#Federal Reserve Holiday Hours

[unichrome]

The biggest heist that almost was

Let me tell you about the most insane bank heist that is going to sound like I'm just leaking the script for the next American hacking movie. The goal? Steal one billion USD. And it all began with an email and a printer, which as we all know is where problems usually start. Another weapon in this heist was... Weekends and time zones.

As usual, no prior computer science education needed.

What happened?

On the morning of February 5th 2016, a printer had stopped working in the central bank of Bangladesh (Bangladesh Bank). But it wasn't just any printer, it was the printer responsible for printing all the records of the multimillion transfers going in and out of the bank. When the poor employees finally won the printer battle and had it resume normal operation, they saw a very concerning account transfer in the records that was coming out. The bank had an USD account in the USA, at Federal Reserve Bank, with approximately 1 billlion Dollars in it, and the Federal Reserve Bank had received instructions to drain almost the entire amount. In the records that came out in the printer, the American bank had attempted to urgently message the Bangladesh bank regarding this transfer, but couldn't get through to them. This was because the hack had actually started the day before, Thursday 4th, at around 20:00 Bangladesh time, when the bank was closed. However, USA had just started their day, giving the American bank plenty of time to follow through with the instructions from the Bangladesh bank to drain their entire account while they were closed. And that wasn't the end of it, as weekends are from Friday to Saturday in Bangladesh, meaning that the Bangladesh bank headquarters in Dhaka wouldn't discover this withdrawal until Sunday morning. That's when they immediately tried to reach the American bank, which of course didn't work as over there it was Saturday evening, and the American weekend is from Saturday to Sunday, meaning that they wouldn't be reachable until Monday.

You see what I mean by the hackers using time zones and weekends, finding the perfect time for the American bank to execute their orders while Bangladesh discovers the withdrawal several days too late, and again several days too late for Americans to be reachable. But it didn't stop there with their timehacking.

The money had to go somewhere from the American bank, and it would be stupid to send it directly to the hackers own account without laundering the money first. So they had set up four different bank accounts in the Philippines, using fake names and credentials. Why the Philippines? Because the Lunar new year was on Monday the 8th, which is a holiday and holiday means no bank activities in either Bangladesh or the Philippines, buying the hackers even more time. As a final act, they messed with the printer responsible for printing transaction records, adding another few hours to their schedule. Moon and stars really aligned perfectly for this plan.

But how did they do it?

It all began one year prior, in January 2015, with an email sent to several employees at the Bangladesh Bank. The email seemingly contained a job application from a person who didn't actually exist, but who was very polite in his request for a position at the bank, with a link to his CV and cover letter. Naturally this link led to a document with a little surprise gift - malware. Since the heist happened, at least one of the recipients must have clicked the link, and successfully deployed a RAT - Remote Access Trojan, malware that lets you control a computer from the comfort of your own home, as well as a toolkit with various malware to move from computer to computer, avoiding discovery, and covering their tracks.

From there, the hackers slowly made their way through the bank offices network, one step at a time to avoid setting off alarms, looking for any computer that had control of the banks SWIFT setup. SWIFT lets banks transfer large amounts of money between themselves and other banks connected to SWIFT. And as soon as they found one of those computers, they stopped. They didn't need to hack SWIFT in the traditional sense of the word - since they operated in a bank computer, the SWIFT-software assumed they naturally had to be bank employees. However, one of the parts of the malware used in the heist was for manipulating the SWIFT system, as the hackers weren't physically there to press anything. Additionally, since they were laying dormant for the time to strike, they needed to keep an eye out for SWIFT updates that could detect any tampering with the system, and adapt accordingly.

Then they waited many months for the stars to align on February 4th, 2016.

There were 35 transfers made by the hackers from the American bank account, totaling almost 1 billion USD, but there were two of these tiny little seemingly insignificant details that prevented this from becoming the worlds largest bank heist in history. The hackers biggest enemy became this concept known as “words”.

The Philippine bank accounts were all located in the same RCBC Bank office on Jupiter Street in Manila. And this would be the hackers downfall, as USA had sanctions put on an Iranian cargo ship called Jupiter. Since the transactions went to a recipient that contained the word “Jupiter”, it created a security alert in the Federal Reserve Bank that the employees needed to investigate. When they saw what was going on, they managed to stop all but five of the initial 35 transactions, thus “only” roughly 100 million USD made it to the Philippines. The Bangladesh bank requested to reverse the transactions, but since the money was in the Philippines, they would need bureaucracy in form of a court order to reclaim the money, and we all know that's not a 5 minute project. It was when Bangladesh filed the court order in late February that the case became public (since court orders are public documents) and the news broke to the country.

Once in the RCBC bank accounts, the money arrived on Friday the 5th and was immediately moved again. First the 100 million was converted to local currency, and some of it was withdrawn in cash, while the rest was sent off to other hacker-controlled locations. And this is where the second tiny little detail cut off even more of the hackers precious payday. 20 million USD had been sent to Shalika Foundation, a charity organisation in Sri Lanka. But,  once again the hackers worst enemy - words - decided to strike again. A typo was made in their transaction, sending the money to “Shalika Fundation”, and a bank employee who must have had their morning coffee spotted this typo and rejected the transfer and kept the funds frozen. This left the hackers with 80 million USD.

✨Now comes the money laundering!✨

There was a second reason for choosing the Philippines as deposit zone; gambling is legal and the casinos had no money laundering regulations imposed. The accomplices of the heist booked private rooms in two casinos located in Manila - Solaire and Midas - and proceeded to purchase tokens to gamble for with the stolen money. Since they played with a room consisting of their fellow accomplices, winning was not really much of a challenge. Then the tokens could be exchanged back to money that would now be clean. To avoid suspicion, they didn't gamble all of the money at once, but over the course of several weeks gambled away the dirty money to clean money.

Who was behind it?

It's normally difficult to pinpoint where the more sophisticated hacking groups come from. Oftentimes, they will leave false clues behind that points to another group so they will face more trouble instead of the group that did it. They may even place clues from several different groups, just to mess with the analysts. It's also quite common to simply “steal” a way of working from another group, or use a leaked/stolen tool from another group (criminals aren't safe from other criminals, especially not in this business) - there are new malware coming out all the time with code that is just a slight modification of a well-known malware actor that had their source code leaked or simply had hired the same programmer. Or they may leave no clues as to who was behind it. Attribution to the guilty part is usually the single most difficult mission in IT-security - often it's just pure guesswork with little to no solid evidence to back it up, if you're lucky there's circumstantial evidence.

This case was no different. The first clue came from the IP the bad guys used to connect to the Bangladesh bank from. It was located in Pyongyang, North Korea. But, as I mentioned, this is not a conclusive verdict, as the IP may simply be planted false evidence to throw the analysts off their track. After the heist, the hackers used a data-wiper to scrub as much of their malware off the bank systems, but they didn't succeed in deleting all of it, some of the tools were still present, including the wiper.

Due to the scale of this operation, it caught the attention of every single IT-security person and IT-security company worldwide, who all of course wanted to know who and how they did it. With the remaining malware, a joint effort was made, comparing malware code to other malware code for similarities. Some was found in Poland, after an analyst noted the similarities from another suspected North Korean hack. Some was found in another infamous North Korean hack targeting Sony Pictures. More and more signs pointed towards the same actor. Some were false leads, the hackers seemed to be wanting to implicate the Russians did it, but failed quite miserably at that, just sprinkling random Russian words into the malware and making it way too obvious it was a ruse.

You may not believe this, but the North Korean government has one of the most notorious hacking groups in the world, known as the Lazarus Group. Some of its more well-known adventures include an extremely data-destructive hack of Sony Pictures (as punishment for releasing “The Interview”), creation of the ransomware WannaCry which was used against many targets worldwide (including hospitals), and various attempts at gathering information from governments and government-affiliated corporations all over the world. And, of course, this heist.

Eventually, after months of collaboration all over the world, the final verdict fell on North Korea, and specifically one of their programmers. His name is Park Jin Hyok, and worked for Chosun Expo - a front company for the North Korean government, located in Dalian (China) who used the funds of the fake corporation gained from legitimate programming jobs from customers worldwide to create the malware and plan the heist with all of its expenses. Of course he wasn't the sole person involved in this project, but it's the only person we know was in it.

This particular heist had been meticulously planned for several years, and Park Jin Hyok had moved to Dalian, set up fake IDs and built a network of contacts there to avoid suspicion. However, he didn't manage to delete all of his online footprints, and became the number one suspect when his internet activities suddenly came from Pyongyang, North Korea.

Additionally, several Chinese business men - many associated with the casino industry in China's Macau territory - were also charged and arrested for assisting with setting up the gambling rooms and coordinating the money laundering process. One unknown Chinese business man managed to get away with 31 million USD of the 80 million that remained after the heist, and as you would expect, he was never to be seen again.

With the middlemen from China paid off, not much remained of the original 1 billion to North Korea. But the heist has fascinated the whole IT-security world nonetheless.

I remember when the news of this case dropped to the IT-security world, who all wanted to take part in the hunt. It was a very fun time, we were all sitting at the edge of our seats waiting for the next update. I hope it was at least somewhat exciting for you too to read about, and thank you for reading this long post! If you liked it, please consider reblogging as it motivates me to write more. You may also like malware stuff I've written about before, such as Stuxnet or just plain evil malware that is a threat to our daily lives.

As always my inbox is open if you have any questions.

[insomniac-jay]

Visiting Hours [MusicBelle]

Belle heads down to Louisiana to visit her husband.

Misc: I really should start calling Belle by her real name when I'm writing her either not performing or interacting with a famous person, I am going to make Darius start speaking in Southern Subtext™️ with translations

@calciumcryptid @honeysgalaxy

Rain poured from the skies, wetting the road leading to the prison. Thunder roared and lightning flashed above a black car making its way down.

Not that the weather mattered to Christine, aka Belle Holiday. She was only coming here for one thing, or rather a person: her husband Darius. Rain or shine, she'd be there as best as she could.

The car came to a stop at the gates. Two armed guards stood watch, guns in hand. Christine reached in her wallet to pull out her ID. Just in time, too, since one of the guards came up to her window.

"Christine Chapel." She handed him the card.

After a quick verification, the metal doors slowly opened. Christine drove through to a parking space near the entrance. She then got out the car and headed towards the front.

"Name and reason for visiting." The guy at the front desk asked once she was indoors.

"Chapel. I'm here to visit my husband." Christine stated. Her eyes trailed down to her wedding ring. The greatest gift Darius ever gave her. A promise and a commitment.

"Visitation area is down the hall to your right, ma'am."

As Christine walked away from his desk, she heard him mumble.

"You look the kind of broad he'd marry."

The comment stung a little. But she had better things to look forward to than that. Upon entering the visitation area, she caught some attention. How couldn't she when she was wearing an expensive looking jacket in rainy, Southern weather?

Christine took a seat at an empty booth and waited for Darius to arrive. While doing so, another woman struck up a conversation with her.

"You waitin' on your man, too, sugar?"

"Yeah. He's been in here for four months."

"I feel you. Mine is approachin' the end of his sentence. It ain't easy for ladies like us who love guys like this." The woman crossed her legs. She let out a sigh. "They're good men to us, but everybody knows them as the bad guy. Worst mine ever did was blow up a federal reserve."

Before Christine could ask, a buzzer rang. A new group of prisoners were brought in--Darius among them.

When Darius saw Christine, he swore in that moment he wanted to break through the glass and scoop her into his arms. Four months of dull routine and horrible prison food were worth it now that his wife, his angel of music, was here. She came from Central City all the way to Louisiana just to be with him.

"Christine!"

"Darius!"

A wave of relief and comfort washed over Christine when she saw Darius again. Last time they saw each other was the day of his trial, a devastating day for both of them. At least Darius still looked and sounded like himself.

"Oh, doll, how I wish I could kiss those lips and sing to you," Darius motioned to the collar around his neck. "But I can't. I'm surprised I can even still talk with how tight this thing is."

"I miss you, Darius," Christine confessed. "I miss you a lot."

"I miss you too, doll." Darius stroked her cheek through the glass. Life at Belle Reve was so dull. Days full of boring routine rewarded with horrible prison food and limited freedoms. Couldn't they have sent him somewhere closer to home?

"Maybe you will. They did say you have the possibility of parole." Christine held the phone to her ear. "How's it feel to be back in the bayou?"

Darius frowned. "Sometimes you don't remember things as well as you used to. Not even the gumbo." (Translation: I fucking hate it here. Everything sucks and if I have to spend another hour in here, I might just go insane).

Christine hummed, "That's terrible. Did you at least make some friends?"

"Green is not their color. Hopefully it doesn't become their signature looks." (Translation: A lot of the inmates are jealous because I only got three years, even without the parole).

Darius leaned back in his seat to examine what his wife wore. Christine looked so lovely in the jacket she wore yet here he was in an orange prison uniform. The only time he shouldn't be in his best looks was when they were in bed together or alone.

"Some of the other prisoners think I'm a pushover, too."

Christine thought hell froze over. Darius Chapel, a pushover? Never! If there was something Darius wanted, he'd do anything to get it. Amplified when it's something she wanted.

"Well, they clearly don't know you."

"Oh, they never could hold me up, cher, but I will let them go." (Translation: I wish these motherfuckers would try me. I may not have my powers, but I'm not out of options).

A small smile curled onto her lips. "That's good. I don't want you getting in trouble."

That's the hardest part, doll, Darius said to himself. I never told them I'm married because I know they might try to go after you.

"But enough about me. I'm more interested in hearing about you, doll." Darius placed his feet up on the counter. "What's been going on since I've been out of town?"

Christine told him about the support she received in the days after he was sent to Belle Reve. Mostly from her friends, but her parents did offer their condolences. She also told him about her upcoming performances.

"I...I've also been looking to buy a house down here. Or at least rent a place."

Darius's eyes widened. "Why, doll?"

"For when you get released," Christine replied.

That's right. I forgot I won't be able to leave without my officer's permission, Darius grit his teeth. One of these idiots better be planning something so I can make my stay here shorter.

After almost an hour, the buzzer rang again. Darius blew a kiss to Christine as he got up. He chuckled when he saw her flustered face.

"We'll meet again one day, doll. See you next time."

"See you. I love you."

"I love you too, doll." Darius joined the exiting prisoners. In his mind, an escape plan was brewing. There's no way he would spend a year, let alone three, in this hellhole. Sooner or later, things would become restless which set the perfect tone for his plan. All he needed to do was wait for the right moment.

Christine glanced down at one of her wedding pictures. Darius was feeding her a fork full of cake when it was taken and became a personal favorite. With a smile, she started the car and drove towards the gates.

[accapitalmarket]

Nasdaq sharply lower, oil spikes ahead of NFP

US stocks ended lower on Thursday as tech issues took a hammering following warnings from Meta Platforms and Microsoft about rising AI costs with their earnings which were released after-hours on Wednesday.

The mood was also cautious ahead of more mega-cap tech earnings from Apple, down 1.8%, and Amazon, off 3.4%, posted after the Thursday close.

In the event, Apple reported record third quarter revenue but saw a decline in net income, with its shares falling 1.9% in after-hours trade. But Amazon jumped 5.6% after-hours as its numbers beat market expectations.

And chipmaker Intel, having fallen 3.5% during the session, leapt 15% higher in after-hours trading following its results, with investors excited by an improved outlook.

At the closing bell in New York, the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.9% lower at 41,763, while the broader S&P 500 shed 1.9% to 5,705, losing all its monthly gains, and the tech-laden Nasdaq Composite dropped 2.8% to 18,295

NAS100 H4

Putting on the pressure, Facebook and Instagram owner Meta fell 4.1% and software giant Microsoft dropped 6.5% on the AI concerns, even as both saw their earnings for the third quarter beat expectations.

Among other results on Thursday, eBay fell 8.1% after the eCommerce firm reported disappointing guidance for the crucial holiday shopping season.

Robinhood slumped 16.7% after the trading platform reported that its third-quarter earnings missed expectations, although crypto trading volume and revenue doubled year-on-year.

Uber Technologies fell 9.3% after the ride-hailing firm’s gross bookings grew at its slowest pace in over a year, even as it edged past quarterly profit estimates.

And Estee Lauder slumped 20.9% after the cosmetics giant reported a revenue miss and withdrew its fiscal 2025 outlook amid ongoing challenges in China and travel retail.

But Comcast rose 3.4% after the NBC owner reported higher quarterly sales and said it may spin off its cable networks.

US economic data released on Thursday showed that the personal consumer expenditures (PCE) index - a key inflation metric closely monitored by the Federal Reserve - slowed to an annualised growth rate of 2.1% in September, in-line with economists’ expectations, down from an upwardly revised reading of 2.3% in August. Meanwhile, the core PCE metric came in at 2.7% annually, above expectations of 2.6% but equaling August's growth.

Elsewhere, as traders await Friday’s September non-farm payrolls report, the latest weekly jobless claims dipped to 216,000, down from 228,000 in the prior week.

Meanwhile, US employers announced 55,597 job cuts in October, according to the latest Challenger survey, down from September's reading of 72,821 but markedly higher than 36,836 at the same time a year earlier.

Finally, the Chicago Fed's purchasing managers index sank to 41.6 in October, according to the Institute of Supply Management, down from 46.6 in September and well short of expectations for a reading of 47.0.

The key figures all come with Federal Reserve officials set to meet next week to contemplate their next policy decision having moved to cut borrowing costs by a bigger than expected 50 basis points in September. The latest interest rate decision comes on Wednesday, November 7, just two days after the too-close-to-call US Presidential election.

On the commodities front, oil prices rose on Thursday, extending a rally made in the previous session due to stronger than expected US fuel demand and reports that OPEC+ could delay a planned output increase.

USOIL H1

US gasoline stockpiles fell by more than expected to a two-year low in the week ending October 25, according to the Energy Information Administration, while crude inventories registered a surprise drawdown as imports slipped.

US WTI crude rose 2.8% to $70.53 a barrel, while UK Brent crude gained 2.5% to $74.02 a barrel.

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[inkovsky]

The Hang Seng Index opened 72 points higher at 17,841 points. Later, the increase expanded to 248 points, reaching a high of 18,017 points. It rose 209 points or 1.17% to 17,978 points for the whole day, rising for three consecutive days; the technology index rose 87 points or 2.48% to 17,978 points. At 3,626 points, the main board transaction volume was HK$113.5 billion.

The Hang Seng Index surged higher again yesterday, but was still capped at 18,000 points. This was mainly affected by derivatives and too many heavy bull contracts inhibited the market's upward trend. In addition, the dividend tax reduction that the market is longing for is only a sound. Hong Kong stocks need to be stimulated by more good news to hope for a breakthrough. The Hang Seng Index remains at 17,300 to 18,000 points in the short term.

The UK held a general election on Thursday, and European stocks performed well across the board, with British, French and German stocks rising by 0.61%, 1.24% and 1.16% respectively.

There is only half a day of trading on the eve of the Independence Day holiday in the United States. The market is waiting to see the minutes of the Federal Reserve's last interest rate meeting released in the early hours of Thursday morning Hong Kong time. U.S. stocks performed individually on Wednesday. The Dow once rose 79 points, reaching a high of 39,411 points, and then fell repeatedly, with the most falling 100 points, as low as 39,230 points, and closed down 23 points, at 39,308 points; the S&P 500 index closed up 28 points, or 0.51%, at a new high of 5,537 points, and the market broke the top and reached a high of 5,539 points; the Nasdaq also rose 159 points, or 0.88%. It closed at 18,188 points and broke the top.

The U.S. exchange rate index fell up to 0.64% to 105.049; the Japanese yen hit a 38-year low for three consecutive days, hitting a low of 162.01 per dollar, down 0.35%; the Euro rose 0.68% to $1.082.

The latest minutes of the U.S. Federal Reserve's interest rate meeting show that officials said at the June meeting that inflation is moving in the right direction, but the improvement is not fast enough for the authorities to lower interest rates.

[mint-moon25]

DISNEY UK - UNITED KINGDOM

MOM - AND - 2 - LITTLE - KIDS

ESCAPED - AFTER - SPOUSE

BOXED - KICKED - HER AND

DRUNK - TONGUES - 2 - ENTER

HER - KIDS - GETTING - THEIR 

PACKS - ID - BIRTH - CERTIFICATE

TRANSCRIPTS - WHAT - THE - USA

SAID - THEIR - LIFE- DEPENDED ON

UNITED STATES

YOUR - PHOTO - ID

YOUR - IDENTIFICATION

YOUR - IMPORTANCE - US - POLICE

WAITING - UNTIL - U - DIE - SO THEY

CAN - TOUCH - DISPOSE OF THINGS

FORGOT 

ASSIGNING

TINKERBELL - HER - FRIENDS

TRUCK - 4 - CLOTHES - ACCESSORY

BLANKETS - SLEEPING - BAG

JACKETS - SHOES - UMBRELLAS

WALT DISNEY - WORLD

WAREHOUSES - HAVE - LOTS OF

UNSOLD - SUPER - EXPENSIVE 2

THEIR - PRODUCTS

POOR - HOMELESS - NEED TRUE

ORGANIC - COTTON

RECYCLED - POLYESTER

BETTER - CLOTHES

HOMELESS - OF - MIAMI

POOR - HEALTH - RISKS

WEARING - USED - RAYON

USED - POLYESTER - NOT

RECYCLED 

RELIGIOUS - USED - NEW

COMBED - COTTON

WALT DISNEY - WORLD

100% - ORGANIC - COTTON

RECYCLED - POLYESTER

POLYESTER

POOR - HOMELESS - NEED

2 - STOP - BEING 4 CANCER

SICKNESS - DISEASES

HEALTH - RISKS

CATHOLICS - GIVING - USED

UNDERWEAR - CLOTHES FL

WASHED - WITH - WATER 

DRYER - HEAT - ONLY

USED - CLEANED BY WATER

ILLEGAL - BUT - TRUE

15 MIN - EVERY - HOUR

TINKERBELL - AND - FRIENDS

TRUCKS - 24/7 - HOLIDAYS FL

WILL - STOP - DOMESTIC

VIOLENCE - ALL QUESTIONS

ASKED - BY - MIAMI POLICE

2 - DEFEAT - VIOLENTLY HIT

VIOLENTLY - BOXED KICKED

TOLD - 2 - STAY - CALM

HANG UP - ON - STUPID

POLICE - COLLEGE

HIGH SCHOOL - GRADS

LOW - GRADE POINT AVERAGE

2 B - ARMED - ENJOY - FUEL - &

CARS - PAID - FEDERAL - TAXES

2 - KILL - 2 - SHOOT - 2 - SCARE

2 - DISOBEY - 14TH

2 - DEPRIVE - PERSONS OF LIFE

MIAMI - POLICE 

BLK - HAITI - MEN - WOMEN

SECURITY - TRANSIT - POLICE

FLORIDA - NOT - ALLOWED

OPEN - CARRY - OF WEAPONS

DISOBEYED - BY - ALL

TINKERBELL - AND - FRIENDS

TRUCKS - DISNEY - CLOTHES

MERCHANDISE - COTTON SHEETS

BED - TWINS - FULL - BLANKETS - 2

SHOES - SANDALS - ALL - AGES - 2

15 MIN - AFTER - EACH - HOUR

SO - DOMESTIC - VIOLENCE

HAD - PLACE - 2 - REGISTER

RESERVE - FREE - TRANSPORT

IMMEDIATELY - CLICK - JUST HIT

DOMESTIC - VIOLENCE

HEIGHTS - FREE - PICK UP

HARVARD - LAW

ASSAULT - AND - BATTERY

FREE - DIVORCE

FREE - 50% - OF - EVERYTHING

RESTRAINING - ORDERS - FOR

LIFE - BOUNTY - HUNTERS

INSTEAD - 2 - PROTECT - MOMS

CHILDREN

SHERIFFS - MIAMI - POLICE

YOU WILL - HAVE - HUDSON’s

PERSONAL - TESTIMONY

MOM - SHOT - 2 - DEATH

AGE 7 - MALE - NEPHEW

MULTIPLE - GUN - SHOTS

OCTOBER - B 4 - HALLOWEEN

POLICE - SHERIFF - EVIL - YES

BIBLE - ‘FOR - THE - LOVE - OF

MONEY - ROOT OF ALL - EVIL’

MONETORY - FINES - WILL YES’

ARMED - 45 MPH - MORE - AND

U - PAY - $1,000 - MORE

WHEN - DOES - IT - BECOME

ARMED - ROBBERY - THEY

DECIDED - POLITICIANS - YES

VOTED - 4 - THE - FINES

MIAMI - POLICE

SHERIFFS

ALWAYS - A - SURPRISE

ENDING - OF - ‘DOMESTIC - YES

TRANQUILITY’ - BUT - WALT DISNEY

WORLD - CAN - BRING - IT - BACK 2

US - DOMESTIC - TRANQUILITY

HARVARD - LAW - US - TREASURY

INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE IRS

YOU - HAVE - OFFICIAL - MAILING

ADDRESS - EUROPEAN CARRIER

NEVER - SPOOKY - FEARFUL

JURY - DUTY - JUNK - MAILS

2 - FLOOD - OUR MAILBOXES

YOU - WILL - B - ARRESTED

PER - JURY - JUDGES - THE

COURTHOUSES - U - WILL B

ARRESTED - FR - THE - IRS

DOMESTIC - VIOLENCE - FLED

TONGUES - 2 - ENTER - APPS

REGISTERED - RESERVED

FREE - PICK UP - FREE - YES

TRANSPORT - HEIGHTS - AND

NO - OF - PEOPLE

FREE MAIL - AND - PACKAGES

FREE - 2 - MAIL

EUROPEAN - CARRIERS

TRUCKS - MORNING - AFTERNOON

EARLY MORNING - DAILY HOLIDAYS

BETTER - PROTECTION - THAN THE

ONLY - REASON - POLICE - SHERIFF

2 - REPOSSESS - 2 - ARREST - 2 YES

B - ARMED - KILL - THEN - B - KILLED

FULL - GAS - TANKS - TAX PAID CARS

PARKING - DISOBEYS - TRAFFIC LAW

EVERYTHING - DISOBEYS - YOUR

TAX - PAID - POLICE - SHERIFFS - FBI

HARVARD - LAW

FREE - DIVORCE

FREE - 50% - OF - THEIR - WORTH

POSSESSIONS - MORE

ALIMONY - PRISON - FINES - FOR

ASSAULT - AND - BATTERY

MOSO - BAMBOO - SHELTERS

ON - FENCES - BAMBOO - ALSO

ONLY - MOSO - DID - I - FORGET

BULLET - BOMB - FIRE - WATER

PROOF - WIND - PROOF - 500 MPH

WINDS - THUS - UR - SAFER - THAN

FBI - PROTECTION - NEW - IDENTITY

WHEN - 2 - ASK - 4 - HELP - FR - FBI

U - NEED - 2 B - JENNIFER HUDSON

BRITNEY SPEARS - BEYONCE - FOR

FBI - POLICE - SHERIFFS - ONLY

SERVICE - RICH - AND - BUSINESS

WALT DISNEY

‘MOVING - FORWARD’

EUROPEAN - AND - ASIAN

COOPERATION - UNIONS

PROTECT - THE - POOR - AND THE

HOMELESS - END - DOMESTIC

VIOLENCE - END - KIDNAPPING AND

KILLING - OF - WOMEN - US WORLD

MY - TOKYO - MALE - SCIENTISTS

MOSO - BAMBOO - SHELTERS

SMALL - WASHER - DRYER - SO THE

DONALD - AND - DAISY - TRUCKS

ON - THE - HOUR

BLANKETS - BED SHEETS - YES

QUILTS - AS - COMFORTERS - 2

LARGER - ITEMS - AND - FREE 2

JESUS - IS - LORD

DEAR - KOREAN - GIRLS,

MODELS - 4 - THE - POOR - AND

THE - HOMELESS - WORLDWIDE

GETTING - WATER - RESTROOM

MAIN - LIBRARY - MIAMI - FL YES

SABBATH - SAT - 16 MAR 2024

TOMORROW - SUNDAY - 17 MAR

HAPPY - ST PATRICK’s - DAY

DON’T - HAVE - ANY - GREEN

CLOTHES - BUT - HAVE - GRN

BLANKETS - ASIAN - FAN - AND

MORE - PACKED - 4 - STORAGE

MY - GREEN - CLOTHES

TOOK - A - CHANCE - MY - 2ND

ST PATRICK’s - DAY - MIAMI FL

THE - LUCK - OF - THE - IRISH

FR - ME - 2 - KOREA - PINAYS 2

ME - DUBLIN - IRELAND

MAY - ST PATRICK - AND - HIS

STEADFAST - LOVE - AND MAY

HIS - GOD - OUR - GOD TRULY

PROTECT - U AND YOUR YES

FAMILIES - FOREVER - TRULY

THE - LUCK - OF - THE - IRISH

[victorycarpark]

Convenient Parking Solutions in Melbourne CBD Central

Navigating the bustling streets of Melbourne's Central Business District (CBD) can be a challenge, especially when it comes to finding convenient parking. Whether you're a local worker, a shopper, or a visitor exploring the city, having a reliable parking solution in the heart of the CBD can make all the difference. Let's explore options for central parking in Melbourne CBD, highlighting convenient locations and tips for a stress-free parking experience.

Importance of Central Parking in Melbourne CBD

Accessibility: melbourne cbd central parking allows easy access to key attractions, shopping centers, restaurants, and business hubs in the CBD. Whether you're heading to work, a meeting, or a leisurely day out, convenient parking ensures you're never far from your destination.

Time Efficiency: Finding parking in busy areas can be time-consuming and stressful. Central parking eliminates the need to circle the streets in search of a spot, saving you valuable time and frustration.

Cost-Effective: While parking in the CBD can be pricey, central parking options often offer competitive rates for shorter durations. This can be more cost-effective, especially for quick errands or short visits.

Safety and Security: Central parking facilities in Melbourne CBD are typically well-monitored and secure, providing peace of mind for vehicle owners. This added security reduces the risk of theft or damage to parked vehicles.

Top Central Parking Locations in Melbourne CBD

Wilson Parking - Flinders Gate

Location: 172-192 Flinders Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Highlights: Situated near Flinders Street Station and Federation Square, Wilson Parking offers convenient parking for commuters, shoppers, and tourists exploring the area. It's a short walk from popular attractions such as Hosier Lane and the Yarra River.

Secure Parking - 59 Lonsdale Street

Location: 59 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Highlights: Located in the heart of the CBD, this Secure Parking facility provides easy access to Melbourne Central, Emporium Melbourne, and Bourke Street Mall. It's ideal for shoppers and visitors to the shopping precincts.

Ace Parking - 412 Spencer Street

Location: 412 Spencer Street, West Melbourne VIC 3003

Highlights: While just outside the CBD, this Ace Parking facility is a short walk from Southern Cross Station and offers convenient parking for commuters. It's also close to Marvel Stadium and Docklands attractions.

Care Park - 15 William Street

Location: 15 William Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Highlights: Positioned near Collins Street and the financial district, Care Park provides central parking for business professionals and visitors to nearby offices and restaurants. It's also within walking distance of Southbank.

Tips for Central Parking in Melbourne CBD

Check Opening Hours: Some central parking facilities may have limited hours of operation, especially on weekends and public holidays. Confirm the opening hours to avoid surprises.

Pre-Book Online: Many parking operators offer online booking options, allowing you to reserve a spot in advance. This guarantees your parking space and can often result in discounted rates.

Early Bird Specials: If you're arriving early in the morning, look for early bird specials offered by parking facilities. These discounted rates are often available for vehicles entering before a certain time.

Public Transport Alternatives: Consider combining public transport with central parking. Park your vehicle in a central location and use Melbourne's extensive tram and train network to explore the city without worrying about parking hassles.

Plan Ahead: Before heading into the CBD, research nearby parking facilities and their rates. Plan your route and parking location in advance to streamline your journey and minimize stress.

Conclusion

Central parking in Melbourne CBD provides a convenient and efficient solution for those navigating the vibrant heart of the city. With strategic locations near key attractions, shopping precincts, and business hubs, these parking facilities offer accessibility and peace of mind for vehicle owners. Whether you're a local worker, a shopper, or a visitor exploring Melbourne's iconic landmarks, central parking ensures you're never far from your destination.

Explore the top central parking locations in Melbourne CBD, and take advantage of convenient options such as Wilson Parking, Secure Parking, Ace Parking, and Care Park. With these trusted providers, you can enjoy a stress-free parking experience while immersing yourself in everything the CBD has to offer. Plan ahead, consider online booking options, and make the most of your time in Melbourne's vibrant and bustling Central Business District.

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[spacenutspod]

6 Min Read Accounts Receivable ACH Credit Payment ACH Credit is a payment method that allows a payer to initiate payment through their financial institution through the ACH/Federal Reserve network. ACH Credit allows the payer to control the initiation and timing of payments as well as when the date the funds are sent. Please view the instructions by accessing ACH Credit Payment Instructions. Payments to NASA For your convenience and fast results, you have the following options to pay online: Option 1: Pay Via Bank Account (ACH Direct Debit, also known as electronic check); or Option 2: Pay Via Plastic Card (any credit or debit card with Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover, debit cards are accepted by Pay.gov). For information on other payment, options please contact NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC) Customer Contact Center: 1.877.677.2123. NSSC Accounts Receivable does not process checks for returned funds from Grantees. Grantees should refer to Health and Human Services website for instructions on returning funds. For other payment options, please contact the Customer Contact Center. Check PaymentsMake checks payable to: NSSC/For the account (s) of [applicable center]Please include the bill number on your check.Send all check payments to the following address:NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC)Building 1111, Jerry Hlass RoadStennis Space Center, MS 39529 Credit/Debit Card Payments to NASA To begin, please go to the Treasury Financial Manual at: https://tfm.fiscal.treasury.gov/v1/p5/c700.html.   Please reference the following sections for more guidance on the following items:  Credit Card Section 7045—Limitations on Card Collection Transactions Section 7045.10—Transaction Maximums Debit Card Section 7010—Scope, Applicability, and Network Rules Section 7025—Honoring of Cards and Surcharges Section 7025.10—Honoring of Cards Section 7025.20—Surcharges Testing Agencies wishing to test the new credit card daily dollar value limits can do so using the Vanity emulator. Use the $1.72 amount. The return code will be V2. Please refer to section 10.10 and Appendix A of the Pay.gov Agency Guide to the Collections Service for additional information on using the Vanity emulator.   Fedwire Payments for NASA The Federal Reserve Banks provide the Fedwire Funds Service, a real-time gross settlement system that enables participants to initiate funds transfer that are immediate, final, and irrevocable once processed. Depository institutions and certain other financial institutions that hold an account with a Federal Reserve Bank are eligible to participate in the Fedwire Funds Services. There are approximately 7,300 participants who make Fedwire funds transfers. The Fedwire Funds Service is generally used to make large-value, time-critical payments. International and Domestic financial institutions can use Fedwire to send a wire transfer in United States dollars directly to the bank to the United States Treasury, which then forwards the payment to NASA. The Fedwire Funds Service is a credit transfer service. Participants originate funds transfers by instructing a Federal Reserve Bank to debit funds from its own account and credit funds to the account of another participant. Participants may originate funds transfers online, by initiating a secure electronic message, or off line, via telephone procedures. The Fedwire Funds Service business day begins at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the preceding calendar day and ends at 6:30 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, excluding designated holidays. For example, the Fedwire Funds Service opens for Monday at 9:00 p.m. on the preceding Sunday. The deadline for initiating transfers for the benefit of a third party (such as a bank’s customer) is 6:00 p.m. ET each business day. Under certain circumstances, Fedwire Funds Service operating hours may be extended by the Federal Reserve Banks. For more information, please visit: https://frbservices.org/financial-services/wires/index.html Sending A Fedwire Payments can be made through your Financial Institution. Your Financial Institution may charge additional fees for this service which will be incurred by the customer. Please also include a point of contact for your business in case NASA has any questions about the payment once it is received. Include any other identifying information with the payment, such as the bill of collection number, reference numbers and identify where to apply the payment. Customers should use the following instructions that meet their payment requirements. Note: NASA does not charge the Fedwire fee. Pay.Gov Payments Online payments to NASA can be made through Pay.Gov through NASA Online Payment link only. Customers should use the following instructions for Pay.Gov that meet their payment requirements: 1. Reimbursable Customers requesting to make an Advance Payment, please view instructions by accessing NASA Online Payments via Pay.Gov (Advances). 2. Direct Customers (Non-Reimbursable) requesting to make a payment on a Bill of Collection, please view instructions by accessing NASA Online Payments via Pay.Gov (Direct). 3. Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) Customers requesting to make a payment on a SEWP Fee, please view instructions by accessing NASA Online Payments via Pay.Gov (SEWP). 4. Click to view a Pay.Gov Screen Shot Example. SWIFT Payment Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) payment is an interbank communications system in which financial institutions worldwide can send and receive information about financial transactions in a secure, standardized and reliable environment. SWIFT does not facilitate funds transfer; rather, it sends payment orders, which must be settled by correspondent accounts that the institutions have with each other.    Each financial institution, to exchange banking transactions, must have a banking relationship by either being a bank or affiliating itself with one or more. SWIFT is linked to more than 9,000 financial institutions in 209 countries and territories. For payments to NASA, the SWIFT message directs funds to a United States Treasury account, which then references and forwards the payment to a NASA Center. Please view the instructions by accessing SWIFT Payment Instructions.   Note: NASA does not charge the SWIFT fee.   Foreign Payments International Treasury Service (ITS) or ITS.gov is a comprehensive payment and collection system.  ITS.gov is the federal government’s single portal for all types of international transactions, including payments and collections. Wire transfers allow for the individualized transmission of funds from single individuals or entities to others while still maintaining the efficiencies associated with the fast and secure movement of money. By using a wire transfer, people in different geographic locations can safely transfer money to locales and financial institutions around the globe. International wire transfers are monitored by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and agency of the U.S. Treasury tasked with preventing money from going to or coming from countries that are the subject of sanctions by the U.S. government. Please reference Foreign Currency Accounts and ITS Collection Instructions for more information.

[virtualcurrencyspace]

Bitcoin Drops 2% Ahead Of The Easter Holiday

Bitcoin is showing signs of weakness ahead of a long Easter weekend in many countries and the release of the U.S. jobs report for March on Friday. The world’s largest cryptocurrency by market value dropped 2% in the past 24 hours to below $27,800, after reaching as high as $28,800 earlier this week. U.S. stock markets will be closed on Friday for Good Friday. Bitcoin, of course, always trades. It is estimated that U.S. employers added 238,000 jobs in March, with the unemployment rate set to hold steady at 3.6%, according to data from Trading Economics. Traders watch the report for signs of inflation, which affects the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate policy and in turn prices of risky assets like bitcoin. The dollar edged up slightly on Thursday, and the price of gold extended its gains.

[inkovsky]

Hong Kong stocks were mixed in the early hours yesterday. The Hang Seng Index fell 140 points in the early hours and found support as low as 16,100 points. It once rebounded 90 points to 16,334 points. It traded at 16,200 points in the afternoon and closed at 16,216 points, down 28 points or 0.17. %. The technology index closed at 3,404 points, down 66 points or 1.92%. The main board's full-day turnover was HK$71 billion.

The People's Bank of China announced on Monday (15th) that the interest rate of the medium-term lending facility (MLF) would remain unchanged, which exceeded market expectations. In addition, the market is also paying attention to the Mainland's announcement this week of important economic data such as GDP for the fourth quarter of last year, which is believed to have an impact on the direction of the market. In fact, Hong Kong stocks have continued to fall this year and are still in the range of 15,900 to 17,000 points. The market bottom is quite weak and investment sentiment is cautious. A turnaround still depends on whether there will be more policy guidance from the mainland. In addition, if the U.S. dollar weakens amid expectations of interest rate cuts, it will support the strengthening of the RMB and will also be conducive to the rebound of Hong Kong stocks.

European stocks and bonds fell after central bank officials poured cold water on expectations of interest rate cuts.

U.S. stocks were closed for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday, and U.S. stock futures were stable during the Asian session on Monday. Focus this week includes U.S. retail sales data, speeches by Federal Reserve officials, and earnings from Morgan Stanley (MS), Goldman Sachs (GS) and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSM).

The U.S. dollar index rebounded, temporarily trading at 102.67. The Euro once fell 0.16% to $1.0934; the pound fell as much as 0.31% to $1.2713. The yen fell as much as 0.73% to 145.94 per dollar.

[mellowwastelandstranger]

What Time Does the Stock Market Open in California?

Whether you are new to trading or are an experienced trader, you are bound to have questions about how to get the best trading hours. The answer to this question can be a bit confusing. There are different time periods for Pre-market trading, After-hours trading and even holiday trading. In this article we will explore all the different aspects of trading and explain the timings for all the different trading hours in California.

Pre-market trading

Traders have the ability to trade outside the regular hours of the stock market. However, trading outside the regular hours carries a number of risks. These risks include lower volume and price volatility. Traders can also face computer glitches and missed opportunities.

The US stock market opens on Monday through Friday at 9:30 AM EST. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve. The market opens again on Labor Day, the first Monday in September. In addition, several scheduled half-days close the market at 1:00 PM.

In addition to the regular hours of the stock market, there are pre-market and after hours trading sessions. These are important to some investors. These sessions give them access to major news announcements before the exchange opens.

These sessions are very popular because they provide investors with the opportunity to react quickly to new news. However, trading outside of the regular hours requires a considerable amount of education and knowledge. The risks associated with extended hours trading can also be significant.

After-hours trading

During the after-hours trading session, traders can react quickly to new information, and make trades in response to breaking news. This market is not for beginners, as it can be very volatile.

After-hours trading is possible because of electronic communication networks (ECNs). These networks are designed to match up buyers and sellers without the need for a traditional stock exchange. These networks are much more efficient than their traditional counterparts.

After-hours trading is best suited for experienced traders who have a high tolerance for risk. A trader may have a long position in a stock that has increased in value, but is willing to take the risk of paying a lower price for the stock in order to close out the position at a loss.

After-hours trading is also convenient for those who live in different time zones. It is often possible to trade stocks at a better price the next day. However, this type of trading is usually limited to certain stocks.

Holidays observed

Whether you're looking to buy or sell stocks, you probably want to know when the stock market opens in California. There are many variables to consider, so this article will highlight one of the main US exchanges, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

NYSE and Nasdaq will both be closed on Thanksgiving. The NYSE is also closed on New Year's Day, but the Nasdaq will be open on New Year's Eve.

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is the main US exchange, and it's open Monday through Friday. It is typically open from 9:30 AM to 4 PM Eastern Time. It may also close early on certain holidays.

The NYSE and Nasdaq close early on the day after Thanksgiving. They are also closed on Christmas Eve. However, both exchanges will close at 1 PM on the day after Christmas Eve.

The Federal Reserve System observes Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day, but does not observe Good Friday. It does not observe New Year's Day, but the stock market will be open on December 31, 2021.

Crypto markets are a global market

Earlier in the year, the total value of the world's crypto assets jumped to over $3 trillion, a 20-fold increase from last year. The market was awash with activity as millions of consumers were able to access digital currencies. The value of the market continued to soar until central bank interest rates began to rise in June. But with the Fed's move away from record low interest rates, the crypto industry had its worst month in years.

The financial sector appeared to be insulated from the sharp movements. However, as the price of bitcoin fell below $15,900, investors were understandably nervous. In fact, the FTX exchange has experienced a lot of problems recently, as users began pulling out money from the platform. After a thorough review, the Binance exchange decided to pull out of the FTX exchange, as it said reports showed that the exchange was not properly handling customer funds.

[vintertsarn]

@oozeyboozey

When his sister had been pregnant with Winnie, Jamie had been the one to spend the time in his lab that he needed to in order to figure out a perfect and SAFE ratio of THC for some edibles so that Anya didn't have to smoke. It went without saying that half of the fun of that entire process, beyond being able to HELP ANYA of course, had been getting the chance to QUALITY TEST the product along the way.

All of that to say; THIS WASN'T HIS FIRST RODEO, and everyone was more than aware of that fact about him. Jamie knew that Anya would strive for QUALITY, and equally as important, POTENCY. Damn near everyone in the house had a metabolism that required something that had enough of a kick to put MERE MORTALS out like a light. At least for a few hours.

Plus, this wasn't just any smoke session on any day. It held more weight than most FEDERAL HOLIDAYS for Anya, and Jamie knew that they wouldn't BESMIRCH the day with sub-par herb.

Both siblings were aware that their parents all smoked on occasion, but they hadn't ever really properly sat down for a real session. So, all those that were able to RSVP, so to speak, did so. Now the day was there, and there was a visible SKIP IN HIS STEP as he came out of his room at Anya's behest.

"I'm comin'! Don't you DARE light that OLYMPIC TORCH of a blunt without me!" It was all said in jest, which was apparent in his tone.

Jamie carried a plastic bag in his right hand that was filled to the BRIM with a variety of snacks. He knew how hungry he got when he smoked, so he'd gotten enough for three people of HIS MUNCHY CALIBER. With that, his steps came in a light gallop down the stairs to meet Anya.

"If you had started without me...it would have been WAR." Jamie nodded sagely, holding up the bag of snacks. "And war...means SNACK EMBARGO." He lightly shook the bag for emphasis before lowering it once more to his side and hopping slightly past her so he could get to the table to set the munchies down.

Back in the 1930s, when they were able to attain the FUNDS for it, or when a few guys down at the docks were feeling more GENEROUS...Bucky and Steve had smoked MARIJUANA CIGARETTES. It wasn't as harsh as the tobacco ones that the DOCTORS BACK THEN had actually prescribed to Steve for their ASTHMA. Plus as an added bonus, it had always helped them out with their chronic pain.

Much of the time for Bucky, it had relieved more ACUTE PAIN at the time, while also doing well allow him to let go of his STRESS for a short while.

The stigma that had been built around the plant hadn't been established back then, that had actually been a more MODERN hang up. When it had become legal once more in many states within the U.S., coming by it had gotten persistently less inconvenient, and simultaneously less RISKY.

Almost like the WAR ON DRUGS had been a front for racism and moral grandstanding.

Seeing how EXCITED Anya was for this occasion was legitimately heartwarming to him. Bucky loved seeing his family happy, and after the hardships that his children had faced especially, he believed that they deserved to be able to UNWIND as they saw fit. It wasn't as though it was going to be HURTING ANYONE. He was more than happy to consider this quality time with his kids.

Bucky had been in the kitchen for a good while, having wanted to make sure the kosher PLATOU DE APERITIVE was arranged just so, as had always been the practice when his mother had made it. There was care put into the taste and the presentation.

The one that he had put together was pretty massive, and he had grabbed it in his hands when he'd heard Anya's voice. Bucky made his way out of the kitchen and into the room with the twins just as Jamie had been delivering his FAUX THREAT. He huffed a laugh under his breath and walked further forward as he chimed into the conversation.

"Well, as an ALLY TO BOTH PARTIES, I declare my neutrality. And reserve the right to deliver PROVISIONS to all involved in the conflict." He moved to set the massive platter on the coffee table. He righted his posture before placing his hands on his hips with a smirk while looking to the twins.

"From th' SMELL 'a that bag though, I'm pretty sure there'd be a CEASEFIRE before any serious casualties. On th' grounds that you'd forget what th' hell you were goin' t' war over."

〚 𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑺. 〛━  𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓 @vintertsarn. 𝑽. 𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏.

It  was  one  of  the  most  speiclal  days  of  the  year.  420  day.  Anya  had  been  looking  forward  to  the  day  for  MONTHS  it  seemed.  Obsessing  over  it  like  a  kid  obsesses  over  Christmas  ,    &  was  convinced  when  she  laid  down  to  sleep  the  night  before ... That  they  were  ready.

For  Anya  though  ,    it  may  as  well  have  been.  With  all  the  many  different  sources  of  stress  that  seemed  to  constantly  plague  the  life  that  Anya  lived ... Being  able  to  RELAX  was  something  that  they  had  found  themselves  valuing  in  her  later  years.  Especially  once  she  became  a  mother.  That  had  really  seemed  to  be  the  key  to  teaching  her  to  find  ways  to  slow  her  life  down.  To  not  miss  out  on  the  life  her  kids  were  living.

She'd  spent  MOST  of  the  months  leading  up  to  the  day  looking  for  the  perfect  strain  for  her  &  her  brother  &  dad  to  enjoy , &  had  managed  to  track  someone  down  who  had  a  DECENT  supply  of  the  original  pineapple  express  &  they  knew  right  away  that  was  the  only  real  choice  for  them.  She'd  had  it  hidden  away  from  EVERYONE  for  weeks  now  ,    &  with  the  day  finally  upon  them  ,    Nat  having  agreed  to  take  Winnie  out  for  the  day ... Was  ready  for  the  events  of  the  day  to  commence.

The  plans  being  JACK  SHIT!

" Get  your  asses  down  here  or  I'm  starting  without  you! "    She  called  from  the  main  floor  of  the  farmhouse , grabbing  her  stash  bag  from  the  pile  of  things  she  had  dropped  on  the  coffee  table , grabbing  for  a  bottle  of  DUTCHESS  soda  &  popping  the  metal  cap  off  to  take  a  sip.

[banksinfous]

Federal Reserve System holidays

Federal Reserve System holidays

The following is the Federal Reserve System Holidays 2020 Schedule Which is provided by the Federal Reserve System System. Federal Reserve System Holiday Hours Schedule also follows all Standard Bank of USA.  Here you will get the Region of Holiday and Date of Holiday. Please click on the “Region of Bank Holiday” to know the details about the holiday as – Region of the holiday, event and…

[builder051]

No end to the silence

Part I (of what I expect to be 2)

Barton fam/ DD’s (@mohini-musing) coming home ‘verse

Warnings more in line with my Nat on Fire works.

WARNINGS for drug use inc. illegal drugs and drug use by minors, sex talk inc. prostitution, violence against minorities (race/gender/gender expression/identity, impoverished, homeless, etc.), canon typical violence (inc. guns), blood, injury, illness inc. emeto, and a little awkward discussion of religion, related festivities, and further relation to Federal holidays.

_________________________

Over the past five years, Nat’s made an appearance at the Avengers’ annual Christmas party only twice. For the rest of the time, she’s been working. Technically she would’ve been working even if she’d been at the event every time, for Fury doesn’t believe in required appearances without proper compensation.

But Nat volunteers for the obscure solo stuff. Evening gowns are workable, of course, but not really her thing. Especially not something she wants to sport in front of her friends. Coworkers. It’s hard to get the look right. Bombshell and fishnets are reserved for missions dependent on the power of pure sexuality. She barely has a personal style. If her threadbare jeans and t-shirts could be translated to formalwear…Classy comfort, a little cleavage maybe? She’d have to go shopping. The thought makes Nat’s lip twist with a laugh, though. The Christmas bonus hasn’t landed in her account yet, and she has her cards extended to the limits.

Today’s mission puts Nat in more of her natural element. Or at least more of what it’s been lately. She doesn’t have a problem choosing a costume from her home wardrobe, nor props. Concealing a weapon on her skinny body without making a conspicuous lump does present a challenge. Nat hates to admit she needs the gun, but her fisticuffs aren’t up to scratch. There’s a slight rattle in her chest that doesn’t fade with the embarrassing pull for a morning cigarette.

Nat tries to smoke her breakfast in the roughly thirty seconds it takes her to get from the apartment’s front porch to her parked car. She grinds off the still half good cigarette on the pavement and tucks it in her pocket, where the end begins to shed ash and loose tobacco. Then, with a foul tasting swig of off-brand energy drink already open in the cup holder, Nat backs out of the lot and drives downtown.

She parks three blocks from the library, at the meter she purposefully disabled last week by overheating its sensor with a laser pointer, then wedging a Susan B. Anthony silver dollar inside the coin slot. It hasn’t been fixed. Nat isn’t surprised. Even though it’s only Christmas Eve, it’s a Federal Holiday, what with the big day falling on a Saturday and all.

And that’s what makes today such a good day for stalking. The city’s in a state of confusion. Tourists are all over the place, running around in mobs instead of standing in lines to get photos of the outdoor monuments. With little to no police force and no museums to pack into when they get cold, Starbucks is doing triple business in its shortened hours, and people are all but arguing in the streets about spots on restaurant reservation lists. And it’s only 10:30 in the morning.

Nat’s not after these maniacs, though. She’s more interested in the homeless coming out of the woodwork, peeking out of alleys and wearily eyeing their usual street corners, wondering if it’s worth the cold and the throngs to try taking back their city. Again with the limited policing, asking for handouts, trading drugs, trading sex… it’ll all be on the up and up, even if the forecast isn’t predicting anything past 40.

Nat has intel on a new HYDRA cell. They’re supposed to be kicking off attacks at the beginning of the new year, because that’s original. Nat literally rolled her eyes as she was reading the report. She resumed her game face, though, when she got to the meat of the document. Test subjects, they were after. Pulled from the easy to lure, supposed dregs of humanity. The homeless. Addicts. Sex workers. Runaways. There was an event scheduled, something charity-affiliated. Probably Jewish, since these HYDRA agents were known to be coming from Eastern Europe and specifically setting up to work the long holiday weekend. Nat’s job is her usual. Pose. Infiltrate. Take intel. Prevent disaster. Don’t get caught.

Getting away from her car as quickly as possible, Nat cuts diagonally across a few streets. She meanders as soon as the vehicle is out of sight, but she heads generally for the poorer side of things. When she hits a convenient metro station, Nat slumps her shoulders and rides the escalator down to the tracks, then loops back up the stairs to street level. She manages to get a short ways by herself, then a rush of people come up the stairs behind her.

Someone bumps Nat’s shoulder. Her intention is to shrink and keep walking, but the person addresses her.

“Hey! Hi!”

Nat lifts her head. A girl of nebulous age clops along beside her, waving with one hand and holding a small cardboard sign with the other.

Need Help. She looks multiracial, and her clothes are generically unclean. Could be anywhere from 16 to 30. Wide eyes betray speed, crack, or serious ADHD.

“Hi?” Nat hazards. There are still people all around. Nat steps toward a double-sided bus shelter perched just off the sidewalk. At least they’ll have half a chance of hearing each other there.

“Yeah. Hey,” The girl continues, following Nat and pausing beside her under the arched plastic roof.

“What’s up?” Nat asks. The girl’s a little taller than she is, but looks on the clumsy side, with big hands and feet. Nat clocks her young, then. Maybe still growing into herself. Probably under 20.

“It’s, like, such a crazy day,” the girl says.

“Yeah.” Nat waits, for more is certainly coming.

“Everybody’s being so nice, but I haven’t got, like, anything man.” The girl shakes her head. “I keep trying different places, but, like…”

Nat immediately sees the problem; the girl can’t seem to sit still long enough to make effort at collecting change. Moving all over the place has given her nothing but an exercise in disappointment. Nat doesn’t know how to point this out politely, though, so she shrugs and offers a sideways smile. “Some days…”

“D’you wanna, like, hang out sometime?” The girl pulls out a scratched flip phone. “Lemme have your number.”

Nat typically has a burner line for situations like this, but she’s scrubbed it recently, and she can’t remember what the new number is. She’s about to dig in her own pocket to get out her mobile device and look it up, but as soon as she moves a tick, the butt of her jeans flexes easily. There’s no phone to be found in there, and she wouldn’t have put it anywhere else. Damn women’s clothes and no functional pockets.

“I, um,” Nat starts. “I don’t have one. I don’t have a phone.”

“Girl, what?”

Nat shrugs again. “I just don’t.”

“I can help you get one,” the girl says.

Nat hesitates. She bites her lip, wavering on her decision. Rapport is good. But time wasting. “How?” Nat finally asks.

“Twenty-four hour Food Mart has ‘em for $100 with 100 minutes preloaded, then you buy the minutes on a card when you need ‘em.” The girl says quickly. “But only the one that has the broken gas pump out front. The air pump works, though, if you got a bicycle.”

“So…”

“I can’t spot you a hundred.” The girl looks desperately disappointed, even though the plan has barely even been proposed.

“That’s— I don’t—“. Nat doesn’t expect generosity from strangers. Besides, hobo Nat doesn’t have that kind of money, for herself or for sharing. Hell, regular Nat doesn’t have that much money.

“I do know a way you can get a buck,” The girl says, tapping her chin with one finger. “You probably gonna have to beg him for a tip to cover the tax, ‘cause the flat fee for the session is usually $100 even—“

“No, that’s ok.” Nat puts up her hand. She tries to let her chest decompress without opening her mouth, but the cough hanging in her throat starts to melt into droplets of thick saliva, and they want desperately to let go into her airway. Nat gets away with one good hack, wiping her nose on her sleeve as well to play up the sick and down the disgusted. She wouldn’t be into it anyway, but she doesn’t have any condoms, nor has she been tested lately.

“Aw.” The girl taps Nat’s shoulder blade, doing next to nothing to help her feel better. The attempt is sweet, though.

“Yeah, I’ve got guk in my throat,” Nat sighs. “Great way to spend Christmas.”

“Where’ve you been staying? Is it one of those places with bunk beds? They’re the worst!”

“I move around.” Nat finds an in and tries not to glow as she continues, “But I’ve heard there’s supposed to be good food today. Like, the Synagogue, or something, is coming out?”

“What’s that?” The girl asks. Nat re-adjusts her age to under 18.

“Um. Jewish people? Volunteers?” She takes a breath. “Like, since they don’t celebrate the Christmas holiday, they chose it as a service day?”

“Oh. What kind of food?”

“I don’t know,” Nat replies. Probably not Christmas ham. “Mac and cheese, maybe? Coffee?”

“D’you just wanna, like, hang out?” The girl asks. “I don’t know if I’m that hungry.”

Of course she’s not. She’s still rolling from whatever she last took. And honestly, Nat’s not so hungry either.

Nat takes a breath. “Ok,” she agrees.

They walk two and a half blocks, then cut through a tiny gap between brick buildings that opens into an alley pleasantly devoid of trash and smelling of wood shavings.

“It’s a furniture store,” The girl explains. “One of the old people kind?”

Nat can clearly read the word Amish printed backward through the window. She nods and smiles.

The girl runs ahead and kicks a roll of what turn out to be moving blankets away from the back wall. She flops down, grins, and pats the spot beside her.

Nat’s happy to lie down. The lunch hour has barely hit, but she’s tired. She’s done some overnights lately, both in the office and in the field. Smoked too much. Worked out too little. The dwindling bottle of Vodka in the fridge has been serving as dinner. The one put away in the cupboard isn’t to be opened until Christmas Day. New Year’s, if she can last that long. Depending on how busy work is and the lengths of the floating sleeps she can eek out of her heroin hits, she might just be able to…

“Want some?”

Nat snaps her eyelids open. She hadn’t realized they’d been drifting shut. She internally pokes herself. Never be weaker than the companion. There are contingencies, of course, and Nat’s probably safer than this girl than she has any right to be, what with her bold and veritable instant BFF routine. But still. Nat’s an agent. The girl’s…

A bottle shakes loudly by Nat’s ear. “Want some?” The girl asks again.

“What is it?” Nat’s clued in this time.

“Lean,” The girl answers. “With, you know. Some stuff.”

Nat lifts herself on one elbow so she can see the bottle. It seems to have once been Fanta Orange, but the liquid inside looks foamy grey.

“Like what?” She’s not altogether taken aback, but she needs the details before she’s partaking.

“You never had sizzurp before?” The girl shakes the bottle again, and Nat wonders if it’s going to explode.

“Well, yeah,” Nat says, “But what’s your recipe?”

“Just regular lean.” The girl shrugs. “But with vodka and a green apple AirHead.”

That explains the color, at least. “Ok.” Nat becomes painfully aware of the stale cigarette taste hanging around her dry mouth, and she holds out her hand.

The girl starts to open the bottle, and surprisingly little fizzles out around the lid. Nat wonders how much of the concoction was soda to begin with. And how long the mix has been hanging around. But she wraps her hand around the plastic label nonetheless and takes a swig.

The taste is horrific, though mostly because it’s an all-out assault on the senses. Nat picks out the bitterness of the vodka and lets that be her focus. The artificial fruity sweetness makes her teeth hurt, and the codeine brings on an immediate misplacement of balance that makes Nat glad she’s mostly horizontal. She swallows and tries not to gag, then takes another pull.

“‘S good, right?” The girl says, taking the bottle back and gulping down her share. Her enormous eyes go sleepy within seconds. Nat’s heart practically breaks as she sees the cycle in real time as the girl fumbles with a magical pocket inside her coat. Instead of going in, the sizzurp bottle has knocked free the handle of a spoon with a plastic baggie rubber banded around it. Nat lifts her chin, and she can see a couple of RX bottles and crumpled dollar bills as well.

“Yeah, it’s good,” Nat replies. It’s only half a lie. The feeling is good. Shadows dance in the corners of her visual field. She squints and ensures the alley is empty of people and vicious dogs and purple trees. Then she blinks. Then… she doesn’t know.

Nat’s on her back. Then she’s on her side, but she didn’t put herself there. The sky is still in front of her eyes, but her ribs and elbow and thigh are on the ground, and something itches beneath her cheek. Nat blinks. The sky goes back where it belongs, and now Nat has an eyeful of blurry variegated terra cotta.

Somebody grabs her wrist and pulls hard. Whoever they are, they manage to get enough leverage to yank Nat clear to her feet, where she stumbles, trying to maintain her balance and keep from vomiting as the world orients itself once again. The sky is above her, and brick is down and around the sides, but everything’s too blurry to pick out details.

There’s a scream close to Nat’s right ear, and she almost falls over as she instinctively squeezes her eyes shut. That makes it easier to find herself in space, though, and her working memory kicks into gear. Drugs. An alley. A girl.

Nat bends her knees slightly and finds purchase on the pavement with her winter boots. The girl and the attacker, a singleton, it appears, are going at it on the moving blanket.

The attacker’s in all black, militaristic looking, but not immediately recognizable. It’s not an area that would have CCTV, and Nat’s not about to take pictures. Not that she could anyway. But generic adversary means generic moves, and hopefully that means Nat can get a step ahead. If she can think through her throbbing head fog.

So. He’s thrown Nat away. As far as he’s concerned, she’s dealt with. She’s up, so if she’s going to run for help, she’ll be too slow, so whatever he’s going to do next is going to be fast, so why the fuck are they all still standing around—

The girl screams. It’s actually the second time she’s screamed. He needs to shut her up. Nat watches his elbow go back, and she launches into it from the side, digging her own elbow between his ribs. As expected, he’s wearing something with a kevlar front and back and Velcro along the sides. Nat’s jab doesn’t do much, but it does momentarily divert his attention.

“Go, sister!” The girl yells, evidentially seeing Nat join the fight. “You gotta run!”

Fuck. Now the attacker’s torn between targets. Nat’s not going to run, but she’ll have to rely on hand-to-hand a while longer before going for her gun. Sticking a trembling hand down into her shoe isn’t something she can do in the blink of an eye this inebriated.

Nat sucks in her breath. She turns her shoulders as if considering going, but leaves her head behind. The attacker gets one running step in before Nat rotates abruptly, catching his hip and sending him stumbling. He doesn’t quite fall, but it’s the moment Nat needs. She bends one knee and dips down, stretching her fingers and wrapping them tightly around the pistol that’s been rubbing a blister into the side of her ankle all day.

Nat straightens up, holding the weapon behind her back. She blinks hard to clear her vision as much as she can. A head shot would be best. Anything disabling would be alright, though. For a first shot.

The attacker starts to stand up and prepare to rush again. He grits his teeth at Nat. He can probably see her tremors.

Nat pulls the gun around her abdomen and grasps it with both hands. She raises it to chin height.

The attacker’s head angles to the side just so, and his teeth offset as well. He sees the gun.

Nat raises an eyebrow. Lifts her trigger finger.

Then, suddenly, “What you still doing? You gotta get out of here!” Whether she can see the weapon or not is anyone’s guess. The girl’s eyes are filled with tears.

Nat looks to the girl’s face. Then she looks back to the attacker. But he’s not where he just was.

The black gloved hand yanks the gun straight out of Nat’s grip. He gives her shoulder a shove and sends her reeling, then three shots pop off, right in a row. The first one cuts a guttural sound, but the second and third ring into silence.

“Oh, fuck you.” Nat holds her temples between her palms. She feels sick.

There’s a heavy thump, and Nat pulls herself together enough to growl as the attacker’s foot retracts and the girl’s body twitches. The attacker makes a mad dash for the slit-like exit back to the street, which Nat still can’t quite see. As soon as he turns, though, Nat makes a wild grab and gets a handful of the back of his shirt. It stretches around the neckline, pseudo-choking him while Nat hangs on. He whips Nat’s gun over his shoulder and fires, the bullet sailing over Nat’s head.

“You’re a pretty great shot,” Nat mocks, though she can barely breathe enough to speak. She fights to get her arm around the attacker’s neck. He keeps trying to buck her off, but Nat’s continued pulling has put pressure on his kevlar garment, loosening the Velcro in his armpits. She seems to notice before he does, so Nat takes the opportunity to plunge her less-sore hand into the gap. She flays her fingers open, poking hard at skin protected by nothing but a base layer. Then she pulls a fist, which makes him stop short and screech, and weaves her hand further down through the Velcro, entangling them to the point where he can’t free himself. Not if he still wants control of the gun.

The attacker laughs, though it’s obviously to cover up the winded bursts of air coming from his throat. Nat twists her grip, and she feels individual body hairs parting company with the man’s skin deep within the knot of clothing under her control. He shoots his opposing arm out to grapple with her. Nat expects it, and she isn’t sure she can hold him off. She’s more interested in the other arm, though, which is pointed upward and still clutching Nat’s gun.

It’s his non-dominant arm, and Nat doesn’t know if he intends to shoot. She doesn’t know if he knows there’s still live ammo inside. Either one round or two, Nat can’t remember. She tries not to look up at the gun; she’ll just make herself sick changing her focus, and she knows as well as anyone that visual cues don’t actually help memory, not when it’s screwed to shit by substances and inconvenient sleeps. Best she can hope to do is continue to grapple and hope he lacks the confidence to try firing again. Not that his track record points to as much, though.

The attacker find Nat’s hand in the wad of straps and cloth under his arm. His gloves prevent him from doing anything but applying pressure; he can’t get enough purchase within the skirmish to twerk her wrist or separate her fingers and send them bending backward.

Nat hasn’t the energy to try to topple him again, at least not from a maneuver to gain the upper hand. She starts to remember what she fondly refers to as the ‘dumbfuck college girl safety guide,’ and gives thanks that, even though she’s drunk and thoroughly shot to shit, guys are dumb.

Nat puts all her weight into the clinging hand, and the rest spills down and out of her body. Her ass bounces off the brickwork as the attacker’s vest splits to the hip. He tumbles forward, throwing his arms out to catch himself. He’s going to fall anyway, but Nat extends one leg, making no effort to bend her foot or ankle, so the steel toe of her boot lands in the crease of his knee.

The attacker groans and curses. He lands on all fours about a foot ahead of Nat, who’s posed in a more delicate half butterfly. The crack of the gun hitting the ground effectively ends the fight, but immediately ignites a second scramble. The attacker’s poised to grab it again, but Nat rolls onto her bent knee and springs. With her entire body blocking the attacker’s extended arm, Nat gets closer. She feels the cold, hard plastic beneath her fingers for a second, but—

A boot sweeps through the space in front of Nat’s hand. In front of her face. The rounded leather toe perfectly catches the edge of the pistol, the extending edge of the rubber sole running smoothly beneath her fingertips.

Nat inhales. Her brows furrow. She wants to lift her head, to jump to her feet. Another attacker? But how can she fight?

The panic rising in Nat’s chest makes her heart beat loudly in her ears. She can barely keep track of her surroundings.

The boot in front of her taps once, then a second one steps up beside it.

Nat expects the downed attacker to get up. Laugh at her. Enjoy hacking her up now that his buddy has arrived.

But the body adjacent to Nat’s shoulder stays still. He might be shivering.

The boots change stance at lightning speed, a twang breaks the silence, and wind rushes past Nat’s face. The sound of a solid strike follows.

Nat fights to lift her chin. If eyes meet eyes, she may be done for. But not moving might be worse. Nat’s so nauseated she decides she doesn’t mind facing death if she can maybe roll onto her side…

The boots have moved again, though. And an arm has Nat around the chest, pulling her onto her knees.

“Nat?” Fingers poke into her neck, looking for a pulse.

“Huh?” Nat blinks in the general direction of where would be the face, but sunglasses and a beanie result only in confusion and glare.

“Yeah, ok, come on.” The boots stand up, supporting a man, who’s supporting a very limp Nat. He’s not very tall. But lean. Strong. He’s dressed in winter combat gear. Dark colors. The whole shebang.

It’s deja vu in the complete; Nat’s fucked from all sides. She’s intoxicated on the clock, she’s seeing things, and it’s biting her in the ass. She’s lost a civvie. Her best friend. Now she’s being kidnapped. Or letting the city get attacked.

A flash of reality hits her, and Nat feels the man’s arms propping her up. She backhands him in the face, which catches him off guard enough for her to jump in front and plant her forehead into the bridge of his nose.

“Fuck, Nat, it’s me,” the man mutters, pinching his nostrils whilst keeping a hand on her so she won’t fall over.

“Oh.” Nat’s positive it’s her bad. Her fault. Tears spring to her eyes, and Nat shakes her head to be rid of them. She doesn’t take DXM anymore. She remembers now. The fallout is… less than ideal. Her legs are going to fall out from under her. She feels an insurmountable urge to burrow. Time and place don’t factor in.

Nat loops her arms over the mans,’ resting her palms on his shoulders from behind. Her forehead drops into his chest and sobs begin to rise, wracking her frame and leaving waves of aching nausea in their wake.

“Hey, Nat.” The man wraps his arm around her back and softly lifts the hair off the nape of her neck. “You’re— it’s— It’s gonna be fine. Alright?”

Nat can’t answer. The soft feeling of the high is back. It’s fleeting, almost gone. She can already feel the burning come-down and hangover. Pain. Shame. Guilt. So much guilt.

“Alright?” He won’t do anything until Nat says something. He’s good about consent and that kind of thing. Stopping on the highway when she needs the bathroom. Not getting angry when she makes mascara stains on his deep purple shirts.

There’s no makeup on Nat’s face to speak of today. The only spots she sees when she pulls away are a few drops of dark blood by the collar. His blood. Her fault. It makes Nat want to cry again, but her mouth is spitty, so she gulps and whispers, “Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about me.” Clint gives her a wary once-over. “Can you make it five blocks? I can make it three and a cut-through, if you don’t mind going in and out of a building and then jaywalking. With a median.” He shrugs.

Nat leans back into him. “I drove,” she says.

“Where’d’ya park?”

Nat can’t remember. Nor is she sure where her keys are. She shakes her head. Tears spill down her cheeks.

Clint lets Nat deflate. He plays with her hair until she begins to cry properly, chokes herself, and gags. Then he holds her auburn strands in a low bun until she brings up enough liquid to clear the mucous slug gumming up her throat.

“Home now?” Clint asks. He doesn’t pose options now. He knows Nat’s too far gone.

Nat breathes for a moment. Opens her mouth. She swallows without meaning to, and it makes a sick clicking noise.

“Nat?”

“Mm.” She slowly moves her glazed eyes to meet the lenses of Clint’s shades. “Home.”