#We need to address the gap with advancements

[star-magi]

>> See a post about the dream state + nonlocality >> Click on it because it's interesting

>> Posits electromagnetic influences on dreams

>> Click off

[bekkandaa]

thank you for your analysis of him!! it's very interesting. especially the part where you mentioned him being a romantic because he's objectively perceived as a cold, cruel, emotionally unavailable person (which he was) but he clearly found grandiose motivations and purposes to justify his crimes. how self-aware do you think he was? and if he was made aware of the outcome of his quest for power, would he do it nonetheless? realistically what would it take for him to have a moral crisis or question his values? was he aromantic and repulsed by human connection by nature or did he actively suppress whatever humanity was left...or maybe just try to be perceived as not needing it? sorry for asking so many questions. i could spend hours attempting to unravel tom's psyche.

thanks in advance

Hello Anon! Thank you for your questions. I want to address the first few in a different post, because I have a few different answers I want to discuss and don't want this post to run on forever. Is Tom Riddle Aromantic?

Before we delve into the intricacies of Tom Riddle's capacity for Romantic love, it is important for me to mention that we'll be disregarding the plot point of his inability to love due to his parents' love potion thing. Instead, our focus will be purely on his psyche and the effect that has on his ability to love. ( Because that's what this blog is for, and the whole love potion thing is silly in my humble opinion)

To address whether Riddle's beliefs and upbringing contribute to an aromantic disposition, I think we first have to consider his own capacity for romantic love. I'll be discussing his capacity for romantic love through the fact of his narcissism, a topic I've explored before here.

Riddle's psychology can largely be understood through the lens of pathological narcissism. While all humans present a public façade, for a pathological narcissist, the gap between this façade and their concealed self is particularly stark. Riddle's charm was a strategic tool to attract admirers who could feed his sense of self. This façade protects the false self from exposure, maintaining his grandiose self-image and fuelling his delusions.

Emotional intimacy is typically outside a narcissist's comfort zone as they are disconnected from their true feelings, driven instead by the need to uphold their grandiose persona. Narcissists often idealise their partners' admirable qualities, using them as a mirror for their own grandiosity. In this context, love becomes a means to an end—a way to support their self-image, making romantic love a form of supply for a narcissist.

Narcissists possess many qualities such as social confidence, likability, and charm, which are optimal for initiating relationships. However, these are coupled with traits like low empathy, a tendency to use others to maintain their false self-image, and overall self-centeredness, which are destructive to functional relationships. A narcissist's partner is usually objectified, unable to retain their own autonomy within the relationship. If the partner shatters the narcissist's illusion, they may become the target of contempt for disrupting the narcissist's grandiose perception they created of their partner. Essentially, the goal of such a relationship is the complete obliteration of the partner's autonomy.

Despite these challenges, it is important to recognise that narcissists can and do love, although their love sometimes differs from a healthy, unconditional relationship. Following this logic, Riddle is capable of romantic love, but it would most likely be an unhealthy relationship where his partner is more objectified than valued as a person.

Having established Riddle's capacity for love, we return to the question of his potential aromanticism. Possible reasons include:

Repulsion by human connection by nature Active suppression of any remaining humanity Intentional portrayal of himself as above human needs

While I do not believe Riddle was innately repulsed by human connection from birth, he likely developed this repulsion through his upbringing. His identity and beliefs were deeply intertwined with his blood status. Discovering his ancestry to Salazar Slytherin inflated his ego and sense of self, fuelling his delusions about an "idealised parent image." However, learning about his Muggle father shattered these notions, inducing an identity crisis and internal conflict. This conflict manifested in his actions, such as punishing his father and changing his name.

Rejection by the family he sought further shattered his grandiose self-image, deepening his mental breakdown. This rejection likely made him feel repulsed by the human connection he sought, leading him to view himself as above such needs. Despite his heritage being a construct to fuel his false-self, the search for a parent and creation of an "idealised parent image" is common among children lacking parental figures. This behaviour signifies Riddle's inherent humanity and need for connection, which he suppressed following the shattering of his idealised image.

According to Freud, human behaviour is more influenced by the unconscious mind rather than the conscious one. The unconscious mind, filled with painful memories, tries to protect the conscious mind by hiding them, influences attitudes, behaviours, and character. For Riddle, the painful memories of his corrupted heritage resurfaced, despite his unconscious mind's attempts to hide them. He then attempted to eradicate his past self, exemplified by his transformation into Lord Voldemort and his agenda concerning blood status.

This brings us to the final point: in eradicating his past, Riddle attempted to portray himself as devoid of human needs through his new persona, Lord Voldemort. ( in all honesty he done the opposite by doing that, just really announced his fear of his own humanity and his disgust of it.)

These points, stemming from his past, suggest that Riddle is most likely aromantic. While he is capable of love, albeit in an unhealthy way, he sees himself above the need for it and suppresses any potential need under the guise of repulsion due to the rejection he faced. TLDR : Tom Riddle is in fact Aromantic, and that was more or less caused by him getting his feelings hurt and choosing to suppress / act like he does not need humanity at all. Just going back to Anon at the beginning talking about how Riddle was a romantic, (which he was, it's a universal fact at this point) I do think it's hilarious how he chose the most 'teenage girl' items for his horcruxes. Diary boy really wanted to go all out and I can respect it.

[manitole]

Emmrich x Rook = Ideas for Fanfic

 (This is going to be a REALLY long post)

Context: I’m an awkward millennial that doesn’t know Tumblr very well. I apologize in advance if this post is weird and not perfect, I’m still learning. My activities on this platform are mostly resharing awesome post on my page. Since the last few weeks, I must admit that the communities here around my tags are incredible, positive, academic and just kind of healing my heart. For this reason, I feel comfortable trying to be a little more invested. Introduction to the main theme: I’m really happy to see that I’m far from being the only one to be obsessed and hyperfocused on Emmrich Volkarin, especially his romance with Rook. His personality is different from my typical fictional crushes: this fact had opened new possibilities about scenarios in my imagination. The main theme: I love to write, but I have a thesis to finish. Plus, I’ve already started two fanfictions and I’m not close to be done with those two stories. Since I’m lacking time, experience in fanfiction, knowledge in the DA universe and expertise in the English language (I’m a native French speaker), I must conclude that writing a fanfic Emmrich X Rook would not be the best idea right now. I would LOVE to share some of my ideas if it can inspire some people out there:

A – Too much rigidity versus chaotic (Mortal): I would LOVE to see a fanfic which addresses the mountain struggles of Rook and Emmrich living together after the story of the game. This man has been alone for a long time. We don’t know if he already lived with someone else during a long period of time. Emmrich likes to have his books ‘’pristine’’. I’m also guessing he has a strict routine regarding mealtime. I see Rook being kind of chaotic, as letting their underwear lying around where they needed to remove them (around a bed, coffin, or on the dinning table after some sexy time… why not). I could also see Rook inviting old friends for a late dinner, at the last minute, while Emmrich is already in his night gown, ready to sleep. Anyway, I would LOVE to see character’s development around those struggles: Emmrich learning to be a little more flexible while Rook is learning to be a little less disorganized.

B – Feeling bored after saving the world (Mortal): Could be related with point A or not. I know that everyone has different opinions, but so far, I preferred Rook to also be a Mourn Watcher. It seems natural to think that after the end of the game, Emmrich, Rook and Manfred are going back to Neverra. I could see Emmrich going back to teaching. I could see both possibilities where he is satisfied with this (with Rook and Manfred in his life) VERSUS feeling bored after travelling so often for saving the world. I’m not sure what Rook would want to do with their life after the war. Could they even be able to stay at one place? I could see them needed to travel and leave Neverra for sometimes for fighting or geopolitical stuff. I could also see Rook being done with that kind of life and wanting a normal happy and almost boring routine. Let’s talk about marriage. We all know that Emmrich always thought he would get married someday. Would he be ready to marry Rook? If yes, does it mean that he has outcome the age gap problem (?). I don’t know about Rook since the character vary from person to person. They could want to wait for marriage. I see this possibility more in the Mortal route since I have NO idea how Lichdom works and if a Lich can marry someone…

Now. I must explain before going on with my next idea. I’m not a fan of any pronatalist outcome. I don’t think a couple should have children to be happy or have some news goals. I also love stories and fanfic that show childfree happy people. Having children is not and should not be seen as a normal progression of life. It’s a choice and it should be a free and informed joint decision. Childfree couples are NOT less interesting than parents. But I also can see the difference between real life and fiction, especially in a fantastic universe like DA. I think some fanfic that adds children into the story can be a good thing, especially if those are kind of REALISTIC (happy rainbow sunshine without any struggles at all) and talk about more than only the positive of parenthood. Now, we could argue about Manfred. For me, as a couple, Emmrich and Rook are already parental figures to Manfred. While it’s not a typical experience, there is still something there. Manfred doesn’t need to eat (nor to sleep?) but he can still burn some books by accident, requiring some ‘’parenting’’ from Emmrich or Rook.

C – Parenting: I could see the couple adopting a kid while the opportunity is there. I also think that Manfred would be an awesome big brother. Now, let’s talk about a Rook that could be pregnant (trigger for some people, so please go to point D if you don’t want to read about this idea or about parenting and or reproduction).

1 – Pregnancy (Mortal): I’ve been thinking A LOT about the last scene between Rook and Emmrich when they have sex in a coffin. I’m an artist geek but also a nerd scientific with a nursing degree. Both don’t always match well together. I don’t know a lot about contraception in fantastic universe, especially DA. I can’t stop myself thinking: did Emmrich and or Rook THOUGHT about this? One part of me think that Emmrich would not be the type of person to forget about any risk regarding that subject. It would seem easy for him to cast a charm for preventing a pregnancy? I don’t know. But on the other hand, the end of the world is happening, and him or Rook could not survive to the last battle. The party banter between Harding and Emmrich show that the necromancer can forget some things important when he is with Rook or just by being in a new relationship. So perhaps Emmrich didn't think about it. I could see Rook having sex without having that in mind at all, kind of like a YOLO attitude. They love Emmrich and they are like '' let’s have awesome lovemaking before perhaps dying or whatever''.

Nooooow. Let’s talk about that accidental pregnancy if we could agree that because of those circumstances, no one thought about contraception, because you know… ‘’ End of the world ‘’. Plus, while an accidental pregnancy could be the end of the world for some person, it could not be as horrible for others, like Emmrich and or Rook. So, the team beat Elgar’nan, Solas linked himself to the fade and all. The world is safe for now. It’s the time of celebration. Even after some rest, Rook doesn’t feel really good. They are kind of tired all the time but again, it’s normal since they have been on high adrenaline during the last few months (?). It could explain things. Them and Emmrich could think it is related to the fade or perhaps a curse. Eventually, I’m pretty sure Emmrich would realize the situation before Rook. He was able to spot that stiff wrist. He could see subtle difference regarding Rook. I could totally see his shocked face while understanding the situation. As for Rook, I could see them not thinking about that possibility because perhaps they weren’t having regular periods in the first place because of the hard activities while trying to save the world. Now, let’s ad point A and perhaps point B to this scenario. The couple is trying to live together in a new routine while also learning they are expecting a baby. I waaaaaant to read about that 52-53 years old necromancer realizing his partner is pregnant with his child. Everything is going too fast, and Harding could make snaky remarks on this. I want to read how Emmrich feel about this: He always wanted a family, and he already has Manfred and Rook, but having a child could be something positive to him for different reasons (legacy and pronatalist blabla). But because of his age, it could also be an experience kind of sad, realizing that he could not see his kid grow as much as he would love to. The reaction of Rook about all of this could be really different since again, Rook vary for each player. I would love to see some struggles (perhaps with a big fight?) with a pregnant Rook who still wants to fight and live their ''normal'' life and an overprotective Emmrich (with only good intentions) kind of overwhelming. I could also see Emmrich taking his retirement from teaching sooner than expected, since he wants to spend as much time as possible with his children. I also think he could be the main parent, as the most ‘’maternal’’, kind of overprotective, again.

I see Emmrich having a girl. I’m not sure why, but it flows better in my imagination. It would make a lot of sense if this girl had the name of a flower or a plant, and her middle name could be Emmrich's mother. With Rook and Emmrich as parents, this little girl would become a badass woman with high self-esteem, taking bullshit from no one. She would LOVE her big brother, and Manfred would also LOVE her. I like to think he will learn faster while being a brother figure. I really see the young girl saying to everyone she has a big brother called Manfred without ever explaining that he is actually a spirit in the body of a skeleton. I could see everyone kind of shocked while meeting Manfred for the first time without that context.

Plus: Vorgoth must be one of the godparents, please. And the family should eventually adopt a pig.

Bonus: a time jump where Emmrich is dying, more than satisfied with his life, and all of his family is around him. I don't mind crying.

2 – Lich route (kind of a silly idea): This idea is kind of a joke. I don’t know how Lichdom works, but I’m pretty sure that once you are a Lich, you are sterile? Now… An accidental pregnancy could happen if Emmrich and Rook had sex BEFORE Emmrich became a Lich. I think it would be really hard on him to outlive not only Rook but also his children and perhaps his grandchildren. I could only see this as possible and not heartbreaking if Rook and Emmrich have a kid who is also a mage and would eventually also become a Lich. I could totally see an awkward family tradition that goes on generation after generation where each child gifted with magic MUST become a Lich before they are 60 years old or something. Imagine: you are like 25-year-old mage and Lichdom don’t appeal to you at all, nor does necromancy. Your sibling doesn't have magic so all the expectations are ON you (and that sibling is, of course, jealous of you).  One of your parents is getting close to becoming a Lich, and the ceremony is approaching. You have a grandparent and a lot of great-grandparents who are also Liches, and the festivity dinners are always awkward. Your family is like famously known in Nevarra but from the inside, you just feel weird. Eventually, you take your courage to break this tradition, coming out to your parents, and they tell you: “You are too young to decide this yet. Your great-grandmother thought the same thing at your age. You will change your mind.” To prove your point, you decide to join the Grey Wardens (or any action making it impossible for you to become a Lich), and half of your family is MAD and saying, “Omg, your great-great-great-great-grandfather is SO disappointed in you.” Done. I just find this possibility really funny.

D – Age gap: I would also like lots of scenes where Rook reacts the opposite of expected regarding the age gap between Emmrich and them (this post as an example). I could see Emmrich being a little annoyed sometimes when people talk to him about this subject, but I would love a Rook who doesn’t seem to understand the problem and just reacts possessively, as if the people talking about it are just jealous. That would also reassure Emmrich (I think).

E – Cute little scenes: I want to read about Emmrich and Rook snuggling on the couch in front of a fire, while Emmrich reads aloud a book about some academic stuff. I also would love a scene where Emmrich gives a powerful massage to Rook (since he knows anatomy so well…).

This is it. Thank you very much for reading. Now that all of this is out of my system, I can go back in peace to my boring thesis. If you already know some fanfics with one of those subjects, please tell me. I’m trying to check on AO3 often, but I don’t always have the time.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Special Interest 3

Warnings: non/dubcon, age gap, creep behaviour, and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

Characters: Cole Turner, short!reader

Part of the Bookstore AU

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging.

You package up another pair of mitts. It’s that season where sales pick up. It’s cold and the holidays are lurking just around the corner. Your hands are achy from working your needles but you can’t complain for the uptick in demand.

Along with your crochet menagerie, you supplement your etsy shop with stickers, while pondering the prospect of cards, especially given the time of year. As overworked as your hands are, your mind feels more so.

Your computer bings. Another sale? You go around to check your open Etsy page. Nope, a message from a customer. Please don’t be a return.

It’s a message. From the vaunted Farmer’s Delight. You might be avoiding them but that doesn’t need to be a whole thing. You’re working on their order! That’s not neglect.

You open the chat, knowing to leave that little dot just hovering there would drive you crazy. 

‘Hey, just checking in. Was hoping to do a pick-up soon. Maybe in the next week?’

Sigh. Great, did they not read your last message? You know you’re a bit hard to take seriously in real life but this is text. There is no height difference or age gap. You’re on even ground. You’re traversing a world of digital equity.

‘Hey. Not sure if you saw my last message but I can’t do a pick up. Please provide your mailing address and I’ll be happy to send this out. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.’

There, firm but still customer service-y. You hit send and go back to smooth labels onto bubble packs. Another chime.

‘Like I said, mailing out here is inconsistent. I need the order as soon as possible. Please let me know a time that works for you. I need to hit the hardware store so I’ll be coming to town. We can meet there for exchange.’

Ugh. You want to punch the computer. You should just refund their order and be done with it. Even with your pick-up in sales, it’s a big chunk. You just can’t stomach giving back that much money and they didn’t even ask for their shipping fee back.

You let the message stew. They are offering a public meet-up. That seems like a good omen, at least. Friday night might work, your mom will be done work at four. That’s a decent amount of time. And it’s close to the post office.

You seal another package and leave the room, treading down the hall as you hear your mother clacking away at her keyboard. You approach cautiously. She closes the door when she’s in a meeting. You tap on the doorframe and peek through the open door.

“Mom, sorry, I don’t wanna bother–”

“All good,” she sits back and pushes up her glasses to rub her eyes, “all these emails are doing my head in.”

“Um, well, you remember that order I got. For pick-up. Could you drive me to the hardware store on Friday?”

“Friday?” She echoes.

“I figure we can stop by the post office on the way. And I’ll buy dinner. You know dad loves the gyros down at Eddie’s. It’s on our way…” You give a smile and sway, “please.”

“Sure. Sounds like a good excuse to get out. Besides, I need to grab some washer thing for the sink. I don’t know, your dad was going on about it. I’ll ask,” he flips her glasses down, “oh, that’s so nice! A big sale–” she claps her hands. “I’m so proud of you, honey.”

You raise your brows, surprised by her excitement. You remember when you quit your craft store job to buy a Cricut machine and go all in. She was less than jazzed.

“Really?”

“Of course,” she beams, standing and grabbing her empty mug, “you know, I was a bit concerned. No school, no job, but you’re a go-getter. Any man would be happy to marry someone with so many hobbies, and hobbies that pay.”

“Hobbies? Mom, this is a business. I have to pay taxes,” you back out of her way as she comes into the hall.

“I know, sweetie, but…” she glances around, “it’s still young. You don’t know if a business is a business for a few years. I’m not knocking you down, I’m trying to be realistic.”

“Mom, please, do we have to worry about five years from now? I want to see how far this goes without worrying about guys or a husband or– I can’t even order a beer yet.”

“Me and your dad married right out of high school. We never worried about all that dating stuff and it was all so simple. Trust me, once you find someone, the world will be so much clearer.”

“If it’s easier, I can get an uber on Friday,” you cross your arms and follow her towards the stairs.

“Don’t be like that. I’m being supportive. But you make sure you’re saving money. Pray the day comes and you’ll have a nice nest egg for your wedding,” she stops at the top of the stairs, “or tuition. There’s lots of cuties in college.”

“Mom,” you roll your eyes, “let’s just take it a day at a time. Friday I’ll get that order out.”

“Oh, remind me to grab some grout cleaner when we’re there too,” she points at you before she turns to descend the stairs, “the bathroom is looking a bit grimy.”

You mutter, “alright, mom,” and slowly turn away.

Everything with her comes back to that one thing. She just assumes that you’re lonely. Worse, she seems to believe you’re wasting your time on all this. 

You shut your door and tramp around to your laptop. You sit on the cushioned stool and type in your reply to Farmer’s Delights; ‘Friday works for me. After four.’

Three dots pop up almost right away. Then disappear. Then appear again.

‘Sounds great. I’ll see you there.’

You send a thumbs up and close out. You have to finish packing then get back to destroying your carpal tunnel. It’s money, your mom’s right about that, but you won’t be saving for a wedding.

[black-rabbit-razumikhin]

Raz Reads Les Mis (XXIV)

Marius - The Noxious Poor

From the title alone, I think I need to re-look at my thoughts on the previous chapter

Marius is lovesick and misses Lanoire/Ursula/(Cosette?) and not even partying with his friends will help him

On a walk, he bumps into two girls, sending the letters they were carrying tumbling

He takes them and reads them, because they weren't sealed so obviously he can

Marius that's not how that works

All the letters are begging letters, signed with different names, but the same handwriting, paper and cadence

Which could just mean they're all transcribed by one person helping the illiterate

But the addresses of the benefactors aren’t on the letters either, so he doesn’t understand how to return them

Enter evening, enter eldest daughter of his neighbor, the Jondrettes

She is - honestly a bit of a force of nature, I like her more on paper than I would in real life

She proves that she can read and write and wants food - going so far as to eat moldy bread

She’s also the author of the letters

So there goes that scribe idea

She tells Marius how her family is always hungry (she’s also dressed in rags and is not looking the greatest) and the letters are for people that her family knows are rich in order to beg for help

She calls Marius a very pretty boy

From descriptions I can agree, but I need to warn her that his logic leaves much to be desired

Especially in chases of people he’s infatuated with

I know Marius gives her five francs and I know somehow Leblanc and Lanoire end up visiting the Jondrette family as one of their benefactors, but how we got from point a to point b I cannot remember

This was a long chapter, I should have made notes while I was reading

But we move on, Marius is peering through a gap in the upper part of the dividing wall that he didn’t know existed

And has also never heard anything through the paper-thin walls until it was imperative to the plot that he did

Not your best work, Hugo. But I’m invested so I’ll let it slide

Marius, upon knowing that Lanoire/Ursula/(Cosette) is right there!! right on the other side of the wall!! he can’t help but try follow her to her address

But he’s not dressed in his best clothes at the moment and the cab driver refuses him a lift unless he pays in advance

Marius has given most of his money away to the Jondrette daughter, he can’t pay, he can’t follow

Curse his charitable heart!

Why have Leblanc and Lanoire gone? Leblanc is getting Jondrette more money to pay his rent

But what’s this? A plot on the other side of the wall? A plot that Marius would have missed had he been able to follow the infatuation of his heart?

Jondrette wants to employ the bandits of Patron Minette to set up an ambush for Leblanc

And if Marius had followed them he would never have known, never have been able to take measures to protect his precious Ursula

Bless his charitable heart!

Immediately off to the police station we follow Marius, who wants to speak to the chief inspector, but he’s out so his associate will have to do

They devise a plan wherein Marius will pretend he’s gone out, but instead be very quietly hiding in his apartment, listening to the goings-on of the Jondrettes and their hired hands and the goings on of the ambush

Once these are set and an agreement culminates (which, as a lawyer, surely Marius will recognize) he will shoot a pistol shot into the roof of the apartment

That will be the sign for the police raid

So as long as Marius does exactly what is required of him, the Jondrettes and bandits will be apprehended and his precious Ursula will be safe

Obviously events don’t go like that because (1) this is Paris and (2) someone entrusted Marius with something important

The hour comes, everything is in place (it's only Leblanc, the girl has not come with this time) and a reveal is made

Jondrette recognizes Leblanc

And, what's more, Jondrette's real name is Thernadier

Leblanc, who has to be Valjean, is completely unphased

Marius, on the other hand, is shocked. So much so that he forgets his one job

Thernardier? The brave, bold Waterloo fighter who his father has told him to defend with his life? This is the Thernardier who has put the wellbeing of his crush in jeopardy? Has called an ambush on this man? The Thernardier upon whom Marius himself has set the police?

Marius is torn between his heart and the responsibility he is meant to uphold on his father's grave

Never a dull moment with this man, is there?

Thernardier says that Leblanc can keep his daughter, the Lark, but he wants 200 000 francs

A small sum for a pseudo-bourgeois such as Leblanc/Valjean, surely

I know this has to be Valjean, but I don't think Hugo has said so explicitly in this chapter

Overcoming his shock, Marius comes up with a plan in order to release his conscience from two bad decisions

The eldest daughter who visited him, Eponine (an amazing name, really, my favorite name so far), she left a writing sample

A writing sample that looks like code for a means of quick escape in this situation

He bundles up the sample and chucks it through the hole in the wall, everyone thinking it must have come from the window

There is a commotion

A lot happens in the commotion, and the whole scene is more suspenseful than the action I've seen in most blockbuster movies

The lack of coordination, the fact that everyone is trying to save their own skin but also nobody knows whose side anybody is on anymore

They end up deciding to draw lots to see what order they all get to leave

(Anyone remember where Valjean is in all this?)

And then

The best intro of this whole book

Who could it be but Javert (!!) who swaggers in to the door, takes his hat off his head and offers it out with a smile to let them draw lots from his hat

It shows how much I dislike Thernardier if seeing Javert made me happy

Or that was just an incredible entrance

Genuinely well done, man knows presentation

The Thernardiess tries to throw a whole paving stone at Javert, but she misses

Needless to say, Javert and the rest of the police are successful in capturing everyone save one man

And the rope ladder Valjean used to escape hasn't even had time to stop swinging yet

The chapter closes with a little boy looking for Thernardier

And only now as I've typed that have I realised that he's their neglected son from way back when

This was a long, long chapter to work through, but it all felt worth it. It was so exciting! I've condensed a lot of it or we'd be here all day, but that's Marius's book over? That was too short. I feel like there's so much more to be learned about his character that hasn't been covered yet. Also I won't be getting over that Javert reveal any time soon. That was exquisite.

[olderthannetfic]

A lot of people in your inbox are doing the thing from that Tumblr post about how way too many people only think of feminism discussions in terms of the Most Oppressed Man and Least Oppressed Woman. Y'all really need to stop comparing marginalized men to white cis straight female CEOs, and instead compare them to women who are similarly marginalized.

I think the gender pay gap in many countries - an objective reality with tons of statistics to back it up - is a good way to illustrate this. Yeah, if you're a man in a low level at a company, the women ranked above you probably make more than you. But what about the women at the same level as you? That's what the pay gap is referencing: that women tend to make less than men (of the same race and other factors - there's also a racial pay gap, and black women make even less than white women but also less than black men) for doing the same work, at the same level, etc.

(And sometimes the disparity isn't even between people on the "same level": Claire Foy played Queen Elizabeth II on The Crown, a show ABOUT Queen Elizabeth II, and she made less than Matt Smith did playing Prince Philip until she found out and drew attention to it and the studio was forced to pay her what they owed her.)

The argument of comparing more privileged women and less privileged men, though, is one that anti-feminists like Men's Rights Activists use to deny the gender pay gap. They'll argue that because some individual women in higher-powered jobs make more than they do, that the pay gap doesn't exist, even though those women are likely making less than men in similarly high-powered jobs.

We need ways to talk about these systematic realities because we can't really address the problem if you don't know what causes the problem. But I also hope people realize that this particular thought distortion can be applied to pretty much any type of marginalization.

And, in fact, outside of Tumblr, it DOES get used that way. I've seen people do this with race: suggest that the existence of multimillionaire black athletes and actors alongside the existence of, say, homeless white people, means that white privilege/racism isn't real. Or use the existence of affluent gay people or gay politicians like Pete Buttigieg, or the fact that a lot of white cis gay people can buy into racism or transphobia, to suggest that homophobia doesn't exist. Just about every disabled person I know has a story about someone suggesting their disability "can't be all that bad" because of other advantages they had in life. Yeah, having an advanced degree and supportive family, friends and spouse means my ADHD doesn't affect me as badly as if I didn't have those things - but if I didn't have ADHD I'd still have fewer struggles. That's the comparison point.

When you're designing an experiment you can't alter every variable at once. You have to stick to just one variable at a time.

--

[duchessofostergotlands]

Hi, good morning, I was the person who sent in the question about voluntourism and I apologize in advance that this message is a little different than the one I sent in. So I just got back after reading the archives of your blog(but not in a stalker-ish way if you know what I mean.) to read some of your personal think pieces. So yesterday I just came across a post you did way back in Feb. 2017 about the importance of differentiating voluntourism vs charity work. And I'd like to ask you, as someone who was an accidental voluntourist before, how can we tell the difference between the two? What are the signs that indicate that something is a part of voluntourism rather than charity work, and how can we avoid being a voluntourist? Thank you. (P.S. I'm sorry about not thanking you for your reply to the question that I sent in three years ago, so if it's not too late, I'd like to thank you for answering that and all the other stuff that you do that makes Royal Tumblr an enjoyable place to be in.)

Voluntourism is a portmanteau of volunteering and tourism. Essentially it is volunteering but abroad, you paid for it, and it’s billed as being part of an “experience.”

Perhaps controversially I would say in 90% of cases people should just not volunteer abroad. Unless you are a highly skilled professional who is volunteering to address a specific gap in expertise or resource - like a doctor in an area with a natural disaster - we aren’t needed. When I was 16 or 17 I went to Borneo for a month, classic voluntourism. We volunteered to build a path to this beautiful waterfall. Theoretically sounds good, it was to help the community by increasing access for tourists. But we were a group of teenage girls who had never done hard labour in our lives. We were ten times slower than the men in the community who had been working on it and in fact they had to come in and correct what we did as it was unsafe! We had good intentions but we did not help in any way and it was actually embarrassing to look back on. And that's just a tame example. I know of projects where entirely untrained teenagers are placed in teaching roles with severely traumatised children. Often there are no background checks, there are volunteers strolling in and out of these children's lives which interrupts their ability to form healthy attachments, the volunteer knows nothing about the local cultural context etc.

If people are considering volunteering abroad - whether it's classed as voluntourism or not - I would ask them to think about whether their motivation is really to help or to feel like they helped. Do you have a skill that is needed in that community but isn’t currently provided for by local people? Is the charity asking you to help because you are genuinely better equipped or is it because they don’t want to pay local people to do the work?

I don’t condemn people because I have been there myself. I thought I was helping! And I do think you can do volunteer abroad ethically. I volunteered for a refugee charity in Calais and my friend and I put a lot of effort into doing it as responsibly as possible: we agreed parameters to minimise contact with vulnerable people, we were purely helping with back office processes so not working in the camp, at the time there was a genuine risk of violence from the local community so it was safer not to have refugees in the warehouse and therefore we weren't taking a job from them etc. But it is very hard to get right and takes a lot of time and thought.

This is a great article about voluntourism and volunteering abroad: https://www.gooverseas.com/blog/what-is-the-difference-between-voluntourism-and-volunteering

And thank you so much for your lovely words! Always weird when people read your old posts. Like reading your old diary haha.

[mariacallous]

When access to reproductive health care is threatened in the United States, a growing number of women stock up on abortion medications to keep on hand in case they need the pills in the future, new research shows.

A study analyzed 48,404 requests for “advance provision” abortion medications made to Aid Access, an Austria-based nonprofit offering telehealth abortion services in the US, between the beginning of September 2021 and the end of April 2023.

Most doctors in the US do not let patients order abortion pills before they’re pregnant. “It’s definitely something that’s never been standard practice here,” says Abigail Aiken, the principal investigator of the Self-Managed Abortion Needs Project (Project SANA) at the University of Texas at Austin, who led the study. In recent years, though, interest in “advance provision” has been on the rise, with a limited number of telehealth services giving patients the option to prepare in case abortion access is curtailed in their area.

Aiken’s study shows that demand for abortion pills made by women who weren’t yet pregnant spiked during events when reproductive health care access appeared under threat. This matters, because in 2024, the US will face its next big test for reproductive freedoms, when the US Supreme Court hears a case challenging access to mifepristone, one of the two drugs typically used in a medication abortion. If the court sides with the anti-abortion activists who brought the case against the US Food and Drug Administration, medication abortion access may be in jeopardy nationwide. With this potentially hazardous change on the horizon, it’s likely that even more people will start stocking up.

According to Aiken’s findings, requests were at their highest immediately following the Dobbs decision leak in May 2022, which signaled that Roe v. Wade would be overturned. From a baseline of around 24.8 requests a day, Aid Access saw an influx of 247.3 requests per day following the Dobbs leak. After this rush, requests jumped again after the Dobbs decision was finalized, averaging 89.1 per day. Most recently, requests rose once again, following conflicting court decisions in April 2023 regarding access to mifepristone, one of the two drugs commonly offered in the abortion pill protocol. Aid Access received an average of 172.1 per day.

“This is a way of taking back some control,” Aiken says. “Of being in control of your own reproductive destiny.”

One striking finding from this new research breaks down the type of people who are able to take advantage of advance provision. Compared with patients who request abortion pills for immediate use, patients who purchase abortion pills in case they become pregnant in the future tend to be significantly older, to live in low-poverty regions, and to not have any other children. They also tend, overwhelmingly, to be Caucasian. White women make up 70 percent of Aid Access' advance provision requests, compared to 39 percent of requests for abortion pills for immediate use.

This access gap demonstrates that there’s a need for more outreach, to ensure everyone who might need this medication can get ahold of it. “The potential of advance provision is amazing,” says Dana Northcraft, the founding director of the Reproductive Health Initiative for Telehealth Equity and Solutions. But she sees it as a limited tool right now. “It’s not going to be a panacea. I don’t think it will reach those who most need care, especially people of color and people struggling to make ends meet.”

“We can’t say for sure what these demographic differences are telling us, but one possibility is that there are barriers to advance provision for certain groups, including financial barriers,” Aiken says. One issue that will need to be addressed is cost. While services like Aid Access offer sliding scale options for people who are financially struggling, paying for medication that isn’t an immediate necessity can be harder to justify for people with limited resources. “If it’s between getting pills and paying rent—which we know it is for a lot of people—you might say yes if you need the pills right away, but it’s a different calculus for advance provision.”

These findings suggest that people who might greatly benefit from access to advance provision aren’t able to access the services, but this does not mean they don’t want the services. “We find that the people most interested and supportive of advance provision of medication abortion are those who face barriers accessing reproductive health care,” says Antonia Biggs, a social psychologist at Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH), a research program based at the University of California, San Francisco. “Thus, as barriers to care increase, as they are in the current policy context, we anticipate demand for advance provision to grow.”

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Uncovering the role of oxygen concentration in the formation of early earth magma ocean

It is widely accepted that the early Earth largely consisted of molten magma, forming a global ocean of magma. This extreme state of Earth was likely caused by the intense heat generated from accretionary impacts, meaning the collision of smaller celestial bodies with Earth. Understanding the formation of this magma ocean is crucial for comprehending Earth’s formation. A major problem with current magma ocean formation models is the lack of consensus on the melting temperatures of deep mantle rocks. Models explaining Earth’s core formation use a specific set of experimental data to estimate mantle melting temperatures, but recent experiments have shown that these temperatures may differ by 200–250 °C from the previously accepted data.

Some studies indicate that oxygen fugacity, or the amount of oxygen available in the mantle, may strongly affect the melting temperatures of deep mantle rocks, which in turn may have influenced the formation of the magma ocean. The mantle’s oxygen fugacity is thought to have increased during accretion, core formation and subsequent mantle evolution; however, the effect of this increase on the melting temperatures of deep mantle materials remains unclear.

Addressing this gap, a team of researchers led by Associate Professor Takayuki Ishii from the Institute for Planetary Materials at Okayama University, Japan and Dr. Yanhao Lin from the Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, China, investigated the effects of oxygen fugacity on magma ocean formation during early Earth evolution. “The evolution of early Earth has been greatly influenced by oxygen fugacity, which may necessitate the reconsideration of current models. To this end, we assessed the effect of oxygen fugacity on the melting temperatures of deep mantle materials to constrain the conditions at the floor of a deep terrestrial magma ocean,” explains Prof. Ishii.

The study also involved Professor Wim van Westrenen from the Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Professor Tomoo Katsura from Bayerisches Geoinstitut, University of Bayreuth, Germany, and Dr. Ho-Kwang Mao from the Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, China. It was published online in the journal Nature Geoscience on July 16, 2024.

The researchers conducted melting experiments at pressures of 16–26 Gigapascals, similar to mantle depths between 470 km and 720 km, at high oxygen fugacities, on mantle pyrolite, a material composition representing Earth’s mantle. Results revealed that over this pressure range, the melting temperatures decreased with increasing oxygen fugacity and were at least 230–450 °C lower than those from experiments conducted at low oxygen fugacities. Assuming a constant temperature for the magma ocean, this implies that the magma ocean floor deepens by about 60 km for each logarithmic unit increase in mantle oxygen fugacity. This strong influence of oxygen fugacity on mantle melting suggests that current models for early Earth thermal evolution and core formation need re-evaluation.

Furthermore, these results can also explain the apparent discrepancy between the low oxygen fugacities predicted for the Earth’s deep mantle post-core formation and the high oxygen fugacities observed in magmatic rocks over 3 billion years old, formed by melting of the deep mantle.

“Beyond Earth’s formation, our findings on the dependence of melting temperatures on oxygen fugacity can also be applied to understand the formation of other rocky planets that can support human life,” remarks Dr. Lin, highlighting the potential impact of the study. He adds, “For example, these results can improve our understanding of Mars, which is a recent hot topic regarding human habitability.”

This groundbreaking study promises to improve Earth formation models, deepening our understanding of the formation of Earth and other such planets.

IMAGE: The melting temperatures of deep mantle rocks decrease with an increase in mantle oxygen concentration, suggesting the need for re-evaluation of current Earth core formation and thermal evolution models. Credit Takayuki Ishii from Okayama University

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from EcoWatch:

In an address in Belém, Brazil, United States Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen said the world needs $3 trillion in financing annually to reach its 2050 climate and biodiversity goals.

Yellen said transitioning to a low-carbon economy would require far more than the current amount of yearly financing, but that filling that gap is the greatest economic opportunity of this century, reported Reuters.

“Climate change poses a daily and existential threat to individuals, communities, and countries. It harms human health, damages homes and businesses, and strains government budgets,” Yellen said at the Goeldi Museum in Belém, considered Brazil’s gateway to the Amazon, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. “Put simply, neglecting to address climate change and the loss of nature and biodiversity is not just bad environmental policy. It is bad economic policy.”

Yellen also announced the Amazon Region Initiative Against Illicit Finance to combat nature crimes by battling their financing, as well as the international criminal organizations that benefit from it. The initiative is a partnership between the U.S., regional partners and Amazon basin countries Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Guyana and Suriname.

Yellen said reaching net-zero was one of the Biden-Harris administration’s top priorities, but that it would require expanding endeavors beyond the United States.

“We know that we can only achieve our climate and economic goals — from reducing global emissions to adapting and building resilience, from strengthening markets to bolstering supply chains — if we also lead efforts far beyond our borders,” Yellen said.

Yellen went on to say that she had seen the value of three specific aspects of the department’s approach to advancing the international climate, nature and biodiversity agenda of the administration. The first is strengthening ally and partner relationships, the second is making global financial architecture operate better for nations, and the third is putting to use the power of markets.

[repairfoundation]

Stabilize House Foundation: Ensuring Long-Term Safety with Foundation Solutions

A solid and stable foundation is the cornerstone of any home, providing the essential support needed to maintain structural integrity. Over time, however, various factors can compromise the stability of a house foundation, leading to issues that can affect the safety and value of your property. At Foundation Solutions, we specialize in stabilizing house foundations, offering expert services to address and resolve these problems. In this blog post, we’ll explore the importance of foundation stabilization, the common causes of foundation issues, and why Foundation Solutions is your best choice for ensuring the longevity and safety of your home.

Why Foundation Stabilization is Crucial

Foundation stabilization is essential for several reasons:

Prevent Structural Damage: A stable foundation prevents cracks, shifts, and other structural issues that can compromise your home’s integrity.

Protect Property Value: Ensuring a stable foundation helps maintain and even increase your property’s market value.

Safety Assurance: A well-stabilized foundation reduces the risk of accidents and injuries caused by structural failures.

Cost Savings: Addressing foundation issues early can save you from costly repairs and extensive damage in the future.

Common Causes of Foundation Instability

Understanding the causes of foundation instability can help you identify issues early and take appropriate action. Some of the most common factors include:

Soil Movement: Changes in soil moisture levels, such as swelling or shrinking, can cause the ground to shift, leading to foundation instability.

Poor Drainage: Inadequate drainage systems can result in water pooling around the foundation, causing soil erosion and weakening the structure.

Tree Roots: Expanding tree roots can exert pressure on the foundation, leading to cracks and displacement.

Seismic Activity: In regions prone to earthquakes, seismic forces can cause significant foundation movement and damage.

Construction Defects: Poor construction practices, including improper soil compaction or use of substandard materials, can lead to foundation issues.

Signs Your Foundation Needs Stabilization

Recognizing the signs of foundation instability is crucial for timely intervention. Look for the following indicators:

Cracks in Walls or Floors: Visible cracks can be a sign of foundation settling or shifting.

Uneven or Sloping Floors: Floors that are not level can indicate foundation movement.

Sticking Doors and Windows: Difficulty opening or closing doors and windows may suggest foundation issues.

Gaps Between Walls and Ceilings/Floors: Separation between walls and adjacent surfaces can signal a shifting foundation.

Water Pooling Around the Foundation: Persistent moisture around your foundation can lead to erosion and instability.

Our Foundation Stabilization Process

At Foundation Solutions, we use advanced techniques and materials to stabilize house foundations effectively. Our comprehensive process includes:

Detailed Inspection and Assessment: Our experts conduct a thorough inspection to identify the root cause and extent of the foundation issues.

Customized Stabilization Plan: Based on the assessment, we develop a tailored stabilization plan that addresses the specific needs of your home.

Soil Stabilization: We use methods such as soil compaction, chemical grouting, or soil injection to improve soil stability and prevent movement.

Piering and Underpinning: For severe cases, we install piers or use underpinning techniques to provide additional support and stabilize the foundation.

Waterproofing and Drainage Solutions: To prevent future water-related issues, we implement effective waterproofing and drainage systems around the foundation.

Final Inspection and Quality Assurance: We conduct a final inspection to ensure that all stabilization measures meet our high standards of quality and durability.

Why Choose Foundation Solutions?

When it comes to stabilizing your house foundation, choosing the right company is critical. Here’s why Foundation Solutions stands out:

Experienced Professionals: Our team of experts has extensive experience and knowledge in foundation stabilization, ensuring top-quality results.

Cutting-Edge Technology: We use the latest technology and methods to provide precise and effective stabilization solutions.

Customer-Focused Approach: We prioritize customer satisfaction, offering personalized service and clear communication throughout the process.

Transparent Pricing: We offer upfront, transparent pricing with no hidden fees, so you know exactly what to expect.

Guaranteed Workmanship: Our work comes with a satisfaction guarantee, giving you peace of mind that your foundation is built to last.

Case Study: Successful Foundation Stabilization

A recent project involved stabilizing a home with significant foundation settlement and cracking due to expansive clay soil. Our team conducted a detailed assessment and implemented a customized stabilization plan, including installing helical piers and improving the drainage system. The result was a fully stabilized foundation that restored the home’s structural integrity and prevented further damage.

Contact Us Today

If you suspect foundation instability in your home, don’t wait for the problem to worsen. Contact Foundation Solutions today for expert advice and professional foundation stabilization services. Let us help you maintain a safe, stable, and secure home foundation.

At Foundation Solutions, we are dedicated to providing exceptional foundation stabilization services that exceed your expectations. Trust us to deliver the strength and reliability your home deserves, ensuring long-term stability and peace of mind.

Tagged Foundation Repair, Foundation Solutions, House Foundation, Stabilize House Foundation

[shadowfaxnews]

Shadowfax Rolls Out AI-Backed Address Intelligence System For Seamless Deliveries

SUMMARY

Shadowfax launches SF Maps, an AI-powered address intelligence system for accurate deliveries.

2. The new system predicts customer locations with over 90% accuracy within 100 meters, reducing cancellations by 10%.

3. SF Maps uses artificial neural networks and real-time data integration to navigate India’s complex addressing system.

Shadowfax, India’s leading provider of cutting-edge e-commerce logistics solutions, proudly introduces SF Maps, an advanced AI-based address intelligence system designed to enhance delivery accuracy and efficiency. This innovative tool predicts customer locations with unparalleled precision, setting a new industry standard with over 90% accuracy within 100 meters of the intended destination. SF Maps greatly improves navigation for delivery partners, thereby assisting e-commerce platforms and Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) brands in reducing cancellations due to address inaccuracies on their platforms.

In contrast to standardized address formats prevalent in Western countries, Indian addresses often lack structure, are susceptible to language and understanding-based gaps, and are highly prone to input error posing challenges in pinpointing exact locations during delivery. SF Maps addresses these complexities by leveraging a sophisticated AI/ML model trained on a vast dataset of Shadowfax’s past deliveries and pickups exceeding 1.5 billion data points. This model adeptly handles incomplete addresses, ambiguous area names, reliance on distant landmarks, and inaccurate pincodes, ensuring smoother operations. Further, precise navigation to customer addresses enables seamless deliveries without the need for additional calls, effectively reducing instances of missed deliveries and improving overall efficiency. Since the introduction of SF Maps, Shadowfax has achieved a significant reduction in customer cancellations or RTOs (Return to Origin) by almost 10% and boosted customer Net Promoter Score (NPS) by 25%.

Vaibhav Khandelwal, Chief Technology Officer at Shadowfax, “SF Maps represents a significant leap forward in our mission to optimize the delivery speed and elevate customer experience while solving fundamental problems in last-mile logistics. This innovative AI model trained on our vast set of historical delivery data drives significant operational efficiencies for us. We deeply understand the problems that arise due to incomplete addresses and how it hinders further innovation and hence we aim to make this AI model generally available for research in the future.”

Under the hood, SF Maps uses an in-house Artificial Neural Network (ANN)-based embedding model, trained using a Siamese Network architecture. The generated embeddings are fed into VectorDB and the extracted locations are passed through H3 geospatial indexing, further fine-tuning location intelligence. This custom-built model captures complex contextual relationships between address components and their geographical associations, leveraging deep learning algorithms to discern intricate patterns for more accurate location-based intelligence. The underlying algorithms and design architecture allow SF Maps to be a self-correcting engine that captures changing ground operations realities. The feedback loop is powered by real-time delivery partner geolocations that Shadowfax captures every 5 seconds while they are on their platform. Shadowfax also deploys a WhatsApp-based conversational bot that interacts with customers and gathers address information for improved results and error correction.

For more information, visit https://www.shadowfax.in/

[jeraliey]

"Extrapolating from an estimated US population of V142I allele carriers aged 50 to 95 years (435 851 persons), the authors calculated the total number of years of life lost among untreated carriers to approach 1 million years. It is important to note that carriers were not identified as having ATTR-CA and were untreated with contemporary TTR disease-modifying therapies. Thus, this tremendous gap in years of life lost among those who carry V142I is what can be expected to be ameliorated or even eliminated with early ascertainment and prescription of effective therapies."

tl;dr - a genetic cause of cardiac amyloidosis that results in heart failure among the US black population has been identified, and screening for it and treating it early can save the lives of many, many black people. There are a lot of barriers to carrying this out, of course, most of which come from structural racism in the American healthcare system as well as historical harms which have resulted in an earned lack of trust.....but it's nice to have another opportunity to save black lives, which continue to matter. And more discussion about the complexities of applying this advance of knowledge into meaningful, real-world results:

Science is wonderful, but breakthroughs don't happen in a vacuum, and just because we CAN have this significant positive effect....theoretically.....doesn't mean there aren't SIGNIFICANT challenges and barriers we continue to need to work on.

[blackbeardentalservices]

Common Misconceptions About Clear Aligners

Clear aligners have revolutionized the way people achieve straighter teeth, offering a modern, discreet alternative to traditional metal braces. However, with all the excitement around this innovative treatment, there are still some common misconceptions that may leave you wondering if clear aligners are right for you. At Black Bear Dental, your local provider of clear aligners near you, we’re here to clear up these myths and provide expert insights into why clear aligners could be the perfect fit for your smile journey.

Myth 1: Clear Aligners Only Work for Minor Teeth Adjustments

Many people believe that clear aligners are only suitable for small corrections, like closing minor gaps or straightening slightly crooked teeth. This misconception often leads patients to think they aren’t a candidate if they have more complex dental issues.

The Reality: Clear aligners have advanced significantly and are now capable of treating a wide range of orthodontic concerns, including crowded teeth, overbites, underbites, and crossbites. At Black Bear Dental, we use the latest aligner technology that can effectively address even more challenging cases. Our experienced team will conduct a thorough evaluation of your teeth and customize a treatment plan that suits your specific needs, no matter how complex.

Myth 2: Clear Aligners Take Much Longer Than Traditional Braces

A common misconception is that clear aligners take longer to straighten teeth compared to traditional braces. It’s easy to assume that because clear aligners are removable and less visible, they might not be as effective in achieving timely results.

The Reality: Clear aligners can be just as efficient, if not faster, than traditional braces, depending on the complexity of the case and how consistently the aligners are worn. Most patients complete treatment in 12 to 18 months, which is comparable to traditional braces. In some cases, clear aligners can even achieve results faster because they are designed to apply continuous, gentle pressure to shift teeth more predictably.

Myth 3: Clear Aligners Are Uncomfortable to Wear

Some patients worry that clear aligners might be uncomfortable or painful, similar to the discomfort often associated with metal braces. This misconception can discourage people from choosing aligners, fearing that the treatment won’t be as comfortable as advertised.

The Reality: Clear aligners are custom-made from smooth, BPA-free plastic that fits snugly over your teeth. While you may experience mild pressure when switching to a new set of aligners, this is a sign that the aligners are working. Unlike braces, there are no sharp brackets or wires to irritate your cheeks and gums, making clear aligners a far more comfortable option for most patients.

Do Dentists Recommend Clear Aligners?

Absolutely, many dentists and orthodontists recommend clear aligners as an effective, convenient alternative to traditional braces. At Black Bear Dental, we often suggest clear aligners for patients seeking a discreet and flexible treatment option that fits seamlessly into their lifestyle. Here’s why:

Effectiveness: Clear aligners are proven to effectively treat a wide range of orthodontic issues, offering reliable and predictable results.

Aesthetic Appeal: The nearly invisible appearance of clear aligners allows patients to straighten their teeth without the noticeable look of metal braces, which is particularly appealing for adults and teens who are conscious of their appearance.

Convenience and Flexibility: Because clear aligners are removable, you can enjoy your favorite foods without restrictions and maintain your regular oral hygiene routine with ease.

Customized Treatment: Every set of aligners is tailored specifically to your teeth, ensuring a precise and comfortable fit that drives optimal results.

At Black Bear Dental, our focus is on providing personalized care that meets your unique needs. We evaluate every patient’s individual case to determine if clear aligners are the best choice for achieving their smile goals.

Discover the Truth About Clear Aligners at Black Bear Dental

Clear aligners offer a transformative way to achieve a straighter smile with minimal disruption to your daily life. Don’t let common misconceptions hold you back from exploring this innovative treatment. At Black Bear Dental, we’re committed to guiding you through the clear aligner process with expert advice, advanced technology, and compassionate care. Schedule your consultation today and take the first step toward a healthier, more confident smile.

[netscapelabsinfotech]

AI is Shaping the Future of Educational Apps

Artificial Intelligence is transforming education, making it more personalized, efficient, and engaging. Here’s why this is so important:

Tailored Learning Experiences: AI adapts educational content to meet each student’s unique needs, enhancing their learning journey and boosting outcomes.

24/7 Support: AI-driven virtual tutors offer around-the-clock assistance, helping students overcome challenges and stay motivated.

Data-Driven Decisions: Educators can use AI insights to refine teaching strategies and address learning gaps more effectively.

Administrative Relief: Automating tasks like grading and scheduling frees up valuable time for educators to focus on interactive teaching.

Engaging Interactions: AI powers immersive experiences through gamification and simulations, making learning both enjoyable and impactful.

The integration of AI in Educational Apps is not just a trend — it’s a crucial advancement that addresses the diverse needs of learners and educators alike. By embracing these innovations, we can make education more Accessible, engaging, and effective.

Building Your Own Business App If you’re looking to develop your own business app, partnering with a leading app development company in India is a smart choice. In particular, app development company in mohali and Chandigarh offer a talented pool of professionals skilled in creating custom, high-quality apps tailored to your business needs. By leveraging their expertise, you can elevate your business with a bespoke app. A Mohali-based development company can provide the local knowledge and personalised attention needed to turn your vision into reality. NetscapeLabs Infotech Pvt. Ltd. is an excellent option for anyone seeking top-tier app development services.

[ayobolaadedayo]

How companies can proactively achieve gender equality and parity 

According to Wikipedia, Gender equality is the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making; and the state of valuing different behaviours, aspirations, and needs equally, regardless of gender.

When it comes to gender equality, we need to revisit the statistics. If women represent only 25% of senior roles globally, then men hold the power relative to talent and succession. They are the decision makers and this has significant implications for our female leaders.

Discrimination remains one of the biggest barriers to women moving into leadership roles or even enjoying leadership roles. 

According to a study by Harris Interactive, 25% of women report discrimination and unfair treatment at work. It is now imperative for organisations to have a more proactive approach to achieving gender equality.

 In 2020, the global gender pay gap was estimated to be around 16%, meaning women earned about 84 cents for every dollar earned by men. [Source: World Economic Forum, [Global Gender Gap Report 2020]

 In Nigeria, the gender pay gap is significant, with women earning approximately 49.4% less than men. [Source: World Economic Forum, [Global Gender Gap Report 2020]

In 2021, women held only 21.7% of senior management positions in Africa, indicating the gender disparity in leadership roles. [Source: McKinsey & Company, [Women in the Workplace Africa 2021 Report]

Representation of Women on Boards in Africa: In Africa, women occupy only about 14.4% of corporate board seats, indicating a significant gender disparity in board representation. [Source: African Development Bank Group, [African Economic Outlook 2021]

Impact of Gender Equality on GDP in Africa: Achieving gender equality in Africa could lead to a potential increase of about $316 billion to the continent's GDP by 2025. [Source: McKinsey & Company, [The Power of Parity: Advancing Women's Equality in Africa]

The following are strategies I recommend for companies to implement on their journey toward achieving gender equality in the workplace:

1.Conduct a gender pay gap analysis- Conduct an analysis on payment across the company to identify if you have a gender pay gap issue so you can implement pay parity across the board. 

2.Create safe spaces - Provide a safe space for women, organisations additionally should train staff generally on certain dos and don'ts of workplace etiquette that border majorly on scenarios that create unsafe spaces for women 

3.Audit your company - Conduct a company audit across women and ask women to anonymously list the things that make them uncomfortable being a woman in the workplace, you will get good insights and use those common responses to create a word cloud where you will gain insights on common themes.

4. Training -Training plays a pivotal role in advancing gender equality within organisations. By implementing targeted training programs, companies can proactively address biases, foster inclusivity, and empower women to thrive in leadership roles. 

Gender Sensitivity Training: Training sessions focused on gender sensitivity help employees understand the complexities of gender dynamics in the workplace. These sessions can cover topics such as unconscious bias, microaggressions, and inclusive language. By raising awareness of these issues, employees are better equipped to recognize and challenge discriminatory behaviour, creating a more inclusive work environment

5. Proactive creation of opportunities - Provide equal opportunities for growth and development: Organisations can provide equal opportunities for promotions and leadership positions to all employees regardless of gender. They can also offer training and development programs to help women and underrepresented genders advance their careers.

6. Establish a diverse and inclusive culture: Organisations can create a culture that promotes diversity and inclusivity. This can be achieved by encouraging open communication, acknowledging and valuing diversity, and creating a safe and respectful work environment.

7. Develop more female initiatives -The work organisation is skewed towards men and is generally seen as the Boys Club, companies need to actively create more initiatives for women that will further aid the quick succession of women into leadership roles. Female Leadership Initiatives -To reduce the gap and fix the shortage of women in senior management, there is a need for the creation of leadership initiatives targeted at women

A female mentorship programme that allows women in leadership to train young proteges on a defined frequency, 

Development of incentive based on the mentor’s ability to create opportunities for females to excel and transition to higher positions.

8. Gender-specific training- Gender-based leadership training that takes into cognisance women’s natural disposition and provides adequate leadership training -This initiative will help bridge the gap and eventually transition to both genders naturally garnering well-deserved sponsorship and a voice at the most senior levels, including board representation.

9. Organisational restructuring- Change in structure to support women, bearing in mind the traditional gender roles that have the woman as the caregiver. Management style should be flexible taking into cognisance both genders’ natural dispositions and not use a one size fits all approach. Also, the structure should ensure there is zero tolerance toward gender discrimination. 

10 Development opportunities- Women should be given development opportunities that are necessary to support progression into higher levels of management and ultimately into board positions.

11. Occupational desegregation- Companies with roles that are strongly segregated along gender lines should make a conscious effort that will lead to more female inclusion.

12.  Female Networking Events -Formal and informal networks can help men gain influence and access to high-ranking positions. Furthermore, the scarcity of women in senior positions means that any male networks.

13. Government laws and policies- There should be policies that provide the approved ratio of male to female in senior management, these defined ratios that should be relevant and applicable to each industry to further close the gap.

Closing the gap in the gender‐segregated area can have a lasting and profound effect on the development of a company and a nation. 

 It is important to ensure gender-neutral teams because diversity brings different perspectives and ideas to the table, leading to better decision-making and problem-solving. When teams are diverse and inclusive, employees feel valued and empowered, leading to increased job satisfaction and retention. 

Gender-neutral teams also help to break down stereotypes and biases, creating a more equitable and just society. In the end, gender equality is a win-win for all.