#master's degree in public policy

[afloweroutofstone]

Really depressing how the final culmination of a public policy degree is pretending to be a consultant. First for my bachelor's and now for my master's, the program always ends with a "capstone" which is essentially a semester-long group project producing a policy report for a real-world client.

I understand that the point of this is to make sure everyone graduating has some level of familiarity with Actual Work, but it's so grim that the average job expected of a public policy graduate is to work at McKinsey and put together slides for clients whose goals you don't actually care about. Personally, I've put up with six years of this because I think that the world is broken and that we have real opportunities to improve it, not because I want to be overpaid by Deloitte! What an incredibly narrow and limited way of looking at this academic discipline! I'm normally the cynic, but surely we should have higher expectations for those learning about the machinery of government! Perhaps we should even expect them to care about something other than pleasing business clients!

I'm mostly complaining about this now because I'm about to start a "48-hour project" in which I waste my entire weekend putting together a brief within two days just to prove that I'm capable of working on tight deadlines. Depending on how interesting the policy topic I'm getting randomly assigned later today is, this weekend will range somewhere from "dull but tolerable" to "extremely miserable"

[astrologydray]

♍️Virgo Mc in the each of the degrees♍️

If you have a Virgo Midheaven (MC), your career and public image are shaped by Virgo’s themes of precision, analysis, service, and mastery. You likely thrive in careers requiring problem-solving, organization, and attention to detail, such as healthcare, science, writing, education, research, or business administration.

• 0° Virgo (Aries Point) – A powerful initiator in service-based or intellectual fields. May gain recognition in medicine, science, or social reform.

• 1° Virgo – A perfectionist with strong critical thinking skills. Could succeed in editing, analytics, or quality control.

• 2° Virgo – A talented communicator; could thrive in writing, journalism, or teaching.

• 3° Virgo – An analytical mind, ideal for investigative work, research, or forensics.

• 4° Virgo – A love for learning and refinement; may excel in academia, law, or technical writing.

• 5° Virgo – A meticulous worker; likely to succeed in finance, administration, or data analysis.

• 6° Virgo – Naturally inclined toward healthcare, therapy, or alternative medicine.

• 7° Virgo – A precise, creative thinker; may find success in graphic design, architecture, or craftsmanship.

• 8° Virgo – Drawn to healing professions, including nutrition, physical therapy, or holistic medicine.

• 9° Virgo – A problem-solver with innovative ideas. Could thrive in technology, engineering, or logistics.

• 10° Virgo – A strong educator; may work in teaching, coaching, or mentoring.

• 11° Virgo – A tech-savvy, analytical mind; may excel in IT, cybersecurity, or programming.

• 12° Virgo – A perfectionist in fashion, music, or fine arts. Success through precise craftsmanship.

• 13° Virgo – A highly responsible worker; may thrive in law enforcement, military, or humanitarian work.

• 14° Virgo – Health-conscious with a sharp mind. Could be drawn to dietetics, fitness, or medical research.

• 15° Virgo – A master of writing, editing, or academic research.

• 16° Virgo – Business-minded; excels in consulting, financial planning, or business strategy.

• 17° Virgo – A detail-oriented expert; could work in surgery, pharmaceuticals, or scientific research.

• 18° Virgo – A deep humanitarian drive; drawn to nonprofits, environmental work, or psychology.

• 19° Virgo – A critical thinker who excels in law, politics, or policy-making.

• 20° Virgo – A master of their craft; recognized for expertise in specialized fields.

• 21° Virgo – Exceptionally intellectual; may thrive in philosophy, academia, or technical writing.

• 22° Virgo – An innovative thinker; could work in product design, systems development, or efficiency consulting.

• 23° Virgo – A strong researcher; may specialize in history, archeology, or science.

• 24° Virgo – An excellent communicator; may succeed in broadcasting, publishing, or public relations.

• 25° Virgo – A sharp and strategic mind; could work in legal fields, investigative journalism, or intelligence.

• 26° Virgo – A healer at heart; may be drawn to nursing, surgery, or psychological counseling.

• 27° Virgo – A gifted analyst; could thrive in economics, data science, or cybersecurity.

• 28° Virgo – A precise and disciplined artist; success in sculpture, architecture, or technical art.

• 29° Virgo (Anaretic Degree) – A master strategist, perfectionist, or critic. Success comes through expertise, refinement, and precision. However, may struggle with overanalyzing or career indecision.

[theroyalsandi]

Belgian Royal Family - The Duchess of Brabant has started her Master's Degree in Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School (Photo by Max Bueno) | September 18, 2024

[charlotte-of-wales]

NEWS: Princess Elisabeth will be attending Harvard University in Boston starting this Fall, where she will be getting a Masters in Public Policy. She was also selected for an Honorary Award from the Fulbright Program, the international educational exchange program of the US Department of State. This two-year master's degree will complete her university education.

[writingquestionsanswered]

I used to love writing when I was in high school, but stopped after I graduated because of life. Now, after almost a decade, I want to get back into it but I don't know how. I have so many ideas but I tend to bounce around the same variations and don't know how to stick to one thing, or how to just get back into the rhythm of writing actively. Or even reading actively.

Any advice?

Getting Back to Reading and Writing

What you're experiencing is what I like to think of as "the creative zoomies."

After so long away from actively reading and writing, there's now this flood of ideas, plans, books you want to read, and stories you want to write. You can't settle and focus on a single thing because your brain wants to do ALL THE THINGS, so you keep bouncing back and forth between things hoping something will stick.

First things first... DEEP BREATH.

As I said in an earlier post, remember: there is no ticking clock. It may feel like there is, sometimes, but we're just little ants on a planet doing our things. There are no deadlines unless you sign up for any, and you don't have to worry about that right now.

So... start by taking an honest look at your schedule and your life, and see if you can figure out a realistic estimate of how much time you have in a given week. Where are there slots of time you can dedicate to writing? How about reading?

Next, it can be immensely helpful if you have a comfortable, relaxing space, free from distraction and interruption, where you can go to write. Some people like to go write at a coffee shop or library to get away from family shenanigans or bothersome housemates. If it's not a billion degrees where you are, you might also try your patio, yard, or a nearby park. Listening to soft music or "ambience rooms" (tons on YouTube) through headphones can also help you focus. There are also still some different apps and programs for distraction free writing. Just make sure to save often and keep a master document on your computer to prevent losing all your work in case the app or program gets glitchy. Also: put your phone on silent, turn off your internet if you must, and let people know not to bother you. This is your writing time... don't be afraid to guard it fiercely.

As for choosing ideas, I'm a big fan of the old-fashioned methods... random number pickers, drawing out of a hat, rolling dice... But you can also do a process of elimination based on what appeals to you the most. If you get it down to two, and then you're disappointed with the one you're left with, you know the one you just eliminated is the right idea to go with.

If you're not sure what to write, try doing some writing prompts. There are lots available online and there are some great books with writing prompts. Doing one a day can be a great way to get yourself back in the habit of writing again.

As for reading, start by reading during moments of spare time, such as if you're taking a bath, riding your stationary bike, sitting in a waiting room, or riding public transportation. You can even read during your morning coffee or your lunch break. Also, embrace the world of audio books. This is one of my favorite ways to read, because I can do it while I'm exercising, showering, cleaning, cooking, driving, doing projects... I get through so many more books by listening to audio books. More than anything, just remember that once again, there's no ticking clock. You don't have to finish a certain number of books before the end of the year. Read what you want, at the pace that works for you, and don't be afraid to DNF if a book isn't working for you.

I hope this helps!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

♦ Questions that violate my ask policies will be deleted! ♦ Please see my master list of top posts before asking ♦ Learn more about WQA here

[seanastinhopeunquenchable]

Sean Astin gives his perspective on how the firing of federal civil servants is an abomination.

Sean recently completed a masters degree in public policy and administration, and views these people as heroes.

The firing is also being done with a complete lack of understanding of the vital services these people perform for their country.

[good-old-gossip]

First Amendment is a Joke and so is Columbia University

The arrest and detention of a prominent Palestinian over the weekend from his home in New York City marks Columbia University’s shift from a complicit actor to a collaborator with Donald Trump’s policies, student activists have warned.

For months, American universities, including Columbia, have been facing accusations of accommodating “antisemitic” and “pro-Hamas” supporters - a slur used to describe pro-Palestinian protesters calling for an end to what has been called a “genocide” in Gaza - even as universities have clamped down on protesters, including suspending students and faculty who have refused to halt their demands and allowing police on campuses to conduct arrests.

The arrest on Saturday and threat of potential deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a permanent resident of the US, comes days after the New York Police Department was seen dragging students out of a sit-in at Columbia’s Barnard College, where students were protesting against the expulsion of three students for protests and disruptions in 2024. Khalil graduated with a master’s degree from Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs in December.

He was one of the main negotiators for students during the student encampment for Palestine in the spring of 2024.

According to witness testimony, several Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents took Khalil into custody on Saturday night - in the presence of his pregnant wife - at the entrance of a university-owned apartment building where the family resides in New York City. Khalil was first told that his student visa to the US was being revoked. But when the agents were informed by his lawyer that Khalil was a green card holder and a permanent resident in the US, the agent said that they were revoking his green card, too.

Response from the university community and activist groups has been swift. Several groups from Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) to the American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee (ADC) have issued condemnations and called for his release.

✍️ Azad Essa / MEE

[strangesmallbard]

bg3 characters if they worked at publix/safeway/your grocery store of choice:

karlach: in charge of anything that involves moving heavy objects between locations, but also works produce. LOVES helping old ladies take their groceries to the car; will accidentally abandon the vegetables at least once per shift. (she does apologize to the vegetables.) also is a pallet stacking master in the most haphazard configurations that, somehow, miraculously never fall over. frequently posts her monstrosities on r/publix, alongside a selfie of her giving a cheeky thumbs up.

wyll: store manager, in his second year of a master’s degree in public policy. optimistic like a sword is optimistic. WILL make sure you take your mandated break and will hand out store giftcards for a job well done. does not suffer customers who behave badly. is roommates and longtime best friends with karlach; the energy they exude while together either makes your shift bearable or unbearable, depending.

shadowheart: works the in-store coffee counter. probably should not because she always looks vaguely disgusted, annoyed, or bored. the dark circles under her eyes are always there no matter how many espresso shots she sips. has anonymously complained to corporate about the store’s music choices. every new employee thinks they have a shot with her until she hits them with the 👁️😐 did you need something? 👁️😐 and they slink away, feeling chastised for reasons unknown.

minthara: works the meat and/or fish counter. smokes seventeen packs per mandated break. always smells a little bit like red meat. has the most insane combat stories but it’s completely unclear whether she’s a veteran or just someone who gets into situations on purpose. every 20-something employee is at least mildly obsessed with her whole thing, but she’ll only humor karlach. no one knows where she lives.

lae’zel: 22-year-old grocery team lead. typically works the 5pm-11pm shift, but still obviously runs that shit like a navy seal base. has encyclopedic knowledge of grocery store codes and also lore. during mandated breaks she can be found doing one-armed pushups, argueflirting with shadowheart, or scribbling poetry in a notebook. she’s also the pitcher on her college’s varsity baseball team; everyone shows up to her big games and she fails at not looking overwhelmed by joy every time.

jaheira: beloved customer service manager, knows literally everything and everyone. taught wyll everything he knows about not suffering customers who behave badly. often goes mountain climbing with her scary 39-year-old girlfriend astele who owns the smoke shop next door. sells the best weed you’ll ever smoke in your life.

gale: day shift manager counterpart to lae’zel, postdoc who needs the job to make rent obviously. constantly gives aisle directions for the store location he worked during undergrad and shelves the soup cans all wrong. WILL show you photos of his cat. constantly recognized by his booktube fans (he also streams sims 4 builds of classic sci fi/fantasy book locations). he does wear his own merch underneath the uniform.

halsin: that customer who’s very polite but frequently and inexplicably barefoot. he also teaches woodworking and pottery at the youth center down the road. sometimes brings his regular kids to the store for a field trip and those little bags of cheetos. grows the weed that jaheira sells.

astarion: does not work at the grocery store. he worked at the grocery store for two weeks, during which he showed up late every day, insulted customers, and generally behaved like a cat ripped away from his ball of yarn. he only lasted those two weeks because gale (roommate/situationship) begged wyll to give him another chance in a different department. he still lives with gale while finishing up a law degree and can be found loitering in the grocery store, bitching about The Circumstances with shadowheart.

[mamasbakeria]

hey, what's your major again?

summary: my credible expert opinion on what the aot characters would study in university. what are my qualifications? the dozens of hours i’ve spent staring at my school’s program bulletin trying to figure out what i’m majoring in

genre | includes: headcanons, sfw, minor language, uninformed percy jackson reference (pls don't hate me if im wrong)

characters: eren jaeger, mikasa ackerman, armin arlert, sasha braus, jean kirschtein, connie springer, historia reiss, ymir, reiner braun, annie leonhardt

author’s note: had this in my drafts for months now. i just need to post it so it stops haunting me. might do the rest of the marleyans and vets in the future! lmk your thoughts, my only tumblr notifications are from p*rn bots, so i'd love to hear from real people lol. enjoy <3

eren: sociology and public policy, 4+1 program for a social work masters

there’s only so many times you can hear “you’re gonna be a doctor just like your dad” before you start to believe it. that’s why eren started out with biology on the premed track. the thing is, he really didn’t care for it. eren is really passionate about lessening equity gaps and is a firm believer in “if you want something done right, do it yourself”. this is why i see him making the switch to a double major in public policy and sociology. he wants to know about how society got to the point of perpetuating disparities so that he can fix them. but he also knows that the government fucking sucks and thinks its naive to expect policy change to be the only method of change. and like the maniac he is, eren is enrolled in a 4+1 program so he can get his master’s in social work when he’s done with his undergrad. he’s determined to graduate with both degrees in just 4 years though. rip his summers.

armin: international relations and military ethics, minor in communications or smth

everyone always says armin would study marine biology or oceanographic studies, but i honestly think that it’s a passion that he pursues on the side. he takes marine bio courses for his breadth requirements, but knows he’d end up hating the ocean if he spent the rest of his life studying it. he also strikes me as someone who would rather run buck naked into traffic than sit through multiple semesters of organic chemistry. armin was always a good public speaker, though, despite being a bit insecure. that’s why his speech and debate teacher during sophomore year of high school recommended model united nations to him. he was hooked after his first conference and now genuinely sees the path of international diplomacy as his calling. that’s why he’s majoring in international relations. his concentration in military ethics is something he tacks on in his junior year after taking some courses and publishing research with dr. erwin smith. he probably minors in communications because he can.

mikasa: forensic science

mikasa had no idea what she wanted to do when she started uni. she’s good at nearly everything. like never gotten a B in her life and is the student who the curve is based off of. but excelling in every environment you’re put in often means you don’t know what you’re best at. she knew deep down that she wanted to do something justice related like her childhood best friends did, but she’s no public speaker and has no interest in political reform. she was, however, emo in high school and heard a fair share of undertaker jokes at her expense. it wouldn’t hurt to look into right? as cool as the title sounds, morticians don’t make enough money for the job they have. fortunately enough, forensic pathologists do and mikasa looks good in a lab coat. she would never admit it to spare armin and eren’s feelings, but when they, as children, recreated the crime-solving shows mrs. jaeger always had on, mikasa always wanted to be the brains. so criminology and forensic science it is. (side note: she definitely joins the military and they pay for her education)

jean: structural engineering and industrial design with a minor in studio art

more than anything, jean wants to provide for his mom and knows he can’t guarantee a retirement of luxury for her as the freelance artist he wishes he could be. he’s decent at math when he tries and doesn’t hate physics, so he decided he’d give structural engineering a try for at least a semester or two. he wasn’t expecting to get much from it, to be honest. he had a plethora of backup plans waiting for his supposedly inevitable distaste for engineering, but he found that he didn’t hate it at all. someone once told jean that he had the makings of a great leader and he didn’t believe them until he started taking the lead on design projects and producing incredible results. his only qualm is that he just doesn’t get to be as creative as he wanted to be. that was easily rectified by an additional major in industrial design and a minor in studio art. he’s unbelievably busy, busier than he anticipated when he started his post-secondary journey, but he’s content and there’s nothing some extra coffee can’t solve. 

sasha: environmental science and sustainability

sasha spent her childhood ankle-deep in mud and fighting her way through forest thickets without a compass. an upbringing like that doesn’t leave your spirit, no matter how far into the city you go for school. so sasha’s always been passively passionate about the environment. that passiveness became significantly more prominent when part of the woods she grew up in was cleared out to build an industrial complex. it was then that she started researching and writing petitions about preserving wildlife and making environmentally conscious decisions. her work actually got her the scholarship she’s on (because god knows it wasn’t her grades). and she genuinely loves what she does, so why wouldn’t she keep learning about it? the environmental science and sustainability program at the school is small, but tight-knit and known for churning out changemakers. sasha knows she’ll be one of them one day. just hide your plastic straws from her, okay?

connie: computer science and chinese

stick with me here okay? everyone expects connie to be a douchebag marketing major whose hardest assignments are graphing functions and making posters on photoshop, but he’s a lot more invested in his education than he looks. don’t get me wrong, connie has always struggled academically, but that’s because so much of early education is pre-determined. he performed way better when he could choose what courses he took. it’s kind of like percy jackson being dyslexic in english because he was wired to read in greek. connie can’t keep his eyes on a history textbook for shit, but will gladly sit in front of the c++ code on his pc for hours. he doesn’t even get mad when he realizes that he was missing a semicolon. connie loves how versatile of a future he could have with a compsci degree, because, let’s be real, he could never survive in a typical office environment. definitely takes a bunch of chinese classes and doesn’t realize that he has enough credits for it to be a minor until his second to last semester.

historia: political science with a minor in international relations and child development

historia is a lot like eren in the sense that she knows her time is best spent doing hands-on work in the fields she cares about. she realizes this sometime after reconnecting with her estranged father and volunteering at the orphanage she grew up in. but now that she’s publicly associated with a powerful political figure, historia doesn’t get to do what she wants, only what is expected of her. that’s how she ends up on the pre-law political science and public policy route. the nickname “ms. president” that connie and sasha give her only further reminds her that she’s heading down a path she never wanted for herself. after lots of encouragement from ymir, historia decided to take child development courses on the side. even if she doesn’t take on the full minor, she’s taking some classes she cares about. maybe she’ll find use for it someday. at the very least, it’s her first step in becoming the most selfish girl in the world.

ymir: data science and business management

ymir is smart. much smarter than she presents herself to be, almost as a form of protection. nobody expects much of someone who is aloof, so it makes it easy to slip through the cracks to remain safe and comfortable in the shadows. business management is notoriously low commitment and easy to skate by with. guaranteed internships, post-graduate employment, and so on. To anyone who doesn’t know ymir well, it’s perfect. but they have her mistaken, ymir will do as little as possible to go as far as possible. sure, she can live comfortably with a business degree, but it could be better with a little bit of data science in her arsenal. she’s intelligent enough to pick up on it, and determined enough to make it her bitch. yeah, academia is a money-sucking pipeline into the capitalist hellscape, she doesn’t believe in it yada yada, but at the end of the day, ymir’s gonna get the bag. so what if she’s gotta sleep through some stats classes to get it?

reiner: behavioral economics

reiner’s mother had convinced him his whole life that getting a high paying job would fix their lives and bring his father back. believing “perfect grades lead to a perfect life” made high school tough for reiner; gifted kid burnout is no joke. it really messed him up. he wasn’t sure if he could withstand the pressures of university, but here he is. reiner was never allowed a therapist, so he figured pursuing psychology would, at the very least, give him some answers and be a good pathway to a medical degree. he loved getting to understand how people work and why they act the way they do, but something was missing. he found out what it was when a guest lecturer spoke in his economics class. he knew making the switch would be risky, it’s a new field and his current career options are really only research, academia, or government, but the interdisciplinary study of behavioral economics is calling reiner’s name. 

annie: biomedical engineering and kinesiology

annie’s entire life revolved around her father, including the injury he was never able to heal from. the one she gave him. he’s claimed to be over it, she’s forgiven, but annie will never feel like she’s earned that forgiveness until she gets rid of the problem entirely. how is she going to do that exactly? with biomedical engineering. she has years of hell in front of her, especially with her concentration on biomechanics, but she doesn’t care. annie will throw herself into her work to get the results she wants. she takes the highest amount of credits possible every semester so she can graduate early. you’ll most likely find her chained to a study cubicle at the library at all hours of the day and running on 2 hours of sleep, but it doesn’t faze her. she tacks on a minor in kinesiology because it makes sense and she had most of the credits for it anyway. and as if it couldn’t get worse, she probably TAs for a thermodynamics course or something crazy like that.

© mamasbakeria 2023. do not repost, translate (without permission), or modify

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

by Jessica Costescu

A Harvard University law student who was charged with two misdemeanors after accosting an Israeli classmate last October has now landed a job in Washington, D.C.'s public defender's office.

The student, identified in a Washington Free Beacon report as Harvard Law Review editor Ibrahim Bharmal, has landed an immigration law clerkship with the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, according to a LinkedIn post. Bharmal and divinity school graduate student Elom Tettey-Tamaklo were each charged with two misdemeanors on May 19 stemming from their conduct at an Oct. 18 "die-in" protest held outside Harvard Business School. Bharmal and Tettey-Tamaklo were captured on camera accosting a first-year Israeli business school student, surrounding the student and making it difficult for him to walk freely, as keffiyeh-clad onlookers shouted, "SHAME!"

Bharmal was charged with misdemeanor assault and battery and with violations of the Massachusetts Civil Rights Act, which prohibits attempts to "intimidate or interfere with … any other person in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him [or her] by the constitution." Bharmal is expected back in court in September for his arraignment and faces up to 100 days in jail for each count, court filings reviewed by the Free Beacon show.

There is no indication that Harvard has taken any disciplinary action against Bharmal. When asked if his pending charges and a possible conviction would impact his graduation—scheduled for next year—Harvard told the Free Beacon that it does "not comment on individual considerations related to discipline or student status."

Since the incident, Bharmal has remained in good standing with the school. In fact, Bharmal avoided discipline altogether, according to a January legal complaint. He is pursuing a joint degree program at the Ivy League university, namely a law degree and a master's in public policy, and still lists being an editor for the Harvard Law Review on his LinkedIn. Tettey-Tamaklo—the other student involved—was removed from his role as a freshman proctor in November, but otherwise, the school did "nothing to sanction" him, the complaint said.

Bharmal did not respond to a request for comment.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the D.C. public defender's office shared a post about Bharmal on LinkedIn, detailing his experience as a law clerk and thanking him for his "commitment to our clients." Bharmal says in the post that, after graduating Harvard, he would like to support "immigrants, asylum-seekers, and other newly arriving neighbors." The post also revealed a "fun fact" about Bharmal: "He is currently training to be a bollywood spin instructor...class sign-ups incoming."

The office did not respond to a request for comment on whether it was aware of Bharmal's ongoing legal proceedings.

[fligniuz]

Karen has filed a new motion to prevent the government from seeking the DP against Luigi

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.633811/gov.uscourts.nysd.633811.16.0.pdf

Sorry I forgot to attach the link the first time 😅

hey thank you for sending anon!!! i appreciate it💚

KFA is NOT fucking around she came through with the steel chair in this one omfg…here’s some choice quotes i liked:

“Defendant Luigi Mangione seeks Court intervention now not merely because the Government has failed to follow these procedures but because it has abandoned them.”

“The Attorney General stated during her television appearance that a reason she ordered the death sentence was because the alleged victim was a CEO.” hmm…hmmmmmm…

“Meanwhile, law enforcement was orchestrating the mother of all ‘perp walks,’ attended by none other than the New York City Mayor.” GET EM

“While a new administration must be given wide latitude to develop new and different policies to help the American people, this does not include abandoning its own death penalty protocol so the Government can kill a particular defendant without regard to the law or settled procedures.” GET EM!!!!

“In terms of mitigating factors, Mr. Mangione’s background reveals an exemplary life in every respect. He was, and is, a loved and cherished son, brother, uncle and cousin in a large, close, loving family. He was the valedictorian of his high school where he led the robotics team to the Eastern Regional Finals. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in four years with both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree in Computer Science. He spent his life playing soccer and baseball; he ran track and wrestled. When compared with Mr. Mangione’s life of love, support and excellence, and no criminal record, the sole statutory aggravating factor pales in comparison.” karen. karen you’re breaking my heart karen

“While the Attorney General stated during her television appearance that ‘If there was ever a death case, this is one,’ that statement is wholly inconsistent with the historical record of death penalty cases in this District.” after the rundown of cases where the DP was pursued in the southern district of NY? ooooooh. ooooooohhhhhh

“It is not surprising that, after a wholesale rejection of the death penalty protocol, the Attorney General ordered the death penalty.”

“Also, if the death penalty was being ordered pursuant to policy instead of publicity, the Attorney General would not have put her directive in the form of a press release followed by an Instagram post that effectively launched a new government social media account.” cackled out loud at this she is sooooo over it girl me fucking too

“Here, the one and only person legally permitted to make this decision is the same person who breached the established protocol, making a decision that is blatantly arbitrary and political and then publicizing that decision in a manner to prejudice the grand jury hearing this case.”

“With a few exceptions, for over two hundred years the Executive Branch earned the presumption of good faith. Over the last two months, it lost it.” ATE THE FUCK UP

“This conduct highlights that this Attorney General and other leaders in the Justice Department have a demonstrated track record of abandoning process wholesale. When others in the Justice Department insist that the established processes be followed, they are either fired or forced to resign. These are not normal times. By directing the S.D.N.Y. prosecutors to seek the death penalty without affording even a modicum of process to Luigi Mangione, by fashioning this order in the form of a press release, followed by an Instagram post, followed by a prejudicial television appearance, the Attorney General is being consistent with the new culture of the highest levels of the Justice Department, one that values personal will over process, publicity over discretion and partisan politics over justice.”

i’m very glad that karen took the time to discuss both eric adams’ case getting dismissed as well as abrego garcia’s illegal removal because they are truly necessary context to understand the sheer unlawfulness of trump’s administration and intentions. she is such a bad bitch luigi lucked out with his counsel man

[royalchildreneurope]

New : Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, Duchess of Brabant will be studying at Harvard University (Harvard Kennedy School) in Boston, United States, since August 2024.

The Princess has recently passed the entrance tests for a two-year Master's study in Public Policy. This two-year master's degree will complete her university education after her bachelor's degree in history and politics at the University of Oxford (Lincoln College)

Princess Elisabeth was also selected for an Honorary Award from the Fulbright Program, the international educational exchange program of the US Department of State -May 7th 2024.

📷 : Bas Bogaerts/Belgian Royal Palace.

[charlotte-of-wales]

Happy 23rd birthday to Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant!

Born October 25th 2001, Princess Elisabeth Thérèse Marie Hélène is the heir apparent to the Belgian throne as the eldest child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium.

Princess Elisabeth received her International Baccalaureate diploma from the UWC Atlantic College in Llantwit Major, Wales in May 2020. She went on to obtain her Bachelor of Arts degree with upper second class honours in July 2024. In May 2024, the Belgian Royal Court announced that Elisabeth was admitted into Harvard Kennedy School to study for a two year master's degree in public policy; she started her studies at Harvard in September 2024.

On 31 August 2020, Elisabeth entered the Royal Military Academy in Brussels, studying social and military sciences, completing her one-year military training on 9 July 2021. For the next two years, she attended the Royal Military Academy's annual three-week summer camps and other practical and theoretical military classes. Elisabeth had one of the highest grades among her class.

Ten years prior to Elisabeth's birth, a new 1991 amendment of the succession line was implemented which introduced absolute primogeniture, defining her as the first in the line of succession since she is the eldest child. Should she ascend as expected, Elisabeth shall become Belgium's first female monarch.

[beardedmrbean]

After a surge in home energy bills that left many New Jersey residents with costs that have doubled, or more, there have been widespread calls for hearings to hold the state utility commission, the governor and supporters of green energy accountable.

State Sen. Mike Testa, R-Salem, echoed those calls and said on Wednesday that much of the blame goes to Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy’s "Energy Master Plan," launched in 2020.

"New Jersey is already one of the most unaffordable states in the United States of America. Now people are being hit with energy bills that are essentially doubled. And look, I get it that it was a hot July, but it wasn't that hot that your energy bills should have doubled," Testa said.

One constituent apparently told Testa they raised their thermostat four degrees on average this summer in the hopes of saving money but that the cost still somehow increased "significantly."

Homeowners in suburban Morris County vented about the news on a local social media group, according to the Morristown Daily Record, with a Parsippany resident questioning a $782 monthly bill.

"Quite frankly, what I think happened is, via the Murphy Energy Master Plan that I've often called the energy disaster plan, it seemed that the BPU (New Jersey Board of Public Utilities) and the Murphy administration are working in tandem chasing this green energy dream.

"It’s what I call the energy disaster plan. It's a green energy nightmare," he said, adding that BPU officials went so far as to wear windmill pins at public functions amid New Jersey’s kerfuffle over offshore turbines.

In a lengthy statement, BPU acknowledged it had received correspondence from New Jerseyans and offered several potential reasons for the rate hikes.

The board cited increases in generation costs and usage, and it asked customers to contact their utility or the board right away if they find an "anomaly and cannot determine an explanation" A one-time $175 bill credit program is also available, a board spokesperson said.

PJM, the energy transmission company that covers much of the Mid-Atlantic, offered data to Fox News Digital on the matter as well.

PJM research showed electricity demand is likely to increase in the region particularly due to "proliferation of high-demand data centers" and "thermal generators retiring at a rapid pace due to government and private sector policies as well as economics."

Meanwhile, at the federal level, Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., fumed at the BPU this week in a letter obtained by Fox News Digital, which cited "thousands" of constituents discovering unbearable bill increases.

"Given these alarming reports, I demand that the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) hold a public hearing in South Jersey to allow residents to voice their concerns directly to the Board," he wrote, adding the board must also determine whether there is a correlation between the rate hikes and the offshore wind turbine operations in his Cape May district.

Van Drew said New Jersey officials must take the situation seriously, and he dismissed claims that the "unseasonably warm summer" was the only variable.

"We need transparency and accountability from the NJBPU to ensure that the needs and concerns of South Jersey residents are being effectively addressed," he said.

Van Drew previously noted how Danish green power company Ørsted withdrew its windmill plans for the Jersey Shore despite Murphy’s full support and taxpayer funding: "They still couldn't make it."

While Murphy’s office did not return a request for comment, the governor previously praised his Energy Master Plan’s goal of 100% clean energy by 2050 in the Garden State.

"The Energy Master Plan comprehensively addresses New Jersey’s energy system, including electricity generation, transportation and buildings, and their associated greenhouse gas emissions and related air pollutants," he said.

In a statement Tuesday, the Murphy administration highlighted a "Residential Energy Assistance Payment (REAP) Initiative" to provide financial relief to thousands of households, of the same $175 figure cited by BPU.

"Making our state more affordable for New Jersey families has been the top priority since day one," Murphy said in the statement.

State Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Perth Amboy, added it is "great to see this resource added to the growing list of support available to residents who need a little extra help in our state."

Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz, R-Summit, said price-per-kilowatt hour increases averaged 8.6% in Central Jersey.

"It’s simple economics: When supply drops and demand surges, prices go up," she told Fox News Digital.

"I'm of the belief that Americans are innovative. … The government can't be mandating deadlines at the same time that they're … shutting down natural gas production."

Munoz, who serves on the Budget Committee, said there are likely Democrats who agree the rate hikes are a problem: "That's kind of a silly concept for them to think, like, do they not care that their constituents are the ones that are having to absorb these massive increases in cost?"

Fox News Digital reached out to state Senate President Nick Scutari, D-Clark, for such a perspective.

Citing attempts to make New Jersey vehicle sales 60% electric by 2035, Munoz said there won’t be the proper infrastructure to fulfill the need, regardless of opinions on EVs themselves.

When Testa was asked about other states’ similar green energy endeavors – such as then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo shuttering the Indian Point nuke plant on the Hudson River opposite Haverstraw in 2020 – he expressed relief that crackdowns hadn’t gotten that far at home.

A similar nuclear plant in Lower Alloways Creek Township remains operational, he noted, adding that he is proud to have it and its jobs and generation ability in his district.

Testa said the state’s energy portfolio is 50% natural gas, 40% nuclear and 10% other, which flies in the face of Murphy’s aversion to additional natural gas production.

While some energy experts fear crises arising from nuclear power, such as the 1979 Three Mile Island meltdown in Dauphin County, Pa., Testa said technology has advanced since and that there are also small modular nuclear reactors similar to those on submarines that could generate safe, clean energy inland at low cost.

"By the way, we’re positive that those don’t kill whales," he said.

[coochiequeens]

Here's a round up from reduxx that I missed recently. Let's see a TIM who stabbed his own children and was released from custody, a man assaulting women in an American prison, a man assaulting women in a Canadian prison, men threatening women in a German prison, and an intact man entering a women's spa

By Amy Hamm February 26, 2025

A 35-year-old trans-identified male in Alberta, Canada, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault last week after attacking his children, during which he severed the esophagus of his 8-year-old daughter. The girl is in hospital and will require a feeding tube in what is expected to be a lengthy recovery.

Alice Michael Joseph Attwood, who uses “she/they/he” pronouns and describes himself as a “genderfluid queerdo” on social media, was arrested after the February 19 attack and appeared before a justice of the peace in Grand Prairie. The court then chose to release Attwood pending his next court date on March 13. However, Attwood’s family members were concerned about the release plan and quickly petitioned the court for an involuntary psychiatric hold so that Attwood would be committed to a hospital.

The family told media that they feared for the safety of Attwood’s children, themselves, and the public, and did not understand why the judge had released him on a promise to appear. Their application for a psychiatric hold was ultimately granted, leaving Attwood confined to a mental health unit. However, it appears that Attwood was released on February 25, earlier than the family anticipated.

Attwood has been active on social media since the violent attacks – even commenting about and admitting to stabbing his children.

By Genevieve Gluck February 27, 2025

The Minnesota House of Representatives held a public safety panel yesterday to debate legislation which would require the Department of Corrections to remove trans-identified males from the state’s only women’s prison, MCF-Shakopee. Speaking in support of House File 435, former Shakopee employee-turned-whistleblower Alicia Beckmann revealed that female inmates have been made to endure sexual harassment and intimidation from the male transfers, several of whom are sex offenders, over the past two years.

Beckmann, who has a degree in criminal justice and a Master’s in education, worked as a GED instructor at MCF-Shakopee for ten years before resigning in protest last fall over the DOC’s decision to implement gender identity policies by allowing convicted male criminals to be transferred into the women-only facility.

“In June of 2023, unbeknownst to myself, frontline staff and roughly 600 female offenders, ‘Christina’ Craig Lusk, a biological male, was transferred to Shakopee Correctional Facility after he successfully won a lawsuit against the Department of Corrections,” she said. “This decision opened the floodgates for the nightmare that was to follow.”

Beckmann was referring to a June 2022 discrimination lawsuit against the Minnesota Department of Corrections which ultimately resulted in the implementation of measures permitting male convicts to be housed in the female estate. As Reduxx previously reported, Lusk was serving a five-year sentence for the possession of methamphetamine at the Moose Lake correctional facility for men – but had also been accused of domestic abuse by his ex-wife, who has called him “scammer” and a “big fat liar.”

By Genevieve Gluck February 25, 2025

A trans-identified male serving an indefinite prison sentence for sexual offenses, including the rape of a 13 year-old girl, is said to have sexually assaulted multiple female inmates after having been transferred into a women’s prison. 

According to reports from women detained at Grand Valley Institution for Women (GVI) in Ontario, Carissa Marie Radcliffe, previously known as Frederick Radcliffe, has forcefully sexually attacked multiple women, spurring an ongoing investigation which began with his relocation to a maximum security unit on October 4. To date, two women have filed official reports with the Correctional Service of Canada.

Grand Valley Institution for Women (GVI), located in Kitchener, is organized into a campus-style setting with several buildings, or “houses,” where inmates live together. Radcliffe, a convicted pedophile who claims to identify as a transgender woman, was transferred into a housing unit at GVI at the beginning of 2023.

Radcliffe has a lengthy criminal history and has been convicted of the rape of teenage girls on several occasions. He was declared a Dangerous Offender in 2010, a designation which requires him to remain incarcerated until the parole board says he is no longer a risk to the public.

By Genevieve Gluck February 21, 2025

There have been at least five cases of trans-identified males assaulting female inmates after being transferred to women’s correctional facilities in Germany, with four of these attacks being described as “sexually motivated.” Two of these male prisoners have had to be relocated back to a men’s prison as a result of their aggression. The new information has come to light following information requests submitted to the Ministry of Justice by the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

Last April, the German Parliament, or Bundestag, passed one of the world’s most far-reaching laws allowing sex self-declaration on demand. The Self-Determination Act (SBGG) establishes ‘gender identity’ as a protected characteristic, allows parents to change the sex marker on their children’s documents from birth, and imposes hefty fines of up to €10,000 (approx. $10,800 USD) for revealing a person’s given name and birth sex without their permission – referred to by trans activists as ‘deadnaming.’

The SBGG came into effect on November 1, 2024, but violent male criminals were already being transferred into women’s prisons ahead of the policy. It is not clear when trans-identified males began to be housed in women’s facilities, but as previously reported by Reduxx, official information from the Senate Department of Justice in Berlin shows that since 2023 “15 people whose sex was registered as male at birth have been imprisoned in the Berlin correctional facility for women.” 

In January, the Federal States’ Ministry of Justice confirmed that at least five trans-identified male inmates had physically assaulted female inmates on several occasions, and that four of these men had been sexually aggressive. The admission was made in response to an information request from the AfD filed in December. Previously, all federal states had denied sexual attacks by imprisoned trans-identified men when asked by media.

By Anna Slatz February 19, 2025

A trans-identified male in New Jersey is suing a Korean health spa after being denied access to the women’s nude area. Alexandra “Allie” Goebert first launched the discrimination suit against King Spa in Palisades Park in 2022, and is now moving to obtain compensation from the spa on the grounds of violating the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination.

According to newly-filed court records, the incident occurred in August of 2022 when Goebert visited the location with a female companion. Upon registration, Goebert was provided wristband granting him access to the men’s locker room instead of the women’s. Goebert immediately complained, telling staff he was a “transgender woman” and was legally recognized as “female” by the state of New Jersey.

After making a phone call, the staff member gave Goebert access to the restricted women’s area. But after entering, Goebert came to the attention of a locker room attendant who quickly called the manager. The manager then began to question whether Goebert had undergone genital surgeries, at one point asking if Goebert still had “boy parts.”

Goebert responded that he did not have “boy parts” because he is a “woman,” implying that he had attempted to argue his penis was not an inherently male anatomy. But the manager continued to press on whether he had changed his anatomy, to which Goebert eventually admitted he was fully intact. The manager then told Goebert he needed to leave the female area of the spa.

King Spa is a venue modeling itself after a jimjilbang, a traditional Korean health facility which requires nudity in some areas. For that reason, the nude areas of the spa were strictly sex-segregated.

[repentulant]

(  ella purnell  .  cis woman  .  she / her  )  .      piper  talbot  ,  a  twenty - four  year  old  ,  has  survived  another  day  in  red  creek  where  they  have  lived  for  almost all of their life  .  the  broken mirror  is  known  for  being  resolute  and  haughty  and  is  often  associated  with  a  sacrificial  lamb  galloping  to  slaughter,  burying  your  youth  in  a  casket  of  you,  and  the  lingering  smell  of  blown - out  candles.  in  a  small  town  where  they  work  as  a housekeeper @ the heartbreak motel,  word  travels  fast  .  it’s  hard  to  keep  a  secret  ,  and  it  looks  like  the  boogeyman  knows  that redacted .

there is an air of certainty surrounding the way piper conducts herself, as if she has spent her entire life studying what not to do. in many ways, she has — always calculating what actions lead to the best, most attentive responses. it's paid off well for her. voices around town assure her that she is charming & graceful ; all of the best possible combinations of her mother and father.

while her peers daydreamed of escaping small - town life in michigan, piper dreamed of something different. she wanted to continue the talbot legacy by following in nathan's footsteps ( and steven's, and joseph's— ) , commit her family's name to the history of red creek. this was her town, her home— and she would assure that it escaped the whispers of the 1999 murders.

returned to red creek in august after graduating from princeton university (her father's alma mater) in may 2024 with a bachelors degree in public policy analysis, followed by a joint degree in social policy. though it's not as if attending university out of state wavered her dedication to the town. every holiday, every long weekend— piper would find herself back in the familiar family home.

other notes:

middle child syndrome. only daughter syndrome. father's daughter syndrome. gay in small town michigan syndrome. pls help her immediately 😔

The Stress™️ of everything is truly weighing down on her ... the few people that really know piper may be able to pinpoint how the picture - perfect facade is breaking down since graduating college

she’s  inquisitive  to  a  fault,  often  sticking  her  nose  in  places  it  doesn’t  belong;  she’ll  claim  it  comes  from  a  place  of  concern,  but  many  are  able  to  see  through  the  facade.  when  she  was  younger,  people  may  have  known  her  as  a  tattletale—  always  running  to  tell  her  mom  or  dad  what  the  older  kids  were  up  to.  as  she  got  older,  she  mastered  the  art  of  secret  keeping  &  information  gathering. at the end of it all,  piper  may  know  you  better  than  you  know  yourself.

working @ the motel currently because she is crumbling & she will not plague town hall with her own issues. it's all about #image to her and what better way 2 befriend the people than changing their bedsheets ...