#Water Damage Insurance Policy

[waterdamagerepairpros]

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[lazyscience]

So for my followers who come with a factory-installed uterus I know you're concerned about your health and autonomy. And you well should be

But here's something all of you should be thinking about and planning for no matter what your plumbing - if Trump goes through with putting RFK Jr. in a position of power as far as the Department of Health and Human Services, he could do a LOT of damage as far as vaccines. Vaccines are not super profitable for pharma companies, despite what cranks think; they take a LOT of development for only a few uses. Vaccines are driven by public health requirements and a lot of places would shrug and say "ok, bet" if there isn't a guaranteed market for them.

The professional medical community will still have recommendations about when and how to vaccinate, but they won't have the force of law, and insurance will probably smell blood in the water and start kicking up a fuss about covering vaccines when they're not required. So then when doctors recommend them there'll be suspicion and pushback that they're just doing it for "kickbacks" even though the only doctor who would have gotten paid for vaccine is ironically Andrew Wakefield, the lying fuckshit, because his whole "vaccines cause autism" lie was to push his OWN, SPECIAL proprietary vaccines that wouldn't cause his made-up syndrome, because NO vaccines were causing it. May he roast somewhere warm when the devil comes for him.

This will not happen immediately, but. Because there will no doubt be anticipatory compliance on the part of drug companies and healthcare systems. I HIGHLY advise you get the fuck out there and get your Tdap updated (tetanus, diptheria and pertussis). Whooping cough is out there, and it is horrible for babies. If you are eligible for shingles vaccine and haven't done it, get that. Get your COVID vax if you haven't, there might not BE another one, at least not that's available in the US.

If you have kids, especially make sure THEY'RE up to date because their classmates might very well not be mandated to get them any more - state regulations will undoubtedly vary, but with the current composition of the Court, it will rule in favor of every possible exemption for antivaxxers as possible because the conservatives are all "fuck the weakest of us, I got mine fuck you." And expect idiocy like "pox parties" to spread (not like the average suburban parent can tell measles from rubella from chicken pox from hand foot and mouth by fuckin' looking at it, who knows what the christ they're going to be passing around). Measles is NOT just a "bit of a rash." Rubella is the world's leading preventable cause of birth defects. Chickenpox can result in scarring, encephalitis causing blindness or even death, and the risk of shingles later in life. I have a cousin who would be 57 this year who died as a toddler from hemophilus influenzae strain B meningitis, one of those "too many" childhood vaccines that were invented in the 1990s. Tell my aunt that's too many vaccines -oh, wait, you can't, she fucking killed herself out of grief her baby died.

tweens? get them the HPV vaccine if they haven't gotten it (given its associations with sex it'll probably be one of the first to go, but it prevents CANCER. who wants their child to get cervical cancer, or penile cancer, or throat cancer, or rectal cancer? IT PREVENTS CANCER. JUST DO IT.)

Similarly, if you have a child with any kind of immune issue that precludes vaccination, I would very much look into homeschooling, because bye-bye herd immunity.

If you have teenage kids, encourage them to update their Tdap and get the meningiococcal meningitis vaccine if they haven't been mandated to already by campus policy. Tetanus and meningitis aren't common, but they are frequently permanently life-altering when they're not fatal. We're talking months in the hospital. I'm old enough that I remember people fucking dying in college, and the panic that went around campus every time one of those breakouts happened in the state wondering if it would make its way to our campus.

Stay safe out there. I have no idea what this will do to our already teetering healthcare system but I don't think it'll be pretty. Everybody pray Trump pulls his usual scam and hangs RFK Jr. out to dry, because while the plutocrats consider regulations an unnecessary burden, they don't have a stake in creating a public health state of emergency when we already have a workforce not keeping up with demand, unlike Captain Convenient Brain Worm.

[urialnathanonwright]

Trump's 'Energy Emergency' Is a Fraud: A Disaster for the Planet, the Economy, and Basic Common Sense

Let us be clear: this is not leadership—it is lunacy. Donald Trump’s declaration of a so-called “national energy emergency” is not only a fabrication; it is a malevolent act of self-serving deceit that endangers the lives of every American, the stability of our economy, and the future of our planet.

An energy emergency? Let’s cut the nonsense. The United States is not only energy self-sufficient but also the largest producer of oil and natural gas in the world. If there’s any emergency here, it’s that this administration is using the pretense of crisis to gut critical protections, kneecap clean energy innovation, and strap future generations to the ticking time bomb of climate disaster.

The facts couldn’t be clearer: Earth’s temperature is already 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. Hurricanes are leveling communities. Wildfires are burning cities to the ground. And while real scientists, experts, and economists are shouting from the rooftops that we need to act now to save both lives and money, Trump is on a mission to turbocharge the very policies that got us here in the first place.

This isn’t policy—it’s profiteering. Trump is playing lapdog to fossil fuel executives, feeding their bottomless appetite for profit while throwing the rest of us to the wolves. Forget clean energy. Forget protecting Arctic lands or coastal waters. Forget transitioning to wind, solar, or anything remotely resembling a sustainable future. No, Trump’s priority is doubling down on outdated, polluting, and economically reckless fossil fuel expansion.

And what’s his justification? Rising energy costs? Gas prices at the end of 2023 were cheaper than when he left office in his first term. This is a con, pure and simple. He’s hoping you won’t notice the wildfires that cost $200 billion, the hurricanes that obliterate entire towns, and the droughts driving up food prices. These aren’t flukes; they’re the direct consequences of ignoring climate science.

Even his own supporters, the ones who chant his name at rallies, are getting burned—literally and figuratively. These policies won’t lower costs for them. They’ll increase insurance premiums, devastate supply chains, and raise prices across the board. Trump’s so-called “energy emergency” is a Trojan horse designed to dismantle the progress we’ve made toward clean energy and drag us back to the dark ages of environmental neglect.

The gall of it all! This man is looking climate disaster in the face and saying, “Bring it on.” He’s actively choosing to make the planet hotter, the storms stronger, and the economic damage more severe—all while mocking the very idea of accountability.

We have a choice to make, and it’s not just between Trump’s twisted vision and Biden’s policies. It’s between hope and despair. Between a livable future and one where our children ask, “Why didn’t you stop this when you had the chance?”

This isn’t just policy failure; it’s moral bankruptcy. It’s a betrayal of humanity itself. And if there’s any justice left in this world, history will remember Trump’s “energy emergency” for what it truly is: a con, a farce, and an unforgivable crime against the Earth.

[cognitivejustice]

The global economy is losing up to $25tn a year because sectors such as agriculture, energy and fishing fail to account for how their actions fuel interconnected crises in nature, climate and human health, a landmark international biodiversity science policy report found.

Tackling biodiversity loss, climate change, water scarcity, food insecurity and health risks in isolation was not only compounding those issues but also driving spiralling economic costs, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) said. The body established by 94 countries is the equivalent of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, bringing together authoritative global agreement on science.

“By treating these as individual problems, we are wasting money, we’re duplicating efforts,” Pam McElwee of Rutgers University and a co-author of the report. “And if we were actually able to bring policy sectors together, there would be significant cost savings.”

The report, approved by IPBES member states in Namibia on Monday after three years of work by 165 scientists, estimated that unaccounted-for costs from current business practices were between $10tn and $25tn annually, equivalent to a quarter of global GDP. These costs arise when industries fail to factor in the damage their operations cause across systems.

For example, unsustainable farming practices may boost yields in the short term, but the overuse of chemical inputs causes run-off pollution, which harms water quality downstream and increases human health burdens, including waterborne diseases.

“The problem with our current system is that we don’t have a way to account for those trade offs in decision making right now, we essentially ignore them,” said McElwee. “We pass those costs on, whether it’s to insurance companies or to poor and marginalised people who are suffering from these pollution burdens or the malnutrition burdens.”

Treating the crises as a “complex, interconnected system” was essential, she added, stressing the need for meaningful discussions about trade-offs in business decisions.

[sotc]

Yesterday my car got towed after we filed for total loss with our insurance from the hurricane. We were emptying out our vehicle of stuff and realized the car was totally fucking dead, all the electronics did fry from water damage. Just like the claims guy said it would (he warned us to just call it a total loss bc at some point it would die on us). So wild that literally a few days prior it was working, we were driving in it and had no idea how dangerous it was nor the extent of the hidden damages. We had mold already underneath the car seats we didn't see! 😩

Honestly really sad to just see it go. It was a milestone car! First one we bought together, soo many roadtrips, our lil tie to when we had our first adventure living in Colorado since we bought it there, and the first car we paid off. Weh.

Sentimental silliness but it is what it is. Now I'm licherally TRAPPED in my house without any vehicle transportation lmao (I should've had renting a vehicle on my damn insurance policy ugh lol) until insurance shit settles and we can go out and get a new car.

[mariacallous]

On Tuesday morning, five days after Hurricane Helene ripped through Boone, North Carolina, David Marlett was on his way to the campus of Appalachian State University. The managing director of the university’s Brantley Risk & Insurance Center, Marlett was planning to spend the day working with his colleagues to help students and community members understand their insurance policies and file claims in the wake of the storm. He didn’t sound hopeful. “I’m dreading it,” he said. “So many people are just not going to have coverage.”

Helene made landfall southeast of Tallahassee, Florida, last week with winds up to 140 miles per hour, downing trees and bringing record-breaking storm surges to areas along the Gulf Coast before charging up through Georgia. But perhaps its most shocking impacts have been on inland North Carolina, where it first started raining while the storm was still over Mexico. At least 57 people are dead in Buncombe County in the west of the state alone. Communities like Boone received dozens of inches of rainfall despite being hundreds of miles from the coast. Waters rose in main streets, sinkholes and mudslides wreaked havoc, and major roads were blocked, flooded, or degraded by the storm.

Now, there’s a good chance that many homeowners in North Carolina won’t see any payouts from their insurance companies—even if they have policies they thought were comprehensive.

“The property insurance market for homes was already a patchwork system that really doesn’t make a lot of sense,” Marlett says. “Now you’re adding in the last couple of years of economic uncertainty, inflation, climate change, population migration—it’s just an unbelievably bad combination happening all at once.”

For North Carolinians, the issue right now has to do with what, exactly, private insurance is on the hook for when it comes to a storm. An average homeowner policy covers damage from wind, but private homeowners’ insurance plans in the US do not cover flooding. Instead, homeowners in areas at risk of flooding usually purchase plans from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

The way a hurricane wreaks havoc on a state is a crucial deciding factor for insurers’ wallets. Hurricane Ian, which hit Florida as a category 4 storm with some of the highest wind speeds on record, caused $63 billion in private insurance claims. In contrast, the bulk of the $17 billion in damage caused by 2018’s Hurricane Florence, which tore up the North Carolina coast, was water damage, not wind; as a result, private insurers largely avoided picking up the check for that disaster.

This breakout of flood insurance from home policies dates back to the 1940s, says Donald Hornstein, a law professor at the University of North Carolina and a member of the board of directors of the North Carolina Insurance Underwriting Association. Private insurance companies decided that they did not have enough data to be able to accurately predict flooding and therefore could not insure it. “In some ways, that calculation of 50 years ago is still the calculation insurers make today,” he says.

While the NFIP, which was created in the late 1960s, provides virtually the only backup against flood damage, the program is saddled with debt and has become a political hot potato. (Project 2025, for instance, recommends phasing out the program entirely and replacing it with private options.) Part of the problem with the NFIP is low uptake. Across the country, FEMA statistics show that just 4 percent of homeowners have flood insurance. Some areas hit by Helene in Appalachia, initial statistics show, have less than 2.5 percent of homeowners signed up for the federal program.

“Even in coastal areas, not many people buy that, much less here in the mountains,” Marlett says. “People have never seemed to fully understand that flood is a separate policy.”

Flooding is not unprecedented in the mountains of North Carolina: Hurricane Ivan swept through Appalachia in 2004, and flash floods from rivers are not unheard of. Purchasing flood insurance is mandatory with a government-backed mortgage in some areas of the country, based on flood zones set by FEMA. But the data is based on extremely outdated floodplain maps that have not taken the most recent climate science on record rainfall into account.

“The biggest non-secret in Washington for decades is how hopelessly out of date these flood maps are,” Hornstein says.

Even if water wasn’t the cause of destruction for some homeowners in North Carolina, the storm’s disastrous mudslides—another risk supercharged by climate change—may not be covered either. Many home insurance policies have carve-outs for what are known as “earth movements,” which includes landslides, sinkholes, and earthquakes. In some states, like California, insurers are mandated to offer additional earthquake insurance, and homeowners can purchase private additional policies that cover earth movements. But in a state like North Carolina, where earthquake risk is extremely low, homeowners may not even know that such policies exist.

It’s also been a tough few years for the insurance industry across the country. A New York Times analysis from May showed that homeowners’ insurers lost money in 18 states in 2023—up from eight states in 2013—largely thanks to expensive disasters like hurricanes and wildfires. Payouts are increasingly costing insurers more than they are getting in premiums. Homeowners are seeing their policies jump as a result: According to statistics compiled by insurance comparison shopping site Insurify, the average annual cost of home insurance climbed nearly 20 percent between 2021 and 2023. In Florida, which has the highest insurance costs in the country, the average homeowner paid over $10,000 a year in 2023—more than $8,600 above the national rate.

Florida has made headlines in recent months as ground zero for the climate-change insurance crisis. More than 30 insurance companies have either fully or partially pulled out of Florida over the past few years, including big names like Farmers’ and AAA, after mounting losses from repeated major hurricanes like 2022’s Ian, the most expensive natural disaster in the state’s history. Florida’s insurer of last resort, now saddled with risk from multiple homeowners, has proposed a rate increase of 14 percent, set to go into effect next year.

In comparison, North Carolina’s insurance market looks pretty good. No insurers have exited the state since 2008, while homeowners pay an average of $2,100 per year—high, but avoiding the sky-high rates of states like Florida, California, and Texas.

“What traditionally has happened is that there’s a rate increase every few years of 8 to 9 percent for homeowner’s insurance,” says Hornstein. “That has kept the market stable, especially when it comes to the coast.”

But as natural disasters of all kinds mount, it’s tough to see a way forward for insurance business as usual. The NFIP is undergoing a series of changes to update the way it calculates rates for flood insurance—but it faces political minefields in potentially expanding the number of homeowners mandated to buy policies. What’s more, many homeowners are seeing the prices for their flood insurance rise as the NFIP adjusts its rates for existing floodplains using new climate models.

Many experts agree that the private market needs to reflect in some way the true cost of living in a disaster-prone area: in other words, it should be more expensive for people to move to a city where it’s more likely your house will be wiped off the map by a storm. The cost of climate change does not seem to be a deterrent in Florida, one of the fastest-growing states in the country, where coastal regions like Panama City, Jacksonville, and Port St. Lucie are booming. (Some research suggests that the mere existence of the NFIP shielded policyholders from the true costs of living in flood-prone areas.)

Asheville, at the heart of Buncombe County, was once hailed as a climate haven safe from disasters; the city is now reeling in the wake of Helene. For many homeowners, small business owners, and renters in western North Carolina, the damage from Helene will be life-changing. FEMA payouts may bring, at best, only a fraction of what a home would be worth. Auto insurance generally covers all types of damage, including flooding—a small bright spot of relief, but not enough to offset the loss of a family’s main asset.

“People at the coast, at some point after the nth storm, they start to get the message,” Hornstein says. “But for people in the western part of the state, this is just Armageddon. And you can certainly forgive them for not having before appreciated the fine points of these impenetrable contracts.”

Marlett says that there are models for insurance that are designed to better withstand the challenges of climate change. New Zealand, for instance, offers policies that cover all types of damage that could happen to your house; while these policies are increasingly tailored price-wise to different types of risk, there’s no chance a homeowner would experience a climate disaster not covered by their existing policies. But it’s hard, he says, to see the US system getting the wholesale overhaul it needs, given how long the piecemeal system has been in place.

“I sound so pessimistic,” he said. “I’m normally an optimistic person.”

[elsewhereuniversity]

I don't know where I picked this planner up, but it's scheduled my next fenderbender for Thursday after next and my roommate's got a sword fight six months from now. It has cat(? probably those are cats) stickers on the front. The name inside is water-damaged and unreadable. You wouldn't happen to know who it belongs to?

I do not, but I'm sure with some time I can find out. In the meantime, let me send you away with something for accidents and duels both: a tube of lipstick in an elegant shade of plum, which smells like honey and grants an air of unshakeable confidence and eloquence. Useful for both arguing over car insurance policies and heckling your roommate's opponent as they square up for the fight.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Alicia Sadowski and Isabella Corrao at MMFA:

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, right-wing media falsely claimed that Vice President Kamala Harris and the Biden administration are ignoring millions of Americans impacted by intense flooding. Media personalities and MAGA influencers have falsely and dishonestly claimed that victims are only entitled to $750 in aid, when in reality that is just the start of federal benefits.

FEMA can provide assistance for victims of Hurricane Helene, but chronic underfunding and climate change, not undocumented migrants, threaten future aid availability

In addition to FEMA providing residents of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia with “a one-time $750 payment to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula and other emergency supplies,” victims can also qualify for “disaster-related financial assistance to repair storm-related damage to homes and replace personal property.” After visiting the wreckage in Georgia, Harris reiterated that “FEMA is also providing tens of thousands more dollars for folks to help them be able to deal with home repair, to be able to cover a deductible when and if they have insurance, and also hotel costs.” [The White House, 10/2/24, 10/2/24]

After President Joe Biden signed a stopgap spending bill in September, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said FEMA can properly respond to Helene recovery efforts. FEMA spokesperson Daniel Llargués said that FEMA is in a “good position” to respond to Hurricane Helene relief efforts after the agency received $20.3 billion under the spending bill. Biden has suggested bringing lawmakers back to Washington to provide additional funding for disaster relief, but Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has claimed “there’s no necessity for Congress to come back”. [The New York Times, 9/26/24, 10/2/24; Roll Call, 10/3/24; FEMA, 10/3/24]

Future concerns for FEMA’s funding are attributable to chronic underfunding by Congress and increased costs associated with extreme weather disturbance as a result of climate change, not aid given to undocumented immigrants. Mayorkas warned that FEMA “does not have the funds to make it through the [hurricane] season.” A DHS spokesperson clarified, however, that aid provided to undocumented immigrants through the Shelter and Services Program is “a completely separate, appropriated grant program that was authorized and funded by Congress and is not associated in any way with FEMA's disaster-related authorities or funding streams." [The Associated Press, 10/3/24; Axios, 7/14/23; Bipartisan Policy Center, 7/23/24; Newsweek, 10/3/24]

Right-wing media have pushed the cartoonishly false claim that Hurricane Helene survivors are only entitled to $750 in aid, when in fact that the $750 is the beginning.

The right-wing noise machine also dishonestly blamed undocumented immigrants by baselessly accusing them of plundering FEMA funding.

[militantinremission]

What's REALLY going on in Southern California?

Why did roughly 75,000 Home Owners mysteriously lose their Fire Insurance before this catastrophic Event, & WHY are Real Estate Investors sending offers to Folks while their Properties are STILL smoldering? What about the UFO sightings- WHAT exactly are they??? What about the Water Shortage? It's not like Gavin Newsome & Karen Bass didn't know that they already had a Water Crisis. California has been plagued w/ Wildfires for Years! Why did they take that Reservoir Offline? It was originally scheduled to go Offline back in April 2024; what took so long? WHAT happened to that Rail Car loaded w/ 60,000Lbs of Ammonium Nitrate??? While i'm at it, WHY was Joe Biden saying: 'Fire Away' each time he invited an Official to speak at his Press Conference? It goes beyond mere insensitivity.

NONE OF THIS passes the 'Smell Test'! I agree w/ Dane Calloway's assessment of this Event- are We seeing another Maui Disaster happening on the Mainland? Some are pointing out that Homes w/o 'Smart Meters' are still standing, similar to the Blue Roof Homes in Maui. Is this yet another Land Grab by Corporations like BlackRock, BlackStone, & Vanguard Properties? Like Maui, the Majority of those affected are Working Class People who lived in the Area for Generations. The Wealthy can afford to Rebuild, but what about Folks who had their Fire Insurance Policies Cancelled? These People lost EVERYTHING! ADOS/ FBA aren't Strangers to these Tactics; Our Ancestors survived Events like This in the Past. We've been Burned Out, Flooded Out, & FORCED OUT (by way of Terrorism, Imminent Domain, & Asset Forfeiture) of Our Independent Towns & Enclaves. Those Areas are currently NON BLACK.

We WARNED Everyone: The Pendulum swings Both Ways; What afflicts Us WILL swing back on You! Jim Crow Joe said that The Federal Government will "cover 100% of the Cost over the next 180 Days"- WHAT does that mean? Sounds like He's covering the Cost of Clearing Debris & Relocation of People who can't afford to Rebuild. $57B in Damages & counting, but neither Biden, nor Newsome said that They will assist Home Owners w/ Rebuilding. We already heard that Property Values in the Fire Zone will likely plummet, due to the unwillingness of Insurers to offer Fire Insurance Riders. In essence, it looks like The Federal Government is prepping The Area for Corporate Oligarchs to buy up Huge tracts of Land for Pennies on the Dollar.

Mechee X made an Excellent Point on the Subject: Is this part of a larger Plan? Are We being PRIMED to accept a Hidden Agenda? These people already think that We've been sufficiently Dumbed Down & Pacified... I can't help but remember the WEF Summit, where Globalists were telling Us: "You will Own NOTHING & you will like it". They spoke about '15 Minute Cities' where EVERYONE leases EVERYTHING; from your Home, down to the Electric Car or Scooter that you drive. 'Smart Technology' plays a Major Role in this narrative. We've heard the phrase: 'As California goes, so goes America'- if this is indeed true, then there's good reason to get prepared.

The Timeline between Maui, North Carolina, & Southern California shows that whatever name We call the Agenda underway, is escalating. We're being told that All 3 Events were 'Acts of Nature', but NONE of them feel natural. Programs like H.A.A.R.P. (High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program) have instigated many Conspiracy Theories over the Years. H.A.A R.P. in particular has been associated w/ Beached Whales & Giant Squid, along w/ Earthquakes in Haiti & Ecuador. My Question is: What's the End Game? If it's about the Billionaire Class, How much is enough? Most of Us are comfortable w/ a House & 2 Vehicles. Why are Companies like BlackRock so vexed on Owning ALL of the Land (& Fresh Water)?

It appears that the Globalists are INTENT on creating a New Feudal System, where EVERYONE is a Serf or Peasant under some Corporate Oligarch & their Political vassals. As a Collective, Europeans have that history in their Genetic Memory; so it may be Muscle Memory for them to fall in line w/ the Experience of their Great Grand Parents. Those of Us 'From The Soil' come from Matrilineal Societies that practiced 'Communalism'- We FIGHT for Freedom on This Side of The Tracks. Our Ancestors died fighting for their Right of Expression & Autonomy. The very same European Peasants that FLED the oppression of their Mother Countries, in turn, tried to make Us 'Their Peasants'- but We continue to fight them to This Day.

Looking at things from a Black Perspective, Delineation is actually a Godsend. As The 'Powers That Be' try to consolidate wealth, they're DESTROYING Europe & weakening America, to the point where BRICS+ has become a Real Time Competitor on the Global Stage. Indigenous Black Americans number over 50 Million Strong & represent over $1.5 Trillion/ Yr- as an Oppressed People. We're well on Our Way to becoming a formidable Political Power Block. If We can consolidate into a Economic Trading Block, We won't just fulfill the dreams of Our Enslaved & 1st Generation Freedmen Ancestors; We will become REAL PLAYERS on the World Stage [Again].

Regardless of their Agenda, the Colonizers CAN'T HAVE THIS LAND! We were HERE long before they came, & We'll be Here long after they're gone.

-Just My 2 Cents

[soon-palestine]

The Ecologists, La France Insoumise, the French Communist Party, and the Socialist Party unveiled, at a joint press conference, the programme of the left-wing alliance to the legislative elections. He condemned the "terrorist massacre of Hamas".

A programme in "20 measures of rupture", during the "first 15 days", to "reply to the emergency that damage the life and confidence of the French people". Wage indexation on inflation, rise of Smic, repeal of unemployment and pension insurance reforms… At a press conference held on Friday 14 June, the leaders of the left-wing parties behind the "New Popular Front" unveiled their legislature contract.

Decreeing the social emergency

-Block the prices of basic necessities (food, energy, fuels)

-Repealing pension and unemployment insurance reform

-Inflation of wages

-Fixing the SMIC and the minimum pension at EUR 1600 net

-Remove the minimum old-age age at the poverty line (60% of the SMIC)

-Restoring the wealth tax, "reinforced with a climate component"

Declaring an immediate ceasefire in Gaza

-Breaks with the support of the French government to Benjamin Netanyahu, and enforce the order of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which evokes a risk of genocide

-Action for the release of hostages detained since the Hamas terrorist massacres and for the release of Palestinian political prisoners

-Subsistent International Criminal Court (ICC) in its prosecution of Hamas leaders and the Israeli government

-Immediate recognition of the State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel on the basis of UN resolutions

-Alspering the organisation of free elections in Palestine under international control

Defending Ukraine

Defending the sovereignty of the Ukrainian people and their territory through the delivery of the necessary weapons

Seity of oligarch assets in banks

-Sending of blue helmets, in particular to secure nuclear power plants Addressing the climate challenge

-Adoption of a climate plan for carbon neutrality in 2050, and the principle of the green rule

-Adopting an "energy-climate" law, the beginnings of ecological planning

-Decree a moratorium on motorway infrastructure projects (A69…), and mega-bassines

-Adopting a water-sharing plan at the national level Is it a 6th Republic

-Rebrogate article 49, paragraph 3

-Election of the National Assembly and the Senate by proportional representation

-Introduce the Citizens' Initiative Referendum (RIC)

To convene a constituent assembly to draft a new Constitution Guaranteeing the right to housing

Build 1 million "green" housing units over 5 years

Repeal the Kasbarian Act, and abolish evictions

-Ammguring rent in tense areas

-Maintenate the SRU Act (20 or 25 per minimum of social housing per commune) Reshaping Europe

-Generating super-profit taxation at European level

-Finance of free trade agreements (CETA, Mercosur, etc.)

-Refusing the Fiscal Stability Pact

-Reforming the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)

[duckapus]

Project Thunder: Finale

So while things are working out great down under the Firewalls, the space battle is going... poorly, mainly due to Alternate Worm being ridiculous and Chroma & Blaze no longer being distracted by Mira. Even the additions of GG and Swagmageddon aren't quite turning the tides, despite how powerful they are.

Eventually, they find themselves fully on the back foot, with their heaviest hitters either worn down or caught up trying to keep Worm at bay. At one point Swag even gets his arms blown off by Cosmos. It doesn't actually hurt thanks to him being all hopped up on Goldeneye Cheatcodes, but it does severely limit his combat capabilities. Plus, well...

"I can't fap! I CAN'T FAP!!!!"

...It's Swag, what can ya do?

Anyway, there's also a point where GG gets cornered by Chroma and Blaze, who are still caught up in Full Security Mode after dealing with Mira and so have absolutely no qualms about completely obliterating the poor kid. And then Emulator swoops in to protect her, and something amazing happens.

Over with Worm he's having the time of his life fighting people who actually sort of stand a chance against him, but nobody here's got the swords that are his One Weakness sooo....

Before he can unleash a final, devastating attack, he's distracted by a massive flash of light and Chroma and Blaze's unconscious forms flying past him from the same direction, and as everyone turns to look they're confronted with a towering, ethereal pink and blue woman with eyes glowing solid white, an impossibly serine expression on her face.

"Hello, Master of Darkness. We are Creation. We have come to wreck your shit."

While that's happening, somebody else finally finds a way to break through the Firewalls. Basically, Flonne and the Squirtle Squad have the power of god, anime, and giant drills on their side. Ash's Squirtle converts his mini-mecha into an arm cannon for Flonne's mech, the custom Arwings the other Squad members are piloting attach to the cannon to form a drill-like lance, and then they give a long-winded speech about the strength of their bonds while the lance spins and forms a massive drill (I'm talking roughly five times the size of the mech itself) consisting of water, Aura, and Holy Light, and unleash their Ultimate Attack just before everyone who's not involved in the Worm vs Creation thing can swarm them.

"SACRED HEART DRILL BREAKER!!!!!!!!"

The Firewalls don't just get broken into, they get absolutely shredded, and just in time, as the keys and bosses got finished up with only a couple minutes prior. Since Creation is easily the most powerful Program they've got now, she's the one to retrieve the stolen games and the away teams.

There's just one problem.

See, the Rising Star Circus cast had decided to go with Juliano when he left, even with his warnings of what life is like for a Character-level who can't access their home server, figuring that a life of freedom with him and his new family would be worth the pain. Unfortunately, when Creation tries to bring them along, their code rejects it, and rather violently. Apparently Jayin and L programmed Connected Cosmos: The Game so none of its native characters could ever leave, as an insurance policy for this very scenario of a character coming to life and deciding they'd be better off elsewhere. I mean, given the lengths Jayin went to just for this situation to happen in the first place are you really surprised.

As powerful as Creation is, she's still so new. She can't brute-force the out without risking doing fatal damage, and she doesn't understand her powers well enough to rewrite things so they can get out, at least not quickly enough.

So, once again, Juliano loses his Rising Star Circus family, though he and the SMG4 Crew vow to come back for them someday.

And that's the end! There's definitely some aftermath scenes I could (and probably should) do later, but this was the main plot.

[carmenjeweller]

How to Care for Your Pink Diamond Jewellery: Tips from Experts

Introduction

Investing in pink diamond jewellery is more than just acquiring a breathtaking piece of art; it’s about safeguarding its brilliance and value for generations to come. At Carmen Jewellers, one of Perth’s most trusted names in fine jewellery, we understand the deep emotional and financial significance of these rare gems. Here, we share expert care tips straight from our team at Carmen Jewellers.

1. Regular Cleaning

Pink diamonds are renowned for their durability, but even the toughest gemstones are not immune to dirt, oil, and grime buildup over time. Keeping your jewellery clean is essential to maintaining its sparkle. For at-home cleaning, Carmen Jewellers recommends the following method:

Mix warm water with a few drops of mild dish soap in a small bowl.

Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to gently scrub the jewellery, paying close attention to intricate details and settings.

Rinse thoroughly under lukewarm water and pat dry with a lint-free cloth.

Avoid using harsh chemicals, abrasive cleaners, or ultrasonic cleaners, as these can damage the metal setting or compromise the integrity of the gemstone. For a deeper clean, visit Carmen Jewellers in Perth, where our professional cleaning services are designed to restore your pink diamonds to their original brilliance. Let us handle the delicate work, so your jewellery remains flawless.

2. Professional Maintenance

While regular at-home cleaning is important, it’s equally vital to schedule annual professional maintenance for your pink diamond jewellery. At Carmen Jewellers, we provide cleaning and inspection services for our Perth customers, ensuring your pieces stay in impeccable condition.

During these maintenance appointments, our expert jewellers:

Thoroughly clean your jewellery using specialized tools and techniques.

Inspect for loose prongs, worn settings, or other potential issues that could compromise the security of your pink diamond.

Perform necessary repairs to protect the longevity of your piece.

These annual check-ups are essential for preserving the integrity of your jewellery and catching any potential issues early. Trust Carmen Jewellers’ skilled professionals to treat your precious pieces with the care and attention they deserve.

3. Proper Storage

The way you store your pink diamond jewellery can significantly impact its condition over time. Improper storage can lead to scratches, tarnishing, or even damage. At Carmen Jewellers, we recommend the following storage tips:

Place your jewellery in a soft-lined jewellery box or a pouch to protect it from scratches.

Store individual pieces separately to prevent them from rubbing against each other.

Use a dedicated jewellery box with compartments or dividers to keep your collection organized and secure.

4. Avoid Wearing During Activities

While diamonds are incredibly durable, they’re not invincible. Everyday activities can expose your pink diamond jewellery to unnecessary wear and tear. To preserve its beauty and longevity, avoid wearing your pieces during:

Gardening or household chores, where they might come into contact with dirt, harsh chemicals, or abrasive surfaces.

Swimming, as chlorine in pools can weaken the metal setting.

High-impact activities like exercising, which may risk accidental knocks or scratches.

Taking off your jewellery during these activities is a simple yet effective way to protect your investment.

5. Insurance Matters

Pink diamond jewellery is not only a financial investment but often carries deep sentimental value. Protecting it with insurance ensures peace of mind in the event of loss, theft, or damage. Carmen Jewellers can assist Perth customers in:

Providing professional appraisals to establish the value of your jewellery.

Offering guidance on selecting the right insurance policy to suit your needs.

With our expertise, you can confidently safeguard your treasured pieces, knowing they’re protected against life’s uncertainties.

Conclusion

Caring for your pink diamond jewellery doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With a little regular maintenance and thoughtful handling, your investment can retain its brilliance and value for years to come. At Carmen Jewellers, we’re committed to helping our Perth customers enjoy their jewellery at its finest. Whether it’s professional cleaning, expert maintenance, or personalized advice, our team is here to ensure your pink diamonds remain radiant.

Visit Carmen Jewellers, your go-to destination for premium jewellery care in Perth, and discover how our expertise can help you preserve the beauty of your cherished pieces. Because at Carmen Jewellers, we believe your jewellery deserves nothing less than the best.

[randomrabbidramblings]

Thanks to Bwahstrella's... questionable policies about her clients' privacy here's her quotes:

Not quite spoilers, but if you want to catch them yourself, don't go ahead. No spoilers about the DLC, just lil' trivia about the characters. There's A LOT of them, I don't even think you could get all of them in a couple of playthroughs, I may have missed a bunch, so if you find some I didn't let me know!

"Augie lives in fear his villagers will discover that their emergency food supplies are just bags of nacho cheese sauce."

"Augie was supposed to build a new temple, but he blew the funds on booking DJ Cheep Tuna for his birthday."

"I foresee Augie will be put on a "performance improvement plan" for using the lighthouse to cook a rotisserie chicken."

"Tell Augie our service hotline is not a free consueling service."

"Find out wich intern told Augie he was doomed and fire them. He is calling like a lunatic now."

"I foresee Augie wearing sweatpants to his parents' anniversary after forgetting to try on his suit until the day of."

"Orion's next cargo ship will catch fire after Salesbot's crates of "furniture parts" turn out to be illegal fireworks."

"I foresee Orion being swallowed alive by a Shovel-Nosed Gobblegazer while star fishing. He REALLY needs a new hobby."

"Magnesio and Vanesia sold MANY "prosperity crystals". The catch? They were ICE crystals. Rabbids got water in the mail."

"I sponsored Telesio in a book-a-thon fundraiser. He read every book in the Winter Palace - TWICE! Cost me a fortune."

"Each postcard of Dr. Vent is stranger than the last. That Rabbid is in dire need of a vacation."

"The balls they throw at the Winter palace are like knitting circles compared to the ones they had there back in my days."

"Woodrow is to recieve terrible dating advice until he rescinds the 5% fortune telling tax on Palette Prime!"

"Woodrow's ex-girlfriend couldn't even read a greeting card inscription without breaking into hives, poor thing."

"The Fates are many, and their voices discordant, but on this ONE thing they agree - they HATE Woodrow's poetry."

"When Woodrow needed money he wrote crude limericks under the name "Bell Chur". Oddly they brought only good luck."

"If Woodrow calls, tell him I am in a seance - DO NOT take a message, especially if it rhymes."

"Yes, it is bad if Woodrow's next poem destroys the galaxy, BUT if we don't have to hear it - mixed blessing."

"Lots of Rabbids from Palette Prime are calling for advice. Woodrow must be working on a new poem. SHUDDER."

"Tell the Palette Prime office I'm eagerly awaiting fresh gossip from the Spellbound Woods about Sweetlopek an the Dryad."

"I foresee the Dryad and Sweetlopek making a fortune selling fall-themed "farmhouse chic" pinecone wreaths to tourists."

"A certain Spark Hunter who is as dense as her name implies owes me for damage to my vacation home on Palette Prime."

"I didn't say Salesbot smuggles artificial pumpking spice into Palette Prime, but I also didn't NOT say it."

"The "authenthic" Paletteville Plaza Farmer's Market scented candles I bought from Salesbot smell like rotting garbage."

"The premium for poetry-related accident insurance on Palette Prime is six times that of our other locations!"

"A golden acorn of opportunity will fall in your lap while you are asleep. It will be eaten by a vole."

"Bea reports that "Madame Bwahstrella Doom n' Bloom Boquets" are a very popular item between mortal enemies."

"Bea's music made a small comeback after DJ Cheep Tuna sampled it for Darkmess Cheese Barber Wrap Tunnel Disco party."

"Tell my publicist to invite Galaxy Confidential to my Doomy Awards dinner party, then seat the Phantom near Bea."

"You didn't need to be psychic to predict the Phantom dumping Bea for one of her backup dancers, but would she listen?"

"Tell Alkementor I need a case of red banana-kumquat-star apple mineral fusion water for my Doomy Awards afterparty."

"I see Sullivan going dateless at the Engineer's Ball if he does not stop blowing me off for his stupid train."

"If Sullivan calls, tell him I'm having lunch with a handsome salesman who prefers electric trains over steam engines."

"Sullivan sent roses to apologize for calling me "vile rabble" after I said his steam train was a "ridiculous fossil"."

"Everywhere I go at the Everbloom I am asked. "Do you foresee more overtime in my future?" Hard to relax."

"I foresee Momma being thougher than leather and harder than steel, with an itch for action and living like there no tomorrow!"

"I wouldn't want to be a certain Spark Hunter when Momma catches up to them with an itch that only revenge can scratch!"

"Tell our Barrendale Mesa location they are absolutely NOT to close during "Big Momma's Bike Rally and Chili Cookoff."

"I foresee Gerspard moving into his Neo-Figurative Hyper-Expressionist Retro-Futuristic Tabloid phase to rave reviews."

"Rabbid Peach wants HOW MUCH for a sponsored post?!"

"Someone tell Rabbid Mario we do not use male models for our gift catalogues before he sends us any more beefcake shots."

"Prof. Backpack's lecture series is postponed until he can find a commercial spaceflight with room for his backpack."

"Can someone remind Salesbot he does not work here? He keeps popping in to help himself to our breakroom snacks."

"My competitor, Madame Bwahstrodamus, could not predict yesterday's weather if she had a newspaper."

"Find out how many lanes the bowling alley in Madame Bwahstrodamus' mansion has so I can build mine with twice as many."

"Sigh... Have my body double do the autograph signing. I need a vacation..."

"I see a new personal assistant in my future if my chicken cheesesteak is cold like last time."

"Curses, hexes, evil eyes... Fortune-telling USED to be fun. Now the Fates most rely on algorithms and statistics."

"I'm Doomed, My Partner's Not - my self-help guide for couples, it's due out this spring."

"Life is short - doom well, doom often, doom much."

[weirdothatwritess]

Hurricane Knowledge!

This is general Hurricane knowledge for anyone ever: don’t go thru any water that isn’t clear, your car can be swept away by just one inch of water because of hydroplaning, get flashlights and water, and get gas NOW if you can because gas stations are gonna be overrun if they aren’t already. If you can hear rescue helicopters and boats, use your flashlight (at night) and a mirror (at day, to preserve battery) and try to do it in SOS, which is 3 quick flashes, 3 slow ones, and another 3 quick ones. If you know you’re gonna flood, put all important documents in ziplock bags or some other waterproofing device. If your house starts to flood and you haven’t lost power and you can get to your breaker box, turn off power to your house.

Hurricane Prep Checklist (with main outline from ChatGPT and anecdotes from me)

(A good rule of thumb is "Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it")

Prep before the storm a) Emergency Kit Prepare an emergency kit that includes:

Water: At least 1 gallon per person per day for at least three days. (ex: family of 5 would mean 15 gallon minimum)

Non-perishable food: Enough for at least three days (canned goods, protein bars, etc.) If there's time, Amazon sells MREs, which are Meal-Ready-to-Eat Rations, what the military uses aka "Just add water" meals

Flashlights and extra batteries. If you're unsure whether you have enough, get more.

First aid kit and any necessary medications.

Personal hygiene items (toilet paper, soap, hand sanitizer).

Manual can opener (for canned food).

Portable phone charger (power banks). Getting ones that can recharge of solar power or a hand crank is a good idea.

Whistle/mirror (for signaling for help).

Local maps.

Cash: In case ATMs are down. b) Evacuation Plan

Know your evacuation zone: Authorities will announce evacuations if needed. Know the safest routes out of your area.

Plan ahead: If you have pets, children, or elderly family members, prepare in advance for their needs. Make arrangements for transportation if you don’t have a car.

Shelters: Locate the nearest hurricane shelters or make arrangements to stay with family or friends outside of the evacuation zone. c) Home Preparations

Windows: Install storm shutters or use plywood to protect windows. Tape does not prevent windows from breaking, but it will keep it from becoming tiny shards on your floor, so you can tape them and then shutter them if you have small children or animals.

Yard: Secure loose objects (patio furniture, grills, etc.) that could become projectiles in strong winds. If you're unsure if it would be dangerous, assume it would be and secure it as such.

Roof and Gutters: Inspect and clear gutters and downspouts to prevent flooding. Check for loose shingles or tiles. If you find a loose, non brittle shingle, you can try to secure it with nails, if you find a loose tile, it may be better to take the tile off and use something like flex seal or flex tape to protect the material underneath.

Reinforce doors and garage doors: These are weak points during a hurricane. Consider installing braces or other something similar.

Generator: If you can, get a generator for power outages. Remember to store fuel safely, and never use a generator inside the house. d) Stockpile Essentials

Gas: Fill up your car’s tank, as gas stations may run out or close.

Medications: Refill prescriptions ahead of time, and ASAP, especially with the Adderall shortage.

Supplies: Buy any supplies that you’ll need for an extended period of time (baby formula, diapers, TAMPONS and PADS, etc.). e) Insurance and Documentation

Check your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance to ensure that it covers hurricane damage. Flood insurance is often a separate policy.

Document your belongings: Take photos or videos of your home’s interior and exterior, including valuable items. Keep important documents (insurance, passports, IDs, deeds) in a waterproof container. If you don't have one, a ziplock baggie is better than nothing.

During the Hurricane a) Stay Informed

Monitor weather updates from trusted sources (e.g., National Hurricane Center, local government). Keep a battery-powered radio handy in case power and cellular networks go down. Figure out your local emergency weather radio station NOW. b) Shelter in Place (If Not Evacuating)

Stay indoors and away from windows.

Go to a small, interior room on the lowest level of your house (a bathroom or closet is ideal).

Avoid using candles for lighting due to fire hazards; stick to flashlights.

Stay out of floodwaters: Even shallow water can be dangerous. Avoid walking or driving through it.

Power outages: Turn off major appliances to avoid damage from power surges when electricity is restored, and if your house is taking on water, you haven't lost power yet, and you can safely get to your breaker box, turn off power to your house. It's not worth having the electrocution risk.

Avoid tap water: It may be contaminated after the storm, so stick to bottled water. Fill GROUND LEVEL bathtubs and sinks for flushing toilets and minimum hygiene. c) Evacuate if Ordered

If authorities issue an evacuation order, follow it immediately. Do not wait until the last minute, as roads may become congested or impassable due to flooding.

Use designated evacuation routes, as shortcuts may be blocked or unsafe.

If you're nervous about the storm, but an evac order hasn't been given. Ask friends or family that are out of the way of the storm if you can stay with them until it's over, leave the hotels/motels/other "public" accomodations for those that have been ordered to leave.

Storm Surge and Flooding Risks

Storm surge: This is the abnormal rise of seawater level caused by a hurricane and is the leading cause of hurricane-related deaths. Areas along the coast are most vulnerable, but storm surges can affect areas miles inland. It is essentially bringing the sea onto land. Milton could bring worse storm surge in the Tampa Bay area than it saw in Helene.

Flooding: Heavy rains can cause flash floods, even in areas far from the coast. Be prepared to move to higher ground if necessary. If you have a two story house, it may be better to store anythingsemi-valuable that you couldn't reasonably be able to bring with you in case of an evacuation upstairs in hopes that the flooding doesn't get that bad.

After the Hurricane a) Stay Cautious

Do not go outside until it is declared safe. There may be downed power lines, debris, or animals.

Watch for wildlife: Displaced animals (snakes, alligators, etc.) may seek shelter in unfamiliar places.

Avoid floodwaters: Any unclear/not crystal clear water may contain dangerous debris, sewage, or hidden hazards like downed power lines. b) Inspect Your Home

Check for structural damage (cracks in walls, foundation issues) and avoid turning on the power if there’s water damage to electrical systems.

Document damage: Take photos of any damage to your home for insurance purposes before you begin cleaning up.

Mold: Start drying out your home as soon as possible to prevent mold growth. Open windows and doors and use fans if power is restored.

Sheetrock/drywall absorbs water insanely well, so cut at least 4 feet above where the water level went to. Sheetrock/drywall is sold in 4, 8, 10, and 12 foot tall panels depending on which way you lay it, so if the water level plus 4 feet is less than 4, 8, 10, or 12, just cut to the next highest number, it’ll make it much easier to replace and reduce risk of mold even further. c) Check for Safety Hazards

Be aware of carbon monoxide poisoning risks from generators. Only use generators outdoors and far from windows or vents. If not possible to keep it away from windows, soak a towel in water and block the window jamb with it.

Food safety: Discard any food that may have been spoiled due to a lack of refrigeration. Better safe than sorry. Keep the refrigerator closed as much as possible to preserve food and/or medications like insulin longer. d) Help Others

Check on neighbors, especially the elderly, those with small children, or those with animals.

Be aware of mental health: Going through a hurricane can be traumatic. Don’t hesitate to seek emotional support if needed.

Emergency Contacts and Communication

Emergency services: Keep a hard/paper copy list of emergency contacts such as local authorities, utility companies, and insurance agents.

Family communication plan: Set up a way to stay in touch with family members in case phone service is interrupted. Consider using apps that work offline or SMS services that prioritize emergency communication.

Hurricane Recovery and Assistance

FEMA: In the U.S., FEMA offers disaster assistance and recovery services. If your area is declared a disaster zone, apply for federal aid to help rebuild or repair damages.

Local shelters: If your home is uninhabitable, local shelters will be available. Authorities will inform you about their locations post-hurricane.

Detailed Home Preparations a) Hurricane Shutters

Types of shutters:

Accordion shutters: Permanent, unfold like an accordion, and are one of the fastest to deploy.

Roll-down shutters: Installed above windows and rolled down manually or automatically.

Colonial and Bahama shutters: Stylish options but can be less sturdy than roll-downs.

Storm panels: Made of aluminum or steel, removable, and cheaper but take longer to install.

If not shutters, plywood can be a temp solution, but it must be installed properly: use minimum 5/8-inch thick plywood and secure it with screws or expansion bolts. Not nails, as they can be knocked out the easiest.

b) Waterproofing and Flood Protection Flooding is often the biggest risk.

Sandbags: Stack sandbags in front of doors and low windows to block water. You can often get them from local authorities for free before a storm.

If you leave near a beach and aren't evacuating (not recommended), you could theoretically just go get sand from there.

You can also buy playground sand at stores like Lowe's and make your own.

Flood barriers: There are reusable flood barriers available that provide better protection than sandbags, like aqua dams or water-filled barriers that you place around your home.

Seal cracks: Inspect your foundation and basement walls for cracks where water might seep in. Use caulk, hydraulic cement, or waterproof sealant (ie, flex seal) to patch them before the storm.

Sump pump: Install one with a backup power source (battery or generator) if your home is prone to basement flooding. Test it before the storm in a bucket, bathtub, or sink. c) Interior Safety

Interior doors: Keep all interior doors closed during the storm. This helps prevent wind pressure from building up inside the house, which can blow off the roof.

Emergency escape routes: Know how to exit your home in case of sudden flooding or if the structure becomes compromised. Consider having a ladder or rope to escape from upper floors if the lower level floods.

Dealing with Power Outages and Communication Loss Power outages during hurricanes are usually inevitable, esp in states like Texas, and they can last for days or even weeks, depending on how bad the storm was and the damage to infrastructure. a) Generators and Backup Power

Types of generators:

Portable generators: Less expensive but need to be set up outdoors and require manual refueling.

Standby generators: Automatically turn on when the power goes out, but they’re more costly and require professional installation.

Generator safety: Never run a generator inside or near windows due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Ensure it’s placed at least 20 feet from your house.

Fuel: Stock up on enough fuel to last several days, and store it safely. Gas stations might not have power to pump fuel after the storm, so filling up ahead is crucial. b) Battery Backup for Communication Devices

Power banks: Have several fully charged power banks ready to charge phones, radios, or other essential devices.

Solar chargers: Solar-powered chargers can be invaluable when there's no power. You can use them to recharge your phone or small electronics during daylight. c) Cell Network Loss

If cell towers are damaged, text messages often go through when calls don’t because they require less bandwidth.

Use apps like Zello (which works like a walkie-talkie w Wi-Fi) or FireChat (which allows messaging without the internet or cell service using Bluetooth) as backups.

Know how to turn off non-essential functions on your phone to preserve battery life.

Airplane mode will save battery and allow you to use your phone for essentials like taking photos or accessing offline maps.

Low brightness, low power mode (iPhone), dark theme, turning off location services, and using as few apps as possible will all preserve battery.

Mental Health and Stress Management During Hurricanes Going through a hurricane can be traumatic. The stress of it all can really take a toll. a) During the Storm

Create a calm environment: If you have children, try to keep the atmosphere as calm as possible. You might want to prepare activities like board games, puzzles, books, or coloring pages to help pass the time during the storm.

Breathing exercises: Practicing deep breathing can help with anxiety. You can do the 4 square method (in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4) or the 4-6-8 method. If you have an Apple Watch, there's the mindfulness app that will guide you through some deep breathing exercises and I know that FitBit has a similar feature. b) After the Storm

Recognize signs of trauma: Anxiety, sleeplessness, and irritability are common after traumatic events. Consider reaching out for professional support.

Community support: After the hurricane, the support of neighbors and community organizations can help people cope. Volunteering or joining relief efforts can also provide a sense of purpose.

It really helped me feel purpose and less helpless when I went through Hurricane Harvey in 2017 to help my neighbors clean up their houses and restore damage.

Pet Care During Hurricanes PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING HOLY, MICROCHIP YOUR PETS! Their collars can come off if they get lost in flooding, and even if the worst happens, it's easier to heal and move on if you know for sure, rather then always wondering. a) Emergency Kit for Pets

Food and water: At least 3-7 days’ worth of food and water for your pets. Don't forget a manual can opener if you use canned food.

Leash, collar, and ID tags: Ensure your pet has proper identification and is leashed when outside or in public shelters.

Pet medications: If your pet requires medication, pack enough for a week or more.

Litter or waste bags: Have plenty of waste bags or litter for your pet's needs. b) Pet-Friendly Shelters

Many evacuation shelters don't allow pets unless they are service animals. Look for pet-friendly shelters in your area now, or find some sort of boarding facility outside the hurricane zone.

Hurricane Insurance and Financial Preparation Hurricanes can cause catastrophic damage, and recovering financially can be difficult. Here’s how to ensure your finances are protected: a) Homeowners’ Insurance

Flood insurance: Standard homeowner’s insurance does not cover flooding. You’ll need a separate policy from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or private insurers.

Windstorm coverage: In hurricane-prone areas, windstorm damage might not be covered in a standard policy. Double-check with your insurer and add this coverage if necessary.

Document everything: Before the storm, take pictures and videos of your home, including the roof, foundation, windows, and valuable items. Keep a list of all major belongings, including serial numbers. b) Financial Documents

Waterproof storage: Store copies of insurance policies, deeds, financial documents, and identification in a waterproof container. Again, ziplock baggies are better than nothing. You could even use a curling iron or straightener to seal them if you aren't confident in the little seal it comes with.

Emergency cash: Have some cash on hand since power outages will probably render ATMs and card readers useless.

Evacuation Tips The SOONER the BETTER a) Timing Your Evacuation

Evacuate early: If you’re in a high-risk area (near the coast, below sea level, or in a flood-prone region), leave as soon as an evacuation order is issued. Roads may become congested, and gas stations and accommodations may fill up quickly.

Gas: Fill up your car as early as possible. Keep the tank full during hurricane season in case you need to leave suddenly. If possible, get Jerry Cans and keep enough for a full tank for your car.

Again, if you're nervous about the storm, but an evac order hasn't been given. Ask friends or family that are out of the way of the storm if you can stay with them until it's over, leave the hotels/motels/other "public" accomodations for those that have been ordered to leave. b) What to Take

Emergency kit: Pack your emergency kit (with essentials like food, water, medications, and important documents) in your vehicle. Pack it with everything listed under the "Emergency Kit" heading at the top of this list.

Personal items: Take irreplaceable items like family photos, heirlooms, and laptops with vital data.

Returning Home After the Hurricane Once the storm has passed, returning home can be just as dangerous as the hurricane itself. Here’s how to approach it safely: a) Check for Hazards

Structural safety: Inspect your home for any visible damage, such as cracks in the foundation or walls. Do not enter your home if it seems unstable.

Utilities: If you suspect a gas leak (smell of rotten eggs), do not enter the home, and DO NOT do anything that would give off sparks (ie, starting your car). Call the utility company and wait for clearance.

Avoid standing water: Standing water may be contaminated with sewage or chemicals, or it could conceal sharp objects and electrical hazards. b) Filing Insurance Claims

Act fast: The sooner you file a claim, the quicker the process will be. Take detailed notes and photos of all damage, keep receipts for any immediate repairs, and document all communication with your insurance company. c) Hiring Contractors

Be wary of fraudulent contractors or "storm chasers" who offer to fix damage for cash upfront. Only hire licensed and insured contractors for repairs.

Extra Tip: Use the “48-hour rule”—if you're unsure about evacuation, plan to leave at least 48 hours before the storm hits. Roads may be gridlocked closer to the storm, and services like gas stations and grocery stores might be overwhelmed.

ANECDOTES:

These MAY already exacerbate points listed above, but it's like a teacher teaching a topic twice: it becomes important.

Don’t go thru any water that isn’t clear (Animals, live wires, dead bodies)

Your car can be swept away by just one inch of water because of hydroplaning

Get flashlights and water.

If you aren't sure you have enough of ANYTHING, get more, if possible.

Get gas NOW if you can because gas stations are gonna be overrun if they aren’t already.

If you can hear (but not see) rescue helicopters and boats, use your flashlight (night) and a mirror (day, preserve battery) and try to do SOS, ��� — — — …, or just patterns of three as best you can.

If you know you’re gonna flood, put all important documents in soemthing waterproof. Ziplock is better than nothing.

If your house starts to flood and you haven’t lost power and you can get to your breaker box, turn off power to your house.

Don’t fill your upstairs tubs with water, only do that with downstairs/ground level because you can cause leaks in the ceiling and then that’s yet another problem you’ll have to deal with after everything's over.

Cut loose limbs down before the storm hits, and if there’s any iffy trees that you’re not 85+% sure won’t fall and hit your house, and if it’s just a tree to you, take an axe and cut a wedge so the tree is more likely to fall away from your house.

If the tree is sentimental and you can't bring yourself to damage it, take EVERYTHING out of the rooms it’s most likely to hit should it fall.

If you’re not sure you can drive thru a flooded road, assume you can’t. ESPECIALLY if you don't have a "tall" vehicle because you could easily waterlog your engine and cause the following issues:

Engine damage: Water can cause the engine to stall, a condition known as hydro locking.

Water can also contaminate the engine oil, which can lead to engine problems.

Transmission damage: Water can dissolve the transmission's linings, which can cause the gears to slip.

Water can also contaminate the transmission fluid, which can lead to corrosion and failure.

Brake and rotor damage: Submerging brakes and rotors in water can cause them to warp.

Suspension issues: Driving through deep water can flush out the lubricant and cause premature rusting.

Electrical issues: Water can short circuit electrical components.

Try and get laundry and dishes done NOW so that you don’t have dirty clothes just piling up, ESPECIALLY dishes because roaches and other bugs will be looking for a place to go and they follow food scent.

Figure out how you’d escape on to your roof, should need be. Your life is worth more than a roof, don’t be afraid to chop a hole or break a window to get you and your family to safety.

Get paper plates/bowls/etc and plastic utensils. Also get trashbags.

Get protein bars, cereal, non perishable food that you can stand to eat without it being cold.

If you don’t have a generator, try and figure out what will go bad first in your fridge/freezer and try to eat (if you can't, throw it out, save the headache of mold and cleaning your entire fridge and freezer) that before the storm hits;

Once the power goes out, no one opens that fridge/freezer for SHIT unless it’s life, death, or limb.

In terms of trying to keep cool, my family fashioned an air conditioner by getting a 5 gal bucket from Lowe’s, cutting holes in them, caulking PVC into those holes, putting ice in the buckets and then cutting a hole in the lid to put a fan in

[rainbow-nerdss]

Water Damage

Written for @augustwritingchallenge day 8: Robots & Androids Buck/Eddie (9-1-1), 1k AO3 link

Eddie hates it here. 

It’s his own fucking house, but he hates it.

Ever since that… thing crossed the threshold, thanks to Christopher casually mentioning it in front of Eddie’s folks a year ago, and them deciding it was the perfect thing to surprise him with for Christmas. 

A robot.

A fucking robot. In Eddie’s home.

He hates it here.

He’s lasted a solid five years since the first iteration of these so called “Household Assistants” became mainstream, even though everyone he knew sang their praises, even though Chris had begged for one so he didn’t have to do chores. 

“We’ve gotten along just fine without one all my life, Chris, we don’t need one.”

“But everyone’s got one!” 

It hadn’t worked, even when Chris was seven years old with carefully honed puppy dog eyes, Eddie had resisted. So, naturally, his kid got clever and went over his head.

Eddie hates the fucking thing. It does the work just fine, cleans the dishes before Eddie has a chance to, makes the bed with crisper lines than he’d seen even in the army, it even cooks, though it only has a couple of pre-programmed recipes. 

So, maybe Eddie has taken to sabotaging it, just a little. 

Nothing awful, but he’s “accidentally” left magnets in his bed more than once now, and he’s become much clumsier than normal, his morning coffee spilling just as the robot happens to be passing by.

He just wants it gone. Every time he sees it out of the corner of his eye, the unnatural movements, the subservience, it makes his skin crawl. 

Eddie wants to look after himself. He likes looking after himself.

So, he sabotages the robot. 

Unfortunately, his parents had sprung for a pretty fancy insurance policy, on top of a tight warrantee, which means that every time the robot experiences a malfunction, no matter how small or obviously deliberate, it automatically pings the manufacturer, and they send out a repairman.

The repairman is Eddie’s second problem.

He obviously knows what Eddie is doing, but he refuses to just let the damn thing die. 

The first time he showed up, he stuck his hand out to shake Eddie’s, grinned and introduced himself as Buck, then immediately turned his attention to the robot. “Seems this poor little guy had a run in with some water damage! Let's get you fixed up, huh?”

The next time, it was “A magnet? Damn, buddy, you’ve got the worst luck!”

After that, he’d started shooting Eddie knowing looks. “How did you get spaghetti in there? You’re the most accident prone unit I’ve ever serviced!”

It doesn’t help that Chris has taken a liking to him, actually looking forward to his visit whenever Alfred breaks down — because of course he’s named the damn thing after Batman’s butler.

Chris sits himself at the kitchen table every time Repairman Buck, Eddie’s sworn enemy with unfairly nice arms, is over, and he regales him with stories about school and his friends, all while Buck undoes whatever sabotage Eddie hopes might be the final straw.

“You know, you don’t have to do this, man,” Buck says to him one day, after cleaning dish soap out of Alfred’s control panel.

“Do what?” Eddie answers, trying to look innocent. He does feel a little bad, dragging Buck out here every time. Alfred doesn’t even bother him all that much anymore, since Eddie has started cleaning as he goes, leaving very little for the machine to sweep out from under him. It’s mostly a habit by now, and he can’t say he hates how much Chris seems to enjoy Buck’s visits.

“Cut the poor machine a break, okay? If you wanna see me so much, just ask me out for coffee instead of pouring it on Alfred.”

Eddie turns red. “I don’t— That’s not why I—” 

Buck just grins, folding his arms across his (large, bulging) chest, like he’s just waiting for whatever excuse Eddie will come up with.

Eddie sighs. “Look, it’s— I never wanted Alfred. He entered this house against my will, and I really wish you were worse at your job so I could’ve done away with him a month in.”

Buck’s face fell. “Oh, I— I’m sorry, man, I thought…”

Buck thinks Eddie has been doing all of this for him. He thinks Eddie likes him. And Buck seems… disappointed, to hear that’s not true.

“I should um… I should go. I’ll send the apprentice next time, he’s terrible with water damage.”

Buck starts to leave, and Eddie is frozen, not knowing what to do.

He hears a sizzle behind him, and turns to see Christopher with an empty, upturned glass in his hand. 

Alfred is smoking.

“Buck, wait!” Eddie shouts, running to the front door. 

There’s Buck, just sitting on the top step. He turns, and Eddie drops to sit next to him. 

“You know, it’s the wildest thing — he’s already broken again. Maybe you should come back in and take a look?”

Buck frowns. “It’s—”

“And then maybe… Once Alfred’s up and running, we could get him to set an extra spot at the table for dinner? If you—”

Buck nods. “Yeah. Yeah, okay.” He stands and they go back inside. 

“Actually,” Buck says, halfway through yet another service. “I should admit something, before I’m done here.”

“Yeah?” Eddie asks, from where he’s sitting next to Chris, watching Buck work.

“I think these things are absolutely terrible cooks,” Buck says with a grimace.

“Not as bad as dad!” Chris insists. 

Buck laughs. “How about I get him fixed up, then I’ll cook for you.”

“You want to cook for us? After spending so much time working?”

“I like cooking. Besides, you guys are definitely my favourite clients.”

Eddie meets Buck’s eyes, sees the slight hesitation in his expression. He’d been nervous to ask this, Eddie realises. 

“Whatever you want, Buck.”

And he means it. He isn’t even annoyed when Alfred makes his stupid fucking whirring startup sound, because Buck jumps to his feet and asks if he can look around the kitchen. 

“Admit it, dad,” Chris whispers. “You’re kind of glad we got Alfred, aren’t you?”

Eddie messes up his kid’s hair and scoffs, but he can’t deny it.

The annoying robot servant is worth it, for bringing him Buck.

[riverkvgd581]

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Thirdly, an emergency kit can be crucial for survival in the aftermath of a storm when resources are not readily available. Your kit should contain non-perishable foods, water (at minimum one gallon of water per person per day), medications with extra batteries, personal hygiene products, first aid supplies, copies important documents in waterproof containers and cash, since water damage company wilmington nc ATMs might not work during power failures.

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Insurance checks are equally important. You can avoid financial ruin by reviewing your homeowner's policy to ensure that you have adequate coverage for wind and flood damage.

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For those who decide or need to shelter in place because they are not in immediate danger areas - prepare your home by filling bathtubs with fresh water for flushing toilets if necessary; turning refrigerators/freezers settings down to their coldest setting prior so food lasts longer during potential power outages; unplugging electrical equipment susceptible surge damages; securing exterior doors using deadbolt locks or wooden dowels sliding tracks sliding glass doors etc. ; moving valuables upper floors case flooding becomes an issue within home itself among other precautions specific each individual situation/location within Wilmington area affected by Hurricane warnings/advisories issued local state federal authorities accordingly time manner given circumstances hand respectively overall general welfare everyone involved therein thereafter henceforth forthwith hereupon thereupon thusly hereby herewith thereby wherefore whereas ergo therefore consequently pursuant thereto whence wherewithal hitherto hereafter hereinafter aforementioned premises considered...

After the storm, recovery efforts begin. Check with neighbors to see if they need help cleaning up debris or salvaging what is left. Contact insurance companies and start the claims process. The community as a whole draws closer together. Every dark cloud has a silver lining. Indeed, perseverance and resilience are hallmarks of human spirit.

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