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ladyonfire28 · 5 years ago

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[Marie Claire released a pretty big interview with Marine Turchi, the reporter who did the investigation on Adèle’s sexual assault case. So i translated the parts of the interview that talked about the case. The whole interview is very interesting, you can see how professional and thorough Marine Turchi really is. She was the youngest journalist on the team when Mediapart started in 2008, and before she started investigating sexual assault cases in 2017, she was, and still is, writing about the french far right party, which is also talked about in this article. So I can only recommend you to read the whole interview if you can !]

Marie Claire article : “Marine Turchi, the one who changed Adèle Haenel’s life”

[...]

Marine Turchi, the one Adèle Haenel trusts

Marine Turchi, 37, journalist in Mediapart, is one of those who demonstrate that impunity is no longer possible. By releasing the Adèle Haenel case, she signed one of the most outstanding investigations of recent years. It was on Sunday November 3, 2019, at 7 pm; Mediapart posted an article entitled "French actress Adèle Haenel accuses filmmaker of 'sexual harassment' when a minor French actress Adèle Haenel accuses filmmaker of 'sexual harassment' when a minor".

It's long, very long - three times the size of what you're used to read. With "surgical" precision, Marine Turchi carries out seven months of investigation, gives the floor to more than thirty people, accumulates dates, testimonies, extracts from letters and notebooks.

From this ultra-detailed millefeuille, the following emerges: from 2001, and for three years, Christophe Ruggia, a filmmaker then aged 36, allegedly sexually assaulted and harassed Adèle Haenel, a 12-year-old debutante actress.

The day after the article was published, Adèle Haenel was invited by Mediapart: a special live broadcast, free (unlike the website, which is a pay-per use site), hosted by the boss and co-founder Edwy Plenel and by Marine Turchi. The double cesarized actress tells us today: "I was a bit nervous before the show. I wanted to have a think about all this. I had carefully prepared for it. At worst, if the words wouldn’t come out, I thought there would still be Marine’s article, which was extremely solid.” But she manages to talk. She speaks to every soul, touches every heart.

Vibrant with contained anger, sensitive and without giving in, Adèle Haenel suddenly gives a voice, a face, a body to those who no longer want to keep quiet. She says she is expressing herself to "put the world back in the right direction", calling for an awareness of society as a whole.

It’s a deflagration. The case is unique because of its repercussions, because of the very status of the accuser, a "powerful" woman, who’s aware of her power, but the case is also sadly ordinary in the way it reveals violence against women and minors. It precedes the Matzneff case and the Abitbol case, comes after the Denis Baupin or Roman Polanski cases, and in parallel with those involving Luc Besson, Tariq Ramadan or Gérald Darmanin

It seems endless. It is, and it’s also for this reason that Marine Turchi accepted the appointment with Marie Claire. "Because sexual violence is a huge public health problem.”

[...]

The meeting between Adèle Haenel and Marine Turchi

[...]

Adèle Haenel and Marine Turchi meet in April 2019, during a party that brings together "about a hundred people": at the end of the evening, by chance, they are a few women who find themselves talking. Very quickly, they tackle the #MeToo issue.

Adèle Haenel recalls: "It was the second time in a few months that I heard women's groups tell each other stories of sexual assault. It was crazy. Everybody had one... As for me, I was trying to do something about it. I felt it was necessary to speak out, given the total impunity of my abuser who was about to make a film with teenagers again, using the same character names as Les Diables”

That evening, one of the women in the small group said that Marine Turchi is a journalist, that she investigates sexual violence cases. Two days later, Marine Turchi and Adele Haenel met again. Two long interviews, then the actress finds letters from Ruggia, her own notebooks, gives names of people to call. The investigation can begin, on a long-term basis. With hindsight, Adèle Haenel thinks that "Marine Turchi is not affected, she doesn't let herself be carried away by sudden emotions or hot reactions. On the contrary, she is meticulous, lucid and courageous. And even when the wind is blowing hard, she remains calm".

The turning point in the case has a date: June 2019. Marine Turchi contacted Christophe Ruggia's former girlfriend, director Mona Achache, and told her: "I'm calling you about accusations of sexual violence against Christophe Ruggia." A “long blank” follows. Then Mona Achache answers by pronouncing, "the first", the name of Adèle Haenel. And like about thirty other people, the director agreed to speak openly. The memories of some and the anecdotes of others give credence to the actress's words.

It’s still necessary to collect the testimony of Christophe Ruggia - the "adversarial procedure" in Mediapart language, the testimony of the defendant. We are then in October 2019. Marine Turchi tries, on several occasions, to contact the filmmaker. "I really wanted him to answer me. Adversarial is not a gimmick to make things look pretty. It's crucial to get the version of the people involved, and besides, it strengthens the article. »

But Ruggia remains mute. She ends up sending him detailed questions about the case, while giving him a helping hand on the theme: "Could you have had an attitude, gestures, of which you would not have measured the consequences?” And what if he had recognized tendentious behavior or even sexual assault? "Of course I would have included it in the article! We would have had her own path, how to go from silence to words; and on the other hand, what goes on in the mind of the defendant." Except that the silence persists. Eventually, Christophe Ruggia briefly lets his lawyers know that he denies any "harassment" or "touching" - which will be included in the article.

Then, on November 6, three days after the publication of the investigation, the filmmaker sent a right of reply to Mediapart, "which was immediately published": he acknowledges a "hold" on the actress but continues to refute the sexual assaults.

The same day, however, the Paris Public Prosecutor's Office opened a preliminary investigation. Shortly afterwards, Adèle Haenel, who had initially dismissed the idea, filed a complaint. “I am aware that I have benefited from a journalistic investigation that most women victims of violence will not have" she told Marie Claire. “Therefore, following the opening of the investigation by the public prosecutor's office and in order to move things forward, I had to file a complaint. Because what is left for women who are not in the media space, if not justice? »

More than 400 reports after broadcasting Adèle Haenel’s testimony

Since November, Marine Turchi has been receiving a large number of reports of sexual violence - more than 400 emails, letters, or alerts via social networks. All of them say something clicked after the speech of Adèle Haenel, all of them evoke an immense pain, the difficulty to speak against the "powerful", to speak at all. Some of these stories have triggered ongoing investigations.

Only some of them, because a choice is made within the Mediapart editorial staff, in a collegial manner, according to multiple, necessarily subjective criteria, among which: the date of the cases, the number of victims, the number of witnesses ready to speak, the degree of notoriety of the people who are accused... “The worst thing," says Marine Turchi, "is not the cases we take; it's the ones we won't take. It's seeing the injustice and impunity that can persist. It’s to see that justice sometimes fails to deal with these cases. It’s to tell people who are in pain that we will not be able to deal with their case.”

People in pain... But how is she? Are we followed by psychologists, when we're so immersed in these files? "No, I'm fine. You learn a lot.”

[...]

#adèle haenel #adele haenel #marine turchi #mediapart #marie claire

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boozieshavingababy · 4 years ago

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Surviving Baby #2!

I’ve decided that I’m going to break this up into multiple parts. Mostly for my sanity haha! I’m writing it between moments of quiet, which isn’t often!

So here is part one!

Being a mom is a pretty stressful, thankless job. Being a new mom is even more stressful. There are no real-life lessons on how to keep your tiny humans alive. Once they place your baby in your arms, it’s time to hit the ground running.

I will say that most of it is pure instinct. After a couple of hours, you start to learn when they are hungry or tired. But there are moments when you question if you’re doing anything right, and I promise you mama, you’re doing amazing. You know exactly how to take care of you little baby.

I’m what they call a “seasoned mom.” I have a four year old and welcomed my second son into the world a month and a half ago. Even though I remember everything from my first born, every baby is different. What works for one, doesn’t work for another and that’s what I’m learning. There are also things that I did with my first son, that I’m doing differently with my second. I thought I would take the time and go through what has helped me survive that few weeks with a newborn and a four year old.

First, I’m going to start with the essentials and that includes feeding, diapering, and clothing. I will link everything that I have been using, as well.

Feeding-

With my first born he was strictly given formula. At the time I was unsure if I was going to be returning to my job as a sales associate for my current job. Though, I did breastfeed in the hospital, it just wasn’t for me at the time. This time however, I have been exclusively pumping while also supplementing with formula.

This has been a huge deal for me. This is something that I decided I would do, when I was still pregnant. I had extensive discussions with my husband, even though I knew it was ultimately my decision, that is just how our relationship works. I wanted his opinion. We both agreed that it would be better for my mental health if I pumped. That way my husband could feed the baby if I needed him to or if our oldest wanted to feed him.

I got my breast pump from a website called aeroflow. They have a wide variety of pumps available. You submit your insurance information and the tell you which ones are covered by your insurance. You pick the one you would like, and they ship it to you close to your due date. I got mine within a week, about a month before I was supposed to go in for my c-section.

I chose the Motif Luna Double Electric Pump. I did my research and looked at reviews. It was 100% covered by my insurance and so far, I have not had any issues! I also bought myself a Haaka Silicone Breast Pump that is great to have for clogged ducts and catching milk from the other breast if you breast feed. It’s a great thing to have!

As I mentioned before, I am also supplementing with formula. Now, this is going to be different for every baby and every budget. I also have done a TON of research! With my first born, he was given Gerber Good Start. This time, we have been using Similac Pro-Total Comfort. It’s what we were given in the hospital and it’s worked for his belly. I was given a few samples of Enfamil and Similac from his pediatrician and via the mail. We tried them with him and this one just seemed to keep him full and happy, that’s how we discovered that he has a sensitive tummy.

You can try to go for what’s best for your wallet, but in the end, if it agrees with your baby then don’t change it.

Diapering

Ah, diapers. Diapers, Diapers, Diapers. This is kind of a big one for me. So many babies react differently to different brands of diapers. You will get diapers at your baby shower, I promise. People will give you different brands and it’s best to try them. My boys haven’t had any reactions to any brand of diaper, so far. My four year old used Target Up&Up. They were great, not just for his bottom, but for our wallet too. Having our newborn, I knew we would use them again and they have been tried and true. No leaks, no rashes, nothing.

Buuuut material isn’t the only thing you need to look for. Size is a big thing too. If your tiny human is anything like my boys are and were, they will grow out of diapers quicker than others. My boys only wore newborn diapers while we were in the hospital and as soon as we were home, they were peeing out of them constantly. Usually, when that happens, it’s time to move them up to the next size of diapers. So far, no leaks. I’m not sure if it’s the same concept for girls. I only have and will only have boys.

If your little one hasn’t shown any signs of a sensitivity to diapers, definitely look into buying the store brand of diapers. You can by the biggest box from Target (size 1 has 192!) for $22! Pampers (size 1 has 164) is $40! You get more for less money. And who doesn’t love Target?

Clothing

Sleepers! Or PJs or Sleep and Plays. Whatever you call them. Zippers are the way to go! Who wants to be buttoning up a bunch of snaps in the middle of the night while you’re half asleep? Not me. Even if they are the cutest sleepers with snaps, don’t do it! Cloud Island, Just One You, and Old Navy have created sleepers that zip from the bottom up! So convenient! They didn’t have these when I had my oldest, so when I was gifted them at my baby shower from the baby, I was so excited! They connect at the top by the baby’s head and zip down to the feet! This is amazing to me. Having a newborn during the winter, means it’s freezing. Now I don’t have to completely uncover my baby to change his diaper. Now he’s not cold! Just amazing. Well done to whoever came up with that idea!

I also don’t recommend buying more than a few newborn outfits. They grow out of them so quick. I have newborn clothes that Orion hasn’t worn at all and never will. He’s such a chunk! He’s been wearing 0-3 months since he was officially a month old. I have plenty of onesies and pants. Socks are a must. Mittens however…..I could do without them. Most sleepers and onesies come with fold-over sleeves. You just flip them over and they completely cover the hands. The mittens are cute, but they aren’t worth the money. I have no problem keeping my baby’s nails short or covered.

I also, don’t base my baby’s clothing size off of his age. They can grow out of them quicker than they age. Even though, my youngest is almost two months old, he will be wearing 3 month clothing soon. His 0-3 months clothing is starting to get a little snug. He’s a chunky baby. Rolls everywhere! I love it, but that means that he has to wear bigger clothes, so they don’t cut off his circulation.

That’s it for this this part! Let me know if you have any questions or would like to know anything else pertaining to this part!

#newborn essentials #newborn #baby stuff #8 week old

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heresince93 · 5 years ago

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Gillian Anderson Sunday Times Interview Transcript

There is a moment in the second series of Netflix’s Sex Education when Gillian Anderson’s character, Jean, sighs a deep resigned sigh as she is lying in bed one morning and spots the messy pile of small change her latest lover, Jakob, has left on her bedside table.

It’s my favourite moment of this uplifting show about the tangled love lives of British secondary school teens that manages to appeal to both parents and adolescents alike. Anderson plays the outrageously inappropriate sex therapist Jean Milburn, a stylish, confident single mother.

The sight of those coins will resonate with any woman of Anderson’s age and stage of life (she is 51), whatever kind of relationship they are in.These pennies, a symbol of how untidy life gets and the constant imposing presence of someone else even when they aren’t in the room, represent for Jean the gradual realisation that the excitement of a new love soon becomes tempered by the boring bits.

For those of us who have been married a while, the coins are perhaps the equivalent of the dull domesticity of picking up the shirt always dropped on the floor or the wet towels you always end up refolding after your teens have left them near but not on the bathroom radiator. Anderson and I chat about this a lot when we meet to talk about the second series of Sex Education, given that we are both working mothers in our early fifties.

The actress, who is most recognised for her role as Scully in The X-Files, is twice divorced and has three children, Piper, 25, Oscar, 13, Felix, 11, all of whom live with her in London. Her partner of three years is the playwright, screenwriter and creator of The Crown, Peter Morgan, himself a father of five.

In person Anderson is chatty and witty, aloof and friendly at the same time, a peculiarly feline trait that I often encounter in driven, confident women who have reached midlife. Tell me about Jakob and the coins, I say, what is it like starting a new relationship in your forties, compared with your twenties?

“It’s very different,” she says. “I think you are more fully formed, especially if you have taken time out of previous relationships to find yourself.

“Early on after the break-up of my last relationship and before my current one, somebody encouraged me to write a list of needs and wants in a future partner. Needs are non-negotiable. If you go on a date with someone and realise they won’t meet, say, three of those needs, then they are not the person for you. It may last as a relationship, but it won’t make you happy. Wants are easier, not more frivolous per se, but easier to deliver. Doing this made it clear to me going forward who would be good for me in a relationship.

“And there is a new creativity nowadays to what a relationship should look like, too. For instance, my partner and I don’t live together. If we did, that would be the end of us. It works so well as it is, it feels so special when we do come together. And when I am with my kids, I can be completely there for them. It’s exciting. We choose when to be together. There is nothing locking us in, nothing that brings up that fear of ‘Oh gosh, I can’t leave because what will happen to the house, how will we separate?’. I start to miss the person I want to be with, which is a lovely feeling. And it is so huge for me to be able to see a pair of trousers left lying on the floor at my partner’s house and to step over them and not feel it is my job to do something about it!”

I’ve never interviewed a celebrity who, even though she is wearing heels (little pointy white boots) is still shorter than me (I’m barely 5ft 2in), but Anderson is tiny. This is only important to note, I think, because her roles since Dana Scully have been so big and so powerful: Blanche in A Street Car Named Desire and Margo Channing in All About Eve on stage; Lady Mountbatten in the film Viceroy’s House; Stella Gibson in The Fall; and now Jean Milburn.

I wonder if she is perhaps filed under “tricky, unpredictable, charismatic, spiky, intelligent and fearless woman” in the casting director’s directory of suitable roles. After all, her next part is going to be Margaret Thatcher (in The Crown). And when she arrives for our chat in the closed Chinese restaurant of a central London hotel, she apologises for the sticky mess in her hair caused by wearing the Iron Lady’s wig the previous day. Her nails are manicured pale pink like Thatcher’s too.

“She had a condition that meant two fingers of each hand would curl around — Reagan had it too — so it affected her gestures and she would wear lots of rings and bracelets to distract. But she kept her nails long, which is how I have to keep them now,” Anderson says. She is fascinated by Thatcher, concluding, after studying her childhood, that “nobody ever existed like her. She was unique.”

Anderson might be unique herself, and despite giving many interviews (three last year), I see that she has been smart and managed to remain a bit of an enigma. When I listen back to the tape, she is very good at general talk, but not so hot on specifics.

She spent her early years in north London with her American parents before going back to Michigan for high school. She was a teenage punk plagued by panic attacks that have continued to trouble her over the years, particularly during her intense work schedule on The X-Files. She went into therapy at 14, then became world famous at 25, and had her first child at 26 (the same age her parents had her, before going on to have her two siblings 12 years later). She split up with her first husband three years after that.

In 2011 she endured the death of her brother, Aaron, aged 30, from a brain tumour, which she rarely discusses. She is an impressive activist, campaigning for a variety of issues including women’s rights in Afghanistan, Burma, South Africa, Uganda and South America. There are 10 charities she has worked with listed on her website, and in 2017 she co-wrote We: A Manifesto for Women Everywhere, a well-received book of advice for women. She has also designed two small fashion collections for Winser London, which include some gorgeous silky blouses. I found I had three in my wardrobe without knowing they were hers.

She is a Bafta nominee and Golden Globe winner, and Neil Gaiman, who cast her in the TV series of his book American Gods, said: “She is in this strange place where everything exists in the shadow of Scully, yet she is bigger and better than that.”

When I listen to her 2003 Desert Island Discs, though, she tells a darker story. In between Radiohead and Jeff Buckley, she talks of troubled mental health that she has worked ferociously hard to improve. She has been in therapy for more than 30 years.

Anderson tells me she has been teetotal since her early twenties and despite some mild probing on my part is reluctant to elaborate on exactly why. I understand. She has soon-to-be teenage children who don’t need to know about any of the “dangerous things” she has done, as she described them to Sue Lawley.

I’m fascinated by Anderson and can see why she was the perfect person to cast as the quirky, funny therapist Jean in Sex Education, which really hits its stride in the second series. While still a comedy at heart, the subject matter tackled by its fantastic young cast is revelatory. Sex Education is one of the first productions to hire an intimacy director to make the young actors feel comfortable and process what they were doing, often naked in front of multiple cameras, to be happy and authentic about what they did and feel they had input.

Anal sex, drugs, masturbation, STDs and nudity feature graphically in this show, which I would advise all parents and teens to watch, though not at the same time — only Jean would do that. When I interview Anderson I have yet to see the finale, but Jean’s journey is that of many women in the middle of their lives after divorce with teenage children.

“There’s a grief, isn’t there?” Anderson says as we discuss the menopause. “I haven’t quite got to the place where I don’t have my eggs, but your body is going to mourn that, isn’t it? I remember the very last time I breastfed and it was heartbreaking. I wept and wept through it.

“And I know people who describe particularly difficult periods at home without realising they are describing their mothers going through the menopause.

“We’re all at the point where we’re kicking off just as our teenage children are kicking off. I was looking at some home videos of Piper when she was three and wondering where all my patience came from in my twenties. I have forgotten that version of me.”

She says she doesn’t feel quite ready for her two boys to become teenagers, but sometimes Jean slips into their conversations at home.

“I find myself saying something embarrassing at the dinner table and I don’t know if it is me or if Jean has given me the licence to say that. Maybe I have always been that way, though. Some of what she shares is too much information. I wouldn’t share it, even with my eldest in her twenties. But my son came home after having a sex education class and I completely clammed up. I couldn’t bring myself to continue the conversation. I just let it die. I really don’t know why.”

Over the years Anderson has tried to schedule her roles to fit in with her children, but like many of us who have devoted much of our time to careers, she still lives with nagging doubts about doing the right thing.

How did you deal with a small child while filming back-to-back episodes of The X-Files for 16 hours a day, I ask, especially when you decided to go it alone as a mum. “I missed her, really so much. Those moments when you see a small child in the street when you are apart from yours and the conversation just drops, it’s hard. She was on a plane a lot when she was six and we moved production to the West Coast. I justified that, I mean it was selfish on my part. I just could not imagine being away from her for long periods of time.

“I became obsessed with schedules, and I still am because of that time. I would plan and colour-code everything, make a series of propositions about schedules so I could see her, and the show would either reject or accept them.

“With the boys the longest I have been away from them was during the two X-Files movies, but again I would be travelling constantly to see them.”

I ask her if she regrets working so hard. “Not yet,” she says. “I have a feeling that will come. I definitely feel like on a level I do regret Piper flying back [to her dad, when she was six] as an unaccompanied minor.” We sit in silence for a bit, mulling over the thought.

“But there’s another version of my life where I could have worked less, had a smaller life and been more present as a parent. I could have chosen that, that could happen. But sometimes it feels like why would you, if you keep getting work as an actor, doing things you dreamt of doing and being offered incredible roles at this age, while paying the bills, and you still get to see them a huge percentage of the time and they witness a mother enjoying her work?”

She has talked to her daughter about it, but says Piper is not yet at the place where the lightbulb goes on and she realises Mum was still up at 6am the days she faced 16 hours of work to be with her, or those days we all have when we are still on the edge of the sports pitch, despite the demands of a job.

But Anderson is an all-or-nothing personality. She tells me she is either on a healthy eating plan, meditating and working out or hiding like a hermit at home eating chocolate. She has been plagued by frozen shoulders all her life, leading to months of pain-filled insomnia and cortisone injections.

“My default position is sedentary,” she tells me when I ask about her meditating and yoga right now. “I like being in bed in my PJs. When I’m working, like right now, I seem to exist mostly on chocolate. Then I go through a stage when I feel dreadful and I review it all and start a food plan, torture myself counting shots of milk and all that.

“In the cycle of all or nothing, I am in the nothing phase right now. It has gone on for quite some time, but I think I am better to be around. I was having lunch with my daughter and we were just, you know, eating, not asking for stuff without oils or sugar, and she said, ‘It’s so much better when you are not in that place.’ ”

I’ve enjoyed my hour with Anderson; she is likeable and thoughtful. I sort of hope we’ll meet again one day. It’s unlikely she’ll read the interview; she has said before that she rarely does. So what do I think as I walk away from her? I’m impressed by her curious nature and, obviously, her sense of style, a blueprint for us all at this stage of life, but mostly I’m inspired by her strong sense of self. It has obviously taken quite a bit of work for her to get there, but from what I can see, it has been worth it.

@GillianA

Sex Education series 2 is available on Netflix from Friday

Hair: James Rowe at Bryant Artists. Make-up: Mary Greenwell at Premier Hair and Make-up. Nails: Saffron Goddard at Saint Luke using Sisley Hand Care

#gillian anderson #sunday times #interview

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surveys-at-your-service · 3 years ago

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Survey #383

“the big bully try to stick his finger in my chest / try to tell me, tell me he’s the best / i don’t really give a good goddamn ‘cuz i got my lunchbox & i’m armed real well”

Ever had a friend online for a long time without seeing a photo of them? Well yeah. Most of my friends are online, and while I've seen pictures of most at least once or twice, some I still haven't. The last time you threw up, what caused it? It was a side effect of a mood stabilizer I started. Any foods from other countries you would like to try but haven’t yet? I'm sure there's something, idk. Do you think the world would be more peaceful without any religion? Yes. Have you ever had a stalker? No. Does it hurt your feelings when people talk shit about things you love? It makes me self-conscious way more than anything. I start to obsess over whether or not the person things poorly or weirdly of me for liking what I like. I just feel judged for liking it, but that's my problem. Do you like it when people give you nicknames? I do, actually. It feels kinda affectionate to me. Do you often find yourself checking out people’s butts? Haha I'm not gonna say it's never happened, but it's not something I make a habit out of for sure. What fandoms are you in? MEERKAT MANOR IS BACK BAYBEEEE, Markiplier, Silent Hill, Shadow of the Colossus, World of Warcraft, Spyro, Wings of Fire, and lots more, honestly. I'm into a lot of stuff, and I don't love in moderation, haha. Are there any fandoms you used to be in, but left? Yeah, like Supernatural, Good Mythical Morning, or Warriors, but it wasn't out of "I don't like it anymore" or anything, I just drifted away. Anything the fans in your fandoms do that pisses you off? World of Warcraft if particular has one of the most toxic fucking fanbases. There are so many goddamn elitists and people who whine about "boohoo WoW is dying" and "omg this game has been trash since Wrath" and yada yada yada and it's annoying as hell. They always find some shit to complain about. Then Silent Hill... ugh. I think people just hop onto the "the series sux after 1-4" bandwagon to fit in with a certain crowd, but that's not the main thing that annoys me; rather, it's the fact the former main admin of the SH wiki made a fucking joke out of us there. He was clearly having personal issues and made a HUGE and utterly ridiculous deal of Silent Hill 4 having heavy symbolism to the main character being obsessed with the bullshit idea of him being circumcised, and it led to a maaaassive thread of us members trying to talk some damn sense into him as he abused his power. He was finally banned by the Wikia staff, but not in time for some gaming websites to publish "news" stories about it because it was just that ludicrous. Now, YEARS later, we still get trolls coming onto the site to try and revive the drama by inserting absolute rubbish into pages or making new ones. Nowadays I'm the main administrator there, and it's fucking embarrassing sometimes. I'm supposed to keep the wiki under control and respected, you know? Ugh, I'll stop. I could rant for a very long time about this. Do you prefer ruffly or regular potato chips? Ruffly. Do you write down your own recipes, or just commit them to memory? I don’t cook. What color do you want to dye your hair? My top three are pastel pink, lilac, and a light creamsicle orange. I REALLY want to dye it SOMETHING. :( How do you like your chicken? Of course breaded (like nuggets, tenders) is my favorite, but I also enjoy is broiled and seasoned well. There's other ways, but because I don't cook, I, uh... don't know how a lot are made lmao. Do you enjoy cheese fries? UUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHH YES. Do you eat refried beans? I absolutely hate beans, so no. What is a food you enjoy, but don’t have very often? A whole lot because a lot of it is from restaurants and we don't eat out all that much. As well, my diet is very narrow just because of how picky I am. Marilyn Monroe or Audrey Hepburn? Why? I mean, what are we comparing them for? I think Audrey is fucking gorgeous, though. Marilyn is also beautiful. Favorite fictional world? Uh, I dunno. Do you use lint rollers often? No. Do you carry pepper spray? No, but I want to. Has your power ever gone out for more than a day? I think so. Other than a dislike button, what’s something you wish Facebook had? Hm, I dunno. What time do your parents normally get home from work? Mom can't work right now, but I think Dad gets off around 5PM. Are you afraid to ask people out on dates? Yep. Do you think it’s better to look for love or let it find you? Both can work, but I definitely prefer to let it find me. I feel that *in general* that usually has better results. Have you ever found yourself worrying about commitment? No. I'm a very committed person romantically. Would you get involved with someone if they had a child already? No. Have you ever had a rash from poison ivy? I don't believe so, no. Do you have any chairs in your bedroom? No. Did you watch Elmo as a child? Some, yeah. Do you know anyone who doesn’t eat meat? I don't think so, off the top of my head. When you throw up, do you cry? No, but I'm a whiner and will also shake from fear because I have such a phobia of vomiting. Doing it totally turns me into a baby. Who was the last person to carry you? I couldn't tell you the last person to full-on carry me, but back when I tore a ligament in my foot, my mom kinda had me lifted when she would help me walk. Is it easy for you to accept loss? Absolutely not. I handle it very, very poorly. Have you done anything sneaky lately? No. Have you ever had a rolling back pack? Yes. Who knows you better than anyone else? My mom, probably. Would you ever want to go to Brazil? Sure, if the opportunity came up. Are there any medical conditions that run in your family? A lot, mostly heart problems. What band has the best guitar solos? Metallica imo. Who is the biggest jerk you've ever met? She was somehow my former best friend. Have you ever swerved off the road to avoid hitting an animal? I've never been in that situation, thankfully. What's a charity you would never donate to? I'm really not familiar enough with charities and their practices to know which ones are sketch or not. Have you ever grown your own herbs? No. Do you have any exes you'd consider dating again? Yes. What were some of your favorite classes you took in high school? Art and German. Mythology was fun, too. Do you know anyone with a profession in law? Yeah, I have a cousin that's a lawyer. Have you ever Googled yourself? Yeah, outta curiosity. What's the shortest amount of time you've had between relationships? Like, two days. Part of the reason I left Girt was because I liked Sara. As a child, what comfort foods did your parents make for you when you were sick with a cold or flu? Chicken noodle soup. What's a movie series where the sequel was better than the original? Ha, for some reason Inspector Gadget came to mind. I guess from mentioning my childhood. I was FUCKING OBSESSED with that movie as a kid. The first one's fine, but I love the second one. Does your car have heated seats? Mom's doesn't. What is the strangest pizza topping you've ever eaten? Nothing strange, really. Describe your hometown. What’s it like there? Small and dangerous. Lots of run-down areas. A gang nearly broke into our house once, if that helps you get the picture. What was the last video game you beat? I replayed Silent Hill 2 forever ago. What did you learn from your last failed relationship? It really just taught me that you need to take care of your own mental health before you can effectively handle another's properly and strike a healthy balance. What country does your favorite band hail from? Britain. What’s something on your to-do list that never actually gets done? Finish decorating my room. -_- Have you ever been really passionate about something but then lost interest? If so, what was it? Good Mythical Morning, I suppose. I used to be OB-SESSED. I still adore Rhett and Link as people, they are fucking wonderful human beings and excellent entertainers, I just drifted away from their content. I don't really know why. Do you sleep with the TV or the radio on? No. What’s the worst thing about being male/female (whichever you are)? Menstrual cycles, I'd say. It affects your mood so much, and as someone who's bipolar, it can be very confusing. I like to know why I'm feeling a certain way. What movie has the best special effects? /shrug How many work hours per week is too much for you? I wouldn't know, I've never really worked long enough to figure this out. Can you remember your first day of school? I think I have the faintest memory of it. I know I was very scared to leave my mom (I had absolutely awful separation anxiety from her) and I MIGHT have cried, but I don't really recall with certainty. Have you ever entered a modelling competition? Would you? No thanks. Did you keep any drawings/stories from when you were younger? Most, no, because the level of cringe is LITERALLY unbearable for me. Do you have a safe? Mom does somewhere. What’s the scariest thing to happen to you so far? The breakup. That night was just fucking terrifying. I was so certain my life was over, like the situation was so, so impossible in my head. What was your last dream about? (or your daydream if you don’t remember) My memory's faint, but I just remember I had a nightmare where a LOT of my bones were totally snapped in half. When was the last time you saw a relative? Excluding my immediate family, I last saw my now-departed grandmother and my uncle a while back at a hotel as they were passing through. Have you ever been in a TV audience? No. Are you in any way close to reaching a personal goal? Not really... Do you prefer crosswords or word searches? Word searches. Do you like making collages? Not really. Do you remember any inside jokes from childhood? No. What would you love to learn to do? Digital art, like drawing on a tablet. Do you prefer monkeys or lemurs? Lemurs. Do you watch movies based on the actors or the movie plot? The plot, 100%. Are you more shy in real life or on the internet? I am WAY more shy irl.

#survey #surveys #questions #lyrics: ''lunchbox'' by marilyn manson

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didanawisgi · 3 years ago

Link

Opinion: Mandated Vaccinations — Who is responsible for their risks?

by Heidi Wetzler

Clark County Today Administrator Heidi Wetzler shares her thoughts on the repercussions of COVID-19 vaccine mandates

“If I am mandated to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in order to keep my job, and subsequently experience an adverse event, who is responsible? Who is responsible if I have neurological complications, a heart attack, or a stroke and am never able to work again. Who is responsible if I die?

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’ve read that neither the vaccine companies, the government entities imposing the mandates, nor the employers themselves will be held responsible in any way if the worst happens. In fact, from what I’ve seen and read so far, it will take a Herculean effort to prove that my adverse reaction was caused by the vaccine. Correlation does not equal causation, they say. But when you are counted as a COVID-19 death, correlation ALWAYS equals causation.

Recently there was a lawsuit filed against the federal government accusing the government of covering up the fact that 45,000 people have died within the first three days of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. There are over 13,000 deaths reported to VAERS (vaccine adverse event reporting system) on the CDC website. This number is widely believed to include only 1-10 percent of the actual deaths that have occurred. And then there are hundreds of thousands of transient to severe reactions reported to VAERS. That being said, I can easily find article after article debunking the accuracy of these statistics. Anyone can report anything in the VAERS system, they say, so obviously it is not going to be perfect. But it is the ONLY avenue people have to account for their experiences. A line item on a discounted reporting system is the ONLY recourse one has when they believe they’ve lost their loved one to this “safe and effective” vaccine.

If the validity of every single one of these adverse events is going to be questioned, then can someone please direct me to the “verified” information? Where can I find the non-refuted deaths, heart attacks, blood clots, and neurological problems that HAVE been associated with the vaccine? You can’t expect the general public to believe there are zero. So where is the data? In my mind, for each doctor, government official, and layperson to claim that these vaccines are safe, the risk of death needs to be zero. The risk of an adverse event needs to be zero. If that is not the truth, then the truth needs to be spelled out in black and white. Where is it? Informed consent. Where is it?

I’ve heard the following argument for getting the vaccination a nauseating amount of times. The argument is that the deaths and risks from the vaccine pale in comparison to the deaths from COVID-19. If you knew ahead of time that you or your child were going to die from this vaccine would your heart be comforted by the fact that “so many more people died from the virus?” This debate is illogical on a personal level. This is a decision that should be based on each and every one of our own personal risk and benefit analyses. Speaking of children, in the 2017-2018 flu season 643 children died. To date, 332 children have died from COVID-19. Mass vaccinating children with an experimental product, who are at little-to-no risk of harm from this virus, is in my opinion, grossly negligent.

There is now compelling evidence that the vaccinated spread the virus with the same viral load as the unvaccinated. So what the heck does it matter if I get the vaccine or not, if it is not protecting the people around me at all. The argument that the vaccinated are protecting the unvaccinated is moot. Why are the same ineffective vaccines still being pushed? And now there is talk of boosters. Government contracts perhaps.

Another argument is that the unvaccinated are getting sick more often and taking up hospital bed space. I’ve heard the opposite as well. The truth is elusive. To this I say, 78 percent of those who have been hospitalized with COVID-19 are overweight or obese. As many as 95 percent of those who die are obese. So before we blame the unvaccinated for hogging up all of the hospital bed space, let’s first blame the obese. But that’s not appropriate to mention. It’s much more acceptable to call those that are concerned about the side effects of the vaccine, selfish and deserving of death. Additionally, 80 percent of those that get COVID-19 have low Vitamin D levels in their body. How about we focus on this metric and see if we can drastically reduce the number of those that are becoming ill? But there’s no money to be made on Vitamin D.

I have watched countless videos, and read many more stories from health care professionals as well as individuals who believe these vaccines are causing grave harm. And this is only in the first year. Many more virologists, doctors and scientists purport that the majority of the deaths are still to come due to clotting, antibody dependent enhancement and a general weakening of the immune system. And the coming boosters will increase these risks. This information continues to be censored and suppressed. I’ve written in this space before about the global suppression of early treatment options and how 85 percent of those who have died from COVID-19, died needlessly without the aid of effective early treatment.

And why in the world are we not talking about natural immunity? Testing for natural immunity? Accepting it as an alternative to the vaccine? Natural immunity is robust and durable. They say “we don’t know how long it lasts.” Well then I hope they are testing vigorously to find out. We already know the vaccine is failing before natural immunity. Conservatively, 100 million Americans have been exposed to this virus and are therefore immune. Those who had SARS-CoV-1 in 2002-2003 were still immune 17 years later, and those who survived the influenza pandemic of 1918 were still immune to the H1N1 outbreak in 2009-2010 a stunning 92 years later. Why is this conversation non existent? Especially when we are at a crossroads between those who are willing to get the vaccine and those who aren’t. My family has already had the virus and under normal circumstances, the medical community would agree that we are now most likely immune. For some reason natural immunity through infection is all of a sudden questioned.

You aren’t being forced to get the vaccine, they say. You just can’t have a job they say. Well if that’s not medical coercion, then please tell me what is. Most people need to make money to eat.

Lastly, there is the issue of variants. Variants of viruses with animal reservoirs such as COVID-19 will exist until the end of time. They will never go away. I’ve read that vaccinating during the height of a pandemic causes stronger variants. The virus has not had a chance to weaken, which normally takes 2-3 years. The vaccine is applying non lethal pressure to the virus, which is encouraging the creation of stronger variants. This could help to explain why we have a nation with a fairly high vaccination rate, dealing with a strong variant.

If my choice to not get vaccinated, ends up with me dying from COVID-19, then that has been my choice. That should remain my choice. No one needs to protect me from myself. In all honesty, I am terrified of the vaccine. Just as many are terrified of COVID-19. We need to demand the adverse event statistics they are gathering and refusing to release. This is a continuing trial period, so you know they are tracking everything and have copious data. People are hesitant because calling it completely safe is irresponsible and untrue. The suppression of known risks is nothing less than malfeasance from our government and medical professionals. We won’t know the gravity of this experiment for 10 years or more.

As long as 480,000 Americans die from tobacco-related illnesses each year, and we still have tobacco products on the store shelves, you will never convince me that the government cares about my health. Which is fine by me. That’s freedom. This is about power and control that they never want to relinquish and it will take every single one of our voices to overcome that.”

#covid-19 #covid-19 vaccine

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aryn-writes · 4 years ago

Text

And we are back to over sharing to deal with my mental health

TW: Caps, Eating Disorders, Self-Harm, Depression, Anxiety

Venting Post!

I am so tired. And before you ask, yes I sleep over six hours every night. When I can, I sleep over 12. So my sleeping is not the issue.

The issue is that I have no fucking clue how to exist anymore.

I was initially trying to remain as the person that I was. They were a happyish ray of sunshine that was so good at helping people. And they did! People came to them daily to vent, get advice, or just letting them know that they are doing better. And I wasn’t doing great mentally then, but I was making improvements!

It has been over a year since we went into lockdown.

And you know, there have been good things that came out of the isolation.

I know I am nonbinary! And I was getting closer to dressing how I want!

But I am exhausted.

While I am at a healthy weight now, I have been slipping in and out of my ED habits. My family has also been continuously shitting on me for gaining weight. (if you’re curious, I am 5’4” [~162 cm] at 135 lbs [~61 kg]. I used to be at 100 lbs [45 kg]. And I would continuously dip back in double digits.) So, I have a fear that I’m going tot get bad again and that is just not something that I can handle at the moment.

I also can’t socialize, because holy fuck that shit is terrifying.

Like there are times when I can’t even talk to my family.

My closest friends? One of them messages me daily to make sure I’ve eaten at least one thing (which I agree, very kind, but I will explain why I don’t like it in a bit.) The other I haven’t talked to in months and it is so awkward when we try to talk. All the other people I used to consider close haven’t talked to me in a year, even after I would attempt to reach out to them.

I know that it is partially my fault; I am horrible at messaging and keeping conversations going is one of my weaker points, even in person. Along with that, I have been having depressive episodes more often that I care to keep track of, and I push people away and isolate myself during those times. So I get that it might be difficult to talk to me.

But there are people who I will reach out to, and they read the message and just don’t respond.

Like... I will literally say “hey! It’s been a while, how have you been?” (No response)

A week goes by

“I’m just checking in to make sure you’re doing alright” (left on read)

Another week

“Me and this person wanted to plan a small hang out online! She found this really cool website that we can play games, and we can use discord to chat. Wanna join?” (No response)

And it goes on.

For over seven months.

So if you have an active imagination and are prone to overthinking, you can imagine that my thoughts are “well shit. They just don’t like me and were only friendly bc i was dating him.” (Him being my ex boyfriend; we broke up a month into the quarantine.)

And so that kinda fucked with my anxiety even more.

I don’t blame them for not talking to me. The logical part of me understands that sometimes you just don’t respond, or maybe you forget or just don’t want to. I get that. But the part of me that has been overwhelming is pretty much like, everyone hates you and you’re a burden.

And it’s really hard to open up to the people you are close to when you feel this way.

So we come back to the close friend who checks that I’ve eaten.

He is wonderful, do not get me wrong. We became acquaintances around September 2019, and friends a few months after. At this time, I was dating my ex, who was an acquaintance to the close friend. (We are going to call the close friend Edward from here on out.)

At that time, I was struggling with my body image and my eating disorder. (Every year I go through a relapse and recovery, it fucking sucks and sometimes the relapse take over almost the whole year, but not the point right now.) One of his first memories of me is me having a panic attack because I ate a sandwich.

So during this pandemic, Edward has been messaging me to make sure I’m eating, because he doesn’t want me to get really bad again. Which is nice!

Except he doesn’t really understand mental illness.

He has been trying! Do not get me wrong, he does try. But his way of going about talking to me during a depressive episode is “Just don’t let it get to you” And “Be happy” and my favorite, “I don’t get why it’s so bad.”

😃🤡

Along with that, he gets incredibly upset when I don’t respond to his messages within like thirty minutes.

Keep in mind, I have been going through many, many depressive episodes and am constantly struggling to get out of bed and keep up with my school work. I have told him this. I have told him that sometimes I just cannot handle checking my messages and participating in conversation.

And a side note, I am in my last year of high school. Which mean I have online learning and in a few months I will be graduating. Which means I have a few classes I need to pass in order to graduate. If you keep up with most high schoolers, we have been getting an absurd amount of work with due dates every fucking day. That plus depression does not go well, and so I am very tired all the time, but since we have actual lectures instead of recordings, I keep my camera on for every single class because the teacher’s get sad if we don’t. And yes, there are classes where it is just me and the teacher with our cameras on. And yes I constantly disassociate during class and stop focusing because I forget to.

So yeah, it is fucking hard to just keep up with that, and socializing isn’t really something my brain sees as important because of the constant negative energy I receive when I do try to talk to people. So I have told him that as of late, it is just difficult to do much besides school, and things that produce any sort of serotonin or dopamine.

And he got upset that talking to him wasn’t making me happy!

Which, it does! Because he is a great friend! But he is so rude about the things involving my mental illnesses! And acts like he understands it better because he is in a psychology class! So in this state, I do not feel as comfortable talking to him since he only wants the ‘happy’ version of me that struggles to eat so that he can ‘fix’ my eating disorder and be able to feel like he did something!

But I continue to try to talk to him, because he is an only child and I am one of his only actual friends. (I really wish I was kidding, but when we became close, he told me that I was the first person to ever actually care about how he’s feeling and how he is actually doing rather than just taking advantage of his presence. He almost cried when I said that I appreciated his existence.)

And I do care about him. Edward is definitely a close friend, and I appreciate that he tries. But lately, he only does it for the validation of knowing he did something good, and it feels like he is just tired of having me around since I can’t bring myself to speak much.

So I have been trying to push myself to be a good friend to him. And I am doing what I can to pretend that I am getting better so that he can be happier. Which is just tiring me out even more.

I feel empty most of the time now, and I am so easily put over the edge. I can hide it pretty well, but it has been getting to the point where I am contemplating self harm again just to feel something.

I don’t remember how to properly do things. I am really just trying to get through every day. But it feels like I am headed straight for doom and I am so tired of it and I just want to leave!

Which in a few months, technically I will. I hope to go out of state for college (to get as far as I possibly can from all of this shit) but as I apply to more scholarships, I want to scream and cry because I have no clue how I am going to pay for college because my parents make too much money and my mother spends it all on herself so I am stressed out. I didn’t do enough extracurriculars, and I have been rejected from so many scholarships that it’ s starting to look like I might need to stay here, and I can’t do that. I just can’t.

So I have been crying and trying to escape from this shit, and I feel like at some point I might just constantly think that nothing is real and none of this shit matters, because that is on my mind more and more.

But hey! I have been reading, writing, gaming, watching anime and drawing to cope so that shit exists (even though it’s all shit so I won’t post it) and I’m making improvements with that so that is something?

I don’t fucking know lol.

I am just tired, and this was a rant. I don’t fucking care. Hope you have a good day!

#reality is often disappointing #and i am exhausted #life seems fake #depressive episodes suck #i literally can’t talk because of #anxiety #pretty sure everyone hates me #do i need tight hugs #therapy #or music #anyways #fictional characters #are the only thing really motivating me #tamaki and haruhi would not stand this #jumin and saeran would be making me get help and making sure that I wasn’t this stressed out #and there’s more but you get the gist #imma take a nap #emotional vent #depression

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fuck-customers · 5 years ago

Text

Racist Consumers are TRASH

To start off, on paper in a round about way, I work for the Department of Health helping people sign up for insurance with the ACA in my state. Been doing this for three years and I never had a call where I could honestly call the caller a nightmare; any issues are usually easy to fix within a few minutes.

I've de-escalated suicide calls, fixed problems that had been unresolved for years (if I can find the employee ID number of the Agent[s] that decided to fuck around and not do their research, they get written up. This is people's health insurance, you don't fuck around with it), I escalate website issues that an agent can't fix- I know the system like the back of my hand and I will always do my best to make sure there's a resolution one way or another.

Until today. Until Nicole, we'll call her. Nicole the absolute fucking nightmare. Freddy Krueger would be scared of this woman.

I just had the worst call I've ever taken in the 3 years I've worked for DOH.

Nicole starts off asking for my last name, which I can't give, but I give her my employee ID. She tells me to notate the account that it is "highly suspect" that I can't give her my last name but I see her social security number and shit like that.

Yes, I see it. It's for identity proofing, you entitled cow. 😒

Anyway, I just keep my Customer Service Voice™ going and ask how I can help her. She says she wants a female Doctor in her county that

Was trained in the US, which we have no way to even find that info

Was in one of three very, very, VERY exclusive hospitals in the county she is in... Like they only take one kind of insurance and that insurance starts at $400/month with a $4000 yearly deductible MINIMUM

I told her I can either search by doctor or facility, I sadly can't do both, but I'll do my best to help!

She says, "Ugh, fine! Search by doctor!" and doesn't give me anything else to go on. No specialty, no names, just... female, in her county and those three hospitals...

So I can only use female and county at this point 😣

There are one thousand one hundred sixty two pages of results... With ten doctors on each page...

I ask if I can put her on hold so I can compile a list for her -

"No! I don't want to hear the Muzak on loop or get hung up on!"

"oh, I could put you on a silent hold then, if you'd like. I'll still be able to hear you, but you wouldn't be able to hear me-"

"No! I always get hung up on when they do that. Why are you pushing this?"

"I just don't want you to be dealing with silence while I go through all 1,162 pages of results, ma'am."

"Sure. Get on with it."

Okay... Rude. Anyway-

So I start reading off doctors cuz the first one is in her preferred hospital, last name was Assad or something similar, and she SCREAMS "I TOLD YOU I DONT WANT TO GO TO ANY DOCTORS THAT TRAINED IN A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY!"

I've dealt with some racist shit (a child literally named Nazi that I had to report to Security so they could contact CPS, per supervisor directive), but WOW!

I keep going down the list, trying to avoid any name that isn't as generic as John Smith or Jane Doe, but then she says they need to have gone to school on the East Coast.

Again... WE DONT HAVE THAT INFO!

I keep trying when she bitches about the silence between giving her names (bet that Muzak is looking good right about now, ain't it, bitch?), but ANY DOCTOR THATS NAME DIDNT START WITH SOME GENERIC WHITE NAME SHE IMMEDIATELY "KNEW" THEY TRAINED IN A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY

Eventually, Nicole abandons that train of thought and turns to changing her health plan.

Except she can't just change it yet. She needs to call back on 11/16 to do that. If she wants to do it now, we have to rerun the app and choose 2020 as the start date.

"So you're telling me I can't just click a button and be re-enrolled if nothing's changed? That's how it worked in Connecticut!"

ThAtS hOw It WoRkEd In CoNnEcTicUt! You're in New York now! NOT FUCKING CONNECTICUT!

It's been 45 minutes of Nicole and her racist, bass ackwards mouth and I'm getting so tired and I'm about two more statements from saying something that would get my ass fired immediately.

Nicole decides to tell me that, after explaining we could've seen the plans that are available to her with an early renewal about 4 times over by now cuz they only take 10 mins but I can get them done in less ESPECIALLY IF NOTHING HAS CHANGED, she will go online and rerun her app herself because I'm so fucking useless.

🙃

Ten mins later, my supervisor comes up to me and tells me she called back and put in a customer service complaint, but since my metrics are so good she's gonna listen to it with our manager cuz she knows Nicole is full of shit

🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃

This call ended an hour and a half ago and I'm still shaking with rage, oh my fucking Gods

#tw #trigger warning #submissions #fuck customers #cashier problems #embarrassing #call center problems #tw racism #racist #submission

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amrita-gsk · 5 years ago

Note

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Today was the last day on the bleach brave souls new year log in and into your face ICHIGO AND HIS BELOVED ORIHIME WAS THE ONE WHO WERE THE LAST ONE AHAAAA IM JUST LAUGHING SO HARD AT YOU GUYS THIS GAME IS SO CANON AND TRUE AND EVEN APPROVE FROM KUBO YOU CAN JUST HAVE YOUR POOR ICHIRUKI STUFF WHILE WE ALL HAVE THE REAL DEAL

I had been laying low since the end of January due to health issues so I hadn't really checked all my notifications and I didn't see this until today. Also, what's up with the double message? I have this ask twice. Lol.

Well anon, I did add something to a post of mine regarding the BBS content and the New Year's celebration greetings, so I'm guessing you just didn't check before sending this comment, so I'm just going to link you to this post since I don't think I need to add anything else.

Or do I need to repeat myself about how pathetic it is for you to keep looking for validation from a game that unfortunately, still showcases IchiRuki as their power pair?

But you know what? Forget about me saying I wouldn't add anything else because you went there and said that "KUBO APPROVES THIS GAME" and since I've never heard or read him directly talking about BBS, I'll just assume that to you this...

...means that he agrees and is pleased with the content of the game. In which case I feel the need to remind you or inform you, since you guys always seem to be behind on all info about this other game:

If you care enough to check you'll find that this is a collab between a chinese game studio and guess who else? That's right fella, KLAB. If you need proof of this you can check out Klab's website and furthermore, visit the game's main page where you'll find this:

Is that Klab's name I see there?

And right at the bottom of the website, this:

Le gasp! Does this mean Kubo also acknowledges this game?!?!?!?!

And I know anon, you might be wondering why this other game is suddenly relevant... Well, you see, last month they released an ad for their game that you can actually watch on their Facebook page or since I'm so kind, I'll save you the effort to click on it and you can watch it here:

youtube

Special thanks to @ichiruki for the video link.

OH MY GOD, WHAT IS GOING ON?!?!? AND HOW COME ALMIGHTY KLAB IS INVOLVED??!?!?!111!!1 DOES KUBO KNOW ABOUT THIS?!?!?!?

Aaaaaand the answer is, they just did an ad that looks more like a dating sim where Ichigo chooses to run away under the rain hand by hand with Rukia. Isn't it beautiful? Also yes, Klab is involved and if we, like you, assume Kubo is overly interested on what goes on inside some game with his name on it, then yes, he knows.

So by following your logic... OMFG, KUBO APPROVED OF A SUPER MISLEADING VIDEO WHERE ICHIGO AND RUKIA SEEM TO BE ELOPING TOGETHER, IT'S OBVIOUSLY CANON!!!!!11!!!

Now you see how ridiculous you all sound? I mean, we had a festival over that ad, we couldn't actually believe it was from something holding all the rights to the Ble/ach franchise at first, but color me surprised, it was official after all. But we don't let it get over our heads, because we understand how marketing and sales work. And hey, IchiRuki does sell, else we wouldn't have Klab giving them the last greeting of the year together or that absurdly romantic ad, or all the merchandise Japan has with them together.

So please do yourself a favor and stop doing this to yourself, it's progressively becoming too embarrassing to look at.

#amrita answers #bbs #joke's on you #AGAIN #also wtf I received this days after the New Year's celebration ended #didn't you login for the last day???#lmao #I decided to combo at the end #because why the eff not #you can laugh all you want that's what clowns do

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hellomynameisbisexual · 5 years ago

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A Letter for Parents from a Parent

Dear Parent,

If you are reading this you are most likely trying to be a good parent in an extremely confusing situation and are probably getting lots of conflicting information. You are doing the right thing and can get through this.

I am not an “expert.” I am a father of five and a private music and martial arts teacher who deals with many kids. I grew up in a family with several bisexual individuals and I’ve dealt with these issues directly and indirectly all of my life.

Take a deep breath. Read slowly. You may need to read a little bit at a time and walk away to think. You may be reading this because you suspect, or have discovered, that your child is bisexual, or because your child or someone else has told you so. (Do not assume anything about your loved one based on someone else.) If your child has spoken to you, be understanding and provide a safe, accepting atmosphere. If your child has not, create an atmosphere in which he or she can do so when ready.

By bisexuality, I simply mean the physical and/or emotional attraction to both males and females. Most people who identify as bisexual consider it an independent sexual orientation, not a subset of other more widely-recognized categories. Don’t think of bisexuality as a little bit gay (homosexual) and a little bit straight (heterosexual) but as its own orientation with its own characteristics. People often ask why anyone would choose to be gay or bi (shorthand for bisexual). Most people do not feel that their sexual orientation is a choice; you probably don’t. Our best course of action is to respect the identity of our family and friends, assuming nothing.

I have no clue how many people experience bisexuality or identify as bisexuals. From what I’ve read experts don’t know either; estimates range from only a few to a whole lot of people. The fact is that scientists define bisexuality in many ways. Until they can agree on a definition, these studies are just good ways to spend grant money.

Some bi people are out and open about their sexuality, but many are in the closet (hiding their sexuality), mainly for fear of familial, spiritual and social rejection. Imagine how hard that must be. A bi person—especially a young one—often feels alone, but as a parent, you can help your child find safe ways to discover that he or she is not.

Some bi folks have an almost balanced attraction to the genders, while others prefer one gender and are only occasionally attracted to the other, or have a shifting preference. Some people shift their sexual identity and may have long periods where they identify as straight, bi, or gay. Other people drop labels altogether.

What you have done as a parent has not made your child bisexual, but what you do as a parent can contribute to how comfortable and healthy your child is. There isn’t a cure since it isn’t a disorder, but some people will assure you that it can be cured or is just a phase. That phase thing is confusing, because some people have felt some bisexual tendencies and then gone on to assume a completely homo- or heterosexual identity. This doesn’t mean that everyone who experiences bisexual feelings will. It only means some people experience bisexual feelings that they may or may never act on and identify as gay or straight. Other people live a perfectly happy life identifying as bisexual with feelings that they may or may never act on. Many bisexual men and women have happy monogamous relationships, while some bi people prefer more alternative relationship styles. There are no rules in this area, so I can’t tell you what to expect.

You may have some phases of your own. People finding out that their child is bisexual have been known to experience anger, disbelief, denial, grief – and pretty much every other unpleasant emotion – and some pleasant ones. I can’t tell you what you are feeling, will feel, or should feel. If at any time you or your child are uncomfortable with what you feel, talk to a friend or a professional. There are also support groups.

It may help a lot to talk to your child, who will know more about their feelings than all of the websites, books, and experts out there. You could even help each other through your mutual concerns. If you don’t know how your child feels, tell them so and ask. You may want to consider sharing with your child any bisexual feelings or experiences that you may have had.

As far as letting others—even another parent—know, your child should decide who will know and when, even if it puts you in an awkward situation. Ultimately each person must decide how out he or she wants to be and as loved ones we should respect that. Some people are out in a very “we’re here, we’re queer” way (queer has been adopted by many people with non-mainstream sexual or gender identities) and wear the t-shirt, while others are less expressive.

Sexuality differences also make for social safety issues. Like it or not, kids experiment, so you might consider ensuring that your child has a safe place to bring a date even if you have to stretch your own comfort level. Nobody wants a late night call from an angry parent who just found your child making out with theirs. Trust me: It is far worse when the children are the same sex and this was the first inkling that the other parent had. When straight kids are caught making out in the back seat of a car or in an empty gym, cops, teachers and security guards handle it with one approach; but when those kids are of the same sex, hurtful things are often said or done—sometimes even dangerous things. An ounce of prevention can save a lot of embarrassment and harm.

The scariest thing for me is the suicide rate among gay and bisexual young people. I watched one of my children die at birth and I will do anything to never see that happen again. If that means that I have to get over any of my own issues I will, and I have. Suicide is preventable. Be there for your kid even if you are confused. Don’t be silent because you are afraid that you might say the wrong thing. Bisexuals, especially young bisexual men from the age of fifteen to twenty-five years of age, take their own lives at an alarming rate. Don’t let it happen in your family.

As you look around, you may notice that bisexuality is not very visible in our culture. Given how many experience bisexuality or bisexual feelings at some time, you would expect more. But as a culture, we tend to think in terms of a hetero- and homosexual duality; bisexuality just doesn’t come up and isn’t considered in legal, educational, social and health areas. Some groups have also had specific political agendas to exclude bisexuals and have made an effort to institutionalize biphobia (fear of bisexuals) within our culture. This context has a lot to do with a person’s choice to be out about their bisexuality or to stay in the closet, which makes it rude and even harmful to “out” someone (inappropriately inform others about someone else’s sexual identity).

Another common misconception about bisexuals or any LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi, and transgender) individuals is the issue of promiscuity. Just because your child has a non-straight sexuality or gender identity does not make him or her any more promiscuous than straight kids. And yes, your son or daughter may know his or her sexual orientation and still be a virgin. Your child’s sexual orientation doesn’t matter: You need to talk to him or her about safer sex. If you haven’t, you should be researching that and talking to your child.

You may also be wondering about gender roles and gender identity. Simply put, “Is my son going to start acting like a girl?” “Is my daughter going to start acting like a boy? What should I do?” Do nothing yet, because you may be confused. Gender identity is how a person identifies their own gender and leads to what gender role they fill through behavior. Most bi people maintain their birth gender identity and the accompanying social gender role. People who are shifting their gender identity away from their birth gender and behaving according to the social roles of the non-birth gender are transgender; this is not linked to homo- or bisexuality. A transperson may be bi, gay or straight. But as a good parent, you may want to explain this detail to your child, because he or she might think there is a certain way they’re supposed to act, such as queeny (stereotypical Hollywood character idea of effeminate gay), butch (stereotypical masculine dyke image) or even androgynous (displaying gender role elements from both masculine and feminine social images—the classic rock star stereotype). Your child is allowed to be as feminine or masculine as he or she feels. And those feelings may change with time.

Bisexuality as an identity was identified by name in the 1800s, though we know that it has been around since Sappho and Alexander the Great. In the last few decades it has strengthened socially. There was an unfortunate time when there was tension between bisexuals and the gay and lesbian community. You will run across remnants, but those wounds continue to heal. In recent years, there has been a lot of growth toward community. There are now organizations, such as PFLAG, to help bisexuals and their families.

By reading this you are doing what every parent of every GLBT child should be doing: learning and trying. As long as you are willing to keep learning and trying, you will ultimately get it right. You will make mistakes, but you can fix them. Love your child, not your bisexual child. Love your child who is a person who feels and loves and hates and hurts and dreams and wonders, and who happens to be bisexual.

Sincerely,

Robert L. Barton

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surveys-at-your-service · 3 years ago

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Survey #382

“’cuz if i stand up, i’ll break my bones, and everybody loves to see a fall unfold”

#survey #surveys #questions #lyrics: ''nobody praying for me'' by seether

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surveys-at-your-service · 4 years ago

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Survey #303

“if i can’t be loved, then i’ll be hated”

What color are your glasses, if applicable? Black. Candy corn or conversation hearts? They're both gross, don't make me pick between garbage. Do you own a lot of earrings? Not really after I weeded them out before moving. What did your backpack in high school look like? I dare say I had the dopest backpack of them all. It looked like a massive Ouija board, and the zipper was the planchet (sp?). Have you ever been to a rave? Nah. What is your favorite art medium? I have a particular fondness of oil paintings. They tend to look so smooth, and you can achieve incredible realism with them. How far away is the nearest hospital from you? Not even five minutes, I think. Who was the last person you visited in a hospital? My mom. What is your favorite car color? Pink, duh. How did you learn to type? We actually had a class specifically for typing in middle school. What style of wedding dress do you want? I don't have that set in stone yet, but I really do love ballgown dresses with long trains as well as a-lines with a moderate train. I love a lot, except really for mermaid dresses. Do you fit into any stereotype, or are you non-stereotypical? I don't know if I fit perfectly into any and really don't care. Would you want your first child to have your hair color? ???? I don't care about their hair lol?????? It would depend on the hypothetical father, in which case I'd probably find it cute, but this is so, so unimportant. Do you enjoy writing in cursive? Yeah, it just feels good and flowy to me. What is your favorite hair color? Natural? Probably blonde with natural darker undertones throughout. I like blonde hair because it's far easier to dye, haha. Now, if we're including DYED hair, rose gold or pastel pink is *chefs kiss* What is your favorite eye color? Sapphire blue, probz. Would you put your birthday on a different day if you could? Nah, it's fine where it is. What holiday is your birthday closest to? Valentine's. Do you vent on social media a lot? NOOOOOOOO. I barely post ANYTHING about myself on social media because I feel like I'm being annoying, self-absorbed, find anything I do actually interesting, or don't want people to think I'm a whiner. All I ever really do on social media is share or reblog funny shit, things I love, stuff I find relatable or inspirational, educational, important for whatever reason, etc... Do you have abusive parents? I am very thankful to say no. Is your house haunted? Doesn't seem like it. What's your favorite thing to watch on YouTube? I'm in a real WoW-related phase lately... Watching my favorite streamers, gold farming guides, and other various aspects of the game. What are five health problems that you have? I talk about the mental issues enough, so I guess I'll talk about physical stuff here. Uhhh I have very low blood pressure (it's a med side effect), I have extremely weak legs following muscle atrophy, I have bad tremors, especially in my hands (amplified by medication once again), maybe TMI but we're adults here and it's a legit issue that I have chronic and severe conspitation, aaaand then of course I have hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) to a fucking outrageous and also humiliating degree. Ooooonce again as a prescription side effect. This answer made meds sound kinda bad, I know, but really, I'd rather have the will to live and just have to deal with these than want to die everyday and not. Do you have surgery coming up? No, let's keep it that way until I lose enough weight and when I am 110% getting loose skin removal. Which family member(s) do you look the most like? My sisters, ig. People say my mom also, but I honestly don't see it. Have you ever cried while watching a YouTube video? Yeah, usually just in let's plays, but it's happened for other reasons. Are you missing a website that just shut down? Nah, none that I know of. NO. FUCKING WAIT. So, when my laptop was fixed, a LOT of shit was wiped from it, and that included all of my goddamn Lightroom editing presets. The site they were from no longer exists, so I had to use a different, pretty sub-par one to install at least a few because it helps me get a start on editing the photograph and leaning towards the "vibe" I want before spending like 15+ minutes tuning it myself. Would you be a barefoot bride? No. Which would you rather name your daughter: Eliana, Echo, Emerald, or Ellery? Ohhh, I like these. I think I prefer "Eliana," but "Echo" is a close second. "Ellery" is nice, but it sounds too much like "celery" to name my kid that lmao. Which would you rather name your son: Maverick, Matthew, or Moses? Ugh, none, honestly. But "Matthew" wins. When was the last time you gave a speech? Like a *legit" speech? Probably not since uhhh... I guess when I argued my disability case at court? Does that even count? Have you ever been in a stampede? Well, never seen this'n in a survey before, so good job, lol. No. If you were a fairy, what color would you like your wings to be? It would depend on what I wore, really. And my hair. But probably light pink. Would you rather name your son Storm, Skylar, Sorin, or Solomon? "Sorin." "Skylar" is SO Southern, and "Solomon" sounds like the creepy kid all his classmates avoid and I ain't putting my kid through that. Did you read a devotional this morning? Not my jam. Would you rather be named Arizona, Alaska, Cali, or Georgia? Hm... "Alaska" is actually kinda cool???? And I'm white as fuck so lol????? I wouldn't mind to nickname of "Ally," anyway. Are you repulsed by ugly reptiles? lololol bro get out Did all your friends know about your first crush or was it a secret? I was definitely secretive and shy about it when I first started getting crushes. Do you ever feel insecure about going out without makeup? I feel insecure either way, so... How many different natural hair colors are there in your immediate family? So, this is a hard question to answer. My mom was born with brown hair, but it darkened to almost black; only her daughter Katie inherited that. By some genetic magic, Dad had blond hair as a kid, but it also turned black. Like... how?????? I was born with dirty blonde hair like him, and mine turned an average brown with age. My immediate sisters have always had brown hair. What is your favorite online game? World of Warcraft is ballin'. Would you ever want to be famous and sign autographs? Ha, the idea of signing autographs is awful... I can't physically write very long without my carpal tunnel flaring up. Do you like your shirt to be loose or tight? LOOSE. Especially as a bigger person, tight shirts are just really uncomfortable. What is your favorite Spanish name? I don't know nearly enough to answer this. Would you rather visit Asia or Europe? I think Asia is, in general, more interesting and prettier as a whole, but I guess I'm drawn to European culture being more like my own and there are specific locations I'm interested in, like Germany or Scotland. So to answer the question, I guess Europe wins. Are there any Asians in your family? I don't believe so. Have you ever had colored braces? Haha yeah, I did that when I had them. Do you take birth control pills? Yes, just for period cramps. Without them, they can be immobilizing for me. If you live in the USA: do you feel free and safe? Ha, no. Well, not *entirely*. Have you ever been sick on your birthday? I was recovering from the stomach virus, if that counts. As in I still got sick the day before and felt iffy on my actual bday. 17th, I think? Is talking about your past painful for you? Yes. Are you a member of any support groups online? I'm a member of The Mighty site, if that counts. When I'm feeling very, very sound of mind and helpful without all the negativity being a detriment to myself, I do like going on there and trying to help or comfort people. Have you ever called a suicide hotline? Yes, and the line was busy, and that's when I decided I was a goner. Do you ever fantasize about revenge? I uhhhhh... sometimes. What's a movie you would recommend to someone who never watches movies? Ohhh, that's hard. I don't really watch movies either, and I'm trying to think of one that essentially anyone would like, so hm. Oh, Coco is absolutely a possibility. That movie touched me so, so deeply and is high on my favorites list. It's impossible to not feel the emotions. Do you want to have grandkids? Hell, I don't want kids. Do you want to be an aunt or uncle? I already am one, and I love being an aunt. Who was your favorite Spice Girl? I don't remember their names or characters in general. Did you make a lot of home videos growing up? I mean *I* didn't, but Mom filmed quite a few. Do you enjoy babysitting? NO. What's an unpopular opinion that you have? Avoiding some political ones, uhhhh. OH. HERE'S ONE. THE SCENE AESTHETIC IS FUCKING CUTE AND NOT CRINGEY AND YOU CAN FIGHT ME ABOUT IT. Are you attracted to the opposite gender, same gender, or both? Both are A+. Was your first crush on someone of the same gender or opposite? Opposite. As a kid, I didn't even fathom the concept that women could date women. What is something you'll never eat again? Why? Brussel sprouts. Fucking disgusting. What is currently happening that is scaring you? Besides the very obvious answer of "Covid," I worry about my mom a lot. She's so weakened after all the chemo and meds and can do literally less than I can without heavily breathing and sweating. I just worry a lot that cancer will return sooner than we hope; I don't want it to EVER come back, but doctors say it is very, very likely at one point or another because she was so very close to Stage 4. What would be your personal hell? Being completely and entirely isolated forever while somewhere hot and humid, lol. And play one of my trigger songs on repeat eternally. What made the "weird kid" at your school weird? There was this poor guy named Alfred that was VERY clearly depressed out of his mind, and I heard him speak maybe once through all of high school, and the entire class couldn't believe it. He always sat way in the back and never smiled. I wonder how he is nowadays. What is a word you personally find offensive? "Retarded" personally offends me the most when misused and spoken as an insult. What instantly puts you to sleep? Now that is HARD to do; I have a ridiculously hard time going to sleep. The easiest way though would probably be me being drained from an emotional breakdown. That is so exhausting that I'm capable of crashing pretty fast and hard. What song is in a language you don't speak, but you love it anyway? I adore Rammstein, so there's plenty. I'll probably say "Donaukinder" is their best. What is something you would like to do if you weren’t judged for doing it? I keep that I RP a complete secret in my "real" life for this reason unless it's like, pried out of me. What's a movie you think everyone should watch? Why that one? Johnny Got His Gun. See how goddamn disgusting war is. What was the most unexpected good thing that's ever happened to you? Ha, realizing I was bisexual after once being homophobic. What is the funniest fact you know? Oh man, I know a lot of random trivia shit, really, so it's hard to say. Maybe that quokkas throw their offspring at predators to distract and escape from them... As awful as that is, c'mon, you gotta admit it's funny and shocking with just how adorable they are. What was your 'mic drop' moment? Oh, I don't know. Possibly when I publicly came out as bi on Facebook and made it abundantly clear that I gave no shits about some homophobic friends and family & I was beyond willing to let anyone's ass go over it. What's the kindest way a stranger has treated you? I remember as a kid at McDonald's, the woman in front of our car paid for our food; apparently seeing a mom, dad, and three kids in a van was enough that she wanted to just be kind and give us a smile. We have no idea who she was, never saw her face or anything, she was just a sweet woman. What is the biggest design flaw of your body? Okay, I'm going to let go of all hatred for my body weight-wise and just think of this as from a strictly natural design perspective, in which case I'd say my toes are too small. What age are you afraid of turning and why? 30, because I'm terrified of getting there and seeing I've possibly gone nowhere. What is the strangest thing you have ever felt? I'm keeping this question in just because I think there could be some interesting answers for others, but I'm witholding my answer because nobody wants or needs to know lmao. What makes someone immediately unlikable? Acting better than others and belittling. Who's a villain you sympathize with and why? D A R K I P L I E R because of his origins and overall purpose and just simply existing. What is something you regret to NOT have done? I have this oddly weird regret of not going like, all-all the way with He Who Shall Not Be Named????? Idk why though????? Considering I loved him way too much and I was a reckless and impulsive person who probably at some point would have wound up accidentally pregs????? What a fuckin trip that woulda been. What movie changed your life for the better? None have really "changed my life." What book you think should be directed as a film? Oh, idk. Most I can think of have been. Of all the decades you've lived in, which one have you liked best? The 2000s, probably. A carefree kid. How are you doing today? I'm exhausted. While out with Mom and my sisters yesterday, we got behind a van whose driver was obviously drunk or high off his goddamn ass, and he was swerving EVERYWHERE, nearly shoving so many cars off the road. Mom called 911 to get in contact with highway patrol to report his dumb fucking ass in. I was having an absolute panic attack and cried quietly like the entire 45 or so minute drive home. I was just so, so upset because this is why I don't fucking drive, and I felt like I'd made my sister (who was driving) mad because she had to firmly tell me I had to calm down (I was hyperventilating and talking to myself to try to calm down) if she was going to focus and keep us safe. She later ensured me she wasn't mad, but I still wasn't the same the entire rest of the day. Anyway, I slept hard last night but had two nightmares, so I'm still really tired today. I'm trying to keep myself really distracted. What's something your relatives don't know about you? A whole lot really, considering beyond my very immediate family, I see almost nobody because they live many states away. What's something your parents did, which you have sworn never to do? Mom would spank us or slap an arm pretty hard if my sisters or I misbehaved or "disrespected" her by "talking back." I'm not having kids, but I would never, ever, ever, put my hands on them in any way that isn't loving. You do not teach children via inflicting fear. I also have this probably overly strong aversion to beer because that's what Dad always drank as an alcoholic. I'll probably never try it, not that I really want to because it smells awful. What's the most annoying thing your pet does? I feel like "annoying" is the wrong word for this, but Roman (my cat) can be incredibly demanding of attention and to lie on me when I'm on the laptop in bed, and sometimes I just want space and be able to clearly see the screen, haha. He will legit meow like a baby and gently swat my arm sometimes if I try to keep him back. Heeee usually gets his way. As for Venus (snek), she does nothing "annoying" either, but rather a bit concerning to a snake mom: she is usually very slow to find and strike her food. I feed her frozen/thawed mice, and she will first slither around her entire cage, tongue flicking and clearly looking for her food, even though I always place it atop the same spot on her hide, and she can have her head RIGHT beside it and still do nothing. She ultimately generally eats (as a ball python though, she's a picky eater and will occasionally reject a meal), but I of course wonder why she's odd about dinnertime... As a champagne, she does have the notorious "spider gene" in her, which can cause neurological issues, but idk if something like this could be related.

#survey #surveys #questions #lyrics: ''rise rebel resist'' by otep

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prorevenge · 6 years ago

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Treat me like garbage for 3+ years and try to deny me my unemployment? We'll see about that.

This is a bit of a long one, so strap in, grab some popcorn, and enjoy. Happened some years ago. If you find any spelling or grammar errors. Keep them and breed them, they make great pets. Tl;dr at the bottom.

So some background; due to some personal reasons, I needed a new start. Years ago, I moved cross country to a state famous for its mountains, colours, and legal drug use. Since I had some family that wanted me to drive some items they'd stored on the eastern coast of the US to the state. I agreed and decided on moving since I could easily transfer all of my schooling to another college in the area. My folks were abusive and I moved out about a week after getting a job, but this isn't about them.

Enter my old boss. They came from the kind of money that paid their way into an ivy league school and owns several properties around town. Their also the sort of person who stopped their birth control just to get pregnant and keep their equally douchey boyfriend around. Just some background and used to establish character.

The Details & Background

My new job was working as an assistant. I thought that it was odd that the interview was at a Starbucks, but I needed the job. I accepted minimum wage as a 1099 employee--yes I know I was dumb at the time, don't worry, I've learned better--and started. My new workplace was out of their basement. Odd, but I'm a good guy, so I roll with it.

Folks I'm not exaggerating in the least when I say I worked sometimes upwards of 70+ hours a week. This was a job that was pitched to me as "part-time." After months there, I did everything from answering phones, running social media and websites, drafting estimates, doing all IT work, some minor cleaning, and generally trying to help out this business in any way I could. I bent over backwards and then some more. Years later I realized I set an impossibly high standard for myself and others as the first employee of this business.

Fast forward to some years in the future. I had left due to some stress-related health concerns. Essentially, I had a small stroke because of the stress and berating. I later came back, as I was and still am a very "pay it forward" person. And felt that I owed the company for getting me a start in an industry that got me out of retail. I've since learned better in this respect too.

The work environment was never great. Any small mistake was treated as a large offense. Instead of this being a red flag to me; I doubled down. Did beyond my best to check all work and even taught myself some coding and server management that would help the business. Business started to pick up and we were soon busy enough to be able to afford a new location (I had suggested leasing a place near our primary clientele). We also needed to hire more staff since the workload was too much for two people.

Before I left the first time, I had trained two office personnel. The company had also promoted me. As anyone who has worked in a small business can tell you, you'll wear a lot of hats. So my job title was somewhere around Estimator/IT/Office Manager/Field Representative. The owner had also bought a house in a residential neighborhood with the intention of renovating it to be our new office.

Problems & Red Flags

Well... any business has it's problems, here's the ones for this company: -New office was a house. The lot was zoned for residential. This was apparent at the time of purchase. -While homeowners can pull permits, you have to actually pull the permit for the work. -We couldn't keep staff or subs to save our life. Turn over was ridiculous. -The owner was using the business accounts as their personal accounts. -Anytime the owner came back in; all staff were expected to drop what they were doing and listen to their tirade and demands. Gods help you if you forgot anything or didn't do it to their exact--sometimes incorrect--specifications. Or the specifications they came up with and didn't tell you about. -The owner would scream, shout, and fume with staff. -The owner dated subs. -The owner often requested that I forge or backdate paperwork. (I'm a notary, this is not only illegal, but I could lose that privilege.) -The owner and other workers would smoke pot on the premises. (I'm cool with recreational use, but don't partake myself.) -We would have to constantly juggle credit cards, accounts, and other funds, often begging the owner to be able to pay our supplier(s) to end the throng of endless, angry phone calls and emails asking for payment. -The owner was a serial appointment canceller. Often, I had appointments dropped into my lap past the time I would need to actually travel there and arrive on time.

After more than three combined years of verbal abuse, threats and demands for payment, dealing with a revolving door of angry staff, and having more than one occasion where subs threatened me and the office staff for not being paid; I was ready to leave. I put in my notice as I was having the same stress-related health issues.

The owner panicked and offered to sit down and talk things out. I had no intention of going back to working for $13/hr, with no benefits, and dealing with downright childish behaviour. I hadn't even been sat down for an interview, offered any sort of salary when I came back, and jumped in because they desperately needed the help. I knew that and got straight to work.

But here we were in a public shop, talking things over and I explained the issues in this toxic environment and how it was affecting me. Why I was leaving and that I was sorry things had turned out this way.

To my surprise, they came back with a counteroffer for a fair wage, praised my work, threw in some benefits, and offered to let me work from home for a large percentage of the week. I was still working on lining up a better job at the time and due to a series of equally bad employment situations before; don't work for a GC if you can help it, I needed to rebuild my savings. I agreed and had written proof of this agreement.

Three months go by and for nearly every week I've received multiple calls after my shift asking, why I haven't been doing (x, y, z) task. Why (insert insurance or customer name) hasn't paid up yet. And, of course, being called into the office more due to the "needs of the business." Anytime I'm in the office I'm putting out more fires than the New York Fire Department. Their bookkeeping assistant treats me like garbage. Anytime I had to teach them how to use a new system or even Excel, I'm met with opposition, stubbornness, and later would receive complaints about how I was "being condescending" to them. (In truth, they were very computer illiterate and unqualified for their position.) But they worked for next to nothing and would flatter the owner. They were generally two-faced and a brown-noser.

The company also had a new office manager since I was working on mostly estimates and negotiations. This was one of the two I had trained and they were a sweetheart. They deserved more than they got there and were days where I had found them breaking down crying. The owner treated them worse than they had treated me and so did their "bookkeeper." I felt sorry for them and eventually, they were fired. It's unfortunate, but they are doing better now from what I've heard.

Well, when the office manager was fired, bookkeeper and the owner drafted up a TON of fake write-ups. Backdating them, forging signatures, and generally trying to make them look like the worst worker to ever exist.

I was upset. This was someone who had been in a similar position that I had been in; saved from the world of retail and trying to gain experience to get a better job. They were a hard worker and set the standard impossibly high. The customers loved them and they ran the office like a well-oiled machine. I honestly think that they had done a better job than I had in some respects.

I brought up how the office manager as indicated by the write-up form was entitled to a copy of the form. That backdating and what was done here was not only inappropriate but illegal. Both bookkeeper and the owner brushed off what I said.

Big red flag.

At this point, I started looking for other work. I was in the office nearly every day and I had even gotten there early enough to open up on most days, then close. I was miserable and kept having chest pains due to the stress. During this time, I was trying to get approval to go on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) since I am trans. In order to qualify, you have to be of certain health requirements. Having a high BP will disqualify you for very valid health reasons.

Due to where I live, I had to drive over an hour away to be seen for these services. Bummer, but I do it anyway. It takes over six months to get an appointment, where I'm told that I need to lower my blood pressure, or I can't safely start HRT.

I'm devastated, I cried, I got seriously depressed, and it only made things worse. To the point that my toxic work environment had stressed me beyond stressed. I came home one day, walked past my roommate like a zombie, went into the shower in our bathroom fully clothed, turned on the cold water, and just... laid there for an hour.

My roommate had been urging me to quit. Seeing the employer abuse, how upset I was, and how my depression was starting to spiral out of control again. Instead of quitting, I put together a solid business plan, job descriptions, improved workflows, and really just a huge document on "How to Unfuck Your Business." Presented the product of several hours of my own time to the owner. Who dismissed it in a loud bar where we could barely hear each other.

After three more months of waiting and trying to prompt change that would never come, I quit.

The Revenge

Since I had left without lining up another, immediate job; and frankly, need therapy, I applied for unemployment benefits due to health reasons. In my country, you can be awarded benefits if you meet a set of strict criteria. Which, after a good day of research, I realized I did meet.

I had never applied for unemployment in my life and having grown up with family that were a mix of benefits fraud poster children and welfare queens; I never wanted to "use the system." But I had bills to pay and needed the time off to pick up my mental pieces after everything that had happened and I was going through. My roommate and I were running low on our savings, so I needed the unemployment.

Swallowing down my pride, I applied and after over a month of back and forth and paperwork; I received my unemployment award.

We breathed a sigh of relief as I continued to recover and look for work. Three months go by and we're past the period of an employer being able to dispute a claim. Again, sigh of relief. I was nearly certain that they were going to try and file against me.

Well, I was right. Turns out they had lied and gotten an extension, filed against my claim. Claiming that I was fired for poor performance.

I was livid.

How dare they insinuate that I did anything less than give 100% at that festering hole of toxicity they called an office! I worked well past my shifts, I had learned and set up the systems and documents they used for nearly everything, and I had treated their company as though it was my own. Sacrificing time, sanity, health, and even some of my own equipment to ensure it succeeded. I kept going when so many had walked away from the dumpster fire that was their business.

Fuck this.

Fuck the owner and fuck this. I immediately and angrily started my research to build my case.

I read the document and the "hearing" was scheduled as a phone hearing in front of a deputy representing the department. There's also a deadline to submit supporting documents. The very latest you could submit documentation for both the former employee and employer was within 24 hours before the scheduled hearing.

Over the next three or so weeks I gathered up years worth of notes from medical providers I had seen, statements from former employees, witnesses to both my mental state and the state of the office environment, etc.

When the office manager had left, they filed for unemployment (which they were justified in). The owner had laughed, drafted up false write-up forms, filed for an extension, and the office manager's claim was decided that the office manager didn't have enough proof and documentation--they hadn't bothered to turn in any--and lost their claim. Which means that the claimant has to pay back any money awarded. The owner and bookkeeper laughed and carried on, bragging about their "handiwork."

Now, I knew that there was going to be a fresh stack of fake write-up forms with my name all over them. I was the one who had authored the write-up forms. I've never once had a write-up form in any job I've worked. I waited until 10 minutes before the deadline, used an online faxing service, and faxed over copies of all of my supporting documents to both the former employer and the deputy for the hearing. Leaving the company no time to turn in any documentation. I kept copies of the faxes to both of them, along with the successful notification that they had been received by both parties.

If they had any documentation, they had to send it to both parties. Since I hadn't gotten anything from them or the deputy, I knew I was the only one walking in with ammo.

Upon further research, I discovered that I could attend the hearing in person. Which, I was more than happy too. Armed with a bulging folder full of evidence, collared shirt, tie, and a beaming smile on my face, I shook hands with the deputy and they called my former employer.

Bookkeeper answers the phone, we're sworn in, all documentation is listed and verified that it has been received, and they give the employer's side of the story.

My gods, to say that they bashed me would be an understatement. Speed bumps take less abuse. "I didn't work." "My work was sloppy." "I was rude to customers." "I refused to go into the office," and so on.

At this point, I'm honestly doing my best to keep quiet and not laugh. They even tried to say that because I was trans, I left because of that. Makes no sense, but ok. I give my statement; which I had written out and practiced several times before this hearing. All the while bookkeeper continually interrupts me and the deputy has to tell them to let me speak, as I did the same for them.

I finish and we start going through the evidence.

Of COURSE bookkeeper is waffling, saying they have evidence (emails and write-ups, both easy to fake since they controlled my employee email account) and starting to reference evidence that neither I or the deputy have received. The deputy has to interrupt them and state that anything they have is inadmissible since they didn't turn it in before the generous deadline.

They are livid and I can tell in the background that the owner is feeding them things to say. (Bookkeeper is not the sharpest spoon in the knife drawer.) Which was an old habit of theirs for anyone who answered the phone in the office.

I spend my sweet, sweet time going through the mountain of evidence I have. I'm interrupted several times and politely ask in my most honeyed of tones, "Bookkeeper, I let you speak freely, can you please do the same for me?"

They are livid. Both the deputy and I could hear the seething rage over the phone and the poor deputy just rolls their eyes over the course of the hour. Having to remind bookkeeper that they are under oath. As they made several contradicting statements. After hearing the evidence from both sides and several claims by bookkeeper of, "This is the owner's 'bread and butter,' you're taking food from their kid's mouths." To which, I calmly reply, "Oh! Excuse me bookkeeper, I'll keep that in mind during this hearing, and when I go to pay rent." The deputy got a chuckle out of that but had to ask me to "keep it civil."

To add to this buttery, decadent roll of sweet, sweet revenge; one of my witnesses was called who was a former employee. Not only did they back up my story, but they got to enjoy jabbing them back too.

Needless to say, a few weeks later I got the results of the hearing and the deputy had ruled in my favour. There was a period of time where both parties were welcome to repeal the decision and we would appear in another hearing. At that time, recordings of the exchange would be made available to both parties. They never repealed.

You would think this would be the end of my revenge. Admittedly, it's not bad, but not pro revenge material yet.

It Gets Better

Before I had left, one of the many bills that had been perpetually left unpaid were the insurances for the company. Which included their unemployment insurance. I smiled each time I deposited my check, knowing full well that there was a very real possibility that over 7k of my unemployment came directly from them.

But I wasn't done. My professionalism had been insulted and dragged through the mud.

You see, I knew nearly everything that was going on in that company. I had made their systems, documents, edited contracts, and was ingrained in nearly every aspect of their operation. I knew they were facing an audit by their former insurance provider.

I called their former insurer and spoke with the auditor. I detailed all of the OSHA, federal, and state violations. I also informed them of the paperwork forging that I had seen while I was there and of several unsafe practices. They thanked me for my time and I happily ended the call.

Next stop, the IRS. I made a report and gave detailed information in regards to their records and even provided why they were not able to file on time. Again thanked for my time and honesty.

Afterward, I decided to touch up with a few of my friends with the regional building department. They were more than happy to listen.

In the three years I had worked there, I had the opportunity to meet and get to know several local businesses and their assistants around town. I spent the next two weeks calling and emailing several key businesses in the area that were their suppliers, vendors, subs, and labour suppliers. I never said an untrue word, asked if they had time to talk, and summarily, was thanked for my time. Funny thing about their assistants too; they control scheduling and well, answer the phones. I'm on good terms with several of them and they backed my story.

Wouldn't you know it, their business address was mysteriously devoid of their trailer, equipment, and signs not long after. They still have an online presence and probably will as long as their family continues to bail them out.

I'm writing this after years because after working for several bad employers, I now have a good job with an amazing company that supports me. It's the result of my years of experience, credentials, and having to eat shit for all those years.

Tl;dr: Abusive employer abuses employees, tries to deny me unemployment, drags me through the mud during the hearing. I not only win my case, but report them enough to drive them out of their location and likely, business.

(source) story by (/u/27thFrequency)

#prorevenge #by /u/27thFrequency #pro revenge #revenge stories #pro revenge stories #pro #revenge #last10

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streamacademe · 5 years ago

Text

Week 106, Day 735.

My trip to Scotland was a success and I managed to collect some samples! But, I don’t want to talk about that this week. As my 3rd year has officially commenced, I would instead like to dedicate this post to lessons I’ve learned as a 2nd year PhD student and reiterate over my coping strategies. So, without further ado... 10 lessons I learned as a 2nd year PhD student:

Be prepared to face some dark times with your mental health - I won’t lie to you, it can, and probably will get pretty ugly. At times it will feel like the entire world is on your shoulders and you can’t breathe. I have had countless mental breakdowns this year, which usually involve bawling my eyes out and hyperventilating, before passing out from the exhaustion of it all, then coming around and crying again. Not fun. I have also suffered from insomnia, and, on the flip side, have had many days where I couldn’t get out of bed. I have included some coping strategies for set backs with mental health at the end of this post.

It will get hard and you’re going to want to quit - I’m sorry to be a bit of a downer, but it’s the truth. For me, giving up is not an option, but even I have had days where I’ve wanted to quit. It’s probably in the terms and conditions of a PhD to feel like this sometimes, but no one ever reads those. How you keep the love for your project glowing is for you to figure out. I always think of the finish line and of how far I’ve come. Or neck a glass of wine, that also helps...

Find a balance between feeling terrified and apathetic, and stupid and self-assured - PhD’s are terrifying, which I appreciate can be exhausting and can lead to feeling apathetic. However, apathy is both a blessing and a curse. It may make you feel calmer and more able, but it sure as hell won’t motivate you to try harder and do better. The same applies for feeling self-assured; yes, you’re clearly a clever bean for getting this far and you should acknowledge and celebrate that, but feeling stupid pushes us to seek knowledge, which is what science is all about.

Focus on genuine priorities - Procrastination/dedicating your time to non-essential tasks are your no.1 enemies. PhD’s are extremely unpredictable and you have to try and be ahead of the game or you risk falling too far behind. So make sure you know exactly what your priorities are and treat them as such.

To do lists and GANTT charts are life savers - On your worst days, refer to these to reorient yourself and stay on track. Make sure they’re always up to date, kept neat, and, most importantly, realistic.

Self-care is critical - And no, I don’t just mean bubble baths with scented candles every night, although those are definitely helpful. Self-care is looking after your mental, physical, and emotional well-being. Pushing yourself too hard can end really badly. Use me as an example, I pushed myself too hard physically and damaged my spine, which resulted in me taking a week off work. I won’t even mention the amount of mental health set backs I’ve had. So, do whatever it is that allows you to rest your bones, de-frazzles your mind, makes you happy, helps you feel better, and makes you feel like you can keep going.

You have to learn to say ‘no’ - This will probably be something you’re not used to or are comfortable doing, but I have learned from personal experience that this is literally the most important thing when it comes to looking after yourself and avoiding burnout.

Your personal growth is impossible to ignore - Who you are when you start your PhD is definitely not the person you will be at the end. You never stop learning and developing in a PhD, but like, at an accelerated rate. I find it fascinating looking back at my progress reports; something that may have felt impossible 6 months ago is now the norm.

Rely on your supervisors for help - THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. You DO NOT have to do everything alone. Ask questions, talk to them about your problems, seek their advice. And if they make you feel inferior, uncomfortable, stupid, or make themselves unavailable to you, contact your student support office/r, because a supervisor should NEVER do that. Furthermore, don’t be afraid to voice your opinions and stand your ground with your superiors, they are only human, just like you, and if you feel like they are misguiding or misunderstanding you, tell them. This is your PhD, not anybody else’s.

Remember that your PhD is your work not your life - As hard as that may be. That is all.

My ways of coping with the challenges of doing a PhD:

Spend time with animals and in nature - Honestly, if I had to choose just one bit of advice, it’d be this. Animals are the definition of joy, and being in nature always reminds me how beautiful the world can be, irrespective of how dark and rubbish mine may feel at times.

Sleep - Getting enough sleep makes my anxiety more manageable, my mood better, and means I have more energy to deal with what life has to throw at me. Don’t listen to how much sleep you “should” have, instead listen to your body and work with it. Personally, I aim for at least 8 hours a night.

Minimalism - I have mentioned minimalism many times on my blog. The benefits of this lifestyle are countless. With respect to my PhD, living with less allows me to have more room to breathe and think. It also means I spend more time on experiences instead of material things. Minimalism also allows me to live intentionally and aligns with my personal values. This in return means that I am more at peace with the life I lead outside of my PhD.

Save money - Not only do savings mean a sense of security, but having money set aside can be really helpful if you are in need of a getaway or simply want to treat yourself without getting into debt. Furthermore, as there is no guarantee of a job straight after your PhD, or if your funding runs out before you finish, it is essential to have some savings as a safety net to fall on if need be.

Read - I use books as a form of escape from reality, typically reading either before bed or in the morning before work. It helps take my mind off the stresses that clutter my brain.

Exercise, eat healthy, and drink plenty of water - I know you’ve heard it all before, but here it is again. It works.

Red Bull (as a last resort) - There are many things in life that have impacted my ability to focus this year, including long drives, bad news, sleepless nights, and mental health issues. However, life doesn’t stop when you want to and so when I’m really struggling I turn to Red Bull for help, and it really does help me. (I don’t drink coffee and tea doesn’t cut it). I always ensure not to drink more than one can a day or drink alcohol within the same 24 hours that I’ve drank Red Bull in.

How I try to cope with mental health set backs: Disclaimer: ‘Try’ is a critical word here as it is not always easy or straightforward to do the below, and, sadly, sometimes none of these suggestions work.

Talk about it - I HATE talking about my mental health issues to people as I don’t want to burden my friends, upset my family, or appear weak at work. However, there are times where I’ve had to, and it’s helped. I mainly talk to my boyfriend about it, but should probably see a therapist. Hey ho, small steps. If you really can’t talk about it, write about it, either publicly or privately.

Perspective - I have been watching a show called ‘New Amsterdam’ recently, which has really helped me see how insignificant some of my problems are. That’s not to say you’re not allowed to feel like crap just because you’re not having open heart surgery, of course you are, but trying to do things that change your perspective can be very helpful in coming out of a mental health episode. Geddit?

Give back - There is always someone having a worse time than you and nothing helps to snap you out of your pity party like lending a helping hand. Whether it’s volunteering at a homeless shelter, running a marathon for charity, or simply donating what you can to a cause you believe in. Give back.

Headspace - I’m sure you’ve heard of this app/website, if not, here it is. Personally, I don’t like Andy Puddicombes voice, or listening to a human in general, so I don’t use the platform for meditation, but they do have a great range of sleepcasts and sounds, which I use to combat my insomnia.

Calming medication (natural) - I use an essential oil aromatherapy roller ball to help me overcome an anxious episode or get me off to sleep. Personally, I use Tisserand for these. I also use Rescue Remedy drops for the same reason (these contain alcohol so aren’t for everyone).

Get the F off of social media for a while - Honestly, your phone isn’t an essential organ, take a break from it, see what wonders it can do for you.

Cut out toxic/negative people - Fill your life with wholesome people, get rid of anyone that makes your recovery impossible, or your life difficult. Be as harsh as you need to be, cry about it, drink about it, but do it, and don’t go back. Here’s a great song to support you through this.

That is all folks. It took me all day to write this, so I hope it’s at least somewhat helpful. ❤ Peace.

Photo: A photo of a sunset that made me feel better after an especially difficult day. Source: My camera.

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brainpickings · 5 years ago

Text

Updating Some Fascist Bullshit on the Trump Pandemic

The following timeline has been posted on several fascist website as proof that Trump has been doing a good job in protecting America from the Trump Pandemic or COVID19. By my account and research I believe that 54% of it is false or misleading. So I went though it and added some key missing information. The original postings have the American date stamps and my research and comments are in italics and European date stamps

Here is the factual timeline for the Trump administration's handling of COVID-19. Might want to keep this handy...

Dec 31: China announces they are investigating a “pneumonia outbreak” in Wuhan

1 January 20 – CDC to check flights from Wuhan to downplay SARS rumors

3 January 20 – CDC is alerted to the Wuhan pneumonia

3 January 20 – Trump learns about COVID19 from intelligence officials

3 January 20 – Trump holds a rally in Miami

4 January 20 – Trump plays golf

4 January 20 – WHO reports on social media that there is a cluster of pneumonia cases with no deaths in Wuhan

5 January 20 – WHO publishes a technical paper on what China has reported about the cluster

5 January 20 – WHO begins to monitor the outbreak

5 January 20 – Trump plays golf

6 January 20 – WHO reports that China tells them there is no evidence of human to human transmission and that SARS is not virus

Jan 6: CDC issues travel advisory for Wuhan. (this is wrong it was a travel NOTICE) (There is a difference between a notice and an official advisory.)

Jan 7: CDC established an Incident Management System (just 7 days later) (The CDC can do this without a president telling them to)

8 January 20 – CDC issues an official health advisory about COVID-19

9 January 20 – Trump goes to rally

10 January 20 - Former Trump Homeland Security Advisor Tom Bossert warns that we shouldn’t “jerk around with ego politics” because “we face a global health threat…Coordinate!”

Jan 11: CDC tweets about corona related “pneumonia outbreak in China” Jan 14: WHO Tells Everyone Don’t Worry Because China Says Coronavirus is NOT Contagious (This is false WHO warns that this new virus could spread and warns hospitals worldwide.)

14 January 20 – Trump goes to a rally Jan 17: CDC sent 100+ staffers to specific US airports to screen travelers who have been in Wuhan (only to three airports in NY & CA)

18 January 20 - After two weeks of attempts, HHS Secretary Alex Azar finally gets the chance to speak to Trump about the virus. The president redirects the conversation to vaping.

18 January 20 – Trump plays golf

19 January 20 – Trump plays golf

19 January 20 – first US case is confirmed Jan 21: CDC activated its Emergency Operations Center (just 3 weeks later) Jan 21: First case in US for someone who traveled directly from Wuhan.

21 January 20 – China confirms human to human transmission of Wuhan virus, WHO announces emergency meeting.

21 January 20 - Dr. Nancy Messonnier, the director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Disease at the CDC tells reporters, “We do expect additional cases in the United States.”

22 January 20 – a reporter asks if there are “worries about a pandemic” Trump’s response; “No. Not at all. And we have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s – going to be just fine.”

22/23 January 20 – WHO Emergency Committee tries to “assess whether the outbreak constituted an” international “public health emergency. Independent members from around the world could not reach a consensus based upon the evidence available at the time.” Jan 23: WHO again says NO human to human transmission outside of China. (Completely false, see January 21 statement)

24 January 20 – Trump tweet: China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out will. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi! Jan 27: WHO raises alert level but is still saying China has it contained. (No creditable sources for this statement, no major newspapers or the WHO timeline carry this statement however at least six fascist websites carry this statement)

27 January 20 - Top White House aides meet with Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney to encourage greater focus on the threat from the virus. Joe Grogan, head of the White House Domestic Policy Council warns that “dealing with the virus was likely to dominate life in the United States for many months.”

28 January 20 – Trump goes to a rally Jan 29: President established Presidential Task Force--BEFORE THE THING EVEN HAD A NAME (It has a name, see trump tweet on January 24, what it does not have is an official scientific name because science takes time.) Jan 30: State Dept issued a Do Not Travel warning to China. (still less than ONE month after initial announcement from China). Jan 30: WHO announced the Coronavirus is a public health emergency of international global concern. In short, BEFORE the WHO even announced its “global concern,” the administration was working on his response for almost a month, and had already established a Presidential task force.

30 January 20 – Trump goes to a rally in Iowa saying; “We think we have it very well under control. We have very little problem in this country at this moment – five…we think it’s going to have a very good ending for it.” 31 January 20 – Trump issues his Proclamation on Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Persons who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus Jan. 31: To the left's cries of “RACISM!”, the President proactively suspended entry of foreign nationals who’d been to China in the last 14 days. (The proclamation does not apply to, lawful permanent residents, alien spouses, alien parents, alien children, any alien traveling as a nonimmigrant, or any alien coming at the request of the government, therefore only Chinese citizens coming to visit America will be restricted. So yeah, it’s a bit racist because it doesn’t quarantine everyone who needs to be quarantined.) Jan. 31: The president issued quarantines, and through Secretary Azar, declared a public health emergency for the entire nation.

1 February 20 – Trump plays golf 2 February 20 – Trump tells Fox News host Sean Hannity, “We pretty much shut it down coming in from China.” Feb 4: President Trump talks about coronavirus in his State of the Union address; Pelosi rips up every page. (I read the speech twice and never saw one mention of the virus.) Feb 5: The Senate votes to acquit President Trump on both articles of impeachment, 52-48 and 53-47. (I thought this was supposed to be a Trump/COVID19 timeline) Feb 5: House Democrats FINALLY take up coronavirus in the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia.

5 February 20 – Democratic Senators propose emergency funding bill to prepare for the virus, Trump’s administration says no thanks. Feb 5: Chuck Schumer in a tweet continues to call Trumps’ travel ban from China “premature.” Feb 5: Democrats, media, Biden calls Trump xenophobic over reacting racist starting war on immigrants, fear mongering

7 February 20 – Trump praises Pres. Xi response to the virus and predicts that China will stop the outbreak. Feb 7th Both Pelosi and Deblasio calls Trump racist for ban, encourages people to go to Chinatown, use subway, and go to concerts. Feb 7: White House’s Coronavirus Task Force gives press briefing. Feb 9: White House Coronavirus Task Force meets with all governors regarding virus.

10 February 20 – Trump goes to a rally Feb 11: WHO named the virus COVID-19. LET THAT SINK IN.(One more time for those on the short bus, science takes time, a virus knocks on the door and then science checks it, double checks it, triple checks it and then tells the world. Then the world starts checking it and until a international consensus is reached it doesn’t get named.)

The Trump administration’s first response --- a week after the initial announcement---was when the virus had NOT even been named by the World Health Organization yet. It was NOT named until Day 42. Meanwhile, the CDC, NIH, FEMA, FDA, HHS, the DOD, and All the agencies of OUR scientific community have already been working feverishly to sequence the RNA of the virus to get its proteins, its messenger RNA sequenced, and get a vaccine going. Feb 12: CDC waiting for approval from Chinese for CDC team to travel to China... China says No (Gee I wonder why? Could it be because Trump has been extremely critical of China multiple times? For no reason other than political gain.) Feb 12: HHS announces partnership to develop vaccine.

14 February 20 – Trump tells the Border Patrol Council; "We have a very small number of people in the country, right now, with it. It’s like around 12. Many of them are getting better. Some are fully recovered already. So we’re in very good shape."

15 February 20 – Trump plays golf

19 February 20 – Trump goes to a rally says “it’s going to work out fine”

20 February 20 – Trumps goes to a rally in Colorado Springs Feb 21: Italy identifies its very first case in their country. (wrong just wrong, Italy confirms its first death on this day) Feb 21: CDC tweets that it is working with States for preparedness. (correct)

21 February 20 – Trump goes to a rally Feb 24: Trump sent letter to Congress asking for $25B for virus effort. (wrong, the request was for $1.25B) Feb 24: Nancy Pelosi made a stop in Chinatown and encouraged people to “please come and visit and enjoy Chinatown.”(At this point, so fucking what, there is no national stay at home order & San Francisco won’t issue such an order until March 16th.) Feb. 24: The President unveiled the initial plan. (Redundant read the second statement up)

24 February 20 – Trump tweets: The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. We are in contact with everyone and all relevant countries. CDC & World Health have been working hard and very smart. Stock Market starting to look very good to me! Feb 25: There is still no reported community spread in the US!!! (Per CDC tweet.)

(The full tweet; “Currently there are very few cases of #COVID19 in the US & no reported community spread. But as more countries see community spread, successful containment becomes harder and the CDC is preparing for community spread in the US. (in other words…it’s coming motherfuckers)

25 February 20 – Trump at a news conference in India says that the virus is “well under control” and that there are very few people with it.”

27 February 20 – Trumps says “One day it’s like a miracle, it will disappear.”

28 February 20 - Total countries with confirmed cases 56, total number of cases 84,090, deaths 2,874

Yet, according to the leadership of the other party, Our President has failed us. Following OVER A MONTH of response—they’re accusing our president of failing us. Yes, TDS is real... Feb. 26: President Trump appointed VP Mike Pence to head the whole of government response. That appointment is in keeping with the 2015 Obama-era Blue Ribbon Panel on Biodefense.

26 February 20 – Trumps says “Within a couple of weeks it will be down to close to zero. That’s a pretty good job we’ve done.” Feb 27: First community transmission in US. (actually it was on the 26th) Feb 27: Trump appoints Pence to coordinate efforts. (I thought he did that yesterday?)

28 February 20 – Trump goes to a rally Feb 29: 60 days after the Chinese announcement, the US sadly lost its first victim to COVID-19.

2 March 20 – Trump goes to a rally in Charlotte

9 March 20 – Trump tweets: The fake News Media and their partner, the Democrat Party, is doing everything within its semi-considerable power (it used to be greater!) to inflame the CoronaVirus situation, far beyond what the facts would warrant. Surgeon General, “the risk is low to the average American.”

7 March 20 – Trump refuses to talk with Pelosi, so she works with Mnuchin to craft a relief bill

7 March 20 – Trump says; “No I’m not concerned at all. We’ve done a great job.”

7 March 20 – Trump plays golf

8 March 20 – Trump plays golf

10 March 20 – Trump says; “and it will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away.” March 11: WHO declares COVID-19 to be a global "pandemic." 11 March 20 – Trump in an address from the Oval Office FALSELY says that the health insurance industry has “agreed to waive all co-payments for coronavirus treatments.” In reality, getting tested would be free, but treatment would not be covered. This is the first time he admitted that COVID19 might be a problem.

13 March 20 - 121 countries have confirmed cases totaling 142,095 with 5,373 deaths

13 March 20 – Trump declares COVID19 a national emergency and says “No, I don’t take any responsibility at all.”

18 March 20 – Trump declares himself a “wartime president”

29 March 20 – Trump says; “If we have between 100,000 & 200,000 deaths we’ve done a very good job.”

So, 53 days BEFORE the US lost a single life to this disease, The Administration was already working diligently to protect our country... (Diligently? Perhaps the deep state government was working diligently but not Trump at best he jumped onto the bandwagon on March 11, 2020. Also this post begins on December 31 and ends on March 11, 2020 so unless my math is wrong it would be 62 days before the first US death.) Sadly the U.S. WILL lose lives to this virus--but as noted by an Obama appointee and former director of the CDC Tom Friedman, “had the President NOT responded so quickly, we would not have been prepared as we are, and more lives would’ve been lost” (I cannot confirm this quote to either Thomas Friedman the NYT moron or to Dr. Thomas Frieden the actual former CDC director. Dr. Frieden it must be noted has been very critical of the Trump administrations response to COVID19. I have however found this quote on several conservative blogs leading me to believe it’s a bullshit quote.) It is helpful to look at the actual timeline. All of this happened BEFORE the 1st death in U.S. (wrong, the first US death from COVID19 was on March 1 in Washington state.So not all of this happened before the first US death but most of it did like 86% of it.)

most of this info are from CDC tweets so anyone can look it up to check for accuracy. (most of this information is not from the CDC tweets, I read them.)

There were many more actions in between, I just took some highlights. Fact check it to see how accurate this is. Nobody's excusing anyone, just checking the timeline.

Brainpicking Notes: Most of my sources where: CDC twitter account, CNN Coronavirus timeline, thinkglobalhealth.org, vox news, Politifact.com (verified with second sources), WHO timeline, covid19-archive.com, whitehouse.gov

On March 30, 2020 Trump told Fox News that “We inherited a broken test" for COVID-19.” Really? How? Since no test existed before this virus jumped to humans and every country in the world entered a race to develop one who in the fuck could you have inherited it from?

#Trump Pandemic

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