#Literacy Mid-South

[probablyasocialecologist]

Where poverty has declined, it was not capitalism but rather progressive social movements and public policies, arising in the mid-20th century, that freed people from deprivation. While more research is needed to confirm this point, it is worth noting that these findings are consistent with previous studies. Amartya Sen (1981) finds that between 1960 and 1977, the countries that made the strongest achievements in life expectancy and literacy were those that invested in public provisioning. Countries governed by communist parties (Cuba, Vietnam, China, etc.) performed exceptionally well, as did countries with state-led industrial policies (South Korea, Taiwan, etc.). Similarly, Cereseto and Waitzkin (1986) find that in 1980, socialist planned economies performed better on life expectancy, mean years of schooling, and other social indicators than their capitalist counterparts at a similar level of economic development. Navarro (1993) reached similar conclusions: when it comes to life expectancy and mortality, Cuba performed considerably better than the capitalist states of Latin America, and China performs better than India. Navarro also found that, amongst the developed capitalist countries, the social democracies with generous welfare states (i.e., Scandinavia) have superior health outcomes to neo-liberal states like the US. Poverty alleviation and gains in human health have historically been linked to socialist political movements and public action, not to capitalism.

Dylan Sullivan and Jason Hickel, Capitalism and extreme poverty: A global analysis of real wages, human height, and mortality since the long 16th century

[olderthannetfic]

olderthannetfic/729300911208448001/the-reason-theres-more-positivity-for

This is trolling. No one assumes trans men are masculine. We get called boys even in our 30s, drawn as skinny white AFABs in layers of soft clothing, and reassured that it's okay if we want to kiss other boys. Actually, being assured that you're a cutie patootie fem uwu is really dysphoria inducing for a lot of trans men. I was on tumblr when I had just come out when I was 15 and it was incredibly discouraging to see the posts fawning over adorable wittle twans bois. I'm 25, I don't want to hold hands with a boy, I want to fuck a man. I don't want to change my hobbies and I don't care if people think it's toxic masculinity that makes me like "manly" things (way to assign the binary to activities, real progressive of you) and I don't get anything from "let boys be soft" with clapping emojis and sparkles inbetween every word with glittering font. "No actually it's good to not support part of a marginalized group!" no. Your trolling is shit and so are you.

And the idea that ace people are assumed to be against sex actually made me laugh out loud. I'm working on my doctorate and actually, on college campuses? I've heard from professors - not students, professors, adults old enough to have college-age kids - that ace people have sex at the same rate as straights but they need more foreplay, ace people just need more time to get to know you but after that they're sexually indistinguishable from heterosexuals, that asexuality isn't real, that asexuality is an internet label people use instead of admitting that they can't get laid, and my least favorite, that any man who says he's asexual is actually an incel/that asexuality is another term for incels and femcels. Then you hop online and the internet goes, "Ace people love sex! Ace people love kink! Ace people have just as much sexual attraction as other people! You'r'e valid if you're ace and fuck/do kink/are attracted to everyone!" and if there's positivity for people who are ace who aren't into sex, I've yet to see it. Hell, being not into sex gets you labeled "repulsed", like you're retreating from it the way the Wicked Witch of the West would from water and not just not into it. That happened even in OTNF's own comment section, and these are not uneducated people when it comes to queerness, we've just normalized that sex is a part of everyone's identity so much that even if you're asexual, it's weird and must be a repulsion thing if you're not into it. "Uh actually everyone assumes [__] so there's no need for positivity for [__]" fucking where?! Where are all these people who assume being asexual = not wanting sex?

For the record, I got my undergrad at two different universities due to a change of major, got my master's at another, and am getting my doctorate at a fourth, all in four different US states. One was in the Northeast, one was in the South, one was in the Midwest and now I'm on the West Coast. And I have never encountered people who assume trans men are manly or that asexual people don't have sex.

I have encountered sex negative asexuals, people who get so upset they leave the room if you make a joke involving them and sex, who interrupt the professor mid-lecture to say, "Ace people have sex!", though. That's how deeply this is ingrained in some people's minds, they will say it even when it does not apply to them, even when it's the opposite of themselves, so they can make sure they are Educating The Cishetallos and, more importantly, then share the moment they had to do so with their progressive friends for brownie points/in order to be seen as One Of The Good Queers who educates others.

As for the weird thing in the troll ask pretending anyone who talks about their lived experience believes in a conspiracy... do yourself a favor and get help bringing up your literacy before you take the SAT/ACT, kid. Not only is your trolling shit but you don't understand what the word conspiracy means. Someone saying, "[insert thing here] happened to me" is not a conspiracy and this is why your English teachers gave you C's - to get you out of their classroom and make your lack of comprehension someone else's problem.

In the event this wasn't a troll but was actually what you read, please get two tutors and possibly a screening for any latent anxiety or mental illnesses that would explain how you read people venting about shitty life experiences and thought they believed there was a conspiracy of some kind going on. Because that's the kind of making shit up out of thin air my dad, who has diagnosed Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Paranoid Personality Disorder, would do, and it's not a great sign if you read people going, "the people around me are shitty about this" and jumped to "the people who sent those asks are saying there's a conspiracy theory against them and I am the one sole person who can see the truth here!"

I really don't know how to explain this to people but if someone says something is shitty on their campus, they're saying something is shitty on their campus. It's not a personal attack or conspiracy. Sometimes shit fucking sucks and it's exactly that deep.

--

You wouldn't think "Someone had a stupid-ass opinion on my college campus" would be that hard to believe.

[dwellordream]

“In the Puritan colonies, civil authorities deemed knowledge of the Bible so important that they passed laws requiring that children attain basic literacy. Taught by their parents, by the head of the household in which they served as apprentices, or, increasingly after 1690, in a ‘dame school’ that convened in the home of a local woman during slack periods of the agricultural year, most boys and girls probably learned how to read. Writing, however, was considered a separate skill (even an art), one reserved primarily for boys.

…In mid-17th-century New England, roughly 60 percent of white men could write well enough to sign their names on a will; only 30 percent of Anglo-American women could. As late as 1775, when nine out of ten white men in the region could write, less than half of New England’s white women had the same degree of skill. The gap would not be closed until the second quarter of the 19th century.

…In the Dutch colony of New Netherland, in contrast, an economy based on commerce made knowing how to read and write essential. There, literacy was widespread for men and women alike. Although boys typically received more schooling than their sisters, most girls learned the rudiments of reading, writing, and math. In the late 17th century, an estimated 80 percent of women in New Netherland could write.

…Formal education for African-American slaves was virtually nonexistent, especially in the South, where less than 1 percent of blacks of either sex could read and write. In New England, where the population of slaves and free blacks remained small, black children might receive some rudimentary schooling by attending classes along with their white neighbors.

…In New England, most women had reached their early 20s before they married for the first time. In the Chesapeake, a more complicated pattern held sway. For women like Elizabeth Montague, who came to Virginia from England in the early 1650s, marriage had to wait until the end of a lengthy indenture. Many women of her generation were thus over 25 years old by the time they were free to wed. …The woman who survived her childbearing years (most in the Chesapeake did not) would have delivered, on average, eight or nine children over the course of her reproductive life. As many as 13 or 13 live births were not unheard of.

…Throughout the 1600s, roughly one-quarter of the children born in the Chesapeake died before their first birthdays; fewer than half reached the age of 20. New England proved much healthier: nine out of ten infants born there survived at least until age five, and perhaps three-quarters lived to see adulthood.

…The woman’s vow of submission in marriage expressed a view of that world that imagined man to be superior and woman to be inferior in almost every respect. Many English writers of the day referred to women as ‘the weaker vessel,’ a phrase denoting a being with less intellectual ability, less physical capacity, and less moral fortitude than a man. …Even among the English, female submission was upheld more often in sermons and statutes than in actual practice. In day-to-day reality if not in law and letters, wives in British America were meaningful partners in their marriages. They were not, in any sense, their husbands’ equals.

…In New England, where marriage was regarded as a civil contract that the courts could dissolve, divorce was granted when a spouse could prove adultery, unusual cruelty, or desertion. In New York and Pennsylvania, only adultery was considered grounds to terminate a marriage. In the southern colonies the Church of England followed the same rules as it did in the home country; divorce was granted only by a special act of the legislature.”

- Jane Kamensky, “Of Marriage and Motherhood: Family Lives” in The Colonial Mosaic: American Women, 1600-1760

[superstition13]

Being an Australian girl born and raised, and one who lives in Sydney, you can imagine how happy I was when I was watching Free! and found out that Rin spent time in Australia (specifically Sydney I think?) The fact that the poor guy would have had to also sit through those stupid ass NAPLAN exams they make us do in primary school and high school makes me feel SEEN damnit.

I'm pretty sure the only country they even do it in is Australia, but I needed to get this thought out there. It's definitely something he would have had to do while living over here, and it just makes me happy that he would have had to deal with it as well. And if any there are other Aussies see this who are also a fan of Free! and had to sit through NAPLAN testing, I hope this realisation makes you smile or laugh too! 😁

Oh! And for the people who don't know what NAPLAN is,and you want to so you can maybe better understand what it is and why I (along with pretty much everyone who has ever had to do it) hate the damn thing so much, I'll break it down below for you! You don't have to read it, but it's there if you want to, it doesn't impact on what I said above, it just explains what it is and why most people hate it and/or think it's so dumb. ♥

༻𓊈𒆜Random Info𒆜𓊉༺

NAPLAN testing is just a stupid series of tests kids in Australia have to sit through during their education. You only do it in your third, fifth, seventh, and ninth years of school (although if you fail it in your ninth year you have to retake it until you pass). It stands for National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy and like the name suggests it tests your literacy and numeracy skills and started back in 2008. As you may have noticed, I, along with a lot of other Australians, think it's dumb.

For starters, we aren't even graded on it. Sure we receive a pass or a fail, but it doesn't actually count towards the grades we receive in school or the results of any other exams we take. You sit the tests, the results come back, and it tells you whether or not your skills in that area are average, below, or above. A passing grade is just in the average margin or above average margin, but again it doesn't actually count towards anything and you don't have to retake it if you 'fail.' The only time you have to retake it is in your ninth year of school if you fail. You sit the tests you failed again in your tenth year and you retake it until you get into the average or above margins.

All in all it's pretty much considered a huge failure and a lot of schools in Australia are trying to circle it out of their curriculum. I think I heard a while back that most states don't do it anymore, but Queensland and New South Wales still do. People argue that it's more of a reflection of our teachers abilities to actually teach us, but again it's pretty much this huge failure.

It's taken by just about every kid in the country in the third, fifth, seventh, and ninth years of school. There are some exemptions but it's sat by a very large majority of students in those year levels. It costs about $100 million a year for everything that goes into it but it doesn't actually improve teaching standards, offer much insight, enhance educational resources, or boost the well-being of students and teachers. There's little to no educational value and the reliability of results is poor at best. Not to mention the fact that we receive the results a whole five months after the test itself.

The school year starts in late January and the test is done in May, so it's usually around October that we get the results. Considering the school year ends in mid-December, it's impossible to even consider let alone create a meaningful change that will assist students and their teachers in anyway shape or form before the end of the school year. Even though some argue that it's a reflection of a teacher's ability to educate, it actually indicates very little in regards to a teacher's quality and actually seems to encourage a poorer quality in teaching. It promotes a superficial kind of learning as opposed to one that focuses on encouraging creativity and cultivating complex knowledge and skills needed in the real world. Not to mention it doesn't demonstrate a kid's performance in sport, science, and the performing arts.

It just gives students a load of unnecessary stress and anxiety, not to mention that some of the kids who are taking it are as young as seven years old (and I'm one of those kids)! I managed to scrape a pass whenever I had to do a NAPLAN test but it still told me that my performance would affect my ability to succeed in school and in life. Most of only started realising how stupid and flawed it was in our seventh and ninth years of school, but by then we were already becoming accustomed to the ridiculous amount of pressure by our teachers to do well, otherwise we'd be seen as below average and dumb.

Yes, it is definitely important to see and measure how well students are performing and how well teachers are educating their students, but NAPLAN is in no way a reliable way to test these things. It's unreliable and skewed data, isn't a reflection of genuine ability, only tests a very narrow field of education, and delivers an enormous amount of pressure to children as young as seven years old.

Despite all these flaws and the absolute failure that is the NAPLAN exams, it's one if the few (if only) nationwide tests that Australian kids have to take. And again, this costs Australian taxpayers around $100 MILLION a year.

It's stupid, I hate it, we all hate it. Rin probably would have had to take it so yeah, that makes me happy to know that he probably had the same experience as me :)

[otstudentwithalife]

As an OT student in Cato Manor, I have always felt that the journey toward sustainable development feels a bit like trying to patch up a raining roof with duct tape. Let’s look at some Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through my opinionated, satirical lens. 

No Poverty (Mission Impossible: Newest Edition)

Poverty in South Africa is like that one relative who stays way past they are welcome, it's been around forever, and no one knows how to make it leave. With 55.5% of the population living below the poverty line (Stats SA, 2020), it's evident not only to myself hopefully that we are not just going through "a rough patch." In Cato Manor, the poverty rate currently is 63%, meaning that nearly 2/3 of the population struggles with basic needs. The challenge of decreasing poverty here feels like trying to solve a Rubik's cube while blindfolded. But, as an OT student, surely, I can tackle what entire governments have failed to achieve, right?

Of course, I can't end poverty overnight. However, through community-centered occupational therapy interventions like skills training and entrepreneurship workshops, we can empower residents to create sustainable livelihoods. For instance, the promotion of small-scale home businesses and vocational rehabilitation services can help individuals move closer to economic independence (Marmot, 2015). After all, empowering people to help themselves is the foundation for sustainable poverty reduction.

Zero Hunger (Surviving on Dreams)

Ah, hunger—the daily "diet plan" nobody asked for! Food insecurity remains a pressing concern in South Africa, with 11% of households experiencing hunger (Stats SA, 2021). Hunger in South Africa has become more than just an empty stomach; it’s a widespread societal issue. As an OT student, I was able to support local community initiatives such as helping in the local soup kitchen. The implementation of gardening initiatives by offering education on sustainable agricultural practices for the soup kitchen. These gardens wouldn’t only provide fresh, fruit and vegetables but also serve the community as therapeutic activities where the community workers can engage in physical activity, and feel a sense of accomplishment. The act of gardening itself has been shown to improve mental health and promote well-being (Altman et al., 2020). Partnering with local schools and organizations for nutrition education also lays the groundwork for long-term food security. These practical applications of occupational therapy would support both physical and mental health, addressing hunger and promoting well-being simultaneously.

Quality Education (The Children Are the Future)

Education in South Africa can feel a bit like watching your favourite series get cancelled mid-season—just when you think it's getting better, the system falls apart. Education is a fundamental human right, yet many children in South Africa face barriers to accessing quality education. While 78% of Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning (PIRLS, 2021), the Department of Education assures us of an 80% matric pass rate, conveniently curved after lowering the standards. In Cato Manor, We have been working with Mayville Primary and Secondary Schools and local daycares to bridge the education gap. Through the implementation of literacy and numeracy programs, we aimed to give children the tools they need to succeed in their academics which they were struggling with previously. At Mbali’s Daycare, we’ve been identifying children with learning difficulties and developmental delays early on, implementing interventions to ensure that all children get access (Department of Basic Education, 2021). 

Good Health and Well-Being (Surviving South Africa’s Healthcare System)

South Africa's healthcare system is “doing fantastic”—if by fantastic, you mean “still functioning despite falling apart at the seams.” The country faces a double burden of disease: high rates of both communicable and non-communicable diseases, with mental health issues on the rise (Coovadia et al., 2009). Adding to that, 30% of South Africans are expected to experience mental illness in their lifetime (South African Depression and Anxiety Group, 2022). In Cato Manor, where residents face daily challenges, addressing mental health is crucial to achieving this SDG. Let’s face it—patients don't visit the clinic in Cato Manor, they camp there all day in the waiting for the disorganized filing room, the nurses are constantly on lunch at vitals, and the 1 OT at rehab when we aren’t around.

So we contributed firstly to health promotion by facilitating health promotion talks on physical and mental health, providing education on preventive healthcare, and providing screenings for adult mothers and their children in various settings including Philamntwana and Cato Manor Clinic. The implementation of community-based rehabilitation programs will also help individuals with chronic conditions manage their health more effectively which was previously attempted with the active aging group. By focusing on early intervention and promoting healthy living, we can improve overall well-being in the community (Marmot, 2015). 

 Reduced Inequalities (What I Call the Delusion of Equality)

I can admit , I’ve had my fair share of delusions especially before community block where I’ve been forced to look at research then relook at it in the SA context which are 2 vastly different lenses. Reducing inequalities in South Africa is as almost as straightforward as trying to complete a jigsaw puzzle during a rollercoaster ride while also trying not to vomit. Despite the progress that has been made since the end of apartheid, South Africa remains one of the most unequal societies in the world (World Bank, 2022).

As an OT student, I’ve focused on advocating for inclusive practices within the community. This involves working with local businesses to accommodate workers with disabilities, ensuring that public spaces are accessible, and providing rehabilitation services that empower individuals to live independently such as skills development workshops for the unemployed youth can be implemented at the community center with the correct resources. Breaking down barriers to opportunity requires both advocacy and community education. Through our efforts, we aim to ensure that everyone—regardless of ability or gender—has the chance to thrive.

In the face of these obstacles, all we can do is what South Africans do best—laugh, keep smiling, and get creative especially as OT students in the community. As OT students, our work in the community may feel like using duct tape to stop a leaking roof, but we know that resilience is in our DNA. The journey toward sustainable development is not a sprint but a marathon requiring collective effort. By addressing these SDGs, we can build a more equitable society where everyone can flourish.

After all the saying is: if you teach a man to fish, he’ll eat for a lifetime. But if you teach a community to garden, they’ll feed generations.

References

Altman, J. C., Mena, S. E., & Ferreira, S. (2020). The impact of gardening on mental health and well-being: A systematic review. Health & Place, 66, 102418. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2020.102418

Coovadia, H., Jewkes, R., Barron, P., Sanders, D., & McIntyre, D. (2009). The health and health system of South Africa: Historical roots of current public health challenges. The Lancet, 374(9692), 817-834. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(09)60951-0

Department of Basic Education. (2021). Annual report 2020/2021. https://www.education.gov.za/AnnualReports.aspx

Marmot, M. (2015). The health gap: The challenge of an unequal world. Bloomsbury Publishing.

South African Depression and Anxiety Group. (2022). Mental health statistics in South Africa. https://www.sadag.org

Stats SA. (2020). Poverty trends in South Africa: An examination of absolute poverty between 2006 and 2015. https://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/Report-03-10-06/Report-03-10-062015.pdf

Stats SA. (2021). General household survey 2020. https://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0318/P03182020.pdf

World Bank. (2022). South Africa overview. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/southafrica/overview

[college-buz]

India Faces Education Quality Decline, Alarming Literacy Trends: Study

The study showed that Indian women who received five years of schooling during the 1960s exhibited better learning outcomes than those born in the 1990s.

Delhi: Education quality has deteriorated in 56 of 87 developing countries since the 1960s, including India, according to a 2022 working paper by researchers at the Centre for Global Development, a think-tank based in Washington DC,

This decades-long decline has marked a profound concern for international organisations such as the World Bank and UNESCO, which termed it a “learning crisis” in these regions. Basic literacy and numeracy skills have become increasingly elusive for students.

For instance, Indian students, when assessed on international learning standards, score on average at about the 5th percentile (bottom 5%) compared to their counterparts in advanced economies, the study noted. This is an indication of the challenges plaguing India’s education system.

One striking finding was that women in India who received five years of schooling during the 1960s exhibited better learning outcomes than those born in the 1990s. This suggested a potential decline in the quality of primary education, a disconcerting revelation from the study.

“Taken at face value, the estimates for India suggest the probability a woman with five years of schooling would become literate was nearly 100 percent for the 1960s birth cohorts, but had fallen to roughly 40 percent for the mid-1990s cohorts,” it said.

“Results from our age-period-cohort model of literacy rates reveal a picture of overall stagnation in education quality in the developing world, and fairly stable gaps in quality across countries. We find virtually no case worldwide of dramatic improvements in education quality over a fifty-year time horizon,” the study said.

However, on the brighter side, from the cohort born in the 1960’s to the cohort born in the 1990’s, women’s access to five or more years of schooling rose by 42 percentage points in South Asia.

The reserachers also found evidence of a significant decline in education quality for a few large developing countries, among which India figures.

As primary education quality declines, especially in developing nations like India, one might wonder how literacy rates are still increasing. The researchers say that these countries are making up for the drop in education quality by extending the number of years students spend in school.

“Literacy gains associated with increased schooling rates far outpaced the offsetting effect of declining quality, i.e., literacy conditional on schooling,” it stated.

“From a policy perspective, the fact that most developing countries with high (unconditional) literacy rates achieved them primarily by increasing average years of schooling rather than school quality may be instructive for lagging countries. Expanding access to schooling has produced remarkable gains in overall literacy, while not much else has,” the study added.

Age effects on literacy tend to be either flat or declining for a subset of countries — especially India, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia. Due to this, “rather than acquiring human capital in the form of literacy over their life cycle, women tend to lose it through a process of decay during their adult lifetimes,” the study mentioned.

“As we control for cohort fixed effects and age and age squared, the gap in literacy for women or men born the same year but interviewed at different dates is entirely attributed to age effects. Estimates age effects are relatively large with women expected to lose 25 percentage points of literacy between age 20 and 40 and men 20 percentage points. Since predictions of literacy at grade 5 are estimated for individuals at age 20, the model predicts that a steep downward trend in school quality between the first and the last cohorts,” it said,

It further added that analysis of raw data from the two national surveys considered for India shows that there is a drop of literacy of more than 10 percentage points between data collected in 2005/06 and data collected in 2015/16 for women born the same year

The study on three main indicators to document changes in educational outcomes: share of birth cohort accessing grade five, as well as the literacy rate and average education quality, which indicates the estimated literacy for an adult with five years of schooling.

[skolarrssolutions]

Azerbaijan Scholarships A Gateway to Academic Excellence

For scholars around the world, the pursuit of advanced education can be a challenge, both academically and financially. numerous scholars face the dilemma of trying to find an estimable institution that's affordable and provides the coffers they need to succeed. Fortunately, Azerbaijan literacy offer a result for scholars who are looking for a high- quality education at an affordable cost.

Azerbaijan, located in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia, is a country that has been fleetly growing in recent times. The country is home to a different culture and offers a unique mix of Eastern and Western influences. Azerbaijan has also come a popular destination for transnational scholars looking to pursue advanced education. With a variety of programs and literacy available, Azerbaijan offers an occasion for scholars to achieve academic excellence in a probative and different terrain.

One of the primary benefits of studying in Azerbaijan is the country's commitment to education. Azerbaijan places a strong emphasis on education and has invested heavily in its education system in recent times. The country has made significant progress in perfecting access to education, Study in Azerbaijan adding knowledge rates, and perfecting the quality of education offered. Azerbaijan is home to numerous estimable universities, including Baku State University, Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University, and Azerbaijan Medical University.

In addition to its commitment to education, Azerbaijan offers a range of education openings for transnational scholars. These literacies cover a variety of academic disciplines, including wisdom, technology, engineering, mathematics, humanities, and social lores. Some literacies are available at the undergraduate position, while others are intended for graduate scholars. numerous of these literacy cover education freights, living charges, and other costs associated with studying in Azerbaijan.

One of the most significant advantages of studying in Azerbaijan is the low cost of living. Compared to other countries in the region, the cost of living in Azerbaijan is low. Accommodation, food, and transportation costs are all significantly lower than in other countries, making it an affordable destination for scholars. also, numerous universities in Azerbaijan offer affordable casing options for scholars, including dormitories and participated apartments.

Another advantage of studying in Azerbaijan is the opportunity to experience a unique and diverse culture. Azerbaijan is home to a rich artistic heritage, which is reflected in its food, music, cotillion, and art. transnational scholars studying in Azerbaijan have the occasion to immerse themselves in this culture and learn about its history and traditions. This can be a precious experience for scholars who are looking to broaden their mid airs and gain a deeper understanding of the world around them.

Must Read This: Choosing The Right Study Abroad Program: Tips And Tricks For Coimbatore Students

Moreover, studying in Azerbaijan provides students with an opportunity to develop their language skills. Azerbaijani is the official language of the country, but many people also speak Russian and English. International students studying in Azerbaijan can learn Azerbaijani or improve their Russian or English language skills. This can be an asset in today's global economy, as fluency in multiple languages is highly valued by employers.

In conclusion, Azerbaijan scholarships offer a unique opportunity for students to achieve academic excellence in a supportive and diverse environment. With a commitment to education and a range of scholarship opportunities available, Azerbaijan is an excellent destination for students looking to pursue higher education. Additionally, the low cost of living, diverse culture, and language opportunities make studying in Azerbaijan an attractive option for international students. By choosing Azerbaijan as a destination for higher education, students can open doors to new opportunities and experiences that will shape their future careers and personal lives.

[atlanticcanada]

Striking school workers rally outside N.S. legislature as negotiations set to resume

About 350 striking workers from the South Shore and Annapolis Valley regional centres for education held a rally outside the Nova Scotia legislature Thursday.

The education support staff are fighting for wage parity with colleagues working in other regions of the province. Currently, these workers are being paid differently based on which education centre they work for.

The roughly 700 striking workers are represented by the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union.

Employees on the picket line include educational assistants, early childhood educators, student support workers, outreach workers, parent navigators, library personnel, child and youth practitioners, Indigenous student advisors, literacy support workers and student supervisors.

“We have been at the table since Nov. 2021, that’s a year ago,” NSGEU President Sandra Mullen tells CTV Atlantic. “We have been working back-and-forth, trying to convince them of this need to have parity.”

The rally follows a week-and-a-half of strike action. Both sides are set to return to the bargaining table Friday.

The update comes after NSGEU members at the Annapolis Valley Regional Centre for Education (AVRCE) voted down a last-minute contract offer from employers in mid-October.

A few days later, they were joined by colleagues from the South Shore Regional Centre for Education (SSRCE), after 92 per cent of members voted to reject a second contract offer from employers.

While the union bargaining committee had recommended the deal to workers, 68 per cent of members voted to reject the contract offer.

In the meantime, it’s not just staff who are locked out --- the students who need support workers the most are too. Roughly 250 students who need extra support in school have been told to stay home.

On Thursday, the executive directors of Autism Nova Scotia and Inclusion Nova Scotia published an open letter denouncing the fact that students requiring learning support are “being excluded from school” during the current strike.

“There are no exceptions to the right to equal treatment in education,” said Cynthia Carroll and Patricia Neves in the letter. “Any action taken by an elected official that suppresses those rights is unacceptable.”

The letter continues by pointing out that “requiring students with learning support needs to stay home during a strike differentiates them from their peers, significantly disadvantages them, and is discriminatory.”

“Ensuring learning is equitable rests with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development and Regional Centres for Education,” the letter reads. “The lack of appropriate contingency planning is not a burden to be placed on our province’s children. Denying access to education is discriminatory.”

The co-authors of the letter acknowledge that educational assistants are a learning accommodation.

“Removing that accommodation is no different than insisting a child with a physical disability remain home because of a limited access to mobility devices,” they said.

Autism Nova Scotia and Inclusion Nova Scotia are calling on the provincial government to take immediate action to ensure the education centres have the resources they need to guarantee students who require learning supports can continue their schooling uninterrupted.

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/PSfRkWZ

[jrtonki]

Where does the phrase jibber jabber come from

Where does the phrase jibber jabber come from series#

The film, which Krasinski stars in alongside his real-life wife Emily Blunt, is set in a dystopian future where monsters with an acute sense of hearing roam freely, meaning all human survivors have to be veeeeery quiet at all times. No, like many formerly comedic actors, Krasinski is in his serious filmmaker era, which really took off with 2018's A Quiet Place. If it's more Krasinski you're looking for, you don't have to watch him ham it up on The Office for probably the millionth time in order to get your fix. Some even have John Krasinski in them! If you're looking for more political thrillers to watch while you wait, take a look at the shows below that feature action, political intrigue, or Krasinski being a badass. Additionally, Season 4 will be the show's last, and a spin-off starring Michael Peña as Ding Chavez is in the works.īut don't cry your eyes out about the impending end of the series, there are plenty of other shows and movies to watch that will give you that same patriotic feeling. The CIA thriller stars John Krasinski as the intelligence officer from Clancy's popular novels early in his career, and we're expecting an announcement of a Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan Season 3 release date any day now.

Where does the phrase jibber jabber come from series#

But the term itself started in the wake of Reconstruction in the American South to allow potential white voters to circumvent literacy tests, poll taxes, and other tactics designed to disenfranchise Southern blacks after a brief period of relatively open voting.Wendell Pierce and John Krasinski, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan Jennifer Clasen/Amazon StudiosĪmazon Prime Video's Reacher and The Terminal List have been getting a lot of attention, but let's not forget one of the original Prime Video series that brought a best-selling book's character to life: Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan. Sounds like an innocent way to indicate there’s a way to let some people avoid change because they were there before that change was enacted. It was actually a competing juice brand called Flavor Aid, but the market leader stuck in everyone’s mind. While not racist, the term originated when political cult leader Jim Jones ordered his followers to protest by committing suicide by drinking a grape-flavored beverage laced with potent drugs. One small point: the 900 who died weren’t actually drinking Kool-Aid. You’ll hear this often among business people (who also often eat their own dog food as it relates to the team actually using whatever solution they’re building themselves) who use it as a way to convey faithful following. Long time no see you.'” Drink the Kool-Aid Drannan’s book Thirty-one Years on Plains (1901): “When we rode up to him he said: ‘Good mornin. The current earliest citation comes from W.F. “Long time no see was originally meant as a humorous interpretation of a Native American greeting, used after a prolonged separation. Some say this when they see someone in person, but many others use a version of this in digital communications like “long time no email.” In any case, the Oxford Dictionary tells us, this too is a form of pidgin English, adapted from Native American origins. “The phrase dates from the mid-19th to early-20th centuries, an era when Western attitudes toward the Chinese were markedly racist.” However, as NPR reports, “The utterance ‘chop-chop’ would also become closely associated with class over time, and was almost always said by someone powerful to someone below.” No can doĪnd speaking of pidgin, the Oxford Dictionary says this phrase also originated there. Chop chopĪccording to the Anglo-India dictionary Hobson-Jobson published in 1886, the phrase originates from the Cantonese word kap, which means “make haste” and converted to pidgin English that was often used on sailing ships. And most regrettably, Marie Claire used the phrase in 2014 when writing about demographic numbers at Netflix. If only it were a relic of the past–Jamie Dimon of JP Morgan Chase used in it 2012 when he said his company was “open kimono” with regulators. Basically, a somewhat sexist synonym for ”open the books,” it means to reveal the inner workings of a project or company to a prospective new partner. Probably stemming from the rash of Japanese acquisitions of American enterprises in the ’80s, that has been adopted into the Microspeak marketing lexicon.

[meteorologistaustenlonek]

Join presenting sponsors Marx-Bensdorf Realtors for Literacy Mid-South's 8th annual Literatini on Saturday, June 11th from 7:00pm - 10:00pm at novel. Memphis.

Sample cocktails from top local bars and restaurants and crown this year’s Literatini champion! Enjoy music, stock up on books, visit the photo booth, and check out a locally curated silent auction. 20% of all sales at novel. the night of the event will benefit our Adult Learning Program.

Each ticket includes a welcome cocktail from Old Dominick Distillery, drink samples and snacks from participating bars/restaurants, and two drink tickets for full-sized cocktails. Drink tickets will be exchanged for a full-sized cocktail at the stations of your choice, and will count as a vote for that vendor. The restaurant/bar with the most votes will be crowned the 2022 People's Choice Literatini Champion. At the end of the night, our judges' panel will vote on the Judges' Choice Literatini 2022 champion.

This year's competitors include South of Beale, Global Cafe, Libro, RP Tracks, Char, Fat Charlie's Speakeasy, Babalu, The Pear Martini, The Pocket, and Edge Alley!

Food provided by Libro and cupcakes provided by Frost Bake Shop.

[lupinepublishers]

Lupine Publishers | Magical Hands of a Tribal Farmer Set a Milestone in Finger Millet Cultivation-A Case from Koraput, Odisha, India

Abstract

The nutritious millets traditionally occupied substantial part of the diets and cropping systems in tribal areas of Odisha. Millets require less water and are more resilient to climate vulnerability. They can also be cultivated on the undulating terrain. Reduction in millets resulted in nutrition deficiency. In order to address growing crop failures and nutritional issues, millets need to be revived. Majority of the farmers in Koraput district of Odisha are tribal, resources poor and mostly dependent on onset of monsoon for agriculture. The rainfall in this region is erratic and prolonged drought conditions are common occurrences. Numbers of rainy days were decreased over the period of time. Millets being climate resilient crops systems, revival of millets will enhance resilience of the farming systems and household food security against Climate Change. Finger millet is the second staple food after rice. Area under millets is drastically declining resulting in narrowing of the food diversity in consumption at household level. Increasing urban demand, improvements in processing machinery, availability of improved cultivars, better agronomic practices and possibility of accessing support irrigation has increased the potential of realizing higher productivity in millets thereby improving nutrition security, resilience and economic security of tribal households. The farmers were cultivating many traditional varieties in the past, but now have changed to improved varieties because the traditional varieties continuously perform low in terms of productivity due to mixture of seeds, loss of purity and long duration. This paper analyses how a tribal family set a milestone in finger millet by adopting improved agronomic and good agricultural practices (Figure 1).

Keywords: Cropping System; Nutrition Deficiency; Climate Resilient Crop; Koraput; Seeds

Introduction

Odisha is predominantly an agricultural state with a cultivated area of 90.54 lakhs ha and average production of 25.44 million tons. Koraput district comes under Eastern Ghats high land type agroecological zone. The district enjoys tropical climate characterized by hot summer (20.5°C to 38°C), cold winters (12 °C to 29 °C and rainy seasons (19 °C to 28 °C). The winter season generally commences from late November and continues up to the end of February. The summer season commences from March and continues till middle of June. It is observed that about 80% of the total annual rainfall takes place due to south-west monsoon between the middle of June and mid-October. The north east monsoon gives erratic and insufficient rainfall. The average annual rainfall varies between 1320-1520mm (Figure 2 & 3). Although the district is having high rainfall, the number of rainy days is restricted to 70-80 days/ annum. The district is drought prone because of the erratic and uneven pattern of rainfall. The entire Koraput district has a unique physiographic set up. Except the north western and west-west central part, the rest of the district is occupied by dense forest with highly rugged mountains, interspersed with intermundane valleys. The total geographical area is 8,807 Sq. Km. The population of Koraput district as per 2011 census 1,379,647 of which male and female were 678,809 and 700,838 respectively with the schedule caste population is 196540 (14.2.%) and schedule tribe population 697583 (50.6%). The literacy percentage of the district is 49.29 as against 72.9 of the state. Population density is 157/km2. The proportion of district population to the Odisha state population is 3.29%, Sex Ratio (Per 1000) 1032: 999. The total cropped area is about 3.56 lakh ha out of which 1.53 lakh ha (43.0% of TCA) is irrigated and 2.03 lakh ha (57.0% of TCA) is under rain fed area. The main sources of irrigation are canals, rivers, farm ponds, dug wells to net sown area of the district. Among the different crops, cereals accounts for 54.5% of the irrigated area followed by other crops (34.6%), coarse cereals (4.7%), horticulture & plantation (2.9%), pulses (2.5%) and oil seed crops (0.7%). The primary source of income is from Agriculture whereas secondary source from agriculture labourer and daily wages. Kharif is the major cropping season where farmers cultivate cereals, millets and pulses. In Rabi season few pulses crops, oil seed crops and vegetables are being cultivated and majority of the farmers migrated in search of wage labourer both within the district and outside the district. The majority of farmers hold less than one hectare of land in the district and generally practice subsistence farming. Rice is the major crop cultivated in the district in Kharif and also in Rabi where irrigation facilities available. Traditional farm practices are followed in upland resulting in low level of production. In the non-agriculture season NTFP like kendu leaf, tamarind, Mohua and Sal seeds are the source of income. Koraput was recognized as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) by FAO in 2012 for the efforts of the community in biodiversity conservation, food security, preserving the traditional wisdom and cultural diversity of the region for the benefit of the present and future generations (Figures 4-6).

Koraput is a tribal dominated district in Odisha consisting of more than 70% small and marginal farmers and 83% of population live in Below Poverty Line (Anonymous, 2013). The most dominant tribes in this proposed operational area are Bhumia, Gadaba, Paroja and Kandha. Subsistence farming still remains their main source of livelihood, supplemented by forest collection and earning wages [1]. The tribal income is mainly based on agriculture and forest products. The per capita income of the district is Rs 25161/ annum (source: Odisha Economic Survey 2014-15). Though the district is rich in biological resources, experienced & hard working farming communities, existence of Women Self Help Groups and the standard of living is quite low due to poor farm productivity, lack of village level small scale industries, low level of technological knowhow and lack of market knowledge. Foreseeing the sustainable yield in finger millet, M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation launched a project on “Enhancing Production and Productivity of Millets and Pulses in Odisha through an Alternative Seed System Model for Production and Supply of Improved Seed Varieties” with support from Department of Agriculture & Food Production, Govt. of Odisha and Govt. of India under the scheme Rastriya Krishi Vikash Yojana (RKVY) in April 2018. The project was executed in 13 villages of Umuri, Mastiput, Padampur and Lankaput Gram Panchayat in Koarput district involving around 750 farmers. The project introduced new technology like System of Millet Intensification (SMI) and line transplanting. Participatory Varietal Selection was conducted with six traditional varieties and five improved varieties of finger millet. The farmers observed that among all the varieties cultivated, KMR-204 performed better in terms of no. of productive tillers, size of panicle, fingers per panicle, grain filling percentage and grain yield (Figures 7 & 8).

Materials and Methods

Hari and Gori used to cultivate finger millet in one acre of land following traditional practices. They used to follow broadcasting method. Weeding also was a very tedious task for them. They used to harvest 2.5 to 3.0 quintals from it. During last Kharif MSSRF implemented the seed production programme in the village. They were trained on various improved agronomic practices and System of Millet Intensification (SMI) method of cultivation such as - land preparation, FYM application, seed treatment, raised bed nursery preparation, transplanting in SMI method, organic manure and bio pesticides preparation and application, use of cycle weeder for weeding etc. Shri and Smt. Sukia were provided with 500 grams of breeder seed of KMR-204 variety to cultivate in half acre land. Initially they were little bit scared [2]. So, they decided to try in half acre and the rest half acre they cultivated their own variety Bati Mandia following traditional method. They followed all the recommended agronomic practices stated above and also followed organic way of cultivation. They also prepared NPM like Amrut jal, jeebamrut, handi kahata etc. and applied in their millet field in every 15 days interval after weeding using cycle weeder which helped in plant growth and controlling pests and diseases (Figures 9 & 10).

Study Design

A case study

Study Location

Machhara village of Koraput block, Koraput District, Odisha, India

Duration of study

June 2018 to December 2019

Results and Discussions

Despite the un-conducive weather condition during last kharif season, the crop performed very well. There were productive tillers in a range of 8 to 25 per hill. An average finger per panicle was around 9 which is higher than that of other farmers cultivating same variety (Table 1). Hari and his wife were very happy and surprised to see the crop performance of the new improved variety in comparison to her own traditional variety. They yielded 3.4 quintals/ acre from their own variety of bati mandia following traditional practices and 20.55 quintals/ acre from the improved variety i.e. KMR-204 following SMI method and improved cultivation practices (Table 2 & 3). They never dreamt of getting such a bumper yield from the improved variety. Now she is convinced that she will use the seeds of this variety in coming years and also say others to follow the same practice. She sold the foundation seeds of 400 kg @ Rs 40/- per kg and shared around 250 kg to her relatives for seed purpose and remaining grains she kept for own consumption (Figure 11). The cultivation cost was around Rs 6200/- INR for half acre. The net benefit she got after meeting all the cost of cultivation was Rs. 27,400/- INR from the same land of half acre (Table 4-6).

Conclusion

The study clearly reveals that millet is not a poor man’s crop. If it is cultivated with proper care in up or medium land following improved agronomic practices, it can compete with any other crop and produce good yield with very low input cost of cultivation. Inclusion and promotion of modern technological intervention like SMI is an advantage to the finger millet. So, it is proved that millet cultivation can be a viable alternative and sustainable option for the rural poor. Moreover, it is eco-friendly and improves food security and enhances economic growth. She is now a role model who can serve to the community by extending her knowledge and experience to promote millet in the region with a new hope.

Acknowledgement

The authors sincerely thank Department of Agriculture & Food Production, Govt. of Odisha and Govt. of India, RKVY team who supported us to implement this project. Our special thanks are due to Dr Krishnakumar K. Navaladi, Director, Biju Patnaik Tribal Agro-biodiversity Centre, MSSRF, Jeypore for motivation. Special mention of appreciation goes to the farmers of Koraput block who co-operated and adopted the technology and staff members and volunteers who guided the farm families in implementing this alternative seed system project successfully

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[the-necessary-unnecessary]

A list of all the films, series and web series that have been recommended as hidden must sees during isolation and beyond. 

Note: I have divided them into films with happy endings or not, series that haven’t finished so the exact ending is unknown I have put an asterisk (*) next to

Note 2: the descriptions are a mixture of my own and of the reviews I was sent by anons

She gets the girl

A Date For Mad Mary, 2016 (needs a date for a wedding, more about her complicated reconnecting with friends after prison but romance is cute)

Almost Adults, 2016 (centers around the broader themes of growing up and friendship but one of them is a giant gay. There is a happy ending for both the gay one and the straight one, gotta give the straights some food because they so rarely get fed)

Anne+, 2018* (Dutch webseries with fresh and new vibes with a great mid-twenties actress about mid-twenties gay lives. Everyone in it is LGBTQ+ yet nothing about it is LGBTQ+, it’s all just treated as natural and normal)

Bound, 1996 (you can't beat the lesbian noir classic which should one day be inducted into the lesbian hall of fame)

But I’m A Cheerleader, 1999 (camp and a lot of fun despite the very serious themes, starring Natasha Lyonne- one of the gayest straights out there)

Carmilla, 2014-16 (webseries based on the groundbreaking 19th century book. Some great chemistry and a lot of breaking of the fourth wall)

Carol, 2015 (Cate Blanchett movie based on the book The Price of Salt which caused issue when it was realised in 1952 because it gave its lovers a open ended happy ending)

Couple-Ish, 2015-16 (cute Canadian web series, bit on the nose but important gay, bi and enby rep)

Desert Hearts, 1985 (the looks, the emotions, the gorgeousness of them both, the chemistry, oh god it was so good. Vivian Bell deserves all the orgasms)

Elisa Y Marcela, 2019 (A Spanish film based on the true story of two women who got married with one of them pretending to be a man in 1901. A tearjerker but ultimately their love is stronger than the adversaries they face)

Entre Nous, 1983 (a French 1983 film which has Jews & Nazi's but doesn't end in complete horror. There are straights who think it’s a friendship but we know better)

Fingersmith, 2005 (BBC drama based on a book by Sarah Waters)

Fried Green Tomatoes, 1991 (based on a more obvious book, they’re sold as best friends but if you know you know)

Fucking Åmål, 1998 (one of the first films aimed at teenagers about two girls falling in love and getting together.)

Getrieben, 2018 (they're ex's and share a dog and then maybe they're not so ex anymore)

I Can't Think Straight, 2008 (cute romantic comedy adapted from a novel about a London-based Jordanian of Palestinian descent preparing for a wedding before events take a gay turn)

If These Walls Could Talk 2, 2000 (some happy and some sad endings in this film which portrays three generations of lesbian storylines from the same house)

Imagine Me and You, 2004 (not my fav but a classic and has Queen Cersei playing a wlw)

Kyss Mig, 2011 (heart eyes, a lovely film, does have maybe a bit too much man in it but he's gone when we get to the nitty gritty)

Our Love Story, 2016 (Korean, subtle nuanced relationship story)

Rosebud, 1996 (a channel 4 short with Julie Graham and questionable fashion choices. Who needs words when you can have such tantalising and vivid visuals? Teeny bit of man but it's fitting in the particular setting and its very fleeting, although admittedly nude)

Saving Face, 2004 (romantic comedy which had less of an impact that Imagine Me and You due to lesser known actors and probably partly to do with race- the main characters are Chinese-American. But it's a gorgeous movie that has a lot more than just rom com elements. The Half Of It is by the same director.

Sjukt Oklar, 2018* (very Swedish, very lesbian, very very funny)

Supervoksen, 2006 (Danish teenage coming of age type thing)

The Carmilla Movie, 2017 (based on the webseries but still accessible to those that haven’t watched it. Quite sweet and the actresses seem very comfortable with each other. Plus there is a great sex scene in it where the muscles on one of the girl’s back are especially sexy)

The World Unseen, 2007 (period film during South Africa's apartheid era with great chemistry)

The Handmaiden, 2016 (extremely nsfw but its got some incredibly powerful meaning to it especially the final sex scene with the bells. It's also incredibly shot and the sex scenes were done very sensitively on set with only women around and the director even in another room.)

Thelma, 2017 (a supernatural thriller about a girl starting college who suddenly starts getting seizures but they don’t know why and she has a female love interest)

Tipping The Velvet, 2002 (BBC series, also has a Victorian era strap on in it and Keeley Hawes, what's not to love?)

When Night is Falling, 1995 (An uptight and conservative woman, working as a literacy professor, finds herself attracted to a free-spirited, liberal woman who works at a local carnival. It’s got quite a lot of a boyfriend in it so its not for everyone.)

Yes or No, 2010 (literally a ‘and they were roommates’ movie as well as an enemies to lovers plot)

Zwischen Sommer Und Herbst, 2018 (coming of age elements, does have a man involved especially at the beginning, who happened to be the brother of one of the girls, but overall it was okay, no lesbians die and it doesn't end in abject misery)

She doesn’t get the girl but neither does the trope

Aimée and Jaguar, 1999 (based on a true story. Beautiful but painful, it’s a Jew falling for a German housewife in Nazi Germany, hence its sad as hell ending)

Bloomington, 2010 (coming of age, teacher student thing which walks that line relatively well without being too icky)

Freeheld, 2015 (an extremely powerful and important story to tell)

Gia, 1998 (Angelina Jolie gets it on with Elizabeth Mitchell in a moving film about model and lesbian Gia Carangi)

Kontrola, 2019* (a masterpiece of a mini web series with a great soundtrack, aesthetic and storyline. Season 2 may present a better future for them)

Mädchen in Uniform, 1931 (German cult classic almost entirely produced by women. Sexual awakening/teenage coming out of her shell stuff, there is also a 1958 redo which is okay. She doesn’t get the girl but it’s still a positive portrayal of sexuality where the object of desire isn't disgusted or weirded out by it)

My Summer of Love, 2004 (At first glance a coming of age movie, but has a lot of phycological elements too. Emily Blunt with a girl, not happy but no lesbians die)

Portrait of a Lady on Fire, 2019 (spell-bounding french film with amazing rawness and visuals. One of my best cinematographic experiences ever)

Reaching for the Moon, 2017 (the love story of the poet Elizabeth Bishop and the architect Soares in the 60s)

Snapshots, 2018 (sad ending but great chemistry with no closed mouthed straight girl kisses)

Summertime, 2015 (French lesbian movie- dare I say more? Sad but no deaths)

The Hunger, 1983 (a gothic cult classic, vampires, its got David Bowie, Susan Sarandon and Catherine Deneuve in it)

The Miseducation of Cameron Post, 2018 (she doesn’t get the girl because there is no girl, but she does begin to find and accept herself. Based on a highly recommendable book by the same name)

Viola di Mare, 2009 (depressing as hell but beautiful to look and the couple have some good chemistry)

[she-who-fights-and-writes]

May you give some tips on how to write about mid-nineteenth century and early twentieth century ?? Sorry for the inconvenience and thanks if there is an answer or not xd 😅 greetings and take good care :) :D

Okay, so I only really know about AMERICAN mid-nineteenth and early 20th century history, so I hope that’s what you mean!!

How to Write About The Mid-Nineteenth/ Early Twentieth Century America

This post will encompass 1850-1920 in America only. A lot of things happened during this period, so I’m going to try to outline it as best I can! This post is gonna be a long one, so I put all of the specifics under the cut:

Overview:

The Industrial Revolution hits. We begin this era with horse-drawn carriages and end with planes, tanks, and cars.

Expansion west, “Manifest Destiny”

The Civil War ends slavery in the United States

The Gilded Age marks an era of unbridled capitalism and robber barons, while the Progressive Era following it marks an age of activism and human rights.

13th Amendment in 1865 abolishes slavery, 14th and 15th Amendments in 1868 and 1870 gives Black people the right to vote, 19th Amendment in 1920 gives women the right to vote.

World War I marks a major advancement in technology and global affairs, sets the stage for the second world war that will come later.

The Roaring 20s provides a façade of success to precede the gigantic stock market crash of 1929.

I’ve copied and pasted a lot of this information directly from America’s Best History and added tidbits of my own as well!

1. The 1850s

Presidents:

Zachary Taylor (1849-1850)

Millard Fillmore (1850-1853)

Franklin Pierce (1853-1857)

James Buchanan (1857-1861)

Important Events:

- Peak point of tension between North and the South, primarily over which states will be admitted as free states or slave states.

- The Compromise of 1850 admits California as the 31st state, without slavery, and adds Utah and New Mexico as territories with no decision on the topic. The Fugitive Slave Law is strengthened under the Compromise, which also ended the slave trade in the District of Columbia.

-1854 - The Republican Party is founded, in opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska Act. (Note: This form of “Republican” is essentially modern-day Democrats. The parties switched platforms later.)

-The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 allows the issue of slavery to be decided by a vote of settlers. This established the territories of Kansas and Nebraska and would breed much of the rancor that culminated in the actions of the next years of "Bleeding Kansas."

2. The 1860s

Presidents:

James Buchanan (1857-1861)

Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)

Andrew Johnson (1865-1869)

Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877)

Important Events:

-1860- The Pony Express begins. Overland mail between Sacramento, California and St. Joseph's, Missouri is carried over the Oregon Trail for eighteen months by this series of riders on horseback, then rendered obsolete when the transcontinental telegraph is completed.

- 1860 - South Carolina is the first southern state to secede from the Union in response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President.

-The Homestead Act of 1862 is approved, granting family farms of 160 acres to settlers, many of which were carved from Indian territories. This promotes expansion West, and eventually led to the establishment of the state university systems.

- The Civil War 1861 – 1865

Overview: Union won due to their advanced railroad system and industrialization that provided them with clothing and other supplies. South is ransacked by General Sherman, brings about era of Reconstruction. Slavery is abolished, but former slaves are not immediately emancipated.

People to know:

Abe Lincoln (President of the Union)

Ulysses S. Grant (Union General, future President)

William Sherman (Union General)

Jefferson Davis (President of the Confederacy)

Robert E. Lee (Confederate General)

Stonewall Jackson (Confederate General)

 Important Events/Battles:

Fort Sumter 1861- A fort in Charleston, South Carolina harbor is bombarded by Confederate forces after the U.S. Army commander failed to evacuate, thus triggering a declaration of war.

Battle of Bull Run 1861- First official battle in Manassas, Virginia. Confederates emerge victorious as picnicking (yes, you read that right. People were picnicking and using the battle as entertainment) onlookers watch on in horror; realization that this war won’t be resolved quickly or easily.

Emancipation Proclamation is issued by Abraham Lincoln on September 22, 1862 stated that all slaves in places of rebellion against the Federal Government would be free.

Battle of Shiloh 1862- Victory of Union over Confederacy. Led by Ulysses S. Grant.

Battle of Antietam 1862- Bloodiest day of the war in Sharpsburg, Maryland. 

Gettysburg 1863- Considered the turning point of the war. The furthest Southern incursion into the North, where the Union beats back the attacking Confederate troops. A few weeks after the war, Lincoln issues the Gettysburg Address (“Four score and seven years ago…”).

The South Surrenders on April 2nd, 1865

- April 9th, 1865 - Abe Lincoln is assassinated at Ford Theatre by John Wilkes Booth. Andrew Johnson takes his place, and he does not keep up Reconstruction and withdrew all troops from the South so they could be left to their own devices. This is said to be the reason for segregation.

- 1866 -The KKK is formed  to prevent Black people from voting. Things such as poll taxes, grandfather clauses, and literacy tests are implemented by states to also discourage Black people from voting as well.

-  1867 -Alaska is purchased from Russia for $7.2 million dollars, approximately two cents per acre, by signing the Treaty of Cession of Russian America to the United States.

- 1869- The final golden spike of the transcontinental railroad is driven into the ground, marking the junction of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads. This act, as much as any other, would signal the marked increase in the settlement of the west.

3. The 1870s

Presidents:

Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877)

Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881)

Important Events:          

-The Gilded Age begins. Characterized by gross materialism and blatant political corruption that gave rise to important novels of social and political criticism.

-1870 - Standard Oil Company is incorporated by John D. Rockefeller.

-1870 - The first African-American to be sworn into office in the United States Congress, Hiram Rhodes Revels, a Republican from Mississippi takes his place in the United States Senate.

- 1870 - The 15th Amendment is ratified. It gave the right to vote to Black Americans. Race would officially no longer be a ban to voting rights, though it continues to be an issue in Southern states.

- 1871 - The great fire of Chicago starts. The fire burned 1.2 million acres of land, destroyed 17,450 buildings, killed 250 people, and left 90,000 homeless.

- 1876 - The Battle of Little Big Horn occurs when Lt. Colonel George Custer and his 7th U.S. Cavalry engage the Oceti Sakowin and Cheyenne Indians on the bluffs above the Little Big Horn River. All 264 members of the 7th Cavalry and Custer perish in the battle, the most complete rout in American military history.

- 1877 - Crazy Horse surrenders to the United States Army in Nebraska. His people had been weakened by cold and hunger.

- 1878 - The first commercial telephone exchange is opened.

- 1878 - Thomas Edison patents the cylinder phonograph and the Edison Electric Company begins operation

4. The 1880s

Presidents:

James A. Garfield (1881-1881)

Chester A. Arthur (1881-1885)

Grover Cleveland (1885-1889)

Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893)

Important Events:

- 1881 - Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell form the Oriental Telephone Company.

-1882 - The Standard Oil Company trust of John D. Rockefeller is formed when Rockefeller places all of his oil holdings inside it.

- 1883 - The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act is passed by Congress, overhauling federal civil service and establishing the U.S. Civil Service agency.

- 1884 - The Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions in the U.S.A. call for an eight-hour workday.

- 1885 - The Statue of Liberty arrives for the first time in New York harbor.

- 1886 - The Haymarket riot and bombing occurs in Chicago three days after the start of a general strike in the United States that pushed for an eight-hour workday.

- 1887 - Congress passes the Interstate Commerce Act to regulate and control the monopolies of the railroad industry.

- 1888 - The prototype for the commercial phonograph is completed by Thomas A. Edison

- 1888 - The Washington Monument officially opens to the general public.

5. The 1890s

Presidents:

Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893)

Grover Cleveland (1893-1897)

William McKinley (1897-1901)

Important Events:

- The rise of Imperialism.

- 1890 - The Battle of Wounded Knee, South Dakota, occurs in the last major battle between United States troops and Native Americans. Hundreds of native men, women, and children are slain.

- 1892 - Ellis Island, in New York Harbor, opens as the main east coast immigration center, and would remain the initial debarkation point for European immigrants into the United States until its closure in 1954. More than 12 million immigrants would be processed on the island during those years.

- 1892- Nativist sentiments rise with the immigration of Southern and Eastern Europeans flooding into the country. Italian, Polish, Russian, and other immigrants face significant discrimination.

- 1895 - The first professional football game is played in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

- 1896 - Plessy vs Ferguson decision by the Supreme Court states that racial segregation is approved under the "separate but equal" doctrine. This paves the way for Jim Crow laws in the South.

- 1896 - The first modern Olympic Games is held in Athens, Greece.

- 1896 - Gold is discovered near Dawson, Canada, setting up the Klondike Gold Rush

- 1897 - The era of the subway begins when the first underground public transportation in North America opens in Boston, Massachusetts. 

-1897- The Progressive Era begins

- 1898 – The Spanish- American War begins. It lasts one year and ends in U.S. victory. It was triggered by United States battleship Maine exploding and sinking under unknown causes in Havana Harbor, Cuba, killing two hundred and sixteen seamen. 

- 1898 - The United States annexes the independent republic of Hawaii.

- 1899 - The Open Door Policy with China is declared by Secretary of State John Hay

9. The 1900s

Presidents:

William McKinley (1897-1901)

Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909)

William Howard Taft (1909-1913)

Important Events:

- 1901 - The American League of Major League Baseball is formed.

- 1902 - The first movie theatre in the United States opens in Los Angeles, California.

- 1902 - Cuba gains independence from the United States.

- 1903 - Inventors Wilbur and Orville Wright succeed in the first sustained and manned plane flight.

- 1906 - The Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act is passed due to the efforts of “muckrakers” that worked to expose corruption. “The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair, which described the horrible conditions in the meatpacking industry, helped sponsor outrage that would get these laws passed.

- 1908 - The first passenger flight on a plane occurs when Wilbur Wright escorts Charles W. Furnas in the Wright Flyer III at Huffman Prairie Flying Field in Dayton, Ohio.

- 1908- The first production Model T is built at the Ford plant in Detroit, Michigan.

10. The 1910s

Presidents:

William Howard Taft (1909-1913)

Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)

Important Events:

- 1911 - Standard Oil is declared a monopoly by the United States Supreme Court and ordered dissolved under the powers of the Sherman Antitrust Act.

- 1913 - The first moving assembly line is introduced and adopted for mass production by the Ford Motor Company, allowing automobile construction time to decrease by almost 10 hours per vehicle.

- 1915 – The first telephone conversation is conducted by Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas A. Watson between New York and San Francisco.

- 1915 - The British ship Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat submarine, causing 128 American passengers to be lost. Germany, although it warned of the pending crises to passengers, issued an apology to the United States and promised payments.

- 1918 - The influenza epidemic Spanish flu spans the globe, killing over twenty million worldwide and five hundred and forty-eight thousand people in the United States.

- World War I 1917-1918

Overview: After three years spent remaining neutral, the United States joins World War I. The U.S. made its major contributions in terms of supplies, raw material, and money, and its joining into the war helped to turn the tides against the Germans and Ottomans.

People to know:

Woodrow Wilson (President)

John J. Pershing (General)

Important Events/Battles

The United States declares war on Germany in 1917 after the Zimmermann Telegram is given to the United States by Britain on February 24, showing the offer by Germany to give Mexico back the southwest United States if they would declare war on the United States.

June 26th, 1917 - The first troops from the United States arrive in Europe to assist European allies in World War I. Troops engaged in World War I would include conscript soldiers authorized by the passage of the Conscription Act, the Selective Services Act, on May 18, 1917. General John Pershing would be placed in command of the American Expeditionary Forces during the campaign.

1918 - The United States military forces has over one million troops in Europe fighting in World War I.

May 28, 1918- United States forces are victorious in the Battle of Cantigny, the first independent American operation.

September 26, 1918- Allied forces begin the attack at Meusse-Argonne, the final offensive of the war.

November 11, 1918 - Hostilities in World War I begin to end with the Austria-Hungary alliance for armistice with the allies on November 3. Armistice Day with Germany occurs when the Allies and the German nation sign an agreement in Compiegne, France. Woodrow Wilson would become the first U.S. President to travel to Europe while in office when he sails to attend the Paris Peace Conference on December 4.

1919 - The Treaty of Versailles is signed, ending World War I.

- 1919- The 18th Amendment is passed, bringing about the era of Prohibition

11. The 1920s

Presidents:

Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)

Warren G. Harding (1921-1923)

Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929)

Herbert Hoover (1929-1933)

Important events:

-1920 - The League of Nations is established with the ratification of the Treaty of Versailles, ending the hostilities of the first World War. In a final vote, the United States Senate again votes against joining the League.

- 1920 - Women are given the right to vote when the 19th Amendment to the United States constitution grants universal women's suffrage.

- 1920 - The National Football League is formed

- 1921 - A national quota system on the number of incoming immigrants is established by the United States Congress in the Emergency Quota Act, curbing legal immigration.

- 1923 - The first sound on film motion picture Phonofilm is shown in the Rivoli Theatre in New York City by Lee de Forest.

- 1924 - The Indian Citizenship Act granted all Native Americans citizenship that had been born within the territory of the United States.

- 1925 - Nellie Tayloe Ross is inaugurated as the first woman governor of the United States in Wyoming.

- 1925 - Radiovision is born. The precursor to television is demonstrated by Charles Francis Jenkins when he transmits a 10 minute film of synchronized pictures and sound for five miles from Anacostia to Washington, D.C. to representatives of the United States government.

- 1928 - The first appearance of Mickey and Minnie Mouse on film occurs with the release of the animated short film, Plane Crazy.

- 1928 - Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman to fly over the Atlantic Ocean.

- 1929 - Postwar prosperity ends in the 1929 Stock Market crash. The plummeting stock prices led to losses between 1929 and 1931 of an estimated $50 billion and started the worst American depression in the nation's history.

Hope this helped, and happy writing!!!!!

[prorevenge]

I Got Fired: Employer's Lawyers Should Have Done Their Homework... I Did.

This happened to me about 20 years ago while in college. I am being deliberately vague because… reasons.

Background

I got a job basically office-sitting on weekends. I showed up at 8am and every hour I checked over things, handled the occasional phone call, and then left when the 4pm person arrived. Most of the time I read, watched TV, or played games on my laptop. I probably worked no more 10 minutes of every hour unless something went wrong.

It went on like this for years. The pay was decent, holidays were double pay, and I even had opportunities to cover weekday shifts when others were sick.

One day while I was covering the mid-day shift, my boss asked me to come into his office. He told me that the evening weekday position was going to become available that night. He offered me the position which I accepted. I was told to punch out and return at 5pm that night. The reason it went down like this should be obvious.

Things went ok for a while. I showed up at 4pm, did the normal things, and then left at 12am when my relief arrived. It was a little more work, more call volumes, etc. Then, after nine months, things started to go south. The daytime person developed a huge attitude problem and went from a nice person to a total Karen. She would complain about everything I did. For example, one time a system jammed up at a remote site and she called them. Five hours later I saw the jam was still there so I called that site again to see if they were still working on it or if something else was wrong because the woman on our end who would be the one to help them was leaving soon. They did have a problem and so I hooked them up.

My “reward” for making sure the problem got solved and not having to bother an upper-level employee at home, on a Friday, just after having left work? I got yelled at because Karen complained that I had apparently “ignored her log entry” about the issue. My defense was ignored. The boss had me highlight important things on the log to verify that I had read them.

Things plodded on for a while with this new “normal”. I tiptoed around Karen when needed, thankful for the fact I only had to deal with her for no more than five minutes. I did the stupid highlighting thing and my log entries started getting more and more detailed, even referencing Karen’s calls when I had to follow-up on an issue that crossed shifts.

The Firing

The following summer just after I crossed year mark, I went on vacation to visit some friends out of state. When I got back, after about a week, my boss came down after everyone had left and had me describe how I did a certain task which involved certain updates. I explained to him how I did it and so forth. He then told me that I had not been doing it at all and that he was firing me. I had transposed the date code of the English file for the French file which was the previous one. The newest one had already been applied anyways so nothing was wrong. It was just a reason to get rid of me.

So I left the office. My state is an “at-will” employment state which means that I can quit at any time for any reason and my employer can terminate me at anytime for any reason. The only exceptions were state and federal laws such as race, religion, etc. I thought I was screwed. So I just started applying everywhere I could.

During my job search I happened to accidentally stumble upon a link about employment law. Out of curiosity I read it and discovered that my employer had shot themselves in the foot. In the employee handbook, there was a “job security clause”. What this stated was that they would never lay us off and such if our jobs were eliminated. We would simply be retrained and sent to fill an opening elsewhere in the company. It sounds good, but it resulted in them cooking up reasons to fire people to get around it. But their fancy, high-priced lawyers had missed something.

In my state’s laws, the ones passed by the legislature, I was screwed because of “at-will”. What they neglected was case law, the ones determined by courts. This site cited a case from the state’s Supreme Court that had ruled that a job security clause waived “at-will” on the employer side, turning it into a “just cause” relationship. This means that they had to have a real reason to fire me.

The Revenge

With that in hand, I sought out a lawyer. After my consultation with her, I set about collecting my evidence. My former boss did not realize that I knew more about this program than he did seeing as I ran the same software on my own computer and laptop. I experimented. The date of the file, which they tried to use against me, is baked into the version to. I was able to demonstrate to my lawyer that if I applied the same update over and over, which my former employer stated would change the date every day, would, in reality, display the date of the file. I showed this by backdating my own copy by a year using the update archive available from the vendor.

Next, I showed her how the task used to be automated. A script would snag the file and process it every day on its own. A change on the vendor’s site broke the script. It was an easy fix but no one bothered to do it because the guy who had wrote it retired. The fix involved deleting three characters on one line in the script.

The task was also marked as only being a weekday task. In my firing I was told how “important” this update was and so forth. If it was so important, why was it not done on weekends or holidays? The vendor pushed out updates on those days too as I showed my lawyer the one from Christmas morning. And why had the automation not been fixed?

With all that in hand he contacted them. After presenting them with the law they broke and all the evidence I had collected, they were forced to settle with me.

So in the end, their fancy high-priced lawyers did not do their homework… I did. Thank you to the wonderful librarians I have known in my life who taught me my information literacy skills. They paid dividends in this case.

TLDR – I got fired by a large corporation and though I had no recourse. Then I found out their lawyers missed something in my state’s laws and forced them to pay me.

(source) story by (/u/Zakkana)

[gwydionmisha]

South Park, Anti-vaxxers, and an Outbreak Dream

I had one of my perennial plague dreams.  (I'm a life long plague watcher.  1 was a 14th century specialist before I parted ways with academia.  I was dreaming about epidemics since the mid-to late 70's.  So no, it's neither an AIDS thing nor a Covid thing.)  In this one there was an outbreak of a weaponized... okay, not really small pox, but best described as some sort of Anthrax/smallpox cross?  But not really.  It was sort of an Anthrax timeline on latency and infection, with both pox and lesions and a small pox like rash following the lesions by about 12 hours, and lung symptoms.  

A High school was the target, so the authorities locked it down and were trying to do quarantine and triage, but given how infectious small pox is... yeah.  which is why the small town also had perimeter quarantine, since people could be infectious before the fever started and airbourne pathogens are bad.

I was lucid dreaming as is often the case. so I took to the air on the theory that a couple stories up was safer, grabbed a bedroll, provisions, etc. and was setting up camp on a roof top with a structure that could provide an overhang, as is a thing I often do in zombie outbreaks and epidemic scenarios in my dreams.

So I'm up on this roof top watching a massive crowd of parents and families gather in the sports fields around the school, all breathing on each other without masks and trying to press up on the National Guard as they worked themselves into an angry frenzy and it suddenly dawned on me:  Anti-vaxxers are panicky nonsense south Park parents.

Bear with me.  I hate south Park.  I used to watch it while I was teaching because the kids were watching it, and it's good practice to read, watch, and listen to what they are consuming.  It was essential to watch south Park in particular because 1. They'd tried to get around you using stuff from there and catching them every time taught them you were hard to trick that way.  the more pop culture one was up on, the more they assumed one was basically omniscient and it solved a lot of problems before they started, and 2. The middle Schoolers would come in Monday morning with serious questions and concerns about what they saw and if they knew you knew south Park they'd ask you and you could use it for teachable moments, and things like that were where I did some of my best work as far as media literacy and getting kids to really think about what they are consuming.

But I fucking hate South Park for all the ways it's regressive and toxic.  It's fed antisemitism and homophobia and transphobia and sexism and science denial and a whole host of toxic things in American culture.  I hate it.

But, this connection I made in this dream has haunted me for two days.  There's this thing the adults in South Park do where they hear something or something happens and they don't actually listen properly and they just panic and wildly over react and lose their shit and the next thing you know there's this mob of incensed nonsense spewing people who are violent or borderline violent.

I can't say one way or another if 25 years of this shitty regressive show being on the air and popular has caused this or merely reflects the shittiness always under the surface in American, but I saw that irrational nonsense and pathogen spewing crowd reacting exactly the wrong way in a pandemic and I thought of the anti-semetic South Park show with it's hysterical nonsense adults and the Neo-NAZIs making Ottawa unlivable right now and and Trumpist swastika waving anti-vaxxers beating up teachers and storming American state capitals and trying to overthrow the government and it just... felt like the same thing.  idk.  It's not deep, just an image stuck in my head from a dream.

[scottish-gaelic]

Greater Appalachia

(Aka: Scots-Irish, Ulster Scots, and borderlanders)

Finally getting around to talking about this. I’m gonna give y’all the short version of our history.

The story starts off in mainland Europe. Julius Caesar decided to fight the “Gaullic savages”. He did not expect them to fight back, but they did. Caesar ended up killing about a third of all of the Celts, as the Gauls were later called, and enslaving another third. Dan Carlin has a fantastic podcast about this. It’s not something you listen to in one sitting though.

After the Gaullic Wars, the Celts moved north. They kind of split between Sweden/Norway and Ireland/Scotland. We’re following the Scots-Irish. They mostly hung out in Ireland, becoming the Irish Tribes, but one tribe, the ‘Scotti’, moved to Scotland. They mingled with the Picts, a people group that was already there, and eventually became what we know as the Scottish.

Rome then tries to conquer Britain. They subdue the Anglo-Saxons but cannot defeat the Scots. They build Hadrian’s Wall and just leave them alone. The Roman Empire disappears and the Anglo-Saxons adopt the Roman attitude towards the Scots.

Fast forward about several hundred years to the mid to late 1200s. King Edward Longshanks massacres Berwick and kills 20,000 Scots in one day! Berwick was the largest city in Scotland at the time, rivaling London, and he burned it to the ground. The movie ‘Braveheart’ picks up a few years later and we all know how that goes. If you don’t know how it goes, watch Braveheart, it’s absolutely worth it.

After all that happens, we’ve got another five hundred years of war in which the people on the border between Scotland and England are hurt the most. The borderlanders get their houses burned down every few years so they learn to be mobile. They don’t put much stock in physical belongings but are more fiercely protective of their families. They also invent cabins. Easy to build and rebuild after burning.

During the colonial period, England had a lot of trouble keeping Ireland under control. That’s actually why they were one of the last ones to reach America. After Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth had “pacified” the Irish, they moved them all out of North Ireland and imported a bunch of borderlanders. Then they started demanding insane taxes from them. Most people couldn’t afford to pay them and were quite literally starved out of Ireland. Nearly all of those people moved to the North American Colonies.

After almost two millennia of fighting and burning and starving, the borderlanders were not what you’d call civilized company. The European people groups that were already in America, New Englanders, New Netherlanders, Tidewater Gentry, Midlanders, and Deep Southerners, were inclined to agree. We were mostly shunned and ignored so we moved out to the westernmost reaches of the colonies.

If you’ll think back to your elementary school history class, you’ll remember that one of the main causes of the American Revolution was taxes. The borderlanders, having been starved out of Ireland because of taxes, were naturally outraged. We flocked to the revolution and fought valiantly, making up a majority of the army even though we had no representation in congress. None. And we only had one representative at the Constitutional Convention.

After the war was won, we went back to our lives in the Appalachian Mountains. We hunted and fished and acted as a buffer between the “civilized” new Americans (who, not long before, were tarring, feathering, and riding people out on rails) and the “savage” Native Americans who were just trying to protect themselves and their lands. A frighteningly familiar situation to any Scots-Irish person just a few generations past. A tribal people being attacked by an empire that is trying to kick them out of their lands and destroy their culture. Am I talking about the Scots-Irish or the Native Americans?

During the Civil War, we were split but most fought for the South. We did not fight to support slavery, we fought against the New Englanders who were trying to force us to adopt their culture and forget our own (they’re still doing that, just not as violently). We lost (obviously) and the New Englanders came in to try and “fix” our society. They did some good things like increase literacy and free all of the slaves, but they did a lot of horrible things too. They wrecked our economy (most of Greater Appalachia is poor to this day), they instituted public education that is controlled by the federal government undermining our family values and later, our religious beliefs, and then they left us to fall flat on our faces.

Currently we are called rednecks, hillbillies, and white trash. I didn’t understand the white trash one until recently. My dad explained that it’s not because we’re cheap and poor as a culture, it’s because we’re the white people that white people didn’t want.

Our people have been persecuted, ignored, and stamped on for far too long just because we don’t mix well with other cultures. Other cultures (cough New England cough) are still trying to “convert” us to their ways. If you are Scots-Irish, or even if you’re not, learn about this culture. We’ve been fighting for millennia and we’re kinda dying out. If you live in any of the bright red counties below, you probably share our culture even if you don’t share our racial background. For instance, my youth pastor is half Puerto Rican and is very much a Greater Appalachian.

Some things you can do to learn about us: listen to Dan Carlin’s podcast “the Celtic Hallocaust” (I didn’t name it, that’s just what it’s called), read American Nations by Colin Woodard, and read Born Fighting by Jim Webb. These are great resources and a good doorway to understanding our culture. This post is basically just summarizing what I learned from them.