#online education facilities

[geodrivesap]

[fairuzfan]

"We have come together as Palestinian academics and staff of Gaza universities to affirm our existence, the existence of our colleagues and our students, and the insistence on our future, in the face of all current attempts to erase us.

The Israeli occupation forces have demolished our buildings but our universities live on. We reaffirm our collective determination to remain on our land and to resume teaching, study, and research in Gaza, at our own Palestinian universities, at the earliest opportunity.

We call upon our friends and colleagues around the world to resist the ongoing campaign of scholasticide in occupied Palestine, to work alongside us in rebuilding our demolished universities, and to refuse all plans seeking to bypass, erase, or weaken the integrity of our academic institutions. The future of our young people in Gaza depends upon us, and our ability to remain on our land in order to continue to serve the coming generations of our people.

We issue this call from beneath the bombs of the occupation forces across occupied Gaza, in the refugee camps of Rafah, and from the sites of temporary new exile in Egypt and other host countries. We are disseminating it as the Israeli occupation continues to wage its genocidal campaign against our people daily, in its attempt to eliminate every aspect of our collective and individual life.

Our families, colleagues, and students are being assassinated, while we have once again been rendered homeless, reliving the experiences of our parents and grandparents during the massacres and mass expulsions by Zionist armed forces in 1947 and 1948.

Our civic infrastructure – universities, schools, hospitals, libraries, museums and cultural centres – built by generations of our people, lies in ruins from this deliberate continuous Nakba. The deliberate targeting of our educational infrastructure is a blatant attempt to render Gaza uninhabitable and erode the intellectual and cultural fabric of our society. However, we refuse to allow such acts to extinguish the flame of knowledge and resilience that burns within us.

Allies of the Israeli occupation in the United States and United Kingdom are opening yet another scholasticide front through promoting alleged reconstruction schemes that seek to eliminate the possibility of independent Palestinian educational life in Gaza. We reject all such schemes and urge our colleagues to refuse any complicity in them. We also urge all universities and colleagues worldwide to coordinate any academic aid efforts directly with our universities.

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the national and international institutions that have stood in solidarity with us, providing support and assistance during these challenging times. However, we stress the importance of coordinating these efforts to effectively reopen Palestinian universities in Gaza.

We emphasise the urgent need to reoperate Gaza’s education institutions, not merely to support current students, but to ensure the long-term resilience and sustainability of our higher education system. Education is not just a means of imparting knowledge; it is a vital pillar of our existence and a beacon of hope for the Palestinian people.

Accordingly, it is essential to formulate a long-term strategy for rehabilitating the infrastructure and rebuilding the entire facilities of the universities. However, such endeavours require considerable time and substantial funding, posing a risk to the ability of academic institutions to sustain operations, potentially leading to the loss of staff, students, and the capacity to reoperate.

Given the current circumstances, it is imperative to swiftly transition to online teaching to mitigate the disruption caused by the destruction of physical infrastructure. This transition necessitates comprehensive support to cover operational costs, including the salaries of academic staff.

Student fees, the main source of income for universities, have collapsed since the start of the genocide. The lack of income has left staff without salaries, pushing many of them to search for external opportunities.

Beyond striking at the livelihoods of university faculty and staff, this financial strain caused by the deliberate campaign of scholasticide poses an existential threat to the future of the universities themselves.

Thus, urgent measures must be taken to address the financial crisis now faced by academic institutions, to ensure their very survival. We call upon all concerned parties to immediately coordinate their efforts in support of this critical objective.

The rebuilding of Gaza’s academic institutions is not just a matter of education; it is a testament to our resilience, determination, and unwavering commitment to securing a future for generations to come.

The fate of higher education in Gaza belongs to the universities in Gaza, their faculty, staff, and students and to the Palestinian people as a whole. We appreciate the efforts of peoples and citizens around the world to bring an end to this ongoing genocide.

We call upon our colleagues in the homeland and internationally to support our steadfast attempts to defend and preserve our universities for the sake of the future of our people, and our ability to remain on our Palestinian land in Gaza. We built these universities from tents. And from tents, with the support of our friends, we will rebuild them once again."

[astrocafecoffee]

Astro observation ( part 1)

🔹For entertainment purposes only, enjoy🔹

♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️

✨ Uranus in the first house individuals may reject authority or traditions that feels restrictive to them.others may seem them as trendsetters or avant -garde in their approach to life.

✨ Venus in the 10th house of natal chart peoples are so workaholic that they prioritise their career, success over personal relationships or self care.

✨ your spouse's name asteroid could fall in your natal 7th house. ( Not necessarily, but it can be).

✨ mercury in the 5th house can indicate a communicative and involved parenting style. This individuals may encourage their children's intellectual development, creativity, and curiosity, fostering a supportive environment that values self expression and learning.

✨ Scorpio mars individuals have a strong sense of loyalty and protectiveness towards their loved ones. They can be fiercely protective of those they care about and may go to great lengths to defend and support them.

✨ regulus in 7th house of Composite chart - your relationship with your person may bring some fame/ recognition.

✨ Astrocartography mc lines - indicates which place may have a significant impact on your career or public life.

✨ Astrocartography Dc lines - you may meet your spouse/ long term partner there.

✨ Saturn in the 4th house individuals are very traditional 🙂

✨ solar return Jupiter/ mercury in 3rd house/ 10th house may indicate favorable year for cracking competitive exams.

✨ Earth dominate individuals may admire partners who take their commitments seriously whether it's in personal relationships ,career or other areas of life.

✨ juno in 1st house of groom persona chart means your spouse may influence how you present yourself to others or how you are perceived in social settings. they could bring out certain qualities in you or play a significant role in shaping your public image.

✨ South node lines in your Astrocartography chart indicates where you lived in your past lives.

✨ Briede conjunct Devine asteroid in synastry - divine/ fated relationship.

✨ Union asteroid in your groom / briede pc can indicate where you will meet your potential life partner/ spouse :

♾️ Union in Aries - dynamic / stimulating environments suggest adventurous activities, sports events, or places that involved risk taking and exploration. Gyms, fitness classes, martial art studios, organizing events , can meet through social gatherings / casual meet ups where people gather for fun or socializing. , Business conferences/ academic competitions.

♾️ Union in Taurus -

Fine dining restaurants , art galleries/ elegant social events. Settings related to finance, banking, investments , or business networking events., Exhibitions , concerts, musical performance, through mutual friends, wellness workshops.

♾️ Union in gemini -

Intellectual or educational events, workshops, seminars, book clubs , social gatherings , parties , online platforms, social media, dating apps, local festivals , neighborhood gatherings , during travel, airport, train station, writing workshop, media production, related to communication and journalism.

♾️ Union in cancer -

Family gatherings , reunions, hospitals , caregiving facilities, charity events , volunteering activities, through mutual friends, at historical sites, museums, art galleries, cultural events, small town festivals, near Lake, river, beaches, cafe , restaurant.

♾️ Union in leo -

Theatres , music venues, art galleries, or during performances and artistic events, parties , weddings, festivals , or grand gathering, acting class, outdoor festival, sports event , amusement park, related to child's education, youth organization, casinos, comedy clubs , gaming centre etc.

♾️ Union in Virgo -

Office , workplaces, professional conferences, networking events, volunteer activities, community service projects, charitable organisations, gyms, fitness classes health food store, wellness center, university, school , educational seminars, pet adoption events, parks , botanical garden.

♾️ Union in Libra -

Social getherings, parties, networking events, through mutual friends, concerts, cultural events, museums, theatre performance, settings related to law, mediation or during discussions that involve finding mutual agreements or resolutions., Teamwork, collaboration, relationship focused workshop,fashion shows, design exhibition, cocktail party, formal gatherings, courtroom, law office.

♾️ Union in scorpio -

Psychotherapy session, support groups, detective work, reasearch fields or in setting that require deep analysis and understanding., Spiritual retreats, metaphysical shops, astrology or tarot classes, tantra workshop, relationship councilling, setting related to investment, joint ventures, estate planning, holistic health centres , transformational workshop, place focused on healing practices.

♾️ Union in Sagittarius -

Travel, airport, train station, in foreign countries, or while participating in adventures such as hiking, backpacking, or exploring new cultures, University, libraries, seminars, religious gatherings, philosophy group, outdoor activities, sports events, camping trips, cultural festival, international events, language exchange program, law, publishing house, that promotes justice.

♾️ Union in Capricorn -

Office, corporate events, buisness conference, while pursuing ambitious projects, leadership roles, ceremony, cultural events, context related to banking, investments, Financial setting, teaching activities , prestigious club , organization, or during events where recognition and achievements are celebrated., Formal dinner etc.

♾️ Union in Aquarius -

Activism, volunteer work, community organization, seminars, conferences, discussion groups, online platforms, social media, tech startups, through mutual friends, social circles, online communities, music festival, Charity work.

♾️ Union in Pisces -

May meet in spiritual retreats, meditation centre, yoga studio, art galleries, theatre, music concert, poetry reading,film screening , volunteer work, charitable organisations, near Lake , beaches , hospital, clinic, wellness center, music festival, dance class, spiritual chants or ceremonies, book clubs focused on fiction on fantasy genres.

✨ Saturn in 1st house people often have RBF / Serious demeanor 👺

✨ Moon opposite/ square Saturn in solar return chart indicates emotional heaviness, feeling of loneliness or responsibilities weighing heavily on the emotions 😭.

✨ Jupiter/ Venus in 2nd house of Groom/ Briede pc indicates rich spouse.

✨ South node conjunct karma in synastry might suggest past life conflicts, power struggles or intense experiences that need healing or resolution in the current lifetime.

My other posts :

🔮 your future spouse's career.

🔮 your past life.

🔮 marriage placement in synastry and composite.

And many more on my page-

See you soon ~

- Piko ✨

[twice-inamillion]

The Company

Newest Recruit 

Story Building and Fluff

Chapter 8

3,160 Words

(You and Mina’s family have a talk about her enjoying the company. Jessica goes to America to buy her new home. A new set of trainees arrive to the company from a different company.)

After talking to Mina and the choreographer, you ask them for an appointment to talk to her parents. Mina agrees and calls her mom to see when the best time to talk to them both. 

You return to your hotel and talk to your assistants about recruiting her into the company. As you’re going over some possible offers, you can make you receive a phone call from the choreographer telling you that Mina and her family can meet tomorrow evening. I am glad about the rapid response and that you prepared everything for your meeting.

It’s the following day, and you’re standing in front of her house and ringing the doorbell. It doesn’t take too long for the door to open, and you see an older female, assuming to be the mother. “Good evening; you must be here because of Mina, correct?”

“Yes. Thank you for inviting me to your home.”

“Come, take a seat. I’ll call Mina and her father over.”

“Thank you,” walking to the living room and sitting on the couch.”

You see Mina walking down the stairs to the living room, “Good evening,” she shyly waved her hand. She sits on the couch across from you and waits for both her parents to arrive. 

From the kitchen, Mina’s parents and the choreographer walk to the living room with drinks and snacks.

“Sorry for the wait; we wanted to bring snacks for us to enjoy.”

Once everyone is seated, you introduce yourself as the CEO of Olympus Entertainment, surprising everyone. Knowing some information about the company, the choreographer briefs the parents on the benefits offered to the trainees and the education they get.

Both the parents smile when they hear about the great benefits offered and the chance to finish their education, unlike other companies.

“We like that your company allows them to finish their studies. We want Mina to finish her schooling if possible,” says Mina’s dad.

“Yes, we understand that joining the entertainment business isn’t what some parents see as an ideal job. Here, out of our company, we want everyone to receive higher education in case the trainees decide to change their career path. We also allow them to gain experience in the field by applying to be staff in our company.”

Her parents seem a bit more comfortable hearing that there is a backup plan just in case she doesn’t want to continue. You go over on why you want Mina in your company and what you are willing to offer. 

“I’m glad you think highly of our daughter and her talents. She’s been a good girl, and we think she should make this decision on her l own,” says Mina’s mom. 

Mina shyly speaks up, “I want to go. I’m a bit nervous, but I think it’d be nice to meet other people who enjoy dancing.” 

“Are you sure, Mina?” asks her dad.

“Yes, Ceo-nim complimented my dancing a lot, so I don’t want it to go to waste.”

Her mom then asks, “Okay, then it’s decided. Please take care of our daughter and her future.”

“I will.”

Mina and her parents sign the contract. You congratulate both of them and assure them they won’t regret it. 

“Do you need her to fly to Korea now?”

Take care of your schooling and enjoy a small break. I’ll personally come and you all to the company and give you a tour and see our facilities.”

As you’re about to leave, Mina walks up and grabs the edge of your jacket, “CEO-nim, I won’t disappoint you,” as she plays with her fingers.

——————

It’s been a few days after signing Mina to your label, and you have been preparing for her arrival. During the week, you also had Jessica living with you after collecting her items from her apartment. She tells you about her plan to return to America and set up her own fashion brand. 

During her stay at your place, Jessica has looked online for possible houses to buy during her stay back in San Francisco. “What do you think about this one?” she asks. 

“That one looks nice; it has a nice backyard, and it's not directly in the middle of the city.”

“I like this one too, but it seems busy.”

“You said you want to relax, so maybe something where there are not too many tourists.”

“It has been nice to see them in person.”

“If you want, I can schedule a few open houses; I’m almost done with what I have to do.”

“But how are we going to get there without getting noticed? I don’t want the public to see me like this.”

“We can take my plane there.” 

“You got a plane?”

“Yes, I don’t want to go through the hassle of chartering a plane, so I just bought one myself.”

You arrive in San Francisco two days later and go to multiple open houses. Most of these homes are in the millions, but you’re willing to spend that much for your child. After a few days of looking, Jessica makes up her mind, and you sign a contract to purchase the house. The both of you stopped by her parents' house to drop off some items before heading back to Korea. Jessica is about to open the door when you hear, “Jessica, is that you?” Out comes a younger version of her, her sister. She looks at you in annoyance and says, “Is that the guy that knocked you up?”

Jessica reacts and smacks her, “Shut up!” The sister runs back inside as Jessica tries to hit her again but fails. “Sorry for the rude girl over there, but that is my younger sister, Krystal.” You try to introduce yourself to her sister, but she ignores you. 

“So, I heard from Mom and Dad that you bought a house nearby.”

“Actually, he bought the house,” she said as she looked in my direction.

“Hmph… that’s the least he could do after getting you pregnant and causing you to get kicked out.”

“Krystal, be quiet.”

“But it’s true. He was the cause for everything.”

“It’s partially my fault, too, not just his.”

The two of them continue to discuss with each other, and you say, “I’m going to be heading back to the airport. I’ll be back to help you move in. Also, send me the information on the fashion line.” Jessica turns around and kisses you on the cheek before you head out. 

————-

A bit over a week has passed, and you are headed to Japan to pick up Mina and her parents. 

They board the plane, and during the flight, you give them the rundown of what they will see during their stay in Korea. 

“After arriving, we can have lunch and tour the campus. I will lead the tour while your items are taken to the hotel I reserved for you during your stay. The second day would be reviewing some fine details about Mina’s stay and looking at the dorms she would be staying in. You then have the next few days to tour around and do as you wish, and the company will pay for it.”

“Ceo-nim, you don’t have to do that,” says Mina’s mom.

“I want to. Mina is the first idol I personally recruited, making it a special moment. Plus, your daughter has a lot of talent, so it would be rude of me not to respond in kindness.”

Mina and Mina’s mom smile while her dad agrees that his daughter is worthy of such consideration.

You all arrive at the company and walk into the main building. You take them through the meeting room, cafeteria, and main practice rooms. The next stop is the education center, where most trainees have classes to finish their education, take extracurricular activities, or want to study. 

The last place is the large building where I have practice rooms for small to large groups or for individual practice. “The place is so big and new,” says Mina’s mom. 

“We want all our trainees and idols with the opportunity to succeed, so we provide them with the best, anywhere from education to mental health.” 

“What about security, like the safety of the trainees and idols?” asks dad.

“The campus is normally closed to the public. Most areas require a security clearance based on the position you have in the company. For example, we separate the trainees and idols to prevent any potential conflict, such as education builds and dorms. Since most of them have a regular schedule, we tend to know where they are at. If there are any irregularities, we use these bracelets to know where they last were since they are used to access building doors.” 

“What about if they get sick? How do they get treatment?” asks Mina’s mom. 

“We do have a health center that can deal with common issues and is planning to build an in-house hospital for all company employees, trainees, and idols.”

“Seems like you all have things figured out,” says Mina’s dad. 

“We want to ensure the safety of everyone here and make it as easy for them to concentrate on their goals. 

After the tour, all of you go out to dinner before calling it a night. “I’ll leave you all for the night and see you early in the morning. You’ll get to experience our cafeteria and see the dorms.”

————-

Early in the morning, you meet Mina and her parents outside the cafeteria. “Good morning.”

“Good morning, Ceo-nim.”

“How was your sleep?”

“It was great; the beds were really comfortable.”

“That’s good to hear. We use the same mattress for our dorms here.” 

“You hear that, Mina. Make sure not to sleep in too much,” says her dad.

“Otōsan… not in front of the Ceo,” whines Mina and covers her embarrassed face.

“It’s fine; I sometimes enjoy a good rest.”

The four of you head to the cafeteria. Mina is surprised by the number of food options that the area offers. “We offer meals three times a day and have cafes and small shops throughout the campus. You can even order a custom meal if given prior notice.”

Mina walks to the line, gets various dishes, and walks out of the line with a gummy smile. 

“Seems like our daughter is going to get accustomed to here in no time,” says Dad in a joking manner.

We all laugh, and Mina turns red again from her dad teasing her. We continue to have breakfast. When we are done, we head out to the dorms where she will stay. 

“The dorms are not that far away but separate from the rest of the campus. We have multiple types of dorms for those who are over of age and who are not. We keep them separate since they have different schedules and rules. Once placed in a group, you are moved to a large dorm based on the number of people within the group. They have a kitchen and more space to get to know each other better and build relationships.”

“So does that mean I get to room with another person?”

“We actually have a room available that is meant for two, but you’ll be using it on your own. Obviously, when we get more trainees, we will pair you up with someone who has similar interests.”

As we walk down the road to the dorms, her parents are amazed by how well-maintained they look. Mina cannot help but comment on how they look like college dorms and is excited to see her own dorm. “Is this my dorm?”

“Actually, yes. The one on the left.” 

You take out your phone and call the dorm manager. She came outside and introduced herself as the one in charge of managing the building and dorm RA. 

She leads the group to the second floor of the building and into the unoccupied wing. “You won't be in this wing, but we are going to use it as an example. Here are the shared bathrooms with multiple stalls and showers cleaned frequently. You are all divided in wings so there are not many who use the bathrooms. There are also individual restrooms throughout the building.”

She then walks to a room and opens it, “This is an example of a double room; there are two beds, a large closet for, and a table.” The parents walk around and seem to like the room, “it’s big. I think you’ll like Mina,” says her mom. “Next, we’ll see a triple room, and it’s much bigger than the double.” 

After the demonstration, the manager walks the group to the dorm that Mina will be occupying. “This will be your room, Mina. It’s a double, but you won't have a roommate as of now. We expect a new round of incoming trainees, so you might be paired up soon.”

“Look, Mina, it has a nice view,” says her dad. 

You comment, “I think you’ll like it. You are more than welcome to return tomorrow so you can help with the move-in process. Let’s return to my office and discuss some minor details.”

You are all in your office and take out two large folders, a copy for the parents and one for Mina. “These will be your copy of the contract, the expectations and the list of benefits, and some of the options we offer in extracurricular activities. Also, we don’t ask for any payment from the parents, and it's covered by us until they debut. After that, we do take out a share of what was invested for training.”

“That sounds more than reasonable; I heard of other companies asking for large amounts of money upfront,” says the dad.

“Yes, some do, but since we are a new company, we want to separate ourselves from them.”

As you and the parents talk, Mina looks at the extracurricular catalog and tries to decide on what she wants to join.

“Do you have an idea, sweetheart?” asks Mina’s mom.

“There are so many options, I can’t make up my mind.”

“It’s okay, Mina. Take your time; choose whenever you are ready.”

Her mom looks through the dance section and says, “I see you don’t offer Ballet.”

“Yes, unfortunately, we don’t have many trainees that practice. It was something that we wanted to have and actually have a room for it, but it's not completed.”

“What do you think, Mina? Do you still want to practice ballet?” asks her dad.

“I don’t know. I want to try other dances, but I also want to continue.”

“If you want, we can complete it for you. I would be more than happy to see you dance again.”

“See, Mina, the CEO himself said that we want to see you dance and is willing to finish its construction just for you,” says her dad.

You see, Mina thinks about it and fiddles with her fingers, “Do you really like my dancing, Ceo-nim?”

“Yes, I really did.”

“Umm… if you like it, then I’ll be more than happy to continue.”

“Aww, sweetie, that’s good to hear,” says her mom. 

“That would be amazing, Mina. Then, I’ll make sure we finish the construction of the studio. You’ll be our first user so it would be like your personal dance studio, haha,.”

“See, Mina, your own studio,” says her mom.

“Thank you so much; I’ll try to live up to your expectations of me,” says Mina shyly.

After that conversation, a member of the trainee team came in and explained the clearance system and the bracelet that Mina would be wearing. This will give her access to her room and other facilities. “We have your information in our system. This bracelet serves as a smartwatch and access key to your room, the buildings you are cleared for, your health profile for the health center, and the cafeteria.”

Mina confirms her information, and the bracelet activates. The team member puts on her bracelet and shows her how it works and what type of data it shows on our end. “This information is kept on our private servers and are not shared anywhere. So when you scan it in a certain location, it only shows based information and nothing else. Try using it here.” 

The screen shows Mina’s basic information as a trainee and a picture. “Okay, it seems like you’re all ready to move in.”

————— 

It’s been a few weeks since Mina moved into the dorms, and she’s been slowly adjusting to her new environment. You call her a few times a week to ask how she is doing or if she needs anything. Like always, she’s shy and soft-spoken. 

Today, you called her to your office to give her some news that will affect her position as a trainee. “Good morning, CEO-nim. I’m here because you wanted to see me.”

“Yes, good morning Mina. Come over and talk a seat.” 

“Is something the matter?”

“Yes. I have been in contact with JYP Entertainment, and we are going to collaborate. The company will receive a couple of its idols as part of an agreement. You will be placed together with them since you’re one of the newest trainees.”

“Do you know how many trainees will be coming over?”

“There will be fifteen others; some of them have trainees for a long time while others have just a few years.”

“Does that mean I'll be getting a roommate?”

“Yes, they should be arriving within a week, so try to make them feel comfortable.”

————-

“I hope you treat my trainees well,” says Park Jin-young.

“Don’t worry. They’re going to enjoy their time here.”

“I hope so.”

You then step forward and introduce yourself, “Hello, everyone. Welcome to Olympus Entertainment. I hope you enjoy your time here and build friendships with those around you.”

All the trainees from JYP, in unison, stand up and say, “Thank you for having us, CEO.”

“All of you already know why you’re here, but, as a formality, introduce yourselves.

“Hello, my name is Im Na-yeon.”

“Hello, my name is Yoo Jeong-yeon.”

“Hello, my name is Hirai Momo.”

“Hello, my name is Minatozaki Sana.”

“Hello, my name is Park Ji-hyo.”

“Hello, my name is Myoi Mina.”

“Hello, my name is Song Min-young.”

“Hello, my name is Park Ji-won.

“Hello, my name is Kim Da-hyun.”

“Hello, my name is Son Chae-young.”

“Hello, my name is Chou Tzu-yu.”

“Hello, my name is Lee Chae-yeon.”

“Hello, my name is Kim Eun-suh.”

“Hello, my name is Jeon So-mi.”

“Hello, my name is Lee Chae-ryeong.”

“Hello, my name is Natty.”

“Welcome once again, all sixteen of you.”

[sovietpostcards]

i hope this is not too intrusive (if it is, please ignore!), but i’m so curious about russia and the reality of living there. america tries to paint russia as some third-world country that people are desperate to escape from. how do you feel about living in russia and how the country is portrayed globally? thanks!!!

Hi! I can only answer from my own experience. I think Russia offers a lot of possibilities to live comfortably (esp. in large cities). There's free education and free healthcare (and also paid education and paid healthcare if you can afford it), lots of shops, cafes and restaurants, many sports facilities and children's clubs and playgrounds, public transportation and everything else you need. Many jobs. Online services in Russia are absolutely great, you can do everything online from buying a shirt and returning it for free if it doesn't fit, to opening a deposit/sending money to another person/investing, to applying for passport and paying your taxes.

There are problem areas of course. Low pay for teachers or scientists. Corruption. Elections are a scam. The recent murder of free journalism. Lots of people left the country following the war out of fear of being jailed for voicing their opinion or being drafted.

Basically if you're able to abstain from the news, you can live a happier life. Some days I am. I'm going out for breakfast today to a wonderful cafe and I'm going to enjoy it as hard as I can.

[mariacallous]

CAIRO—Although Egypt has refused to accept refugees from the Gaza Strip, more than 100,000 Palestinians have crossed the border into Egypt since the start of Israel’s offensive in Gaza following Hamas’s attack on Oct. 7, 2023.

Khaled Shabir, a 29-year-old man, is one of the Palestinians who managed to flee. He entered Egypt in March, four months after the Israeli army bombed his house in the southern Gazan city of Khan Yunis. The attack killed his parents, but he survived with crushed bones in his foot, thigh, and hand, which landed him in a hospital and then a field medical facility.

Some Palestinians are able to get a free medical transfer to Egypt for life-threatening conditions. But Shabir had to go the route of most who have fled: paying Hala Consulting and Tourism, the only company that secures passage from Gaza into Egypt. Hala, whose owner reportedly has close ties with the Egyptian authorities, charges $2,500 to $5,000 per person crossing over—much more than most Palestinians can afford.

Shabir did not have the money. But with a crowdfunding campaign, he was able to raise $5,000 to cross into Egypt. “Doctors at the hospital were sympathetic to my condition and waived their financial fees for my surgeries,” he wrote in a text message from his hospital bed in Cairo on June 4.

Like most Palestinians who have recently arrived in Egypt, Shabir has found himself in a strange position: Because he is not technically a refugee, he isn’t eligible for most international aid for refugees, unlike his counterparts back in Gaza. Eight Palestinians in Egypt interviewed for this story said they hadn’t received any humanitarian relief from international organizations. This has left them dependent on the goodwill of others—and increasingly at risk of being unable to get by.

Palestinians who have fled are reaching Egypt at a time when the country is experiencing its worst economic crisis in decades. In recent years, Egypt’s inflation rates have reached all-time highs, rent and food prices have soared, and millions of people have fallen into poverty.

It is especially difficult for Palestinians to navigate Egypt’s crisis. The majority of recent arrivals do not have official residency documents, so they cannot enroll their children in public school, apply for jobs, or receive health care and other benefits, according to an official from the Palestinian Embassy in Cairo who spoke with Foreign Policy on the condition of anonymity.

The official said on June 30 that just three international organizations have provided assistance to Palestinians who have fled to Egypt, and it has only reached a small portion of them. This aid includes $200 from the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization for 500 students, as well as medical and psychological care from Save the Children and UNICEF for a few injured infants.

Even for those with more resources, life has grown tough as their savings have run low. Nagham, a 23-year-old college student majoring in commerce, left Gaza at the end of January to stay with relatives in Cairo after the Israeli military destroyed her home and her husband’s barber shop. Because she had residency papers and was already enrolled at Cairo University, Nagham—who preferred to use only her first name—did not have to pay for entry. (Before the war, she studied online and only went to Cairo for exams.) But after arriving in Cairo, Nagham had to sell her wedding ring and other jewelry to raise the funds needed to pay transit fees to bring her husband to safety.

Now, she said, “we’re in a really bad financial situation.” As of April, she was being treated for a cervical infection she contracted from contaminated water in the first few months of the war. In May, Nagham sought financial aid from the Palestinian Embassy in Cairo, but it did not provide any help. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), meanwhile, included her name in a registry tallying the number of Palestinians in Egypt, but she is not sure whether this implies any forthcoming aid.

“We’re starting over from scratch,” Nagham said. “I feel like we are in a nightmare.”

Kamel Mohamed, a 23-year-old who left Gaza in April, said that the majority of university students he knows from Gaza are running out of money, especially after paying the transit fees. He is currently applying for scholarships to study at a university in Egypt or other Arab countries. But in the meantime, international organizations have not provided any support, leaving him dependent on monthly aid from two local charities in Egypt.

“We are from a region devastated by war, and the people there have lost everything,” Mohamed said. “International organizations need to play a part and provide assistance.”

Jeff Crisp, a visiting research fellow at the University of Oxford’s Refugee Studies Centre, echoed this sentiment. “It should be the responsibility of the UN as a whole (UNHCR, WFP, UNICEF, IOM, etc.) to step in and support the Palestinians,” he wrote via email.

One major problem is that those who have fled Gaza are not considered refugees. This means that the two U.N. refugee agencies—the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which protects non-Palestinian refugees, and UNRWA, which is solely responsible for Palestinian refugees—can’t support them.

UNRWA spokesperson Tamara Alrifai wrote in an email to Foreign Policy, “UNRWA does not have programs in Egypt, in the way it runs schools, health centers and social support in the areas where it has a mandate to operate.” She added that UNRWA, unlike UNHCR, “does not have a mandate to resettle refugees into new countries.”

The Egyptian government has refused to recognize Palestinians as refugees since 1978, instead referring to them as “our guests” or “our siblings.” It has long opposed both the establishment of a UNRWA operational office in Cairo and the displacement of Gaza’s population into its territory, citing potential threats to regional security and fears that Israel would not allow displaced Palestinians to return to the coastal enclave.

But many experts, including the U.N.’s special rapporteur on torture, argue that Egypt has legal obligations to accept refugees. Crisp stated in his email, “Egypt is a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention and should do what it can to support any that arrive from Gaza.” He added that Palestinians who fled war should be treated as displaced people.

For now, without residency papers, most of the Palestinians who recently arrived from Gaza are at risk of deportation. The Palestinian Embassy in Cairo is urging Egyptian authorities to provide papers as soon as possible so that children who have left Gaza can attend school in the fall, according to the embassy official.

The Egyptian government has, however, supported some Palestinians who have been injured in the war. Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said in May that around 5,500 injured people had been evacuated from Gaza for medical care in 160 hospitals across Egypt since the start of the conflict. These individuals are treated at the Egyptian government’s expense.

The process, however, is not easy. “It was a torture journey,” said Um Qusai, who was able to leave Gaza so that her six-year-old daughter, Noor, could get eye surgery. One of Noor’s eyes had fallen out after debris from an Israeli bomb fell onto her bedroom in October.

After six months in the European Hospital in Gaza, Um Qusai finally secured a medical transfer for Noor, making their entry to Egypt free. But because they did not have passports, she had to wait with Noor and her two other children for 12 hours at the Rafah border crossing, while Noor was in agonizing pain, before border authorities let them in.

Once they arrive in Egypt, many Palestinians who received free medical transfers are not allowed to leave the hospital. A number of those patients, along with family members accompanying them, told Foreign Policy that they felt trapped inside hospitals and would only be permitted to leave if they returned to Gaza.

Egyptian volunteers have arranged trips to bring Palestinian patients food, medication, and clothing. However, some volunteers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said they had to undergo lengthy bureaucratic procedures to obtain authorization from Egyptian officials to visit the patients due to strict hospital security measures.

For now, many Palestinians in Egypt must rely on the support of local charities and grassroots initiatives to get by.

In November, Sherif Mohyeldeen, an Egyptian researcher and nonresident fellow at the Carnegie Middle East Center, launched For the People, a grassroots group with about 60 members, to support injured Palestinians and their families in Cairo and Alexandria, Egypt. So far, he said, the initiative has collected donations to support more than 1,200 Palestinians with food and cash assistance for rent.

“People have come here with only their clothes,” Mohyeldeen said. “There is a huge amount of psychological and physical suffering.” The Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research has reported that more than 60 percent of people in Gaza have lost family members since Israel’s war—which has killed more than 40,000 people in the territory, according to the Gaza Health Ministry—began in October.

Sherif added that his group has yet to find solutions for families who need prosthetic limbs or chemotherapy, both of which are extremely expensive, as well as Palestinian students whose annual university tuition in Egypt exceeds $4,000.

Abdullah Abu al-Aoun, a 26-year-old man from a wealthy family in Gaza, is also trying to help others who have fled. His family owned many buildings and two restaurants in Gaza’s Remal district, all of which were bombed by the Israeli army. After fleeing Gaza with 22 members of his family in February, he opened a Shawarma restaurant in Cairo. His mother’s Egyptian passport and the family’s savings of more than $100,000 helped him establish the business.

Aoun has hired three young men from Gaza in his new restaurant and has been helping other Palestinian families in Cairo with cash assistance. “Although there is still war in Gaza, some aid is getting in,” he said on May 25 while sitting in the restaurant, where four men from Gaza were dining. “Here, the families who left for Egypt are not getting any support.”

But individuals and small charities can only make so much of a difference compared with international organizations—and many Palestinians, including Aoun’s family, know that they may have to stay in Egypt for years to come due to the scale of destruction in Gaza. According to the Palestinian Embassy official, many more Palestinians are expected to arrive in the coming months. With no humanitarian relief on the horizon and Cairo so far refusing to provide residency permits, they sink deeper into uncertainty with each passing day.

“What really scares me is the unknown future,” Naghan said. “When will the crossing open again? If we return, will we live in a tent or on the rubble of our house?”

[headspace-hotel]

so, in regards to your recent posts on kane-tucky and usa food industry, do you / how do you keep active hope and not slip in into apathy and "looking out for my own" get out of dodge mentality? im having a hard time articulating this, but what makes you not curl up into a shaking mess in anger resentment and a deep desire for change that likely, if ever, wont happen in our lifetime.... any advice is appreciated

The short answer is "getting out and doing stuff in the real world, educating, volunteering, whatever is within your ability"

I will add that "looking out for your own" is not...bad. Like I don't know precisely what you mean by this phrase, but it's actually very important to come to terms with the fact that your impact is strongest where your feet touch the ground, and you have a responsibility and relationship to the people immediately around you, the place immediately around you.

This has not been a popular opinion of mine in the past, but...you can't and shouldn't care about literally everything on the planet. There is of course huge global disparity with access to resources and aid networks, and the largest communities we belong to are: all of Earth and the whole human species.

However: your level of agency is so low with issues that are happening on the other side of the world from you, compared with issues that are happening in your home town. And we're seeing people just get completely burned out from compassion fatigue without ever doing shit because the global responsibility is pushed on us and the local responsibility is not.

I hated my hometown for a decade. In high school I wanted so badly to leave. It's one of those desolate-feeling towns that's developed enough for a shopping center and big chain retailers but not enough to have a sense of community or a single bookstore. I've never been able to place myself precisely along the urban-rural spectrum because I feel isolated from even isolation: there's nowhere to go that doesn't feel razed by human development, where you can't hear the noise of traffic on roads, but it's all cattle pastures, sprawling storage facilities, auto parts stores, big, empty churches. One wrong turn will put you in a dark valley where there are rotting, derelict trailers on cinder blocks hidden back in the woods, and this place has that same feeling of "nowhere to go."

And I felt paralyzed by everything bad happening around the world and the fact that I was just one person, and I had gotten the horrible impression that the only thing I could do about anything was vote and donate money to links I saw online. The worst lie the internet taught me was that in saving the world, nothing matters except Power, Money, and an unclear third category that involves throwing bricks at cops.

But I touched grass. And the weeds taught me something. Do you see the parking lots, the harsh pavement and gravel and brick? I saw. I was surrounded by this landscape of brutal, totalitarian surfaces, impermeable concrete locking the soil away. But in the cracks in the surfaces, dandelions, purslane, and spurge were thriving.

I observed that the spurge stretched out like a shaggy rug and padded the concrete surfaces. The old leaves of the dandelions, as they withered, caught bits of dirt as it flowed into drainage ditches after rains. Soil was forming, and the sprawling structure of the early weeds seemed specially adapted for the task. In older cracks, more plants moved in; I found a wild ruellia blooming in a paved road, an evening primrose. And in some places, seedling trees.

Have you seen what happens when a sidewalk is left unmaintained for years? It disappears. The roots slowly buckle and break it into pieces, and it vanishes beneath lush leaves and moss. A tree growing in a crack in concrete will slowly pry the slab apart.

This is how my IRL rewilding project got started—just pulling plants from the pavement cracks, raising them in pots. I was surprised and awed at the resilience of the plants. I found little trees in concrete with at least two years' growth on them, that had survived being mowed down multiple times.

The weeds changed my viewpoint on the world forever. Up until that point, certain facts about power and politics and money had seemed like law, but I'd suddenly seen that there was a deeper magic.

The dandelions' survival made it possible for others to survive, which in turn made even more life flourish. They could not demolish and remove the concrete and pavement, but they could overcome it by refusing to be destroyed, because the power to take care of each other is in their nature.

People have made fun of me for telling others to go plant a tree. I think culturally we have this ingrained dismissal of things like that due to the twee, cutesy associations of "tree hugging" environmentalists, except in this instance it's because planting a tree is pointless in light of something something systemic issues, not because climate change isn't real, or...whatever reason people have for finding environmentalists cringe. (That is kinda sus now that I think about it.)

And I'm not saying planting a tree will fix climate change. I'm saying that something in my brain had broken and planting a tree unbroke it.

Go outside. Touch grass. Do the work in the immediate community you belong to, in the place you are in, where you have the best and most impact. We have the power to take care of each other, and that power grows stronger the more we are cared for.

The internet is a good place to share information, but that's fucking it. The real stuff, the stuff you can touch with your hands, the stuff that will heal despair, is out there in the real, touchable world. You need to see and feel what you are doing. Don't just give help—accept it. The power to take care of each other is in our nature, and by nature we can give more when we thrive as a result of others' care.

I hope this helps.

[nopanamaman]

constantly pondering how katya would text it haunts my every moment. bc she SEEMS like the type to like. idk. type like she’s chronically online. BUT SHES NOT CHRONICALLY ONLINE IM PRETTY SURE theres no REASON she would be it makes ZERO SENSE. so i was like fuck would his 13 year old type with like actual grammar in casual texts thats horrifying. but the MORE i think about it how much would the zone even bother to teach i remember it being siad somewhere they were taught to read (i dunno about writing? i dont recall and im too lazy to check) but like. would they be taught actual like perfect grammar. how much would they even have to read to like actually get a grasp on how words r spelled. since mainly u figure out how their spelled through seeing and idont know if inhumane experiment zones have books for those subjects to read.

i assume not? either way, id assume she’d have been taught the basics, like punctuation and capital letters but probably not the intricacies of it and she wouldnt like. know how typing online works and how people dontlike proper grammar so now im imagining proper punctuation and capitalization from some hyper barely a teenager who cant spell half the words shes typing and i cant get over it.

please help my suffering how does kt type

you're asking the real questions anon

let's start with the fact that the facility wouldn't want to give its residents access to social media, and the list of websites they can visit in computer rooms is strictly curated. so Katya having any awareness of zoomerspeak or Internet slang is highly unlikely

she also isn't especially well read or educated, so her regular speech - and ESPECIALLY her written speech - is anything but grammatically correct. or rather, her speech sounds fine, but her punctuation and spelling are abysmal. Katya also absolutely butchers more complicated words, but tries to use them regardless because they are fancy.

and lots of emojis. Lots of em.

[33446699]

New nth room 2024 and deepfake epidemic in south Korea :

Telegram deepfake p*rn created by AI( deepfake where voice / images of victims are used ) in which adult and underage women are targeted by it ,there are deepfake humiliation chat rooms where explicit content are created

It is the " second Nth room " or New Nth room " the previous one was in 2019 where Cho Ju bin (who was 20 at that time ) was sentenced to 42 years in prison

279 fake videos (deepfake ) and 246 victims have been reported of these digital sex crimes ,20 year old person arrested who created "OO request room " or "Acquaintence humiliation room" It's done on the telegram app and it happened mostly between may to July of this year

Videos are produced by using name ,facial photo and age of Acquaintence and participants can enter these humiliation rooms by giving these informations

Another man arrested who was operating two adults websites where the illegal videos shared by him were 26,380 including 5 fake videos,6 videos of child and 9 illegally filmed

The recent deepfake crisis met with an outrage after journalists discovered that police is investigating porn rings at 02 of country's most prestigious universities

Chats rooms are linked to individual schools and universities and the victims are teachers and students known to the perpetrators

These discoveries follow arrest of telegram founder Pavel Durov on 12 different allegations of child pornography ,drug trafficking and fraud ,now he is charged and as of now telegram apologised to south korea for its handling of deepfake pornographic material and this too happened after south korean police started investigation on telegram that it helps this type of activities on its app and with this people are deleting their accounts off of telegram

Most victims ( even elementary schoolers and middle schoolers )and perpetrators are teenagers and the numbers of deepfake crimes increased from 156 from 2021 when they were first reported to 297 so far as in 2024

Involving blackmail, cybersex trafficking, and the spread of sexually exploitative videos via the Telegram app between 2018 and 2020, it was then led by a man nicknamed god god (later identified as Moon Hyung-wook) who sold sexual exploitation videos on Telegram channels and groups,after this there was a " Doctor room " operated by Cho Ju bin who forced and blackmailed dozens of women

The New Nth Room — what is it?Secret chat rooms where men share illicit photos of their mothers, sisters, and other women in their lives,their spouse ,from observing their behaviour to bathing routines of children and teenagers ( I won't go into disturbing traumatic details ,I will share the links separately so that if anyone is interested they can read there )

Disturbing images include those taken without consent. Photos are often taken while the women are asleep or, in some instances, drugged.

Victims aren’t limited to family members but also include colleagues and classmates or any women perpetrators in participants come in contact with.

Images include intended “humiliation”, by sharing images of acting inappropriately with the victims, with mothers, siblings or relatives targeted Students who are minors are the target, listed by age and their educational facility

Images pornographic in nature are shared alongside AI deepfake images the set of Telegram rooms, such as one with a total of more than 212,000 participants as reported by Koreaboo, revealed that in order to gain access to the rooms, one must submit a set of photos of any girl or woman around them — including family members, and provide the girl’s personal details

Another humiliation room contain " mother room" ,"cousin room ", "sister room" etcand it has 1932 participants

Top schools such as the famed SKY universities, Yonsei, Seoul National, and Korea Universities are also not spared.online vigilantes have also taken to revealing perpetrators’ identities online with some barely in their teens. the situation is exacerbated by dismissive attitude of many parents when informed about these incidents.some parents downplay the severity, blame the victims, or force reconciliation, ignoring the emotional trauma inflicted

the Korean Teachers Union speculates that over 200 schools have been targeted in the new Nth room incident. This is because usually the groups were named after the school to make it easier to find the chats and generate more such deep fake content as per the reports.( Wth ) This is a SA epidemic over there ,now these school numbers are 500

Even female journalists who cover the issue about the “second Nth Room” are also being threatened with deepfake porn. You might be wondering, “Why are these vile men so bold? What is the ‘second Nth Room’? Why are South Korean women starting to share their experiences online? The reason is to get justice,why these perpetrators are so bold that they are threatening even female journalists and asking male journalists to tell them name of the journalists they don't like and they will make deepfake of that journalist ,female journalists stating that they had sleepless nights checking those rooms that if their deepfakes are uploaded or not

Perpetrators can easily delete traces of their digital activity, making it difficult for authorities to hold them liable for the crime of deepfake porn distribution. Deepfake pornography is only punishable when shared in South Korea. And although nth room crimes have happened in past too , substantial laws haven't been passed so it's still continuing in 2024

Perpetrators are as young as 14 years old and situation is dire to the point that south Korean women are now scared to post selfies on social media ,what makes this nth room case more disgusting is the women aren't strangers,it's not only incest ,but also the whole purpose is to humiliate and degraded them hence the name ," humiliation rooms "

Cases are more in cities/ urban areas and less in rural areas

Feminism is vilified in South Korea ,In South Korea, feminism often raises backlash. To identify as a feminist—to advocate for gender equality—can lead to being ostracize and bullied. It doesn’t matter if female journalists cover the issue of sexual violence. Female journalists involved in covering the Burning Sun scandal received backlash and threats from men because they covered the case. Additionally, women are often expected to take responsibility

60% percent of the victims are minors and although the deepfakes existed in previous nth room time too ,the number was less ,the age of perpetrators and victims were less ( less in number and not that much minors were involved ),and the overall number of these crimes were less

One chat room has been in operation since 2020 has 1200 participants in it

Another place is DC gallery ( where people who are depressed can communicate anonymously )where 8000 to 9000 posts are uploaded in a day as incidents have increased a lot as comapred to last year and then it moved to instagram "Ulstar", another place is" hide house " where depressed underage girls are lured to take drugs where they are subjected to situatory rape and illegal filming

Other websites where these types of content are shared are ( cumulative website visitor ranking in July ) 5th place femco 340 million users ,Yax Korea 240 million users where deep penetrating illegal content ,hidden camera photoge and sexually exploited material is shared ,9th place akarive : 270 million users,19 th place A site where 120 million users so In Korea this is not just limited to telegram only

Even people in nursing homes have installed telegram on their phone where they watch these type of videos without thinking of it as a crime and ask staff to find them videos of their age group

According to the 'Deepfake Crime Status' released by the office of People Power Party Rep. Cho Eun-hee at the request of the National Police Agency, out of the 120 suspects arrested for fake video production last year, 91 (75.8%) were teenagers. In 2022, the proportion of teenagers was high at 61%. The figure for January to July this year was also high at 73.6%.

The teenager perpetrators are increased due to the low punishment and fear of no caught ,even in all the reported cases there are few cases where the punishment is given according to their crimes ,In some cases young people aren't limited to this but do gambling ,drug and cigarettes proxy purchasing where they are lured in on telegram rooms with money and living expenses deals

What most interesting is anyone involved under age of 14 cannot be punished by south Korean law ,south Korea needs it's law changed for protection of women ,if most perpetrators are teenagers they as well face charges for their crimes

The root cause is structural gender discrimination, education that clearly states that it's a crime , stronger punishments and platform regulations

Even in Nth room 2019 deepfakes Were there ,where it was criticized that its only a freedom of expression now the numbers increased ten folds from 20 ,000 to 212,000

In these telegram rooms ,the crime is not only limited to deepfakes but also to revenge porn ,and to blackmail these women ,most victims sometimes do suicide( 45 % victims of spy cams consider suicide as an option and 20 % actually commit it )

The perpetrators enter these rooms by sharing 10 pics of the victim and then making deepfake by using these videos ,chat rooms are specific for each school and then victim personnel information is used to threaten them ,from their name , Instagram ID ,home address ,which class they are in ,year of birth ,phone number etc

Even K-pop idols aren't safe ,their voices are used to make Fake AI pornographic interviews where they ask them questions of their choice and get answers ,so the problem isn't limited to stripping and deepfake videos ,its this type of content too even on twitter there are accounts where NSFW content of idols is shared which is produced by using AI , according to 2023 deepfake status report by american security companies ,8 out it 10 victims are Korean singers 94% victims are from entertainment industry (most likely singer 58%,actresses 33% ,social media influencers ,models ,athletes 2% ) and jyp addressing the issue

There is no need to meet the victim in real life as these crimes can be done without it ,that's why there's no limit as to how many victims are of one person

Even gaming industry isn't safe as one company fired it's female designer over design of a character in which there was no bikini but a wetsuit and it causes a uproar in the male fans ,going to lengths to find out that the designer retweeted a tweet five years ago which was about illegal filming and thus was fired as her strong links to feminism ,another case of a webtoon artist creating art from real life revenge porn ( non -consensual illegal filming )

99% percent of this deepfake telegram scandal victims are women and among it 98% of deepfake content is in pornographic category

Perpetrators sharing these contents as memes and doing thess act as to "prank " their acquaintance/victims is another level of Idk what it is ...

This deepfake content isnt limited to south Korea only ,other countries are also involved with America second in list 20% crime rate of deep fake ,Japan 10% on third , England 6% , China 4%,India 2% ,Taiwan 2% and Israel 1% ,other populations all over world are 1% ,the problem is south korea is on top with 53% crime rate of deepfake

Telegram sexual exploitation distribution system is as from producer of content to possesser to viewer ,from 2020 masterminds of Dr Bang and N Bang were arrested,in 2022 another person "L" was arrested with the help of Australian police and now its sort of epidemic there

The bot used by telegram for it's production of this content wasn't seen 5 years ago ,now you can create this content for 2000 won for a synthetized photo and 13000 won for a video ,and with the number of perpetrators 220,000 how many people have installed this bot ,also on telegram just send a saved message and this content can be saved ,and if you have annual telegram subscription you can share and receive material exponentially faster

From luring these victims to come to telegram by gathering their personal information and then providing it to the producer of this content on telegram in these chats rooms to forcing the victim to join telegram by sending messages or calls and as soon as victim joins it ,this pit start getting deeper as now the producer immediately got notification of that person joining and they will do whatever they want with the victim ,alot of perpetrators even using their teachers(almost 200) ,mother's for this sexual gratification and humiliation is kind of disturbing,even military isn't safe

Korean men mocking and insulting women how they are raising their voice against this issue and don't want to tolerate it ,with some saying they are less then dogs to not be able to regulate their body and even some YouTubers related to and involved in these deepfake SA is not only disturbing but terrible

The punishments are so less that sometimes it's only probation and suspension and thats what makes these perpetrators so brave that they know they won't mostly likely get caught ,if get caught ,they won't be charged ,victims men or women should get justice , although the majority is women ,I hope they all get justice instead of living life in fear and getting targeted again and again,or thinking or even committing suicide

[dandorime]

The Victorium Awaits

Well, took me a little longer than I'd anticipated, but if you're still up for some IEYTD RP fun (on Discord), here's your sign. :D

Backstory

You work for the Enhanced Operatives Division of the Secret Agency Group. A mysterious invitation has come through the intraoffice mail and landed on your desk: you've been selected to participate in the Agency's Advanced Certificate Education (ACE) program, a special training camp for the best of the best. They want to send you and your handler to the Victorium, an automated facility, where you'll work together with other agent-handler pairs to conquer challenges designed to test your wits, your mettle, and your telekinetic skills. Are you up for the challenge?

Details

This is a low-stat, longform written game. There are no official meeting times. Each player will control two characters simultaneously: one agent and one handler. You can play a canon character, bring your OCs, or make fresh characters just for this game (no worries). The only participation expectations are that you'll check in once roughly every 24 hours or so and respond if your characters are in action. Please see the laws/rules in the server for more details.

Everyone's welcome, even if you're not playing. :3 Setup is still in progress, but I think we'll be ready to kick off the game within a few days.

Pings! (apologies if you didn't want to be pinged, I felt bad leaving people out)

@grimm-bot, @chronologicallyonline, @tillywunderwing, @toastedfork, @thelittlehorrorshite, @uhhhhhhhmoss , @the-one-and-only-043 , @phoenix-and-found-family, @gr3yyyyy, @markophoenix, @dawnphoenixrises, @eodasks, @agentwraith, @ghostlystarwanderer, @agent-toast, @definitelyunhingedagentphoenix

I understand Discord is a problem for some folks, and for that, I apologize. I don't know anywhere else to to host online. If you have recommendations for where I should run future games, please let me know. Thank you!

[archivalofsins]

Lope: Ah, another pain. What are these two twins? Well difficult pairs are hard to come by now a days. Maybe they could work well together? Hopefully it's not a case of like repelling like.

Lope's Commencement

Daniel Prisoner 001

002 - Mirelle Apte

Place of Birth: London, England

Date of Birth: 09/15/2007

Age: 16

Ethnicity: Indian

She has a proper demeanor befitting of her prisoner colour. Directly underneath that is an aggressively forward woman. Lacking patience, she started investigating our facility as soon as she could. A trait that would be more desirable if she were a guard. Any wannabe guards should follow her example. Information doesn’t just come to a person, sometimes you need to search for it.

The guards those cottontails pick are rather unthinkinking to take a turn of phrase from one of my superiors. They couldn’t follow a lead even if they slapped a GPS in some of their hands. Atrocious. Ah sorry I got distracted...

Since she is not a guard her behavior is very frustrating. Incidentally, she also appears to be scheming with Milko- a pain in the making. Make sure they don't cause too much trouble.

Prisoner Color: #280137

Permanent record Apte has a history of good attendance and is a B grade student. However, with enough application of effort, we expect her to progress up to an A grade average. Apte is attentive in class. However, she doesn't participate much and is prone to verbal altercations when interacting with peers.

Dear Mirelle Apte,

Congratulations!

Your application for our foreign exchange program has been accepted. This is a pivotal step in pursuing higher education for you. This will not only expand your educational prowess but your social aptitude as well. Our staff will be there to aid you during every step of this monumental process.

Make sure to pull up your information online and check that you are committed to this by changing your status to such. We can't wait to have you here in Wisconsin for the remainder of your sophomore and junior year.

Sincerely,

XXXXXXX

To all parents and students,

It has come to our faculty's attention that some students have been putting up fliers around the school with vulgar language and a student's personal contact information on it. The students responsible can consider this their first and final warning to stop. Harassment of any kind is not allowed on this premises.

These fliers and the messages on them do not reflect any of our students' character or the mannerisms our school wishes to foster. If this does not cease immediately, we may need to reexamine the privileges given to our students in order to properly reflect the sort of people they feel inclined to be at this moment.

There are many events that have yet to transpire this school semester. With those in mind really reflect on the individuals you wish to be and the sort of school year you wish to have.

Vice Principal XXXXX

Dear students and parents,

As a result of the continued vandalism. Sophomore class b will be excluded from further school functions until the vandalizer is found or comes forward. That is all. The behavior exhibited by sophomore class b along with the harassment of any student will not be tolerated.

Vice principal XXXXX

Lope: Ah, for those interested. I'm a jackrabbit not a cottontail. Please don't mistake me for one of the higher ups. They wouldn't like it and I'd definitely hate it. Sorry to burst the cute little image of me you undoubtedly had in your head.

[cgi-heart-eyes]

hey! hope you're doing ok

if you don't mind me asking, what's happening to the Jewish community? I've seen some of your posts but I don't live in the US and would like to be educated and know what's happening

whatever it is, I hope you're doing ok and that it gets better <3

i don’t mind.

right now, because of what’s going on in israel, jewish communities all around the world are being targeted. there are rallies with people holding up swastikas, there are people online cheering on mass murder of jews. synagogues and other jewish facilities have been increasing security.

[maaarine]

‘Urination equality’: Amsterdam women win fight for more public toilets (Ashifa Kassam, The Guardian, April 29 2024)

"The need kicked in as Geerte Piening was on her way home from a bar one night in 2015.

She swiftly weighed her options: it was past closing time in Amsterdam’s lively Leidseplein area, meaning she could not duck into a bar to use their facilities, while the nearest public toilet was 2km away.

She resorted to squatting in an alleyway, coaxing her friends to cover her as she did so.

Police soon turned up, handing her a €140 (£118) fine for public urination. Few could have predicted what would come next.

After a nine-year battle for “urination equality” in which thousands took to the streets of the Netherlands, this month Amsterdam said it would open more public toilets in October.

The day after Piening was fined, she woke up furious about the injustice of it.

“There were a lot of urinals for men nearby but I couldn’t go anywhere to pee,” she said. “I thought, OK, this is an issue.” (…)

The judge also offered his own view on the issue, telling Piening that despite the lack of female facilities she should have made use of a men’s urinal. “It may not be pleasant but it is possible,” he said.

Over coffee later with her loved ones, Piening pondered the judge’s suggestion.

“We were all laughing about it because it was so ridiculous,” she said. “I think that is definitely not possible.”

Across the country, the response was much sharper. Protests began to pop up in cities across the country, calling on women to challenge the judge’s view.

“Women from across the country are invited to demonstrate the (im)possibilities of urinating in a public urinal built for men,” said the organisers of one protest coined “Power to the Peepee”.

Others posted photos online showing themselves twisted in knots and attempting ambitious gymnastic poses in order to comply with the judge’s orders, with some signed on to a petition calling on the country’s minister of education, culture and science to tackle “urination equality”. (…)

Slowly the city started to make changes, placing mobile toilets in major parks and green areas during the summer and informing the public that they could use facilities in sites such as police stations and fire halls.

But it took years to secure the ultimate victory; this month Amsterdam said new wheelchair-accessible public toilets would be available starting in October.

The exact number was not confirmed though the city said its total investment would be €4m.

Among those celebrating the news was Piening. “How do I feel about it? Really good,” she said. The past nine years had been a test of patience, one that had at times been overwhelming, she said.

But it had also been a crash course in how the design of cities – often harking back to a time when women were expected to remain in the home – can actively exclude segments of the population if left unchallenged.

“I think the city is mostly built by and for men,” she said. “So if I look at it from that angle, it isn’t surprising that there are only urinals for men.”"

[sunset-skater]

since we can't draw characters we'll just visualize ideas we know we lack the skill to draw so we need to figure out how to write about them instead. anyways enjoy a before/after of the classified au sambastian polycule, because being abandoned at a remote astrological facility it putting them THRU IT

Sam, back in the city

loved his time living in Pelican Town, but is ecstatic that he gets to experience city life alongside Seb

on disability for his adhd and chronic pain, so he plays house husband but also has the space to just focus on his music. plays guitar on good days, makes digital music when he's having a bad pain day

visits home whenever Seb does, to keep in touch with his parents and especially stay in Vincent's life

always goddamn sunshine even on his flare up days, he's just so happy to be alive and loves sharing it all with Seb

went from saying hi to the guy Seb's on voice with, to getting to know his boyfriend's latest date, to eventually falling for the guy Seb's dating and branching this polycule into a triangle

Sebastian, finally in the city

works part time at a bookstore, freelances as a programmer on the side, loves being able to work with information on so many fronts

owns way too many books cause they're SO cheap through work!

very autistic at work, usually wearing headphones and doing his own thing. his coworkers love that he enjoys all the mundane tasks they'd rather hand off

visits home on the regular to hang out with his mom and enjoy his hometown, calls her lots even when he isn't visiting

plans to move back to Pelican Town someday but is enjoying the city at this stage in his life

takes over the house husband role when Sam's having a bad take, finds so much joy in being able to help out

met Scott online on some astronomy forums, eventually started dating online and they voice chat lots

Scott, working his dream job

cannot believe how lucky he is to be working in astronomy like THIS

has a real firewatch vibe going on, takes care of his base and the surrounding site in between processing collected information

hasn't actually gotten much of a formal education yet, but has enough training from work - and enough research done on his own time - that he knows his way around here better than most of the people he works for

absolutely loves this life, living out in the middle of nature while working in a field of science he loves with all his heart. he even gets to use the equipment during his off hours to do whatever he likes - it's the most jacked up stargazing he's ever done

met this cute guy who loves moon aesthetics but then turned out to be the nerdiest tboy ever??? Scott's in love??? and his boyfriend is a handsome guitar-playing goofball who's always teasing Seb on video calls??? Scott's in love with them BOTH??? how lucky is he

and then a visit to meet the long distance boyfriend turns into a new living situation because extenuating circumstances means that the boys just... can't leave

Sam, isolated by woodlands and machinery

definitely losing it. the least capable of coping with these circumstances, he is NOT built for this kind of quiet. he can't even talk to people online - the only people he's got to interact with are his boyfriends, one of whom is as stir crazy as he is and the other who's so often busy with the work that trapped them here in the first place

is very bad at hiding it. he wants to be a good presence for Sebastian, and when he's in a better mood he's honestly able to lighten the mood, but when he's doing bad he wears it on his sleeve. he spends hours outside alone or holed up in a corner with noise cancelling headphones to make music, just trying to keep himself sane and feel like he's in his own space

he loves Seb so much. they spend so much time together, where Sam cooks or shares his music, Seb reads aloud to Sam or cuddles him to sleep. they try to recreate their old life anywhere they can just to feel okay

he misses his family so bad, but especially feels so much guilt and worry for Vincent. he's supposed to be there for him, yet Vincent's lost his older brother until further notice. he wants to go home so bad, spend an entire year living with his family again just so that he can make up for lost time with Vincent

anytime Seb sleeps, if Sam isn't laying in bed with him then he's set up shop in Scott's workplace so that he doesn't have to be alone. even if he's sitting on the floor with headphones in his own world, he needs so badly to be in the same room as someone. he just wants to see Scott working out of the corner of his eye - experience some semblance of normalcy

Sebastian, paranoia and nicotine cravings personified

hates this place. at first it reminded him of home but now it's such a bastardized version of it, where he resents the technology keeping him here and how the lack of civilization made it possible to keep them here at all. what's he supposed to do, walk into the woods and hopes he survives long enough to find a highway?

that said he tries to keep it hidden. even when this anger seeps through, he says it's the lack of cigarettes or the fact that his bpd flares up easier in such small confines. it's obvious how angry he is with the situation - but he can't bring himself to be open with it

in spite of it finds ways to help Scott wherever possible. he can't believe how badly he misses actually working, so he helps with the non-science work whenever possible. it keeps him busy and helps him feel productive

in spite of this all he still cares about Scott so much. he always sounded like he had some kind of dream job - but now they're trapped here and he doesn't even care. what does this place have, that Scott is so unphased by these surroundings? he just wants to be his boyfriend

he wanders outside a lot during daylight hours, wishing these woods were more like the ones they have at home. the forests he grew up in lie so much further north, and he can't even tell what is and isn't manufactured. how many of these trees were replanted after the original forest was destroyed, and how much of this is actually like this?

he misses his mom more than anything. he could handle all of this if only he could call her and talk through everything he's feeling. instead he just has old voicemails saved to his phone, voice memos she recorded while working so that random sounds of saws and chisels can be heard in the background, and leagues of text conversations he rereads just to feel like she's here

Scott, still working his dream job

feels absolutely HORRIBLE about how getting his boyfriends to visit turned this south. he worked so hard to get permission for them to visit at all - since he isn't sure when he'll actually get a break from work - only for this to happen

copes by sinking himself further into work, both to satisfy the higher ups and hope that he gets Sam and Seb out of here sooner, but also just to lose himself into something he enjoys. to immerse himself in space and all its wonder is escapism undiluted

honestly misses working alone, and enjoys late nights spent alone at the console surrounded only by the joy of science

the one thing he does miss most is the lack of an online presence. ever since they killed their internet connection - only his dedicated work consoles have any kind of connection, and those are glorified pagers with how limited their communication options are. he's got his boyfriends here in person, but everyone else in his social sphere saw him drop off the face of the earth

he doesn't know how to regret bringing Sam and Seb here. he hates that it ever came to this, wishes he had some way of anticipating this, but also he's not sure how he could've known. he just wanted to meet them, show them the pride and joy that is this site, but instead they've all been punished

[karinyosa]

one action that i haven't seen a ton of people discuss online is writing a letter to the editor (not one specific editor, that's just what they're called). i'm thinking of palestine, but a lot of this can apply to other things. jvp has a letter to the editor guide here if u think you'd find that helpful. it's specific to jvp members from what i remember, so take what applies. individual papers will sometimes have their own sets of guidelines as well so be mindful of those. letters are generally more likely to make it to print when it comes to local papers, but you can also write letters to like. the nyt or wapo. you're just more likely to not get a response. as tools for social change, letters' purpose is to sway public opinion and pressure via institutions of media. i focus on local papers because, like with bds campaigns targeting college campuses, this stuff is going to start on a smaller scale first, but can and does build over time. think of one berkeley branch voting to divest very soon after another did first. this is like that to me.

i recommend seeing what other articles individual papers have about palestine just to get a feel for what might be most impactful for you to write about, or what still needs to be said. for local papers, you might want to tie it to your community in some way (and that might even be a requirement to get in the paper), so you can talk about, for example, how much money comes out of your specific area for israel, using uscpr's funding map. you can talk about protests in your area. if there are arab, palestinian, and/or muslim communities in your area, you talk about them. if there are medical facilities or lots of families in your area, you can talk about them. if there's a big tech presence in your area, you can relate it to that. education, youth, food, policing, etc. there's something. there are probably multiple lines of connection between your local community and palestine. you can also just respond to a published article or lte.

if you are writing a letter to the editor, it will be considered an opinion piece, so you can include opinions or things that may be seen as more subjective. check out other letters to the editor to get a sense for the type of tone/content/etc they are looking for. don't be afraid to break or bend those rules, but it's helpful to be aware of the general vibe of the paper, what's likely to get published, and what needs to be said.

what do you want your community to be talking about? what needs to be brought to their attention? what misconceptions need to be corrected? what issues do you want to put on the table? what do you want to add to the conversation? what's missing? what should be done about it?

if you can't make it to in-person actions, this can all be done online. and if you consider yourself good with words, this may be an area in which you're uniquely effective.

ps: citing other articles or sources is always helpful and is a way to platform other articles/books/texts that u think should be shared, although i don't think that's usually a requirement for ltes. if u can't think of one, ask around.

[beardedmrbean]

Aug. 13 (UPI) -- A former Cornell University student has been sentenced to nearly two years behind federal bars for posting threats online targeting his school's Jewish community.

Patrick Dai, 22, of Pittsford, N.Y., was handed the 21-month sentence Monday, four months after he pled guilty in April to posting threats to kill or injure another person using interstate communications.

Dai was a junior at Cornell in late October when he posted threatening messages to the Cornell section of an online discussion forum.

Excerpts of the posts reproduced in statements from the Justice Department show he threatened to "shoot up" 104 West!, Cornell's kosher dining room that is located next to the Center for Jewish Living facility, as well as "bomb jewish house."

He also threatened to bring an assault rifle to campus to "shoot all you pig jews," according to federal prosecutors, who added that he vowed to stab and slit the throat of any Jewish man he saw at Cornell and rape and throw off a cliff any Jewish woman. Jewish babies, he said, according to prosecutors, would be beheaded.

Dai was quickly identified after the posts were published online and he has remained at the Broome County Jail since his arrest.

"Every student has the right to pursue their education without fear of violence based on who they are, how they look, where they are from or how they worship. Anti-Semitic threats of violence, like the defendant's vicious and graphic threats here, violate that right," Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said Monday in a statement.

United States Attorney Carla Freedman said Dai's actions "terrorized" the Cornell campus for days "and shattered the community's sense of safety."

The threats were communicated less than a month after Hamas launched a bloody assault on Israel that killed some 1,200 Israelis and ignited the ongoing war between the Iran-backed militia and the Middle Eastern country.

Lisa Peebles, a federal public defender and Dia's legal representative, told The New York Times in an email that her client is not anti-Semitic and that the posts had been a misguided effort to "expose the atrocities of Hamas and garner sympathy for the Jewish community."

She explained that Dia is autistic and can function like a child between the ages of 5 and 10.

"He is deeply sorry for the hurt he caused," Peebles said, The Times reported. She also suggested that the crime is what led to his autism diagnosis.

Dia was also sentenced Monday to three years' post-incarceration supervised release that is to include no contact with his former university and mental health treatment. Other restrictions imposed as part of the sentence include monitoring of his electronic devices and use of the Internet.