hat's the most ridiculous thing you've ever seen in a pet store or animal shelter?

I live in a tourist town myself, with amusement parks, beaches, a world-famous zoo, etc., but some of my favorite places are the local botanical gardens, nature centers, and animal shelters.
I'm bringing my kids to Rome soon and would love little places like that to visit - we will definitely be going to the cat sanctuary Feral Felines Colonies Torre Argentina, maybe the video game museum .. any other real suburban family gems we shouldn’t miss? Maybe a Botanical Garden or spectacular playground?

- Recipes for Disaster: An Anarchist Cookbook

Helping Women and Society Escape Violent Relationships

Women exist in a "domesticated" combat zone. On any given day in the United States, an average of 480 women will be raped, 5,760 women will be assaulted, and 4 will be murdered by a [cis] male partner. Domestic violence [against women] is an assault on women's bodies and minds by those who claim to love them and love to claim them. The success of this violence depends on the complicity of community. If we intend to bring about true liberation, we must foster explicitly antiauthoritarian behavior in both personal and political life. No hierarchy is acceptable and no domination is justifiable—not even "behind closed doors." Because one in four women will be assaulted (likely including someone you love), we must wage war on domestic violence. We serve to empower our communities best by fighting the violence and hierarchy closest to home… or in the home.

Ingredients

• Outreach materials
• Shelter
• Childcare
• Basic safety materials—pepper spray, whistles, deadbolts, phone
• Knowledge of local resources
• A network of safe communities/spaces for women
• Personal dedication to the complete annihilation of authority
• Instructions

Stage One: Helping Her

Educate yourself. Domestic violence (DV) is rarely a single instance of battery, but instead a pattern of power and control. It may involve sexual or physical violence, or it may be a complex web of threats, property destruction, isolation, and emotional, financial, and mental abuse. Understanding this will help you recognize abuse if it comes without physical bruises.
If you are truly ready to have your mother, friend, or daughter tell you what is happening in her private life, invite her to come to you. If you are speaking against violence and rape, she will know you are ready. Wheatpaste neighborhoods with posters about domestic violence, hold street fairs against violence in residential neighborhoods, plaster infoshops and collective homes with signs that invite women into a safe space. If she, her children, or her animals are in immediate danger, however, you may need to approach her. Never approach the abuser: most abusers are paranoid and will quickly assume their victims have exposed them, and may retaliate against them.
Follow her lead. The most important thing you will do is be there for her, even if you feel useless. Trying to be a hero can only undermine her autonomy. Let her make her own decisions, even bad ones, and never tell her what to do. Give her back control: refuse to dominate her and recreate the abuse.
Give her a phone number or a way to contact you or someone in the community. Best is a cell phone that will always be on, or a collective house's number where someone is usually awake.
Let her talk. Don't wince or gasp: tales of [rape] and strangulation are not easy to listen to, but they are harder to tell. Survivors are often terrified of either tainting someone else's world with their trauma or not being believed. Tell her you believe her. You will be changed by what you hear; thank her for that. Confirm what may seem obvious.
An abuser spends a lot of time telling her she is crazy, and that no one would believe her. Tell her that you are listening, and offer eye contact and physical closeness if she is comfortable with it. Assure her that the way she feels is okay. There is no "normal" way to respond to abnormal acts of violence. Understand that the shield of invulnerability has been shattered (41% of rape victims and 89% of domestic violence victims expect to be assaulted again). She may be hyper-vigilant; the best way to help is to make her feel safe and legitimize/recognize her fears.
Focus on practical and immediate concerns. Where can one buy mace? What organizations work with DV issues? Ask her what she needs in order to leave: shelter? transportation? a job? childcare? money? Help her find these resources. Then ask what she needs to stay out of the relationship. For most women, it takes seven to fourteen attempts to leave their abusers. If she doesn't have the resources to stay gone, she may return because he can support her. Many abusers manipulate these needs. This is what makes DV such a pernicious crime: the perpetrator is the person who knows her best.
Address her immediate safety. If she is living with the abuser, make sure she has a plan to get out during a violent episode (contact your local coalition against DV for safety plans). Offer to keep personal papers and a packed suitcase for her and some extra money. Make sure she has a phone. An old cell phone without service can still dial 911 if charged. Consider establishing code words for her to use if she needs help, or other signals—a porch light off, for example, could let the neighbors know they should contact the police. If she doesn't live with her abuser, offer to find someone to stay with her or nearby. Do a safety check: make sure phone lines can't be cut, doors have deadbolts, and windows are nailed shut. If she wants to stay in hiding, help her cover her tracks by getting all mail sent to another address or post office box; offer to put your name on utilities. If she rides a bus or bike, find a car for her to borrow. Find community members who can do errands with her, pick her up from work, watch the children, etc. 90% of stalking cases are former intimate partners, not strangers.
The anti-DV movement started as an underground railroad of homes. Consider where she stays carefully. If the abuser knows where she is staying, she can feel like a sitting duck, especially if she stays with a [cis man]—an abuser's insecurity and suspicions can easily turn to rage. The majority of extreme violence and murder occur when the woman tries to leave, because the abuser feels he is losing control of her. Taking a survivor into your home is a serious commitment; unless you are prepared to internalize her constant vigilance and your home is very secure, she may be safer with someone else.
If she wants, help her use the legal system to file charges, obtain a protective order, file for custody, or get a divorce. Discuss the pros and cons of this in relation to safety, not politics. Until we develop an alternative, we cannot criticize a woman for using "the system." It is imperative, however, that she doesn't invest her safety or emotional wellbeing in the criminal justice system, as it often fails.
The community might want to deal with or "out" the abuser. Some communities have ostracized abusers, boycotted their businesses, refused to speak to them. You could make posters of his face, or spray paint his house. You can run abusers out of town, though understand this has the potential of resulting in his abusing someone somewhere else. You can threaten him with violence. No matter what is done, it must be acceptable to the survivor, because her well-being is at stake.

Stage Two: Helping Us

There are many steps we must take as communities and collectives to be welcoming and radicalizing spaces for survivors. At the same time, we must each take personal responsibility for shifting the public conscience toward abhorrence for violence. In a patriarchal state, violence toward and the rape of women prop up sexist oppression and exploitation. We cannot transform "rape culture" without committing ourselves to resisting and eradicating all patriarchy.
We must redefine sex and relationships away from terms of violence, power, domination and status. In our relationships we can try to create a new vocabulary that [prioritizes] consent and equality.
[Cis] men in particular need to organize. [Most] DV is a [cis] man's problem—women just suffer the consequences. A radical [cis] heterosexual male must give up the privileges of his gender—only then can he be approachable, only then will he be capable of offering meaningful help to a survivor. You cannot aid a survivor while allowing for other forms of sexism to prevail. [... Cis m]en can unlearn their gender construction and undermine patriarchy; imagine if every boy grew up around men who were struggling against patriarchy and violence.

Account

Taheera called the police after Mark had threatened to take their five-month-old baby, Juan. There were bruises on her neck from a previous incident, and Mark was arrested. It had been Mark's idea to move to the city when Taheera was 3 months pregnant. Taheera started to go to a low-cost clinic for prenatal care, but stopped going when Mark accused her of sleeping with the doctor. The first time Mark hit her was after she made a list of baby names. He was jealous of the attention the baby was getting.
I am a social worker, and an agency referred her to me. When we first talked, Taheera kept looking behind her. I suggested she push her chair against the wall, and promised her that I would keep checking down the hallway for Mark (even though Mark was in jail and wasn't going to be coming).
She was scared of Mark and of what he might do to her and the baby, especially now that he had been arrested. Mark's job was their only source of income, and he might be fired if he didn't get out of jail soon. She had a lot of questions about the legal system and was curious to know if I had talked to other women who felt like she did. We talked about local groups and shelters that could help, but mostly I just listened. I gave her my number and a 24-hour crisis number. Taheera chose to bail Mark out, using all their savings, but not to speak with him. The state had Mark sign a "no contact order" telling him he couldn't contact her or move back home, so he got an apartment upstairs from Taheera and made a point of bringing lots of "bitches" home so Taheera would see. Taheera didn't show up to court and the case was dropped.
Two weeks later, Taheera called and said that Mark was upstairs, Juan was asking for him, and that she was trying to resist going up to him. She missed him. I simply listened, and told her, as best I could, that her feelings were normal. She kept asking, "What's wrong with me?" I tried to refocus on Mark's problems. Taheera finally agreed to walk downtown and sign up for a support group that had childcare. But she never did, and instead went upstairs to Mark.
Eight months later, Taheera called from a payphone. Mark had held a gun to her head because he was angry that they now lived together in the upstairs apartment but he still had to pay for the downstairs apartment. He cut the phone cord so she couldn't call out. Things had been okay for a while: Mark had let her get a job and was being a "good daddy." Taheera told me that she had left several times, but each time he had found her or threatened her family Taheera felt too tired to leave, and just wanted things to "stay sane."
Taheera decided to save up money. We met for lunch one afternoon and made a list of what to do, which I kept so Mark wouldn't see it. I also gave her an old cell phone to call 911, which she hid in a cabinet. She got a separate bank account and started funneling part of her paycheck into it. She told a neighbor what was happening and gave the neighbor a packed suitcase to keep for her. I researched Section 8 housing in her hometown, and had the papers sent to my office. Taheera asked me to look up domestic violence resources in her hometown on my computer, because Mark made a point of checking out which websites she had visited when he got home from work. Mark grew suspicious, probably because Taheera seemed to be happier. Mark started calling her work and hanging up, and kept this up until she was fired. He bought her a cell phone so he could call her repeatedly any time she was out. He started not letting her leave the house with Juan, so that she would have to come back. He took her car keys. Eight months before, Taheera might have given up, because Mark seemed to be catching on.
I don't know all the details, but one night Taheera got someone from her church to park outside the apartments and start shouting. Mark, easily annoyed, went out to shut them up, and she and Juan got their suitcases from the neighbors and left through a back door, where the church friend picked them up.
I don't know if Taheera's story is a success story, but it is a real story. Since then, Mark has found out where she lives and has gained visitation rights to Juan through a court. Mark has also assaulted her twice since she left, once running her and Juan off the road. Taheera, however, has broken her connection to Mark and broken the cycle of abuse. Sometimes I think about her friend from church and the neighbor, and wonder what would have happened without them.
Recently, she read an article about my being arrested for protesting and asked what I was doing. I told her that I fight violence and hierarchy on all levels and she muttered, "Oh." But yesterday she left a message saying she was reading a lot and did I have any favorite authors? I'm thinking Emma Goldman or a little Naomi Wolfe.

caught during kitten yoga at my local animal shelter

Throwaway because my friends know my main and reposted because I did something incorrectly.
I (F27) have a friend (F29) who is being evicted from her apartment through no fault of her own. She is really finding it difficult to find somewhere new because she has a three year old dog who is prohibited from a lot of different housing.
Since I have a dog already and a few other animals, my friend asked if I would take her dog in. She wants to still be able to visit him as much as she can. She has family out of state who would be willing to take him, but then she can't see him.
While I hate seeing her in this stressful of a state, I told her that I can't take her dog in for a multitude of reasons. First of all, I just don't want to own the breed of dog she has. Her dog has a ton of energy and high prey drive and I don't feel like he would be nice to my cats. Also, I am definitely a one dog person and my dog and her dog don't really get along.
Although I have told her kindly and gently that this is not going to happen, she is enraged. She keeps calling me an asshole and telling me that I'm killing her dog because she's going to have to give him to a shelter.

Title says it, my wifes car a 2011 Corolla just recently got her CV Axles replaced (by me and I'm actually scared I fucked smth up lol), no idea if it's correlated or not. However when we accelerate at all even sometimes when I accelerate very softly, there is a clunking from below our feet. You can hear the clunk and feel it from both front seats. If you have any idea what may be the issue please let me know. We're actually currently on our honeymoon about 15 hours away from home, so if anyone in the Gulf Shores, AL area knows what it is and runs or works in a shop we'd gladly pay for a fix if it's something bad. Any help is greatly appreciated thanks.

One of the houses in my neighborhood was recently rented out to a new couple with a new puppy. Although this puppy is very cute, the cuteness disappears when we hear it cry all night. The crying is so high pitched that we can hear it from inside our house and we are not their direct neighbor next door. What is even worse is they keep the dog out at night even if it storming.
We have gone over to their house and politely asked them to bring their dog inside at night and during storms because it seems to distress the dog. They told me “It doesn’t like being inside either”. And when I pushed them on whether they would keep it inside at night and during storms, they said “we’ll see”.
I first went over to their house in February. I have called the constaple and police in my area 50+ times on this issue, mostly at night but sometimes during the day. My neighbors have also made several calls and are just as upset about this issue. The police have only gotten in contact with the owners a couple of times. Most of the time they pretend to not be home. The owners for the first time in a week answered the door for the police and said “the dog is fine and doesn’t make any noise” and if “anyone has problem, they can go over and speak for ourselves.”Which I have already done several times.
Luckily I am part of an HOA, which I have been trying to solve this issue through. I am at the stage where they are sent their final notice letter and I have 14 days left where they can do this. After that, I can send in 2 separate days of them doing this and they will start being fined and eventually go to court.
There are two issues here. The dog is being abused. It is effecting my families and neighbors sleep.
We don’t want to contact the SPCA or BARC in our city because they do not guarantee the animal will not be killed. They don’t outlaw no kill shelters. This puppy cries until it is so exhausted it falls asleep, and then wakes up and starts crying.
I can’t remember a time when I have gotten a full nights sleep since they moved in. Unfortunately our bedrooms are facing the direction of the puppy owners and we have thing walls and single paned windows. We are currently using white noise machines which have been beneficial but somehow there are still points where the puppy cries and howls wake us up. The anger we feel towards to owners abusing the puppy keeps us awake.
I am not dealing with nice people here and I am wondering what suggestions people have to make their lives miserable?

Long story short we got a very small and weak kitten 8 weeks ago. His mother died shortly after birth so she wasn't able to nurture him. He was fine at first but recently developed breathing issues so I took him to the vet ASAP and got antibiotics for what the vet assumed to be a lung infection. He has gotten even worse two weeks later and I'm a single student and cannot afford more vet visits. I feel absolutley horrible about this I love animals so much especially cats I am heartbroken but i can't keep going back to the vet every visit is a few hundred dollars and this next one will need a bunch of xrays which will be hundreds. Am I doing the right thing giving him to the shelter? Will they help him I do not want him to be put down he is the sweetest most loving boy ever. I wish I had a job so I can afford to pay for his medical care but I just do not at the moment.

Hello everyone! I'm reaching out to connect with co-founders or individuals who are interested in making a difference and contributing to a cause that is of utmost importance—addressing the urgent issue of climate change.
Recently, we have witnessed the devastating impact of the Canada wildfires, as the smoke rapidly spreads across various regions, significantly affecting air quality in areas like Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania, and beyond. As a resident of Northern Virginia myself, I was truly shocked to step outdoors and see the fog that surrounded the area . Climate change is real you guys. And this isn’t the first instance. This has been an ongoing issue.
It is disheartening to see that many people still don't fully grasp the urgency and seriousness of climate change. That's why I believe it's crucial to spread awareness and educate our communities about the importance of taking action. We need to emphasize that climate change affects not only our immediate environment but also the well-being of animals and fellow humans who suffer during these catastrophic times.
To address these challenges and make a positive impact, I have outlined a few initiatives that I intend to pursue and welcome collaboration and support from like-minded individuals:

1. Providing support to vulnerable communities: One of the immediate steps we can take is to assist those affected by climate change impacts, such as organizing meal provisions at local shelters and conducting clothing drives. We can also establish partnerships with organizations dedicated to supporting individuals experiencing homelessness or facing food insecurity.
   
2. Fundraising events and campaigns: Raising funds to support local charities and initiatives that directly address community needs is another powerful way to make a tangible difference. By organizing fundraising events and campaigns, we can contribute to projects focused on climate resilience, sustainable practices, and helping communities adapt to changing environmental conditions.
   
3. Advocacy and awareness-building: We need to amplify our voices and raise awareness about the impact of climate change on our communities. By educating others, we can inspire positive change and encourage individuals to become active participants in addressing this global crisis. We can organize awareness campaigns, workshops, and community events to engage people in meaningful discussions and actions.
   

It's important to note that climate change has been an ongoing issue for years, and it's disheartening to see that governments often fail to prioritize our best interests.
I was worried that I shouldn’t do anything because I can’t make a big enough impact as a freshman in college. But I think that’s far from the truth. I need your help. Your support, whether through volunteering, donations, or spreading awareness, will be invaluable in our journey towards a better world. Let's create the change we wish to see.
PM me if you’re interested!

As we all know, finding a friend on here is near to impossible, that’s why I’m here to offer an amazing product for you all, a new friend! He’s your average run of the mill university student but he will actually put it the time to make a friendship work out.
If you’re not sold, then if….
-You like anime and don’t have many irl friends to talk about it with.
-You find yourself playing many multiplayer games by yourself
-You’ve found a bunch of kick ass music but don’t have any to share it with
-You’re quite sheltered because your mom did most things for you and now you’re quite in a pickle as an adult
-You watch horror movies and are excited about the scares
-You have a pet you’d die for
-You daydream daily about stories in your head and have a long running story up there
-You list to game and anime OSTs a lot, and when people ask what you’re listening to you have to find some normal music
-You exist
-You can’t eat lactose
-You’re in a weird phase where you have to learn to adult
-You have existential crisis from time to time
-You haven’t gone out in a while and it’s affected your social skills
-Have no idea how to really adult in life so you’re currently winging it
….then you’ll get along splendidly.
If you related to any of those and are around my age please hmu with a bit about yourself!

This big malamute husky breed was found wondering around near Broadway and Mississippi. Super friendly but definitely a little stressed. No collar and animal shelter is closed for the day to check for a chip. Please PM me if you are looking. Thanks!

Putting this in the front, if you message me with just “hey”, “how are you”, “what’s up”, or any equally low effort response to this post I’m flat out ignoring your message. So please read this post.
Hey there, I’ve tried this a few times but still haven’t managed to find what I’m looking for, so I decided to suck it up and make a way too long post to cover all my bases. Seriously, this is probably gonna be a little long, but hey that’ll help me know who really is interested in me. So here we go.
ME - My name is Tanner, I’m 23 from Texas and am currently enrolled in music and theology school for another year. I will be working as a library assistant in August which is exciting, and will do that for a couple of years.
I’m 6’3 since people care about that stuff, a little overweight but currently building up muscle. I have dark curly hair, white skin, and glasses. (I have videos on my profile that show what I look like)
My interests include lots of nerd stuff. Anime, manga and manhwa, building model kits, video games, streaming, writing, music of course, stuff like that. I’m also learning Korean at the moment which has been a bunch of fun. I really want to go to Korea someday either with friends or with a special someone, or both, ya never know.
I have a dog named Mari who turned 3 this month and she’s my best friend. I’m a big animal lover in general and am very passionate about animal rescue and shelters for abused animals. I plan to get a cat in the future so Mari has a friend while I’m out working.
I want a family in the future so if you don’t want kids this won’t work out. I don’t smoke, drink, or do any sort of drugs and would ask that you do not either (social drinking is fine of course, not trying to police anyone I’ve just had bad family experiences with alcohol)
YOU - I’m looking for someone with a good personality, decent looks, and some sort of plans for their future. My preferences for appearance include darker hair, and either white or asian ethnicity, but this isn’t necessarily a deal breaker as personality is definitely a huge factor. I want someone who loves me for me and likes spending time together, even if we aren’t doing stuff together. Just the act of sitting on call while we do our own things, or in the future just hanging out in the same room doing separate stuff is a huge plus for me.
Similar interests aren’t a huge deal though of course I hope that we have a couple of things in common to make early conversations easier. Overall I just want someone who loves to be with me and talk to me, and that I feel the same way towards. I love hard and promise you that you will be loved more than you thought possible.
So when you message me please send me a description about yourself, what in my post stood out to you, and a picture if you do not mind! I cannot wait to meet you and look forward to forever.

Putting this in the front, if you message me with just “hey”, “how are you”, “what’s up”, or any equally low effort response to this post I’m flat out ignoring your message. So please read this post.
Hey there, I’ve tried this a few times but still haven’t managed to find what I’m looking for, so I decided to suck it up and make a way too long post to cover all my bases. Seriously, this is probably gonna be a little long, but hey that’ll help me know who really is interested in me. So here we go.
ME - My name is Tanner, I’m 23 from Texas and am currently enrolled in music and theology school for another year. I will be working as a library assistant in August which is exciting, and will do that for a couple of years.
I’m 6’3 since people care about that stuff, a little overweight but currently building up muscle. I have dark curly hair, white skin, and glasses. (I have videos on my profile that show what I look like)
My interests include lots of nerd stuff. Anime, manga and manhwa, building model kits, video games, streaming, writing, music of course, stuff like that. I’m also learning Korean at the moment which has been a bunch of fun. I really want to go to Korea someday either with friends or with a special someone, or both, ya never know.
I have a dog named Mari who turned 3 this month and she’s my best friend. I’m a big animal lover in general and am very passionate about animal rescue and shelters for abused animals. I plan to get a cat in the future so Mari has a friend while I’m out working.
I want a family in the future so if you don’t want kids this won’t work out. I don’t smoke, drink, or do any sort of drugs and would ask that you do not either (social drinking is fine of course, not trying to police anyone I’ve just had bad family experiences with alcohol)
YOU - I’m looking for someone with a good personality, decent looks, and some sort of plans for their future. My preferences for appearance include darker hair, and either white or asian ethnicity, but this isn’t necessarily a deal breaker as personality is definitely a huge factor. I want someone who loves me for me and likes spending time together, even if we aren’t doing stuff together. Just the act of sitting on call while we do our own things, or in the future just hanging out in the same room doing separate stuff is a huge plus for me.
Similar interests aren’t a huge deal though of course I hope that we have a couple of things in common to make early conversations easier. Overall I just want someone who loves to be with me and talk to me, and that I feel the same way towards. I love hard and promise you that you will be loved more than you thought possible.
So when you message me please send me a description about yourself, what in my post stood out to you, and a picture if you do not mind! I cannot wait to meet you and look forward to forever.

So I had this dream last night. For context, I usually have pretty elaborate dreams, so it's not like I'm unused to this. They mostly have to do with stuff I'm going through, and I mostly only remember dreams when I'm having a paticularly rough time all over. I usually tell all about them to my mom, who's pretty interested in these sort of things, but this time all she said was that 'it's probably just stress'. I don't really think about my dreams all that much, but this one just keeps haunting me. I haven't been able to think about anything else this whole day.
So as I said, the dream itself is pretty elaborate. I'm not sure from where on it starts being relevant regarding the way it ended up, but it started with a shorter scene, where I had to pay for a very expensive family dinner, which we ended up having to eat on some stairs in front of the building of my old high school. I was feeling very anxious about how much it was already costing, and people kept ordering more. (this was probably because I've just recently been to a very expensive wedding, and it's still on my mind.) That feeling prevailed, but the scene itself changed to a beach. It was a pretty normal, retro-looking beach, and I was sitting by a small, floating building that was a bakery. I knew that the reason why I was there was because we were celebrating my birthday, and that there was supposed to be a jacht somewhere waiting for us with a lot of my friends on it. Then something happened, something important I can't recall, and me and a couple others were drowning in the sea. I remember seeing a very tall boy with dark hair in our group, and he looked almost helpless. we finally found shelter around what looked like a public phonebooth sticking out of the water, but we couldn't call for help, because the only thing you could use those for was to order cakes from the bakery. then the water became shallow, and we walked towards the shore. there were now lifeguards with whistles waving around for people not to go deeper, but I knew that I had to, since I had to find the jacht and my friends. so when the guy wasn't looking, I snuck around him. just before him, there was a class of middle aged asian women doing water gymnastics (I study chinese in my free time, so probably something from an educational vid stuck.) and I suddenly saw a rosary floating by me in the water. I picked it up, and saw that where the beads met and the cross was, there was a piece of porcelain decoration, about a quarter of a palm in size. it was shaped like a rounded triangle, and on one side, it had two snakes in the shape of an infinity sign, in gorgeous shades of green, and on the other, an almost black ouroboros. a couple of the women came walking towards me, but they never looked me in the eye. I gave it to them because I didn't know whose it was, and then walked around the guard. by then, the sea around us had changed into a big swimming pool, and there were dirtroads cornering it with a lot of green plants everywhere. I kept walking, and reached a small group of trees, behind which I could see water. there was a small set of stairs to the side, along a wrought iron gate leading to an old fashioned building (the sort with tube flats.). as I walked down, I saw a young girl sitting in the grass on the other side of the closed gate, looking at me and taking photos of me. she showed them to me, but all of them were blurry, and on the last one, the only one where my face was entirely visible, it looked as if a whirlpool was about to swallow me. we agreed that she'd take some more, and I turned my back to walk further to pose, but from the corner of my eye I saw her mouth widen, her smile too wide and too sharp, like in those movies, but not as cringe, and honestly just. scary enough, and I saw her nails sharpen (she had beautiful nails, whitish-see through, with vine patterns on them, and I saw that she was raising it, about to swipe at me or get me. and I looked at her in disappointment, and the grinned almost sheepishly, seeing that she couldn't get me. after that, I walked deeper into the water, and saw three or four other people, all middle aged. one of them was a fat, balding man, and another a curly, frizzy-haired woman with audible speech issues, who asked me if I "wanted some" of whatever she had in her coffee mug. all of them were completely dressed, even though they were sitting in the greenest water ever, submerged to the shoulders. I politely declined and she nodded at me, saying that maybe that was the right choice, since it had spiders in it anyway. she then spat something back into her mug. (once, I almost drank a spider that was drowning in a cup of milk. I still remember the wild movements of its legs in my mug.) she started walking alongside me, and we soon reached the other side of the small lake, no bigger than a block. we walked on asphalt now, and she was telling me about something important, but I was looking back at the girl's house,and wasn't paying attention. I could very dimly see through a window the vague outlines of a kitchen. it looked very sad, in a british way. I looked away. I asked the woman if she knew where the jachts were, and she pointed in a direction, where there really seemed to be water. I walked alone. I entered a building that was all too-dim lights and gilded furniture. I walked through empty halls and corridors. a relatively short corridor was filled with mirrors. they were hanging everywhere. everywhere. I looked in them as I walked by, and my own face looked back at me. it was horrifying. it was me, but my worst features were amplified. the way the dark circles look underneath my eyes, and the way one of my eyes is bigger than the other, the way one of my cheeks is softer than the other. I knew what I was seeing was It. the thing. I walked along, knowing that it was only a part of me, and that it couldn't hurt me. I walked into a salon, all dark wallpaper and ebony furniture, and a half-set-up funeral in the middle. where the urn was supposed to stand, there was a headless dummy dressed in black velvet and a white lace collar around its neck. the room had three doors both from the side I'd come from and the direction I was headed. going forward, all thre led to the same smaller hall. eventually, I made my way out, and I found the jacht, although from closer up it became a huge catamaran, with up to five boats passengers had to sit in in single rows, almost like on airplanes. by then I knew that I was looking for a particular friend, and there she was, in all her glory. a girl I knew from school was sitting in the boat closest to me, and she tried to explain that there was much more space inside than it seemed. we said goodbye, and left to go back. this sea seemed much bluer, much colder than both the previous ones. while on out way back towards the scwry building, I was starting to suspect that my friend wasn't my friend at all, but much rather an alternate version of 'It'. I didn't say anything, but I was getting more anxious, and I picked up my pace. I was in a hurry, and didn't pay attention to go back through the same doors that I initially came through. I missed a door when entering the funeral scene, which by then looked almost completed, and I knew that was when I fucked up. I felt as my body was posessed by 'it'. we walked back to the mirror hall, and I knew that it had been with me ever since I left there, clung to me, waiting for me to make a mistake. it looked into each of the mirrors, grimacing, and I grimaced back at it. it looked horrible, disfigured almost, and I knew all it was was the worst version of my subconscious. my own worst version. now its image was a constant in the reflections, not just resurfacing from time to time. I felt like I was drowning in my own head. I could feel that it was thinking of doing things I would never do, planning things - and then I realised, that I could also cling. I could also wait until 'it' made a mistake. and then I could--- before I could think it through, I felt like drowning. then darkness. for a long time. then I woke up.
what could this mean?

Hey everyone! I’m a BU undergrad working on a project to inform Boston residents about our local government by creating and distributing a weekly newsletter summarizing Boston City Council meetings. This week there was no city council meeting, and instead there were many budget meetings about the City's budget for the next financial year (FY24). I took a deep look into the spending for the Boston Public Schools, (BPS) one of the biggest parts of spending for the city, breaking everything down. If anyone is interested in a quick digestible update on Boston government I have included my newsletter and the link to get free weekly information about local issues important to life in Boston. Previous suggestions have been super helpful so any and all feedback is appreciated!
While these are just large figure, nit picky spending stuff like which school gets the funding is done by the department, so if you're really interested, be sure to contact the BPS system and the superintendent!
Boston City Council Ways & Means Committee Meeting:
Duration: 1 hour 41 minutes
Attendance: All Present
$1.45 billion for Boston Public Schools (BPS) (FY24).
New Investments:

• $9.6 million for individualized education programs (IEPs) for students with disabilities to access the proper education to meet their needs.
• $6.3 million in dual language and bilingual education programs and to help multilingual and bilingual learners and teachers.
• $3.5 million for Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) programs that aim to better suit the needs of the student in literacy, cultural and linguistic responsiveness, and create standards aligned to a student’s grade.
• $1.2 million for expansion access and use of resources aimed to better student life such as family liaisons, bullying prevention, counselors, bilingual social workers, safety protocols, and more to give students all the support they need.
• $1.1 million for high school and alternative education pathways to expand Early College and Career Pathways programs from students grade 7-12 to create alternative pathways for certain students.
• $1.9 million for community engagement by creating a family hotline, translation and interpretation services, increasing Family Engagement Facilitators, and investing in the creation of 2 new roles: Chief of Community Engagement and Chief of Family Advancement.

Increased Funding:

• Estimated $84 million increase from last year, representing 31% of new spending.
• $1,800 more per student raising the number to $28,900.
• $15 million for school based Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding from the federal government to fund FY24 and project into FY25).

Various Specifically Outlined Spending:

• $328.1 million for various capital investments for BPSs such as building new schools, improving/remodeling existing schools, purchasing of new equipment/hardware for existing schools, and repairing damages.
• $657.1 million for investments in the Boston Center for Youth and Families, Department of Innovation and Technology, various recreation and safety departments, Mayor's Office of Housing, Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture, Boston Public Library, Boston Housing Authority, Boston Planning and Development Agency, and the Boston Public Health Commission.
• $40 million for the OPEB Liability Trust Fund for teachers and BPS workers.
• $1.8 million for transportation-related spending such as busing, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure related to BPS.
• $1.75 million for new computers and other technology.
• $39 million for equipment for schools such as computers, vehicles, medical equipment, supplies, buses, parking meters, street lights, and much more.
• $29.4 million for transportation and public realm improvements.
• $27.5 million for other projects such as Boston Housing Authority decarbonization, Waste and Sewage Commission operations, the animal shelter, and others.
• $2.2 million to extend building open times, landscaping, building repairs, and refinishing flooring.
• $100k for field trips and other activities

2023 Boston City Council Elections

• Go to https://www.purplely.org/ to get to know all the candidates in this year’s city council elections.

Resources:

• The city council meeting video and minutes are available here
• Use this link to access the city council calendar with meeting agenda and minutes.
• To find information about who your Council Member is, use this link to look up your address.
• To get more details about any bill or resolution, use this link to search by number or topic.
• If you have any questions you would like answered by the city council or any feedback on this newsletter, please email us at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]).
• Sign up here to receive this letter after every city council meeting.

Hey everyone! I’m a BU undergrad working on a project to inform Boston residents about our local government by creating and distributing a weekly newsletter summarizing Boston City Council meetings. This week there was no city council meeting, and instead there were many budget meetings about the City's budget for the next financial year (FY24). I took a deep look into the spending for the Boston Public Schools, (BPS) one of the biggest parts of spending for the city, breaking everything down. If anyone is interested in a quick digestible update on Boston government I have included my newsletter and the link to get free weekly information about local issues important to life in Boston. Previous suggestions have been super helpful so any and all feedback is appreciated!
While these are just large figure, nit picky spending stuff like which school gets the funding is done by the department, so if you're really interested, be sure to contact the BPS system and the superintendent!
Boston City Council Ways & Means Committee Meeting:
Duration: 1 hour 41 minutes
Attendance: All Present
$1.45 billion for Boston Public Schools (BPS) (FY24).
New Investments:

• $9.6 million for individualized education programs (IEPs) for students with disabilities to access the proper education to meet their needs.
• $6.3 million in dual language and bilingual education programs and to help multilingual and bilingual learners and teachers.
• $3.5 million for Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) programs that aim to better suit the needs of the student in literacy, cultural and linguistic responsiveness, and create standards aligned to a student’s grade.
• $1.2 million for expansion access and use of resources aimed to better student life such as family liaisons, bullying prevention, counselors, bilingual social workers, safety protocols, and more to give students all the support they need.
• $1.1 million for high school and alternative education pathways to expand Early College and Career Pathways programs from students grade 7-12 to create alternative pathways for certain students.
• $1.9 million for community engagement by creating a family hotline, translation and interpretation services, increasing Family Engagement Facilitators, and investing in the creation of 2 new roles: Chief of Community Engagement and Chief of Family Advancement.

Increased Funding:

• Estimated $84 million increase from last year, representing 31% of new spending.
• $1,800 more per student raising the number to $28,900.
• $15 million for school based Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding from the federal government to fund FY24 and project into FY25).

Various Specifically Outlined Spending:

• $328.1 million for various capital investments for BPSs such as building new schools, improving/remodeling existing schools, purchasing of new equipment/hardware for existing schools, and repairing damages.
• $657.1 million for investments in the Boston Center for Youth and Families, Department of Innovation and Technology, various recreation and safety departments, Mayor's Office of Housing, Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture, Boston Public Library, Boston Housing Authority, Boston Planning and Development Agency, and the Boston Public Health Commission.
• $40 million for the OPEB Liability Trust Fund for teachers and BPS workers.
• $1.8 million for transportation-related spending such as busing, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure related to BPS.
• $1.75 million for new computers and other technology.
• $39 million for equipment for schools such as computers, vehicles, medical equipment, supplies, buses, parking meters, street lights, and much more.
• $29.4 million for transportation and public realm improvements.
• $27.5 million for other projects such as Boston Housing Authority decarbonization, Waste and Sewage Commission operations, the animal shelter, and others.
• $2.2 million to extend building open times, landscaping, building repairs, and refinishing flooring.
• $100k for field trips and other activities

2023 Boston City Council Elections

• Go to https://www.purplely.org/ to get to know all the candidates in this year’s city council elections.

Resources:

• The city council meeting video and minutes are available here
• Use this link to access the city council calendar with meeting agenda and minutes.
• To find information about who your Council Member is, use this link to look up your address.
• To get more details about any bill or resolution, use this link to search by number or topic.
• If you have any questions you would like answered by the city council or any feedback on this newsletter, please email us at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]).
• Sign up here to receive this letter after every city council meeting.

Hey everyone! I’m a BU undergrad working on a project to inform Boston residents about our local government by creating and distributing a weekly newsletter summarizing Boston City Council meetings. This week there was no city council meeting, and instead there were many budget meetings about the City's budget for the next financial year (FY24). I took a deep look into the spending for the Boston Public Schools, (BPS) one of the biggest parts of spending for the city, breaking everything down. If anyone is interested in a quick digestible update on Boston government I have included my newsletter and the link to get free weekly information about local issues important to life in Boston. Previous suggestions have been super helpful so any and all feedback is appreciated!
While these are just large figure, nit picky spending stuff like which school gets the funding is done by the department, so if you're really interested, be sure to contact the BPS system and the superintendent!
Boston City Council Ways & Means Committee Meeting:
Duration: 1 hour 41 minutes
Attendance: All Present
$1.45 billion for Boston Public Schools (BPS) (FY24).
New Investments:

• $9.6 million for individualized education programs (IEPs) for students with disabilities to access the proper education to meet their needs.
• $6.3 million in dual language and bilingual education programs and to help multilingual and bilingual learners and teachers.
• $3.5 million for Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) programs that aim to better suit the needs of the student in literacy, cultural and linguistic responsiveness, and create standards aligned to a student’s grade.
• $1.2 million for expansion access and use of resources aimed to better student life such as family liaisons, bullying prevention, counselors, bilingual social workers, safety protocols, and more to give students all the support they need.
• $1.1 million for high school and alternative education pathways to expand Early College and Career Pathways programs from students grade 7-12 to create alternative pathways for certain students.
• $1.9 million for community engagement by creating a family hotline, translation and interpretation services, increasing Family Engagement Facilitators, and investing in the creation of 2 new roles: Chief of Community Engagement and Chief of Family Advancement.

Increased Funding:

• Estimated $84 million increase from last year, representing 31% of new spending.
• $1,800 more per student raising the number to $28,900.
• $15 million for school based Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding from the federal government to fund FY24 and project into FY25).

Various Specifically Outlined Spending:

• $328.1 million for various capital investments for BPSs such as building new schools, improving/remodeling existing schools, purchasing of new equipment/hardware for existing schools, and repairing damages.
• $657.1 million for investments in the Boston Center for Youth and Families, Department of Innovation and Technology, various recreation and safety departments, Mayor's Office of Housing, Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture, Boston Public Library, Boston Housing Authority, Boston Planning and Development Agency, and the Boston Public Health Commission.
• $40 million for the OPEB Liability Trust Fund for teachers and BPS workers.
• $1.8 million for transportation-related spending such as busing, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure related to BPS.
• $1.75 million for new computers and other technology.
• $39 million for equipment for schools such as computers, vehicles, medical equipment, supplies, buses, parking meters, street lights, and much more.
• $29.4 million for transportation and public realm improvements.
• $27.5 million for other projects such as Boston Housing Authority decarbonization, Waste and Sewage Commission operations, the animal shelter, and others.
• $2.2 million to extend building open times, landscaping, building repairs, and refinishing flooring.
• $100k for field trips and other activities

2023 Boston City Council Elections

• Go to https://www.purplely.org/ to get to know all the candidates in this year’s city council elections.

Resources:

• The city council meeting video and minutes are available here
• Use this link to access the city council calendar with meeting agenda and minutes.
• To find information about who your Council Member is, use this link to look up your address.
• To get more details about any bill or resolution, use this link to search by number or topic.
• If you have any questions you would like answered by the city council or any feedback on this newsletter, please email us at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]).
• Sign up here to receive this letter after every city council meeting.

part 1
After realizing how long he would have to survive in these hellish conditions, Gorinx decided to prepare. He searched every inch of his escape pod, trying to find anything useful. There wasn't much, just some basic survival equipment and rations. He found pills to purify and disinfect water, a knife, a firestarting kit, and, most importantly, a laser gun for protection.
His escape pod was small, but it looked like the best shelter he would find. It didn't leak water, had good heat isolation, and none of those demonic creatures could reach him there.
It was time to rest, and oh boy, did Gorinx need some sleep. He was so tired that he thought he might not even wake up until rescue arrived.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the case as he was woken up by a loud explosion. Gorinx went to check out what it was, only to discover a tropical storm above him. It was the first time he saw lightning and heard thunder.
The storm quickly passed, and Gorinx decided to get some water from the river where he had been chased away by that reptilian. This time he felt much more comfortable because he had his laser with him.
Water wouldn't be enough for him to survive all 60 days; he would need something to eat. He could survive on a plant diet only, but under these strange conditions, meat seemed like a better option, as some plants might have deadly poison.
He took some water in his container and added one of those pills. Then, with the corner of his eye, he spotted a bird on a branch above the river. He took aim and prayed for it to be hit. "All of the gods, I need this meat. Please let it be killed."
The gods must have listened because the bird fell into the river after being burned by the laser. Gorinx quickly got into the water to retrieve his lunch. As he came out of the river, he made a shocking discovery. He was covered with some worm-like creatures that were sucking his blood. "Oh, what the fuck is this now?" He quickly removed them from his body using all six of his arms.
"This place is something that even the best of our book writers could not imagine to scare you," he said to himself.
He saw another reptilian by the riverbank and prepared to use his laser. But then he saw another mammalian; it was stalking the reptilian. A yellow animal with black spots jumped at the reptilian, and a horrifying sound of a skull cracking could be heard as the mammalian carried its prey away. Gorinx just stood in shock as he mumbled, "Wow, does everything in this place evolve to kill?"
Gorinx had enough of the adventure and decided to head back to the pod. Just as he was about to enter the pod, he felt a sharp pain in his neck and found a small dart there. "Who is there? I come in peace!"
Gorinx felt sleepy, and he couldn't fight it. He fell down, hitting his head on the floor. His eyelids felt really heavy, and as he was about to close his eyes, he saw a creature.
It had dark skin, hair on its head, and nowhere else, and it was twice his size.
Before he could say anything, he fell asleep.
Part 2 is finnaly here. There will be one more and final part comming soon i jope you like this one.