#Filipino nurse in UK

[novelcsanchez]

Applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain in UK? What do you need to prepare?

“Union Jack flying at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, UK” by Roy Tanck/ CC0 1.0 If you have been living and working in the UK for more than 5 years, you can now apply for “settlement” or “Indefinite Leave to Remain”. This is the next step before applying for British citizenship. ILR will allow you to live and work here in the UK for as long as you like! A lot of Filipino nurses, like myself,…

[filipeanut]

What island nation has more than 6,000 islands, and about 67 million people? Unlike the Philippines, the United Kingdom is not as temperate. But it is home to over 22,000 Filipino nurses (DM Smith et al 2021). When I applied for my UK visa, I also paid a fee to the UK National Health System or NHS, which would cover certain visits to UK hospitals or clinics. I assume that, just as it was in the US after my mom’s stroke, I too might meet a Filipino or Indian nurse if or when I do get sick. Unfortunately, despite being championed as frontliners, Filipino nurses both in the Philippines and abroad have suffered greatly during the pandemic. 22% of NHS staff deaths were Filipino (Filipino UK Nurses Association 2020). And to this day, nurses in the Philippines are underpaid, overworked, and have yet to receive promised compensation for their work during the pandemic (R Alibudbud 2022). (If you're a Patron, I share a few more details on this topic, check your email or click here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/89004259)

[anything-but-predictable]

I took the train going to London and the guy that checks train passes stopped by in front of me and asked and wanted to make sure if I’m not under 25, I hadn’t initially understand the question as I was too surprised and had to make sure I heard him correctly. I respond back, “for Christ’s sake, I’m 31!” And we just both laughed. For some reason It made my day even when it’s just about.

Jumper and coat season it is! Hello Autumn! Thank you for reminding me the beauty in letting go. 🍂 Oh life is good! 😊

[itsgonnabemagne]

Life lately

It’s been a while since I last posted a text blog here and I can still remember how I felt back then. The pandemic has really impacted everybody and personally, as a front liner, it was really tragic. My job as an ER nurse has become really exhausting instead of fulfilling. I can still remember going to work with heavy weight on my feet. Esp during the peak of COVID delta variant, I can painfully describe how i felt like giving up. But it was also the time I realized that the support I was receiving from my workmates and friends back then has been really helpful. The team that I’ve worked with in Makati Medical Center Emergency Department has been very very lovely. I was happy.

But I still left. Why? I believed I was trapped with something that will never be in my favor. There were times that I also thought that I was contented with what’s being presented to me and didn’t ever think of what’s ahead. I wanted to achieve so much and even if I was happy, I will never get to reach them if I don’t leave.

I moved to the UK March 2023. It’s the scariest decision I’ve ever made in my life. I have been independent since I started working but the first few weeks living here has made me become like a toddler needing my mom everyday. Nobody taught me how to live abroad and when I got here, it felt like I had to discover everything on my own. Good thing that I have friends here from uni and previous work who guided me on what to do. It was a good decision choosing London over the outskirts.

4 months have passed and I’m still adjusting to the weather and culture. It is very hard to cope. I thought I have figured out my life and people think that i’m so put together when i’m actually not. There’s still a lot to discover and to explore. One of my friends told me that he was also a mess before but things will get better and that I will love London even more.

So far it has been better: Everyday has been a learning opportunity for me. I am slowly learning how to manage my task and time in my new workplace although it hasn’t been the same as the previous one and honestly, I still hate it. What’s keeping to stay is the team and people that i am working with. ;) I was able to buy things that I can’t afford before: my dream shoes, makeup, and gadgets. It’s not because I am splurging but I realized that I deprived myself to it and that I deserve and need it. (Char ngita og reason haha) I also got the chance to decorate my own bedroom and make it cozy as possible. And I get to enjoy my alone time.

I’ll be turning 30 in a few days and I just wanted to achieve peace of mind and genuine happiness. I just wanted to quote something from one of my favorite songs by Two Door Cinema Club:

“It took a little time to make a little better

It’s only going out

Just one thing then another you know

Let’s make this happen, girl

We’re gonna show the world that something good can work

And it can work for you

And you know that it will.”

[superanjventure]

Three Years in the UK

Three Years in the UK

Three years ago, I set out a vision of making the best of my nursing career in the UK, gain more skills and adjust in the new place I now call home. Three years later, I was promoted to a new band, gained new nursing critical care skills, and found my loyal support system — my batchmates. This October we turned 3 here in the UK and we celebrated it by choosing an adrenaline filled activity which…

[caimitos]

i hate hearing the spotify philippines ads because the accent of the person voicing them is just, the completely natural and neutral accent of someone who lives here but the actual words theyre reciting sound like they just put all the english ads on google translate and forced them read the results at knifepoint. its weird and unnatural its like uncanny valley for my ears

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 6.9

Holidays

Accession Day (Jordan)

Ananda Mahidol Day (Thailand)

Bill and Ted Day

Birsa Munda Shahidi Diwas (Madhya Pradesh; India)

Clothing Poverty Awareness Day (UK)

Community Day (La Rioja, Murcia; Spain)

Coral Triangle Day

Cornflower Day (French Republic)

Denture Day

Donald Duck Day

Feast of the Birth of the White-Breasted Giantess

Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day

Global Maintenance Day

Home Sweet Home Day

International Archives Day

International Batten Disease Awareness Day

International Day of Celtic Art

International Dough Disco Day

La Rioja Day (Spain)

Light Industry Workers’ Day (Former USSR Nations)

Meezer’s Colors Day

Monkey Spank Day

Murcia Day (Spain)

National Cancer Thriver Day

National Earl Day

National Earl Baltes Day

National Helen Day

National Heroes’ Day (Uganda)

National Krewe of Tucks Day

National Long COVID Awareness Day (Canada)

National Meal Prep Day

National Mitchell Day

National Sex Day

National Sex Educator Appreciation Day

National Stripper Appreciation Day

No Apologies Period Day

Profess Your Love Day

Purple People Eater Day

Rockman Day

609 Day

South American Football Day

Toy Industry Day

Traverse Myelitis Awareness Day (UK)

World Accreditation Day

World APS Day (a.k.a. World Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome Day)

Writers’ Rights Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

International Dark ’n Stormy Day

Kraft Cheese Day

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day

Independence & Related Days

Flevelt (a.k.a. the Confederation of Flevelt; Declared; 2016) [unrecognized]

Självstyrelsedagen (Åland Self-Governing Day; Åland)

2nd Sunday in June

Abused Women and Children’s Awareness Day [2nd Sunday]

Bunker Hill Day observed (Massachusetts) [Sunday before 17th]

Canadian Rivers Day (Canada) [2nd Sunday]

Father’s Day (Austria, Belgium) [2nd Sunday]

International Drink Chenin Blanc Days, Day 3 [2nd Sunday]

International Shiatsu Day [2nd Sunday]

LEAF Open Farm Sunday (UK) [2nd Sunday]

Mother’s Day (Luxembourg) [2nd Sunday]

Multicultural American Child Day [2nd Sunday]

National Career Nursing Assistants’ Day [2nd Sunday]

National Children's Day [2nd Sunday]

National Garden Day (Germany) [2nd Sunday]

National Puerto Rican Day [2nd Sunday]

Race Unity Day (a.k.a. Race Amity Day; Baha’i) [2nd Sunday]

Ride the Wind Day [2nd Sunday]

World Pet Memorial Day [2nd Sunday; also 2nd Tuesday]

World Swallowtail Day [2nd Sunday]

Write To Your Father Day [2nd Sunday]

Weekly Holidays beginning June 9 (2nd Full Week)

National Automobile Service Professionals Week (thru 6.15) [Week with 6.12]

National Clay Week (thru 6.15) [2nd Full Week]

National Email Week (thru 6.15) [2nd Full Week]

National Flag Week (thru 6.15) [Week with 6.14]

National Little League Week [2nd Week]

National Pet Wedding Week (thru 6.15) [2nd Full Week]

National Right of Way Professionals Week (thru 6.15) [2nd Full Week]

Festivals Beginning June 9, 2024

Annecy International Animated Film Festival (Annecy, France) [thru 6.15]

Beacon Sloop Club Strawberry Festival (Beacon, New York)

Community-Wide FELStival (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

International Dairy-Deli-Bake Seminar & Expo (Houston, Texas) [thru 6.11]

Jewish Cultural Festival (Dayton, Ohio)

New England VegFest (Worcester, Massachusetts)

Peabody Awards (Los Angeles, California)

Savor Idaho (Boise, Idaho)

Feast Days

Aidan of Lindisfarne (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)

Architects of the Middles Ages (Positivist; Saints)

Bathe in Marinara Day (Pastafarian)

Bede (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)

Cloverfield Dairy Cow (Muppetism)

Columba of Iona (a.k.a. Columbia or Columkille; Celtic Christian) [Poets]

Edmund (Christian; Saint)

Ephrem the Syrian (Roman Catholic Church and Church of England)

George Pérez (Artology)

James Collinson (Artology)

Jim Jones Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Joe Haldeman (Writerism)

José de Anchieta (Christian; Saint)

Jotunheim Day (Pagan)

Liborius (Christian; Saint)

Lord Buddha's Parinirvana (Bhutan)

Michael Ancher (Artology)

Paul Beatty (Writerism)

Pelagia of Antioch (Christian; Virgin and Martyr)

Pieter Jansz. Saenredam (Artology)

Primus and Felician (Christian; Martyrs)

Ralph Goings (Artology)

Remembrance for Sigurd the Dragonslayer (a.k.a. Siegfried; Asatru/Slavic Pagan)

Richard, Bishop of Andria (Christian; Saint)

Robert Indermaur (Artology)

Vesalia (Feast of Vesta; Roman Goddess of the Hearth)

Vincent of Aden (Christian; Martyr)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Tomobiki (友引 Japan) [Good luck all day, except at noon.]

Unfortunate Day (Pagan) [33 of 57]

Premieres

Bill of Hare (WB MM Cartoon; 1962)

Cars (Animated Pixar Film; 2006)

The Coo Coo Bird (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1947)

The Crying of Lot 49, by Thomas Pynchon (Novella; 1966)

Dire Straits, by Dire Straits (Album; 1978)

The Empty Chair, by Jeffrey Deaver (Novel; 2000)

Gone in 60 Seconds (Film; 2000)

How Do I Know It’s Sunday (WB MM Cartoon; 1934)

Invisible Touch, by Genesis (Album; 1986)

Jelly-Roll Blues, recorded by Jelly Roll Morton (Song; 1924)

Kids Say th Darnedest Things!, by Art Linkletter (Humor Book; 1958)

Labour of Lust, by Nick Lowe (Album; 1979)

Loki (TV Series; 2021)

Mr. Tambourine Man, recorded by Bob Dylan (Song; 1964)

The Name of the Rose, by Umberto Eco (Novel; US Translation 1983)

The Nine Billion Names of God, by Arthur C. Clarke (Short Stories; 1967)

Ode to Discord: A Chimerical Combination in Four Bursts, by Charles Villiers Stanford (Song; 1909)

A Pirate Looks at Fifty, by Jimmy Buffett (Memoir; 1998)

Party Girl (Film; 1995)

Secret, Profane & Sugarcane, by Elvis Costello (Album; 2009)

Some Girls, by The Rolling Stones (Album; 1978)

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (Film; 1989)

Stroke It Rich (Radio Game Show; 1947)

Super 8 (Film; 2011)

Tangled (Phantasies Cartoon; 1944)

3, by Honeyhoney (Album; 2015)

Tumble Weed Greed (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1969)

Ups an’ Downs Derby (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1950)

The Wise Little Hen (Disney Cartoon; 1934) [1st Donald Duck]

The Year of the Mouse (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1965)

Today’s Name Days

Annamaria, Ephraim, Grazia (Austria)

Diomed, Efrem, Kolumban, Ranko (Croatia)

Stanislava (Czech Republic)

Primus (Denmark)

Elar, Haljand, Hallar, Helar, Helari, Hellar (Estonia)

Ensio (Finland)

Diane (France)

Annamaria, Diana, Ephram, Grazia (Germany)

Rodanthi (Greece)

Félix (Hungary)

Efrem, Primo (Italy)

Gita, Liega, Ligita, Naula, Valeska (Latvia)

Felicijus, Gintas, Gintė (Lithuania)

Kolbein, Kolbjørn (Norway)

Felicjan, Pelagia, Pelagiusz (Poland)

Chiril (România)

Stanislava (Slovakia)

Efrén, Feliciano, Julián (Spain)

Birger, Börje (Sweden)

Cole, Coleman, Colman, Dean, Deana, Deanna, Dee, Dena, Diana, Diane, Dianna, Dianne, Dyane, Prima, Primavera (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 161 of 2024; 205 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 7 of week 23 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Duir (Oak) [Day 1 of 28]

Chinese: Month 5 (Geng-Wu), Day 4 (Jia-Chen)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 3 Sivan 5784

Islamic: 2 Dhu al-Hijjah 1445

J Cal: 11 Blue; Foursday [11 of 30]

Julian: 27 May 2024

Moon: 12%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 20 St. Paul (6th Month) [Architects of the Middles Ages]

Runic Half Month: Dag (Day) [Day 1 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 83 of 92)

Week: 2nd Full Week of June)

Zodiac: Gemini (Day 20 of 31)

Calendar Changes

Dag (Day) [Half-Month 12 of 24; Runic Half-Months] (thru 6.26)

Duir (Oak) [Celtic Tree Calendar; Month 6 of 13]

[ausetkmt]

Action is needed to show nurses of colour that their contribution is valued and their lives matter, as opposed to words, nursing leaders have warned on the third annual Windrush Day.

On this day in 1948, the first group of people arrived in Essex from the Caribbean on the Empire Windrush cruise ship, pictured above, answering the UK’s call for public sector workers following the Second World War.

“There is still so much to do to level the playing field for people of colour in the UK" Trevor Sterling

Many of these passengers and the other members of the Windrush Generation – along with their descendants – were or would go on to become nurses, helping to create the National Health Service.

The government announced in 2018 that 22 July would become an annual holiday to celebrate the British-Caribbean community and to thank those who helped to rebuild Britain after the war.

The designation came in the wake of the Windrush Scandal in which stories of Commonwealth citizens being wrongfully detained, deported and denied their rights came to light.

Windrush Day this year is particularly poignant as it coincides with a time of national and international reflection on the racial inequalities in our society brought to stark attention by Covid-19 and the Black Lives Matters movement.

More on this topic:

Workplace racism linked to BAME nurses’ higher virus risk

Action on BAME nurse risks coming, minister tells Nursing Times

Nurses from Asian backgrounds at highest Covid-19 risk, finds PHE review

‘Covid-19 and Black Lives Matter have placed racism in the spotlight’

High death rates among Filipino nurses in UK now on global radar

BAME groups at ‘higher risk’ of getting Covid-19 with deprivation among factors

Exclusive: BME nurses ‘feel targeted’ to work on Covid-19 wards

NHS leaders set out new measures to protect BME staff in pandemic

Professor Greta Westwood, chief executive of the Florence Nightingale Foundation, said more needed to be done to “redress the current imbalance” in nursing in terms of race.

While 20% of the overall NHS nursing and midwifery workforce in England is from a black, Asian or ethnic minority (BAME) background, the percentage reduces to 4% for director-level nursing posts.

“It saddens me today to see that our BAME staff, whose own ancestors helped to build the NHS, still feel that they have to break through glass ceilings to succeed,” said Professor Westwood.

Greta Westwood

The foundation launched the Windrush Leadership Programme to help BAME nurses at bands 5 to 6 reach senior leadership positions and now also runs Windrush Leadership Scholarships.

Some of the BAME nurses and midwives who applied to the programme had been in their band 5 roles for more than 20 years.

“Since its foundation, the Windrush Leadership Programme has helped BAME staff find their voice and rightfully claim their place as senior leaders in the NHS,” added Professor Westwood.

“I urge my fellow NHS and other healthcare leaders to redress the current imbalance. We as the foundation will continue to foster this talent, but it is our collective responsibility to work together. Action not words create change.”

One Windrush scholar, Deborah Hylton, said when she joined the programme, she was working as a band 6 health visitor and was struggling with “self-doubt” after being continuously turned down for band 7 roles.

Inspired by her sister and sister-in-law who both came to the UK from the Caribbean when she was 13 and trained as nurses, Ms Hylton joined the nursing profession as a mature student with two young children to “give back to my community”.

She said the “confidence and skills” she gained through the course helped her to secure her current role as a lecturer in children’s nursing at London South Bank University.

“I am now in a position where I can encourage student nurses from all ethnic groups that nothing is impossible. I am able to stand in front of them as their lecturer and role model and make them aware of another career direction that nursing can offer,” said Ms Hylton.

Meanwhile, staff from four London hospitals will tonight mark Windrush Day by gathering outside their buildings at 5pm and taking a knee to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.

The protest will be observed by workers at St Thomas Hospital, Kings College Hospital, South London and Maudsley Hospitals, and Lewisham University Hospital.

The action is being organised by Unite the union at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, and Royal College of Nursing Inner South East London.

Mark Boothroyd, Unite branch secretary for Guy's and St Thomas', said: “The NHS has the same problems of systemic racism as every other part of society.

“With over 50% of nursing staff in London being from BME backgrounds and directly affected by this, its important staff can show their support for Black Lives Matter, and push their own employers to make changes to tackle the ongoing issue of racism in the NHS.”

The RCN is also using Windrush Day to urge the Home Office to grant indefinite leave to remain to all international health and care workers who have worked in the UK during the pandemic.

“The NHS has the same problems of systemic racism as every other part of society" Mark Boothroyd

Dame Donna Kinnair, RCN chief executive and general secretary, said: “The best way to honour the legacy of Windrush Day is to ensure no nurse, or health and care worker, who trained overseas, and helped in this pandemic, feels alien in this country.

“Granting automatic, indefinite leave to remain to international health and care workers who helped tackle this virus should be instinctive.

“The services and support that they provide, though brought to the fore through this pandemic, have always been essential. They are, and always will be, key workers.”

More than one in 10 of the total registered nursing workforce in the UK come from overseas, according to the Nursing and Midwifery Council. As of September 2019, 77,065 registered nurses came from outside the European Economic Area.

However, international nursing staff must wait five years before they can apply for indefinite leave to remain and are required to take a test to prove their Britishness before they are granted it.

Donna Kinnair

Another organisation demanding action over words is the Mary Seacole Trust which exists to educate the public about the life of the British-Jamaican nursing pioneer who cared for soldiers during the Crimean War, working against both racism and sexism.

The trust oversaw the creation of a Mary Seacole statue in 2016 in the grounds of St Thomas' Hospital, becoming the first statue in the UK in honour of a named black woman.

To mark Windrush Day, the organisation is calling for a national “black plaque scheme” to educate the public on UK black history.

It has written to the prime minister and London mayor to request that plaques are put up next to all British statues to explain the historical context, with the wording decided in collaboration with members of the black community.

Trevor Sterling, chair of the Mary Seacole Trust, said: “Windrush Day has a huge significance for me, my family and countless other black people in the UK.

Trevor Sterling

“Since the Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury in 1948, we have been contributing to our communities in Britain, and yet like Mary Seacole, our contributions are not fully recognised.

“There is still so much to do to level the playing field for people of colour in the UK, as seen most recently in the disproportionate number of BAME coronavirus deaths.

“Education about black British history must be central to all policy changes. If we are to truly address racism in the UK, we must first educate British citizens."

[theilustrado]

How to be a US Pharmacist if you’re a Philippine Registered Pharmacist.

(Overview of the process ⬆️)

Maraming nagtatanong sa page ko kung paano daw maging US Pharmacist as a Filipino Pharmacist. Kaya, I'll just create a one big post about it. Oo nga pala, it's really hard to get a work visa/sponsorship from the US kung foreign pharmacist ka.

So, kung wala kang way na makapunta ng US to legally work (like a petition, etc) it'll be difficult (Unlike sa mga nurses). I'm no visa expert and won't be able to answer any at all.

but if you're already in the US (as a citizen/permanent resident) and you have a BS Pharmacy degree from the Philippines, here's for you!

First, let's talk about qualifications:

1. You have to be a licensed pharmacist in your home country first. kailangan, board passer ka muna sa Philippines. HINDI REQUIRED ang ANY work experience to qualify for the exam.

2. Your education should be a MINIMUM of 5- years if you graduated after Jan 1, 2003. Kapag 4 years lang natapos, you'll have to go back to school for another year (CLINICAL PHARMACY) or PharmD (plus 2 years). NO EXCEPTIONS. again, di naman mandatory ang pharmD. Okay na yung clinical pharmacy. Also, Not MS/PhD kasi i-evaluate siya case by case and hindi guaranteed to qualify.

Pero kung grumaduate ka before ng Jan 1, 2003, you can take the exam with a 4-year degree as long as you passed the other requirements like TOEFL, good standing w/ your license sa PH, etc.

After meeting the education requirements, no need to study again in the US.

For me, I graduated sa CEU-Manila noong 2015. Kulang yung 4- years na degree ko kaya I went back to school noong 2020-2021 (Clinical pharmacy). I'll link below my experience a full-time student sa Philippines while also working full-time in Texas.

Let's talk about the exams you need to take:

1. TOEFL (ENGLISH TEST) - there are minimum scores you need to achieve. Kahit offered ang TOEFL sa Philippines, it's only acceptable by the US kapag tinake mo siya mismo sa US territories or parts of Canada. You can take this exam with a US tourist visa. TOEFL ha, not IELTS. You can take this anytime kasi 2 years naman ang validity niya.

2. FPGEE (Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Exam). Itong exam na ito ay para sa mga Pharmacists educated outside of the USA. Kahit sa Philippines ka grumaduate, or UK, or Canada, Australia, SAME EXAM for EVERYONE. You need to pass this exam in order for you to INTERN sa desired state mo. This exam is usually administered ONCE A YEAR DURING FALL. You can take this exam with a tourist visa. Btw, it is important to say na kahit na qualified ka na to take the FPGEE, it doesn't guarantee your US tourist visa acceptance. kaya plan accordingly.

question about how to apply? please join the PH FPGEE support group. I already posted the detailed instructions on how to file your application. here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/filipinofpgeesupport/

Next step is INTERNSHIP. Once you passed TOEFL and FPGEE you're given an FPGEC certification which is a requirement for foreign pharmacists to start Internship! With internship, US tourist visa is not allowed anymore. You need to have a work visa na. Yung required hours ay depende sa state kung saan ka mag-wwork. Example sa California ay 1500 hours. Sa Texas ay 1740 hours. CHECK your RESPECTIVE state's Board of Pharmacy.

3. NAPLEX (North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination). Ito pa lang mismo ang US Pharmacy Boards. I've shared to you my experience when I took it. Ito yung exam na tinatake ng mga FPGEE passers after internship and PharmD graduates ng US. Please see my posts about sa details ng exam and my experiences. I'll link them below.

4. The last exam is MPJE/CPJE. Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination® aka the LAW EXAM. Kahit naipasa mo yung NAPLEX pero hindi yung MPJE, you won't be able to practice as a US Pharmacist. This is a very tricky exam and it should not be taken lightly.

after you take these exams + Internships, you're now a US Pharmacists!! Good luck everyone and I encourage you to read the official BULLETINS only from the NABP site. Sila lang ang naglalabas ng official requirements and wag maniwala sa mga sabi-sabi.

If you have any questions except VISA, feel free to message me as I have taken all the exams na. I'm here to help yo Pero before you ask anything, please read this "frequently asked questions": https://theilustrado.com/faqforcc Any repeating questions won't be answered kasi nakalagay naman na diyan. 🙂

Here are the links: I included the review duration, review materials, prep, experience, etc.

Philippine Pharmacy board exam experience 2015:

Clinical Pharmacy 5th year 2021:

FPGEE 2002 experience:

US Pharmacy board exam 2023 NAPLEX experience:

Helpful Filipino US Pharmacists groups:

PH FPGEE support group

Filipino-American Pharmacists

Official USA Pharmacy website for FPGEE :

[medstudentblues]

hi!! im so proud to see my fellow filipinos in healthcare! especially since i saw from your bio that you’re already a licensed nurse in the PH and now you’re a med student/going to be a doctor! im currently in my final year of pharmacy (in the UK) and i was wondering would you say it’s worth to still pursue medicine ?

-🌻

hey there! thank you! :-)

of course, it is always worth it if you are into application of theoretical concepts in clinical settings. i love how everything just come together in medicine. like how an MI could be a differential for a simple reflux; everything is just correlated.

[chaletnz]

Machu Picchu Adventure: The Journey Back to Cusco

Once we’d finished our tour, Cherry and I walked down the mountain back to Aguas Calientes town where her friend Florence was waiting. The downhill descent was very steep, and Cherry seemed to be having an easier time than me with my bad knee and lack of general fitness! Her and Florence are working as nurses near Manchester which I had kind of expected actually, she said they’d lived there for about 18 years but got funny looks on other tours when they said they’re from the UK so they just say Philippines. We took a couple of breaks when we started sweating a lot but were careful not to sit for too long and have our legs turn to jelly when standing back up. Cherry was really going for it but I was having trouble keeping up so by the end I was a tired mess but she was fine. Luckily there was a water vending machine for just one sol, however unluckily it shut off after pouring only about 150ml of the 500ml I’d ordered! Once we’d reunited Cherry with Florence, I told them I was heading off for some shopping and then went straight to Coffee Trotter for a flat white and phone recharge. It was so nice to sit down in the shade with a coffee and relax for about an hour. A sad street dog wandered in at one point to try his luck but was sprayed at and shooed back out. I walked around the Aguas Calientes market a bit and bought a few little souvenirs and then stamped my passport with the Machu Picchu stamp because I’m such a tourist. I figured that I should get some lunch so I stopped in at Infinity near the train station for a cheese empanada and lemonade which hit the spot nicely. When I got back to the train station I saw Leo and Giada sitting in there so I went over to say hi and they invited me for dinner with some French people they’d met a couple days earlier. The journey back was tiring and I could barely keep my eyes open. Once we finally arrived in Ollantaytambo, the Filipino ladies and I found our names on a sign with loads of other names including loads of Israelis and the South African family. Everyone else arrived except for the family so I tried to explain to the lady to look for parents with a small child and once we were waiting in the van they finally joined us and he was asleep in his mothers arms. It was a long drive back to Cusco with a crazy driver that didn’t stop at stop signs, overtook a police checkpoint, and almost rear ended some standstill traffic. The Israelis in the front asked to get out on a tight side street and the driver let them out thinking it was just the two but no of course there were another 5 or 6 in the back who got out too and left the door wide open so the driver had to get out and close it. Once I got back to the hostel I rearranged all my bags and then took advantage of the wifi to figure out what happened to my Revolut card. Of course, it was not enough to trap all my money on there but now it had a fraudulent transaction on it which meant I had to cancel the card and order a new one after using it for literally two transactions in Peru. I decided to get it sent to my hotel in La Paz and hopefully be there at the same time it would arrive. Although I was exhausted I went out for dinner as agreed with Leo and Giada and met their friends, a French couple named Ines and Jean-Baptiste. I’d waited almost 15 minutes for Leo and Giada to show up and was minutes away from bailing and going to McDonald’s but they showed up and we all went to Limo together in the central Plaza de Armas. It was a Japanese Peruvian fusion restaurant but we all went for the Thai style food - I chose the Arroz Thai with beef which was a delicious stir fry of vegetables, rice and beef. It was a more upscale restaurant for Peru but still didn’t cost too much once the bill arrived for my meal and a passionfruit mocktail, about 70 soles or $20.

[creepypastalover97]

Time for another creepypasta au headcannon.

Today’s headcannon is going to be on one of the favorite proxies. Ticci toby everyone!

Just to clarify. I know ticci toby is not a creepypasta anymore because kastoway said so, and I know he had his reasons. But ticci toby is low-key one of the posterchilds of creepypasta. In my mind he will always be one of the creepypastas. So that’s why I’m putting him in this au. Thank you.

Anyway. Time for the headcannon.

Here we go.

. Alright so he’s best boi. No cap.

. he’s very excitable, say one thing he likes and bam he’s super excited

. He enjoys to chase people, it gives him an adrenaline rush

. He can be a bit of a trouble maker and has a short attention span.

. He sneezes like a kitten as a result of always trying to be quiet when he lived with his parents.

. This guy is a total pyromaniac and loves setting off fires for the fun of it.

. Do not let Toby be in the kitchen alone, he could set something on fire; so far he has burned water, cereal, juice, and the stove.

. Toby have very violent twitches due to his tourettes

. He tends to get injured a lot and is very accident prone which makes older proxies worry a lot about him.

. He has cognitive insensitivity to pain (CIP) which makes him unable to feel pain.

. Since he can’t feel pain he has to get daily medical checkups with Nurse Ann to make sure that he doesn’t have any heath issues like broken bones, infections, cuts, burns, bruises, etc.

. He can’t tie his shoes, he never really got it.

. Toby is afraid of the dark.

. He loves a lot of very edgy music and he shakes his hips to Get Scared.

. He likes to play videogames particularly online competitive games *cough* fortnite *cough*

. okay but he’s a conspiracist and no one can tell me otherwise.

. Pansexual. Like to an extreme because of his constant attraction towards others without a thought,causing him to be easily flustered or admit to things without shame between stutters sometimes.

. Toby is cannibalistic.

. He's not much of a sweet tooth due to his habit of chewing the flesh from his fingers or his love for meat in general. But if you're asking on which sweet he craves for often,it would be Brownies.

. He loves anything cherry flavoured.

. He's a sucker for sweaters and hooded jackets. Long sleeved tops makes him more comfortable and easy for him to cover up his arms.

. His tone is more on sarcasm everywhere,assuming or countering that anything people would say is not gonna stop him otherwise.

. he makes clueless jokes all the time. masky and his sideburns are his number one go-to roast

masky gets pissed.

. He is Filipino-German and is Trilingual. His mother is of Filipino descent while his father is German. Though despite not being brought up in the UK, toby has a very British way of speaking. He blames this on the books he reads and the YouTubers he watches.

. He knows German

. He's adventurous. He enjoys strolling around the forest, looking through abandoned places to climbing up trees,traveling towards each one of them for fun or stealth purposes. He even has animal friends there too! Ask him which place to go and he'll show you a ton of places he knows around the woods.

. Will just bring home wild animals, wild animals that are practically tame for him. He’s just a Disney princess in disguise(he will put wild animals in someone’s room if they piss him off tho).

. Toby is a fan of animals. His favorite animals are Racoons and Owls. He reminds them of him,appearance-wise and personality-wise plus they're floofy than any other animal he encounters above trees. Not to mention he has a pet raccoon he named Spots!

. Watches clocks to calm himself or fall asleep. The tickings are soothing. He wears a watch to bed and puts his wrist near his ear so can fall asleep. ( or sleeps with clockwork.)

. Toby’s relationship with Clockwork is only allowed by Slender Man on the grounds that it never interferes with his work.

. Toby is Roman Catholic and constantly has rosary beads on his person.

. You know those people who can naturally lead others? yeah that’s not toby. he’s a follower, and does whatever he’s told.

. He was seen as a dog to others because of times he shakes his head everytime his hair is messy or wet.

. Terrible nicknames for everybody he knows? He’s got you covered.

. Has no sense of direction whatsoever. Often gets the other proxies lost on missions.

. He doesn’t get mad to often but when he does all hell breaks loose. It takes Jeff, EJ, Masky and Hoodie at least to hold him down .

. His mask and goggles serve as a comfort blanket due to his insecurity about his gash/his goggles are a piece of his childhood.

. He has dimples.

. He had an odd fascination with stars (because Lyra is a constellation).

. ya know dipper from gavity falls? and his forehead birthmark thing?

toby has that but it’s the lyra constellation

. I don’t think there was ever a clear canonical explanation for how he got that gash in his cheek so here’s my explanation for how he got it: Before he got his mouth guard he would chew on his cheek when he was stressed. Nobody realized anything was wrong until he managed to chew all the way through his cheek. It was EJ who suggested he wear a mouth guard to prevent this from happening again. Speaking of that gash in his cheek, ever since he got it he has to tilt his head slightly whenever he eats to make sure the food doesn’t leak out.

. One time the SCP Foundation captured him for questioning. Before Slender Man could “rescue” him though, the Foundation let him go after a couple of hours because he’s just so goddamn annoying and they didn’t want to deal with him anymore.

. Out of all the proxies his memory has the most holes. This is because he hit his head on a rock during the fire. Slender never caused his amnesia.

. He view’s slender as a father figure, and sees the other proxies as his siblings. Circe is his favorite because she’s the youngest, making her his baby sister.

. Is fucking terrified of moths. Aside of being terrified of moths, toby hates moths because he has trouble pronouncing plural of their name. He’s a firm believer that it should be something like “mothi”.

. Thanks to Toby's CIPA he can't sweat so overheating and passing out/having seizures becomes an issue so there's a little roster chart of who hoses him down after missions to keep him cool.

. He has a lot of trouble understanding his body since he can’t feel any pain. Sometimes he can break a leg, and when he can’t get up, he has to figure out what's wrong.

. He is obsessed with his hatchets. Toby cares for his hatchets like their his own children. Touch them and he’ll go ballistic. The one time Toby lost his hatchets, he just went out spray painting things like the proxy symbol and other things on walls out of frustration….

Turns out they were just stuck in his spine, hoodie had to point that out.

. Speaking of his hatchets. He’s really skilled at twirling them around like they weigh nothing! He’s also really good at twirling knives, machetes, just....any sharp weapon. Great tactics for giving people heart attacks.

. The power toby developed while being a proxy are stronger legs. They have great shock absorption. The farthest he has jumped was 29 ft. Like this boy has insane frog skills.

. Toby owns at least 3 easy bake ovens; the reason for this is simple: toby likes cooking, but slender doesn’t trust him near any source of heat for shit, lest his pyromania kicks up. So he got him a easy bake oven instead. The sad thing is toby became really good at using them, and now everyone secretly loves his baking more than slender’s cooking even though it’s done on an easy bake.

. He’s loved comic books from a young age, and this has followed him through his whole life. Chances are, if he’s not on a mission, you’ll find him chilling out somewhere, just calmly reading a comic book.

. He contacts Lyra via Quinta board and everyone thinks it’s aspect of his schizo but in reality it’s not.

. Toby has built a cardboard fort in slenderman’s backyard ( it’s really not a backyard, it’s just an area less populated by trees) more times than he can count. He knows it’ll get ruined by the elements, but it’s part of the fun for him; each time it gets distoryed he just builds a bigger and better one.

And last but not least here are some of Toby’s motor tics:

. I know he does the bras d'honneur often. Probably almost took his arm off with his ax doing it once ^

. He’ll pat his chest or whistle and then flip you off

. Patting, with the verbal comment “pat pat pat pat-”Could be his thigh, another persons shoulder, a table or counter, armrest ^

. Might chatter his teeth sometimes

. Wiggly fingers. That’s it. Just wiggly fingers

. Bites himself a lot- which I think is canon

. Jerks his shoulders up and head back, Sometimes happens while he’s repeating what someone else said ^

. He repeats things under his breath a lot, mostly short phrases based on what he’s heard or if something is stuck in his head

. So he will sit there and go “bugs bugs bugs bugs bugs” after hearing someone complain about a bug infestation

. Sorry people, but he will grope and go “honk honk” a pillow, blanket, someone’s face, breast, thigh, or rear. Also on the list of hated tics.

. Swats at his nose like there’s a fly

. Chattering his teeth

. Jerks his arms forward and grabby hands.

. Grabs whatever is closest and either yeets that shit or holds it, and you are not escaping if he grabs ahold of you ^

. Very quietly whispers “shwing” under his breath

. Sits up like he’s awake and then flops to the side

. Rolls eyes, No he’s not annoyed or being a shit, they just be rollin’

. Flashing. Sometimes he just grabs the bottom of his shirt and jerks it up, and that’s on the list of most hated tics

Verbal tics would include

. Whistling

. Repeating

. “Pat pat pat-”

. Chattering

. “Whore”

. “Look! Surprise!”

. “I’ll fuckin kill ya”

. “Oh look, its a cunt”

. “puussyyyy-”

. “Shwing”

. Gagging like he’s gonna vomit

. Screaming

. “I’m awake”

. “Can I have a water?”

. “I sware I’m awake”

. “Dandruff raaiiiinnn” as he proceeds to lean forward and scratch his head like he’s shaking all the dandruff from his hair

. Sighs a lot, annoys sigh, dramatic sigh, sad sigh, just sighing. a lot. Probably the least noticeable tic

Overall toby is no doubt an adorable edition to to the slender mansion, despite what some of the other pastas might say

P.s. none of this is canon, so don’t take seriously if you don’t want to so don’t hate if you do take it somewhere else.

P.s.s go check out Circe’s origin story on archive of our own. It’s called rabbits are not what they seen.

I hope you all enjoyed, I’ll see you soon. Bye 👋🏻

[misstightysanguiny-blog]

The Hills and Valleys of Chasing Your Dreams

I was 23 when I ventured the land of Great Britain to join the massive crew of Overseas Filipino Workers as a nurse. I was one of the "COVID batch" and thankfully survived the pandemic working in the frontline.

As to my previous blogs on the ups and downs on getting my Nursing PIN, I have come here again to show a little bit of a picture after that.

Straight after getting my PIN, O worked through all the trainings I need to provide quality care for my patients as the demands go on as to being a Neuroscience Nurse. I always look up to all the Nurse In-Charge as to how they handle the shift with all the patients making sure they support their colleagues throughout the shift. I aimed for that. I always tell myself that one day I will be on that same position. With that in mind, I always make sure that in every shift and every bay I handle, my patients received the quality care they deserve, and I think Filipino nurses are well known for that: to always give there best; the best smile, the best care.

After 2 years, I was given a chance to do further trainings to become a Nurse Incharge within the department. I know, others may say it took me a long time, because I have known people that they become Nurse Incharge in their wards in just a quick span of time. I didn't overthink my situation just to avoid any heartbreaks and knowing that everyone has there own timeline, so I should have mine as well.

First day of being a nurse in-charge, I always tell myself I can do it since I have been doing it in the Philippines for a year just before leaving to the UK, plus I have a great support from the Sisters and Charge Nurses. It all went well and they decided to give me shifts as Nurse Incharge.

After several shifts as Nurse In-Charge, I tested myself and applied as a Band 6 Sister in our department since few wards are in need. They mentioned they needed 3 people. I submitted my application and I got accepted for the interview. Even when I was on my month long holiday in the Philippines, I studied and prepared for the interview, thinking that there's a lot of chances on winning. Unfortunately, I didn't get the job since I don't have enough experience yet and ranked 4th on the interview. Oh well. I was just thinking I just need to learn more and do more.

After a few months, another job opening for a Ward Sister was posted and they said they needed 2 but 2 different interviews. The optimistic Self did it again and applied. I prepared, studied, and all. Unfortunately, one the first interview, I was just few points away, still, I didn't get the job. I was still hopeful, "There is still one more interview I can ace that since I was just a few points away." Lo and behold, I didn't get the job AGAIN. I was heartbroken. Maybe it was because of my pride as well. I was silent. Most of my colleagues in the ward was saying there will always be another Band 6 Sister opening that will come soon, I just always smile and just think that they are just saying that to comfort me.

January 2023, I received a group email from the Neuro Education team about an opportunity to join the hospital's Preceptorship Team as Preceptorship Facilitator. As I was reading the Job Description and Person Specification, I was glued to it, yet still having doubts about myself as to my recent pitfalls in job applications.

I talked to my boyfriend about it and we read it all over again. He encouraged me to apply for it saying that my personality will fit into teaching and supporting newly qualified nurses.

After how many doubts, prayers, and encouragements, and just a few days before the closing of the application, I finally had the courage to apply.

I was on my birthday holiday in Morocco when I received an email for invitation for interview by 1st week of February and to prepare a shirt presentation.

During that time, I don't want to tell anyone that O am applying for another Band 6 job but with a different team because of the shame that was brought from previous declines. I just approached my ward manager to spare me a day of annual leave for me to prepare my presentation and asked him to keep the secret for himself of me applying for this job. (Thank you, Ward Manager 😅)

The day has come that I will have my online interview and presentation, I even borrowed my friend's laptop since I don't have one and my boyfriend's laptop camera is playing up (Thanks Ate Ruth 😅). It was nerve wrecking yet I really enjoyed it! Even my boyfriend on the side, listening, said it was really impressive and I look so happy and seems like I enjoyed it very much (or maybe he just said it because he's my boyfriend 🤣) .

The panel told me that it will be a long wait for the result since they will still interview one more candidate and they didn't know when the interview is. THE WAITING GAME IS ALWAYS THE HARDEST.

After a week of waiting, I received a call from an unknown number, I was so nervous having the thought of the result. "We would like to offer you the job." That's it! I was shouting on the phone after hearing those words. Yeeeey!!! I was jumping around while still on the phone. I just can't believe it. Of course I said yes on taking the job. Finally!

After all the rejections, when something is for you, it is for you. God will never be late, never early. Just in time. In a few weeks time, I will start my new job role. Yey, new uniform waiting as well 🎉🤣

It's still the first 3 months of the year and a lot has happened already. After 2 weeks of saying yes to the job offer, I also said yes to my ex-boyfriend, now fiancé .

I always say this line which is always true: "He makes all things beautiful in His time."

Night shift Nurse Incharge. Few hours after I receive the job offer for Preceptorship Facilitator. 🎉

[sunby]

Intro to my TF2 OC’S

 -Aight so First off: Irene Murphy -Irene is a Scout OC o’ mine with Parental Issues, Has Sibling Banter with the regular Scout. will write abt that soon  Noah (No Last name, yet) -Sniper OC, Not actual Aussie (Shocker) Parents moved from UK to Australia, -no he don’t do Jarate, no matter how much Gravel be kicked at him 

Ophelia Pavlov  -Heavy OC, Basically Heavy Genderbent, (and if he was pan)  -has 2 sibs which I will Eventually write about on this blog  -Ma is one of the kindest people on earth fr  Anaira Schneien -Basically, Medic OC -Crow Mother -Also She’s Married but her husband is in a coma -Lost Medical License via Organ Stealing on the dude who did a Hit and Run on her mans  Nicholas Abott-Hanover -Please, Just call the mans Nick -not a Black Scottish Cyclops -bro is a Drunken Robo-arm Scottish dude -this is why we don’t fw bombs when NOT SOBER -do he care? lol no Stephanie (No last name yet either) -Basically the Adminstrator Hired her to be Miss Pauling’s Assistant -Lightend Miss Pauling’s workload -tired(tm) -Irene is her GF, like literally they smooch n’ shit Onyx Seymour -Immortal by some freaky deaky that happened when they were a kid -no need for Respawn, ig -Philophobia (Fear of love) due to a fucked up relationship in higschool -Pyro OC -They Like fire -Do not let them make Napalm -They took their last name from a Main Character’s First name in a Certain Musical Adam Murphy -Spy OC -ah yes, the cause of Irene’s Daddy Issues -Absentee Father -regrets being Absentee Father -Cecelia Fernandez Wow, How Orginal I'm making a 10th Class for Cecelia -The Nurse -battle medic type class, Instead of hanging back and healing, her purpose is to be able to get in and outta situations enough to heal and support without taking a lot of damage. -Since Speedy= Less Health her HP is Capped the same as Irene and regular Scout, along with her speed - you know the Healers crossbow? Think That but Syringe Gun and it's a one hit, any more shot and it's overheal -Cannot Über, or pocket remember she has to S P E E D Can unlock other -Bonesaws and Syringe guns -can't unlock Mediguns because again S P E E D - Saw the Nurses Uniform in ww2, HEAVILY Altered it so it has P A N T S   -Half-Flipino Half Colombian -Multilingual, can speak Fluent Filipino, English and Spanish and yeah! that’s about all my TF2 OC’s so far, well at least the ones I remember, I’ll add the ones I forgot if I remember em’ lol

[shop-korea]

ᴴᴰ Regine Velasquez - In Your Eyes (Official Music Video)

MIAMI - POLICE - US POLICE

HUDs - HOUSING - OF - URBAN - DEVELOPMENT

LOW - INCOME - APT - BUILDINGS

ALL - FRAUDS

WHO - 2 - CALL - AND - WHO - ANSWERS - ILLEGALLY

ARMED - LOW - GRADES - NON-VIRGIN - MEN - WOMEN

14TH - AMENDMENT

NO - US STATE - CAN - MAKE - OR - CREATE - ANY LAW

DEPRIVING - THE - PRIVILEGES - OF - CITIZENS OF THE

USA ... NO - US - STATE - CAN - DEPRIVE - A - PERSON

OF - PROPERTY - ‘CAMILLUS HOUSE’ - ROBBED ME ALL

THINGS - PLUS - PURSE - WALKING - STICK’ - VIA - YES

JOANA - BLK - MOM - OF - TWINS - LITTLE - HAVANA

SPEAKS - SPANISH

NO - US - STATE - CAN - DEPRIVE - A - PERSON

OF - LIFE - DRUGGED - ME - FRIDAY - BECAUSE

OF - MY - ENGLISH - ACCENT

PHILIPPINES - NINOY AQUINO JR - SHOT - AT 

BACK - OF - HEAD - LOWER - THEN - HE YES

WALKED - ANYWAY - PILIPINO - MALE - WHO

WAS - JOKING - WITH - HIM - BUT - HE - TRUE

WALKED - ANYWAY - 2 - FACE - FRONT - OF

WHEELS - WHEELED - STAIRWAY

CAMILLUS - HOUSE - MALE - PSYCHIATRIST

HISPANIC - AND - HISPANIC - NURSE - AND

HISPANIC - BLK - JOANA - JOINED TOGETHER

2 - PLUNDER - MY - THINGS - ROBBED - ME

TOOK - MY - THINGS - FR - MAIN - LIBRARY

POOR - HOBO - AMERICANS - JOINED - IN

PLUNDERING - ME

AUGUST - NINOY JR - SAID - ‘HE - IS - YES

WILLING - 2 - DIE - 4 - THE - FILIPINO PEOPLE

NOT - AMERICANS - NOT - HISPANICS - AS TO

CAMILLUS HOUSE - MALE - PSYCHIATRISTS

AUGUST 2024 - GIFT - IS - DEPAKOTE

AS - WE - WILL - PUT - WHILE - THEY’RE YES

SLEEPING - BOTTLES - OF - DEPAKOTE

 IN - THEIR - BODIES - AND - WATER

DETECTED - PHILIPPINE - ACCENT - DETECTED

ENGLISH - ACCENT - 31 AUG 2024 - DIANA - YES

FORMER - PRINCESS - OF - WALES - MET - HER

B 4 - SHE - MARRIED - NOW - KING - CHARLES 

HIS - MAJESTY - UK

AS - HISPANICS - BLK - AND - WHITE - SKINNED

GATHERED - 2 - PUT - ME - IN - MENTAL - HOSPITAL

B 4 - MY - OCCUPYING - MY - NEW - ONE BEDROOM

APARTMENT

AMERICANS - YOU’RE - JUST - BLADDER - KIDNEY

AS - KOREANS - $9,000 - EACH - RUN - HER OVER

COMA - $25,000 - WHY - FOREIGNERS - IN THE USA

THEY - LIE - INCLUDING - THEIR - VOICE MAIL

ALL - SAY - IN - AN - EMERGENCY - CALL - 555

WELL - WHAT - I - GOT - FR - TGIF - FRIDAY

ALL - CALLING - WRONG - 3 NOS

CALL - OR - TEXT - 988

TROUBLE - BREATHING

DROWSINESS - OR - TROUBLE - WAKENING

FAINTING - OR - LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS

RAPID - HEART RATE - NEW - IRREGULAR HEART 

RATE

SEIZURE

NEW - CHEST - PAIN - THAT - BECAME - MORE

SEVERE - LASTS - LONGER - OR - SPREADS INTO

YOUR - SHOULDER - ARM - NECK - OR - BACK

LEFT - THIS - MESSAGE - AT - WHOLE FOODS

MARKET - 2 - JESSICA - PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

CALL - OR - TEXT - 988

TRAINED - CRISIS - COUNSELORS - ONLINE - CHAT

OPTION - AVAILABLE - LIFELINE - IS - FREE - & - 24/7

988 - COUNSELORS - WILL - WORK - CLOSELY WITH

555 - TO - GET - THE - CARE - YOU - NEED

JESUS - IS - LORD

LEAVING THE USA

[sublimeobservationarcade]

Blame It On The Poor Immigrant

The conversation among my work crew is a fairly good reflection of the average discursive exchange happening around the nation at the moment, I reckon. Dressed as we are in high viz gear and steel capped boots ensconced in our work ute on the way to the site. Smoko ramps up with the news of the day and plenty of opinions. One of my erstwhile colleagues, a migrant from the old country, was voicing her support for those kicking up a stink in Britain. Blaming it on too many immigrants coming into the country and receiving special treatment to the detriment of those who really belong there. Blame it on the poor immigrant. Arnold Rasnick, Virginia-Pocahontas Coal Company by U.S. National Archives is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0

Revoking The Commonwealth

This is a popular theme here, there and everywhere, it seems. The cost of living and housing crises are biting a lot of working people on the bum at the moment. Blame it on the new arrivals is a perennial sentiment, especially when they have different coloured skin and look different. The thing about Britain is that for centuries the old empire was out and about taking stuff from lands abroad and enriching itself. Colonising places and imposing imperial rule upon their populations was their main game. Some of those coloured folk, their descendants anyway, have come to the United Kingdom to make it their home. Pakistani’s, West Indian’s,  African’s and plenty from other spots too have settled in England. It might be convenient to have a very short memory but there are consequences to historical actions. Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

Righteous Racists Blaming People Of Colour

The race riots have been fuelled by misinformation and lies put about on social media by far right groups and racist individuals with large followings. Andrew Tate, Laurence Fox, Elon Musk and the other fascists pulling the strings. The horrendous stabbing murders of 3 girls and 8 others with knife wounds in Southport were immediately and falsely attributed to a Muslim refugee. In fact, this mentally ill young guy was born in Britain but was of the wrong coloured skin for many of these patriotic Brits online. Hundreds of angry righteous blokes have gone on a rampage attacking refugee centres and mosques around the country. The police have copped it in their attempts to defend innocent people and maintain law and order. This is not really about the murders of innocent kids; it is about venting rage and frustration for its own sake. There is a surfeit of violent passion being whipped up by social media and the culture wars happening right now. We are all being screwed by our economies and big business these days. Most folk don’t know who to take it out on and are being manipulated into blaming the state. The state has been sucked dry by private corporate interests called private equity under the banner of neoliberalism. Their political allies hide behind bullshit smoke screens like immigration, LGBTQI gender issues, and the anti-woke puppet show. Cowards and bullies like to punch down upon weaker victims like refugees and trans people, they hardly ever take on the real people who are stealing their lunch. Downward envy is encouraged by the authoritarian right wing parties and the Murdoch press. Divide and conquer by getting people to fight amongst themselves whilst the wealthy dance on our heads is the order of the day. “Nursing leaders have expressed their horror at racist violence across the UK, as two Filipino nurses have been among the targets of far-right rioters. Riots first broke out in Southport, Merseyside last Tuesday (30 July) after far-right agitators began a misinformation campaign on social media falsely claiming the perpetrator of a mass knife attack on a group of children in the town the previous day was a Muslim.” - (https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/leadership-news/filipino-nurses-attacked-as-nhs-community-condemns-racist-riots-05-08-2024/) Jeff Bezos by U.S. Air Force is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0 Identity Politics Playing You For A Fool Identity politics is smoke and mirrors, it is a scam perpetuated upon those who don’t bother to look into things. Here is a tip, much of the stuff that enrages you online is BS. It is purposely designed to provoke you and get you losing your shit and not thinking straight. Demonising gay and trans people, demonising immigrants and refugees, these are not the people getting rich at your expense. Wake up sunshine! Dig a little deeper and don’t believe everything you read online. There are people like Rupert Murdoch making money out of your rage. There are people in Russia misinforming you for their own nefarious designs. There are populists wanting power who are promising you they will make it all better – they won’t. Maybe spend a little less time in the gym and try exercising your brain instead. Ask yourself the question – who benefits? This is the key to every investigation. You know if they kicked out every migrant and every gay person you would still have the same problems. It is a scam. These poor people are not taking your piece of the pie. It is the billionaires and their underlings gobbling up the pie at your expense. It is always the same old story, nothing ever changes. Robert Sudha Hamilton is the author of America Matters: Pre-apocalyptic Posts & Essays in the Shadow of Trump. ©MidasWord Photo by Kelly on Pexels.com Read the full article