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wheelie-sick · 3 months

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this is going to be a long post, it's kinda just me writing all my raw unfiltered thoughts on ABA therapy as someone who actually went through it

-> TW for ABA therapy, child abuse, suicide <-

I was functionally diagnosed with autism at the age of 3 but it wasn't until I was 13 that I was actually formally evaluated for it and given an official diagnosis. I was behind in social skills and developmental skills

[ID: "was also described as a sensory seeker. She does not currently have any friends and has struggled to make and maintain peer relationships throughout her childhood. Difficulties with social skills were initially noted when she was in preschool (years before the onset of clinically significant symptoms of anxiety and"]

[ID: "Social functions: [blank]'s mother also completed a questionnaire rating her social responsiveness. Her responses on the SRS-2 indicated that [blank] is demonstrating severe deficits in the areas of Social Communication (reciprocal social interaction and nonverbal and verbal communication), Social Motivation (motivation to engage in social-interpersonal behavior) and Social Awareness (perceiving social cues) and moderate deficits in the areas of Social Cognition (understanding social cues). Severe Repetitive and Restrictive Behaviors (stereotypical behaviors or highly restricted interests) were also reported. The total T-score on the SRS-2 indicates severe deficiencies in reciprocal behavior that are likely to result in interference in everyday social interaction"]

[ID: "%ile) are mildly impaired, while her social skills are moderately impaired (2nd %ile). By domain, demonstrates mildly to moderately impaired abilities in six adaptive skills areas, including self care (9th %ile), communication (5th %ile), home living (5th %ile), self-direction (2nd %ile), social (2nd %ile), and leisure (1st %ile)"]

and ultimately all this ended up with the number one recommendation after my autism evaluation being for ABA therapy.

[ID: "Recommendations: Based on the above results, the following recommendations are made for [blank] and her family.

1. ABA therapy: [blank] May benefit from an intensive treatment program to foster cognitive and communication skills, improve independence and adaptive functioning, and help manage interfering behaviors (i.e home-based, 1:1 instruction, task analysis, etc.) Most private and community programs are based on principals of operant conditioning and taught in home with 1:1 instruction"]

*I'm getting misgendered here. my pronouns are he/him

"operant conditioning"-- like a dog 🐕🐕. woof woof.

my mom didn't know any better so she put me in ABA therapy with the Center for Autism and Related Disorders. she regrets this. I regret this more.

my autism evaluation was cruel, it dissected all my flaws as if I was a bug under a microscope in a highschool laboratory. my evaluation was passed around to ABA therapists, a line of high schoolers peering through the microscope examining the most vulnerable parts of me.

and I choose the highschool analogy quite deliberately. most of the ABA therapists at my center were recent highschool graduates with no degree and little training. they knew nothing about autism and had no qualifications. you need more certificates to become a professional dog trainer than to become a professional human trainer.

"operant conditioning"

and I wish I could say it was just a poor choice of words but ABA therapy was dog training for children. my dad used to call me an "it" and somehow I felt less dehumanized by that than the entire experience I had in ABA therapy.

I was the oldest person at my center (I did not receive in home therapy) with the next oldest being approximately 3 years younger than me. at the time I felt babied. I was surrounded by 5 year olds and I was treated as if I was not just a 5 year old but an autistic 5 year old and anyone who has been a visibly autistic 5 year old knows what that feels like. I had escaped being an autistic child and now I was being treated like one again. The head of the program tried to console me by telling me adults received their services too.

[ID: "Following the principles of applied behavior analysis, CARD has developed a treatment approach for children and adolescents with"]

this was the first lie they told me. CARD does not work with adults.

I was not allowed the privileges of being a 13 year old. because I was an autistic 13 year old and therefore I was the equivalent of a 5 year old. I was in psychotherapy at the same time and I had grown very accustomed to some level of freedom in therapy. I was allowed to use the bathroom independently. in ABA therapy I was not allowed to use the bathroom independently. I tried once, me and my therapist were on an "outing" to the grocery store and I told my therapist I was going to the bathroom and walked off and I got a very stern talking to about how I needed to "stop eloping" and if I didn't stop it would "become a behavior"

eloping became a common theme used to control me and squeeze money out of my parents.

out of everything I hated in my life, including severe physical abuse at home (which they did not report), I hated ABA therapy the most. I would repeatedly make serious threats of suicide to try to get out of ABA. no one cared. everyone thought I was being dramatic but there were times I wrote out suicide notes and ABA was among the reasons I listed. ABA made me feel hopeless, depressed, revolting, disgusting, inferior, and less than human. between ABA, my home life, and my social life I had never felt so hated and it was boiling through my skin. I acted out, I was bullying people, I was behaving recklessly, I was starting fights, and all this only made the oppressive force of ABA crack down on me harder. I was a cat hissing in the corner begging to be left alone and ABA brought a net to try to tame me further. every time I scratched back it was listed as a reason I needed to be there.

I was "disruptive" and "rebellious" and "uncooperative" and "resistant to treatment" and no one could figure out why I was "regressing" despite me shouting the answer. I was screaming and no one was willing to hear me

I hated myself and my autism. my autism diagnosis made me want to die. I didn't feel freed by it or understood I felt ashamed and disgusted. I felt incompetent and like I had failed. I was ashamed to be at ABA, it was my biggest secret. I'd lie to my friends about why I couldn't hang out and I'd lie to people in public about who the woman I was with was and I'd lie about all of it to try to cover up my most shameful secret.

ABA therapy did nothing but foster this. In ABA therapy I was mocked for being autistic and what was happening only clicked when a young kid, maybe only 4 or 5, was flapping his hands and a therapist took out her phone and recorded him. we were circus animals. it was all an entertaining show to them while they poked and prodded at us with metaphorical hot irons to make us dance. the first time a therapist laughed at me for rocking back and forth I wanted to throw up. I almost did. it was systematic bullying of children I was forced to watch and experience.

my point is: the last place on earth I wanted to be was the ABA center.

so of course I tried to leave. my mom would bring me McDonald's and I'd beg, sobbing real tears, to leave early because only she could sign me out. every time I'd go to meet her I'd be marked as "eloping" and my hotel stay in hell would get extended.

my natural response to a stressful environment (leaving) was pathologized. I was eloping this way and that way and never once did I actually, truly elope. that word was a weapon used against me. they used my "elopement" to justify extending my stay to my parents. they ate it right up.

they argued I needed to stay there because I was making friends. this was true, I'm great at getting along with children it's part of why I want to go into pediatrics, but I had also made real friends with people my age at my highschool. ABA was getting in the way. I wanted to spend time with my friends outside of school but ABA took up all my time from the minute I left school to 6pm and all day on weekends. I was doing a full time job's worth of hours. I complained about how I was missing out on spending time with my real friends (as in, over the age of 7) and I was met with almost no wiggle room in my schedule. I was allowed to pre-plan time to spend with friends but every time my friend group wanted to do something spontaneously? I had to say no, and I had to lie about why. my friends would share stories about driving around town with 2 people in the group stuffed in the trunk, of hanging out in the woods together, of taking part in ordinary highschool activities as ordinary high schoolers and it made me cry because I was not an ordinary highschooler and I was not allowed to participate in ordinary highschool activities. I was one of those weird, unpleasant, socially awkward autistic people instead. eventually, they just stopped inviting me. I was forced into the out group by ABA.

I'll never get that back. I'll never get a chance to be a normal highschooler ever again.

when I did have time available to hang out with people I never had the energy to. at the time I was living with an undiagnosed physical disability and I was begging to see a doctor but no one would believe that it wasn't just anxiety. the people who believed me least of all were the people at the center.

I was constantly told I was trying to get out of therapy by "feigning" very real pain and fatigue. I tried to explain spoon theory, and that I had limited spoons, and in response they made a task for me to name things to "regenerate spoons" that's not how it works. I wasn't the only physically disabled person there. there was a wheelchair user who was constantly forced to stand for periods of time despite being in agony doing it. he wasn't allowed rewards until he did it.

rewards were used to train us like dog treats are used with dogs. sometimes the treats were fun! I'd get to cook, play Mario kart, and go on outings. other times the treats were "using the correct name and pronouns for me." I'd constantly be threatened with deadnaming and misgendering if I was being "noncompliant."

misgendering because of my autism was a theme in my life. my neuropsych evaluation report misgendered me. my parents misgendered me. the staff at ABA misgendered me. at one point the head of the program suggested that my "gender confusion" was because of my autism. my abusive father latched onto this and still claims that the reason I'm "confused" about my gender is because the evil transgenders tricked me into thinking I'm one of them because I'm autistic and therefore easily impressionable.

the two therapists I had were nice because I refused to work with the others. they weren't on a power trip and both eventually left because they realized the harm the organization was doing. other therapists were not so kind. other therapists were on a power trip, because in their mind lording over autistic 5 year olds (and autistic 14 year olds) makes them powerful and strong. occasionally I'd get stuck with one of the other therapists when my usual therapists were out. they would talk to me in a baby voice. they would make fun of me for rocking back and forth, for not making eye contact, for talking about Skyrim "too much" and generally just for being autistic.

I never really knew what I was supposed to be doing, just that I was doing it wrong. the therapists there rarely actually told me what my tasks were they'd just mark yes or no on them, judging me for something I wasn't aware of. I was never actually supposed to graduate, I was never supposed to get out, if they wanted me to succeed they would have taught and explained what was happening but I was intentionally left in the dark.

I continued threatening suicide to get out. no one took me seriously. I was seriously considering it. there's no happy conclusion where someone finally realized it was all wrong, or I figured out how to be allistic and graduated, or I felt more comfortable there. I only got out when covid struck and shut the center down. it's gone now, replaced by a family advice center. I hope their advice for autistic children is to never put them in ABA.

there is no grander message here just suffering. I'm sorry if you were expecting some sort of great point at the end of this. there's not one. it happened, I wish it didn't, and I hope no one else experiences what I did ever again.

okay to reblog

#actually autistic #actuallyautistic #neurodivergent #aba therapy #aba survivor #tw aba therapy #tw child abuse #tw suicide #ok to rb

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blkdaddie · 25 days

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Empregnas University: Empowering The Future

Empregnas University is an all-male Historically Black College and University (HBCU) dedicated to the academic, personal, and professional success of young Black men. Through a rigorous curriculum, mentorship programs, and a nurturing environment, we empower our students to become leaders in their families, communities, and beyond.

**Our Vision** We envision a world where young Black men are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to thrive in a competitive society. We believe that by investing in the well-rounded growth of Black males, we are investing in the future of our nation.

**Our Values** * Excellence: We foster a culture of academic rigor, intellectual curiosity, and expanding physical development. * Community: We create a supportive and inclusive environment where students feel deeply valued and intimately connected. * Leadership: We develop leaders who are committed to multi-generational excellence.

**Student Life** Beyond academics, Empregnas University offers a vibrant student life experience. Students can participate in a variety of clubs, organizations, and athletic teams. We also host regular cultural events, guest speakers, and community development projects.

We believe that mentorship is essential for the success of our students. Each student is assigned a peer mentor, pairing upperclassmen with first-year students to provide hands-on, intimate one-on-one guidance, support, and encouragement throughout their academic journey.

**Why Choose Empregnas University?** * Commitment to Success: We are a university that is specifically designed to meet the needs of young males. * Rigorous Curriculum: Our academic programs are challenging and designed to prepare our students for success in their chosen fields. * Mentorship and Support: We provide our students with a network of mentors and support systems we call “life doulas” to help them succeed both inside and outside the classroom. * Vibrant Student Life: We offer a variety of clubs, organizations, and athletic teams to help our students develop their interpersonal skills and expand their networks. * State of the Art Facilities: Our classrooms, student housing, student life, and student health facilities are designed to accommodate an ever-expanding population.

#mpregnancy #mpreg story #pregnant man #mpreg #mpreg kink #mpreg art #mpreg belly #kink story #pregnancy story

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marveltrumpshate · 1 year

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Marvel Trumps Hate is looking for people to join our team!

Consider this our official announcement: Marvel Trumps Hate is coming back for our sixth year!

We’re preparing for another awesome auction, and the first thing on our to-do list is finding a server mod, developer, and two designers. Please note that if you’re on the event team, you can still participate in the auction! On the flip side, if you only want to help out as a team member, you’re not obligated to offer fanworks or bid on anything in the auction.

If you’re interested in joining our team, please email [email protected] and include the following information:

Confirmation that you’re over 18

The best way to contact you

What position you’re applying for: server mod, developer, or designer

Availability: Please let us know what time zone you’re in and what days/how many hours per week you can commit to MTH from the start of September to the start of November

Server mod - Please state if you have any experience modding a Discord server or other community. Server mods will be expected to field questions about MTH, make sure the server rules are being followed, and handle any disagreements that may occur. This requires patience and good interpersonal skills

Developer - We’re looking for someone who is familiar with coding/programming in PHP, particularly writing and modifying Wordpress plugins. CSS and HTML will also be helpful. You’ll be working with the dev team to update the auction system on the website, mostly searching already written code to make tweaks to its function and appearance and using basic back-end Wordpress controls to keep the site functional and up-to-date. Once sign-ups and bidding go live in October, you’ll help make sure everything is running smoothly and provide some tech support for the rest of the mod team in case of issues

Designer - If you love making graphics/edits, help us make pretty event and creator banners (event banner examples: x, x, x, creator banner examples: x)! Photoshop access is required. Please provide us with examples of your work

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. You can reach us by email, Tumblr Messenger, askbox, or Twitter DM. Thank you!

#marvel trumps hate #mth 2023 #announcement

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solarisgod · 1 month

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RE : MAIN STARWAKERS + SPEECH CAPABILITIES.

Philos is the only main Starwaker who never have any degrees of mutism when she was created to front ( have control over the body ) having open communicate with people outside the Starwake System to avoid or endure harm, or to directly express so the system’s needs can be met, often Micah’s. Although due to having limited language knowledge and poor speech skills with the system, he always had to watch and observe a variety of people in diverse settings close and from a distance to build his interpersonal and communication skills over time; Philos was quick as Phoebus to have advanced speech than others, though, often time, she’s forced by Phoebus not to speak to avoid giving away his presence.

Phoebus only had selective mutism, reserving open communication to only other Starwakers— especially Micah, when necessary while they have always been the one to speak to Micah as xyr “guiding voice”. After at the age of eighteen, they feel comfortable enough to speak out loud, although they had made sure to speak to strangers— anyone who didn’t know Micah had levels of mutism to avoid suspicious about Micah’s state. When Starwake’s DID becomes known to Micah while in mid thirties, they would then speak freely. Phoebus also held a similar practice of social observation for interpersonal and communication skills development through co-conscious with Philos or mainly Micah, although while being efficient at speaking, they never felt it’s safe enough to verbally speak and have their own presence easily known until the system was in bodily mid thirties.

Phobos is the only known main older Starwaker who still have level of mutism after passing the age of major ( 18+), specifically having selective mutism at the moment while it used to be fully muted across childhood to adolescence. While Micah’s selective mutism was developed out of anxiety, Phoebus’ was of self-protection, Phobos’ has been more due to its disinterest in socializing and difficulties in self-expression. It mostly depends on Phobos’ current mood and health state that influences its interest to communicate, not the closeness of connections or the people and settings themselves that it interacts with. Even with its own starmates as an adult, Phobos sometimes doesn’t communicate through ( physical and mental ) verbal, gestures, or messages. When it does communicate, it will often rely on sign languages to strangers and acquaintances or speeches to its starmates and closer associates outside the system.

Micah was first muted due to lack of opportunities to have speech practices while xe was originally raised in the wilderness by an incarnated force for the first two years of xyr life, as well as the abuse from past several foster families who forced xem to be non-verbal out of anxiety and self-protection. Adopted into the Everlove family at the age of five, xyr parents attempted to give xem speech therapy, although Micah was unable to make much progress due to xyr intellectual disability preventing xem from learning at a regular pace, along with the fact that xe had several behavioral problems such as aggression and temper tantrums which caused progress hindrances. Micah’s parents got xem a Picture Exchange Communication System where xe could communicate using pictures by pointing at them, and when xe was seven years old, xyr parents and guardian taught xem how to speak in American sign language. Although from disinterest and especially anxiety, Micah didn’t use sign language with anyone until xe was fourteen years old as xyr mutism became selective. Xe spoke verbally with xyr nuclear family relatives and close friends only and used American Sign Language with everyone else until xe was twenty two; Micah got back into speech therapy shortly after xe graduated from post secondary regular arts program at twenty and over time, xe was able to build enough confidence to verbally speak while xe developed stronger vocalization, pronunciation, and overall verbal communication skills.

#TBT.#MOBILE.#[ I’ll expand more on Phobos’ communication because ]#[ this aspect actually have a lot of interesting points I want to write down ]#[ but wahwawawawa I’m holding them all so near and dear to my starry heart… ]

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angry-teacher-says-fuck · 2 months

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A foul-mouthed teacher's take on Gen Alpha

Can we stop saying that gen alpha is DOOMED?! They just fucking got here!

fucksake, they just hit sixth grade. We are registering the warning signs right now; the lack of respect or empathy, the inability to read , the need for instant gratification OR ELSE, and don't get me started on this Sephora bullshit. Yeah, it's looking pretty bad.

The fact is though, we are their skibidi gyatdamn parents! This is our wakeup call to do better. So here's a list of a few things that might improve the situation.

If you've got a younger child, please do not get them on an i-pad until they are at least 4. Even as an educational tool, they are no replacement for the hands-on and interpersonal learning that their developing brain needs. Talk to them, give them blocks and balls and plenty of things that they can safely place in their mouths. These things help them build a deeper understanding of the world that later social skills and academic stuff can anchor to. At pre-school a little supervised and directed exposure to educational programs can be a good supplement, but do not leave them to use screens feely. As they get into middle school, you should still be aware. There are a lot of dangers on there that tweens don't have the experience yet to recognize and it's a lot wierder than you think.

2. On that note, If you must put them in front of the TV (no shame, it has to happen from time to time in this late-stage capitalist hellscape) for the love of fuck, please pay attention to what they are watching! I cannot begin to tell you, as a teacher, what a difference this can make. Don't trust that everything on Nick jr or Disney is your friend no matter how colorful or silly it looks. Watch a couple episodes either on your own or with them to determine if it has substance or if its values are ones you are ready to expose your children to (I was shocked when I sat down to watch the original Thomas the Tank Engine).

I'll do another post on shows I recommend sometime but as a teacher, PLEASE let most of their TV time be PBS Kids. I shit you not, I can tell the difference between the kids that primarily watched Paw Patrol and the kids that watched Dinosaur Train.

For younger kids, violence is a no, for sure; their brains are still developing and no matter how smart they are, a toddler is not prepared to process whatever nuance you as an adult may have the context for. You don't want to normalize it.

The same goes for adult humor. I have had to send too many kids to the office because of a racial slur or sexist comment that they pulled straight from Southpark or Family Guy. That shit should not be happening!

3. From obscure, seemingly cutesie philosophies that turn out to be cults, to the fucking manosphere and any number of hate-groups that have perfected the art of planting-the-seed with kids, you need to keep them off social media, including Tik-tok and Youtube. There are parenting aps that can block these and limit screen time, but even they cannot be used as a "set it and forget it" solution.

4. Failing all of this, the most important thing you can do for your kids may be to actually converse with them. Sit and watch some shows with them, listen to their interests, let them talk your ear off about their favorite game. Normalize them sharing with you and do this as early as possible. The benefits are numerouse

A. It opens up the lines of communication. You can identify trouble a lot faster and support their goals a lot easier when you have this going for you.

B. It establishes early that you are a safe person to share things with. This is invaluable as they get older, and for keeping them safe at any age.

C. It gives them a chance to utilize RECALL PRACTICE. this is an often overlooked brain booster, but recalling information so they can share it with you, actively helps gear their developing brain for future learning by making it easier for them to call on and access information at will.

D. It builds confidence When you take time to listen to them, you are showing them that their input is valuable; that the things that interest them are worth sharing. There may be times when it is not appropriate, and you can guide them on that, but giving them the respect of listening when you can will help them recognize their worth when future "friends", colleagues, and partners consistently dismiss them or shame them for it.

E. It builds socio/emotional intelligence and models respectful dialogue.

5. Read to them and with them. Even if you aren't a reader, listen to audio-books. Give them a chance to practice their reading skills and comprehension. Normalize the idea that reading is enjoyable.

5. Finally, understand this: you are not being an authoritarian when you set rules and enforce them. They are going to test boundaries, not because they are bad, not because they crave a lack of restriction, but because they need to know that they are there in order to feel secure. There are as many new fads for parenting as there are diets, but whatever parenting style you choose, be firm and consistent with your core rules and principles. your kids, and the people who have to interact with them, will be better off for it.

And cut yourself a bit of slack too. Parenting is tricky, and there are new challenges we are having to learn quickly as we go. It doesn't help that our generation caught so much shit, but we cannot simultaneously be parents AND continue to be victims. Seek out support, and give it whenever you can. We have to recognize our worth and our importance to this generation and take a stand now for their well being.

You are their parent and you play a very needed, active role in their lives.

#parenting #gen alpha #gen z #millenials #teacher #education #school #children #kids #parent #family #angry rant #pbs kids #paw patrol #dinosaur train

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religion-is-a-mental-illness · 3 months

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By: Apunaja

Published: Mar 19, 2024

I just watched this clip of Don Lemon interviewing Elon Musk, where Lemon pushed back on Musk’s claims of DEI policies impacting the quality of medical care and insisted that there is no evidence that standards are being lowered in medical programs in the pursuit of diversity goals. It was infuriating to watch. The word ‘gaslighting’ repeatedly came to mind.

I don’t know if Lemon genuinely doesn’t know the facts about this issue, or if he is deliberately misrepresenting the inconvenient truth, but as anyone who has been paying attention to this issue can attest, it is indisputable that standards are indeed being lowered, in myriad professional and educational contexts, for the express purpose of increasing the racial diversity of that group’s membership. What makes it hard to believe that Lemon isn’t being disingenuous about this is that in so many of the cases where this is happening, the proponents of the policy openly state that the reason they are changing their standards are in order to increase representation of minorities. Of course, they don’t call it “lowering standards for diversity”. But when you get rid of a testing requirement, or lower the passing grade, or modify the entrance qualifications to deliberately allow lower performing black and Hispanic students entrance, you are by definition lowering standards for the sake of diversity and equity, no matter how you spin it.

It’s high time for the false claim that ‘promoting DEI doesn’t adversely impact standards’ to finally be put to rest. In the interview, Lemon said he looked forward to people providing evidence of the claim, so I’m going to attempt to do that here, to lay out unambiguous evidence of educational and professional standards being compromised for the sake of DEI. I’m going to first focus on the area of medicine, which is what Lemon was specifically talking about, and then I’ll get into many other arenas where we can see this happening.

In a 2022 City Journal article, the esteemed Heather Mac Donald describes a required medical exam being altered (both in its subject matter and its grading) to allow for more students to pass:

At the end of their second year of medical school, students take Step One of the USMLE, which measures knowledge of the body’s anatomical parts, their functioning, and their malfunctioning; topics include biochemistry, physiology, cell biology, pharmacology, and the cardiovascular system. High scores on Step One predict success in a residency; highly sought-after residency programs, such as neurosurgery and radiology, use Step One scores to help select applicants. Black students are not admitted into competitive residencies at the same rate as whites because their average Step One test scores are a standard deviation below those of whites. Step One has already been modified to try to shrink that gap; it now includes non-science components such as “communication and interpersonal skills.” But the standard deviation in scores has persisted. In the world of antiracism, that persistence means only one thing: the test is to blame. …The solution … was obvious: abolish Step One grades. Since January 2022, Step One has been graded on a pass-fail basis.

Further in the article, she explores how med school entrance standards have been adjusted to increase the number of minority students entering even though their grades were far lower:

In 2021, the average score for white applicants on the Medical College Admission Test was in the 71st percentile… The average score for black applicants was in the 35th percentile—a full standard deviation below the average white score. The MCATs have already been redesigned to try to reduce this gap; a quarter of the questions now focus on social issues and psychology. Yet the gap persists. So medical schools use wildly different standards for admitting black and white applicants. From 2013 to 2016, only 8% of white college seniors with below-average undergraduate GPAs and below-average MCAT scores were offered a seat in medical school; less than 6% of Asian college seniors with those qualifications were offered a seat, according to an analysis by economist Mark Perry. Medical schools regarded those below-average scores as all but disqualifying—except when presented by blacks and Hispanics. Over 56% of black college seniors with below-average undergraduate GPAs and below-average MCATs and 31% of Hispanic students with those scores were admitted, making a black student in that range more than seven times as likely as a similarly situated white college senior to be admitted to medical school and more than nine times as likely to be admitted as a similarly situated Asian senior.

Later on she recounts a further example of reducing standards to increase diversity at a top-tier institution:

The University of Pennsylvania medical school guarantees admission to black undergraduates who score a modest 1300 on the SAT (on a 1600-point scale), maintain a 3.6 GPA in college, and complete two summers of internship at the school. The school waives its MCAT requirement for these black students; UPenn’s non-preferred medical students score in the top one percent of all MCAT takers.

The article details many more examples of diversity efforts impacting the quality of the curriculum, admissions, faculty hiring, research funding, accreditation, publishing, and other aspects of the medical education arena. I strongly encourage you to read it in full here.

But where did all these changes stem from? A 2020 Quillette article reveals how these policies were a result of a long-running campaign to increase diversity:

…in 2009 the body that accredits medical schools, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), touched off a parity panic across the med school landscape by issuing stern new guidance on diversity. In order to remain accredited, declared LCME, medical schools “must” have policies and practices in place that “achieve appropriate diversity.” …In the wake of the LCME’s watershed edict, working groups were convened, budget line items were created, and high-profile hires were made to facilitate diversity boosting and community recruitment. A main stumbling block seemed to be minority candidates’ poor performance on gatekeeper exams like the MCATs.

Once the unstoppable force of diversity activism met the immovable object of disparate MCAT scores, activists focused their efforts on reducing the MCAT’s significance and incorporating tests that were not based on cognitively demanding subjects like actual medical knowledge in favor of things like emotional intelligence, empathy, and communication:

The primary selling point of SJTs was thus that they allowed schools to consider factors other than such blind metrics as a straightforward ranking of applicants’ college grades and MCAT performance. The MCATs themselves were revised in 2015 to give meaningful weight to areas of the social sciences.

The amazing thing about all this is how, if you just listen to their own words, these activists are totally open about how they need to lower the standards to increase minority representation. Here’s one such statement from an advocacy group admitting that expecting minority students to meet the same academic standards everyone else is held to holds back diversity:

…a huge obstacle to diversity is that most medical schools have the same criteria for all applicants. To get a medical student population that is representative of the general population requires more than simply accepting applicants of color who have the same grades and MCAT scores as White applicants…

Their solution? Lessen the importance of the MCAT in applications.

While on the topic of medical schools, consider this chart, highlighting the likelihood that students in different racial groups are granted entrance to medical schools, based on their grades. It echoes Mac Donald’s claims above, and indisputably reveals that a low performing student has a much higher chance of getting in when they’re black versus being any other race.

Another way of looking at that same data is in this chart:

This 2023 Newsweek op-ed unambiguously advocates for the MCAT to be abolished as an entrance requirement in order to increase diversity:

A panel representing the American Bar Association (ABA) recently voted to eliminate the LSAT as an admissions requirement for law schools. The main reason for doing this: to increase diversity in law schools. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) should follow the lead of the ABA for medical school admissions by removing the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) as a requirement.

Here’s a similar Washington Post piece proposing that the MCAT be changed to a pass/fail test. Why? In the author’s own words: “This is a crucial step if the medical profession is to diversify its physician ranks.”

There are further examples that could be provided, but I think this suffices to prove Elon’s claim. Copious examples of deliberate efforts to lower standards in medical education for the express purpose of increasing diversity. Mr. Lemon, do you find this evidence sufficient to acknowledge that Elon’s assertion was correct?

But it gets worse. As I said above, the problem of lowering educational and professional standards to increase diversity is not just an issue in the medical field. Campaigns pursuing this agenda are occurring all over society. Mr. Lemon, please bear with me a bit longer and allow me to provide further evidence of just how widespread this phenomenon actually is:

1. In Oregon, the state decided that students don’t need to prove mastery of reading, writing or math to graduate, citing harm to students of color. This a result of a law passed in 2021 which the governor’s office explained as follows:

…suspending the reading, writing and math proficiency requirements while the state develops new graduation standards will benefit “Oregon’s Black, Latino, Latina, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander, Tribal, and students of color.”

2. In order to address "racial disparities" and "inequities" in grading, Portland Public Schools are trying "equitable grading practices" that bar teachers from assigning "zeros" to students who cheat or fail to turn in assignments.

3. In Minnesota, they’ve decided to stop giving F grades in order to “end systemic racism”.

4. In San Diego, because too many minority students were failing compared to white students, the school decided to address the problem not by improving the pedagogy but by… changing how they graded students. “The grading changes are part of a larger effort to combat racism,” they explained.

5. NJ chose to lower the minimum passing score on the state’s high school graduation test. Why? Among other reasons given was this appeal to diversity:

One board member who supported lowering the passing score suggested that it was “unfair” to “Black and Latino students” to require underperforming students to demonstrate a higher level of proficiency in reading and math before graduating.

6. In Arizona, a student dean felt that it would “promote equity” if he stopped grading students essays based on the quality of their writing. (This sounds similar to an effort by a student org that called for ‘Black Linguistic Justice’ and demanded that they not be graded by the standards of ordinary English, what they referred to as ‘white linguistic supremacy’. 🤷‍♂️)

7. Along similar lines, Rutgers decided to deemphasize traditional grammar ‘in solidarity with Black Lives Matter’.

8. It’s not just the US embracing this insanity. In the UK, instructors at Hull University were told to overlook students’ grammatical errors as part of an “inclusive marking policy”. And for a similar reason, the University of the Arts in London has told its staff to ‘actively accept spelling, grammar or other language mistakes that do not significantly impede communication’.

9. Please read this detailed article at The Free Press about the new California math initiative that sacrifices mathematical education for diversity goals. This new framework seems primarily motivated by concerns that too many students are sorted into different math tracks based on their natural abilities, which leads some to take calculus by their senior year of high school while a disproportionate number of black and Latino kids don't make it past basic algebra. So their solution is to prohibit any sorting until high school, keeping gifted kids in the same classrooms as their less mathematically inclined peers until at least grade nine.

10, Those same lowered math standards are being implemented in Cambridge, MA:

Udengaard is one of dozens of parents who recently have publicly voiced frustration with a years-old decision made by Cambridge to remove advanced math classes in grades six to eight. The district’s aim was to reduce disparities between low-income children of color, who weren’t often represented in such courses, and their more affluent peers.

11. In order to advance their DEI agenda, the creators of the bar exam are changing the famously difficult tests that lawyers have to pass before they are allowed to practice. How are they doing so? In their own words (emphasis added):

…we take seriously the need to work toward greater equity in all that we do as a testing organization, and we actively work to eliminate any aspects of our exams that could contribute to performance disparities among different groups.

A WSJ article investigating these changes reports:

Based on the diversity workshop at the NCBE conference, it means putting considerable emphasis on examinees’ race, sex, gender identity, nationality and other identity-based characteristics. The idea seems to be that any differences in group outcomes must be eliminated—even if the only way to achieve this goal is to water down the test. On top of all that, an American Civil Liberties Union representative provided conference attendees with a lecture on criminal-justice reform in which he argued that states should minimize or overlook would-be lawyers’ convictions for various criminal offenses in deciding whether to admit them to the bar.

12. Of course, the obvious question presents itself: why bother changing the bar exam to allow more people to pass it if you can just get rid of it entirely? And that’s exactly what some states are doing. Just a few days ago, the State of Washington decided to no longer require lawyers to pass the bar exam. Why? It was hampering diversity.

The Bar Licensure Task Force found that the traditional exam “disproportionally and unnecessarily blocks” marginalized groups from becoming practicing attorneys and is “at best minimally effective” for ensuring competency.

13. The Washington State decision follows in the footsteps of Oregon, which stopped requiring the bar exam last year.

14. Taking the bar happens at the end of a law student’s journey. What about at the beginning, when they are taking the LSAT? No worries, diversity initiatives are lowering the bar there too! The American Bar Association voted in 2022 to stop requiring the LSAT for admission to law school. Why?

“In the grand scheme of things, folks of color perform less well on the LSAT than not, and for that reason, I think we are headed in the right direction,” Leo Martinez, an ABA council member and dean emeritus at University of California, Hastings College of the Law, said at the meeting.

15. In related legal arenas, Delaware chose to improve the diversity of its legal community by instituting a few changes of its own. Some of the changes, “which ultimately aim to also increase the number of Black and Latino judges”, include lowering the passing grade, halving the number of essays, and other competency requirements being relaxed.

16. Similar changes have happened in California, for the explicitly stated reason of increasing diversity:The California Supreme Court, which oversees the state bar, agreed to lower the passing score for the exam, a victory for law school deans who have long hoped the change would raise the number of Black and Latino people practicing law.

17. A 2015 NY Times headline: Study Cites Lower Standards in Law School Admissions. Why are they lowering standards? Answer: “…they need flexibility in selecting students to assure a diverse population of lawyers.”

18. Just like with med schools, law school acceptance rates are biased towards minorities. An analysis of admissions data data revealed that being from an under represented minority group (URM) boosted one’s chance of acceptance to a law school quite dramatically:

Almost every school we cover shows an increased chance of admission to URM applicants, with higher boosts for higher-tiered schools….As you can see in Table 1a, law schools typically give a 7% boost to URM applicants. In other words, a URM applicant who is exactly equal to a non-URM candidate, including all other factors we control for, is 7% more likely to be admitted to any law school than a non-URM equivalent. This number is a whopping 498% in the Top 14, 126% in the Top 25, and 52% in the Top 50 law schools.

Just as is happening in the legal and medical arenas, the practice of increasing minority numbers by eliminating entrance exams that ensure professional competency is happening in other professions too. Some examples of that:

19. In Washington, DC, officials considered getting rid of their social work exam over concerns that it failed too many people of color.

20. A required test for math teacher certification in Ontario showed significant racial disparities in the success rates of those taking it. As a result of the disparity a court ruled it unconstitutional and teachers were no longer required to take it. (The ruling has since been overturned.)

21. A similar case occurred in NY whereby prospective teachers had to take an Academic Literacy Skills Test. But because disproportionate numbers of black and Hispanic applicants failed it, the test was eliminated.

22. In a similar lawsuit, NYC had to pay out $1.8 billion to former teachers who failed a certification test. Why? The test was deemed racially biased since a disproportionate number of the failures came from minority teachers.

23. In 2015 the FDNY was pressured to modify its certification requirements to increase gender diversity, and for the first time ever passed a woman who failed a physical test that until then all fire-fighter applicants needed to pass.

Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro told a City Council hearing on the FDNY’s efforts to recruit women that he had changed FST requirements to lower obstacles.

24. A few months ago, a fascinating article appeared on this very platform exposing how the FAA deliberately lowered the testing requirements of flight controllers for the express purpose of increasing diversity. The consequences for the industry were, unsurprisingly, appalling:

A report on FAA hiring issues found that 70% of CTI administrators agreed that the changes in the process had led to a negative effect on the air traffic control infrastructure. One respondent stated their "numbers [had] been devastated," and the majority agreed that it would severely impact the health of their own programs.

25. Of course, a well-known area where standards have been lowered in the pursuit of DEI is in how colleges have stopped requiring applicants to have taken the SAT. I can’t begin to list all the colleges that have dropped the SAT entrance requirements in the name of equity (although many hid the decision behind the excuse of Covid), but according to this list, it’s over a thousand schools. A few prominent names that instituted the policy are Columbia, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Harvard, MIT, UCLA, and SUNY. (However, in recent months, a few of those institutions have reversed the policy and now require it again.)

26. Among all the many cases where destructive DEI policies are being implemented, possibly the most disturbing arena of all is when actually talented and capable students are purposefully denied opportunities that can help them excel. An example of this in action is the numerous school districts that have chosen to remove “Gifted and Honors” classes for the stated reason of increasing equity. Some examples:

Culver City, CA:

Troy, MI

Barrington, RI

New York and this too

Seattle, WA

Vancouver, Canada

27. If they’re not eliminating the Honors programs entirely, many schools are simply dropping the entrance requirements so that they are open to anyone, thereby diluting their very purpose. Some places this has already happened:

San Francisco

Boston, MA

Montgomery County, MD

New York City

Fairfax, VA

The result of these admission changes? Massive increases in students failing. For example:

…at the John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science, just 50% of seventh graders met or exceeded expectations in math, down from 85% as recently as 2019. Nor was the Boston Latin School, the crown jewel of the system, immune: Just 70% of seventh graders either met or exceeded expectations in math, down from 94% three years ago.

28. Even the military is affected by demands to lower standards to increase diversity (albeit gender diversity, not racial). The Army actually removed a physical test because not enough women were passing it:

On Monday, the Army ended its requirement that soldiers do at least one leg tuck — where they hang from a bar and pull their knees up near their shoulders — as part of the new physical fitness test, as it became clear that many troops, particularly women, were unable to do it.

29. Speaking of gender diversity, Oxford University decided that because not enough women were passing their math and computer science examinations, they would add more time to the exam to help them. (Apparently, it didn’t even help.)

30. Oxford also decided to let a History test be taken at home in order to increase the number of women passing.

31. And because too many men were getting top grades in a classics course over the women, Oxford also decided they had to overhaul the entire course in order to bridge the gender gap.

32. Across the globe in Australia, the University of Technology Sydney chose to boost their gender diversity by allowing female students to enter its engineering and construction courses with lower grades than the males.

33. Back in 2016, a doctoral student at the University of North Dakota actually published a paper suggesting that STEM courses be made more inclusive of women by making then “less competitive,” so maybe that’s where the above universities got their inspiration from?

34. The lowering of educational standards for the sake of diversity is happening in arts education too. Consider how auditions were scrapped at a Brooklyn performing arts school in favor of a lottery. Why? Diversity!

The Department of Education says standards like auditions — or test scores and grades at other schools — block access for underprivileged kids, and the new policy will diversify student bodies across the district.

The above examples are just a sampling of the many instances of the pernicious trend of DEI deliberately compromising the standards of performance to advance its agenda. Public figures and pundits like Don Lemon need to stop repeating this lie that there is no downside to promoting these policies. On the contrary, it’s imperative that everyone recognize how these Harrison Bergeron-like policies directly lead to a deterioration of our educational outcomes, an undermining of our scientific, technological and medical progress, a diminishing of our professional competencies, and a fraying of our societal cohesion.

It’s time for DEI to DIE.

Don 🍋 is astonishingly dumb.

#Elon Musk #Don Lemon #DEI #diversity equity and inclusion #diversity #equity #inclusion #DEI must die

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vulcankin · 1 year

Text

Quirk Mimicking

What is a Quirk?

Quirks in the context of Homestuck (and especially trolls) are a distinct way of typing that expresses the personality, interests, and individuality of a, well, an individual.

For trolls in particular, your quirk is as much a natural preference in speech as it is a traditional action related to troll culture. It’s as important as hemotyping (typing in a particular color, typically and traditionally the color of your blood/hemocaste) or the choice NOT to hemotype/go hemoanon.

While humans may naturally type in a particular manner, or choose to express themselves through a particular color medium, it often does not carry the same cultural connotations as a troll’s hemotyping and quirk usage.

For these reasons and others (comfort, habit, etc) dropping or breaking quirk can range from a little weird or awkward to upsetting or anxiety inducing for a troll.

On rare occasions [x][x] a troll will either drop or partly drop quirk for MAJOR emphasis or to show something is very important to listen to.

Quirk Examples

Sollux Captor:

TA: iim not 2ure why, but ii thiink iit2 liike...

TA: fulfiilliing 2ome requiirement for a true prophet of doom.

TA: iin order for the vii2iion2 two be riight, that ha2 two happen, and the uniiver2e wiill make 2ure iit wiill.

Sollux’s quirk has various elements.

First and foremost, he never uses capitalization unless for emphasis or when typing out his nicknames for people, and he only capitalizes those when in a good mood. There is a distinct lack of emojis or emoticons, outside of rare occurrences/duality puns. His speech is very straightforward and short, being sent in multiple pieces. This shows important aspects of his character such as aloofness, bluntness, and a lack of care for convention.

The use of double ‘i’s, his replacement of “to” or “too” with “two”, and ‘s’s with 2s are all both personality aspects and tradition aspects of his quirk.

The traditional reasoning is that they are a reference to his sign, Gemini, which is similar to the roman numeral 2.

Personally, they have a number of meanings. His dual colored eyes. His bipolarity. Referencing binary in connection to his skills with programming. His vision twofold.

He also types in traditional hemotyping for his bloodcaste, typing in gold.

Combined, these aspects all show parts of who he is, without needing to explain them, and make his unique mark in interpersonal communication.

After he dies his quirk changes (no double ‘i’s, no 2s, no ‘two’s; instead all ‘o’s are 0s) to show that he’s now “0kay” and no longer associates with his prior traits. However, his hemotyping remains gold.

Nepeta Leijon:

AC: :33 < *ac twitches her friendly whiskers at ct*

…-…

AC: :33 < i can tell you like to play games, d33p down you are a guy who likes to play games!  

AC: :33 < i can smell a guy who likes to play games from so fur away with this nose, you have no idea X33

Nepeta’s quirk is slightly more focused around her external connections than Sollux’s, but still expresses her individuality.

The header of her quirk is “:33 <”, which references her catlike nature/affinity, as well as having two mouths like her cat lusus, Pounce de Leon. This carries over into her emojis as well.

All of these relate two her sign, Leo, as relating to big cats.

Nepeta also does not use capitalization, and often does not use most ending punctuation. However, she makes liberal use of exclamation marks, comma and emojis. Her sentences tend to be compound, rather than short and simple. She uses cat puns whenever pawsible.

She also frequently roleplays in her speech, having a personal interest in it, and uses asterisks to denote roleplay actions.

Together, all of these things show her personality as creative, high energy, and fun-loving.

She also types in traditional hemotyping standards using her blood color, olive.

Karkat Vantas:

KARKAT: AND AFTER A BREAKNECK WARP SPEED JOURNEY IN WHICH MY BEST FUCKING FRIEND *EVER* PSYCHED ME OUT INTO THINKING HE DIED *YET A FUCKING GAIN* BY EXPELLING LITER AFTER GRUESOME LITER OF GRUBSAUCE FROM HIS EVERY ORIFICE

KARKAT: WHAT DO I FIND HERE?

KARKAT: WHY, IN ADDITION TO A PAIR OF HUMANS DRAPED IN CIRCUSWEAR AND ALL THEIR FLIPPANT GIBES LOCKED AND GODDAMN LOADED

The main aspects of Karkat's quirk are the use of all-caps, run on sentences, general aggressive tone, and explicit language/gratuitous insults. He also types hemoanon, or in a light grey color that does not represent or reveal his blood color.

Asterisks are used sparingly for emphasis, and he occasionally "whispers" in parenthesis.

Karkat's quirk trends slightly away from the traditional, instead breaking tradition.

Use of hemoanon color typing is both a purposeful and practical rejection of Alternian tradition, to keep his mutant bloodcolor a secret and prevent himself being culled.

It can be argued that his all-caps, aggresive speech is "traditional" in keeping with his ancestor's rage in his final moments as well as his Vast Expletive, however it would be unintentional as Karkat is unaware of his sign's meaning/who his ancestor is.

More so, it's a representation of Karkat's generally heightened emotional and defensive state- usually angry, irritated or panicked. Living life under constant threat of death, he tends to the aggressive/defensive in his behaviors and speech. He is also constantly thinking of things that can go wrong, have gone wrong, or how much things/himself suck(s), and therefore has a habit of venting and speaking in a very ranting-like manner, even in general conversation.

What is “Quirk Mimicking”?

Quirk mimicking is a phenomenon in which a troll (or occasionally a human) will either purposefully or subconsciously adopt quirk traits/habits from another troll.

Similar to mimicry among humans, there are two basic forms of quirk mimicry among trolls- negative mimicry and positive mimicry.

Positive Mimicry

This most frequently happens between quadmates/couples (moirails and matesprits in particular), but can also occur between close friends.

Positive mimicry can latch onto any aspect of another troll’s quirk (or a troll latching onto a human’s typing style) but does *not* include mimicking their hemotyping.

This does not mean completely changing their quirk to match another’s, but more often incorporating small bits of each other’s quirk into their own. It can also be expressed by slipping near full into another’s quirk when in a particular mood state or when saying something in particular associated with that individual.

Examples:

When Sollux and Feferi are matesprits, Sollux occasionally uses fish puns in his speech regardless of who he is speaking to.

Eridan also often uses fish puns when speaking with Feferi, but only with her.

Adjacent:

While not part of quirk mimicry itself, quirk matching is a related phenomenon when two trolls in a quadrant together alter their quirks purposefully to match each others.

The main example of this is in the moirallegence between Nepeta and Equius.

The beginning/“header” of Nepeta’s quirk reads “:33 <“.

The beginning/“header” of Equius’s quirk reads “D - - >”

When the ends of these headers are put together it forms “<>” or a diamond, the symbol used for moirails.

Negative Mimicry

There are many nuanced aspects to negative mimicry.

For humans, negative speech mimicry is typically repeating what someone said in a nasty tone, or mocking someone’s speech patterns.

And while this can also happen in trolls, that’s not quirk mimicry in particular.

Much quirk mimicry is psychological in nature, with one troll mimicking another troll’s quirk in a way that a partner or close friend would, while knowing fully that they are not close enough to do so.

In this way, it’s being done purposefully to both make the other troll uncomfortable as a form of taunt or emotional harassment, almost in a gaslighting or sleezy sort of manner.

This sort of negative mimicry can also happen accidentally, though this is typically with other species outside of trolls, in a manner that is intended to be positive.

If a human (or cherub or otherwise) that a troll was not close enough to tried to mimic them in order to match their energy, or be cute, or thinking it’s something more casual like picking up a friend’s turn of phrase-

The troll they’re mimicking can experience the same negative effects/emotions from that mimicry as they would from a purposefully malicious troll negative mimicking.

(There are occasions where trolls who are very close with other species do appreciate mimicry from their friend/partner, namely when they are close as two trolls would need to be to mimic.

This can be seen with Vriska appreciating John picking up her penchant for 8 vowels and exclamation marks. [x])

***Please note this is not a complete explanation of quirk mimicking in its entirety, just a general overview.

***This is based on the experience/memories of me and a few other trolls (kin and fictive alike.) This may not be accurate for all.

#sol says a thing #homestuck #quirk mimicking #quirk #trollkin #homestuck troll kin #homestuck trolls #homestuck analysis #homestuck kin #long post /

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the-true-boomer · 5 months

Text

UNIQUE PERSONNEL PROFILE

Demographics

Name: William Afton Jr.

Age: 47

Sex/Gender: Male

Country of Origin: The United Kingdom

Occupation: Foundation Scientist at Site 46

Physical Appearance

Eye color: Blue

Skin color: White, slightly pale

Hair color: Black with occasional neon purple highlights

Height: 5’ 9

Weight: 134 pounds

Body type: Underweight

Fitness level: Low

Tattoos: Scars/Birthmarks:

Disabilities: Small scar above the left eyebrow, small scar on the right forearm

Clothing: White lab coat, black dress shirt, purple tie, black jeans, black boots, white arm wraps.

Accessories: Silver wristwatch on his left wrist.

History

Birth date: March 13, 1976

Place of birth: London, England

Key family members:

Mother: Margaret Afton

Son: Michael Afton

Affiliations: SCP Foundation, Afton Robotics

Psychological Traits

Personality type: INTJ

Personality traits: Analytical, Reserved, Slightly Sadistic, Quite Psychopathic

Temperament: Melancholic

Introvert/Extrovert: Introvert

Mannerisms: Folds arms when thinking, pauses before responding,

Educational background: PhD in Robotics

Intelligence: Exceptional

Self-esteem: Mid

Hobbies: Chess, Tinkering, Reading Classic Literature

Skills/Talents: Programming, Theoretical Physics

Morals/Virtues: Questionable

Phobias/Fears: Claustrophobia, Thanatophobia

Flaws: Prioritizes Himself, Selfish, Manipulative

Communication

Languages known: English, Proficient In Spanish and French.

Accent: British

Pitch: A Little Deep, Raspy

Laughter: Echoy, Often Turns Into A Cough

Smile: Wide, Eerie, Scares Many

Strengths, Weaknesses, and Abilities

Physical strengths: Dexterous Hands

Physical weaknesses: Prone to Fatigue, Underweight

Intellectual strengths: Calm, Innovative, High Emotional Understanding

Intellectual weaknesses: Generally Uncharismatic, Awkward in Large Crowds

Interpersonal Strengths: Manipulative, Efficient Leader,

Interpersonal weaknesses: Tends to Isolate Himself, Always Seems a Bit Off

Magical abilities: N/a, may change if his experiments progress as planned.

Relationships

Lover(s):

Clara Afton (wife)

Parents/Guardians:

Margaret Afton (mother)[deceased]

William Afton Sr. (father)[deceased]

Children:

Michael Afton (son)

Elizabeth Afton (daughter)

Evan Afton (son)[deceased]

Grandparents:

Evelyn Thompson Afton (grandmother)[deceased]

Harold Afton (grandfather)[deceased]

Grandchildren: N/a

Pets: N/a

Friends: Nelson Syphus

Enemies: Many he works with do not like him very much.

Mentors/Teachers: Henry Emily (though their relationship was mutual mentors)

Character Growth

Inspiration: Non Applicable

Alignment: Lawful Evil

Character archetype: Psycho Manipulator

Goals: Wishes to discover immortality.

Motivations: To overcome death.

#multiverse tales #popcross studios #scp foundation #12's multiverse #fnaf #five nights at freddy's #william afton #au #alternate universe #character profile

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femmefatalevibe · 1 year

Note

How to survive having a job that you don't like? (Sadly. It's not the vibe. But quitting is not an option)

Hi love! I empathize with you on this one. Spending your entire day and mental energy on tasks you dread doing (and need to execute well) can be overwhelmingly draining. I'm hoping that this job only takes up 5 days of your week! Here are my best tips:

Keep Your "Why" Top of Mind: Even if a job doesn't align with your interests and passions or is in a bad working environment, you have to focus on the short-term purpose the job provides. Relish in having a steady paycheck to give you food to eat and a roof over your head. While long-term you deserve to find more purpose in your work, having a semblance of financial security will always top having to constantly worry about where your next meal is coming from – even if you hate every moment of being on the clock.

Plan Ahead: Mentally work through the following day ahead of time. Plan the tasks, meetings, and logistics right when you're ending your work day. This framework allows you to overcome the mental blocks and dread before you can go into decompress mode, so you can just wake up and go through the motions the next day. Taking the emotional aspect out of the daily work you hate is the simplest way to avoid burnout (at least in the short term).

Systemize Your Days (When Possible): Creating systems for different tasks or even your entire day can help you be more productive and lighten your mental load. This practice can help you to get your dreaded work done in less time while allowing you to feel less drained at the end of your shift. It's a win-win strategy. Create email templates you save for different types of messages (client-facing, different types of projects, scheduling meetings, presentation notes, etc.), have a folder organizing your different projects, program different Excel formats, and have outlines of decks saved – almost like a pre-made template that's actually useful (and potentially unique).

Focus On Skill Building Over Purpose: Consider the transferable skills you're acquiring while enduring this position – even if they don't pertain to your desired industry or role. Some of these universally-helpful transferable skills include writing a killer email, building a convincing case or admirable deck, learning how to speak to clients or stakeholders with confidence and grace, team-building and collaboration, organization, interpersonal communication, or simply prolonging your attention span. Reflect and dive deep to consider all the life lessons you can leverage later on by holding down this occupation.

Find Ways To Network Outside of Work Hours: Follow & connect with colleagues and influential figures in your industry on social media. Thoughtfully engage with the content they share. Ask about treating them to coffee for an informational interview. Go out to industry-related events, conferences, etc., and make sure to connect with those you met on LinkedIn the next day with a personalized connection message. Connect two of your mutual connections whenever possible. Allow karma to work in your favor.

Lurk, Research, & Study To Optimize Your Job Search: Set aside 20-30 minutes a day to search LinkedIn, job boards, social media (Twitter, Instagram), etc. to see potential next opportunities and evaluate the current market, trends, and most in-demand skillsets within your field/industry. Always tailor your applications and messages to mutual connections or hiring managers when applying to new roles. Be aware of your desired role/industry is evolving. Upskill whenever possible to increase your market value.

Incorporate Simple Pleasures Into Your Days: Make your favorite coffee every morning, have a go-to playlist that improves your mood to listen to before work, incorporate your favorite healthy meals into your week, find a workout you enjoy to add into your day either before or after work, indulge in a favorite book or TV show after work as a "reward" for making it through the day. Practice self-care – do a face mask or specialty hair treatment on a weeknight. Invest in an at-home massage tool or luxurious loungewear to wear in the evenings.

Indulge In A Creative Outlet: Find an opportunity for growth and self-expression outside of a workplace setting. Write, read, paint, draw, cook, bake, take a dance class, learn a new language, how to play a new instrument, or about interior design. Create Pinterest boards, poems, new playlists, and new recipes to celebrate your desire for variety in your otherwise mundane life.

Have Plans To Look Forward To Every Week: Whether it's hanging out with friends, going to a museum, watching a movie, or taking a walk along your favorite local route. Ensure you enjoy how you spend your days off. Don't waste time worrying about a dead-end job when you're off the clock. Spending your leisure time on your own terms. Take this time to do what you love.

Romanticize The Lifestyle It Provides: When motivation or your morale hits a low point, take time for gratitude and focus on the resources this job allows you to integrate into your life – whether that's a roof over your head, the opportunity to eat meals you enjoy, wear outfits you love, or even just provide you some sort of daily routine.

Consider your current job as a chapter in your life and career. Acquire the lessons, skills, relationships, and resources you can as preparation for the next stage in your ever-evolving journey.

Hope this helps xx

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foxbirdy · 1 year

Note

What kinds of Interview questions do you get in your field? I totally bombed an interview and didn't get an internship I really wanted and I want to try and be more prepared next time.

Sorry to hear you blew an interview :( interviewing can for sure be tricky. I think interviewing strategies for field jobs definitely depend on what kind of job you're looking at, but I'll try to go over some interview questions I feel like I see often, and what I think people are looking for:

"Why are you interested in this position?"

- Be sure to give a multi-tier answer for this question, and bring up specifics about the job! Don't just say "it's in my field of study/chosen career" or "I want to get more experience." Say "I'm studying [field] because I'm interested in [something that's specific to that position], and I think this job would be a great way to channel that passion and develop those skills." If you have relevant experience, touch on that, too! Again, don't just say "I have experience in [field]," but do say "I know from past experience at [jobs] that this is work that I love and can excel at, and I'm looking for opportunities to continue that work." Make sure they understand that you are motivated and passionate! "I think this program is exciting, and I want to contribute."

"What experience do you have?"

- Including anything relevant! Hobbies, volunteer work, personal research, actual jobs - give them something to work with. Don't downplay your achievements! If they ask if you have a specific skillset that you don't have, don't lie (this can really bite you in a field job, where you can encounter dangerous situations), but say that it's a skillset you'd really love to learn. Especially if that skill is part of what drew you to the job! "No, I don't have that skill - this job drew my attention because I want to learn it." Have the audacity to believe you can learn anything if you try.

"Are you prepared for [xyz]?"

- Depending on the position, there can be a lot of challenges you face on the job! A lot of what hiring managers are screening for is a person who isn't going to quit (or become dangerous to themselves or others) if they have to sleep on the ground or eat weird food or deal with biting insects or encounter outdoor hazards. A person might be okay with those things for a few days or a week or a month - but what about three months? Six months? A year? If they care about their field workers, they're going to try and scare you in the interview with the worst that you could possibly expect, because that is their ethical obligation. It can be difficult or even impossible to take someone out of the field once they are there. My advice for giving your interviewer confidence about your ability to handle adversity is to a) share examples and stories of difficulty you've overcome at a job, and b) to talk about your strategies for managing your mental and physical health, including knowing when it's time to ask for assistance! Interviewers want to hear that the person they are hiring knows how to practice self-care that bolsters their resilience, and that they will talk to field support about problems they're having before it's a crisis.

"How do you manage interpersonal conflict?"

- Similar to the above, this question is an interviewer trying to ascertain that you won't turn into the Joker after you've been alone in a small group for a couple weeks. The bonds you form with your crew in remote fieldwork are intense, and so conflict can be equally intense! Make sure to talk about your strategies for managing healthy conflict, and emphasize open, honest, and vulnerable communication. Talk about how you keep cool in a crisis, and share stories and examples of overcoming difficulty and conflict in a team setting.

This obviously isn't everything you might get asked for an interview, but I hope it's a good look at what interviewers are looking for (at least in my experience). Good luck and happy trails!

#beckett.txt #dirtbag tag #asks #anonymous

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exhuastedpigeon · 1 month

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I have a question—how do you churn out such big brained thoughts multiple times in one day?!? 🤩

HELLLLLO ANON!

Fun fact about me - I have a masters degree in communication and while I get to use SOME of what I learned in my program in my day job, I don't get to use most of it. My degree focused on interpersonal communication so I'm extremely in to the interpersonal dynamics in fiction, so when I get asks like the ones I've gotten today it feels like a treat for me because I get to pull out all my communication skills.

Also, thank you for thinking they're big brained thoughts. I'm glad at least one person besides myself enjoys them!

#asked and answered #han rambles

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marveltrumpshate · 1 year

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Marvel Trumps Hate is looking for people to join our team!

Thank you to everyone who has applied. We’ll be closing applications on Wednesday, July 5, which is when we’ll make a decision and get back to all applicants, so don’t worry if you haven’t heard from us yet!

This means you still have two weeks to apply for an event team position if you haven’t already. Again, if you’re on the event team, that doesn’t prevent you from also participating in the auction, but you aren’t obligated to do so either.

If you’re interested in joining our team, please email [email protected] and include the following information:

Confirmation that you’re over 18

The best way to contact you

What position you’re applying for: server mod, developer, or designer

Availability: Please let us know what time zone you’re in and what days/how many hours per week you can commit to MTH from the start of September to the start of November

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. You can reach us by email, Tumblr Messenger, askbox, or Twitter DM. Thank you!

#marvel trumps hate #announcement #mth 2023

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priya-joshi · 4 months

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Getting Started with Full-Stack Web Development: Obstacles and Opportunities

Embarking on the journey to becoming a full-stack web developer offers a blend of exhilarating challenges and rewarding accomplishments. In this guide, we'll explore the intricacies of mastering full-stack development, delving into the obstacles you may face along the way and the triumphs that await those who persevere.

Introduction

Mastering full-stack web development is akin to embarking on a thrilling adventure—one that promises countless opportunities for growth, innovation, and professional fulfillment. However, the road to proficiency is not without its hurdles. In this blog, we'll navigate through the challenges aspiring full-stack developers may encounter, as well as the triumphs that come with overcoming them.

1. Diverse Skill Set

Full-stack web development demands proficiency in a diverse range of skills, spanning from frontend technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to backend languages such as Python, Ruby, or Node.js. Additionally, expertise in databases, server management, and deployment processes is crucial. Acquiring mastery in these areas requires dedication, time, and a continuous commitment to learning and adaptation.

2. Ever-Evolving Landscape

The realm of web development is in a perpetual state of evolution, with new frameworks, libraries, and tools emerging at a rapid pace. Keeping pace with these advancements and constantly updating your skill set is imperative to remain competitive in the industry. Allocate time to explore emerging technologies, enroll in online courses, and engage with the developer community to stay ahead of the curve.

3. Complexity of Projects

Full-stack developers often tackle intricate projects that necessitate the integration of various technologies and components. Managing the intricacies of these projects, troubleshooting issues, and ensuring seamless interaction between frontend and backend systems can be daunting. Nonetheless, overcoming these challenges cultivates invaluable problem-solving skills and deepens your comprehension of web development principles.

4. In-Depth Understanding

To excel as a full-stack developer, a profound understanding of programming concepts, algorithms, and data structures is indispensable. Mastery of these foundational principles empowers you to write concise, efficient code and tackle complex technical challenges with confidence. Dedicate time to delve into computer science fundamentals and engage in coding exercises to fortify your expertise.

5. Effective Problem Solving

Effective problem-solving is a hallmark of successful full-stack developers. Debugging code, identifying bottlenecks, and optimizing performance demand astute analytical skills and a systematic approach. Collaborating with peers, leveraging online resources, and seeking mentorship can facilitate the navigation of complex technical hurdles and yield effective solutions.

6. Strategic Time Management

Balancing multiple responsibilities, including frontend and backend development, database management, and project deployment, necessitates adept time management skills. Prioritize tasks, establish realistic timelines, and leverage productivity tools to streamline your workflow and maximize productivity. Reserve time for ongoing learning and professional development to continually enhance your skill set.

7. Cultivating Team Collaboration

Full-stack developers often collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, comprising designers, frontend developers, backend developers, and other stakeholders. Effective communication, teamwork, and collaboration are vital for project success. Foster strong interpersonal relationships, actively contribute in team settings, and cultivate a culture of open communication and collaboration within your team.

8. Prioritizing Security

Understanding security best practices and implementing robust security measures is paramount in web development. Full-stack developers must remain vigilant in identifying and mitigating security vulnerabilities to safeguard sensitive data and uphold the integrity of web applications. Stay informed about prevalent security threats, adhere to industry best practices, and consistently update your knowledge to proactively address emerging risks.

Conclusion

Embarking on the journey to becoming a full-stack web developer is a thrilling endeavor marked by challenges and triumphs. By embracing the obstacles, refining your skills, and maintaining a steadfast commitment to learning and growth, you can unlock a realm of opportunities and embark on a gratifying career in web development. Remember, each challenge surmounted brings you closer to mastery, and the journey itself is as enriching as the destination.

#full stack developer #education #information #full stack web development #web development #front end development #full stack developer course #technology #backend

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girderednerve · 6 months

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apologies dear friends i continue to be: a grouchy old man, obsessed with libraries

my new job is fine objectively like there is nothing wrong with it but my boss is very "do storytime, do more storytime, we must schedule storytime," and does not really listen to anything i say, such as 'i would like to do less early literacy programming so that i have some time to do programs for elementary & early middle schoolers,' or 'please schedule me on the youth desk instead of giving me nothing but unstructured office time, leaving me isolated & uninvolved in the day-to-day operations of the library, with which i need to rapidly develop familiarity,' or 'our desk schedule actually should not be rigidly set a month in advance, because we need to be flexible & can work out desk coverage on a department level,' or 'you actually do need to have a clear & specific plan for emergencies, including severe patron issues, & this plan should be communicated to all staff instead of vaguely stashed four folders deep in the shared drive'. (actually when i repeatedly pressed for clarity on who is in charge at any given time she posted an updated chain-of-command document which listed, for some reason, me? as third in line in case of emergency? which is just bugfuck)

it feels very frustrating & i know that many of these problems will resolve themselves as i begin to actually do programs—i haven't been able to because all programming at this library must have at least 2 weeks' advance notice, and i came onboard right after thanksgiving/needed time to get my bearings at least a little—so we can get some cute kid pictures to placate the board & build more of a sense of what is needed. but i still don't really know how to pull reports so i can't weed, i only just got ordering credentials this week & have had to find $2k of books to add to a library collection with which i am largely unfamiliar & for which i have absolutely zero circulation numbers, & nobody has actually given me an up-to-date budget (i am meant to guess, i suppose?). it feels kind of like a slow ongoing disaster; i know this feeling is partially because i have 2 hours' round-trip commute to worry & stew & so on, but i also am just like. girl you are a bad manager. you have persistent staff issues because you are not good at managing people. every meeting you are in is worse because you are in it. you cannot handle interpersonal tensions by having your assistant make friendly 'reminders' to all staff which are obviously about a single person, that never works. i have really strong feelings about management for a person who does not want to be in management! should probably try to walk that one off!

i cornered the adult services/sysadmin librarian today to talk to him about some stub ideas i have for kid programs about 'learning to code,' because we have (apparently) gotten lots of requests for this kind of thing, & basically everything on offer is just buzzwordy bullshit like 'make a bracelet that spells your kid's name in binary using different color beads!' or 'buy this expensive piece of edtech which will be unsupported in six months & anyway only introduces kids to our very closed environment!' or 'just let them spend some time on the computer, so their elastic little brains can pick up digital literacy skills by exposure :)'. so i had some ideas which seemed less like, um, nonsense, but i don't actually know how to code (am stupid) so i wanted to run them past him to get a sense of whether there was any real content there. i want to build a little model transistor & talk about why computers use binary. i want to use a makey makey to have the kids construct a sort of human circuit by holding hands, so we can model a logic gate. i want to write an if-then chart together & roll dice to determine which dance moves we do (cf. a ucla comp sci prof's exercises with her four-year-old). i want to use a makey makey to make a simple morse code transmitter so we can talk about encryption & transmission. i want to make an escape room so we can practice some very basic math & simple decryption (& also persistence!). i want to have tweens play scaled-down capture the flag to think about security. my boss just wants me to do three storytimes a week into infinity

anyway i am still marinating on my computer skills for kids concepts (it's mostly buzzwordy bullshit! even the stuff i want to do is kind of bullshit, lol) & plotting my wind tunnel/paper airplane prototyping program & figuring out when i can schedule my middle grade graphic novel book club. i am trying to figure out how this job might be doable. maybe someday i will want to go to work. america autem delenda est

#irredeemable whining #i ideologically reject thinking this much about work not at work & yet here i am: thinking about work So Hard. losercore #if you have thoughts on digital literacy trends please weigh in i love other people's opinions #even if they are like 'kestrel girderednerve these are literally so stupid'#i am just kind of having this problem where i don't really know what my job is? or how to do it?

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