#PCT 2023

[nature-hiking]

Desert flowers - Pacific Crest Trail, CA, April 2023

photo by: nature-hiking

[pcttrailsidereader]

More of the 2023 PCT Hiker Survey

In the current Halfwayanywhere's PCT survey there have been inquiries about ageism, homophobia/transphobia, racism, and sexism on the PCT. The data is notable in that even on the PCT these features of the greater society still appear significant. The PCT culture can appear to be utopian or maybe just the best one's imagined world has to offer. People seemingly get along, the surroundings are awe inspiring, and the experiences are hard to surpass.

In the latest Halfway generated 2023 hiker survey the results are extensive. In this post I would like to shine a little light on the results related to age, sexual identity, and race. When I reflect on my experiences on the PCT as the years have gone by I have felt more and more like my hiking partners and I are the 'geezers' based on the other hikers we have encountered on the trail. We have even referred to ourselves as 'Team Geezer' with our tongues firmly planted in our cheeks. We can't really say we have been victims of ageism. We could say we have surprised a few people when we share more of our trail story that ultimately leads to our ages. Age for us doesn't matter all that much.

'Team Geezer' September 2023

Halfway's 2023 PCT hiker survey includes these comments and data.

Social Issues on the PCT

The Pacific Crest Trail is, for the most part, an amazing place filled with incredible people.

However, just as the trail itself can be not so amazing at times – thunderstorms, fires, horrific weather events – the people, too, can occasionally be awful on the PCT.

Ageism

Overall, 12.5% of hikers experienced ageism on the Pacific Crest Trail. 8.7% experienced ageism from other hikers, 1.0% from people in town, and 2.8% from both their fellow hikers and people in town.

*As ageism was reported by hikers with a wide variety of ages, these percentages encompass all hikers.

Homophobia/Transphobia

Overall, 42.4% of LGBTQIA+ hikers experienced homophobia or transphobia on the Pacific Crest Trail. 9.6% experienced homophobia or transphobia from other hikers, 22.4% from people in town, and 10.4% from both their fellow hikers and people in town.

Racism

Overall, 22.5% of BIPOC hikers experienced racism on the Pacific Crest Trail. 1.3% experienced racism from other hikers, 17.5% from people in town, and 3.8% from both their fellow hikers and people in town.

Sexism

Overall, 53.1% of women experienced sexism or sexual harassment on the Pacific Crest Trail. 12.8% experienced sexism or sexual harassment from other hikers, 15.4% from people in town, and 2.94% from both their fellow hikers and people in town.

These data points are intriguing to me. For one thing this data suggests that the PCT is a kind of microcosm of the larger world. Ageism, Homo and Transphobia, Racism not to ignore sexism lurk even on the trail and the towns hikers pass through. At the beginning I described this data as intriguing but I should also mention that it feels disappointing too. The PCT is a place where one likes to think a certain immunity exists from these threats, attitudes, and general misgivings. Nevertheless some of societies uglier features, based on the data, still weasel their way into people's hiking experiences

Ageism faired better than homophobia and transphobias where when the data is taken together 42.4% of LGBTQIA+ hikers noted some form of negativity about their identity/preferences. BIPOC hikers felt they experienced the most (17.5%) racism from townspeople. As more people of color get on the trail it may dampen another ugly societal feature. Sadly just over half the women who submitted their survey said they experienced sexism or sexual harassment on the PCT. Some of the sexism and/or harassment came not just from townspeople but fellow hikers too. The percentages are nearly even.

The PCT hiker surveys are valuable in so many ways. It seems that in looking over this particular data surrounding ageism, racism, sexism, and homophobia/transphobia, we can use it as a call to action. As members of the PCT community we must be reminded through the survey responses that the PCT is as susceptible to some of the same social shortcomings of the world found off the trail. If we can take that understanding and apply it toward actively working to change such attitudes then the trail can be a welcoming place for more individuals than the survey results currently suggest. We may have to wait for the next survey and the one after that before we will really know if greater acceptance and a willingness to understand others is taking place. How we measure our collective progress is yet another product of Halfway's valuable surveys. Stealing a little from Woody Guthrie...we cannot forget that 'this trail is your trail and this trail is my trail, it belongs to you and me...' In reality we don't own it but we are responsible for what happens both on and off of the PCT and that can be a real source of pride.

[magz]

wrt dominican-palestinian stuff of here …

news context (in spanish and news sites of diff political parties): October 2010

Gesto histórico dominicano con Palestina - Hoy Digital

October 2011

Palestina instalará su sede diplomática regional en RD - el caribe

October 2023

Organizaciones y ciudadanos dominicanos apoyan al pueblo palestino - acento

Solidaridad Dominicana con Palestina demanda NO al holocausto contra el pueblo palestino - diario dominicano (in article: Pro-Palestine Dominican protests got attacked by militarized Dominican alt-right)

https://diariodominicano.com/?p=481654

November 2023

Propalestinos se congregaron frente a la sede de la ONU en Santo Domingo

Canciller dominicano considera creación de un Estado Palestino para detener guerra en franja de Gaza - listin diario

December 2023

Solidaridad Dominicana con Palestina reclama cese al fuego en Gaza - HispanTV

Las opciones democráticas condenan la masacre de los palestinos - Tele-radio America

-

some Pro-Palestine Dominican groups that want ceasefire and complete end to Palestinian genocide:

Solidaridad Dominicana con Palestina Partido Comunista del Trabajo -PCT- Movimiento Rebelde -MR- Militancia Revolucionaria Socialista -MRS- Acción Afro-Dominicana

and more.

-

BDS applies here, and also boycott of National Dominican book fair (once a year, was august 2023 this year).

D.R. recognizes Palestine as a state, has Palestinian diplomatic ties, voted for ceasefire in U.N., has active pro-palestine activist groups, a recognized Palestinian diaspora, diff government entities has been trying to get humanitarian aid into Gaza n condemning Israel etc.

- but D.R. have been known for its business relations with Israel, n they could go harder.

[389]

Mixed by me: @hyprfnk Originally played 2023 - 01 - 19 @ Blunderdome: turntable.fm/blunderdome Tracklist: 1. Flying Stones - Maybe Tomorrow (After Outside Mix) 2. Dawl - Break It Down 3. Hassan Abou Alam - Delayed 4. Sewerslvt - Cyberia Lyr1 (slowed) 5. Bushwacka! - Smashed 6. Z.I.P.P.O, Pearl River Sound - Coral 7. Paradox - Drum Throne 8. Skywave Transmissions vs. XOTR - Existence 9. Phantasia - Violet Skies 10. Neon - Waves 11. Wheez-ie - Choke Hold 12. Anunaku - Temples 13. Information Flash - Early in The Mornin’ 14. Tifra - Plastic Replicant 15. Lithe - Soft Light 16. Shcuro - Lysergia 17. Carlton Doom - Insects In The Jelly 18. Samuel Padden - 94 Britania 19. Off The Meds - Belter 20. Kindimmer - Junkin Hustlin 21. Polymod - 10Six 22. Pinz & Pelz - Minotaur 23. BENUEBER - Give A Fuck 24. Double 99 - Ripgroove 25. Buba - Pink Divine 26. Third Son - Syncussion 27. Blush Response - Body Artifact 28. Nic As Well - Hard Hat Area 29. Paȧl - Paradise O 30. Korzi, Hedchef - Footslog - Hedchef Heat Exhaustion Mix 31. Breaka x Guava - Fiscal Hibiscus 32. Body Program - Kill Dem 33. BufoBufo - Metal’s Winning 34. Al Wootton - Body Healthy 35. Solid Blake - Mario 36. Dr Olive & The Hoperators - LEtre Electrique (Dr Olive Ne Pas 2001 Remix) 37. Szajna - Wriggle Shuffle 38. Private Caller - Backwards 39. Shut Up and Dance - Raving I'm Raving 40. Haider - U Trippin 41. Stenny - Lights On 42. Oall Hates - PCT - 666 43. Aaliyah - Rock The Boat (Mikey B Bootleg) 44. Farsight- Leg Shake (Stones Taro Remix) 45. DJ 3000 - Reckless 46. Cocktail Party Effect - I Kno3 47. Pera Sta Ori - Cheddarism 48. The Advent - Live@Motor 1998 49. Gag Reflex - UV 50. Nü Kvlture - Seekit - You Go 51. Hare in Flight - Muir Woods 52. DJ これからの緊急災害 - Memory Replace

[ayearoferewhon]

PCT hiker leaves the springs, 2023 . . . (see source for story)

[kitkatpancakestack]

I swear I'm trying to write buddie again but every time it turns into sterek. Like what?? Idek. Idek. I think it's cuz I just reread pcts. It's the year of our lord 2023 what's happening. Also one day I'd love to write an original work again. Sigh.

[workersolidarity]

🇺🇲 🏦 🚨 U.S. RETAIL SALES DOWN 3.1 pct YEAR-ON-YEAR FROM 2022

U.S. retail sales, excluding consumer vehicles, grew 3.1% year-on-year for the period from Nov. 1st 2023 to Dec. 24th 2023, according to preliminary data from the MasterCard Spending pulse report issued on Tuesday.

Previously, the U.S. economy recorded a 7.6% year-on-year expansion, writes Xinhua News Agency.

In further detail, online retail sales grew by 6.3% year-on-year, while brick-and-mortar retail only grew by 2.2% year-on-year.

Restaurant sales saw a year-on-year expansion of 7.8% for the same period, while sales in Jewelry shrank by 2% and sales in electronics were down 0.4%.

Data was based on non-inflation adjusted aggregate sales activity from the MasterCard payments network in combination with survey-based estimates for certain payment forms including cash and check.

Further, the U.S. National Retail Foundation forecast for holiday spending for Nov. and Dec. 2023 expected growth of a projected 3-4% over 2022 to between $957.3 billion to $966.6 billion.

#source

@WorkerSolidarityNews

[pannaginip]

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/30/23/ltfrb-jeepney-consolidation-rate-in-ncr-at-33-pct

ABS-CBN: ~33% of jeepneys in Metro Manila have consolidated, according to LTFRB.

Meanwhile, [LTFRB NCR Director Tamayo] said consolidated UV Express units are at 3,259 or 44.3 percent.

Combined, they make up 17,152 or only 35 percent of Public Utility Vehicles in NCR.

This has reinforced the LTFRB’s position that there will be no transportation crisis come January 2024, even in NCR, where 47.3 percent of routes are already being operated by consolidated transport entities, according to the agency.

Other modes of public transportation will also be there to serve the riding public. Although some, like taxis and Transportation Network Vehicle Services (TNVS) may be more costly.

[OTC Chairman] Ortega admits that some passengers may have to bear this burden temporarily.

The LTFRB said it is still in the process of collating the consolidation figures from all over the country as they come in. As per the Department of Transportation’s last update, the nationwide PUV consolidation rate was at 70 percent.

2023 Dec. 30

[burlveneer-music]

VA - Q4 Statement, 2023 - a name-your-price sampler from Woodford Halse & related labels

Free/pay what you feel digital promotional sampler featuring physical and digital releases across Woodford Halse, Preston Capes and Fenny Compton. The purpose of this collection is to encourage our followers to investigate further the full WH/PC/FC catalogue by having tasty morsels from each release available in your collection without having to open your wallet. (Paying supporters also get unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app). Click on the links below to buy the full albums in digital or physical form (where still available). Includes excerpts from: October: The Xenakis Station by Audio Obscura audioobscura.bandcamp.com/album/wf-76-the-xenakis-station Changeable Depths by Greenshank woodfordhalse.bandcamp.com/album/wf-88-changeable-depths-2 It's Not Fine by Angeline Morrison fennycompton.bandcamp.com/album/fc3-its-not-fine November Above Inlets by Duolant duolant.bandcamp.com/album/wf-77-above-inlets Between Shadows And Lore by Pennycross Coven townandcounty-woodfordhalse.bandcamp.com/album/wf-75-between-shadows-and-lore I Don't Want To Worry You Unnecessarily by TVO and The Incidental Crack prestoncapes1.bandcamp.com/album/pct-15-i-dont-want-to-worry-you-unnecessarily December Penny - Original Soundtrack by Maya Hardinge & David Louis Zuckerman maya-woodfordhalse.bandcamp.com/album/wf-87-penny-original-soundtrack

[bookgeekgrrl]

My media this week (23-29 Apr 2023)

📚 STUFF I READ 📚

🥰👂‍Something Wild & Wonderful (Anita Kelly, author; Mark Sanderlin, narrator) - really enjoyable contemp romance about 2 guys who meet hiking the PCT - great MCs, great supporting characters

😍Backhoe (Zenaidamacrouras1) - 123K, no-powers modern AU with a smol Steve & beefy Bucky - absolutely incredible fic where Steve's an art grad student/activist & goes to protest a pipeline in Appalachia, which is going to be built across Bucky's family land - this fic was fantastic! Great (& authentic) sense of place & community, well-developed OCs (Bucky's sisters) - it's a meet-cute followed by all the work an actual relationship takes, very real & genuine with the emotions & hurdles that come up.

🥰Gravity's Got Nothing on You (zosofi) - 86K, sterek au, fake dating, frenemies-to-lovers with the encouragement(?) of some magic wolf figurines - it's probably been 8 years since I read this and it's as delightful as I remember - they're both so emotionally constipated it's hilarious

💖💖 +143K of shorter fic so shout out to these I really loved 💖💖

All I'm Saying, Pretty Baby series (IrisLanding) - Stranger Things: steddie, 21K - "Steve and Eddie stumble into a series of dirty talking sexual adventures that may actually lead somewhere."

turn down the lights, turn down the bed (rockinhamburger) - Ted Lasso: Trent/Ted, 25K - Trent, drunk & thirsty af & bemoaning his life, accidentally texts Ted instead of his bestie. Some really good dicking, angst & emotions ensue.

Love Runs Wild (DevilDoll) - TW: sterek, 9K - a fucking forever fave classic from the "Neckz 'n Throats" universe

Thursday Nights with Bucky Barnes (Ellessey) - MCU: stucky, 4K - short but super duper meet cute with grumpy Steve and NOT the normal laundromat guy

Not In The Answer But The Question (aimmyarrowshigh) - MCU: shrunkyclunks, 27K - reread this fantastic shrunkyclunks with cap!steve (who's busy not processing his trauma) meeting queer disabled jewish deli owner bucky. So fucking good. Plus it will make you crave BEC bagels (which I 100% ordered from our local place this AM)

📺 STUFF I WATCHED 📺

Dirty Laundry - s2, e11

Um, Actually - s1, e5; s6, e2-6,8-12, s8, e3-4

Shrinking - s1, e1

Schmigadoon! - s2, e5

The Brokenwood Mysteries - s9, e3

Ted Lasso - s3, e7 [x2]

🎧 PODCASTS 🎧

Wait Wait… Don't Tell Me! - Weird Al Yankovic

Into It - Roy Wood Jr. Is Ready for Late Night

Switched on Pop - Who killed the key change in pop music?

⭐Desert Island Discs - Dara Ó Briain, comedian and television presenter

99% Invisible #534 - For Amusement Only (Free Replay)

⭐Vibe Check - You About to Lose Yo’ Job

Pop Culture Happy Hour - Harry Belafonte

ICYMI Plus - We’ve Learned Nothing From West Elm Caleb

Decoder Ring Plus - The Artist Who Was Both Loved and Disdained

Ologies with Alie Ward - Delphinology Part 2 (DOLPHINS) with Justin Gregg

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - The Last Wild Apple Groves

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Telling Time through the Trees with the Places Team

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Caring for Canids

Shedunnit - Bonus: What is "Cosy"?

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Moose Boulder

Into It - Are We Into Ed Sheeran's Lawsuit, Tucker Carlson's Firing, and Timothée Chalamet?

Endless Thread - The Birds and the Bugs

Sidedoor - Bill Nye the Sidedoor Guy

You're Dead To Me - The Rise of the Tudors

⭐Hit Parade Plus - The Bridge: Video Pilled Suburbia’s Child

ICYMI Plus - Should We All Be Pirating More?

🎶 MUSIC 🎶

Presenting Paul McCartney

Presenting Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Instru-Metal

Emily King

Presenting Dio

Presenting Iron Maiden

Alestorm

synthwave radio [Lofi Girl]

Presenting Alice Cooper

Presenting Rush

The Look Of Love - The Very Best Of ABC [ABC]

[nature-hiking]

Desert Sunrise - Pacific national crest trail, CA, April 2023

photo by: nature-hiking

[pcttrailsidereader]

Halfway Anywhere: a PCT Gem

The 2023 PCT Hiker survey results that has been compiled for more than the past decade has been posted by Mac on his website Halfway Anywhere. Mac has been putting out the survey for the past eleven years and each year it gets better and more revealing. In 2023 there were 750 responses. We will share reactions to some of the data in the time ahead. For now, taking a look at hiker demographics seems like a great place to begin. I have copied Mac's data illustrations into this post.

Demographics

Beginning by looking at gender males still dominate the number of hikers on the PCT. However it appears more and more women are finding their way to the trail. As society gets more comfortable with sexual identification it appears that respondents to the survey are identifying preferences that otherwise may have not been identified. This is another form of diversity among PCT hikers.

PCT Hiker Gender

57.9% – Male

40.2% – Female

1.6% – Non-binary

0.3% – Genderqueer

PCT Hiker Age

The 25-29 year olds were the majority in the 2023 class. My age group was adequately represented but not as well as the 25-34 year olds.

0.9% – < 20

12.1% – 20-24

26.9% – 25-29

21.2% – 30-34

11.3% – 35-39

9.8% – 40-49

8.0% – 50-59

8.3% – 60-70

1.5% – 70+

PCT Hiker Race

It was surprising to me that just over 88% of the respondents to the survey identified as White. Despite efforts to diversify the PCT and the PCT experience, Caucasians in 2023 are still in the majority of PCT hikers. This is a fairly consistent trend over the past seven years of Halfway's data.

88.7% – White

3.8% – Asian

3.6% – Two or More Races

1.5% – Hispanic or Latino

0.3% – American Indian or Alaska Native

0.3% – Middle Eastern

1.9% – Prefer not to answer

PCT Hiker Education

Just over 70% of the 2023 class identified as having a Bachelor or Master's degree. That suggests a well educated group of hikers. I am the first to say college is not everything or as a result sets someone on a higher plain than the rest of society. I find it interesting how many of the responses were from a large majority of college graduates or people with some college background.

46.9% – Bachelor’s degree

23.7% – Master’s Degree

11.7% – Some college

4.7% – High school or equivalent

3.5% – Associate degree

2.4% – PhD

1.3% – JD

1.3% – MBA

0.9% – Trade School

0.8% – 12th grade or less

0.7% – MD

0.1% – CPA

0.1% – DCS/DEC

0.1% – DDS

0.1% – DO

0.1% – DPT

0.1% – DVM

0.1% – EdD

1.1% – Prefer not to answer

As you can see the hiker survey has much data to mine. This is the tip of a very large iceberg that can be found at Halfwayanywhere.com. We will continue with reactions to some of the data that stood out to us in later posts. We hope you will find it as interesting if not a bit surprising as we do.

[findingmypeace]

1/11/2023

Today is the 3rd day of the conference. It’s going well so far. It involves far more role playing than I imagined it would. And I’m not really doing the role playing. My Ph.D. is in ‘Counselor Education and Supervision’. Essentially I am learning how to teach future therapists to be therapists. So this conference has involved us Ph.D. students doing a lot of the educating to masters students. The class I am taking this semester is “Internship I” and what I am supposed to be doing for my internship is helping teach a Master’s level counseling course. (Which reminds me-I need to email the professor because that course is not showing up on my dashboard). Regardless, my point is this conference has been way more involved than I thought it would be as I am leading counselor role-playing sessions. Tomorrow is, thankfully, the last day of the conference because I am exhausted.

The conference has taken up a lot of my brain space this week but in the background I’ve really been missing people (as always). I was thinking this morning that I ‘miss treatment’ but I don’t think I really miss treatment. I miss the support I got from treatment. I miss the PCT’s and the nurse I mentioned. I even miss the person who is the assistant clinical director because even though she is a hard ass I know she cared about me and she was always honest with me. The treatment center runs three weekly virtual support groups. Two are ANAD groups and one is specifically an alumni group. The alumni group is on Wednesday evenings. I think I will attend the one tonight. Various primary therapists leads all of these groups. It’ll be nice to see one of them.

But I’m really missing the support I had while I was in treatment. I don’t want to go back to treatment (I won’t) but I don’t think I can do this by myself for much longer. It’s so hard and it’s exhausting. And it really hurts.

[todayworldnews2k21]

Huawei leads 2023 global patent application rankings · TechNode

The global patent application rankings from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) recently revealed 272,600 worldwide PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) patent applications in 2023, reflecting a 1.8% decrease from the previous year. In terms of corporations, Huawei led the list of applicants with 6,494 PCT patent applications, followed by Samsung (3,924), Qualcomm (3,410), Mitsubishi…

[jobkash]

Patient Care Technician - PCT - Training Provided

Location: 110 Mount Wayte Ave, Framingham MA 2021, 2022 and 2023 America’s ‘Most Loved Workplaces’ by Newsweek NO Overnight, Sunday or on-call shifts. Major holidays off! (Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Days) No prior healthcare experience required, on the job, paid 12 weeks of training to become nationally certified. Upon certification receive a pay increase & promotion 70,000+ dedicated…