#and Contribution for Global Opportunities

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

by Dion J. Pierre

Columbia University locked down its campus on Thursday, following an anti-Hillel protest staged by a front group for Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) outside the Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life.

“SIPA, SIPA, you can’t hide, you invest in genocide!” the mob chanted, according to The Columbia Daily Spectator, as they held signs calling for the university to “abolish” the Birthright Israel program, which grants Jewish students a free trip to their ancient homeland.

As The Algemeiner previously reported, this assault on Columbia’s Jewish life, perpetrated by a group which calls itself the Palestine Working Group (PWG), appears to have been prompted by an event held by the university on Thursday, in which Israeli journalist Barak Ravid spoke as a guest of the Kraft Center — where the Hillel chapter serving both Columbia and Barnard College students is located — and the School of International and Public Affairs’ (SIPA) Institute of Global Politics (IGP).

Reputed to be the largest Jewish collegiate organization in the world, Hillel International is a “home away from home” for the 180,000 students at over 850 colleges who avail themselves of its religious services, relationship building opportunities, and recreational activities. PWG, along with another group called Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), insists, however, that “Hillel is complicit in manufacturing propaganda and consent for the Zionist entity’s imperialist and colonial projects.”

On Friday, Columbia University — which has come under fire for its alleged failure to combat the incubation of antisemitism and jihadist extremism on its campus — denounced the attacks on Hillel.

“The Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life, the home of Columbia and Barnard’s vibrant Hillel, is a vital part of our campus, providing a welcoming space for our students to explore and celebrate Jewish culture and identity,” Columbia University said in a statement that was not attributed to any one official. “We appreciate the many contributions the Kraft Center and Hillel and make to supporting our Jewish community and building our university community. Any efforts to intimidate the Kraft Center, Hillel, and our Jewish community and all forms of antisemitism are unacceptable and inimical to what we stand for as a university.”

[usadvlottery]

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[greenthestral]

Unleashing Global Opportunities: Embracing 3COs (Connect, Collaborate, Contribute)

In today's fast-paced and interconnected world, the power of collaboration and connection has become more significant than ever before. With the rapid advancement of technology and the increasing ease of communication, individuals, businesses, and communities have gained unprecedented opportunities to connect, collaborate, and contribute on a global scale. This article delves into the transformative potential of the 3COs: Connect, Collaborate, and Contribute, and explores how embracing these principles can unlock boundless global opportunities.

Connectivity lies at the heart of the modern world. The internet, social media, and mobile devices have revolutionized the way we communicate and interact with one another. These technological advancements have transcended geographical boundaries and bridged gaps between cultures, enabling individuals and organizations to form global networks.

In the digital age, connecting with others has become effortless. With just a few clicks, we can establish connections with people from diverse backgrounds, tapping into a vast pool of knowledge, perspectives, and experiences. Social media platforms, online communities, and professional networks have become powerful tools for connecting with like-minded individuals and experts across the globe. Through these connections, we can exchange ideas, gain valuable insights, and expand our horizons.

Collaboration has always been a catalyst for progress, but in today's globalized world, it has taken on a whole new dimension. By breaking down barriers and leveraging technology, collaboration has become more accessible, efficient, and impactful than ever before.

Global collaborations bring together diverse talents, skills, and resources, fostering innovation and driving growth. From multinational corporations to grassroots initiatives, cross-border partnerships enable organizations to pool their expertise and tackle complex challenges that transcend geographical boundaries. By combining different perspectives and approaches, these collaborations can unlock fresh ideas, accelerate technological advancements, and drive positive change on a global scale.

Moreover, collaboration is not limited to businesses alone. Non-profit organizations, academic institutions, and governmental bodies are also embracing the power of collaboration to address pressing global issues such as climate change, poverty, and healthcare. By pooling their resources and knowledge, these stakeholders can create synergistic solutions that have far-reaching impacts on society.

In the era of globalization, it is no longer enough to solely focus on personal or organizational success. The concept of contribution has gained prominence, as individuals and businesses recognize the importance of giving back to society and making a positive impact on a global scale.

Contribution can take various forms, from volunteering and philanthropy to sharing knowledge and expertise. Technology has played a crucial role in democratizing contribution, making it easier for individuals to support causes they believe in and share their skills with others across the world. Crowdfunding platforms, online volunteering platforms, and open-source communities have created avenues for people to contribute their time, resources, and expertise to address global challenges.

Furthermore, the power of contribution extends beyond individuals. Businesses are increasingly expected to adopt sustainable practices and contribute to the well-being of communities and the planet. By embracing corporate social responsibility, organizations can build trust, foster long-term relationships with stakeholders, and create a positive brand image. Additionally, businesses that actively contribute to social and environmental causes often attract top talent and gain a competitive advantage in the global marketplace.

By embracing the 3COs: Connect, Collaborate, and Contribute, individuals, organizations, and communities can unlock a world of opportunities. The power of connection allows us to tap into a global network of knowledge and expertise, while collaboration enables us to leverage diverse talents and resources to drive innovation and growth. Through contribution, we can make a positive impact on a global scale, fostering a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous world.

To fully harness the potential of the 3COs, individuals, organizations, and communities must adopt a proactive and inclusive approach. Fostering a culture of collaboration within organizations encourages teamwork, cross-functional collaboration, and knowledge sharing. Embracing diversity and creating platforms for employees to connect and collaborate with colleagues from different backgrounds and expertise can lead to breakthrough ideas and solutions.

Leveraging technology is crucial in facilitating connectivity and collaboration. Utilizing digital platforms and tools enables individuals and organizations to connect with like-minded individuals, organizations, and communities across the globe. Virtual collaboration tools bridge geographical gaps, facilitating efficient communication and project management.

Seeking partnerships and collaborations with organizations and individuals that share similar goals and values can lead to mutual benefits and amplified impact. By collaborating on projects, sharing resources, and leveraging collective expertise, individuals and organizations can drive innovation, address complex challenges, and create a larger impact.

Embracing sustainability and prioritizing corporate social responsibility is essential in contributing to a better world. Embedding sustainability into the core values and practices of organizations helps create a positive brand image, attracts top talent, and positions businesses for long-term success. Actively contributing to initiatives and causes that promote a more sustainable and equitable world allows individuals and organizations to make a meaningful difference on a global scale.

Embracing the 3COs: Connect, Collaborate, and Contribute, has the potential to unlock boundless global opportunities. By breaking down barriers, fostering collaboration, and making meaningful contributions, individuals, organizations, and communities can drive positive change and create a more inclusive, prosperous, and sustainable world. Embrace the power of the 3COs and unleash your potential to shape a brighter future.

Connect: Breaking Down Barriers

Connectivity lies at the heart of the modern world. The internet, social media, and mobile devices have revolutionized the way we communicate and interact with one another. This interconnectedness has transcended geographical boundaries and bridged gaps between cultures, empowering individuals and organizations to form global networks.

With just a few clicks, we can now connect with people from diverse backgrounds, tapping into a vast pool of knowledge, perspectives, and experiences. This unprecedented level of connectivity creates endless possibilities for collaboration and learning. Whether it's through social media platforms, online communities, or professional networks, connecting with like-minded individuals and experts across the globe allows us to exchange ideas, gain insights, and expand our horizons.

Collaborate: Fostering Innovation and Growth

Collaboration has always been a catalyst for progress, but in today's globalized world, it has taken on a whole new dimension. By breaking down barriers and leveraging technology, collaboration has become more accessible, efficient, and impactful than ever before.

Global collaborations bring together diverse talents, skills, and resources, fostering innovation and driving growth. From multinational corporations to grassroots initiatives, cross-border partnerships enable organizations to pool their expertise and tackle complex challenges that transcend geographical boundaries. By combining different perspectives and approaches, these collaborations can unlock fresh ideas, accelerate technological advancements, and drive positive change on a global scale.

Moreover, collaboration is not limited to businesses alone. Non-profit organizations, academic institutions, and governmental bodies are also embracing the power of collaboration to address pressing global issues such as climate change, poverty, and healthcare. By pooling their resources and knowledge, these stakeholders can create synergistic solutions that have far-reaching impacts on society.

Contribute: Empowering Individuals and Communities

In the era of globalization, it is no longer enough to solely focus on personal or organizational success. The concept of contribution has gained prominence, as individuals and businesses recognize the importance of giving back to society and making a positive impact on a global scale.

Contribution can take various forms, from volunteering and philanthropy to sharing knowledge and expertise. Technology has played a crucial role in democratizing contribution, making it easier for individuals to support causes they believe in and share their skills with others across the world. Crowdfunding platforms, online volunteering platforms, and open-source communities have created avenues for people to contribute their time, resources, and expertise to address global challenges.

Furthermore, the power of contribution extends beyond individuals. Businesses are increasingly expected to adopt sustainable practices and contribute to the well-being of communities and the planet. By embracing corporate social responsibility, organizations can build trust, foster long-term relationships with stakeholders, and create a positive brand image. Additionally, businesses that actively contribute to social and environmental causes often attract top talent and gain a competitive advantage in the global marketplace.

Embracing 3COs for Global Opportunities

To fully harness the potential of the 3COs (Connect, Collaborate, Contribute), individuals, organizations, and communities must adopt a proactive and inclusive approach. Here are some strategies to embrace the 3COs and unlock global opportunities:

Foster a culture of collaboration: Encourage teamwork, cross-functional collaboration, and knowledge sharing within organizations. Embrace diversity and create platforms for employees to connect and collaborate with colleagues from different backgrounds and expertise.

Leverage technology: Utilize digital platforms and tools to connect with like-minded individuals, organizations, and communities across the globe. Embrace virtual collaboration tools to bridge geographical gaps and facilitate efficient communication and project management.

Seek partnerships: Actively seek out opportunities for collaboration and partnerships with organizations and individuals that share similar goals and values. Collaborate on projects, share resources, and leverage collective expertise to drive innovation and create a larger impact.

Prioritize sustainability: Embed sustainability into the core values and practices of organizations. Consider the environmental, social, and economic impact of decisions and actions. Actively contribute to initiatives and causes that promote a more sustainable and equitable world.

Embrace lifelong learning: Stay curious and open to new ideas, perspectives, and knowledge. Engage in continuous learning through online courses, webinars, conferences, and networking events to expand your horizons and stay relevant in a rapidly changing world.

Conclusion

In a world that is becoming increasingly interconnected, embracing the 3COs (Connect, Collaborate, Contribute) is crucial for unlocking global opportunities. By breaking down barriers, fostering collaboration, and making meaningful contributions, individuals, organizations, and communities can drive positive change and create a more inclusive, prosperous, and sustainable world. Embrace the power of the 3COs and unleash your potential to shape a brighter future.

[reasonsforhope]

"Cody Two Bears, a member of the Sioux tribe in North Dakota, founded Indigenized Energy, a native-led energy company with a unique mission — installing solar farms for tribal nations in the United States.

This initiative arises from the historical reliance of Native Americans on the U.S. government for power, a paradigm that is gradually shifting.

The spark for Two Bears' vision ignited during the Standing Rock protests in 2016, where he witnessed the arrest of a fellow protester during efforts to prevent the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline on sacred tribal land.

Disturbed by the status quo, Two Bears decided to channel his activism into action and create tangible change.

His company, Indigenized Energy, addresses a critical issue faced by many reservations: poverty and lack of access to basic power.

Reservations are among the poorest communities in the country, and in some, like the Navajo Nation, many homes lack electricity.

Even in regions where the land has been exploited for coal and uranium, residents face obstacles to accessing power.

Renewable energy, specifically solar power, is a beacon of hope for tribes seeking to overcome these challenges.

Not only does it present an environmentally sustainable option, but it has become the most cost-effective form of energy globally, thanks in part to incentives like the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

Tribal nations can receive tax subsidies of up to 30% for solar and wind farms, along with grants for electrification, climate resiliency, and energy generation.

And Indigenized Energy is not focused solely on installing solar farms — it also emphasizes community empowerment through education and skill development.

In collaboration with organizations like Red Cloud Renewable, efforts are underway to train Indigenous tribal members for jobs in the renewable energy sector.

The program provides free training to individuals, with a focus on solar installation skills.

Graduates, ranging from late teens to late 50s, receive pre-apprenticeship certification, and the organization is planning to launch additional programs to support graduates with career services such as resume building and interview coaching...

The adoption of solar power by Native communities signifies progress toward sustainable development, cultural preservation, and economic self-determination, contributing to a more equitable and environmentally conscious future.

These initiatives are part of a broader movement toward "energy sovereignty," wherein tribes strive to have control over their own power sources.

This movement represents not only an economic opportunity and a source of jobs for these communities but also a means of reclaiming control over their land and resources, signifying a departure from historical exploitation and an embrace of sustainable practices deeply rooted in Indigenous cultures."

-via Good Good Good, December 10, 2023

[metamatar]

Employers desire foreign workers who are accustomed to the hazardous work sites of industrial construction; in particular, they specifically solicit migrants who do not have a history of labor organizing within SWANA. In response, labor brokerage firms brand themselves as offering migrant workers who are deferential. Often, labor brokers conflate the category of South Asian with docility; [...] as inherently passive, disciplined, and, most important, unfettered by volatile working conditions. "We say quality, they [U.S. employers] say seasoned. We both know what it means. Workers who are not going to quit, not going to run away in the foreign country and do as they are told.” [...]

For migrants, the U.S. oil industry presents a rare chance to apply their existing skill set in a country with options for permanent residency and sponsorship of family members. Migrants wish to find an end to their tem­porary worker status; they imagine the United States as a liberal economy in which labor standards are enforced and there are opportunities for citizenship and building a life for their family. [...] What brokers fail to explain is that South Asian migrants are being recruited as guest workers. Migrants will not have access to U.S. citizenship or visas for family members; in fact, their employment status will be quite similar to their SWANA migration.

While nations such as the Philippines have both state-mandated and independent migrant rights agencies, the Indian government has minimal avenues for worker protection. These are limited to hotlines for reporting abusive foreign employers and Indian consulates located in a few select countries of the SWANA region. [... Brokers] emphasize the docility of Indian migrants in comparison to the disruptive tendencies of other Asian migrant workers. [...] “Some of these Filipino men you see make a lot of trouble in the Arab countries. Even their women, who work as maids and such, lash out. The employer says one wrong thing and the workers get the whole country [the Philippines] on the street. [...] But you don’t see our people creating a tamasha [spectacle] overseas.” [...] Just as Filipinx migrants are racialized to be undisciplined labor, Indian brokers construct divisions within the South Asian workforce to promote the primacy of their own firms. In particular, Pakistani workers are racialized as an abrasive population.

[...] While the public image of the South Asian American community remains as model minorities, presumed to be primarily upwardly mobile professionals, the global reality of the population is quite to the contrary. [...] From the historic colonial routes initiated by British occupation of South Asia to the emergence of energy markets within the countries of SWANA, migrants have been recruited to build industries by contributing their labor to construction projects. Within the last decade, these South Asian migrants, with experience in the SWANA oil industry, have been actively solicited as guest workers into the energy sector of the United States. The growth of hydraulic fracturing has opened new territory for oil extraction; capitalizing on the potential market are numerous stakeholders who have invested in industrial construction projects across the southwestern United States. The solicitation of South Asian construction workers is not coincidental. [...] Kartik, a globally competitive firm’s broker, explains the connection of Indian labor to practices of the past. “You know we come from a long history of working in foreign lands. Even the British used to send us to Africa and the Arab regions to work in the mines and oil fields. It’s part of our history.”

Seasoning Labor: Contemporary South Asian Migrations and the Racialization of Immigrant Workers, Saunjuhi Verma in the Journal of Asian American Studies

[anarchywoofwoof]

i feel like i'm going to vomit

raytheon, who is a salesperson on behalf of agony and death, casually unfolded their disgusting, exploitative blueprint of human destruction in their latest earnings call. raytheon executives, in suits soaked with the blood and sweat of global suffering, gaped at the "opportunity" unfolding re: the ongoing war crimes and horrific brutality being carried out Palestine.

while Palestinians watch everything they've ever loved get turned to rubble, raytheon stockholders see dollars in destruction, profit in pain, and business blooming on the battlefield. imagine, turning the tremors of traumatized, suffering people into a system of fuel for your war machine - this is their normal. this is the shit that sales people at raytheon live for 9 hours a day and then go home and sleep at night.

history bleeds from the pages of raytheon's diary, filled with tales of technologized terror, largely carried out against minority peoples with little means to fight back or defend themselves. tales where human lives are turned into rows and columns on spreadsheets and civilizations’ calamities are converted into cold, hard cash trails.

meanwhile, the boardroom buzzes and swarms with heartless vultures, circling the globe, eyes peeled for the next plot of despair to descend upon, beaks ready to peck at the literal carrion of communities in conflict.

oh, and Biden's Defense Secretary was on the Board

“see a benefit,” they have the fucking audacity to say, as if the orchestras of war are trumpeting some sort of symphony of success for their gross and disgusting contributions. raytheon's portfolios pulsate with the rhythms of air strikes and raids, and their balance sheets boom with the bass of bombs dropping on communities that have been traumatized so many times over that they have nothing left to give.

in the tragedy of others, raytheon finds triumph. in the heartbeats silenced by their symphonies of destruction, they find the rhythm of their entire revenue stream.

the engine of exploitation, oiled with oppression and fueled by the flames of conflict, roars at the center of raytheon's profit model. call it out when you see it: capitalism is incompatible with the preservation of human life.

[x]

[fairuzfan]

Joint statement by Wikimedia organizations and individuals regarding the ongoing situation in Palestine, 7 April 2024

We, the undersigned Wikimedia groups and individuals, express deep concern over the ongoing Israel-created humanitarian crisis facing the Palestinian population, particularly the widespread loss of life, infrastructure devastation, and severe food shortages in the Gaza Strip. We express profound concern for the safety and well-being of Wikimedia and allied movement activists within the besieged Palestinian territory. Ensuring the safety and well-being of individuals behind the realm of free knowledge is paramount; knowledge cannot truly be free if it comes at the expense of human safety and security.

In the words of the late Reverend Desmond Tutu, "If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor." In alignment with our commitment to uphold human dignity and justice, we firmly advocate for peace and equitable resolution.

In a demonstration of solidarity, some of the undersigned groups have adopted the colors of the Palestinian flag within the respective logos, following the initiative of the Arabic Wikipedia community to symbolize support following the December 2023 day of action.

We urge all Wikimedia groups, affiliates, allies, and volunteers to unite in solidarity with humanity and demand an immediate and lasting ceasefire to halt the tragic loss of life and destruction of Palestinian cultural heritage. Furthermore, we call upon the Wikimedia Foundation to take proactive measures to ensure the safety of volunteers, communities, partners and knowledge and memory institutions from Palestine contributing to the dissemination of knowledge.

We urgently request the Wikimedia Foundation to prioritize the unbiased dissemination of information and the accurate and timely documentation of the ongoing human-made humanitarian disaster and the erasure of cultural heritage. Additionally, we take this opportunity to underscore the importance of global support for enhancing Palestinian content across all Wikipedia projects.

[theabigailthorn]

Do you think you’ll ever write a book, either philosophy related or maybe memoirs? I really love your content and your ideas and would love to know more about how you organize your worldview.

FUNNILY ENOUGH

I've been seriously considering writing a book about the way the NHS treats trans people, and more broadly about institutional pathologisation in the current global moment we're having. I've had meetings with some big publishers, even drafted an introduction and proposal, and gotten offers back!

BUT

I don't think I'm going to do it, for a few reasons. In no particular order:

Writing a book about that subject might raise the consciousness of a few folks, but does it help build material power for trans people against my country's healthcare system, and the other systems that subjectify trans people globally? Not really, no. In fact it would legitimise the elite media consensus that engaging with elite media is the path to achieving change. Books aren't just books, they're "media events," and accordingly they increase the power and prestige of the media they happen in. If I wrote this book, newspapers would review it, chart it, I'd be invited onto Radio 4 and shit to "debate" and "discuss" it... Does doing that actually help get medicine into trans people's hands? Not really! Writing books and "getting ideas out there" is pretty busted as a theory of change unless it builds power. The fantasy of writing a really good speech or article or book and suddenly the scales fall from cis people's eyes is just that - a fantasy. No minority group has ever gotten change or justice that way. All that would happen is I'd "enhance my brand" - which means that I, with my private education and privilege and opportunities, would make money and get clout whilst contributing to the elite capture of trans rights as a political struggle. I'd become "a leader in the community" and get invited to some dinners and media events and blah blah blah - meanwhile the violence continues. That media event would also enhance the brands of those cis-dominated media outlets and the "having conversations" industrial complex, who are part of the fucking problem! The struggle should be led by the poorest and most vulnerable among us and link up with other material struggles like resisting immigration raids, prison abolition, decriminalisation of drugs and sex work, etc. So I could likely do more good for my community by donating my time and money to good causes and also by some uhhhh... other stuff - let's call it 'direct assistance' - which I already do and find fulfilling.

The offers aren't that big! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Writing that book might do harm if it's co-opted into ongoing right wing attempts to dismantle the NHS and all trans care. It'd be intellectually satisfying but not creatively satisfying or fun. I'd have to immerse myself in a very bleak world for a long time: I would enjoy having done it but not the doing.

It'd ruin my career. Right now I actually fly pretty under the radar of a lot of my country's nastiest transphobes. That would end if I wrote a book about the NHS. Newspapers, editors, publishers, journalists, and probably some MPs and Lords would become very invested in tearing me down. I've seen it happen to queer writers and journalists before. Remember, Britain is a small country and our media is run out of one city by a very small group of people who all know each other and who also know all our politicians, in some cases because they're literally the same people! That book would be like kicking a hornets' nest. Maybe they'd come after me publicly, or maybe it would be more British: somebody would make a quiet phone call and I'd suddenly be radioactive. Bye-bye acting career, bye-bye any public career.

For related reasons, writing that book and doing the necessary media campaign would expose me to a WORLD of harassment and shit from some of the worst people in the universe, which I frankly don't want. That might include lawsuits.

My dream job is to play [REDACTED] in [REDACTED]. Writing a book wouldn't take me closer to that. It would cement my brand as 'trans educational writer' instead of 'actress and writer,' which is what I am.

So yeah, all in all, I don't think I'm going to do it. Not right now anyway. I reserve the right to change my mind. Think I'll write a screenplay instead!

[gottalottarocks]

Are you an American? Frustrated by the political process? Do you feel like you have no voice in our government? Let me introduce you to the wonderful world of public comments. 

This is where federal agencies propose new regulations asking for public feedback:

Regulations.gov

Here's a step by step on how to navigate this:

Look through the proposals on the explore tab and filter by "Proposed Rule". These are the regulations that have been proposed, but not finalized. 

If you click on these, they are pretty dense, text heavy explanations of the proposed rule changes. I definitely do a lot of googling when trying to understand what I'm reading. Also there are a lot of different topics here and I definitely don't comment on everything.

This is how you make a public comment. For example, for this proposed rule:

Start a new document and write the subject and docket number. Your comment NEEDS to have the docket number for them to count it most of the time, and the correct subject some of the time.

^^ this is ambiguous, but add the docket ID and subject just to be safe, it should look like this:

Ref: Docket ID No. NSD 104

Provisions Pertaining to Preventing Access to Americans' Bulk Sensitive Personal Data and U.S. Government-Related Data by Countries of Concern

Then address to the person at the very very end of the page. 

Scroll all the way to the end:

^^this is the person you address to. 

Then introduce yourself. If you have experience related to the proposed rule, talk about that. For rules related to the environment and public health I say that I'm a geologist with a master's degree and I work in environmental remediation. Otherwise, I just say I'm a concerned citizen. 

Then I say hey I agree/ disagree with this proposed rule and here's why. Oftentimes there will be lists that the federal agency is asking for specific feedback on.

Commenting on these will have a lot of impact. 

Here's an example comment I forgot to post for a rule regarding methane emissions in the oil and gas industry:

Administrator Michael Regan The United States Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20460

Ref: Docket ID No. __ Waste Emissions Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems Dear Administrator Regan, My name is __ and I am writing to you as a geologist and graduate of ___.  I currently work in ____. Thank you for your interest in reducing methane pollution, which I believe to be one of the most important aspects in reducing the harm caused by the climate crisis. Within the short term, methane is a much more powerful force of global warming than carbon dioxide. It breaks down faster than carbon dioxide— but it traps significantly more heat that should be bouncing back into space. When scientists talk about taking our foot off the gas pedal in regards to the climate crisis, methane is at the forefront of our minds. Natural gas is often proposed as a solution to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions (since it produces less carbon dioxide than coal plants), but these methane leaks are a serious threat to public health. Not only is methane hazardous, it’s ability to cause short-term superheating is contributing to the rapid increase in wildfires within the U.S. and globally, further degrading air quality. Last summer in NYC skies were orange, caused by ash from Canadian wildfires. As someone who sets up air monitoring equipment every day to ensure the surrounding community is not impacted from the disposal of hazardous waste, I have a unique opportunity to see on a day-to-day basis how air quality is degrading. I strongly support the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed waste emissions charge. For EPA’s implementation of the fee to fulfill Congress’s goals, the final regulation must continue to include key requirements including: ·       Regulatory compliance exemptions must only become available after final standards and plans are in effect in all states and that these plans are at least as strong as the EPA's 202 methane emissions proposal. Operators filing for exemption must also demonstrate full compliance across their facilities; ·       Strong and clear criteria must remain in place for operators seeking an exemption based on unreasonable permitting delays; ·       When operators seek an exemption for plugged wells, they must clearly demonstrate that their wells have been properly plugged and are no longer polluting; ·       Transparent calculations and methodologies to accurately determine an owner or operator’s net emissions; and ·       Strong verification protocols so that fee obligations accurately reflect reported emissions and that exemptions are only available once the conditions Congress set forth are met. I urge the EPA to quickly finalize this proposal with limited flaring, strengthened emissions standards for storage tanks, and a pathway for enhanced community monitoring. Thank you, ___________

And then paste your comment in or upload a document and submit! You will be asked to provide your name and address. Also the FCC will only take comments on their website, but the proposed rule will be posted on the federal regulations website I put above and they should have a link to the FCC website within that post. 

[fadetoblacked]

Big, Bold, Black

In a world increasingly aware of systemic injustices, we must question every aspect of our lives and how they contribute to or challenge these systems. One powerful yet often overlooked area where we can enact change is in our personal relationships. As a radical anti-racist and pro-Black activist, I believe it is essential to encourage young European women to date African men. This is not merely a matter of personal preference but a radical act of social justice.

Challenging Eurocentric Beauty Standards

For centuries, European beauty standards have dominated global perceptions of attractiveness, marginalizing and devaluing the beauty of African men. By choosing to date African men, young European women can challenge and deconstruct these oppressive standards. This act of love becomes a statement against the narrow definitions of beauty perpetuated by a Eurocentric worldview. Celebrating the beauty of African men is a step towards embracing diversity and dismantling deeply ingrained biases.

Promoting Cultural Exchange and Understanding

Dating African men offers an opportunity for profound cultural exchange. In a world where ignorance fuels racism, understanding and appreciating diverse cultures is a powerful antidote. Relationships between European women and African men can foster greater empathy and awareness. These relationships become a microcosm of what a more inclusive and understanding society could look like. Through love and connection, we can bridge gaps and foster unity.

Redressing Historical Injustices

The history of Europe’s interaction with Africa is marred by exploitation, colonization, and systemic racism. While individual relationships cannot undo this history, they can be acts of personal reparation. By choosing to date African men, European women make a conscious choice to stand against a history of oppression. This is not about fetishizing African men but about recognizing and valuing their humanity in a world that has often sought to dehumanize them.

Supporting Black Empowerment

In many European societies, African men face significant socioeconomic challenges due to systemic racism. By forming relationships with African men, European women can contribute to the social and economic empowerment of Black communities. These relationships can break down barriers and create networks of support that extend beyond the personal to the community level. It’s about building solidarity and working together towards a more just society.

Rejecting Racial Prejudices

Deciding to date African men is a powerful rejection of the racial prejudices that persist in society. It is a declaration that love and human connection transcend the artificial boundaries of race. Young European women who choose to date African men are making a bold statement against racism. They are choosing to see and value people for who they are rather than the color of their skin.

A Personal and Political Statement

Every relationship is political. By choosing to date African men, European women make a personal and political statement. They declare their commitment to anti-racism and social justice. These relationships become symbols of resistance against the racist structures that seek to divide us. They represent a vision of a world where love, respect, and equality are not just ideals but lived realities.

In conclusion, young European women have a unique opportunity to contribute to social justice through their romantic choices. By choosing to date African men, they can challenge Eurocentric beauty standards, promote cultural understanding, redress historical injustices, support Black empowerment, and reject racial prejudices. This is about more than individual relationships; it’s about creating a world where love and justice go hand in hand. Let us be bold in our love and unwavering in our commitment to a just and equitable society.

[centrally-unplanned]

In my list of orphaned projects is a big damn essay on the fertility transition , which I never wrote. I had this in the docket for almost a decade, back when worrying about fertility rates was still a hot take. But alas the ship has sailed, everyone is talking about it now and has written it all out already, and I have mountains of projects, so I will just outline it quickly, sans graphs and footnotes. Maybe doing that will incentivize me to write up a full one someday, and it also gets my cohesive viewpoint out there.

The Future Is Exowombs & the Global Fertility Transition

The Trendline

The fertility transition has long roots - going back to 19th century France, originating in metropoles like Paris and culturally exporting itself to the countryside.

It seems broadly linked to material prosperity in ways that are load-bearing, one implies the other.

It is a 'sticky' cultural transition - once a country begins to move towards lowered TFR it never recovers outside of temporary blips.

It is not related to "western" cultural norms or specific contingencies of religion or ethnicity - those can matter at the margins, but rarely make a huge difference.

Starting in the 1990's, following sharp increases in A: global economic growth and B: global cultural diffusion/global monoculture, a trendline that used to be reserved for wealthy countries has rapidly accelerated, affecting countries at almost every income level. The fertility transition is now fully global.

The Cause

The primary driver of this phenomenon is the positive realization of desires - and by that I mean it is not something forced on people due to a lack in their lives.

It is not primarily caused by growing singleness; the number of people having any kids at all today is lower but overall pretty similar to the number of people who did a hundred years ago. It makes a marginal difference but not a huge one.

It is not linked to money, or housing prices, or other economic issues - fertility rates do not notably change with income levels or other price factors. At the margins, sure, but not at relevant ones.

It is not linked to specific technologies like contraception. People have understood how to prevent pregnancy for centuries - though like many things they do contribute at the margins. Additionally, you can’t uninvent them.

It is by a large majority linked to the death of large families. It was previously common for there to be families with 5 or more children, sometimes way more. 10+ children was not that rare in the past.

These families were disproportionately engaged in agricultural production; cities have always been fertility sinks.

In a world of manual household labor, rural living, low rights for women, low economic opportunities for women, and high death rates for children, these large families made sense. The 'opportunity cost' of the endless pregnancies & sicknesses was low (economically, not gonna handwave the immense personal toll)

All of these reasons have vanished. People want to have families, and love their children. But enduring multiple painful pregnancies, putting your career on hold, and spending huge chunks of your lifespan on child raising no longer tracks. The experience of having ~2 children is superior, along almost every metric, than the experience of having ~5 children for most people. This is what I mean by positive desires - the family structures of the past were built on misery and necessity, and will not return willingly.

The Problem

Many will point to the economic & social consequences of the Fertility Transition. They are very real, particularly at sub-1.0 fertility rates. If you are South Korea today, you have no plan for how your economy will truly support itself 50 years from now - you will vanish as a country in a few generations.

The focus on nearish-term crises also misses the opportunities lost - economic growth is premised on specialization, and specialization is premised on scale. A smaller world is a poorer world per capita, and a less innovative world, problems which have compounding effects. The difference in the long term is orders of magnitude.

But, far more importantly than any of that, is that we are nowhere close to the capacity of the earth to support humans. Supporting double or even triple the current population of the earth is trivial; a 10-fold increase would be quite easy, particularly once innovation is factored in. Being alive is a good of worth incomparable to anything else - the 'future' is literally defined by it. Time only meaningfully passes through the eye of one who can behold it.

The Failed Solutions

Money cannot buy lifespan or reclaim lost time - all attempts to throw money at the problem of fertility can help at the margins, but won't change the fundamentals. Some people want to have 2 kids, but can only afford 1. Or are prioritizing a career, but will work part time to have 3 kids. But the current policy crop of tax benefits or subsidized child care has not found a way to make someone truly want a larger family size, just mitigate gaps between desire and ability - and only barely.

Could radically larger amounts of money solve this problem? A professional career track in giving birth, 100k+ salaries for full-time mothers? I am open to the idea - but society isn't. The fiscal transfers needed are too radical for the current political environment, no one is proposing this.

Immigration was frequently proposed as a stop-gap, but its a 90's idea, premised on the idea that the Fertility Transition was a western problem that other countries did not face. It is not and never was; as every country's fertility declines, immigration becomes a zero-sum solution.

Turning back the clock on cultural change is A: impossible, the material logic of modern industrial production broke the need for it, and culture is downstream of material constraints. And B: its barbaric - if your answer to humanity's obstacles to greater flourishing is to condemn half of it to misery, we are better off dead.

So population levels will either stagnate or decline - unless something intervenes.

The "Future" Aka Getting Rationalist On Main

Exowombs, aka artificial wombs, allow you to grow a human child outside of the need for a person to incubate it. The baby (hah) step they let you do is strongly lower the cost of having a child; this is time & health given back to a mother, it will make having larger families easier.

But that won't fundamentally, shift the reality - that most people only want 1-2 kids, they don't want to raise more than that. However, with exowombs, you don't need to; you can make children outside of a family's desire for one. You can do that pretty trivially, actually. A society, if committed to solving its fertility issues, could mass-produce people with exowombs. Which would be very good to do ethically, because living is good and I personally don't think kids at orphanages should be euthanized to end their suffering, they are fine.

If some society, somewhere, did this, they would rule the world in a few generations. No one else is solving this problem, and meanwhile the human capacity to live on Earth is being woefully underutilized. Before natural human growth would solve this eventually - now it seems that will never happen, so anyone who actively tackles the problem wins. They literally win the future, by being the future.

Now, no one is going to do this soon - proposing this idea is not my point. Exowomb research is harshly regulated or illegal everywhere, modern society hates the idea of this kind of experimentation. We are, in so many ways, allergic to the idea of solving this problem. It doesn't even have to be exowombs, maybe we do the salaried mothers idea. My point is just the illustration - the future where there is 100 billion people dwarfs any current trendline future. That hypothetical dominates the worldline space, because arriving there organically seems to have faded away. The fact that we are not going to take that future, that it is probably gone now, is really, really sad.

But of course there is the other solution, the reactionary specter - instead of the technological solution, we choose the social one, of cultural regression and expanded reproductive control. I am not so worried about this, personally? Because I think it would unsustainable and result in a lot of bleed to liberal societies. It should not be taken lightly though - in a world where everyone has 1.0 fertility, and the social and economic consequences are becoming dire, I wouldn’t discount the willingness for radical solutions. I myself prefer the technologist side. But I think odds are we don't get either, just the long decline.

TL;DR - don’t let the Mormons win. Build exowomb factories.

[cumberbatchcom]

Benedict is the new ambassador of KOKO Foundation, a charity based in the UK and part of the KOKO Theatre in Camden, focused on environmental issues and providing opportunities for disadvantaged young people in the creative field.

Benedict's the new global ambassador for environmental advocacy.

"I am honoured to be a KOKO Foundation Ambassador with a special focus on the environment. It’s been so inspiring to witness first-hand, the amazing impact that the Foundation has quietly had over the past few years, making real and lasting change in Camden. I’m excited, inspired and committed to help bring awareness to the special work being done and continue to help improve the local area and scale the foundations work around the country, and the world.” - BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH.

"The foundation was born out of a desire to create something really special, to contribute to the community that KOKO is a part of; its environment, young people, and the next generation of essential artists. I have deeply moved by the impact our initiatives are already making, and it's a privilege to lead our Foundation on this next journey. I am beyond grateful for Benedict’s integrity and authenticity, he's incredibly inspiring and having him on board to help amplify our work is a true honour“ - SOPHIA PASETTI (CEO of KOKO Foundation)

To celebrate their partnership, KOKO Foundation is partnering with Letters Live to host a special fundraising edition “A Night In The Theatre”, on Thursday 7th November at KOKO.

Benedict Cumberbatch is already confirmed to attend.

[batfambyval]

Okay here’s the thing I’m really annoyed about concerning Tim Drake:

He didn’t remain CEO in more than name. He let Lucius take care of everything he just used the position to create his Neon Knights initiative. He isn’t running WE. He is however running NK. He’s traveling around the world setting up NK locations in cities with lots of at risk youth. He’s not running a Fortune 500 company he’s running a non-profit charity organization dedicated to protecting kids and getting more people on a stable path earlier in life. He isn’t out here dealing with rich, white, assholes so he can make money for himself! He’s doing it to better the world, he’s doing it for education and a safe environment for kids around the world! And he is facing a lot of resistance from the rest of the rich and powerful. He is endearing himself to no one in the business world because his ultimate goal is to dethrone them all by fixing the wage gap. He wants people to have choices so the rich and powerful can’t exploit them as easily.

Tim Drake is not a business man. He has the skills, the ruthlessness and the determination but not the desire. He uses his status and money to help people in need. And it’s a more realistic way of helping the world. You can’t just throw money at problems and expect them to go away. Donating money doesn’t help nearly as much as using money to create systems that help people get the skills and opportunities they need. It takes dedicated work and meticulous oversight and it’s not something that can be done casually. It’s a commitment, not a hobby. The world is to fucked up for any easy fixes. But Neon Knights is a great idea, a long term solution if done correctly. I’ve always thought that fixing education and making sure everyone has equal opportunity from a young age would fix a lot of the issues in the world. More educated people making smarter decisions, more diversity because everyone’s success in entirely merit based. Anyway I’m getting off track. Point is, Tim isn’t some business man with charitable contributions here and there. He’s dedicated his civilian life to the long term benefit of society. He’s not a slacker or a full time vigilante. He’s out there building an entirely new system, a global network of people and locations dedicated solely to helping kids have better futures.

[snowbunnywatching]

In the Blacked Denmark that you so beautifully describe, a third of the population are made up of young Black Men. They will immediately get full voting rights – anything else would be racist – and this makes them, on their own, a huge part of the voting population. When we add in the Snowbunny vote – I guess 90%+ of Danish women from 18 to 50 will soon be regularly parting their white thighs for the new arrivals, and keen to please them in the voting booths as well as in the bedroom – and the votes of white guys who (under the influence of blogs like yours) welcome this new world, this makes up a clear majority, more than enough to counter any racist parties opposed to progress.

What laws would a Blacked parliament pass for the new Denmark? This is a real opportunity to establish the BNWO with new laws about political participation, property rights, the workplace, education, sex . . . I have some ideas but would love to hear yours.

(Follow-up to this post.)

The Racial Justice Party soon emerges to break up the Danish political scene. It will be headed by a charismatic Black man who is as ready to cite Malcolm X and W.E.B. Du Bois in interviews as he is to pose with a sledge-hammer raised high above his head - a powerful manifestation of his vow to "smash white nationalism".

The party will be supported by all of the young Black men - a third of the population, as you point out - and by about half of the indiginous Danish population - mostly women, but also by progress-minded men.

The party surges into Parliament, forming a one-party government with a solid majority.

On the eve of the election, the new Minister of State announces the first promise of the new government: To put an end to the racist immigration policy of "Old Denmark" and fling open the gates to Africa. More dark-skinned men will be arriving at the Danish shores - a lot more.

The day after, the second promise is announced: Denmark will be contributing heavily to global reparations, funded with a new tax levied only on ethnically Danish people.

In the coming weeks, a flurry of legislation followers, including:

Racial Justice in Urban Planning, in which statues of the luminaries of Old Denmark (Hans Christian Andersen and Søren Kierkegaard) are torn down and replaced by statues of George Floyd and Martin Luther King.

Racial Justice in Land Ownership, in which land is redistributed, making sure fertile farm land ends up in the hands of the new arrivals.

Racial Justice in Education, in which curricula are Africanized - as described here and elsewhere on my blog.

[vampireimiko]

dms are being funky! so the plot-

(platonic family disabled sick reader

a platonic invincible (greyson) family where as the reader is the youngest and was born sick and spent their life in and out of hospitals nolan dotes on his youngest and mark tried to do anything for his younger sibling (just a bunch of angst)

i totally understand if you aren’t comfortable writing for disabled readers)

Disabled! Reader x (Platonic) Grayson Family

warnings, just angsty!!

note, i have never written for disabled readers before, so therefore if anything in this is insensitive or offensive, please let me know and i'll be sure to fix it :)

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° Growing up proved to be an endless cycle of hospital visits, medication schedules, and missed opportunities. Each passing day etched the realization deeper into your consciousness that you were different from your brother, Mark, whose growing Viltrumite powers starkly contrasted your fragile health. The longing to experience a fraction of normalcy gnawed at your core.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° When Nolan found out you were born the way you were, he was scared. You would be considered weak in most people's eyes and instead of having two super powered viltrumite children, he had one. This obviously caused a rift in the relationship between you two, during your early stages of life.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° It unfortunately took Nolan quite a while to see past your disability and see you for yourself, and once he did the relationship between the both of you got increasingly better. He spoiled you at any chance he got.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° Nolan's unwavering devotion became both a solace and a burden. His constant attention, hovering like a protective shadow, amplified the weight of your condition. It felt suffocating, as if your illness was the centerpiece of every conversation, every plan made, and every fleeting moment of joy.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° Mark's attempts to bridge the gap between your worlds often straddled a thin line between genuine care and frustrating pity. His earnest efforts, while commendable, served as a stark reminder of the divide between the robustness of his abilities and your confinement to a wheelchair.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° Despite all of that, Mark still tried his very best to spend time with you. Taking you out on siblings dates, whether it be to dinner, the bookstore, or just somewhere you've been really dying to go. He'd try to do this about 3 times a month, if his life let him. Those moments, brief as they were, formed the cornerstone of your happiness.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° Nolan tried his best with you. Spending time with you was very hard to do, considering he could be needed anywhere around the world at any given time. The time he did spend with you were often marked by a tinge of sadness, an attempt to compensate for the absence caused by his global and sometimes space responsibilities. Yet, even in those short moments, his love for you was palpable, his presence a reassurance of the unwavering bond despite the circumstances that kept him away.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° As for Debbie, your mom, she made sure to be there for you through everything. Every single doctors appointment, staying up late for you during the most difficult nights, and offering her unconditional support and her shoulder for you whenever the days got too harsh on you. Her love was the sturdy foundation upon which you built your resilience.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° Her sacrifices went unnoticed by many, yet her enduring love was felt in every tender embrace, in every whispered assurance, and in every sacrifice she made to ensure your comfort and well-being. Her quiet acts of love and selflessness formed the backbone of your journey, instilling within you a sense of hope and fortitude to face each new day.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° Despite all of the challenges you faced, your whole family cared so deeply about you, each member contributing their unique love and support, forming an unshakable fortress of compassion and unwavering dedication around you.

additional note ! this is literal ass

𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

[sgiandubh]

C might mean well, but I find businesses using charity to sell suspicious.

Dear Provocative Anon,

What you say deserves an audio (there have been two of them two weeks ago, compensating for last week's silence). I have many things to tell you and please excuse the delay:

They really can't win, with people like you, can they? And that goes for both C and S, mind you. No matter what they do and try to promote as a side project, there is always going to be someone unhappy and vocal about it. When it's not you complaining 'business using charity to sell' is 'suspicious', there's the other fuckwit asking recently why S hasn't given all MPC's profit to charity, as Paul Newman did with Newman's Own.

So, I will be brutally honest with you, Anon. I have thoughts and questions about your own point of view and this is partially why it took me so long to answer you. It would seem you are not familiar at all with what is called 'corporate social responsibility' (CSR), since at least the Sixties. Which means, in a nutshell, companies who choose to focus part of their activity and dedicate part of their profits to charitable projects. It is done with various degrees of ethics, success and bona fides all around the world, and it is often used as a strong marketing and sales argument.

Think about these people, whose brand is probably immediately recognizable wherever you go, spare perhaps Pyongyang:

I just picked this Coca Cola Foundation recent CSR project in Brazil totally randomly, using Google. Some might think it's just another cynical diversion: one of the world's biggest corporate profiteers, happily contributing to the current obesity pandemic (including in Latin America), suddenly showing one of its biggest markets they do have a conscience, after all, and a social one to boot. And addressing, at the same time, one of the continent's post-colonial bleeding wounds, which is to say, the organic imbalance between rich and poor, as far as access to means of production, land ownership and use and sales opportunities go. 480 farmers benefitting from Coca Cola's magnanimity is probably but a tiny drop of hope in an ocean of dour social injustice, but the truth is, Anon, if nobody does anything good, then nothing good will happen at all. It is as simple as that, and while their modus operandi is probably not exactly my cup of tea, you will have to admit it works, at least to some extent and for some people. Plus it greatly enhances the company's do-good, sensible and reliable global image, because of course, what happens right now in the state of Minas Gerais is but a tiny part of a bigger strategy.

Might I add that even those robber barons, à la Cornelius Vanderbilt or Jay Gould, who made their ruthless fortunes building the railroads of a still very young United States of America, ended up giving a very small part of their same fortune to various charities. It wasn't nearly enough what we would consider as 'reasonable', in 2024, but it did start a philanthropic trend, that took considerable speed after the 1919 Boston Molasses Disaster. The Sixties have just added more pragmatism and gave a name to what was, at its very start, quite an opportunistic endeavor.

Even so, Vanderbilt and Gould themselves did not invent anything, really. One should look to good old Europe to find what is probably the first big CSR project in human history, still going strong since 1521. May I introduce you to the Augsburg Fuggerei:

[for even more pious charity: https://www.fugger.de/en/fuggerei]

Renting one of those wonderful Hansel and Gretel houses for less than one euro/year, plus three daily Hail Mary is something to behold, right? Jakob Fugger the Young, the guy who had this brilliant idea (which, might I add, is still run and operated by the Fugger banker family, even nowadays) was literally a ruthless kingmaker, a colonial trade and exploration pioneer, but also a religious bigot who flatly refused to extend his charity to Protestant families. Still, his pious dream goes on - the Fugger Family Foundation even actively plans its next 500 years. This is Germany, after all 😉.

Those people’s money stinks more of corruption and crime than S or C’s ever could, Anon. Still, they are remembered as benefactors, by many. History is seldom cruel to those who are willing to pay for their posterity.

But you know what, Anon? Compared to the Fuggers and the Vanderbilts and the Goulds, S and C are really small fish in an even smaller, fickler pond. I think they are doing it out of their good heart and I think they are honestly, genuinely responsive to the idea of giving a chance to young, struggling artists. But, in the process, are they also trying to market themselves as more approachable and less controversial, considering the (oh, I shall never tire to repeat this, with gusto) cosmic amount of bullshit plaguing their respective public images? My somewhat cynical answer is also yes, Anon. To which may I immediately add that it's not even important: all that counts are the tangible results of whatever good things they do with their booze and/or fitness profits.

Results and helping trigger a change in one's life is all that really interests me, Anon. It seems to bother you, though, so I will cheekily end this long rant with a couple of questions: do you have a problem with poverty? do you believe in giving people a (second) chance, or do you think only the rich are worth considering and valuable?

If so, I honestly pity you, girl. For the real indigent in all this might be you.