#undefined chronic condition

[disabled-character-showdown]

ROUND 2, SECOND SHOWDOWN

[pinksilvace]

I really do wish that the Owl House had managed to stick with its original goal of being subversive for so many reasons, but right now I'm thinking about the finale again and how Belos was framed as a downright evil dude. A lot has already been said about this decision, from how it hurts the development and arcs of multiple characters to how it neglects a lot of the subtext that made Belos such an interesting villain to begin with, but it also just generally falls into common tropes from a character design standpoint.

Belos is designed, inside and out, in such a way that ensures the viewer KNOWS he's the villain based on pre-existing stereotypes prevalent in media. He's not young or conventionally attractive; I've seen fans go so far as to call him ugly because of what is essentially a skin condition. Season 3 confirmed that he has OCD and psychosis. The curse is shown to give him some sort of chronic pain (+limited access to relief medication, which loses effectiveness [note that Eda will likely always have access to elixirs while the same can't be said for Belos and palismen]). He has a foreign accent. He was given a rough childhood (that the audience is expected to disapprove of) to "explain" how he got to where he is.

Something about it feels really rotten. He's a villain, no doubt about it, but a lot of his traits - many of which are heavily stigmatized - are not present in any other cast member (the closest I can think of is Hunter, who has facial scarring and undefined trauma symptoms potentially (?) including psychosis [the big difference here is that Belos is shown to have had episodes repeatedly while Hunter was shown to have one moment of non-possessed hallucinations for what looked like the first time]). It would have been nice to see a show shooting for subversion not use such commonly villainized attributes for the villain, or at least, for the villain and only the villain. It especially stinks considering how the showrunners pressed the message that he's evil through and through.

[kristy-kuar]

What is the best diet for healthy living?nutritious Your Body for Optimal Well-being

Introduction:

In today's fast-paced world, maintaining a sound life style has become more probative than ever. A crucial aspect of achieving overall well-being is adopting a balanced and nutritious diet. patc countless diets claim to be the ultimate solution, it's requirement to understand that thither is no one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, the key lies in finding a sustainable eating plan that suits your mortal needs. In this blog post, we will explore the fundamental principles of a healthy diet, focusing on whole foods, balanced nutrition, and mindful eating.

1. underline Whole Foods:

The foundation of a healthy undefined is built upon whole foods—nutrient-dense, unprocessed, and minimally refined ingredients. These admit fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, legumes, nuts, and seeds. unit foods provide a wide array of necessity vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and dietary fiber, promoting optimal wellness and reduction the risk of chronic diseases.

2. strain for Balance:

Achieving balance in your diet means incorporating a variety of macronutrients and micronutrients. Your body requires carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats in appropriate proportions to function optimally. Carbohydrates provide energy, piece proteins support weave repair and growth. Healthy fats, so much as those establish in avocados, olive oil, and nuts, help with nutrient absorption and supply essential fatty acids. Additionally, ensuring a sufficient consumption of vitamins and minerals is vital for maintaining overall health.

3. Mindful Eating:

In our fast-paced lives, it's soft to fall into the habit of mindless eating. Mindful feeding involves paying attention to the sensory experiences of eating, such as the taste, texture, and aroma of food. By eating mindfully, we tin better recognize our body's hunger and satiety cues, preventing overeating and promoting better digestion. Slow down, savor apiece bite, and listen to your body's signals to nourish it adequately.

4. Hydration Matters:

A healthy diet is incomplete without specific hydration. Water is essential for various bodily functions, including digestion, nutrient absorption, temperature regulation, and toxin elimination. place to drink at to the lowest degree eight spectacles of water per day, and adjust your intake supported on your activity level and state of affairs conditions. Remember, thirst tin much be FALSE for hunger, so staying hydrated whitethorn help curb unnecessary snacking.

5. Customization is Key:

Every someone is unique, with different nutritional requirements, health conditions, and personal preferences. Consulting with a documented nutritionist or dietitian put up serve you design a personalized eating plan that caters to your particular needs. They put up provide guidance on assign sizes, food combinations, and any undefined restrictions you may have, ensuring you're on the correct track towards optimal health.

6. Moderation, Not Deprivation:

Adopting a sound diet doesn't mean you have to give up your favorite indulgences altogether. It's all about temperance and finding a sustainable balance. Allow yourself occasional treats or "cheat meals" spell ensuring that the legal age of your meals are nutrient-dense. Enjoying your favourite foods in moderation put up help you maintain a positive relationship with solid food and keep feelings of deprivation, making your healthy feeding design more sustainable in the long run.

Conclusion:

When it comes to a sound diet, there is no thaumaturgy bullet. Instead, focus on nourishing your personify with a balanced and sustainable approach. underline whole foods, strain for balance, practice mindful eating, stay hydrated, and try professional steering if needed. Remember, healthy eating is a lifelong journey, and small, homogenous changes can lead to significant long-term benefits for your overall well-being. So, start today and make sound choices that will empower you to live your

        Reard more 

[aurorauau]

more army stuff and Richard speculation

reading this right now

The first conscription law included a long list of exemptions. Freed from service were men with criminal records, bad health conditions or insufficient body height, public service employees, students, household heads, only sons, or brothers of current recruits. From among those eligible for service, the actual number needed was decided by a lottery. Those drawn could still avoid service by paying a ransom or commutation fee of 270 yen, which at the time amounted to several times the average annual income of a male worker in manufacturing and agriculture and was therefore only affordable by the wealthy.

so Richard was an only son, wealthy, probably a student (we'll get to it) plus his undefined health issues. but these conditions are about to change

Over the first three decades, the conscription law was regularly revised to improve its acceptance and implementation and to adjust to changes in the domestic and international environment (Katō Citation1996, 46-50). The various revisions between 1879 and 1904 gradually increased the length of the two reserve services for the army to four years plus four months and ten years, respectively. For the navy, the regular service was extended from three to four years, the first reserve service to three years and the second reserve service to five years. The reforms drastically reduced the exemptions from military service and, instead, established a deferment system for those who would not immediately be able to serve. The commutation fee, by which the sons of richer families could avoid military service, was abolished as well. The reforms also introduced the possibility for the better educated to serve voluntarily and to apply for an officer training course. In 1927, after another overhaul, the name of the law was changed from military conscription to military service.

I'm still reading this and getting to the actual conscription insurance part, but as you know we're back to the disqualifying health part. it would be most plausible for Richard to have a chronic illness... except that it's not described. compare to Natsuhi Ushiromiya for example...

in the first arc he's afaik the only primaveran to not actually participate in the fighting? like he is established as physically frail enough to not even bother with guns (until the last season in his new modern man era) though that's attributed to age

now, feeling exhausted at an age that's not quite old is not just age and that in itself can clue us in that whatever kept Richard from the army is still very much an aspect of his life. what is it, idk I'm not very educated on medical things and all that

in the earlier post I also said a bit more about his lifestyle (likes: a life of moderation, dislikes: food not good for one's body etc...) now this could be related to his strict upbringing in one way or the other. in any case his strict lifestyle fails to bring him to the same level as his friends... so he tries harder... I also speculated on party boy Richard but he could have just always been like this idk

I do think that tonally it might fit that he had this shift in responsibility whereas prior he was trying his best just to live his life to the fullest. with the everything (gay only son and oldest sibling with zero freedom and he's just randomly sick. woof)

whatever you feel like for the idea of a younger Richard, there's a very interesting aspect to the character here that's a bit understated but here

[softskyburial]

Cafe Gratitude still has two locations in SoCal. They used to have a restaurant in Berkeley and San Francisco but those are long gone. They also were all raw food but now there’s a lot of cooked food. I used to eat at the Berkeley spot all the time. It’s the restaurant where the menu items are named things like I Am Radiant.

Local friend and I got dinner there and honestly it was just as good as I remember. They are also doing a special Medical Medium menu collab. Which is absolutely hilarious. The Medical Medium is a guy who receives information about healing and health from spirit guides and wrote a book. I read his book. It was exactly what you would expect.

His big thing is that people with vague undefined chronic illness are having problems because of post viral illness, which is becoming increasingly scientifically supported in the research on Long Covid and post-Covid illness. Though when he wrote his book it was before the pandemic so he said Epstein-Barr virus was causing everyone’s chronic illness. And well it does cause MECFS actually.

He’s also known for recommending celery juice in the morning for healing, and honestly I love celery juice and buy some at every opportunity. I’m unaware of any scientific research supporting celery juice but I’m into it.

I know. I know.

I’m also into Edgar Cayce who did something similar about a hundred years ago. I’m definitely into simple home remedies to supplement the ridiculous amounts of medical care I’m receiving. And healing foods and juicing. I used to do fasting regularly but I’m not able to in my current condition.

So of course I order from the Medical Medium menu. I got a new age vegan raw sushi. It was fantastic. The waiter was like this is for chronically ill people and I’m like hell yeah. I’m utterly amazed by how the ideas around chronically ill people are changing especially in LA that was so toxic in the yoga and wellness community during the pandemic.

So yes I will support this and order from the chronically ill people’s menu. It was also cheaper than the regular menu. This is the menu. It’s a pdf. https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0514/4284/3810/files/CG_Menus_250211.pdf?v=1739303375

So anyway if you ever get the chance to eat at Cafe Gratitude you should because it’s genuinely delicious.

And you know? I’ve been asking myself why do I travel so much when I hate it and have chronic health problems that make it miserable? Because I don’t want to get stuck. I know so many sick and disabled people that don’t leave the house and don’t go anywhere. And I get it. I know how inaccessible things can be.

But I’m going to be chronically ill in public and live a little. Take little trips. Ride the train. Go to the beach. Stay in a hostel.

[kimberlyharrisus]

Enhance Your Wellness with a Physical Therapist in Totowa

At Totowa Spine & Injury Center, they offer dependable physical therapy to help you heal faster. Whether you need physical therapy for a chronic condition or sports rehabilitation in Totowa, their physical therapists are ready to help. Contact them today to book an appointment!

[drrichardzelman]

Key Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease by Richard Zelman, MD

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) refers to conditions affecting both your heart and circulatory systems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and coronary artery disease. While genetics play an essential role, leading a healthy lifestyle may help lower your risk of CVD.

Age, sex, and family history of early heart disease cannot be changed; however, other risk factors can be reduced through diet, exercise, and medication.

Age

Richard Zelman  MD, highlights that cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including heart attacks and strokes, are the leading cause of global mortality. Though CVDs can be avoided and treated through lifestyle modifications and medications, their risk increases with age. However, certain modifiable factors like smoking can be altered easily, and others like poor diet, physical inactivity, and alcohol abuse may take more effort to modify.

One piece of research sought to evaluate the impact of certain modifiable risk factors on cardiovascular events and mortality among Chinese adults. The results of a nationwide prospective cohort study illustrated how much CVD can be attributed to modifiable risk factors, with their effects differing among age groups.

Metabolic risk factors made up the most significant portion among deaths among participants aged 40-55 years, with hypertension being the key contributor. By comparison, lifestyle and socioeconomic risk factors made up more of the deaths among participants aged 55-75 years, with poor sleep duration and low education being critical contributors to this figure. These results support age-specific risk factor profiles as the foundation of accurate prediction, early detection, and customized interventions targeted toward specific aging populations.

Gender

Studies often fail to account for gender-specific effects and the relationship between specific risk factors and clinical endpoints; this often leads to misinterpretation of data - as shown by a male-to-female mortality ratio of 2.5-4.5 for coronary heart disease (CHD). Furthermore, cardiovascular specialists tend to prescribe guideline-recommended drugs less frequently for women after heart attacks, contributing to more symptoms as well as an increase in mortality in this population.

Although some differences between male and female CVD phenotypes can be explained by biological mechanisms, such as gene or hormone levels, their relative contribution remains undefined. It will also be essential to take gender-based influencing mechanisms as well as sociocultural dimensions of biological sex into consideration in future investigations of risk factors, as suggested by Richard Zelman, MD.

Gender-specific influences often arise during life events such as pregnancy complications, breast cancer therapy, or rheumatic diseases. Psychosocial influences have also been shown to vary according to gender; lifestyle choices and stressors differ according to gender; for instance, a higher risk of cardiovascular disease due to chronic psychosocial stress is observed among women than men and work-related stress has more negative health repercussions for female employees than their counterparts in male employees; therefore gender-specific concepts and a clear definition of biological sex must be developed to implement SDOH within patient management strategies effectively.

Family History

An increased family history of heart disease, particularly premature coronary artery disease, is linked to an increased risk of future cardiovascular events; however, its precise strength remains unknown as detailed family histories cannot always be collected due to various constraints, particularly in low and middle-income countries, as mentioned by Richard Zelman, MD.

According to the perspective of Richard Zelman, MD, offspring who reported parents with premature cardiovascular disease had significantly higher risks for offspring cardiovascular events compared to those without such histories, with 8-year event rates increasing steadily as predicted risk increased. Parental history is emerging as the strongest predictor of cardiovascular event risks after controlling for conventional individual risk factors and various nontraditional and traditional risk factors.

At least one first-degree relative with early-onset heart disease was linked with an almost doubling of cardiovascular risk among men and a 70% increase in risk among women after taking into account traditional and other risk factors; this finding highlighted the significant contribution familial history can make in assessing cardiovascular disease risk.

Lifestyle

Many risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and body weight, can be modified.

As highlighted by Dr Richard Zelman, MD, modifiable risk factors can be altered through lifestyle modifications, such as giving up smoking, or switching to eating healthily. They also include physical activity and stress management.

Behavioral risk factors include unhealthy lifestyle choices like smoking, poor diet, and insufficient physical activity. These risk factors often overlap - for instance, secondhand smoke exposure increases your risks of high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol levels, and diabetes.

Eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and fish and low in saturated fats and salt lowers cardiovascular disease risk; medication for high blood pressure, cholesterol, or diabetes may also help.

Health policies that foster a culture of wellness provide incentives to make healthier choices, and support individuals to sustain these behaviors are invaluable in combating cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes in our globalized world.

[suoxi-hospital]

Say Goodbye to Back Pain: A Guide to Exploring Acupuncture Treatment

Back pain is a common ailment that affects millions of people worldwide. It can be debilitating, interfering with daily activities, work, and sleep. If you're one of the many people suffering from back pain, you've likely tried various treatments to find relief. Traditional pain relievers, physical therapy, and even surgery may have been considered. If you're one of those suffering, you've likely tried numerous remedies, from over-the-counter medications to physical therapy. But have you considered acupuncture treatment? Or have you explored the ancient practice of acupuncture? Let's learn some magical practices of acupuncture treatment. 

Acupuncture, a form of Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries, is gaining increasing popularity in the West as a complementary treatment for back pain. It involves the insertion of thin needles at specific points on the body believed to be connected to meridians, or energy pathways. Stimulating these points is thought to promote the flow of qi (pronounced "chee"), the body's vital energy, leading to:

Acupuncture has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for thousands of years to treat various health conditions, including back pain. It involves inserting thin needles at specific points on the body to stimulate energy flow, known as Qi. This stimulation is believed to promote healing and pain relief.

Understanding Back Pain

Before diving into acupuncture, let's understand the different types of back pain:

Acute back pain: This sudden and sharp pain usually lasts a few days to weeks and often results from muscle strain, ligament sprain, or disc herniation.

Chronic back pain: This persistent pain lasts for more than three months and can be caused by various factors, including degenerative disc disease, arthritis, and spinal stenosis.

Acupuncture for Back Pain Relief

Research suggests that acupuncture can be effective in relieving both acute and chronic back pain. A 2017 review of studies concluded that acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for chronic lower back pain. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) also acknowledges the potential benefits of acupuncture for back pain management.

How Does Acupuncture Work?

While the exact mechanism of acupuncture's pain-relieving effect is still being researched, several theories exist:

Qi and Meridians: This philosophy believes in vital energy called "Qi" flowing through the body along pathways called "meridians." Disruptions in Qi flow are thought to cause illness. Acupuncture points are seen as specific locations where Qi can be accessed and rebalanced.

Stimulation of acupoints: By inserting needles into these points, practitioners aim to influence Qi flow, promoting healing and restoring balance.

Western Scientific Perspective

Nervous System Stimulation: Needles trigger the nervous system, sending signals to the spinal cord and brain. This releases various chemicals, including pain-relieving endorphins, anti-inflammatory compounds, and immune system modulators.

Improved Blood Circulation: Acupuncture may increase blood flow to the treated area, promoting tissue repair and pain relief.

Both perspectives acknowledge that acupuncture can have beneficial effects, but the exact mechanisms remain under investigation. Research suggests that the combined effects of nervous system stimulation, chemical release, and improved blood flow likely contribute to acupuncture's efficacy.

What to Expect During an Acupuncture Session

A typical acupuncture session lasts about 30-60 minutes. Here's what you can expect:

You'll lie comfortably on a treatment table while the acupuncturist asks about your pain and medical history.

The acupuncturist will then select specific acupuncture points based on your diagnosis and TCM principles.

Thin, sterile needles are inserted at these points with minimal discomfort. You may feel a slight tingling or dull ache when the needles are inserted, but it shouldn't be painful.

The needles are left in place for 15-30 minutes, during which time you can relax and listen to music or read.

Once the needles are removed, you may feel a sense of relaxation and pain relief.

Things to Consider Before Trying Acupuncture

Consult your doctor first: If you have any underlying medical conditions or are pregnant, talk to your doctor before trying acupuncture.

Find a qualified acupuncturist: Ensure your acupuncturist is licensed and experienced in treating back pain.

Be realistic about expectations: Acupuncture may not provide immediate or complete pain relief for everyone. It may take several sessions to see significant improvement.

Be patient and consistent: Regular acupuncture sessions are often recommended for optimal results.

Acupuncture as Part of a Holistic Approach

While acupuncture can be a valuable tool for back pain relief, it's important to remember that it's not a cure-all. Combining acupuncture with other treatment modalities like physical therapy, exercise, and lifestyle modifications can offer a more comprehensive approach to managing back pain.

In Conclusion

If you're struggling with back pain, acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment option worth exploring. With its ability to address the root cause of pain and promote overall well-being, acupuncture can offer a natural path to relief and healing. Remember to consult your doctor before starting any new treatment and choose a qualified acupuncturist for optimal results.

[disabled-character-showdown]

BRACKET 1, ROUND 1, SECOND SHOWDOWN

Send in your submission here:

[absolxguardian]

People with fibromyalgia, do you find exercise actually helps you or is it like how up until a few years ago the medical establishment thought it could actually lessen CFS in the long term. Because my diagnosis came with instructions to take up a form of gentle exercise- pilates, yoga, water aerobics, or tai-chi. (In addition to medication, I didn’t get told to exercise more, it’s just supposed to be one of several treatment approaches)

I’ve taken up tai-chi using the Great Courses’ lecture series. But it seems to me like adopting some taoist philosophy as mindfulness is going to do me more good than the actual exercises. I’ve only done two sessions, but I always feel worse afterwards, my legs hurt disproportionately and I’m pretty tired. Two to four years ago (before onset) I know I would have no problem with what I’m doing. But it’s not disastrous. 

As for other conditions I have that would contraindicate exercise, the chronic condition that likely brought on my fibro is my migraines. Which just means more punishment from my body for overdoing it, and I can’t move my head while exercising. There’s no problem here. And I have some kind of undefined congenital hypotonia, but like I said, things didn’t used to be this bad. My actual physical activity outside of exercise hasn’t decreased that much, just become that painful. There hasn’t been much atrophy. 

So has anyone with fibro benefited from exercise the way all these able-bodied people in my IRL life say it helps them (just in general) and should help me? I’ve been lectured about exercising my entire life and it just always made me feel like shit. 

[mitigatedchaos]

On Having “Whiteness”

(~2,200 words, 11 minutes)

Summary: A metaphysics of “Whiteness” has overtaken actual sociology in the Democrats’ popular consciousness - blinding them to racial interventions that might actually work and taking them off the table of political discussion.

-★★★-

Donald Moss - On Having Whiteness, Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association (emphasis mine)

Whiteness is a condition one first acquires and then one has—a malignant, parasitic-like condition to which “white” people have a particular susceptibility. The condition is foundational, generating characteristic ways of being in one’s body, in one’s mind, and in one’s world. Parasitic Whiteness renders its hosts’ appetites voracious, insatiable, and perverse. These deformed appetites particularly target nonwhite peoples. Once established, these appetites are nearly impossible to eliminate. Effective treatment consists of a combination of psychic and social-historical interventions. Such interventions can reasonably aim only to reshape Whiteness’s infiltrated appetites—to reduce their intensity, redistribute their aims, and occasionally turn those aims toward the work of reparation. When remembered and represented, the ravages wreaked by the chronic condition can function either as warning (“never again”) or as temptation (“great again”). Memorialization alone, therefore, is no guarantee against regression. There is not yet a permanent cure.

So both @arcticdementor [here] and @samueldays have linked me to this allegedly “peer-reviewed” article.  The Federalist has a bit more context, but it doesn’t really make the situation better.

Race Theory Problems

Obviously, this is a work of sloppy thinking.  The categorization of “white supremacy culture” or “whiteness” used by people like this is vague handwaving that describes being bad at management as “white supremacy culture,” and which in general labels universal human problems, like organizations being resource-constrained, or people being impatient, as somehow uniquely “white.” 

But this sort of article is really what I mean when I say that social justice’s approach to “whiteness” is about “spiritual contamination.” 

Samueldays called it “the ‘I’m not touching you’ of inciting race war,” and I may cover more of his response to it later.  Suffice it to say, it has the same general kind of problems as “stolen land” arguments (where an entire present population’s living area becomes undefined), unbounded “reparations” arguments where no amount of transfers by the designated oppressor are considered to clear the debt, and so on.

This is exactly the sort of material that conservatives are seeking to remove government funding for and prohibit from use in employment training.  This is the kind of material that the Trump Anti-CRT executive order prohibiting racial scapegoating was meant to cover.

Race Theory Definitions

This kind of stuff is, of course, not really defensible, so usually at this point people will argue that 1), “that’s not real critical race theory,” and then 2), “it’s just a few weirdos.”  For those, I would say...

1) If it’s not real “Critical Race Theory,” then what is it?

We can’t measure or disprove Moss’s proposed “Whiteness,” and this malevolent psychic entity said to “deform” white people obviously isn’t based on a comparison with other human populations or historical periods.  When it comes to “insatiable” appetites, one study argued that the Mongol invasions killed so many people that it showed up in the carbon record.

At best, it’s sloppy race science as practiced by an amateur, like twitter users idly speculating whether whites have ‘oppressor epigenetics’ - but with the veneer of official status.  And it has similar risks to proposing that there is such a thing as biologically-inherited class enemy status, and other collective intergenerational justice logic.

Presumably, the Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association is intended as a journal of science, or at least serious scholarship, and not of bad racist poetry with no rhyme or meter.

Moss provides a relatively pure example of whatever-this-is. I need to know what it’s called, so we can get rid of it.

Race Theory Prohibitions

2) If it’s just the product of a few race-obssessed weirdos, then it won’t hurt to get rid of it.  So get rid of it.

The actual text [PDF] of the Trump Anti-CRT order does not ban teaching about the Trail of Tears, or Jim Crow, and so on, and both of those topics were taught in school before this recent wave of whatever-this-is was popularized.

Trump’s order banned teaching that any race is inherently guilty or evil due to the actions of their ancestors, and the level of resistance to this has been bizarre.

These teachings don’t seem to provide gains in relatively objective metrics like underrepresented minority test scores (or at least that’s not something I’ve seen - and the continued opposition to standardized tests suggests proponents do not expect it to), so it’s unclear just what of value is going to be lost here. 

Collateral Damage

Samueldays wrote,

Because right now the conservatives talking about "critical race theory" as they fire in the direction of Moss et al. are very important in preventing another race war and you have a moral duty to help them aim, not throw smoke for Moss.

Right now Conservatives are assessing just how much stuff they’re going to have to rip out to make “standardized tests are racist” and “it’s impossible to be racist to white people” stop.  While this may not be the message that Liberals are intending to send, it is the message that many people are receiving.  (I discuss problems with both, and some alternatives to handle them better, in another post.)

Liberals need to get out in front of this.  Sooner is better.

If Conservatives think that they have to gut hostile work environment law in order to avoid their children being taught that they’re permanently morally contaminated by their race, and Liberals have no means to actually close race gaps within a 4-8 year period (and right now it’s slim pickings on that front), Conservatives are just going to gut hostile work environment law.

Aether

From their perspective, why not? 

Everything in the world is only six degrees of separation from something racist.  Anything in the world can be tied to something racist.  (So can anyone.)

But nowhere in this pervasive atmosphere of tying things to racism are there solutions.  There are guesses based on correlations.  Proposals.  But usually when you reach out to grab them, to really get a grip on whether it’s correlation or causation, they dissolve in your hands.  The few that do have any solidity to them are moderate in their success (such as Heckman’s involvement in the Reach Up & Learn study in Jamaica) - and don’t appear to be based on the same style of thinking as shown by Moss and others.

It isn’t just that trying to turn combating an invisible, non-measurable, unfalsifiable, parasitic psychic force into an actual political program would inevitably be oppressive and totalitarian.  It isn’t just that articles like Moss’s are an in-kind donation to the 2024 DeSantis Presidential campaign for that very reason.

It isn’t just that unfalsifiable Metaphysics of Whiteness content like White Privilege Theory has been found to lower sympathy for the poor, and that present diversity training doesn’t work...

Race Content Crowding

This stuff is crowding out legitimate scholarship.  I don’t just mean in terms of funding, tenure track positions, or high-flying magazine coverage - all limited by their nature.  I mean among the base.  I have been interrogating Democrats on Twitter for months, and not a single one has been able to cite a strongly-demonstrated intervention that’s being held back, or even a past one that was conclusively demonstrated to be effective.  They can often recite a list of racial grievances on cue.

Tucker Carlson could run boomer_update.exe on a list of every educational failure since the 1970s, and they would be reduced to sputtering accusations of racism against people who increasingly don’t care.  He could do this tomorrow.  The only thing that prevents this is Tucker Carlson’s conscience.

I discovered the Reach Up & Learn program through Glenn Loury - described as a ‘conservative.’ Scott Alexander, attacked by the New York Times crew, brought some success with multivitamins to my attention.  When I first heard about the Perry Preschool program, I believe it was from someone well to the right of him.

About the only one brought to my attention by the Democratic establishment constellation proper was lead removal, and the gains on that are probably getting tapped out.  The frame it was proposed in was not Critical Race Theorist, as this was likely in 2012. 

As it stands, I’m more likely to find something that works from someone the New York Times would disapprove of than someone they wouldn’t.  Or, as Wesley Yang wrote,

Reality has been contrarian for a while.

Succeed Early

Even if we suppose that Conservatives are inherently racist, Liberals have a duty to support interventions that work.  In fact, the more that Conservatives are a seething, undifferentiated mass of uniform racial hatred, the more important it is that Liberals stick to racial interventions that work, because nobody else is going to fix the problem if Liberals get it wrong.

It isn’t just a matter of resources per year.  It’s also a matter of time.

From Heckman’s website,

Although Perry did not produce long-run gains in IQ, it did create lasting improvements in character skills [...] which consequently improved a number of labor market outcomes and health behaviors as well as reduced criminal activity.

Even if we propose an unlimited amount of funding (which is not the case), people and politicians only have a limited amount of time and attention each year.  Newspapers only publish so many issues with so many pages each week.  Television programs only cover so many hours for so many viewers each day.  Even the dedicated can only read so many books in a year.

Even though the Perry intervention was imperfect, and the sample size was not as large as desirable, every second Democrat I talked to should have been able to answer the question “can you name an effective intervention?” with “what about Perry Preschool?”

Every year that we have entire cottage industries working on and popularizing contentious, ineffective, and backlash-provoking Metaphysics of Whiteness content, based on oversimplified oppressor/oppressed binaries, or theories in which power is held collectively by races as monolithic blobs (rather than modelling power as a network of relations between individuals, in which an individual of any background might be destroyed by the racialized relations in their environment), is another year we haven’t spent that energy on finding or implementing something that actually works.

This isn’t just an individual failure by Democrat voters, who typically have day jobs to focus on - it is a failure by the institutions who are supposed to inform and guide them.  This institutional failure likely contributed to the popularization of Metaphysics of Whiteness content in the first place.

Okay, now what?

Donald Moss is a crackpot.  Metaphysics of Whiteness content is unfalsifiable.  The idea that there is a psychic parasite of “Whiteness” is not a legitimate field of study; it’s parasociology.  The idea that “a sense of urgency” is “white supremacy culture” isn’t much better. [1]

We already tried isolating this content to obscure corners of academia, where individuals with high racial attachment could write about it.  It leaked out. 

We need to get this stuff out of the popular consciousness to make room for stuff that might actually work.  The best way to do that may be to cut off the source.  Since Donald Moss is a crackpot, perhaps it’s time we started treating him, and everyone else like him, as what they are.

People involved in Metaphysics of Whiteness content, like Donald Moss, need to be (figuratively) grabbed by the shoulder, and firmly, but politely, told to stop.  Society has been recklessly handing out race-colored glasses to the general population since around 2014, resulting in a rise in amateur race science, of which both right-wing Twitter users memeing about Italians and Metaphysics of Whiteness participants like Moss are examples.  If they do not stop, they must be stripped of institutional authority.  Metaphysics of Whiteness content is unfalsifiable and we should not be certifying it.

If institutions refuse to reduce the authority of Metaphysics of Whiteness practitioners, those institutions must have their accreditation penalized, and their government funding reduced or eliminated, just as if they insisted on producing study after study on magic or ESP which failed to yield results.  If they do not comply, they must be replaced.

It’s possible that Metaphysics of Whiteness content might have had some obscure, niche function in terms of the exploration of the idea space. 

However, as it has displaced popular knowledge of interventions that might work, and the attention given to them in the political system, Liberals should seek to surgically remove it, at the very least until some more effective interventions see the political light of day.

If not, Conservatives will attempt to remove it with a bludgeon.  "They described an entire race as ‘voracious, insatiable, and perverse,’ and here’s the citation for the exact page where they did that,” is perfect material with which to abolish entire departments.

-★★★-

[1] If we go a bit farther out, scholars of “Decolonization” argue that the field is wholly unconcerned with “settler futurity,” a phrase not much less ominous than describing “whiteness” as “incurable.”  It seems that their entire job should be to answer the very difficult questions they have decided not to.

[a-skirmish-of-wit-and-lit]

Book Review: All's Well by Mona Awad

SUMMARY

All's Well is a dark, trippy, Shakespearean satire. Truly one of a kind. I'm temped to classify it as a full-on mind tunnel because of the many labyrinthine fun-house-mirror levels to it. The main character, Miranda, is a college theater director who suffers from unrelenting back and hip pain from an injury she acquired back when she was still a promising young actress. (She fell off a stage.) That injury cost her everything: her marriage, her career, and her health, among other things. With sympathy from loved ones, medical professionals, coworkers, and friends either running low or having expired because they don't listen, because they don't take her pain seriously any longer, she feels isolated. Surrounding her is a choppy sea full of judgment and scorn and disbelief. She's trapped in a chronic bubble alone where nobody can hear her screams. Everybody writes her off as a burden or a headcase, minimizing her suffering, or worse, trivializing it. She's also adrift, hopeless, resentful, and desperate for any relief at all. That only intensifies when she decides to put on Shakespeare's most controversial play, All's Well That Ends Well, at the school where she works, which no one wants to see the students perform but her. She meets resistance and grief at every turn. No one will pay her any mind, and she's beaten down about it, almost too sick and exhausted to be fed up. However, things start to change before long. They grow foggier and stranger and better after she encounters three male strangers at a bar. They know her name. They seem to comprehend her pain. They claim to how to make it go away. As it happens, they turn out to be theater patrons who not only want to fund her play but want to watch her put it on for the public...or do they? Who are these mysterious men, anyway? Why is it Miranda can't seem to register their faces? How come her back/hip symptoms not only dissipate but seem to afflict others in her place after she meets them? What is happening? Who is to blame? Is there witchcraft afoot or can this all be chalked up to her bitter imaginings, bath herbs, and drugs which to help numb her constant discomfort? ​ These are the sorts of questions readers are left asking. And the answers, if there are any, are fuzzy and deformed, which results in a lack of "what does it all mean" clarity that I suppose most would expect to be frustrating but I think is disarming in a good way because it's unique. It's singular. Like spinning out, it causes the sort of rush that leaves you momentarily unable to tell up from down. The story itself is a wild, fascinating, disturbing plummet through the center of a pain-hazed, drug-induced, golden remedy imbued, under-the-theater lights rabbit hole. It sucks readers right in. It grabs ahold of them as they tumble, twist, plunge, and pitch inside Miranda's mind--blowing them about so they topple into the real blinding hurt and dismissal people (women especially) face when they are victims of invisible but debilitating health conditions. It seems to ask: is there anyone out there who will listen? Care? Try? How come people only seem to understand when it's their turn, when they're the ones who are suddenly hunched over, broken and screaming and aching, so endlessly miserable they want to die? Not only is this book a bizarre blend of horror and hallucination, of fantasy and reality, of twisted literary allusion and suffering, but there's also an undefinable quality to it that toes readers along the edge of a rim to unbalance everything. Something about it distorts, disfigures--warping the lives, emotions, and experiences of all the characters within so you're left wondering what's real and what isn't by the end. Is there a way to tell the difference? Is there, you wonder? Having already read it myself, I don't know. Many days later and I still haven't been able to reach a consensus. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC in exchange for my review.

3.5/5 stars

**Follow me on Goodreads

[ganderwank]

My gender is shaped by my disability and my disability is shaped by my experience of gender and being gendered. I've had and continue to have enormous struggles to get any doctor to take my conditions seriously, much less even try to treat them, because I'm a woman-appearing person with idiopathic chronic pain and vague neurological symptoms beyond their current ability to explain. I don't divulge my history of trauma or mental illness and they still assume I have one because they can't see my dysfunction on an MRI. Their diagnosis for me is literally the modern version of hysteria; at this point, being dismissed and belittled by anyone I seek care or accommodations from is more distressing than my actual disabling symptoms. I'm not a woman, but I very much have Woman Disease, I am Sick While Female.

And I am excruciatingly aware that my condition is strange and undefined and disruptive, that the only label I can give people is stigmatized and grossly misogynist, that healthcare providers who take me seriously are paper-thin on the ground, and I cannot afford to alienate them by being stranger still. When my neurologist cracks a transphobic joke at former patient's expense, I don't call him out, because he is the only neurologist I've ever met who's said, "I believe you. What you're experiencing is real," and actually meant it. When I am gendered, when I gender myself, when I choose how to present or transition, it's through that lens of not being too much for anyone to want to deal with, because the unpredictable nature of my disability means that I very much have to depend on the kindness of random strangers if I want to have any kind of independence.

[valkerymillenia]

Disabled characters in comics

In the aftermath of Titans (season 2) and the introduction of Jericho, I’ve decided to make a list of disabled comic characters for the sake of visibility since I found myself discussing this topic with multiple people. 

LGBT+ and POC will be marked on the list in the interest of intersectionality. 

Bear in mind that some characters may currently be dead or their disabilities might have been removed, retconned or misrepresented.

Feel free to add to the list.

Silver Scorpion (Bashir Bari)

Double amputee. POC. Liquid comics

Doctor Mid-Nite (Charles McNider)

Visual Impairment. DC

Doctor Mid-Nite (Pieter Cross)

Visual Impairment . DC

Doctor Midnight (Beth Chapel)

Visual Impairment . POC. DC

Misty Knight

Amputee. POC. Marvel

Agent Venom (Flash Thompson)

Double amputee. Marvel

Daredevil (Matt Murdock)

Blind, depression. Marvel

Echo (Maya Lopez)

Deaf. POC. Marvel

Hawkeye (Clint Barton)

Deaf/Hard of Hearing. Marvel

Oracle (Barbara Gordon)

Paraplegic. DC

Cyborg (Victor Stone)

Amputee (among other things). POC. DC

Deadpool (Wade Wilson)

Cancer (visible), chronic pain, psychosis. LGBTQ+ Marvel

“Chief” Niles Caulder 

Paraplegic. DC

Professor X (Charles Xavier)

Paraplegic. Marvel

Destiny (Irene Adler)

Blind. LGBTQ+ Marvel

Silhouette (Silhouette Chord)

Partial paralysis. POC. Marvel

Blindfold (Ruth Aldine)

Blind. Marvel

Puck

Dwafism, chronic pain. Marvel

Hornet (Eddie McDonough)

Cerebral palsy. Marvel

Captain Marvel Jr (Freddy Freeman)

Partial paralysis. DC

Alicia Masters

Blind. Marvel

Winter Soldier (Bucky Barnes)

Amputee. Marvel

Iron Man (Tony Stark)

Heart condition, addiction. Marvel

Aquaman (Arthur Curry)

Amputee. DC

Cable (Nathan Summers)

Amputee? (among other things). Marvel

Donald Blake (Thor)

Undefined leg disability. Marvel

Lizard (Curt Conners)

Amputee. Marvel

Komodo (Melati Kusuma)

Amputee. POC. Marvel

Artie Maddicks

Mute. Marvel

Dr Psycho (Edgar Cizko)

Dwarfism. DC

Destiny of the Endless

Blind. DC

Hoder

Blind. Marvel

Nick Fury

Visual Impairment. Marvel

Nick Fury Jr

Visual Impairment. POC. Marvel

Mr X (J'onn J'onzz/Marco Xavier)

Paraplegic. Amalgam (Marvel & DC)

Libra (Gustav Brandt)

Blind. Marvel

Izo

Blind. POC. Marvel

Stick

Blind. Marvel

Mila Donovan

Blind. Marvel

Mole Man (Harvey Elder)

Visual Impairment. Marvel

Blind Faith

Blind. DC

Forge

Amputee. POC. Marvel

Karma (Xi’an Coy Manh)

Amputee. POC. Marvel

Deathstroke (Slade Wilson)

Visual Impairment. DC

Ravager (Rose Wilson)

Visual Impairment. POC. DC

Jericho (Joseph Wilson)

Mute. LGBTQ+. DC

Speedy/Arsenal/Red Arrow (Roy Harper)

Amputee (in some storylines), addiction. DC

Shroud (Maxillian Coleridge)

Blind. Marvel

Snowblind

Blind. Marvel

Hellion (Julian Keller)

Amputee. Marvel

Risk (Cody Driscoll)

Amputee. DC

Tom Thumb (Thomas Thompson)

Dwarfism. Marvel

Donovan Caine

Double amputee. POC. DC

Ape X (Xina)

Paraplegic. Marvel

Count Vertigo (Werner Zytle)

Chronic vertigo. DC

Madame Web (Cassandra Webb)

Blind, myasthenia gravis. Marvel

Professor Ojo

Blind. DC

Demolition Man (Dennis Dunphy)

Heart condition, schizophrenia. Marvel

Luke Skywalker 

Amputee. Marvel

Darth Vader (Anakin Skywalker)

Multiple amputee, burn victim (among other things). Marvel

Geordi La Forge

Blind. POC. DC

Cosmosis (Jonah Watkins)

Down syndrome. Superb comic (Lion Forge)

Ballister Blackheart 

Amputee. Nimona webcomic

The Department of Ability

Entire team of disabled superheroes (not all human).

_________________________

Non-Physical Disabilities

(when recurrent, debilitating and relevant to overall storyline given that brief bouts of depression and PTSD are common in comic characters due to the nature of the genre but are often brushed off rapidly with no weight to the storyline other than momentary drama)

Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff)

Depression, anxiety, codependancy, psychotic break. POC. Marvel

Ant-Man (Hank Pym)

Bipolar disorder. Marvel

Two-Face (Harvey Dent)

Bipolar disorder, OCD. DC

Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers)

PTSD, addiction. Marvel

Moon Knight (Marc Spector)

DID. Marvel

Legion (David Haller)

PTSD, DID (wrongly diagnosed with schizophrenia). POC. Marvel

Marionette/Mimic (Mali)

DID, addiction. DC

Mad Hatter (Jervis Tetch)

Schizophrenia. DC

Sentry (Robert Reynolds)

Schizophrenia, anxiety, depression. Marvel

Ventriloquist (Arnold Wesker)

DID. DC

Jewl (Jessica Jones)

PTSD. Marvel

Poison Ivy (Pamela Isley)

Seasonal Affective Disorder. LGBTQ+. DC

Jonh Constantine

Cancer, depression. LGBTQ+.DC

Rorschach (Walter Kovacs)

Paranoid personality disorder. DC

Hulk (Bruce Banner)

Depression, Intermittent Explosive Disorder, DID. Marvel

Speedball/Penance (Robbie Baldwin)

PTSD, survivor’s guilt, depression. Marvel

Polaris (Lorna Dane)

Bipolar disorder. Marvel

Black Manta (David)

Autism. POC. DC

Mr Fantastic (Reed Richards)

Autism. Marvel