#Power 4 Puerto Rico

[talbot-ligier]

Everyday on this here webbed site i see a post that references current news, you know, world affairs that are widely discussed and reported in serious news sources. It may be something happening in the global south or to a marginalised group, or frankly anything outside the US, Ukraine or the Royal family. And then in the replies there’s always some spring chicken aghast at hearing about this for the first time. “Why is no one talking about this???”.

And like, yeah western news sources are generally shitty, and they often latch on to a few stories in the global news agenda and ignore the rest. But at some point, you have to take responsibility on your own media consumption. If you want to be aware of the world, you need varied, high quality news sources. I’m not asking you to subscribe to every paywalled newspaper and follow every POC journalist in twitter. But at least read idk… The Guardian once in a while. Make a small fucking effort. Tumblr shouldn’t be your primary news source!!!

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week #15

April 19-26 2024

President Biden appeared along side Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senators Ed Markey and Bernie Sanders to announce major climate action. Biden announced a program, Solar For All, 7 billion dollars aimed at supporting low income house holds install solar power in their homes. The program will support 900,000 households across the country getting solar. Lower the average energy bill for a family by $400 a month and avoid more than 30 million metric tons of carbon pollution over the next 25 years. The boost in solar installation will help create 200,000 new jobs across the country. The President also announced the launch of the Climate Conservation Crops. modeled on FDR's Civilian Civilian Conservation Corps and JFK's Peace Corps, Biden's Climate Conservation Crops will be a program where young people can connect with climate projects across the country and be paid to help protect the planet. The Corps will be 20,000 strong, with 2,000 openings listed right now on their webpage across 36 states DC and Puerto Rico.

The Department of Labor finalized a new rule on overtime. Currently employers are only required to pay overtime to workers making under $35,568. Under the new ruling that will be raised to workers making $43,888, and in January 2025 raised again to workers making $58,656 and under. This will bring overtime pay to 4 million more workers and transfer $1.5 billion from the pockets of companies to workers. It also fixes to raise the level with inflation every 3 years starting in 2027.

The EPA announced a $1 billion dollar program to help replace heavily duty vehicles with clean energy versions. There are currently 3 million class 6 and 7 vehicles, school buses, box trucks dump trucks, street sweepers, delivery trucks, bucket trucks, and utility trucks, in use. 70% of the funds will go to replacing School Buses with Clean energy buses and the remaining 30% will go to replacing Vocational Vehicles like dump trucks and street sweepers. Heavy Duty vehicles on top of green house cases release harmful nitrogen oxide and fine particulate matter and replacing them will not only combat climate change but improve public health.

The Department of Interior took actions to protect 13 million acres of Alaska wild land is protected and to secure the livelihood of Alaska Native peoples who rely on this land. The Administration refused oil and mining rights on the vast areas of Alaska land as well as a 210 miles road through the northern wildernesses. This area represents valuable habitat for caribou and endangered polar bears, as well as millions of migrating birds.

The Department of Transportation announced finalized rules requiring airlines to give automatic cash refunds for canceled flights and other inconvenience. The refunds will be automatic meaning passengers will not have apply for them, prompt the airlines are required to refund a credit card purchase in 7 days, and require repayment in full and in kind, airlines can not substitute travel vouchers for cash. The DOT also announced new rules to protect airline travelers from junk fees, airlines and ticket agents must now clearly tell travelers upfront about all fees so no one is surprised by a hidden fee.

The EPA announced finalized rules on emissions standards for fuel burning power plants. The new rules include a tightening of Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, requiring a 70% reduction in mercury. It also had rules protecting ground water, new rules will require coal powered plants to remove 660 million pounds per year of pollutants discharged through wastewater, and for the first time federally regulates the dumping of coal ash, requiring safe dump sites that will not leak into ground water. Finalized rules require coal fired and new natural gas-fired power plants to capture up to 90% of their carbon pollution

Security of Transportation Pete Buttigieg attended the ground breaking of a new high speed rail project to connect Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The Biden Administration announced 3 billion to support the project 5 months ago. At 218 of all electric green rail the project promises to be the fastest way to get from LA to Las Vegas. Planned to open in 2028 just in time for the LA Olympics it is the first of many planned high speed rail projects. The Biden Administration has promised $66 billion for high speed rail and the largest single investment in Amtrak ever.

The FCC announced a new rule restoring Net Neutrality. Net Neutrality requires internet service pervaders to treat all websites equally and not slow certain ones now or speed others. In 2015 under Obama the FCC passed a rule requiring Net Neutrality. However in 2017, the FCC spread headed by Trump appointed Chair Ajit Pai repealed the rules. A patchwork of Democratic controlled states, lead by California passed state level laws requiring Net Neutrality forcing ISPs to de facto keep it in place. Late last year President Biden got the opportunity to replace Pai on the FCC, giving the FCC a 3 to 2 Democratic majority which voted this week to return to the Obama era rules and protect Net Neutrality nationwide.

The FTC passed finalized regulations to ban noncompete agreements in nearly all cases. These agreements, which cover 18% of American workers, about 30 million people, prohibit workers from joining or creating competing companies for a certain period of time. The FTC estimates that workers will earn an average of $524 dollars a year more and up to 8,500 new businesses will be created each year. The new rule will still allow noncompete for senior executives who make up less than 1% of the work force. Like with the FCC, two out of the 3 FTC commissioners who voted for the new rules are Biden appointees.

The Departments of Health and Human Services and Interior have announced a joint, $1 billion project to connect tribal communities to safe drinking water. Roughly half of Tribal households lack access to clean drinking water or adequate sanitation.

At the White House The Biden Administration announced plans to protect, restore and reconnect 8 million acres of wetlands and 100,000 miles of rivers and streams. This effort will include state, local and tribal government as well as private efforts along with the federal government to protect and restore the nations freshwater environments.

The Department of Health and Human Services announced a new rule boosting privacy protection for abortions. Republicans in states like Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma and Idaho have tried to make it a crime to leave the state to seek an abortion in a state where it is legal. The new federal rule would make it illegal for health information to be shared in these cases

Vice-President Harris announced a new rule requiring staffing standards at Nursing Homes across the country. The new rules will require registered nurses on duty 24 hours, seven days a week. This represents the first time the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have required specific numbers of nurses and aides in Nursing Homes that get Medicare and Medicaid funding.

The Biden Administration Announced a $6 billion deal with tech giant Micron to bring high tech manufacturing to New York. The deal is expected to see Micron invest $100 billion in Syracuse New York area as well as build a factory in Boise, Idaho. The deal will create 70,000 new jobs. It is part of the Biden Administration's effort to bring high tech chip manufacturing to America.

The Department of Education finalized the most comprehensive federal protections for Trans and other Queer students in the nation's history. The rules also overturn Trump era rules on how colleges should handle sexual assault and harassment.

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Week - November 7, 2022

🏳️‍🌈 - Meet the best-looking couple in the world

1. Miss Puerto Rico and Miss Argentina reveal they secretly got married

Beauty pageant queens Miss Puerto Rico and Miss Argentina secretly tied the knot on Friday after revealing they had been in a relationship.

In a joint Instagram post, newlyweds Fabiola Valentín, from Puerto Rico, and Mariana Varela, from Argentina, said: “After deciding to keep our relationship private, we opened the doors to them on a special day 28/10/22.”

Would this be the best-looking couple in the world? 😂

2. Book banning attempt defeated after community stands up for LGBTQ people

After a heated public debate, the Greenville County Council in South Carolina voted to keep LGBTQ books accessible to children at the public library.

A resolution from city Councilor Joe Dill — who recently lost the Republican primary and will not be maintaining his seat — proposed requiring the 12-location library system in the area to remove books “promoting sexuality” from all children’s sections.

They refused to allow “Aristotle and Dante Discover The Secrets of The Universe” by Benjamin Alier Sáenz on the shelf due to “unnatural sexual behavior” when it has one gay kiss but Twilight has an entire human vampire hybrid. Glad the fight was finally won.

3. Man released from California prison after 38 years following DNA test

Maurice Hastings cleared of murder charge after testing of long-held evidence points to another person.

4. The shrinking ozone hole shows that the world can actually solve an environmental crisis

The ozone is on the path to recovery, if not fully restored. New data released on October 26 by NASA indicates that the annual ozone hole over the Antarctic reached an average area of 8.9 million square miles over the past year. That’s slightly smaller than last year, and continues a trend toward overall shrinking over the past several years.

“Over time, steady progress is being made, and the hole is getting smaller,” Paul Newman, chief scientist for earth sciences at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, said in a statement. “The elimination of ozone-depleting substances through the Montreal Protocol is shrinking the hole.”

5. Children refill a stranger’s empty Halloween candy bowl

6. Icelandair Announces Carbon-Free Flights by 2030

The airline will operate only emissions-free aircraft for its domestic routes. Some of these flights could start as early as 2026.

They will use only electric or hydrogen-powered planes. This decision puts Icelandair at the forefront of sustainable aviation, considering that other airlines are only aiming to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

7. Blindness Awareness Month: Don’t just be aware, be a friend

October was blindness awareness month, a month devoted to educate others about the realities of living without sight and to advocate for those who are blind or have low vision.

Because of this I wanted to give a shoutout to Be My Eye app. Be My Eyes connects people needing sighted support with volunteers and companies through live video around the world.

That’s it for this week. If you liked this post you can support this newsletter with a small kofi donation:

Buy me a coffee ❤️

Have a great week ahead :)

[raytorosaurus]

i lov that lately ray’s been coming out with limp wet hair like clearly fresh from the shower and over the course of the show he just head bangs his way to full dryness and they somehow end up looking so voluminous and defined. which is hilarious to me bc it goes against all the rules of curly haircare and if i did that to my curls I’d look like a poodle got zapped by lightening but somehow by the power of rock and roll and puerto rico his are just perfect. so powerful of him tbh

NO IT'S SOOOOO FUNNY IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S WASHING HIS HAIR BEFORE EVERY SHOW 😭😭😭 LIKE 4-5 TIMES A WEEK 😭 between that and him having ZERO layers for definition i literally cannot believe it looks as good as it does...truly the power of rock and roll and puerto rico you're right

[bisexualvalve]

All of Puerto Rico is Without Power Right Now

Power has gone out across all of the US territory of Puerto Rico on Sunday, according to PowerOutage.us, as Hurricane Fiona bears down on the islands, which are already grappling with the threat of flooding and mudslides stemming from the Category 1 storm.

“Puerto Rico is 100% without power due to a transmission grid failure from Hurricane Fiona,” the website said.

Gov. Pedro Pierluisi confirmed the outage in a tweet, noting the entire electric system was out of service and officials have activated the proper protocols to work to restore power.

The blackout – whichfollowed hours of progressively worsening power outages – comes five years after Puerto Rico’s power grid was devastated by Hurricane Maria in September 2017, leaving many residents without electricity for months.

Fiona has continued to strengthen Sunday and now packs sustained winds of 85 miles per hour, according to the National Hurricane Center’s update at 2 p.m. ET, at which point the storm was about 25 miles southwest of Ponce.

The storm’s impacts have already been felt: At least one death has been reported in Basse-Terre in the French territory of Guadeloupe, according to the vice president of the territory’s environmental agency, who said the capital had been devastated by flooding. And in Puerto Rico, nearly 570,000 customers – or 40% of the island’s total – were without power as of 12:30 p.m. ET Sunday, according to PowerOutage.us. And the flash flooding has already begun.

Pierluisi warned the storm “will cover our entire island” in a news conference Sunday, noting winds and rain bands from the storm may extend outward up to 100 to 120 miles. “This is impacting us now,” Pierluisi said. “It’s south of Puerto Rico but very close to our coast.”

Evacuees are seen in a classroom of a public school being used as a shelter as Hurricane Fiona and its heavy rains approach in Guayanilla, Puerto Rico, on Sunday.Ricardo Arduengo/Reuters

There is a possibility Fiona’s center might skirt Puerto Rico, precluding a traditional “landfall.” But regardless, the impacts of the storm remain the same.

“Additional strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours while Fiona moves near Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and over the southwestern Atlantic,” the hurricane center said. “Hurricane conditions are expected on Puerto Rico today, and are expected in portions of the eastern Dominican Republic tonight and Monday.”

The National Weather Service on Sunday warned of life-threatening to catastrophic flooding, issuing flash flood warnings for south and east Puerto Rico, including Ponce and Yabucoa, through at least mid-afternoon. The service said flooding had started after an estimated 1 to 4 inches of rain had already fallen.

Fiona's current forecast storm track across the Atlantic.CNN Weather

The northern and eastern Dominican Republic, too, is forecast to see 4 to 8 inches of rain, with isolated totals up to 12 inches possible.

“These rains will produce life-threatening flash flooding and urban flooding across Puerto Rico and the eastern Dominican Republic, along with mudslides and landslides in areas of higher terrain,” the hurricane center said.

Already, authorities have responded to one such landslide: Emergency officials responded Saturday evening to a landslide around 8 p.m. ET at an apartment complex in Guaynabo, according to fire and public safety officials. There were no initial reports of injuries.

Puerto Rico officials continue to closely watch the island’s mountain regions, which have suffered landslides in the past and where the soil is saturated from the rain, Pierluisi said.

‘This is not Maria’

Around 120 shelters with 25,000 cots have been opened for those in need, the governor said. Classes Monday have been canceled and government workers – save emergency workers – should stay home, too.

Meantime, utilities authorities plan to repair and restore electricity with the help of local government agencies, according to Abner Gomez, a spokesperson for LUMA Energy, which operates Puerto Rico’s power grid.

Forecast rainfall accumulations due to Tropical Storm Fiona.CNN Weather

A hurricane warning – indicating hurricane conditions are expected – was issued for Puerto Rico, including the islands of Vieques and Culebra, and later expanded to include the eastern Dominican Republic from Cabo Caucedo to Cabo Frances Viejo. The Dominican Republic’s northern coast, from Cabo Frances Viejo west to Puerto Plata, are under a hurricane watch Sunday morning, meaning hurricane conditions are possible in the next 48 hours.

President Joe Biden on Sunday morning approved an emergency declaration for Puerto Rico, freeing up federal resources, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, for emergency response and disaster relief efforts.

The threat won’t end once the storm passes between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Further strengthening is expected, and the official forecast track indicates Fiona could be a major hurricane by Wednesday as it tracks to the east of the Bahamas and toward Bermuda.

“It appears likely that Fiona will become the first major hurricane of this Atlantic season in a few days,” the hurricane center said.

[judgementdaysunshine]

Hello! May I please request a cute/fluffy fic of Erik Lehnsherr and Jewish!mutant!fem!Reader (who has the ability to heal through food) falling in love with each other and eventually getting married (Erik deserves good things)?

Oooh brings a new meaning to comfort food 😊

Made with love

Pairing: Erik Lehnsherr x Fem Jewish Mutant Reader

Description: You and Erik slowly fall in love after meeting and seeing your power of healing with food

You smiled as Kurt ate the Cholent you made everyone for dinner some of the kids were sick so earlier you made Matzo ball soup but Kurt was asleep and woke up not too long before cholent was done. He was sick with the flu not really eating but when you handed him the plate of the warm meal he immediately felt better after the first bite no longer feeling stuffy and lightheaded back to normal "Thank you this is amazing" Erik watches while he eats slowly everyone who was sick is better within a few minutes of eating the meal you made but also filling their bellies with homemade love.You first met and got to know 5 students who had come to the restaurant you worked at in the mall those students being Jubilee, Scott, Jean, Kurt, and Warren who frequented the mall throughout each week playing in the arcade, buying records in the music store, and collecting comic books. You had served them and when you noticed kurt didn't have money for anything to eat you paid with your own money and made him jewish rosemary chicken and potatoes which filled him with a sense of safety, care, and love telling charles and erik not knowing what would happen after meeting the kind woman in the multicultural restaurant at the mall months later while getting to know her and leading to one of the most feared mutants to falling in love with the most kind hearted mutant in the world. You were found by warren injured and crying on the side of the road late at night when he was flying which is what he did occasionally but when he saw you walking and then collapse he couldn't just leave someone there but when he realized it was you he immediately grabbed you taking you to the school to Hank who treated your wounds and for smoke inhalation realizing by how you looked and the smell that you were in a fire keeping a close eye on you while warren told the others and they took turns seeing you and they were all there when you woke up hugging you tightly and more when you started crying. You told them that not only were you indeed in a fire but you lost your home and family and suppressing your powers meeting charles and being accepted to live in the school and work as a chef while also still working at the mall being welcomed by the whole school and even having some students you hadn't met give you condolences on the loss of your family but erik stayed right beside you leading to late at night making Kreplach some for you while the rest were for the students hearing footsteps turning to see erik "May I have some?" you smile by handing him a plate of dumplings and as soon as he eats them he smiles sweetly making you melt like butter but what you didn't expect was to end up in a sweet slow kiss with him and being asked to dinner the next night. You both took things slow having had feelings for each other for awhile before but both of you fall in love as time went on and the two of you were a perfect match for each other you dated for 4 years when you became engaged at got married in Puerto Rico after a long mission with everyone from the school there and all the students calling you Mrs Lehnsherr whenever they see you in the lunch room or anywhere around the school and they look fondly at you and your husband whenever they see the two of you together.

[livealittleoc-cb]

"I love the feeling of the sun on my face, it feels like a warm and gentle kiss."

:･ﾟ✧:･.☽˚｡･ﾟ✧:･.: Apollo [Hunter Lewis / Sato Akio]

⋆｡°✩ Greek God of the Sun, Light, Music, Poetry, Art, Truth && Healing

⋆｡°✩ Twin of Artemis

⋆｡°✩ He is a musician && owns a music studio

⋆｡°✩ Has a Goldendoodle named Snickerdoodle

⋆｡°✩ In "Human" form he's from Puerto Rico [mum's side]/ American [dad's side], in Astria he is from Strayye [San Juan, Puerto Rico]

⋆｡°✩ He/Him | Gay, Mono | 24 [Human Years], is as old as the Sun && Music | 3/4 [Pisces] | 5'5"

⋆｡°✩He is:

horny on the outside

softie on the inside

energetic

overly emotional

fuckboy but not

scared of romance

creative as hell

God Information / Form Stuff

⋆｡°✩ he feeds off of the sun/light && music to keep his strength

⋆｡°✩ the sun is more affective with keeping his strength but, music does help a lot too

⋆｡°✩ when he's in the sun his secret freckles appear

⋆｡°✩ imagine dog sunbathing

⋆｡°✩ basically lives at his studio in an unhealthly, doesn't eat && sleeps there way

⋆｡°✩ when he feeds his eyes turn a honey mustard yellow

⋆｡°✩ everyone in olympus knows him as the no commitment boy since he sleeps around so much in human && god form

⋆｡°✩ as a god he can smell && sense emotions well but the smell/sensation of happiness is the strongest he can depict

⋆｡°✩ he can also sense honesty && lies, he gets severely hurt if someone lies to him

⋆｡°✩ he is able to heal himself && others with his powers

⋆｡°✩ he has more strength then a normal human but an average amount of strength compared to other gods

⋆｡°✩ he can change his "human" apperance [height, eye color, hair color, etc.]

⋆｡°✩ each god has a human name they go by, his is Hunter or Akio

⋆｡°✩ he is taller in his god form, he is a good 6'5" in god form

⋆｡°✩ in his god form, his eyes look like liquid gold/sun, freckles dust his face, his skin is slightly tanner && golden, has golden curls, has a crown halo with spikes that floats over his head, he carries around a harp && bow && arrow, his nails are permanently painted yellow, he has a smiley piercing instead of hip piercings

⋆｡°✩ when he cries in this form he cries liquid gold

⋆｡°✩ when not in astria or the human realm he resides in the olymipian realm [olympus]

⋆｡°✩ in his half && half form he is his normal 5'5", has his hip piercings, his eyes are either their normal honey golden hazel or a crystal blue, straighter hair

Extras

⋆｡°✩ natural eye color: honey golden hazel

⋆｡°✩ eyes might glow bright yellow when happy

⋆｡°✩ has one small bow && arrow tattoo on the lower part of his neck

⋆｡°✩ has surface hip piercings

⋆｡°✩ likes: dogs, music, his guitar, Ares [his bestest friend], culture learning, the color yellow

⋆｡°✩ dislikes: mean people, being yelled at, violence, not being taken seriously, people miss treating ares

⋆｡°✩languages: english, japanese && very very basic spanish

⋆｡°✩ he went to japan for a music gig && loved it there! he lived there for a while && even got a japanese name!

NSFW

⋆｡°✩ sub; some of his kinks are size kink, breeding [receiving], man handling [receiving], toys [receiving], praise [giving], degradation [receiving]

⋆｡°✩ hard nos: feet, watersports, wasteplay

⋆｡°✩ even if he has a lot of one night stands, he's still a shy baby && has never had sex with feelings/romantically so he doesn't feel confident domming

⋆｡°✩ once his trust is gained enough he might dom but might need to be guided

⋆｡°✩ his eyes glow golden when arroused

⋆｡°✩ safe word: sun

⋆｡°✩ he uses 🎧 on dash

Relationship Statuses

⋆｡°✩ in the studio && just vibing

⋆｡°✩ taken && happily dating @evicted-oc Arawn [beautiful death ☠️🖤] [4.25.23]

⋆｡°✩ friends: @monsterhigh-cb Hyunjin [Fuck Bestie🤭💖👑]

⋆｡°✩ children: @k-half-blood Beomhan [my...child?] && the other dozen

Tags

⋆｡°✩ relationship tag(s): #🖤💛arallo [panda man ship tag], #🐼💀hugable panda [panda man ship tag]

⋆｡°✩ friend tag(s):

⋆｡°✩ music tag(s):

⋆｡°✩ inspo tag(s):

⋆｡°✩ other tag(s): #🎧apollo.txt [apollo text/interactions]

faceclaim: @/tristanpvaldez on instagram

[five-miles-over]

It's Loki's World and We're All Just Living In It

Pairings: President!Loki x reader

Summary: After having taken over the entire Western Hemisphere and calling it his "Midgard", your boss President Loki believes that he needs an excellent running mate for the upcoming elections. And who better a running mate than…his own variant?

President Loki commands the TVA, which is currently under the leadership of Agent Mobius, to bring the one variant that has managed to escape the president's radar. And your new job? Help the future vice president adjust to his new role.

Author's Note/Disclaimer: Since this takes place in New York, I'm using a few bits of American political jargon and briefly referencing the 2012 U.S. election. Please, please know that I'm only doing it just to give the reader an idea of how President Loki got his power. By no means is this meant to be a political statement, nor is it meant to offend any political party. It's just a fictitious scenario made purely for entertainment. 

That being said, this is my first time writing for President Loki. I hope you like it, and please feel free to leave constructive criticism. 

New York City - 2018

There was once a time when every country had their own ruler - Canada had a prime minister, while the United States and (almost) every country in South America had a president. It was a time when the Western Hemisphere wasn't a single continent known as Midgard, and the word was nothing but a word from Norse mythology that literally meant "Middle Earth".

The Battle of New York, which had taken place on May 4, 2012, was President Loki's first official victory. Not his first electoral victory, but his first victory as the leader of an army. Using something known as the Chitauri and a powerful scepter, Loki was able to make New York City fall at his feet. Literally. Almost no one in New York had even seen a Chitauri before , but by the end of the year, almost everyone with internet access believed in the existence of the Chitauri. Some even whispered that Loki threatened the most powerful voters with potential attacks from the Chitauri. 

But you knew that wasn't true. Anyone with half a brain cell knew that Loki won the American presidency through sheer charisma and a dash of Machiavellianism. And by convincing the American public that his party was the only one that would promise long-term happiness and satisfaction. But the real moment that led to his victory was when the National Broadcasting Company television network showed special coverage featuring endorsements for Loki given by the presidential candidates running against him. There was speculation among journalists and political analysts that the candidates were under some type of external influence - a form of coercion, if you will - though related rumors quickly faded. 

The next six years were nothing short of revolutionary. President Loki celebrated his victory with great pomp, relocated the president's office to New York City from its traditional place in Washington D.C., declared May 4 to be a national holiday known as Revolution Day, got married, introduced a group called the Time Variance Authority as his new personal police, and seduced the world leaders into "joining hands" with the United States. By 2015, nearly three years after Loki was elected as President of the United States, Loki was also the President of Mexico, Canada, Honduras, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Argentina, El Salvador, Haiti, Suriname, Guyana, and Greenland. (His long-time dream was to take over the British royal family one day, but that plan would require much more than honeyed words of diplomacy.)

2015 was also the time you joined President Loki's staff as one of his closest assistants. While growing up, you had fantasized about what it would be like to live and work in the city that never sleeps, but never in your wildest dreams did you think that you'd be employed by a president, let alone a politician. 

To say that working in Loki Towers was challenging would be an understatement. From eight in the morning to nearly five-thirty at night, you were constantly on your feet delivering coffee to some of Loki's "senators" (who were former members of S.H.I.E.L.D.), sending emails to set up some of the President's appointments, planning decadent parties with no budget limit (aka orgies) for the President's delight, and attending political discussions with the President himself. 

While the job paid well, almost a hundred American dollars per hour, it wasn't always the most dignified. Like today's encounter:

"Mister President?" You knocked on a smooth mahogany door belonging to the president's office. "Mister President?"

"Open, don't take too long." 

You opened the door to find President Loki sitting on his ebony throne…with a model with a pixie cut, wearing a black mini pencil skirt and a green bralette with diamonds, straddling his hips. 

"I've been learning the secrets of Victoria," Loki purred, running his pale hand along the backside of the model. With a single tug, he untied the knot tying her bralette from behind.  

Not flinching, you took a sharp breath instead. "Agent Mobius from The Time Variance Authority is in the lobby waiting for you."

"Wait five minutes. Then send him in."

You swiftly closed the door with a slam, and a smirk formed upon Loki's lips. Something told you that he enjoyed getting under your skin from time to time. But it was pretty hard to hate him. 

President Loki, even though he partied more than any other president in history, was a surprisingly good president. He was able to clear every country's debt, reduce the price of petrol, and even prevent the U.S. from entering a new recession. However, he was fully conscious of the five assassination attempts against him and the members of the government who envied his political success. As King Henry IV would say, "uneasy lies the head that wears a crown." Yes, that's right. President Loki wore a small crown with horns, which his haters called a 'symbol of Satanism' and a 'threat to democracy.' All they received in return was a maniacal laugh that made some of them wet their pants. The president knew they weren't worth his time, nor were they bound to live long.

Fifteen minutes after leaving Loki's personal office, you were seated at a long table in the center of a conference room. A man with salt-and-pepper hair held a few manila files in his hand, and stood at the head of the table while the president sat nearby. Soon, each and every seat was filled by Loki's campaign managers, a few trusted senators, and assistants like you.

President Loki cleared this throat and gave the room a smile. "I understand you all know why we've gathered here now."

The room murmured in agreement, and Loki silenced them by giving the screen on the wall a sharp tap.  "We have six more months until the next elections come, and my running mate has proven himself to be incompetent."

"Well, what would you expect when hiring an alligator to be your vice president, sir?" The man with salt-and-pepper hair chuckled. No one in the room joined in Mobius's quiet laughter.

"I certainly was not expecting to lose my right hand, Mobius." Loki held up a prosthetic hand that was shinier than most glass buildings were in the summertime. 

One of Loki's campaign managers, a tall man with shoulder-length blonde hair in a black suit, leaned forward. "We need to recruit someone quickly…perhaps the missus?"

"No, no. She's busy being angry at the world. How could she possibly be a vice president? I have a hard time getting her to show up on time to our parties." The president scoffed, earning laughter from the room. "I've decided to bring someone like-minded, obedient, intelligent, handsome, and full of mischief. Someone who will bring…variance to my campaign."

The campaign managers murmured in awe amongst themselves.

"His name is Loki as well," the president smugly said. "Which is precisely the reason why I've called Mr. Mobius, the head of the TVA, here today. He's going to explain how we'll bring Loki, or rather Mr. Laufeyson as we shall call him."

Mobius politely thanked the president before explaining to the rest of the room how the Time Variance Authority worked. The TVA worked to monitor the multiverse, pruning various timelines if they ever became too dangerous to humanity. And since there were branching timelines, each and every person had variants, or alternate versions of themselves. Under the new operation mandated by President Loki, the TVA was responsible for gathering variants of the president, or "Loki's" as they were collectively known. Some of the variants agreed to support President Loki, while others violently opposed him.

But until now, there was one variant who'd managed to go unnoticed, mainly because this variant hadn't caused much damage except for a few shenanigans on Midgard. And because this variant was busy constantly fighting the Avengers. 

"Since Mr. President believes that Mr. Laufeyson is capable of being a suitable running mate, we are going to bring him from his timeline into our timeline."

"Couldn't have said it better myself, Mobius." President Loki gestured for Mobius to be seated.

You raised your hand, and leaned in closer. "But wouldn't doing this cause a Nexus event, since Mr. Laufeyson isn't meant to come into contact with us?"

"Then we create a tiny little multiverse of our own," President Loki simply said. "Nothing to worry your pretty little head about."

"We'll keep an eye on the variant, and the TVA - " Mobius quickly paused, noticing the words he'd just said. "I mean, Mr. President here has the final say, but the TVA will keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn't do too much damage to the Sacred Timeline."

"The Sacred Timeline can go to hell for all I care." President Loki dismissed. "Send a group of your strongest Timekeepers, Mobius. We need to take him from his timeline before he's imprisoned in Asgard. While he's still in New York with the Tesseract."

"I can have them sent in fifteen minutes, Mr. President." Mobius stood up from the table, gathering his files.

President Loki turned to you. "And you, darling. I'm placing you in charge of my vice president's welfare once he arrives here."

"Like a bodyguard?" You raised an eyebrow.

"No, sweet darling." The president shook his head. "You'll show him around, make sure he's settled in his apartment, and look after his schedule."

"So you want me to be his assistant too."

"I want you do to do as I tell you," President Loki commanded.

"Of course, Mr. President." You rose from the table, and the president's blue eyes twinkled with a dark gleam.

President Loki triumphantly kissed the TVA agent's lips, cupping Mobius's cheeks. "We are on the edge of a golden world!"

[moongato]

buenos dias mi gente! i come to you with the 70th anniversary of my favorite event in PR history! On March 1, 1954, four brilliant puerto rican revolutionaries and activists entrered the United States Capitol building in DC and started shooting at the conggressmen. These people were lead by Lolita Lebron, one of the most brilliant puerto rican activists of that time. Along with her, Rafael Cancel Miranda, Irvin Flores, and Andres Figueroa Cordero. No one was killed in the shooting, but 5 congressmen were wounded. Even after being arrested, they proclaimed that all they did was for the freedom of puerto rico! Lolita Lebron herself lived until 90 years (2010), never letting go of her ideals and never once regretting what she did. Rafael Cancel Miranda died 4 years ago due to old age, and has multiple interviews online. may they rest in power, y q dios los bendiga a todos!

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Acapulco After Hurricane Otis

Hurricane Otis was one of the strongest storms in recorded history to hit the Pacific Coast of Mexico. Having strengthened from a tropical storm to a category 5 hurricane in just over 12 hours, the storm caught forecasters and the city of Acapulco off-guard when it made landfall on October 25, 2023. Otis knocked over power lines, uprooted trees, and unleashed torrential flooding and landslides. Beyond its devastating impact on human lives and property, the storm damaged the surrounding tropical forest.

Acapulco—home to nearly 1 million people—is at the foot of steep mountains and encircled by dry tropical forests. These images show the city and surrounding area before and after Otis struck. Notice the landscape near the city changes from lush, green vegetation to brown. Sediment runoff from excess rainfall can still be seen in Laguna de Tres Palos almost a week after the storm. The OLI (Operational Land Imager) sensor on Landsat 8 acquired the top image on September 21, 2023, and the OLI-2 sensor on Landsat 9 acquired the lower image on October 31.

Hurricanes frequently disturb temperate and tropical forests in coastal regions of North and Central America. High winds blow leaves off trees and snap branches, and large amounts of rain combined with wind make it easier for trees to be uprooted from wet soils. Damage to vegetation on the mountains just outside of Acapulco is especially noticeable in these images. Trees at high elevations and on steep slopes are more likely to be damaged in storms because they are more exposed to high wind speeds.

Jess Zimmerman, a professor of ecology at the University of Puerto Rico, has studied how tree composition changes after hurricanes. After reviewing these images, he noted that the damage is “undoubtedly due to the hurricane.”

Past storms have caused similar damage, which scientists can examine using remote sensing. For example, Zimmerman co-authored research that used images from Sentinel-2 to estimate damage to forests from Hurricane Maria, a category 4 storm that hit Puerto Rico in September 2017. The researchers found that almost a quarter of forest biomass was lost in the storm and that areas of high rainfall experienced the most damage. They also noted that increases in the intensity and frequency of tropical cyclones may reduce the ability of tropical forests to sequester carbon.

NASA’s Earth Applied Sciences Disasters program area has been activated in support of Hurricane Otis. As new information becomes available, the team will be posting maps and data products on its open-access mapping portal.

NASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Emily Cassidy.

[trendingfashions]

he 10 Strangest Places on Earth

The 10 Strangest Places on Earth

The world is a strange and wonderful place, and there are many places that defy explanation. From colorful lakes to giant rock formations, these 10 places are sure to leave you scratching your head.

1. Spotted Lake, British Columbia, Canada

Source; The New York Times

Spotted Lake is a lake in British Columbia, Canada, that is known for its colorful water. The lake is actually made up of four interconnected lakes, each of which has a different color. The colors are caused by the presence of different minerals in the water. The lake is also home to a variety of plants and animals, including the Spotted Frog, which is only found in this area.

2. The Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland

Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland source;Wikipedia

The Giant's Causeway is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Northern Ireland. It is made up of thousands of hexagonal basalt columns that were formed by a volcanic eruption millions of years ago. The columns are arranged in a way that looks like a giant's causeway, hence the name.

3. Thor's Well, Oregon, USA

Source; IFLSCINCE

Oregon is for Adventure

Thor's Well is a natural phenomenon in Oregon, USA. It is a large hole in the ground that can create a whirlpool-like effect when the waves crash into it. The hole is named after Thor, the Norse god of thunder, because of its powerful appearance.

4. Pamukkale, Turkey

Source; Geology Science

Pamukkale is a thermal spring in Turkey that is known for its white travertine terraces. The terraces were formed by the calcium carbonate deposits from the springs. The terraces are a popular tourist destination and are said to have healing properties.

5. Lake Hillier, Western Australia

Source; our breeding planet

Lake Hillier is a lake in Western Australia that is known for its bright pink color. The color is caused by the presence of a type of algae called Dunaliella salina. The lake is located on Middle Island, which is part of the Recherche Archipelago off the coast of Western Australia.

6. Badab-e Surt, Iran

Source; Wikipedia

Badab-e Surt, Iran

Badab-e Surt is an area in Iran that is known for its colorful hot springs. The springs are located in the Kavir Desert, which is a large desert in Iran. The colors of the springs are caused by the presence of different minerals.

7. The Tianzi Mountains, China

Source; Times of India

The Tianzi Mountains are a mountain range in China that is known for its dramatic red sandstone cliffs. The mountains are located in the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, which is a popular tourist destination in China.

8. The Nazca Lines, Peru

Source; Encyclopedia Britannica

The Nazca Lines are a series of large, ancient drawings that were made in the Nazca Desert in Peru. The lines are made up of lines, geometric shapes, and animal figures, and they can only be seen from the air.

9. The Bermuda Triangle, North Atlantic Ocean

Source; Wikipedia

The Bermuda Triangle is a region in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean that is known for its high number of unexplained disappearances of ships and aircraft. The triangle is bounded by Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and Miami, Florida.

10. The Hand of Fatima, Morocco

Source;Tour Marocco and the Jerusalem Post

The Hand of Fatima is a rock formation in Morocco that is said to be a sacred site for the Berber people. It is believed to offer protection from evil.

These are just a ten of the many strange places on Earth. Each place has its own unique story and history, and they all offer a glimpse into the wonder and mystery of our world. So next time you're looking for a vacation destination that's a little bit out of the ordinary, be sure to check out one of these strange places. You won't be disappointed.

Here are some additional facts about these strange places:

Spotted Lake is said to have healing properties, and people have come from all over the world to bathe in its waters.

The Giant's Causeway is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Northern Ireland.

Thor's Well is a dangerous place to visit, as the waves can be very powerful.

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week #9

March 9-15 2024

The IRS launched its direct file pilot program. Tax payers in 12 states, Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming, Arizona, Massachusetts, California and New York, can now file their federal income taxes for free on-line directly with the IRS. The IRS plans on taking direct file nation wide for next year's tax season. Tax Day is April 15th so if you're in one of those states you have a month to check it out.

The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights opened an investigation into the death of Nex Benedict. the OCR is investigating if Benedict's school district violated his civil rights by failing to protect him from bullying. President Biden expressed support for trans and non-binary youth in the aftermath of the ruling that Benedict's death was a suicide and encouraged people to seek help in crisis

Vice President Kamala Harris became the first sitting Vice-President (or President) to visit an abortion provider. Harris' historic visit was to a Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Paul Minnesota. This is the last stop on the Vice-President's Reproductive Rights Tour that has taken her across the country highlighting the need for reproductive health care.

President Biden announced 3.3 billion dollars worth of infrastructure projects across 40 states designed to reconnect communities divided by transportation infrastructure. Communities often split decades ago by highways build in the 1960s and 70s. These splits very often affect communities of color splitting them off from the wider cities and making daily life far more difficult. These reconnection projects will help remedy decades of economic racism.

The Biden-Harris administration is taking steps to eliminate junk fees for college students. These are hidden fees students pay to get loans or special fees banks charged to students with bank accounts. Also the administration plans to eliminate automatic billing for textbooks and ban schools from pocketing leftover money on student's meal plans.

The Department of Interior announced $120 million in investments to help boost Climate Resilience in Tribal Communities. The money will support 146 projects effecting over 100 tribes. This comes on top of $440 million already spent on tribal climate resilience by the administration so far

The Department of Energy announced $750 million dollars in investment in clean hydrogen power. This will go to 52 projects across 24 states. As part of the administration's climate goals the DoE plans to bring low to zero carbon hydrogen production to 10 million metric tons by 2030, and the cost of hydrogen to $1 per kilogram of hydrogen produced by 2031.

The Department of Energy has offered a 2.3 billion dollar loan to build a lithium processing plant in Nevada. Lithium is the key component in rechargeable batteries used it electric vehicles. Currently 95% of the world's lithium comes from just 4 countries, Australia, Chile, China and Argentina. Only about 1% of the US' lithium needs are met by domestic production. When completed the processing plant in Thacker Pass Nevada will produce enough lithium for 800,000 electric vehicle batteries a year.

The Department of Transportation is making available $1.2 billion in funds to reduce decrease pollution in transportation. Available in all 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico the funds will support projects by transportation authorities to lower their carbon emissions.

The Geothermal Energy Optimization Act was introduced in the US Senate. If passed the act will streamline the permitting process and help expand geothermal projects on public lands. This totally green energy currently accounts for just 0.4% of the US' engird usage but the Department of Energy estimates the potential geothermal energy supply is large enough to power the entire U.S. five times over.

The Justice for Breonna Taylor Act was introduced in the Senate banning No Knock Warrants nationwide

A bill was introduced in the House requiring the US Postal Service to cover the costs of any laid fees on bills the USPS failed to deliver on time

The Senate Confirmed 3 more Biden nominees to be life time federal Judges, Jasmine Yoon the first Asian-America federal judge in Virginia, Sunil Harjani in Illinois, and Melissa DuBose the first LGBTQ and first person of color to serve as a federal judge in Rhode Island. This brings the total number of Biden judges to 185

[reasoningdaily]

Romarilyn Ralston

Romarilyn Ralston is Executive Director and former Program Director (2016-2022) of Project Rebound. She identifies as a black feminist abolitionist with an incarceration experience. She also chair’s the CSU Project Rebound Consortium Policy & Advocacy Committee. Romarilyn Ralston earned a Bachelor’s degree in Gender & Feminist Studies from Pitzer College and a Master’s degree in Liberal Arts from Washington University in St. Louis after 23 years of incarceration. Romarilyn is especially focused on building power, sharing space, and empowering systems-impacted BIPOC women and other justice-involved sisters from all backgrounds through the transformative power of post-secondary education and community-building. She is a long-time member and organizer with the California Coalition for Women Prisoners and serves on the leadership committee.  Romarilyn sits on the several national Board including the Alliance for Higher Education in Prison and Freedom Reads also known as the Yale Million Book Project. In 2022, Ralston received a full pardon from Governor Gavin Newsom.

Awards

She is the recipient of Pitzer College’s 2020 Distinguished Alumni Award, California State Senator Ling Ling Chang’s 2020 Woman of Distinction Social Justice Champion Award, and the 2018 Civil Rights and Advocacy Award from the Orange County Chapter of the National Council of 100 Black Women. Ralston was a 2018 Fellow of the  Women's Policy Institute , where as a member of the criminal justice reform team she helped to pass several pieces of legislation into law. Ralston has also held fellowships with Just Leadership USA, CORO Public Affairs, and the Napier Initiative for Justice and Peace.

Romarilyn Ralston CV

The Education Trust Advisory Board Member, Appointed May

Alliance for Higher Education in Prison, Board Vice Chair, Appointed August 2021

Pitzer College Alumni Board Member, Appointed June 2020

Freedom Reads, The Justice Collaborative at Yale University. The Million Book Project will bring curated 500-book literary time-capsules to 1,000 prisons and juvenile detention centers to each state in the United States, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

Steering Committee Member, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation CARE Grant Program ($10 million), FY 2020.

Member, Blue Ribbon Commission on Fair Employment & Equity, City of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, an alliance of private and public sector employers committed to providing opportunities for people who have been historically excluded from upwardly mobile jobs. Los Angeles, CA, July 2017- 2019.

Publications

Romarilyn Ralston | openDemocracy

"Project Rebound Coordinator Uses Education to Help Formerly Incarcerated Students,"  The Daily Titan, December 4, 2017.

"Silenced by the Pain of a Tumultuous Life,"   Ms. Magazine Blog, October 29, 2015.

Abolition Feminisms Vol. 1 Organizing, Survival, and Transformative Practice Edited by Alisa Bierria, Jakeya Caruthers, and Brooke Lober Foreword by Dean Spade ESSAY: Caring Collectively: 25 Years of Abolitionist Feminism in California

1st Edition Critical Perspectives on Teaching in Prison Students and Instructors on Pedagogy Behind the Wall Edited By Rebecca Ginsburg Chapter 19: Schools, Prisons, and Higher Education

[pa0bee]

First post:

1)

16: Hokusai 1823-1829 The Great Wave Off Kanagawa, from the series Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji. Color woodcut

Hello! My name is Paola but I prefer being called Pao. A few facts about me are that I love music, painting, and reading.

-It displays the influence of Dutch Art.

-It was inspirational for many artists working in Europe later in the 19th century.

-Hokusai was born in 1760 in Edo (Tokyo)

-He began calling himself Hokusai in 1797.

-Hokusai discovered western prints that came to Japan by the way of Dutch Trade.

I have this Artwork in my room but I've never paid much attention to its details. In the background, we can see Mount Fuji. So now that I perfectly see what the background is it's changed my way of viewing it. Now instead of focusing on the waves, I know that Mount Fuji its in the background. I noticed that the foam created by the waves makes it seem like it's snowing from the depth that Mount Fuji. 2)My favorite art at home is this mandala I have hanging on my room wall. It is simple but complex at the same time. I love Hindi cultural religions because they make me feel at ease and relaxed, specially this kind of art that signifies the transformation of the universe of suffering into one of joy. This kind of art can be created using a variety of materials such as paint, pencils, digital machinery and can be very complex and difficult to achieve. This art can be used as a tool for meditation, and self relaxation because it can help you relax and envision yourself as who you really are as your purest, honest true self. It is one of the most beautiful arts because as simple as it seems it can be a very deep and complex type of art. You have to be concentrated and relaxed to create such a deep, beautiful and unique art piece like this. For me this piece is beautiful, powerful piece full of meaning.

3) writing a self-portrait: I am an 18-year-old girl, I am from Puerto Rico, and I am a Latina. I usually listen to music in my room, draw or paint for fun or just spend my time reading. I work at Target. What makes me myself is my personality I'm kind of quiet but once I get to know someone I become another person (in a good way of course). 4) self-portrait I call this "my mind's reflection" I feel like people's rooms say something about their feelings or their personalities.

[slovenlyrecordings]

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Amigxs nos vemos el sábado 4 de febrero para celebrar esta Fiesta/Destrucción

Tendremos la visita de DJ Peter Slovenly el legendario creador del sello Slovenly Recordings.

Peter es un Dj en vinilo que ha recorrido el mundo entero pinchando discos y va en busca de las bandas más salvajes del planeta para editarlas bajo su sello, entre sus filas podemos encontrar a The Spits, Wau y Los Arrrghs, Doctor Explosión, The Monsters, Ardillas, The Cavemen, Acid Baby Jesus, Biznaga, Los Vigilantes y mucho más

Pete también creó su propio festival llamado We're Loud que se mueve a través del planeta convocando lo mejor de cada ciudad que visita. Ha tenido épicas ediciones en Atenas Grecia, Puerto Rico, Nápoles Italia, Turquía, Vietnam, CDMX y Oaxaca.

Sin duda alguna escucharemos una selección musical variada llena de energía que no encontrás en ningún otro lado

El Capitán Muerte es el encargado de llevar todo el ruido y ritmos salvajes de Slovenly por todo México. Proveedor de vinilos y tapes en su distro Discos de Muerte (Slovenly Mexico).

Trae en su selección de discos desde Power Pop hasta el Garage Rock más trashero que puedas imaginar

El surco es uno de los coleccionistas más aferrados a conseguir todo tipo de discos que te puedan hacer mover toda la noche. Nos deleitará con una selección que no podrás dejar de bailar como loco

Los encargados de inaugurar esta fiesta wild/trasher son Los Sex Sex Sex con sus ritmos rápidos y explosivos. Ellos tienen un sello de calidad LoFi, Garage punk de alto calibre

Todo esto y más por solo $70 o 2x$100 acceso 9PM

Habrá venta de vinilos y merch oficial.

Es un evento que no se pueden perder!

La cita es en su bar destroyer de confianza el Santos Remedios 2 sur 1105 Col. Centro Puebla (santosremediospuebla)

Atte. Colmena Negra proveedor de tshirts y música primitiva