#Urban Development Careers

[trendwireglobal]

Exciting Career Opportunities at The Urban Unit

The Urban Unit is seeking talented professionals to join its team in various roles for November 2024. This is a fantastic opportunity for individuals passionate about urban development and planning. Exciting Career Opportunities at The Urban Unit Available Positions: GIS Professionals Surveyors Other related roles Why Work with The Urban Unit? Impactful Work: Contribute to innovative urban…

[kimludcom]

Top 10 Civil Engineering Mega Projects in the Netherlands

Top 10 Civil Engineering 🚜⚙️🗜️ Mega Projects in the Netherlands https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_qdc3DAtLw

[precisemuzic]

Lil' WeezyCon to Kick Off November 2, Expanding Lil WeezyAna Fest with a New Networking Platform

By Eddy “Precise” Lamarre On November 2, 2024, Live Nation Urban, in partnership with Culture Creators, will debut Lil’ WeezyCon—a dynamic addition to the annual Lil WeezyAna Fest in New Orleans. The inaugural event will take place at The Fillmore from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., offering high-level networking opportunities with thought leaders, creatives, artists, and young professionals. The event…

[vonbabbitt]

hiroaki too. i think this is the last one i have from pink

hiroaki loredrop tw for hiroaki things

HIROAKI!! hiroaki was born in tokyo, specifically in the shibuya area, so hes always been living in a very urbanized and busy environment. he was a fairly normal and actually surprisingly boring child, but also very independent and didnt rely on his parents for some of the more basic parts of his life like getting to school and taking care of his needs and such. his parents were fine and he got along with them fine for the most part but he wasnt super close with them or anything. mostly co-existent! regardless: growing up in shibuya meant that he was around a lot of very interesting fashion that he was completely fascinated with. he eventually got into the habit of bringing a notebook with him when he took the bus to school every day and doodling any particularly interesting outfits he saw. this eventually bled into designing his OWN unique outfits during class instead of paying attention!! BECAUSE…..

HIROAKI GREW UP WITH VERY UNCHECKED ADHD. he was a super flighty child and didnt really pay attention in class because he just couldnt focus that well, especially if the topic wasnt super interesting for him. he did a lot of drawing and a lot of socializing, so those are the two things he ended up developing the most skill in. that said, he would get in trouble a lot for not paying attention in class and his grades were not fantastic, which upset his parents and had them nagging him fairly constantly to study and have better grades and pay more attention etc. etc. when really they maybe should have just gotten their son tested. anyway hiroaki persists with his not paying attention and his parents persist with their being very disapproving of his academic career!

hiroakis parents are not particularly invested in hiroakis interests at this point. they dont really care about fashion or his designs or any of that and would really prefer he just focus on school, so they dont really get invested in anything else he does. hiroaki is used to this from them - him and his parents are just not the same types of people at all so he never really tries to click with them - but regardless he continues drawing CONSTANTLY. hes just pumping out designs 24/7 because he loves it and hes passionate about it and its one of the only things that can hold his focus for a super extended period of time.

when hiroaki hits age eleven he decides its time to start realizing this hobby a bit further and he learns how to properly make a pattern and sew! this opens a WHOLE NEW WORLD for him. it blows his mind that he can make his drawings real. so now instead of just drawing all the time, hes constantly doing odd jobs around his neighbourhood to get enough money to buy new supplies and continue making outfits for himself. nothing else really matters at this point because he is fully invested and having a blast. grades continue to slip and his parents are not jazzed about it! when he hits middle school, his parents get a bit stricter. he needs to study, he needs to bring his grades up, no exception, no argument. so he loses some of his free time privileges because his parents are doubling down hard on making him study. he is PISSED about this and it drives a bit of a rift between him and his parents. hiroaki is a kid with very big dreams!! he wants to go into fashion and see other people wearing the things he designs!! he wants to make people feel confident in themselves!! his parents want him to have a more standard career that he'll actually be able to rely on. it is a conflict of interest. regardless back to the point: hiroaki is focused on academics for the time being and he is NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT.

key point: hiroaki's academic problems are only due in part to his obsession with fashion. the other part is, again, he has very unchecked ADHD! so he struggles HARD in the standard school environment and by thirteen hes in serious serious desperation for something that can help him. he does not understand whats wrong but he knows that he needs to be fixed so he starts looking for solutions. eventually this leads him to falling in with a bad crowd who insist that he can self-medicate with opioids and itll calm him down. hes thirteen and hes stupid and theyre all stupid because they are kids. regardless, he starts taking pretty low-level opioids and sees some success! hiroakis addictive personality kicks in and by the time hes fourteen hes a full blown opioid addict. needs them to do literally anything at this point. his parents are aware and concerned but also his grades are turning around so theyre not really sure how to react.

the OTHER thing that happened when hiroaki turned fourteen: his designs started BLOWING UP. by this point hes posting things online and people are LIKING IT. they start wanting to buy and he starts going full steam ahead on production. now his grades are slipping back down. parents are mad again! tension between hiroaki and his parents continues to build and his relationship with them continues to be not great. he doesnt really care: hes been independent his entire life and its paying off, so why should be bother paying attention to them now? he goes full force on building his brand and it pays off - soon the novelty of a kid his age being as talented as he is starts carrying him UP. hes getting interviews, hes getting invited to events, hes big news. hiroaki, very socially aware but also kind of a loner, does not know what to do with all this newfound fame and falls in pretty deep with his vices. hes hanging out with cool and popular people that do not have his best interest in mind. hes smoking because he thinks it looks cool because hes fifteen. he’s down a bad path.

this bad path culminates in hiroakis drug addiction getting a LOT worse. hes gone from opioids to help with focus to heroin to help him not have a complete panic attack at the massive amount of social pressure on his shoulders. while hes making a shit ton of money pumping out designs, he’s losing money FAST because he is BLOWING it on drugs. his friends think he’s cool and his parents don’t really notice so this goes pretty much unchecked, if not actually encouraged! eventually he’s doing so much heroin on a daily basis that he is not getting anything else done and he has a bit of a mental health spiral from here. his life is gonna fall apart and he knows it and he’s terrified. but as always, he is hiroaki nakamigawa and he is a lone wolf and he can handle this on his own! except no he cant and while he eventually gets himself on a much lesser dosage rate and focuses himself on art again, he still has a serious addiction to opioids and heroin. he doesnt really see it as an issue anymore because its not super obvious to the outside world and its not preventing him from designing, so its probably fine! everything is good and fine! except everything is not good and fine. the good and fine things: he is rich, he is successful, he is famous, he is doing everything he loves and he is living big in tokyo. the not fine: he is extremely anxious, missing any real connection in his life, very depressed and addicted to drugs! he is also SIXTEEN YEARS OLD so this whole lifestyle is a massive massive amount of pressure. hes a bit of an asshole but in his shoes its somewhat unavoidable. hes a dumb kid.

so age seventeen: hiroaki on an island of his own. same as always. hes finally not in debt anymore but hes on and off drugs about 90% of the time and has no real relationship with his parents anymore. the only things he cares about are the things that can give him something in return: his fame, his work, his drugs, his shitty friends. he makes a few attempts to turn his personal life around but ultimately deems it unnecessary because hes popular and rich so what could he be upset about? at this point in his life it’s easier to just repress. so he does! and then the killing game starts

[anim-ttrpgs]

The Kickstarter for Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy is Live!!

Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy is our team’s debut TTRPG, over three years in the making! The campaign will run from April 10th to May 10th!

How far would you go to learn the truth?

Play amateur detectives caught up in things they barely understand, and explore how the lives of your characters unravel as they push themselves to dig deeper into the unknown!

Tense investigations!

Delve into an investigation-focused mystery and horror system that lets players take initiative and use their characters’ unique strengths to find clues and deduce conclusions themselves. A few bad rolls won’t get the party hopelessly stuck, but at the same time Eureka respects their intellect and lets them take charge of solving the mystery!

Character-driven gameplay!

Stats and abilities are based on who your character is as a person. Freeform character creation allows you to build a totally unique little guy, and have a totally unique gameplay experience with him! This is supported by the backbone of the Composure mechanic. Stress, fear, fatigue, and hunger will wear your investigators down as they trudge deeper into the unknown. Food, sleep, and connections with their fellow investigators are the only way to keep them going!

Secrets inside and out! 

Any investigator could be a monster, helping their friends while trying not to reveal their true natures. The party will learn to trust and rely on each other, or explode into a tangled net of drama!

Intense, tactical combat! 

Hits are devastating, and misses are unpredictable–firing a gun will always change the situation somehow, for better or for worse!

Now in Technicolor!

Evocative artwork from talented femme-fatales @chaospyromancy and @qsycomplainsalot and the mysterious @theblackwarden paint a gorgeously-realized portrait of a world with shadows lurking in every corner.

Elegantly designed and thoroughly playtested, Eureka represents the culmination of three years of near-daily work from our team, as well as a lot of our own money. We are almost at the end, we just need some financial support to put the finishing touches on it and make the final push to get it ready for official release!

With every stretch goal we meet, the game gets better and better. Tons of beautiful new artwork, new options for gameplay, and even two entirely new playable Monsters could be added to the book, so visit the Kickstarter and secure your copy today!

If you want to try before you buy, you can download a free demo of the prerelease version from our website or our itch.io page!

If you’re interested in a more updated and improved version of Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy than the free demo you got from our website, subscribe to our Patreon where we frequently roll our new updates for the prerelease version!

You can also support us on Ko-fi, or by checking out our merchandise!

Join our TTRPG Book Club At the time of writng this, Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy is the current game being played in the book club, and anyone who wants to participate in discussion, but can’t afford to make a contribution, will be given the most updated prerelease version for free! Plus it’s just a great place to discuss and play new TTRPGs you might not be able to otherwise!

We hope to see you there, and that you will help our dreams come true and launch our careers as indie TTRPG developers with a bang by getting us to our base goal and blowing those stretch goals out of the water, and fight back against WotC's monopoly on the entire hobby. Wish us luck.

[mariacallous]

It’s April, and the US is experiencing a self-inflicted trade war and a constitutional crisis over immigration. It’s a lot. It’s even enough to make you forget about Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency for a while. You shouldn’t.

To state the obvious: DOGE is still out there, chipping away at the foundations of government infrastructure. Slightly less obvious, maybe, is that the DOGE project has recently entered a new phase. The culling of federal workers and contracts will continue, where there’s anything left to cull. But from here on out, it’s all about the data.

Few if any entities in the world have as much access to as much sensitive data as the United States. From the start, DOGE has wanted as much of it as it could grab, and through a series of resignations, firings, and court cases, has mostly gotten its way.

In many cases it’s still unclear what exactly DOGE engineers have done or intend to do with that data. Despite Elon Musk’s protestations to the contrary, DOGE is as opaque as Vantablack. But recent reporting from WIRED and elsewhere begins to fill in the picture: For DOGE, data is a tool. It’s also a weapon.

Start with the Internal Revenue Service, where DOGE associates put the agency’s best and brightest career engineers in a room with Palantir folks for a few days last week. Their mission, as WIRED previously reported, was to build a “mega API” that would make it easier to view previously compartmentalized data from across the IRS in one place.

In isolation that may not sound so alarming. But in theory, an API for all IRS data would make it possible for any agency—or any outside party with the right permissions, for that matter—to access the most personal, and valuable, data the US government holds about its citizens. The blurriness of DOGE’s mission begins to gain focus. Even more, since we know that the IRS is already sharing its data in unprecedented ways: A deal the agency recently signed with the Department of Homeland Security provides sensitive information about undocumented immigrants.

It’s black-mirror corporate synergy, putting taxpayer data in the service of President Donald Trump’s deportation crusade.

It also extends beyond the IRS. The Washington Post reported this week that DOGE representatives across government agencies—from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to the Social Security Administration—are putting data that is normally cordoned off in service of identifying undocumented immigrants. At the Department of Labor, as WIRED reported Friday, DOGE has gained access to sensitive data about immigrants and farm workers.

And that’s just the data that stays within the government itself. This week NPR reported that a whistleblower at the National Labor Relations Board claims that staffers observed spikes in data leaving the agency after DOGE got access to its systems, with destinations unknown. The whistleblower further claims that DOGE agents appeared to take steps to “cover their tracks,” switching off or evading the monitoring tools that keep tabs on who’s doing what inside computer systems. (An NLRB spokesperson denied to NPR that DOGE had access to the agency’s systems.)

What could that data be used for? Anything. Everything. A company facing a union complaint at the NLRB could, as NPR notes, get access to “damaging testimony, union leadership, legal strategies and internal data on competitors.” There’s no confirmation that it’s been used for those things—but more to the point, there’s also currently no way to know either way.

That’s true also of DOGE’s data aims more broadly. Right now, the target is immigration. But it has hooks into so many systems, access to so much data, interests so varied both within and without government, there are very few limits to how or where it might next be deployed.

The spotlight shines a little less brightly on Elon Musk these days, as more urgent calamities take the stage. But DOGE continues to work in the wings. It has tapped into the most valuable data in the world. The real work starts when it puts that to use.

[pedestrianauto]

Hey sorry tumblr but I'm in a bit of a mid-career crisis and you can't say this shit on LinkedIn.

I'm a senior software developer.

Things I give a fuck about:

- climate change

- the end of authoritarianism

- pedestrian-centered urban design

Things I don't give a fuck about:

- corporate profits

If you have any career advice, hmu. I'd really appreciate it.

[cierraonline]

1x1 | MORE LIKE NEXT DISASTER

Masterlist | Previous | Next

It was another bright day at Abbott Elementary School, meaning another day to change minds and create scholars who would one day contribute to their community both socially and economically. However, due to the way public education was structured in Philadelphia—particularly in urban areas where the majority of the population was Black American—funding and resources were severely limited. While this reality broke the spirits of some teachers, especially the newer ones who struggled with student behavior and scarce materials, the veteran educators remained steadfast. They had dedicated their careers to Abbott because they refused to give up on providing their students with an education, even when it seemed like the city already had.

Honey Schrementi was one of those teachers who refused to quit on her students. She had developed a teaching style reminiscent of George Feeny from Boy Meets World—the very educator who first inspired her to consider teaching as a career. However, it was her mother, Angela Drew, a former middle school teacher at Abbott Elementary, who solidified Honey's decision to become an educator. Now, as she adapted to the ever-changing social landscape, Honey strived to bring something fresh to her students, keeping them engaged and excited about learning.

"Miss Honey!" A child's voice called out as they entered the classroom, excitement lacing their tone.

"Lilac!" The fourth-grade teacher greeted her student warmly, bending down to her level. "And who might these beautiful flowers be for?"

"You, silly goose!" Lilac laughed.

Lilac Hart was one of Honey's standout students, often outperforming her peers—something that led other teachers to question why she was attending Abbott instead of a school with better resources. The truth, however, was that Lilac was a product of downtown Philadelphia's hardships. Her mother, once a preacher's daughter who lived by the rules, had rebelled after meeting Lilac's father—a corner boy from the neighborhood. What started as an act of defiance spiraled into something more permanent when she found herself pregnant just four months into their relationship. But before Lilac was even born, her father was killed in a deal gone wrong, and her mother was disowned by her family.

After giving birth, Lilac's mother left her at Sunshine Kids, a well-regarded adoption center in Philadelphia—coincidentally, the same place where Honey had been volunteering at the time. But due to the center's policy of disclosing the background of the biological parents to potential adopters, Lilac was continuously overlooked for a forever home.

"Why, thank you!" Honey beamed, flashing her pearly whites. "Why don't we add them to our class garden, right next to the roses?" She gently took Lilac's hand and guided her toward the windowsill, where the classroom's mini garden sat—a hands-on part of their science curriculum.

"Great idea, Miss Honey," Lilac agreed, grinning as they carefully transferred the daisies into the rectangular planter, which was already filled with an assortment of flowers.

Once their mini project was complete, Lilac made her way to her locker at the back of the classroom while Honey stepped to the front, scanning the room filled with her students.

"Good morning, my lovely sunshines," she greeted, her bright smile mirrored back at her by the children.

"Good morning, Miss Honey!" they responded in cheerful unison.

Hello, I'm Miss Honey... well, technically, Honey Schrementi. I'm married to the scary Italian woman teaching second grade—you might meet her later. She'll ask if you have any Italian heritage, and if you don't, she'll assume you're an undercover cop. That's how she got me. Anyway, I teach fourth grade and have been at Abbott Elementary for four years now. I absolutely love it. I'm basically the real-life Miss Honey from Matilda, which is why I have my kids call me that.

"Let's begin with our multiplication warmups, shall we?" Honey said, stepping around her desk with a Mickey Mouse pointer in her left hand. "Are you ready?"

"Ready!" the class responded enthusiastically.

"Okay, what's 10 x 10?" Honey pointed the pointer at Vicki, who eagerly stood up to answer.

"100, Miss Honey!"

"Correct!" Honey nodded approvingly. "Now, 24 x 3?" She pointed to another student.

"24 x 3 is 75, Miss Honey!"

"Yes, it is! What about 100 x 100?"

A few hands shot up, and Honey picked one.

"10,000, Miss Honey," Lilac answered proudly, standing as the class erupted into applause, knowing she had gotten it right.

"Good job, my sunshines," Miss Honey clapped for her students. "That means we can add a sticker to our warm-up streak!"

---

"Hey, Melissa," Janine Teagues, a second-year second-grade teacher, walked into the teachers' lounge alongside Jacob Hill, a second-year eighth-grade teacher. "Can you please tell 'Ta-Nehisi Quotes' over here that 'white boy' is a term of endearment from the corner-store people?"

"For Zach Ertz, yeah," the red-haired Italian woman looked up from making herself a cup of coffee. "For him? It's an insult." Melissa stepped away from the counter, coffee in hand, and took a seat.

"Hmm." Jacob pointed to Melissa, the teacher who had just confirmed his point.

"Whew! Guys, I need a new rug. Mine is officially done," Janine announced to her fellow coworkers, stretching her arms dramatically.

"Mmm! Me too," Jacob added, his mouth full of chips. "I shook mine out, and all the asthma kids had to go to the nurse's office."

"Yeah, mine's busted," Melissa admitted. "And you can't class up a rug like you can a couch with a nice coat of plastic—that only lasts about an hour before your wife comes and tears it off."

"Only because it's uncomfortable," Honey Schremmenti walked into the lounge, her Stanley cup in hand. "Who wants to lay on plastic while watching Moesha reruns?"

"The couch is not meant to be laid on," Melissa scolded her wife.

"You weren't saying that wh—"

"Hey-yo!" The loud, commanding voice of Ava Coleman interrupted Honey before she could finish her sentence, much to Melissa's relief. "What it do, baby-boos? What y'all think about this little film crew I brought in here?"

"Distracting. Makes our jobs harder," Melissa answered nonchalantly.

"But exciting. We about to be on TV," Ava bragged, clearly enjoying the attention.

"Because they are covering underfunded, poorly managed public schools in America," Barbara chimed in, joining the conversation.

"No press is bad press, Barb. Look at Mel Gibson. Still thriving," Ava laughed. "Daddy's Home? Hilarious!" She waited expectantly for a reaction.

Ava's our principal here at Abbott. I actually like her—she makes the day... interesting. I mean, she has good ideas, but poor execution. But she does do a lot for the students, and with this show, I think it's actually a good idea to bring awareness to how government funding affects public education. Not a lot of families can afford private school, and then they're expected to send their kids to college.

At that moment, a teacher rushed into the lounge, looking frazzled. "Ava, can I talk to you? Uh, I need an aide. I'm outnumbered in there. The kids are crazy. One of them told me to mind my six this morning. I don't know what that means, and I need help."

"Calm down. They're just kids," Ava dismissed the panic with a wave of her hand.

"And, besides, aides cost money, and we don't have that."

"Right, but I just—"

"Do you want to split your salary with somebody else?" Ava raised a brow, cutting her off. "Because unless you do, we're not getting aides."

Ms. Schwartz sighed in exhaustion. "No."

"No, no. I didn't think so," Ava smirked.

"Well, if we can't get aides, maybe we can get new rugs?" Janine jumped in, trying to redirect the conversation.

Ava rolled her eyes. "All I'm hearing is, 'New, new, new, need, need, need.' And yet, Barb—one of our best and most senior teachers—never complains. What is your secret, Barb?" Ava sauntered over to the oldest teacher in the room.

"Knowing there's not much you can do, Ava," Barbara replied dryly, throwing subtle shade.

"So understanding. Be like Ms. Howard, people," Ava grinned before walking out just as the bell rang.

Ms. Schwartz crossed her arms, pouting. "But I'm not Ms. Howard."

"Oh! Tina, look, just try some counting exercises," Janine offered, ever the optimist. "Somewhere between one and forty, the kids calm down."

Ms. Schwartz let out another sigh before leaving the lounge.

"You know," Janine turned to the remaining teachers. "A little support might help make things happen, ladies."

"My support was gonna do about as much as that five-year-old bra you've got on right there," Barbara remarked without missing a beat.

"Hey, it's not impossible to get things," Janine shot back. "Melissa asked for those new toy cash registers for her classroom and got them."

Honey shook her head. "Yeah, those aren't toys."

"I know a guy who worked at a Walmart demolition. I got a guy for everything. I know a guy right now working the stadium build," Melissa smirked. "Need rebar?" She started packing up her things.

"No."

"Melissa is resourceful. Capable," Janine admitted.

"Well, I think the younger teachers are capable," she added with a hopeful smile.

"Yeah, Honey is," Barbara excused her goddaughter from the generalization. "But not you guys."

"Yes, we are!" Janine insisted.

"Really? Then why is Ms. Schwartz's hair falling out? Why does Jacob here need a smoking break every five minutes?" Barbara gestured to the teacher next to her.

"I switched to an herbal vape," Jacob corrected.

"And why can't any of you stick it out longer than two years? More turnovers than a bakery," Barbara finished before leaving the lounge.

"Ouch," Jacob muttered. "You know what? Hell, I think we should still try for rugs."

"Yeah," Janine agreed.

Honey scoffed. "You can't." She gestured around the room. "Look around. Act like you know where you are. You're in the public education sector, not private. No one is paying tuition—you're relying on government and city funding, which depends on taxes and priorities. Our community contributes a low percentage because we live in an urban area where people are either getting bought out or shoved out to make it whiter. The average person here makes between ten and forty thousand a year. The sooner you realize that and find other solutions, the easier your job will be." She grabbed her things and walked back to her classroom.

Janine frowned. "Why do I have a feeling she doesn't like me?"

Jacob shrugged. "You know, before I taught here, I was in Zimbabwe. I was doing Teachers Without Borders, and what I learned—"

"Jacob," Janine cut him off. "What did I say about not talking about your time in Africa?"

"You... You told me to—"

"I told you to stop. Yeah, it's weird."

Before Jacob could respond, a student burst into the room. "Miss Honey! Come quick—Ms. Schwartz just kicked Rajon!"

Honey sighed, setting her things down. "Miss Honey students, back in the classroom this instant!" Her voice was firm, and the kids obeyed with exaggerated pouts. 

Closing the door after taking attendance, Honey walked to the front of the class. "To calm down, how about we do silent reading for the next hour? No whispering about what happened in the hallway. I want you all to immerse yourselves in the book as if you're one of the characters. Then, afterward, for our writing lesson, we'll go over how to story map. That way, you can figure out and understand why you're reading in the order that you are when it comes to novels and chapter books."

When it comes to teaching, the biggest no-no is harming a child. First, because it's a child—that's just wrong. Second, you never know whose child you may hit. It could be a parent who's ready to beat your ass for touching their kid. Or it could be a parent who's ready to sue you for everything you're worth. My way of dealing with kids? Reciprocating energy. You ignore me, I ignore you. You throw a tantrum, I throw a tantrum. And if that doesn't work, I manipulate parents into actually being parents.

"Miss Honey! There's a man in the boys' bathroom with a girl. And according to Law & Order: SVU, I know that's wrong!" Tyler, one of Honey's male students, burst into the classroom.

"Okay, everyone, stay here," Honey said, striding over to her desk and grabbing the bat mounted on the wall. "Good job for reporting, Tyler—put a sticker on your passport." She then rushed off to the boys' bathroom.

Abruptly walking in, she spotted a young man she had never seen before, holding hands with one of the younger female students.

"I threw up, Miss Honey," the student admitted, looking queasy.

"Oh, sweetie, let's get your hands and mouth washed," Honey said, gently ushering the girl over to the sink and guiding her through washing her hands. "Okay, all dried. Now, why don't you head to the nurse's office and lie down for a few minutes? Sometimes, throwing up just means our body is tired and needs to settle."

"Okay, Miss Honey," the girl nodded before heading out of the restroom.

"Reverse-y toilet, huh?" Honey turned her attention to the man, resting the bat downward.

"From what the short teacher told me, yes," he replied with a nod. "Um... why do you have a bat?"

"For protection," Honey shrugged. "School shootings are at their highest, and since this is a gun-free zone, I don't have one—nor do I know how to use one. Gotta protect my kids somehow, especially since we can't afford bulletproof pull-out shelters like private schools... and we really don't need to make the school-to-prison pipeline theory more obvious with metal detectors in a predominantly Black school."

"Right," the man nodded in agreement.

"I'm Honey Schremmenti, but you can call me Miss Honey," she introduced herself with a smile. "I teach fourth grade here."

"I'm Gregory Eddie," he replied, offering a forced smile. He wasn't able to reciprocate her same bubbly energy—it just wasn't his nature.

---

Before Honey could tell her classroom to put away their snacks as rest time was over and it was now time to learn the basics of fractions, the intercom beeped, and the voice of the principal was heard.

"Good morning, teachers. During passing, please come to the front entrance for a special announcement about some much-needed improvements to the school that I made happen."

"Oh no," Honey mumbled to herself, knowing she was about to witness a good disappointment prompted by a short, annoying, proactive, no-patience-having teacher named Janine.

"I got a good feeling about this," Jacob joined Janine outside in front of the school as the teachers all tried to find some type of warmth.

"Right? Me too," Janine smiled.

"I don't," Honey commented, snuggling up to her wife to find some warmth in the cold fall weather of Philadelphia.

"Good morning," Ava walked out the front doors of the building.

"Good morning," Janine smiled.

"Gregory," Ava smirked, looking at the substitute teacher, causing eyes to travel to him as he hid for cover. "The district was so moved by my plea that they approved the emergency budget and sent us the money right away." This prompted clapping from the teachers as some of them believed change would be made, but the three who knew better didn't clap, saving their energy for the reality reveal of Ava's actions. "Okay, we could have hired aides, we could have got rugs, but then I thought, 'No. We need something more immediate.'"

"Oh, no, no," Janine interrupted. "The rugs are immediate. They're... they're like instant Xanax for kids. I explained it all in my email."

"Girl, who told you to send an email?"

"You did."

"Anyway, I always feel better when I get my hair done," the principal continued, making sure to show off her new hairdo. "Thus, I do better work, like I'm doing now. You know, fix the outside, the inside takes care of itself." She pulled down a tarp and revealed a new school sign with her picture on it. "Y'all seeing this?"

"A plastic sign?"

"Thank God for the school district, 'cause they gave us $3,000, and I had to spend all of it."

"You spent all of the money on this?!" Janine looked at her boss in disbelief.

"Rush job. Can you believe this quality?" Ava commented.

"How's that optimism taste?" Barbara leaned in toward the shorter teacher.

"I didn't know you wrote 'big plastic sign' in your email to the board?" Honey smirked, sensing this was going to happen.

"This is ridiculous!" Janine complained as she strode through the hallway with Jacob and Gregory. "She has gone too far. Somebody needs to do something. I..."

"Yes, yes," Jacob agreed. "Somebody should do something."

"You know what? I'm gonna do something."

"Okay. Alright. Whatever you do, I will cosign it," Jacob got hyped.

"Yes!"

"That is how change works...someone does something, and somebody cosigns it," Jacob said.

"Where's Honey? We need her to cosign it too. She was awarded the most productive teacher here with high results from her students' state testing. If we can get her to co-sign, they will definitely listen."

"No," Honey stated as she walked by them, heading into the teachers' lounge to meet up with her wife and her wife's work wife—aka her godmother.

"Hey, you three. Wait up," Janine somehow managed to catch up with the female trio and join them on the walk out. "I'm going out to lunch, too."

"Oh, yeah? Where you going for lunch, pip-squeak?" Melissa questioned as she fixed her purse on her shoulder with her right hand while her left hand was intertwined with her wife's. "Bird feeder?"

"I thought you'd be working on your next miracle from Saint Ava," Barbara exaggerated.

"More like next disaster," Honey mumbled under her breath.

"Ha ha. No," Janine chuckled. "I don't think I'll need anything from Ava ever again."

"What does that mean?"

"Well, I emailed the superintendent and told him everything that Ava has done today. No way she doesn't get fired."

"Oh, for the love of God."

"Are you stupid or stupid?" Honey squinted her eyes at the new teacher.

"What?" Janine looked at the trio in confusion.

"The superintendent never sees our emails. He has them bounced back to the person in charge of where they came from," Barbara explained to Janine.

"Wait. I'm sorry. Person in charge? That means the emails go back to..."

"Teachers, it's come to my attention that some of you... one of you... think it's okay to go over my head. So during lunch break... this lunch break... we'll be having a trust workshop so that we can learn how to become a work family. It's gonna be fun!"

"We are at a crossroads. This is a crisis," Ava stood in front of all the teachers in the library for a faculty meeting.

"No, a crisis is eating the cafeteria pizza for lunch," Janine held up her plate.

"Uh, why are we here, exactly?" Gregory asked from the back of the room.

"Well, chocolate drop, I learned that someone here doesn't respect me. But it's not about me, 'cause if you don't respect me, how can you respect this school? You can't. It's mathematically impossible."

"W-Whoa. Who doesn't respect you, Ava..." Jacob looked up in worry. "I-I mean, the school?"

"It's not important," the principal shook her head. "We're gonna make this a group matter as to not single any one person out. Let's try an exercise where we say whatever we want out loud to each other, no matter how critical. It'll be fun! Let's start with Janine. Janine?" She brought attention to the shorter teacher.

"Yes?"

---

"You're pushy, squeaky, and annoying." 

"Excuse me?" 

"That's just—" 

"No, it's not bad. No," Ava dismissed the gasps and complaints. "We're sharing with the goal of making us all better. Constructive. Hershey Kiss, why don't you try?" She pointed to Gregory. "Start with Janine." 

"I really don't want to." 

"You're right. It should be someone who knows her better. Jacob, Honey, Barbara?" 

"Well, her hair is..." Jacob started, but Barbara cut him off. 

"Absolutely not." 

"Yeah, absolutely not," Jacob backpedaled. 

"Ava, no one's doing this to anyone," Melissa interjected. 

"Hold on. I came prepared. Sheena, come on in!" Ava waved over one of Janine's students, leading her to the front while the staff looked on in shock. 

"Ava, that is my student. She should be at lunch." 

"I am kind of hungry," the girl mumbled. 

"Sheena, remember what we talked about? What's one thing you wish was different about Ms. Teagues?" Ava asked, crouching down to her level. 

"She got some big feet," the school's janitor, Mr. Johnson, chimed in out of nowhere. 

"Okay, everyone," Janine stepped forward, determined to end this. "That's enough. I'm the one who disrespected Ava. I emailed the superintendent about her spending the school's money on a sign. I'm sorry, Ava, and I'm sorry everyone missed lunch, especially you, Sheena. I did it because I care about the kids in this school, and that shouldn't be a bad thing." She sighed, then turned to Sheena, offering her plate of pizza. "Here, you should have this. I'm so sorry you missed lunch." 

"No, thank you," Sheena shook her head. 

"Okay." With that, Janine left the library. 

"Not a compelling speaker," Ava remarked, watching her leave. "Charisma vacuum, am I right?" 

"You know what, Ava?" Barbara stood up, her patience gone. "Janine is a lot of things—naive, a bit clingy, too cheerful," she said, her tone growing stern. 

"Ooh, this is good stuff! Let me call her back in," Ava smirked. 

Barbara stood, her voice steely. "But she's also right. Wanting to help these kids shouldn't be a bad thing." With that, the three teachers and substitute decided to get up out of their chairs and check on the upset second-grade teacher. 

"And where is everybody going?" Ava questioned, her voice sharp as she watched the others leave. 

"To check on Janine." 

"To eat lunch... after I check on Janine," Melissa added, her tone softening. "Come on, Honey," she tapped the girl on the shoulder, urging her to follow. 

"Do we have to?" Honey whined, staying in her seat. 

"Now!" Melissa scolded, her voice firm. 

"Ugh," Honey groaned, reluctantly pushing herself up from her seat. "This is your fault." She pointed accusingly at the principal before trailing after her godmother and wife. 

They found the second-grade teacher standing by the door, her face drawn and distant, staring at something on the other side. 

"Janine, ignore Ava. Big feet are a sign of fertility," Barbara quipped as the group walked over. 

"Every lunch period, Barbara," Janine stepped away from the door, allowing the older woman a glimpse of why she'd been fighting so hard for a carpet. "Every single one, Amir comes and naps on the rug." 

"Mmhmm. He was in my class," the kindergarten teacher stepped away from the door. "Mom's got a lot of kids. Dad's not around, and when he is, the parents fight." 

"Right. So, he doesn't get much sleep. I told him to sleep at his desk, but he says the rug is softer... softer than his bed at home." A look of quiet remorse settled over all the teachers' faces. "You know what? I don't care if you think I'm good at this or not anymore. I care about whether or not I can make a change." 

"Janine, teachers at a school like Abbott... we have to be able to do it all. We are admin. We are social workers. We are therapists. We are second parents. Hell, sometimes, we're even first." 

"Mmhmm," Melissa nodded in agreement. 

"Why? Heh, it sure ain't the money," Barbara lectured, her voice dry. 

"Mmhmm. I could make more working the street... easy," Melissa added, her tone laced with sarcasm. "Look, we do this because we're supposed to. It's a calling. You answered." 

"I believe it was Brother Cornel West—" 

"Don't." 

"Not right now." 

"Don't!"

"You want to know my secret? Do everything you can for your kids. We'll help. Hey, I suggest we put our money together and buy Janine the rug. What do y'all think?"

"Absolutely."

"Nah."

"Yes."

"Guys, you can't," Janine says, her voice filled with appreciation but also a deep understanding of their financial constraints. "You don't have it. I know because I have the same salary as you, and I overdrafted on a doughnut hole this morning."

"Well, what are you gonna do? Steal a rug?"

"Not me, but I know a guy who knows a guy." Janine looks over at Melissa with a hopeful gleam in her eye.

"Way ahead of you. I'm gonna have to bake a ziti," the Italian woman says, pulling out her phone and scrolling through her contacts. "Hey, Tony, you big strunz, listen— you still working that stadium build?"

"Make me one too, please," Honey calls out to her wife, watching as she walks away with her phone pressed to her ear.

---

"Oh my God. He came," Janine says with a wide smile as Melissa opens the door, revealing a man standing in front of a truck loaded with rugs.

"Go get it." All the teachers head down to retrieve a rug, gratitude written across their faces.

"Hey, thank you so much. What's your name?"

"I got no name."

"He doesn't got a name."

"Move it along, Pipsqueak."

[blackstarlineage]

Claude McKay (1889–1948) was a Jamaican-born writer, poet, and activist who played a pivotal role in the Harlem Renaissance, a cultural and intellectual movement that celebrated Black identity and artistic expression in the early 20th century. His works explored themes of racial pride, resistance to oppression, and the struggles of the African diaspora, making him one of the most influential voices in Black literature.

Born Festus Claudius McKay in Sunny Ville, Jamaica, McKay grew up in a British colonial society where he witnessed firsthand the injustices of racism and class oppression. His love for literature and poetry developed early, influenced by Jamaican folk culture and the works of British poets. At the age of 17, he moved to Kingston, where he experienced the harsh realities of urban racism, a theme that would later dominate much of his work. In 1912, he moved to the United States to study agriculture at Tuskegee Institute and later at Kansas State College. However, he soon abandoned his studies to focus on writing, driven by the racial discrimination he encountered in the U.S.

McKay became a leading figure in the Harlem Renaissance, using his poetry and novels to critique racism and injustice while celebrating Black resilience. His most famous poem, “If We Must Die” (1919), is considered a defining work of the movement. Written in response to the Red Summer of 1919, a period of violent race riots against Black communities in the U.S., the poem urges Black people to resist oppression with dignity and courage.

His literary career spanned poetry, novels, and essays that examined race, class, and colonialism. His novel Home to Harlem (1928) became the first book by a Black writer to become a bestseller in the U.S., capturing the vibrancy and struggles of Black life in Harlem. Other notable works include Banjo (1929), which explored Black identity and diaspora connections, and A Long Way from Home (1937), a memoir detailing his experiences as a writer and activist. His later years saw a shift in his political and ideological outlook, as he moved away from communism and toward Catholicism, yet he remained committed to addressing racial and social issues.

McKay’s legacy endures as one of the earliest and most powerful literary voices advocating for Black empowerment and resistance. His works continue to be studied for their bold critique of racial injustice and their celebration of the strength and resilience of the African diaspora.🇯🇲

[slashfic-daydreams]

If the Slashers had normal lives, what jobs would they get? These are my headcanons:

Ghost - Movie director / Actor

We all know that Ghost has a huge passion for horror movies. As he grows up in this life, he would undoubtedly take the path of becoming a director or an actor. He will either produce movies of his own or act in theatres.

If he takes the job of becoming a movie director, he is actually very serious in the set. He makes sure everyone gets their roles, ensuring that each and every scene is perfect. Even so, Ghost can still be fun and humorous in the set, especially during breaks.

If he takes the role of being an actor, he is usually the star of the movie. His acting skills are flying over the roof! From his facial expressions to the sound of his voice, Ghost just executes it precisely. He can get a tad cocky, though. But he is still fun to be around.

Leather - Wildlife veterinarian

Alright, so this one is definitely obvious. It's confirmed in one of the latest chapters in the game that Leather likes to rehabilitate injured animals. If this is the case, then I think he is suit for taking the job as a wildlife veterinarian.

As much as I think he is also suitable for becoming an urban veterinarian, I just really prefer him as the guy who helps the wild animals. Not only does his muscles get stronger, but he gets to help more animals! He is probably the most fond of helping mammals and birds, and not much for amphibians. (That doesn't mean he will just leave them injured!)

Jay - Pediatrician / Kindergarten teacher

I have said in one of my headcanons that Jay is very good with kids. He also says that he would never hurt one, so I guess he would a great pediatrician or a kindergarten teacher.

If Jay becomes a pediatrician, I think he would be very gentle on the children. Knowing that kids are fragile beings, Jay will do his best to soothe the child and give them the checkup they need. He gives the child stickers or candies after the checkup. The kids are always excited to see their doctor again.

If Jay becomes a kindergarten teacher on the other hand, he is the perfect guy. He can balance being fun-loving and patient, suitable as a kid's mentor. Jay will teach them basic literacy, help them develop their social skills, and introduce them to simple mathematics. During naptimes, the children will always take the chance to get Jay's forehead kisses.

Mike - Expressionist artist

Surprise, surprise! I bet you didn't expect this one. For those who didn't know, Mike likes to be careful in everything he does, confirmed in the Christmas Special. He secretly loves to draw, too, but it only appears as black scribbles on a page. If this is the case, then he would be a great artist of expressionism.

My knowledge in learning about impressionism and expressionism will come in handy here, hehe. There are many types of expressionism and I think Mike will excel in surrealism and dadaism. Going back to the fact that he likes to give careful detail, he is definitely going to put a lot of that in his artworks. Whether the people will see it or not, he is proud of it. His most favorite art movement is abstract, by the way.

What do you think of my headcanons? Do you have any of yours about their careers? If so, what will they be?

[germanpostwarmodern]

Who knew that a young Austrian architect couple shaped the modern architecture in El Salvador?! The current exhibition „Aufbruch in die Architekturmoderne El Salvadors“ at „aut. architektur und tirol“ throws light on the work of Ehrentraut Katstaller-Schott (1924 – 2024) and Karl Katstaller (1921 – 1989) who in the early 1950s emigrated to the country in Central America. The two got to know each other in Lois Welzenbacher’s master class in Vienna. In spring 1952 the couple moved to El Salvador where foreign architects were needed after severe earthquakes. But what was initially planned to be a brief interlude eventually became a fully-fledged emigration: for the next 10 years the Department of Urbanization and Architecture (DUA) became their domain, a decade that brought about a significant degree of modernization, also architecture-wise. Fueled by the surging revenues in the coffee trade, the vision of a welfare state developed and went hand in hand with progressive architecture embodied by state-funded buildings: in contrast to the conservative development in their home country Austria, Ehrentraut and Karl were able to realize a significant number of schools, education centers, market halls, cultural institutions and sports facilities that combine climate responsive details with an international modernism.

Their extensive oeuvre as well as the unusual relationship of the Katstaller-Schotts is also documented in the catalogue published in conjunction with the exhibition by Park Books: „Zwischen den Kontinenten - Ehrentraut Katstaller-Schott, Karl Katstaller und die Architekturmoderne Mittelamerikas“ by Ivona Jelčić and Nicola Weber offers a comprehensive overview of the architects’ life and work but also puts a special focus on Ehrentraut Katstaller-Schott’s career as an independent woman in a male-dominated profession. With great vigor she held her ground on the construction sites but also managed the couple’s office and furniture workshop after they had left the public service.

For the first time the present volume makes accessible the Katstaller-Schott’s impressive life as well as their intriguing architecture. A great book and an exhibition not to be missed!

[galleryofart]

Etretat, the Needle Rock and Porte d'Aval, the Cap d'Antifer (Cliffs at Etretat)

Artist: Claude Monet (French, 1840-1926)

Date: About 1885

Medium: Pastel on paper

Collection: National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland

Description

Monet produced this work on the Normandy coast at Etretat, famous for its unusual rock formations such the Porte d’Aval (shown here), the Porte d’Amont and the Manneporte. Brought up in nearby Le Havre, he was familiar from childhood with these dramatic limestone cliffs and returned to the area at various times over his long career. Etretat was fast developing as a tourist site, but this picture was produced at a time when Monet had abandoned modern, urban subjects in order to focus on natural phenomena and repeated motifs executed on the spot. He produced several versions of the Porte d’Aval, mostly in oil, seen from different viewpoints. Drawn from a high view point, the scene has a stark simplicity, the use of muted tones of blue, cream and brown signal the onset of evening.

[chaospyromancy]

New art for @anim-ttrpgs !

This time it's Nick Morgan and one mystery NPC from FORIVA: The Angel Game, one of Eureka's modules. If you want to know more about them, check out @anim-ttrpgs and their ttrpg Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy!

I'm open for commissions with some slots on sale still available!

More info abt Eureka under the read more

Elegantly designed and thoroughly playtested, Eureka represents the culmination of three years of near-daily work from our team, as well as a lot of our own money. If you’re just now reading this and learning about Eureka for the first time, you missed the crowdfunding window unfortunately, but our Kickstarter page is still the best place to learn more about what Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy actually is, as that is where we have all the fancy art assets, the animated trailer, links to video reviews by podcasts and youtubers, and where we post regular updates on the status of our progress finishing the game and getting it ready for final release.

Beta Copies through the Patreon

If you want more than just status updates, going forward you can download regularly updated playable beta versions of Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy and it’s adventure modules by subscribing to our Patreon at the $5 tier or higher. Subscribing to our patreon also grants you access to our patreon discord server where you can talk to us directly and offer valuable feedback on our progress and projects.

The A.N.I.M. TTRPG Book Club

If you would like to meet the A.N.I.M. team and even have a chance to play Eureka with us, you can join the A.N.I.M. TTRPG Book Club discord server. It’s also just a great place to talk and discuss TTRPGs, so there is no schedule obligation, but the main purpose of it is to nominate, vote on, then read, discuss, and play different indie TTRPGs. We put playgroups together based on scheduling compatibility, so it’s all extremely flexible. This is a free discord server, separate from our patreon exclusive one. https://discord.gg/7jdP8FBPes

Other Stuff

We also have a ko-fi and merchandise if you just wanna give us more money for any reason.

We hope to see you there, and that you will help our dreams come true and launch our careers as indie TTRPG developers with a bang by getting us to our base goal and blowing those stretch goals out of the water, and fight back against WotC's monopoly on the entire hobby. Wish us luck.

[patriarchy-academy]

I came across this yesterday, and there are several things I would like to say about this. I feel the sentiment this lady (and apparently many other "urban feminists" out there) has shared reflect a lot on why they are single and nothing is moving forward in their personal lives.

Firstly, contrary to what she is telling herself, I am willing to bet money that most men she dated were not turned off by her "ambition". Rather, if you read between the lines and see how she has projected the image of herself, she comes off as someone who is obsessed with her job, her career. She is sending out a clear signal that nothing is more important to me that my "leadership coaching", you definitely wont be, and my family and children will come lower in priority. Any man serious about finding a long term relationship will see this as a red flag.

Second, and perhaps reinforcing the point above - what on earth does it mean to find a "career oriented husband"?? A husband is someone with whom you build a relationship, a family. You share emotions, pains, values. You raise children together (i wouldnt be surprised if this lady thinks children are a hindrance to her career development). What does being "career oriented" have anything to do with that? In fact, wouldnt a career oriented husband be exceptionally bad at being a husband in the first place? She has made this sound like she is looking for a business partner, not a life partner. And the results are showing that.

Lastly, would like to address the comment from WSJ - "growing divide in education and career prospects". This is referencing the fact that on an average, woman are moving ahead of men in terms of degrees and jobs (well, so much for glass ceiling huh?). Ok, and this is a problem for these ladies to get married why? Ohhhh wait, I guess thats because when you become an empowered independent woman, you want to find a richer, more educated, higher earning husband, instead of saying clearly that should cease to matter now?

Dating is hard. It is hard for women, and it is also hard for men. The reason it gets harder each day is that people like this come with their priviledges and demands. Their entire dating persona is based on "what can i get out of this". They come with their vision of "lets find a man who will seamlessly fit into my life without needing any changes, adjustments, sacrifices from myself". They look for someone who will just give them whatever they need as a stepping stone to their success story with no intentions or thoughts put into the question of "and what do i have to give to this relationship".

I am sure these words will sounds as upsetting or bitter to some. There is no bitterness in this, as a man I am extremely well educated and extremely well earning. But someone needs to have the courage to call out delusional thinking for what it is. This lady is going to find herself single for a long long time if she keeps this up - as is apparently "the majority of American women", because they have bought this delusiuonal story as their life goal.

Callout to the girls who read my blog - for all those who are telling you to put yourself and your career first - see firsthand where it has led for them. They are now reaching the point where the consequences are startign to show, and obviously, in classic modern feminist style, their reaction is to blame everything and everyone else except pausing to think "what am i doing wrong in this and what should i take accountability for".

Good luck New York ladies.

[anim-ttrpgs]

A quickly doodled fan comic from @umbraldame featuring a thing from beyond A.K.A. "The Blanket" and her ability to absorb not only nutrition but information from the people she digests! That would be pretty handy for investigating a mystery, if you could get past the question of morality.

This is one of the five playable monster types in Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy, and a fan favorite around here!

Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy is still crowdfunding on kickstarter from now until 2:00 PM CST on Friday, May 10th! Back it before it's too late!

If you want to try before you buy, you can download a free demo of the prerelease version from our website or our itch.io page!

If you’re interested in a more updated and improved version of Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy than the free demo you got from our website, subscribe to our Patreon where we frequently roll our new updates for the prerelease version!

You can also support us on Ko-fi, or by checking out our merchandise!

Join our TTRPG Book Club At the time of writng this, Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy is the current game being played in the book club, and anyone who wants to participate in discussion, but can’t afford to make a contribution, will be given the most updated prerelease version for free! Plus it’s just a great place to discuss and play new TTRPGs you might not be able to otherwise!

We hope to see you there, and that you will help our dreams come true and launch our careers as indie TTRPG developers with a bang by getting us to our base goal and blowing those stretch goals out of the water, and fight back against WotC's monopoly on the entire hobby. Wish us luck.