#like... below minimum wage work if you're actually taking the time to do it right

[ferronickel]

Hail, flatter! This one, who is a layperson of the arts and comixcraft, has a query for you:

So like, what is flatting?

I've seen your flats in Wifwulf, and I've read about the flats in Looking Glasses, and generally get that it results in an image with similarly coloured areas sharing the same false-colour.

But like, how is it then used? The final images seem to contain more colours and shading, so why not just go straight to this? Why do false colours get used instead of the real ones? How do you pick the colours and how many get used?

How come this is a thing that a whole other person can do separately? I guess that's because it's time consuming - so it saves time somehow?

Thank you! I come in the spirit of humility wishing to relieve my ignorance of your noble craft!

OHOHOHO!!! You've activated my trap card and now I get to ramble about comics craft! And in my area of professional expertise, too! Be prepared for a long post

I'm going to start with the last part of your question:

How come this is a thing that a whole other person can do separately? I guess that's because it's time consuming - so it saves time somehow?

So the thing about comics is that it is one of the most intensely time consuming mediums to create. One person can make comics on their own fairly easily, but it takes forever to produce. Consider that I've been working on Looking Glasses for 18-19 months and have drawn about 87 pages. Now, the western comics industry expects issues to be produced monthly, generally 24 pages in length. It's very difficult for a single person to work at this rate, so the labor of producing comics has been divided. Generally these jobs become:

Writer (writes the script)

Editor (edits the script)

Artist (draws the lineart)

Colorist (colors and renders the art)

Letterer (adds balloons, dialog, and sfx)

Flatter (sometimes 'color assistant' they take the art and prepare it for coloring)

This isn't comprehensive though, there are a bunch of other jobs, like designers and layout artists. Occasionally the artist job gets broken into Pencilers (who sketch the art) and Inkers (who ink the sketch). Basically, by splitting the work amongst a number of people you can produce comics much faster. Not all of these jobs are required, and creator-owed books might have artists do their own coloring and lettering, while big work-for-hire books might have twice as many people working so they can pump out a spider-man book every other week.

Okay, so why Flatters?

Flatting at it's most basic level is just coloring inside the lines. You take a black and white page of art, and you have to fill in every part of the page that will eventually be colored. It's a pretty time consuming task depending on how involved your lineart is.

Flatting a page of Looking Glasses doesn't take me all that long, usually less than a half hour, which is pretty quick. Looking Glasses pages tend to be... optimized for flatting though. There are only ever a few characters and there aren't a ton of background details.

You mentioned Wifwulf (created by my longtime friend and collaborator Dailen Ogden), here's one of it's pages:

Basically everything that's a different base color, (every tree, plant, bit of moss, character, etc.) needed to be picked out separately. Each page of Wifwulf took me a few hours to flat. If Dailen had been doing that themself, those hours would have really added up, but instead they could spend that time drawing and coloring. Now, that said, these pages have a lot of texture, so it's hard to see exactly what I did.

Here's an example from a comic I worked on early in my career. (Lineart by Patrick Custodio)

The writer for this comic loved to put in these incredibly complex crowd scenes, which is something the artist excelled at drawing. I was coloring and flatting at this point on the book, and before I could even start coloring properly, I would need to flat for like eight hours. (I have a much more efficient method these days) It was frustrating because I just wanted to work on the actually creative part, but the majority of my time was spent on something monotonous. As soon as I got the writer to hire a flatter for me, coloring a page would take me only one or two hours, not nine or ten.

So that's why flatters exist, mainly to ease the workload on colorists.

But like, how is it then used? The final images seem to contain more colours and shading, so why not just go straight to this?

Flatting serves a couple of purposes. It's main function, like I said above, is just coloring in the lines. After finishing your lineart it has to get colored in, so in a layer below the lines, you add colors.

The secondary function is preservation. I like to work in a way that is non-destructive, basically, at any point in the process I can restore an earlier version of the drawing if I make a mistake or don't like something. Flats are integral to this.

In digital art, there's this thing called anti-aliasing, where the edges of a line or shape have a drop off of pixel color or opacity. It makes the edges look smoother or blurrier. The three dots on the left are Anti-Aliased, while the one on the right is Aliased, there's no drop off, just hard pixels.

Anti-aliasing is fine until you need to change the color using the paint bucket, or select using the magic wand...

See how the anti-aliased art doesn't play well with these tools, but the aliased art does? So with something like Wifwulf, the final art is going to be full of texture that makes it impossible to select anything again once it's painted. By having a dedicated aliased flats layer under the rest of the artwork, you can always re-select any part of the image you want.

I always leave my flats layer alone, and do any detail work in layers above. For example when I was painting this, it really helped to be able to select just the titan so I could work on those paints without worrying about brushstrokes overlapping the rest of the characters.

One of the other things you can do with flats is quickly selecting certain elements. On most pages, I flat my panels, figures, and background elements separately. Later, with a single button press, I can select just the characters in the scene, or entire panels at a time, which makes things like shading a whole lot easier.

Why do false colours get used instead of the real ones?

If you're flatting for other people you often don't know what the final colors are going to be, so you just pick random ones. Garish colors can be helpful because it makes it obvious that they're not the final colors. Why don't I use the correct colors on my own pages when I'm flatting? Habit, mostly. It's also faster to grab random colors than to track down the correct ones. Sometimes two different things will have the same final color but I like to flat them with different colors so I can select them individually if I need to.

You can see the process a bit here. In my flats, Lancer's spade (eye? eyes? thing) is a different color from his tongue, even if they end up being the same white in the final image. This would help if I ever needed to select just his eyes for some reason. You can also see how I select his body fur color and then add details on top, like his colored fingers and the grey on his arm. Those elements have blurry anti-aliased edges, and it would be impossible to re-select them without flats.

How do you pick the colours and how many get used?

I use the default "additional color set" palette in clip studio and just work my way through it. I pick row and work my way down (for a change of pace I vary which row I start with). How many is mostly dependent on the artwork. You just keep going until you run out of individual objects to color. I have worked on pages where I've run out of colors on this palette and had to start making up more. Typically a page of Looking Glasses only needs around 20-30, though.

So! That's flatting! It's a little known job, and it's how I got started with my comics career, so I have a lot of thoughts on it. I was trying to be concise (lol), so I hope this all makes sense, but I'd be happy to clarify or answer any other questions about this process. I know I didn't really go into how I flat my work, so I can make that post if anyone is interested.

[gin-xoxo]

𝔠𝔬𝔠𝔨𝔱𝔞𝔦𝔩 𝔪𝔬𝔩𝔬𝔱𝔬𝔳 ☆

pitfighter!vi hcs/drabble!

tw: mentions of alcohol, smoking, self neglect, depression, ARCANE SPOILERS!!!!!!!

you guys are probably gonna jump me for this, but vi needs a shower. it's a luxury to actually smell good in zaun, since water is foul, and soap is expensive for the below-minimum-wage workers in the undercity. and combine that with the constant, consistent cycle of "drink, fight, drink, sleep" and the shitty hair dye? so eventually, you find yourself sitting next to her while she's in a basin, scrubbing off all the dirt and grime on her skin, washing black out of her hair, cleaning up all the cuts and scrapes on her body, patching her up.. all the while she sits in silence, not having been cared for like this in a long, long time.

vi's been touch starved. it's been a full year and a half since she's had an actual hug. from anyone. and sure, maybe sometimes she sleeps behind at some random girl's place or stays the night at babettes, but any touch she gets there feels.. superficial. transactional. fake. and so one night you're in some random back alley helping her during a breakdown while she's drunk and she just kinda.. clings to you while she calms down, and vi's arms are strong, and she's really heavy, so you're frozen in place until she decides she wants to let go. not that you're complaining. she's like a cat.

"vi.. it's not safe here, cmon."

"five more minutes, cupcake. please. i need it."

she smoked HEAVILY right after the breakup w caitlyn. visiting her apartment meant walking into, essentially, a huge cloud of smoke. you'd be coughing n wheezing if she didn't have her window open. the only time she stopped is when she realized it's affecting her fights. and so she's gone from smoking reds to blues to virtually none. and you can't say you're not proud of her, because you really are, but sometimes..

"whatcha doin up so late??"

"oh! uh.. nothing. hi, ____."

"..vi. put the cig down."

"awh,  cmonnnn.."

when she first met you, she slept in her shitty water-activated eyeliner for weeks on end, reapplying every few days, letting it cake up onto her cheeks, sink into her pores, dry up her skin.. grotesque, to say the least. but after some (a lot of) nagging, she's been washing it off properly and using moisturizer!! and only then did she realize how bad her skin's condition was. since then, she's laid off the facepaint.

she owns like 3 outfits in total. this has never and will never change. no matter what you say or do. it's all she needs, it's all she wants, it's all she has. a couple washed out pairs of jeans, two stolen jackets, a beat up white shirt, and a wife pleaser that she only wears at home. formal event? zip up the jacket. beach day? take off the jacket. it works. and if you get her any new clothes, she'll fold them up and tuck them away and be terrified to wear them because "they're just too nice.."

vi runs hot. VERY hot. it'll be snowing down in zaun and you'll still wake up to her, shirt thrown off in her sleep, SWEATING, blankets cast to the side as she snores. and you'll still be warm. she's clingy in her sleep, too. you'd have to wake her up in the middle of the night to get a snack or fresh air or use the bathroom.. otherwise, she'd pull you closer, tighter, and beg half-coherently, for you to stay.

"nonobaby, don't leave, 'stooearly, stay here, pleasepleaseplsplsplspls.."

vi's afraid to talk about her feelings. she's always been the protector. the listener. the comfort. to powder and mylo and claggor, to caitlyn.. and now to you. so she drowns them in alcohol and smoke and hookups. until you came into her life. started pushing her to talk about her issues. taking care of her when she's blackout drunk. trying to get her to *stop* drinking entirely. whenever she tries to talk about what's going on, the constant nightmares, the self-image issues, the constant anger and sadness and frustration that runs through her veins.. it's so intense. she just can't. she just won't. she just cries instead. so she just.. avoids it entirely, after that one time.

she'd start fighting strategically for you. saving up her gears to take you to the arcade, a nicer bar closer to upside, or she'd make you dinner (with jayce's help. which is why it's BURNT.) she'd think of you while she's in the ring. and she starts winning more, thanks to both the thought of you in her head and the things you've done to help her. you've done everything. you're her everything. and she'll come back to her apartment, now cleaner and nicer, with a huge smile on her face and a bag of gears in hand.

@fracturedtimee here u go!! enjoy 🖤🖤

[midnight1nk]

So, this week's episode...

[spoilers below cut]

A KAREN EPISODE?! LET'S GOOOOOOOOO

(the following is my live reaction:)

oh, hey Luke, promoting the merch I see. [*gives thumbs-up to the SMG4/Glitch Team*] Good for you :)

Karen, hi! Hmm, not much going on, huh?

Dude, I feel bad for her. Like, can we get her an actual job and more than just minimum wage?

I'm gonna guess and say she took it only because she'll be in low profile from being a former assassin.

can she work in Three's Coffee & Bombs? please please please please please please

It makes total sense for her to take the night shift, her kids would be sleeping

Augh, and it's 6 am when she gets home. Girl, please get some rest! I know it's not gonna be a lot but it's something

also nice nod to the Alarmo clock, gotta be consistent

and i oop

damn, even Shroomy quit

... [*slow tap on the head*]

oh god, I legit thought Karen was gonna give an iPad to Katie, glad I was wrong (NOT THE IPAD KIDS)

[*wheeze*] sorry but I was rewatching the Sonic 3 trailers (bc they're fire) and just seeing Cory speed-dancing on the wall changed everything for me, I can't unsee it now

...FNAF?

Oh I wasn't the only one, ok

As a sibling, I can confirm that siblings share the same braincell

back by unpopular demand [*opens the door*] Me! /ref

never expected the SMG4 Theory episode to come back but here we are :)

[*breakdances epicly*] Mario's brain never stopped dancing since the Mario React episode from last week

"If you joiiiiin, you'll be able to behave your kids. You just gotta vow your life to our religion." Mario, that's a cult

YEAH KAREN, EXACTLY

wait... NONONO GO BACK!!! Do you guys remember the "We Must Kill Mario" episode?

a spaghetti cult...

is Marty still running it or Mario just missed it so much and thought it was a good idea to copy what they did? hmmmm

[*points at the screen*] there it is, I was waiting for it haha

Love that Mario is scared of reading but has no problem reciting anything related to spaghetti (honestly mood) but also it's way funnier if he was like "oh, I just made that shit up on the spot, I can't actually read"

...there isn't any poison, is there?

awwww, you're willing to do anything for your kids

loving family, my one weakness [*dies*]

NOOOOO NOT THE PHOTO

man, Karen, I know you have to discipline your kids and you're frustrated but that wasn't the right thing to say

AND YOU HAD TO SHOW ME THAT, STOP I'M FRAGILE

that's good, she's calmed down and willing to apologize

have you seen the spaghetti? well, now you have :D

HOLY SHIT did they make Minecraft models just for this? Hell yeah!!

A brawl is surely brewing, you're up!

oooh hold up, this animation though, that's fire

you activated a trap card!

ofc Karen's skills come in handy here, it all pays off boys

it's good that Karen acknowledges all of this and sees how awesome her kids are (no, I'm not crying, what are you talking about?)

i'm so normal ← SOBBING

how dare they show me sweet loving family moments? THEY CAN'T KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH THIS

just Karen spending time with her kids at the end is so sweet

... and Mario's still here too, ofc

THE SPAGHETTI GODS HAVE RISEN

everyone has to bow before the all-mighty (yes, even you c'mon)

Congrats to rPrP_99 for your art being featured at the end credits 🎉

.・-: ✧ :--: ✧ :-・.

This was a fantastic episode, bravo! I absolutely loved how in-depth Karen's character was. Being a parent is hard with the ever-lasting question of "how do you give them happiness but also be their guide?"

In a way, Mario did teach her how to parent in his own way, which is very on-brand for him let's be honest here. I find this episode curious because of how different Karen was, compared to Mr Puzzles' dad. (That's right, I'm bringing him into this.)

Mr Puzzles' dad is a complete hypocrite, telling his son not to follow his dream and yet critiquing him for not having creative vision. He neglected his son who ended up watching TV all day and eventually cutting off his own head. (No, we're not going to pass by that.) And this was merely the tip of the iceberg, who knows what else his dad did to his son. Now, I'm not excusing what Mr Puzzles did because (1) we don't have the whole story, and (2) how much accountability Mr Puzzles truly had. Don't get me wrong, I love Mr Puzzles because of his character but I am neutral about him potentially having a redemption arc.

Change is a big step and it takes a lot of bravery to take it. It's one thing for someone to offer help, but it's another to seek it yourself. If Mr Puzzles wants to change, then sure, let him redeem himself. If he doesn't, well then it's the choice he made. That's the reality of it all that some people don't want to change and we have to accept the fact that we can't do anything to change their minds. I truly believe his dad was one of them, he would be a narcissist.

In comparison, Karen is very complex, having to take multiple jobs to support her family. But no matter what, she loves her kids and tries every way to bond with them. Support them. Even if she doesn't fully understand it, she tries and that means a lot more than one could think. Of course, when it comes to kids, you have to earn their trust, and sharing interests is one of the ways to do it. Bonding is meant to be natural and it's what Karen learned. To observe. She admits that she was in the wrong and apologized to them. She said it herself, she was proud of her kids, how they could be so creative and resourceful. And that should be no surprise, they're her kids after all.

So yeah, all of this to say, "and the best mom of the year award goes to..."

ANYWAY, I loved this episode overall and so glad that Karen got to be in the spotlight again. We even got to see some of her assassin skills come into play! Also, that animation in the Minecraft world, that was awesome. Whoever animated it, props to you ����👏👏 The only critique I have was that the kids in the chaotic parts were a little too much for me, but maybe that's just me idk.

That's all from me! Now, if you excuse me, I'm gonna go back to writing angst :)

[brigdh]

Brigdh, these are *wildly* evocative titles! I need you to know that I waffled so so much on this choice, but the one I think I need to know about the *most* is war criminals doing compensated dating.

The WIP meme!

@napneeders and @likethehotsauce also asked for this one, thank you all!

And thank you for liking the titles, but I don't think I can take any credit for them; they're just the prompts I used for inspiration. Case in point: this one! This is from when everyone was describing their favorite characters as war criminals (maybe we're still doing that? I feel like there was a peak in the term over the summer), and then someone combined that with angsty high school AUs, and voila, a bizarre combination that I somehow found incredible compelling. (Also, if you're unfamiliar with the term compensated dating, it's basically the same as a sugar baby/daddy relationship, but often with the connotation that the baby is still in high school.)

This is one where I can't really post it as finished fic because that set-up is too complicated to explain in an author's note, so you've got the whole thing below. Modern AU, Ed-focused.

Ed’s dad wasn’t around anymore. That was fine – good, actually, it was a good thing – but it turned out that the old man had paid more in rent than he’d wasted on booze. Ed should have known. His dad was a shit father and a shit husband, but he was white, and still had his high school footballer muscles, and had a way of talking to other men that made them laugh with him instead of at him. He’d never had any trouble holding down a job, no matter how often he went in late and hungover.

Ed’s mom never had a bruise on her face, these days. She never walked funny or flinched too easily. But she still wasn’t happy. She started getting home late; the few times Ed glimpsed her in daylight, there were bags under her eyes, and her mouth was pinched and thin. Ed caught her hunched over the kitchen table, writing with one of the Bic pens he brought home from school. She didn’t hear him come in, and he got close enough to read the first few lines over her shoulder before she noticed him. It was an application for the night shift at the little grocery store down the road.

“When would you sleep?” he asked.

His mom made a little sound, half snort of amusement and half exasperated sigh. “A lot of people have a second job, Ed. We should be grateful that I can work.” She smiled at him, eyes crinkled and warm. She really believed it, was the thing. All the things she said about how the world worked, and it made Ed’s instinct to shout that it wasn’t fair, wasn’t right, feel small and childish. “Besides, it’ll be temporary. Just until your father gets back.”

Ed had fucked up. He’d already known that, of course, but now there was a whole new side to how he’d fucked up.

Obviously the solution was for him to get a job, but nowhere that hired teenagers paid over minimum wage, and when Ed counted up the hours he could skip school before the social worker called the house, it didn’t add up to enough. Jack had offered to teach Ed how to pick pockets in exchange for Ed blowing him, but he suspected lifting a few wallets here and there might be fun drinking money, but it wasn’t the kind of thing that paid the rent. Ed would have to get into harder crimes to make it work, stuff with real risk if he wanted the real rewards.

Or. There was a girl who came to school every day now with designer clothes, jewelry with real stones, the newest model phone that she updated practically every month. She lived not far from Ed, and he knew none of it came from her parents. She didn’t have a lot of friends, though she’d been nice enough when they were kids. Now people whispered whore and skank when she walked by; her eyes never flickered and her fingers tap-tap-tapped on the strap of her Birkin bag.

That was Ed’s other choice. Less dangerous than crime, probably; certainly less chance of his mom finding out, since technically compensated dating wasn’t illegal. And anyway, Ed wasn’t really a virgin, so why not?

People looked at him, sometimes; he knew that. He liked it, usually. He’d been figuring out how to dress to make them look longer. When he walked home along the side of the road, sometimes a car honked at him. Not to tell him to get out of the way, but because of what they saw.

The girl with the fancy clothes, people called her needy too. Said she had no self-respect, that anyone could have her. A sick curl of recognition had squirmed in Ed’s belly. He was like that – he needed people to want him. It was like he was hungry and other people’s attention was the only thing that filled him up. It scared him: how much he needed it, the stupid things he’d done to get it. So he tried not to think about it, to stomp the craving down into the dark places of his mind where he put the things that bothered him. He could never get rid of it for long. though. He hated how weak it made him feel, how desperate.

The idea of people paying to look at him, to touch him – that didn’t sound so bad. If someone wanted to give Ed things, just because they desired him, ached for him, even loved him, maybe that would soothe the hunger in him. He could make them be the ones who needed.

In the end, it wasn’t really much of a choice at all.

[that-girl-lyra]

My Side-Hustle Streams

If you're anything like me, you like to make a bit of coin on the side and I mean really, who doesn't? We've all seen those awful TikToks of "Make $10k a month with xyz!" and while that sounds absolutely amazing...its just a farce, or just a way for the creator to sell you their course.

These below are actual little side hustles that ACTUALLY pay and while its not big bucks or a livable wage, if you have some time on your hands and want some extra cash, then these are for you <3

Prolific

This is my all time favourite. Prolific is the best survey and usertesting site out there. Im still new to the platform but in the time that I've spent just passively doing research studies and surveys, I have made over $70 (some submissions can take a while to pend) and it pays out (so long as you withdraw!) every Tuesday and Friday afternoon! The minimum cash out is $5 which doesnt take long adding up! Payments go directly into your paypal as well.

Sign up for Prolific!

My earnings

There is also a subreddit for Prolific users known as r/prolific and you can chat with other people who love this platform as well!

Attapoll

Now while Prolific's site is fantastic and I have no complaints, the mobile site can be a bit...iffy. There aren't too many studies that require mobile, but they still exist and when you cant do them, it can get frustraiting to deal with. And that's where Attapoll comes in! Attapoll is a fantastic mobile survey app and always has tons of surveys available. While you may not qualify for all of them, there are always plenty to choose from and the cash doesnt take long building up.

If you're constantly on the go and would prefer a more mobile option, Attapoll is one of my favourites in that department! The minimun cash out depends on which method you choose (Paypal is $3, Revolute is $2.50) and it doesnt take long to build up. I personally like to do these surveys on the train, or right when I wake up.

Sign up for Attapoll here!

Influence

Another fantastic mobile one would be Influence! I put this one below Attapoll because personally, I am a little shy and don't like being caught...well, talking lol, but this one pays extremely well for what little work you put into it.

Basically, the meat and potatoes lie in the video surveys. You get paid around .25 for each video response and its generally super simple questions like "What were your shopping habits like this week?" and I usually get multiple per day and it refreshes every single day!

It pays out via Paypal when you request a payout, however the minimum threshold is $10 so, it is a bit high. However if you dont mind putting a little time into it, you're likely to see a quick return.

Sign up for Influence here!

NextDoor

This method by far pays the best. This isnt an app or site you make money off of directly, however its a great way to get your name out there and make money if you have a local/small business in your specific neighborhood or area.

I advertise dogwalking, pet sitting, house sitting, cleaning and other odd job services! You'd be surprised at the amount of people looking for someone to just help out with either moving furniture, or other simple tasks.

Of course you can make a business page, but you can also just browse NextDoor itself and send members in your area messages and offer your services to help them out.

If Im honest, one of my best friendships came from this app and I still clean her house and I look forward to it every week!

My only complaint about this app/site is its not the most functional. Sometimes it doesnt send you a notification when someone messages you or comments on your post so, you'll need to keep an eye on it yourself. I wish they would optimize it a bit better but I suppose its best to take the bad with the good.

Sign up for NextDoor here!

These are my top side hustle sites so far! Try them out for yourself and let me know how you get on! Im sure I'll find and write about more in the comming days, but for now, give these a shot!

Ive always said, a little goes a long way, and all the little bits n pieces from these sites certainly add up!

Have fun and best of luck to you all in your side hustle journey!

[the-leegend-99]

Right, seems we're dealing with people not even bothering to read the whole piece before coming up with excuses for themselves. Let me break it down for you again, @skull-bearer, in an easier, more direct way.

"Good" don't enter into it. "What you have" and "the best choices possible" being Harris-Walz are not built out of some terrible coincidence that makes "people in politics" be bad. It's the fact that the US, much like Europe, is built on centuries of over-exploitation of the Global South. This is what shapes your politics, the desperate need by the capitalist class to hold onto this power. This is why none of your politicians will ever be "Good™️". It's a system that rewards the worst people ever, and you have exactly ZERO say in it. Democratic and Republican candidates get chosen by different lobbies, different cartels and monopolies, oftentimes the same ones when their interests align. AIPAC funds both Kamala/Walz and Trump/Vance, and it's just ONE of the many interest groups you can freely check on. The hundreds of thousands to hundreds of millions of dollars they pump into them, the corporate jobs they promise them after their political career is over, in company boards or think tanks, that's what gets them elected, by pummeling you with relentless ads, and what shapes their actual actions as politicians. Don't even think that's something special to US politics, even. It's the same in any capitalist country that bothers to hold up a pretense of "liberal democracy" (an oxymoron if there ever was one). You're a rubber stamp.

Fact is, as I stated, you don't have to be. There is a millions-stong movement against this farce in your country. Union workers, anti-war activists, communist militants, uniting against the genocide because the very same exploitative system that gives you this BS "choices" *holds itself up* through that very same genocide. There is such a confluence of interests, both State and private, in Israel, in financing Israel as a destabilizing and colonialist agent of imperialism, that it's a lynchpin of global capitalism. You stop the genocide, it's a blow to the system. You tear down the system, you stop the genocide.

So it's not even something we're doing "out of the goodness of our hearts". Sure, our heartz break every time we see images of Israel's war crimes, and sure, we are angry at this, angry at being taken for fools. But we are also very coldly rational about it, about knowing that it's not happening only out of evil, but also to keep us working below-minimum wage jobs and struggled by the cost of living. This genocide, friend, is happening to keep giving you the crumbs you so desperately seek.

And if you want any more than those crumbs, well, you've gotta make all this edifice quake in fear, like students and workers did in Bangladesh just a week ago, or better yet crumble down, like people in far worse condition than you had the courage to do in Russia a century ago, or in Cuba, China, Venezuela, Vietnam.

THIS is the reality of politics. You can deal with what you have either by becoming an accomplice in genocide, or by joining a mass movement, helping it organize into a shape ready to take power and transform society into something better.

So what's it gonna be?

There's a reason this site sucks and is so profoundly hateable sometimes.

The reason is that since it's the nerd site (beaten out only by Reddit bc its r/topic function allows people to geek out to the max in one specific subject and build forums), where people dedicate essay-length blog posts to contrast (or compound) each other's interpretation of your favorite fictional characters through the most minute lore analysis possible, going "um actually" with all the casualness allowed by such a free reblog feature. And where is it used most of all? Why, to explain away absurdly mediocre or outright bad stuff like the Star Wars Prequels into being "Secretly Good™️" because let's face it, the alienation of living and working into capitalist society has stunted most of us (mostly us Westerners who get to enjoy the full breadth of consumerism) into needing to preserve their childhood security blankets. Of course, sometimes it's not that. Sometimes it's media analysis that wants to have a point and is actually done with more of a grain of salts. But most times, it is that. And sometimes it's cute, most times it doesn't involve the usual BS of manchild fannish behavior as Reddit does (probably bc there's a lot less cishet men).

But then some people here will apply that same mentality and behavior of politics.

And no, you just can't "um actually" your way of rightly being called a genocide and fascism enabler for supporting Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Applying character arcs and lore to reality is brainrot. Yes, friend, I know that their hands are tied by the system. They made the choice to try and become top dog in it, nobody was expecting them not to comply in its basest crimes against humanity. But then you twist yourselves into hoops trying to rationalize the crumbs they throw at us to keep us content and not threaten their power, or better yet the system of exploitation they profit from, into actual progress. You try to rationalize them into being "Secretly Good™️" when they are the fullest representation of the banality of evil.

Sure, in doing so, you show more argumentative capabilities than Taylor Swift fans, but let's face it, it's not much of a compliment. All those Swifties, Beehives, Lil Nas X or Charli xcx fans who haven't taken their favorite celeb/artist to task for supporting the genocide, they cheer for these genocidal criminals because they've got far less awareness, and superficial diversity appeals to them. I'm not gonna go into who's more starved for crumbs from the master's table between them and you because it's not useful to this dissection. The actual difference is that they've formed a parasocial relationship with the *person*, with the celebrity, while you've formed a parasocial relationship with the *story*.

And you have to hammer the story into making sense, into being good, don't you? Because deep down, you're more aware. Deep down, you know it's wrong, you know that what's happening is wrong, bur you don't want to bring yourself to believe they've been stringing you along, asking you to be an accomplice. You want to explain your way out of letting this realization settle in, because if it does, then you are an accomplice.

Well you are, until you start doing something about it in the real world. Until you join protests, until you join working-class, anti-capitalist, anti-Zionist organizations fighting to overturn this system and build a better one instead.

And sure, that's a big jump, out of the realm of "permissibility", of "respectability", and it's scary. But maturity is having the courage to do the things that scare you the most, because you've analyzed them and realized that they're the ones that bring about the most material good for you and everybody. And everybody can reach that maturity. You, too, can be brave.

[dhaaruni]

Dhaaruni, I hope it's ok if I vent for a moment in your askbox but it just keeps angering me and like, given the various circumstances of my life, the thing that gets me about young women and girls these days wanting to be wives so their husband pays for everything and they magically hold zero cares in the world is like.... Have you ever even Been There? [1]

No extra money of your own because it's in a joint account so it's for Everyone or No One? Cleaning the house, doing the laundry, cooking meals, etc.--something you will be expected to do as the Unemployed Person! Even if "hubby" never says so explicitly I guarantee you he's been raised to anticipate some woman always being there to fulfill his needs and keep house--can only fill up so much of your time. For example, I can sweep and mop up half of a house and wash up a load of laundry in 2 hours. Wow! How efficient. Except gee, what to do next? The other half? Bake a loaf of bread or a batch of cookies? (I do enjoy baking and cooking but it's still work!) Another odd load of laundry? Oh wait. There's so many things to watch on streaming services! Books to read! Maybe I'll finish up my painting!! Except when do you feel justified to take time like that when a full time job is from 8 to 5, and you can get so much done is so little time? [2] [Wow, finally tumblr is cooperating with me! Last one!] Oh but wait! Childcare. Childcare is a whole new ballpark. Have fun communicating with a wee screeching thing for anything from hunger and thirst, to outside playtime, oh no the favorite blanket is missing, and so on. It's not frustrating or maddening at all! Bonus points if you find yourself hit in the head by any object the baby/toddler can throw at you, and no amount of, "No, we don't throw. That's not nice. That hurts." will stop it! You just have to take it and hope that someday it'll finally click before you're the one screaming and throwing things in the backyard. And that's one little piece of childcare! You have to factor in meal planning for picky tastes but also ensure a balanced diet lest you constipate or give them diarrhea to kingdom come! Blowouts and diapers so sodden with urine they explode just by removing clothes! Tantrums and when they realize they can't throw something at you, they will scream right in your ear! Etc.! (I know it's Controversial ig but David Lynch nailed it with Eraserhead. Parenthood is that messy and messed up, This Be the Verse, etc.) Like this is well and truly what makes me wonder about girls and women wanting this. It gets old. I'm not saying a job as a cashier or barista is gonna fulfill my life or wouldn't be as mind-numbingly soul crushing. But it would actually pay bills! It would be more than the paltry change I'm granted as a full time nanny right now! Yes, I work 10.5-12 hours a day and I'm way below the poverty line! But ig I ought to be happy bc childcare isn't real work somehow? Or that it's solely my money? Except I can't afford much of anything without risking overdraft hmm. Which ig is why minimum wage looks better where I'm at! Terrible, right? Because even that tiny sum is an improvement for me. Like I'm part of a long, long line of unemployed, unmarried, childless women being made into cheap and convenient childcare! So the return to tradwife bimbo whatever bullshit makes me livid constantly. I cried so many times reading The Feminine Mystique bc while Betty Friedan didn't write it with someone like me in mind--I got my degree! I've never wanted kids! Sure I never planned out future education or found employment in my field, but this wasn't my choice!--, I can relate all too well! And all these girls and women wanting to go back?? Please please please READ The Feminine Mystique! I don't know a single woman that would take my place much less choose to be a stay at home mom even if money wasn't an issue! Because shockingly if women are human beings, our lives don't end at motherhood and homemaking! Crazy concept, right?

You're completely right, and I think you'll appreciate this post from @mini-wrants with @sprinkledsalt's addition.

[ecsta-zi]

My experience with white privilege (and how I found out it was real)

I was 20 years old and had been living in the Bronx for 4 years. I had a GED and seasonal/temp experience in both the restaurant and retail industries (3-4 months each.) So i only had about a year of experience working in retail and about 6 months or so working in restaurant. It seemed as though I was only capable of obtaining temporary jobs. It was frustrating because no matter how hard I worked at these jobs I just never seemed to be good enough to be hired permanently. Both times they simply told me that there were no permanent positions to be filled but my insecurities tell me I wasn't good enough.

When it came time to find a new job my boyfriend's mother referred me to Lisa Employment Agency at 247 West 35th Street New York, N.Y 10001. A job agency where you can only get restaurant jobs. She handed me my money and I was there at 8:45 am on 05/17/17.

When I came in, there was an area for people to wait. It was already filled for being nearly 9 :00 am and per usual I am the only caucasian in the room. Most of the people in the room were black and hispanic men. Some were half asleep, some of them were on their phone and some simply looked stressed. I saw an empty seat on the left side middle row at the end. Ahead there were a few desks. A Hispanic woman to the front left whos name is Sue and another Hispanic woman to the front right. In the back with the big desk there was a Hispanic man by the name of Rene Munoz.

Before my body even touched the seat I was called up by the big man himself (Rene.) I handed him the money and the resume I created myself. He looked at it and said "you don't have a lot of experience but that's ok because you're young." He made a phone call and I had a job interview set up for me to go to immediately. My position was "helper" at the juice bar at Pier 59 Studios. My starting wage was $15/Hr. This was BEFORE the minimum wage was set to $15/hr. If you don't know what Pier 59 Studios it is the LARGEST photography studio in the world. Name any fashion magazine! They've done shoots there. Now I am an obese pale white girl who wore their makeup like it was still 2010. Everyone there was GORGEOUS and the place was boujee as fuck. Even the damn secretary at the front desk was super model gorgeous. I felt out of place. Anyway, when Rene Munoz handed me the card he told me "bring more people like you, you know your kind....your friends."

He basically told me to bring more white people.

Prior to arriving my boyfriend's mother who was friends with sue (lady at the desk to the right who got my boyfriend the job at blake and Todd on 47th street) told me that sue told her that they were looking for more white people and that I would not have a problem getting a job because I'm white. My boyfriend's mother is hispanic as well as my boyfriend.

Since I was 14 I've been in and out of homes, cities, and towns where I was the only white girl. I was use to jokes like that. Like "oh don't worry you're white the cops won't pay you no mind" or the one time my friend said to her mom "don't worry mom she's white we won't get into any trouble." as a joke. I simply thought it was another one of those things.

I didn't actually think she was being deadass!!!

At the time I wasn't going to sit there and run my mouth about how racist that shit was. A bitch needed a job I didn't want to lose MY job opportunity by preaching. I shut my mouth and I went. [ Insert White Privilege Here]

At this agency you pay a fee and they give you three shots to try out different jobs. If i didn't like one they'd give me another.

My first day at Pier 59 studios was my training and I couldn't handle the pressure. There was so much perfection expected of you because you're serving drinks to people who worked in the fashion industry. There was talk about the famous people who came in and out of there, and there were perfect gorgeous people around me and i was a potato. Also apparently there was this very important french woman who worked in the industry having some brunch meeting. I wasn't about catering to people and celebrities in the fashion industry. I didn't show up the second day.

When I try to tell people this story, especially people from my race, they get so mad at me because they're the type of people who don't believe in "white privilege." They say the same thing as any other white person who doesn't get it. "I had a hard life, i was poor, i had no privileges, i had to work hard for everything I have. No that wasn't an example of white privilege it was an example of racism" That one was the most idiotic I've ever heard. But they fail to realize that there are employers out there that would literally take one look at you and one look at the black guy next to you and choose you simply because you're white. They don't understand that these men that were waiting in the waiting area were 10+ years older than me and obviously way more experienced! That they are waiting for jobs to accept them for an INTERVIEW because the employers working with the agency told them theyre not hiring black people and that they aren't hiring people who can't speak perfect english. I mean, it was heavily implied given the fact that only poc are sitting there and i walk out with a job interview in less than 20 minutes and was straight up told to my face to bring more people like me . They overlook the part where I tell them that Rene acknowledged the fact that I had little experience and he still gave me this boujee ass job with high expectations!! Completely missed the fact that the man told me to BRING MY KIND. That the color of my skin meant that I had a long list of employment opportunities because that is what they're looking for.

I was like them in a sense. I too grew up shit poor, i have a ged, I'm basically white trash and that I never got anywhere bc of my skin color. That day though, reality slapped me so hard I still can't believe that REALLY happened, that it still happens and that it happened right in front of my face.

I didn't do a thing about it. I felt so guilty for awhile and I still do. This isn't that "white guilt" shit or me "apologizing for being white." I know that pisses off white people.

Black and Hispanic people contributed a lot to who I am and where I am right now in my life even at 23 years old. I was raised and mentored by strong black queens who I would do anything for. If it weren't for them I probably wouldn't be alive. I was educated and influenced by black men. If it weren't for them I would still be struggling with reading comprehension, i would've failed english and history. I would've never got my GED. I wouldn't have gone to college. If it weren't for latinas I wouldn't know shit about cooking or cleaning or how to manage money, i wouldn't have a home, and i wouldn't have done anything decent in my life.

All of these people, people of color, who lifted me up off the ground, picked up every piece of my brokenness, and made me whole are the reason why I felt guilty. Not because I am ashamed to be white. But because I am ashamed of the fact that I wouldn't have even been there at that job agency if it weren't for them and that I failed to be an ally all for some boujee ass job I didn't want anyway.

I had to accept the fact that there wasn't much that I could do.

One day I was fucking around on google maps, writing reviews for places I've been to. I decided to look up Lisa Employment Agency and I wrote a review regarding what happened that day. A warning to those who are poc and desperate for a job to not give them their money. That was the best that I could do.

The purpose of me writing this is because people don't understand how real this shit is and that it still happens. White people don't understand that just because YOU yourself have never been in a position where you used your white privilege doesn't mean that it doesn't exist.

It does. Its real. And it's fucked up.

******Below I have a photo of the card that Rene gave me. I still have it for some reason. A big chuck of it was cut off but you can still see the name of the man at the agency. You can see where it says Pier, the date is there, and my starting salary. (I cut a piece of it off to scoop up my weed sorry) It is the only proof I have that it happened. The name and number written above my name was the name of the owner or manager at pier 59 studios.******

[reading-writing-revolution]

Don't be an asshole; don't be like Trump. Give a fuck.

I'm not and have never been a liberal (I've never voted for a Clinton) - I'm a registered Independent and always have been, and I agree with every word of what's below the dotted line.

I don't consider this to be a liberal standpoint at all. I consider it to be a "I'm not an asshole" standpoint, or a "We could solve these problems if we actually gave a fuck about other people" standpoint, but too many people in power or privilege are too threatened by these ideas. They think liberty and dignity and rights are finite commodities, and if someone gets equal amounts, another person might get less - less liberty, less dignity, fewer rights. This is stupidity in action, but Americans, in general, are not known for critical thinking, and politicians prefer citizens dumb and pliant.

Think again. In a country that put a man on the moon and won two world wars, we can't solve these problems? Sure we can. But we won't because too many people are too happy to let their neighbors suffer. If you're one of them, read this, then go slam your hand in a door, then come read it again and get a fucking clue...maybe the pain will help you think clearer and you can salvage some of your humanity.

You're welcome.

-------------

"I'm getting a little tired of being told what I believe and what I stand for. I'm liberal, but that doesn't mean what a lot of you apparently think it does.

Let's break it down, shall we? Spoiler alert: Not every liberal is the same, though the majority of liberals I know think along roughly these same lines:

1. I believe a country should take care of its weakest members. A country cannot call itself civilized when its children, disabled, sick, and elderly are neglected. Period.

2. I believe healthcare is a right, not a privilege. Somehow that's interpreted as "I believe Obamacare is the end-all, be-all." This is not the case. I'm fully aware that the ACA has problems, that a national healthcare system would require everyone to chip in, and that it's impossible to create one that is devoid of flaws, but I have yet to hear an argument against it that makes "let people die because they can't afford healthcare" a better alternative. I believe healthcare should be far cheaper than it is, and that everyone should have access to it. And no, I'm not opposed to paying higher taxes in the name of making that happen.

3. I believe education should be affordable and accessible to everyone. It doesn't necessarily have to be free (though it works in other countries so I'm mystified as to why it can't work in the US), but at the end of the day, there is no excuse for students graduating college saddled with five- or six-figure debt.

4. I don't believe your money should be taken from you and given to people who don't want to work. I have literally never encountered anyone who believes this. Ever. I just have a massive moral problem with a society where a handful of people can possess the majority of the wealth while there are people literally starving to death, freezing to death, or dying because they can't afford to go to the doctor. Fair wages, lower housing costs, universal healthcare, affordable education, and the wealthy actually paying their share would go a long way toward alleviating this. Somehow believing that makes me a communist.

5. I don't throw around "I'm willing to pay higher taxes" lightly. If I'm suggesting something that involves paying more, well, it's because I'm fine with paying my share as long as it's actually going to something besides lining corporate pockets or bombing other countries while Americans die without healthcare.

6. I believe companies should be required to pay their employees a decent, livable wage. Somehow this is always interpreted as me wanting burger flippers to be able to afford a penthouse apartment and a Mercedes. What it actually means is that no one should have to work three full-time jobs just to keep their head above water. Restaurant servers should not have to rely on tips, multibillion-dollar companies should not have employees on food stamps, workers shouldn't have to work themselves into the ground just to barely make ends meet, and minimum wage should be enough for someone to work 40 hours and live.

7. I am not anti-Christian. I have no desire to stop Christians from being Christians, to close churches, to ban the Bible, to forbid prayer in school, etc. (BTW, prayer in school is NOT illegal; *compulsory* prayer in school is - and should be - illegal). All I ask is that Christians recognize *my* right to live according to *my* beliefs. When I get pissed off that a politician is trying to legislate Scripture into law, I'm not "offended by Christianity" -- I'm offended that you're trying to force me to live by your religion's rules. You know how you get really upset at the thought of Muslims imposing Sharia law on you? That's how I feel about Christians trying to impose biblical law on me. Be a Christian. Do your thing. Just don't force it on me or mine.

8. I don't believe LGBT people should have more rights than you. I just believe they should have the *same* rights as you.

9. I don't believe illegal immigrants should come to America and have the world at their feet, especially since THIS ISN'T WHAT THEY DO (spoiler: undocumented immigrants are ineligible for all those programs they're supposed to be abusing, and if they're "stealing" your job it's because your employer is hiring illegally). I'm not opposed to deporting people who are here illegally, but I believe there are far more humane ways to handle undocumented immigration than our current practices (i.e., detaining children, splitting up families, ending DACA, etc).

10. I don't believe the government should regulate everything, but since greed is such a driving force in our country, we NEED regulations to prevent cut corners, environmental destruction, tainted food/water, unsafe materials in consumable goods or medical equipment, etc. It's not that I want the government's hands in everything -- I just don't trust people trying to make money to ensure that their products/practices/etc. are actually SAFE. Is the government devoid of shadiness? Of course not. But with those regulations in place, consumers have recourse if they're harmed and companies are liable for medical bills, environmental cleanup, etc. Just kind of seems like common sense when the alternative to government regulation is letting companies bring their bottom line into the equation.

11. I believe our current administration is fascist. Not because I dislike them or because I can’t get over an election, but because I've spent too many years reading and learning about the Third Reich to miss the similarities. Not because any administration I dislike must be Nazis, but because things are actually mirroring authoritarian and fascist regimes of the past.

12. I believe the systemic racism and misogyny in our society is much worse than many people think, and desperately needs to be addressed. Which means those with privilege -- white, straight, male, economic, etc. -- need to start listening, even if you don't like what you're hearing, so we can start dismantling everything that's causing people to be marginalized.

13. I am not interested in coming after your blessed guns, nor is anyone serving in government. What I am interested in is sensible policies, that just MIGHT save one person’s, perhaps a toddler’s, life by the hand of someone who should not have a gun. (Got another opinion? Put it on your page, not mine).

14. I believe in so-called political correctness. I prefer to think it’s social politeness. If I call you Chuck and you say you prefer to be called Charles I’ll call you Charles. It’s the polite thing to do. Not because everyone is a delicate snowflake, but because as Maya Angelou put it, when we know better, we do better. When someone tells you that a term or phrase is more accurate/less hurtful than the one you're using, you now know better. So why not do better? How does it hurt you to NOT hurt another person?

15. I believe in funding sustainable energy, including offering education to people currently working in coal or oil so they can change jobs. There are too many sustainable options available for us to continue with coal and oil. Sorry, billionaires. Maybe try investing in something else.

16. I believe that women should not be treated as a separate class of human. They should be paid the same as men who do the same work, should have the same rights as men including decisions about their own bodies, and should be free from abuse. Why on earth shouldn’t they be?

I think that about covers it. Bottom line is that I'm liberal because I think we should take care of each other. That doesn't mean you should work 80 hours a week so your lazy neighbor can get all your money. It just means I don't believe there is any scenario in which preventable suffering is an acceptable outcome as long as money is saved."

Author unknown

[metalheadsforblacklivesmatter]

Spending time interviewing random ass people. Family, friends, and neighbors. Neighbors are practically strangers with little to no knowledge of a person's life or history.

Just to make sure disabled people aren't "gaming" the system.

Seems like an EXTREME waste of tax dollars.

It seems like it would be a hell of a lot cheaper to just give disabled people their money by that point.

Not to mention everyone on disability lives below the poverty line and even below "minimum wage".

Also not to mention you can't even live with your significant other without losing your benefits.

Also also not to mention even if you have a partner that can afford to provide for themselves and a stay at home partner, that partner wouldn't be able to provide for a stay at home DISABLED partner because insurance and meds are expensive.

ALSO also also. I know having disability comes with medicaid, but I'm not entirely sure how you expect a disabled person to afford their meds on medicaid because meds are damn expensive even on insurance.

ALSO ALSO also also. You need to have less than $2k in your bank to qualify. So, let's assume I saved up $250k because I'm trying to buy a house, right? Then I end up in an accident that causes me to be unable to work. I'm expected to drain my entire $250k of savings before I qualify.

ALSO ALSO ALSO also also. Even if a disabled person is able to somehow save any of their money despite being below the poverty line. If they save over $2k they lose their benefits.

ALSO ALSO ALSO ALSO also also. They have to report every dollar they get. So, let's say I'm on disability, and my friend gives me $20. I have to report that $20. So the government can deduct that $20 from the income they give me. And if they find out I got $20 and didn't report it, they'll deduct $20 from every subsequent payment to me.

Getting disability is fucking impossible.

(Trigger warning. The following content includes stories based on stuff I've actually heard in disabled communities. If you're sensitive to fatphobia, abelism, or discrimination against neurodivergent people, or antisemitism please skip ahead to next red text.)

If you walk in to they court room to claim your case? The judge will say you're healthy enough to walk, then you're healthy enough to work. If you say you're too sick to come in, and decide to attend virtually? The judge will say you don't care enough to come in, it must not mean that much to you.

If you're fat and disabled? The judge will declare that your disability is your fault because you're fat and therefore don't take care of your health. The judge will say if you just lost weight, you wouldn't be disabled anymore and deny you. (This person was in the peak of health, running every day, before their disability hit. The meds that they took for the chronic pain caused them to gain 30lbs, and they couldn't run anymore because the main symptom was a cyst in their knee that kept bursting when they used it a lot.)

If you're applying for disability and part of it involves joint pain, they'll require a doctor to check you out. Now, because you're disabled and can't work, you can't afford your own doctor, so you'll get a court appointment doctor. Court appointment doctor will run tests to see the range of motion in your joints to see if you're disabled enough. If you're screaming in pain because it hurts too much? Doctor will say he can't do his tests because it causes too much pain. Then the judge will deny you because the doctor couldn't run tests.

If you're neurodivergent, and therefore don't express pain "the correct way"? The doctor will tell the judge obviously you're not in that much pain and they'll deny you.

Not to mention if you're if any religion other than Christian? Like if you're a Jewish person and accidentally wear a Star of David to your appointment? The doctor or judge could just be antisemitic and deny you.

These are real stories people have actually told me.

(Okay, you can stop skipping now. But the next paragraph is classist, so if you're sensitive to that, skip the next paragraph too.)

Not to mention if the judge determines you can do "light work" they could deny you. I've seen a person apply for disability, part of that being "I can't stand for extended periods of time." The judge wrote in their file "This person can clearly do light work such as working for a maid service, working as a server, or working at a grocery store." I'm NOT exaggerating. They let me read their file, and that's EXACTLY what it said.

I should add I'M DISABLED. I'm obviously privileged in that I can still work. However, I'm in several groups for my disabilities, and I've heard several stories from people with the same health conditions as me when trying to apply for disability because their case is so severe they can't work. (Some of these are from a sibling with different disabilities).

Point is, it's hard enough to gain disability without being forced to jump through all these hoops to prove that you really need the financial assistance.

(I should add if you became disabled before the age of 22, you qualify for SSI which is reduced benefits from SSDI, and on SSI you have to be reevaluated every year to prove that you're still unable to work, and if you're lucky, one day, maybe, you'll be allowed to apply for SSDI. Maybe. Perhaps. If you're extremely lucky. The argument is you haven't paid into the SSDI program enough to qualify.)

Point is. When you look at all of the hoops disabled people have to jump through to prove they're "disabled enough". That shit had to cost a fortune in tax dollars. I'm pretty sure it'd be cheaper to just give them their money by that point.

Anonymous asks are on. If you've applied for disability, were denied for ridiculous reasons, and feel comfortable letting me share? Please send in a submission or ask. It can be completely anonymous. I've seen some of the most ridiculous shit on denial paperwork.

-fae

the “holding out as married” rule is so fucked up

like… not only can I not marry the love of my life without losing my health insurance and the $800 or so a month I’m forced to survive on

but I can’t even CALL her “my wife” casually

like literally the US gov’t has people whose job it is to go and interview the family, friends, & neighbors of disabled people to just make sure that they never refer to anyone in their life as “my wife” or “my husband” etc

and if you DO, then SNAP! You’re defrauding the US gov’t of the pittance you can barely survive on and you are no longer entitled to your disability benefits

(some kinds of benefits might remain in diminished form but if you were disabled before age 22 you are fucked COMPLETELY and can’t get them back even if you divorce… the only loophole is if the other person was ALSO deemed disabled before 22, because that fucking makes sense)

and this is just… legal and no one but disabled activists ever talks about this shit

so yeah I’d love some of that gay marriage shit but I will never be able to get married, and to add insult to injury, I can’t even casually refer to my partner as “my wife” without risking the health insurance and income I need to survive as a disabled lesbian

[bloggerbro]

Free online jobs for students without investment

Official Site

Welcome back to my Article today we're going to be Read about seven online jobs that you can do it home that pay at least one hundred dollars per day.

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 I'm really excited to be sharing this list with you today, guys, because i know that you always love when i've share ideas for how you could make money at home,and i've done a few different Article like this in the past.

One of them was some of the highest paying work at home jobs and then another one was some of the easiest or get home jobs, but today i just wanted to break it down really simply share seven jobs that pay at least one hundred dollars, her day, because i know that that is kind of a minimum out that a lot of people would want to earn to make working at home a truly viable option for supporting themselves full time now, the only things that these jobs really have in common are you khun do them from home and they will pay you at least one hundred dollars per day.

                                   

 Aside from that, this is a really eclectic list that includes a lot of different options that would appeal to really different types of people, so if the first couple of jobs don't appeal to you, just keep on watching because i'm sure that you will find one that will be great fit for you and one last thing before reed eminent the list of jobs if you'v been around here it all, then you probably know that every month i teach on online workshop and one of my most popular workshops ever has been my how to get started making money online workshop and this month i decided to do something really special and actually offering a slightly condensed version of that workshop completely for free. 

Now normally i charge any where between thirty and two hundred dollars for these workshops just depending on what the topic is and how extensive they're going to be. But this workshop has been so popular and it seems to be topic that you guys were so interested in that i decided to offer,like i said, a condensed version of it for free. So if that's something you're interested in, then just keep Read until the end of the video and i will be sure to share all the details of that with you all right, so let's jump on in and talk about the seven jobs that you can do from home that will pay you at least one hundred dollars per day the first job on my list is bookkeeper now a bookkeeper is just someone who helps a business or an individual keep their finances organized. 

                        

Basically, there are many different ways that you can learn how to become a book keeper you can actually get a two or a four year degree that will teach you everything you need to know, or there are lots of shorter term training programs that teach you how to be a bookkeeper and as little as three or six months, and there's also the option to actually just learn on the job booking burst typically earned about twenty dollars per hour and it's something that you cannot do from home, either for local clients or you can do from home, working with remote clients and communicating with the monline. 

                         

And just so you're aware there are different types of financial professions,such as an accountant or bookkeeper or financial advisor, and many of them do require some type of certification or other prerequisite, but there actually isn't any such restrictionson being a bookkeeper. 

Anyone can be a book keeper as long as they know what they're doing.Job number two is something that i love to include, because i think it pays a lot more than a lot of people realize and that's to be a Article. Now, clearly, i have a Article and it's, one of my sources of income, my Article right now, with about seventy five thousand subscribers, is paying me a bit over three thousand dollars per month,and i think that seventy five thousand subscribers is a number that really, anyone can attain if they put in the work and they learn what it takes to become successful on Article.

                         

The reason that i mentioned that my channel makes three thousand dollars a month is because that is equivalent to one hundred dollars a day. 

However, just for reference, i'll share that when my channel on lee had about twenty thousand subscribers, i wass making about fifteen hundred or so dollars every single month, which is a quite decent wage for someone who has a very small you t j also, i can't not mention that even though is one hundred dollars per day it's a lot more per hour than a lot of these other jobs, because i only put about two hours per day into running my Article, so that means that i'm turning around fifty dollars an hour. 

                                   

If you want to learn more about how to start a Article and make money from it, then i'll leave a link there in the corner and probably couple down below. Also, i have a few different videos. One is all about the behind the scenes of my Article analytics, and i share exactly how much i make each month, and then in another Article, i share tips on starting you to channel that actually makes money. The third job on my list is that of transcriber now transcriber is someone who listens to audio. This could be audio from a speaker at a conference or simply someone reciting something that they want to be Subscribe. 

There's definitely a lot of different applications of this and there's also a whole lot of websites that helped to facilitate people who work as transcribers,finding work of transcribers with people who want to hire a transcriber. Now, typically,a transcriber earns an average of about thirty dollars per hour. It depends on which website you go with. Some pay as little as nine dollars per hour, and some pay as much as about fifty dollars per hour, but i'll leave links to several of those Article. 

                         

Job number four is chat customer service now a lot of people don't like answering thephone, and even though they're aware that there are a lot of jobs they could do from home, answering the phone for different cos they don't really want to go that route, buta great alternative is to be a chat customer service representative. The main difference is you don't actually have to talk to the people on the phone instead, you're just chatting with them over the internet, and you're probably used this service many times.

 If you've triedto contact a company such as most any clothing or technology company on the internet these days, many companies hire people to work from home and provide these services to their customers,and they typically pay around fifteen dollars per hour. And again, oliva, linked to a fewre source, is that you can check out to learn more about these chat customer service job opportunities down in the description. 

                        

The fifth job on my list is something very specific,but i think it might appeal to a lot of people it's to be ah home stylist for stitch fixor for some similar service. Now what the services dio is they offer custom selected pieces of clothing to customers and the home stylists take a look at the customers, profile it aside, what piece is the person who might be interested in buying and wearing and then stitch fix actually sends them out to the customer. 

Now the reason i mentioning stitch fix in particular is because they've actually publicly shared information about the fact that they hire people like this and the fact that they pay them about fifteen dollars an hour to do this work from home and, of course, only the link down below where you can find out more information about stitch fix is well.

 Job number six on my list is to be an online course creator now all the jobs on my list this one probably has the most wildly vary in income most of these other jobs i can say you know you'll get paid about fifteen dollar san hour or about thirty dollars an hour but as an online course creator there is so much opportunity for growth and you can make an enormous amount of money i mean we're talkin gtens of thousands of dollars every month if you're really good at it but if you are good at it then you might make no money however that being said if you use a proven strategy for building your brand and getting yourself out there and you make it decently good courses.

                        

Then you can easily expect to earn about five to ten thousand dollars per month if you want to learn more about how to become an online course creator and the strategy is to use to actually become successful at it on the best resource i can probably recommend to you is for you to join the free workshop that i'm doing soon so just stick around till the end of the video so that i can share with you exactly what's going on that and how you can join it all right and the seventh and final job on my list is that a virtual assistant now what a virtual assistant does is they help someone too basic tasks, such as answeringe mail will our proof reading or may be working on managing a small project, and they do soremotely, of course, there's loss of executives and other types of professionals that have assistants who work in the office. 

But these days, with a lot of people working from home,there is a big job opportunity for people to do virtual assistant now, a common objection that i've gotten when i have shared his people. 

The opportunity of being a virtual assistant is that there is a lot of competition, and lots of people basically are trying to be virtual assistance, even if they're not very qualified, and that that can really drive down the possibility for making money in this way. However, based on the experience of many of my clients, i would say it all depends on how your marketing yourself and where,if you're just listing yourselves on a site like freelancer dot com or up work dot com,then you probably can't expect to make more than about seven or twelve dollars per hour,which probably would not be enough for most people, however, there are other sites that helped to connect more skilled virtual assistance with people who are looking for virtual assistants who they can really count on. 

And if you sign up with one of these services and they helped to place you with a good client, then you can earn a whole lot more at least fifteen dollars per hour, if not twenty or twenty five or thirty dollars per hour. And of course,there's always the other option of building up your own network and finding clients that way.

And typically virtual assistants who go about their marketing in that way earned between twenty and thirty dollars per hour. All right, so that brings us to the end of my list of seven, jobs that you can do working for home that pay you at least one hundred dollars. Now first off in one of those jobs stood out to you. We're seemed interesting

Then make sure you leave me calm it down below just to share and then beyond that, if you have any questions about how to get started with one of those jobs. Also, i'd love to see it com in from you down there. I answer as many comments as i possibly can some days that is every comment i get other days, i can't get to them, but i answer as many as i can, so if you have a question, please leave it down below.

 And if i can help you, quite possibly someone else can. Also, of course, if you like this video, please hit the thumbs up button to let me know if that will help me know that she want to see more videos like this in the future, and it also helps other people find this video to all right. And then finally, i just want to share with you about the free workshop that i am doing very soon.As i mentioned, i teach these live workshops online every single month, and the most popular one that i've ever died is called how to get started making money online.

In this workshop,i really teach the entire system that i use with my clients to help them first build an audience and then monetize that audience and then scaled their business it's, a seven steps structure that really makes the process of building an online business quite black and white so that anyone can do it now. 

The bestselling version of this workshop is almost two hours long, and i really go into the nuts and bolts of it. But because this workshop has been so popular and it seems like you guys are enjoying it so much, i wanted to bring you kind of a condensed version to really walk you through the framework and help you understand the big picture of making money online.

                            

 So on a thursday, june fourteenth, i am going to be doing a lot one hour version of my house to get started making money. Online workshop this one hour work fat will be completely free, and i'm gonna put a link down below where you can sign up.

The workshop will be held on thursday, june fourteenth, at elevena m pacific standard time. And if you want even more details than just make sure you click that link down below, and i'll share some of the details of exactly what will be going over and exactly how you conjoined. If you're interested in learning how to get started making money online and finally be able to really take control of your life and take control of your schedule, then i invite you to join us for the workshop. Thank youso much for joining us for today's video. My name is gillian perkins, and i look forward seeing you again next time

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[janiedean]

Hey this is worth reading (I sent it to another person in tumblr). I know you're a fully comprehensive leftist so I'm not here to change your views but perhaps widen your understanding on why mass immgorstion can be troubling and very neoliberal (I.e ideal for corporations and bosses for cheap labour but deeply harmful for workers of x country). Worth reading -> //mobile(.)reuters(.)com/article/amp/idUSKBN18L1ZI

uhm I... don’t know why you assume that me being a fully comprehensive leftist and being generally in favor of immigration means that I agree with unchecked immigration, but the thing is... immigration is not the issue with that particular thing you linked me. I mean, never mind that I fully get macron’s point there, but the crux is:

EU governments are divided, broadly speaking between poor east and rich west, on amendments to rules under which, say, Bulgarian truck drivers or Lithuanian bricklayers can be posted to France for limited periods and paid at eastern European wage levels which are often below guaranteed minimums in the west.

The so-called "posted workers" legislation faces a new round of decisions next month.

"When someone works in one country, for the same job, he must be paid the same salary," Macron said.

The pay gap with east European workers, particularly in France, undermined the "idea of Europe" and fed extremism, Macron said. "That's partly what Brexit fed on," the French leader added.

now, the thing is: I am generally against banning freedom of movement, but I also am in favor of actually of... trying to avoid this situation. what I mean is, when it comes to people not from the EU I don’t take ‘help them back home’ seriously because if THERE’S A DICTATORSHIP *AT HOME* most time financed by western powers you cannot srsly expect to help refugees in their own country, but when coming to EU countries after the EE countries came in we let that happen instead of promoting policies that would make sure that people from EE could have decent living wages/standards without having to leave and work jobs they’re actually underqualified for - I mean, Italy’s full of eastern european women with degrees in science fields or literature or engineering who work cleaning houses and in the caretaking of elders field because they get paid more for that than they’d be in their country to be doctors and I honestly don’t think it’s a good thing and I agree that we can’t have large pay gaps in between western and EE also because then as macron said that’s what populism feeds on and I’ve seen it here with romanians for ages. like, we should start making sure that a polish degree is actually worth as much as a degree from a western european country and then we should implement policies that make sure that people don’t have to come here to play caretaker or to the UK to wait tables (which is a thing a lot of italian graduates do, like no shit I have friends with a degree who went to london and work in coffee shops) but that they can find jobs with a decent paying standard in their country and then if they WANT to and aren’t forced to they can move if they so wish. and it’s valid everywhere. like, the fact that I’m more leftist than macron doesn’t mean I can’t admit he’s perfectly right here.

and honestly I’m all for fining countries who don’t adhere to the rules or try to get the benefits without following the rest of the small print same as italy got fined for not having the civil unions law. like honestly, if in our system we have the italian constitution first, the european constitution next and THEN laws (as in, the EU constitution trumps parliamentary laws when it comes to what’s valid and if an italian law is against EU constitutional laws the EU ones prevail) then everyone should abide to it. like guys being a comprehensive leftist doesn’t mean I don’t want regulation in things or that I think you can pick and choose what you like out of being in a union. I mean fuck’s sake I also think that if you join a political party with a determined set of ideals (ie pro gay marriage) you cannot vote against them (ie against gay marriage laws) because you think it’s immoral and if you don’t like it you should join another XD