How I miss celebrating my birthday with my friends. And their beautiful surprises and gifts, The last time was 3 years ago I hope this day will be a happy like as it was in the past

https://xcancel.com/atrupar/status/1978204926229516636

Suppose that following the resignation of a W-2 employee, the employer replaces them with an independent contractor. The contractor does the exact same work the W-2 employee was doing. Would this be a clear-cut case of employee misclassification? Is there any obvious caveat that would prevent it from being so? For the purposes of this hypothetical, assume it occurs in a state with fairly strong labor laws.

Thank you for participating in my thought experiment!

Everyone in the corporate press is framing China's rare earth controls as just another trade war escalation. They're missing the point entirely, probably on purpose. China is directly dismantling the US war machine's supply chain.

The US has been burning through its weapons stockpiles in proxy wars for years. Now, just as the Pentagon desperately needs to rebuild, China moves to restrict the very materials needed to make advanced weapons like F-35 jets, missiles, drones, you name it. China controls over 90% of the global supply for this stuff, and restricting output is a strategic move to defang the imperial core.

And the beautiful part is how they're doing it. They're using the US's own playbook of "national security" export controls, highlighting the blatant hypocrisy. They're not even doing a full ban, just forcing licenses that will block military use. So all the hand-wringing in Washington is pure theater. They're angry because their ability to produce weapons for future interventions in Venezuela or Iran is being critically hampered.

We're seeing a fundamental shift here. China insulated its own supply chains first, and is now using its economic sovereignty to challenge US military dominance at its weakest point. They're actively constraining the empire's capacity for violence. This is a win for global peace, and the panic in the imperial press proves it.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-evangelical-voters-maga-b2842752.html

Please, my friends, my family and I are still suffering from very difficult living conditions. You are our hope after God ، please don’t forget us and have mercy on us. https://gofund.me/1222af19

As a citizen of the United States, it has become clear that I suffer from a debilitating deficit of historical and ideological education.

As I wrestle with the obstacles of understanding, comprehending, deprogramming, and learning how to identify the ubiquitous propaganda coming from my country's institutions, I am struck by the extreme detachment of our citizens from our humanity -- especially when it comes to our collective unity as human beings, and communities.

Our fracturing hyper-individuality is an obvious mental illness that our rulers are clearly pleased to cultivate.

In that environment, I find that engaging with people, even lifelong friends and family about political topics is practically impossible, because disagreements are entrenched and endless due to fundamental ideological differences. Some, who consider themselves "centrist" or "above it all", refuse to engage with political topics altogether, or are even completely disengaged from politics of any sort.

I personally find that to be a paradox and impossible, since even a refusal to participate in politics or such conversations is itself a ideological political stance -- of passive, tacit approval of the status quo. Nevertheless, I've discovered that it seems nearly impossible to convince even people who claim to be "there for you" or "friends" or "family" that organization against the ruling class is necessary through direct action, community building, and advocacy against systemic injustice in this country.

For me, the challenge is not just in effectively communicating the complexity of the issues involved (which includes trying to undo years of effective brainwashing, of myself and conversation partners), but also in the emotional investment that these topics require. It is painful to witness the resistance to acknowledging systemic injustices, as it forces individuals to confront uncomfortable truths about not just their privilege and complicity in sustaining the status quo -- but often times even their very identity -- which is effectively mired in the tribalism and nationalism deliberately cultivated by colonizers and imperialists.

Attempts to articulate the importance of unity and collective action often feel like shouting into a void, met with defensiveness or, worse yet, apathy.

Even among allies, ideological differences sow discord, but among the unconverted, it seems pretty much impossible.

What should I study? What should I read? Are there ways through such problems from within such a toxic culture?

cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/6425014

My name is Soliman, and I live with my family in Khan Younis – Al-Mawasi – South Gaza.

We once had a small home surrounded by our land — our little farm, our solar panels, and a water well that kept us alive.

But now… everything is gone.

Our home was reduced to rubble, our farm destroyed, and every source of income disappeared.

I live with my father Ayman, my little brother Mohammad, and my sister Montaha.

We are trying to survive day by day — finding food, clean water, and medicine has become a daily struggle.

Sometimes, we skip meals so that the little ones can eat.

I’m sharing my story because we have no other way left.

Your kindness can help us buy bread, milk, and basic supplies — even €5 can make a real difference for my brother and sister.

Please, if you can, donate or share our GoFundMe link:

👉 https://www.gofundme.com/f/surviving-an-onslaught

Thank you for reading and caring.

Your support gives us hope to keep going. ❤️

https://x.com/infolibnews/status/1977940120645869970

I’m trying to parse what’s going to on here and uh….

Our lives changed because of the war and everything was lost. Every small support gives us hope and reminds us we are not alone https://gofund.me/1222af19

This mf wasn't letting go of that grip

Why yes, little Gregory, capitalism IS the best!

Today, I witnessed the freed prisoners reuniting with their families. Tears filled my eyes — tears of joy for their freedom, and tears of sorrow for my own separation. Watching them embrace their loved ones reminded me of the ache in my heart and how deeply I miss my children.

I wished, even for a single moment, that I could hold my children again after being apart for more than a year and a half.

Any support or donation that could help me reunite with my family would mean the world to me. https://gofund.me/00439328

https://archive.ph/UwBx5

TIL there are DPRK-operated restaurants in China

Reading the Hundred Years' War on Falastin by Rashid Khalidi (I should've read this thing earlier... why did I not learn of ProleWiki and Anna's Archive earlier)

There are a number of reasons for the silence of Washington and the media. The Arms Export Control Act of 1976 specifies that American-supplied weapons must be used “for legitimate self-defense.”[7. 36] Given this provision, the line offered by US officials from the president down—describing Israel’s operations in Gaza as self-defense—may be the product of legal advice to avoid liability and potential prosecution for war crimes, alongside the Israeli officials who issued the orders and the soldiers who dropped the bombs. The media, too, rarely mentions this important legal consideration, possibly out of bias, or to protect the politicians who would otherwise be implicated, or to dodge the attacks on the media that generally follow even the mildest criticism of Israel.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/37489391