#it shows on those global rankings too

[goldennika]

i remember a while back how “what’s the deal with airplane food?” was a joke(?) being thrown around a lot

i thought i was in the minority who actually enjoyed airplane food until i realized that the people who popularized that joke probably flew a lot of western airlines and i’ve seen how bad their food options are

but as someone based in asia and therefore flies with asian carriers almost exclusively, i’ve always had a very different flying experience than someone on say, a US carrier

[carionto]

Humans and Boredom II

The planet cracker.

A devilish name that somehow still does not do this type of Human ship justice. Arrays of massive gravity hooks capable of tearing out kilometers wide and deep chunks of mass from any celestial object one of them decides to settle in orbit of.

The process is slow and tedious and, luckily, unsuitable for any practical military application, but unimaginably rewarding nonetheless. Once a chunk has been lifted, a fleet of harvester drones meticulously tears it further apart and separates into individual minerals and any other categorizable substances. From there the internal refineries of the planet cracker process them further into more usable metals, alloys, resins, and countless other resources. Finally, another fleet of transport ships ferry those back to where they are needed.

The land based production capacity of an entire (small) planet, with a single (albeit metropolis sized) ship, crewed by no more than a hundred Humans and thousands of drones.

One of these immense beasts - The Hardy Gal - was stationed around one of Saturn's moons - Epimetheus - that was recently voted out of the global popularity contest "Who's Even Heard of This One?" and thus sentenced to become part of the Dyson Ring.

The drone fleet that was supposed to be tearing up the unfortunate little moon, however, was recently recalled for refitting after a report showed a key part was manufactured using an outdated guideline by a suspiciously licensed corporation, that was also caught up in an unrelated embezzlement scandal.

Suffice to say that chief Gravity Master Boris Fruischtyen didn't have much to do. Laws and regulations do not permit any unsupervised extraction results to just be left in orbit. Oh no, can't preemptively arrange chunks for processing later, nope, "efficiency? what's that?". *sigh* Lift, hold, harvest, repeat.

Boris would have nothing to do, except the gravity hook arrays were a set of fifty per array, and The Hardy Gal had eight arrays. Four hundred individually aim-able and moveable chunks of matter.

While his day job was not very productive for now, his social media activity shot through the roof. There's a lot you can draw with four hundred "pixels" and the literal cosmos as your canvas and backdrop.

His personal favorites were water features and creatures set against the blue of Saturn, and he arranged quite a few of the extinct whales and penguins too. Additionally, every day he would fulfill one of the audiences top ranking requests.

Through these he discovered he has a fascinatingly good sense for flower compositions, especially from unusual angles. It's odd. He's only ever seen flowers in images and videos, perhaps lacking actual real life flowers to compare to allows his imagination to fill in the gaps in a way referencing factual knowledge would limit him. Who knows.

Despite having access to a three dimensional canvas, he preferred to keep things flat.

"What can I say, 2D is better. *chuckle*"

However, that doesn't mean he keeps things simple. The gravity hooks are quite good at selective manipulation, they have to be to target certain spots beneath a whole lot of other matter (which is then raised alongside the "elevator" matter). He demonstrated how the same image can look wildly different if you just change the "pixels" from squares to spheres, or how certain material compositions change color when squeezed more densely.

His personal favorite part is the finishing touch. After he's had a drone go out and stream his latest piece from plenty of angles for the viewers, he gives the whole image a simultaneous and gentle push back towards the moon. After a few touching hours of people in chat saying farewell, sharing personal stories and just asking questions Boris is always happy to answer, the image impacts the surface where the majority of parts were extracted from in a spectacular show of minor impacts and a shower of debris. Too bad it doesn't have an atmosphere, just imagine how cool it'd look burning up on reentry.

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

hey do you guys remember how I said that I was going to use patreon to write up content that would be WILDLY too long for tumblr? yeah. this is uuuuuh a little less than 6000 words about a bad Animal Planet series from 2008 that no one watched but me and my sister.

and here's part of the introduction under the cut for freebies, in case you want a little sample:

If you weren’t a painfully introverted animal fact kid in the early 2000s it’s almost impossible to explain the degree of sway that Animal Planet and its shows held over me as a child. Meerkat Manor, Animal Cops, The Most Extreme, The Little Zoo That Could, Prehistoric Planet, River Monsters, all of Steve Irwin’s work, and truly any and all non-serialized programming about any animal imaginable. I ate it all up, even the terribly boring half-hour programs like Backyard Habitat and Petfinder that they only played in the weird wee hours of the morning. 

Crucially, this programming is mostly of a nonfiction bent. Prehistoric Planet uses a framing device involving the use of time travel to bring extinct animals into the present to live in a zoo, but ultimately they’re trying to teach you some facts about some beasts, and while Meerkat Manor was definitely anthropomorphizing and editorializing the drama those meerkats experienced, it was at least rooted in the very real Kalahari Meerkat Project, which has been intensively documenting the behavior of meerkat mobs for many meerkat generations.

But then we get into the oddballs. In 2004 Animal Planet aired Dragons: A Fantasy Made Real, a British “docufiction” produced for Channel Four that sought to contextualize the nearly-global mythology of dragons in real history and biology, complete with CGI recreations of dragons in their “natural habitats.” That’s all fine and good; there’s nothing wrong with using a fake thing to teach people about real animals’ evolution and anatomy. The Loch Ness Monster episode of River Monsters is excellent for this, as you can tell that host Jeremy Wade (angler, freshwater detective, and criminally fuckable old man) doesn’t expect to find a monster literally at all and is just taking the opportunity to introduce his audience to animals they might not otherwise know about, including the noble Greenland shark. He pulls the same trick again in a later episode where he’s sent to discover the “truth” behind sea serpents and winds up diving in search of the elusive oarfish.

Dragons is… not doing that. Instead it offers up a framing device following a completely fictional paleontologists who “suggests the theory that a carbonized Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton on display was killed by a prehistoric dragon” (thanks, Wikipedia) and then has to go on a quest to save his career by proving that dragons totally existed and he’s not crazy. And he’s not! The piece ends with him discovering straight up for-real dragon bones in the Carpathian Mountains. If you were, say, an impressionably soft-brained 8 year old watching this, well holy shit. Congrats! It turns out dragons are real and nobody knows but you. 

Why did Animal Planet air this? God only knows, but it wouldn’t be the last time they dabbled in this shit. 2012 saw another piece by the same creator, Charlie Foley, called Mermaids: The Body Found which posited that various governments are holding merpeople captive and also relied on the infamously eugenicist aquatic ape theory to justify how merpeople could exist. The CGI on that one creeped me the fuck out, although I was at least old enough by then to recognize it wasn’t real.

Between those two docufictional farces, Animal Planet got a little freaky and rolled out some fake factual content of their own: three season of the TV show Lost Tapes (2008-2010, RIP), which purportedly showed “found footage” from incidents of humans having terrifying encounters with cryptids and fighting to escape with their lives. Interspersed with the fully fictional stories were segments of experts talking about folkloric history and speculating as to how creatures like Sasquatch and sea serpents could be real, which was an admirable effort to make it educational but often fell pretty short. There’s a werewolf episode where their expert weakly offers up that there are tons of transformations in nature, like caterpillars turning into butterflies. Notably that has absolutely nothing in common with a human turning rapidly into a wolfbeast and then shifting back, but they tried! They stopped trying as hard by season three, by which point they were throwing any and every beastie they could think of at the wall: there are episodes dedicated to zombies, a poltergeist, two different types of vampires, and the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl. 

Also straining belief was the dedication that some POV characters had to keeping their cameras rolling. I don’t blame the writers for that; it’s hard coming up with a fresh gimmick for “found footage” in every episode. Some of them, like characters wearing body cameras, are pretty smart; others, like a teenage girl continuing to film on her phone while being hunted by the Jersey devil, are not. They’re very much running on horror movie rules; the characters are as dumb as they need to be to make the plot go. To the show’s credit the dumdums are frequently punished, and it’s not uncommon for every single named character to end up dead at the hands (or claws, fangs, whatever) of the monster of the week. 

Needless to say, as a 12 year old I thought this was extremely edgy and cool. I was old enough to recognize that the so-called found footage was fake and that the acting was mostly very bad, but I liked cryptids and some of the show’s better episodes could still creep me right out. I think geeky 12 year olds who like to get a little freaked out on purpose are probably the ideal target demographic for this show, followed by nostalgic 20-somethings who have seen every episode several times.

(Hi, editor’s note: having completed this list it turns out there are WAY more episodes than I thought and I fully Do Not Recall some of them, so egg on my face.)

[probablyasocialecologist]

Though the IDF has said that soldiers may only resort to live fire to “negate an actual and immediate threat to life, as the last option in the procedures for stopping a suspect,” the reality is that those among its ranks — as reported by international organizations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch — have shot and killed Palestinians who posed no threat to their lives. Regardless of what IDF protocol dictates, commanders have been known to tell recruits that they “can fire on children if they’re over 14.” Similarly, Shireen Abu Akleh, the Palestinian-American journalist who was shot dead in 2022 by the IDF while covering an Israeli raid on the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank, had been wearing a clearly marked press jacket and was unarmed. Israel initially claimed that there had been a firefight with Palestinian militants and that Abu Akleh, who worked for Al Jazeera, had been accidentally hit. But evidence uncovered by the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem, as well as other independent nongovernmental organizations, shows that there was no gunfire before Israeli forces fired at the Palestinian journalists covering the raid and killed Abu Akleh in the process. To date, the Israeli soldiers attending the raid have not been brought to justice. Simulated exercises deliberately present Israeli soldiers with an accentuated sense of Palestinian aggression, while on a day-to-day basis the Palestinians they meet at checkpoints are civilians, who are not bearing arms and are vastly outgunned. The lines between reality and these hyperrealistic simulators are blurred when we consider that Israeli incursions into actual Palestinian territories took place almost every day leading up to Oct. 7. Plenty of these raids were carried out in overcrowded refugee camps, which already have their electricity and water supplies routinely cut off by Israel. Residents of these camps, living through Israeli attacks every day, have sardonically described their home as being Israel’s “playground.” Academics at the University of Berkeley, California have found that in some camps, like Aida in the West Bank, 100% of the population has been exposed to tear gas — “more than any other population surveyed globally,” they wrote in 2017, and one entirely ignored possible precursor to Israel’s recent use of white phosphorus in Gaza.

[actual-changeling]

In a pervious post you said "the implications throughout the show that Crowley was a pretty powerful and high-ranking angel, and is still one of the most powerful demons". Where/what are those, exactly? How high are we talking, because I don't think the opposing ranks are equal to one another. Like, if Crowley had been an Archangel he isn't an Archdemon now, right?

Hell has a completely different kind of command structure, yes!

It seems to be wayyy more democratic for one, and has varying kinds and levels of ruling authorities. They have proper trials and rules, contracts to sign, several demons working on earth, a multitude of positions of employment (for lack of better words), provide living spaces for their earthly representatives, and overall function, while heaven seems to have—well, none of those things.

Figuring out a demon's rank is—in my opinion—pretty easy because of that.

Crowley makes a comment about bottom of the barrel demons, we see different jobs and how respected they are (e.g. Furfur being stuck in admissions, which is more of a grunt job, while anyone in temptations is in a more desirable position pun intended), and if we make some smart guesstimations, we can probably figure out the job & relative rank of any demon we're introduced to.

So—where does Crowley fall?

His position in heaven as the Starmaker may or may not have had an influence on his position after the fall, but we do know that he had and still has strong miracle powers. Let's take a look at the tasks hell assigned him:

a) the Serpent of Eden and Original Tempter

b) a long-term and (assumedly) one of the main representatives on earth

c) he's not just in Temptations, he works on a global scale and regularly impresses his bosses back in hell

d) he was tasked with helping Satan win a bet against God by taking care of Job's property, house, and family

e) Satan personally chose him to deliver the Antichrist and start Armageddon, which is THE job in the history of heaven & hell.

Hastur and Ligur are also explicitly jealous of the kind of jobs Crowley gets to perform, and while there is a general 'he's gone native' sentiment, they leave him alone as long as he does his job and doesn't break the rules in a way that fucks with hell's plans.

In season 1, we are told that Crowley is partly as powerful as he is because he has an imagination, which allows him to navigate the burning M25 while Hastur gets discorporated. When hell is told about the 25 Lazarii miracle that was performed, Crowley is seen as a viable candidate for either having done it himself or working with whoever did it.

Beelzebub also decides—for good reason—that if ze wants to find Gabriel, ze'll need his help:

They hold a trial when they could have just killed him like Hastur melting the Usher to test the holy water, but because of his rank Crowley gets a (more or less) fair trial. If you think about it, deciding he's guilty and then giving him the same kind of punishment he used to melt Ligur is actually not too bad of a treatment; lower demons, on the other hand, are punished on the daily without as much as a blink.

Crowley solves the mess in the bookshop, Beez and Dagon listen to him when he talks and explains, they see him as someone almost equal to them. It is believable to Hastur that Crowley is involved with the Dark Council and capable of recommending him for a promotion.

If Crowley had been a 'better' and more ambitious demon, he probably could have been a Duke of Hell even before Job. He can stop time, he can stop Satan himself in his tracks, and he is respected by both heaven and hell—so whatever you want to call his rank/job/position, it is undoubtedly one of high regard and power.

[edutainer2022]

UNREQUITED Ch 7

Co-written with @janetm74

Ch 6

AO3 (1-7)

This installment found a place in the tapestry of a vaster story, thanks to the amazing insight of @janetm74, making the implications so much more exciting to ponder and to explore further!

(Page Six)

Ever since Kat Kavanaugh buried a hatchet and wasn't chasing conspiracy theories about them on Global Holovision anymore, watching the news live was a once in a blue moon activity in Casa Tracy. They followed the major world events through John and Eos (maybe a bit of social media on a relatively quiet morning), and they were likely to be part of those in some capacity at least a third of the times. Sometimes a half.

But it was one of those days. A relative lull in rescues compiled with the exhaustion of the previous fortnight streak of disasters bred mildly numb boredom. Batteries too low to pursue their usual hobbies, they gravitated to the lounge.

Scott was ever at the desk with holo screens full of quarterly budget reports, because their biggest brother did stock market numbers for LEISURE, apparently. Virgil was playing, as usual, but the music was slowly fading to a halt. Alan was gaming, or pretending to be while napping, his VR goggles on. Kayo was going through some specs, half leaning on the couch cushions. Even John was in a quiet lull up in orbit, his hologram just bobbing at the comms unit, hanging out with everybody, but not really a part of any conversation.

That left Gordon scralling lazily through newsreels. The sudden yelp sent Alan tumbling on the floor and Scott at least half an inch closer to a cardiac arrest under thirty. A keen observer would have noticed Kayo reaching for a knife in the ankle holster. The piano music keened on an abrupt note and stopped. Several pairs of VERY unamused eyes stared Gordon down.

The Fish was on his feet already, bursting with excitement, sending the news holo to the center of the lounge.

"Did you guys know Fischler has a brother?!?!"

The assorted grumps and groans across the lounge indicated that they not only didn't know, but weren't in the least thrilled by that information.

Only John and Kayo shared a quiet look, because OF COURSE they would know.

Gordon surveyed the lounge in triumph, setting the stage for a punchline.

"He has a brother and he's getting married!"

"Who, Fischler?"

Alan was still scrambling up from his hardwood landing and making a show of rubbing an ouchie. Scott at least looked ready to switch gears to the full "hurt brother!" mode. Gordon was not deterred.

"No, dummy, not Fischer! His brother is getting married!"

"And that's any of our business how?"

Alan was still not ready to relinquish attention from his boo-boo. Not with so many big brothers in attendance. But John, Kayo and Virgil were already sharing concerned LOOKS.

Any widely publicized event with cameras rolling and hundreds in attendance, involving Fischler, could potentially turn into a showcase of his latest "invention", or ten. Which would mean potential casualties and work for IR. They would need to be on the look-out and on standby. Scott waved at the comm to get the volume up.

The holo displayed a close pic of a younger and significantly more polished version of Langstrom Fischler, hair sleecked back, but a weaselly smile just a tad on the manic side.

The celebrity news anchor was gushing about a "dashing fresh face on the World Senate, a philanthropist and patron of innovation, a devoted brother and a consummate athlete, setting off to be a force of a positive change in the world" and "his drop dead gorgeous fiancée, a once Miss Brazil runner-up, who dedicated herself to the selfless life of service, decorated for honor and courage".

The picture on the screen changed to an official GDF snapshot of a tall young brunette in dress blues. The insignia on the collar indicated the rank of Captain and breastplanks - several high ranking awards for valor. The picture switched to a series of candid paparazzi snaps of the "happy couple".

The show host droned on with one corny cliche after another about the "match made of dreams" and a " high profile dream wedding" scheduled to take place on a cozy remote island.

Gordon interrupted the stream of saccharine platitudes:

"Huh? How come we're not invited? Scott, you know like everyone in the World Senate!"

His voice was drowned out by the deafening snap of the metal stylus, broken in Scott's fingers. The sound of the desk chair hitting the floor, as Scott stood up and all but ran from the lounge, was even louder.

"Huh?!"

Gordon, yet again, surmised the bewilderment of everyone present.

Jade eyes squinted a fraction as Kayo watched Scott's outburst and hasty retreat.

Virgil was half out to follow Scott, when a ping came through on Gordon's comm. The sign flashed pink.

"Yay! Looks like I'm going after all! Penny needs a plus one! John, can I borrow your tax?!"

John half waved his brother off, brows furrowed and hands already flying over invisible files, when another pink ping came through. It was Kayo's turn for a "Huh?" moment.

"Looks like Penny needs a plus two, as well. I'm invited".

That deflated Gordon's initial excitement enough to notice Virgil leaving in the general direction of Dad's office, where Scott had locked himself.

Before Virgil reached the door to try and reason with big brother to talk about... whatever that was, John sent two files to his comm.

One - a picture they all saw a hundred times on Dad's desk back in Kansas, but it didn't compute out of context. Scott's Airgroup Wing after a training flight. All hugging and laughing, still in flightsuits. Scott and the girl from the news today - Fischler Jr.'s fiancée - at the center.

The other Virgil never saw before. It would figure since it was a screenshot from, what he recognized with some dread, was Dad's old phone. There was a picture sent to a private chat with Dad of the same girl, in a sundress, and Scott in a polo shirt, apparently both on leave. An almost ten years younger Scott was smiling like he could power up a sun. The message to Dad read "SHE SAID YES!!!".

The date of the message indicated about a month and a half before Scott's mission to Bereznik.

Virgil sank to the floor, leaning on the wall, never going through with the knock on the locked office door.

***

It was such an unbelievable cliché it felt surreal. The thunderstorm, the lightning, the lash of downpour across his face. Then again, it was fitting, as his world was going crashing down around him. Yet again.

There was nothing surreal about the hard edges of Mom's ring she just gave him back.

For about six weeks he was the happiest man alive. Dad's IR project was well underway, and he was to share that dream not only with Dad and brothers, but with the love of his life. He should have known better...

The words were real too - hard and ruthless. About Dad yanking his leash, and expecting nothing but dutiful following in his footsteps and his vision, concealed by his looming shadow, and giving up what they both dreamed about and worked so hard for - test flights, command ranks, career in service.

The echo came back to him often, in one dark hour or another, after his world shattered to pieces yet another time.

Dad voiced his reservations clearly, but did agree to give him Mom's ring. "When you know, you know". Wasn't it how he and Mom got married?

It WAS too soon, they WERE too young, and frateenization within a unit WAS an issue, but with IR lifting off that wasn't to be a problem, once he told her the full scale of the classified project. He should have known better...

He last remembered the ring yanked off his neck with the dogtags chain by a smirking Berezniki guard.

He put up a hell of a fight for that and was beaten within an inch of his life. The first time.

Next time he found it, inexplicably, in Dad's safe on the island, after the search for Zero-X was called off. He meant to ask Kyrano, as he wasn't conscious or coherent enough for the extraction op, or for months after, but the man never returned his calls anymore, sending in a resignation after half a year of following leads on the Hood.

There wasn't much room in his mind or hours in his days to give it more thought for years after. Or more pieces for his heart to break into. He should have known better.

And now she was getting married. To someone bright and promising, changing the world for the better, who wasn't him. The story of his life!

He should have known better as well.

The sound of glass shattering against the wall and a visceral scream finally sent Virgil in, wild-eyed, breaking past the lock.

***

John lifted an eyebrow in a perfect quizzical arch, putting the tablet down, as the "wedding party" poured, or rather, limped into the lounge.

Gordon's tuxedo sleeve was torn clear off, his bowtie, undone, served as a makeshift tourniquet. Parker sported cuts, bruises and a glorious shiner. Penelope's elaborate updo was in disarray, one heel of a golden pump broken. Kayo's slip dress hem was torn, exposing a garter holster.

As John hurried to the kitchen for the first aid kit, he heard her hiss something to the effect of "You should have seen the other guys".

The villa was quiet. Grandma had Alan on the mainland for the weekend. Virgil chased Scott up the volcano. There was a good chance biggest brother and his stormy mood was best quarantined at the Round House for the rest of the day.

John was waiting in the lounge for the fallout, one way or another. He wasn't quite prepared for the sight on display, handing out ice packs.

Gordon hissed too and bit off a curse, as John set about cleaning the bullet graze on his arm.

"Pen, do all your friends whip out a standard issue gun at the altar and read the groom Miranda rights instead of vows?"

Lady Penelope was busy trying to look poised while breaking the second heel off a designer pump, to make them even.

"It was a deep undercover mission to round up a drug and slave trafficking ring. A destination wedding was a most fortunate venue for the occasion."

Kayo looked up from the kitchen isle at that, not pausing to stop extracting a considerable arsenal of throw-knives from her bodice.

"Looks like the Fischler brothers were bankrolled by mafia. The crazy inventions AND the World Senate election. In exchange for some... perks."

Kayo snorted and went back to her inventory of weapons.

Gordon perked up as the anesthetic cream kicked in and forgot to NOT wave the injured hand around to assist his narrative.

"It was actually kinda cool! The bride barked out "Hands up!" instead of "I do"! The bridesmaids all dropped their bouquets and brandished guns. The bridal party were all Organized Crime and Counterterrorism. Well, and us... A little  heads up wouldn't have hurt, Penny. Then all hell broke loose. Rose petals and confetti everywhere. You should have seen Fischler's face!"

Gordon was nearly flailing with excitement, so John's hands pushed him mildly back into the seat. Turquoise eyes found Penelope's line of sight, studiously avoiding Kayo:

"So... no wedding?"

"No wedding indeed."

Up on the Tracy Volcano Virgil's comm vibrated, switched to silent mode hours ago. John's message read "No wedding."

Virgil exhaled a sigh, but didn't yet know how to break the subject with a brother, seated next to him on the sun-warmed boulder, overlooking the ocean. Blue eyes were fixed on a point far away in the distance, or maybe far away in the past, Scott still wouldn't talk about. 

[mariacallous]

We are seeing a worrisome rise in mental distress among young people in the U.S., a trend that began in 2011. Various studies show that young people are now the country’s most unhappy demographic, with unprecedented increases in anxiety, depression, and suicide. In a recent ranking of happiness in countries around the world, American young people came in at 62, behind Bulgaria, Ecuador, and Honduras.  

What explains this rise? The usual sources of blame are all too familiar: smart phones, pandemic precautions, and declining church attendance, among others. In addition, political polarization, toxic debates, and misinformation increasingly influence our civic discourse and discourage the young from participating in civic life. There is also a stigma against admitting emotional problems—particularly for males—and a shortage of affordable mental-health treatments when people do.

Yet the root causes for this crisis run deeper. They include rising education costs, uncertain employment prospects and declining wages, particularly for those without a college degree, and the absence of a sense of community in many places. In a recent Brookings paper economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton found that the life expectancy for the college educated in 2021 was eight-and-a-half years longer than for the two-thirds of American adults without a bachelor’s degree—more than triple the gap in 1992. Most of the jobs available to those without a B.A. do not offer health insurance, part of the explanation for the mortality gap. These trends result in losses in human welfare and productive potential. They also exacerbate the uncertainty many young people feel about their futures.

While there is no magic bullet for this crisis, most suggested policies focus on better regulation of social media, programs that support civic engagement among youth, and better mental health care access. But an important and underreported part of the solution is restoring hope. The crisis stems in significant part from a lack of hope that often is fueled by a sense that higher education—and the economic and life expectancy benefits it brings—is beyond reach of many. My research finds strong linkages between hope and better long-term outcomes in education, health, and mental well-being, with hope more important to better outcomes of those with limited access to post-high school education and mentorship.

My recent research on populations and places vulnerable to misinformation, for example, finds that they share two linked challenges: the lack of opportunities for higher or vocational education and community-wide despair (and related deaths), with young people lacking a pathway to a better future particularly vulnerable. Solutions on the education front not only require reducing costs and increasing access to post-high school education opportunities but mentorship that supports young adults seeking more education to achieve their aspirations and suggest pathways to the kinds of employment opportunities that can give them better future lives.

Jose Santana’s story is telling. In early 2022 he was thinking about dropping out of his Bronx high school. He simply did not see a purpose in going to college. That changed the summer after he participated in Youthful Savings, a New York and Santa Monica-based program that educates low-income students in middle and high schools about economics and entrepreneurship, mental well-being, and ethical business. After completing the program, he started his own business, helping young entrepreneurs better organize and utilize web and graphic design tools. Jose earned his high school diploma this June and plans to major in business at Andrews University in Michigan.

While Jose believes the skills that he learned were valuable, what most influenced him was the mentorship he received from the program’s founder, Somya Munjal, who is a champion of educating youth about financial literacy. She shared with Jose her own struggles to pay for college and business school and how that led to what she does to support low-income youth get ahead.

On the surface, Youthful Savings may not look like a way of alleviating the mental health crisis that is plaguing American youth. Yet the program is part of a proliferating trend that has the potential to bolster young people’s mental well-being while fostering their immediate goals of acquiring more education. Somya’s ability to expand Youthful Savings was supported by Civic Wellbeing Partners, an initiative which facilitates opportunities for the young and supports well-being in low-income populations.

Somya grew up in Chicago, the child of Indian immigrants. From the time Somya was in high school, influenced by her parents’ struggles, she worked 40 hours every week. Given her strong performance in school, her parents dreamed of her attending Harvard but lost their savings during the 2001 recession. She attended Northern Illinois University, majoring in accounting. She was frustrated with her studies until she found her passion in a class about the role of education as a change agent. In Jose’s words: “Hearing Somya’s story … inspired me to continue and stay in higher education.”

Macomb Community College (MCC) outside Detroit provides another example of how to support young people in school and train them for meaningful work. The college pairs every incoming student with a mentor, which ensures that even those who need help or counseling but are reluctant to ask for it get ready assistance. Its university hub—founded in 1991—hosts several Michigan universities offering courses on its campus, providing students a more affordable route for gaining credits towards their degrees. Roughly 65% of transfer students from Macomb, many of whom remain on the home campus to get their degrees from the partner schools, complete a bachelor’s degree.

The hub—the first of its kind—has since been replicated by several other community colleges around the country, such as Lorain (Ohio) and Temple College (Austin). While some modalities have changed due to the increase of online learning, an important focus continues to be streamlining the pathway from associate to bachelor-degree completion to eliminate waste of time and money.

Macomb County, traditionally a political hotbed, has a population that is divided by three very different populations: retired autoworkers, a historically discriminated African American Community, and an influx of new immigrants. The Legacy Project at MCC invests in the civic engagement of these communities as a source of learning, credible information, and reasoned discussion. Jim Jacobs, president emeritus and legacy founder, noted that “the real value added of community colleges is how well they can convince young people that their aspirations for a better a life can be obtained within their communities. It is not only more education—but the belief they can use their skills.”

Communities—and their colleges—are an important source of support for low-income populations and their youth, providing mentorship and employment opportunities, among other things. They also play an important role in stemming the tide of loneliness that is linked to mental illness, as the data from the U.K.’s Campaign to End Loneliness shows.

Dunya Kilano, the daughter of immigrants from Iraq, came to Macomb as a child and later attended the college: “College wasn’t something that felt like a clear pathway for me. I was the first in my family to go. My parents supported me although … they would have been OK if I decided to take over their business instead.” Transferring to Oakland University while still taking courses at Macomb made a four-year degree more affordable. Her college experience laid the groundwork for her career with Face Addiction Now (FAN), a community organization that provides resources, education programs, and hope to those recovering from substance use disorder. “Education …[was] helpful but the connections I made are what led me to the work I do … An advisor suggested I take a social work class; I ended up becoming president of the Social Work Club and received a leadership award. Social work was my calling.”

Another example, focused on middle and high school youth, is the BeeWell initiative in schools and communities in the U.K.’s greater Manchester District. BeeWell introduces skills such as self-esteem, adaptability, and strategies to combat loneliness into school curriculums. It has yielded significant positive effects on both the mental well-being and academic performance of the students.

The combined emphasis on individuals and communities is key to the success of these initiatives. Macomb’s focus on civic engagement helps break down barriers separating the county’s diverse populations and enhances the chance that newly educated youth will live and work there. And communities are becoming a critical part of efforts to address the mental health crisis, as the traditional individual doctor-patient model is unable to keep up with the increasing demand for services.

Reversing the decline in youth mental health and addressing the uncertainties they face are daunting challenges. While we cannot immediately resolve them, providing youth with the skills they need to navigate them is an important step forward. By helping young people gain agency, skills, and connections through education—critical links to better outcomes—these efforts show that restoring hope and improving mental health is not just a pipe dream.

[jayflrt]

i LOVE sunoo don't get me wrong, but i just need to know how he got 1st in the global rankings every vote. he deserves it but i don't remember him getting a lot of screen time! i thought someone like heeseung would be more popular

okay wait i'll give u my take on this as someone whose first iland bias was sunoo 🫣

1. right off the bat in the first episode sunoo was super cheerful and entertaining during everyone's unit entrance performances. and i personally think crown unit did the best and sunoo rlly stole the show with his expressions and vocals

2. he is so CUTE like everything he did was so charming. he was def popular with the korean fans because they love aegyo but i feel like sunoo's one of those idols who can make aegyo not feel cringe for international fans LOL also even when he was in ground he was so funny and lighthearted while still working hard and being competitive. there was this one scene of him complaining about not having much time in the center for a performance so he literally spent all his time in front of the camera perfecting that move and entertaining the viewers which was a rlly smart move

3. i heard this from addy but apparently he blew up for his visuals before iland started when they released the profiles and stuff :') BUT he didn't let anyone write him off as someone who could by with visuals and was consistently in the debut lineup even with the producers, and eventually was the producer's pick to be in enha

4. on that note his singing was sooo good like not many ilanders could hit clean high notes but sunoo was always really good with that. and he's confident about his skills too like when one of the grounders was like "who can even hit those high notes?" for save me and sunoo so casually just went "me" 😭

5. he's surprisingly a very good leader and decision maker. all of his picks for chamber 5 were all calculated, like he didn't just go for people who were consistently ranked high. and he had some sixth sense about sunghoon showing another side during chamber 5 and he fr did 😭😭 not to mention all the chamber 5 unit members debuted 🤭

[aguineapigcouldntdothis]

as a disabled person who can't regularly change her sheets and yet somehow manages to *not* be horribly antisemitic on account of the fact that being antisemitic is unrelated to physical ability: thank you very very much for calling that instance of rank ableism what it was, and I'm sorry that person doubled down on their ableism when you went out of your way to be as gentle as possible and take them in the best faith you could. I appreciate you. 💜

yep this is why i said it! those words do not hurt me as a disabled person who struggles immensely with physical hygiene but there's people that can be hurt by that. you deserve to be treated like the human that you are no matter what you may struggle with. even if you can only clean once every five years. also being jewish, esp in a time like now, i understand how important it is to try to bring jews closer to our community rather than pushing them away. mindless acts of hatred just make disabled jews and other jews with intersecting identities feel unwelcome.

i could probably argue with this person more and waste time on that but i wont because ive already said my point. if they wanna continue to be full of anger and hatred then that's on them.

plus that comment also is a misrepresentation of how antisemitism functions but that's a whole different subject. it reads like antisemites act that way because theyre just too stupid or helpless to know otherwise, rather than it being a systemic issue heavily ingrained in global culture that can affect even people who are outwardly intelligent and well put together.

yeah sure we can all be assholes to each other! why should we though?? what do we gain from that besides a fleeting sense of power over someone?? when this person is inevitably disabled someday i hope someone shows them the kindess that they refuse to show disabled people now

[starkraivennemad]

Wide Awake With The Beginning

It was one in the morning when Detective Inspector Gregory Lestrade sent his partner Sargent Sally Donovan home. Unfortunately, he woke up at his desk nearly two hours later.

God, you’re starting to get too old for these late nights, Greg my boy. Starting to? Shaddup!

As always, before he went home for the night, he did his nightly checks.

Sherlock Holmes would be annoyed should he ever find out; Greg did not care.

Watson would semi-jokingly accuse him of spying, but the good doctor had long ago resigned himself to the facts of hidden cameras in his life.

Anthea would say he was being a ridiculous mother hen, but he knew she was the reason he was allowed it.

He needed to know where people were before he could go home and lay his own head down.

He pulled out his tablet, checking both GPS and cameras.

His sisters were in their respective homes with their families, asleep as most people would be that time of morning.

There were no visual cameras at Anthea’s on purpose. Mycroft had informed him of the time he found grounded-up camera pieces silently served with his morning tea. That politely dissuaded him from doing such again, but the thermal imaging was allowed to remain as a compromise. Greg only had access to her phone GPS, thank goodness - because he did not want to imagine what she would feed him in vengeance if he had visuals.

At Baker Street, Watson was also asleep, but Sherlock puttered about the kitchen. Sherlock’s focus was on what seemed to be entrails dangling from tongs. Greg mentally shuddered at whatever insane experiment the genius was about. No surprise that Sherlock was awake. His sleeping habits, though much improved since sharing a flat with Watson, were still deplorable.

Pot-Kettle Greg, leaving work at near three. He chastised himself as he closed that tab and opened the final one. A tab he noticed was added a year ago, and not by him, for someone revered with as much importance as the previous.

Mycroft Holmes.

Uber intelligent. Enigmatic. Posh. Mycroft was a reserved man, many thought of as cold - and he is, especially to those who do not get the honor to know the true him. To the few of the public that see him regularly he is a cold exacting man. One who does occupy a minor office with the British government - he even has an official ID, paperwork, and occasional meetings to prove it. It a far cry from his true occupation as political analyst who wielded immense power in his manicured hands. Power that has caused royalty, dictators, and other high-ranking people in global politics to take heed – or else. Over the years Greg has been blessed to see the dry biting wit. The little quiet ways Mycroft shows his care for his parents and Anthea. The loving exasperation in how he and his little brother, Sherlock, deal with each other when out of the public eye. Greg knew he was one of the very few graced to know the man beyond the public persona and forged a quiet friendship from what was once a very acrimonious association between them.

Greg knew, originally, he had been tracked simply as another way for Mycroft to potentially locate his brother when Sherlock would cut off all other means of tracking when so inclined, which was often. Like John he had become resigned to his life being somewhat under surveillance by the enigmatic man because of his association with Sherlock.

Greg was eventually given access to the cameras for Sherlock and John as a quid pro quo courtesy. A year ago, he had been given access to Anthea’s GPS - only when she was in London of course -  for when Mycroft is incommunicado, but wanted to secretly let Greg know they were in fact in London without calling unless absolutely needed. It was a surprise to discover when the last tab appeared, and Greg had direct access to Mycroft’s GPS. Again, only when in London, but it was better than being reliant solely on Anthea for emergency contact. He completely understood the level of trust being given to have it and he was honored.

Greg does not know when he added Mycroft to his nightly check routine, but there the man was…

Wait… Why is he there so late…? Oh…

The GPS told Greg where the man was: at his office in Diogenes.

The hidden cameras, the only visual cameras for Mycroft he had been allowed access, told him why he was still there: he had fallen asleep at his desk.

Oh, that cannot be good for his back.

Mycroft, always impeccably dressed, had removed his jacket in the privacy of his office. It was the first time Greg has seen him so and Greg almost felt he was spying on something illicit as he watched the gentle rise and fall of the man’s body in slumber.

You work so hard Mycroft, taking care of the world. Who takes care of you?

It was not the first time Greg has had that thought.

Would you let me take care of you?

Nor was it the first time Greg has had that thought. Read rest the on AO3...

Mystrade Monday Prompt #73 For January 22, 2024 - "You know that’s not the case.”

[beardedmrbean]

The 19th century Austrian socialist Ferdinand Kronawetter once remarked, "Antisemitism is the socialism of idiots." He was not wrong, but I believe even he would have been surprised that most of these idiots are either celebrities or attend the West's most prestigious educational institutions.

From Greta Thunberg to Harvard yard, you can barely throw a stone without hitting someone holding an anti-Israel rally. Apparently, we also have normalized Jewish students needing to be locked up in university libraries for their own "safety," or the BBC regularly publishing blood libels, first about a supposed bombardment of a hospital in Gaza by Israeli forces, and a few weeks later with the claim that Israeli Defence Forces are intentionally targeting medical personnel and Arabic speakers.

But even that is, in fact, old news: In January 2009, the French public broadcaster France-2 aired footage of Palestinians killed in an Israeli air raid on New Year's Day. As it turned out, however, the recording was from 2005 and not 2009, and the victims were not killed by the IDF but an "accident" of Hamas explosives detonating prematurely. And on it goes: Recently, pictures showing the carnage inflicted on the Syrian people by the Assad regime made the rounds claiming to show destruction in Gaza.

Who needs the "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" when you have the mainstream media?

Sometimes it seems as if no ideology evolves as quickly as antisemitism: Before Israel, the Jews where hated for being rootless and without national allegiances. Now that they have a state, they are hated for that. And if the last Jew were to leave the Middle East tomorrow, some other reason would be found to justify Jew-hatred.

In fact, after 1948, Jews had to leave most of the Middle East and North Africa: Once thriving communities from Morocco to Iraq ceased to exist after the regimes of these countries drove out their Jewish populations. Many of them moved to Israel, the only state in the region that actually allows Muslim Arabs and Jews to live side-by-side.

Alas, if you are Jewish, it is never enough: Unless all of the Middle East is "Judenfrei," the Jews will always be painted as oppressors and everyone else as oppressed.

So in some ways, it's not surprising to see antisemitism thrive in the ranks of the global leftist elite. When global climate celebrity Greta Thunberg blabberers on about "no climate justice on occupied land," she is only revealing the next iteration of Jew hate. It turns out that for the "environmental movement," the solution to the "Jewish Question" seems to be more important than addressing climate change.

Similarly, in the famously tolerant Netherlands where government advisors are openly pushing for the normalization of paedophilia, the line needs to be drawn somewhere: Several filmmakers pulled out of the International Documentary Festival in Amsterdam after the organizers refused to allow their stage to be used for promoting the eradication of Israel.

Pot, porn, and paedophilia are all a go for the Dutch, but being pro-Israel? One should be careful not to go too far!

Another turn-of-the-century Austrian who would have a lot to say about this would probably be Sigmund Freud: If the West is suffering from the pathologies of historical guilt for all the alleged sins of its past, Israel and the Jews are the favourite object of projection. If the Jews are as bad as the Nazis and European colonialists, then opposing them is like re-running history, but this time those Westerners on college campuses can finally be on the side of the oppressed.

Both Israel and the Palestinians are just extras in an exercise of excessive narcissism that allows one to stand "on the right side of history" and virtue signal at no cost. Of course, this doesn't apply when Arabs are slaughtering Arabs. There were no protests for the peoples of Syria or Yemen or when ISIS was committing an actual genocide against the Yazidis.

That's what this all comes down to: a rewriting of history so that the Jews' oppressors can absolve themselves of guilt and claim to be the oppressed. During the Holocaust, the Jews experienced the worst that men can do to their fellow man, and many in the West are itching for the opportunity to find historic salvation in creating a moral equivalence between the Nazis and the state of Israel.

Neither Greta Thunberg nor her acolytes have any clue about Middle Eastern or Jewish history, because it is not about that—just as her climate activism was never about climate, but the usual Leftist tropes from colonialism to social justice.

In 1968, Eric Hoffer wrote about a premonition that would not leave him: "As it goes with Israel, so will it go with all of us. Should Israel perish, the Holocaust will be upon us." After all we have seen in recent weeks in in Western capitals and college campuses, I am afraid that he was right.

[solarwynd]

With that anon on the IFPI ranking means that he did not accomplished the "Global Pop Star" status that Army in propagating 😐 too bad he had to enlist after that massive promo that he got. to think he had the chairman of hybe and his a&r is the ceo of hybe america 🙃

Well to me, that “global pop star” title has more to do with impact rather than equating it to a factor of ranking high on IFPI. (K-pop groups no one cares about rank high on those charts) Success is still a factor, obviously, and objectively he has that. Him not ranking higher is still odd though considering they did everything to make sure seven was super successful. The most successful song of last year even, yet other songs outcharted.

And enlistment isn’t gonna hinder Scooter or bang from promoting jk. That’s evident by the drawn out usher collab for SNTY plus the CK global campaign they have lined up for him rn. They can’t risk him *not* constantly being in public eye because they need his image and name out there. Which actually shows the lack of impact that he left to live up to said “global pop boy” title

[pico-digital-studios]

IAB! Game Concepts

Don't get your hopes up too much. I did state a few months ago that a game adaptation of IAB! is pretty unlikely, but I wanted to share some of the ideas that could work out if there ever was one.

To start off with, we'll look at the World Entrance!

Based on the same area from Sonic 1: Extended Edition, this will be where you can hop between save files, erase any you don't need, access bonus modes or configure settings early on. Think of this as the starting main menu when you hop into the experience.

Now, as for the checks the game does for a save file before you hop in. As you can see on the first mockup, the signs are from Extended Edition, @ SAGE 2010 and Omochao Edition, as a way to see a bit of your progress before the HUD appears to give you a further rundown.

At the top-left is where the game keeps track of your global ring total, how many Coins you've got on hand at the moment in that file, how many of the Red Star Rings you have gathered out of a total (the number's not definitive in my ideas yet), the global time you've spent in that save file, and how many characters (out of 120, akin to LEGO/TT games) you can play as.

In the top-middle is what appears to be Time Stone and Chaos Emerald indicators, but those are actually there to let you know what stories and sub-stories are currently available to play in that save file. For instance, the far-left top icon is for the Prologues, and the far-left bottom icon is for Mr. Needlemouse in "Captured Hog!". Below that is the global score for the save file, summed up by the high scores in regular stages.

And on the top-right is where the game logs your upgrade progression, like how Frontiers did it, specifically your ring capacity (starting at 400), top speed, attack power and defence durability.

Next up, I'm gonna show off the Chapter Intro Screen.

I imagined this showing up at the beginning of chapters in the game, like what Sonic ERaZor did before levels, hence why it's in the S1 text style.

Not much else to explain with that one, so I'll get right to the major stuff. First off is the Exploration side of the game.

This is where the majority of game progress will take place outside of traditional levels. Here, you can wander around the areas to your heart's content with no (out-of-universe) rush, and it'll be how you visit the various dimensions in the game. In the Free Roam mode, you can switch between any character you've unlocked to test their skills in other places and find stuff you might not see otherwise.

Coins are awarded after beating a level or a mission, the output of which depends on your ranking (signified by medals, like seen in that top mockup). You can use them to purchase different stuff, like extra characters, cosmetics, and even upgrades.

Speaking of these non-level missions, they can vary a lot in what you set out to do. For example, one mission could have you in a race with a character, another could give you varying Hunt quests (like uncovering treasure or retrieving missing stuff), and there could even be ones with small obstacle courses to traverse for the Red Star Rings.

The way these Red Star Rings are earned depends on varying criteria as a whole.

For every main game stage, one Red Star Ring is awarded for finishing the stage. Another is available for beating it with certain criteria (like not letting a single SWAT Bot see OMT!Tails and OMT!Mina in Robotropolis up to a set point), and three can be located in each level and collected.

Red Star Rings can also be awarded for completing missions, as stated above.

For the side-stories, for the most part, there are only 2 Red Star Rings to collect, due to most consisting of one major stage outside of Exploration gameplay. The Funkinverse crossover one is the only exception, as its Red Star Rings can be earned through beating any songs there. There are 17 of these in total to get.

In the toggleable menu in Exploration, you can see more about the dimension you're currently in, change characters (in Free Roam; a toggle is available in the story Explorations), and check the upgrade status for a few characters.

Finally, let's go over the point you've likely been waiting for; the Action Stages.

All stages will be preceded with a title card akin to this, telling you what zone you're about to enter, alongside the dimension that zone is from.

Like in traditional Sonic games, your aim here is to finish the level to progress the story, and while most have the usual Sonic gameplay, some have additional mechanics to utilise (pictured above with a Stealth trick to keep out of the line of sight of patrolling SWAT Bots).

Now, as for those medals I've talked about. In the Action Stages, they stand in for the ranking system from modern Sonic games, and which one is granted to you in this case will depend on how quickly you finish the stage, with any longer than the Bronze requirement giving you the No Rank. Don't worry, though. The time limit is absent here (even if the timer only goes as high as 9:59.99), same with lives, so if you're struggling a bit, you'll never have to worry about Time Overs or Game Overs.

The medals are also awarded for the missions, which also involve their own requirements to get. For instance, with the Hunt missions:

Bronze: Find all the required things.

Silver: Find the stuff without using any Hint Rings.

Gold: Find all the stuff within a set time.

Platinum: Same as Gold, but don't take any damage.

Each mission has their own objectives to get the medals, and I even thought about an Omochao mission where you need to keep him from saying too much (without slowing the game down).

Well, that's all the ideas I could put down on paper right now. Take all this how you will, of course! See you all later!

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Gina Florio

Published: Dec 20, 2023

The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Lion King, Mulan, and many more told the kind of magical stories that stayed in our hearts, along with catchy music that could get stuck in our heads for days. This period is often referred to as the “Renaissance Era,” and many suspect that these movies are loved by women everywhere because Disney successfully captured the brilliance and timelessness of femininity. Jasmine was seductive and required her man to work for her, Ariel taught us about sacrifice and trust, and Mulan was both brave and family-oriented. All of the princesses had their own personalities and opinions, but they each made room for a prince to come in and sweep them off their feet. None was too proud to reject a man. 

These traditional Disney films were never political, and the themes were always centered on universal, relatable stories that brought people together rather than driving them apart. However, Disney has certainly lost its way over the last couple of decades. They’ve lost their touch at producing hit movies that resonate with both young children and adults. 

Disney Movies Have Taken a Turn for the Worse

Turning Red, the Disney Pixar film of 2022 that was acclaimed for its heartwarming narrative and representation, did not achieve high commercial success compared to other Pixar films. With a global box office gross of only $20 million against a production budget of $175 million, it ranks among the biggest box office bombs of 2022. The supposed reason for its underperformance is attributed to its simultaneous release on Disney+. This strategy allowed audiences to view the film at home, significantly affecting its worldwide box office earnings. However, it left people wondering if it just wasn’t good enough to draw in audiences; there were many parents who expressed their disappointment with the type of inappropriate content that was being delivered to teenagers for the sake of sending a particular message to the world. 

The Disney animated movie Strange World also faced a significant box office shortfall, with an estimated loss of $147 million in 2022. A notably woke aspect of the film is the introduction of Disney's first openly LGBTQ+ teenage character, who discusses his same-sex crush. The film's underperformance is attributed to various factors, including its inclusion of sexuality discussions, which deterred many parents from allowing their children to watch it. Some critics suggest that modern parents, more informed through social media, may choose to avoid content with inappropriate sexual themes for their children.

Similar issues in the past were observed with Pixar's Lightyear, which included a gay kiss and initially underperformed at the box office. Chris Evans, a voice actor in Lightyear, criticized those opposed to the movie's “inclusive” content. However, what he considered inclusive was just seen as annoyingly woke to the general public. Parents have generally never been on board with showing their children progressive content, regardless of the political message companies like Disney are desperately trying to send. 

Elemental, a Pixar movie, actually defied initial poor box office performance to become a significant hit. Released in June, it had the worst opening in Pixar's history with $29.6 million in domestic ticket sales. However, the film, which cost $200 million to produce, gradually gained momentum, earning nearly $500 million globally. It currently ranks as the ninth top-grossing film of the year, surpassing Marvel's latest Ant-Man sequel. But this was an anomaly compared to the rest of the Disney flops in the last two years. 

Now, Disney is again experiencing a box office bomb with its Thanksgiving release, Wish, the newest princess film that seeks to copy Encanto’s success. But, due to its poor storytelling, boring songs, and progressive message, it has also flopped. 

Disney Says It “Lost Some Focus”

Disney has disclosed that it invested a staggering $965 million in four high-profile projects in 2023, which unfortunately turned out to be significant flops: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, The Little Mermaid, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and Secret Invasion. This revelation comes amid a cost-cutting initiative led by CEO Bob Iger, who returned to lead the company in November 2022. Iger emphasized the need to reduce production costs, acknowledging the exorbitant expenses involved in creating content.

In early November, Bob Iger said, “At the time the pandemic hit, we were leaning into a huge increase in how much we were making and I’ve always felt that quantity can be actually a negative when it comes to quality. And I think that’s exactly what happened. We lost some focus.”

Typically, the budgets of movies and streaming shows are kept confidential, as studios usually lump these costs into their overall expenses without detailing individual project expenditures. However, Disney's production activities in the UK provide a clearer picture of their spending, due to the unique financial reporting requirements in that country. Studios operating in the UK must set up separate companies for each production to avail a tax rebate of up to 25% on their expenditures. These companies are required to file financial statements, which reveal detailed spending data.

Disney has been leveraging the UK's incentive scheme by filming more content there. This strategy, however, has led to significant investments in some of its most expensive and least successful productions of the year. A notable example is the Marvel Studios superhero film Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Despite spending a hefty $193.2 million on pre-production and filming, the movie opened to mediocre reviews. This situation illustrated the challenges Disney faces in managing production costs while striving to create compelling content that resonates with audiences and succeeds financially.

Disney Acknowledges That Going Woke Hasn’t Worked Out So Well for Them

Disney is finally acknowledging the significant impact of wokeness and culture wars on its operations. This admission was made in its annual financial report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the fiscal year ending September 30. The report highlights various aspects of Disney's performance and future risks. Disney employs about 225,000 workers worldwide and emphasizes its commitment to creating a more inclusive and diverse workplace. This commitment aligns with its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) objectives, which focus on reflecting the life experiences of its audience and supporting diverse voices in creative and production teams.

Financially, Disney reported revenues of $88.9 billion for fiscal 2023, marking a 7% increase from 2022. Despite this growth, the company has reduced spending on film and TV content, cutting it from $29.8 billion to $27.2 billion. Iger plans to further reduce content spending to $25 billion next year. Alongside these cuts, Disney has also implemented staff reductions and other expense cuts, achieving about $7.5 billion in cost savings.

Disney's involvement in culture wars and public debates has had widespread effects. The company acknowledges risks related to “misalignments” with public and consumer preferences, which affect demand and profitability across various segments, including broadcast, cable, theaters, internet, mobile technology, theme parks, hotels, resorts, and consumer products. This misalignment has led to challenges in adapting to market changes and economic or social climates.

"Further, consumers’ perceptions of our position on matters of public interest, including our efforts to achieve certain of our environmental and social goals, often differ widely and present risks to our reputation and brands," Disney admitted, acknowledging that consumer preferences impact revenue.

Disney's leisure business is influenced by multiple factors, including health concerns and the political environment. The company's intervention in the debate over Florida's Parental Rights in Education bill in March had significant repercussions. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis responded by revoking Disney’s special district status in the state, highlighting the cost of Disney's political engagement.

Closing Thoughts

Whether Disney is going to correct its course is yet to be seen. Even with its flops, the brand remains the most recognizable name in the entertainment industry, and it has committed itself so deeply to the woke liberal cause that it’s difficult to imagine they would ever come back from that. In the meantime, their movies will continue to flop if they don’t find a way to return to the Renaissance Era (or something remotely close to that) and offer audiences heartwarming, relatable stories rather than subtle (and not-so-subtle) tales of progressive politics. 

==

I've seen statistics suggesting that Disney has lost a good $1b at the box office in 2023, not counting the major losses in streaming, both in terms of the cost vs return of the content (the excrable She-Hulk was reportedly $25m per episode, almost double the $15m budget of Godzilla Minus One, for a 9-episode dumpster fire), and the inability of the platform as a whole to turn a profit.

[mightyflamethrower]

Elite higher education in America—long unquestioned as globally preeminent—is facing a perfect storm. Fewer applicants, higher costs, impoverished students, collapsing standards, and increasingly politicized and mediocre faculty reflect a collapse of the university system.

The country is waking up to the reality that a bachelor’s degree no longer equates with graduates being broadly educated and analytical. Just as often, they are stereotyped as pampered, largely ignorant, and gratuitously opinionated.

No wonder polls show a drastic loss of public respect for higher education and, specifically, a growing lack of confidence in the professoriate.

Each year, there are far fewer students entering college. Despite a U.S. population 40 million larger than 20 years ago, fertility rates have fallen in two decades by some 500,000 births per year.

Meanwhile, from 1980 to 2020, room, board, and tuition increased by 170 percent.

Skyrocketing costs cannot be explained by inflation alone, given that campuses have lightened faculty teaching loads while expanding administrative staff. At Stanford, there is nearly one staffer or administrative position for every student on campus.

At the same time, to vie for a shrinking number of students, colleges began offering costly in loco parentis counseling, Club Med-style dorms and accommodations, and extracurricular activities.

As applicants grew scarcer and expenses went up, universities began offering “full-service” student-aid packages, heavily reliant on government-subsidized student loans. The collective indebtedness of over 40 million student borrowers is nearing $2 trillion.

Worse still, an entire new array of therapeutic majors and minors appeared in the social sciences. Most of these gender/race/environmental courses did not emphasize analytical, mathematical, or oral and written skills. Such course work did not impress employers.

Faculty hiring had become increasingly non-meritocratic based on diversity/equity/inclusion criteria. New faculty hires have sought to institutionalize self-serving DEI and recalibrate higher education to prepare a new generation for self-perpetuating radical ideologies.

At the more elite campuses, racial quotas vastly curtailed the number of Asian and white students. But that racialist social engineering project required dropping the SAT requirement and comparative ranking of high school grade point averages.

As less well-prepared students entered college, faculty either inflated grades (80 percent are A/A- now at Yale), watered down their course requirements, or added new soft-ball classes. To do otherwise while attempting to retain old standards earned targeted faculty charges of racism and worse.

Another way to square the circle of rising costs and fewer and poorer students was to attract foreign students. They pay the full costs of college, especially those on generous stipends from the Middle East and China. Nearly a million foreign nationals, the majority from illiberal regimes, are now here on full scholarships.

While here, many see their newfound freedoms as invitations to attack America. Once here, they too often romanticize the very autocratic governments and illiberal values of their homelands that they seemingly sought to escape by coming to America.

Most foreign students assume they are exempt from the consequences of violating campus rules or laws in general. After all, they pay the full cost of their education and thus partially subsidize those who do not.

Almost half of all those enrolled in college never graduate. Those who do, on average, require six years to do so.

All these realities explain why teenagers increasingly opt for trade schools, vocational education, and community colleges. They prefer to enter the work force largely debt-free and in demand as skilled, sought-after tradespeople.

Most feel that if the old general education curriculum has been destroyed at weaponized universities, then there is no great loss in skipping the traditional BA degree. A far better selection of demanding and well-taught classes can be found online at a lower cost.

The result is a disaster for both higher education and a wake-up call for the country at large.

Entire generations are now suffering from prolonged adolescence as they drag out college to consume their early and mid-twenties. The unfortunate result for the country is a radical delay in marriage, childbearing, and home ownership—all the time-honored catalysts for adulthood and the responsibilities that come with it.

Politicized faculty, infantilized students, and mediocre classes have combined to erode the prestige of college degrees, even at once elite colleges. A degree from Columbia no longer guarantees either maturity or preeminent knowledge but is just as likely a warning to employers of a noisy, poorly educated graduate more eager to complain to Human Resources than to enhance a company’s productivity.

Yet it may not be all that unfortunate that much of higher education is going the way of malls, movie theaters, and CDs. The country needs far more skilled physical labor and less prolonged adolescence and debt.

STEM courses, professional schools, and traditional campuses are better insulated from mediocrity and should survive. Otherwise, millions more starting adulthood at 18 debt-free and fewer encumbered, ignorant, and entitled at 25 is not a bad thing for the country.

[factorialsotherfandoms]

*squints at this* technically in a specific one of my AUs, but eh, doesn't really show. Two reapers and death's angel are woken in the middle of the night by a sense of dread, and try work out who died.

Missa wakes with a start, and pooling dread in his ribs. They're supposed to be sleeping now - the drugs are supposed to keep everyone unconscious while the Eye alters things between rounds - and yet he's awake. Aware. Alive. And something is deeply, deeply wrong.

He tries to think, tries to understand, and in the back of his mind... He knows the last time he felt like this. It's been months, he wants to ignore it, but he knows.

The last time he felt like this? It was the last day that anyone saw his brother alive.

The thought and the dread have him scrambling up, searching around. Quickly he looks over the pile of people near him - he counts all eight, notes all of them are breathing, and wonders if maybe it is Luzu who is gone. But, it feels unlikely; Luzu comes and goes all the time. It isn't strange.

"Missa?"

Missa jumps with a scream, then realises it is only BadBoyHalo, pretending to be asleep but watching him with his one, white eye.

"Ah, Bad, hi!" he tries to wave. "You're awake too?"

Bad uncurls himself from his position beside the door. "You also felt it, then?"

He nods, not entirely sure what 'it' is, but knowing he felt it all the same. The dread is not easing like he thinks it does, just stabbing painfully into his ribs.

It is all he can focus on for a moment, before Bad's communicator pings. A fraction of a second later, his pings as well.

Ph1LzA whispers to you: Did you feel that? You whisper to Ph1LzA: Si. You did? Ph1LzA whispers to you: yeah Ph1LzA whispers to you: meet me at global. bring bad if you can. Ph1LzA whispers to you: I promise not to attack You whisper to Ph1LzA: I trust you

He sends it and looks to Bad, still typing with a borderline fury. After another few messages back and forth, however, Bad closes the device, frowning.

"We need to get to Global," he says. "It's nobody on red; Philza's trying to get hold of green, but he doesn't think any of them will have woken."

"It's Death calling us, isn't it?" Missa asks, even as he pulls on a warm coat and takes some food and water from their chest.

Bad nods, "faint, though."

"I didn't know what it was before," Missa says, as they quietly make their way out and onto the beach. "I've never been a ranking reaper in a place before now."

"You get used to it," Bad says. "Did you feel the worker deaths too? I did."

"Worker deaths?" Missa freezes for a moment, before remembering the very quick update he had received prior. "Oh, yes, those. No, no."

Bad grins a bit, showing off his teeth, "don't worry, you're still most junior then. Actual people always hit harder."

Missa doesn't know what to think of that; he settles on whimpering and clinging to Bad's hand as they make their way towards the desert.

---

Philza is waiting for them when they arrive. He's sat upstairs, gas mask gone but in its places a thick, black veil. His clothes, too, seem stained in darkness.

Missa doesn't care; he lets go of Bad's hand, and jumps into his husband's waiting arms. He sits on his lap, clings to him, and soaks up the quiet laughter as Philza pats his head.

"Bad," Philza acknowledges.

"Phil," comes the reply.

It's an awkward stand off, with the ongoing war between the two, but eventually Bad sits on another bench.

"Any clues?" Bad asks.

"Red are all safe," Philza replies. "Can't get the Greens awake, but it felt too distant to be them."

The silence drifts between the group. Missa knows he should get off Philza's lap, but... The arms are still holding him, his head is still being pet, and he hasn't seen in so long, and is now being forced into conflict with.

There's an option he can think of, but its one he does not like.

"An egg, maybe?" he finally voices.

Both Philza and Bad freeze.

"We'd know if it were Chayanne or Dapper," Philza immediately moves to reassure. It's not a big break in the tension, but it allows a moment to breathe. "Tallulah and Pomme as well."

"I think I'd know if it were any of them," Bad frowns. "And Missa can't feel egg or worker deaths."

"Then who is missing?" Philza asks. "Dan and Spreen have been dead a while."

Missa clings a little tighter, and is clung back to in return, Philza resting his chin on Missa's head and cooing very slightly.

"Hmm," Bad hums. "It must be green, then, or Missa is more sensitive here..."

"... Oh," Missa looks up, and at Bad. "Aren't there two Quackitys?"

In the pause everything is frozen, broken by Philza's "shit."

"Fudge," Bad corrects him, barely even blinking. "Did he get left behind?"

"What the fudge is going on on the island if whichever is missing /died/?" Philza stresses the word. "They said it was just cleanup."

"Maybe the concrete is worse than we thought... Can it consume people?"

"It's infected Forever. He's not hiding it."

"Then we need to fix it!"

"I know! But can you see any way to do that here?!"

Missa tunes out the argument, leaving the two senior servants of death to hash out the details. The pain in his ribs is softer now, but still there - someone died terrified and, if comms names are correct, that someone is Quackity. Their soul can't be collected from Quesadilla, cut off from the world as it is. If one of the three of them were there, maybe, but... Like this? They can't reach him either. So now stuck, with corrupting something nearby, as a vulnerable soul...

"if I just had my wings," Philza's gripe is common, but it's understandable. "If they just worked, I could get back..."

"What do you need to fix them?" Bad asks.

"A visit to the End would be easiest," Philza's face twitches. "Which really says a lot about the chances."

Missa knows some of the other options, but doesn't bother to voice them - a skill and specialist surgeon, the Federation taking pity on him, a permanent death and rebirth into a new world... None of them are likely, some do not bare considering.

"It's another week and a bit," Bad says.

"That's assuming we get to leave when this is done," Philza frowns.

"Do we think he can even last that long? Before the corruption gets him?"

The silence in answer is damning.