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The following letter was written exactly 100 years ago. It’s a remarkable piece of writing that never fails to move me. And because you deserve it, above the transcript I’ve included audio of the letter being read by the lovely Juliet Stevenson, taken from the Letters of Note: Music audiobook. Born in Alabama in 1880, Helen Keller

I don't think I could have voted for Biden. I held my nose and voted for Harris. I was never going to make a thing of it.  I wasn't going suggest anybody shouldn't vote.  

The thing is, my vote doesn't matter. I mean, yah, there's that chance the election would have come down to the state of Pennsylvania, and the state of Pennsylvania would come down to one vote - mine! - but while we like to imagine these things, they aren't very likely.

Absent mandatory voting, elections depend on lots of people deciding that it does matter if they vote, even though it really doesn't.  Not individually.  

Why did I almost not vote?  No of course I didn't want the bad orange man to win - and ultimately that's why I voted - but also I've been watching a genocide unfold for past year and I've watched Biden's smirking ghouls at State on that subject and I've watched almost the entire Dem-industrial complex go after the people who opposed that genocide, or at best stay silent.

These people are so rotten and so horrible and many of them would be on trial in a just world.  People were put on trial for less. "We" certainly supported putting people on trial for less, instead of opposing it in every way possible.  We went to war - supposedly - over less!

So much for the international rules-based order.

I'm an engaged voter.  I understand the issues.  I understand harm reduction.  I understand that the bad orange man is very bad indeed.  I have no belief in accelerationism or fantasies about third party presidential runs.  I am not a narcissist about this stuff; politics is never going to be centered around my personal desires.

But how dare these fucking people make me vote for this.  How dare almost all of them, at best, stay silent.  What did they want to be in positions of power for?  Vacation homes and new boats?

It is, truly, a problem from hell, Samantha.

1) Are the Democrats too Right or Too Left?

2) The Democrats Have A Media Problem

3) Being a Democrat should be a Membership With Benefits

The first is a debate, the second is inarguable even if the prescriptions differ, the third is something which is also a good idea but no one ever  follows through with it.

There actually was a lot of money pumped into a media effort recently, and I don't like to dump on it because I suppose any effort should be encouraged, but that most of you have never heard of it tells the story.

And endlessly customizable. READ MORE...

By Sara Truuvert

Sweaty palms, shaking limbs, and the distinct possibility of puking. Am I describing riding a rollercoaster or having a crush in middle school? These two thrill rides collide in Jake Maia Arlow's MG debut Almost Flying.

The novel follows thirteen-year-old Dalia, who has planned the perfect summer: finally ride a rollercoaster and make a new best friend. But when Dalia's dad announces he is engaged and expects Dalia to bond with her soon-to-be stepsister, Alexa, Dalia thinks her summer plans are shot. Luckily, Alexa agrees to take Dalia and Rani, a new girl from Dalia's swim team, on an amusement park road trip. What should be a smooth week takes a turn when Dalia realizes she might have more-than-friend feelings for Rani. Almost Flying launched on June 8th, 2021 with Dial Books and is widely available to order.

Jake Maia Arlow is a writer, podcast producer (listen to her work on shows like NPR's Invisibilia), bagel connoisseur, and co-writer of a musical about a gay demon competing in a reality TV show. You can find out more about Jake on her website, Twitter, and YouTube channel. Watch for her YA debut, How To Excavate A Heart launching from HarperTeen in 2022.

Q. A huge congratulations on your MG debut! Your protagonist Dalia is thirteen, which is such a weird, wild, sometimes(?) wonderful age. Did that time in your own life influence this story?

A. Thank you so much! That time in my own life absolutely influenced this story—mostly in that I was a complete weirdo in middle school. And while I wasn’t brave enough or self-aware enough to understand my own early queer feelings, I was so deeply idiosyncratic that I could write 1,000 middle grade novels and never touch on all of my bizarre behavior. For example: I wore mismatched toe socks to school every. Single. Day. 

Q. I love how unique Dalia is—for starters, she absolutely loves watching rollercoaster POVs (but would rather keep this hobby to herself!). Would you speak a bit about developing Dalia’s character?

A. Developing her character was one of the most exciting parts of the writing process, because it involved watching a ton of rollercoaster POV videos! Part of my process included taking notes on different POV videos in Dalia’s voice—some of those early free-writes even made it into the novel in various forms. It’s hard for me to start writing before I know a character’s voice, but Dalia’s came very naturally to me. She’s an anxious queer Jew from Long Island … just like me haha!

Q. Dalia has to navigate some complicated feelings she develops for her friend Rani. Did you map out the trajectory of their relationship before you began writing? Or was it more a matter of seeing where your writing took you?

A. I knew that Dalia had a crush on Rani from the very beginning, but it took me a few rounds of edits to realize that Rani also had a crush on Dalia from the start. Dalia overthinks everything, and even though Rani gives her some pretty clear signals, she doesn’t pick up on them. It was really more of a discovery writing process than I thought it would be!

Q. Do you have any writing routines or rituals that help you get into a good workflow?

A. Oooh, I love this question! I always have rain sounds playing in the background, regardless of whether or not it’s actually raining outside. Other than that, I do the pomodoro method (25 minutes of writing with a five minute break) and I try to have a friend around so I can bounce ideas off of them! 

Q. You have a helpful (and funny) post on your website about the process of getting your agent, which, understandably, involved a fair amount of nerves and panic. What would you say to an author who feels daunted by the idea of starting this process?

A. I’m thrilled that someone has read that! My advice is always to be over prepared. I am almost chronically over prepared because of my anxiety, but in this case it served me well. Listen to podcasts, read sample query letters, read the acknowledgements of your favorite books. There are so many incredible resources that you never have to go through this alone. 

Q. Do you have any advice for young writers?

A. YES! So many people like to say “read,” which is awesome advice, and you should absolutely do that, but my other piece of advice is to WRITE! Write in a journal, write your earth-shattering novel idea on a Google Doc and share it with friends, write recipes, write spells. Write anything and everything. At the very least, you’ll have something to look back on. 

Q. Finally, I understand that both you and Dalia are bagel connoisseurs. I must know, what separates a great bagel from a good bagel?

A. This is the greatest question I’ve ever been asked. First of all, if a bagel isn’t boiled, it’s not a real bagel— it’s just a piece of bread with a hole in the center. But other than that, a great bagel is freshly made, a little warm on the inside; it’s chewy on the outside and soft on the inside. And, most importantly, a great bagel is one that you eat with friends and family. 

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Sara Truuvert completed her MLitt in Creative Writing at the University of St Andrews. She also holds a Certificate in Creative Writing from the Humber School for Writers and a BA in English, Drama, and the History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Toronto. Her work has appeared in the Literary Review of Canada among other publications.

For more interviews, see the Inkygirl Interview Archive. Also see Advice For Young Writers and Illustrators, a compilation of tips generously offered by children's book creators Inkygirl.com has interviewed over the years.

The post Almost 7 Million Dollars for a Flat in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia appeared first on English Russia.

Koalas are the only non-primates with fingerprints. How is that possible—and why?

Amid calls for ongoing protests after violent clashes on Thursday, South Africa's High Commissioner to Mozambique Siphiwe Nyanda has declared "Maputo is almost under siege".

Shoham Letzter
Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 377 (), 5583-5615.
Abstract, references and article information

When Scott Gann learned his son Dustin had dyslexia, he was shocked at the school's reaction. No one there wanted to use the word.

The couple, together for nine years, had announced the wedding date in January and were eagerly looking forward to their long-awaited special day.

India’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) has announced that it will hike the prices of its models from January 2023. It said the increase will vary for different models. Why? In a statement the automaker explained its struggles and the reason behind the hikes. “The Company continues to witness increased cost pressure driven […]

[SAPS] One hundred and seventy one (171) murder suspects, 261 attempted murder suspects and 250 suspected rapists were among 12 593 suspects who were arrested during various operations by police in KwaZulu-Natal in the month of October. During such operations police also managed to recover 345 firearms and 2 998 rounds of ammunition of various calibre of firearms. Among the recovered firearms were 23 rifles and 17 homemade illegal guns.

Practicing family medicine is really hard; the emotional toll of sharing patients’ distress, vulnerability, and trauma can build up and become overwhelming. A family physician experienced such a moment during one particularly complex morning. Feeling nearly ready to walk out of patient care, she reached out to the team nurse, who helped her get through the moment and re-engage with the waiting patients. Sharing vulnerability in the moment, and later reflecting and deciding to write about it shows the power of prioritizing teamwork in practice.

1. Magnus Carlsen returns to Kolkata after almost five years at Tata Steel India Rapid and Blitz 2024  ChessBase India
2. "It's Chaotic": Chess World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen Reveals Why He Does Not Play In India  NDTV Sports
3. King Carlsen hails growth of Indian chess, praises Praggnanandhaa's fighting spirit  Telegraph India
4. Tata Steel Chess set for a Carlsen-Pragg opening  Hindustan Times
5. Tata Steel Chess India Rapid & Blitz 2024: Schedule, Venue, Players, Tickets, Prize Money  Firstpost

Apr 9, 2024

The xz Utils backdoor incident reveals that the security of the global internet depends on countless obscure pieces of software written and maintained by even more obscure unpaid, distractible, and sometimes vulnerable volunteers. It’s an untenable situation, and one that is being exploited by malicious actors. Yet precious little is being done to remedy it.

The Army, The Navy “BBIDGI” The Army, The Navy are a folk duo with the same basic set up as Simon & Garfunkel – two singers, one guitar. The interesting thing with them, most especially on “BBIDGI,” is how their melodies and vocal harmonies are much closer in style and tone to mid 90s through […]

October is Pizza Month, minions, so this is a great time to go over a few reminders.

 Ahem hem hem.

Bakers, repeat after me.

"Pizza crust is not shiny."


Bakers repeating en masse: "Pizza crust is not shiny."

"Pizza crust is not held aloft by piles of poop."

"Pizza crust is not held aloft by piles of poop."

"If people can't tell my cakes are supposed to be pizzas, then I should stop making pizza cakes."

"If people can't..."

Bakers' Spokesperson, interrupting: "But what if we printed the pizza on the cake?"

::brief silence::

"No."

"What if we make the cake a slice of pizza?"

"NO."

"What if we made the cake brownies instead of cake?"

"HOW IS THAT BETTER"

"Ok, ok, fine. We won't make pizza cake."

"Excellent! Wait. Why am I suddenly nervous?"

"BOOYAH!!!!"

::sigh::

"I'm out."

Thanks to Anony M.,  Robyn, Heidi L., Carole D., Anony M., & Bartley I., for giving us a hand. Also are those pickles? Because I would totally eat pickles on pizza. Just me? 

*****
Here's an extra toasty way to celebrate Pizza Month:

Double-Sided Pizza Throw Blanket

It's hard to put a price on a blanket that makes you believe you ARE a pizza, but apparently the going rate is about $27. :p

*****

And from my other blog, Epbot:

New report underlines vulnerability of agriculture to climate hazards.

The post Press Release: Almost 75 Crore people in South Asia affected by climate hazards in last decade first appeared on International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

Mini SUV segment is becoming another next best space for both the carmakers and car buyers in India. And with the introduction of Mahindra

Despite the onset of festive season, online beauty and fashion ecommerce major Nykaa saw its consolidated net profit declining almost 5 per cent to Rs 12.97 crore in the July-September period (quarter-on-quarter), according to its financials on Tuesday.

Carlos Ugalde, founder of House of Chingasos, didn't know anything about digital marketing — but he dove in anyway.

Construction at LaGuardia Airport has frustrated travelers, but relief is in sight. Rick Cotton, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, discusses highlights and renovation challenges. Photo: Craig Ruttle/Associated Press

'Today, the world has changed. You have to be very persistent. You need to have a talent that is your 'X' factor -- be it in any field.' Aarambh actor Rajniesh Duggal tells us what his 'X' factor is.

On April 11, Hollywood star Jeremy Renner attended the premiere of his series Rennervations in Los Angeles.

Ever wonder what the upper limit of the shot put is? The record is 23.12 meters, or just under 75 feet. But could someone come along and put one even further? WIRED's Robbie Gonzalez met up with Olympic record holder Ryan Crouser to find out why putting a shot 24 meters is Almost Impossible.

Four-time USA Memory Champion Nelson Dellis explains how he used a Memory Palace to memorise 10,000 digits of pi, the order of more than nine shuffled decks of cards and lists of hundreds of names after only hearing them once. #memorypalace #nelsondellis Credits: Nelson Dellis https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnINhoHWuVjUDXp7dav5e3A Julia Shaw https://www.drjuliashaw.com/thememoryillusion Animation by Drasik https://www.drasik.com/

In a future where humanity has been driven underground by an apocalyptic event, a prisoner is haunted by the childhood memory of seeing a man gunned down at an airport. A group of scientists make him their time-traveling guinea pig, hoping that he’ll be able to find a way to restore the society they once knew. […]

In 2022 I think it’s still important as a web developer to test your how your websites look and function when users disable JavaScript in their browser. Developing in this way used to be a cornerstone of Progressive Enhancement and can be handy on both desktop or mobile.

I still find myself wanting disabling JavaScript on pages I visit. Sometimes it’s to test a page I’m working on, but in other instances it’s simply to visit a web page that’s not functioning correctly and I want to see if JavaScript is the culprit.

The post How to Disable JavaScript in Almost Any Browser appeared first on Impressive Webs.

The Telugu crime thriller engages, but doesn’t go beyond tried and tested tropes

Moises Caicedo’s stunning long-range volley has secured a 1-1 draw for Chelsea against Manchester United in the Premier League

The army hit out at Human Rights Watch’s figures, accusing Rohingyas of arson.

Subhash K Jha gives us an insight into Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Saawariya, as it completes 13 years in November.

NASA astronauts discuss extended spaceflight, hospitalisation upon return from the International Space Station

The aspiration to own a good device without paying much is making the used smartphones a very attractive choice for consumers wanting to upgrade or even with first-time smartphone users

Even as India is the second-largest consumer of gold, it imported only 50 kg of gold in April, compared to 110.18 tonnes in the same month a year ago.

The U.S. brought online nearly 700 MW of new electricity generation in October, and practically all of it was large-scale solar energy, according to data from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) Office of Energy Projects.

CALVINIA - A 56-year-old Johannesburg man was arrested by South African Police Service (SAPS) officers during a roadblock at Calvinia this past week after drugs with an estimated street value of almost R4 million...

Almost 500 possible breaches of level-3 rules have been reported to police this weekend, as many Kiwis prepare for what they hope will be a move to level 2 this week.People flocked to beach suburbs and took waterfront walks in cities...

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize says 3 953 South Africans have now recovered from the Covid-19 virus, which has claimed the lives of more than 180 people in the country so far.

A 56-year-old Johannesburg man was arrested during a roadblock at Calvinia in the Northern Cape this week for storing drugs in his spare tyre.

The NRL is charging towards its May 28 return, and some other key overseas competitions will be back even sooner as live sport starts to emerge out of the coronavirus crisis.

Consultant anaesthetist Dr Paul Trafford, pictured with his wife and nieces, almost suffered a major heart attack after returning to his home in Glasgow following a shift in his hospital due to an undiagnosed issue.