They know very well what they’re doing.

The water wars started years ago and if you’re not Nestle you’re already losing.

The fuck did DQ ever do to you?

They’re getting used to the taste for when the only thing that’s safe to eat is boiled shoe leather because the FDA and the USDA have been completely eliminated.

Look, if they get just a little more conservative they’ll win over moderate Republicans.

Once we have them, we’ll be able to do all those really great things like deregulating banks, dismantling the EPA, and illegalizing abortion once and for all.

“Nice try… FBI”

IELTS (or acceptable equivalent) is required for visa entry to Canada even if you originate from an English speaking country. Iirc, at least Australia and NZ are the same.

Having certain job classifications will get you more points in the express entry pool, if that’s the way you are going, it can make it easier, but already having a job/offer is worth a lot more points iirc.

That’s a very different calculation then! I can’t say I’d do it differently in your shoes. Godspeed.

If it’s well controlled you can pass the exam, but yeah, still adds difficulty.

You also have to take an English language exam, for migration to any English speaking country. In 2022 those were only offered in large cities, I looked at flying to Chicago for one, but the results are only good for like 2 years iirc.

And you have to get cleared by the local police of… Anywhere you’ve ever lived? (I can’t remember if there was a federal check that was also acceptable or not)

And that’s not everything, and for Canada that’s just to get in the pool for lottery.

So, do what you need to do for your family. But I’ll say this. I spent time looking into this last go round because I knew Biden was a temporary reprieve. I’m the parent of a trans kid, we did not leave the country for several reasons.

The entire western world is experiencing this dramatic rise in fascism. There’s no guarantee that you will actually avoid this long term.

Many countries (especially the UK) have draconian immigration rules, see above note about fascism.

We ultimately decided to move to a blue state, from a red one, primarily for safety reasons, and made it happen over a couple years. We are far happier in this situation and are now able to help extract other loved ones from similar situations.

Again, do what you need to do for yours and your family’s safety, but you’re in for a tough go of it regardless of what you choose.

ETA: I went as far as interviewing for some jobs in Canada after building my immigration profile and starting the job search in NZ.

In response to that…

Try this on

Mmmm Republicans giving us repression?

Don’t forget Louisiana… My wife’s favorite.

I’ve always had to drug test exactly once for my jobs. I feel that it’s probably different for retail workers.

Doesn’t even have to be actual booze. Apple cider vinegar + a drop of dawn dish soap works a treat.

A lot of us have spent our lives masking and suppressing other issues because we were told that all of these issues were due to some kind of inherent badness. “you’re so full of capability, if only you weren’t so fucking lazy” - on repeat, for years, from everyone you love and trust.

It fucks you up. And when you realize that if literally anyone in your life had taken a step back and helped you get the actual tools you needed (often medication, and occupational therapy) you get so sad and angry at all the waste and internalized self-hatred.

I wasn’t diagnosed until after I’d flamed out my first couple semesters at college. First time I took medication after being diagnosed I cried. It’s taken more than a decade of therapy to undo most of the damage.

The Pope?

Believe it or not, also Hamas.

But but my freeze peach!!1!21!

I live with some ducks. They’re pretty great. They give me eggs now, and poop. So. Much. Poop.

Not only does this bullshit backfire spectacularly sometimes resulting in our current political climate. It also results in the “not frothing at the mouth” style of reactionaries to flee to the only other viable alternative, dragging the Overton window further right.

At best this asshole is a moron, accidentally damaging the people he thinks he’s trying to help. At worst this asshole is an asshole who’s fine with dragging the country further into a right-wing shit hole because his team wins now and he gets his treats no matter what.

There’s always something at least a little off about anybody who earns a PhD.

I’ve met a lot of them, and some of them are good at hiding it, but it’s always something…