#What is new Consumer Protection Act 2019

[socially-awkward-skeleton]

Chapter 7

Summary: Alex and Farah arrive on base after the gas attack, the hunt for Hadir begins

Warnings/tags: Minors DNI - swearing, character with trauma, British slang, military inaccuracies, established relationship

*some dialog from the game used in this chapter*

Pairing: Captain John Price x Fem!OC (3rd person POV)

Word count: 4.6 K

[AO3]

October 29, 2019 - American military base, Urzikstan

Rory hovered over Laswell’s shoulder as radio chatter came in, tracking both the Russians and the ULF comms. Raised voices, panic, indistinct cries of fear. It reminded her of Piccadilly. Gas. Gas. Gas. Repeated again and again in Arabic and Russian alike. Both sides blamed the other, not knowing which set it off – it didn’t matter when both sides were counting casualties. 

The creeping miasma slid over the sand and derelict buildings, a toxin that clouded the air and infested the lungs of those unlucky enough to have come without the protection of a mask. Anything alive in its wake left to suffocate and be consumed by the deadly plume, its tendrils an impossible knot to escape.  

Price and Garrick entered the comms tent in a rush moments later. The Captain’s piercing 

stare bounced between the two women from under his furrowed brow, his gruff tone commanding an answer from them, “What’s going on?” 

The whine of radio signals being cut and going offline continued in the background along with the last dying gasps and groans of those caught in the crossfire of the spreading chemical weapon as Rory replied, “Comm channels are going mad with chatter.” Seemingly non reactive, she kept her voice calm, even with the news. “There’s been a gas attack at the crossroads.” Tension crackled like static electricity in the air as Price’s steely gaze widened, the tendons in his jaw flexing under the scruff of his beard. “Alex? Farah?” he asked, expecting to have more answers.

“No word, John,” Laswell said, mouth drawn into a straight line as she gave a quick shake of her head, strands of blonde hair drifting over her brow.

Growling to himself, not willing to believe allies had fallen so easily, he pointed at the map on the wall behind them. “There’s a bunker near there, yeah? They’ve likely gone to ground.” It took only a brief moment for a plan to formulate in his mind, years of training giving him the ability to act fast. “Get me a helo, Kate - MedEvac. Garrick, we’re on exfil. Rory, I want you stayin’ on those comms. You catch anything, you notify me immediately.”

With his orders given, she responded with a quick nod and settled in at the desk. There was no time for ‘be safe’ or ‘come back to me’. This was work, part of the mission, romance went out the window in a situation like this. Lives were at stake, focus was critical. Though the firm pat to her shoulder by his gloved hand certainly filled the empty space between them, he lingered for a second more to squeeze the tension from her muscle, his thumb brushing against her.

Forty five minutes passed before any transmission came through, and the silence was deafening. Stress levels were already high knowing that the gas attack could set off further chaos in the region, it was worse waiting to find out the status of the ULF’s leader – alive or dead, it could turn the tide for everything in what seemed to be a nation constantly at war. Rory tapped her lighter against the edge of the table in a steady rhythm, headset on, tuned to Price’s frequency waiting for word. Depending on the outcome, different plans would have to be put in place. The distant rumble of war horses' hooves were on the horizon and glancing over at Kate, she could see the CIA station chief’s cogs spinning. 

Finally, Price’s rasping voice – muffled by the sounds of the helicopter he had returned to – cut across the radio waves. “Found Farah and Alex. On our way back. Gas attack wasn’t the Russians – it was Hadir.”

Farah’s own brother? Christ, Rory thought. So much for blood being thicker than water. Things must have been desperate if he was willing to turn against her, to use a weapon that had ravaged their nation previously. An eye for an eye made the whole world blind, though she certainly respected where Hadir was coming from, that inexhaustible need for revenge after facing one too many atrocities at the enemy’s hand. “How are they, John?” Laswell asked, skipping over the details for now until she could be briefed on the situation in person.

“A little worse for wear, but they’re both breathing.”

“Good. I’ll get medical prepped for the two of them. Sinclair and I will start scraping through the intel, find out where Hadir and the gas have gone.”

It wouldn’t be as simple as Laswell made it out to be, it was no menial task to scour over maps and telemetry, tracking radio chatter to hopefully discover where an American asset and a deadly, concentrated toxin could have disappeared to. Moving from one chair to another, Rory was now left to bury her head in satellite and drone footage focused on the outer reaches of Urzikstan’s borders, the foothills and mountains where AQ was known to stash weapons and its fighters when the heat was on from the Russians. A section of land she was all too familiar with, having assisted in plotting out where most of their resistance forces were holed up during the last two years of her career.

Another thirty minutes would pass before the helicopter would arrive back on base, giving her the opportunity to get a jump on things. Time was of the essence, and if there was one thing Rory was good at, it was working under the pressure of a deadline. It had always streamlined and focused her thinking, kicking her into action. 

Several cups of coffee, dozens of aerial stills, and back and forth between intelligence officers later, the low beating of rotating helicopter blades filled the army base like thunder in the sky. Rory pulled back the flap of the tent and watched the aircraft land, recognizing the boonie hat instantly as Price exited, helping Farah down to the ground, keeping her stable on her feet. Coming up shortly behind was Garrick with Keller, who seemed to be in much the same dazed state as Farah – both of them still feeling the after effects after their brush with the sarin gas, stumbling forward as the medics came to collect them. 

This wasn’t exactly the way she had hoped to get to meet them, with pressure forcing down upon all their heads and the both of them having had a near-death experience out in the field. None of this had been routine, though – as Rory was all too aware – this was just another day at the office. Price’s words echoed in her head from their first mission together, welcome to the special forces. Nothing ever went according to plan, oftentimes having to make things up as they went along, working on the fly. Two years, and she had become accustomed to it. Kate glanced sideways out the part in the tent, her head lifting from her laptop. “Need to debrief with the Captain. You’ll be alright on your own?”

Rory nodded, sipping her coffee while returning to her task of scanning through hours old surveillance footage. “Please, Kate, this is a walk in the park. A regular Tuesday afternoon for me. Go on.”

Waiting until Laswell left the tent, Rory slipped out her phone and got in touch with an old ally. Friends in high places – and even better in low – were a good thing to have in the back pocket when necessary. “Hello, darling,” Andrew Owen’s charming accent chimed in her ear. A man who was formerly her Lieutenant, now an MI6 operative, had his ear to the ground and his fingers in more pies than she wanted to know about. 

“Andy,” Rory drummed her fingers on the table beside the keyboard. “Calling in a favour.”

“Aren’t you always?”

Rolling her eyes, she huffed out a laugh. “You still have contacts in Urzikstan, yeah?”

“Why?”

She leaned back in her chair, watching through the break in the tent, the canvas flapping in the wind. “That's strictly need to know right now, and Lord knows I don't have the clearance to just hand out that sort of information.”

“Well I need something to work with Rory.”

With a heavy sigh, she lowered her voice to a whisper, “Hadir Karim.” 

“Karim…” Andrew went quiet for a moment, trying to place the name. “The ULF Lieutenant?”

“The very same.”

“What could you possibly want with AQ informants when it comes to ULF members?”

“Best you’re kept unaware for now.”

“Rory?” The frustration, the concern, was all evident in his tone. This was the man who had seen the horrors she had, the only other person who really understood the things that haunted her on black missions she could never truly speak of. 

“Andy –” She was short with him, not having time for the debate. 

“You’re over there right now, aren’t you?”

“I can neither confirm nor deny that.”

“For fuck’s sake, Sinclair. Stop pulling the military intelligence bollocks on me. You’re supposed to be looking after your father not off fighting a bloody war, what the hell is happening?”

Her eyes flickered back over to the gap in the tent, and her jaw clenched. “You heard about the US embassy?”

“The attack by AQ? yeah.”

“I arrived shortly after that. Things keep going from bad to worse,” Rory paused. “The stolen Russian gas… it wasn’t them.”

“Bloody hell,” Andrew groaned. “That’s all I can say for now, but that’s why I need those contacts, Andy. We’re working against the clock right now. It’s only a matter of time until AQ really does have their hands on it.”

“Right, I’m on it.”

“Thank you.”

Standing outside the door to the medical wing, Price lingered, his broad shoulders blockading the doorway as he observed the staff attend to Farah and Alex. Preliminary tests already completed, medics looked at the patients, checking for any secondary effects of the gas they had been exposed to. He stood there brow furrowed, lips pursed in a scowl, his mustache curling around his mouth as he concentrated. Rory’s footsteps were near silent as she sauntered up to him, an attempt at catching him off guard, knowing it likely wouldn’t work. Even in moments of calm, veteran soldiers like the two of them couldn’t shut off the awareness, constantly attuned to each little sound and movement. Reading a room, sensing the fluctuations in the air with almost preternatural skill. “Make a better door than a window, you know.” Her smile was anything but professional as she looked up at him, a shoulder pressed to the wall by the door, taking his attention off the goings on in the room. His steely gaze drifted towards her from under a creased and heavy brow. “What're you doin’ ‘ere, Sinclair?”

Glancing in through the door below the bulk of his arm muscle, she brought her attention back to address him. “Spent so much time looking at aerial surveillance footage I started going cross-eyed.” She scratched at the side of her nose and shrugged. “Kate ordered me to take a break.”

“Jesus, you don't quit, do you?”

“You don't either,” she retorted, the grin creeping further along her lips. 

Price's carefully constructed scowl of indifference visibly faltered under the assault of her smile – cheeky as always, little dimples carved under the apples – it was leagues apart from his own gruff, taciturn nature and for a split second, she caught his eyes softening before he quickly recovered, the impassive mask taking its rightful place once more, lips tight. “So what brought you down ‘ere then? Garrick tell you where I was?”

“No,” she shook her head defiantly, “Don’t need to ask the Sergeant where you’ll be, I know you well enough that I don’t have to ask around.” Her eyes flickered over him for a moment, as if she were skimming over a page from the book she had learned to read him as. “You have a bit of the ol’ mother hen about you, medical was the first place I thought to check for you after your meeting with Kate. I knew you’d be concerned with the state of these two,” she said, tipping her head in the direction of the medical room.

“Mother hen, eh?” Price’s brow lifted as he glanced back at her once more. “It’s quite charming in its own way, really.” Her impish smirk slid across her lips. “Endearing, even. Shows you care. Especially for a gruff bastard like you,” she teased, the sarcastic bite to her words more than evident. He chuffed out a quick hint of a laugh. “Had a fair bit of practice in it havin’ to look after you these last few years, my girl.”

An involuntary flinch rocked her. He wasn’t wrong. This man had seen her at her very worst, woken up in the night by her choked with fear, wracked by the images that flooded her of that bunker in Syria. Even the taste of revenge she’d been given had done little to wipe the lasting effects of that mission from her mind. The memories of the screaming and the crying forever etched indelibly into the folds of her brain. Leaving him to have to remind her it wasn’t happening anymore, just a memory. Wrapped up in his arms, wiping the tears and the sweat from her shivering form and then staying up with her the rest of the night.

Humming, she crossed her arms to mirror his stance – a social cue, and certainly not one of a defensive nature. “Suppose that may be true. Glad I got to be the guinea pig for testing your bedside manner on then,” she mocked, self-deprecatingly. 

There was a moment of silence between them, that comfortable spot where little had to be said, merely indulging in the company – something that had become rather commonplace when they were trapped on a base together, having to keep schtum about their personal relationship. 

“How are they,” she asked, changing the subject. Her voice low, slipping back into that of the loyal soldier and not the partner. “Given masks in time, luckily. Suffered a lot less than they could have.” She nodded and chewed on her lower lip. “So they’ll be wanting to hunt down Hadir then?” “Wouldn’t you?”

Contemplating the question momentarily, she transferred her weight between her feet. “Can’t imagine what must be going through Farah’s head right now.” Shaking her head, her brows knit together with concern. “Betrayed by her own brother like that. Using the gas… what was he thinking?”

“Revenge mostly.”

“Thinking with the heart not the head.”

He tilted his head to the side as if he were debating something with himself. “Can’t entirely blame him though. Did what he thought was needed.”

With a lift of her brow, she gave him a sideways glance. “Willing to do whatever it takes.”

Mouth shifting, his lips pursed slightly as if the words he were about to speak tasted bitter on his tongue. “Understandable in its own way.” Rory grimaced, knowing she had thought the very same thing earlier. Price really was rubbing off on her more than she had thought. “Getting his own people caught in the crossfire though…” Price grunted in response, that low growl from deep in his throat. 

Acceptable losses. The military term blared in the forefront of her mind like a siren. She knew he wouldn’t say it, but he was absolutely thinking it, just as she was. But where did that number begin and end in a war like this, and especially when chemical weapons were part of the equation? “Almost got a trace on Hadir. Got in touch with Andy, gave us a good headstart on where he likely ended up.” The tendons in Price’s jaw flexed below the scruff of his beard, tightening as he grit his teeth together. This wasn’t going to be an easy battle, and noticing his gaze flicker towards the ULF Commander, Rory already knew he was worried about where that would leave Farah at a critical time. 

“He made his choice, one he’ll have to live with the responsibility of making for however long or short that may be.” She paused, glancing over her shoulder for a moment. “Talk in the Russian camp isn’t good,” Rory muttered quietly. “We’ll handle it.”

Peering into the room one last time, she glanced back down the hall. “Best get back to work anyhow. Told Kate I’d only be gone long enough to have a fag.” “Don’t work so hard, Sergeant.” “I’m sure you’ll find a way to remedy it later if I do,” she murmured, gazing up at him through her lashes, her hand resting on his arm as the corner of her lips curled into a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it smirk.

In a quiet hangar, furnished with tables with scattered computers and monitors, several chairs were set up. Bodies milled about with Farah and Alex recently relieved from medical, given the ‘all clear’. Rory hung back near the monitors, giving one last look over the intel prepped for Laswell’s briefing. She had spent enough hours putting this together, she’d be damned if it was sub par. Meanwhile, it gave her the perfect vantage point to see and hear all – observing before acting. “Never known you to hide away amongst a group,” Laswell mused as she noticed Rory fussing with the tech. “Not much of a wallflower usually.”

She chuckled quietly, shaking her head as the blue light of the monitor glowed on her face. “I came into this late, and it's not exactly like this is a meet and greet, is it?” Glancing over at the Station Chief, Rory nodded her head in the direction of Farah. “We’re about to hunt down Commander Karim’s own flesh and blood. Hardly the time for me to be pulling out the cocktail dress and small talk, eh?” 

“Maybe. At least let me introduce you.” Shooting Kate a sideways glance, making her annoyance known, she huffed. “I can hardly deny you, can I?”

“You could. We both know I can be very persuasive though.” The imperceptible smirk made itself known at the corners of Laswell’s mouth. 

Stepping away from the computer, Rory followed Kate. Having spent the last several hours hunched over at a desk she was hardly putting her best foot forward, but then again, everyone seemed to be on an even playing field – worn down and wary. By this point, she had read more than enough ongoing reports from what had been happening since the attack on Piccadilly that Rory had already begun the process of building an image of all the parties involved whether she had spoken to them yet or not. That part of her training, learning to profile and understand her enemies when they were in her grasp, was often turned on those considered allies and friends as well. An intrinsic part of her now, to understand, to break people down to their bits and pieces. Needless to say, Farah and Alex were not spared this same treatment.

Alex – loyal, courageous, an All-American golden boy. Mr. Do No Wrong (despite being CIA). Clean cut, take-him-home-to-meet-your-mother type. He seemed to still have his heart in his work, a rarity in their world. Hadn’t fallen prey to apathy yet. Believed he could do some good, but didn’t intentions like that so often pave the way to hell. Willing, able, one of the few honorable ones left. The tattoos surprised her, however. Farah – strong, defiant, a force to be reckoned with. A talent for drawing people under her banner, a highly capable leader. Decisive, tactical in her approach, good head on her shoulders despite the emotional turmoil around her and in her past. Wise beyond her years, compassionate to her people’s plight. Burdened herself with the responsibility of leading a war when it shouldn’t have been on her shoulders alone.

She had to respect them both for all that they had been through at this point. 

“I don’t believe you’ve been formally introduced yet,” Kate said as she brought her over to the CIA operative and the ULF Commander. “Sgt. Rory Sinclair, meet Alex Keller and –”

“Commander Karim,” Rory interrupted, smiling brightly at the other woman. “A pleasure to meet you, read all about you on the way over.” “You’re with Price?” Farah asked, narrowing her eyes slightly, not realizing the dual implication that sentence held. 

Slipping her hands into the pockets of her tac pants, Rory bounced on her heels – a rare showing of the tic she’d picked up from the man in question. “He called me in to help.” 

An honest deflection.

“You must be skilled at what you do then.”

“He seems to think so,” Rory jested with a nervous bubble of laughter, shrugging her shoulders. 

“Rory here is quite the asset,” Laswell added, giving her a quick squeeze of the upper arm.

“Steady on, Kate. Build me up too much and I’m sure to fall flat on my arse. Either way, here’s hoping we get this whole thing resolved without too much muss or fuss, eh?” 

She held out her hand to shake with the both of them, ensuring she used a firm grip. Alex being the first to meet it with a “good to meet ya” added on top. 

“Well, with that, I should probably let you get on with your briefing, yeah?” Rory said, looking over at Kate. Moving back to the computer, Rory was ready to do her part with the briefing and having the necessary intel on standby. It was easier being in the shadows, off to the side. This war had quickly become something that wasn’t just her own, shifting and changing like the desert sands, evolving into something personal for everyone involved, all of them with their own messes to clean. 

Witness to the stoic resolve of Farah, having come to grips with what her brother had done, Rory watched as she took her place in the seats. It was impressive to see this woman hold together so well under such levels of stress. But her eyes were taken off the Commander for just a moment as Garrick drew near, carrying over a paper cup of tea and passing it to Farah, his hand pressing to her shoulder. Gentle. Brow lifting, Rory felt a sudden pang of regret for her initial first impressions of the Sergeant. She’d been too hasty, too quick to pawn him off as being just another cop. A bias she’d quickly have to get over working side by side with him now. There was something more to him. A deep, resounding kindness within him – and now she felt even worse for what she knew Price was aiming for when it came to his new protege. Her attention was brought back to the matter at hand, however, as John’s fingertips grazed over her lower back; a quick touch, the briefest flicker of his attention before the briefing began. The same grip that was commonplace when off duty and they were out in the real world together, a hold that informed her – and the rest of the world – that she was his. 

Laswell stood in front of the seats set up in front of the projection screen. “Hadir went North… He was picked up by AQ fighters in the foothills.”

“Voluntarily or by force?” Price asked with a bob of his heels, thrusting his hips as he gripped the straps of his tac vest. “We don’t know…” Alex looked over at the Commander, sincere in his sympathy, “I’m sorry, Farah.”

“Your brother –” Kate continued.

“Is a terrorist.” 

Farah’s resolute decision in describing her brother as such was almost startling for Rory. Cutting flesh and blood down to something so black and white out of all the shades of gray in the situation putting her on edge. Flinching at the directness of it – just a twitch of the nerves in her shoulders, a flutter of her stomach muscles – something too close to home in the guilt it managed to dredge up within her. 

“Is an American asset, who is either with or in terrorist hands.” Alex stood up like a shot, quick to end any semantics. “Hadir’s fight isn’t with us.” Yet more layers were being splashed over the situation they had found themselves in. Nothing was cut and dry. They were in the murky waters at the deep end of the pool and no one could see the bottom. “Now he could have killed everyone when he stole the gas, but he chose not to.” “How do you know this?” Farah asked, surprise in her tone at the new information presented. 

Glancing away for a moment, Alex gave a short sigh. “I was there… trying to stop it.”

Most participants in the room seemed unfazed by that from what Rory could tell. Not a flinch showing on Price or Laswell’s faces – or even her own for that matter. Alex was CIA after all, why wouldn’t he have been at least a partial observer of what happened with the stolen gas? The only one visibly annoyed about being left out of the loop was Farah.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“We believed it was Al-Qatala,” Keller said with a grimace. “We didn’t know it was him.”

Looking between Alex and Farah, Kate took command of the situation once more. “We know now. We’re going after him. Tonight.”

“I’ll come with you.”

“You’ll be hunting your own brother,” Garrick said, his brow furrowed. 

“He is not my brother,” Farah replied, glancing over her shoulder back at the young Sergeant. “Not anymore.”

Her ears and eyes open, Rory continued as the quiet onlooker, the fly on the wall. Her teeth clenched at the naivete of the one person who had never been to the desert, who’d never seen war. She stayed quiet, her guts churning. Awash with regret, so ready to be in the thick of the action, walking away from her father when he needed her – could he be so quick to disown her all the same? He had made it more than clear he was no fan of the fight she had slotted herself into. “This is a bad idea, Farah.”

Alex’s voice was a murmured drone in Rory’s ear as she pushed back the anxious thoughts in her head. Family was everything, her father was the last real bit of it she had left and she had walked away while he was in a hospital bed, blind with rage, with the taste of revenge on her tongue. 

Thinking with her heart, not her head. 

“We take care of our own here.”

“Not usually what that means,” Garrick interjected. “It does ‘ere,” Price said as he walked over, pointing at Farah. “I want Farah on the team.” He rested his hands on his vest once more, lifting his chin, ever the dominant presence in the room. “And I’m not asking.”

Rory had given herself up willingly, letting herself be used as a weapon in Price’s arsenal. One he could wield like the others who had been swallowed up by this mission. In too deep to ever get back out. This was the life she had chosen, the one that seemed to fit her best.

“Fine,” Laswell confirmed, “You have execute authority. All of you. Okay, let’s brief up.”

The group took their seats as Laswell presented the intel on the screen, giving Rory the nod to begin. “Imagery confirms Hadir was in possession of the remaining stolen gas when he made direct contact with Al-Qatala’s most brutal enforcer, the Butcher. Surveillance tracked their vehicles to a residential complex in the Arqus Mountains, believed to be the Wolf’s stronghold. Alex and Farah will hold orbit for secondary clearance, while Bravo Six leads the assault force to locate the chemical agents, retrieve Hadir, and kill the Wolf.”

She would be killing one wolf to make room for another.

[mariacallous]

Sipping pints of Guinness, swapping football shirts and purring about respect and new dawns, the British and Irish prime ministers seemed determined to inject long-absent warmth into the relationship between their countries when they met on Saturday. The thaw is overdue; Keir Starmer’s visit to Dublin was the first by a British PM in five years. In 2019, Boris Johnson’s visit came amid manifold anxieties about securing a Brexit deal, prompting a declaration from the Irish government that “the people of this island, North and South, need to know that their livelihoods, their security and their sense of identity will not be put at risk as a consequence of a hard Brexit. The stakes are high. Avoiding the return of a hard border on this island and protecting our place in the single market are the Irish government’s priorities in all circumstances.”

The distrustful atmosphere was a product not just of the June 2016 British vote to leave the EU, but a broader Tory ignorance about what the border in Ireland represented. The failure to consider that issue during the Brexit referendum campaign was compounded by simplistic distortions and assertions. The border was then resurrected as a touchstone, much to its discomfort, as imagined irascibly in the Twitter feed @BorderIrish: “I was just minding my own business, being a largely invisible little border that no one had thought about for years … after decades of misery … and then along comes Brexit, like some gobshite taking its first lesson, crashing all over the place.”

Unfortunately, it was worse than that for most Irish observers, who saw Brexit as many gobshites, driving multiple cars in too many directions with no knowledge of the destination. Ireland seemed a rock of political stability, maturity and calm as the Tories imploded. A deal was eventually struck that infuriated unionists as Northern Ireland remained half in and half out of the EU.

Brexit poisoned the well of British-Irish relations. The Tories’ romantic and selective view of Britain’s imperial past led to much renewed flexing of Irish nationalist muscles, a reminder of the continuing relevance of the observation by the then British ambassador to Ireland, Alan Goodison, in 1983 that in Anglo-Irish relations there was “a raw nerve which never sleeps”.

The desire to now reset appears genuine. Starmer, with an oft-expressed fondness for Ireland, a history of involvement with Northern Ireland issues and a strong component of staff with Irish links, is well placed to reduce strains. But we should not get carried away. One message that has resonated through the years is the advice given to another British Labour prime minister, James Callaghan, who, when he was home secretary, was urged to avoid “getting sucked into the Irish bog”.

That bog might be less perilous than it once was, but it still creates wariness in Britain.

Although the fervid days of the Troubles and violence are over and power-sharing has been restored in Northern Ireland, there are ongoing concerns about the prospects of Irish unity, immigration and the legacy of the Troubles. Starmer has committed to repealing the contentious Legacy Act, introduced by the Conservatives, which closed down criminal investigations into the Troubles. But what will replace it remains unclear.

Starmer is circumspect about Irish unity. And while historically there was the British Labour slogan “Justice for Ireland”, in practice there was much detachment and hesitancy about getting embroiled in Ireland.

Starmer’s Dublin visit generated healthy promises, including a formal annual summit between the two countries, protecting and developing an estimated yearly £100bn trade and business relationship, and nurturing cooperation on energy, climate change, sport, education and culture. There was also the assertion of the importance of both governments being co-guarantors of the Good Friday agreement.

None of this should be dismissed; geography as well as history has always been central to British-Irish relations, and what is being attempted is a recognition of the scale of our entwinements. But while a dose of British humility will be welcomed in Ireland and Starmer appears genuine, the Irish appetite for adapting to shifting British currents and priorities has waned.

Brexit fundamentally altered Irish foreign policy. The Irish public have consistently been enthusiastic about EU membership. Brexit deepened that; at the height of tensions in 2019, a Eurobarometer poll suggested Ireland topped the EU table for having a positive image of the EU at 63%. Only 7% had a negative image, hardly a surprise given the solidarity with Ireland shown by its EU partners amid the Brexit fallout.

Ireland’s foreign policy anchor lies heavily in EU waters. Security, the climate crisis, migration, economic and defence issues for Ireland demand more focus on Europe. The late historian Ronan Fanning identified a constant feature of the Anglo-Irish relationship when he observed in the most fraught days: “Britain looms larger in the Irish consciousness than Ireland in the British.” That endures, but it has faded somewhat.

When Starmer speaks of a British-Irish partnership reaching “its full potential”, he is also seeing that as a route to a warmer British relationship with the EU. That potential is somewhat limited; nor is the Irish consciousness quite as consumed by Britain as it once was.

[southpark-source]

A New York judge has trimmed Warner Bros. Discovery‘s lawsuit looking to enforce the company’s exclusive streaming rights to South Park on HBO Max.

Justice Margaret Chan on Tuesday found that Paramount didn’t violate any state consumer protection laws because the complaint revolves around a “private contract dispute” that allegedly caused WBD to overpay for certain rights in the $500 million deal and “not conduct that has caused harm to consumers.” She concluded that Paramount didn’t engage in what WBD called a “campaign of verbal trickery” that muddled understanding of who held the exclusive rights to the series when it debuted South Park: Post Covid and South Park: The Streaming Wars on Paramount+.

WBD in February sued Paramount, South Park Digital Studios and MTV Entertainment, alleging that a $500 million licensing deal reached in 2019 for the exclusive streaming rights to the existing 23-season library and 30 new episodes was breached. It claimed that some of the South Park specials and other related content was diverted to Paramount+ to prop up its own fledgling streaming platform.

Paramount, in turn, fired back with its own counterclaim for breach of contract, arguing that WBD is claiming violations of terms that weren’t agreed-upon in the deal. It sought $52 million in unpaid licensing fees, though the countersuit was dropped last month.

Dismissal of the claim centering around allegedly deceptive practices was premised on Chan’s finding that Paramount never made false statements as it relates to its description of some South Park specials, which WBD claimed were part of the original package of content it licensed. She pointed to evidence that consumers could distinguish that Paramount+ was the exclusive home of two South Park movies per year while Max housed the series’ back catalogue.

“Although plaintiff may take issue with defendants” characterization of the Post-COVID Content and Streaming Wars Content as ‘events’ or ‘movies’ as an attempt to circumvent the terms of the 2019 Agreements, defendants” literally true public representations are not actionable,” Chan wrote.

Additionally, Chan dismissed a claim that Paramount didn’t act in good faith because it overlapped with WBD’s breach of contract claim. She said they allege “the same injuries and damages against the same party.”

WBD still has remaining for breach of contract, tortuous interference with contract and unjust enrichment.

[dankusner]

Trump poised to tangle health safety net

Authorities worry about preventable illnesses

Former President Donald Trump’s election victory and looming return to the White House will likely bring changes that scale back the nation’s public health insurance programs – increasing the uninsured rate, while imposing new barriers to abortion and other reproductive care.

The reverberations will be felt far beyond Washington, D.C., and could include an erosion of the Affordable Care Act’s consumer protections;

the imposition of work requirements in Medicaid and funding cuts to the safety net insurance;

and challenges to federal agencies that safeguard public health.

Abortion restrictions might tighten nationwide with a possible effort to restrict the mailing of abortion medications.

And with the elevation of vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to Trump’s inner circle of advisers, public health interventions with rigorous scientific backing – whether fluoridating public water supplies or inoculating children – could come under fire.

Trump’s victory will give a far broader platform to skeptics and critics of federal health programs and actions.

Worst case, public health authorities worry, the U.S. could see increases in preventable illnesses;

a weakening of public confidence in established science;

and debunked notions – such as a link between vaccines and autism – adopted as policy.

Trump said in an NBC News interview on Nov. 3 that he would “make a decision” about banning some vaccines, saying he would consult with Kennedy, calling him “a very talented guy.”

Although Trump has said he will not try again to repeal the Affordable Care Act, his administration will face an immediate decision next year on whether to back an extension of enhanced premium subsidies for Obamacare insurance plans.

Without the enhanced subsidies, steep premium increases causing lower enrollment are projected.

The current uninsured rate, about 8%, would almost certainly rise.

Policy specifics have not moved far beyond the “concepts of a plan” Trump said he had during his debate with Harris, though Vice President-elect JD Vance later said the administration would seek to inject more competition into Affordable Care Act marketplaces.

Polls show the Affordable Care Act has gained support among the public, including provisions such as preexisting condition protections and allowing young people to stay on family health plans until they are 26.

Trump supporters and others who have worked in his administration say the former president wants to improve the law in ways that will lower costs.

They say he has already shown he will be forceful when it comes to lowering high health care prices, pointing to efforts during his presidency to pioneer price transparency in medical costs.

“On affordability, I’d see him building on the first term,” said Brian Blase, who served as a Trump health adviser from 2017 to 2019.

Relative to a Democratic administration, he said, there will be “much more focus” on “minimizing fraud and waste.“

Efforts to weaken the Affordable Care Act could include slashing funds for enrollment outreach, enabling consumers to purchase more health plans that don’t comply with the law’s consumer protections, and letting insurers charge sicker people higher premiums.

Democrats say they expect the worst.

“We know what their agenda is,” said Leslie Dach, executive chair of Protect Our Care, a health care policy and advocacy organization, who worked in the Obama administration helping to apply the Affordable Care Act.

“They’re going to raise costs for millions of Americans and rip coverage away from millions and, meanwhile, they will give tax breaks to rich people.”

Theo Merkel, director of the Private Health Reform Initiative at the rightleaning Paragon Health Institute, which Blase leads, said the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies extended by the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022 do nothing to improve plans or lower premiums.

He said they paper over the plans’ low value with larger government subsidies.

Other Trump supporters say the president-elect may support preserving Medicare’s authority to negotiate drug prices, another provision of the Inflation Reduction Act.

Trump has championed reducing drug prices, and in 2020 he advanced a test model that would have tied the prices of some drugs in Medicare to lower costs overseas, said Merkel, who worked in Trump’s first White House.

The drug industry successfully sued to block the program.

Within Trump’s circles, some names have already been floated as possible leaders for the Department of Health and Human Services.

They include former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and Seema Verma, who ran the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services during the Trump administration.

Kennedy has told his supporters that Trump promised him control of Health and Human Services.

Trump said publicly before Election Day that he would give Kennedy a big role in his administration, but he might have difficulty winning Senate confirmation for a Cabinet position.

Although Trump has vowed to protect Medicare and said he supports funding home care benefits, he has been less specific about his intentions for Medicaid, which provides coverage to lower-income and disabled people.

Some health analysts expect the program will be especially vulnerable to spending cuts, which could help finance the extension of tax breaks that expire at the end of next year.

Possible changes include the imposition of work requirements on beneficiaries in some states.

The administration and Republicans in Congress could also try to revamp the way Medicaid is funded.

Now, the federal government pays states a variable percentage of program costs. Conservatives have long sought to cap the federal allotments to states, which critics say would lead to draconian cuts.

“Medicaid will be a big target in a Trump administration,” said Larry Levitt, executive vice president for health policy at KFF, a health information nonprofit that includes KFF Health News.

Less clear is the potential future of reproductive health rights. Trump has said decisions about abortion restrictions should be left to the states.

Thirteen states ban abortion with few exceptions, while 28 others restrict the procedure based on gestational duration, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research and policy organization focused on advancing reproductive rights.

Trump said before the election that he would not sign a national abortion ban.

State ballot measures to protect abortion rights were adopted in seven states, including Missouri, which Trump won by about 18 points, according to preliminary reports.

Abortion rights measures were rejected by voters in Florida, South Dakota and Nebraska.

Trump could move to restrict access to abortion medications, used in more than half of abortions, either by withdrawing the FDA’s authorization for the drugs or by enforcing a 19th century law, the Comstock Act, that abortion opponents say bans their shipment.

Trump has said he generally would not use the law to ban mail delivery of the drugs.

[idigitizellp21]

Small Business Marketing: Strategies for Safely Experimenting New Approaches

In ‘The State Of Small Businesses In India’ by Global Journal of Advanced Research suggests that the number of small businesses in India has increased from 20 million in 2000 to 60 million+ in 2022. As a small business owner or marketer, you've probably wondered: "How can I shake things up and break out of this clutter without putting my brand at risk?" It’s a valid concern. You want to keep things fresh, but let's face it, every new marketing trend isn’t always a safe bet. At iDigitize, we get it. Experimentation is key, but it’s all about doing it smartly. 

Strategies for Safe (and Smart) Experimentation

1. A/B Testing: Your Safety Net

Imagine you are ready to roll out a brand-new campaign, but instead of going all-in, you test it with a smaller group first. That’s A/B testing, one of the most reliable ways to experiment safely, allowing you to compare two versions of an ad, email, or landing page. Which headline gets more clicks? What kind of CTA sparks action? Small tweaks can give you big insights without a big risk.

Pro Tip: Change something small, like the colour of a button or a headline, before making dramatic shifts. As if you were toeing into the water before jumping in.

2. Leverage Customer Data: Personalise, Don’t Generalise 

Want to really connect with your audience? Use what you already know about them. Customer data isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s your roadmap for creating marketing experiences that feel personal. Imagine offering product suggestions on social media platforms that are right on target. Personalisation boosts engagement and reduces guesswork.

Pro Tip: Use simple data, like their past purchases or the pages they visit most, to create campaigns that feel tailor-made. Your customers will appreciate the effort.

3. Influencers? Think Micro, Not Mega  

The word "influencer" might make you think of celebrities with millions of followers, but here’s a little secret: For small businesses, micro-influencers can be your marketing MVPs. These are people with smaller but super-engaged followings. Partnering with them gives you the chance to experiment with influencer marketing in a way that’s authentic and affordable.

Pro Tip: Make sure the influencer you pick genuinely aligns with your brand. Authenticity is everything.

4. Low-Budget Paid Ads: Test, Learn, Grow  

Pay-per-click (PPC) ads are fantastic for small businesses. The beauty of it is you control the budget. Start small, measure the performance, and adjust. Platforms like Google Ads let you experiment with keywords and targeting, so you can find out what works without breaking the bank.

Pro Tip: Use automated bidding strategies on Google to optimise your results while keeping costs in check.

What Should You Watch Out For?

1. Keep ROI Top of Mind 

Let’s be real, some experiments will flop. It happens to the best of us. But the trick is to keep your eye on ROI (return on investment). If you’re spending more than you're gaining, it’s time to pivot. Don’t get too attached to one strategy if it’s not working; flexibility is key.

2. Stay True to Your Brand

Experimenting with new marketing strategies should never come at the expense of your brand identity. It is easy to get caught up in the latest trends, but always ask yourself, “Does this align with who we are?” Consistency matters. Don’t stray too far from the voice and values that your customers already love.

3. Be Legally Sound  

And now, a quick but important reminder: legal stuff matters! Especially when it comes to data. Make sure any new customer engagement strategies comply with regulations like General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) under Section 10(1) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. Play by the rules, and you won’t have to worry about penalties that could derail your progress.

Take Calculated Risks for Growth!

Experimentation is a must in today’s fast-changing marketing landscape. But, as with all good things, it needs a striking balance with push and pull marketing tactics. You can innovate while keeping your risks under control by starting small, measuring success, and staying true to your brand. At iDigitize, we specialise in helping businesses like yours navigate the tricky waters of new marketing strategies.

Curious to know more? Let’s chat about how iDigitize can help your business grow with innovative, yet safe, marketing strategies.

[iso27001inlibya]

ISO 27701 Certification: A Pathway to Privacy Information Management

ISO 27701 is an international standard that establishes privacy information management requirements within organizations. This standard builds upon the ISO 27001 Information Security Management System (ISMS) and ISO 27002 guidelines, adding detailed protocols for managing personal data (personally identifiable information, or PII) and helping organizations comply with global data protection regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe.

What is ISO 27701?

ISO 27701, formally titled "ISO/IEC 27701:2019," is an extension to ISO 27001, focusing specifically on privacy and data protection. It provides a Privacy Information Management System (PIMS) framework that organizations can implement to enhance their existing ISMS to manage privacy and data protection risks. ISO 27701 Certification in Saudi Arabia specifies guidelines for processing PII, emphasizing both data privacy and security to safeguard sensitive information within an organization. It’s relevant for any organization processing personal data, making it applicable across industries, including healthcare, finance, government, and technology sectors.

Key Objectives of ISO 27701 Certification

The main objectives of ISO 27701 are to:

Ensure Data Privacy: By establishing robust data privacy practices, ISO 27701 helps organizations protect PII against unauthorized access, breaches, and misuse.

Enhance Transparency: The standard encourages organizations to clarify their data handling practices, ensuring transparency with customers, partners, and regulatory authorities.

Meet Regulatory Compliance: ISO 27701 aligns with various global data protection regulations, simplifying compliance with laws like GDPR, California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and others.

Establish Trust: A certified ISO 27701 compliance demonstrates to stakeholders that an organization is committed to maintaining data privacy, helping build trust and strengthen business relationships.

ISO 27701 Certification Process

Achieving ISO 27701 certification requires an organization to already have, or be in the process of implementing, ISO 27001. The process typically involves these steps:

Gap Analysis: Identify where the organization currently stands concerning ISO 27701 requirements. This involves assessing current practices, policies, and controls related to PII.

Implementing PIMS Controls: Based on the analysis, organizations need to establish or enhance their privacy controls. ISO 27701 Implementation in Qatar provides a list of specific controls related to managing PII, such as data minimization, consent management, and data subject rights.

Internal Audit and Review: After implementation, an internal audit helps identify potential areas for improvement, ensuring readiness for the certification audit.

External Certification Audit: A third-party certification body conducts an audit to assess the organization's PIMS. Upon successful completion, the organization receives ISO 27701 certification.

Continuous Improvement: ISO standards emphasize continuous improvement. Maintaining ISO 27701 certification requires regular audits and updates to privacy practices as technologies, business operations, and regulatory requirements evolve.

Benefits of ISO 27701 Certification

Enhanced Data Protection: Implementing ISO 27701 reduces risks associated with data breaches and cyber threats, as organizations adopt systematic data privacy controls.

Increased Customer Confidence: With data privacy becoming a priority for customers, ISO 27701 certification is an assurance that an organization values privacy and data protection.

Improved Operational Efficiency: Implementing PIMS can streamline data handling practices, making data processing more efficient and compliant.

Alignment with Global Standards: ISO 27701 enables organizations to meet international data privacy laws, making it easier to expand into new markets and manage cross-border data transfers.

Risk Management: By identifying and addressing privacy risks, ISO 27701 certification helps prevent financial and reputational damage from potential privacy incidents.

Who Should Consider ISO 27701 Certification?

ISO 27701 is suitable for any organization handling PII, regardless of size or industry. It is especially valuable for organizations in highly regulated industries such as healthcare, finance, government, and technology. Businesses that frequently process, store, or transfer customer data will benefit from the added layer of privacy protection, which can improve compliance, efficiency, and reputation.

ISO 27701 and Regulatory Compliance

ISO 27701 aligns closely with GDPR requirements, particularly in areas like data subject rights, data minimization, and consent management. By following ISO 27701 guidelines, organizations can demonstrate a structured approach to GDPR compliance, which is beneficial in the case of audits or data subject complaints. It also harmonizes with other international privacy laws, offering a standardized approach to privacy management.

Challenges of ISO 27701 Certification

While ISO 27701 provides substantial benefits, achieving certification can be complex and resource-intensive. The need to integrate privacy controls with existing information security management processes may require significant organizational changes. Additionally, ISO 27701 requires continual monitoring, which can require dedicated resources to ensure ongoing compliance and improvement.

Conclusion

ISO 27701 is an essential certification for organizations committed to privacy and data protection. By extending ISO 27001's scope, ISO 27701 Consultants in Hyderabad offers a clear framework for managing privacy risks and meeting global data protection requirements. For organizations seeking to gain a competitive edge, improve customer trust, and enhance regulatory compliance, ISO 27701 certification is a powerful step toward achieving robust privacy information management.

[sa7abnews]

U.S. Government Asks For Consumer Help on Solar Scams

New Post has been published on https://sa7ab.info/2024/08/16/u-s-government-asks-for-consumer-help-on-solar-scams/

U.S. Government Asks For Consumer Help on Solar Scams

The federal government is taking steps to address the rising number of scams plaguing the troubled residential solar industry. 

The U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Federal Trade Commission told TIME that they were launching a unified effort on Aug. 7 to encourage consumers to report scammy behaviors, while also educating consumers about what those bad actors are doing. By getting more consumers to report scammy solar companies, government officials said, they can more effectively track complaints and seek to hold accountable companies that violate the law.

“We’re kicking off this effort with an advisory to make consumers aware of these scams and enable them to file complaints with key regulators who can put a stop to bad actors,” says U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo. “We look forward to working hand-in-hand to advance the goals of helping consumers lower the cost of powering their homes, while also protecting them against the unfair, abusive, and deceptive practices used by a small number of businesses.” 

The residential solar industry has boomed in recent years, thanks in part to incentives extended in the Inflation Reduction Act. But not all of that growth has come from customers fully informed about what they were buying. Solar companies rely heavily on independent contractors incentivized to make a sale. These door-to-door salesmen have little obligation to ensure that consumers are getting a good deal; in fact, some get more money the higher the price they charge consumers for a system. Hundreds of lawsuits allege that these salesmen overpromise and underdeliver, often telling people they won’t have an electric bill or that they will get a check from the government if they sign up for solar panels. (The federal incentive is actually a tax credit, so it comes in the form of a tax break, rather than a government check.)  Other lawsuits allege that solar salesmen have forged signatures on electronic records or otherwise obscure what people are signing. 

Read More: How Solar Sales Bros Threaten the Green Energy Transition.

The government effort is a modest first step. It provides fact sheets for consumers about what they should know before they sign up for solar panels. The fact sheets warn about sales pitches that say that solar is a government program or that guarantee customers will not have an energy bill. Consumers should also be wary of salespeople with limited-time offers or other high-pressure sales tactics, salespeople who only use electronic records and electronic signatures, and companies that have excessive fees such as termination fees or sign-up fees, the advisories say. 

The federal notices outline what consumers should do if they have been scammed. Filing a complaint is paramount, the agencies say, at ReportFraud.FTC.gov, as well as with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Some states also have consumer protection bureaus where consumers can file complaints.

While the advisories are an attempt to educate consumers, previous government efforts to regulate solar companies have fallen short. Attorneys general in a number of states have filed actions against solar companies in the past few years, but have often reached settlements that amount to a slap on the wrist. New Jersey, for instance, reached a settlement with Vivint Solar Developer LLC in 2019 that saw Vivint (now owned by SunRun) agree to pay $122,000 and “significantly change” its business practices to resolve allegations that it engaged in deceptive sales practices and violated consumer protection laws. In 2022, consumers filed another lawsuit against Vivint and SunRun alleging that Vivint “continues to engage in deceptive door-to-door solicitation practices” that violate consumer laws.

Read More: The Rooftop Solar Industry Could Be on the Verge of Collapse.

Meanwhile, consumer complaints about solar-panel salespeople have skyrocketed in recent years. The FTC received 5,331 complaints containing the phrase “solar panels” between Jan. 1 and Sept. 19 of 2023, up 31% from the entire year of 2022 and up 746% since 2018, when it received just 630 complaints.

[douxlen]

U.S. Government Asks For Consumer Help on Solar Scams

New Post has been published on https://douxle.com/2024/08/14/u-s-government-asks-for-consumer-help-on-solar-scams/

U.S. Government Asks For Consumer Help on Solar Scams

The federal government is taking steps to address the rising number of scams plaguing the troubled residential solar industry. 

The U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Federal Trade Commission told TIME that they were launching a unified effort on Aug. 7 to encourage consumers to report scammy behaviors, while also educating consumers about what those bad actors are doing. By getting more consumers to report scammy solar companies, government officials said, they can more effectively track complaints and seek to hold accountable companies that violate the law.

“We’re kicking off this effort with an advisory to make consumers aware of these scams and enable them to file complaints with key regulators who can put a stop to bad actors,” says U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo. “We look forward to working hand-in-hand to advance the goals of helping consumers lower the cost of powering their homes, while also protecting them against the unfair, abusive, and deceptive practices used by a small number of businesses.” 

The residential solar industry has boomed in recent years, thanks in part to incentives extended in the Inflation Reduction Act. But not all of that growth has come from customers fully informed about what they were buying. Solar companies rely heavily on independent contractors incentivized to make a sale. These door-to-door salesmen have little obligation to ensure that consumers are getting a good deal; in fact, some get more money the higher the price they charge consumers for a system. Hundreds of lawsuits allege that these salesmen overpromise and underdeliver, often telling people they won’t have an electric bill or that they will get a check from the government if they sign up for solar panels. (The federal incentive is actually a tax credit, so it comes in the form of a tax break, rather than a government check.)  Other lawsuits allege that solar salesmen have forged signatures on electronic records or otherwise obscure what people are signing. 

Read More: How Solar Sales Bros Threaten the Green Energy Transition.

The government effort is a modest first step. It provides fact sheets for consumers about what they should know before they sign up for solar panels. The fact sheets warn about sales pitches that say that solar is a government program or that guarantee customers will not have an energy bill. Consumers should also be wary of salespeople with limited-time offers or other high-pressure sales tactics, salespeople who only use electronic records and electronic signatures, and companies that have excessive fees such as termination fees or sign-up fees, the advisories say. 

The federal notices outline what consumers should do if they have been scammed. Filing a complaint is paramount, the agencies say, at ReportFraud.FTC.gov, as well as with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Some states also have consumer protection bureaus where consumers can file complaints.

While the advisories are an attempt to educate consumers, previous government efforts to regulate solar companies have fallen short. Attorneys general in a number of states have filed actions against solar companies in the past few years, but have often reached settlements that amount to a slap on the wrist. New Jersey, for instance, reached a settlement with Vivint Solar Developer LLC in 2019 that saw Vivint (now owned by SunRun) agree to pay $122,000 and “significantly change” its business practices to resolve allegations that it engaged in deceptive sales practices and violated consumer protection laws. In 2022, consumers filed another lawsuit against Vivint and SunRun alleging that Vivint “continues to engage in deceptive door-to-door solicitation practices” that violate consumer laws.

Read More: The Rooftop Solar Industry Could Be on the Verge of Collapse.

Meanwhile, consumer complaints about solar-panel salespeople have skyrocketed in recent years. The FTC received 5,331 complaints containing the phrase “solar panels” between Jan. 1 and Sept. 19 of 2023, up 31% from the entire year of 2022 and up 746% since 2018, when it received just 630 complaints.

[getlegalattorney]

Special Benefits for Newlyweds - GetLegal

What are the Special Benefits for Newlyweds?

There are unique set of special benefits for newlyweds as they embark on their journey together. The strengthening of intimate and emotional ties is one important benefit. A lifetime of collaboration begins with marriage, which encourages intimacy and trust between partners.

The special benefits for newlyweds are on the social and cultural fronts as well. Families and friends may offer assistance and motivation to couples as they start this new phase of their lives. Since marriage is frequently regarded as a big milestone and a symbol of commitment, being a part of a married couple can also provide a sense of validation and acceptability within society.

The Legal Benefits of Marriage

Newlyweds who are legally married have a wide range of special benefits in the United States, including:

Employment benefits—health insurance, bereavement leave and family leave

Family benefits:

Adoption rights and joint foster care rights

The right to a portion of jointly owned property upon separation or divorce

Government benefits:

Social Security benefits (you may receive your spouse’s Social Security benefits if you are at least 62 or if you are caring for a child under the age of 16)

Medicare

Disability benefits

VA benefits and public assistance

Tax and estate planning benefits:

the marital tax deduction (you are allowed to transfer any asset to your spouse at any time without paying taxes on that asset)

the option to file joint tax returns, which is especially beneficial If one spouse earns significantly more than the other

the right to inherit your spouse’s estate without paying an estate tax

Medical and death benefits:

The right to visit your spouse in the hospital

The right to make medical decisions for an incapacitated spouse

The right to participate in burial and funeral arrangements

Consumer benefits—discounts to families or couples

The Validation of Same Sex Marriage

In the last twenty years, same-sex couples have been granted greater recognition for their ability to marry under American law. In 2013, the Defense of Marriage Act's definition of marriage as a partnership between a man and a woman was overturned by the United States Supreme Court. Under that verdict, same-sex couples in states where same-sex marriage was legal were eligible for federal benefits. Following Obergefell v. Hodges, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2015 that same-sex couples are entitled to all other financial and legal benefits associated with marriage, including the right to marry.

The Court used the Equal Protection and Due Process sections of the Fourteenth Amendment to establish that states could not refuse to recognize a marriage between same-sex couples if they were granted that privilege. Additionally, it held that states could not refuse to acknowledge legally consummated same-sex unions from another state. Because to this ruling, same-sex unions are legal throughout the entire United States. Before the Obergefell ruling by the Supreme Court, same-sex marriage was legal in thirty-seven states.

Common Law Marriage

A marriage that is recognized by state law without the need for a license, ceremony, or other paperwork is known as a common law marriage. A man and woman who see themselves as husband and wife, or who "hold themselves out as such," enter into a common law marriage. A common law marriage does not have to last for a certain amount of time; rather, it is recognized and acknowledged as such by any two people who regard themselves as married or who simply act as such. Only seven states—Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Texas—clearly still recognize common law marriage as of 2019. Common-law marriage is also recognized in the District of Columba. Common-law unions are only recognized in New Hampshire for the restricted purpose of probate.

Domestic Partnership

Before same-sex couples were granted the ability to marry, they frequently engaged into domestic partnerships, also known as civil unions, which offer some of the same advantages as marriage. A domestic partnership, as contrast to a common law marriage, is usually a formal legal arrangement that needs to be registered in order to be recognized. In domestic partnerships, gender is not a determining factor; nonetheless, partners must be older than eighteen, be unrelated to one another, have never been in a previous domestic relationship, and live together or have a permanent residence. Domestic partners may be entitled for medical leave or health insurance, among other advantages offered to spouses; eligibility may vary based on local legislation. When certain states started to accept same-sex marriage, like Washington, most or all domestic partnerships registered in the state were legally transformed to marriages.

[upinsmokedcdispensary]

How to Use Marijuana to Enhance Your Sexual Life, as Recommended by Sunny Leone

Hello, I'm Sunny Leone, and I'm here to tell you all about the amazing ways in which marijuana may improve your sex life. As a sexologist, I feel compelled to provide my two cents on how cannabis may be used sensually and sensually. Let's delve in and find out how this mystical herb may improve your intimate life.

Communication is essential:- It's important to have a frank discussion with your spouse before incorporating cannabis into your sex life. Talk about what you want from the relationship, where you want it to end, and any worries you have about it. Always make sure you and your partner are on the same page before trying anything new together.

Selecting the Appropriate Strain:- To get the most out of your sexual experience with cannabis, it's important to choose a strain that complements your individual needs. Relaxing and tranquil, indica-dominant strains allow you to fully indulge in sensuous activities. Sativa-dominant strains are the ones most likely to increase arousal and desire, since they are more upbeat and livelier.

Try out different ways of consuming:- Even if smoking or vaping cannabis is typical, these aren't the only ways to get the advantages of this plant. Try a cannabis-infused oil, tincture, or edible for more precise dosage and extended relief. Cannabis-infused massage oils and lubricants may also increase pleasure and closeness during pre- and post-coital activities.

Get your feet wet slowly:- If you've never used cannabis in the bedroom before, it's important to ease into it by taking a little quantity at first. By taking it slowly, you can find the dose that works best for you, reducing the likelihood of unpleasant side effects. Be patient with yourself and allow yourself the time it may take for your body to acclimate to the effects of cannabis.

Keep your attention on your spouse and on creating a sense of closeness and intimacy by smoking some cannabis. You may use these effects to your advantage by engaging in sensuous activities like massage, snuggling, or in-depth discussion with your partner. An increased closeness between partners may improve sexual encounters.

Be willing to explore new things; cannabis has been shown to lower inhibitions and enhance openness to experience. Take advantage of the relaxed atmosphere and try out some new sexual acts, positions, or fantasies that have always intrigued you and your lover. Before doing anything new, make sure you're both feeling relaxed and agreeable.

While cannabis might improve your sexual life, it is vital that you always put your safety first. You should both be in a secure setting since being high on cannabis might impair your ability to make sound decisions. Don't discount the significance of safe sex and the use of protection either.

So if you want greater closeness, more pleasure, and more memorable sex encounters, try introducing cannabis into your routine. You may safely and efficiently include cannabis into your bedroom escapades and enhance your sexual encounters by following these ideas inspired by Sunny Leone. Why not give it a go and see where you and your companion end up on this exploratory journey?

Up in Smoke DC is one of the most prominent cannabis delivery service in the Washington, DC area established in 2019. We are an initiative-71 delivery service company with a mission to provide a safe and reliable access to both medical and recreational cannabis.

We offer high quality products with wide variety of selections, from top growers across the nation. Since the first day in business we have always strived to make the customer’s experience, an excellent one. We are determined to provide service completely within the confines of the law.

Our team is well experianced, professional, knowledgeable and attentive to each individual clients personal needs to provide an unforgettable experience.

Our couriers are dependable, punctual and professional. Customer satisfaction is always our highest priority. You can contact us on  (202) 957-3496 or www.upinsmokedc.com for doorstep or Kerbside pick up. For in Store please make an appointment, we have 5 locations across Washington DC.

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Website:   https://www.upinsmokedc.com/ 

Google:  https://bit.ly/3QNRO6N.

[waterfiltergurus]

Is Wilmington Water Safe To Drink? (According to Data)

Is the water in Wilmington, NC safe to drink? What's going on with Wilmington's drinking water? Where does Wilmington water come from, and are there any contaminants in the City's water supply that exceed national and federal regulations for safety? In this guide to Wilmington's water quality and safety, we've answered all these questions and more. 📌 Key Takeaways: - The drinking water in Wilmington, North Carolina is considered generally safe to drink. - The City of Wilmington water contains 56 contaminants, but none of these exceed guidelines set by the EPA. - Controversially, the EPA currently doesn't regulate PFAS (the organization is in the process of establishing an MCL for the contaminant), but Wilmington's water was found to be heavily polluted with PFAS in 2017. - The 3 biggest problem contaminants in Wilmington drinking water are chromium, disinfection byproducts, and radium. 🚰 Can You Drink Wilmington Tap Water? Yes, you can technically drink Wilmington tap water because the water is treated to remove contaminants down to legal trace amounts. We say "technically" because Wilmington's history with PFAS contamination (see below) proves that being legally compliant doesn't necessarily mean that water is safe to drink. Like all public water systems, Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (which provides Wimington's drinking water) treats its water to remove contaminants and kill microorganisms, according to guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The contaminants that are currently regulated by the EPA were all found in concentrations lower than the EPA maximum allowances in Wilmington's water. That means that, on the surface, the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority is doing everything it should to make the City's drinking water safe. However, the Authority did have a few violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act in the April 30, 2019 - June 30, 2022 period according to the most recent EPA Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) database. These violations were for monitoring turbidity and for failure to report under the Consumer Confidence Rule. None of these violations were health-based (so they didn't affect water quality) and have all been resolved. Despite Cape Fear Public Utility Authority's compliance with EPA guidelines, this doesn't necessarily mean that you'll happily drink the City's water - especially as organizations like the Environmental Working Group (EWG) believe that the EPA's regulations are too lenient. The EWG has produced its own stricter Health Guidelines for EPA-regulated contaminants - as well as some contaminants that don't currently have legal restrictions - based on its research into their potential health effects. We can see from the EWG's Tap Water Database for Wilmington that there are over 50 trace contaminants detected in the City's water (more on these later). Lead is one of the major contaminants affecting tap water quality, so let's quickly look at how this drinking water contaminant may impact the safety of the water in Wilmington. While its use in water pipes and distribution systems is now banned, lead was commonly used for this purpose several decades ago. For this reason, many local tap water supplies contain lead, which leaches from underground pipes. Wilmington has had some issues with lead in the past. The City is required to regularly test its water for lead under the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule, and in 2019, elevated levels of lead were detected in the pipes leading to some homes in New Hanover County. However, the Cape Fear Public Water Authority currently has a Corrosion Control Program in place across its three water systems: the Richardson Water System, the Sweeney Water System, and the Monterey Heights Water System. This program oversees the use of a food additive called orthophosphate, which is added during water treatment and coats the insides of pipes and plumbing fixtures to reduce lead corrosion. 👨‍🔧 The safest way to protect yourself against lead contamination is to install a water filter that can remove this heavy metal. Wilmington PFAS Contamination We can't talk about water safety without discussing the PFAS contamination discovered in Wilmington's water supply in 2017. PFAS are chemicals that are used in a number of industrial processes. They were particularly popular for manufacturing water-resistant clothing and non-stick cookware. They're also still now used in firefighting foam, so they're common in airports and military bases. PFAS are known as "forever chemicals" because they linger in the environment for decades after they're produced. In 2017, a news article uncovered that the Fayetteville Works site, run by DuPont, had been polluting the Cape Fear River (used to supply Wilmington's drinking water) with GenX, a toxic PFAS chemical, produced as a byproduct of the production of vinyl ethers. The City's water utility admitted that none of the existing water treatment processes were capable of removing this contaminant. Wilmington is accused of "ignoring" its drinking water crisis, which may in part be due to the fact that PFAS aren't currently regulated by the EPA, so public water systems aren't legally required to reduce these chemicals in their water supplies. Many residents developed cancer and, although there was no way to prove it, believed that drinking PFAS-contaminated water was to blame. In response to these concerning findings, Cape Fear Public Utility Authority installed eight granular activated carbon filters in its water treatment plant in 2021. Water was tested and deemed to be "PFAS-free", and the City continues to monitor PFAS contamination - with a new bill being passed that allows state regulators to hold PFAS polluters accountable and make them pay for water treatment and cleanup. But for many residents, these actions are too little, too late. It's worrying to consider how long the City might have turned a blind eye to its PFAS contamination had the initial news story not been broken and had this contaminant continued to remain unregulated. 🗺️ Where Does the Tap Water in Wilmington Come From? Tap water in Wilmington is sourced from the Cape Fear River. There are also a couple of underground aquifers (Castle Hayne & PeeDee) that provide some of the City's drinking water. Around 16 million gallons of water are delivered to homes in New Hanover County every year. Surface water sources (such as the Cape Fear River) are more susceptible to contamination and pollution than groundwater sources because they're exposed to air pollution and surface runoff. The Cape Fear River is a prime example of this because it was contaminated by PFAS for years due to nearby industrial pollution. The water in Wilmington is treated at the Sweeney Water Treatment Plant before being delivered around the City in the Sweeney Water System. This is the Cape Fear Public Utility's largest water distribution system, and delivers water beyond the city to River Lights, Tarin Woods, Pine Valley, Echo Farms, the Ogden area, and other neighborhoods. To ensure it is safe for drinking, water is treated with various treatment processes, including sedimentation, flocculation, filtration, and UV/ozone disinfection. It is then delivered to homes and businesses via the City's distribution pipes. source: Cape Fear Public Utility Authority 📉 Who Regulates Wilmington Drinking Water? The City of Wilmington drinking water is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Public Water Supply Section of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, and managed by the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA). The EPA has established protective water regulations, called National Primary Drinking Water Regulations, under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Water utilities, including the CFPUA, must monitor and treat their water to ensure that contaminants with health concerns are reduced to below the EPA's enforced Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs). The CFPUA conducts hundreds of tests every month according to the requirements of these regulations. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality regulates the state's public water systems and ensures that residents receive safe, potable drinking water that adheres to federal regulations. 🧪 Wilmington Annual Water Quality Report All public water systems must provide annual Consumer Confidence Reports, or Water Quality Reports, which share data from water quality testing throughout the year. Wilmington's most recent Water Quality Report, dated from January to December 2021, lists information including: - Where the City's water comes from - How the water is treated - The contaminants detected in the water - Whether or not these contaminants exceed EPA guidelines We can see from the Report that none of the detected contaminants were found in concentrations that violate EPA standards. However, that doesn't mean you want to drink them in your water. For instance, 35.9 PPB (parts per billion) of TTHMs were detected in the City's water, which is well below the EPA's MCL of 80 PPB - but most people would probably rather not drink even trace levels of this cancer-causing disinfection byproduct. Some of the detected contaminants listed in the Report include: - Fluoride - Thallium - Bromate - Chlorine - Copper - Lead - Total trihalomethanes - HAA5 - Iron - Manganese It's a good idea to read through the Report and research any contaminants that you're concerned about. You may choose to filter your own tap water at home if you're not pleased with the treatment provided by the City. ☣️ Contaminants Found Above Guidelines in Tap Water in Wilmington The EPA might deem Wilmington's tap water safe to drink, but you might disagree. So, in this section of the guide, we've looked at the contaminants present in Wilmington water that exceed the Health Guidelines set by the EWG. The EWG detected a total of 56 contaminants in Wilmington's water. We've looked through a lot of EWG Tap Water Databases in the making of these guides, so we know that this is about double the average amount of total contaminants detected in a public water utility. There are 16 contaminants found to exceed the EWG's Health Guidelines, including: Haloacetic acids (HAA5)† and Haloacetic acids (HAA9)† When water is disinfected with chlorine or a similar chemical, a common type of disinfection byproduct produced is haloacetic acids. There are two types of haloacetic acids, HAA5 and HAA9, that have several known health effects including an increased risk of colon, bladder, liver, and rectal cancer. 19.6 PPB and 26.3 PPB (parts per billion) of HAA5 and HAA9 were detected in Wilmington drinking water - between 195 and 438x the EWG's Health Advisories of 0.1 PPB and 0.06 PPB. HAA5 currently has an MCL of 60 PPB, but the EPA doesn't yet impose a legal limit on HAA9. Hexavalent Chromium Hexavalent chromium, or chromium-6, is the most dangerous form of chromium detected in drinking water across the US. This drinking water contaminant usually pollutes water due to industrial activity and poor waste disposal and is known to cause cancer when ingested in large amounts. 0.0618 PPB of hexavalent chromium was detected in Wilmington's drinking water - 3.1x the EWG's Health Guideline of 0.02 PPB. Currently, there is no EPA legal limit for chromium-6 on its own - only total chromium (chromium-3 and 6) is regulated. Perfluoroheptanoic Acid (PFHPA) And Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) Wilmington's water is now treated with carbon filtration to reduce PFAS chemicals, but two types of these chemicals - PFHPA and PFOA - were still detected in trace levels by the EWG. 4.90 PPT (parts per trillion) and 1.37 PPT of these cancer-causing chemicals were present in Wilmington's tap water - between 4.9 and 196 x the EWG's Health Guidelines of 1 PPT and 0.007 PPT. Neither of these chemicals is currently regulated by the EPA. Radium (-226 & -228) Radium combined refers to two types of radium - radium -226 and radium -228 - that occur naturally or due to pollution in the environment. High concentrations of these drinking water contaminants in water may cause cancer, anemia, and immune system depression. 0.20 pCi/L (picoCurie per liter) of total radium was detected in Wilmington water - 4.1x the EWG's Health Guideline of 0.05 pCi/L. The legal limit for radium combined in drinking tap water is 5 pCi/L. Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)† Chlorine disinfection also results in the production of total trihalomethanes (TTHMS). These disinfection byproducts increase the risk of certain cancers, like colon and bladder cancers, if they're present in large amounts in tap water. 41.1 PPB of TTHMs were detected in Wilmington tap water - 274x the EWG's recommended Health Guideline of 0.15 PPB. The EPA legal limit for TTHMs is 80 PPB. Other Disinfection Byproducts Alongside haloacetic acids and TTHMs, disinfection byproducts, including bromate, bromoform, bromodichloromethane, chloroform, dibromoacetic acid, dibromochloromethane, dichloroacetic acid, and trichloroacetic acid, were other disinfection byproducts detected in Wilmington tap water. There aren't currently any legal limits for most of these contaminants, but the EWG has its own recommended Health Guidelines of 0.06-o.4 PPB (which differ depending on the contaminant). The disinfectant byproducts in Wilmington's water were detected in concentrations 12 to 195x these Guidelines. We can see from this data that disinfection byproducts and PFAS are the main trace contaminants in Wilmington tap water. If you're concerned about your water quality or you're not sure you want to drink tap water in the City, conduct a water test and consider installing an at-home water filter - here are our top picks for . 🧫 Main Contaminants Found in Wilmington Tap Water There are numerous contaminants found in Wilmington's tap water that are present in quantities that aren't considered dangerous by the EPA or the EWG. These contaminants include: - Barium - A non-toxic metal that occurs naturally in the ground; large amounts in water may cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and even death, but low levels are considered harmless. - Bromide - An element that's naturally present in the environment; has a low degree of toxicity and is considered safe if found in small amounts in water. - Cadmium - A toxic heavy metal that has been widely dispersed in the environment by smelting, mining, fertilizer use, and more; has a long biological half-life in the human body and may cause health effects including disrupted bone density and composition, and renal damage. - Fluoride - A mineral that occurs naturally but is also produced synthetically and added to many local tap water supplies (including Wilmington water) for dental health purposes; not harmful in low levels but may stain the teeth, especially in young children. - Manganese - A mineral that, coupled with calcium, leads to hard water effects including limescale and soap scum; has no physical health effects in naturally present levels in water. - Strontium - A heavy metal that the human body may confuse for calcium, causing it to replace calcium in the bones when ingested in large amounts. - Total chromium - The two most common types of chromium: the toxic, cancer-causing chromium-6 (hexavalent chromium) and the harmless, more environmentally-friendly chromium-3 (trivalent chromium). - Various chemicals in the PFAS family, including perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA), Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA), Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA), Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA), Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and 15 more (see EWG Database for complete info); tests on laboratory animals show that PFAS can cause health effects including liver damage, increased cancer risk, and high cholesterol. - Vanadium - A trace element in the earth's crust; found in naturally high levels in rocks and isn't considered harmful when small amounts are present in water. ⛲ Wilmington Drinking Water in Public Places We know how water is sourced and treated for homes and businesses in Wilmington - but what about water in the City's public places? Water in public places, like bars, hotels, and restaurants, is exactly the same as the water supplied to private buildings in the City. It's on the same distribution system, so it's no different from the water that comes out of your tap at home. If you're staying at an old hotel, check with reception that your bathroom faucet water is safe to drink. Some old hotels use lead pipes and bathroom fixtures, so water isn't guaranteed to be safe for drinking. Restaurants in Wilmington will likely offer you free tap water on request, although they're not legally required to do this. You can also buy bottled water in the City's grocery stores and supermarkets if you don't want to drink tap water in a public place. Some bottled water products are treated with a thorough filtration method, such as a reverse osmosis system, making them cleaner than normal tap water. However, bottled water is bad for the environment, so only buy what you need. Continue Reading: Find Out Which US States Offer the Best Quality Tap Water 💬 Frequently Asked Questions Why can't you drink the water in Wilmington NC? You can drink the water in Wilmington, NC - the water is now safe to drink and adheres to federal guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency. However, up until 2017, the City's water contained dangerous levels of PFAS due to pollution in North Carolina’s Cape Fear River. News sources from 2021 say that the river is still contaminated with these cancer-causing "forever chemicals", but the EPA is still in the process of establishing MCLs for PFAS following a proposal issued in August 2022. What is going on with Wilmington's drinking water? Wilmington's water has been in the news in recent years because dangerous chemicals were discovered in the water due to PFAS pollution of the local Cape Fear River. Currently, the City's water utility continues to monitor PFAS in its drinking water supply, and after installing granular activated carbon water filters in its treatment plants in a $43 million project, the water is now free from PFAS. How do you remove GenX from water? GenX is one of the most common chemical contaminants that was discovered in Wilmington's water supply in 2017. If you don't want to rely on the City to remove all GenX from your water, you should consider installing a point-of-use water filter. Various types of at-home water filters remove the chemical, including granular activated carbon (GAC) filters, reverse osmosis systems, and water distillers. If you've got your eye on a water filter but don't know if it removes GenX, contact the manufacturer and ask for proof of testing. Where does Wilmington water come from? Wilmington water comes from the Cape Fear River. Can you drink the tap water in Wilmington NC? Yes, you can drink the tap water in Wilmington, NC. After disturbing findings of PFAS pollution in the City's water, Cape Fear Public Utility Authority reacted by installing eight granular activated carbon filters in its water treatment plant in 2021, which now remove these dangerous contaminants during water treatment. The water still contains trace levels of various contaminants, but all within EPA legal limits. Is Wilmington NC water fluoridated? Yes, Wilmington, NC water is fluoridated and has been since August 2010. Fluoride is produced synthetically and added to public drinking water supplies because of its ability to protect the tooth enamel, preventing tooth decay and helping to reduce costs associated with dental work in the country. However, some people argue that public water shouldn't be fluoridated because of the potential for dental and skeletal fluorosis, and other health effects. Does Wilmington have hard water? Read the full article

[pablo-orihuela]

J.498 - Final Reflection

The Truth Behind The T.V. Show “COPS”

In Vox’s 2019 youtube video titled, The Truth Behind The T.V. Show COPS, audiences learn that the longest running primetime T.V. show is COPS. 

It was a show that followed and filmed real life cops while on the job. The idea came from the creator John Langley sharing a video of a drug bust. It also helped that the show came in the wake of a writer’s strike. With no actors or writers needed to create an episode of COPS, it was the perfect program for the then-new FOX network to carry and drive viewership. The show ran for 30 years.

The show began in Broward, Florida, but it would later spread across the country due to the show’s success. It also helped that the show gave positive PR for law enforcement. The video best shows this when COPS appears in Los Angeles after the Rodney King riots. 

But this pattern grew. Salina, California and Omaha, Nebraska had bad moments. They then invited COPS to come and film in their area. 

FOX would eventually cancel the show, but the COPS formula was mimicked through programs like LIVE P.D.

LIVE P.D. was advertised as a way to build trust through audiences by following law enforcement live. Though it presents itself as transparent, the filmed content still needs to be approved by law enforcement before it airs on T.V.

“False Flag” Hoaxers Claim Mass Shootings Are Staged

A 2018 video from Vice follows the rise of False Flag conspiracists who claim mass shootings never happened. 

The video follows conspiracy theorists “Side Thorn” and “Conspiracy Granny,” who claim that the 2017 mass shooting at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas was a “false flag” — a hoax. The shooting was real and claimed the lives of 26 people inside the church, including the 14-year-old daughter of the church pastor Frank Pomeroy. 

“Side Thorn” and “Conspiracy Granny” have spent some time after the shooting confronting the surviving loved ones of the deceased to see if they can gain evidence of their status as a paid government actor. In one portion of the video, a clip from “Side Thorn’s” Youtube video shows him calling a survivor over the phone to tell them that the event was fake. 

“There is no evidence this person existed,” Side Thorn says in reference to the dead family member. 

People like “C.W. Wade” have come forward to debunk these conspiracy theorists. Wade thinks that these people pose a threat to the surviving victims of the dead loved ones, and thinks that it’s only a matter of time before one of the conspiracy theorists commits an act of violence. 

“C.W. Wade” is not the real name of the “False Flag Debunker'' shown in the video. It is an alias they use to protect themselves from the real harm he feels these conspiracy theorists can bring. 

The video ends with the conspiracy theorists confronting pastor Pomeroy. The police eventually arrest the conspiracy theorists, but not before they threaten to continue to harass teh pastor and the remaining surviving victims. 

Reflection

Visual Journalism will be affected by the internet and social media in the sense that it will need to compete for attention and clicks. 

While it’s true that the internet age has made information more easily accessible than ever before, that very real, objective truth is burying in a sea of conspiracy theories and bad reporting. What remains is a very broad field of information for people to sift through in an effort to find the answers we’re looking for. 

Journalism majors like me can easily find what we’re looking for while separating what’s with or without merit. But what about people who aren’t as media literate? These people may wind up consuming information like that of the conspiracy theorists in the Vice video. They’ll consume content like that and take it at face value, causing more conspiracy theorists to appear. 

It does’;t help that many news outlets hide their information behind a paywall. Though I certainly don’t mind paying the subscription price for my favorite news outlets, I also understand that I’m in the minority. Most people will simply look for outlets that don’t have a paywall. Those are not always trustworthy.

Social media was meant to level the playing field by having paid content still be posted on the site. However, filter bubbles can cause people to still be directed to false information, or at least information that only confirms their biases. 

I think as Journalists/Communications majors, we can help the world become more media literate by being more active with our audiences. Though some news may be behind a paywall, we can create threads on platforms like Twitter, so that we can at least report the basics to our audiences. 

To both paid and unpaid subscribers, we can also make a point to interact with them and answer questions they might have. I’ve noticed that many intentionally harmful outlets build a strong relationship with their audiences by constantly interacting with them. While I don't think we should be spending a large amount of our time on social media, I think there is a benefit to answering questions our audiences have by directly interacting with them as opposed to hiding that answer behind a paywall. 

I also think we can also do our part to make sure we call out and debunk misinformation, especially when it’s gaining traction. 

I think many older journalists misinterpret debunking as causing friction or drama, especially on social media, but I think we can educate people without causing strife. 

[moonstarsunearth]

The thing for me with this theory is that I don't see Tashi having and unplanned pregnancy of Patrick's child but also this movie cares so much about the relationships between these characters that if the movie really wanted to make Lily Patrick's daughter it must affect the characters and their relationships in the movie. She is Patrick's daughter but didnt affect the plot or is used in way that sells why is an interesting writing decision at all ? So tashi and Art had a daughter that could be really an Atlanta's child and Patrick never suspected about it,because one thing is not recognizing Lily's name but that Tashi was pregnant or that Art had a daughter must be on the news. So you are telling me Patrick was never interested in his daughter or even used that as way to introduce himself in Tashi and Art's life for years as he wanted ,or even if he just learnt in 2019 how he wouldn't search about it? Finding when Coach Tashi that must be on tour always with her husband, was pregnant must be easy. Why did he never mention it when he is all the movie talking with Tashi about her life with Art and how their lives aren't that good as they pretend or how she wanted to see him? How would he not feel betrayed or this wouldnt affect his self worth if something like this was hidden from him?

If Lily is Patrick's daughter why Tashi didn't act so protective about her when Patrick is so close to them, Tashi even used her name so easily in a conversation with Patrick,how about when Patrick asked her if Art knew about Atlanta? Did Art knew or suspected ? This must affect how he related to his daughter and not just "I am busy tennis player that want to be more with my daughter and I cant", how this wouldn't be another level of betrayal that Tashi just fucking Patrick ? You can even say he was a little bit in denial about the Atlanta thing, everything was so quickly but when you added a daughter.... If he knew how he won't be more protective of lily knowing Patrick was so close?

Like it could be an interesting choice to explore in fics,but when I read most of them are like "Tashi lied to Patrick and Art about it " but you know "Art always knew and didn't care(are you sure he wouldn't?) and Patrick learnt about the news and is just "scared but happy ",sorry but something like this would be a mess,they are already a mess but that is another BIG thing to add to the mess,acting like they solved it so quickly and they are happy throuple, no bad blood or resentment, it isn't just unrealistic but what is interesting about it ?

Sincerely the way that the child is used in the movie sold me more about being first a contrast of what Tashi and Art had created together: a tennis career,a marriage,a family ,they had "everything" vs Patrick not having any of this ("Time for your Uber driver to drop you back off to your family"),but even if they rejected him,they still wanted him.

And second how even if Tashi and Art loved her daughter,elite tennis' player life is so demanding and consuming that they didn't have enough time for her as they wanted or her daughter needed,she is being raised traveling,in hotels,etc,and how that can affect Tashi and Art's decisions about Art's career.

the “lily is actually patrick’s daughter!!” theory is one i cannot get behind. tashi duncan had her whole life planned out, controlled. the one unpredictable thing in her life was her knee injury which completely threw her off course. every choice she makes is a concious one - she has weighed the pros and cons of it all before making a decision. yes, even cheating on art in atlanta. but there is not a chance in HELL that she wasn’t tracking her cycle or on long form birth control or something akin to her knowing her windows. you really think patrick zweig’s daughter wants to cuddle and watch spiderverse? that child would be bouncing off the fucking walls. lily was certainly planned between tashi and art. maybe i’m wrong and i’m willing to be wrong, but the way tashi is written i cannot imagine her having an unplanned pregnancy with patrick. regardless, art is lily’s father in every sense of the matter.

[acquis12345]

Respecting the PBT Regulations of Section 6(h) of the TSCA: What You Need to Know According to TSCA Section 6(h), the 2016 Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act mandates the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to expedite action on specific persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals in order to address risks and minimize exposures as much as possible. In 2019, the EPA issued a proposed rule and identified five PBT chemicals for expedited action in 2016. The EPA finally issued final rules for these chemicals on January 6, 2021. The EPA is authorized by the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to regulate persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals for environmental and human health protection. These chemicals have the potential to accumulate over time in the environment and pose potential dangers to exposed populations, such as the general population, consumers, and commercial users, as well as susceptible subpopulations (such as workers, subsistence fishers, tribes, and children). The following are the five PBT chemicals for which the EPA has taken immediate action: Phenol, isopropylated phosphate (3:1) or PIP 3:1 (CAS 68937-41-7) Decabromodiphenyl ether (DecaBDE) (CAS 1163-19-5) 2,4,6-tris(tert-butyl)phenol (2,4,6 TTBP) (CAS 732-26-3) Hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD) (CAS 87-68-3) Pentachlorothiophenol (PC

Keep track of the restricted substances they include in their products, components, and materials. At the very least, keep this documentation for three years. Inform their downstream customers of any substances in their products that are restricted by TSCA.

Extension of PIP compliance to 3:1: New Dates to Keep in Mind In September 2021, the EPA said it would start a new rulemaking process and would propose new rules for these five PBT chemicals in the spring of 2023. In addition, the EPA issued a final rule in March 2022 that extended the compliance dates for the prohibitions against processing and distribution as well as the recordkeeping requirement for one of these PBT chemicals—phenol, isopropylated phosphate (3:1) or PIP 3:1—when used in particular articles until October 31, 2024. The extensive information provided during the 60-day public comment period for the EPA's October 2021 proposal served as the basis for this action.

Because of its lubricating and flame retardant properties, phenol, isopropylated, phosphate (3:1) is widely used. The use of flame retardants like PIP (3:1) in textiles, rubber, polyurethane foam, antistatic agent, cellulose, cotton, cutting oils, electronic equipment like video display units cables, casting resins, glues, engineering thermoplastics, epoxy resins, and phenolic resins are just a few of the applications for which flame retardants are added. It is essential for businesses to be aware of these new rules and to take the necessary steps to comply with them in order to stay out of trouble with the Additionally, it is essential for businesses to keep an eye on developments pertaining to these PBT chemicals as well as any upcoming alterations that the EPA may make to the regulations. Companies can guarantee that they are conducting business in a sustainable and safe manner, safeguarding the health of their employees and the environment.

Reach out to our compliance experts to stay compliant

[floril-egia]

Cannabis stores in Peterborough

Is it true that you are searching for a pot dispensary close to you? All things considered, look no further. Assuming that you are close to Peterborough, Ontario, The Green Room is the ideal pot dispensary for you. We have an assortment of sporting pot items to assist you with addressing your necessities.

At the point when you pick us as your cannabis dispensary, we endeavour to stay up with the latest on every one of the new items. As your principal maryjane dispensary, you will get help from our amicable and educational staff. Our staff is prepared pretty much every one of the items we sell so you can know precisely the exact thing you are purchasing. At this maryjane dispensary, you can investigate every one of your choices so you can find what best fits you.

Having us as your cannabis dispensary, you will get refreshes on every one of the most recent items. We ensure our budtenders are able to help you in the most ideal way. Any item you are searching for, simply ask, we will make certain to help. At this cannabis dispensary, we have many items that will meet your requirements.

This cannabis dispensary offers online conveyance as well as in-store pickup. We can address your issues anyplace you are. As an Ontario cannabis dispensary, an administration clinical card isn't needed. Visit our site or call us today to submit your next request.

Tmb 420

Fortes

Addressing Canadian weed culture, The Medication Box is Peterborough's number one 420 frill shop.

History

Laid out in 2019.

The Medication Box was laid out in Peterborough in late 2019. We have been extending our product offering and further developing our store gradually since opening and have had the option to do so because of our unwavering regulars and esteemed new clients.

The Medication Box

Fortes

Were #1 Weed Conveyance Administration in all of Peterborough. We offer top grade kush and consumable items. Satisfaction Ensured.

History

Laid out in 2019.

Conveying Weed to our clients is our forte

Kasa Kana

History

Laid out in 2018.

Kasa Kana was made by a family whose interests are weed and individuals. At the point when discussions authorising sporting marijuana started, we chose to zero in on our interests and go full power into fostering a raised pot insight. We've been figuring out how to work on this advanced industry by working intimately with top authorised makers from the nation over. We hand-select every one of our items, and we're continually on the chase after the most up to date producers and strains. We expect to give our Ontario neighbourhood networks a protected and inviting experience.

Green Valley Wellbeing

Fortes

We offer the accompanying types of assistance: - Counseling for Clinical Marijuana Patients - Talking with Patients who need to create their own Pot - Associating Patients with Authorised Makers as a lawful hotspot for their clinical pot - Counseling for Organizations in the Pot Business - Counseling for all degrees of Government - Training Classes for Local area Associations - Public Occasions about Clinical Pot - And significantly more! Charges don't matter to little bundles for patients with an ongoing finding of Disease, MS, CRPS or for Veterans and People on call. Get in touch with us for more data on how we can help you!

Pot Regulations

Pot use for clinical purposes has been allowed in Canada starting around 2001.

In 2017, the national government approved proposed regulation with sanction and direct marijuana for non-clinical use (Weed Act, Bill C-45). Bill C-45 got Imperial Consent in June, 2018 and pot for non-clinical use by legitimate age grown-ups became lawful in Canada as of October 17, 2018.

The Area of Ontario passed refreshed regulation with respect to pot use, retailing and authorization in October 2018 (Bill 36 - The Marijuana Resolution Regulation Change Act). The Demonstration revises the past common structure for marijuana use and deals, including laying out a new authorising plan for private pot retail deals, and changing allowed spots of purpose for weed.

The accompanying limitations apply to buying, having and consuming weed for non-clinical purposes in Ontario:

19 years or more established is the lawful age to purchase, use, or have weed

There are serious punishments for drug-weakened driving and a zero resilience limit for youthful, beginner, or business drivers

Grown-ups of legitimate age will be allowed to have as much as 30 grams of dried weed in broad daylight

As of October 17, 2018, the Ontario Marijuana Store site is the main lawful choice for buying weed for non-clinical purposes

Authorised private retail customer facing facades are expected to be laid out by April 1, 2019

A constraint of four pot plants might be developed per home

Utilisation of marijuana for non-clinical designs is precluded in work environments

Peterborough General Wellbeing is answerable for upholding where pot can be utilised through our significant implementation unit. More data about the Sans smoke Ontario Act and other applicable metropolitan by-regulations can be tracked down on our Smoking and Vaping pages.

We are Sparq Retail a lawfully Ontario Authorized marijuana store that has been established locally of Peterborough, the pot store that desires to keep on developing with this delightful city, and give an expert, instructive centered brand where all vibe protected and welcome! By deciding to shop at Sparq you are picking a brand that has been working from the earliest stage here in Peterborough, this means the very thing you spend at Sparq, stays inside the local area and assists each of the neighborhood organizations with developing, not at all like enormous weed store chains! Our objective at Sparq Retail isn't to make a marijuana dispensary, however a pot shelter; a space where everybody is gladly received, a space where individuals have a solid sense of reassurance and certainty about the items they are purchasing and in the data they are getting. We desire to end the shame encompassing marijuana and show the world that pot is something other than weed; to some it's a medication, to some it's a more secure other option, and to some it's profound. We should show the world the excellence of pot!

[cryptoonus]

Another Crypto Opponent Weighs In "Senator Jon Tester"

A new crypto-skeptic has emerged in the form of Democratic Senator Jon Tester, who claims that there is "no reason why" crypto should exist. Since 2007, Tester has held the position of the senior senator representing Montana. He also belongs to the Senate Banking Committee as a key member in the ongoing debate over U.S. crypto legislation. The Tester claims that there shouldn't be any industry regulation since cryptocurrencies don't actually have any value, and if you did that, you'd look more credible.  He stated, It's not been able to pass the smell test for me. I have not been able to find anybody who's been able to explain to me what's there other than synthetics which means nothing. The problem is, if we regulate it – and I pointed this out to some of the regulators here a week or two ago – if we regulate it, it may give it the ability of people to think it's real. US Taking Crypto Regulations Seriously While Tester's assertion that he is not a regulator. His position on the Committee provided him access to a significant decision-making body debating whether to regulate it. After the U.S. midterm elections, Democratic senators came together to discuss the banking committee's agenda. The proposed Digital Commodities Consumer Protection Act (DCCPA) has drawn criticism from party officials, according to a Roll Call report. This would designate the CFTC as the central agency overseeing U.S. crypto regulation rather than the SEC or other organizations. Tester opposed the Stabenow-Boozman Bill in the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, which Republican Senator John Boozman of Arkansas chairs. He also advised against giving cryptocurrencies any more legitimacy. Many Democratic senators stated their opposition to crypto in Semafor's report released on 2 December.  As stated by crypto-hater Elizabeth Warren: Finally, more people are blowing the B.S. whistle. When he stated that he was "not a tremendous admirer" of cryptocurrencies, Bernie Sanders at least displayed more tact. Related Reading | Flash Loan Attack Hits Lodestar Finance 2019 saw Senator Tester publicly criticizing Facebook's failing cryptocurrency experiment, Libra. He drew a link between the threat of outdated crypto rules during the 2008 financial crisis. Read the full article