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Dear <Congressmember system-generated>,
Your international phone calls, text messages, emails, and other digital communications are subject to surveillance. My name is Jubalyn ExWilliams, and I'm one of your constituents in Harrisburg, PA. I'm also a supporter of Color Of Change's campaign to oppose Section 702 of FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.) I believe Section 702 condones mass surveillance in the United States, as it dragnets 10s of millions of private conversations and even petty exchanges. I also believe this dragnet, supercharged by AI, would have an off-the-wall success rate [were it] identifying SPAM and SPAMers than sweeping for "terrorists" and terrorism. Please vote down needless domestic spying in the United States. Vote no to the reauthorization of Section 702 of FISA. Jubalyn ExWilliams <Email system-generated>, <Location system-generated>
My customized petition on the date above for "Tell Congress to Stop AI-Powered Mass Surveillance" (colorofchange.org)
Man in red suit with microphone outside phone booth near GCHQ (Credit: "Eavesdropping ( Hello Hello anyone there" unofficially attributed to Banksy) by Orchids love rainwater | CC BY 2.0)
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State Senator <Redacted> and State Rep: <Redacted>, greetings.
Within a 15-minute walk from home, I might observe or encounter 1-to-5 law enforcement agencies or agents: <XXXXXXXXXX> police, <XXXXXXX> police, <XXXXX> police, Dauphin County sheriff's, and the Park Rangers. As a law-abiding PA resident and U.S. citizen, I'd like to go about my path without mobile apps collecting; sharing; or selling my private data to one or more of them without my own consent. In 2024, I wrote the blog post "Data privacy law would upgrade Congress to the 21st Century." As Consumer Reports affirms, there is no national law banning the sale of location data collected on fellow U.S. citizens and permanent residents via cell phone apps. From my understanding, Maryland, Virginia, and Oregon are the latest states to pass their own legislation to restrict the sale or disposal of domestic caller data from mobile apps. To ensure my geolocation data remains private in PA, please introduce and pass the State Location Privacy Act. And Consumer Reports has already provided the template for this model bill at CR.org/LocationPrivacy.
My customized petition on the date above to "Ban the sale of our location data!" (consumerreports.org)
Man on tablet at train station (Credit: "Train Transit Commuter Transportation Urban Concept" by rawpixel - Image: 67245846 | © 123RF Free Images)
Jubalyn ExWilliams lives in Pennsylvania (United States). You can find some of her contributions, including the petition "Stop apps from selling our location data: PA Legislature," at landturn.com/blog.
Related: Data privacy law would upgrade Congress to the 21st Century (2024)
Related: No to mass surveillance in America under FISA: Congress (2026 Related: Edward Snowden's "Permanent Record" (2020) Related: Ecosia over Google (2020) Related: "Weapons of Math Destruction" (O'Neil) (2020) Related: Certified Privacy Professional (2021) Related: What influenced me to reconsider participation in electoral politics (2019) Related: No, your IP address isn't private info (2021)
Refer to Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), the subject of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Its awardees are Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi.
The framework are these crystals with spaces that tiny, microscopic molecules can squeeze in and/or out of. MOFs originated with known experimentation by Richard Robson in 1989. He created a crystal with lots of holes in it, or "innumerable cavities," according to nobelprize.org. He took copper ions and a particular molecule attracted to those ions, and combined them. Since they were chemically attracted, they bonded, and that's how the crystal with lots of holes formed. The resulting crystal was easy to break, so several years later -- over the course of 11 years -- came the foundation of MOF discoveries. Omar M. Yaghi eventually made a "very stable" MOF crystal, and he showed that that crystal could be changed into new properties. During those years, Susumu Kitigawa showed that gases are one of the chemicals that can squeeze in and/or out of MOFs. Since then, chemists have made 10x thousands of different MOFs. Their reported applications may include the breakdown of environmental contaminants from human and industrial waste, and the trapping of toxic gases in the air. Maybe the Air-Gen technology by Jun Yao and Xiaomeng Liu is an application of this reported outgrowth in different MOFs. It was the subject of one of my posts a couple years ago. See "Humidity converted to electricity with device by UMass professor" below. According to the Nobel Prize press release, Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) can catalyze chemical reactions. Does Air-Gen's electrical charge imbalance from percolated moisture qualify? It also states that MOFs can conduct electricity. I think Gen-Air's primary function is the generation of electricity. A WaPo subscriber gifted me the article that my post was referencing, so I don't have immediate access to it. But I can say that the conduction of electricity is part of the transmission of electricity for use as a utility. I remembered a news feature from early COVID about the growth of wind farming in Kansas and wind farms moreover in tornado alley. I also remembered the climbing share price and popularity of Tesla during COVID. I concluded, "Given THE STORAGE, [Air-Gen] would be more efficient for electric vehicles than charging stations or operating wind turbines in the peak hours of the night, like in Texas." (Emphasis mine.)
Lightly edited as standalone post from comment to "Humidity converted to electricity with device by UMass professor."
Gold coin of Alfred Nobel ("Nobel Prize medal inscribed to F. G. Banting" | Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, UofT | Licensed under CC BY 2.0)
Jubalyn ExWilliams lives in Pennsylvania (United States). You can find the follow-ups to some of her previous posts, including "Why Air-Gen technology reminds me of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry," at landturn.com/blog.
She has no affiliation with or financial investment in Air-Gen technology, past or present.
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Mentioned to a relative several days ago that policy holders can challenge insurance denials. I wasn't sure what type of insurance, but it was on the topic of a major home repair for my relative. Today I happened upon the back article I was referring to.
Turns out a review of health insurance denials in particular is also true for questionable bills. In 2019, I successfully challenged a collection notice for a deceptive hospital balance. Ironically, I was updating my contact info w[ith the] billing department when I learned about the last in a series of pop-up balances. The department couldn't (and later wouldn't) explain a sudden out-of-pocket balance related to a visit for covered care about 12 months before. Instead, I received a collections notice at the address I myself updated with the billing department just 2 weeks before. That ordeal was the inspiration behind my read and blurb for "The Price We Pay: What Broke America's Healthcare System and How to Fix It" months later. [See "The Price We Pay" (Makary) below.] My successful challenge of that bill was thru a different state agency, but PA has since, according to this article, established a review board for patients to challenge bills and denials. (Apparently, so do NJ and DE.) If Congress doesn't extend "Obamacare" after 2025, insurance premiums will increase AND insurance coverage will dwindle. If so, I think this will present patients with even more encounters and therefore chances to challenge questionable bills and absurd denials. ACA extension or not, get ready for the challenge.
A FB post on "Most U.S. adults don't know they can fight insurance denials, new study finds" (N. Leonard)
Woman standing on a stack of documents (Credit: "Businesswoman picking up paper from the floor" by imagehitasia - Image: ID5203787 | © 123RF Free Images)
Jubalyn ExWilliams lives in Pennsylvania (United States). You can find some of her reflections, including "When one hospital tried to jerk me into medical debt," at landturn.com/blog.
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This interview with [Osita] Nwanevu doesn't touch on lifetime appointments of Justices; but the intended duration of these appointments is one of my criticisms of U.S. governance. That said, one would have to read the actual interview to know that it is NOT about the Supreme Court. What I take from the interview overall is the contrast to U.S. Government by representatives to the ideal of governance in ancient Athens as one branch of_a_democracy. In it, though, are his suggestions for remedies at the foundation. One suggestion I definitely favor is that of deliberate assemblies, which he notes is a practice in at least one region of the world. In addition, his breakdown of the degrees (proportions) for decision-making by what essentially is simple majority, as well as one federal entrance to minority rule renewed my perspective on the flaw in both electoral representation and political elections
A comment on "Democracy v. the Constitution" (Osita Nwanevu, Jake Grumbach)
People clapping at a gathering (Credit: "Audience Applaud Clapping Happiness Appreciation Training Concept" by rawpixel - Image: ID5203787 | © 123RF Free Images)
Jubalyn ExWilliams lives in Pennsylvania (United States). You can find her remarks over the last 6 years for some of the interviews and essays from Boston Review at landturn.com/blog.
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Good afternoon, <Redacted>.
I went to the police station today and was advised to reach out to... <redacted>.... This email is a summary... about my undesirable and unwanted interactions with <redacted>.... . He is neither the first... nor the only one with whom I have undesirable or unwanted interactions, but his are the most frequent and pervasive at present. I usually have my... machine on..., but I turn it off while I <redacted>. Apart from a periodic phone conversation or a periodic visitor..., my <redacted> is fairly silent. Shortly after he <redacted>, <redacted> would call out, "f~cking n____" after I turned off my... machine.... Meanwhile, he'd prop his door open almost every day before I left... and by the time I returned.... The propping has continued on most workdays for at least 12 months. Sometimes, I came... later... with... bags in tow. On at least 2 occasions, that was when he appeared in the stairwell to greet me. Given my haul up to the <redacted> floor with heavy... bags, his sudden appearance at night in the narrow stairwell; the previous "f~cking n_____" sneers; and what were the beginning days of his near-daily door propping, I ignored him. Weeks later, he appeared outside the building under the cover of night on at least 3 occasions. On one of those nights, he attempted to enter the building after I <returned>.... I paused, and stayed outside until he entered first. He did just that, and mumbled "b_____" while closing the door behind him. On another night, he appeared after I <returned>... in the building entrance..., which accommodates no more than two adults at less than arm's length. He asked me if I <redacted>.... next to his. Since springtime, he's sat outside the building entrance to smoke by the time I <return>.... On at least one occasion, I opened my <redacted> and noticed him watching my <redacted> across the street from my <redacted>, not his. (Around fall time 2024,... I had 2 candidate yard signs..., which I believe was a starting point for his attentiveness.) He’s found out <where> I work... and now comes in almost every other week. Multiple times a week, he sits on the <redacted> by the time I leave/return... and sometimes tries to greet me. Unless I'm at work, I usually ignore him. Today I left... at least XX minutes before I usually do. He propped his door open as I passed. “I saw you...,” I said in passing. I’ve decided that enough is enough. 
Man walking (Credit: cc0collection - Image: 186120358 | © 123RF Free Images)
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Biology is not my expertise or background of knowledge. I did, though, note the oncology professor and director, [Mary] Armanios, of The Johns Hopkins Telomere Center, who said, "telomere length has a continuous range that is normal at every age." And that "small additions and subtractions" -- at minimum -- "may not be biologically meaningful."
That considered, this report on the VITAL study suggests that Vitamin D supplementation could serve as one protectant of telomeres -- at least those in the white blood cells of some populations age 50+. So even when telomere length is a questionable biomarker, does it negate that healthy supplementation with Vitamin D was beneficial in the non-control group? Vitamin D aside, I'm a little surprised -- given the popularity of their tout in human nutrition and well-being -- that Omega 3 supplementation had no comparable effect. Mass General Brigham and the Medical College of Georgia conducted the VITAL study.
An FB post via Cryonics Institute on "This Vitamin May Slow Aging Process--New Research," v24May2025 (D. Taheri)
Chromosomes (Credit: "Embroidery Chromosome Chart" by Hey Paul Studios | Licensed under CC BY 2.0)
Jubalyn ExWilliams lives in Pennsylvania (United States). You can find her writings and commentary, including "What I didn't expect from Omega 3 in telomere study," at landturn.com/blog.
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The morning BEFORE Angie Stone's death, I was listening to "Kiss You (X Mix)" -- my favorite song from her 2023 album. I then listened to some of the throw-back "Excuse Me" (Raphael Saadiq x Angie Stone x Calvin Richardson).
[A couple years ago], I looked up Angie Stone on Youtube and came across a VladTV interview by someone who's a real fan of her music. I listened to that "Love Language" album because the interview was so good. (Interview: "Angie Stone on Recording the First Original Rap Record from a Female Group w/ The Sequence (Part 1)" -- VLADTV.) 
Author's Spotify dashboard of Angie Stone's "Love Language" album, 2023
She didn't do a lot of songwriting on it, but the songs i.e. "Kissing You (X Mix)" were really good, and each was true to the album title.
By the way, in recent years, the only other album true to its title that I've heard was "Off the Yak" (Young M.A.). In regard to Stone, "No More Rain (In This Cloud)" is a song I had heard an aunt of mine play. I was coming to age when I got that introduction to the singer/songwriter. And "Brotha" is probably one of my favorite hit singles by her. I can't forget Angie Stone. Rest in Peace.
Originally a FB post about "Angie Stone, Grammy-nominated R&B artist, dead at 63" (M. Thomas)
Angie Stone in concert (Credit: "Angie Stone" by tom.beetz | Licensed under CC BY 2.0)
In Memory of Anita ("Red Mama"), Marcel, and Juan
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I remember at the time of Tesla's (HQ?) relocation to Texas that Musk criticized California for not being business-friendly. Definitely didn't know the Lone Star State hosts the percentage of stateside publicly traded companies that it does; or that it leads the nation in public companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange. On another note, it'll be interesting to see what... [relocation of the NYSE headquarters] will mean for the mentioned Texas Stock Exchange. Then again, if the state "now... will become the financial capital of America," as the governor has said, maybe there's room there in Dallas for both.
A comment on "The New York Stock Exchange is coming to Texas" (L. Varanasi)
"Dallas Skyline 02" by TexasEagle | CC BY-NC 2.0
Jubalyn ExWilliams lives in Pennsylvania (United States). You can find her commentary and perspectives, including "Texas HQ for New York Stock Exchange coming soon," at landturn.com/blog.
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The zebra swallowtail butterfly -- a different butterfly than the better-known monarch -- had a habitat as far northeast as the Pittsburgh area, according to one backyard gardener there.
It overlapped with the availability of North America's largest fruit, the pawpaw. I mainly recognize pawpaw from seasonalfoodguide.org, my go-to reference for produce shopping, but I'm not familiar with it otherwise. (Note: Sounds tasty; would like to try some.) The last known sighting of the swallowtail butterfly in Pittsburgh, though, was almost 90 years ago. That is, until the backyard garden of that local gardener became the site of her repeat appearance and eggs. I liked that he, Daniel Brown, documented the butterfly and its instar presence in photos; and the initial response -- “WHERE ARE YOU?” -- by Gabrielle, a zebra swallowtail expert for the area, within minutes of his chat post after the first sighting. It now clear if they had them before, but several of Brown's neighbors therein Greenfield have pawpaw trees now. For more: "When zebras fly: How my backyard flora project helped bring a long-gone species back to Pittsburgh" (publicsource.org)
A comment under my review of "'Flight of the Butterflies' documentary" on the date above
Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly (pngtree.com)
Jubalyn ExWilliams lives in Pennsylvania (United States). You can find some of her reactions to localized news of the nature world, including "Where the "pawpaw" butterfly is reappearing after 90 years," at landturn.com/reviews.
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The $50,000 deduction per small business startup is a 10-fold increase, and I think it's a good idea. As a start, it would bring some economy to that segment of prospective job creators. I also see the deduction growing, if you will, the number of small business startups.
It's not unreasonable to expect that many will not defy the odds and succeed. However, some will. On another note, these almighty bestowals from/for power-backed political candidates and special interests that include, but aren't limited to:
Thumbs down.
Note: Lightly edited for clarity and adaptation for a standalone blog.
Correction: Bullet point now reflects that multiple banners were flown, not a single banner or blimp; that the display included another in-state university; and that the ad campaign was by a political organization, not a candidate.
Man holding up a music emotion (Credit: "Group of diverse friends holding movie emoticons" by rawpixel - Image: 110910174 © 123RF Free Images)
A comment on "Kamala Harris' Message To BET Hip-Hop Awards Fans: Voting Allows You To 'Determine The Future Of Our Country'" (J. JoVonn)
Jubalyn ExWilliams lives in Pennsylvania (United States). You can find her commentary and editorials, including "U.S. presidential sweepstakes a Public-Pop Partnership for Almighty interests," at landturn.com/blog.
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Man looking out window next to New York Stock Exchange (Credit: "Man Looks Out from Window - Giessen - Germany" by Adam Jones | CC BY 2.0) AND "The New York Stock Exchange [Wall Street]. New York, NY" by Kjetil Ree | CC BY-SA 2.0)
A meme on big Harvard donor Bill Ackman's Diversity/Equity/Inclusion irony (J. ExWilliams)
Jubalyn ExWilliams lives in Pennsylvania (United States). You can find her writings and commentaries, including the meme "Harvard donor's DEI Nightmare on Wall Street," at landturn.com/blog.
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5. "How you don't know what day of the week it is?"
Me: Early grade school. Got the impression that it was a big deal to forget the day; didn't know why it was though.
I've since learned how to estimate the time of day when I don't have a watch, and determine at least 2 directions if I don't have a compass. Every once in a while, though, I still confuse a day of the week.
4. "If you're out past midnight, you're looking for trouble."
It turns out that NEOM is one Saudi project for the "tourism and foreign direct investment I believed to be Riyadh's intention." At the time, I noted that the 2018 "reforms on women's liberties and the political shakedown on ruling family members" gave me the impression that the Crown Prince wanted to modernize the country's world image for the future of its economy.
See "Why I think Saudi Arabia is modernizing itself right now" below. In that regard, I can't imagine Dubai -- a renown lifestyle destination there on the Arabian Peninsula -- was not an inspiration for the concept of NEOM's built environment. According to neom.com, it'll be, "The land of the future, where the greatest minds and best talents are empowered to embody pioneering ideas and exceed boundaries in a world inspired by imagination." And in April, BUSINESS INSIDER reported that the country's northwest enclave plans to have "glow-in-the-dark beaches, ski slopes, an artificial moon, robot butlers, and flying taxis." It reminds me of spectacles like the MGM Grand and the Sphinx and pyramid hotels that amused me during family trips to Vegas growing up. NEOM's vision statement above is well-stated though. Very well-stated. Earlier this year, allAfrica [distributed] a report about Waterfall City in South Africa. I haven't looked much further into the planned city of "Connection, Commerce, Care, and Community," but it is, like its Saudi peer, a smart city. However, Waterfall City is a functioning locale with residents; national; and multinational tenants. NEOM seems much larger in scale and with some features of a resort. However, the project appears to be in its planning-and-marketing phase right now. It's further evident that Saudi Arabia is active in diversifying its image and economy with its winning bid to host the WTA finals, 2024-2026. At $15.25 million, this year's prize will set a record for the women's sport.
A follow-up comment on "Why I think Saudi Arabia is modernizing itself right now" (J. ExWilliams)
Note: Slightly edited for adaptation to a standalone post. 
Two women standing in between rock formations in Hisma Desert, NEOM, Saudi Arabia (Credit: "a couple of women standing next to each other" by NEOM on Unsplash)
Jubalyn ExWilliams lives in Pennsylvania (United States). She once served as a representative of Saudi Arabia and Libya, respectively, for the Model U.N. You can find her editorials and perspectives, including "Saudi Arabia's smart city an example of my impression of its initial cultural reforms," at landturn.com/blog.
Related: Why I think Saudi Arabia is modernizing itself right now (2019)
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In February, I stayed off of social media for the entire month. Beforehand, I posted to Facebook that I would not "grant [it] and its partners access to my correspondence, intellectual property, and usage during Black History Month."
It was my acknowledgement of Black History Month as a time to commemorate/highlight/recognize historic and historical achievements and accomplishments of Black people, especially in the United States and Canada. I didn't care to relinquish my social media activity to a Black digital aggregate for business-to-consumer purposes or otherwise. In collaboration with The Markup, Consumer Reports revealed that each Facebook user who participated in its study had had, on average, 2000+ companies that shared his/her/their info with the social media clearinghouse -- I mean, company. My awareness of this mass collection of personal info is part of the reason I don't care to "download the app" or register a new online account for one-time or infrequent use (i.e. job or rental applications). For example, I used to buy work clothes/shoes from Old Navy when it required an account for online purchases. It would annoy me that there was no guest checkout for my order, which I placed every once in a while. Eventually, I signed up for a dang account. Ultimately, I took my business elsewhere. Similarly, credit cards and digital payments have dozens or more data points with which to sell, share, track, and target consumers for ads/offers/promos/disclosure/surveillance and so forth. The PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is, for example, wonderful for the industry of digital payments. I believe its best practices garner consumer trust within and across national borders for companies that facilitate Web payments. But the strength of PCI DSS is the digital data security in a payment's life cycle (e.g., storage or destruction). Very broadly, it includes but is not limited to:
I believe a federal data privacy law and FTC regulation would protect digital consumers in the United States. It would restrict the sale of consumer info from payments, invoices, bills, etc. and the misuse of consumer info shared between entities and commercial partners.
Request that Congress keep up with the 21st Century. Enact FEDERAL legislation to protect our data privacy. Sign the petition from Consumer Reports. 
Man holding $20 (Credit: "A bespectacled man in business suit holding a banknote" by inspirestock - Image: 26134815 | © 123RF Free Images)
A response to the email "Protect My Privacy! Ask Congress to Pass a Strong Privacy Law" (Consumer Reports)
Jubalyn ExWilliams lives in Pennsylvania (United States). You can find her editorials, including "Data privacy law would upgrade Congress to the 21st Century," at landturn.com/blog.
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Note: Today I learned that Mr. Slayman died earlier this month. This post was adapted from my comment just yesterday to "Ill. man, 50, underwent 6 organ transplants," which is linked far below.
In March, a Massachusetts man became the first patient to survive transplantation of a pig kidney. Previously, "Rick" Slayman, 62, had a human kidney transplant, reported usatoday.com, but his blood clotting before that transplant didn't stop with that transplant.
He ended up back on dialysis. When I trained for and worked as a CNA, some of the nursing home residents I dressed and groomed were preparing for dialysis or had returned from it. Upon treatment, they'd appear exhausted, in pain, and frail. There's blood throughout the human body, and our kidneys, among other functions, clean the waste from our blood. I think its vital, lifelong function is the reason why we tend to have two. If one is removed, injured, diseased or what not, we still have a chance at survival. However, I had an awful impression of the necessary dialysis treatment that helps some of us perform this function. Also see "Ill. man, 50, underwent 6 organ transplants" below. Again, Slayman is only the first successful recipient of any animal-to-human kidney, so I'm curious to see more examples of this kind of xenotransplantation. Given its novel success and experimental nature, how well the kidney might function captures my interest before the duration that kidney might function. So far, Slayman's off to a good start. Dr. Tatsuo Kawai was the surgeon in Slayman's transplantation team at Massachusetts General Hospital. The porcine kidney turned pink immediately, he told reporters. A good sign. "It was truly the most beautiful urine I have ever seen," Kawai said. 
Doctor giving the thumbs up (Credit: "Doctor hand with a stethoscope and human sign social" by Ingram/stock.picvario.media)
Jubalyn ExWilliams lives in Pennsylvania (United States). You can find some of writings and perspectives, including "What interests me 1st about a successful animal-to-human kidney transplant," at landturn.com/blog.
Related: Ill. man, 50, underwent 6 organ transplants (2022)
Related: Living longer with health problems (2022) Related: "The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black" (2020) Related: Why Americans appear to have an obesity advantage (2023) Related: The marijuana advocacy one Pa. legalization lawmaker overlooked (2021) Related: Working conditions as a home health aide (2019) Related: "The Price We Pay" (Makary) (2021) Related: "Unleash the Power of Vitamin D" (Matthews) (2024) Related: When one hospital tried to jerk me into medical debt (2025)
A distress call from students at one major university and an endorsement by an advisor to world bodies of government at another speaks to Jill Stein's viability as a U.S. presidential candidate.
However, she faces an uphill climb in a populous state with one of the most stringent requirement to ballot access for third-party and independent candidates. New York requires 45,000 valid signatures in just one month. In 2020, I learned from the Howie Hawkins campaign about the electoral tariff imposed on such candidates in his home state. Perhaps it builds fortitude that most PA election cycles, for example, require that individual strangers request dozens of other strangers to commit their name & address on a petition to get a third-party or independent candidate on the ballot. The year after Biden's election, Hawkins, a retired Teamster, traveled to Harrisburg from Syracuse to help me petition outdoors for several hours in the middle of summer. In regard to Stein, her May 3 rally with guest Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University saw $45,000 for a NY effort that requires more than 7X the people power. Cornel West -- who I've supported since his announcement last year -- faces the same electoral tariff in addition to no singular party backing or previous electoral profile. To those of you in New York or PA who commit your valid signatures: Thank you.
A comment on the event "Jill Stein Virtual Rally with Jeffrey Sachs" (J. Stein)
Jill Stein 2024 campaign logo (jillstein2024.com)
Green Party's 10 Key Values: 1) Grassroots Democracy 2) Ecological Wisdom 3) Global Responsibility & Personal Responsibility 4) Community-Based Economics & Economic Justice 5) Non-Violence 6) Feminism & Gender Equity 7) Respect for Diversity 8) Future Focus & Sustainability 9) Social Justice & Equal Opportunity 10) Decentralization
Note: First paragraph was lightly edited for clarity in a standalone blog.
Jubalyn ExWilliams lives in Pennsylvania. You can find her editorials and perspectives, including "How barrier on Stein as viable presidential candidate is man-made," at landturn.com/blog.
Related: U.S. presidential sweepstakes a Public-Pop Partnership for Almighty Interests (2024)
Related: Discrepancy with Green presidential candidate: my correspondence (2021) Related: Discrepancy with Green presidential candidate: my correspondence, II (2021) Related: Getting on the ballot as a third-party candidate in Pennsylvania (2022) Related: Getting on the ballot as a third-party candidate in Pennsylvania, II (2022) Related: "The Case for an Independent Left Party" (Hawkins) (2020) Related: Reaching out to third-party candidates for Harrisburg candidate forum (2022) Related: Opportunity exists for Pa. third-party candidates despite gerrymandering (2022) Related: How rent control is more helpful than affordable housing alone (2023)
I heard no mention of it besides my answer to someone who had asked me, "What is today?"
I appreciate that the Green Party recognizes May Day in support of labor -- period. I believe the Democratic Party supports mainly American labor if organized into a likely voting bloc -- i.e. labor unions. That's no shade on labor unions -- just the Dems' alignment to organized labor if the benefactor of its members' collective vote in elections. Labor as a voting bloc can be seen from outfits aligned with the Republican Party, too. Dave Sunday (D.A., York), for example, won the PA Republican primary for attorney general recently. Besides the PA Republican Party, endorsements for his stauncher rival Craig Williams (state rep., Delaware) came from a York County police lodge and the PA Sheriffs Association PAC.
A post shared from a May Day message on Facebook by the Green Party of the United States
Cooks preparing food (Credit: "working behind the line" by Amy C. Evans - Southern Food Alliance)
Note: Post was lightly edited for brevity and clarity.
Jubalyn ExWilliams lives in Pennsylvania (United States). You can find her editorials, including "When Democrats, Republicans are kind-of for labor" at landturn.com/blog.
Related: The marijuana advocacy one Pa. legalization lawmaker overlooked (2021)
Related: What influenced me to reconsider participation in electoral policies (2019) Related: "The Case for an Independent Left Party" (Hawkins) (2020) Related: Working conditions as a home health aide (2019) Related: Why rent control is more helpful than affordable housing alone (2023) Related: How employment might boost wellness in a pandemic (2020) Related: Opposition candidate for president reacts to Trump, Biden debate (2020) Related: How barrier for Stein as viable presidential candidate is man-made (2024)
Wish I had seen this [trial flier] earlier. Made it to the trial though. Michael Bagdes-Canning represented himself. Great showing by supporters. Came from at least 8 counties and 3 states, including PA.
Yesterday he was found guilty of blocking, I assume, the public sidewalk. The sidewalk abuts the restaurant's entrance. On the other hand, the prosecution did not pursue the initial assault-like charge because the defendant had not resisted arrest. However, the prosecution altogether avoided that Officer [sic] Regan (R-York) forced Badges-Canning, the defendant, to the ground. For more info, see After re-election, Pa. lawmaker courts big donors as new chair of influential committee below. The footage was first published by the Pennsylvania Capital-Star but is also available from the senator's hometown newspaper(s). Some of the occupants in the courtroom appeared still and a little disturbed by it. But maybe it was the volume during cross-examination by Bagdes-Canning.
An extended Facebook post on the defendant's flier image for his trial
PA state senator forces 69-year-old protester to the ground outside fundraiser. (@pennslinger)
So long as the whole of Palestinians confined in Gaza must gamble their survival against the superior might and capacity of a compulsory Israel military, the "Israel-Hamas War" advantages the decimation of a stateless people.
Israel declared war on Hamas after Hamas fighters breached the border and killed some 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians. They further took 250 people hostage. In turn, Israel has killed 25,000 Palestinians, mainly civilians in Gaza, and cut the enclave's supply or transmission of water, fuel, and electricity. If assuming 1,700 Israeli deaths so far, the casualty ratio alone is 250:17. My home is all-electric, so it is the cut to electricity that was part of my inspiration for this peaceful direct action inspired by the autobiography Burglar for Peace. The book had nothing to do with the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, but I began it just weeks before the Hamas attack on Oct. 7. It's been 42 days since I limited the heating of my home in solidarity with ordinary Palestinians in war-weary Gaza. What began as 90 minutes of day became 60 minutes at the start of this year. I recall that 750,000 Rohingya, another stateless people, were forced from their native Rakhine state into Bangladesh in 2017. A backdrop to their expulsion by vigilante and military forces was the refusal to regard the religious minority as fellow citizens of Myanmar. At the time, it surprised me that Aung San Suu Kyi, an actual Nobel laureate, did not intervene. Maybe it was ahead of an election that she was asked about their return. If they want to, she said, or words to that effect. Ultimately, The Gambia filed a suit against Myanmar for genocide with the International Court of Justice. On an individual level, the myriad peaceful ways not to standby during bloodletting in faraway lands had not occurred to me till recently. Late last month, South Africa filed a suit against Israel for genocide with The Hague. Regardless, I'll continue to heat my home for 60 minutes a day for the rest of the winter. I'll provide graphs of my 24-hour household electric use on the coldest days/nights, denoted in red. In the meantime, here's a table of my daily heat use. /cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/PSAYTK7TE5JE5INKTLEL7PP3PA.jpg)
Palestinian children await meal from soup kitchen in Rafah, Gaza (© REUTERS | Ibraheem Abu Mustafa)
*** weather.gov. Accessed 22 January 2024.
** Converted with UnitConverters.net. * Max usage assumed in lieu of notes misplaced or not indicated.
Related: "Burglar for Peace" (Glick) (2023)
Related: "Frankenstein in Baghdad" (Saadawi) (2023) Related: "This Life or the Next" (Vitanza) (2019) Related: "The Incendiaries: A Novel" (Kwon) (2019) Related: "Alek: From Sudanese Refugee to International Supermodel" (2019) Related: Why the first airstrike under Biden was sloppy (2021) Related: "A Christmas in Calcutta" (Sardar) (2019) Related: NZ prime minister "very honored" after 4th bug named after her (2021) Related: U.S. presidential sweepstakes a Public-Pop Partnership for Almighty Interests (2024)
Dr. Julianne Malveaux has face value, name recognition, and a competence in the issues of women, Black people, and Black women. So I thought that she was the perfect fit for Bennett College for Women -- an HBCU.
It was, however, a radio interview from the economist and public intellectual that I learned that heading a college involves, in large part, fundraising. By that time, she had left the college after what seemed to be a brief presidency. Malveaux gave one account of a student whose mother asked Malveaux's permission to live with her daughter in the dorm. "No, ma'am!" she said. "No, you canNOT" (or words to that effect). Similarly, there's a Cheyney student who doesn't have available, suitable housing or housing in commutable distance going into finals or winter break. However, I learned today that the university has a Student Housing Fund. Please join the #CheyneyChallenge, a monthly donation campaign for America's first HBCU. Today I made my most recent donation of $18.37 to the Student Housing Fund in particular. Cheyney University of Pennsylvania cheyney.edu Est. 1837
The Cheyney Challenge is an initiative of alumnus Mr. Bright. I committed to it on WURD's Radio Courtroom in 2015, and began donating the following year.
Two college women at computer (@NappyStock | CC0 1.0 Universal)
Jubalyn ExWilliams lives in Pennsylvania (United States). You can find her website at landturn.com.
Related: October Cheyney Challenge (2023)
Related: November Cheyney Challenge (2022) Related: January Cheyney Challenge (2023) Related: Why rent control is more helpful than affordable housing alone (2023) Related: Why Booker's sights for HBCUs has my support (2019) Related: How Hennessy partnership can payoff for HBCU business students (2019) Related: One way to boost enrollment at HBCUs (2020)
With respect to Philly gun violence or otherwise, Mr. Jamal's methods for non-violent direct action aren't easy to imitate. As stated in the article, he "led seven 150-mile walking trips to Washington..., another to Harrisburg, and a 26-day hunger strike, to name a few of his efforts." And he did so while a grandfather and disabled veteran.
I read this article days ago and couldn't find the words to share it right away. There aren't a lot of Mr. Jamals out here, and I'll miss him and his dedication and perspective. It now occurred to me: If Mr. Jamal was on another level despite the naysayers/physical demands/etc., then his retirement with less of them might be as well. We want pictures, sir!!!
A FB post about "Prominent Philly anti-gun violence activist steps back from his on-the-ground work after nearly a decade" (N. Thompson)
Jamal Johnson and fellow marchers, including Jubalyn, conclude the Stop Killing Us March/Walk - Day 1, Philly (Courtesy of Jamal Johnson SKU, H. Arias)
Jubalyn ExWilliams lives in Pennsylvania (United States). Under Mr. Jamal's tutelage, she marched in small part and promoted the Stop Killing Us March/Walk during three of its annual missions.
Related: "Burglar for Peace" (Glick) (2023)
Related: Mayor I saw PA lawmaker grab found guilty: trial remarks (2024) Related: Pa. woman heats home this winter for 60 minutes a day over Palestine crisis (2024) Related: "Siddhartha" (Hesse) (2019) Related: "This Life or the Next" (Vitanza) (2019) Related: "The Incendiaries: A Novel" (Kwon) (2019)
A Q&A with the 51st Miss Cheyney University followed her coronation earlier this month. Eventually, Tamiah Morrison, the titleholder, revealed that she was losing one of her major senses -- an ultimate result that she was forewarned of growing up.
I didn't expect the bitter-sweet revelation. In May, I nodded my head in support of her impending reign for 2023-2024. At that time, CU shared on Facebook Morrison's statement as Miss Cheyney elect. "My [platform] A.V.E.N.G.E.R.S stands for Assertive, Visionary, Encouraging, Noble, Genuine, Ethical Revolutionary and Strong," She later continues, "We... encourage students to join organizations... form their own platform to engage one another and formulate lifelong connections.... That is why my slogan is “Be Your Own Hero” I would like to motivate my peers to not only step out their comfort zones but to TRY NEW THINGS, PUSH TO BE THE BEST THEM... and BEAT THE ODDS society has put against them...." (Emphasis mine.) Please join the #CheyneyChallenge, a monthly donation campaign for America's first HBCU. I made my most recent donation of $18.37 today. Cheyney University of Pennsylvania cheyney.edu Est. 1837
The Cheyney Challenge is an initiative of alumnus Mr. Bright. I committed to it on WURD's Radio Courtroom in 2015, and began donating the following year.
Cheyney students | © The Philadelphia Tribune (Used by permission)
Jubalyn ExWilliams lives in Pennsylvania (United States). You can find her website at landturn.com.
Related: October Cheyney Challenge (2022)
Related: January Challenge Challenge (2023) Related: How Hennessy partnership can payoff for HBCU business students (2019) Related: Why Booker's ambitious sights for HBCUs has my support (2019) Related: One way to boost enrollment at HBCUs (2020)
I appreciated the text-based material as a primary format of instruction for dense or technical material. But I also enjoyed the videos with high-quality imagery that reinforced it. (I've never seen so many server rooms depicted before.) The <Redacted> skits and acting, especially Keith's journey from family business to information systems security and the expressed competence of the woman newly promoted to management. The guidance [counselor] and the professor, who otherwise shared little of their professional experience, also provided continuity throughout the course.
Woman on computer with her coffee (Credit: "Young woman with laptop holding a hot coffee closeup." by shixart1985 | CC BY 2.0)
Note: Mandatory evaluation submitted at completion of official course for (ISC)2 CC today.
Related: Cybersecurity (Quiz)
Related: Cybersecurity: final project (Assignment) Related: "Cybersecurity and Cyberwar" (Singer & Friedman) (2020) Related: My super-brief history using computer technology (2021) Related: Artificial Intelligence x Human Cognition (2020) Related: This LinkedIn course helped me spruce up my resume and profile (2019)
Cheyney students began a new school year this month while I almost forgot about the #CheyneyChallenge. It was only after I observed the Blue Supermoon last night that I remembered. And today I made my most recent donation of $18.37.
I'm adhering to a regular sleep schedule for the first time in a while, but I'll credit the Blue Supermoon to my remembering this time. At any rate, please join the #CheyneyChallenge, a monthly donation campaign for America's first HBCU. Cheyney University of Pennsylvania cheyney.edu Est. 1837
The Cheyney Challenge is an initiative of alumnus Mr. Bright. I committed to it on WURD's Radio Courtroom in 2015, and began donating the following year.
Cheyney students | © The Philadelphia Tribune (Used by permission)
Jubalyn ExWilliams lives in Pennsylvania (United States). You can find her website at landturn.com.
Related: July Cheyney Challenge (2023)
Related: August Cheyney Challenge (2020) Related: August Cheyney Challenge (2021) Related: January Challenge Challenge (2023) Related: Blood Moon: When I learned NASA Explorer School repainted mural I was part of (2022) Related: Why Booker's sights for HBCUs has my support (2019) Related: One way to boost enrollment at HBCUs (2020) Related: How Hennessy partnership can payoff for HBCU business students (2019)
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