#Building Commission Issues in WA

[propertylawau]

Unlock the Perth Building Services Act with our comprehensive guide. From compliance to expert legal advice, discover top property lawyers, legal pathways, and solutions for construction complaints. Navigate BSCRA, property damage issues, and gain insights into legal nuances. Your go-to resource for clarity and protection of rights in building matters.

[silver-studios]

Building Ninja Economy: Konoha

Konoha’s known statistics: 5/5 population, 3/5 military, 2/5 economy

Income: How are they making enough?

When I first read these numbers and then realised that Konoha is canonically supposed to be the strongest village, the first thing I asked myself was Why? From these numbers alone, it doesn’t make any sense. They’re overpopulated so there’s fewer resources to go around, both Iwa and Kumo are stronger militarily, and Kumo has a stronger economy to boot, so why is Konoha strongest instead of Kumo? 

Obviously, the answer is that they’re rolling around in the unending padding of plot armour, but it’s still a hard pill for me to swallow. So if Kishimoto won’t do it, I’m going to force things to make sense myself. 

First thing you gotta know: Konoha does not engage regularly in trade. Village income is almost entirely reliant on selling their services as shinobi.

Civilians, of course, are free to engage in trade, but Konoha takes a capitalist approach in that the government doesn’t regulate the market and it is left to the discretion of private individuals. This means that all production and sale happening in the village, which includes all import, export and local selling, is happening without any government intervention.

Which is fine; capitalism has issues obviously but it is usually pretty good for an economy. Except that Konoha’s dumb ass doesn’t levy taxes on production or sale, so the government sees no return on the village having really good circulation of money. The merchants keep 100% of what they make and the government stays where they started. 

This policy probably started off as a way to lure civilian merchants into the village when it first formed so they could be self-sustaining, but then they just kind of forgot to change it because Konoha tends to just not think about the civilians all that much, including what they could gain from them. 

So, their economy is reliant on their earnings as shinobi, the funding they receive from the Daimyo and private investors, and income taxes. For those of you who don’t know, every working adult is taxed on a portion of their earnings every time they receive a salary, and this tax makes up a large portion of any country’s economy. 

Under normal circumstances, this isn’t actually all that bad. They could definitely be making more easily, but Konoha has a lot of shinobi to bring in revenue and a large population to collect taxes from. The village doesn’t have to worry about buying most resources because Fire Country produces almost everything locally and there’s never a lack of merchants or farmers. They sustain themselves and don’t usually have additional expenses.

What is the problem then, you ask? So far, things are adding up. 2+2=4, Konoha isn’t rich but they’re definitely ok, so what’s the problem? The problem: war. And there’s like three of them. Almost one after the other too.

Of course, war is going to affect a ninja economy very differently than it does ours, but it doesn’t change the fact that wars are expensive and terrifying.

War Expenses and Government Debt: They aren’t making enough

Konoha’s revenue almost certainly takes a hit during wartime. They probably have to stop taking missions from other countries because they could be traps, seal their borders to prevent spies, and civilians within Fire might be afraid to commission shinobi services while tensions are high and things are so unsafe for everyone. 

This means that they’re earning less than they normally do, they have to deal with the expenses of buying any necessities missing from their market, they become reliant on local production to bear the weight of sustaining them, and they’re dealing with wartime expenses of buying weapons and supplies and paying shinobi out of their own pocket.

So, even though they won the wars they took part in, it doesn’t just end there. Now, they need to make a full comeback from their economy is currently being in shambles. 

There’s a couple of ways modern governments handle situations like this. A couple of them aren’t possible for Konoha. Basically, if there isn’t cashflow in the country because people don’t have money, the goal is to create cashflow. Either, the government borrows money from the banks and private lenders and does this themselves, or banks print a bit more cash and put it into circulation.

Konoha can’t really do the latter and this is because they don’t have a currency of their own. The entire Continent has one currency which means that it has a fixed value and it is only printed in a few central locations-- usually a Central Bank. Hidden Villages have no control on this cashflow because their economy being in shambles due to exclusively shinobi wars isn’t the Continent’s problem.

So, Konoha has to borrow money from Fire’s central bank and other private lenders so they can give themselves a bit of starting capital, and now the next big problem is obviously to pay off their new debt. 

Why can’t the Daimyo just pay off the expenses of his army? Well, he shouldn’t have to. Canonically, all three wars have been between the Hidden Villages and not the Elemental Countries. The civilians of these nations aren’t at war with each other. Konoha entered these wars of their own volition so the Daimyo has no reason to take responsibility for their actions.

I think the Daimyo have pretty solid peace treaties with one another and they try not to screw it up anymore because they’ve come to a comfortable point where they’re all pretty reliant on each other economically. It’s why we don’t see wide-scale wars anymore-- because it’s be a massive loss all around so there’s very little incentive.

As a result, the Hidden Villages function as their armies only for the off-chance that something happens, and are otherwise left to their own devices when the Daimyo have no further need for them.

Basically, Konoha has to start getting real creative real soon. And they do!

I’m not gonna lie and claim I’m any sort of economic genius, so I’ve absolutely stolen these ideas from real-world scenarios. For Konoha, I’m stealing Alexander Hamilton’s plans for getting a newly formed America out of its massive debts and on its feet post-independence. 

In general, what lets Konoha maintain its comfortable seat of power is the fact that they’re really good at economically managing the aftermath of the wars. And, as much as I don’t like him, I’m going to attribute this to the Sandaime Hokage. I think it’s a neat way to explain why everyone (including civilians) respected him so much and it’s a more fun reason for his nickname ‘The Professor’ spreading. It could have started because of jutsu but, to the civilians, it’s more symbolic of him being smart to keep them out of poverty. 

So, the first thing they do post-debt incurring is reexamine their tax policy. Increasing taxes is always a surefire way to get your people to hate you, but luxury taxes like those on alcohol and tobacco tend to be a safe bet. So, the Hokage imposes those and then adds export charges to boot so that people have more incentive to be selling their products within the village instead of outside. 

The next step is to sell or rent out public lands. Every government has portions of lands they own, and Konoha is no different. They’re lucky in that land is always in high demand in Fire, and especially so in Konoha. Senju Hashirama’s mokuton has a tendency of lingering and the result is that their lands tend to be more fertile, practically guaranteeing high return on agriculture. 

The good thing about selling or renting those lands is that not only do they make money on the initial sale, they now get to levy property taxes there too. 

They also create job vacancies by starting rescue and relief projects. Moreover, they weaponise the demand for their well-known medical services and encourage medical tourism by charging foreigners on healthcare.

Maintaining consistency with these few changes is enough for them to pull through and pay off their government debt when combined with their resumed mission income, and though they’re far from the richest village, things do return to the status quo.

Miscellaneous: Back to the regularly scheduled programme

Most of the village income comes from B-, A-, and S-rank missions. This means that jounin contribute the most to the village’s economy. 

Missions aren’t the only source for shinobi to earn money. Outside of T&I, there are also divisions for courier ninja, mission assignment, archive and record keeping, Research & Development, tutoring, mednin, cook-nin, code breaking and encrypment, and teaching at the Academy. 

Some of these positions require you to only have graduated the Academy (even if you never made genin), and others require a university degree or proof of apprenticeship. They receive a regular salary instead of relying on how many missions they run.

You only receive pension if you retire past a certain age, incur a career ending injury, your guardian is killed in line of duty, or are declared mentally unfit for further duty. 

In another display of how Konoha gives power to its clans, clan members do not pay taxes. Instead, the clan collects a portion of each member’s earnings (usually left to the Clan Head’s discretion) and then pays a fixed amount on everyone’s collective behalf. 

The Police Force receives a biannual budget and funds their activities and members through it. Maybe they were underpaid and it just pissed the Uchiha off even more that they were incurring financial losses and having to dip into their personal treasury as a clan because of the taxes when there wasn’t actually enough income. 

Civilians have stricter guidelines on what counts as a clan by Konoha’s standards so they have a harder time getting legally recognised as one even if they function as one. 

Konoha actually invests in arts and infrastructure pretty often for a shinobi village. It’s a Land of Fire mentality-- if you have the time and resources to be investing into these things, it’s a mark of wealth and development. Essentially, it’s a show of power. They’re flexing. Most of the other Hidden Villages really dislike them for it. They think it’s obnoxious.

[aonecare]

Disability Services in Perth | aonecare.com.au

The journey towards independence requires a range of life skills. NDIS SIL providers perth disability services play a pivotal role in helping individuals acquire these skills.

They help participants navigate daily activities confidently and make informed choices that align with their aspirations. They also offer vocational training programs to promote empowerment and a sense of achievement.

NDIS SIL Providers

SIL stands for Supported Independent Living, and this type of disability service involves living with other people in a shared home setting. This can be temporary or ongoing, depending on the needs of the participant. It helps participants develop independence by providing day-to-day assistance and mentoring.

The best ndis provider wa will be well-informed and have extensive experience in the industry. They should also be registered with the NDIS Commission and adhere to NDIS practice standards. In addition, they should be able to provide quality services in line with the participant’s goals and aspirations.

Looking for a safe and welcoming place to stay temporarily while your permanent home is being modified or you wait for your long term accommodation solution to become available? Home Caring offers high quality Short Term and Medium Term Accommodation across Western Australia.

Mental Health Support

The mental health system provides assessment, treatment and support to people living with a mental illness. Your care team may include a psychiatrist, community mental health nurse, clinical psychologist or occupational therapist. You will also have a case manager to coordinate your recovery orientated plan.

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, talk to a GP.

You can also call a helpline such as Beyond Blue for information and 24/7 support. You can also find online support via chat and forums.

You can get more information about disability services through the State

Government’s Department of Communities website or call 1800 1800 17. It works to improve opportunities, community participation and quality of life for people with disability, their families and carers.

Well-being Activities

Well-being activities such as nutrition and cooking workshops, personal development programs, and mental health support play an important role in nurturing the health and happiness of individuals with disability. They help clients build life skills, develop their self-esteem, and foster resilience and a sense of belonging in their community.

Wellbeing one-to-one support includes mentoring support, transformational life coaching sessions, and tailored action plans to help with goal setting and achievement. It also consists of counselling and trauma informed care to address issues related to past experiences.

NDIS participants can benefit from disability services that offer respite care, domestic assistance, home maintenance, and companionship. These services can make a difference to people’s lives, as they will be able to enjoy the benefits of their chosen lifestyles.

Physical Activities

The Perth area boasts a wide variety of outdoor activities. There are sandy beaches, the huge riverside Kings Park and Botanic Garden on Mount Eliza, as well as a central precinct including a theatre, library, and Art Gallery of Western Australia. If you are looking for more adventurous physical activity, try the Lane Poole Reserve treetop and zipline course. This is a fun family activity and can also be a challenge for anyone with a fear of heights!

Simply Helping provides disability services in Perth that enable participants to stay independent and live their lives the way they choose. This includes respite care, transport, and companionship. In addition, home 'handyman' services are available to keep homes safe and well maintained. Other services include pet sitting, house cleaning and lawn mowing.

Art Therapy

Art therapy bypasses the cognitive mind and allows you to express feelings your brain can’t find words for. It can be used for healing, coping and self-awareness. It is widely used in wellness programs, addiction treatment facilities and counselling sessions. It can be beneficial for people who struggle to verbally articulate their thoughts and feelings, including those who consider themselves unartistic.

People are usually referred to art therapy by their keyworker or doctor. However, they can also refer themselves. All artwork produced during therapy is treated as confidential and is kept safely by the art therapist.

Anyone can benefit from art therapy, even if they don’t have any artistic experience. The art therapist will help them explore their feelings through visuals and provide feedback to guide the process.

[mpaskills]

  Take the next step to becoming further qualified as a plumber and gasfitter in Australia! 

Advanced Training: - 

Course description 

Learning doesn’t stop at the end of an apprenticeship. MPA Skills is a trusted partner in the licensing space and offers a range of short courses designed to upskill the construction industry in WA. 

Plumbing Contractor’s Licence (PCL) – Want to start your own plumbing business or undertake managerial/supervisory positions within the plumbing industry? MPA Skills offer the following courses: Business, Drainage, Water and Sanitary which meet the nine mandatory competencies to be issued a PCL from the Plumber’s Licensing Board. 

Backflow Prevention – This unit of competence specifies the outcomes required to test, commission and maintain backflow prevention devices in water services. It covers preparation for work, identification of testing and commissioning requirements, physical testing and commissioning of devices, maintenance and completion of work finalization processes as required by the Water Corporation. 

Restricted Plumbing Permit Course – This course is Restricted to Licensed Electricians and Gasfitters with a Non-Plumbing Pathway (Due to timing of changes in the Plumbing Licencing Board’s Policy on what will be required from training to gain this permit. MPA Skills will not be offering the Restricted Plumbing Permit Course in 2023 as we cannot guarantee that the current content will satisfy the changes. We are hoping that in 2024, we will be able to offer the new requirements of this course). 

Certificate III in Gasfitting – This course is restricted to plumbers who have not achieved the gas pathway or previous gas fitters who have not held a gas permit in over 5 years. 

Gas Servicing – This course meets Building and Energy requirements in Western Australia. This unit of competence specifies the outcomes required to diagnose and repair faults on domestic and commercial Type A gas appliances. Work associated with this unit is undertaken within the scope of AS5601:2013 gas installations and local licensing requirements (gas, electrical and plumbing). 

Restricted Gas Permit Course – A trainee must hold a restricted Permit (training permit), enabling them to perform gasfitting work while working under supervision, prior to undertaking gasfitting training at the 

Certificate III or IV level. The Permit must be endorsed for the class or type of gasfitting work being undertaken. 

Gas License – This course provides participants with the skills and knowledge necessary for people licensed in Western Australia to work safely and efficiently as gas  installers. 

  FAQs:- 

1. Reasons to get Professional plumbing Training? 

Website: - https://www.mpaskills.com.au/ 

Address: - https://goo.gl/maps/1GAiF2mDqwwgtitR9 

Location: - https://plumbing.mpaskills.com.au/contact-mpa-skills/ 

Follow us on social media- 

Facebook: - https://www.facebook.com/MpaSkills 

Instagram: - https://www.instagram.com/mpa_skills/ 

LinkedIn:-https://www.linkedin.com/company/mpa-skills 

YouTube:- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC48DzRpP4kmmGPwniqcBvfw/videos 

[joshuawithers]

Commercial radio isn't "booming", it's barely paying the minimum wage

The PR-wing of the commercial radio community in Australia is getting everyone excited about a new report - that they commissioned and is weirdly in their favour - about how with commercial radio in Australia turning 100 years old this year on November 23rd.

A few takeaways from the report include:

About three hours of locally significant content per day in regional communities

74% of Australians surveyed answered “sure, why not” when asked if they think commercial radio and audio build a sense of community.

Over 1/3 of the jobs in commercial radio are in about 1/3 of Australian society (that being regional Australia)

And it was on the jobs issue I wanted to rebut the argument that Australian radio is “booming”.

It might be easy to try and point out that anyone born in the last 40 years doesn’t know what the antenna on their car is for, or how the Australian commercial radio industry has very poorly stepped foot into podcasting and internet distribution, especially in regards to local and regional content, one of the biggest voids in the sphere of content available today.

But instead I’ll share a personal story that might tell you how booming commercial radio is in regional Australia.

Late 2009 I accepted a role that I was so unqualified for that it was a joke. Twenty-seven years old, with only volunteer broadcast radio experience on my resume, having only even stepped foot in Western Australia once before at the other end of the state in Broome, let alone the small town of Esperance found on the far western side of the Great Australian Bight on Australia’s southern coast, 720 kilometres from the most remote city in the world, a forty hour nonstop drive from home.

The population of over 13,000 people had just shrunk a wee bit after the shock closure of the Ravensthorpe nickel mine in January of that year, but on a freezing cold Saturday morning this young buck who could not name song by The Travelling Wilburys found himself on the corner of Andrew and Demspter Street sitting at an outside broadcast studio in sub-zero temperatures (possibly).

I fell in love with the town of Esperance and its small population. It was a crime that I didn’t know who the Wilburys were considering one of its members had holidayed there, and it was a shame that 14 years on I appreciate the then Radiowest, now Triple M, playlist a lot more than that 27 year old did.

I moved on from that station to Star FM Port Macquarie just over a year later with many great friendships and a much more robust understanding of how to be a leading voice of a local community.

I bring up this anecdote because through COVID things were rough in the wedding industry and Britt and I considered changing many things in our life. One possibility was moving somewhere regional and quiet, somewhere far away, somewhere like Esperance and when the job advert for my old job as breakfast radio host popped up I got in touch. I loved the town and would have cherished the seachange, now with two daughters and now married to the girl I wrote letters to the last time I lived there.

Thirteen years on, with the Esperance population slowly growing, with industry slowly building, and the possibility for remote work in Australia slowly increasing thanks to the NBN and Starlink I thought things might be a little brighter for a modern family moving to the Great Southeast of WA.

The cost of goods has increased 36% since I last worked in Esperance. If you paid $60,000 for something in 2009 you were paying $86,000 for it now.

The average wage locally in Esperance (according to the ABS - 2021 to 2006) has increased 65% over (about) the same time period.

The cost of renting has actually doubled.

Esperance-Goldfields property purchase prices have increased about 13%.

But the wage on offer for the same job had decreased 7% and was most likely in a smaller team even though it was only a local staff of seven for two radio stations (I was the sole local programming hire) when I was there in 2009. There was the possibility of increasing the wage by also doing radio advertising sales but I’ve proven in the past that an advertising salesperson I am not.

The same role, for a slightly larger audience which would be begging for local stories and content in an ever-globalised content world, was paying $938 a week after tax - $177 more than the minimum wage.

If commercial radio can’t afford to pay local content creators more than $177 a week over the minimum Australian wage I cannot believe that commercial radio is soaring in popularity. Instead, commercial radio in Australia sounds like an industry that has ignored advances in civilisation, in communication, in broadcasting, and how societies work in 2023 and is just hanging on by the threads of people who haven’t got CarPlay yet.

Rest in peace, commercial radio. You were my first love, but at one hundred years old maybe it’s time to pass the batten to someone who understands how to be an integral part of a community.

[powerengeneeringservices]

Power engineering services is company specializing in electrical testing commissioning & maintenance services

Power Engineering Services is a reliable company that specializes in electrical test equipment, commissioning and maintenance services. Our company is based in Perth, Australia and has numerous clients to back up the quality of our services. Our electrical testing services are extremely precise as we take no risks and we only use the best equipment and experts. At Power Engineering Services, we put the safety of our clients first and we make sure to offer them only premium services.

The electrical test equipment hire we use is the best on the market and the most efficient as it offers results fast and accurate. Our team will identify the cable fault location with exact precision so we will make sure to repair it on the exact spot which will reduce the entire hassle of the procedure. We provide earth testing and all types of adjustments our clients might need according to their situation so they have a secure and functional power service.

Our experts are certified and have a broad experience in working with both low voltage and high voltage issues and find the best solution in the fastest time. Our clients come from the most diverse fields as we work with companies from the commercial and construction industry but also manufacturing, utilities, oil and gas or heavy and light industry. As soon as you get in touch with our team, we will identify the problem you are facing as well as the best and safest solution for your situation. We aim to take care of power issues for the long run so you will not have to face the same issue anytime soon.

Despite the fact that our company is located in Perth, Australia, our team travels all around the country to whoever needs our services. So, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us regardless of your location because we will make an appointment and be there as soon as possible.

On the other hand, our company can support you in building your project from the electrical perspective so you don’t have any further issues once your project is complete. We are here to help you design your project in such a way that it will accommodate all the electrical needs. This is actually the best strategy to follow when you are planning a construction because the electrical design of the building should be a primordial plan of the initial plan.

If you need assistance or support with power engineering services, you can find us at 130 Radium Street Welshpool WA 6106 or get in touch with us via phone number (08) 9356 5304. our team will be at your service so you will not have to worry about the electricity aspect or the electrical design of your project. Note that we also hire equipment for testing electricity and finding the root of your power outage problem. At Power Engineering Services we focus on quality and safety in all our projects.

[yurimother]

'I'm in Love with the Villainess' Volume 5 Released in English Paperback

On Tuesday, Seven Seas Entertainment released the fifth and final volume in Inori’s Yuri isekai series, I’m in Love with the Villainess (Watashi no Oshi wa Akuyaku Reijou). Seven Seas had previously published the light novel digitally in July.

I’m in Love with the Villainess is a Yuri isekai series following Oohashi Rei, an ordinary office worker who awakens suddenly to find herself reincarnated as Rae Taylor, the protagonist from her favorite otome game. However, Rae has no interest in chasing any of the game’s original three romance options. She has eyes only for the main antagonist, the elite aristocrat Claire. Rae vows to stay at Claire’s side and protect her from the upcoming turmoil and strife of the revolution.

The fifth volume concludes the second of the series' two arcs, which began back in volume 3. The second arc continues the story and romance of Rae and Claire after they leave school and the kingdom is rocked by the revolution. The two women are now married and started a family together, adopting twin girls, May and Alea.

The publisher describes the fifth volume:

Rae and Claire saved the world for each other. Now they must fight to keep it. As they lead the united forces of their kingdom and its neighbors against the demon threat, they begin to uncover strange and unsettling secrets. The hidden truth of the world has devastating implications not only for the lives of everyone they hold dear, but their very selves. The thrilling conclusion of the second arc!

I'm in Love with the Villainess began as a web novel before being picked up for digital publication by GL bunko. Although initial Japanese sales were more limited, overseas translations and fans dramatically increased its popularity. I'm in Love with the Villainess has sold over 200,000 copies worldwide, has multiple adaptations, and received a Japanese physical release, subtitled "Revolution." featuring new artwork.

The series received praise from critics and audiences for its characters, story, world-building, and focus on social issues like socio-economic inequality and LGBTQ+ life, identity, and legal rights.

A manga adaptation of I'm in Love with the Villainess began serialization in Comic Yuri Hime in 2020. Aonoshimo illustrates it. GL Bunko is also publishing a spinoff series, She's So Cheeky for a Commoner (Heimin no Kuse ni Namaiki an!), which like the original series, began as a web novel. It retells the series's events from Claire's point of view.

Both adaptations are licensed by Seven Seas Entertainment, which will release the first volume of She's So Cheeky for a Common in February 2023, and the manga's fourth volume in January 2023.

Check out I'm in Love with the Villainess Volume 5 in paperback today: https://amzn.to/3EPEgSu

Reading official releases supports creators and publishers. YuriMother makes a small affiliate commission from sales to help fund future coverage.

[wonlouvre]

more for forever | k. mg.

pairing: editor-in-chief mingyu x female reader genre: fluff, a little bit of angst, cliché (in the sense that mingyu is rich and likes to spoil his girlfriend) warnings: mentions of insecurity, food word count: 2.8k

💌: this is just pure indulgence and i really hope you all like this! please wait for wonwoo because i have something in store for him too ;) again, this is cliché please forgive me. please tell me what you think about it hehe i love reading your comments, feedbacks and tags! also a big thank you to @minkwans​ for sharing their ideas and giving this oneshot life! <3

The name Kim Mingyu didn’t ring a bell before. Not until his executive assistant reached out to you because apparently, the photographer slash writer read one of your blog posts and wanted you to take part for their sixth year anniversary issue. You know the famous magazine and publishing company, which is why you thought it was a scam or a ploy to steal your money. It’s a stupid assumption but you can’t blame your mind imagining the worse because you are not a fashion blogger at all. Why would a fashion magazine want you to write an article for them?

Sure, you regularly write and post blog entries on your website. But you write about your dog, your recently bought tea coaster and sometimes your skincare routine. Okay, maybe your occasional outfit of the day as well but nothing in detail. Again, why do they want you to write for them?

Kim Mingyu answered your questions and uncertainties when he personally emailed his contact details to you. You didn’t have to bite, but it didn’t hurt to confirm at the same time. You dialed the number and he indeed proved you wrong. He invited you for a meeting at his office and you accepted. 

Your visits to high-rise buildings, much more to the luxurious office of an executive, is rare to never. You were jaw slacked when your eyes took in the crisp architecture. The design, the furniture, the color, the everything was beyond what you could have imagined a publishing company’s headquarters could be. 

The meeting was nothing but short of an interview. He asked about your blog (which does not even have its own domain by the way), he asked what else you write about, he asked about your desk job (which doesn’t pay much but enough for you to get by), he asked if you have any background about fashion and one last question about your dog, Max, before talking about his proposal. 

To be honest, Mingyu’s offer was tempting. For one article, the commission would be enough for you to move out of your current apartment and move to a brand new and fully-furnished one. But you remained true to yourself and without thinking twice, you declined. 

You can tell that the editor-in-chief and his assistant, who stood beside him all throughout, was surprised by the looks on their faces. But Mingyu respected your decision and didn’t pursue any further. You took your stand from the chair and sincerely thanked him for the time and opportunity. You thought that would be it but when he followed suit with your actions and reached his hand out, it was your turn to be surprised. 

You didn’t hesitate to mirror him and shake his hand, firmly. After that, you’d figure that it’s the end and that you’ll probably get to see a glimpse of him only through your television or phone. But Mingyu proved you wrong once again when he sent an unexpected email three days later asking why.

What might be the reason why you didn’t accept his offer? 

You believed he deserved an explanation of your personal reasons so you disclosed them. And just like that the conversation on that email thread naturally progressed and eventually deepened. The professional emails became casual text messages, the text messages became phone calls, and the phone calls became actual face to face dates at late hours of the evening because he usually clocks out at 9 o’clock. 

The rest, as they say, was in the hands of history. 

Your first date with Mingyu was particularly odd. It was at a traditional Korean restaurant owned by one of his friends who introduced himself as Angel even though his real name is Jeonghan. You didn’t question him or anyone else why because that’s none of your business. But back to the date. It was odd because you have never been to a restaurant that’s completely empty and dead silent before (aside of course, from the typical music played in the background). You asked Mingyu if such an occurrence is normal and he just plainly answered that he rented the whole place all to yourselves. You have always known he’s rich. However, you didn’t believe that booking the whole restaurant was necessary.  

Nonetheless, that first date, in some way, was special for you because there were no distractions. You enjoyed his company and you can tell he enjoyed yours too because he’s quick to mention a second date and it didn’t take a heartbeat for you to say yes. 

But, by far, Mingyu inviting you to the behind the scenes of the making of the sixth anniversary issue that you turned down writing for is one of the most memorable dates the two of you had. It was out of the blue and you two were having difficulty in syncing your schedules. He was beginning to get busier and busier as the anniversary neared and the only way he could think of still making time for you is inviting you to his office. He called you and asked if you’re free to have lunch together. And you, being attracted to the handsome and tall man, didn’t hesitate to say yes. 

He was in the middle of ending his morning meeting when you arrived and you were almost caught off-guard when all eyes were suddenly on you, making you feel small. But Mingyu didn't care as his smile beamed, immediately standing up from his chair to walk towards you. The rest of his staff were still in the midst of walking out of his office when he grasped your hand to pull you inside and you have never felt so shy your whole life.

Since then, he made you tag along to the creative process and you witnessed how hands on he was with every article, every photo, every brand, every trend and every detail that goes to the magazine that he has built and loved with his blood, sweat and tears. He’s beyond dedicated in finding and doing what’s best for the magazine and most importantly, its loyal readers. 

You can tell that he really is deserving of everything that he has and is still receiving.

Mingyu being perfect also applies to your relationship. He’s always present despite being booked with fittings, meetings, photoshoots and business travels twenty-nine days of the month. He never fails to call, never fails to answer your calls. He never fails to offer the warmest hugs and the softest kisses. Well, he fails to be on time during your dates sometimes but he never once stood you up and his cuddles when he sleeps over are enough to apologize for the lost time.

The only flaw he has is that he doesn’t know how to take no for an answer. Most especially at times where he wants to shower his love in ways that cost more than your paycheck in a year.

Here are some examples:

You know that Mingyu pays attention to every word you say. Even if you just mentioned a passing topic, he will do his best to keep those in mind. With that being said, you mentioned once that you want to renovate the extra bedroom of your apartment and turn it into a study where you could work someday. Your boyfriend, being the rich man he is, offered to hire and pay a team that could help you bring the design you envisioned into life. 

That was during the first few months of your relationship and you were flabbergasted by how easy it was for him to do or much less say. Needless to say, you immediately turned him down and he respected that (but of course, he pouted about it like a child all throughout the day). 

But wait, there’s more. 

Do you remember how you mentioned that Mingyu travels frequently? Yes? Well, Mingyu always books an extra ticket for you just in case you want to join him. Sometimes it’s not even about the flight ticket anymore. It’s about him stopping by your apartment to pick you up unexpectedly as if France is only a drive away. 

It’s unbelievable, really. That’s why you always close the door on his face. But of course, you don’t forget to give him a long kiss and “stay safe” or “I’ll miss you” farewell. Mingyu, ever the good boy he is, lets you win and just return your kisses a little longer for the days he won’t be able to do so. 

Mingyu’s intentions are pure and you’re well aware that the man that you love is only doing this because it’s simple, he loves you. He wants what’s best for you, he wants to give you what you deserve. You can never blame him for being out of touch from reality at times, but you can learn and grow with him. Although of course, he still needs a scolding and a wake up call every now and then. 

Anything else? Yes.

You didn’t take into consideration that he’d remember, but one night while the two of you were about to fall asleep, you sleepily mumbled about your dreams of attending graduate school. It was a mere whisper in the late night against his chest and you even thought that he wouldn’t hear you at all because his eyes were already closed. You honestly didn’t expect that he’d send you brochures of different universities who offer various programs the following day. You had to calm him down as he excitedly talked you through it. You even had to shut him up with your lips and explain that you don’t have the time to study at the moment with your current job. He tried to encourage you with praises and admiration of your dedication, skills and knowledge. But no, you didn’t buy it and that’s the end of discussion. 

The gifts, however, are something that Mingyu is not giving up on. The first few instances he gave you gifts whether it be a high-end handbag, shoes, clothing, and even jewelry, you allowed him. Because there were only a few. But along the way, the gifts got bigger and more frequent. You had to sit him down to set limitations. It was a long conversation of him trying to get the upper hand. But you didn’t let him outsmart you with his hugs and kisses. It was either he was going to tone it down with the gifts or no gifts at all. 

Sometimes, as much as you hate to admit it to yourself, you can’t avoid getting insecure and afraid that the euphoric time you share with Mingyu is not meant to last. At some point, the fact that he's one of the youngest successful editor-in-chiefs of a multi-million earning magazine got overwhelming. You can’t help but feel that you’re no match for him. And again, you hate that your mind gets clouded with ideas that you’re just a charity case he enjoys spending his money on. Of course, you believe that he doesn’t look at you in that way.

It’s you who thinks so. 

“Hey.”

You release the bite on your bottom lip at the sound of your boyfriend’s voice. Your lost eyes shoot to the stove where he’s cooking and you notice that he’s about done so you should set the table. 

You didn’t even answer Mingyu’s call which concerns him. He wipes the sauce off his hands on the apron he’s wearing and holds your waist before you could even round the corner to the cabinets. 

His warmth snaps you out of your thoughts. Your eyes blink up to him and he just raises his eyebrows at you. 

“Is there something wrong?” He asks and lowers the heat of the conduction. 

“Nothing, nothing,” you lie, shaking your head, “Let me get the plates. I’m quite hungry.”

You try escaping his strong arms and gaze, but he doesn’t let you go. Instead, he wraps his arms around your waist tighter. Your palms automatically land on his chest and the lean muscles make you gulp. 

“I’m going to ask again and this time, I want you to tell me the truth,” he says in a serious yet gentle tone. “What’s wrong?”

You sigh and lean your forehead against his chest. Mingyu also sighs and kisses the top of your head. It’s better to tell him now because you’re not going to get anywhere if you’re just going to keep it to yourself. It will be unfair for him too and that’s not what you want. 

“I just don’t feel so good about myself over the past few days,” you finally voice out. You sound weak, but Mingyu can hear you loud and clear. “I feel like I don’t deserve you.”

Mingyu had to pull away and hold your shoulders to search your eyes, his frown showing disbelief and sadness both at the same time. “Did I do or say something to make you feel this way?”

“No, no,” you quickly say and hold his cheeks. “You did absolutely nothing. It’s just all in my head.”

Mingyu becomes silent and you wish you could just drop it because the regret and embarrassment is slowly dawning upon you. You wish you didn’t bring it up anymore because why would you burden him with your problems? 

But Mingyu proves you wrong once again by holding your hand and carefully tugging you to sit on the dining table, saying softly, “Come on. Let’s talk about it.”

And talk you did. You let out your concerns, worries, fears and insecurities. You bore it all without hiding or masking anything. A tear or two slipped once or twice and some words were interrupted by your hiccups, but Mingyu was patient. He listened and held your hand, promising you that it’s okay. It’s okay to cry. It’s okay to be scared. It’s okay to be worried. It’s okay to be vulnerable in front of him. It’s okay to trust him because he loves you. 

Mingyu loves you and his words and actions assure you that it’s okay to love him too. 

When there were no more words left to say, the two of you shared a comfortable silence. The weight on your shoulders and the sick feeling in your stomach immediately vanished and you have never felt so relieved. You have never felt so free and loved. You can’t believe that Kim Mingyu is real. 

“I know that this is unwarranted,” Mingyu breaks the silence after a while, “but I want you to know that I don’t think of you in any of those ways. To me, you’re the person I love and I am happy with regardless of our different upbringings, different jobs. Those don’t matter to the time and love we share together.”

“I know,” you affirm and kiss his cheek. 

Mingyu nods and smiles against the palm of your hand when a memory suddenly pops in his mind. “I’m not sure if I have told you this already. But the blog entry of yours that caught my attention is about your first ever blog post.”

Your eyes widen at his confession. You have never heard of this before. “You mean the one where I talked about why I love writing so much?”

Your boyfriend smiles and nods. “That one.”

“Gosh. That’s so embarrassing,” you groan and palm your face. 

“What do you mean embarrassing?” He argues, taking your hand to hold again. “That post was one of the most genuine posts that I have ever read. You explained, word by word, your passion, love and dedication to writing in the most honest way possible. Who wouldn’t be moved?”

You pout and unbeknownst to you, that makes his heart squeeze in adoration. 

“It’s not that special,” you mumble, eyes on your intertwined hands. 

“It is to me though.”

Mingyu’s eyes are dreamy and glossy as you meet them again and you could never be more in love. He holds your arms, coaxing you to stand up to straddle his lap. You giggle when he protectively wraps his arms around your waist. His nose scrunches when it grazes yours, but upon meeting his lips you feel it exhale a breath of relief.

You kissed and kissed and kissed. But when Max barks at the two of you, reminding you of the dinner you’re supposed to eat and share with him, the two of you burst into laughter before reluctantly detaching from each other. 

“You doting over me with material things is a perk,” you humor him and he gives you his signature giggle. “But, I wouldn’t trade sharing the same bed, cooking meals or taking care of Max together over any of those.” 

Mingyu nods gives you one last yet long kiss, a promise that there’s more for later. 

More for forever. 

---

a/n 2: this was supposed to be the header/poster of this story but it was too big lol

[wcamino-confessions]

Firstly, the new theme looks great! Just wanted to put that out there. I like using my computer to say stuff here since I'm less likely to make mistakes, so it's nice to have the font bigger and more readable!!

Anyways, I saw people asking about when to post and all that, and I've also noticed the whole commission struggle thing. 

I'm gonna make a more indepth post sometime in the coming months, but what I can quickly say right now is that advertising and marketing comes into play when making adopts and selling your artwork.

Selling your art? Some quick tips:

- Don't bug your page down with a ton of reposts/reblogs

If people have to search for your art, they may not have the energy or interest to! But if you don't have to look too far for your creations, they're more likely to follow and stay interested! Positive impressions are super important.

- WIP shots

Don't worry about "not being good enough," WIP shots are really nice to show people your process, or even give them a glimpse into the previews of your works! Builds up suspense, since people will be excited for the finished product! (Can ALSO be applied to writers!!)

- Don't be afraid to use hashtags

Hashtags like "#SmallArtist" "#SmallWriter" exist to be used! There's no shame in it! Same can be done with "#Commissions" "#Points" "#Paypal" "#AminoCoins"

- Similarly to Hashtags, use keywords

You'd be surprised how well keywords work. If you drew fanart of Firestar? Make sure to put "Rusty, Firepaw, Fireheart, Firestar" Somewhere in the post (I suggest the bottom in a little section labeled "Keywords/hashtags") It will lead to far more people seeing it!

Selling adopts?

- If your account revolves around selling adopts, also don't bug down your account with reposts/reblogs

This one isn't AS big of an issue as it would be with selling art, but it's still recommended! Just like with art, it doesn't mean you can't repost things, just don't have a stream of 10 in a row, y'know what I mean?

- Polls are your friends

Not sure what your audience is into? Do a poll! (Make sure to follow the 20 word minimum rule, even if that means you just go into depth.) I did this a few days ago, and I got feedback that genuinely really helped me, and after that my adopts sold REALLY fast. 

Example of a description to avoid getting hidden: "Hello! I've been looking at my adopts and realizing certain types sell faster than others, and would appreciate some feedback on what types of adopts my followers are looking for."

Some poll option ideas could be "Light colors, dark color, vibrant colors, realistic colors" "no accessories, a few accessories, a lot of accessories" etc. It may not sound like a lot but it really does help.

- Speaking of polls, don't be afraid to delete them

After your poll ends (I suggest having it just run for 1-2 days) document the results with either a save screenshot or just writing it down, and then get rid of the poll to avoid it bugging down your page.

- Do popular/trending challenges/themes

Y'know the 3 emoji challenge? Yeah, don't be afraid to use it! It's a great way to get inspiration from recognizable imagery! 

Another popular trend for the past few years has been "themed adopts" using appealing names! (Ex. "Fall's call" "Summer sunset" "midnight rain") which can also be a decent source of inspiration. 

I made a simple generator for those who need help coming up with ideas https://perchance.org/adopt-theme

The biggest word of advice I could give is not giving up. There is no such thing as a bad artist/designer, only one with room to grow.

So what if someone else has their adopts/commissions selling a lot? That doesn't take away from your chance to shine, so get out there!

And if you ever need help with boosting, PM me at Mouri on WA, and I'll gladly boost your stuff ^^ I've done it before, and had positive outcomes and I enjoy making others happy, so don't feel like you're being annoying or anything like that!!!!

Have a nice day everyone.

[webuyhousesfastllc]

Selling Your House Fast using the “Subject To” Method

By: The Massachusetts Home Buyers LLC

Why would anyone want to sell their home via subject to financing? Aren’t their major risks associated with such undertaken? What if the buyer flakes and defaults on the note? This situation alone would be enough to deter any homeowner from selling their home in such a way as relying on another stranger to pay their mortgage. Worst of all, your credit score would take a significant hit alongside many other financial hardships. On the contrary, everything could also, too, go as planned with the mortgage getting paid down and your credit score gradually increasing.

Today, most FSBO’s shy away from such creative deal structuring due to one major issue, LACK OF KNOWLEDGE!

That’s right! A recent poll taken by The Massachusetts Home Buyers LLC had determined this issue among a survey selection of 50 FSBO’s who were either currently selling or planning to sell their homes very soon. The survey showed us that out of the 50 FSBO’s, on a professional critique level, 42 within the sample of 50 would have benefited more from a subject to deal than a traditional one-time closing. Out of the 50 FSBO’s 48 had no idea what it was and why it is used.

Why would a homeowner sell their home via subject to their existing mortgage?

Let’s start with the real-life story of Peggy Labate of Massachusetts. Peggy had lost her job Do tour company going to economic trouble. She then began facing the possibility of her home going into foreclosure, Putting her in a particularly dire financial situation. Peggy owed a total of $74,000 on her note for her home. This put her at an astonishing $12,000 in the hole.

She had an investor interested in a property, however, He did not actually have the full $74,000 needed for the sake of purchasing the property. Instead, the two of them worked out a compromise that would work for everyone. The compromise consisted of the following: He would purchase the property in such a way that he was subject to the existing mortgage payments per month. If agreed upon, Peggy will no longer have the monthly payment mortgage burden because the investor will be taking over her payments. Peggy then was able to make the sale work and avoid a disastrous credit hit by foreclosure. She barely had any money for food for that week, nevermind a mortgage payment. She was also able to sell the home within 2-3 business days following the agreement. YES! It was that easy.

In other parts of the country subject to the existing mortgage now has become quite popular among for sale by owners. Especially in post Covid era, selling subject to deals have increasingly spread. Especially in areas where unemployment has increased drastically.

Furthermore, most people don’t have the time in today’s world to even market the property by themselves. Additionally, they are not adapt to marketing, interviewing potential buyers, and credit analysis as Massachusetts license representatives are trained for. But why pay commission when you can simply pass your mortgage bill over to a investor who will take over the payments as well as put some money on the sellers pocket.

Another example was Hank. Hank was upside down on his mortgage because he bought right before the 2008 crash. The homes value dropped significantly but was able to almost break even in 2021. Let's look at Hanks predicament below

Home cost 2005: $320,000.00

Mortgage note: $335,000.00

POST CRASH

Home cost 2009: $245,000.00

Mortgage note Current 2009: $315,500.00

Present 2021

Home cost 2021: $285,500

Current note Balance: $295,000

Since Hank lost his job due to the COVID-19 virus, he is now finding it hard to pay for every day expenses and his mortgage. Therefore he’s in a little predicament. A friend of his told him “to suck it up and pay up to $10,000 and be done with it already”, but Hank doesn't have the $10,000 to come out of pocket. Plus, Hank is thinking “who actually sells a home to lose money?”. The plot thickens as the days go by and his bills pile up he is now three months behind on his mortgage and his banks are calling leaving messages on his voicemail. His monthly mortgage PITI is at $1,250.00. Thus, on top of all the other bills, as well as the $10,000 he will need to pay out-of-pocket if he wanted to sell, he is now behind approximately three months and four days owing a whopping $4,200.00 (includes late payments). The home is getting close to breaking even, and he has pre-permitted lot space to extend the square footage of his home. He was told by an investor he could add another 1000 to 1500 sqft to his home. Although costs would range anywhere between $68,000 to $80,000, it would bring his home value from $285,000 to $390,000. Additionally, if he were to add another a bathroom and a half in this addition, the after renovations value would be anywhere between $415,000 to $425,000. Unfortunately, Hank did not have the funds, which would probably be anywhere between $110-$120,000 to do such work, even though the value add would be $200,000 to $215,000. What is Hank going to do.

Hank is definitely stressed out!

Hank is now slipping into foreclosure and is getting unrealistic to almost cruel advice. Until one day he found an ad in his local paper from The Massachusetts Home Buyers LLC.

Hank called The Massachusetts Home Buyers LLC and told him his predicament. Hank began his conversation by saying, “ Look, I know you can’t help me in my situation but maybe you can give me some advice?”, the investor from The Massachusetts Home Buyers LLC laughed and calmly said “ Well hello, my name is Gary, Whats yours?”. Hank forgetting his manners backed up his excitement and said with a sigh, “My apologies, Hank here”. The caller than asked Hank to fill him in on what’s going on. At the end of the conversation, the investor asked to visit the property and take a look at the permits that were once pulled by Hank that he never utilized back before the crash.

Although the permits had become null and void, the investor knew the area very well as well as the permitting process for building additions. The Massachusetts Home Buyers LLC are constantly scrutinizing and investigating the housing market and its bylaws. At the end of the walkthrough the investor suprised Hank with a deal that almost had him fall to the ground. The deal, according to Hank was pure genius.

The deal looked like this:

First, Hank will transfer title to the property over to the Massachusetts Home Buyers LLC.

Instead of paying out of pocket, the investor offered him $20,000 cash in pocket for the transfer of title.

The Mass Home Buyers LLC would bring an additional $6,000.00 for closing expenses incurred and pay up the missed payments of $4,500.00 to the bank.

The Massachusetts Home Buyers LLC would then own the home, however, Hank would need to leave his mortgage untouched and in place.

To lessen Hank’s anxiety, Hank and the investor called his lender on a three-way call to explain the transaction. Strangely, the lender knew the investor by the first name. Hank knew he was dealing with professionals. The investor kindly told the lender about Hanks's situation and that he offered him the title in exchange for paying off the back payments as well as take over his note as-is. The lender said, “ Ok, Gary, so you want to subject to the existing note and make payments on Mr. Hanks 30 year fixed?” The investor replied, “yes, Sir.” The lender asked, “ok, that's fine; when do you think it will transfer or be paid in full?” The investor said calmly, “I don’t know now; however, you will be the first to know when we do so.” The lender stated, “fair enough- ok, we are good, no static on this end.” Hank had heard about the dreaded due on sale clauses and was just relieved. Besides, the investor boldly asked the lender to keep the mortgage under Hank's name; however, cancel his insurance for a tenant-buyer who can be vetted additionally by the lender will be taking over. Hanks's problems were swiftly Disappearing. How does this subject to thing work anyhow?

Finally the closing date has come and looked like this.

Purchase: $25,000 transfer of deed w/ subject to $290,000 fixed 30 year mortgage payments.

Hank has money for first and last for a apartment and got his job back. Also, his credit was soaring because of all the additional payoffs by the tenant-buyer the Mass Home Buyers LLC had moved in.

Investors side

Current mortgage: $1,250 per month

The Mass Home Buyers Lease Option Payments by tenant buyer: $1,900.00 ( the areas rental median is $2,500) Cash Flow $650.00

The tenant-buyer was a carpenter who pulled a new permit and added over 1600 SF of home and an in-law and two full baths. The home soared from $290,000 to $480,000.00

After cash-out refinances, the tenant-buyer will be able to reflip, and the Massachusetts Home Buyers LLC will make over $235,000 within 1.5 years. Not bad for one deal.

Hank no longer is upside down and in debt. He also has money in the bank. The tenant-buyer has an affordable investment he will inevitably reflip. The Massachusetts Home Buyers LLC made a healthy profit for saving Hank's credit from annihilation while providing inventory to one of many tenant buyers. Talk about a win/win/win heh? Subject to deal structuring is highly beneficial for sellers who are in situations like Hank, but also if they need to sell in a hurry due to a strict timeline that cannot wait for a realtor to research, market, interview, negotiate, and inevitably, sell their home.

Subject to candidates usually have three main scenarios in common:

They are facing foreclosure and/or exceptionally behind on payments

They want to repair their credit score and what better than a real estate solutions company paying their tab under their name on a monthly basis for an extended amount of time. As the buyer pays on the mortgage, the previous owner of which the note is named under, is being paid consistently. Sometimes even double paid due to the buyers motivation to pay down the balance in preparation of either a resell or a cash out finance situation.

They need to move very quickly and do not have the time to A) remote manage a realtor on the property which can result in miscommunication and other issues B) Has a new job that begins relatively soon that is out-of-state. C) A or B, however, has a significant amount of mortgage left to pay. and D) Is negative on their note and does not want to come out of pocket to pay the difference. The Massachusetts Home Buyers LLC not only assists those in selling their upside-down notes but will also. Reward the seller for transferring the title. What would you rather do?

The moral of the story is, long as you’re dealing with professionals and people who know how to market with structure and don’t hide things from anybody, make deals such as a subject to or any other Creative Financial matter that much more beneficial for all. As of today, the Massachusetts homebuyers not only helps people in need like Hank but also work with retail homebuyers because they structure their deals in a way that gives both the seller what they need in regards to pricing at the same time, create a good investment for their company. REMEMBER THIS: THE SELLER OF A PROPERTY MUST ALWAYS HAVE A MORTGAGE OR ANY ALTERNATE LIEN AGAINST THE HOME TO CONDUCT A SUBJECT TO DEAL. IF THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PAYMENTS AGAINST THE HOME THAN IT WOULD BE KNOWN AS SELLER FINANCING.

[iamjustanotheroneshotwriter]

I love you 3000 (Tony Stark x daughter!reader)

[Yes, I am back writing stuff. For, we´ll see how long I´m motivated xD Feel free to send me some requests though!]

[My Discord]

[3.7K words]

[Don´t repost on other websites without asking!]

[Commissions OPEN [via DM]]

[Warning: FEELS. Major Endgame Spoilers]

[Storyline: 13 years past Endgame, you are Tony Starks 17 year old daughter and attending High school. Since your dad died, you had to attend all of the annual father-daughter dances with Happy and people keep on bullying because of that. All you want is meeting your real dad. (Morgan does not exist, you were born around the time she was born)]

You sat on your window sledge, looking outside. Everyone in your backyard was dressed in black. Avengers, former Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents and a few people you didn´t even knew. Same thing as every year on your fathers death day. Your mum looks up towards your window. You had never really spent your dad´s death day outside and you weren´t going to start it now. You didn´t get why your mum wanted to celebrate this day every year anyway. You would´ve been happy with just a small dinner with only your family, instead your mum was hosting a party. You were so sick of people celebrating. Sometimes you felt like people were actually happy your dad died. You weren´t though. You wanted him to still be in your life.

You wanted to be like everyone else in high school. Even though you know it wasn´t true, everyone always seemed to have the perfect life with the perfect family in their perfect little world. And you just existed next to all of that. Hardly talking to anyone, just concentrated on school all the time. You were smart, but due to the experience of loosing your dad and the bullying that started all the way back in primary school, you had a lot of trouble staying focussed on your work. Which caused people to make even more fun of you. Famous daughter of genius Tony Stark isn´t even good in school. She would never live up to what Tony did. She would never be as smart, as talented, that´s just how it is. Her dad would just be embarrassed if he could see her, that was what everyone was saying.

And even though they didn´t knew what they were talking about, you felt like they were right. You created some stuff, but they could never live up to what your dad did. You wanted to be a hero like him, but you just couldn´t. The suit you build wasn´t as good as Iron Man. To be honest, Iron Man is a tough thing to live up to anyway. And you could never.

So, you were sure, this wasn´t a day, you should be celebrating. People should just stay to themselves instead of celebrating that Tony Stark isn´t here anymore.

You heard a small knock on your door.

“Come in,” you said, not even looking at your door.

“You should be downstairs. Not in here on your own,” you heard a familiar voice.

“I´m not celebrating the fact, that I don´t have a dad, Peter.”

Peter Parker, your longest friend, former babysitter and possibly the only person who gets you, walked into the room, closes the door behind him and sat down on the window sledge on the other side. You took a good look at him. He looked stressed, but if you were honest, there was hardly a day any more he didn´t. He was 29, had two kids and had just gone through a divorce. The whole situation left it´s marks, obviously. And during all of the, he still tried to keep being Spider-Man. But he´s been distracted. You can´t quite recall how often you heard on the new, that Spider-Man has been injured. It was really often though. You were actually scared you´d be loosing him as well sooner or later.

“You know, this is our way of showing him, how much we miss him.”

“Well, Peter, and this is mine.”

Peter stayed quite. And so did you. You didn´t knew how to feel, you felt sort of lost. It wasn´t because of Peter, it was probably just the day.

“You ever feel like you can´t live up to dad?,” you suddenly ask.

“I do. Sometimes I just feel like I´m supposed to be another Iron Man. But I can´t. I´ll never be him.”

“Feels horrible, doesn´t it? I feel like I´m always supposed to be like dad, but I can´t. I´m nothing like him.”

“What are you talking about? You´ve created an amazing suit, you are smart, you´ve been working in your dad´s lab so often by now, creating stuff. You are so much like him!”

“I´m stupid, I don´t even know if I can pass my SATs.”

“Being smart isn´t defined by your grades! I´ve seen you tinkering, creating that suit and talking to FRIDAY in a really smart way I wouldn´t even be able to talk to someone in. And I bet, you could do so much more, if you just believed in yourself a little more”

“I just miss him so much. I want him here, telling me all that kind of stuff, I´m sorry, Peter.”

You started crying. Peter tried to get closer to hug you, but you move away.

After a while of silently sitting in your room, you stopped crying again. You actually came up with an idea, though you weren´t sure, whether Peter would be alright with it.

“I want to see him. Not just the pictures all around the world, I want to meet him in person.”

“I know, Y/N, but you can´t.”

“Oh, but I can!”

Peter looked at you in confusion. He didn´t knew what to say or what you were actually talking about.

“You can´t. You´d have to travel back in time and that´s not possible.”

“I can though! You don´t have to pretend to not know anything, uncle Scott told me about the Time Heist and I´ve done some research. And FRIDAY has still got the data about the project saved. I can figure out a way to make the time machine work again. And I even know where the time machine is! I just never knew when the right time was. But now I know, it has to happen today, this is the right time.”

Peter stayed silent, thinking about what you just said.

“Are you in?,” you asked.

“I don´t know, Y/N, that sounds quite dangerous. You must´ve seen Back To The Future or similar time travel movies. Changing the slightest bit about the past can change the whole future.”

“That´s movies, Peter, time travel does not work that way! It´s safe, I promise!”

“If I die, that´s on you!”

“Awesome, let´s go!,” you exclaimed, jumping up from your seat.

“Right now?,” Peter asked, but instead of answering, you just nodded your head.

After you looked at your dad´s calculations about the recreation of Pym Particles, which were essential for a time travel through the quantum realm, you got into one of the cars down stairs. Your dad left you and your mum a few cars actually. You told Peter to get into he seat next to you. You were able to drive. Peter would probably say you weren´t really good at it, he was terrified he might die before even reaching the compound, but somehow, you got there alive.

When you arrived at the compound, you checked your phone. You were sure your mum must´ve texted you, there was no way, she didn´t see you leaving. And your were right.

Honey, where are you going?

- MUM

You thought about a good answer for a second.

Just need to get out, you

know I can´t stand dad´s

death day celebrations.

I took Peter with me by

the way. We´re at the

Compound, that´s all

- Y/N

You put your phone away again. Smiling at Peter. Then you entered the building. You were actually glad everyone was at your place right now, so no one would ever know, what you did. Peter followed you to the basement. You walked into the laboratory, looking if dad probably hid Pym Particles somewhere. You were really lucky, you had found just enough for the two of you to travel back in time and come back. But you had to create new ones after, it was for sure that at least Bruce knew about the Pym Particles and would know what happened, when he realized they were gone. But for now, that didn´t matter. You took all four of them and walked down to a locked room.

“Well, I guess this is over then, we can´t get in there, Doctor Banner must´ve locked it,” Peter said, already turning around.

“Scared, aren´t we?,” you joked, before pulling out a key.

“Locked doors have never been an issue, you out of all the people should´ve known that, Peter!”

He turned back to you rolling his eyes. You could tell he didn´t want to do this, but he had no choice but to join in or stay in the room and wait for you. Because you were going and he knew there was no way around it.

Peter followed you into the small room. Only GPS to activate the suit and the machine itself was in that room.

“I told you, I know where it is,” you said, smiling at your companion.

“Suit up, we´ve got a big journey ahead!,” you add before typing something into the GPS.

You hand it to Peter and he looks at it in slight confusion.

“You should know how dad´s nano tech works. Put it around your hand and tighten it! Then just press the button. I´ve set the timer already.”

Peter did as told and so did you. The suit materializes around both your bodies within seconds. Then you hand two of the vile with the Pym Particles to Peter.

“There is a compartment in your suit. Just put the viles in.”

Again Peter just followed your instructions.

Suddenly, Peter stopped, looking at you: “Y/N, I really don´t know if this is actually a good idea to be honest.”

“You can either join me or let me go on my own, I´m meeting my dad today!”

With that, you step to the remote pad, putting in some stuff, before stepping onto the machine. The machine powers up.

You look at Peter: “Are you coming or not?”

Peter struggles for a second, but then he steps onto the machine: “Let´s do this!”

Travelling through time was probably the worst thing you´ve ever felt. Your surroundings were crushing you, everything was spinning and you really felt like throwing up. And landing gracefully was the other thing that wasn´t really the way you expected it to be. You fell over as soon as your feet touched the ground. But at least Peter wasn´t really doing better.

“Where are we? I can´t see anything,” Peter asked.

You looked around. Itwas night time, but you knew the place. You were exactly were you wanted to be. Everything worked out the way you wanted it to work out.

“In the forest by the cabin. I remember this day vividly. It´s just shortly before dad goes on the time heist to save everyone. During the day, dad was playing hero with me outside, but then some of the Avengers came over talking to him about something. The time heist actually, but I didn´t knew that back then. At night time, he started figuring stuff out. I couldn´t really sleep, so we were downstairs in his workshop eating ice cream before I went to bed. I should be in bed by this time, but dad is still awake. This is like the only day with him I can remember this well. So come on, let´s meet my dad!”

Peter nodded. There was no going back any more anyway. The two of you walked over to the cabin. Only one light was still on, near the garage. You went over to the flowerpot where a spare key was hidden in and unlock the door.

“Looked doors are actually never a issue around you,” Peter laughed quietly, trying not to wake someone up.

“Told you so!”

The two of you entered the house and walked into your dad´s workshop. You had a weird feeling in your stomach before entering the workshop and you felt tears in your eyes. You hesitate. You were about to meet your dad, but at the same time you were scared. What if he hated the way you turned out to be? You couldn´t even blame him for doing so, he would be right.

“Are you alright?,” Peter whispered.

You nodded and took a deep breath. Then you opened a door. A man with grey hair jumped at the squeaking noise the door made and looked at the two of you. Shook was written all over his face in capital letters. He did have tears in his eyes. And so did you. Your dad was standing there, right in front of you and alive.

“Peter? This can´t be! You´re dead, you disintegrated in my arms, this can´t be!,” he exclaimed.

His voice. You haven´t heard it in ages only on record, but it sounded so familiar, like he´s always been there.

“I´m here. But not really. It´s complicated, Mister Stark,” Peter tried to explain.

Before he could continue, your dad had come over and pulled him into a hug. It hurt you a little, that he behaved like Peter was his son, but didn´t recognized you, but obviously, he couldn´t. The version of you that was upstairs asleep was 4 years old. And you did change a lot over the years.

“And who is this beautiful young lady? You look familiar,” your dad then said towards you.

“I- Dad,” you just managed to say.

He looked at you for a second before he recognized you. He starts crying and starts hugging you.

“Y/N? Look at you! You´ve grown so much and you´re so pretty! You look so much like your mum!”

Now you join in on his crying. You clinged to him and never wanted to let him go again. So for a couple of minutes you just stood there and cried.

“So, time travel does actually work? Lang has not gone insane?,” your dad asked.

You nodded: “Yes, dad, yes, it works! And you will save the planet, everyone is back, Thanos is gone.”

“So why are you here then? It sound´s pretty good!”

“Well-,” you stop.

How to tell your own dad that you wanted to see him, because he died saving the planet. That you missed him. You started crying a little bit again.

“I-,” your dad stopped and looked at you for a second.

“I didn´t make it, right? I died,” he then finished.

You nodded and your dad started hugging you again.

“I´m so sorry,” he said quietly.

You took a step back: “It´s not your fault.”

Your dad looked towards Peter: “There is some ice cream in the kitchen, if you wanted some. I´m just gonna go outside with Y/N, I really want to talk to her in private.”

Peter nodded and left the room while you and your dad left the workshop through a door straight to the outside. Your dad walked with you towards the lake and then slightly into the forest til he reached a tree that fell over into the water. You knew this place better than anything, it´s always been your favourite place. You always used to come here when you didn´t feel well or just needed a time-out.

“This is one of my favourite places. I always imagined that one day, we´d sit here, talking about your first invention, planning things, looking online for the most beautiful prom dress or talking about your first boyfriend. We could´ve build Iron Man suits together and maybe even a suit for you and I could´ve taught you everything I knew. And for sure that two of us would´ve skipped a lot of dinners to get Cheeseburgers,” your dad imagined.

You tried your best not start crying again: “This is actually my favourite spot as well. I always come here if I need to calm down and to think about things.”

“Which probably rarely even happens. You´re for sure top of your class and people like you and you´ve got a lot of friends, don´t you?”

“Actually not. It´s just all so complicated. I got bullied since I started school. Everyone had basically their perfect little family. Girls went to father daughter dances with their dads, had their dads at school to introduce their job and got picked up by them. I went to father daughter dances with happy, mum always told about the company at school and I always had one of the Avengers picking me up and people just hated me for all of that and wouldn´t talk to me.”

You really wanted to cry again, but you couldn´t.

“I´m so sorry, I never wanted this to happen to you! But most families are dysfunctional, but who can say that the Avengers are their family. Even if it´s hard, I´d say you´re pretty lucky. Your mother is amazing and so are the Avengers. Even Steve though we fought a lot.”

“Steve isn´t with us any more. After your death, he travelled back in time to bring back the stones. He decided to stay with Peggy, he didn´t came back. In the end, he was dying because of his age. I think he had a really good life though.”

“So he did, what I told him to. Actually, I´m glad to hear that.”

“The thing is just I always felt out of place. My grades slipped and by now everyone is just telling me how embarrassed you would be, if you could see me now and how lucky I am that you can´t. They keep calling me a disgrace for the Stark family.”

“You´re everything but that! Just look at you! I couldn´t be any prouder! Life doesn´t depend on grades or likes and I love you just the way you are!”

You started crying a little bit again.

“Dad, I´m proud of you too. You saved everyone. You are the hero who ended up saving the world. And you died saving it.”

“I´d do everything to make the world safe for my daughter!”

“You didn´t just do it for me, did you? It was for him too,” you said, looking towards the house.

Your dad nodded: “Peter is like a son to me.”

“He has always been like a brother to me. He always tried to be there for me.”

“I want to make the world safer too, dad, to be honest. I´ve been trying to build a suit, but I feel like everyone is expecting me to live up to you.”

“You can´t, honey. No one can. And I don´t want you. The world doesn´t need another Tony Stark. Now what the world needs is a Y/N Stark. And I know you´ll be doing just amazing! And honestly, I would´ve loved to build a suit together with you! Tony and Y/N Stark! The perfect team I´d imagine.”

You smiled a little: “Actually, I´ve got my suit here right now.”

Your dad look at you and you double tapped your watch. The suit started building up around you.

“Nano Tech, I love it!,” your dad exclaimed.

“I guess I learned from the best!”

You and your dad discussed your suit for a little time and he gave you a lot of good advise you wanted to use to make your suit even better.

“I can see it right in front of me: Y/N Stark, the best hero the world has ever seen!”

“You know, mum is gonna kill me, if I started being a hero.”

Your dad nodded.

“Dad, I think Peter and I should head back. It was so good meeting you though. Dad, I love you so much,” you said a little bit sad and got up.

“I love you 3000!,” your dad answered.

“Yeah dad, I love you 3000!”

Silently the two of you walked back to the house. Peter was already sitting outside waiting for you.

“Ready to go?,” he asked.

You shook your head: “To be honest, not really, but I know we can´t stay, so yes, I am ready I think.”

Your dad hugged Peter first: “Promise me, you keep on taking good care of my daughter!”

Peter nodded in response: “Always, Mister Stark!”

Then your dad hugged you. You started crying again, you didn´t want to say goodbye. But you had no choice, even though, this was going to be really hard.

“You´ll be alright! I´m so proud of you and I´ll be watching you from beyond, always keeping you safe,” he said.

“I love you 3000, Dad!,” you said again before letting go of him.

Peter took you hand. Together you pushed the button on your GPS, having the time travel suits building up around you again. You wave one last time, before travelling back to the future.

Again, you had problems landing on your feet and landed on the floor instead. You were still crying and Peter started hugging you until you stopped. Since no time passed, you suggested you´d go back to the cabin. You were suddenly in the mood joining the celebrations of your dad´s death day. He so deserved to be praised and celebrated, he was an amazing person.

“I´m glad we did that, Peter. I feel so much better now!”

At night time, after everyone left, you and your mum were sitting in the living room next to the fire. You have been talking all evening about your dad and you were really happy about it.

“What caused this sudden change of mind?,” your mum asked after a while.

You didn´t have to think about what you wanted to answer: “I had a vision. I´ve seen dad. And I´ve seen what an amazing man he is. I realized that he´s worth celebrating!”

“I´m proud of you, honey!”

“Thank you mum. I love you!

“I love you two!”

In the past, Tony stood outside the cabin, still waving at his daughter that was gone now. Just when he wanted to go back inside, Pepper stepped out of the cabin.

“Are you alright? I felt like I heard you talking!,” she said.

Tony smiled: “You must´ve dreamed. Or maybe, I could´ve been talking to myself, I´ve been trying to figure this out!”

“Did you figured it out then?”

Tony nodded: “I did. And I´m going to help the Avengers. I just had a vision. About our daughter being grown up already. I made the decision, I´m gonna be a hero for one last time. I want to make the world safe for her.”

“What do you mean by one last time?,” Pepper asked in a bit of shock.

“I dont want to continue this! For the family. We´ll be a proper family when all of this is over,” he said before kissing his wife.

He wouldn´t tell her, that that wasn´t the truth. But after seeing his daughter, he knew, that he left the world with someone really special. He would never regret saving it.

[96thdayofrage]

Since the attack, House members, who were forced to evacuate the chamber after it was stormed by pro-Trump insurrectionists, have been debating the potential creation of an independent investigative commission, after the pattern of the one formed following 9/11, to investigate the January 6 riot.

And as of Friday, when the leaders of the House Homeland Security Committee announced a bipartisan agreement on its formation, that commission looks closer than ever — much to McCarthy’s potential discomfort, should he be called to testify.

Specifically, if McCarthy testifies either voluntarily or under subpoena as part of the commission’s investigation, he could be faced with the prospect of bridging the rather large gap between Trump — who has shown no inclination to relinquish his grasp on the Republican Party — and the truth of what happened at the Capitol on January 6.

As CNN and other outlets have reported previously — and pro-impeachment Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA) confirmed in a statement in February — McCarthy spoke with Trump while the riot was still ongoing and pleaded with Trump to call his supporters off.

According to Herrera Beutler, Trump “initially repeated the falsehood that it was antifa that had breached the Capitol” on the call with McCarthy.

Subsequently, Herrera Beutler said in her February statement, “McCarthy refuted that and told the president that these were Trump supporters. That’s when, according to McCarthy, the president said: ‘Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are.’”

Other Republicans have corroborated Trump’s state of mind as the attack was unfolding. According to Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE), “Donald Trump was walking around the White House confused about why other people on his team weren’t as excited as he was as you had rioters pushing against Capitol Police trying to get into the building.”

If McCarthy is called on to substantiate Herrera Beutler’s account of the McCarthy-Trump call for the commission, however, it would likely also put McCarthy in an awkward position politically.

That’s because McCarthy’s call with Trump — which reportedly took place as rioters were attempting to break through the minority leader’s office windows — is a reminder of the true severity of the January 6 attack, and of Trump’s support for the mob, who he described as “very special” in a video later the same day. It’s also increasingly out of step with a Republican conference eager to downplay the insurrection and a former president who is hypersensitive to criticism — and it’s hard to imagine McCarthy looking forward to giving a faithful retelling of January 6 to a potential commission.

The commission plan isn’t a sure thing yet

Despite Upton’s and Cheney’s comments, however, there are still lots of “ifs” floating around any potential McCarthy testimony — like the commission itself. Though Friday’s agreement between House Homeland Security Committee chair Bennie Thompson (D-MS) and ranking member John Katko (R-NY) gives the commission at least a veneer of bipartisanship, it’s less clear how much support the proposal will find with House GOP leadership.

Katko, specifically, is an outlier — one of just 10 House Republicans to support impeaching Trump — and his conference just purged the only member of leadership, Cheney, who likewise voted to impeach Trump for inciting insurrection.

For now, McCarthy has yet to come down either for or against the plan — telling reporters Friday that he hadn’t approved the deal and wants to see more details — but a vote on the measure could be coming “as soon as next week,” according to the statement released by Thompson.

“Inaction — or just moving on — is simply not an option,” Thompson said Friday. “The creation of this commission is our way of taking responsibility for protecting the U.S. Capitol. ... we owe it to the Capitol police and all who enter our citadel of democracy to investigate the attack.”

There are also questions about whether a McCarthy subpoena could materialize even if the commission is established in its proposed form.

McCarthy will likely get a say in selecting half of the commission

According to the statement released Friday by Thompson, the independent commission would consist of 10 total members appointed by a bipartisan, bicameral leadership group — five by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), including the commission chair, and five by McCarthy himself and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), including a vice chair.

None of those members may be sitting members of Congress or current government employees, according to Thompson, and they must all have “significant expertise in the areas of law enforcement, civil rights, civil liberties, privacy, intelligence, and cybersecurity.”

But though the commission would have subpoena power in its proposed form, actually issuing a subpoena would require at least limited bipartisan consensus — either an agreement between the chair and vice chair, or a simple majority vote.

In other words, McCarthy will have a direct hand in choosing enough commission members to block the subpoena process if they vote as a bloc, which could make Upton and Cheney’s suggestion that McCarthy be subpoenaed aspirational at best.

The Republican conference is trying to whitewash the insurrection

If the commission proposal, which calls for a final report and “recommendations to prevent future attacks on our democratic institutions” to be issued by the end of this calendar year, does come to fruition, it could be a valuable reminder of what actually occurred on January 6 — something which some House Republicans appear increasingly fuzzy about.

In the past week alone, the GOP effort to whitewash the insurrection, which injured 140 members of law enforcement, has kicked into high gear.

On Wednesday, for example, in a committee hearing on the attack, Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) said that “there was no insurrection and to call it an insurrection, in my opinion, is a boldfaced lie.”

“Watching the TV footage of those who entered the Capitol and walked through Statuary Hall showed people in an orderly fashion staying between the stanchions and ropes, taking videos and pictures,” Clyde said. “You know, if you didn’t know the TV footage was a video from January the 6th, you would actually think it was a normal tourist visit.”

Clyde isn’t alone — also this week, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) said that “there’s no evidence this was an armed insurrection,” and Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) described the insurrectionists as “peaceful patriots.”

Needless to say, all three statements (and there are several others in the same vein just from this week) are flat-out false — and there’s abundant video evidence to prove it.

In addition to all of the footage that has already emerged from the riot — much of which is graphic and disturbing — CNN just this week obtained new bodycam video showing a DC Metropolitan Police officer, Michael Fanone, being attacked by the mob.

According to CNN, Fanone was “stun-gunned several times and beaten with a flagpole” by Trump supporters. He also suffered a “mild” heart attack, according to the Washington Post, and at least one insurrectionist shouted that the mob should “kill [Fanone] with his own gun!”

As the Washington Post editorial board argued on Friday, it’s no sure thing that the 9/11-style commission agreed on by Thompson and Katko will stop Republicans from pushing a false, revisionist account of January 6.

“But,” the board writes, “as [the commission] answers outstanding questions about how the riot occurred and who is responsible — in part, we hope, by taking the sworn testimony of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and other eyewitness lawmakers — the panel ought to make it harder for Republicans to twist the truth.”

Upton himself has made the same point: In the same CNN interview Sunday, he told Bash that his colleagues’ claims that the attack was “peaceful” were “absolutely bogus.”

“I saw the gallows that were constructed on the East Front of the Capitol,” Upton said. “It was chilling, what happened, absolutely chilling. And that’s why I think that it’s important that we move forward with this bipartisan commission.”

[kingcountydemocrats]

Joint Statement on KCGOP Chair Joshua Freed’s Failure to Reckon with Extremist Violence in WA GOP

WA Democratic Party Leaders Reject Meaningless Olive Branch Devoid of Accountability

For Immediate Release | January 11, 2020

SEATTLE — Prior to the attempted insurrection in Washington, D.C. last Wednesday, newly-elected King County Republicans Chair Joshua Freed committed to speaking at and advertised his upcoming appearance at a rally with the “Olympia Freedom Party” espousing similar rhetoric to the rioters who breached the Capitol building the following day. 

Following the violence in both our nation’s capitol and in Olympia last week, he failed to publicize his withdrawal from the event. When called out by his counterpart in the King County Democrats, Chair Shasti Conrad, for this failure of leadership he resorted to classic Republican whataboutism and attempted to divert attention from his complicity with this extremist violence by requesting a “sit down” with his Democratic counterparts. 

So my counterpart @KCGOP is going to be a speaker at what will likely be another riot tomorrow. Not only has he NOT disavowed the violence from Weds, he is actively planning to continue it. We must fight back as a party @kcdems @washdems @Tinapo https://t.co/8bvlQkzDpU

— Shasti Conrad (@ShastiConrad) January 9, 2021

In response to this and what are sure to be many meaningless gestures from Republicans seeking to whitewash their reputations of supporting extremist factions within their party, King County Democrats Chair Shasti Conrad and Washington State Democrats Chair Tina Podlodowski issued the following statement:

“There can be no unity, no healing, and no ‘moving past’ the events of the last week without meaningful accountability from existing Republican leaders and elected officials for their role in promoting the extremist elements of their party responsible for this violence. There is no equivalence between isolated incidents of property crime — which Democratic leaders have and continue to condemn — committed during Black Lives Matter protests for racial justice and the violent insurrections by white militia members taking place across our country. 

“To even imply a moral equivalence between largely peaceful protests by communities of color and those standing in solidarity and the organized, militaristic mobilization of mobs seeking to lynch our elected officials by the sitting President of the United States is absurd on its face. We will not stand by and let Chairman Freed’s attempt to distract from his role elevating this extremist wing of his party go unchallenged. His ongoing failure to do so only further endangers the communities of color in King County that he allegedly wants to serve.

“We welcome any Republican leader or elected official sincerely interested in de-escalating this violence to join us in this work, which we have been engaged in for nearly two years as we worked to hold them accountable for enabling extremists like former Rep. Matt Shea. Chairman Freed has not even begun to do the work of dismantling the support he helped build for these extremists, as evidenced by his failure to publicly condemn the event from which he allegedly withdrew until challenged by his political opponents.

“To make this unmistakably clear to Chairman Freed, the public, and members of the press, we have identified a short list of actions he could take to demonstrate his good faith and sincere regret for his role in amplifying extremists within his party during his failed runs for governor and lieutenant governor last year:

Unequivocally denounce any violence at the Capitol in Olympia today as well as the violence in Washington, D.C. and Olympia last week;

Condemn Republican Representative Robert Sutherland’s “call to war” in response to President-elect Joe Biden’s democratic victory;

Condemn former Representative Matt Shea’s call to arms last week, and cease any pandering to such extremists in the Washington GOP as they have clearly have no respect for democracy;

Demonstrate his commitment to excising this anti-democratic cancer from his party by ceasing any professional association with his “best friend” who represented Shea during his clashes with the Public Disclosure Commission and also represented Freed during his refusal to respect the rule of law in Washington State;

Condemn former gubernatorial candidate Loren Culp’s call for his supporters to show up at Republican Secretary of State Kim Wyman’s office to object to certified election results who was subsequently the target of death threats;

Publicly retract his endorsement of Loren Culp’s gubernatorial campaign and commit to refraining from endorsing any campaign Culp launches for public office due to his refusal to accept Washington’s certified election results;

Call on fellow Republican elected officials and leaders to boycott rallies or protests held by groups who encourage members to openly carry firearms in the proximity of government offices or the Capitol in Olympia; and

Publicly acknowledge the legitimacy of President-elect Joe Biden’s victory and submit a binding resolution to his executive board to withhold endorsements and any material support for candidates who fail to do the same.

“Until Chairman Freed demonstrates through his actions — and not just empty rhetoric — that he is interested in the hard work of rebuilding our democracy in the wake of the devastation wrought by Trump and his enablers here in Washington State, we at the Democratic Party have no interest in providing political cover for his transparent attempt to rehabilitate his public image.”

Joint Statement on KCGOP Chair Joshua Freed’s Failure to Reckon with Extremist Violence in WA GOP was originally published on King County Democrats

[ask-de-writer]

DARING DO and the ADVENTURE of the X'IBIAN VASE! : MLP Fan Fiction : Part 2 of 21

Return to theMaster Story Index

Return to MLP Fan Fiction

DARING DO and the

ADVENTURE of the X'IBIAN VASE!

by

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck) @ask-de-writer​

And

Carmen Pondiego @askcarmenpondiego​

Cover Art by

Doctor Dimension

52630 words

© 2020 by Glen Ten-Eyck

Writing begun 08/26/15

All rights reserved.  This document may not be copied or distributed on or to any medium or placed in any mass storage system except by the express written consent of the author.

//////////////

Copyright fair use rules for Tumblr users

Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights.  They may reblog the story.  They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions, provided that such things are done without charge.  I will allow those who do commission art works to charge for their images.  

All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fictions is actively encouraged.

///////////////////////

The partners opened the door to enter impressively.  They tripped headlong on their own wastebaskets! She made a point of looking up disapprovingly and said sternly, “Please be seated.  I will be with you momentarily.”

She continued to study and sip the expensive juice.  Shaking her head in mock frustration, she glared up at the dismayed partners.  “You really do need a better translator for X'ibian.  This farrago is nearly hopeless.”

Before any of them could respond to the multiple outrages that they were experiencing, Daring Do snorted, “Don’t like it when the intimidation is happening to you? Neither do I.  The difference is this.  I DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT IF I GET BORED!

“To business.  Now.”

“Um, that is my chair, Miss Do.”

“And you may have it back as soon as the conference is over, Mister Tyranny.  Along with it, you may have the juice, if any is left.  The longer that this takes, the less you get.”  She pointedly sipped more from the snifter.

“The FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS will be the payment of the sum of fifty thousand golden bits directly to my account at Equestrian National Bank.  This is repayment for your clumsy break-in of my office.”

“Now, Miss Do, you are making wild accusations that cannot be proved at all!”

Raising her eyebrows in amusement, Daring Do retorted, “Really, Mister Overthrow?  I know that this will not hold up in court because no warrant was used to obtain it.  Trust me, I have more.  Enough to put both you and Mister Robber into jail.”  

She shuffled through the stack of purloined documents and held up a map and a parchment, both sealed by chop and brush written.  The parchment was in Chineighese and the map notes written in X'ibian.

“Besides these, I have your accomplice who used a key to open my door, already in custody under the Royal Wing.  In Celestia and Luna’s Evidence are certain other things that can be traced to you both.”

Outraged, Mister Tyranny demanded, “What puts a minor break in at the University under the Royal Wing?”

Smiling sadly, Daring Do replied, “The fact that the broken figurines that were on my shelves were genuine antiques belonging to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.  They were gifts that I gave them and are formally recorded in the Royal Register.  That is where the bulk of the damages come from.”

Hardening to solid steel, her voice demanded, “NO CHECKS OR DRAFTS ON YOUR FIRM!  No PERSONAL ONES, either.  Irrevocable gold transfer orders to the Bank, now! The Princesses have already given the Bank their authorization for the size of the sum.”

“We will need to confer on this!”

“Confer away!  Just do not take too long nor leave this room for any reason.  The building is already surrounded by units of the Royal Guards backed up by the 23rd Airborne Armored Pegassi and the 4th Royal Armored Heavy Infantry.  Don’t believe me?  Just look out the window at the streets.”

They looked.  And shuddered. “What happens if we do the transfer, Miss Do?”

“It will reduce the issue to an out of court damage settlement.  The evidence will be kept in the case of violation or future charges from other misconduct.”

Glumly, Tyranny tapped codes into the Magic Net mirror built into his desk.  He spoke briefly and bitterly.  A few minutes later, Overthrow reported, “The armor is pulling back.”

There was a signal from Daring Do’s mirror.  She spoke briefly.  Looking up brightly, she reported, “The transfer is done and the military units will withdraw completely after our business is done and I am safely out of the building.”

Tyranny’s brow clouded with fury.  “We have paid!  Don’t you trust us?”

With an angelic smile, Daring do returned, “You are LAWYERS.  NOBODY in their right mind trusts you!

“Now, about this business that you wanted to hire me for.”

The three partners glared at each other first and then unified their hateful stares at Daring Do, who responded by by pouring another shot into the snifter and sipping appreciatively.

It was Robber who snapped, “After this extortion, why would we even consider you for anything?”

“You broke into my office, faking the breaking of the dead bolt and the frame to obtain information that you have totally failed to get.  You did find this map which you could have got a copy of for only five silver bits from the Antique Sites Registry.  You also stole a letter from my friend and guide, Sang He.  I suspect that you took it because it was in something looking like Chineighese.  It’s not.  This is modern X'ibian written with Chineighese characters.  Sorry.”

Sourly, Tyranny said, “That map has the exact location of the artifact that we are looking for. It is at the X.”

Daring Do almost spit out her juice, she was laughing so hard.  “You have marked the ancient Imperial city of Hong Wa!  Do you have any idea what the scale of this map is?  Your X marking the exact spot covers a radius of 15 kilometers from Hong Wa!”

Glaring at Daring Do, sitting in HIS chair, sipping His expensive juice, and laughing at him was not to be borne!  He haughtily informed her, “It is buried in the necropolis, a graveyard, just out of the city.  All that is needed is to find the appropriate tomb or grave and dig it up!”

Daring Do stopped laughing.  She was staring at Mister Tyranny as if she was looking at a retarded colt.  Jaw dropped, she asked, “Are you serious?  You should have bought the map from the Antiquities Site Registry.  You would have gotten the main site list along with it.

“Inside the radius of the X on the map, there are 14 necropoli, each housing over 2000 tombs and shaft graves.  This does not count the simple burials.  If you extend the search radius only a little, you also include the cliff burials. We cataloged over 300 caves, both natural and carved into the stone. The caves that we sampled had upwards of five hundred skeletons each.”

It was Mister Overthrow who dropped the bomb, so to speak.  “It should be easy to locate.  It is in the tomb of Im Farst, the founding emperor of the X'ibian Empire.”

Daring Do put a hoof over her eyes.  “You do know that that Im Farst is basically a partly documented legend, don’t you?  His tomb is RUMORED to be somewhere within three days walk of Hong Wa!  It has never been found.  Over a hundred legal expeditions have spent more than 3.5 million golden bits trying to locate it without success.  Luna alone knows how many illegal ones there have been.

“Among the over 2,000 artifacts that are supposed to have been interred with Im Farst, what precisely do you want found?”

Mister Robber growled as he held out a picture.  “This.  The small blue, green and white vase in the corner of this wall painting.”

Daring Do took one look and nearly fell out of the chair, laughing.  When she got herself under control, she chugged a big slug of juice before snickering, “The Heart of Discord!?  You want that!?  That wall painting is the ONLY record of its existence from the Ancient X'ibian Empire!  All of the mentions of it and claims about it and its mystical powers date from just after the Second Nightmare War, over 750 years after the Heart was supposedly buried and lost for all time!”

Tyranny gave Daring Do a squinty eyed stare.  “IF you can find it, we will not quibble the cost. Let us know how much you will need to mount the expedition and we will give you 50 percent up front and not worry about the recovery of it if you fail.  We do know your record for finding things that others have sought and failed to locate.

“If the Heart is found, we will pay the full balance and add ½ million gold for your service. Just sign this payment agreement and non disclosure document and we will be in business.

Daring Do took the papers and neatly folded them.  “I will keep things confidential, gentleponies.  I will have MY lawyer look them over and advise me about proceeding or not.

“If I go ahead with this, I will deliver this and my expedition workup to Horsetense, the receptionist in the lobby.  Please please be prompt with the payment.”

Getting up and leaving, she said over her shoulder, “Your chair, Mister Tyranny.  I am afraid that there is little of the juice left.  It was excellent.”

Down in the lobby, Daring Do asked a shaken receptionist, “I do hope that the Armored Infantry were polite to you?  I told them to be!”

“They were totally polite, except for setting up the sixty mm Mage-Mortars over in the park. That was not too reassuring.”

“I can see that.”

Daring Do left the building and sauntered up to the Colonel in charge.  “Very well done, Sir.  I will see that the Princesses get a truly favorable report of this action.”

He nodded with a smile.  “Thank you, Miss Do.  If all is in order, we shall withdraw at once.”

A while later Daring Do was staring at her mother’s Canterlot Headquarters.  She shook her head. The building itself, in the poor light of evening was nearly black. It loomed  above the street.  No other word would do; it loomed. There was a relatively huge planter/light box on the front of the building.  It was a pale purple, almost white.  The lights in the box illuminated huge letters spelling out, V.I.L.E.  The V was red over a gray circle with an off white interior.  The remaining letters were the same purplish off white as the circle’s interior.

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[narashikari]

How would Heisei Riders deal with having to use their secondary's gear?

Shoutaro: Why would he do that when he can always just go solo as Kamen Rider Joker (aka the sexiest suit in all of Kamen Rider)? Though if he HAD to, he would probably grumble a lot about it... Unless it’s because he felt like Philip rejected him again, in which case he probably does something we could consider... suicidal.

Philip: Quite fascinated by the whole thing. He’s used both the Lost and W Drivers, and he probably made most of W’s gear, but Accel’s is completely independent of them all. And they were made by his mother, too. He’s less interested in the actual transforming though, since even transforming into Cyclone felt wrong to him. He’s attached to his aibou.

Eiji: Actually one of the few Main Riders to have used their Secondary’s Driver! He became Birth for a short period in the summer movie, and he seemed to handle it well enough.

Gentaro: Does him using Meteor Fusion States in his summer movie count? Gentaro even started doing all of Ryusei’s Jeet Kune Do moves and the gratuitous Bruce Lee-style kiai

Haruto: I haven’t seen much of Wizard, but I think he used one of Beast’s rings for one of the cape-things. Whether he’ll actually transform into Beast, though... He’s not into the pelvic thrust thing Nitou does...

Kouta: “Ore wa... banana?!” 

Shinnosuke: Iirc, he used a Mach Driver (which is actually Chase’s) whenever the Drive Driver was out of commission, like in Surprise Future when he transformed into Super Dead Heat, and in the crossover with Ghost where he first transforms into Dead Heat with a Mach Driver Gou gave him. So obviously he has no issues doing so.

Takeru: He and Makoto use the same Driver, and their luminary Eyecons can be used interchangeably. Whether their personal Eyecons could be used by the other, though, especially since Takeru’s was made from his own soul... Would they end up pulling a W instead? Shenanigans would ensue...

Emu: Like Takeru, Emu shares the same Driver with his second Hiiro. Emu could probably use Hiiro’s gear more effectively from the get-go though, since he’s a genius gamer and everything. 

Sento: It’s a plot point that he can’t use his secondary’s gear, save for the Build Driver they both use. Sento originally tried to use KeyDragon as a Build form, but it was too powerful for him to handle, and it backfired. However, he noticed Dragon’s high compatibility with Ryuuga, so he designed all of Ryuuga’s gear around it. He also can’t use the Sclash Driver for this reason.

Sougo: He and Geiz share most of their gear, save for their personal Ridewatches (including powerups). Their Armor Time forms are just slightly altered depending on who used the Rider Ride Watch, so perhaps the same rules apply for their personal Ride Watch- Sougo’s Geiz forms would just be a riff off the original Geiz suit.

[rjzimmerman]

Just learning that the US has a treaty with Mexico that is almost 50 years old that apparently gives Mexico the right to veto any construction in and along the flood plain of the Rio Grande River. Don’t expect that to stop trump. He and his minions are probably unaware of the treaty’s existence, and even if he and they know about it, we know that treaties mean nothing to trump. But I’m asking: why aren’t the Democrats or any opposing politicians raising this issue?

Excerpt from this Think Progress story:

Much of the government has been shut down for more than 16 days because President Donald Trump insists that Congress fund a border wall that is both a terrible idea and illegal.

The shutdown is because Trump demands extending the existing border walls and barriers to vast areas that make no sense largely because they are in the Rio Grande floodplain. Building barriers in that floodplain was such a problematic idea that a 1970 treaty between United States and Mexico explicitly bans them.

“The president really doesn’t understand the issue,” House Armed Services Committee Chair Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on Sunday.

As the map shows, the overwhelming majority of the border, where there isn’t some form of barrier, runs straight down the middle of 1,254 snaking miles of the enormous Rio Grande River.

But the Rio Grande routinely floods. In fact, as ThinkProgress previously reported, flooding has gotten more frequent and more severe in recent years thanks to climate change.

The 1970 “Treaty to Resolve Pending Boundary Differences and Maintain the Rio Grande and Colorado River as the International Boundary” states that the joint U.S.-Mexico International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) “must approve construction of works proposed in either country” along those rivers. It explicitly prohibits the construction of projects “which, in the judgment of the commission, may cause deflection or obstruction of the normal flow of the river or of its flood flows.”

If Trump flagrantly violates the treaty to build his wall, not only will it lead to court challenges, but it will worsen relations with the very country we need to work with if the United States is to improve the border situation.If it’s not a solid wall, the president has recently suggested the wall could be a “steel slat barrier.” But even steel fencing and barriers are problematic because in a flood they turn into dams that can greatly worsen local flooding.

Indeed, as the Arizona Daily Star reported in 2008, a 5-mile border fence constructed along Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument’s southern border “became a dam” during a flash flood that year.