#Skilled Car Technicians

[autopulsehub]

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[henrywbblogs]

UPVC Window Spraying Services for a Stylish Home in Manchester

Manchester, the bustling heart of the North, is known for its vibrant culture, historic landmarks, and, of course, its love affair with automobiles. From the iconic red-brick streets to the bustling highways, vehicles play a pivotal role in the city's daily rhythm. Among the many components that contribute to the allure of Manchester's cars, alloy wheels stand out as both functional and stylish.

Alloy wheels not only enhance the aesthetics of a vehicle but also improve its performance. However, over time, these prized possessions can lose their luster due to scratches, scuffs, or corrosion. This is where mobile alloy wheel refurbishment manchester come to the rescue, offering convenience and quality restoration right at your doorstep.

Convenience Redefined

In a city as dynamic as Manchester, convenience is key. Mobile alloy wheel refurbishment services eliminate the hassle of taking your car to a workshop, waiting in queues, and enduring prolonged periods without your wheels. Instead, the professionals come to you, whether you're at home, work, or even enjoying a day out in the city.

Quality Craftsmanship

While convenience is paramount, quality craftsmanship is non-negotiable. Fortunately, mobile alloy wheel refurbishment services in Manchester pride themselves on delivering exceptional results. Equipped with state-of-the-art tools and expertise, these technicians possess the skills to breathe new life into worn-out alloy wheels.

Tailored Solutions

Every wheel tells a story, with its unique set of imperfections accumulated over time. Mobile alloy wheel refurbishment services understand this, offering tailored solutions to address individual needs. Whether it's repairing a minor scratch or completely refurbishing a heavily damaged wheel, these professionals have the knowledge and resources to meet diverse requirements.

Environmentally Conscious

Beyond convenience and quality, mobile alloy wheel refurbishment services in Manchester are also committed to environmental sustainability. By opting for refurbishment over replacement, you contribute to reducing waste and preserving valuable resources. Additionally, many refurbishment processes employ eco-friendly techniques and materials, further minimizing environmental impact.

Cost-Effective Alternative

Replacing alloy wheels can be a costly affair, especially for premium or custom designs. Mobile refurbishment presents a cost-effective alternative, allowing you to restore your wheels to their former glory without breaking the bank. With competitive pricing and the ability to negotiate packages tailored to your budget, these services offer value for money without compromising on quality.

Conclusion

In a city where every detail matters, maintaining the pristine condition of your alloy wheels is paramount. Mobile alloy wheel refurbishment services in Manchester offer a seamless blend of convenience, quality craftsmanship, and environmental responsibility. Whether you're a busy professional, a car enthusiast, or simply someone who takes pride in their vehicle, these services ensure that your wheels continue to turn heads on the streets of Manchester.

[autofixuae]

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[sevenoakstransmissions]

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[probablyasocialecologist]

John Barnett had one of those bosses who seemed to spend most of his waking hours scheming to inflict humiliation upon him. He mocked him in weekly meetings whenever he dared contribute a thought, assigned a fellow manager to spy on him and spread rumors that he did not play nicely with others, and disciplined him for things like “using email to communicate” and pushing for flaws he found on planes to be fixed. “John is very knowledgeable almost to a fault, as it gets in the way at times when issues arise,” the boss wrote in one of his withering performance reviews, downgrading Barnett’s rating from a 40 all the way to a 15 in an assessment that cast the 26-year quality manager, who was known as “Swampy” for his easy Louisiana drawl, as an anal-retentive prick whose pedantry was antagonizing his colleagues. The truth, by contrast, was self-evident to anyone who spent five minutes in his presence: John Barnett, who raced cars in his spare time and seemed “high on life” according to one former colleague, was a “great, fun boss that loved Boeing and was willing to share his knowledge with everyone,” as one of his former quality technicians would later recall. But Swampy was mired in an institution that was in a perpetual state of unlearning all the lessons it had absorbed over a 90-year ascent to the pinnacle of global manufacturing. Like most neoliberal institutions, Boeing had come under the spell of a seductive new theory of “knowledge” that essentially reduced the whole concept to a combination of intellectual property, trade secrets, and data, discarding “thought” and “understanding” and “complex reasoning” possessed by a skilled and experienced workforce as essentially not worth the increased health care costs.

[...]

By now you know what became of Swampy: He was found dead a few weeks ago with a gunshot wound to his right temple, “apparently” self-inflicted, on what was meant to be the third day of a three-day deposition in his whistleblower case against his former employer; his amended complaint, which his lawyer released last week, is the basis for much of this story. It is worth noting here that Swampy’s former co-workers universally refuse to believe that their old colleague killed himself. One former co-worker who was terrified of speaking publicly went out of their way to tell me that they weren’t suicidal. “If I show up dead anytime soon, even if it’s a car accident or something, I’m a safe driver, please be on the lookout for foul play.” 

[bengiyo]

Last Twilight Ep 10 Stray Thoughts

Last week, Day talked to his dad and got some closure about how his dad left his mom and them. Then, Mhok and Day decided to take a side trip to climb the mountain featured on the Last Twilight book. They ended up using the same homestay as the author, and learned that he went on an international journey so that his daughter, who was losing her visions, could see lots of beautiful things. They managed to reach the top of the mountain and had an emotional moment as Day’s remaining eyesight failed.

This is how you start an episode! Immediately into the mom conflict.

Ouch, they made Mhok stay outside for this appointment.

Currently feeling a little sorry for the mom because I understand her being jealous that she wasn’t present for Day’s final moments of vision, feels complex responsibility about making sure they continue to be wealthy enough to care for Day, and also probably is just scared because she feels so powerless. I get the instinct to exert control in some way, even if it’s over Mhok for overstepping in his role.

I’m also glad Mhok made the choice to quit on his own. He’s too close to Day now to serve as his caregiver in a professional capacity.

“Keep it secret. Keep it safe.”

Not keen on the mom being okay with Day regressing.

“Mom, I love him,” is not a winning play here, Day.

Oh no mom hired that patronizing guy from earlier.

At least Mhok got the car back.

I kinda wish Mhok had been holding a boom box in this phone call scene.

She said, “I’m not homophobic. Mhok is just too broke to be with you.” If we’re going down this route, I hope this ties back into the earlier stuff about Day choosing to quit school.

Mm, I do not approve of her taking Day’s phone.

I am glad Porjai called Mhok out on prioritizing Day over himself. I was wondering if we’d do anything else with Mhok’s ex-con status. Not sure how I feel about him picking up culinary skills since he started taking care of Day and changing careers. I was hoping his technician skills would stick around.

She changed the wifi password too? WTF

Mark Pakin is still so, so good. He continues to absolutely crush huge emotional moments that involve a face journey. I like this reconciliation with the brothers. There’s really nothing else for Night to say.

Hold on, what have Porjai and Night been up to? Fill me in!

Okay! That’s his child?? I’m here for this. Good job, Mark and Namtam. So much with so little.

This painting class looks like a lot of fun.

I like the Day has adapted to his system and can find the shirts he wants now.

Oh, Mark, you are selling Night feeling like he doesn’t get noticed by the mom so well.

I’m sure Julia Child would be happy to see these people crying into a beef stew.

This family scene is very charming, but I ain’t forget that she took that man’s phone and changed the Wi-Fi password.

Curious about ending on the eye donation.

I don’t like how we just seemed to forgive the mom, because I did not like the way she handled literally anything this episode. We had Porjai point out that Mhok had spent too much time thinking about Day, and only mentioned his job struggles as a quick aside. Yeah, we saw his issues earlier, but I feel like we should have spent more time with Mhok this episode seeing him step back into the reality of his world. In a less egregious way, this is a lot like the Dangerous Romance issue, where we switched perspectives after one or two episodes and never really went back.

[tgmsunmontue]

Caring, Keeping and Collecting Transformers - A Guide 3/?

Maverick is unknowingly surrounded by Transformers. He knows something is up though. Just not quite what it is exactly.

Bradley and Jake, having never met, are embarking on their own journeys and will have to learn to deal with the fact that they've both been adopted by Transformers.

Despite having years more experience, Maverick is no help at all.

CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

              “I have heard rumors of this place, a haven, for those from Cybertron. A place with a skilled technician, even if they are human. We will need to check there, see if Jetfire’s wings have maybe made it there. I know there are… others there.”

              Jake gets the feeling that he’s not quite getting the whole story but he is more worried about the logistics.

              “Do you know where it is?”

              “I can fly there.”

              “Great for you. Do you need me to get there with Jetfire? Because I’m going to need a bit more than your gut instinct.”

              “I will guide you. It is West of here. And North.”

              “North West. Which leaves most of the entire fucking continent ahead of me, but sure, let’s get to work. I only have four more weeks of leave.”

              He organizes to borrow one of the large equestrian truck and trailers, says he’s taking the plane to a specialist welder, which isn’t that much of a stretch when he considers it. In the dead of night he watches as Starscream simply lifts the pieces of Jetfire into the back and wishes he had that much strength at his disposal. He’s pretty sure Starscream will only do as he asks for as long as it serves his own purpose, and that purpose right now is getting his friend fixed up. And for that he currently needs Jake.

…           …           …

              Maybe his friends were right and his car is possessed. He had fallen asleep once and when he’d woken up they’d been over halfway back to California. Even if he doesn’t have to buy gas he’s getting very sick of simply zig-zagging across middle-America. He puts his feet on the brake and while it doesn’t respond immediately it does slow down and pull over and Bradley gets out and walks for a bit, ignoring as best he can that the car is following him at a crawling pace. He’s pretty sure kicking the tires is not a good idea.

              “Look… I want to go home to Virginia Beach.”

              Something is wrong with my baby… the radio crackles out, and then Something is wrong is repeated and he doesn’t like the way all the little hairs on his forearms suddenly prickle up.

              “Okay. Okay. Message received loud and clear. Get us back to… wherever it is you need to go. Uh. Do you need me there? Cause I could just leave you to it if you like?”

              I still want you by my side…

              “Man your taste in music really sucks.”

              You’re not better than me.

              “You aren’t making a good argument…” Bradley mutters, but he gets back in and resigns himself to going wherever his car wants to take him.

…           …           …

              “I am not a robot and I cannot drive non-stop!” Jake hisses at Starscream. He’d punctuate his words with a finger to the chest, except he feels like he’d likely break a finger. Also having to reach that far up probably makes the gesture just look silly. “I am a human and I need to eat and sleep and take fucking toilet breaks. Go and hide yourself in a field somewhere if you’re meant to keeping a low profile. I am getting food and then sleeping for eight hours.”

              Starscream stalks off muttering about pushy humans but Jake cannot bring himself to care. He’s been driving for over fourteen hours, and he’s used to pushing his body to its limits, but he cannot drive another five minutes. His eyes are gritty, body stiff and his stomach is grumbling. His bladder is also screaming at him and he quickly enters the diner, orders food and then makes a beeline for the bathroom. His body slumps with relief and he heads back to eat and enjoy his food. He’s also refueling the truck, another thing Starscream doesn’t seem to appreciate.

              He pulls himself into the back of the truck, runs his fingers over the body of Jetfire, the vibrations under his fingers still there and he knows he’s probably not imagining it now. He pulls out the bedroll and camping mattress he’d packed, not prepared to pay for accommodation when he could bunk in the truck. The smell of horses isn’t anything that bothers him. He falls asleep and doesn’t feel the rocking motion of movement.

…           …           …

              He wakes up feeling rested, glances at his watch and yep, seven hours sleep exactly. He leaves the bedding where it is, knows he’s likely going to need it again and unlocks the door, pushing it open. He’s expecting to see the truck stop, other trucks pulled in for a rest. Except that’s not where he is at all. He’s somewhere else, nothing but tussocky grasslands stretching in every direction, mountains in the distance. There’s a road, long and straight in both directions and he groans. He has no fucking clue where he is, or where he’s meant to be going, or where Starscream has fucked off to. He walks around the side, and hunched in the shadow of the truck, trying to conceal himself, is Starscream.

              “Oh, there you are. Did you… drive us here?”

              “Carried. I had to stop and hide often, but the cover of darkness helped. I had to stop when dawn approached.”

              “Of course you did. Where are we?”

              “California.”

              “Okay. So I’m guessing no more West. Just North now?”

              “We are close. Less than an hour travel.”

              “Oh. Cool. Uh. You have any more instructions you can give me?”

              Starscream tries his best, or at least Jake hopes he’s trying, but then he mentions he can land there as a plane and Jake looks at him in disbelief.

              “So it’s an airstrip?”

              “Yes.”

              “Okay, then there’s likely to be signs, and wind socks and other things I can use to guide me.”

              “There are buildings, shaped like this,” Starscream says, drawing a semicircle in the dirt and Jake nods.

              “Hangars. There are hangars. That’s to be expected.”

              “One is… newly painted. That is the one we want,” Starscream states and then pauses. “It may not be a warm welcome.”

              Jake groans.

              “Now you tell me.”

              “You will be fine.”

              Jake raises a disbelieving eyebrow, he has no real choice but to go along with it, his curiosity almost at fever pitch. Also he wants to see if he can get Jetfire up and working again.

              He drives.

…           …           …

              When he starts recognizing things his stomach starts sinking, unable to believe that he’s heading towards Maverick’s hangar. There’s a chance that, however slim, that they’ll blow past the turnoff, but nope, the Bronco is slowing and the turn signal is flashing and he crosses his arms, feeling justified in his sulk. He can’t believe he’s been abducted by his own freaking car, which is now moving very slowly, and Bradley is starting to feel uneasy, because it’s like his car has suddenly gotten cautious, like it’s expecting something. And not something good.

              It stops by the hangar and Bradley reaches for the door, but then the locks all slam into place and Bradley slams his hands on the dash.

              “Seriously?!”

              “Be quiet.”

              His jaw drops, because that was definitely a voice, not music coming from the radio, not something he could even begin to pass off as his imagination. He doesn’t know if he could make noise now even if he hadn’t just been told to be quiet. Then he sees the large horse truck driving down the road that is parallel with the airstrip, and he wonders what about it seems to have his car effectively pacing in front of the hangar doors. Then the doors are opening but his attention is drawn to the plane coming into land. He’s pretty sure it’s an F-15 Eagle, and god, he wouldn’t put it past Maverick to have collected yet another fighter jet, and he doesn’t know if he’s ready to face Maverick himself.

              Then the unthinkable happens, the plane seems to crumple midair as it comes to land, and he thinks it’s undergone catastrophic failure before realizing it’s reforming into something else and is landing on two legs rather than wheels and he’s blinking fast, trying to double check his vision isn’t making things up. Then he feels his car move around him and he’s tossed, semi-gently and then his car is also on legs rather than wheels and he just gapes up at it, mind racing.

…           …           …

              Holy shit.

              Holy fucking shit.

              There are so many of them.

              Nearly everything that he can see is changing form and suddenly looking a fuck load more aggressive and he shrinks back, presses himself into the leather of the seat. He thought he saw someone else, a human someone else, not a robot someone, because he’s seeing dozens of them right now. Wonders a little hysterically if this is some type of convention, and if it is, what they all discuss. Can they all talk? Sucking in a deep breath he decides he needs to get out and ask questions, even if the welcome is so far a little frosty. Starscream had predicted this.

              “Human. They will not hurt you. Me however…” Starscream shrugs then and Jake has gotten pretty good at reading his expressions, and he’s not comfortable right now. While he isn’t the friendliest of… robots, he hasn’t threatened to anything bad, and Jake isn’t going to let a bunch of other robots take him down. Not that he can really stop them if they decide to.

              “Look, uh, hi? My name is Jake… we’re hoping we might get some help to fix our friend, Jetfire?”

              “Decepticon scum, you come here asking for help?” the blue robot which had been a Bronco only ten minutes okay spits out and Jake looks to Starscream, because he doesn’t understand Decepticon, but he does understand scum and the tone leaves nothing to the imagination. Saying it might not be a warm welcome was maybe underselling it a bit he thinks.

              “I do not come seeking help for me. The human speaks true. We have the body of Jetfire. I thought here might… be the best place to bring him.”

              It’s a staring competition between Starscream and the Bronco-robot and Jake’s reminded of stand-offs between some guys in high school, waiting to see who will blink first. He’s pretty sure the fallout from these two exchanging blows would do considerable more damage.

              “Neither of you rule here, this is my space, and you will not begin anything. Do I make myself understood?”

              Jake doesn’t know who the new robot is, but the tone of voice is sharp, commands respect and seems to rebuke both of the other robots despite the fact they’ve both taller by at least a foot. He’s not sure what kind of vehicle they’re meant to be, but it’s more similar to Starscream than the Bronco-bot. Regardless, he can’t help but be impressed.

CHAPTER FOUR

[survivingcapitalism]

What Boeing did to all the guys who remember how to build a plane

by Maureen Tkacik

March 28, 2024

https://prospect.org/infrastructure/transportation/2024-03-28-suicide-mission-boeing/

John Barnett had one of those bosses who seemed to spend most of his waking hours scheming to inflict humiliation upon him. He mocked him in weekly meetings whenever he dared contribute a thought, assigned a fellow manager to spy on him and spread rumors that he did not play nicely with others, and disciplined him for things like “using email to communicate” and pushing for flaws he found on planes to be fixed.

“John is very knowledgeable almost to a fault, as it gets in the way at times when issues arise,” the boss wrote in one of his withering performance reviews, downgrading Barnett’s rating from a 40 all the way to a 15 in an assessment that cast the 26-year quality manager, who was known as “Swampy” for his easy Louisiana drawl, as an anal-retentive prick whose pedantry was antagonizing his colleagues. The truth, by contrast, was self-evident to anyone who spent five minutes in his presence: John Barnett, who raced cars in his spare time and seemed “high on life” according to one former colleague, was a “great, fun boss that loved Boeing and was willing to share his knowledge with everyone,” as one of his former quality technicians would later recall.

More from Maureen Tkacik

But Swampy was mired in an institution that was in a perpetual state of unlearning all the lessons it had absorbed over a 90-year ascent to the pinnacle of global manufacturing. Like most neoliberal institutions, Boeing had come under the spell of a seductive new theory of “knowledge” that essentially reduced the whole concept to a combination of intellectual property, trade secrets, and data, discarding “thought” and “understanding” and “complex reasoning” possessed by a skilled and experienced workforce as essentially not worth the increased health care costs. CEO Jim McNerney, who joined Boeing in 2005, had last helmed 3M, where management as he saw it had “overvalued experience and undervalued leadership” before he purged the veterans into early retirement.

“Prince Jim”—as some long-timers used to call him—repeatedly invoked a slur for longtime engineers and skilled machinists in the obligatory vanity “leadership” book he co-wrote. Those who cared too much about the integrity of the planes and not enough about the stock price were “phenomenally talented assholes,” and he encouraged his deputies to ostracize them into leaving the company. He initially refused to let nearly any of these talented assholes work on the 787 Dreamliner, instead outsourcing the vast majority of the development and engineering design of the brand-new, revolutionary wide-body jet to suppliers, many of which lacked engineering departments. The plan would save money while busting unions, a win-win, he promised investors. Instead, McNerney’s plan burned some $50 billion in excess of its budget and went three and a half years behind schedule.

Swampy belonged to one of the cleanup crews that Boeing detailed to McNerney’s disaster area. The supplier to which Boeing had outsourced part of the 787 fuselage had in turn outsourced the design to an Israeli firm that had botched the job, leaving the supplier strapped for cash in the midst of a global credit crunch. Boeing would have to bail out—and buy out—the private equity firm that controlled the supplier. In 2009, Boeing began recruiting managers from Washington state to move east to the supplier’s non-union plant in Charleston, South Carolina, to train the workforce to properly put together a plane.

[a-shade-of-blue]

Masterlist of Fundraisers from the Palestinians who directly contacted me (29 August - 1 September)

1 September

Faten Baroud (@fatenfamily): Faten was a pharmacist before the war. She has two sisters (Dima and Lina) and two brothers (Nidal and Ahmed, who is only 15). She lost her eldest brother Nidal and have not heard anything from him since November. They managed to pull his wife and children out of the rubble and is now trying to care for them as well. She got engaged a few months before the war and was plannign to travel to her fiance outside the country. However, she is now trapped in Gaza. They are trying to evacuate out of Gaza. (https://gofund.me/6cab1c4a) (#289 on the verified fundraiser list by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi) (Low funds! Only kr4,941 NOK raised of kr1,000,000 goal!)

Tawfik Satoom (@monagaza): Tawfik is an engineer and his parents (Waleed and Mona), his sister Rima (17) and his brother Ahmad (13). Their house has been destroyed, and they are trying to evacuate out of Gaza.  (https://gofund.me/9b7423e3) (#164 on the verified fundraiser list vetted by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi and #238 on the Operation Olive Branch verified fundraiser list)

Ghada Karyym (@ghada-zaki): Ghada is 23 years old and the eldest of 6 sisters. She is a solar energy technician, and has won the International Green Skill Competition. She has become the sole provider for her family since her father was injured in a car accident. But this current war means that she lost her job and her father was unable to complete his medical treatment. Ghada also requires medical treatment due to the loud bombing blowing a hole in her eardrum. They are trying to evacuate out of Gaza. (https://gofund.me/4e16cb44) ( shared by bilal-salah0/ vetted by association, Ghada is his friend from Northern Gaza! (Bilal-salah0's campaign is listed as #132 on the verified fundraiser spreadsheet vetted by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi. His campaign has reached its goal and he is trying to support other campaigns now, see post here))

31 August

Mahmoud Salim (@mahmoudfamily): Mahmoud almost lost his family when the Talelhawa neighborhood was bombed. Several of his family were severely injured in the bombing. Only his sister and her 6-month-old daughter managed to evacuate after being seriously injured. Mahmoud is trying to raise funds to evacuate the rest of his family of 17 people, several of whom are also seriously injured and require medical care. (https://gofund.me/547a4874) (vetted by association. Mahmoud is @hazempalestine's friend, see post here for proof. @hazempalestine is vetted by @/el-shab-hussein and is listed as #281 on the verified fundraiser list by @/el-shab-hussein and @/nabulsi.) (Low funds! Only $130 CAD raised of $80,000 goal!!)

Mohammed Helles (@mohammed-665): Mohammed is trying to evacuate himself, his wife, and his children, some of which are not yet three years old. His wife has also given birth to a baby during this current war. He has lost his brothers Samer and Muhannad in previous wars. (https://gofund.me/0a610ee3) (vetted by 90-ghost)

Shahd (@karamostaz22): Shahd is 18 years old an dis living with a family of 8 (her siblings Abdullah, Muhammad Habiba, Hala, Janan, and Shahad and her parents). She has been injured by a bombing and she almost lost her hearing, so she needs treatment asap.  (https://gofund.me/103c01fc) (Vetted by association. Shahd knows Nour (@nor-famaily, @nourfamily1989, @nourfamily1989) (Nour’s campaign is shared by 90-ghost, also see here), see post here and here for proof of the association between Shahd and Nour)) (Low funds! Only $145 USD raised of $70,000 goal)

Muhammad Eid & Maysaa (@maysmohmmed12): Muhammad and Maysaa have 3 children. His daughter Mais has been killed in an airstrike, and Muhammad has also lost his mother, his brother and his brother’s entire family. He, his wife, and their two remaining children Osama and Fouad were left with serious injuries that require extensive hospital treatment. One of his sons has fractures in his pelvis. They are trying to fundraise to get the money for basic survival and medical treatment. (https://gofund.me/7df1ff13) (vetted by association. Maysaa is the cousin of @osama-basil-ps (Osama is also vetted by association. Osama is a friend of @drfarhatblog (Dr Farhat is #248 on the verified fundraiser list by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi.) See post here), see post here.) (Low funds! Only €60 raised of €35,000 goal!)

Nevin Al-Sir (@nevinalser, @ahadihasan): Nevin is 27 years old and was an accountant. She is married and she gave birth to her child during the war and in bad conditions. Their house has been destroyed. Her body has stopped producing milk due to malnutrition, but she can’t buy milk because it is very expensive. She is living in a tent with her mother, father, brothers, sisters and their children. They are trying to evacuate out of Gaza. (https://gofund.me/4b4721ee) (#314 on the verified fundraiser list vetted by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi. It has also been promoted by @/gaza-evacuation-funds) (Low funds! Only €1,113 raised of €50,000 goal!)

Youssef Abu Al-Rish (@yosefresh): Youssef and his wife have 3 children. Their house has been destroyed and they have been displaced. (https://gofund.me/664c3139) (shared by 90-ghost) 

Diyaa Shamali (@familymajed2): This campaign raises funds for four brothers: Diyaa Shamaly (6 members of his own family), Mohamed Shamaly (5 members), Osama Shamaly (4 members), Momen Shamaly (2 members). This includes a totale of 15 children. They are trying to evacuate out of Gaza. (https://gofund.me/95f39a5c) (#227 on the verified fundraiser list vetted by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi)

Eman Khader(@eman-kha): Eman is 17 years old and lives with her mother. Her father was martyred in the 2014 aggression. Her mother suffers from increase blood pressure and heart problems and has recently been admitted to the heart department in the hospital, but there was not enough medical care available. Eman dreams to be a doctor but her school has been destroyed and she did not complete her last year in high school. They are trying to evacuate out of Gaza. (https://gofund.me/ff82d383) (vetted by 90-ghost) 

30 August

Hussein Shamiya & Rehab Shamiya (@rehabsh98, @husseinshamia): Hussein is an IT engineer and Rehab is an accountant. They have 2 young children, Ayham (5) and Riyad (2 months old) whom Rehab gave birth to in a tent. Their house has been destroyed and they have been displaced several times. They are trying to evacuate out of Gaza. (https://gofund.me/6f90c213) (shared by bilal-salah0 (Bilal-salah0's campaign is listed as #132 on the verified fundraiser spreadsheet vetted by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi. His campaign has reached its goal and he is trying to support other campaigns now, see post here). Their IG is hussein_shamia_, which has been active since 2017; their Twitter is @Moooohhhaaa, which has been active since 2018)

Falestine Jad Al Haq(@falestine-yousef): Falestine has a 3-month-old son called Youssef that she gave birth to during this war. She cannot provide enough milk, medicine and other basic necessities for the baby. Due to the horrible conditions and the loss of their homes, her father suffered a stroke and her mother is suffering from chronic diseases and needs treatment. They are raising funds to evacuate out of Gaza and buy daily necessities. (shared by 90-ghost) (additional info on Falestine and her sisters)

Juliet Al-Habash (@keensaladbanana): Juliet is from a family of 10 and they have experienced 6 evacuations. They are trying to evacuate out of Gaza. (https://gofund.me/247bfc19) (Vetted by association. Juliet is the friend of @/burningnightgiver (campaign has been shared by 90-ghost), see post here for proof) (LOW FUNDS! Currently kr4,213 NOK raised of kr350,000 goal!)

Lama Al-Hourani (@lamahourani7): Lama is an administrative assistant and her husband Mohammed is an accountant. She and her husband’s family of 12 people have been forcibly displaced. Their house has been bombed. They are trying to evacuate out of Gaza. (https://gofund.me/68c6c391) (Vetted by association. @/ayoosh-gaza has confirmed that she knows Laura's husband, see post here for proof. (@/ayoosh-gaza is Vetted by association. Ayaa is the sister-in-law of @eslamfamily (shared by @/90-ghost, #175 on the Bees and Watermelons spreadsheet). See post here for proof.))

Mohammed Ayyad (mohammedayyads-blog): Mohammed and his wife and children have been displaced. Their house has been destroyed.  (https://gofund.me/fe1f16af) (vetted by bilal-salah0)

29 August

Eman (@2hemaa, @1hema): Eman is a high school student. Her home has been destroyed. She and her family of 7 has been displaced at least 6 times. They are trying to evacuate to Egypt. (https://gofund.me/20a225c5) (shared by 90-ghost)

Muhammad Abu Hamam (@ma7moudgaza2): Muhammad is 27 years old. He was saving money for marriage but the current war has destroyed his source of income and now he has no money. They need money to sustain their daily lives and buy a tent for the family to live in. (https://gofund.me/31bb402a) (vetted by el-shab-hussein) 

Salah Ahmed Mohammed Alshareef (@salahahmed90, @manarsalahfamily): Salah and his wife Manar have 2 children: Youssef (12) and Nour (7). They have been displaced several times. Nour has only started school for 2 weeks before her school was destroyed. They are trying to evacuate out of Gaza. (https://gofund.me/32a4669a) (vetted by 90-ghost) 

Farah (@nada55, @farahh2003): Farah is 20 years old. She dreams of returning to uni to finish her computer science degree. She and her family have been displaced for 7 times. The occupation is bombing areas near where they are staying. Food is expensive and her family has to pay rent on the land their tent is on. They are trying to evacuate out of Gaza. (https://gofund.me/3523e2a7) (#310 on the verified fundraiser list by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi, vetted by apollos-olives)

Mohammed & Sohaib Asfour (@mohammedabasan): Mohammed is a nursing student, his second brother was studying medicine, and another of his brother was studying law. Their education was interrupted by the genocide as schools and universities are destroyed. Two of his brothers, Ahmed and Hamza, are children dreaming to become doctors. They are trying to evacuate out of Gaza. (https://gofund.me/af0ea2f5) (shared by 90-ghost) 

Samer Abu Ras (@samerpal): Samer and his wife Shorouq have 3 children, the youngest of which is not even two years old yet. Their oldest son Qusay has had heart problems since birth and urgently needs surgeries and treatments. They are seeking funds to evacuate to a safe place and for Qusay to continue his treatment. (https://gofund.me/e4bf9364) (#196 on the verified fundraiser list vetted by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi)

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 13 July - 25 July.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 26 July -29 July.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 30 July - 1 August.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 2 August - 5 August.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 6 August - 10 August.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 11 August - 14 August.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 15 August - 18 August

Click here for my Masterlist for fundrasiers from 19 August - 21 August

Click here for my Masterlist for fundrasiers from 22 August - 24 August

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 25 August - 28 August

How does vetting and verification work? See post here. (also read comments regarding 90-ghost and why we trust the campaigns he has shared)

Click here for my Google Doc with my complete masterlist of all the Palestinian gfm asks I've received, updated daily (along with other verified ways to send aid to Gaza). (I originally compiled it so it is easier for me to answer asks, but since I'm sharing it on my personal IG I might as well share it here too)

See post here for other verified ways to send aid to Gaza.

Don't forget your Daily Clicks on Arab.org, it's free!!! and Every click made is registered in their system and generates donation from sponsors/advertisers.)

[seat-safety-switch]

Do you like jigsaw puzzles? What if only half the pieces were there, and you had to make your own pieces to fill in the missing spots? What if some of the pieces that are there are corroded beyond recognition, or a little thin, or got dented by a Hyundai Genesis GV80 3.5T Prestige AWD? That’s basically what being a bodyshop is like.

When you buy a new car, chances are that the body shop can get new parts for it. They’ll call up the dealership, order some fenders. For really nasty jobs, they’ll call up the dealership and order repair panels. These are basically the chunks of metal that your car was originally made out of, and all the bodyshop has to do is cut out some spot welds (or glue) and slap that thing together with the new parts, after giving the rest of the car a few ugga-duggas with the frame machine.

When you have an old, shitty car like all of mine, you can’t do that. In some (most) cases, the company that made them no longer exists. At best, maybe you can get some ill-fitting reproduction panel from whatever Luxembourger holding company is currently producing quasi-legal clones of the car for the Chinese market, and spend a few weeks getting it to fit. In the end, no matter what, you’re going to end up fabricating your own panels.

This is one of those skills that looks very easy on YouTube, like brain surgery, but is in fact incredibly difficult, like making an omelet. While your car’s doors may look flat to you, each and every one of them have hundreds of subtle curves that need to be reproduced, or things will look super weird. You will dip into a sort of makers’ mania in the months it will take you travelling through the hell of making a replica panel. Piles of cardboard, razor-sharp chunks of unused steel, and elaborate new metal-cutting tools will fill your work area. And when it’s all done, you will get your reward: having to fill, sand, and paint your great work, hopefully only once.

All of this is a huge pain in the ass, so I’ve chosen a third option, between “develop a spectrum of artisan’s skills and a lifetime of experience” and “buy a new car.” It’s called Bondo, and you can slather that shit on all day. If you put on a couple inches of it and cut it back, your car will look pretty much identical to one that was repaired properly. At least for a couple years.

Sure, body shop technicians will know, but their curse is to know everything about every car. Plus, the skill set for sculpting an entire car out of Bondo is more transferrable: art galleries are not full of precision-cut quarter panels for a 1988 Mercury Topaz.

[readmarxz]

Help Palestines first solar technician!

This is Ghada, she’s 23-year-old history maker. Being the winner of the International Green Skills Competition from the European Union Training Foundation. She became one of the first technicians in photovoltaic solar energy systems in Gaza, and one of the most influential women in Palestine in 2021. Through her work in ensuring a greener future she has become a role model for many girls within her community. Showing them how to be strong, smart, and resilient in the face of challenges and hardships.

Ghada had big dreams that went beyond studying a male-dominated field or winning the green skills contest. She wanted to finish her education and start her own business. She worked hard to make her dream come true, but the war shattered her life. In one night, the war took everything from her: her home, her room, her office, her smile, and her memories. Ghada and her family are traumatized now because of what they went through. She was looking forward to graduating, wearing the gown, and celebrating with her family.

She was pursuing the rewarding and challenging career of renewable energy and business administration, growing her business with optimism. Now, everything is in ruins - her dreams are buried under the rubble, her home is destroyed, and their lives are disrupted.

Ghada is the sole provider for her family of eleven, but the war robbed her of her job, her home, and everything she owned. They have no income and nothing left. Her father, who is 62 years old, had a horrible car accident in August 2023 that fractured many bones in his body and head. He is still suffering from the aftermath of the accident and needs urgent medical care, but he could not complete his treatment because of... the war. Moreover, Ghada had a hole in her eardrum due to the loud noise of the bombing, and she needs treatment urgently.

Ghada and her family need urgent humanitarian aid; I am asking you to donate whatever you can to help Ghada rebuild her life. With your generous support, we can give her food, water, medicine, clothing, shelter and more. We aspire to be able to raise an amount that will help Ghada and her family leave Gaza and start a new life away from fear, danger, destruction, and war; because even when the war is over, the situation in Gaza will not return to what it was before the war, Gaza has become a completely destroyed place.

Do not lose hope... Be stronger and demand the saving of Ghada and her family's lives. You are our only hope, together we can make a lasting impact.

[garagedoorofpasadenaca]

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[childotkw]

Stranger Things AU (some of this is based on popular theories): Similar to canon, Tom grew up in an orphanage and was always different than the other children, with rumors of him being able to do strange things. One day he kills every single person in the orphanage, with the blame falling on one of the matrons. Unfortunately he ends up getting the attention of Dr Dumbledore, who grew interested in his abilities and brought him to a lab and used to him as a test subject to create more super-powered children. He stays years in the lab, with a microchip that seals his powers, until something happens that causes him to be able to use his powers again but is subsequently sent to the Upside Down where he was able to become even more powerful, and decided that he would shape the world to his liking. Enter Harry Potter, a similar child who was seen as different from his peers, although he actually had people who cared for him, unlike Tom, and also seems to have similar powers to him related to the UPD. Tom sees potential in him (and a lot of himself) and brings him to the UPD. Harry is able to escape at some point but he and Tom are intertwined afterwards, with both of them being able to sense each other's presence and even feelings, with Harry also being connected to the UPD and its monsters.

It's not really a full-fleshed (or even good) AU but the parallels between Tom and Harry with Henry and Will from ST were too hard to resist making an AU about.

Ooooh I like it!

Tom was born different. Wrong. It wasn't obvious from the start, no matter what the Matron had muttered when she had signed over the rights to him after The Incident.

There had been no signs, no hint of otherness to him, nothing strange. Beyond his mother dying to bring him into the world, there was nothing extraordinary about Tom's birth at all.

But in the years that followed? Oh, how that changed.

Strangeness became synonyms with Tom as he grew - inexplicable things occurring around him, to him, because of him.

Creepy, the other children whispered.

Odd, potential parents said before leaving in a rush.

Fucking Freak, Billy Stubbs had sneered a day before he and six other orphans were lifted into the air and had their limbs folded like pretzels while they bled from their eyes.

Professor Dumbledore quietly ushered Tom into his nice car before all the bodies had even been loaded into the vans and taken to the coroner.

It was at the lab that Tom learned a new word for what he was - a better word, one that made him preen and smile and go along with all the tests they had him perform.

Special.

Years passed, and eventually Tom grew bored playing obedient pet to people who stunk of fear whenever they were in the room with him. He only meant to try something new, to start a new game with the scientists that crawled over and around him like weevils.

He hadn't meant to kill the two technicians, honest, Professor Dumbledore.

The lie didn't work, and Tom learned all too quick that all the studying they had conducted on him had not just been into honing his skills but on suppression.

For the first time in his life, he was just like everyone else, and he hated it.

Hated it more when Dumbledore started to bring in other children.

When they made him a janitor of all things, trapped in the halls, doomed to just watch lest the fucking chip in his neck activate.

When they started using Tom's blood and samples and other bits of research gleaned from him to make these children, these rats, special too.

It burned, being regulated to the background - white garbs, white shoes, blending in to the white walls and floors and doors - and seeing other, unworthy brats be lauded and praised for their mediocre powers.

They called Tom 'One' in all their notes now, but no one dared to say it to his face - couldn't have their precious new experiments making the connection after all, even if they were all too stupid to realise they weren't the first.

Only one in the bunch was interesting. Only one out of all of them caught Tom's attention.

Seven.

Mousy little thing, but there was an oh so clever glint in those bright eyes that sparked at the oddest times.

Seven was small, and light-footed, and skittish - but Tom knew, knew deep in that part of himself that the chip hadn't quite numbed, that Seven had taken to Tom's abilities better than the rest.

There was a connection there, buzzing in the back of his mind, and he knew Seven felt it too because those eyes followed him whenever they passed each other in the halls. Green eyes tracking him with curiosity and wonder, only ducking away when Tom looked back.

It was Seven, and that strange connection between them, that gave Tom the opening he needed to escape. Only his escape was less an escape and more swapping one prison for another.

The world he found himself in was monstrous, twisted, cold.

He needed to get out - and there was only one person he knew who could help.

[bethsullivan94]

Beth's Diary #1: Before The Storm

Hello and this is Beth's diary "hashtag one". I'm currently working as a guitar technician in Portland, Oregon. I constantly feel like I'm at the wrong place driving on the wrong lane of my dreams, you see, my whole family is from LA and everybody knows I wanted to become a profissional writer since high-school. I have skills for writting any kinds of stuff. From poetry to song lyrics, from short stories to novels. I even started a project for a Netflix tv-show with the help of a senior/war veteran about his life in the army. It was actually a comedy full of good fortune. I'm excellent on starting new projects but horrible to conclude them. And well, here I am now, brought by destiny, to LA! After a full night of work and partying. It's raining like crazy and I love it. It helps refreshing my memory and mind. It's alot going on concerning my internal battles. I'm near my youngest sister's home and I catch myself in a crossroad: You see, it's been a long time since I've been trying to prove myself and value to my family, the world and I. But when I say family, I only mean my youngest sister. My parents are separated and they're nuts. Dad was an alcoholic and mom is a drug addict. Even though me and Ellie tried SO hard to get a better life, forced into some part-time job becoming a full-time career - so to speak - there are just too many scars of life that holds us down somehow. Ellie might be the youngest, but she still the strongest. Always has the right answers to everything. Perhaps she got the turn around she deserved when she had her 3rd child, Kassie. Oh sweet Kassie, that cute little blondie angel she is. I miss her so much. I like to give her the best influence I can give her. My heart was beating differently to the rythm of the drums, few minutes ago at the live show. My life just took an unexpected turn tonight as I discovered I'm pregnant. This revelation sent me shockwaves to all my senses, including my burning eyes.

I'm completely unsure of how to navigate this chapter of my life and here's a toast to the worst case scenario, coz I'm doing this alone as I don't know exactly who or where the father is.

That's it. I'm gonna need Ellie's help to figure this one out. Again. I'm calling an uber L.A.X. to get there. *Beth leaves the pub and gets in the car while getting all wet by the heavy rain. Beth decides to make a quick stop at a shop to buy Kassie a gift and her father too. For Kassie, a nice bracelet for badass rock chicks only. As for Kassie's father, a toilet shape coffee mug with a saying ''Lazy man's beer mug". She laughed so hard when she spotted that one. Back in the uber driver's car, she can't help but feel a twinge of envy towards Ellie. Watching her youngest sister effortlessly juggle the responsibilities of motherhood while maintaining a stability and a sense of grace left Beth feeling weak and lonely.*

Beth swallowed her pride mixed with crying and sobbing and leaned on her faith of her sister's support. "Thanks for the ride!" I said, before getting off of the car. The heavy rain was the least of my problems at that moment. I didn't feel myself uncomfortable about the thousands of drops of water more than the life growing inside of me by each second that passed. I look up to the sky and I see the building she lives in. So tall and painted in red. Kind of gave me the creeps when coincidentally a thunder struck the sky. "Come on Beth, look alive" - said that to myself as I ring the door bell. I hear she yelling at the kids who were supposed to open the door for her. As she approaches the door, I take a step back. There's Ellie looking to the other corner of the coridoor, confused. I do a sneaky move and go near her while she's on her back to me. She slightly turns: "BOO!"

Like for more ♥

[sea-dukes-assistant]

I've finally figured out what I want to do after the Navy: automotive technician.

No, I am absolutely not "into" cars by any means, but the skills I've learned/developed - maintain, diagnose, troubleshoot, repair - carry over perfectly. I've done a bit of research and here's the plan:

Finish my Electronics Technician certification in the USMAP program

Retire with 20-ish years experience as an electronics technician, with (disabled) veteran status

2 year degree in automotive technology from a community college, paid for with my GI Bill (not required, but will help)

Employment

Get ASE certified in Electrical/Electronic Systems (which will only require 1 year of on-the-job experience with a degree, vice 2 years without)