#;chronic service announcements | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

trustmypoison · 3 months ago

Text

OT13 with a crush

OT13 when you're sick

OT13 with a partner who is insecure about their body

OT13 with a cautious crush/partner

OT13 NNN

OT13 with a crush on their best friend

OT13 when you ask them for 'help'

OT13 and a partner who has white coat syndrome

OT13 with an autistic partner

OT13 when you can't sleep

OT13 with a bipolar partner

OT13 with an ADHD partner

OT13 helping a partner with chronic pain/fatigue

OT13 helping a partner with trauma

OT13 when you're distracted by him

OT13 getting a kiss when they pout

OT13 and roleplaying

OT13 and arguments

OT13 with an asthmatic partner

OT13 with a perfectionist

OT13 and jealousy

OT13 doing acts of service

OT13 with a shy-to-initiate partner

OT13 vs TikTok pranks

OT13 when their partner has a medical emergency

OT13 when their partner has a panic attack

OT13 with a high-maintenance partner

OT13 with a tall partner

OT13 simping

Seungkwan x Teacher!Reader

Seungcheol with a fidgety partner

OT13 juno positions - Hyung & Maknae lines

Vernon and idol!partner accidentally out their relationship

Joshua x Teacher!Reader

OT13 with a bisexual partner

OT13 when their partner experiences misogyny/sexism

OT13 with a figure skater

OT13 with a foreigner partner

OT13 with an edgy partner

OT13 when their relationship is outed

OT13 when you speak in your native language

OT13 as your bff

OT13 love languages

OT13's red flags

OT13 when they find you crying

OT13 when you announce that you're pregnant

OT13 with a gym rat

OT13 when the members meet their baby for the first time

OT13 and an unplanned sleepover

Traveling with OT13

OT13 when you discover a mixtape/playlist for you

OT13 when they have to discipline their child

OT13 with a partner that had a tough childhood

OT13 with a hard of hearing partner

OT13 when you initiate

OT13 when his members ask you to use your partner privileges

First kisses with OT13

OT11 with a teacher!reader

OT13 with a short partner

OT13 with an olympic level athlete

OT13 with an affectionate bff

OT13 doing a variety show with their idol!crush

OT13 when their partner has a stalker

Mingyu's expressive eyes

OT13 as your older brother

OT13 when their relationship with a non-idol is outed

OT13 doing your makeup

Seungcheol with a first-time driver

OT13 with an independent partner

OT13 with a partner who has grandma hobbies

OT13 vs your weird pregnancy cravings

OT13 vs your interesting pet

OT13 with a partner who struggles with an ED

OT13 with a partner who smokes/vapes

OT13 blurting out a confession

OT13 with a partner who stutters

OT13 MTL to spoil their partner

What kind of person OT13 is into

OT13 MTL to get jealous

OT13 kissing styles

OT13 MTL to plan a surprise date

Protective OT13

OT13 MTL to initiate PDA

OT13 when they hear you sing for the first time

OT13 MTL to get caught in a live scandal

OT13 seeing you do TikTok dance trends

OT13 enlistment

OT13 when you have sleep anxiety

OT13 when he sees his partner's baby photos

OT13 with a partner that's average height

Dino with a diplomat

OT13 when you ask them to toss you in the air

OT13 personalities

OT13 when you wear a revealing dress

OT13 when the company asks him to break up

OT13's favorite places to kiss

OT13 with a low-maintenance partner

OT13 when you hide your illness

OT13 in a long-distance relationship

#jj’s nav

282 notes · View notes

storiesforallfandoms · 3 months ago

Text

public service announcement ~ eminem

word count: 2709

request?: yes!

“Could u do a Eminem x reader

Where the reader is asexual (they feel romantic attraction but not sexual attraction) and she’s getting a lot of hate for it and one day she’s back stage while he raps at one of his biggest concerts and he brings reader on stage and confesses his love and basically tells everyone that they need to stfu, and everyone shocked cause he doesn’t show emotions publicly very often. (Fluff) and ALOT of angst at the beginning”

description: during one of the biggest shows of his career, he decides to give his audience a public service announcement about his girlfriend

pairing: eminem x female!reader

warnings: swearing, rpf lil bit of angst, people being shitty about the reader’s sexuality

masterlist (one, two, three)

People not understanding my sexuality was nothing new. I had heard all the comments: “You just haven’t had good sex yet”; “You’ll change your mind when you find the right person”; “You’re making stuff up”. None of that phased me anymore because I understand that most people just don’t understand asexuality.

What did phase me was a new wave of hate that I started to get when Marshall and I started dating.

I don’t keep my sexuality a secret. I was very open about being asexual. It was even in all my social media bios. But I wasn’t super famous. I was an indie artist with a small following, most of which were also queer, so everyone was respectful. But when I started dating Marshall, I started getting more mainstream recognition. It was great for me career wise, but it unfortunately meant I was opened to a wider audience with a smaller mindset.

It started with questions about what asexual meant. Some people were open to the concept, but the louder minority were very not open to it. They made sure I knew with every post I made that they were not open to my sexuality.

“Prude” was a favorite insult. That one just made me laugh because it sounded so juvenile. Some just used the “making stuff up” and “attention seeker” comments. Those ones didn’t phase me anymore either. What got to me was when they started attacking my relationship.

“Why would Em want to date someone like her? He can’t even get any from her.”

“She’s not even attractive enough to make up for her sexless bullshit.”

“How long till Em dumps her ass because she won’t give it up? I say less than a year.”

They were all I ever saw in my comments. I know the only way to deal with shit like this is to ignore it. Once you allow the comments to bother you, then the trolls win. But it was definitely easier said than done. At first, it was easy to roll my eyes and close the comments. But then it became harder when more of my comments were mocking or insulting me. I tried deleting the negative comments one, but I was called out for it, which only fueled the fire when they realized it was getting to me.

I never told Marshall. He was chronically offline enough that he had no idea any of this was happening, and I wanted to keep it that way. I didn’t want him to worry about me, or be mad that his own fans were the ones saying these things to me.

Of course, what I wanted wasn’t what was going to happen, because fuck me I guess.

I had woken up before Marshall and decided to get a cup of coffee. The kettle was heating up as I decided to open social media for a mindless scroll while I waited. If I kept a log of how quickly I could stumble upon hate comments, this would be the record. It was almost instant when I opened Instagram and looked at the reactions on a story I had posted the night before. I hated that Instagram had added a feature to allow “commenting” on stories. It was so much easier to ignore responses to stories when I could just deny the message requests. But now this new commenting feature showed me everything that was being said.

I had posted a picture of me sat on the couch with my feet on Marshall’s lap. You couldn’t see his face or anything, just his hands resting on my legs, and the football game he was watching in the background. I had a filter on it, but no caption and no music. Of course, that’s all it took for the comments to be flooded with hate.

Okay, maybe “flooded” was an over exaggeration, but it felt like that was the truth when all I could focus on was the hate comments. I couldn’t stop myself from scrolling through and reading every single one, even when the kettle finished boiling. I was so deep in my doomscrolling that I didn’t hear Marshall walking up behind me until he said. “What’s wrong?”

I jumped, nearly dropping my phone in the process. “Jesus, I didn’t hear you come up.”

He reached out to brush his thumb over my cheek. “You’re crying.”

I hadn’t noticed I was crying, either. I wiped my other cheek and felt the wetness from tears I hadn’t even known were shed.

“It’s nothing,” I said with a shrug. “Saw something stupid and I guess it got to me.”

“It’s not stupid if it made you that upset,” Marshall said. “You don’t have to tell me, but you know if something is bothering you, you can talk to me about it. Even if you think it’s stupid.”

I was still a little emotional so his support hit me harder than usual. I felt tears welling in my eyes again and I couldn’t stop myself from blurting, “I just wish people would respect my sexuality. They don’t need to understand, but how hard is it just to respect someone?”

He didn’t ask what I meant. He pulled me into his arms and allowed me to cry on his shoulder. We stood like that for a while, Marshall running a hand up and down my back in a soothing way while his other arm was wrapped around me, and me crying into his shoulder.

I finally collected myself and pulled away from Marshall. “Sorry. I needed that.”

“Don’t be sorry,” he said. “Who’s been giving you a hard time now?”

Marshall knew I had had multiple issues with people not respecting my sexuality before. There’s been times where I had complained to him since we started dating. So at least this didn’t come off as if it came out of nowhere. But I wasn’t sure how to tell him it was his fans that were saying these things.

Turns out I didn’t have to say it. My silence and expression was enough to tip him off. His face changed from sympathetic to having a touch of anger. “How long have they been saying shit?”

“A while,” I said with a shrug. Marshall gave me a look that made me sigh and correct, “Shortly after we started dating.”

“What?!”

“I thought I had it handled!” I quickly added. “It’s not like I’ve never heard that shit before. I’ve just...been struggling a bit more with it lately, that’s all.”

Marshall just looked at me for a moment before saying, “Let me see.”

I held my phone to my chest. Marshall raised an eyebrow at me. I sighed and conceded, realizing there was no getting out of this now. If I didn’t show him myself, he’d go looking on his own later. May as well be here to try and talk him down after he saw what people were writing about me.

I unlocked my phone and was immediately brought up the stuff I had been reading before Marshall woke up. I handed him my phone, then leaned back against the counter to watch him read. His ability to keep a straight face was working in his favor. There were no signs of any emotion as he read through the comments, just his eyes moving back and forth as he read.

Finally, he locked my phone and passed it back to me.

“You should’ve told me before,” he said. He didn’t sound angry. Not with me, anyways.

“I told you, I thought I had it under control,” I said. “It wasn’t even bad at first. It just...progressed over time.”

The look Marshall gave me was finally readable: sympathy. He pulled me into his arms again and sighed. “I do wish you had told me either way. I’m sorry my fans are giving you a hard time.”

I buried my head into the crook of his neck. “It’s okay. It’s not your fault. People are just so closeminded, it’s frustrating, and then it’s hard when the closeminded people start attacking your relationship just because they don’t want to try and understand.”

Marshall was quiet. He didn’t really have to say anything. It was nice just to talk to him about what was bothering me finally. As much as I didn’t want him to know, it was good to get it off my chest and to have someone know what was going on. And I definitely needed the prolonged hug that followed.

~~~~~~

A few weeks later, I found myself standing backstage as I watched Marshall perform. It was a huge night for him as he was getting inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. This was probably one of, if not the biggest night of his career, and I was glad that I could be there to celebrate with him.

Although, I was a little confused as to why I was celebrating backstage instead of being in the audience with Hailie, which was the original plan when Marshall got the news. But when we were getting ready for the ceremony, he asked me to instead be backstage while he performed and for his acceptance speech. When I asked why, he just told me he wanted me backstage for when he walked off. I tried to push for more of an answer, but he wouldn’t say anything else.

So, there I was, stood backstage next to Dre as we watched Marshall’s performance. At some point I realized I was smiling so wide that my cheeks were hurting, but I couldn’t help myself. I was so proud of him. He definitely deserved this after all his years in the industry.

When the performance ended, Dre walked back to the podium to give Marshall an official introduction before his speech. I had watched him write and re-write his speech many times because he kept feeling like what he had written wasn’t good enough (which I constantly found ironic given he was probably the best lyricist of this generation, but I guess that’s different than writing a speech). The final speech had come out great in the end though, in my opinion.

When he finished his list of rappers he looked up to, I expected it to be the end. That was, once again, the original plan anyways. He’d list all the rappers who raised him, he’d thank the audience and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame one more time, then he’d exit the stage.

Instead, I was taken by surprise when he said, “And I do have one more thing to say here before I go. I’d like to bring someone very special to me out on stage.”

Then his blue eyes found me backstage and I felt like I was going to pass out.

I walked out on shaky legs, willing myself not to collapse in front of this room full of people, plus the people watching at home on livestreams or the videos that would go up after the ceremony. I stood next to Marshall at the podium, unsure what I was doing there. He reached out to me and I took his hand in mine.

“A lot of you probably know my girlfriend,” he said. “She’s also a musician, and we’ve been together for a while now. I already thanked her in my speech because she has been a huge support for me since we got together. But I’m not bringing her on stage tonight to thank her for that. I’m bringing her up here because there are enough eyes on me tonight that I wanted to address something important.”

My mouth suddenly felt very dry. I tried not to face the audience cause I knew I looked like a deer in headlights.

“See, my girlfriend openly identifies as asexual. That means she doesn’t feel sexual attraction, just romantic attraction. She speaks very openly on it because not many people know or understand what asexuality means. I didn’t really know until I met her and educated myself. It’s not hard to just open Google and look do some reading on what asexual means, and to properly educate yourself on not only asexual, but the LGBTQ community as a whole.”

He paused for a second to look over at me. I wasn’t sure what exactly I was feeling in that moment, but I managed to smile at him.

“I’m saying all of this here now because it recently came to my attention that a lot of people who claim to be my fans have been attacking this woman that I love online because of her sexuality. It goes far beyond not understanding what asexual means, and has turned into personally attacking her and our relationship. With all eyes on me here tonight, I wanted to say that anyone who would say these awful things about her, about us, are not real fans of mine. Any fan of mine would respect the people I love, and would respect my relationships. You don’t need to completely understand what being asexual means, but not understanding doesn’t mean you get to be disrespectful to anyone who identifies as asexual. And if you want to open your mouth to insult this amazing woman stood next to me, then you can just shut the fuck up and stop pretending to be my fan.”

I finally dared to look at the audience. I was mostly blinded by the stage lights, but I could pick out a variety of emotions throughout the room; interest, shock, some nodding in agreement. I was certainly shocked. Marshall was a very private person. I don’t think he had ever spoken publicly about our relationship before. I would post the odd photo of us every now and then, or I’d share on my Instagram story whenever he made new music or had something coming up. But neither of us had ever spoken this candidly about our relationship before. Especially not at such a widely watched event.

Marshall thanked everyone and the audience applauded. It was a bit tentative at first, but eventually the applause was grew as he put his arm around me and walked of the stage. Dre was still waiting in the sidelines, looking just as shocked as I felt but still took a moment to congratulate Marshall.

“I can’t believe that did that,” I finally said once it was just the two of us.

“Are you mad that I did?” he asked.

I shook my head, but then paused. “I mean, I don’t think so. I’m kind of feeling a lot of emotions.”

He took my hands in his and pulled me towards him. “I’m sorry I surprised you like that, but I knew if I talked to you about it first you would’ve told me not to do it.”

“Of course I would’ve! Marshall, this is your big night. I wouldn’t have wanted you to take away from your own success just because some internet trolls were getting to me.”

“Nothing was taken away from me. Not to me, anyways. I still put on a hell of a show, I still got inducted into the Hall of Fame. I just decided to use this platform to address what was happening with you as well, because you don’t deserve the bullshit you’ve been going through. I’m not naïve enough to think that it’ll stop completely now that I’ve spoken on it, because I know that’s just not how the internet works. But I wasn’t going to stand by and let you be hurt without saying anything. You don’t deserve that.”

I felt some tears pricking my eyes. I tried to blink them away, but it was no use. So, I leaned in quickly and pressed a kiss against Marshall’s lips.

“I guess you’re not mad then,” he teased when I pulled away

“I’m not mad,” I confirmed. “Actually, I am a little. You could’ve given me a heads up that you wanted me to be on stage with you. I’m going to look so stupid in all the videos because I look terrified to be stood there.”

He laughed and pulled me into a hug. “You’ll get over it eventually. Let’s go back to our table before the next inductee is on.”

#eminem #eminem x reader #eminem imagine #marshall mathers #marshall mathers x reader #marshall mathers imagine #imagine #one shot #request #rpf #fanfiction #fanfic #fandom

180 notes · View notes

fourgottencoast · 1 month ago

Text

this announcement came out last year but i feel like i need to start posting it once a month because of how many more people keep talking about bring sick ALL THE TIME and its getting scary.. think of the KIDS being repeatedly infected!! can you imagine what the life expectancies will be like in the next few years when almost the entire population has had covid multiple times??? wear a fucking mask yall! its not normal to have brain fog, chronic fatigue, and memory problems in ur 20s! its not normal to get sick every few weeks!

https://whn.global/public-service-announcement/

#covid #genuinely genuinely yall need to start fucking caring and get over that ableist invincibility shit bc ur immune systems are FUCKED #especially leftists and queers its appalling how little ppl who claim to care actually do when its not popular #lgbt #trans

86 notes · View notes

gumjrop · 2 months ago

Text

Common Symptoms Were Fatigue and Decreased Exercise Tolerance, According to a 2022 Survey

Inequities In the Prevalence and Severity of Symptoms Observed Across Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Neighborhood Poverty

December 26, 2024 — Today, the New York City Health Department announced that 80 percent of adult New Yorkers infected with COVID-19 who were surveyed experienced at least one symptom lasting one month or longer. According to the results of the COVID-19 Experiences Survey in 2022, the most common symptoms were fatigue and decreased exercise tolerance. While post-acute symptoms may resolve within 12 weeks, many people will go on to develop Long COVID, an infection-associated chronic condition characterized by symptoms lasting three months or longer.

“This survey shows us that the symptoms following COVID-19 infections are a significant public health issue for New Yorkers. Black and Latino communities, women, transgender people, and those living in low-income neighborhoods were more likely to have symptoms, highlighting the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on marginalized communities,” said Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse. “We must invest in a comprehensive long-term response to the COVID-19 pandemic that focuses on prevention through engagement with health care providers and community members. Services for people experiencing the long-term physical, mental, social, and economic impacts of COVID-19 infection should be accessible to all.”

Post-acute symptoms are those that last one month or longer. To better understand experiences of COVID-19 post-acute symptoms, the Health Department conducted the COVID-19 Experiences Survey in November and December 2022. Adult New Yorkers who were members of the probability-based NYC Health Panel were invited to take the survey if they had confirmed or suspected COVID-19; 2,081 people completed the survey online or by phone in English, Spanish, Russian, Simplified Chinese, or Traditional Chinese. The results provide insight into how post-acute symptoms relate to health care seeking, social and demographic factors, disability, and mental health.

Some respondents reported many symptoms at different levels of severity, while others reported few symptoms, only mild symptoms, or none at all. Inequities in the prevalence and severity of post-acute symptoms after COVID-19 were observed across race/ethnicity, gender, and neighborhood poverty levels.

The prevalence of mild symptoms was similar across socio-demographic groups.

Moderate symptoms were more prevalent among Latino and Asian/Pacific Islander adults compared with white adults, and among people living in high poverty neighborhoods compared with people in low poverty neighborhoods.

Severe symptoms were more prevalent among women and transgender or non-binary adults compared with men, among Latino and Black adults compared with white adults, and among people living in very high and high poverty neighborhoods compared with low poverty neighborhoods.

Increasing symptom severity was associated with activity limitations and depression. Those with at least one severe symptom were more likely to report activity limitations compared with those who reported no post-acute symptoms (60 percent vs. 6 percent), which may result in social, economic, and mental health difficulties.

People with at least one severe post-acute symptom reported 10 days of reduced ability or complete inability to carry out usual activities or work in the past month, compared with 6 days for moderate symptoms, 3 days for mild symptoms, and 1 day for no symptoms.

One in three adults (33 percent) with at least one severe post-acute symptom after COVID-19 had probable depression, higher than those reporting only mild symptoms (6 percent) or no symptoms (2 percent).

Black and Latino New Yorkers, women, transgender adults, and those living in low-income neighborhoods were most likely to report severe symptoms, reflecting the disproportionate impact of the ongoing pandemic in these communities.

To address inequities in awareness about the long-term health impacts of COVID-19 and the importance of preventing new infections, the NYC Health Department partners with community and faith-based organizations to serve as trusted messengers and provide tailored and culturally resonant public health outreach to NYC communities.

Anyone can become very sick from COVID-19. To find a COVID-19 or flu vaccination site, visit nyc.gov/vaccinefinder or call 212-COVID-19 (212-268-4319).

#031-24

MEDIA CONTACT: Chantal Gomez [email protected]

Gomez, Chantal. “Health Department Finds Most Adult New Yorkers Infected with COVID-19 Experienced Symptoms Lasting One Month or Longer.” Health Dept. Finds Most Adult NYers Infected With COVID-19 Experienced Symptoms Lasting 1 Mo or Longer - NYC Health, NYC Health, 26 Dec. 2024, www.nyc.gov/site/doh/about/press/pr2024/nyc-adults-with-covid-19-experienced-symptoms-one-month-or-longer.page.

I’d like to highlight that date: December 26, 2024.

50 notes · View notes

covid-safer-hotties · 5 months ago

Text

Also preserved on our archive

By Jessica Wildfire

Yet another city is proposing to ban masks. They’re doing it at the worst possible time, as we face mounting threats that range from airborne diseases to pollution, wildfires, and industrial accidents.

It’s irresponsible and unethical.

In the wake of yet another shooting, Louisville mayor Craig Greenberg has announced plans to bring back an obsolete mask ban in a superficial, misguided effort to curb gun violence. Greenberg claims it will keep residents safe, but this ban will only put them in greater danger. Written decades ago, the ordinance does nothing to address a new range of threats that ordinary citizens face in this century. Those threats include industrial accidents like the one that recently happened in Atlanta, putting hundreds of thousands at risk of lethal gases. Winds are now spreading that massive chemical cloud all over the metro region, prompting shelter-in-place warnings throughout the city and surrounding suburbs.

This time, it’s a massive plume of chlorine gas. For perspective, chlorine gas was a weapon used in WWI. So it’s not an exaggeration to say that residents of the Atlanta area, where I grew up, are now essentially under a chemical attack, thanks to corporate deregulation and mismanagement.

The Atlanta disaster marks the fifth time in a single month that an industrial accident has put an entire city at risk. Even when there’s not an emergency, air pollution now directly kills 8.1 million people a year, including 2,000 children every single day. New studies have also found that wildfire smoke contains carbon monoxide, benzene, cyanide, and other chemicals that cause direct heart and lung damage, leading to chronic health problems for survivors. As the last few years have shown, everyone everywhere now faces that threat, not just one coast.

There has never been a better time to wear a mask, and there has never been a worse time to revive obsolete, outdated laws that only pretend to provide safety while making everyone more vulnerable.

Our supposed political allies have remained silent on these mask bans, and they continue to express a disturbing level of anti-mask rhetoric. For example, NIAID director Jeanne Marrazzo recently complained about being accused of a “microaggression” during a meeting:

We recently had a long Covid [research] meeting where we had about 200 people, in person. And we can’t mandate mask-wearing, because it’s federal property. But there was a fair amount of disturbance that we couldn’t, and people weren’t wearing masks, and one person accused us of committing a microaggression by not wearing masks. And I take that very seriously. But I thought to myself, it’s more that people just want to live a normal life. We really don’t want to go back. It was so painful. We’re still all traumatized. Let’s be honest about that. None of us are over that. So there’s not a lot of appetite for raising an alarm, especially if it could be perceived subsequently as a false alarm.

This view sounds out of touch, to say the least. There’s no false alarm when it comes to these threats, only false sentiment.

As Jeanne Marrazzo complains about being “traumatized” by wearing a mask, ordinary people around the world are traumatized daily by threats to their health, including anti-maskers who have already started abusing mask bans to intimidate, threaten, and actively harm us. We’ve already seen reports of people being assaulted and denied service because of their masks. At a hospital in D.C., an ER nurse even threatened to call security on an immunocompromised woman because she declined to remove her mask during treatment.

These mask bans are emboldening anti-mask aggression everywhere, not just in the cities and counties where they pass.

Science has shown that it only takes 5 seconds to infect someone with an airborne disease. Any mask ban that allows a police officer or private citizen to demand someone take off their mask threatens their lives. Meanwhile, these bans will do nothing to stop crime. Studies have shown that sunglasses do a better job of concealing your identity than a medical respirator, and that these masks don’t interfere with facial recognition software.

These laws accomplish nothing, except to make life unbearable for people trying to protect their health. Earlier this year, a survey with more than a thousand respondents found that nearly half of people who wear masks are facing daily harassment, discrimination, and persecution.

The reasons for everyone to wear a good mask are piling up by the day. Covid continues to spread around the world, with multiple waves a year. An avalanche of studies have shown, without a doubt, that mild Covid infections pose a serious risk to everyone’s long-term health, not just the vulnerable.

Meanwhile, suspected cases of H5N1 bird flu are multiplying, especially in Missouri, while public health agencies drag their feet. Like Covid, flu does long-term damage to multiple organ systems, including the brain. Despite this knowledge, public health agencies have refused to expand testing.

Recent studies and reports have found a range of diseases returning 10-30 times worse than prepandemic norms, likely due to a mass disabling of our immune systems caused by Covid itself. A number of viruses threaten another pandemic, which climate scientists have predicted will occur more frequently as animals compete with each other and humans for dwindling habitable space.

A recent outbreak of Marburg virus has begun spreading outside of Africa, with suspected cases in Belgium and Germany, where police stormed a train station and closed off two tracks, evacuating hundreds of passengers. To quell mass panic, mainstream news has assured the public that Marburg isn’t airborne. However, Marburg can spread through respiratory droplets, including coughing and sneezing. That means an N95 mask or better offers protection.

As a 2020 article in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases states, “Although frank airborne transmission has not been demonstrated in human outbreaks, droplet spread to mucous membranes presumably occurs” and “infection by direct application of aerosol to the airways has been demonstrated in animal models.”

Another article in Viruses on this family of pathogens, including Marburg and Ebola, found that up to 17 percent of transmission did not happen through direct physical contact, suggesting “human to human respiratory tract infection through droplets and aerosols.” The authors also say that because we have such limited data on Marburg outbreaks, we can’t make assumptions about transmission.

Finally, a 2023 report from Homeland Security states that Marburg virus “may also transmit via aerosol and fomites.”

Given what we’ve learned about the aerosolized spread of disease, there is absolutely no reason to take chances with a virus like Marburg, which exists in the same family as Ebola, causes similar symptoms, and carries a mortality rate between 50 and 90 percent, depending on your access to care. According to a report by Boston University, “transmission via droplets is suspected” for both Ebola and Marburg. Given that agencies like the CDC and the WHO have spent years denying or downplaying the airborne nature of other viruses, it’s reasonable and proactive to consider Marburg as potentially respiratory, and therefore to count it as one more reason to wear a good-fitting respirator.

It might feel dystopian to say this, but it’s true: We live in a world where it’s becoming dangerous just to breathe. That means wearing a good medical mask but also adopting different masks for different emergencies. Many professionals recommend a half-face or full-face respirator with appropriate cartridges to protect yourself from organic and acid gases. Some of these cartridges also filter out particulates. A thread by Erin Sanders provides a good overview.

Five years ago, I never thought I’d be shopping for gas masks for my family to protect us from industrial accidents and wildfires.

And yet, here we are.

A CDC study found that the most common gases you’ll face during an industrial accident include carbon monoxide, ammonia, chlorine, hydrochloric acid, and sulfuric acid. We recently bought 3M’s 6502QL half-face respirator with a set of P100 60926 cartridges. Each cartridge should last about 48 hours, long enough to get to safety. The masks themselves come in three different sizes. The small provides a decent fit for our six-year-old. Many companies like Draeger also make respirators. I wouldn’t get them from just any prepper site. This is yet another expense the cautious will take on, assuming they can even afford it.

We can only speculate about the motivations behind the growing anti-mask stance adopted by our institutions, who associate masks with anxiety, trauma, mental illness, crime, and hate. A government that sends out expired Covid tests while spending hundreds of billions on weapons clearly doesn’t want to feel any pressure to pay for us to protect ourselves from airborne threats. Even if it’s not conscious malice, they clearly benefit from the public viewing masks as a liability and not an essential survival tool to protect themselves.

It’s hard to describe how demoralizing and infuriating it is to watch a majority of our own political party adopt ignorance as their platform.

It’s an absolute betrayal.

Campaign strategists and political advisors are making a deep mistake if they think these poor decisions won’t have political consequences. For every public health advocate who wills themselves up to vote, two or three will find little reason to support a party that has abandoned them. Imagine talking about political freedom and bodily autonomy as liberal governors and mayors join conservatives to engage in egregious violations of personal choice. Imagine them staying silent as anti-maskers gleefully celebrate the death and injury of the vulnerable and immunocompromised as some kind of divine justice for the inconvenience of mask mandates that were never strictly enforced, even on public transportation.

We cannot stand back and watch these mask bans spread across the country as leaders look for convenient excuses and scapegoats.

Aren’t we better than that?

I used to think so.

39 notes · View notes

the-dixon-effect · 2 years ago

Text

Sticks and Stones

A/N: dear fic writers, consider this a public service announcement. DO NOT schedule a week of fic writing that coincides with a camping trip, it is hell!!!!

era: season 3-4, prison era

summary: Y/N suffers from chronic pain in her feet, but hates to feel vulnerable around others so constantly overworks herself. perhaps a certain archer could be the right kind of medicine... | requested from this ask by @justalexheree :) guys i really did my research for this one so i hope you enjoy ^.^

pairing: Daryl Dixon x f!reader

words: 1.4k

warnings: mentions of chronic foot pain ig?? lil' time jump

It must be late by now, you thought. You were hesitant to look up to check the position of the sun for fear of getting distracted. You were crouched down, working out in the allotment around the front of the prison. The farm was a brilliant idea, you decided, despite the high amount of labour that was necessary to feed the residents of the prison-turned-camp. God knows you needed the food. Perhaps if the members of your community were aware of your condition, you wouldn't be forced to work out here all day, practically sweating your skin off in the Georgia sun. It didn't matter anyway, 'cause you couldn't let that happen.

So here you were, digging up soil and planting seeds 'til the sun disappeared behind the trees. It was somewhat enjoyable, you convinced yourself, of course you had your thoughts and daydreams to entertain yourself, and back in your old life you would have never found yourself spending so much time outdoors. Even so, a mundane office job might have arguably been a little better for your body. You constantly found yourself having to distract yourself from the persistent ache in your feet, maybe some company would do you good, you thought.

"Hey, we're all eatin' inside, ya can prolly finish up now," you heard the familiar voice of the crossbow-wielding man from several metres away. You knew you needed to stop, but there was still work to be done. If only there was enough food in the first place, then maybe you would let yourself resign to the dining area. Save it for those who needed it, you thought.

"Alright, I'll be inside in a second," That was a lie. It's not like the rest of the group would notice your absence, you figured. You better just stay out here a little longer, making sure the crops were tended to until it was dark. Then maybe you'd get some rest. For now, you didn't need to eat. Truthfully, your feet were killing you and it felt like you could keel over at any second. Get over yourself, you said, over and over in your mind, these people need feeding.

You remembered the look the archer gave you when he called you inside, observing how you were the only person left out in the field. You turned to check if he had left and, to your surprise, he was still stood watching, hands buried in his pockets as he looked straight ahead and met your eyes.

"C'mon," he shouted across the distance between the two of you. You couldn't really say no to him, except he left you wondering why he was so eager for you to join him. You put down your equipment and split from whatever idle job you had yourself occupied with. Something you did appreciate about the humble farmer's life was the reasonable tan you had acquired, which was on display in your little denim shorts as you jogged up to meet him. A part of you wished Daryl would notice.

"Ya' alrigh'? Yer limpin'," he asked, meanwhile you were contemplating on the fact that this might be the most words you'd ever heard the archer speak, to your face anyway. Your lack of association with the man didn't stop you from admiring from afar, though.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Been a long day."

"I bet," he replied, walking side-by-side with you up to the building entrance. You thought it was sweet how he paid attention to you and noticed something like that. Maybe one day you'd open up about your condition, when it felt right.

3 MONTHS LATER

You looked around the room, searching for Daryl's eyes. Today, more than ever, you needed to be with him. After months of breaking down his thick walls, it was safe to say that he'd become one of the most important people in your life. Your feet were hurting like hell today, and the only thing that would make you feel better right now was his presence.

He'd been out on a solo run, which you'd begged Rick to let you join him, ultimately to your disappointment. So you spent your day as you always did, out in the pasture, tending to the crops. After a while you headed back inside in hopes of finding Daryl, perched at one of the rusty tables, waiting for you. To your dismay, you couldn't find him anywhere.

You approached Rick with a worried look shaping your features, "Where's Daryl? Is he back yet?" you asked, your voice laced with concern. "Nah, he's not back yet," sensing your anxiety, he placed a gentle hand on your shoulder and spoke, "Y/N, he's gonna be fine. Anyway, he's scheduled to be back in... about an hour."

So you waited. And waited. It felt like the longest 60 minutes of your life, busying yourself in your cell by reading a book that Carol recommended, not absorbing a single word. By the time you decided that there was nothing else you could do to distract yourself, you headed downstairs and made idle chatter with one of the prison newcomers, Karen.

"I hear your boyfriend Daryl's coming back from a run today," she said.

"Oh, no, he's not my boyfriend," you said with a slight giggle.

"Oh, right! Gosh, it's just that you two are so close, I just figured- you know what, nevermind, ignore me," she said with a chuckle.

You smiled and looked at the floor, and tried to silence your anxious thoughts about whether something might have happened to him, if he's hurt, or anything. At this, the double-doors swung open and in walked the man you'd been waiting for for the last 48 hours. You approached him, suppressing the relief and excitement you felt just from seeing him walk through those doors. His eyes lit up at your welcoming smile, and maybe, just maybe, he would be inclined to embrace you right here if the prison foyer wasn't so crowded.

For now, he had other things on his mind that he needed to clear with you. Just like you, he spent the last 48 hours worrying more about your safety than he did his own. He regretted not being able to stay with you, or at least bring you along with him. He was the only person who knew about your condition and how badly you were affected by it, which meant he felt an immense responsibility to take care of you and offer you acts of service. Not to mention, you were also the only person who Daryl felt totally comfortable around, comfortable enough to share some of his childhood trauma and emotion with. You liked to think the two of you had a special bond, but despite your healthy friendship, you couldn't help wanting more. Either way, all he wanted right now was to be with you and to not have to deal with anyone else in this damn place.

Maggie shot you a mischievous look from across the room as you tugged on the archer's sleeve. You rolled you eyes at her following Daryl up the steel staircase and entered his cell. You sat down next to him on the mattress and he copied you by rolling his head back against the cool brick wall. You sighed in contentment, still in somewhat pain in your feet.

"So, how'd it go?" you asked, turning to face him.

"Was fine. Are ya' alrigh'?" you noticed how he changed the subject, sensing his concern.

"Yeah, I'm okay. It's just a little relentless, you know," you felt a little guilt for immediately beginning to talk about yourself, even when you knew you needed his comfort. His closeness was good enough for you.

"Mm, I know. Ya' gotta stop overworkin' yerself, ya know," he drawled. His pretty eyes were staring deeply at you now.

"Uh-huh. It's just, it's kind of relentless, you know. Like nothing I do makes it better. There's no distraction that works," it felt undeniably good to talk to someone about it, someone who understands. Someone who doesn't subject you to the same stereotypes or think that you're making it up. He wrapped an arm around you and you instinctively rested your head in the crook of his neck. He smelled delicious, like the outdoors, mixed with the distinct notes of Marlboro cigarettes and stormy weather. This was a pretty good distraction, you thought.

"Hey, I'll always make a run into some pharmacy to get ya yer meds, or anythin' like tha'," he spoke softly with his lips resting on the top of your head, occasionally brushing against your silky hair. "Jus' tell me what ya' need." It was this. You needed this.

“I just need you.”

#brandy writes #daryl dixon x reader #daryl x reader #the walking dead #daryl dixon fluff #daryl dixon x y/n #daryl dixon x you #twd angst #daryl x you #daryl fanfiction #twd imagine #the walking dead daryl #twd daryl #daryl dixon x female reader #daryl dixon fanfiction #daryl dixon drabbles #daryl dixon

246 notes · View notes

thehollowwriter · 8 months ago

Text

Warnings: Blood, death, implied cannibalism, medical neglect/malpractice Word Count: 1944

Key: Regular text is for the present. Italics is for flashbacks, bold is for journal entries

(Pls reblog and leave a comment ♥️)

Lamentations Pt 6.2

It started with my grandfather coughing up a torrent of blood one day.

"It's fine," He told me through ragged breaths and pained grunts. "I'm fine, Silas, just go eat."

Naturally, I didn't listen, and when Morrigan and I's attempts to solve the problem failed, we took him to Atlantica General.

Our last time there didn't change our opinions of doctors all that much, but I knew there was nowhere else to go and nothing else to do.

We were there for hours before even got someone to look my grandfather over. It was nightmarish trying to get someone to start tending to him. Nurses and doctors alike would glance at us, then quickly shuffle away to a new patient just coming in.

Silas bit his lip, hovering close to Emrys and flattening his earfins. The lights overhead, far brighter than lanterns, hurt his eyes. All around him, children shouted and screamed, and patients and their carers chattered and talked. It was so loud.

"It's gonna be okay," Morrigan assured me. "He's gonna be okay."

Morrigan was wrong.

Eventually, someone came around to around to help, flinching under Morrigan's withering glare and "apologising" for the delay.

Things seemed fine at first. My grandfather got looked over and tested, and then he was led to a room to lie down in, and he was given an IV so they could give him back the large amounts of blood he had lost.

"It may be a case of chronic bronchitis, but we can't say for sure yet." They told me, or rather, they told Morrigan and pretended I wasn't there.

Grandfather seemed fine after a while. He insisted that he go home, wide awake and perfectly stable.

He died an hour or so later.

It was so out of nowhere that it's probably the first time a death has actually shocked me.

He was fine, talking to us, and then he suddenly collapsed backwards, and Morrigan had to yell for the nurse.

We were forced out of the room, and about ten minutes or so later, they announced time of death and we were given the papers for it.

23:47, September 12th.

Silas stared blankly at the nurses in front of him as the world seemed to fall away. A numb, dull feeling came over him. Everything around him blurred, and voices became muffled.

Morrigan said something, but Silas couldn't hear. The only thing his ears could pick up was the rampant beating of his heart.

It was a heart attack, they said. They couldn't do anything about it, they said.

"Lies," Silas wanted to say. "You're all liars."

But he could only stare at them as they spoke to Morrigan instead of him.

A heart attack. How could they know? Where was their proof? Morrigan had to threaten them until paying more attention when the IV came loose and it went ignored for far too long.

"My apologies," said the nurse, not sounding apologetic at all until Morrigan decided that maybe suing for neglect wouldn't be that costly after all. "One of our students must have done the IV wrong. I'll fix it right away."

The nurse swam off, and Morrigan gripped Silas' shoulder to stop him from ripping his face off. Silas settled for a dark glare.

Morrigan told me he'd pay for the funeral service, but I declined. I'd already leeched off his money for hospital care, and besides, coffins and tombstones are not how we-

Silas scratched the word out.

-I do things.

Silas let out a heavy breath and blinked up at the ceiling as the few clear memories he had came flooding in. If he imagined just enough, he could feel the comforting feeling of his grandfather squeezing his shoulder.

His eyes suddenly felt very wet, but he blinked it away and kept writing.

I suppose I should be grateful. My grandfather's death was unfortunate, but it was quick, and he was well fed and happy at the time.

Over the course of my life, very few of my family died in a way that we were able to bury them. Most of the time, there was nothing left.

When we did have a body, though, and we weren't desperate for food, we would bury it deep under the sand without any markers.

We never believed in a final resting place. As those we have lost decompose or are eaten, they come to form a new part of the endless cycle of life and death. They are all around us, even if we never see them again.

I buried Emrys deep inside the kelp forest outside of Midway.

Silas stared at the mound of sand rising above the rest, the only indication that there had been a disturbance. The only sign of some sort of grave. A lantern hung loosely in his hand, flickering. Shadows danced around him, painting a grim atmosphere.

Alone in a dark forest with only his grandfather's body to accompany him, Silas thought about when his grandpapa died.

He couldn't remember how. But he remembered something circling the cave they had all crammed into, patiently waiting for them to get desperate and try sneak out.

The night it happened, Silas saw the tears in Emrys' eyes, the grief and regret that was etched onto his face. And later, when everyone else was asleep, Silas watched him cry until his eyes got all red and puffy.

Silas thought about that family at Atlantica General, one that got similar news to him. He thought about how they sniffled and cried, tears dissipating in the water. Anguish and heartbreak seeped into their voices when they spoke.

Silas never cried. He never seemed to feel that heartbreak, that pain, in the same level as others.

He avoided thinking about who lost. Tried not to think about his time in the hospital and what he could have done differently or how he would never see Emrys again.

His eyes remained tearless. His face remained blank and inexpressible. When he spoke, he sounded as flat and monotone as ever.

Like he didn't care at all.

"Is there something wrong with me?" He asked the empty kelp forest. He was met with only silence.

Emrys. No last name. Our family name is long gone. Emrys, the head of what was our family, who survived over seventy years in the abyss.

Emrys, who stayed by my side to raise and protect me and teach me everything I know alongside my grandpapa, even if logic dictated that sticking with a disabled teenager with bad memory was a risk, a waste of time and resources.

Ask me who my father is, and I will you it's Emrys. The details don't matter.

I like to think my grandfather is with my grandpapa now, reunited with his love. I don't think I believe it, but it's a nice thought.

It was hard, the next few weeks. I had never been hit so hard by the death of family before.

Morrigan tried to comfort me, but I made things difficult. I was snappy. Irritable.

"Leave me alone." Silas snarled. "I told you, I'm fine. Stop pestering me."

Morrigan awkwardly drew his band back and swallowed. "Sorry. You're sad, and I want to make you feel better."

'Sad doesn't even begin to describe it.' Silas wanted to say, but all he did was growl and slam the door in Morrigan's face.

I regret treating him like I did. Even if he forgave me for it. I know I hurt him. He left me alone but hovered around, staying in Midway whenever he had the time.

"You might want to be alone, but I won't leave you here," Morrigan said. "Not like this."

Silas wanted to shout at him to get out, to go away, but the thought of being truly alone in that grimy, scrappy building made him feel sick. He bared his teeth and left Morrigan in the kitchen.

They say acceptance is the final stage of grief. Not for me. For me, it's the first stage. My grandfather was dead, and I knew it. There was no bargain I could make to bring him back, no deal I could strike. The second stage is mind crippling fear.

Morrigan is very powerful, but my grandfather is the strongest person I know. He outlived three generations of my family, carrying on despite the loss of each and every one of them besides myself.

He won every fight, teeth and claws coated red with blood, and magic burning bright orange. He used Abyssal magic as easily as he breathed, channelling the power of life and death as if it were second nature.

I suppose I suddenly realised that despite the dangers I had faced and overcome... I had someone to go back to. I had someone to protect me, treat my injuries, teach me how to survive, and advise me. My grandfather was an advantage, a safety net I had never truly appreciated before.

And then he was gone, leaving a hole in my chest and the sudden realisation I didn't have that safety net anymore. I was the last living member of my family. There was nobody else left. I was completely and utterly alone.

No, that wasn't true. There was still someone there, alone in the grime infested kitchen of my grime infested home, crying, because he loved Emrys and missed him and was worried his partner was spiralling.

I knew my grandfather would want me to carry on and to accept what Morrigan has offered me.

Silas finally slunk out of his bedroom to find Morrigan staring out the kitchen window and at the lanterns that lit the streets of Midway, and he felt overcome by a sudden sense of déjà vu.

Morrigan's eyes were red and puffy, and though he wasn't crying anymore, his lips trembled, and his breathing was ragged.

It was just like Emrys when his husband died so many years ago.

Silas made his way over to him and rested his head on Morrigan's shoulder. The other mer barely reacted. They stayed like that for a while, silently gazing out the window. Then, Morrigan spoke.

"He was my friend."

Silas nodded. "I know."

"I-" Morrigan's voice quivered. "I miss him."

"I know." Silas said, then paused. "I'm... sorry."

"It's ok." Morrigan replied readily, taking in a sharp breath and blinking back tears. "It's ok. You... you just list your dad, and you can deal with it however you want... I just-"

Morrigan cut himself off and burst into tears, covering his face with his hands to try hide it from Silas.

"It's ok." Silas mumbled, pulling Morrigan's hand away from his face to hold it. "We'll be ok."

I don't think I've ever seen Morrigan cry before. It was an odd sight, especially on someone usually so stubborn and smug.

It helped me, I think, seeing how he mourned for Emrys and how much his death hurt him. I didn't feel as alone as I did before.

We spent the night coiled together, taking comfort in each other's embrace. All we had was each other, and it would remain that way for a long time.

Silas put his pen down and blinked at what he had written, a dull ache in his chest.

The door opened, and a pair of bright pink and yellow eyes peeked around it.

"Uh, Mister Silas, we need your help. Raine messed up the traps again."

Silas took in a slow, sharp breath through his gills and sighed. He could already feel a headache coming on.

"I'll be right there, Timo."

...........................................

Guide: Start, Prev

Tagging: @distant-velleity @br3adtoasty @rainesol @theleechyskrunkly

@jovieinramshackle @galaxies-and-gore @cyanide-latte @cynthinesia @officialdaydreamer00

@krenenbaker @offorestsongs @kitwasnothere @elenauaurs @boopshoops

@inotonline @1dont-really-know @kazumify @minteasketches @elysia-nsimp

@skrimpyskimpy @casp1an-sea @offorestsongs @tixdixl @poisoned-pearls

@the-trinket-witch @ramshacklerumble @ghostiidasponk @thegoldencontracts @the-banana-0verlord

@cloudcountry @skriblee-ksk @twstinginthewind @lumdays @theolivetree123

@natsukishinomiyaswife @authoruio @jewelulu @raguiras

#silas clearcove #morrigan clearcove #lamentations #writing

35 notes · View notes

calaisreno · 3 months ago

Text

Fic Writer Meme

The end of another year is approaching, and it's time for another self-assessment. Thank you, @lisbeth-kk for tagging me in the Fic Writer Meme! 💕

How many works do you have on ao3?

162

What's your total word count?

2,204,060 😊

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Synchronicity, A Chronic Condition, Date Night, The Wedding Gift, Blank Slate

Do you respond to comments? Why/why not?

Yes! Comments are gold. I always reply, even if it's just to thank the commenter.

What's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending?

I've written two tagged "Major Character Death" and a couple more that were tagged "Chose Not to Use Warnings."

Below Zero / The New Gardener / Learning the Heart / The Real You

These are pretty angsty, but I find it much worse when there is unrequited/unresolved love at the end, and I don't write that.

What's the fic you've written with the happiest ending?

All of them are happy! Well, I think so.

The happiest might be The Short Tragic Death of John Watson. I pulled out all the stops on that one, made the ending completely cheesy, total wish fulfillment.

Do you write crossovers?

I've written two Good Omens crossovers: Limbo / Hell and Back

One Raffles crossover: Swap

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

No, just some grumpy comments.

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

It isn't my strong suit, so I don't do hardcore smutty scenes. Vanilla, not kinky. Most of my stories are rated T or M.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

How would I know?

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Almost all of my short fiction has been translated into Russian, a few into Chinese. I feel very lucky to have such dedicated translators. Special thanks to Little_Unicorn.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No. I'm not sure I'd be an ideal collaborator, being rather set in my own way of writing.

I have read beta on a macro level for a couple writers, and had a few do the same for me. Collaboration on the talking level is good, and I'm always open to that.

What's your all-time favourite ship?

Sherlock and John, in any iteration.

What's a WIP that you want to finish but don't think you ever will?

The Secret of Agra - four years in the making, my oldest WIP. I think I actually can finish it, and am moving in that direction, but still waiting for inspiration in a couple of areas.

Another one, The Sibylline Book, is languishing because I keep putting it off. Very plotty and I don't always have the brain for that. It too will be written!

What are your writing strengths?

General language skills: I have a good vocabulary and know my comma rules.

Plotting: readers often admire this, and I do put a lot of effort into it, so I'm glad to have that positive feedback.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Impatience. I skip the boring parts and call it minimalism.

Once I would have said that my writing is too sentimental, but with fanfiction, that is not possible. 😉

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

I have done that, but only for languages I've studied, or at least dabbled in. And usually only for a sentence or two. If it's longer than that, it's something readers will just skip over.

Public Service Announcement: Online translators are often wrong. AI does not solve that problem.

An offer: my degree is in classical languages, so if anyone ever wants a Latin translation of something, I am happy to be asked. Please: do not use an online translator for Latin, even just for a title. The grammar does not lend itself to AI translation. Ask a person who has studied Latin. (Ask me!)

Proof; just google it: Bad Latin Tattoos

I might say that about modern languages, too. Unless it's a hello-how are you conversation, ask a native speaker, just to be sure. There are many on AO3!

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Star Trek. Please don't ask. We all do silly things when we're thirteen.

What's a fandom/ship you haven't written for yet but want to?

I read in a few fandoms besides Sherlock, but writing in a fandom requires a lot of background knowledge I don't have. It is a labour of love to know a fandom well enough to write in it convincingly.

What's your favourite fic you've written?

The Last Envoy.

Like most writers, I write the things I want to read, so I don't like choosing favorites.

This one is special to me, though. It was inspired by a few things, but the ideas and world-building are all my own. I'm glad I wrote it, and that so many people love it.

I'm not sure who all has been tagged, and it seems like tags aren't working for me today, please join in if you want to! No pressure. 💕

#fic writer meme #my fics #writer asks

17 notes · View notes

microwavetoaster-selfships · 2 months ago

Text

In relation to the doodle I just postedd........ don't mind me I'm just going to be gushing down here in the blow the under the cut.....

(Im FINE I forgot to add the little blushy lines to the drawing I just dont know what to do with my face my facial expressions range from it looks like you're watching a Thomas Sanders skit to I'm internally emoting and i have to announce it outloud just in case.)

I just. Waugh. Somehow drawing two the same height is more of a pain for me than different heights. Digital laso tool I owe you so much.

But for the gushing though. I was thinking about this so hard last night and it occasionally comes in my head, but I chronically wear jackets and hoodies all the time, particularly when I'm leaving the house. And I often of course like to have my hands in my pockets while I walk around. Especially because I always have to be doing something with my hands or else I end up doing that hand pose that I can only describe as the thing that Leni Loud always did from the Loud House because I don't know if there is a term for it. And I am such such such such a horrible sucker for the linked arms thing having arms hooked/intertwined HOWEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT. Messes me up so badly I love it so much. It's like being cuffed together but in the most sweetest way possible. Okay it's like being cuffed together but in that one BBC Sherlock episode where he and John Watson are hand-cuffed together but they're having an awkward time running together and so Watson is like "We are going to have to cordinate" and Sherlock is like "..Okay. Take my hand." And then they are running together while holding hands and there is the most gorgeous shot ever of them being out infront of a bus and. I just love it. Such a little thing but it means so much to me. It's like openly admitting you want someone to just be constantly around you and glued to you, you two can't possibly be away from one another if you two have your arms like that. One person goes to walk in one direction then the other will get tugged with, and if you both go to walk in a different direction then you just get pulled right back towards each other. It's harder to get any possibly physically closer to someone unless you two are like laying on top of each other. It's like saying "I want you here with me through this and this and this and this-". And it is such a notable look as well. You see people with their arms locked and you just know "Okay, those people are probably close to one another." and YES this is different than just having your hand on their arm this is INTERLOCKED.

Bonus points if both people both have their arms in their pockets so they are literally getting each other stuck together. I don't know why this thought gets to me so much but I almost crumbled in the grocery store yesterday. Going shopping with him and if we interlock arms then I am going to be taking up a good five to fifteen minutes of the shopping trip trying to pull myself together from it. Thank you for coming to my esssay and my art showcasing. I would like the government of England to send me my visa now, I'll mail them my passport and biometrics if I must but let me greencard my way to being a UK citizen please and thank you and I would like that under a multiplier of x2 as well please and thank you very much my cell number is 252-555-5555 I can probably relocate in the next 8-12 months depending on how getting a job goes and funding, thank you, I have phenominal potential to become a mechanic I know it because I said so and because I am stupidly passionate as this blog may indicate and I'm sure my alleged FBI agent that monitors me through my screens can also advocate I am also good with customers I have great costomer service because I am a problematic empath so I chronically give people the benefit of the doubt to typically a questionable amount and I also love to ask questions and I know the rule of thumb and agree with the rule of thumb that it is better to ask a stupid question than to outright do something stupid, I am sure I can work up many stupid questions, I unironically love British food and I can go on about that another time but please it all looks like a massive pile of comfort food I am so so okay with that and one of my favorite foods/meals that I got fixated on was out of a tin it was tinned food and I ate it till I can barely stand it anymore but I still look fondly on it now and it was almost as bad as the peanut butter incident where I had so much peanut butter that I actually gag a little at the thought of peanut butter sandwhiches or crackers because I had so much in fact I STILL do a little bi and this happened way back when I was probably like 13 or something and I have a very vivid memory of it was when during they were doing a lot of Back at The Barnyard reruns on cable TV ANYWAY I am also so very good at running my mouth, clients will ask me questions and I will not spare them from a single detail they will know every little thing in fact they will have to ask me to hush, I know my years of expereince are small but my heart is big and my passion is absurd and my potential is strong and I like to think part of me runs off of sheer willpower and determination simply because I must do what I do and I pushmyself many often to do scary things like.... well sometimes I cut off a little extra more cake than I told myself that I would but I eat it anyway even though I get worried I might explode but I never do. I am sure you are a possibly busy government but I can write longer more love letters if it so pleases yes I will be a suck-up if it helps. I am also short which means I am sligghtly smaller than your average man which means I can fit my hands into more places in car enginges. Okaty I am finished now. Sincerly yours, Kane. my last name will also be in my passport which will be given to you with my biometrics and other documents. I also accept simple easy stress-free hand-holding skilled worker visas if that is something you would like. Specifically in, Being a mecahnic. Goodnigth.

#okay so. you know how sometimes I make jokes that Kane is on his computer so he starts yapping 500% extra moer.#Yeah so uh. I was doing this on my phone then a sentence or two in I was like. Screw it I wanna type this on my comptuer.#As one may be able to possibly guess and tell. The love letter to the UK was uh. NOT intentional. not a planned part of this post or what I #-wanted to talk about. But I figure I shall leave it there it was from the heart.#I will actually give a handful of marbles to anyone that reads this entire thing /positive.#Actually yknow what. Everyone is getting a handful of marbles today cmere everyone. marbles to all and to all a goodnigth.#self ship #selfship #selfshipping #self shipping #axlerod��💙#kaneart #Is anything in that post typed out coherent or legicble or. readable.#Proofreading posts does not exist to me. I proofread my writing and this is about it.

7 notes · View notes

blackgirlsbreathing · 2 years ago

Text

impacting 1 Million Black women and girls by 2025 //

we are so excited to announce our pledge to provide free and accessible mental health care services to 1 Million Black women and girls by 2025.

over the past two years, we’ve seen firsthand in our work, the gaps that exist when it comes to our community getting the mental health care they need.

90%* of our participants stated they had healthcare insurance, yet only 28% stated they had access to consistent mental health care services OUTSIDE of black girls breathing. that’s a gap we can and MUST fill. (source: black girls breathing proprietary survey data, 569 respondents).

whether inability to pay for out-of-pocket and out-of-network costs or not being able to find a mental health care practitioner who can provide services that meet the specific mental health needs this demographic has, Black women are being underserved and dying from physical ailments and diseases linked to severe chronic stress.

we are doing the hard work behind the scenes and here’s how you can help:

1. set up a recurring (or one-time) tax-deductible donation. it can be as small as 1 cup of coffee per month. link in our bio.

2. join us as a corporate partner. contact us at [email protected]

3. inquire & set us up in your employer’s matching system. email for needed info.

4. amplify our work.

we are well aware of the disparities and inequities related to Black women getting the care they need, but we’re rising to the occasion to expand our work and be a solution. we won’t be able to do this without you! <3

#blackgirlsbreathing

214 notes · View notes

darkmaga-returns · 2 months ago

Text

President-elect Donald Trump warned federal employees last week that they must return to the office, or "they're going to be dismissed" - an announcement which comes on the heels of several major corporations taking swift action to end work-from-home, a pandemic-era policy that saw a considerable portion of the US workforce adapt to remote work.

During the pandemic, approximately 2.3 million federal employees shifted away from traditional office spaces. This shift was not just a temporary adjustment, but a transformational move that many hoped would persist post-pandemic due to its perceived benefits in work-life balance and reduced operational costs.

The Biden administration, acknowledging these benefits, continued to support telework, facilitating the reduction of government-owned real estate and integrating flexible work arrangements into the fabric of federal employment. However, with Trump’s election, a quick pivot is on the horizon.

Unsurprisingly, Trump’s call for a return to office has been met with resistance from federal employees and unions. Approximately 56 percent of the civil service is covered under collective bargaining agreements that include telework provisions, while a full 10% of federal jobs are now designated as fully "remote," according to the Washington Post.

Rep. James Comer (R-KY), chairman of the House Oversight Committee, agrees with Trump.

"The pandemic is long over, and it is past time for the federal workforce to return to in-person work," Comer said in a statement - adding that the Biden administration never provided evidence that work-from-home didn't harm service.

"On the contrary, the evidence suggests that Americans have suffered under these lenient telework policies," Comer added.

Other GOP lawmakers have introduced bills mandating that chronically “absent” employees be seen in their office chairs, and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), who leads a caucus aligned with Musk and Ramaswamy’s commission, said this month that she tracked down “bureaucrats relaxing in bubble baths, playing golf, getting arrested, and doing just about everything besides their jobs.” -WaPo

6 notes · View notes

bluejaysandblackbats · 10 months ago

Text

In The Soup

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam, Superfam

Summary: Jason Lives AU where he and Superboy become friends, despite Bruce's disapproval of Superboy. (ft. Jason's service dog, Gromit)

Chapters: 9/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth, Barbara Gordon, Conner Kent, Roxy Leech, Rex Leech

Relationships: TBA

Additional Tag: Jason Todd Lives, Jason Todd Has Chronic Pain, Jason Todd Has PTSD, Conner Kent is Superboy, Good Friend Jason Todd, Protective Jason Todd, Overprotective Bruce Wayne, Barbara Gordon is Oracle, Disabled Characters, Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne Get Along, Good Parent Bruce Wayne, Developing Friendships, Sneaking Around, Disguise, Fluff and Humor, Secret Messages, Hiding in Plain Sight

Chapter Nine: Pho

Jason let his fingers dance through the mess of curls on his lap. Conner’s weight wasn’t suffocating like most things were. Conner woke up and lay in place. “Hey,” Jason whispered, “Hey…"

“Are you okay?” Conner murmured, almost purring at the sensation of fingers in his hair.

Jason made a soft noise. “My head hurts, but that’s normal. My dad’s gonna be pissed that I trashed my chair… But then again, he might not find out if I can replace it before he gets home,” Jason mumbled. “Oh crap, I’m—. Sorry, the pain medication always makes me weird. Why am I touching you?” Jason removed his hand from Conner’s hair as his face went red-hot.

Conner didn’t budge. “You don’t have to stop… It was nice,” Conner mumbled. Jason hesitated before returning to Conner’s hair. “Should you call your dad?”

“No… I don’t want Bruce to be worried. No use in both of us being worried about each other,” Jason answered without thinking.

“He’s your dad, though,” Conner whispered. Jason nodded.

“I know, but—. I don’t like to make him worry if it isn’t serious. I’ll heal… Probably before he gets home. He doesn’t have to know,” Jason half-pleaded. A knock on the door startled them both.

“Jason, can we come in?” Barbara asked. Conner sat up, and Jason told Barbara to enter. Gromit rushed to Jason’s side, and Jason giggled.

“Gromit. Hey buddy. Did you eat?” Jason asked as he leaned forward to receive an affectionate kiss on the cheek from Gromit. “Hi, sweet boy. I missed you too.”

“Jason, your left wrist is only sprained,” Barbara announced.

“I figured. You didn’t tell Bruce, did you?” Jason asked.

“No, but this is why I talked to you about the other thing yesterday—.”

“And I said okay,” Jason interrupted.

Jason reached out with his uninjured arm, and Barbara squeezed his hand. “I’m gonna sign you out. Get dressed, and I’ll wait for you. I’ll take both of you kids home,” Barbara whispered, “I brought you a change of clothes.” Barbara gave Jason a bag.

Jason removed the hospital gown and pulled his shirt out of the bag. Jason fastened the magnetic buttons with his uninjured hand. Conner sat with his face hidden in his arms. Jason figured it was out of respect for him while he got dressed. Jason pushed the blankets aside and finished getting dressed. “Conner, I’m done getting dressed. You can look now,” I replied.

“Okay… Sorry, I don’t—. You didn’t ask me to leave,” Conner stammered.

“I didn’t wanna be alone,” Jason explained. Gromit whined. “No offense, Gromit. I love you, but sometimes a guy needs a human friend to talk to.” Jason scratched under Gromit’s chin.

Jason put a foot down and shifted his weight. Gromit took his place at Jason’s side. Jason winced and clutched his ribs on one side. “Jason—.”

“I’m fine. I mean—. It could’ve been worse if you weren’t there,” Jason interrupted. He stood, wavering before grabbing the support handle attached to Gromit’s harness. Conner stood up, making sure Jason was okay. “It’s the medication… That’s all. I’m just dizzy.” Jason shut his eyes, breathing through his nose. “You can never get used to how the hospitals dope you up. Hungry? We could stop and get some pho on the way home.” Jason laughed.

“You still wanna hang out with me?” Conner asked.

“Yeah… Do you?” Jason questioned.

“Chicken or beef?” Conner smiled. Jason chuckled.

“Beef, definitely,” Jason chuckled. Conner held the door and followed him.

“Did you guys eat dinner last night?” Barbara asked as she led them to the car.

“Nope,” Jason replied before groaning. “My meds—.”

“Got you covered. Also, I have you covered on the chair too… But you owe Gromit a movie. He didn’t get to finish The Curse of the Were-Rabbit,” Barbara interrupted.

“Gromit, that’s our movie,” Jason whined. Gromit kissed his cheek. “Oh, flattery will get you everywhere. I forgive you, sweet boy.” Conner chuckled.

“What do you guys wanna eat? We can eat anything as long as I don’t have to cook,” Barbara replied.

Jason lay back and shut his eyes. Conner answered Barbara’s question, and she took them to the restaurant. Jason leaned forward, breathing heavily, and Gromit lay over his lap to support him. “Is he asleep?” Barbara asked.

“Mhm,” Conner answered.

Jason slept most of the afternoon, waking to eat or tell Conner he felt fine. He lied. Gromit curled up beside him, keeping watch. “Gromit would tell us if something was wrong with him,” Barbara whispered. Conner nodded. “Are you alright?”

“I’m practically invulnerable—.”

“Emotionally, Conner. What’s going on up there?” Barbara asked.

Conner shrugged. “Don’t know… I guess it doesn’t matter because he’s okay now,” Conner replied.

“It matters,” Barbara interrupted.

Gromit tugged at Conner’s pants leg, and Conner followed him to the bedroom. Jason gasped for air, kicking and clawing at nothing. Conner listened to Jason’s heart and lungs and didn’t hear a disturbance, so he sat the sleeping boy up, allowing Jason to rest on his shoulder. Conner rubbed his back, gently humming so Jason could feel the vibration. He continued until Jason went limp in his arms, and he gently laid Jason back on his pillow. “It’s okay, Gromit,” Conner whispered. Jason curled into a ball, and Gromit took his place on the bed. Conner stayed behind, watching Jason until he fell asleep as well. Jason woke up, confused by Conner’s presence but not alarmed. He grabbed the back of Conner’s sweatshirt and pulled him away from the bed’s edge, wrapping his injured arm around his chest because he wasn’t strong enough to do it on his own. Gromit helped, and Conner rolled onto his back. Jason hesitated before letting go of Conner’s torso and scratched behind Gromit’s ears.

“I’m not lonely, Gromit,” Jason mumbled. Gromit’s ears perked up. “Oh, don’t do that. Whatever happened, you could’ve handled—.”

Conner sharply inhaled and stretched out. “Jason, I’m—.”

“Conner, it’s late. You can apologize all you want to, but—. I’m tired, and it’s cold,” Jason mumbled as he rolled toward the wall and let Conner climb under the blankets. Jason was ice cold next to him.

“Jason… Do you remember your nightmare?”Conner asked. Jason sighed. “I’m sorry if that was personal—.”

“I have nightmares about my claustrophobia,” Jason mumbled, “Always different scenarios… What did you do when you came in?”

“I sat you up and let you lay on me until your breathing slowed down,” Conner answered. Jason made a soft noise of acceptance and shut his eyes. Conner yawned and fell asleep shortly after Jason curled into him. Gromit lay on Jason’s other side, offering enough space for Jason to roll over when he needed to. That night, everyone slept peacefully.

20 notes · View notes

mariacallous · 1 year ago

Text

On March 5, Haiti’s acting prime minister took off on a chartered Gulfstream jet from a New Jersey airport with nowhere to go.

Ariel Henry—Haiti’s unelected leader since July 2021—had spent weeks traveling in Africa and the Americas trying to rally international support for his country, which has been mired in chronic poverty, political instability, and an insurgency of criminal groups led by a former Haitian police officer turned gang leader, Jimmy Chérizier, known as “Barbecue.”

While Henry was out of the country, Barbecue and his allies coordinated an armed assault calling for Henry’s ouster. They stormed police stations and prisons, released around 3,700 inmates, and attacked the airport in the capital, Port-au-Prince, making it too dangerous for Henry to land there.

Instead, Henry tried to negotiate a plan to land in neighboring Dominican Republic, but he was rebuffed at the last minute by the government there, according to U.S. officials, Caribbean officials, and regional experts familiar with the matter. Other Caribbean countries reacted coolly to the prospect of hosting Henry as his support domestically and abroad began collapsing. Finally, he landed in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, where he remained in limbo until March 12, when he announced his intention to resign.

The chaos and uncertainty of Henry’s final flight as prime minister underlined the political tumult that has gripped Haiti—and the tepid response to Haiti’s downward spiral by an overstretched international community reluctant to tackle yet another crisis.

If Haiti isn’t yet formally deemed a failed state, it’s well on its way. Government institutions and basic services have broken down and gang violence has sparked one of the worst humanitarian and refugee crises in the Western Hemisphere.

“It’s an extremely dangerous situation,” said Bocchit Edmond, Haiti’s former foreign minister who now runs the Haitian Observatory of International Relations think tank. “Without a change, we are facing a possibility of an entire nation becoming a big open-air jail run by gangs.”

Yet what that change should look like—and who might be willing and able to step in to make it happen—remains as unclear now as it has for more than two years.

Haiti’s near collapse has led to frantic meetings among regional leaders in recent weeks and heated debates between the Biden administration and Congress over what role, if any, the United States should play in the unfolding emergency in its own backyard. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Jamaica on Monday to meet with Caribbean leaders on the issue, and he pledged an additional $100 million in U.S. funds to finance the deployment of a multinational force to help stabilize the country.

The Biden administration is urging Congress to unlock even more funds. Two powerful Republican lawmakers—Sen. Jim Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee—argue that the administration doesn’t have adequate plans for how it would use those funds. They also charge that the administration let its Haiti policy fester in indecision for too long, exacerbating the country’s current predicament.

Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, has faced chronic instability for decades, fueled in part by devastating natural disasters and international aid mishaps, including a U.N. mission that brought a deadly cholera outbreak to the country as well as sexual exploitation and abuse of women and children by U.N. peacekeepers, and a 2010 earthquake that killed an estimated 300,000, followed by bungled international relief efforts that sparked a cycle of mismanagement and stunted development projects.

In 2021, then-President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated by a group of gunmen in his home, sparking the current political crisis in the country. (A Haitian judge last month indicted three prominent individuals—Moïse’s widow, an ex-prime minister, and a former Haitian chief of police—for involvement in the assassination, charges they have denied as baseless political reprisals.) Henry took over as acting president shortly after and soon began pleading with foreign powers for a military intervention to address the country’s spiraling instability.

Gangs have taken control of much of Port-au-Prince, and rights groups say the gangs have used rape and torture as weapons against the civilian population. Thousands of Haitians have been killed and kidnapped.

“It is difficult to overstate the gravity of the political, security, human rights and humanitarian situation in Haiti today,” the U.N. mission in Haiti wrote in a report to the U.N. Security Council in January, a copy of which was obtained by Foreign Policy. The violence has led to a surge in Haitians fleeing the country; the report noted that the number of Haitians fleeing to Central America with the aim of making it across the U.S. southern border increased 23-fold in 2023—from 1,550 people in July to 35,500 people in October.

The U.S. Embassy in Haiti this week evacuated some diplomats and nonessential personnel as well as deployed a specialized detachment of U.S. Marines to bolster the embassy’s security. Gen. Laura Richardson, commander of U.S. Southern Command, told lawmakers in a hearing on Thursday that the U.S. military had plans ready to evacuate U.S. citizens if the crisis worsened.

“It’s absolute chaos. People are crying out for even some basic level of security,” said Nicole Widdersheim, deputy Washington director at Human Rights Watch. “We need to see the international community doing something very rapid to bring security and stability and protection from the violence.”

The international community, meanwhile, procrastinated on the matter for over two years, officials and experts said.

After Moïse’s assassination, the United States balked at the prospect of leading a multinational force. In 2023, U.S. President Joe Biden privately asked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau if Canada would take the lead, current and former officials said. Canada declined, but it offered to contribute $100 million to help fund such a force. No other country in South or Central America stepped up. Haiti, coordinating with the Biden administration, then turned to Africa. Kenya agreed to lead a mission and deploy 1,000 police officers to Haiti as part of an effort that would be coordinated and bankrolled mostly by the United States.

That plan stalled when Kenyan opposition politicians challenged the program’s legality. The U.S. government, meanwhile, already overstretched by the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, let Haiti fall by the wayside, current and former U.S. officials told Foreign Policy. Biden didn’t nominate a U.S. ambassador to Haiti until May 2023, nearly two years after Moïse’s assassination. Biden’s nominee, career diplomat Dennis Hankins, was confirmed to the post by the U.S. Senate on Thursday.

“A lot of countries at the beginning were reluctant to take the lead, though Haiti needs urgent help,” Edmond said. But, he added, “At the end of the day, we also need to take our own responsibilities for our own country. I don’t think I will throw the blame only on the international community.”

Henry’s resignation announcement was quietly seen as a relief by some U.S. and regional officials, but it also created new challenges as the region tries to cobble together a temporary governance structure from afar to lead Haiti out of its crisis.

His announcement came after quiet pressure from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), officials said, as well as repeated threats from gang leaders should he return to the country. (The White House has denied reports that it also pressured Henry to resign.)

Now, CARICOM is helping craft a new presidential transitional council composed of seven voting members and two observers, according to a copy of the agreement obtained by Foreign Policy. Candidates for the council would be put forward by at least five active Haitian political parties with input from CARICOM-screened civil society organizations. Once appointed, the new council, in theory, would help restore legitimacy to Haiti’s absent government and lead the country on a path toward stability and, eventually, elections. Henry has said he’ll officially step down once the new council is in place.

Almost immediately, though, current and former officials said, those efforts hit a wall as Haitian elites began wrangling with CARICOM officials over who should make the final cut, and some potential member candidates voiced fear for their families’ lives if they joined the council. On Friday, Blinken said that most of the parties have named their representatives for the council but that several still have not.

Edmond said many Haitians are skeptical of the plan and “don’t believe it’s the right solution.” Edmond said he believes a better alternative would be for the Haitian Supreme Court to take temporary control and appoint a technocrat as prime minister to strengthen Haiti’s national police forces and lead the country into elections.

Meanwhile, Henry’s resignation has put on hold the U.S.- and U.N.-backed plan for Kenya to deploy a police force to Haiti to help restore order to the country. Kenyan President William Ruto said he remained committed to the plan but that it would only occur after the transitional council was established. It’s unclear whether Henry’s resignation will create new legal hurdles for Ruto to carry out the deployment.

Biden administration officials also considered offers from Senegal and Rwanda to lead the security assistance force, but those proposals were ultimately rejected in favor of Kenya, current and former U.S. and Haitian officials said. Rwanda faces widespread criticisms over its checkered record on human rights and authoritarian bent, and Senegal is currently mired in its own political crisis over delayed elections. However, Kenya’s police have also been accused of committing abuses at home by human rights groups, including the use of excessive force and the killing of more than 100 people in 2023.

The planned Kenyan operation, even if it is able to commence, faces significant practical and logistical challenges, U.S. officials and congressional aides said. For starters, neither Kenya, the United States, nor other regional powers have stated what the rules of engagement would be for Kenyan forces once they are deployed to the country, where they face the daunting task of quelling powerful and heavily armed gangs and a weakened and embattled local police force.

There is also the broader question of whether adding more police will solve the deeper systemic issues that led to the current situation. “The police cannot make significant inroads against gangs absent a broader political breakthrough,” Pierre Espérance, the executive director of the National Human Rights Defense Network in Haiti, argued in Foreign Policy last July. “In Haiti, gang members are not independent warlords operating apart from the state. They are part of the way the state functions—and how political leaders assert power.”

An unclassified U.S. intelligence assessment released this week predicted that Haitian gangs “will be more likely to violently resist a foreign national force deployment to Haiti because they perceive it to be a shared threat to their control and operations” and that Haiti’s national police have been “unable to counter gang violence and [have] been plagued by resource issues, corruption challenges, and limited training.”

Any deployment of Kenyan forces would also require substantial logistical support from the U.S. military, U.S. officials and congressional aides familiar with the matter said. Administration officials have told Congress that once given the green light, Kenyan police could be deployed to Haiti in a matter of 45 to 60 days in ideal conditions—and without U.S. boots on the ground. But Haiti has no clear base or logistics hub for the Kenyan police to be deployed to, particularly after gangs seized control of major power centers in Port-au-Prince.

Another complicating factor is the funding mechanism. After balking for nearly two years on proposals to deploy their own forces to Haiti, the U.S. and Canadian governments have both pledged to fund the Kenyan-led force, but no funding mechanism has been set up yet to do that. A multinational police mission in Haiti could cost an estimated $500 million to $800 million per year, State Department officials have told congressional oversight committees.

Risch has held up an estimated $40 million of the first tranche of U.S. funding for the Kenya-led mission. “[A]fter years of discussions, repeated requests for information, and providing partial funding to help them plan, the administration only this afternoon sent us a rough plan to address this crisis,” Risch said in a joint statement with McCaul. The administration “owes Congress a lot more details in a more timely manner before it gets more funding,” they said.

John Kirby, White House National Security Council spokesperson, said the situation is getting worse in the meantime. “The violence has been increasing, not decreasing, as well as the instability. And, of course, the Haitian people are the ones that are suffering as a result,” he told reporters on Thursday.

Edmond said that even if the Kenya-led mission gets underway, the United States has a “moral obligation to consider, before the arrival of the Kenyan forces, a way to help the national police forces that are now being overwhelmed by the gangs.”

“The United States is the leader of the free world. Haiti is a member of that world, one of the closest neighbors to the U.S. There is a moral obligation here to step in.”

Widdersheim said the United States can’t dodge responsibilities. “Half measures won’t be good enough this time,” she said. “The U.S. government hasn’t in the past seemed to care enough to truly invest in Haiti’s long-term development, and it’s to our detriment because nothing ever sticks; we just get stuck doing half measures that always fail.”

27 notes · View notes