were you actually doing? Staring at Farleigh? No. You were just… observing. You go back to your test, flipping the paper over to start the graphing section.

“That’s time. Pencils down, I’ll come by to pick up your papers.” Mr. Bailey announces, standing up and starting down the rows of desks and picking up everyone’s tests. He says something to Farleigh but you can’t make it out, but you see Farleigh grin. It seems that Mr. Bailey has already chosen his favorite student. You never even stood a chance.

Once he makes it to your row and picks up your test, you begin to pack up your things. “I’ll have these graded by tomorrow. Please don’t complain to me if you fail. That’s on you.” You scoff quietly at your teacher’s harsh remarks as you make your way to the door. Thank God that was your last class of the day. Now you can head back to your dorm.

Farleigh falls into step next to you. “So, how’d that go for you?” You stare straight ahead, focusing on the path ahead of you. “Good. Honestly, it was easier than I expected.” You reply. It’s half truth. It was slightly easier than you were preparing yourself for, but you usually prepare yourself for the worst. But you can’t let him know that you still struggled.

“Really. Hmm,” He hums, and you glare up at him. “What?” You study his expression. He must think you’re lying, based on his little smirk and raised eyebrows. “Nothing. It’s just… we both know math is not your strong suit,” He pauses and you stop next to him. “Okay, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be good at it.” You scowl up at him and he just grins.

“Unlike you, I actually study.” You continue walking, hoping he’ll leave you alone, but he follows you. “Aw, you actually need to study? Sad.” He pouts and you actually feel the urge to strangle him.

You turn around abruptly and he stops in his tracks. “Alright. Lovely talking with you. Bye!” You wave with a fake smile. Farleigh looks a bit surprised by your reaction. There’s only so much of his insults you can take.

“Bye,” He quietly mutters as you turn back around, walking quicker and more determined, putting some confidence into your step.

You groan and flop onto your bed once you enter your dorm. Suddenly, you realize how sleepy you are as your eyelids feel heavy You cover your face with a pillow and sigh, wishing you could rest. It sounds wonderful. But you have work to do. Reading, studying, the list goes on.

You chose this boarding school because you heard it was most similar to the Oxford experience, campus wise. It was also named the most prestigious secondary school in London. You often become very homesick, though, and you long for the comfort of your parents and your real home. At least it’s preparing you for university.

You groan once again into the pillow before sitting up and pushing the idea of sleep away. It’s time to get to work.

The next day, you wait to get your calculus test back. Mr. Bailey is handing them out while you overthink and prepare yourself for a failing grade. What would you do if you actually failed? You think you would rather be pushed off of a tall building than receive an F on a test.

Suddenly, a paper lands on your desk. You quickly glance down and see ‘97.5’ written in red ink at the top of the paper. Your eyes widen and you feel relief wash over you. Thank the Lord. You grin and pick up your test, inspecting it closer and going over your errors.

You hear someone coming up behind you. You quickly flip your paper over, hiding the grade from whoever is lurking over your shoulder. But it’s too late.

“Not bad…” A deep, American voice chuckles quietly. You turn around in your chair, and to no surprise, Farleigh is standing there with his arms crossed. He’s already seen your grade.

“Stop looking at my grades,” You hiss. “Relax, I was just curious.” He smirks at your frustration and holds up his own test. You see a ‘98’ scrawled up at the top along with a ‘good job’ next to it. You huff in response, turning back around.

“That’s not even much better than mine,” You mutter. “What’s that?” He asks, leaning over your shoulder, his breath ghosting over your neck. You shiver and remain silent, unable to repeat yourself for some reason.

“Sorry, who got the better grade?” Farleigh questions, his voice lowered. You let out a small sigh, ready to admit your defeat. “You.” You reply quietly.

“Right.” And then he’s gone, probably heading back to his own desk. What a bitch. You roll your eyes and pinch the space between your eyes, shaking your head. Yeah, he got .5 more points than you, and it doesn’t seem like much. But for Farleigh, it’s a huge win. But you’ll get him back. You always do. And you’re going to be the one who makes it into Oxford, you are sure of it.

[mariacallous]

At the 2023 Defcon hacker conference in Las Vegas, prominent AI tech companies partnered with algorithmic integrity and transparency groups to sic thousands of attendees on generative AI platforms and find weaknesses in these critical systems. This “red-teaming” exercise, which also had support from the US government, took a step in opening these increasingly influential yet opaque systems to scrutiny. Now, the ethical AI and algorithmic assessment nonprofit Humane Intelligence is taking this model one step further. On Wednesday, the group announced a call for participation with the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, inviting any US resident to participate in the qualifying round of a nationwide red-teaming effort to evaluate AI office productivity software.

The qualifier will take place online and is open to both developers and anyone in the general public as part of NIST's AI challenges, known as Assessing Risks and Impacts of AI, or ARIA. Participants who pass through the qualifying round will take part in an in-person red-teaming event at the end of October at the Conference on Applied Machine Learning in Information Security (CAMLIS) in Virginia. The goal is to expand capabilities for conducting rigorous testing of the security, resilience, and ethics of generative AI technologies.

“The average person utilizing one of these models doesn’t really have the ability to determine whether or not the model is fit for purpose,” says Theo Skeadas, chief of staff at Humane Intelligence. “So we want to democratize the ability to conduct evaluations and make sure everyone using these models can assess for themselves whether or not the model is meeting their needs.”

The final event at CAMLIS will split the participants into a red team trying to attack the AI systems and a blue team working on defense. Participants will use the AI 600-1 profile, part of NIST's AI risk management framework, as a rubric for measuring whether the red team is able to produce outcomes that violate the systems' expected behavior.

“NIST's ARIA is drawing on structured user feedback to understand real-world applications of AI models,” says Humane Intelligence founder Rumman Chowdhury, who is also a contractor in NIST's Office of Emerging Technologies and a member of the US Department of Homeland Security AI safety and security board. “The ARIA team is mostly experts on sociotechnical test and evaluation, and [is] using that background as a way of evolving the field toward rigorous scientific evaluation of generative AI.”

Chowdhury and Skeadas say the NIST partnership is just one of a series of AI red team collaborations that Humane Intelligence will announce in the coming weeks with US government agencies, international governments, and NGOs. The effort aims to make it much more common for the companies and organizations that develop what are now black-box algorithms to offer transparency and accountability through mechanisms like “bias bounty challenges,” where individuals can be rewarded for finding problems and inequities in AI models.

“The community should be broader than programmers,” Skeadas says. “Policymakers, journalists, civil society, and nontechnical people should all be involved in the process of testing and evaluating of these systems. And we need to make sure that less represented groups like individuals who speak minority languages or are from nonmajority cultures and perspectives are able to participate in this process.”

[archersarrow-tarot]

Tarot Numerology

🌕ONES

potential, beginnings, new energy, opportunity.

🌖TWO

choices, balance, duality, options, partnerships

🌗THREE

interaction, group, collaboration, expression, growth

🌘FOUR

stability, foundation, planning, stationery

🌑FIVE

change, conflict, release, adaptability, challenge

🌒SIX

support, reward, healing, harmony

🌓SEVEN

reflection, assessment, decisiveness

🌔EIGHT

movement, action, progression, accomplishment

🌕NINE

completion, manifestation, attainment

🌓TENS

end of a cycle, karma, transform, renewal

[taurusvenusian]

new moon in scorpio ♏️ november 1st

which area of your life will transform?

A powerful time of transformations, facing fears, and deep healing.

Sometimes the subconscious parts of the mind reveal itself because it needs your attention, it needs healing. Emotions run deep during this transit. Be patient with yourself as you navigate this tricky time.

how will this affect you based on your RISING, sun, and moon signs? Scorpio: You are GLOWING UP with this new moon! You feel more in control of your life now and are ready to step into your power. This is the best time to have a make-over or change your perspective about yourself for the better. People will be noticing this new you too. You got this! Taurus: Your relationships are being emphasized now. You will see clearly how much they mean to you and how much you mean to them. Stay if it feels aligned and healthy, take a break and assess the relationship if it does not. You will be receiving new opportunities with regards to partnerships, whether personal or professional. Leo: You may be feeling more in touch with emotions during this transit. Wounds regarding childhood may come up to push you to nurture yourself and do more self-care at this time. Alternatively, you may be more inspired to improve your loving situation. This is the best time to make changes in your home or family dynamics for the better. Take it easy. Aquarius: You may be reflecting more on long-term goals now. This is a time to reflect on your situation and assess if you are currently aligned with those goals. Set intentions and start taking those concrete actions towards improving your career and public image. Good luck! Aries: You may be having experiences that hit you right in the heart. Things may feel heavy and this can leave you emotionally drained during this time, but worry not, this is helping you release the weight you've been carrying for a while now. This is the best time to reassess relationships and let go of connections that drain you or decrease the quality of your life. Be gentle with yourself. Libra: You may be more focused on your finances, body image, and sense of security. This is the best time to set goals or take concrete steps to improve financial matters and things that make you feel secure. Get that bag. Don't overthink it. Trust that whatever is for you will be for you and won't be taken away. Cancer: You are so going to be in love! You may be starting a new romance or nurture an existing relationship during this transit. This is also the best time to start a creative project or activity that could potentially heal your inner child. Have fun, let loose! Capricorn: You may be focused on your friendships or social circles now. This is the best time to invest time or effort in your friends, or plan a social gathering. You may also successfully collaborate with groups that share common goals or interests as you. Just show up.

Gemini: You may be focusing on your daily habits, responsibilities, and health now. This is the best time to take your health seriously, build a better routine while still taking advantage of your flexibility. This is also a good time to seek new job prospects or projects that can enhance your daily living. Trust that everything will be okay. Sagittarius: You are turning more inwards at this time. If you feel drained by something or someone, now is the time to establish boundaries or become more firm with them. Alternatively, if overthinking is getting the best of you, take back your power. Now is the best time to take a mental health break and focus on healing. Mental health is as important as physical health. Virgo: The urge for self-reflection may feel strong now. You have the capability to express yourself or write about your feelings genuinely during this time. This is also the best time to take a short trip and reflect on your life or use your analytical skills to launch/join new projects or initiatives that enhance your life or make you feel happy. Honor your feelings. Pisces: You may be planning a trip or developing new beliefs during this time. This is the best time to travel or delve into that book or movie that got you curious last time. This is also a good time for a new adventure and new experiences. Listen to your instincts now as you are guided during this transit, so be honest with yourself and don’t forget to have fun.

[izicodes]

Sunday 21st January 2024

>> I made a post yesterday of me mini-ranting about how I don't have any proper career goals because the ones I made years ago I've achieved now, so I'm questioning myself "What now? 🙃".

Then I remembered I have a recruiter mate and I emailed him asking for help and he gave me a long list of what I could do now to get better from my position. And I like sharing help so here's what he said + my own notes of what I understood from them~!

Hope this helps you too~!

🩶 Assess Current Skills and Set Goals

Identify your strengths and weaknesses.

Set clear goals for technical and leadership skill development.

My notes: I am good at some languages/technologies whilst I am a complete noob in others. Yes, I use them but I am not confident in them and always have to Google what is going on. I need to make a list of all the languages I am good at and those I am not so good at. Maybe even list why I'm not good at them. The same goes for non-technical skills. Got to make plans/goals on how I will improve them and get out of my comfort bubble on my comfort technologies and expand! Leadership skills would probably improve when I get solo projects given/have to present at Team meetings on my own in front of everyone~!

🩶 Technical Skill Enhancement

Deepen your proficiency in current programming languages.

Explore new technologies and frameworks relevant to your field.

My notes: I already answered this in the top one, but I shouldn't neglect my current skills to be able to learn the new ones. With the languages I am good and confident in, I still feel as though I haven't reached the more advanced stuff of that language. OOP stuff skill scares me in any programming language so I need to face my fears and learn it. From time to time, check what's popular in the market in terms of technology used and see which one aligns with my dream tech stack to use in the future and make plans to learn and develop myself~!

🩶 Project Leadership and Collaboration

Volunteer to lead small projects or take on more responsibility in current projects.

Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand different aspects of project development.

My notes: At work, I eventually (since I'm still new) should ask to be the lead on some projects just like my higher-up developer is to me. Lead my own projects, without having to report to someone unless in dire need or when the project is complete for testing, etc. The team is small so I should talk to the non-developers in the team and see from their POV how the project is. Understand different types of people in the team and communicate effectively. All of this can be transferred to non-work projects like an online group project on an Open-Source project on GitHub for example - lead projects and taking more responsibilities. Being able to talk to people with different skillsets as we work on a group project~!

🩶 Attend Workshops and Networking Events

Attend workshops, conferences, and networking events to expand your knowledge and connections.

Seek mentorship from experienced professionals, including CTOs.

My notes: My gosh, I dread this honestly. I'm still a relatively shy person so going to workshops and events still brings small anxiety but that's something I do want to break~! I will never know what I will learn, who I will meet etc if I don't go to one! I want to aim that this year I would like to go to one, preferably in or near my city. I always love the idea of having a mentor, honestly, I was going to pay someone to help mentor me on that part ( >> loads of cites offer mentorships for programming!!! ) but I feel like my manager right now is that person so I will keep working with him to develop more~!

In conclusion, self-improvement as a programmer is both challenging and super hard to get started BUT rewarding in the end~!

[furious-blueberry0]

Ok so, I realized that the canon Clan War didn’t really work in my AU, so I rewrote it

Kiiinndaaaaaa, I made an outline of what is gonna happen! Here it is lol:

Tor is exiled from his family because of his political ideas, and Jaster welcomes him on Concord Dawn, where they start to collaborate in building a mercenary group.

Tor’s ideals start to get more and more extreme, things get heated and the Mercenary group is splitted.

Tor’s half becomes Death Watch and Jaster’s half becomes the True Mandalorians.

Tor wants to take control of Concord Dawn, so that he can have enough resources and warriors to really start a new Age of Conquest, just like the good old times.

He starts a war against Jaster, who he sees as the ultimate traitor, and who built the True Mandos as a way to stop Tor’s mad dream.

Concord Dawn becomes their battleground, and the fights do not only bring death to the mandalorians, but also to the innocents who have no role in this war, but see their homes get destroyed either way in the conflict.

Arla(10) and Jango(5)’s home is destroyed and their parents are killed. Their father had agreed to hide some of Jaster’s wounded warriors in his home, but Death Watch found out and killed them all. Arla and Jango survived by hiding in the fields.

Jaster and the others heard of what happened hours later, and found the children at night, still hidden in the fields.

The fights continue for a few years, Arla and Jango become part of the True Mandos, and neither Jaster nor Tor seem to want to stop the conflict.

The Governor of Concord Dawn has tried for years at this point to make the Assembly care about what’s going on on his planet, but his cries of help, for resources to make these two groups stop destroying his home always fall on deaf ears.

At this point Satine is part of the Assembly, and she becomes interested in what’s going on Concord Dawn, she too tries to talk about it to the rest of the Assembly, but she also does not have too much luck.

She decides she is going to help the Governor of Concord Dawn with the resources of her House, and her and her father, Adonai, go to the planet and try to assess the situation, talk to either Jaster or Tor, and decide how to bring back peace and normality to the planet once and for all.

Adonai and Satine spend 2 years fighting with the True Mandos, to try and arrest the members of Death Watch. Jaster would like to kill them all, but Adonai reminds him that he is already on thin ice for collaborating to the destruction of the planet for his squabble with Tor, so he better behave.

Adonai is killed by Death Watch, and now the Assembly finds the situation on Concord Dawn really interesting, and wants to stop it.

House Vizsla is accused of helping Tor, which was not true, as Lod Vizsla said “If we had helped that wretched cousin of mine, he would have won and destroyed all of you years ago!”, which was not a statement the others in the Assembly liked.

Things start to get heated, House Vizsla fears other Clans might want to attack them, and so they start ammassing more military resources and also keep an eye on old alliances.

The other Clans see this as the proof they were guilty, and so they also start amassing power, in case the others attack.

For one year the conflict is stalled, the two groups on Concord Dawn are waiting, their squabble is becoming bigger than it originally was, and they do not know what the Houses and the Clans are going to do with them. And so they wait.

In this year new alliances are formed, and everyone prepares for the conflict that is going to happen.

Satine’s mother left Mandalorian Space when her husband died, leaving her daughters Satine (18), Meera (8) and Bo-Katan (1) all alone.

Satine leaves her sisters under the protection of Clan Aath, ancient ally of House Kryze, who has various safe houses outside of Mandalorian Space, and where they are sending various children of various clans to safety.

For months nothing moves, everyone’s holding their breath, waiting for the moment the spark will ignite the fire of war.

And the spark comes to life:

Clan Keen, a small clan with almost no power, neither political nor economical or militaristic, had been promised safety by Clan Saxon, ally of House Vizsla, and this alliance was supposed to come to life through the marriage of Andra Keen (13) and Allard Saxon (15).

But the Keen did not want to be allies of the Vizsla, preferring an alliance with Clan Eldar (who was an ally of House Kryze), and so they accepted the proposal of marrying Andra to Ila Eldar (13).

Clan Saxon saw this as a traitorous act, and so, the night after the wedding, they attacked the home of Clan Keen, and killed them all (not Andra, she was with Ila and Clan Eldar)

This event was the spark that ignited the next 3 years of war.

Wrote all this during one of the most boring lessons I ever had at my Uni lol, at least it gave me the time to be creative

[philomath2510]

📚 Unlocking Academic Excellence: Study Like Paris Geller! 🌟

🎯 Set Clear Goals: Define your academic ambitions. What do you want to achieve? Create a vision board to visualize your goals daily.

📅 Create a Study Schedule: Organize your time effectively and stay consistent. Use time management tools to prioritize tasks.

🗂️ Stay Organized: Invest in tools like digital note-taking apps and task managers. Maintain a neat study space for focus.

📝 Take Comprehensive Notes: Experiment with note-taking styles, digital or analog, to find what suits you best.

🧘 Practice Self-Discipline: Identify and eliminate distractions, build self-discipline gradually, and consider the Pomodoro Technique for focused work.

🏆 Embrace Healthy Competition: Surround yourself with peers who motivate you. Join study groups and turn competition into collaboration.

🤝 Seek Help When Needed: Don't hesitate to ask for assistance when struggling. Utilize academic resources and consider peer tutoring.

📚 Test Your Knowledge: Regularly assess your understanding with practice tests and flashcards. Review and self-assess your performance.

🎯 Stay Committed to Long-Term Goals: Set SMART goals and stay focused, overcoming procrastination along the way.

🧘 Take Breaks and Practice Self-Care: Balance studying with relaxation, prioritize self-care, and avoid burnout.

🌟 Believe in Yourself: Confidence is key! Build it through achievements and positive affirmations.

🌱 Learn from Your Mistakes: Embrace failure as an opportunity to grow. Develop resilience and adopt a growth mindset.

🎓 Academic excellence is a journey, not a destination. Channel your inner Paris Geller and master the art of academic success! 🚀

[gatheringbones]

[“HOW TRAUMA PLAYS OUT IN GROUPS

Horizontal Violence

When we can’t strike back at those who are truly harming us, we often lash out at those we can reach. We yell at our lover because we can’t yell at the boss. In groups, we may fight even the most minor conflict to the death. We attack our fellow group members with all the unexpressed rage that really belongs to the perpetrators of violence. In our minds, we are always fighting for our lives. Just as enraged dogs will attack one another with no regard for their relative size, we lose sight of real power differentials and may demolish a group member with a blast of anger without realizing that we have shifted from victim of abuse to abuser.

Horizontal Violence Strategies

Friends don’t let friends abuse one another. A group that sets healthy boundaries and standards for behavior needs to hold one another accountable for keeping them.

Offer constructive critique and honest feedback.

Collective intervention: Others in the group can support one another to tell the raging group member that their behavior is not acceptable. Couple this with:

Good cop/bad cop: While one or more group members set and hold clear boundaries, another might offer help and support to find counseling, coaching or mediation.

Mentoring: Assigning the offending person a mentor can provide long-term encouragement to both change behavior and look at deeper patterns.

The Perpetual Victim

Some people cling to the role of victim, claiming center stage. Whatever issue or drama erups somehow always ends up being about them. Their patterns may originate from deep hurt and trauma and we can feel sympathy, but colluding with them is not helpful either to the person or the group. Fruitless efforts to appease them can drain the group’s energy and undermine its effectiveness.

When we are caught up in the role of victim, our speech and actions reflect our sense of powerlessness. To regain our sense of empowerment, we might begin by challenging the inherent assumptions in our words and practicing alternative framings and affirmations.

Blaming

Statement: “You made me feel …”

Assumptions: I am at the mercy of other people’s speech and actions. I am helpless to do anything but respond to how others treat me.

Alternate suggestion: I choose how to respond to other people’s statements and assessments. I can choose what to take in and what to discard. My feelings are real and valid, but I can move through them quickly and separate them from my own assumptions and other people’s judgments.

Blurting

Statement: “I have to speak my truth.” Translation: I’m about to blurt out something hurtful in the most blunt way possible. Assumptions: Truth is uncomfortable, painful and festering. My feelings and perceptions are The Truth, and I must get it out just as I might vomit up a bad meal, regardless of consequences.

Alternate suggestion: I choose to speak my truth, using all my sensitivity, wisdom and skill so that I can be clearly heard and effective.

Bleating

Statement: “I’m being silenced.”

Assumption: If people actually heard me, they would agree with me. So if they don’t agree with me, they are shutting me down.

Alternate suggestion: I can advocate for my own perspective — whether or not others agree — and respect their right to differ. I do not need anyone’s permission to advocate for myself.

Strategies for Transforming the Role of Victim

Clear, fair and transparent ways that people can earn power in the group will provide constructive alternatives to victimization.

Structures and practice of constructive critique can provide positive channels for complaints.

Encourage responsibility with questions like: What would you suggest to make the situation different? What structures would you like to see in place that would help us address your needs and concerns?”]

starhawk, from the empowerment manual: a guide for collaborative groups, 2011

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Inside Climate News:

California has long had more cars on the road than any other state. As its population exploded in the first half of the 20th century, so did the number of drivers, particularly in Los Angeles. By the 1940s, exhaust from millions of cars, fumes from power plants and a booming oil industry shrouded the famously sunny city in a noxious brown haze that left Angelenos wearing gas masks on days they couldn’t see more than three blocks.

A chemist identified automobile exhaust as the major source of the smog that regularly darkened city skies, laying the groundwork for California to pass the nation’s first tailpipe emissions standards in 1966. 

The state has continued to implement the most aggressive air pollution policies in the country. But even as they cut exposure to one of the deadliest components in vehicle exhaust by nearly three-fold statewide over two decades, exposure disparities persisted or increased for people of color and residents of overburdened communities, a new study reports.

California environmental and climate policy has long focused on reducing air pollution for everybody because that clearly has big health benefits, said Joshua Apte, an air quality engineering expert at the University of California, Berkeley, who led the study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Science Advances. Apte and his colleagues wanted to know if state policies designed to address climate change and improve public health in California also reduced air pollution exposure disparities. 

The team focused on pollution from vehicles, the largest source of greenhouse gases in California and the primary source of fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, which kills an average of 5,400 residents a year, according to the California Air Resources Board, or CARB. Vehicles release PM2.5 directly from tailpipes and indirectly when byproducts of gasoline combustion form particles through chemical reactions in the atmosphere.

To track the disparate exposures to PM2.5 across a state with nearly 36 million registered vehicles, Apte forged a unique partnership with two agencies under California’s Environmental Protection Agency, CARB and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, or OEHHA. CARB provided estimates of mobile emissions by year and vehicle type from 2000 to 2019 at a fine geographic scale. Three scientists from OEHHA, which funded the work, collaborated on the study design and data analysis.

The team used CARB models to track both direct particle emissions and the gases that form atmospheric particle pollution. To understand how cars, light trucks and heavy-duty vehicles contribute to PM2.5 exposures across the landscape, they created a user-friendly tool called ECHO-AIR.

California’s aggressive policies to control vehicle emissions reaped across-the-board benefits, the team found, reducing PM2.5 emissions by 65 percent. Groups that have historically lived near the worst PM2.5 pollution saw the biggest declines in absolute terms, Apte said. But as exposures continued to drop for white residents, disparities in exposure rates held steady or increased for Hispanic, Black and Asian Californians and for residents of “overburdened communities,” where people are disproportionately affected by hazardous pollutants.

The 65 percent decrease from the transportation sector is a “big public health win,” said Alvaro Alvarado, chief of OEHHA’s Community and Environmental Epidemiology Research Branch and a study coauthor. “But the challenge remains that the most polluted are still the most polluted.”

[psychics4unet]

PICK A CARD & Discover Your Future Spouse’s Educational Journey! 📚💫✨

Instructions: Look at the 3 images of the piles below. Choose the pile that you feel most drawn to. Trust your intuition and select the one that resonates with you the most. Once you have made your choice, scroll down to read the description for the pile you selected. 🌈🔮

I put a lot of effort into this reading, so please show some love by leaving comments, likes, reblogs, and follow me! ❤️💬✨

Paid psychic reading (7 questions for just $7) is available here:

Pile 1: The cards drawn are the Page of Swords 🗡️📖, the Hierophant 📜🔔, and the Eight of Cups 🌊👣.

The Page of Swords signifies a curious and eager mind, indicating your future spouse will pursue education with enthusiasm and intellect. The Hierophant represents traditional education and learning from established institutions, suggesting they may value structured learning. The Eight of Cups suggests a willingness to leave behind old beliefs to seek deeper understanding. Together, these cards indicate that your future spouse will approach their education with curiosity, valuing traditional paths while also exploring their personal journey. 🌟📚💖 Love this post? Spread the positive vibes by reblogging with your favorite pile number! Remember to like, comment, and follow me for more tarot insights and spiritual guidance. By sharing this post, you'll invite positive energy from the universe into your life. Let's journey together towards enlightenment and fulfillment! 🌠💖

Pile 2: The cards drawn are the Knight of Pentacles 🐴💼, the Ace of Wands 🔥🌱, and the Four of Swords 😴🛌.

The Knight of Pentacles represents diligence and reliability, suggesting that your future spouse will take a practical and methodical approach to their education. The Ace of Wands signifies new beginnings and inspiration, indicating a burst of passion for learning. The Four of Swords encourages rest and reflection, suggesting they will balance hard work with self-care. Together, these cards imply that your future spouse will pursue their education with a steady, passionate, and balanced approach. 🌈✨💪 Love this post? Spread the positive vibes by reblogging with your favorite pile number! Remember to like, comment, and follow me for more tarot insights and spiritual guidance. By sharing this post, you'll invite positive energy from the universe into your life. Let's journey together towards enlightenment and fulfillment! 🌟💫

Pile 3: The cards drawn are the Queen of Cups 🧚‍♀️💖, the Three of Pentacles 🛠️🤝, and the Seven of Pentacles 🌱⏳.

The Queen of Cups signifies emotional intelligence and nurturing, suggesting your future spouse will seek an education that aligns with their feelings and passions. The Three of Pentacles indicates collaboration and teamwork, showing that they will value group learning experiences. The Seven of Pentacles reflects patience and assessment, implying that they will take their time to cultivate their skills and knowledge. Together, these cards suggest that your future spouse’s educational journey will be emotionally fulfilling, collaborative, and thoughtful. 🌟📖💖 Love this post? Spread the positive vibes by reblogging with your favorite pile number! Remember to like, comment, and follow me for more tarot insights and spiritual guidance. By sharing this post, you'll invite positive energy from the universe into your life. Let's journey together towards enlightenment and fulfillment! 🌈✨

Attention! This reading is for entertainment purposes only. This tarot reading does not give a 100% guarantee that all the described situations will occur or being ultimate truth. You build your own life and destiny and only you know yourself best. Remember to reblog, like, comment, and follow for more cosmic guidance and positivity! 🌌💖

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