#independent claims adjuster

[brownohaveroklahoma]

In the wake of a fire, the devastation is not confined to the charred remnants of buildings but extends to the emotional and financial realms. While insurance claims serve as a crucial lifeline for recovery, the complexities of the process can be overwhelming. This is where the expertise of public adjusters becomes invaluable, guiding individuals and businesses through the intricate journey of assessing and maximizing their insurance claims.

[finfarts]

"the shooter is alt-right" "the shooter is extreme-left"

have you considered that those in positions of power, aka those like the CEO that was shot, don't want you to unify over common experiences regardless of your political leanings??? it was never about politics. don't let the media make it about politics. make it about forcing change in a broken system.

[millionmovieproject]

HELLO COUSINS! NEW EPISODE ALERT!

In this episode of Social Contract, Nicolette and Jared touch on China's refusal to be bullied by the US, denying sales of critical minerals and elements, the latest in the US sponsored Greater Israel plot as Syria becomes the next target, Jared sees a cat, and a call-to-action for Universal Healthcare now.

Follow us on YouTube, Twitch, and Twitter!

[lemonlover1110]

𝐉𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐲

Toji Fushiguro

Summary: Megumi is insanely jealous of the new addition to the household.

Warnings: Fluff, Jealous!Megumi

*Didn't have anything bigger for Toji for father's day but I had to celebrate it one way or another sfjosjf. Enjoy my lovelies!

Discord +18 - Twitter - Ko-Fi

“Papa, up!” Megumi yells, hoping to get his father’s attention when he sees Toji holding the new addition to the family. Megumi has reached the age where he claims to be independent, after all, four is such a big age. He’d cry if you or Toji held him, but he’s changed his mind.

“Your baby sister is crying, give me a minute.” Toji sounds annoyed, knowing that Megumi does it out of jealousy. Jealous of a baby that can’t even hold her own head, kids are so dumb. Megumi lets out a cry before yelling again,

“Papa, up!” He wants attention now. He doesn’t want to wait until Toji is done with some stinky baby. Toji lets out an exasperated sigh as tears begin to stream down Megumi’s face– Crocodile tears, but tears nonetheless. He extends his arms and opens and closes his tiny fists repeatedly, yelling, “Up!”

“Megumi, you don’t want to wake up mommy, do you?” Toji asks, trying his best to calm down the crying baby in his arms while also handling Megumi. Toji goes unheard as Megumi begins to cry his little heart out. 

Toji takes a deep breath, trying to remain collected in this situation. Megumi is only four and getting adjusted to the presence of his little sister. Toji decides that it’s best to walk away, going to the kitchen to get the baby’s bottle and deal with her first since Megumi’s issue isn’t easily resolved. 

“Papa!” Megumi yells, following around Toji as he gets a bottle in the baby’s mouth. 

“Megumi, wait for me in the living room.” Toji says, but Megumi isn’t listening. Daddy isn’t like mommy, whatever mommy says goes but when Toji speaks he goes ignored; Toji’s is far scarier and intimidating than you are, he doesn’t understand why Megumi doesn’t take him seriously. “Megumi, go away!”

“I’m running away!” Megumi stomps his little feet before finally leaving Toji to deal with the baby. Toji breathes in relief, his pesky little bug finally giving him a moment alone. He’s able to go to the living room and sit down comfortably as he finishes feeding his daughter. 

“He’ll come around, princess. He hasn’t witnessed just how cute you are.” Toji coos, as if the baby can understand or care. She finishes her bottle, and Toji burps her before setting her down in her crib. He usually chooses to hold her whenever he can, but right now he has bigger fish to fry.

Toji walks into Megumi’s room, watching how his son tries to fit his most valuable toys into a backpack. Toji is trying his best to not chuckle, knowing that Megumi is deeply hurt. Toji takes a seat on Megumi’s tiny bed, clearing his throat before asking, “Need help packing?”

“You hate me!” Megumi cries, and Toji rolls his eyes. Was he that dramatic when he was Megumi’s age? “Mommy and you don’t love me anymore.”

“Oh c’mon, why do you say that, urchin?” Toji tries to see the little guy’s point of view before attempting to comfort him. The last thing Toji needs is attempting to explain to you why Megumi is packing up all his toys– You leave him alone with the kids for a two hour nap and Megumi’s already moving out. 

“You only care for the new baby.” Megumi angrily muffles, and Toji could’ve guessed as much. 

“C’mere, baby. Let me carry you now.” Toji opens his arms for Megumi, and Megumi glares at his father. He wipes away his tears before deciding that he does want to be carried by his father, after all, the tantrum is simply because of this. Toji picks him up, setting him down on his lap before kissing his forehead. “Is this why you’ve been so sensitive? Because of the new baby?”

“Yeah…” Megumi pouts, and it takes everything in Toji to not laugh.

“I will tell you something but don’t tell mommy, okay?” Toji begins, almost whispering to Megumi. Megumi’s eyes perk up, and Toji is fighting back a smirk. “We… Don’t like the new baby that much. I mean, we just met her. But you, urchin? You’re our favorite.”

“Really?” Megumi’s voice is full of hope, and Toji prays that this means Megumi will stop being so jealous about his baby sister. Toji doesn’t hesitate before nodding. It reminds Megumi that he doesn’t like being held anymore, which makes him get off Toji’s lap.

“Will you behave around her, now?” Toji asks, and Megumi takes a moment to think about it.

“Can we sell her?” Megumi responds, which makes Toji’s jaw drop. Did his cute little urchin seriously just say that?

“Okay, new rule: you’re not allowed near her room.” Toji stands up from the tiny bed, his knees cracking. He leans down and kisses the top of Megumi’s head, “Now unpack all of your toys before mommy wakes up.”

[fatuismooches]

What are the Harbingers like when they’re jealous?

if i can't have you baby, no one else in this world can.

Imagine the Harbingers when they're jealous.

Pierro is at the age where it’s simply too late to get immaturely jealous. He values independence and won’t meddle too much in your affairs. Of course, he’ll be there if anything serious or dangerous happens, but with his position, you’ll need to adjust to being apart for various lengths of time. Therefore, Pierro won’t be mad when you talk to others. In fact, he’ll encourage it considering how he doesn’t want you to feel too lonely. Though, he’ll advise you to stay away from certain Harbingers… Anyway, Pierro doesn’t exactly get jealous, but rather, sad. He’s happy to see you all lively and joyful with others, someone as bright and pure as you deserve it. After all, a sinner like him has no right to dictate who you should interact with or how you should feel. At the same time, Pierro can’t help but feel a twinge of sorrowfulness. Perhaps you would be more happy without him. Unintentionally becomes more distant from you and won’t say anything until you notice first. Please sit him down and explain to him how much you love and him you’ll never leave him for anyone. He’ll appreciate that a lot.

Dottore considers himself to be smart enough now not to fall for the jealousy trap. He’s lived for hundreds of years, obtained unspeakable and great knowledge, and is able to bring even Gods to his feet. There is no reason for him ever to feel a frivolous emotion such as jealousy. He’s confident in himself, and he’s confident in you. There is no one he’s been with longer than you, and he trusts you, to continue to be a constant in his life. Even if he does get jealous, it’ll probably be by his clones hogging you and even then he could send them off with a snap of his fingers. And well, I doubt anyone else would come up to you when there’s always a version of Dottore near you. Though, there are some clones from his younger years that you can easily tell when they’re jealous. It’s honestly a bit funny but nostalgic to see how different he is. You remember when he’d get all silent whenever you had to leave your shared dorm room in the Akademiya. (He didn’t want you mingling with those incompetent scholars because he feared for your intelligence, he claimed. You knew he was just jealous and lonely.)

Columbina is a bit surprised at her jealousy. She likes to take things easy and not too seriously, so the feeling of a stab of envy is new to her, but she welcomes it. Columbina believes that this is all part of the joy of relationships, discovering new emotions and things about each other, so she won’t take it too seriously. She’ll actually be happy that she feels for you so much, that she’s able to get jealous. It’s quite an accomplishment and milestone! Though if the person ever makes you uncomfortable, they’re next on her hit list. Columbina tends not to understand the concept of personal space sometimes, so she’ll just stroll up to you and hug you from behind, or rest her head on your shoulders, whatever she’s in the mood for, and just… smile. This usually is enough for the other person to back off and leave you alone. If you ask Columbina about her jealousy, she won’t hide or deny it, and instead hum and weave a pleasing string of words about how only a fool wouldn’t be possessive of you. Perhaps she’s more devilish than we give her credit for?

Capitano is the confused one. The feeling has been following him around all day, and he can’t seem to pinpoint where or when it started. You’re going to have to notice something is a bit off with your lover because he most likely won’t go to you first. Capitano has a bit of a problem with showing vulnerability. He’s expected to be the unmoving, sturdy, and dependable Captain at all times, so having to put his walls down can be quite hard sometimes. (Even while cuddling he can be really stiff which you have to keep telling him to relax.) Though after a bit of your usual pestering and refusing to let go of him, he relents. You’ve always been persistent in helping him show emotions despite kind of failing, so what would it hurt to tell you? You always seem to know things that he doesn’t. Though he finds himself a bit abashed after the realization hits you and you struggle to tell him through laughter that he’s simply jealous. Afterward, he finds it a bit embarrassing - a high-ranking Harbinger such as him being inflicted with something like that. But Capitano is still rather grateful for you teaching him more about this emotion and how to control it. Reassures you that it won’t happen again but it wasn’t like you were complaining, you teased. He prefers if you didn’t bring this up again because he doesn’t like thinking about his moments of weakness.

Scaramouche is pissed. Furious at some person for speaking to you like that, furious at you for making him feel this way, but most importantly furious at himself for succumbing to such a stupid and exhausting human emotion. His line of thought is something like this: How dare they try to act all buddy-buddy with you? And how dare you give them that sweet smile and laugh of yours, when that’s reserved for him only? The second someone looks at you the wrong way has him completely zoned in and aware of their actions, in case they try to pull something. In moments he’ll have them shivering and running away in tears, maybe a broken bone too if he’s especially pissed. Depending on his mood and how well you comfort him, they may live to see another day. If you call him out on his jealousy, he’ll just shake his head and deflect the accusations, calling you an idiot instead (affectionately.) Will be closer and more touchy with you for the rest of the day.

The Wanderer, on the other hand, has grown to be more mature and less confrontational about it. He’s calmed down a bit from his Fatui years and admits that his way of dealing with things wasn’t the most optimal, and is doing his best to be a better lover for you. He now trusts you enough to be able to deal with things by yourself. Though, don’t think that he won’t spring into action. He’ll still stand close by, arms crossed and hat covering his expression, listening in. The moment the person says something a little too inappropriate or you start looking uncomfortable, he’s standing in front of you in a flash, glaring at the person. If they don’t get the hint, they’ll receive a personal berating from him. Teasing him for being jealous will result in him scoffing and walking away rather quickly, leaving you to run after him. 

Innocent Kabukimono doesn’t understand why he’s feeling this way! You’re just talking to a villager, someone he knows, and yet his chest is twisting and turning all painfully as he watches! A part of him just wants to go up to you and pull you away, but that wasn’t what good humans did, was it? So he just sulks and sulks with pouty cheeks, to the point Niwa is concerned for him. When Kabukimono explains what he’s feeling, he just laughs and pats him on the back, explaining the concept of jealousy, and advises the puppet to simply communicate with you about it. When Kabukimono does speak to you about it, fiddling with his veil and clothes shyly, you can’t help but coo at how cute he was being, and assure him that he’ll always be number one in your heart. When he asks for a few kisses for reassurance, you can’t help but agree.

Sandrone does not know what to do or make with this feeling. She is aware of what it is, but like, how should she go about dealing with it? She could just go up to you and drag you away, it would be quite easy for her to do that with the Automaton behind her and all. Or she could just let you be. You are quite different from her after all. You enjoy talking to other people and interacting with them, while she could care less. So Sandrone simply retreats to her little safe haven, her lab chock-fulled with her inventions and machines and then a specific section she made for little creations dedicated for you. And she works and works, well, more like tries to work but her head is steaming from how some random person can hog your attention like that. And she can no longer tolerate that. Eventually, if you don’t come back to her quick enough, she’s going to find you herself and take matters into her own hands, regardless of whatever conversation you’re having. Teasing her about it may result in one of her machines picking you up and dangling you above the floor. But she’s really just happy you’d choose her over anyone.

La Signora is another one who's quite confident in your relationship. I mean, she’s gorgeous, you’re gorgeous, you two were practically made for each other. So, whenever people talk to you, she can’t help but understand since you’re so alluring. But her favorite part is showing off to everyone that hah, too bad, you’re already taken by her. As if anyone else could ever be worthy of you, she thinks, pitying those poor fools who think they ever had a chance with you. And she will make this ideology absolutely clear to anyone and everyone. She’s so tall, she probably towers over the other person and gives them a look that definitely makes them feel like a pest. She has one hand tracing over your collarbones and the other stroking your hair while she looks at the other person dead in the eye as if daring them to say something. Of course, they don’t. Signora finds the whole ordeal more amusing than anything and will laugh with you if you bring it up. Oh darling, she tells you, it’ll take a lot more than that to truly upset her. However, although she enjoys watching the hope fall out of other people’s eyes, it does get tiring sometimes. Maybe you need more matching accessories? Would a hickey do?

Pantalone is well acquainted with the feeling of jealousy. He’s felt it since he was a child, envying others for what he could not have. And now he’s climbed up and up the ladder, to the point where everyone is jealous of him instead, not the other way around. He’d never have to feel that feeling again, as he had anything a man could ever dream of. Except… he’s jealous yet again. Not over material possessions or wealth, but you. But Pantalone hides his jealousy quite well, just like he does with his other emotions, under that smile of his. Other people won’t notice but… if you look closely you may see his smile is a bit strained. Pantalome keeps up the polite persona but may throw in a few snide comments. He keeps a firm arm around your waist and ushers you out of there rather quickly. You probably shouldn’t bring it up later. Pantalone sometimes fears he will be that same boy stuck in poverty and left with nothing again, although he never expresses it. He sometimes fears he will lose you too. Don’t say anything. Simply come up from behind and hug him. Pull off that huge jacket of his. Give him lots of kisses and finally one on the lips, telling him he never needs to worry about being separated from you.

Arlecchino looks emotionless as ever but the jealousy eats her up inside. It leaves a taste in her mouth that’s more bitter than her coffee. She’s the kind of person to do something about it as soon as she feels the feeling creeping up. Does not tolerate anything from anyone (besides you) so you can be sure that she’s going to put a stop to it right away. The thing about Arlecchino is that she doesn’t even need to say anything to scare the person off. Her aura can be so icy and intimidating, downright terrifying sometimes if she felt like it. Not to mention the contempt laced in her eyes could probably kill a man. So when Arlecchino gets jealous, she doesn’t remain like that for long because the problem is solved rather quickly. Plus, she doesn’t really see anything wrong with it. She just sees it as her protecting you from creeps. So if you tease her about it she won’t really be affected by that either. Arlecchino simply kisses you on the forehead and tells you to come to play with the children instead. (Though if you tell her you enjoyed seeing her jealous, she’ll get a teeny bit surprised. She didn’t think you actually liked seeing her like that because many view her as terrifying. You still think she’s so damn hot. And cute when she suddenly can’t make eye contact with you for a few seconds.)

Childe is quite confident and secure in his relationship with you. He cherishes you deeply, and his family loves you as well. You two may not have the most time together, but when you are, you spend it to the fullest. So when he feels the nag of jealousy rising, he’s a bit surprised but plays it off as nothing. It’s just that being away from you for so long has him a bit needy. Though, a teeny tiny part of him wonders if someone else would be better for you, someone that can offer you stability, that won’t leave you waiting for months to return. He would respect your decision… but he quickly ceases that line of thinking. He knows you love him, and he loves you even more, so there was no reason to be worried. Though he might get a bit competitive with the other person, trying to show off a little. And if the person’s making you uncomfortable… well, his passive aggressiveness and less-than-friendly smile are making an appearance. Also, you’ll probably notice he’s more insistent on treating you right. Always being a gentleman and not letting you lift a finger, showering you with all the love he can muster. Childe is always ready to do everything in his power to keep the title of best boyfriend for you. Please watch him cook and clean the dishes! Look, he’s drawing a bubble bath for you right now!

[angelstate]

DadBestFriend!Konig x Young!Reader.

DadBestFriend!Konig who always goes to your dad’s house when he isn't deployed, visits your family more than any of his actual family members because to him, having served in the military by your father’s side meant more than going to Austria and seeing his entitled sister and narcissistic mother, his dad long dead to even remember much of how he was like. 

DadBestFriend!Konig who although would never admit it out loud to anyone, does not only visit your house to see your father but also young little you, who he only got to meet when you moved in with your dad three years ago at age 18 to go to the university of your choice and study fashion design.

DadBestFriend!Konig who immediately caught a liking of your sweet and docile nature, appearing with gifts for you at your house door when he knows he isn’t home, and at first isn’t because of any malicious intention, at least not consciously. he just wants to gift you things he knows you like to show you that despite being in his 40s he is just the right fit to be your lover. 

DadBestFriend!Konig who pushes the narrative of “age is just a number” into your pretty little head, giving fucked up examples of relationships he knows his colleagues have where the age gap hadn’t been an inconvenience at all. Telling you that if it was so immoral as society make it out to be then a lot of people would be in jail. including your father because he and your mom had a 13 age gap when they got married. (disgusting bastard he is by making an example out of your parents)

DadBestFriend!Konig who visits so often your dad “convinced” him (Konig was the one of the idea) that he should move into the house instead of paying the rent of an apartment he barely used either way. claiming the house had a lot of empty space for him to occupy as he wished. 

DadBestFriend!Konig who shortly after moving in, takes 4 weeks of paid leave, saying that he only did it to get used to the house and grow comfortable to living with more people, even though he had stayed so many times over the last 10 years it was difficult to believe he needed time adjusting to anything. The only new addition your dad has had in the last three years was your presence in the house, which seemed to be a blessing more than anything else.

DadBestFriend!Konig who views you as the perfect little housewife, always doing something around the house, cooking dinner and lunch, cleaning and decorating every section of the house that is empty or lacks color. watering the plants every morning as you walked around, pajamas still on, under eye patches, and a face mask on your face. 

DadBestFriend!Konig who grows close to you quickly, not that you have anything in common, but he listens to you talk about the stupid little things young people like you are into, He often times swore he wasn’t old school, that he was a progressive man despite his age, but in reality, he wished nothing more to shut you up when you talked about wanting to work and build your career when you finished university instead of marrying someone and being a stay at home wife.

DadBestFriend!Konig who agrees with you that women shouldn’t get pregnant in their 20s. He is progressive in that at least, he knows and has seen how women resent having children so young and don’t get to experience drinking or going out. His mother was one of those women, she resented him for having him when she was 19 years old, (even though any time she brought it up he would tell her she should’ve kept her legs closed) and even more so when his dad abandoned her not even three months after he was born.

DadBestFriend!Konig who pretends to change his mind about certain topics of women being independent, playing the long game of slowly making you change your mind and have a more conservative look about certain things, the ones he knows that he needs you to have in order to make the perfect little housewife out of you.

DadBestFriend!Konig who can’t help but smile when you ask him to go shopping with you, saying that he always seems to find the most modest clothing items that had started to grow into you after Konig spent the last 2 weeks showing you and discussing how it looked well kept and professional, not outright calling it modest as to not trigger your brain into thinking he was trying to suppress your more revealing clothing style (he was though, he was really trying to suppress your “slutty” way of dressing)

DadBestFriend!Konig who doesn’t give a fuck about changing your mind about sexual modesty in the slightest, because he knows that you were too focused on your studies to sleep around, he knows you don’t like one-night stands and that guys your age don’t know how to treat women right. He feels no need to put effort into keeping you away from sexual interactions because you seem to be pretty opposed to them all by yourself.

DadBestFriend!Konig who only realizes that it also means you are pretty opposed to sleeping with him after you tell him that you aren’t looking for a partner at all and you rather just focus on yourself and your goals, that maybe after you finish your career you would consider looking for someone.

DadBestFriend!Konig who decides to double down his efforts and starts to be more pushy, leaning into you when you are cooking something, asking about the dish you're making as he cages you in between the countertop and him, pressing his chest against your back, his breath brushing against your neck, making you shiver, a small twitch of your shoulder that you don’t notice but he does, making a mental note your neck is sensitive.

DadBestFriend!Konig who is aware that sharing his most intimate problem with you isn’t appropriate but doesn’t give two fucks, telling you that is been so long since he slept with someone, that being a Colonel has left so little time available for him to meet women, that he is nothing short of pent up but doesn’t want to sleep with a woman he has never met before, needing a sort of connection before having sex.

DadBestFriend!Konig who knows he is not only being pushy but also borderline manipulative and can’t bring himself to care no matter how much the guilt eats him alive, and at times he wishes he had met you later in life so it wouldn’t be immoral of him to go after you, but God, aren’t you the perfect woman for him despite your young age and lack of experience in every aspect of life.

DadBestFriend!Konig who has an extremely big amount of self-control, having played a year-long game of playing with your mind, making you more and more open about the fact that older men treat women better, know more, and can protect you like no boy your age could ever do, giving you a more traditional look at life. He doesn’t give a fuck about having kids though, that’s why he never tried to change your mindset about being child-free, God knows he would kill himself if he ever had a kid to take care of. 

DadBestFriend!Konig who pretends to act surprised when you confess your love to him, saying his words back to him about age being just a number and if people don’t like it then they should look away. 

DadBestFriend!Konig who pretends to think about saying yes to you, pretending he cares about your youth and your ability to live it if you were with him, not because he actually cares in the slightest how it affects you, he just wants to hear your argument about it being alright, hearing his manipulative words that he fed you for a year finally coming from your mouth. 

DadBestFriend!Konig who immediately jumps at the opportunity to claim his “boyfriend privileges” the moment you say yes to being his lover. more or less dragging you to your room and throwing you on the bed, claiming on top of you till his thigh is between your legs, pressing against your covered cunt, feeling you throb at the small contact, unaware of the long night ahead of you. (Thank God your father had been deployed 4 days before, leaving the house alone with no risk of you being heard by him if you moaned too loudly.)

[dostoyevsky-official]

Why Syria Matters to the Kremlin

Syria is important to Moscow because intervening there in 2015 allowed Putin to reverse the narrative of Russian decline that had taken hold since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Russia would no longer be what then-President Barack Obama dismissed as a declining “regional power”—it was to be a decisive great-power patron of the Assad regime, and as such, it would rewrite the playbook of outside intervention in the Middle East. American-led interventions, such as the invasion of Iraq and the NATO campaign in Libya, shattered states and bred chaos. Russia would have the opposite effect, preserving Syrian sovereignty and regional order. To understand Russia’s military position in Syria, consider that when Moscow first intervened there, in September 2015, it did so with a surprisingly light footprint and a long-term plan to modernize and strengthen the Syrian military. Moscow deployed just 2,500 to 4,500 personnel to Syria at any given time, focusing on air power, air defenses, and special forces, while relying on Iran and its proxies to supply ground forces. Ultimately, the Kremlin sought to build the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) into a professional fighting force capable of independently securing Assad’s rule, and so it poured resources into modernizing the SAA’s command structures, improving battlefield coordination, and equipping units with advanced Russian weaponry. [...] The collapse of regime defenses revealed that Russia’s long-term strategy to professionalize Assad’s military had failed. These setbacks will not drive Russia out of Syria, however. The Kremlin has too much at stake. It has already leveraged its Syrian intervention to rebuild its Middle Eastern influence, positioning itself as an essential mediator among Iran, Turkey, the Gulf states, the United States, and Israel. Moscow has also secured lucrative economic contracts for the reconstruction of Syria. Given the stakes, Moscow will be compelled to adapt rather than withdraw. It will likely seek to strengthen military cooperation with Iran, including by finding a role for Iraqi militias and recruits in Syria. As consuming as the war in Ukraine has been for Russia, the Kremlin does not see it as superseding its Middle East ambitions. That’s because Syria is not just a military outpost. It is a cornerstone of Russia’s claim to great-power status, a theater where it can demonstrate its diplomatic reach and its counternarrative to Western interventionism. This explains why Russia continues to invest in Syria even as it fights a costly war in Ukraine. Moscow may adjust its tactics, but abandoning Syria would mean surrendering something far more precious than territory: Russia’s hard-won position as an indispensable power broker in the Middle East.

3 December 2024

[mariacallous]

This is from 2022.

The claim: Bob Cratchit was destitute but still earned more than the U.S. minimum wage

The work of Victorian-era novelist Charles Dickens went viral over the holidays, when a tweet used his 1843 novella "A Christmas Carol" to make a point about the minimum wage. 

Posted Dec. 19 and retweeted by over 14,000 users, it centered on Bob Cratchit. The character works as a clerk and accountant for wealthy Ebenezer Scrooge yet struggles to provide enough food and clothing for his wife and six children.

According to the post – which was screenshotted and shared by many Facebook users – Cratchit symbolizes "destitution" in the novella but would have made an inflation-adjusted wage of around $13.50 per hour – almost twice the federal minimum wage. 

"Time for your annual reminder that, according to A Christmas Carol, Bob Cratchit makes 15 shillings a week. Adjusted for inflation, that's $530.27/wk, $27,574/yr, or $13.50/hr," the tweet reads.

"Most Americans on minimum wage earn less than a Dickensian allegory for destitution."

If he were alive today, would Cratchit actually be earning more than the minimum wage?

The wage figure is roughly accurate. But as independent fact-checking organizations have reported, the claim is more complicated than the post makes it seem.

Chris Thompson, who posted the original tweet, told USA TODAY in a LinkedIn message that the claim came from an article published by the site EverythingWhat, which he said he found after "a very cursory Google search."

The tweet drew thousands of comments and shares on Facebook, Instagram and other platforms. More than 30,000 users shared a screenshot of the tweet posted by liberal Facebook page The Other 98% – though it later updated its post to state that "this post has been fact checked and found to be False."

Cratchit's salary roughly equivalent to $14.20 per hour

Inflation is typically measured using the Consumer Price Index, which looks at annual increases in the average price of a standard bundle of consumer goods and services.

But this kind of measurement can't accurately estimate Cratchit's salary, said Samuel H. Williamson, professor emeritus of economics at Miami University of Ohio.

"The term ‘inflation-adjusted salary’ is very misleading because it implies that ... these 'adjusted' salaries can buy a similar set of goods and services," Williamson said. "But over time the bundle becomes so different that the comparison is ludicrous. Cell phones with quill pens, etc.”

While no measure is perfect, What is the relative value of Bob Cratchit’s 15 shillings a week in 1843? of the modern-day equivalent of a 15-shilling wage in 1843, Williamson said. This indicator adjusts a wage based on the inflation of the average worker’s pay each year.

Using this method, Cratchit’s 15 shillings per week would translate to a relative labor earnings value of £611.30 per week, according to MeasuringWorth, an inflation calculation resource that Williamson co-founded. At the current conversion rate, that's about $850 per week and $43,000 annually. 

Keep in mind that, in Victorian England in the 1840s, laborers were expected to work 10 hours per day, six days per week. Assuming Scrooge didn’t make Cratchit work longer hours, that means Cratchit was making the equivalent of $14.20 per hour, adjusting for wage inflation.

That would make his pay nearly double the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, though 30 U.S. states have set higher pay floors. 

However, that wage would put the Cratchits below the federal poverty line of $44,660 for a family of eight. 

Cratchit wasn’t 'destitute' for his time

By calling Cratchit "a Dickensian allegory for destitution," the tweet implies he was paid a relatively low wage for a person in the Victorian era. But that isn't the full story. 

Joel J. Brattin, a professor of English at Worcester Polytechnic Institute who has researched Dickens’ work, told USA TODAY that although Cratchit was paid a relatively low wage for his skillset and time period, he wasn’t the poorest person in Victorian London. For example, manual laborers were paid around 8 shillings per week, he said, and there wasn't a minimum wage.

“It is important to note that Bob Cratchit was not destitute,” Brattin said in an email. “Rather, he was paid little, and had a large family – six children and a wife – to feed and clothe.”

Peter Gurney, a history professor at the University of Essex who has studied consumption and consumer goods in the Victorian era, said fixating on Cratchit's wage takes away from the message of "A Christmas Carol."

“The important thing is that the Cratchit family are almost starving all year round, and Dickens shows how Christmas makes things worse, exposing extremes of poverty and wealth and the erosion of Christian charity by laissez-faire individualism," Gurney said in an email.

Our rating: Partly false

Based on our research, we rate PARTLY FALSE the claim that Cratchit was destitute but still earned more than the U.S. minimum wage. Based on wage inflation, his salary of 15 shillings per week translates to around $43,000 per year, or $14.20 per hour with the standard 60-hour workweek of his time. So it's true that he would have made more than the federal minimum wage.

However, he was not "destitute" for his time, experts told USA TODAY. Cratchit's pay as an educated clerk, while meager for a family of eight, was higher than that of many other workers. There was no minimum wage in Victorian London. In addition, the standard and cost of living today are so different that comparing wages directly is misleading.

[leolithe]

hii can i hear ur thoughts on the lotus system's opinions on teshin i wanted to consult a professional lotus opinion haver

[I rise from my seat in the courtroom and adjust my tie. I open up a briefcase. The witnesses behind me catch a glimpse of my dutifully prepared collage of polaroids and posters, each depicting varying images of the Lotus and her alters.]

Your honor.

It is in my understanding that Teshin Dax was introduced as a narrative foil to the Lotus. As she remained secretive about her intentions and overbearing in her protectiveness, he offered a path of clarity and independence to the Tenno as illustrated in the quests, "Natah" and "The War Within".

However, the clarity he offered was, in my belief, underscored by his personal feelings of spite, regret and an unwillingness to accept the intent of Lotus' actions: the desire to protect the Tenno.

After the quest, The Duviri Paradox, Teshin says the following lines during the Envy and Sorrow Spirals of a new "Duviri Experience" run:

"Trained by a Sentient over a Dax. Is it any wonder things fell out as they did? I could have done so much more." "There is too much I should have set right. The chance... will never come again."

Teshin not only views himself as a greater mentor to the Tenno than the Lotus... he also behaves like the Lotus is responsible for the events leading to The New War and the Tenno's defeat at the hands of Ballas. As a unique note, Teshin also holds contempt for machinery such as the Corpus Jackals and those who do not fight for honour/those who do not fight for themselves.

I seek to bring forth the notion that Teshin Dax does not think highly of the Lotus. She is a Sentient Mimic taking the form of Margulis, a woman whose ideals conflict with his.

"Unlike your Lotus, I will not keep [this console's] secrets from you." "Margulis lied to you, a lie of omission. She did not cure the Zariman children - she erased them." "The Lotus seduced the Tenno. Led them on a complacent path like oxen."

Thus, in the scenario of a continued existence of Teshin Dax and the Lotus within the same geographical area, I have reason to believe the Lotus system has less than favourable opinions on the Dax soldier.

Natah's view on Teshin, I surmise, errs on the side of contemptuous neutrality. The Tenno warriors must have been trained by capable Orokin to function as ruthlessly as they did during the Old War. To discover that the Tenno were children would only further her contempt towards the Orokin-serving Dax.

Additionally, her father ridiculed Erra during the New War by calling him "a Dax in every way but name". Natah's family does not view Teshin and his clade highly, although I do acknowledge that there is room for a shift in opinions after The New War. Knowing that Natah was forced to serve her respective rulers just like the Dax, the Tenno, and even Erra, it may give her enough insight to demonstrate sympathy and compassion towards them.

We are familiar with Margulis' wishes for the Tenno. She stood tall during her execution because she opposed the Orokin for turning her adoptive children into soldiers. To claim that there had to have been tension between Margulis and Teshin is reasonable given that one was willing to die in her opposition to the very notion of child soldiers, and the other was keen on honing these same traumatized children into honoured warriors.

Under the assumption that Margulis and Teshin were alive during the same period of time, they would both be privy to each others' actions as Archimedean and Dax respectively. Unfortunately, Margulis never speaks of Teshin, limiting our extrapolation of her possible opinions and emotions. In fact, it leads me to believe that Teshin's resentment of her is either one-sided or silently reciprocated by her assumptions of the Dax alone.

The opposing views that Archimedean Margulis, the Lotus, and Teshin Dax have about their ways of raising the Tenno is a fascinating point of debate. To protect the Tenno from conflict, Margulis and Lotus choose an avoidant method — Margulis by imposing amnesia on the Tenno, numbing their mind to the trauma that made their Void powers volatile, and the Lotus by sending the Tenno to cryosleep after the Old War, keeping them hidden from the chaos of Grineer and Corpus power struggles. Teshin chooses a more active method — teaching the Tenno to fend for themselves and stand strong amidst the face of danger by honing their skills and building their fortitude in battle.

As for the Lotus, her interactions with Teshin are tinged with distress and distractability in the quest, "Natah". As Teshin pried at her past, she struggled to maintain her composure while she was trying to mentally fend off Hunhow, a presence that literally and psychologically threatened her, while also guiding the Tenno to quell the danger that the Sentient posed to them.

The Lotus learns the hard way that the avoidant method (of protecting her children by sealing them in cryosleep) alone is not sustainable. The point of conflict between the Lotus and the Tenno revolves around the Tenno's trust for her from their awakening to the end of the New War, and Teshin's method is an excellent foil to the Lotus' character, giving both her and the Tenno different perspectives on their current way of life.

Eventually, the Lotus demonstrates neutrality towards, or rather, a reluctant willingness to listen to Teshin at the end of The War Within.

"Teshin thinks he knows better. Maybe he does."

At this point, I believe that the Lotus is likely to approach Teshin with trepidation. Her memory of him is marred with unpleasant events. Despite this, she recognizes that Teshin has helped the Tenno, and she is capable of finding the patience to hear what he has to say in regards to the children they both desire to protect.

To conclude the topic at hand: The Lotus system may have negative views on the Orokin Dax named Teshin, but they are willing to put aside their grudge for the good of the Tenno. While Teshin may desire similar fates for the Tenno as she does... I believe that the Lotus has proven her neutrality towards the other party, while Teshin has yet to do the same. In the event of a meeting between these two, or rather, four, minds, I foresee a strained and/or sullen discussion about the Tenno and the numerous events leading to present day.

And with that, I thank you for listening. I rest my case.

[endereies]

theres are party the couple go to, and chris gets a wee bit drunk

Whenever Chris is drunk, he forgets any of the rules he sets for himself and becomes way more loose. He goes from absolutely no PDA to occasionally finding himself looped around your arm, clinging by your side.

He's definitely a lightweight since he's so new to drinking and it can literally be the result of one drink that changes his personality.

One of Chris’s friends had invited him out to a party. You never cared what he did, the parties were frequent, and he always attended any he could. One thing that he rarely did was drink. Having freshly turned 21, he deterred from it. He had spent the last years of his life easily saying no to people around him. Yet now that he was allowed? It was slightly different.

-

With your legs crossed, you laid on your bed, an old show flashing on your laptop. After a day full of dance rehearsals all you wanted was to unwind. That was until your phone buzzed. You felt the vibrations through the mattress and looked over to see Chris’s name on the screen.

Chris wasn’t one to call people, not even you, unless he had to for his music. Your eyes narrowed as curiosity grew in your stomach.

“Hello?” Instantly, you’re met with the faint chatter and rap music you expected. But the way his voice screeched down the line wasn’t.

“Baby! Yo this party is lit.” A drunken giggle echoes over the phone.

The phone slipped between your cheek and shoulder, adjusting your body so that your legs hung off the edge of the bed. Grabbing the phone to place him on speaker you quickly responded.

“You know calling you while you’re drunk as fuck wasn’t on my schedule tonight, doubt it was on yours.” You teased.

“Can’t I call m’girl?” You tried not to smile at the nickname, just humming in response.

You could hear him take the phone away from himself before yelling at his friends, clearly protesting. Your lips form a tight-lipped smile as you hear your name being tossed around conversation. Then it’s followed by muffled sounds and a new voice.

“If you could get your fucking man, that would be great. He’s floored y/n. All of us are way too drunk to drive.” The voice stood out to you from the many times you’d entered Chris’s studio, his manager.

“Louis? What do y’mean.” Chris hadn’t ever been so drunk that you’ve had to pick him up. Uber was his go to, claiming his independence nonchalantly.

“Said what I said, kid is hammered. If he got in another car I think that guy would pass out. Unfortunately for you, I trust you with that idiot.” A sigh passed through the phone and you rolled your eyes at his comments.

“Just look after him until I’m there, send me the location.” With no room to argue, you hung up and wiped your face. Maybe relaxation after dance wasn’t a thing to you anymore. You shut your laptop, the show going mute suddenly.

The car lights blinked as you pushed on the keys. A message pinged on your phone which you instantly knew was the location, so you pulled it up. It was a posher house than what you were used to, and it stood in the centre of town. Nothing you weren’t used to.

You hadn’t even stood both your feet steadily on the gravel before you were tackled onto your seat again by Chris. His arms wrapped snug around your waist so easily and the unexpected gesture had you in shock as you patted his back. This just confused you.. Affection, especially PDA, was never encouraged by one another. It just caught you off guard.

“Hey? How much have you drunk exactly?” The same voice from before spoke from behind Chris whose arms hugged you tighter.

“He had a beer or two, then got roped into shots. Safe to say he’s gonna regret all of it tomorrow.” His manager had his arms crossed, staring at the pair in front of him.

“Shut up” He mumbled softly by your ear; you weren’t sure who he was talking to, but you responded none the less.

“Alright kid, let’s get you moving.” The change in behaviour has been completely different to what you were used to. He had snaked his body around yours and stayed there for longer he’s ever done before.

“I’ll let you handle all…this”  Louis’ hands circled you two, grimacing at the sight of Chris.

Begrudgingly, you scoffed at the situation. Acting like this was nothing you’d seen Chris do and you weren’t sure if you were intimidated of flattered. You knew normally that Chris hated any physical touch unless it was during sex. As much as you also wanted to tease him, he wasn’t in his right mind. You tapped his chest and pushed him back, the cool air between you both again.

You ignore any protests of his and almost claw his wrist as you drag him to the passenger seat. He seemed competent to do things himself, so you just shut the door and waltzed to the driver’s side.

You’ve never witnessed him so out of it. You closed your mouth, not sure how to go about this anomaly. Are you annoyed at him? Only for interrupting your night.

“Hey Chris?” Your voice was coaxed in faux sweetness, your eyes on the road as you pull out the parking spot.

“What?”

“You fuckin’ get drunk off your ass again, m’not doing this shit ‘gain.” You deadpan and shake your head. You don’t look at him once, your eyes fluttering between street signs.

“Oh. And if you throw up in my car, I don’t care how long it takes, you're cleaning,”

He just giggles beside you, his hand between your knees, tracing small circles. “Yes ma’am”

“Chris? Never call me that again.”

© ENDEREIES 2024

@melliflws @yuhayeee @st7rnioioss @sturn-bugz @bueckers @worldlxvlys @raysmayhem-72 @patscorner @y0urm4m @bernardsbendystraws @junnniiieee07 @luverboychris @jnkvivi @rac00ns-are-c00l4 @shorthairchris @colorthecosmos444 @anabethinking @zay-sturns @anyaa2s @emilyfaith2003 @zariyam @imjusthereforthesturniolosmut

[jacquesthepigeon]

Watching a video talking about the portrayal (or lack of) of economic class in Emily in Paris and she makes a good point about escapism and why it’s understandable for the creators to gloss over certain aspects of parisian life in order to achieve this, much like how Bridgerton took a colorblind approach, and since I’m in a posting mood I’m going to make it about ML again

Looking at a series from the context of what it’s trying to provide for the audience is important and, while it should always be open to criticism, I do think we should adjust our standards accordingly when critiquing

However, in ML’s case, you can’t really make the argument that the series is meant to be unserious mindless entertainment with no interest in making any political statements or including serious messages

To begin with, the entire concept of the show revolves around mental health and how difficult situations can sometimes turn you into something you’re not, with some of the promotional interviews explicitly stating their intent to help kids cope

Okay the “mindless fun” defense failed before it even got to the door

From the very first season, class, race, political corruption, and abuse of power is used to push the plot of the day forward

At the same time, the creator of the series is showing off his whole bare ass on the internet (figuratively, not literally) patting himself on the back for being such a great ally to every minority group under the sun for making such a diverse cast of characters

S1 ends and the company decides to ride the hype train by promising greater stakes and social commentary

The crew’s blatant sexism and refusal to acknowledge abuse becomes undeniable, racist stereotypes galore, blind weapon master trope with weird vibes bc lbr at this point most of what they’re doing is starting to feel off, etc etc

By this point that guy is all in on the “most groundbreaking piece of media in decades” claims and responding to any critiques from the demographics he claims to be lifting up in the absolute worst way possible, obviously prioritizing his own ego over any goodwill he had towards these groups

Over time, every already existing problematic aspect is turned up to 100, now POC are responsible for the police brutality they face, dark skinned characters are getting white washed as soon as they become superheroes, n*z* imagery is presented as neutral and defended, almost every single “message” the show is sending feels very strongly based on spite rather than good intentions so on and so forth

The crew and marketing continues pushing this narrative that the series is so diverse and inclusive and #girlpower

Then S5 comes out and is almost entirely composed of a crappy white man’s wet dream of absolution from responsibility and accountability and finally getting all the praise and recognition they “deserve” bc nothing is ever their fault and every horror they commit is actually a service to humanity

So yeah. You could argue that the crew has no obligation to promote certain kinds of messages or to go out of their way to make a meaningful impact on young children’s lives bc it’s just a dumb kid’s show, but when so much of both the official marketing and the crew’s independent promotion on social media relies heavily on supporting progressive political and social goals, it’s completely normal to expect them to keep their word.

[brownohaveroklahoma]

Oklahoma, like many other regions, is no stranger to insurance claims likes fires, tornados, and pipe bursts. In the aftermath of such disasters, the road to recovery can be daunting, both emotionally and financially. While insurance claims are designed to provide relief, the intricacies of the process can often be overwhelming. This is where Public Insurance Adjusters in Oklahoma step in, offering their expertise to ensure policyholders receive the full compensation they deserve.

[geekmystic]

"Adam? What are these?" Barbara pointed at two slips of card stock leaning up against the model of their home.

Adam turned and followed the direction of Barbara's finger. He adjusted his glasses as he stepped over to the model. Picking up one of the slips, he read out loud.

Adam Maitland

The Netherworld Express Cordially Invites You Aboard The Soul Train.

Please present this voucher at the will-call office at any time of your choosing.

The second slip had Barbara's name on it with the same message.

"The Soul Train? What is that? Do you remember reading about it in the handbook?" Adam asked.

"No. Do you think it's a trick? Maybe that Beetleman is trying to trick us? He can't be happy after what we did to him."

"Should we try to get ahold of Juno?"

"No need." A raspy voice startled the couple from behind them. The smell of cigarette smoke tickled their phantom noses.

Barbara turned around and exclaimed "Juno!"

"The vouchers are legitimate. You've been invited to The Great Beyond."

Barbara crinkled her nose in thought. "The Great Beyond? I thought this was the afterlife. You said we were stuck here for 125 years."

"Well, yes, typically, your spirit would be tied to the property for 125 years. However, you two lovebirds found a loophole."

Juno looked the couple up and down, disapproving of their naivete. With a sigh, she continued. "Both the living and the dead have a terrible time letting things go. Most people, upon learning they're dead, cling to the last bit of their mortal life. It could be a house, an heirloom, or a living person or animal. We can't break the bond until either property or living organism is destroyed or after 125 years has passed."

"But the house isn't destroyed," Adam quickly replied. "Though I question some of the choices in decor." Adam gestured downward to indicate everything below their feet.

Taking another drag of her cigarette, Juno clarified her earlier statement. "That's the loophole. You gave the house to the Deetzes. Your spirits have let go of your claim on the property. You're free to move beyond this mortal realm, past the nether realms, to the Great Beyond."

"Oh Adam. I don't know. Lydia would be heartbroken."

With her cigarette pointed at Barbara, Juno interjected again. "I know you love that kid. But my suggestion is that you leave sooner, rather than later. Otherwise, you'll be tied to her. She's still growing up. But she'll want her independence some day. And she'll resent you for not being able to move on. Leave now, while she has good memories of you."

Barbara felt tears prick the corners of her eyes. Juno made a great point. They couldn't be tied to Lydia forever. They also couldn't stay with the property. It was time to move along.

Barbara watched Adam straighten his back, his face growing serious but his eyes remained soft. "We'll wait till summer. When Lydia goes off to college, starting her adult life. That's when we'll take the train."

Barbara nodded in agreement. It would be difficult leaving Lydia but there was a brand new adventure ahead. She hadn't realized how stagnant life felt until this moment. Helping Lydia and the Deetzes was great but the thought of possibly seeing her grandparents again thrilled her. Adam would get to see his father again. "Okay. Yes. End of summer."

Juno clapped her hands together. "Sounds like we have a plan. When you're ready, hold the voucher in your hand while drawing the door. The will-call office will be straight ahead."

***

The end of summer arrived swiftly. A week before Lydia was to move into her apartment, Adam and Barbara sat down with her to explain that they wouldn't be here when she visited at Thanksgiving. Lydia cried herself to sleep that night while Barbara watched over her.

Stroking her hair, Barbara whispered, "You have everything you need, Lydia. You're the strongest and smartest woman I know. Your parents love you and support you, even if they struggle to communicate it well. I know that you'll never be alone. I feel it down in the very bottom of my soul that you'll never be alone. And we will never forget you. When you're old and gray, you come find us then. And not a moment sooner. Okay?"

Lydia whimpered in her sleep but managed to nod in agreement.

***

The night before Lydia was to move out, they had one last dance party. Even Charles and Delia danced with them. Adam and Barbara pulled out all the tricks they had learned over the last couple of years to make it a night to remember. Everyone went to bed laughing.

The next morning, Adam and Barbara watched the car pull away from the house, taking Lydia to her new life. They toured the house one last time, sharing different memories (and dreams) they had of the home. Eventually, they found themselves in the attic. Adam brushed some dust off the model, righted a tree, placed a miniature car just so.

Satisfied with his work, Adam grabbed the vouchers and handed one to Barbara. Lastly, he grabbed the chalk and drew a door...

[millionmovieproject]

NEW EPISODE ALERT!!

Join us today at 11am/1pm for an all new episode of Social Contract! We'll be talking about universal healthcare, forcing the issue & vigilante justice, & the latest on Syria & the US sponsored Greater Israel movement.

We’ll be LIVE on YouTube, Twitch, and Twitter, come say hi!

[sysmedsaresexist]

News Flash ⚡️

Formation and Functions of Alter Personalities in Dissociative Identity Disorder: A Theoretical and Clinical Elaboration

Ozturk, Sar 2016

This is a super interesting article, especially this part about manifestation of symptoms.

Sar and Ozturk propose that the clinical syndrome of dissociative disorder becomes manifest after the “traumatic turning point” which does not need to be the worst traumatic experience in the life of the subject. The postponed process may take start in any age; usually becoming clinically manifest in early twenties of age.

The article is from 2016, and I've talked extensively about discovery around early twenties. I very much expect to see this age slowly become younger and younger as internet-savvy systems enter the clinical population. The internet made it so much easier to see the symptoms in yourself, so people are recognizing the signs at a younger age.

More interesting tidbits:

Each alter personality has independent and different judgements about these internal and external processes because an alter personality is associated with a particular group of perceptions of the individual about oneself that was experienced in the context of a limited aspect of reality. Each alter personality recognizes its own existence and the traumatic experiences in a “single-minded way” rather than utilizing self-reflection.

#mood 😞

I don't fully agree with everything in the article. There's a lot of hard wording about how alters must work that don't feel like they fully apply to us, but maybe it did when we were younger, or maybe, as above, I suck at self reflection. It doesn't explicitly state so, but this article appears to be about those with heavy and severe amnesia, in the very early stages of discovery and treatment.

I do like the way they suggest categorizing alters.

Several authors have described alter personality types: Child, persecutor, helper, opposite gender, memory trace, and suicidal alter personalities are among them. In our view, a classification of alter personality types should take into account their functions rather than its mere appearance. One classification may be based on their relationship with narratives: Normalizing, exaggerating, sociological, memory type, confabulating, etc. A second way of classification takes into account the relationship between alter personalityand the“sociological self” which is defined as the aspect of the individual devoted to adjustment to the social environment and to protecting one’s psychological self (i.e. one’s unique aspects): Claiming, polarizing, competing, abusing, distorting, cruel etc.

[argyrocratie]

"When I first went to Jamaica in 2012 as a graduate student studying the environmental politics of the Maroons, an Afro-Indigenous community who freed themselves from enslavement in the 18th century and established an autonomous society in the mountainous interior of the island, Chinese overseas development policy seemed irrelevant to my work. Yet as my field research progressed over the following eight years, first as a doctoral student in African diaspora studies and then as a post-doctoral researcher, the impact of Chinese infrastructural development and extractive industry on the Jamaican people and environment became increasingly apparent.

The timing of my field work overlapped with an unprecedented surge in Chinese economic and diplomatic engagement with Jamaica and the Caribbean as a whole.

(...)

It is beyond the scope of this article to detail the political economic dynamics and immense social impact of debt in Jamaica over the last 40 years.4 Suffice it to say that the island became a byword for structural adjustment during this period, with every new loan from the World Bank, or default on payments thereof, coming with International Monetary Fund-mandated austerity.

Health and education were notable casualties of this socio-economic assault. By the start of my field research, Jamaican child mortality had almost doubled over the span of a single decade while completion of primary school dropped from 97% to 73% in the same period. This despite the fact that Jamaica had already repaid more money than it had been lent, with continuing debt servicing accounting for a 106% debt-to-GDP ratio according to the latest World Bank figures.

All this is only a small snapshot of the catastrophic outcomes of debt wielded as a tool of neocolonialism.

With the island’s status as one of the most indebted countries on the planet, Chinese infrastructural development was received with fanfare from Jamaican elites, a possible economic lifeline out of the debt trap.

(...)

Jamaican elites may appreciate that they can pay back debts with land, and that China does not directly require broad policy changes like the structural adjustment conditions of IMF and World Bank loans.

However, even with the above and the fact that the Jamaican debt to China is small compared to that claimed by Western IFIs and private firms, Jamaican politicians are growing increasingly wary of the costs of doing business with China. In November 2019, Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced that Jamaica would no longer borrow from China, a scant seven months after formally joining the BRI.

As usual, most Jamaicans are not privy to the inter-governmental discussions and deals driving these decisions, but their government’s newfound reticence in engaging with China reflects deeper concerns among BRI partners that the initiative is a debt trap.

(...)

Almost two decades of Chinese loans and infrastructure-led development have left Jamaican workers and farmers as precarious and dispossessed as ever. The hard-fought and generational struggle for Jamaican workers’ power (trade unions were instrumental to Jamaica’s independence struggle) has been curtailed and rolled back by China’s transposed sovereignty.

Furthermore, Chinese mining interests appear poised to pick up where their Western counterparts left off in terms of irreversible ecological destruction and threats to indigenous survival. Certainly, Jamaica cannot bear another 50 years of capitalist exploitation and extractive industry.

If there is any hope in turning this dire situation into revolutionary momentum, it will be in Jamaicans making common cause with the Chinese laborers imported to the country. According to China Labor Watch, Chinese workers on overseas BRI projects are often subject to “deceptive job ads, passport retention, wage withholding, physical violence and lack of contracts” to the extent of constituting forced labor and human trafficking.

In fact, at least one Chinese worker in Jamaica has already blown the whistle on such conditions. Unfortunately, as of the time of writing this article, there appears to be no organized effort to make solidaristic alliances among Jamaican workers, Chinese workers, and Maroons. The Maroons are organized as an indigenous community seeking land and sovereign rights, rather than workers seeking class emancipation, and remain locked in a fractious political battle with the Jamaican state toward those ends.

Furthermore, the cultural and language barriers between Jamaicans and imported Chinese workers are significant. Yet both countries have rich revolutionary traditions. If Jamaican labor militancy and Maroon struggle were able to reconcile and align their interests, while cultivating strategic allies among the heavily exploited Chinese workers, a powerful relationship of international solidarity from below could be forged."

...