#National Office of Statistics and Information

[minnesotafollower]

Cuban Expert: Cuba Progressively Closer to Implosion 

“Cuban economist and demographer Juan Carlos Albizu-Campos believes that Cuba is suffering a cascade of crises that are bringing it progressively closer to ‘implosion.’”[1] “There is an emergency situation that is beyond a health emergency, it is a humanitarian crisis.” And “the loss of some two million inhabitants since 2022, out of a population of 10.5 million, places Cuba in the midst of a…

[covid-safer-hotties]

Published May 13, 2024

Governments and certain key opinion formers aren’t being open and honest about the risks associated with COVID-19 and their actions will have long-term consequences for public health and trust in science.

One of the criticisms often leveled at members of the Covid-cautious community is that they believe ‘everything is Covid.’ Critics say there is an element of alarmism or neurosis in the concerns this community has about COVID-19 because no pathogen could cause all the harms being laid at its door.

Unfortunately, the newest widely circulating pathogen in the human population uses a broadly expressed ACE2 receptor to infect cells1, meaning it can damage almost any part of the body2. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, few people believed coronaviruses could linger in the body, but members of the John Snow Project outlined their concerns in 2021 because there was extensive evidence going back decades to suggest coronaviruses could persist3,4. These concerns have since been shown to be justified, with numerous studies now demonstrating prolonged viral persistence and immune activation5-9.

The combination of a widely expressed receptor and persistent infection means the acute and long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19, can be unpredictable10.

SARS-CoV-2 has also been shown to harm the immune system in various ways11-14, many of which are common to other pathogens. This harm seems to have increased susceptibility to other pathogens such as dengue15 and strep A16,17.

We’ve previously written about government efforts to return to pre-2020 norms and how official messaging that we must all assess our own level of risk has been interpreted by most people to mean that it is safe to engage with the world in the same way one would have done in 2019 and that there will be no additional risk in doing so18.

Most people have resumed pre-pandemic behaviours, but there has been an increase in general ill-health, which can be demonstrated in rising levels of long-term illness19, disability20,21, GP appointments22, chronic absence among school pupils23-27, rising absence among teachers28 and worker shortages in a wide range of industries29. Many commentators theorize about the reasons for these phenomena, blaming a mysterious malaise among workers, indulgent or irresponsible parents, or post-lockdown laziness.

Aiding this apparent mystery is the rather bizarre way in which official figures are reported. A prominent Covid-cautious commentator pointed this out in a thread on X in relation to the UK Office of National Statistics figures on Long Covid30. The ONS analysis states, “The majority of people self-reporting long COVID experienced symptoms over two years previously,” but the way the data is presented skews the risk towards historic Covid-19 cases by using uneven time intervals, a practice which is in breach of UK government policy on how to present time series data31. However, when the data is presented as close to correctly as the raw data allows, the risk of developing Long Covid from a COVID-19 infection seems to remain relatively constant.

Another criticism leveled at the Covid-cautious community is that members are overstating the risk of Long Covid. High quality studies from all over the world point to the very real and significant risk of Long Covid32-34, and there is now evidence to suggest the risk of Long Covid rises with each subsequent infection35.

If anything, Long Covid prevalence is likely to be understated because of the dearth of public health information from official sources. There are still some people who are surprised they can be reinfected by SARS-CoV-2. There are others who know about the risk of reinfection but who falsely believe each subsequent infection will be milder. There are yet more who do not know each infection can carry a risk of long-term illness.

When we get into specifics, how many people know COVID-19 infection can cause headaches and migraines weeks or months later36,37? Or that it can cause fainting38,39? Nausea40? Heart attacks41,42? Cardiac complications in adults and children43,44? Embolisms45? ADHD-like symptoms46,47? Neurological issues48,49? How many people are suffering the long-term sequelae of COVID-19 infection but not drawing the causal link and instead ascribing their new conditions to bad luck or aging?

We’ve previously written about governments creating the space for antivaxx messaging to thrive by not correctly reporting the risks of COVID-19 infection29, but there are greater threats. Every time a Covid-minimizer says, “There’s nothing to worry about, look at everybody else out there living their lives, just resume your old ways,” they are undermining faith in public health measures because their reassurance is based not on the scientific evidence but on instinct, hope and, possibly, a vested interest in maintaining the status quo because they staked their professional credibility on infections being protective. Science and public health progress when we follow the evidence, not when we hold hunches and opinions in higher esteem than evidence.

The huge rise in dengue50, coupled with the evidence that dengue virus uses SARS-CoV-2 antibodies to enhance infection15 and the correlation of COVID-19 cases to dengue cases51 suggests there is an interplay between the pathogens that hasn’t been fully understood. Whooping cough is surging in the UK, with cases up 3,800% on previous years52-55, and adults who have been previously vaccinated or infected are now falling seriously ill. Similar surges have been seen in other countries, and while those who like to blame anything-but-Covid point the finger at lockdowns, which ended more than three years ago in most countries, sensible people would like to understand the interplay between COVID-19 infection and susceptibility to other pathogens.

It would only make sense to pursue ignorance if there was nothing that could be done about COVID-19, but we know that clean air policies can reduce the risk of all infections56, be they bacterial, viral or fungal. The “just get on with it” messaging of those who want people to forget about COVID-19 is a celebration of the sort of ignorance that has slowed and stalled human progress throughout history.

If there is a business case for investment in engineering and architecture that will improve human health, we need to properly understand the harms caused by COVID-19. Sweeping it under the rug, shouting down those with legitimate concerns, pretending the virus doesn’t exist, massaging data to make it appear things are safe, are all counter to this understanding.

It seems those with means have already decided their health will benefit from clean air57, and advanced ventilation and filtration systems are the latest must-have addition to high-end properties58, which suggests there is also an issue of equity involved in understanding COVID-19. The advancement of human knowledge has always empowered the general population, which is why it has often been resisted by those in power. Keep that in mind the next time someone says, “Stop worrying. Just get on with it.” They want your ignorance and incur no cost if you are harmed by being repeatedly infected by COVID-19 or any other pathogen that might be surging in its wake.

For information on how you can protect yourself from COVID-19 infection, please click here.

[theanxiousghostartist]

TMAGP 28 Spoilers

Reaction and Theories

Literally screaming with this one/pos

The Minister's Visit:

Trevor is the Minister? It's very interesting given his character in TMA was a vampire-killer, homeless outlaw, and a great father figure for Julia. I wonder if this means his first experience with a vampire went differently than in TMA. Maybe his brother survived, or maybe someone came to help?

His diversity comment with Sam??? It is reminiscent of TMA!Trevor but still, it was very unexpected for me.

He seems to be in a similar situation to Lena, having to keep his bosses happy. He mentions that the ONS has been "sniffing around" and that Gorman-Smith is on top of him. From what I can see, the ONS is the Office for National Statistics, but it could mean something else in TMAGP. Otherwise, the language Trevor uses reminds me of the Hunt a lot - "sniffing around," "someone's head to roll," "come back to bite me," ect. I know that these are common phrases, but Trevor seems to be similar to his TMA counterpart, so I've been vigilant, trying to pick up on any settle details about his relationship with the Fears.

Lena and the Minister:

So, Lena's running the OIAR without much oversight, interesting...

A reliable source? Who Trevor??

Ahh, Ink5oul is still committing crimes. Good for them. It makes sense too, with them Becoming, they need to feed.

Daniel "Danny" Turner is the Commissioner, so I assume he's been involved in the investigation of Ink5oul to some extent.

Trevor wants someone punished for Ink5oul, someone in the OIAR. What will Lena do? Maybe she'll fire Colin, since he knows too much already and tried to destroy the computers.

It seems like Trevor is giving Lena permission to kill or fire whoever is a liability.

In this interaction between Lena, Trevor, and Gwen, it seemed to me that Lena was trying to protect Gwen from Trevor. Like she made sure that Gwen didn't reveal herself as contracting externals and made tried to keep Gwen away from the conversation entirely, perhaps so she wouldn't know too much about the way the OIAR is run by the higher-ups. While Lena was firm, she seemed scared as well, showing more anger than usual. Her character is similar to Daisy in TMA, so I'm using her as a basis, as they both seem to get angrier and more defensive when they are scared. Especially since my theory is that Lena is Hunt and Web aligned, it would make sense that they would show these emotions similarly.

Alice, Celia, and Sam:

So Trevor knows nothing. I wonder if it is because information is given on a "need-to-know basis" according to Lena. She and the higher ups would have to know, as she runs the place and the higher ups have power over her, but Trevor seems more like a middleman than anything. "Pan?" Is Celia pan??!! Yippee!!!

OoooOOO, Alice is having drinks with Teddy, I hope we get to hear about it next episode. Also, he's having insomnia. I wonder if it is because he's away from the OIAR?

I appreciate Sam respect Celia's boundaries but also acknowledging that her "mysterious origins" (TMA-verse), are going to have to be revealed in order to get closer to Sam.

Alice wins the bet ^_^

Gwen and the Minister:

Wilson is Trevor's driver; I wonder if they'll be important...

Gwen nooo!!! Please don't get Lena killed ))):

Jeremy Bouchard?????

Nooo Gwen don't please ))):

She has a flashdrive full of 20 years of "incompetence" of Lena as the head of the OIAR. Ok, so she is older, that's good to know for my design lol.

A concerned 3rd party sent this information to Gwen... It's from the email isn't it? I'm pretty sure it's Jonah. Since Jonah took over Elias, he had to have access to his memories. If they were related, it makes sense that Jonah would know about Gwen, and if they are the same person, we know Jonah is a master manipulator and has manipulated Elias before. Maybe he's trying to claw to the top via Gwen in order to free himself?

How does Trevor know Jeremy? Maybe he is the reason Gwen got the job? Ah, so Gwen is a spy now.

The Archivist and Sam:

So Sam is locked out of the OIAR?

Archivist!!!! They found the OIAR!!! Oh, I wonder if they are going to serve a Jane-Prentiss-esc role for the OIAR crew.

Sam is able to resist, for a little bit, at least? That may be because of his connection with the Eye.

Sam's Statement: So, we finally get more information on the Gifted Children Program! Gilbert wore a fake smile. All I can think of is the Stranger's Dolls and Distortion, maybe he was marked by the Stranger or Spiral? Two stern-looking older women... I wonder if one of those women was Gertrude.

"Was I happy at home?" "What do I do when I feel angry or upset?" "When is it okay to lie?" The Institute was most definitely looking for someone to mark or who was already marked...

Oh, so Sam was marked at the Institute, while they were trying to do a ritual. Very interesting.

Dr. F. Welling's skeleton ripped out of his skin after a yellow light went into him? I wonder if he was doing a body transfer and that word he messed up when Sam interrupted him caused it to go haywire. It definitely feels like the Flesh, especially since Sam mentioned near the end that he was unnerved by the sight of seeing a bit of the form of the skull "smiling" underneath the skin when he looked at his parents Maybe the Stranger was mixed in a bit as well? IDK, it reminds me of the coral case.

The development of Sam through his statement is great. I loved being able to see his fear of being a disappointment shine through, even as a child, and this statement definitely helps show us why he makes some choices today (like seeking out the Institute, valuing the Institute more than Alice at times, ect)

So, the Archivist (not necessarily OUR archivist, Jonathan Sims), left Sam on the floor, and leaves the tape recorder with Sam. Maybe this is how they establish a connection with their victim and slowly feed off of them, even after death, like the drowning victim Alice saw? The transcript also says that "The archivist steps forward to takes one last breath of Sam's memory..." so I wonder if they are not only feeding off of the fear but damaging the memory as well. Or maybe they take the memory and force it into the tape recorder, hence why when it turns on, even after death, the person starts speaking again, sort of like Gertrude's skin in the Unknowing - it holds a bit of the essence of the person.

Great episode! I was screaming the entire time/pos

[jessicamessicavillageofspillage]

Apparently transpeople will also die from the inaccurate recording of Sex within statistics

The collection of data on a person’s sex – that is, whether they are male or female – has become controversial in recent years, and a number of public bodies have moved away from collecting data on sex as a result. For example, Scotland’s chief statistician recently issued guidance stating that data on sex should only be collected in exceptional circumstances. This move has been greeted with alarm by quantitative social scientists who believe that data on sex is vitally important and that data on both gender identity and sex is needed.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) was also embroiled in controversy when it proposed to guide respondents to the 2021 England and Wales census that they may answer the sex question in terms of their subjective gender identity, rather than their sex. This was despite the fact that the 2021 census also included a new separate question on gender identity. The ONS was forced to change its proposed guidance on the sex question by a judicial review and went on to advise that people should answer the first question to reflect their legal sex. The Scottish census authorities have been criticised for disregarding the implications of that judgment.

Statistics on employment, health, crime and education have all been affected by this trend.

The Government Equalities Office has issued guidance to employers who are legally bound to report on their gender pay gap to provide data on their employees’ gender identity, not their sex, and to exclude employees who “do not identify as ‘men’ or ‘women’” from the data. This makes it impossible to assess whether natal males who identify as trans or non-binary may have different labour-market experiences from natal females who identify as trans or non-binary. Yet non-binary or transgender identification may not protect females from discrimination, for example, on the basis of pregnancy or maternity or the perceived risk of becoming pregnant.

The NHS decides who to call for routine medical screenings based on the gender marker a person has recorded with their GP rather than their sex as recorded as birth. The NHS’s failure to record biological sex on patient records has led to trans patients not being called in for screening for conditions that may affect them due to their sex, such as ovarian cancer or prostate cancer. If trans patients are not screened for such conditions, the consequences are potentially fatal. The use of gender identity rather than sex has also led to confusion for some trans patients attempting to use sexual health services.

Freedom of information requests have revealed that multiple police forces in England now record crimes by male suspects as committed by women if the perpetrator requests to be recorded as such. Even small numbers of cases misclassified in this way can lead to substantial bias in crime statistics.

Differences between the sexes are an important factor for analysis in most, if not all, of the areas that social and health scientists address. Sex, alongside age, is a fundamental demographic variable, vital for projections regarding fertility and life expectancy. Sex has systematic effects on physical health and is also linked to mental health. And the importance of sex extends to all aspects of social life, including employment, education and crime.

We know that many differences between the sexes have changed dramatically over time – education and labour market participation are two examples. Without consistent data on sex, social scientists would not be able to track this change over time or to understand whether efforts to improve the representation of women and girls in domains where they are underrepresented have been effective.

We have been losing data on sex, as public sector bodies have switched to collecting data on gender identity instead. But the tide may have turned. The UK Statistics Authority has recently published guidance that recommends that “sex, age and ethnic group should be routinely collected and reported in all administrative data and in-service process data, including statistics collected within health and care settings and by police, courts and prisons”. It also says data producers should clearly distinguish between concepts such as sex, gender and gender identity.

Both people’s material circumstances and their identities are important to their lives. We know that sex matters, and we have much to learn about the ways in which gender identity matters, too. Rather than removing data on sex, we should collect data on both sex and gender identity, in order to develop a better understanding of the influence of both of these factors and the intersection between them.

Original article in The Conversation

Professor Alice Sullivan’s academic profile

UCL Social Research Institute

[ukrfeminism]

Knife crime against women and girls has more than doubled in five years and campaigners are warning that not enough is being done to keep them safe.

New figures obtained by The Independent show the number of women who were killed, injured or threatened by a knife soared from 6,000 in 2018 to more than 13,700 in 2022 – laying bare the scale of the crisis. The offences include ones relating to robbery, rape, homicide, public order and theft.

Elianne Andam, 15, is among the victims of knife crime, having been killed on her way to school in Croydon last September. Mehak Sharma, 19, was stabbed to death in the same borough last November having just moved to the UK from India.

Campaigners say the statistics, which cover the last available full year of 2022, show the country needs to tackle the crisis, particularly when it relates to domestic violence, with Labour MP Jess Phillips warning: “Things are getting progressively worse.”

Nick Gazzard, whose 20-year-old daughter Hollie died after being stabbed 14 times by her violent ex-boyfriend in 2014, said: “If this was terrorism, there would be a national outcry.”

The figures for 2022 reveal that:

The number of female knife crime victims surged by 43 per cent in the West Midlands, from 1,010 in 2018 to 1,448 in 2022, according to the UK’s second-largest force

In Essex, the number of victims more than quadrupled in the same time frame – from 435 to 1,879 

And Avon and Somerset recorded the number of victims as rising 46 per cent over five years, from 593 to 868 

After a Freedom of Information request made by this publication, 26 of the UK’s 43 police forces provided data on knife crime where the victim was either a girl or a woman. The Metropolitan Police, Britain’s largest force, did not respond. 

The latest full-year countrywide figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), also for 2022, show that 282 homicides – or four out of 10 – were committed using a knife or sharp instrument. This represented a 19 per cent increase over the previous year.

Police said the way knife crimes are recorded had changed in 2019 but they could not attribute the rise in figures to those changes.

Knives and sharp instruments are the most common weapons used to kill women in this country. ONS data shows that, in the year ending March 2022, one in three female homicide victims was killed by a partner or ex (33 per cent), while more than one in 10 died at the hands of a relative (13 per cent). Some 40 per cent of the deaths occurred in or around the home, compared to 7 per cent in the street or other public spaces.

Ms Phillips has long championed the fight against domestic violence but says the government’s Domestic Abuse Bill does not do enough to protect women. The MP for Birmingham Yardley blames a reduction in youth services and workers, local council cuts, and a lack of police and judicial resources for fuelling the crisis.

The MP, who every year in parliament reads out the names of women killed by men, said: “Things are getting progressively worse, knife crime against women is classic domestic abuse but that’s not ever included in knife crime strategy.

“If only they [the government] cared as much about sexual and domestic abuse as they care about Rwanda.”

The law currently states killers who bring a weapon to the scene face a minimum 25-year sentence, while sentences for those who do not start at 15 years. As domestic killers are more likely to use a weapon lying around the house, like a kitchen knife, they can end up with more lenient jail terms.

Carole Gould has campaigned to close the legal loophole ever since her 17-year-old daughter Ellie was killed by her boyfriend of three months when she ended the relationship.

Thomas Griffiths was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 12-and-a-half years in 2019 after he walked into Ellie’s family home, strangled her and then stabbed her 13 times, attempting to frame the attack as a suicide by inserting the knife in the side of her neck.

“She’d only been going out with him for a few months,” her mother said. “The ending of a relationship is the most dangerous time in a woman’s life.”

Campaigner Ngozi Fulani told The Independent that the cost of living crisis may also have had an impact on the rise in crimes against women.

Ms Fulani set up the charity Sistah Space to advocate for Black female victims of domestic abuse in the wake of the deaths of Valerie Forde and her 22-month-old daughter Jahzara. They were both stabbed to death in 2014 by Ms Forde’s ex Roland McKoy, who was jailed for 35 years.

“We have seen a significant rise in reporting to us of knife or sharp instrument attacks,” Ms Fulani said. “We are in a time of economic depression right now and we find perpetrators in unstable economic situations will often become violent.”

Sistah Space has campaigned for Valerie’s Law, legislation that would make specialist training mandatory for all police and other government agencies that support black women and girls affected by domestic abuse.

“We want people to understand one thing – domestic abuse is not a woman’s problem,” she said. “It’s an everybody problem.”

For Deniz Ugur, deputy director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, violence by men against women is part of a cultural problem that needs to be tackled.

“Women and girls face the constant threat of male violence, whether that’s in public spaces, the workplace, online or in our own homes, where the majority of this violence takes place,” he said.

“If we are to change this then it is critical that the government prioritises and invests in quality relationships and sex education based on consent and equality, and public campaigns to shift the attitudes that justify and normalise this violence and abuse. Women and girls deserve better.”

Conservative MP Caroline Nokes has criticised the government for refusing to commit to a new educational strategy for boys which would aim to tackle sexual harassment and gender-based violence.

The chair of the cross-party women’s and equalities committee said: “Education is a powerful and necessary tool in preventing violence against women and girls. Relationships, sex and health education that continues past secondary school and that engages proactively with boys and young men is crucial to combat harmful attitudes.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The government is committed to raising the bar in how these vile crimes are dealt with.

“We have gone further than ever before in protecting domestic abuse victims, classifying it as a national threat. Our innovative Young Women and Girls Fund also delivers specialist interventions to vulnerable young women and girls at risk of exploitation or violence.

“We will continue to work closely with the police and courts to bring more criminals to justice, and have set clear expectations for how the police should respond.”

[beardedmrbean]

New claims of plagiarism emerged Tuesday against Vice President Kamala Harris — with allegations including that she fabricated a story about sex trafficking and cribbed the work of other prosecutors, a judge and even Wikipedia to draft state reports on crime.

Harris, 60, seems to have invented details of a sex crime case out of whole cloth and taken sentences directly from published work by former California Attorney General Bill Lockyer as well as a New York jurist.

The new allegations were first reported by the Washington Free Beacon.

In a 2012 report on human trafficking Harris issued while California’s attorney general, she cited a fictional example of the type of call received by the National Human Trafficking Hotline as a bona fide case that had occurred.

The nonprofit in charge of the hotline, Polaris Project, had posted the exact same case details in June of that year as “representative of the types of calls” it received.

With different “names, locations, and other identifying information,” the example was “meant for informational purposes only,” according to an archived webpage reviewed by the Free Beacon.

But Harris copied the example verbatim into the state report, keeping the alias — “Kelly” — of the woman who was being trafficked but shifting the venue from Washington, D.C., to her native San Francisco.

The 2012 report also used a nearly identical paragraph to a Wikipedia entry on California’s Victim Compensation Board.

Another report put out in 2011, on organized crime the previous year, contained passages that were an exact match for portions of Lockyer’s report on the same subject six years earlier.

In 2014, Harris apparently stole from New York Court of Claims and Albany County Superior Court Judge Roger McDonough for a report on transnational gangs.

Recent polling has shown that Harris is seen as far more honest than her Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump, but the copycat claims — on top of earlier plagiarism allegations — is sure to test that public image.

The Trump campaign dubbed the veep a political “chameleon” in August, shortly after she clinched the Democratic nomination, for flip-flopping on her long-held liberal stances related to crime and immigration while embracing some of the 45th president’s proposed policies.

In April 2007, years before the purloined reports, Harris appeared before the House Judiciary Committee to lobby for passage of the John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act — a bill that would have helped local and state prosecutors and public defenders repay their law school and undergraduate loans while performing their public service.

More talented lawyers who opted for high pay at white-shoe firms would remain in the public sector if their debt was forgiven, the then-San Francisco DA argued, keeping more expertise in prosecutors and public defenders’ offices and helping to fill gaps in staffing.

Harris’ words in the April 24 hearing were nearly identical to testimony given two months prior by Republican Winnebago County, Ill., prosecutor Paul Logli, the Free Beacon also noted, citing the occurrence of the same statistics, punctuation and even typos in both written statements.

In total, the outlet said, 1,200 of the 1,500 words spoken by Harris (80%) were the same as those uttered by Logli.

Logli told The Post Tuesday that his testimony was prepared and written “largely” by staff from the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA), where he was then serving as president.

He said that Harris, who was a member of the association’s board of directors at the time, likely “also relied on NDAA staff support for her opening statement.”

“The similar content of our statements was an effort by NDAA to be entirely consistent in the positions we presented to both Houses of Congress on behalf of the 3,500 state and local prosecutors we represented on  a national level,” Logli said in an emailed statement. “Like me, I believe Ms. Harris simply relied on NDAA staff for much of the content of her opening statement before Congress.”

Manhattan Institute senior fellow Christopher Rufo revealed last week that portions of Harris’ 2009 pro-criminal justice reform book, “Smart on Crime,” had used identical wording to academic studies, press reports and even a Wikipedia entry — all of which predated the publication’s release.

Harris’ ghostwriter seemed unaware of the apparently plagiarized passages when contacted by The Post — but her publisher later signaled internally that the accusations were “a very sensitive topic” that was being handled by higher-ups.

“It was not the ghostwriter’s fault but, rather, this is a pattern,” Joshua Lisec, a New York Times bestselling ghostwriter, told The Post in a phone interview last week, saying he believed that Harris had probably “copied and pasted” other people’s work and sent it off to her ghostwriter without attribution.

“I don’t have inside access to their particular working relationship, but from the outside, my lens of the ghostwriting career and the profession, knowing how this goes, the ghostwriter probably had no idea that likely Kamala copied and pasted from somewhere on the internet or maybe her assistant did,” he said.

“She’s in trouble with everybody that she has effectively stolen [or] stolen from, or whoever did it, but she’s liable because her name is is on it,” Lisec said of Harris’ pilfering.

Harris’ ghostwriter, Joan O’C. Hamilton, he added, was “legitimate, experienced, successful as a ghostwriter and not the sort of person that you would expect engages with extremely low standards.”

South Dakota GOP Gov. Kristi Noem was widely viewed as a potential running mate pick for Trump before her own errors about a “meeting” with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un crept past a ghostwriter into her political memoir “No Going Back,” which was published in May.

The Harris campaign and Hamilton did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

[darkmaga-returns]

It’s one thing for CT government officials to make a mess of their own state, but another to wreck our country by operating a sham marriage mill for immigrants.

Patch Media: Arrested Pol Builds Marriage BizOne recent day, for instance, [Wanda] Geter-Pataky conducted seven such marriages in New Haven City Hall. All seven involved an Indian-born spouse and an American-born spouse. None came from New Haven, according to their marriage licenses. They claimed they live in Houston, Waterbury, Queens, the Bronx, Long Island, Chesapeake, Virginia.The nuptial-seekers mirrored similar groups showing up in city halls throughout the state: Couples, mostly with one spouse from India or sometimes other nations, looking to marry an American allegedly from another state. …Clipboard in hand, Geter-Pataky guided a couple at a time into the Office of the Registrar of Vital Statistics on New Haven City Hall’s first floor to fill out their license applications. She steered them to the elevator up to the second floor to marry them in the atrium outside the mayor’s office. Then on to another couple.As Geter-Pataky accompanied one of the spouses through the hallway, the spouse wasasked if she was being paid, as rumored, to engage in the marriage.“Tell him no,” Geter-Pataky advised the woman.“No, I’m not,” the woman then replied.“This is a reporter,” Geter-Pataky then informed men and women scattered on benches and in the hallway outside the first-floor registrar’s office, directing them not to answer questions. A man working in tandem with Geter-Pataky took out his phone and began recording this reporter while ordering him to stop taking photos and to leave the City Hall building. …Over the month leading up to Oct. 15, Geter-Pataky served as justice of the peace in 114 marriages at New Haven City Hall… Most of the marriages included one spouse from abroad: 79 involved a spouse from India, another 36 from other nations ranging from Georgia (nine) and Tajikistan (four) to Turkey, Russia, Egypt and Jamaica (two apiece).

[icontherecord]

ODNI Releases the Intelligence Community's 11th Annual Statistical Transparency Report

April 30, 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) today released the Annual Statistical Transparency Report Regarding the Intelligence Community’s (IC) Use of National Security Surveillance Authorities for Calendar Year 2023 (ASTR). The ASTR provides the public both statistics and contextual information regarding the scope of the government’s use of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act authorities, National Security Letters, and other national security authorities. The report also provides insights into the rigorous, multi-layered oversight framework that governs the IC and which is designed to protect the civil liberties and privacy of persons whose information is acquired pursuant to these national security authorities. The release of this report is consistent with the requirement in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, as amended (codified in 50 U.S.C. § 1873(b)), and the IC’s commitment to the Principles of Intelligence Transparency .

This report, along with prior year ASTRs and additional public information on national security authorities are available on www.dni.gov and www.intel.gov.

[thenuclearmallard]

Russia, Explained: Siberian Indigenous Population Halves Amid Suicide Epidemic

By Aliide Naylor

April 8, 2021

A suicide epidemic is ravaging indigenous nations in Siberia.

A suicide epidemic is ravaging indigenous nations in Siberia. The Uralic Nganasan community in Siberia’s northern reaches is disappearing at a shocking rate – just three decades ago, there were some 1,300. Now, there are only around 700.

In the Nganasan settlement of Ust-Avam in Krasnoyarsk Krai, there are more suicides than natural deaths. “Six people die here every year. One of these deaths is the result of natural causes. Two or three freeze or die drunk. And two or three kill themselves,” writeNovaya Gazeta special correspondents Elena Kostyuchenko and Yuri Kozyrev after visiting the region.

The community is suffering the devastating effects of global warming, man-made environmental degradation, and severe poverty fuel depression. Out of 359 residents, just 54 have jobs.

“People crack, young people in general break down. The suicide rate is higher among young people. There is no work, nothing. Here you need to pay for lighting, and need to work for food. There is no food, no work, no money,” one young resident says. Her sister also committed suicide, leaving behind an 11-year-old son.

It’s often necessary to rely on anecdotal evidence about indigenous issues. Media reports are sparse and obtaining concrete statistical evidence about indigenous tribes such as the Nganasan is tough. And some deaths may be portrayed as suicides when there is little public information about the facts (for example, the death of one 15-year-old girl, in an uncomfortably termed “relationship” with a 24-year-old adult male police officer wasstyled in 2004 as a Romeo and Juliet story by local press).

The Nganasan are the descendants of semi-nomadic reindeer hunters, with ancient roots and a shamanistic spiritual culture. Even under Peter the Great (in the 17th and 18th centuries) there was a drive to “civilize” Russians in the further-flung regions and catch up with Europe, writes historian Yuri Slezkine. Peter instructed missionaries to find native Siberians and their “seductive false gods-idols and burn them with fire … and destroy their heathen temples”. Such ideas gained greater momentum in the 20th century, and the indigenous people were later forced into reservations under the Soviets in the 1930s. Nomadic civilizations were considered fundamentally incompatible with government-sanctioned lifestyles and these “small nations” of the North were seen as somehow representative of an undesirable past.

The Soviet state collectivized their personal property, including tents, guns and traps, and even reindeer herds. This led to a complete loss of reindeer husbandry and resulted in a steep decline in the reindeer population from the 1950s onwards.

Meanwhile, Soviet enforcement of Russian literacy made the local language almost extinct. Much like practices imposed on indigenous communities in other parts of the world, the Kremlin would take away local kids from their parents and send them to study in boarding schools.

“There, speaking Nganasan was forbidden, and teachers punished them for every Nganasan word they used — beaten with canes, kicked out of the class,” said local linguist Valentin Gusev. Today, Russia is home to 260,000 people from indigenous communities – who constitute just 0.2% of the country’s population. The government officially recognizes 40 separate indigenous groups in the North, Siberia, and the Far East.

The catastrophic impact of climate change in the Russian Arctic limits the Nganasan’s fishing opportunities — their primary food source. Meanwhile, the government continues to restrict hunting, which is a widespread source of tension between the Kremlin and indigenous communities elsewhere across Russia. With a de factoban on hunting, the Nganasans stopped following the routes of wild herds. Local food available for purchase can be out of date or moldy, and chronic alcohol use continues to plague the population.

Aggressive industrial development in the Russian Arctic has massively exacerbated the crisis among the Nganasan. Last year, a Norilsk Nickel (Nornickel) diesel spillbecame the largest human-made fuel spill in Arctic history, after which Russia’s government colludedwith the company (which is the nation’s largest nickel producer) to whitewash the disaster. The spill affected the environment that provided the Nganasan with basic food supplies. “They catch fish; they hunt deer. But there are no fish this year. And the deer left for other lands three years ago,” Kostyuchenko and Kozyrev wrote.

Last year, northern indigenous tribes signed an open letterto US business magnate Elon Musk and Tesla asking him not to purchase any nickel, copper, and other materials from Nornickel in the wake of the disaster. On average, the Norilsk Mining and Metallurgical Combine plant has released 30 tons of metallic dust and heavy metal oxides annually since it began production in the late 1930s, according toresearcher Konstantin B. Klokov.

There has been a recent spikemore generally in tensions between federal authorities and indigenous communities. Some of these nations have mobilized against an over-centralized state, government-backed environmental assaults on their sacred lands, and have demanded the return of their autonomy. In Kalmykia, for example, the majority-Buddhist region has engaged in protests against a Kremlin-appointed mayor. In Buryatia, locals rallied against a rigged election for weeks. And in a case that sent waves across Russia, a Sámi activist filed a complaint with Russia’s Supreme Court last year, after the government denied him the right to hunt without a license.

[mouseratz]

hey guys I know there's a lot of anti-trans shit but this one's from Georgia. they're calling it "the woman's rights bill".

I think there might actually be more, but this one caught my attention first. Basically it changes everything relating to gender in many bills to regard to biological sex specifically, and while that's worrying, it doesn't stop there. (it includes obviously making it very difficult to change your license or any kind of ID.)

(14) Laws, rules, and regulations that distinguish between the sexes are subject to intermediate constitutional scrutiny. Intermediate constitutional scrutiny forbids unfair discrimination against similarly situated male and female individuals but allows the law to distinguish between the sexes where such distinctions are substantially related to important governmental objections: and (15) Notwithstanding any provision of state law to the contrary, distinctions between the sexes with respect to athletics, living facilities, locker rooms, domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, restrooms, and other areas where biology, safety, or privacy are implicated that result in separate accommodations are substantially related to the important governmental objections of protecting the health, safety, and privacy of individuals in such circumstances.

basically, you could get in trouble for "sex discrimination" by not being in your biologically sorted bathroom, locker room, etc. this seems very easy to weaponize.

individuals in such circumstances. (c) Any local school system, or public school thereof, and any state agency, department, or political subdivision that collects vital statistics for the purpose of complying with antidiscrimination laws or for the purpose of gathering accurate public health, crime, economic, or other data shall identify each individual who is part of the collected data set as either male or female at birth."

pretty much any governmental place, specifically including public schools, can record your sex, that's information they're entitled to.

Title 17 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to criminal procedure, is amended by revising subsection (a) of Code Section 17-4-20.2, relating to Bias Crime Report, requirements, use of reports, and publication, as follows: "(a) Whenever a law enforcement officer investigates an incident of a crime in which it appears that the defendant intentionally selected any victim or group of victims or any property as the object of the offense because of such victim's or group of victims' actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, mental disability, or physical disability, whether or not an arrest is made, the officer shall prepare and submit to the law enforcement officer's supervisor or other designated person a written report of the incident entitled 'Bias Crime Report.' Forms for such reports shall be designed and provided by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The report shall include: (1) Names of the parties; (2) Relationship of the parties; (3) Sex and gender of the parties; (4) Race of the parties; (5) Religion of the parties;

SECTION 5. Said title is further amended by revising subsection (b) of Code Section 17-10-17, relating 107 to sentencing of defendants guilty of crimes involving bias or prejudice and identification of 108 increased sentenced, as follows: "(b) Subject to the notice requirement provided in Code Section 17-10-18 and in enhancement of the penalty imposed, if the trier of fact determines beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant intentionally selected any victim or group of victims or any property as the object of the offense because of such victim's or group of victims' actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, mental disability, or physical disability, the judge imposing sentence shall:

also, very worryingly, sexual orientation & gender are no longer included as reasons for a biased/prejudice crime investigation (aka a hate crime). yup. sexual orientation has been omitted here, not just sex/gender. how are you "lgb without the t" types feeling? it's not a hate crime anymore if you attack someone because they're gay, either, if this goes through.

I don't have a succinct call to action here, I just figure it's good to know. apparently they just.....all decided at once to try to push transphobic bills through.

[rabbitcruiser]

National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

Advocating for justice, honor, and remembrance, ensuring visibility and action to address the safety and rights of indigenous women and girls.

A serious problem has been going on for many years surrounding the high statistics of indigenous women and girls who go missing or are murdered each year in Canada, the United States and other countries. Indigenous or native women and girls have a much higher vulnerability to violence, particularly in relation to crimes such as sex trafficking, abuse and more. 

From 2001 to 2015, the homicide rate for indigenous women in Canada was almost six times higher than for other women. In the United States, native women are at least two times as likely to experience violence than women from any other demographic. It is also estimated that the murder rates for native women are ten times higher than the national average. 

In recent years, many activists, journalists, law enforcement officers, charitable organizations and others have been calling for more attention to be paid to these inconsistencies. The desire is to increase public awareness about the issues while improving access to the urgent support that these women and girls so desperately need.

History of National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

An important impetus for the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls came through a Canadian artist named Jaime Black. In the early 2000s, Black used her influence to start the REDress project as an art installation to call attention to the epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous women in Canada and the US. This artistic expression led to hundreds of red dresses being donated for use in future installations and also was the start of REDress Day being celebrated on May 5. Each year, many different important spaces house REDress installations, including the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C. in 2019. 

The official campaign for the United States to declare this as an awareness day was started in 2017 by two senators from Montana. In 2018, the US declared this same day that had started as REDress Day, but the name was adjusted to the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls.

How to Observe National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

Get involved with this important day of awareness by participating in some of the following activities:

Learn More About Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

One of the most important ways to participate in this national day of awareness is to commit to getting more educated and informed, and then sharing this with others in your sphere of influence. Learn more about the statistics and needs by visiting the website of the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, the US Department of Indian Affairs or other important resources.  

Read the Apology to Native Peoples

In 2009, the United States Congress issued an acknowledgment and apology to the Native peoples for the way the US government has treated them with depredations and policies that were to the disadvantage of native and indigenous peoples. Access this apology online and read through it in observance of the National Day of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. 

Source

[minnesotafollower]

More Details on Cuba’s Declining Population 

After the UN . . . report ”World Population Prospects” recognized the demographic debacle that is sinking the number of inhabitants in Cuba, the island’s government released its own figures to acknowledge that the “effective population” is currently less than ten million people.”[1] “During the debate that followed the presentation of the Migration Bill at the plenary session of the National…

[skoolnites]

𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙊𝙣𝙚: Living Up to the Stereotype

previous chapter | Masterlist | next chapter

-> 𝙒𝘾: 1.3k

->𝙎𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙮: Y/n is really on her psychology grind and also subsequently in her soccer mom era

->𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣��𝙨: Swearing and suggestive content is mentioned (ie sex jokes)

->𝙉𝙤𝙩𝙚: Y'all I'm sorry I had some last minute school stuff then I wrote most of this after my wisdom teeth surgery and let me tell you my writing sucked. I'm back and wisdom teethless and annoying as ever. Also I'm so sorry if I got some psych stuff wrong I'm a comms major just loved AP Psych in HS. Also with these text messages the first VB GC the blue is hinata but then I realized I'm dumb so in the next images Atsumu is blue.

“When thinking of tests to perform and other theories that have been connected to attraction the first one I consistently found myself researching was the stereotype content model (2002). As a healthy baseline I believe that by trying to match Subject A’s ideal admiration stereotype they will hopefully stereotype me as such. On days Zero to Three (0-3) my main focus will be to start stereotyping as well as create a plan to spend more time with Subject A.”

How hard was it to set up an admiration stereotype, high warmth and high competence, easy.

Warmth could be achieved by some simple support for not only Atsumu but also the rest of the team. Not enough to feel maternal but enough to show she was capable of providing. Reliability was the best way to build up trust. Competence was trickier, Y/n knew she was smart but how to get Atsumu to see that she was smart.

“Hey boys,” Y/n greeting carrying a case of Gatorade for the volleyball team walking over to the bench to set down the case.

“Y/n, you are a godsend,” Suna chuckled, grabbing an orange bottle from the case and passing it to their captain then grabbing one of his own.

The other boys were quick to follow, thanking Y/n then chatting amongst themselves. When Yachi bent down to grab a red bottle she slid into the spot next to Y/n.

“Rumor has it Coach Foster is looking for good tutors for one of his athletes. A little birdie might have put your name down, might want to announce you are available.” The blonde suggested as she held out her hand for a low five which Y/n was quick to comply

“Holy shit Yachi you are the best,” Y/n praised. She could feel the excitement racing up her spine

“Yachi!” Shugo yelled, “Can you help me fill up these bottles?” 

“Yeah I’ll be right over,” She shouted back getting up to help not before sending a little wink towards Y/n

“Oh and Tsumu go to coaches office for a sec please!” The captain called out again. Yachi turned to face Y/n shooting her a quick wink and mouthing “all you babe”. Y/n grabbed her phone and quickly typed out a tweet

./././././././././.

Coach’s office was cool due to the many fans normally making it a great place to congregate but at this moment no amount of cold air would calm down Atsumu’s nerves. He knew he was struggling in a few classes, namely statistics, but it was only because volleyball was his life. UTokyo was his gateway to the Japan National team, a stupid degree in communications wasn’t going to do anything for him once he made the big leagues. 

“I’ve done everything I can do, kid” Coach Foster said, not looking up from his monitor. “Your Stats grade is too low, the Dean informed me that you won’t be able to play in nationals with a failing grade, I have to bench you until you get about a C,” Atsumu’s heart sank

“Coach please, I need this. Volleyball is my life. There are going to be so many scouts at that game. My career depends on that game,” Atsumu begged and Coach Foster turned to hand him a clipboard. The page clipped down was labeled in bold letters, “Tutor Recommendations”. “You want me to get tutored?” Atsumu asked, glancing at the list he saw three names jumping out at him: Kei Tsukishima, Osamu Miya, and Y/n L/n. Tsuki and him got along fine but working with his teammate was a blow to his ego. Samu, easy answer; absolutely not. Yes he is the obvious choice but they’d fight and Atsumu did not want to be patronized by his brother, they left that in high school. Now L/n was not a bad choice, she was smart and he knew a bit about her. Of course those were just the names he recognized from the list; there were a few more names. After a quick twitter and instagram search Atsumu decided against strangers, they all were pre med or like chemical engineering majors and quite frankly those super smart types terrified him, especially the women. He wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed but he knew the smart girls were the hottest and there was no chance he could learn about variables and distribution with steamy tutoring fantasies running through his mind. Y/n was pretty but Atsumu knew her, she wouldn’t go for him and he was pretty sure her and Tsukishima were together. He could handle her. So after practice he grabbed his phone and checked Y/n’s twitter for any tutoring information

It was four am when there was a knock on Atsumu’s door. The disheveled faux blond did not expect to find Y/n, his new tutor, at his door, donned in black tank top and sweatpants, messy hair and glasses slipping down her nose. It was like all of his steamy tutor fantasies had come to fruition. The only thing tying him back to reality was the cold air hitting his bare chest. Y/n fiddled with that paper in her hands while her eyes traveled down his body before landing on his feet. The silence was deafening. Atsumu grew smug as Y/n’s face grew red. She knew he was toned, she knew how hard he trained, she didn’t know she’d be seeing him shirtless this early on into this experiment.

“Um,” The girl fumbled, “So um as we discussed early, these tutoring sessions will be used heavily in my psychology final. I need your written consent for our conversations, online or face to face, to be recorded or documented in some form. I also need to inform you that I am purposefully not telling you about my experiment so as to not skew the results. I will be using deception tactics and need you to sign this form stating that you understand that you are a test subject. The tutoring will be completely real and I will not disregard the fact that you need tutoring. My reactions and actions might be faked in order to shift your emotions. There might be a lasting effect on your emotions and help can be provided for free if you contact me afterwards...” Atsumu was shocked, in a situation straight out of his dirtiest thoughts, Y/n was just spewing information. The girl was still rambling when he took the paper from her hands.

“Just here?” Atsumu asked, pointing at the line for his signature. Y/n nodded, reaching into her sweatpant pocket grabbing a pen. He took the pen and scribbled out a signature.

“Better keep that darlin’” Tsumu winked handing her the paper, “My signatures gonna be worth something someday,” He promptly shut the door leaving the girl stunned but her mission was successful.

“When the tutoring opportunity arose it happened to be the ideal way to build up admiration. If I could prove that I was competent in a domain that Subject A was not, I could stereotype myself as someone above him. Later on I will have to backtrack and set myself up as an equal but for now having Subject A hold me at a higher standard is ideal. An important factor I lacked to acknowledge was that we are both college students. I had not been acting as such, and for this experiment to be successful I need to be my authentic self instead of someone dead set on data. When choosing my next effect to showcase I realized I needed to be active during our tutoring sessions in order to truly get authentic results. I also acknowledge that I have used the SCM unconsciously to stereotype Subject A on my own. A sense of pity has fallen upon my views of Subject A which will also have to be cleared up through other tests as to not create domestic feelings instead of romantic feelings.” 

tags: @milkteeboba, @90s-belladonna, @rosieyama, @buggy-cj

[lboogie1906]

Prime Minister Dr. Keith Claudius Mitchell (November 12, 1946) is a Grenadian politician who served as Prime Minister of Grenada (1995-2008) and (2013-22). He is the longest-serving Prime Minister in Grenadian history, holding the office for more than 22 years. He is the leader of the New National Party and has been the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Representatives of Grenada (2008-13) and since 2022.

He was born in Saint George’s, Grenada. He graduated from the University of the West Indies with a BS in Mathematics and Chemistry. He earned an MS from Howard University and a Ph.D. in Mathematics and Statistics from American University. He worked as a statistician at Applied Management Sciences and provided statistical support for the US Energy Information Administration. He gave up his professional work to return to Grenada after the US invasion which removed Prime Minister Maurice Bishop from power.

He was elected to a seat in the House of Representatives in the St. George North West constituency in the general election and has held that seat in every election. He was elected leader of the New National Party.

He held the additional post of Minister of Finance until 2020.

He was a cricketer and a spin bowler who captained the Grenada team in 1973. He has been a prominent cricket administrator in the West Indies. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[beardedmrbean]

The transgender population in Britain could be smaller than previously thought, a watchdog report has found.

The Office for Statistical Regulation (OSR) said there was “sufficient evidence” that the gender identity question in the 2021 Census for England and Wales was “more likely than others” to be misunderstood by certain groups.

The Census reported there were 262,000 trans people, equivalent to 0.5 per cent of the population, or one in 200 people. It was the first time the survey had asked whether people identified as a gender that was different from their registered birth sex.

People whose first language was not English were four times more likely to say they were trans than those with English as their main language. 

It led to anomalies such as a greater proportion of people in the London boroughs of Newham and Brent declaring themselves trans than that in places such as Brighton.

Despite this, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) declared it still had “confidence in the gender identity estimates at a national level”.

‘Potential for bias’

However, on Thursday the ONS admitted that there was potential for bias and has requested a reclassification of the gender identity estimates from accredited official statistics to “official statistics in development”.

Emma Rourke, the deputy national statistician, said: “Scotland’s Census findings, and other sources, are broadly consistent with our gender identity statistics at a national level. 

“However, the available evidence does show there is potential for bias in how the gender identity question was answered by those in England and Wales who responded that they did not speak English well.

“Our request to reclassify better reflects the findings coming from the first Census question of its kind and our developing understanding of measuring this complex and important topic.

“We will publish further explanation of the uncertainty associated with the estimates this year, particularly around smaller group breakdowns, along with advice for users, and will work across government and beyond to develop harmonised standards and guidance for collection of data on this topic. 

“We welcome the OSR’s support for our request and their latest report.”

The OSR said although the national estimation was not likely to be “materially misleading” it is hard to draw the same conclusions for local areas.

The report read: “At the national level, triangulation with other sources, including data from the Scottish Census, suggests that an estimate of around ‘one in 200’ triangulates with other sources and is not likely to be materially misleading.

“While the information on the size and nature of all the potential biases is incomplete, it is hard to draw the same conclusion for some more-detailed breakdowns, including for local areas where the data indicate a higher concentration of people misunderstanding the question.”

‘Flawed Census question’

The findings come after gender-critical groups and campaigners demanded an investigation of the faulty question.

Dr Michael Biggs, a sociologist at Oxford University and a trustee of Sex Matters, a campaign group, said: “It’s disgraceful that the Office for National Statistics took 18 months to admit that the Census question on gender identity was fundamentally flawed. 

“Of the total of over 100 questions in the 2011 and 2021 censuses, this is the first to have been downgraded by the ONS.

“Although the OSR found no evidence of ideological bias, I suspect that the ONS’s close relationship with Stonewall and deference to its LGBTQ+ and Allies network contributed to this question being developed without proper scrutiny.

“My research showed that the flawed Census question was derived from one developed by the transgender campaigning group Press for Change. It’s now essential that other public bodies are stopped from using it. The annual GP Patient Survey, for example, currently uses it and gets the same implausible results.”

The OSR found that, although there were lessons to be learned, “we found that overall ONS has worked with good intentions in its aim to address an important data gap on gender identity”.

Ed Humpherson, the OSR director general, said: “We welcome ONS’s request to us to remove the accreditation of these statistics. Our report sets out the reasons that the statistics do not comply in full with the Code of Practice for Statistics, together with the lessons that emerge for ONS, and OSR.”

[chibiseakraken]

Voting Is Powerful

Hey US peeps! Now is a great time to check your voter registration, register to vote, or update your address on your voter registration before the election in November.

Why? Because, whether you have strong feelings about candidates, measures or not, it is a privilege to be able to vote and use your voice in your community. Not everyone has that privilege. That's just it!

The more citizens who vote, the more our elected officials can represent a majority of our citizens. Rarely is there over 65% voter turnout. And the average for most elections is much much lower.

If most citizens don't normally vote, it is very powerful when most of us do vote.

(tips and resources below cut)

See also EAC.GOV for the US election assistance committee.

Check & Register To Vote

Each state has an office of the Secretary of State (go to https://sos.[Insert your state name].gov) which deals with elections and voter registrations. You may also update your voter registration from your state's office, view candidates and measures, and much more depending on how they have set up their system. It is my understanding that each county has an elections office that has a similar website.

Each state also has different laws concerning voting. Make sure your registered name matches your ID as well as your address. Be especially careful if you have more than one last, middle, or first names.

Examples:

Oregon Secretary Of State Elections

https://sos.oregon.gov/elections

Clackamas County Elections

https://clackamas.us/elections

Voting Tips For Newbies:

We all know politicians are not known for honesty but how can we trust they will be more inline with your personal world view than other candidates? This is based on my personal routine. I've voted and lived in multiple different states across the country. Here are a few helpful tips. I've been lucky and have only needed to use numbers 1 & 2, and 3 very seldomly.

1. Read a voter's pamphlet - (see also secretary of state websites) look at endorsements; especially teachers, unions, police, chamber of commerce, other politicians, PACs created by special interest groups; buzz words mentioned, types of past experience. This is a job interview and you are their new boss.

2. No pamphlet? Quickly search the internet. Look at a local paper interview, their personal website, any endorsements, etc.

3. Visit your local elections office's website (state, county, federal) or write them asking for information if you really feel up to a challenge. This is your right to be informed.

4. When all else fails, spend 20 minutes at the library for important elections. Librarians are happy to help with specific questions, as long as they are fact based and researchable.

Other informative websites:

Ballotpedia.org - information about upcoming US elections. A great source, especially for federal elections or state and local elections where there is difficult to find locally provided information.

Example: Ballotpedia 2024 Presidential Election

538 - Do you enjoy looking at numbers and polls? This site has all of the election polls you could want, with a focus on the federal election right now. But, all local polled races can be found here as well.

270towin.com - a graphical and numbers based map of the USA tracking the US national election by electoral vote.

Lastly...

Voting can seem overwhelming. And, it seems more difficult than it should. To me, that shows the importance of voting. If it weren't important, there wouldn't be other people actively trying to stop you from using your voice by voting or becoming involved in your local city council/community center/volunteer programs/peaceful protest. Good luck, and happy thoughts!