#housing society management software

[arolesbianism]

hello gamers minor life update I have been doing Real bad lately so I will likely continue to be very inactive, but hey on the bright side I have been fleshing out some eternal gales lore I reworked a while back and I can happily say that Dodie no longer completely contradicts the very nature of reality in eternal gales and the fog tower™ officially has a real reason to exist again so hell yeah to that

[dinamaliha]

Hello, I am Nora Maliha from the devastated Gaza Strip. I am 24 years old, studying special education, and was about to graduate. I come from a academically accomplished and ambitious family. My father works in the occupied territories, and my mother is a homemaker. I have two sisters (Dina and Farah) and three brothers (Ahmed, Mohammed and Amr)

Dina:-

A teacher, graduated with honors from university after achieving a 98.9% GPA in high school in 2014. A determined and ambitious girl who faced life's challenges alone despite our difficult financial circumstances, managing to make a difference in society as a woman

Ahmed:-

A third-year college student majoring in software engineering, my elder brother trying to shoulder responsibilities in the absence of our father. Life seems bigger than him as a young man unable to secure his daily

Farah:-

The cheerful girl who graduated high school with a 90% GPA, started her educational journey at university in her first year. Farah, who never gave up, spoke to us about her ambitions and visions for the future.

Mohammed:-

The beautiful child, thirteen years old, excelling in his studies. Unlike the rest of the family, Mohammed suffered from a severe respiratory crisis and chronic inflammation of the airways. His companion was the respiratory device he couldn't live without. What broke Mohammed's heart was leaving his device behind when we were forced to flee to southern Gaza.

Amr:-

Eleven years old and very bright in his studies, Amr is mischievous, aiming to become a mechanical engineer.

Our Story:

Since childhood, we've lived in a rented house, and our father worked tirelessly abroad to afford us a home of our own, but we never achieved that dream. We led a quiet and stable life, dreaming of studying hard to build our future.

All these dreams shattered on October 7th. We lost contact with our father in the occupied territories and haven't heard from him since. Until now, we receive unverified news. We endured the early days of war in northern Gaza, refusing to evacuate to the south, hoping for its end. We couldn't sleep at night due to intense bombing and heavy artillery until November 15th when the occupation forces stormed our home, forcing us to flee on foot to the south. My mother, siblings, and I passed through the occupation forces' checkpoint, forcibly searched and terrorized by gunfire. I can't describe how much we cried that day. We headed to the Red Crescent headquarters in Khan Yunis, where we stayed for about a month and a half without any assistance. We received news of the occupation army entering and destroying our home completely. Here begins Mohammed's story as he started feeling extreme fatigue due to the air pollution from the smell of gunpowder and rockets. The Red Crescent had to resuscitate him using medical devices insufficient for all the patients. One dark night, the Israeli army bombed the Red Crescent without any prior warning, prompting my mother, siblings, and me to flee to Rafah. We set up a tent on the beach in the freezing cold, unable to afford food, water, or Mohammed's medication. Rafah is no longer safe; the Israeli army threatens to invade, and we have no shelter or place to escape to. We feel deep sadness and extreme despair for our devastated lives, for our father far away, whom we haven't been able to contact for five months, alone without a provider, worried about Mohammed's inability to tolerate the smell of gunpowder. His health condition is critical, and action needs to be taken immediately to save his life. He and his family seek help and assistance for evacuation to Egypt. However, we cannot cover all these expenses, and those in charge shouldn't leave us to suffer the psychological and physical trauma that has accompanied us and worsened during the genocide in Gaza.

All we wish is for you to help us cross the Rafah crossing to Egypt to start anew.

Information and cost for crossing to Egypt via its only agent, "Yahala Company":Information and cost for crossing to Egypt via its only agent, "Yahala Company":

$5000 per adult (we are five adults), totaling $25,000.

$2500 per person under 18 (2 children), totaling $5000.

Renting an apartment in Egypt costs $166 monthly ($2000 for a full year).

Total amount: $32,000.

[dailyanarchistposts]

I.4.14 What about the person who will not work?

Anarchism is based on voluntary labour. If people do not desire to work then they cannot (must not) be forced to by means of physical coercion. This makes some wonder what happens if someone refuses to work in a libertarian society.

In terms of a mutualist or collectivist anarchy, this question is easy to answer for goods are distributed according to work done and so if people do not work then they are left dependent on the charity of those who do (exceptions for the young, old and ill would apply, of course).

So this question is directed towards communist-anarchists, with many people arguing that communism is impossible because people simply would not work unless they get paid. This ignores the many people who do volunteer work (often in addition to their “real jobs”). It also ignores those who spend their time contributing to projects they are interested in (such as fan journals) which would be considered work in other contexts. A classic example of this is the internet, particularly webpages like Wikipedia and software projects like php. Then there is the activity of the pro-capitalists themselves, often fanatical anti-communists (which they almost always equate to Stalinism), who spend their free time working on wikipedia, newsgroups, webpages and journals explaining how communism could not work because people would never voluntarily contribute to society! It is one of the great ironies of life that those who hate communism the most often, by their actions, prove its viability.

So, communist-anarchists argue, in a society based on self-managed work in pleasant surroundings and a reduction of the working week to a minimum, there would be few people who refuse to do any kind of productive activity. The question arises of what to do with those (a small minority, to be sure) who refuse to work.

On this question there is some disagreement. Some anarchists argue that the lazy should not be deprived of the means of life. Social pressure, they argue, would ensure those who take from, but do not contribute, to the community to listen to their conscience and start producing for the community that supports them. If this did not happen, then the person who refused to contribute would be asked to leave (freedom of association means the freedom not to associate). As Kropotkin argued;

“First of all, is it not evident that if a society, founded on the principle of free work, were really menaced by loafers, it could protect itself without the authoritarian organisation we have nowadays, and without having recourse to wagedom [i.e., payment by deeds]? “Let us take a group of volunteers, combining for some particular enterprise. Having its success at heart, they all work with a will, save one of the associates, who is frequently absent from his post … some day the comrade who imperils their enterprise will be told: ‘Friend, we should like to work with you; but as you are often absent from your post, and you do your work negligently, we must part. Go and find other comrades who will put up with your indifference!’ “This is so natural that it is practised everywhere, even nowadays, in all industries … [I]f [a worker] does his work badly, if he hinders his comrades by his laziness or other defects, if he is quarrelsome, there is an end of it; he is compelled to leave the workshop. “Authoritarians pretend that it is the almighty employer and his overseers who maintain regularity and quality of work in factories. In reality … it is the factory itself, the workmen [and women] who see to the good quality of the work.” [The Conquest of Bread, pp. 152–3]

Most anarchists agree with Camillo Berneri when he argued that anarchism should be based upon “no compulsion to work, but no duty towards those who do not want to work.” [“The Problem of Work”, pp. 59–82, Why Work?, Vernon Richards (ed.), p. 74] This means that an anarchist society will not continue to feed, clothe, house someone who can produce but refuses to. Anarchists have had enough of the wealthy under capitalism consuming but not producing and do not see why they should support a new group of parasites after the revolution.

Obviously, there is a difference between not wanting to work and being unable to work. The sick, children, the old, pregnant women and so on will be looked after in libertarian communism. As child rearing would be considered “work” along with other more obviously economic tasks, mothers and fathers will not have to leave their children unattended and work to make ends meet. Instead, consideration will be given to the needs of both parents and children as well as the creation of community nurseries and child care centres.

We have to stress here that an anarchist society will not deny anyone the means of life. This would violate the voluntary labour which is at the heart of all schools of anarchism. Unlike capitalism, the means of life will not be monopolised by any group — including the commune. This means that someone who does not wish to join a commune or who does not pull their weight within a commune and are expelled or choose to leave will have access to the means of making a living.

We stated that we stress this fact as many supporters of capitalism seem to be unable to understand this point (or prefer to ignore it and so misrepresent the anarchist position). In an anarchist society, no one will be forced to join a commune simply because they do not have access to the means of production and/or land required to work alone. Unlike capitalism, where access to these essentials of life is dependent on buying access to them from the capitalist class (and so, effectively, denied to the vast majority), an anarchist society will ensure that all have access and have a real choice between living in a commune and working independently. This access is based on the fundamental difference between possession and property — the commune possesses as much land as it needs, as do non-members. The resources used by them are subject to the usual possession rationale — they possess it only as long as they use it and cannot bar others using it if they do not (i.e., it is not property).

Thus an anarchist commune remains a voluntary association and ensures the end of all forms of domination. The member of the commune has the choice of working as part of a community, giving according to their abilities and taking according to their needs (or some other means of organising production and consumption such as equal income or receiving labour notes, and so on), or working independently and so free of communal benefits as well as any commitments (bar those associated with using communal resources such as roads and so on).

So, in most, if not all, anarchist communities, individuals have two options, either they can join a commune and work together as equals, or they can work as an individual or independent co-operative and exchange the product of their labour with others. If an individual joins a commune and does not carry their weight, even after their fellow workers ask them to, then that person will possibly be expelled and given enough land, tools or means of production to work alone. Of course, if a person is depressed, run down or otherwise finding it hard to join in communal responsibilities then their friends and fellow workers would do everything in their power to help and be flexible in their approach to the problem. What method a community would use would depend on what people in that community thought was best.

However, most social anarchists think that the problem of people trying not to work would be a very minor one in a free society. This is because productive activity is part of human life and an essential way to express oneself. With work being voluntary and self-managed, it will become like current day hobbies and many people work harder at their hobbies than they do at “real” work (this FAQ can be considered as an example of this!). How long this takes to organise fully is, of course, unknown but one of the most important tasks of a free society will be to ensure work is transformed and the burden of what remains is shared in order to reduce toil to a minimum.

It is the nature of employment under capitalism, the hierarchical nature of its workplace, that makes it “work” instead of pleasure. Work need not be a part of the day that we wish would end. It is not work that people hate. Rather it is over-work, in unpleasant circumstances and under the control of others that people hate. Reduce the hours of labour, improve the working conditions and place the work under self-management and work will stop being a hated thing. All these will help ensure that only an idiot would desire to work alone for, as Malatesta argued, the “individual who wished to supply his own material needs by working alone would be the slave of his labours.” [The Anarchist Revolution, p. 15]

So, enlightened self-interest would secure the voluntary labour and egalitarian distribution anarchists favour in the vast majority of the population. The parasitism associated with capitalism would be a thing of the past. Thus the problem of the “lazy” person fails to understand the nature of humanity nor the revolutionising effects of freedom on the nature and content of work.

[sngii1726]

What is the effect of Saturn in the 6th house?

The placement of Saturn in the 6th house of a birth chart can have several astrological effects, both positive and challenging, depending on various factors such as aspects, conjunctions, and the overall chart configuration. Here are some potential interpretations:

Work Ethic and Discipline: Saturn in the 6th house often signifies a strong work ethic, discipline, and reliability in matters related to employment, daily routines, and service to others. The individual may excel in professions requiring perseverance and attention to detail.

Service-Oriented Approach: This placement suggests a sense of duty and responsibility towards helping others, particularly in areas related to health, caregiving, or service-oriented professions. The individual may find fulfillment in roles that involve assisting those in need.

Health Challenges: Saturn in the 6th house can indicate a predisposition towards health issues or chronic conditions, particularly related to bones, joints, skin, or digestive system. However, it can also imply resilience and the ability to overcome health challenges through disciplined lifestyle choices.

Efficient Problem-Solving Skills: Individuals with Saturn in the 6th house tend to approach problems and obstacles in a systematic and methodical manner. They have a practical mindset and can effectively manage day-to-day challenges with patience and perseverance.

Conflict with Co-workers or Subordinates: There may be challenges or conflicts with colleagues, employees, or subordinates in the workplace. The individual may encounter authority figures who impose strict rules or limitations in their professional environment.

Organization and Time Management: Saturn in the 6th house fosters a structured and organized approach to managing tasks, responsibilities, and deadlines. The individual may excel in administrative roles or leadership positions that require efficiency and accountability.

Legal Matters and Litigation: This placement can indicate involvement in legal disputes, lawsuits, or conflicts related to work, health, or daily routines. However, with Saturn's influence, there is potential for a disciplined and strategic approach to resolving legal issues.

Service to Community or Society: Saturn in the 6th house encourages a sense of duty and service towards the community or society at large. The individual may actively participate in volunteer work, social welfare programs, or humanitarian causes.

It is important to consider the entire birth chart and use the Kundli Chakra Professional 2022 software for a comprehensive analysis of the effects of Saturn in the sixth house, as individual circumstances and mitigating factors can significantly influence the results.

[geeta1726]

Is the 6th lord in the 11th house astrology?

In astrology, when the 6th lord is placed in the 11th house in a birth chart, it creates a significant planetary combination that can influence various aspects of the individual's life. Here's a brief interpretation of this placement:

Service and Gains: The 6th lord in the 11th house suggests a connection between the house of service, health, and obstacles (6th house) and the house of gains, aspirations, and social circles (11th house). This placement may indicate that the individual finds opportunities for growth and success through their work, service-oriented activities, or dealing with adversaries.

Income from Service: It may suggest that the individual's income or financial gains are connected to their service-oriented profession, such as healthcare, social work, or dealing with conflicts and disputes. They may excel in fields that involve solving problems, managing crises, or providing assistance to others.

Networking and Social Circles: The placement of the 6th lord in the 11th house also indicates that the individual may benefit from networking, social connections, and friendships in their professional endeavors. They may form alliances or partnerships that contribute to their success and financial stability.

Success despite Challenges: Despite facing challenges or obstacles in their work environment or health matters (6th house significations), individuals with this placement have the potential to overcome adversities and achieve their goals. They may possess resilience, determination, and practical skills that help them navigate through difficult situations.

Health and Well-being: On the downside, this placement can also indicate health issues or stress-related problems arising from work-related matters. Individuals may need to pay attention to maintaining a healthy work-life balance and managing stress effectively to prevent health issues from affecting their overall well-being.

Service-Oriented Goals: The placement of the 6th lord in the 11th house may inspire the individual to pursue service-oriented goals or humanitarian causes. They may feel a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction in contributing to the welfare of society or making a positive impact on the lives of others through their work or service.

As always, it is necessary to consider the overall planetary aspects, conjunctions, and unique birth chart factors of the individual to gain a comprehensive understanding of the implications of this position. For which you can use Kundli Chakra Professional 2022 software. Which can give you accurate information. Based on your birth chart.

[darkmaga-returns]

“If technocracy wins this battle and they implement it on a global basis, it will again take hundreds of years before the concept of freedom and liberty will resurface again. It will take a very long time; it won’t just come snapping back, it will not be a fade. Once they get control over the economic mechanism, they will virtually have control over life itself. They will make people of the world dance like puppets on a string.” ⁃ Patrick Wood, TN Editor.

This is a very important question. I think about it daily as the meteoric rise of scientism creates a new materialistic priest class, in whom you must put your faith and devotion.

What is Technocracy?

A scientific dictatorship, enabled by full-scale surveillance, in which an elite class of scientists and engineers manages every facet of life. Technocrats are “persons who exercise power by virtue of their technical knowledge.”

Technocracy is the Brave New World in Aldous Huxley’s 1932 novel, which was more a “I just got out of a meeting and here’s how it’s going down,” memo rather than a cautionary tale.

In this presentation about COVID-19, Dr. Lee Merritt, influenced by  Patrick Wood’s writings on technocracy, shared the etymology:

Techn = skillKrat = kratos (divine personification of power)

She summed up technocracy:  Data gathered on everybody in the world and fed to un-elected officials, who are smarter than everybody, and will use the information to create amazing solutions. It boils down to “power via differential knowledge,” meaning if you have knowledge that only a select few have, you can lord it over the majority of people.

The Internet and Total Surveillance

Once the possibility of a total surveillance state materialized with the inception of the Internet, technocracy became the crown jewel in the Cabal’s totalitarian New World Order agenda.

The timeline is speeding up. Their dreams of ruling the world are veering toward a terrifying reality with artificial intelligence, propaganda in everybody’s pocket, and a bazillion data points on every man, woman, and child on Earth.

Patrick Wood, the OG of technocracy research, said once we reach a scientific dictatorship society … “liberty will be a historic curiosity.”

In order to achieve this goal, the technocrats developed mass surveillance, which has only been possible in the modern age with the Internet. This is their time to act.

Smart meters on houses monitor how much energy you consume.

Credit card transactions track consumer behavior and move people away from hard currency.

Social media fills out the dossier with beliefs, names of friends and family, images, and much more.

The Affordable Care Act digitizes your medical history.

Smart gadgets—Fitbit, Oura Ring, etc.—pass all of your vital stats to central repositories.

Smartphones track where you are, what you’re doing (they can listen in), and what information you’re consuming and entertainment you are consuming.

The Internet of Things (IoT) adds more daily data. What’s in your fridge? What do you watch on TV? And even more nefarious, there are credible reports detailing how they can watch us through our TVs.

Facial recognition software and cameras monitor every square inch of public space.

Virtual assistants like Alexa monitor your every word and train people to be useless (“please machine, turn on that light … I cannot do it myself”).

Public school jams cultural Marxism down the throat of every child, while Common Core collects 400 pieces of data on every child, which is on their record for life.

[spann-stann]

Setting Blurb: Present Day CorpEmp

It's 3616 A.D.. The Corporate Empire (or CorpEmp for short, but you should know that by now) has seen a lot, done a lot. Fifteen hundred years since Ignacio I Rotthey united Earth's warlords, eight hundred since Osei Tutu Huangdi III had the displeasure of ordering Earth's nuclear bombardment, and four hundred since the Transhuman Wars almost tore the human species apart. CorpEmp under the Dix-Nipponese dynasty feels more united than ever post-Transhuman Wars, and talks within the Imperial Concert are underway in regards to recolonizing Earth.

Life is decent for the contented citizen. With few exceptions, Imperial workers do their jobs at home, be it the family farm, print-smithy, or workshop. Children of a certain age work alongside their parents, learn the family trade for when it's their turn to inherit it. If that's the line of work they want to test into, of course. Testing into Classes upon coming of age has remained unchanged since the Class System's implementation in the 2100s. Children are tested to determine their role in Imperial society, and are subject to a crash course apprenticeship if they don't test into their parents' class.

Automation has phased out many lines of work deemed "undesirable" (primarily white collar office work). Really, really undesirable jobs are relegated to the penal laborers of the Servile class. With the rise of devices like the print-smithy, industry in CorpEmp has become heavily decentralized. The Great Syndicates, CorpEmp's industrial juggernauts, have managed to survive and adapt. While their own production has diminished, they made up for it by selling proprietary software.

CorpEmp's Solar territory is staring to feel crowded. If there isn't a habitat, there's probably one being planned or under constructed. More and more, families across CorpEmp are signing up for expeditions to further develop the Extrasolar Territories. Bolder ones want to strike out on their own, as CorpEmp expands the list of potential colonization sites.

The Fifth Dynasty, the Imperial House of Dix-Nippon, have been responsible for a relative golden age. But there's an electricity in the air. The current monarch, Lee Himiko, isn't having a good time after her latest chemo session. The other factions are slowly reaching parity in terms of territory and population. The Faytouched have got everyone worried as well, increasing the number of colonial expeditions might increase the number of encounters with the Fay, or worse. Something's gonna happen sooner or later, but this won't be the first something humanity's hyperpower has encountered, and endured.

A(n) (in)complete list of Corporate Empire territories within, and outside the light of Sol:

Sol and Mercury: The Sun is home to a few cults that worship the star, having been renamed Sol Invictus to commemorate humanity's victory over the alien invader. A growing number of extraction/power generation industries have been in development near the star's polar regions.

Mercury is slowly, but surely, being mined for its resources to support the many construction projects across the Solar System. CorpEmp plans to hollow out the entire planet, converting into a massive habitat. Debate rages on if it should be tiered or not. It may take a while, but a thousand year empire is anything but impatient.

Sphere Sovereignty Venus: Terraforming Venus was a long effort involving blood, sweat, tears, dead aliens, and even more blood. The majority CO2 on the planet had frozen prior to the Human-Crystalline War, but weaponizing the terraforming equipment during the war resulted in returning it into the atmosphere. Terraforming wouldn't restart until at the end of the War. Originally a joint project by the Big Three, CorpEmp was the only faction that still had the resources to make the planet a second Earth. For recognition of the many lives lost on the planet, Venus herself was awarded the Anderson Blood Diamond. The scars left on the Ishtar and Aphrodite Terrae are sites of pilgrimage for many Venusians. The dominant Venusian cultures in the 3600s are the Kechua-go of Ishtar Terra, Silavfirika of Aphrodite Terra, and Lada Terra's Eureakan Ulus. For every colony on Venus' surface, there are twice as many habitats orbiting the amber planet. Some are older than the terraforming project.

The Terran Viceroyalties: Don't snicker under your breath that they're not technically "Terran" anymore, they orbit the Earth and that makes them Terran. No, Lunars aren't Terran, shut up. The eight Viceroyalties (Eurmerica, Eurasia, La Hispanidad, the Ummah, Sub-Sahara, Jambudvīpa, Pan-Pacifica, and East Asia, respectively) saw some shuffling of populations during the colonization of the rest of the system, and the Crystalline War. The original right of tribes to secede and confederate (referred to as "Border Fluidity") had to be done away with once CorpEmp's Terran population evacuated to orbital habitats. Eight hundred years later and the tribes and cultures within each Viceroyalty have changed quite a bit quite a bit.

The Blue planet still has some patches that glow in the dark, hordes of volunteer and Serviles are shipped to expedite the Earth's healing. Contact is made with survivors of the nuclear bombardment are made frequently, which may complicate plans to resettle the planet.

Imperial Luna: CorpEmp's, WCOF's, and the UM's Lunar colonies are the oldest in the Solar System, especially after most of Earth's population centers were evacuated and nuked. CorpEmp's leadership (as well as the other human factions) spent the duration of the Human-Crystalline War coordinating the Solar System's defense in the settled lava tubes of Luna. Said lava tubes paved the way for more advanced habitation. Most of the Lunar surface is now dotted with domed habitats. Domes of the Big Three's colonies don't touch, lot of bad blood after the first round of border wars. CorpEmp's Lunar territories tend to be very cosmopolitan, it was hard for CorpEmp's constituent tribes to have the same amount of leg room on Luna than they did on Earth (or would in the other colonies). So, they banded together to become one big Lunar Tribe.

Sphere Sovereignty Mars: Originally, the Big Three treated the red planet as a free-for-all in regards to colonial claims. The threat of competing claims spilling over onto the Earth lead to a formal partition over Mars into its present day borders. CorpEmp's Martian colonies, organized as an autonomous unit called a "Sphere Sovereignty" (a term later given to other colonies) included the Tharsis Rise and Olympus Mons, Tempe Terra, Xanthe Terra, Aonia Terra, Terra Sirenum, and a portion of Cimmeria Terra. The Han-Ashante of Tharsis, Oranians of Tempe Terra, and the Pashtolacchians of the Sirenum highlands are the dominant cultures within the Empire's Martian holdings. The largest industry on Mars at the moment is mining the expended munitions surrounding the mountains-cum-arcologies of Tharsis Rise used in the Human-Crystalline War.

Mars' two moons, Phobos and Deimos, are dotted with mining settlements. Similar to Luna, they are either domed or sealed lava tubes. The Imperial Space Force uses half of Phobos as a massive space port, and construction yards for their motherships.

Sphere Sovereignty Jupiter: During the conclusion of the colonial wars for the Moon and Mars, the Big Three decided to divide the first three outer planets between them. CorpEmp, the biggest of the Big Three, received the biggest gas giant, Jupiter. It's moons are either in the process of being hollowed out or disassembled for artificial habitats. A group that advocated the merger of various historical cultures, the Societal Anachronists, was the first to begin settling CorpEmp's then-newest and largest Sphere Sovereignty. One group of Anachronists, blending the Antebellum American South and Sengoku Japan, gave rise to the current ruling Imperial House. The Rottheys, a cadet branch at least, call the king of planets their home. More adventurous tribes, working on orbital rings around Jupiter, call for the creation of a massive shell covering Jupiter (giving CorpEmp lots of real estate to work with).

Sphere Sovereignty Neptune: When the Human-Crystalline War devolved into "every inner planet is Stalingrad times 1000", CorpEmp designated Neptune as their zone for refugees. While most refugees returned to the inner solar system after the war, some (mostly Terran stock learning of their home's bombardment) decided to remain and make a new life for themselves orbiting the blue giant. Thus, Sphere Sovereignty Neptune was born. The rickety and slapdashed orbitals used to house refugees were phased out in favor of pristine habitats more fitting for an Imperial populace. Much to the Terrans' chagrin, Neptunian Imperials like to advertise themselves as "purer" in culture than the Viceroyalties themselves. Some of the shellworld advocates of Jupiter have migrated to the smaller gas giant, hoping to construct a shell over Neptune as a proof of concept for the larger Jupiter project. Triton is also home to a massive Imperial Space Force base.

Extrasolar Territories: Alpah Centauri, Sirius, Tau Ceti, and TRAPPIST-1 are the systems that have had the most success (as there was no interference from the Fay [that we know of]) as colonial ventures. What was once expeditions made up of several hundred families now fields populations in the low millions. No doubt the small but steady trickle of new arrivals is helping the growth of their populations. Of the colonies in the Extrasolar Territories, the ones in Alpha Centauri are the largest and most developed. The Imperial colonies have been in a low-level conflict with WCOF and UM colonies almost since their beginning. For now, the Big Three's leadership in Sol allow the conflict to persist so long as it doesn't spill over into Sol.

The Faytouched: These colonies' motherships had the misfortune of encountering what are believed to be holes in reality, that lead to another universe (referred to as Fayspace after contact was reestablished with the colonists' descendants). Due to differences in space-time, according to the most popular theory, these motherships were ejected into the past. The colonists, at least most of them, regressed technologically after arriving at their destination. An unfortunate few, uninhabited, show signs of what was either civil conflict aboard the mothership, or slaughtered by what lives in Fayspace, known only as the Fay. The Imperial Armed Forces have dispatched multiple expeditions to help reincorporate these colonies back into CorpEmp, and to learn more about the Fay.

[cutneteel]

so many things wrong with this where do i even start

"-but women know that we don't need men at all."

from @honestwamen on twitter:

Out of the 338 jobs listed by the US Department of Labor, if you removed just the top 10 of male-dominated jobs, your economy would have no;

running cars housing electricity operating machinery materials or fabrics or computers.

And there would be no need for firefighters because there would be no buildings built for a fire to burn down.

Furthermore, that's just the top 10. If you go further down the list, there's some pretty key and critical components of the economy that would either disappear wholly or be whittled down to such a small level society simply wouldn't be able to function.

98% of women would be homeless because only 2% of carpenters are women. And of the 2% of homes that would exist, 98% of them wouldn't have electricity because 98% of electricians are men.

You wouldn't be able to buy anything for your non-existent house on Amazon because 95% of truck drivers are men.

And don't bother going to Wal-Mart, because 95% of their deliveries are done by men too...optimistically assuming the 2% of female seafarers could ship anything to port from China that would be deliverable in the first place.

What meager items you do manage to buy could only be replaced, never fixed, because 94% of repairmen are…well…men. And you'd be lucky to order the repair over a phone. Not because phones are predominantly made by men (which they are), but 80% of the software that runs ALL computers in the world is generated by men.

Women would have to cut their traveling down by 87% as 7/8th of aerospace engineers and mechanics are men.

Women would be victimized at 8 times the rate they are now without the 86% of male cops who protect them today, though there is the fact there'd be less crime in an all-female society…that is assuming they aren't invaded by a foreign country as they would only have 14% of the military force we have today.

Unless women were planning on majoring in civil engineering or becoming plumbers, you'll just have to flush 1/6th the time you do now. Because with only 16% of the civil engineers being women the sewer capacity will require you and your pretty investment banker boyfriend take 6 dumps before flushing once.

However, it's not all bad news. Because with 87% of the farmers being men, obesity will no longer be a problem, and women will finally lose all that weight they wanted.

😂😂😂

https://x.com/honestwamen/status/1749494695523442825?s=20

this bitch is insane

[texasdreamer01]

Atlantis Expedition: Science Division Departments - Field Sciences Department

With the original post outlining the departments getting further away in the rearview mirror, as I've already finished the medical and life sciences departments, on to the field sciences.

Below are the original notes, with - tada! - no revisions:

Field Sciences Department

> Head: OC > Contains: Linguistics, historical geography, cartography, ethnography, sociology, oceanography, hydrology, atmospheric physics, planetary physics > Function: Research pool for gate teams and any assigned missions > Examples of function: Preservation of refugee cultures, scouting for trade planets, analysis of back-up sites for establishment > Personnel quantity: 1 (Head) + 3 (linguistics) + 1 (histgeo) + 1 (cart) + 1 (ethno) + 1 (socio) + 1 (oceano) + 1 (hydro) + 1 (atmophys) + 1 (planphys) = 12 > A/N: SGC duplicate all shoved into one department, mostly ignored in-house but their brains are picked for background dossiers when it comes to mission planning. Linguists trained in xenolinguistics, from the SGC, can cover the various anthro fields if necessary, also various training in structural linguistics. Main scientist pulls for gate team assignments, if something critical isn't needed (i.e. Ancient technology).

There's about three loose groupings here: the linguists, the anthropologists, and the non-anthropological scientists. The last of these are more pure science, so while they may do technical work, they're not engineering based, and thus well-suited to this department for a few reasons.

Here's the breakdown, commentary included:

> Linguistics  » 3x of these  » SGC imports   ⇛ How many linguists to a Daniel Jackson  » Specialties?   ⇛ Linguistics Typology    ⟹ Does the analytical work of structuring languages   ⇛ Sociolinguistics/Linguistic Anthropology    ⟹ Does the sociological work of relevance in languages   ⇛ Computational Linguistics    ⟹ Does the computer work to categorize languages    ⟹ AKA Database creation   ⇛ Outline of linguistics   ⇛ Linguistics in science fiction > Historical Geography  » Collects first-hand accounts, as well as reference material, to construct location data  » Can contain work from botany and archaeology > Cartography  » Uses GIS-type software for creating reference materials  » Leverages historical geographer's work to make maps of different types > Ethnography  » SGC import  » Collates relevant information about found societies  » Contributes to database work > Sociology  » SGC import  » Specialties?   ⇛ Analytical sociology    ⟹ Studies the mechanisms contributing to the creation of social facts   ⇛ Sociocultural evolution    ⟹ Studies how societies and cultures change over time   ⇛ Outline of sociology > Oceanography  » Assists cartographer in mapping oceanic and other water body areas > Hydrology  » Analyzes water systems and their management  » Assists historical geographer, ethnographer, and sociologist > Atmospheric Physics  » AKA meteorology and climate physics  » Assists everyone but linguists unless otherwise requested > Planetary Physics  » Not astrophysics   ⇛ Works with the astrophysicists  » Studies composition of planets  » Assists and leads oceanographer, hydrologist, and atmospheric physicist in research

Insert Daniel's caterwauling about not being allowed to go with the expedition. I imagine he was very grumpy in picking out some of his staff to go instead of him, but they are, at least, quite likely to be well-trained.

At any rate, these are the people that contribute to pre-mission dossiers, analyze data brought back from missions, and are the general group of people that might be pulled into gate missions themselves based on their expertise in various facets of culture and cultural analysis.

Given the fact that the Atlantis expedition was launched years after the SGC was formed, and also years after they ironed out the kinks in developing gate teams and mission parameters, the expedition has a bit of a leg up in terms of pre-populating their experts. Having Elizabeth Weir as the head of the expedition helps, as she had at one point been the head of the SGC, so had the opportunity to learn how the SGC runs, and why it makes the decisions it does.

Because of this, the Field Sciences department is going to be heavy on the SGC imports, and not just given a quick training on Goa'uld-adapted technology like the Medical and Life Sciences department would be.

The linguists are going to be doing a lot of the heavy lifting, and likely already know Ancient from the Milky Way extant samples the SGC was able to get from their own missions. (Do I think Ancient really is a Latin analogue? Nope, but narratively that's what it is.) After having been trained on Goa'uld as a lingua franca of the Milky Way, these people are going to be more specialized in being thrown feet-first into a new language group and learning it without any preexisting framework.

The anthropologists - geographer, cartographer, ethnographer, and sociologist - are going to be the ones to gather, analyze, and provide context for not only the languages the expedition and gate teams will encounter (such as dialects of Ancient and other common trading languages in the Pegasus galaxy), but also to record and articulate historical and contemporary information of the peoples the expedition meets. This is useful for not only establishing back-up installations (i.e. alpha site, beta site, etc), but also for assisting in refugee work and tracking population migrations that they'll eventually figure out is caused by Wraith cullings.

The pure sciences do what pure sciences do: collect information. While linguists may find a group of people with fifty words for different shades of green, pure scientists will track down what those words are used for (i.e. locating different types of forests). They'll work closely with the Life Sciences department, in case a botanist needs to find a particular plant, or a zoologist needs to find a particular animal, by cross-referencing geographical data and likely working in concert with the local societies that provided them with that information.

Of all departments, it's the Field Sciences department that people like Teyla and Ronon will be most likely to interact with on a regular basis, given their roles of cultural experts and cultural liaisons.

Total Field Sciences Department Personnel

Head of Department: 1

Linguists: 3

Anthropologists: 4

Pure Sciences: 4

Total total: 12

Any canonical characters that happen to fit the bill of a role in this department will have their own post, but for now this is a general accounting of the expedition's field sciences department.

[coochiequeens]

After finding an article about a woman who had three kids and a husband that came out as trans I looked into what was going on in the family. Sure enough their middle child already came out as trans. And now the authors bio identifies her as trans..... But being trans isn't a social contagion

05.11.24

My wife surprised her coworkers when she came out as trans. Then they surprised her. She was ready for one reaction but was greeted with a beautiful response.

Society, pay attention. This is important.

My wife, Zoe, is transgender. She came out to us — the kids and me — last summer and then slowly spread her beautiful feminine wings with extended family, friends, and neighbors. A little coming out here, a little coming out there — you know how it is. It's been a slow, often challenging process of telling people something so personal and scary, but pretty much everyone has been amazing.

However, she dreaded coming out at the office. She works at a large technology company, managing a team of software developers in a predominantly male office environment. She's known many of her co-workers and employees for 15 or so years. They have called her "he" and "him" and "Mr." for a very long time. How would they handle the change?

While we have laws in place in Ontario, Canada, to protect the rights of transgender employees, it does not shield them from awkwardness, quiet judgment, or loss of workplace friendships. Your workplace may not become outright hostile, but it can sometimes become a difficult place to go to every day because people only tolerate you rather than fully accept you.

See rest of article

06.22.16

"Come with me. You’re going to meet the prime minister."

My family and I were sitting in the House of Commons in Ottawa on May 17, 2016, when a member of the Canadian Parliament came to find us. We exchanged surprised looks and quietly rose from our seats, making our way out into the halls of Canada’s most important edifice.

We were there because we’d been invited to witness history that day.

And now, quite unexpectedly, we were about to meet the man at the helm of this historic change: Justin Trudeau.

In order to understand why we were seconds away from this meeting, it’s important to know why we were asked to be there in the first place.

In many ways, my family is a fairly typical one, with two parents, three kids, and a house in the ‘burbs. I’m a writer, and my spouse works in high tech. We throw birthday parties, pay our taxes, cut the lawn, and walk the dogs.

Our family. If we were ice cream, we’d be vanilla.

Yes, we’re pretty average except for one thing: Two of our family members are transgender.

Just over two years ago, our middle child came out as trans.

Seeing her blossom from a depressed and distressed "boy" into the radiant young lady she is today was the catalyst my partner needed to speak her own truth 18 months later: She is a transgender woman.

See rest of article

ROWAN JETTÉ KNOX (formerly known as Amanda Jetté Knox) is an award-winning journalist, writer, certified professional coach, and human rights advocate with a special focus on LGBTQ2+ rights and mental health. Love Lives Here: A Story of Thriving in a Transgender Family was a #1 bestseller, an Indigo Best Book of the Year and Staff Pick of the Month, and was chosen for the 2020 Canada Reads Longlist. His work has been featured on the BBC, CBC, The Today Show, O Magazine, The Social, and The Marilyn Denis Show. He was a 2019 Chatelaine Woman of the Year, a 2020 Top 25 Woman of Influence, and was chosen as one of 2020’s Most Influential Parents by Today’s Parent. He was the 2020 gold winner in Best Column from the Canadian Digital Publishing Awards. He lives in Toronto.

[kellshaw]

Short Story - A Thing for Elves

Here’s a short story set in the Vestiges of Magic setting.

***

Ever since she was a girl, Ilda had a thing for elves. She watched all the classic movies starring Helianthus Lindarien Variel—A Sword at Sunset, The Heroes of the Hawkbow, The Wanwood Queen—until her video tapes wore out. She collected inter-hominin romance novels, where an elf would take someone back to the treetop village and show them just how superior elves were to humans.

She tried not to stare too hard at the elves when she saw them on the train, or in the many public parks, performing mysterious religious rites for their nature gods. They stood out amongst the humans—taller and more slender, androgynous, their hair often worn long and loose. They had high cheekbones and never went bald. There was just something about an elf that made them more appealing than regular human men. But they were in their own different world. Visible but remote.

As a teenager, she had thought about exploring her thing for elves. Studying their language and literature at university or becoming involved in elven/human diplomatic relations. But Mother pointed out that jobs working with elves were limited (their clans were picky about the non-elves they worked with). Mother also drummed into Ilda’s head that she needed to focus on her Life Goals: to obtain a six-figure salary, an equally wealthy husband, and a house in the suburbs with two well-behaved children.

And so, her thing for elves remained dormant until she met him.

 Tired of waiting for the IT support desk to install her new software remotely, she went to visit them in person. And her heart skipped a beat because the guy behind the counter was elvish. Not a full elf, but one of his parents had been. He had high cheekbones, pointed ears and long dark hair that he wore tied in a ponytail. But his face was rounded, and his eyes were a deep brown with visible whites rather than completely green.

“Can I help you?”

And his voice was warm honey.

“Uh, I need GraphixChampionPro installed on my laptop.”

“What’s your barcode?”

Ilda read it off the back of her hand.

“I��ll queue it up for installation now.”

“Thank you,” she managed. “What’s your name?”

Heart racing, she waited for him to pronounce his elven name in the mellifluous language of Kytharien.

“I’m Ben.”

Ben. Ben? Did he have a proper elven name, like Gladiolus Sevarien Kalpesh? What was Ben short for?

She remained there too long, staring.

 Ben gave her an odd look. “Uh, you don’t need to hang around. It’ll load when you restart your machine. Do that when you get back to your desk.”

She burbled something unintelligible and fled to the elevator.

***

“Are you paying attention?” Sessi asked her at their morning coffee, snapping her fingers in front of Ilda’s dreamy face. Slightly older than Ilda, she’d been at the office for years and had far more boyfriends.

“There’s this man in IT. An elf. Well, half-elf.” Ilda swallowed.

Sessi nodded, familiar with Ilda’s thing for elves. “Blended. I hear no-one calls them half-elves anymore. You sure you want to get involved?”

“Yes.” Ilda thought of Ben’s smooth voice. Despite years of progressive media and endless books and movies, the conservative elements of society frowned upon inter-hominin dating. But Ilda could handle anything for that voice and those eyes…

“Then  ask him out. Before Anita from Sales does. She moves on to anything new in the company.”

“He might already be with someone.”

“He’s a man in IT. Not likely.”

 “I suppose I could tell him about some computer problem I’m having at home and then—”

“He’s a man in IT, dear,” Sessi repeated. “Be direct. Otherwise, he’ll never get the hint.”

When she got back to her desk, Ilda steeled herself and called IT.

That voice. “Hello? IT Support.”

“Ben? It’s me. Ilda. From earlier.”

“Yes. GraphixChampionPro. Is it installed properly?”

“It’s fine. What do you think of coffee?”

“What about it?”

Oh, stab it, I’m going to have to be super-direct. “Meet me at the work café at 3pm for coffee.”

She got there at 2:50pm, hands sweating and staring at the flood of incoming people. She waited until 3:11, growing more certain with each passing moment that Ben had stood her up and—

“Hi.” Ben arrived, out of breath. “Sorry, I just had to tell someone to reboot.”

Ilda talked about the weather while Ben sipped at his expresso, fidgeting. He drummed his fingers and looked up at her.

Ilda noticed his nerves with growing dread. This is where he tells me he’s not into human women, or already has a person in his life, or—

“Do you like fantasy movies?”

***

To Ilda’s relief, Krothar the Mighty wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be, and neither was Darkblade III: Vengeance Calls or The Labyrinth of Doom, where they kissed for the first time. Ben didn’t want to talk much about elf-stuff, and quickly changed the subject when she asked if he’d been to the legendary elven kingdoms of the Wanwood, or the Windward Isles. However, he ordered in the entire series of The Impossible Archer for her, which starred Phyllanthus Lenandrum Selvi performing endless trick shots as she defended the village of Grassholt from a new threat each episode.

Their first formal outing was at ‘The Grand’, an expensive four-star restaurant which overlooked Shadow Bay. In turn, Ben arranged a surprise date where they bunjy-jumped off the giant historical statues of the Great Kings of Old that bracketed the Shatterwater River.

She played console games with him, which were fun, provided that she could button-smash her way to victory. She took Ben on her weekend cycling trips, starting on the simple River Ride, with the goal of trying out for the annual City Cycle race. He was so different from her last boyfriend, Gary the Lawyer. Ben didn’t demand that she look a million dollars before she went out or spend all night complaining about his expensive clients.

Ilda wouldn’t call things magical, or true love, but it was fun. Only, something was missing. The spark promised by years of soaking in elven-themed media wasn’t there.

And of course, there as the Other Problem—that blended people weren’t fully accepted by modern society. A crazy fact given that the continent was full of socially integrated hominin subspecies, and countless movies and books spoke of romance and relationships.

No one spoke about the real fact—that these relationships led to children, and that these offspring weren’t fully welcomed. Ilda hadn’t worried about it at first, given that they were living in the twenty first century.

Only the universe disagreed. Some of her old, high school friends gave her odd, shocked looks when she introduced Ben. Occasionally waiters refused to serve them, and old people grumbled on the bus,

“Does this happen all the time to you?” Ilda groaned as the rain battered down one evening after a movie date, when a cab driver with a ‘on duty’ light and an empty vehicle slowed down, and sped up when he had a good look at his fares.

“Yeah.” Ben tucked his hands in his pockets. “But you can’t let it get in our way. There’s been a lot of civil rights victories in the past few years, but a lot more has to change.” His voice hung there: an invitation for her to talk about this with him. What it was like to grow up blended, the world of civil rights and social justice… But then a cab pulled up and they got in. And civil justice sounded too heavy for Ilda to handle.

And the final straw was when Mother found out.

“Your cousin tells me you’re dating a half-elf.”

“Blended,” Ilda corrected. “No one uses the term ‘half-elf’ anymore.”

“You can’t date a half-elf,” Mother insisted, her voice sharp over the phone. “You’re my only child. Half-breeds are sterile, and I want grandchildren.”

“I’ve checked the internet, Mama. It’s a myth. There’s lots of blended families.”

“Even if you have children, they’ll have all sorts of medical problems.”

“That’s not true—”

“They won’t get into good schools, that sort of thing. Your second cousin Pat—”

“So what—”

“She married a dwarrow. Can you believe it?”

“It’s the modern age, Mama, and—”

“The child, all sickly, poor dear. In and out of hospitals, and all covered in hair—are you listening?”

“Do I have a choice, Mama?”

“Imagine waxing while in primary school. The Precursor made us different species for a reason. We’re not supposed to mix in that way.”

“We’re all subspecies, Mama—”

But Mother wouldn’t stop. Ilda thought about it more—perhaps Mother was right. Ben was a comfortable, battered sedan car, but she needed an expensive sports model with fire in its engine. He wouldn’t help her achieve her Life Goals.

Time to get rid of Ben.

“It’s not you, it’s me—” she began, having chosen the work café for the ‘I’m dumping you’ conversation.

“It’s your mother.” Ben stared at her.

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

“I thought you were ready. That you saw past society’s bullshit—”

“It’s not that—” Ilda shook her head. “I want someone progressive, someone who’s going to make six-figure salary, and help me afford a house in the Diamond and—”

“We had something good, and you’re killing it for something that doesn’t exist.” He got up and left, his untouched coffee curling steam in the air.

I have my Life Goals, she reminded herself while hugging her pillow close to her chest that night and feeling like the worst person in the world.

“Ben left me,” she told Sessi at morning coffee, giving her friend a fake version of events. After a few weeks, she had almost convinced herself that dumping Ben was her decision, and nothing to do with keeping Mother happy.

“I’ve just dumped Kallen,” Sessi said. “No sense of fun. Listen, I suppose you’re over elves now—”

“Well, no,” Ilda managed.

“How about we have a holiday? See some real elves. How they’re supposed to be.”

Sessi showed a website on her phone: “Elven adventure tour. Experience the traditional village of Illandrellan!” An elf dressed in robes aimed a longbow at some imaginary figure in the distance. A place that Ilda had always wanted to visit but never found the time.

“Sign me up.” Ilda closed her eyes. She needed that elven fantasy, as way to wash away the grit of her relationship with Ben. A world where everything between humans and elves was accepted, rather than one where cabs wouldn’t stop for you and where mothers complained incessantly about your doomed offspring.

***

 Sweeping arches of ancient oak trees covered the forest road. As the electric bus rattled along, Ilda wished their blended elven tour guide didn’t remind her so much of Ben.

Stop that, she told herself. You have your Life Goals. You are completely over Ben. Now shut up and enjoy your holiday.

The guide wore traditional robes, woven from a shimmering white silk embroidered with tiny silhouettes of leaves. His badge announced his name as Laurel. “On your left, you can see the greeting tree.” He pointed to a flowering sapling festooned with garlands. “They act as guideposts to the settlements within the Wanwood.”

The bus passed through a large clearing, and they were in the village. They parked and Laurel escorted the pool of tourists outside. “This is the gathering space the clan uses for cooking and social activities, but everyone lives in the homes above. Over there is the communal crafting area, where you can see people weaving.”

Set up under the canopies were large wooden looms, where elves in their shimmering robes labored, producing intricately woven cloth.

Next, Laurel pointed to the lofty treetop houses connected by walkways.

“How do they get up there?” an old man from the Seastrider Islands asked. “My knees aren’t too good.”

“There are rope ladders, or a basket we use for taking goods up.”

Ilda struggled up the ladder (which looked suspiciously like nylon cord) while Sessi rode the basket, meeting her at the top. Did that pulley mechanism really exist in ancient times?

A pleasant blonde, blended elf escorted them to the festival hall, where they were served setharies—elven mead, or honey water, depending on one’s age—and ornain, the filling food used in epic journeys in ages past.

“The Heroes of the Hawkbow ate this as they crossed the plains to fight the Dark Emperor.” Ilda gestured at her bowl full of nuts, dried berries, and leaves in front of them.

“It tastes like ordinary trail mix to me,” Sessi muttered. “I bet this all comes from the Cubermarket.”

After morning tea, Laurel showed them an elven family house, and they watched a dance on the ground below. Before she boarded the bus, Ilda bought a souvenir tea towel from the gift shop.

“This is so dull,” a bored ogre tourist complained. “I wanted to visit the Pits of Oblivion and the Stormfort—where Grimtusk had her last stand—but nooo, my wife had to see elves.” An ogre woman held up her elven silken scarf and smiled.

“You can’t get to the Stormfort at the moment,” a human woman from the Lionmarches interrupted. “They’ve had to close off parts of the Volcanic National Park. Too many tourists.”

Ilda wondered if the Heroes of the Hawkbow had known that the sites of their ancient struggle against the forces of darkness would become tourist attractions.

After watching an elven bird-calling ceremony, Laurel head-counted the tour group and gestured at them to get back on the bus. As they drove away, Ilda peered out the rear window. The elves had stopped their industrious weaving and were sitting around, talking and smoking cigarettes.

“How was the real elven village?” Sessi elbowed Ilda in the ribs as she stared vacantly at the forest outside. “Just like your books?”

Ilda mumbled, “It was okay.” But no, it felt too touristy. Perhaps if she had ignored Mother, she could have studied Kytharien at university, and been one of the few humans invited to see an actual village. But that dream was distant, sacrificed to focus on her Life Goals. She closed her eyes and recited them but realized that she no longer cared. 

* * *

 They spent the night at Far Point, the nearest human town to the Wanwood. A mix of tourists from all over the continent sat in the bar, drinking and chatting, sweat dripping down their faces in the muggy heat.

Ilda couldn’t describe the emptiness within her. If her Life Goals were as hollow as the elven village, what was she doing with her existence? What did she really want? She tried talking about this with Sessi, but after several shots of elven brandy, neither woman could communicate very well. After Sessi nearly collapsed at the bar, Ilda dragged them both outside.

On the porch, the air rippled in the muggy heat. Stars drifted overhead in the night sky and bird calls echoed from the distant bulk of the dark woods.

A figure leaned against a beam—a full-blooded elf wearing only leather pants. Long dark hair, slicked back, hanging down to his waist. His eyes were a deep green, without sclera, and his abs were a lean six pack.

“Hey.” Ilda could not stop staring.

“You ladies after a good time?” the elf asked.

“Sure!” Sessi burbled.

“For you, five hundred,” the elf said.

Five hundred? Ilda froze. She’d never been this close to an actual sex worker, let alone a full-blooded elf, before. Her desire for something genuinely elvish warred with her nervousness.

“She’s game!” Sessi said.

“No, I’m—”

“Ilda, come on. You only live once. This has been your fantasy for years. She’ll do it! Who are you, elfie boy?”

“Moonweaver.” Such a romance novel alias.

“Are you licensed?” Sessi asked.

Moonweaver flashed an ID card. Having one meant he passed a bunch of health and safety certifications. Ilda scanned the license for his real name, but there was only a barcode.

Ilda dry-swallowed. Perhaps a fling with a genuine elf would reconnect her with who she was before she’d become obsessed with Life Goals.

“No excuses, girl.” Sessi pulled on Ilda’s arm. “Let’s get some extra brandy.”

***

Moonweaver was highly skilled, but Ilda was too reserved, despite the alcohol, to enjoy her time with him. The encounter felt like every other time she’d been with a competent lover. Good sex, and that was it. The romance of elven lovemaking died when Ilda lay back on the bed as Moonweaver counted banknotes and tucked them in his leather pants. A job, and nothing more. Ilda wondered how many clients he regularly saw.

“Is the village real?” Ilda asked as he tugged on his boots.

He smiled. “It’s for you. For the tourists. We can’t share a real Kytharien village with you, but this is a good compromise.”

“I saw a lot of blended elves there.” Ilda whispered.

“Yes. They had to fight with the clan elders to build their own place, but in the end, it has worked out well. The half-bloods have a purpose, and the tourism money has enriched our clan.”

“They had to fight?”

“Change requires struggle.” Moonweaver said. “Sacrifice, unhappiness—but all these can lead to good outcomes, in time.”

Sessi called out from the next room. “You guys finished already? Moonie, can you do another round?”

Moonweaver looked at Ilda with his liquid green eyes.

She nodded, and the elf got up and left.

Ilda had a long shower and wished the walls weren’t so thin.

***

About a week after she returned from her holiday, Ilda packed up all her movies and books in a crate and took them down to the local charity store.

“Thank you.” The old lady behind the counter pawed through the box. “Oh, Prince of the Treetops. I did like this one. This is a sizable collection. You must have a real thing for elves.”

“Not anymore,” Ilda said. She left the shop and found a quiet space in the park, green leaves enshrouding her. Time to fight for what she wanted.

She took a deep breath and called a number. “Ben?” she whispered, hoping he would answer.

[starlight-write]

🔥🧠Welcome to Braindump Central™🧠🔥

❤️ Welcome to my own personal Hell! ❤️ Here is where I store all my weird thoughts and writing projects that would have my neurodivergent ass shunned by my friends and family if revealed to the real world.

Originally, this blog was meant solely for writing tk fics (tw btw!). And while that is still our primary focus here, you can also find some regular-ass fanfics on my AO3 account, (which will be revealed soon enough) as well as sleep deprived ramblings, a shit ton of reblogs, and all sorts of other nonsensical shit.

The current annual hyperfixation that haunts my every waking moment is Hazbin Hotel, if that wasn't already obvious enough. So most of what I write will revolve around that.

Other fandoms I will write for are My Hero Academia, The Amazing Digital Circus, and The Owl House. (I live under a rock and don't know much else.)

Requests are Open and here are The Rules™!!!!

1.) Story Prompts, Character Headcannons, Character Pairings and similar ideas are all free game. (Also if you just want to talk, please I'm so lonely.)

1.5.) Requests aren't limited to fandom or tk fics! I love a good challenge so if you got a good prompt you wanna hit me with, I'm all ears!

2.) Obviously, I reserve the right to deny any requests if I can't vibe with it but don't think that means I appreciate your inputs any less!

3.) I will not write anything NSFW. (Dude, there are children here!)

4.) Requests will NOT be answered in a timely manner as I have the time management skills of a narcoleptic seahorse and run off of hyperfixation and spite alone.

5.) I'm not comfortable writing anyone's OCs for fandom fics, sorry.

6.) Keep it silly. Keep it fun. Don't be an asshole.

About the Author: (over sharing)

Here's some personal details about me that I feel like have a significant affect on my perception of reality and therefore my writing as a whole.

First things first, my irl pronouns are she/her. But let's be real, we're on Tumblr so call me whatever you want. Get creative with it.

I'm a 21y/o software engineering student diagnosed ADHD. (I keep praying to God but he's not answering) But y'know, that double homicide clearly wasn't enough and I got nerfed with a chaotic and relatively unstable living situation so if I go ghost for a hot minute that's probably why.

I identify myself as a sapphic-oriented AroAce abomination who ironically, is in a happy relationship with a man... (It was an accident I swear!) I'm just as confused as you are don't worry. So needless to say the pairings I write are going to be affected by that aroace lens but hey, if you're like me and enjoy exploring platonic dynamics a lot more then you've come to the right place!

Your girl also has a condition known as Maladaptive Daydreaming Disorder (MaDD), as if my pea-brain wasn't screwed enough already. Pretty self explanatory, basically means I have this dumbass condition where I have to disassociate into my fantasy worlds for hours and hours on end instead of actually contributing to society. Fun, right? I mention this not only to spread a little awareness but also to *cite my sources* in a way. Pretty sure it's forced me to become a better writer in a way, too. So it's not all bad ig.

If you want any more personal information out of me you either gotta hunt down my FBI agent or fill out my friendship criteria form on Github.

Now scroll and enjoy yourself.

Also if I get one more dm blasting me for the badges I probably won't do anything but IT WAS FOR THE BIT!!!!

[nicklloydnow]

“Still the arrangement is bringing new attention to the company’s scale and ubiquity. “It’s impossible to think of BlackRock without thinking of them as a fourth branch of government,” says William Birdthistle, a professor at the Chicago-Kent College of Law who studies the fund industry.

(…)

There’s probably no other financial institution that brings to the table what BlackRock does. It’s experienced in running large portfolios on behalf of others. It’s ubiquitous in markets for everything from passive, index-linked products to hands-on mutual funds, with $6.5 trillion in assets under management as of March 31. It’s the largest issuer of ETFs, which act like mutual funds but trade on an exchange. It actively manages more than $625 billion in bond funds for pension plans and other institutional clients. Almost anyone looking to buy a diverse portfolio quickly would consider BlackRock—and the Fed did the same. In a virtual hearing of the Senate Banking Committee on May 19, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said BlackRock was hired for its expertise and “it was done very quickly due to the urgency” of the matter.

Beyond money management, BlackRock’s software platform, Aladdin, appealed to the Fed. The program evaluates risk for clients that include governments, insurers, and rival wealth managers, monitoring more than $20 trillion in assets. (Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News, sells financial software that competes with Aladdin.)

BlackRock has ascended to speed-dial status among Washington officialdom in part through shrewd business maneuvering. It scooped up Barclays Global Investors, including its iShares ETF division, in the fallout from the 2008 crisis. That gave BlackRock a stronghold in low-cost index funds, transforming it into the world’s largest asset manager almost overnight—and supercharging more than a decade of growth.

At the same time, the money manager built a powerful advocacy arm. Its sphere of influence reaches beyond the central bank to lawmakers, presidents, and government agency heads from both political parties, though its hiring leans Democratic. Bloomberg found only a handful of current BlackRock executives who came out of the George W. Bush administration, but more than a dozen Barack Obama alumni. These include Obama’s national security adviser, senior adviser for climate policy, the former Federal Reserve vice chairman he appointed, and numerous White House, Treasury, and Fed economists.

(…)

BlackRock, however, was handed three Fed assignments without any competitive process—though the Fed plans to rebid the contracts once the programs are in full swing. BlackRock will manage portfolios of corporate bonds and debt ETFs. It will do the same for newly issued bonds—sometimes acting as the sole buyer—and for up to 25% of bank-syndicated loans. And it will purchase commercial mortgage-backed securities from quasi-government agencies such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

BlackRock could reap as much as $48 million a year in fees for its Fed work, according to a Bloomberg analysis. That’s no windfall, especially in relation to its $4.5 billion in earnings last year. But it may further cement the money manager’s ties with policymakers. On May 12, BlackRock began the first stage of these programs when it began buying ETFs.

As with technology companies Facebook Inc. and Alphabet Inc., BlackRock’s growth raises questions over how big and useful a company can become before its size poses a risk. The firm has long argued that, unlike banks, it’s not making investments for itself with tons of borrowed money. Watching over large sums of money for clients doesn’t make its business a threat to the broader financial system.

With its latest assignment, that argument could be harder to make, says Graham Steele, director of the Corporations and Society Initiative at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. “They are so intertwined in the market and government that it’s a really interesting tangle of conflicts,” says Steele, who formerly worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. “In the advocacy community there’s an opinion that asset managers, and this one in particular, need greater oversight.”

Already there are growing worries about the power of BlackRock, Vanguard Group Inc., and State Street, often called the Big Three because they hold about 80% of all indexed money. That raises concerns about how they wield their voting power as shareholders and has even drawn attention from antitrust officials.

(…)

And then there are the potential conflicts. One arm of BlackRock knows what the Fed is buying, while other parts of the business participating in credit markets could benefit from that knowledge. To avoid conflicts, “there are stringent information barriers in place,” says the BlackRock spokesman. BlackRock employees working on the Fed programs must segregate their operations from all other units, including trading, brokerage, and sales. The fee waiver on ETFs helps avoid the appearance of self-dealing.

But BlackRock’s contract with the Fed also acknowledges that senior executives “may sit atop of the information barrier” and “have access to confidential information on one side of a wall while carrying out duties on the other side.” Staff working on the Fed programs must go through a cooling-off period before moving to jobs on the corporate side, but it would last only two weeks.

Birdthistle, the Chicago-Kent law professor, suggests the Fed could have made its process more competitive by allocating some of its funds for buying corporate credit to a group of asset managers from the outset, instead of just one. “It raises the question: Why did all the money have to go to one company?” he asks. “I get why BlackRock would be on the list, but I don’t understand why it would be the only one on the list.””

[tjsbsociety]

Society gate management system

Are You Looking for the Best Society Management and Accounting Software? Discover the All-in-One Solution at TJSB Society

Managing a housing society effectively requires tools that streamline complex processes, simplify financial tasks, and enhance the living experience for all members. If you’re searching for reliable society maintenance software that meets the demands of modern housing complexes, TJSB Society offers a comprehensive solution tailored to your needs. From housing society billing software to visitor management systems, TJSB Society's offerings are designed to bring ease and efficiency to society management across Mumbai, Thane, and beyond.

Comprehensive Society Management Software Solutions

Running a cooperative or housing society can be challenging without the right digital support. TJSB Society provides the best society management software in India, offering a user-friendly interface and features that address all aspects of society administration. Whether you need to streamline financial records, manage member interactions, or improve security, our software suite is built to empower societies with seamless operations.

Key Features of TJSB Society Management Software:

Society Accounting and Maintenance Software: One of the standout features of our solution is the robust housing society accounting software. With capabilities that cater specifically to cooperative and housing societies, it simplifies billing, payment tracking, and expense management. This is especially beneficial for societies looking for society accounting software in Thane or society accounting software in Mumbai.

Housing Society Billing Software: The integrated housing society billing software handles everything from generating monthly maintenance bills to tracking dues and member payments. This feature allows treasurers and administrators to automate billing processes and eliminate the stress of manual calculations.

Society Management Application: A must-have for busy committees and members, the society management application by TJSB Society helps streamline communication, request submissions, and notifications. Whether you're in Navi Mumbai or the heart of Thane, our society app for members in Mumbai and beyond makes coordination easy and efficient.

Enhanced Security with Our Visitor Management System

Security and safety are top priorities for housing societies. Our visitor management system for housing societies ensures that you have control over who enters and exits the premises. With the society gate management system, guards and residents can monitor and manage visitors effortlessly. For those who value advanced technology, TJSB Society offers integration similar to my gate society visitor management systems, elevating security while maintaining ease of use.

Society Visitor Management Software: Streamlines visitor check-in processes with real-time notifications to residents and the management committee.

Society Gate Management System: Provides a layer of security that benefits large and small societies alike by maintaining detailed visitor logs and access controls.

Why Choose TJSB Society?

TJSB Society’s offerings are ideal for those seeking cooperative society management software that can handle day-to-day operations and long-term planning. Our solutions are particularly suited for societies in bustling metropolitan areas like Mumbai and Thane, where efficient management can make a significant difference in living standards.

Best Housing Society Management Software in Thane: If you’re located in Thane, you’ll appreciate the local expertise and support offered by TJSB Society. Our software is designed with regional needs in mind, making it the best housing society management software in Thane.

Cooperative Society Accounting Software in Mumbai: Perfect for societies that need detailed financial oversight, our cooperative society accounting software caters specifically to the financial complexities of cooperatives in Mumbai.

Free and Trial Software Options

For societies hesitant to commit without testing the software, TJSB Society provides a free society accounting software option, allowing you to experience firsthand the efficiency and reliability of our system. This trial helps societies make an informed decision before investing in the full package.

Benefits of Choosing TJSB Society’s Online Management System:

User-Friendly Interface: The online society management system is intuitive, requiring minimal training for members and committee members to use effectively.

Secure Data Management: Our software employs robust encryption and data protection measures to keep your society's information safe.

Scalable Solutions: Whether you're managing a small complex or a large cooperative, our system adapts to the size and complexity of your needs.

Special Features for Societies in Navi Mumbai and Beyond

The society app for members in Navi Mumbai enhances communication within communities, making it easier for residents to participate in decision-making processes and access important updates. This tool is an invaluable asset for societies that prioritize transparency and collaboration among members.

Conclusion

For societies looking for a holistic, dependable, and technologically advanced approach to managing finances, security, and member interactions, TJSB Society is the go-to solution. With tailored products designed for housing society software in Mumbai, society billing and maintenance apps in Mumbai, and cooperative society management software, TJSB Society is your trusted partner for seamless management.

Discover more about how TJSB Society can elevate your society's management experience by visiting TJSB Society's official website. Whether you need efficient society maintenance software, an effective society visitor management software, or the best housing society software in Thane, we have you covered.

[scbsocietyconnekt]

Housing society maintenance billing software

Welcome to SCB Society Connekt: The Best Society Maintenance Software

Efficient management of housing societies can be a complex and time-consuming task. To simplify this process, SCB Society Connekt offers a range of software solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of housing societies in India. As the Best Society Maintenance Software provider, SCB Society Connekt focuses on optimizing society management through advanced features and an easy-to-use interface.

Why Choose SCB Society Connekt?

Housing societies often face challenges such as accounting errors, maintenance issues, billing complexities, and lack of transparency. With SCB Society Connekt, managing all these elements becomes a hassle-free experience. Here’s why SCB Society Connekt is the go-to choice:

Free Society Accounting Software: Managing finances becomes seamless with SCB Society Connekt's Free Society Accounting Software. Societies can automate accounting processes, generate accurate reports, and maintain transparency.

Comprehensive Housing Society Software in Mumbai: SCB Society Connekt provides an all-inclusive solution designed specifically for housing societies in Mumbai. The Comprehensive Housing Society Software in Mumbai focuses on maintenance tracking, financial management, and enhanced communication.

Cloud-Based Housing Society Accounting Software: Embrace the flexibility and security of cloud-based technology. The Cloud-Based Housing Society Accounting Software by SCB Society Connekt enables users to access and update records from anywhere at any time, ensuring data security and real-time updates.

Top Society Billing and Maintenance App in Navi Mumbai: SCB Society Connekt is equipped with a highly efficient billing and maintenance app that caters to the specific needs of societies in Navi Mumbai. Visit Top Society Billing and Maintenance App in Navi Mumbai to know more.

Features of SCB Society Connekt

SCB Society Connekt offers a plethora of features that make it a leading choice for society management, including:

Automated Billing and Invoicing: Avoid manual errors and streamline the billing process.

Comprehensive Financial Reports: Generate insightful reports to enhance decision-making.

Expense Tracking: Monitor and control expenses effectively.

Member Management: Simplify communication with society members.

Explore these features in detail by visiting Society Accounting and Maintenance Software.

Best Society Accounting & Billing Software in India

SCB Society Connekt has earned a reputation as the Best Society Accounting & Billing Software in India, catering to the needs of housing societies across various cities, including Mumbai, Pune, and Navi Mumbai. With an intuitive interface and an array of features, this software is designed to simplify the financial and administrative operations of any housing society.

Society Accounting Software in Mumbai & Pune

Mumbai and Pune are home to numerous housing societies, each with its unique set of requirements. SCB Society Connekt’s Society Accounting Software in Mumbai and Society Accounting Software in Pune offer customized solutions for societies in these cities, making management more streamlined and efficient.

Best Housing Society Billing and Maintenance Software in Mumbai

The Best Housing Society Billing and Maintenance Software in Mumbai is equipped to handle every aspect of society management, from accounting to maintenance scheduling. With features like automated billing and easy member communication, societies in Mumbai can operate more efficiently.

Top 5 Society Management Software for Housing Societies

SCB Society Connekt ranks among the Top 5 Society Management Software for Housing Societies. It not only handles financial records but also assists with maintenance tasks and enhances member communication.

Housing Society Maintenance Billing Software

Managing maintenance bills can be a cumbersome task. SCB Society Connekt’s Housing Society Maintenance Billing Software provides a systematic approach to generating, distributing, and tracking maintenance bills, making the process transparent and efficient.

How to Choose the Best Society Management Software

Choosing the right software for your society is crucial for effective management. SCB Society Connekt offers a detailed guide on How to Choose the Best Society Management Software, outlining key factors to consider before making a decision.

Conclusion

Managing housing societies is no longer a daunting task with SCB Society Connekt. With a wide range of solutions, from Free Society Accounting Software to Top Society Billing and Maintenance App in Navi Mumbai, SCB Society Connekt is the ultimate choice for societies seeking efficiency, transparency, and reliability. Explore the full range of solutions at SCB Society Connekt and revolutionize the way you manage your housing society!

[mgcounsultinggroup]

The Future of HR Outsourcing in the Middle East

The Middle East has been undergoing revolutionary changes in the economies and business landscapes over the last few decades. As a reaction to rising demands for efficiency and cost-cutting from most firms, HR outsourcing has become the most sought-after solution for such businesses. This approach lets the core operations of the business focus on their respective spaces while human resource functions are left to the specialized providers. Going forward, HR outsourcing in the Middle East is likely to be different. This blog will discuss the trends, benefits, and potential challenges that businesses may face under such a changing scenario.

What is HR Outsourcing? HR outsourcing involves sending some of the human resource functions outside to another company and hiring them to run those functions. Examples of outsourced human resource functions include payroll, recruitment, employee benefits, training, and compliance with labor laws. The company benefits from expertise without bearing overheads from maintaining a large in-house HR department by outsourcing such functions.

Trends Shaping the Future of HR Outsourcing

Technology Integration Technology will be one of the most influential factors for future HR outsourcing since advanced software and tools have already started transforming how HR services are provided. For instance, instant accessibility to employee information through cloud-based platforms allows streamlined pay processing and benefits administration. The technologies also enable remote work, hence allowing them to manage their teams remotely across locations. Companies are investing significantly in HR Outsourcing in Middle East by adopting HR tech solutions that are integrated with their existing systems. This integration has proven to be more efficient, smoother, and enhances the overall employee experience.

Focus on Employee Experience As the job market becomes stronger and more challenging, the primary focuses of organizations and companies have shifted toward placing a greater emphasis on employee experience. Organizations now realize that top talent would only be attracted and retained in the presence of a supportive and engaging work culture. So, HR outsourcing providers are taking it up to help businesses enhance employee experience through effective onboarding, training programs, and performance management. Future HR outsourcing providers in the Middle East are likely to focus on consultancy-based services with an employee-centric approach. This may include wellness plans, flexible work scheduling, and staff development programs.

Regulatory Compliance and Risk Management The Middle East has a highly complex regulatory framework - each jurisdiction's labor laws differ from one another. To a business, especially those spanning across jurisdictions, this might pose challenges in dealing with the complex setup of labor laws. To overcome these complexities and legal requirements, HR outsourcing partners have become very crucial to companies. However, with regulations continuously evolving, there is an escalating need for the assurance of compliance through HR outsourcing. Providers will, therefore, have a necessity to stay updated on changes in the labor law and strategize how they can help the firm reduce the risks associated with non-compliance.

Valuing Diversity and Inclusion Diversity and inclusion are emergent issues in the workplace. Companies in the Middle East are now aware of the importance of developing a diversified set of teams that will be representative of the multiculturality of the society prevailing within the region. In that respect, they can offshore the processes to HR firms that specifically specialize in D&I strategies across the recruitment process and employee engagement schemes. The future services that HR outsourcing providers are going to provide would include diversity, equity, and inclusion, nurturing organizations that blend diversity into their workplace.

Sustainability and Social Responsibility As environmental issues become mainstreamed and global, the business world feels a growing pressure to implement sustainable practices. HR outsourcing is well positioned to become an essential tool in this sustainability effort because it promotes responsible HR practices such as adopting policies of well-being towards employees, engaging the community, and using ethical labor. This is, for example, in the Middle East. Organizations will likely seek HR outsourcing partners whose sustainability fit plays a role that aligns with their corporate goals. Providers who are seen to pursue social responsibility will likely command a competitive edge. The future of HR outsourcing is increasingly entwining with sustainability in HR functions since companies are increasingly being expected to make positive societal contributions .

Benefits of HR Outsourcing in the Future The outlook for HR outsourcing in the Middle East is promising, offering many benefits to firms looking to take this route:

Cost Advantage: This can save the companies considerable amounts of money due to overhead cut and letting other important activities be handled by them.

Access to Specialized Knowledge: Outsourcing HR functions grants clients access to specialized knowledge and resources that they might not have in-house. In this way, the functions are operated in accordance and their effective management can be ensured. Scalability: As the businesses expand, outsourcing partners can be brought into the organization who can easily absorb the new requirements. This would mean the company could scale HR services up or down. Focus Intensified: Outsourcing HR tasks to external experts means companies can focus on their core business objectives and strategic activities. Challenges Ahead: Though the future of HR outsourcing in the Middle East appears optimistic, businesses may also face challenges:

Choice of Partner: The right partner for HR outsourcing is very crucial for success. There is a need to assess the potential partners in terms of expertise, industry experience, and cultural fit. Communication and Collaboration: Seamless communication between the internal teams and outsourcing partner is also very important. Lack of alignment usually leads to misunderstandings and, ultimately, inefficiencies. Change Management: There is a huge transition within the organization while transitioning to HR outsourcing. So, the business should take care of the expectations of the employees and help them in the transition process. Conclusion This entails things like technology, employee experience, regulation, diversity and inclusion, and sustainability-­all of which will significantly define HR outsourcing in the Middle East. Because organization in the region will look to shore up their HR capabilities and adjust to the new shape of business, outsourcing will play an increasingly significant role in that process. The embracing of HR outsourcing will mean organization have access to expertise, improved efficiency, and finally, growth within an extremely competitive landscape.