#the truth is that schools in america have more resources

[niteshade925]

:P

[selkies-world]

Me, in the UK, preparing to watch the USA get turned into a fully fledged Christian ethnostate thanks to the fact they willingly voted a Christian Nationalist into power:

Meanwhile, USAmericans:

Here's what's going to happen, now that the orange bastard is on America's throne.

First, it'll be trans people & immigrants that will get the brunt of it. They'll be treated worse than they have this century.

Then it'll be BIPOC and disabled people. It'll be the women & girls who get it the worst, out of these groups.

Then it'll be the gays, and marriage will be returned to the state, Roe & Wade style.

Then it'll be women.

Along the way, they'll also be taking money and funding out of education and the workforce, and putting it into the military, weapons, tech for the pet elongated muskrat, and the church. Funding for climate and science and medicine will be taken away and relocated.

Your weather reports will be privatised, and if you pay to be able to view them, they will give you false information, and will intentionally fail to mention climate change. You will not know when a wildfire is predicted, or a flood, or a hurricane. Likewise, you will not know when those events happen in other states. You will not know what the weather is like in the rest of the world because the news will be heavily censored and filtered.

You will also lose porn. All LGBTQIA+ content, including shows and resources and books, will be classified as pornography, and banned. You will lose the general Internet, and anonymity, and privacy. Spyware will be mandatory on your devices. Anyone caught looking at banned material will be prosecuted, and labeled as a monster - someone looking at gay porn, or reading gay fanfic, or reading up on safe gay sex, will be branded as a pedophile or a sexual deviant.

You will also find that sex ed is removed from schools. Even anatomy & biology classes will be different. You can't miss something if you're never taught it in the first place, surely. Teen pregnancies will increase, as birth control becomes illegal, and pregnancy complications, child deaths, miscarriages and teen parents will be very commonplace. Sexual diseases will also become more prevalent as the medication for them will become scarce; PReP will be next to impossible to access, so a small AIDS epidemic will resurface. Antibiotics and vaccines will become rarer and rarer.

All porn will be deigned as a threat to children, and kink safespaces for adults will be hunted and shut down as being a threat to society. Gay clubs, too. Pride will be canceled, as will pride clubs in schools and colleges. Funding for therapy & mental health resources will dry up.

Families will be torn up, children will be tortured and abused, and adults will be forced to go along with it, face the same treatment, enact the abuse, or go to jail for child abuse because they tried to help their child. Gay adoptions will stop, as will family support for families with gay children.

Meanwhile, the UK will be in a political war with the USA. Palestinians will be bombed more, and so will most countries in the middle East. Egypt will become a target, and a few other parts of Africa. Russia and Ukraine will continue to attack each other, but Russia will be watching the USA and UK. So will North Korea and China.

None of you will be told if there's another pandemic. None of you will be told if there are millions or hundreds of millions of deaths. None of you will be told about loved ones in danger in other countries or states. None of you will be told the truth about anything.

Congratulations, America. You've built your walls high, and fortified your country. But you haven't just shut the rest of the world out; you've shut yourselves in.

If you don't believe me, save this post and come back to it 1 year from now. 2 years. 3 years. 4. Take a screenshot of it. And let's see which of us is right.

[novadeathstar]

Dungeons and Daddies season 2 spoilers!!!

I've been on a repeat of the series this is like my 3 time around.

Season 2 really is giving the Cathulu series by how gruesome it is, obviously.

The fact however, is that these kids are cannonically gen z.

Gen z who have never once got to experience a "decent America" since ever.

These kids have to brave it on their own, what Mr. Another Burch said at the end of season 2 ep 13, "Welcome to adulthood." After realizing the horrible truth of their (not)world.

I'm not sure if that was the plan but these kids keep getting their asses whooped. They make their mistakes because theyre kids but because they have so many resources they see the mistakes their parents make. (Maybe because they are kids but they also have so much hope to do better despite their meanie dad's. [Not all of them<Shout out MARCO> love that dad]

I loved Grant, Terry Jr., Lark, Sparrow and Nick as kids, but they were kids before the harsh realities of life and rolls of the die.

Seeing that the kids are always going against their parents' decisions, the parents just not being good people in general and the kids having to become said adults in high school. (I don't know about you all but when I was 18, i can confidently say I was not an adult, it's such a social construct<personally I'm 24>)

Them being hot messes is the byproduct of circumstances out of their control. I can't blame them, I can't hate them, (Maybe lark and/or sparrow cause they're an unnecessary meanie, Normal is perfect<they need therapy on god>)

and I'm sure that's something that a lot of kids are feeling nowadays. An alienation between the child and parent.

That awkward transition of your parents looking at you as the same child but you needing to be pushed out of the nest and learn to become who you are as a person.

(Sidenote: don't get me started on the Avengers shot they got when they got the moms to come in at the end of season 1.)

I just think it's cool 👉👈

I need more mutals for dndads

[cosmicsponge2004]

LISTEN...

For any US Viewers here, we all know Joe Biden hasn't been a good president at all. With both his contributions to Isreal's Terrorism in Palestine along with his incompetence when it comes to doing ANY for the United States of America

We also know the republican party is just as evil as last time. With the options there being either Donald Trump or Ron DeSantis. You can just search them here or on any news site to see why they would be even worse.

HOWEVER, We might not have to settle for Biden.

Now, I am under 18. So I am not allowed to vote. The US Government says my opinion dosen't matter. However, I can influence YOU! The 18+ Year Old US Citizens who DO matter in the eyes of the law

I found an independent candidate from a comment section on a tumblr post here (I forgot which one) and he seems great

He's very ambitious (I don't see him reaching most of his goals but surely he could get SOME change done)

Enter: Cornell West

More information on his website (more of his campaign's site but I think he runs it...?)

What does he plan to do? Here's a highlight reel of my favorites. Click "keep reading"

(the full list is on the site)

Abolish poverty 

Abolish homelessness (big statements right there, dude)

Wealth tax on all billionaire holdings and transactions

National $27 minimum wage with special considerations for specific geographies where $27/hour would not be a family-sustaining wage

Mandatory minimum of six months of fully paid parental leave

National free pre-K childcare

Habeas Corpus Healthcare, free healthcare for any and all residents of the United States

Codify abortion rights as a Constitutional mandate (THIS ONE!!! THIS ONE RIGHT HERE!!!!)

Remove Transgender exclusions/limitations from all healthcare policies

Nationalize the healthcare industry, including the pharmaceutical industry

End medical apartheid and protect/increase rights for people with disabilities

End the war on drugs and associated collateral damage on families and communities (Reagan would shit his pants)

End mass incarceration and codify voting rights for all incarcerated people and immediately reinstate voting rights for all returning citizens

Address the disproportionate mortality rate for Black pregnancies

Establish a Land Back Commission to explore and address brutal land theft from, attempted genocide of, and broken treaties with Indigenous peoples

Protect free speech, enforce whistleblower protections, and stop the prosecution of those who expose government corruption

Shut down Cop City and plans for similar facilities across the nation 

Redistribute police funding to unarmed community-led forces

Eliminate crowded prison facilities by developing alternatives to incarceration 

Prisoner Bill of Rights that includes a right to humane treatment and humane living conditions for all correctional facilities

Investigate and end sentencing discrepancies based on race, ethnicity, and class

Ban the death penalty, life without the possibility of parole, three-strikes laws, mandatory minimums, and sentence enhancement politics

Restore voting rights for people with criminal records, including those who are currently incarcerated

Confiscate all military equipment from civilian police forces

Free tuition for all state and community colleges

Dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline by removing police and so-called School Resource Officers from all public schools

Cancel all student loan debt

End the unwarranted, unnecessary, and dangerous assaults on transgender people

Gender-affirming standards of care for trans people in public life and institutions

Codify an Equal Rights Amendment for LGBTQIA+ U.S. residents

National ban on any and all so-called "Don’t Say Gay" laws and all other anti-LGBTQIA+ laws

End crimes against humanity for migrants and their families - no separation of families, no children in cages

Slash the bloated U.S. military budget

Expeditious and responsible closure of global U.S. military bases - AFRICOM, etc.

Cease military funding to the State of Israel

End Israeli apartheid of Palestinian people and press the UN to establish a program for Palestinian dignity and liberation

Cease all military support to nations committing war crimes

(16-24 feel SUPER IMPORTANT to me as a Texan)

If he ain't all talk, I can see this going decently! Have a little hope. Vote for this guy. Or don't, I'm not your dead mom. But I am a concerned US Citizen with a tiny bit of hope. Emphasis on tiny

We can do it!!!

[ceojunho]

[ NA INWOO, CIS MAN, HE/HIM] — i’m pretty sure that was just JUNHO HWAN of  OLD MONEY that just passed by. the THIRTY year old FORTUNE 500 CEO has been a resident here in the upper east side for SIX YEARS.  they’re known for being DEDICATED & LOYAL, but i overheard someone mention they’re also ALOOF & SECRETIVE…considering they’re a LIBRA i think there might be some truth to it. but maybe that’s just because they’re always worried someone might find out about redacted.  something about them has always reminded me of THE SCENT OF VANILLA COLOGNE, A FURROWED BROW, LATE NIGHT DRIVES THROUGH THE CITY  but maybe that’s just because they like to COOK & WRITE in their free time

QUICK STATS

name: junho hwan

nickname(s): jun (by those closest to him)

gender: cis man

pronouns: he / him

age: 30

dob: october 13th 19993

pob: seoul, sk

orientation: bi-curious

social group: old money

APPEARANCE

height: 6'4 "

build: muscular

ethnicity: korean

eye colour: brown

hair colour: dark brown

notable features: big tall man

style: business wear

tattoos: n/a

piercings: n/s

PERSONALITY

positive traits: dedicated, loyal, level headed, intelligent, resourceful

negative traits: aloof, secretive, distance, workaholic,

likes: reading, cleaning, coffee in any form, cooking, his cat,  changing into something comfortable after work, 

dislikes: traffic, smoking, mushrooms, ketchup on fries, people who don’t like cats, 

CAREER & EDUCATION

current occupation: CEO of Advanced Tech (a subdivision of Hwan Enterprises)

past occupation(s): intern, manger, creative director

degree(s): masters degree in business & finance

BIOGRAPHY

tw: cheating, neglect, verbal abuse in the world of generational wealth where money controls everything, it’s easy to believe junho hwan has the world in the palm of his hand. born into one of the richest business families in south korea as the eldest son there was never a question that he was destined for success. but life was never as simple as it seemed on the surface, starting with the fact junho’s birth was the result of his father’s affair with a pretty secretary. not wanting the world to know his son was a bastard, his father and his wife paid for his birth mother’s silence, raising him as though he was their legitimate child, something junho believed he was for most of his life. he never understood his mother’s coldness towards him growing up, and why she seemed to always favour his younger siblings more than him, often ignoring junho, or holding him to higher standards than anyone else. her lack of motherly affection and seeming resentment towards him, always had him pushing himself to be the best he could be to win her praise, yet no matter how hard he tried in her eyes he always fell short. if it wasn’t for the kind nanny who treated him with such love and endearment, he’s not sure what kind of person he would have ended up as. yet there was always that noticeable distance in his family, how his mother insisted he were to study abroad during the school year, sending him away to prestigious private schools under the guise of ‘bettering his education’ while his siblings were kept close to home. what hadn’t been expected was just how much junho would thrive abroad, he was a star student and athlete, his shelves lined with his accolades. he even managed to get into an ivy league university in america without his family needing to pull any strings, simply on his merit alone. yet every summer when he returned home, there was still an undeniable tension in their house. his mother’s lack of interest in his life was obvious, going as far as minimizing his success in favour of boasting of his other siblings, creating a natural rift between them for a reason he could never understand. it wasn’t until he was twenty-four having just graduated from university that he finally had the courage to call her on her behaviour. resulting in an argument that finally revealed he wasn’t her son, but the son of his father’s old secretary, who was the same woman that nannied him as a child just so she could stay in his life. this realization had junho question the very foundations of his life and what he thought he knew. it explained his mother’s constant resentment and verbal abuse, he was the reminder of his father’s infidelity. yet this fact still didn’t excuse the neglect, he was a child who suffered at her hands for something he had no control over. at this time junho had tried to cut all contact with his parents, angry with them for keeping such a secret from him. but his father couldn’t let him go, junho had been raised from birth to be the next chairman one day, he was already moulded into the perfect leader. not wanting that to go to waste he instead offered to let junho live his life abroad, working at their american division as the ceo of advanced tech, a fortune 500 company and one of their most profitable conglomerates. he knows his father hopes that one day junho will forgive him and want to return back to korea to properly take over the hwan empire. but even after six years the wounds still feel to fresh, and he’s content living his life in new york.

HEADCANONS

Attended Boarding School in France & Switzerland 

Went to an Ivy League University in America 

Has a cat named mango 

He speaks fluent korean, english & french 

used to play volleyball and did taekwondo 

seems cold and aloof but is actually a bit of a dork 

has three younger siblings

WANTED CONNECTIONS

boarding school days - he attended a boarding school in France between the ages of 8-13 and a boarding school in Switzerland between 13-17. they could have met during these days and kept contact over the years, or  recently bumped into each other again as adults. 

university friends - he studied at an unspecified ivy league university, they could have shared a class, lived in the same dorm, or attended similar clubs 

first love - someone in he met either in university, or his late years at boarding school. one of the few people he’s ever had genuine feelings for.  it was fleeting, and went too fast. likely ended due to their lives going in different directions at the time. 

business connections - people he’s met schmoozing at events and through work. they’re friendly with each other, though may not know each other too closely. 

family secrets - someone who may know he’s the illegitimate son of the hwan empire back in south Korea. they could be old family friends, or just someone who keeps up with all of the gossip.

[nicollekidman]

THE WAY YOU BACKTRACK no its just a conspiracy people seeing antisemitism with their own eyes? abby get a grip, you apologize and then you reblog a "actually its just a conspiracy to discredit palestine" like these theories havent been around for millenia

i at no point have backtracked???? you guys have to calm down and like either read the words i’m typing or accept you’re just dying to scold me for some reason and to stop engaging. like i know a disconcerting amount of you are zionists hanging around to just randomly accuse me of antisemitism (there’s a reason i haven’t been publishing those over the last few weeks lmao) but if someone comes to me and says “what is your reaction to this stuff i’ve been seeing” and i say “idk i haven’t been seeing any of that, here is my reaction to what i HAVE been seeing” and i get like six more people saying “no actually we have been seeing this stuff and if you don’t more obviously say you don’t Love Osama Bin Laden then we’re going to assume you love antisemtism!!!” then obviously my first reaction is going to be like. well damn i didn’t realize you guys were seeing this, i better get rid of an upsetting response i made off the cuff based on different information, and apologize for upsetting anyone by the disconnect.

but then the most recent post i recently reblogged is about the VERY SPECIFIC PHENOMENON we’re all currently discussing, where overnight, a prominent grifter twitter journalist wrote about a “viral” tiktok trend where the youth are apparently “praising” a terrorist which again. from the beginning, i have said i have not seen evidence of myself (which is true!!). and if you take a second to step back and ask yourself why on earth this would happen out of nowhere and be reported on like it’s a sweeping trend taking hold of america’s youth (after like 24 hours), on a platform that for weeks i have seen literally only videos from/by young palestinians and young jewish people educating their peers and others…. then maybe those videos are not truthful and organic thoughts from real people.

idk why it’s easier to believe that a platform that has been a huge source of information for the palestinian cause in a way that zionists and other invested groups cannot control is, i cannot emphasize this enough, OVERNIGHT filled with kids who have decided after reading one letter (that has been PULLED by the website citing this specific trend!!) that they love the thoughts of osama bin laden…. rather than accepting that our disdain for both tiktok as a resource and young people as a general group makes us accept that insane idea much more easily than we normally would!!!

i think that young people are capable of rational thought! i also know that writing about tiktok as a breeding ground for concerning trends/incomprehensible viral videos is a sure fire way to get everyone up in arms in a way that i don’t accept as reality! i also know that this whole thing has probably been very concerning for jewish people who don’t want to see antisemitic bigoted hateful vile people given a platform. but what i’m saying and what that post is saying is that insofar as these videos of kids apparently being “on board” with osama exist and are being spread (again. i personally have not seen a single one, so my original post is deleted was not reacting to this type of video) are very likely being created/spread with the intent to discredit tiktok as a platform and bury legitimately educational content.

if all you take from this is that i ❤️ antisemitic conspiracies then fine, i feel like i’ve been clear and at this point engaging further feels like adding fuel to a fire i don’t have any interest in spreading. if anyone feels like im being ignorant and wants to talk to me about it im obviously always open but this particular line of questioning? ive made myself clear and im not buying into the hysteria. young people are, in larger numbers than i have ever seen in my lifetime, mobilizing in their schools and cities and local government to make their voices heard and pressure their politicians for change, every day i see extremely brave people on my tiktok both spreading information and doing their best to get educated responsibly, and my attention and energy is with those kids, not with a likely manufactured hysteria over terrorist lovers that i haven’t seen myself at any point.

[all-eyes-lead-to-the-truth]

All Eyes Lead to the Truth | Hell Money (3x19)

Hsin Shuyang had never been a lucky man. Any and all moves he made would just pave the way for an opponent’s checkmate, his heads or tails flips always failed to land in his favor — it seemed that life dealt him a perpetually losing hand.

That is, until he met Mei.

He still couldn’t believe such a beautiful, kind woman fell in love with him. Shuyang was a simple man. He’d never been on the receiving end of a bow, and he did work that most people considered beneath them. For most of their relationship, Shuyang waited with bated breath for her to realize she’d made a mistake. But she never did. 

Mei married him, took his last name, and gave him a daughter. For a few years, he was foolish enough to think himself a fortunate man. After all, his daughter was the best thing he’d ever done with his life. It was impossible for him to think of his life as worthless anymore because she was part of him.

They were happy for a while, but when the political unrest became too much, he suggested they move to America. Mei was thrilled. She had always wanted to have more children, and when they got to America, they could finally give Kim a sibling. Their children would have access to resources and freedom they’d only dreamed of.

He always knew this process would be difficult, but he felt like oil that kept floating to the surface of the country’s melting pot. The Americans always spoke to him in English too fast for him to follow, their faces turning into something like pity, sometimes disdain, when he struggled to reply. When he heard laughter, he never knew what was funny but smiled anyway. After a few months here, he quickly realized they didn’t find him worth the hassle of navigating a language barrier, so he simply kept his head down and kept to himself.

But Shuyang didn’t listen to his family’s disapproval about coming to America, and he should have known he would pay the price. After all, his luck was bound to run out sooner or later. 

A year after they arrived, a month before Kim’s high school graduation, his wife died of a sudden heart attack. The next year, his daughter fell ill. 

He felt guilty. It was his family’s sickness he passed down. All his wife had wanted was a baby, and the idea of a little child with a blend of their features haunted his days more than he was proud to admit. But as he stood in her doorway, watching his precious daughter struggle to live, he cursed his own selfishness. Her mother gave her silken hair and an ineffable kindness and empathy that sometimes made him feel unworthy of being her father. He gave her a disease that threatened to shorten a life not yet lived.

Sometimes he wondered if his daughter was being punished for the sins of his past. Had he caused his family so much shame that his ancestors thought he wasn’t worthy of having any? If that was the case, would his wife be waiting in Heaven for a husband who would never join her? For a husband destined to burn for eternity because he could never quite figure out how to get a winning hand in this rigged game called life.

Other days it was too painful to imagine there was a god. He couldn’t reconcile a divine being that would cause someone as wonderful as her to live a life of pain and suffering.

He found himself sitting at her bedside often. He was too ashamed to let her look at him, but it was impossible for him to stay away from his reason for living. His kind, sweet girl. If she knew what he was doing, she would be so disappointed in him. 

Shuyang held his breath as Kim moved in her sleep, her thin pale arms drawing her thin blankets closer to her chin. It reminded him of when she was a little girl, and the knot in his throat tightened in time with his resolve.

The gods might not be listening, but the devil was waiting for him down the street, ready to play a game with all the men whose American dreams had turned into nightmares.

He closed the door to the apartment slowly, hoping he could avoid making any noise that might disturb Kim, but the back of his heel made contact with something. Looking down, he realized he’d accidentally kicked a bowl of white rice onto a small pile of brightly colored hell money.

A soft smile spread across his face at the sight. He’d been so preoccupied lately that he didn’t even realize this year’s festival was going on. Minding his aching knees, he bent down onto the welcome mat and cleaned up the offerings his daughter had so carefully laid out to keep the spirits at bay. He didn’t know if he believed in it himself, but if this made his daughter feel safe, he wanted to support her efforts. Anything for her.

The brisk evening air bit at Shuyang’s skin as he made his way out of the apartment building, and the pungent odor of sulfur lingered in the air as the festivities from the evening settled down. There was an uneasy tension looming in the streets, and he wondered if it was his dread of the impending game or the presence of ghosts walking alongside him.

He tried to ignore it as he walked across the debris of firecrackers, clutching the money in his pocket as he prayed for a little luck. Once she was healthy again, Kim was going to do so many great things. He knew gambling like this came with a lot of risks, but it would all be worth it if it meant she got a chance to live the life they’d sacrificed so much for. 

He just wanted to see her get better.

Read the rest of All Eyes Lead to the Truth on Ao3

@gaycrouton

[rockislandadultreads]

Nonfiction Thursday: New Social Science Recommendations

The Teachers by Alexandra Robbins

Alexandra Robbins goes behind the scenes to tell the true, sometimes shocking, always inspirational stories of three teachers as they navigate a year in the classroom. She follows Penny, a southern middle school math teacher who grappled with a toxic staff clique at the big school in a small town; Miguel, a special ed teacher in the western United States who fought for his students both as an educator and as an activist; and Rebecca, an East Coast elementary school teacher who struggled to schedule and define a life outside of school.

Interspersed among the teachers' stories--a seeming scandal, a fourth-grade whodunit, and teacher confessions--are hard-hitting essays featuring cutting-edge reporting on the biggest issues facing teachers today, such as school violence; outrageous parent behavior; inadequate support, staffing, and resources coupled with unrealistic mounting demands; the "myth" of teacher burnout; the COVID-19 pandemic; and ways all of us can help the professionals who are central both to the lives of our children and the heart of our communities.

Ghosts of the Orphanage by Christine Kenneally

For much of the twentieth century, a series of terrible events—abuse, both physical and psychological, and even deaths—took places inside orphanages. The survivors have been trying to tell their astonishing stories for a long time, but disbelief, secrecy, and trauma have kept them from breaking through. For ten years, Christine Kenneally has been on a quest to uncover the harrowing truth.

Centering her story on St. Joseph’s, a Catholic orphanage in Vermont, Kenneally has written a stunning account of a series of crimes and abuses. But her work is not confined to one place. Following clues that take her into the darkened corners of several institutions across the globe, she finds a trail of terrifying stories and a courageous group of survivors who are seeking justice. Ghosts of the Orphanage is an incredible true crime story and a reckoning with a past that has stayed buried for too long, with tragic consequences.

Poverty, By America by Matthew Desmond

The United States, the richest country on earth, has more poverty than any other advanced democracy. Why? Why does this land of plenty allow one in every eight of its children to go without basic necessities, permit scores of its citizens to live and die on the streets, and authorize its corporations to pay poverty wages?

In this landmark book, acclaimed sociologist Matthew Desmond draws on history, research, and original reporting to show how affluent Americans knowingly and unknowingly keep poor people poor. Those of us who are financially secure exploit the poor, driving down their wages while forcing them to overpay for housing and access to cash and credit. We prioritize the subsidization of our wealth over the alleviation of poverty, designing a welfare state that gives the most to those who need the least. And we stockpile opportunity in exclusive communities, creating zones of concentrated riches alongside those of concentrated despair. Some lives are made small so that others may grow.

Elegantly written and fiercely argued, this compassionate book gives us new ways of thinking about a morally urgent problem. It also helps us imagine solutions. Desmond builds a startlingly original and ambitious case for ending poverty. He calls on us all to become poverty abolitionists, engaged in a politics of collective belonging to usher in a new age of shared prosperity and, at last, true freedom.

The Undertow by Jeff Sharlet

An unmatched guide to the religious dimensions of American politics, Jeff Sharlet journeys into corners of our national psyche where others fear to tread. The Undertow is both inquiry and meditation, an attempt to understand how, over the last decade, reaction has morphed into delusion, social division into distrust, distrust into paranoia, and hatred into fantasies―sometimes realities―of violence.

Across the country, men “of God” glorify materialism, a gluttony of the soul, while citing Scripture and preparing for civil war―a firestorm they long for as an absolution and exaltation. Lies, greed, and glorification of war boom through microphones at hipster megachurches that once upon a time might have preached peace and understanding. Political rallies are as aflame with need and giddy expectation as religious revivals. At a conference for incels, lonely single men come together to rage against women. On the Far Right, everything is heightened―love into adulation, fear into vengeance, anger into white-hot rage. Here, in the undertow, our forty-fifth president, a vessel of conspiratorial fears and fantasies, continues to rise to sainthood, and the insurrectionist Ashli Babbitt, killed on January 6 at the Capitol, is beatified as a martyr of white womanhood.

Framing this dangerous vision, Sharlet remembers and celebrates the courage of those who sing a different song of community, and of an America long dreamt of and yet to be fully born, dedicated to justice and freedom for all.

[musingsofabookworm1]

Late October/Early November 2024 Reads

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Witaker 

I’d been on hold for this one since early summer. It finally came. Everyone seems to love it, but, alas, not I. Not worth the wait. Here’s the Goodreads/flap summary:

1975 is a time of change in America. The Vietnam War is ending. Mohammed Ali is fighting Joe Frazier. And in the small town of Monta Clare, Missouri, girls are disappearing.When the daughter of a wealthy family is targeted, the most unlikely hero emerges—Patch, a local boy with one eye, who saves the girl, and, in doing so, leaves heartache in his wake.Patch and those who love him soon discover that the line between triumph and tragedy has never been finer. And that their search for answers will lead them to truths that could mean losing one another. A missing person mystery, a serial killer thriller, a love story, a unique twist on each, Chris Whitaker has written a novel about what lurks in the shadows of obsession, and the blinding light of hope.

Too many characters. Too much time spent on their development. Not enough plot except the very beginning and very end. The writing itself? Good. But it was too long to keep my interest throughout. 3 stars for me. However, everyone else seems to love it. 

Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty

I have enjoyed most of her books. This one, though, was another three stars for me. 

The book opens on a flight where a woman is predicting the death of other passengers: the cause and their age at the time. Of course, everyone thinks she’s a nut job. Until some of the predictions start coming true. 

Over the course of the 350ish pages, the reader learns about said woman in her own words interspersed between chapters following the passengers to whom she gave predictions. 

This had a bit of a similar premise to The Measure which I just read and enjoyed. Maybe if I’d not read these two so close together I would’ve liked it more. 

I really like Moriarty’s writing. She has a great ratio of dialog to prose which is a huge win for me. The plot for this one just wasn’t a winner for me. 

The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich

May the average reads continue. *sigh* I have loved the last five of Erdrich’s releases. This one, though, didn’t do it for me. Kind of like the last, 3 stars because I love her writing. But the plot didn’t keep me interested enough. 

Here’s the Goodreads/flap info:

In Argus, North Dakota, a collection of people revolve around a fraught wedding.

Gary Geist, a terrified young man set to inherit two farms, is desperate to marry Kismet Poe, an impulsive, lapsed Goth who can't read her future but seems to resolve his.

Hugo, a gentle red-haired, home-schooled giant, is also in love with Kismet. He’s determined to steal her and is eager to be a home wrecker.

Kismet's mother, Crystal, hauls sugar beets for Gary's family, and on her nightly runs, tunes into the darkness of late-night radio, sees visions of guardian angels, and worries for the future, her daughter’s and her own.

Human time, deep time, Red River time, the half-life of herbicides and pesticides, and the elegance of time represented in fracking core samples from unimaginable depths, is set against the speed of climate change, the depletion of natural resources, and the sudden economic meltdown of 2008-2009. How much does a dress cost? A used car? A package of cinnamon rolls? Can you see the shape of your soul in the everchanging clouds? Your personal salvation in the giant expanse of sky? These are the questions the people of the Red River Valley of the North wrestle with every day.

The Mighty Red is a novel of tender humor, disturbance, and hallucinatory mourning. It is about on-the-job pains and immeasurable satisfactions, a turbulent landscape, and eating the native weeds growing in your backyard. It is about ordinary people who dream, grow up, fall in love, struggle, endure tragedy, carry bitter secrets; men and women both complicated and contradictory, flawed and decent, lonely and hopeful. It is about a starkly beautiful prairie community whose members must cope with devastating consequences as powerful forces upend them. As with every book this great modern master writes, The Mighty Red is about our tattered bond with the earth, and about love in all of its absurdity and splendor.

It did start strong, and it wasn’t exceptionally long. It just didn’t keep my interest. 

From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough

This one is definitely the best of this batch of reads. And a non-fiction to boot! Aside from being Elvis’ daughter and Michael Jackson’s ex-wife, I didn’t know much about Lisa Marie Presley. I think I actually know more about Riley Keough from looking up biographical information on her after watching Daisy Jones and the Six and Under the Bridge (cannot recommend the latter highly enough - Hulu, and the former is good as well - better than the book actually!). 

So Lisa Marie began this book late in her life. And when she got towards the end, she asked her daughter to help her finish. And then she died. She left Riley tapes of her speaking about her own life and memories. Riley starts out the book with a note including the fact that one font is used for her mother’s writing and another for hers. I liked that she commented, minimally, throughout. She’s a strong writer. 

As one would imagine, this isn’t a feelgood story. Once her father died when she was nine, Lisa Marie struggled mightily through most of her life in one way or another. 

I enjoyed this one. I thought it was well organized and the writing was real; rather than having some ghost writer come in and do it for them, these women wrote themselves. Having been to Graceland, it was cool to have some real images to go with the setting that began LIsa Marie’s life and where she lies in rest today. 

4 stars.

[keymedialoz1]

Truth Tellers in the Ozarks: Unearthing the Stories That Matter

Nestled in the heart of America, the Ozarks are home to breathtaking landscapes, unique culture, and a tight-knit community that values hard work and honesty. But what many outsiders might not realize is that the Ozarks is also a region where "truth tellers in the Ozarks" are emerging—individuals and groups determined to unearth and share stories that matter. 

These are the people digging beneath the surface, revealing uncomfortable truths, and creating platforms for those whose voices are often drowned out in a noisy world. Here at Key LOZ Media, we aim to amplify their work through our video series, blogs, podcasts, and curated events.

The Essence of Truth Tellers in the Ozarks

The Ozarks are not just hills and hollows. This region has a deep and varied history. From its Indigenous roots to its present-day small-town life, the area has been shaped by a unique blend of cultures, economic shifts, and natural beauty. 

Many people here take pride in their self-reliance and integrity, and this sense of community fuels an eagerness to tell stories honestly and accurately. When we talk about "truth tellers in the Ozarks," we’re referring to the journalists, activists, historians, and everyday people who are committed to uncovering the region's real stories. 

Whether it’s reporting on local politics, documenting environmental changes, or simply sharing the lived experiences of people in the area, these truth tellers provide a valuable service. They help preserve the Ozarks' heritage, ensure accountability, and push for progress in ways that align with the region’s values.

Why Truth Telling Matters More Than Ever

In today’s fast-paced world, media often favors sensationalism over substance. National headlines dominate, and local stories can get lost. However, in a place like the Ozarks, local stories are crucial. They shape how people understand their communities and themselves. This is especially true in rural areas where the mainstream media rarely dips below the surface.

At Key LOZ Media, we believe that local stories deserve more attention, and truth tellers play a pivotal role in this mission. They offer a counterbalance to the broad strokes of national coverage, shedding light on the nuances of local life, local government, and local struggles. 

These stories matter because they touch on everything from environmental conservation efforts in the Ozarks to economic challenges in small towns.

Key LOZ Media: A Platform for Truth Tellers in the Ozarks

Key LOZ Media was founded with the mission of being a platform where local voices could be heard. Our media outlets—ranging from video content and blogs to podcasts and events—are dedicated to curating the stories that make the Ozarks unique. 

Our content isn’t just about news; it’s about connecting with the people who make up this vibrant region, addressing the topics that impact their lives the most. From local elections and policy decisions to stories of personal triumph and adversity, we provide the Ozarks with a much-needed platform for truth tellers to reach their audiences. 

We believe that the best way to honor this region’s unique spirit is to be truthful about its challenges and its victories.

Highlighting the Work of Local Journalists

The Ozarks has a small but passionate group of journalists working tirelessly to bring the truth to the people. These journalists dig deep into local politics, school board meetings, environmental concerns, and social issues. Their work often goes beyond just reporting the news; they aim to tell stories that resonate on a personal level with local readers.

For example, the environmental concerns in the Ozarks are a hot topic. Journalists have been covering issues such as water contamination, illegal dumping, and the preservation of the region's natural resources. In these cases, the truth tellers are not only informing the public but also holding industries and local governments accountable for their actions.

In one of our recent podcasts, we interviewed an environmental reporter who has spent years covering pollution and the changing landscape in the Ozarks. He spoke passionately about the importance of preserving the region's pristine rivers and forests, and how his work is helping to push for stronger regulations. This is the kind of truth-telling that impacts real change.

Local Activists Fighting for Change

Beyond the traditional media, the Ozarks are home to a growing number of activists who are committed to bringing about social, economic, and environmental change. These individuals are truth tellers in their own right, as they often reveal uncomfortable truths that are overlooked by the general public.

Consider, for example, the work of grassroots organizations pushing for more equitable housing, fair wages, and better healthcare access in the region. These activists often share stories of people in the community who are struggling with poverty, lack of healthcare, or systemic injustice. Their goal is to shine a light on these issues and demand action from local officials.

Key LOZ Media has been proud to host several of these activists on our video series and podcasts. Through interviews and long-form discussions, we give them a platform to share their experiences and push for the changes they want to see in the Ozarks.

The Role of Historians in Preserving the Truth

Truth tellers in the Ozarks aren’t only those focused on the present and future; they also include historians who work to preserve the past. The Ozarks has a rich history that often goes untold or is misunderstood. From its Native American heritage to the impact of early settlers and the Civil War, the region's history is complex and vital to understanding its present.

Local historians play a critical role in keeping the truth alive. They work in museums, archives, and universities, sifting through documents and oral histories to ensure that the full story of the Ozarks is told. They also challenge myths and misconceptions, particularly those that paint an overly simplistic or inaccurate picture of the region.

At Key LOZ Media, we have collaborated with several local historians to produce videos and articles that delve into the Ozarks' past. These truth tellers are invaluable in connecting the dots between the region’s history and its current challenges and opportunities.

Storytelling Through Art and Culture

Another vital group of truth tellers in the Ozarks are the artists, musicians, and cultural figures who use their creative talents to tell stories about the region. Their work reflects the heart and soul of the Ozarks, often revealing deep truths about the community’s identity, values, and struggles.

For example, local musicians often incorporate themes of hardship, perseverance, and nature into their songs. These are not just artistic expressions—they are a form of truth-telling, communicating the realities of life in the Ozarks in ways that resonate emotionally with audiences. Similarly, local painters and sculptors depict the beauty of the landscape while also hinting at the environmental challenges the region faces.

Key LOZ Media frequently features these artists in our blog posts and video series, giving them a platform to share their stories and creations. Through their art, they are able to speak to issues that are sometimes hard to express in words, yet are crucial to understanding the full picture of life in the Ozarks.

Curating the Truth at Key LOZ Events

One of the unique ways that Key LOZ Media brings truth tellers to the forefront is through our curated events. These gatherings are opportunities for community members to come together, listen to speakers, watch documentaries, and participate in discussions about the issues that matter most to the Ozarks.

Our events are designed to foster dialogue and understanding, and they often feature the very truth tellers we highlight in our blogs, podcasts, and videos. Whether it’s a panel discussion on local politics, a film screening about environmental activism, or a storytelling night featuring local historians and artists, these events are crucial for bringing people together around shared values and truths.

The Final Wrap Up

In a world where misinformation and sensationalism often rule the day, truth tellers in the Ozarks are more important than ever. They are the journalists, activists, historians, artists, and everyday citizens who are committed to revealing the stories that matter. 

They work tirelessly to preserve the integrity of the region, hold leaders accountable, and ensure that future generations understand the full picture of life in the Ozarks. At Key LOZ Media, we are proud to be a platform for these Ozarks Community Events.

Through our videos, blogs, podcasts, and events, we strive to highlight the voices that need to be heard. We believe that by giving space to these stories, we can foster a deeper connection to the Ozarks and encourage positive change in the region.

Join us at Key LOZ Media in celebrating and supporting the truth tellers of the Ozarks—because their stories are our stories.

[planetofsnarfs]

State Rep. Jennifer Decker went before the Shelbyville Area NAACP a week and a half ago and gave its members some pretty startling news.

Decker is a white, 68-year-old lawyer who is trying to prohibit state colleges and universities from offering diversity programs aimed at helping African Americans and other underrepresented students.

“My father was a slave, just to a white man and he was white,” Decker said before the predominantly Black audience.

Decker’s father was a white preacher. He was born sometime around 1933 – that was 68 years after the 13th Amendment outlawed slavery.

It was a moment that, in many ways, proved how badly diversity, equity and inclusion programs – this year’s chosen bogeyman of Kentucky’s right-wing politicians – are needed in Kentucky’s schools.

Such diversity programs weren’t around when Decker was in school.

If they had been, she might have learned that few white people in America, short of those who have been trafficked for sex, should ever claim something like that. It’s deeply offensive to those who are descendants of actual slaves to hear a white person claim that they are a descendent of a slave.

Heck, it’s offensive to me and I’m as white as Decker.

It really is difficult to compare the life of a white person in the mid-20th century with the atrocities that white people in America did to Black people before the Civil War.

Here’s how this craziness started.

Decker said the NAACP invited her to speak to them on Feb. 1 about House Bill 9 – the bill she sponsored along with 19 other lily-white Republicans – to stop schools from offering educational opportunities and programs based on race.

She also threw in sex, national origin and religious beliefs. But make no mistake about this − it’s all about race.

During her presentation, she spoke as if the only purpose of what are called “diversity, equity and inclusion” programs, is to increase Black enrollment.

That couldn’t be further from the truth. At the University of Kentucky, the diversity, equity and inclusion office operates a program to help students with disabilities; it provides counseling for students who have been harmed by racism, and other services.

The school’s Disability Resources Center offers a wide range of services from providing transportation to helping the deaf and hearing impaired to helping students with food allergies and celiac disease.

The program at UK offers organizations for employees that are based on race, place of origin, sexual orientation, religion and disability. The diversity program even operates an organization for employees who are veterans.

The counseling program to deal with trauma caused by racism is offered through the same counseling center that helps students who are struggling with all kinds of issues – not just race or sexual orientation – that can affect college students.

It also works to incorporate unconscious bias training for employees and DEI learning modules into some of its entry-level classes.

Outrageous stuff, huh?

And racism and discrimination goes on at UK. It was just last school year that a drunken student attacked a resident assistant at UK’s Boyd Hall and repeatedly called her the “n-word.” Following that, UK sank more money into its diversity program.

At the University of Louisville, they offer the same sorts of programs, including the Muhammad Ali Institute for Peace and Social Justice.”

Oh, the horror!

By the way, I can’t find anything that suggests a white male, straight Christian wouldn’t be allowed to take part in these programs, except for obtaining scholarships.

But anyway, according to an audio recording of the meeting provided to The Courier Journal, during a question-and-answer session, someone asked Decker if her family played any role in the slave trade.

“My father was born on a dirt farm in Lincoln County. His mother was the illegitimate daughter of a very prominent person who then was kind enough to allow them to work for him as slaves. So, if you’re asking, did we own slaves? My father was a slave, just to a white man and he was white,” Decker responded.

It got me wondering what in the world she was talking about.

So, I tracked down Decker before she went onto the House Floor Friday morning and began to ask about her comments about her father.

“Irrelevant, irrelevant.” she said. “My father’s past poverty is a great equalizer.”

I didn’t quite understand that, so I tried a different tack and asked her how she defines slavery.

“Irrelevant,” was her answer again.

Slavery is irrelevant?

“Well, it’s not irrelevant,” she said. “No. It’s not irrelevant what slavery is, but it’s shifting the focus from what we’re talking about.”

Then I told her that claiming a white man, in the middle of the 20th century, was a slave was weird and that I was just trying to understand what she was talking about at the NAACP meeting.

“Well, my father was born into poverty. There was a very influential man who allowed them property and then they worked on it,” she said. She added that they weren’t paid by the farmer.

It sounded like a tenant farmer operation to me. Certainly not a way to make a fortune but far from what slaves endured.

She then said that she “probably overstated. Was I saying that it was kidnapping and abuse the same as the slaves? No.”

But why was he working for no pay?

“He was a child and his family all worked there,” she said.

So, Decker’s father was forced by his parents to do chores? And that was what made him a “slave?”

I suppose any of us who washed dishes, cut grass or took out the garbage were "slaves" according to Decker's definition.

What’s stunning about this is both at the NAACP and when I spoke with her, Decker fell back on the notion that her family found its way out of poverty through education.

I don’t doubt that. That’s how many families escape poverty.

What’s sad is that Decker, a white lawyer, and 19 of her white Republican coworkers are making it more difficult for Black families that really are descendants of enslaved people to get the same sort of education.

Joseph Gerth can be reached at 502-582-4702 or by email at jgerth@courierjournal.com.

[k12academics]

SAGU seeks creators, dreamers, and change-makers. SAGU Lions are service-minded and look for opportunity in surprising places. They take truth and apply it to their callings to impact the world for this moment.

Your experience Students describe SAGU as relational. Our Christ-centered environment fosters strong bonds with professors and other students, creating a comfortable and meaningful college experience.

You will grow among friends as you learn in a hands-on, Bible-based environment that prepares you to be confident in your skills and grounded in your faith after graduation.

Knowledge SAGU's Bible-based academic curriculum will challenge and stretch you to become the best in your field as you pursue your Christian purpose. Small class sizes allow you to know your professor and receive personalized instruction.

Community The relationships you form with Christian roommates and peers will provide a network of support and a family of friends with bonds that last beyond college. Lions are there to help, encourage, and pray for one another.

Uncommon destinations Do you want to impact the world? SAGU just completed the end of a 10-year mission, reaching more than 170 destinations. And now, the new 20/20 FocUS vision is to reach all fifty stats, ten most populated cities, top ten unreached people groups, and ten largest tribes in America in the next 8 years.

This mission reaches every academic discipline. History majors have participated in archaeological digs at biblical geographic sites. Business majors provided training to help setup microbusinesses. Education majors teach English as a second language. Bring your own impactful ideas to SAGU.

Affordability Attending SAGU is a rich investment that impacts the rest of your life. SAGU’s tuition, fees, and room and board are 20% lower than the average four-year private Christian university. Scholarships, grants and other financial aid are available, making paying for college simple and affordable.

Location SAGU is just south of Dallas/Fort Worth. Students have access to abundant stores, theaters, restaurants, museums, theme parks, professional sports arenas, and more. Plus, Texas provides a strong job market for opportunities after college.

Come see us Meet professors, visit classes, and see students by arranging a personal campus visit or learn about our virtual options. Call the SAGU admissions counselors today! 1.888.YES.SAGU

[jim-fetter-illustrations]

Todays Thanksgiving is like the religious fairy tale, not even close to being true.

Saying HAPPY THANKSGIVING to a Native American is like saying Happy Slavery Day to a Black Person..........

Humanity seems to be taught to celebrate bloodthirsty killing because of capitalism and religious domination.

Now before you get the wrong impression and get your feelings hurt, please understand that this is not a "Thanks-giving" as much as it's a celebration of the plunder of the native american people and the prosperity gained by the atrocities of European colonialism that started the United States of America.

We are celebrating the arrival of settlers in North America and the slaughter of millions of Indigenous people and the theft of their lands.

Basically we are celebrating European colonization of the Americas and killing 10 percent of the world's population. AND the fact that our ancestors had superior firepower against native Americans, because there were more indians then there were of us, over 100 million native Americans to start, and after we killed them off to a manageable size about 50 million were left.

Ya see,....we had gunpowder weapons that would kill them at 4 times the distance a bow & arrow or spear could travel, so we could kill them before they could get close enough to kill us.

Like shooting fish in a barrel logic, and extremely easy.

By the way that phrase "like shooting fish in a barrel" came from The 1863 Bear River Massacre that decimated the Northwestern Band of the Shoshones indians, Historians consider it the worst massacre of Native Americans in U.S. history, and it isn't taught in any school.

So Stop perpetuating the peaceful Godly pilgrim story, that's a fuckin fairy tale we tell to children in grade school, because to tell them the truth at that young age would horrify and damage them. The fact is the 16th and 17th century New England colonists, also known as pilgrims, celebrated their first harvest in the New World only after the mass slaughter of millions of Native Americans for the purpose of gaining supremacy of the land and resources. So lets realize the truth, we weren’t peaceful, and we weren’t fucking Godly. But we had a damn good feast to celebrate the slaughter of indigenous human beings.

Stop calling the Colonist’s first harvest in the New World the result of the hand of God’s favor,... it was more like the Devil's hand!

In order to believe this you must also believe that God sanctioned the denigration of Native American life just to bring prosperity to European life.

Which is ludicrous, bat-shit, crazy!!!

I'm not thankful we give thanks for material blessings on thanksgiving, but a little sad most people are thankful how things turned out,........... but that's history, and how most people get past the carnage of our bloody history because they weren't born yet to have any say in the matter, and for that they are thankful I'm guessing.

Just sayin.............

[newstfionline]

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

US consumers keep spending despite high prices and gloomy outlook (AP) A flow of recent data from the U.S. government has made one thing strikingly clear: A surge in consumer spending is fueling strong growth, demonstrating a resilience that has confounded economists, Federal Reserve officials and even the sour sentiments that Americans themselves have expressed in opinion polls. Economists caution that such vigorous spending isn’t likely to continue in the coming months. Many households have been pulling money from a shrinking pool of savings. Others have been turning increasingly to credit cards. And the additional savings that households amassed during the pandemic are nearly depleted, economists say. Still, the truth is no one knows where things go from here. So far, not only is no recession in sight but consumers as a whole appear to be in robust health. Spending might cool in the coming months, yet it’s far from clear it will collapse.

Violent Washington, DC (Economist) Though he has a black belt in karate, when a trio of armed boys in ski masks threatened Henry Cuellar, a congressman from Texas, outside his Navy Yard flat on October 2nd, he swiftly handed over the keys to his Toyota Crossover. It was the 754th carjacking in America’s capital this year, amounting to roughly three a day since January. And it was not the first attack on a member of Congress. In February Angie Craig of Minnesota heroically fended off a man who grabbed her by the neck in the lift of the building where she stays near the Capitol. Violent crime in the district is up by 40% this year. A proliferation of guns has turned dozens of petty disputes into killings: for the first time in a quarter of a century, more than 200 people were murdered before October 1st. That bucks the national trend. Elsewhere the crime epidemic that came with covid-19 is ebbing. Why then is the capital of the free world on track to record its worst year in decades?

Near an Acapulco Beach: Food, Water and Prayer After Hurricane Otis (NYT) In a large church displaying a big blue cross near the Acapulco beachfront, dozens of people dozed in sleeping bags along the pews, prayed in silence or anxiously discussed their next move. Víctor Hugo Sánchez attentively listened to the pleas from people desperate for food, water and gas two days after a Category 5 hurricane had rampaged through the city, leaving hundreds of thousands isolated and without basic resources. Mr. Sánchez had been assigned as a coordinator here and at four other makeshift shelters in the area. An incomplete list put together by local authorities identified 1,656 displaced people set up in hotels, schools and sports complexes. “This is chaos,” Mr. Sánchez added. “Acapulco is a disaster.” Inside the church, bottled water was running low. Five plastic crates and one table overflowed with medicine boxes and bottles, but there were no doctors to prescribe them. And despite Mr. Sánchez’s best efforts to ask other authorities to set up a soup kitchen and a water purifier, no support had arrived by Friday.

Drivers in Argentina wait in long lines to fill up the tanks as presidential election looms (AP) Long lines formed at gas stations throughout Argentina on Monday as surging demand outstripped supply, becoming a campaign issue just weeks ahead of the second round of the country’s presidential race. Economy Minister Sergio Massa, one of the two remaining presidential candidates, blamed oil companies for a lack of supply in the South American country and threatened to prohibit their exports if the situation failed to normalize immediately. His challenger, right-wing populist Javier Milei, blamed the leftist policies of the current government for the shortage. Argentines are enduring an annual inflation rate of almost 140% and the prospect of additional uncertainty and price rises as a result of the election prompted many residents to rush to stock up on goods. Lines at gas stations began to form late last week and continued through the weekend.

Both Sides Pay a Bloody Price for Coveted Ukrainian City (NYT) The tall chimneys of the Avdiivka Coke Plant stand out against the skyline. Beside it a sprawling slag heap juts into the sky, offering a high point overlooking the city of Avdiivka and surrounding villages. The two landmarks have been the focus of furious fighting since Oct. 10 as thousands of Russian troops began a major new offensive in eastern Ukraine to seize Avdiivka, a long-coveted prize that would extend Russia’s control of the coal mining region of the Donbas. Yet within days this battle for Avdiivka was shaping up to be perhaps the costliest of the war for Russia. Ukrainian artillery destroyed Russian armored columns on the approaches to the city, and drones armed with explosives struck down infantry as they dismounted from vehicles and advanced on foot. Waves of Russian soldiers scaled the industrial waste heap to gain its heights. Each time they were shredded by Ukrainian artillery. Nearly three weeks into the battle, the Russian army has lost hundreds of men and more than 100 armored vehicles and tanks, the Institute for the Study of War reported, and twice that amount by Ukrainian accounts. In the main direction of the attacks, it has barely advanced. The Ukrainians are taking heavy casualties, too; one soldier described how only six soldiers from his unit of more than 50 remained uninjured after the first days of fighting.

Afghans in droves head to border to leave Pakistan ahead of a deadline in anti-migrant crackdown (AP) Large numbers of Afghans crammed into trucks and buses in Pakistan on Tuesday, heading to the border to return home hours before the expiration of a Pakistani government deadline for those who are in the country illegally to leave or face deportation. The deadline is part of a new anti-migrant crackdown that targets all undocumented or unregistered foreigners, according to Islamabad. But it mostly affects Afghans, who make up the bulk of migrants in Pakistan. U.N. agencies say there are more than 2 million undocumented Afghans in Pakistan. The campaign comes amid strained relations between Pakistan and the Taliban rulers next door. Islamabad accuses Kabul of turning a blind eye to Taliban-allied militants who find shelter in Afghanistan, from where they go back and forth across the two countries’ shared 2,611-kilometer (1,622-mile) border to stage attacks in Pakistan. The Taliban deny the accusations.

Xi says China’s women must start ‘new trend of family’ (Reuters) Chinese President Xi Jinping said women have a critical role and must establish a “new trend of family”, as the nation grapples with an ageing population and record decline in the birth rate. It is necessary to “actively cultivate a new culture of marriage and childbearing and strengthen guidance on young people’s view on marriage, childbirth and family,” Xi said. Factors including high childcare costs, career hindrance, gender discrimination and not wanting to get married have deterred many young Chinese women from having children. China’s National Bureau of Statistics in January reported the first population drop in six decades and the country’s population is rapidly ageing.

Israel Hits Dense Gaza Area, Killing Many; Says It Was Targeting Hamas (NYT) Israel said it targeted Hamas militants in a densely populated neighborhood in Gaza. Photos showed a massive crater and widespread damage, and Hamas and nearby hospital officials said numerous people were killed. A doctor at a nearby hospital said the facility was receiving hundreds of injured and that dozens were dead. Israel’s military said in a statement that its fighter jets, in a “wide-scale” attack, had struck Hamas militants, including a commander who helped plan the Oct. 7 massacre that left 1,400 people dead, mostly civilians. Humanitarian officials have warned that Palestinian civilians face a growing catastrophe. “The scale of the horror people are experiencing in Gaza is really hard to convey,” Martin Griffiths, the U.N.’s chief official for humanitarian and relief affairs, said in a statement on Monday. “People are becoming increasingly desperate, as they search for food, water and shelter amid the relentless bombing campaign that is wiping out whole families and entire neighborhoods.”

As Israel pummels Gaza, the crisis in the West Bank comes into focus (Washington Post) Before Oct. 7, analysts were fretting more about the West Bank, not Gaza, as the potential spark for an explosion of Israeli and Palestinian violence. The calendar year had seen a surge in violence involving Palestinians and Israeli settlers—the latter emboldened by a coterie of influential far-right ministers holding top positions in the cabinet of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. More than 100 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed by Israeli forces since October 7, according to the United Nations. Hundreds of Palestinians have been driven from their homes by settlers, who appear to be acting with a degree of impunity. It has raised fears among Palestinians in the West Bank that this could be a prelude to a wider campaign of violence and expulsion. “The war in Gaza gave the settlers the green light,” Tariq Mustafa, who fled his home in the Bedouin community of Wadi Siq after threats from armed settlers, told my colleagues. “Before, they would yell at us to go to Ramallah. Now they are telling us to go all the way to Jordan.”

UN agency in Gaza says urgent cease-fire is a matter of life and death for millions of Palestinians (AP) The head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees told a U.N. emergency meeting Monday “an immediate humanitarian cease-fire has become a matter of life and death for millions,” accusing Israel of “collective punishment” of Palestinians and the forced displacement of civilians. Philippe Lazzarini warned that a further breakdown of civil order following the looting of the agency’s warehouses by Palestinians searching for food and other aid “will make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the largest U.N. agency in Gaza to continue operating.” According to the latest figures from Gaza’s Ministry of Health, more than 8,300 people have been killed—66% of them women and children—and tens of thousands injured, the U.N. humanitarian office said. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell that toll includes over 3,400 children killed and more than 6,300 injured. “This means that more than 420 children are being killed or injured in Gaza each day—a number which should shake each of us to our core,” she said. “This surpasses the number of children killed annually across the world’s conflict zones since 2019.” And he stressed, “This cannot be ‘collateral damage.’”

King Charles III is in Kenya for a state visit, his first to a Commonwealth country as monarch (AP) King Charles III is in Kenya for a four-day trip, his first state visit to a Commonwealth country as monarch, underscoring his commitment to an organization that’s been central to Britain’s global power and prestige since World War II. It’s also a visit full of symbolism as Charles’ mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, learned that she had become U.K. monarch while visiting a game preserve in the East African nation in 1952. During the visit, Charles will acknowledge the “painful aspects” of his nation’s shared history with Kenya, which celebrates the 60th anniversary of its independence from the United Kingdom this year. The two countries have enjoyed a close relationship since independence, despite the prolonged struggle against colonial rule, sometimes known as the Mau Mau Rebellion, in which thousands of Kenyans died.

Music Can Be Mental Health Care (NYT) Music therapy, while still a relatively small field, has grown over the last decade. The practice helps people cope with ailments as wide-ranging as stress, chronic pain, limited mobility and hypertension, and is performed in psychiatric hospitals, outpatient clinics, senior centers and schools. Scientific research has begun to explore why music appears to have such a strong effect on health and wellness, particularly mental health, where sounds can serve as a conduit to lift someone’s mood, help them reflect and reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Research has shown that adding music therapy to a patient’s regular treatment can improve depressive symptoms when compared with standard treatment alone. Studies also indicate that music therapy can decrease anxiety levels and improve day-to-day functioning in people with depression. Both listening to music and singing can reduce levels of cortisol, a hormone that the body releases when it is under stress. And the pleasure we feel when listening to music can produce dopamine, a neurotransmitter that influences the reward centers in the brain.

[rauthschild]

Trump's Dream Team, those rare things known as Honest Lawyers, are just beginning to understand what life has been like for the Autochthonous Black, Brown and Coppertone people of North America for sixteen decades.

"Welcome to the Reservation!"

They are experiencing the Evil Side of the Bar Association.

Like General Flynn, they are noticing that there are double standards and multiple forms of law, and things they just plain never teach you in Law School.

A long time ago they taught this stuff at Harvard and Yale, Princeton and William and Mary..... but not anymore. Not since the 1960's.

Sadly, none of them are listening to me. They are too busy being anxious and disoriented and trying to make sense of things using all their familiar tools and knowledge, but their familiar tools and knowledge won't work in the foreign environment they are facing now.

If they don't listen to me or someone like me, the former Bar Attorneys loyal to Trump will be helpless, driven out of the ranks, punished, ostracized, and left hanging out to dry, unable to practice their profession, facing the worst thing that can happen to a Bar Attorney--- ironically enough: Dishonor.

Dishonor and disbarment in the weird world of the Bar Association can mean that you were an incompetent skunk, but also too often means that you were an honorable man or woman who stopped betraying the best interests of their paying, trusting customers and couldn't stomach selling the Innocents out to the King's purported interest any more.

Trump will be forced to rely on other Bar Attorneys who, as we all know, are loyal to the Court, not their Customers. They will sell him out and "administer his estate" and he'll never reach the ballot box in 2024.

Short of a miracle.

They will drain his resources and terrify him and his family and beat him down in the terrible slow grinding process of endless summons and warrants and hearings and pre-hearings and arraignments and discovery and on and on and on and bloody on.... until everyone is exhausted, outraged, but helpless.

These men and women, Esquires of the King, will do this to Trump and the few Honest Lawyers who rallied to his side, using public money to do it, whereas his defense will have to be funded privately. They'll operate like a pack of Fox Hounds, baying to the chase, buttering up their cronies in the fake journalism industry.

They will be worse than an Old Gossips Convention.

They will mischaracterize and misaddress Trump as DONALD J. TRUMP, a Municipal Corporation considered a citizen of the United States under the Diversity Clause of Federal Title 28. And that mischaracterization right there, together with the mistakes he has already made giving them jurisdiction, will sink him.

Donald John Trump the American born in New York many years ago, is owed all the protections of The Constitution of the United States, but DONALD J. TRUMP has no such rights or protections.

DONALD J. TRUMP is a 14th Amendment citizen, a slave owned by the District of Columbia Municipal Corporation, and that is the entity that is on trial.

That entity is already pre-judged under the 14th Amendment and is guilty until proven innocent.

All that Trump's enemies have to do is, ahem, trump up some charges, real or imagined, put on a show trial providing the appearance of justice and Due Process, and then lock him up and fine him however much they please.

Fairness, truth, or honor have nothing to do with it; justice has even less.

It's been this way and getting worse since the 1960's.

The Bar Attorneys working for the Municipal COURTS are moonlighting and working as privateers for the Enemy, in violation of British Law (Craig v Mo, 4 Peters Reports, 912---sailing under the license of an enemy is illegal, and the Municipal Government is still considered their enemy ever since the Civil War), but they are not in Britain and nobody charges them under International Law, so they get away with it.

One effective means to dealing with the whole lot of them would be to lodge a complaint with the British Ambassador and the United States Secretary of State and the Office of the General Counsel, accusing them (the Prosecutors) of crimes of personage and mail fraud and privateering under color of law, aiding and abetting Human Traffickers, conspiracy, and treason.

That would be enough to get the JAG Officers at Quantico up and spitting tacks. Forget the Fox Hounds. Bring on the Dobermans.

There are also a number of less private means to wreak havoc with the Prosecutors at DOJ and the NYC Natterbugs.

Among the other nasty undisclosed things that Donald John Trump is being accused of is the idea that he is voluntarily acting as an Authorized Representative of DONALD J. TRUMP, which waives his right to any Defense.

The poor man, Trump, doesn't know it, but he is totally naked, standing on the tracks, staring at an oncoming freight train. There isn't going to be any trial --- there's going to be an appearance of a trial, which is a very different thing, more in the nature of a theater production.

Now, if Trump were to take a blank check -- any blank check from any commercial bank account established in his name, and if he takes a high-powered magnifying glass, and looks at the Signature Line in the bottom right-hand corner of the check, he will see that it is not a line at all.

It is instead a line of microprint endlessly repeating "Authorized Representative" over and over again, so small as to be indiscernible by the naked eye.

This is evidence that he, Donald John Trump, has not only been misaddressed as a Municipal Corporation without any disclosure to him, but has been mischaracterized as a voluntary "Authorized Representative" of this Municipal Corporation every time he writes a check, an office and obligation he never knew anything about and never agreed to.

He's just now become aware of this, and is sharing with the Judge.

He can tell the court and the members of the United States Bar Association that their members have not only misaddressed him and committed personage against him, but are attempting to commit Barratry, too, by knowingly bringing false charges against him in the name of an unknown foreign PERSON and attempting, via unconscionable contracting practices, to misrepresent him as a voluntary Authorized Representative of this PERSON.

Then place the check in evidence of non-disclosure of their fraud.

The Judge can see for himself that the verbiage underlying the Signature Line identifying the victim as an Authorized Representative is too small for the naked eye to see and is in fact disguised as a simple Signature Line, and so, it is an undisclosed and self-interested claim being made by the bank and the Prosecutors.

Bad dogs, definitely bad dogs.

Next, Trump can ask the Court Clerk to see the Bid Bond filed by the Prosecutor. If the Clerk plays dumb, as they probably are, he can ask the Prosecutor directly to see a copy of his Bid Bond.

This puts the Prosecutor in a bind, because 99.9% of these cases are filed without a Bid Bond and the Prosecutors think this is smart because not filing a Bid Bond evades liability for their action, however, if someone calls the Prosecutor on it and he hasn't filed a Bid Bond, there is no case and the whole thing has to be thrown out with prejudice and the Prosecutor gets stuck paying a very hefty fee out of his own pocket to the Court for the Court's inconvenience and annoyance.

If, however, the Prosecutor can produce a Bid Bond, this is the time for Trump to take note of how much the Bid Bond is for, and then, declare his own claim of injury against DONALD J. TRUMP.

He raises his right hand and says, "To the best of my knowledge and belief, and before this Court and under penalty of perjury, I freely declare this private testimony to stand in lieu of an Affidavit by a Public Officer and declare that I have been misaddressed as a foreign and incorporated PERSON via abuse of my trademarks and copyrights, and that I have been injured and falsely subjected and accused by Officers of this Municipal Court in violation of Federal District Code Title 18 Section 241 and 242, Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law.

I declare damages in the amount of (three times the Bid Bond times ten) plus court fees and costs against the DEFENDANT in this case, the Municipal PERSON impersonating me as DONALD J. TRUMP."

Ouch. To the unpracticed eye, it looks like he is bringing a civil case for damages against the DEFENDANT in a criminal case, but no, under Federal District Code, "all crimes are commercial in nature" so criminal charges against a Municipal PERSON in the District of Columbia are commercial matters tried under Maritime Law.

That is, when dealing with these Municipal Corporations as DEFENDANTS in the District of Columbia, a civil action is the same as a criminal action, and a criminal case can be joindered.

In Maritime Law, it's all about contracts, and there is no contract in evidence; Trump has already rebutted the idea that he is voluntarily appearing as Authorized Representative for the DEFENDANT.

So now he wheels on the Prosecutor and says, "So bring forth the contract obligating me to answer this COURT."

And there isn't one.

"Well, Mr. Prosecutor, can you prove the existence of this DEFENDANT?

No, he can't. If he did, he'd be admitting to felony level human trafficking and capital level unlawful conversion.

"Your Honor, it's apparent that these gentlemen are misaddressing me as someone -- or rather as something -- that I am not, and in doing so are working fraud upon the court.

I require remedy and cure from the bounty. (Remember, the Municipal PERSON is already convicted with a bounty on "his" head, which any Third Party may collect from the Prosecutor.) It's also apparent that these men are operating as Licensed Privateers for a foreign court, when their licenses were nullified in 2013 and there is naught but the Living God standing between us.

Surely their offense is both capital in that it violates the Law of Kinds, and it violates my Free Will, and now therefore, I wish for their utter contrition."

Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch.... payback, as they say, is....well, you all know what they say about payback--- in our little "theoretical."

Trump just flew right over their heads into the air jurisdiction, and let loose a pigeon blast of major proportions in a Municipal COURT and in front of a Magistrate, who now has to perform and produce their "contrition" or lose everything, most likely including his soul.

Trump can also bring His Authenticated New York Birth Certificate and a Sworn Witness Statement conforming to the District Court Practicum Rule 220, saying that the Witness is familiar with the facts evidenced on the face of the Birth Certificate and does affirm under Oath that the Donald John Trump presenting this information is one of the owners --- which, as he has already rebutted any notion that he is consensually operating as the Authorized Representative of DONALD J. TRUMP, leaves Donald John Trump standing as the long-lost Donor-Landlord, owed his estate--- and not the DEFENDANT.

Donald John Trump needs a retired and fed up British Barrister to come to his aid, someone thoroughly familiar with personage crimes and British Maritime Law. He also needs to see Archbishop Vigano and find a Roman Proconsul to advise him and make very, very short work of the DOJ and the fledgling Nazis of New York.

Rudy, Sidney and Lin and 12 dozen more just like them can't help Trump, all they can do is hurt themselves.

As it takes two to three years to retrain a Bar Attorney to practice Law, he must look elsewhere for help.

Still, in the meanwhile, it must be some comfort to Trump to know that he has won such loyal friends.

You can't help but admire them.

SideBar:

14th Amendment language emphasizes ‘United States’ is separate from the 50 american states.

A part of the 14th Amendment, which I just noticed, clearly points out that United States does not mean the 50 American states.

It says, “Neither the United States nor any state…“.

If United States meant the 50 states, they wouldn’t need to add ‘nor any state’. But as everyone knew at that time, United States means the territories and the federal government, but not the American states.

Here’s the full text of section four of the 14th Amendment:

Section 4.

The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any state shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

Full text here.

Here’s a diagram above to show how United States is different from the 50 American States.

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