#Equipment Control framework

[market-insider]

Water and Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market, Analyzing Market Forces, Technological Advancements, and Environmental Impacts

The global water and wastewater treatment equipment market size is anticipated to reach USD 90.0 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 4.6% over the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is driven by increasing demand for clean and safe water in both developed and emerging economies. This is due to growing concerns over water pollution and scarcity, and the need for effective wastewater management.

Water And Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market Report Highlights

Asia Pacific accounted for the largest revenue share of the global market in 2023, accounting for 35.1%, and is expected to maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period. This can be attributed to the presence of a strong consumer base that has led to significant demand for water and wastewater treatment equipment

By application, the municipal segment dominated the market with a revenue share of 66.0% in 2023. The increasing initiatives undertaken by governments, strict environmental regulations, and increasing awareness regarding water treatment are some of the factors contributing to the growth of the municipal segment over the forecast period

By process, the tertiary treatment segment dominated the market with a revenue share of 44.2% in 2023. Some of the drivers for the increasing demand for tertiary wastewater treatment are environmental protection, water scarcity, and the increasing demand for clean water. As these issues continue to be major concerns across the world, the demand for tertiary wastewater treatment is expected to grow over the forecast period

Major key players frequently engage in mergers & acquisitions and new product launches to maintain their market shares. For instance, in March 2022, Pentair plc, announced the definitive agreement to acquire Manitowoc Ice. The move was taken by the company to enhance its commercial water solutions platform and cater to the demand from the food service industry

For More Details or Sample Copy please visit link @: Water And Wastewater Treatment Equipment Market Report

Furthermore, the demand for decentralized wastewater treatment systems is expected to increase over the projected period, as these systems offer several advantages such as low operating costs, high treatment efficiency, and easy maintenance. Several companies are focusing on developing innovative decentralized wastewater treatment systems that can be easily installed in residential and commercial buildings.

Population growth, urbanization, increasing industrialization, and the need for clean water for various purposes such as drinking, agriculture, and industrial processes all drive demand for water and wastewater treatment equipment. Government regulations aimed at protecting the environment and ensuring public health also have an impact on the demand for water and wastewater treatment equipment.

The market players are constantly undertaking strategic initiatives such as mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, and new product launches to gain a competitive advantage. For instance, Ceco Environmental, a provider of air pollution control solutions, announced the acquisition of Compass Water Solutions, a provider of water and wastewater treatment equipment. The acquisition will enable Ceco Environmental to integrate Compass Water Solutions’ critical engineered solutions with its industrial water capabilities.

WaterAndWastewaterTreatmentEquipmentMarket #WaterAndWastewaterTreatmentEquipment #WaterTreatment #WastewaterManagement #EnvironmentalEngineering #SustainableTechnology #CleanWaterSolutions #IndustrialWaterTreatment #WaterPurification #GreenInfrastructure #InnovationInWaterManagement #WaterQualityControl #WastewaterRecycling #MarketTrends #EnvironmentalCompliance #SmartWaterTechnologies #RegulatoryFrameworks #EcoFriendlySolutions #EmergingTechnologies #ResourceRecovery

[nilboxes]

The Philosophy of Dr Ratio (Existentialism) and Aventurine (Absurdism)

Philosophy is a highly broad and complicated topic, these are just my interpretations, and I tried my best to make it as clear and concise as possible and to string them back into how it relates to the characters/events of the games.

Dr Ratio, Nihilism, Abandonment by God, Burden of Freedom (Heidegger, Sartre) 

I imagine Ratio’s homeworld prizes knowledge/learning a lot, and naturally because of his intelligence, he was expected to join the ranks of the genius society. Except despite all his achievements even as a young man, Ratio has not earned the gaze. 

When he was not acknowledged even at the height of his supposed success in his erudition and instead was handed a letter from the IPC, it is safe to say Ratio then felt “abandoned” by his purpose (in and relating to Nous) and despite seeking them and their favor. This feeling of abandonment (Heidegger, Existential Abandonment) goes hand in hand with the sudden and unwanted freedom from purpose (Sartre).

Suddenly without purpose, one is shoved into a state of pure freedom. This state of super freedom could be very daunting as the individual who is burdened by this freedom *must* carve a path of their own, or face meaninglessness (Sartre). And as a person who is condemned to this freedom, they must choose for themselves, be responsible for themselves and even the act of not choosing is a choice.

“God is dead” for Ratio, whose purpose (the path of Erudition) has refused him. Not dead in a literal sense, but the relevance of the god and the path that god treads is no longer relevant to Ratio. 

Those old beliefs of scholarly pursuits above all ultimately no longer hold significance to Ratio. He is thus bereft of a predetermined, outlined purpose (Nous’ brand of scholarship) and has to define for himself now what his purpose/existence/meaning must be (again, burden of freedom as outlined by Sartre).

During this, he also realizes how this path does not serve others either and that the Genius’ Societies pursuits are inherently self-serving rather than providing betterment for humanity. Thus again “God is dead”— the established “morality” is not relevant to the reality of the world at present, the “God” is not serving the needs of the world at large (Nietzche).

This is undoubtedly a difficult process. To spend one’s life devoted to a particular framework of belief and to be snubbed by it. So then what happens next, and where does one go from here?

Dr Ratio, the Ubermench and the Will to Power (Nietzche) but Tempered by Universality (Kant)

To be without “God” (ie, higher purpose, predetermined meaning) is to be left with an inexplicably wide freedom that is more terrifying than comforting (Sarte). Without the anchor of acknowledgement and assurance that one’s path is “correct” one now must define for themselves what is the optimal path, and what they define on their own as the greatest good (one’s own morality as defined by Nietzche).

Finding enlightenment (realizing/acknowledging his own potential outside of the gaze of god and adopting the mindset of the ubermench), Ratio doubles down on his humanitarian beliefs that knowledge must serve the betterment of individuals (Kant). To be equipped to think for themselves and be responsible for themselves as they go through life’s challenges and seizes control of their own destinies rather than go along with them (as he did himself). Ultimately, they strive and become the best version of themselves (to become the ubermench).

Dr Ratio asserts “the will to power” (Nietzche) exists in every individual, recognizing potential and capability residing in every person. Hence he is an educator, he believes he can help people reach this potential. One does not need to be a “genius” in order to excel and in order to create good and meaning in the world. One simply has to be equipped with the knowledge and have that will to apply that knowledge and themselves (ie, not being ‘stupid’) for their betterment and then the betterment of all.

Dr Ratio and Universality, Humanity as an End (Kant) 

Dr Ratio believes first and foremost in helping others help themselves more than uncovering knowledge for its sake alone, therefore he believes that the knowledge uncovered must serve a purpose for good rather than be uncovered simply because, thereby adhering to the concept of Humanity as an “End” or rather the goal, rather than knowledge being the end/goal. This key difference is what sets him apart from the geniuses in the Genius Society, who mostly view knowledge as the end all and be all of their pursuits, Ratio asks what and who it can be for.

This idea is what tempers all of Ratio’s beliefs. Undoubtedly the concept of an ubermench may veer towards seeing one’s self as the shepherd of the weak, being domineering and assertive, Ratio instead asserts that one should strive to better themselves than wait around to be saved or to be ruled by their betters—the geniuses, or others. He genuinely believes in the individual’s capability to think for themselves, to contribute good into the world and thus guide themselves into each individual’s ideal/their potential.

Aventurine and Absurdism (Camus)

Aventurine struggles for meaning in his life, marked by seemingly random and senseless wins because of his “luck” he surely struggles with finding any sort of rationale for his own continued survival—but there is none to be had. This is the core of the absurdism in Aventurine, the senselessness and the indifference of the universe to his feelings and his desires, to use his luck for the benefit of his loved ones, as opposed to the reality of it as his luck merely served himself, sometimes dubiously, to propel him to heights of success that has no meaning because those he strove for this purpose is gone. This is the core of the idea of the absurd, the purposelessness of his circumstances.

To further demonstrate the absurd Philosopher Albert Camus presents to “The Myth of Sisyphus” a man who is condemned by the gods to push a boulder up a hill, and when he almost reaches the top, the boulder returns to the bottom and Sisyphus must roll it all back up again. There is no purpose to this act other than it is done, like Aventurine’s endeavors in the IPC, there is no purpose to his victories, save that he has done it at all. There is no inherent meaning, and this is how he further contemplates the absurd.

To face the absurd/the meaninglessness, Aventurine first arrives at the answer of self-deletion. He does not succeed due to his luck however. And, when he arrives at the crossroads to be able to fulfill this wish or not, Aventurine evidently realizes that exiting from the world does not answer the questions presented by absurdism (as he doesn't choose this in the end) because it is merely a “give up” state, to end one’s meaningless life is not the answer to its emptiness at all. If there is no destination to be had in one’s journey, stopping the journey may be one of the solutions, but it doesn’t lend it an answer, it is not anything but an end.

Therefore as Sisyphus is condemned to push the boulder up and down again, a task that does not contribute anything to greater causes or anything but instead of despairing and/or creating one’s meaning, the story asks readers to imagine Sisyphus happy, to revel in the meaninglessness and eschew having to have meaning in order to be fulfilled altogether, effectively walking towards and embracing the meaninglessness.

The game never fully explores what conclusion Aventurine arrives at, yet at the end of 2.2 he decides to go on (with a little nudge here and there) even without getting the answers he seeks. He asks “Are we living just to die?” and perhaps through his journey arrives at a little conclusion that one lives to live, and to simply go on is enough and thus begins a bit of his philosophical indifference—that nothing ultimately matters and that is beginning to be just sufficient enough of an answer. 

Aventio as Philosophical Parallels

Ratio’s philosophy is all about discipline and creativity, shaping one’s own values and living a fulfilled life through them. There is a rigidity in this way of thinking that meaning must be made and pursued because it is out there. And he can take away meaning from it with as much as he wants, because he is actively shaping this meaning. It fits his character as someone who always stands apart and walks a lonely path. 

Aventurine’s extrapolated path in the absurd on the other hand ultimately frees him from any shackles to meaning that he so desperately wants and thus the concept of values will also be thrown away. A person who embraces this supreme indifference is also inextricably free from anything and thus exists in a state of chaos, living for the moment and living simply for living. Fitting for a man who sees himself in a gilded cage.

Each individual character represents an answer to difficult questions about existence itself, and there is no real right or wrong way to go about it. 

I doubt the intricacies of their situations with their aligned philosophies will be fully explored in the game itself so I like to think despite Ratio being a teacher, and thus would pull Aventurine into his brand of dealing with existential crisis, he also recognizes that students must come to a conclusion on their own and when he realizes which conclusion Aventurine has come to, would be approving, but also somehow reel him back in from exercising too much of the value-lessness of the absurd. (In 2.3 he is shown expressing some concern about Aventurine being on this path, to be so free and so uncaring as to begin to be not exactly a conscious being any longer) 

While in Aventurine’s case, he can also be the teacher in this regard and open a new path to Ratio where he can appreciate the vastness of the freedom he has, and imagine himself happy to be in this position, ultimately purposeless and futile as it is in the grander scheme of things, but meaningful to himself.

This has been very long, but I just wanted to outline and share a little about the many ways Aventurine and Dr Ratio are built and written to complement each other in the ways their characters were built up at least in a philosophical sense. I really may have missed a bunch of stuff, but I hope the gist is there!

These videos helped me a lot regarding Camus—

Why shouldn't we commit suicide? - 8bit Philosophy

How to live in a meaningless world - Unsolicited advice

[mywitchyblog]

Debunking anti-Aging Rethoric (Again)

Thanks @lizzy4president for this post, and I will debunk it accordingly. It seems that these cultists/Shiftokers don’t know shit about shifting or how it works. No matter how much theoretical knowledge you have about shifting, there are things you will never know unless you have shifted yourself—and I mean full-on shifts, not minishifts. That said, I will debunk this:

My age Changing Post :

My Masterlist :

So, let’s talk about the whole “aging down is weird because your consciousness retains your current age” nonsense that these people keep pushing. First off, this argument shows a fundamental misunderstanding of how reality shifting works. When you shift to a different age in your Desired Reality (DR), you're not just playing dress-up or pretending to be younger—you become that age in every sense of the word.

Immersive Experience: The Reality of Aging Down

In your DR, you don’t just take on a younger appearance while keeping the maturity of your Original Reality (OR) self. No, it’s way deeper than that. Your entire cognitive and emotional framework adapts to the age you’ve shifted to. If you script yourself as a 14-year-old, you don’t walk around with the mindset of a 30-year-old stuck in a teenager’s body. You fully embody the mindset, emotions, and maturity of a 14-year-old. This isn’t just about physical changes—your brain, your thoughts, and your emotional responses align with that younger age.

Neuroscience backs this up too. Maturity is tied to the development of specific brain regions, like the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for things like decision-making and impulse control. When you shift, your consciousness adapts to the brain development appropriate for that age in your DR. You’re not lugging your OR brain around; instead, you’re operating with the cognitive equipment that matches your DR age. This means that in your DR, you’re not a 30-year-old thinking like a 14-year-old—you’re truly 14 with the maturity that comes with that age​.

Debunking the Consciousness Retention Myth

Now, some folks seem to think that when you shift to a younger age, you somehow retain your OR “adult consciousness.” This is pure bullshit. When you shift, your consciousness isn’t this fixed, immovable thing that drags your OR mentality into your DR. It’s adaptable and fluid. If you script or intend to be a teenager, your consciousness adjusts to that reality—period. There’s no “adult awareness” hanging around in the background. Your thoughts, decisions, and reactions all align with your DR age​.

The Fallacies Behind Anti-Aging Rhetoric

Let’s get into the nitty-gritty of why these anti-aging arguments are straight-up flawed. The rhetoric used against aging down is packed with logical fallacies that just don’t hold up when you actually understand shifting.

Straw Man Fallacy: This is when someone misrepresents an argument to make it easier to attack. Anti-aging down critics love to claim that anyone who shifts to a younger age is doing it for creepy, inappropriate reasons. They simplify the complexity of shifting into a caricature, which makes it easier for them to criticize. But that’s not how it works. Shifters age down for countless reasons—healing, exploration, nostalgia—and it’s not all about sexual or romantic intentions​.

Hasty Generalization: This fallacy happens when someone takes a limited number of cases and makes a broad, sweeping statement. Anti-aging rhetoric often assumes that if one person ages down for inappropriate reasons, then everyone who ages down must be doing the same. This ignores the vast majority of shifters who age down for completely innocent and personal reasons. Thesehoes need to stop making assumptions based on a few bad apples and recognize the diversity of experiences in the shifting community​.

False Equivalence: Here’s a big one. Critics often equate shifting to a younger age with being an adult in a child’s body in the OR, implying that it’s somehow the same as being predatory or inappropriate in the OR. This is a total false equivalence. When you shift, you fully become that younger self—your consciousness, maturity, and experiences align with that age in the DR. It’s not even remotely comparable to being an adult trying to live as a child in the OR​.

Slippery Slope: This fallacy suggests that if you allow one thing to happen (like aging down), it will inevitably lead to something much worse. Anti-aging critics often argue that allowing or accepting aging down will lead to more predatory behavior or normalize inappropriate desires or even the presence of pedophiles in the Shifting Community. But there’s no evidence to back this up. Aging down is about fully embracing and experiencing life at a different age, not about some slippery slope into immoral behavior​.

Addressing the Ethical Concerns

A lot of people throw around ethical concerns like they’re confetti, especially when it comes to aging down. They’re quick to scream, “But it’s creepy!” without understanding the actual reasons why someone might want to age down. Spoiler: it’s not always about romance or sex and in some cases it s even acceptable because you dont know why they do the things that they do what if someone got an traumatic event like SA in highschool and wish to replace it with a healthy moment ? Or someone got chated on and wished to see how things wouldve been ? Or someone was going to have an aooportunity like that but has missed out on it ? If someone yearns for the teenage romance eveyone and their mother in films movies and TV series love to push ? This is not shifting for predatory reasons far from it.

For many shifters, aging down is about healing or exploring stages of life they didn’t get to fully experience in their OR. It could be about reliving a simpler time, overcoming past traumas, or just enjoying the freedom and innocence that comes with being younger. It’s a deeply personal process, and it’s not inherently sexual or predatory​.

Infinite Realities and Subjective Morals

Let’s not forget that shifting involves infinite realities, each with its own set of rules and morals. What might be seen as inappropriate in one reality could be completely normal in another. This idea that OR morals are the blueprint for every DR is just plain wrong. If you’re aging down in your DR, it’s because that reality’s context allows it, and there’s nothing inherently weird or wrong about that. It’s time to stop judging DR experiences by OR standards​.

Conclusion: Embrace the Full Experience

In conclusion, aging down isn’t weird, predatory, or inappropriate. When you shift, you become that age completely—mentally, emotionally, and cognitively. The arguments against this practice are based on misunderstandings, fallacies, and a lack of real shifting experience. Shifting is about exploring and fully immersing yourself in another reality, and that includes becoming the age you choose to shift to. So, the next time someone tells you that aging down is weird, just remember: they don’t know what they’re talking about, and you’re the one who truly understands the depth of the shifting experience.

[pinkiemachine]

Hi! First off, I love your DC ideas!!! I was just wondering if you had seen the Green Lantern animated series and planned on doing anything with green lantern(s) in your DC stories?

He isn't even my favorite, I just love hearing your ideas and remember loving the show when I watched it last year. Again, love what you've come up with and drawn, hope you have a good day/night/whenever you read this!

*cracks knuckles*

Yes, I’ve recently heard that there’s a Green Lantern show in the works, and yes, I’ve been planning my own outline for a while now (however it sadly does not have as much framework as the rest of my BatFam or even Superman and Wonderman stuff.) BUT there are a few things to note purely based off the concept that I know are going to catch people off guard, so let’s jump into it!

First potentially controversial idea: Green Lanterns come in teams of four now! A squad, if you will. The team begins when Hal Jordon finds Abin Sur crash landed on Earth, and he inherits Abin’s ring. Hal is an ex-pilot for the Airforce, and while he mostly still enjoys being a test pilot for Ferris Air, he feels stuck in a rut and like he’s not really working toward anything—he’s got no mountain to climb, no dragon to slay, no big purpose for his life. So when the Lanterns come along, while he’s nervous at first, he eventually decides to give it a try. Before anything else, Hal is told about how the Lantern Rings work with the emotional spectrum. Each ring is equipped with an “emotion tracker” that registers your emotional wavelengths (anger, jealousy, fear, willpower, hope, compassion, love) and must all fall within exceptional margins before you’re considered ready for active duty. In this case, Willpower must be at a high level, and all the others must be at a constant mid-point range. (The idea being that if these levels go too high, you’re letting your emotions control you. If they’re too low, they’re being suppressed, and that’s not good either. Having them be somewhere in the middle, with Willpower as the dominant force, means you’re in touch with your emotions, but you have the will to control them and yourself.)

Now—the Green Lanterns are currently having trouble with another corps, the Red Lanterns, the ones responsible for Abin Sur’s death. So Hal is expected to find and form his unit of Green Lanterns as quickly as possible, so that they can be trained as quickly as possible, to join the fight as quickly as possible. No pressure. The first person he meets is John Stewart, an ex-marine who now works as an architect. He’s far more mature and level-headed than Hal, and it quickly becomes apparent that he’s more likely to receive the leader role for this squad from their superiors back on Oa. But John and Hal become good friends, so there’s no hard feelings.

The next person they find is Guy Gardner. Okay, that’s not entirely true, Guy found them. An impulsive, arrogant, loud-mouthed Army vet—the moment he learns about the Green Lanterns on Earth, he wants to know how he can get in on the action, and once he finds out that one of the prerequisites is you have to have a proclivity for strong willpower? He wants to know why he wasn’t considered first! So he’s a part of the team now. Because he said so. You might say he�� WILLED it into existence! :D So now John has Hal and Guy to babysit.

Up next is their fourth member, Jessica Cruz. Jess was part of a special ops unit as a sniper, and one day she went on a mission with her team, and she was the only one who came back. She left the military shortly after, citing PTSD. She doesn’t like to talk about it. However, turns out that hiding away in a cabin in the woods trying to burry all your feelings isn’t always the best idea, because she soon finds herself attacked by a strange new creature calling itself “Paralax.” Our three Green Lanterns help her overcome this fear-feeding menace, and free Jessica from its hold, and she has a bit of a rude awakening moment. She thought she had been in such control of her feelings, but they were really controlling her. When the final lantern ring chooses her, she says she will think about it.

Now, here is the second potentially controversial change I’m making: Keli Quintella is a Blue Lantern! Come on, I think it’s high time some of the other lanterns got some love, wouldn’t you say? Besides, it’s only after she hijacks a lost Blue Lantern ring and uses it—without permission—and joins Earth’s Lantern Squad—without permission—that Jessica feels like she can finally accept her ring. It’s Keli that gives her hope that she can overcome her demons.

So now we have our team, and it’s time to go kick some Red Lantern patooties. Naturally, it doesn’t take long for the Yellow Lanterns to crawl back into existence after the Green Lanterns wiped them out a while back, and Hal’s rivalry with Sinestro, etc etc, but I’m still blocking everything out, because I do plan to incorporate Emerald Twilight and Blackest Night. Which means, yes, Kyle Rayner will be joining the team, but later on, after… well, I’ll just come out and say it. After Barry Allen’s death, Hal enters his villain phase in Emerald Twilight, trying to use all the willpower in the universe to bring Barry back, but it ends with Hal being stopped, kicked out of the Corps, and sentenced to life in prison on Oa. (Or, at least, that’s what I have in my first draft.) It’s during that whole mess that Kyle becomes a Green Lantern, and… yeah, it’s one chaotic time to be chosen, for sure. But there’s a reason he was chosen when he was, hehehehehe…

Anyhoo, there’s only one other character I’ve drawn so far, and that’s Star Saphire: I didn’t mean to draw her so small at first, but after it happened, I was like, “No wait, plenty of women are this short. Why not just make that one of her quirks? She’s got short person anger issues because people keep thinking she looks like a child.” lol. Of course, in a cartoon setting, some might start to make accusations, so maybe the idea won’t stand up to scrutiny, but I thought it would be cute. Anyway…

Now, not all of the lantern corps as we know them are in existence at the start of the show, because of reasons. Like, the GLs got rid of the Yellow Lanterns way back when. And then the Pink Lanterns and the Indigo Lanterns come into existence later too, and it’s all important because it’s leading up to a prophecy being fulfilled in Blackest Night. For the moment, though, I just want to classify each corps to make them more easy to understand as an organisation. So—

Red=Anger: Rogue Militia.

Orange=Jealousy: Lone Criminal.

Yellow=Fear: Terrorist Organisation.

Green=Willpower: Military/Police Force.

Blue=Hope: First Responders.

Indigo/Purple=Compassion: Church (sort of).

And then Pink=Love: …to be perfectly honest, I got nothing. Matchmaker service? XD You decide.

One final thing I forgot to mention: Yes, John gets appointed to be leader of the GL squad, due to his good performance record and his ability to wrangle the others. Hal, meanwhile, gets appointed to be their representative on the Justice League. I wanted to give both characters equal time to shine because I know they’re both fan favourites as lead GL characters, and this seemed like a good middle ground.

And I call this show: Green Lantern: Special Forces!

There are more story things, especially regarding Kyle, but this post is long enough already, so if you want more, just comment 💚 down below :)

Part 2 where I rant about KYLE 👇

[covid-safer-hotties]

With the toll of new COVID-19 infections regularly topping 1 million a day and weekly deaths creeping toward the 1,000 mark, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched a campaign aimed not at protecting the public from this ongoing pandemic, now in its fifth year, but at washing its hands of responsibility.

CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen held a press conference August 23 to review the state of the COVID-19 pandemic and encourage the public to get their winter COVID-19, RSV and flu vaccines once they are made available. While bluntly acknowledging that “COVID is with us,” she tried unconvincingly to assure reporters and viewers that “we have the tools to protect ourselves.” She then added, as a way of shifting the blame, “We just need to use them!”

Dr. Cohen was silent on who was responsible for the failure of most Americans to get booster shots or otherwise protect themselves from a disease, which can be fatal for many and cause lifelong debilitation for many more.

She could have named the Democratic administration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, which ended the COVID-19 emergency more than a year ago and treats the pandemic as a thing of the past. She could have named Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, the promoter of quack remedies like ivermectin and bleach, who recently welcomed into his campaign the anti-vaxxer and enemy of science and public health, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

And if she had been equipped with a mirror—and a conscience—she could have pointed to herself and other top CDC officials, who have collaborated in the anti-scientific rampage to shut down both mitigation efforts and even elementary data collection on cases of illness, hospitalization and death.

Most importantly (and therefore least likely) she could have acknowledged that within the framework of the capitalist system, the profits of giant banks and corporations are far more important than the lives of human beings. That is the meaning of the incessant claims that schools, factories, public transportation and facilities must be kept open, to save “the economy,” despite the inevitable spread of the infection as a result.

Dr. Cohen, like her predecessors and colleagues at the top of the public health establishment, puts political pressures above science and medicine. The nearly hour-long briefing was simply political theater, where a panel of experts attempted to place the public health agency in the best light despite acknowledging the monumental number of daily infections that have seen hospitalizations and fatalities climb.

Meanwhile, schools across multiple states have announced closures—affecting thousands—just as the new academic year has begun, in response to mass infections among faculty and students.

So far this year, more than 26,000 Americans have died from acute COVID-19 complications, and more than 800 per week are being killed by a preventable infection, a figure 20 percent higher than last year this time. At the current rate, it is expected that between 50,000 to 60,000 Americans will die from COVID-19 in 2024, a rate two to three times higher than fatalities from flu. However, these do not take into consideration excess deaths, and given the complete dismantling of the reporting systems, these figures are known undercounts.

Such figures could only appear low in comparison to the colossal death toll of the first three years of the pandemic, when 352,000 died in 2020, 464,000 in 2021 and 260,000 in 2022. In 2023, 76,000 COVID-19 deaths were recorded. All these numbers are underestimates, as excess mortality figures are considerably higher. The cumulative death toll from COVID-19 is likely well over 1.4 million in the United States and approaching 30 million worldwide.

Neither did the panel address any concerns over the fact that millions continue to suffer from Long COVID, which has taken a significant toll on the health of Americans and the world over. It bears mentioning that a recent study noted that 410 million people across the world have had Long COVID with a $1 trillion impact on global GDP. Yet, no treatment for this condition exists. Without health insurance and means, issues of brain fog, chronic fatigue and sleep disturbances become part of one’s physiognomy.

Much about Dr. Cohen’s characterization of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is deeply flawed and should have been taken up by the press, who remained silent on the matter. First and foremost, her claim, in response to a direct question that COVID-19 “is endemic,” is completely misleading.

An infection is endemic when it is contained, not spreading uncontrolled and not causing significant impact on the society. COVID-19 is none of these. It remains a pandemic, with new waves of infections where millions are being infected daily by a virus whose mutation far outstrips the efforts of public health agencies and pharmaceutical companies to provide vaccines, medicines and mitigation practices. It continues to cause large-scale social disruption, economic loss and general hardship.

The opposition of both capitalist parties to any significant effort to fight the pandemic was on display last week. The Democratic National Convention, like its Republican counterpart in July, was a massive superspreader event, with thousands of delegates and media personnel congregating in an enclosed arena, where there was continuous cheering, shouting and singing. There are already anecdotal reports of widespread sickness in state delegations returning from Chicago.

As for the Republicans, Trump staged his appearance with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Friday afternoon, beaming as Kennedy announced he was folding up his independent presidential campaign and endorsing the ex-president and would-be dictator. Kennedy said he was working with Trump on staffing agencies like the CDC, NIH, FDA and USDA from the standpoint of ending the “chronic disease crisis.” By this he means, of course, ending efforts to fight diseases and letting children, the elderly, and the entire American population suffer the consequences.

Fundamentally, all large epidemics and pandemics are serious social issues that require broad-scale infection control in place to disrupt and prevent disease. And with respect to COVID-19 and all future pandemics, these require an international collaborative perspective.

In 2024 so far, 179 million people were infected in the United States, a total that is eventually expected to surpass 2023, when more than 248 million Americans, or three-quarters of the population, caught COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 wastewater levels throughout the pandemic suggest that there have been more than 1.1 billion infections in the United States, between three and four for every person in the country.

This begs the question how are those most vulnerable, such as the elderly, immunocompromised, and those with chronic disabling medical conditions, which represent a significant portion of the population, to protect themselves from perpetual mass infection?

For the CDC director to present public health efforts as a matter of individual, personal choice is a gross falsification of reality. The policy of mass infection has been forced on the population.

As for having the tools to protect themselves, what is being offered are simply vaccines and more vaccines as a means to prevent COVID-19. As the WSWS recently noted, “Despite the limitations, the uptake of the vaccines is vital for the health of the population. The shots have a strong, proven safety record and do prevent severe disease and potentially reduce the risk of Long COVID, as studies have indicated. However, they do not prevent infections and the immunity they offer is short-lived given the constant mutation of the virus.”

The vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna carry a cost of $120 to $130 per shot. In some regions, these can be as high as $160 or even $200. However, the rescinding in March of $4.3 billion from the Department of Health and Human Services in COVID-19 supplemental funding means access to free vaccines for the 26 million uninsured and tens of millions more underinsured, essentially all from working class families, will only mean that the vaccination campaign will simply languish as it did last year when only 7 million Americans accepted the boosters within six weeks of their delivery to pharmacies.

As for other tools in their toolbox, Cohen refers to anti-viral treatments like Paxlovid, which are regularly being denied to patients by their physicians or when they actually are given a prescription, face the daunting price tag of $1,300 to $2,400 per course because their insurance denies them coverage. Meanwhile, repurposed medications like Metformin, a drug that treats diabetes, which has shown anti-viral properties and shown in randomized trials to reduce COVID-19 viral loads and decrease risk of Long COVID, remain unmentioned. In particular, this raises the question of why there are so few tools in the toolbox, and why some are being removed, such as the ability to wear N95 masks in public.

The arrest of an 18-year-old New York man in Nassau County on Tuesday who was wearing a black ski mask utilizing the recently passed mask-ban legislation will only embolden police departments and threaten the public who face possible detentions and arrest simply on charges of police suspicion.

At the Democratic National Convention, guidance was issued forbidding mask wearing by attendees unless “it was necessary due to a disability” and this at the discretion of security.

[jewishvitya]

Hi, I stumbled upon your political posts (and then Yuri, you might get me to watch it now) and I find your perspective fascinating. Maybe it's because I grew up with rather a lot of exposure to Palestinians and various peace movements, but your experience is alien to me, and I am really thankful to be able to read it.

I would like to ask, what do you define as Zionism? As the last month taught me that no two people define this term the same. For me it is the ability for the Jewish people to control our own life in a land that we are bound to, and that has no contradiction with the Palestinian doing the same on this land, that they are bound to it as well. No pressure to answer, just pure curiosity.

And if I may offer some hope for our future? On the fourth day of the war, someone who helps in one of the donation centres for the displaced Israelis ask in the group chat if there is a way to pass the extra clothing and equipment to the people of Gaza. In the past two month I got invites for over a dozes or meeting between Israelis and Palestinians, meetings were both sides shared their sorrows and hopes. When an acquaintance was raising money to help a Bedouin family whose house was hit by a rocket, he has to tell people to stop donating. People in my surrounding have been talking about the day after, building plans so they could help build a better place for both people. A long-fought battle in the courts was won, and a group of settlers were ordered to evacuate Palestinian land. Activists have been going to assist in the olive harvests in the West Bank, despite it all.

There is hope for us here.

Hi! Thank you! If you do watch YOI I hope you enjoy it lol.

I know my experience is not very common. Even other Israelis get shocked by the depth of the hatred and the indoctrination sometimes. I try to emphasize that it comes from the most extremist community we have, because I have no idea what the schooling looks like in other areas.

And sure, I'll try to explain, and maybe also why I choose to label myself as anti-zionist.

I don't know that I can give you a dictionary definition, because I define zionism mainly by what it did in practice - the colonizing of Palestine. And when I say colonizing, I'm not making claims about indigeniety or lack of it. I'm defining it through our tactics and our actions. Especially because early in the movement they openly used colonialist frameworks.

Some of the softer definitions of zionism, things like our right to self determination, our right to seek safety - these aren't things I'm against. And I understand that within zionism there were other proposed ideas that weren't necessarily meant to end up with an ethnostate, resulting in ethnic cleansing. So I know zionism is more complicated than what we see in Israel. But what we see now is the reality people are living as the outcome.

If we came here and said "we've been longing to go back here for such a long time, we suffered so much abuse, we want to live alongside you in our shared homeland, can we find a way to ensure our safety and yours" - this would have been a different conversation. Still complicated, because mass immigration is complicated, but different.

In reality, we destroyed communities to manufacture an ethnic majority. Tore a whole society apart and shattered it, spread it all over the world. We killed and expelled and traumatized. I called it the cycle of abuse on the scale of nations - taking horrors we suffered and inflicting them on others. So given the practical results of the zionist movement, I can't treat those softer definitions as the "true" definitions that people should go by.

I keep thinking about Jewish refugees being given the homes of Palestinians with meals still on the table. Because of course we have a right to food and shelter, but not at their expense. And I know you agree with me on this.

When I say I oppose zionism, that's generally because I'm talking about the reality, the impact the movement had on human lives, not an idealized version we might imagine or a philosophy someone wrote about that never came to be.

For me, if I want to talk about our safety in our ancestral homeland and detach it from the horrors committed by Israel, zionism isn't the right framework. And after all the destruction we caused the land to conquer and colonize it, if I want to talk about our connection to it, I think zionism shouldn't be the word I'm using.

There's also an aspect of, by insisting on defining zionism through a nicer idea rather than harm done to real people, I see it as taking away a language that oppressed people are using to talk about their oppression.

I hope that makes sense.

I really want us to find a different way to work towards safety, without it being at the expense of another group of people.

And thank you for that last paragraph. I definitely have hope. It's hard, seeing videos of our soldiers being so gleeful about the destruction. I lost a friend of over ten years because of the callous and cruel things he said over the past couple of months, and I can't bring myself to repeat them. But I know that better things are possible, and I'm glad we're building towards them. I'm terrified that our government won't let us move in that direction, but we're going to push there anyway.

[girlactionfigure]

ISRAEL REALTIME - Connecting to Israel in Realtime

🕎🕎🕎🕎🕎🕎🕎HAPPY CHANUKAH - night 7 !

( PHOTO - 7th night menorah lit on Mt. Hermon. )

▪️SHIN BET - REDUCED TERROR.. There was a 40% decrease in terrorist attacks in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria during 2024. The Shin Bet reveals that 1,040 significant terrorist attacks were thwarted this year in the capital and Judea and Samaria, including two suicide attacks and a kidnapping attack.

▪️SHIN BET - INCREASE CYBER ATTACKS.. during the war there have been five times more cyber attacks on Israel compared to previous years.

▪️POPULATION INCREASE.. Israel's population has crossed 10 million.  During the past year, 82,000 residents left Israel, while 32,000 immigrants immigrated to the country.

▪️ON THE CHAREDI DRAFT.. Defense Minister Katz: "We will ensure the establishment of unique frameworks that will allow every Haredi soldier to contribute optimally to the state”. Katz reiterated his goal - 50% recruitment of the annual turnover of 18-year-olds from Haredi society, within 7 years.  Def. Min, “the draft is in the process of being formulated and will soon be submitted to the Knesset for legislation.”

▪️FIN. MIN. to PRIME MINISTER.. Smotrich calls on Netanyahu, in the shadow of the budget crisis: "The Prime Minister must take responsibility and get into the thick of it, the coalition must rise to the occasion and pass the budget"

▪️BUDGET VOTE GOT UGLY.. the budget vote today got very ugly, as multiple coalition MK’s chose to abstain, Otzma Yehudit chose to abstain, and an MK in mourning and the PM from the hospital had to be brought to have enough votes for it to pass (with the opposition not “offsetting” - a standard practice of leaving out members to match those out sick or mourning).  The vote passed 60-58, but essentially the coalition lost control, Otzma had MK’s not follow their position, and UTJ also had MK’s not follow their position.  And the PM was hauled from his hospital bed the day after surgery.

.. For the first time, the Chanukah menorah was lit in the Knesset during active session due to the extending session.

.. The Min. Of Interiors biometric database is subject to IMMEDIATE DELETION at midnight due to failure to extend the authorization law.  On October 7, 183 victims were identified using the biometric database.

.. PRIME MINISTER SAYS - The State of Israel is at war with existential challenges.  In recent years, we have been running the country together and achieving tremendous achievements in various arenas, including Iran. In the coming years, we have great opportunities in cooperation with our American friends.   There is no greater irresponsible folly than to shake up the coalition at this time or risk toppling a right-wing government. …I expect all members of the coalition, including Minister Ben Gvir, to stop shaking the coalition and jeopardizing the existence of a right-wing government at a crucial moment in Israel's history. It is possible and necessary to bridge the gaps in the coalition without shaking it.

🔹JENIN (SAMARIA) - continued RED ON RED, as the Palestinian Authority’s forces fight the terrorist organizations in Jenin, with clashes both directions. 

♦️US ATTACK ON YEMEN - another round of US attacks, various reports state from 3 to 12 sites hit. US: Missile depots, drones, production sites, radars, and more were attacked in Sana'a and on the west coast of Yemen.

♦️LEBANON - another hidden weapons warehouse with a significant stockpile of weapons, including launchers, missiles, and explosive charges, and nearby buildings with rocket launchers, explosive devices, dozens of Kalashnikov rifles, grenades, electrically guided missiles, mines, observation devices, explosive devices, and tactical combat equipment.  Captured, facilities destroyed.  Over 120 crates of brand new modern weaponry and armaments.

[brucestalia]

my take on vigilante / hero talia (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶) .ᐟ.ᐟ

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overview

her powers primarily stem from two sources:

a) homo magus ancestry inherited from her mother, melisande (who i headcanon as a formidable sorceress in her own time ^_^) and

b) a childhood encounter with the lazarus pits, a freak accident that unexpectedly granted her the ability to manipulate their mystical waters.

this interpretation hinges on the idea that the lazarus pit is an ancient, otherworldly power—not the creation of ra's al ghul. which brings me to my second point:

i don’t imagine talia as someone who would adopt a masked alias to fight crime in secret. instead, she’s a person who believes in structural change—achieved through community efforts or an organised framework — evident in her roles within lexcorp, leviathan, and the league of assassins.

lady lazarus, at its core, was never intended to be an alias. originally, it was a title—a designation, like her father’s—bestowed upon her by rúh al ghul during her time on lazarus island, where she led the cult of lazarus in its worship.

after melisande’s untimely death, the fracture between ra’s and his mother widened, but it was qayin’s attack on talia that forced ra’s hand. with no alternative, he used the pit to revive her.

she returned—but not unchanged. news of her newfound abilities quickly reached rúh; although ra’s now commanded the league, factions still remained loyal to his mother or the sensei.

unlike ra’s, who tends to operate from the shadows, talia doesn’t hide her presence. the title of lady lazarus eventually evolved into an alias as her efforts began to attract public attention.

her powers, revolve around necromancy: manipulating the dead, harnessing the death-force, and wielding a fragment of death’s essence, including sensing or hearing the souls within her proximity, as well as accessing the pit’s renowned healing properties.

[ however, these powers aren’t purely instinctive. most of her capabilities are a direct result of her rigorous training in spellcasting and the magical arts. (˶˃⤙˂˶) ]

eventually, she becomes a member of the justice league dark.

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on her journey to mastering magic

talia’s mastery of magic wasn’t innate; it was cultivated over years of rigorous study. as a child, her mother, melisande, introduced her to the basics of spellcasting, weaving an early foundation in arcane arts. after melisande’s death, talia sought out secret texts and hidden mentors across the globe, mastering ancient rituals, alchemical practices, and languages of power. her abilities grew to include complex spells that drew on her connection with the lazarus, blending her lineage with her environment.

physical and emotional changes from the pit

while it restored her physically, it left her deeply altered—her connection to life and death permanently changed. she became able to feel the pull of death around her, to sense the ebb and flow of souls in her proximity. the healing properties of the pit coursed through her, but they came with a cost—the whispers of the dead that only she could hear.

philosophy on justice

unlike her father, talia sees justice as something achievable only by engaging with society openly. she believes in creating systemic change, whether through the resources of lexcorp, leviathan, or her public identity as lady lazarus.

public perception

some view her as a hero—a protector who wields a power few could understand—while others fear her connection to the lazarus pit, associating her with the very forces she sought to control.

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weaponry & equipment

twin blades forged from damascus steel; an heirloom passed down from her mother's side, inscribed with ancient texts, and an array of throwing daggers, each marked with runes.

a scimitar; a gift from rúh, for ceremonial occasions.

in addition to spellcasting books, a set of rings, enchanted to store small amounts of magical energy that allow her to cast quick spells in battle.

a variety of smoke bombs infused with mystical properties. these not only obscure vision, but can also create illusions to confuse and disorient her enemies.

small vials of purified lazarus water. these can heal mortal wounds in allies or destabilize foes when thrown, as the raw energy of the pit can be both restorative and destructive.

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attire

talia favours masks and armour in the traditional al ghul colours. the plating covers vital areas while allowing for a full range of motion, lined with glyphs and runic designs.

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shoutout to marvel rivals asmr and the mutuals that helped inspire this post (@/spocks-husband & @/publicmenacerunnerup) !!!!

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[tunastime]

Slim and Easy Pickings

a little late, but here's a piece for bigb's birthday that kind of got away from me! watching all of wild life in his pov really made me obsessed with him, so now I've scruffed him and put him in sen <3 happy birthday to the guy ever!!

A cargo-runner with his own ship, "Captain" BigB spends his time hauling supplies from station to station. This particular trip, despite it's semblance of normalcy, isn't going quite to plan. Especially when his recipient, Ren, the CMO of Medical Station 4, asks him to make a wayward stop for extra cargo. And that that cargo happens to be a person. (1067 words)

BigB puts the ship's computer to rest. Here in the cockpit, the lights dim, he leans his head back against the padded upholstered headrest and shuts his eyes for the briefest of moments. Of course the computer is running in the background—the ship's reprogrammed, but complimentary AI, SmallB, was still running life support, navigational control, security protocol. But without BigB poking around in its brain, it could devote part of its processing power to doing something it actually enjoyed, like watching BigB's reactions to media, or music, or books. 

He'd reworked the framework of the central AI not too long after he made his last installment on the ship and actually powered the damn thing on. He'd kept it dormant while still hauling for the Deep Space Miner's Corp from the connector station between a moon and its planet (he'd long since forgotten the name, now. Lunara? Lumiara? Luminary? Something like that) but now that it had been his for almost six months, he'd gutted and rebuilt the whole thing. He can almost feel it poking around in his data feed, squirreled away while he tried to rest his eyes.

He was fourteen days out from the medical station, and already, after ten days, cabin fever had started to set in. He'd been really good about it before, six, eight, even nine months quietly roaming his ship in bouts of silence. Maybe he was just anxious to stop moving for a bit. 

The medical station was more than just a hospital. It was like it was its own planet, with shops, docks, and transient housing. He'd been to stations like that before, but nothing that nice. And, he'd been promised, at the behest of station management, that his week of leave time could be spent there. They'd already arranged him a room, assured him a currency card for meals, and left him an open docking spot. It was nice—and he was suspicious, or would be, if he hadn't talked to the station chief himself. He'd also talked to a man called Ren, and Ren was who this delivery was for to begin with, stacked four crates high and three crates deep with medication, liquid, solid, reusable and disposable medical utensils, all the equipment an orbit-locked transitional medical facility needs to function. Ren was pleasant, spoke conversational common with a voice that sounded like it smiled more than frowned, and an accent reminiscent of people BigB used to know during his dockings on the orbital of Luminary (Luminary, is what is was, that was the name. At least he'd known it as Luminary, which was what people from planetside and dockside had said. Might've been called anything). He was the chief medical officer and head surgeon of the reconstruction unit—BigB was not interested in knowing what the term reconstruction meant. 

He blinks his eyes open. Not a nap, but definitely a rest for his dry eyes.

"Captain—" says SmallB, even though BigB isn't a Captain, not in the slightest. "Looks like we have an incoming transmission from the Octagon. Interested?"

“Depends on who it’s from, SB,” BigB says, stretching his arms and rising to a stand.

“Looks like it’s from the CMO of Medical Station 4, if that’s anything to you?”

“Ren?”

“The same.”

“Sure,” BigB says, repositioning himself in his chair. He sits up straight, trying to will the knot in the top of his spine away. “Patch him through.”

There’s a small, affirmative chime from the ship’s computer as the two telecom links join together. Even at this distance, through an array of satellite and range extenders, planetside connectors, and ship-bound relays, com links could successfully patch through, even with a short delay. There would likely be about a thirty-second difference between the MS4 central hub and BigB’s own, smaller computer. Plus it would be audio only; there was no way for SB to support the strength of a holograph projector in any capacity, unless BigB did some serious rewiring and power allocation changes.

Ren’s voice jumps to life through the speaker.

“Captain B!” he says cheerily, still in that accented common tongue. “Nice to chat with you.”

“Likewise, Doctor,” BigB says. He takes the brief pauses as time to readjust the travel calculations and update his positional log. If Ren were collecting transmitter data real time, he wanted it to actually be there to collect.

“Please,” Ren says after the delay. “Just call me Ren. Listen—I wanted to ask you a favor. I know you’re still about two weeks out, and we’re expecting you on time, but I wanted to know if you would be willing to make a slight detour for me.”

BigB frowns. His concern must bleed slightly into the feed connection between himself and SB, because he feels an internal nudge, and sets his shoulders again.

“That depends on the favor, I guess. What sort of thing did you have in mind? And, maybe forgive the directness, but what kind of incentive?”

The pause is more significant this time, suggesting that Ren were taking time to consider the question, rather than just the connection relay delay. SB pokes him, quiet.

<You’re not a smuggler, remember?>

BigB wrinkles his nose.

I know that, he says, or really, subvocalizes, pushing his message into the feed connection between the two of them. I remember. But maybe it’s not what we think it is, yeah?

<Maybe so.>

Ren’s voice startles him, and SB, who’s jittering, electronic start shuffles through their feed connection enough to shock him. 

“I’ve got… a friend who needs transport. It’s a bit personal, but I’m willing to pay double for it. Plus what he’s willing to pitch in. He’s in a bit of a jam, but should just need a tow to MS4. If you’re willing?”

BigB pulls a face. It’s something SB sees, but doesn’t comment on. He drags his tongue between his teeth, frowning slightly.

“Double?”

“You’ve got my word, Captain,” Ren says, letting out a sigh that sounds more stressed than concerned. BigB feels a knot start to form at the notch of his sternum, right at his solar plexus. It feels… dangerous. But it can’t be the most dangerous thing he’s ever done. He sits back in his chair again, steepling his fingers, tapping them against his chin. 

“Alright, I’ll see what I can do,” BigB says, steeling his expression. “Send me the coordinates.”

[delawaredetroit]

Hello. First I want to say I love your blog. It includes both thoughtful and funny bits and is a joy to read.

Secondly I would like to hear your thoughts on Izuku's ruthless streak.

First time we see of this is when he is against fodder in USJ. Not all of them seem to be equipped to breathe underwater yet he doesn't hesitate to advocate and use a method that can result in some of their heads remaining underwater and thus resulting in them suffocating.

2nd time is when he first meets Shigaraki and he grabs Asui's face. He only cares about Asui not being harmed and never once tries to control the output of OFA. He only assumes he controlled the output when his arm doesn't break but that most likely is due to First Nomu not due to any form of control.

Third time is against Muscular. When he is about to strike Kota Izuku uses %100 without a second thought even though knowing most people would die from it. It can be argued that he knew how durable Muscular is but it is unlikely.

There might be other examples that might not be coming to my mind as I am giving examples from the things that first came to my mind.

His utter willingness to murder in name of saving someone else is something very interesting in the earlier arcs and something I don't see much discussion of.

I would like to hear your thoughts regarding this. And whatever it might mean.

You raise an interesting point.

And I would say that Izuku's ruthlessness comes from the same place as the villains' cruelty: a lack of faith in the hero system.

I've spoken about it a bit here. While Izuku says that he always had help, in reality his actions reflect the lack of support he had as a child.

The children in their society are supposed to believe that a hero will always come and save the day. So needing to use deadly force would be unthinkable as a civilian/student because of course there will be a hero to come save you.

The characters that act outside of this framework (the ones that receive any significant focus anyway) are largely people who needed help and didn't receive it. And it's mostly villains, but the same logic applies to Izuku. There is not a single indication in any flashback that anyone tried to help Izuku until he met All Might.

Izuku's actions during the sludge villain incident were brave and heroic. They also signaled a lack of faith. His body moved on its own because subconsciously he determined that no one was going to help. In the fights you mentioned, Izuku doesn't believe anyone will come save him or his friends. So when he is backed into a corner, Izuku doesn't think anything of resorting to the use of deadly force.

Many of the villains, particularly those like Shigaraki and All for One, made their destructive life choices because they believed that salvation didn't truly exist at all.

Izuku has more cognitive dissonance on this issue compared to the villains in that he genuinely thinks he believes in heroism in the same way as his peers. But in truth, Izuku's heroism comes from the same place as Shigaraki's villainy: a lack of faith.

[blessed-curse]

G.R.O.W. The Government's Sword & Shield.

G.R.O.W. (Global Regulation of the Overpowered and Warborn)

Established: 2100 Motto:Guide, Research, Observe, Ward Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland Funding: Global coalition of world governments Primary Goal: To regulate, research, and contain superhumans for the safety of humanity

Background & Formation:

In the wake of the Superhuman Boom of the late 21st century, tensions between the empowered and the non-powered population reached a breaking point. Governments worldwide struggled to manage the rising number of superhumans—both those who sought to protect society and those who threatened it. The National Superhero Organization (NSO), founded by Accel and Erwin Bekker, worked to integrate willing superhumans into society. However, the growing presence of rogue superhumans, vigilantes, and outright villains made it clear that a more structured, global response was necessary.

In 2100, the United Nations, backed by major world powers, formally established G.R.O.W., an international task force dedicated to the control, study, and regulation of superhumans. Unlike the NSO, which focused on heroes, G.R.O.W. was designed to monitor, restrict, and contain both registered and unregistered superhumans. With funding from the UN and individual governments, G.R.O.W. rapidly grew into the most powerful regulatory agency on the planet—equipped with advanced technology, elite task forces, and cutting-edge research facilities.

G.R.O.W.’s Four Core Directives:

Each of G.R.O.W.’s operations falls under one of its four key directives:

• Guide: Educate and integrate superhumans into society by providing training, psychological evaluation, and ethical guidance. This includes working alongside the NSO and registered hero organizations.

• Research: Conduct extensive studies on superhuman abilities, genetics, and energy sources. This involves developing countermeasures for superhuman threats and technological advancements to contain or enhance abilities.

• Observe: Monitor superhuman activity across the globe, using satellite surveillance, intelligence networks, and undercover agents to track unregistered superhumans.

• Ward: Neutralize or contain superhumans who pose a threat to public safety. This includes arresting rogue superhumans, imprisoning dangerous entities, and enforcing international laws regarding superhuman activity.

Government Control Measures & Superhuman Regulation:

G.R.O.W. operates under the Global Superhuman Regulation Act (GSRA), which provides the legal framework for how superhumans are monitored, classified, and controlled. The GSRA gives G.R.O.W. the authority to:

• Mandatory Registration: All superhumans must register their identities, powers, and affiliations with the government. Noncompliance results in forced registration or imprisonment.

• Power Restriction Devices (PRDs): Advanced technology designed to suppress or limit the abilities of superhumans, including power-dampening collars, nanite injections, and field suppression zones. (Doesn't work on S Rank up superhumans.)

• Sanctioned Hero Program: Only government-approved superhumans may operate as heroes. Unauthorized vigilantism is a criminal offense.

• Containment Protocols: High-risk superhumans are held in The Chasm, a maximum-security prison designed for the most dangerous individuals.

• Kill-On-Sight Orders (KOS): Reserved for SSS+ ranked threats that cannot be contained or negotiated with. These orders require unanimous approval from G.R.O.W.'s executive board.

Departments & Task Forces:

To enforce its policies, G.R.O.W. is divided into several specialized branches:

1. The Compliance Bureau (CB)

Handles superhuman registration, background checks, and compliance enforcement. Agents conduct routine inspections and audits of registered heroes and superhumans to ensure adherence to regulations.

2. The Research & Development Division (R&D)

A coalition of the world’s top scientists, geneticists, and engineers working to understand superhuman biology, develop countermeasures, and create new technologies. They were responsible for the discovery of the Power Restriction Devices (PRDs) and energy suppression tech.

3. The Superhuman Containment Unit (SCU)

A rapid-response team trained to handle rogue superhumans. They specialize in non-lethal takedowns, containment procedures, and neutralization tactics using high-tech weaponry, EMP grenades, and power-dampening fields.

4. The Threat Assessment Division (TAD)

Assigns threat rankings to superhumans based on their abilities, combat experience, and destructive potential. They determine whether a superhuman is a Menace-Class (C Rank) or a World Ender-Class (SSS+ Rank).

5. The Covert Operatives Division (COD)

A black-ops unit specializing in assassinations, espionage, and infiltration. They track down and eliminate high-risk superhuman threats before they can escalate. Many of their agents are enhanced through genetic modifications and cybernetic implants.

Notable Events & Conflicts Involving G.R.O.W.:

2110 - The Chasm Opens

After a decade of development, G.R.O.W. unveils The Chasm, the world’s first superhuman prison, built to contain high-tier threats that normal facilities cannot handle. Believed to be located in the Mariana Trench, The Chasm employs power-dampening technology, environmental hazards, and psychological conditioning to ensure its prisoners never escape.

2112 - The Miracle Child Incident

A young girl with reality-altering powers revives a pregnant woman and her unborn child after a bank robbery gone wrong. G.R.O.W. attempts to detain her, but she vanishes without a trace. This event fuels the Empowered vs. Descendant debate, as she does not match any known genetic markers.

2119 - The Waterford Massacre

Tens of thousands die in Waterford, Ireland, with no physical wounds or environmental factors indicating the cause. G.R.O.W. launches an investigation, suspecting a Deviant-Class superhuman or an unknown neurotoxin. The culprit is never found.

2121 - War Against the Sins of Desire

G.R.O.W. officially declares The Sins of Desire the greatest global threat after their leader, Gluttony, slaughters the renowned hero Accel.

2123 - The Sins

The battle in Vancouver nearly results in G.R.O.W. deploying a planetary-level suppression device, but the fight ends in a draw between the villain faction and the Principality of Nine.

The Future of G.R.O.W.:

Despite its success in regulating and containing superhumans, G.R.O.W. has gained a reputation for corruption and excessive control. Many view it as a shadow government, operating above the law. Whistleblowers claim that high-ranking officials experiment on superhumans and manipulate global events for their own gain.

With the rise of new threats and hidden agendas, the future of superhuman regulation remains uncertain. Will G.R.O.W. continue its mission of protection, or will it become the very tyranny it sought to prevent?

[distressednoise]

Cassian Andor was not having a good day.

Cassian Andor was not having a good day. K2 was excited about this not because he wanted Cassian to suffer - it was a singularly ineffective motivator for him to change - but because he had predicted it, and the previous three, and this meant wonderful things for his semantic microdata framework.

Factors precipitating Cassian's bad days included, in roughly order of importance: stasis (physical), contact with command (in person), encounters with unknown individuals, encounters with known individuals, unfamiliarity, familiarity and whether he had slept, though that was sometimes a sign that he'd had a *good* day. "I'll only wake up to trouble," he would say, and opt to stay awake through the night in favour of catching fitful patches of sleep on the way to their next destination. This was, apparently, a trick learned he'd learned in the army, information that K2 tucked away in his memory.

He'd assumed, when he could first do such a thing, that his information on military protocols was relatively complete, but it quickly became apparent that the Imperial database he'd come equipped with was woefully inadequate, hence the semantic microdata project.

"Why are you so happy?" Cassian muttered, punching disconsolately at the crafts controls.

"I'm no such thing." It was important that Cassian not be allowed to compile his own semantic microdata until K2 had decided which expressions he preferred and how he might make them. It seemed like far too many assumed a tongue.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Major groups control 85% of Brazil’s online higher education market

Top eight players account for nearly 4 million students in distance learning programs

Brazil’s distance learning market is heavily concentrated in the hands of a few major private education groups. The eight largest education providers—Cogna, Vitru, Uninter, Yduqs, Cruzeiro do Sul, Unip, Ser Educacional, and Ânima—together hold 85% of total enrollment in digital undergraduate programs.

As of 2023, the most recent public data available, there were 4.7 million students enrolled in private-sector distance learning programs. Currently, these eight companies alone account for about 4 million of those enrollments.

Based on publicly disclosed figures from listed companies and data provided by private groups, the current distribution of students is as follows: Cogna (998,000), Vitru (906,000), Uninter (600,000), Yduqs (524,000), Cruzeiro do Sul (401,000), Unip (236,000), Ser Educacional (161,000), and Ânima (115,000).

With the introduction of Brazil’s new regulatory framework for distance education, these major players are expected to benefit, as they have the resources needed to comply with the new requirements. The rules mandate an increase in in-person class time across all course formats—fully online, hybrid, and traditional in-person—which will require better-equipped campuses, laboratories, and learning centers, along with a larger teaching staff.

Continue reading.

[amayaonly1]

Verses Unwritten: A Rap Odyssey

Eminem x Rapper!OC

Verse 3

About: Genji and Eminem started collaborating on a song in the studio, blending their creative energies to refine lyrics and beats. As the subdued hum of the equipment and looping basslines set the mood, their occasional banter and mutual respect shine, revealing a dynamic partnership. Together, they created a song brimming with potential, leaving Genji eager for what the next day would bring.

"Verses Unwritten: A Rap Odyssey" Chapter List: Verse 1 | Verse 2 | Verse 3 | Verse 4 | Verse 5 | Verse 6 | Verse 7 | Verse 8 | Verse 9 | Verse 10 | Verse 11 | Verse 12 | Verse 13 | Verse 14 | Verse 15 | Verse 16 | Verse 17 | Verse 18 | Verse 19 | Verse 20 | Verse 21 | Verse 22 | Verse 23 | Verse 24 | Verse 25 | Verse 26 | Verse 27

Disclaimer: This work is a work of fiction, and any involvement of the character Genji is purely fictional and not representative of any real person.

The studio wasn't buzzing with its usual chaotic energy tonight. Instead, it carried a subdued hum, a gentle rhythm that pulsed in sync with the faint glow of the control panel lights. The air was tinged with a slight metallic tang from the equipment, and the muffled thump of basslines created an almost hypnotic undercurrent. Genji's looping beat filled the space like a heartbeat, steady and persistent, weaving Walter Egan's "Hot Summer Nights" into a nostalgic, airy backdrop that lingered in the corners of the room.

She picked the song for its unique blend of breezy optimism and an undercurrent of sharp melancholy — an unusual juxtaposition that immediately caught her attention. To her, it wasn't just a song or a sample; it was a living, breathing framework. The layers of the track spoke to her as if they're puzzle pieces, ready to be assembled a new creation. This was how Genji's always worked. She didn't just hear the music; she saw it and instinctively knew where it could lead. In her mind, every beat had a place, every note a purpose.

She sat cross-legged in her chair, one hand fiddling with a blue Pilot Frixion, the other tapping on the scribbled pages of her notebook. Across the table, Eminem was hunched over his own notepad, his pen tapping against its edge. The scratching of lyrics on paper punctuated the rhythm as he muttered under his breath, words half-formed and fleeting.

"So, I'm thinking," he began, tapping the notepad. "We start with something simple but in-your-face. Like, 'Guess who? D'you miss me?'. I think it sets the tone without overcomplicating it."

Genji raised an eyebrow, nodding slowly. "Not bad, but I think we can make it punch harder. Maybe you can hit that line with a little more sass? Like it's more of a dare than a question."

"Yeah, I can work with that," he responded, immediately scribbling her suggestion down.

The rhythm of collaboration continued, with him throwing out concepts and her tweaking them into sharper edges. He flipped to a fresh page, leaning into his next thought. "I want the second verse to be wild, something ridiculous but catchy. Maybe I throw in a line about the Kardashians or something."

Genji leaned forward with an unmistakable mischievous glint in her eye. "Why not? Maybe something over-the-top but funny, like '"'Damn, I think Kim Kardashian's a man.'"

The rapper paused, then let out an amused chuckle. "You're ridiculous."

"But you're writing it down, aren't you?" she quipped, nodding his notepad.

"Guilty," he admitted, grinning as he wrote it into the verse. "'She stomped him just 'cause he asked to put his hands…' Yeah, that flows."

"What about the Lindsay line?" Genji suggested, crossing her arms while watching him refine the previous line. "Do you think we should make it a bit punchier, like 'Samantha's a two, you're practically a ten'?"

Eminem tilted his head, testing the rhythm under his breath. "Yeah, I see it. That works." He jotted it down, but shortly before glancing her way with a subtle smirk. "Not bad, Gen. I can see why Dre's always hyping you up."

"Say it like you mean it," she teased.

Hours passed in this cadence, with Eminem crafting and spitting verses to the track, and Genji fine-tuning them. Her suggestions weren't frequent, but they always landed, often improving his initial drafts into something sharper, funnier, or more poignant. Between lines, he occasionally glanced her way, gauging her reactions as if testing the waters. "What about this?" he'd ask, and she'd either nod or offer a sharp, yet insightful tweak that nudged the lyrics closer to brilliance. It was a subtle dance of egos and expertise, a quiet respect between two artists who understood and acknowledged each other's strengths.

Genji leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms overhead as she exhaled slowly. "Alright, I think we've hit a good stride. I can see the song starting to come together."

Eminem smirked but didn't lift his pen. "That your polite way of saying you're calling it a day?"

"Honest is more like it." She stood, gathering her things. "Besides, don't you always clock out early? Studio's like your nine-to-five, I heard."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "You know me too well."

"Exactly why I’m reminding you," she quipped, slinging her bag over her shoulder and pausing at the door. "We'll pick this up tomorrow?"

“Yeah, for sure.” He looked up, the faintest hint of a smile softening his usually intense expression. "We're close."

She nodded, stepping into the hallway. The cool air brushed against her face, grounding her. The quiet outside contrasted sharply with the studio's charged atmosphere. As the door clicked shut behind her, she thought about the music they'd pieced together tonight. It wasn't perfect yet, but it was alive, thrumming with potential.

Genji exhaled deeply, fishing her phone from her bag as she walked toward the exit. The work would continue tomorrow. But for now, she let herself rest for the moment, knowing that tomorrow would bring more music, more ideas, and more possibilities.

[mariacallous]

The world breathed a sigh of relief on May 12 when, after negotiations in Geneva, the United States and China initially agreed to a 90-day pause in their trade war, halting sky-high reciprocal tariffs and other measures, such as China’s latest export controls on rare earths. Markets reacted positively, and businesses geared up to use the pause to ramp up trade of goods in both directions, in case the cease-fire wasn’t extended.

The goodwill lasted all of one day. The deal quickly hit a snag over the status of the seven rare earths (samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium, and yttrium), but it’s not clear why—or how significant this is. Some may read this as another example of the tussle between the two powers, with things likely to settle down after the recent meeting in London, in which China agreed to a six-month pause on any rare-earth limitations. U.S. President Donald Trump said the deal was “done,” while Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Li Chenggang said the two sides had, “in principle, reached a framework for implementing the consensus.”

There is a strong case to make, however, that the dynamics of the relationship have dramatically shifted now that China has shown an unprecedented willingness to use its coercive toolkit. China may now have a much larger say in shaping patterns of escalation and de-escalation—and in whether Beijing and Washington are headed toward reconciliation or decoupling.

In the days after the Geneva announcement, based on reports from frustrated U.S. firms, the United States accused China of going back on its word and not permitting the resumption of rare-earth exports. Beijing responded that it was complying and that the only hang-up was cumbersome export approval procedures. It simultaneously complained that the United States had violated the “spirit of Geneva” when, on May 13, the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security issued an advisory that use of Huawei’s Ascend 910 chip by anyone “anywhere in the world” could constitute a violation of U.S. export control rules and expose the user to “substantial criminal and administrative penalties.”

The Trump administration did not accept this countercharge, responding with even more forceful measures over the next two weeks, including putting export controls on U.S. commercial aviation equipment destined for China’s C919 narrow-body airliner, chemicals, and semiconductor software design tools. Moreover, the State Department announced that the United States would begin to “aggressively revoke” the visas of Chinese students who had ties to the Chinese Communist Party.

The prospect of a total collapse was only stemmed when Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke on June 5 and agreed to the London meeting. A statement from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs again asserted China had honored its commitments and that it was the United States that had acted unfairly: “The U.S. side should acknowledge the progress already made, and remove the negative measures taken against China.” Around this time, the U.S. Commerce Department modified the restrictions on the Huawei chip, quietly removing the phrase “anywhere in the world” from its guidance.

In the London talks that concluded on June 10, the two sides reached a “handshake deal.” According to CNBC, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Washington’s latest export controls “would be rolled back as Beijing approves rare earths exports.”

There are at least two potential ways to read what has happened over the past month. The narrowest, most prosaic view is that none of this is new. Neither side was trying to outright scuttle the deal but were testing the other to determine what they could get away with, which is par for the course in trade tiffs. China has regularly in the past tried to “renegotiate” agreements after they have been signed, from individual investment deals to the terms of its World Trade Organization (WTO) accession. (Who can forget China’s commitment in 2001 to join the Government Procurement Agreement “as soon as possible”?)

Similarly, the United States has previously said its plans to expand its high-tech de-risking efforts, such as the kinds of limits imposed on the Huawei Ascend chips, would continue without pause on a separate track from tariff talks. Each side’s measures sparking responses is unsurprising—and, given the slowdown in both economies, it is no wonder that cooler heads have prevailed for now.

But there is a second, more dramatic—and likely more plausible—interpretation: For the first time ever, China intentionally cut off its rare-earth exports to the United States in response to Trump’s declaration of trade war. And despite the Trump administration’s blustery response, the United States’ absolute dependence on raw and processed rare earths from China led it to completely back down to the status quo ante.

Granted, China has not been shy about throwing its economic weight around in the past. It has long traded access to its market for technology transfer. It has punished trading partners—among them, Australia, Japan, Lithuania, Norway, the Philippines, South Korea, and Taiwan—by blocking the exports of specific products to China. It has taken a whole variety of actions against U.S. firms, including blocking mergers and acquisitions and fining firms for violating its anti-monopoly law.

But this appears to be the first time China blocked export to the United States of a “chokepoint” product, which occurs when a monopolist denies export of a product that the importer desperately needs. China did take similar actions against Japan in the wake of maritime tensions in 2010, but Japan is a much weaker power than the United States, and China’s ban was undermined by domestic smugglers and abandoned after two months.

The potential costs of taking this action are high. The target could escalate, rather than backing down. It could reinforce the impression that China is willing to weaponize normal commerce to hurt adversaries, driving business away and pushing others together against China. With rare earths, where China has a monopoly on refinement but not extraction, it could speed up the push to build new facilities in the United States and elsewhere that can handle such minerals.

But the trade war seems to have been the perfect test for this strategy. Trump had clearly signaled through sky-high tariffs, a phalanx of nontariff barriers, and heated rhetoric that he was pursuing a scorched-earth trade strategy intended to intimidate everyone, including China, into making massive unilateral concessions. Yet, at the same time, the U.S. president has repeatedly backed down when faced with intense geopolitical or economic pushback, in a pattern Wall Street traders have dubbed “TACO” (Trump always chickens out).

The most important signal that Trump would relent under counterpressure was his shift on April 9 to reduce tariffs on everyone but China, followed by his repeated public statements suggesting that he wanted to talk with Xi. The right moment came when the Commerce Department issued its new guidance on Huawei chips right after the Geneva agreement. The hope appears to have been to use the pause in rare-earth exports to push the United States to back down from not only this action but deter it from taking other punitive steps in the future. One Chinese observer explained the logic to me with the saying “One punch can prevent a hundred punches.”

Policymakers and students of interdependence, and weaponized interdependence in particular, will be studying this case and its implications for a long time. They will debate whether this episode is more proof of the need for the United States to “de-risk” or “decouple” from China or if a different approach is needed to manage the challenges of complex interdependence with one’s rival.

There certainly are several worrying signs. The most immediate is that China, despite its claims that its system to manage rare-earth exports is designed to benefit everyone, has, in fact, successfully weaponized its monopoly on refinement of these vital minerals, holding 92 percent of global capacity, to force the United States to back down.

Some experts, writing before the current crisis, have optimistically argued that China can only use this threat once because the United States and others can build stockpiles and develop alternative sources. But the United States and others, despite having taken some steps, have largely frittered away the last 15 years, since the initial actions against Japan, and it will still be a decade or more before there is a serious dent in China’s monopoly.

To drive the point home, China has pledged to continue to provide rare earths to the United States for only six months. It may now feel emboldened to threaten restrictions on other items where it dominates, from antibiotics and active pharmaceutical ingredients to cobalt, tungsten, and auto parts. And can the world still be sure that China will not threaten to sell off its substantial holdings of U.S. Treasurys?

More broadly, the United States is no longer alone in shaping the trajectory of the trade war. China previously was only in a position to offer concessions to lower the temperature on tensions. Beijing now can turn the dial both up and down. This limits U.S. freedom of action not only on trade but potentially in other spheres as well, including possibly the Taiwan Strait.

Equally important, the United States can no longer lean on the larger principles of the rules-based multilateral trading order or its allies to push China to comply because it no longer supports either. It has abandoned the ideas of most-favored-nation status and national treatment in favor of a series of individual deals that privilege itself above all others, the system and allies be damned. In sum, the hard- and soft-power foundations of U.S. primacy have taken a huge hit.

There may be some silver linings around these darkening clouds. Although China’s ability to effectively weaponize rare earths (and potentially other strategically important products) has backfooted the United States, it may also create disincentives for the Trump administration to escalate without limit on tariffs or take other destabilizing steps that could create other crises, generate more pressure for fragmentation, and slow global growth.

It is uncomfortable that China, which itself has eroded the WTO’s authority with its oversized industrial policy machine, should receive credit for potentially creating a more stable balance of power, but this is not the first sign the world is upside down.

It may also lead to a more serious conversation about how to manage interdependence. While it is absolutely vital for the United States and its allies to mitigate their vulnerabilities, individually and as a group, the U.S. and Chinese economies are likely to be interconnected for a very long time. And so the U.S. and Chinese governments should begin an adult conversation about the rules of the road for the use and abuse of their respective coercive tools, including raw materials, advanced technologies, international financial payments, holdings of government bonds, telecommunication networks, and data security.

In the wake of the Cuban missile crisis, U.S. and Soviet policymakers and scientists agreed to norms and rules that have kept the world from nuclear war far longer than most would have confidently predicted. Although the forthcoming U.S.-China negotiations will likely focus on market access and short-term dealmaking, officials and experts from the United States, China, and others should take inspiration from their predecessors and at some point have a much more meaningful conversation about how to manage their relationship and promote stability, peace, and prosperity in the years and decades ahead.

[sentientcitysurvival]

21st Century Protest Structure: Field Coordination Model

Protesting in 2025 requires structure. The State is organized. Protesters must be, too. The following framework is designed to reduce harm, increase adaptability, and document misconduct in real time.

1.) Communication HQ

Central team monitoring police radio (Broadcastify, OpenMHz, analog scanners)

Tracks crowd movement, street closures, staging by police

Sends real-time updates through Signal, Briar, or secure radio systems

Flags signs of kettling or crowd control escalation

Utilize handheld transceivers ("HT")/handheld radios ("Walkie Talkie") or Prepaid cellphones with encrypted messaging apps and encrypted VOIP to communicate with organizing teams in the crowd.

2.) Direction & Movement Teams

Goal: prevent mass arrest via entrapment

On-the-ground teams to scout ahead and identify traps (dead ends, underpasses, bridge bottlenecks)

Quietly redirect crowds as needed; don't give intel/counter-intel a reason to zone in on any particular person or group; be strong but not a target

Teams blend in with the protest but use predefined signals to coordinate

If you have to break (leave and dart away) due to illegal, dangerous, or aggressive trap behavior by authorities, do so in small groups. Assign a scout or decoy to move in a different direction with deliberate speed to create the impression of urgency and redirect pursuit. After separating, attempt to re-establish communication in 15-minute intervals to reduce noise, avoid signal triangulation, and limit detection risk. Use low-visibility methods (predefined encrypted channels, burner devices, short-wave bursts) if possible.

3.) Documentation Teams

Record frontline police behavior: badge numbers, arrest techniques, excessive force

Operate from both within the crowd and elevated locations (windows, rooftops)

Footage is backed up live or regularly to offsite/secure storage

Purpose: create admissible evidence, not confrontation

4.) Legal Observation

Volunteer teams modeled after or trained by National Lawyers Guild observers

Stationed at likely points of tension (front lines, transport wagons)

Record identifying information on officers and arrestees

Maintain professional distance and neutrality

5.) Information Collection Teams

Gather voluntary protester IDs and emergency contacts for jail support

Log officer misconduct with timestamps, location, and unit info

Match scanner audio to observed events when possible

Prepare formal documentation post-protest

6.) Internal De-escalation Units

Monitor for behavior that gives police pretext for crackdown (property destruction, attempted arson, provocateurs)

Isolate and calm those individuals

Document suspicious agitators if needed

Priority: avoid PR collapse and legal justification for suppression

7.) Social Media Coordination

Designated accounts post verified updates, police positioning, arrest reports

Monitor and counter disinformation in real time

Preferably run by people off-site using VPNs and alt accounts

No central account—decentralized posting reduces vulnerability

8.) Movement

If you use public transportation pay with cash, use cash to buy metro/transport cards at a currency exchange (or similar location) or use a pre-paid RFID debit cards that allow them

If you use private transportation park away from protests to reduce harassment, potential theft/destruction, and to give yourself an reasonable exit.

9.) Response Unit (Healthcare, Hydration, Tactical Defense, De-escalation)

The Response Unit is tasked with frontline and midline support during moments of escalation, crowd distress, or chemical/impact deployment. These volunteers must remain calm, mobile, and trained. Equipment should be organized in marked bags or packs, easily accessible in chaotic conditions.

Healthcare & First Aid

Carry first aid kits with trauma pads, saline flush, gloves, and antiseptics

Identify medics visually (e.g., colored tape or marked vests) but avoid excessive attention

Triage in place when possible; move only if absolutely necessary

Volunteers should know how to treat blunt trauma, burns, sprains, and lacerations

Carry emergency contact forms for unconscious individuals (if pre-registered)

Affordable EM devices include Portable Blood Pressure Monitor Cuffs and Blood Glucose Monitoring Kits

Do not administer medication unless someone is a trained EMT or in a related field

Hydration

Distribute water regularly, especially in high-heat or long-march conditions

Keep backup water for emergency use (decontamination, eye flushes)

Tactical Response: Smoke, Gas, Impact

Carry water buckets or wide-mouth bottles to neutralize smoke canisters (if safe to do so)

Use thick gloves or tongs if attempting removal

Umbrellas can block gas and redirect airflow briefly; also break up visibility for snipers or drones; they can also bounce thrown smoke grenades or flashbangs, although those are usually ground-tossed

Protective eyewear, cloth masks, or soaked bandanas help but are not full protection against tear gas

Use saline or water+antacid (e.g., Maalox) 50/50 mix to flush eyes exposed to pepper spray

Never use oil-based lotions or creams pre-protest (they trap chemicals)

De-escalation & Crowd Calm

Trained volunteers move to calm panicked or agitated groups

Help direct people toward exits or safe zones without creating additional chaos

Watch for false alarms, planted agents, or compromised individuals

Quiet body language and clear, short commands work best ("Walk. Breathe. This way.")

Never escalate physical confrontation unless to prevent serious injury

Additional Tips:

Carry duplicates of essential tools in case of loss or theft

Avoid overpacking or overidentification with red/medical markings (can become targets)

Plan rendezvous points for regrouping post-escalation

Ensure units understand hand signals or light-code cues if verbal communication is compromised

Do not bring items that can harm both authorities and civilians (laser pointers, weapons, dangerous chemicals, etc) and do not bring items you are unsure of that would give authorities an excuse to attack (multitools, large flashlights that can be mistaken for a weapon, large bike-locks that could used a weapon, etc)

The Response Unit is not just reactive — it stabilizes the group, maintains morale, and ensures that no one is left behind when systems break down.

Notes:

Avoid bringing phones with biometrics or open apps if attending in person; use mesh networks or QR-based Signal groups if possible

Avoid bring phones at all if possible

All volunteers should know jail support procedures and have legal aid numbers memorized or written down

This model is not about optics. It’s about minimizing risk and maximizing accountability. Share, adapt, or operationalize as needed.