#and we also ended up talking about my current issues in the job market and how a lot of them have to do with the fact that

[lunatic-fandom-space]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa german people be normal about ex-soviet country immigrants challenge (IMPOSSIBLE)

[ettawritesnstudies]

in the tags on a recent post you said your day job is "mind numbingly simple" do you know if that's common of chemical engineering jobs?

(i am currently pursuing a chemical engineering degree and honestly don't know that much about chemical engineering jobs. but i would not mind a simple job that gives me mental capacity left to write at the end of the day)

So it strongly depends on the kind of engineering work you end up going into and any job will vary in complexity on a day to day basis but with a chemical engineering job you have a lot of different options!

Specifically I'm a R&D Applications Engineer/Technical Customer Service in a polymer science role for a big international corporation so I'm working with existing products in a company and figuring out how to make them work for customers who are having issues.

What this looks like on a project to project basis is that we get an email from the customer or the plant outlining the problem and what kind of material they're sending us to test, I design the experiments we need to do to validate all the variables and properties, and then I spend a few weeks in the lab churning out data, then plug it into an Excel spreadsheet, crunch the numbers, throw that in a PowerPoint, and send it off to the relevant personnel.

The mind numbingly simple part is the standing in lab running through tests because it's hands-on labor that requires very little thinking once you've established your parameters. I usually just put on an audiobook or a podcast to kill time. The design of experiment can get somewhat complex and you have to be very good at time management if you have multiple projects with time sensitive lab components going on at once, but the number crunching has never required anything more complicated than 10th grade algebra. I'm not doing much chemical formulation either, just following established recipes and procedures within my company, but I'm learning more specific stuff as I go.

Now I'm only a year out of college and I've never had an internship or anything that WASN'T in a non-lab setting, so I can't speak to how something like a Process Engineer spends their time. I knew I didn't like being out on the plant floor because it's often Loud and Dirty and Sensory Overload so I tried to avoid applying for those roles. You learn a lot more about the production that way though, just not my cup of tea. You also have chemical engineers who design entire chemical plants and control systems (which is very very cool and important but I was bad at those classes lmao). Some also go the biochemical angle and get into pharmaceuticals but medicine scares me.

That's just my personal take but I encourage you to talk to your professors and upperclassman and see what they have to say! Career fairs >>>>>>> linked in for getting anywhere in this hell of a job market if your school has them and I hope you have a better time of it than I did during the COVID times. 🫡

[aristotels]

re EE being in the periphery. i’m pretty sure there were articles about how germany uses EE countries in EU for cheap labor. like sure, they’re privileged compared to most say african states, but it’s not like WE countries give that privilege for free or out of good heart, when in reality it’s geographic control + cheap labor + brain drain. combined with the fact that EU doesn’t allow for state control of markets, it means that those EE countries that had state enterprises are now in disadvantage. like i think EE countries have more in common with latin american countries than western europe , idk.

yeah, and not only articles you can find in english, but there are actual studies and articles; they are however in croatian so i dont know how much help would that be (the emmigration issue here is huge, its mainly to germany/ireland) (we have so many SONGS about moving to germany and ireland too). heres wikipedia on it, i guess you can use google translate and it also lists something quite shocking: many cities and villages in croatia and bosnia have more people living in germany than in their respective native towns.

as for lived experience, when i visited germany, you could literally walk around the city and find our people there, mostly in low-skill jobs. i once said "u pičku materinu" and a totally random guy in the street was like "ooooo pa evo i naših". "arbajt" and "bauštela" are such common phrases here that they have become memes, and dalmatians from zagora literally wear mercedes signs around their necks. recently there was an article saying how, despite euro, people from imotski STILL mourn over the deutsch marke, because they used to go work there, and then would come home and just live for an entire month off one bill. they STILL convert euros to marke.

EE is a neo-colony to the WE. whenever i talk about this, while i do use EE as a term because its more understood than SEE (southern-eastern europe), my experiences are yugoslavian, and there are big differences between eastern bloc and exyu countries. it isnt the same, economically nor politically, since yugoslavia was a part of the third world movement, thus primarily working with african and latam countries in its past (also reason why we have the lowest skin-based-racism in europe)(different than nationality racism, thats what we excel at).

a lot of croats (esp dalmatians) mainly moved to latam countries during ww2 as opposed to the usa (the current chilean and argentinian presidents are croatian dalmatians)(sorry guys we are kinda ruining yalls countries)

it was very surprising to me when i started following global-south-commies on here, they always have very positive opinions of yugoslav countries. i find it very endearing how all my political yugoslav posts end up being hits among them.

politics unrelated, croats tend to love latam countries because of football, messi was literally the coolest person in the entire world while i was a kid. there are lots of similarities in mentality.

[theproverbialpen]

Musings from a Hazbin Fan and Hotel Employee

Yeah, that's right—I'm posting to this blog for the first time in years because I got into Hazbin Hotel of all things. Not only did I get into this cursed fandom, I'm writing fan fiction for it. Fan fiction. I think the last time I wrote fanfiction was...2012? 2013? And I only ever told 3 people about that one. Now here I am posting on main. The brainrot truly is unquantifiable.

If you're one of the few people that survived the purge of those I know IRL, congratulations. Please don't judge me lol. Anyways, actual musings are below the cut!

So I’m writing a fun little fanfic on AO3 and after someone left a comment (if you’re reading this, still genuinely one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me about my craft), it occured to me—as a Hazbin Hotel enjoyer, I have a pretty unique perspective on the series as an IRL hospitality professional. So! Thought it would be some cute bonus content to talk a little bit more about my life at an actual hotel and how it’s impacted my experience with Vivziepop’s hit series. 

Please note: this is written purely for shits and giggles. I don’t actually have any issues with the setting of Vivzie’s narrative or how it plays into the stories she and her team want to tell. I fucking love this show, to a potentially unhealthy degree, and I haven’t had this much fun with a series since like…okay well my hyperfixations change like every few months, but still. Point is, this isn’t actually critique, or satire, or anything with negative or critical intentions. TLDR; this post is for funsies, get off my dick.

So Who TF Am I, Anyways?

A little background on myself, for context. I’ve been employed at my hotel for almost a year now, and it’s my first hospitality job. I work in the Sales and Events department and I’ve come to learn that Group Business is actually integral for keeping a hotel up and running. When your average person (read: me before this job) thinks about hotels and traveling, you’d think it’s all about the families, bloggers, and individual travelers when it comes to guests and revenue. But in actuality, most of a hotel’s revenue—at least in the market I work in—will come from contracted room blocks and events. 

That’s where folks in my department come in. We work with clients to negotiate contracts and secure occupants for our hotel year round. Simply put, if we don’t do our jobs well, then no one else gets hours. So as much as the anti-capitalist in me will sometimes hate being a cog in the machine, it is really fulfilling to be able to help clients meet their needs while also making sure my coworkers are able to put food on the table. 

Speaking of being a cog in the machine, because of my role in Sales, this means that whenever I travel or think about hotels, I’m always thinking about the revenue side of things. I also work more with the Events team, so operations are also on the forefront of my mind. Which leads me to my principal quandary for this little blog post:

How in the Hell does the Hazbin Operate?

I have a laundry list of questions. A laundry list that’s almost as big as the actual pile of dirty laundry that is currently plaguing my bedroom floor. I will summarize (which is a generous word given how fucking verbose I can be) below:

Issue #1: Revenue Generation

Okay listen, I know Charlie is the Princess of Hell. I know she probably has unlimited capital, whatever that looks like in the HelluVerse. And I know the Hazbin is literally there to help rehabilitate people so charging them to stay would be counterproductive.

But my dude…do you understand how much money would be needed to run an operation of this scale?

At the end of Season 1, the new Hazbin is huge. Like it easily looks as big, if not bigger, than the hotel I work at which has nearly 500 rooms. Do you know how much revenue our team has to generate to keep this place running? Do you know how many millions our target goal is set at for each quarter? How many hundreds of thousands my coworkers’ individual quotas are set to? And sunshine in a bottle over here doesn’t charge her residents anything????? 

How does she get all those decorations? How does she order food or inventory? We know Hell has an economy, like Angel literally says he needs to save money for drugs in his first appearance. Is she…does she even pay her staff???

It is utterly appalling that Charlie is able to operate a hotel of this scale, both because of how it doesn’t make sense from a business perspective and because there are IRL billionaires that could probably do the same thing and solve homelessness overnight. 

Speaking of scale:

Issue #2: The Hazbin’s Systems, Or Lack Thereof

Okay so, yes, there’s only like…one official resident of the hotel, maybe two if Cherri moves in and doesn’t become a staff member (RIP Pentious, you would have loved living with Cherri Bomb). With the staff the way it is, that’s a solid 5:1 ratio, which is beyond ideal. But—and I touch on this in the fic—I feel I must reiterate: the new Hazbin is fucking massive. And you know what that means? It’s going to be able to hold a lot of guests. Guests that will need staff to take care of them. Let’s review:

Charlie is the owner and mostly teaches classes. Vaggie is the co-owner and kind of acts as the Executive Assistant to Charlie’s General Manager. I guess Alastor is the Hotel Manager? I’m gonna be honest, I have no idea what he does, but generally speaking he’s supposed to be the jack of all trades and manage the rest of the staff. Niffty handles Housekeeping and I guess would be the director of that. Husk is the bartender but like canonically only really eats pub food so he definitely can’t be the Food & Beverage head. 

Let’s say we scrap the Sales and Revenue Departments because clearly they don’t need income, but we keep a Marketing position so that Charlie can get the word out about the hotel. That leaves us with the need for Engineering, Front Desk, Rooms, and F&B staff. And like, not just one person—that would fucking suck—but proper staff. And given their track record of organization and managing the hotel…let’s just say, I would not be applying to the Hazbin Hotel anytime soon. Honestly, it sounds like that job would qualify to be the new tenth circle of Hell. 

What Does the Hazbin Get Right About IRL Hospitality?

So yes, clearly the world of the Hazbin Hotel leans towards the more fanciful—it is a story about Hell after all. However, there have been some moments that have made me chuckle as a hotel employee, things that are relatable for us in the hospitality world. Allow me to highlight them for you below:

Everyone is Bat Shit Crazy

Hospitality professionals are weird. So weird. Before I started my job, I was terrified of the level of professionality I would need to have. When I first got hired, I was given a whole packet on dress code and appropriate conduct. As you can probably tell from my writing style, this was concerning: I can be professional when I need to be, but I cannot maintain that guise for extended periods of time. Call it my toxic trait.

I also already had this impression of poised and put-together hotel staff from my previous experiences with travel. All the Front Desk agents would be in these clean and wrinkle-free clothes with kind yet business-forward attitudes, office workers would be walking around in full suits, and occasionally you’d see the hotel management on the floor if you were looking. Let me tell you now—it is a facade. An act. An incredible stage production unfolding in real time where all the staff do their absolute damndest to make you feel like you are in an organized and professional institution. Not unlike a certain hit animated musical.

My direct supervisor, the literal Director of Catering and Events, once told me that being a liiiiiittle crazy was a prerequisite for working in our department during the hiring process for a new Sales Manager. She was wrong—the prerequisite is not “a little” crazy. The prerequisite is being bat shit insane. And it’s not just our department, oh noooOoooOo, it is every department. Downstairs in our little basement dungeon, we make out of pocket comments, scream at random intervals, and swear way more than we should (that one might be my fault…according to my partner I swear more at work than at home and apparently it’s rubbing off on my colleagues), but that behavior is in no way restricted to just the Sales Team. 

I process the checks that are sent to our property and our Director of Rooms makes me say “can I get a WITNESSSS” before she signs off on the drop log (Charlie-core). If I don’t say it high pitched enough or with enough vigor, she makes me do it again. I once watched a guy in Engineering climb a tall step ladder balanced with two legs on a platform and a third leg balanced on a wooden plank his coworker was holding steady. The fourth leg was over the open air. Let me reiterate: the open. Fucking. Air. Tell me you can’t see Angel Dust and Cherri doing that shit.

Speaking of Engineering, you wanna know what dumbass thing happened just this morning? The Regional Director of the department—regional meaning he manages teams all across our area, like top level type shit—told us about this cursed ass Instagram trend he found where allegedly, putting ketchup on a Kit Kat tasted like fudge. So right there and then, him, myself, and two other coworkers decided ‘why the fuck not?’:

I would never seek it out willingly again, but I honestly didn’t hate it. 

The point of all of this is to say—the antics the Hazbin crew get up to? Totally realistic. I could see my coworker Robert throwing me into an active battlefield against my will. We have deadass done the role playing thing Angel and Pentious did during our trainings, and it was just as unhinged. Every day some shit happens at this hotel and I’m just like, “Yup. That could happen in Hazbin.”

“Call Now! Or Don’t! I Don’t Care! We Still Don’t Have a Working Phone!”

I would like to preface this section by saying: if you happen to be a Front Desk associate, I’m sorry. This is not directed at you, this is directed at your managers and their communication skills that may or may not exist. If you are somehow a manager reading this, uh—first of all, cringe. Second of all, I hope these next few paragraphs don’t apply to you. If they do and you’re offended: that’s a certified you-problem, babes. 

There are three certainties in this life: death, taxes, and miscommunication from your fucking managers. Tell me why in this past week alone I have been in 5 different email threads regarding fuck-ups and complaints from guests about things that we had clearly communicated. Tell me why in these email threads, people were attempting to throw me under the bus or shift the blame to my team. Tell me why I have gone to every single individual office in my department complaining about this. Tell me why this isn’t the first time this has happened.

Another hotel tidbit: across the board, Q1 (Jan-Mar) is supposed to be slow, for all of hospitality. It’s the time to get the metaphorical phone lines working, ya know? Our Q1 was stupidly busy, so I get it, people were slammed and short staffed. But like… we had time. Time to iron out our communication, time to create systems and processes that would ensure we’d be all set when things got busier. Yet here I am at the start of Q2 with an entire fist shoved up my ass being puppeted around to fix other people’s mistakes. 

It’s times like these when I go back to rewatch Hazbin for the like 26th time and I watch Charlie and Alastor run the hotel and I’m just like “whyyYyYyYyYyYy”. Like I KNOW Vaggie has had days where she’s like, “what…what am I supposed to be doing right now? Like what is my job, what… What?” 

It’s not just Front Desk either. It’s every department, even my own bosses. Like the call is coming from inside the house, sweetie, why did you tell this Sales Manager that I was taking care of all her commissions but you didn’t tell me this. Why am I blocking a room for an Orientation the following Monday at fucking 5:45 PM on a Friday. Why am I JUST finding out about a VIP guest when I have been asking you if you had any notes for me for the whole week.

I touch on it in my fic as well but like…pretty sure Charlie just, decides to host her classes day of. And that drives me insane. Like I…there are processes. Things that need to be done so that everyone is on the same page. You don’t just wing this shit, that’s how you end up with Susan calling your Director to tell her that you’re a useless waste of space not even deserving of the air in your lungs because you didn’t give her her fucking breakfast voucher. 

As a character, I love Alastor. If I were ever in the same room as him, I’d probably hate him. But if there’s anything relatable about that Geneva Convention Violation on Legs it’s his absolutely done attitude in Episode 1’s opening commercial.

Charlie Loves Helping People, and So Do We!

Alright, I’ve complained for enough paragraphs, let’s be positive for a second. The thing that is by far the most true to life in Hazbin Hotel is how much joy Charlie gets from taking care of her guests. Like…that’s our bread and butter in the hospitality world. Well, maybe just the butter; we need that bread in the form of cold hard cash (or direct deposits, whatever works best). But as much as I will bitch and moan about the difficulties of working in a hotel, there’s nothing quite as fulfilling as a guest telling you that you made their entire trip better. The butterflies I get reading reviews where my coworkers are mentioned by name and a guest writes about how we completely turned around their bad day are an absolute delight. It just means the world knowing that you can have that kind of impact on someone, even if it’s just in the little things.

In Episode 2, when Charlie and the crew are welcoming Sir Pentious and she just starts vibrating with excitement is exactly how I feel when I get to meet a client that we’ve been working with for months and finally welcome them to our property. When they sing “It Starts With Sorry” and just get to have a moment of empathy and compassion together, it reminds me of the clients and the phone calls I take where I get to ask them about their goals and help them feel like they’re supported and heard. In the grand scheme of things, is a nice phone call or interaction with some hotel employee going to change your life? Probably not. But for those few moments when their burdens seem lighter is why I love my job.

This goes for guests, and for my fellow coworkers. I’ve been very blessed to start my hospitality career in an unusually supportive work culture. Yeah, we can be some right petty bitches sometimes, but overall everyone is so encouraging and so quick to help lighten each other’s loads. Like in Episode 5 (best episode btw, for obvious reasons) when all the Hazbin Crew are working together to prepare the hotel for Lucifer’s arrival, that shit made me so giddy cause like- that’s us! Look at us go! We workin together so hard, we’re so cute! Like when Niffty and Pentious are baking and she looks up at him all excited n’ shit—that’s literally been me working with our Director of Restaurants on new food menus or promotional material. 

There’s something about being in an occupation where your whole purpose is to take care of people that really brings out the selflessness in you, and I think that’s what makes the hotel such a great setting for Charlie’s mission of redemption. I didn’t realize that until writing this paragraph tbh, but yeah, it just kinda…works. When your job is to make sure other people have a good time and feel supported and you’re surrounded by people that make you feel the same way, it’s a lot easier to want to choose to do good, to do right by the people around you. So as much as I have some silly little nitpicks…yeah, I can admit—I love that this show is about the Hazbin Hotel specifically.

Anyways, if you made it this far, thanks for reading! Next update for Life is In Redemption will be out in the days to come, just thought this would be a fun addition while I work on some of the content with my friends. This upcoming chapter is going to have a co-author, so get hyyyyyped :)

[ryansjane]

Why do you think cooking crush kinda flopped? OG are still pretty popular no? Or is it that the show is kinda basic, like something we’ve seen before? I also don’t remember seeing too much promotion but maybe I just missed it.

Also did u see off and gun saying they want to be doing what they’re doing now 10 years from now? I think that’s a good indicator that a “break up” isn’t on the way :)

I'm actually thinking of making a video on the topic on my channel lol, but to summarize I think there's so many elements:

1) cooking crush is a more basic show, and those tend to gather success only if they have a new ship attached to them that gathered attention (ex: 2gether, msp, etc.) also I think the trailers & promos did a bad job hooking people onto it.

2) the bl genre is now saturated. if cooking crush was released in 2019 or 2020 it would've been huge simply for having offgun's name attached to it. but now there's 100+ bl shows released every year, and statistically only like 5-10% will be a huge success.

3) offgun were never a "viral" ship. off mentioned it himself in an interview, and it's definitely what has kept them together for 8+ years, but it also means they've never had the kind of hype attached to them brightwin, fourthgemini or even kristsingto have had.

4) offgun are the oldest thai bl ship still together, so in this highly saturated bl market where there's a new ship popping up quite literally every week, they're likely seen as old & has-been by many. bc of their age they're also unlikely to touch new younger audiences of bl, which are the most outspoken & passionate types of fans. 14 years old are more likely to stan the 18/19 years old at gmmtv instead of the 30+ grown ass men for sure. also, even if that seems sad & mean to say, in this current bl economy, I feel like fans get tired of seeing the same faces for so long, which is why now the lasting of ships is shorter & shorter and just used to launch a solo career.

5) the marketing. imo the biggest issue is the show in itself that doesn't meet the demands of the bl fandom at the moment (either innovative or at least hypersexual shows, apart for the new ships having basic shows exception that I talked about (and that works only at gmmtv too)), but the marketing could've definitely helped. imo they should've added a lot more fanservice in the trailer to hook the fetishizing fans in if they wanted more viewers. the social media marketing was also quite poor but not the actual worst.

however, even though cooking crush "flopped" in terms of being a gmmtv show & an offgun show, imo it was successful in its own way. it still trended number 1 on X every week if that still means anything, and it was also a very good show. like... not every show can be life-changing, in fact romcoms very rarely are. the show did what it set out to do & was well executed until the end, which for me is a success in itself. so flop? maybe not. success? maybe not either lol.

and yes, off has been talking about babiis sticking with him for 30 more years back in 2019, so we still have a good few decades ahead :) what I do really want to see from offgun is a new innovative show from them bc atp this is the only thing that will be a success (and their age & experience will still likely be a baggage in our hyperconsumerist bl market). I'm even less confident that the trainee will even get as much attention as cooking crush did, so what I want to see is a show where offgun are dads navigating being queer parents, or as I said before a dark psychological thriller. not only could they pull it off, but they would absolutely BODY a more heavy show with more innovative aspects. bc atm cooking crush & the trainee are only catering to their fanbase, gmmtv's & the rare ones who enjoy more basic romcoms. they need something so uncommon & original it will rally the bl fandom behind them, bc sadly atp their name alone will not do it. however, I'm not confident in gmmtv at all, especially since they have 15 other ships they gotta give shows to. the dad show, though? if it ever happens, it NEEDS to be offgun 100000%!!!

xxx

[fayeandknight]

I went to check out another house today and oh boy was it a doozy.

It was originally built in 1881 and I could see from the photos that it was not habitable. But it sits on a half acre in an area I'm interested in. Also I can see the charm in the bones, so to speak. Like a half circle window with built in seating, which to me shouts book nook.

I brought my dad because he's knowledgeable about construction and built our family home from scratch.

Got there and it was immediately obvious that this place is way worse than advertised. The second story all season room looks ready to fall off, there's foam patching along sections of the underside of the roof, porch looks like it'd drop you faster than you could curse, etc. It would be a massive undertaking to make it livable.

But the yard is fairly level and partially fenced in from the neighbors. It's set a decent distance from the road and has ample space from neighbors on all sides. This is big for me because I intend to board dogs (through my current job) and I don't want to piss off neighbors with barking dogs.

And while this isn't a basis to buy such a house on, something about it calls to me in a way I haven't experienced before. More on this under the cut because it's spiritual woo woo talk.

When I do a drive by, I literally drive by. I cruise through the neighborhood and take my time. But I don't go up to the house. However between this place clearly not being occupied and my dad having older white dude audacity, we got out and walked around the yard. We went all the way around the house, he pointed out a test patch where someone investigated the siding and it's layers, stomped on the dilapidated porch, and found a well with a hand crank.

At one point I was standing close to the road while he was on the porch reading orange town issued notices posted on the front door. A guy working for the house across the street stopped to stare at us. My dad gave a friendly wave, the contractor returned it, and despite my fears of the cops being called on us, nothing happened.

I thought initially this might be a place that I buy, spend a few months of heavy sweat equity on and hire a contractor or two for major things. But ultimately could make livable while continuing to fix up within three months or so. In addition to major interior work, it needs rewiring/electrical work, a plumbing overhaul, a new roof and gutters, new siding, a new porch, new windows, and most likely just tearing off the all season porch at minimum. So yeah just a fuck ton of work.

My dad and I agreed that this place was pretty far over our ability to renovate. But something makes me want to dig into it deeper anyway. While I highly doubt this place will turn into anything for me. I'm going to look into possible financing options. And I've set my dad to contacting the listing agent and the county office to see what's up.

My next step is digging into a renovation specific loan, the FHA 203k loan. Even though this place probably won't pan out I think it'll serve as a good test run of what I'd need. Cause let's be honest between the current economy and housing market, whatever I end up with will need work.

I don't typically talk about this, but I am pagan and consider myself a spiritual person. And while I don't see the mystical in the mundane everywhere, when I do I, I do.

When I hesitantly stepped onto the property I got a sense of the house. It's got a presence. Something quiet, mostly dormant, and not a little resigned to being torn down. But it's deep, having grown out from the house itself and into the ground around it. It felt like it cracked one eye half way open to regard me. It was very tired. But it also conveyed a feeling that if I restored it, it would be my house.

It would not only protect and shelter me like a good house should. But it would make sure I was happy there. It would pull on its deep connection to the land to make sure this was a place I thrived in. If I invested in it, it would invest in me with the shared goal of quiet, simple joy.

No bombastic promises of glory or great success. But a secure space to sing off tune while I bake bread. Sunny windows to dry herbs in. And love ingrained in the archways of architectures no longer in fashion.

It's not something I'm willing to use as a reason to immediately go all in on. But I'd be lying to myself if I didn't admit that it's part of the reason I'm investigating what it would take to make this place a home.

[sweetheradevil]

AUGUST COURT REPORTING THOUGHTS

Hiii :3 since court reporting takes up most of my time, I wanted to do a monthly write-up on my thoughts. I have a lot to say and I feel bad for subjecting all my friends to my yammering about it HAHAH

Current Speed: 140-160 WPM

The 2024 summer quarter has been the most challenging by far. This is the longest I've been stuck in a speed level (June-September) and I have had many, many frustrating moments with my typing abilities. I hit a wall for most of July, so I am currently two levels behind where I want to be. Fortunately, it looks like I'm just about to exit my 140s.

Despite my exasperation with my typing, I feel like this wall presented me with an opportunity to slow down and actually engage with the court reporting community as a whole and learn things about this career I wouldn't have considered if I had just continued speeding along.

In my stupor, I began talking to other reporters to learn why they pursued this career, what they struggled with as students, and also how things will start looking once I go out there and start working myself.

But before I get to that, I kind of wanted to talk about a realization I had about court reporting as a whole. I never doubted that this was the career I wanted, but I feel like being a court reporter in the era of misinformation takes on an entirely different meaning. With the rampant use of AI by people on the internet, peddling of malicious/false ideas, and the intake of large bodies of information, there's a distinct charm about being able to take down something verbatim. This is by no means me condoning the justice system (because as we all know, there are so many issues with it); however, I am glad that I'm a court reporter because should I come across injustices in court, I am taking that down on paper. I am preserving the history of the courtroom and in a time of rampant misinformation and downright manipulation of information, that is so important to me. I plan to work as an official in a courthouse (because to be so honest being my own boss sounds like hell on Earth) so I'll be present for so much stuff that happens.

The internet was once an endless source of knowledge, but now its function has been severely limited by incorrect information, censorship, and paywalls. I used to be in awe at the vast amounts of knowledge I had in the palm of my hand, only for it to be rendered insufficient by all of this bullshit that's out there. It almost feels integral to my values that I will be sitting and preserving a vital part of history in the justice system. Perhaps my efforts will be useful for someone who needs to look back on the record for evidence of various misdeeds, because god knows we need it.

Having to go through court reporting school is hellish, but because I believe it's for a good cause, it's worth it. It also pays handsomely, which I'm very happy about due to financial strife my family has in my adolescence, but that's a topic for another day.

That is one of my biggest inspirations for trekking through school. Another is the fact that this almost feels like a refuge from the horrible job market most people are at the whim of right now. Most reporters chose court reporting as a second career after they were made miserable by their previous jobs. Most of the court reporters I've spoken to are single mothers who had a better opportunity at life after pursuing this career. I'm on the young side for going through court reporting school (most of my schoolmates are middle-aged) but I'm glad to see that there are opportunities for people beyond university. I'm kind of relieved I'm not in a field dominated by men that will undermine my abilities, but rather with other women I have a lot of solidarity with. I really do love this community and the path I'm on.

I'm so, so excited. I think I am just about to pass out of my 140s, so let's hope I can make it to my 200s by the end of the year. Yippeee!

[thisisyourprincipalspeaking]

The biggest issue with some people on here is that they spread their “opinion/hypothesis” as fact and then get angry when someone else either doesn’t agree or didn’t know about this opinion (because they blocked these blogs) or asked for proof (and clearly didn’t get it).

if an anon comes to your blog talking about something, one of these other blogs will likely pop up and angrily spout their rhetoric and say “how are you so stupid you didn’t know??”

Like. My question to them would be “and who told you what you think is right?”

Their current narrative is that the celeb resigned an extended contract that he was allegedly supposed to be out of last June and that’s because of the strike.

Nobody knows if this is true. Nobody including those blogs can provide actual proof that anything was signed in the first place. But they spout this assumption as fact then get mad when others don’t blindly buy into it. They’re hellbent on blaming the celeb for being stupid and signing himself into a marriage when there was never any proof he signed anything in the first place.

Imagine an impressionable anon on here (there are many of them) attending a comic con or even going onset to where this celeb is filming a movie and trying to ask him about his alleged contract. Imagine how bewildered the man would be, or if he’s getting tagged into hate posts that include his family, friends, business partners (even Disney and marvel) by hate accounts accusing him of being so “stupid” he signed his life and career away.

The problem with most ppl is that they don’t think past their own asses and they don’t know how to critically think and question anymore. That is the issue with far left and rightist thinking when it comes to social political topics.

But I also think it applies here even if this particular topic is hardly worth losing sleep over.

You are allowed to have questions about public relationships and ordeals to an extent since the information has been displayed for public consumption. I wondered if a celeb whose the new face of Dunkin’ Donuts and his pop star actress diva wife were real or if it was being really played up since he broke up with his ex Cuban born actress gf and immediately was seen with the pop star diva ex. Then they went onwards and have been on headlines ever since, and he almost always looks miserable. They play too much and I do wonder if it was all stunt that’s about to end since rumors of divorce are everywhere.

But I don’t have proof. It doesn’t make me lose sleep or have arguments with anons. It just makes me a bit curious and amused by it all and shows to me many things in HW, the entertainment, music, sports etc industries are fabricated, orchestrated, and also played up for attention. As someone who works in marketing and PR, my entire job is to sell my company’s brand and image 24/7. Most of the stuff we put out is fodder to a point and we get told what words and phrases to use to get attention and to sell a narrative. But BTS, we know it’s strategized and planned out weeks, months, and years in advance.

People who are industry adjacent have tried to telling these blogs but get ignored by the screaming minority.

Im absolutely sure a PR spin is being made about this particular relationship and I do think personally, some type of contract may have been signed. But I have zero proof what happens behind the scenes so I cannot sit here and say my assumptions are fact. If that makes some blogs on here think I’m playing “team middle” then so be it.

To me, it makes the most sense to be in the middle. There’s a saying that the truth often lies somewhere in the middle and I believe that’s likely true here.

I like your blog and your insight and I hope you don’t go anywhere!

you seem to have the right attitude, anon! thank you for stopping by and sharing your perspective; especially for appropriately identifying what is your own feelings and opinions.

i urge everyone to continue asking relevant questions. sometimes those questions won't or can't have public answers, but it is important to keep those looming in one's brain.

i hope that no one is asking or saying anything so outlandish to chris' face. even if it IS true that the situation is contractual (which we do not know!) he would absolutely NOT be able to discuss such things with random strangers. conversely, no one on the internet should be angry about receiving logical questions. if someone is going to claim something as truth, be able to back it up.

and don't worry... the principal has no plans to go anywhere! thanks for sticking around.

[rachelbethhines]

60 Years of Doctor Who Anniversary Marathon - Davison 9th Review

Skaro: 20 Years of Time Travel Reviews - Fanzine

So what is a fanzine?

A fanzine is a fan published magazine.

Before the days of the internet, chat rooms, e-mails, forums, blogs, and social media, there was fan clubs, news letters, charity publications, and magazines. The fanzine was the primary way to share opinions, analyzes, fandom news, fan fiction, and fan art.

There have been several Doctor Who themed fanzines through out the decades; hundreds even. Skaro was one of the more professional looking ones that came out during the early 80s, and had connections with a fairly large fan club called the Doctor Who Appreciation Society.

While Skaro is no longer in print, the DWAS is still going and even publishes a different fanzine today... albeit digitally now. http://www.dwasonline.co.uk/

As for today’s issue, I manged to grab a copy off of ebay for eight bucks, and it came with a bonus issue as well.

Each are about 8 by 5 inches, printed on thick matte paper, and are all in black in white. Despite being held together by obvious staples, each zine looks and feels more like a thin cover-less paperback than what you would think of as a magazine on a store shelf today.

As for the contents of the zine, this special 20th anniversary issue features reviews of each season up to that point by 20 different fans. 

It seems rather pointless to review a bunch of other reviews however, so I will just point out two things. 

First, the print and layout of the various articles and production photos was very well handled, easy to read, and pleasing to the the eye. Outside of the occasional typo and one or two tiny printing mistakes, I can see why this particular fanzine is well remembered in fandom.

The second matter, and perhaps my only real criticism of the issue, is that while by and large most of the reviews are full of love of the show, one or two reviewers couldn’t seem to stop nagging on the then current era.

I mean it’s an anniversary special for goodness' sake! You’re telling me you couldn’t find a single fan in all of the UK who enjoyed season 18 enough to write a positive review of it?

I’m fine with people voicing dissenting opinions, but there’s other times and places for that. Not at the anniversary celebration though.  

The next issue gives a look at what the magazine normally featured and I gave it a quick glace through.

We start off with an introduction by the editor and some legal copy-write disclaimers and footnotes. Then comes an assortment of fan letters talking about fandom things, the DWAS, and expressing general appreciation for the magazine.

Following from that we get an article from a fan gushing over the Brigadier and how awesome his BrOTP with the Doctor is. Then we’re treated to more reviews, this time of three individual episodes from season 13. While the next submission is a more heady piece of intellectual analysis discussing gray morality in the series as a whole.

We also get treated with some fan art and the third part of a three part story featuring Nyssa and the Doctor. Sadly, I shall not bother reading this particular fan fic as I have no way of obtaining the rest of it.

After that we get a particularly whiny bitch complaining about Doctor Who ‘catering to Americans too much’ because JNT dared to make the next companion from the US and had the gall to advertise the show to overseas markets! Yes, how dare a TV producer do his job! Worst Show-runner Ever!   

Moving past that outdated unpleasantness, we come to the ‘advertising’ portion of the issue, which is just listing previous issues and talking about what to expect in the next.

We end the zine on yet another fan pointlessly complaining about JNT and how ‘the show is not as good at it used to be’, and finally the most interesting piece in the entire publication, an actual interview with the then editor of the official Doctor Who Magazine and one of the professional Doctor Who comic artists. Out of everything here, I’m most likely to go back and properly re-read that instead of just speed reading it. 

So is the Skaro fanzine something worth getting?

Not really.

There’s a certain amount of novelty in reading a fanwork that is physically older than you are. It’s like uncovering a time capsule. But, nothing therein isn’t anything you haven’t heard before elsewhere on the web. 

The most unique things here, the ones really worth preserving are the fanfictions and you can’t even read the entire thing in a single issue. And issues can run ridiculously high, most averaging around $25 and some going up to even $50.

Unless you’re a collector of fanzines specifically, it’s not really worth it. I lucked out on finding two issues for ten bucks (once you count shipping), and honestly I wouldn’t pay much more than five dollars for an issues anyways. 

[economic-echoes]

Finding My Way To Economics

Suki here,

Many moons ago, when I was a mere 15 years old, I was choosing my A-Levels. I went looking for a shiny new subject that would combine all my skills and interests. Would it be sociology, psychology or maybe even business studies? Those classic subjects that all prospective A-Level students seem attracted to. 

To find the answer to my question, I decided to research the subjects I found most enjoyable and the ones that would go best with maths. The first place I decided to look was in my school library where I knew there were magazines designed specifically to help people choose their A-Levels. Having looked through several publications, while I found them all interesting, it wasn't until I picked up the November 2020 issue of Economics Review that I was truly entranced.

I stumbled upon an article that talked about the economics of pubs and evaluated their declining numbers. First the page examined some of the key economic issues involving the pub industry and then ended with a question: Should their fate be left to the market, or should the government intervene? I found this discussion very fascinating because I had rarely thought of the world through an economic lens much before, other than in geography case studies (which looking back, I enjoyed the most). The article introduced new themes to me like division of labour through the pin analogy from Adam Smith (Wealth of Nations) and how it can improve productivity. It also touched on topics like economies of scale and oligopolies. It was all so exciting and interesting, I found out there was a whole secret world behind the one I thought I lived in, and I was desperate to learn more.

To advance my knowledge in this subject I decided to find a book to read. After having googled economics books for beginners, I found myself enticed by Freakonomics by Stephen J. Dubner and Steven Levitt. I thoroughly enjoyed it as an introduction to economics because its humorous notes made it very entertaining. The authors also did an excellent job at helping me understand statistical concepts at an intuitive level, and how I could use the concepts to better understand the real-world problems discussed in the book.

After more research into the subject, I found out that not only did economics consist of microeconomics; the branch of economics that considers the behaviour of decision takers within the economy, such as individuals, households and firms, but also macroeconomics; the study of the actions governments and countries take to influence broader economies. So, this was where I decided to research next. At the time, ChatGPT had just been released and I was fascinated to know how this would affect the labour market. As part of my English GCSE coursework, we were assigned to write a speech on a subject of our choosing so long as it was compelling and interesting so then I decided to pick the topic The Economic Impact of AI. (I will upload this speech at a later date with current insights and reflections alongside).

Now I'm a 16-year-old amid my A-Levels; Economics, Maths, Further Maths, Computer Science. I'm getting stuck in and learning a lot.

[adventuresinclientservice]

Will you lose your job to A.I.?

When I was in Bucharest last October to speak at the International Advertising Association’s “Creativity 4 Better” annual conference, I got to hear two presenters perform:  DI Mayze spoke on “What’s next for Generative AI and the creative industry?” followed by Seth Dobrin, who outlined “A 9-Step Formula for Safe Generative AI.“ 

Listening to those two made me realize just how inescapable A.I. is for everyone, especially those of us in advertising and marketing.  In fact, there are ad people - staffers working in Strategy, Creative, and Account Management, perhaps you – who wonder if a bot is going to replace them. 

A few would say “Yes;” more would say “Probably;” many would say “Possibly.” 

New York Times Opinion columnist David Brooks would say “No.”

In a recent Times piece Brooks writes:

“Many fears about A.I. are based on an underestimation of the human mind. Some people seem to believe that the mind is like a computer. It’s all just information processing, algorithms all the way down, so of course machines are going to eventually overtake us.”

He goes on to point out that human knowledge is “unconscious and instinctual,” recognizing that A.I. “has access only to conscious language.” 

I’ve been thinking about the implications of A.I ever since Chat GPT seemingly burst on the scene November 2022.  It admittedly is a low bar, but I wondered if A.I. would do a better job writing Adventures than I ever could.  What about something longer?  As I perpetually struggle to find that next book idea, could Chat GPT crank out 50,000 – 60,000 words that readers would like and buy?

After reading Brooks’ article, I (sort of) realized there’s an answer to these questions embedded in what I previously have written, not recently, but from years past, before ChatGPT and other large language models even were a concept.

Chapter 20 of Brain Surgery for Suits, published 25-plus years ago as the precursor to the three subsequent editions of The Art of Client Service, had as its title, “Judgement Overrides any Rule.”  Chapter 34 of the first and second editions of Art had the identical title, as did Chapter 37 of the current, third edition.

The content of the chapter evolved over time, but consistently asserted a fundamental principle:

“This is a book of rules, but an account person works in a world of exceptions.  No rule can accommodate every situation, and no list of rules is exhaustive.  In the end, the only rule you can rely on is this:  judgement rules.”

Among not just Account and client-service people, but also everyone else who works in advertising, it is judgement that defines and differentiates much of what we do, judgment that cannot be replicated, because it cannot be anticipated; judgment that:

Empowers you to say or write exactly the right thing at exactly the right time to diffuse an issue or identify an opportunity. 

Allows you to ask after a client’s children, or to discuss a vacation, or talk ball scores from a recent contest. 

Tells you to pick up a phone or get on a plane when you sense something is not quite right with the work, the relationship, or anything else that might be amiss.

In his story Brooks points out:

“Sometimes I hear tech people saying they are building machines that think like people. Then I report this ambition to neuroscientists and their response is: That would be a neat trick, because we don’t know how people think.”

The brain is a mysterious thing.  My former Digitas copywriting colleague Nancy Harhut has made a business out of decoding it, then writing a book about it. Just about everyone is striving to better understand how the mind behaves. 

No one can predict how things will unfold, and I cannot say how A.I. will evolve, but if you’re lying awake at night thinking about the future, let me reassure you the things that make the mind so elusive are the very things that remain a step beyond A.I.’s grasp.

Wherever you are in your career, whatever your ambition, regardless of the path you choose to pursue, what makes you you is distinctive, singular, and unique, insulating you from the predations of A.I.

My suggestion, then, for that insomnia you might be experiencing:  turn off the light and go back to sleep.

[gatekeeper-watchman]

The Right to Life

          “The Right to Life”, the title given to the very important issue of abortion prevention, seems to especially come to life at the beginning of every election cycle, used by certain politicians as a tool to arouse and exacerbate the emotions of the electorate in an effort to secure votes. In between election campaigns, it seems we hear very little about the issue. It only comes up when Joe Blow wants to run for office or be re-elected. I’m sorry, but this aggravates me to no end. This issue should not be politicized. Especially significant is that the most, if not greatest, support for this issue comes from the “Christian Right”.

Now, let’s be clear about this–let there be no doubt. Although, at times not a very good one, I am a Christian; and I firmly believe in the right to life. I am opposed to abortion, except in those cases when it is medically necessary, where the pregnancy is the result of incest, or, arguably, some other extenuating circumstance is involved. Babies can always be placed for adoption, for which, the Lord knows, there is always a continuous and raging market. As we speak, Black Market Profiteers are kidnapping babies, raiding nurseries in hospitals, and stealing them from wherever they can be found. There is especially no need to kill them when there are plenty of those who want them and will love and care for them. The right to the sanctity of life demands the right to life, as redundant as that may be sound.

Now, let us get back to the “Christian Right”. They are professed Christians, born again, just as I professed, above, for myself; but, let me tell you one thing about Christianity. You can’t profess one segment of Christ without, also, accepting the other beliefs that go along with the faith. You cannot. You cannot pick and choose what you want to believe. To do otherwise is downright hypocritical. You can’t have one part without the other.

What am I talking about? I’ll get down to it. It’s this. When it comes time to go to the polls, many voters will vote for a politician based upon this one issue, or perhaps it might be another. I've used this issue, “The Right to Life” for a reason, but it is only as an example. The point is, there are others–other singular issues on which a voter may choose to focus. Too many of us don’t look at the “big” picture when we vote. We are very myopic in our views.

Back to my example–that politician who is so vigorously proclaiming the right to life in order to get your vote, is also supporting other issues on his platform which the voter simply chooses to ignore. On the one hand, he, the politician, will vote to support the saving of millions upon millions of lives from abortion; while, on the other, he will choose to ignore, in times like these, the plight of the forty-seven millions of us living in poverty, with twenty million unemployed or underemployed, including an approximate million homeless women and children as well as men, sleeping on the streets, under bridges and/or in their automobiles. In these times when there are three people unemployed for every job opening and a job is extremely difficult to find (impossible for some), he will vote against the extension of emergency unemployment benefits; he will vote for the reduction, if not elimination, of the food stamp program (while, in the same instance, vote for "welfare" grants to millionaire farmers [some of whom are members of Congress] under the guise of subsidies); he will vote for the reduction of Medicaid; he votes against national healthcare. Also, just an afterthought, what would our nation’s condition be if the twenty millions of us in the prisons (this is on top of the forty-seven million in poverty), were to come into the unemployment lines (Of course, not all, but the release of many prisoners is currently under consideration)?

I could go on and on, but I’m sure you understand what I am saying. This whole political process is broken. It makes no sense at all–and much of it, unfortunately, has been cast in the name of Christianity; which, Christianity it is not. Warfare is not Christianity. Torture is not Christianity. Lying, cheating, stealing, fraud, and deception are not Christianity–no matter how you cut it. Soon, we will again have an opportunity to vote–our next election is just down the road. Look at and study the real issues. Be careful for whom you vote. What you think you see, might not be what you get.

From: Steven P. Miller, @ParkermillerQ, gatekeeperwatchman.org Founder and Administrator of Gatekeeper-Watchman International Group Sunday, July 28, 2024, Jacksonville, Florida., Duval County, USA.  X … @ParkermillerQ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Sparkermiller.JAX.FL.USA, Instagram: steven_parker_miller_1956 #GWIG, #GWIN, #GWINGO.

[tenzinclimateblog]

Beautification and Gentrification: Grappling with the Consequences of Strengthening Adaptation in Urban Cities

New York City. The city that never sleeps, home to the world’s most diverse neighborhoods, eclectic and iconic spots… and exorbitant rent prices. For a city so unique, it’s disappointing that the one commonality it shares with almost every other metropolitan hub is its rising prices.

Where do I get off talking about rent when I’m living for free with my parents? Well, as I’ve made clear to all the people in my life, I’m a born and raised New Yorker. It’s obviously something I have a lot of pride about. And why shouldn’t I? For all its flaws, NYC has one of the best and most extensive public transportation systems in the US. I have access to food from all over the world (thanks to globalization, I guess). From the looks of it, I’m living the sweet life.

These days though, my conversations about living in New York are weighed down by clouds of uncertainty and anxiety. I unfortunately cannot live with my parents forever. So as my grad program comes to a very fast-approaching end, I am scouring the internet for jobs that fit my interests and pay a living wage. As I cross my fingers and submit application after application, I hope and pray that an employer will pick up my file from the online resume void.

Having to face the rising cost of living is definitely not an issue unique to me: a recent NYTimes article reported (a study conducted by Columbia University and Robin Hood) that 23 percent of NYC residents were unable to afford basic necessities like food and housing. Additionally, climate change continues to raze through waterfront and low-income communities that do not currently have the proper infrastructure to adapt to rising sea levels.

Back in undergrad, I created a podcast episode for my Architecture and Environment course about what I called the aesthetics of climate resilience in NYC. In the podcast, I argued that resilience efforts in NYC are embedded heavily in capitalistic efforts and thus need optics to promote the city as a climate-progressive space. I am not sure that I hold the same pessimistic view that I had just last year, but I do think that adaptation to climate change is a priority that NYC must address.

In a society entrenched in capitalism, any sort of infrastructural or architectural improvement in an urban city comes with harmful consequences. Green or environmental gentrification occurs specifically when urban greening projects have an impact on the housing market. Even outside of urban greening, any efforts to fortify or beautify the city will be exploited by those who can afford to. But where does that leave the people who can’t?

Displacement is rampant in NYC and to my knowledge, is not getting any better. Cultural institutions that have served residents for decades are being replaced with soulless profit-centered chains. Sorry to say it, but the city is looking like one big blocky glass house (and not a cool one like the original Crystal Palace in London or even the Farnsworth House by Mies van der Rohe). Gray and without charm, the city is slowly becoming my worst nightmare.

Last class, we discussed what our climate visions were. Of course, I dream of a world where we can achieve > 1.5℃ and completely decarbonize societies. I think my climate vision incorporates those goals. Ultimately, I would like for cities to be able to build climate resilience and beautify without gentrification. As much as this is a climate issue, my climate vision requires stringent housing policy and protections for lower-income NYers. I also don’t think that my climate vision is impossible. Everybody should be able to live in a city with efficient and equitable public transport and affordable housing.

Building climate resilience through adaptation initiatives is crucial now and in the near future. We see communities that are still recovering from Hurricane Sandy, over ten years after the fact. This is unacceptable. My climate vision for eco-cities devoid of unreasonable housing prices is absolutely possible. To do so though requires grassroots organizations and constant criticism of our local governments to do better. In my opinion, our current mayor (Eric Adams) could focus a lot less on building up the NYPD and more on addressing the pervasive inequalities that are more than evident across the city: affordability and access to basic amenities like public transport, housing, food, education, etc.

Affordable and climate-smart housing must be in the blueprint of NYC and other urban planning. Everybody deserves to live in nice, readily maintained neighborhoods. Living a quality life should not come at such a hefty price. Our prompt for Applications asked us what our climate visions are and what tools we might use to put them into action… The reality is that we need to mobilize to pressure local governments to care and enact change. We also need to empower our peers and communities and convince them that a future with beautiful and affordable cities is possible.

Affordable and climate-smart housing must be in the blueprint of NYC and other urban planning. Everybody deserves to live in nice, readily maintained neighborhoods. Living a quality life should not come at such a hefty price. Our prompt for Applications asked us what our climate visions and what tools we might use to put them into action… The reality is that we need to mobilize to pressure local governments to care and to enact change. We also need to empower our peers and communities and convince them that a future with beautiful and affordable cities is possible.

[newlifemortgages]

The Bank of Canada Says 'Hold Your Horses': What It Means for Your Mortgage

January 25, 2024 | Posted by: Dallas MartinReady for a fresh scoop from the finance world? No, it's not about a lost calculator or a misplaced pie chart. It's more intriguing - the Bank of Canada has held its target for the overnight rate at a whopping 5%.

Why should you care? Well, let's break it down in plain English, shall we?

A Peek into the Crystal Ball

First, let's gaze into the future. According to the experts, the Bank of Canada is likely done raising rates and will hold them at 5.00% for at least six months. And here's where it gets interesting: predictions are swirling that the Bank will start slicing rates in June.

'But wait,' you might say, 'what does all this talk about benchmark rates have to do with my mortgage?' Good question! Let's break it down.

See, the Bank of Canada's benchmark rate is like the conductor of a financial orchestra. It sets the tempo for the lending rates that banks and other financial institutions offer consumers and businesses. So, when the benchmark rate changes, so do the interest rates on things like loans, credit cards, and your mortgage.

Banks typically hike their interest rates if the benchmark rate goes up. Why? Well, it's more expensive for them to borrow money, and they pass those costs onto you. This means your mortgage payments could go up if you've got a variable-rate mortgage or coming up for renewal.

Conversely, borrowing becomes cheaper for the banks if the benchmark rate goes down. Theoretically, they should pass these savings onto you, which could mean lower mortgage payments.

So, whether you're hunting for a new home or just keeping tabs on your current mortgage, remember to keep an eye on the Bank of Canada's benchmark rate. Because, like it or not, the Benchmark Rate affects us all!

The Global Picture

On a global scale, economic growth is hitting a slow stride, and inflation is starting to put its feet up across most economies. Our friends in the U.S.? They're bracing for a slower pace in 2024. Less spending and less investing are on the agenda.

As for Europe and China? The euro area is feeling a tad under the weather, and China's wrestling with some confidence issues and policy uncertainty.

But wait, there's good news! Oil prices are lower than we thought they'd be. So, we've got that going for us, which is nice.

Oh Canada

Back here in Canada, our economy has hit the snooze button. Growth is expected to hover near zero through Q1 2024.

Why the economic naptime, you ask? Well, Canadians are closing their wallets in response to higher prices and interest rates. Business investment has also taken a tumble.

And what about jobs? Even though the labour market conditions have eased, wages are still climbing.

What's Next?

So, what does the future hold for our economy? Economic growth is expected to pick up speed around mid-2024. By the year's second half, we should see an uptick in household spending, exports, and business investment.

Inflation? It ended the year at 3.4%. The Bank expects it to hover around 3% for the first half of this year before it starts to take a breather, aiming for the 2% target in 2025.

The Bank of Canada has decided to keep the policy rate at 5% and continue normalizing its balance sheet. They're keeping their eyes peeled for any risks to the inflation outlook and are committed to restoring price stability.

In short, the Bank of Canada is telling us to hold onto our hats, hoping for smoother sailing ahead. But remember, when it comes to interest rates, it's a bit like a rollercoaster ride. So buckle up, keep your hands inside the vehicle at all times, and try to enjoy the ride. Stay tuned for more updates!

[cabin-in-the-sunlight]

The Struggles We Face: The Difficulties Transgender Students Encounter

Transgender people are often marginalized in society today. That is a fact shown by statistics. Whether by simple headcount, socioeconomic status, or historical representation, transgender individuals have always been the minority. Being a minority comes with a lot of hardships. Those difficulties do not spare someone just because they are a college student, either. In this blog, I will talk about the struggles transgender students face in affording and approaching college. The first difficulty we face that comes to my mind is the lack of support. There is a lot of stigma surrounding gender nonconformity and transgender individuals in society today, based on the idea of the gender binary and cisnormativity. This idea tends to be prevalent in older generations, meaning that a significant portion of parents of current college students believe in the gender binary and cisnormativity, largely due to the society they grew up in. With a firm belief in these ideas comes the inability to understand and accept gender nonconforming and transgender individuals, and in a lot of cases, this is no exception for the children of those believing in cisnormativity. Transgender children whose parents believe in the gender binary are at risk of facing retaliation and loss of support if they were to come out to their parents. Given the current economic situation and the never-ending upward trend in tuition costs, it is challenging for students to support themselves through university. This issue applies to transgender students as well, who are much more likely to be denied financial support from their parents due to their gender identity. Thus, the issue becomes that transgender students, on average, may have a harder time affording college. This issue is further exacerbated by the fact that workplaces, especially in more conservative areas, tend to refrain from hiring transgender people. The stigma towards transgender people impacts the job market, making transgender people even more susceptible to being financially burdened and making access to college education even harder.

Another major issue affecting the accessibility of college for students is the countless bills that are being introduced across the United States. Since 2015, several hundreds of legislation targeting transgender rights have been introduced, with over a hundred of them passing and becoming active laws. While the pushback against these bills targeting transgender people is ongoing, with a handful of such laws being shut down in court cases, the sheer number and intensity of the limits imposed by these legislations are enough to both intimidate people and practically limit students’ access to college. One example of the impact of these bills is the limit on transgender students’ participation in sports. Countless laws across the United States limiting transgender people to compete in sports have been introduced. Such bills severely hinder transgender athletes who have transitioned from participating in their events. This is another obstacle for athlete students trying to access college, especially given that many universities in the United States provide support for athlete students. Another example of these bills’ effect is the limit on people’s access to gender-affirming healthcare, including hormonal therapy. Limit to gender-affirming hormone therapy not only negatively affects transgender people’s mental health in the form of heightened anxiety, depression, and feelings of helplessness, but it also prevents them from achieving the bodily changes they desire. This puts them at a greater risk of facing stigma from others, as people often tend to assume others’ gender identity just by their appearance. Relating to the previous issue, transgender students might face stigma and prejudice from others at their universities, such as faculty members, staff, or even their peers. One example of this was the repeated misgendering I faced, mostly from my peers, where people kept referring to me as “he” even though I had told them that I go by she/her pronouns. Even though the majority of these incidents were caused by forgetfulness or ignorance, it does demonstrate the point that some people at universities will assume someone’s gender just based on appearance or what’s written on legal documents. I also encountered several instances where other students showed aggression towards transgender students. For instance, one of my transgender friends had a classmate constantly misgender him and ask him uncomfortable questions about his relationship with his boyfriend. Such aggressions, mostly in the form of repeated and deliberate misgendering, intrusive questions and comments, or unintentional microaggression through insensitive statements, often cause transgender people to have a hard time adjusting to and accessing their college’s community. The issues I have detailed in this blog are just scraping the surface compared to the myriad of difficulties transgender students often face in real life. Times are hard for us transgender students. However, some people are helping transgender students in need, giving them hope and assistance. For example, Transgender First Scholarship strives to hear the stories of transgender students who need help as the first national scholarship dedicated to helping underserved transgender students get affordable access to college. You can check out their website here: https://www.onlinedegree.com/transgender-first-scholarship/. If you are a transgender student in need of financial support, do check out their programs, and if you’re willing to support transgender students in need, consider donating to the scholarship program. Transgender people all over the world are facing difficulties. We are all struggling against an ocean of societal designs and obstacles that want to oppress us and wipe our existence into history. But people are fighting for our rights, a lot of transgender people included. As we stand united, we will hold out through these dark times and walk into the dawn of a brighter future together. Thank you for reading, and happy New Year, everyone.

[melancholybliss92]

I'm so excited !! I will be going to look at a house next year. It's not available on the market yet until the 16th. I am set on this house because of the area so I will wait to see what it looks like inside. I am set on it so I'm really hoping it's not a fucked up house. Whether I'm in a relationship or not I will have my OWN house. Unlike them homeless hoes that seek a relationship to have a place to stay. Or that stupid fat Italian bitch the crazy 40 yr old was with . If he wanted to be with her, he would have stopped her from moving when she was In philly. And also when she moved and he came to visit for 2 weeks . He would have rented an apartment already to prove he serious. I looked up rent in kansas its cheaper than philly. She know she ugly as fuck and she in denial and making herself sound like she's wanted. And also he tried to string me along saying stay with him in the current house for 5 years so when he sells it he makes more money to buy a bigger house. I'm already seeing alot red flags with him and his stupid ass homeless hoe family. Hes not speaking up for me .The sister and husband is unstable welcoming more runaway homeless bitches and then lying and making corny post to make them look good . That's the only bitch her fat son can get. A homeless hoe that is submissive because the min she argue with them she will be kicked out. They all liars and hoes looking to breed and get married so they have a place to stay .they said her family is rich, own properties, own a nail salon etc. but why is the bitch inside a fat dudes parents house to this day. If they are so rich why don't they get her an apartment or give her a house. Why does she have to park and stay in someone else's house for 2 years . They fronting and lying . I don't like people who ask about me behind my back, spying on me out of jealousy, making snide comments about my business but their shit stinks. and then hyping an actual loser bitch up. Her actions speak for herself and his neice is still homeless in her moms basement. I see why they both best friends. Two corny homeless bitches go hand in hand . Trust me , if her family is rich. They will never ever let her stay in some fat dudes parents house in the hood. They will make sure she goes to college and she has a place to stay. I don't lie like that and I don't need to hide my business . I'm praying if my realtor can check for an earlier date. The faster I get out the faster i feel like im free with my own space. I know the ugly ass fat bitch in kansas is jealous because i look better and is smarter she waiting for the relationship to end. He still has pics of me and him on fb. He can either apologize to me or be alone in his small piece of shit house. U can be in a relationship with other people and visit them from your own house. I'm done living with another piece of shit. It's all types of issues when one isn't working and doesn't have a life and their family is jealous of u and he's not speaking up. I didn't ask him for money back in early August 2020. This was before I even pass my exam and got thus job. We both decided he goes back to his mom's house to play his stupid league of legend game. The man downstairs didn't make any noise at that time because I wasn't really working. The man downstairs is another one of them welfare disability people that doesn't work they stalk u all day and watch your routine. I stopped talking to him at night for only one week. He hurried up and came back right away to open another internet in my apartment . Thats on him . He's crazy . If he didn't open internet in my house, I already have Comcast. We wouldn't see each other or argue. If I don't get that house I'm going to see then I will be really sad. But I don't know yet. Gotta wait till it hits the market .