#penn is the only public university that is

[philosopherking1887]

Um... have those RAs *not* been fired? I would not trust any of them to come within 20 feet of a Jewish student, let alone handle their personal problems -- including the one who claims to be Jewish.

"[L]ate last month Rutgers required its RAs, whose job is to supervise students living in on-campus housing, to participate in a “bystander intervention” course aimed at training them to identify antisemitism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia. Several of the RAs, however, abruptly left the session after a Jewish speaker explained that Hamas’s antisemitism and desire to destroy the world’s only Jewish state precipitated the Oct. 7 massacre, which resulted in the largest loss of Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust.

The paper added that the RAs took issue with the program’s citing a definition of antisemitism offered by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). After walking out, they reportedly contacted Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), which proceeded to author, on the RAs’ behalf, a series of Instagram posts denouncing the antisemitism trainings as racist and upholding white supremacy.

"The mandated training program organized by the Office of Residence Life requires RAs to learn about DEI, restorative justice, community engagement, and more — all of these are inspired by Indigenous practices meant to unpack systems of white supremacy,” SJP said. “On the contrary, this specific session worked to perpetuate Zionism, racism, and white supremacy.”

SJP’s post included comments from the RAs who involved them in the controversy. One of them, who claimed to be Jewish, said, “I am tired of the word antisemitism being used to talk over genocide, I am tired of antisemitism being inflated.” The RA added, “I fear that when the Nazis and radicals come once again for the Jews that no one will believe us … it will be your fault.”

Another who took issue with the Israeli nationality of one of the course’s presenters said, “One of the facilitators even identified as ‘Israeli’ and made mention of this multiple times. He justified his authority on the topic by citing his 12 plus years spent in ’48 Palestine, going so far as to call ‘Israel’ [sic] a ‘beautiful land.'”

A milieu of extreme anti-Zionism at the school has resulted in at least one death threat against the life of a Jewish student since Oct. 7. In November, a local news outlet reported, freshman Matthew Skorny, 19, called for the murder of a fraternity member he identified as an Israeli, saying on the popular social media forum YikYak, “To all the pro-Palestinian ralliers [sic] … Go kill him.”

Similar incidents at Rutgers have occured frequently. In the past few years, the school’s AEPi fraternity house has been vandalized three times. In one incident, in April 2022, on the last day of the Jewish holiday of Passover, a caravan of participants from a SJP rally drove there, shouting antisemitic slurs and spitting in the direction of fraternity members. Four days later, before Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day in Israel, the house was egged during a 24-hour reading of the names of Holocaust victims.

In March, the US House Committee on Education and the Workforce launched an investigation of Rutgers’ handling of antisemitism, responding to complaints that it has, for years, allowed an open season of hate against Jewish students."

[swap-tech-enterprise]

Public Relations Internship Part A, Customer Swap Stories #2

My name is Michael and I am currently a junior public relations major at Penn State.

When the university announced they partnered with Swap Tech Enterprise (STE) and launched the “Semester in Their Shoes” program, I knew that I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity. I would spend the semester in the body of a recent graduate working full time in the public relations field letting me see the day to day life of someone who works in public relations looked like. While participating in the program, the work assigned to you would equate to some of the classes I should be taking but can’t while part of the program, so not only was I gaining real world experience in the field, but I also wouldn’t be missing any credits and would still get to graduate on time. As for the person I would be swapping with, they would get to spend a couple of months living my life and having a break for all the work they had to do. 

Once applications for the program opened I immediately applied in hopes to spend my spring semester working in Public Relations. After months of waiting to hear back, I finally received the email informing me that I was accepted and matched with someone for the swap. I was so excited I could barely contain my excitement in the days leading up to the swap. Finally, the day arrived and I headed down to the STE Swap Bank as instructed. I informed them that I was participating in the program through my school and they quickly gave me a run down of who I would be swapping with other information that I would need to know before the swap. After receiving all the information, the Swap Technician took me to the swap room and began prepping me for the swap. As they counted down, I was so excited that I didn’t even realize I lost consciousness once the Swap Tech’s countdown hit 0. As I opened my eyes, I noticed I was in a different room and knew the swap had worked. However, as I stood up from the bed, something was wrong. Looking down at my hands I noticed they were showing signs of aging, which shouldn’t be the case since I was supposed to be swapping with a recent graduate. I brought my hands to my chest and noticed that I was showing signs of aging as well as my body looked like it hadn’t stepped foot in a gym in years. I quickly ran to the mirror and was shocked by the face looking back at me. It wasn’t the face of a 24 year old recent graduate but that of what I could assume was a 50-55 year old man. 

Turns out that Chris, the manager of the public relations team I was joining couldn’t secure any volunteers for the swap, so he elected to step up instead. I started demanding that they swap me back now, but per the terms of the contract I signed when applying for the program, it stated that if no recent grad volunteers could be available, the head of the team could step up in their place. Upset with the circumstances, I reluctantly got dressed and headed to Chris’s apartment in Midtown, as I was now going to be living at his place in New York until the end of the spring semester in May.  I quickly took a picture and sent it to my parents, as they wanted to be updated once I was settled in.

To say my parents were shocked was an understatement, but they also knew the terms I agreed too when applying for the program and told to stick it out as May would come soon enough and I could get back to my body. They also told me they’d keep a close eye on Chris in my body to make sure he didn’t do anything I would regret after the swap so that calmed my nerves a bit. Figuring I had nothing better to do, I prepped for my first day on the job tomorrow. What should be an exciting time in my life has now been ruined and all I can do now is finish what I signed up for. God, May can’t come quick enough! 

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

by Bret Stephens

Precisely the same logic applies to Israel’s other conflicts, above all with Hezbollah. The brilliance of the pager/walkie-talkie strike in Lebanon has done more to restore Israel’s regional reputation than 11 months of relative restraint and tit-for-tat reprisals against enemies to the north. A similar lesson will also have to be given to the Houthis, especially since the Biden administration seems incapable of doing so. “Who Dares, Wins,” the motto (borrowed from the British) of Israel’s special forces, should be the motto for the Jewish state as a whole. The path out of loneliness is always a path of action.

What about American Jews?

The resurgence of anti-Semitism in the United States has begun to force a fundamental rethink of the way in which at least some American Jews contemplate their place in society: I call them ���October 8 Jews”—those who woke up the day after the attack with a clear understanding of who our friends are not. Those Jews include the donors who revolted at the idea of continuing to give money to Harvard, Penn, Brown, or Columbia; who are investing heavily in new educational institutions that adhere to classically liberal values; who are calling out the DEI/anti-racism com- plex for being the anti-Semitism incubator that it is; who are breaking out of the stale orthodoxies of traditional media; who are investing all of their philanthropic energies in strengthening Jewish life.

They are the vanguard, but we are only at the beginning. So many institutions in American life that were once welcoming places for American Jews have turned bad: elite private schools; human-rights organizations; the literary world; social work; Mideast-studies departments; public-school curriculums—the list is long. In every one of these fields or institutions, October 8 Jews have a clear choice: Reject, reform, or reinvent them. What’s no longer possible is to pretend that what we have now is acceptable, or that indifference and inaction are viable options.

Just as the Bush administration spoke of a “whole of government effort” after September 11, 2001, we need a “whole of American Jewry” effort after October 7: to make high-quality Jewish day-school education available and affordable to every Jewish family that wants one; to cut off all giving to colleges and universities that are hostile to open and vibrant Jewish life and Zionist expression; to create a new ecosystem of literary prizes, faculty chairs, “genius awards,” and grants that reward and celebrate true merit; to fund and tell stories on large and small screens that richly and empathically explore the Jewish experience; to deepen American ties to Israel through corporate and academic partnerships; to expose and shut down the opaque and potentially illicit networks that fund and support the anti-Israel student protests.

This is a partial list, but you get the point. If we don’t want to wind up alone, we cannot afford to stand still, think small, or look back. The questions are no longer “Who betrayed us?” or “Why is the world this way?” They are “What do we do now?” and “How soon can we get it done?”

Israel and the Jewish people aren’t alone—yet. Ensuring that we never wind up alone is going to take courage, work, nerve. And a demand for respect.

[gallifreyinstituteforlearning]

is public transit on gallifrey decent? or is having a public transit system that runs on time and is well-maintained an impossibility beyond what even the time lords can achieve?

There's only one public transport system in the known universe that runs on time, which is the 138 bus from Westcliff to Broadmire Village in a rural county in England. It runs twice per week on a Tuesday and Friday at 10 am, and has been doing so on time and without fail for 34 years. It allows Mrs. Penn of Ipplefarm Road to retrieve her weekly shopping and attend bingo in the Broadmire town hall.

Despite continued observations, the secret to the 138's punctuality is unknown to all sentient lifeforms. Many thinkers of the Universe believe if we were to crack the secret of the 138, perhaps we might enter a new age of enlightenment.

aka Absolutely no idea and can't even make a guess, but you'd really hope so, wouldn't you?

Any purple text is educated guesswork or theoretical. More content ... →📫Got a question? | 📚Complete list of Q+A and factoids →😆Jokes |🩻Biology |🗨️Language |🕰️Throwbacks |🤓Facts →🫀Gallifreyan Anatomy and Physiology Guide (pending) →⚕️Gallifreyan Emergency Medicine Guides →📝Source list (WIP) →📜Masterpost If you're finding your happy place in this part of the internet, feel free to buy a coffee to help keep our exhausted human conscious. She works full-time in medicine and is so very tired 😴

[vague-humanoid]

This is a hopeful moment for the whole left-liberal coalition. The vibes, for once, are good. Almost every leftist I know is excited about Harris and thinks Trump is beatable. With a newly united party behind her, there are only so many ways Harris can screw it up, but one seems all too plausible: She could select Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro as her running mate.

On paper, it’s understandable why Shapiro is among the leading candidates reportedly being vetted by Harris. Like nearly all of the veep contenders, he’s a white male governor with a centrist reputation. At 51, he’s even younger than Harris and a fresh face, having only held his current job for 18 months. He has already shown himself to be a more than capable administrator, generating a lot of good publicity for repairing a damaged section of Interstate 95 within two weeks. Most importantly, Pennsylvania is the most valuable swing state in play, worth 19 electoral votes, and Shapiro is very popular there.

Unfortunately, Shapiro also stands out among the current field of potential running mates as being egregiously bad on Palestine. It’s not just that he, like many Democrats, is an outspoken supporter of Israel—though he certainly is, having championed Israel’s war against Hamas consistently and without any apparent concern for Palestinian civilians. Shapiro has, moreover, done far more than most Democrats to attack pro-Palestine antiwar demonstrators, in ways that call into question his basic commitment to First Amendment rights.

In his previous role as Pennsylvania attorney general, Shapiro championed the state’s constitutionally dubious anti-BDS (boycott, divestment, sanctions) law against Ben & Jerry’s after the ice cream maker refused to license its product for sale in Israeli settlements. “BDS is rooted in antisemitism,” Shapiro wrote in a statement in 2021, as he condemned a company named for its two Jewish American founders. “The stated goal of this amorphous movement is the removal of Jewish citizens from the region and I strongly oppose their efforts.”

As governor, Shapiro’s particular animus against pro-Palestine activism has only grown more apparent and troubling. Last December, he played an active role in the GOP-orchestrated sacking of University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill. During a visit to Goldie, the popular Philadelphia restaurant co-owned by the Israeli-born celebrity chef Michael Solomonov, Shapiro condemned Magill’s testimony on alleged antisemitism on the Ivy League campus before Representative Elise Stefanik, the MAGA right’s grand inquisitor. “That was an unacceptable statement from the president of Penn,” Shapiro said, referring to Magill’s unwillingness to accept Stefanik’s slippery framing on what constitutes antisemitism. “Frankly, I thought her comments were absolutely shameful. It should not be hard to condemn genocide.” Magill resigned four days after her testimony and three days after Shapiro’s statement, legitimizing the GOP’s wider assault on academic freedom, which would be repeated successfully against Harvard President Claudine Gay weeks later.

In April, Shapiro’s office baselessly claimed that a peaceful pro-Palestine encampment on the Penn campus threatened student safety. “If the universities in accordance with their policies can’t guarantee the safety and security and well-being of the students, then I think it is incumbent upon a local mayor or local governor or local town councilor, whoever is the local leadership there, to step in and enforce the law,” Shapiro told Politico at the time. In May, he urged Penn to shut down the encampment completely. “The University of Pennsylvania has an obligation to their safety,” he said, once again alluding to nonexistent threats to the physical well-being of Jewish students. “It is past time for the university to act, to address this, to disband the encampment, and to restore order and safety on campus.” The university complied; one day and 33 arrests later, Shapiro’s office said Penn “made the right decision.”

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Ron Kapeas

Published: Jan 8, 2024

JTA — In a speech marking Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, Rep. Ritchie Torres likened protesters who have celebrated Hamas’s October 7 massacres to white people in the Jim Crow era who celebrated after the lynching of Black people.

“I was profoundly shaken not only by October 7, but by the aftermath,” Torres, a Black Bronx Democrat, said Friday in a speech at Central Synagogue, a prominent Reform congregation in midtown Manhattan. “I found it utterly horrifying. To see fellow Americans openly cheering and celebrating the deadliest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. And for me, the aftermath of October 7 revealed a barbarity of the American heart that reminded me of an earlier and darker time in our nation’s history, a time when the public mobs of Jim Crow would openly celebrate the lynching of African Americans.”

Protests have proliferated since October 7, when Hamas terrorists murdered some 1,200 people, kidnapped around 240 and brutalized thousands more in an invasion from Gaza. They have grown as Israel has waged a war in Gaza to eliminate the terror group, and especially as casualties mounted: So far, close to 25,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, which does not differentiate between fighters and non-combatants and is also believed to tally civilians killed by errant rockets fired by terror groups.

A number of the protests have decried the October 7 violence on Israelis, but others have skated over the initial massacres or have embraced Hamas and described its atrocities as resistance.

Torres, a member of the progressive caucus in Congress, has garnered a reputation as an unstinting supporter of Israel. He has duked it out online with fellow progressives in debates over Israel, a dynamic that has only intensified since October 7. Torres is heavily funded by AIPAC and donors aligned with the pro-Israel lobby, and spoke at a massive rally for Israel in Washington on November 14.

In his speech, Torres alluded to the controversies that assailed elite universities after the presidents of Harvard, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Pennsylvania told Congress that calls to commit genocide against Jews did not necessarily violate the schools’ codes of conduct. The ensuing uproar drove Harvard’s and Penn’s presidents to resign.

“What we’ve seen in the aftermath of October 7, is appalling silence and indifference and cowardice from so called leaders in our society from institutions that we once respected and admired,” he said. “And if we as a society cannot bring ourselves to condemn the murder of innocents with moral clarity, then we must ask, what are we becoming as a society? What does that reveal about the depths of antisemitism in the American soul?”

I had the honor of delivering the annual MLK sermon at Central Synagogue.  My speech touches on a range of topics and themes: October 7th, Jim Crow, Leo Frank, MLK, Elie Wiesel, silence, indifference, moral clarity, nonviolence, Israel, Am Yisrael Chai, Hatikvah, and hope. pic.twitter.com/stxqxzgyLi — Ritchie Torres (@RitchieTorres) January 16, 2024

Central is a locus for some of the city’s wealthiest liberal Jewish families, many of whom are also firm supporters of Israel. Dr. Shonni Silverberg, the synagogue president, introduced Torres as a champion of progressive priorities as well as an advocate for Israel, and noted that he is the first openly LGBTQ representative elected from the Bronx.

“Ritchie remains steadfastly focused on the priorities of his South Bronx constituents, expanding access to safe and affordable housing, rebuilding New York economically and ensuring that no child goes hungry and that all receive a good education,” she said. “But he has also shown himself both in and out of Congress to be a great friend of the American Jewish community and Israel.”

--

==

I was shocked, but not surprised. Shocked at how openly, how loudly and how quickly pro-Hamas, pro-terrorism supporters emerged from their Postcolonial Studies, Gender Studies, Intersectional Feminism Studies and other fraudulent sewers in the ivory towers long before Israel ever fired a shot back.

I was not surprised, however, since antisemitism is a cornerstone of Intersectionality, as I posted about more than two years ago:

I na��vely expected that they'd go, "whoa, we didn't mean it like that, that's not what we were after," the standard No True Scotman tactic to distance their enlightened antisemitism from the antisemitism of murderous Islamic jihadists.

But they went the other way and leaned into it, cheering it on, while others tried to gaslight everyone with the usual array of denials that they weren't saying what they were openly saying, and that anyway, if they were saying it, that's not what they meant.

[beardedmrbean]

Some of the same hard leftists who have been on the forefront in denying free speech rights to those deemed politically incorrect have now begun to champion the First Amendment in defense of those who advocate the killing of Jews.

Among the worst offenders is Harvard's President Claudine Gay, who for years—both as dean of the faculty and as president of Harvard—has championed the idea that it is more important for students to feel safe, and not have their ideas challenged, than for free expression to be allowed on campus. The bureaucracy through which this notion operates is Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), which punishes microaggressions and other forms of speech that certain students claim makes them feel unsafe. The entire woke progressive movement rests on restricting expression that alienates or upsets protected minorities.

In her disastrous testimony in front of Congress, President Gay swore under oath that we at Harvard "embrace a commitment to free expression." If only that were so. For years now Harvard has been suppressing expression deemed by some to be politically incorrect, as reflected by its last-place ranking among American universities in protecting free speech by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. Lectures have been canceled because of content some deemed offensive. Students have been reprimanded for microaggressions. Acceptances have been rescinded for allegedly racist or sexist speech engaged in by high school students. A former president—Lawrence Summers—was forced to resign over comments about women in engineering. An atmosphere of intimidation has permeated the campus. Freedom of expression was dying a slow death at the university whose motto is "Veritas" but whose actions have suggested "Pravda."

Then suddenly, following the barbarous Hamas attacks of October 7 and the flurry of antisemitic rhetoric immediately following them, the same groups that denied free speech to those who criticize minorities protected by DEI have discovered the First Amendment as a protection for those who are calling for the death of Jews.

"Free speech for me, but not for thee" has been the unspoken mantra of the hard Left. Or, more specifically, "freedom of speech to make Jews feel unsafe but not to make favored minorities uncomfortable."

There are two principled responses universities may take to this unequal application of freedom of expression. The first, and the one which I personally prefer, is to allow total free speech consistent with the First Amendment on all campuses. This would permit advocacy, but not incitement, against all and any groups. This pure and equal approach to the First Amendment is what the Supreme Court has demanded of the government in most circumstances. It allowed Nazis to march in Skokie, Illinois, and communists to advocate the overthrow of the government. It does not allow direct and immediate incitement to violence. The line between advocacy and incitement has been a difficult one to draw since the Supreme Court mandated that distinction. But it is the law, in theory if not always in practice.

The First Amendment is not directly applicable to private universities and other non-governmental organizations. Universities remain free to impose speech codes and other limitations on free expression that they feel enhance the learning experience and the safety of students. Public universities have greater restrictions, but they too have some flexibility in adapting the First Amendment to the special needs of educational institutions.

If private universities, such as Harvard, MIT, and Penn decide not to adhere to the standards of the First Amendment and impose limitations on free speech, they should do so equally and without preference for some groups over others. Few universities, if any, satisfy that criteria. Most prefer certain minorities over others, as well as certain political views over others.

If Harvard had a history of applying a single standard, its president would have had an easy time answering the question of whether Harvard's rules prohibit the advocacy of genocide against the Jews. Here's what she would have been able to say: "under the standards Harvard has applied in the past, there is no doubt that calling for genocide against the Jews is a clear violation of Harvard rules." But she refused to acknowledge the truth—that Harvard has not embraced "a commitment to free expression" equally for all of its students and faculty.

It can be hoped that perhaps the Harvard Corporation's decision to retain President Gay will actually result in a change in its policies toward free speech. Perhaps Harvard will finally "embrace a commitment to free expression" for all. This may be wishful thinking, especially in light of the continuing influence of the DEI bureaucracy over who can say what about whom, without fear of university reprisal. But it is the right thing to do.

[ausetkmt]

WEAR A MASK BECAUSE YOU DON'T NEED TO BE AN INCUBATOR

At least 58 people in the U.S. have been infected by the H5N1 bird flu virus this year, according to federal statistics. All but two of them had been around cows or chickens, two species in which H5N1 is circulating widely. That’s reassuring to scientists because it suggests the virus is spreading primarily through close contact with infected animals, and not from person to person.

Less comforting are the results of a study published Dec. 5 in the journal Science: the H5N1 strain spreading among U.S. cows is only one specific mutation away from more easily binding to human cells, “a prerequisite for transmission among humans,” says study co-author James Paulson, a professor in the department of molecular medicine at Scripps Research in California.

In its current form, the H5N1 virus is better at infecting certain animal species than humans. It has sickened millions of birds and cows from more than 700 U.S. dairy herds, but a relatively small number of people. 

Most of those human cases have been among farmworkers. That suggests that—even though the bird flu virus isn’t very good at infecting humans—it sometimes finds a way when people are exposed to high enough concentrations of it, such as through close contact with sick animals, explains Troy Sutton, an assistant professor of veterinary and biomedical sciences at Penn State University, who wasn’t involved in the new study. Because the virus isn’t good at growing in the human nose and throat, however, people who get sick don’t seem able to easily infect others by coughing or sneezing, as happens with the regular seasonal flu, Sutton says.

If the bird flu changes enough to effectively infect, grow in, and jump between people,“that’s how a pandemic starts,” Paulson says. 

His team focused on the first step in that process: how the virus would need to change to easily bind to human cells. In the lab, they studied a synthetic form of a gene from the viral strain that is currently circulating among cows. They made targeted mutations to see how the shifts altered its ability to attach to human cells. “The surprising finding,” Paulson says, was that one specific mutation seemed to be enough. Previous research on H5N1, including Paulson’s, had suggested that more changes would be required.

“The emergence of a bovine H5N1 virus capable of recognizing human receptors may be closer than previously thought,” Yoshihiro Kawaoka, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who studies bird flu but was not involved in the new study, wrote in an email to TIME.

Read More: Did the Pandemic Break Our Brains?

That’s a “striking” finding, Sutton agrees, and a good motivation to prevent further human cases to the extent possible. Already, federal health officials recommend that high-risk people, such as farmworkers, wear personal protective equipment around animals that may be sick and take flu antivirals (which also seem to work against bird flu) if they have a potential exposure.

Still, Paulson emphasizes that his study does not mean a pandemic is imminent. Despite what his team found in the lab, the virus circulating in the real world does not seem to have evolved to easily target humans. Public-health officials maintain that the virus is not spreading from person to person and currently presents a low risk to the general public.

More changes might be necessary for the virus to present a true pandemic threat. The ability to easily bind to human cells—which Paulson’s team tested for—is only the first step toward widespread person-to-person transmission, he says. Further changes might be needed for the virus to become highly contagious in the real world.

Kawaoka agrees. The fact that more than 50 people in the U.S. have gotten sick, but health officials have not seen any evidence of person-to-person spread, suggests that “additional mutations are likely necessary for the virus to achieve efficient human-to-human transmission,” he wrote.

Read More: Is it Time to Worry About Bird Flu?

Health officials are closely monitoring the situation, and some worrying observations have already been documented. Recently, a Canadian teenager who caught bird flu was hospitalized. When scientists analyzed the genetic sequence of the virus taken from the teen, they reportedly found that it had mutated in a way that could make it more transmissible among people, similar to the mutation Paulson’s team identified in their study. (Luckily, though, the teen doesn’t seem to have infected anyone else.)

Kawaoka has also studied a viral strain taken from an infected U.S. farmworker. That strain, which was able to grow in samples of human lung cells, contained a mutation known to promote viral growth among mammals, Kawaoka and his team found. But that mutation is not seen in the viral strains spreading among cows, his team emphasized when the study was published in October.

Although there is no evidence of person-to-person spread yet, Paulson says health authorities should prepare for wider spread of bird flu as a precaution. It’s worth stockpiling bird flu vaccines and making plans for how they would be rolled out if they become necessary, he says.

It’s also important to keep closely monitoring the virus for any signs of change, Sutton says. But “what’s alarming to me is that we often realize we have a pandemic after the pandemic has started,” he says. “If we started to see this mutation, would it already be too late? We don’t know the answer to that.” 

[severevoiddragon]

asking you all of the in character ask questions at once GO

WHUH- I'm only doing Callie for this or else I'll be here for hours.

"Asking me ALL the questions?! Wow! Okay, let's begin!"

Questions Here

When outside during the rain, do you use a raincoat, an umbrella, or something else? Do you enjoy rain?

"I sometimes use an umbrella or a coat, but I actually quite like the rain! There's been a few times I've been sat in the cemetery and I've been caught by the rain, it was actually quite fun. Mum wasn't too happy when I got back, though..."

Are you a good cook? Do you enjoy cooking? What's your favorite thing to cook?

"I'd say I'm below average? I can cook pasta and stir fry and that's about it! I like to make a fish pasta dish, that's got a creamy penne, salmon and prawns in! It's yummy!"

Do you prefer to take a shower during the morning or evening? Do you like taking baths? What's your favorite scent of shower gel?

"Definitely the evening, it takes me a while to come out of 'shower-mode'. Baths are fun, but it's a lot of energy to make a bath, so I don't have them that often! Oh, I really like lavender scent! Makes a nice and relaxing bath!"

Would you do something that someone told you not to do? Why? Is there someone you'd actually listen to more than everyone else?

"Of course not! They'd tell me not to for a good reason, right? Unless... Well, I guess if not doing something was going to hurt someone, then I'd do it... Oh absolutely Xavier! If it told me not to do something, I'd absolutely listen to it."

What will make you give up?

"I'd like to think I wouldn't give up but... I guess it's if someone got hurt, or something like that. I guess it links in with the last question you asked, but if X told me to stop, I'd definitely stop."

What kinds of books do you read? Do you have a lot of time to read?

"History books! Old journals of people long gone! Oh, and horror books, like Frankenstein or Jekyll & Hyde, and ones like that! I generally do have a lot, when I'm not working I'm usually reading... I don't have much else to do...."

What's your favorite kind of sport? Do you follow sports closely or don't care at all?

"Oh, this is a really hard one! I guess... Rugby? I watch X do it often, but I'm not really a sporty person. Xavier's good at it, though, and I enjoy watching him play!"

How often do you get sick? Do you stay at home when sick or do you end up going outside to, say, get some groceries? If you go outside, would you wear a mask?

"A lot... I don't have that good an immune system. I've had to stay at home a fair bit, so I just try to kind of... Push past it, and go in anyway. Why would I wear a mask...?*"

*Author's note: Covid-19 doesn't exist in this universe, so masks haven't come into popular use in Britain.

Do you have to wear a uniform somewhere? If yes, how do you feel about it? If no, what kind of uniform would you love to wear?

"Thankfully no! My school isn't one that has a uniform, which I'm really glad about. However, I do sort of wear a uniform, cause I wear the same style of outfit every day! I guess that's a kind of uniform I'd love to wear!"

How do you celebrate your accomplishments?

"Usually by getting a little treat for myself from a shop! Usually a snack or a candle or some more fairy lights, or - if it was a big accomplishment - a new book!"

What's your preferred way of getting somewhere - own car, public transport, a bicycle, or something else? How well do you follow the traffic rules?

"I can't drive, so that rules that one out. I like going by train, and walking places is fun, but I get tired pretty easily and my legs start to hurt quickly, so I usually use public transport. I'm going to bug X to drive me places once he gets his driver's license, shouldn't be too long now!"

What do you use to check what time it is?

"My phone or a clock!"

What would make you feel happy and loved?

"Someone going out of their way to listen to me infodump! Speaking of which, if you're still listening to me answer questions, why not check out @secrets-of-everwich which is my podcast!"

(Author's note: please do check out my writing if you're here and haven't already, since I've banished this under a cut hehe)

Do you believe in other dimensions?

"Maybe! It would be cool! Maybe there's a universe where I don't exist... Or maybe there's a universe where I'm a witch helping someone out as they brew potions!"

(Author's note: if you get that reference, you've been paying attention to my posts)

What kind of music do you mostly listen to? Do you know how to play an instrument, and if not, which one would you want to learn to play?

"I listen to a lot of goth music, my favourite is Siouxie and the Banshees, especially 'Trick or Treat'! I can play the flute, and a bit of the piano, but I think I'd like to learn more of piano to play some sheet music I found!"

Do you collect anything? Why?

"I don't think I do...?"

Author's Note: She collects fairy lights and Weird Old Trinkets, like the tape recorder. They do not realise this counts as a collection.

What's your go-to thing to drink? Do you prefer cold or hot drinks?

"I like hot chocolate! I usually drink blackcurrent squash, though, because it's a lot tastier than water!"

[yatescountyhistorycenter]

An insider's view of the Public Universal Friend

By Jonathan Monfiletto

A person identifying himself or herself only as “A Neighbor” and writing in the National Intelligencer newspaper, from Ontario County, New York on August 24, 1819, apparently had an insider’s view of the life of the Public Universal Friend and may have been present at the Friend’s death on July 1, 1819. Published from 1800 until 1870, the National Intelligencer was the first newspaper published in Washington, D.C., covering events around the nation’s capital and capturing news across the United States of America. On August 21, 1819 – according to A Neighbor, as I have been unable to find digitized editions of the Intelligencer – the newspaper ran the Penn Yan Herald’s July 6, 1819 obituary for the Friend. And, A Neighbor wrote to the newspaper (at the time, Ontario County encompassed the northern portion of what is now Yates County) to dispute some of the facts of the Herald’s obituary as printed in the Intelligencer.

Calling the Public Universal Friend by their birth name of Jemima Wilkinson, the Herald noted the Friend died “on Thursday last” of dropsy, nowadays known as congestive heart failure, at age 66. The Herald went on to describe what purportedly took place in the Friend’s final moments: “She, a few moments previous to her death, placed herself in her chappel [sic], and called in her disciples, one by one, and gave each a solemn admonition, then raised her hands and gave up the ghost. Thus the second wonder of the western country has made her final exit.” A Neighbor, however, contradicted this version of events.

First, in his or her response, a letter titled “Of the Late Jemima Wilkinson” and addressed to Messrs. Gales & Seaton, A Neighbor noted the Friend did not die in Penn Yan but in Jerusalem, 12 miles from Penn Yan – according to A Neighbor – on the roads of the time. Using the Herald’s article, the Intelligencer may have used Penn Yan as a dateline on its article. From there, A Neighbor told a different story of the Friend’s illness and final moments: “She never had a chapel; I therefore conclude she did not exhort her disciples, one by one, in her chapel (emphasis in original) – but at her bed side, where she has for a year or more been confined most of the time by a most excruciating complaint; and where, on Saturday of each week, she collected the remnant of her followers, and exhorted them. Her complaint may have been a case of dropsy, but if so, it assumed very unusual symptoms.”

The Herald’s obituary stated, “Much curiosity has been excited since her departure. The roads leading to her mansion were for a few days after her death literally filled with crowds of people, who had been, or were going to see the Friend!” The Herald also noted the community had not yet learned whether the Friend would have a successor to lead their followers and whether the Society of Universal Friends would remain united without its head. The obituary described the Friend’s mansion – their third home in what is now Yates County, their second in the modern-day town of Jerusalem, and the only one still standing today – as “stands on a barren heath amidst the solitudes of the wilderness, at some distance from this settlement.”

A Neighbor differed on these statements as well: “Her mansion is on a hill – but not a barren heath – for the eye of man has rarely seen a more romantic and luxuriant prospect than is displayed from the Eastern front of this mansion. The roads leading to her dwelling are said to have been literally filled with crowds of people! This mighty concourse of people might possibly have amounted to 100 souls, including all her society and spectators, on the day that it was expected she would have been interred.”

A Neighbor claimed in his or her letter to have been a neighbor of the Friend for six years as well as a resident in the home of the Friend and the homes of their followers. In conversations with the Friend, A Neighbor attempted to understand their “peculiar tenets” and comprehend “a correct idea of her doctrines,” but this task was difficult because the Friend answered questions by quoting Bible verses and recounting their visions, “leaving me to draw inferences to suit myself.” A Neighbor concluded the Friend believed in millenarianism – a belief in the second coming of Jesus Christ to establish a thousand-year reign on Earth – and gathered a thousand followers into the wilderness of the New Jerusalem 25 years before. Similarly, to reports that the Friend professed to be the Messiah, A Neighbor asked questions of the Friend to discern the truth, only to receive responses of Bible verses and the Friend’s visions. Nevertheless, it seemed the Friend encouraged their followers to believe they acted upon the inspiration of Christ.

A Neighbor had first encountered the Society 18 years before; at that time, the Society was wealthy but since then had fallen out over disputes and litigation. “Many have deserted her; and a remnant only has remained with her to the last.” At one time, according to A Neighbor, the Friend had 3,000 or 4,000 followers – including men who left their wives and families and women and children who deserted their homes – settle with them in the New Jerusalem, “where it was believed all the elect were to gather together, under her protection and ministry, and the millennium to take place.”

The Intelligencer apparently responded to A Neighbor’s letter; since I haven’t been able to locate a digitized version of these Intelligencer editions, I haven’t been able to view either article published in this newspaper. A Neighbor responded to the Intelligencer’s response in the November 23, 1819 edition, noting the newspaper had responded to his or her first letter in the October 13, 1819 edition “with a critical review of my hasty communication of August last, copied from the Penn Yan Herald.” A Neighbor spent much of the second letter repeating and asserting his or her claims about the Friend that contradict the statements put forth by the Herald and the Intelligencer. This included describing the 14-square-foot room that served as the Friend’s chamber, in which they received visitors and followers during their ministry and at their death, but A Neighbor noted it was never called a chapel. Apparently challenged on the claim that the Friend had 3,000 to 4,000 followers, A Neighbor instead stated that was the total number of the Friend’s followers throughout New England and Pennsylvania, while the Society had 500 members in the New Jerusalem when A Neighbor became acquainted with it in 1795.

A Neighbor also both praised the Friend and criticized their detractors: “That a woman with hardly a common school education, in a country like the eastern and middle states, and among a people so generally well informed as the Yankees, and in the face of able ministers, should have been able to effect what she has evidently effected, is truly a wonder, and worthy of an investigation. A correct history of her life, ministry, and doctrines, could not fail to be highly interesting. Such an [sic] one I should be glad to see published by a competent hand. But the idle and malicious tales now going the rounds of our newspapers, are certainly unworthy of belief, as well as disgraceful to the presses which give them circulation.”

A Neighbor noted in the community there are “some among us who appear to believe that she was something more than human – the messenger of truth, divinely sent,” while others “paint her as a downright devil in petticoats – artful, abandoned, libidinous, and wicked.” A Neighbor believed both groups were wrong; A Neighbor believed the Friend themself was deceived and did believe themself to be inspired by Christ. “Her preaching was impressive, and calculated to produce a powerful effect on some minds. She inculcated good moral precepts, and was deeply read in Scripture, which seemed to be her ready and universal appeal on all questions addressed to her concerning religion,” A Neighbor wrote. “She was hospitable, social, and pleased to see strangers, and visitors were kindly received at her mansion, and treated with kindness, and freely discoursed with, if they demeaned themselves decently.”

A Neighbor closed this second letter by observing there were many people around New York State who had visited the Friend and been treated kindly by them and thus who knew the truth about who they were as a person versus the rumors and slander in the newspapers. A Neighbor also charged the Herald with “circulating such tales to her prejudice” and stated the newspaper should “feel a proper delicacy and forbearance on the subject.” Thus, A Neighbor provided an insider’s view of the life and times of the Public Universal Friend to the Penn Yan community and to an American audience.

[pennstateuniversitypress]

Q&A with John Bidwell

The author of The Declaration in Script and Print discusses Independence Day, the Declaration of Independence as an iconic document, and more.

Why do we celebrate independence on July 4th even though Congress voted for independence on July 2nd?

The date we have chosen for Independence Day depends on a document. By all rights we should be celebrating the day when the United States became an independent nation—July 2, 1776—when the Continental Congress adopted Richard Henry Lee’s resolution “that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States.” John Adams predicted that July 2nd would be the national anniversary, a day marked with parades, bonfires, bell ringing, gun salutes, and “illuminations” of houses with candles in the windows. Adams was wrong, however, because he did not foresee the emotional impact of the official announcement, a broadside printed two days later with the title In Congress, July 4, 1776. A Declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress Assembled. The date in the title is one reason why July 4th prevailed over July 2nd. But above all Americans cherished the text, an eloquent expression of fundamental rights based on principles of liberty, justice, and equality. Historians have traced its origins, its changing reputation, and its influence at home and abroad. I too have noted how it has been variously interpreted, but mainly I wish to show how it has been visualized, how it appeared in engravings, lithographs, and letterpress broadsides during the nineteenth century. I identify about two hundred prints and broadsides in The Declaration in Script and Print, expensive engravings suitable for framing as well as cheap stereotype keepsakes aimed at the bottom of the market. Starting with an innovative advertising campaign in 1816, I describe the merchandising tactics of artists, printers, and publishers who played on a surge of patriotic sentiment to promote their wares. In the same spirit, Penn State University Press has selected July 4th to be the release date for my book.

What was it that made the manuscript Declaration more inspiring to Americans than the printed version issued on July 4th?

Some delegates were not able to vote for independence on July 4th. A week later they received the necessary authorization, which made it possible for everyone to sign a manuscript version of the Declaration, “fairly engrossed on parchment.” They signed it on August 2, 1776, and reaffirmed the unity of the United States by changing the title to: “In Congress, July 4, 1776. The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America.” The text is more or less the same as the broadside edition, but written out by hand it seems more tangible, personal, and distinctive. Beneath it are fifty-six autographs of Founding Fathers, each an act of patriotism representing courage, conviction, and a shared commitment to a righteous cause. Awestruck Americans could pick out the names of Adams, Jefferson, Franklin, and other heroes of the Revolution. While giving the first edition its due, they have looked at the August 2nd manuscript as a more meaningful and evocative expression of their history and ideals. Printmakers catered to public demand by publishing reproductions of the manuscript although often only the signatures were reproduced in facsimile. Some believed that the manuscript had been signed on July 4th, wishful thinking all the better to convey the drama of the moment.

How and when did the Declaration become an iconic document?

In 1816 the Philadelphia newspaper publisher John Binns issued subscription proposals for an engraving of the Declaration. He was the first to tell Americans about the iconic value of that document, for which he designed a pictorial scheme that would define a new genre of patriotic prints—the signatures in facsimile, the text adorned with portraits, allegorical vignettes, and a massive cordon of state seals. Other printmakers adapted his designs, some imitated them in pirated editions, and two opportunists reprinted the original edition on the occasion of the Centennial. While Binns’s print was in press, an itinerant writing master, Benjamin Owen Tyler, produced a calligraphic version with the signatures in facsimile but without illustrations. That too inspired a series of imitations and adaptations. Binns accused Tyler of plagiarizing his prospectus, and Tyler fought back by impugning his opponent’s patriotism in a newspaper war that publicized both of these trend-setting prints. More than seventy per cent of the Declaration prints and broadsides published during the nineteenth century were derived in whole or part, directly or indirectly, from these archetypal images.

Why would Americans prefer facsimiles of the Declaration to the original manuscript?

Perhaps it wasn’t so much a matter of preference as practicality. Americans have been able to view the original in Washington where it has been displayed at various times in the Patent Office, the State Department, the Library of Congress, and the National Archives. Huge crowds came to see it in Independence Hall during the Centennial. Many were disappointed to discover that it was in poor condition, the text illegible in places and the signatures almost entirely effaced. Printmakers helped to popularize the Declaration, but their invasive replicating techniques are partly to blame for ruining it. Secretary of State John Quincy Adams realized that the manuscript was in danger and commissioned a scrupulously accurate reproduction of the text and signatures, printed in a limited edition dated “July 4th. 1823.” Adams and his successors strictly controlled the distribution of the official facsimile until the end of the century. Meanwhile the condition of the manuscript went from bad to worse. In 1894 complaints about its continuing deterioration prompted government officials to take it down and lock it in a safe, where they kept it out of sight for thirty years. During that time the State Department facsimile was the only option for those who wanted to visualize the founding document. To this day we rely on it to show what the manuscript must have looked like when it was signed by the Founding Fathers: that is what we see in souvenirs, textbook illustrations, and the New York Times every year on July 4th, an iconic image of an essential text.

The Declaration in Script and Print: A Visual History of America’s Founding Document is now available from Penn State University Press. Learn more and order the book here: https://www.psupress.org/books/titles/978-0-271-09730-5.html. Take 30% off with discount code NR24.

[ashcadence]

Because I want to talk about it, here's basically an essay about what I think is one of the most interesting places in Pennsylvania.

Quehanna Wild Area is located beside the West Branch of the Susquehanna which is one of the oldest rivers in the world dating back to pangea at 300 million years old. Why nobody talks about this I have no idea.

The land that is now the wilds area was originally used to test nuclear jet engines for the Atoms for Peace project during the cold war. The bunkers and roads are still there to this day, and assuming the DCNR hasn't put new padlocks on the bunkers, you can crawl into them. I have crawled into them... (probably only slightly radioactive)

In 1993 the nuclear reactor in the area contaminated a good chunk of the forest and waterways, and cleanup efforts were put in place. The reactor was torn down in 2003. (Apparently two year old me enjoyed sitting on my grandparents' porch watching trucks haul out pieces of the reactor.) In 2006 the concrete at the sight was still contaminated above legal limits so they started tearing down the structure. I don't exactly know when the reactor site was opened officially to the public, I can't find that information. In 2011 DCNR the map still showed the are as restricted, but on the 2020 map it is no longer labeled as restricted. The first time I visited the reactor site was in 2020 and the guy I was dating at the time almost got bit by a rattlesnake there.

In 2009 the formally contaminated zones surrounding the reactor was opened to the public. However, as I said above, the sight of the reactor was not opened until much later.

Due to the waterways in the area it made it unsuitable to bury nuclear waste, however that didn't stop them from burying the waste. There are still sights where contaminated waste is buried littered throughout the wild area. It is fairly easy to spot these areas as it creates potholes due to the dirt settling.

There are still places that Penn State University recommends not going to, the former reactor sight being one of them despite not being a danger zone anymore. Have I gone there anyway? Yes, because it's definitely not the most radiation I've ever been exposed to. I would like to take a gieger counter there at some point though.

Also if y'all made it this far would you like more posts about contamination in Central Pennsylvania? Radioactive or otherwise? I've spent way to much time researching this topic because I find it very interesting.

[oftatteredwings]

⸻  PENN BADGLEY. HE/HIM / have you ever heard of MODERATION by florence + the machine, well, it describes ELLIOT JAMES to a tee! the 34 year old, and FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER was spotted browsing through the stalls at portobello road market last sunday, do you know them? would you say  HE is more chaotic or more PROFESSIONAL instead? anyway, they remind me of fake smiles, crayons and building blocks in his satchel that he definitely didn’t put there, a pile of dirty dishes in the sink and untucked shirts, maybe you’ll bump into them soon! 

time in notting hill ; 16 years

tw: abandonment

ABOUT.

Name: Elliot James Age: Thirty-four DoB: 1st March 1989 Occupation: Fashion Photographer Romantic/sexual orientation: Panromantic/pansexual Birthplace: Newburyport, New England, USA Current Location: Notting Hill, London, UK Time in Notting Hill: 16 years

Elliot was born in Newburyport, New England, the only child of Elizabeth Smith and Gary James – an author and a well respected surgeon. He lived the idyllic childhood, surrounded by friends and family, taking yearly vacations to Portland and Florida.

Money was no object for him while growing up and he soon realised with the backing of his parents, he could do anything that he wanted with his life.

Elliot didn’t really want all that much, though, nothing more than to explore the world around him and to understand how it worked. It was a big dream for such a small child, but one his mother was keen to encourage from day one, helping him embrace his passions.

By the age of fourteen, he picked up a keen interest in photography, and he spent his summer that year looking at everything with a fresh eye. His hobby wasn’t accepted quite as freely when he was in school and before long he became known as the weirdo with the camera, something he simply decided to ignore. Who needed friends, after all? Not that he didn’t have any, of course, but the company he kept was select at best. They were very close, a group of four who were inseparable during their high school years, and who Elliot still does his best to see a couple of times a year.

But with high school out of the way, his focus quickly became college and the fact he was considering moving away for a while. School had been a tiring experience and he was ready for something new, something far, far away. So when he was accepted into the Royal College of Art in London he knew he was on the right path.

Moving to London at the age of eighteen was a bit of reality check for Elliot. Having spent his entire life in one place and only ever vacationing in the States, moving to a different country took a lot of getting used to. But he loved it, every single second of it, embracing the new lifestyle he found for himself.

Moving into a Notting Hill flat with the help of his parents, he found himself a roommate shortly afterwards, and threw himself into university and finding a life for himself in this new city. The British capital city wasn’t a place he’d considered living until he’d discovered the course at the RCA, but he soon found it was the perfect place for him, especially the cosmopolitan attitude of Notting Hill.

He fell in love with the buildings, the people, everything that the area had to offer. Little did he know then, that he would soon be calling Notting Hill his home, the one place where he felt comfortable and welcome without question, that he’d be living there for over a decade with no interest in moving elsewhere.

Once university was over and done with, Elliot moved around the city, submitting his work to all the major publications, deciding that he wanted a job in fashion.

It took time for his work to be noticed, but within the space of five years, he became one of the most renowned young photographers in the city, working at the likes of Vogue, Elle and GQ, while side-lining as Burberry’s main photographer. His true passion would always be landscape, but he found he had a particular knack when it came to working with the models, not to mention spending time with them after hours at The Chiltern Firehouse.

That was when he met Annie and things soon changed. After a few brief flings during university, it was the first time he’d really put any effort into a relationship, the first time that he’d actually wanted to. But it wasn’t to last, nothing ever really did for Elliot when it came to relationships, and that was okay. He found joy in his work and for the most part, it was enough for him.

It wasn’t until years later that he really made an effort to try again and the one he ended up with, unbeknownst to him at first, was his previous girlfriends sister. When this came to light, he pulled away and things ended suddenly and bitterly. It was a breakup straight from a movie; lots of screaming, tears and swearing.

Six months ago she turned up on his doorstep with an almost 3-year-old Janey, informing him that she was his and it was his job to take care of her now. That was pretty much that. He’s been playing dad ever since.

Since then he’s taken several steps back from the fashion industry and put on his first exhibition. Sited in Shoreditch, seeing his work on display for all to enjoy is one of his proudest moments, not to mention a welcome distraction amongst the chaos that his life has become. He knows it won’t last, but for now, he’s happy, he’s content, and that really is all he needs.

WANTED CONNECTIONS.

- mother of his daughter/ex - her sister (because hey, chaos) - other random exes/hook-ups/whatevers - three close friends from home - his old uni flatmate - friends  - anyone who’s willing to help him through the chaos of fatherhood

[sahraeyll]

Leading Accredited Online Schools for Medical Billing and Coding: Your Guide to a Rewarding Career

Top Accredited Online Schools ⁣for Medical​ Billing‌ and ‌Coding: Your ⁤Guide ⁢to a​ Rewarding Career

Top Accredited Online Schools for ⁢Medical Billing and Coding: Your Guide to a Rewarding Career

In today’s healthcare landscape,⁣ medical billing and coding professionals play a crucial role in ensuring ⁢that healthcare⁣ facilities run smoothly and efficiently. With the increasing​ demand for these skilled‍ experts, it’s no surprise that many are seeking accredited online schools ⁤to kickstart their careers. This comprehensive ⁣guide delves into the ​top accredited online ‌schools for medical billing and coding, helping you find the right path for your future.

The Importance of‌ Accreditation in​ Online Medical Billing and Coding Programs

Before ⁣we dive into specific schools, let’s discuss why⁣ accreditation is⁤ essential when selecting an online ​medical ‍billing and coding program:

Quality Assurance: Accreditation ensures that the program meets specific standards of quality and education.

Employability: Employers often prefer graduates from ⁤accredited programs, as they align with industry standards.

Financial⁢ Aid: Many financial aid options are available only to students attending‍ accredited ​institutions.

Top Accredited ​Online Schools for Medical⁣ Billing and Coding

Here’s a curated list ​of some ‍of the‌ best accredited online schools that ⁢offer medical billing and coding⁢ programs:

School ‍Name

Program Length

Accreditation

Tuition

Southern New​ Hampshire University

8 Months

CEPH

$3,225

Penn Foster ‌College

8-12 Months

DEAC

$1,299

Gateway Community College

1 Year

ACCJC

$6,000

University of Phoenix

9⁣ Months

DEAC

$7,000

Western Governors ⁣University

6-12 Months

NWCCU

$3,225

1. ‍Southern New Hampshire University

Southern ⁤New⁣ Hampshire⁢ University offers‍ an accredited online Associate Degree ‌in ⁣Medical Billing and‌ Coding. With a program ⁢length of⁢ just⁢ eight months, students‍ gain a ‍solid foundation in coding systems and billing processes. Tuition ‍is relatively affordable at $3,225. The program is accredited by the Commission on Education for Public ​Health (CEPH), ensuring a quality education.

2. Penn Foster College

Penn Foster College’s Medical Billing and ​Coding‌ program can ‌be completed​ at ⁢your ⁣own pace, typically⁢ within 8‍ to 12 months. ⁢It is accredited by⁤ the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC).‌ With a total cost of $1,299, it’s one of the most affordable options, making it an enticing⁣ choice for ⁣those looking to enter the field ⁤quickly.

3. Gateway Community College

Gateway Community College offers an accredited Certificate of Completion in Medical Billing⁣ and Coding, ‌with a duration of one year. Being accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and⁤ Junior Colleges (ACCJC), it ​provides⁤ a ​rigorous curriculum aimed at preparing students for certification exams. Tuition is about $6,000.

4. University of Phoenix

The University of Phoenix provides‍ a comprehensive Medical Billing and Coding certificate program ‍that⁢ can‌ be completed within nine months. Accredited ⁤by the DEAC,​ this program focuses on essential skills and knowledge, albeit with a tuition cost of approximately $7,000.

5. Western Governors University

Western Governors University offers an ‌online undergraduate program in Medical Billing and Coding that can‍ be ⁣completed ‌in as little as six ⁤months.⁤ Accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities‌ (NWCCU), WGU is known for its flexible, competency-based learning model that ‌allows students to progress​ on their own pace. Tuition is around $3,225.

Benefits of Pursuing a Career in Medical Billing and ‍Coding

Choosing a career in medical billing and coding comes with ​numerous advantages:

Stable ​Job Market: The healthcare industry ⁢is constantly evolving, and the need for certified medical billers and coders is on the ⁣rise.

Job Flexibility: Many employers offer​ remote positions, allowing you to work from the comfort ‍of your ⁤home.

Potential for Advancement: With experience,‌ you can move into‌ supervisory roles or specialize in fields like auditing or compliance.

Good Salary: According ⁢to ​the Bureau ‌of⁣ Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for medical records and health information⁢ technicians was $45,240 as ‍of May 2021.

Practical Tips for Success in Online Medical Billing and Coding ‌Programs

To ‌maximize ⁣your ⁣success while⁤ studying, consider these practical tips:

Stay Organized: Keep track of assignment due dates and course requirements using a planner or digital ‍tool.

Engage with Peers: Participate in online forums or study groups to foster connections and enhance learning.

Utilize Resources: Take advantage of library ⁢access, tutoring, and ⁤academic support provided by your ⁢institution.

Network: Join professional organizations such as the American Association of ‍Professional Coders⁢ (AAPC) to meet industry professionals.

Real-World Applications: Case Studies of Successful⁤ Professionals

Many successful professionals have embarked on their careers after completing online medical billing⁢ and coding programs.⁣ Here are a couple of inspiring stories:

Case Study 1: Sarah, a graduate from Southern ​New Hampshire University, landed a⁤ remote position at a reputable hospital just a month‍ after graduation.⁢ She credits⁢ her success to the⁣ rigorous training and‍ hands-on experience she ⁤received ⁤during her studies.

Case Study 2: Mark, who⁢ attended⁣ Penn Foster College, was able to shift from an unrelated field‌ into ‍medical billing and coding. Today, he works as a specialty⁣ coder, increasing his⁣ earning⁣ potential significantly.

Conclusion

Embarking on⁢ a career in medical billing and coding ​can be incredibly rewarding,⁤ both personally and financially. With⁢ the growing demand for qualified professionals in this field, selecting the right accredited online program is ‍key⁣ to your success. Whether you choose Southern New Hampshire University or Penn Foster College, ensure that ⁣your ‌education aligns with your career goals. By following the tips⁤ provided and leveraging the resources available to you, you can pave the⁤ way for​ a successful ⁢future in medical billing and coding.

https://medicalbillingcertificationprograms.org/leading-accredited-online-schools-for-medical-billing-and-coding-your-guide-to-a-rewarding-career/

[lboogie1906]

John Uzoma Ekwugha Amaechi OBE (November 26, 1970) is an English psychologist, consultant, and former professional basketball player. He played college basketball at Vanderbilt and Penn State, and professional basketball in the NBA. He played in France, Greece, Italy, and the UK. He has worked as a psychologist and consultant, establishing his company Amaechi Performance Systems.

In February 2007, he became the first former NBA player to publicly come out as gay after doing so in his memoir Man in the Middle. He has been regarded as “one of the world’s most high-profile gay athletes”.

He was born in Boston to an English mother and a Nigerian Igbo father. He and his two younger sisters were raised by their mother in Stockport, England. He first played basketball at the age of 17. He signed for the Manchester United, now known as the Manchester Eagles. His form for Manchester United saw him move to the US to play high school basketball at St. John’s Jesuit High School in Toledo. He began playing college basketball at Vanderbilt but transferred to Penn State, where he was a two-time First Team Academic All-American selection. He became a motivational public speaker and a mentor for area youth.

He spoke about his sexuality on ESPN’s Outside the Lines program.

He was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science by Manchester Metropolitan University in recognition of his achievements not only as an athlete and broadcaster, and for his charitable work with the National Literacy Trust, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and the establishment of the ABC Foundation to encourage children to become involved in sport and their community.

He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours for services to sport and the voluntary sector. He was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate of Arts by the University of East London. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[sakuraswordly]

Maya civilization created distinct artworks and fully developed complex writing system before Common Era. Their creativity was more advanced than many contemporary cultures of old world : Archaeologists have uncovered a wealth of information about Maya civilization through discoveries and deciphering of Maya art and writing. Deciphering of knowledge gained from these primary sources often results in scholars having to push back timeline of Maya inventions and achievements. A prime example is discovery of Maya writing from Pre-Classic period on stone near San Bartolo. Humidity in most of Maya areas wreaked havoc with their books, painted buildings, and artworks. So much seemed lost and then archaeologists started discovering beautifully painted murals and other art in deepest levels of Maya structures. Their habit of building new structures over and around older ones, often more than once, had done an excellent job of preservation in many cases. Maya art included stone, wood, clay, and stucco sculptures and decorations. Exquisite carvings and jewelry were made of wood, obsidian, jade, bone, shells, and stone. Action scenes were portrayed on slipped ceramic vessels, murals and reliefs. Artists made moldings, statuettes, portraits of rulers and more. Their tools included stones, obsidian and jade carving instruments, and paintbrushes. Paint for Maya art was made from pigment and water, bound with clay. Color pigment was obtained from berries, plants, fruits, ores and even insects. Special technique of Maya civilization for making “Maya blue”, a rich turquoise blue, was lost in 16th Century, sometime during Spanish conquest. Four cardinal directions were associated with colors by Maya civilization in Maya artworks: red for East; yellow for South; black for West; white for North. Favored colors were blue, representing water, wind and sky-gods and green representing vegetation and life. Only faint traces of magnificently bright colors are left on statues, monuments, temples, pyramids, houses and miscellaneous artifacts that are exposed to elements. Once archaeologists discovered hidden substructures above ground and excavated inside underground structures, they discovered well-preserved art and decorations going back throughout Maya eras. Scholars believe that royals employed full-time artists during some eras of Maya civilization. It is speculated that artists came exclusively from elite classes. Maya civilization decorated architecture with all kinds of art. A typical city center with its plazas and precision placed pyramids, adjacent buildings and monuments, were often plastered with stucco and painted red. Buildings and plazas were decorated with colorfully painted stone or stucco sculptures and sometimes murals. A chance discovery by a scuba diver in 1998 of an underwater Maya religious center led to archaeological investigations in 2007 of a sunken city in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. It is now named Samabaj, sometimes called Atlantis of Guatemala. It was a large religious center on an island in middle of lake before it was flooded, probably after a volcanic eruption. It is frozen in Maya Pre-classic time – un-looted, and undamaged by the elements, and one can only imagine what beautiful sculptures, pottery, and other wonderful art are yet to be discovered there. Several magnificent murals have been uncovered, excavated, and restored in this century alone. These murals were painted on walls of temples, public buildings, and houses. Bonampak murals depict scenes of daily life, war, ceremonies, mythology, and more in brilliant or muted colors and use excellent techniques that outlasted elements when protected. Calakmul murals include scenes from daily lives of commoners. Oldest San Bartolo murals discovered in 2001 depict scenes from mythology and royal court. They are dated to around 100 CE.

Photographer: Glyphs on red stele from Temple of Inscriptions, early Classic period, Tikal, Guatemala (Penn University Museum)