#community impact

[juicetrump2]

‘These are people’s livelihoods’: Minnesota’s economy in crisis amid ICE surge

Local businesses across the Twin Cities are suffering and owners say ‘ Metro Surge’ could be worse than Covid-19

[itsmythang]

"Just because she's Black, she isn't guaranteed our vote"

Morphed into the Supreme Court saying "Just because you're Black, doesn't mean you're guaranteed representation or voting protection"

See how it works when you listen to influencers and don't vote?

BigTeezy (The resistance is back est 1/2

People say, “Just because she’s Black doesn’t mean she deserves our vote.

But decisions still get made—and sometimes those decisions look like, “Just because you’re Black doesn’t mean you’re protected.”

You don’t owe anyone your vote. But you also don’t get to ignore the consequences of not using it and/or not using it wisely.

Now here we are.

I voted for Kamala Harris and Hillary Clinton. I didn't dismiss their warnings. I didn't believe trump over them. I didn't vote for Jill Stein or write in Bernie Sanders. I voted for what was best for millions because nothing right could come out of a trump presidency.

Now we all see what we knew would happen. A nation in complete chaos.

[world-of-wales]

NEWS -

FUNDING FOR TIBER IN LIVERPOOL!

Tiber is a new community building that will function suite and outdoor event space, education rooms, a café, and changing rooms for the on-site football pitch.

Both the Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales and Prince William, in a private capacity, have made donations to complete its fixtures and fittings, allowing it to be opened as soon as possible without the need for further fundraising.

[thewindsorindex]

2025: The Royal Foundation's Community Impact

Summary: These partnerships are part of The Royal Foundation's Community Impact programme's ongoing work to mobilise unique coalitions across the UK to help communities foster greater social connection and develop local community spaces.

1️⃣ Transforming community spaces on the Isle of Mull

Royal Foundation announced two exciting new grants from The Community Impact Programme.

Local interior designer and BBC ‘Designing the Hebrides’ presenter Banjo Beale has volunteered his expertise to collaborate with residents to create spaces that reflect the island’s coastal beauty and vibrant culture. Plans include playful murals, refurbished furniture, and upcycled artefacts, all designed to breathe new life into this essential community hub.

In Tobermory, the much-loved Aros Hall is being re-designed, with work including the refurbishment of the ‘Rainydays’ play area and the introduction of a new soft play zone. These improvements respond to parents’ feedback about the need for more play opportunities for children in the north of Mull. The space will continue to be an essential part of the community, regularly used by local charity Home-Start Lorn to support parents and carers in building strong relationships with their children.

Meanwhile, Pennyghael Community Hall, located in the rural Ross of Mull, will benefit from crucial renovations including vital roof repairs to ensure the hall continues to serve future generations.

The grants have been bolstered by partnerships with key organisations through The Royal Foundation’s Centre for Early Childhood‘s Business Taskforce. The Co-op has provided funding for play equipment for Aros Hall’s ‘Rainydays’ play area, while the LEGO Group has contributed resources to encourage young children on the Isle of Mull to have access to creative play and hands-on learning.

The Foundation is also helping the community explore plans for a sustainable café in the Ross of Mull and fostering opportunities for connection through yoga-based activities funded by local funders the Q Charitable Trust.

2️⃣ Securing roles for rangers in Mull & Iona

The funding, provided through The Royal Foundation’s United for Wildlife programme, will secure the future of two ranger positions, preventing the loss of these essential services. Rangers play a crucial role in balancing conservation with sustainable tourism, ensuring the natural beauty of the Isles remains accessible to residents and visitors alike. 

3️⃣ Community led changes in Leith

The Royal Foundation announced a new partnership with Street Soccer Scotland through its ongoing Community Impact Programme.

This partnership will launch ‘Leith United,’ a local coalition working to revitalise community spaces and foster social connection for vulnerable communities in Edinburgh. By bringing together Leith Community Centre, YMCA Edinburgh, and Street Soccer Scotland, this initiative will strengthen local wellbeing and create a blueprint for sustainable social impact that communities across the UK can replicate.

With support from The Royal Foundation, ‘Leith United’ will enhance existing sports-based initiatives at Leith Community Centre, using the power of football to support individuals facing mental health challenges, addiction, homelessness, and isolation—ensuring they feel part of a welcoming and inclusive community.

As part of The Royal Foundation’s ongoing commitment to strengthening social connection, additional support has been secured to further enhance ‘Leith United.’ This includes an in-kind donation of football equipment from Mitre, the official ball supplier for the FA and football governing bodies globally, to help sustain sports-based initiatives at Leith Community Centre.

[strawberrythighddemon]

Life Is Strange, Beauty Standards, and the Illusion of Control

I’ve realized something about myself lately: I keep using Life is Strange as a lens to talk about real life. Not because I’m obsessed with the game (though I am), but because narrative games have a way of accidentally revealing the cultural waters we’re all swimming in. And this morning, something clicked for me, something I hadn’t consciously noticed before.

The character models in Life is Strange reflect the body image trends of the era they were created in.

Yes. Body trends. Because beauty standards aren’t timeless truths; they’re trends that shift every decade, dictated by industries that profit from our insecurities. And when Life is Strange was being developed, the dominant trend for girls and women was still thinness, the lingering shadow of the early 2000s.

I’m not even accounting for the exact release date. I’m talking about the cultural climate that shaped the design choices. Moving into the mid‑2010s, society was just beginning to accept more diverse body shapes for women. Men weren’t getting that same treatment, and honestly, I’m focusing on girls because the fashion, beauty, and wellness industries have always targeted and exploited girls more aggressively.

If you need proof, look at the cultural artifacts of the time:

America’s Next Top Model debuted in 2003, teaching girls that thinness was the price of worth.

The Biggest Loser turned weight loss into a televised spectacle, harming contestants for entertainment. Some nearly died. And the fitness/wellness industry hasn’t magically healed since then; it’s still toxic at its core.

Now, with social media, it’s even more dangerous.

Body‑based content performs well.

Fitness and wellness content performs even better.

And anything tied to money or “self‑improvement” performs best of all.

So people create content not to help, but to gain influence, because influence equals income, and income equals autonomy. Some creators speak with authority, eloquence, and confidence, but they’re pushing misinformation because it’s profitable. They’re building cult‑like followings under the guise of “helping people,” when really, they’re chasing power.

Not everyone is like that. I learned math on the YouTube platform and tested out of multiple classes because of it. But the creators who genuinely help rarely have a million followers or high‑retention editing. They’re not optimizing their humanity for the algorithm.

And this is why trends are dangerous:

They’re not organic.

They’re engineered.

How Life Is Strange Reflects These Trends

Look at the girls in the first Life is Strange:

Max, Chloe, Victoria, Rachel, Brooke — all thin.

All designed within the same narrow body ideal.

Alyssa is the only girl with a larger body mass, and she’s the one constantly bullied. Max spends half the game rewinding time to save her from humiliation or harm. Daniel, one of the few boys who doesn’t fit the “ideal,” is physically assaulted by football players in the hallway. Let’s call it what it is: assault. With video evidence, those boys would face charges.

But schools rarely protect kids. They protect reputations. They protect parents with influence. And parents who encourage their sons to “whoop someone’s ass” rarely consider the reality: if that same son accidentally kills someone, that’s manslaughter. Violence has consequences. Always.

The body designs in LIS1 weren’t neutral. They were a reflection of the beauty standards of the time: thinness as the default and as the ideal.

But look at the newer games:

True Colors. Double Exposure. Reunion.  

The characters have actual bodily distinctions. They look healthier, more realistic, more human. The shift is intentional. It mirrors the cultural shift toward body diversity, a shift that took far too long.

I’ve met so many adult women who used to look like Max or Chloe. Thin because of stress, pressure, or survival. And as their lives improved, as they found stability, love, better jobs, more meaningful days, they naturally got thicker. They look healthier. They look happier. Because they are.

Beauty Is Subjective — And Always Has Been

People act like there’s one universal ideal, but that’s projection. Attraction is personal. Some people love tall women, thick women, muscular women, feminine women, masc women. Some people fall for personality first. Some fall for how someone carries themselves.

I’ve always been drawn to thicker women, but I’ve also been fascinated by tall women and muscular women. Ultimately, I’m someone who falls for personality and conversation. And compatibility matters. Gym‑focused women spend hours at the gym, and that’s not my lifestyle. I like walking and mobility exercises that are 30‑minute sessions at home, and the rest of the day, I try to remain active in different ways. My life is built around solitude, creativity, and work that requires long stretches of being alone.

Streaming, gaming, and writing are solo pursuits. Even when people are in the room with me, I’m still in my own world. I’ve had friends watch me play horror games, screaming and clinging to me during Resident Evil 7. It’s fun, but it’s still my space.

The Real Point: Mental Sovereignty

I know I’ve wandered across topics, but here’s the truth I keep circling:

There is more to life than body image, beauty standards, fashion trends, and insecurity.

At some point, none of it matters.

The tighter you cling to society’s script, the more limited your life becomes.

And “living life” is subjective, too. Everyone wants something different.

But trends are man‑made.

Trends are tools of control.

Trends are designed to make you feel bad about yourself so someone else can profit.

When you realize that, you gain something priceless:

mental sovereignty.

And some people don’t want you to have that.

Because the moment you do, you’re no longer controllable.

Take that as you will.

[farmerstrend]

What Makes a Great Agronomist? Unpacking the Traits of Agricultural Excellence

Agronomists are the unsung heroes shaping the future of farming. They’re the bridge between science and soil, the architects of abundance in a world hungry for both food and sustainability. Over the years, after sifting through hundreds of agronomist resumes and meeting countless professionals in this field, I’ve come to realize that greatness in agronomy isn’t just about a degree or a title.…

What Makes a Great Agronomist? Unpacking the Traits of Agricultural Excellence

[chronicsymptomsyndrome]

When your antibiotics say to take them all no matter what, please fucking do this. It’s not a suggestion. It’s not casual. Please please please do NOT stop taking them halfway through just because the issue seems resolved. Fucking finish them all please I am begging