#people taking advantage of immigrants because they have no support system and no way to communicate

[mariana-oconnor]

The Greek Interpreter pt 3

Back to Mr Melas and his mysterious plaster-faced man.

...as he opened the door of our room he gave a start of surprise. Looking over his shoulder, I was equally astonished. His brother Mycroft was sitting smoking in the arm-chair.

Given the fact that it seems as though earth's orbit through space is more erratic than Mycroft's schedule, and easier to divert, this is quite astonishing. Also... didn't they literally just leave him? The man must have moved like the wind.

"Here it is," said he, "written with a J pen on royal cream paper by a middle-aged man with a weak constitution. 'Sir,' he says, 'in answer to your advertisement of to-day's date, I beg to inform you that I know the young lady in question very well. If you should care to call upon me I could give you some particulars as to her painful history. She is living at present at The Myrtles, Beckenham. Yours faithfully, J. Davenport.'"

Is she really living there at present? Mr Davenport? Is she? are you sure she isn't living somewhere else right now?

Also, lol at Mycroft being sure to put in the type of pen and the fact that the writer is middle-aged and has a weak constitution.

It was almost dark before we found ourselves in Pall Mall, at the rooms of Mr Melas. A gentleman had just called for him, and he was gone.

What? The man who was told he would be in grave danger if he told anyone, and then you broadcast the fact he had told people in all the daily papers is missing? I'm sure this is absolutely fine and in no way at all worrying. Definitely not connected to the fact that you broadcast the fact that he had told people the villain's secret in the newspaper.

Mr Melas is totally fine.

"He wasn't a tall, handsome, dark young man?" "Oh, nor, sir. He was a little gentleman, with glasses, thin in the face, but very pleasant in his ways, for he was laughing al the time that he was talking."

Well shucks. Who could have foreseen this? No way to have stopped it. Absolutely unpredictable circumstances here. No one to blame. No one at all. It was impossible to foresee this turn of events.

"He is a man of no physical courage, as they are well aware from their experience the other night. This villain was able to terrorise him the instant that he got into his presence. No doubt they want his professional services, but, having used him, they may be inclined to punish him for what they will regard as his treachery."

Excuse me? 'no physical courage', wtf is that supposed to mean? How is courage physical, for one, and secondly, did we listen to the same story? Where he managed to get information from the prisoner without alerting the bad guys even though he was scared. Then afterwards, rather than staying quiet for his own safety he brought the tale to the attention of people he thought could help? Wtf do you consider courage, Holmes? And then he just went about his day, knowing his life had been threatened? no physical courage?

Gonna have to respectfully disagree on this point.

Also 'they may be inclined to punish him for [...] his treachery'? You think?

So weird that no one seems to have seen this coming. Like, my dudes, you took an ad out in the paper. In the era when everyone (except Holmes) reads the paper. What did you think was going to happen?

On reaching Scotland Yard, however, it was more than an hour before we could get Inspector Gregson and comply with the legal formalities which would enable us to enter the house.

'We can't go in without a search warrant' is an age old complaint, it seems. I love that this is in here.

"You may have observed the same wheel-tracks going the other way. But the outward-bound ones were very much deeper--so much so that we can say for a certainty that there was a very considerable weight on the carriage." "You get a trifle beyond me there," said the inspector, shrugging his shoulder.

Little sad for Gregson that this is 'beyond' him. This is one of the clearest and simplest pieces of evidence we've seen Holmes provide.

"It is a mercy that you are on the side of the force, and not against it, Mr Holmes," remarked the inspector, as he noted the clever way in which my friend had forced back the catch. "Well, I think that under the circumstances we may enter without an invitation."

Yes. Because you got that search warrant... that you mentioned before. Not by name, exactly. But you got legal right to enter the property. So... you can enter the property? Unless you still needed an invitation even with that, but if you had an invitation wouldn't you already have right to enter? Or maybe they were legally only supposed to enter while someone was present.

He dashed up, the inspector and I at his heels, while his brother Mycroft followed as quickly as his great bulk would permit.

Did Watson mention that Mycroft is fat? I'm not sure he did.

Peering in, we could see that the only light in the room came from a dull blue flame which flickered from a small brass tripod in the centre. It threw a livid, unnatural circle upon the floor, while in the shadows beyond we saw the vague loom of two figures which crouched against the wall. From the open door there reeked a horrible poisonous exhalation which set us gasping and coughing.

Well this is horrifying. Slowly gassing people to death. These guys are really horrible. Such a terrible way to kill someone. Are they trying to make it seem like an accident?

"Where is a candle? I doubt if we could strike a match in that atmosphere. Hold the light at the door and we shall get them out, Mycroft, now!"

Because an open flame is... better than a match? I do not understand this logic.

The other, who was secured in a similar fashion, was a tall man in the last stage of emaciation, with several strips of sticking-plaster arranged in a grotesque pattern over his face. He had ceased to moan as we laid him down, and a glance showed me that for him at least our aid had come too late. Mr Melas, however, still lived, and in less than an hour, with the aid of ammonia and brandy I had the satisfaction of seeing him open his eyes, and of knowing that my hand had drawn him back from that dark valley in which all paths meet.

RIP Paul. They really fucked you over with that newspaper ad, didn't they? Your full name just out there in the world, being suspicious. Or maybe you outlived your usefulness to them.

Glad Mr Melas is okay, and it's nice to see Watson using his expertise to save the day a little bit. Even if the circumstances are pretty awful. This story is pretty dark, especially compared to the blue carbuncle goose chase (even with its brief commentary on the prison system) and the yellow face was pretty optimistic, even if I feel like everyone needed a lot of therapy. Here we have a man imprisoned, tortured and then gassed to death. And another almost suffering the same fate.

Watson's poetic turn of phrase softens it a little, but also makes it a bit more melacholy. Bleak, I think is the word I would use for this one.

His visitor, on entering his rooms, had drawn a life-preserver from his sleeve, and had so impressed him with the fear of instant and inevitable death that he had kidnapped him for the second time. Indeed, it was almost mesmeric, the effect which this giggling ruffian had produced upon the unfortunate linguist, for he could not speak of him save with trembling hands and a blanched cheek.

I am informed that a life-preserver is a type of bludgeon. And this little giggling man sounds utterly terrifying. I would absolutely do whatever he said if he threatened to bludgeon me to death. Watson seems surprised that Mr Melas is suffering from trauma. I get that Watson's a little... unhinged? regarding life or death situations, but between this and the lacking physical courage comment from before. Rude. Guy almost dies multiple times and it's definitely partially their fault for not trying to protect him. And they're busy judging him for going along with it.

And now we get a bit of an exposition dump.

...the unfortunate young lady came of a wealthy Grecian family, and that she had been on a visit to some friends in England. While there she had met a young man named Harold Latimer, who had acquired an ascendancy over her and had eventually persuaded her to fly with him. Her friends, shocked at the event, had contented themselves with informing her brother at Athens, and had then washed their hands of the matter.

A+ friends she has there. Wow.

'Acquired an ascendancy over her' is such a poetic turn of phrase for 'manipulated and controlled her'. This whole story is tragic and horrible. And so dark.

The brother, on his arrival in England, had imprudently placed himself in the power of Latimer and of his associate, whose name was Wilson Kemp—that through his ignorance of the language he was helpless in their hands, had kept him a prisoner, and had endeavoured by cruelty and starvation to make him sign away his own and his sister's property.

Seriously, this is horrible. Oh look, these people have no support system and no way to communicate, let's take advantage of them and torture them and no one will care. If it wasn't for Mr Melas, no one would even have thought to look.

...the plaster over the face had been for the purpose of making recognition difficult in case she should ever catch a glimpse of him. Her feminine perception, however, had instantly seen through the disguise when, on the occasion of the interpreter's visit, she had seen him for the first time.

'Her feminine perception'... i.e. the disguise was terrible and she actually knew what her brother looked like. Feminine perception. Maybe I should argue that in the next D&D session 'my character's female so I should get advantage on perception checks, Sherlock Holmes says so.' Lolol. This is made more amusing to me by the fact that I am both female and well-regarded as being one of the least observant people most of my friends and family know. My mother makes a game of it sometimes 'can you tell what's different in this room?'

No. The answer is always no.

Months afterwards a curious newspaper cutting reached us from Buda-Pesth. It told how two Englishmen who had been travelling with a woman had met with a tragic end. They had each been stabbed, it seems, and the Hungarian police were of opinion that they had quarrelled and had inflicted mortal injuries upon each other. Holmes, however, is, I fancy, of a different way of thinking, and holds to this day that, if one could find the Grecian girl, one might learn how the wrongs of herself and her brother came to be avenged.

Fuck yeah, Sophy. Stab them. I hope they knew it was you as they died. There is at least a little satisfaction in that. There's a whole story in those last few sentences which would be an epic revenge tale.

I had genuinely forgotten how many of these stories end with things happening off screen without Holmes or Watson being involved. This is another case where the villains get their justice meted out extra-legally, but this time it at least seems to have been a result of their actions rather than divine intervention. The point of the stories is clearly the method not the resolution.

It's... not satisfying. And like I mentioned before, it's a really dark tale. I didn't not remember it ending so horrifically. Also Sophy's friends are all terrible and should be ashamed of themselves.

I watched Magpie Murders on the BBC this week and the whole thing revolves around the fact that the last chapter of a whodunnit is missing. They say multiple times that it's the most important part of the book, and I don't necessarily disagree, but its strange to see in these stories, which were not the first mystery stories but early in the genre's evolution where the emphasis lies. Whodunnit is important, but the comeuppance clearly isn't. And even the who isn't as important as how Holmes gets there.

The slight mentions of mesmerism are interesting, and could totally be rolled into my 'Holmes but supernatural' alternate universe, where Kemp is accomplished at mind-control. That would make it even darker, if anything though.

This whole thing is just a tragedy from start to end.

Copper Beeches next - and I've read that one many times. Copper Beeches and the Solitary Cyclist used to be my favourites as a kid. I'll be interested to see how much I remember. Also, it'll be interesting to see what current!me makes of past!me's taste.

[wilwheaton]

”Why do racists always invoke MLK…?”

This is a comment from Reddit. I swear to god, it’s like the redditor who wrote this transcribed all the shit my racist, entitled, privileged, Boomer parents said my entire childhood. Like, word for word.

”Why do racists always invoke MLK…?”

First, you gotta understand their position, which is “Racism doesn’t exist anymore”.  Because black people aren’t lynched, because there are wealthy rappers and basketball players, and because there was a black president, racism doesn’t exist in the US anymore.  And this is especially important; when black people get upset about their lot in life, it is because they are lazy and want a handout rather than earning their way like white people do.  When a black guy is killed by cops, he was a criminal and deserved his fate.  When a black woman loses her access to food stamps, it is because she was taking advantage of the system.  When black people get into college, it is because they are given special privilege they didn’t earn.  And when black folks talk about reparations, it is because they want to punish innocent people so they can be handed their success rather than earn it.  

Because there is no racism, and anytime some white person is called a racist it is likely because they don’t support simply handing success and money over to people who haven’t earned it, and not at all because they act racist in any way.  And the term “racist” has become toxic in the US lately; people lose their jobs after being called racists unfairly.  Heck, one could suggest minorities call white folks “racist” in retaliation, knowing there will be social consequences which are completely unearned.  So to combat this unfair and, in their view inaccurate, narrative they employ a couple tactics;

1) “I’m not racist, you are for even suggesting it”.  Since racism is defacto non-existent, playing the race-card is introducing a factor that doesn’t belong.  When a black person calls a white person racist, they are not only lying, but specifically targeting someone based on their race and falsely labeling them something socially toxic with intent to cause harm.  And the white person is defacto innocent because they would see anyone as insert accusation here, not just black/brown/gay/muslim/female/handicapped/immigrant people.

2) “Black people don’t know how good they have it”.  Classic myopic delusion that assumes the complete lack of racism in the US also means any ongoing hurdles faced by black/brown/gay/women/etc people are their own fault.  The fears behind CRT are great examples of the struggle to maintain this delusion, and not have people delve too deeply into history and see how cause/effect resulted in the current socio-economic imbalance.  And since there are successes in the black community, that is proof that racism is over.  Black folks had a black president, now shut up and stop making waves.  There is an attempt to show that any calls of racism are not only unfounded, but examples of success in the black community disprove systemic racism; wouldn’t MLK be proud?  And not only proud of the success, but would side with the white folks who are now experiencing reverse-racism as the lazy black folks ask for more.  Racism, they think, is simply targeting another race purposefully, and has nothing to do with power imbalance.

3) “I earned my success, so black folks need to earn theirs”.  And this is the crux of it all; white folks today don’t believe they are in a position of privilege because they work hard and their success was difficult.  Many of them come from poor families, struggled to pay for college, don’t have a family history of slaver ownership.  They see any minorities complaining as trying to get privilege unearned.  They assume that, because there is no more racism, there is balance and parity among the races.  Illegal immigrants are trying to circumvent the law, reparations and affirmative-action programs are unearned handouts, and special months/parades celebrating a particular group/race is promoting racism by giving them special attention they don’t deserve.  Many white people see themselves as victims because they don’t receive any overt benefits from being white, meanwhile minorities are showered with unearned benefits all the time.  The Great Replacement Theory is constantly being reenforced for them as they watch society take the side of minorities anytime someone attempts to call out this apparent imbalance in their favor.

But underneath all of this is the undeniable knowledge that they are, indeed, racist.  Whether it is a jealousy, or a fear of socio-economic parity, or ethnocentricity, they know that society isn’t accepting overt racism anymore.  And because of this, they have to hold back, watch what they say, watch how they treat people.  “Make America Great Again” was a call to return to a time when casual racism was fun, and didn’t mean anything, and people weren’t so thin-skinned.  Being “Woke” is forcing people to take difficult looks at the fact racism still exists, which is uncomfortable and threatens to challenge the current socio-economic stability, so terms like “woke” are being dismantled, misused, redirected into something that seems illegitimate.  There is an active, desperate avoidance of acknowledging racism still exists, because admitting otherwise means admitting their world-view is wrong.   invoking MLK isn’t done out of malicious intent, but out of desperate denial of a world that doesn’t fit their assumptions.  Many, perhaps most, white folks in the US have no consciously ill will towards minorities, and would recoil in distaste at the notion of being considered racist.  And they will spend all day explaining why they are perfectly justified in accepting a racist position on a topic and how that doesn’t make them racist because the minorities in question are to blame.  Deflection.  Denial.  Dismissal.  And then vote to prevent change.

(Source)

[cass-ass]

Criticism means nothing if you show the people you criticize that you will vote for them anyway, regardless of what they do.

By the way, Trump says “finish the job,” while the democrats are actively helping them do it. Y’all just don’t actually care.

You can criticize someone you voted for an intend to vote for. You can not fully like everything about a person that you vote for.

Your vote is to change something in this country and if your change is able to help other people keep their rights, is that not enough? Not only will choosing not to vote or choosing someone else give Trump more of a likelihood of winning; due to Project 2025 and the recent supreme court ruling on the Presidential power- it will also endanger and likely take away the rights of trans people, lgb+ people, POC, and immigrants in the US.

Dooming Everyone is NOT the outlook to have. Save the people you can with the power that you have- you cannot change the system by voting or not. Changing the system and the views of others happens on a local level first.

If your vote for president is not enough, have you looked at the House or Senate seats and seen whether anyone running in your state supports Palestine? Can you vote for Bernie Sanders (vermont), Mckayla Wilkes (maryland), Jamaal Bowman (New York), Cori Bush (missouri), Shahid Buttar (California), Shaniyat Chowdhury (NY), Arati Kreibich (New Jersey) or any others that are staunchly pro-Palestine?

And if you want to do more, then put your money and time into supporting Palestinians and going to protests and calling your local authorities about things. If your politician doesn't support what you do- then TALK about it. With people in your area. With people at the grocery store. With your neighbors. With your local authorities. Go to town hall meetings. Get people to care.

I have multiple signs up supporting Palestine in my office. It gets people to talk about it and show more vocal support. They feel more comfortable being able to bring it up with others. Maybe you could wear a pin, have a banner on your fb or instagram, or show your support in another way.

A large amount of Democrats do not support Israel. While Biden has absolutely not done what he could have with his position to protect Palestinians, Kamala and other democrats have not been in that position yet and deserve a chance and not an assumption that they'll do the same as their predecessors.

I personally do not think that it will be much better- especially given that the House overruled Biden's one refusal to send Israel weapons- but it WILL be better than Trump handing Israel an arsenal and telling them to wipe the Palestinians out. Because Israel absolutely will take advantage of that and more Palestinians will be hurt and killed at a much faster rate.

[aronarchy]

.

Abuse as a Form of Oppression

A home where a woman is abused is a small-scale model of much larger oppressive systems that work in remarkably similar ways. Many of the excuses an abusive man uses for verbally tearing his partner to shreds are the same ones that a power-mad boss uses for humiliating his or her employees. The abusive man’s ability to convince himself that his domination of you is for your own good is paralleled by the dictator who says, “People in this country are too primitive for democracy.” The divide-and-conquer strategies used by abusers are reminiscent of a corporate head who tries to break the labor union by giving certain groups of workers favored treatment. The making of an abuser is thus not necessarily restricted to the specific values his society teaches him about men’s relationships with women; without realizing it he may also apply attitudes and tactics from other forms of oppression that he has been exposed to as a boy or as a young adult and that he has learned to justify or even admire.

If you look at any oppressive organization or system, from a racist country club up to a military government, you will find most of the same behaviors and justifications by the powerful that I have described in this book. The tactics of control, the intimidation of victims who try to protest, the undermining of efforts at independence, the negative distortions about the victims in order to cast blame upon them, the careful cultivation of the public image of the oppressors—all are present, along with many other parallels. The people in power generally tell lies while simultaneously working hard to silence the voices of the people who are being dominated and to stop them from thinking, just as the abusive man strives to do. And the bottom line is the same: Oppressive systems stay in existence because the people in power enjoy the luxury of their position and become unwilling to give up the privileges they win through taking advantage of other people and keeping them down. In short, the abusive mentality is the mentality of oppression.

The connection among different kinds of power abuses can add greatly to the stress experienced by an abused woman. If you already face discrimination as a woman of color or if you are a low-income woman or a lesbian, you may feel overwhelmed at times by how similar the control and abuse from your partner feel to other forms of oppression you have endured. Some abusive men even deliberately take advantage of their partner’s social vulnerabilities. I have had several clients, for example, whose partners are undocumented immigrants whom they have threatened to have deported if the women ever disclose the abuse. In some geographical areas you can find supportive services for specific groups of abused women, such as immigrants or lesbians, or locate agencies where there are staff people from your background who understand the additional challenges you face.

…

Changing the Culture

Abuse is the product of a mentality that excuses and condones bullying and exploitation, that promotes superiority and disrespect, and that casts responsibility on to the oppressed. All efforts to end the abuse of women ultimately have to return to this question: How do we change societal values so that women’s right to live free of insults, invasion, disempowerment, and intimidation is respected?

…

… Promote alternatives to abuse and oppression by recognizing how intertwined different forms of abuse and mistreatment are. The opposite of arrogantly defining reality is listening respectfully to each person’s perspective. The opposite of placing yourself above other people is seeing them as equals. The opposite of establishing a hierarchy in which the top few people lounge comfortably while everyone else gets squashed is sharing resources. The opposite of madly scrambling to the top, whether it’s the top of the corporate ladder, the top of the softball league, or the top of the household pecking order, is building communities devoted to cooperation and support, where everyone wins. To consider a world without relationship abuse is to open up to even more profound possibilities, to the potential for human beings to live in harmony with each other and with their natural environment.

- WDHDT

[glorialawnyc]

Immigration Lawyer in Union City, NJ - Your Guide to the Law Offices of Gloria J. D’Souza, P.C.

If you are looking for help with immigration matters in Union City, NJ, finding the right lawyer is important. The Law Offices of Gloria J. D’Souza, P.C. can assist you with all your immigration needs. This article will guide you through what an immigration lawyer does, why you may need one, and how the Law Offices of Gloria J. D’Souza, P.C. can help.

What Does an Immigration Lawyer Do?

An immigration lawyer in Union City, NJ helps people with legal issues related to immigration. This can include applying for visas, green cards, or citizenship. They also help people who are facing deportation or want to bring family members to the United States. The lawyer will work with you to ensure that your paperwork is correct and that you understand the process. The Law Offices of Gloria J. D’Souza, P.C. specializes in these areas, offering personalized services to meet your needs.

Why You Might Need an Immigration Lawyer

There are many reasons you might need an immigration lawyer in Union City, NJ. If you are applying for a visa or citizenship, the process can be confusing. Having a lawyer can help you avoid mistakes that might delay your application. If you are facing deportation, a lawyer can represent you in court. The Law Offices of Gloria J. D’Souza, P.C. has experience in dealing with complex immigration cases and can provide the support you need during these challenging times.

How the Law Offices of Gloria J. D’Souza, P.C. Can Help

The Law Offices of Gloria J. D’Souza, P.C. is located in Union City, NJ, and offers a range of services to help immigrants. Whether you need help with a visa, green card, or any other immigration-related issue, their team is ready to assist. They are known for their attention to detail and dedication to their clients. The Law Offices of Gloria J. D’Souza, P.C. takes the time to understand each case, ensuring that you get the best possible outcome.

What to Expect During a Consultation

When you meet with an immigration lawyer in Union City, NJ at the Law Offices of Gloria J. D’Souza, P.C., they will ask you questions about your situation and explain your options. This first meeting is important because it allows the lawyer to understand your case and give you advice on what to do next. You can expect clear communication and guidance throughout the process. The Law Offices of Gloria J. D’Souza, P.C. makes sure that you are informed and comfortable every step of the way.

Why Choose an Immigration Lawyer in Union City, NJ?

Choosing an immigration lawyer in Union City, NJ gives you the advantage of working with someone who understands local laws and has experience with the specific challenges immigrants face in this area. The Law Offices of Gloria J. D’Souza, P.C. is a trusted name in immigration law, providing expert services to help people navigate the legal system. Their team is dedicated to helping you achieve your immigration goals, whether it’s gaining permanent residency, citizenship, or reuniting with family members.

In conclusion

If you need help with immigration lawyer in Union City, NJ, an immigration lawyer from the Law Offices of Gloria J. D’Souza, P.C. can provide the guidance and expertise you need. From the initial consultation to the resolution of your case, they will work to ensure the best possible outcome for you.

[phelanspharmacy]

Hearing Aids

Special courses of newcomers from outside Canada similar to landed immigrants, pupil visa holders, and returning Canadian citizens or residents, may obtain well being services protection from the date they set up residence. Ensure easy accessibility to advantages by maintaining effective co-ordination with health professionals and supplier agencies locally and establishments. The Saskatchewan Aids to Independent Living helps individuals with physical disabilities to stay aids for independent living a more lively and independent way of life. It also helps individuals within the management of certain chronic well being situations. Sleep chairs often have reclining, lift, and typically massage features, to make them easy to sleep in. Guide dogs are specifically trained service animals used to escort people who are blind or visually impaired by helping the owner navigate obstacles.

Your mobility aid may play a vital function in your capability to remain independent, so you should at all times contemplate what your needs may be after simply purchasing your product. It is essential to discover a company that values aftersales care and help – particularly in relation to powered mobility products. To help ensure you or a loved one is getting the right product, the British Healthcare Trades Association has compiled 9 prime tricks to observe when shopping for mobility aids, so you realize you’re in protected palms. View our vary of house living merchandise that include, cushions, lifter recliners, seating, seating equipment and from social enterprise.

We carry all the top brands including Invacare, Quickie, Good Grips, EZ-Access, ADI, Rose, and many more. Buy now and pay later for walkers, mobility scooters, wheelchairs and different mobility aids with humm! Standard wheelchairs need to be pushed by one other individual if their wheels are too small to be reached. Motorized wheelchairs can enable aids to daily living users to maneuver around independently. Broadened Horizons provides quite lots of products for wheelchair customers with higher extremity limitations. Products have been examined by Mark Felling, President, a C5 quadriplegic paralyzed from the armpits down.

Miracle-Ear’sdiscreetfamily of hearing aids are snug, small and nearly invisible—perfect for anybody who doesn’t need hearing loss to define them. For those who would rather not deal with tiny batteries,rechargeabledevices supply a handy various, with a sleek charging case that’s independent living aids to convey wherever life takes you. We supply great value-for-money on a huge range of mobility aids designed to benefit elderly people as properly as disabled adults and kids. We provide everyone from the NHS to people living with disabilities at residence.

Because aged individuals worth autonomy and selection, clinicians ought to emphasize situational, rather than mandatory and permanent system use . Across all teams, some noted the essential worth of mobility aids, particularly aids for daily living for maximizing security and fostering independence. However, as in other research, many members reported ambivalent emotions in path of mobility aid use, acknowledging social stigma and the sense of loss and debility that may accompany use.

So if you’re on the lookout for healthcare and assistive technology solutions, ensure to search for the emblem andchoose a BHTA-approved companyfor invaluable peace of thoughts that the company is reputable and responsible. We represent over four hundred firms throughout the healthcare and assistive expertise sector, who have voluntarily chosen to sign up to ourCTSI-approved Code of Practice. Our code requires firms to go above and beyond their authorized requirements, and members select to hold themselves to those higher standards due to their dedication to customer support. Jumpsport Home Fitness Trampoline If you want a budget-friendly, efficient resolution for cardiovascular firming and calorie burning in the comfort of home, the JumpSport 125 Home Fitness Trampoline is the answer. View our range of kitchen merchandise that include, dining aids, drinking aids, kitchen aids, kitchen small home equipment, kitchen utensils, and kitchen utensil equipment. Independent Living provides a range of mobility, rest room and bedroom assistive gear obtainable for short and long-term hire.

Attractive units which can be considered as style accessories may be extra readily accepted. This could additionally be true for handbook wheelchairs which may also be sporty-looking with enhanced operate for an energetic life-style. However, in providing such decisions, suppliers must consider patients’ resources and equipment prices. The section is divided into easily accessible subcategories that may focus your search into individual needs areas similar to wound care, incontinence care, cold remedy and electrotherapy.

[flyurdream]

Why Should You Study In the UK?

A British university degree is needed if you want to broaden your perspective and learn about the world. Studying in the United Kingdom is a terrific decision due to the country’s first-rate educational facilities, excellent faculty, cutting-edge research, historical depth, and cultural variety.

The United Kingdom has always been a popular destination for students from all around the world. There’s a valid justification for this, too. The United Kingdom (UK) is a famous study-abroad destination because of its high-quality education system, cultural variety, and exciting college towns.

Let’s examine some of the best reasons to study in  UK –

Several kinds of people live there.

Roughly 1 in 5 Brits (9.5 million) can trace their ancestry to somewhere outside the UK. This suggests that students from other countries studying in the UK may be exposed to and develop friends with people from many different cultural backgrounds. Considering that 35% of Londoners were born in a country other than the United Kingdom, this is important to remember.

Participating in local events or eating at restaurants selling food from your country of origin is two great ways to keep in touch with your culture and reduce homesickness and culture shock. As a result of the UK’s unparalleled cultural diversity, you’ll have the chance to immerse yourself in a truly international environment, make friends from all over the world, and acquire a wide range of transferable skills relevant to the modern global workforce.

Global Student Support

International students in the United Kingdom can find a wealth of support services. You may use the internet, your college, or even your city hall to accomplish this. Each UK university, for instance, has a specific office devoted to helping international students with questions about tuition, accommodation, tutoring, and other concerns unique to their situation. You should check with this department before submitting your application to a college.

The UK Council for International Student Affairs is an advisory council for international students. Its website has helpful information for international students, including links to mental health support, housing, employment, and immigration. Questions can also be directed to a designated phone number.

after Study, a Work Permit

Work experience, whether as an internship, a co-op, or a placement, can supplement your studies and help you build a more impressive resume. After you graduate, your school can assist you in finding employment. In addition, you can stay in the UK for an additional two years after finishing your degree, thanks to the new Graduate Immigration Pathway.

Chances of Gainful Employment

Beginning in July, international students pursuing a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in the United Kingdom can apply for extensions to remain in the country for an additional two years after graduation. New grads will find this a boon as they attempt to establish themselves in the labor force in the UK.

In addition, the job market is robust, especially for those with skills in demand by the United Kingdom’s economy. Since there is a severe shortage of nurses, pharmacists, teachers, engineers, and other professionals in the UK, the government actively seeks to recruit foreign expertise for these positions.

Internships and other opportunities for part-time work

While in the United Kingdom, students are permitted to work up to 40 hours per week during the summer and 20 hours per week during the school year. Students can submit their resumes and applications to the school and local cafes, restaurants, grocery stores, and promotional events.

Some programs offer internships and placements, which students are free to take advantage of during the academic year or the semester’s breaks. These jobs are great for building a resume and getting paid to learn new skills. Once your studies are finished, you’ll be able to apply your business knowledge and practical experience to the employment market in the UK.

[mirzadeganimmigration]

What are the benefits of studying in Canada?

What are the benefits of studying in Canada?

Many students have a special motivation to attend Canadian universities, and this motivation may have a specific cause, such as the fact that this nation is open to immigration and that immigrants make up the majority of its population, making it likely that a sizable number of your fellow citizens are also in Canada. However, there are also causes that make students who care about these issues choose not to advocate for this nation and generally refrain from doing so. Let's examine the two facets of the article and go into more detail under the following sections with the mirzadegan immigration.

Why is studying in Canada so popular? Review by Ramin Mirzadegan

We are going to emphasize the benefits and advantages of studying in Canada in this part:

Studying in English:

Most of students want to study in English because this language is the standard language of the world and it is very easy to work and study with this language and Canadian universities mainly accept and teach in English.

Accredited universities and colleges:

Canadian colleges and universities are among the most prestigious universities in the world, and among these universities, we can mention the University of Toronto, McGill University, and the University of British Columbia, which are among the top 100 universities in the world, and this can be a very good reason for students. to enter the best educational system.

safe place:

According to published information, Canada is one of the 10 countries with high security, and this security is examined in several branches, including mental, physical, financial, and social security, and among its safe provinces and cities are Ottawa, Vancouver, and Toronto.

Immigrant community:

As we mentioned above, Canada is one of the most immigrant-friendly countries in the world, which means that there are very suitable conditions for immigrants and racial diversity, and unlike other countries, the people of this country are made up entirely of immigrants.

The possibility of working while studying:

One of the most important issues that students care about is the possibility of working while studying in Canada. In Canada, like in other countries, undergraduate students work 10-20 hours a week, 20-30 hours a week at the master's level, and 40 hours a week. In other words, they are allowed to work full-time during their doctorate, and usually, students can work full-time in the summer.

Residence after graduation:

Since attaining Canadian residence through education can be prolonged or changed in a number of ways, including labor, education, investment, asylum, etc., most students are quite eager to do so since they understand how beneficial it is.

Why are people motivated to staying in Canada after completing their education?

Although Canada is a beautiful country to live in, we must consider its high cost of living. There are many variables that affect the cost of living in Canada. First, decide where in the city you want to live. Large Canadian cities like Toronto have higher housing and food expenditures than smaller places.

Taking advantage of the chances that the expanding economy offers immigrants is one of the most significant benefits of residing in Canada. In terms of economy, Canada is currently one of the top 10 nations. Simply making the decision to launch your business will be enough to make the process simple.

One of the nations with a low crime rate in Canada. It is regarded as one of the safest places to live in as a result.

People who desire to continue their education worry-free should consider Canada. In this country, there are many excellent educational options.

When compared to other nearby nations, the average cost of renting a property in Canada is less expensive.

Depending on their jobs and the hours that they work, the Canadian government may take up to 52 weeks off to support new moms. They should resume working in the same capacity and for the same pay once their leave term has ended. After adopting a child, both parents are eligible for 35 weeks of leave.

If you are planning to immigrate to Canada, the mirzadegan immigration group can help you in this direction.

But the first thing that might make life in Canada a little difficult is the weather. Since winters are often very cold and long in winter, it may make it difficult for many migrants. But if you intend to migrate to the southern and western regions of Canada, you can benefit from a milder climate. For example, according to immigrants, Vancouver has the best climate in Canada.

Despite all the points that have been said about the advantages and disadvantages of immigrating to Canada, the final decision to immigrate to this country is with you and you are the one who should decide according to your circumstances whether Canada can be your second home or not. But despite many positive points and negative points such as the complex tax system, cost of living, inflation and weather conditions, it is recommended for people who intend to immigrate to Canada to take a short trip to this country and the city of their choice before making a final decision. have to reach the result more easily.

In order to immigrate to Canada and live in this country, there are different types of visas that you can apply for according to the conditions and reasons for your immigration and finally receive Canadian residency.

[luxurybrownbarbie]

Hey! I saw your post about putting fear into you parents and how they treat you better now. My mom is a single parent and extremely abusive. Also constantly taking money from me and not paying me back. Anyways I’m planning a move soon because I live with her. I wanna put her in her place because she’s constantly violating me. Any advice?

I want to tread carefully with this, because for as frustrating as my relationship with my parents was, they were not physically abusive, beyond spanking. Nor did they ever take money from me. Our issues were definitely more emotional and that was it’s own complex and exhausting and difficult web to untangle. I won’t get into it here, but it was all very complex and it is still triggering. Plus my mother is an immigrant parent, and it’s very hard for immigrant parents to see their children as their own people. It was a trigger for her anytime I “didn’t show respect” or expected her to treat me in the manner I expected her to treat an adult.

The thing is, I will never discount the fact that I had other sources of support nor will I say that I could have done it without them; and that should be the number one factor before making any decisions. I have other close family friends who have been privy to our familial clashes, I have a very supportive boyfriend (who wasn’t going to take advantage of my lack of parental support during a difficult and overwhelming time, which meant I could trust him), and I have friends who were pillars of support for me just as I’ve always been for them. I also have a well paying job, and my parents don’t have any oversight or control of my finances. I have a therapist who had given me good advice for years. Those things made the decision much easier and much less fraught than it would have been, say, five years ago. Maybe even three years ago.

I essentially said I wouldn’t be in contact with them any more, pure and simple. I also said more damaging things than that, but that was the overall point. I was furious, and I had no worries about what I was saying or how I was saying it. And yes, it did scare them, a lot. Because I’d never said many of the things on my chest, nor were they expecting me to ever reach a point where I would be able to cut ties with them with no fear. And I won’t say it was easy. The breaking point was horrible, and inevitable. I had absolutely no desire to speak to, nor see them, at any point in the future once I’d cooled off and told them that truth in no uncertain terms. It was brutal, and I was not nearly as calm I’m making it out to be here, but it was clear. It’s really hard to make a decision like that, and it felt like I was walking around underwater for a solid two weeks after that conversation. But slowly, I pulled it together, and I leaned hard on my support systems. Probably more than I ever have.

After about a month I think, my father asked what needed to happen for us to reopen lines of communication, and I told them my terms very clearly. I needed them to be in therapy. I needed them to acknowledge their wrongs, and I needed them to recognize that, as parents, the onus is on you to be a good, stable person for your child. Your child should have to do nothing but exist. By virtue of being a parent, you should never place the onus of fixing relationships or cultivating a healthy environment onto your child. I should not have been the one to see that there was a problem. That’s your job as a parent, and it is thankless, because your child did not ask to be here. We had a lot of deep conversations, a lot of hard discussions, and eventually found a stable medium for the moment. They know now that I have the support and freedoms to remove them from my life forever if need be, and if they want to be a part of it, they’ll shape up.

I want to be clear though, if your parents are extremely abusive, you do not need to do anything but find a way to safety. You need to cultivate strong support systems (which are not based around trauma but around true friendship and support). I think it’s nearly impossible to put the fear of god into an abusive person, in my opinion. The best option, in my opinion, is to find a way to get away from them, and begin to rebuild yourself, with the help of loved ones who are truly there for you. I really hope you’re safe and are able to find solace soon. Sending you love and support. 💛💛

[crossdreamers]

What can explain Caitlyn Jenner’s descent into transphobic politics?

Caitlyn Jenner, trangender sports and reality TV star, has not said much about what she want to do if she gets elected as the Governor of California. The only political statements she has made so far is that she wants to keep trans girls out of girl’s sports. 

You read that right. In a short interview with TMZ (embedded below) she even refers to trans girls as “biological boys”. This transgender woman wants to be elected on a transphobic policy.  

This is sickening, I know, and her statements represents a true betrayal of all the transgender youth out there who want to use sports  as a place for personal growth – like she did, a long time ago.

How can Jenner betray trans people in this way?

The question remains, though. How is this even possible? 

I mean, we all know Jenner made some strange statements after she transitioned, but she has talked to a lot of trans women and trans men, so you would think she has learned a bit or two about the culture that creates transphobia. 

She should be able to see through the tactics used by those who want to use trans kids as cultural scape goats in the struggle for traditionalist supremacy.

But no.

The power of the tribe

I cannot read her mind, but I have a few ideas as to what this is about. 

I have lost a couple of trans friends who could not and would not abandon their right wing “tribe,” even as it became abundantly clear that the Republican Party in the US had weaponized transphobia in their so-called “culture war”.

It turned out that the strong traditionalist beliefs of my friends, and their fear of an open society, were stronger than their desire to protect transgender lives. 

One of them went as far as telling me that she would rather sacrifice transgender rights than support anti-racist and pluralist policies. For her  European  “Christian” civilization was under attack, so she had to support those who defended this imaginary culture of hers, even if these persons where both homophobic and transphobic. 

She had grown up with these values. Her friends most likely shared these values. Her family believed in them. To abandon them would mean to admit that she had been wrong all her life. She could not. She was stuck.

American Conservatism is no longer Conservative

I do not think Jenner shares my ex-friends beliefs about the end of Western Civilization, but it seems that she, like my ex-friends, is unable to understand how an oppressive system uses scapegoats (like radical women, Jews, black activists, immigrants, Muslims and trans people) to mobilize the fear of those who seek safety and comfort in “traditional values” and the status quo. 

It might very well be that Jenner thinks that her opposition to trans girls in sports is a rational standpoint. It is not, but she may think so.

That is exactly how an oppressive system works: It even gets the oppressed to take part in the oppression, by appealing to a kind  “common sense” that might be common, but very seldom sensible. Remember that the biggest opponents to voting rights for women were conservative women. 

Jenner grew up in a world where free market liberalism  (understood as Conservatism at the time) stood up against left wing Liberalism and Socialism. This dichotomy no longer describes the real cultural battles in America, as I see them. The Republican Party is no longer a Conservative party in the traditional sense. It is – at best – a radical populist party, and – at worst – a channel for totalitarian fascism. 

But Jenner clearly thinks that there must even now be room for a “normal” Conservative in the party.

Playing the game

In order to get the MAGA-people to vote for her she needs to play the game of contemporary Republican politics, and that game requires her to sacrifice trans kids on the altar of electability. She is selling her soul for a prize she cannot possibly win. 

Keep in mind that last year she supported trans participation in youth sports.

This game was over at the time she came out as trans. The Trumpists and the white, right wing Evangelicals will never vote for a trans woman, because for them transgender people have become signs of the world their fear: A world where everyone is allowed to explore their own identities, find their own way and contribute to the world on the basis of their real  abilities, and not by living up to the stereotypes of the past.

Jenner’s campaign for becoming governor will cost her most of her friends. Trans people will have nothing to do with her, and the right wing she tries to woo, will despise her regardless of much she tries to please them. What a sad, sad story!

Is it possible to be Conservative and pro-trans?

Some of my friends have asked me if it is possible to be politically Conservative and pro-transgender. 

Yes, it is. I live in a country (Norway) where the Conservative Party is pro-LGBTQA. It has introduced legislation that helps and protects trans people. This kind of Conservatism respects the freedom the individual should have to be able go their own ways, and it believes in a social welfare policy that protects vulnerable groups. 

The same applies to religion. Most of my Christian friends support trans people, as they see that support as a natural consequence of a gospel of love for all.

But again: The Republican Party in the US is no longer a Conservative party of this sorts. And it is hard to recognize Jesus in the things the white, right wing, American  Evangelicals say these days. The balance between compassion and bigotry has tilted over. The compromise Jenner is looking for is no longer possible in the US.

Sorry, Caitlyn: The best thing you can do now is to abandon the campaign and admit that you were wrong!

See also: West Virginia Governor unable to give one example of a transgender person gaining an unfair athletic advantage

[feelingbluepolitics]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/09/23/robert-kagan-constitutional-crisis/

Much of this article is trash, written by a mewling conservative trying to distinguish Republicon policies and Republicon ideology as beyond and separate from "trump precursors" for "the last 30 years." Try 60 years, or more. Go all the way back to them with their fury and screams over Social Security as an evil Communist plot.

Kagan is a Never-trumper attempting to sound reasonable despite being a mental conservative, who thinks -- much like poor, beleaguered Joe Manchin -- that Democrats "need to let good Republicons" help them save the country.

He's one of those types of fools who, when he speaks of officials with integrity, is alluding to Mr. Anti-vote Raffensperger, who is to voting like so many white male Republicons are to immigration -- none too happy about illegal or legal. His hero Raffensperger is also one of the leading architects of the Republicon rash of Jim Crow 2.0 laws which Kagan points to as a prime symptom of Nazi-type fascism threatening American right now...but logical consistency fares extremely poorly on the Right.

However, there are some useful points in this article. The criticism leveled toward the Right by a [pre-trump] insider is one. And the insistent urgency of our nation's crisis is another.

"The United States is heading into its greatest political and constitutional crisis since the Civil War, with a reasonable chance over the next three to four years of incidents of mass violence, a breakdown of federal authority, and the division of the country into warring red and blue enclaves. The warning signs may be obscured by the distractions of politics, the pandemic, the economy and global crises, and by wishful thinking and denial. But about these things there should be no doubt:

"First, [t]rump will be the Republican candidate for president in 2024. The hope and expectation that he would fade in visibility and influence have been delusional. He enjoys mammoth leads in the polls; he is building a massive campaign war chest; and at this moment the Democratic ticket looks vulnerable. Barring health problems, he is running. [Or legal problems. Or even better, in order to be a bit safer, both].

"Second, [t]rump and his Republican allies are actively preparing to ensure his victory by whatever means necessary. [t]rump’s charges of fraud in the 2020 election are now primarily aimed at establishing the predicate to challenge future election results that do not go his way. Some Republican candidates have already begun preparing to declare fraud in 2022, just as Larry Elder tried meekly to do in the California recall contest.

"Meanwhile, the amateurish 'stop the steal' efforts of 2020 have given way to an organized nationwide campaign to ensure that [t]rump and his supporters will have the control over state and local election officials that they lacked in 2020. Those recalcitrant Republican state officials who effectively saved the country from calamity by refusing to falsely declare fraud or to 'find' more votes for [t]rump are being systematically removed or hounded from office. Republican legislatures are giving themselves greater control over the election certification process. As of this spring, Republicans have proposed or passed measures in at least 16 states that would shift certain election authorities from the purview of the governor, secretary of state or other executive-branch officers to the legislature. An Arizona bill flatly states that the legislature may 'revoke the secretary of state’s issuance or certification of a presidential elector’s certificate of election' by a simple majority vote. Some state legislatures seek to impose criminal penalties on local election officials alleged to have committed 'technical infractions,' including obstructing the view of poll watchers.

"The stage is thus being set for chaos.

..."Most Americans — and all but a handful of politicians — have refused to take this possibility seriously enough to try to prevent it. As has so often been the case in other countries where fascist leaders arise, their would-be opponents are paralyzed in confusion and amazement at this charismatic authoritarian. They have followed the standard model of appeasement, which always begins with underestimation. The political and intellectual establishments in both parties have been underestimating [t]rump since he emerged on the scene in 2015. They underestimated the extent of his popularity and the strength of his hold on his followers; they underestimated his ability to take control of the Republican Party; and then they underestimated how far he was willing to go to retain power. The fact that he failed to overturn the 2020 election has reassured many that the American system remains secure, though it easily could have gone the other way — if Biden had not been safely ahead in all four states where the vote was close; if [t]rump had been more competent and more in control of the decision-makers in his administration, Congress and the states. As it was, [t]rump came close to bringing off a coup earlier this year...

..."Where does the Republican Party stand in all this? The party gave birth to and nurtured this movement; it bears full responsibility for establishing the conditions in which [t]rump could capture the loyalty of 90 percent of Republican voters. Republican leaders were more than happy to ride [t]rump’s coattails if it meant getting paid off with hundreds of conservative court appointments, including three Supreme Court justices; tax cuts; immigration restrictions; and deep reductions in regulations on business.

..."From the uneasy and sometimes contentious partnership during [t]rump’s four years in office, the party’s main if not sole purpose today is as the willing enabler of [t]rump’s efforts to game the electoral system to ensure his return to power.

..."With the party firmly under his thumb, [t]rump is now fighting the Biden administration on separate fronts. One is normal, legitimate political competition, where Republicans criticize Biden’s policies, feed and fight the culture wars, and in general behave like a typical hostile opposition.

"The other front is outside the bounds of constitutional and democratic competition and into the realm of illegal or extralegal efforts to undermine the electoral process. The two are intimately related, because the Republican Party has used its institutional power in the political sphere to shield [t]rump and his followers from the consequences of their illegal and extralegal activities in the lead-up to Jan. 6. Thus, Reps. Kevin McCarthy and Elise Stefanik, in their roles as party leaders, run interference for the [t]rump movement in the sphere of legitimate politics, while Republicans in lesser positions cheer on the Jan. 6 perpetrators, turning them into martyrs and heroes, and encouraging illegal acts in the future.

..."Even [t]rump opponents play along. Republicans such as Sens. Mitt Romney and Ben Sasse have condemned the events of Jan. 6, criticized [t]rump and even voted for his impeachment, but in other respects they continue to act as good Republicans and conservatives. On issues such as the filibuster, Romney and others insist on preserving 'regular order' and conducting political and legislative business as usual, even though they know that [t]rump’s lieutenants in their party are working to subvert the next presidential election.

"The result is that even these anti-[t]rump Republicans are enabling the insurrection. Revolutionary movements usually operate outside a society’s power structures. But the [t]rump movement also enjoys unprecedented influence within those structures. It dominates the coverage on several cable news networks, numerous conservative magazines, hundreds of talk radio stations and all kinds of online platforms. It has access to financing from rich individuals and the Republican National Committee’s donor pool. And, not least, it controls one of the country’s two national parties...

"The world will look very different in 14 months if, as seems likely, the Republican zombie party wins control of the House. At that point, with the political winds clearly blowing in his favor, [t]rump is all but certain to announce his candidacy, and social media constraints on his speech are likely to be lifted, since Facebook and Twitter would have a hard time justifying censoring his campaign. With his megaphone back, [t]rump would once again dominate news coverage, as outlets prove unable to resist covering him around the clock if only for financial reasons.

"But this time, [t]rump would have advantages that he lacked in 2016 and 2020, including more loyal officials in state and local governments; the Republicans in Congress; and the backing of GOP donors, think tanks and journals of opinion. And he will have the [t]rump movement, including many who are armed and ready to be activated, again. Who is going to stop him then?

..."[Republicons] have refused to work with Democrats to pass legislation limiting state legislatures’ ability to overturn the results of future elections, to ensure that the federal government continues to have some say when states try to limit voting rights, to provide federal protection to state and local election workers who face threats, and in general to make clear to the nation that a bipartisan majority in the Senate opposes the subversion of the popular will. Why?

[They, just like trump, want and intend to be in power at all costs.

..."We are already in a constitutional crisis. The destruction of democracy might not come until November 2024, but critical steps in that direction are happening now. In a little more than a year, it may become impossible to pass legislation to protect the electoral process in 2024. Now it is impossible only because anti-[t]rump Republicans, and even some Democrats, refuse to tinker with the filibuster. It is impossible because, despite all that has happened, some people still wish to be good Republicans [sic] even as they oppose [t]rump. These decisions will not wear well as the nation tumbles into full-blown crisis."

[robertreich]

The Democratic Establishment is Freaking Out About Bernie. It should Calm Down.

The day after Bernie Sanders’s big win in Nevada, Joe Lockhart, Bill Clinton’s former press secretary, expressed the fear gripping the Democratic establishment: “I don't believe the country is prepared to support a Democratic socialist, and I agree with the theory that Sanders would lose in a matchup against Trump.”

Lockart, like the rest of the Democratic establishment, is viewing American politics through obsolete lenses of left versus right, with Bernie on the extreme left and Trump on the far right. “Moderates” like Bloomberg and Buttigieg supposedly occupy the center, appealing to a broader swath of the electorate.

This may have been the correct frame for politics decades ago when America still had a growing middle class, but it’s obsolete today. As wealth and power have moved to the top and the middle class has shrunk, more Americans feel politically dis-empowered and economically insecure. Today's main divide isn’t right versus left. It’s establishment versus anti-establishment.

Some background. In the fall of 2015 I visited Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Missouri, and North Carolina, researching the changing nature of work. I spoke with many of the same people I had met twenty years before when I was secretary of labor, as well as some of their grown children. I asked them about their jobs and their views about the economy. I was most interested in their sense of the system as a whole and how they were faring in it.

What I heard surprised me. Twenty years before, most said they’d been working hard and were frustrated they weren’t doing better. Now they were angry – at their employers, the government, and Wall Street; angry that they hadn’t been able to save for their retirement, and that their children weren’t doing any better than they did. Several had lost jobs, savings, or homes in the Great Recession. By the time I spoke with them, most were employed but the jobs paid no more than they had two decades before.

I heard the term “rigged system” so often I began asking people what they meant by it. They spoke about the bailout of Wall Street, political payoffs, insider deals, CEO pay, and “crony capitalism.” These came from self-identified Republicans, Democrats, and Independents; white, black, and Latino; union households and non-union. Their only common characteristic was they were middle class and below.

With the 2016 primaries looming, I asked which candidates they found most attractive. At the time, party leaders favored Hillary Clinton or Jeb Bush. But the people I spoke with repeatedly mentioned Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump. They said Sanders or Trump would “shake things up,” “make the system work again,” “stop the corruption,” or “end the rigging.”

In the following year, Sanders -- a 74-year-old Jew from Vermont who described himself as a democratic socialist and wasn’t even a Democrat until the 2016 presidential primary -- came within a whisker of beating Hillary Clinton in the Iowa caucus, routed her in the New Hampshire primary, garnered over 47 percent of the caucus-goers in Nevada, and ended up with 46 percent of the pledged delegates from Democratic primaries and caucuses.

Trump, a 69-year-old ego-maniacal billionaire reality TV star who had never held elective office or had anything to do with the Republican Party, and lied compulsively about almost everything -- won the Republican primaries and then went on to beat Clinton, one of the most experienced and well-connected politicians in modern America (granted, he didn’t win the popular vote, and had some help from the Kremlin).

Something very big happened, and it wasn’t because of Sanders’s magnetism or Trump’s likeability. It was a rebellion against the establishment. Clinton and Bush had all the advantages –funders, political advisors, name recognition -- but neither could credibly convince voters they weren’t part of the system.

A direct line connected four decades of stagnant wages, the financial crisis of 2008, the bailout of Wall Street, the rise of the Tea Party and the “Occupy” movement, and the emergence of Sanders and Trump in 2016. The people I spoke with no longer felt they had a fair chance to make it. National polls told much the same story. According to the Pew Research Center, the percentage of Americans who felt most people could get ahead through hard work dropped by 13 points between 2000 and 2015. In 2006, 59 percent of Americans thought government corruption was widespread; by 2013, 79 percent did.

Trump galvanized millions of blue-collar voters living in places that never recovered from the tidal wave of factory closings. He promised to bring back jobs, revive manufacturing, and get tough on trade and immigration. “We can’t continue to allow China to rape our country, and that’s what they’re doing,” he roared. “In five, ten years from now, you’re going to have a workers’ party. A party of people that haven’t had a real wage increase in eighteen years, that are angry.” He blasted politicians and financiers who had betrayed Americans by “taking away from the people their means of making a living and supporting their families.”

Trump’s pose as an anti-establishment populist was one of the biggest cons in American political history. Since elected he’s given the denizens of C-suites and the Street everything they’ve wanted and hasn’t markedly improved the lives of his working-class supporters, even if his politically-incorrect, damn-the-torpedo’s politics continues to make them feel as if he’s taking on the system.

The frustrations today are larger than they were four years ago. Even though corporate profits and executive pay have soared, the typical worker’s pay has barely risen, jobs are less secure, and health care less affordable.  

The best way for Democrats to defeat Trump’s fake anti-establishment populism is with the real thing, coupled with an agenda of systemic reform. This is what Bernie Sanders offers. For the same reason, he has the best chance of generating energy and enthusiasm to flip at least three senate seats to the Democratic Party (the minimum needed to recapture the Senate, using the vice president as tie-breaker).

He’ll need a coalition of young voters, people of color, and the working class. He seems on his way. So far in the primaries he leads among white voters, has a massive edge among Latinos, dominates with both women and men, and has done best among both college and non-college graduates. And he’s narrowing Biden’s edge with older voters and African Americans. [Add line about South Carolina from today's primary.]

The “socialism” moniker doesn't seem to have bruised him, although it hasn't been tested outside a Democratic primary or caucus. Perhaps voters won't care, just as they many don’t care about Trump’s chronic lies. 

Worries about a McGovern-like blowout in 2020 appear far-fetched. In 1972 the American middle class was expanding, not contracting. Besides, every national and swing state poll now shows Sanders tied with or beating Trump. A Quinnipiac Poll last week shows Sanders beating Trump in Michigan and Pennsylvania. A CBS News/YouGov poll has Sanders beating Trump nationally. A Texas Lyceum poll has Sanders doing better against Trump in Texas than any Democrat, losing by just three points.

Instead of the Democratic establishment worrying that Sanders is unelectable, maybe it should worry that a so-called "moderate” Democrat might be nominated instead.  

[zrtranscripts]

Season 9, Mission 13: Dig Your Own Hole

Green Route

~

[helicopter takes off and flies away]

SAM YAO: Well, that was incredibly cool! All my Airwolf fantasies come true. Besides, that chopper was a lot more comfortable than Skull-Kicker's little plane. Although can people have dropped us off at Red Scorpion Base instead of way out in the desert?

JANINE DE LUCA: They would have been shot down. Red Scorpion Base is protected by automated surface-to-air defense systems, highly sophisticated. It must contain something valuable indeed.

MARYAM ABANI: Hmm. Oh, a deadly secret.

JANINE DE LUCA: Red fungus run rampant, perhaps.

PETER LYNNE: Or one of Van Ark's little experiments.

JANINE DE LUCA: Whatever it is, Bakari's message said that getting it out of Red Scorpion Base would prevent countless deaths, and we must proceed on that basis. Now, we're approaching the checkpoint. I trust you have all prepared your cover identities. I am Steel Fist. Peter, you are Visage. And Five, Vampire Squid. Dr. Abani, your alias is Doctor Death. And Mr. Yao, yours is Sven "Psycho" Mountback. It is imperative that we remain in character at all times.

SAM YAO: Why are you looking at me?

[footsteps rustle through sand, a tap on a glass window, window opens]

GUARD: Papers.

SAM YAO: Here you go, officer.

GUARD: Put your feet in the prints. Looking at the cameras. Keep still.

[camera whirs]

SAM YAO: So how's your day going? Gets a bit boring out here, I'd imagine. Not much I Spy material, is there? Also, there's only one of you. [whispers] Ow! Why are you kicking me?

GUARD: Done. You guys are running pretty late. Gets a bit spicy this time of day. Still, you'll be all right, long as you stick to the green route.

SAM YAO: What's the green route?

GUARD: Brad, raise the gates.

BRAD: Copy that.

[gates raise]

GUARD: Okay, you can go. Do not deviate from the green route. Better run.

~

SAM YAO: Oh wow. Surprises me every time I see it, the color of the sand. Sort of burnt orange, like it soaked up the sunset. Not seeing much green, though. Where's this route?

PETER LYNNE: You know it's not literally green, Sam. It's green as in safe, I'd imagine. As opposed to, you know, red for painfully fatal. They must have sent the route to the real Death's Hand, and we'll just have to guess.

JANINE DE LUCA: According to Mr. Boujettif's sources, the principal threat en route to Red Scorpion Base is zombies. We have sight lines for miles in every direction, we should be fine. The principal threat when we reach the base would appear to be Mr. Yao.

SAM YAO: Me? Why?

MARYAM ABANI: Uh, your behavior at the checkpoint wasn't very... assassin-y.

SAM YAO: Oh, right. Yeah, sorry. You should have seen me at immigration. You know that bit where they used to look down at your passport and then up at you like 20 times? Just had to fill in that silence.

JANINE DE LUCA: But Sven Mountback would not. If he is famed for one thing other than prowess with illicit software and garrotting wires, it is taciturnity.

PETER LYNNE: Yes. We're sort of looking for um, gruff monosyllables rather than this whole sweaty, needy thing, charming though it is, obviously. But you've got it easy. I mean, Five's identity is Vampire Squid, and that's all anyone knows. I will say, I am highly impressed with your interpretation, Five.

MARYAM ABANI: [giggles] Yes. I wish I had your imagination. I had to base Doctor Death on the villain from a Nigerian children's television show.

SAM YAO: Ooh... oh, was that the one with the child detectives? Because Frances was talking about that the other day. Her grandmother used to put it on and -

JANINE DE LUCA: Don't get distracted. There are a number of bones in the sand, human bones. The desert may not be as empty as it appears. We must cross before darkness falls. Let's run.

~

MARYAM ABANI: I don't see any zombies. Maybe we found the green route?

JANINE DE LUCA: Perhaps, though the human remains are troubling. Hard to tell if they are old or recently picked clean by vultures.

PETER LYNNE: So uh, speaking of uh, bones to pick, we have some... reunions coming up. Van Ark, for instance. We've all got a few things we'd like to say to him. And um, Bakari might remind us of certain things, people. Raw nerves, maybe.

JANINE DE LUCA: Yes, Peter. Tom has been much on my mind.

PETER LYNNE: Oh. Uh, right.

JANINE DE LUCA: I've been allowing myself to dwell on... such matters, to work through them perhaps, as you have all encouraged me to do.

PETER LYNNE: Oh. And uh, are you... okay?

JANINE DE LUCA: It has been... a difficult time. Bakari... his betrayal was unforgivable, of course. But the thought of him... it has brought back memories. When Tom and I moved in with him, that wasn't an easy time, either. We'd just lost our parents, but we were together. That closeness... it has been years since I felt that. But... well, I feel it now. I feel it with you, P- on the horizon, to the east. What is that?

PETER LYNNE: Hmm? Oh. Uh, uh, well, I think that's a camel.

JANINE DE LUCA: Then there may be people. Perhaps they're following the green route. Runner Five, binoculars please. [bag rustles] The camel is laden with packs, but no one is leading it. What happened to... the camel would appear to have been sucked into the sand.

SAM YAO: Crap.

PETER LYNNE: Hooray, a monosyllable!

JANINE DE LUCA: I fear that was not a natural phenomenon. Quicksand does not claim its victims that fast. We must redouble our pace to reach Red Scorpion Base before it claims us. Run.

~

SAM YAO: These dunes are bigger than they looked, aren't they?

MARYAM ABANI: It's because they're featureless, no scale. During my training, I provided medical support to ultramarathon runners in the Namib Desert and they found it very difficult to pace themselves on the dunes.

SAM YAO: Yeah, what are these ridge things criss-crossing all over the sand? Looks like there's tubes underneath. Maybe they deliver water to Red Scorpion Base.

PETER LYNNE: Yeah, I reckon Sod's Law is that they're actually just something really, really horrible.

JANINE DE LUCA: Let us not conjure threats because we have seen something unusual. Perhaps we've simply witnessed a camel falling down a hole.

MARYAM ABANI: There was sucking, too. I-I definitely heard -

[zombie screams]

SAM YAO: Screamer, top of the dune! [gunshot] Nice shooting, Five.

[zombies scream]

MARYAM ABANI: Looks like the screams attracted more zombies.

JANINE DE LUCA: We may be able to use this to our advantage. I will position myself atop the large dune to the east. The screamers will be drawn towards you, and I will have a clear shot. Steel Fist's weapon is an M82 rifle. I will dispatch the zombies long before they reach you. Continue on your current heading. I'll rejoin you once the threat is eliminated. Run.

~

[zombies scream]

SAM YAO: Okay Janine, we're between two pretty steep dunes. Don't fancy scrabbling up those with zombies screaming at my heels. Oh God, look at that one. I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream. Also, my skull's gone and there's maggots in my brain. They're close enough to make out the maggots, Janine. You all set up to shoot them? Janine?

JANINE DE LUCA: I... I cannot remember how to assemble the rifle.

PETER LYNNE: Hey hey hey, that's-that's okay. Just-just relax, Janine. You let your hands just do their thing. It's muscle memory.

JANINE DE LUCA: The memory has gone, lost when the nanites rebooted me. I... I can't do it.

SAM YAO: Right. Well, we're gonna need a new plan, like now! Those zoms are getting really close -

VERONICA MCSHELL: Janine, it's Veronica. I will guide you. First, remove two pins from the lower half of the rifle. One is at the front of the body. Pull it out. Good. The second is located approximately four inches from the grip. Draw back the bolt, remove the pin, and replace the bolt. You're doing well.

PETER LYNNE: Ooh boy, they are close now. I can smell the rot. Um, no pressure. Running out of time a bit.

VERONICA MCSHELL: Remove the barrel from the case, locate the spring, and attach it to the bolt.

PETER LYNNE: They're coming from both sides.

VERONICA MCSHELL: Draw back the bolt, slide the barrel onto the body. Finally, replace the pins.

PETER LYNNE: Janine? Did you do it? Um, Janine?

[gunfire]

SAM YAO: Thanks, Veronica.

PETER LYNNE: Uh, Maryam, uh, the sand by your feet is, it's crumbling. I think that it might cave in. [MARYAM screams] Maryam! Maryam, are you all right down there?

MARYAM ABANI: Not really. I'm in some kind of tunnel. There's scratch marks on the walls, like they've been dug with hands. I think something's living down here.

JANINE DE LUCA: Runner Five, extract Dr. Abani from the tunnel immediately.

MARYAM ABANI: Thanks, Five.

JANINE DE LUCA: More screamers have our location, and I do not want to find out what lives in the tunnels. We must leave this unstable ground immediately. There are rocky outcrops to the northwest. Run.

~

PETER LYNNE: Uh, give me a hand up to that rock, would you, Five? Cheers. Are you all right, Janine?

JANINE DE LUCA: It is disconcerting to lose a memory. I'll be sure to discuss it with Dr. Myers. For now, we have more pressing concerns.

SAM YAO: Yeah. like that rumbling noise.

MARYAM ABANI: And whatever lives in those tunnels. The tunnels were person-sized, Janine, some bigger. And something made them. But what kind of person would dig a tunnel like that with their hands?

JANINE DE LUCA: Nothing lives in the tunnels. They and the rumbling sound are the result of tectonic activity.

PETER LYNNE: Um, Janine?

JANINE DE LUCA: We're on top of a fault line - what was that?

PETER LYNNE: Oh, that. Well, that was a bit of a camel. See, the desert just spat it out miles from where it got sucked down.

SAM YAO: Oh God, that's a hump. Something definitely does live in those tunnels. It hunts camels. Camels are big. Oh crap!

PETER LYNNE: Yeah, it doesn't just hunt them, it uh, also dismembers them, of course. It's um, ripped that camel to pieces and then chosen to lob it at us across half a desert. So in short, guys, I don't think this is the green route!

SAM YAO: Oh my God. Look, Five, new tunnels! Over there. Oh, and there. Oh bloody hell, everywhere! They're burrowing towards us!

JANINE DE LUCA: The tunnels form a web. We are at its center, and the predator can sense our movements like a spider does a fly. At the rate the tunnels are approaching, we will need to run as fast as we can if we're to reach Red Scorpion Base before they reach us. Go now, run!

~

JANINE DE LUCA: The tunneling has stopped. The ground feels firmer here by Red Scorpion's entrance. Metal must have been sunk beneath the ground to prevent the... borrowing entities from reaching the entrance. We have found the green route at last.

SAM YAO: Yeah, and the uh, entities aren't happy about it.

JANINE DE LUCA: Their presence complicates our exit strategy, but we have a more immediate problem: me. What happened with the rifle may happen inside the base. I may be unable to recall the details of my cover. I might put you all in danger. Perhaps I should return to New Agadir.

[alarm blares, gates raise]

MARYAM ABANI: Too late.

JANINE DE LUCA: We must compose ourselves. We've been running hard and the guards will look askance at our exhaustion. Mr. Yao, dab your forehead.

GUARD: Welcome to FOB Red Scorpion. You're late and sweaty.

SAM YAO: [deep gruff voice] Zoms.

GUARD: You must be Mountback. Heard you killed 10 men with nothing but dental floss. And I guess you're Vampire – [radio beeps] Sir? Roger that. General Bakari has some pressing matters to attend to. He will see you later.

JANINE DE LUCA: Fine. Please show us to our bunks.

GUARD: Of course. Follow me. The cells are this way.

PETER LYNNE: [whispers] Come on then, Five. Into the dragon's den we go, and there is absolutely nothing to worry about. Except for, you know, deadly red fungus, Van Ark, oh, and the fact that we're all lying through our teeth and could get caught at any time. Yay!

~

Thanks to @mrs-elijah-wood for help on this one!

[evilelitest2]

So how do the rest of us get the dirtbag left to piss off?

You are speaking my language.  Its actually less hard than it should be, the dirtbag left isn’t that large it just seems larger because of how Twitter and Tumblr works.  The big thing we need to do get ride of those fuckers is to tap into their recruitment which means we need to very publicly talk about their issues.  THere are three main things we need to openly talk about, two of which are easy and one of which is...hard.  

1) Making it clear from the start that leftism and progressivism go hand in hand, that both of them come from the same place, the belief in human equality and justice.  

2) Make it clear that the so called “woke” values aren’t just good because they are morally good (though they are) but also because they are an objectively good idea and helps any real form of socialism.  Because again, treating gay people better isn’t just the right thing to do, it helps the nation.  Because having a large percentage of the population actually able to spend their time earning money, paying taxes, spending money and supporting social structures (to say nothing of their personal contributions to art/culture/science/entertainment ect) makes the society as a whole more healthy and productive.  Just to give a few examples

Keeping qualified women from working jobs that they can do better hurts everybody 

The sooner trans people can transition and get access to hormones and reach a state of emotional health the sooner they can actually live productive lives (constant misery does not make for a good citizen) 

The fact that about 40% of the US population is constantly denied access to good jobs, wages, education, opportunities, and cultural employment due to racism means that the nation isn’t benefiting from their possible contributions 

Making workplaces, even capitalist ones more gender neutral, racially/sexually diverse will produce better policies overall, because a lot of shitty elements of capitalism come from toxic masculinity, religious fundamentalisms  and white supremacy as much as it does from a pure profit motive

And even beyond those issues, no socialist policies are ever going to be enacted as long as otherwise marginalized people aren’t able to benefit from it  

Those are pretty easy arguments to make, we just need to make them loudly and do so even when the dirtbag left isn’t around.  Like we need to just openly state why intersectionality is a practical policy not just a moral one.  The last thing though...thats tricky because I think a lot of leftists don’t want to deal with it.  Which is

3) We need to do a better job of understanding conservatives

See we tend to understand Rightist as...failed leftists.  Like they just don’t know any better, if they weren’t so ignorant, they would accept our world view.  We just need to find a better way to explain equality to them and suddenly they would magically be on board.  And that ignores the biggest problem when you are dealing with a movement made up of bigots, fundamentalist's and conspiracy theorists, led by grifters and megalomaniacs...they like the policies that are enacted.  

The left has long believed that poor white men are voting against their own interest when they support bigoted policies that hurt them economically, but in many ways they are voting for their own interests if they view the world through a tribality “us vs. them” mindset...which they do.  ANd if they are a bunch of people who revel in the idea of hurting the weak and defining themselves as the sense of normal, and rejecting any notion of intellectualism.  I think Trump’s election really eye opening because every single evil, cruel, stupid, incompetent, and absurd policy was...openly cheered on by his cultists.  The notion that conservative voters are “misguided” or “misled” is hard to reconcile when you see how much they reveled in the images of immigrant children being taken away from their families, how much they delighted in Trump rejecting science and intellectualism, how they cheered him on every time he advocated torture, deportations, abuses', cruelty, and violating human rights, and finally how they were delighted when the police opened fire on unarmed protestors.  The Dirtbag’s left argument is that the average MAGA voter is a good old boy who is really just a good person who disagrees with you and wants to be able to swear, and that image is one that leftists created because white people don’t want to acknowledge that their family members would have been little Nazis if they had been around in 30s Germany.  And that is the big hurtle we have to address, that a about 60-74 million Americans are not just ok with but actively rooting for conspiracy theories, anti intellectualism, mass murder, torture, child abuse, dictatorship, racism, sexism, homophobia, and above all cruelty.  And that they will do so at the expense of their own self interest, these people are letting themselves die of Covid in order to support a man who will hurt the people they hate.  

And that is sort of the most difficult pill for the left to swallow, because the left still is in love with the Roussouian idea that most people are fundamentally good and its just systems that make them bad, and we don’t want to abandon that. And the dirtbag left takes advantage of that to provide a really comforting narrative to a lot of leftistst

“Oh Trump supporters aren’t really cruel selfish cultists who worship willing ignorance, they are just misunderstood, if we just use more slurs they will come around to our way of thinking”

The left really needs to understand that they really do believe what their actions indicate.  Its the same problem we had with post war Germany, the whole idea that “oh only the leadership were evil, most Germans didn’t know anything” when in reality most Germans (and really most Europeans) were complicit in antisemitism and dictatorship long before Hitler came to power.  The left never likes to believe the worse in people, the right is always too willing to do so.  

[immigrationlawyertorontoorg]

Can immigrants become lawyers in Canada?

Can immigrants become lawyers in Canada? The answer is a resounding yes! There are many opportunities available to immigrants and legal professionals that are willing to work hard for it. Many immigrants come to Canada as lawyers.

This is because the country's system of free speech and the willingness to allow newcomers to follow their passions make it easy for newcomers to choose a special area of law to specialize in.

It isn't as easy, however, to become lawyers in Canada.

The first step is finding an accredited university in Canada where you can earn a degree in Law. You must also pass the bar exam and be prepared to sit for at least two years of legal practice in order to qualify to practice Law in Canada. In order to do this you need to prepare for the bar exam, which can be done by taking a test that will gauge your preparedness. 

When you have been bar examined and passed, you will be provided with a Lawyer's License. However, it is important to note that even though you have a Lawyer's License you will still need to complete the required number of hours of further training before you are able to practice Law in Canada.

Can immigrants become lawyers in Canada? 

Yes, but they will need to find a way to reach the required number of hours of study and Bar exams. Many immigrants come to Canada with the hope of finding a way to become an Immigration lawyer.

Immigrants come to Canada to pursue a variety of opportunities. Some want to go to Canada to start a business. Others do so to serve the community. Yet others do it simply for the love of Canada and its people. Whatever the reason that you are coming to Canada, there are a number of ways for you to make money while you are here.

Can immigrants become lawyers in Canada? 

Yes, but they need to find a way to get to the required number of hours of study and Bar exams. There are a number of institutions and universities that provide tuition assistance for those who want to pursue an LPN to BPL career path. Although most LPNs begin their careers as nurses, there are many doctors who choose to take the Bar exam in order to become an LPN.

How long does it take immigrants to become an LPN? 

It usually takes four to six years to complete this process. This is because it is not a field that is readily available in all areas. In fact, there are now more immigrants from other countries that want to become an LPN than from any other profession. In addition, when an LPN has to return to school for refresher courses, he or she may not have enough time to participate in the Bar exam.

What kind of financial support do LPNs receive when they enter the profession? 

While this may seem like a high-beginning salary, once the LPN has to pay for housing, vehicle maintenance, childcare, and even the cost of obtaining his or her license, the income is dramatically reduced. Fortunately, there are a number of financing options available to new LPNs that do not depend on federal funding. 

Private finances and loans from banks and other lending institutions are common, while there are a number of lending services that also specialize in helping lawyers buy needed equipment, including computers and legal pads. As well, lawyers can take advantage of internships that cover a reasonable fee, get help from our specialist, you can book a consultation.

Can immigrants become lawyers in Canada? 

Yes, but they need to find a way to get to the required number of hours of schooling and Bar exams. There are many LPNs who begin their careers as nurses, but many doctors prefer to become an LPN. Fortunately, there are a number of financing options available to new LPNs who don't qualify for the federal government's assistance. 

Private finances and loans from banks and other lending institutions are common, while there are also a number of lending services that also specialize in helping lawyers buy needed equipment, such as computers and legal pads.

[femmesfollesnebraska]

Artist feature: Helena Baka

Artist Helena Baka shares with LFF about her inspiration as an artist through trauma, experiences, identity, femininity and more. All images and text (c) Helena Baka, helenabaka.com.

Where are you from and how did you get into art?

I’m from Elmwood Park, Illinois, but I’m currently living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Both of my parents were born and raised in Albania and immigrated from there before I was born, a few years after the collapse of communism. I’ve loved art since I was a child – I used to draw princesses, my favorite television show characters, Sanrio characters, and self-portraits. This was probably because both of my parents were artists - my father is a painter, and my mom used to make little angel Christmas ornaments and draw mermaids for my sister and me (although she stopped doing that very early on once she became a paralegal). All my life I had been surrounded by my dad’s oil painting landscapes of Albania hanging on the walls of our home, so I think I wanted to be just as good as him.

It’s been hard to be upfront about this, but my mom committed suicide when I was only 16 years old, and that was really the beginning of my painting practice because I started to draw inspiration from my traumas, dreams and experiences after that. Now, my work is motivated by my cultural identity and the distance I’ve experienced with my Albanian culture while growing up American. Lots of my current work shines on aspects of my identity, both relating to culture and femininity. I also have been exploring the relationship between sculpture and painting in my work because I’m fascinated with how bending the rules of traditional sculpture and/or painting can possibly make either of those fall into either category.

I have a few impetuses for creating; much of it derives from the need to tell my story, to use my practice as a form of therapy, to take risks and experiment with both familiar and unfamiliar mediums, and to educate my audience on whatever topic evokes strong emotions from me.

Tell me about your most recent exhibit.

4th Midwest Open at Woman Made Gallery in Chicago is the upcoming show I’m featured in, and I’m really excited for it because it’s going to be filled with so many different types of work featuring many artists of diverse backgrounds. It’s a chance to showcase the voices of women and nonbinary people in a space that is not male-dominated, which I think is so important because spaces like these are rare to find in the art world.

I hope when people see my work, it can spark some curiosity and self-education of what and where Albania is, and that it’s not just some impoverished Eastern European country that never made it into the footnotes of western history textbooks. My work touches on themes of loss, displacement, and frustration with one’s identity, as well as learning to accept and embrace who you are; that it’s okay not to fit into the mold of who or what you’re “supposed” to be. So, I hope at the end of the day, anyone who views my work can see a little bit of themselves in it, too. Most importantly, I want to be the Albanian woman artist role model that I never got to see growing up.

Does collaboration play a role in your work?

Although I have always worked independently in the studio, I’ve found collaboration beneficial to my practice through exposure of others’ ideas and methods of production. Being in my last year of art school toward my BFA, I have grown used to surrounding myself in an environment of plenty of working artists, and that alone inspires me to create, too. I think the act of critiques and even showing in-progress work has been a collaboration between me and whoever is critiquing my work, because most of the time I’ll come out of it with fresh ideas handed to me by another person. It works the same way vice-versa.

I once had my first ceramic sculpture fall apart in the kiln, and through a collaborative effort of mending it with my friend who was very familiar with working with plaster, my sculpture was repaired and I gained new insight toward this specific material and potential future uses in my practice. My work could never have progressed the way it has without the exposure of different ideas, methods and materials that other artists use.

What do you think about making work right now with the current political climate?

The political climate we’re living in right now has brought on so much outstanding work that has been made by BIPOC creators. Through the darkness of the pandemic, a corrupt, unfitting president in office, systemic racism, police brutality, and all of the tragic deaths we’ve experienced in 2020 from these events, one of the few instances of light the world gained out of these tragedies was the art made by black folx and BIPOC. From music to writing to visual art, BIPOC’s voices have been uplifted and encouraged on every accessible platform, and I continue to see more and more spaces made exclusively for these communities in the art world. Art really makes a difference in impacting our ways of thinking and beliefs, and I believe that if we continue to make BIPOC creators and voices a priority after Black Lives Matter is no longer a trending topic, there could be huge changes in the art world that provide even bigger opportunities for BIPOC creators, such as solo/group exhibitions, publications, grants and rewards, and leadership positions, if not more.

Is feminism relevant to your work?

Absolutely! I would categorize much of my work as feminist pieces because it discuss the contrasting distance and pride not only between myself and my cultural identity, but with my female identity as well that has been challenged and taken advantage of throughout all my life by others. Sexism, misogyny perpetuated by both men and women, double standards, and body image dysphoria as a consequence of these things have all been themes I’ve had to work through in my life and practice.

I can’t speak for every womxn or nonbinary person, but most who are or have once been feminine presenting in their lives have experienced a hypersexualization of themselves and their bodies through the media, culture, and the overall tainted perspective of the patriarchy we’ve been trained to look through. Instead, my work inevitably sees through the lens of the female gaze, where there is no objectification or negativity associated with the female/feminine body or experience, and instead the viewer is presented with this sort of chaotic, distortion of the faces and bodies of my characters, who are often abstract depictions of self-portraits.

What’s the best advice you have received about being an artist?

Strive to make work better than the last and only compete with yourself. Never measure your talents and successes to someone else's.

helenabaka.com

instagram: @artbug666.

~

Les Femmes Folles is a volunteer organization founded in 2011 with the mission to support and promote women in all forms, styles and levels of art from around the world with the online journal, print annuals, exhibitions and events; originally inspired by artist Wanda Ewing and her curated exhibit by the name Les Femmes Folles (Wild Women). LFF was created and is curated by Sally Brown Deskins.  LFF Books is a micro-feminist press that publishes 1-2 books per year by the creators of Les Femmes Folles including the award-winning Intimates & Fools (Laura Madeline Wiseman, 2014) , The Hunger of the Cheeky Sisters: Ten Tales (Laura Madeline Wiseman/Lauren Rinaldi, 2015 and Mes Predices (catalog of art/writing by Marie Peter Toltz, 2017). Other titles include Les Femmes Folles: The Women 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 available on blurb.com, including art, poetry and interview excerpts from women artists. A portion of the proceeds from LFF books and products benefit the University of Nebraska-Omaha’s Wanda Ewing Scholarship Fund.

Submissions always open! - Check out the 10th anniversary call here:

https://femmesfollesnebraska.tumblr.com/callforart-writing