#website via implementing

[creatingblackcharacters]

Well!

So first, let's clear a common misconception: no, President Abraham Lincoln did not love Black people nor see them as human equals. At best he was centrist about it (though, even his implication that 'exceptional' Black men ought to vote got him assassinated).

"My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do, it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union...I have here stated my purpose according to my view of official duty; and I intend no modification of my oft-expressed personal wish that all men everywhere could be free."

The "freeing of slaves" after the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 was meant to kneecap the economic and military powers of the seceded South. Lettuce stop making a white savior figure out of Lincoln, or thinking that my people's shackles were unchained via anything other than desperate war strategy and extreme violence. Think on that, for a moment.

That being said!

But not everyone in Confederate territory would immediately be free. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was made effective in 1863, it could not be implemented in places still under Confederate control. As a result, in the westernmost Confederate state of Texas, enslaved people would not be free until much later. Freedom finally came on June 19, 1865, when some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. The army announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state, were free by executive decree. This day came to be known as "Juneteenth," by the newly freed people in Texas.

Consider going through the Smithsonian website to learn about Juneteenth! Recognize why it's an actual day of freedom, versus July 4th and the independence of a select few.

[reasonsforhope]

"As the world grows “smarter” through the adoption of smartphones, smart fridges, and entire smart houses, the carbon cost of that technology grows, too. 

In the last decade, electronic waste has become one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the world. 

According to The World Counts, the globe generates about 50 million tons of e-waste every year. That’s the equivalent of 1,000 laptops being trashed every second. 

After they’re shipped off to landfills and incinerated, the trash releases toxic chemicals including lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, and so much more, which can cause disastrous health effects on the populations that live near those trash sites. 

Fortunately, Franziska Kerber — a university student at ​​FH Joanneum in Graz, Austria — has dreamed up a solution that helps carve away at that behemoth problem: electronics made out of recyclable, dissolvable paper. 

On September 11, Kerber’s invention “Pape” — or Paper Electronics — earned global recognition when it was named a national winner of the 2024 James Dyson Awards. 

When she entered the scientific competition, Kerber demonstrated her invention with the creation of several small electronics made out of paper materials, including a fully-functional WiFi router and smoke detector. 

“Small electronic devices are especially prone to ending up in household waste due to unclear disposal systems and their small size, so there is significant potential to develop a more user-friendly end-of-life system,” Kerber wrote on the James Dyson Award website. 

“With this in mind, I aimed to move beyond a simple recycling solution to a circular one, ensuring long-term sustainability.” 

Kerber’s invention hinges on crafting a dissolvable and recyclable PCB board out of compressed “paper pulp.” 

A printed circuit board (PCB) is a board that can be found in nearly all modern electronic devices, like phones, tablets, and smartwatches.

But even companies that have started incorporating a “dissolution” step into the end life of their products require deconstruction to break down and recover the PCB board before it can be recycled. 

With Kerber’s PAPE products, users don’t need to take the device apart to recycle it.

“By implementing a user-friendly return option, manufacturers can efficiently dissolve all returned items, potentially reusing electronic components,” Kerber explained. 

“Rapidly advancing technology, which forms the core of many devices, becomes obsolete much faster than the structural elements, which are often made from plastics that can last thousands of years,” Kerber poses. 

PAPE, Kerber says, has a “designed end-of-life system” which anticipates obsolescence. 

“Does anyone want to use a thousand-year-old computer?” Kerber asks. “Of course not. … This ensures a sustainable and reliable system without hindering technological advancement.”"

-via GoodGoodGood, September 13, 2024

[sparklecarehospital-archive]

an overview of my progress on the new site over the past 5 months of building

i decided i would put together a big post compiling all of the things i have currently implemented to the new site since at the moment it's scattered amongst a million small update posts. i feel like this will be good reference for anyone who has ideas that aren't included yet

the comic reader

you can now change the placement of the comic pagination arrows to be above, below, or on both the top and bottom of the comic page.

you can search for individual page numbers via a search bar (and also search 'cover' 'back cover' etc)

you can bookmark pages and save your place at any time in any series, and the home landing page will give you a link to your saved page when you revisit the site so you dont have to go all the way to the read section just to access your place. saving your bookmark tells you what page you're saving (or clearing if you're removing it)

you can now select individual scenes in the volume that have non-spoiler names but proper associations to the content for returning readers to quickly find specific scenes

on desktop you can change the size of the page on your screen

on desktop you can hide the site header (this is not necessary on mobile)

there is a legend explaining what each button does

new comment service that does not have ads

transcripts now come from the sides of the screens and do not require scrolling down to read them, and they are correct and no longer inaccurate on certain pages

tooltips that explain what each navigation arrow button is for

content warnings

you can select individual categories of content you do or don't want to see via switches

you have the ability to disable warnings entirely if you wish, just turn all of them off

you can choose between verbal warnings (stuff in dialogue) or visual warnings (things seen on-screen)

you can suggest adding content warnings to specific pages if there are errors OR if there is something major i overlooked

there is a page that lists every content warning in a volume with contexts for each individual warning, whether it's verbal or visual, and links to the pages

there is a pre-moderated comment section that allows anyone to ask questions about content warnings (for example, asking if something will ever be in the comic or asking what category something specific would be listed under).

there is a list of things that do not get warnings and a list of things that will never be depicted in the comic

scenes that did not have content warnings before now have them to match the proper category system

archives

volume archives are now images instead of links, and they are displayed in a grid format which is mobile-responsive so it doesn't take absolutely forever to scroll through an entire volumes archive

volume summaries are more easily accessible

the new transcript archive which is a text-only version of the entire comic, including a clean version in case you need things in dialogue filtered out

mobile devices/tablets

the website is now properly mobile responsive and designed to function like a regular mobile website and is not unbearable to use anymore. it just feels and looks like any other mobile site!

comic pages now touch the edge of the screen and do not always require zooming in to read dialogue

transcripts are now more device-friendly and do not appear broken on small screen devices anymore

all comic reader features work on mobile (except the 2 desktop-only features)

content warnings do not take up too much space or overflow the comic page box

margins are improved to make basically everything more mobile friendly

you can still see page backgrounds faintly on mobile, but they have an overlay to make reading the comic page contents easier. this was not originally planned but i made it happen! yippie!

display

the site now has a built-in dark mode that works for every site theme, however, keep in mind that due to the nature of dark themes they are obviously not as colorful as the main site themes

there is now a saturation slider which changes the saturation of the site to whatever percentage you wish

saturation affects the background and does not ignore it

the screen does not flash as new elements load in, however, images specifically may take a moment to load depending on your internet speed. this is something i'm trying to fix but i can't guarantee it because it's not entirely in my control how websites load images depending on your internet speed

secrets!

cast page

cast page for each series is divided by individual character type (main patients, side patients, main staff, side staff, family, outsiders etc)

cast profiles are mobile responsive in an easy-to-use way and do not take forever to scroll through on mobile devices, instead they are collapsible and you only have one open at a time.

desktop has anchor links to specific profiles using my cute emoji edits :]

search bar on the main cast directory page that takes you to specific characters by entering their name (or variations of it)

profiles include allotpuns, genders, pronouns, nouns, sexuality, species, age, hatchday, height, and a list of all of their afflictions

there are popups that explain the meanings of certain phrases or words (like specific sexualities) and neopronoun usage explanations and examples

cast page profiles for all of the currently public cast members

biographies that contain character history (or at least the currently public history) and a detailed explanation of their personality that replaces the trait system for simplicity's sake

secrets!

comic itself

pages with errors have been corrected

pages with improper characterization/retconned information have been updated and replaced with new dialogue

character card intros now contain pronouns and retconned pronouns have been corrected

uni is no longer referred to with exclusively he/him anywhere except in the comic itself to avoid confusing new readers/people who do not look at other areas of the site

scenes that did not previously have site themes now have them, for fun!

secrets!

FAQ

the FAQ is no longer a million miles long despite containing all of the questions it originally had. it is now collapsible sections that make accessing certain question types easier

pre-moderated comment section that allows anyone to ask questions about the comic, even if they do not have a tumblr account. these questions are directly on the FAQ itself. it is pre-moderated to keep things on-topic.

bug report page where you can describe problems you're having if the site isn't working right for you. this is also pre-moderated. common/important issues will be pinned

navigation bar

there will be links to all of the ask blogs on the navigation bar, including the AUs

there is a link to the spinch lore page directly at the top. no more digging through the FAQ!

navigation bar has dropdowns to specific types of pages to increase the link count without cluttering/taking up too much space

the links are no longer poorly sized images, instead they are actually made with html

landing page

when you first open the site, you will be linked to a settings page that allows you to set your display settings and content warnings in advance

you can set saturation and select dark mode if you want

this landing page is not bright and has an overlay to prevent it from immediately forcing you to see bright colors

this is everything that is currently implemented. there may be things added in the future, this is just all of my current progress.

what do i have to finish?

uploading the comic. i currently have volumes 1-2 fully uploaded and transcribed, v3 is fully uploaded, and v4 is undergoing the upload process.

finish the archive pages to include all of the volumes

finish the cast profiles

work on the spinch lore page

do proper beta testing with the crew to make sure everything works on as many devices as i can possibly test it on

thank you to everyone for being patient with me over the past few months as i work hard on this. i feel really good actually writing out everything i've done overall because i have more progress than i actually realized!!! i hope everyone is excited to see all of this in action because i can't wait for you to see it either!

[felassan]

EA Press Release

"Dragon Age™: The Veilguard Launches October 31, 2024; Pre-Orders Available Now August 15, 2024 New Trailer Showcases Aftermath of Solas’ Interrupted Ritual as Members of the Veilguard Must Fight Back Against Ancient Elven Gods Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) and BioWare announced today that Dragon Age: The Veilguard will launch globally on Thursday, October 31, 2024 for PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam (Deck Verified), EA App and Epic Games Store. Additionally, fans can now pre-order * the Standard and Deluxe Editions to receive in-game cosmetics that can be used to further personalize their journey through the next chapter in the critically-acclaimed saga. View the brand-new Release Date Trailer for Dragon Age: The Veilguard HERE In Dragon Age: The Veilguard , players will step into the role of Rook, a fully-customizable protagonist who must rise up, unite their crew and become the hero Thedas needs in a time where legends are born or slain. Joining Rook in their fight against corrupt Elven gods is a cast of seven compelling companions, each of whom hails from an iconic faction from Dragon Age lore. In addition to their own personal storylines and motivations, companions Bellara, Davrin, Emmrich, Harding, Lucanis, Neve and Taash all bring unique combat abilities and equipment to the fray, which Rook must strategically implement in their fight for the future of Thedas."

“As someone who’s been working on Dragon Age for over 15 years, I know just how much our community has been looking forward to this day, and I’m equally excited to share and celebrate that the game will officially launch on October 31,” said John Epler, Creative Director of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. “We wanted to give you the choice to really express yourself, and do that in a world full of adventure and danger. So whether you’re a Warrior, Rogue or a Mage, we can’t wait for you to gear up, gather your party, and set out for another thrilling adventure through Thedas this Halloween.” As a character-driven RPG, Dragon Age: The Veilguard offers a crafted experience woven from the threads of rich storytelling and fantasy worldbuilding the franchise is known for. In this bold, heroic adventure, players will experience expansive and dynamic stories that navigate love, loss and complex choices that affect relationships and the fate of each member of the Veilguard. In true Dragon Age fashion, these bonds of fellowship are the foundation upon which Rook’s journey is built, and it will be up to the player to determine how their personal story unfolds. Fans who pre-order * the Standard Edition of Dragon Age: The Veilguard for $69.99 USD ‡ on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, or $59.99 USD ‡ on PC will receive cosmetic Blood Dragon Armor sets for Warrior, Mage and Rogue classes. Those who pre-order* the Deluxe Edition for $89.99 USD ‡ on console or $79.99 USD ‡ on PC will further receive the following cosmetics: three Rook armor sets, six Rook weapons, seven companion armor sets and seven companion weapons. EA Play Pro † members on the EA App will enjoy unlimited access to the EA Play Pro Edition starting October 31st. In addition, the BioWare Gear Store has been outfitted with a variety of new merchandise, including Rook’s Coffer. Available for $150 USD ‡ , Rook’s Coffer features a variety of unique physical keepsakes including a light-up Lyrium Dagger, Rook’s deck of cards featuring in-game art, and more (game not included). For additional information and to stay up to date on Dragon Age: The Veilguard , visit the official website , like Dragon Age on Facebook , follow the franchise on Discord , TikTok , Tumblr , Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) , and subscribe to its YouTube channel. Legal Disclaimer: *Conditions & restrictions apply. See https://www.ea.com/games/dragon-age/dragon-age-the-veilguard/disclaimers for details. ‡ Offers may vary or change. see retailer site for details. † Conditions, limitations and exclusions apply. See EA Play Terms for details. PRESS ASSETS ARE AVAILABLE AT EAPressPortal.com"

[source]

[yappacadaver]

Guess who remembered what colors are??

Need a fully rendered piece? Or just want a splash of color in your otherwise monochrome yappa art experience? I am here to provide goods and services in exchange for your monies!

PRICES (flat colors) :

Half body (1 character): $50

Full body (1 character): $65

Additional character: +$30

Background: starting at +$30

Complexity charge: up to +$20

PRICES (full render):

Half body (1 character): $70

Full body (1 character): $90

Additional character: +$50

Background: starting at +$50

Complexity charge: up to +$30

How to Order:

Send me an ask/DM about your commission idea

If I accept I'll give you an ETA (I may need an extension but I will always message you if this is the case)

Once we decide on the details, I'll ask for payment via paypal

The final product will be delivered as a digital PNG file which you may do as you please with. Post it, edit it, use it on your website, go nuts! I reserve the right to also post it on my blog for promo purposes.

Complexity charge:

This charge may possibly be added to your order if

The order contains a large volume of detailed instruction

The subject itself is highly detailed

For number one, what this looks like is the difference between these two examples

Example B includes a lot of irrelevant details to sift through, incredibly detailed instruction for the pose, and adds many details to the characters' designs. Also, though I accept all kinds of references, you can see how employing the use of visual references cuts down on wordy explanation. Using written references, especially in prose as part of a fanfic, takes time and extra effort for me to parse through (I often end up having to make a document of my own to trim the fat and track the details). These would be reasons I would charge for complexity.

I recognize that example A relinquishes some control over to me, the artist. In many ways, this could end up better for the final product-- I work best when I have a degree of freedom, and conversely when I'm juggling a bunch of details I have less bandwidth for artistry. Of course there is nothing wrong with wanting more control over the look of the piece, and I am happy to work with you to make an image as close to what you have in mind as possible. But if we start getting into twister territory (right hand blue, left foot red) we start getting into complexity charge territory. The charge is not meant to be a deterrent, only to compensate the extra time it takes to implement a design to such specifications. For number two, I'll give a visual example

Isabella on the left has very simple armor that lends itself to quick sketching (because I'm so sure that's what she had in mind when she dressed herself x'D). By simple I mean: pretty much only one layer, almost entirely made of cloth, almost everything is composed of organic shapes.

Our lich friend on the right however has armor with many geometric shapes, various materials, layers, and complex patterns. His armor is ornamented with extra embellishments. As a general rule, if you request full armor, you can expect a complexity charge.

What I'm good at:

anime style, humans, reference sheets for OCs, nsfw of all kinds and orientations, gore, combat, location/prop design, character design

What I'm not so good at:

mechas, vehicle design, complex creature design, UPA style

Check out my art tag #yappa art for recent examples of my work

[covid-safer-hotties]

Reference archived on our website

Published in 2023. Proof positive that just breathing spreads covid over a large area. Mask up. Ventilate. Clean the air.

Summary Background Effectively implementing strategies to curb SARS-CoV-2 transmission requires understanding who is contagious and when. Although viral load on upper respiratory swabs has commonly been used to infer contagiousness, measuring viral emissions might be more accurate to indicate the chance of onward transmission and identify likely routes. We aimed to correlate viral emissions, viral load in the upper respiratory tract, and symptoms, longitudinally, in participants who were experimentally infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Methods In this phase 1, open label, first-in-human SARS-CoV-2 experimental infection study at quarantine unit at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, healthy adults aged 18–30 years who were unvaccinated for SARS-CoV-2, not previously known to have been infected with SARS-CoV-2, and seronegative at screening were recruited. Participants were inoculated with 10 50% tissue culture infectious dose of pre-alpha wild-type SARS-CoV-2 (Asp614Gly) by intranasal drops and remained in individual negative pressure rooms for a minimum of 14 days. Nose and throat swabs were collected daily. Emissions were collected daily from the air (using a Coriolis μ air sampler and directly into facemasks) and the surrounding environment (via surface and hand swabs). All samples were collected by researchers, and tested by using PCR, plaque assay, or lateral flow antigen test. Symptom scores were collected using self-reported symptom diaries three times daily. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04865237.

Findings Between March 6 and July 8, 2021, 36 participants (ten female and 26 male) were recruited and 18 (53%) of 34 participants became infected, resulting in protracted high viral loads in the nose and throat following a short incubation period, with mild-to-moderate symptoms. Two participants were excluded from the per-protocol analysis owing to seroconversion between screening and inoculation, identified post hoc. Viral RNA was detected in 63 (25%) of 252 Coriolis air samples from 16 participants, 109 (43%) of 252 mask samples from 17 participants, 67 (27%) of 252 hand swabs from 16 participants, and 371 (29%) of 1260 surface swabs from 18 participants. Viable SARS-CoV-2 was collected from breath captured in 16 masks and from 13 surfaces, including four small frequently touched surfaces and nine larger surfaces where airborne virus could deposit. Viral emissions correlated more strongly with viral load in nasal swabs than throat swabs. Two individuals emitted 86% of airborne virus, and the majority of airborne virus collected was released on 3 days. Individuals who reported the highest total symptom scores were not those who emitted most virus. Very few emissions occurred before the first reported symptom (7%) and hardly any before the first positive lateral flow antigen test (2%).

Interpretation After controlled experimental inoculation, the timing, extent, and routes of viral emissions was heterogeneous. We observed that a minority of participants were high airborne virus emitters, giving support to the notion of superspreading individuals or events. Our data implicates the nose as the most important source of emissions. Frequent self-testing coupled with isolation upon awareness of first symptoms could reduce onward transmissions.

[luunaathh]

•Powwow of the Nonhuman, a Great Celebration of Indigenous Otherkind!•

•Many greetings to those who have laid their eyes upon these writings! I am very, very happy to announce a new community project I have been working on for the past month. Powwow of the Nonhuman is a digital celebration of indigenous peoples who identify as animals or non-human species! Those of us who are therians and otherkind who are indigenous have sadly been fragmented and unrepresnted in our respective communities. This event seeks to change that! We wish to celebrate the indigenous cultures, traditions, and ceremonies that some therians and otherkind are a part of!

<•>

•In my viewpoint, therians and otherkind who are both nonhuman identifying and indigenous have a special connection to the nature, medicine, and energy of our Mother Earth, Father Sky, and Great Creator. We have a connection to both the world of humanity and the world of the animal people and the plant people. We are essntially the animal and plant people living the human experience. We should embrace and love both our nonhuman experiences and our human culture.

<•>

•The powwow will be hosted digitally on the event's official website via the integrated video system. The powwow will consist of a pre-scheduled, refined and edited motion picture featuring individual and unique presentations of indigenous culture and otherkind experiences by our event presenters. There will be intermittent periods during panels and presentations where indigenous vendors can present their wares during the powwow. We are working on implementing a chat system on site so individuals who attend the powwow premier can interact and talk during the course of the event.

<•>

•Powwows are not only for indigenous peoples who originate from the continental Americas, we welcome all indigenous peoples from all areas of the world. This includes indigenous peoples with roots originating in Australia, Africa, Asia, The Middle East, and all island nations. All people of color are welcome to present at the powwow, whether they know where exactly their indigenous roots stem from or not.

<•>

•We need a few things to make this event happen. We need individuals who are capable of editing videos and audio since the powwow itself will be hosted on video and prescheduled. Editing a motion picture of this size will take a lot of effort, so we will need individuals who are committed to working on a project such as this. We need staff members to help with event organizing and planning. I will be doing much of the work, though I will not be able to run an event like this alone, I need some support from the indigenous community. Additionally, we need at least eight presenters for the event, not including staff members. Please help us to reach this minimum goal by boosting this post and spreading the word about the powwow!

<•>

•This event will cost my being hundreds of dollars to run and maintain. Please consider purchasing any of my artwork or anything from the powwow's official shop! Custom pieces like the one below, including the swirls and dots will cost around 65$ USD.

<•>

Important event dates-

•Event staff applications open-April 20th

•Powwow presenter applications open-April 20th

•Powwow vendor applications open-April 20th

•Powwow presenter applications close-October 20th

•Powwow vendor applications close-October 20th

•Powwow Premiers-December 20th

<•>

•Interested in participating in the powwow? Wish to be there during the premier of the event? Please refer to the information on the powwow's official website! If you have any questions about the powwow, please feel free to send a private messsge my way!

•http://www.powwowofthenonhuman.org/

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Jordan Freiman and Tracy J. Wholf at CBS News:

Hundreds of staffers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, were laid off Thursday as the Trump administration and its newly-created Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, continue slashing the federal workforce. A congressional source told CBS News the layoffs affected 880 NOAA employees. An administration official told CBS News about 5% of the agency's staff was let go, and individuals deemed critical to NOAA's responsibilities, such as National Weather Service meteorologists, were largely spared. A source at the National Weather Service disputed this, however, telling CBS News some meteorologists were impacted, including radar specialists, as well as staff of the Hurricane Hunters crew, which fly airplanes into storms to help forecasters make accurate predications during a hurricane. Laid off staffers who were considered probationary employees received an email Thursday, which read in part, "OPM has advised that '[p]robationary periods are an essential tool for agencies to assess employee performance and manage staffing levels.' (4) In light of that guidance, the Agency finds that you are not fit for continued employment because your ability, knowledge and/or skills do not fit the Agency's current needs." Some 400 employees at the National Weather Service were in a probationary period, a NWS source told CBS News, but it's not clear how many of them were included in the layoffs. Tom DiLiberto, who until Thursday had worked as a climate and weather scientist and public affairs specialist, told CBS News he started as a contractor for NOAA back in 2010, but became a federal employee less than two years ago. His probationary period was set to end on March 13, 2025, two weeks from the day he was terminated.  [...] Congressional Democrats had been worried DOGE and billionaire Elon Musk, who is classified as a "special government employee," had their eyes set on NOAA for deep cuts. Former NOAA officials told CBS News earlier this month that current employees had been told to expect budget cuts of 30% and a 50% reduction in staff. Prior to Thursday's cuts, NOAA had about 12,000 staffers across the world, including 6,773 who are scientists and engineers, according to the agency's website.

[...] The NOAA runs the National Weather Service, which issues vital weather warnings — such as hurricane and tornado warnings — and the National Marine Fisheries Service. It is also responsible for monitoring the health of the oceans and the warming of the climate. 

The Muskrat’s DOGE hammer took a mass swing at the NOAA and the NWS, which will negatively impact weather forecasting and modeling.

See Also:

AP, via HuffPost: Critical Weather Forecasters Fired In Latest 'Unconscionable' Wave Of DOGE Cuts

Daily Kos: Stormy forecast as DOGE axes weather agency workers

The Guardian: ‘Cruel and thoughtless’: Trump fires hundreds at US climate agency Noaa

Wonkette: DOGE Sh*theads Fire Hundreds From NOAA, Weather Service, Because Weather Is Too Woke

MMFA: National and local meteorologists express alarm as the Trump administration implements Project 2025’s scheme to dismantle NOAA

[thedialoguedilemma]

The Dilemma Bulletin: Friday January 31st, 2025

Keeping you informed about the daily events of the Trump Administration

President Donald Trump held a press conference and signed a Memorandum yesterday blaming the Washington DC helicopter and plane collision crash on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as well as putting blame on the Biden Administration and the Obama Administration. There is no evidence that DEI was the cause of the crash.

President Trump officially announced his implementation of a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada beginning on February 1st. Tariff taxes are ultimately always passed on to the consumer to pay. Expect skyrocketing prices on Energy, Natural Gas, Oil, Steel, Aluminum, Seafood, Grain, Fruits, Vegetables, automotive parts, clothing, footwear and more.

Robert F Kennedy, Kash Patel and Tulsi Gabbard's Cabinet Confirmation hearings continue. Republican colleagues express growing concern over Tulsi Gabbard as her continuous flags as a national security risk are brought to question especially after she refused to condemn Edward Snowden.

Bird Flu cases continue to soar with Massachussets showing a major increase in cases. The CDC and Department of Health has paused communications to the public via a Trump Executive Order. Trump has also started the process to withdraw from The World Health Organization but you can still sign up for their mailing list newsletters on their website.

Trump has revoked deportation protections initially enacted by the Biden Administration for almost 600,000 Venezuelans

[mariacallous]

Student loan borrowers can no longer apply for income-driven repayment plans after the Trump administration paused applications—the Education Department’s first substantial action on student loans under the new president. But it’s unclear whether the pause is a temporary response to court orders or part of a broader Republican plan to remake the student loan system, financial aid experts say.

The application freeze came just days after an appeals court once again enjoined the Education Department from carrying out a new income-driven repayment option for borrowers. That plan, commonly known as Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, was put in place by the Biden administration and was intended to give borrowers lower monthly payments and quicker pathways to debt relief. 

More than eight million borrowers signed up for SAVE when the Biden administration rolled the plan out in summer 2023, but its run was short-lived. The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals first blocked some provisions of the plan with an emergency injunction in August 2024. Then, just last week, the same judges put out an expanded order that halted the entire SAVE rule and declared that the Education Department can’t forgive any loans via income-driven repayment plans.

Now, the lawsuit has been sent back to the district court for review, and millions of borrowers enrolled in income-driven repayment and banking on forgiveness are once again in the lurch.

The Department of Education has yet to comment on the ruling aside from a small banner on the application website that acknowledges the injunction and says, “As a result, the IDR and loan consolidation applications are currently unavailable.”

It remains unclear how long that pause will last and whether the department is just implementing the freeze on new digital applications or if it has also stopped accepting paper copies and processing existing requests.

Some higher ed policy experts, like Preston Cooper, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, speculate that the department’s move was truly driven by the injunction and is simply a move made out of caution.

“I would imagine that while the Office of Federal Student Aid is working through the legal ramifications of that ruling,” he said. “They’re taking the application down temporarily, just while they work out exactly what the legal requirements [are] on the Department of Education.”

But others, including the Student Borrower Protection Center, don’t buy that shutting down IDR was what the court ordered.

“The administration’s cruel choice to cut off access to affordable repayment options passed by Congress and enshrined in millions of borrowers’ loan contracts comes at the same time as they are wreaking havoc on communities and families across our nation,” Persis Yu, SBPC deputy executive director, said in a statement Monday. “None of this is by accident.”

Loan experts do agree, however, that the pause is concerning and could have massive implications if it becomes permanent.

Borrowers, they say, would likely see higher monthly payments. For instance, about four million borrowers are eligible for zero-dollar payments under the enjoined SAVE plan. The department would have to make significant operational changes to transfer loans from one repayment plan to another.

“A lot depends on how long the application is down for,” said Karen McCarthy, vice president of public policy at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. “But the whole purpose of the income-driven repayment plans is to help struggling borrowers stay in a satisfactory repayment status … so to not have any of those income-driven repayment plans available would definitely remove that large safety net.”

‘Going to See Chaos’

Congress first passed a law allowing the education secretary to base repayment plans on a borrower’s income in 1993, and the first plan launched in 1994. Under the plans, borrowers make payments for 20 to 25 years and then see their remaining balances wiped out. When Joe Biden took office in 2021, only 50 borrowers had completed the program and received forgiveness on any remaining balance. That number jumped to 1.45 million by the time he left office in January, according to a Biden news release.

But the Eighth Circuit court ruled last week that Congress’s underlying statute doesn’t explicitly authorize loan forgiveness.

“The power Congress gave the secretary … to create repayment plans means the secretary must design [income-contingent repayment] plans leading to actual repayment of the loans,” the panel wrote in a 25-page opinion. “The secretary has gone well beyond this authority by designing a plan where loans are largely forgiven rather than repaid.”

Adam Minsky, a lawyer who specializes in student loans, says, however, that although the court clearly bans loan forgiveness at the end of an IDR plan, there’s “absolutely nothing” in the appellate court’s order to suggest the department is required to stop accepting applicants and allowing payments to be based on income.

He noted that the IDR application website is the platform where borrowers access a whole swath of repayment plans beyond just SAVE and where they can apply to consolidate multiple loans. So by freezing access to the application portal, the department is overreaching the requirements of the injunction.

“In fact, the Eighth Circuit reiterated that one of the four income-driven plans—Income-Based Repayment, or IBR—is not covered by the injunction,” Minsky said. “And while the court has blocked loan forgiveness at the end of the term for ICR and the Pay As You Earn plan … borrowers can still enroll in those plans.”

There are even borrowers who are trying to switch to an IBR plan because SAVE is stuck in litigation and almost certainly will not come out alive, he said. Comparatively, IBR should be a safe and steady repayment plan because it is written into statute, but as long as the application portal remains closed, millions of borrowers are stuck.

“Just repealing SAVE alone would have huge implications because borrowers would then see a spike in their payments,” Minsky said. “But if you take away the ability to even enroll in any of these programs, including ones that are not blocked by the court, I think we’re going to see chaos.”

The legal fight is still ongoing and likely won’t be resolved for months. Cooper from AEI said the pause and/or a final ruling may prompt Congress to step in and more clearly define what the actual terms of income-driven repayment plans are.

But that would require bipartisan agreement and enough interest to push it to the top of an ever-growing priority list during an incredibly busy session. So until then, NASFAA is just hoping the Education Department will provide more clarity on whether the pause is permanent, and if it is, what other avenues are available for borrowers.

“That’s always a big area of concern for us … just the general confusion and how to mitigate that to the maximum extent practicable,” McCarthy said. “And if we’re having a hard time keeping track of what’s happening, I imagine that borrowers are as well.”

[ranchstoryblog]

PRESS RELEASE: Watch Harvest Goddess, Sakuna, Farm and Fight in Latest Trailer for Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma, Showcasing Free DLC Ahead of June 5 Release

Rice is still power! Marvelous USA today released a new trailer showcasing the free ‘Sakuna DLC’ for Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma ahead of its release on the Nintendo Switch™ system, Windows PC via Steam, and as part of the launch lineup for the Nintendo Switch™ 2 system on June 5, 2025. Harvest Goddess Sakuna and her guardian Tama, from the Edelweiss-developed Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin, will be available as a villager and party member when the title releases. Don’t be fooled by her diminutive size and choice of weapons, Sakuna has more experience fighting with farming implements than most warriors and is a capable companion on any adventure. Back at the village, don’t miss out on conversations with the Harvest Goddess featuring all-new voice over. Plus, Sakuna and Tama can assist with village tasks, including farming her specialty, rice!

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma Key Features:

Bold New Abilities and Weapons: As an Earth Dancer, use the power of dance, sacred treasures, and fresh weapons like the Bow and Talisman to purify the land, farm, and undo the Blight’s damage.

It Takes a Village: Don’t just mind the farm—rebuild entire villages! Construct and place buildings strategically to entice people to return to the villages and contribute. Revive the gods to bring vitality and valuable resources back to the plagued lands. Work in third person view or use a top-down view supporting mouse functionality on Windows PC and on Nintendo Switch™ 2 with the Joy-Con™ 2.

Your Fantasy Japanese Life: Experience beautiful Japanese-inspired character designs and aesthetics—from festivals to events to monsters. Explore Azuma’s natural landscapes and its seasonal-themed locales steeped in tradition.

Classic Romance and Relationships: Choose between male and female protagonists, then befriend or romance any of the eligible candidates—god and mortal alike—in fully voiced scenarios. Recruit these new friends to aid in dynamic battles, too!

The Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma physical edition for the Nintendo Switch™ 2 version is available for pre-order for an MSRP of $69.99. Physical editions for Nintendo Switch are also currently available for pre-order with both the standard edition for an MSRP of $59.99, and the “Earth Dancer Edition,” for an MSRP of $99.99, through participating retailers and via the Marvelous USA Online Store. The “Earth Dancer Accessory Set,” which includes an original soundtrack consisting of 56 tracks across two CDs, a 160-page art book, an Azuma-inspired folding fan, and a plush Woolby keychain in a custom outer box will also be available in the U.S. exclusively on the Marvelous USA Online Store for $49.99.

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is available for pre-purchase on the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch™ in a standard edition for $59.99; a Digital Deluxe edition for $69.98; and as a Super Digital Deluxe edition for $79.98. The Nintendo Switch™ version can be updated to the Nintendo Switch™ 2 version digitally with the Upgrade Pack for $10.00, and the Nintendo Switch™ 2 version is available for pre-purchase digitally for $69.99. The title will also be available at launch on Windows PC via Steam for $59.99 for the standard edition, $69.98 for the Digital Deluxe edition, and $79.98 for the Super Digital Deluxe Edition, each containing the same content as the Nintendo Switch™ versions.

Developed by Marvelous and published in the Americas by Marvelous USA, Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma will be released globally on the Nintendo Switch™ 2, Nintendo Switch™, and Windows PC via Steam on June 5, 2025. The title will be published in Japan by Marvelous Inc. and in Europe by Marvelous Europe. More information can be found on the official website, https://na.runefactory.com/azuma/, and on X @RuneFactory. This title has been rated “T for Teen” by the ESRB.

Information about Marvelous USA’s products can be found at www.marvelous-usa.com. Fans can also check out the latest videos from the Marvelous family of titles on YouTube and get updates by following Marvelous USA on Facebook, X, Instagram, and Bluesky.

[doorstoplord]

Wish you all the best luck on your reading endeavors!

It always weirds me out hearing that kindles lock you in with Amazon because the even older one I had (it might have been like the second model ever) you could just connect to your pc via USB and drag and drop files in there, no matter the origin... It doesn't surprise me Amazon took that away but it's a damn shame

There’s like. A “send to kindle” website that you can use but you can’t just read epubs they gotta be converted to Kindle’s file format. At least that’s how I understand it. :P

I also know that earlier this year Amazon implemented a system where you can’t download the books you buy through kindle to like back them up. So if Amazon revokes your kindle account for whatever reason you just lose all the books you bought. A lot of people are trying to switch systems or are jailbreaking their kindles because of it :P

Anyway thank you for the well wishes!

[reasonsforhope]

"Seven federal agencies are partnering to implement President Biden’s American Climate Corps, announcing this week they would work together to recruit 20,000 young Americans and fulfill the administration's vision for the new program. 

The goals spelled out in the memorandum of understanding include comprehensively tackling climate change, creating partnerships throughout various levels of government and the private sector, building a diverse corps and serving all American communities.

The agencies—which included the departments of Commerce, Interior, Agriculture, Labor and Energy, as well the Environmental Protection Agency and AmeriCorps—also vowed to ensure a “range of compensation and benefits” that open the positions up to a wider array of individuals and to create pathways to “high-quality employment.”�� 

Leaders from each of the seven agencies will form an executive committee for the Climate Corps, which Biden established in September, that will coordinate efforts with an accompanying working group. They will create the standards for ACC programs, set compensation guidelines and minimum terms of service, develop recruitment strategies, launch a centralized website and establish performance goals and objectives. The ACC groups will, beginning in January, hold listening sessions with potential applicants, labor unions, state and local governments, educational institutions and other stakeholders. 

The working group will also review all federal statutes and hiring authorities to remove any barriers to onboarding for the corps and standardize the practices across all participating agencies. Benefits for corps members will include housing, transportation, health care, child care, educational credit, scholarships and student loan forgiveness, stipends and non-financial services.

As part of the goal of the ACC, agencies will develop the corps so they can transition to “high-quality, family-sustaining careers with mobility potential” in the federal or other sectors. AmeriCorps CEO Michael Smith said the initiative would prepare young people for “good-paying union jobs.” 

Within three weeks of rolling out the ACC, EPA said more than 40,000 people—mostly in the 18-35 age range—expressed interest in joining the corps. The administration set an ambitious goal for getting the program underway, aiming to establish the corps’ first cohort in the summer of 2024. 

The corps members will work in roles related to ecosystem restoration and conservation, reforestation, waterway protection, recycling, energy conservation, clean energy deployment, disaster preparedness and recovery, fire resilience, resilient recreation infrastructure, research and outreach. The administration will look to ensure 40% of the climate-related investments flow to disadvantaged communities as part of its Justice40 initiative.  

EPA Administrator Michael Regan said the MOU would allow the ACC to “work across the federal family” to push public projects focused on environmental justice and clean energy. 

“The Climate Corps represents a significant step forward in engaging and nurturing young leaders who are passionate about climate action, furthering our journey towards a sustainable and equitable future,” Regan said. 

The ACC’s executive committee will hold its first meeting within the next 30 days. It will draw support from a new climate hub within AmeriCorps, as well as any staffing the agency heads designate."

-via Government Executive, December 20, 2023

-

This news comes with your regularly scheduled reminder that WE GOT THE AMERICAN CLIMATE CORPS ESTABLISHED LAST YEAR and basically no one know about/remembers it!!! Also if you want more info about the Climate Corps, inc. how to join, you can sign up to get updates here.

[gatheredfates]

Greetings everyone! If you're thinking to yourself 'Wow, it's been a bit since Sea updated the Compendium', you'd be right! I've been (unfortunately) dealing with that demon we call burnout. However, I am determined not to let it win, even if it's capping my own creativity/drive at the moment, which is why I bring you an update to the Compendium. ✨

If you know of any communities I have missed, please reach out to me via my Discord or the Google Form.

However, as of 09/29, the following communities have been added to Sea's Community Compendium for XIV Creatives.

EVENT / COMMUNITY SPACES

The Cursed Carbuncle—The Cursed Carbuncle is a Cabinet of Curiosities & Oddities which sells alchemical reagents, curios, cursed items, intriguing artefacts, luxury objects, occult, rare books, taxidermy & unusual finds.

LORE

How Rare is that Job?—An Unofficial, Opinionated Look At Class/Job Rarity For FFXIV Roleplayers, created by Mis’to Raesthe on the Odin Server.

MISC

Leyla's Gposing Guide—This website is an ongoing comprehensive gpose guide that helps you every step of the way from the vanilla gpose menu to using shaders and posing tools/plugins, complete with screenshots and video guides, as well as pose/edit-along videos. It's also meant to allow many people to submit their own guides and tips.

So You Wanna Start Roleplaying in FFXIV—(Specifically, on Crystal Data Center). But It Sounds Really Scary And You're New And How Does This Even Work Anyway? A FAQ by By Nevivi Nevi/Lenneth Andrew of Balmung.

Have you thought about joining our Tumblr Community? You can find it here!

Want to submit? You can either fill out the google form here or send me an ask with the relevant information!

Is my space suitable for the Compendium? Most of the time, yes! Below the read more is some more information/stipulations. This is all publicly available on the document.

Below are the following things I do not accept on the Compendium:

Personal/Single-Character LFC ads. (Though these get posted to the SEAFLOOR Tumblr Community when I find them!)

Content intended for or can be used for bullying, harassment and OOC gossip. E.g. ‘Secrets’ blogs, receipts, callout posts, etc. This does not include IC tabloid blogs or other ventures used to generate roleplay.

Communities that do not have an RP/writing element (large-scale exempt).

Anything I find personally distasteful or goes against the spirit of this project.

Common-sense rule applies.

I want to put my community on the Compendium but we have an application process. Is this okay?

Yes! Just note somewhere in your application that's a requirement. The only thing that is mandatory for the Compendium is that you must be open to new members or have a public-facing/accessible facet. There's no point advertising a community if no one can join it in some way!

I want to put my Community on the compendium but I only have x number of members —

Also totally okay! People don't start with large communities. Activity is a must but, whether your server has two or two thousand members, if you're looking for new people to join, I'd love to help you find people.

I want to put my community/resource on the Compendium but I worry its too niche?

Okay, and? If your Eorzean Fishing Alliance has four members but you roleplay every second weekend, I still want to know about it. The same goes for resources; if it's relevant to the game, it'll be useful to someone.

How active does a community need to be?

If you find a community has not been active in about two/three months, send me a message and I'll take a look at it. Communities have ebbs and flows, especially event spaces that may take hiatuses depending on member interest/life events. I'm not strict in my implementation provided a space isn't dead. If a link or anything is broken, contact me asap!

I have [insert a question not stated here]?

No drama! Send me an ask or use the #Compendium channel in my Discord!

[lost-and-cursed]

Hey,

It's a long shot, but main fanfiction website in Russia slowly goes down as sinking ship due to LGBTQ restrictions and a lot of people start considering migrating to Ao3 as their new base.

But main interface sorta really unfriendly to people who don't understand English and I know that ao3 mods not really interested in fixing that, and I thought about how you can go about circumventing that.

Theoretically, it seems possible to change main terms on page via skin? But I don't really have hands on knowledge to know how to implement that. So I hoped that maybe other non-native English speakers, maybe Chinese folx, have any ideas or ways to change language on the main page.

Maybe some website add-on?

Thank you for your attention, I hope I stumble upon something

[satoshi-mochida]

FuRyu announces school life RPG VARLET for PS5, Switch, and PC - Gematsu

Publisher FuRyu and developer AQURIA have announced school life RPG VARLET for PlayStation 5, Switch, and PC (Steam, Epic Games Store). It will launch on August 28 worldwide.

In Japan, the PlayStation 5 and Switch versions will be available both physically and digitally for 7,980 yen (8,778 yen after tax). A Limited BOX will also be available for 12,680 yen (13,948 yen after tax), which includes an original box, 80-page creative art book, the special album CDs “Character Vocal Side” and “Original Soundtrack Side,” an A5-size canvas board, a code to download the protagonist outfits from Monark and The Caligula Effect 2, and an original sticker.

Here is an overview of the game, via FuRyu:

VARLET draws upon FuRyu’s experience developing immersive, story-driven games, and will challenge players to explore the duality of their own nature as they navigate the perilous high school halls. Welcome within the halls of Kousei Academy, the first school to implement the cross-reality, virtual reality network known as “Johari,” which is used for everything from finding basic information and making purchases to serving as a social networking and messaging app. The app has resulted in a marked increase in users desire for approval and attention amongst peers, and soon an urban legend begins circulating about users disappearing into otherworldly “Glitches” if those desires grow too strong. And worse yet, monsters inhabiting the “Glitches” are said to replace users in the real world leaving everyone none the wiser.

The protagonist soon discovers that this urban legend is very real and some students have already been replaced by monsters, forcing them to take a stand. As a member of the Student Support Services (SSS), a guild dedicated to solving the academy’s troubles, players must guide their friends, strengthen bonds, and fight to protect the school from impending doom. However, navigating these relationships comes with its own challenges—getting too close to multiple people may lead to unexpected consequences. At the core of VARLET‘s experience is its dynamic Triad Stats system, which shapes character progression based on player choices. These six distinct attributes are divided between Light and Dark Triad traits, influencing dialogue options and passive battle skills. Light Triad stats emphasize morality, sympathy, and altruism, while Dark Triad stats lean into Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism. Players will determine their true nature, either as a guiding leader who uplifts and empowers allies in battle or as a ruthless ruler wielding immense power even at a personal cost.

The game’s staff includes:

-Character Theme Song Composers

Daibakuhashin

Hitoshizuki and Yamasankakkei

KANON69

NILFRUITS

OSTER project

Tadano Kede / A4.

wotaku

Yoshida Yasei

-Background Music: Tsukasa Masuko

-Scenario: Gakuto Mikumo, Ryutaro Ito

-Scenario Editing: Kazunari Suzuki

-Series Original Work: Fuyuki Hayashi

-Production: FuRyu

-Development: AQURIA

-Produce and Direction: Hideaki Ito

-Direction: Takashi Muto

An “Announcement Presentation” live stream will premiere on April 25 at 5:00 a.m. PT / 8:00 a.m. ET / 21:00 JST, featuring the premiere of the opening movie and the latest information on the game with the voice cast. You will be able to watch it on YouTube.

Watch the announcement trailer and music sample videos below. View the first screenshots at the gallery. Visit the official website here: English, Japanese.

Announce Trailer

English

Japanese

Theme Song / Soundtrack Sample Video (Special Mini Album CD)

Background Music Sample Video (Special Mini Album CD)