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jeffhirsch · 1 month

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Seasonality Works! Trade the Cycles & Profit from History

Source: Super Boom (April 2011) by Jeffrey A. Hirsch, Fig. 1.3 p12, 500+ Percent Moves Follow Inflation

Earlier this month when we signed off on the final page proofs and sent the 2025 Stock Trader’s Almanac to press, I took pause to reflect upon the historic seasonal research my late father and founder of the Almanac, Yale Hirsch, accomplished and that we now continue. When Yale published the 1st edition of the iconic Stock Trader’s Almanac in 1968 who would have thought that many of the patterns and trends would still be working today? There have been changes and updates. Some trends have gone to the indicator graveyard while new patterns have emerged.

Perhaps the most quintessential Almanac pattern ever just completed for the second time in Almanac history. Remember my Super Boom forecast for Dow 38820 published in 2011

Look at this chart of the 4-Year Presidential Election Cycle! We first sent this chart to members in July 2021. It guided us through the covid bull market, called the midterm bear, pre-election year bull and current election year strength.

The market continues to follow the trends of our seasonal and 4-year cycle patterns we track and monitor. In our July Outlook, we maintained our bullish outlook for 2024, but cautioned that the market was possibly due for some mean reversion (a pullback) once NASDAQ’s 12-Day Midyear Rally ended in mid-July. NASDAQ did top out on July 10 while DJIA and S&P 500 topped about one week later.

The market has recovered in line with historical election year strength in August, but the correction is not likely over. With President Biden stepping aside our Open Field election year is back in play. This does not mean we are heading into the red for the year, but it does suggest the market may continue to struggle over the next few months during the seasonal weak period and leading up to this now more uncertain election. But remember since 1952 there have been “Only Two Losses Last 7 Months of Election Years” (page 80 STA 2024). Any potential September/October market weakness could set up a solid Q4, end-of-year rally, most likely beginning after Election Day.

For over five decades, top traders, investors and money managers have relied upon the Stock Trader’s Almanac. The 2025, 58th Annual Edition shows you the cycles, trends, and patterns you need to know in order to trade and invest with reduced risk and for maximum profit.

Limited time offer available now! Get the 2024 & 2025 Stock Trader's Almanacs for Free, while 2024 supplies last! Subscribe to my digital service, Almanac Investor, now and get the 2024 and 2025 Stock Trader’s Almanacs as free bonuses. Receive the 2024 STA now and be first to get the 2025 edition this fall hot off the press!

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religion-is-a-mental-illness · 9 months

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By: Sarah Rumpf-Whitten

Published: Dec 28, 2023

Tech giants, like Google and Meta, have slashed diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in 2023 despite their commitments following the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests and riots.

According to data provided by job site Indeed, cited by CNBC, DEI-related job postings in 2023 have declined 44%.

In November 2023, the last full month for which data was available, DEI job postings dropped 23% year over year.

Layoffs at Google and Meta also included employees who held leadership roles in Black employee resource groups (ERGs), CNBC said.

Devika Brij, CEO of Brij the Gap Consulting, which works with tech companies’ DEI efforts, told CNBC that some companies have cut nearly 90% of their DEI budget by midyear 2023.

“When George Floyd began to become the topic of conversations, companies and executives doubled down on their commitments and here we are only a couple years later, and folks are looking for opportunities to cut those teams,” Brij said.

Melinda Briana Epler, the founder and CEO of Empovia, said that the cuts in DEI in 2023 were “stark” compared to previous years.

“Whenever there is an economic downturn in tech, some of the first budgets that are cut are in DEI, but I don’t think we’ve seen such stark contrast as this year,” Epler told CNBC.

The layoffs come just three years following the boom in DEI initiatives that came during the Black Lives Matter protests and riots.

At this time, tech companies made a commitment to the promotion of diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

In a June 2020 letter to Google employees, CEO Sundar Pichai vocally committed to improving support for Black workers.

“The events of the past few weeks reflect deep structural challenges,” Pichai wrote. “We’ll work closely with our Black community to develop initiatives and product ideas that support long-term solutions- and we’ll keep you updated.”

In a similar June 2020 letter to Meta employees, COO Sheryl Sandberg committed to having 30% more people of color, including 30% more Black people in leadership by 2025.

“Achieving racial justice and equity is a goal all of us share – and a goal that will take real work to achieve,” Sandberg wrote.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, a Meta spokesperson said that the tech giant remains committed to their DEI initiatives.

“Our commitment to DEI remains at the center of who we are as a company,” a Meta spokesperson said. “We continue to intentionally design equitable and fair practices to drive progress across our people, product, policy and partnerships pillars.”

In a statement to Fox News Digital, an Amazon spokesperson echoed Meta’s sentiments and said that their “DEI priorities have not changed.”

“Our DEI priorities have not changed, and we remain committed to building a more inclusive and diverse Amazon,” Margaret Callahan, a spokesperson for Amazon, said.

In a statement, Google said that their “workforce reductions” were to “sharpen” their focus.

“Our workforce reductions and company-wide efforts to sharpen our focus span the breadth of our business,” a Google spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

“To be absolutely clear, our commitment to this work has not changed and we invested in many new programs and partnerships this year,” the Google spokesperson said.

Big Tech Layoffs in 2023

Several tech giants have tightened their workforce in 2023 after over-hiring during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meta, Microsoft Corp., Amazon and Google-parent Alphabet Inc. have also cut thousands of jobs throughout the year.

Meta, the parent of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, cut over 10,000 jobs in May 2023.

“As I’ve talked about efficiency this year, I’ve said that part of our work will involve removing jobs — and that will be in service of both building a leaner, more technical company and improving our business performance to enable our long-term vision,” Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said.

Microsoft announced in Jan. 2023 that it would cut 10,000 positions.

The move, which took place at the end of the third quarter, was “in response to macroeconomic conditions and changing customer priorities,” according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Amazon said in early January that it would lay off more than 18,000 employees in what would be its largest workforce reduction to date.

Google parent company Alphabet Inc. announced that it cut 12,000 jobs to weather the current economy.

Google CEO Pichai said the cuts affected teams globally, including recruiting and some corporate functions as well as some engineering and products teams.

Expect DEI to become "that which shall not be named" during 2024.

Good news for the downturn in DEI nonsense, not so good for the actual productive tech side of it, although many of these companies are bloated and often wasting time on peripheral crap anyway. e.g. Twitter 1.0 focused on policing pronouns rather than removing child porn.

One troubling issue is that DEI cultists have their eye on AI. Reports of DEI downturn have been floating around in the last couple of days, but a few of them mention that DEI apparatchiks are adamant about needing to be part of the development of AI, to make sure the AI models comply with their fundamentalist religion. The same kind we've seen from Harvard, which lies, gaslights and calls people names.

Imagine Xians saying that they need to be included in the development of AI, to make sure it's infused with Xian values and biblical scripture, and you'll understand why an AI infused with intersectionality, "other ways of knowing," and hiring for diversity optics rather than merit (see: Claudine Gay) is such a concern.

Keep in mind also that many of these organizations tout their DEI bona fides in order to cover for their own larger sins. Such as Disney working with and thanking the Uyghur concentration camps in the credits for the live-action Mulan.

For such companies, DEI was always a relationship of convenience, providing cover - "wokescreen" (or "woke washing") - for their darker secrets, and DEI parasites were happy to suck millions of dollars out of them for their snakeoil. But DEI is no longer financially or politically convenient, and the "reckoning" that activists manufactured is over and done.

#DEI #DEI bureaucracy #diversity equity and inclusion #diversity #equity #inclusion #DEI must die #DEI apparatchiks #diversity hire #virtue signaling #virtue signal #virtue signalling #religion is a mental illness

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pinkprimrose05 · 2 years

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Pink's ARC-V Highlights - Volume 2: Beware The Blue

Warning: Very Long Post, Contains Spoilers

Okay, uh, I lied. I'm not only here to talk about theories and potential foreshadowing. This series also serves as a quick recap of all ARC-V episodes and the cool moments in them -regardless of relevance to the plot- sprinkled with a generous drizzle of ramblings from yours truly.

If all goes well, you can expect fairly consistent updates, where I cover a few episodes every time. This one, for example, will go over Episodes 3 to 7, since those are the ones I managed to watch this week.

(I. hate. midyear finals.)

If that still piques your interest, then I hope you enjoy the read!

(And yes, I know Yuuto is purple, but purple is technically a shade of blue so the rhyme still works-)

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1) Episodes 3 & 4, OR: The obligatory "No card is useless!" Duel.

We pick up where we left off with the You Show crew, and the mishaps of Learning How To Pendulum At The Unholy Hour of 3 A.M. I must applaud the sheer lack of braincells between Gongenzaka and Yuuya, because wow, I can't believe they both forgot that Duel Replays are a thing.

(This is why only Yuzu has a 60%+ winrate.)

Fast forward through school-flavored pain, and we now introduce everyone's favorite banana peel...

... whom I highkey want to punt off a cliff.

Look, I love Sawatari. I really do. But good Lord, I forgot just how insufferable he was this far back in the show. I had to refrain from punching my screen several times through the back half of Episode 3, because Shingo, you idiot, who the fuck told you it was fine to put 8-year-old children in mortal danger for a bunch of shiny new cards??

Suffice to say, it took me a good while to actually like him after this atrocious first impression... but hey, at least he gets humbled with style!

As far as early-game Duels go, this one is actually not half bad. The "weak card wins you the game" trope is a bit cliché, but Yuuya gets props for turning it into a pretty light show with Kaleidoscorp and Block Spider, and then using said pretty light show to win the game in one turn.

Another thing is that this Duel introduces Action Traps! Gosh, I would have loved to see more of those later down the line. The concept is pretty neat, and the negative effects create an interesting risk, where a Duelist has to stop and think if they really need to grab an Action card, regardless of the potential ramifications of it being a Trap.

Oh, and did I mention that Sawatari gets roasted to oblivion before the final direct attack? Because he does. Yuuya went above and beyond to make this as entertaining as possible to his friends, and as humiliating as possible for Shingo... for which I ultimately have to thank him, because that's the spark that eventually turned Sawatari into the flashy dork we all know and love.

... And because he deserved an asskicking at the time. Sora did well knocking him out, actually.

Speaking of which—

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2) Episodes 5 & 6, OR: That one time we adopted a war criminal.

I actually kinda like these two episodes. They're nothing particularly special if you look back (well, unless you're subscribed to the theory that the stadium in the first minute or so is the same one from Leo's flashback in Episode 126), but hey, at least we get to "properly" know our beloved sugar gremlin!

God, I love Sora. He's actually pretty terrible at disguising his position as a spy- like wow, he keeps outing himself as suspicious every time he makes a snide comment, even without the context of who he actually is. I think he could only afford to slip up so much because no one could ever guess that he came from a world-invading organization in a reality parallel to their own.

... And also because everyone thought of him as a mere child with a bit of a quirky, mischievous streak. I mean, who can ever think ill of such a sweet little guy?

(Yuuya can, but that's because Sora was annoying him on purpose lmao. It's good that he wasn't fooled by the cutesy act, though; that means he could read Sora better than most, despite his deflection and the constant switching between cutie pie and smug bastard.)

As for the Duel, it isn't much to talk about. The first few Duels are usually for exposition and showing mechanics, and in this case, we just see what happens when a Pendulum monster gets destroyed.

Short answer: It goes to the Extra Deck instead of the GY.

Long asnwer: Yuuya goes through a minor existential crisis, because his mishmash of a strategy comes crashing down the moment Odd-Eyes is out of the equation. How does he deal with that, you ask? Hysterical laughter, that's how.

(Goddammit ARC-V, isn't it far too early to make me question the protagonist's sanity?

... actually, don't answer that.)

Aaaaaaaaanyway, we also get to see the reintroduction of Fusion summoning!

(Look at this cool animation. So clean. So awesome.)

Fluffals are actually a very good Deck to showcase the different levels of complexity of the mechanic, and they get bonus points for the contrast between the cutesy plushies and... whatever animatronic shit the Frightfurs have going on. I am now reminded of how glad I was to see the older summoning methods getting a neat glow-up, especially after ZEXAL booted them out of existence in favor of focusing on Xyz.

(And on that note, I feel the need to stress that it's Xyz, not XYZ. Please. It's been twelve years. Stop confusing the game mechanic with the Union cards, people.)

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3) Episode 7, OR: The one I actually wanted to talk about all along.

Oh this. This. This is where the plot finally starts to move forward. Nothing against the previous episodes, but I did say before they're mostly there for exposition, and that, by nature, is bound to be a little boring.

Unlike here.

I'd like to start by talking about Yuzu, because we have to admit: this is the first time she's relevant to the story as herself, not as Yuuya's friend or as a student at You Show. And boy, does she make it count.

She busts Sawatari on her own, and literally calls him a hundredth-rate Duelist. To his face. In front of his lackeys. Yuzu was ready to take him on, even when she was alone and locked in the warehouse (again, Shingo, what the fuck??), and I'm fairly certain she could've backed up her words given the chance...

Except, well, she wasn't given the chance.

I'm actually willing to let this one slide, because Yoot's interference doesn't invalidate Yuzu's ability to handle this by herself. I see it more as a precaution on his part, and also a chance to learn more about LDS and Academia that he simply couldn't pass up.

There's also the likely possibility that he genuinely didn't know how Duels worked here, and couldn't risk Yuzu getting hurt if he could help it. It's clear that Yuuto was aware she wasn't Ruri at this point (wow, good job man, you're not as colorblind as everyone else), but still didn't wish to involve an innocent bystander in conflict... which actually makes sense, considering his moral code.

And besides, the Duel was still pretty cool! There's something inherently awesome about setting a full backrow board on Turn 1, and the first time I saw it, I was absolutely shooketh.

(Also, there was a copy of Mystical Space Typhoon among the set cards. Something tells me that Yuuto knows it doesn't negate, and that is definitely praiseworthy, because it means that he actually reads the damn cards.)

Even Sawatari gets kudos for Monarch representation. And also for showing us that Prismatic foil and different rarities do exist in-universe, just like in GX. It makes me wonder why most Duelists don't use them, buuut I guess that was just a throwaway detail that they used to highlight Shingo's spoiled rich brat disposition.

ANYWAYS, moving on to more important matters!

Like dark matter. Which exists in space. Which is the theme of many Xyz cards. Among which there is one Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon.

(HAIL THE T-POSE ALTERNATE ARTWORK!!)

Don't let the lesser requirement of 1 Overlay Unit fool you; the anime version is still worse than the one we got in the game... though it does, at least, have better OTK abilities against non-Xyz bosses.

I still laugh at the fact that it left Sawatari with exactly 100 LP. Poor guy probably thought he could pull a protagonist comeback, but alas, he forgot that he is not the protagonist...

Well, at least he gets a shot at the role in Episode 139, but we're a few ways away from that right now.

And speaking of stuff that we're a few ways away from...

*shakes Yuuto* Did you just- DID YOU JUST FUCKING NAMEDROP ACADEMIA???

I don't remember this at all. I thought he just asked about the significance of the LDS pin and left. What the hell? Why does none of the characters talk about it then? Not Sawatari, not his goons, not even Yuzu? What??

This is really, really weird. I may have to look into it a little more later on, but for now, we return to a bewildered Yuzu... and her absolute party pooper of a plot device.

Yes. You know the one.

(FuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufUCKYOU)

This stupid bracelet and the subsequent events following its activation bring us to a point of great frustration that I would like to touch upon, that being the cast's crippling inability to tell the counterparts apart from each other. Brace yourselves, Duelists; this might be a bit of a long tangent.

*inhales*

Okay, look, there are two sides to this issue; one that can be excused in more than one instance, and one that makes zero sense, no matter how you spin it.

The excusable side is the visual confusion. I understand Yuzu's shock at the situation as a whole, not helped at all by this odd fellow who strongly resembles her best friend.

(And before you say Yuuto doesn't resemble Yuuya for shit, yes he does, if only because the goggles' band is holding his bangs down.)

One must also remember they were locked in a now-wrecked warehouse, so the lighting conditions are bound to be rather bad, and it might be difficult to see clearly as a result. With all that in mind, I can forgive Yuzu for confusing their looks.

The inexcusable side, however, is the auditory confusion. The counterparts -every single one of them- don't sound the least bit similar to each other, even in the English dub.

They could look straight up identical for all it matters, but their voices are so wildly distinct I cannot begin to fathom how anyone can ever confuse them. You could technically make a case for excluding Yuuri and Yuuya since the sole difference between them is voice tone (at least in the sub), but the former is not a subject of comparison right now, and Yuuto's voice is far cry from the latter.

In conclusion of these two factors, I only have one thing to say:

... This is stupid.

This is so, so stupid.

It's so fucking stupid it's not even funny, but it is what it is, and as with every single time anyone talks about this issue, we'll just have to roll with it and be glad when a character doesn't take the bait.

*sigh*

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Well, this should be everything for now, and *checks post length*.... holy shit I didn't think it'd slip from me this much. If you somehow managed to reach the end without dozing off midway through, then you deserve a cookie.

Thanks for reading, and see you soon, Duelists!

#pink's arc v highlights #yugioh #yugioh arc v #arc v #yuya sakaki #yuzu hiragi #yuzu hiiragi #shingo sawatari #sora shiunin #yuto (arc v)#long post #episode analysis #also uhh #just noticed i keep switching between sawatari and shingo every time i mention him #i hope its not disconcerting #im still talking about the same guy

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lookingstunning · 1 year

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PLOMH: June 2023 Update

June was a quietly stressful month but we’re on the other side with lots to celebrate! First HUGE update with the annual midyear push, I have past the 52 poem mark for this year! Yes dear poet enthusiasts, we have reached bare minimum! Essentially every June 15th to July 2nd, I’ll take on some sort of creative project. Something that can be started and finished in that time as a way to go into…

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#am writing #blogging #let&039;s talk about me #plomh #poet laureate of my house #poet laureate of my house 2024 #poetry #writing

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rogerscapital0 · 11 days

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#passive real estate investments #rental property diversification #commercial real estate investment #commercial real estate #multifamily real estate

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sdwhalewatch-blog · 1 month

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Whale Watching Season in San Diego, California with help of boat tour in San Diego

The WHALE WATCHING SAN DIEGO SEASON is hanging out there, particularly concerning whale advancement. The most evident season goes from mid-December to April, during which the stunning feeble whales move from the disease waters of The Frozen North to the warm tidal ponds of Baja California, Mexico, to consider substitutions. This excursion is maybe the longest-known warm-blooded animal relocation, covering more than 10,000 miles on a full circle. During this period, the possibility of seeing these delicate goliaths is phenomenally high, making it the area's perfect whale-watching season.

Despite dull whales, San Diego's waters have different species, like the blue, outrageous cutting edge, and humpback whales, during various seasons. From June to September, the pre-midyear months are perfect for seeing blue whales, the most goliath creatures on earth. These months likewise offer chances to see humpback whales, known for their gymnastic breaks and blissful approaches to overseeing acting.

Whale Watching in California

Whale watching California offers different locales for whale watching, with San Diego being one of the most unmistakable. Every region offers outstanding whale-watching encounters, from Monterey Limits north to the Fast Islands south. Monterey Stream, for example, is esteemed for its essential chopped-down gorge, which draws in an assortment of marine life, including whales. The Channel Islands, frequently called the "Galápagos of North America," offer a rich strategy of managing the ground to blue whales generally through the mid-year.

In any case, San Diego stands disconnected due to its straightforwardness, astounding quietness, and crucial whale sightings. The quiet waters of the Pacific Sea around San Diego make it a stunning locale for whale watching, whether people cover squeamishness. Moreover, the city's framework guarantees guests different choices, including its evident level of marina and whale-watching visits.

Whale Watching Boats and Visits

Whale watching boat in offers a few whale-watching boat visits; each intended to oblige various tendencies and social event sizes. Most visits are directed on captivating, stable vessels outfitted with essential solaces, including indoor seating, washrooms, and parlors. These boats constantly incorporate different review decks, permitting visitors the best perspectives and photos of the whales.

The get-together on these visits regularly includes experienced marine life scientists or naturalists who rapidly convey information on the whales' behavior, the aquatic environment, and the meaning of the turn of events. These specialists update the experience by assisting visitors with spotting whales and grasping what is happening in the setting.

Private whale-watching: A Changed Data

Private whale-watching visits in San Diego are seen as a more personalized experience. Secret game plans give you unequivocal utilization of the vessel rather than standard visits, where you share the boat with different visitors. This is seen as a looser and more dedicated environment where you can share at your speed.

These visits intermittently coordinate added benefits, like rich occasions, pay, and changed bearing from the party. The capacity to fit the experience to your tendencies makes private whale watching a fantastic framework for researching the standard wonders of San Diego's marine climate.

Conclusion

Whale watching in San Diego through the best company like San Diego Whale Watch is a beautiful encounter that unites the importance and wonder of marine life. Whether you pick a standard boat visit or a mystery endorsement, the chance to see these mind-blowing animals tenderly will remain with you until the end. With its rich biodiversity, shocking shore, and reasonable circumstances, San Diego remains a top objective for whale watching in California, offering drawing-in and illuminating encounters.

#whale watching tours san diego #best whale watching tours in san diego #whale watching in san diego #whale watching san diego season #private whale watching #whale watching season san diego #san diego whale watching season #dolphin tours san diego #whale and dolphin watching #whale watching california

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eljackinton · 2 months

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A quick midyear update on my current projects folks. Batminute guest appearance is on it's way. Some more print editions of my work incoming. Carlisle Megacon right around the corner. Obscure Comic of the Month officially on hiatus. Read more here:

#updates #links #my stuff

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junksandarchives · 3 months

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Long overdue post about our municipal library

I didn't take my midyear class this A.Y because I need to focus on my thesis' initial data gathering. Like I have to visit various libraries of municipalities/cities to find sources that will support my study. If next sem ko pa kasi gagawin ay mahirap siyang gawin physically (like akyat-baba sa Baguio-Pangasinan and makapapunaw so petang ed byahe) and financially (mahal na pamasahe).

Anyway, I returned the souvenirs that I borrowed sa Mapandan Municipal Library after six months. Long overdue na yung pagbalik ko since hindi ako masyadong umuuwi ng Pangasinan last semester. Last January 2 ang aking last visit sa library and luckily I found three souvenirs -- two fiesta ads and one CTK ads.

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A post shared by nonano 🐚📖🌷 (@an0n.zip)

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Here's my Instagram post about my visit last January 2, 2024.

I'm somehow disappointed sa situation ng aming municipal library. As far as I remember, maayos naman ang library before like conducive naman siya for students but I think napabayaan na ito.

Here's the current situation of Mapandan Municipal Library as of July 08, 2024, the day na nabalik ko ang mga souvenirs.

Yung mga books ay hindi napupunasan at hindi categorized. Mga shelves ay hindi nagagamit kasi puno rin ng mga alikabok.

May mga magagandang books like the Pangasinan Grammar (red orange books) but hindi maintained properly.

So much books na hindi nagagamit and naalagaan.

On the brighter side, I found some rare gems such as the souvenirs and advertisements of fiestas and Christ the King. However, this doesn't mean na mag-settle sa less. The last update on the construction of municipal library was on June 20, 2023 based sa post ng Mapandan for Every Juan but until now ay wala pang update of the possible "new" library.

For reference, click the link: https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=268706872341498&id=100076065620970&rdid=ItDATFeU8yi382dS

Ads: Mapandan Fiesta (2004 and 2010) and CTK (2006)

Every Mapandanian students and researchers deserves a clean, organized, and comfortable municipal library. Sana magkaroon ng action ang LGU Mapandan sa problemang ito.

Ayon lang naman,

gct

#mapandan #local history #library #Instagram

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ettawritesnstudies · 1 year

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Midyear Update

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#creative writing #my writing #writing community #writing goals

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aliteratepenguin · 3 months

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midyear book freakout tag '24

Best book you’ve read so far in 2024. I’m terrible at picking favorites, but if I must: His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik. Fun reading experience; I flew through this so fast and had a great time with it! The following books in the series haven’t quite lived up to the same level for me, but the first was fantastic.

Best sequel you've read so far in 2024. You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian, sequel to We Could Be So Good. A rare case where I think I actually like the sequel better than the first, although both are excellent! I haven't read a lot of historical romances/fiction set in the late '50s/early '60s, and it's an interesting time for queer characters especially. And I love a good baseball story, especially in the summertime.

New release you haven't read yet, but want to. Two big ones: The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden (loved her Winternight trilogy) and The Woods All Black by Lee Mandelo (really enjoyed both of his other books, Summer Sons and Feed Them Silence, so Mandelo is an author I’m eager to read anything else from).

Most anticipated release for the second half of the year. Probably The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P Djèlí Clark — his Master of Djinn books are some of my favorites, and Ring Shout was also a standout the year I read it, and I'm not usually a horror reader. Been looking forward to his next adult book.

Biggest disappointment. "Disappointment" might be harsh, but I'm going with A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall. I really enjoy Hall’s writing, and I was so excited for a trans character in a Regency setting, but this had plot/pacing issues that made the book drag on a bit. Maybe his writing style doesn't work for me in a historical setting; I always seem to enjoy his contemporary books more.

Biggest surprise. Funny Story by Emily Henry. I generally find Henry’s books to be just okay, but I really disliked Happy Place last year, so I wasn’t sure how I’d do with her newest release. Surprised that it’s one of my favorites of hers. My updated Emily Henry book ranking: Book Lovers/Funny Story > PWMOV > Beach Read >>> Happy Place

Favorite new author. (Debut or new to you) T. Kingfisher! Read Thornhedge and really enjoyed it. Definitely planning to read more of her books.

Newest fictional crush. I don’t really do real crushes, let alone fictional ones. But I really loved Eddie (and Mark!) from You Should Be So Lucky.

Newest favorite character. Temeraire from His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik. Love that Jacobin dragon. Honorable mention to Mack from The Automatic Detective.

Book that made you cry. I finished my reread of the Murderbot Diaries (and finally read System Collapse!), and I got super emotional about MB. As someone who is aroace and agender, it's really important to me to read about a character who doesn't have any interest in things like romance, sex, or gender, but still has a place to be where it's accepted and valued for what it is, and has friends, and isn't considered less than because of its utter disinterest in those things.

Book that made you happy. The Automatic Detective by A Lee Martinez! Had a super fun time with this one. Noir detective story where a robot cab driver goes looking for his missing neighbors after the cops don’t do anything to help. There's a lot of different wacky elements thrown together in this story, and I loved how the author committed to the bit.

Favorite book to film adaptation you saw this year. Haven’t read any books that were adapted.

Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year (or received). I’m on a self-imposed book-buying ban this year, and surprisingly I’m sticking with it, so I haven’t bought any books! I did have one book gifted to me, so by virtue of no competition: Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett.

What books do you need to read by the end of the year? SO MANY! I'm a mood reader, so any reading plans I make inevitably fall apart. My priority is the unread books I already own (hence the book-buying ban). I do need to reread The House in the Cerulean Sea before its sequel (Somewhere Beyond the Sea, which I’m incredibly ambivalent about) comes out in September.

#books #v's book log #bookblr #reading

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