#two-tier health system

[eaglesnick]

"I wouldn't be here today if it were not for the NHS. I have received a large amount of high-quality treatment without which I would not have survived." - Stephen Hawking

When a politician accepts funds from private enterprise and big corporations it is only natural to suspect they want something from that politician  in return for their money. Last year The National (05/06/23) told us:

“Keir Starmer, John Redwood and Wes Streeting have all earnt or been donated six-figure sums from firms or individuals linked with private healthcare."

Streeting, the Shadow Health Secretary received £22,500 in “donations” from private healthcare firms. Concerning these "donations" VOX political  (30/04/23) asked:

“Why would he end NHS privatisation and stop that money from coming to him?”

Why indeed! Are these payments the reason Wes Streeting is so keen to farm out more of the NHS to private healthcare providers?

“I don’t want working class people in pain: so I’d use private hospitals to bolster the NHS” (Guardian: 08/12/22)

and more recently:

“NHS should 'seek to use' private healthcare capacity, Wes Streeting says."

This raises the question “Why shouldn’t the NHS make more use of private healthcare providers?" I think there are several very good reasons why not.

First, private healthcare providers exist to make a profit for their shareholders or owners. Billions of pounds already leave the NHS for the coffers of private enterprise. For the period 2021/22 the Kings Fund (20/09/23) reported that the NHS spent £19.7billion on “Non-NHS- health care.”  This is money that could have been spent to provide better services WITHIN the NHS.

Second, the private sector does not train its own doctors. It relies upon  NHS money to train doctors and then lures them away from the NHS to make profits for themselves. In short, the British taxpayer is subsidising private healthcare profits.

Third, the NHS treats everyone, no matter how serious or complex his or her health needs may be. The private sector cherry-picks which medical services it provides, deliberately choosing the easiest, and therefore the least expensive, medical conditions to treat. This maximises profits, leaving the cash-strapped NHS with the most expensive cases. This leaves the NHS open to claims that it is inefficient when patient costs between NHS and private healthcare providers are compared.

Fourth, the more we use private healthcare providers to deliver medical treatment the greater the risk that we will end up with a two-tier system of health care. No less a person than Professor Stephen Hawking warned of this in March 2018, just before his death. He warned that the government was taking the NHS:

“towards a US-style insurance system, run by…private companies", and insisted: We must prevent the establishment of a two-tire system."  (The Week: 10/03/22)

The Mirror newspaper (03/06/24) points out today that 94% of private healthcare contracts are set to expire by July 2029. The next government will inherit 7452 outsourcing contracts, 6983 of which are set to reach the end of their term between July 2024 and July 2029.

If Keir Starmer and Wes Streeting are not in hock to their private healthcare “donors", then they have the perfect opportunity to save the NHS from creeping privatisation by not renewing these contracts and not signing any new deals with the private sector.

 Only time will tell if Starmer and Streeting are any different to the Tories when it comes to saving our NHS.

[serialkilluh1996]

☏ ring…ring… thoughts on König and late night snacking? 👀💜

OMG YESSSSSS

König is a top tier night snacker. Like, on a professional level. First of all, this is a beg fella. You don't have an itty bitty diet with a body like that. He'll act modestly about it in public cause he just doesn't like people much, so he'll shy away from showing his characteristics to avoid being perceived by general society (aka his fucking closest friends), But TRUST this man loves to eat.

You'll notice he's more of a drinker during the day. Electrolyte water, smoothies, even scotch or whisky to fit this facade of the burly macho man that everyone thinks he is, but at night, my man is a MENACE.

Two in the morning, and König's up fixing bowls of cereal back to back with no concern whatsoever for his inevitable stomach aches. He'll be scoffing down creampies like a child who finally moved out of their parents' house, free of basic dietary rules such as "dessert after dinner" and "breakfast food in the morning."

Does it fuck with his health? Maybe. Does he do his best to reverse his actions during the day? Absolutely! But with a metabolism like his, how can he help himself? Not to mention his adoration for homemade food. Sure, König will settle for some simple cheap store bought treats, but there's a certain flavor in something made right at the house. Love. And he loves cooking. Don't be shocked when he's throwing down in his apron at 11pm at night, making whole ass steaks for himself.

He's got a system for it too. If the foods cooking, he needs something to eat while he cooks, so he'll cook something else that takes less time to make. And while THAT cooks, he's popping grapes and strawberries in his mouth by the second. This habit of his makes him more efficient during the day, as König doesn't stop to eat breakfast in the morning. He's already stuffed like a pig from the night before.

And he typically has leftovers, via his habit to overestimate how much he'll actually eat of what he cooks, so he can always bring a little snack with him if necessary. That's if he's not running completely on his day drinks.

P.s I'm totally not projecting some of my habits onto him.

[femmefatalevibe]

Femme Fatale Guide: Products & Services Worth The Splurge

Fashion:

A great couple of bras in black/nude (your best skin-toned shade)

Comfortable, breathable, and seamless underwear

Outerwear (Coats, jackets, blazers)

The perfect pair of jeans

An LBD that works from day to night

Comfortable, sturdy, sleek, and timeless footwear (a versatile black boot, a black heel, white sneaker, and a black flat/loafer/sandal)

A timeless and versatile crossbody or shoulder bag (a larger one for the daytime/work or school and a smaller one for nighttime/events)

One or two well-made classic jewelry item(s)

A conversation-starting item or accessory

Beauty:

Sunscreen

Any skincare/skin cosmetic products that are game-changers for you

A quality hair brush, comb, and hair towel

Your signature scent

A quality razor/hair removal product

Vitamin C/Retinol serums

Reliable hair tools and sturdy nail tools

A quality hair heat protectant/scalp cleansing or conditioning spray

Makeup brushes and beauty tool cleaners

Home:

Lamps/lighting

Couch/desk chair

Everything for your bed: Bed frame, mattress/sheets/pillows, etc.

Knives

Dishwasher-safe and microwave-safe dishes & cups you love

A full-length mirror

Vacuum

Storage solutions/cedar blocks or moth balls

Quality holders for everything: Paper towels, shower storage, hooks, mailbox/key bowls

Name brand paper products/household cleaners

Electric toothbrush & Waterpik

Sound-proof headphones/Airpods

MacBook Air

Health & Wellness:

High-quality lettuce and/or sprouts

Organic frozen fruits and vegetables (if fresh is too pricey)

BPA-free canned goods

Potassium bromate & glyphosate-free grain products

Snacks free of artificial colors

Quality coffee

An at-home massage tool/heating pad

Fur products for skin/hair removal

Vitamin C/Retinol serums

Quality running shoes

Anything that goes near your vulva or into the vagina: Sex toys, lube, condoms, toy cleaners, pads/tampons/menstrual cups, cleansing wipes, etc.

A yoga mat, resistance band, and a pair of small ankle weights

Spotify subscription

Books and audiobooks

Services:

Therapy

A top-tier haircut

House cleaning (even if it's only once every couple of months)

Top-tier hair removal/brow maintenance services of your choice

Best doctors, dentists, OB/GYN, and dermatologists you can get

At least one personal training/styling session in your life

Professional/Social:

Ownership of the domain for your full legal/professional name and/or business name

A CPA/bookkeeper/fiduciary financial advisor

Automation workflow/content management system software

A lawyer for contract review/LLC services

Personalized stationery/"Thank You" cards

Memorable client gifting for the holidays/milestone successes

Niche skill-based certifications (Google, AWS, Hubspot, etc.) or courses made by trusted professionals in your field

Subscriptions in world-leading and industry-authority digital publications

[cherryjamandtoast]

UPS TEAMSTERS-UNION WON !!!!!!!!!!!

From the article:

[(WASHINGTON) – Today, the Teamsters reached the most historic tentative agreement for workers in the history of UPS, protecting and rewarding more than 340,000 UPS Teamsters nationwide. The overwhelmingly lucrative contract raises wages for all workers, creates more full-time jobs, and includes dozens of workplace protections and improvements. The UPS Teamsters National Negotiating Committee unanimously endorsed the five-year tentative agreement.

“Rank-and-file UPS Teamsters sacrificed everything to get this country through a pandemic and enabled UPS to reap record-setting profits. Teamster labor moves America. The union went into this fight committed to winning for our members. We demanded the best contract in the history of UPS, and we got it,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. ... This contract sets a new standard in the labor movement and raises the bar for all workers.”

“UPS came dangerously close to putting itself on strike, but we kept firm on our demands. In my more than 40 years in Louisville representing members at Worldport — the largest UPS hub in the country — I have never seen a national contract that levels the playing field for workers so dramatically as this one....” said Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman. “We stayed focused on our members and fought like hell to get everything that full-time and part-time UPS Teamsters deserve.”

“Rank-and-file members served on the committee for the first time, ... “Our hard work has paid off — from those members and leaders negotiating for more at the table to my sisters and brothers building a credible strike threat around the country. Our union was organized and we were relentless. We’ve hit every goal that UPS Teamster members wanted and asked for with this agreement. It’s a ‘yes’ vote for the most historic contract we’ve ever had.”

Highlights of the tentative 2023-2028 UPS Teamsters National Master Agreement include:

Historic wage increases. Existing full- and part-time UPS Teamsters will get $2.75 more per hour in 2023, and $7.50 more per hour over the length of the contract.

Existing part-timers will be raised up to no less than $21 per hour immediately, and part-time seniority workers earning more under a market rate adjustment would still receive all new general wage increases.

Wage increases for full-timers will keep UPS Teamsters the highest paid delivery drivers in the nation, improving their average top rate to $49 per hour.

New part-time hires at UPS would start at $21 per hour and advance to $23 per hour.

All UPS Teamster drivers classified as 22.4s would be reclassified immediately to Regular Package Car Drivers and placed into seniority, ending the unfair two-tier wage system at UPS.

Safety and health protections, including vehicle air conditioning and cargo ventilation. UPS will equip in-cab A/C in all larger delivery vehicles, sprinter vans, and package cars purchased after Jan. 1, 2024. All cars get two fans and air induction vents in the cargo compartments.

All UPS Teamsters would receive Martin Luther King Day as a full holiday for the first time.

No more forced overtime on Teamster drivers’ days off. Drivers would keep one of two workweek schedules and could not be forced into overtime on scheduled off-days.

UPS Teamster part-timers will have priority to perform all seasonal support work using their own vehicles with a locked-in eight-hour guarantee. For the first time, seasonal work will be contained to five weeks only from November-December.

On July 31, representatives ... will meet to review and recommend the tentative agreement. All UPS rank-and-file members will receive a list of improvements in the contract. ... Member voting begins August 3 and concludes August 22.

The UPS Teamsters National Master Agreement is the single largest private-sector collective bargaining agreement in North America.]

Check the article for the full list; but ho ho holy shit.

This is huge. It shows the collective bargaining WORKS. The Teamsters sent a message to UPS and this win will send a message to Corporate America that unions can WIN for rank-and-file workers!!!

[reasonsforhope]

Seven thousand more UAW members just walked off the job, expanding the strike to two more plants. Twenty-five thousand autoworkers are now on strike, and the walkout could continue to escalate if the Big Three don’t budge in negotiations.

[UAW president Shawn] Fain announced that Stellantis would be spared this time. The union had been expected to strike all three companies, but, said Region 1 director LaShawn English, three minutes before Fain was scheduled to go on Facebook Live, the UAW received frantic emails from company representatives.

[Note: Love that for the UAW. Also laughing so hard. Three minutes before the next round of strikes were annouced!!]

According to Fain, Stellantis made “significant progress” on cost-of-living allowances, the right not to cross a picket line, and the right to strike over product commitments and plant closures. “We are excited about this momentum at Stellantis and hope it continues,” Fain said...

“See You Next Week — Maybe?”

“These guys wanted to go out a long time ago,” said Cody Zaremba, a Local 602 member at the Lansing GM plant after the news broke that his plant would be joining the strike. “We’re ready. Everybody, truly, I believe, in the entire membership. They’re one with what’s going on.”

Five thousand workers at thirty-eight parts distribution centers across twenty-one states have been on strike since last Friday [September 22, 2023], along with thirteen thousand at three assembly plants in Michigan, Ohio, and Missouri who walked out on September 15. (See a map of all struck facilities here.) ...

The UAW is now calling on community supporters to organize small teams to canvass dealerships that sell and repair Big Three cars and trucks. On Tuesday, the union issued a canvassing tool kit with instructions, flyers, press releases, and talking points.

In negotiations with Ford and GM, autoworkers have clinched some important gains. Among them is an agreement by both companies to end at least one of the many tiers in current contracts, putting workers at certain parts plants back on the same wage scale as assembly workers. The top rate for Big Three assembly workers is currently around $32...

Ford was spared in last week’s escalation, because bargainers there had made further progress on gains for workers.

But today, the UAW once again called out workers at Ford and GM, putting some muscle behind its bold demands — a big wage boost, a shorter workweek, elimination of tiers, cost-of-living adjustments tied to inflation, protection from plant closures, conversion of temps to permanent employees, and the restoration of retiree health care and benefit-defined pensions to all workers.

-via Jacobin, September 29, 2023. Article continues below.

Keep Them Guessing

This year, for the first time in recent history, the union has played the three auto companies against each other with its strike strategy, departing from the union’s tradition of choosing one target company and patterning an agreement at the other two.

The stand-up strike strategy draws inspiration from an approach known as CHAOS (Create Havoc Around Our System), first deployed in 1993 by Alaska Airlines flight attendants, who announced they would be striking random flights. Although they struck only seven flights in a two-month period, Alaska had to send scabs on every plane, just in case. The unpredictability drew enormous media attention and drove management up the wall. Meanwhile the union was able to conserve its strength and minimize risk.

The companies miscalculated where the UAW was going to strike first, stockpiling engines and shipping them cross-country to the wrong facilities. Autoworkers relished the self-inflicted supply chain chaos on UAW Facebook groups and other social media platforms.

Nonstrikers’ morale on the factory floor has gotten a boost from rank and filers organizing to refuse voluntary overtime. With support both from Fain and the reform caucus Unite All Workers for Democracy (UAWD), workers have been encouraging each other to “Eight and Skate,” meaning to turn down extra work and decline to do management any favors.

Majority Public Support

A majority of Americans support the UAW strikers, and the Big Three have taken a PR hit since the strike began, according to a new survey conducted by the business intelligence firm Caliber.

“Eighty-seven percent of respondents told us they were aware of the strike,” Caliber CEO Shahar Silbershatz told the Intercept. “It’s clear the strike is not just causing commercial repercussions, but reputational repercussions as well.”

These reputational repercussions will only worsen...

"We Can Unmake It"

Fain didn't pull any punches in his speech... “That’s what’s different about working-class people. Whether we’re building cars or trucks or running parts distribution centers; whether we’re writing movies or performing TV shows... we do the heavy lifting. We do the real work. Not the CEOs, not the executives.

"And though we don’t know it, that’s what power is. We have the power. The world is of our making. The economy is of our making. This industry is of our making.

“And as we’ve shown, when we withhold our labor, we can unmake it.”

-via Jacobin, September 29, 2023

[lesbiansandgayssupporttheminers]

Solidarity with the junior doctors on strike - I really hope they keep fighting until they get a decent pay offer and major quality of life changes too.

You have to be so committed and dedicated to get into and through med school, but if you can't afford to live during your first years as a doctor (and don't forget they are often forced to move every six months) then you're going to become burnt out and disillusioned with the system. It doesn't matter how much they'll earn as consultants if they never get there.

The NHS is one of the biggest achievements of this country - we cannot let the Tories destroy it or have a two tier health system. And that relies on all the staff being involved being treated decently.

[who-is-page]

SUPPORT A SYSTEM, BUY SOME COMICS!

We're LB. We make mental health comics, draw pretty pictures, and write about reality melting. This is where we put our ebooks; all come with text-only description versions as well. (LB Lee's Itch.io)

LB Lee is a multiple system who's made some absolutely brilliant work about their multiplicity and life experiences. They've recently hit a rough patch where, due to a horrible roommate situation, they're couch-surfing and will soon be juggling paying two rents as they navigate moving away from their previous, unlivable household.

If you want to support this fantastic system of folks in this rocky time, please consider purchasing some eBooks from their itch.io! Physical orders aren't preferred at this time, since they're in-between homes, so please keep your purchases digital as much as you can.

If you've already purchased and love LB Lee's work but still want to support them, join their Patreon! They've got support options for as low as $1 a month or as much as $20 a month, with the $1 tier alone coming with exclusive fiction and nonfiction essays published each month for your enjoyment, and the higher tiers including project sneak-peaks, sketches, and early access to zines and comics. You can donate more than the $20 a month tier too, if you'd like!

I'll also throw my own hat in the ring, to rally support of such a wonderful group of people; if you purchase one of LB Lee's eBooks or comics, send me a picture of your receipt and I'll give you a free copy of my alterhuman TTRPG, A Wolf in Man's Clothing. Normally priced at $8, it's a solo journaling RPG built on the Wretched & Alone gaming system.

Please support our friends during this difficult time. I really cannot express how amazing these guys are, and how much they deserve your support while going through this. Even if you see this and can't offer any financial assistance, reblogs and signal boosts of this post are massively appreciated. I can't thank you all enough for anything you can do to help.

[mariacallous]

Oulu is five hours north from Helsinki by train and a good deal colder and darker each winter than the Finnish capital. From November to March its 220,000 residents are lucky to see daylight for a couple of hours a day and temperatures can reach the minus 30s. However, this is not the reason I sense a darkening of the Finnish dream that brought me here six years ago.

In 2018, moving to Finland seemed like a no-brainer. One year earlier I had met my Finnish partner while working away in Oulu. My adopted home of Italy, where I had lived for 10 years, had recently elected a coalition government with the far-right Matteo Salvini as interior minister, while my native UK had voted for Brexit. Given Finland’s status as a beacon of progressive values, I boarded a plane, leaving my lecturing job and friends behind.

Things have gone well. My partner and I both have stable teaching contracts, me at a university where my mostly Finnish colleagues are on the whole friendlier than the taciturn cliche that persists of Finns (and which stands in puzzling contradiction to their status as the world’s happiest people).

Notwithstanding this, I feel a sense of unease as Finland’s prime minister Petteri Orpo’s rightwing coalition government has set about slashing welfare and capping public sector pay. Even on two teachers’ salaries my partner and I have felt the sting of inflation as goods have increased by 20% in three years. With beer now costing €8 or more in a city centre pub, going out becomes an ever rarer expense.

Those worse off than us face food scarcity. A survey conducted by the National Institute for Health and Welfare found 25% of students struggling to afford food, while reductions in housing benefit mean tenants are being forced to move or absorb the shortfall in rent payments. There are concerns that many unemployed young people could become homeless.

Healthcare is faring little better. Finland’s two-tier system means that while civil servants and local government employees (including teachers) paradoxically enjoy private health cover, many other people face long waiting lists. Not having dental cover on my university’s plan, I called for a public dental appointment in April. I was put on callback and received a text message stating I’d be contacted when the waiting list reopened. Six months later, I am still waiting. A few years ago I could expect to wait two months at most.

The current government, formed by Orpo’s National Coalition party (NCP) last year in coalition with the far-right Finns party, the Swedish People’s party of Finland and the Christian Democrats, has been described as “the most rightwing” Finland has ever seen – a position it appears to relish.

Deputy prime minister and finance minister Riikka Purra – the Finns’ party leader – has been linked to racist and sometimes violent comments made online back in 2008. The party’s xenophobia is clearly influencing policymaking and affecting migrants. As a foreigner, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to feeling a certain chill as anti-immigrant rhetoric ramps up.

A survey by the organisation Specialists in Finland last year found that most highly qualified workers would consider leaving Finland if the government’s planned tightening of visa requirements went ahead (that proposal, which extended residence time required for Finnish citizenship from four to as many as eight years has now become law). Luckily, I am a permanent resident under the Brexit agreement.

With the coalition intent on ending Finland’s long history of welfarism in just one term, there is a risk (and hope among progressives) that it may go too far, inviting a backlash. We arguably saw signs of this in the European election in the summer, when Li Andersson won the highest number of votes for an EU election candidate in Finland. Andersson, who was education minister in Sanna Marin’s former centre-left coalition government (which lost to the NCP in April 2023), ran on a progressive red-green ticket of increased wealth equality and measures to tackle the climate crisis. She has also been critical of emergency laws blocking asylum seekers from crossing Finland’s eastern border, arguing that it contravenes human rights obligations.

Andersson’s party, the Left Alliance, chose a new leader this month, the charismatic feminist author Minja Koskela, who was elected to Helsinki’s council in 2021 after a period as secretary of the Feminist party, and as a member of parliament in 2023. Koskela argues: “People are widely frustrated with the government’s discriminatory policy and cuts to culture, social and health services, education and people’s livelihood. It is possible to turn this frustration into action.” (Full disclosure: I’m a member of the party and have helped coordinate its local approach to immigrants.)

It remains to be seen if she can build on Andersson’s EU success. Although the popular media-savvy figure appears to relish the challenge of turning the party into an election winner, Koskela faces a huge challenge. The party struggles to poll at more than 10% nationally, aside from a brief high of 11% in July. A place in government is nonetheless possible. But Marin’s Social Democratic party (SDP) of Finland (now led by Antti Lindtman), has topped the national opinion polls 12 out of 14 times since April 2023.

Meanwhile, the Finns party is polling at 16%, down from the 20.1% vote they gained in the election. These figures point to one thing: another possible SDP-led coalition government in the next parliament by the summer of 2027. This would probably include the Left Alliance and the Green League, among others. And such a coalition would aim to undo a lot of the damage done by the right.

But until then, there will be more damage to come. So while there is clearly hope for an end in sight to the country’s political darkness three years hence, this will bring little solace now to poor people, migrants, and the squeezed middle class as the long Finnish winter closes in.

[sinofwriting]

So, I need some help. 

About ten hours ago (I’m a little loopy so apologies if this makes little to no sense) I had to go to a dental emergency place due to a toothache that has gotten worse over the past few days. 

Luckily they were able to fix it and I’m still in pain but that’s mainly from all the shit they did with my mouth/tooth. However because I live in America, of course my insurance won’t cover it. 

The bill was over $700, I managed to pay a chunk of it with my savings (which went bye bye) but I still owe $425 dollars.

So, this is me asking for help. Any little bit truly helps as I am still unable to work due to other health issues. 

I have commission's on Ko-fi open, which are 3 dollars for 3,000 word fic. I have a patreon with two different tiers ($1 and $3 dollars respectively). And I also just have a general goal on Ko-fi for help. 

I will also in the next few days be hopping back into trying to do some proofreading for people (fingers crossed that it works this time) as soon as I feel better. 

I really hate that I have to make this post (america’s healthcare system can suck a dick) but I am desperate. Thank you for reading this, just reading it is helping me out, and hopefully my next post will be a fic.

(Also, commissions are open for a bunch of f1 drivers, poly ships, and just ships. The commission it self has pictures listing who I am able to write for)

[catboybiologist]

Unprompted fucking rant time!

I'm getting my PhD after getting my BS and my Master's. I've gone through three separate rounds of university applications. And while I'm openly a bisexual trasfemme now, I've done every round of those applications as a cishet white boy. I've been rejected by a shitton of universities, and accepted by a fraction of that. My current institution is an R1 for my field- basically meaning it's in the highest tier of research funding and therefore research prestige/output- but it's very far from a household name the way Harvard or Stanford is. My undergrad institution was the cheapest local four year college that I was guaranteed admission to because my high school grades were piss poor due to an array of mental health problems.

So from that perspective.... Race and ethnicity demographics should 100% be used as a factor in determining admissions to help increase diversity. There's many reasons to think this, but there's two that underline a lot of my thinking on the matter.

Number one is kind of obvious, but what isn't obvious is how blatant it is. The top tier of universities has blatantly favored white people for generations, oftentimes explicitly. And oftentimes, they still do! Having relatives working at a particular university, or being alumni from a university, is literally part of the application materials for many of these universities. During my Harvard grad school apps, they literally had a pop-up window that asked me to check off any wealthy families I was a part of from a list of donor and alumni last names. It was so fucking blatant that I bust out laughing. Spoiler alert, I didn't get in. You cannot look at me with a straight face and tell me that these universities should be allowed to openly and blatantly give admission priority to rich, white, dynastic American families, while not affording any concession for overcoming the shittiness of being born into a persecuted group.

Number two is the thing that most people realize, but I don't think has really sunk in on a societal level. A massive factor in admissions is blind, dumb luck, and I'm not joking. When admissions tells you they received more qualified applicants than they could admit, it's 100% true. Many applications end up in a stage where they just have to randomly reject people to keep numbers down- or even if it's not completely random, they have to grasp for straws into an enormous amount of intangible factors that have nothing to do with someone's actual qualifications. So if you're down to that level of grasping at straws.... Why not use it as an opportunity to increase diversity? Because as it stands, you're not getting rejected because you're white- you're getting rejected because your high school didn't have a fucking sailing team. Remember that Stanford admissions scandal a while back?

There's a number two and a half that is an observation I've had about life in general here: one of my deepest held beliefs after going through a good portion of my early career is that everyone is overqualified for the opportunities they've been given. If your education system is genuinely functional, you'll be able to take people from an amazing diversity of backgrounds, and y'know... Educate them. If these universities lowered their admissions standards a shitton, and randomly pulled from the new pool of "less qualified" people, and they put them in an environment with access to the same resources as before... They would succeed.

There's a whole other rant embedded here about how elite-tier university education actually sucks, and all they do is filter for people who already have massive educational resources of their own. University prestige is mostly a lie, except in terms of how much grant funding you can get. But if you gave that level of funding to a state college tomorrow? They'd still do great things with it. But that's a side thought.

There's ALSO the side rant about why marginalized groups are important in science overall for perspectives on how science interacts with society, but that's also a whole other rant.

There's one thing I will say against this: sometimes, it's too late. For grad school and a little bit for undergrad admissions, an enormous amount of unpaid labor and study is required to even be eligible for the application itself. Required undergrad research hours are often unpaid. My undergrad research advisor paid her student labor when she wasn't required to, and surprise surprise, she has one if the most diverse and successful labs on that campus. Beyond just undergrad research, this goes waaayyyy back to the schooling and tutoring opportunities that people from higher socioeconomic backgrounds have access to from day one... But that's also a larger side rant. Point is, race based admissions are valid and necessary now, but they're a temporary bandage on the bleeding wound that is education discrepancy.

This was kinda random, but this got kick-started by an IRL discussion with a couple of friends and I just needed to vent my whole perspective here. Idk if the community of voyeuristic transfemmes I've mostly accumulated here will care, but it's nice to just type these things sometimes lol

[thefirsthogokage]

From the article:

Highlights of the tentative 2023-2028 UPS Teamsters National Master Agreement include:

Historic wage increases. Existing full- and part-time UPS Teamsters will get $2.75 more per hour in 2023, and $7.50 more per hour over the length of the contract.

Existing part-timers will be raised up to no less than $21 per hour immediately, and part-time seniority workers earning more under a market rate adjustment would still receive all new general wage increases.

General wage increases for part-time workers will be double the amount obtained in the previous UPS Teamsters contract — and existing part-time workers will receive a 48 percent average total wage increase over the next five years.

Wage increases for full-timers will keep UPS Teamsters the highest paid delivery drivers in the nation, improving their average top rate to $49 per hour.

Current UPS Teamsters working part-time would receive longevity wage increases of up to $1.50 per hour on top of new hourly raises, compounding their earnings.

New part-time hires at UPS would start at $21 per hour and advance to $23 per hour.

All UPS Teamster drivers classified as 22.4s would be reclassified immediately to Regular Package Car Drivers and placed into seniority, ending the unfair two-tier wage system at UPS.

Safety and health protections, including vehicle air conditioning and cargo ventilation. UPS will equip in-cab A/C in all larger delivery vehicles, sprinter vans, and package cars purchased after Jan. 1, 2024. All cars get two fans and air induction vents in the cargo compartments.

All UPS Teamsters would receive Martin Luther King Day as a full holiday for the first time.

No more forced overtime on Teamster drivers’ days off. Drivers would keep one of two workweek schedules and could not be forced into overtime on scheduled off-days.

UPS Teamster part-timers will have priority to perform all seasonal support work using their own vehicles with a locked-in eight-hour guarantee. For the first time, seasonal work will be contained to five weeks only from November-December.

The creation of 7,500 new full-time Teamster jobs at UPS and the fulfillment of 22,500 open positions, establishing more opportunities through the life of the agreement for part-timers to transition to full-time work.

More than 60 total changes and improvements to the National Master Agreement — more than any other time in Teamsters history — and zero concessions from the rank-and-file.

Nice work Teamsters! Congratulations UPS drivers! And big thank you to the 3,300 pilots who said they wouldn't fly if the drivers went on strike!

[mithrilhearts]

What was your favorite fic to write/curremtly writing?

And along that line of thought, do you have a creative process?

(Apologies, English is not my first language, so if I said something wrong,,,)

Hi Chips!! Sorry for the late reply here! Better late than never, though, right?? YEAH!! And I love this ask!!

My favorite fic to write...I think that has to go to Bookbinder//Songwriter - much as it intimidated me to start, it's become one of my favorites to play around with. It dives into two things that I love most (music and literature), and is just some cute slice of life fic that really cheers me up both as a writer and reader. It's one of those fics I feel could go on forever, you know? And to see so many people enjoying it, well, that brings me joy too.

My creative process has evolved so much over the years, and I think I finally have it down! It may not be the most effective, but it works for me both productively, and to secure my mental health.

This isn't in any particular order, it's just how I keep myself organized

I outline my fics by jotting down a series of bullet points in chronological order (which I change to check boxes, so I can mark them off as I go) and then break them up into chapters so I know an approximate length for the fic. I can add or remove details as the story evolves, but this guide is super helpful to me.

I have a spreadsheet that keeps track of damn near everything for me. How many chapters of each fic I've written, when I last updated, what stage my current works are in (what I'm working on, what I'm editing, what I haven't started, etc), and also all my ideas, events, etc. If I didn't have this spreadsheet, I'd probably never finish anything.

I've removed having monthly word count goals - ultimately, for me it just doesn't work. It ruins my self-esteem if I don't reach these goals, and I can't always predict how my brain is going to feel for that month, so I just do what I can, and track what I get done, rather than what I couldn't accomplish.

I've gotten into the habit of working on one chapter to completion before working on another project - this keeps my brain in the same mindset for that project, instead of bouncing around like a ping pong ball.

I have a tier system of fics of importance! So I try to focus the "mithril" tiered fics a bit harder, and slowly make room for new stories (which I try to restrain myself from starting until I've finished other things)

Now as for when I'm actually writing? So long as I have decent music in the background (or some sound), a drink, and a good mindset, I'm content and can write <3

I know my creative process isn't for everyone, and other people have way better processes than I, but this works for me! I expect it will evolve more as time goes on! Thank you for the ask!!

[invisibleicewands]

This life story begins at the end, with Aneurin “Nye” Bevan in a hospital bed, befittingly for the visionary political colossus who created Britain’s National Health Service in 1948.As Bevan (Michael Sheen) is creeping towards death, flashbacks of memory bring a hallucinatory quality reminiscent of The Singing Detective: beds and ward curtains are woven into scenes of his childhood as a Welsh miner’s son and a stammering schoolboy bullied by his headteacher. We follow his rise from local council politics to the House of Commons and high office under Clement Attlee (Stephanie Jacob, slightly sinister in a bald wig). Doctors and nurses morph into a bevy of characters from his past, the cast juggling this multiplicity adeptly, and there is a surreal song and dance breakout number as, one presumes, Bevan’s morphine kicks in.In a production written by Tim Price and directed by Rufus Norris, there is some inspired stagecraft as the hospital curtains of Vicki Mortimer’s ingenious set swish to reveal debating chambers and libraries. But the narrative is too long-reaching and schematic, its extensively researched material not fully absorbed dramatically.Co-produced with Wales Millennium Centre and running at over two and a half hours, Nye is a too full, yet too simplified, survey of the personal and political elements in Bevan’s world, with some high-pitched moments accompanied by syrupy music.

Bevan is presented as a renegade, Jeremy Corbyn-like figure of his day: both a thorn in the side of Winston Churchill (impersonated well by Tony Jayawardena) and the Labour party. There are council meetings, parliamentary debates, his first meeting with his wife, Jennie Lee (Sharon Small), the war and its aftermath. So much is packed in that the momentous invention of the NHS is tackled, as if in summary, in the last half hour.

Only then do we hear how the nation’s doctors were heavily opposed to Bevan’s proposition. There are exchanges on a screen with an army of hostile medics who look like Minority Report holograms, but we whizz past this opposition, which has enough in-built conflict to be worthy of is own full-length drama.

Sheen (grey helmet hair, chequered pyjamas) is well cast for his natural charm. He brings a curious fey playfulness and vulnerability but does not plumb the depths of his commanding character – or perhaps the busy script simply does not allow it. However, Bevan’s limitations as a son to his dying father bring some emotional mileage as he is too busy caring for the nation’s wellbeing to be there for him.

Small is not given much room for manoeuvre either, and Lee is used for exposition purposes rather than dramatic ones. She talks of her open marriage, describing Bevan as a “rutting stag”, which sits at odds with the cutely pyjama-clad man on stage. There are brief reflections on navigations between her career as Westminster’s youngest MP – and one of only five women – and her marriage. Both she and Bevan hailed from working-class backgrounds and there is a moment when he talks about “impostor syndrome” in this hallowed space. She is unequivocal in her outsider status: “That’s why this place needs us.” Despite these feisty lines, she remains flat, which seems a crime – her character could have been far richer.

Nye is still a vital play because Bevan is a vital man of British history. It succeeds in showing us just how high the hurdles he faced were. When he describes prewar healthcare – one service for the rich, one for the poor – it rings of today’s two-tiered system. “I want to give you your dignity,” he says, as the NHS launches. It is a rousing moment yet contains a terrible, tragic irony, given what is coming to pass with his precious legacy.

[sourcreammachine]

so the party manifestos won’t be published for a few weeks prolly, but the Labour Party policymaking system means they have an internal “policy platform” agreed by the partisan structure that kinda dictates what goes in the manifesto, and a similar partisan structure has the final say on the manifesto itself. the platform is private and internal, but it’s been “seen and summarised”. so heres a couple of interesting bits:

nationalise the rail; allow greater municipal ownership of bus networks; more ev charging stations and increased ev subsidies

“fundamentally reform our system of energy supply, generation and transmission” via public ownership, but without stating whether or not this includes consumer services or if the private wholesale system will continue

abolish the Lords; votes at 16; NO commitment to abolishing FPTP

“support the recognition of” palestine (note wording, and note the fact this was written before 7 october)

ban conversion therapy including for trans people; “modernise the process of gender recognition to remove indignities for trans people, while upholding the Equality Act, its protected characteristics and its provision for single-sex exemptions” (obviously using terf dogwhistles to get out of meaningfully reforming the law, without clarifying their plans)

sewage monitoring and fines for sewage leaks by water companies – water remains private

“land-use framework” to organise farmland with the goal of biodiversity, close hunting loopholes

intellectual property reform, maybe? they’re very vague about that one

one-month waiting time for mental health services

“reform broken tuition fees system” – NO commitment to abolition and debt forgiveness, only this squirmy line

“robust regulation to protect people from online harms” – basically equivocating to allow any possible passage of a bad internet bill :/

£28B green energy investment; double onshore wind, quadruple offshore wind; reinstate fracking ban and stop new oil/gas; “green energy by 2030”, whatever that means. weirdly fetishistic about hydrogen power

VERY, VERY little mention of City oversight and reform. City to remain extremely independent, capital to continue flowing

abolish leaseholds; end ‘arcane’ land laws; end no-fault evictions

football regulator; reform gambling laws

end fire-rehire; more regulation for two-tier employee/contractor workplace inequalities; more statutory workers’ rights; ban zerohours with more than 12h/week, “right to a contract”; change the minimum wage quango to account for cost of living, potentially hiking the minimum wage by several pounds

repeal a number of union-busting acts; regulate gig economies to statutorily allow the right to unionise; increase rights for unions to organise and manage themselves

ethics quango to enforce the ministerial code for the first time in its history; ban second jobs for MPs with very limited exceptions for professionals; ban former ministers from lobbying for five years; political finance reforms to restrict financing by shell companies

certain devolutionary powers for english local authorities on request; shrink whitehall, let the civil service go elsewhere

“respect orders”, ASBOs 2; domestic abuse register; misogyny as a hatecrime; ‘protect the right to protest’, explicitly opposing the public order bill without committing to overturn it

but yeah, the starmer leadership may leave some things on the cutting room floor, and the starmer government may act totally different when it doesn’t have the partisan oversight. in the end, we have to wait until the proper manifesto releases to make real judgements, but looking through this list can set the tone of our expectations: third-way, boring and pathetic

[critical-skeptic]

An Inexorable Descent: The Culpability of Systemic Enablers and the Erosion of Rational Discourse

In a societal theater where sensationalism often supplants substance, the Trump era, persisting with alarming resilience through his trials and investigations, stands as a testament to the profound dysfunction gripping American political and social discourse. The confluence of cult-like fanaticism, systemic leniency, capitalistic opportunism, and an increasingly polarized media landscape has not only fueled but also normalized the chaotic spectacle we witness daily.

The Cult of Personality and Its Blind Adherents

At the core of this turmoil is a cult-like allegiance to Trump, characterized by a fervent dismissal of facts and an unwavering defense against any criticism or legal scrutiny. This demographic, often engulfed in conspiracy theories and anti-intellectual rhetoric, remains not merely supportive of Trump but aggressively antagonistic toward any who oppose him. This group's blind loyalty is not a benign political anomaly but a potent force capable of influencing political processes and obstructing justice.

Systemic Leniency: A Breach of Justice

The systemic leniency shown towards Trump and his associates by various facets of the American legal and political system is perhaps as troubling as the transgressions themselves. This leniency, whether stemming from a fear of backlash from Trump’s base or a deeper institutional malfunction, highlights a disturbing reluctance to apply the law uniformly. The ongoing hesitation to decisively prosecute Trump, despite the laundry list of allegations and charges against him—including obstruction of justice, financial fraud, and more—emboldens his rhetoric about a "two-tier legal system," ironically a system from which he benefits.

Media Complicity and the Profit Motive

The media, a once-esteemed pillar of democracy tasked with holding the powerful to account, has often succumbed to the allure of sensationalism over substance. The incessant coverage of Trump's antics, devoid of sufficient critical analysis or context, not only misinforms the public but also desensitizes it to the gravity of his actions. This relentless media frenzy, driven by ratings and clicks, perpetuates a cycle where crucial issues are overshadowed by the latest scandal, thereby diminishing public discourse to mere entertainment.

International Actors and Domestic Traitors

Adding complexity to this already volatile mix are foreign adversaries like Russia and North Korea, whose leaders have exploited Trump’s presidency to weaken American influence and sow division. Domestically, wealthy individuals and corrupt actors who align with Trump’s agenda continue to thrive under his chaos, often at a significant cost to the socio-economic fabric of the nation. These actors, both foreign and domestic, leverage the instability Trump creates to further their agendas, undermining American democracy in the process.

The Anti-Science Stance and Its Deadly Consequences

Trump's anti-science and anti-intellectual stance, particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, has not just been a policy failure; it has been a deadly one. His blatant disregard for scientific expertise and pandemic management protocols contributed to over a million American deaths. His rhetoric not only exacerbated the public health crisis but also entrenched a dangerous precedent for handling future crises.

Conclusion: The Imperative of Accountability

The saga of Donald Trump is not merely a story of one man’s hubris and criminality but a revealing exposé on the weaknesses within American systems—political, legal, and media—that have allowed such a figure to ascend and, more concerningly, to endure. As a nation, the path forward requires a resolute commitment to uphold the principles of justice equitably and without fear. Failure to rigorously prosecute and scrutinize Trump would not only embolden him and his followers but would also affirm his misguided assertions about American justice, further eroding trust in our institutions.

This moment in history demands more than passive observation; it calls for a concerted effort to reinforce the foundations of our democracy. That starts with the unyielding application of the law, a recommitment to factual discourse, and a collective stand against the forces that would see our societal norms upended for personal gain or political victory. In the end, dealing with Trump and his legacy is not about partisan politics but about safeguarding the integrity of our democratic institutions for the future.

[ukrfeminism]

NHS maternity services are getting worse with two-thirds of units in England now deemed unsafe as staff and hospitals find themselves under “huge pressure”, a damning report has warned. 

Some 65 per cent of maternity services are now regarded as inadequate or require improvement for safety, up from 54 per cent last year, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has found. Of these, 15 per cent are inadequate.

When looking at overall ratings, one in 10 maternity units are now rated inadequate, while 39 per cent are under the rating requires improvement.

The worsening picture of maternity care in England follows major scandals in Shrewsbury and Nottingham uncovered by The Independent. 

The report says the “overarching picture” is “one of a service and staff under huge pressure”. Staff cover “is often fragile, with the rotas relying on every consultant being available”.

It added: “On top of this, consultants face additional pressure from, for example, having to cover registrar rotas and extra on-call shifts to meet the needs of their service.”

One patient told the CQC: “I couldn’t move and asked someone to help me feed my baby and was told ‘you can do it yourself’ … [The midwife] also told me that she was very busy and had other patients that took priority – when I still couldn’t move.”

The report further pointed to issues with governance and lack of oversight from NHS boards, as well as delays to care and lack of one-to-one attention during labour. The report also highlighted poor communication. 

The watchdog has said a similar picture has emerged for ambulance services, with 60 per cent deemed to be inadequate or requiring improvement on safety – double last year. 

Mental healthcare was also highlighted as an area of concern with 40 per cent rated inadequate or required improvement for safety. 

Inspectors pointed to a lack of beds, meaning people can be “cared for in inappropriate environments – often in emergency departments”.

“One acute trust told us that there had been 42 mental health patients waiting for over 36 hours in the emergency department in one month alone.” the report said. 

In its wide-ranging report, the CQC warned that healthcare risks becoming a two-tier system, with society divided into those who can pay for care and those who cannot.

It said: “Getting access to services remains a fundamental problem… Along the health and care journey, people are struggling to get the care they need when they need it.”

Factors such as long waits for hospital treatment, waits to see GPs and for referrals, combined with a lack of staff, “increase the risk of a two-tier system of healthcare, with people who can’t afford to pay having to wait longer for care and risking deteriorating health”.

During a press conference watchdog officials said: “More and more people are entering that long-wait category and it's becoming harder to prioritise and deprioritise people, when as I say we are, they are seeing a number of people who, who have effectively not been sustained on electric backlogs arriving into A&E with a serious condition.” 

Research by YouGov showed that eight in 10 of those who used private healthcare last year would previously have used the NHS, while another study found 56 per cent of people had tried to use the NHS before going private.

The CQC added: “People may also be forced to make difficult financial choices. We heard from someone who receives benefits who resorted to extracting their own tooth because they were unable to find an NHS dentist.

“They then had to pay £1,200 on a credit card for private treatment, doing without household essentials until the debt was paid.”

CQC chief executive Ian Trenholm said the ongoing strike action by NHS staff – who are unhappy with pay and conditions – has contributed to backlogs.

Sally Warren, director of policy at think tank The King’s Fund, said: “This comprehensive report reveals the sad reality that the quality of care that patients need and deserve is not being met in many parts of the NHS and social care.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokeswoman said: “We are delivering on three major recovery plans to improve access to urgent and emergency, primary and elective care, and have made progress to significantly reduce the longest waits for routine treatment, despite pressures including industrial action.

“There are record numbers of staff working in the NHS and our historic Long Term Workforce Plan will retain and recruit hundreds of thousands more staff alongside harnessing technology to reform the way we work and save staff time.”